"Brother, are you a man or a woman?"

Inside the ox cart, Xiuxiu asked Duan Yunjie very seriously.

"Men, don't you call me my brother."

Duan Yunjie replied lightly, looking out of the curtain, feeling absent-minded.

Xiuxiu didn't give up and moved her body to Duan Yunjie and asked, "How could a man ride a ox cart with me? Look, their real men are all riding horses! Besides, how could men look so good!"

Duan Yunjie shook her head slightly and would not answer Xiuxiu again.

Xu Ping rode on his horse and looked at the surrounding fields. It was already deep winter, and the weeds on the roadside had turned yellow, but there was a new green in the dead grass, unlike the Central Plains. Next to the official road was rice fields. The rice had been harvested and returned home, but the new buds grew from the cut rice stubble, and it was green and lush. Although the climate was hot and there was no shortage of rain, Lingnan in this era only planted one season a year. The so-called second season of rice grew from the rice stubble, and it was a good harvest. If it were in the previous dynasties, the resurrection of the rice in Jiangnan was auspicious and had to be reported to the court. People in the Song Dynasty were no longer surprised and would not be surprised. The yield of resurrected rice was only one-some of the first season, and it was a waste of land power. The Jiangnan area would no longer stay, and only the remote Lingnan area was still lazy and did not cherish the land power.

Looking up, a short distance from the ground, round stone mountains rose from the ground, as if they were planted there. The stone mountains were of various shapes, which decorated the land in a colorful way and divided the plain into fragments, unlike the Central Plains.

This is a rich land with abundant resources and beautiful scenery. Everyone who sees it with his own eyes is intoxicated by it. It has been deserted here for thousands of years. The winding five ridges blocked the Han people's journey south and also blocked the road to the abundant resources on this land. Guangnan West Road became the most remote and desolate place in the Song Dynasty. The imperial court did not make ends meet here, and the less he took this land to heart.

Wang Wei has been referring to the prison sentence in Hunan for many years. This kind of scenery is common and does not take it seriously. Seeing Xu Ping beside him, he did not disturb him, but just rushing on his way silently.

The Transshipment Commissioner brought almost all the assets of the yamen during the tour, and the team was vast. This was also because Wang Weizheng was in a difficult life. He happened to have abolished the Criminal Division in Guangxi, and there was no deputy envoy or judge or other deputy. He was alone and wherever he went, the Transshipment Commissioner Organ.

Duan Fang had a low status and did not dare to walk with the two chiefs. He just mingled among the officials of the Transportation Commission, not far from Xiuxiu and Duan Yunjie's ox cart.

Seriously speaking, Duan Fang's official official is from the eighth rank like Xu Ping, and the salary of his official official is very small. However, regardless of official rank in the Song Dynasty, the difference between the official rank in the capital and the selection of people is different. Not to mention that everyone is from the eighth rank, even the general of the ninth rank as the chief clerk is also out of reach for the selection of people from the eighth rank. The official in the capital is a natural barrier in front of selecting people, and many small officials have worked hard to overcome them in their lifetime.

Duan Fang's salary is almost the same as Xu Ping, and the subsidies are far apart, not to mention that the future of the two is completely incomparable.

The next stop from Guizhou to Yongzhou is Liuzhou, then through Xiangzhou Laibin, then to Pennzhou, pass Kunlun Pass to Yongzhou. After leaving Guizhou, the next stop is Yongfu County, and you have to rest in the inn for a night.

A river is next to the official road. The river water is clear and quiet. From time to time, tributaries flow into it, cutting off the official road again and again, and small stone arch bridges appeared on the official road.

The river water has been walking with each other, walking through bridge after bridge. At some point, a stone dam suddenly appeared on the river. It was disrepaired and huge stones were scattered in the water.

Xu Ping saw it and said to Wang Weizheng beside him: "I said we were going down the road, but the river next to us was so smooth. It turned out that there was a stone dam blocking the water."

