After the heavy snowfall in the first month, the weather cleared up for a few days, and now it is rare to see the remaining snow outside. The temperature in the cold winter is still very low, and the cool breeze is swishing.

Xu Liang took the county Cheng Huang Daozhou, and Xing Zhongshan, the owner of the Liang military camp, walked slowly along the streets in the original city. Behind the three of them, they were followed by four county officials.

This is the first city tour since the opening of Xu Liang Chongzhen's name. It's still early, most of the shops on the street have not yet opened, but there are a few that have been listed for business, in order to do business in the New Year and make more money. A few people who carried big green vegetables in bamboo baskets nodded and walked past Xu Liang and the others.

Huang Daozhou saw the surrounding images and said with emotion: "In fact, ordinary people don't need much, three meals a day, food can satisfy the stomach, clothes can cover the body, it is enough." I don't understand, how did the Northwest Territory get to be the way it is? The people were displaced, their children were sold, the mountains and rivers were sold, and thieves were everywhere, harming all directions, and the entire northwest was in a miasma...... Alas! ”

Xu Liang smiled, he had heard this county lord sigh more than once, and he had long been surprised. Xu Liang said to Huang Xiancheng: "This official knows that Lord Huang is worried about the country and the people, but you can't control the affairs of the outside world, and I can't control it." All we can manage is this small town and county. Lord Huang, this official knows that you have studied the past and the present, and your talent and knowledge are far better than mine. This official might as well tell you now, how to manage the original city of this town, how to let the people live and work in peace and contentment, and you are in charge of the zodiac Zhou. And this official is only responsible for the stability of Zhenyuan City, thieves invade the territory, disturb the atomic people of our town, you can come to me, but if the people of Zhenyuan can't eat and starve to death, then I Xu Liang only you ask. ”

Huang Xiancheng listened, and after a careful reflection, he understood that Xu Liang was delegating power to himself. Thinking that Xu Liang trusted himself so much, Huang Xiancheng couldn't help but feel hot in his heart, and almost wanted to say that he was dead and dead, and then thought of the situation in Zhenyuan County, and couldn't help but smile bitterly: "The adults trust the lower officials so much, which really moves the lower officials." It's just that this clever woman is still difficult to cook without rice, and now there is no one in Zhenyuan County, and there is no money to ask for money, and the lower officials have a full stomach of planning ideas, which is also useless. ”

Xu Liang smiled, as the chief official, he was naturally clear about the situation of the Zhenyuan County Ya. Xu Liang said: "A few days ago, the official seized all the properties of the building in the original city of Zhenyuan, and got some silver. First of all, the arrears of last December will be distributed, and you can use the excess carefully. ”

In fact, there are more than 30,000 taels of silver reported in the seizure of Lou Ji industry, but the money went into Xu Liang's pocket, and it will be difficult to take it all out.

For such an official, Xu Liang couldn't bear to chill people's hearts.

Huang Xiancheng was overjoyed when he heard this. Hurriedly beckoned to the famous official and asked him to go to Chief Mao immediately to handle the matter, as if he was afraid that Xu Liang would regret it afterwards.

Several people inspected the main streets, and saw that the streets were in good order, and there was no adultery, so they went all the way out of the city, came to the south gate, went up the steps, and climbed to the city tower. Looking from the castle tower, the mountains in the distance seem to have just been washed by water, fresh and simple. Huang Daozhou suddenly said: "My lord, since the end of last year, the thieves in various places who have been hiding in the cat are afraid that they will rise up again and make trouble." We should be prepared. ”

Xu Liang said: "Yes, thieves from all over the country have been hiding for a winter, and the food looted in the camp should have been consumed after a whole winter." After a while, the weather will become warmer, and there will be thieves rising again in the northwest land, making waves. ”

"Therefore, this food is the top priority, as long as the people can have something to eat, it is difficult to have a rebellion mentality." Huang Xiancheng pointed to a few barren fields in the distance and said: "Last year, there was a great drought in Zhenyuan, and the harvest in the field was poor. Fortunately, there had been a heavy snowfall just a few days ago, and the snow water was still there, which could be used for irrigation of the land. Xia Guan wanted to mobilize the people, dig ponds to store water, plough the fields, and prepare for this year's sowing. ”

Xu Liang looked at Huang Daozhou approvingly, and said, "Lord Huang is thoughtful, and the county affairs of Zhenyuan are bothered by Lord Lao Huang." ”

Zodiac Zhou said three times in a row, and did not dare. After a while, he sighed again: "On the fifth day of the first lunar month, a friend of the lower official in Beijing sent a letter, talking about the shape of Beijing, and the current saint seems to be determined to punish the eunuchs, and the disposition opinions reported by Xingbu and Dali Temple have been returned twice. Saying that, Huang Xiancheng leaned into Xu Liang's ear and muttered in a low voice: "It is said that our governor Hu Tingyan is also on the disposal list, but I am afraid that the black yarn hat will not be guaranteed." ”

Xu Liang remembered that in November last year, the eunuch who had been in power leaned towards the government and the opposition, and Wei Zhongxian, the governor of Dongchang, suddenly collapsed.

