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On this day, Qiu Yizhi got up very early. According to Zheng Rong's instructions, he went to the palace to say goodbye and receive training. He also received the famous invitation letter and the travel expenses that Zheng Rong had prepared, and then took Zhao Chengxiao out of the city as promised. Meet Zhou Cijing.
As soon as the two of them left the inner city, they saw from a distance that Zhou's high official was waiting in front of his extremely gorgeous and magnificent tall building with only seven or eight followers. Before Qiu Yizhi went out, she was worried that Zhou Cijing would be extravagant and lead a large team to the capital, attracting attention. Now she saw that he was driving lightly and being cautious, so she felt very happy, so she went to meet him and said : "As expected, Mr. Zhou Daguan has made a huge promise. It's already Chen Pai time. Let's set off soon!"
Zhou Cijing bowed and said, "It all depends on His Highness's orders."
But Qiu Yizhi said with a smile: "If Zhou Daguan is so polite all the way, then I and I will die from exhaustion with our luggage in return? That's good. I'm a nephew of a high official in my infancy, so I will call him a high official." "Uncle", what do you think?"
Zhou Cijing said "I dare not" and said: "What is your highness's status? By calling Xiao Ke like this, wouldn't it be an unreasonable loss of Zhou's fodder?"
"Haha, didn't Zhou Daguan just say that he should act as a leader? I think this is very good. If my adoptive father knows that I cheated in front of the high official, he doesn't know how to punish me when he comes back!" Qiu Yizhi said with a smile. .
Zhou Cijing couldn't resist him anymore, so he said, "That's overstepping my bounds" before agreeing.
Qiu Yizhi looked at this group of people again. Apart from Zhou Cijing himself, there were seven people in the group. Three of them were drivers driving three carriages, and the other four were riding horses. They were all dressed in smart attire and looked very capable. Looking at the horses again, they are not good horses. They are only slightly better than the farm horses. In order to fight against the Turks in the north, the Han Dynasty implemented strict horse policies. The horses were all managed by the imperial court. Even dead horses were Special personnel were assigned to register and register the people one by one, so even a wealthy person like Zhou Cijing would find it very difficult to collect seven or eight horses at once.
However, this week the official did not ride a horse. He got into one of the carriages and said "let's go" to the old man driving the carriage, and the wheels began to roll slowly.
This Youyan Dao Realm is a peaceful world, and there are no stray items on the roads around Guangyang City. The group of people walked very gently and smoothly. But the sun rose into the sky early, evaporating every trace of moisture on the ground. The horses' hooves stepped on the soil of the official road, and a wisp of white smoke rose up with every step. The air felt more like solidification. There was no wind around, making people feel suffocated.
Qiu Yizhi's face was flushed by the sun, and he kept using a towel to wipe the sweat from his pores. However, he saw a head sticking out of the small window of the carriage shed in front of him. When he took a closer look, it was Zhou Cijing. I saw him smiling and waving, and said softly: "Your Highness, if it's too hot, you can sit in Xiaoke's car for a while."
Qiu Yizhi was so hot that he had nowhere to hide. Hearing Zhou Cijing's sentiments, he said happily: "My nephew is here to disturb my uncle." It has been six years since Yizhi came to Youyan Road. During these six years, there has not been a day without riding a horse, so He is very skilled in horsemanship. I saw that he did not slow down the horse at all. He crossed his left leg from the saddle bridge, sat across the saddle, stuck his buttocks out, jumped onto the carriage steadily, and got into the shed. The sweaty horse was also very humane. There was no owner on its back, so it followed the car leisurely.
Driving into the carport, Qiu Yizhi couldn't help but shudder. The inside of the car was extremely cool, and it was like a completely different world from the outside. It turns out that the carport is made of two layers of bamboo mats to insulate the heat from the outside. There are also large basins of ice bricks placed in the four corners of the shed, letting in the cold air.
Qiu Yizhi rubbed a towel in the half-melted ice water and wiped away the smelly sweat accumulated on his face and arms. He suddenly felt comfortable and said with a smile: "Uncle, under the hot summer day, how can I sit quietly in this cool car?" "It's really a pleasure. If my nephew is not good at literature, it would be a worthwhile trip to recite a few poems with his uncle."
