Chapter 4: Advance to Retreat
Dark horse wins the championship!
The atmosphere in the room was so heated just now that everyone was toasting to each other. Liu Zheng's poems made everyone forget themselves a little.
At this moment I suddenly realized.
This prodigal son known throughout the city actually won?
The whole place suddenly fell silent.
Then, there was the sound of wine glasses falling.
Then, the whole audience was in an uproar.
"impossible……"
"How can this be!"
"He is so talented?"
Thousands of people in the audience had different expressions. Some were stunned, some regretted, some held their heads, and some roared.
In short, no one is willing to accept the reality before them.
Liu Zheng actually won...
Chen Ping also took a deep breath. The situation before him was beyond his expectations.
"Silence, silence!"
The councilor shouted a few times, and the whole place finally quieted down.
The counselor glanced at Liu Zheng and said, "Congratulations to Liu Zheng, the son of Liu Xianghou, for winning the first prize in this poetry competition!"
There was sparse applause.
Liu Zheng didn't take it seriously, he clasped his fists and laughed, "Thank you, thank you, everyone enjoy your meal! Governor Chen? What do you mean?"
Then, he looked at Chen Ping on the stage with a smile, and did not forget to look at Chen Ruoshi like a pig, with the blasphemous intention becoming more and more obvious.
Such shameless behavior naturally attracted all kinds of abuse.
Liu Zheng didn't care and laughed, "I have had this look since I was a child. You can call it nature or habit. Anyway, I won, didn't I? Miss Chen?"
Chen Ruoshi had just been immersed in the illusion created by Liu Zheng's poems...
"When the golden wind and jade dew meet, it is better than countless things in the world..."
She was a little stunned by what she heard.
At this time, when Liu Zheng called his name, he cried out, as if waking up from a dream.
"You... you scoundrel! Daddy, I..."
Chen Ruoshi's face turned pale and her speech was somewhat incoherent.
How could this prodigal son be so talented?
She was very confused at the moment and didn't know how to refuse him.
Chen Ping waved his hand, signaling his daughter to keep quiet for the time being. Then he looked at Liu Zheng and said with his kind smile, "My dear nephew, you have great literary talent! Since you won, you should implement the rewards and punishments."
"Can't!"
"Master Chen, Miss Chen is a beautiful lady with a kind heart. You must not marry such a pervert!"
"I would kill him with one sword , life for life!"
These talented people are up to all kinds of mischief.
Liu Zheng rolled his eyes.
It's fine if young people make a scene, but why are you, a 60-year-old man, beating your chest and stamping your feet?
But there were soldiers on the scene to maintain order, so how could they really bring swords in? Most of them just did it to satisfy their own desire and show how they were ready to fight for the beauty they loved.
Chen Ping ignored them and looked at Liu Zheng calmly, "I just don't know what you want me to promise you, nephew?"
Liu Zheng laughed when he heard this, with a cynical smile on his face: "My dear father-in-law, I am here to show my respect!"
"you……"
"presumptuous!"
"Let me kill him!"
Everyone in the audience cursed, without exception.
Chen Ping's face darkened even more. Chen Ruoshi beside him was already pale and looked like she wanted to cry but had no tears.
"Son, what are you doing... You must not do that! This old man Chen Ping is not a good person!"
Liu Dahao was also frightened and sweating. He pulled Liu Zheng's arm and reminded him in a low voice.
If Liu Zheng insists on doing so in this matter, then there will be big problems.
Liu Zheng deliberately laughed loudly and said, "Father, what nonsense are you talking about? Is there anything better than becoming the son-in-law of the governor? This is both fame and fortune!"
“Shameless!”
"Such a villain..."
"You are a seven-foot-tall man, and you want to be a son-in-law?"
This statement again aroused the anger of the whole audience.
Chen Ping laughed: "My dear nephew, even so, I admire your talent. However, marriage is a big deal, and it's a matter of mutual affection. Let's make it clear before the wedding. If my daughter has no good intentions, there will be another reward, right?"
Only then did everyone remember that there was this rule.
Chen Ruoshi, at this moment, had a conflicted look on her face.
The look in his eyes when he looked at Liu Zheng was extremely complicated.
Liu Zheng then said, "What the governor said is that you will unconditionally agree to my request? Regardless of whether it's nice or not?"
Then people began to show mocking expressions, it turned out that this fellow was just retreating in order to get more benefits from the prefect.
Rich playboy!
Mortal wisdom!
Chen Ping smiled calmly: "That's true, but the one million silver coins yesterday have all been sent to the front line. It's really difficult for my nephew to help your father get back his property!"
Black-hearted thief!
Old fool!
Liu Zheng cursed Chen Ping's ancestors in his heart, put on a look of deep sorrow, clasped his fists and bowed his head: "Sir Governor, Liu Zheng was unruly yesterday, which was really wrong. This time I have repented. I thought, as the old saying goes, respect the old people as well as the old people of others..."
Chen Ping was overwhelmed by what he heard, and immediately said, "But considering that Liu Xianghou has made great contributions to the stability of Liangzhou by providing additional grain and grass, I, the governor, have decided not to return his property, but to promote his title to county marquis. How do you think?"
