The Civil Credit Bureau was founded by merchants from Cixi and Fenghua counties in Ningbo Prefecture during the Yongle period. At first, they only carried family letters, money and materials among fellow villagers, and collected certain fees from them. After nearly two hundred years of development, it relied on shops and inns in various places.
As a base, porters have formed a certain-scale postal network in the towns and cities south of the Yangtze River. They can also send letters and goods to cities north of the Yangtze River, such as Yangzhou, Kaifeng, Linqing, Jining, and Beijing. Although there is no government-run postal service between Beijing and Yangzhou, they can also send letters and goods.
The Thirteen Provinces are all-encompassing and fast, but for ordinary people who cannot enjoy the privilege of postal delivery, the Civil Information Bureau has given them great convenience. In the past two years, Zhang Yuan and his sister Zhang Ruoxi have exchanged letters through this Civil Information Bureau.
Delivered by the bureau - the management of post delivery in the late Ming Dynasty was chaotic. Not only did officials enjoy the privileges of post delivery, but their relatives also took advantage of the convenience of post delivery. It was a trivial matter to send a token, and Kanhe cards were borrowed at will. Officials' relatives and friends ordered people to drive boats and cars at the post station. This
The cost was huge. It seems that Zhang Yuan also enjoyed this undue privilege. He sent letters through his clan uncle and Jiao Taishi many times, and twice borrowed the Kanhe brand from the Hangzhou Weaving Department. He didn't think there was anything wrong with it, but now he saw that
Seeing the letters and clothes sent by Shang Zhoude and Shang Danran through the Civil Information Bureau, Zhang Yuan couldn't help but feel a little ashamed - the Shang family in Kuaiji was a family of officials, and Zhou Zuo of Shang Dynasty was now the censor of Zuo Qiandu, the fourth rank of the Imperial Procuratorate. Last year
Zhou De of Shang Dynasty sent his sisters-in-law Fu and Jing Lan to Beijing. The little sisters Jing Hui came to Beijing but did not enjoy the convenience of courier because Shang Zhou Zuo had warned not to take advantage of the government courier. Zuo of Shang Dynasty was famous for his integrity. Because of his integrity,
So I dared to say it when I was the censor - a camphor wood box was received. The two men from the Civil Information Bureau got the receipt for Zhang Yuan's painting, said goodbye and went out. When they arrived at the courtyard gate, one of the men turned around and said: "Master Zhang, my dear."
This is a clerk from Tongshang Bank, Wanyuan No., Yingyaofu Street. Mr. Zhang, if you want to send letters or gifts, please come to Tongshang Bank, Wanyuan No., Yingyaofu Street. It’s fast, convenient and safe. If you have lost anything,
, all compensation will be made.”
Zhang Yuan nodded and said: "Okay, I made a note of it, Yingyaofu Street, Wanyuan No. Tongshang Bank."
Zhang E said: "Jiezi, read the letter quickly and let me see what love words Miss Shang wrote to you?"
Zhang Yuandao said: "How can I show these love words to my third brother?" He held the letter in his arms and asked Laifu to move the camphor box to the bedroom upstairs. He then went up to the bedroom and opened Shang Danran's letter to read it.
His calligraphy in hairpin style is clear and beautiful, and his words are as precise as they come. He wrote in the letter:
"——In the summer, I live in a thatched cottage on Baima Mountain. There are long pines and white rocks, bamboos and plum blossoms. I am introduced to tranquility. Looking out from the bamboo pavilion, the East Lake is like a silk ribbon lingering. I miss you every day, like the running water, and I reminisce about my one-day trip.
, it’s like a dream every now and then, with a new begonia planted beside the pavilion, shaded by hanging strips, whistling quietly, I wonder if I can see the begonia blooming with you next year..."
Zhang Yuan smiled when he read the letter, and his heart flew thousands of miles away. When he was studying in Baima Mountain during the summer vacation last year, scenes of him and Dan Ran playing Cuju, admiring the moon, and eating melons emerged - the letter in his hand suddenly flew away. Zhang Yuan looked back anxiously and saw that it was his third brother Zhang
Calyx snatched the letter and read it loudly: "Everyone can express his emotions according to the situation -"
Zhang Yuan snatched the letter back and said with a frown: "Third brother, don't be joking."
