Three Kingdoms

Du Ji's home.

"Brother Du..." Li Yuan was somewhat puzzled, "What's wrong with this mausoleum? Why do you have to go to Lantian to be the county magistrate?" There is no official rank, so why bother? 』

The Lantian Order finally fell into Du Ji's hands.

This is not surprising.

Lantian is not a small place. According to legend, it is the mother of Fuxi and Nuwa. It is also the hometown of Huaxu, the direct ancestor of Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang. Because it has produced beautiful jade since ancient times, it is known as "Lantian of Jade Plants". At the same time, it is close to Wuguan. According to Qin The location of Chu Road is very important. In addition, there are a large number of refugees gathered near Lantian. Even if the Qiaoqi Order will be diverted next year, it is still a heavy task at the moment. There are many things and complicated affairs. If you are not careful, something may go wrong. No. So good.

The key is that Lantian has also been purged of a group of officials. They are leaking from top to bottom, and to a certain extent, they are still under the close attention of General Fei Qian. If there are any problems, they will most likely be discovered. It was purely a thankless position, so Li Yuan felt that Du Ji's behavior was something he couldn't understand...

Although Du Ji's original position was not necessarily that good, it was definitely not bad. How many tombs are there in Chang'an? Then Du Ji was responsible for one of them. Is this something that a mere Lantian County Magistrate can match? Even if I bring ten Lantian County magistrates, I won’t change them!

No one would ask for trouble, but the problem was that Du Ji did it, and he seemed very happy.

Du Ji laughed and said, "How about just pretending that someone is restless and looking for trouble?" Du Ji was obviously in great spirits, and even asked his servants to order takeaways from the restaurant, er, banquets, and enjoy them at home.

"Come on, let's drink this cup!" ” Du Ji persuaded him to drink wine.

In the red lacquer wine cup, several fish outlined with silver threads swayed as if they were swaying with the ripples of the wine.

This has become fashionable recently.

Originally, most of the lacquerware among the big men were black and red, but now there are some high-end products, that is, lacquerware inlaid with gold and silver threads. Of course, the price will keep going up...

Li Yuan looked at Du Ji and had no choice but to pick up the wine cup and drink with him. As soon as he put it down and was about to speak, he saw an attendant coming in from outside the courtyard. He handed over his hand and reported: "To the master of the family, Wei Yuan Here we are, right outside the door..."

Li Yuan muttered and said: "Hey, I just came now, I am really busy..."

Du Ji smiled slightly, stood up and said, "My dear brother, sit down for a moment while I go to welcome you in." 』

"Forget it," Li Yuan also stood up, "Let me go too..."

The two of them arrived outside the door together, then met Wei Duan, exchanged a few words, then entered the courtyard together and sat down again.

Wei Duan didn't come so late on purpose. It is true that he has a lot of things to do now, and among the several organizations in Chang'an, his staff is the most complicated, and personnel matters are the most troublesome. , those who are trying to get rid of him, and those who are watching the fun and not taking it too seriously...

Therefore, on the whole, even with Wei Duan's status, he can still be controlled to some extent. If it were someone else, it would probably be a big deal.

Wei Duan smiled and said, "Brother Fool came in a hurry, just to prepare a gift, and accidentally got two jars of Drunken Immortal Wine, which is considered to be congratulations to Brother Xian for crossing this pond and entering the great river!" 』

Du Ji raised his hands in the direction of the Husband's office, "My little brother is just an ordinary talent, not worth mentioning. It's because of Husband's great kindness that I am where I am today..."

Wei Duan laughed, and when he was about to say something, suddenly a strange fragrance floated in from outside, and all three of them couldn't help but sniff it...

"Oh, the fragrance of intoxicating immortals floats for nine days, gods stop and mortals fall in love. It is indeed well-deserved..." Du Ji said, "Brother Wei is so kind, it is really a waste..."

Wei Duan waved his hand and said, "You and I have a deep love for each other as brothers. How can we be so straight when we are just drunk on immortal wine?" If it’s really hard to find a jar, I’ll have to bring more... I won’t say more, let’s taste it together..."

People in the Han Dynasty believed that spices could communicate with gods and have magical effects...

