Chapter 35 Prefect
Do you want to be the prefect of Guangyue Prefecture?
Su Qing shifted her gaze from the general's overly handsome face.
She's seen plenty of people with outstanding looks.
But this is the first time I've encountered someone with such perfect features, surpassing even many top stars of later generations.
Perhaps it was because his temperament was so different, possessing both the pride of royalty and the sharpness of a general.
But his eyes were too calm, and there was an inexplicable air of mystery about them.
Su Qing wasn't short, but she still had to look up to talk to him.
His words left Su Qing silent for a long time.
Yan Zhengzhou tried to see surprise or astonishment on her face, but saw nothing.
After a while, Su Qing asked, "Is the situation at the front really this bad?"
Su Qing was exceptionally clear-headed.
Something terrible must have happened, otherwise why would they come to her?
Her appointment as a seventh-rank female county magistrate attracted considerable criticism.
If a female prefect were to be promoted directly to the fourth rank, some pedantic scholars would probably be furious.
After all, gender aside, the fact that a county magistrate without official rank could directly become a prefect was enough for the court officials to impeach him.
Besides, given her situation.
Therefore, there must be something even worse.
Otherwise, the general wouldn't have easily brought up such an idea.
A different glint flashed in Yan Zhengzhou's eyes, and his voice was like the sound of a perfectly played instrument: "The front lines are alright."
“After you leave, things will be hard to say.” Su Qing, trying to avoid being swayed by the other party, continued her analysis, “You’re afraid that Prince Wuyong will attack the counties of Guangyue Prefecture again, right?”
“Once you leave, they will have an opportunity to take advantage of you.”
No, that's not all.
Su Qing looked at the general in shock: "This is a diversionary tactic."
"The mutiny in the capital was a ploy to lure you away and give Prince Wuyong some breathing room."
You can't leave!
If the general leaves, Guangyuefu will surely be attacked.
Once this rebel leader recovers, he will surely launch another attack on Guangle Prefecture, and even the entire Shunchang Kingdom!
Yan Zhengzhou hadn't expected that Su Qing was even more perceptive than he had thought.
From just a few words, the general process can be deduced.
Yan Zhengzhou looked into the distance.
Su Qing could understand it, but those people insisted on not understanding it.
"My trip to the capital has been arranged," Yan Zhengzhou said slowly. "Therefore, the safety of Guangyue Mansion depends on you."
This is an indirect admission of Su Qing's statement.
Zhou Qianhu, who was standing next to him, slowly explained what had happened.
The mutiny in the capital was indeed a diversionary tactic.
However, the rebels encountered an unexpected problem; their original plan was to feign an attack on the capital.
The purpose was to get the Emperor and Empress Dowager to recall Yan Zhengzhou.
This will relieve the pressure on Prince Wuyong.
Surprisingly, the rebel army from Yizhou, near the capital, actually managed to storm the capital.
The emperor and his entourage fled in panic.
For Yan Zhengzhou, this is the worst possible outcome.
If the capital can hold out for a few more days, then manpower can be transferred from other places to rescue the emperor.
But the capital fell too quickly, and was lost too quickly.
In the current situation, no soldier or general is willing to be the first to take the lead.
Apart from him, no one else would actually return to the capital to seize the city.
The rebels' tactic of luring the enemy away from their base proved remarkably successful.
Even knowing it's a trap, he has to rush back.
Or rather, to make the Jinling court, even knowing it was a trap, insist that he return to the capital.
The situation is different when the capital falls into the hands of the rebels.
We must take it back.
And the sooner it is taken back, the better.
In Jinling, countless secret letters have been sent, ordering him to return to the capital immediately.
But as soon as he left...
Guangyuefu will then face direct danger.
The troops he left behind also had to worry about logistical support and other issues.
After all, even when he was alive, he still had to go through the Beijing area to make arrangements.
His Majesty's younger brother was not present.
Logistics and supplies were a major problem.
At that moment, a name naturally came to mind.
Su Qing.
Just then, the eunuch Qi came to deliver medicine, and there was more medicine for injuries than expected.
After learning the reason, Yan Zhengzhou decided to "pass through" Nanjiang County.
If Su Qing were to become the prefect of Guangyue Prefecture.
All of the above.
Then it will no longer be a problem.
The soldiers he left behind will surely hold out until his return.
After Zhou Qianhu finished speaking, Su Qing's brows furrowed even more deeply.
She knew it!
There's no such thing as a free lunch; just go directly to her!
Is this a way of appointing her as the prefect?
This puts her in charge of the logistics for the entire army of Guangyuefu!
Su Qing had an urge to turn around and leave.
But after looking at the general's face, he hesitated and said bluntly, "I'm just a county magistrate, it's too difficult for me to become a prefect."
"It's difficult for others."
"To you."
“It’s not difficult,” Yan Zhengzhou said almost decisively.
