Not to mention how loving and filial the father and son in Yangcheng Mountain are, and how ambitious they are, but they still have to rush when they should be on a hot day.
Early the next morning, the father and son first took some ordinary clothes from the old house, and then borrowed a lot of money from the homes of wealthy families in the surrounding areas... Liu Yan ran a school here for eighteen years, and then became the magistrate of Luoyang.
He said he wanted to borrow money, but I was afraid that if I borrowed my wife, there would be people rushing to give it to me... Anyway, I packed up pretty well, and then I drove the donkey cart directly to the famous Wushejin, preparing to cross the Yellow River north.
However, since it is a private server, don't expect any extraordinary treatment.
The official at the ferry looked at the father and son as if they were scholars. Although he did not mean to blackmail them, he clearly told them that unless there was someone willing to charter a boat to take them, they could only ask these two honest people.
Go and stay with your donkey cart on the boat carrying cargo and livestock.
Liu Fan was not happy immediately. This is the trouble for a filial son. The cargo ship is so dirty, and his father is so rich. Even Liu Yan actually doesn't want to be crowded with animals other than his own old donkey - it's too hot, who will suffer?
Come on?
However, after all, it was Liu Junlang who had extraordinary magnanimity. Just when he was hesitating, a short, fat young scholar who showed his official documents and got a special ship and was said to be going to Hebei to take office took the initiative to make an appointment, which saved the father and son a lot of trouble.
. Of course, no matter from which angle you look at it, it is this young official with the accent from Taishan who actually takes advantage of it, but not everyone has the opportunity to cross the same boat as Jizhou Fang Bo.
Of course, after he opened his mouth and realized that this person happened to be going to Jizhou to be appointed as the county magistrate, Liu Yan calmed down... After all, sooner or later, he would have to inspect the entire Jizhou, and the county magistrates from all over the country would have to call to see him.
So I didn't even know his name during the entire process, just to see if this young man was bent on revenge.
However, this pudgy young county magistrate was also easy-going and had a loyal and honest face. Liu Yan and his son were favored by him but did not know their names. He just smiled innocently at each other without losing his composure at all.
When they got ashore, he calmly said goodbye to Liu Yan and let his old servant drive an old carriage to go ahead, which made Liu Junlang and his son feel embarrassed.
"I didn't expect that there would be such a loyal and honest person now," Liu Fan watched this person go on his way, shaking his head repeatedly. "I thought I had suspected that he had seen something... Sir, today's kindness is here, you will be in the future
When you meet him, you must be promoted."
Liu Yan also sighed repeatedly: "The promotion is certain, but it is not just for the sake of receiving a small favor from him today, but because people's hearts are not as old as they used to be. Such loyal and honest young people are hard to find, and they should be reused!"
"Your Majesty is right." Liu Fan naturally agreed.
In this way, the father and son sighed a few words and stopped delaying. They drove the donkey cart and walked along the main road extending in all directions in Hanoi County to Huai County, Wude, passed Chaoge, Tangyin, entered Jizhou and entered Wei County.
Then he failed to enter the city of Ye, but soon arrived in the territory of Handan, Zhao State.
After entering this place, Liu Yan and his son had reached their official destination, so they naturally paid a lot of attention. And soon, they discovered an interesting place.
"Dare you ask this brother?" After receiving the signal from his father, Liu Fan wiped the sweat from his forehead and jumped off the donkey cart. He faced a scholar who was holding a thin horse and carrying a bag, and there was an obvious look of dissatisfaction on his face.
He raised his hands and said hello. "Where are we in front of you? What happened? Why are so many people gathered? Why are you in such a hurry, brother?"
"Let's be honest with the elders and this little brother in the car." This gentleman was a well-educated man after all. Seeing that he took the initiative to salute and there was an elder sitting in the car, he honestly stopped and handed over his hands to tell him, "What's ahead is there.
It is the private manor of my mentor Wei Gong. It has always been the place where he lectured, and it has always been the busiest place in the south of Handan City. However, the situation today is not caused by the lectures, but because my mentor was forced by the Handan order and had to
I have stopped my private studies here and am moving to Handan City. I am asking my classmates for their opinions. Some of them are spineless and want to follow, while others are not willing to be humiliated like me. It makes a big fuss..."
