The return of the son-in-law

Elder Sun was taken aback, and said evasively, "I have no virtue or ability, how can I let the county magistrate rely on me?"

Guo Zhan'an rubbed his thumb and index finger a few times, and said, "You don't need to be humble, I just need a gentleman in charge. You might as well think about it."

Old Sun was naturally moved.

The reason why he didn't want to take Huo Yu, Boss Liu and others away was because he wanted to use this to separate himself and Huo Yu from those bandits.Although he is the accountant of the Tiger Village and has lived in the Tiger Village for more than [-] years, he knows that if Huo Yu is promising, he cannot continue to live with these bandits!

He has no children and only one Huo Yu is raised as his own grandson. In terms of selfishness, he certainly hopes that someone will sacrifice to him after a hundred years. Because of this, Huo Yu cannot be allowed to follow these bandits!

Originally, he planned to take Huo Yu to Yong'an Mansion to find a job, and then find a way to send Huo Yu to school—anyway, he had saved a lot of money in the past 20 years.But now Guo Zhanan took the initiative to invite, which is also a good choice.

However, thinking of the lies Guo Zhanan told before, he had to be more careful.

Yes, Sun Lao knew that Guo Zhanan was lying from the very beginning.

According to the rules passed down from the previous dynasty, court officials have always served as officials in other places, so as to avoid people's intentions, relying on the power of their own clans to do evil and enrich their own pockets in the local area.

Guo Zhan'an said at first that he was from Tonghua County, and later that he was the new county magistrate of Tonghua County, which was contradictory.Coupled with what the murderer said before he died, Elder Sun concluded that the person in front of him was the county magistrate of Tonghua County, but not from Tonghua County.

Guo Zhan'an also thought of this. He originally thought that these bandits had only heard one or two folk tales, watched one or two scenes, and didn't understand the rules and regulations of the officialdom. He didn't expect this old man to discover his flaws.

In this way, he was determined to ask the old man to do things for him.

This dynasty is a prefecture and county system, and each county has a county magistrate, who gets a salary from the imperial court.In addition to the county magistrate, there are also positions such as chief bookkeeper as appropriate, but this is not available in every county. For example, in a small county like Tonghua County, there is only one county magistrate who receives a salary from the imperial court.

Except for county magistrates and chief bookkeepers, other positions such as yamen servants are not paid by the imperial court, but paid by their chiefs.For example, in Tonghua County, except for the county magistrate, the salaries of other officials in Tonghua County are all borne by the county magistrate, that is, Guo Zhan'an is in charge.

Before Guo Zhanan set off, he had seen Tonghua County in the Customs and Mountains and Seas Chronicles, but with a few words, Guo Zhanan had already learned about the local folk customs and geography.

According to regulations, all officials are changed every three years, and even those who have made no achievements have to be reassigned to other places.The people of Tonghua County are tough and xenophobic, which is why the original county magistrate has been here for ten years.

I went to Tonghua County as a foreigner, and I was not familiar with the place, so it was very difficult to carry out everything.And Mr. Sun has lived here for a few years, and he knows Tonghua County a little bit. In addition, no one around him can trust or use him. It is better to start from the beginning and find someone who has nothing to do with people from all walks of life in the capital. as a helper.

What's more, Mr. Sun came from Tiger Village after all, so he has a clue in his hands. He is old, so he is not afraid that he will betray him in the future.Moreover, there is a child beside him, and Elder Sun regards the child so important, as long as he can do more in the future, he will not be afraid that Elder Sun will not be loyal to him.

Concubine Hua Gui couldn't tolerate him, Guo Zhan'an knew it very well, but he never imagined that Concubine Hua Gui was so courageous that she found killers to kill him, and even rewarded the two killers with exquisite golden melon seeds - this is enough to prove that he will be so brave in the future. danger to face.

Now Mr. Sun's actions made Guo Zhan'an very satisfied. He not only wanted to find someone who would be loyal to him and could be used by him, but also someone who was smart and meticulous.

Guo Zhan'an and Sun Lao both thought that Guo Zhan'an's proposal was good after their calculations. Sun Lao immediately agreed to Guo Zhan'an's invitation, but the specific details would have to wait until they were resettled in Tonghua County.

Seeing the old fox's eyes, Guo Zhan'an couldn't help but smile wryly in his heart. It seems that this negotiation of conditions will be another fierce battle.

But at any rate, I have a helper by my side, and the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

The three entered Tonghua County. At this time, the sky was already bright, and Tonghua County was very lively.

Outsiders are very conspicuous in Tonghua County. As soon as the three of them entered the county, a man carrying a burden and a woman carrying vegetables stopped and looked at them.

Huo Yu grew up in the village since he was a child, and he rarely saw outsiders, especially with so many strangers, so he couldn't help being a little scared, hiding behind Old Sun and not daring to come out.

Guo Zhanan stepped forward and asked a big man, "Brother, where is the magistrate of Tonghua County?"

"What are you here for?" The big man didn't answer Guo Zhanan's question, but asked him, "The county magistrate is very busy, so don't bother him."

Guo Zhanan replied with a good temper: "I am the new magistrate of Tonghua County sent by the imperial court."

The big man stared at Guo Zhan'an's eyeballs and raised his own burden: "Let's go, I'll take you there."

The county magistrate's house is on the west side of the county, and when they passed by, it happened that the county magistrate was just about to go out.

Hearing that the new county magistrate had arrived, the county magistrate welcomed the three of them in, and ordered his wife to pour tea first, and then prepare a table of dishes, so as to give Guo Zhanan a clean slate.

