Liu Yan came with a dozen or so yamen runners. He came in a carriage. All the yamen's registrars, deputy magistrates, and scribes had been sent away by him with all kinds of trivial tasks.
He was not a fool. Last month, he could see that everyone in the yamen was against him. They were busy with endless trivial matters and messy cases. According to the first movie he saw promoting the Emperor, there were countless extras involved.
The day before yesterday, it was drizzling at night. He was very annoyed. Wearing a bamboo hat, he went out for a stroll and walked aimlessly to the side of the Honglu River.
The dock was as busy as it was during the day. The porters unloaded the goods that were not afraid of being drenched by the rain from the ships and loaded them from the shore. Under the brightly lit lanterns, there were people drinking and making noise under the shed next to him.
He could clearly see that the plaintiffs and defendants who had recently come to the yamen for a lawsuit were drinking and exchanging drinks. From time to time, there were roars of laughter.
The sound was so harsh. He was being ridiculed by countless people like a fool.
He carefully approached them. He heard them talk about how many eggs the chickens at home had laid. The pigs they caught in March had increased by a lot. They would kill them and sell them for money during the New Year and leave one for their family to eat.
They also talked about how the production of fine linen had increased by at least twenty percent this year. There was more work in the workshops and more money to be earned. They said that the weather was good this year and that the next month the carrots would be harvested more. They were all anxious about the high number of carrots and the high price of carrots. The Sinongsi had already placed an order with the Ministry of Works for them to make manual carrot peters. They dried the carrots, stored them, and sold them to companies that made instant noodles. This way, they could maintain the price.
He heard one thing after another. The common people's lives were very good. No one complained, and he did not hear any sighs. He should have been happy, but everyone understood that this had nothing to do with him, the new county magistrate.
Then he heard them say that they should find someone to continue to complain to the yamen and keep the county magistrate in check. This was to buy time for Tong Hui, who was working at the source of the river in Old Willow Village.
Damn it, they all deserve to die. Wicked people, they were playing with him like a monkey. Part of their happiness was directly related to his pain.
He wanted to see how Tong Hui was fooling him and how he was tormenting others.
Liu Yan thought so and did as he was told. He arranged for the others to go out and brought the bailiff here. What he saw was a field of well-grown cabbages.
There were happy children carrying grass sacks filled with river snails in their hands, rough men who stopped what they were doing and looked at the children with gratification, and there was the face of the old village head of Old Willow Village who had a face full of years.
The river that would pass through Old Willow Village was still the same river. The water was still clear, and its width had not changed. Its depth was still dizzying.
"Tong Hui!" Liu Yan roared. Everyone knew how angry he was.
Tong Hui first went to look at the old village chief and saw the certainty in his eyes. Only then did he smile and jog over to the county magistrate.
"Milord, you've come? You've come at the right time. Look, the cabbages in front are growing so well. We have vegetables to eat this year's winter. When the weather gets cold, we can pluck the cabbages and soak them in vinegar. With a little wine, it will warm the heart and taste refreshing. "
"That's right, that's right. I love eating cabbages the most. They're crispy and sweet, just like fruits. Then we can find some hibiscus skin from the seaside and mix it with vinegar. When we chew it in our mouth, it won't taste fishy."
A fair-skinned girl in the crowd chimed in.
Liu Yan first glared at Tong Hui, then turned his gaze to the little girl who spoke. He suddenly found that this little girl was slightly different from the other children around her.
Her clothes were the same, and so were her shoes. The straw net in her hand was not very good. When did the craftsmanship of the people in Old Willow Village become bad?
The difference was her hair. The hair of the little girl in front of him was darker than the other children's hair, and it was glossy. There was also a pair of bright big eyes. Every time her long eyelashes blinked, she made people feel that she was cuter. What was especially different was the look in her eyes. She didn't hate him, the county magistrate, nor was she afraid of his identity. It seemed like she was curious, and there was a trace of indifference. Her bright eyes were as calm as a lake without wind.