Xu Liang said: "This official estimates that the saint is afraid that he also wants to fight for that breath, when Gonggong Wei was in power, the Manchu Dynasty was civil and military, who dared not to flatter Gonggong Wei?" If the saint wants to dispose of all the people in the eunuch party in one go, who will work for the court? ”

Huang Xiancheng also smiled, and said: "Today's saint is wise and wise, but I am afraid that he has already started to prepare a year ago. A few years ago, the saint promoted several young officials one after another, such as Lu Chengyuan, the director of the Ministry of Works, who was mentioned from the position of Jianchang Zhi County, Jiangxi, and the Ministry of Officials, who was even more eye-catching, was promoted by the director of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites, and I don't know what the saint liked about this Wang Xian, otherwise the person who was in charge of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites would have to do it until retirement. ”

Xu Liang couldn't help but be stunned when he heard Huang Xiancheng talk about these two people, Lu Chengyuan was promoted to the head of the Ministry of Industry, and he knew it. And Wang Xian actually served as the secretary of the Ministry of Literature, which is too surprising. There is a very important position in the Ministry of Officials, that is, the Wenxuan Shilang, although the grade of this position is not high, it is only the fifth grade, but the energy is not small, and it is responsible for the promotion, appointment and dismissal of officials, but where the officials below the fourth grade are promoted, the opinions of the Wenxuan Shilang have a decisive weight. Moreover, the person who holds this position, as long as he does not make a big mistake in the future, will serve as the servant of the ministry, and then become the secretary of the ministry, and take charge of the power of the heavenly officials, which is almost a sure thing.

Xu Liang didn't expect that his old acquaintance Wang Xian would be mixed into this critical position, and he was surprised and delighted for a while. Thinking that Wang Xian was secretly demoted from the position of Jianchang Zhixian to the Yamen of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites to be the head of the Ministry of Rites who drank tea all day long, when he left Jianchang, he also offered 10,000 taels of silver as a coil, taking advantage of this kind of incense.

When Xu Liang thought of this layer, he couldn't help but be even happier. Then a question came to mind, Wang Xian was promoted to the Ministry of Officials at the end of last year, and the date on his reinstatement approval document was also in early December last year, will there be Wang Xian's factor in this?

Although Xu Liang didn't think it through for a while, he also made up his mind to deepen his contact with his old superior, Wang Xian, after he went back.

Huang Daozhou and Xing Zhongshan both looked at Xu Liang with a changed expression in surprise, and they didn't understand what Xu Liang's expression meant. Fortunately, Xu Liang quickly came to his senses, straightened his expression, and asked Xing Zhongshan: "Camp Master Xing, after Liu Ge went to Pingliang with Huang Ziren, there was a shortage of leading generals in the army. ”

Since Xu Liang asked about the affairs of Liang Junzhong, it was inconvenient for Huang Daozhou to interject, so he put away the curiosity in his heart and looked into the distance. Xing Zhongshan pondered and said slowly: "There are two candidates at the moment, Hu Xiaoyong and Xu Qing. These two people are both old men of Jianchang who follow adults, and their abilities and talents are equal. The last general felt that both of them could take on this heavy responsibility. ”

Xu Liang frowned when he heard this. In fact, Xu Liang's original idea was to let his second brother Xu Qing serve as the third battalion leader, Xu Qing is the second brother of his Xu family, and he is reliable. However, Xing Zhongshan specifically mentioned Hu Xiaoyong, Hu Xiaoyong is also an old man who has been with Xu Liang for a long time, starting from Jianchang to catch fast, all the way to the current position of Liang Jun's commander, his ability may not be outstanding, but there is always loyalty and merit. If Xu Liang insisted on using Xu Qing, in the eyes of Hu Xiaoyong and other Jianchang veterans, he would inevitably feel that Xu Liang was suspected of cronyism, and it also chilled the veterans of the Jianchang patrol battalion who followed Xu Liang.

Xu Liang thought for a while, and said slowly: "Hu Xiaoyong and Xu Qing are both very good candidates, so let's do it, Hu Xiaoyong is the third battalion leader, and Xu Qing is the first battalion leader." ”

Xing Zhongshan was stunned for a moment, and then his face changed slightly. The current battalion owner of the first battalion of the Liang army is Xing Zhongshan himself, Xu Liang said that Xu Qing should be the commander of the first battalion, but what about Xing Zhongshan himself?

Xu Liang saw Xing Zhongshan's expression in his eyes, smiled slightly, took out the Liang Jun token deputy order returned by Huang Ziren from his arms, handed it to Xing Zhongshan, and said with a smile: "As for you as the camp master Xing, you will step down as the camp master and serve as the deputy general of General Ben." This Liang Jun token is in your hands. ”

Xing Zhongshan's eyes suddenly widened, staring at the swaying deputy commander of Liang Jun in front of him, when he first heard that Xu Liang wanted Xu Qing to be the commander of the first battalion, he only thought that Xu Liang was dissatisfied with himself and wanted to cut his military power, and he couldn't help but feel sad in his heart. Unexpectedly, Xu Liang not only did not mean this, but wanted to promote himself to the deputy general of the Liang army and take charge of the deputy commander of the Liang army.

Xing Zhongshan was so excited that even his breathing became heavy, he trembled and stretched out his hands to hold the small token in his palm, and then solemnly knelt down to Xu Liang, and said in a choked voice: "The last general...... The last general will live up to the general's cultivation! ”

Xu Liang hurriedly helped Xing Zhongshan up, and said with a smile: "Brother Xing, hurry up, you and I met in Wan'an's hometown, you are my eldest brother, Liang Jun is in the hands of the eldest brother, I am also very relieved." ”

Xing Zhongshan choked even more, his lips trembled, tears were rolling in his eyes, he nodded heavily, twisted to the side, and wiped away the tears that were about to roll down.

At this time, Huang Daozhou pointed to the long line of convoys outside the city and shouted, "Hey, which convoy is outside the city?" ”