Yan Yan followed her finger and blurted out, "Human sperm! Wang Erlie also saw it, and as soon as the rice bag was released, he raised his hand and shouted: "Human sperm!" The master is here! In the distance, I saw that the sperm jumped up with both hands, jumped up and ran over like a joy, and stumbled in front of him, and kowtowed, but did not get up, his shoulders and hands and feet trembled violently, but his cheeks twitched, and he couldn't speak. Yan Yan said strangely: "What kind of trouble are you doing?" Is there something going on at the bottom of the mountain? ”

"No...... Master, I like it......" The human sperm raised his head, his face was already full of tears, and he was trembling with convulsions, and he choked up and said: "There are only two roads from Evil Tiger Village to Pingyi, and I will go down the river...... When I asked in Xiaji, Shangying and Majiadu, I said that no one went from west to east...... I walked away from the cool breeze with my master, and my bones were crispy with fright—even during the day, who would dare to walk that way except for hunting and chopping wood? You didn't encounter bandits, did you? The road is dangerous, and there are tigers, leopards, bears, and blind people...... Master, what can you do? Just now I was still thinking, I couldn't find you when I went up the mountain, so I plunged into the cliff and pulled me down......" he let out a whimper, "...... My master...... You've suffered a lot......"

When the three of them rested and dissipated in Liangfengkou Village, they were already calm, and they were happy to meet the sperm at first glance, listening to him crying like a complaint, thinking about the sinister running around all night, they all felt like a world away, Hui'er couldn't hold it and cried together, Wang Erlie and Yan Yan also wept separately. After a long time, Yan Yan wiped away his tears and smiled: "Isn't it sunny after the rain!" I don't feel afraid, but I don't feel ...... When you come, I'm steady. Hui'er told the story of the leopard she met when crossing the mountain pass at night, laughed and cried, and said, "I'm really scared!" Those eyes are so big—" She punched twice. "—just look at us! After looking at it for a while, he snorted and walked away...... "Wang Erlie said: "This is really the immeasurable merit of the fifteenth master. I thought to myself that after this level, there would be no more danger. The human sperm said: "There is danger or no danger, I will not leave the master again - our master is a big man, and the tiger and leopard avoid it!" Yan Yan said: "What a big life, but it's not yet to the point of 'throwing a jackal tiger'." ”

Laughing and comparing the four of them down the mountain, all the objects were naturally carried by human sperm alone, and he also had to carry Yanyan, who smiled and said: "Okay, okay, I know your heart - look at what I have become on your back?" Let's go, let's go! ”

The three of them were relieved, and they asked people about sperm all the way, only to know that it was easy for him to get out by the Surabaya River, and when he left, he also took out more than 20 taels of broken silver on Guo Touer. People said that the county magistrate was a clean official, and the mob kicked the yamen, he first forced the family to jump into the well, and hanged himself on the edge of the well with a rope, saying that the county lord's youngest son was still alive, Yunyun. Speaking of Fukangan, I only know that he brought "30,000 horses" in Jinan, and has besieged the Guimeng Ding, and the green battalion soldiers on the outskirts of Pingyi County have been sent to the county seat by Fukangan's military order, and it is also said that Fukangan transferred 20 "mighty general" guns from Jinan to blow up the Guimeng Ding, and said that he also invited real people from Longhu Mountain to help prevent someone from Gong Blind from casting demons and evil spells...... It's all hearsay.

"The fifteenth master is actually a dusty folk now." Wang Erlie said as he walked, "We must quickly contact the Yanzhou Qincha camp, there is a copy of the chapter that can be transferred to Beijing at any time, and the fourth master of Fu should also be contacted, the fifteenth master is in Pingyi, he has the responsibility to protect." I don't know if the post station here is in chaos? They have to take care of the food we live in, and they also have to send the newspapers of the imperial court. The human sperm listened to the promise and said, "I went in to see the post station, and the post keepers are all locals." At first, there was chaos for a while, and only Yicheng and a gang leader were left, but later they said that the bandits did not occupy the county seat, and they all went back. Now they are all looking at the fourth master, and everything is safe after the battle, and if the battle is not good, this blockbuster will be all broken. Yan Yan has been very familiar with Fukangan since he was a child, and knows his temperament, extremely smart and arrogant and willful, bold and chivalrous and narrow-minded. But this thought can't be said to everyone, because he weighed the words and said: "Fukangan is a full-time rebel boss, and our responsibility is to appease the people, not to hinder it." Let him do military affairs freely. I originally wanted to go into the county seat and restore the yamen. There's no need to rush now. Only the Qinchaguan in Yanzhou was used to inform the provinces of southern Lunan, the coastal provinces, and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hui, and Henan to pay attention to the passing personnel and ships going to sea at the border to prevent the escape of the broken and rebel bandits. At the same time, it is necessary to mobilize grain and hoard the Yanzhou government to support the military needs, and the aftermath of the military needs is inexhaustible. In addition to what I said above, I only said that I should respond to military affairs in various counties in Yanzhou, and don't say anything else. He pursed his lips and asked, "Master Wang, do you think this can be done?" ”

