The gentry who donated the military expenses of the foreign gun team and planned to be rewarded by the Ministry of Rites were named Wu Xu to make a list, and Wu Xu was handed over to Yang Fang to handle it, after all, the case of the foreign gun team was handled by Yang Fang. Yang Fang opened the list, put it in his arms, sat in his official sedan chair, and came to find Guan Zhuofan.

After Guan Zhuofan locked He Guiqing, the perception of him in Shanghai officialdom changed dramatically. It turned out that he also knew that he was different from the seven-grade county, but most of them were impressed by his humility and courtesy, so the things on the scene were still according to the rules. It's different now, I've seen the true color of the imperial guard, and no one knows what else is in his big suitcase, don't accidentally offend him, but one day he turns out a secret decree, it's not a joke.

Since there is more consideration in this layer, and there is anything to discuss with him, I don't dare to send someone to invite him over, but would rather take a few more steps by myself and go to his county office to do it, which can be regarded as asking for peace of mind. Such an atmosphere, even Yang Fang, who is very close to Guan Zhuofan, is not exempt from vulgarity.

As soon as Yang Fang arrived, the clerk's office from the outside class reported that he had entered, and Guan Zhuofan hurriedly greeted him. If there are too many people to spread this kind of thing, it is actually not good to listen to -- it seems that he is so domineering. After persuading him several times, it didn't work, and he himself had a headache. However, there is also an advantage, that is, it saves the time of running around and can focus on military affairs.

"Qi Weng, how dare you do this!" Guan Zhuofan welcomed Yang Fang into the inner room and said as if complaining, "What's the matter, send someone to order, I'll just go over." ”

"Nothing, Yixuan, you're busy with military affairs." Yang Fang smiled and took out the list, "This is the list I prepared for Wu Daotai, I will report it to the Ministry of Rites when I go back, you can see if there is anyone missing." ”

The fundraising is handled by him, and there is no shortage of people, why did he come here to ask? Guan Zhuofan understood that Yang Fang meant to ask himself, if there was anyone to take care of, and if he listed his name, he could also get a reward.

"Qi Weng, I am very affectionate." Guan Zhuofan arched his hand and didn't take the list, "It's all up to Qi Weng to decide, naturally it won't be wrong." ”

"Okay, okay, you might as well take a look." Yang Fang's smile seemed a little ambiguous.

Guan Zhuofan took the list and saw that there were two pieces of paper, listing thirty or forty names, and behind each name was the amount of donations and the resume of one sentence, and the one at the top of the list was so surprised that he actually recognized it.

Hu Guangyong, 20,000 taels, Zhejiang alternate road.

"The official of Zhejiang has donated so much money for Jiangsu," Guan Zhuofan said to himself, "This Brother Xueyan is really warm-hearted." ”

"Yixuan, do you recognize him?" Yang Fang asked in surprise.

"Oh, in fact, I don't know each other," Guan Zhuofan realized that he didn't seem to be so familiar with this "red-top businessman" who became popular in later generations, smiled disguisedly, and said, "I've just heard of his fame." ”

"No wonder," Yang Fang nodded, "although his foundation is in Hangzhou, he often comes to Shanghai. ”

"Is it doing business with foreigners?" Guan Zhuofan tried his best to look like he was asking casually.

"Yes, his business is very extensive, and between him and foreigners, he does everything with silk tea and arms, and his Fukang Qianzhuang also has a semicolon in Shanghai."

"Oh, I heard that this person is rich and famous, and now it seems that it is true, a donation is 20,000 silver, and his hands are really generous."

"Hehe, 'There is Wang Xigon in the north and Hu Xueyan in the south'," Yang Fang said with a smile, "Yixuan, I won't tell you, I am friends with him, and I have business dealings." He asked me to bring a message, I want to see when you have a poop, and invite you to a meal. ”

"I said, Qi Weng, why must I show this list!" Guan Zhuofan made a joke, thought about it for a while, and changed his tone to solemn: "Qi Weng, there is a sentence, I don't know whether to ask or not." ”

Of course, this is a kind word, Yang Fang can't say "shouldn't ask"? But this sentence also has a meaning, which means that the following question must be a very important sentence. Yang Fang nodded and said, "Yixuan, just ask." ”

"It stands to reason that he donated so much money for the foreign guns, I should be xiexie him, even if he eats, I should invite him." Guan Zhuofan groaned and said, "But I have heard a saying that his development is all due to the support of the martyred governor of Zhejiang, Wang Youling, and Wang Youling's benefactor is He Guiqing. If he has something to ask for, please let me know, and I'll be prepared. ”

"Not really." Yang Fang shook his head, "He is Wang Youling's mastermind, and Wang Youling is He Guiqing's mastermind, this is true." But Xue Yan has always had a lot of complaints about He Guiqing, and he will never have anything to do with it, and he is very good at doing things, and when he meets you for the first time, he will never have any abrupt requests. In my opinion, now that Hangzhou has fallen, Xueyan is a guest living in Shanghai, and it is normal for people to want to get acquainted with you, the parent official. ”

"In that case, I will invite him to set the date, and I will listen to Qi Weng's greeting." Guan Zhuofan said, handing the list to Yang Fang.

