Sizhou is less than 200 miles away from Huai'an Mansion, where the governor's yamen is located, and it is an extraordinary period, and the official documents are transmitted quickly. It only took one day for the recital and the Shen Wen written by Master Li to reach the governor's yamen, and after two more days, the reply to the approval arrived in his hands.

The governor was to the effect: Your transcript of the rule of Xizhou has been reported to the imperial court, but Wang Zhizhou of Sizhou has already written a transcript for this matter a month ago, so you don't need to repeat this matter in the future, the imperial court has its own rules. In addition, the local civil service in Sizhou is sufficient, and there is no need to allocate additional officers and soldiers to go.

Nothing else, what attracted Li You's attention and vigilance was that Wang Zhizhou actually happened to be on the state governance some time ago? What does this coincidence mean?

Li You came up with an idea, Wang Zhizhou wouldn't have the same mind as himself? If this is the case, then what does Wang Zhizhou want to do?

Sizhou City is surrounded by water. The west side is water, and the other side of the water is the ancestral tomb that Lord Li has been worried about, and the east side is also water, and the other side of the water is the county seat of Xuyi.

The city of Sizhou is very close to the county seat of Xuyi, and it is almost close to each other on the map. This Sizhou City is located in the southernmost corner of the Sizhou boundary, next to Xuyi, and Xuyi City is only separated by a water, less than ten miles away. From Sizhou to the southeast to Xuyi, it is closer than to the northwest to the ancestral tomb.

However, Xuyi has high terrain, mountains and hills, and the disaster situation is much better than that of Sizhou City, and it is not like being poured into a basin when it is occasionally flooded. At least in Li You's impression, after Sizhou was sunk to the bottom of Hongze Lake, Xuyi became a Binhu county and has survived until the 21st century without pressure.

Master Li looked at Xuyi opposite in a daze, thinking about something in his heart. Suddenly, a greeting came into my ears: "I haven't seen you for a long time, Lord Li is not harmed!" ”

It was very familiar, Li You turned around to look, and saw an old man who was full of energy, red light, and high spirits although he was about a year old and had white hair like snow, but he was full of energy, red light, and high spirits.

is really an old acquaintance, Li You, who was still thinking deeply, subconsciously said: "It's Old Man Wang." ”

The old man was happy to meet Master Li, but when he heard this rude remark, he could only smile a few times generously. It turned out that he was Li You's former boss and the prefect of Suzhou, who had shared weal and woe, and there was an old man who was about the same age as him.

"Why is the old man here?" Li You came to his senses, was taken aback, and quickly changed his name.

Governor Wang replied: "The old man went to Beijing, took a detour to Xuyi to visit the old man, and heard that you were in Sizhou, so he crossed the river to visit. ”

Li Youqi said: "Didn't you already enter Beijing for the Hajj last year?" Why go again this year? ”

The old man of Governor Wang's face couldn't hide the smugness, "Alas, if you wait for a shortage, you have to work hard." ”

Li You remembered Old Man Wang's shit luck again... This old man was angry with others to dig the river, but he happened to encounter the heavy rain in Suzhou this year, and as a result, the flood discharge was smooth to protect the money and grain of Suzhou Mansion, and he was rewarded by the imperial court to make up for the shortage. He asked with great interest, "What did you fill in?" ”

Boss Wang waited for this question, and for some reason, he showed off very strongly in front of Li You. "Yundao is not bad, Su Songdao's political participation Ding is worried about returning home. Thanks to the attention of the imperial court, he directly made up for the old man to Su Songdao. ”

Li You was speechless for a long time, this luck is not only good, it is simply a favor of heaven! It's only been a year since Su Songdao took office in politics, but Ding Wei went home to make way for Old Man Wang... Old man Wang is forty years younger, and he is the protagonist of the online article.

Su Songdao, Su Songdao, who is in charge of half of the world's money... Moreover, he was promoted from the Suzhou prefect to Su Songdao, so he can get started directly without worrying about adapting to the place again.

What's more, from the fourth grade to the third grade, it is a gap in the officialdom that divides middle-level officials and high-ranking officials, and Old Man Wang is only a Xiucai Gongjian background, and he has already crossed this dividing line. It's hard to say whether he, Li You, will have such an opportunity in the future.

Li You suddenly understood again, why didn't Old Man Wang take office on the ground and go to Beijing, this is also a kind of grace from the imperial court, and it seems that he will be appointed by an edict before the imperial meeting.

Looking at Lord Wang's old face that was about to laugh, Lord Li, who was rarely compared to others in official fortune, looked at the people around Old Man Wang, and asked him, "This is..."

Lord Wang introduced: "This is Xuyi Zhi County, and I am a classmate of the old name." ”

It turned out to be Xuyi Zhixian, Li You was suddenly overjoyed, and stepped forward to bow his hand, "Look up for a long time!" I heard that Shang Da is talented and outstanding, and he is fortunate to meet today! ”

Before the Xuyi magistrate came, he was instructed by the prefect of the Wang Prefecture that this Li You is not very easy to get along with, so he must be careful. But now that he saw it, the very famous Lord Li was so enthusiastic that he was flattered.

