"Your Excellency. ”

Xie Huchen looked up and saw that it was Wang Zhiyuan.

"Zhiyuan, what are you looking for me?" Xie Huchen asked, putting down the scroll in his hand.

"When my lord asked me about my accounts the other day, it occurred to me that there were some things that might be useful to you. Wang Zhiyuan said.

"Then sit down and speak slowly. Xie Huchen poured a cup of tea and handed it to Wang Zhiyuan's hand.

Wang Zhiyuan sat down, holding the tea in his hand, looking uneasy.

"Zhiyuan doesn't have to worry, just tell me what to do. Xie Huchen saw that Wang Zhiyuan had doubts.

Wang Zhiyuan took a sip of tea, paused, and finally spoke: "My lord, in fact, it has been a tradition for the county to collect miscellaneous taxes for many years, and the former magistrate personally appointed his cronies to handle it, and I am just a small county magistrate, so I can only turn a blind eye." ”

"You mean you're not involved. Xie Huchen said.

"Yes, I only know about this tax transaction, and there is another dark account, but I don't know much about the flow of this money. Wang Zhiyuan replied.

"Then where is this secret account now?" Xie Huchen hurriedly asked.

"Before, there was a money and grain master in the yamen, surnamed Chen, he was the same township as the former magistrate, and since the magistrate of the county was removed from his post and investigated, he has also disappeared, I think most of the secret accounts are in his hands. Wang Zhiyuan said.

"Then do you know where his hometown is?" Xie Huchen asked again.

Wang Zhiyuan blinked, recalled for a while, and said, "I remember that I seem to be from Yizhou." ”

"Yizhou. Xie Huchen said silently in his heart.

Yizhou is more than 400 miles away from Yixian County, and now it seems that we must go to Yizhou and find this Master Chen in order to have further clues.

"I know, Zhiyuan, you go and get busy first, if you think of anything again, remember to tell me. Xie Huchen said.

Wang Zhiyuan bowed back, he knew that he was gambling, and the bet was that Xie Huchen was a benevolent and upright good official, but he was willing to make this bet, because the ideal in his heart began to sprout again, and Xie Huchen's arrival made him finally no longer want to live in such a mess.

Going to Yizhou here is a big deal, after all, this dark account is not only Xie Huchen staring at it now, he must go there in person to rest assured.

The next day, after arranging the affairs of the county government, Xie Huchen put on civilian clothes and set off with Wang Da and Wang Xiaoer.

"Zhiyuan, I'll go to Yizhou in five or six days at most, and the affairs of the county government will be handed over to you and Song Zhutou, but don't reveal to others where I went. Xie Huchen advised.

"Don't worry, my lord, my subordinates know it, and you have to be more careful along the way. Wang Zhiyuan said.

"Okay, let's go. Xie Huchen said.

The three of them hurried up, all the way, and arrived in Yizhou City in two days.

"My lord, Yizhou is so big, how should we find Master Chen?" asked Wang Da.

"I'm afraid we need to rely on the cooperation of the local government, let's go to the yamen of the state capital to meet with Lord Zhizhou first. ”

Xie Huchen had a plan, and when he traveled, he prepared official documents and prayer posts, and when he had time to rest in the future, he went straight to the mansion.

Yizhou's Zhizhou Fei Qing was originally a Hanlin in the middle of the court, and he was transferred to Yizhou not long ago, to say that this Hanlin is only a seven-grade official, no matter how Zhizhou is a five-grade official, a local dignitary, but after all, how can this local official be as comfortable as a Beijing official, so although he is diligent in political affairs after his arrival, he is not very happy every day.

I was very happy to hear Xie Huchen's visit, because of the name of Xie Huchen's talent, it had already spread all over Beijing, although it was only Qipin Zhi County, but it was hand-picked by the Son of Heaven, it was naturally not an ordinary person, Fei Qing was also a literati, and he had been fond of Xie Huchen for a long time, and he hurriedly welcomed him warmly.

Fei Qing hurriedly introduced Xie Huchen into the inner hall, and asked people to serve tea and water, and it was a delicious dim sum.

"Xiaguan has seen Lord Fei, and Lord Fei is too polite. Xie Huchen was a little embarrassed to see Fei Qing so enthusiastic.

"Hey, Lord Xie doesn't have to be polite, your literary talent has already spread all over the capital, I think you will meet the Son of Heaven at that time, answer correctly in the court, I am also present, your theory of governing the country with literature and fighting with military force is refreshing, no, the emperor was inspired by you, and I waited for a group of young scholars to be sent out for training, so that I could be promoted to Zhizhou. Fei Qing said.

"Lord Fei has tormented the officials, I am young and frivolous, and I am arrogant, but fortunately, the saint is wise and wise, and he does not care about me, but allows me to serve as the magistrate of the county, I am already ashamed. Xie Huchen hurriedly replied.

This is the case when literati meet, there is inevitably some pedantic, and they praise each other, Wang Da and Wang Xiaoer can't help but laugh secretly when they hear it outside the door.

Fei Qing said that the answer on the spot was correct, that is, a few months ago, Xie Huchen and Yu Zhong and others, after overthrowing Cao Xiangui in Zhongjing, when they went on a pilgrimage to meet the Son of Heaven, Xie Huchen and the Son of Heaven answered correctly.

A few months ago, above the court.

Xie Huchen and Gui Ming met Emperor Ming of the Southern Han Dynasty together, and when they saw the sky for the first time, Gui Ming was nervous and at a loss, but Xie Huchen looked calm, as if he didn't take it seriously, and he couldn't help but be impressed.

