In the summer of July, the scorching heat is like a fire, and in the alleys of Jingshi, the people who enjoy the cool are sitting on the chairs with their backs, holding a fan in their hands, and nibbling on watermelon slices in their mouths, like fairies. Li Guolou has been running back and forth in Beijing and Tianjin these days, 'manipulating' the affairs of the "Xinwutang". Weng Tonggong's mansion no longer needs to be groomed, Li Guolou said hello to the 'door' room, and entered Weng Tonggong's study. Weng Tongrong likes to let his subordinates do things, while Li Guolou likes to do everything himself, take all the trivial things on his body, and ride a horse back and forth to 'wave'.

Weng Tongyi was snubbed by Emperor Tongzhi because of a holy decree on the repair of the Old Summer Palace, and it is difficult to say that he knew the deeper meaning of this "holy decree in the name of filial piety of his son". Now that this matter has passed, Emperor Tongzhi did not investigate the responsibility of Emperor Weng Tonggong, but only let him think about it for two months behind closed doors.

Li Guolou reported to Weng Tonggong as usual on the progress of the work of the "Xinwutang", and he was sorry for Li Hongzhang's teaching disciples who 'intervened' into the Xinwutang. Who called Xinwutang was located in Tianjin, which was the jurisdiction of the governor of Zhili.

Li Guolou is the 'protégé' of the Son of Heaven who wanders among the various factions in the court, and belongs to the first batch of powerful officials after the Tongzhi Emperor was in power. There is a big card of "please come to the bank" in his hand, and even the emperor and the queen mother of the two palaces want to see how much wealth can be brought to the country by making a private bank bigger? So during this time, Li Guolou often went in and out of the Forbidden City, and went to the Old Summer Palace to ask the two queen mothers to say goodbye. In addition to Li Hongzhang, a scholar of Wuyingdian University, above the court, Li Guolou is 'mixed'.

Weng Tongyi originally had a lot of complaints about Li Guolou, thinking that Li Guolou and Li Hongzhang colluded to covet his position as the principal of Xinwutang, or wanted to elevate him. But after having a deep conversation with Li Guolou, Weng Tongrong knew that Li Guolou had a lot of dissatisfaction with Li Hongzhang. Li Hongzhang tampered with the essence of the Xinwutang and turned the Xinwutang into a small part of the military system, and the original military idea had long since come to naught.

Weng Tongxiao's 'spirit' is good, he is thick-skinned, and after a while, standing in the court and admitting his mistake to Emperor Tongzhi in person, Li Hongzao will also say a few good words for him, and he is convinced that the lost power will still come back. looked at Li Guolou, who was munching on watermelon, and said with a smile: "Guolou, don't worry." As the saying goes, the arm can't twist the big 'leg', Li Hongzhang's power is unmatched, and we can't touch the stone. You take the errand first, and you can't let Li Hongzhang sniff out your dissatisfaction with him. Xinwutang is the emperor's painstaking effort, and Li Hongzhang must not be allowed to do whatever he wants. Now that Li Hongzhang's plan has been passed, we can only retreat to the second, first train the troops to reorganize the army, and then concentrate on the 'fine' efforts to develop our own royal guards. ”

Li Guolou picked up the 'hairy' towel in the washbasin, washed his face, wiped it clean, and sighed: "Principal Weng, the disciple is aggrieved, the new martial arts hall is obviously the new military chemistry hall that we came up with, but it was directly used by Li Hongzhang and tampered with beyond recognition. Now everything has become his, and now he is still modest, acting like a chaste 'girl', 'getting' a primary school military academy and two middle school military academies, and cultivating military reservists in the Zhili and Liangjiang regions. In the future, you must stretch out your hand to cross the line, and the so-called "disciple" of the Son of Heaven will eventually become Li Hongzhang's. What are we? It can only be used to watch the Gyeonggi Grand Gate······ Principal Weng, do you think so? ”

Weng Tongrong stroked a big beard, looked at Li Guolou, and said with a smile: "Guolou, don't be in a hurry to be like this, first cultivate talents for the country, and the governor of Zhili is not a lifelong system, in the future!" When Li Hongzhang takes up his post at the local level, we will find a way, and what we have lost will be ours sooner or later. Li Hongzhang can upgrade our new martial arts hall, and we will upgrade it again in the future, who can say that it is not. The Weihaiwei Naval Training Base will also be controlled in the future, and the preparation of the Beiyang Naval Division must not let Li Hongzhang have the final say, and I will make a proposal to the emperor. Hey······"

