The spring of the third year of Xuanhe has already arrived, and there is vitality everywhere. From time to time, piles of white clouds like mountains floated in the sky, covering the warm sun. Farmers can be seen busy fertilizing and weeding in the wheat fields everywhere in the fields. In the distance, there are large green forests, and groups of larks flew past the forest and flew towards the riverside.

This is the Yangtze River in Ezhou. Two large ships of thousands of stone sail slowly sailed on the surface of the river. The white sails were hanging high and were blown by the east wind. Li Yanqing stood on the bow of the boat with his hands behind his back. The river breeze blew his clothes. He admired the beautiful scenery on the south bank of the Yangtze River. In the distance, he could see low mountains shrouded in the hazy mist and rain, just like the rendering of ink paintings. A shepherd boy riding on the back of a cow and playing the flute horizontally, like a beautiful pastoral scroll.

Li Yanqing set out from the capital seven days ago. He and his wife Cao Yun, concubine Guo Sisi, and younger sister Hu Qing'er were riding on a large ship, while Mo Jun, Liu Fang and other entourages were riding on another large ship. They went south from Cai River, entered the Yangtze River through Yangzhou, and then went westward against the river. After seven days, they finally entered Jiayu County, Ezhou.

At this time, Li Yanqing suddenly felt someone put on a coat on him. When he turned around, he saw that his newlywed wife Cao Yun was standing behind him. Cao Yun had just become a wife. The nourishment of the newlyweds made her more bright and gorgeous. Li Yanqing smiled and gently patted Cao Yun's tender and smooth little hand. Cao Yun smiled, "The bow of the boat is very windy, husband should go into the cabin!"

"I really like the scenery here and feel more vibrant than the north."

"I also like it, especially the mountains over there are like ink paintings, surrounded by clouds and mist, as if there are gods living there. I really have to draw a good picture when I have time." Cao Yun pointed to Yule Mountain in the distance.

"You should have a chance, this is already Jiayu County."

"Ah! Have you arrived?"

Li Yanqing pointed to the front and smiled, "Walking twenty miles ahead will be Jiayu County."

"It seems that there are not many people yet, we only saw a few villages."

"The land is vast and sparsely populated. Jiayu County is three times larger than Tangyin County, but the population is only 80% of that of Tangyin County. Moreover, the transportation is not convenient, so it mainly depends on taking a boat here."

"Husband, it seems that Huangzhou is nearby."

"We have passed Huangzhou last night, but it is indeed not far away. We can't even use a day's voyage. If my wife wants to go to Chibi." Li Yanqing looked at his wife with a smile.

Cao Yun held her husband's arm, and his eyes were filled with joy. "Since I read the Red Cliff Funeral Funeral by Mr. Dongpo, I have always wanted to go and see it."

"Okay, let's go together when I get settled."

At this time, a gust of river wind blew, Cao Yun shivered, and Li Yanqing hurriedly said, "It's windy here, let's go back to the cabin."

The cabin is very large, divided into two floors. The upper floor is their bedroom cabin, and the lower floor is where to live and rest. In the cabin, Sisi was giving advice to Hu Qing'er to embroidery. When she lived in Chicang Town, Hu Qing'er suddenly fell in love with embroidery for some reason. While practicing flying stones, she also devoted herself to learning embroidery.

Seeing Li Yanqing coming in, Sisi got up and smiled and said, "Mr., you're going to arrive!"

Li Yanqing nodded, "At most, half an hour is left, you can clean up!"

"Yunniang, let's go upstairs to clean up your personal belongings!"

Sisi and Cao Yun went upstairs, and Hu Qing'er became anxious, "Wait for me!"

She hurriedly put away the embroidered strands and ran out with a red face. As she walked over, Li Yanqing found that Hu Qing'er had become silent and rarely talked to him. She didn't know what she had to think about, but he had the chance to ask Sisi.

At this time, the boss of the ship said at the door: "Report to the official, I will arrive in Jiayu County in more than ten miles. Please prepare!"

"Thank you!"

Li Yanqing walked out of the cabin and finally saw the county town in the distance, built on the riverside. Li Yanqing breathed a sigh of relief and finally arrived.

Jiayu County is a county with a total area of ​​more than 20 miles from the city. There are about 5,000 households and more than 35,000 people in the county. Most of them live within the county and within a radius of twenty miles. However, Jiayu County has a large population of migrant people, and most of them come from slightly remote prefectures and counties to make a living. The water transportation here is convenient, the business is relatively developed, and the conditions are much better than those in remote places.

The former magistrate was transferred a month ago, and now the magistrate is vacant. The county magistrate, county magistrate and chief clerk are in charge of the county government affairs. Since the county magistrate of the Song Dynasty did not have real power, it was even cancelled for a while, so the county magistrate and chief clerk of Jiayu County are the same person.

The news that the Censor Li Yanqing was demoted and Ren Jiayu had already spread to the county town, and the appointment letter was sent first.

