Chapter 294: Making trouble again
Let’s not talk about the Supervisor of Works and the Ministry of Works arranging people to go to Lingnan.
In less than half a day, news of the Su family spread throughout Chang'an City.
It turns out that all the unusual movements in Lingnan over the past year were caused by the marriage of Su Bu, the former Chang'an County Magistrate. Now the emperor has urgently summoned him back to the capital to solve the severe drought in Guanzhong.
The people in those villages that benefited from Su Bucheng were the happiest. Although the harvest was a little less, there was still something left, enough to barely make a living.
Those who did not follow Magistrate Su in exterminating the locusts suffered a complete loss of their crops.
Although the government has provided relief, it is a drop in the bucket and requires interest repayment.
This comparison made them extremely grateful to County Magistrate Su for his earnest advice and his visit to mobilize them to kill the locusts.
Magistrate Su was exiled, and the people were so frightened that they dared not kill the locusts anymore and could only watch their crops being destroyed by the locusts.
Now that Magistrate Su has returned to Beijing, does it mean that killing locusts is not a crime?
No one dared to say it out loud, but there was a gleam in the villagers' eyes.
Jingzhao Prefecture Governor Li Hongshi returned to Jingzhao Prefecture with great pride, and when Su Bucheng returned, he would most likely be placed in Jingzhao Prefecture.
Where would it be placed? Li Hongshi couldn't help but be curious. Tian Khan had brought it back with such fanfare, it was definitely not just to be used as a mascot.
How to solve the drought? Minister of Works Duan Lun set out on a two-day journey to visit famous mountains and rivers to pray for rain in Guanzhong.
If God doesn't rain, no one can help! Therefore, Su Bucheng returned to Beijing, probably to kill the locusts.
Li Hongshi couldn't understand why the Heavenly Khan wanted to use Su Bucheng to kill the locusts. Wasn't that disrespectful to the gods?
It was impossible for the left and right prime ministers to persuade the Khan, and no one dared to advise him in the face of the emperor's rage.
Everyone knew what really angered the emperor about the locust extermination, but no one said it out loud.
Besides, a little-known county magistrate is not worth the important officials risking their own careers to protect him.
The only person in this world who can make His Majesty listen to him is the Empress!
Thinking of this, Li Hongshi suddenly realized that it must be the Queen!
"Sir, I heard that Chang'an County Magistrate Su Bucheng is going back to Beijing?" As soon as he entered Jingzhao Prefecture, someone came hurriedly to inquire.
"Hmm!" Li Hongshi glanced at his subordinates, who were busy with their eyes fixed on the ground, but in fact they were all listening with their ears pricked up.
"Sir, do you know why Lord Su came back? What is his official position?" The person asking followed Li Hongshi closely.
"I don't know! The emperor didn't say! Why are you asking?" Li Hongshi put his hands behind his back and looked at the other person.
"Nothing, nothing, I'm happy for Lord Su, happy for Lord Su!" The man left with a wry smile.
"Happy? Humph!" Li Hongshi sneered.
As soon as the position of Chang'an County Magistrate became vacant, many people were eyeing it. Some politely invited the person to dinner, while others were rude and bossy, asking him to appoint someone to the position.
He made Jingzhao Prefecture seem like his home, and he, the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, was just a dog in his family.
Li Hongshi was extremely annoyed during those days and ignored everyone.
If you want to make trouble, go to the Ministry of Personnel, don't go to me, the prefect. The maid is in charge of the keys and the boss has no say.
The Ministry of Personnel is not stupid. The hard-working Su Bucheng did not get a good end, so the next person to be sent must be on par with Su Bucheng.
The capital city is difficult to govern due to locust plagues and droughts. If you treat it like a straw bag, aren't you asking for too much life?
The new Chang'an County Magistrate is much more obedient. He is not reckless, outstanding, or troublesome.
The locust plague and drought are annoying to watch, and there is no benefit whether you do anything or not. You can only go to Jingzhao Prefecture to cry poor and ask for various reliefs, which is also another kind of action!
