Le Min was led down the west steps of the upper room by Jin Cai'er, went out from the corner gate to the backyard of the post station, was slammed by the wind, and immediately woke up: What am I doing here? Confession? non-pro-family; Friends? Non-friends; One is a feudal official who sits in Huguang in Jianya Kaifu, and the other is a poor woman in Huanyi who is in a poor country pavilion station. Want to show off who you are? No. One is a married woman, and the other is a married man. Looking for an old love? No...... Le Min stood still, he read the book of the sages, I don't know how many times he read it, but it was the first time that he understood what the sages said, "It must be justified"! If the name is not right, it is really not good, it can't be done, and the etiquette is not happy, and it really makes people "at a loss"! How did Jin Cai'er know the mentality of this dignitary at the moment? Seeing that he stopped, he expected to be self-conscious, so he smiled and said: "The trees here are windy and cold, and the middle master is resting here, I'll call her." ”

"No, we're — dear friends." Le Min finally came up with a "name", his demeanor suddenly became free, and he said with a smile: "If you can't set the rules of officialdom, I'll go to see her by myself - isn't it Yu'er who twists clothes by the stream?" - There you go! So saying, he passed through a grove of small poplars, and saw the woman putting her clothes in a basket. Lemin recognized, shouted "Yu'er" and walked forward quickly.

Yu'er straightened up with a little difficulty, looked at Le Min with four eyes, and immediately recognized Le Min after only a short pause. She stared at Le Min, seemingly with a sad and joyful melancholy, but soon returned to normal, squatted down with her hands on her knees and smiled: "It's Le Sanye!" I said that my eyelids jumped when I got up this morning, and I burned rice last night and chopped firewood! - You're still the same, but your beard has grown, and you don't recognize me when you throw a hammer on the street, I can recognize you at a glance! Le Minyuan's somewhat tense heart suddenly relaxed. looked at Yu'er and said with a smile: "You are also the same, you are three years older than Fang Qing!" He looked like he was five or six years younger than her—not a single gray hair! Yu'er smacked her sideburns and said with a smile: "I don't have as many things as her, and I don't read as many books as her...... But the gray hair is there, and you can stand far away—" She suddenly felt speechless, her face flushed, and she rubbed her fingers together without saying a word.

Le Min also felt embarrassed, and sighed in his heart: Can she still pick wild chrysanthemums and insert them into her sideburns with her own hands like he did back then? But when Yu'er saw him, the brightness and brightness had diluted his original depression and heart-wrenching thoughts, and he no longer had the heart of pain, so he said with a smile: "It's all old." I remember I told you about "Fast Mouth Li Cuilian", what do you laugh at. Your temperament hasn't changed at all. You know how many of my friends in Beijing. I come and go a lot. You've had such a hard time, you should go and see me. ”

"Do you want to sing "Splashing Water in Front of the Horse"?" Yu'er smiled: "Zhuang Yougong is the champion, he likes to go crazy, do you remember how I scolded him?" 'What is a champion?' —You're the champion too, I'm afraid to see a madman! The two of them couldn't help laughing when they remembered the scene in the past, and Yu'er asked, "Why did you come here!" Is it the plague in the officialdom and the unlucky egg, or is it the Marquis of Xuanma, who has to be idle for half a day, and runs around in the field to write poems? ”

Le Min told him about his recent situation in a simple way, and said: "Second Master Dun and Third Master Dun have talked about you several times, there are many heavy names in the world, and I didn't inquire seriously, but I finally saw you today." I didn't expect you and Fang Qing to be in the same place - let's go, you haven't eaten yet, have you? The front is ready, and they are waiting! Let's talk. Seeing that Yu'er still had to take care of the basket of clothes, Le Min smiled and said, "Let's go—they will do these things." Yu'er also smiled: "It seems that you are still the champion, and you are not in a coma." Okay, I'm also a fox and a fake tiger. ”

The two followed each other by mistake, and in the gossip, Le Min learned that Yu'er's husband had passed away the year before last, and the family had more than ten acres of land, and the three sons were twins, and Xueqin's son was named Sanmao, plus Fangqing, and the two families lived together. Yu'er said it easily, and Le Min knew that she was having a hard time even if she didn't settle accounts. Thinking about it, they had reached the corner gate, and almost at the same time, both of them stopped. Somehow, their hearts sank.

"Yu'er," after a long time, Le Min looked up at the canopy of the clouds, and said slowly: "There is a sentence, I don't know if I should say it or not?" ”

"You man! If you want to talk about it, you should talk about it, and if you don't want to talk about it, you shouldn't talk about it! Why is it so rambling? ”

……

……

"Yu'er."

"Hmm."