Wang Weizheng sighed: "Yunxing doesn't know that the river next to it is an ancient canal from the Tang Dynasty. It was dug during the Changshou period of Wuhou and communicated with Lishui and Liujiang in order to open up Lingnan. Since the wars in the late Tang and Five Dynasties, the canal has been abandoned for a long time and cannot be opened to navigation, so it has become like this."

"So that's it. This river connects Lishui, and can reach the Xiangjiang River through Lingqu, and then connects the river. It is crucial to the western part of Lingnan. Why not rebuilt?"

Wang Wei shook his head straight: "Building a river is not easy, it costs a lot. Unless the court allocates funds, how can it be built with Guangxi's financial resources? I can only think about it."

Xu Ping had to remain silent after hearing this.

Guangnan West Road was simply a loss for the Song Dynasty. The financial resources collected to pay the salaries of the officials of the route were already very difficult, and the cost of the troops was subsidized by the court. Unless there was a major reason, there was no interest in allocating funds to build the ancient canal. Taizu and Taizong had the idea of ​​regaining the Jiaozhi county and the county. Since Taizong failed to conquer Jiaozhi, the Zhenzong Dynasty pretended to be a god and a ghost in the whole world. This idea was also faded, and it was just barely maintaining the situation.

Guangxi's products are abundant. If poor people are poor, they are poor in transportation. If there are too many people, they cannot get in and local things cannot go out. If there are no economy, the population will be difficult to grow. If there are fewer people, the environment will not develop, and if there are no miasma, it will be beneficial and harmful, forming a vicious cycle. The natural conditions in Guangdong next to it are not much different from those in Guangxi. In the Song Dynasty, there are basically no harm from miasma. If there are too many people, the development level will be greater, and manpower will defeat nature. Even in later generations, Guangxi will still suffer from transportation losses, and the industry, social and economics will still achieve great things.

But this era is different, the freight volume is not that large, and the situation in Guangxi will be greatly improved as long as there are one or two channels. Unfortunately, no one in the morning cares about this place.

The team of people walked slowly and could only go thirty miles a day. It was not until the ninth genius that they entered Liuzhou.

According to the system, the transshipment commander shall inspect the local area and stay in a state for no less than three days to prevent sudden surprises. Unless there are extremely special things, they shall not exceed fifteen days to prevent the power of the state officials.

Xu Ping could not have been waiting for Wang Weizheng in Liuzhou, not to mention that he had to inspect several states below, so he parted ways. Xu Ping led Duan Fang and others on the way.

The journey was much faster, and after nine days, I finally arrived at the inn outside Yongzhou City.

It was already evening when we arrived at the inn. Lin Yicheng and several innkeepers were drinking comfortably around the brazier. When he heard that the new magistrate had arrived, he jumped up and panickedly put on his official robe and greeted him with the innkeepers.

Xiuxiu got off the ox cart and said to Xu Ping weakly: "Officials, it's so hot here, and it's so boring that I feel uncomfortable. I don't feel energetic at all."

Xu Ping was startled and hurriedly touched Xiuxiu's forehead. Fortunately, she didn't feel hot, so she said to her: "This place is not as hot as Guizhou, and it is even more stuffy and humid, and the air is not circulating. You are just afraid that you are tired on the road and can't adapt to it when you get here. Don't move around, take a rest and make a bowl of medicine to drink at night."

Xiuxiu agreed sickly, standing beside Gao Daquan and not talking.

Duan Fang and his son are locals and don’t feel anything. They stand quietly aside.

Lin Yicheng rushed out of the inn and hurriedly saluted: "The lower-ranking official Lin Siping is the postmaster here. I don't know that the verdict has arrived and I have not come far away to welcome him. I hope to forgive me!"

Xu Ping also felt the hard work along the way, so he waved his hand and said, "Forget it. Go and clean two clean yards and make a few lighter dishes. We are tired all the way."

