In the autumn of 202 AD, the champion Hou Liu Tong traveled north, from Luoyang, sent a letter to Guguan, and came to Xihe County through Pingyang County, preparing to go to Shengle.

Pingyang, Xihe and other counties were once deserted because of the chaos in the world at the end of the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu invaded the border, and the people ran south. Since Liu Kuan's rule and annexation of the state, through years of immigration and development, it has been quite effective, but the population is still small, far less prosperous than Youzhou, Jizhou and other places.

In order to develop Xihe, Liu Kuan assigned the Zishi, Zhongyang, Guyuan, and Jiexiu of Taiyuan County to Xihe County, and the governance was located in the Zishi.

Liu Tong and his entourage marched all the way for more than a month, and they were exhausted, with light rain and muddy roads. On this day, the army went out dozens of miles away from Shixian County into the mountains, encountered a landslide, and blocked the road to the north.

Liu Tong had no choice but to order the army to find a place to set up camp. Liu Tong didn't want the sergeant to start work in the rain, after all, what he brought with him were all elite cavalry, and they were very precious. The only way to do this is to rest and wait for the rain to stop before opening the road.

Another reason for not starting work is that everyone has worked this march, so they simply take a rest.

"Master Hou, why don't you take your entourage back to Shixian County, and wait for the road to be smooth, and then move forward? Just stay in the lowly position. Xia Houlan has become more familiar with Liu Tong these days, and she has no previous restraints.

Liu Tong did feel a little boring, but he didn't really want to go to Lishi County, just came out of Lishi, the old county order was Xun Yu's clan, he cared about Liu Tong meticulously, he was too enthusiastic, he followed him all the time, and he spoke very long-winded, so that Liu Tong did not have a little free and freedom, which was very awkward.

Liu Tong thought to himself, I was so made by Xun County that I didn't know what it looked like from Shixian County, so I just secretly went over this trip and stayed for a few days. Otherwise, in this valley, waiting for the weather to clear, and then waiting for them to open the road, is indeed a bit boring.

After Liu Tong instructed Xiahou Lan, he left with red carp, Wu Ji, Luo Tie and others in civilian clothes. was going to bring a few people, but the guard battalion commander Liu Si did not agree anyway, and insisted on bringing a large team of guards.

Dressed in rain gear, I walked quickly, and saw the outskirts of the city, and the rain became heavier and heavier.

"Master Hou, look, there is an ancestral temple in the distance, let's take shelter from the rain." Liu Si pointed to the left front and said.

Liu Tong saw that there was indeed a newly built ancestral temple in front of him, so he waved his hand and led everyone over.

"Hey, Childe, look! Five Elements Real Temple? Wu Ji just jumped off the horse and pointed to the ancestral temple plaque and shouted.

Liu Tong also wondered, why hadn't he heard of such an ancestral temple, the word "five elements" was a sensitive word for Liu Tong, and it was too closely related to him. Liu Tong walked in curiously.

The door of the ancestral temple was hidden, and when I pushed the door in, I found that there were more than a dozen people inside, a few merchants and men in the middle, a group of people in ragged clothes and refugees crowded in the corner, and the ground was covered with hay. Merchants and fellows gathered around a fire to make a fire, and in the other corner was a horse piled up with goods.

When the person who took the fire saw Liu Tong and others enter the door, he was suddenly quiet and looked at them vigilantly, probably after seeing Liu Tong and others enter the door, they took off their clothes and hats, revealing their luxurious clothes, and then let down their guarded looks.

"Excuse me." After Liu Si clenched his fists at the businessman, he quickly cleared out a vacant space next to him with Liu Yin and asked Liu Tong to sit down.

Liu Tong looked carefully at the ancestral hall, the five sculptures standing inside, only to see that they were four men and one woman, all of them looked like fairy wind bones, Liu Tong was even more suspicious that this was the five elements and five disciples, but the appearance was not like it at all. Although the second Liu Zhen and the fifth Yang Bo and Liu Tong have not met, the other three Liu Tong are too familiar. Isn't it them? I can't think of which five people can be worshiped by the people here?

Liu Tong was puzzled, so he came to the fire to talk to people, and people who went out were easy to get acquainted with, and Liu Tong was quickly invited to sit down.

"Uncle, what's going on with this Five Elements True Mind view? Which kind of gods are enshrined? ”

Liu Tong asked an older man in his forties who looked like a boss, who should be the leader of this group.

"Bullshit fairy! It's not too much of an adult's way to accumulate money! The boss said disdainfully.

"This is our owner, Master Xu Shuo." A capable guy, Chong Liu Tong introduced.

"Kid Luo Tong is polite!" Liu Tong hugged his fists at Xu Shuo and saluted, "We have passed by here since Luoyang, and we have never seen such an ancestral temple in the Central Plains, and it is really lonely and unheard." ”

Xu Shuo said with a smile: "Let the son laugh, the land of the border is lawless." It is said that potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes are the original seeds they collected from Kunlun Mountain and carefully cultivated. What a good deed for the benefit of the country and the people! ”

When Liu Tong heard this, in this way, this ancestral temple is really dedicated to the eldest grandfather and the third grandmother.