"I think everyone is together, it's all fate. Calculate for you, you are not happy, I am uneasy, I want to help you. ”

"Huh? Well...... - what's the help? ”

Le Min smiled and said, "Don't look at me like that, like a thief." The ancestor of your Zhang family is the old Xiangguo of Jiangling in the former Ming Dynasty. The eunuch clan is naturally high behind him, and I know this more than anyone in the world. He paused, took out the silver ticket of the dragon head that was a thousand taels from his boots, and said: "But you Yu'er don't underestimate me Lemin, I am also a Manchurian nobleman who has lost his family, and a person who has broken somersaults." You don't have to say anything about this thousand taels of silver, and then. One is for children; The second is also the orphan and widow of Xueqin. Buying some land and finding a long-term job will save you from sewing poor clothes like this. I went to Huguang to be the governor, maybe I had to send troops to release the horses, and a flash died outside-" "The blue sky and white sun are red and white-toothed! Yu'er interrupted him. If you want to tell me about this money, why don't you dare to accept it? Just more, and you won't be able to repay our Zhang family's kindness! You're just giving a few bucks to settle your own heart. One is that I have ploughing and weaving, so I can't do this; Second, if you take this money, I think you will be elevated - so that I can help you become famous again?! ”

"Yes, yes!" Suddenly, someone clapped his hands and laughed from behind, "We're waiting in front, there is a Han Xinpiao's mother's private gift in the back garden here!" ”

The two of them looked back, but it was Duncheng who came out of the east toilet. Le Min smiled: "Scared me! I'm —" "Don't say it, I hear it all! Duncheng smiled and said, "This is a beautiful talk!" Yu'er, you can take it quickly-my second brother Qian Du and I are also helping them out! My brothers and I only brought 300 silver, and borrowed 500 from the post station, I thought that you had this ticket, it seems that you don't even need to play the IOU! Yu'er smiled and took it happily. Duncheng said: "The general Jidu in front of him is a mix, and he is not stingy. When I heard that 'Mrs. Cao was in trouble', I drew 3,000 taels of silver tickets and went to pay a visit. At this time, Zi Fangqing is still there to excuse herself - Yu'er, you will continue to give you money, this is not a bribe! Their money is easy to come by, you live better, we have a good fight with Xueqin, the living and the dead are at ease, right? The three of them laughed and burst into tears.

I went back to the main courtyard of the post station, and sure enough, I heard Ji Du in the east ear room talking in a big throat: "Madam, you don't see us outside, although I am a military general, "Three Kingdoms", "Water Margin", "Red Mansion" have all read, if you can't read it, I will ask the master to speak, listen to the singing, last time I saw the emperor in Jin, the emperor listened to me read and laughed, saying that I was a 'Confucian general'!" Le Min and Duncheng looked at each other and smiled, and entered the house with Yu'er, and sure enough, they saw a few silver tickets on the table, as well as a few silver envelopes wrapped in mulberry paper. also laughed at me for being 'vassal and elegant', and I said that I was embarrassed, you are a vassal philistine! ”

"Good! That's a great way to say that! Le Min applauded and laughed, "Both the government and the opposition are willing to be like generals, how can there be anyone in Shengshi Wenzhi who is not prosperous?" Jidu - you don't recognize me! Last time in Yunsongxuan - I played the matter of Jinchuan, you rushed to talk to me about Heilongjiang, saying that it was more urgent than my business...... "Jidu pointed at Le Min "ah", and laughed: "I remembered, I remembered!" The emperor asked us the old Manchurian surname, and it turned out to be the Guerjia clan of the same banner - I said, they just said Le Min, and then said Le Zhongcheng, it turned out to be his mother - Le Third Brother! Hello mom laba! Le Min also laughed back: "Hello Ma Labazi!" ”

So he sat down and laughed. Qian Du saw that Fangqing and Yu'er were not used to this occasion, so he sat and said nothing, and said with a smile: "Today is another meeting." We are Xueqin's old friends; Yu'er is the kindness of the third master of Le, and the Jidu army gate is Xueqin's divine friend, and it is also everyone's mind to help a little, I think the sister-in-law of the Zhang family of the Cao family will accept it with a smile! Dun Cheng saw Fang Qing nodding and said with a smile: "That's right." You probably don't know about Jijunmen, it's that Duluo, who came back to Beijing last year, Yongzhong Baylor was treated, Yin Yuanchang [1]

, me, the second brother, and a few Qing guests of the Yuan Chang ate together. Du Luo said the wrong wine order, Yuan Chang rounded the field on his behalf, and came down to thank Yuan Chang for a thousand taels of silver! ”

"This guy is used to making me ugly, so there is still such a thing?" Ji Du laughed, took a sip of water, "Third master, let's get to the bottom of it!" "You can't go and talk to Tura again." Duncheng also liked that this "Confucian general" was elegant and bold, and teased him seriously, saying: "On that day, I wanted to say poems with the word 'red', some said that in "Dream of Red Mansions", some said 'a few degrees of sunset red', and what 'frost leaves are red in February'...... Unexpectedly, when it was Du Luo's turn, he was in a hurry, and he was talking nonsense about 'catkins flying red'! - Who doesn't know that catkins are white? He said it was red! Jidu was born with a big voice, and he smiled and clapped his hands: "Yes! Every time he saw me, he said that he could write poems, and it was his ability to say that catkins were red! ”

