After Lin Zexu's sudden death more than a year ago, Lin Ruzhou, the eldest son of Lin Zexu, who was serving in Beijing, was supposed to worry for three years and return to his hometown in Fujian to mourn Lin Zexu, but in order to buy people's hearts, Emperor Xianfeng not only promoted Lin Ruzhou to the cabinet secretary, but also issued an edict to keep Lin Ruzhou in the capital to serve. So before leaving Beijing and returning to Shanghai, Wu Jianzhang cheekily took Wu Chaoyue to Lin Ruzhou's house, introduced his precious grandson to the eldest son of the old backer, and ordered Wu Chaoyue to call Lin Ruzhou his uncle - this is also the only political asset that Wu Jianzhang can pass on to Wu Chaoyue.

What made Wu Jianzhang quietly relieved was that Lin Zexu's eldest son did not cut ties with Wu Jianzhang because Wu Jianzhang later did some kind of business, and received the Wu family's ancestors and grandchildren very politely, although he confiscated the rich meeting gifts presented by Wu Jianzhang's hands, but also recognized Wu Chaoyue's nephew, allowed Wu Chaoyue to call him uncle, and allowed the ancestors and grandchildren of the Wu family to pay tribute to Lin Zexu's spirit. In front of Lin Zexu Ling, he remembered all the past events, and Wu Jianzhang couldn't help but cry so much that his liver and intestines were broken.

Next, Wu Jianzhang of course begged Lin Ruzhou to take care of his grandson on his behalf, but what made Wu Chaoyue's soul fly was that Lin Ruzhou not only agreed, but also asked Wu Chaoyue to come to his home every day to study the Four Books and Five Classics, a subset of classics and history, and said that he would make Wu Chaoyue a talent for Wu Jianzhang. Wu Chaoyue had no choice but to move out of the new teacher Zeng Guofan to be a shield, saying that Zeng Guofan also had similar requirements, Lin Ruzhou then extrajudicially released Wu Chaoyue, but asked Wu Chaoyue to go to his home every ten days to undergo an assessment to check Wu Chaoyue's academic situation.

Seeing that the eldest son of the old backer looked up to his grandson so much, Wu Jianzhang was of course very grateful and couldn't help but be happy, but Wu Chaoyue forced a smile, thanked him on his lips, and screamed in his heart, "It's over!" It's over! Zeng Guofan's side hasn't figured out a way to settle it, and Lin Ruzhou has come here to force me to learn what kind of sage Lao Tzu Day, it's strange if you don't drive Lao Tzu crazy for a long time! You have to find a way to leave, you have to find a way to get out quickly! ”

No matter how miserable the scream is, it is useless, after reporting to the Ministry of Officials and receiving the official seal, Wu Chaoyue can only obediently report to the Ministry of Rites, and meet the Han Shangshu He Rulin and the mite Shangshu Yixiang of the Ministry of Rites, as a result, what makes Wu Chaoyue even more tearless is that although He Rulin and Yixiang both praised Wu Chaoyue's Tongyi talent, they both taught Wu Chaoyue not only to focus on the foreign language, but to participate in more sutra banquets and talks, and learn more of the Four Books and Five Classics of the Qing Dynasty, and the Code of Ethics.

What made Wu Chaoyue cry and laugh even more was that the main occupation of the Duke of Cijue Zhenguo should have been the mite Shangshu Yixiang who picked up a knife and cut people, and even talked to Wu Chaoyue about piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and poetry and songs, and after learning that Wu Chaoyue didn't know anything about these things, Yixiang actually reprimanded Wu Chaoyue fiercely, forcing Wu Chaoyue to learn these good things for self-cultivation and temperament. - At the same time, it was only later that Wu Chaoyue learned that Yixiang and his wife were both famous talents and poets in the capital, and Yixiang also painted a good hand, and a piece of ink was worth dozens of taels of silver in the capital.