Facing this kind of gaze, Liu Yan couldn't stare back. He didn't know why, but he felt a little scared. He unconsciously showed a smile and said to the little girl, "Cabbages are cheap, but hibiscus skin is very expensive. Also, if you don't eat seafood well, you'll be allergic."
"Oh, I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic to anything. Hibiscus skin is expensive, but hibiscus skin is not expensive. The profit of 80 willow weavers in our village is definitely enough to buy 3 pounds. 3 pounds, it's enough for the children in our village to eat. If 80 willow weavers are sold at cost price every day, the children in our village will eat less cabbages and hibiscus skin every day."
As the little girl spoke, she shook her head and stretched out her hand to touch the braids on her head. Her hair was quite elastic.
Liu Yan's face darkened. The little girl looked cute, but he didn't expect her to talk with a knife in her mouth.
"This county magistrate …"
"This official, Hong Nong, is the Hong Nong of the people of Hong Nong." The little girl corrected.
"This county magistrate." Liu Yan didn't know what he was thinking. He was competing with the little girl. After saying the three words "this county magistrate", he felt much better.
Then he said, "Children don't need to worry about adult affairs. You should study hard."
"If I study hard and can be a county magistrate, then I have to come to Hong Nong and irresponsibly overturn your development plan. I have to change the order every day, right?" The little girl followed his words and asked.
Liu Yan's face became more and more ugly. He turned his head and ignored the little girl. Instead, he asked Tong Hui, who was standing next to him, "Is this how you work for this county magistrate?"
Tong Hui was still thinking about things. He found that the situation today was very strange. First, the children didn't go to class and came here to play. Then, the old village chief supported them. Now, there was a little girl who made the county magistrate speechless.
What was the problem?
Tong Hui, who was puzzled, was still analyzing. Suddenly, he heard the county magistrate's voice. He quickly answered, "Sir, did I not plant the cabbages well? Don't think that the soil is harder than other places when you plant it. But after watering it with the water from the mountain, it's sweet. If you don't believe me, you can choose one later. Now it's small, but it's edible. You can eat it with the river snail meat. "
"Tong Hui, you dare to tease this county magistrate, this county magistrate …"
"This county magistrate!" Several children shouted at the same time.
"You guys, Tong Hui, do you really think that I can't teach you a lesson?" Liu Yan didn't want to shout at a group of children. He continued to point the spearhead at Tong Hui.
"Sir, you … why do you want to teach this little one a lesson? Why do you want to kill this little one without teaching …"
"Then the punishment will be complicated and the evil will not prevail." The children shouted again. Obviously, the school's function was reflected.
"The Chaoyang will be passed down for thousands of years." The old village chief said excitedly.
Liu Yan was depressed. Whenever he thought of Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, he felt uncomfortable. The Chaoyang movement was good, but it would be better if it wasn't the two of them.
"County Magistrate Liu, what do you think?" The old village chief asked Liu Yan.
"Good, the children should study hard. This county magistrate is very pleased." Liu Yan forced a smile on his face and praised.
He turned his head and asked Tong Hui again, "You really don't know what this county magistrate is talking about? This county magistrate asked you to come here to widen the river. What did you do? Previously, you said that the upstream tributary had to be cleared first. Once it was cleared, it would be easier to dig the river. Look, is this how you cleared it? "
Liu Yan pointed at the cabbage field. "You can clear a large field of cabbages by clearing the river? No wonder the last time I came, you guys ran to the front and pretended to dig the river. You were afraid that this county magistrate would see the cabbages you grew. I gave you the money to use. You guys grow cabbages, my money … "
"Sir, don't be anxious. Listen to this little one. Don't be anxious. The money you took can cover your cost. After selling the cabbages, you can still have a surplus." Tong Hui hurriedly tried to persuade him. His gaze was firm as he pointed at the cabbages that still needed some time to harvest.
Liu Yan looked again and nodded. "Not bad. They look very good. The weather is good in this season. Can they really make money?"
"Yes, I didn't tell you before. The cabbages we grow are from new seeds. The heart is good and has strong resistance to cold. When the weather is cold, the cabbages in other places grow slower. Our cabbages can grow faster. The longer they grow, the firmer they are.
