At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty

After further understanding, Guo Peng learned that Zhuge Liang had implemented a very clear accountability system.

Once there is a problem in a certain market, the mayor is directly held accountable, and the mayor is required to take full responsibility, and then the responsibilities of the people below are investigated in detail.

After investigating layer by layer, the mayors who managed the market were all shrewd and capable, with sharp eyesight.

In order to ensure that there are no problems, the mayor patrols and visits the market all day long, for fear that any problems in the market will cause him to be punished.

Punishment alone is not enough, there must be rewards.

The best bazaar will be selected once a month, and all officials who are selected as the best bazaar will receive a bonus and a priority promotion opportunity.

On the contrary, if the market is considered to be the worst, all officials will be collectively held accountable, and the situation from top to bottom is worrisome.

Zhuge Liang also publicly declared that he usually sends people in plain clothes to visit every market in the eight cities, and asks them to report to him what they saw with their own eyes, so it is not easy to use one-sided words on his side.

Under such control, the markets in the eight cities of the Beiting Protectorate's Mansion were lively and bustling. From the opening of the market at sunrise to the closing of the market at sunset, there was always a din of people.

The city is not big, but there are many business travelers. When there are more business travelers, there will be more transactions. If there are more transactions, business taxes will naturally increase.

More than that.

Along the way, Guo Peng found that in some counties and counties in the west of Liangzhou, the infrastructure of many counties was relatively poor and backward.

Due to the large number of business travelers traveling to and from these cities, there are also a large number of camels, horses and other livestock, which are easy to excrete on the street, and the number is huge. In the past, such things were considered commonplace, but now such things are unacceptable.

It stinks and is too dirty.

Some cities will have special personnel to deal with it, turning waste into treasure.

Some cities don't know whether it's the lack of money or the inaction of the officials. They don't care much, so that the streets and alleys smell bad, which makes Guo, who is used to smelling fresh air, very unhappy.

For this matter along the way, Guo Peng has successively dismissed three county magistrates and a vote of county officials and officials, and ordered the local government to make rectification within a time limit.

This is not the case in the Beiting Dufu Mansion. The city is very clean and tidy, and there are main roads paved with stone slabs. There are public toilets in the city, which are very hygienic and there is no unpleasant smell.

The infrastructure construction has kept up, and more caravans will be willing to come here. People always like clean and hate dirty.

Zhuge Liang has made remarkable achievements in government, gained benefits, and also gained a good reputation, and his reputation in Beiting Dufu Mansion is very good.

And those merchants traveling north and south will also bring Zhuge Liang's reputation to their destinations and hometowns, making Zhuge Liang's reputation even louder.

Today, among the two prefectures of Yongliang and the three prefectures of the Western Regions, the most well-known official is Zhuge Liang.

"Which official is the most competent, which official is the best at doing things, you don't listen to the officials, you have to listen to the common people, they are the people who feel this most directly, there is a saying in the officialdom, that officials and officials protect each other, and officials praise each other , that is a very common thing..."

Guo Peng took Guo Chengzhi by his side and constantly taught him life experience.

For 40-year-old Guo Chengzhi, the various life experiences summed up by someone Guo in 15 years of intrigue are no different from the Sunflower Book.

To expect him to be able to grasp these right now is purely a dream, even if he takes the initiative to come from the palace, he can't do it.

Guo Peng doesn't count on this, but Guo Peng hopes that he can remember that this 40-year experience will come in handy when he needs it.

After walking all the way and watching the scenery of the Western Regions of the Empire, the group finally arrived at Tagan City, the capital of Beiting Protectorate.

Guo Peng finally saw Zhuge Liang again, whom he hadn't seen in ten years.

In the year when Guo Peng established the Duke of Wei, Zhuge Liang came to join him.

After the establishment of the Wei Empire, in the fourth year of Yande, Zhuge Liang took the initiative to ask Ying to leave Luoyang, and until now, in the first year of Xingyuan.

Zhuge Liang has been a central official by his side for seven years, and has been in charge of local government for another ten years. He is no longer a young bird, but a goshawk who has been struggling in the officialdom for 17 years.

When he left the Central Committee, Zhuge Liang was 25 years old, full of vigor, and it was the best time of his life.

Now, he is 35 years old, already a mature middle-aged man.

It can be said that he devoted the most precious ten years of his life to the Guo Wei Empire's western development strategy.

