I don't know if Wu Jianzhang deliberately leaked the news, as soon as the local gentry heard that Han Xiufeng was going back to Beijing, they rushed to make two Wanmin umbrellas overnight. When Han Xiufeng arrived at the dock with his family, not only did almost all the local gentry with heads and faces come, but even the people nearby heard the news.

The "King of Merchant Marine" Yu Taifeng and other gentry held the Wanmin umbrella and begged Han Xiufeng to reward him, but the people couldn't squeeze forward, so they could only kneel down behind and thank "Han Qingtian" and "Lord Qingtian"...... Being an official can do this, although it is not unprecedented, but it is really rare.

Han Xiufeng was moved and grateful, and hurriedly bowed down to the elders in Shanghai, but he didn't expect that a few respected old squires who had just finished making a few respectable squires actually leaned over to take off his cotton shoes, and after taking them off, they raised them high above their heads, which immediately attracted bursts of cheers. This is the meaning of hoping that he will not stay in office, and Han Xiufeng doesn't know whether it was specially arranged by Wu Jianzhang, or whether it was from the bottom of his heart, but he had already reached this point, so he could only accept this big gift.

When the news reached the temporary office of Su Song Taidao in the north of the city, Yang Nengge's face was so angry that his face turned pale, and Lan Weiwen, who came to report customs affairs, was sour in his heart, secretly thinking that he was also born in donations, and his errand was also messed up, how could the surname Han win such a good official reputation.

Xu Naizhao not only smiled when he heard the news, but immediately decided not to inspect the camps, but called Wu Xu and Sun Feng to inspect the porridge fields in the west and north of the city.

Just when the people saw off "Han Qingtian" and began to thank the governor again, Liang Liu led more than 70 brothers from the old Taiyong camp to rush back.

They took the same foreigner's "fighting boat", and the same was hired by Wu Jianzhang, and there were not only the New Year's goods they bought in Shanghai, but also the first batch of foreign guns and gunpowder that Wu Jianzhang was entrusted by Han Xiufeng to help procure. Wu Jianzhang's friend Huang Yunsheng didn't even plan to celebrate the New Year in Shanghai, but went to Yangzhou with them.

The "Qi Fighting Boat" sailed much faster than the sand boat, and it only took two and a half days to arrive at the wharf in the east of Yangzhou.

Suddenly, a foreigner's ship came, and the soldiers stationed outside the city were frightened, and it was not until Liang Liu and others carried the boxes ashore that the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the Yamen of the Two Huai Salt Transportation Divisions and the Yamen of Huaiyang Road have not returned to Yangzhou, Guo Peilin has led the salt fishing camp and the Miaowan camp to Yangzhou and is fully responsible for the aftermath.

It's not so much about the aftermath as it is about rebuilding.

The once prosperous city of Yangzhou is now ten rooms and nine empty, and has become a ruined wall, and the city is full of yellow-skinned, ragged beggars, and the corpses of people who have starved to death, froze to death, or died of disease can be seen everywhere.

Liang Liu and the others were secretly frightened, and it was not until the salt fishing camp brothers who led the way stopped and said that he found that the former Yamen of the Lianghuai Salt Transportation Division was still there, and it was not destroyed by the war.

"Sixth, why are you back!" Pan Er received the report and hurriedly walked out to ask.

"Master Pan, it was the fourth master who asked us to come back, what about Lord Guo, is Lord Guo here?"

"I'm seeing Ganquan Zhixian, let's come in first, come in and talk about it."

……

When Guo Peilin heard that Liang Liu was back, he was also taken aback, and sent away Ganquan Zhixian in a few words, so he called Liang Liu to the lobby and asked about the situation in Shanghai.

He never thought that Han Si would be demoted to Tongzhi on the north bank of the Yongding River, and he didn't expect that Han Si would not forget to handle the gun even if he returned to Beijing, and after reading the letter that Han Si asked Liang Liu to bring back, he summoned Wu Jianzhang's friend Huang Yunsheng, and briefly asked a few words about the battle situation in Shanghai and Wu Jianzhang's current situation to show his attention, so he asked Liang Jiu to take someone to test the gun, and then give Huang Yunsheng the gun payment after he finished.