As he spoke, the three of them were listening attentively, and the human sperm and Hui'er had the same thoughts: watching the "prince" on the small singing book and drum booth on the play, Gao Ma Hua sat out in a sedan chair to travel to the spring or a private visit, and when he got to the unjust case, or was framed by the traitorous minister, he was rescued by the lady of the good family, and he returned to the palace with a beautiful woman, and he saved the loyal ministers and killed the traitorous ministers. If it weren't a play, he would be frustrated in Huanghua Town, and then in Evil Tiger Village, it would be a danger of breathing his life in an instant, and it would really be as thrilling as the play. Both of them secretly shook their heads and sighed: they don't understand this person's matter. Wang Erlie didn't listen to it and already fully understood that Yan Yan had to manage it uprightly, but also maintain the dignity and dignity of Fukangan, and think about the overall situation of the court, but also have his own "small situation" if it is bright and dark. There is a taste of "no last resort" when he chews it: at such an age - who taught him? …… Thinking about it, he said: "There is only one thing that matters, Fu Siye doesn't know that you are in Pingyi, and your safety can't be held responsible for Fukangan." ”

"I don't want anyone to be responsible for me." Yan Yan raised his face, only at this moment, he also showed a strange stubborn conceit, but it was only a fleeting description, and then he smiled and said, "This is Confucius's hometown, in the words of Confucius, 'Born virtuous in giving, what is it like to disobey it'!" Wang Erlie talked about someone sifting gongs up the mountain, and asked people about sperm: "Is the 'Huang Zong's dart head' that person shouted Huang Tianba?" Is Huang Tianba here too? The human sperm said: "I don't know about this - it is a dart line shouting mountain, and it is rumored to the kings on the mountain that such and such a bureau has crossed the mountain, so he will use this method to contact the green forest." If someone shouts about the mountain, it must have a bit of a background. Master is coming, I'll know when I go down the mountain. ”

Talking all the way, has come to the river, from here Surabaya south flow forked, the east side of the miscellaneous trees and forests cover the official road, the county town is faintly visible, the ice surface of the Surabaya River in the narrow valley of the bank is smooth to the south, straight to the Shengshui Valley, look back and look at the cool breeze mouth, even the two villages below are also supported in the clouds, and only see a thin line like a sheep intestine path winding and disappearing in the light haze of the stratus clouds. Suddenly returning to the town where the car dealers and donkeys were neighing, the three of them felt that the night was incredible, and they woke up like a big dream. In front of me, another stream of water poured into Surabaya from the east end of the town. There is a hexagonal small pavilion next to the official road standing next to the water, and a stone inscription in front of the pavilion clearly writes three big characters:

Heshuiyu

There is a courtyard next to it, all of which are tiled houses with bricks to the top, which are connected to the village and town houses, and the smoke of fried vegetables in the restaurant on the street, the fragrance of fried fritters and burnt onion flowers, and the fresh fragrance of steamed buns from who is steamed come to the nose for a while, which makes the appetite of the four people salivate. The human sperm walked in front with three buns on his back, and suddenly turned around and pointed to the door of the post station with a smile and said: "Fifteenth master, come to Sanyang Kaitai when the blessing is right - my master and his old man are really here!" ”

Where is it? When the three of them watched, there was no one at the entrance of the station, only an old janitor dog licking the dog food bowl, and a few chickens pecking in the ground. Seeing that they didn't understand, the human sperm took a few steps and pointed to the brick wall next to the door frame, and said, "See? This is my Master's dart, and he is on the west side. So it's going to the Evil Tiger Village—he's going back in the middle of the night tonight!" Only then did the three of them see that it was a chalk drawn top-down Bagua Kunxiang (), and an arrow was inserted in the middle, which became the appearance of "", and the drawing was extremely sloppy and smooth. Yan Yan smiled and said, "Don't you say that I thought it was a caterpillar drawn by a child!" The human sperm smiled: "Kun hexagram is like soil, the master's surname is Huang, it is the image of the beetle, and what the master said is almost the same." ”

