Chapter 406： Become a county captain

“The Xiang army has retreated, we can go home.”

Ying Bao recounted the story of Zhou Fu's defeat of the Xiao brothers, and finally said: "Now that Cao Shen is dead, two of his men have defected to the Xiao family and are probably not in the county. I will go to the county in a while and will Clean up the house."

“Okay, I’ll take your mother with me then.” After Jiang Sanlang finished speaking, he went to greet his parents and eldest brother to pack their things and return to the village.

The things in Jiang Sanlang's family are simple, with only some daily necessities and food. The rest of his food and valuables are stored with his daughter.

As the villagers returned to the village one after another, everyone became busy.

The straw in the field must be cut, the ground must be plowed, and the wheat must be threshed and dried.

Then it’s time to plant rice seedlings and **** beans.

At this moment, someone from the county government suddenly came and asked Jiang Sanlang to go to the county seat, saying that the new county magistrate wanted to summon him.

The yamen servant also joked: "Jiang Cunzheng doesn't need to be nervous. It's a good thing. You'll know when you arrive. Please let me know if it's a minor inconvenience."

Jiang Sanlang was confused and had to go to the county town with the government officials.

Jiang Dalang and Jiang Erlang were worried and insisted on going with their third brother. Chen Zhu and several others said they were going to the county town to buy some things, so they happened to go together.

Ying Bao was not worried, because the book in her mind suddenly had new content. It said that Dad would get a position, and it would be a high-level official position.

Sure enough, when Jiang Dalang and Jiang Erlang came back, they told everyone the good news. Jiang Sanlang was appointed as the ninth grade county captain by the new Emperor of Zhou Dynasty, and he would stay in the county on duty in the future.

Moreover, Jiang Sanlang also chose Chen Zhu as his subordinate, and the county magistrate also approved it. Now Chen Zhu is the head of the county guard.

“Is this true?” Patriarch Chen was so happy that he rubbed his hands and said, “Finally, our old Chen family has someone who eats public food, hehe!”

Tang Shi was even more happy. She clapped her hands and said, "Oh, God has blessed us. Our Zhu'er is finally able to make a living."

Turning around, he handed his daughter-in-law Shao a bunch of money: "Go to the grass market quickly and get a bottle of wine. We, the ladies, will celebrate tonight."

"Oh, I'll go right away." Mr. Shao pursed his lips and smiled, and took his little girl to buy wine at the grass market outside the village.

Patriarch Chen stroked his beard and said to himself: "Sanlang went to the county seat to become a county captain, so who will be the mayor of our village?"

Tang Shi rolled her eyes at him: "Of course it's Jiang Dalang. The most virtuous and respected family in our village right now is none other than the Jiang family."

Patriarch Chen nodded: "Yes! I will go and discuss with those people and let Jiang Dalang take over the village affairs."

After saying that, he went to find some village elders with his hands behind his back, and walked to Jiang's house together.

When Jiang Dalang heard the intention of Patriarch Chen, he was a little surprised and said awkwardly: "I, I can't do it."

“Why not?” A village elder puffed his beard and glared: “Are you trying to hold your third brother back?”

Jiang Dalang:

Patriarch Chen stroked his beard and said, "You must be the leader of our village. Don't refuse. There are so many families outside waiting to build houses. There is no time to delay."

“That’s right, Dalang, don’t miss the farm work.” Chen Sanyou also said, “We chose you because you are familiar with Sanlang’s affairs, and you may not be able to do everything else.”

Uncle Jiang thought for a while. He could only nod: "Okay."

So, Jiang Dalang took over the work of his younger brother Jiang Sanlang and served as the village chief of Dongchen Village.

A few months later, the Zhou Dynasty not only put down King Cheng's rebellion, but also recovered all the lost cities. Later, it captured three major states and further expanded its territory.

Today, there are only four states left in the territory of Daqian, and they are all very barren lands with very little arable farmland.

The soldiers in Daqian could not even eat, and how could they work for the imperial court? They fled one after another and came to the borders of the Zhou Dynasty, because many of their hometowns were here. Those merchants and noble families also fled and took refuge in the Zhou Dynasty.

Among them was the Wen family.

Wen Jingyan brought his family into Jiankang City. With his superb medical skills, he became the imperial doctor of the imperial hospital.

In the fourth year of Kaiyuan of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty led his troops to conquer the remaining three states in one fell swoop. He brought Emperor Murong Xian of Great Guizhou back to the capital and was granted the title of Marquis of Longevity. He was kept in the inner courtyard of the palace with fine clothes and fine food.

Xiao Chengjun was also brought back and lived with his brother Xiao Mo in the Earl's Mansion.

Their father was a little hemiplegic after a stroke. Fortunately, his life was not in danger. He was made an earl by the Emperor of Zhou Dynasty and lived under the emperor's nose. Like his son, he was not allowed to leave Beijing for anything.

Yingbao is now sixteen years old, a proper eldest girl, and has moved to the county town with her mother-in-law.

Jiang Sanlang served as a county captain in the county government. He was busy with affairs and had to have someone to take care of his daily life.

So Chun Niang took her daughter to live in the two-in house next to the shop.

It happened that her daughter was getting older and it was not suitable to be seen in public often, so Chun Niang bought two little girls and hired a chore woman and a coachman.

The two little girls are not very old, both eleven or twelve years old, and come from poor families.

Yingbao named them Muxiang and Xinghua respectively.

Muxiang is a little more stable, while Xinghua is lively. They were sold by their parents when they were nine years old, and later resold to Qinchuan County. They happened to meet Chun Niang and her daughter going to Yaxing to see someone.

Chunniang saw how skinny they were, so she bought them all.

"Little lady, the letter has arrived from the post office." Xinghua quickly ran into Yingbao's boudoir holding her skirt and handed the package in her arms to the young master.

 Ying Bao took the package and used scissors to unsew the stitches.

There was a letter in the package, as well as several pieces of beautiful silk cloth and a box of beads.

This was sent by his younger brother Jiang Jie. The letter said that he would take part in the examination this year and asked his parents and sister to go to the capital to accompany him.

Yingbao pursed her lips and smiled, and immediately took the letter and went to find her.

She hasn’t seen her two younger brothers for several years, especially Jiang Jie, who has never been home since she went to Jiankang with Mr. Wu.

Jiang Jie once sent a letter back, saying that he was left by the emperor to study in the Imperial College and was not allowed to return to his hometown until he passed the Jinshi examination.

He also said that Mr. Wu has already taken up a post in the capital and will not be able to come back.

Now that the country is unified, the Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty once again started to recruit talented people. No matter where they were born, as long as they are talented people with lofty ideals, the emperor will personally inspect them. If they have no bad deeds and good moral character, they will be given corresponding positions.

"Mom, Xiaojie sent a package and a letter." Yingbao read the letter to Chun Niang, and finally asked: "Should we go to the capital?"

Chunniang took the letter and looked at it carefully, but unfortunately she didn't recognize any of them.

Sighed and said: "Wait for your father to come back later. Let's ask him if he wants to go."

Since my husband became a county captain, he leaves early and comes home late every day. Sometimes he goes out for inspections in the city and does not come back for a day or two.

Ying Bao: "Dad will definitely not be able to go. We will go then."

Dad is very busy and often does not come home. Moreover, he is now a high-ranking military attaché. He cannot just put down his duties and go to the capital casually. If he is demoted by his superiors, it will embarrass his younger brother.