Rise From the Humble

  Chapter 1653 Is this official corrupt?

"The Bian River and the Surabaya River flow to the Guazhou Ancient Ferry, and Wushan is a little bit sad... It is the cold winter and the twelfth lunar month. The scenery of this Guazhou Ferry is so beautiful, picturesque, with a wide sky, a surging river, and full of forests. , colorful and colorful, no wonder there are so many beautiful poems that have been sung for thousands of years.”

  Zhao Wenhua sat on the terrace of the painting boat, held a glass of Huadiao wine in one hand, and pointed to the reeds, maple forests, and tidal flats at Guazhou Ferry, commenting like he was pointing to mountains and rivers.

   There is a table in front of him, with a variety of wine and dishes on it. In the middle is a charcoal stove. On the charcoal stove, slices of good beef are served. A Yangzhou skinny horse with fair skin and scantily dressed clothes is roasting the beef.

  Two skinny Yangzhou horses in the same bare clothes were pinching his shoulders for him, and two similar Yangzhou skinny horses were kneeling on the left and right, holding Zhao Wenhua's two thighs in their arms, gently kneading them with their slender hands.

  Although it is cold winter, several Yangzhou skinny horses are wearing revealing clothes, but they don’t seem to feel the cold, smiling sweetly.

"Master Zhao is worthy of being the right-hand man of Mr. Yan Ge. He explained the mystery of Guazhou's poetry and scenery in one sentence. Scenery nourishes poetry, poetry makes scenery, and scenery and poetry complement each other. I am ashamed, ashamed. I have been in power in Yangzhou for five years. I don't know about this Guazhou ferry. How many times have I come here, but I can't see through the mystery, I really feel ashamed."

  Wu Zhuolong, the prefect of Yangzhou, stood respectfully at Zhao Wenhua's lower head, slightly bent his waist, and said flatteringly.

  The smile on his face, compared to Yangzhou's thin horse, is not too much to show off.

   "Hehe, the prefect of Wu doesn't know the true face of Guazhou, only because he is in Guazhou." Zhao Wenhua said with a smile.

   "What your lord said is very true." Wu Zhuolong laughed along with him.

   "Did the news of Benyan's visit reach Yingtian?" Zhao Wenhua asked Wu Zhuolong after drinking a glass of Huadiao wine.

"Returning to my lord, the subordinate officials have already sent people to Yingtiantong to report yesterday, and told them to drive on two horses overnight, and change to two horses at post stations along the way. Yingtian's major yamen should have received the letter this morning. It is estimated that the committee is notifying officials of the fifth rank and above from other places to rush to Yingtian and wait for your lord to drive."

  Wu Zhuolong replied like a master.

   "Very good. Prefect Wu is doing things properly and has outstanding abilities. When I return to Beijing, I will strongly recommend Mr. Wu to my adoptive father."

  Zhao Wenhua nodded in satisfaction, and promised casually.

   "Thank you, my lord, thank you for your recommendation. My lord is not an official parent, but I am better than an official parent."

  Wu Zhuolong was ecstatic when he heard the words, bowed to the end, thanked Zhao Wenhua repeatedly, and compared Zhao Wenhua to his reborn parents.

The Yangzhou skinny horses serving on the boat saw Wu Caolong, who was bowing and pouting his buttocks, saying Zhao Wenhua's aspirations. It's no different, how many times, I enjoy their hospitality, and I like to let them call daddy when I enjoy them. Unexpectedly, the prefect Wu also called his parents.

   Hehe, the way Wu Hefu knelt down and pouted his buttocks to call out his parents, is there any difference from when they pouted their buttocks to serve Tengke.

   But speaking of it, they are even more proud than Prefect Wu. Prefect Wu is willing to degenerate, at least they are forced to do so.

"Where, where, the prefect of Wu is serious. Since I took the emperor's envoy and left Beijing to go south, I have a book in my heart. I have kept it in my mind whether the officials from all over the way are good or not. I was recommended by my adoptive father. The emperor's important mission must be to appoint talents and talents, in order to repay the kindness of the Holy One and the trust of the adoptive father."

   Zhao Wenhua said seriously.

   account?!

Wu Zhifu heard that Zhao Wenhua mentioned that he had an account in his heart, and the officials from all over the way were virtuous and bearable, and he kept it in his heart...Suddenly, his thoughts changed, Mr. Zhao, what does this mean? Officials from all over the place are on the account. Last night, I donated a thousand taels of silver to seek the capital's needs, but I'm afraid the amount is not enough.

  There are so many officials along the way, and there are many who donated more money than myself. I am afraid that there are quite a few.

Thinking of this, Magistrate Wu gritted his teeth, and took out another stack of bank notes from his bosom, each of which was in denomination of one hundred taels, and there were ten of them, totaling one thousand taels, bowing his body, holding the bank notes in both hands to offer To Zhao Wenhua.

  Wu Zhifu said modestly and respectfully: "Master Zhao has worked hard from afar. This is just a small care of the lower official. It is not a respect. Please don't dislike him."

   "Prefect Wu, what are you doing, stop, stop." Zhao Wenhua smiled, but did not accept the bank note.

  Wu Zhifu bent over and froze on the spot. Am I dreaming that Zhao Wenhua has changed his mind and stopped accepting money? Didn't you work hard to collect my money yesterday? Why didn't you accept it today?

   Could it be too little? !

  Then his appetite is too great. This is a full one thousand taels of silver, even if it is dedicated to Mr. Yan Ge, it is also qualified.

   Or do you think it’s not secret enough? Yesterday was presented at night, today is daytime, Mr. Zhao feels that it is not secret enough?

Thinking of this, Wu Zhifu felt that he had found the reason, so he said softly, "Don't worry, my lord, this boat is all my own people, and the deeds of selling these skinny horses are all in the hands of the lower officials, so don't worry, my lord, God knows what's going on." You know, I know, no one else will know about it, and after today, this matter will be rotten in my heart."

"Cough cough, why did the prefect of Wu say that? This official is not a greedy person. This official is dedicated to serving the country, treating gold and silver as dung, shouldering the heavy responsibility of offering sacrifices to the sea, and selling all his property to buy sacrifices for offering sacrifices to the sea. , How could you covet Mr. Zhao's money?" Zhao Wenhua shook his head, coughed, and said with a righteous face.

   regard gold and silver as dung?

is it you?

Wu Zhifu was stunned at first, and after a second of stunned, suddenly realized, he quickly stepped forward, pretended to slap his mouth, and changed his words, "Look at the mouth of the lower official, I really can't speak clearly, Lord Zhao regards gold and silver as Dung, this is a well-known thing, and how can a lower official be in trouble with your lord. Your lord is responsible for offering sacrifices to the sea emperor, and the sacrifice to the sea is related to the stability of the southeast of Ming Dynasty. Allocating a small amount of effort, a little care, to help buy things for the sea, and I hope that the emperor will take the emperor's mission as the most important thing, and don't refuse."

"Well, the prefect of Wu is willing to help sacrifice the sea. This is a matter of stabilizing the country and benefiting thousands of people in Ming Dynasty. How can I fail to do so?" Zhao Wenhua said with a smile and approval, and then patted prefect Wu With a serious face on his shoulders, he promised, "Prefect Wu cares about the people of his family and country, and understands the general principles. It's really good. After returning to Beijing, I will give priority to recommending to my foster father. There is no lie."

   "Thank you, my lord, thank you, my lord." Knowing that things are now stable, Wu Zhifu was very happy, and thanked him again and again.

  (end of this chapter)