For the first time, Fu Honglie went to the capital with his guilt, and Zhou Peigong rescued the weak
At noon, an official ship sailed slowly into the Tianjin pier in the biting wind and heavy snow. A boatman covered in snow opened the heavy cotton curtain and entered the cabin to report that the waterway from Tianjin to Chaoyangmen was blocked by ice. Everyone
He had no choice but to abandon his boat and travel to Beijing by land.
There were four passengers on this boat. Fu Honglie, the prefect of Chaozhou, brought two pen-tenders who spoke Beijing dialect, and the other was a young Juren. This man's eyebrows were widely apart, and he was crossing his legs with a nonchalant look on his face.
He looked at the snowy scene on the pier outside with great interest from the cabin window. He was dressed quite thinly, only a patched blue coarse cloth jacket, and no hat. Compared with Fu Honglie who looked a little tired and old opposite him,
Get up and look much more energetic.
The young candidate's name was Zhou Peigong, courtesy name Chang, and he was from Jingmen. Because he was admitted to Beijing for the imperial examination, he ran out of money and sold letters in Dezhou. He was invited by Fu Honglie, who was getting off the boat for a walk, to board the boat and take him to Tianjin. For eight days, they traveled together on the waterway, and the two of them were in heaven and earth.
In the collection of classics and history, he talked about everything about Wen Tao and military strategy, and they have become friends for many years. After listening to Zhouzi's words, Zhou Peigong saw Fu Honglie frowning and saying nothing, so he smiled and said: "What's wrong with this? Land is easy to travel by land. The ancients rode donkeys in the rain."
After passing Jianmen, we are riding horses along the ancient Jinmen Road. Isn't it quite poetic?"
Fu Honglie turned to look at the two Bi Tiesi sitting beside him, both of whom had sad expressions. He smiled bitterly, took out a bag of broken silver, about ten taels, from his arms, gently pushed it to Zhou Peigong, and said: "
Mr. Pei, it’s inconvenient for us to go together when we get off the boat. I really can’t get rid of this little money, but you still want to take it with you to make up for the shortage..."
"Why?" Zhou Peigong asked in surprise.
Fu Honglie sighed and forced a smile: "I was afraid that you would be frightened on the way, so I never told you. Even though I am sitting on the official ship of General Hangzhou, which is so luxurious, in fact, I am a prisoner locked up by the Ministry of Punishment, and I came to Beijing to collect my crimes. I got off the ship.
Wearing instruments of torture and clanging iron chains, what will it look like if I bring you with me?"
"Really?" Zhou Peigong was shocked, because even though he was on the ship for eight days, he didn't hear a single word from Fu Honglie about this matter, and the two posts were respectful in front of him. He thought that this middle-aged and knowledgeable prefect was entering the capital.
The one who was promoted! After a slight hesitation, Zhou Peigong came back to his senses and asked urgently: "Why?"
"It's true." A post said, "Both of us are from the Yamen of the Ministry of Punishment. We were sent to the capital by the Ministry of Justice to bring Mr. Fu to Beijing for questioning. Mr. Fu submitted a memorial to the imperial court to remove the three vassals, which offended King Pingxi.
Wu Sangui was captured by the Pingnan Palace and was to be executed on the spot in Guangzhou, but the imperial court issued an order to the Ministry of Punishment and the Dali Temple Review Office. This official ship was sent by General Tuhai of the Infantry Command Yamen, who specifically asked the Hangzhou General to escort him properly.
of……"
"Brother," Fu Honglie listened to Zhou Peigong spare no effort in criticizing Wu Sangui. He had already recognized him as a confidant. Seeing that Zhou Peigong was in a daze, he laughed and said, "I listened to you talking all the way. Not only are you good at writing, but you also know the art of war very well. The country is hiring people.
, Don't give up on yourself. I wanted to write you a letter of recommendation, but my current situation is not only useless, but I'm also afraid of causing trouble. Brother, please take care of yourself."
"Okay." Zhou Peigong gently pushed the silver back with both hands, stared at Fu Honglie affectionately with his eyes like paint, and said, "We are about to break up. The heart-to-heart conversations over the past eight days will never be forgotten by Zhou. You treat me like a national scholar."
