The 7th Shahebao Commentary on the Tea Horse Policy
The three masters and servants drove together, talking and walking in the heavy snow, until they arrived at Shahebao on the banks of the Hutuo River at the end of the Shen Dynasty. Kangxi's whole body was wrapped like a snowman, and he carefully stepped on the frozen mirror-like surface of the river.
Asked Wei Dongting: "Which county is this Shahe Fort located in?"
"Going back to my lord," Wei Dongting saw that he had entered a densely populated area, so he spoke very carefully and only vaguely called Kangxi "my lord", "This is Fanzhi County, and the county magistrate is Liu Qingyuan. This Shahe Fort is Fanzhi
The largest town, we will stay at the old store in Dexing tonight. The side courtyard is occupied by a few horse dealers, and the main courtyard is fully booked for us. Just don’t worry."
It was already entering Youpai, and it was still daytime, but it was getting dark early. Because of the snow, the snow light returned, and the storefronts on both sides of the street were still vaguely visible. There was no one on the street, and not even the barking of dogs could be heard. Wei Dongting was there
On the street, vehicles were dispatched, luggage was unloaded, and security arrangements were made. The alarmed shop owner came out with a smile and held a lantern, saying hello in Wutai dialect: "It's so heavy snow, it's hard for the gentlemen to go on their way! I still think it's
It’s time to stay at the first stop! Wow, it’s just that our mountain and wilderness store is worse than the emperor’s feet in the imperial city of Beijing..." The owner of the store was very attentive and talkative. He pushed the store door wide open with both hands and turned the group towards them.
Inside, he shouted loudly: "It's from the Cai family! The masters are here, hurry up and get some hot water and bring it to the room!"
"What," Wei Dongting suddenly stopped and asked, "I haven't already booked the main courtyard, so why did another guest move in?"
"Hey!" the shopkeeper sighed, "They just arrived an hour ago, and the shop in Shahebao was full of people - a Taoist priest and a scholar - with such heavy snow, everyone was blue from the cold.
It's like a carrot, so I boldly arranged it. Fortunately, there are only about 20 people in Yetai, and there are more than 30 rooms in it!" Wei Dongting's face darkened as he listened, and he stopped before he finished speaking.
He stopped and said: "Fart! Even if Manjushri Bodhisattva comes, you have to put them out!" After hearing this, Kangxi hurriedly said: "Xiao Weizi, forget it, it's just one night, just make do with it, we will go tomorrow morning.
"Wei Dongting looked at the smiling shopkeeper, and couldn't help but get angry, but he didn't dare to disobey Kangxi, so he said: "The master said it, but I will give him fifty taels of deposit at once, and I will pay another fifty taels for one night's stay.
, can you make money by running a store for half a year? We have come all the way from Beijing, and we have never met a slave as bold and greedy as you!" The shop owner was embarrassed by his reprimand, and Nuonuo apologized repeatedly: "But now that the matter is over, we can't do it anymore.
Well, just kick them out, they are all offering incense and worshiping Buddha, so it can be convenient and convenient." He laughed dryly as he spoke.
"Everyone in the world can live in the store!" The door of the west wing opened with a bang, and a young Taoist priest walked out, holding a fly whisk and a seven-star sword on his back. He was very elegant and handsome. He said with a bow, "If a layman has money, then
You have to accept this injustice! If Pindao gives two hundred taels of silver to drive the layman out at this time, what should you do? Even the scholar was brought in by Pindao and has nothing to do with the shopkeeper. If the layman has something to say, just go to Pindao.
Talk!" Wei Dongting turned his face to the side without looking at the Taoist priest, and said coldly: "I was talking to the shop owner, why did you interrupt me?"
"Shut up!" Kangxi saw that Wei Dongting was not finished and looked like he was looking for trouble, so he quickly stopped and said, "This Taoist priest is right, why don't you back down!" Wei Dongting was speechless and silently stepped aside and lowered his hands.
At the service, Kangxi looked at the Taoist priest. He was no more than twenty years old. He had beautiful eyebrows and fine eyes, and a face as white as jade, but there was a wild air in his eyebrows. He couldn't help but think: "If this Taoist priest puts on women's clothes, he will be considered a beauty of the previous generation."
