Clear and Muddy Loss of Love

Chapter 135

A bead curtain hides incense

However, Gu Feng took a step back, raised his arms and saluted Qi Yan respectfully: "Thanks to Master for saving his life and rebuilding, Gu Feng dare not call him brother again, and I hope Master will understand."

Qi Yan looked at the pair of folded hands in sight, the fingers were thick and stiff, how could they still be the hands that read and practice calligraphy?It looks like a rough man who has been doing heavy work for a long time...

The man in front of him is already hard to match up with the high-spirited young man of the past.Qi Yan still remembers the Shangyuan Festival many years ago, when he and Gu Feng faced off in front of the lantern riddles. Although this man showed his sharpness, he was full of real talents, and finally he quit him and won the first prize.He took money to open up the door, and went to the second prince's mansion as a staff member. With his assistance, the second prince's reputation among the people and the court was unmatched among many princes.

Three years ago, Gu Feng was affected by witchcraft, and was assassinated and exiled to North Kyushu to repair the city.The Jiedu envoys of Kitakyushu, Erihe Anujin, did not treat these Wei country prisoners as human beings at all, and the prisoners sent there lived a life like hell.

He ordered money to bring a large amount of silver bills, and bought some dying prisoners on the way to escort them back. Gu Feng was not among the first batch of prisoners.Because he was a close minister next to the second prince, he was taken directly to Kitakyushu by the officials of the Ministry of Punishments as a serious criminal.

In the second year of Qi Yan's tenure in Jinzhou, a young man who failed many times went to the prefect's mansion to apply for a document. That person's style and temperament were very similar to Gu Feng's.Only then did Qi Yan think of this old man, and wrote a letter to Qian Yuan, asking him to go to Luobei to find this person.

It took Qian Yuan more than half a year to find the unrecognizable Gu Feng. At that time, he was suffering from malaria and was skinny. He was thrown into a secluded place by his guards and left to fend for himself...

Qian Yuan took him to Luoshui to patrol famous doctors, and spent countless money to save him.

Most of Gu Feng's family members were also implicated, and his elderly Gao Tang died on the road to exile.

A few days ago, Qian Yuan sent a letter saying that Gu Feng had been arranged to wait for dispatch near Jinzhou. This was the first meeting between the two after many years.

"Are you still used to it?" Qi Yan asked lightly.

Gu Feng was silent and did not speak, and Qi Yan continued without forcing: "I called you this time because the Sifang Bank under my hand was suppressed by the Tongyuan Bank, and it is difficult to operate the bank in the capital. I hope you will help Qian Yuan manage the business of the bank."

Gu Feng raised his eyelids and asked, "Isn't the owner of Tongyuan Bank the Mr. Xie An, Mr. Xie?"

Qi Yan: "That's right, one moment and another moment. The wealth of the Xie family has been passed down for three generations, so it's time to get a share of it. The master behind Xie An is the third prince Nangongwang. To put it bluntly, the property of the Xie family belongs to Nangongwang." Money bag. Money is a good thing, as long as Xie An is behind to inject money into Nangongwang, Nangongwang can dominate the fifth prince in court."

A sternness flashed in Gu Feng's eyes, and he replied: "I'm afraid the villain's methods are more vicious in the perineum, does the master not mind?"

Qi Yan hooked the corner of her mouth: "Make the aftermath clean, everything is up to you."

Gu Feng: "Yes."

……

Qi Yan went out of the ruined temple first, and with a bang, half of the wooden door of the small temple, which was already crumbling, fell to the ground, stirring up waves of smoke and dust, which swung away round and round.

Qi Yan didn't even turn his head, but Qian Tong, who was guarding the carriage, pulled out his saber excitedly and looked behind Qi Yan vigilantly. Returned to the carriage.

Qian Tong also jumped on the shaft of the chariot, took a look into the small dark temple, and shook the reins: "Drive!"

Qi Yan leaned on the carriage and slowly closed her eyes. Speaking of which, she still wanted to thank Xie An for giving her a talent like Qian Yuan.

In the past three years, the industries under Qi Yan's name have spread like vines to all parts of the Wei country. Although the scale is not enough, as long as the Sifang Bank can enter the capital and make a name for itself, with the support of silver, the rest of the industry will be like this. They sprung up like mushrooms after the rain.

After the witchcraft case, Qi Yan secretly took in hundreds of people, and since two years ago, Qi Yan sent people to travel around secretly and took in some orphans.

Since Qi Yan is a native of Jinzhou, she has already held a pivotal position in the Qi clan during the three years she served as the prefect of Jinzhou.Quite a few students of Qi Clan want to call Qi Yan "Clan Brother" or "Clan Uncle". There are more than [-] people from Jinzhou Qi Clan who are qualified for this year's exam...