Li Guolou looked at Weng Tongyi's sad face and said: "Principal Weng, don't worry about yourself, you are completely different from Xu Tong, that person belongs to the ancient world, holding a copy of the < Tao Te Ching, reciting it like a stream, thinking that it can level the world, which is worse than Zhao Kuo." The emperor has forgiven you a long time ago, and he talked about you in the morning, called him a teacher, and said that he wanted to talk to you once. ”

Weng Tongyi wiped his tears and choked up: "It's me who is not good, I don't recognize people, and I got on Xu Tong's thief ship." But I'm really for the emperor, otherwise why would I hand over the folds of Xinwutang, would I be guilty of turning my face with Xu Tong? ”

Li Guolou comforted Weng Tonggong, he came directly to Weng Tonggong's mansion after going to the early dynasty, in fact, Emperor Tongzhi asked him to visit the emperor Weng Tonggong. If Weng Tongrong has anything inconvenient to say on the excerpt, let Li Guolou pass on the word. Li Guolou ran 'waves' in Beijing and Tianjin, tired of running for his life, and in order to make money, he did several people's errands by himself.

After having lunch at Weng Tongyi's house, Li Guolou left and returned to the mansion on Jiadao Street with a heavy heart, and now he bought the mansion of Miao Luobin next door, and the family moved here. In addition to Chen Xiangfang and Xie Xiuzhu at home, even the 'daughter' Li Lingling also went to Tianjin to play. The affairs of the house are all in charge of Xie Xiuzhu, Chen Xiangfang is recuperating at home, because Chen Xiangfang's illness needs to be recuperated, so the inner house is empty, only the cicadas chirp, disturbing people's purity.

In the corridor, Chen Xiangfang sat on a rattan chair, and there was an old mother fanning behind her, and the cool breeze made people feel comfortable. On the white 'jade' table next to it, it is full of fresh fruits, which makes people salivate and 'desire'.

When Li Guolou went home, he took off his official robe and changed into a short-sleeved undershirt with no difference from the people on the street. Although he was in a bad mood, when he came to Chen Xiangfang, he immediately stretched his eyebrows and greeted him with a smile: "Big 'milk' and 'milk', you really enjoy it, are you better today?" While speaking, Li Guolou picked up a piece of cantaloupe on the table and nibbled on it, and sat on the stone bench next to him without any scruples.

"That's it! It's not good to see you. Still going out in the afternoon? Chen Xiangfang looked at Li Guolou, and a smile of relief appeared on her face.

"Well, I will accompany you today, and I will go to the 'door' of the Prime Minister's Office tomorrow, the errand will never be completed, and I don't want to die early." Li Guolou looked at Chen Xiangfang lovingly, the two sides were in love, he was very glad to marry a generous wife, there was no fire in the backyard, and the family lived in harmony. But Chen Xiangfang's illness made him worry that people would faint, and the doctor said that it was a cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, so he could only recuperate more and not work for housework. In the future, Chen Xiangfang can only raise 'flowers' and 'make' grass at home, and can't do housework.

"Hey, fortunately, with Xiaolou, I don't have to worry about the firewood, rice, oil and salt at home. I woke up this time, if I can't wake up next time, what will the 'girl' do? "Chen Xiangfang intentionally or unintentionally mentioned the 'daughter', she did not give birth to Li Guolou, worried about her future status.

Li Guolou hurriedly comforted: "Big 'milk' and 'milk', don't worry about yourself, you are in good health." If you don't raise children in the future, I love you too, and Lingling will have the inheritance rights that her son will have in the future, and she will not be wronged by Lingling. ”

"Hmm!" Chen Xiangfang wanted this sentence, and the doctor said that she had better not give birth to children, for fear that her life would be in danger.

"When you are well, let you meet the Queen Mother of the Two Palaces, they are all kind people, the next time the Queen Mother celebrates her birthday, the princess and minister's 'daughter' will go to pay their respects, you and the seven 'milk' and 'milk' go to eat a bowl of longevity noodles together, and ask for some golden beans to come back." Li Guolou has already begun to prepare for the birthday gift of the Empress Dowager Ci'an, and it is also 'very' annoying. This is also a test for the princes and nobles, who have to purchase different gifts every year to fulfill their filial piety.