, but he has a rougher temperament..." He said with a smile: "Taoist Priest, what do you guys know? Taoist Priest is just responsible for the arrangements. After dinner, you might as well invite that friend over to have a midnight snack." The Taoist priest pursed his lips to hold back his laughter.
, said: "Young master, you should study and learn etiquette, see you later!" He glared at Wei Dongting and returned to the west chamber. Although Wei Dongting was angry, he did not dare to say anything more. The owner of the shop hurriedly intervened and reconciled: "Everyone comes from*
, it was fate in the past life to be able to gather in the small shop, but I always complained that the small shop had a shallow pool and poor reception from all parties..." After saying that, he led Kangxi and his entourage into the upper room, "Please invite the old lady and this young lady (Suma Lagu).
) Rest in peace in the east building, and the young master will live in the west building. It is also convenient for those who need soup or water. Seeing the heavy snow, we may not be able to set off tomorrow, so we will stay in the small shop for a few more days, and I will personally serve the old lady.
In charge of security and safety..." After saying that, he hurriedly opened the door, placed the luggage, poured oil on the lamp, added fire under the kang, brought hot water to the Empress Dowager's room, and ordered people to bake it for Kangxi.
The clothes are wet and the shoes are wet. Shanxi people are the most charming and petty people in the world. Even the angry Wei Dongting was made to smile and said: "If you are an errand in the Forbidden City, I'm afraid the emperor will ask you to coax him!"
Kangxi had a bowl of hot dumplings stuffed with refined mutton [Note 1], and immediately felt that the coldness in his body had been swept away, he was warm, and he was no longer tired at all. Although he became the master of the world, he had lived a solid life. Before receiving the gift, he ordered Lang Ling to take five taels of silver to reward the shopkeeper. After a while, the shop owner came in with a smile to thank him for the reward. He saluted, wiped his hands with a water skirt and said with a smile: "Thank you, Mr. Master, for the reward. The old lady just now also They rewarded me with five taels and said that they had never used it so comfortably. They didn't use meat, they just used tofu skin and mushroom stuffing, and they used sweet wine. On the young master's side, the young one thought that after blowing the air conditioner all day, the wine was enough. It's too heavy, and I don't want to offend the young master's taste..." Obviously, since opening the store, he has never encountered such a generous customer, and he actually gave two silver rewards at the same time.
While he was still talking, he saw the Taoist priest dragging a middle-aged scholar in his forties in. Kangxi hurriedly jumped off the kang and said with a smile: "It's been a long night, just a good time to chat, even in the store." Master, you don’t need to go. Let’s sit down and talk.” Although the scholar was clothed in plain clothes, his demeanor was very steady, with a hint of forcefulness. While bowing to Kangxi, he also announced his name: “I am Fu Shan, I have the nickname Qingzhu, how dare you I asked the master what his name is, who is the master?" Wei Dongting saw at a glance that the young Taoist priest had martial arts skills and that there were several strangers sitting with Kangxi. He did not dare to slack off at all, secretly energized himself, and naturally stood close to Kangxi.
"I don't dare," Kangxi replied with a smile on his face as he sat down, "My surname is Long and my given name is Dehai - you are all here too?"
"The Taoist priest traveled here, but I am from this province. Even after reading the books of sages, I don't believe in any gods or Buddhas." Fu Shan laughed and said, "Taoist Yuliang and I didn't know each other before. It was getting late and the journey was poor, and there was heavy snow. I didn't want to be with Mr. Long. We meet here by chance." Kangxi heard this and smiled and said, "Same as Mr. Fu, I don't believe in gods and Buddhas. Unfortunately, due to bad weather, my grandmother said she had made a Bodhisattva vow on Mount Wutai and had to come to offer incense. I must obey the order of mercy."
"This guy has such a strong voice!" Fu Shan looked at Kangxi while listening, and saw that he was dressed in an ordinary town dress, but he actually talked about the big topic of "timing" from the old lady's wish! He moved his body and sipped it. Taking a sip of tea, he asked, "Is your residence in Beijing?" Seeing that Fu Shan was suspicious, Wei Dongting hurriedly came over to add more tea and said with a smile, "No, it's Tongzhou." The Taoist obviously knew nothing about this and just bowed his head to drink tea and obey." Tongzhou?" Fu Shan shook his head and said, "The big family in Tongzhou only has one Zhou Garden!"