Seeing Zhang Yuan's displeasure, Zhang E did not dare to say that he wanted to read the letter. He pointed at the camphor wood box and said, "Look what Miss Shang has sent you all the way to the head office, right?"
Zhang Yuan opened the box. Inside were two sets of autumn clothes, two sets of winter clothes, one pair of cloth shoes and leather boots, a Japanese fan, an inkstone, and two paintings by Shang Danran, one of which was "Summer on the White Horse Mountain"
, the other painting is of Dashan Temple, with two women kneeling on a futon in front of the Buddha, both in profile, one with gray hair, the other with green temples like clouds - "Haha." Zhang E laughed and said: "Isn't this the old one?
Fifth Aunt, this young one is Miss Shang, right?"
Zhang Yuan looked carefully at this picture of praying for Buddha, and was very moved. His mother and Dan Ran went to Dashan Temple to pray for Buddha on his birthday, wasn't it just to keep him safe? Zhang Dai came upstairs and said: "I'm going to Taoye Ferry today.
When I visited Minwenshui, from time to time until now, I don’t know where the old man has gone. He has been missing. I will go there tomorrow—"
Zhang E said: "As for that, why don't you still visit the thatched cottage?"
Zhang Dai said with a smile: "Those who are looking for hermitage will not find them. This is interesting."
Zhang Dai and Zhang E admired Shang Danran's two paintings together. They were envious of Zhang Yuan for being so pampered by his fiancée before he got married. She sent him cold clothes all the way. Zhang E was very unhappy and said: "Qi Huzi's sister, my clumsy
Jing, I didn’t even fart at all.”
Zhang Yuan suppressed his laughter and asked: "Didn't the third brother go to the Imperial Academy this morning? When did he come out?"
Zhang E became even more unhappy and said: "Shen Shi came out and was waiting for Li Xueyi. Aunt Wang Wei invited us to drink, but there was no news at all. It's really annoying. Could it be that they crossed the river and burned the bridge to find a new love?"
Before he finished speaking, Fu'er called out from downstairs: "Master Jiezi, I'm looking for you."
"Haha, let's go drink wine."
Zhang E thought he was sent by Li Xueyi to invite the three brothers to a banquet in the First Courtyard. He ran downstairs excitedly, but it was actually someone sent by Eunuch Xing who handed a heavy box to Zhang Yuan. He respectfully
He bowed respectfully and left without saying a word.
Zhang E was so disappointed that he rolled his eyes and said, "Well done to you, Jiezi. Zunlan brought a box, and the eunuch brought another box. It's so boring." He turned around and went back to his small building, but heard Fu'er call out again: "Master Jiezi, there's another one."
Come in and look for it.”
When Zhang E looked back, it was the steward named Jiang from the Imperial College, followed by a servant dressed as a servant. Zhang E asked, "Where is the box? Move it out?"
Jiang Zhiyi was puzzled. The servant behind him didn't recognize Zhang E. He was a little panicked. He crossed his hands and said, "Xiao Ru wants to see Master Zhang E of Shanyin."
Zhang E said: "I am Master Zhang of Shanyin."
Officer Jiang laughed and said: "Mr. Yanke, this person is here to find Xianggong Jie. He came from Zhenfengli, Kunshan. He said he was the home of Xianggong's student. When he found the Imperial College, he brought him here."
Zhang Yuan walked out from the west building. When the servant saw it, his face suddenly became happy, he stepped forward and crossed his hands and said: "Master Zhang, Xiao Ru is a member of the Du family in Zhenfengli——"
Zhang Yuan said with an "o" sound: "Remember, remember, I saw you in Du Mansion. Was it Du Dingfang who sent you here?"
When the servant of the Du family saw that Zhang Yuan recognized him, he was even more happy and said respectfully: "Yes, I have been ordered by the young master to send ten eight-part essays to Mr. Zhang for correction."
When Zhang Yuan met Jun Jun in Zhouzhuang, he accepted Jun Jun's nephew Du Dingfang as his disciple. He asked Du Dingfang to send his new eight-legged essay to the Imperial College for comment. Du Dingfang started reading and composing after his late father passed away.
He conscientiously wrote ten essays with four books and eight parts, and sent powerful family members to Jinling to ask for advice from his teacher Zhang Yuan. Zhang Yuan asked the Du family servant when did Juniper leave Zhenfengli and return north? This Du family's servant
The servant replied: "My uncle left for Yan'an Guard on June 17th, and Brother Mu Jingyan and Mu followed him."