Han Si passed this hurdle without danger, unlike Zhang Yiguo who was almost assigned to play in Xinjiang, Pan Er was naturally happy, but he still muttered: "Fourth brother is really, what's the matter if you return to Beijing early and late for the New Year?" Even if you take the sea route, you can go ashore at the corner, no matter how urgent it is, it will not be bad for these three or five days! ”

Han Si just left, Guo Peilin also had some regrets, looked at the letter that Han Si asked Liang Liu to bring, looked up and said: "I didn't expect Xu Naizhao to beg Lord Peng for him, Lord Peng asked him to act on the north bank of the Yongding River at this time, and nine times out of ten let him lead the troops, otherwise he would never be allowed to return to Beijing immediately to receive the certificate during the New Year." ”

Pan Er couldn't help but laugh and said, "Lord Guo, so your letter of invitation is not in vain!" ”

"I don't know if it's white, anyway, the emperor didn't blame me for protecting the wrong person." Thinking that Liang Liu and other townsmen could obviously follow the county surnamed Zhou in Shanghai to set up a card to draw a card, eat and drink spicy food, but they didn't forget to bring a lot of grace back to serve, Guo Peilin was full of emotion, and was silent for a moment and suddenly said: "Changsheng, you are ready to prepare, and you will return to Beijing after the New Year." ”

"Master Guo, what am I going to do when I go back to Beijing? There are a lot of things here in Yangzhou, and the long hair has not returned to Jiangning, they are still entrenched in Guazhou, what should you do if I leave! ”

"There is a shortage of people around me, but it naturally makes sense for you to go to the capital."

"Master Guo......"

"Listen to me," Guo Peilin looked at him with a smile and patiently explained: "Changsheng, although you have donated an official body, if you don't go to the Ministry of Officials to register, you are not an official after all." Now there are so many vacancies, just an opportunity, rather than to promote others, it is better to protect you. ”

"Master Guo, are you going to protect me, and you plan to let me go to the Ministry of Officials to get a certificate?" Pan Er asked subconsciously.

"Although the Jiao Slope Field is small, most of the soldiers of the Salt Gang Battalion come from the Angle Slope Field, and the Angle Slope is next to Hai'an, so I am not at ease when the ambassador of the Angle Slope Field Salt Division asks others to do it, and I can only rest assured if you go." Guo Peilin smiled, and continued: "Baoju is guaranteed, but it is not easy to get the official certificate smoothly, and those pen posts in the Ministry of Officials are very difficult to deal with. Zhixing is just returning to Beijing, and it should be easier to do your business with him. ”

How could Pan Er not know Guo Peilin's good intentions, after all, if he didn't register with the ministry, even if he donated the top belt, he couldn't be considered an official, he could only serve in such an unjustified manner, but he couldn't be tried by the commission like those alternate officials who were distributed to Jiangsu. What's more, the one who is promoted is the ambassador of the Salt Division of the Jiao Xiechang Field, who is a seal official who is similar to the county master!

Just not knowing how to thank him, Guo Peilin continued: "Liang Liu, they don't even want to rush back to serve on the errand of setting up a card, and they can't help but let them go back to reunite with their families during the Chinese New Year, you can go back to Hai'an with them later." ”

"What are you going to do in Hai'an?"

"Go and ask Wang Qianli, Yu Qinghuai and Li Zhiyong if they are willing to become officials, if they are willing, let them prepare and prepare, and when the New Year is over, they will go to the capital with you to confess. But they are different from you, they are all from Jiangsu, and I don't know what they can fill in and which province they will be distributed to. ”

"If you have to wait for the monthly election of the Ministry of Officials after the confession, I don't think they will go."

"They have made military exploits, their top belts were given by the emperor, and the court is at the time of employing people. As long as they are willing to go to the ministry to give a confession, they should not have to wait like other alternate officials. ”

"Make up for the shortage, make up for it first?"

"It's not so easy to make up for the shortage and make up for it first, but if Zhixing can help think of a way, it won't be difficult to distribute it directly to the provinces without waiting so long."

Thinking of the rules for the selection and appointment of officials, Pan Er couldn't help asking: "Lord Guo, what can my fourth brother do?" ”

Guo Peilin pointed to the letter on the table, and said firmly: "He couldn't do it before, it doesn't mean that he can't do it now, and you don't want to think about the north bank of the Yongding River that he is about to do." Master Peng will definitely summon him, how can he be such a shrewd person who does not understand what this means. In short, if something happens in the future, maybe even I will ask him to help me say a few kind words in front of Master Peng. ”

Only then did Pan Er realize that Han Si had climbed to the high branch of the Minister of Military Aircraft because of a blessing in disguise, and couldn't help but smile: "Lord Guo, after hearing what you said, I found that it is true, the opportunity cannot be lost, and it will not come again, I have to persuade Wang Qianli and them." ”

"If they all go to the capital to confess, I am really reluctant, but since there is this opportunity, it must be fulfilled, and I can't let the family work for my Yunsi."

