The southern border of Xianshan Mountain was originally a wilderness of grass and trees, with no rich fields. Although there were some rural farmers and woodworkers living nearby, the number of households was only thirty.

In the system of the Han Dynasty, there was a township for ten miles, and there were also pavilions and post offices, which were responsible for the people's livelihood. The pavilions and post offices were responsible for public security, theft prevention, postal services, and the responsibility of guiding the way. In the Zhou system, there were seventy-two households in one mile, and in the Han system, there were 100 households or 100 households.

The township and pavilion system was based on households and above for hundreds of years. By this period, most households were basically under linei control, and there were very few individual households in various states and counties.

But there are no absolutes in the world. In some places, the population is not dense, or the ancestral clan is the settlement unit, or many people have died due to plague and famine, so there are less than a hundred households. For such places,

Therefore, we can only continue to use units at the lower levels of the township to carry out control - ten households are led by Shizhu, five households are led by Wu, and the heads of Shiwu each perform their own responsibilities. If there are major issues, they will consult the elders of the neighboring villages for advice.

There are only thirty households in the vicinity of Xian Mountain, and they belong to different families than the nearby areas that are far away. Therefore, the management must be based on Wushi, and there must be no pavilion or post in the vicinity.

Since there is no pavilion, it means that when Liu Qi came to visit Pang Degong, there was no pavilion where he could rest or ask questions.

Come to think of it, such a scale of settlement would probably be similar to a large courtyard in the 20th century in later generations, not even comparable to a gated community. What kind of pavilion would it be?

Cross the river by feeling for the stones.

Liu Qi accepted the Confucian disciples of the Nanjun clan provided by Cai Mao and allowed them to follow him to Changsha County. In exchange, he asked Cai Mao to introduce him to Pang Degong through Huang Chengyan's relationship.

Nowadays, the Cai family is prosperous in Nanjun. Cai Mao personally wrote a letter to Huang Chengyan. Naturally, Huang Chengyan would not let his uncle lose his face. He immediately wrote back to him and agreed on a date. He would personally go to Pang's thatched cottage in Xian Mountain to pay tribute to Liu Qi.

Be a guide.

With Huang Chengyan personally acting as an introduction, Liu Qi would have a recommender when he went to see Pang Degong, so it was not unexpected.

When the appointed time came, Liu Qi imitated the etiquette used by Confucius when he visited Lao Tzu and went there holding a pair of wild geese as a gift.

When visiting a celebrity like Mr. Pang De, according to the rules, one must be courteous and courteous to show piety, and the gifts vary according to different statuses.

Scholars used to visit each other with pheasants in winter and dry pheasants in summer. The lower officials used geese and the superior officials used lambs. However, the etiquette of superior officials and inferior officials continued the ancient rituals. By the end of the Han Dynasty, when scholars interacted with each other, they did not

Need to be observed carefully.

For people like Pang Degong, Liu Qi felt that it was more sincere to hold a wild goose to him than to bring a chicken.

Using wild geese as a courtesy has three meanings. First, wild geese are migratory birds. They fly south in autumn and return to the north in spring. They come and go from time to time, but never lose their integrity. They are often used as metaphors for those who keep their word forever.

Second, geese follow the sun and move in an orderly manner. They form rows and columns when migrating and flying. The leading goose in flight is the strong one, and the young and weak geese follow behind and never overstep. It is often used to describe those who follow etiquette and do not overstep.

Third, the male and female geese mate and die together, and they are never divorced or abandoned, so they are often described as loyal people.

Pang Degong is deeply influenced by Taoism, so it is appropriate to use wild geese as a gift.

So, Liu Qi took Huang Xu, Li Dian and Dian Wei with him.

Who would have thought that when the four of them came to the south of Xian Mountain, before they reached Pang Degong's thatched cottage, they saw someone waiting for them on the way here.

This is Huang Chengyan.

"Are you Lord Liu Mansion of Nanyang?"

"Exactly, Your Excellency?"

"This is the person with the surname Huang from Mianyang."

"Ah? He's the brother-in-law?"

Huang Chengyan: "..."

Huang Chengyan and Liu Qi, this couple met for the first time today.