"Xie Huchen, I heard that you were born as a Jinshi at a young age, but you opened a study hall with your father in the countryside. When Emperor Ming said this, his eyes glanced at the ministers above, and the implication was to blame the officials for their unfavorable selection of materials.

"Back to Long live, this is all because my father is not in good health, so he has always been by his side, and there is no other reason. Xie Huchen replied, he said this to the emperor first, and secondly, so as not to provoke the courtiers to hold a grudge.

In this way, you are very filial, which is reasonable, after all, this dynasty has always advocated filial piety first. Emperor Ming stroked his beard, smiled, and was quite satisfied with Xie Huchen's answer.

Looking at the officials of the Ministry of Officials again, they were already shocked into a cold sweat, and hurriedly wiped them secretly.

Emperor Ming nodded to the chamberlain on the side, and the chamberlain unfolded the decree and began to read it, commending everyone who overthrew the powerful minister Cao Xiangui, but he missed the remaining weight.

Guiming was quite strange in his heart, so he wanted to ask directly, but Xie Huchen secretly glanced at him and stopped him.

The two of them accepted the order, but Xie Huchen suddenly said: "Long live Hui, Xiaosheng doesn't want to be the prince's attendant." ”

As soon as these words came out, the whole court was in an uproar, and the chamberlain shouted: "Bold, long live the will of the lord, that is a gift to you, how dare you speak wildly, and disrespect the will." ”

Emperor Ming waved his hand, motioned for the chamberlain to retreat, and said: "I want to hear your thoughts, this prince reads, that is the future of the Son of Heaven's close ministers, how many people can't ask for it, but you want to refuse?"

Xie Huchen said: "Xiaosheng Xie Long live the grace, this prince is a scholar, although he is prominent, it is not what Xiaosheng wants. ”

"Oh, what do you want?" asked Emperor Ming.

"Govern the country and rejuvenate the country, make great efforts to govern, drive out the Hulu, and return to the old land. Xie Huchen said sixteen words lightly.

As soon as these words came out, they shocked the court even more, and all the ministers whispered one after another, this young man was really young and frivolous, and he spoke wildly.

But when Emperor Ming heard this, he was very interested, and he continued with a smile: "I want to hear your strategy for governing the country and rejuvenating the country, and driving out Hu Lu's strategy. If you don't tell me why, I'm afraid that the civil and military forces in this court will be quite unconvinced. ”

Xie Huchen shook his sleeves, and said: "Since the founding of Taizu, I have emphasized literature and suppressed martial arts, and there will eventually be the disaster of Hanning's war, and now after five dynasties, although the national strength is still there, but the tribute is paid to Beining, with ministers, if Taizu has knowledge, I don't know what to think." ”

These words, like a thorn in the back, are also facts, telling the helplessness and humiliation of the Southern Han Kingdom for decades, and some of the ministers of the DPRK and China could not help but cry secretly, but the Lord and the faction became restless, and accused Xie Huchen of being inferior and wanted to punish him.

Emperor Ming waved his hand and calmed down the discussion of the ministers, if you want to say that this sense of humiliation, I am afraid that no one can feel it as deeply as him.

Emperor Ming ascended the throne after the Hanning War, not a day did not want to clarify the universe and regain the lost territory, but unfortunately although he was the Son of Heaven, the government has been in the hands of Cao Xiangui and Chen Jing, both of whom are the Lord and faction, and now Cao Xiangui has fallen, it is also an opportunity for him, it is better to take this opportunity to support the strength of the Shaozhuang faction, in order to look forward to the future.

Therefore, although Xie Huchen is open-mouthed, Emperor Ming is not angry but happy in his heart, in his eyes, Gui Ming and Xie Huchen will be his wings in the future.

Aiqing continued. Emperor Ming signaled.

"Now that our dynasty is becoming stronger and stronger, and there are many talented people in civil and military affairs, we should pursue the national policy of governing the country with culture and fighting with force, vigorously develop the economy and armaments, and gradually weaken the influence of Bac Ninh on the surrounding small countries. Xie Huchen's words were arrogant.

Emperor Ming couldn't help but secretly praise it in his heart, in fact, he didn't think about it like this, but now he said it through Xie Huchen's mouth.

"Long live Lord, my Southern Han Kingdom and Beining Kingdom have been friends for many years, and the New Year's Coin is not a heavy pressure on my dynasty, because these money and grain are bad with it, it is really a good policy, young people are arrogant and arrogant, it is normal, and I hope to think twice. "It was Chen Jing who spoke.

As a representative of the Lord and the faction, he didn't speak at this time, lest the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty would be persuaded by Xie Huchen's generous statement.

"Chen Xiang's words are wrong, our dynasty is now growing in national strength, although the annual currency is not a heavy pressure, but it is the enemy's food, how can we guarantee that the people of Bac Ninh will not be wolf ambitions, intensifying, we must not stake the national fortune on the enemy. Xie Huchen retorted.

"Hmph, Huangkou Xiaoer, national affairs, how can you talk about them casually. Chen Jing said disdainfully.

"Chen Xiang, Xiaosheng dares to ask, if the people are not wise, why is the country strong, if you don't let me talk about it, can you block the mouths of the people in the world?" Xie Huchen's righteous words actually stopped Chen Jing's words for a while.

Seeing this, the ministers discussed a lot, some agreed with Xie Huchen, and some supported Chen Jing, and there was a commotion for a while.

"Okay, all Aiqing are the pillars of the country, there is no need to quarrel, since Xie Aiqing does not want to be an official in the court, what do you want?" Emperor Ming stopped the quarrel in the court.