Chapter VII: Distinguished Guests

The war between Qin and Chu does not seem to have affected the small township of Zhongyangli, and life is still going on in an orderly manner. But the change seemed to be coming quietly, and many unfamiliar faces entered Pei County, Surabaya County, and announced that the area was under the jurisdiction of the Qin State. The person in charge of Surabaya County is no longer the minister of Chu, or even a native of Chu, but a Qin Dynasty official sent by the capital Xianyang, whose name is Zhuang.

Zhuang is the county guard of Surabaya County (one of the earliest provincial high-ranking officials in China). There are only 36 county guards in the country, and Zhuang is one of them. Without the new policies of the Qin Dynasty, Zhuang would not have been able to hold this position at all. Because this position has always been held by royalty and nobles and the best heroes.

He should have been an official with both ability and ability, because the Qin Dynasty had very strict conditions for selecting officials. They must have a variety of qualities such as faithfulness and respect, honesty and slander, judgment of deeds, joy of good deeds, and respect and concession, and at the same time, they should also be aware of the legal decrees of the Qin Dynasty ("Sleeping Tiger Land Qin Jian"). These qualifications do not seem obsolete, even today. ）。

To be so perfect, it is obviously a lot of pressure to be strong. He needs to spend a lot of time and energy to familiarize himself with the complicated and trivial laws of the Qin Dynasty, such as more than 20 kinds of laws and regulations, such as "The Law of Placing Officials", "Removing the Law of Officials", "Removing the Law of Disciples", "The Law of Resignation", "The Law of Xingshu", etc., and he also needs to always pay attention to the accumulation of court actions (court trial precedents) and legal questions and answers (it is not easy to see that judicial practitioners have been doing it since ancient times). In addition, Zhuang also needs to complete the necessary administrative tasks to prepare for the central government's examinations. If you are careless or misbehave, you will be reprimanded and reprimanded by your superiors, and even fined and confiscated, removed from official positions (dismissed, abolished), and even sentenced to prison in the most serious cases.

Government officials at all levels in Surabaya County are clearly at their busiest at this time. The biggest headache for the county guard, who has just taken over Surabaya County, is that he must first find out the household registration situation in his area, which is the basic work of follow-up work such as the collection and issuance of conscription and the collection of taxes.

This is not an easy task, given the conflict, which has displaced many families and left many people missing. What's more, this area originally belonged to the state of Chu, and the people were fierce. Originally, the state of Chu was the most promising to compete with the state of Qin for hegemony, but now it is controlled by others. The people of Chu are inevitably inseparable from the Qin State, and they have deep enmity and old grudges, and everyone is eager to punish Qin for revenge. If the central government of the Qin Dynasty agrees with these situations, then he should send the most competent officials to perform their duties, and the strong ability is probably far from enough.

Zhuang should compile a report as soon as possible on the number of household registrations, agricultural production, conscription and distribution of servitude, and public security and prisons in the region, and make an annual plan and report it to the central government until Qin Shi Huang Yingzheng himself. Based on these circumstances, the higher-level authorities will evaluate the work of Zhuang and evaluate the merits and give rewards and punishments. The "most" is preferred, and rewards are given; Those who are "in the temple" are inferior, and they are punished with flogging (spanking).

【Peixian】

Pei County is bound to have received a government order from the higher authorities requiring the registration of household registration, and all residents need to be registered, and the county order is being implemented in an orderly manner. The villagers in Zhongyang began to realize that they were no longer nationals of the Chu State, but of the Qin Dynasty. After that, they will face more and more conscription.

Soon after, Liu Ji, a resident of Pei County, also got an errand, that is, to become the pavilion chief of the Surabaya Pavilion. Presumably, he had obtained the job through his personal connections in order to escape the increasing demands of conscription. Because judging from Liu Ji's conduct, he probably does not meet the noble character conditions for the appointment of officials in the Qin Dynasty's decrees. Most crucially, the central government of the Qin Dynasty issued the "Law of Travelers" to restrict the behavior of travelers. For an unemployed vagrant like Liu Ji, who is idle and wandering the countryside all day long, it is very likely that he will be imprisoned as a hooligan.

It is not difficult for Liu Ji to get the position of pavilion chief. After all, Liu Ji is very popular in Pei County, and many officials in Pei County are his buddies.

