Han Xiufeng decided to go down the mountain, and Sun Wuye was so relieved that he bowed down on behalf of the students in the county.

How dare Han Xiufeng accept this big gift, and was about to support his old man, Du San's brother-in-law Li Er took Du San's eldest son Du Kailiang and stumbled up the mountain, and when he saw him, he knelt on the ground, crying and mourning.

Second Master Fei hurriedly stepped forward to help the two of them up and help comfort them.

Han Xiufeng felt very uncomfortable, very uncomfortable, and persuaded them a few words together, asking them to hurry back to handle the funeral, promising to go to the county seat early tomorrow morning and go to their house the morning after tomorrow to mourn.

Sent the Du family away, and returned home at the foot of the mountain, just before he sat down, the old mother, eldest brother and sister-in-law, and Qin'er guessed that he would not stay at home for a few days, and they all wanted to talk and stopped, not knowing whether to persuade him not to go out again, or to say something else.

Just when he was arranging family affairs, "Houyitang" encountered the biggest crisis since its opening!

In the past month or so, Wen Xiang handed over the sign four times, but the emperor did not summon him once. Let Eun Jun help present the eight folds one after another, all of which are like stones sinking into the sea, and there is no news. The foreman military aircraft Zhang Jing and Cao Yuying have never been here once, and they are not critical of the official documents that Feng Xiaobao carried.

I wanted to go to see Wen Zhongtang, but Wen Zhongtang was sick again.

I could only retreat and go to see Peng Zhongtang, but Peng Zhongtang avoided it.

Thinking that it would be a small matter to be treated and a big delay in military affairs, Wen Xiang could only go to see Prince Zheng and Prince Yi head-on, but he went a few times and handed over a few gifts, but every time he was closed.

This has never been done before, as if the emperor and several princes and ministers have forgotten that there is such a small yamen as "Houyitang" who specializes in investigating the situation, Wenxiang is as anxious as ants on a hot pot, Wang Naizeng and Qingxian are also anxious, trying to ask people to inquire about the news of the military aircraft department and even the palace.

I don't know if I don't inquire, but when I inquire, Wang Naizeng's heart is cold.

Rushing back to the bookstore from the inner city, as soon as he saw Wen Xiang, he came to the door and said helplessly: "I have found out clearly, it turned out that after the Jiangbei camp and the Jiangnan camp were broken by long hairs one after another, the emperor was not only in a bad mood, but even regretted letting the monk stay in Beijing to guard the system." ”

Wen Xiang was stunned, and suddenly reacted: "We always report that foreigners will not give up, and always say that foreigners want to go to war with us, but to this day the foreigners have not started a war, but the Jiangbei camp and the Jiangnan camp were first broken by the long hair, and even the civil and military officials such as Jir Hang'a and Liu Cunhou were martyred, so the emperor is angry with you and me?" ”

"It was not only Gilhang'a, Liu Cunhou, Stretch Kuo, Zhou Zhaoxiong and other civil and military officials who died in their lives, but the Military Aircraft Department had just received a 600-mile urgent report from Yiliang, the governor of Liangjiang, saying that after the minister Xiang Rong retreated to Danyang, he was filled with shame and indignation, and he died of illness in the army on the sixth day of July.

"Xiang Rong is also dead!"

"It's dead, the Chongqing Hall should have received the news at this time, even if it's too late today, there will be a mourning hall tomorrow to mourn."

Wen Xiang realized the seriousness of the problem and muttered: "The emperor must regret why he didn't let the monk lead his troops south at that time, and together with Tuo Ming'a and Xiang Rong Liting, he swept the cave and wiped out the long hair in one fell swoop." ”

Wang Naizeng nodded helplessly, thought about it and said with a bitter face: "Gonggong Liu of the Internal Affairs Office said that the emperor not only always asks if there is a report from Liangguang these days, but even orders someone to turn over the folds of Ye Mingchen, the governor of Liangguang, the general of Guangzhou, Mukedenne, the governor of Guangdong, Bai Gui, and those Taoist officials in Guangdong. Although the news about foreigners reported by the officials of the two Guangxi provinces was inconsistent and even contradictory, the emperor seemed to believe their nonsense more, and felt that our 'Houyitang' was always alarmist. ”

As long as the report involving foreigners is involved, the internal performance office will all be copied by the "Houyi Hall".

Although as Wang Naizeng said, there are many like cows, inconsistencies, and even contradictions, but they are similar in summary, such as the gentry and businessmen inside and outside Guangzhou, and the scholars and commoners, who are fighting the same enemy and helping the government to keep foreigners out of the city. The foreigners are even more "deferential", just trying to make small profits in trading, and admire him Ye Mingchen, the emperor's minister, and he doesn't want to or dare to start a war with the Qing Dynasty. For example, the people of Guangzhou are afraid of officials, officials are afraid of foreigners, foreigners are afraid of the people, to be precise, they are afraid of the gentry in Guangzhou.