, I will repay you as a national soldier. But I can’t ask for this money. You are facing lawsuits and need more money than me..." Fu Honglie felt sad after hearing this, and his eye circles could not help but turn red, and he only whispered: "I'm afraid
It may not be necessary..."
The power of the sky is unpredictable, and the dangers are always there. Fu Honglie's meaning couldn't be clearer. For a while, the cabin became silent, and the rustle of snow falling on the cabin board could be heard clearly. Zhou Peigong was surprised and had already
After calming down, he pondered for a long time with a faint look in his eyes, and then asked: "Tuhai and your Excellency are old friends and close friends?"
"We didn't know each other before," Fu Honglie said. "The year before last, he was deposed and demoted to Chaozhou for some reasons, and we got to know each other for a year. This man is very courageous. We are also friends with Wu Liuyi. After Wu Liuyi was transferred to the governor of Guangdong,
, Jian Tuhai became the admiral of the nine sects, and was also in charge of the infantry commander's office. It was not long before he returned to Beijing..." After that, he sighed again and said, "Unfortunately, Brother Liuyi died of a sudden illness as soon as he arrived in Guangzhou. If he had been there,
, I won’t end up like this.”
After hearing this, Zhou Peigong rolled his eyes, smiled suddenly, leaned down and said to Fu Honglie: "Don't you hear Li Qinglian's poem? 'The sun does not shine on my sincerity, and the country of Qi has nothing to worry about'! I predict that the emperor will not agree to this.
Killing the virtuous and virtuous lightly, it seems that this trip, sir, was a success without any danger!"
Over the past few days, Fu Honglie had figured out the character of Zhou Peigong: although he was very eloquent, he never spoke nonsense. He had a unique understanding of the separatist regime of Wu Sangui, Geng Jingzhong and the Kexi Sanfei, as well as the military and economic situation. See
Come on, he didn't say this just to appease himself, so he smiled and said: "Pei Gong's words are shocking again!"
"Sir, this is just a matter of course." Zhou Peigong tapped his fingers on the table rhythmically and said thoughtfully, "We were chatting a few days ago, and your Excellency mentioned that the emperor recently issued an edict ordering the three vassals to come to Beijing for an audience. From the students' point of view, it is connected with your Lord's affairs.
Then there was an article.”
Seeing Fu Honglie and the two pens looking at each other, Zhou Peigong smiled slightly and said: "The vassal state is about to be withdrawn! The three vassal states have become an unstoppable trend, and the customers are bullying the shops. How can the court allow them to do whatever they want! We have already discussed the truth clearly.
"There is only one world, and two masters cannot coexist. This is the heart of heaven, the hearts of the people, and the conditions of the country." Zhou Peigong spoke eloquently, and stretched his body, as if he was not a penniless poor man, but an important minister of the country.
He argued, "There have always been three ways for the imperial court to withdraw from vassals. One is like the great ancestor who was traveling in Yunmeng, and the strong men in front of the chariot captured Han Xin; the other is like the Han Dynasty, when the Seven Kingdoms were in chaos, and the Ming Dynasty withdrew without hesitation, even if it was a battle; or the Song Taizu released his military power over a glass of wine,
A few words at the banquet table, and a huge event came to naught - now that the imperial court has summoned the three kings to the capital at the same time, it seems that this method will be used."
Fu Honglie listened and felt that it made sense. He nodded frequently and suddenly paused thoughtfully for a moment and said, "However, the holy edict made it very clear about my decree: Let the Dali Temple of the Ministry of Punishment be reconsidered. The matter may not necessarily be
It’s that simple! Chao Cuo, who advocated the withdrawal of feudal vassals in the former Han Dynasty, was also..."
"The only way to die is to die in all the hardships - Deng Hanyi can be said to have understood human feelings!" Zhou Peigong laughed loudly, "You are also a fan of the authorities! You have already been sentenced to death in Guangzhou, how can you be treated with a 'serious' punishment? Suo Na was brought to Beijing, obviously for the emperor's sake
If I save you, I may be promoted even more!"
