Zhang Tingyu returned to the mansion with the head of the house, and as soon as he entered the second gate, Mrs. Wang and Zitong, who were frail, led a few children to wait there with sad faces. The eldest brother Tinglu, the second brother Tingjiao and their children who rushed to hear the news also came out, and when they saw their second brother and second uncle, first Tingyao cried loudly, and then the women and children all cried. Tingyu, who is now the head of the Zhang family, said goodbye to his tears and helped his two younger brothers into the middle hall. Drinking a cup of hot tea, a little calm, he said that the emperor to the father of the seal, reward, and finally put the Kangxi imperial pen inscription of the couplet, hanging in the middle hall, the family to the emperor of the ink, three kneeling nine bows, thank the emperor. Zhang Tingyu thought for a long time and said:

"Shengshang Longen, ordered Oro Dai to lead fifty cavalry generals, the third son of the emperor, Chengjun Wang Yinzhi to Tongcheng to pay tribute to the emperor, in order to rush to the funeral, can only ride a horse, not a car. So, what I mean is that Mrs. Wang, her eldest brother and daughter-in-law, and grandchildren under the age of ten can only ride in a caravan, and the servants will slow down in the cart. I, my eldest brother, my second brother, Zitong, who can ride a horse, my second brother and daughter-in-law, as well as Ruo Ai and Ruocheng, and the escorts of King Cheng County, we have to travel day and night. ”

After the discussion was decided, Mrs. Wang raised another difficult question:

"My father and father-in-law have been poets and palace officials for decades, and they are the initiators of the 'Palace Bureaucracy Yaju', and they are famous for the 'Palace Bureaucracy Yaji Cup'. Now that my father-in-law is dead, it stands to reason that he must be informed of his father. But my father has been in poor health in recent years, and told the old man what if he had to go to Tongcheng to pay tribute? ”

"No, no," Zhang Tingyu said, "My father-in-law is thin and sickly, and he can't stand the bumps in the road, so let's not tell him first!" ”

"How can such a big thing be hidden from the old man?" Zitong interjected, "Wen Duangong is grateful, and the emperor has issued an edict, and the government and the opposition will know about it." If it reaches the mouth of the old man and his family does not tell him, he will be angry, but it will be harmful. In my opinion, it would be better for me to accompany my wife back to her parents' house, tell the truth, and persuade Uncle Wang to mourn and dispel his idea of going to Tongcheng. ”

Mrs. Wang nodded repeatedly.

Zhang Tingyu felt that Zitong was thoughtful, so he said:

"Go and go back quickly. It is estimated that the king of Chengjun will leave tomorrow, and there are still things to prepare at home. ”

Mrs. Wang and Zitong went back to the back room to change clothes and pack up. Zhang Tingyu, his two younger brothers, and the head of the family still stayed in the middle hall to discuss the preparations before departure. Agree on the items to be brought - in addition to the royal gifts, the chief manager is responsible for going to the street to procure the necessary materials for funeral ceremonies; The required horses and vehicles, except for the three existing ones, will be rented by the car dealership after being rented by Ting Ying; Tinglu went to the Chengjun Wangfu to confirm the departure time of the Yinzhi County King. The division of labor has been decided, and just about to get up and do things separately, Mrs. Wang and Zitong also took two maids and prepared to go out, and the front door hurriedly came in to report:

"Master, the old father-in-law has arrived!"

Zhang Tingyu's brothers and his wife immediately walked out of the second door, only to see Wang Shizhen, who was dressed in a plain robe, trembling in with the support of the chief housekeeper. Mrs. Wang, Zitong, Yahuan, and domestic servants, who had changed into black cheongsams, immediately knelt on the ground, and Mrs. Wang kowtowed with tears in her eyes:

"Father, my daughter is about to go home to report the news, and my father-in-law is gone!"

Wang Shizhen's health is not as good as before, since he was removed from the criminal department, he is at home, living in a simple place, singing and harmonizing with poetry friends, and chanting the wind and the moon. Zhang Tingyu was busy with official business, and he drove the emperor to the north hunt, and he didn't see his father-in-law for more than half a year. Now that my father is newly deceased, and seeing that my father-in-law's body and bones are not as good as day by day, sadness comes from it, so I go up and hug Wang Shizhen, and call "Father-in-law", which is like a stalk in my throat and unable to speak.

