Yingzhou, Hejian City.

"Down~~"

The frightened birds fluttered their wings and fled quickly, and a huge tree groaned and fell down.

The barefooted peasants stepped forward, regardless of the pain on their soles from the thorns and weeds. Seven or eight peasants stepped forward, tied ropes around the tree, struggled to pick it up, and walked out.

The forest was particularly lively. The little officials in black official robes, holding whips, were walking through the trees. Their heads were slightly tilted forward, like chickens pecking, and their eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings, as if they were eating.

The vultures foraging for food stepped on the fallen leaves and rotten trees, muttering and swearing constantly, and just passed by the farmer, shouting indistinctly as if they were holding phlegm in their throats.

There are people everywhere in the dense forest. Some people are holding big axes and are working hard to cut down. There are a few folk who are pulling the ropes. Veins are bulging all over their bodies. Their faces are red and their teeth are about to be broken. They have finally pulled down the big tree.

, someone was unable to dodge, and his legs were injured by a big tree. His companions hurriedly rescued him, but before he could take care of the pain in his legs, the clerk's whip had already fallen on him.

There were many small carts outside the forest. It was difficult for carriages to drive in such an environment, so they used wheelbarrows.

The wheelbarrow was too small, and the officials had very high requirements for the trees to be kept as they were. This resulted in the need for several civilians to walk in front to help balance and unload the force, so that the people behind could push the wheelbarrow.

Almost all official circles are filled with these people.

Various trees were cut down and transported to a camp outside the east city gate.

There are a large number of craftsmen working here, and they are responsible for processing these raw materials. Of course, it is only preliminary processing, such as peeling and so on. There are also carriages waiting here to transport the wood to other places.

The whole city looked extremely busy.

Inside the official office, it seemed particularly deserted and desolate at the moment.

Almost all the officials have been sent out to work, but there are not many useful people left here.

In the inner room, Governor Xu sat in the upper position and drank bitter wine.

The governor was quite young, had a neat beard, frowned, and said nothing.

Chang Shi was sitting aside at this moment, holding several documents in his hand, and said slowly: "The tribute wood that Your Majesty requested is still far short of it. If you can't pay it in full before the month, I'm afraid you will be punished."

Governor Xu looked at the young but aggressive Chang Shi, and he said calmly: "The poverty in Hejian is due to insufficient payment."

"How can you say that? There are mostly plains between the rivers and dense forests full of fine wood. Your Majesty allows the governor to do this. It is your honor to be able to see the wood in the rivers."

"However, if it fails His Majesty's good intentions, then I'm afraid it would be inappropriate."

Governor Xu fell silent again.

Chang Shi looked at his silence and immediately became angry, "Is it possible that the Governor is just looking at His Majesty as a child?!"

"Da Qi just defeated hundreds of thousands of troops from the Puppet Zhou Dynasty and built a small palace. What's there to say?"

"Why is the governor so resistant?"

"I never resisted."

"Then you give the order! We must collect enough wood before the month!"

Chang Shi looked at the other party's solemn face and said with a sneer: "If this matter is not completed, someone will definitely be punished."

The governor Xu Dun's heart was particularly complicated. He looked at the rat jumping up and down in front of him and had mixed feelings in his heart.

As a senior minister who had worked with Gao Huan and assisted Gao Cheng, he had gone through decades of ups and downs. He never thought that when he was about to retire in old age, he would encounter such a villain to torture him.

The long history in front of me only came here this year to be gilded. If he wants to make his qualifications look better, he will have to go back to Yecheng to become an official next year.

His name is Lu Xida, and he is the younger brother of the current emperor's adoptive mother, Lu Lingxuan.

Lu Changshi threatened a few more words, saying that he would definitely fulfill the emperor's request and express his filial piety, and then left angrily.

Lu Changshi strode out, and Biejia, who was guarding the door, walked in helplessly.

Biejia paid homage to Xu Dun and secretly wiped his tears.

"My lord, there is no justice in the government, which makes such a villain rampant."

But there was no anger or sadness on Xu Dun's face. He shook his head and said softly: "It's okay, it's always been like this, nothing has changed."

His expression was a little numb and untouched.

Don't look at him with some unspeakable sadness in your heart.

When Emperor Wenxiang was still there, the governor's political achievements in the local area were the first in consecutive years, which was extremely dazzling. He also made suggestions for the war, and was promoted to a capital official because of his political achievements.