If the planning is done properly, Qi Yan will soon be able to cultivate a group of "direct" forces in the court.The current Jinzhou is like Yingchuan, where Sima Hui, Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Guo Jia, Xun You, and Xun Yu gathered together in the Three Kingdoms era. It won’t take long for Jinzhou students to become a force that cannot be underestimated in the Wei Dynasty court. strength.

Although these people cannot help Qi Yan complete his great cause of revenge, Qi Yan, as the "forerunner" of Jinzhou students, will hold a pivotal right to speak.

It's just that recently, Qi Yan has always felt a little uneasy.

She had used a lot of manpower and financial resources to secretly investigate the traces of the masked man, but she couldn't find any clues.

The masked person and her power disappeared as if the world had evaporated.

The masked man and Qi Yan bear similar hatred. Qi Yan knows that the other party will never give up, but she is too silent, so silent that it makes people panic.

……

The two masters and servants rushed day and night, and walked for more than half a month before entering Beijing.Qi Yan went back to the son-in-law's mansion for a wash, changed into the prefect's official uniform with a jade wat pinned to his waist, and just arrived at the door when he met an old acquaintance.

Nangong Shunv was slightly taken aback when she saw Qi Yan, but the latter was not surprised at all. Although she left the capital for the past three years, she knew Xiaodie's every move in the son-in-law's mansion like the back of her hand.

After Qi Yan was kidnapped to take office, Xiaodie fell ill several times and then her mind stagnated again.Thanks to Nangong Shunv who comes here to accompany her from time to time, Qi Yan is grateful for this.

Qi Yan: "I have seen the Second Highness."

Nangong Shunv looked at the man in front of her. His appearance didn't seem to have changed, but his demeanor was more stable than before.

Nangong Shunv: "Why are you back?"

Qi Yan smiled and replied: "The minister is ordered to return to Beijing to report on his duties."

Nangong Shunv: "Bengong... is here to visit Xiaodie."

Qi Yan nodded, still respectfully said: "Thanks to His Highness the Second Highness for supporting you so much, I thank you on Xiaodie's behalf."

Nangong Shunv nodded slightly, and Qi Yan brushed past her.

Nangong Shunv turned around and saw that Qi Yan had stepped onto the carriage with one foot, she suddenly said: "Have you seen her?"

Qi Yan stopped and looked back, does this "she" refer to Nangong Jingnv?Or Fluttershy?

Nangong Shunv's lips moved, and there was a trace of complexity in her eyes: "Xiaodie, have you seen it?"

Qi Yan replied with a gentle smile again: "Not yet, Second Highness, please come in."

Nangong Shunu said "Oh": "Yuxiao! She... lives in Nuan Pavilion in the southeast corner of Weiming Palace, you should go and see her first." Moment is moment...

Qi Yan: "I understand."

……

The palace is still the same as it used to be, with red walls and yellow bricks, solemn and solemn, and a chorus came from the main hall: "Qi Yan, the prefect of Xuanjin Prefecture, enters the palace."

The eight servants worked together to push open the door of the court hall, and with the rumbling sound of sunlight pouring in, Qi Yan stepped halfway across the threshold with one foot.

At this time, it was already past the time of the early dynasty, Nangong Daduan was sitting on the high seat, with a crutch beside the dragon chair, and behind the throne hung a roll of bead curtains, and behind the bead curtains were two huge screens with eight leaves in one piece.

Qi Yan narrowed his eyebrows, walked lightly to the center of the hall, lifted the hem of his clothes and knelt down on the ground, holding the jade wat in both hands in front of his chest: "My lord, Qi Yan, the prefect of Jinzhou, is ordered to enter the palace to report on his duties."

Nan Gongda: "Brother-in-law is free from courtesy, please come and give me a seat."

Qi Yan: "Thank you, Your Highness."

The waiter brought a small stool, Qi Yan only sat on a third of the stool.

Qi Yan raised her head, and the two looked at each other.

Nangong Dabi was much calmer five years ago, and had already grown a beard on his lips.

Compared to Qi Yan's calmness, Nan Gongda seemed a bit surprised.He looked at Qi Yan, it seemed that the past three years had not left a trace on the other person's body, he had no mustache on his lips, and his cheeks were as smooth as a mirror, but he still looked like a handsome young man.

Nangongda murmured: "I haven't seen you for three years, my brother-in-law is still as handsome as ever."

Qi Yan lowered his gaze, and humbly replied: "Your Highness has a great reputation."

Although Nangongda was puzzled, he politely withdrew his searching gaze. After all, Qi Yan and Nangong Jingnv had been married for many years, and even had a child with a concubine, so he didn't think about anything else.

Nan Gongda: "My brother-in-law has taken over Jinzhou Dayin for three years, and he has made outstanding achievements in governance. It is obvious to all the government and the public. Father and I are gratified."

