After listening to the words of the baby grandson, Wu Jianzhang, who spent 500,000 yuan of silver to buy the current fourth-grade official position, was a little tempted, but after a little calculation, Wu Jianzhang said in embarrassment: "It sounds a little reasonable, but grandpa's top belt is now gone, and he is not qualified to go directly to the fold?" Besides, even if I wrote this excerpt as a sinner, who would I hand it to? Who would dare to deliver the excerpt to the imperial court for me? ”

"Grandpa, you can hand the excerpt to Lu Jianying, the governor of Liangjiang, and ask him to present it to the imperial court on your behalf." Wu Chaoyue pointed out again: "Today, the foreigners opened fire at Wusongkou in order to drive the warship into the Huangpu River, and the defenders of Wusongkou will definitely not dare to conceal such a big matter, and they will definitely report to Lu Jianying, the governor in charge of the Liangjiang military, Lu Jianying will not dare to start a war with the foreigners, let alone continue to expand the matter, and will definitely be in a dilemma. ”

Speaking of this, Wu Chaoyue also showed a little sneer, and said: "When the time comes, maybe Lu Jianying will say more good things for your grandfather." Because grandpa, you are Su Songtai's soldier, and you are his subordinate, you have to eat melons if you carry the black pot, and put all the charges on Weng Xincun, a Beijing official, so that he Lu Jianying can stay out of the matter, and he doesn't have to worry about being implicated and blamed by the court. In this way, grandpa, the hope of your official reinstatement is even greater. ”

After listening to the words of his precious grandson, Wu Jianzhang felt that it made sense, Wu Jianzhang was even more moved, but he was still a little worried, and said: "Your idea is not bad, but he Weng Xincun is both a Qincha and a secretary of the Ministry of Industry, and the official is much older than me, if I do this, I will not offend him to ......." ”

"Grandpa, do you think that if you let him go, he will let you go?" Wu Chaoyue interrupted the comprador grandfather's words, and said quickly: "Foreigners bombarded Wu Songkou and threatened to declare war for such a big thing, the court must find someone to carry the black pot as a scapegoat, if you don't quickly push Weng Xincun to the court as a scapegoat, he Weng Xincun will definitely find a way to make you carry this big black cauldron!" Now we can only strike first, taking advantage of his courage to submit those diplomatic notes to the imperial court, and before we have a chance to attack us, we will take the first step to detain the basin on his head! Otherwise, when he recovers and finds a way to put all the blame on us, we will really be dead! ”

After listening to Wu Chaoyue's analysis and thinking of Yuan Zubi's lesson, Wu Jianzhang finally made up his mind and immediately wrote a piece of music as a criminal, putting all the responsibility for the foreigners' warships sailing into the Huangpu River and the bombardment of Wusongkou on Weng Xincun's head, insisting that it was caused by Weng Xincun's abuse of power to prevent foreigners from preaching and doing business and unreasonably preventing foreigners from entering the city, and asked Lu Jianying, the governor of Liangjiang, to submit it to the Manchu court on his behalf. At the same time, Wu Jianzhang also adopted Wu Chaoyue's suggestion, and in addition to stating in detail the whole incident, he also directly explained the fact that the consuls of Western countries had already submitted diplomatic notes to Weng Xincun, so that Lu Jianying and the Manchu court knew that Weng Xincun had already received the notes from foreigners, and did not give Weng Xincun the opportunity to conceal those notes.