If it weren't for Wu Jianzhang's strong financial resources, Wu Chaoyue would definitely be difficult to leave a good impression on the great calligrapher He Rulin and the great painter Yixiang, for the sake of Wu Jianzhang's generous gifts quietly sent by Wu Jianzhang the night before, although he didn't like Wu Chaoyue's lack of learning and skills, He Rulin and Yixiang didn't embarrass Wu Chaoyue much in terms of job differences, and also called Wang Bingtong from the host and guest division to tell Wang Bingtong to take care of Wu Chaoyue, Wang Bingtong promised, and took Wu Chaoyue to the host and guest division to meet with his colleagues. This allowed Wu Chaoyue to get rid of He Rulin and Yixiang's overly enthusiastic reprimands and teachings.

It is convenient to have money at home, and quietly stuffed a silver ticket for Wang Bingtong as a welcome gift, and invited all his colleagues to a luxury restaurant to waste a meal of delicacies and delicacies in a luxury restaurant after a business trip, Wu Chaoyue immediately left a good impression on his direct boss and colleagues. In addition, because the host and guest division is a Qingshui Yamen, Wu Chaoyue, whose grandfather is a well-known rich man in the country, has also become the object of flattery and flattery of many colleagues, and he has a very happy conversation with Wu Chaoyue, and he disperses happily.

Originally, Wu Jianzhang also planned to buy a courtyard house for his grandson in the capital, but Wu Chaoyue, who didn't want to stay in the capital for a long time, didn't do it - the housing prices in the capital in these years are not as fast as in Shanghai, and it is a waste to buy it. In desperation, Wu Jianzhang had no choice but to take a step forward, and rented a clean house for Wu Chaoyue in Wang's widow Xiejie, leaving Wu Dadao and other dogs to take care of Wu Chaoyue in the capital, and finally told his baby grandson repeatedly for a long time, Wu Jianzhang also left the capital and returned to Shanghai to continue to collect taxes for Emperor Xianfeng, leaving the baby grandson alone in the capital helpless and lawless.

The host and guest department were idle, and after sending off the comprador grandfather, Wu Chaoyue couldn't find anything to do at all, went to the Ministry of Rites every day to order a mao, drank tea and chatted with colleagues until the end of work, and then either invited a colleague who was so poor that he couldn't even afford his wife and children to go to the restaurant, or went to the teahouse and the second meat shop to eat rotten meat noodles and burn cakes, wasting time in chaos. However, three or four days later, just as Wu Chaoyue was thinking about when to resign so as not to disappoint the comprador grandfather, Li Hongzhang, who was almost forgotten by Wu Chaoyue, came to the door.

I haven't seen him for a few days, Li Hongzhang, who has been successful in the negotiation with the devil six, has also been promoted by half a level, and has become a waiter from the fifth grade, Wu Chaoyue hurriedly said to Li Hongzhang, but Li Hongzhang said very unceremoniously: "Weiting, it was the teacher who asked me to come to you, and the teacher asked me to ask you, why haven't you attended the Ciren Temple lecture once every two days?" ”

"Lectures every two days?" Wu Chaoyue was a little puzzled, and recalled for a long time before remembering that Zeng Guofan had indeed said this when he was apprenticed, and later Li Hongzhang also reminded himself of this after the negotiation was successful, and then Wu Chaoyue quickly slapped his head and screamed: "Oh no! I've been so busy these days, I've forgotten all about it, I've forgotten it all about it! Brother Shaoquan, you must say a few kind words for me in front of my teacher, I have been in office for a few days, and I am renting a house to send my grandfather, and I am so busy every day that my feet do not touch the ground, I really forgot to be busy! ”

"I know you're busy, so my teacher didn't blame you much, and asked me to remind you." Li Hongzhang smiled and said: "Otherwise, even if those of us who are students go to Ciren Temple one step later than the teacher, we will have to receive the teacher's precept!" ”

Wu Chaoyue hurriedly thanked him, and asked Zeng Guofan when the next lecture would be, Li Hongzhang replied with a smile: "Tomorrow is not two o'clock, the teacher will continue to explain the study of righteousness and reason tomorrow, with the teacher's habit, it is very likely that you will be tested in public on your experience of righteousness and etiquette, you must be prepared." ”

