Under the lead of the Fengwu Pavilion, many businessmen with a bit of background came to donate money.
They didn't think that a banner could bring any benefits to the shop. It was just an acknowledgment from the Boxin County. What was the use of acknowledgment from a small place? What they cared about was Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan's families.
If it was another official who spoke like this, they could use methods to restrict them. For example, how much money they took out, how much tax they reduced, how much benefits the county government gave, or colluded with each other to cheat others. However, it was absolutely impossible for these two children. If they didn't give money, they could immediately transfer money from their families. At that time, they would fall out with them.
Wang Juan didn't care about what others thought. As long as they gave money, it was fine. While she watched the businessmen come over to press their fingerprints, she asked someone to find a geomancer to measure the underground water. It was very accurate. The underground water magnetic field would affect the compass. As long as the geomancer was skilled, it would be able to detect it.
At this time, Zhang Xiaobao had also finished checking the accounts with Registrar Jiang. More than 200 strings of money had disappeared. Zhang Xiaobao took the seal and put his own seal on the document. He also said that Registrar Jiang didn't lack any money. If anything happened to Registrar Jiang, it wouldn't have anything to do with Registrar Jiang. It was considered that he had taken the responsibility for Registrar Jiang.
Registrar Jiang, on the other hand, wrote an application for a demotion and sent it to the provincial government. Once Zhang Xiaobao was done with his work, he would teach him a new bookkeeping method so that he could use his actions to repay the 200 strings of coins.
To be honest, Registrar Jiang felt a little wronged. He didn't get much of the money that he lacked. He only got a small portion. Furthermore, not all of the money was taken by him. Some of the previous registrars died, some were promoted. Even though the new registrar knew that the money was lacking, he still had to take it.
The registrar was only a small portion. The majority of the money was still with the county magistrate. Registrar Jiang didn't know what to do with County Magistrate Ma when the new county magistrate came. Normally, County Magistrate Ma could be promoted, but it wasn't normal now. The two children came to seize power and check the accounts. If they wanted to achieve something, they would probably deal with County Magistrate Ma.
In order to show his loyalty, Registrar Jiang moved closer to Zhang Xiaobao, who was giving the receipt to Wang Juan, and whispered, "Registrar Zhang, County Magistrate Ma should have been promoted this time. It is said that someone from the top is helping him. Shouldn't we reconsider in some aspects?"
"I don't care. As long as the new county magistrate is willing to hand over the goods, I will settle this account with him. When handing over the goods, I will not check the warehouse. As long as there is money and goods in the account, I will let him use it."
Zhang Xiaobao wrote down another person who was willing to donate 50 strings of coins to repair the well. He asked someone to put his fingerprint on the record and turned to Jiang Dao Bi.
Jiang Daobi thought about it and advised, "If County Magistrate Ru Xin takes over, County Magistrate Ma will definitely protect the new county magistrate. At that time, I may also be punished."
"Oh, you're afraid of that? Who was above County Magistrate Ma? If he really dares to protect him, I don't believe that the emperor will protect him because he likes him. As long as it is reasonable, remember, we don't need to care about anyone in Boxin County. Tricks behind the scenes are useless against me. "
Zhang Xiaobao originally planned to play with the officials for a while, but it was because of the lack of water here. The people were already used to it. He had no choice. Since he and Wang Juan were here, they would definitely not allow the lack of water to continue. They would play after the spring plowing.
Jiang Dao Bi really didn't know what Zhang Xiaobao's family said to him before he came. Was it because they were all protected? The problem was that he heard that Zhang Zhong was sent to the eastern capital Luoyang to be an official. If his family really wanted to protect him, why didn't they stay in the capital? The capital was a good place.
Seeing that Zhang Xiaobao's words were arrogant enough, he could only flatter him, "Yes, Registrar Zhang, if you say so."
"Next," Zhang Xiaobao shouted at the businessman who came over. Immediately, another businessman said how much he would pay.
Most people paid 100 strings of cash, while the least paid 10 strings of cash. It didn't seem like much, but it didn't cost much to dig a well. If the water was shallow, 10 strings of cash would be enough to cover the wear and tear of the tools and the stones used to surround the well. The people who worked would not ask for money. It was their own work. Who would ask for money?