"Yixuan, I asked you to look at this list, not for him." Yang Fang said for a long time, "You haven't finished reading it yet." ”

"Yes, yes." Guan Zhuofan was a little embarrassed. It is somewhat rude for others to donate money and not read the list completely. So I picked up the second page, read it carefully, and was stunned when I saw a separate name from zuihou.

Hu Qingqing, two thousand five hundred taels.

He looked up blankly, looking at Yang Fang's smiling face, and couldn't tell what it was like in his heart for a while.

*

*

Hu Xueyan's banquet was scheduled for two days later. His home in Shanghai is located on George Street in the concession, and it is the famous Mrs. Luo Si who presides over this home for him. And because Mrs. Luosi's maiden family lives outside the Luosi Gate, everyone calls her Mrs. Luosi.

The official sedan chair went out of the city from the north gate next to the Zhenwutai, and Guan Zhuofan thought to himself, this is the first time he has set foot on the territory of the concession for more than a month. Looking out from the sedan chair, there are already two shijie in the county, the road is wide, the houses are neat, and the environment is clean and abnormal, even the people walking on the side of the road, regardless of Huayang, are also orderly, compared with the crowded crowd in the old city, there is indeed a world of difference.

There was a sudden faint pain in his heart, and he couldn't tell where the pain was. In short, although Liang Yuan is good, it is not a place of long-term love, although this place is still considered the ground of Shanghai County, but he, the magistrate of Shanghai, is unable to govern it, which makes him feel very uncomfortable, and he can't turn around and go back to the city.

Someday, he thought to himself.

This kind of discomfort did not slowly disappear until he entered Hu Xueyan's mansion.

Hu Xueyan was at the door, and when Guan Zhuofan got off the sedan chair, the two hugged each other's fists, which was considered to be a courtesy.

"Yixuan, I have always admired your name for a long time, and this time I came, my home is really full of brilliance."

Hu Xueyan is very elegant and spiritual, and the official dialect he speaks has a Hangzhou accent and a eloquent tone, which makes people listen to it very comfortably and kindly.

"Brother Xueyan, I'm arrogant." Guan Zhuofan said with a smile. Although Hu Xueyan is a businessman, he donated the alternate Dao and is the identity of the fourth rank official. "But if the house is still 'Pengzi', then there will be no mansions in the world."

The two of them smiled and walked inside side by side. Hu Xueyan's mansion is luxurious, not inferior to Houmen, and it is very eye-catching in the buildings on George Street, compared to the western-style houses in the city of Yangfang, which is quite inferior.

When I stepped into the living room, I saw a woman who looked like a young woman, standing in the hall with a smile. Guan Zhuofan was taken aback when he saw that there was a dependent, and hurriedly said: "Ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He hesitated and stopped.

"It's okay, this is Neiko, she does things according to the rules of the foreign school."

Guan Zhuofan thought to himself, this must be the "Mrs. Snail". There is a Yang Fang in front, and there is a Hu Xueyan in the back, and the style is really westernized, it seems that since the opening of Shanghai, the west wind is gradually moving eastward, and the imperceptible Liliang is really not small.

"Hello Master Guan." Mrs. Snail smiled and bowed.

"Mrs. Luo is good." Guan Zhuofan knows that Hu Xueyan's wife is very capable, she can pick it up inside and out, and she is Hu Xueyan's most haode helper.

Hu Xueyan's Yuan is Cheng Shi, who is in Hangzhou, called "Mrs. Hu"; And this Mrs. Luoshi is in Shanghai, which is considered "two-ended", but she can't be called Mrs. Hu, but "Mrs. Luo". There are many people who meet for the first time, but Guan Zhuofan's title is accurate, which makes Hu Xueyan on the side quite surprised.

Mrs. Luoshi saw the guest, so she exercised her duties as a housewife, asked people to bring fruit snacks, served cigarettes and tea, smiled and said that she would use it slowly, and then went out to get busy. Guan Zhuofan sat on the sofa and said with a smile: "Brother Xueyan, Mrs. Sister-in-law does things in a foreign style, tonight, are we going to eat vegetables?" ”

"Hey, the dish is a small way, how can you bring a hospitality?" Hu Xueyan shook his head and said a little mysteriously, "Yixuan, today I will invite you to eat the most haode Hangzhou cuisine." ”

"Oh?" Guan Zhuofan's heart moved.

"For you, I specially invited a famous Hangzhou chef in Shanghai to let you taste her craftsmanship." Hu Xueyan said with a slight smugness, "The delicate meat is expensive and the chef is beautiful." ”

*

(Xiexie Nian, Line Test, Perception, YCBH, Nothing Else, Rainbow, Gramophone's tip.) ）