Wu Chaoyue, who didn't even know what the study of righteousness and reasoning was, agreed with a sad face, and thought in his heart that he would go to a few poor colleagues for advice for a while, and now he is selling a little bullshit The study of righteousness and reason will be used for business tomorrow, but Li Hongzhang was unceremonious, and said with a smile: "Weiting, the foolish brother was ordered to remind you to go to school on time tomorrow, but I am kind to you, it's almost time to eat, why don't you, the rich man, hurry up and arrange a place for me?" ”

Inviting Li Hongzhang to dinner was a trivial matter, Wu Chaoyue did not hesitate, immediately went back to Wang Bingtong to take a leave, and then changed back into civilian clothes and led Li Hongzhang to the restaurant under Dashilar. And Li Hongzhang is also a free and easy master, directly said that he likes to eat game, and asked Wu Chaoyue to invite him to eat the most famous game restaurant in the capital, Huizhen Building, Wu Chaoyue, who was carrying a lot of silver tickets in his arms, naturally didn't care, let Li Hongzhang lead the way and let Li Hongzhang order his own food, and let Li Hongzhang squander the precious silver that the comprador grandfather had worked hard to embezzle.

Of course, Wu Chaoyue is not in vain, before the guy started to serve wine and food, Wu Chaoyue couldn't wait to ask Li Hongzhang what kind of righteousness Zeng Guofan likes to explain, but unfortunately although Li Hongzhang, who eats people and has a soft mouth, said a lot of I Ching Lao Zhuang truthfully, Wu Chaoyue is like listening to the book of heaven, not to mention understanding, he didn't even understand, so he had to interrupt Li Hongzhang again and again, asking Li Hongzhang to explain what is Gewu Zhizhi? What is the unity of knowledge and action? What does it mean to know the void as qi? In the face of Wu Chaoyue's basic questions, Li Hongzhang still continued to answer all questions, but unfortunately, Wu Chaoyue was still dizzy when he heard it, and he knew that it was that. In the end, there was really no way, Wu Chaoyue also came up with a long-forgotten trick, "Brother Shaoquan, about the knowledge of Jingyi Mingli, I don't know if you have any experience notes, can you borrow a little brother to visit one or two?" ”

If friends think that Wu Chaoyue's words are too profound, there are also simple vernacular essays - "Li Hongzhang, have you done your homework well?" Everyone is a good brother, borrow me to copy it. ”

Li Hongzhang smiled, smiling very strangely, smiling at first, then smiling, and finally simply laughing, and slapping the table at Wu Chaoyue, who was already confused, and said: "Weiting, do you think that if you take my experience notes and hand them over to the teacher, you can pass tomorrow's level perfunctory?" Have you forgotten that your grandfather had already told the teacher that you had only studied in private school for less than half a year when you were a child before taking you in? Do you use my science experience to perfunctory the teacher, perfunctory? ”

Wu Chaoyue smiled bitterly, had to tell the truth, and said with a sad face: "Shaoquan, I can't help it, I have never read any scriptures and theories, and you said that the teacher will test my knowledge in public tomorrow, I don't sharpen my gun and prepare, and I won't make a fool of myself in public tomorrow?" ”

Li Hongzhang laughed again and said, "Weiting, you are really a sincere person, I'll be joking with you, why are you serious?" What kind of teacher is our teacher, the seventieth grandson of Zongsheng Zengzi, who can let you, a student who has not yet learned to climb, perform how to fly in public? I'm teasing you, the teacher didn't say anything to test you in public. ”

Wu Chaoyue, who had been worried for a long time, was angry, and scolded Li Hongzhang in his heart for being a traitor, comprador and traitor, and it was really not a good thing. And Li Hongzhang is also quite smart, after laughing, he took the initiative to apologize to Wu Chaoyue for the crime of teasing, and then said: "Weiting, but it's not a joke that the teacher told you to go to school on time, you have to go tomorrow, and you have to be on time as much as possible in the future." ”

Wu Chaoyue nodded helplessly and said: "I will definitely go, but I am not afraid of being embarrassed, I will definitely go through the motions if I go, I can't understand anything, and maybe I will doze off." ”

