"Crossing this mountain is Tanyang County." Old Tao shrugged his shoulders, lowered his head and peeled the oranges, and said casually.
Tao Mo couldn't help lifting the curtain.
The cold wind in winter immediately blew in, and the outside was covered in silver, so nothing could be seen. Hao Guozi, who was driving the car, turned around and said, "What's your order, young master?"
"It's nothing." Tao Mo shivered from the cold, and quickly put down the curtain.
Old Tao handed him the peeled orange.
The oranges have been stored for a long time, and they are a bit dry, but they are sweet in the mouth. Tao Mo ate a few before stuffing the rest into Lao Tao's hands.
Lao Tao was also polite, and ate it all in one bite.
Tao Mo subconsciously touched the incense towel in his bosom to wipe his mouth, but as soon as he put his hand into his bosom, he remembered that he had thrown that incense towel into the stove and burned it, and he couldn't help but feel a little regretful. After visiting Qunxianglou for so many years, I only had this incense towel as a souvenir, but I didn't expect that there was nothing left in the end.
"Master, is it cold?" Old Tao moved the heater forward.
"It's not cold." Tao Mo was depressed, and after sitting for a while, he couldn't hold back and asked, "I heard that there are many wealthy households in Tanyang County, so I'm afraid it's not easy to get along with them."
Old Tao said: "People are kind and are bullied. If Young Master is afraid of them, they will naturally bully them."
"Why would I be afraid of them?" Tao Mo raised his voice slightly, "I must be a good official!"
Old Tao's drowsy eyelids finally burst into light, "Young master will definitely do it."
Tao Mo seemed to have seen himself transformed into "Tao Qingtian" being greeted by the common people, and suddenly felt that his future was bright.
The carriage shook suddenly.
The back of Tao Mo's head slammed into the car wall, and his body fell into the corner of the car on his back.
Because Lao Tao was sitting opposite him, the situation was a little better. At the critical moment, he supported the wall of the car with both hands, not as embarrassed as he was.
Hao Guozi raised the curtain, poked his head in, and said with a mournful face, "The wheel is broken."
The wind was blowing hard.
Tao Mo shrank his neck hard, trying to tuck his head into his collar.
"Fortunately, it's not far from Tanyang County, so let's just walk." Lao Tao said to Hao Guozi, "Untie the horse and pack the luggage. Let's send someone to pick up the cart after the young master enters the county government."
Tao Mo had no choice but to get out of the car.
Hao Guozi said: "I don't know if the previous county master has left. If he hasn't left, we may have no place to live."
Old Tao said: "I have inquired about it. The previous county master died of illness, and his family took him back to his hometown long ago."
Hao Guozi muttered: "It's even worse this time, there's not even a reminder."
Old Tao said: "What's the rush? The magistrate is not here, but the magistrate, master book and canon history are always there. Maybe there is also the master, these people are much more sophisticated than the magistrate."
Hao Guozi stopped talking, and neatly unloaded the luggage and tied it to the horse.
Tao Mo stood by the road, his body trembling non-stop.
Lao Tao took out the stove and asked him to carry it, "It's kind of warm."
Tao Mo reluctantly stretched out two fingers from his sleeve and pinched it.
A group of three people and a horse set out on the road again.
The ice and snow are melting slightly, and the feet are the most slippery.
Hao Guozi fell three times in a row before finally figuring out the way.
Tao Mo was about to fall, but he was always supported by Lao Tao. Despite his age, he is the one with the most steady pace among the three.
So dawdling, but also in time to enter the city before closing.
After walking in the uninhabited forest for a long time, they suddenly encountered noisy voices, and all three of them had the illusion that it was like a dream.
Hao Guozi wiped the corners of his eyes and said, "This will be my home from now on."
Old Tao said: "It may not be for a lifetime."
Hao Guozi widened his eyes and said, "You said the young master will be dismissed?"
"Bah." Lao Tao spit on the ground hastily, stretched out his hand to pat his head, and said displeasedly, "Can't it be a promotion?"
Hao Guozi smiled dryly and led the horse forward.
Tao Mo and Lao Tao followed him far away.
Perhaps because of his popularity, Tao Mo felt that his drowsy head was finally cleared up.
Hao Guozi walked along the East Street to find the gate of the county government office, and knocked on the door to deliver the post.
When Tao Mo arrived, the people inside had already come out to welcome him.
"The official document said that the master will arrive after the first month, but I didn't expect to arrive a few years ago. It's really disappointing." Seeing Tao Mo looking at him curiously, the man introduced himself, "I am the criminal name of Zhang Jingyuan, the magistrate of the original county. Master, my surname is Jin, the master calls me Master Jin."
Tao Mo called honestly, "Master Jin."
Master Jin's gaze was like a torch, he swung around among the three of them, and landed on Lao Tao.
Old Tao said: "The villain is here to guard the gate with the master."
He spoke modestly, but Master Jin could see that among the three people, this was the most difficult one, so he laughed and said: "My master has traveled a long way, so we should talk about it after entering the house. Please."
Seeing that he spoke politely but did not take Tao Mo seriously at all, Lao Tao couldn't help frowning secretly.