"Get up, all of you!" Wang Shizhen waved his hand to his daughter and others who were kneeling on the ground, and was supported by Zhang Tingyu's brothers, and walked through the middle hall to the West Flower Hall to sit down. Mrs. Wang, who followed behind, said:

"Dad, why are you here?"

"Hengchen, daughter," Wang Shizhen looked around and answered with a question, "Why hasn't there been a mourning hall in the house?" The news of Wen Duangong's death has been sent by the imperial court. It is impossible for all of the friends who were in Beijing to go to Tongcheng to pay tribute, and a mourning hall must be set up in the Prime Minister's Mansion to prepare for the Beijing official sacrifice! ”

"Old Tarzan is very right!" Daigo empowerment, a sentence reminded Zhang Tingyu, who was in a hurry, to turn to the main pipe of the family, "You send someone to the funeral room quickly, invite someone to set up a mourning hall, and invite the Taoist team!" ”

After the chief manager led a few servants away, Zhang Tingyu said again: "Father-in-law, foolish brothers, and insiders have to go home to mourn. ”

"You all go," Wang Shizhen took the tea offered by the servant, took a sip and said slowly, "It turns out that I also want to go to Tongcheng and see my old in-laws again." It's just that this old bone can't stand upside down, cough-" He sighed, "Back then, the palace officials gathered more than a dozen people, Tang Bin, Shen Quan, Geng Jie, Zhu Jishan, etc., all made ancients, and now Wen Duangong is gone again, let the old man stay in the mansion to entertain on his behalf!" ”

"Then what's going on, your body can't bear it." Zhang Tingyu thought for a moment, "Otherwise, the brother will leave Tingyu behind." ”

"You brothers have to go back," said Mrs. Wang, who understood the righteousness, "I am now the eldest daughter-in-law, and the emperor has conferred the title of Mrs. Erpin, let me stay in the palace to kowtow to the sacrificial officials, and talk about the feelings of my daughter-in-law." ”

Thinking about it, there was only this way, Zhang Tingyu repeatedly told his wife: "My father-in-law is only in the west hall, and you and half of the family members left behind take care of you in the mourning hall." There are princes, Baylor, members of the six ministries and close friends of the deceased father, you enter the west hall, ask your father-in-law to accompany the tea, don't work too the old man. ”

"Yes." Mrs. Wang was already in tears.

"Let's all go and prepare!" Wang Shizhen said, "I brought more than 20 people, including the chief manager, domestic servants, and girls. They all have a division of labor for chores such as cleaning in front of the door, tea in the mourning hall, hanging condolences and hanging accounts; There are fewer people, so you can call at any time. You just have to go back to your hometown with peace of mind and handle the funeral well! ”

On the morning of the next day, Meng Guangzu, the minister of sacrifice, Wang Yinzhi of Chengjun, and Meng Guangzu, a member of the royal palace, rode a high-headed horse and came to the gate of the prime minister's mansion under the leadership of the fifty black armor and black armor battalion soldiers led by Oro Dai. The rider on the head horse, Gao Qing "Qin Cha to sacrifice Zhang Wenduan Gongying" banner, followed by the silver gourd apricot yellow Luo table red umbrella cover, at the end there are several pack horses. The prince of Yinzhi and Oro Dai and Meng Guangzu dismounted, walked into the mourning hall with thunderous drums and loud music, and kowtowed to the spirit cards of "Kangxi Yubi" and "Zhang Wenduangong", and the Zhang brothers, insiders, and grandchildren in plain clothes kowtowed and saluted. came to the back hall with tea, the elegant Yinzhi, saw Wang Shizhen, and said after a few words of greeting:

"Zhang Zhongtang, Ling Zun's moral article, this king admires it very much. Wen Duangong is unfortunate in the immortal world, and he also asks Zhongtang to mourn. ”

The Zhang brothers thanked Qian'er and said:

"Thank you to the emperor, thank you to the prince!"

"How are the preparations at the house," Yinzhi asked, "are you ready to go?" ”

Zhang Tingyu was already anxious, stood up and said, "Everything is ready, just wait for the prince to speak!" ”

"Let's go, then!" Yinzhi held Zhang Tingyu and walked out of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and nearly 100 fast horses and long carts of the Qin Messenger and the funeral procession slowly left the capital. Coming to the official road outside the city, the horse team galloped towards Tongcheng, Anhui Province, which was three thousand miles away. The long cart carrying women, children, and supplies hurried behind to hurry day and night.

