In the assassination incident of Zhouzhuang, the thunder was heavy and the rain was small, and the surname was finally determined to be the Japanese Bandits, and the case was hastily closed. In this era, the four words 'the Japanese are really the best medicine to make a big thing a small thing and cover up the truth...... But everything behind the scenes can't be seen in front of the stage, and the reason why Shen Mo can accept this result is because Lu Bing was furious after receiving Zhu Shisan's detailed report, personally wrote a letter to apologize to him, and drove Lu Ji out of the house, and let Shen Mo deal with it! also ordered his successor to be an example if he was to embarrass him again.

The only regret is that there is no news from Lu Jiru when he enters the sea, but Zhu Shisan still found those grass ghost women who were under the Gu and detoxified the three Su Xue sisters and brothers.

This kind of sincere low posture made Shen Mo unable to attack, after all, he didn't have the ability to offend Lu Bing, so he simply pushed the boat down the river, handed over the Lu embroidered chick to Zhu Shisan, and asked him to send her to Yanjing, so that her uncle could discipline and discipline her.

The last haze in front of him was removed, the silent mood was finally relaxed, and the operation of the city department was also on the right track, and by the end of the year, it was a full profit of 2.5 million taels of silver, exceeding the task of the imperial court.

How many people are staring at this money, he naturally won't be bored, and he will report to Yanjing in an urgent manner for eight hundred miles, and I would like to ask Your Majesty how to deal with it.

This money is like a rain in a long-term drought -- the outer city of Yanjing City has not been repaired so far, and the Beijing officials have been unable to open the pot, and Emperor Jiajing saw it in his eyes and was anxious in his heart, so he had to turn out of sight and practice in retreat all day long.

As soon as the silent good news arrived, Jiajing was directly excited, and immediately broke through the barrier, and summoned all the cabinet elders and household ministers to discuss how to spend the money.

Who knew that he was happy a little early, because everyone was in charge of their own share, and they all had a reason to spend...... The river works are going to be repaired, right? You have to make up for it, right? Weapons are ready, right? The victims of the disaster in the north need relief, right? …… After listing them all, two and a half million taels is not enough to spend!

Emperor Jiajing lowered his face and said, "You are the ones who robbed!" ”

The ministers smiled bitterly: "We are also forced to be cornered, and if the money is not settled, we will not dare to go home for the New Year." ”

"Then let's all accompany me in the palace." Jiajing couldn't hold back, laughed and scolded, got up from the futon as he spoke, waved his sleeves and walked down the imperial stairs and said: "Zhang Luo is such a calamitous family, I know that you are difficult, and I am also difficult, so we can only reluctantly make it difficult." ”

Everyone hurriedly got up and said, "The dereliction of duty of the ministers has made the monarch worried, please punish Your Majesty." ”

"Punish you, I might as well punish myself," Jiajing shook his head slowly, motioned for them all to sit down, and said softly: "Actually, we all know that the Ming Dynasty has fallen to the point where it is today, and we can't simply complain about the heavens and others, in fact, it is our own reason. ”

The ministers couldn't help but be in awe, and listened to His Majesty's rare sins with bated breath.

"Clans, big households, bureaucrats, middle officials, border troops." Jiajing stretched out five fingers and flipped down: "It's like five mountains, so that the ancestors and ordinary people can't stand upright, these problems are almost known to everyone, but everyone dare not speak." ”

The adults quickly got up and pleaded guilty again.

Jiajing sighed and said, "I don't blame you, because I don't want you to say it...... If you want to remove these five mountains, unless the Emperor of Heaven appears and sends the Yellow Turban Warriors down to earth, you have to have the strength of Yugong to move mountains, and you have to have the lifespan of Peng Zu. Saying that, he sat back on the futon and said: "I have long had the intention to emulate that foolish man, but I have been weak and sick since I was a child, and I am always worried that I will give up halfway, so I have been cultivating all night, hoping to learn the art of immortality, and then go back and take care of Da Ming." ”

Everyone sounded very sacred at first, but later they felt very divine, but they knew that His Majesty had gone mad, so they had to compliment together: "Your Majesty's sincerity will definitely move the heavens and the earth, and the divine power is just around the corner!" ”