After entering the second hall, Master Jin stopped suddenly and led Tao Mo to the upper seat, and he himself sat next to him.
Tao Mo looked at Lao Tao suspiciously.
Old Tao said: "The young master is tired after walking for a day. Why didn't the master lead you to the inner hall?"
Master Jin jumped up in shock, patted his forehead repeatedly and said: "I'm really confused. But when the previous Mr. Zhang was dying, he was always worried about his failure to complete the handover of official seals with the new county master, so if the master can Encourage your support, and please show your appointment documents, so that I can hand over the official seal to your lord, and relieve myself of the heavy responsibility."
He carried a gun with a stick, clearly not giving anyone any room.
Tao Mo had no choice but to take out the letter of appointment and gave it to him, followed up in the study room, and took over the official seal. At this moment, he was a little bit exhausted, his body was chilling, and his teeth were chattering. He was afraid that Lao Tao and Hao Guozi would be worried, so he stepped aside and endured secretly.
Seeing that Master Jin turned to leave, Lao Tao hurriedly called out, "Master Jin, where are you going?"
Master Jin smiled and said: "My master is Mr. Zhang. Now that Mr. Zhang has passed away, the entrusted task has been completed. Naturally, there is no reason to stay."
Old Tao said: "Why did Mr. Jin say such a thing? My young master has just taken office, and it's time to employ people."
"People die for wealth, and birds die for food." Master Jin looked at Tao Mo and said with a smile, "The new master donated five thousand taels as a magistrate, which shows that he is rich and powerful, and people who don't worry about running for money will come in droves, so why use it?" Can you get me? From my point of view, in Tanyang County, it is not easy to find a sue, but finding a litigator or master is the easiest thing."
Lao Tao was still waiting to persuade him, but Master Jin threw up his sleeves and walked away.
Hao Guozi complained, "This man has such a temper."
Old Tao looked at Tao Mo, as if he was blaming him for not saying a word at that time, but he was surprised when he saw his lips were purple and his eyes were slack. He reached out to touch his forehead, and it was hot. Said: "Go, go ask the doctor!"
Hao Guozi agreed and ran out quickly.
Old Tao helped Tao Mo into the inner room.
They didn't bring much luggage, and lost some on the way, and the last ones left were valuables, valuable but not cold-proof.
Lao Tao had no choice but to rummage through boxes and chests to find the old things left by the previous county lord, and he actually found two quilts. He quickly made the bed, let Tao Mo lie down, lit the stove again, put it beside the bed, and went to boil water himself.
When he came back from boiling the water, Hao Guozi was still missing. He thought he was new here, unfamiliar with the place, and couldn't find it. He also thought that Tao Mo had always been most afraid of the cold, and would always curl up in bed in the winter and refused to come out, but this time he insisted on taking the post early in order to be a good official, and he couldn't help feeling gratified and sad at the same time.
He walked into the room with hot water, and heard Tao Mo on the bed calling someone in a daze.
When I got closer, I heard him call "Father".
There were footsteps outside the door.
Hao Guozi led the doctor in.
Lao Tao stepped aside, waited for the doctor to take the pulse and prescribe the prescription, and write down the precautions he instructed one by one in his heart.
By the time everything was settled, the sky had already dimmed.
Since the wife of the former county magistrate took most of the servants of the county government away, there were only two gatekeepers left. So Lao Tao could only let Hao Guozi buy some food outside and come back to deal with it for the night. But when I get up tomorrow, there are too many things to be busy.
Tao Mo sweated all night, and when he woke up the next day, he felt a little weak, but he was in good spirits, so he got up and put on his clothes to go out.
Hao Guozi was coming over with hot water, and was startled when he saw him get up, "Master, why are you up?"
"I'm hungry." Tao Mo turned and entered the room, washing up slowly.
Hao Guozi said, "I bought firewood this morning, and I'm cooking porridge."
"White porridge doesn't taste good." Tao Mo subconsciously said.
Hao Guozi narrowed his eyes and smiled, "I'll go to a restaurant in the city to find some delicious appetizers."
Tao Mo's face changed, and after a while he said in a low voice, "The white porridge can be done."
Hao Guozi whispered, "I won't let Lao Tao know."
Tao Mo shook his head.
Hao Guozi sighed, picked up the basin, bowed his head and went out.
Tao Mo walked around the room, still unable to sit still, just in time to hear voices from outside, so he opened the door and walked towards the second hall.
The county government is not big, divided into three halls. One hall for hearing cases, two halls for meeting guests, and three halls for inner houses.
It was the guests who came to Ertang at this time.
When the man saw Tao Mo, his eyes lit up, and he said, "But Lord Tao?"
Tao Mo nodded.
"The villain is the history of the county, Cui Jiong." He swept his eyes up and down at Tao Mo, and said with a smile, "I originally wanted to come to pay my respects last night, but Master Jin said that my lord seemed to be unwell from the exhaustion of the journey, so I had to change it to this morning. Your Excellency is not to blame, is it?"
Tao Mo looked outside and said, "Did you come in by yourself?"
Cui Jiong was taken aback.
Tao Mo said, "Why didn't anyone report it?"