Chapter 150 Old Friends
In July, Beijing suddenly became lively.
Officials from all over the country came to Beijing to attend the first National Officials Conference, and athletes selected from various provinces went to Beijing to participate in the Second National Games.
For the prefectures closer to Shangjing, it was sufficient to set off ten days or half a month in advance. However, for the prefectures in remote areas, they had to start heading to Shangjing several months in advance.
In order to welcome this grand carnival, the streets and alleys of Beijing were decorated with lights and colors, making it even more lively than the Chinese New Year.
The post stations in Shangjing were also overcrowded. Even those with money could not find rooms to stay in. Even the surrounding provincial capitals were full of people.
*
"Master, there are no guest rooms inside." A servant in simple clothes came out of the inn and wiped the sweat off his face.
Standing outside the door was a man who was eight feet tall and had a strong build. He was leading a donkey in his hand and carrying a package on his back. Sweat was dripping down his face.
July in Beijing coincides with the hottest time of the year, and the weather is so hot that it is hard to breathe.
This man was called Han Song, and he was the magistrate of Pingnan County in Suzhou. Although most officials who came to the capital were relatively simple, it was rare for him to come with only a servant and ride a donkey.
It was because Pingnan County was too poor, so poor that there was not even a horse. Han Song's salary was all used to fill the government office, and he still managed to scrape together ten taels of silver for this trip.
Poverty is closely related to the geographical environment of Pingnan County. More than half of the area is sand dunes, and the other part is cliffs. There is only a little fertile land in the middle, which supports more than 7,000 people.
As the saying goes, poor mountains and bad waters produce unruly people. The people of Pingnan County planted crops and harvested in spring and autumn, and went up the mountains to rob passing merchants in summer and winter to make a living.
The provincial government had sent troops to suppress bandits twice. When the soldiers arrived, the people returned home and farmed honestly. When the soldiers left, they went back to their old ways and it was impossible to control them.
Over the years, this place became a cancer, and Han Song was evaluated as mediocre for thirteen consecutive years due to improper governance. He was trapped in Pingnan County as the county magistrate for thirteen years.
"If there are no vacancies, then don't do it. If all else fails, we can find a place to rest in the shade and shelter from the rain." That's how we always do it on the road.
"Hey." The servant took the rope from him and led the donkey behind.
The two came to a sycamore tree near Guanghua Temple. This sycamore tree is hundreds of years old, with lush branches and leaves. It is very cool under the tree, so the two simply rested there.
The servant tied up the donkey, took out two cakes and a water bag from the package and handed them to Han Song.
"Sir, why don't we stay in the temple?"
Han Song tore into a piece of bread and ate it while saying, "Do you think the temple is free? Maybe it's more expensive than an inn. We'd better not do more than more. We can hold on for a few days and then go back after the meeting is over."
This pancake has been stored for a long time and tastes a bit sour, but as long as it is not moldy it is still edible, so I dare not waste it.
The temple bell rang and a woman walked out. In her arms was a baby who couldn't walk, and she was holding a child of four or five years old by the hand. Behind her were several maids and servants. She must be the wife of a noble family in the capital.
A carriage drove up and stopped at the gate of the temple, and the woman got on the carriage carrying the child.
The person in the car was none other than Xu Bing, who came to pick up his wife and son.
The eldest son pointed at the donkey under the tree and said, "Dad, look at the donkey, the donkey!"
"Yes, it's a donkey." Xu Bing picked up his son, looked over there, and suddenly froze.
"Husband, what's wrong?" Wang Tingyue asked.
Xu Bing handed the child to her and said, "Wait here for a moment. I'll be back soon." Then he walked straight towards the sycamore tree.
Under the phoenix tree, Han Song also saw him, but he didn't recognize him. He was curious why this man was walking towards him.
He put down the pancake and slowly stood up. When Xu Bing walked over to them, he said, "Let's take a break here and leave soon."
Xu Bing grabbed his hand and said, "Brother Jinghuai, do you still remember me?"
Han Song's courtesy name is Jinghuai. Apart from his teachers and classmates, no one has called him that for decades. He looked at Xu Bing in surprise: "You...you are Xu Bing!"