In fact, strictly speaking, drinks with the flavor of spices may not necessarily taste very good, but because the Han Dynasty pursued spices to an almost obsessive level, and spices have been discontinued for a long time due to wars, Fei Qian has now re-established this It is natural to imagine how popular the business is. Not only are the spices themselves sought after, but other products that are mixed with spices are also particularly popular.

Just like the "cheese" in later generations, no matter what kind of food it is, it seems that as long as you stick a little bit of "cheese" on it, it will immediately become taller. Not only is it very popular, but it is also extremely expensive, but in fact "Cheese" also has a ridiculous name, called cheese, and there are so many of them in Inner Mongolia and Outer Mongolia...

Of course, some people will definitely wonder how cheese can be the same as cheese. In the same way, there are "cherries" that have nothing to do with cars, and "strawberries" that are not the same as pears. There is no such thing as a strange "kiwi fruit"...

After drinking the mulled wine, uh, drunken wine, the three of them could not help but close their eyes slightly and tighten their mouths, as if they were worried that if they opened their mouths, the fragrance would escape.

After a while, Li Yuan sighed, "Good wine!" Good wine! 』

Wei Duan and Du Ji couldn't help but nod together.

Not only were the three people in the hall looking intoxicated, but even the servants serving in the hall were a little obsessed. They stretched their necks and sniffed the fragrance flowing in the air, and inevitably had a look of longing on their faces...

With drinks as a mediator, the atmosphere between the three people is much better than before. What's more, the three people actually have no irreconcilable conflicts about life and death.

"The affairs of the world... are like sailing against the current. If you don't advance, you will retreat..." Wei Duan put down his wine cup and sighed. I don't know if the "thing" he said is a businessman or a scholar, or both. "This time my good brother took up the post of Lantian, he also had a unique opportunity. I don't know what he will be like in the future... I won't be as good as my good brother." …I can’t let it go, I can’t let it go…”

Du Ji's expression moved slightly, and then he said with a smile: "Brother Wei, why do you need to be like this? He is very important in participating in the law, and his position is the same as that of a censor. He is just the chief of a tomb, how can he be compared?" 』

Li Yuan looked at Wei Duan, "Does Brother Wei also think that Brother Du's move is a good one?" 』

Wei Duan chuckled, "You know, my dear brother, among the vacant county magistrates now, one is filled by a bachelor of agriculture, one is a bachelor of engineering, and one is actually an inspection... You must know that this is a county magistrate." , can be said to be the leader of a place... The current situation is indeed very different, different..."

Li Yuan stared, and then seemed to be thinking about something, unable to say anything for a while.

Du Ji on the side said: "If it is the intention of Hussar... this move will probably become a routine... If there is any shortcoming, it will be treated as the same palace, high and low... Naturally, the rest have nothing to say." ...Besides..."

Du Ji said halfway, then smacked his lips, shook his head, and sighed.

Wei Duan also glanced at Du Ji and sighed.

The officialdom before the Han Dynasty is completely different from the officialdom under the current Hussar.

In the past, there was a recommendation system. When the officials who took office heard that there were talented people in certain places, they would invite them again and again. Then these talented people, whether they were hermits, would reject them again and again, and then they would reluctantly express their gratitude. Because of someone's sincere desire to seek talents, he is willing to take up the post...

And now, two people, or several people, are fighting and grabbing in front of everyone. If they are not prepared properly or are careless, they may lose the position that they thought they had got, just like being killed by those Bachelor of Agriculture, Bachelor of Engineering, and even the position of county magistrate captured by the inspection team.

In other words, in the past, as long as there was some urine, there was no need to worry about squatting, but now, if you don't have any real skills, you can't find a good position at all!

This is undoubtedly a fatal blow to the children of the gentry who are accustomed to waiting at home for pie to fall in the sky, especially those who always say they want to live in seclusion in the mountains and wait for those who wish to take the bait...

If you don't go, there will be others who are willing to go. If you don't fight for it, there will be others who are willing to fight for it!

Of course, the children of the noble clan still have certain advantages, but these advantages are slowly being lost. Du Ji undoubtedly saw this and walked out first, while Wei Duan lamented that he could not let go...

