To The Land of Nevernight

This was Tang Shen's second time going north, and he still went to Ningzhou.

This time Tang Juan stayed at home and did not go, Yao San and Tang Shen went north together.Along the way, Yao San sat in front of the carriage and Tang Shen sat in the carriage, lifting the curtain from time to time to see the situation outside.

Departing from Shengjing, the official roads along the way are spacious and built according to the fields in the countryside without harming the crops in the fields.Yubu built a flat road by pushing away weeds and hills on the basis as wide as possible.After walking for three hours, the newly built official road came to an end, and many craftsmen bent down to shovel the soil and buried themselves in building the official road.

Tang Shen and Yao San could only take a detour.Originally, the two of them had already walked two-thirds of the way, but the detour and the remaining one-third took four hours to reach Ningzhou.

Ningzhou City is also more prosperous than what it saw last year.

Tang Shen and Yao San first found an inn to rest, and in the early morning of the second day, Yao San went to the street to inquire about where Wang Xiao, a member of the Wupin Yu Department of the Ministry of Industry, lived.After inquiring, Tang Shen came to visit Wang Xiao's house in the afternoon with a box of special products from Shengjing and a box of Biluochun from Gusu Mansion.

Wang Xiao was not at home, Wang Xiao's wife received Tang Shen.

In the evening, when Wang Xiao went home from the Yamen, he was overjoyed to see Tang Shen: "Jing Ze, why are you here!"

Tang Shen stood up and walked over: "Brother Dai Yue, long time no see, how are you doing?"

"It's very good. You haven't said why you came to Ningzhou City." Wang Xiao said to his wife, "Go to the kitchen and cook two special dishes. Jing Ze is also from Jiangnan, and he is used to your cooking. .”

Mrs. Wang left with a smile.

As night fell, Tang Shen and Wang Xiao chatted happily over wine.

July is the hottest season. If it was in Shengjing, the palace would have already used ice to relieve the heat.But in Ningzhou, the northernmost part of the Song Dynasty, although the weather is hot, the evening wind blows away the heat in an instant, and it is more cool.

After finishing the meal, Mrs. Wang cut a few slices of watermelon.

Wang Xiao proudly said: "Jing Ze has never seen it before. This thing is a rare item in Shengjing. It is a tribute sent to the imperial court. It is called watermelon and is a special product of the Western Regions. The Liao people often trade with the Western Regions. I It was only when I arrived in Ningzhou that I found out that although this item is a bit expensive, it is not impossible to buy it, and it is very easy to buy from Liao merchants. Try it quickly, it will cool you down and relieve the heat."

Of course Tang Shen knew about watermelon, but it was the first time he ate it after traveling to ancient times.Tang Shen was not polite either, picked up a piece and tasted it.A lot of water, but not too sweet.Having been in this world for so long, Tang Shen almost forgot what happened in his previous life, and almost forgot how sweet and delicious the watermelon in later generations was after many cultivations. Now he is satisfied with this low-quality watermelon.

Tang Shen sincerely praised: "It's really refreshing!"

Wang Xiao: "Hahahaha, eat two more slices."

After eating the watermelon, the two went to the yard to drink herbal tea.

Wang Xiao couldn't finish talking: "I've been in Ningzhou for three months, and you are the only old friend I've seen. Everywhere in Ningzhou is good, but there are no familiar people here."

Tang Shen: "Looking at Brother Daiyue's appearance today reminds me of an idiom."

"Oh, what idiom?"

Tang Shen smiled and said, "Heart is broad and fat (pang)."

Wang Xiao was stunned, and then said after a while: "What kind of fat heart, that is fat (pan)! Good thing you, Tang Jingze, we have not seen each other for a few months. I entertained you kindly, but you deliberately Say I'm fat. Am I really fat?"

Tang Shen shrugged: "Fat or not, brother Dai Yue doesn't have points in his heart?"

"Hahahaha." The two looked at each other and smiled.

When he was in Shengjing, Wang Xiao worked in Qingshui Yamen Hanlin Academy all day long, and because his fellow scholars were promoted one by one, he was the only one who was still suffering in the Imperial Academy.Now in Ningzhou, the sky is high and the emperor is far away, and the officials of the Ministry of Industry are local snakes here.In addition, he was also promoted to an official position, which is a person who is in good spirits on happy occasions, and then shows his richness.

