Chapter 13 Tree Hole

Xue Chongxun could probably guess how a mess on the canal could cause trouble in Beijing. He was too lazy to inquire about the specific situation and just do his own thing.

According to the current speed of news transmission, when the news of Dongdu spread to Beijing, it is estimated that the reform of the canal transportation will also be on track.

When Xue Chongxun thought of the embarrassment on his face when he received the news, he felt very happy.

After staying in the headquarters for half a month, Xue Chongxun had arranged for Liu An and other officials to be responsible for the construction of warehouses, recruiting soldiers, and servants.

All he had to do was to formulate laws and appoint temporary officials and generals. This kind of thing needed to be done by himself, because those officials who were promoted by himself would have a factional imprint in the future, which would be very helpful for expanding their power and influence.

He carried a brush, wrote and revised it, and carefully formulated the canal transportation laws word by word.I've been doing this all day.

As the night approached, Liu An came again, chatted for a while and then said goodbye.

Xue Chongxun sent Liu An back to the study room. Seeing that the servant who was serving the pen and ink was pouring water into the inkstone to re-ground the ink, he shouted: No need to prepare ink anymore. Let's go here today and clean up the study room and rest.

After hearing this, the little girl lowered her head and responded, then took the inkstone to clean it.

Xue Chongxun walked to the table and sorted the paper on it. When the girl came in, she said: These papers are useless and need to be burned.

Yes, my husband, I will burn these papers first and then clean up the table later.The servant said.

Xue Chongxun sat on the chair, stretched his waist and breathed a sigh of relief. He felt very tired, but because he had done a lot of serious things, he felt fulfilled.

He was in a relaxed mood, and then he noticed the little girl who had been listening to her orders all day long. She was about the same age as Pei Niang...

She really reminded Xue Chongxun of Pei Niang, who looked very docile as thin and weak.

What's its name?Xue Chongxun asked casually.

She was burning paper, but when she heard Xue Chongxun’s questioning, she stood up and bowed her knees seriously and said: "Reply to your husband, Nu'er's surname is Jiang and her name is Cai Niang."

Haha, the average one is quite festive, not bad.

Xue Chongxun smiled.

Seeing that she was still standing there with her hands down, he said again, "Just answer while doing things. There are no outsiders here, so it's okay to be casual."

At this time, Cai Niang said something unexpected to Xue Chongxun: You can speak as you please, but I can’t.

Xue Chongxun was immediately attracted by this sentence, and couldn't help but turn his head to look at her more, pondered for a moment, and said thoughtfully: This sentence is interesting... But after thinking about it this way, even if I treat you, I can't be casual. I have to pay attention to my identity and say what should be. Only by saying what should be appropriate, right?

Cai Niang smiled and said: Usually, when the Langs talk to the servants, they won’t say what Langshu says now.

Xue Chongxun laughed and nodded and admitted: After saying this, I found that I might be considered a person with a temperament?

He pondered endlessly, thinking that he had to speak with his brain when he talked to bureaucrats like Liu An; can he say it casually even to someone close to Yuwen Ji and his own woman?

You can't say something that others don't like to listen to.

Perhaps Cai Niang should be young. Even though she was serving people with status in the headquarters and had more knowledge than ordinary girls, she still couldn't understand what the temperament of Xue Chongxun was talking about. She didn't know how to answer, so she had to keep silent.

It is best not to say anything when you don’t know how to say it. Saying the wrong thing is much more awkward than being in a cold situation.

Xue Chongxun was used to this situation. Sometimes he would say some inexplicable words to the servants around him because they couldn't understand... they naturally didn't know how to answer.

He sighed and said: I'll tell you a story.

As a high-ranking official, Cai Niang felt very proud of her story when telling a person of her identity and said happily: I'm listening.

Xue Chongxun said with a little depressed face: There was someone who wanted to tell the truth in the past, but he couldn't. What would you do if you guess he would do?

Cai Niang shook her head innocently, completely unaware of what Xue Chongxun’s story was.

Xue Chongxun ignored her and said: He would find a tree hole, then put it in the tree hole, and then block the tree hole so that his secret would not be known.

Cai Niang said seriously: Then why didn’t he find someone who could trust?

Xue Chongxun didn't say anything, took a look at the burned paper, picked up the draft on the table and walked out of the study.At this moment, it suddenly started raining in the sky, and he walked out along the eaves.

After a while, Sanniang came towards her, holding two umbrellas in her hand and said: When it was raining, she asked someone to take the umbrellas over.

Xue Chongxun nodded and handed the paper in his hand to Sanniang: Please help me put it, you will use it tomorrow.

When he returned to the inner house, Xue Chongxun had dinner. The rain had not stopped yet. He suddenly wanted to walk in the rain. It happened that there was no visitor who had booked at night, so he took an umbrella and took a few guards out.

Luoyang's prosperity is comparable to Chang'an. It has a dense population and a prosperous business. It is one of the most important material distribution points for East-West trade and is one of the best metropolis in the Tang Dynasty.

Xue Chongxun walked around casually for a while, suddenly he saw a stall selling arts on the street. Many people were watching with umbrellas. A strong man was dancing a big sword there, looking very wonderful.