"What if the emperor doesn't withdraw from the vassal state?" Seeing Zhou Peigong speak so firmly, a pen-poster was a little unconvinced and couldn't help but ask.
"The country's annual income is 37 million taels of silver," Zhou Peigong turned his head and said disdainfully. "Wu Sangui took 9 million taels alone, Geng Jingzhong and Shang Kexi each took 5.5 million taels - not counting other accounts.
, this is the only thing, if he is your servant, can you tolerate him?" After that, he picked up the cold tea on the table and drank it all in one go, and said to Fu Honglie, "Mr. Fu, we have been in the same boat for a few days. You are truly lucky.
Mr. Pei Gong is already familiar with your moral articles. Today we are leaving, and I have something to say. I wonder if you will accept it?" Fu Honglie hurriedly raised his hands and said, "Please tell me!"
"Looking at your appearance, measuring your talent and learning, and listening to your words, you are worthy of being a scholar of the country." Zhou Peigong first praised him, "But you are too hard-working and too crazy with your feelings. Be careful not to suffer the loss of your friends."
Fu Honglie was startled and couldn't understand what he meant for a moment, so he asked quickly: "Why?" Zhou Peigong said: "Your request for the withdrawal of the vassal state was a secret memorial. How did Wu Sangui know about it?" Fu Honglie listened for a long time.
He squeaked, shook his head and said: "Although it is a secret, there are still four or five people who know that there is only one Wang Shirong. Although he serves under King Pingxi, he is my best friend. Could it be that..."
"In the past few days, your Excellency has often praised Wang Shirong. I just hate that we have never met each other. How can I dare to be suspicious?" Zhou Peigong smiled heartily and said, "The way for a gentleman to behave in the world is to keep the center and not be concerned about external affairs. If you don't believe in being straight and straight, you must guard against being benevolent.
——We say goodbye today, and we will never see each other again. The ancients paid a thousand dollars for a meal, and if Zhou makes any progress, he will definitely repay the great kindness! This is how we part! Take care, Mr. Fu, take care!" After that, he bowed.
He got out of the cabin and floated ashore. Fu Honglie hurriedly ran out of the cabin and called out: "Pei Gong, Mr. Pei Gong... take this money with you..."
Zhou Peigong stood next to the cable pillar beside the pier, with heavy snow falling on his head and getting into his neck. The strong wind lifted up the hem of Lao Gao's robe, but he didn't seem to be shrinking from the cold. Seeing Fu Honglie and his pen-post style chasing
When he came out of the cabin, he just raised his hands and said: "My lord, please go back, you two, please go back, see you soon!" After saying that, he walked away in the snow.
Fu Honglie watched Zhou Peigong disappear in the snow light, then entered the cabin sadly, and said to the two escorting men: "Please put on the torture instruments, let's go on the road!"
Zhou Peigong sold fortune-telling along the way, and did not come to the capital until the fourteenth day of the first lunar month. From a distance, he saw the tall and gray Imperial Castle Pheasant standing on the deserted snowfield. His heart could not help but beat with excitement. This son of a run-down family
, although he is only twenty-five years old, he has already experienced the ups and downs of human life and the harshness of the world. His parents died one after another during the terrible plague epidemic in the seventh year of Shunzhi, and the family property, fields and house were occupied by his uncles, and only the descendants passed down from ancestors.
Three large shelves of books were saved. Seeing that the Zhou family could not tolerate the orphan, the wet nurse Gong took Pei Gong home, but asked her son to serve as a soldier to eat food and save money for him to study. Zhou Pei Gongtian
The score is very high. By the age of fifteen, Kang Cangzi, Han Feizi, Guanzi, Mozi, Laozi, Guiguzi... The Twenty-Four Histories include "Tai Gong Yin Fu", "Qi Men Dun Jia", "Sun Tzu's Art of War" and various classics
I read the history book to my heart's content. Seeing that he was so promising, Grandma Gong simply exchanged the money she had saved from spinning and weaving into silver to support him in studying abroad. He stayed away for ten years intermittently. In the eighth year of Kangxi, he took the government examination and the provincial examination in succession.
Everyone is happy, now Grandma Gong's hair is already snow white.