Zhang Tingyu and King Chengjun walked side by side, or let the horse gallop, or believe that the horse was wheezing from the reins. The bookish prince Yinzhi pointed out the famous mountains and scenic spots along the way, talked with Zhang Tingyu about the past and the present, and also relieved the fatigue of the journey.

"Zhang Zhongtang," Chengjun Wang said, "throughout the ages, people have died, they have died, they have died, they have died, they have become misanthropic, they have abandoned the world, they have donated the building, and what else is the title?" ”

Zhang Tingyu thought for a while and said:

"Yes. Yan Lu wrote the "Xufu Jun Shendao Monument" called the "abandoned hall account": "Mrs. Spring and Autumn is eighty out of sixty, and the abandoned church account is in Anyang, Xiangzhou." It is also known as the "opening of hands and siblings", Dugu and the author of the epitaph of Mrs. Webster: "On the day of opening hands and feet, the eldest and youngest cry." There is also a person called 'hidden', Chen Ziang wrote Yuan Jingzhi Mingyun for his father: 'Hidden in the private palace. There is also a person who is called 'moving the gods', Liu Zongyuan wrote Cui Jingzhi Mingyun: 'Moving the gods in the boat.' Taoist priests are called 'unraveling', some are called 'retreat', nuns are called 'migration', 'sheshou', and the death of monks is called 'transformation' and 'extermination', and so on. ”

"Zhang Zhongtang is rich in five cars," Yinzhi sighed, "and his memory is amazing, but I don't know what Qing's research on 'Shigu Wen' is?" ”

"In what dynasty was the stone drum text written, everyone has different words." Zhang Tingyu rode his horse to follow the king of Chengjun, "Tang Wei Suzhou, Han Changli and others are determined to be the things of Cheng Zhou, Song Dong Kui is determined to be made by King Cheng, Ouyang Gong, Zhu Zi and Zheng Yuzhong are all doubtful." However, the Jin people Ma Dingguo decided to be Yuwen Zhouwu, and he took calligraphy and painting as his conclusion, which seemed to be difficult to rely on. In the following, it was thought that it should be made in the Han Dynasty. There is a sentence of 'six horses', the Zhou system drove four, and the Han Dynasty drove six. The song of the five sons of the book says: 'It is like a rotten rope to control six horses. 'I thought that this would be the Han people's eyes to learn the Han system, and I saw it in Shigu Wenye! ”

"The Zhongtang examination is subtle, admire, admire!"

Speaking of the ancient road to the present, the road flew by under the rapid hooves of horses. In Tianjin Wei, Dezhou, Tai'an, Xuzhou, Huainan for five nights, there are Qincha princes and the prime minister of the dynasty passing by, and it is for the former prime minister to sacrifice, to mourn, the officials of the three provinces and state capitals, naturally set up a plain tent road sacrifice, to welcome and send the extremely grand ceremony. Everywhere they went, the post station replaced all the tired horses, so it only took six days to arrive at Zhangfu's hometown in Tongcheng Liuqi Lane.

On the evening of Xinhai in November, the Qin sent a funeral horse team to Tongcheng, and the small mountain city was boiling. The governors of Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, as well as the state and county officials, knelt down in a large area at the gate of the city, and looked at the lively common people, pouring out of the city, crowding and standing on both sides of the street from the city gate to the six-foot lane. The ministers Yinzhi and Zhang Tingyu dismounted outside the city gate, greeted the local officials, and then walked hand in hand with the governor to Liuchi Lane.

The prime minister's mansion in Six-foot Lane, a huge area of black pressing, more than 60 main houses and miscellaneous houses, as well as several acres of gardens and vegetable fields enclosed by walls. But this is a large farmhouse compound in the mountain township of northern Anhui, which cannot be compared with the official residence of the capital at all, and it cannot even be compared with the county government. There are only about 30 houses that can live in people, Zhang Ying said goodbye to the old and returned to his hometown, the only thing that has been repaired is his two-way study and a bedroom, in addition to painting a plum pavilion in the garden. The house of the head of the house, cousins, nephews, subordinates, and girls, what is it or what it is. After the death of the old prime minister, all the people surnamed Zhang in Tongcheng came to Liuqi Lane to help, painted and renovated more than a dozen rooms, and prepared to come back to live as the prime minister Zhang Tingyu's brothers. As for the installation of the mourning hall, the burial of the temporary house, the incense, the Taoist priests, the wake, and the entertainment and mourning, they are all divided and responsible, and each performs its own affairs in an orderly manner. The only thing is the mausoleum of Wen Duangong, and the Tingyu brothers need to come back to get a final idea.

