Chapter Ninety-Nine

The fifth year of Yongxing was the last year of the reign of the previous generation. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

The extravagance of poverty and luxury has shaken the foundation of the country beyond measure.

And the barren government will inevitably breed corrupt silverfish, changes in the frontier, and the Red Tiger Rebellion that has just been put down not long ago, almost all the places where the court can still operate are used by the emperor to prevent usurpation.

The court is full of soldiers, everyone is in danger, and almost no one can take care of the people's livelihood.

In such an era, it is normal for squire bullies to run rampant, and the powerless scholars in ordinary mountain villages have been robbed of their houses and fields, and there is no place to appeal.

It's just that Fang Guan's father seems to be a special kind of person in such a vulnerable group. Opened a small village school in the local area, and people in ordinary times wrote letters to settle accounts, and occasionally went to the market to sell some calligraphy and paintings, etc., and the family's life was not short of clothes and less clothing. Fang Guan's father was also easy-going and generous, and most of the villagers who were in urgent need of help would also help them. Therefore, it is also quite respected among the local villagers.

However, the year is like this, and when the days are getting more and more difficult, the bully comes here to collect land and expand the fields. Fang Guan's house was originally rented in the village, and at this time, not only was the rent doubled, but the poll tax was also collected as much as these bullies wanted. After some arguments, the bully insisted that his father owed the village how much rent he owed, and if he didn't change it, not only would the house be taken back, but people would also be taken away for hard labor.

In this way, let alone leaving, the freedom of the family is restricted, and even the village cannot take a step.

At that time, Fang Guan was still young, but he also remembered the fierce and vicious prank, and after coming to the house to inform him of the last date, his father's eyes when he was in a desperate situation. In a hazy way, Fang Guan only remembered that the oil lamp at home had not been extinguished all night, and when he woke up dimly in the morning, his father was gone.

I heard my mother whisper to myself that my father had gone to ask an acquaintance in the city for help. But he went and never came back.

From time to time, the splashers would come to harass the mother and son, but fortunately, with the help of the neighbors who usually helped Fangguan's father, they could save the day and temporarily drive people away. But as the deadline was approaching, just as rumors were faintly circulating in the village that Fang Guan's father had abandoned the mother and son and ran away alone, a team of people wearing navy blue robes and stepping on velvet cloud boots knocked on the firewood door of Fang Guan's house.

After handing over a bag of silver ingots and a letter from his father, the man left. Later, Fang Guan heard that after these people left Fang Guan's house, they went directly to the bully's station in the village. I don't know what to do, but after these people left, the bullies were much more honest.

Although the land grabbing is the same, the practice is no longer so unscrupulous. It hardly disturbs the people of the village anymore. No one knew who invited these people, but everyone secretly said that the father of the disappeared Fang Guan had found a helper for everyone. Therefore, although everyone's Japanese characters are still not happy, they can barely get by.

At that time, Fangguan had already begun to enlighten, and because of his good talent, he didn't say poetry at this time, that is, the four books were all dabbled in at the beginning, and he heard his father talk to his mother when he was happy before, if he followed the speed of progress at this time, maybe Fangguan could go to the township test in the next year.

But at this time, the letter sent back by his father clearly stated that he was not allowed to take the imperial examination after Fang Guan, and he was not even allowed to interact with the eunuchs.

The mother counted the money in the bag to fifty taels of silver, which was almost enough for the mother and son to save for twenty years at that time, and if there were a few acres of thin production, it could be regarded as a worry-free life.

And the father's letter only said that the mother and son would not have to wait for him anymore and leave the capital to choose a place with simple folk customs to settle down. It is good to take a few taels of silver to buy a small property or farm or do business to make a living, and specially instructed Fang Guan, even if he wants to make a living from pen and ink, he can only be a teacher in the countryside, and not seek for the rich.

The few family letters only explain the future livelihood of the family, and do not mention their own situation at all. Fang Guan couldn't accept such a farewell no matter what, and persuaded his mother to finally stay in Jingshi. Fang Guan also followed his father's wishes and did not develop in the imperial examination room again, but it was his nature to be good at reading, and all kinds of books and notes that his father left at home were read through by Fang Guan.

As he grew older, Fang Guan probably knew his father's details, which might be related to some forces in the capital, otherwise there was a bully with the unscrupulous fish and flesh people in the background, how could he be subdued by a team of people who didn't know where to come. But Fang Guan also knew that if he wanted to find out everything, he could hardly do anything by his own strength.

It's not easy to spy on some of the people in detail, or even the danger of keeping my father at arm's length. Otherwise, why did the father be so cautious about keeping his distance from him, why didn't he ask for help early to solve the crisis between himself and the villagers, and even did not contact them until the last moment of despair. When he got help but cut off contact with his mother and son, Fang Guan knew in his heart that this was his father's attempt to protect the safety of the two of them.

After thinking about it like this, not only to find his father, but also to give himself a handover, Fang Guan was still determined to find out. Because of this, he had to go against the second request of his father, and he was involved with the official eunuch's family, and entered an official family as a servant.

When Li Jin first saw this clever little girl, she didn't think much about it, but at that time, she had already decided to let Xiangxue accompany her parents at home, so she needed another trustworthy person by her side. But the time was in a hurry, and he thought of taking it to the frontier, so he paid special attention to the male servants at home when looking for them, but almost all of the people in the Li Mansion were old people, and they all had wives and children, and Li Jin really couldn't bear to let them stay away from their homeland.

It was at this time that this person who seemed to be very clever broke into Li Jin's sight. At first, Li Jin just thought that he was just a little gambler who hoped to change his fate by attracting Li Jin's attention. Under the temptation, not only did he become curious about this man's way of doing things, but he also obviously felt that this man seemed to have other plans, and the intention of deliberately approaching him was too obvious, so he also pushed the boat down the temptation, and asked the butler to bring his contract and identity certificate to himself.