"Hey, the road is long, I will go up and down and seek." Jiajing sighed and said, "Tao Tianshi said that I still need ten years of refinement before I can achieve a small success. In the past ten years, I don't have the energy to take care of those mundane things, and I have to rely on the secretaries to maintain it. ”

Yan Song trembled and said: "The old minister was in his last years, and he was originally going to return to his hometown, but now that His Majesty has spoken, I will live desperately for another ten years, and then I will die when your magic skills are complete." ”

When everyone heard this, they said in their hearts, "Do you want to do it for another ten years?" But you really want to occupy the pit to the end, so that others can only pull a pair of pants. Even Xu Ge Lao, who was the deepest in the city government, was dizzy for a while, just two days ago, when the two were chatting in the cabinet, Yan Ge Lao also said that he really couldn't hold on, and he would have to go to the office next year anyway, why didn't it take two days to prepare to hold on for another ten years? Is there any end to it? Does talking still count?

Regardless of other people's grievances, Jiajing was very happy anyway, and said: "The clothes are not as good as new, the people are not as good as the old, and there is only one in charge for me, although it can't be said to be outstanding, but it is also reassuring." ”

Yan Song said with a smile: "As long as you have money, Lao Chen will definitely be able to be a good family." ”

"What I cultivate is immortality, not alchemy, and I can't make money." Jiajing leaned back on the big pillow and said with a smile: "But someone will do this, Yan Ge Lao will take good care of him, and he will be much more generous in terms of money." ”

"Your Majesty is talking about Shen Cunyan?" Yan Song asked in a loud voice.

"That's good," Jiajing nodded and said: "Shen Mo did a very good job in Suzhou, I didn't expect him to overcome so many difficulties, make a city out of nothing, and exceed this year's targets, such a capable official who does practical things is what I need most." Narrowing his eyes as he spoke, he said lightly: "You take good care of him, don't let those people trouble him all the time...... I want to keep this treasure for my son. ”

Everyone couldn't help but be awe-inspired, as the so-called Chrysostom said, when the emperor never opened his mouth, especially Jiajing, the best, every word that came out had to be carefully scrutinized, otherwise it would have to be blind. However, this time it was said very bluntly, and the spearhead was pointed at the nine major families who obstructed the opening of the port, and it was obvious that His Majesty was already dissatisfied with them...... I heard that earlier, the emperor had summoned Lu Dudu alone, scolded him for a bloody squirt, and when he returned, he ordered someone to beat him with eighty sticks, which was obviously implicated by his own family.

The so-called nine families, in addition to the Lu family, also have 'Wu Yan, Wang Yan, Zhou Xie Feng Zhao', all of which are well-known surnames in the court, saying that they don't know what their family members do, no one will believe it. But they all turned a blind eye, but they were just blinded by family affection.

Now that His Majesty has spoken, there is a lesson from Lu Dudu's past...... Everyone can't bear it without his good body, and if he gets into trouble, it's completely over. I thought about it and told my family that since the port was opened, I would stop smuggling and do some serious business...... Yan Song didn't care what his family did, he only cared about how the emperor felt, so he said respectfully: "If the minister obeys the order, he will definitely take care of Lord Shen, but I don't know how he should be rewarded for his great achievements this time?" ”

"Not rewarded." Jiajing shook his head and said: "The prefect who is just in his early twenties is outrageous enough, do you still want him to be a governor at this age?" That's not rewarding him, it's hurting him. He said lightly: "It's better to press him for a few years, and then let's sharpen and sharpen it." "It's just that some people are born uncontrollable, if they could know in advance what happened in the thirty-seventh year of Jiajing, he would definitely not be so full of words.

Of course, that's a story for later...... It is completely different from the painful and happy Yanjing City, Suzhou City is filled with a festive atmosphere, and the benefits brought by the city are real, the first is to greatly increase the employment opportunities of the people, as long as they are willing to work hard, they will not worry about not finding work; The second is to double the price of silk, so that the entire industrial chain of Suzhou City will benefit, and even the entertainment service industry will also be wiped out; Third, all over the country's commercial goods gathered in Suzhou City, what Shanxi's Fenjiu, Yang Liuqing's New Year's paintings, Shandong's green onions, Liuyang's whip, usually just heard of things, now you can buy them at the doorstep, so that the people can buy a great wealth of New Year's goods, this era, only Yanjing City can enjoy such treatment.