"Lord Guo, if those adults are as affectionate and sympathetic to their subordinates as you are, the officials and gentry can really be single-minded, and the soldiers who will not use their lives, why worry about the long hair!"

"Okay, okay, why even you have learned to flatter, hurry up and pack your luggage and go back to Hai'an with Liang Liu and them. Wait, go to Mr. Qian's to get 400 yuan, and give some reward to the brothers who came back from Shanghai, they can't help but buy something for the mother-in-law and baby when they go back for the New Year. ”

"Master Guo, you really sympathize with your subordinates. But you didn't see it, they brought back a lot of things in large bags and small bags, and also prepared several loads of New Year's goods for you, and you can know that you have made a lot of money in Shanghai! ”

"One yard is one yard, that's what they earned, this is my reward, hurry up and do it."

"Obey," Pan Er bowed, walked outside the lobby and turned back, actually lifted the corner of his clothes and knelt down to kowtow, kowtowing while kowtowing: "Lord Guo, Hai'an said that it is not far away, and it is not close to it, I can't come back in time this year." I can only give you a few heads first, and I wish you an early year, and I wish you ......"

Guo Peilin didn't expect him to come to this show, and couldn't help laughing and scolding: "Changsheng, Changsheng, you are becoming more and more like Zhixing, you are really close to Zhu and red and black to ink!" ”

"Master Guo, I ......"

"Okay, okay, I also wish you good luck and all the best."

Pan Er grinned, got up and said, "Lord Xie Guo Jiyan, Lord Xie Guo carry it!" ”

Guo Peilin waved his hand, and was about to make him a jerk, Guo Tong walked into the lobby and said, "Master, Master Zhang Yiguo Zhang asks to see you." ”

"Yes, please."

"Yes."

Zhang Yiguo only knew that the three officials, including Guo Peilin, had jointly signed a letter to protect him, but he didn't know that the emperor's edict had just arrived in the morning, so he followed Guo Tong into the lobby nervously, and bowed down and said as soon as he saw Guo Peilin: "Xiaguan to meet your lordship." ”

"Sit down and talk." Guo Peilin knew very well that he had not been good for more than a month, and knew that he had resentment in his heart, so he said straight to the point: "Brother Zhang, your matter has finally come to an end." The edict just arrived in the morning, and there is no need to go to Xinjiang to serve, but the top belt of the five products still cannot be kept, so I can only grieve you to continue to be the alternate salt governor of our transportation division. ”

Zhang Yiguo is not afraid of death, but he doesn't want to go to Xinjiang in his heart, because dying in Yangzhou is also a horse leather shroud no matter what others say. But if you die of illness on the way to Xinjiang, or die of old age in Xinjiang, then it is nothing. As soon as I heard that I didn't have to go to Xinjiang, I burst into tears, arching my hands and not knowing how to thank them.

Guo Peilin could understand his mood, got up and bypassed the public case, and sat beside him: "Justice is at ease in the hearts of the people, whether you Zhang Yiguo are greedy for life and afraid of death, the civil and military officials and gentry in Yangzhou are like mirrors in their hearts." As an official, there are no regrets in this body, so what's the harm in being wronged! ”

"Lord Guo, the lower officials are not wronged."

"Serving the imperial court with sincerity, but being dismissed from office, and even almost sent to Xinjiang, how can you not be wronged. However, you are now an official of our transportation department, and I, Guo Peilin, am not Qi Shan, even if I am wronged, I can't be wronged for long. From now on, you are the battalion officer of my salt fishing camp, and the long hair is still entrenched in Guazhou, and there is an opportunity to make meritorious contributions, as long as you win one or two battles, why worry about not being able to reinstate the official! ”

Zhang Yiguo didn't expect to go around in a big circle and return to serve in the Yun Division, and become the alternate salt governor again, but he thought that although he was only the alternate salt governor, he could lead a battalion of soldiers, so he hurriedly got up and said: "The soldier dies for his confidant, and the lower official is willing to serve Lord Guo, even if he goes to the soup and fights, he will never give up!" ”