"What, Boss Xu seems to be dissatisfied?"

"If a good deed becomes an act of harm to the people, it is counterproductive. This Taishou took the prime minister's overhaul of the Five Elements Concept in Beibi Mountain as an example, requiring each county in Xihe County to study the Five Elements True Person, such as Zishi County, repaired as many as three, Xihe Seventeen Counties, a total of nearly 30 ancestral temples. This is good from Shixian, only the smallest one has been built, and it is built on this traffic artery, which can also be used as a place for pedestrians to rest and shelter from the sun and rain. Nowadays, when the people hear the name of the real person of the five elements, they are disgusted with the namelessness. ”

When Liu Tong heard this, he was displeased.

"The merits of the five elements are immeasurable, and they are also worthy of it. How are the people dissatisfied? ”

"But the nephew and the brother of the third lady's family are insatiable, and the government apportions money, grain, and taxes, and they increase the price layer by layer, and the construction cost is more than ten times the actual cost, and the people are miserable because of the heavy forced labor."

Xu Shuo said, turned his head to look at the refugees in the corner, and continued: "Cheng is quite political, Xihe has just been full of vitality, but I never thought that for these Taoist priests, I spent a lot of money and food, and even ruined the people's families, but I was also confused!" ”

Liu Tong heard Xu Shuo's criticism of Liu Kuan, and he was displeased, and was just about to confess, when he heard Wu Ji jump up, with a black face, pointed at Xu Shuo with a big knife and said, "Bold!" ”

Xu Shuo was startled, his face was frightened, and he said in his heart, these people seemed to be people in the government, so he quickly lowered his head and stopped talking.

"Idiot, don't be presumptuous!" Liu Tong glared at Wu Ji angrily, and Wu Ji sat down reluctantly.

Liu Tong hurriedly apologized to Xu Shuo, but Xu Shuo didn't dare to say anything anymore. Under Liu Tong's repeated inquiries, he just said cautiously: "If Childe wants to inquire about the details, just find someone to ask, if Childe goes to Zishi to have a look, it will be even more clear at a glance." ”

Liu Tong saw that Xu Shuo tightened his mouth, and he couldn't ask anything more. Awkwardly returned to the red carp.

Liu Tong thought to himself, in this way, this Xihe Taishou is really bold, knowing that the Five Elements Concept is Liu Kuan's master, and he is full of flattery! Even the common people. This undoubtedly ruined the reputation of Liu Kuan and the Five Elements Gate, which is unbearable!

Since you have encountered it, you must take care of it.

Liu Tong saw that the rain outside was gradually getting lighter, and he had something in his heart, and he didn't want to stay longer. Wu took some money and food, got up and went to the corner, and handed the usual five baht and a bag of pancakes to an old man in the corner.

As soon as this group of refugees saw that there was something to eat, they all surrounded the old man, one for you and one for me, and they devoured it. It seemed that everyone was already hungry, and Liu Tong couldn't bear to look at their anxious and embarrassed appearance, so he turned around and walked away.

Xu Shuo had already developed a sense of disgust for Liu Tong and the others, but seeing this situation, his vigilance was a little less. Xu Shuo knew that Liu Tong and the others were about to leave, and his mood relaxed a little, and then he saw Liu Tong rushing over to him, and he was clenching his fists and preparing to speak, so he also stood up.

"Boss Xu, I came from Luoyang, the construction of the Five Elements True Person, the Prime Minister and several real people did not know about it, this kind of thing that hurts the peasants and harms the people goes against their original intention of loving the people and raising the people."

When Xu Shuo heard this, he knew that Liu Tong and his entourage were not from the local government, and it seemed that the origin was not small, otherwise he would not have explained directly on behalf of Liu Kuan, and he was even sure that Liu Kuan and the real people of the Five Elements did not know about it! And it seems that this rich and noble son is still quite dissatisfied with this matter, and he ponders the identity of this son in his heart.

"May I ask who is the Taishou of Xihe County?" Liu Tong asked.

"Xu Yu Xu Ziyuan! Childe might as well go to Zishi to have a look, it is clear at a glance! Xu Shuo bowed heavily to return the salute to Liu Tong, and also had the intention of asking Liu Tong to be the master of the people.

When Liu Tong heard this, he suddenly realized, it turned out to be you!

Xu Yu is also a celebrity, he was Yuan Shao's main strategist, and when Liu Kuan and Yuan Shao were fighting, he was tried and punished because of his nephew's crime, and he took refuge in Liu Kuan and betrayed Yuan Shao.

After defeating Yuan Shao, Liu Kuan didn't like Xu You's betrayal of the enemy and corruption, but it was not easy to erase his achievements, so he asked Xun Yu to arrange Xu You's position.

Xun Yu said: "Xu Ziyuan is greedy and uncured. So he sent him to the remote and poor Xihe County to be the Taishou.