Full of wine and food, Han Xiufeng called Datou and Cuihua out to send Ao Xixian away, and asked Feng Xiaowhip to drive Wang Naizeng to Qingzhou Hall to pick up his luggage. Second Master Fei was happy that Han Si could hire a friend like Wang Naizeng, and he insisted on accompanying Wang Naizeng to go back to get it.

Fugui, Zhuzi and Yu Youfu, Yu Tiesuo's father and son are also full of food and drink inside, Fugui wants to go back to the inner city, Zhuzi wants to go back to his new home in Nancheng, and Yu Tiesuo plans to go back to Chongqing Hall. As Han Xiufeng's family, Yu Youfu brought the luggage cover in the afternoon, not only will he live here in the future, but he will also be a concierge specializing in collecting door bags since Ming'er.

It's a little far away from the inner city, Han Xiufeng pulled Fugui and drank tea for a while, until Wang Naizeng and Fei Erye took the luggage cover, and then asked Xiaoshan to shine a lantern to shine on Feng Xiaowhip to drive the carriage back to the inner city.

Feng Xiaowhip didn't dare to go like this, helped Fugui into the carriage, turned around and asked with a sad face: "Fourth master, when I send the rich master home and rush back, where will I lead the horse and where will the car park?" ”

"After sending Xiao Shandong back, drive the car to your house, your family is doing a living, there will be no horse ring."

"Yes."

"Isn't that done," Thinking that now that the family is bigger, there are more people, and there will be more entertainment in the future, and a car may not be enough, Han Xiufeng said again: "Didn't you say that there is a cousin who is also looking for an errand in the afternoon, Ming'er will buy a car again, bring back the horse that is temporarily kept in the provincial pavilion, and let your cousin catch it." ”

Feng Xiaowhip didn't expect such a good thing, and couldn't help asking: "It's the same as this one, rush over in the morning to listen to it, and then rush back in the evening?" ”

"Well, it's not to rush back to his house, but to your house, how much money does it cost a month, and go back to the second master to get it."

"What about the salary, how do you calculate my cousin's salary?"

"Just like you, do the same work, you can't do less than you."

"Fourth Master Xie!"

"Don't thank you, hurry up and send the rich man back, Ming'er has to come early."

"I know, the little one will send the rich man home."

Sent Feng Xiaowhip away, Han Xiufeng, Wang Naizeng, and Fei Erye came to the second study, and when Yu Youfu made tea, carried the teapot and walked away with the door, Han Xiufeng told the story of what had happened in the past three or five days.

Wang Naizeng, who had expected that there was a secret in this matter, was not surprised, but shocked, and drank several sips of tea in a row before he settled down and said: "Dong Weng, why are you so troubled!" The emperor asked Yiqing, you replayed what you know according to the facts, why do you have to ask for this errand to find out Yiqing? ”

"Yes, Zhixing, how can the dealings of foreigners be so easy to fight, aren't you moving stones to shoot yourself in the foot?" Second Master Fei also said worriedly.

Han Xiufeng picked up the scissors and cut off the candle, and said with a smile: "There are no outsiders here, let me tell you two from the heart, it was a little impulsive to ask for this errand at that time, and I really didn't think about it, but I don't regret it." ”

"What do you mean by that?"

"For a long time, I think I can afford to put it down, not a person who is obsessed with officials, and even wanted to sue for illness more than once, but it didn't work out several times, so I was so confused from the nine products to the south bank of the Yongding River in the five products. Later, the second master knew about it, not only was he able to follow the hometown of Ba County all the way to Gu'an to reunite with the dogs, but also had a little friendship with Lord Sushun, and was pinned on by so many fellow villagers who had helped me and cared for me before, and this idea changed. ”

Wang Naizeng reacted and couldn't help sighing: "People are in officialdom, and they can't help themselves!" ”

"Brother Yunqing, it's actually not as ...... as you said It's so difficult, in the final analysis, I can't let go of it by myself. Han Xiufeng smiled without embarrassment, and continued: "I think I'm an unknown person who was born as a donor, since I can achieve the same knowledge of the five grades in less than four years, and I am only one step away from the real wife and shadow, why don't you do it?" ”

"Also, don't talk about you, Dong Weng, if it were me, I wouldn't be able to let go."