What's the benefit of being firmer? It's easy to store. You know, when storing cabbages in the winter, even if they are stored in the cellar, they will always have to be plucked from the outside. The more they are plucked, the smaller they will become. Our cabbages have a tight heart, so the more they are plucked, the less they are plucked. There will be a lot of cabbages that we can't finish. When we sell them in the spring, they will be worth a lot of money. "
Tong Hui gestured as he spoke. The beautiful cabbages business seemed to be right in front of him.
"We can also pickle the pickled cabbage. It will be less damaged." A voice sounded.
Liu Yan looked and saw that it was the little girl who spoke just now. The little girl looked very serious and continued, "Pickled cabbage is easy to store. It tastes good and is rich in nutrients. It can be paired with many dishes and can remove the smell of other ingredients.
I will teach you a convenient and delicious cooking method for free. Steam it and put it in an aluminum container. Cut the pickled cabbage into shreds. Cut the fat from the pig into slices, the thinner the better. Put two star anise and a few slices of ginger. Fill it with water and steam it in the pot.
When it's cooked, you will find that the pickled cabbage is not so sour. When you chew it, the fiber is easier to break than when you stir-fry it. The fat is not greasy, and the slices of ginger are also delicious. If you like to eat scallions, find clean scallions and cut them into pieces. It will be refreshing when you eat them. The steamed soup is also very delicious. Slurp it and drink it. You will feel comfortable from inside out.
You can eat it. "Liu Yan listened and swallowed his saliva. When the little girl finished, he asked," Really? You know so much. "
"It's okay, just so-so. Oh, remember to wash the pickled cabbage jar when you are pickling it. Use hot water to heat it a few times. You also have to brush the big stones on top of it. It's best to boil it. The water has to go over the big stones. Otherwise, the pickled cabbage will rot and be poisoned. You have to wait for more than 28 days before you can eat it. "
The little girl modestly told him another trick. She gestured with her small hands and made a pickled cabbage gesture.
Liu Yan murmured and nodded, "When the cabbages are harvested, I will arrange for someone to make pickled cabbage. Tong Hui, you have to take care of this."
"Sir, just wait and see. I will get someone to buy pickled cabbage jars. We buy a lot, so it's cheap. During winter, I guarantee that you can eat whatever you want. "Tong Hui patted his chest and promised.
Liu Yan revealed a satisfied smile. Just as he was about to praise him again, he suddenly realized something.
That's not right. What cabbages and hearts are good? What pickled cabbage? What steamed cabbage is delicious? I came here to see Tong Hui expand the river. He didn't dig at all. He went to plant cabbages. He was playing with me.
How can this be? Do you think I am a fool?
"Tong Hui, I asked you to expand the river to develop the local economy. You are talking about those useless things. If I don't teach you a lesson, I will … I will … Men, arrest the sinner Tong Hui."
Liu Yan roared again. He planned to use the power in his hands to teach Tong Hui a lesson. It was not a problem to arrest him and beat him a few times.
However, when he shouted, the yamen runners who came with him did not do anything.
After waiting for a while, Liu Yan gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, fine, fine. I am the county magistrate of Hongnong County, so I can't control you, right? I will dismiss all of you and change a group of people. I don't believe that I can't find people who are willing to work in the yamen. If there is no other way, I will go to Bajiang to find people. Don't think that I can't control you just because you have the secretary and deputy.
When I go back, I will tell the higher-ups to dismiss the two of them. If you don't support me, you don't support the imperial court and His Majesty … "
"Don't, don't, don't." The little girl's voice sounded again, "Don't be angry. The main thing is that not everyone can represent the imperial court and His Majesty. Well, do you have to develop tourism in the area?"
"Yes." Liu Yan seemed to realize that he represented too much and hummed.
The little girl looked at him and told him to wait and think about it later. She pulled a few people in the group and whispered to them.
Liu Yan stood there and sulked. At the same time, he was thinking about how to solve the problem at hand. If he really transferred people from Bajiang County, not to mention the problem of time, even if he could wait, his colleagues would laugh at him. The bigger problem was that if the people in the yamen were replaced by people from Bajiang County, how would they get along with the local people? If he was not careful, there would be a revolt.