After passing the exam, he saw that Grandma Gong's body was getting worse day by day, so Zhou Peigong didn't want to take the exam again. He went to the province to visit the famous scholars and gentry in the province with poems and essays.
He was an errand. Unfortunately, he had no famous teacher to recommend him, and his reputation was also very ordinary. Although he was quite warm to others, he looked down upon him in his heart. When Grandma Gong found out about this, the old lady beat her bed and got angry: "You are actually
The bigger you are, the less useful you are! To study and make progress for you, your eldest brother was lucky enough to go out to serve as a soldier. What kind of punishment did you suffer? How come you went out to wander around for ten years, and after earning a job, you just want to hang out? As the saying goes, if you learn literature and martial arts, you will sell them to the emperor's family.
, but you sold me such a half-buried old woman? There is no future! What I want is the imperial decree - you go to the capital to ask the emperor to get it for me!" Now that he has really seen this majestic imperial palace, how can Zhou Peigong restrain himself?
excitement?
There was also a letter in his arms. It was a letter of recommendation written by Wu Ciyou, who was lecturing in Shandong, to Mingzhu, the imperial censor of Zuodu. I heard that the recipient of the letter had been promoted to the official minister. Is this letter of recommendation useful? How useful is it?
, Zhou Peigong did not think about it. He thought that when the Marquis of Huaiyin, Han Xin, returned to the Han Dynasty, he also carried Zhang Liang's recommendation letter in his arms, and he did not take it out until the Emperor of the Han Dynasty worshiped him as a general.
What a spirit! Therefore, Zhou Peigong did not pay much attention to the letter Wu Ciyou solemnly handed him.
Zhou Peigong touched his purse. It was made for him by Grandma Gong under the lamp on the night before he left Jingmen. The workmanship was not good, but he treated it as a treasure. There were two Arhat coins and more than thirty dollars in it.
With a "Kangxi" copper coin, he could only live for three days through frugality. But there were still fifty or sixty days before the Spring Festival in March. How to spend these days? After thinking about it, Zhou Peigong decided to find a temple to live in.
After eating fast, he inquired about living in the Fahua Temple in the suburbs.
It was during the Lantern Festival of the first lunar month. In the eighth year of Emperor Kangxi's reign, the mountains were ripe in autumn, and land enclosures were abolished and renamed fields were implemented. The first-class public transportation of millions of loads of grain from Wuhu, Suzhou, and Hangzhou to Beijing
In Zhili, Shandong, which has always been plagued by spring famine, this spring you only need three coins to fight rice. Prices are stable and everything is fine. Beijing celebrates festivals day and night, and the people are happy. The first month lanterns are held for seven days. Ten people living in Fahua Temple
A few officials and salt merchants who had not returned to the south of the Yangtze River because of the water transport difficulties took turns doing business every day, drinking and drinking, and turned the pure Buddhist place into a dojo for wine and meat. Zhou Peigong couldn't stand such tackiness, so when he saw the snow outside and the sky clearing, he
Instead of writing poems and paintings, I decided to go to the streets to observe the scenery of Beijing.
After walking out of the temple, the scenery outside was really lively. Stilts, dragon lanterns, lions, land boats, river clams, cranes, etc. from Xiyuan and Tanzhe Temples, clanking gongs and drums, all flocked to the Qianmen and Liulichang area, what the hell?
There are lama dancers, big-headed people, reckless dancers, colorful rope dancers, and various characters in the opera. Teams of people are playing and strutting through the market. The crowds are crowded and crowded, with yangko singers and Bao Lao dancers in between.
, the shouts of the noodle seller, the shouts of wonder and cheer from the children, the curses of being pushed down, the cries, laughter and the crackling of firecrackers all merged into one, and mixed together. Even women who don’t go out on weekdays can endure it.
Not to be lonely, seven aunts and eight aunts went out together to watch the fun. However, their thoughts were much more meticulous than the men. Some went to the Chenghuang Temple to donate incense and money to pray for blessings, some went to Guanyin Temple to ask for a child, and some went to the Guanyin Temple to ask for a child.
