After a whole night of tossing, it was past five o'clock when we returned to Jia's Horse House. Everyone tidied up a little and went to bed. Jia Cong woke up near noon the next day, and his mind was filled with cotton. He stared out of the house and saw Liu. Xiaoqi, Shen Zhimo and two guards were playing cards, while Liuzhuang sat with a book and looked like a young scholar. Jia Cong rubbed his eyes: "Are you human? Are you all up so early?"
No one among the card players paid attention to him. Liu Zhuang said: "Uncle Jia, someone came from the Yamen just now."
"ah?"
"Everywhere is being investigated. His Highness the Fifth Prince went missing last night, and someone left a note at his residence." Liu Zhuang said, "Mr. Cui asked me to send it."
Jia Cong sobered up: "What did you write?"
"Dig out the heart and liver of this heartless person to pay homage to my dead sister."
Jia Cong shuddered: "The dregs of traditional culture. Guange style?"
"Wang Ti Xing Kai."
"After all, Wang Youjun is also from Qi." Jia Cong murmured. "The city will probably be searched in the next few days. Comrades, should we move outside?"
Liu Xiaoqi dropped a bomb at the card table: "Four sixes! What do you want to do?"
Opposite him, Shen Zhimo also dropped a bomb: "Four eights! Let's lure the snake out of the hole."
Jia Cong nodded: "Yes. The fifth child is missing, Cui is fine, Ma Niangniang and her accomplices must be suspicious. Oh, Cui's little white rabbit is no match for Ma Niangniang, don't let that beautiful snake trick you."
As soon as he finished speaking, someone from the horse shop came in and replied: "Third Master, someone is looking for you." He handed over a post with the four words "Qinghe Cui Ju" written on it.
After reading it, Jia Cong casually handed it to Liu Zhuang: "This name seems to be Cui's brother?"
"Yes." Liu Zhuang said, "I got the second-level Jinshi in Shangke. I haven't held any official position and am idle at home."
Jia Cong shrugged: "Probably the purpose of taking the imperial examination is to pay less land tax." He ordered, "Please come in."
Not long after, a young man of 27 or 28 years old came in. Although he was dressed as a scholar from E Guan Bo, he had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and was a little fat. He looked very happy. This person was Cui Ju, and After Jia Cong bowed and exchanged greetings, he told her, "Just now, my father took my sister and the princess back to her parents' home on the pretext that she might be frightened."
Jia Cong said seriously: "Yes, she is really easily frightened as a pregnant woman, and she is still pregnant with the son of His Highness the Fifth Highness. Is Madam Ma looking for her?"
"It's too late." Cui Ju said, "Our family picked him up too quickly." Jia Cong winked.
Liu Zhuang said from the side: "Is it too hasty and makes Madam Ma suspicious?"
Cui Ju said: "Get up now. Everyone has gone home, what can you do to me?"
"That's right!" Jia Cong praised, "This is the style of a wealthy family."
Cui Ju smiled and said: "My father asked me to come. There is one more thing I want to discuss with the prince. Now the enemy is hiding and I am clear..."
Jia Cong interrupted: "Wait a minute!" He poured two cups of tea himself, handed one cup to Cui Ju, and held another cup for himself, "Respect the enemy's darkness and our light!"
Cui Ju tacitly raised a cup to him and drank it all in one gulp. Then he continued: "Now the enemy is in darkness and we are in the dark. Only by using bait can we detect any clues."
"Heroes think alike." Jia Cong said, "Just now we were discussing finding an inn."
"Why stay in an inn? Everything is not cheap." Cui Ju said with a smile, "My family still has a few unused courtyards. If the prince doesn't mind, you can choose a place to stay for a while. There are a few servants sweeping the house. It's easy for the prince to use his own. Don't worry, I will never give the prince a beautiful woman." He glanced at Shen Zhimo and smiled at each other with Jia Cong.
Shen Zhimo wrinkled his nose and threw down two cards: "Double Kings!"
"Wow~~ No way!" "You are so lucky today." The poker players wailed.
In the afternoon of that day, more than a dozen tall horses came to the door of Master Cui Mian's house. Immediately, the guests seemed to have traveled a long way. There were two beggars near the door of Cui Mian's house, and they couldn't help but look up. The leader was a thirty-year-old Master Wen Sheng.
He is young, with a strong build, wearing blue and white standing python arrow sleeves, and a cloak made of gorilla felt. Behind him are a maid and more than a dozen servants, all of whom are well-dressed. The maid is ten years old and has a very beautiful appearance.
There was a boy who was in his twenties, handsome, and his clothes were more provocative than others. The two beggars looked at each other with wretched expressions.
Seeing them dismounting, a fourteen or fifteen-year-old book boy ran out from the door of Cui Mansion. He went up to him and shouted, "Xiangong Zhou is here!" He complained, "I only said that I would come today, but I didn't know whether I would come this morning or today."
At night. Our uncle has seen you at noon and there is still no sign. I am afraid that Mr. Zhou does not know the way, so Baba sent me to guard the door. I have been guarding it for almost two hours!"
