The deliberations in the Yahua Hall after the Tongzhi Branch Office are still continuing, and now they have kicked out the roadblocks, and Li Taishou, the government affairs of the Tongzhi Office and the county affairs of Lingjiangdu, is no longer fettered, and he is full of ambition and pride. Again and again he gave orders to the fourth master and the second subordinate officials.

"From today to April next year, there will be about five months, and the time is very tight. You have to do your best for what you have just discussed, and if there is nothing else important, you can put it aside. ”

"You go to check the household register Ding Zhuang, convene the order of the old man to pass on the official, and the county will levy and issue errand service in this winter and winter!"

"You go and inspect the terrain outside the Gongchen Gate, and discuss the construction of the palace with the Tianning Temple, the temple is full of incense, so that they can give more silver to worship the grace of heaven! After the first month of next year, no outsiders are allowed to stay in the temple, and all the houses are vacated! ”

"You go to the county treasury to pay for silver, recruit craftsmen to repair the Confucian Temple and the Palace, and then build five ancestral temples as agreed!"

"Go and tell the salt merchants that they should repair their gardens for royal reward! Especially on both sides of the Slender West Lake, you have to pay attention to it from time to time! ”

"You go to inspect the city wall market, and the railings of the river houses on both sides of Xiaoqinhuai, if there are damaged places, register and make a register, and supervise the repair separately! The city wall is in charge of the county laborers, and the street market and Xiao Qinhuai are taken care of by the families along the way, and those who dare to resist the messenger will be told to get out of Yangzhou! ”

"Hang up the sign! From now until May next year, the court will not accept any cases of murder, adultery, robbery, dereliction of duty and ten non-pardons, and will receive the case after May next year! ”

He also summoned the head of the third shift, "From this day on, the errand can be postponed, the most important thing is to maintain the street level, and anyone who commits burglary, fighting, gambling, extortion, or other indecent work on the street will not be punished with half a year's hard labor!" ”

The hall shouted, the hall was Bainuo, and then the city was in a commotion, which was all majestic beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

Zhou Jiexi, the master of money and grain, reported again: "There is a lot of surplus in the treasury this year. However, it is estimated that it will only be enough to repair the Temple of Literature and the five ancestral temples, and the rest is still to be raised. In particular, the construction of this palace, the royal wharf, and the royal road is by no means a small number. ”

Li Taishou waved his big hand and said: "Use the treasury silver first!" The official should ask the court to exempt the county from money and grain this autumn, and how much can be reduced. If there are shortcomings, let the monks of Tianning Temple donate some of them. After all, the palace was built next to their temple, which increased their fame and greatly benefited them in the future! If there is a shortage, ask the rich households in the city to donate to make up for it. ”

At this time, Zhu Qin sent someone to pass the word, and the Tao was finished in Yangzhou. Tomorrow, I will leave Yangzhou for Xujiang County. Because it was not only Li You and his wife and children who were rewarded, but also Li You's parents and three generations of ancestors, so Qin sent Zhu Fanghe to announce the edict in Yangzhou. I also have to go to Xujiang County to Li Jiaxuanhe.

Li You hurriedly let his subordinates disperse, personally drove to the county mansion, and said to Zhu Qin: "This little thing in my family is really hard to release Mr. Crane." ”

"How is this your family's business? This is a matter of the imperial court, so how hard it is. Zhu Fanghe said disapprerovitically: "It just so happens that I can see the scenery of Jiangzuo." ”

Li You is still a little sorry, "Now that it's Layue, I went to Xujiang County to turn around, but I'm afraid that I won't be able to return to Beijing for the New Year." New Year's Spring Festival. Let Mr. Fanghe wander outside, and he is ashamed to be below. ”

Zhu Fanghe laughed and said: "Where did the virtuous brother go, I am the Huguangren clan." After going to Suzhou on a business trip, I had to return home by water, and most of them still caught up with the New Year's Festival. Besides, I haven't been back for years. Now, if it weren't for the blessing of the virtuous brother to go south from Beijing, there would not be this opportunity for the saint to return to his hometown to visit his relatives on leave. ”

