The sky is clear, and the midday sun is poisonous.

Several officials and two carriages stopped on the official road leading to Rongcheng, and Liu Mo and his party rested in a tea stall next to a village along the way.

Next to him, He Ruda, the magistrate of Linyang, was drinking tea.

To be precise, it should be called the former magistrate of Linyang City.

It turned out that just a few days ago, Huang Shouren sent a letter. The letter mentioned that Liu Mo was asked to leave for Rongcheng, and the new salt he made was first sold in Rongcheng.

Although the reason was not mentioned in the letter, Liu Mo could guess seven or eight points.

Although Rongcheng is small, its geographical location is special, and it is the closest city to the border station on the border of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Border cities are the hardest hit by wartime, but business is excellent in peacetime, especially in the special period when war has just ended.

The transnational trade between the Great Xia Dynasty and its neighbors can be said to be in ruins, and it developed extremely rapidly.

It is precisely in this way that this will arouse the great interest of several princes, and they will take this as a place of contention.

Taking the salt road in Rongcheng is equivalent to grasping the economic lifeline of Jianglin, and as soon as I heard that Liu Mo had developed a new salt.

The princes of the Great Xia Dynasty immediately began to move.

The first major event was to take off Chen Zhiyuan's top flower feather and never be hired.

As for whether the prince supported by Huang Shouren made a small move to dismiss his official, or whether Chen Zhiyuan's backer thought he was ineffective, it no longer mattered.

In short, the new salt project invisibly avenged Liu Mo.

Although he couldn't take revenge with his own hands, he had to give up!

The second thing is that the intent is obvious.

The Ministry of Officials issued an order, and He Ruda, the magistrate of Linyangcheng County, was transferred to Rongcheng County as the commander of Rongcheng County, and immediately went to his post.

Liu Mo has a great friendship with He Ruda, and has cooperated with each other to rectify Lin Yuan and Zhou Zhushan.

This is a paper order, which is clearly to give Liu Mo a big backer.

For He Ruda, Rongcheng is much smaller than Linyang City, and it looks like a demotion, but it is actually an investigation.

As long as he cooperates well with Liu Mo, he will raise the salt tax, rectify the salt gang, and get promoted and raise his salary in minutes!

Both of them are smart people and can understand the meaning of the above, so they go together and go to Rongcheng together.

He Ruda had never been to Rongcheng, and along the way, Liu Mo patiently explained the information of Rongcheng to him.

What are the personalities of the leaders of the three classes and six rooms, what are the merchants, and so on.

As he was talking, he suddenly saw a few fast horses kicking up a large cloud of dust all the way and galloping towards him.

"Lord Ho!" The person who came turned over and dismounted, saluted He Ruda in the tea stall, and walked in quickly.

"Take a sip of tea, take a breath and talk again!" He Ruda looked at his subordinates, although he was a little anxious, he still calmed himself down and waited for the other party to catch his breath.

The person who came drank a few big sips of tea, wiped the corners of his mouth with his sleeve, and gasped a few more breaths, and then said a lot more calmly:

"My lord, as you expected, the merchants and officials of Rongcheng received the news and all gathered at the gate of the city, intending to pick up the wind for you!"

He Ru stroked his beard and smiled, "I didn't expect it," he said, "Liu Gongzi, our errand is not easy to do!" After arriving in Rongcheng, I am afraid that the toilet will be investigated clearly several times a day! ””

"Expected!" Liu Mo said, "Lord He, I don't know what your usual hobbies are?" ”

"Hobbies?" He Ru was puzzled, "Write poems, drink tea, and paint!" ”

"Anything else?" Liu Mo asked, "For example, women?" Collecting antiques? Etcetera! ”

He Ruda frowned, and soon understood what Liu Mo meant.

The sugar-coated shells of the enemy in Rongcheng will definitely be several times more fierce than those in Linyang City.

Moreover, in Linyang City. The merchant bribed the whole time, and the female sex was tempted, and the purpose was only to curry favor with He Ruda. I hope it opens a back door on some things and makes it easier.

This trip to Banyan City is different, the enemy is not here to scold you. As soon as you show the slightest sign of corruption, someone will be sent to treat you.

It can be said that everything is walking on thin ice.

"In this way, he still has to ban women, haha." He Ruda laughed.

Men are lustful, just like cats love fish and can't quit.

"It's okay, if Lord He doesn't dislike it, let the villain arrange it for you!"