"Children, don't be greedy, it's the New Year after Laba; Laba porridge, drink it for a few days, and it will be twenty-two; Twenty-three, sugar melon sticky; twenty-four, sweep the house; Twenty-five, frozen tofu; Twenty-six, go buy meat; Twenty-seven, slaughter the rooster; Twenty-eight, put your face ......" sat silently on the carriage, listening to the nursery rhymes outside, and couldn't help but sigh softly: "There are two days left before the New Year." ”

Sanchi next to him smiled and said, "Yes, my lord, can we have a holiday tomorrow?" ”

"What do you think!" Tie Zhu slapped him on the back of the head and said, "The city is so busy, and the river workers have not stopped, will we adults rest?" "Because of the lack of experience, the auction house auctioned too many orders, and as a result, the personnel who inspected and shipped the goods were not busy at all, and they couldn't take care of the year; As for the river work of Wusongjiang, in order to complete the project on time, it is even more racing against time to grab time, and it is impossible to rest" cannot be said so. He smiled silently: "My New Year is to go around from house to house, and there is no need for so many people, you take turns to take holidays." ”

"Okay." Sanchimei smiled openly.

At this time, the carriage stopped, "My lord, the Changzhou County Government has arrived." Tie Zhu looked out the window.

Shen Mo got out of the car, stomped his feet, looked at the long convoy and said, "Push the last car in." ”

Sanchi leaned over again and said, "It's really strange, my lord; Others are filial piety to the chief at the end of the year, you are good, not only do you not allow people to offer, but also send New Year's goods to the lower officials. "I got up this morning, and Shen Mo began to lead the convoy to deliver New Year's goods, Wang Yongji, Gui Youguang and others have already sent a circle, but now they have arrived at Hai Rui's house.

"What thoughts," Shen Mo glanced at him, and scolded with a smile: "People have been busy with us for a year, can you express it?" ”

In the back office of Changzhou County, there are no more refugee slums, and as the refugees are employed and able to support themselves, they have all moved their homes out, unwilling to discredit Master Hai anymore.

The yard was much brighter, only a few girls of all sizes were playing, as soon as they saw someone coming in, the big girls hurriedly walked back, but the youngest girl was standing there, looking at Shen Mo curiously, she was four or five years old, wearing a simple little cloth jacket, combing pigtails, looking very cute, but a little thin.

Shen Mo likes children very much now, walked over and bent down and said, "What's your name?" "When I entered, I found that this kid was really thin.

"Ahh The little girl held her little hand behind her back and said, "What about you?" ”

Shen Mo couldn't help laughing, touched her little head, and said, "My name is Shen Mo, you have to call me Uncle Shen." ”

"Uncle Shen......" Ah Nan shouted.

"That's good," Shen Mo smiled heartily, "Uncle gave you candy to eat." So he stretched out his hand and asked Sanchi for it, and Sanchi quickly grabbed a handful from the bag on the cart and held it to Shen Mo.

Shen Mo held it and sent it to Ah Nan, looking at the colorful candy, the little girl's eyes were straight, but she didn't dare to take it, and said timidly: "Abba doesn't let you take other people's things casually." ”

"Uncle is no one else, he is the head of your Abba, you listen to him, he listens to me, so you have to listen to me." This was a bit twisty, and it took a lot of effort for the little girl to understand, so she whispered: "Then I'll only take six yuan." ”

"Why six?" Shen Mo said strangely.

"Because Grandma, Eminem, Abba, the eldest sister, the second sister and Grandma," Annan pinched her fingers and counted, "There are six people in total." ”

Shen Mo immediately liked this little doll, and smiled happily: "What a good boy." Then he took the candy in his hand and asked the little girl to count out six.