At this time, before Shenpai, Yan Yan entered the station and took a bath happily, Hui'er knelt on the edge of the bed to massage and knead him, and fell into a deep dream, Wang Erlie also slept for a long and a half before getting up. When he went out in the east and west rooms, he saw Hui'er staring in the main room, scrubbing his clothes and taking a nap, Wang Erlie smiled and said, "Hui'er is fishing!" Hui'er couldn't help but laugh when she woke up, and said: "Ask the post station people to buy her cloth to make clothes, Hui'er is still a daughter!" As he spoke, the human sperm came in with a pile of papers, lit two more candles, and Hui'er hurriedly added charcoal to the hand stove. The human sperm said: "This is the Di newspaper of the past few days, you will read it after eating." The food in everyone's room is ready, please use it in advance. Yan Yan smiled and said, "Eat together!" The sperm said: "Dressing up the aisle is a last resort, Hui'er and I are so stable and eat with the master, where is that rule?" Yan Yan didn't say anything.

After eating for a while, Yan Yan and Wang Erlie came back, and saw that Hui'er was still pasting the cracks in the window, and the sperm was still busy selecting the newspaper under the lamp, Yan Yan said: "There are a lot of leftover meals, and it's a pity not to eat it, you can eat it." Tell the post here that this is an extraordinary place at an extraordinary time, and the supply does not have to be based on ten taels. One or two a day for the four of us was enough. "Human sperm and Hui'er bowed and said yes. Yan Yan watched them go out without saying a word, and said, "The word Lile is incredible. The cool breeze is the world of Taoyuan, the same here, the same in the palace, and the difference between them. ”

"Governing the people in peace, don't be good at courtesy, change customs, and don't be good at fun." Wang Erlie quoted the quotation and said with a smile, "Etiquette is a rule, it is a constraint, without the constraints of rules, the monarch and ministers, the officials and the people, the elders and children, the masters and servants, the husband and wife, the friends, the six relatives and the nine clans will be all in chaos." Once the etiquette is messed up, the country is not a country, the world will not become the world, and the crown shoes will be inverted, so no matter how new the shoes are, they cannot be put on the head, and the hat cannot be used as shoes although it is broken. Etiquette collapsed, nobles and commoners suffered together, power and treachery were in power, and it was not only the monarch who suffered hardship. Therefore, everyone from top to bottom must refrain from self-denial, and each one in his own place and his own heart, so that no living beings will be miserable. Therefore, the word "li" is harsh in its shape, and "lover" beware, so it is said that "self-denial is benevolence". ”

Yan Yan smiled when he heard him teach, looked at the newspaper on the table in his hand, and replied: "Wang Yan is just rude." Li Shiyao wrote to say that the people in the Xuannu Niangniang Temple in Beijing's Red Orchard had never seen him, and his whereabouts were extremely mysterious. If it's really Lin Qingshuang, it's good to take it this time. I checked the old files in Beijing, and there is Yao Qin among the henchmen of Yizhihua, who is also a fish that slipped through the net! It's like something is going to happen this year......" looked at it, his eyes lit up, and he said, "Hmm! This is the most recent, and there is an edict in it. He sat down slowly. When Wang Erlie saw that he was fascinated, he also sat down to read the newspaper.

But these newspapers have been selected by the yamen of the governor of Shandong, from the province to the prefecture and county, and those that have nothing to do with the county level have been eliminated, many important official affairs, the impeachment chapter has only said a rough idea, because of the riots in the county, the backlog of the newspaper has not been delivered, Wang Erlie even read a few copies, and there is a holy oracle "praise" Cathay Pacific words, and at the end of the pick out a copy, which is before the New Year's Festival, and there is a "Qincha Constitution" issued by Liu Yong in Jinan:

The officials of the provinces, prefectures, and counties in the eastern province should not neglect their duties in investigating and dealing with the Cathay Pacific case, and all civil and criminal correction cases are related to local public security, relief for disaster victims, and river prevention and transportation. Anyone who has a plain attachment to Guotai in Yi Jian, or has no choice but to do some bribery for the errand camp, should be inscribed with a chapter and a text, and send it to Liu Mou, and a certain line in the book office in the case, do not use private messages to increase the crime. There has been an edict before, Ben Chin sent to ask for the poor nuclear Guotai Yu Yi Jian Gu En's dereliction of duty and the reason for bribery, and he issued an edict not to plan to make a big deal. Acting from the new is repentance, and the punishment of the law should be lenient or even forgiven, which is the consistent purpose of our emperor's imperial court. There are stubborn and unfortunate people who are lucky, transfer assets and collude with inferior people, once they are raised for their colleagues, they are meritorious service, and they are self-defeating, and the three thousand chapters of the "Great Qing Law" are set up for you, and you would rather not regret it? There is nothing to be done about it......