"You kid!" He Ru laughed loudly. "To get back to the point, now you and I will find a village to rest for one night, and then go into the city?"

Hide? Confession?

"No, you don't have to!" Liu Mo said, "Wouldn't this increase the other party's ambition?" Destroy your own prestige! ”

He Ruda frowned, "If that's the case, then it's inevitable to go to the banquet tonight!" ”

Of course, Liu Mo can guess that when the new official takes office, local merchants and officials will naturally set up a reception banquet.

And this time is so special, most of the banquets are "full of crises"!

In order to relieve He Ruda's concerns, he stepped forward and brought his "cracking method" one by one.

He Ruda smiled after hearing this, "That's very good!" It's you, Brother Liu Xian, after drinking this tea, set off immediately. ”

~~~

Although he was mentally prepared, Liu Mo was really surprised by the scene this time.

The blazing screams hanging in the sky are still relentlessly radiating heat. In order to welcome He Ruda and others. At the gate of the city, nearly 100 officials wearing official uniforms surrounded the city gate.

Behind these order-keeping officials, thousands of civilians seemed to be about to drown them at any moment.

Before the people approached, they heard the sound of gongs and drums that shook the sky, knock, knock, and made Liu Mo's head dizzy.

"Good fellow, is this the etiquette of receiving the Prince?"

He Ruda was obviously also shocked, the more high-profile the greeting, the greater the difficulties he would face.

But it has come to this, and it is impossible to back down!

Approaching the city gate, enthusiastic onlookers watched the flowers prepared by the people, cheering, and applauding.

Without waiting for Liu Mo and others to respond, the Rongcheng County Cheng led by him stepped forward to send a word of welcome on behalf of the people of Rongcheng.

However, the cheering people were so noisy that their cheering sound was like a huge wave in a tsunami, so that Liu Mo didn't hear a complete sentence!

Liu Mo's previous worries were verified at this moment, and as soon as He Ruda arrived in Rongcheng County, sugar-coated shells struck violently.

The merchants had already prepared a banquet for them, and the well-arranged carriage was also ready, waiting for He Ruda and Liu Mo to go to the banquet.

There was no possibility of refusal at all, and under the crowd, Liu Mo and others had already been "tied" into the carriage.

On top of the carriage, several tulle thin-winged beauties had been waiting in the carriage for a long time.

It is no exaggeration to say that according to the arrangement of these people, the beauties are ready to sacrifice their chastity in the carriage!

This wave of bombing caught Liu Mo off guard.

After getting off the carriage, He Ruda and Liu Mo were "tied" to "Jun Moting" in Rongcheng East City again.

I can't see the wind banquet, and I was shocked when I saw it.

Bear's paw, abalone, shark fin, bird's nest.

Cold dishes, hot dishes, soup porridge.

Fifty or dozens of dishes, comparable to the imperial meal.

Shocked, Liu Mo smiled coldly. "As soon as I ate this meal, I lost half of it! But you're a little ninety-nine, I've already thought about it. Brother He, it's up to you now! ”

So he didn't squeak, just watched quietly, He Ruda will be his teammate in the future, and he will also take this opportunity to investigate.

After all, the other party is a parent official, I am just a flat-headed commoner, the method I taught, will he implement it...

Or could he be a corrupt official too!!

Fortunately, He Ruda did not disappoint him.

When everyone beckoned them to the table, they saw He Ruda's face change, and asked in a low voice, "What kind of dishes are these?" How much money does it cost? ”

"Honey bear's paws, golden silk fins, anchovy shark fins... Silver, about a hundred taels! One of them replied, "My lord, are you not satisfied?" ”

"Satisfied, satisfied! Don't talk about eating, I haven't heard of these things. "He Ru Dao," but I'm worried that once I eat it, I won't forget it.

Qipin County Order, meager Yulu, how can you afford to eat such a hundred taels worth of delicacies from the mountains and seas? ”

These words stunned everyone present.

Next, He Ru smiled, "Is the tax department here?" ”

"Lord Wu is not here."

"Oh? I heard that Liu Gongzi and Lord Wu know each other, and they will do an errand for the county. "He Ru Avenue," you merchants can afford a banquet of one hundred taels and one table, presumably the business is good.

Gai Ming'er asked Lord Wu to check their taxes! ”

As soon as these words came out, everyone's faces turned pale.

Liu Mo sneered, "Obey!" ”

In the first round, we won a big victory!