"One, two, three, four, five......" The little girl was counting very seriously, and her sister stood in the distance and said: "Grandma, how many times have I told you, don't take other people's things, be careful of grandma." ”

Ah Nan was so frightened that she withdrew her hand, then handed the candy to Shen Mo and said, "I don't want it......"

Shen Mo glanced at her sister, and said in her heart that she is really a ruined girl, I wish you to find a powerful in-law in the future.

At this time, Mrs. Hai came out, and when she saw this scene, she smiled and said, "Ah Nan, you can take what the adults give you." ”

Ah Nan glanced at her sister happily, counted out six pieces, and smiled sweetly: "Thank you, uncle." "Trotted back, and gave it to Mrs. Hai, and the sister who had scared her.

Mrs. Hai invited Shen Mo into the inner courtyard, and Shen Mo looked at it, after all, it was a place where a room of women lived, although there was no luxury, but it was clean, colorful, and joyful, and it made people comfortable at first glance.

When I entered the inner room, it was still a bamboo floor, but two cotton mats were added, and Mrs. Hai asked me to sit silently. Shen Mo smiled: "It's the New Year, and Brother Gangfeng can't come back to prepare New Year's goods, so I bought some and sent them to the old lady." ”

"It's going to cost you money again." Mrs. Hai thanked her: "Next time, we can't do it, we have our own purchase." At this time, when Mrs. Hai bowed her head and came in to serve tea, she mustered up the courage to ask in a low voice, "My lord, when will he come back?" ”

Shen Mo smiled guiltily and said: "It should be okay in the afternoon of thirty, don't blame Lord Hai, Mrs. Hai, the big project of nearly two million taels or hundreds of thousands of people, his burden is too heavy." ”

Mrs. Hai's face showed a look of disappointment, she lowered her head and didn't speak, Mrs. Hai said unhappily: "Gangfeng has a great responsibility, and there is no way to give up his small family to take care of everyone, you, who are a wife, should understand and support, how can you be so selfish?" He waved his hand and said, "Let's go down." ”

Mrs. Hai gave her mother-in-law and adults a blessing, and was about to withdraw, but was silently stopped and said, "Mrs. Sister-in-law, help the old lady to go to the courtyard to see the New Year's goods, if there is anything missing, I will have someone send it over in the afternoon." "Ruohan once said that he was a 'friend of women,' but it was not unreasonable.

Mrs. Hai nodded gratefully, walked up to her mother-in-law and said, "Eminem, please." ”

"Hmm." Mrs. Hai's face softened slightly.

When I went out to the courtyard, the guards were unloading, in fact, there were nothing rare, they were all rice, noodles, eggs, chicken, duck and fish, red cloth firecrackers or something, expensive in practical and rich...... Shen Mo knew that the male owner of this house had an almost masochistic spirit, so he specially prepared the most complete New Year's goods...... Although it spends the least money, it has the most heart.

Holding the windmill given by Uncle Shen in her hand, Ah Nan ran around happily in the yard, her two sisters hid behind the curtain, and looked at the red cloth and silk flowers excitedly.

Not only do they think so, but now the people of Suzhou City think so, if you do a public opinion survey in Suzhou, you will find that the silent people's opinion index has far exceeded Hai Jui. In fact, he is still the same, neither close to the people, nor diligent in government, and even has some romantic affairs, but people love him from the bottom of their hearts, because in the hearts of the people, the Qing official is not the best official, and the master who can make everyone live a good life is the best.

Coming out of Hai Rui's house, Shen Mo sent a few more, looked at the back of the car, and there were two New Year's goods, and said, "Go to Huansha Lane." He also said to himself: "Hey, Su Jiaoxi is also an official of the City Division, and I almost forgot about her." The three feet and the iron pillar on the side ate and laughed, and said that the adults really wanted to cover it.

Su Xue has moved out of Xiaoxiang Building, rented a quiet yard in Huansha Lane, and lived quietly with her younger brothers and sisters.

Since Zhou Zhuang came back, the two have had a lot of contact, but they have stopped at official business and rarely have private contact, and they seem to have really become simple friends and colleagues.

But the sage cloud, the friendship between men and women, is destined to not be pure forever, and after a long time, it will always ferment, something called ambiguity.

(To be continued)