After a busy morning, the things that needed to be dealt with were basically done. In the afternoon, Wang Juan would sit in court to question the case. She had memorized all the laws and was ready to put them into practice.
No matter what, the people in Boxin County would not treat the two children as officials. They felt that the two children were good-looking and were willing to look at them more. As long as it was not too big of a grievance, they would discuss and not complain to the yamen about the small conflicts between neighbors so as not to make things difficult for the two children.
In this way, the conflicts that arose because of small matters in the county were resolved by the people themselves. It was very harmonious.
*****
Compared to Boxin County, which was still cold, Lu Zhou was so hot that he could not wear too many clothes. Some of the fishermen who went out to sea were even topless, letting the sea breeze blow and the scorching sun shine on them.
Since the Zhang Family and the Wang Family's chambers of commerce stayed in the county, the lives of the people were getting better day by day. The new officials were very obedient and did things according to the methods left behind by Zhang Zhong.
It was not that they did not want to show off, but they found that they really could not think of a better way to manage the county. The people only approved of Zhang Zhong's method. They tried to put up a notice, but the people did not agree, so they could only give up.
In addition to the beautiful houses left behind by Zhang Zhong and the land that could produce a lot of crops, the income of the officials was very high. When the officials went to the county, they would be given a piece of land to pay their salaries. The land left behind by Zhang Zhong was not bad.
Even if the officials were not greedy, when their term was over, they could still save up thousands of strings of coins. Coupled with the large sum of money given by the local chamber of commerce, it was much better than taking the risk of corruption.
Naturally, no one would bribe him during his term of office. The previous Provincial Governor had already left reluctantly. He took the more than 2,600 strings of coins he earned from the fields, the 10,000 strings of coins Lu Zhou's Chamber of Commerce gave him when he was sent off, and the 10,000 strings of coins written by the local people. He returned to the capital to report on his work. A better position was waiting for him.
When the new Provincial Governor learned about this, he did the same as the previous person. In fact, there were not many things to do in the mansion. Most of them were done by the local officials. When the local officials completed their tasks, they were supported by the chamber of commerce. The most comforting thing for the officials was that there were no cases of theft or injury in the county.
The people had joined the branches to do things together. Moreover, they had the feelings of being in the same boat when the disaster happened. Everything was negotiable.
On this day, the weather was clear and there were no clouds in the sky. The new Provincial Governor of Lu Zhou, Zhang Pingwang, came out for a stroll with a small attendant. He did not even need a guard. Walking on the spacious street, he nodded at the people who greeted him. When he looked at the transportation team, he really could not find anything to do.
"Master, are you leaving Lu Zhou next year? I really don't want to leave. " His attendant had heard that someone was coming to take over. The term of the Provincial Governor of Lu Zhou was very short. Everyone wanted to squeeze in here and get enough political achievements so that they could continue to be promoted.
"I guess so. You can only stay here for two years at most. Everyone is waiting for someone else to give up their position. When Zhang Zhong came, he didn't stay for long."
Zhang Pingwang was also reluctant to leave. It was good here. There were not so many things to worry about. Usually, he would read in the study or sneak out to see the scenery when he did not have a holiday. He would chat with the teachers in the local academy. Other than that, he would go to the tourist spot on the mountain for two days.
There were not many tourists there at the moment. Those who came were the children of the relatively rich in the surrounding provinces. According to the normal investment and output, the mountain was obviously a loss-making business. However, it was the County King's place. He did not care about losing money. The County King had other private businesses in the local area.
The two of them walked forward and stood in front of a small stall selling cold drinks. The seller was squatting there and using chalk to write on a small blackboard, "Today's new arrival of coconut milk. Mark the price so that others will know."
After he finished writing, the seller turned his head and saw the Provincial Governor. He immediately stood up and said with a smile, "Lord Zhang, aren't you busy? You can drink a bowl of cold coconut milk. "
As he spoke, the seller poured the milk. Zhang Pingwang did not leave. He found a seat at the side and sat down as he waited for the coconut milk to be served.