After hearing the three words of Handan Order, how could Liu Yan and Liu Fan let this matter go? The former even got off the donkey cart and asked carefully:
"May I ask your commander Wei Gong, who was born in the Wei family of the State of Zhao and was the prime minister of the State of Lu?"
"Does the elder recognize our mentor?"
"I dare not say that we know each other, but the name of the Wei family of Zhao State has been respected for a long time. Who knows that the Wei brothers were once deputy prime ministers of the dynasty and returned to their hometown to give lectures after being appointed as prime ministers of Lu State?" Liu Yan said with a smile. "
However, since Wei Gong is from such a family, how can the Handan Ling and Qianshi County magistrates force him? He was once a man of two thousand stones."
"Elder, are you from other places?" When the student heard this, he looked at Liu Yan curiously.
"That's right," Liu Yan said without batting an eyelid. "I came to Zhao State from other places to take up my post. I was appointed as the county magistrate in Yuzhou, but because I had no money to bribe the eunuch, I was found guilty and demoted.
Demoted to Xiangguo as county magistrate..."
"It turns out he is the new Governor of the State of Xiang. No wonder..." Upon hearing this, the student first bowed his hands and bowed, but then sighed again and again. "No wonder the old county gentleman doesn't know anything. And the eunuch is also vicious, and he actually treated an elder like you like you.
Put them in a land of tigers and wolves."
Liu Yan and his son looked at each other, each of them understanding each other tacitly, but both had a blank expression on their faces.
However, the student was obviously angry and wanted to find someone to tell him, so he did not stop talking: "Old County Lord, it's not my fault that you are confused. It's actually because Gongsun Xun, the commander of Handan, relied on his title of Tinghou.
There are hundreds of border warriors as minions, and they act unscrupulously, not to mention the one who once paid two thousand dan... The old county gentleman doesn't know, but your predecessor was killed by him!"
"Are you so domineering?" Liu Yan asked cooperatively.
"In less than two months after coming to Handan, he first killed his family and then killed the county magistrate of a neighboring county." The student became more and more angry. "Now, people say that he even imprisoned the country."
Prime Minister, and then privately appointed county officials, supervised postal services, and took the entire Zhao State's political affairs into his hands. In the end, he actually forced Uncle Fang to abandon his official position and leave... Do you think the name of a domineering county magistrate is false?"
Liu Yan was speechless for a moment... This is obviously wrong, okay?
Forget about other things, if the prime minister is really imprisoned, then the former Jizhou governor Wang Fang is a famous figure, how can he just resign without caring at all? Besides, this Gongsun Xun is a border commander.
Born, he was one of the main force in punishing eunuchs at the beginning, and his style is a bit rough, I guess, but after all, he is a student of Lu Ziqian and Liu Wenrao, so he can't be so ridiculous, right?
"Is everything you said true?" Liu Fan didn't believe it at all.
"Actually, I'm not very sure," Liu Yan looked at this scholar, and then Liu Fan turned red when asked, and told the truth. "I just heard it from people around me... Of course, destroying the Shen family
There is absolutely no doubt that Manmenhe and Shanshan killed the old county king’s predecessor, otherwise my mentor would not have been coerced by him and had to dissolve the private school and go to Handan to establish some kind of public school!"
"Actually," Liu Yan asked, twisting his beard. "For the time being, isn't it good to change private schools to public schools? I also ran a school when I was young, so I know the pros and cons of private schools. As for public schools, although I don't know exactly what they are.
What kind of regulations, but at least the venue, paper and pen, and the food and clothing of poor students are all guaranteed, that is, the appointment of officials..."
"Oh," the gentleman was asked about his inner feelings, and interrupted him regardless of etiquette. "The old county gentleman doesn't know, if it's really just a change of place, and then a private transfer to a public house, how can we students be willing to do so?"
What about leaving my mentor? It’s just that a man in his twenties from Handan Ling actually wants to join a public school as a teacher. It is said that although he is also a child of a famous Confucian scholar in the country... But how can we let such a person be my mentor?
Where are they in the same row?!"
"That's true..." Although Liu Yan disagreed in his heart, he had some understanding of this scholar. The reason for resenting the Handan Order was reasonable, but that was all. He didn't want to have any more contact with him.