In short, Guangzhou and even the whole of Guangdong "Haiyan River Qing", foreigners are not to worry!

Thinking of this, Wen Xiang couldn't help but sigh: "One by one, they deceived their superiors and subordinates, and said nonsense with their eyes open, but now it doesn't matter if the truth is told or false, what matters is whether the emperor is willing to believe the truth or believe the lie." ”

"People report good news but not bad news, we report bad news but not good news, compared to bad news, the emperor naturally prefers to hear good news. In addition, Prince Zheng and Prince Yi only knew how to make the emperor happy, and always said in front of the emperor that Ye Mingchen's report should not be fake, so the emperor now doesn't believe us anymore. ”

"Where's Sushun?" Wen Xiang asked with a frown.

"I'm busy hoeing and raping, and it is said that I just helped Wen Zhongtang to make a twist, saying that Qingduan, Fuji, Chong'en, Yingdi and others are not competent, and if you don't stop early, I'm afraid that you will close the territory by mistake."

"He just brought down Lianshun, and he is eyeing Qingduan and Fuji and other Xinjiang officials!"

"It is said that the emperor intends to promote him to the imperial history of the left capital."

"What is he doing now different from doing the imperial history of Zuodu?" Wen Xiang asked rhetorically, looked up at the room full of Western utensils, and said with a wry smile: "Just because the good news is not reported, the emperor doesn't believe us, alas...... In fact, Zhixing had expected such a day, but he didn't expect it to come so quickly. ”

Wang Naizeng reminded: "My lord, the top priority is what to do in the future? ”

Wen Xiang weighed it and said solemnly: "If the emperor does not issue an order to abolish the 'Houyi Hall' for a day, then this errand of investigating the situation will not be slackened for a day." The excerpt was presented as usual, and the Military Aircraft Department also reported as usual. Then from now on, you have to tighten your belt to live, and the remaining six thousand taels of silver must be used on the blade, and you must not delay your work because of the lack of silver. ”

"My lord, a lot of expenses can't be saved, but I think I can't last long just by throttling."

Han Xiufeng estimated that 10,000 taels a year was enough, but Wen Xiang and Wang Naizeng wanted to buy everything they saw in the past two years, and it cost more than 5,000 taels just to buy new foreign guns and cannons cast by foreigners. ”

Wang Naizeng didn't want the "Houyi Hall" to close because of lack of money, so he muttered: "Why don't you let the semicolons help you think of a way." ”

"Han Chen, Yun Qijun and Su Jueming, what can they do?"

"A semicolon out of a thousand taels, it shouldn't be difficult for them."

"That's not appropriate, is it?"

"That's the way it has to be."

"Okay, you write to them, you do it yourself, don't let Qingxian know."

"Don't worry, my lord, I won't let Kyunghyun know."

……

At the same time, Wang Qianli, who accompanied the big head into Beijing to apply for Hegongyin, found Ronglu again.

The application is different from the reimbursement, this time Rong Lu is helpless, while beckoning Wang Qianli to drink tea, he said helplessly: "You may not believe it, don't say that the Ministry of Industry has no silver, and even the bank of the Ministry of Household is empty." Last year, in order to raise military salaries, the emperor even ordered the household department to take a few big golden bells hidden by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to mint money. Don't say that there is a chance that you can't apply for it, and even if you can, you will only be given official tickets or treasure money, and you won't even be able to see iron money. ”

"Zhonghua, I know that the turnover of the household department cannot be opened, but the river work really can't be delayed. I didn't apply for the river work in Yongding River last year, and if I can't apply again this year, how can I deal with the spring flood next year? In the event of a flood, even if I have ten heads, it will not be enough to cut off! ”

"It's hard for a good woman to cook without rice, and it's really not the right time for you, the North Shore Fellow, to do it."

"If I can't apply again, I'm afraid I'll have to resign."

"In my opinion, it's not necessary to resign, it's true to find a way to change jobs."

"Change errands, how can any brother say it easily." Wang Qianli said helplessly.

Rong Lu looked up at the big head standing on the side, and said with a smile: "Calculate the days, Brother Zhixing will be able to return to Beijing in the spring of next year at the latest, and when the time comes, please ask him to help think of a way, it shouldn't be difficult to change errands." ”

The speaker has no intention, but the listener has the intention.

As soon as the dozing head heard "Zhixing", he couldn't help asking: "Master Rong, are you saying that my fourth brother is going to come back and continue to be an official?" ”

"Don't you know, your fourth brother didn't give you a letter?"

"How do I know, I can't read, why would the fourth brother write to me." The big head said stupidly.

"I guess he'll be back soon," Rong Lu smiled, and continued, "I don't believe we can bet that if he doesn't return to Beijing next spring, I'll invite you to have a drink at that time." If he comes back, you invite me. ”

As long as he mentions the big head of silver, he will become very shrewd, and grinned: "Master Rong, if my fourth brother really comes back, he will definitely invite you to eat and drink, why don't you need me to invite you!" ”

Rong Lu knew that he had a tendon in his head, and he also knew that his mother-in-law was in charge, and he didn't have much money, so he couldn't help laughing: "Okay, okay, don't want you to invite, let your fourth brother invite." ”

He talked and laughed and teased the big head.