This is the usual notice document issued by the minister of the Patrol Minister, and the text is not new, there is only one that is different, the letter and document that sends the secret notice must be sent to the bookstore, and the private messages of acquaintances and fellow villagers in the same year are rejected, and "no traffic" is "eliminated" to avoid increasing the crime of fraud, and there is no "hope" at all. Wang Erlie thought about Liu Yong's hunchback, that black and red face, broom, eyebrows, triangular eyes, and the look of not being plagued, not soaking in oil and salt, when he looked at people, he couldn't help but smile secretly, and read a few articles that didn't matter, and then the prefects of Luoyang, Shaanzhou, and Xi'an "Due to the poor support of the army, there was an obstruction in the transportation of vegetables and vegetables. The Military Aircraft Department prepares the file to know "Yunyun." I saw another incident in my eyelids, which was the impeachment of Huo Licheng, the superintendent of Guangdong and Guangdong Customs.

The establishment of the first 13 lines is a last resort of the state, Guangdong Chinese and foreign people live together, the sea area is conveniently transported, foreign Yi, Haikou pirates, foreign merchants and coastal missionaries are easy to collude with bandits, the yamen is really responsible for investigating traitors and picking up hidden restraints and persuasion. According to the Guangzhou Prefecture Chengguo Yun, the opium contained in the market cloth and glass mirror cargo ships transported by foreign countries was transferred to the Guangdong Customs Prison, and they were only disposed of as confiscated by the officials, and the prisoners were released on bail. This is a matter of state governance, and the prohibition is prohibited, and the punishment is not imposed, so how can the person be confiscated according to the law, and why should he release the foreigner who has committed the law without criminal inquiry? If there is a private affair, what is the crime of the member perverting the law and humiliating the country?

The Military Aircraft Department approved: "It has been reported to Sun Shiyi, the governor of Liangguang. "Another article is Qianlong's edict to seal Huang Ying'er. But I don't know which of the Hanlin Academy is to be drafted, and it is beautifully written:

The first-class guard of Qianqingmen with a knife is Fukangan, and he has made meritorious service in the year of his studies, and he has exceeded the crown and is the period of awarding the room. The pillar stone of Fu Hengguo, his father, drove the barbarian territory and accumulated labor and illness. Eryuan Guan'er pen Huang Huang You, the mirror platform raised the case and offered filial piety. Fu Bing will be in the pan, and it is still too late to get a grain of the day; The peach has been Fanghua, and the meeting of mid-spring is uncertain. Sigh that the three stars are in the corner, and I am very sorry for the five nights to be missed. Today, the special purpose is to remove the position of the stars, the glory of becoming a husband and wife, and the media clan is in a peaceful chapter, and fortunately the change of reason. Yu play! The money is scattered, and the female bed listens to the song of the birds; The history of the pen to urge makeup, the silver tube shines the color of the hairpin. The green silk is good, and the Lang Department is incense; The yellow paper is sealed, and the lady is tin. With the joy of Yingmen, pray for the health and longevity of your father. The grace of the country and the loyalty of the father and son. With is the special purpose, Qin this!

Wang Erlie couldn't help but smile and said, "There are frivolous words in Hua Gon's words. This marriage edict is a bit like Mr. Xiang's words for matchmaking! With that, he handed it to Yan Yan.

