Qian Junchen came to Ba County on an errand on the order of Hu Linyi, the governor of Hubei, and naturally stayed in the Huguang Guild Hall.

This time, he planned to buy salt grain worth 40,000 taels of silver in Ba County, and he could imagine that he would buy more in the future, and those salt merchants and grain merchants revolved around him every day, with a place to eat, drink, and live, and there was no need for Han Xiufeng to worry about it.

As for the Yong of the Seventh Regiment who was transferred back from the Songkan Battalion, the shotgunners of the Firearms Battalion were originally Cha Yong of the Baojia Bureau, so they had been living in Wumiao, and every day they either practiced or helped the county government patrol at night or went to those bayonets to draw points. The remaining six regiments were stationed at Chaotian, Nanji and other city gates, helping the officials to suppress the porters, slender men and displaced people who had fled from Huguang in a steady stream on the docks.

Pan Er and Huguang guest Changjiang Zonghai are in charge, and there is no need for Han Xiufeng to bother.

Thinking that it would take two months for Xieji Huguang's silver to be transported to Ba County at the earliest, Han Xiufeng visited the new Sichuan Dongdao and the new Chóng Qìng prefect, and stayed in the county seat for only three days before returning to his hometown with his wife and children. After all, Ding Wei must have the appearance of Ding Wei, and if he has no official duties, he has to stay at home and keep filial piety, otherwise it is easy to give people a handle.

Every morning, I send the baby to the Tzuyun Academy on the mountain, listen to the babies read, drink tea with the old monk Huiming, or take Qin'er to Zoumagang to listen to books and watch plays.

Just as he was about to go to the horse gang as usual, the old man and Pan Er, who should have been in the county seat, rushed to Ciyun Village with a few regiments on horseback.

"Dad, Changsheng, why are you here?" Han Xiufeng hurriedly welcomed everyone into the courtyard.

"As soon as I received two letters from Rishengchang, the Provincial Department received an official letter from the Military Aircraft Department. Lord Wang was going to send someone to send it, but we thought we would have to come too, so we simply helped bring it. ”

As soon as Duan Jiqing's words fell, a shop soldier squeezed forward, presented the official document and said cautiously: "The little one meets the adult, and I implore the adult to sign for it." ”

"Okay, follow me to the study."

……

After signing and opening the official document, Han Xiufeng was taken aback.

This official document sent by the military aircraft department was actually ordered by order for him to "transfer filial piety and be loyal," hurry back to Beijing to receive the certificate, and then go to Lu Yanyuntong, the acting director of Tianjin.

Duan Jiqing, who was standing on the side, became more and more excited the more he looked at it, and couldn't help laughing: "Emperor Longen, it's finally a love affair!" Changlu Yuntong is from the lack of four products, and Tianjin Prefecture is under the rule of Zhili, not far from the capital, no different from being a Beijing official! ”

"Yes, fourth brother, how can the prefect be so easy to do, and there is no shortage for you in the capital, and it is not bad to be able to be a long Lu Yuntong!" Pan Er was also happy, thinking about it and saying excitedly: "Master Han Chen Han happens to be the deputy of Changlu Yun in Tianjin Wei, after you arrive, he must be the only one to look forward to, and this errand must be handy!" ”

Han Xiufeng picked up the letter with the secret mark of "Houyitang" on the envelope, and muttered while opening it: "I don't know how many people are staring at the two shortcomings of Changlu Salt Envoy and Changlu Yuntong, and these two shortcomings can be said to be reserved for the Manchurians, how can such a good thing be my turn, I don't think this matter is so simple." ”

"The emperor asked you to do this luck, what else can others say?" Pan Er asked subconsciously.

"Let me read the letter first, and then I will talk about it."

"Yes, yes, you see first."

I don't know if I don't see it, and I am not surprised when I see it, but I am secretly frightened.