Counting up, Wenduan Gong Zhang Ying has passed away for more than ten days, and the body frozen in the cellar has been buried, and the ancestral hall of the Zhang family near Zhang's Mansion in Liuqi Lane has been moved. The entrance of the ancestral hall is tied with arched pine branches, decorated with white flowers, and draped in black veil. The mourning hall located in the main hall of the ancestral hall, among which there is a red sandalwood coffin surrounded by plain flowers, the east and west walls, are hung with the couplets, condolences and mourning flags of the relatives and friends of the surrounding provincial government officials and celebrities, and Zhang Wenduangong is set up in the middle of the spiritual seat.

After six days of Pegasus, its exhaustion can be imagined. More than 30 tables of banquets were set up in Zhangfutangwu, Hengtangwu, and Shuting, and Zhang Tingyu brothers accompanied Wang Yinzhi of Qinchacheng County, the governors of the two provinces, local officials, and the soldiers of Oro Dai to have dinner, and Zhang Tingyu personally sent the county prince and governor to the county government to rest. When he returned to the house, he led his brothers, concubines, children, nephews, and servants and girls from the Prime Minister's Mansion to the Zhang's ancestral hall, cried and worshiped his father's heroic spirit, and hung the Kangxi Emperor's imperial system above the wall.

Zitong personally poured water for the old man to wash, made the mattress, and massaged the old man who was like a broken skeleton for a while before lying down.

There was no word that night.

The next day, the Zhang brothers and the clansmen agreed to hold a public sacrifice on Bingchen Day, and now there are four days left. Everything else is easy to arrange, but the question is that King Chengjun stays in a small place like the county government and waits for the public sacrifice four days later, can he endure the loneliness? When they were in distress, Cao Yin, Cao Fu and his son came to mourn, and they also brought Xueqin, who was a little more than four years old. Cao Yin is a close friend of Wen Duangong, Zhang Tingyu accompanied Kangxi on his southern tour, and also stayed in the weaving mansion many times, and also had a deep friendship with Cao Yin's father and son. After the Cao father and son worshiped the spirit, they heard that there was no one to accompany Wang Yinzhi of Chengjun here, so Cao Fu volunteered and said:

"Brother Hengchen, it's okay, these days, the subordinate will accompany the king of the county to visit the famous mountains and scenic spots in Tongcheng, the third prince is a learned gentleman, he must be happy."

Cao Yin also said: "Speaking of which, the reason why the Cao family and the third prince still have a bit of a loofah and willow leaves is that they have some dealings with the eighth and tenth masters, and the three of our ancestors and grandchildren go to accompany the prince, it's okay." You can rest assured. ”

Zhang Tingyu thought about it, and immediately accompanied the three generations of the Cao family to the building where the county Yayinzhi stayed to meet, and reported the date of the public sacrifice, Zhang Tingyu apologized:

"Lord, there are still four days before the sacrifice, and his subordinates are busy with funeral affairs and can't accompany him personally, so I want to ask Uncle Cao Nian's father and son to accompany the prince for a few days, I don't know if it's okay?"

Yinzhi comforted: "Zhang Zhongtang, you go and get busy with you." I am an old friend of the Cao family, and it is better to catch up with the old days together, and it is better to walk together. ”

A few days later, Zhang Tingyu asked his eldest brother Tinglu and his wife, Zitong, Ruo Wei and other children and grandchildren to keep a vigil in the ancestral hall and kowtow to the people who came to mourn.

Before his father's death, he had hinted to his clansmen and peers that he wanted to be buried in Longmian Mountain in the north of Tongcheng County after a hundred years. Longmian Mountain is verdant and stretches for dozens of miles, the scenery is unique, the mountains are undulating, and it is not clearly stated where the resting place will be placed. For two days in a row, Zhang Tingyu and his entourage led Mr. Feng Shui, with a compass, to more than ten small hills in Longmian Mountain, and finally chose his father's cemetery. On both sides of this mountain, there is a small stream, which is called Shuangxi. The main peak of Longmian Mountain in the back pillow, surrounded by two mountains of the left green dragon and the right white tiger, and the clear water of Shuangxi between the valleys is indeed in line with the father's reputation for a generation, and the elegance of yearning for Tian Shelang. Zhang Tingyu was five miles away from his father's cemetery, and he also chose a small hill for himself to be a feng shui treasure after a hundred years.

