Xu Shu said to Guo Bin: "Yang Lao fell at home and his physical condition is worrying. The Son of Heaven went to Yang's Mansion every day to inquire about the condition, and extended the consultation of the imperial doctor, and then issued an order, except for the commonplace. ”

Hearing the news of Yang Ci, Guo Bin's whole person was blinded.

This highly respected, famous and famous old man of the country, loyal and modest, virtuous and proficient in Confucianism, although he was once conquered by the general Liang Ji, but he was not proud of it, but rather a little unwilling to be in the same ranks. He was appointed as Chen Cangling, but he did not go to his post because of illness. The characteristics of the imperial court bus are not enough, and they have repeatedly shirked the courtesy of the third duke. Later, he was promoted to the rank of Sikong and moved to the rank of lieutenant of the middle and Yue cavalry.

In the tenth year of Yanxi, that is, in December 167 AD, Emperor Huan of Han died. After Emperor Huan had no queen, Empress Dou Miao consulted with her father, the general Dou Wu, and finally selected the young Liu Hong to succeed him. In the first month of the following year, Liu Hong, who was only eleven years old, succeeded to the throne, because the Son of Heaven should learn Confucianism at a young age, so he issued an edict to the Taifu Hu Guang and the Three Princes, asking them to choose people who were proficient in "Ouyang Shangshu" and "Huan Jun's Big and Small Taichang Chapters and Sentences". Later, he moved to Shaofu and Guangluxun.

Since this time, Yang Ci has won the trust and respect of Liu Hong, the son of heaven, so in February of the second year of Xiping (173 AD), he was appointed as one of the three princes. Although he was dismissed from his post in July of that year, he was still a Guanglu doctor with a rank of 2,000 stones, and the Son of Heaven raised his official rank to 2,000 stones in order to show his special courtesy to Yang Ci.

To understand this history, compare the records of this year.

"Spring, New Year's Month, Great Plague."

"Ding Chou, Sikong Sect."

"February, Ren Wu, forgive the world."

"Take Guanglu Xun Yang Ci as the commonplace."

"In June, the North Sea earthquake."

"Autumn, July, Sikong Yang is exempt; Taichang Yingchuan Tang Zhen is commonplace. ”

From these records, Yang Ci's ins and outs in Sikong for only seven months can be seen clearly. In the spring of that year, in the first month, there was a great epidemic in the world, and then the Zongju who was the Sikong at that time died. In February, the Son of Heaven granted amnesty to the world, and by the way, announced that Yang Ci, who was then Guangluxun, would take over the position of Sikong.

In June of that year, there was an earthquake in Beihai, and in July, Sikong Yang Ci was dismissed from his post and replaced by Tang Zhen, a native of Yingchuan who was too regular at the time.

Generally speaking, most of the high-ranking officials who are dismissed because of a vision of heaven are to be idle. Because if it is said according to the induction of heaven and man, the reason why the celestial phenomena are different is because the Son of Heaven is immoral, so they bear the wrath of heaven and the interrogation of the people of the world for the Son of Heaven. If the Son of Heaven has removed them from their high positions and promoted them to official positions, how can they be accountable to the heavens and the subjects of the world?

And Yang Ci, the real emperor, although he was demoted, was still in the center of the imperial court, and the Son of Heaven even promoted his official rank in order to comfort him. This kind of extremely unreasonable thing reflects the Son of Heaven's different view of Yang Ci. This kind of look at each other may not only be because of the so-called "a teacher for one day, a father for life", but also because Yang Ci's virtue is high and famous all over the world, or because of the huge influence formed by Hongnong Yang's deep-rooted and intertwined interpersonal relationships in the court.

As soon as Liu Hongchu, the son of heaven, ascended the throne, he caught up with the "September Xinhai Coup", and the eunuchs led by Wang Fu and Cao Jie formed an alliance to exterminate Dou Wu, Chen Fan and others, and the clansmen who were not executed were exiled to Jiaozhou, and the Empress Dowager Dou was moved to live in Nangong Yuntai.

In this turbulent era, for a young man who is only eleven years old, how to protect himself is the most important thing. And the people close to him, except for a eunuch, the only ones who can contact the foreign dynasty are his masters.

