Chapter 612: Don’t accept gifts, because your gifts are small

If the people are poor and the local yamen are dilapidated, then there is nothing to say, it can only be said that the local officials are incompetent, or the land here is poor and the people cannot live a good life. However, the people are poor and the local yamen are magnificent, so it is not a natural disaster, but a man-made disaster!

Local officials are not incompetent, but they are very capable and have great ability to plunder people’s wealth!

Wang Ping'an frowned and said, "Mr. Ji, I have been here all the way, but I see that the lives of the people of Qingzhou are not too rich. I guess the local finances are not abundant, right?"

Governor Ji immediately cried out and said, "Prince, you are so keen. As soon as you enter the city, you can see the situation in Qingzhou. The land here is barren and there is always drought. It has not rained a few times last year, and the crops are not well harvested. People go out begging. I sent soldiers to guard the road checkpoints, but the unlucky people actually ran out across mountains and rivers. There is really nothing we can do about it!"

Changshi Che Sitong also said: "Yes, when the weather is dry, the harvest will be in the fields. If the harvest is incomplete, the people will have to go out to escape. As a result, the more people will run, the poorer they will be here, and the poorer they will run out."

Wang Ping'an refused to listen to their complaints, pointed to the governor's mansion and said, "Since Qingzhou is so poor, why is this governor's mansion so luxuriously built? Where does the money come from?"

Governor Ji did not expect that Wang Ping'an would ask this question, and he whined and stayed there. He was old and could not bear to leave his official position, but the Secretariat issued a document to him and asked him to go home to support him. He couldn't do it even if he wanted to leave. To put it bluntly, as long as Wang Ping'an received the seal, he would no longer be an official, but a commoner, and could only go home to support him.

In this case, how could he bear any responsibility? Even if someone has to bear the blame from the new governor, he will stay and continue to be an official to bear it, not him!

Governor Ji coughed twice and said, "Xiaguan is old and has long wanted to retire and return home, but the court has not allowed it. Because Xiaguan is old and weak, the matters in the state are all under the responsibility of the Chief of the State."

He turned his head and rushed to the four passages of the car: "Chief, the prince, let's answer the question!" Anyway, as soon as the print is handed over, he will leave, stay away from Qingzhou and never come back, so there is no need to take into account any friendship between colleagues. If you have any trouble, let Che Sitong deal with it.

Che Sitong grinned and looked at the governor Ji, thinking to himself: "How can you deduct the money for stone and wood if you don't build a new yamen? That money is not in my pocket alone. You are the one who takes the big head. Do you want to admit it now?"

Even if someone refuses to admit his conspiracy, what if he is going to bite the governor Ji now, then Wang Ping'an will think that he is a kind-hearted person and his superiors turn against each other as soon as they step down. Who dares to use such subordinates?

Che Sitong had to explain to Wang Ping'an: "If you go back to the prince, the governor's mansion is the face of Qingzhou. This face naturally needs to be more glamorous, so that the people know that our governor Ji still has achievements and can stay in Qingzhou with confidence and do not have to go out to escape!"

Wang Ping'an said, "For the sake of being shiny, I have to tighten my belt. This shiny is hard-earned!"

Governor Ji was a mature man and did not waste time on this topic. He stretched out his hand and made an invitation. He smiled and said, "After becoming the governor of this state, he will manage his continent well so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment. Come, let's go in, hand over the seal, and finish the court's official affairs, let's talk about your personal friendship!"

He spoke very well, and he gently brought Wang Ping'an's question in one sentence, as if he was telling Wang Ping'an that we should do the important business first and don't care about anything else. In fact, he was talking about it, Prince, please hurry up and take the big seal. If you take the big seal, you will find whoever you want to trouble you, and you have the final say!

Wang Ping'an snorted and said, "No, it's important to do the important business first. Lord Ji invites you first!" He asked Governor Ji to enter the mansion with great grace.

"Prince and Lord, please!" Governor Ji quickly returned the gift. Before handing over the printing, he was the highest official in the local area. According to the rules, he naturally walked in front and was just polite.

Everyone behind followed into the governor's mansion.

Entering the lobby, in accordance with the rules of the Tang Dynasty, Governor Ji and Wang Ping'an handled all the procedures and handed over the seal. Wang Ping'an thus became the highest administrative officer of Qingzhou. Di Renjie and Qiu Tingxuan also handed over the seal with Heshui County Magistrates and Maling County Magistrates, and officially became the county magistrates.

After the important business that governor Ji said was done, the next thing was to welcome the people and hold a big banquet. The governor Ji was about to leave, so he naturally didn't care who spent the money on the banquet. However, the Changshi Che Sitong was afraid that Wang Ping'an would be unhappy. He kept explaining to Wang Ping'an that although this banquet was luxurious, it was all spent on merchants, and the merchants voluntarily paid filial piety. He also asked the prince not to refuse, so as not to hurt the merchants' flattery!

After hearing this explanation, Wang Ping'an was really amused and could only give everyone a chance to make peace with him.

A banquet, bragging, and all the fun parted!

