Chapter Twenty-Six: Harsh

Although he was given a waist card, Xie Xiangcun was cautious, and he was still not summoned by Qian Hongzuo and did not step into the inner court for half a step. And even in the case of Qian Hongzuo's summons, it is necessary to pick up and drop off the inner chamberlain, and he does not walk alone in the inner garden of the palace.

After Xie Xiangcun officially became an errand boy, he had more free time than when he was learning the rules. He often went to Fangli Villa to visit his master, Qu Liuqing. lest the master be left unattended, as soon as he arrives at Fangli Villa, he will clean up his master's residence. At the time of the imitation pear villa, a female singer who is too old and is not suitable to continue singing and dancing is going to be eliminated. The green lotus root is honest, and his singing and dancing skills are mediocre. has danced for many years, but he has always been unknown, and he can be said to be poor. Seeing that she was old and decrepit, she could no longer be an errand, so he wanted to sell her to a rich man as a private slave. Qu Liuzhen and Xie Xiangcun were quite sympathetic to the green lotus root and bought her, but they didn't really have to let her sign a deed to be a slave. Green Lotus moved to Quliuyu's residence as a free body, took care of his life, and was also dependent on food and clothing.

Because of the fame of the year, Qu Liuzhen itself has a lot of silver taels. And Xie Xiangcun went to Taizhou to find relatives, although he spent more than 200 taels of silver, but the royal family gave him a lot of silver, which was stored in Qu Liuqing. Qu Liuzhen himself also has the monthly money that the former king granted to be supported by the official family for life, and he is quite financially well-off.

After another period of time, when Empress Dowager Xu was having dinner with Qian Hongzuo, she asked about Xie Xiangcun. She knew that Xie Xiangcun often came to the inner garden of the palace to accompany Qian Hongzuo, so she asked Qian Hongzuo if Xie Xiangcun was talking about government politics when the two got along.

Qian Hongzuo said cautiously: "Xiao Xie doesn't read much, he doesn't understand what the ministers are talking about, and he never talks about government affairs with me." ”

Empress Dowager Xu looked at her son and said, "It's okay if you don't understand it for the time being, but you have to listen attentively." ”

Qian Hongzuo said: "Don't say it's him, even if the child listens to the words of those courtiers, sometimes he doesn't know what to do." ”

Empress Dowager Xu said: "The words in the officialdom are full of empty words, false and empty words, and sometimes they talk freely for a long time, without a single topic. Most of the ministers of this dynasty are former kings and former ministers, and there are many old and old people, who are well versed in the way of self-preservation, and it is extremely difficult to listen to the words of the heart. You let Xiao Xie listen carefully and savor with your heart, but remember to listen more and talk less. ”

After listening to it, Qian Hongzuo suddenly remembered his mother's instructions to him, and he also listened more and said less, and he didn't know if the same instructions to Xie Xiangcun had a deep meaning, and asked with concern: "One day, if he can understand the government, will you reuse him?" ”

Empress Dowager Xu shook her head and said, "The Holy God will employ people in the future, not according to his own preferences. If you like someone, you can use them again, but you may harm them. If you are in a high position without talent or virtue, you will have trouble. ”

His mother's words shocked Qian Hongzuo. I can't guess whether Empress Dowager Xu likes Xie Xiangcun to discuss government politics with him, or whether she doesn't like it. had to tell Xie Xiangcun the original words. Since then, Xie Xiang has listened attentively and pondered repeatedly in the court, but deliberately avoided discussing the government with Qian Hongzuo.

Suddenly, one day, Empress Dowager Xu asked Qian Hongzuo to summon Xie Xiangcun and asked Xie Xiangcun to repeat what was discussed in the court that day. Qian Hongzuo was on the side, Khan was in a hurry, many ministers spoke at length that day, and Xie Xiangcun hadn't read many books, how could he repeat it. But his mother had already told him, and he could only do it in a hurry. Xie Xiangcun stubbornly talked about a few major things and the views of the ministers.

Empress Dowager Xu said: "It's still not good, I don't know the essentials at all." You go to the front of the palace to write Yuan Banmeng, and borrow the record of today's court meeting that he recorded. Copying all night in the imperial study, don't eat today's meal. ”

Qian Hongzuo didn't expect his mother, who had always been loving, to be so harsh on Xie Xiangcun, but it was not easy to resist. After Xie Xiangcun retreated, he asked, "Queen Mother, did Xiao Xie do something wrong that disgusted you, so you punished him like this?" ”

Empress Dowager Xu shook her head in denial, and said: "Shengshang, since ancient times: jade is not cut into a weapon, Xiao Xie is too unfamiliar with the government, if you want him to be promising, you can't feel sorry for him." In fact, Xiao Xie is very smart, he will not be able to repeat the entire court meeting for a short time, which is quite rare, but he still needs to study hard. Passing on the message of the mourning family, from now on, Xie Xiangcun can borrow and read 'all the court records in front of the palace', and the mourning family hopes that he can grasp the essence as soon as possible. ”

Qian Hongzuo said: "If you don't let him eat, can the child send him some fruit?" ”

Empress Dowager Xu smiled and left without a word.