Seeing Han Xiufeng frowning when he looked at it, Duan Jiqing asked eagerly, "Zhixing, who sent these two letters from Jingxin?" ”

"One was sent by my friend Wen Xiang in Beijing, and the other was sent by Lord Sushun."

"What do they say?"

Thinking that there were no outsiders in the study, Han Xiufeng said solemnly: "Wen Xiang said that the war in Guangdong is more tense than what the Di newspaper said, as early as two years ago, a remnant of the Heaven and Earth Society named He Liu made a rebellion in Dongguan against the traitors, occupied the county seat, killed the court officials, and had more than 30,000 soldiers and horses, and more than 600 warships.

Immediately afterwards, a remnant of the Heaven and Earth Society named Chen Kai responded in Foshan, Li Wenmao, Gan Xian, Zhou Chun and other Heaven and Earth Society rebelled in Foling, the northern suburb of the provincial capital Guangzhou, Chen Xianliang and other rebels in Yantang in the east of the city, Lin Huanlong and others gathered people to rebel on the south bank of the provincial river, wrapped red scarves on their heads or red belts around their waists, and called themselves 'Hong Bing', and in just a few months, they captured more than 40 prefectures, prefectures, and county seats! ”

Duan Jiqing only knew that the long hair was in turmoil, and he only knew that there was a party in Shanghai, but he didn't expect that there would also be a party in Guangdong, and it was so fierce, so he asked in surprise: "Have you been exterminated?" ”

"How can it be so easy to exterminate, those chaotic parties even besieged the city of Guangzhou in three ways when they were the most violent, fortunately the waterway was not obstructed, Ye Mingchen, the governor of Guangzhou, used the waterway to raise food and wages, and finally held the city of Guangzhou, and defeated it in one go. But the remaining bandits actually broke into Guangxi.

Not only captured Xunzhou City, but also established himself as the king in Xunzhou, pseudonym "Dacheng", changed the yuan "Hongde", changed Xunzhou City to "Xiujing", and accumulated hair and easy service, issued official degrees, divided officials to guard, and opened the furnace to mint money. Guangxi soldiers were exhausted, and Guangxi Governor Lao Chongguang was in a mess, and he actually let this group of bandits sit big in Xunzhou and captured several surrounding prefectures and counties. ”

Pan Er also heard this for the first time, and couldn't help but say worriedly: "It turns out that the emperor ordered Huang Zhongyin and Lord Huang to go to Guangxi to quell the chaos!" ”

Han Xiufeng nodded slightly: "Lord Huang, this errand is not easy to do. ”

Duan Jiqing asked, "What else did that Master Wen say?" ”

"It is said that the British are about to move because the last revision of the treaty was rejected, not only the British governor and minister in Hong Kong and other Yi chieftains are clamoring for war with our Qing Dynasty, but even the foreign soldiers and foreign merchants stationed in Hong Kong are making preparations. So I persuaded Wen Zhongtang and asked Wen Zhongtang to ask the emperor to order me to move my filial piety and be loyal to Chaozhou, Guangdong. They want me to use the Chaoqiao salt tax to recruit young and strong soldiers in the salt fields under the Chaoqiao Branch, so that if something happens in Guangzhou, even if I can't rush to assist in defense, I can clean up the mess at a critical moment. ”

"But the official document of the Military Aircraft Department said that you were ordered to act as the chief Lu Yuntong, not to go to Guangdong to act as Yun Tong!"

"That's because Lord Su Shun felt inappropriate after he knew it, and told the emperor that the Chaoqiao salt tax had to be used to quell the chaos, even if I went, I didn't have the money to recruit troops and train soldiers, and secondly, Chaoyun Tongcai was from the fourth grade, and it was difficult to convince the public, even if the political situation in Guangdong was turbulent, I couldn't clean up the mess from the fourth grade, so I asked the emperor to order my acting director Lu Yuntong to be stationed in Dagukou to help with coastal defense."

"Helper in coastal defense?"

