(Because this chapter has more than six thousand words, it's a bit late. The next chapter is estimated to be around seven in the morning.)
Hwangnam County's governor Song Yan's house was empty and sparse. There were few servants and it was cold and cheerless. In fact, this house was one of the top high-rise houses in Hwangnam County. With Song Yan's family's wealth, it was impossible to live in it, let alone buy it. It was difficult to even rent it. However, because it was a haunted house that no one dared to take over, it fell into the hands of Song Yan, who had nothing to do with it. The previous head of the house was an old general who retired from the border and wanted to spend time with his grandchildren. He was the right-hand man of General Yan Wenluan. He was a meritorious general who could drink wine with the King of Beiliang when he was young. It was unknown why, on a snowy night, more than seventy people in the house were killed. Regardless of whether they were women or children, they were all beheaded. It was extremely tragic. Until now, it was still a big unsolved case on the streets of Beiliang. Some said that it was the work of Lulin bandits. Some said that it was the work of political opponents who still worked in the Beiliang Frontier Army. No matter what, the house, which was rumored to be empty every snowy night, was empty for many years. Later, Song Yan, who did not believe in ghosts and gods, became the head of Hwangnam County. He did not do any water or land Taoist rites, nor did he set up any altars or rituals. He just moved into the house with his family and lived in peace these years.
Although Song Yan admired the power of magic, he had another nickname that was related to Huang Lao, Caiguen Taoist. The wife of the Prefectural Governor passed away early, leaving behind an unbetrothed only daughter called Song Huangmei. In Hwangnam County, she rode a horse and brandished her whip, carrying a saber and a bow. She was extremely valiant and formidable, not losing to the Rangers of Beiliang. When Song Yan noticed that his daughter, who had always regarded applying rouge as the worst evil in the world, began to ask him for money, not to buy bows and arrows, but to secretly buy a lot of rouge and face powder. Song Yan had bumped into his daughter several times in the residence, but his daughter did not wipe her face clean. Song Yan was happy to see this, and he never exposed his daughter's clumsy cover-up. The library of the Prefectural Governor's residence was adjacent to the garden. Song Yan held a book and quietly stood by the window. In the garden, his daughter and two maidservants who were as close as sisters were laughing and talking happily. Her voice was particularly crisp. Song Yan, who was almost middle-aged, smiled slightly. His daughter deliberately spoke so loudly, wasn't it to let the young man who had been standing outside the wall for more than an hour hear her?
Song Yan had asked someone to investigate the young man's family background. He was born at the bottom of the market and was full of vigor. Therefore, he relied on a mediocre sect in Huangnan County. In several gang fights, he fought at the risk of his life and became the direct disciple of a sect leader. He had been honed in the ways of the world for many years and treated people better than those arrogant disciples in Huangnan County. Song Yan once visited the young man incognito in his spare time and drank tea with him at the same table. They chatted casually for a while. The young man rarely pretended to say something shocking. He talked in a simple manner and had a good nature. Therefore, Song Yan silently took a step back and let it be. Song Yan himself was not from an aristocratic family and he was born in a poor alley. Therefore, he knew that it was not easy for a young man from a poor family to stand out. However, if this young man was a scholar, even if he had no hope of becoming an official, Song Yan would have invited him to the mansion and generously recognized him as his son-in-law. However, Song Yan did not think highly of this young man from a gang who licked blood on the blade. At most, he would not oppose it. It was too difficult for him, the governor of Huangnan County, to take the initiative to show his good will. Therefore, Song Yan did not think highly of this young man.
Song Yan saw his daughter sneakily walk towards the wall of the courtyard, not forgetting to look around. It was clear that she was too thin-skinned and was afraid of being caught by her father. She also knew that her father was famous for his ability to see the big picture from small clues and was not easy to fool. Song Yan could only smile bitterly and retreat from the window to near the bookshelf. Song Yan placed the Taoist work, "Five Bugs", back to its original position on the bookshelf and sat back down on the mountain-like desk. There was a bronze incense burner on the desk that was used to burn incense to refresh the mind. Song Yan glanced at the two secret letters that had been sent from the Administrator's residence one after another. His face was expressionless. He reached out and stroked the patterns on the bronze that implied exorcism. Song Yan closed his eyes and felt the burning sensation on his fingertips. He slowly withdrew his hand. He did not care about what his teacher, Li Gongde, had said in the letter. On the contrary, this amazing feat in Hwangnam County was a sign that Song Yan was going to establish himself as a servant of the Li family. Following Li Gongde's high rise to second-rank, Song Yan's status also rose. However, fourth-rank prefect was already the limit. Now that Beiliang had a change of dynasty, Song Yan knew that his impression of the King of Beiliang was very poor. If he did not do something now, he would not be able to advance in the officialdom for the next ten or twenty years. One step late, one step late, one step late. Song Yan, who was in the prime of his life, was full of ambition. He did not want to follow behind others and eat the leftovers. However, right now, Song Yan was not sure if that Lingzhou general had the magnanimity to personally come and see him, this stubborn and smelly stone of officialdom, for his courage.