Xu Bing patted him happily and said, "Finally you remembered me!"
"Oh my, I didn't expect to see you in Beijing. It's such a surprise!" Han Song excitedly held his hand and shook it.
The two were classmates and passed the imperial examination together in the 16th year of Longwu. Their scores were originally good, with Xu Bing ranking first and Han Song ranking second.
As a result, Xu Bing was demoted to the same Jinshi because the words he wrote in the palace examination paper were too sharp, and Han Song was demoted to the same Jinshi because he was too tall and strong and did not look like a scholar.
Later, the two brothers were assigned to Pingnan County, Suzhou, and Gaoyuan County, Xizhou. Anyway, they were both in remote and poor areas, and if they didn't have the ability, they would never be able to turn their lives around.
Since it was on the way, the two of them decided to go to the office together. However, before they even arrived at their office, they were taught a lesson by some bad guys on the road.
A group of mountain bandits stopped the two and robbed them of their money and killed them. Fortunately, Han Songsheng was tall and strong, and he also knew some martial arts. He defeated the bandits and fled with Xu Bing. The two had not seen each other for nearly ten years.
Xu Bing looked at him and the donkey behind him and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Han Song scratched his head a little embarrassedly and said, "I received the emperor's order to go to Beijing to attend the official meeting. Unfortunately, there are no vacancies in the city inn..."
"That's easy. Just come live with me!"
Han Song hesitated for a moment, fearing that he would disturb others if he went over rashly.
"Hey, Jing Huai, why are you being so polite to me? Let's go!" Xu Bing pulled him towards the carriage without saying a word.
There were female relatives in the carriage and Han Song was unable to get on. After Xu Bing introduced his wife and two sons to him, he walked with him behind the carriage, and the two chatted as they walked.
"You have been serving as the county magistrate of Pingnan County all these years?"
"Well, I'm afraid I won't be able to move in this lifetime."
"Why?"
Han Song laughed at himself and said, "In that damn place, anyone else would be eaten alive by the local people. It's only because I have thick skin and flesh that I can hold my own against them."
Xu Bing asked seriously, "Is Pingnan County still the same as before?"
"It's a little better than before. People only rob money and don't kill people."
"Why doesn't the Suzhou government care?"
"How can we manage it? Can we just kill them? No matter what, those common people are forced to do so. There is not enough food for the few people and not enough land. If they want to survive, they have to go up the mountain and become bandits."
"Don't worry about this matter. I will help you find a solution after this conference is over."
Han Song agreed verbally, but he didn't really expect him to help. After all, the problems in Pingnan County have been going on for a long time. If the court wanted to intervene, it would have done so long ago, why would it wait until now?
"By the way, what are you doing in Shangjing now? I see you are living a much better life than before."
Xu Bing said modestly: "Hey, I'm just a manager."
Han Song thought he was a steward in some family. After all, he was a seventh-rank official in the prime minister's family. If he could get close to the powerful in the capital, even if he was a steward, it would be better than a small official like himself.
In the past, both of them looked down on the powerful and wealthy, so they resolutely took a tortuous detour. Now that they are older, they realize how naive they were at the time.
The carriage passed through Zhengyang Street and gradually headed towards the Imperial City. Han Song's eyes gradually became strange: "My donkey... how about I let the servants find a place to tie it up first? Don't bump into the noble."
"No, no, just take me home."
The carriage finally stopped at a large mansion near the imperial city. Han Song looked up at the two large gold-plated characters: Xu Mansion.
"This...is this your house?!"
"yes."
Han Song's face changed again and again. Ordinary people dare not use a mansion. Only officials of the fourth rank or above can set up a mansion. What is Xu Bing's identity?
The gatekeeper opened the door, the carriage drove in, and the butler came over with a letter: "Sir, this is the raft that each government has handed in today. Please take a look."
Han Song paused as he looked at Xu Bing's back. Prime Minister... Prime Minister Xu, he was actually Prime Minister Xu? !
Xu Bing said, "I don't have time to go out these days, so let's put all this aside for now, clean up the east wing, and prepare some wine and food. I want to have a candlelit chat with Lord Han tonight."
