Chapter 3 First arrival in Fengxian

He hurriedly hugged and said, "I don't know if the guests can bring a list, so I can go to the yamen to report."

Fang Ling smiled slightly and said, "Let's do this, I'll go to the yamen with you, and they will take their time behind you. What do you think?"

The young soldier nodded and said, "Okay, please come with me, young master."

So he gave instructions to the soldiers guarding the city next to him and led Fang Ling into the city.

Seeing that Fang Ling got out of the car and walked, Chen Mou and others naturally sat in the car safely, got out of the car one by one, and followed behind.

Although Fang Ling and his group were not many, they were quite imposing. As soon as they entered the city, they attracted the attention of many pedestrians and whispered quietly.

The entire county town does not look big in appearance, and it is also a type of road that leads straight to the bottom. It extends from the road that runs straight and indirectly, and is also considered to be a regular pattern in terms of layout.

Fang Ling walked over and found that the clothes worn by the people were very simple. Many people had patches on their clothes, and they did not see any places like markets. There seemed to be many shops on both sides of the street, but now they have already closed the doors, and only the flags such as the wine shops were still hung outside, which looked a little ragged.

Fang Ling and others frowned slightly. The poverty in this county was indeed even worse than expected. He asked the young soldiers, "Why are these wineries closed?"

The young soldier didn't feel embarrassed and said calmly: "Young master doesn't know that the people in our county are not rich, so there is no market or winery in the city, and there is not even an inn."

Fang Ling asked about some more things, and the more he heard, the more he looked, the more serious he looked. Not long after, he came outside the county government.

The county government office is very small, with the door open, the leather drum in front of the door looks very worn, and a small crack is broken on the edge. A middle-aged man wearing a constable's clothes stands in the yard, touching his chin and looking at the eaves, thinking.

The young soldier strode in and asked with a smile: "Brother He, what are you thinking? You're so trance?"

Constable He smiled heartily and said, "I saw a bird flying from the eaves, thinking about how to get it down so that the adults can replenish their bodies well."

Speaking of this, he saw Fang Ling and his group and said in surprise: "What are these?"

At this time, Dong Canghai had raised the imperial edict that was rolled up into a shaft and said loudly: "Why don't you go and tell the magistrate Cao that His Highness, the King of Shicheng, will be here!"

As soon as he said this, the young soldier was so scared that his legs trembled, and he knelt on the ground in a flash. Constable He also knelt on the ground in panic, not daring to raise his head.

Fang Ling hurriedly walked up, helped the two of them up, and said to Constable He: "Go and notify Lord Cao, don't worry."

Having said that, Constable He ran faster than a rabbit and suddenly rushed to the backyard and disappeared.

The young soldier bowed his head in a stutteringly and said, "I don't know that your highness has arrived. I just questioned him in a rude way. I deserve to die."

Fang Ling smiled and said, "You are loyal and dedicated, why are you guilty? Okay, you go to the city gate first."

"Yes!" The young soldier breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to leave quickly, Fang Ling suddenly asked, "By the way, what's your name?"

"The little one is called Hao Tieniu." The young soldier quickly answered, with a little excitement in his expression. What is the King of Shicheng? That is the eldest son of the emperor. The prince asked for his name personally. Isn't it a great honor?

"Okay, you go." Fang Ling waved his hand with a smile.

Not long after Hao Tieniu went out, a middle-aged man wearing a ninth-rank official uniform hurried from the backyard. This man looked thin, tall, and had very strong eyes. Although he was wearing an official uniform, he had some patches.

Cao Jingyuan walked up in two steps in three steps. When he got closer, he knelt down to Fang Ling and Su's family, and said respectfully: "The lower-ranking official Cao Jingyuan paid homage to Empress Su and King of Shicheng."

Although it was just the first time to meet, Fang Ling couldn't help but nodded with appreciation. This man was covered in cold clothes, but his eyes showed firmness. Although he was a visit, his speech was strong and powerful, neither humble nor arrogant, and he could also show his pride.

Although Chen Mou did not find the exact situation of the Shicheng land in the six ministries' databases, he found his resume for the officials in the three counties, and naturally, there were Cao Jingyuan's.

Cao Jingyuan has been an official here for more than ten years. Although this place is not rich enough, he is still living in peace and has a high prestige, so he is also respected by the county magistrates. He repeatedly wanted to promote him to other areas to become an official. However, Cao Jingyuan insisted on staying and once said that Fengxian was not rich, so he became an official.