The surroundings quieted down for a moment. After a quarter of an hour, the children finished their conversation and the little girl returned to Liu Yan's side.
She said, "It is not impossible to develop tourism in Hongnong County. It is a good idea to use the water. However, the premise is that it does not affect the original development plans of the local area, especially the industrial plans that have started to show results. You must support them and develop tourism together.
The development of tourism in Hongnong County is mainly based on the premise that the local natural resources and environment are not destroyed. The willow weaving in Old Willow Village is indeed an attractive project, but it is not enough.
We will give you a few ideas. You can analyze them. If you think they are feasible, you can do it. If you think they are not, you can make corrections. First, take the initiative to contact the Angling Association and hold a fishing competition in late autumn or winter. Second, increase the support for the willow weaving industry in Old Willow Village. Find people to write stories about Old Willow Village and publish them in newspapers as advertisements.
Third, on the basis of Hongnong County's existing foundation, build an alternative fantasy style building complex with fairy stories as the theme. Fourth, increase the image of the local brand. We think that the pickled cabbage just now is a good idea. There are pickled cabbage in other places, but it has not become a uniform scale. The county yamen needs to organize people to develop a system of research, production, and sales.
Let's talk about these first. What do you think? "
Liu Yan was speechless.
The yamen runners who came with him and the local people who were hired to work, including Tong Hui, were all stunned.
Is this something a child should say? Why does it sound like a superior official giving instructions to the local people?
Liu Yan looked at the little girl in front of him again. She was still so cute, and her eyes were still bright. Did those words really come out of her mouth?
After thinking for a while, Liu Yan gritted his teeth and said with determination, "Children should not blindly interfere in the affairs of adults. The development in the past was wrong, a big mistake, and we must correct it. We can't keep making mistakes. The development of our county can only have one goal, and that is the tourism industry.
Everything has to be based on reality, the root of the problem, and the perfect economic theory as the support. It's not like we have to follow anyone's plan regardless of whether it is right or wrong. That is irresponsible to the people of Hongnong County, a violation of the policies of the local officials, and a harm to the overall development of Tang Empire.
No matter who it is, no one can be above the reasonable local administration. No matter who it is, no one has the right to praise Hong Nong County at the cost of the happy lives of the people, not even Zhang Xiaobao. "
Hearing Liu Yan's righteous words, the crowd fell silent again.
Many people looked at Liu Yan as if they had just met him. The eyes of the children of Old Willow Village were full of resentment, and the old village chief narrowed his eyes.
The people who were hired to work began to look for tools, and they all looked at Liu Yan unkindly. The runners picked up the Water Fire Stick and aimed at their county magistrate.
Tong Hui, however, pulled out the knife hanging on his waist, tilted his head, and sneered.
The little girl and the other children exchanged glances with each other, and then said to Liu Yan, "We understand. Liu Yan, County Magistrate Liu, what you said is very good. We won't deny you. Now, County Magistrate Liu, please take out the perfect report of Hongnong County's local administration and economic development plan. "
"What?" Liu Yan felt that something was wrong. It seemed to come from the little girl's tone, but also from the expressions and actions of the people around him. He immediately regretted saying something that he should not have said.
It was mainly because he was too excited just now that he forgot that the local people supported Zhang Xiaobao. Things were troublesome. It seemed that he had to find a way to smooth over his words, otherwise he was not sure if he could go back alive.
"We are going to question you. If you can't come up with a perfect plan and your answer can't satisfy us, that is to say, if your theory and data can't convince us, we will suspect that you have ulterior motives."
The little girl didn't care about the change of Liu Yan's expression at all, and said to Liu Yan seriously.
"Why?" Liu Yan asked with a guilty conscience. He looked at the little girl in front of him again, and wanted to see why she was so confident. How could a child be qualified to ask him such a question? If he had to answer anyone who asked him, he would not be a county magistrate.
"Because my name is Zhang Xiaobei. Now I and eight other people are talking to you as the Inspector of Tang Empire. Are you ready? Let's start. "The little girl said lightly.
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