Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, many people have fled, most of the fields are barren, the taxes that should have been collected cannot be collected at all, the county office has long been in deficit, all the officials below the county level have long had no salaries to take, the family is almost too poor to open the pot, many of the officials on duty have deserted, after all, they can't even get this meager salary, how can the old mother, wife and children at home live.

Liu Ze was depressed, and said that the governor of the state for three years, 100,000 snowflakes of silver, and everyone who was an official was a poor beauty, but he couldn't imagine that he finally mixed up a county order, but he was so poor that the bell sounded, and it was difficult for a good woman to cook without rice.

Jia Xu said below: "Is it possible that the lord has forgotten the matter of the big Si Nong allocating money and grain?" ”

Liu Ze patted his head, fortunately Jia Xu reminded him that he had been so busy in the past few days that he had forgotten about this stubble, so he ordered the officials in charge of the money and grain to go to the Prime Minister's Mansion to extract the money and grain.

The Prime Minister's Office and the County Office were only two streets apart, and within an hour, the officials returned and reported that the money and grain had been returned. Liu Ze wondered how fast it would be, and asked about the amount of money and grain he had brought back, and the official replied that he had brought back a total of 200,000 yuan and 20,000 grains.

As soon as he heard this, Liu Ze was so angry that he almost smashed the public case.

"What? 200,000 yuan and 20,000 stone grain? Zhang Dasinong personally promised to give 1 million yuan and 100,000 stone of grain! Who is so bold and reckless, dare to be greedy for the Mo court's disaster relief money and food! It's simply unreasonable, wait for this official to go to the Prime Minister's Mansion to ask what happened! ”

Liu Ze was furious, and the officials below looked at each other, silent. At this time, Ding Xiancheng stepped forward. He arched his hand and said: "Liu County Order, can you take a step to speak?" ”

Liu Ze saw that his eyes flickered, and he stopped talking, so he said, "Okay, let's talk in the back hall." He dismissed everyone, came to the back hall with Ding Xiancheng, and ordered someone to serve tea.

"Ding Xiancheng might as well say it if he has something to say." Liu Ze's least favorite thing is to beat around the bush, and ask Ding Xiancheng directly.

Ding Xiancheng smiled faintly and said, "Liu Xianling is from the military, right?" ”

Liu Ze couldn't help but be a little puzzled, Ding Xiancheng asked about this for no reason, you must know that Liu Ze's reputation is in full swing in Luoyang City. Widely known. But in this era, the news is closed, and when you go to a local county, others really don't know what you're doing. Although he was a little puzzled, he still said, "Not bad." This official raised troops from Zhuo County to suppress the Yellow Turban. Dozens of battles of all sizes. A little work, because of the removal of the current position. ”

Ding Xiancheng said suddenly: "It's no wonder, Liu Xianling is not a person from officialdom. Naturally, I don't know the inside story of this officialdom. In this officialdom, money and food are allocated from the top down, and what time can it be given in full? According to the usual practice, it is very good that those who are allocated to the yamen of the county office can have two achievements. ”

Liu Ze said angrily: "The people of the plains have suffered from the disaster, and they have long been eager for the money and food of the court for disaster relief, but it is hateful that there are officials who dare to embezzle the life-saving food of the people, it is really unreasonable!" ”

Ding Xiancheng smiled bitterly and said: "If someone really embezzles the court's disaster relief money and food, this is easy to do, naturally there is a book of imperial history, those who should be caught, and those who should be killed, but many things are not so simple." The money and food of the court are allocated from top to bottom, and every time a hand passes, it is less than one percent, commonly known as the goose passing the feathers, if you say that he is corrupt, but the money and food are not put in his pocket, how do you treat his crimes? ”

Liu Zeqi said: "Since no one dares to be greedy for ink, where did this money and grain go?" ”

"It's not easy to spend money? This office is dilapidated and has to be renovated, the salaries of officials at all levels have to be paid, and the correspondence of officials at all levels has to be entertained, etc., in short, these reasons are all high-sounding, and in the end they can really be used on the people, and there is not one in ten. ”

Liu Ze couldn't help but sigh, it seems that this ancient and modern officialdom is as black as a crow, and there is no exception. "Since this official has served as the commander of this plain county, it is naturally incumbent on him to ask for the people's life. The dilapidated government office can be repaired later, and the salaries of officials are not in a hurry, but the thousands of refugees in the plains cannot wait, these are all life-saving food for the people, no matter what, I must personally go to the Prime Minister's Office. ”

Ding Xiancheng hesitated and said: "If Liu County Ling insists on going, the lower official still has a word, I don't know if I should say it or not?" ”

"Ding County Cheng is polite, you and I are officials in the same office, and we should cooperate sincerely, but it doesn't hurt to talk about it."

"Liu County ordered the plain at the beginning, and he must not know much about the situation in the plain. There are three people in this plain country who cannot be offended. The first is the plain country Lin Hai Lin Guo Xiang, don't look at this Lin Guo Xiang kind and kind, the means are actually quite ruthless, in this plain country is a well-known figure, Liu County Ling will go to get as much as he wants, don't argue with it, if you want to be jealous of him, I am afraid that Liu County will be dusty in the future. The second is Liu Ping, the governor of the Plains, this Liu family is the number one scholar family in the Plains Country, and it has deep roots in the Plains Country, if you want to be an official, if you don't have the support of the Liu family, you will have no place to stand at all, and even Lin Guoxiang has to give the Liu family three points of thin noodles. This Liu Ping was originally a gentleman's son, brave and ruthless, and donated money to become the captain of this plain, relying on his family background, no one in his eyes, this person Liu County ordered that he should be more vigilant in the future, and he should not have a deep friendship with him, nor should he not have a deep relationship with him. ”

"And who's the other one?"