With his already excellent voice, and his confident words, even the most hard-hearted woman would want to hear more.
Yan Zhengzhou added, "The three westernmost counties of Guangyue Prefecture have just been recovered."
“Their county magistrates don’t understand agriculture; they only grow a lot of medicinal herbs. I’m afraid those three places will suffer from famine.”
"Without logistics and medical care, the casualties among the soldiers on the front lines will be even more severe."
"Magistrate Su."
Their lives are in your hands.
"And you have the ability to save them from their suffering."
Su Qing suddenly looked up and said directly, "Tell your brother that I want to be the prefect, and let him give the order."
Yan Zhengzhou nodded: "Okay."
Zhou Qianhu, who was standing next to him, was dumbfounded.
Is that so?
He thought he would let Magistrate Su work hard on his own.
Should we just have His Majesty issue the order?!
Is this appropriate?!
Su Qing thought to herself, what's inappropriate about it?
They've already made her take the blame and bear the responsibility, so what's wrong with her directly asking for an official position?
As long as I can protect Guangyue Prefecture and its people, I'm just a minor prefect.
The general clearly understood this and agreed readily.
However, Su Qing was still a little worried: "Could you urge them to hurry up? Time waits for no one."
They are racing against time.
Before the troops under General Wuyong can recover, complete the defense and logistics of all counties in Guangyue Prefecture.
Compared to her, Su Qing was under more pressure.
Only by becoming the prefect as soon as possible can I get involved in the affairs of the entire Guangyue Prefecture.
Yan Zhengzhou felt somewhat helpless.
He will try his best to fight for it.
However, no one had high hopes for the speed of things happening in Jinling.
Su Qing suddenly thought of someone: "Gu Congsi, why don't we ask Scholar Gu to persuade him as well?"
Yan Zhengzhou thought for a moment and realized who this person was: "Your fiancé?"
“No,” Su Qing said immediately. “We have already broken off the engagement.”
Yan Zhengzhou stopped speaking, and the two remained silent for a moment before Zhou Qianhu interrupted, "It seems that Scholar Gu has a lot of influence."
That's good.
Su Qing was relieved.
Whether it works or not, I'll try to persuade them first.
After the general left, Commander Zhou did not leave; he continued to be in charge of frontline logistics.
If he hadn't been acquainted with Su Qing, he wouldn't have been transferred to deliver the message.
"I need to get there quickly. The sanatorium there isn't doing very well, so I need to keep a close eye on it."
It's obvious that other places' sanatoriums for wounded soldiers can only learn the surface of Nanjiang County's model, but not its essence.
Because not every place is willing to keep throwing money around.
You can't even blame those government departments; money can't just appear out of thin air.
Therefore, Magistrate Su is needed.
No! Prefect Su!
Commander Zhou was practically dying of anticipation; he was the one who most wanted Magistrate Su to be promoted.
Su Qing laughed and said, "Speaking of which, why are you still a commander of a thousand? Shouldn't you be promoted?"
"Soon," Commander Zhou smiled. "The imperial court's commendation will be issued soon. By the way, do you remember Lian Feiyang? He's going to be promoted to commander."
"I also trained a few deputies so that when taking care of the wounded, we can be more efficient and standardized."
The two talked for a while, but Zhou Qianhu was in a hurry to go back, so Su Qing naturally didn't try to stop him.
Back at the yamen, Su Qing sat for a while, then took out a jade pendant from his sleeve. The jade was warm and smooth, and truly beautiful.
Su Qing looked at it for a while before discovering that there were three tiny characters on the inside of the already small jade pendant, which must have been made by a skilled craftsman.
"Yan Zhengzhou." Su Qing read it aloud, then realized that this was the general's real name.
No wonder I gave her this jade.
She said that once she became the prefect, she could use the jade pendant to save her life in case of danger.
Why.
The official document promoting her to prefect hadn't even reached Nanjing yet, and she was already thinking about what would happen after she became prefect.
Is this appropriate?
Regardless of whether it was appropriate or not, Su Qing carefully kept the jade pendant close to her body, making sure no outsiders could see it.
The nights at the end of May are extremely hot.
Su Qing looked up at the night sky.
Sirius still shines brightly, making those who see it feel uneasy.
Su Qing, however, opened the official documents.
It's a pity, she believed that human will could overcome fate.
As the night passed, it seemed that apart from the jade pendant, there were no other traces.
Just four or five days later, a heated debate broke out in the Jinling court.
The current prefect of Guangyue Prefecture is old and frail and wants to retire early.
The question of who should replace him has become a point of contention among all parties.
Since the war broke out in Guangyuefu, it has always been a hot potato.
If the general hadn't recovered most of the area, the current prefect wouldn't have come.
Now that the general has gone to recapture the capital, the position of prefect has become tricky again.
If we don't run away now, and Prince Wu Yong attacks, we're doomed.