Kangxi was at a loss for words for a moment. He originally planned to go back from Wutai Mountain and inquire about the people's situation privately, but he didn't know that he was not suitable for this kind of situation. It was his first time to talk to outsiders and he made mistakes as soon as he spoke. He didn't know how to deal with it.
However, Wei Dongting knew that Zhou Garden was the property of Zhou Quanbin's family, so he had to make it up now. After pondering for a while, he smiled softly and said: "The Long family was originally from Outer Mongolia, and they just moved into Guan last autumn. Now even Zhou Garden has They were all transferred to the Long family. Didn’t you listen to the song written by the people of Tongzhou? ‘Ten Zhou gardens and thousands of miles of green are not as good as a dragon in loess.’ From Tongzhou to the northeast, as long as there is loess, it is the ancestral property of the Long family.”
"Xiao Weizi, what are you talking about?" Kangxi was very satisfied with Wei Dongting's arrangement. He didn't want to continue talking about this topic, so he turned to ask Taoist Yuliang, "Taoist Yuliang is a popular person in Qin, how can he practice Taoism in Shaanxi?"
"Me?" Yuliang was deep in thought. Unexpectedly, Kangxi suddenly asked him, so he drank all the tea in the cup and said to Wei Dongting with a smile, "Please have another cup - let's not beat around the bush - we will practice Taoism in Zhongnan Mountain.
, and also traveled in Mount Emei for several years.”
"Oh, Emei!" Kangxi suddenly remembered and asked, "There was an imperial physician named Hu Gongshan, who also served as a Taoist priest in Emei Mountain. He was a good martial artist and an upright person. For some reason, he gave up his official career and went back.
…”
"That's not surprising." Yu Liang said coldly, "Some people think it's good to be an official, and some are willing to be Taoist priests or monks. Even if they are all disciples of Taishang Sanqing, there are those who can conjure gods and exorcise ghosts, and those who use mercury to make alchemy.
There are some; there are those who hide in the mountains; there are also those who fly around in the palace and the Prime Minister's house? - The Hu Gongshan you mentioned is the untalented senior brother - once you become an official, you have to follow the emperor's orders
Listen, even if you are a good official, you will only gain a good reputation. If you are like the magistrate of Datong, who knocks people's bones and sucks their marrow, and is mean to the people, is it as clean as my Taoist priest's bowl of pure and comfortable rice?"
Hu Gongshan once treated Kangxi in the Hall of Yangxin. With one kneeling motion, he cracked six bricks, showing his extraordinary martial arts skills. Since this man was Hu Gongshan's younger brother, he was certainly not an ordinary person, and Kangxi was interested in marrying him.
But Kangxi only knew one thing but not the other. Wei Dongting knew very well that Hu Gongshan did not want to be an official because he neither bothered to work for Wu Sangui nor wanted to be a minister of the Manchu emperor. Before leaving, he rescued the imperial convict Hao Laosi.
He went out. Although Wei Dongting had a good personal relationship with Hu Gongshan, he met an unknown person like Yu Liang unexpectedly at this time. He couldn't help but be alert and asked with a smile: "Taoist Master, this is considered a big deal."
Great talk. But it doesn’t sound like you are very peaceful. How can you compare to traveling thousands of miles from southern Shaanxi to northern Shanxi in such a cold weather compared to spending time in Zhongnan Mountain with incense and leisure?"
"This kind of truth is not something that ordinary people can know." Yu Liang replied without any politeness, "Buddha calls Mount Wutai cool, Tao calls it Purple Mansion, and I collect incense from the world here. Taoist priests naturally seek help when they have something to do.
Lao Tzu, this is just like seeking the emperor when people have grievances. Just now this layman said that his grandmother came to pray to the Buddha because of "unfavorable weather conditions". "The Taoist heart is compassionate everywhere", so I can't go to the Zifu.
Can the Patriarch clear up the hostility here?"
"This guy has a bad tone." Wei Dongting thought to himself, "This 'violent spirit' naturally refers to the Datong magistrate. Let's see how he can deal with it."