After eating and drinking, Wang Ping'an went to the study with a drink. Jin Sanquan and several big merchants from Qingzhou were waiting for him in the study. He had to meet him.

As soon as Wang Ping'an entered the study, Jin Sanquan and others immediately stood up, and everyone knelt down and kowtowed together to greet the governor Wang Ping'an. Wang Ping'an smiled and said, "No need to be polite. Haven't you met at the banquet just now? If you meet someone, you are an acquaintance. If you are an acquaintance, you don't need to be so polite!"

Jin Sanquan got up from the ground and smiled and said, "Prince, we are really destined to be destined to be. I think the old man went to Chang'an when he went to Chang'an, but he didn't want to get sick. If you hadn't taken action in time, I'm afraid that the old man's life would have to be given in Chang'an!"

He was used by Wang Ping'an to compete with Long Aotian for medical skills, which has become an important means for him to make friends with high-ranking officials and nobles. He was away from business, and if an official made things difficult for him, he would talk about it, saying how good his relationship with Wang Ping'an was, how good his relationship with all the adults in the capital was, and even the prince knew who he was.

With this, almost all officials will give him face and no longer make things difficult for him. Some officials will even make friends with him and collude with officials and businessmen. Therefore, Jin Sanquan's business is becoming bigger and bigger, and all of this is thanks to Wang Ping'an. How could he not be grateful?

Wang Ping'an said, "Where do you remember this? Alas, I almost forgot it myself!" As he said, he looked at the study and said, "This study is well arranged, and there are so many books, which is almost 10% of the 10% of my family!"

He was a satirical figure. There were not many books in the study room of the dignified governor's mansion. What is this like? Is it a study room or a flower hall?

But no one of the merchants could hear it. Instead, he said, "Yes, yes, this study is decorated very uniquely, and there are so many books!"

A businessman said, "It turns out that there are indeed books from the governor's house. There are so many books, more than my account books!"

Jin Sanquan also said: "This shows that Lord Ji likes to read, but compared to the prince, he must be inferior. Prince is a well-read person, so there are more books."

He looked at the bookshelf and said, "But it seems that the bookshelf is not enough. Should the old man find someone to make a few more bookshelfs to deliver to you?"

Wang Ping'an smiled and said, "That's thankful. But there is no need for the time being, and I haven't brought many books."

Jin Sanquan said again, "You are polite, you are a scholar, so why don't you need a bookshelves? Ah, the old man understands, are you afraid that the bookshelf we sent are not your wish? That's true. We discount the money for the bookshelf. Please ask your housekeeper to find someone to make a bookshelves. You can make it like whatever you want. Wouldn't that be good?"

The merchants immediately understood that they had a look at each other with a divine understanding. They wanted to bribe him and gave Wang Ping'an money in the name of bookshelf. They just didn't know what the prince's appetite was and whether he could feed him. But judging from his style, he was much bigger than that of the governor Ji. I guess if he wanted to feed him, he would be really bleeding!

Wang Ping'an waved his hand and said, "No, really, no, I don't lack bookshelf. I just want to ask, what kind of business do you do?"

The merchants quickly reported their own business, including timber merchants, grain merchants, cloth merchants, and even merchants who burn bricks, all kinds of things. Only Jin Sanquan, he had the most business, and he was doing business, selling goods to Chang'an and Qingzhou. He also had business in the Western Regions, selling cloth and seasonings.

After listening to their introduction, Wang Ping'an encouraged them, first, let them work hard and do business without business. Their status as businessmen is very important. Even if most officials look down on businessmen at this time, Wang Ping'an definitely looks down on him. Second, he solemnly stated that everyone should "take care of each other" in the future. After saying this, he sent Jin Sanquan and the others out.

The merchants presented the gift list prepared early as the time was regarded as a tribute to the new governor.

Wang Ping'an took the gift list and flipped it one by one, with a very disdainful expression on his face. He returned the gift list to them, and said, "I am the magistrate of the court, and I swear to be a clean official. You can bring all these gifts back!" As he said that, he called Ouyang Li loudly to see him off.

The merchants were sent out of the governor's mansion, but did not disperse immediately. They found a tavern, they booked the room and went in to discuss matters.

A businessman said, "Master Jin, you are familiar with the prince. Do you know his temper? He doesn't accept gifts because we have a few gifts?"

Another businessman also said: "This prince is not simple, but it is much harder to serve than Lord Ji. We will give gifts to Governor Ji, no matter how many, he has never refused."

Another businessman said, "That's because Lord Ji is leaving. He doesn't try to catch it when he can. After passing this village, there will be no store. He will have no chance to catch it in the future!"

Jin Sanquan thought about it and found that he didn't know Wang Ping'an, but of course he wouldn't say this, that doesn't mean he was not familiar with Wang Ping'an. He said, "The prince was very talented and spent a lot of money in Chang'an. He was a famous wealthy family. It was really money coming like a mountain collapse and a tsunami, and wealth going like a galloping horse. Maybe this gift from us really cannot be seen by him!"
Chapter completed!