In March of the eighth year of Tiansheng, it was time for spring to bloom again. In the past two years, Yongzhou has been in harmony with its political affairs, the market is prosperous, and the people are getting more and more prosperous. Taking advantage of the sunny days, they all call on friends and travel around.

Xu Ping did not have this blessing, and he had never been as busy as he did during this period.

The imperial court had already approved the memorial of Yongzhou to stay in Guangxi before the New Year, but it was all approved. Xu Ping and Cao Keming were amazed. The two got together to discuss several times. What kind of mystery was poured into the Privy Council by the Three Divisions? It was so reasonable. However, the capital was thousands of miles away, and the two could not find any results.

Following this memorial, the Zhongshu Detachment ordered the establishment of sugar sugar services in Yongzhou and stationed in Taipingzhai. All the more military troops were under the jurisdiction of sugar sugar services in this state. The household registration was under the prefectures and counties, and various lawsuits and disputes were also under the jurisdiction of the prefectures and counties. Xu Ping, the governor of Yongzhou, also recommended sugar services, and also recommended Yongzhou's pit affairs.

This decree doesn't matter to Xu Ping. It was originally the work he did, but it made the Yongzhou area miserable. So many people ate in Yongzhou and lived in Yongzhou, and their daily affairs were managed by prefectures and counties. The daily government affairs were handled more than doubled, but they could not receive money, grain, taxes, and the performance assessment was not shown. Many local officials from the prefecture to the county cursed behind their backs.

In the end, Xu Ping came out to mix with the dirt. The commercial tax was collected by Yongzhou, including the sugar transported out. Yongzhou also received taxes, and 20 cents per thousand documents were collected to calm down the matter.

The establishment of sugar sugar business was not to give Xu Ping an extra salary, but to directly control this large amount of interests into the hands of the three departments and bypass the local administrative system. This is the common practice of the three departments. Tea and salt business in various places are like this. Although theoretically speaking, except for the ministerial warehousing, other money and grain are controlled by the three departments, but there is only one layer of separation, so it is easy to take the money from finance to personnel directly in your own hands.

In order to prepare for the sugar sugar business, Xuping Taiping Village and Ruhe County have to arrange more than 2,000 food and accommodation for retired wings. The future plans are so busy that they are busy.

That morning, Xu Ping stayed in his room to draw a planning picture near Taiping Village in the future. Xu Ping had already used a pencil to draw the picture, and after finalizing the draft, he used a fountain pen to trace it.

There are not many troubles when making pencils. Grinding graphite into powder, replacing the glue used before with yellow mud, and then making the pen holder, there is nothing particularly difficult. The pen is different. Xu Ping took a lot of time to complete it two months ago.

The difficulty of the pen is not the nib. The hand-made iron sheet and heat treatment and fine grinding of the iron sheet only takes more time and there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome. The difficulty of the pen is ink, because the original principle is the capillary effect of liquids. The ink used for ordinary brushes is not suitable. It is too clogged and cannot be written smoothly. It is still Xu Ping remembered the blue-black ink in his previous life, and knew that it was the principle of iron oxidation and blackening, so he had the idea to solve the problem. However, the iron compounds are easy to find, but the acids are difficult to find. Xu Ping only vaguely remembered that the ink was used in the ink, but he didn't know what it was. Anyway, he tried various plant dyes and finally found that the five-fold juice used by native people to dye cloth was used to make blue-black ink, and the pen could be really used.

Without smooth ink, whether it is a bamboo pen, wooden pen or quill pen, it is quite troublesome to write. It is either intermittent or a large pool of ink, which is difficult for non-professional personnel to master. After understanding this, Xu Ping also knew why ancient Chinese brushes firmly dominated, not because the brush is easy to use, but because the paper, pen and ink are combined, the brush is the most suitable compared to various other various pens. Once there is smooth ink, such as blue and black ink, and with smooth paper, a hard pen is easier to use than a brush.

In the study, Xu Ping carefully drew a planning diagram, neatly wrote various marks, straightened his waist and stretched his waist, and breathed a sigh of relief.

While sitting bored Xiuxiu hurriedly brought the tea, tilted her head and looked at the picture for a few times, muttering: "The things drawn by the official are getting weirder and weirder, and I can't tell what it is."

Xu Ping smiled and said, "You little girl, how could you know these things? Just learn to draw flowers and plants, and you'll have to learn this."

Xiuxiu sighed: "Sister Duan taught me how to draw a few days ago. She didn't know what she was busy with these two days, and she didn't teach me anymore."

"She has a lot of things to do, so how can she be as idle as you every day? I asked you to help her proofread the school. You have been doing it for less than two days and have no strength in doing things."

Xiuxiu felt a little aggrieved: "Why am I not doing it? I haven't read those books, so how can I proofread them? The official said he taught me how to write, but he didn't teach me how to read a few books seriously."

Xu Ping shook his head, too lazy to argue with her.

Since Gao Daquan reminded me last time, Xu Ping found that Xiuxiu's life was indeed boring. Just like in the Central Plains before, she still left her chores to Xiuxiu to take care of her. She had nothing to do with her in the study to relieve her boredom, so that she could not be bored and thoughtless.

After drinking tea, Xu Ping was about to continue planning for Taiping Village, but Tan Hu arrived at the door and reported that someone was asking for a meeting outside, saying that it was Xu Ping's old friend in the capital.

Xu Ping was stunned for a moment. Of course, he had many acquaintances in the capital, but he couldn't remember who would come to Lingnan to see him. He didn't have a letter a few days ago.

After a moment of silence, he said to Tan Hu: "You get the guest to the living room first, and I'll come soon."

While serving Xu Ping to wash his hands, Xiuxiu asked curiously: "Official, who would come here to see us? You said you would not be the Manager Xu, but he is the most idle at home."