The man was entangled. "Well, since I have come to Zhao State to take up my post, I should pay a visit to Wei Gong anyway. You take me to pay a visit to the commander, and I will also give him some advice."
"This..." When the scholar heard this, he was a little panicked for a moment. "Old county gentleman, please go and pay a visit. I just had a quarrel with my classmates, so it's not good to meet again at this time."
After saying this, the scholar actually dragged his thin horse and ran southward with a squeaking sound. Liu Yan and his son were speechless for a moment.
However, they soon understood what was going on... Liu Yan was in front, and Liu Fan was pulling the donkey cart behind. After the two entered the open-doored and bustling manor, they saw a young man who was still tying his hair.
The student climbed onto a low roof and taunted loudly:
"If you ask me, why don't you want to see teachers in the same class as others? When I only talked about moving schools before, I never saw you saying so much. Didn't you also talk about the bustle in Handan City? In the final analysis, it is just some nonsense.
"Senior, today I learned that public schools have monthly exams every month, unified exams every year, and rankings, so I got confused, for fear of being exposed by the exams. What should I say, public schools are better than private schools!"
"You surnamed Wang, you are talking nonsense!" Someone immediately retorted with a blushing face. "How can we determine a ranking for scholars? Besides, if knowledge can be ranked, can virtue be ranked? Isn't this insulting to elegance?
!”
"You're afraid of being exposed!"
"You are disgraceful to gentlemen!"
The two groups of students were noisy again, which made Liu Yan couldn't help but feel happy... He had been the principal of a private school for eighteen years, so how could he not know the tricks of these students? In fact, he had followed his father in private school since he was a child.
Liu Fan, who grew up in middle school, realized why the student just didn't dare to come in again but left in a hurry.
The father and son watched the excitement for a while, and then went to find someone to pay homage to Wei Song... After all, Wei Song's identity was here. Since Liu Yan was here to investigate Gongsun Xun, he should listen to what this person said about Gongsun Xun.
perception.
However, when they put down the donkey cart and followed the servant to the backyard in the name of Xiangguo County Magistrate, they met an old friend.
"I've met the elder!" The short and fat young man quickly saluted after seeing Liu Yan. "I don't want to see the elder again!"
Liu Yan and his son were also in a good mood when they saw this person... On the one hand, the father and son had been in a good mood since they came out of Nangong; on the other hand, such a loyal and honest person always makes people feel bad.
"It's really rude," the servant who led the way quickly explained out of the etiquette of his master. "My old master is meeting guests in the back hall, otherwise the front yard wouldn't be so chaotic... However, you two
They are all county magistrates who have taken up their posts, and they all know each other, so I will save you the trouble of talking too much. I will report it right away and ask the two county magistrates to wait a moment."
Liu Yan naturally didn't take it seriously... Wei Song was retiring from office with two thousand stones, and his identity at this time was just a humble county magistrate with five hundred stones. There was a huge gap in status. In fact, if it weren't for Liu Yan being an older man
The person claimed to be the newly appointed Chief Xiang of the State of Zhao, otherwise the notification would have been delayed, as evidenced by the pudgy and honest county magistrate beside him who had already come in long ago.
"I didn't know that the elder was also the one who was appointed." The pudgy young county magistrate was indeed honest, but he actually looked quite embarrassed at this time. "I even invited the old gentleman and his son to board the boat without permission."
"Where?" Liu Yan quickly raised his hand.
"I wonder where the elder is going to take up his post?" the man asked seriously.
It would be strange not to ask the other party's name and origin at this time, but Liu Yan had already prepared for it... The Governor of Xiang State had just been killed by the Handan Order, but Liu Yan went straight out of the Nangong Palace Gate and went straight to this place, which happened to be
Used to disguise and fool.
"My father's surname is Huang Yan, with the given name Ziwan, and my surname is Huang Fan. My family's ancestral home is Jiangxia. My father is coming to Zhao State to serve as the head of Xiang State." Liu Fan quickly spoke for his father. "Actually, I
My father was originally a county magistrate in Yuzhou, but he was demoted here because he offended the eunuch. I had wanted to ask before, if I don’t know the name of the county magistrate, where will I go to become an official during this trip? "
Huang Yan's character Zi Wan is actually a change of Huang Wan's character Zi Yan. The latter is Liu Fan's cousin, Liu Yan's cousin, and a famous scholar in Jiangxia. His ancestors successively served as ministers and Taiwei, and Huang Wan was even more so at that time.