"Let Brother Yunqing smile."

Han Xiufeng took a sip of tea, and then said: "Originally, I just wanted to work hard in the South Shore Tongzhi, and I thought that as long as I didn't make a mistake for three or five years, I would always have the opportunity to get a prefect from the fourth grade, even if it was just acting." As a result, the Tongzhi on the south bank of the Yongding River had not been done for a year, because the foreigners and ships arrived at Dagukou and were transferred to the General Administration Department for senators. What is lacking in the General Secretary for Counsel, you two know it all too well. I really replayed what I knew, and after the performance, there was nothing to do with me Han Xiufeng, and this senate is probably about to come to an end. ”

"So Dong Weng took the initiative to ask for Ying, and asked for this errand to find out the situation?"

"Well, but I ask for this errand, I not only have the selfish intention of keeping the throne with this, but also want to serve the court and the emperor's grace in my heart. The two of you have never seen a foreigner, I have never seen a foreigner's guns, a foreigner's warship, and I have never seen a foreigner's steam engine, and I have seen all of these, which is not only an eye-opener, but also makes me worry and can't sleep at night! ”

"Isn't it just a foreign gun and a foreign cannon, why is Dong Weng here?"

"Let's put it this way, if the foreigners send 8,000 soldiers to attack, whether it is the Eight Banners Green Battalion or Long Hair, it will not be its opponent. You and I regard foreigners as uncivilized barbarians, but in fact, foreigners regard us as uncivilized barbarians. ”

"How unreasonable is that a bunch of blood-drinking barbarians should despise us and other barbarisms!" Fei Erye blurted out.

"Second master, I was also indignant at first, but I dealt with foreigners for a few months, and then I flipped through the history books again when I had nothing to do, and I found that as the foreigners said, although I have been changing the dynasty in China for thousands of years, in fact, I have always been conformist, but I have changed one emperor after another, and everything else has changed."

"So what?" Wang Naizeng asked subconsciously.

"China hasn't changed, but countries like England, France, Russia and later the United States are changing dramatically! Although foreigners do not respect the way of Confucius and Mencius, they are actually good at the study of calculation, the principle of things, and the method of making instruments and images, all of which are specialized and pragmatic. Do you two believe that the earth is round, this world is not a round place, in fact, it is round, you and I are standing on a big round ball! ”

Looking at Wang Naizeng and Fei Erye's frightened looks, Han Xiufeng continued: "Can you two imagine one...... Can a coal-burning iron lump drive a gunboat covered with iron sheets to travel thousands of miles a day on the sea without wind? Can you two imagine that this charcoal-burning lump can still pull hundreds or even masters or hundreds or even tens of millions of catties of goods on two tracks made of fine iron, and travel hundreds of miles a day on land? ”

"Zhixing, are you alright?" In Fei Erye's ears, these meaningless fantasies were heard, and he subconsciously stretched out his hand to touch Han Xiufeng's forehead.

"Second master, I didn't fall for evil, and I didn't get hysteria." Han Xiufeng gently pushed away Second Master Fei's hand, and said worriedly: "Flying to the sky, that's the theory of gods and ghosts." But as far as I know, foreigners can really fly, as early as 60 years ago, the French flew over the fence of the capital of France in a huge hot air balloon. ”

"Zhixing, how do you know this?"

"Some have seen it, some have heard it from foreigners, and some have seen it from foreigners' books and newspapers."

"You know the language of foreigners?"

"I don't know any of this, let alone know it, but there are people in Shanghai who know foreign languages and writing, and I even hired one when I was in Shanghai." Han Xiufeng drank the tea in the cup and said solemnly: "As far as I know, foreigners are not only determined to forge ahead in the study of calculation, the principle of things and the method of making instruments, but also the education of people's livelihood is also remarkable. At least not like me in China, where hunger is everywhere, it is said that as long as you are not lazy, you have a job to do and a meal. Regardless of anything else, even the average longevity of ordinary people is longer than that of our Chinese people. ”

Wang Naizeng had never dealt with foreigners, and it was the first time he had heard of this.