Originally, Wu Jianzhang also wanted to write down his intention to be loyal to his duties and continue to collect tariffs for the Manchu court, but Wu Chaoyue stopped him: "Grandpa, this matter can't be rushed. Because we are not sure whether foreigners will pay taxes obediently, we can't say that we can't do it, so that Lu Jianying and the court will be happy. And if this matter is written in the impeachment of Weng Weng by the way, then even if Grandpa you pay taxes for the imperial court, the imperial court and Governor Lu will only think that you are just making a contribution, and they will not be grateful to you much, and they will not attach too much importance to your credit. ”

"So, don't mention this matter for the time being, grandpa." Wu Chaoyue smiled and added: "Let the court and Lu Jianying be a little frightened first, and after we are sure that the foreigners really continue to pay taxes obediently, grandpa, you can write a separate chapter for your loyalty to your duties, and ask the court and Lu Jianying for their merits, so that the court and Lu Jianying can be overjoyed and more satisfied with you." ”

"Makes sense." Wu Jianzhang applauded the case, and said happily: "It's still my grandson who is smart, if this matter is written in the impeachment of Weng's heart, it will make the court and Governor Lu think that I am just making a mistake and not caring much, if the foreigners refuse to pay taxes obediently, things will definitely be worse." Only when this matter is determined and this matter is reported separately, will the imperial court and Governor Lu be overjoyed, happier and more satisfied! ”

After calling it well, Wu Jianzhang also praised again: "I can't imagine that your little rabbit cub knows more about officialdom than my grandfather, who did you learn this set from?" Why didn't Grandpa find out that you still have these skills? ”

Wu Chaoyue smiled and didn't speak, but replied in his heart: "Do you still need to learn these things?" In my former unit, I was stealing chickens and dogs, cheating, and taking responsibility for grabbing credit. ”

By the way, let's take a look at the situation on Weng Xincun's father and son's side, as Wu Chaoyue expected, Weng Xincun did not report to the Manchu court on the day of the incident that the foreigners had rescued the ancestors and grandchildren of the Wu family, if nothing else, because the consul ministers of Western countries forcibly stuffed those diplomatic notes to him.

Weng Xincun now neither dared to report these notes to the imperial court, nor did he dare to withhold these notes, and submitted these notes according to the requirements of the foreigners, Xianfeng was furious and sent people to investigate thoroughly, even if Weng Xincun, who was deeply involved, even if he was not killed and his family was raided, at least he would be disgraced and dismissed!

And if these notes are deducted, the foreigners will definitely make trouble if they can't receive a reply, and if something happens, Xianfeng will send someone to investigate the root cause, and Weng Xincun will definitely die without a place to be buried!

In a dilemma, he was in a dilemma, so after being carried back to his residence, Weng Xincun kept lying on the bed without eating or drinking, and kept complaining, "It's troublesome, it's troublesome, it's really troublesome this time, if the Western Zhuyi really declares war on me because of this matter, then the old man will cause a big disaster to the imperial court!" It's troublesome, it's really troublesome, how did such a troublesome thing happen to be spread on my head old man? ”

No one listened to the advice, Weng Xincun always groaned, or after it was dark, Weng Tongyi, who assisted Yuan Zubi in arranging the city defense, came back from the city to Weng Xincun to serve the marquis, Weng Xincun finally stopped complaining and moaning, struggled to sit up and asked his son: "Did the foreigners attack the city?" ”

"Nope." Weng Tongyi shook his head and replied truthfully: "But the foreigners' gunboats didn't leave, they stopped on the river next to the concession, and sent troops to guard the road into the concession. In addition, in the afternoon, I received news that this morning, in order to enter the Huangpu River, the foreigners' gunboats opened fire on the side of Wusongkou, forcing the defenders of Wusongkou to give way. ”

"Fired a cannon at Wusongkou?" Weng was shocked, and then lay back on the bed again, lamenting: "It's over, this time I can't hide it if I want to!" Wu Songkou will definitely report the matter to Lu Jianying, and Lu Jianying will definitely send someone to inquire about the reason, no matter what, he can't hide it. ”

"Father, it's not the way to go on like this." Weng Tongyi also knew that the situation was grim, and said: "Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandsons betrayed the country, although they deserved to die, but the diplomatic notes of the Western Zhuyi claimed that their ancestors and grandchildren were innocent, and asked the imperial court to admit that their ancestors and grandchildren were innocent, and did not hesitate to declare war on our Qing Dynasty for this matter. The stakes are high, and we have to find a way to deal with this situation quickly. ”

