At the beginning of the lanterns, Governor Li called a spare sedan chair man from the yamen and went to the Dongting Tower, walking for a quarter of an hour.

If outsiders suddenly hear this name, most of them will be associated with Dongting Lake, thinking that it was opened by Huguang people, but it is actually an authentic local restaurant in Suzhou. There are mountains in Taihu Lake named after Dongting in the east and west, referred to as Dongshan Xishan, which is under the jurisdiction of Suzhou Prefecture. The two mountains are rich in merchants, and every family is in business, and they are good at trafficking rice, grain, cloth and silk between the north and the south. In this dynasty, there is a saying that the Dongting is full of emblems, which refers to the two major merchant gangs in the south of the Yangtze River, the Dongting merchant gang and the Hui merchant.

At the door of Dongting Tower, there were servants of the Zhao family waiting, and when they saw Li You getting off the sedan chair, they led him up to the second floor.

There was a large circle of screens upstairs, and there was the sound of orchestral strings inside, and when Li You went in, he saw Zhao Daguan sitting there with a bewitching beauty, and he didn't know what to say, so he looked up and laughed.

There was also a scribe sitting next to him, who also recognized Song Wengu, who had seen him on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Zhao Liangli saw Li You coming in, let go of the woman and got up and arched his hand: "I haven't seen you for more than a month after the Mid-Autumn Festival, and today Mr. Xiao has come to Suzhou Mansion to take up a post, I am very happy." ”

Li You also saluted: "I heard that Zhao Daguan made a force out of it? ”

Zhao Daguan said triumphantly: "Some little things, don't be thankful, the prefect is my family's protégé, help you change a good position." ”

Thank you? Good seat? What is this donkey lips against the horse's mouth? Li You stared speechlessly.

Zhao Liangli said teasingly: "In my opinion, the style of being an official should be still noble, don't you see that the new science and technology scholars are all scrambling to be the first noble Hanlin in the world." Now I can't help you with this precious word, but Qingzi can still help, only the idle clerical job complements Mr. Li's reputation. ”

If it was before, Li You might be grateful, and it would be better to be able to live a leisurely life. But when he enjoyed the taste of power in the county, where is he still in the mood to sit on the cold bench and let the people in his hometown laugh at him and go back more and more?

It is not said that he is overbearing in Xujiang as an inspector, but at least there is no problem in being powerful. I thought that this time I would change to an unfamiliar place at most to continue to be an inspector, and after I had enough seniority, I would go to the door and be promoted, but who would have expected that Zhao Daguan and Wang Tongzhi would join forces to "help" and become a pure civilian.

Li You was in a mixed mood, and made things like this, Zhao Daguan actually had a face of doing a great deed, do you know that you and Old Man Wang are simply two co-defendants who killed the master! Does everyone want to be a Hanlin because they want to be idle, it's not because they are promoted and have a big future, and in the same way, I am not for idleness. No matter how idle a person like Zhao Daguan is, no one dares to ignore it, he has the same power, how can he Li You have this ability.

Li You was extremely distressed, this time he and Zhao Daguan's outlook on life and values were misaligned again, and his thinking could not be connected, he was afraid that Zhao Daguan would not dare to ask for it, but he still did not escape his poisonous hands. "In the lower division of the same knowledge hall, but Lord Wang finally said that he had nothing to do, and he was ashamed to accept the country's money in vain." Li You said helplessly.

Zhao Liangli said with contempt: "If you are not an official, Mr. Shi is still a little more open, and he is becoming more and more stingy when he is an official, this kind of mundane affairs is thinking about it, don't make trouble if you have nothing to do, Mr. Xiao, please come to the table!" ”

Song Wengu, who had been watching Zhao Liangli and Li You talking, came up and said: "You are all free and easy people, tonight for Mr. Li, you must have fun, don't talk about fame and fortune first." ”

Zhao Liangli said with a smile: "What Brother Song said is very obedient. He said to Li You: "This is his family's property, and he really deliberately set up a Hongmen banquet to entertain us." ”

At the moment, it is inevitable to eat and drink and summon beauties to help the fun. During the conversation, Li You learned that this Song Wengu was born in the family of Dongshan giants, but Song Wengu did not interfere in business, and was specially trained by his family to study and study and make friends with You Shilin. The big businessmen in Jiangnan have this habit, they like to make friends with literati and doctors, and it is easy to understand that they are taking money to buy culture.

