Chapter 28: Yan Wang and the Little Ghost

  Is Huang Qianshan looking for me? Xu Wei was puzzled this time, it wouldn't be that I invited him to dinner and he's returning the favor, would it? Ever since finding out from Old Master two days ago that the Magistrate of Xiajin, Huang Zhizhou, was actually named Huang Qianshan, Xu Wei had been walking around with his eyes wide open. Who is Huang Qianshan? The History of Song records this man as a treacherous official, criticizing him for being overly eager to make peace, selling out the country for personal glory, deceiving those above and below, with grave and heinous crimes. Unexpectedly, this great traitor is now serving as Magistrate in Xiajin.

  Bidding farewell to the three brothers, Xu Wei followed two officials and rushed to the county town. Before long, they arrived at the Xiajin government office, passing through smoothly. The front hall was where the public hall and various offices were located, while the inner hall was where the county magistrate lived. Xiajin was a small county, and although the county government office could not be described as grand, it was also exquisite.

  Xu Wei went in, and Huang Qianshan was standing under the melon rack in the garden, wearing a straight robe, cloth shoes, with his sleeves rolled up, and was busy arranging the melons. The yamen runner led Xu Wei over and then left on his own, he stood there for a while, watching as Huang Qianshan was very skilled at tidying up the melon vines, and didn't think that a county magistrate would be so good at doing farm work.

  "Is this gentleman's elegant demeanor not reminiscent of Liu Xuan De from the Three Kingdoms?" Xu Wei joked with a smile.

  Huang Qianshan didn't turn around either and continued with his work: "Arrived? Please sit down, the situation isn't looking too good, let me tidy up a bit."

  Xu Wei didn't think much and sat down directly. On the stone table, there was a large plate of crispy pears, two cups of clear tea, and nothing else. The majestic county magistrate used these things to entertain guests, which was really not inferior to the stingy old farmers in the countryside. Xu Wei took advantage of the empty space to observe the garden of the county government office. These literary officials all have some habits of following the fashion of elegance, but Huang Qianshan's place surprisingly didn't have a single blade of grass or a pot of flowers, and was planted with melon vines and fruit trees everywhere. The hobbies of this county magistrate were really unique.

  After a while, Huang Qianshan finished his work and ordered someone to bring water to wash his hands. Only then did he sit down, smiling and saying: "I'm late, don't blame me, Vice Envoy Xu."

  All officials are like this, speaking in an official tone and saying empty words. Xu Wei was used to it and politely responded with some meaningless pleasantries. Huang Zhixian peeled the skin of a crisp pear and casually asked: "How do you say that our county is following the example of Liu Bei of the Three Kingdoms?"

  Xu Wei did not answer immediately. Huang Qianshan is listed in the Song Dynasty's history of treacherous ministers, so he wouldn't be a simple-minded person. As the master of a county, he actually does some farm work, which shouldn't just be a hobby. It's possible that he's really emulating Liu Bei, using this to conceal his own ambitions. If that's the case, then you'd be spoiling the fun by pointing it out to him.

  "Liu Bei grows vegetables, while a gentleman grows fruits; although their nature is the same, their realm is different."

  Huang Qianshan peeled a pear and handed it to Xu Wei, asking: "What's the difference?"

  Xu Wei took over and replied, "Liu Bei borrowed the vegetable to conceal his ambition, thinking of contending for hegemony in the world, it was for himself. The lord planted fruit, but it was to understand the feelings of the people, it was for the people, the realm is naturally different."

  Huang Qianshan burst out laughing after listening: "The one who knows me is Xu Jiu!" His face was radiant with laughter, but in his heart, he thought to himself: If even this young whippersnapper can see through me, what's the point of my struggles? "Taste the pear you yourself planted."

  Xu Wei took a bite and immediately cursed in his heart. This is still unripe, completely not ripe! Trying to trick me with raw pear paste?

  "How's the taste?" Huang Qianshan stared at Xu Wei and asked with a smile.

  The latter spat it out and shook his head: "Not ripe, astringent."

  Huang Qianshan nodded slightly, a man of his word, not bad. He picked up another pear, peeled it and handed it over. Xu Wei took a bite, and it was sweet and delicious, with crisp flesh and plenty of juice. He repeatedly praised it.

  Huang Zhi County wiped his hands and said casually: "Do you remember what Zheng Jian of the Daming Fu said a few days ago?"