Tang Shen roughly talked about the situation in Shengjing in the past few months, and Wang Xiao said directly: "Jing Ze, you came to see me today, do you have something to do?"

Tang Shen cupped his hands and said, "I don't want to hide it from brother Dai Yue, I really want to ask for something. Brother Dai Yue also knows that my Tang family is a businessman in Gusu Mansion, and has quite a bit of foundation. The Xixia Building in Shengjing It’s my property, Brother Dai went to it when it first opened last year. My Xixia Building sells all the Paxia offerings, and the mutton and beef are bought from Liao merchants.”

Wang Xiao rolled his eyes slightly, understanding Tang Shen's meaning.But he still asked, "Jing Ze, what do you want to do?"

Tang Shen said in a serious tone, "Brother Dai Yue, may I ask if the official road from Ningzhou to Shengjing can be repaired this year? When I came to Ningzhou, I had already seen a section of the newly built official road. Where did you go from? If it is a private business, how long will it take to go back and forth between Ningzhou and Shengjing?"

Wang Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a smile: "Fortunately, it's just such things. Although I am a fifth-grade doctor, I can't help you with any big things."

Then, Wang Xiao roughly talked to Tang Shen about the cities on the new official path.

On the third day in Ningzhou, Tang Shen and Yao San went to Luohe Town to contact new Liao merchant sellers.As half a year passed, Yelvjiu gradually became suspicious of Xixialou's business.In winter, the demand for beef and mutton in Xixialou is huge, and several trucks have to be transported there every day.But in summer, the demand immediately decreases.

Yelvju's shopkeeper from Song Dynasty asked Yao San about this matter, but Yao San prevaricated them.But in winter, this matter will definitely not be hidden.

The two went to the dental shop again and bought some buddies.

On the way back to Shengjing, Tang Shen made a detour to the counties mentioned by Wang Xiao, stepping on them.

When the two returned to Shengjing, it was already a week later.

After resting all night, it was Tang Shen's turn to be on duty the next day.When he was ugly, Tang Shen put on his official uniform and came to the palace.While all the officials were waiting for the emperor's early court order, Tang Shen talked with the other two householders from Zhongshu Province about what had happened these days.After listening for a while, when he heard a decree from the court yesterday, Tang Shen asked in astonishment: "Inspector?"

A living person said: "That's right. Master Tang just came back today, so he naturally didn't know. Yesterday, Minister of Industry Yuan Muyuan returned to Beijing in person to report the construction of the three official roads. The Holy Majesty was very satisfied and appointed three inspectors. The envoy ordered them to go to Youzhou, Cizhou and Ningzhou within three days to inspect the construction of official roads. These three people are Mr. Wang, Minister of the Household Department, Mr. Su, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, and Mr. Song of Yushitai. "

Wang Qin, Su Wenyun, Song Xun.

Needless to say, the first two are the big stars in front of Zhao Fu.Song Xun was the censor of Yushitai, a bit older than the previous two, but he was also Zhao Fu's confidant. He had been in and out of the Chuigong Palace many times, and had private conversations with Zhao Fu.

The emperor sent people to inspect the newly built official road, and sent three confidantes there, and it seemed that there was no problem.

Tang Shen was a little surprised, he put his doubts in his stomach and didn't make a sound.

After coming down to court, Zhao Fu met Wang Qin, Su Wenyun and Song Xun in the Chuigong Hall, and asked them if they were ready to go north in two days.The three inspectors answered one by one, and Zhao Fu gave each of them an edict, formally sealing the positions of the three inspectors.

In the afternoon, Tang Shen was ordered by Zhao Fu to go to Zhongshu Yamen to deliver the booklet.

Zhao Fu was going to take a nap in the afternoon, so it didn't matter if Tang Shen didn't go back for a while.After delivering the booklet, he thought about it and came to the main room shared by the Minister of Hubu and the Minister of Rites.However, he mustered up the courage to knock on the door, only to find that there were only two junior officials of the seventh rank in the room dealing with government affairs.

Seeing Tang Shen, both of them were stunned, got up and said, "My lord, Mr. Qi Zilang."

Tang Shen was a little embarrassed: "Aren't Lord Wang and Lord Meng here?"

"Master Meng has gone to Yushitai. Mr. Wang is not in Zhongshu Province today on business, but at the Ministry of Household Affairs. Is it Mr. Wang that Mr. Tang is looking for? If there is something urgent, can you go down to the Ministry of Households to inform?"

"no need!"