【Liu Ji】

Being the pavilion chief did not bring Liu Ji much benefit and sense of honor, nor did he make his family have much of a change in his opinion of him. Because since he became the pavilion chief, there is one less laborer in the family, which is not only not beneficial to the family's farmland production, but harmful. Moreover, as the pavilion chief, he also needed to travel frequently, either to escort prisoners to the capital Xianyang, or to transport public grain to the county seat, often for several months at a time. When he went out, the family didn't know whether Liu Ji was dead or alive, and whether he would come back or not.

Although he didn't use himself as a pavilion chief before, Liu Ji didn't do much farm work, but occasionally he couldn't hinder the feelings of his family, and with a little help, he could be regarded as a substitute force for the family's farming. However, since becoming the head of this pavilion, it can be regarded as completely out of production, and the complaints at home are increasing day by day.

On the other hand, the county magistrate felt that Liu Ji was absent from his post all day, and often took leave to go home to farm (when Gaozu was the pavilion chief, he often returned to the field). It's really unflattering to both sides, neither taking care of the family, nor performing public duties well, neither the understanding of the family nor the praise of the boss.

Liu Ji didn't care at all, and enjoyed it. He did not pay more attention to his words and actions as a public official. On the contrary, he became more unruly. He dared to say anything, he dared to do anything, and there were no rules to follow. He doesn't care about other people's eyes, and his heart is extremely strong. There is nothing wrong with lying on the body of the widow Wang (Wang Yuan) if you are drunk today, and lying in the arms of Wu Erniang (Wu Ying) when you are drunk tomorrow. For a while, he also got along with a woman surnamed Cao, messed around all day, and became pregnant with a child. But Liu Ji did not marry this woman surnamed Cao, because there was no sincere relationship between them, they were just acting on the spot.

In fact, the pavilion chief has many responsibilities, such as receiving passing officials, delivering official documents, and apprehending thieves. However, these were all regarded by Liu Ji as a great opportunity to eat and drink at public expense. Eating, drinking, and yawning are Liu Ji's forte skills, and they will definitely make all the buddies passing by eat, drink, and have fun.

More importantly, serving as the pavilion chief gave Liu Ji more opportunities to contact people in the system. After that, he befriended many people in the government, and these people later became his lifelong friends, born and died. For example, Xiao He, Cao Shen, Xiahou Ying, Ren Ao, etc. It is also this position that gives Liu Ji a preliminary understanding of how the system works, as well as the first time to get the latest information on current affairs and government affairs. He developed this political acumen. (A simple hooligan drunkard, I'm afraid it will be difficult to make a career, hooliganism is just the appearance of Liu Ji.) ）

【Lv Gong】

On this day, Pei County ushered in a distinguished guest.

His surname is Lu, and he is a distant friend of the county magistrate of Pei County. The county magistrate wants to hold a banquet in the county seat to catch the wind and wash the dust for his friends. After hearing about it, the officials and heroes of Peizhong all rushed to the banquet.

A pavilion chief like Liu Ji is just a small person in the official system, and he is probably not qualified to receive invitations. And even if he went to the banquet, Liu Ji could only sit in the corner in obscurity, cheering for others. When someone raises a glass, he must follow the toast and congratulate him; When others put down the cup, he could only stop the meal and listen to the lecture in silence. His eyes must always be fixed on the chair table of the banquet as a sign of respect. His rhythm must follow others, this is the etiquette of the small pavilion chief. Even if he wanted to go up to toast, he would have to wait until the leader in front of him finished toasting before he could barely come forward.

There is a pavilion in ten miles, and the pavilion is set up with a pavilion chief. There may be hundreds of pavilion chiefs in the entire Pei County, and Liu Ji is just one of them. Standing in the pavilion chief's team, you may not be able to find Liu Ji's figure, because it is too ordinary.

Although being respectful and sincere is the standard etiquette of the pavilion chief, if this is really the case, Liu Ji can really only be the pavilion chief for a lifetime in the end. (Liu Ji can't become Liu Bang.) ）

Liu Ji himself is not a peaceful person, he will not honestly wait for others to deliver invitations to him, and he can also think that he is not qualified to go to the banquet.

Liu Ji doesn't care about this. As long as it is something he thinks he is happy about, he will take the initiative and will not sit idly by.

How can such a happy thing be without Liu Ji and me! If no one invites me, then I'll take the initiative to go to the banquet! Don't forget, eating and drinking itself is something that I am familiar with Liu Ji.

It is rare for Pei County to have such an opportunity, a lively banquet, and the county's officials and heroes gather here. These people and Liu Ji are good buddies, and they are used to eating, drinking and having fun together, and Liu Ji and them don't feel any embarrassment.

Today's task is to come over and eat, drink and have fun!