When Chen Mou talked about this person, Fang Ling was quite touched. The State of Chu was so big, but how many officials could be as willing to be as innocent as the cold? Even Dong Canghai and others looked at it and couldn't help but sigh secretly.

Now that I saw it with my own eyes, I couldn't help but admire it. He strode over, held his arm and helped him up, and said kindly: "Mr. Cao, don't be too polite, get up quickly."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Cao Jingyuan didn't expect Fang Ling to come here in person, so he stood up quickly, and said a little embarrassedly, "The Xiaguan received the documents granted the title of His Highness to the four counties around Shicheng half a month ago, but he didn't expect His Highness to come here first, so everything was not prepared yet."

Fang Ling smiled and said, "It's okay, but there is no need to prepare any of them. My mother and I are used to living in the cold palace. As long as there is a place and a few simple pieces of furniture."

At this time, Su had already taken off his cloak veil, nodded and said, "Ling'er is right, you don't have to worry too much. If there is room in the yamen, we can live here."

Seeing that the King of Shicheng and the Empress were not arrogant at all, and were thinking about himself everywhere, Cao Jingyuan was also quite moved and said in a move: "If Your Highness and the Empress do not dislike it, there will be a house next to the yamen. The place is very large and the furniture is sufficient, that is..."

"What's wrong?" Fang Ling asked.

Cao Jingyuan said: "That house was originally from a resident family in the county. His three sons were recruited to the border and died on the battlefield. After hearing the news, the old couple could not bear the blow and fell ill and were not rescued later."

Fang Ling then realized that the man who had died in the house had laughed out loud: "Mr. Cao is worried too much. When it comes to death, there are many cold palaces."

After saying this, Cao Jingyuan was slightly stunned, but Dong Canghai and others laughed. Fang Ling's words were true. After the establishment of the State of Chu, there were indeed a large number of concubines who died in the cold palace. However, the examples of Su successfully leaving the palace and his son being crowned king were even more strange.

So, Cao Jingyuan brought everyone to a house not far from the Yamen. Because no one lived in it all year round, the house was already covered with dust and many spider webs were formed.

Dong Canghai immediately directed his guards to start cleaning the room, while Huang Jian and Meng Zhiyuan began to unload the boxes on the carriage.

After the inventory was taken here, Fang Ling told his mother to take a break first, and then sat down in the hall. Chen Mou stood aside without his hands. Cao Jingyuan did not dare to neglect and stood respectfully in the middle of the hall.

Fang Ling smiled and asked Cao Jingyuan to sit in the side seat, saying, "I will be in your Fengxian County for the first time. I'm afraid I'll have to stay here for more time."

Cao Jingyuan hurriedly said, "Feng County is the fief of Your Highness. You can live as long as your highness is willing to live. However, the county is in poverty, so I wonder what your highness has to ask for?"

Fang Ling did not answer directly, but asked back: "Mr. Cao, do you know what it means to become my fief of this place?"

Cao Jingyuan replied seriously, "Your Highness is the lord of this place!"

Fang Ling nodded with satisfaction and said, "It would be great if you understand this principle. In other words, from now on, you will no longer be responsible for any county magistrate or prefecture. You just need to listen to my orders."

"Yes, Your Highness." Cao Jingyuan replied.

Fang Ling said, "Then there is no need to cover up the conversation between you and me. Since I chose to come to Fengxian, I naturally came not for food, drink and fun, but for understanding the people's sentiments. As I walked along the way, I saw that Fengxian was indeed very poor and I was very heartbroken."

Cao Jingyuan bowed and said, "Your Highness has a kind heart, which is a blessing for the people of Feng County."

Fang Ling asked, "Let me tell me, how many people are there in Fengxian County now, and how many soldiers guarding the city in the yamen?"

Cao Jingyuan replied according to the truth: "The total population of this county is more than 5,000, of which there are 2,000 people in the county town, and the total number of people in each township is about 3,000."

Speaking of this, Fang Ling and Chen Mou looked at each other and frowned.

You should know that in an ordinary county in Chu, there are 10,000 people, and even tens of thousands, while this county is only more than 5,000.

Cao Jingyuan then said: "In addition to the officials in the yamen, there is also a clerk and a captain. There are 10 soldiers guarding the city, two at the front and back doors, and the others patrol or rest in shifts in the city."

Fang Ling felt a slump again when he heard this. The county town did not even have basic configurations. In ordinary yamen, there were more than a dozen or twenty constables, and there were about fifty soldiers guarding the city.

Fang Ling asked, "Then tell me why is Fengxian so poor?"
Chapter completed!