The boat sailed forward for more than ten miles, left the Wusong River and headed north, entering the Xiaosong River.

As soon as we entered the Xiaosong River, the miserable scene on the south bank of the Wusong River was left behind the boat.

The water town scene like an ink painting has returned to my eyes.

On both sides of the river are scattered houses of different heights with black tiles and brick walls. A small bridge made of green stone slabs is built over the river. In the distance, green rice fields are connected to each other.

However, the streets along the river bank were crowded with people fleeing the disaster, reminding people that the disaster was happening not far away.

Zhao Shouzheng was already extremely worried and kept urging the boatman to move faster, because until now, he had not seen a single official on the riverbank along the way.

Some common people, under the command of the gentry, spontaneously dug the earth to reinforce the river bank. But on the river bank that was dozens of miles long, there were only a few hundred people, and it was simply a drop in the bucket and could not help.

Where have all the officials gone?

County Magistrate Zhao was eager to know the answer.

Seeing his father's worried look, Zhao Hao felt relieved. It turns out that people still need to take on some responsibilities in order to become mature.

~~

After the meal, the official ship entered the Lou River, and a blue brick city more than two meters high suddenly appeared in front of everyone.

"Wow, the county town is quite new." Zhao Hao couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

"In the past, Kunshan County was all mud walls. Later, good fortune came and a number one scholar named Gu Dingchen emerged." Xu Wei said with a smile, "Speaking of which, this old Gu was the first person to present a Qingci poem to the late emperor."

Zhao Hao nodded. The Prime Minister of Qingci, Gu Dingchen, was very famous.

"Gu Ge Lao is a flatterer, he can't do anything, he just fills the position." Wu Cheng'en also looked down on Old Gu, then changed the subject and said, "But he has a very high prestige in Kunshan. He was the one who managed the original low adobe city wall to a tall brick and stone city wall. During the Japanese invasion a few years ago, the people of Kunshan were able to survive because of this, and they are all very grateful for Gu Ge Lao's kindness."

"So when you enter the county, don't say anything bad about Lord Gu, or you will be beaten." Wu Cheng'en said this specifically for Xu Wei to hear.

Xu Wenchang curled his lips and was about to speak.

But Mr. Zhao exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw hundreds of lanterns and torches lit on the dock ahead.

It was already dark and raining, and the scene was particularly eye-catching.

"Here they come, they're finally here!" Immediately, noisy voices were heard on the dock.

Soon, a speedboat came up to meet them, and an official in ninth-rank uniform shouted loudly on board:

"I am Bai Shouli, the chief clerk of Kunshan County, and I respectfully welcome the county's chief magistrate to take office! More than 200 officials and gentry in the county have been waiting for the chief magistrate at the dock for a whole day!"

"Oh." Zhao Shouzheng finally knew where all the officials in the county had gone.

When the official ship docked, dozens of miscellaneous officials, clerks, and more than a hundred well-dressed gentry, led by an eighth-rank official, gathered at the dock and warmly welcomed the new master.

Several officers lit firecrackers in the pavilion, and the musicians next to them began to play the "Welcoming Music" with all their might amid the crackling sounds and the air filled with smoke.

When the suona sounds, all worries disappear and a cheerful atmosphere creates.

However, the red carpet on the ground had been soaked by the rain, and the colorful pavilion decorated with flowers and red silk had lost much of its luster in the dim sky, which made the Kunshan officials and gentry who had carefully prepared for the welcoming ceremony very sad.

What makes them even more sad is that they have only just received the call from the master now. Would this be considered as being neglectful?

An eighth-rank official in his fifties with gray hair and beard first led everyone to pay respect to the master. Then he stepped forward with great trepidation and bowed, saying:

"Your humble servant, He Wenwei, the magistrate of Kunshan County, respectfully welcomes you to take up your post."