Just as he was thinking about it, he heard Kangxi happily say: "Senior Brother Ling and I are acquaintances, and they have the same temperament. Taoist Master Yuliang is generous and respectable!" As he said, he changed his tone and asked again, "I just mentioned the prefect of Datong, I don't know who it is.
Who? Very greedy?"
"Who doesn't want money as an official? As long as he's not too evil-hearted and a little greedy, ordinary people will accept it! It's been like this since ancient times." The shop owner suddenly felt a hidden pain, and shook his head with a wry smile, "Let's just say that our commander-in-chief, Mr. Mo, is hot.
The cost of silver is only nine cents and two cents, what can the people say? It would cost money to transport silver!"
This is what he was talking about. Kangxi nodded, used the chopsticks to stir up the charcoal basin beside the kang, and the flames started to rise, and asked again: "Is it hard to live a good life now?"
"Since the bad things happened in Aozhongtang, this autumn, the common people have calmed down for a while." The shop owner sighed, "Those like Xiaoren who have land in the countryside can be subsidized at both ends and managed diligently by the yamen. It is considered a good thing; farming alone
It's more difficult, but it's because of our bad luck in Datong Mansion that we lost the official elected by Prince Pingxi. It's our duty to support the imperial court, but we still have to support Prince Pingxi. There are few animals for plowing the fields.
The prince has taken away the horses again, and he has to pay the landowners for the sharecropping. It's like going to the mountain of swords! It's good to meet a kind-hearted person like Mr. Liu in the county, but if you meet someone like Zhou Futai, it's hard to sit down.
Selling mourning flags on the coffin - if you die for money, you will be in trouble! There are also many additional official duties, and it is like asking for your life in an impermanent way!"
"That's not right." Kangxi said with a smile, "Although I don't live in Beijing, I also know that the imperial court has issued an edict. From the second year of Kangxi to the present, Shanxi has been exempted from money and food four times. Mr. Mo also exempted you from Datong last year.
What kind of tax is Zhou Futai urging?" This was an imperial edict signed by him personally, and it was like a treasure trove and very familiar to him.
"How do you know these weird things in the world!" Seeing that he didn't believe it, the shop owner just smiled and said, "The imperial edict is the imperial edict, and the prince's Jun edict is Jun edict. Here, the imperial edict is not equal to the Jun edict! This Zhou Mansion
Even Futai from the province did not dare to provoke him. He increased the amount of money spent on fire to four cents and three in one go! With just this one item, he devoured the emperor's grace."
Wei Dongting saw that Kangxi's face had turned pale with anger, and his hands holding hot chopsticks were trembling slightly, and he was busy holding his belt behind him. Kangxi realized it in a flash, and hurriedly drank tea to cover it up.
"Everyone knows this, and there is no need to hide it from Mr. Tai," the shop owner seemed to remember something, and continued, "Now it is said that the imperial court wants to recruit horses, and Mr. Fu Tai distributes the money to each household, and also deducts the money from the Henan merchants.
Ma Ke's 200 animals are trapped in the west courtyard and people can't leave! They have tea leaves from Kaifeng Prefecture [Note 2]. If they exchange tea leaves from Xinyang for horses, why should they withhold their money?" The shop owner said this.
, he slapped his thigh angrily, "I don't know who this Zhou Taizun was born in. He has fed all his knowledge to dogs. I heard that he failed the examination several times, but somehow he managed to get the chance to join Prince Pingxi and was elected to our Datong Mansion.
Come on - I am a man in his fifties. The person who sent me a donation could not get the donation. He insisted on asking a neighbor's fifteen-year-old girl to be my concubine. I am really not afraid of committing evil in front of Foshan! No, Liu
The Grand Master has invited Zhou Taizun to please postpone the matter of the horse dealers, and we will discuss the matter at Master Cai's house in Shahebao tomorrow. For the sake of the people of this county, I am afraid that Mr. Liu will also persuade this girl to obey!"
"Yes." Fu Shan was filled with sadness as he listened, shaking his head and sighing, "Tomorrow we will hold a banquet in Shahebao to welcome Zhou Taizun, and I am also invited..."
Kangxi had already had murderous intent in his heart, but he calmed down, threw away the burning chopsticks, and said with a smile: "I was just chatting and talking, it's not too late. It's time to rest today. Let's meet again tomorrow."