"Xian brother, if you hear what Brother Yu said, you should also think about finding an opportunity to move. You must know that although the mausoleum is good, it is useless to live in it for a long time..." Du Ji looked at Li Yuan and said, and then turned his eyes to the small corner of the yard. Pond, "Water without a source, trees without roots, will not last long..."

Li Yuan was stunned for a moment, and then followed Du Ji's gaze to the small pond...

……(ーー゛)……

Qiu Cheng looked up at the sky. Although the sky was not completely clear yet and it was approaching dusk, it was a bit chaotic and dark, but he was in a good mood. Because he was the first person to transfer from an agricultural bachelor to a county magistrate under the rule of General Hussar.

First, first, first person, anything with the prefix "first" will always attract more attention, and Qiu Cheng this time is no exception.

for example……

Forget it, let’s not compare.

Agricultural Bachelor is a unique official position under the Hussar. Although there is some overlap in functions with the county magistrate, in some specific circumstances, he can also exercise some powers on behalf of the county magistrate. However, after all, it is not a court official position. This fact is not common in ordinary people. In the hearts of the people, it is still very important.

Qiu Cheng has now gone from agricultural bachelor to county magistrate. Even for a remote small county magistrate in Zhiyang County within Lantian, in the eyes of many people, it is a great improvement, and can even be said to be a qualitative leap.

Before taking office, according to the usual practice, there will be five days of rest time for Qiu Cheng. This has been included in Qiu Cheng's working hours. That is to say, from now on, every month, Qiu Cheng will have five days of rest time. , and then if there are any special circumstances, it can be extended, just like paid leave in future generations.

As the sun sets, looking from a distance, you can already see the village sitting on the mound...

"Brother Zhong!" 』

Before Qiu Cheng reached the village, people looking at the village intersection had already spotted him. He jumped up high on the spot and waved his arms desperately, "Brother Zhong, I'm here!" At this! 』

Qiu Cheng is the second eldest. As for the eldest, he died ten years ago.

Died in war.

Waiting for Qiu Cheng at the entrance of the village is the third eldest son of the family, Qiu Neng, who is five years younger than Qiu Cheng. He is running from the village with a lot of jumping, and behind him, many people are also coming out. To the sound of the villagers. Obviously, the news that Qiu Cheng became the county magistrate has reached here.

This is this somewhat old, or scarred, village. In the village, there is his scarred, or even old, home...

No matter what, the old home is still home.

The villagers followed Qiu Neng closer, but they were somewhat timid and did not dare to step forward.

Qiu Cheng laughed and said, "Everyone, what's wrong?" So-and-so is still so-and-so...but he has changed his position, so he doesn't recognize him? 』

"That's different..." someone responded.

Qiu Cheng laughed and said, "What's different? If it hadn't been for the village elders who took our family in, the entire Qiu family would have died in the rebellion... I'm still me, growing up in Chenjiazhai The big Qiu family! 』

"good! well said! ” From behind the villagers in Chenjiazhaizi, a slightly older voice came out, “I told you that the Qiu family can produce talents! Look, isn’t it fulfilled now? ! 』

"Mr. Chen..." Everyone saluted and made way for them.

Mr. Chen, an elder-level figure in Chen's village, stepped forward, looked Qiu Cheng up and down, then nodded, turned around and laughed and said to the villagers: "Okay, it's all gone, it's gone, don't take it seriously." Following Qiu Jialang's advice, tomorrow, tomorrow I will be a host to celebrate Qiu Jialang's appointment as county magistrate! Let’s leave today. Let’s leave and let everyone go home and have a rest..."

Qiu Chenggong cupped his hands and said, "How can I trouble Mr. Chen..."

Chen Gong smiled and said, "How can you say you are tired if you don't bother me?" Qiu Jialang, please don’t go out. It’s getting late today, and it’s not convenient for me to chat. If you have anything to do, we’ll talk about it tomorrow... We’ll talk about it tomorrow..."

Qiu Cheng could only shake his head, and when he looked in the direction of his home, he couldn't help but smile. He turned around and greeted his brother, "Let's go home!" 』

Although it is said that returning home is as fast as an arrow, on the way home, it is still inevitable to say hello to this and that other villager in the village...