【Liu Ji】

When Liu Ji came to the door of the banquet, the banquet inside had already begun, and the county magistrate and the guests were toasting and drinking. The seat at the top of the rostrum was obviously the county magistrate himself, and to his right must be the distinguished guest who had come from afar. The Liu Ji on the left is familiar, it is the chief official of Pei County, and his good buddy Xiao He. The people around me were also familiar faces, and they were all county government officials. It seems that there are some polite words between the host and the guest, and it should be that the wine war has just begun, and has not yet entered the substantive stage.

It's a fun one! It's just the right time!

When Liu Ji was about to step into the door, the guard at the door stopped him and asked him if he had brought congratulatory money. If you don't bring congratulatory money, then you can only apologize, and you will not be entertained.

"Congratulatory money? Of course, there is congratulatory money! ”

"If the congratulatory money is less than a thousand dollars, you can only sit in the hall." (Less than a thousand dollars, sit in the hall)

"Just kidding! How much more than a thousand dollars in my congratulations?! ”

"How much?"

"Liu Ji - He Qianwan!" Liu Ji shouted loudly, lest everyone would not hear it, and the eyes of the audience suddenly focused on the door. They were all curious about which of Peizhong's heroes was so generous.

【Xiao He】

I heard someone shouting outside, Liu Ji congratulated Qian Wan! Xiao He was stunned, Liu Ji? Which Liu Ji? Xiao He quickly thought about who this high-roller was in Peizhong, but with his understanding of Peixian, he should not have made such a generous move Liu Ji. As the chief official, he will never allow anyone to come over to make trouble about this banquet that is related to Peixian's face.

Just as Xiao He was about to go out to investigate whether this Liu Ji was He Qianwan or not, Liu Ji had already strode forward and sat on the chairman's table. The guard at the door could only look at his back in a daze, not daring to make a sound.

Seeing this, Lu Gong, a distinguished guest sitting on the right side of the county order, quickly picked up his wine glass out of politeness and toasted to this heroic man of Pei County. After all, this banquet was held by Pei County for me, an outsider, and the heroes who can congratulate Qian Wan should be an extraordinary person in Pei County.

"Thank you Haojie for appreciating your face, this cup is done first!" Lu Gong drank it all.

Liu Ji was also unceremonious, picked up the wine glass and drank it all without saying a word!

"Heroic! Sure enough! Lu Gong was amazed.

"Liu Ji usually likes to talk big and rarely accomplish things. (Liu Jigu said a lot, but didn't succeed) "Xiao He hurried to round the field, hoping to eliminate the embarrassment caused by Liu Ji's lies. Because Xiao He knew Liu Ji too well, he knew that Liu Ji didn't have so much money at all.

Liu Ji's usual salary was paid to him by Xiao He, and he would give him three hundred yuan for each business trip to the capital Xianyang, and sometimes an additional two hundred yuan. Because Liu Ji spends too much money, the three hundred dollars for eating, drinking, and having fun will be gone, and the money may be spent before he arrives in Xianyang, and the escort task will not be completed, and he will definitely make a mistake. For the sake of Liu Ji's usual hospitality of officials, and he often invites the brothers in the county to eat and drink, Xiao He often gives Liu Ji an extra 200 yuan. In addition, Liu Ji no longer has any other excessive income. He Wanqian is equivalent to the total cost of Liu Ji's 20 business trips, and Liu Ji is absolutely impossible to be so generous.

【Liu Ji】

Liu Ji has no sense of restraint at all, and everyone here seems to have a good time. When I saw this, I said buddy, it. When I met that, I also said that my feelings were deep and I was bored. It seems to be the owner of this wine field, and the county order has become a companion. Liu Ji quickly mastered the discourse dominance of this banquet and became the core of the wine table. (Liu Ji insulted the guests, so he sat down and had nothing to do)

Xiao He had a good relationship with Liu Ji, he laughed and laughed, trying to find a balance between the county order and Liu Ji, so as not to embarrass the county order too much, after all, this is the primary duty of the chief official. And the county commander was a little too calm, although he still had a smile on his face, he always felt a little awkward in his heart. There's really nothing he can do.

Liu Ji's aura was too strong, Xiao He kept interrupting his words, wanting to turn the topic around, but in the end, Liu Ji took it back, and instead it became a song and a harmony between them.

The banquet finally dispersed, and Liu Ji drank happily. Liu Ji made a new friend at the wine table, and that was this distinguished guest Lu Gong.

Soon after, Liu Ji became the son-in-law of this distinguished guest.