Let’s talk.” The owner of the shop originally thought that he must be a descendant of a noble family in the imperial court. He wanted to express his sorrow to his neighbor and a few horse dealers and say a few nice words to Zhou Taizun. Seeing that Kangxi was so timid, he had no choice but to
San San stood up to say goodbye, but Taoist Yu Liang sneered and got up to leave.
"Mr. Qingzhu," Kangxi called Fu Shan, "will you take me with you to the banquet tomorrow?"
At the end of Xu, the howling wind gradually calmed down, and only the heavy snow in the sky was still falling endlessly, falling on the patio and on the roof, making a rustling sound. Kangxi felt that the kang was too hot, and it was always uneasy to sit up or lie down.
, frowning and pacing back and forth under the lamp. Wei Dongting knew his thoughts well and did not dare to move. He stood aside and thought about his own thoughts. From Li Yuliang and Hu Gongshan, from Hu Gongshan, he thought of his sworn brother Hao Laosi again, and he felt sad.
.
"Dongting," Kangxi suddenly turned around and asked, "the imperial court has its own system regarding horse administration. Why does this Zhou surnamed privately levy so many horses? The servant Moruo has a good official reputation, but the Zhou surnamed is so greedy for money and evil.
, why didn’t he refer to the book strictly?"
Wei Dongting was startled by his question and hurriedly apologized and said with a smile: "Mo Luo's camp is in Xi'an. Not many people come from Shanxi. The people named Zhou live in the far north of Datong. The sky is high and the emperor is far away. What can't be done? As for the conquest?
Horse——" Wei Dongting pondered, "I'm afraid it should be given to Yunnan..."
"You don't have to go on," Kangxi stopped Wei Dongting, "This matter is clear and I will punish him."
"Whose crime does Long Live Master want to punish?" Aunt Su Ma opened the curtain and came in, smiling, "Long Live just spoke to those people, the Queen Mother heard it, and ordered me to come over and take a look - Long Live wants to change the surname
Zhou, we need to go back to Beijing to talk about it. This place is a mixed bag of good and bad, and Long Live is a humble servant. Why bother competing with villains for the short and long days?"
"Master is right," Wei Dongting also said with an apologetic smile, "This is not a difficult task. I asked someone to bring a letter to Lord Suo, and he took him to Beijing in half a month - based on the theory, Lord Suo and Lord Xiong
The messenger should arrive today. Don't mess with him here about a single sentence."
"Can't I deal with him here?" Kangxi was a little frustrated after hearing this. He sat back on the edge of the bed and said, "Tomorrow Zhou will come to Shahebao to seize the daughter of the people. I am the most respected person in the Nine-Five-Year Plan, so I can stay by your side.
Do you want to see it?" After saying that, he looked at Aunt Sumala.
When Aunt Sumala heard this, she was moved with compassion. After thinking for a long time, she said: "Long live your benevolence, this is what should be done. It's just that the traces of the Holy Master have been publicized, and even the capital will be shocked. The old Buddha's edict is still right."
of."
The three of them were planning, when they saw Xiao Maozi come in wrapped in snow, shook his hands that were red from the cold, shook his horse hoof sleeves with a bang, knelt down with a smile on his face and said: "Long live the good luck, Lord!"
Peace! My servant, Xiao Maozi, has been sent by Master Suo to deliver a message to Lord Long Live."
"It's Xiao Maozi! I was shocked. Why didn't you say anything?" Kangxi was surprised and happy. He stretched out his hand to "call" and said with a smile, "Just now Xiao Weizi said that a messenger should be coming. I don't want to
It’s you, it’s hard for you to walk in the dark under this heavy snow.”
"I have a few people with me." Xiao Maozi said with a smile, "I'm not afraid of the snow. The howling of wolves all over the mountain almost scared me!" As he said that, he took out a letter from his arms and handed it over with both hands.
"Yes!" Kangxi was opening the letter, and Aunt Sumala clapped her hands and said with a smile, "I'll leave tomorrow's errands to this little devil, okay?"
"That's it," Kangxi also laughed dumbly, "I carry the imperial treasure with me. Tomorrow I will ask Xiao Maozi to come forward to deal with this slave. I won't show off the mountain or the water. We will also take our incense and he will return to his Beijing. Wouldn't it be wrong?