On the third day, he led dozens of craftsmen and husbands to plan and set out the line for the mausoleum of Wenduangong, and designed the tomb head, tombstone, tomb enclosure, sacrificial case, and tomb introduction projects. There are good granite on Longmian Mountain, and it was decided to take local materials, and invited dozens of stonemasons to carve stone workshops, stone people, stone horses, stone pillars, and the white jade marble tomb plate and the stone engraved with the Kangxi imperial couplet, and immediately sent people to Jiangning to procure. In this way, the day before the public sacrifice, the tomb of Prime Minister Zhang started construction. Because the emperor only gave Zhang Tingyu three months to worry about the period, the large-scale mausoleum project must be completed within three months, and the coffin will be put into the ground, so that Zhang Tingyu can rest assured that he will return to the capital to see things.

The day before the public sacrifice, several carriages carrying women, children, and children and supplies also arrived at Six Feet Lane.

On the day of Bingchen Day, the sky was high and refreshing, and the warm winter sun hung high in the sky, and there was no trace of clouds, as if it indicated that the Zhang family was blessed. The six-foot alley house and Zhang's ancestral hall are decorated with white flowers, draped with black yarn, and the spirit flags are everywhere. In the ancestral hall of the Zhang family in the public memorial ground, inside and outside the compound, dozens of tables of eight immortals, stools and chairs are lined up for officials from all walks of life to drink tea and rest.

At noon, three three-eyed guns rang out, firecrackers exploded non-stop, and gongs and drums played mournful music. At that time, the street was full of people, the sound of gongs and boring, the banner of "Qin Cha to sacrifice Zhang Wenduan Gongying" opened the way, Hualuo umbrella cover, robes and robes, and wore brilliance. Surrounded by the people who watched the city, the sacrificial people and horses slowly walked towards the ancestral hall of the Zhang family. In the front, riding on a tall horse is the minister of the Qincha Chengjun Wang Yinzhi, Jiangnan weaving Cao Yin father and son, Anhui and Jiangsu governors, governors, political envoys, overseers, generals and state and county officials, as well as Tongcheng Qisu, Wenduangong's former friends.

In the courtyard of the Zhang ancestral hall, there are hundreds of men and women of the Zhang family headed by Zhang Tingyu, and all of their blood relatives are dressed in sackcloth. The minister of the Qin Mission, Prince Yinzhi, dismounted and walked into the mourning hall, and in front of the case full of fruit offerings, he personally took three incense sticks, bowed to Zhang Wenduan's coffin and the spiritual seat, and delivered a speech:

"Zhang Wenduan Gong drove the crane west in the old age. When today's son heard the bad news, he was shocked and worried, and the third son of the emperor, the king of Chengjun, Yinzhi, galloped thousands of miles to Zhangfu in Tongcheng, and sacrificed in front of the spirit on behalf of the saint. Uhu! Wen Duangong is the famous minister of this dynasty, and he has served the emperor for nearly 40 years, sharing worries for the monarch, working hard for the country, and making contributions to future generations. The public is an official and a person, and he is also saved by his father's imperial pen: 'The executive wat is worthy of the real prime minister, and the coffin is still an old scholar.' 'This prince has been enlightened, the master's voice and smile are still there, and now he has been separated by a day, and he is overwhelmed with emotion, sad, and still feasting! ”

Zhang Tingyu's family bowed to the prince of Qincha, and the prince personally helped Zhang Tingyu up, said "festival condolences", and then returned to the courtyard to sit down and drink tea. Cao Yin's ancestors and grandchildren, the governor, the governor, the Oro Dai, Meng Guangzu and the civil and military officials paid tribute in turn, Zhang Tingyu left two younger brothers and sisters-in-law, and continued to accept the local gentry and the people who were not receiving a stream of worship, but he and Zitong led the guests to the mansion, set up a wine and feast, and thanked the prince and the officials for their condolences.

The next day, Zhang Tingyu once again held a banquet in the mansion to see off Wang Yinzhi of Chengjun and the governors of the two provinces, Cao Yin's ancestors and grandchildren. On the same day, Yinzhi left 20 soldiers of the Shanpu battalion to guard Prime Minister Zhang, and he and Oro Dai and Meng Guangzu led 30 elite cavalry soldiers to leave Tongcheng. Qin had an errand, Meng Guangzu went south to Jiangning, and King Chengjun was indispensable on his return journey to visit the ancient times, needless to say.