After coming out of the county mansion, he went back to the office to approve a few official matters, and it was getting late, so Master Li went back to the inner office to rest. Tonight it was the turn of the second room to wait, he lifted the thick curtain and walked into the Jin room in all directions. ..., a flower in front of him, but he saw Xiaozhu, a maid wearing a butterfly pattern cotton jacket at home, flashed in front of him, raised his two hands and asked excitedly: "Master, is this good-looking?" ”

Master Li looked fixedly, and there was a gold shining and bright bracelet on each of the two thin white wrists, which seemed to be real gold when carefully identified, and there were intricate patterns engraved on it.

This is a valuable thing, Li You raised his head and said to Jin Bao'er who came up: "Sister Bao'er, don't give her such a valuable thing, it's not appropriate at a young age." ”

Aunt Jin pursed her lips and smiled: "Master, don't wronged the slave family, this thing has nothing to do with the slave family." ”

Xiaozhu interjected: "This is given by Mrs. Guo next door, and she asked the slave family to do something." ”

This next door refers to Guo County's family, and Mrs. Guo is naturally Guo County's wife. Li You smiled dumbly, "What can you do for a little woman?" ”

Xiaozhu diligently helped the old man to the Taishi chair in the house, lay on the armrest and whispered softly: "Today's tea party went to Guo's house." Mrs. Guo said that the warehouse official of Guazhou Cang was empty, and the Yang Nu family said to the master and helped recommend his master to take over as the warehouse official of Guazhou Cang. ”

In these years, women from the left and right neighbors also moved around, for example, holding tea parties every once in a while, and the women of the neighboring families gossiping together, which was also one of the few social activities.

Most of the officials in the yamen live in the inner yamen's house, so they can naturally be regarded as neighbors, and it is not surprising that the women in the back house have a little interaction with each other.

I see, it's not a big deal, but Li You feels funny for some reason. With so many wives and concubines in her own family, this Mrs. Guo just found Xiaozhu, a talented and childish maidservant, to intercede. "Why don't you find someone else but you?"

Jin Baoer served tea to Li You and revealed the little maid's old bottom, "As soon as Mrs. Guo leaked, Xiaozhu volunteered." ”

Li You laughed, "Is this Mrs. Guo really relieved?" ”

"Mrs. Guo understands very clearly, a wife is not as good as a concubine or a concubine, and it is better to steal than to be stolen. Slave look, Xiaozhu is this and hasn't been stolen. ”

Xiaozhu hurriedly said: "Sister Jin, you promise not to say it!" ”

He said to Master Li again, "My sister is a decent person, how can she do such a thing that can't wait for the table, so the undignified thing is naturally from the slave family." Besides, the slave family also wants to help the master and be a useful and good woman. ”

Li You couldn't cry or laugh, master, I want to take bribes and use you to help, he teased: "Mrs. Guo is looking for someone to blow the pillow wind, did you blow this wind?" ”

Xiaozhu took off a bracelet and handed it over, "Master, this bracelet is really good-looking, do you want to appreciate it carefully?" ”

Li You wasn't interested in this, but seeing Xiaozhu's appearance as if offering a treasure, he couldn't bear to brush her mind, so he reached out to take it. This little girl has probably never received such a valuable thing in her life.

However, Xiaozhu suddenly clenched the bracelet. didn't let go, and asked nervously, "Master, won't you take it away?" ”

Is this a person who has never seen the world? Li You was used to teasing her, and when he heard it, he said, "You guessed right." ”

So Li You grabbed the bracelet hard, but Xiaozhu continued to hold it tightly and refused to let go. Master Li increased his strength again and pulled back violently.