Wonderful?"
"Xiao Maozi can't be afraid alone," Wei Dongting said with a smile, "I have the right to serve as the envoy's guard tomorrow and join in the fun."
"I'm afraid that won't work," Aunt Sumala said. "You have to escort me to Mount Wutai. How can you stand out here? Just now, the Empress Dowager repeatedly said that looking at the chaos here, she originally planned to stay in Mount Wutai for a few more days.
Look, if you go up the mountain a little bit, you have to go back to Beijing!"
"Tomorrow I will go with Dongting." Kangxi became more determined because of Xiao Maozi's arrival, "Just act according to the opportunity. If Xiao Maozi can handle it, we don't have to come forward." Aunt Sumala nodded and was speechless.
Xiao Maozi listened for a long time without understanding what their conversation meant. Seeing that Kangxi was already reading the letter, he poked Wei Dongting and asked, "Master Wei, what errand does the master want me to do?" Wei Dongting summarized what he had just said.
After telling Xiao Maozi in a short voice, Xiao Maozi turned red with anger and said: "No wonder I heard people crying sadly when I entered the store! Long live the master, and ten prefects also took care of it! This matter is all mine.
!”
Kangxi had finished reading the letter, and his face darkened again after hearing these words. He took out a gold pocket watch and looked at it. It was already the second quarter of the year. He heard the wind blowing outside the window again, but it was not very loud. It made a gentle whistling sound, like crying.
If he complained, he told Wei Dongting: "It's very cold outside. Bring me my fox fur."
"Wanzai wants to go out?" Sumala Aunt asked in surprise, "How can we do this kind of weather in this place? If it's for that girl, I can just save her tomorrow, and I won't fight for this night." Wei Dongting also said: "Master
Just don’t move, the security will be tightened tonight, and none of the guards will be allowed to sleep - even if the slave is punished, the master will not dare to obey this order."
"Sister Man!" Kangxi saw La Aunt Sumala bowing and bowing, and was about to leave. Knowing that she was going to report back to the Empress Dowager again, Kangxi hurriedly shouted.
Aunt Sumala stood still. This name has not been called by anyone since she became a monk. It contains the Empress Dowager's love for her, Kangxi's respect for her as an enlightened elder sister, and also the friendship with Wu Ci.
A touching and pathos story. Aunt Sumala moved her lips but said nothing.
"You were my first master, and later Mr. Wu took your place. As soon as I came to the throne in the first year of Kangxi, you told me to be a good emperor, to be close to the people, and to be diligent." Kangxi was a little emotional, using clear words.
He stared at the candlelight and said, "Although today's matter is not big, you know that it is much more useful than an imperial edict. If ten ministers of the court say that I am good, it is not as good as one civilian girl. Is that so?"
Wei Dongting was responsible for his duties, but he did not give up. He looked at Kangxi's eyes and did not dare to speak. Kangxi noticed this and said with a smile: "Let's go, I am confident that this is the right thing to do. Just now I also heard faint cries.
, with this wind, how can it make people fall asleep with howling like ghosts?" Wei Dongting heard this and said hurriedly: "If the master finds it too noisy, I will send someone to settle it, coax and scare them, just tell them not to cry..."
"Shut up!" Kangxi glared and shouted: "You have become less and less mature lately! People have seven emotions and six desires. She is sad, but you scare her, study and cultivate your energy, how can you develop such a look?" He put on his clothes.
Hu Qiu walked out of the upper room in a few steps. Wei Dongting and Aunt Sumala looked at each other and told Xiao Maozi to go over and serve the Queen Mother. They also followed out, beckoned to the guards guarding the door, and whispered a few words.
, then called Lang Ling, and closely guarded Kangxi as he walked towards the gate.
[Note 1] Brain dumplings: a kind of medicinal diet. After taking out the dumplings, add a decoction made of yam, brown sugar, carrots, tofu, green vegetables, and vermicelli. After serving, add old wine to the bowl. It can dispel cold and activate blood circulation.
Stomach and other effects.
[Note 2] Chayin: A certificate issued by the local government to a dealer. The certificate can be used to exchange tea for horses in Mongolia. (To be continued)