Xu Ping said: "Will you have free time? Besides, if he comes, how can he not send a letter first?"

Xu Ping always said that Xiuxiu was so idle a few times a day. She was a little annoyed and said, "That's Li Zhang. He will marry Sister Suer next year and come here to ask for a gift!"

Xu Ping shook his head, and the little girl knew that these people still like to guess so much.

When I arrived at the living room, I saw someone sitting there drinking tea. I looked familiar with the figure. I lowered my head and couldn't see the face, but I couldn't remember who it was.

The man heard the footsteps and looked up and saw that it was Xu Ping. He hurriedly stood up and said with surprise: "Little official, have you been doing well these years?"

"Master Shige, how could you come to Lingnan?"

Xu Ping never expected that the person who came would be Shi Quanbin, the eunuch next to the emperor. He had a good relationship with him, but he did not have a deep friendship, so he never thought that he would go to him.

Shi Quanbin said: "What, can't I come?"

"Yes, yes, of course." Xu Ping quickly stepped forward, saw the salute, and said again, "Shi Pavilion Chief, sit down and talk. But to be honest, I never thought that you were coming to Yongzhou."

Shi Quanbin just smiled and lowered his head to drink tea.

Xu Ping looked around and asked in a low voice: "Did the head of the Pavilion come from openly or secretly? If you are not afraid of others knowing your identity, I will hold a banquet and ask Cao Zhizhou and his colleagues to come and welcome you."

"There is no need. I came all the way over and didn't disturb the place. The little official is his own person, so I came to visit him specifically, so no one else needs to know."

Xu Ping nodded: "I understand. The head of the cabinet has any instructions, just tell me."

Shi Quanbin smiled and said, "To be honest, I'm just passing by, and there's nothing to bother you here. We're just talking about the past and not talking about official affairs."

Xu Ping was skeptical. Will the eunuch beside the emperor leave the capital without any trouble?

Compared with other dynasties, the Song Dynasty's eunuchs had much less constraints. Basically, they were able to do it. From leading troops to fighting wars to taking office as magistrates and governors in various rulings, there was almost no restriction. Most of the time, there was no ban on leaving the capital. As long as they were not allowed to work, they were allowed to walk around.

There was no disaster for eunuchs in the Song Dynasty. It was not because of the various restrictions on their posts, but because eunuchs were not allowed to participate in government affairs in the system. Of course, it was another matter to have specific duties when they were assigned to work outside. At this time, they were not much different from other officials.

The government affairs are not allowed to be with the emperor. The eunuchs are just serving tea and water to chat to relieve boredom. The emperor does not allow eunuchs to interfere in handling government affairs. There are the inner Secretariat in the palace, and they are dealing with memorials from the Zhongshu and the Privy Council. Even many of the emperor's hand edicts were drafted by female officials in the inner Secretariat, and they have nothing to do with eunuchs. This separates the eunuchs from the inside and outside, and has no way to interfere in government affairs directly.

This system was not first created by the Song Dynasty, but was inherited from the Five Dynasties. In view of the eunuchs in the Middle and Late Tang Dynasty, the group of martial artists came up with this method, which was a better solution to this hidden danger.

It is precisely because of this system design that when Empress Dowager Liu was in charge of the rule, Ding Wei proposed that the eunuch Luo Chongxun pass the message between the Empress Dowager and the Prime Minister were opposed, and that Ding Wei and Luo Chongxun would not be given the opportunity to collude with him.

The eunuchs of the Song Dynasty wanted to get promoted and make money. After much thought, they were sent out to get a job of real power, and they had the same chance of promotion as foreign ministers. The eunuchs moved to the emperor for fifteen years and stayed white until they were still small officials as big as sesame and green beans. Compared with this, the military ministers moved to the point of relocation every five years and were quite attractive.

Thinking of this, and thinking of the newly established sugar sugar business, Xu Ping felt nervous. This Shi Pavilion Chief would not have connected his connections and transferred him to work with him, would he? Otherwise, as a person around the emperor, he would not have come to Lingnan in one step even if he went out for a walk. This would be too far away.

After chatting for a few seconds, Xu Ping couldn't help but ask Shi Quanbin in a low voice: "President Shi Pavilion, we have known each other for many years, what can we say? What errand are you carrying? Are you going to Lingnan?"

Shi Quanbin said: "Look, Yunxing, have you met me? You have been in Yongzhou for the past two years and have been promoted every year. You are not the young scholar of the past. Alas, I don't hide it from you. This time I am a government official and go to the South China Sea to buy some pearl palaces for use."

"Just to buy pearls?"

"What do you think is a big deal? We were old friends, so we went around Yongzhou to see you. When we set out from the capital, I also visited your house specifically, and Lingzun Lingtang and Mrs. Ling all have something to bring to you."

Xu Ping said to himself: "Send you out to buy pearls? What a great pearl cannot be given to the tribute of the two Guangzhou counties. Do you have to send someone to buy it?"

"What's the solution? The official family of the Pearl who has been tributed in the past two years was not satisfied, so I was sent out. I'm traveling thousands of miles, and this is also a chore."

Xu Ping shook his head repeatedly, how could he believe him?

This kind of thing is not missing, but it is so rare that it is really hard to believe.

Shi Quanbin saw Xu Ping's appearance and smiled slightly: "Yunxing, come over with your ears."

Xu Ping knew that this was the truth, so he hurriedly walked over.

Shi Quanbin whispered: "I will not hide it from you because of our friendship. In addition to buying pearls, the official also told me to see the situation of the states and counties along the way, as well as how the local chiefs govern, and go back to report. Yunxing, I have a lot to do with this to you, and I must not let others know."
Chapter completed!