"The article of the Hanlin Academy is one of the top ten ridiculous things in Beijing. Looking for chapters and sentences to spell four or six couples, the most boring. Yan Yan took it casually and said, "These irrelevant articles Ji Yun may not have the time to change them, and the emperor will let them go if they are almost outrageous." If you try to write a concert in this style, it's no wonder that your soul is not possessed! Browsed, only looked at Di Wen, who was participating in the impeachment of Guangdong Customs, put it down, and asked: "Master Wang, do you see how Ji Yun, Li Shiyao, Liu Yong, and He Shen are good or bad—" Seeing Ren Jing and Hui'er coming in, he nodded and motioned for them to take care of themselves, and said with a smile, "Don't look at me like that, this is our teacher and student talking privately - I listen to what you think." ”

Wang Erlie looked down hesitantly and thought about it, and said: "He Shen has met a few times, he hasn't spoken, he came to Yuqing Palace to send things to his brothers, what seasonal fruit fans, toys and the like, and rarely talk to the masters. Li Shiyao is even more unfamiliar, I have read some Di newspapers, dealing with Miao Xi, cooking copper politics, Guangdong foreign affairs, appeasement and public security, this is all important matters, the emperor has repeatedly commended the 'first capable official' has been decided, but there are some things I don't understand, like the 'thirteen lines' mentioned above, he forbidden, and he asked for a ban when he left office, why bother today? As it was then, it is not today. Liu Yong's academics are stronger than his father Liu Tongxun, and in the early years, he was a little inadequate, good at trivial cases, and the overall situation of capital management was not as good as Liu Yanqing's, but in recent years, he has paid attention to the economy and been diligent in government affairs, and he has worked very hard as an official, and gradually looks more and more like a minister...... As for Ji Yun, he is a scholar at home, erudite and talented, informal, known as a virtuous teacher, an upright person, and a director who is clear and courteous. In my opinion, this person is not good at power, he is good at reasoning and ignorant of refuting things - he is very knowledgeable and famous, but he is afraid that he will not be ashamed to laugh at anything, I wonder if he has the idea of 'hiding in the court'? The emperor issued an edict to ask for advice, and his statement was that 'a widow can be seen when she is over fifty years old'. It means that some women who do not live to be sixty years old are not allowed to go to the Emperor's grace. I just laughed when I saw it! - You asked temporarily, this idea may not be right in a hurry, but what I really think is not deceiving. ”

"I'm also a brother who doesn't have power, so I just discuss it with you casually." Yan Yan smiled, "It's not a derogatory word to hide in the court. This Ji Yun is indeed not good at important military and political affairs, and his advantage is only in the word 'talent'. But don't forget, such a major event as repairing the Siku Quanshu can't be done without him. The spring breeze is intangible and qualitative, but it cannot be said that the spring breeze is useless, it can be 'green Jiangnan again'! The emperor used him to discipline him, which is just the right person. If you want to let He Shen, you will make the world smell of copper, Li Shiyao will knock on the board all over the yamen, and Liu Yong will get 'waiting for this' everywhere! He laughed. Wang Erlie also smiled and said, "What the fifteenth master said is fine, what I said doesn't count. Yan Yan smiled: "You can see it accurately." I don't ask for no reason, in my newspaper, there is a note on the impeachment of Lu Jianzeng, and there is also a court edict issued by the Military Aircraft Department to Ge Xiaohua in Minzhong, and the approval of investigating and dealing with the incumbent ministers in Beijing who are above the second rank in the Eastern Province to buy land and property, and Zhili is also investigating. ”

Wang Erlie took the newspaper in front of Yan Yan and hurriedly browsed it, put it back in its place, and said, "How could Ji Xiaolan ask Tian for a house?" There is no explicit reference to investigating him! Yan Yan didn't answer the question, was silent for a while, but asked, "Master Wang, are you the fourth grade now?" ”

"Ahh Wang Erlie was stunned for a moment and replied, "From the fifth grade." It is the first level that was transferred from the Hanlin Academy and transferred from the Yuqing Palace. ”

"You read a lot, but unfortunately you haven't done it badly. When I return to Beijing, I plan to adjust the gap for you directly after the performance. Seeing Wang Erlie staring at him, Yan Yan smiled and asked, "Either the prefect is released, or in which ministry is the supplement, where are you willing to go?" ”

Wang Erlie didn't expect the topic to come to his head all of a sudden, and when he thought about it, he said slowly: "I'm actually a scholar, I thought I had a lot of books in my chest, and I could rely on the horse to wait for the edict." This time, I came out with you to run an errand director, and then I realized that he was a frog at the bottom of the well, and his experience and knowledge were not worthy of the word 'master' at all! I am willing to go to the next to be a county magistrate, and the more difficult the county, the better. At the end of the three-year term, he has made great achievements in the examination, and when he comes back to serve his brother, he may be better than now. Yan Yan smiled and shook his head, but asked again: "You are now in Qingzhi." Even if you let go of the county, it is also a daily income - will you ask for a field? ”

