"Listen carefully!"

The dock became quiet, including the crowd who were there to welcome Zhao Shouzheng. They all stood still and waited for Master Zhao's masterpiece.

Then I heard Master Zhao reciting aloud:

"A red glow comes up from the sea, illuminating the feast on my upper floor.

The green wine in the cup is suddenly finished, where is the exiled position in the tower?

Guests dance across the green hills, and each of them presents a handful of green lotus soil.

If we talk about the seven-foot-tall weeds, this building is the guest and the mountain is the host.

If we talk about coming to the riverside to enjoy the intoxicating moon, this building is the host and the mountain is the guest.

Whoever throws the scroll of poetry into the river will certainly not flow eastward with it! "

"Good, good poem!" Everyone applauded.

"What a wonderful line 'Guests dance across the green hills, each with a handful of soil'!" Xuelang shook his head in ecstasy.

"'Whoever throws the scroll of poetry into the river will not flow eastward', this heroic spirit is only possessed by Mr. Zhao in this dynasty!"

Zheng Yanru and Qi Jingyun couldn't help but sigh in admiration: "This is Mr. Zhao's true level!"

"Mr. Zhao, that's great! Mr. Zhao, I love you!"

"The Immortal Poet and the Sage Poet are no match for Master Zhao!" The fans of the Red Mansion Poetry Society also started screaming randomly, without feeling guilty.

Zhao Hao accepted the overwhelming praise from everyone with a normal expression, and secretly felt ashamed in his heart, in fact, I changed it randomly last time just to suit the occasion. Now I am just presenting Mr. Huang's masterpiece as it is...

~~

After the welcoming ceremonies on both sides ended, everyone got on their carriages and slowly headed towards the Stone City Gate.

Zhao Hao was afraid of the crazy fans of the Red Mansion Poetry Society, so under the cover of Gao Wu and Cai Ming, he got on the magistrate's luxurious carriage.

After slamming the car door shut, blocking out the noisy voices outside, Mr. Zhao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Then the old man Zhang Zhixian, who had a goatee and three concubines, smiled and said, "It seems that being too popular is also a problem."

"Don't you have the same troubles, old senior?" Zhao Hao said with a smile: "Why don't you take the official sedan chair and go out in a carriage?"

"Alas, I was forced to do that." Magistrate Zhang couldn't help but smile bitterly. "It's impressive to go out in an official sedan chair with a guard of honor, but the common people know where I am. People who stop the sedan chair to complain and those who follow to watch the fun are so annoying that I am dying."

"Brother, I see through it." Magistrate Zhang said with a smug smile, "What's the point of being respectable and making people uncomfortable? Living a carefree and happy life is the right thing to do!"

"Senior, you are very insightful." Zhao Hao smiled and gave a thumbs up.

"By the way, Mr. Zhao." After the greetings, County Magistrate Zhang could not wait to ask, "What can I ask of you?"

"How can I not take your matter to heart?" Zhao Hao said with a smile, "I have already informed Lu Quancao, and it's settled."

"Is it really settled?"

"That's perfect."

"Oh my, thank you so much, friend Zhao!" Magistrate Zhang was overjoyed. Although he had many superiors, he was not happy with his job. But he could make money by making two.

County Magistrate Zhang was already in his sixties and didn't want to move any more. He just wanted to work steadily for another three years, save enough money for his coffin, and then return to Chengdu with his concubine to live out his retirement.

So last year he asked Zhao Hao to see if he could help him to serve as the magistrate of Jiangning again.

"It's just a small favor, don't worry about it, senior." Zhao Hao smiled faintly.

"How can I do that? I have to repay my friend Zhao!" County Magistrate Zhang was so grateful that he couldn't express it in words. But after thinking about it, he couldn't come up with anything that would catch Zhao Hao's eye, and the county magistrate was so anxious that he kept rubbing his hands.

"Senior, you have already done me a great favor by helping me take care of Xiaocang Mountain and Caijia Lane." Zhao Hao smiled sympathetically and said, "If you really feel bad, why not take some time to talk to my father and pass on some valuable experience to him."

"Oh, yes, your father will soon be the magistrate." Zhang Dongguan slapped his forehead and said angrily, "The court is really ridiculous. How can they let the top scholar be the magistrate? Isn't this a waste of talent?"

"I died together with the young minister." Zhao Hao sighed with a wry smile. Although this was just an excuse, who dared to tell the real reason? Who would believe it if they told it!

"Forget it. There is no point in talking about the past. The right thing to do is to look forward." Magistrate Zhang patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, my friend Zhao. I will definitely share with you all the experience I have gained as an official over the years. I will never keep anything to myself!"

"Then I would like to thank my parents on behalf of my father." Zhao Hao was overjoyed when he heard that.

Although County Magistrate Zhang is greedy and slick, and it is obvious that he is not a practical man.

But Zhao Hao has always believed that even a piece of straw paper has its use.

Moreover, he could be a county magistrate in a complicated environment like Nanjing, where nobles and dignitaries were everywhere. He didn't think it was hard at all, and he wanted to work for another three years. He must be very good at handling all kinds of things!

The experience summarized by this kind of people is still very useful... just don't lead your dad astray.

~~

In another carriage, brothers Zhao Shouye and Zhao Shouzheng were also talking intimately.

"Brother, you really brought honor to our Zhao family!"

After not seeing each other for half a year, Zhao Shouye has gained more than three times the weight. It seems that he is living a happy life. He said with a proud look on his face:

"As soon as the news of your success in the imperial examination reached Jinling, my situation changed immediately. No one in my colleagues dared to laugh at me anymore, and the Lord Temple Minister even invited me to drink. Last month, he even promoted me to a higher rank. Now, I am already a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Personnel!"

"That's not bad." Zhao Shouzheng smiled happily and said, "I was demoted and my brother was promoted, so it's even now."

"How can it be the same? I am just an official who eats idle meals..." Zhao Shouye's self-positioning was quite accurate. He said bitterly: "How can the court treat the new champion like this? It is simply too disgraceful!"

"Ahem..." Zhao Shouye didn't want to talk about this topic because he already knew the truth about himself.

He now has no complaints against Emperor Longqing.

They didn't catch him and kill him, but let him go out to work as an official. Isn't that too merciful?

Mr. Zhao will be grateful to Emperor Longqing for the rest of his life.

"Forget it, let's not talk about it." Zhao Shouye sighed and said, "Anyway, Gao Huzi is back, and you will be in trouble just the same."

"Yes, it doesn't matter whether you leave early or late." Zhao Shouzheng nodded in agreement.

~~

As they were talking, the carriage entered the stone city gate and drove less than a mile forward, they saw a brand new two-meter-wide bluestone road connecting to the official road.

This is the road leading to Xiaocang Mountain that Zhao Hao built with great effort.

The convoy left the official road and headed north along the bluestone road.

The streets were noisy with voices and the sounds of hawking were endless.

Zhao Hao pulled open the curtain of the carriage and saw that the road was full of pedestrians and horses, and many shops had already opened on both sides of the road. There were countless people carrying loads on their shoulders and pushing small carts to do small business.

He simply could not connect this place with the desolate and remote place he had been before.

Young Master Zhao couldn't help but say happily, "It's gaining popularity so quickly?"

"Of course." Magistrate Zhang smiled and said, "Once this road is repaired, there will be a shortcut from Shicheng Gate to Qingliang Gate. This place will suddenly become a hub with many connections, so it will naturally become popular."

ps. Fifth update, please give me monthly tickets and recommendation tickets~~~