When Li Yanqing arrived at the riverside wharf by boat, two county magistrates had already heard the news and came out of the city to welcome the new magistrates. At the same time, they also came to welcome the new magistrates, including the county officials, constables, yamen runners and more than a dozen gentry. When the ships docked, the county magistrate and chief clerk Yang Ju gave the order, and the gongs and drums were beaten on the shore, which was extremely lively, and many people also ran out of the city to watch the fun.

The boat board was on the shore, and Li Yanqing walked down quickly. County Magistrate Yang Ju hurried forward and said, "Secretary County Magistrate Yang Ju, please see the county lord!"

Li Yanqing looked at him carefully. The county magistrate was less than 30 years old. He was of medium figure and slightly dark skin. He looked very smart and capable, but Li Yanqing always felt that he had seen him.

"Mr. Yang, we seem to have seen it?"

Yang Ju laughed, "Xiaoguan was also admitted to the same subject as Yushi Li, and the Xiaguan was 122 people in the palace examination."

Li Yanqing was overjoyed, "It turns out that he was a Jinshi in the same subject. What a coincidence. I wonder where County Chenggong Yang is from?"

"A native of Xiaguan Jiangxia County, who is grateful to the holy grace, can return to his hometown to work."

"It turns out that I am from the hometown, so I will ask the county magistrate to take care of you in the future!"

"Sure! Sure!"

County Magistrate Yang introduced Li Yanqing to the county magistrate. The county magistrate was transformed from a county official and was named Zhou Ping. He was about fifty years old and had a big rosacea. He looked mediocre and submissive.

"The county has no master's position, but it is the subordinate who serves as a subordinate." County Magistrate Yang explained to Li Yanqing with a smile.

Li Yanqing nodded. At this time, more than a dozen gentry rushed forward and greeted Li Yanqing.

Li Yanqing waved his hand and smiled at everyone, "The so-called benefit to all places in any place. Although I came from the capital, from today on, I will be the parent official of Jiayu County. Here I will first make three rules for everyone, not be greedy, not stupid, and not lazy. I hope I can bring a clear atmosphere to Jiayu County."

Everyone applauded, and a fellow gentry said, "Today we are welcome to the county lord in Wangjiang Tower!"

"I have received everyone's feelings, and I'm tired all the way. I need to settle down first and talk about the matter of getting along later!"

Yang Ju also said to everyone: "Let the county lord rest first! Let everyone go back, there will be a chance to get together in the future."

Seeing that Li Yanqing refused to attend the banquet, everyone had to disperse themselves, but everyone was not disappointed. All the gentry wanted to have a clean magistrate so that their lives would be easier. If a corrupt official came, they would be the first to be skinned and fat-scraped.

At this time, Cao Yun, Guo Sisi and Hu Qing'er also walked off the boat, followed by their respective maids. The three of them were wearing hats to cover their faces. Yang Ju hurriedly asked the ox cart to come over and asked the magistrate's family to get on the car first.

Li Yanqing waited until a boat docked behind him, and asked Mo Jun and Liu Fang to get on a ox cart. He turned over and walked in front of the ox cart and headed towards the county town.

Although Jiayu County is far from comparable to the capital, the lively city of Tangyin County is similar. There are many small shops in the city, and the architectural styles are also different. Tangyin County mainly uses flat roofs, while the houses here are all pointed and slanted roofs, covered with dense black tiles. In addition, Ezhou is rich in lime, so every household paints the exterior walls white, which looks white walls and black tiles, which are quite southern style.

In addition, there are obviously many more trees than Tangyin County. Small forests can be seen everywhere in the county town, which is also a concrete manifestation of sufficient rain and warm climate.

The main road in the central axis of Jiayu County is called Shayang Avenue, which is the old name of Jiayu County. The main road is quite wide and can be arranged in parallel with five ox carts, covered with stone slabs, which looks relatively clean, and there are big trees on both sides.

County Magistrate Yang Ju also rode a horse and introduced the situation of the county town to Li Yanqing. "There are no shops in this main road in the north and south except for some shops near the north gate, and there are no shops in other areas, and stalls are not allowed. There are basically official houses and wealthy families on both sides. The business is on the east and west main roads, and the other side is lively."

"There is..." Li Yanqing saw a relatively magnificent building, quite like a temple.

"That is the Confucian Temple and also the county school."

Li Yanqing nodded and suddenly remembered something, "I'll have a trial this year!"

Yang Ju nodded and smiled, "In June, the candidates who passed the exam will go to Jiangxia County, the prefecture-based examination to participate in the examination. The specific date of the examination has not been decided yet. It is probably October. After the examination, many scholars will go to Beijing to take the examination next year."

"How is the level of Jiayu County?"

"It's not bad. More than 30 people in each class have passed the exam, accounting for 30% of Ezhou. The last time I passed the six Jinshi exam in Ezhou, there were three people in Jiayu County. The academic style here is very strong. According to convention, the county monarch also takes one day a month to study and give lectures."

"It's really good!"
Chapter completed!