"Don't worry, the teacher already knew that you wouldn't understand it." Li Hongzhang looked relaxed and said with a smile: "Weiting, do you want to know why the teacher has to go through this scene?" ”

Wu Chaoyue was curious and asked the reason, Li Hongzhang finally put away his smile, and said, "Have you heard of it?" Mu Yin Mu Zhongtang was dismissed from the post of Minister of Military Aircraft and reappointed as the Shaoqing of Honglu Temple? ”

"I've heard of it." Wu Chaoyue nodded, and said: "In the past few days, the host and guest department have been discussing this matter, saying that Mu Zhongtang was unlucky, and he finally walked from the military plane Zhang Jing to the military plane, and as soon as he climbed into the sky, he immediately fell to the ground. ”

"Mu Zhongtang is because you are unlucky." Li Hongzhang's expression was even more serious, and he said, "Do you remember the incident when you pulled out a gun in Chongwenmen?" In order to rectify you and your grandfather, Mu Zhongtang deliberately pressed the excerpt of the impeachment of your ancestors and grandchildren in the imperial history of the street patrol for several days, which almost affected the Dagukou negotiations, and then he presented the excerpt to the emperor, and it happened that you helped the six princes and foreigners to negotiate the results to satisfy the emperor, Qi Liaozao Qi Zhongtang fell into the well again, and repeatedly asked Mu Zhongtang why he detained that important fold, Mu Zhongtang was speechless, and the emperor was angry, so he was thrown out of the military aircraft department. ”

"Well deserved!" Wu Chaoyue gloated and said: "This is harming others instead of harming oneself, and it is self-inflicted." ”

"Mu Zhongtang deliberately picked the emperor to hand over the fold when he was unhappy, and his methods were indeed too despicable, and it is not surprising that he was retributed." Li Hongzhang nodded, and also recognized that Mu Yin was self-inflicted this time, and then Li Hongzhang said: "But Weiting, don't you think you have offended too many people?" Shangshu Weng of the Ministry of Industry has a heart because you are in prison, it is estimated that the lightest is also a distribution to Xinjiang, and even with his two sons and a protégé, and now it is a dignified military machine Mu Zhongtang, you have offended so many court officials and important ministers with a six-grade master, and you have offended so badly, haven't you considered the consequences? ”

"They brought it on themselves, not me deliberately tricking them." Wu Chaoyue shrugged his shoulders.

"In the words of the teacher, you are really not afraid." Li Hongzhang smiled bitterly, and then said: "Weiting, you are not afraid, but the teacher is afraid for you, Weng has a clear leader, and his disciples are all over the government and the opposition, I have to call him a teacher in terms of seniority, Mu Yingui is the minister of military aircraft, even if the foundation is not deep enough, there are quite a lot of party henchmen and cronies, they dare not take the chief military aircraft Qi Liaozao, but they have no scruples about cleaning you up." And your edge is too exposed, it's just a hedgehog with long thorns, whoever dares to touch you can stab anyone, the teacher is worried that if you continue like this, sooner or later you will break out of the big disaster that is out of control, so that the teacher can't pull you if he wants to. ”

Wu Chaoyue was silent, but he also somewhat understood some of Zeng Guofan's painstaking efforts, and said: "So, my teacher insisted that I go to listen to his lectures, so that I could temporarily avoid the limelight and not give others a chance to catch me?" ”

"It's no smarter than the comfort pavilion, and sure enough, it can be done at one point." Li Hongzhang approved, and said with a smile: "The teacher's original words, he finally met you as a talented and proficient student of Western studies, and he was really reluctant to make such a mess, so even if you don't understand his righteousness, you must listen to it, avoid the edge, and let people know that you are his student, and you have to be a little scruple when you start with you." ”

Not to mention, hearing Li Hongzhang's words, Wu Chaoyue was really a little moved, but unfortunately Li Hongzhang smiled and said: "Also, the teacher also plans to let our junior brothers make up lessons for him, starting from the beginning of the Four Books and Five Classics, I don't expect you to be a learned Confucian, but the Bagu article can at least give him a hand." ”