Chen Xiangfang shook her hand with a smile and said: "Forget it, Xiaolou, let's let the second 'milk' and 'milk' accompany the seven 'milk' and 'milk', I'm a man who can't learn like this, and when the time comes, it's over, it's not hurting you." ”

Li Guolou smiled, took Chen Xiangfang's hand, and in the warm afternoon, they got rid of the worries brought by trivial matters and enjoyed the courtyard scenery brought to them by nature. Li Guolou is rarely lazy, and he doesn't think about the court's deception.

The night will be dark, the summer dusk is quite long, Xie Xiuzhu did not return home until more than six o'clock, and when she came home, she was hungry. Li Guolou hurriedly stopped exercising boxing, took a well bath and went in to eat. There were no servants in his house, except for the ten official slaves stuffed by the Ministry of Rites, the ten official slaves were all put in the outer house to do things, and the inner house still had a few old faces.

The main building is a Western-style bungalow, with wide and bright windows, and some cool breeze blows into the dining room through the open windows. Li Guolou, Chen Xiangfang, and Xie Xiuzhu, the three of them gossiped, tried not to mention business, and enjoyed a hearty dinner.

Drinking tea and coffee after meals is the preference of Li Guolou's family, Li Guolou made a pot of Tieguanyin, ready to write excerpts at night.

Xie Xiuzhu has changed her habits, drank Blue Mountain coffee, and asked with a smile: "Xiaolou, do you still use Manchu to write excerpts now?" ”

Li Guolou said: "Yes, as long as the article is not very long, try to write the Manchu text as much as possible." Although the emperor is in power, the military power is still in the hands of the queen mother of the two palaces. ”

"How so?" Xie Xiuzhu, as Li Guolou's gunman, also knows a little about things in the court.

"The emperor has just been in power, everything can't be moved, none of the military aircraft department has moved, Wen Xiang is holding on to power, who dares to say a word. Prince Gong ······ Hey······" Li Guolou can't go on, people will live on the merit book. Prince Gong Yixun has also begun to scatter, one is to reassure the emperor and give up the power in his hands, and the other is also to avoid disaster, the imperial power is not allowed to be coveted. Prince Gong was too close to the emperor's throne and began to learn from the "self-defilement" of the ancients. What can he say good? Mingzhe's behavior of protecting himself made the Westernists suddenly have no backbone.

"Did the errand go well?" Xie Xiuzhu is most worried that Li Guolou is under too much pressure, and he has to earn 10 million taels of silver in a year in order to settle all aspects of the relationship, and the terrifying figures make the various factions in the court temporarily die down, and they all want to get a piece of the pie.

Li Guolou smiled and said: "Second 'milk' and 'milk', such a big stall, who dares to check carefully." As long as we don't be extravagant and erosive, go to live the life of the Queen Mother of the Two Palaces, maintain a life of abundant food and clothing, and support ourselves, we can be happy next year. I now earn 100,000 taels of silver with a reverse, and I don't even have the urge to laugh. ”

"And what do you see me?" Full of warm thoughts of 'lewdness' and 'desire', Xie Xiuzhu looked at Li Guolou with 'spring' and 'color' on her face.

"Hmm!" Li Guolou replied in the affirmative, kissed Xie Xiuzhu's bitter little mouth with coffee viciously, and said with a smile: "Second 'milk' and 'milk', grind it for me, let me write the fold well." The emperor can't fool around! Hey, hey, hey! ”

Xie Xiuzhu twisted her waist and said with a smile: "Xiaolou likes to fool people, did you go to the Xianggong court with those Manchurian nobles?" ”

Li Guolou had 'chicken' bumps all over his body, and said hurriedly: "Have you seen me go out at night?" The so-called friend's dinner, at noon, I go whenever I have time. At night, I don't even go to Prince Gong's treat. It's so dirty, I can't even talk about it, and there are blond foreigners and even eunuchs, it's so nasty, and they show it to you on the spot. I ······" Li Guolou's face was blushing with shame, he was tall and burly, and he was often disturbed by 'sassy', the children of the Manchu nobles and even the prince had this kind of habit, and the people in power in a country often organized this kind of amusement activities. And he was also invited, fortunately, he was a fast catcher, and it was clear where and what activities Jingshi was doing, so he didn't get on this thief ship.

"Humph! You're no better, you're already nine. Chen Xiangfang suddenly refreshed, got up and hugged Li Guolou, not like a patient, his health was almost better, and he wanted to share the 'bed' with Li Guolou.

"My wife is still old!" Li Guolou was smug, hugged left and right, and walked to the study next to him. The combination of work and entertainment, with nine 'milk' and 'milk' helping him in his career, has become formal, so that he is still full of 'fine' strength and full of fighting spirit.