Chapter 803 Backdoor and Cut

In the blink of an eye, it was already February.

Throughout the year, Li Yun was almost busy. Every day he was either discussing the issue of troop deployment with Zhou Liang and others, or deciding some important policy strategies with Du Qian and others.

Or just meeting all kinds of people.

Among these people, there were officials recommended by Du Qian and others, officials from the old Zhou Dynasty who came to seek refuge, and some young children from aristocratic families.

Most of these children from aristocratic families wanted to come to Jiangdong to serve as officials.

Some of them, after meeting Li Yun, appeared quite humble on the surface, but became extremely arrogant when they spoke.

No matter what, he came to Jiangdong without asking for a high official position. He would be satisfied as long as he could be a county magistrate or a provincial governor.

Li Yun rolled his eyes at each of these people and told them to go back and wait for the exam.

That’s right, Jinling will still hold imperial examinations this year, and will still follow Jinling’s convention of having seven subjects.

Especially practical matters.

It is worth mentioning that in recent years, Jinling has conducted imperial examinations almost every year. The reason for this intensive frequency is, of course, because too much land has been opened up and there are not enough officials.

Not only are there not enough officials, there are also not enough reserve officials.

It is estimated that this shortage of officials will not completely disappear until at least ten years later.

After all, there are always the most positions to fill in the opening period of a new dynasty, and it is easy to find one’s own position.

Once these slots are full, it will be extremely difficult for later people to take their place.

After February, Li Yun finally had some free time. He found Xu Ang and invited this famous cold-faced official from Jinling to have a drink in a restaurant in Jinling.

The two sat opposite each other in the private room on the second floor. Li Yun looked at Xu Ang, reached out and poured him a glass of wine, and asked with a smile: “I haven’t been in Jinling for the past two years. Brother Xu, do you have any interesting stories here? Tell me about them?”

Xu Ang was stunned for a moment, then looked at Li Yun and said with his head down: “Your Excellency, I…I have been focusing on official business every day and have not paid much attention to other things. However, if you want to talk about interesting things, there is one thing that Your Excellency would be very happy to know.”

Li Yun handed over the wine glass and said with a smile, “What’s the matter?”

“In Jinling City, someone has already opened a school to teach agricultural science and practical skills.”

Xu Ang paused and continued, “And there is more than one school. Some people opened schools outside the city, bought a piece of land near the school, and taught agriculture in person.”

He looked at Li Yun and said, “When the emperor came to power, he gave priority to agriculture. He also said that he would set up an agricultural department and an agricultural college in the future. Now that the people already have these things, the emperor should be happy…”

Li Yun raised his head and took a sip of wine, then shook his head slightly and said, “Those people are just seeking fame and fortune, and few of them are dedicated to farming. However, everything is difficult at the beginning, so having a good start is good.”

He was about to pour himself a glass of wine when Xu Ang stood up and poured wine for Li Yun. Li Yun did not refuse but continued, “Later, we can issue a document stating that anyone who can increase the current agricultural output by 10% for three consecutive years will be awarded the title of Bachelor and a fifth-rank official position.”

Xu Ang wrote it down and bowed his head and said, “I’ve written it down. Tomorrow I will go to discuss this matter with Minister Du.”

Li Yun motioned him to sit down, then said with a smile: “I asked you to come here today not to discuss official business. It’s a rare day of leisure for me, so let’s talk about some private matters.”

Xu Ang lowered his head and responded.

Li Yun looked at him and sighed, “When I left Jinling two years ago, I told my wife and Brother Du to help you find a marriage. After I came back this month, I asked them about it, and they said you just didn’t want to. Why?”

Xu Ang was silent.

After a while, his hands began to tremble slightly, and he bowed his head deeply and said, “My Lord, you know…”

Li Yun sighed and said, “It’s been many years.”

He counted on his fingers: “About five years?”

Xu Ang raised his head and took a sip of wine, then looked up at Li Yun and said, “My wife and children died tragically, and I am just surviving in this world. For the rest of my life, I only want to repay my superiors and do something for the people of Jiangdong. I will not think about anything else.”

“and.”

Xu Ang looked up at Li Yun and continued, “I am here to monitor the officials of Jiangdong by order of my superiors. I am alone, without a wife or children, and I have no desires or requests.”

“It is more suitable for this task.”

Li Yun patted his shoulder and shook his head, “Did I save you in the first place just to let you do the job in Jiangdong today?”

“All these years have passed.”

Li Yun looked at him and sighed, “For so many years, I have regarded Brother Xu as a friend, and I invited you here today to give you some advice.”

“It’s not that I want you to get married and have children, nor do I want you to start a family. I just want to persuade you. It’s enough.”

