In the political department of a province, the political envoy is the highest official, and he is the third grade; There are also left and right to participate in politics, which belongs to the deputy of the political envoy, from the three products.

Knowing that Yan Zhengqian had taken a fancy to the position of the right political secretary of Sichuan, Pu Tingnan raised his eyebrows: "Lord Yan is the prefect of the fourth grade, although he jumped from the prefectural level to the provincial level, and was promoted from the fourth rank to the third grade, it can be regarded as in line with the regulations." But in the end, he is still a magistrate, and Lord Yan has been in the southwest for so long, so he doesn't want to go back to Beijing? ”

Yan Zhengqian was a little embarrassed, and said very self-awarely: "My lord, you are a Jinshi who is a serious and eight-year-old scholar, and you are sent to the local area from the capital, so you naturally think that the Beijing official is good." For me, I have never been to the capital, so how can I talk about 'returning to Beijing'? ”

"What's more, I have more than 100 state capitals in Great Xia, and there are not fifty or thirty prefects who need to be transferred when their term of office expires, so how can they all be transferred to the capital? Even if Xia Guan really became a Beijing official, I didn't have many connections in the court, and I was afraid that I would be excluded if I went, and it would be difficult everywhere. ”

"How can the southwest of the capital be comfortable, the lower official is your person, the lower official has arrived at the political secretary, and you have an adult to take care of it, isn't it much more comfortable than in the capital?"

As he spoke, Yan Zhengqian moved towards Pu Tingnan little by little, getting closer and closer to him, and finally simply sat on the steps at the other party's feet, affectionately and flatteringly next to Pu Tingnan's legs, and even used his sleeves to polish his shoes, and his face was full of folds with a smile, showing his servility.

"Besides, Xia Guan is also willing to be an errand under you, Master Pu, and it is my honor to saddle your horse before and after you. When the subordinate arrives at the political secretary, you can do whatever you tell the subordinate to do, and the power is one more dog to call, what do you think? ”

Pu Tingnan laughed when he heard this, stretched out his hand and patted the face of his "old dog", and said happily: "You, you, since this official became the political envoy of Sichuan, there are so many people who please and flatter, but you are the only one who can really go out, it is really hard to find a loyal dog like you, how can this official not cherish it?" ”

"That's it, it's just a right-hand political position, and it's not a difficult thing for me. In two months, I will leave for the capital to prepare for the end of the year, and I will personally protect you in front of Your Majesty. ”

Yan Zhengqian's eyes showed joy, and he was so happy that he didn't know what to say, and he couldn't wait to give Pu Tingnan a wagging tail: "Thank you, Master Pu!" You're my reborn parent, wow! I am solemn and humble in the future, I will listen to your dispatch, you say that I will never go west to the east! ”

Pu Tingnan smiled: "Okay, don't give me this set, when I don't know what you think?" Left and right participate in politics and manage the grain road, but everything that involves silver and grain, it is all oily fat, don't you old thing just want to make a good profit? ”

Yan Zheng smiled humbly: "The lower official is nearly fifty years old, and the younger half of the people who have been cut into the soil do not expect to be promoted to how big the official is and how much power he can hold, but he just wants to earn more family business for his children and grandchildren before he is born." ”

"Xuzhou Mansion is barren, the oil and water are pitiful, and in the past two years, Gu Yunji has watched it, and the lower officials have had a difficult time, and they don't even dare to take more needles. I finally got to the political secretary, and with you covered by an adult, the lower officials can finally relax and relax. Even if you fish for oil and water, you don't dare to forget you, ten points, to say the least, I have to give you seven points of filial piety. ”

Speaking of Gu Yunji, Pu Tingnan remembered: "Having said that, since such an important thing as artichoke first appeared in Xuzhou Mansion, even if it is your own credit, but when it comes to political achievements, Tongzhi and Tongju have a share." You gave me the artichoke in private, did Chen Xunzhou and Gu Yunji know? ”

Yan Zhengqian said: "Chen Xunzhou knows, he relied on me to see your face, and you got your promise to remove the word 'generation' in front of his Tongzhi hat, even if I bypassed him and presented the artichoke to you alone, he didn't dare to say anything." ”

"As for Gu Yunji......" Speaking of this, Yan Zhengqian's heart was weak, and he couldn't help but pause.