This is connected to Ji Yun's words just now. Wang Erlie pondered for a while and said, "Rijin Doujin is a corrupt official. I think it's better to be rich, I can buy more books, and if I have some lonely books, I have to hire someone to copy them down. When I am old, I will retire to Linquan and set up a academy, so that my children, nephews and grandchildren can study, and I have books to read, isn't it a big deal? Now it's really little money, go to the glass factory to turn around, every time I come back, I feel uncomfortable, thinking about books and can't sleep at night: rich people don't buy books, and those who want to buy books have no money, what is this? ”

Yan Yan laughed when he heard this: "That's good! When I return to Beijing, I will give you a set of "Ancient and Modern Book Collection" to solve your urgent needs. You can borrow it in my library at any time! The human sperm sat by the door, and when he saw that it was a crack, he got up and said with a smile: "It's up, the master is tired enough, and please settle, Ming'er has Chenguang ......" Yan Yan asked: "Didn't you say that Huang Tianba was coming?" The human sperm laughed: "He made a mark, and I made a mark." You can only come when you see my mark, this is the one who has eyeliner in the Tao. He wouldn't be here until at least midnight. ”

So Wang Erlie and Yan Yan got up with a smile, and Wang Erlie arranged for himself to live in the west room, and the sperm lived in the main room to guard. Yan Yan stretched her body and smiled: "I'm actually not sleepy, Hui'er pressed me in the afternoon, and slept soundly...... Wang Erlie said: "Hui'er follows you like this, that is, the people around you, there is nothing taboo about this, she just waits in the room." Yan Yan couldn't help blushing, Hui'er came in with a basin of hot water, and when she heard this, she lowered her head and entered the East House. The sperm didn't dare to sleep, so he took the grass and took care of the cover in the main house and went out to patrol, checked the location inside and out, and turned around in Heshuiyu Village before coming back, still listening to Hui'er **** in the east house, the sound of breaking clouds and rain on the bed was faintly audible...... He is a practitioner, and he is full of vigilance, and he does not pay attention to it, relying on the mattress to be pranayama and silently move the original spirit. Until the time of the four drums, I heard a soft sound in the courtyard, as if someone had sprinkled a handful of soil, and knew that it was the master who came, and the sperm tiptoed to the window to lick the broken mullion paper, and flashed out silently with a knife......

…… At this time, the mountain is high and the moon is stingy, the wind is clear, the Mengshan and the valley of the river are crossed, the river ice is like a rock, all of them are covered in a group of vast deep night, about 100 miles away from the east of Heshuiyu, Fukangan led 2,000 soldiers to rush to Pingyi at night. The march departed from the village of Hexia in Jiepai Town. From Haxia Village to Pingyi from Mutu[1]

Looking at it, the amount of straight going is only seventy miles. But the locals all know that there is actually almost no road in this section, which is equivalent to walking an arc around the main peak of Guimeng Peak in the southeast of the mountain, and there are sheep intestine trails in some places, and some places are simply hazel barren stones, and even the sheep herders are not willing to go easily. Fukangan was in Mengyin, and he only thought about two things along the way, one was not to let Wang Yan and Gong San blind people take Meng Lianggu on the road; The second is to find a guide, quickly and secretly occupy Pingyi, and form a joint encirclement, even if they can't completely annihilate and defeat the rebels on the mountain, they can only flee to the Luzhong Plain - the rest is to search and arrest.

The army of 2,000 men rode not a single horse, all of them were newly-issued boots with soft soles, and everyone walked silently, and the moon like a cold line sometimes appeared in the clouds, and sometimes disappeared behind the high ridges, and the procession marched in a single march for a full five miles, like a black snake winding through the valley, sometimes to the north and then to the south, according to the mountainous terrain, but without hesitation to the southwest. Fukangan himself is also on foot, walking in the middle of the team about half a mile away from the "snakehead", Wang Jibao followed him closely, carrying Fukangan's water, wine, and a gourd vinegar, and the bag contains pancakes with rolled onion sauce, cooked beef, Yunnan Baiyao, Zhenggu water and so on. His body was not strong, his underwear was soaked, and he gritted his teeth and said nothing. Suddenly, Fukangan stood on his feet and said, "Water, bring water." Wang Jibao stood up, groped and shook the water hyacinth with a cotton sleeve, and said disappointedly: "The mouth of the water hyacinth is frozen, the wine is not frozen, and the master takes a sip to relieve fatigue, is it okay?" ”

