The spring of the third year of Xuanhe has already come, everywhere is full of life, from time to time in the air floated a pile of mountain-like white clouds, covering the warm sun, the fields on both sides of the bank can be seen everywhere farmers busy fertilizing and weeding in the wheat fields, in the distance is a large area of thick green woods, flocks of larks fly over the woods, flying towards the river.

This is the Yangtze River in Ezhou, there are two thousand stone boats sailing slowly on the river, the white sails are hung high, blown by the east wind, Li Yanqing is standing on the bow of the boat with his hands in his hands, the river breeze blows his clothes, he admires the beautiful scenery on the south bank of the Yangtze River, the low mountains can be seen in the distance shrouded in the hazy smoke and rain, just like the rendering of ink painting, there are shepherd boys riding on the back of the ox and playing the flute horizontally by the riverside, just like a very beautiful pastoral picture.

Li Yanqing set out from the capital seven days ago, he and his wife Cao Yun, his concubine Guo Sisi, and his little sister Hu Qing'er took a big boat, while Mo Jun, Liu Fang and other entourages took another big boat, they went south from Cai River to the Huai River, and then entered the Yangtze River through Yangzhou, and then went west against the west, walked for seven days, and finally entered the territory of Jiayu County, Ezhou.

At this time, Li Yanqing suddenly felt that someone was putting on a coat for him, and when he turned around, he saw that it was his newlywed wife Cao Yun standing behind him, Cao Yun had become a new wife, and the moisturizing of the newlywed fish and water made her more bright and gorgeous, Li Yanqing smiled, and gently patted Cao Yun's delicate and smooth little hand, Cao Yun pursed his lips and smiled, "The bow of the ship is windy, so the husband should go into the cabin!" ”

"I really like the scenery here, it feels more alive than in the north."

"I also like it, especially the mountains over there are like ink paintings, clouds and mist, as if there are gods living there, I really want to paint a good picture when I have time." Cao Yun pointed to the Yule Mountain Road in the distance.

"You should have a chance, this is already Jiayu County."

"Ahh Has it arrived? ”

Li Yanqing pointed ahead and said with a smile: "Twenty miles ahead is Jiayu County." ”

"It doesn't feel like there are a lot of people yet, and we've only seen a few villages."

"The land here is vast and sparsely populated, Jiayu County is three times larger than Tangyin County, but the population is only eighty percent of Tangyin County, and the transportation is not convenient, mainly by boat here."

"Husband, it seems that Huangzhou is nearby."

"We have already passed Huangzhou last night, but it is indeed not far, and it is not necessary for a day's voyage, if the lady wants to go to Chibi." Li Yanqing looked at his wife with a smile.

Cao Yun grabbed her husband's arm, her eyes flashing with joy, "Ever since I read the Chibi Fu of Dongpo Layman, I have always wanted to go and see it. ”

"Okay, when I'm settled, we'll go together."

At this time, a gust of river wind blew, Cao Yun shivered, and Li Yanqing hurriedly said: "It's windy here, let's go back to the cabin." ”

The cabin is very large, divided into two floors, the upper floor is their bedroom, the lower floor is the place of living and resting, in the cabin, Sisi is instructing Hu Qing'er embroidery, when living in Chicang Town, Hu Qing'er suddenly fell in love with embroidery for some reason, she practiced flying stones, but also studied embroidery.

When Sisi saw Li Yanqing coming in, he got up and said with a smile: "Husband, it's coming!" ”

Li Yanqing nodded, "At most, there is still half an hour, and you can clean it up!" ”

"Yun Niang, let's go upstairs and pack up our belongings!"

Sisi and Cao Yun went upstairs, Hu Qing'er was anxious, "You wait for me!" ”

She hurriedly put away the embroidery bandage, ran out with a red face, and along the way, Li Yanqing found that Hu Qing'er had become silent, rarely talking to herself, I don't know what to think, if there is a chance, he will ask Sisi.

At this time, the boss of the boat said at the door: "Qiqi official, there are still more than ten miles to Jiayu County, the official prepares!" ”

"Thank you!"

Li Yanqing walked out of the cabin, he finally saw the county seat in the distance, it was built on the riverside, Li Yanqing breathed a long sigh of relief, and finally arrived.

.........

Jiayu County is an upper county, more than 20 miles from the circumference of the city, about 5,000 households in the county, more than 35,000 people, most of them live in the county and the surrounding radius of 20 miles, but Jiayu County has a lot of floating population, most of them come from slightly remote states and counties to make a living, where water transportation is convenient, business is more developed, and the conditions are much better than remote places.

The former magistrate was transferred away a month ago, and now the magistrate is vacant, and the county magistrate, the county lieutenant and the chief secretary are in charge of the county government affairs, because the county magistrate of the Song Dynasty has no real power, and even once canceled, so the county magistrate of Jiayu County and the main book are the same person.

The news that Li Yanqing was deposed and appointed as Jiayu had already reached the county seat, and the appointment letter was sent first.