Duncheng said: "At that time, Yin Yuanchang was sitting next to him, and when he saw Du Luo laughing, his face was flushed. Commander, as you all know, you love the most vassal and elegant generals. came out to round the field for him, saying that it was a sentence in Gao Jiangcun's poem. blocked everyone's mouths, Du Luo was grateful with dignity on his face, and when he came down, he gave a thousand silver, saying that it was 'thank you for it' - he was just playing on the spot, and your move today can really be called the true character of a great hero, and it is a real celebrity and a man! Jidu was the most flattering, and he was reckless and competitive, he scratched the itch, his face was full of joy, he jumped up like a child, took the inkstone, took the paper and pen and put it on the big table, smoothed the paper, and said with a smile: "Third master, you have a good temper with us!" - To tell you the truth, we don't have much water in our stomachs, and we don't want to listen to Du Luo blowing the conch all the time - you write that poem for us. If there is evidence, it will be difficult for him to repay the debt! Duncheng pondered for a long time before he said, "Okay, I'll write it to you—you can't say that I said it!" "Because of the help of the pen and ink, write one stroke at a time:

Twenty-four winds on the side of the twenty-four bridge, who remembers the old Jiangdong by the railing?

The sunset shines back on the peach blossom dock, and the catkins fly in pieces of red!

When everyone saw it, they all said it was wonderful. Le Min saw that the sun was falling, Yu'er Fangqing had not yet eaten, and several times she raised her watch to look at the time, Jidu was unconscious, because she smiled and said: "Hungry people don't know that hungry people are hungry." We're just happy. Fangqing's sister-in-law and Yu'er haven't eaten yet! Brother Jidu, we will see Xueqin's grave later, and we will go back to the capital. You're on your way today, let's go together—tomorrow I'll have a feast at home and invite you, how about chatting? Jidu took out a big gold pocket watch, shook it ostentatiously, looked at the needle, and said in surprise: "It's not over!" Ah Gui Zhongtang has an appointment tonight—I'm going to go first. He got up and shook his head, and deliberately bowed to Fang Qing and said: "My Jingshi house is in the alley of You'anmen North Street, and there are housekeepers who are stationed in Beijing all the year round. What's the use of Mrs. Sister-in-law, take our name to see him, I'm allowed to help! He smiled again, squeezed his eyes mischievously at everyone and said, "See you in the capital!" At this moment, everyone saw that the personal soldier Goshha brought by Jidu, as well as the two masters, there were dozens of people, who were already lined up and standing in the courtyard of the courtyard waiting. Seeing him come out, the spur saber rang out and asked An to salute. Jidu didn't say much, waved his hand and said, "Let's walk while it's hot!" ”

Qian Du and the others finally sent him out of the post station, and watched him go away like a tornado on the ground, and then turned back to the post. Dun Min settled Fang Qing Yu'er to eat in the east ear room, came out and said: "The two sisters-in-law are really tired, they are eating over there, take a short break, take us to Xueqin's grave to have a look, just go back to the city." This time we got a lot of money, and we have to plan for them, right? ”

So, the four of them didn't enter the house, but went through the courtyard door to discuss, and the cool breeze was pleasant. It is calculated that there are more than 4,800 taels, Erdun Lemin is not good at finances, the idea of money, 300 taels is used to renovate the house, 500 taels still have a silver number, 500 taels of mules and horses and agricultural tools and grain warehouses, and the remaining 3,500 taels are all bought near the outline of the land, which can get more than 90 acres. At the end, Qian Du said with a smile: "The two sisters-in-law are both understanding people, and they will never forget their righteousness when they see profit." But there is a standing knife next to 'Li'. For the sake of future generations, we should also clearly divide. I see that all the houses and fields have been contracted, and they are half of the family. Although Fang Qing has suffered a little, she has relied on the Zhang family over the years, and it is right to let go. It's all to prevent future disputes......"