Two bowls of coconut milk were placed on the small table. The seller took some rock sugar and placed it at the side. He felt that it was not sweet enough and added more for himself.
Zhang Pingwang picked up the bowl and took a sip. He nodded and praised, "It's delicious. It's refreshing from the outside to the inside. How's your business?"
"Yes, I can sell quite a lot in a day. The people from other provinces are envious of me. They say that no one is causing trouble here. Haha, they should take a look at where they are. Lu Zhou, who's causing trouble here?"
The seller raised his head and replied proudly.
When he heard the seller's words, Zhang Pingwang sighed emotionally. 'Indeed, who would dare to cause trouble in Lu Zhou? This is no longer a land of exile. It's a paradise on earth.' However, none of this had anything to do with him. It was all left behind by Zhang Zhong who had left his post a long time ago.
He was impressed. This was what it meant to be capable. He had no choice but to be impressed. If Zhang Zhong wanted to rebel, all he had to do was call for help in Lu Zhou, and the local people would respond. Zhang Pingwang, on the other hand, was only a passerby. He would stay in Lu Zhou for two years and return with his political achievements and wealth. The hearts of the people in Lu Zhou would always belong to Zhang Zhong.
After Zhang Pingwang finished the coconut milk, he stood up and was about to leave when he said to the seller, "Do your job well. I'll visit the capital when the time comes. It's not bad there."
"You're right, Provincial Governor Zhang. Indeed, I want to save up more money and visit the capital. After that, I'll give you some gifts. I haven't seen you for a few years. Back then, Provincial Governor Zhang gave me a hand. Otherwise, I would've been washed away by the water."
The stall owner said happily with a yearning look on his face.
Zhang Pingwang knew the Provincial Governor Zhang that the stall owner was talking about was not him. Perhaps, the local people had never acknowledged another Provincial Governor. Zhang Zhong did not live his life in vain. Since when did the people in the place where he stayed miss him so much?
The attendant did not say anything. He walked silently behind the master. As for the money for the cold drinks, he did not want to give it. Even if he took it out, the stall owner would not accept it. In all the places in Lu Zhou, the local officials did not have to pay for the food. It was said that it was a benefit. If the amount was small, the merchants would bear the cost. If the amount was large, the merchants would sign a contract and the people from the Chamber of Commerce would settle the bill.
There was only one requirement, and that was to be a good official and not cause trouble for the people. If they caused trouble for the people, they would cause trouble for themselves. If they organized a few activities, they would be good officials.
After walking for a while, Zhang Pingwang said to his attendant, "Let's go to the dock. There should be fishing boats coming back from the ocean. Let's see if there's anything new there."
The attendant immediately went to find a carriage. In just a short while, a well-decorated carriage stopped beside Zhang Pingwang. The two of them got on the carriage and told each other to go to the dock. The coachman cracked the whip in the air and headed in the direction of the dock.
The carriage was traveling on a spacious and flat road. There were green trees and flowers on both sides. In this season, when the curtain was lifted, one could see the big, red kapok flowers on the trees were blooming. It was just like the life of the people in Lu Zhou.
Zhang Pingwang was bored. He opened a small window in front of the carriage and said to the coachman, "You're in a good mood. Do you pull a lot of people every day?"
"As you said, Provincial Governor Zhang, it's really good. It's a pity that Provincial Governor Zhang didn't see the flowers blooming. He was the one who planted these kapok flowers. I don't know when he will have time to come and see the flowers, but he will also let us see him."
The coachman looked at the big flowers on both sides and thought of Zhang Zhong. His heart was filled with longing, and his tears fell one drop after another.
When Zhang Pingwang saw the coachman wiping his eyes, his eyes turned red as well. He asked, "You're also a local?"
"We're mountain people. We lived on the mountain. When Provincial Governor Zhang arrived, we were caught up in the great disaster. He asked us to settle down. He built houses for us, taught us how to read and write, and even gave us a place to give birth to our children. The children at home also went to school. The old people who were unwilling to stay at home were sent to the nursing home. Lord Zhang, do you know how Provincial Governor Zhang is now?"