"Since this plain country is called a country, the king is the king of the plains, although the king of the plains ignores mundane affairs, flying eagles and lackeys all day long, enjoying flowers and grass, but people are emperors and nobles, and those stewards under his hands are like wolves and tigers, and they are rampant, so the power of the king of the plains cannot be provoked. This is an official, it is easy to say, but it is difficult to say, the key is how to grasp the scale, and you can't ruin your future. ”

Liu Ze secretly said in his heart, this Ding County Cheng is similar to the words of the man who gave Jia Yucun the talisman in the dream of Red Mansions. Liu Zedao: "Ding County Cheng has to solve the officialdom samadhi, but he doesn't know ......"

Ding Xiancheng smiled bitterly: "Liu County's order said that although the lower officials are good at this, why are they only a county officials?" Liu Xianling didn't know, the water of this officialdom was unfathomable, Ding had no money, no power and no backstage, so naturally there was no one to support him, not to mention that he was over half a hundred years old, and there were not many days to go, so he could only eat and wait for death. I look at Liu County's young talents, extraordinary bearing, just sacrificing his life to block the mouth to ask for the people's life, it is enough to determine that Liu County's order is the kind of good official who dares to do practical things for the people, if Liu County's order has a backer in the court, it will definitely be a long journey in the future. Therefore, Ding had the courage to make a statement, which could be regarded as giving Liu County Order some points, as for yes or no, Liu County Order could consider it at his own discretion and retire from the official. After speaking, Ding County Cheng Shili retreated.

Liu Ze turned his head to look at Jia Xu, who was squinting and napping there, and said, "Master Jia, aren't you going to give some constructive advice to this official?" ”

Jia Xu opened his eyes slowly and said, "That Ding County Cheng has already said the truth, not to mention that I am also a newcomer to Pingyuan County, what advice can I give you?" But—"

"But what?"

Jia Xu smiled slightly and said: "What kind of person is the lord, naturally there is no need to say more, if even these shrimp soldiers and crab generals in the Plains Country can't handle it, then the subordinates will probably have to pat their butts and leave." ”

Liu Ze laughed, Jia Xu was telling the truth, his mind was not in this small plain country, if he really couldn't even handle a few small shrimps, what would he talk about competing for dominance across states and counties.

"Wen He said it well, tomorrow I will meet these big people who can't be offended!"

Early the next morning, Liu Ze went straight to the Prime Minister's Mansion with only four personal guards. handed over the door post, and when the man saw that he was the Pingyuan County Order, he didn't dare to slack off, and hurriedly went in to spread the word. Shaoqing, came out to introduce Liu Ze into the second hall.

The layout of the Prime Minister's Office is not much different from that of the county office, that is, the area is more than twice as large as the county office, which is very generous. Above the second hall, Minister Lin Hai was discussing with his colleagues. Liu Ze stepped forward and bowed, and said, "Pingyuan County ordered Liu Ze to meet Prime Minister Lin. ”

Lin Hai's figure was slightly fat, he smiled and bowed, got up to help each other, and said, "You and I are officials in the same city, why be polite." I heard that Liu County Ling sacrificed himself to block the gap when he first arrived in the plains, to solve the suffering of the people, so virtuous and brave and righteous people can not be deserved, Liu County Ling can be described as the lucky star of the people of the plains. ”

Liu Ze said with a smile: "A little bit of work, why worry about it, Lin Guoxiang praised it absurdly." When Xia Guan first arrived in the plain, he had heard that Lin Guoxiang loved the people like a son, and was honest and honest as an official. ”

Lin Hai laughed and introduced all the officials in the hall one by one, Liu Ze had to see them one by one, and the polite words in the officialdom were naturally indispensable. But I saw that a person's face was sinking like water, quite cold and arrogant, and compared with the harmony of everyone in the hall, he looked at it with squinted eyes and sneered. Lin Hai introduced him to Liu Ze with a smile.

"This is Liu Ping and Liu Duwei, who are in charge of military affairs in their country."

Dare to love, this is the No. 2 person in Ding County's mouth that cannot be offended! Liu Ze bowed and said, "The lower official has seen Captain Liu." ”

Stretching out his hand not to hit the smiling person, Liu Ping was obviously quite dissatisfied with everyone's false flattery just now, but it was not easy to attack, he bowed slightly, which was regarded as a return of the salute, and then said: "This official still has official business, so I won't accompany him, and I will leave!" With that, he walked away.

Maybe Lin Hai and the others have long been accustomed to Liu Ping's style, and they have not been affected in the slightest, and continue to talk about the east and west there. Liu Ze came for the money and food for disaster relief, and they had spare time to grind here, and after a few words, they directly cut to the topic.

"Lin Guoxiang, the lower officials came to visit this time, not for anything else, when the lower officials were about to leave Beijing, the Dasi Agricultural Department specially allocated disaster relief money and food for the people of the plains, and now the people of the plains are hungry and cold, just wait for the disaster relief money and food of the court to tide over the difficulties, please Lin Guoxiang look at the life and death of the people, and raise his noble hand."

Lin Hai's face sank, and his smile was completely lost. "The court is providing disaster relief, and the trouble is big, how dare this official delay. Chen Bocao, has the disaster relief money and food in Pingyuan County been distributed? (To be continued......)