"Good, there will be no hunger in thirty years!" Le Min put a sentence from "The Stone Record" and clasped his hands and said: "It's just that now the carp that is dry up can still be wet, and it seems difficult to say these words of breaking between catties and catties." Dun Min was silent. Duncheng said: "It's okay, it's hard for you to speak, I said - our children are like this." No, it's sent to Jia Mansion like in "Dream of Red Mansions", and it's still white, and the land is really clean! ”

Everyone said that Fang Qing and Yu'er had finished eating and came out. Yu'er smiled: "You guys talk outside, we hear every word in the house—we all cover our mouths and laugh!" The silver was given to our sister, and I didn't dare to work you to waste this idleness. I didn't expect this foreign wealth, but now I have it-just this hill land, buy it and plant mulberry trees, and ask the master of Nanjing to set up 30 machines, don't you say we can't weave silk? More than 100 boats from the south are broken down here every year, how about opening a carpentry workshop and specializing in repairing ships? Now that the royal family is repairing the Old Summer Palace, how much brick and stone is collected, and whether it is possible to open a brick factory and stone factory? …… As for how to divide the accounts, then of course we have our own charter, and we can also invite you nobles to be the bookkeepers? ”

Their minds were so open-minded, and although a few people listened with a smile, they were also surprised in their hearts. Duncheng smiled and said to Qian Du: "Thinking that you Xiao He Sance can calm Liu, who knows that half a strategy can't do it!" Qian Du said: "What I think about is just farming and self-preservation, and what my sisters-in-law think about is business growth!" It's no wonder that this is actually a dry dock, and they are stringing in the post station all day long, and they have seen nature in the past and now - which of these ones is better than mine, I really admire! ”

"Don't be like Xiao Lu wrote a letter to Fu Liuye that year, 'Martial arts steal the land, worthy of the father', right?" Dun Min smiled, "Killing pigs and tails, each has its own way to kill." Mongolians are richer than rich, see whose pasture is bigger, more cattle and sheep, Han people have more farms than land, there is a Nu tribe in the southwest, whoever hangs more cattle outside the door is rich. Jiangsu and Zhejiang now look at whose business name is big and there are many looms. The sixth master told me last time, the people of the Ying card have more steamers and iron ships and more steamers, and they all use iron to pave the road in the Rakshasa country, and see whose railway is long in front of the house...... It's really strange and unthinkable. Le Min said: "The way is true from many ways, and all laws are one, and it has to be the way of Confucius and Mencius, just like the sun and the moon and the sky, and it is applicable everywhere." I think Qian Du is not bad, farming and weaving to build a family, teaching children to read......"

"Plant Confucius and Meng, collect talents, and collect people and scholars." Duncheng said: "Then be the prime minister and be the court; And then raid the house - is it fun? Le Min was stunned by him, thinking that he was a golden branch and jade leaf, and he couldn't do this and didn't bother to raise the bar, because he smiled and said: "I can't get entangled with you - two sisters-in-law, please take us to the grave of Xueqin, we should do our best to pay our respects, and we should go back to the city." ”

So the four of them followed Fangqing Yu'er out of the post again, bought some incense, candles, paper horses, cinnabar yellow mounting, etc. in the small shop, and asked for a bottle of wine, but they still followed the way and returned to the east half a mile away from Xueqin's former residence. Yu'er pointed to a few old poplar trees under the soil hill on the north bank of the Tongji River, her expression was slightly melancholy, and she said, "Just under this tree......"

Cao Xueqin is buried here! The four of them exchanged glances. Lemin walked first, wading through the long grass as soft as a woman's hair to the tree, and several people followed him silently, and sure enough, he saw a lonely grave rising in the half-human deep weeds, and the grave was also covered with grass, but it was different from the wild grass around the turn, the same color of motherwort, like green garlic without sprouts. Just as a beam of slanting sun fell, the dark blue and blue color of the mother was particularly eye-catching-the four of them had seen a specially prepared medicinal furrow in the garden of the Cao Mansion, and it was specially planted, so they didn't ask.

At this time, the insects chirp among the grass and trees in the sunset, the south side of the Tongji River is concave to the south and folds to the east, the water is slippery like the jasper, the gurgling sound is endless, the poplar that hugs the thick one drills into the clouds, and the rustling leaves and the long chirp of knowing it sound together. In the middle of this, there was chaos in the hearts of several people, as if the heavens, earth, grass, mountains, rivers and themselves were all merged into a blur, and they didn't want to speak, but also felt that they had nothing to say.

"Brother Xueqin, we see you're here." Duncheng squatted down, pulled out a small clearing in the grass, and lit the incense candle paper. Fang Qing knelt down, burned the tin foil one by one, burned one end and the other and said, "...... In that year, Obi came to our house and wrote on the wall, 'Far rich and near poor, there are few people in the world who make friends with courtesy; Alienating relatives and friends, losing righteousness because of wealth, there are many in the world'...... You laughed and said, 'Not really.'" I'm really right for you, it's me wrong...... Although Mr. He has passed away, his son brought the rest of your manuscript to Jinling, brought a letter, and there is a bookstore that is carving the whole book of "Stone Records", and a sample will be produced this autumn - the second master, the third master, the Le master, the Qian master, and the general Jidu who is righteous and squandered money to help the orphans and the weak, you have a spirit underground, and you have seen it......" said, sobbing and crying. Yu'er said on the side: "Qin Ye, the first time I cried to you, I went back and made a great wish to Luo Tian in front of Guanyin Buddha: but teach Yu'er to have a breath, Fang Qing's sister-in-law and little nephew can't be wronged." I'll say one more thing in front of your grave today, but if there is a bite of food, our two families will eat it together, and we won't teach your soul to be uneasy - if the Zhang family violates this oath, they will not be able to enter the six realms of reincarnation......"