Lin Yicheng hurriedly ordered his postmen to go and do what they did, and then ordered his subordinates to lead the cow to feed them, and to pull the ox cart into the yard and put it in. After everything was done, he took the lead and led Xu Ping and his party into the inn.

When he arrived in a quiet courtyard, Lin Yicheng asked Xu Ping: "Shangguan sees this place but he likes it?"

This is a three-bedroom courtyard. The houses all look very neat. A big banyan tree embraced by three people in the courtyard almost covers the entire courtyard, making it look elegant and quiet.

Xu Ping nodded: "No, it's just right here. By the way, do you have a good well here? Come and make a few buckets of clear water and let's take a shower."

"Shangguan Anxin, our inn is here, and we are welcomed and sent to you. There is a sweet well behind the hall. The water quality is clear and sweet, and everyone says it is OK. I will tell someone to fill the water tank and you can enjoy it with confidence."

Lin Yicheng was full of attentiveness, for fear that Xu Ping would be dissatisfied with anything. This was his immediate superior, the current general of the governor of Cao, and he did not take care of chores. Xu Ping would take care of him from now on.

Xu Ping nodded. Since entering Guangxi, all the officials who had talked to him along the way told him that the soil and soil in Yongzhou were poisonous, and things should not be eaten or drunk, which made him suspicious.

Seeing Lin Yicheng standing beside him and looking at him earnestly, Xu Ping moved his heart and pointed at Xiuxiu and asked him: "By the way, I felt uncomfortable since I entered the Yongzhou territory. I was afraid that she would be poisoned by miasma."

Lin Yicheng smiled and said, "Shangguan was joking. How could there be a miasma in Yongzhou City? That's great. I'm afraid that it's because of the dampness and heat here, and this little lady was not used to it all at once."

"Maybe. What drugs do you have to treat miasma here? It's good to prevent it."

"Some, some." Lin Yicheng nodded repeatedly, took a small tin box from his sleeve like a baby, opened the lid, and put the three grids inside, with gray powder respectively, and some fruit food and green vine leaves.

Seeing Xu Ping looking at himself with inquiring eyes, Lin Yicheng said: "Shangguan, this is a unique local good thing, called betel nut, men, women, young and old, and it is most effective to prevent miasma!"

"So it's betel nut. Is this thing effective?" Xu Ping looked at Lin Yicheng's mysterious appearance and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. This thing was always chewed and chewed in movies in his previous life, and it looked very indecent. Unexpectedly, it became popular in this era.

"So Shangguan has heard of it." Lin Yicheng handed over the tin box, "Don't look at this thing inconspicuous. It has miraculous effects on miasma. Our natives here have relied on betel nut to resist miasma for generations."

Xu Ping took the tin box and asked, "How do you want to eat it?"

Lin Yicheng took out the vine leaves, taught Xiuxiu to apply clam powder on the vine leaves, then wrapped the betel nut, and put it into his mouth. He chewed it and was very intoxicated.

Xiuxiu was curious, and also wrapped one in her mouth, chewed a mouthful of bitter face and said to Xu Ping: "Official, this thing tastes so strange!"

Xu Ping smiled and said, "That's right, is the good medicine bitter?"

Xiuxiu didn't know whether it was true or not, so she just wanted to get better soon, endured the strange smell and just chewed.

Xu Ping said to Lin Yicheng again: "By the way, this Duan Prison is the new Ruhe County Magistrate. We meet in Liuzhou and walk together. You will also arrange a residence for their father and son."

Lin Yicheng seemed to have just seen Duan Fang, and walked up to salute: "Prison Duan, it turns out that you have returned to Yongzhou to work! Forgive the officials for being stupid and didn't recognize you!"

When Xu Ping heard Lin Yicheng's words, he couldn't help but frown when he was familiar with Duan Fang. What kind of story does his subordinate have in Yongzhou?
Chapter completed!