Among the three Huaguang Hall attendants, Liu Kuan is the grandson of the clan, the fifteenth grandson of Liu Bang, the ancestor of the Han Dynasty, and the son of Situ Liu Qi. He is forgiven, and Hai Nei calls him an elder, but after all, his identity is limited, his personality is too weak, and he does not hold real power, so he can't help much. And the other Zhang Ji, who is not a powerful and powerful family, is able to serve as a waiter in Huaguang Palace, and teach Confucian classics to Liu Hong, the son of heaven, or Yang Ci's recommendation, so he can't make a big effort.

And Yang Ci is different, he was born in Hongnong Yang, his ancestor Yang Zhen, his father Yang Bing, all officials to the captain, protégés and officials all over the world, can be described as a tree with deep roots. Yang Ci himself refused to be conquered by the imperial court several times, and he has been "cultivating power" for many years, and he is famous in the sea in terms of talent and moral level. It can be said that if you can get the support of Yang Ci, you will have the support of the Central Plains scholars, and then Liu Hong's position as the Son of Heaven will be able to sit firmly. And this teacher-student relationship has made the two become grasshoppers on a rope since Yang Ci served as a waiter.

Therefore, there is a profound reason why Yang Ci can be so valued by the Son of Heaven. And now that Yang Ci is seriously ill, the Son of Heaven has promoted him to Sikong to show his favor, which shows that his illness is indeed not light. If Yang Ci finally dies, there will be another turbulent wave in the court.

At this time, Guo Bin's mood was extremely contradictory, he was glad that he was far away in Yingchuan, avoided the storm in Beijing, and was able to protect himself; He was also worried about Yang Ci's serious illness. In Beijing, he had not been in contact with Yang Ci for a long time, and for this gentleman who was straightforward and upright, Guo Bin really had a sense of admiration for his noble virtues, wise minds, and old and spicy methods.

After thinking for a moment, Guo Bin said to Xi Zhicai: "Tell me to go down, order the caravans to go to various places, collect good medicine, and send it to Jingshi Yang Sikong as soon as possible." ”

Seeing that Xi Zhicai nodded and wrote it down, Guo Bin got up and came to the table, Xu Shu hurriedly spread out the decree, and Zhao Yun took a few steps forward, pouring water and grinding ink.

Guo Bin wrote: "The younger Guo Bin said again, Mr. Yang's footsteps: Yu Jingshi, met several times, and was quite instructive. Mr. Lao Cheng is serious, has high moral character, assists the two dynasties, and does his best, and is really the pillar of the country in the eastern capital. Such as the solid of jade, such as the Qiao of Yue. Drill the Si Jian, look up to the high, the younger generation taste and admire. Recently, I was shocked to hear that Mr. fell in the house, and occasionally contracted a slight illness, and his heart was anxious, so he ordered the doorman in the village to collect medicines, hoping that he could have a chance at Mr. The book can't be understood, and a poem is attached to express the admiration. ”

When the onlookers saw it, their eyes showed their essence, and whenever Guo Bin wanted to write poems and lyrics, he was always very expected.

I saw Guo Bin dipped in thick ink and wrote the word "bamboo and stone" on another piece of paper. Immediately splashed ink, and in a moment, an "original" seven-word quatrain jumped onto the paper.

Xi Zhicai said loudly: "Insist that Qingshan will not relax, and the roots are in the broken rock." Thousands of blows are still strong, and the wind blows from east to west, north and south. ”

Beijing, Yang Mansion back hall, Yang Ci Nursing Office.

The Son of Heaven was visiting the sick, and Yang Biao, the guard commander, was doing his duty as a son of man and serving the decoction on the side. As soon as Yang Ci drank the medicine and fell asleep, everyone came to the outside room, and saw a young man who was about ten years old, but he was handsome and full of aura, and rushed in with a letter in his hand.

When Yang Biao saw it, he was very angry in his heart, but because the Son of Heaven was on his side, he had to lower his voice and scold: "Reckless, what kind of system!" Don't hurry up and meet the Son of Heaven! Then he said to Liu Hong: "Dog Yang Xiu, I don't know the severity of my youth, I have conflicted with the holy driver, please forgive me." ”

Liu Hong said: "Why did Wen Xian make a big fuss, although Yang Xiu is young, he is very smart, and since he came, he naturally has something." Then he said to Yang Xiu: "What is the matter with you, but it doesn't hurt to say it." "Wen Xian is Yang Biao's expression.