At a young age, he became a good general with good facial features, but he was immediately imprisoned by the party for sixteen years. He is still studying in Jiangxia... Liu Fan used this name in another roundabout way, as if to confuse the other party.
And sure enough, the pudgy county magistrate with an accent near Mount Tai thought for a moment, probably thinking about the other person's name and place of origin. After finding nothing, he simply responded: "To be honest with you and my son, my surname is Li Mingjin, and my courtesy name is Jin."
First of all, he is a native of Chengshi County, Jiyin County. On this trip, he was selected by the Chancellor to visit Chief Ying Tao of Julu County. He happens to be a neighbor of the elder... Passing by here, he heard that it was the home of Duke Wei, so he stopped by to visit.
One or two.”
"I see, we are indeed neighbors." After thinking for a moment, Liu Yan, whose pseudonym was Huang Yan, twisted his beard and laughed. "Although Yingtao and Xiangguo belong to two counties, they are adjacent to each other. It is also our fate! However, you
It is enviable to be in the same position as me at such a young age..."
Then Li Jin quickly became more humble.
And just when the two of them reluctantly exchanged names and were about to continue talking, in a moment, an old man, supported by a young man, led a dozen or so powerful people from the back hall.
Zhong welcomed him out.
Needless to say, the leader was naturally Wei Song, and there were so many well-dressed people around him. Liu Yan could almost guess at a glance that they were probably local aristocratic, powerful, and wealthy families... It seemed that Wei Song was indeed here.
Seeing guests is not a deliberate act of neglect.
"I heard that the new local governor Xiang Guo has arrived. I am really disappointed to welcome you from afar." Wei Song immediately handed over his hands to apologize as soon as he went out. "We are really busy here. I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
"How did you come so fast, Chief Xiang?" Someone asked curiously, and it seemed that he was also the leader of a local clan. "It also caught us off guard... Oh, I am Li, the leader of the Li clan of the Zhao Kingdom..."
"Since we are the new Governor of the State of Xiang, we are not outsiders. Why don't we come in and discuss things together." Another person shouted in a hurry, which seemed a bit rude. "You must make up your mind before the prince returns to the army!"
However, since Liu Yan came for a private visit in private, why would he care about the powerful behavior of these noble families? He was eager to take the opportunity to see the true attitude of these people towards Gongsun Xun.
As a result, the "County Magistrate Huang Yanhuang" greeted everyone, and then, with the support of his son, he followed everyone into the back hall and sat down calmly. Even Li Jin, the Ying Tao Chief of Julu County, also got the honor.
He went in and occupied a high-backed imperial chair to listen... It's just that no one of these powerful people in Zhao paid attention to him.
"What are you talking about?" After a few words of greetings, 'County Magistrate Huang' asked curiously. "I probably know the prince, but it refers to the Handan Order, the Wurutinghou Gongsun County Lord, but why does he need to return?"
The army was decided before? How can Gongsun County Lord, a county magistrate, want to 'return to the army' again?"
"Well... it's actually easy to say." Wei Song reluctantly explained. "Didn't the Taihang bandits happen in Xiangguo recently? The Prime Minister of the country was so angry that he appointed Lord Gongsun to clean up the Taihang bandits. In fact, the country's
The situation inside the country is not bad...right?"
The powerful clan leaders of Zhao State immediately nodded and expressed their stance.
"The Handan side was originally wiped out by the Suppression and Control Bureau. The Taihang bandits in the Xiang Kingdom were also cleaned up because of the incident of sending the leader of the Xiang Kingdom to secretly liaise with the bandits. Later, most of them were lured to surrender due to lack of food. Only
The Taihang Mountain section in the northernmost part of Duzhao Kingdom and the southernmost part of Changshan Kingdom, commonly known as Black Mountain and Purple Mountain, has gathered a large wave of bandits. It was originally difficult to sweep away, but recently a bandit leader took the initiative to surrender, and many people tried to persuade him to surrender... So
, so..." Wei Song couldn't continue for a while.