Lord Wang saw it in his eyes and thought knowingly, this Li You seems to have a request for his old classmate? If so, it would be a chance for his old classmates. Then he asked, "I saw you from afar and was worried, why did you come?" Could it be that there is something wrong with the river? ”

Old man Wang's relationship with him is different from others, and Li You does not hide it, and said with a wry smile: "Without it, the water potential is not good, I am afraid that the ancestral tomb will be in danger, so I will sigh all night for this." Five years ago, the flood flooded into the ancestral shrine, and although the embankment was raised the year before, everyone felt that it could be protected. But this year, looking at this posture, the water is more ferocious than five years ago, and it is difficult to say whether the embankment can stop it. ”

Hearing this, Governor Wang put away his smile, feeling very nervous for Li You. "I didn't expect you to encounter such a thing, at a critical moment, the key is to find a way to flood."

"There is a way to break the Sizhou embankment and release the flood into Sizhou, which is equivalent to widening the river and alleviating the danger of the ancestral tomb."

Governor Wang breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Since there is a law to think about, then why are you worried?" ”

Li You sighed: "I have turned over some documents, Sizhou City has been flooded repeatedly, and the water has flooded the city many times, but the flood can finally subside. Now the water surface of Huaihu Lake has been one zhang higher than the ground of the state city, which is very different from the past, and then the water will be released to irrigate Sizhou, where can the flood retreat? I am afraid that the state city will sink into the water and will not see the sky, and the people of Sizhou will be displaced and have nowhere to return. ”

Wang Zhifu thought for a while and persuaded: "Which is more important, the ancestral mausoleum and the state city?" Obviously, the ancestral tomb is as heavy as Mount Tai, and there must be no woman's benevolence, because it is small and loses the big. What's more, if you save the ancestral tomb, it will be a meritorious service, and the court will have a reward, how many people want this opportunity but can't get it. ”

"You deserve it so well?" Li You didn't quite understand.

Governor Wang didn't quite understand Li You either, "I see that you have always acted decisively, whether it is above the temple or between the prefectures and counties, you are all strong and decisive, how can you look forward and hesitate on this issue?" ”

"People are terrible." Li You, as a halfway traveler, fundamentally lacks the spirit of the scholars of this era who think that he is right, "although tens of millions of people will go to me", as well as the awe and belief in the luck of his family and country, and he is still entangled here about what reputation he will incur if he destroys Sizhou City for the sake of the "mediocre" ancestral mausoleum and turns tens of thousands of people into displaced people.

From the perspective of being an official, technical analysis, Master Li has tasted too much sweetness from brushing his reputation, and the psychology of brushing has gone crazy and the sword has gone sideways.

"You are too worried, the ancestral tomb is where the dragon vein is, and the luck of the world lies here, who dares to say more? Who dares to say you're doing something wrong? That's enough. "Governor Wang is a little anxious about Li You's inexplicable entanglement, why is a person who seemed to be flexible in the past confused now?" The old man has been an official for 30 years and has gained a lot, and now I would like to talk to you. ”

"It's right to cherish feathers, but you care too much about fame? Yes, reputation is the foundation of your standing in officialdom. But up to now, your reputation in the officialdom is still greater than your merit, so what you lack is not fame, but merit, saving the ancestral tomb is a merit given to you by God, how can you give it up? ”

"In fact, it is not wrong for you to pursue fame, in the eyes of outsiders, your official reputation seems to be flawless, with decoration such as a court cane, and a talent full of fame, and it is also well received by the people in Jiangdu County, which is simply to the extreme. But I know your real name, not the person in your reputation, reputation is just a tool in your hands. If you really want to unite inside and outside, you will become Hai Rui and the like, but are you? ”

"A courtier like you, the old man rummaged through the history books and found only one similar..."

"Who?" Li You couldn't help but ask.

Wang Zhifu laughed, "That's Wang Mang when he didn't usurp!" In the eyes of the people, his reputation is flawless and incomprehensible, but in fact, what is his surname? ”

Do you use Wang Mang to describe your officialdom as a friend? How should he behave in the eyes of others? Li You almost jumped up and refuted it.

Governor Wang didn't care about Li You's expression, and asked very seriously, "Do you want to be Wang Mang?" ”

Do you want to be Wang Mang? is like Huang Zhong Dalu, and when he arrived, Li You, who was still entangled, was empowered.

Old man Wang is right, although it is a troublesome matter for the ancestral tomb to be in distress, but saving the ancestral tomb is a great achievement, and it is a great achievement that must be recognized by the emperor and the imperial court. If you don't take your merits, but you care about your name before and after your death, isn't it a waste of your roots?

Is there a saint in the world who is infallible? Is there a minister who is perfect in merit?

The husband should take the merits directly in the world! Li You finally made up his mind to resolutely fulfill his duties as a Ming official.

Xuyi's old magistrate Shang listened silently, and these conversations were not something he could interject. But he saw Li You say to him: "If Sizhou is in trouble, can the people take refuge in Xuyi for the time being?" Wangshang County did not hesitate to help and save the people from hanging upside down. ”

Shang Zhixian and Elder Wang glanced at each other and promised: "This county should do its best!" ”

Temporarily sheltering the victims is a very troublesome matter, and it is not necessarily pleasing to spend money and effort, and in the end, most of the victims have to be returned to Sizhou, and Xuyi will not benefit much. However, Shangzhi County was encouraged by Wang's classmate Lao Laiwang and decided to fight like this before Zhishi in exchange for a letter of recommendation from Li You

(To be continued)