Dual Transmigration: Starting from being captured and brought to the Hehuan Sect!

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Your Excellency."

To be honest, sir, I didn't spend much money on these two items when I acquired them.

Those foreign merchants were clueless, and I just happened to snag a bargain. In total, it only cost me a few taels of silver.

As for Lianhai…”

Lin Mo smiled slightly.

"With a great man stationed in Hezhou to protect me from the wind and rain, I feel at ease doing anything in Lianhai."

These few small gifts are merely a token of my appreciation; if you insist on refusing them, I will be unable to eat or sleep properly.

"You..."

Pei Ziyu pointed at Lin Mo with her finger, shook her head and chuckled, finally no longer refusing.

The glass and mirror were carefully placed into the gilded lacquer box next to it, and the lid was closed with such gentle movements that it was as if the glass was being placed as a fragile treasure.

He picked up his teacup again, his tone even more intimate than before.

"Since it is Magistrate Lin's kind gesture, I, Pei, will shamelessly accept it."

"If you encounter any difficulties in Lianhai in the future, please feel free to write to me. I will do my best to help."

"You're too kind, Lord Pei!"

"By the way! Magistrate Lin, how is the plague you reported a few days ago being handled?"

"Reporting to Lord Pei, the situation is under control."

The infected estate has been completely sealed off, and the bodies were cremated and buried on-site in accordance with epidemic prevention regulations. The surrounding streets and alleys have also been disinfected with lime.

There have been no new cases these days, and the public has calmed down.

Pei Ziyu nodded slightly, a hint of approval on her face:

"It was handled properly."

Lianhai was a poor place, but it was, after all, the gateway to Hezhou's coastal defense.

Your ability to nip an epidemic in the bud within just a few days, while simultaneously gathering refugees and restoring production, demonstrates a remarkable talent for governance, making you one of the best among the dozen or so counties under the jurisdiction of Hezhou.

"I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

Lin Mo was waiting for these words.

He leaned forward slightly and replied sincerely:

"Lord Pei is too kind."

Speaking of gathering refugees, I have something I'd like to report to you, sir.

Lianhai County is sparsely populated and has been plagued by famine in the past two years. Many people could not survive and fled with their families, leaving corpses of the starving everywhere.

I couldn’t bear to stand idly by, so I took it upon myself to set up a soup kitchen in the county government office and organized the displaced people to fish at sea, build roads and ports, giving them a way to survive.

However, as the number of refugees continues to grow, the registered population of Lianhai County will likely soon exceed the authorized population of Zhong County.

"I am somewhat uneasy, worried that I may have overstepped the bounds of the court, and have come to ask for your instructions, sir."

After listening, Pei Ziyu placed the teacup on the table and waved his hand:

"Magistrate Lin need not worry."

Gathering refugees and resettling disaster victims is a good thing for the country and the people; it relieves the worries of the court and also relieves the worries of this official.

I can only commend Lianhai County for taking in these homeless people.

"Go ahead and handle the issue of exceeding the population limit. As long as it doesn't cause a popular uprising, I will take care of the rest."

He spoke with greater certainty than he had before, clearly indicating that the mirror and the cup had served their intended purpose.

"Thank you, sir."

Lin Mo bowed and clasped his hands in a fist salute, then spoke again.

"My lord, I have another request."

Pei Ziyu had just picked up her teacup when she heard this, her hand paused slightly, her smile remained unchanged, but her heart skipped a beat.

Do you have something else to ask of me?

They gave me a mirror and a cup to build rapport, and just now they reported on the refugee issue and got permission for overpopulation. Now they're here again, are they just asking for money?

He knew that Lianhai was extremely poor. Although the treasury had some resources, which of the dozen or so counties in Hezhou didn't complain about being poor?

If everyone tries to take advantage of him, he might as well give up his job as prefect.

He suppressed his dissatisfaction, placed the teacup back on the table, and maintained his smile, which now appeared utterly insincere.

"Please feel free to speak."

"Since I started gathering refugees, the daily food consumption has been quite high. I'm afraid the county government's meager grain reserves and fishing won't last much longer."

It just so happens that I have a few Western-style items on hand. Although they are not as good as the two I just presented to you, they are still quite rare.

I would like to hold a charity sale in Hezhou City to auction off these foreign goods, with all proceeds going to disaster relief in Lianhai County.

In this way, the plight of the displaced people can be relieved, and they don't have to ask the government for money—a win-win situation.

When Pei Ziyu heard the phrase "urgent need to replenish the treasury," his fingers tightened slightly as he held the teacup.

Upon hearing the words "charity sale," their fingers immediately loosened.

Upon hearing that "there's no need to ask the government for money," the smile on his face changed from politeness to genuine relief.

They weren't there to ask for money; they were there to showcase their political achievements.

The charity sale for disaster relief was seen as a testament to the prefect of Hezhou's effective education and compassion for the people's hardships, and it was also considered a commendable act of good governance when reported to higher authorities.

He put down his teacup and clapped his hands in praise:

"Great, what a perfect solution!"

Magistrate Lin, for the sake of the country and its people, preferred to sell his private property rather than embezzle from the government treasury. Such magnanimity and character are truly admirable.

Even among the dozen or so county magistrates under the jurisdiction of Hezhou, there couldn't be a second one like him.

"I approve the charity sale. Draft a document and submit it to me, and I will approve it and affix the prefect's official seal. With that, no one in Hezhou City will dare to make things difficult for you."

Next, Pei Ziyu made several more empty promises to Lin Mo.

What do you mean by "with your talent, your time in Lianhai is just a temporary experience"?

What do you mean, "When the prefectural government conducts its year-end assessment, I will definitely give you an excellent rating"?

What do you mean, "If I have the opportunity to speak in the court in the future, I will naturally not forget you, this capable official"?

Lin Mo accepted them all with a smile, his face showing great respect, but his heart remained calm.

What he wanted was not Pei Ziyu's promotion, but simply a roof to protect Lianhai County from being destroyed by wind and rain.

Now that the roof is up, the goal has been achieved, and there's no need to linger.

Seeing that it was getting late, Lin Mo tactfully stood up, cupped his hands in farewell, and took his leave.

"It's getting late, and you are busy with official duties, so I won't bother you any longer."

"If there is any disturbance in Lianhai, I will report it to you immediately, sir."

Pei Ziyu personally escorted Lin Mo and Long Qingxue to the entrance of the side hall. Before parting, he patted Lin Mo on the shoulder and said earnestly:

"Work hard, your future is limitless."

Lin Mo bowed and clasped his hands in a respectful and sincere manner.

"Thank you for your guidance, sir. I will never let you down."

"I will handle Lianhai's matter perfectly, and will not bring shame upon you, sir."

Pei Ziyu stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction. He stood at the entrance of the side hall and watched the two pass through the moon gate until the figure in the blue robe disappeared at the end of the corridor before turning around and strolling back to his study.

He opened the gilded lacquer box, took out the glass and mirror again, and examined them for a long time by candlelight.

A meaningful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he muttered to himself:

"This Lin Mo is quite capable."