“Look forward to everything.”

Xu Ang’s eyes were red. He raised his head and drank another glass of wine. Tears fell unconsciously: “I have to… I must always focus on official business. I must think about official business every moment.”

“I can only lie down on the bed and take a nap when I am exhausted.”

“Otherwise, what happened back then will flash back in my mind.”

“I can’t get rid of it, I can’t escape.” He took several sips of wine before tears started to flow. Then he was in a daze and said nothing.

Li Yun sat opposite him, looking at him, and didn’t speak for a long time.

After a while, Li Yun poured him some wine and filled his own glass. He held a glass in each hand, clinked them together, then raised his head and drank his own glass in one gulp, patting Xu Ang’s shoulder gently.

“This month, those people sent me a lot of good girls. I will give you two in return. If you don’t marry me again, I will take care of your food and clothing.”

After saying this, Mr. Li put his hands behind his back and left the restaurant.

Xu Ang sat up, wiped his tears, picked up the wine jug on the table, opened the lid, and poured it all into his mouth.

On this day, the cold-faced censor of Jinling was drunk and unconscious.

…………

In the afternoon, Li Yun’s carriage stopped at the door of a house. There were people from the Nine Departments guarding the door. After seeing Li Yun, they all respectfully invited him in.

Soon, Li Yun walked into the house and knocked on the door. A teenager ran over and opened the door for him.

Not long after, a fat boy who was about the same age as Li Yun and who was a little bloated, walked out cautiously. After seeing Li Yun, the fat boy pretended to kneel down, but was helped up by Li Yun.

“What are you doing, Your Highness?”

After being helped up, His Royal Highness the King of Chu sighed, “The winner is the king, the loser is the bandit, you have to admit your mistakes.”

Li Yun pulled him to the main hall and sat down, then said with a smile: “Your Highness lives in seclusion and rarely goes out. You usually don’t go out of the main door or the secondary door. How can you know what’s going on in the world?”

“do not know.”

King Wu Yuanyou of Chu shook his head, then he looked at Li Yun and said, “No one has sent any more messages, and no one has talked to me. I have hardly gone out in the past two years.”

Li Yun chuckled and said, “I didn’t have anyone lock up Your Highness.”

“I don’t want to go out myself.”

His Royal Highness the King of Chu said silently: “At first I was afraid of death, and later I was still afraid of death.”

Initially, His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu was reluctant to go out because he was worried about the assassination by the Imperial City Bureau.

Later, he didn’t want to go out because he was worried about Li Yun.

Li Yun had always thought that His Royal Highness the King of Chu was very interesting. Hearing this, he smiled and said, “Your Highness, if you don’t go out, how do you know who is the king and who is the lord?”

“Guess.”

Wu Yuanyou looked at Li Yun and said, “Although I don’t go out, I occasionally come into contact with the guards at the door. In the past two years, I have seen the way they look at our family.”

His Royal Highness the King of Chu said helplessly: “I despise you even more.”

Li Yun was stunned for a moment, then he laughed.

“Your Highness is such a wonderful person.”

“Every time I talk to His Highness, it makes me happy for a long time.”

Wu Yuanyou didn’t smile at all. He looked at Li Yun and said bitterly, “Brother Li, just tell me what you want to say. Do you want me to go out and become the emperor and then abdicate to you, or do you want to come and kill our whole family?”

Li Yun smiled dumbly: “No, it’s just that I haven’t seen Your Highness for more than two years, so I came to see you and catch up with you.”

Wu Yuanyou breathed a sigh of relief and said, “It’s good to reminisce about the past, it’s good to reminisce about the past.”

The two chatted for a while, and Li Yun changed the subject and said with a smile: “Your Highness, I have been traveling around in the past two years and have achieved some results. I have also captured some prisoners, but the identities of these prisoners are not easy to deal with. Your Highness is always smart, so I came to ask for your advice.”

After hearing this, Wu Yuanyou almost instantly realized the identities of these “captives”.

They must be the royal family members of the Wu clan who are scattered in various places.

He looked at Li Yun, lowered his head and drank a sip of tea, then clenched his fists and gritted his teeth: “There are two ways to deal with it.”

“The first method is that Brother Li, you must obey me as the emperor and use my hand to issue an edict to kill them all.”

“The second method.”

Wu Yuanyou took a deep breath and continued, “That is to make up your mind and completely turn against the Great Zhou.”

“Now, let’s deal with them.”

Li Yun was stunned for a moment, then he stood up and saluted Wu Yuanyou with his fists clasped.

“Your Highness…you are so decisive.”

Li Yun sighed.

“Been taught a lesson.”

(End of this chapter)