Liu Zheng was overjoyed to hear this. This was beyond his expectations.
He originally thought that if he could keep his father's title of Township Marquis at today's poetry gathering, he would be lucky. Unexpectedly, his move of advancing to retreat actually made Liu Dahao's title directly advance to County Marquis!
In the Longyan Dynasty, the titles of marquis started from the township marquis, county marquis, state marquis, then the champion marquis, the marquis inside the pass, the marquis outside the pass, and then to the princes, and finally to the king.
In recent years, the Longyan Dynasty has been facing financial difficulties.
The emperor had no choice but to give away the titles of Township Marquis and County Marquis to make money. In simple terms... rich people can buy them with money. These two titles gave the governors and governors of the states authority - if you can sell them and bring me the money, you will be rewarded. As a result, in the Longyan Dynasty, Township Marquis and County Marquis began to be as common as crucian carp crossing the river, and became something that was everywhere. They were no longer considered mainstream, and were even worse than the previous titles of marquis!
The rank of Xianghou is the lowest, equivalent to an honorary title, a minor official position. But the rank of Xianhou is different, as it will have a fiefdom! It is directly equivalent to a county magistrate in the future!
A township marquis had cost Liu Dahao a million silver coins. This was equivalent to another million silver coins, directly a county marquis?
I made money, I really made money!
Liu Zheng was overjoyed in his heart, but he didn't show it on the surface. His face was full of disappointment: "Ah? Lord Governor, is that it? Can I choose Miss Chen again? I still think..."
"presumptuous!"
Chen Ping shouted angrily.
Chen Ruoshi also looked embarrassed.
Other talented people cursed him for his wolfish ambitions, saying that he deserved death.
After Liu Dahao had been pulling him a few times, Liu Zheng finally shook his head and sighed, "If that's the case, I wonder which county governor would you give my father?"
He looked up and pretended to look greedy.
Everyone was even more disgusted.
Chen Ping had a rough idea of this kid, and he looked down on him. He laughed and said, "There is no county magistrate in the three counties of Liangzhou at present. Why don't you choose one yourself?"
Three?
Liu Zheng nodded quickly.
Soon, the counselor came out with a pile of bamboo slips and placed them in front of Liu Zheng.
Liangzhou is one of the seventy states of the Longyan Dynasty, equivalent to a province in later generations. The Longyan Dynasty lasted for a thousand years, but now it is dying. The vassal kings are ruling their own territories. The titles of township marquis and county marquis can be bought by "donating money". The state and county levels are also managed by county marquis, and there are no other official positions. But at Chen Ping's level, the state marquis is not something that can be bought with money, and it will also be equipped with an official position.
Zhouhou is a title of nobility, Taishou is an official position. Then there are governors, Zhouhou, Zhoumu, Zhouhou , and then princes, kings, and the higher they are, the more complicated it becomes. I will explain it later...
There are thirty prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of Liangzhou, which is equivalent to the city or county in later generations.
Nowadays, almost every place in Liangzhou is managed by a county magistrate.
There are only three left, and there is no county lord for the time being.
The first is Wuzhou, which is the richer of the three counties. It is located in the southeast of Liangzhou and is not far from Beijing, so it is slightly more prosperous. It is the best choice.
The second is Kezhou, which has a large terrain and a large population, but a relatively flat terrain and has no strategic advantage.
The third is Yinzhou, which is the poorest and least favored of the three counties. Located in the southwest of Liangzhou, it has a small terrain and many mountains. It has a small population and is simply poor and destitute. Among the thirty counties in Liangzhou, it is the least impressive.
"Of course Wuzhou is the best!"
"That's wrong. If you want to be a rich man, Kezhou is your first choice. It has a promising future!"
"But Kezhou is difficult to defend and attack..."
"Haha, do you think that a playboy can dominate the world?"
At this time, all the talented people in the audience began to discuss, and when the folding fan is opened, the world is mine. Although it sounds like they are offering advice and suggestions for Liu Zheng, there is a lot of sarcasm in their tone.
The reason is simple, although there are many people present who do not hold official positions.
But they are from Liangzhou. Who would want to be an official in a county that has been doing nothing for years just for a small official position?
Chen Ping laughed and said, "Does my dear nephew have any favorite choice?"
Chen Ruoshi looked at Liu Zheng and wanted to remind him that Wuzhou was a good choice. After all, it was close to Beijing and convenient for trade. There were also a lot of taxes every year, which was more in line with his status as a playboy...
"Father?"
Liu Zheng had actually already made up his mind, but he still consulted his father, after all, the title was his.
Liu Dahao chuckled: "My son, you can make your own conclusion. I have no opinion!"
Liu Zheng said something shocking: "Sir Governor, I choose Yinzhou!"
"What?"
"Hahaha!"
"Did I hear wrongly?"
Chen Ping was very surprised.
Chen Ruoshi looked anxious.
Liu Dahao's face also changed drastically.
All the scholars and talented people in the audience burst into laughter.