Just as Song Yan was deep in thought, the sound of his daughter's shouts came from the garden outside the building. Song Yan helplessly stood up. This daughter of his did not have the slightest bit of femininity. How could she marry into a good family in the future? Song Yan did not respond. He walked down the stairs and took a detour to enter the garden through the back door. He saw that his teacher's daughter, Li Fuzhen, had actually rushed to Hwangnam County. There was also an unfamiliar face beside her. With Song Yan's experience, he immediately guessed the identity of this person. It was the cold man that Li Fuzhen admired, Guo Fufeng. Song Yan did not have much of a good or bad impression of this person. Seeing his daughter, Song Huangmei, sizing up this man, Song Yan gave him a meaningful glance. Guo Fufeng, on the other hand, was very calm. He respectfully and reverently bowed deeply to Governor Song. Song Yan nodded with a smile and did not say anything. It could not be considered warm and polite. Even if this person became the Administrator's son-in-law in the future, Song Yan still did not think highly of him. Furthermore, with Song Yan's status, even if Guo Fufeng rose step by step, if he wanted to stand side by side with Song Yan, it would take him at least 20 years of hard work. Li Fuzhen held onto Song Huangmei, who was a few years younger than her, but her expression was nervous. This was the first time she had brought Guo Fufeng to appear in front of her father's students. Others were fine, perhaps they would give her some face as the Administrator's daughter, but Song Yan was known among the Li family's students for being unreasonable. He was very afraid that the Governor would directly order them to leave with a straight face. This time, he had rushed to Hwangnam County to meet Uncle Song in secret. Her father really had no choice. She did not know how Guo Fufeng had gotten the news and had talked to her for half a day, telling her many heartfelt good intentions. Only then did Li Fuzhen hesitantly bring him along to the Song manor. She had a good relationship with Song Huangmei since they were young. She had always been treated as a younger sister by this girl. Everyone knew that Governor Song doted on his daughter, and this girl also had a dark relationship with a Jianghu boy whose background was even worse than Guo Fufeng's. This was also the key reason why Li Fuzhen dared to have Guo Fufeng formally 'reveal himself' in Lingzhou's officialdom. However, thinking of this, Li Fuzhen had an indescribable sorrow that she had no one to talk to. When did she have to be so scheming? However, seeing that Uncle Song's expression was tranquil, and at the very least, he did not speak ill of Guo Fufeng, Li Fuzhen was slightly relieved. The heartless Song Huangmei did not know why the fearless Sister Li's palms were sweaty. The group of people went inside the house to sit around the stove. Song Huangmei used the excuse that she needed to scoop some charcoal and ran out of the house like a wisp of smoke. How could Song Yan not know that she was going to say goodbye to her sweetheart? He could not help but make a commotion of folding a chair and standing on top of the wall.
Song Yan had just sat down when he received a few name cards from the steward. They were all scholars from Hwangnam County who came to ask for advice on how to help the people. In reality, they were just here to pay their respects to the prefect so that they could get familiar with him. Song Yan let the steward return the letters and also gave back a few books from the library. These people did not get to see the books, but they came in high spirits and returned in high spirits. It was not uncommon for them to show off to their peers. Song Yan casually dealt with this small matter and looked at Li Fuzhen with a smile. "Uncle Song's salary has been used to buy books. The house is almost full. It will be difficult to eat fish and meat here."
Li Fuzhen had never been good at socializing, so she just smiled. Guo Fufeng did not want to be a foil and took the initiative to say, "The scholars of the past dynasties loved books as much as their lives. They believed that borrowing books was like borrowing a wife. It was better to directly give books to people, just like how a famous scholar gave a beautiful concubine. It was passed down as a beautiful story. The prefect is well versed in the samadhi. "
Song Yan looked indifferent and turned a deaf ear. He did not agree. Guo Fufeng was thick-skinned and did not feel awkward at all. Li Fuzhen, who was slightly relieved, was a little restless again. She was afraid that Guo Fufeng did not know the rules and taboos of officialdom and would annoy the indifferent Song Yan. Fortunately, Song Huangmei brought a pot of black charcoal and helped her out. Song Huangmei spoke without restraint in her own home. She frowned and said, "Father, Tieya just told me that there were a few outsiders on the street outside the wall. They have been patient for some time. What are they doing in the empty alley in the middle of winter? Could they be bad people?"
Song Yan laughed softly and said, "The road is open to the sky. Even if father is the prefect, I can't control the footsteps of the pedestrians. Some people are willing to suffer the cold outside the wall. Even if they stay for a few hours, father can't use the official's hat on my head to chase them away."
Song Huangmei understood the meaning in her father's words. Her face suddenly turned red and she lowered her head to fiddle with the charcoal fire.
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