"So the Commander of Handan in the southernmost part of the Zhao Kingdom led his troops to the Changshan Kingdom in the north to suppress the bandits?" Even though 'County Magistrate Huang' had been mentally prepared, he was speechless for a moment.
"Suppressing bandits is a good thing after all!" Wei Song tried his best to emphasize. "Chief Xiang, don't worry!"
County Magistrate Huang looked at the leaders of the famous Zhao clan who were nodding around, and was completely speechless.
"Then what is the matter that you are discussing?" After a pause, 'Magistrate Huang' finally calmed down and asked. "What needs to be discussed before he returns to the army? Could it be the matter of the front school?"
"That's not true," Wei Song said with a helpless smile. "Actually, I also want to see the kind of public school students that Wuyouhou mentioned. Not to mention that the master of the country, Han Gong, has also promised to join the school as a teacher, and the king is willing to provide financial support for the students.
...This matter has been agreed upon, and we will just wait until school starts in the autumn. As for what Mr. Zhang just said, it is... hard to talk about it."
"What's so unspeakable about this?" The person who had spoken just now, the former county magistrate Zhang Shu, immediately jumped into the case. "If you ask me, this matter is feasible!"
"I also think it's feasible, but the current situation seems to be beyond what we discussed before..." Another person said hurriedly. "It only needs one person, and if there is only one person, and the Wei family does not participate in this matter, our Handan family will naturally be the highest.
And the most suitable person.”
"That's enough, Mr. Handan!" Someone else simply shouted. "We know that Zhendu poured a basin of dirty water on you Handan family before he died. You are worried, but the king even accepted the bandit who had assassinated him that day.
He came down and said frankly that he has no doubts about employing people, let alone your family? Let me tell you, it’s still from our Wang family..."
"Then what the three princes, Lu Gong and Zhang Gong said are not selfish?" The man from the Handan family immediately refuted. "Don't think that I don't know what you are thinking. This time the princes return to the army, the Taihang Mountains will be cleaned up.
Once it is clean, the first thing is considered to be done. The next step is to clean up the fields during the autumn harvest, and then take advantage of the opportunity to promote filial piety and integrity and build a public school... Are you so anxious not because you want to marry the monarch and try your best to make your own children
Are you more sure of getting this Xiaolian? With all due respect, since there is only one person, it will be difficult for the three of you to participate in this matter."
There was a sudden silence in the room, and the man named Zhang Gong shook his head and sighed: "Do you really have to send one person away?"
"Everyone," even though 'County Magistrate Huang' asked himself to be smart and clear, he was confused and confused at this time, so he couldn't help but ask, "What on earth is going on?"
There was silence in the room again. After a long time, someone finally told the truth: "Since County Magistrate Huang is going to share the joys and sorrows with us, it doesn't hurt to tell you... In fact, it is Handan Ling Wuyouhou who is in charge of the country.
The common people are all impressed by the powerful and powerful families, but he behaves in a ruthless manner. Although you are impressed, you are also a little afraid, so you have the idea of getting married to him. What you just discussed is a discussion among the famous families in the country.
Which girl should I give to Wu Wuhou as my concubine?"
‘County Magistrate Huang’ twirled his beard and was dumbfounded for a moment. His son was also stunned and speechless for a moment. Even the honest man who had been listening carefully, Magistrate Li next door also had his mouth wide open.
This group of people are fighting over love, and what they are fighting over is giving their own girls to others as concubines?!
Of course, the well-informed ‘County Magistrate Huang’ reacted quickly... In fact, this is nothing!
On the one hand, given their birth status, it seems that the children of these people can only be sent as concubines; on the other hand, it is common for local large families to form closer alliances with powerful rulers through marriage...
In fact, not only did 'County Magistrate Huang' recover, but County Magistrate Li over there also recovered. The latter even secretly took a big peach from the high-leg table while no one was paying attention, and then buried his head.
Started chewing.
However, back to the topic, "County Magistrate Huang" has confirmed one thing, that is, no matter whether this Gongsun Xun has acted out of line or whether he has acted cruelly... at least, the local famous
All the big families recognized his governance level.
Lu Ziqian really gave himself a problem!
However……
"However," 'County Magistrate Huang' came back to his senses and continued to ask. "If there is a marriage, why can only one person be offered, and why do you want to get there before Lord Gongsun comes back?"