"Wen Xiang persuaded Wen Zhongtang to ask the emperor to order me to go to Guangdong to act Chaoyuntong, and Lord Sushun asked the emperor to order me to go to Tianjin acting director Lu Yuntong, and the guards were all foreigners. Because the foreigners could not get what they wanted even if they razed the city of Guangzhou to the ground, and the only way to achieve their goal was to go north to Zhili as in the Daoguang period. ”

Pan Er asked with a bitter face: "Fourth brother, do you think the foreigners will really go to war with us?" ”

Han Xiufeng let out a long sigh and said helplessly: "The twelve-year period for repairing the contract has arrived, and if the imperial court does not agree to the conditions proposed by the foreigners, it will definitely start fighting." ”

"Then hurry up and talk to the foreigners, if you can, you won't fight, and besides, what's the chaos in various places now, even if you fight, you may not be able to fight!"

"What about it, even if only one of the conditions put forward by foreigners is to lose power and humiliate the country, the emperor will not agree, and no one below dares to talk about it, not even mentioning it."

It's so dangerous to fight long hair, let alone fight with foreigners, Duan Jiqing said without thinking: "Zhixing, this official can't do it, Guangdong can't go, Tianjin can't go!" ”

"Dad, the emperor treats me well, it stands to reason that I should hurry to Beijing to get my certificate, hurry to Tianjin to take up my post, and prepare early. But this matter is not as simple as just said, and you can only ask the emperor for guilt. ”

"What do you mean by that?"

"Wen Xiang's request, Lord Su Shun resolutely opposed, it can be seen how tense the relationship between them is, Tianjin is too close to the capital, if I take office like this, I will only be caught between the two of them." Han Xiufeng thought about it, and said helplessly: "Huguang won't go either, I will go anywhere from now on, and I will stay in my hometown." ”

Duan Jiqing felt that he should not go, but seeing that his son-in-law actually decided not to even go to Huguang, he couldn't help but say: "Zhixing, you are keeping filial piety, and it is not easy to say anything if you don't summon the emperor." Even after filial piety, the emperor decreed that you can also play to stay in the countryside and support your mother for the rest of your life. But this official shortage does not wait for anyone, if you miss it like this, it will be difficult to find a real shortage from the fourth grade in the future! ”

"If I really can't be an official in the future, if my career really stops here, I have nothing to regret. After all, even if I am a scholar, I can be a Taoist at most if I donate. But if you just stay at home and avoid the dispute between Lord Su Shun and Wen Xiang, at least the favor is still there. ”

"But what's the use of favors when the time comes?"

"I may not be able to use it, but they can use it!"

Han Xiufeng touched his chin and said solemnly: "Dad, you haven't been out of Sichuan, you don't know what the chaos is like outside." Nowadays, the two Guangxi will be chaotic in the world, Guizhou will be in trouble, Yunnan Miao will be in chaos, Liangjiang and Huguang will be in trouble, Shandong and Henan will be in trouble, it is said that the Hui people in Shaanxi and Gansu are also about to move, and England, France and the United States are eyeing each other, which is really an internal and external trouble! To put it mildly, how long can the emperor sit in this country, my heart is becoming more and more bottomless. ”

"Fourth brother, isn't it?" Pan Er asked in surprise.

"At the very least, you know it in your heart." Han Xiufeng looked up at Fang Liang and said with a wry smile: "If you don't go out, you don't want to be a wife and a son, An Ansheng stays at home, and it is the right thing to keep his wife and children safe." As for those major national affairs, it is not my turn to worry about a donation. ”

Duan Jiqing saw that he had made up his mind, and then thought of what he had just said, and hurriedly said: "It's good to stay at home in a down-to-earth manner, if you want to say that we have made money, we don't need to take any more risks." Besides, although you have no official or position now, you still have an errand to supervise the regimental training in eastern Sichuan, as long as the emperor does not issue an order to take away this errand, not to mention the county lord and Futai, even the Taoist platform has to respect you a little! ”

Whether the Qing Dynasty can be saved, if Han Xiufeng doesn't mention it, Pan Erzhen won't think about it.