Zhang Yuan glanced at Mu Zhenzhen, who was beside him. Mu Zhenzhen had tears in his eyes. Zhang Yuan said to the Du family servant: "I happen to be free these days, so you can stay here with me until I correct my comments."
Just take it back."
The Du family servant was very happy.
At night, Zhang Yuan opened the box sent by Eunuch Xing in the bedroom, but it was half yellow and white, five hundred taels of silver and five hundred taels of gold. The five hundred taels of gold were naturally sent by Eunuch Xing - Mu Zhenzhen
On the side, Zhang Yuan said: "Trouble, I have to go to the inner garrison tomorrow, and I can't even collect this gold and silver."
Zhang Yuan had received one thousand taels of silver from Eunuch Zhong last year, and most of it was given to Yanghe Yicang. But now that he is a high-profile man, he must be more cautious in his actions, especially financial bribes, which are the most vulnerable to criticism.
Of course, another reason why Zhang Yuan refuses Eunuch Xing's generous gift is that he is not short of money at present. This lack of money does not refer to the lack of money to satisfy his own selfish desires. Zhang Yuan's daily expenses are quite frugal, unlike his eldest brother Zhang Dai and his third brother.
Zhang E pays attention to fresh clothes and delicious food, and spends extravagantly. His lack of money refers to the lack of money for forming associations, running bookstores, and opening businesses. If he was short of money in this regard, Zhang Yuan would not refuse this box of gold and silver just to clear his name.
, this is an extraordinary era. If you want to turn the tide, you are not allowed to act like a gentleman and be a moral model. Sometimes you have to taint yourself, otherwise you can't change anything - of course, as much as possible, you can still keep your name.
For good, these five hundred taels of gold are enough for your own enjoyment, but far from enough for helping the world. It would be a pity to return these gold and silver to Eunuch Xing... Early on the morning of the seventh day of the lunar month, Zhang Yuan arrived in a sedan chair.
When he met Eunuch Xing Long in the Inner Guards Mansion, the box of gold and silver was also sent back. As he expected, Eunuch Xing's smile was a bit sarcastic, and he was obviously unhappy. His old face was wrinkled - Zhang Yuan said: "Eunuch Xing,
"Wan Sheng makes friends with the most important meaning. If my father-in-law thinks that Wan Sheng has done a little bit of work for his father-in-law in order to get money, then Wan Sheng will turn around and leave -" he said, pretending to do it.
The scholar was so arrogant that Eunuch Xing quickly stopped and said: "Master Zhang, don't be anxious, please sit down, please sit down, sit down and talk."
It's like writing eight-legged essays and getting the momentum to solve the problem. Then Zhang Yuan told Eunuch Xing about his friendship with Eunuch Zhong, how he admired Eunuch Xing's loyalty, and how he himself kept himself clean... Eunuch Xing nodded repeatedly in awe,
Eunuch Xing admired Zhang Yuan's intelligence before, but now he thinks Zhang Yuan is a rare gentleman. Under Zhang Yuan's lobbying, Eunuch Xing decided to take out another five thousand taels of silver to match the five hundred taels of gold.
With a hundred taels of silver, he built a medicine hospital next to Pilu Temple in Nanjing and hired doctors to treat poor and sick people free of charge. Relatively speaking, if they are congenial in words and guided appropriately, eunuchs are more likely to donate money to do good than ordinary people. Eunuchs are not
Descendants are superstitious about karma, and many eunuchs are keen on building temples. Eunuch Xing donated money to build Jiming Temple and Qixia Temple. Eunuch Xing was both grateful and admired to Zhang Yuan. He had just resolved a crisis and did not need to be disparaged.
He went to Fengyang to guard the vegetable garden, but the first team from the Nanjing Ministry of War obviously refused to give up. He had to be careful in his actions. Zhang Yuan's advice to him to build a medicinal hospital was just a move to win over people's hearts. He also heard that
Eunuch Guo Zhong built the almshouse at Zhang Yuan's suggestion. It gained an excellent reputation in Hangzhou and the shrine became popular. In this way, two of the three eunuchs Zhang Yuan came into contact with became philanthropists.