"Brother Zhong, why should you pay attention to them?" Qiu Neng on the side hummed a few words in a low voice, "When you went to become an agricultural bachelor before, these people ignored you, and some people taunted you, saying that our family kept getting around more and more, and then even the serious people came back." I don’t even have a position... Now why are you pretending to be friendly... Humph..."

Qiu Cheng smiled slightly, nodded towards the person who greeted him, and pulled Qiu Neng, "Shut up and walk faster..."

The Qiu family is a declining noble family, not even a humble family. The poor family at least still had a door, but they didn't even have a home, so they could only live here as guests. They really didn't know how to survive the first few years, and becoming a bachelor of agriculture was the only way Qiu Cheng thought of at that time.

Otherwise, it can be said that the Qiu family really had no way to climb up at that time.

A serious school must be rich. If you don’t have money, you can’t even go to school. Only agricultural and engineering students can get credit first and then pay it back slowly...

Therefore, even when Qiu Cheng served as an agricultural bachelor, his family situation did not change much. Most of his salary had to be repaid, so although there were some subsidies, he was still very poor.

Although the bachelor's degree in agriculture and the bachelor's degree in engineering both have the word "scholar", in fact, in the eyes of most gentry children, especially those serious gentry children, it is not a good way to get ahead, even because agriculture Most of the time, bachelors and engineering bachelors were mixed with civilian husbands and craftsmen, which made the gentry children dislike them very much.

Smells, sweat stinks.

Dirty, muddy.

Tired, hard work.

The children of the gentry should be surrounded by beautiful women, drink wine, burn incense and read scriptures, and enjoy all the luxury. What's the point of hanging out in the fields, workshops and ditches? Doesn’t it mean that he has lost his identity?

Of course, the children of the gentry have also forgotten that their ancestors, even the royal nobles, were just village pavilion chiefs or small landowners in the fields...

Those who looked down on or even laughed at the Qiu family back then were not only the children of the gentry, but also ordinary farmers in the Chen family village. It was like seeing a well-dressed man step on a banana peel and fall, and some people would laugh immediately. These There are also some farmers who feel that the Qiu family's fall from class is something worthy of their ridicule.

But now, no matter whether they are men, women, old or young, whenever they meet on the road, they are always friendly. If Mr. Chen hadn't told him not to disturb him before, he might have stopped Qiu Cheng now and invited him to his home warmly. Sit down...

Qiu Chengye responded in a kind manner. Villagers and farmers in the countryside, even if they are cunning, are limited, and because of their own field of vision, the smaller the place, the easier it is for them to have small belly chicken intestines, because they can only see such a small area.

The Qiu family is a guest, so the home itself is relatively remote. Qiu Cheng passed through the doors of thirty or forty houses all the way, and said hello to thirty or forty people, and then dealt with thirty or forty invitations before finally arriving. In front of your own house.

There are a dozen mulberry trees in front of and behind the house, and these dozen mulberry trees are the family's only source of additional income. But now in the coldest month of winter, the leaves of these mulberry trees have almost fallen off, leaving only bare branches.

Because he was a guest, he had no land, and no land meant no income. Only these mulberry trees supported the entire family, and they were also his mother's heart and soul. Whenever the mulberry leaves began to grow in the spring, his mother began to raise them. Silkworms, every time when silkworms grow like crazy, they have to get up two or three times a night to add mulberry leaves to them. He and his brother often fall asleep to the sound of silkworms rustling as they eat mulberry leaves...

Then we have to boil silkworm cocoons and draw silk...

Every item is not easy.

If the cocoon is overcooked, it will become old.

If the silk is pulled too fast, it will break.

It's not that the people in Chen's village didn't want to learn, but they couldn't learn it. Even if Mother Qiu taught her step by step, they still couldn't learn it. Then they blamed it on their own clumsiness and their inability to learn...

What these people don't know is that the people in Chen's village learn to raise silkworms just to make more money. More is better, but it doesn't matter if they can't learn it. They still have land anyway, but Qiu's mother raises silkworms. When you are fighting for your life, if you make a mistake, the whole family will have no income and no living expenses!

How could it be the same?

Under the bare mulberry tree, standing tremblingly, is the old mother with gray hair...

Qiu Cheng took a few steps forward, threw himself in front of his mother's knees, and kowtowed to the ground: "Mother, you unfilial child...the child is back..."