The Xianggong of Zhou smiled and said: "Xiao Shi Yan has worked hard, Xianggong Zhou will be rewarded!"
The maid behind him took a purse and handed it to the bookboy. The bookboy took it with a smile and said, "Thank you, Sister Lingdang!" She shouted to the disciples of the Cui Mansion to help lead the horses, and bowed to invite these people into the house.
After a while, a beggar came looking for me and asked, "Who is this? What a tall horse, what rich clothes!"
Menzi said: "Our uncle's guest. I heard from Shi Yan that the uncle met Juzi when he was rushing for the exam in the capital last year. He came to Qi for a study tour and visited the Confucius Temple in Qufu." He said with a proud twist, "Our uncle is here.
He passed the exam, but this guy passed the second subject and still failed."
"Well, who can compare with the uncle of the Cui family? He doesn't even look at his family education." The beggar complimented him a few times and then asked, "Where is Mr. Zhou from this week?"
Menzi said: "How do I know? What are you doing asking about this?"
The beggar said: "I see how generous he is. Since I am a traveling scholar, I have to go out for a walk, right? If you know where he is from, go to him and sing a few songs from his hometown. He will think that I am a fellow countryman, so I will give you a few more
The reward is unknown. Good brother, can you help me find out?"
The doorman said with a straight face: "Nonsense, don't disturb our uncle's guests." Then he drove him aside.
Mr. Zhou stayed in Cui Mansion for one night and moved out the next day. It was originally a private residence of Mr. Cui. It was on Wenji Lane, only two streets away from Cui Mansion. When he went there, he was the uncle of the Cui family.
Cui Ju personally accompanied him to deliver it. All the beggars at the door heard Xianggong Zhou complaining: "Who named it? Do you want me to dance after hearing the chicken? Although I, Mr. Zhou, dare not say that I am the latest to get up in the capital, I am probably the one who gets up the latest in the capital.
She is the latest to get up in the whole family..."
The eldest maid named Lingdang glanced at her master: "I'm sorry, I have the shame to say it. Please shut up quickly. We usually only lose our face, but now we have lost even Uncle Cui's face." Cui Ju looked at the two of them.
laugh.
In the afternoon, several classmates who were familiar with Cui Ju received a post, saying that tonight he would cleanse his friends from Beijing in Sanyuan Building and invite a few friends to accompany him. The post strongly praised the Prime Minister Zhou Ji for having learned
People say that he is "the Xun Linggong of the world".
Cui Ju wrote the post in the house on Wenji Lane. Jia Cong stood beside the case and watched him write word by word without moving his eyelids. He shuddered unconsciously: "I said Cui Ju
Brother, don’t you feel guilty? Can Duke Xun and I have the same style of painting? You compare me to Tang Yin.”
"Not more suitable than Tang Yin." Cui Ju said, "These people are all sensible people, and they all know what kind of talents Qi is most lacking now." After finishing one page, he picked up another one and added ink with his pen.
"Although Lao Wu is missing, the post he left behind has the intention of killing him. Without him, his faction will fall apart immediately. The few people who were subdued and held down by Ma Niangniang in the past two years are ready to move. Now everyone is asking for help.
"Xian. Besides," he pointed at himself with the pen, "although our family doesn't show off, we are members of the Cui clan."
Jia Cong glanced at him and said, "Hey, is your family filled with people belonging to the sons of King Qi?"
Cui Ju had already written a few words. When he heard the words, he sighed and put down his pen: "Originally." Jia Cong blinked. Cui Ju shook his head, "There aren't any decent ones. Now two have been withdrawn."
"You only see it now?" Jia Cong said proudly, "We have seen it a long time ago."
Cui Ju sighed again: "Among the short ones, you have to choose the tall one, right?"
Jia Cong shrugged: "Why don't you be honest? If you don't have it, there won't be anything. Playing with the emperor's family is all about fire. God knows if you are not careful and you will get burned."
Cui Ju looked at him sideways for a moment and asked, "What is the prince playing at?"
Jia Cong said crisply: "Musket." Cui Ju was slightly startled, with hesitation on his face. Jia Cong patted his shoulder and said, "Don't worry, we have no intention of annexing Qi State. You can live with yours, and we can live with ours. Everyone can live with us."
cooperate."
Cui Junai said sternly: "Your Majesty, the national policies of your Yan State in recent years are not bad. I have been to many schools in the capital. It's just that there are few who teach the teachings of saints. If things continue like this, I'm afraid the etiquette and music will be ruined."
"No!" Jia Cong said, "Those who should spread the learning of saints should still spread the learning of saints. The number of Confucian scholars in Yan State must have increased compared with before this king took over as regent. You just want to think about how many people in Qi State recognize it.
The characters are clear. Not one household in a hundred has children who can read. Farmers, craftsmen, and servants don’t know the characters, and merchants, monks, and Taoists are not much better than them. Not to mention women. The entire Qi State
, the total number of women who can read may not be as many as the students of Tsinghua Girls' School. The Yan State just let these people know how to read. However, after they can read, they will still be farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and are not ready to change their careers to become scholars, so
They don't need to study the studies of saints. They have to specialize in arts."