Therefore, when Guo Peng saw Zhuge Liang again, he was a little sad to find that his skin had become rough.

When he left Luoyang, what a handsome and spirited young man he was.

Now he looks like a middle-aged social animal with the son of a primary school student in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, who has been severely beaten by the society, has a car loan and a house loan, and has two interest classes and two study classes at home on a weekend.

The heavy pressure made him physically and mentally exhausted, and he couldn't even lift his head.

No, it's not the same.

Such a miserable middle-aged social animal would not have Zhuge Liang's bright eyes.

Although the skin has become rough and the complexion has become dull, but those eyes are clearly still the same as when Yande asked to be released in front of him four years ago.

Guo Peng had mixed feelings for a while.

"My minister, Zhuge Liang, pay my respects to the Supreme Emperor."

Zhuge Liang bowed down in front of Guo Peng.

Guo Peng stepped forward with infinite emotion to help Zhuge Liang.

"Kong Ming, it's been ten years."

"I haven't seen him for ten years, but the Supreme Emperor is still so radiant and full of energy, the minister is extremely happy."

"Hahahahaha."

Guo Peng couldn't stop laughing.

Zhuge Liang has never been a character with low EQ who can't speak. He is a character with high EQ. He speaks very nicely and never offends others with words.

Talking to him, you will feel that everything is so interesting, even if it is just a boring scripture, you can tell him flowers.

As the capital of Beiting Protectorate, it has the foundation of the former Protectorate of the Western Regions. After being built by Zhuge Liang, it has undoubtedly become the tallest and widest city in the Western Regions.

In this city, Guo Peng can feel the taste of such a big city.

At least after passing through the city gate and entering the city, there will be a feeling of enlightenment, not the feeling of "just here".

To be honest, many small towns in Liangzhou can give Guo Peng this feeling.

After entering the city, I feel that the city is also very small. At first glance, there is an inexplicable sense of oppression. It is uncomfortable to look at, and it is also uncomfortable to live in it.

But it doesn't feel that way in Gancheng.

After entering, it suddenly became clear that the road in front of me was very spacious, bright and full of light, which made people happy.

Not only that, the buildings on both sides of the street are also quite organized, unlike those low buildings in small cities crowded together like beggars sheltering from the rain, but spread out in a patchwork order, not crowded, but leisurely.

It feels like the layout style of the whole city is very similar to Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang's official office was remodeled from the former Cao Xiu's official office. It was said to be a remodel, but in fact it has not been touched much. It has been repaired and some personal favorite utensils have been added.

Zhuge Liang naturally has no other houses besides the official office, so there is no need for this.

In a place like Gancheng, no matter how convenient the transportation is, houses cannot be sold for a price, and no one will necessarily want them if they give them away for nothing.

"Anyway, you are a high-ranking official with two thousand shi. Why do you live in such a simple place? Is it because I didn't give you enough salary?"

Sitting in the main hall with Guo Chengzhi, Guo Peng looked at Zhuge Liang with a smile.

Zhuge Liang smiled, made tea for Guo Peng and said: "The minister is here to work, not to visit the mountains and rivers. It doesn't matter how the minister lives personally, what matters is how the people in the city live and whether they are comfortable or not." , and, don't you still have this tea here?"

Zhuge Liang offered a cup of tea with both hands and handed it to Guo Peng.

Guo Peng took it, lifted the lid and looked inside.

"Is this from the emperor or from your brother?"

"This is the tea that His Majesty rewarded officials all over the world after he ascended the throne. I was lucky enough to get some."

"Lucky? Kong Ming, what you are saying is that you are becoming more and more humble. I am not an emperor anymore, I am too emperor. You are still so humble in front of me? Ordinary people can't afford tea, and two thousand shi in your family , can't you afford tea?"

Guo Peng asked with a smile.

"It's not that I can't afford to drink, it's just that I don't want to part with it."

Zhuge Liang smiled lightly and said, "When I think that these tea leaves can be sold for several times the price in places like Guishuang Kingdom and Anxi Kingdom to supplement the country, I am not very willing to drink them."

"Hahahahaha!"

Guo Peng put down his tea bowl, laughed loudly, and slapped his thigh, overjoyed.

Then, Guo Peng introduced the eldest grandson Guo Chengzhi to Zhuge Liang, and asked Guo Chengzhi to say hello to Zhuge Liang.

Hearing Guo Peng's many words of appreciation for Zhuge Liang along the way, Guo Chengzhi was very curious about him.