At first glance, Li Jin felt familiar with this person's name, and after some investigation, Li Jin found that this person was actually the first whistleblower of the first major case when the new emperor ascended the throne three years ago. It was originally a small dispute over land and property, but it eventually led to a fusion of wind and clouds in the court. Through this investigation, Li Jin also understood why all the officials in the DPRK and China are now afraid of the king like a tiger. Most of these observations were made through the diary hidden in his father's study and some borrowed materials from friends.

According to the account, the emperor's thunderous means at that time not only eradicated a group of corrupt officials headed by the storm, but also a great alienation of the various family forces, which is basically the foundation laid by the almost balanced situation today. Looking at my father's comments, I also admire today's strategy, which is almost a thorn in the side of the other party that all parties are eager to eradicate, and pulls out the silverfish that have been harmful for a long time, and maintains the stability of the overall situation. Such a skill and negotiation ability will definitely be able to sweep away the Ming monarch in less than ten years, but it is a pity that the current situation, I am afraid that this emperor who has not yet become a climate will die young.

Seeing such comments, Li Jin was suffocated, but he also understood that what his father said was very probable, not to mention that the power that the emperor relied on to secure his position now was his elder brother in charge - although he himself said that he was sick and often lived in the palace without leaving home, he could also imagine that when the border was calm and all the forces were gone, how could this behind-the-scenes helper not take back his throne and replace the puppet in front of him. In particular, this puppet is also a dangerous factor with a very talented and legitimate status.

The cause of the incident that Li Jin sent someone to inquire about that year seems to be that the squire bullies occupied the village's land, persecuted the people in the village, and forced them to bear hard labor, and this person played on behalf of the people in the village. This person was also whimsical, and even asked a group of carrier pigeons to send a complaint directly to the emperor who was about to go to the suburbs for the spring festival.

Although he himself was almost convicted for this, his reputation resounded throughout the country at that time, and was cited by thousands of households as a beautiful talk. The new emperor ascended the throne to rest and recuperate the people's livelihood as his own responsibility, so there was no heavy punishment for this matter, and then it was one after another happy good news, so everyone forgot the person who lit the fuse for the incident at the beginning, and only remembered the magnificent scene of the carrier pigeon sending blood books.

When Li Jin heard about this incident, he wanted to gradually become the initiator of this bold and careful person, but he couldn't leave the house at will, and the person was locked up in prison, so this idea was just a thought. I heard that this person still had an old mother in the village, and his father disappeared in his early years, so Li Jin also sent someone to send money and food to help. It's just that it was many years ago.

Looking at the person in front of him now, Li Jinyao thought that he had such courage back then, and he admired it very much.

And the person sent to secretly investigate reported that although the place where their mother and son lived had long been empty, they had also received another receipt. Li Jin learned about the general process of Fang Guan's father's disappearance at that time, so he also had a rough outline in his heart.

Li Jin thought of his fame at this time, and was afraid that this person would take advantage of the situation to find the truth about his father and back then.

Sure enough, after introducing the situation of his family and the situation before and after his father's disappearance, Fang Guan said: "The villain just asks Miss to help me find my father's whereabouts and reunite my family, so I have no regrets in this life, and I am willing to go to the soup for Miss to go to the soup." ”

Li Jin hesitated, "Have you really thought about it? Although I can help you find your father's whereabouts, but even if I find it, he won't go home with you? I think your father must have stopped recognizing you in order to protect you, how could he change his decision at this time?"

"I didn't look for my father for that, it would have been best if he could go home and be with his mother. Saying this, Fang Guan's eyebrows and eyes obviously showed a soft light, and Li Jin could see that it was the life he desperately longed for. It's just that after a while, the look of determination in his eyes regained, "But it doesn't matter if you can't, I'll go to him and say that it's just for myself and give myself an explanation." ”

Looking at Li Jin's puzzled body, Fang Guan explained: "Since my father left, although my mother never mentioned it, she could only sleep for one or two hours a day, and sat in front of the lights every night. I knew that she also had the suspicion that her father had abandoned us. It's just that we don't want to believe that in the past few years, my mother has aged very quickly, and I don't want her to regret it for life. It's just my wishful thinking, and it has nothing to do with my mother, even if I know that the result is not satisfactory, it doesn't matter, at least I can let my mother break off this thought. ”

Li Jin looked at the face that was almost stubborn, and couldn't bear to say: "But you haven't thought that even if there is a result, your mother may not let it go." ”

Fang Guan smiled and said, "I said at the beginning, this is just my wishful thinking, and it has nothing to do with my parents' wishes and behaviors. Even if the result is the same as before, my mother's life has not changed much, at least I have an explanation for myself, not the helplessness and frustration that I can only watch at this moment. ”

Li Jin seemed to see Fang Guan's own shadow in an instant, and that feeling of desperation was so similar. Although the words of the promise almost blurted out, Li Jin still asked persistently at the end: "Even if the price you pay is greater, even if you want to leave your mother's side for the news of the person who will hardly return to your mother and son for this?"

Although there was a painful look in Fang Guan's eyes, he still said resolutely: "Yes, I have arranged it at home, otherwise I would not have come to Miss's house in a desperate way." I can't bear to spend the rest of my life with my mother in a mess, and let the pain of inaction always accompany me. ”

Li Jin's eyes revealed an almost sympathetic light, and at this time she smiled gently at Fang Guan: "Okay, I promise you that before I Li Jin leaves Beijing, I will let you see your father and understand your wishes, but after that, you will leave Beijing with me and go to the border." Life and death may be uncertain and unknown. Do you agree?"

Fang Guan bowed his head and bowed, "Miss Xie is complete." ”