Xue Chongxun himself practices martial arts, so he is more interested in this kind of play, but he doesn't pay attention to those who are teasing cats and monkeys next to him.

Take a look.He said something and walked over to watch.

The strong man had a wide face, round arms, thick waist, and was wearing a sleeveless jacket. He deliberately exposed the dark muscles on his arms. After dancing for a while, he clasped his fists and said, "Dear fellow villagers, I'm ugly."People are in distress, and my wife needs money to see a doctor, so she has no choice but to ask you for some rewards. We are here to thank you all the good people.

When Xue Chongxun heard what he said, he noticed that a woman wearing a hat was holding a hat with both hands, asking for money by the crowd, and she looked fair, but there was an ugly birthmark on her face, and her fingers curled up strangely, so she couldn't hold the hat, so she was holding it with her arms.

The strong man just said that his wife was sick. Could it be that he had paralysis in his fingers?

She begged next to her. When she walked to Xue Chongxun, when Xue Chongxun saw that there were only some copper coins inside, she reached into her belt. As soon as she touched a small piece of silver, she suddenly remembered something, so she grabbed an ingot of gold and took it out.

The woman was stunned when she saw Xue Chongxun holding a large piece of gold in her hand.

When people usually use money, they usually use copper coins. They rarely see gold and silver. Gold and silver are almost used as savings, but when Xue Chongxun was holding the thing in his hand, the people around him were also very surprised.

Which family’s prodigal son is this? Is the money spent like this?

Xue Chongxun smiled and said: Call your good man over, I want to say a few words to him.

The woman didn't say anything, so she walked over and whispered to the strong man. The strong man turned his head and looked at Xue Chongxun. He should have seen the gold in his hand, but the strong man's eyes did not look at Xue Chongxun's hand at all.

The strong man came over and clasped his fists and said: What are the nobles asking for advice?

Xue Chongxun looked around and said: Let’s talk.

The thing in Xue Chongxun's hand is probably not enough for the strong man to sell miscellaneous arts for his whole life, but the strong man did not show any enthusiasm. Even if there are mountains of gold and silver, who is so stupid to throw gold and play with it?

There must be something strange.

The strong man then asked his wife to look at the stall and called Xue Chongxun to the entrance of an alley next to him. There were few people in the alley. Then the strong man said: What's the matter?

I just saw your hand gesture and stayed in the army?

The strong man immediately looked at the ornament on Xue Chongxun's waist with vigilance and said: I have been on the air and have been a big and small head... I have to go on the air and I can't pass it. Now I have more households to escape. Why are there any problems?

Xue Chongxun smiled and said: Don’t be nervous. Even if I am an official, I don’t have to go to the street to argue with you in person, right?

He said while looking at the sky, it was almost dark, and you couple earned so much money all day, and life was not easy.

The strong man relaxed after hearing what he said and said: Since it’s not that he is not sorry for me, we don’t know each other. Just say something, what do you want me to do?What price is it given?

Xue Chongxun picked up the gold in his hand: This is the settlement fee I paid for you from my own pocket. The government will pay military salaries for the future remuneration. Will the military recruitment be willing to do it?

Soldier recruitment is not as good as military service. The government will distribute horses, weapons, food and grass, and may also have military pay and other benefits. In short, it is not a matter of free military service, and it can generally support the family.

For families like the one in Chang'an and Luoyang City, if you want to get such an errand, you need some connections.

It is obvious that Xue Chongxun is looking for him.

The strong man couldn't help but be happy and looked at Xue Chongxun. What do you think can be finalized?

When Xue Chongxun heard this, he thought to himself that he was not as smooth as those in the officialdom.

He didn't care, and just said: It's okay, it's my word, but those tricks you use are pretty and useless. I just don't know if you have the ability to get the money.

The strong man immediately patted his chest and said: I can use it if you can see it!A layman watches the excitement, while an expert looks at the tricks. Since he is an expert, I will give you a few tricks now.

Xue Chongxun said: I will play with you, you can take away the gold you can win. Is it willing to join the army and recruit generals and schools?

really?The strong man said in surprise, "We meet by chance, so it's easy to have such an easy thing...

Keep your word.

Xue Chongxun pulled him to the art stall, handed the gold in his hand to the woman with a birthmark on her face, and said loudly: Dear fellows, I will show you a testimony with this hero, and bet on this piece of gold. If he wins, the gold will belong to him.

There was a sudden noise around, and people were so happy to see it.At this moment, the woman suddenly asked in a low voice: What should I do if he loses?

What can I do?Xue Chongxun smiled and said, Haha, my sister-in-law is not as familiar as your husband, so he didn't ask, "Did you remind me that I'm asking for losses?"

Sanniang reminded: Click until you reach the end and use a wooden stick.

Xue Chongxun smiled and said: OK, listen to her, you don’t have to play hard, let’s just click.

The strong man brought two wooden sticks with arms lengths, and then he moved his muscles and bones freely. His thick limbs were strong, his muscles were gushing, and he was half a head taller than Xue Chongxun.

Seeing this, the onlookers were very optimistic about the strong man and cheered loudly.