Cao Yin did not return to Jiangning immediately because of his special friendship with his late father. He sent his son Cao Fu back to Jiangning to take care of things, but he left his grandson Xueqin with him, and simply moved to the Zhang family's mansion to accompany the Tingyu brothers to mourn and comfort their souls.

After returning to his hometown for more than ten days, the funeral came to an end for the time being. In addition to the family who came back from Beijing and Cao Yin's grandson, relatives near and far have left. The father's mausoleum was supervised by the two younger brothers in turn, and Zhang Tingyu accompanied Cao Yin's grandson and grandchildren, chatting at home and resting for several days. Xiao Xueqin is lively and active, and her mouth is also well-behaved:

Bright moonlight in front of the bed,

It is suspected to be frost on the ground.

Raise your head to look at the bright moon,

Bow your head and think of your hometown.

Xiao Xueqin, who was a little more than three years old, was able to recite dozens of Tang poems, which aroused Zhang Tingyu's curiosity, and he praised Cao Yin: "Cao Nianbo, Xiao Xueqin is so young, she will learn poetry, and she will be able to inherit the mantle of Naizu in the future and become a generation of poets." ”

"Zhang Zhongtang, don't praise him." Cao Yin smiled heartily.

At this time, the three of them walked along Six Feet Alley towards the streets of Tongcheng. Xiao Xueqin was originally holding her grandfather's hand, but listening to Uncle Zhang, who usually doesn't smile at him, praised him, let go of her grandfather's hand, took Zhang Tingyu's hand and said with a smile:

"Uncle, Xiao Xueqin can not only recite poems, but also deal with it."

"Ahh Zhang Tingyu pinched Xiao Xueqin's little hand and said teasingly, "Then Uncle has an upper link, can you come to the lower link?" ”

"Good, good!" Cao Xueqin jumped up with joy.

Zhang Tingyu looked at Six Feet Lane and said casually:

"Six feet lane, measure it, the neighbor is not six feet;"

Xiao Xueqin stopped, knelt on her fingers and thought about it, and suddenly said with a smile:

"The two-phase mansion is compared to one another, and there are no two phases inside and outside."

Zhang Tingyu and Cao Yin laughed when they heard this. Xiao Xueqin mistakenly thought that the response was inappropriate, and asked with a red face:

"Isn't that right?"

"Yes, great!" Zhang Tingyu stroked Xiao Xueqin's head and praised it very much, "You are simply a prodigy, and the latter word 'phase' is the most funny." Cao Nianbo," Zhang Tingyu looked back at Cao Yin and said, "When Xueqin grows to be more than ten years old, let him go to the capital to study, and he will definitely have a great future in the future!" ”

"Okay, Xueqin has an aunt in the Fuping Palace," Cao Yin said, "When he grows up, let him go to the palace to study with him, and ask his nephew to help him." ”

The three of them talked and laughed and came to the Tongcheng Confucian Temple at the crossroads. There are ancient buildings such as Panchi, Zhuangyuan Bridge, Dacheng Gate, East and West Corridors, and Dacheng Palace. Prior to this, in less than two hundred years of the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tongcheng produced more than a dozen prime ministers, writers, and scholars such as Zuo Guangdou, Fang Yizhi, Zhang Ying, Fang Bao, Zhang Tingyu, Zhang Tingzan, Liu Haifeng, and Yao Nai. It is also really an outstanding person, so the Temple of Literature here is particularly worshipped.

Take a tour in the Confucian Temple, reminisce about the past, and come to the Zuo Zhongyi Ancestral Hall on the north street of the county. Zhang Tingyu took Cao Xueqin's little hand, and pointed and told the story of Zuo Zhongyi Gong as he walked:

"Zuo Zhongyi Gong, the name Guangdou, the word is straight, and the number is Fuqiu. There is a floating mountain in Tongcheng, it is very famous, strange peaks and strange ridges, caves are dotted, there are the so-called eleven strange peaks, nineteen strange stones, thirty-two rocks, seventy-two holes. When you grow up, Uncle will come back and take you to play. Zhongyi's official name 'Fuqiu' actually means 'Fushan'. Zhongyi Gong Department of the former Ming Dynasty Wanli years in the Jinshi, the fourth year of the Apocalypse, as the left sign of the imperial history, he is upright, not afraid of power. Dare to fight against the eunuchs who bring disaster to the country and the people......"

