The official office of the Hangzhou Weaving Bureau, Jun Yuhongkai... Zhongxuan Road, red lanterns are hung high at night, as if they are celebrating some happy event. Are eunuchs so fond of commotion and afraid of the dark?
Zhang Yuan followed a government servant to the dining hall dedicated to Eunuch Zhong. This is where Eunuch Zhong usually goes to have banquets. He saw three couplets in the spring hall, with bright stairs, green brick paving, red chalk carvings, and all the halls. It was built with nanmu, painted with gold and dyed with exquisite craftsmanship. It was not inferior to the mansions of wealthy families in the south of the Yangtze River. The boy asked Zhang Yuan to wait under the balcony for a moment. He went in to inform. After a while, he came out and said: "My father-in-law wants you to come in."
Zhang Yuan heard the faint sound of the flute outside the hall. When he entered the dining hall, he first saw two half-person tall Longquan kiln grass-wrapped square vases with large branches of peach flowers placed beside the door. Eunuch Zhong sat at the table and watched Zhang Yuan come in. When he saw Zhang Yuan looking at the flowers, he smiled and said: "Master Zhang, what do you think of the flowers arranged by our family?"
Zhang Yuan bowed his head to Eunuch Zhong, and then carefully observed the two large bottles of huā. The huā in the hall were in large vases, so they were called big huā. He said: "Just these two bottles of huā, you can see the owner's taste for cultivation, and how to use it." The large branches of the vase are very atmospheric: the flower branches are clustered with flowers, pitching up and down, and the two flat platforms are connected, each with its own mood and vision. I must have traveled all over the peach grove by the West Lake to select these two peach flowers?" When Eunuch Zhong heard this, he was overjoyed. He is a close friend. Zhang Yuan is the only talented person from the south of the Yangtze River. He got up and came over to appreciate the two bottles of huā with Zhang Yuan again. He had not thought about it before. After Zhang Yuan said this, Eunuch Zhong really felt that The middle-aged eunuch and a young scholar talked about the peach blossoms for a while. The eunuch then asked: "Why did Young Master Zhang come to Wulin? He didn't come just to see our family, did he?"
Zhang Yuandao said: "I was going to Songjiang to visit my brother-in-law. I passed by Hangzhou. I remembered that my father-in-law had allowed me to come to visit, so I asked for directions and came here."
Eunuch Zhong smiled and said: "Just come. From now on, whether you are passing by or coming to Hangzhou for business, you must come to see us. Our family likes to see you." Suddenly he remembered something and asked: "Isn't this month the county examination? Are you taking the exam? Have you passed?"
Zhang Yuandao: "Thanks to my father-in-law Hong Fu, I was lucky enough to get the head of the case." "Haha, the head of the case is amazing, amazing." Eunuch Zhong was overjoyed and felt that he knew people well. He said with a smile: "We met for the first time that day. You, I feel that you are extraordinary. No one in the room recognizes the phrase "catkins flying in the air." Even our family was confused for a moment, thinking that we were going to make a fool of ourselves. If you recite aloud to me alone, we will talk about you. It saved our family.”
Zhang Yuandao: "Even if the boy didn't recite that poem that day, my father-in-law would have remembered it. I can only think of it as a joke." Eunuch Zhong nodded and said: "You are not arrogant or impetuous, let alone that day. Regarding the matter of Longshan, it is not easy to get the top of the Shanyin County Examination. Shanyin is the hometown of talented people. To stand out in the hometown of talented people, you need real talent and practical learning. Depending on how your examination goes, Xu Shijin should be the same. You are a bit discerning." He asked, "Have you eaten when you come now?" Zhang Yuan said, "To be honest with my father-in-law, I haven't eaten yet."
Eunuch Zhong smiled and said: "Then it's just a good time to have a drink with our family." He asked someone to come and remove the food and wine from the table, and set up another table. He only waited for a moment. Fresh fruits, fresh dishes, and fine noodles were all prepared one by one. When it was brought up, two parrots were placed on the gold cup, and the imperial wine Hantanchun was poured out. Eunuch Zhong said: "Young master Zhang is the only one from Jiangnan who has a special banquet in our family." Zhang Yuan avoided the table and thanked him: "I love you, my father-in-law." I can’t bear it.”
Eunuch Zhong waved his hand and said: "Don't be polite, sit down, sit down, our family will treat you as a friend, um, we have made friends every year."