When Han Xiufeng mentioned it, Pan Er suddenly found it very reasonable, and muttered: "Fourth brother, I listen to you, and I won't go out." ”

"Changsheng, don't be in a hurry to decide if you can't get out of the county, but you can't just lose the errand in the county. Whether it is Daotai, Futai or the county master, they are all liuguan, and they will not be so concerned about the safety of eastern Sichuan as we locals, and they will not be able to report the safety of Ba County by relying on those officials and that little bit of tax and silver. ”

Han Xiufeng took a deep breath, and then said: "The world is in chaos, and my Sichuan will be chaotic sooner or later, once it is chaotic, we can only rely on ourselves, so you have to hurry back to the county seat, and together with Jiang Zonghai and Guan Yunzhong, they firmly hold the Baojia Bureau and Shilong, Wenjing, Dizang, Jade Emperor and other regiments." ”

"Yes, yes, this army is in chaos, we can't do without soldiers in our hands!" Duan Jiqing thought so.

"Okay, I'll be back later!" Pan Er said hurriedly.

Han Xiufeng raised his head and said, "No matter how anxious you are, I still have to write a letter to Wu Kuixiang and Liu Shanyang, and write that you will help me take the county seat to Jiang Zonghai." ”

Pan Er reacted suddenly, and couldn't help laughing: "The Songkan camp and the sheephorn camp are our soldiers!" ”

"It's not our soldiers, it's our soldiers in eastern Sichuan." Han Xiufeng didn't want to say too much about this kind of thing, so he immediately changed his words: "By the way, what is Qian Junchen busy with these days?" ”

Duan Jiqing hurriedly said: "A few days ago, I was busy looking for the ticket number of Qianzhuang, and wanted to borrow silver to buy salt and grain first, and even claimed that if anyone was willing to help with the cushion, he would ask Master Hu to let someone handle the Hubei grain and even the treasury at that time. But not only is he just a convicted convict, but he also has a bad reputation, and no one dares to believe him.

Later, he was busy visiting Hubei merchants and local gentry, saying how tight the war in Hubei was, saying that if he wanted to keep Ba County safe, he had to have money to contribute. Unexpectedly, some Hubei businessmen were really moved by him, and asked him to raise more than 10,000 taels of silver, buy more than 40 boats of salt and grain, and send them away first. ”

"He's gone?"

He didn't leave, he asked his entourage to escort the forty or so boatloads of salt and grain first. He later returned to his hometown and recruited more than 300 young men, including more than a dozen sons and nephews. There was no money or food to bring people to Ba County, so they relied on Jiang Zonghai. Jiang Zonghai is a native of Hubei, and seeing that he is so concerned about Hubei as an outsider, he is embarrassed to sit idly by, so he can only help convene Huguang merchants to persuade donations, and let him raise thousands of taels of silver. ”

Han Xiufeng subconsciously asked: "What did he recruit young people to do?" ”

Duan Jiqing smiled bitterly: "I plan to take those young people to Hubei to quell the chaos, and all of them are in the Baojia Bureau, and they practice with the Wenjing Troupe and the Shilong Troupe every day." Share weal and woe with the young people all day long, he doesn't enter the account if the young people don't sleep, he doesn't have to eat if the young people don't eat, and even dances with the young people on the school field. Wang Daren remembered the friendship of the same year, and also sympathized with his suffering, and went to the Wumiao to persuade him several times, but saw that he was unmoved, and could only leave a hundred taels of silver to go back to the government. ”

"His heart is dead, he has put life and death aside." Han Xiufeng sighed secretly and turned around and said, "Changsheng, I'll go to your sister-in-law to get five hundred taels of silver tickets later, and help me bring it to him when I go back." ”