"Uncle," Cao Xueqin asked with a glare, "What is a eunuch?" ”

"It's the eunuch in front of the emperor."

"What is a eunuch?"

Zhang Tingyu was speechless. This "eunuch" and "eunuch" could not explain clearly to the children, so they said:

"Those are men who are not men."

"How can you be a man and not a man?" Xiao Xueqin has a posture of breaking the casserole and asking (burning) to the end.

"Hehe," the university scholar uncle couldn't say it clearly, so he simply didn't talk about it, and continued the previous topic, "Zhongyi Gong and Yang Lian participated in the impeachment of the traitor Wei Zhongxian......"

"What is a traitor?" Xiao Xueqin asked again.

"It's a bad guy who deceived the emperor, framed loyal ministers, and specifically harmed the common people!" Zhang Tingyu explained, "Duke Zhongyi handed an excerpt to the emperor, listing Wei Zhongxian's 32 major crimes that should be killed. At that time, Wei Zhongxian was the prime minister of the dynasty, and Zhongyigong's excerpts were intercepted when they arrived in his hands, but Zuo Guangdou and Yang Lian and others were arrested on death row, framed for their crimes, and finally died in prison. Tongcheng hometown people, grateful for the loyalty of Zuo Guangdou, set up this shrine to enjoy the worship! ”

"Ah, that's right!" Xiao Xueqin said innocently, "When I grow up, I also want to be a person like Zhongyi Gong, not afraid of power, I can do whatever I want, no one can control me!" ”

Grandpa and Zhang Tingyu laughed heartily again.

Cao Yin's grandson has been in Six Feet Lane for more than half a month. Until the night before leaving, Xiao Xueqin fell asleep, and Cao Yin came to Zhang Tingyu's study and asked the prime minister of the current dynasty a question he wanted to ask:

"Zhang Zhongtang, why did the Holy Lord suddenly abolish the crown prince Yinren?"

"It's hard to put into words!" Zhang Tingyu was originally tight-lipped, but in front of his father's closest friend, he had to say euphemistically, "The emperor abolished the prince, there is always his reason, but according to the young nephew, it seems that he is somewhat involved with the eldest elder brother Yinchu and the eighth elder brother Yinyu." Who knows, in all dynasties, in order to compete for the crown prince, there are also some storms. The emperor just abolished the crown prince and cut Yinxi's title, which shows that there seems to be a fight between the princes. Nian Bo Weaving Mansion, Su has close contacts with his brothers, and I am afraid that he will be cautious in the future. ”

"Yes, the old man is always worried."

"Look at the recent Di newspaper," Zhang Tingyu turned the charcoal fire into the fire, asked Yahuan to serve Cao Yin hot tea, and continued, "The deputy capital Yu Shi Laozhi played the role of protecting the abolished prince, and was deprived of his imperial staff; The Holy Lord summoned the courtiers to discuss the establishment of the second prince, and Alinga, Orodai, Yuxu, Wang Hongxu and many ministers asked for the emperor's eighth son, Yinxi, but the Holy Lord did not allow ......"

"Oro Dai," Cao Yin interrupted, "Is it the general of the Shanpu Battalion who came with the Third Prince?" ”

"It's him!" Zhang Tingyu suddenly remembered, "In the forty-second year, the emperor encountered a raider on his southern tour of Taihu Lake, and he was the one who protected him and killed the masked raider, does Nian Bo have any impressions?" ”

"No wonder it's so familiar."

"Oro Dai went back from here, and returned to the emperor as a first-class guard," Zhang Tingyu said worriedly, "Recently, Yinren, who was imprisoned, was released. There are many ministers who have asked for the reinstatement of Yinren as the crown prince. Yinxi has regained the title of Baylor, what a change in the situation three times a day! ”

"Hengchen, it's inconvenient for you to stay in your hometown for a long time!"

"I think so too."

"Did you stay with Tinglu and Tingyu to supervise the mausoleum, and you returned to Beijing early?"

"Let's see!"

As a result, Zhang Tingyu hurried back to Beijing with Zitong and his sons after less than three months, escorted by twenty horsemen. My father's mausoleum was later repaired for more than half a year.