"Wine is used to wash wounds. The military ordered that alcohol was not allowed. Fukangan's face was reflected in the dim moon shadow, he couldn't see anything clearly, his tone was dry and monotonous, slightly hoarse, and said, "Bring me the vinegar and I'll take a sip!" ”

This is his father Fu Heng's tutor, marching one wine, two vinegar and three water, vinegar is ranked second, but he is not used to drinking vinegar like this, and he immediately grinned sourly when he went down, but he was full of relish, not thirsty, handed back the gourd with one hand, looked at the team, and said: "Spread the word back and forth, rest on the spot for half a bag of cigarettes, don't walk around and talk, pull and pee quickly if there is - ask the former He Lao Liu to bring a guide to run over!" ”

The long queue stopped one after another. The two black shadows stumbled along the edge of the team and stumbled to Fukangan's side, walking in front of him was a lean short man, speaking Sichuanese, and asked with a flat arm: "Fourth master, you pass me?" ”

"It's a fork in the road again." Fukangan glanced at the turtle top standing tall in the dark dome and asked, "How many miles have we walked?" He Lao Liu said: "Back to the fourth master, these guides worked hard, we all took the trail, and we have walked forty miles." It is still thirty-five miles away from Pingyi. Fukangan was silent for a while, and then asked the guide, "When can I enter the city?" ”

In order not to mislead, he shared ten guides, six in front of the team and four in the back, each of whom distributed twenty taels of silver, and the money was enough to feed uh, all of them were full of evil fire, and the guide asked, and said: "If you go back to the handsome man, we have all walked through, go up the slope on the right is the South Berlin with the top of the turtle, and go down the mountain for ten miles to enter Pingyi, and it is enough to use one hour - from this left to the south, it is the upper reaches of the Yi River, all the way down the slope for twenty miles, but it is in summer, and in winter you will fall somersault when you walk on the riverbed——"

"Don't be verbose, how many hours does it take to walk downhill?"

"Back to Shuaiye, it will take an hour and a half."

Fukangan gritted his teeth and thought about it for a while, and said, "Then go to South Berlin." Sixth, are you still in good shape? "I'm a Sichuan Han, I have a hard body, and I stand up! The march is like this, the front is cheap, and I am afraid that the back will not be able to bear it! "According to me, although South Berlin is closer, it still has to go up this steep slope. Save some energy and let's go down the head river, far away from the top of the turtle, it is not easy to hear movement on the mountain. "Let's look at Fukangan and wait for the order. He is the head of the shed in the green camp of the Sichuan army, an officer a little smaller than sesame, and Fu Heng fought Jinchuan and Burma, and his military merits were promoted until he became a general, and he was originally a fierce general used by his father. Fu Heng was transferred to Jinan before returning to Beijing. When Fukangan arrived in Jinan, because He Lao Liu and Cathay Pacific were involved in the case, he had already withdrawn from his home to be investigated. Hearing about this, Fukang Ante named "He Lao Liu and me", which brought it out. With these two layers of fate, it is doubly handy to command. At the moment, after listening to He Laoliu's suggestion, Fukangan carefully checked the mountain road again, and said with a "hmm": "Your suggestion is reasonable." As long as the rebels on the hill set up a small patrol in South Berlin, our army's actions will be revealed. There are birds and beasts in the forest, and they are so alarmed that they fly and scream, and it is easy to make people suspicious! Lao Liu-you go down the mountain with fifty people in a hurry, enter the city to fight the front station, occupy the Jade Emperor Temple in the north of the city, and arrange the stationing. Our people do not go through the south gate when they enter the city, and they must immediately release the plainclothes sentry - in short, the more dense the better! ”

"Wow! Mark it to understand - everything stops tomorrow! ”

"That's it, give the order to the marching troops!" Fukangan stood up and said to Wang Jibao, "You stay here and take care of it, and go with the team." If there is an injured number and can't keep up with the team, Tianming will change into civilian clothes and enter the city! With that, he folded south with the team and hid in the night.