Qian Duyin has worked with Gao Qizhuo, and he knows a little about the art of public opinion. Everyone poured out their hearts around Xueqin's grave, sprinkled wine to pay tribute, but he paced with his hands behind his back. The two eyes turned around to see the ins and outs of the feng shui, and then grabbed a handful of soil ** to see the color, tasted it verbally, and said: "I looked at the situation of this land, it is the dragon claw land under the vein of Yanshan." The dragon's claws are in the stream, which was originally excellent, only with sand in the soil, and the sand is trapped in the horseshoe feet, which seems to be difficult. A stone tombstone was erected in front of this tomb, and it was calmed. There is only a wooden stake tombstone erected here, and it will not be completed in a few years. Yu'er said: "Ye Xueqin died of illness, and the Cao family couldn't get along with Fangqing, so they first washed Cao Ye's house. Fang Qing was so sick that she didn't know who she was, but I came to see them bury people, saying that the flag people don't erect tombstones. I discussed with the dead ghost man, no matter what, I had to let future generations know that it was Cao Ye who was buried underneath, and I temporarily found a stone, and I didn't have a book, so I chiseled a few words by myself overnight. Because of the wind released by the Cao family, some people in the court said that Xueqin's book contained rebellious words, and they didn't dare to make a noise, so they quietly buried their heads under this wooden stake - Qian Ye can make it? Qian Du nodded and was speechless.

"We have a meeting with Xueqin's mentor and friend, and we finally have a little explanation today." Dun Min looked at the sun shadow and knew that Le Min had something to do in the evening, so he breathed a sigh of relief and said to the two women: "In a few days, the third child and I will go back to Shanhaiguan, and we will make a detour to visit the two sisters-in-law." Qian Ye Le Ye is also going south. But there are families in the city, and if there is anything to do, take a letter with you, and naturally take care of it—don't leave it at that. Duncheng Qiandu also raised his hand, Le Min rode with the crowd, and when he saw Yu'er, he was squatting with Fangqing and Fu'er on his knees, and he breathed a sigh of emotion, and said, "Let's go!" ”

…………

I walked from Zhangjiawan to the inner city of Jingshi for an hour and a half, and it was already dark when I arrived at Dongzhimen. Looking at the half-day sunset that is gradually fading. All four of them took the reins at the same time. They are not the same people, today they just get together by chance for "Dream of Red Mansions", and tomorrow they will return to the mediocre sea of eunuchs to sink and float, and they break up at this moment, although there is a warm family relationship, but there is no topic to speak. After a long time, Dun Cheng pointed to the tall and gray arrow tower and said: "The evening crows of Xizhimen are famous, and if you want to see Dongzhimen from here, it is not inferior to Xizhimen - you see, it rises and falls, hovers and soars, and it looks like the paper ashes of the spirit flags that have been burned after the funeral of others." "Dream of Red Mansions" is a "red burst", and here is a "black burst". Let's go-among the crows, let's also go to the meat feast", Dun Min smiled: "The third child beware of tongue-I am tired, you have to go to Ji Yun's banquet and confess your sins for me." Le Min said: "I have to go to see Ah Gui Zhongtang, what is the agreement-with the light and dust, with nature, no matter how tired you are, it is not as good as Zhaohui Hailancha and them to fight on the battlefield, right?" I advise you to go to the Ji Mansion to play a bells and whistles, and just quit and go back earlier. ”

Qian Du hesitated. He is actually very tired, but more of a heart is not steady: in the past few months, Qianlong has rarely summoned him alone, and the meetings are all with his subordinates, which is a bit of a "holy family rest", and he also wants to meet several military ministers. Ji Yun is common, but he is in charge of the Ministry of Rites, and he is in charge of the revision of the "Siku Quanshu", and when he mentions the ministry errands and the emperor's recent situation, his head will turn around and change his taste. Asking about something from this polished "big military aircraft" is really "difficult to get to the sky". Ah Gui is an old friend, but he is a new military aircraft department, with a "public world" face, but he can learn from the prime minister's city, and he is completely invulnerable to oil and salt, and he is very busy at the time of the handover, and he has no time to gossip. But he really has a secret in his heart: Gao Heng got 10,000 catties of copper from Tongling, and the ticket issued by the household department was his private receipt, which had his thirty percent benefits - the Liu family's father and son hid their whereabouts in Jiangnan secretly, watched the wind and inspected the case on one shoulder, carried the sword of the Son of Heaven, and carried the banner of the king's order, which was ten times more powerful than the ordinary swaggering special messenger Qincha. In case they ask their father and son to smell something, Gao Heng is the uncle of the country, and he is a backer...... From the thought of the saint here, on a hot day, Qian Du shuddered for no reason. Seeing that the Dun brothers had been urged to ride away, they hurriedly chased after them - there is almost no harm in being in the same way as Ji Yun......