Wu Chaoyue's thin face was longer than a donkey, Li Hongzhang misunderstood Wu Chaoyue's meaning, so he smiled and said, "What? Don't want us to be your teacher? The teacher said that you and we have to be each other's teachers, you learn Chinese studies from us, we have to learn Western studies from you, and when the time comes, I want you to sit on the podium and explain all kinds of Western studies to us. ”

Wu Chaoyue was willing to teach Li Hongzhang physical chemistry, but when he thought of what to learn the Four Books, Five Classics and Eight Articles, Wu Chaoyue had a feeling that life was worse than death. And when he was in trouble, there was a noisy and noisy sound downstairs, and a crisp and immature girl's voice could be faintly heard, "You are talking nonsense!" I shot these two swans myself, I shot them in Xiaoshahe! Not stolen! I didn't steal! Didn't steal! ”

The noise was louder, Wu Chaoyue and Li Hongzhang, who were also good deeds, were interested, and they all went out of the private room to the staircase to look down at the situation, but saw that there was a little girl with a cute double ponytail in the lobby downstairs who was making a lot of noise, and the little girl was still carrying a pair of snow-white swans in her hand, and a few guys surrounded the little girl, and asked the little girl where the two good swans were stolen, and finally the little girl couldn't stand the grievances and was angry, so she went out with the goose, "If you don't buy it!" I'm not selling it yet! ”

"Stop!" A fellow stopped the little girl and said fiercely, "Put the swan down and go away!" Otherwise, I will send you to see the official! ”

"The swan is mine, why should I put it down?" The little girl questioned angrily, but the guys insisted that the two swans were stolen by the little girl, and suspected that the little girl stole the swans that flew out of the Old Summer Palace or Qingyi Garden (Summer Palace), and threatened to send the little girl to Wanping County Order.

Li Hongzhang, who couldn't stand so many big men bullying a little girl, and had more conscience than Wu Chaoyue, went downstairs first and interjected, "What's wrong?" A few juniors, you are five or six feet tall men, so it's not suitable for a little girl, right? ”

"Guest officer, we are not bullying her, we are saving him." A guy was very good at talking, pointed to the little girl and said, "Guest officer, do you see how old this little girl is, can she shoot such a good pair of swans?" We have encountered this before, someone secretly shot swans next to the Old Summer Palace, and wanted to sell them to us for money but was afraid of being recognized, so they asked others to sell them. ”

"You are talking nonsense, this is what I shot in Xiaoshahe, not the swans of the Old Summer Palace!" The little girl turned around and roared aggrievedly, but after carefully seeing the appearance of the little girl, Li Hongzhang, who originally wanted to see the injustice, was also a little shaken, because although the little girl was born with clear eyebrows and beautiful facial features, she was a typical beauty embryo, but her age was a little exaggerated, at most only eleven or twelve years old is a typical little Xiaoli Li, no matter how she looks like she can hold a bow and shoot hunting.

At this time, Wu Chaoyue, who barely had a little residual conscience, also walked downstairs, and after seeing the appearance and age of the little Luoli, Wu Chaoyue also frowned a little, but still said: "Little sister, if you want to prove that you didn't steal it, it's actually very simple, find a bow to shoot two arrows, prove that you have the ability to shoot down the swan, isn't that okay?" ”

"yes, how did I forget that?" When the little Luo Li heard this, she was overjoyed, and hurriedly said to the shopkeepers: "You bring bows and arrows, and I will shoot arrows for you, so that you can see if I have the ability to shoot down the swan." ”

Seeing that Xiao Luoli was so confident, a few shopkeepers were a little hesitant, but they coveted the pair of fat swans that could be sold at a high price, and a shopkeeper with thieves' eyebrows and rat eyes still said: "We don't have bows and arrows here, and even if you shoot them, what if you shoot them?" How do you prove that this pair of swans is not a swan from the Old Summer Palace? ”

The little basket was furious, and immediately said that she could find a witness to prove that she was the swan she shot at the Xiaosha River, but the thief-eyed man and his companion played a scoundrel, insisting that the witness of the little basket could not believe it, and repeatedly threatened to send the little basket to the government, which made the little basket so angry that tears flashed, but they could not refute it.