At first, like Second Master Fei, I really thought that Han Xiufeng was evil, but looking at Han Xiufeng's solemn appearance, I felt that it didn't seem to be fake. Thinking of foreigners if they were really as Han Xiufeng said, there was a storm in his heart, and he hesitated for a while and didn't know what to say.

"Foreigners know everything about my Chinese Chinese language, the situation is real, every word and action! As for the behavior of foreigners, I know nothing about it, and it is just moral talk. Now that the period of revision is nearly twelve years, even if it is day and night, it is too late. But in the long run, if you still go to peace and don't think about making up for it, its big trouble may be in a few years and decades! Han Xiufeng let out a long sigh and stared at Wang Naizeng.

Wang Naizeng relieved himself, and hurriedly arched his hand and said: "Dong Weng is worried about the country and the people, and Yunqing admires it." ”

"Brother Yunqing, if you have the opportunity to go to the foreigners' concession in Shanghai, I bet you will be more anxious and worried than me."

"Dong Weng, do these emperors know?"

"Do I dare to say that Chen Zuo, even if I dare to say that the emperor will believe it?"

Wang Naizeng pondered for a moment and said lightly: "The emperor will believe it, but the emperor is unlikely to believe it nine times out of ten." ”

Han Xiufeng asked puzzledly: "How do you say this?" ”

"Dong Weng, this heaven and earth are not round places, in fact, I have heard about it a long time ago, and I heard it from a friend who used to work in the classic library. According to legend, as early as the Kangxi Dynasty, Lang Shining discussed these with Kangxi, who was proficient in astronomy and geography. Later, foreigners have offered Western objects more than once, in fact, there seems to be a thing called a globe, as the name suggests, the earth is a ball! ”

"And then?" Han Xiufeng asked eagerly.

"Then I didn't know." Wang Naizeng touched the corners of his mouth, and the words changed: "Dong Weng, Naizeng understands your good intentions, but this time it is really dangerous, if it wasn't for Master Peng to mention it, God knows what he will face next." ”

"In Brother Yunqing's opinion, how should Xiufeng do this errand next?"

"Dengwen Drum Hall is naturally going to go, but there is no need to go too often, and as Master Peng mentioned, you can't really use it as a government office to investigate the situation. As for the exchange of official documents, in the opinion of Naizeng, there is no need to bother those 'small military planes' in the Military Aircraft Department, first, it is easy to vent, second, it will attract criticism, and third, it will make people think that Dong Weng You have not actually done anything, but just to play a few civil and military officials to inquire about the situation, and then sit and wait for the civil and military officials stationed in various places to send back the news. ”

Han Xiufeng nodded slightly, motioning for Wang Naizeng to continue.

Wang Naizeng glanced back at Fei Erye, and said slowly: "Then there is the news transmission, Naizeng thinks that Dong Weng is a fan of the authorities, and always thinks that 600 miles is expedited, and 400 miles is expedited, but in fact, it is not." As far as Naizeng knows, due to the war in Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, and other provinces, official documents sent by the military aircraft department to Guangdong, Fujian, and other places sometimes take two months to arrive. In contrast, it is better to hand over the ticket number to transmit, if you want to be more secure, you can explain the officials who are about to be dispatched, if there are 100,000 urgent military information, you can send someone to quickly transmit the military information back to Beijing. ”

"The transmission of the entrusted ticket number is just as easy to leak."

"You don't have to worry about this, whether it's the official document of the ministry or the bill of exchange with the ticket number, aren't they all secret deposits? We can also compile a set of secret codes, so that even if a letter is opened in the middle of the way, the person who does not open it will not be able to see why. ”

Wang Naizeng thought for a while, and then said: "Then the people who are about to be sent should not only quickly teach them the method of inquiry, but also quickly think of a way to let them understand who the real Shangguan is." After all, knowing people and knowing faces but not knowing their hearts, not to mention that they will have a top boss after they take office. ”

Second Master Fei couldn't help but interject: "Yunqing, all the people sent by Zhixing this time are his own people. ”

"Second master, in my opinion, there are no rules, even if they are all trustworthy, they must be restrained, and they must be given some hope."