Wang Qianli couldn't laugh, after all, if he couldn't apply for the river work, he had no money to repair the embankment, and it was not so easy to change the errand, so he got up and said goodbye after greeting for a while.

As soon as he walked out of Rong Lu's house, the big head asked eagerly: "Master Wang, I heard that Zhang Yiguo is also dead, do you know about this, is it true?" ”

"What do you mean to be dead too?" Wang Qianli turned around and asked.

"A lot of people have died in the past few months," the big head wrenched his fingers and calculated: "I heard that Master Ao said that Liu Cunhou and Liu are dead, He Heng and Master He are dead, and in the morning I heard that even Xiang Shuai is dead, and the deaths are all our fellow villagers in Ba County, and I don't know if there is anything wrong with the tiger and the little tiger!" ”

"Who is Tiger Tiger?"

"Hu Kunyuan and Hu Songlin, they are two grandfathers, so one is called Tiger and the other is called Xiaohu, Xiaohu is younger than me, I heard that they are both admirals."

In the past few months, it has been really bad news for them, the people of Ba County, Wang Qianli sighed secretly, stopped and said: "I haven't received any news from the tiger and the little tiger, I think there should be nothing wrong with their grandfather and son, but Zhang Yiguo is really martyred, and Lord Guo asked Liang Liu to take someone to help collect the corpse." ”

"Zhang Yiguo's life is so hard, why did he die!"

"He's not a copperhead and an iron arm, so why won't he die?"

Wang Qianli asked rhetorically, thought about it and said solemnly: "Before I came, I just received a letter from Dean Gu asking 'Rishengchang', in which Dean Gu said that there are sixty-three brothers left in the salt fishing camp. Master Guo had reminded Zhang Yiguo more than once before, asking him not to underestimate the enemy. But although he promised happily, he didn't take it seriously, he died when he died, and he involved so many brothers that he was so angry that Lord Guo wanted to whip the corpse. ”

"I know that it's not good to follow him, carefully calculate how many brothers he has killed in the past few years!" The big head gritted his teeth and cursed, and then asked, "Master Wang, is Lord Guo okay?" ”

"Lord Guo is fine, Taizhou will be fine, Dean Gu said that Changmao has retreated to Jiangning."

"It's okay if Lord Guo is fine, as long as Lord Guo is here, Taizhou will be fine, and Cuihua's father and mother will be fine."

Thinking of the other person mentioned by Dean Gu in the letter, Wang Qianli raised his head, stared at him and said, "Big head, Dean Gu also said that Du San, who went to Beijing with you to surrender back then, also died in battle. 'Rishengchang' Taizhou branch Yang shopkeeper sent someone to help collect the corpse, and temporarily buried it in Wangjiazhuang, six miles south of Taizhou City. ”

The big head couldn't believe that this was true, and he paused for a while before asking with a bitter face: "How could Du San, who is so greedy for life and afraid of death, die in battle?" Master Wang, did Dean Gu hear the mistake, did Shopkeeper Yang receive the wrong corpse? ”

"Dean Gu didn't hear it, and Shopkeeper Yang didn't confiscate the wrong body, Du San is really dead, but others are martyred for the imperial court, and he died in order to keep the money and letters that Liu Cunhou and other fellow villagers entrusted him to his hometown in Ba County."

Wang Qianli could understand the big head's feelings at this moment, and after thinking about it, he patted the big head's arm: "Although he is greedy for life and afraid of death, he is just as affectionate and righteous." There was not a penny of money, not a single letter was lost, and Shopkeeper Yang had sent the bill of exchange and the letter back to the two surviving Ba County children. It can be said that he is worthy of his fellow villagers and has not embarrassed the fourth master! ”

"If the money is gone, you can make it again, but if your life is gone, it's really gone, he always says that I am a melon baby, I think he is a melon baby, why is it like this......" The big head couldn't hold back anymore, and tears burst out of his eyes as he spoke,

"Don't cry, let's go to the guild hall."

The big head wiped away his tears and asked puzzledly, "What are you going to do in the hall?" ”

Wang Qianli said in a low voice: "Xiang Shuai is dead, Master Ji and Master Ao should have received the news, and they will definitely hold a mourning hall to mourn." Although you haven't met Xiang Shuai, and you don't have much friendship with Xiang Shuai, but you and Xiang Shuai are fellow villagers after all, and it's not good not to go. ”

Datou Tian is not afraid of the earth, he is not afraid of ghosts, the last thing he wants to see is the coffin, and the place he is most reluctant to go to is the mourning hall, and said without thinking: "I don't go, I always do funerals, and I have been there several times in the past two months." ”