Huang Chengyan is about forty years old, with a rosy complexion, and his hair and beard are very black, without any staining. He looks in high spirits, and he obviously has a good health regimen.

Liu Qi got off his horse, exchanged greetings with Huang Chengyan and said with a smile: "I thought my sister-in-law would be at Mr. Pang's place, but instead I didn't want to wait for me here. This really makes Liu Qi feel ashamed. Liu Qi came to Xiangyang last year and originally wanted to meet my sister-in-law.

Xu, but when the clan alliance was established, Liu Qi had no choice but to lead his army northward. He returned today and just met his sister-in-law here... I have never visited him, and I feel very ashamed."

Huang Chengyan was more or less embarrassed when the young man Liu Qi kept calling him 'sister-in-law', but after all, he was a well-known person in the southern border and acted in a very orderly manner. He stroked his black beard and said naturally: "Bo Yu doesn't need to be like this.

You're welcome. As the founder of a large county and a well-connected person, how can you compare with a laid-back person like Huang? Alas... In fact, it's Huang who can't help you."

Liu Qi was stunned when he heard this and said: "Why can't my sister-in-law forgive me?"

Huang Chengyan said awkwardly: "Bo Yu... you go back. Shang Chang is not at home right now. If you go there, it will be in vain. The construction of the academy in Changsha is about to begin. It would be unsightly if you delay the official business."

Shang Chang is the cousin of Pang Degong.

Liu Qi narrowed his eyes, and after a brief thought, he understood the meaning of Huang Chengyan's words.

Mr. Pang De doesn’t want to see him.

After Liu Qi pondered for a moment, he did not look back, but said to Dian Wei and others: "Keep walking."

After saying that, he turned around, got on his horse, and prepared to continue marching to Pang Degong's thatched cottage.

Huang Chengyan was shocked when he saw this, and hurriedly stepped forward and said: "Shang Chang is not at home, why does Boyu insist on going?"

Liu Qi smiled and said: "Since I have handed over my name and promised to come today, I will naturally go if I agree, whether Pang Gong is here or not... Otherwise, wouldn't it be a breach of contract?"

Huang Chengyan couldn't help but smile bitterly when he heard this: "Your acting style is quite different from ordinary people, but it is a bit pedantic."

"Being pedantic is better than breaking one's word."

Liu Qi nodded to Huang Chengyan, and then led his men and horses straight to Pang Degong's thatched cottage.

Before arriving at his thatched cottage, Liu Qi ordered Huang Xu to knock on the door and ask for help. The wife of Pang Degong went out to greet her, saying that Pang Degong had gone out to travel.

Liu Qi asked his wife, "I wonder when Mr. Pang will come back?"

Pang's wife said she didn't know, maybe it was three to five days, or more than ten days, or even two or three months, it was hard to say.

After saying this, Pang's wife invited Liu Qi to go into the hospital to drink water, but Liu Qi declined politely.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Liu Qi asked Pang's wife to accept his gift of wild geese. Pang's wife refused, but Liu Qi insisted on letting Dian Wei keep the wild geese, and then he led the three of them to another route.

Go to find a nearby house to rest.

Huang Chengyan rode a donkey and followed Liu Qi and others. When he saw the four of them placing gifts in front of Pang Degong's thatched cottage but not returning to Xiangyang, he was shocked and hurried to ask.

"Since Boyu has paid a visit but has not seen Pang Gong, why don't you return?"

Liu Qi smiled and said: "Thank you for your concern, sister-in-law, but I have decided that if I cannot see Mr. Pang, I will not return to Xiangyang. The few of us have enough money and goods to find a farmhouse nearby to stay temporarily while we wait for Mr. Pang to travel."

Just come back."

"This... I'm afraid it will be useless for a long time."

Liu Qi said firmly: "I have made up my mind, so my sister-in-law doesn't need to persuade me anymore."

Seeing that Liu Qi could not be persuaded, Huang Chengyan said helplessly: "In that case, you can come home with me and stay temporarily."

Liu Qi asked suspiciously: "My sister-in-law's home is also nearby? I heard from De Gui that my sister-in-law's home seems to be close to the waterside?"