Considering Pu Tingnan's previous attitude towards Gu Yunji, if he knew that the introduction and promotion of artichoke was originally promoted by Gu Yunji and had nothing to do with him, he might be furious, and the position of right participation in politics would be useless.

Thinking like this, Yan Zhengqian's eyes rolled twice, and he said with a dry smile: "...... Gu Yunji's background is like that, and he is a first-class Tanhua of a great official in Hanlin, so he came to the southwest to hone the gold plating, and he can't think of the achievements of these three melons and two dates. If I had to discuss it with him, maybe people would still look down on him......"

Pu Tingnan didn't doubt him, smacked his lips and sighed: "That's right, it's your credit, even if he is qualified, he won't be able to score much." Gu Yunji is a person who has entered the Hanlin Academy to serve as a lecturer for His Majesty, and the family has high hopes for him, and he is afraid that he will enter the cabinet as a Zaifu in the future, so he will not be entangled in these details with you. ”

As he spoke, he admonished again: "But for the sake of safety, you'd better inform him, after all, you have to do a good job of face, and at least respect must be there." ”

Yan Zhengqian's eyes fluttered, and he replied absentmindedly: "Yes, Xia Guan understands." ”

——

On the rural village road outside the city of Xuzhou Prefecture, several people who were dressed extraordinarily and whose temperament was incompatible with the surroundings walked slowly.

The leader was a young man, in his twenties, fair-skinned, and pampered at first glance. Although he was dressed in regular clothes, he was still in shape, and he was meticulously dressed in his clothes, and while walking, he carefully observed the situation of the surrounding farmland.

A few people following behind him should be his entourage, with a well-proportioned figure and tight forearm muscles, and at first glance they are practitioners. The group just marched forward against the sun, and the road ahead seemed endless.

An entourage blocked the dazzling sunlight with his hand, and couldn't help but say, "My lord, why do we have to leave the wide official road and walk this crooked rural village road?" ”

Another attendant answered: "Our group is so dazzling, I'm afraid that if we go halfway, we will attract the attention of the local government." My lord is a special envoy sent by His Majesty to check the drought situation in Shuzhong, what if you don't keep a low profile? Do you have to be welcomed by the local officials to sit and drink tea in the yamen as soon as we come? ”

The entourage's brain reacted slowly, and he was exposed to the sun for a long time, and his mouth was really dry, and he said stupidly: "It's not bad to be welcomed to the yamen to drink tea, it just so happens that I'm also a little thirsty." ”

"Elm Head!"

His companion smacked him with hatred: "A few months ago, the political envoy of Sichuan cried that the drought in Shuzhong was serious and demanded that the grain tax be reduced or reduced. Later, when the officials in Shuzhong heard that His Majesty wanted to find an official to understand the situation, they all worked hard to find out the news, and prepared for the arrival of the special envoy, so as to exaggerate the truth and ask the court for more disaster relief money. ”

"Your Majesty took this into consideration, so he did not pick officials from the capital, but chose our lord who was on an errand in Hangzhou as a special envoy, and went directly upriver along the Yangtze River, and went to Shuzhong two months ahead of schedule, in order to catch the local officials off guard."

"If the local officials notice it as soon as they come and let them be prepared, then what you see is what they want you to see, what are you talking about doing an errand for Your Majesty? Of course, you have to investigate it yourself first, and then you can go and connect with the local officials. ”

As he spoke, seeing that his companion was suspicious, the man shouted to the young man in front of him, "Master Qian, do you say this is the truth?" ”

Qian Xun paused, turned around and nodded with a smile: "Yes, that's the truth, Zhaoying is very smart." ”