When Su Bucheng returns, he will definitely replace someone's official position. Those who usually take advantage of the situation will inevitably feel nervous, so they are anxious to find out.
Su Buqing and Su Buyun were fine; their promotions did not affect the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Agriculture. These two were in charge of Lingnan, and had little influence on the various departments in the capital.
Su Bucheng really wants to squeeze someone out of his position, but he doesn't know who it will be.
As a result, the people in Jingzhao Prefecture immediately became diligent and conscientious.
"Husband, what's going on?" Wang was going to marry her second daughter-in-law in two days, and she had been very busy these days.
She broke off the engagement with the Su family and had a falling out with her mother-in-law. Now that Erlang is getting married, her mother-in-law is hiding in her own house, pretending to be deaf and dumb and not caring about anything.
The husband came back in a daze, as if his parents had died.
Lu Hezhou's mind wandered in the sky, and he sat down silently, his eyes empty.
"Husband, husband!" Wang waved her hand in front of her husband's face. Lu Hezhou did not respond. She turned to ask the attendant, "What's wrong, sir?"
"Madam, I didn't know this, it was like this when I went to pick you up!" replied the attendant.
"Didn't you ask anyone else?" Wang frowned and looked at her husband, trembling as if a disaster was about to happen, no longer as arrogant as before.
"Madam, I heard something on the way back..." The long-time attendant hesitated to speak.
"What did you hear? Tell me!" Wang was anxious and angry, and she was worried about everyone.
"Everyone says that Lord Su is coming back!" The long-servant said this in one breath, lowered his head, and did not dare to look at his mistress's face.
"Lord Su is back? What does his return have to do with us..." Wang said casually.
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly realized who Lord Su was referring to. His eyes widened in disbelief. He could still come back after such a long time? In just one year!
"Chang'an County Magistrate?" Wang confirmed.
"That's right. I heard that the emperor urgently summoned him back to the capital because of the severe drought in Guanzhong." The chief attendant told the mistress what he had heard other chief attendants discuss in the Ministry of Works.
"Husband, is it true?" Wang asked while shaking her husband.
"Su Bucheng is coming back!" Lu Hezhou smiled bitterly.
"Come back if you want, what are you afraid of? You've been exiled to Lingnan, do you want to drag down our Lu family? Isn't it right to cancel the engagement?" Wang calmed herself down and said stubbornly.
Those Su family members who operate in secret and come from humble backgrounds, do they have the ability to find out? What is there to be afraid of?
"Su Buyun was promoted to the district director of the Lingnan Food Special Office, with the rank of fifth grade, and Su Buqing was promoted to the deputy director of the Ministry of Works, in charge of the road construction in Lingnan Province." Lu Hezhou murmured.
"What? Those two useless brothers were promoted? Is His Majesty crazy..." Wang cried out in shock.
Lu Hezhou immediately covered Wang's mouth and said, "Be careful with your words, be careful with your words!"
"Husband, what happened? Why is this happening?" Wang was puzzled.
It is difficult for low-ranking officials from poor families to be promoted, and it is even difficult for those who are exiled to be reinstated. As soon as they leave, someone else will fill the position.
Being given a sinecure after being pardoned is already a great blessing. If you are lucky, you can wait for one or two years and get a real position. If you are unlucky, you may have to wait for five or six years, and you may not be able to get a job until you die.
The Su family is doing great. Not only did Su Bucheng catch the emperor's eye, but his two younger brothers who had no sense of existence were also given important positions. Isn't this a blessing in disguise?
"The Su family has made remarkable achievements in Lingnan. Jiangdong plows, vermicelli noodles, everything that has flowed out of Lingnan this year is related to the Su family.
"How could the Heavenly Khan let this man go unused when he has achieved such remarkable feats?" Lu Hezhou asked.
"The women of the Su family will be returning to Chang'an soon?" Wang grabbed her husband's hand and asked anxiously.
Lu Hezhou didn't say anything.
"What is this vixen doing back? Chengye finally agreed to this marriage, and the wedding is about to take place! If Chengye knew about this, he would make a fuss again!" Wang was so angry that she gritted her teeth.
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