When Li Yanqing's boat arrived at the riverside wharf, the two county officials had already heard the news and went out of the city to greet them, and at the same time, there were also a large group of county officials, catchers, government officials and more than a dozen squires who came to welcome Xinzhi County.

The boat board landed on the shore, Li Yanqing walked down quickly, and the county Cheng Yang Ju hurriedly stepped forward and said: "Xiaguan County Cheng Yang Ju see the county gentleman!" ”

Li Yanqing looked at him carefully, this county man was less than thirty years old, of medium stature, slightly dark-skinned, and looked very shrewd and capable, but Li Yanqing always felt that he had seen him.

"Yang Xiancheng, we seem to have met?"

Yang Ju laughed, "Xiaguan is also admitted to the same subject as Li Yushi, and the Xiaguan Palace Examination is one hundred and twenty-two." ”

Li Yanqing was overjoyed, "It turned out to be a fellow scholar, what a coincidence, I don't know where Yang Xiancheng is from?" ”

"Xiaguan Jiangxia County, thanks to the mercy of God, Xiaguan can return to his hometown to serve."

"It turned out to be a native of the village, and I will ask the county to take care of me in the future!"

"Definitely! Certain! ”

Yang Xiancheng introduced the county lieutenant to Li Yanqing, the county lieutenant was formed by the county official, called Zhou Ping, about 50 years old, with a big rosacea, looking relatively mediocre, and only promised.

"There is no master in this county, that is, a subordinate official is concurrent." Yang Xiancheng explained to Li Yanqing with a smile.

Li Yanqing nodded, and at this time, more than a dozen squires rushed forward and stepped forward to greet Li Yanqing.

Li Yanqing waved his hand and smiled at everyone: "The so-called in any party, for the benefit of one place, although I came from the capital, but from today on, I am the parent official of Jiayu County, here I will first give you a three chapters of the law, not greedy, not faint, not lazy, I hope I can bring a clear atmosphere to Jiayu County." ”

Everyone applauded together, and an old squire said: "Today we are in Wangjiang Tower to catch the wind and wash the dust for the county gentleman!" ”

"I have received everyone's wishes, and I am also tired all the way, I need to settle down first, and I will talk about it later!"

Yang Ju also said to everyone: "Let the county gentleman rest first!" Let's go back, we will have a chance to meet in the future. ”

Seeing that Li Yanqing refused to go to the banquet, everyone had to disperse, but everyone was not disappointed, all the squires hoped to come to an honest county, so that their lives would be better, if there was a corrupt official, they would bear the brunt of being skinned and scraped.

At this time, Cao Yun, Guo Sisi, and Hu Qing'er also stepped down from the boat, followed by their respective maids, all three of them wore hats to cover their faces, Yang Ju hurriedly asked the ox cart to come over, and let the family members of the county magistrate get on the car first.

Li Yanqing waited until the boat docked behind, let Mo Jun and Liu Fang also get into an ox cart, and he turned on his horse and walked in front of the ox cart towards the county seat.

Although Jiayu County is far from being compared with the capital, but the liveliness in the county is almost the same as Tangyin County, all kinds of small shops are lined up in the city, and the architectural style is also different, Tangyin County is mainly based on flat roofs, and the houses here are all pointed and inclined roofs, paved with dense black tiles, and Ezhou is rich in lime, so every household will paint the exterior wall white, it looks like white walls and black tiles, quite a southern style.

In addition, there are many more trees than in Tangyin County, and small forests can be seen everywhere in the county, which is also a concrete embodiment of sufficient rain and warm climate.

The main road of the central axis of Jiayu County is called Shayang Avenue, which is the old name of Jiayu County, the main road is quite wide, five ox carts can be parallel, paved with stone slabs, it looks relatively clean, and there are big trees on both sides.

Yang Ju, the county Cheng, also rode a horse, and introduced the county situation to Li Yanqing all the way, "Except for a few shops near the north gate, there are no shops in other areas of this north-south main road, and stalls are not allowed. ”

"It's ....... there" Li Yanqing saw a relatively grand building, quite like a temple.

"That's the Temple of Literature, and it's also a county school."

Li Yanqing nodded, and suddenly remembered something, "There will be a solution test this year!" ”

Yang Ju nodded and said with a smile: "In the June county exam, those who pass the exam will go to Jiangxia County to participate in the release test, the specific date of the release test has not been set, probably in October, after the release test, many scholars will enter Beijing next year to catch the exam." ”

"What is the level of Jiayu County?"

"It's not bad, there are more than 30 people who have taken the exam every session, accounting for three percent of Ezhou, the last Ezhou examination was six Jinshi, there are three people in Jiayu County, the style of study here is very prosperous, according to the convention, the county gentleman also has to take one day a month to go to the county to learn and lecture."

"Pretty good!"

Li Yanqing saw that the pedestrians on the road stood aside and bowed to him, he couldn't help but nod secretly, this is a county town that knows etiquette.