The hawkers in Liulichang spent a few coppers to buy a few golden lion teeth - a kind of wax animal teeth - and threw them into a nearby charcoal brazier to watch them burn. It was said that this would ensure the safety of her family.
You won’t suffer from toothache all year round.
Zhou Peigong followed the flow of people and arrived at Zhengyang Gate. He couldn't help but be stunned by the bustle here: hundreds of women, all crowded with disheveled hair and tears in their eyes. Some squeezed off their shoes, and some were pushed out halfway.
, a swarm of bees went to touch the big copper nails on the Zhengyang Gate. Some of the women who were squeezed out were complaining, some were beaming, some of the children were crying, some were making trouble, and some were clinging to their mothers' necks and shouting "Go back."
Home".
Zhou Peigong watched it for a long time and couldn't figure out the mystery, so he asked an old man next to him: "Old man, why are these women trying to squeeze in their lives?"
"They are touching luck." The old man said with a half-smile, "Whoever can touch seven copper nails in a row will have peace all year round for the whole family..."
Zhou Peigong couldn't help but smile: That cool, round and smooth big copper nail cap actually had such great power! He didn't know yet. These women had an unexpectedly tenacious spirit when praying for their parents, husbands and children.
Those who were squeezed out cried and scolded, and they would never leave this place until seven of them were touched. Some women simply went barefoot, put their children down, asked someone to take care of them, and squeezed in again with their hair and sleeves rolled up.
After entering, Zhou Peigong couldn't help but said with a smile: "The emperor's gate is so amazing! In fact, there is no need to be so crowded! As long as everyone comes next to each other, it can be touched before it gets dark."
"Well, it was like this in previous years." An old man said to the side, "However, this year is different. Prince Pingnan and Prince Jingnan will enter the palace from here for an audience soon. Once martial law is enforced, it will be impossible."
King Pingnan is Shang Kexi from Guangdong, and King Jingnan is Geng Jingzhong from Fujian. When the three vassals were summoned, why did only two kings come to the capital? Zhou Peigong couldn't help but think of Fu Honglie, and he felt sad. He hurriedly asked: "King Pingxi didn't come?"
"I don't know," the old man shook his head. "I heard he was sick."
Zhou Peigong wanted to ask again, but suddenly the crowd became chaotic. A girl of seventeen or eighteen years old cried and cursed, grabbed a middle-aged woman and squeezed out of the crowd, tearing her apart and beating her. The middle-aged woman dodged and laughed.
He laughed and said vaguely: "Why bother? To avoid bumping into each other and squeezing a little bit?" Seeing what was going on, some of the women nearby came to try to persuade her. Unexpectedly, the girl took advantage of the man's misfortune.
He suddenly jumped up, pulled off the green scarf covering the woman's head, and shouted loudly: "Your aunt, Xiao Suo, is willing to risk everything today to show everyone how dirty you are!"
People were stunned for a moment, it turned out to be a man!
"Don't let him go, ask him what his name is?" Zhou Peigong's blood suddenly rushed to his face, and the veins on his neck popped up.
"Who is being presumptuous?" The man tilted his neck and searched for a while, looked at Zhou Peigong, stepped towards him step by step, and said with a ferocious smile: "Which fucking pair of pants are you wearing? Do you know who she is? Master
Who is it again?"
Zhou Peigong clenched his fingers tightly and sneered: "No matter what kind of thing you are, you are no better than a beast if you behave like this!"
"Hee!" The man made a grimace and turned to a few people who were watching the excitement, "This poor boy wants to take care of my affairs. Hmph, I am Liu Yigui, the general manager of the Prince's Mansion. You take care of it.
Do you have anything to do with me? She owes me thirty strings, and I want to bring her into the house to have a good look at her - come! Pick up this stinky bitch and let's go!" Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Peigong waved his palm,
A slap in the face. Five purple-red fingerprints fell on Liu Yigui's face, which suddenly swelled up. When several chiefs of Prince Li's palace saw the housekeeper being beaten, they all rushed over with a howl of "Ouch" and surrounded Zhou Peigong with fists.
*Added. Xiao Suo who was standing aside was frightened. While Zhou Peigong was dealing with these people, he shouted to Xiao Suo: "Why don't you leave quickly?" Liu Yigui covered his face and shouted: "I have dozens of people here, how can I
Tell her to leave? Beat her!"