Le Min came to the head of Agui Mansion, several sergeants were lighting candles and putting out lanterns, and Master You Lin was standing next to the dismounted stone and was anxiously looking back, seeing him riding alone, clapping his hands and laughing: "Okay, my Third Master Le, you can come!" Our house is gone, and the family members of the Zunfu are empty, and I can't find your shadow in Beijing - Gui Ye is ruthless, saying that Le Laosan is the grandson of Tuxing, and he has to plow him out of the ground when he is in trouble! Le Min smiled: "This is a private appointment, do you still want to engage in military law?" "Throw away the reins and walk into the house.

"Third Master," Yu Lin whispered as he walked along, "Didn't you see the Nine Gate Admirals Yamen all the way?" Long Live Lord was talking to Gui Zhongtang inside, and he had already sent someone to summon Zhaohui Hailancha, fortunately you arrived in time! ”

Lemin's eyelids jumped silently, and the fatigue disappeared all at once, and he followed behind Yu Lin with all his strength, but he didn't enter the main room, and came straight to the West Flower Hall. The guards and soldiers standing in the dark alleys on both sides of the road did not pay attention, only thinking about how to deal with Qianlong's questioning. Passing through the flower hedge in the west of the Moon Cave Gate, I heard Qianlong talking: "Yin Jishan should not be transferred to Beijing, he has already been appointed as the Minister of Military Aircraft, and now in Xi'an, one is to rectify the military affairs of Ganxi and Shaanxi, and the other is to respond to the Jinchuan War......" Le Min saw He Shen guarding the door, and was about to speak, please report, He Shen had already flashed in, so he heard Qianlong say: "Call in!" ”

"Slave Lemin, please see the saint!" Lemin cautiously stepped in, kowtowed to the ground, and said, "Greetings to the master!" Only then did he look up and see Qianlong sitting in the center behind the bookcase, with three large basins of ice around him, and Fu Heng beside Ah Gui was also there, all sitting on the wooden pestle and listening to Qianlong's words.

"After the Jinchuan affair is over, Yin Jishan still has to be transferred back to Nanjing and the governor of Liangjiang." Qianlong only raised his hand to signal Le Min to get up and take a seat, and said along his own lines. "Although Yin Jishan is not in the daily affairs of the Beijing Military Aircraft Department, you must know that with the Guangdong Customs, two-thirds of the imperial court's annual revenue comes from Liangjiang! Jin is also a capable person in other provinces, but he can't cope with it when he arrives in Jinling. He learned from Yin Jishan to make friends with scholars, but he just learned a skin. You go to Ji Yun to see how many rebellious books have been sent by the Jiangnan Book Interview Bureau! The ruler also made a mess - for the time being, he was asked to maintain it, and then transferred to Beijing again - Yin Jishan did not come to Beijing. ”

Fu Heng bowed slightly from the seat and said with a smile: "It's still the master who thinks far-reachingly." The governor of Liangjiang is not an ordinary outstanding official, and there is indeed no one to replace Yin Jishan. The slave just felt that the full-time minister of the military aircraft had few manpower, and there were many things, and there were many gourds and eight scoops, so he pressed this head and that, and after the autumn, I was going to send troops to Jinchuan by order, and Ah Gui was afraid that he would not be able to be busy, so he agreed to ask for the decree - if this is the will, it will be biased towards Ah Gui. ”

"Big things are cooked, and small things are handled cautiously. You are in the army, even Yin Jishan can use the post to consult. Qianlong smiled, "You actually have something inconvenient to say, Jishan has been in Jiangnan for too long, some gossip, what 'Jiangnan King' and the like, Jishan is also afraid of ridicule and slander, and repeatedly writes excerpts and says." The last time I summoned him, and talked about this matter, I said that you have three meals a day, and you don't hide anything, and you are transferred out to get rid of your heart disease. If you talk about your hard work, I really want to make you the king of the county! Be your official well, don't listen to the villain chewing his tongue, I send you as a confidant, why doubt yourself? ”

Ah Gui saw Qianlong raise a cup of tea, and hurriedly held a pot to refill the water for him, and said with a smile: "The last time the slave entered Beijing, I saw Yin Jishan in the household department, and the slave said, 'There is a shortage of white jade beds in the East China Sea, and the Dragon King invited the King of Jinling', and you have paid tribute to the master of the white jade bed." His face turned white with fright, and he said that his friend was still joking like this. His son Qinggui is in the Li Fan Yuan, Jishan said that he should go with me to train outside the mouth, and he can't help the master by staying in the Li Fan Yuan, how can he raise a wine bag and a rice bag? Qianlong nodded and smiled when he heard this, and then asked Le Min: "Champion Gong, I can't find you everywhere, where did I go to Huiwen?" Or go looking for flowers and ask willows? If you don't come again, Ah Gui is really going to ask Shuntianfu to go to the Bada Hutong to check on you! ”

