As soon as June passed, the court's focus was on the Empress Dowager's 60th birthday.
All departments are busy, the Ministry of Officials is arranging manpower, the Ministry of Rites is busy organizing banquets, and the Ministry of Industry is busy building new palaces... At this time, Xu Zhi, with his men, sucked up a lot of mud and sand in the Weiyang River, rain or shine, I personally arranged the tasks one by one, and because of my good looks, it became a beautiful landscape in the ruins.
Many people expressed their admiration for his pragmatic spirit. You must know that the officials in charge of this kind of thing just sit in the capital and give orders. Yes, at least no one is lazy, everyone is working diligently, and the new policy put forward by the guards is very convincing, highly feasible, low cost, and efficient. It can be seen that the emperor has chosen the right person this time.
In fact, the "new policy" for controlling the floods of the Weiyang River was only proposed by Xu Zhi after studying ancient books and combining it with the modern urban drainage system. Qingming Lake has a lot to do with it. At this time, people devoted themselves to improving the land, but neglected drainage, and even regarded breaking the water as a "loss of water control". The discharge of Qingming Lake and the unimpeded access to sea water can only bring the flood of Weiyang River under control.
Of course, these are general directions. Xu Zhi is not a professional water control talent, and the specific matters have to be handled by the people below. He has been staying here these days. In addition to playing a supervisory role, he also has to take care Settle the people along the coast.
When everything was on track, Xu Zhi returned to the capital. His whole body was darkened, and the lines of his face were highlighted, which made Wei's mother feel distressed. But when he looked in the mirror, he felt better. Compared with before, now It seems more masculine.
At the end of August is the Empress Dowager's big birthday. All the people congratulate it. It is grand and festive. The Empress Dowager even praised Wanshou Building a few times, which made Zhou Minle's mouth shut. Seeing his appearance, Wei Rong felt a little aggrieved: What? Have you never seen them boast about their household department? Obviously, the money was flowing out in a rush, and it hurts to see it!
Liu Yu also attended this birthday banquet, but he didn't sit with Xu Zhi, but on the side of the royal family. It seemed that he was very favored by the queen mother. The grandparents and grandchildren were talking and laughing. He glanced at it and took it back. Sight, enjoy the singing and dancing in the center, and take a sip of wine from time to time.
This kind of celebration banquet was not very attractive to him. By the end of the day, it was almost evening and Liu Yu was staying in the palace. As soon as he left the palace gate, he was stopped by someone.
A boy dressed as a servant said to him: "Master Wei, my General Yang has an invitation, please move."
Yang Tianmu
Xu Zhi thought about it for a while, and finally nodded slightly, and was led by the young man to meet his general.
The boy took him to a tavern not far away, and Yang Tianmu was already waiting for him in the private room.
"General Yang." Xu Zhi saluted.
"There is no need to be polite to the guards. Yang invited the guards here today. We really have something important to discuss. Let's sit down." Yang Tianmu replied, although his expression was very serious, it would not make people uncomfortable, but he felt that he was valued.
Xu Zhi sat down opposite him, and didn't want to go around in circles, and said, "It's so late, what's important for the general?"
But he also knew in his heart that apart from Liu Yu, this General Yang called him, and there would be nothing else.
Sure enough, Yang Tianmu hesitated for a moment and said, "I don't know what the guards think about the eldest princess?"
Xu Zhi smiled, "Does the general want to hear the truth or lies?"
Yang Tianmu frowned, then relaxed it quickly, and said, "Say what you want to say."
"No matter what I say, I'm afraid it's not what General Yang wants to hear. The world is unpredictable. I didn't expect Wei Zhaoze to suffer such a 'great luck'. Now the matter is a foregone conclusion. If you have anything to say, the general may as well just say it."
Yang Tianmu's eyes became sharper, and the forceful aura he had experienced on the battlefield erupted in vain. In his heart, the person in front of him had won his Xiao Yu with just a single face, and now he still had such an attitude, as if marrying Xiao Yu would still be a big deal. He is very unhappy, so the person he has been silently protecting has been wronged by marrying him
Faced with Yang Tianmu's imposing oppression, Xu Zhi didn't seem to feel it at all. He took a sip of tea leisurely, with an elegant and casual posture, waiting for the person opposite to speak.
Not in a hurry, elegant and personable.
Yang Tianmu had to admit that this person was indeed outstanding in appearance. If it wasn't for Xiaoyu's matter, he might have developed a good impression when meeting him for the first time. After drinking a sip of tea and suppressing the restlessness in his heart, Yang Tianmu finally said: "The princess has a special status. , it is impossible to stay in your house forever, we need your cooperation."
After saying this, Yang Tianmu stopped and stared at Xu Zhi, not letting go of the expression on his face, waiting for his statement.
"I understand what the general said."
The answer did not disappoint him, this is a man who knows the times. Yang Tianmu calmed down a little, and said again: "Do you know what this means?"