While drinking and chatting, Zhang Yuan slowly led the way, gradually shifting from poetry and songs to court affairs, saying: "My father-in-law has been in Hangzhou for four years, and the people have lived and worked in peace and contentment. They all praise my father-in-law's virtues. On the way to Hangzhou this time, I heard that my father-in-law has re-cultivated his spiritual life in the past few years."
The Yin Temple, the Pavilion in the Heart of the Lake, the Jingci Temple, the Sanmao Temple, and the Shijintang temples all opened canals to dredge the rivers and dredge the waterways for the benefit of the people in the city. The people of Hangzhou ranked my father-in-law with Bai Letian and Su Dongpo, and called my father-in-law the West Lake.
Lord of merit."
Eunuch Zhong was overjoyed and said: "My family has built those temples, but how dare we be the meritorious masters of West Lake? This is the first time our family has heard of them."
Zhang Yuandao: "Don't listen to flattery. I heard it from the people of Hangzhou. I spread it on my behalf. Merits are in the hearts of the people. The only way to win the hearts of the people is to praise them. I usually sing praises to you, but there are a lot of lies after all."
Eunuch Zhong nodded repeatedly and said with emotion: "Our family has only built a few temples, but the people praise our family so highly. It is really unworthy."
Zhang Yuandao: "People say that Eunuch Zhong is benevolent and righteous, and he has never tried to seduce the people in Hangzhou. They are worried that after his father-in-law returns to Beijing, he will recruit other eunuchs, and they will not live such a good life. They also compare Eunuch Zhong with Eunuch Sun, the weaver of Suzhou.
Eunuch Sun's exorbitant expropriation in Suzhou caused merchants to go on strike and households to flee. It is said that there was also a civil uprising, right?" Eunuch Zhong nodded and said: "Sun Long, the civil uprising in Suzhou was so big that it alarmed Grandpa Long Live, and Sun Long too.
I almost lost my head. In fact, Sun Long is a very talented person. He is not a vicious person. It was just that he did some things too hastily, which led to catastrophe. Fortunately, Long Live Grandpa doted on him and did not pursue it too much. Otherwise, it would have been tragic." Zhang Yuan said: "Yes.
The father-in-law who was sent to various places to weave and supervise taxes was deeply trusted by the emperor, and they were also very talented and learned. They were not inferior to officials who came from the imperial examination, and the father-in-law is proof of that."
Eunuch Zhong liked hearing this and said: "Everyone in the world knows that our internal officials are uneducated and have no skills. In fact, internal officials also need to study. Those who do not study can only do menial jobs. Our family entered the palace at the age of fourteen and studied in the internal study hall.
He studies hard and ranks among the best in every exam, and he is known as one of the top ten talented officials."
Zhang Yuan thought: "The eunuchs also have the Ten Talents.", and asked: "I wonder which internal officials can be called the Ten Talents together with the father-in-law?" Eunuch Zhong said: "The Sun Long mentioned earlier is one of them. Sun Long is very talented and can write.
He is good at painting. He made a kind of ink called "Qingjintang ink" that even Long Live Master likes to use. In addition to Sun Long, there are also Wang An,
Liu Ruoyu, both are extremely talented and learned." The name Wang An is very familiar. Wang An is the companion of the current crown prince. Emperor Wanli passed away.
After Guangzong came to the throne, he was promoted to the eunuch Bingbi, the Superintendent of Ceremonies. Wei Zhongxian was promoted by Wang An, but later he killed Wang An. Liu Ruoyu is also very famous. He is the only eunuch who has a book handed down to the world. The title of the book is "Zi Zhong Zhi", which records
Zhang Yuan asked, "Is Mr. Qiu, the mine supervisor of Yunnan, one of the ten talented men?"
Eunuch Zhong laughed: "Qiu Chengyun, you can only be considered literate. Hey, do you know Qiu Chengyun?" Zhang Yuan said: "I only heard about Eunuch Qiu's name today. I met my ancestor at the port of the canal.
The descendants of an old friend who was punished in Yunnan in the past are Shizhu's Xuanfu envoy Ma Qiancheng's wife Qin and her young son Ma Xiangqi. They said they wanted to go to Beijing to file a complaint against Eunuch Qiu." Eunuch Zhong asked hurriedly: "What happened?
?”
