"The wine is good, and the food is superb!" Xu Gengshen put down his wine glass and praised this sentence, with a smug smile on his face, "The world's delicacies, with our Hangzhou cuisine as the first, are you convinced?" ”

In the huge flower hall of the Yamen of the Domain, only this table of dishes was placed, Xu Gengshen and Guan Zhuofan, who did not want to be served, sat and drank. Guan Zhuofan saw him boasting, smiled slightly, and said: "Uncle Xing is from Hangzhou, so naturally he said so, but I am afraid that Zeng Governor Shuai will say that Hunan cuisine is unparalleled delicious, and Li Shaoquan is going to take the strong and heavy oil Hui cuisine as the first in the world." ”

"Hehe, it depends on who will rectify it." Xu Gengshen smiled, "Our girl Hu, when are you going to do the good deeds?" ”

Xu Gengshen, who is also from Hangzhou, was very proud of the story of Hu Qingqing's "lifting himself into the government" with his scholarly spirit, and he was quite proud of his words.

"I'm planning to choose a date, and when the time comes, I'm going to ask Uncle Xing to save face." Guan Zhuofan said in his heart that the "good deeds" have already been done, but at this level, he can't let him know, "I haven't seen him for two years, and Uncle Xing still doesn't get rid of his bold nature." ”

Do the math, it has been nearly two years since he led his troops out of Beijing in October of the 11th year of Xianfeng to June of the second year of Tongzhi now.

"We are not like that in Beijing, but Yixuan, you are very different." Xu Gengshen said with emotion, "Although I only manage most of Jiangsu, it is a place where the world is rich, and it is enough to show off my strength." ”

Guan Zhuofan's governor of Jiangsu is different from other provinces, and the situation is very peculiar, Xu Gengshen said that he is in charge of most of Jiangsu, which is not wrong.

The peculiar place lies in Jiangsu Province. There are two political envoys. That is, two feudal divisions. One is called the Jiangsu Domain. It is Guan Zhuofan's original position, which has jurisdiction over Songjiang, Suzhou, Taicang, Changzhou, and Zhenjiang, a total of five prefectures. The other is called Jiangning Domain, which is in charge of Jiangning, Huai'an, Yangzhou, Xuzhou, Haizhou and other places. If it is roughly said, it can be counted as one in charge of southern Jiangsu and the other in charge of northern Jiangsu.

The post of governor was not a fixed position before, as can be seen from the word "patrol". Later. The governor gradually became a fixed position, above the feudal division, and became the boss of a province, but the employment administration still had to be carried out through the feudal division, which is also the meaning of the so-called "administration", so the place under the jurisdiction of the feudal division is also the place under the jurisdiction of the governor.

The Jiangsu Domain, under the jurisdiction of the Jiangsu Governor, but the Jiangning Domain. However, it is directly under the jurisdiction of the governor of Liangjiang stationed in Jiangning. Therefore, now there are two "Hou Ye" in Jiangsu Province, Zeng Guofan and Guan Zhuofan. It is equivalent to one person in charge of half of Jiangsu.

But the really good place is in the hands of Guan Zhuofan, Susong Taichang Town, plus a Shanghai! Guan Zhuofan thought contentedly, but he had to borrow Xu Geng's auspicious words to do something.

"Uncle Xing, borrow your auspicious words. But the younger brother is still young, and he doesn't understand many things, so you need to guide me. ”

The two people formed a friendship in Rehe, which is really a "friendship under the test of life and death", which is naturally very different. Ding Ruchang joined the Xuan Army, it was because of Xu Gengshen's recommendation, and after Guan Zhuofan left Beijing, the two also had contact from time to time, and later Yang Fang was promoted to Shanghai Dao, and Beijing was handed over to Xu Gengshen to plan, so between the two, there is really no need for additional politeness.

"Yixuan, our group of people from Zhang Jing, a military aircraft, naturally won't meet you. Zhuo Weng is a big military machine, needless to say, Zhu Xueqin released the Criminal Department, Fang Dingrui transferred to the Metropolitan Procuratorate as a deputy constitution, if there is any news in Beijing, I can talk to you more or less. Xu Geng sandwiched a piece of meat, chewed it slowly in his mouth, and muttered, "But speaking of you, the experience is really strange...... Yixuan, if I'm not mistaken, you just turned twenty-four this year, right? ”

Guan Zhuofan was suffocated, and quickly calculated in his heart - speaking of which, "himself" is his birthday in May, and he is really twenty-four! He couldn't help admiring Xu Geng's good memory, and said with a smile: "Yes, a lot of time has been wasted." ”

"If you are still called waste, then how should we people of our age deal with themselves?" Xu Gengshen shook his head and said, "When you were in Beijing, you started as a foreign commissioner of the ninth rank and rose all the way to the left wing general of the second rank. As for the outward release, he started from the magistrate of Qipin, and now he has been promoted to governor. Although you are a banner man, but at both ends of the military and government, you actually start training from the bottom to the high position, and when it comes to age, you are only twenty-four years old......"

Speaking of this, he couldn't help but smile and shake his head again, took a big sip of the wine glass, washed down the meat in his mouth, and took a long breath.