It means that you have stood on the opposite side of the Queen's family since then, and you have been completely involved in the royal family disputes, and you can no longer withdraw.
Xu Zhi raised his eyebrows and said, "Of course, I'm on the princess's side."
Before Yang Tianmu had time to express his emotions, he heard the person on the other side add another sentence: "I understand the principle of a husband and wife a hundred days of kindness."
A blue vein bulged on Yang Tianmu's forehead.
In fact, Xu Zhi knew that what Yang Tianmu asked him to say today was nothing more than the need for his cooperation so that Liu Yu could get rid of the princess status smoothly. It was the same in the original plot, but the time was later. A boat, he just said he was standing here, but he had no intention of tying his entire fortune to it.
Then the two talked in secret for about half an hour before Xu Zhi left.
Looking at his back, Yang Tianmu couldn't help but think, if this person wasn't Xiaoyu's "husband-in-law" in name now, it would be worth making friends with him.
Xiaoyu's moody appearance as if he had changed as a different person recently flashed in his mind. Yang Tianmu took a sip of his tea, and the bitterness gradually spread in his mouth.
--
As soon as the three-month time limit came, Xu Zhi had basically resolved the flooding issue along the Weiyang River, and even the Qingming River had been well-renovated. The emperor was very satisfied with this, and he greatly praised it in the court. In a good mood, Xu Zhi made a request to let him out, and the ministers were all very surprised by his request.
Where is the capital? It is at the foot of the emperor, the political center of the country, and the dream place of all officials! But this guard is good outside, and he proposed to be transferred outside, even if your rank is promoted, in the eyes of everyone, you are not as good as a seventh-rank official in the capital.
The emperor finally swiped his pen, yes! Xu Zhi was sent to Jingzhou as the magistrate.
Now everyone was stunned, Jingzhou? That's a great place to be rich! Or is it the magistrate of the fourth rank? ! At that moment, the sarcasm in his heart was wiped away, and he felt that Wei Zhaoze was lucky.
Xu Zhi didn't care what the ministers thought, he decided to release it after careful consideration, but he didn't expect the emperor to be so generous and directly gave him the treasure land of Jingzhou.
However, anyway, it's not just once or twice to be in the limelight, and it doesn't matter if it's one more time, no matter how enthusiastic the eyes of the people around him are, he doesn't feel pain or itching.
What's more, Xu Zhi was also very happy to be promoted two ranks in a row.
Originally, according to his idea, the emperor would probably send him to any wilderness at random, just for him to experience, because he knew very well that he would have little chance to intervene in real major events if he stayed in the central organization. The Weiyang River flood incident this time was more of an accident on the emperor's whim. Besides, he is essentially an outsider in this world, and he is accustomed to looking at problems from a modern perspective. He will have more opportunities to take a good look at the customs and customs of this world, and truly have the awareness and ability to be an official and serve the people.
Apart from this main reason, the plot is also in his consideration. In the past few years, there have been a lot of open and secret battles in the capital. Now that he is a small official, he can play too little role. In addition, there is a troublesome eldest princess living in the house. Maybe my family will be involved.
In the plot, Wei Zhaoze changed himself at this time, he had both ways, and finally hooked up with the queen to get through the storm, but for Xu Zhi, he didn't want to betray his appearance, so he simply avoided it.
Xu Zhi can be regarded as beheading first and playing later. When Wei's parents and Liu Yu got the news, the appointment from above had already come down. Although Wei's mother was very reluctant to part with her son, she could only cheer up and pack up for her son, but Wei's father understood his son's situation very well. He decided, he always knew that his son was a person with great ambitions, and living in this complicated capital city couldn't be more comfortable than being outside.
Father Wei took his son into the study, and gave him earnest instructions.
"You are going to Jingzhou to take office this time. Although you are the governor of a state, you are new here. There are mixed fish and dragons in Jingzhou. You have to pay attention at all times. Don't be caught by others. First, stay in peace and stability for a year or two. I don't want to make any achievements, I just want to make no mistakes... "
Father Wei also came from the imperial examination when he was young, and worked as a local official for several years. Because of his youthful arrogance, he had conflicts with others. He voluntarily resigned from the office, but as he got older, he often regretted that he should not have been greedy for a moment and acted impulsively. That's why he said these words, hoping that his son could become a conservative official in a down-to-earth manner.
What Father Wei said made sense, and Xu Zhi also understood his painstaking efforts and nodded in agreement, but he had his own thoughts in his heart.
What is a prefect? He is the governor of a state, a senior official of the fourth rank, equivalent to a modern mayor, and an independent mayor with a high concentration of power. In his territory, unless the other party is really powerful, no one can surpass him.
What's more, the most indispensable thing in the officialdom is the officials who flatter the "mediocre way". Such people often spend their whole lives in the end, and they have no access to the central authority. But what the emperor needs most is drive, ideas, and loyalty able minister.
Neither Wei Zhaoze nor Xu Zhi are destined to be mediocre.