Li You temporarily put aside the frustration of officialdom, and said to Zhao Liangli: "That night, after drinking, I had no virtue and said goodbye to the presumptuousness, which disturbed the interest of the big officials, and I am here to make amends." He always wanted to know what other people's attitudes commented on after he left wild on the night of August 16, but Zhao Liangli didn't mention it, so he couldn't help but say something tentative.

"It's okay, it's a real celebrity who is self-styled, and it's boring to be full of restraint. It's my Sixi who doesn't know anything, and has already scolded him, so you don't have to take it to heart. Zhao Liangli said indifferently.

Song Wengu exclaimed: "Thinking of that sentence that I am afraid of tiring the beauty of love, I don't know if I can hear such an interesting sentence in this life." ”

"Are you Mr. Tanhua?" The woman who accompanied the wine next to Li You suddenly trembled with excitement, her hands were on her heart, and she couldn't believe it with surprise on her face.

Seeing the excited appearance of a random strange woman after recognizing herself, Li You's little vanity was greatly satisfied, and he swept away his low mood for the time being, and when he was about to laugh a few words, he suddenly heard wild shouting outside, as if something was happening.

And they all stood up together, and stood by the window, and looked out of the building. However, he saw a group of people rushing into a courtyard on the corner of the street with torches, and when they came out not long after, they threw all kinds of containers on their backs and fled to the north.

Li You didn't expect to see a case happening under his nose as soon as he came to Fucheng, so he asked, "What kind of place is that?" ”

Song Wengu is more familiar with the neighborhood, "It's a rice shop, and this gang of thieves seems to be robbing rice." ”

Li You was surprised: "In the dignified city, there is such a thing as looting rice and grain?" ”

Song Wengu sighed: "I haven't had such a thing for many years. However, recently, the price of rice has risen, and the price per stone has doubled to two taels, or those who do not make a living will take risks. ”

Li You was even more strange, "Now is the time for the autumn grain to go on the market, although there is a drought this year, it will not be a bad harvest, and it will not be a problem to support it until spring." If this happens when the green and yellow are not connected, it will be fine, and there will be a storm now. ”

Zhao Liangli shook his head and said: "It's not a serious matter, it can be calmed down when the government produces rice and grain." ”

The three of them returned to the banquet, and Zhao Liangli suddenly remembered something and said: "A few months ago, I promised to give you the cloud girl, but I have not been able to fulfill my promise, do you think when to take it away?" ”

Li You was in such a mood, shook his hand and said, "The big officials keep it for themselves." ”

After drinking until late at night, Li You went back to his residence to rest without mentioning it.

In other words, this prefect is very pompous. If nothing else, basically every morning, all the government officials will gather in the lobby and visit the prefect together, which is called the row of officials.

Second, Li You, who had already taken office, participated in the ceremony for the first time and officially appeared in front of his colleagues. It's a pity that except for Wang Tongzhi, no one talked to Li Youpan and was treated coldly.

Governor Mao explained some things, mainly because it was said that the autumn harvest had been completed recently, and he had stepped up his efforts to urge the counties to collect grain taxes, and that he was approaching the end of the year to clear up the backlog. There is still nothing to do with Li You.

Li You was helpless for the cold reception in the department, thinking of the girl who was surprised and happy to see her last night, it was really a great contrast, maybe she shouldn't refuse her invitation... A room was set up in the courtyard of the Tongzhi Office as the public room of the Governor of the Department of Experience. Li You sat in the room for a day, only watching the autumn wind in the courtyard roll up a few fallen leaves and float around. He moved his gaze to the closed door of the Tongzhi Hall, what was the old man Wang doing inside? Did he survive like this every day?

(To be continued)