"We were stupid and mistakenly believed that the master would come directly from the city via Loujiang River, so all the welcoming troops were placed on Loujiang River. Xiong Dianshi also brought the master's sedan chair to the county to wait..." As he said this, he hurriedly explained.

"The master took a detour through the Wusong River and came in from the Xiaosong River." Fan Datong, who also served as Zhao Shouzheng's personal attendant, explained loudly for him.

"This..." County Magistrate He, Chief Clerk Bai and other officials of all ranks in the county felt nervous and had a bad feeling.

"On the way to taking office, the master began to inspect the people's conditions. He is truly a role model for us and others." County Magistrate He had no choice but to bite the bullet and say.

Zhao Shouzheng walked off the boat angrily. He wanted to scold these idlers, but he felt that they were justifiable... What if the master held a grudge against him if he didn't give them a grand welcome according to the rules?

As he was hesitating, he heard Zhao Hao, who was following behind him and holding an umbrella for him, whisper, "If you want to scold me, just do it. Why be polite?"

"A bunch of idle people!" Mr. Zhao immediately became excited and scolded the officials with a dark face:

"Half of Kunshan County is submerged in water, hundreds of thousands of people are displaced, and the streets are full of people fleeing for their lives. Yet you are still here with lanterns and decorations, beating gongs and drums, welcoming people every three miles and welcoming them every five miles! Are you welcoming our county? I think you are roasting me on the fire! You are deliberately letting the people poke my spine!"

Phew, all the bad air is out, it feels so good.

A group of Kunshan County officials were scolded by the county magistrate and were all silent in the rain.

"Comfort the gentry..." Zhao Hao reminded again in a voice as soft as a mosquito.

Mr. Zhao Erye finally let out some anger, and his tone was no longer so harsh. He then clasped his fists to the group of Kunshan gentry who dared not breathe.

"The flood situation is severe, and our county has been a bit irritable. Please forgive us."

"It is a blessing for our county that the old parents care about their people!" said a gentleman in his fifties, wearing the uniform of a fifth-rank righteous official.

As soon as he spoke, all the gentry nodded in agreement. It seemed that he should be the leader of the gentry in Kunshan.

"May I ask this old gentleman's name?" Zhao Shouzheng asked politely.

"I am Dadong of the Gu family in Yongli, and I am here to pay my respects to my elderly parents." The old man named Gu Dadong once again paid great respect to Zhao Shouzheng.

"So it's the famous Mr. Yongli. My apologies." Zhao Shouzheng hurriedly supported Gu Dadong.

He had done some research before coming here and knew that among the five great families in Kunshan, the Gu family was the most powerful, and the current patriarch of the Gu family was Gu Dadong.

Seeing that the magistrate did not beat them all to death with a stick, and was quite respectful to these gentry, the dog owners came forward one after another to pay their respects.

Among them, the patriarch of the Zheng family is named Zheng Ruozeng.

"Mr. Kaiyang..." Looking at the white-haired old man, Mr. Zhao's eyes lit up and he swallowed secretly.

Xu Wei behind him also winked at the old man named Zheng Ruozeng.

When he saw Xu Wei, Zheng Ruozeng rubbed his eyes in surprise, then pinched his beard in surprise.

However, this kind of occasion was not suitable for reminiscing about the past, so the two exchanged glances and agreed to talk again later.

~~

Wait until Zhao Shouzheng finished exchanging greetings with the gentry.

Gu Dadong invited respectfully, "Xiao Ke and others have prepared some wine in Xitang Street to welcome our elderly parents. We hope you will come."

When Zhao Shouzheng heard that there was wine to drink, his eyes lit up at first, then he shook his head and said, "I appreciate your kindness, but when I think of the people suffering from the disaster who are starving, how can this county afford to eat?"

After saying this, he bowed to the gentry and said, "Tomorrow morning, our county would like to inspect the river embankment. I wonder if you would be so kind as to accompany us?"

"Yes, sir!" The gentry all understood the three things a new official would do upon taking office, so they naturally cooperated.

ps.Chapter 5...