The housekeeper saw Han Song behind him and hurried forward to greet him: "Greetings, Lord Han."
“No…no need to be polite.”
Seeing his expression, Xu Bing knew that he was frightened. He patted his shoulder and said, "I will tell you about the past in detail later."
The two men entered the main hall, the servants brought tea, and Han Song sat down tremblingly.
"You just said..." As soon as Xu Bing opened his mouth, Han Song immediately stood up.
"Jing Huai, do you still treat me as a brother?"
"I...ah!" Han Song sat back in his chair and drank the tea in one gulp.
"Just now you said that the people of Pingnan County still work as civilians during the busy farming season and become bandits during their free time?"
Han Song nodded, "Yes, it's been more than ten years, and nothing has changed. At the beginning, I took the yamen runners to arrest people and beat them with sticks to scare them, but they were still the same when I released them. I couldn't control them at all. If we don't rob them of their money, the crops we grow won't be enough to eat. Can we just watch them starve to death?" Xu Bing said, "In recent years, the court has opened mines in various places, and mining can also make money."
"Don't mention it. Our generation was all about rocky mountains. There were no usable mines at all. The nearest mine to Pingnan was 50 miles away by mountain road. The people didn't want to go out."
Besides, mining is a strenuous job that only able-bodied men can do, but the elderly and women cannot. It still cannot solve the living problems of the local people.
As for the migration of people, ancient people were different from modern people. They lived in the place where they were born, and few people left their hometown. Even if Pingnan County was extremely poor, no one was willing to leave here to live somewhere else.
Xu Bing stroked his beard and was in a dilemma: "I will go to the palace and talk to the emperor about this matter when I have time. Maybe he has a good solution."
Han Song looked at him enviously. After more than a decade of separation, the young boy back then now holds a high position and can see the emperor at any time, while he is still wasting his time in the mountains.
"Let's not talk about me, let's talk about you. Didn't you go to a small county in Xizhou to serve as the county magistrate? How did you become Lord Xu in the blink of an eye?"
The housekeeper came in and said, "Prime Minister, the east wing has been cleaned up, and the wine and food are ready."
Xu Bing said: "Let's go, let's eat and talk."
When I came to the east wing, it was very clean and there was ice in the room. It felt much cooler as soon as I came in.
There were six exquisite dishes on the table. Xu Bing usually lived a frugal life and didn't like to waste anything, so he only had enough food to eat.
The two sat opposite each other, and Xu Bing began to tell him about his experiences over the years.
"That year, you and I went to take up our posts together. After I left Suzhou, I came to Xizhou. I did not go directly to the county to report, but visited the Eighth Prince Yang Yuanqing, whose fiefdom was in Xizhou at the time."
"It just so happened that Yang Yuanqing was also recruiting staff at that time, and by some strange coincidence I ended up serving under him as a military officer."
"I stayed in Xizhou for three years. Later, Emperor Longwu passed away and the country was in chaos. Yang Yuanqing was ruthless and killed innocent people. I tried to persuade him not to kill people, but he hit me to death. Look at the scar on my forehead. It hasn't healed yet."
Han Song stretched his head and took a look, and gasped. There was a long scar winding through his hair, and one could imagine how badly he was injured.
"And then?"
"Fortunately, I was saved by King Chengtian, who was revolting in Xuzhou at the time. He is our current emperor. I followed the emperor to conquer the country."
Han Song couldn't help but sigh after hearing this, "These past few years have not been easy for you, luckily it's all over, the clouds will finally clear and the moon will appear. Come on, cheers!"
Xu Bing smiled and raised his glass. That night, the two of them talked about everything from the imperial examinations of the previous dynasty to the current Da Qi, from national affairs to daily necessities.
By the end, they were both a little drunk. Han Song held his hand and said, "I really... I didn't expect to see you again. Seeing what you have done... I am really happy for you, brother!"
Xu Bing's cheeks flushed, and his tongue was so stiff that he couldn't speak clearly: "I'm...happy too, Jinghuai, I haven't been this happy in a long time!"
When drinking with a good friend, a thousand cups are not enough. Although the two have not seen each other for ten years, their friendship is still as strong as before.
(End of this chapter)
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