On this day, Xie Xiangcun, who was not allowed to eat by the Queen Mother, was sent by Qian Hongzuo to all kinds of melons, fruits, pears and peaches, as well as good fragrant tea when copying records in the imperial study.

After a while, one day in the court, there was a big and small controversy. Wen Minghui, the commander of the forbidden army, repeatedly requested that the forbidden army build a house in Luocheng. Empress Dowager Xu ordered the Ministry of Industry to make a budget, and after the budget came out, Xu Wei, the head of the Ministry of Households, replied that it was difficult for the treasury to make expenditures, and proposed to increase taxes in order to raise expenses. Dasi Nong Zhen Fu said: Tax increases hinder farming, and it is recommended to postpone it. Because Qian Hongzuo has been on the throne for two years and has died two prime ministers in a row, Dasi Nong Zhen Fu has won the appreciation of the Empress Dowager Xu, and there are signs of Si Nong's acting prime minister's power, and his opposition is quite weighty. Although Empress Dowager Xu proposed that the ministers discuss again, the ministers spoke ambiguously and asked for a holy judgment. And Qian Hongzuo never expressed his position easily without the permission of the Empress Dowager Xu, and the same was true on this day. Empress Dowager Xu said that she should consider it carefully and disperse the court before making a decision.

After the next dynasty, Empress Dowager Xu and Qian Hongzuo specially discussed this matter, Empress Dowager Xu asked Qian Hongzuo what he wanted, Qian Hongzuo said: "What Commander Wen said is very reasonable, the year of his father's death, Hangzhou City suffered a fire, the forbidden army was loyal and brave, with the royal family first, and worked hard to extinguish the palace fire, which kept the palace from a catastrophe." But because of this, the Luocheng Forbidden Army burned down a lot of buildings due to the lack of firefighting manpower. After the fire, the soldiers of the Forbidden Army had to live in unburned houses, which, according to Commander Wen, were overcrowded. The Luocheng building should have been built a long time ago, but after nearly three years, due to the shortage of the national treasury, it has not been possible. The forbidden army is a royal descendant army, which should be extraordinarily generous, but now it lacks even a place to live. Commander Wen's request is reasonable, no matter how difficult it is, it must be agreed. ”

Empress Dowager Xu said: "That's what I said, you summoned Xie Xiangcun to ask privately, he is in the forbidden army, and he should be able to know whether the soldiers are dissatisfied because of the crowded residence, and how serious it is." ”

Qian Hongzuo nodded yes.

Qian Hongzuo asked the chamberlain to ask Xie Xiangcun to feed the fish in the Jiuqu corridor of Yangyuan Water Pavilion, and Xie Xiangcun responded to the call. The two of them were on the cloister and fed the fish with great interest for a while, because Qian Hong was sure that Xie Xiangcun would definitely agree with the matter, so he was not in a hurry to ask him, but just pulled Xie Xiangcun to watch the fish grab food, and some of the fish even jumped out of the water, which was quite pleasant. It wasn't until he fed all the fish food that Qian Hongzuo let Xie Xiangcun help him into the water pavilion.

Put down the curtain, the waiter offered tea, Qian Hongzuo sat at the table, and Xie Xiangcun, who was sitting not far away, tasted tea together, Qian Hongzuo said pleasantly: "Xiao Xie, while you drink tea, listen to me tell you something." ”

Qian Hongzuo was afraid that Xie Xiangcun would not understand the courtiers' answers, so he tried his best to explain the cause and effect in great detail in relatively simple language. Then asked Xie Xiangcun if he had heard that in the forbidden army, the soldiers complained about the accommodation.

Xie Xiangcun said truthfully: "I've heard of it." ”

Qian Hongzuo asked: "You tell me in detail." ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "I live in the camp in front of the palace, and the officers there are all masters selected from the competition, and the salary is quite high. I've heard that they used to live alone, but because the house was burned, there are now six people living in one room. ”

Qian Hongzuo asked: "Do you also live in a common room with the other five people?" ”

Xie Xiangcun nodded and said, "Yes." When I was in Fangli Villa, I lived with my master, and our master and apprentice had separate residences, and I had my own room, which was better than living in the forbidden army. ”

Qian Hongzuo couldn't help sighing, and Wen Cun said: "When the house is built in the future, the Lone King will ask Commander Wen to arrange the largest room for you, so that you can live more comfortably." ”

Xie Xiangcun said resolutely: "I'd rather live like this." ”

Qian Hongzuo was surprised: "Why is this? ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Shengshang, my hometown is in Xinglong Town, near Chang'an, because of the heavy taxes there, which led to the bankruptcy of my family and fled to Wuyue Kingdom. So today, in the court, I heard the head of the household department say that he would increase taxes, which aroused the sadness of the family being ruined, and I couldn't help but worry about the people. ”

Qian Hongzuo comforted: "Xiao Xie, you are too worried." You have been on an errand in the court for many days, and you should have heard it many times, and the ministers said that I am Wu Yue and the rich and the best in the world, which is very different from the Central Plains where there are many soldiers and horses. ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "If the villain hadn't gone to Taizhou to look for his family, I would definitely have believed what they said." ”

Qian Hongzuo asked rhetorically: "Aren't they telling the truth?" ”