When the coachman was talking about what happened after they left the mountain, he suddenly wanted to ask Zhang Pingwang for some information.
"It's said that he became an official in Luoyang. His rank is quite high." Zhang Pingwang had just received the news. Since Lu Zhou was an official, he naturally paid attention to the affairs of the Zhang Family and Wang Family. He told the coachman about it.
The coachman was delighted. "That's right. Provincial Governor Zhang should be a high-ranking official."
Zhang Pingwang thought for a moment and decided to tell the coachman, "But the officials in Luoyang don't have much power. They can't compare to the capital. It's more or less the same as retirement there."
The coachman stopped the carriage and turned to Zhang Pingwang. "Why? Why can't Provincial Governor Zhang be given power? Why should he be allowed to retire? No, Lord Zhang, get off the carriage first. I'll ask someone and enter the capital after I figure it out. Who put Provincial Governor Zhang in that position? No, I won't do it. "
As he spoke, he was about to chase Zhang Pingwang away.
Zhang Pingwang hurriedly stopped him. "Wait, wait. I'm not done yet. You can't find a group of people to enter the capital. That will only harm Zhang Zhong. Listen to me. Zhang Zhong went to Luoyang willingly. No one chased him away. Otherwise, they would have arranged an official position for him in the capital. Zhang Zhong is the first person in Great Tang to casually choose an official position for himself.
Wherever he wants to be an official, the imperial court will send him there. He's still too young and needs to experience many things. That's why he came to Luoyang. This place is no longer suitable for him. When he gets bored of Luoyang, he'll go to the capital. He's not like other officials. They have to put in a lot of effort to go somewhere, but they rarely succeed. "
Zhang Pingwang was jealous when he mentioned this. When others became officials, it was arranged by the higher-ups. He was able to come to Lu Zhou after many struggles. Zhang Zhong, on the other hand, had said in advance where he wanted to be an official. When the time came, no matter if there was anyone in the position, they would have to make way for him so that he could go there.
He was not the only one. Even his children were the same. They went to Baoxin County to be the registrar and deputy district magistrate. It was said that the original request was that they could not be too far away from home and could not go to a prosperous county. In the end, they chose Baoxin County.
How can they be officials like this? They have to follow their orders everywhere. Sigh!
Zhang Pingwang was depressed, but the coachman was happy. He continued to move the carriage and said with a smile, "Really? That's more like it. I knew it. How can Provincial Governor Zhang be afraid of others? Yes, the imperial court is right. Let him be an official wherever he wants to be. If he thinks it's not fun anymore, he can change. In that case, Provincial Governor Zhang has nothing to do now.
Eh? If I discuss with others, can I invite Provincial Governor Zhang over for a stroll? If I'm in a hurry, why don't I drive the carriage and bring my family to Luoyang? Where are his children, Xiao Bao and Cuckoo? The two of them have grown up, right? "
"They've grown up. They're a few years older. I heard that they've been fighting in Wing Province recently. They're fighting against Tubo. The two children are leading the army. They only have about 10,000 men, and they're fighting against Tubo's army of tens of thousands."
Zhang Pingwang felt uncomfortable when he heard the coachman's words. What did he mean by the imperial court was right? Whose Great Tang was Great Tang? Whose Great Tang was the imperial court? Was it wrong to not let Zhang Zhong go back and forth? Hence, he deliberately wanted to scare the coachman.
Who knew that the coachman would immediately say, "Tubo is finished. Did the two children kill many people?"
"How do you know?" Zhang Pingwang asked, puzzled.
"Is there a need to ask? Of course, I know. The two children were in charge of this and that when Lu Zhou was suffering from the disaster. They're amazing. Isn't a war about managing an army? Their family is rich. All they have to do is take out money and tell the Tubo people that if they betray them, they'll give them money. The Tubo people will obediently betray them, right? "
The coachman was not worried that the two children would be hurt on the battlefield. He had his own theory.