Zhang Yuandao said: "Eunuch Qiu escorted the mined silver and passed by the stone pillar. He asked the local official Ma Qiancheng for three thousand taels of silver. He also asked Ma Qiancheng to cut down a thousand large yew trees and transport them to his official office for later use. He transported a thousand big yew trees and several people hugged him.
How much manpower would it take to go to Yunnan from Da Yew? Ma Qiancheng was so angry that he refused to give him any money or Yew. When Eunuch Qiu arrived at Chongqing Mansion, he said that Ma Qiancheng had robbed him of fifty thousand taels of official silver, so he summoned Ma
Qian Cheng went to interrogate him and ended up in Yunyang Prison. Of course, these are only one-sided words from the Qin family and his younger brother Qin Minping. I don't know the truth."
Eunuch Zhong frowned and said: "Our family knows that Qiu Chengyun is relatively greedy and stingy. I'm afraid this is true - you said that Mrs. Ma Qiancheng and her young son are going to Beijing to file a petition?"
Zhang Yuandao said: "Mrs. Ma Qin is a Miao citizen and has been educated in poetry and etiquette by our Han people. Therefore, she wants to go to Beijing to confront Eunuch Qiu. If Shizhu is followed, the local people will rush into Yunyang Prison and recapture Ma Qiancheng. My father-in-law is very knowledgeable.
After hearing this, I must also know that the Miao people in Sichuan Jin are unruly and fierce. In the early years, Yang Yinglong, a Miao man from Bozhou, rebelled. The court spent a lot of money and food and killed and injured tens of thousands of soldiers before pacifying them. The court has always treated them with kindness.
Fu is the master. Now that Eunuch Ye has framed Ma Qiancheng like this, he is afraid that there will be another big rebellion. When the boy heard about this, he remembered Eunuch Zhong’s loyalty and asked Qin Minping, the younger brother of the Qin family, to come with me to see the father-in-law.
Father-in-law may be able to turn the tide."
Eunuch Zhong asked: "Did you say that Ma Qiancheng's brother-in-law is also here?" Zhang Yuan said: "Waiting outside the office door. I don't dare to disturb my father-in-law, so I will ask first." Eunuch Zhong pointed to Zhang Yuan and smiled.
He said: "It's annoying that you have made a big circle and yet you come to ask for something from us." He said it was annoying, but the smile on his face did not diminish. This shows how well Zhang Yuan made the circle just now, otherwise
Eunuch Zhong would definitely be displeased if he started talking about Ma Qiancheng, and the previous friendship was completely wiped out.
Zhang Yuan said sincerely: "Only my father-in-law understands the righteousness and can take on this matter. Eunuch Qiu is a bit willful and does not know how to share the emperor's worries. If my father-in-law can resolve this matter, the people of Shizhu should be grateful."
Eunuch Zhong muttered: "Although our family has no quarrel or deep friendship with Qiu Chengyun, he is too vulgar. The young man Qian Chengyifang Tusi who used to associate with him when our family was in the palace was also stingy and treated three thousand
It's just a gift of 2 taels of silver." Zhang Yuan said: "After Ma Qiancheng was imprisoned, Mrs. Ma sent 5,000 taels of silver, but Eunuch Qiu refused to accept it, insisting that he had been robbed of 50,000 taels, and wanted Ma Qiancheng to hand it over.
Fifty thousand taels are required to be exempted from crime.”
Eunuch Zhong shook his head repeatedly and said: "Too greedy, too greedy, Qiu Chengyun is too greedy."
Zhang Yuandao: "My father-in-law, think about it, the native people of Shizhu are already poor. If we forcefully collect 50,000 taels, the native people will definitely rebel. Now that Eunuch Qiu has gone away, Sichuan Jin will be in chaos. I'm afraid it will be difficult."
Escape responsibility.”
Eunuch Zhong nodded and said: "Our family will explain the interests to him. When he leaves Sichuan and goes to Beijing, he should take a detour to Hangzhou. His father's family is from Yuhang. Qiu Chengyun entered the palace at the age of twelve and was later promoted. His father went to Beijing to visit him.
He refused to see him when he lowered the curtain, and even had his father beaten with bamboo whips. He hated his father for having the heart to castrate him, and his father called him "ru" and begged for mercy. Only then did he go to the hall to acknowledge his father and cry. He has been doing this every year for the past few years.
With generous gifts sent home, the Qiu family will become rich."@.