For a moment, the crowd that was packed around them became commotion. More than twenty domestic slaves fought and ran rampant among the people. The people were so crowded that they stumbled and screamed and howled into a mess. Zhou Peigong received several heavy blows on the waist.
With golden flowers dancing in his eyes, he staggered and fell to the ground. More than a dozen of his followers swarmed up to him, punching me and kicking me hard.
"Stop!" At this moment, a thunderous roar was suddenly heard, "Fuck stop it!" The sound was so loud that it shocked the evil slaves to stop. When they turned around, they saw a face full of laughter.
The bearded officer squeezed through the fleeing crowd, pointed at Liu Yigui with one hand on his hip and asked: "Why the hell are you bullying people?" A senior officer saw Liu Yigui wink, suddenly jumped up from behind, and slapped him with his palms.
The officer seemed to have eyes in his back. He grabbed him, twisted it in his arms with his backhand, slapped his face with spit, and sent it away gently. The long follower rushed out like a projectile, and unexpectedly came out one after another.
Two of them were knocked down! Seeing that the situation was not good, Liu Yigui whistled and the evil slaves howled and fled in a hurry.
Zhou Peigong got up from the ground and saw the officer laughing happily. Suddenly his eyes lit up and he shouted in surprise: "Brother, it's you!"
The officer was stunned for a moment, looked at Zhou Peigong in surprise, and recognized him in an instant. He rushed over with his hands open, hugged Zhou Peigong with both hands and spun around on the spot: "It's my nerdy Pei Di! Why are you here?
?Ten years, a whole ten years since I last saw you!" This bold and bold man jumped and laughed, tears welling up in his eyes.
This officer was none other than Zhou Peigong's nanny Gong Rongyu. He had been in the army for ten years and had already become a city gate leader in Pingliang. The two brothers, who had been together since they were naked, unexpectedly met here.
"How is your mother now? How are your health?" After listening to Zhou Peigong's account of his experiences over the years, the thick-browed man lowered his eyelids and replied sadly: "My mother is okay." Zhou Peigong and Gong Rongyu walked shoulder to shoulder.
Walking aimlessly, he replied in a low voice: "Even when you are old, your eyes cannot function well..." At this point, Zhou Peigong stopped, stared and asked angrily: "You are already a fourth-grade master."
If you are a member of the Communist Party of China, why don't you go back to see your mother? Is this considered a filial son?" Gong Rongyu lowered his head and breathed heavily, and then said after a while: "First in Guangxi, then in Yunnan, and then in Shaanxi, I won't be able to settle down!"
"What are you doing in Beijing this time?" Zhou Peigong asked.
"Admiral Wang was squeezed out of Shaanxi by Governor Moro and General Varger. He went to Beijing to request an order to transfer the defense to the interior..."
"Admiral Wang?" Zhou Peigong asked, "Is it the one nicknamed Ma Yaozi?"
"Yeah. It's Ma Yaozi*."
"I heard that the official Moluo was very honest," Zhou Peigong asked thoughtfully, "Why is he so intolerant?" He touched his waist, where there was still a dull pain.
"The bannermen are all fucking idiots. The Han people are unlucky!" Gong Rongyu replied in a muffled voice. As he spoke, he kicked a stone far away, and after a while he said again, "The horse kite pedals
There are two boats, eating from the imperial court and watching Wu Sangui. I see that Wu Sangui is not a serious person. It will not be easy for me to lead the troops there! - We will live in the mansion of Wu Yingxiong, the eldest son of Wu Sangui. Follow me there.
Stay?"
"No, no, no," Zhou Peigong waved his hands and said with a smile, "You are already a guest, it's awkward enough, why would you take me there again? I am lazy by nature, and I can't bear to deal with people like Mr. Wu."
The two of them talked affectionately for a long time, and then went to Juxian Tower for a meal together. Gong Rongyu took another 50-tael silver note to Zhou Peigong, and then reluctantly broke up.
, make an appointment to get together again before * returns to Shaanxi. (To be continued)