"This is going to talk about something that happened recently." Someone sighed. "Just when the monarch was leaving to recruit the bandits to the north, his wife happened to come over from her hometown in Liaodi with his family members...
"
"But the daughter of the Marquis?" "County Magistrate Huang" immediately realized. "I understand, since Mrs. Zhao has arrived, it is best to send someone to Mrs. Zhao while she is away to let her make up her mind.
Husbands and wives in the province are not harmonious over this matter..."
"That's exactly the truth."
"But why can we only give away one person?" 'County Magistrate Huang' couldn't help but asked with a smile. "Is it possible that Mrs. Zhao is jealous and has made it clear to you that she can only take one person? Or is Wuyouhou already a concubine?
Extremely many?”
The room suddenly became quiet again. After a long time, someone smiled bitterly and said: "It's not because of Mrs. Zhao, nor is it because there are so many Wuyouhou concubines... This time Mrs. Zhao only brought one Wuyouhou concubine here.
.However, does Governor Xiang know that Zhao Ping, the doctor in charge of our country, is the nephew of Huangmen Supervisor Zhao Chang?"
'County Magistrate Huang' shook his head slightly. He really didn't know, but he also reacted: "Since he is the nephew of Zhao Chang's clan, he is also the nephew of the Marquis clan... naturally he is a brother of Mrs. Zhao's clan?"
"Of course," Wei Song, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke. "Zhao Ping usually does a lot of wrongdoing in the country, but after Wu Wuhou came, he was like a donkey seeing a tiger, and there was no movement at all. And Mrs. Zhao
Now that he is here and Wujihou is not here, he naturally wants to show his courtesy and seek relatives... We don't know whether the relatives have met him, but he has brought back another message."
"What's the message?" 'County Magistrate Huang' had already noticed something was wrong in the atmosphere.
"Does Chief Xiang know that Zhao Ping once lived in Luozhong for a long time?" Wei Song stared at the other party and asked seriously.
"How does this old man know?" 'County Magistrate Huang' saw that the other person's eyes were wrong, and he knew that he might have acted too boldly, and he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed when this person saw through some clues.
"Does Chief Xiang know Cao Jie?" Wei Song still stared at him and asked.
"I recognize them, but they don't recognize me!" 'County Magistrate Huang', who is also the governor of Jizhou, Liu Yan, pinched his beard and smiled. He was almost certain that Wei Song should have come from his own ambition that could not be concealed.
He felt proud that something was wrong with his identity, but Liu Junlang was confident after all, so he didn't care too much. "Isn't this the case with Duke Wei? Although this man is an eunuch, he is indeed the prime minister among eunuchs.
He has been in power for more than ten years and everyone in the world knows it!"
Wei Song also shook his head and laughed when he heard this, and then explained calmly: "When Zhao Ping heard about Mrs. Zhao's arrival, he went out of the city thirty miles to meet her and recognize her. Although he was driven back, he was still very excited, and couldn't help but tell his surroundings that he
The clan sister is Wu Wuhou’s wife, but the granddaughter of Cao Jie’s close relative is just a concubine of Wu Wuhou... Chief Xiang, tell me, among these famous clans in our country, who dares to send a bunch of gifts to Wu Wuhou?
How can a woman compete with her granddaughter who is in power?"
Liu Yan almost pulled his beard off... Lu Ziqian is such a good teacher!
"Cough!" At this time, the loyal and honest County Magistrate Li also spit out a peach stone stuck in his throat.
————I swallowed the dividing line of each peach pit————
"In the past, when Taizu of this dynasty was the magistrate of Handan, Liu Yan moved to be the governor of Jizhou. He drove a donkey cart to Handan with his son Fan in disguise. He wanted to visit and asked to stay in the Wei family garden. The Wei family pine in the Zhao state was the prime minister of the Lu state.
Ye, who is good at looking at people and knows what he is doing, talks about Taizu's achievements. Yan heard this and remained silent. At night, he was tossing and unable to sleep. When Fan asked him why, Yan got up and stroked his son's back and said: '
When looking at the administration of the Handan Order, it is like the power of a dragon and a tiger. My father and my son are no more capable than a donkey and a horse. How can a donkey and a horse control a dragon and a tiger?'" - "Shishuo Xinyu", Appreciation Chapter