"What else can be done?" Weng Xin sighed and said weakly: "Do you want to report to the court for your father that Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandsons are innocent?" Do you want to ask the imperial court to send someone to negotiate with the foreigners for your father? I did this for my father, didn't the black pot carry it bigger? Worse death? ”

"Of course you can't do that." Weng Tongyi shook his head, and then lowered his voice and said: "But father, you must not truthfully report the matter of Shanghai to the imperial court, you can only first confirm the charge of Wu Jianzhang's betrayal of the country, so that the imperial court and the emperor feel that the foreigners bombarded Wu Songkou because Wu Jianzhang Tongyi betrayed the country, and decided that it was Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandsons who led the foreigners into the Huangpu River, and then handed over the foreigners' diplomatic notes to the imperial court, so that the imperial court and the emperor will only hate Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandchildren even more, and will not blame you." ”

"Let Wu Jianzhang sit on the charge of betraying the country first, and then submit the foreigner's diplomatic note to the imperial court?" Weng Xincun repeated the main point of his son's suggestion, and asked suspiciously, "Is this useful?" ”

"Absolutely useful." Weng Tongyi said very confidently: "Father, you can think about it, as long as the court and the emperor determine that Wu Jianzhang's ancestor Tongyi betrayed the country, then if you hear the news that the foreigners shelled Wu Songkou, and the news that the foreigners snatched Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandchildren, and finally see the diplomatic note of the foreigners asking the court to admit the innocence of the ancestors of the Wu family, can the court and the emperor not believe that all this is because Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandsons betrayed the country to seek glory?" How can you still be accused of provoking foreigners? ”

After thinking about it, Weng Xincun found that his son's suggestion was indeed feasible - as long as Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandsons were charged with betraying the country first, then under the preconceived ideas, the imperial court and Xianfeng would definitely think that the foreigners' bombardment of Wu Songkou and their threats to declare war were all caused by Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandsons betraying the country, and they would not blame themselves anymore. So after nodding, Weng Xincun also lowered his voice and asked, "Then how to do it?" ”

"Please ask my father to write a recital immediately, claiming that you have found that Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandsons have colluded with foreigners very tightly during your visit to Shanghai, and you have secretly instigated foreigners to force our Qing court to make concessions to foreigners with strong ships and cannons, and even have plans to dedicate Shanghai to foreigners." Weng Tongxiao's voice was very cruel, and he said: "In short, it is to say it ruthlessly, and then use 600 miles to expedite it and immediately send it to the capital to submit it to the military aircraft, and then no matter what report the court receives, it will only be determined that the ancestors and grandsons of the Wu family colluded with foreigners!" ”

Weng Xincun stopped talking, and after thinking about it for a while, Weng Xincun got up directly in his clothes, walked straight to the desk and picked up a pen to write an excerpt, Weng Tongcun hurriedly reminded: "Father, this excerpt can't be sent directly to the military aircraft, it must be sent to the General Administration Department first and then forwarded to the Military Aircraft Department, so that the more Beijing officials know about this matter, the better. ”

Weng Xincun nodded again, and said casually: "Don't be idle, write a letter to your brother on behalf of the pen, and ask him to contact more imperial historians in the capital to impeach Wu Jianzhang, and directly tell him that the more people who impeach Wu Jianzhang, the better." ”

Weng Tongshu smiled and agreed, secretly admiring his father's tricks - because although Weng Tongshu's brother Weng Tongshu is only a six-rank Beijing official, he just served as an editor in the Hanlin Academy, which has the most idle officials and thorns, and asked Weng Tongshu to contact the imperial historian to impeach Wu Jianzhang, so the impeachment chapter is naturally as much as possible.