Cui Ju frowned: "Why do they want to know the characters?"
"If ordinary workers can't read a single Chinese character, how many accounting clerks will be hired in the factory? Regardless of the salary, how many can they find?" Jia Cong said, "If the workers know some characters, online statistical work can be completed by themselves.
This is necessary for industrialization. As for why industrialization is needed, Mr. Cui will understand just by looking at how much cheaper the prices in Yan are compared to those in Qi."
Cui Ju sighed again, shook his head and said, "I understand what you mean, but you don't understand what I mean. That's all." Jia Cong shrugged.
Not long after, the post was finished and sent out everywhere. When the boys came back, they all said, "My husband has agreed and I will go tonight."
At dusk, the Sanyuan Building was crowded with drinkers. Cui Ju reserved a private room upstairs and went there early to wait for the guests. In just one stick of incense, all the guests were here - everyone arrived early
.Everyone saw that Mr. Zhou Ji from the capital was smiling and very amiable, and his words were humorous and interesting. Gradually, they lost their inhibitions and became relaxed.
While giving orders during the dinner, Zhou Ji was not good at this and was fined with wine twice. On the third occasion, Cui Ju coaxed him to write a poem instead. Zhou Ji did not refuse, and wrote with a swipe of his pen.
:
The blood-fertile Central Plains is full of fertile and vigorous grass, and the cold and frozen earth is full of spring plum blossoms.
Lian Guangyu's mind is so vast that he listens to thunder in a silent place.
These four lines are all masterpieces by a certain Zhou surnamed later. They shocked the whole room, and even Cui Ju praised him in his heart. Everyone clapped their hands together: "What a poem!" "Where did you get it from?" "Mr. Zhou is really a genius."
A great talent!"
Zhou Ji humbly handed over his hand and said, "Gentlemen, you are so complimentary." The guests looked at Zhou Ji with a different look than before. Zhou Ji felt deeply in his heart: It's not like he didn't show off his talent just now. In the eyes of these people, none of them can compare to him.
A good poem.
Unconsciously, after drinking for four rounds, everyone became a little relaxed. Someone tentatively brought up the fifth prince and said, "I don't know whether he is dead or alive." Cui Ju sighed and shook his head.
Zhou Ji used the strength of the wine to say: "Designate is dead. There are many guards in the prince's house. If you can get in, you can steal a living person. Not only the maids and servants who are keeping watch at night don't know, but also Ji who is sleeping with him."
I don’t even know! How good is this man’s martial arts? He must be someone like Yin Niang’s Red Line. These people are all stubborn and as stubborn as donkeys.” Nai patted the table and looked at Cui Ju shaking, “
Your brother-in-law dares to offend anyone’s girl! Doesn’t he know, bur~~Xia uses force to break the ban?”
A scholar asked curiously: "Are there really people like Yinniang Hongxian?"
"Yes~~ I know you." Zhou Ji said with a bit of a tongue, "Not a woman, but a man. He was an official in his early years. Later, when the world fell apart, that man became cold-hearted and followed an old Taoist priest to practice. Although he has not yet
It’s so fast to become a monk.” Nai clicked his tongue, “You really can fly over roofs and walk over walls! He also said that there are many people who can do this, and they can be found everywhere. My grandma... there are so many! She can also do it on the kang.
Can’t sleep anymore…”
Cui Ju said solemnly: "Brother Zhou, what are you afraid of? You have never offended anyone's sister."
"That's right!" Zhou Ji patted his chest, "My surname is Zhou! I am upright and upright! I don't mess around with women! What am I afraid of? People who have done bad things are afraid of ghosts knocking on the door!" He slapped him with a slap.
On Cui Ju's shoulder, he leaned over with a smile, "Hey, Xiao Cui, who did your brother-in-law mess with? Does your sister know?"
Cui Ju patted his hand and said with a face like gold paper: "Brother Zhou has drunk too much." He raised his head and called the waiter to bring him hangover soup.
Zhou Ji smiled and leaned forward: "Your sister must know! Let me tell you, women are all sensitive. The husband puts powder on his hair and hides it in the outer room, and the wife pretends not to know on the outside, but she knows everything on the inside! What?
Don't even try to hide it from them! Xiao Cui, brother, I'm really curious. Who did your brother-in-law provoke to end up provoking him?"
Cui Ju stared at him coldly for a while, but he still smiled. Cui Ju slapped the table and shouted: "Xiao Qi! Your uncle is drunk, come in to serve." Then he walked away with a flick of his sleeves.
Zhou Ji was still shouting from behind: "Xiao Cui, where are you going? Are you going to go out? Come back soon after you are done~~"
When Zhou Ji was making trouble just now, none of Cui Ju's friends in the room came forward to stop him. Now three of them ran out to comfort him, and the rest stayed in the room. Just as he was about to talk to Zhou Ji again, this