Tang Shen left in embarrassment.

It was getting late, and after Zhao Fu finished cultivating immortals, Tang Shen left the palace with two living servants.

As soon as he left the palace gate, a man who looked like a coachman greeted him.He said to Tang Shen: "Master Tang, this way please."

Tang Shen and the two living servants looked in the direction pointed by the coachman, and saw a deep red cloth sedan chair parked by the corner gate outside the palace gate, they had been waiting for no one for how long.Among the officials of the Song Dynasty, only officials of the second rank and above can use red cloth sedan chairs.

The coachman said: "Master Shangshu has been waiting for you for a long time."

Tang Shen remembered that he went to find Wang Qin by himself this afternoon, but was in vain. He coughed twice and walked over.

Lifting the curtain of the sedan chair, Wang Qin was sitting in the sedan chair reading a book in his hands.

Tang Shen stood outside the sedan chair and said, "Senior Brother Zifeng."

Wang Qin put down his book, looked at the sky outside, and said, "The moon is in the middle of the sky, and the nebula is low. Junior brother has just left the palace now, and he has dedicated himself to being a pillar of the country." Tang Shen didn't understand why he suddenly said a lot of nonsense , saw Wang Qin slightly turned sideways, and said with a smile: "The talents of the pillars, come up."

The talented Tang Shen was about to speak, but when he opened his mouth, he felt that Wang Zifeng didn't curse anyone, so there was no need to answer.He thought about it for a moment, and obediently got on the sedan chair.

Wang Qin said: "Go back to Shangshufu."

The sedan chair was lifted up and headed towards Shangshu's mansion.

Shangshu Mansion and Tanhua Mansion are on the same road, but first pass through Tanhua Mansion, and then go through two alleys before arriving at Shangshu Mansion.

The sedan chair was staggering, Wang Qin said, "Young brother, did you go to Qinzheng Hall to find me this afternoon?"

Tang Shen: "..."

Wang Zifeng, I'm afraid you have a hundred eyeliners in the palace!

Tang Shen: "Did the two adults and senior brother I met in the afternoon say it?"

Wang Qin was surprised: "You still met someone, who did you meet?"

Tang Shen: "..."

You really have eyeliner!

Tang Shen: "There's nothing else, it just happened that the Holy Majesty asked me to go to Qinzheng Hall to deliver the booklet, so I stopped by to see my senior brother. It's a pity that my senior brother wasn't here, so I went back."

Wang Qin said with a smile: "When I went to Qinzheng Hall in the past, I didn't see my junior brother looking at me specially."

Tang Shen didn't say anything.

Wang Qin lengthened the ending and said with a smile, "Junior Brother?"

"There is indeed something."

The smile on Wang Qin's face faded for a moment, and he was surprised, as if he didn't expect Tang Shen to say this so frankly.He stared fixedly at Tang Shen, only to see Tang Shen took a deep breath, and said straight to the point: "I just returned to Shengjing, and I heard that senior brother is going to Youzhou. As the secretary of the household department, it is reasonable to say that the inspector It should not be the brother's turn to deal with the matter, there are still a lot of government affairs waiting for the brother to handle. So I am a little curious, and at the same time I think that the brother is leaving Shengjing, so I want to see you."

Wang Qin frowned, but did not answer.

Seeing this, Tang Shen sensed something was wrong, and asked, "Brother?"

At this time, the sedan chair just arrived in front of Tanhua Mansion, the bearer stopped the sedan chair and asked, "My lord, do you want to stop?"

Tang Shen raised his hand to lift the curtain, and saw that the sedan chair had already stopped in front of his house.Wang Qin didn't speak, and Tang Shen didn't know what to say.According to his previous attitude towards Wang Qin, he would not say such things directly.He originally thought that he and Wang Qin were at least close brothers, and he could trust Wang Qin, at least half of him.But now it seems that, as Mr. Liang Song said, we must always be on guard against Wang Zifeng.

Tang Shen said: "Senior brother, I've arrived at my house, I'll go down first." After speaking, Tang Shen got up and left.

He had just taken a step, and before he lifted the car curtain, someone grabbed his wrist from behind.

Tang Shen turned around in astonishment, and saw Wang Zifeng looking at him calmly, with clear and deep eyes.He opened his mouth in a light and light voice: "Junior brother, I will be leaving Shengjing for a while. There are only four words, I hope you will remember them."

"Don't hear, don't ask."