"Yunqing, how do you think it is appropriate to restrain you?" Han Xiufeng asked.

Wang Naizeng groaned: "Dong Weng, since this is an errand assigned by the emperor, it should not be difficult to ask the emperor for a few waist cards of the Internal Affairs Office. This waist card is asked to be awarded to them, although it cannot be easily shown, but it can always remind them not to patronize the official to make money, but also to handle the errands assigned by you. It is best to ask the emperor to send another reliable person to assist you, after all, you have to do this business secretly now, and if something happens in the future, at least someone can testify for you. ”

"Yunqing, since this errand was assigned by the emperor, what can Zhixing do in the future?" Second Master Fei asked puzzled.

"Second master, this matter is not as simple as you always think, not to mention that if what Dong Weng wants to do is known by that rotten Confucian, he will definitely be attacked by those Qingliu groups. It is this errand itself that overlaps with the functions and powers of the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Court. You must know that the affairs of the Russian Yi have always been handled by the Li Fan Yuan, and the affairs of the Ying Mi Buddha and other Yi were originally handled by the Ministry of Rites, if they knew that Dong Weng was also handling it, they would definitely not give up. ”

"It's true, the Ministry of Rites can't be offended, and the Lifan Yuan can't be offended either."

"Therefore, this matter is not to be publicized, but it must not be leaked out."

Not only is it thorough, but also thoughtful, Han Xiufeng felt that the value of two thousand taels of flowers per year was worth it, and he couldn't help laughing: "Brother Yunqing, the emperor rewarded me with a registered military aircraft Zhang Jing, and ordered me to walk extra on the military aircraft Zhang Jing, although it inadvertently pushed me to the forefront and made me the target of the cabinet, Han Zhan Kedao, and even the heads of various ministries, but it also made me move more freely." If you think about it, several ministers of military aircraft and those 'little military planes' don't want to see me, and no one will say anything if I don't go on duty. And the General Administration Department has seen me walking extra on the military plane Zhangjing, and he won't care about my business, and he can't even ask. ”

"Well, it seems that there are two errands, but in fact, neither end of the year will care about you."

"So I took down the bookstore at the back of the inner house, sent someone to Gu'an to find a craftsman to repair it, and then opened up the two sides, and when the interpreter who was hired arrived, I asked them to go to the bookstore to run an errand. And outsiders think that they can't get through here, and they have to go around a big circle if they want to go over, and no one would have thought that the bookstore behind me is actually my real government office. ”

"This is a good solution, Dong Weng, it turns out that you have already thought of it!"

"I also made a temporary decision, and when the repair is completed, and everything is ready, the Yiyi situation can be transmitted to the capital and sent directly to the bookstore, and some news about the political situation, military situation, and people's situation in Xiyi are sorted out and analyzed in the bookstore to verify it. It is even possible to translate and publish some books on the science of calculation, the theory of things, and the method of making instruments and images, although the translation cannot be easily revealed, but I believe that sooner or later it will be used. Han Xiufeng smiled, and continued: "In addition, the personnel related to Yiwu will all enter and exit from the bookstore in the future, and if Lord Sushun comes to me in the future, if the emperor summons him, he can also send someone to the 'Houyi Hall' to buy books, so that everything will not be so dazzling." ”

Wang Naizeng finally understood why Han Si was able to become a "small military machine" in less than four years, not only because he was capable, but also because he saw far and was willing to do those things that others were unwilling or even disdainful to do.

Thinking that if the foreigners are really as Han Si said, the imperial court will one day face it squarely, and when the time comes, it will definitely reuse the people of the "Houyi Hall", Wang Naizeng realized that this is the real "cold stove", and couldn't help but get up and said: "Dong Weng, the ancients Yun read thousands of books is better than walking thousands of miles, Nai Zeng wants to go out of Beijing with Yun Qijun and others, one is to go to Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong and other places to open their eyes, and the other is to help Dong Weng arrange it well, lest they rush to take office and don't know where to start this errand." ”

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