According to the regulations of this dynasty, all officials dispatched abroad have special guides. When they arrive at the place where they work, they will pair up with the local person in charge. If they match, they will become his official smoothly. It is a crime that will go to hell.

The post of county magistrate should be directly opposite to the county magistrate or Li. Tonghua County is a poor place. I don't know if it is out of convenience. The county magistrate and Li are the same person.

The county magistrate's surname is Chen, and his name is Xihao. To Luyin, he built two more braziers, rubbed his hands and smiled, and said to Guo Zhan'an: "Master Guo has worked hard all the way here. The mountains are covered by heavy snow. We thought it was going to be spring." Only then will a new county magistrate come over."

Guo Zhan'an took a sip of tea. Naturally, this tea could not be compared with the ones in the capital. The entrance was full of earthy smell, which was very fishy.

He put down his tea, shook his head and said, "The county magistrate is wrong, this time it was appointed by His Majesty, how dare I neglect it?"

"Naturally, naturally." Chen Xiehao responded with a few words, and then turned the topic to Huo Yu, "This child is really cute, is he Master Guo's younger brother?"

Guo Zhan'an looked at Huo Yu who was lying on Sun Lao's shoulder and fell asleep in a daze, shook his head and said, "This is the grandson of my staff."

"It's really cute, it's carved in pink and jade," Chen Xiehao continued to flatter, "I think this child has a full heaven and thick earlobes. He looks like a blessed person."

Most people in the world like to hear others say good things about their children, and Mr. Sun is no exception, but those who should be humble should still be humble.

He lightly patted Huo Yu's back: "It's not worthy of the magistrate's praise, Yu'er is just a skin."

"Yu'er? Which character for jade is it? Could it be the jade of gold and jade?" As he spoke, Chen Xiehao dipped his fingers in some tea and wrote the word "Yu" on the table.

Old Sun shook his head: "It's the jade of gold, silver and jade."

Chen Xiehao praised again, but in his heart he looked down on Sun Lao and Huo Yuyi.

He was a scholar, and in his opinion, naming this boy Yu would not be a big deal.

Several people chatted for a while, and Chen Xiehao's wife came over and said that the meal was ready.

Looking at the food on the table and thinking of the tea he drank before, Guo Zhan'an had a new understanding of the poverty in Tonghua County.

After hastily finishing the meal, Chen Xiehao took Guo Zhan'an and others to the county government office in Tonghua County—in front of the county government office is the office, and behind it is the place where the county magistrate and others rest.

Because the previous county magistrate was taken to Beijing, the county government office was in a mess, covered with a layer of dust.

Chen Xiehao explained embarrassingly at the side: "It's not that we are lazy, it's just that we can't come in casually in this county office, so we can come in to clean these few days."

Guo Zhanan tore off the seal: "It's okay, it's easy to clean up. By the way, where are the servants and others in the county government?"

Chen Xiehao waved his hand and said, "Those yamen servants were all recruited by the previous county magistrate. After he was arrested, the group of people disappeared within a few days."

Guo Zhan'an couldn't help frowning. The matter was more difficult than he thought. He originally thought about the people who were left behind by the previous county magistrate.

Why did everyone else disappear as soon as the county magistrate arrested him?

Guo Zhan'an couldn't help but think of the county magistrate's crime of hiding official money.

Could it be that those people are all inseparable?

But if that's the case, why was the county magistrate alone arrested?

Seeing Guo Zhan'an's silence and frowning, Chen Xiehao thought he was annoyed that the county government office was in such a mess, and hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Mr. Guo, I will find someone to clean it now, and it will be done before nightfall. "

Guo Zhanan nodded, and asked again: "Where are the documents and files here kept?"

Chen Xiehao was taken aback, and replied, "I'm not sure, but it must be in this county government."

Guo Zhan'an saw that he couldn't find anything, so he asked Chen Xiehao to find someone to clean the county office first, while he took Mr. Sun and Huo Yu into the room behind the county office.

It was also a mess, Elder Sun took Huo Yu to choose a spacious room, and pushed Huo Yu who was still dazed: "Yu'er, come, please greet Mr. Guo."

Huo Yu didn't know, but he bowed to Guo Zhan'an with his arms folded like in the play: "Hello, Mr. Guo."

Guo Zhanan patted his head, and remembered that there was still a pack of pine nut candy in his sleeve pocket, which the bandits had searched and returned before, so he took it out and handed it to Huo Yu: "Here."

Huo Yu took it, and seeing Elder Sun nodded, he opened it and found that it was pine nut candy. He was so happy that he immediately stuffed one into his mouth.

Guo Zhanan looked at the satisfied Huo Yu, and asked him with a smile, "Is it delicious?"

"Yeah." Huo Yu nodded and ate another one, "It's delicious."

"By the way, what's your name?" Guo Zhan'an thought that he still didn't know the name of the child, and asked him to call the child "Yu'er" like Sun Lao, but he couldn't say it.

Huo Yu raised his head, chewed the candy and replied, "My name is Huo Yu, what's your name?"

"Yu'er, don't be rude!" Elder Sun pulled Huo Yu into his arms, looked at Guo Zhan'an and said, "Master Guo, Yu'er grew up in the village and didn't understand the rules. Please forgive him this time." .In the future, I will strictly enforce Yu'er's rules."

"It's not uncommon to be naive. You just need to teach him the basics of the world, and you don't need to restrict his temperament too much. But you can't relax when it comes to reading." Guo Zhanan waved his hand, he doesn't care about like a child.

Speaking of reading, Mr. Sun has always remembered it without Guo Zhanan's reminder.

He patted Huo Yu's head and sighed: "I don't know if there is a private school in Tonghua County. If there is, it would be nice to send Yu'er there to study."