Zhou Cijing felt uncomfortable being called "uncle" by Qiu Yi. It took him half a day to summon up the courage, handed over a piece of iced watermelon, and said, "My dear nephew, just rest in my car for a while."
Qiu Yizhi took the watermelon, picked up the area without seeds, bit into a large piece, and swallowed it in one gulp without even chewing. Suddenly, he was so cold that stars appeared in his eyes and his head hurt. After a while, the pain subsided, and the heat all over his body also dissipated completely. But after all, Qiu Yizhi was born in poverty, and he was in the military camp. He was influenced by his adoptive father Zheng Rong's demeanor of loving his soldiers like his own son. He felt that it was inappropriate for him to enjoy himself in a carriage while the rest of his entourage was driving under the scorching sun. . So he begged for two more slices of watermelon, said "I'm sorry," and got out of the carport again.
As soon as he stepped out of the carport, a wave of heat hit him, making Qiu Yizhi dizzy. He felt that his whole body was being pressed into a pot that was airtight and boiling. Only the cool air that sneaked out from the gap in the carport door curtain made him dizzy. It feels half comfortable.
So Qiu Yizhi stopped riding and gave a piece of watermelon to Zhao Chengxiao, who was riding side by side on the horse, and the other piece to the old man driving the carriage.
The old man took the watermelon, took a bite and swallowed it. In an instant, even the wrinkles on his forehead and corners of his mouth relaxed: "Being able to eat such iced watermelon in these dog days is really a blessing that I have cultivated for several lifetimes. Little Thank you, Your Highness!"
After hearing this, Qiu Yizhi looked surprised and asked in a low voice: "You actually know my identity?"
The old man laughed "haha" and said: "Your Highness walks the streets with that Fanbang princess every day. That one is called having fun with the people. Who in Guangyang City doesn't recognize it as long as he is not blind?"
After hearing this, Yi Zhi smiled and said: "What the old man said makes sense. It's just that this junior has important things to do with you Zhou Daguan. I hope the old man won't reveal his identity. The word 'Your Highness' should not be used again, just treat it as such." I am the nephew of a high official in Zhou Dynasty. Just call me 'Young Master'."
The old man looked at Qiu Yizhi kindly and said: "I know. Our boss told the old man and the others before we went out that we should have a guard on our mouths when we go out. If anyone talks too much, Without waiting to return to Guangyang, I was kicked out of the Zhou Mansion on the way! To be honest with His Highness... Oh no... To be honest with you, the young man has served the Zhou family for several generations, and the others are not distant relatives of his employer. Relatives are the neighbors who helped our boss when we were poor. The boss gave us a few wages per month, which was more than the annual salary of the state and county officials. We all relied on this money to support our families. Who would dare to talk too much? ?”
After Qiu Yizhi heard this, he nodded and praised: "This week's officials are very clear about rewards and punishments, and they are well versed in the ways of governing people!"
Unexpectedly, Zhou Cijing heard it clearly in the carport, coughed lightly and said: "Thank you for your praise, my good nephew..." These words were both modest and honorific, and they were said in a nondescript manner. After hearing this, Qiu Yizhi and the old man looked at each other. They all smiled.
Yi Zhi ignored Zhou Cijing and asked the old man, "I wonder what I should call you?"
The old man obviously came from the market and did not understand the boring rhetoric of mutual humility in the officialdom: "My mother was pregnant and went to plant rice that day. She accidentally fell and gave birth to me on a hill. In the countryside. I don't know how to read, so I casually picked up the name He Kan. I don't think this name sounds good. How can I carry Kan'er with me every day? Fortunately, our old He family has many brothers of the same generation, and I am the ninth oldest. , at first everyone called me He Jiu brother, then He Jiu brother, and then He Jiu uncle, and now they all call me He Jiu Gong. I think this name is good, and it also makes me look like the Ding Xingwang of my old He family is not..."
Halfway through the words, Zhou Cijing got out of the carport from behind and yelled: "I'm talking about He Jiu, why are you pretending to be a senior here? What is your identity? Can I call you 'Jiu Gong'?" He smiled at Qiu again. Yizhi said, "My dear nephew, don't be angry. Although He Jiu is not big or small, he is a good driver and escort. After so many years, the goods he has escorted have never been missed."