Qi Yan stood up, took out a scroll from her bosom, and the waiter took it and presented it up.

Qi Yan: "Thanks to the emperor's favor, I live in the prefect of one side. I don't dare to slack off for a day, and I often have trouble sleeping and eating for fear of being entrusted with a heavy burden. This file records the Jinzhou prefecture's population, corvee, business tax, and The city defense is being repaired, please take a look at it, Your Highness."

Nangongda opened the scroll and glanced at it. The shock in his heart was beyond words. He couldn't help raising his eyes to look at Qi Yan. The other party still lowered his head and followed his brows, showing humility.

Nan Gongda read the dossier carefully. After the plague in the first year of Jingjia, Jinzhou's ten houses, nine empties and all industries withered, and then the city defenses were severely damaged by floods and natural disasters. After so many years, I did not know how many prefects changed without improvement.

However, in the three years since Qi Yan took over Jinzhou, the population of Jinzhou Prefecture has increased by more than ten times, almost approaching the level before the epidemic.

Taxation, corvee, and business tax have also reached the level of a prosperous state capital.

The repair of the city defenses was also carried out in an orderly manner, and what is even more commendable is: Qi Yan built four government schools, and unexpectedly produced more than 30 scholars!

Qi Yan explained in a timely manner: "When I took office, I took out all the surplus food in the official warehouse of Jinzhou Prefecture, and collected donations from Jinzhou gentry in the name of a private person, and spread the official documents in the adjacent state capital: Fan Jinzhou native place The common people need to satisfy a family of three people, and those who are willing to return to their hometown will be given three stones of coarse grain or one stone of polished rice, and one tael of silver for settling expenses. People in other prefectures who are willing to emigrate to Jinzhou will be counted as a family of five people, and the gift of coarse grain will be one silver. Two, and the government will send out the chariots and horses needed for relocation."

Nangongda's eyes widened, marveling at Qi Yan's intelligence and courage beyond ordinary people.

Nan Gongda: "You are not afraid of spending all the surplus food and silver in the government office. The government treasury will not be accounted for next year? This...is a serious crime."

Qi Yan pondered and said: "Scared."

Nangongda: "Then why?"

Qi Yan took a deep breath, and replied after deliberation: "In fact, the treasury's money and surplus food were quickly used up, and I had to borrow a lot of money from various banks with the land deeds of the son-in-law's mansion and private house as collateral. Just finished this…”

Nangong Da's eyes widened, shocked by Qi Yan's "crazy".

"I looked through the files of Jinzhou Prefecture over the years, and found that before the first year of Jingjia, the taxes paid by Jinzhou Prefecture every year were the leaders of all the prefectures. In addition, I was originally from Jinzhou, and I knew that the water and soil were fertile and the food production was extremely high. Therefore, it has been decadent for many years because there is no one in Jinzhou. Tens of thousands of acres of fertile land are overgrown with weeds and no one is cultivating. There are only a few scattered shops in a street... It took half a year for Chen to travel to every place in Jinzhou. As a county, I was pleasantly surprised to find that although Jinzhou is withered, its foundation is still there, as long as there are people, it will definitely be able to restore it to the past!"

Nan Gongda looked at Qi Yan in a daze, and was overwhelmed by Qi Yan's inadvertent demeanor and self-confidence.

Under the influence of Qi Yan, Nan Gongda was a little emotional, and he asked Qi Yan again: "It is a serious crime to embezzle the government treasury privately. Isn't it afraid that the court will investigate my brother-in-law every year?"

Qi Yan replied in a low voice: "I have always been in awe of the laws and regulations, but there are still many things in life that I know can't be done." Besides, I didn't do this on the spur of the moment. We gathered wise men from all walks of life to discuss together, and only proceeded when we got a sure possibility.”

Qi Yan's words were like enlightenment to Nan Gongda, who is the prince of Jian Guo, he even forgot that there was a person hiding behind the screen, and discussed government affairs with Qi Yan.

From Jinzhou's governance, humanities, to some difficulties encountered by Qi Yan and how to solve them, we also talked about Jinzhou's talent training and this imperial examination...

Every word the two talked about fell into the ears of Nangong Jingnu. She couldn't see people through the screen, but she magically imagined every expression, eyes, and movements of Qi Yan.

It is extremely clear and fresh, as if they have never been separated.

Listening to his little by little in the past three years, it was also the first time to see Qi Yan's other side besides being a son-in-law.

It was an existence that radiated light from top to bottom, making people unable to move their eyes away.

Although Nangongda and Nangong Jingnv have been slightly estranged in the past few years, Nangongda, who didn't know that Nangong Jingnv took over the government affairs, still cherishes his little sister.

Nangongda invited Nangong Jingnv half an hour in advance, and let her hide behind the screen. He wanted to give Qi Yan a "surprise" to bring the couple back together, but she heard such insightful words remarks.