"Servants occasionally call the congregation, and never dare to go to those places. Like Ge Yinghuan, the champion of Yiwei in the hands of the Holy Grandfather, he was taken out of the quilt by Fan Shijie in the Huichun Mansion to Shuntian Mansion to humiliate the master, and he couldn't raise his head for decades. When Le Min first came in, he was apprehensive, pinching a handful of sweat, and seeing that the monarch and the ministers were sitting together like a family, warm and easy-going, he had already calmed down. Busy bowing on the pestle, he smiled calmly: "The news that the slave has appointed the governor of Huguang has spread, and the people who recommend people, those who support them, and those who talk about things, from morning to night, the house is like a bazaar." Today is Xiao Lu's treat, he is the prefect of Hanyang, this feast is really difficult to go to - the slave went out of the city and fled the table. "You're running away from the wind!" Qianlong smiled, "Isn't Xiao Lu the husband of the confused four?" I asked the merit department, only then did he have Zhongping, he was diligent and cautious, he was not greedy for money, and he was still a man in the hall. Fu Heng, is it the person you recommended? ”

Fu Heng hurriedly said: "It was recommended by the ministry, and the slave was introduced according to the request." Xiao Luqin can make up for his clumsiness, endure tediousness and is not afraid of hard work, and he does not dare to be greedy for money, such an official is now a good one. Ah Gui said with a smile: "Fu Heng's word 'don't dare' is used appropriately. In Liu Kang's case, he was really frightened by Liu Tongxun. Last time, he whispered to me that he distributed the county order of Wanxian County to see Liu Tongxun, and his legs and stomach trembled so much that he wanted to turn his tendons! Now I have also experienced it, the last time he said the first county cross order, I couldn't stop laughing, and now the officialdom is really like that! Qianlong Yin also smiled and asked, "What kind of cross order, write it to me." ”

"Yes." Ah Gui smiled and agreed to get up, bowed down in front of the desk and wiped the paper and wrote:

red

Roundness

The road is open

Get to know the antiques

Not afraid of small deficits

Go horse hangs in the flat

The disciples of Liyuan are diligent

Dressed neatly, the speech is calm

The Lord is full of praise and praise

The seats are often full, and the wine is not empty

Qianlong was already smiling when he saw the first word, but later he was trembling with laughter, panting and saying to the three ministers: "You all take a look...... It's really well described. With this cross order, I know how to be an official. Fu Heng saw it, but there was no smile on his face, and handed it to Ah Gui, sighing: "The slave has seen it." Officers who have never entered the military aircraft department have made up this kind of password words. At first, I thought it was ridiculous, but when I thought about it, I felt terrible. Hundreds of officials are mediocre, and they are effective in the upper and lower ranks, which is the fault of the prime minister. The slave thought about it all night, pushed the pillow up, and wandered around the room without what to do! ”

"The minion has also read several history books in recent years." Seeing that Qianlong was silent, Ah Gui's face was already gloomy, and he sighed slightly with a dry brow, and said: "Since the Han and Tang Dynasties, there have been such things in all peaceful and prosperous times. The Holy Grandfather and the first emperor worked hard for more than 70 years, and exhausted their efforts for the affairs of the officials...... According to the minion, if you should cut your tongue, the best ruler in the twenty-four histories is the generation of Yongzhengye. There is also Wu Zetian of the Zhou and Tang Dynasties, who killed officials and appointed cool officials, and killed them in batches like wheat; Zhu Hongwu of the former Ming Dynasty, the sky is majestic and harsh, and the corrupt officials will peel the skin and pull the grass when they take it......" He glanced at Qianlong, and saw that Qianlong was listening attentively, and there was no hesitation, so he lowered his head slightly and continued, "The worst official is Song." Song Taizu Chen Qiao mutinied in a yellow robe, relying on his subordinates and military generals. Therefore, if I swore not to kill the minister, I was corrupted beyond control - my master inherited the ancestors and ancestors to start a business, and after the thirteenth year of the first emperor, he refreshed the rule of officials, rectified the wealth, and raised the arch and raised all directions in Kyushu. Deep benevolence and thick ze, all over the grass and wild old. Even if the country is strong, even the rule of Zhenguan Kaiyuan can't match——"