Qiu Yizhi said nonchalantly: "It's okay. My nephew thinks the word 'He Jiugong' is quite good, and it's easy to pronounce it. Uncle, it's better to go back and rest. My nephew is about to ask this old man for advice." Woolen cloth!"
After hearing what Qiu Yizhi said, Zhou Cijing couldn't say any more. She glanced at He Jiugong and then retreated into the shed bitterly.
Qiu Yizhi had a conversation with He Jiugong, and then he knew the details of He Jiugong. It turns out that he is sixty-six years old this year. He has served Zhou Cijing's grandfather and father since he was a child, and he has remained loyal even when the Zhou family's fortunes have declined. After Zhou Cijing gave up his pen and went into business, He Jiugong was his first clerk. He followed his boss all over the world. It can be said that the Zhou family has the wealth it has today. He Jiugong should be remembered as the first servant. Although Zhou Cijing had spoken harshly just now, in private he treated He Jiugong very well and never looked down upon him. Zhou Cijing had originally arranged for him to retire in Guangyang City and be responsible for instructing the new recruits. However, considering the importance of this trip, he was specifically asked to come out and help.
While walking and talking like this, Qiu Yizhi swayed in the car for a long time. Guangyang City behind him was already covered by the mountains, and it was already lunch time. Restaurants and tea shops are not uncommon on both sides of Youyan Official Road, but the group did not stop and walked a few more miles before stopping at the door of a rather large wine shop. When the waiter who was greeting customers at the door of the hotel saw this group of people coming, he didn't go forward to greet them. Instead, he hurried back to the store.
When Qiu Yizhi saw it, he said in confusion: "Speaking of Jiu Gong, is the waiter in this store dizzy from the heat? He thought we were bandits or bandits. Instead of coming out to greet us, he went back to the store to report the news."
He Jiugong replied: "Master, you don't know something now. This store is the property of our boss. This waiter is quite smart. I'm afraid he is short-sighted. He saw our flag from a distance. He should have gone to the store long ago. Please The shopkeeper came out to greet me personally.”
As He Jiugong said, not long after the waiter entered the store, more than a dozen people filed out of the store, one by one in an extremely neat line. The person at the beginning was the shopkeeper based on his clothes. He walked carefully to He Jiugong and asked softly: "May I ask Jiugong, is my boss sitting in this car?"
Jiu Gong didn't answer. He just sat on the carriage and nodded, which was regarded as acquiescence.
The shopkeeper hurriedly walked to the carport, raised his voice slightly, and said, "Young Hu Yulin, I didn't know that my boss was coming, so I didn't welcome him from afar. It's really a sin."
After hearing this, Zhou Cijing got out of the car and said to Hu Yulin: "Okay, okay. I'm just here to have a meal, why do you have to go to such trouble? I see there are cars parked at the door, and they are all tied up. Ma, do you know if there is any space in the store?"
"Yes, yes, there is still a classy private room available." Shopkeeper Hu nodded and bowed, "As for these elder brothers, there are still some vacancies downstairs..."
Zhou Cijing nodded expressionlessly, then turned to Qiu Yizhi and others and said, "The wise nephew, this brother Zhao, and He Jiu will come upstairs with me to dine. You will eat downstairs, remember not to drink. Don’t forget to feed the horse!”
Since they had to go on the road in the afternoon, everyone simply ordered a few dishes to fill their stomachs.
After everyone finished eating, Zhou Cijing walked around the store again and told the shopkeeper Hu: "Your store is quite good, and it is very clean inside and outside. It's just that the stable is too close to the guest room, and there are not enough rooms in the bathroom on a hot day." Is it smelly? You need to hold on to the monastery wall for the next few days to block it, and then push it down in spring and move a row of jujube trees over. Is that clear?" Zhou Cijing saw Hu Yulin couldn't help but nod, and said, " That's it, I will stay at your hotel when I come to Guangyang!" Then he ordered everyone to ride and drive on the road.
This group of people ate and stayed at restaurants and inns owned by Zhou Cijing. Everywhere he went, he carefully inspected and judged. Some shopkeepers who were praised were naturally complacent, while those who were criticized were as silent as if their parents had died.
When Qiu Yi saw how strict Zhou Cijing was in managing his subordinates, she realized that there was no reason why he was so wealthy. (To be continued)