"Hehe, twenty-four-year-old Hou Ye! Yixuan, you probably don't read history, you don't know such grace, since Gaozong, there is only Fu Yaolin, which can be compared. ”

I don't read history? Guan Zhuofan instinctively paused for a moment, then smiled secretly in his heart, and said, "Yes, I don't know which one Uncle Xing said about Fu Yaolin?" ”

"Fukangan!" Xu Gengshen said with a smile, "Like you, they are all considered to be guards, they were named barons at the age of twenty-one, first-class marquis at the age of twenty-nine, and first-class dukes at the age of thirty-two. With such a precedent, how can Yixuan care? ”

It turned out to be comparing himself with the Fukangan of the Qianlong Dynasty, Guan Zhuofan smiled and said: "Grandpa Fu's reputation, where can I afford it!" ”

"Although Fukangan is also an outstanding figure among the banner people, in the end, he also relies on the grace of his father Fu Heng, if you compare, it is even more difficult for you. Yixuan, do you know that Fukangan's title is also the word Jiayong, which is exactly the same as you. ”

Guan Zhuofan's heart moved, thought about it, and whispered: "Uncle Xing, xiexie, you inspire me, but I heard that the grace of Fukangan's life is a real outlier, and others are not easy to compare......"

What Guan Zhuofan is referring to is a saying that has been circulated privately in the capital. This saying is widely circulated, saying that Fukangan is Qianlong's outing, that is, an illegitimate child, so the grace and the long are all for a reason.

"Hey, you're talking about this." Xu Gengshen didn't take it seriously, shook his head and smiled, "It's all wild history anecdotes, nonsense, and it can't stand scrutiny." His credit is all earned by his ability, with a knife and a gun. ”

Guan Zhuofan said in his heart, but most of my credit was earned by opportunism and fishing in troubled waters. But at this level, naturally you can't say it, smile and ask about other things.

"Uncle Xing, it's been almost two years since I left the capital, I don't know what it's like to be in the capital now?"

This sentence is naturally not asked by the market, but by officialdom.

"Naturally, the prince is still in charge, but the authority of the two palaces is also getting heavier, especially the one in the west, who can be regarded as having experienced, and when he speaks, he is becoming more and more weighty. The prince is still the same careless temper, and he has reminded him a few times, but he probably didn't take it to heart——"

According to Xu Gengshen's statement, now that the two palaces are hanging the curtains, Prince Gong's system of ruling is still full of harmony, but after a long time, with the scheming of the Empress Dowager Cixi and the temperament of King Gong, it is not impossible to give birth to something unruly. Fortunately, there is also a Empress Dowager Ci'an, who is a mellow person who can be taken care of from it.

"There are only two major events in Beijing now, and everyone is talking about them very hotly. The first is the aftermath after the Great Rebellion in Kanping, this matter, both the government and the opposition, have a lot of complaints about the Hunan army, especially the old nine of the Zeng family, they all said that he robbed Jiangning to the sea and the river, and Bao Pei was in charge of the household department, and complained to the prince several times about this matter - if the treasury is full, it will be enough, but it is so poor that it clangs, Zeng Guoquan still came to such a show, doesn't it matter whether the country lives or dies? So I was angry, and I heard that there were several imperial historians, all of whom were planning to move their books to join him, and the trend was gradually becoming a trend, and the prince might not be able to suppress it. Yixuan, you came back from Jiangning, and the situation over there is the clearest, in your opinion, is there such a thing? ”

When it comes to people's ethics, Guan Zhuofan is careful, let alone Zeng Guoquan? Although Xu Geng was asking, not an outsider, he still used a tactful statement: "Uncle Xing, why ask?" What if there is, and what if there is not? If not, then there is nothing at all, if there is, can the imperial court still issue an order to order the Jizi camp to hand over all the money? After all, it has just won a big battle, even if there are flaws, it is also impossible to hide the merits. ”

Xu Gengshen nodded slowly and said with a smile: "Yixuan, I haven't seen you for two years, you have become more and more experienced, and you are stronger than that Zeng Jiushuai." I don't think he's going to have a good time, Zeng Disheng really has to think of a way for his brother. ”

"Uncle Xing, this time in Jiangning, I have met Governor Zeng twice. He is a person with a huge economy, and he has been running the Hunan Army for so many years, and there have been many difficult times, but he still relies on himself to get through? I don't think Pei Weng has to worry about money, and Jiang Ning's aftermath will never reach out to the imperial court. As for Zeng Jiushuai, I guess there is no need for instructions from the imperial court, and he will be dealt with as an elder brother. ”

This is a personal feeling from the forefront, Xu Gengshen silently tasted it for a while, nodded and said: "Okay, good, you have seen what you said deeply, no wonder the two palaces and the prince want to call you back to Beijing." ”

"Summoning me back to Beijing?" Guan Zhuofan was taken aback.

"I'm here this time, the prince has explained it privately, and when you settle down the affairs in the province, I asked you to write an excerpt, and invite yourself back to Beijing to see Your Majesty, and you will have to inquire about it." Xu Geng lowered his voice and said.

It turned out that it was just His Majesty's view, not an internal tone, Guan Zhuofan put his mind down, thought about it, and asked, "Uncle Xing, why do you want me to invite myself?" ”

"With so many meritorious people, who will not be called?" Xu Geng said with a smile, "You are a member of the banner, and you are the imperial guard, you invite your majesty to see you, and no one else can say anything." ”

That's a good word, but ...... Guan Zhuofan hesitated for a while, but still asked a sentence.

"Tell me to go back to Beijing, I don't know what the prince means, or the queen mother?"

*(To be continued......)