Royal road

Outside the city of Gaodu, outside the newly reclaimed [-] mu of wasteland, an earthen platform was erected.This place is just in the east of the city, and it is the evolution of the ancient ritual of welcoming spring in the suburbs.Early in the morning, people from all over the world stood guard in front of the stage.This is the Lichun Nuo ceremony presided over by the county magistrate himself, and I haven't seen it for a few years at least.No wonder there was a severe drought and insect plagues in the past few years. Without the government to eliminate the disasters and welcome the spring, how could the weather be smooth?

With an extremely simple mind, these people rushed over early, hoping to grab a good seat in front of the stage.The earth cow used to whip the spring stands on the edge of the platform, covered with a blue curtain, and its size alone is quite impressive.But the magistrate has not yet arrived, so no one dares to take a step forward.

After another half an hour, the sound of gongs and drums was heard from afar. This is the way of purification, exorcism of ghosts, and a necessary ritual for Nuo.Not long after, I saw a team of Yamen servants walking towards this side surrounded by two people.The two people in the middle are both wearing Tsing Yi, the older one is wearing a Tsing cape, with a flat face and a beard under his chin, looks very dignified, it is Guo Jiao, the magistrate of Gaodu County.The young man next to him was covered with gauze, his complexion was like the unmelted spring snow, dazzlingly white, and so beautiful that people dare not look at him closely.

Immediately there was a commotion from the audience: "Who is that man? Why is he walking with the magistrate?"

"Why is Mr. Lang so handsome?"

"Ah, isn't it the legendary Liang Langjun?!"

"Such a fairy character must be Liang Langjun!"

The commotion became louder and louder. Immediately afterwards, someone knelt down first, and bowed reverently to that handsome man.In order to defend the city last year, many young and strong people died unexpectedly. It is said that Liang Langjun cast a spell to lure away the rebels, so that Gaodu was spared from breaking the city.And these newly converted refugees ate countless meals of horse meat porridge.I don't know if it was blessed by the meat porridge, but the number of people who died of disasters and diseases in the refugee village was very small, it was like a miracle.

Today, the county honors the whip earth cow and the god of welcoming spring, accompanied by Liang Langjun.Isn't it necessary to have good weather, no disease and no disaster?I was so excited that I couldn't hold it back, just like the waves of wheat falling down in unison, the people all over the country knelt down.

Looking at the kneeling people below, Guo Jiao smiled and said, "Look, Marquis Liang, the hearts of the people are available!"

"It's better for the county to respect the benevolent government, so that the people can win the hearts of the people." Liang Feng answered with cupped hands.

This is a compliment in front of outsiders, and it is more beautiful than saying it a hundred times in private.Guo Jiao laughed and asked Liang Feng to preside over the ceremony on the same stage. Naturally, Liang Feng would not steal his limelight, but smiled and declined. In the end, only Guo Jiao climbed onto the earthen platform.

Standing on the earthen platform, Guo Jiao bowed deeply to the east, and said loudly: "The beginning of spring is coming, I respectfully invite the God of Mang! May there be a good harvest and good weather this year!"

Following his voice, the gongs and drums sounded again, and more than a dozen men with Nuo masks sang and danced to exorcise Nuo.Because it was Jumang, the god of wood, this time the Nuo ceremony did not bring the face of Fang Xiang. Everyone wore green clothes, held willow branches, and wore bird masks on their heads, circling the earthen platform and shouting endlessly.After reciting the long mantra and dancing the jubilant Nuo dance, the curtain covering the cow was lifted.

The one who carved the spring ox this time was a master craftsman in the workshop. I saw that the native ox was lifelike, with complete hooves and horns, just like a very strong yellow ox, ready to start plowing the fields.Guo Jiao stepped down from the earthen platform, took the colorful staff from the yamen servant, and hit the earth cow with force.For each blow, the officials chanted auspicious words, and the common people cheered and greeted them. Amidst the cheers that shook the sky, Guo Jiao whipped six times vigorously before it ended.

However, after the ceremony was over, Guo Jiao did not put down the colored staff, but held the wooden staff in both hands, and walked up to Liang Feng: "Thank you Lianghou for coming, this spring will be dedicated to Lianghou!"

The voice fell, and the drums sounded again.This is also a kind of etiquette, which is called "send spring", and the county magistrate personally sends out a spring whip and hand it over to the county gentry, which can be said to be the highest treatment.

Naturally, Liang Feng would not refuse, took the colored staff with both hands, and bowed to thank him.Seeing the action of the two handing over the colored sticks, there was another shout of joy from the audience, with the blessing of the Buddha, why not be afraid of disasters!

In this way, the work on the scene was finished, Guo Jiao said softly: "Lianghou, let's retreat a little..."

He didn't understand what Guo Jiao meant, but Liang Feng wouldn't be so stupid as to ask, he followed behind with a smile and retreated more than a hundred steps.After standing still, Guo Jiao winked at the little official beside him, who immediately rang the gong beside the stage.As soon as the gong sounded, the people below were in chaos, and rushed towards the earth cow with a bang.This situation is as if they have not eaten for hundreds of years, and they are fighting for the last bite of food. In a blink of an eye, there is a pot of porridge beside the earthen platform.

Yi Yan had never seen such a scene before, he immediately shouted, and led his soldiers to stand firmly in front of Liang Feng.Guo Jiao next to him laughed and said, "Don't panic, this is the common people grabbing the spring mud, and no one can be hurt."

After listening to Guo Jiao's explanation, Liang Feng finally understood.What these people grab is the soil from the spring cattle. It is said that sprinkling it on the field can bless the land with fertility, and covering it on the silkworm eggs can keep the spring silkworm disease-free and produce more silk.It is a kind of treasure with excellent intentions, how can it not be robbed of its head?