Huang Chengyan explained: "There is Yuliang Island in Mianshui River. I and Shang Chang lived there in the past. We had a lot of fun and went boating on the water. Later, Shang Chang moved to Xianan, so I left my home there.

this."

Liu Qi was stunned when he heard this.

As expected, the person named Huang still has some wealth and can buy a house wherever he wants.

It is better to live in his own Lianqiao home than to disturb others, so Liu Qi took Huang Xu, Dian Wei, Li Dian and others to Huang Chengyan's residence.

Liu Qi and others carried various wild game items on their horses, which they steamed and grilled for dinner that night as a way of thanking Huang Chengyan for his kindness.

Huang Chengyan had some snacks, said he had something to do, and left in a hurry, leaving Liu Qi and the other four to continue eating.

This time when Shangluo came back, Huang Zhong, Wenpin, Zhang Yun and others were all promoted to captains due to their merits. Dian Wei and Li Dian were worshiped as commanders of other departments, and Wei Yan and Zhang Ren were worshiped as Qu Junhou, and each was promoted.

Huang Xu felt quite regretful that he did not accompany Liu Qi on the expedition this time. After meeting Dian Wei, his old habit relapsed...

He was delighted to see Hunter, and shouted to compete with him.

It's a pity that this time, it's not as easy as the first battle with Liu Pan.

The competition between Huang Xu and Dian Wei was very brutal, so I won’t go into details.

The result was very simple, that is, Huang Xu bowed to Dian Wei with half of his swollen cheeks, huge five-finger handprints, bleeding teeth and lips as if his face was broken...

At this moment, Dian Wei was holding a roasted pheasant, opened his mouth and bit hard, almost tearing half of the chicken off. Li Dian frowned as he watched.

Huang Xu put the untouched pheasant in his hand into a bowl with a smile and pushed it in front of Dian Wei: "If Dian Jun doesn't have enough, you can eat a certain portion."

Dian Wei chewed heavily and grinned happily at Huang Xu.

The young man is really on his way.

Friendship can sometimes be established so simply.

Li Dian turned to look at Liu Qi and said, "Bo Yu, is Mr. Pang really going on a long trip?"

Liu Qi shook his head and said: "Of course not, he just doesn't want to see us and is deliberately trying to make things worse."

Li Dian frowned and said, "Are you sure?"

Liu Qi took a bite of the meat and said: "When I was leaving, Mr. Yan once mentioned to me that he had invited Pang Shangchang to come out of the mountain several times, but Pang Shangchang refused and refused to serve. In Mr. Yan's opinion, this old man is definitely not a simple man.

A simple Confucian scholar, and deeply imbued with Taoist flavor."

Li Dian sighed and said, "It would be better if you are a scholar of Confucian classics who wants to strive for fame and fame. I'm afraid he is someone who respects Huang Lao and is indifferent to fame and fortune. It's hard to invite him."

Dian Wei stood aside, frowning and said: "According to the wishes of the Lord and Mancheng, that old man Pang is in the thatched cottage, but he deliberately left us waiting and refused to meet him, right?"

Liu Qi scanned Dian Wei without leaving a trace, and sighed: "I'm afraid that he is probably at home 90% of the time, and he just refuses to show up... Oh, that's it, we were moved by our sincerity, and we have lived here forever, and come to visit every few days.

Just ask once, and hope he can be moved by our sincerity."

Hearing this, Dian Wei narrowed his eyes and clenched one of his hands under the table, with veins faintly exposed.

"I'm full!" Dian Wei threw the remaining half of the roasted pheasant on the plate, stood up, and walked to the courtyard. He found a large stone block in the courtyard, lifted it with all his strength, and did jerks one after another.

Mode.

Huang Xu looked at Dian Wei lifting stones in the courtyard with envy, and sighed with emotion: "Dian Jun is really born with supernatural power!"

Li Dian said in confusion: "This man usually eats a lot, how come he eats so little today?"

While Liu Qi was eating meat, he looked at Dian Wei who was lifting rocks to vent in the courtyard, with a smile on his lips.
Chapter completed!