"Along the way, Dafu kept telling me about Fujun, his words were full of admiration, and he said no less than [-] times just for praise, Fujun, this is not my lie, Dafu really What I want is to go all the way and praise you all the way."

When Guo Chengzhi said this, Zhuge Liang's expression became serious.

Zhuge Liang looked at Guo Peng, and after a while, he saluted with a long body.

"I never thought that the Supreme Emperor would miss me so much."

Guo Peng reached out and took Zhuge Liang's hand.

"Ten years ago, you bid farewell to me. At that time, you told me that you wanted to see the outside world. You wanted to start from the grassroots. Think carefully about what you did in the central government. What caused in place.

At that time, I knew that you, Zhuge Kongming, were destined not to be a vulgar person, and that you could do many things that perhaps even I could not have imagined, so I told you, I will watch you in Luoyang and wait for you Back to Luoyang that day. "

Chapter 1534 One thousand four hundred and fifty four young Guo Chengzhi can't understand

The parting from ten years ago came to mind, and the scenes of that day reappeared in his mind, Zhuge Liang was filled with emotion.

"How dare a lowly and despicable person bother the Supreme Emperor's record for ten years?"

"I will always remember the person who has made great contributions to the state of Wei."

Guo Peng let go of Zhuge Liang's hand and patted him on the shoulder: "Okay, sit down, I haven't seen you in ten years, I have a lot to say to you."

Zhuge Liang pursed his lips, obeying the holy order, asking Guo Peng to sit first, and then he sat down.

After that, Guo Peng asked him about his mental journey in the past ten years, about his life journey from the magistrate of Dunhuang to the governor of Dunhuang, and then to the guardian of Beiting, and what he learned during this period.

"At the beginning, I wanted to leave Luoyang and go to the local government. I just wanted to know how a government order was completed from the central government to the local government. .

What changes will happen during this period, how will the central government’s policies be implemented, will they be tampered with by people, will they go down to the local level one by one, will they lose their original meaning, and turn from a good thing that benefits the country and the people to a entrapment national evil.

If so, where did the change come from? If not, what makes the decree so smooth? When it comes time to implement it, how will the local government implement it? Will it be implemented as it is, or will it be changed by itself? How to deal with it.

And all this will eventually affect the people of the Li people, what will happen, whether it will benefit the people, or damage their lives, making their lives more difficult instead of easier, all this is what I want to know. "

Zhuge Liang talked eloquently: "In the past ten years, thanks to the trust and appointment of the Supreme Emperor and His Majesty, I finally understand the purpose of everything I do in Luoyang, and the purpose of everything I do in the local area."

"you understood?"

Guo Peng looked at Zhuge Liang appreciatively.

Zhuge Liang bowed his hands.

"I don't dare to say that I understand everything, but I finally understand how government orders are issued and finally implemented, the process and twists and turns in the process, and I also understand what is the most important thing for a politician and what to do."

Guo Peng nodded.

"Then tell me, what is your greatest insight?"

"The biggest insight..."

Zhuge Liang pondered for a moment, and then slowly said: "If you want to talk about the greatest insight, it must be the so-called [policies from above, countermeasures from below]."

Guo Chengzhi, who was drinking tea, was taken aback for a moment.

Guo Peng restrained his smile.

"go on."

"As ordered."

Zhuge nodded and said: "When I was an official in the central government, I often lamented the incompetence of the local government. A government order is implemented so slowly and inefficiently. The central government must send people to supervise it, otherwise it will never be completed on time and with high quality.

At that time, I was quite dissatisfied with complaints about this. I felt that the local officials only knew how to get their salaries, and they ignored the court's policies and should be severely punished.

However, when he left the central government and came to the local areas, he often lamented that the central government did not understand the sufferings of the local areas, and only focused on formulating policies, but refused to look up at the real people. One profit. "

"Well, keep talking."

Guo Peng nodded slowly.

"After feeling such contradictions, I felt that there must be a connection problem in a certain link between the central government and the local government, making it impossible for the two sides to understand each other's difficulties. The biggest problem probably lies in the fact that both sides are trying to Make no mistake."

Zhuge Liang frowned and said, "Central officials don't dare to make mistakes, and local officials don't dare to make mistakes. This kind of mentality is very common among our Wei officials, and this mentality will directly lead to officials from all over the world to only report good news and not worry. .