I couldn't stand it anymore, Wu Chaoyue spoke again, and shouted to the shopkeeper: "Since you are sure that this pair of swans is from the Old Summer Palace, then you can come up with evidence, and if you can't get it, let her go!" ”

Glancing at the thin and ugly Wu Chaoyue, the thief-eyed guy was fearless, and said with a sneer: "Guest officer, I advise you to be nosy, do you know who the boss of our Huizhen Building is?" Guan Yunguan, the fourth brother of the eighth aunt of the monk! You must find out if this pair of swans is from the Old Summer Palace, yes, our boss can go directly to the Old Summer Palace to ask Xu Gonggong to see if the Old Summer Palace is missing a pair of swans! ”

"I don't need to." Wu Chaoyue, who didn't know that the monk was the bird, smiled and moved out of the backer that the comprador grandfather had found for him, "I can ask Prince Gong to go to the Old Summer Palace and check the number of swans there." ”

Hearing this, the arrogance of several shopkeepers suddenly disappeared - no matter how good Monk Lingqin is, he is only one step away from becoming the emperor's devil six. The thief-eyed guy hurriedly nodded, "The little one is blind, I don't know if the master is from the palace of Prince Gong, the little one should be damned, the little one should be damned." ”

"Don't let the little girl go yet?!"

Wu Chaoyue was too lazy to tell those shopkeepers the truth, they just drank and asked them to let them go, and those shopkeepers didn't dare to offend Wu Chaoyue, who was harder in the background, so they had to obediently let the little Xiaoli leave. The little basket Li was overjoyed, hurriedly thanked Wu Chaoyue, and handed a swan to Wu Chaoyue, and said: "This big brother, you helped me, I don't thank you much, this swan, please accept it." ”

"I'll have both."

Wu Chaoyue replied with a smile, the little basket was a lot, I never expected Wu Chaoyue to be so greedy, but after a little hesitation, the little basket Li was still very bold and handed the two swans to Wu Chaoyue, Wu Chaoyue took it with a smile, and then took out a few pieces of broken silver from his arms, handed it to the little basket, and said with a smile: "Little sister, you send me swans to cook and drink, and I will give you silver to buy clothes and red ropes, and you must accept it." ”

The little basket Li suddenly realized, and when she hurriedly excused herself, Wu Chaoyue forced the silver into her hand, and patted the cute double ponytail on her head and told her to go quickly, and after the little basket Li thanked and left, Wu Chaoyue turned to Li Hongzhang and said: "Shaoquan, go, change the place to eat, it's not comfortable here." ”

Li Hongzhang, who didn't want to eat the shopkeeper's snot, agreed, and hurriedly followed Wu Chaoyue out of the bullying restaurant, and then frowned and said: "Weiting, the teacher is not wrong, you are really a hedgehog, do you know, you will offend Monk Greenqin again this time?" ”

"Monk Grinqin?" Wu Chaoyue was stunned and asked suspiciously: "Why did I offend Monk Lingqin again?" ”

"Didn't you hear just now, the shopkeeper said that the owner of this restaurant is the brother-in-law of the monk prince?" Li Hongzhang rolled his eyes and said: "The monk is the monk Greenqin, if this restaurant finds out your true identity and stabs this matter to Monk Greenqin, it will be strange if the monk does not hate you to the bone!" ”

Glancing back at the restaurant in surprise, Wu Chaoyue smiled bitterly and said secretly: "Zeng shaved his head is really not wrong, I am really a hedgehog, and doing a good deed can also provoke Monk Greenqin." But forget it, if you offend, you can offend, anyway, you don't have to worry about a lot of debts, and you don't have to itch if you have more lice, and you can help a beautiful and cute little Li, which can be regarded as accumulating yin virtue. ”

Thinking of the little basket that sold swans, Wu Chaoyue couldn't help but have some regrets in his heart, regretting why he didn't ask why that cute little basket sold swans, was the family's economic situation very difficult, and whether he needed to borrow money to survive? - Our little comprador Wu is not short of silver in his hands, what he lacks is a maid who serves food and clothes, so if that little comprador is willing, our little comprador Wu is very happy to help her family............