This time, Xiaozhu suddenly relaxed. Even the bracelet was planted into Master Li's arms. He turned over, twisted his small waist a few times, and sat on the old man's lap, and said with a smile: "Master, you are so bad." ”

It's a little calculated... But don't be funny. The fragrant fragrance made Li You a little intoxicated, "The buttocks have meat, it's not as hard as it used to be." It hurts my leg bones. ”

Aunt Jin had a heart, so she got up and walked out, and said, "The slave family will go to see her daughter." You two don't have a serious way to do it. ”

When Jin Bao'er left the house, leaving only the master and maid alone, the little maid was embarrassed in an ambiguous atmosphere, and she was like two people. ..., who did this man learn from before he was crazy? Li You deliberately didn't say a word, staring directly at the little maid's face, and this delicate melon seed face gradually turned into the color of the sunset on the horizon in his eyes.

The little girl couldn't lift her head anymore, but she was very angry at her cowardice in her heart, and kept cheering herself up. Xiaozhu! Isn't that what you've been waiting for. How can you back down when the time comes?

Xiao Zhu, who had finished cheering herself, felt that the old man's arm began to exert force, as if he was going to hold her by the waist, and the small heart exploded. The mind is white.

"Is the master here?" Someone shouted in the courtyard outside the window.

This is like the voice of the maid in Aunt Guan's room, Li You let go of his arm when he heard this, and replied to the window: "What's the matter?" ”

Lu Shui walked outside to the window and reported: "My young lady has something important. Be sure to ask the master to come over. ”

Li You frowned. It is said that if Aunt Guan has something to say, she should come to him in person, how can there be a reason for him to run errands to her.

But Guan Xiuxiu is not a person who doesn't understand the rules, and she is usually very particular about this aspect, so that people can't make mistakes. Today's rudeness must be due to some special reason.

You should always listen to things that can lead to special causes. Thinking of this, Li You patted Xiaozhu on the back, "I'll come back when I come back." ”

Xiaozhu was still in a state of dementia, and after the old man disappeared, she woke up and couldn't help but be annoyed, why didn't she get fate! Sister Jin always said that fate is not enough, isn't there a fate tonight?

But before the old man left, he said that he would come back, and Xiaozhu sighed and looked forward to it again.

It is said that Li You went to the courtyard of the third room next to him, and when he entered the inner room, he saw Guan Xiuxiu lying on the table and planning to make a plate.

Seriously, Aunt Guan's slender Danko-painted fingers fluttered on the abacus beads, which was really beautiful. Li You sat opposite her, "Women's families don't work so hard, have time to rest." ”

Guan Xiuxiu stopped moving, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up, and a few weird smiles appeared. "The concubine went to the silk shop to inspect today, and happened to meet the servant woman of the Jin family who came to buy silk, which was Sister Bao's Jin family. I talked to them for a while, but I heard a strange thing. ”

Aunt Guan's smile has always been dignified, reserved, and exemplar of a woman's appearance, and it is extremely rare to be as playful as in front of her, and Li You was fascinated by it. He only subconsciously asked, "What's the strange thing?" ”

"The husband also knows that in the first two months, Mrs. Xie of the Jin family offered a reward of 20,000 taels, and there is no need to elaborate on what kind of concubine she wants to do. It was supposed to be a joke, but today I heard from the servant woman of the Jin family that a monk ran to the Jin Mansion to apply. ”

Monk? Li You couldn't care about admiring the smile of his own virtuous helper anymore, and suddenly froze. A rough face immediately appeared in his mind, was it his old father-in-law, the former patrol now Yuanrong Mage? Except for him, who in Yangzhou City would dare to apply for this levy?

Aunt Guan knew that he had guessed when she saw her husband's expression, and nodded: "What the husband expected was good, it is indeed the old man of the Liu family." This is the news that the concubine wants to tell, if the husband doesn't want to obey his wishes, it's better to be on guard early. ”

Bang! Li You patted the case and said hatefully: "What does he want to do!" ”

After saying goodbye to Aunt Guan, Li You returned to the second room, but saw Xiaozhu sitting in the corner with a sad face, ignoring him uncharacteristically, and his heart was inexplicable.

Jin Bao'er shook her head at the old man and smiled bitterly, "A moment ago, she just came to menstruation... I sulk at oneself. ”