In less than a quarter of an hour, there was not even any dross left on the huge mud cow, and some people were reluctant to scrape the ground where the cow stood, hoping to get some broken mud.Looking at the joyful expressions of the people who grabbed the spring mud, Liang Feng felt relieved.In a few days, when the overturned cars outside the city are fully equipped, with intensive cultivation, the county will surely have a bumper harvest.

A trip to encourage farming made Liang Feng feel extremely comfortable.However, not long after returning to the mansion, something bad happened from the sky.The Ningbei General's Mansion sent envoys to enlist him as a subordinate of the General's Mansion.

The surname of the person who came was Chen, who was the recorder of the General's Mansion. After seeing Liang Feng, he nodded in satisfaction: "Mr. Dong Ying heard that Liang Lang is a man of high moral character and outstanding demeanor, and he intends to promote talents in Luanli. I don't know if you are interested in becoming a general The government is for you."

Looking at Chen Lushi's haughty look, Liang Feng said indifferently: "I have been ill for a long time on the couch, and my body is so weak that I can't afford to be used by Mr. Dongying."

Unexpectedly, this kid refused in person when he disagreed with him.Chen Lushi's expression froze: "Liang Lang is from Bingzhou. Now that the world is chaotic, it's time to employ people. Dongying is the mainstay of Bingzhou by recruiting talented people, appointing talented people and using talents. Such a refusal, Isn't it reckless?"

To these stern words, Liang Feng smiled but did not answer.

Seeing the reckless appearance of this person in front of him, Chen Lushi felt extremely depressed.It's a good job to do it like this, and you will be punished by Mr. Dongying when you go back.However, conquest is a national etiquette, and it cannot be forced. After holding back for a long time, he could only get up and leave.

Seeing the recorder leaving angrily, Lu Zhu whispered worriedly: "Mr. Lang, this is the conquest of Duke Dong Ying. Can you really not go?"

"Of course." Liang Feng sneered.

Not only is it possible, but it is something that anyone who wants to recruit celebrities must accept.It can be said that it is a tradition since the Han Dynasty that celebrities are not recruited.

In the Han, Wei and Jin Dynasties when the imperial examination system did not appear, the expropriation system was another important way to become an official besides the examination system and the Jiupin Zhongzheng system.The emperor's conscripts are called "Zheng", and the government's conscripts are called "Pi".However, this "shortcut to the south" is not a hundred trials.Many hermits are unwilling to take up official positions, and they cannot be recruited.There is Zheng Xuan, a great scholar who refused to be recruited by the Han court several times, and recently there is Wang Po, a famous scholar who had a feud with Sima Zhao for killing his father and failed to succeed.Even Sima Yi, the ancestor of the Sima family, pretended to be sick and escaped Cao Cao's initial conquest?

In a dynasty like the Western Jin Dynasty, where the regime was complicated and the rulers were stupid and stubborn, it became more popular not to expropriate.With such a social atmosphere, it is impossible for those celebrities who are drawn to fame and power to come and go as soon as they are called.Therefore, if the land acquisition is not successful, it becomes the choice of another part of celebrities to raise their social status.Without three visits to the thatched cottage, without being promoted again and again, they would never want to become officials.

Therefore, conquest has become a struggle between those in power and celebrities.Those in power want to gain a reputation as a virtuous person, while celebrities use this mentality to support themselves, and no one will easily break the balance.But now Liang Feng is no longer the kind of little-known mundane person who made his name again and again, and he also got the right to refuse to expropriate.

Just based on Sima Teng's stupidity of going to Beijing to claim credit for the epidemic prevention, he would not devote himself to the general's mansion of that idiot.And conquest is a good thing for him rather than a bad thing.Because even if you don't deserve to be recruited, the world will assume that you have the ability to be an official.If you want to continue enlisting in the future, you can only advance to the official position step by step, and you cannot use the original official position to enlist several times.

If Sima Teng makes a case for expropriation, it will be beneficial to him.He wanted to see what tricks that idiot could come up with.

■

"What did you say? Liang Feng shouldn't be expropriated?!" Hearing what the master said, Sima Teng raised his eyebrows, "How dare a mere Tinghou be so domineering?! Send a motorcade to Liang's mansion to pick him up Come to Jinyang!"

Director Gao couldn't help smiling wryly: "General, then Liang Zixi said that he was weak and could not respond. I'm afraid it's inappropriate to act so hastily."

"What's wrong?!" Sima Teng said angrily, "I've already paid respect to the corporal, regardless of previous suspicions, he is still so ignorant. Is it possible that I have to take care of the thatched cottage?!"

This is a bit too much, Master Gao hastily coughed dryly: "The general is serious. In fact, there is no way to re-conquer. Didn't he say that he is ill? Then send some doctors to treat him. If If you are really sick, you can give medicine to prolong the treatment and appreciate some kindness. If you pretend to be sick, you will naturally have a reason to question the crime. In this way, won't it also show the general's generosity?"

When Sima Teng heard the words, he pondered for a moment, and finally nodded bitterly: "That's fine. Send two imperial physicians to examine his pulse carefully! If you dare to make false statements, I will take him for questioning!"

Master Gao let out a sigh of relief.Fortunately, Liang Zixi used this kind of excuse. It would be difficult to deal with it in another way.But is this person trying to raise his reputation, or is he really unwilling to come to the General's Mansion?If the latter is easy to handle, if it is the former, he is a man with a deep scheming mind.It may not be a good thing for such a person to enter the general's mansion.

But the words have been spoken, and now it is a bit difficult to get off.Alas, it seems that we should send a letter to Wang Wen as soon as possible, otherwise there will be trouble.