Speaking of this, Qianlong had already smiled, waved his hand to stop his words, and said: "You seem to be ready, this is the pattern of the court!" Don't talk about clichés. Tell us about your insights. "Today's prosperity is really the result of the emperor's leniency and lightness." Ah Gui bowed and continued, "But where there are advantages to government affairs, there must be disadvantages. The world is chaotic to distinguish loyalty and treachery, and it is not easy to recognize heroes when ruling the world. Among the hundreds of officials, there are few gentlemen and many villains. Seeing that the emperor is benevolent and refuses to use severe punishment and harsh laws, some villains are bold and reckless, and those who protect themselves are the same as the light. It's hard to go on in the long run. The slaves thought that they could borrow the "Siku Quanshu" to collect officials who had perfunctory stories in the books and who could not check and play the words and sentences in the books should be revoked and punished, and those who collected the books and concealed them and did not report them should be severely rectified. First, it can advocate enlightenment and dispel the people's arrogance to control extreme chaos, and second, it can rectify the government and the public, so that the government and the opposition can know that the master is not a woman's benevolence. Wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone? Fu Heng said: "What Ah Gui said is the method of cheering up, and it is really the words of the old man to seek the country." From the point of view of the minions, the provincial book and interview bureaus should directly consult with the Ministry of Rites and the Metropolitan Procuratorate and deploy them under the Military Aircraft Department, so that they do not have to look at the faces of the provincial officials to act, and they do not hinder each other and picket each other, and the officialdom can also cheer up their morale. ”

"Good!" Qianlong was so excited when he heard this that he jumped up on the chair, but the serene and noble temperament he had cultivated since he was a child paid attention to being calm and unhurried, and he had regained his calm in an instant. dragged his steps and shook his fan, and said: "I have been thinking about how to not lose the purpose of being lenient and reinvigorate the official atmosphere and the people. I can't imagine that Ah Gui, who was born with a soldier, can take this into account. It's too peaceful, extravagance is inevitable, he can't finish his errands all day long, and if he can't do it well, he will lose his black yarn hat, and the 'cross order' may not be completely well-informed - it seems that Ah Gui has really read a lot of books, and he really has some experience. Fu Heng's opinion is also very important, and there are some subtle details, you will agree with Ji Yun to approve it, and send it to all provinces for implementation. I had to say it further, and He Shen came in with the curtain and said: "Long live the lord, Hailan Cha Zhaohui has arrived, I heard that the long live lord is also there, so I don't dare to enter lightly." Please, do you want to let them in? Qianlong said with an "um" sound: "Call in." ”

For a while, I heard the footsteps in the courtyard of the patio approaching, the iron palm of the spur was clanging, and the stiff Chinese dialect of the *** under the stage said: "Two generals, you can't bring a sword - untie it to me!" Qianlong couldn't help but smile, and said through the curtain: "***, there is no need for them to untie their swords!" ”

"No, master!" But Bartle did not obey, but still stood in the way and stretched out his hand, and did not look back, "No one can bring a sword to my master!" "In the end, it took the swords of the two to dodge and let them go.

Zhaohui and Hailancha handed over their weapons with a smile, signed up outside the curtain at the door, and knelt down on the spot to bow three times and bow nine times, Qianlong returned to his seat with a smile, and saw that the two of them were wearing leather boots and lacquered pants, although they were so hot that they sweated down their cheeks, they ended up airtight, because they said: "This is the clothes worn in September weather!" Get up, take off your big hats, and give them ice water to drink—Fu Heng, do you know? Hailancha confessed to be a 'butcher' in Texas, using a knife to kill people on the battlefield and a sickle in the market. Zhao Huili, you can kill it with a broken bowl in prison! He said with a light on his face, raised his head and laughed: "Yue Wumu said that civil officials don't love money, military officials are not afraid of death, and the world is peaceful." These are the two generals who are not afraid of death-I told the Queen Mother and the Queen Mother, and they were also very happy. What do you think? Have you two of your ladies gone in and said hello? ”

The two of them knelt down again, and Zhaohui said, "They just came out of the garden when they entered the garden." The master gave us a lot of jewelry, and Lafayette called us in, said a lot of words of encouragement, and said that the emperor would carry their flags......" He said that his nose was sour, and he paused again and again, "The slave and Hailancha discussed, this favor is really impossible to repay, only ask to go back to the fight, and repay this life." Hailancha also kowtowed, and sobbed: "The minions came back from the defeat of Salopon, how can they think of such a grace as their master!" It's useless to say that the picture is reported, and there is nothing else to report except for the effectiveness of the work. ”

"Get up." Qianlong listened to the heartfelt words of these two people, his heart sank, he lost his smile, and said slowly: "Don't be so heroic and short of breath!" Holding this mortal heart is not what I want, I want you to Lingyan Pavilion image, it is a career of monarchs and ministers! Fu Heng and Ah Gui discussed a new plan to march into Jinchuan, saying that they would see you tonight. I have come here to visit you, and to encourage you, since you think so, I will not tell you much, so as to win back this dignity for me, which is to repay the favor! ”

"Yes! ……”

"Counsel, and I will sit here and listen."

[1]

Yin Yuanchang: That is, Yin Jishan, Yuan Chang Qizi.