Chapter 54: The Governor Wants to Get Married (1)

Jiangnan, Suzhou, in the backyard of the prefect's yamen, Zhang Xuezeng, the prefect of Suzhou, was chatting with his wife Gu, and several maids and daughters-in-law were waiting on the side.

Zhang Xuezeng closed his eyes to recuperate, while Gu Shi chattered while drinking sour plum soup: "Today, Zhao Million outside Suzhou City asked his seventh lady to send two thousand taels of silver and a landscape painting by Wen Zhengming. I told the housekeeper to put it in the warehouse. Why don't you take some time to meet this old showman tomorrow? ”

Zhang Xuezeng said: "Master, how can I have so much time? Tomorrow I'm going to attend a poetry meeting held by the scholars of the Restoration Society. Qian Yiqian, the former waiter of the Ministry of Rites, sent his confidante Liu Ru to personally send it to ask for a post, I don't want to go. ”

Gu said: "This morning, I heard the ninth lady of Zhang Guowei, the governor of Jiangnan, say that although the squire Zhao Wanjia outside Suzhou is thin and has been passed down for five generations, I forgot what his son's name is, it seems that he is still a jinshi in mid-February this year, and now he is part of the official in Shaanxi as an official. I think this Zhao Million is most likely thinking that you will help transfer his son back to Jiangnan, so I think it is better for the master to meet him. It is better to give his son a county and a history in the county under the jurisdiction of Suzhou than to stay in a chaotic place in northern Shaanxi. ”

Because of taking Zhao Million's money, Gu said some good things in front of her husband.

Hearing that Zhao Million's son actually won the Jinshi this year, Zhang Xuezeng finally began to face up to this problem a little, and asked with some curiosity: "You said that the son of the rustic old Xiucai actually won the Jinshi this year?" ”

Gu Shi said uncertainly: "I don't know the specifics, I can't remember what the name is, by the way, I remember, Lord Zhang's ninth lady said, his son seems to have been appointed by the court at the end of February this year as the magistrate of Fugu County, Yan'an Prefecture!" ”

Zhang Xuezeng muttered: "The magistrate of Fugu County...... Fugu County Magistrate...... Suzhou people..... Why do you sound so familiar......"

Suddenly, he stared at Gu Shi with wide eyes, and asked loudly, "Zhao Kang!" Do you say his son's name is Zhao Kang??? ”

Gu Shi was startled by her husband's actions, and said with some anger: "What are you crazy about, it scares me a lot." That's right, it's called Zhao Kang, I remembered it as soon as you said that! Have you heard of this Zhao Kang? ”

Zhang Xuezeng shook his head and didn't answer, but said: "We have received a total of how much silver and objects from Zhao Million's family, and you will return them all in full." and left a post for Zhao Million, saying that I would personally visit his house tomorrow. ”

Gu Shi said with some dissatisfaction: "I have heard of our famous talents in Jiangnan, but I really have never heard of this Zhao Kang." Could it be that this Zhao Kang is very good? Besides, no matter how good his literary skills are, it will not be the turn of you, the lord of the mansion, to visit in person in Suzhou, right? Aren't you afraid of losing your life? ”

Zhang Xuezeng said: "How can you talk about this mother-in-law." I don't know if Zhao Kangwencai is good or not, but if he can be admitted to the top three and given the same Jinshi background, it shouldn't be bad. The reason why I went to visit his house was that last month, Zhao Kang, the commander of Fugu County, was jointly recommended by Ding Qirui, the governor of the three sides, and Yang Sichang, Yang Gebu, as the governor of Yansui and the official worship of the second grade of Zuo Yudu, do you think I should come to the door in person to be a guest? Let the governor of Yansui come to Suzhou Mansion to be a county magistrate, you can really think of it. ”

Gu Shi was shocked: "Governor Yansui? So how capable is Zhao Kang? ”

Zhang Xuezeng said: "Of course, if you can climb to a high position at a young age, you must have something extraordinary, and this kind of person is very worthy of our friendship." I saw from the newspaper that the new governor of Yansui was from Suzhou, and he was a student of the Fushe Society, so I always wanted to inquire, but there have been too many things recently, and I actually forgot this section. ”

Gu asked, "What about the Fushe Poetry Society?" ”

Zhang Xuezeng said: "You just help me to reject them, just say that I am suddenly unwell and cannot participate." ”

And Zhao Million, when he heard the news that Zhang Xue was going to visit in person, he was even more overjoyed and flattered. personally led the thirteen ladies to gather all the maids and servants of the whole family to clean up the entire Zhao house. I went to borrow two carriages, and before dawn in the morning, I personally took a few nurses to the gate of Suzhou City to wait, wanting to take the prefect to his home in person.

As a result, he was embarrassed to see Zhang Xuezeng and his wife coming out of the city gate in a two-by-four-stage sedan chair, and Zhao Million felt that he was borrowing a carriage to do it too much. Zhao Million took a group of people to follow Zhang Xuezeng's "luxury BMW" stupidly and headed towards his home.

Zhang Xuezeng also seemed to feel Zhao Million's embarrassment and invited Zhao Million to share a sedan chair with him, but Zhao Million dared to agree and quickly refused. After about an hour or two, everyone came to the door of Zhao Million's house. Zhao Million had already arranged for the family to kneel at the door to greet him. The prefect of Suzhou came in person, but the Zhao family did not have this honor for the N generation.

But Zhang Xuezeng didn't dare to hold it up, who called this Zhao Million a son with a bull pen? Hurriedly got off the sedan chair and personally helped everyone up, and walked into the living room under the guidance of Zhao Million. When I sat down just now, a girl brought a cool ear. Zhao Million was cautiously entertained on the side, for fear that there would be something inconsiderate in his family, which would make the Qingtian lord dissatisfied.

Zhang Xuezeng said: "Mr. Maocai, why are you so polite? ”

Zhao Wanwan said: "Ancestors for several generations, my lord, you are the biggest official in our family, I am nervous in my heart. Coupled with the fact that Madame had returned the money and belongings I had sent yesterday, I was very worried that something had upset my lords. ”

Gu Shi next to Zhang Xuezeng laughed out loud, and hurriedly used his drinking action to cover up his "slightly indecent" behavior. Zhang Xuezeng also smiled: "It seems that you still don't know about your son?" ”

When Zhao Million heard this, he was shocked, his face changed in fright, and he hurriedly asked, "Ah! My lord, could it be that the dog was dismissed from his post as a traitor? "Zhao Million is already extremely nervous at this time, the Zhao family is a single transmission for five generations, Zhao Kang is the lifeblood of his own family, and now he is not even married, let alone leaving a seed for the Zhao family, and he prayed silently in his heart: Zhao Kang must not have anything happen at this juncture! If something happens, you have to leave a man and a woman......

Zhang Xuezeng said: "Except for His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who dares to remove him?" He is very good in Shaanxi, it is said that he has suppressed the anti-thief rebellion in Fugu County, and has now been the official envoy of Zheng Erpin Zuo and the governor of Yansui. It stands to reason that I should have come to your house a long time ago, but because I was so busy with official business a few days ago, I didn't come until today. ”