At this moment, Zhang Pingwang's attendant laughed. "How can it be what you think? The Tubo soldiers could not be bribed during the war. It was Juan Juan who was powerful. She led ten thousand people and killed left and right. She killed so many that the Tubo army did not dare to advance … and … where is your carriage going? "
Zhang Pingwang's attendant began to tell the coachman the news he heard. After more than two hours, he suddenly realized that they were going in the wrong direction. If they continued on this path, they would have to take a big detour. He stopped and asked.
"Huh? It's fine. You can continue. I just want to hear more. We've arrived a long time ago. You should get off the carriage. I'll tell someone else after I hear about it. I'll hurry up and take a detour so that we can see the scenery. Look, the flowers in the flower bed outside are so beautiful. "
The coachman blushed. His little scheme was exposed. He quickly explained.
The attendant regretted it. If he had known this would happen, he would not have said so much. Now, he reckoned that they would have to wait until midnight. It would take a long time to get to the docks from the prefecture city. Moreover, they had to take a detour.
"Go on, don't stop. I'll change back and go through the intersection in front. There's no delay. There's really no delay." The coachman urged again.
When Zhang Pingwang saw that they had taken a wrong turn, he nodded and gestured for the attendant to continue.
The coachman was satisfied. He drove the carriage with his head bobbing as he listened to the story of Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan. He was carefree and happy. When he heard something exciting, he would cheer.
Before they reached the docks, the story was finished. The attendant was not a storyteller. He would only tell the general situation. He would only tell the details of what he knew.
When the coachman heard that the story was finished, he paused and said, "Okay, how about this. I'll repeat the story. Listen carefully. If there's anything wrong, remember to correct me so that I can tell others. The young master and young lady are indeed not ordinary. One day, the imperial court sent troops to Tubo. They fought and fought, but the troops in front were beaten and ran away. What should they do? It's fine. The young lady brought people over. When they reached the place …. "
The coachman combined what he heard with his own words. It was more vivid than the attendant's narration. Even so, the attendant was tortured. He dozed off in a daze and was woken up from time to time to ask questions.
As expected, when the carriage arrived at the docks, the sky was already dark. Fortunately, it was safe here. Some people even used the refined fish oil to light lanterns. There was a light source at every distance.
The docks were brightly lit. They were rich. The output of the sea was abundant. Ships of goods were shipped to other places, making Lu Zhou the most prosperous place. It was second only to the capital. The lives of the people near the sea were better. They did not have a sales channel, so they sent the goods to Lu Zhou and sold them to the Lu Zhou's Chamber of Commerce.
Although the money they earned was not as much as the people of Lu Zhou, it was much better than before. This was especially true with the lighthouse built by Lu Zhou. Not only did it serve Lu Zhou, but it would also help those who came to the sea and belonged to the Tang Empire.
For the people who came to the sea, a lighthouse was a home. They did not have to worry about the wind and waves or the dark.
"Lord Zhang, we're here. I won't charge you for the ride." The coachman leaned against the parking space at the docks and woke Zhang Pingwang up.
Zhang Pingwang's attendant got off the carriage and opened the door. He rubbed his eyes and said, "I haven't asked you to pay for the story, and you want to charge me for the ride? I'll remember you. I won't ride in your carriage next time. "
The coachman chuckled. "Alright, you can ride in anyone's carriage. Just tell me the story of Provincial Governor Zhang's family and I'll listen."
"Let's go to the docks." Zhang Pingwang stopped his attendant who still wanted to retort and led the way to the docks.
He agreed with the coachman's words. No matter which coachman he met, as long as he talked about Zhang Zhong, he would ask questions like the current coachman. After all, Zhang Zhong had helped with the disaster relief and built the place so well.
The attendant followed behind helplessly. He even turned to glare at the coachman who tortured him to death. In response, the coachman smiled contentedly.
The two of them walked one after another to the docks where the boats were. They were waiting for the team that would go fishing in the distance tomorrow morning.
They were about to find a place to rest when a big boat rushed over from the sea. The lanterns illuminated the boat clearly. When it approached, they heard the people on the boat shouting in unison, "They're fighting! The natives on the island are fighting with our people! Mobilize the troops!"
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