  Xu Wei's heart moved: "I remember."

  "There is news." Huang Qianshan said in a low voice.

  Xu Wei did not conceal his own expectation and hastily asked: "What is the result?"

  "Guess?" Huang Qianshan said with a hint of playful smile.

  I bet you're a clever one! You've been beating around the bush, first using Liu Bei as an experiment and then using fresh pear as another test. Aren't you just trying to probe into my mind to see how big my ambitions are? Wanting to know if I'm someone who can be controlled? But come to think of it, Huang Qianshan is the county magistrate of Xiajin, a civil official, while I'm a military officer under the jurisdiction of the Grand Master's Mansion. What business does he have meddling in this affair?

  Although he cursed in his heart, his face still wore an urgent expression: "I'm a rough man, how can I guess? You'd better not be mysterious."

  Huang Qianshan heard this and unexpectedly felt a great improvement in his mood. He shook his head and laughed, saying: "When doing big things, one must be able to keep calm."

  "I'm not doing anything big! My old man at home is fed up with me, so I'll just get a minor official position. On the one hand, I'll have a future for myself, and on the other hand, it won't worry my parents." Xu Wei said with an open heart.

  Huang Qianshan seemed satisfied with this answer and said directly, "After the governor's memorial was approved by the emperor, the governor of Daming Prefecture will take the lead, Xiatian County will assist, and you, Xu Wei, will be in charge of recruiting brave warriors to suppress the bandits and restore order."

  Xu Wei listened and wanted to jump onto the table and shout three times "My chance has come!" But he didn't do that, instead he asked: "I wonder which noble minister is promoting me like this?" During the reign of Emperor Song Huizong, wasn't the Privy Councilor a eunuch named Tong Guan? This old eunuch was an exception and a legend in China's history of eunuchs' blood and tears. As a eunuch, he led the army, became a minister, and even received a royal title! Enough to make predecessors like Zhao Gao and Li Fuguo, and successors like Liu Jin and Li Lianying sweat with envy.

  Huang Qianshan was overjoyed when he learned the news from Xu Wei and thought of who had promoted him, replying: "Tongzhi Shumi Yuan Shi, Cai You Cai Shumi."

  Cai You? The eldest son of Cai Jing, the leader of the Six Traitors of the Northern Song Dynasty? The one who led the army to attack Liao with Tong Guan and was defeated miserably? The one who escaped back to Dongjing and told Emperor Huizong of Song that he was preserving his strength and waiting for an opportunity to advance?

  It seems that Huang Qianshan should be Cai You's man. Otherwise, before the Imperial Secretariat officially issued an order, how would a small county magistrate know about it? On the other hand, since Huang Qianshan is Cai You's man, what role did he play in this matter?

  The answer came soon, and Huang Zhi saw Xu Wei's face filled with gratitude. He changed his expression and said kindly: "Xu Wei, do you know why the Prime Minister promoted you this time?" Without waiting for a response, he asked himself and answered: "I didn't bother to intercede for you, but that empty talk from Zheng Jian was useless. It wasn't until I personally wrote a letter to the superior, praising you highly, saying you were young and promising, loyal and righteous, and from a military family background, with a deep foundation in martial arts, able to conquer tigers on land and dragons at sea. I almost praised you to be a flower. Even so, the superior was still hesitant, and it wasn't until I asked people to plead for you that this matter was settled."

  Xu Wei is not a fool, and what Huang Qianshan said may be true. But it's definitely not that he actively speaks well of himself, it's probably his superiors who told him to investigate himself. Fortunately, I treated him with great courtesy the other day, otherwise, if he were to cause trouble in the middle, this matter would have been ruined. As the saying goes, "Yan Wang is easy to see, but small ghosts are hard to deal with", and Huang Qianshan is not an ordinary little ghost.

  He repeatedly thanked him with a pretentious attitude, wearing a tall hat and listening to Huang Zhixian being very pleased. He also sold another favor to Xu Wei: "When the document from the Imperial Secretariat comes down, you can start preparing. In this way, in order to make it convenient for you to handle affairs, let Liang Heng come to replace you to do errands, how about that?"

  ......................

  The votes from brothers are still cast in a relatively subtle way, but since Mo Ran has spoken out, the second update is here. What? The third update is where? That depends on whether brothers will also give some support to little brother, and whether the vote collection is satisfactory.