That's why the current prefect has to run away.
Before running away, they need to find a scapegoat.
Who will be the "scapegoat" has become a problem.
And then, one person's name quietly reappeared.
"Su Qing."
who?
When Gu Congsi heard this name, he thought he had misheard.
But the minister still said, "Su Qing is the magistrate of Nanjiang County, Guangyue Prefecture."
The emperor finally remembered something and subconsciously said, "This won't do, she's a woman."
The county magistrate had already shown leniency and done everything he could to help.
Is he going to be a prefect again?
What merit or ability does she possess?
The Empress Dowager, who was standing behind the curtain, said, "Magistrate Su is quite capable. I heard that she has governed Nanjiang County very well."
The Empress Dowager did not know where Nanjiang County was; she was just mentioning it casually.
However, since she said that, naturally some people immediately praised her.
But when you actually praise her, you realize that Su Qing is indeed extremely capable.
The seventeen counties of Guangyue Prefecture had a bumper harvest of both grain and medicinal herbs, and they even had the capacity to help treat wounded soldiers on the front lines.
These days, it has even become a trading center for medicinal herbs in the area.
The surrounding counties were all convinced.
The more we talked, the more I felt she was a very suitable candidate.
The current prefect of Guangyue Prefecture, the Empress Dowager's people, and Yan Zhengzhou's people in private all openly or secretly promoted Su Qing.
In addition, her political achievements are truly remarkable, making her extremely persuasive.
The Emperor remained silent, closing his eyes slightly, clearly not wanting to hear the Empress Dowager speak.
The Empress Dowager always thought she was doing it for my own good, but wasn't that female magistrate Su Qing also one of your people?
“Your Majesty, I have something to report.” Gu Congsi suddenly stood up.
Gu Congsi was usually very quiet, but whenever he did speak, he always defended the emperor, which is why the emperor valued him.
When he opened his mouth, everyone thought he was going to refute the matter.
The Emperor's eyes lit up with surprise, and he gestured for his minister to speak quickly.
Gu Congsi knelt down and said earnestly, "The Su Qing that the other officials mentioned is related to me."
Having been a constant companion to the Emperor, Gu Congsi already held a minor position in the Hanlin Academy, making the title "Your humble servant" perfectly appropriate.
But what does Su Qing have to do with him?!
In the imperial court of Jinling, someone finally remembered that Gu Congsi seemed to have come from the Guangyuefu.
His father was an instructor in Nanjiang County?!
What Gu Congsi said had nothing to do with his father. Instead, he said, "Su Qing is my fiancée."
"Her father, Magistrate Su, died while serving in the county. His last wish before his death was for us to marry."
"Your humble servant was supposed to marry Magistrate Su after the provincial examination, but unexpected changes have occurred."
"I say all this only to prove Su Qing's family background and character."
"She served as an official in Nanjiang County, taking care of the people, encouraging agriculture, repairing river embankments, bridges and wharves, and treating the people; she was capable of everything."
"With her here, the people's safety will be protected and the country will be secure."
"She was even exceptionally outstanding in the imperial examinations."
"This year, all fifteen candidates from our county went to the prefectural city to take the imperial examination and passed as Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations). In fact, the top Xiucai was her clerk."
If Gu Congsi were to speak again, he could talk for three days and three nights.
Su Qing's merits cannot be summarized by these words alone.
But he restrained himself somewhat in front of the Emperor.
Even so, which of the civil and military officials couldn't hear the respect and affection in Gu Congsi's words?
Finally, the fact that all fifteen candidates passed the imperial examination and became scholars truly surprised the emperor.
Everyone knows that he valued the imperial examination system.
Although becoming a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations) is not considered very important, it is still extremely rare for 15 out of 15 people to pass the exam.
"I didn't expect Su Qing, though a woman, to be so remarkable." The Emperor looked at everyone, then at Gu Congsi, who was loyal to him.
It's clear that the engaged couple has a very good relationship.
In that case, both the couple would be considered one of our own.
Seeing that the emperor's attitude had softened.
All factions immediately pleaded for Su Qing's life.
It doesn't matter if you're male or female, or what your abilities are.
Quickly catch this hot potato.
The valiant prince is not someone to be trifled with.
Guangyue Prefecture is so close to his Gaoqing Prefecture, it's bound to be attacked sooner or later.
These men wouldn't take responsibility for losing land and cities.
Giving it to that woman would be just right.
Gu Congsi is a cunning and scheming man who flatters the emperor and has recently amassed considerable influence.
I thought he was a tough opponent, but I didn't expect him to have such a weakness as Su Qing.
When this Prefect Su was beaten so badly by the Martial Prince that he was utterly humiliated.
The couple can then be kicked out of the court together!
Gu Congsi lowered his eyes slightly.
Su Qing, Prefect Su.
She will do a better job than anyone else here.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