However, this governor had many shortcomings in literary talent, classics, etc. Therefore, in front of Xing Shao, Wei Shou, Yang Xiuzhi, Cui Jie, Xu Zhicai and other great scholars and commentators, he seemed somewhat unlearned and unskilled, and was dismissed by many people.

ridicule.

During the Tianbao period, Xu Dun was high-spirited and had a beautiful beard. One day, Emperor Wenxuan suddenly cut off his beard after drinking wine and wanted to keep it. Xu Dun was so frightened that he did not even dare to grow a long beard anymore.

He didn't dare to show his face again. Later, when Gao Yan came to power, he asked to be released as governor to avoid the whirlpool of the temple.

Unexpectedly, even in this place, I still can't get rid of these troubles.

Don't drive too much to feel that it's not worth it for Xu Dun.

Xu Dun didn't seem to care very much. These years of experience had made him accustomed to these things.

He looked at this guest and said: "After autumn, I will return to the temple. I don't want to care about the affairs of this place anymore. I just want to find a casual job and spend my old age in peace."

"You are quite talented, but it would be a waste to stay here. I used to know Wei Shou and others. Although we are not friends, we can still get in touch. I will write you a letter, and you can take it to vote for Wei Shou.

Let them."

Biejia lowered his head and said in despair: "Since I graduated from Imperial College, I have experienced many places and held many official positions, but there is no place to stay. This time Mr. Xu wants to go back, so I will resign from the official position and rest at home."

A classic in governance, never go out again."

Xu Dun let out a long sigh.

He slowly raised his head, with a sad look on his weather-beaten face, "This is the way the world is."

"What's the point of being a prime minister like Yang Min and taking charge of the government? It's good to study at home, very good."

The two were talking, and the next moment, a state official rushed into the house with a look of fear on his face.

"Xu Gong!!"

"It's not good!"

"Thieves have attacked the craftsman camp outside the city, and the east city gate has been taken away by the thieves!"

"What?!"

Xu Dun was no longer as calm as before. He stood up suddenly and subconsciously wanted to draw his sword. When he stretched out his hand, he remembered that his sword had been hanging on the wall for a long time.

He looked blankly at the sword hanging on the wall, suddenly remembered something, and sat down again.

Don't rush around in a hurry, drag the clerk to inquire about the details.

After a while, another clerk rushed in.

"Mr. Xu!! The person who came here is not a thief!"

"I heard that he is the victorious general Kou Liu under the general's command!"

"He came under the order of Beidao Xingtai and asked Mr. Xu to go and see him immediately."

Don't be surprised and looked at Xu Dun again, "They are the general's men? What is the general doing?"

Xu Dun stood up, his face still calm, "Follow me out to meet you."

He basically doesn't care what happens.

When Xu Dun led everyone out of the official office, got on the car and rushed to the east city gate, several other officials finally appeared and came to see Xu Dun, and then followed him, the arrogant elder

Shi, at this moment, also lowered his head very deep, hiding it at the end, and did not dare to give orders anymore.

The city wall was already controlled by Taozi soldiers. The county soldiers dropped their weapons and knelt around the city wall, not daring to resist.

The officials responsible for guarding the city gate were also tied up and their mouths were gagged, and they were crawling on the ground like insects.

Many soldiers were stationed at the gate of the city. Among the people, Kou Liu was quite eye-catching.

Many peasants and craftsmen were kneeling beside him, talking loudly.

Kou Liu listened to their stories, his face was extremely ugly, and his fierce look was revealed.

"General, I have been left here for more than a month. I have been busy all day and have no time to go home. My family relied on my craftsmanship to support me. A few days ago, an old neighbor came to tell me that my wife had been starved.

They killed two children and left them living in a neighbor's house, but there wasn't much left to eat."

The craftsman wiped his tears and cried bitterly.

"My brother was hit while cutting down a tree. They didn't treat him or stop the bleeding, and they just let him bleed to death."

Everyone has a lot to say.

The scribe standing next to Kou Liu took notes and wrote quickly.

When the gentlemen arrived in their cars, these people just silenced themselves, not daring to speak or cry any more.

Kou Liu's face was cold and he stared at the people in the distance.

Xu Dun got out of the car and walked to Kou Liu. Regardless of his seniority and age, he saluted Kou Liu and said, "Meet General Kou."

The rest of the people followed him and said, "Meet the General!!"
To be continued...