Yang Xiu hurriedly said: "Just because the Marquis of Yangzhai County, the guard of Yingchuan County, Guo Qianyang, has a letter to his grandfather, and the boy Fang came in a hurry." ”

Yang Biao shouted: "It's just a letter, how can you be allowed to collide with the holy car!" ”

Yang Xiu listened, with a hesitant expression, but he didn't admit his mistake, and after a sneak glance at the Son of Heaven, Fang Yan said, "It's just... It was only with the letters that came several truckloads of expensive medicines. Grandfather is bedridden now, son, son just thinks that there is no use in this medicine. ”

Yang Biao listened, although he was still annoyed that he was frivolous and not calm enough, but after all, he was filial piety, and he couldn't say anything if he wanted to scold him. Immediately thought that Guo Bin had traveled south and north, had a wide range of knowledge, and his caravans were all over the world, maybe he could really find rare and rare medicines, and he was staring at Liu Hong with anticipation.

Liu Hong waved his hand and said, "Don't embarrass Xiao Yang Xiu, since it's a letter from Guo Qianyang, bring it." ”

Yang Xiu hurriedly raised the letter in his hand above his head, and was picked up by the small yellow door on the side of the attendant, and then handed it to Liu Hong. Liu Hong is a disciple of Yang Ci, and the relationship between the two is like father and son, plus his identity as the son of heaven, so when Yang Ci was unwell, he read the letter on behalf of Yang Ci, but he did not trespass.

Liu Hong opened the seal printed with fire paint, but saw that the letter was only two pages, but it was not long.

He was very satisfied with Guo Bin's attitude of calling himself a junior and calling Yang Ci as a gentleman, and nodded while watching.

After reading the first page, he raised his head and said to Yang Biao: "This is Guo Qianyang's order to his caravans to pay attention to the medicines in various places and transport them to the Yang Mansion of the Beijing Division." Then he showed a ridiculous look on his face and said: "Hey, don't look at this Guo Qianyang who is bold and causes trouble everywhere, but he is very respectful to the master." ”

Yang Biao was waiting on the side very anxiously, he was worried that Guo Bin was young and didn't know the severity, and if he wrote inappropriate words in the letter, he was afraid that he would get into trouble. Don't look at the Son of Heaven's favor to the Yang family, and he also has great trust in Guo Bin, but once he doesn't notice it, there is something inappropriate that angers the Son of Heaven, and both families will suffer.

Just as he was thinking wildly, he saw the Son of Heaven staring at the second piece of paper in Guo Bin's letter, his face was surprised, and he was silent. After a long time, Fang saw that the Son of Heaven raised his head, handed the letter in his hand to Yang Biao, and said, "When the master wakes up, you will hand him this letter and tell him to take good care of his health, so as not to disappoint the hearts of the juniors." ”

After finishing speaking, he handed the letter in his hand to Yang Biao, got up and went outside. Yang Biao didn't know why, so he had to promise to say yes, and when he saw the Son of Heaven leaving, he hurriedly got up and sent him out of the house.

When I came to the outside of the house, I saw a carriage lined up on the street on one side, and I was afraid that there were not more than a dozen. It was full of large boxes, and a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy led nearly a hundred domestic servants wearing Yangzhai military uniforms to stand aside.

Seeing this, Liu Hong stepped over and said, "This is the medicine that Guo Qianyang gave to Yang Sikong?" ”

Although Guo Quan has never had the opportunity to face the saint, after all, he has been in the Beijing master for more than a year, and he is extremely clever, seeing the Son of Heaven coming towards him, he hurriedly beckoned everyone to bow down together, and said long live. After hearing Liu Hong's words clearly, he hurriedly responded: "The villain is the fate of Guo Qianyang, the guardian of Yingchuan County, who sent the medicine. ”

Liu Hong nodded and said, "Send it in quickly." Then he said to Yang Biao: "Please ask the imperial doctor to come and examine them one by one, if it is useful, it will be used by the master, which is also Guo Qianyang's intention." ”

Yang Biao hurriedly agreed.

When Yang Ci woke up, Yang Biao handed him Guo Bin's letter. Yang Ci looked at it for a long time, and Fang said with a smile: "This little Guo Bin persuaded the old man to come." ”