"Ah! That's really difficult. I didn't expect it! I've actually been reduced to having to drink porridge. What should we eat at the welcoming banquet tonight?"
Fang Zhengyi shook his head helplessly, causing Wei Shan to secretly despise him.
What the hell! A phoenix without feathers is no better than a chicken. You should at least pretend... Are you that greedy?
"This... I have never eaten it, so I am not qualified to attend the welcoming banquet."
Fang Zhengyi sighed and said, "Alas! You are so pitiful. I can't live without meat. I didn't eat well during the journey. I only had some dry food."
"Let's go, let's go and continue to look."
We strolled around like this until the afternoon.
The government office had two meals a day, and Fang Zhengyi managed to catch the afternoon meal.
Inside the household, Fang Zheng smiled when he saw the bowl of green porridge and a plate of pickled vegetables brought by Wei Shan.
This porridge is obviously thicker than the porridge in the porridge stalls outside.
A few pitiful little pickles didn't look very appetizing.
Fang Zheng took a sip and then spat it out, making a mess on the table.
Then he sat in his seat and began to daydream.
Looking back at my time in Taoyuan County, even during the most difficult times, my official uniform didn’t have many patches on it.
You can eat some dry food.
Now the prefect has shown his weakness right from the start. The leader of a prefecture should not be left without food.
You really think I, Fang Zheng, have never been hungry. You are so foolish.
This play is a bit too fake.
Then he called Wei Shan to move the things away and clean the table.
After finishing the cleaning, Fang Zheng started to sit on a chair and close his eyes to rest.
After Wei Shan left the house, he looked back with disdain, then hurriedly ran back to the mansion with the porridge in his hands.
As soon as Liu Xun saw Wei Shan, he immediately asked, "What? The food hasn't been delivered yet?"
Wei Shan whispered, "Sir! I sent it! I ate one bite and spit it out because I thought the food was bad! I didn't touch the rest."
"This guy is not ordinary. Look at what he is wearing. He definitely can't eat these coarse things."
"I told you at noon that I can't live without meat!"
Liu Xun stroked his beard and laughed when he heard this: "Okay...Okay, I thought this guy was sent from the capital and he was very capable."
"It looks like he is just a lazy guy who doesn't know how to work. You should continue to follow him and keep an eye on him. Don't let him ruin things."
"I will have a welcoming banquet tonight and see for myself how good he really is!"
...............
When it was time to get off work, Liu Xun led a group of officials from the government office to the reserved restaurant.
Fang Zhengyi carefully looked at everyone in the crowd.
Many people's official uniforms are patched.
This is nothing surprising. After all, Liu Xun took the lead in wearing patched clothes, so it is normal for others to follow suit.
It doesn't explain too many problems.
But the looks of many people are very telling.
A small number of people saw that he was dressed luxuriously and looked at him with undisguised contempt.
Fang Zhengyi also laughed it off.
It is a foregone conclusion that there is massive corruption within the government, but no one knows who the accomplices are.
Liu Xun is of course the biggest suspect. As a prefect, it is unlikely that he didn't even know that the rice in the government warehouse was moldy.
For such a big thing, there should be quite a few accomplices.
When they arrived at the table, Liu Xun took Fang Zhengyi's arm and began to introduce them one by one.
"Come, let me introduce you to this person. This is Yuan Shangxun, the co-magistrate of the mansion."
"Greetings, Master Yuan!"
"This is the manager of the Experience Department, Li..."
After introducing everyone from top to bottom, Fang Zheng bowed and toasted one by one.
After everyone was introduced to each other, the restaurant started serving the food.
All the dishes were vegetables in bland broth.
But this time there was more dry rice.
Liu Xun greeted him warmly, "Come! Lord Fang, please enjoy! It is because of you that we can have this meal today."
"It is indeed hard on weekdays, but in times of disaster, we should work together with the people to overcome the difficulties!"
"Please use your chopsticks."
Suddenly, Fang Zhengyi felt that his lines had been snatched away by someone else.
Are you also getting along with the crowd?
Fang Zhengyi immediately smiled and replied, "Lord Liu is so righteous! Then I won't be polite!"
After saying that, he picked up a green leafy vegetable and put it in his mouth, chewing it slowly.
The expression on his face was a little subtle.
Seeing some people start to eat, everyone started to chat and eat.
Fang Zhengyi was talking in a rambling manner while secretly observing everyone's performance and occasionally picking up a piece of food with his chopsticks.
At least half of the people inside were not interested in the food and only took a few bites of it, but they drank a lot of wine, including Liu Xun!
Logically speaking, if there were no family members to bring them meals, these people should have only had a bowl of porridge in the afternoon dining hall.
But it's impossible to send food. Everyone is drinking porridge, but you are eating something good. Are you not afraid of being found out?
It can be seen that...these people don’t eat these things on a daily basis.
Seeing that Fang Zhengyi had no appetite, Liu Xun asked, "Master Fang, why don't you eat? Is the food not delicious? Come and try this."
Without waiting for Fang Zheng to answer, Liu Xun picked up a piece of green vegetables for him with his chopsticks.
Fang Zheng chewed for a long time with no expression on his face before swallowing it.
Then he smiled bitterly and said, "Lord Liu, I am already satisfied with today's meal. I just had some dry food not long ago, so I am not too hungry!"
Liu Xun suddenly realized and said regretfully: "I see! Tsk, that's a pity, we rarely eat such food and wine."
"Master Fang has come all the way from the capital, I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to adapt to the environment here!"
Fang Zhengyi said modestly: "No, with Lord Liu as an example, I am happy to drink the porridge."
"Now that your majesty has sent me to Jianjiang as a judge, how can I back down just because I can't eat well?"
"That would be a betrayal of the Holy Spirit!"
"Speaking of this..." Fang Zheng picked up a large piece of food with chopsticks and put it into his mouth, muttering, "Thinking of Your Majesty, the food tastes a little sweeter when I eat it!"
Oh, damn it!
All the officials at the table were dumbfounded!
Why is this acting happening? Who are you acting for? The emperor isn't here.
No wonder you are doing so well! It turns out you got there by flattering others!
A trace of contempt flashed across everyone's eyes.
Liu Xun smiled and said, "Master Fang's patriotism is admirable!"
"I wonder if Lord Fang has found a place to live. Is there anyone to serve him?"
Fang Zheng shook his head and said, "Alas, in order not to disappoint His Majesty, I rode here as soon as the palace issued an order!"
"He left in a hurry, and only took money with him. He bought a house after entering the city, and didn't have time to buy maids and servants!"
Liu Xun's eyes lit up: "It's okay! It's okay! Although the mansion is short of money and food, it is not short of people at all!"
"After we finish eating, I'll send you some maids and servants!"
"Then...I will be disrespectful to refuse!"
..............
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