As soon as Fukangan got off the mountain, he knew that He Laoliu's suggestion was right. Although there is no road here, but a river is frozen, along the mountain bends into an ice road, not only flat, the stars and the moon reflect also very bright, than the stone knocking the tree stumbling up the steep slope up the mountain in the dark I don't know how much better. Fukangan listened to the soldiers walking on the ice, and from time to time there was a sound of "plopping" falling, and ordered: "Four people walk hand in hand, and those behind follow!" As a result, not only was the team shortened by more than half, but there were also far fewer wrestlers. Those sergeants were desperately climbing the mountain in the first half of the night, and at this moment they walked all the way downhill, as if they were walking on the "Happy Three" road of Mount Tai, with weapons on their shoulders and arm-in-arm to walk majesticly. At one o'clock in the morning, 2,000 people had gathered in the Jade Emperor Temple in the north of Pingyi City. In an instant, the huge Jade Emperor Temple front and back courtyards, front and back halls, and under the trees in the corridors, the soldiers who were standing in the dark were heard from time to time The battalion chief whispered the sound of the order to rectify the team and arrange to rest on the spot.

"Sixth, good job!" Fu Kangan stood in front of the Jade Emperor Hall and rested under the eaves, looking at the dark temple and said. The shadow of the old cypress tree was faint and obscured him like a hazy ghost, and his voice was very clear: "This is the darkest time before dawn. Ji Bao, you go outside the temple and shoot four shots at the city! Wang Jibao said yes and ran out in the dark. He Lao Liu asked: "Let's be careful all the way, why did we release the gun when we got to the place?" Besides, why don't you shoot three or two shots, and four shots for no reason? Fukangan said: "The number 'four' is not easy to figure out, so it is not clear." This is a time of chaos, and no matter how careful we are, it will inevitably alarm people. He secretly bared his teeth and smiled silently and asked, "How many Taoist priests are there in the temple?" ”

"Six." He Lao Liudao, "All of them are bet on the Shenku[2]

They thought the bandits in the mountains had come down! ”

"I'll see them at dawn. From now on, the temple will be closed, and only people will be allowed to enter and not to leave. Soldiers who leave the temple without my military order are killed! ”

"Yes! What if there are pilgrims who want to go to the temple to make incense? ”

Fukangan wrinkled his brows and thought for a moment, and said: "The sporadic pilgrims will be detained when they enter the temple, and they will be released after the battle." Stretched out two fingers and raised his hand, "The rooster cries in the morning, don't wait for the sun to come out, two more shots in the temple, ** put it enough - people outside listen to the guns here, who dares to come to incense?" ”

As he spoke, he heard a musket burst outside the temple gate, and it was Wang Jibao who shot outside. About to reload **, I heard another sound when I was young, a total of four muskets rang out, startling the crows in the woods outside the temple, and there was silence for a while. At this time, the light of the dawn was faintly reflected, and I saw Wang Jibao come in with a smug face on his waist and a fire hammer hanging obliquely on his shoulder, and said: "Fourth master, I'm done fighting!" Fukangan looked at the sky and asked, "Did any idlers see you?" Wang Jibao said: "There is an old man who picks up dung early, heard the sound of gunshots on the official road, threw down the dung fork and dustpan and ran away. ”

Fu Kangan entered the main hall of the Jade Emperor without saying a word. Ji Bao followed, saw that his hands were on the case, face to face seemed to be examining the shrine of the Jade Emperor, thinking that he was going to burn incense and pray, he was busy lighting a candle, and when he was about to burn incense, Fukangan waved his hand to stop him, turned his face and said: "I don't believe in gods and ghosts, I believe in the destiny of heaven." He exhaled and added, "It seems that I can't make it yet, and I feel my leg hurt when I walk such an idea." I'm not as good as my husband! ”

"What did you say!" Reflecting the light, Wang Jibao looked at Fukangan's face, and it was a little pale, he kept his hands and feet, dragged the case of the offering to the gods aside, took out a deerskin mattress from his backpack and spread it, and said busily: "The slave brought this, and the master still asked me to throw it away lightly, will I use it now?" - The slave father said that the old man is strict with the masters, and when he sees the gentlemen's appearance, he really values you in his heart! There was a battle in Zaozhuang that year, what did the old man say behind his back? He learned Fu Heng's twisted beard and smiled, "'Well-the son can be taught!'" The old man also said: "It seems to be stronger than Zhao Hao's son!" I don't understand what this means, once Ji Zhongtang came to the house, I asked his scholar Xiao Mazi, and Xiao Mazi said: 'You don't even know Zhao Hao if you don't read?' Zhao Hao is Lian Po - the general in the play "General Xianghe", a famous general in the twenty-four histories! In the future, you will be the same as our Qing Dynasty's Lian Po and Lin Xiang! Our fourth master has paid it back! ”

Fukangan listened to his father's words solemnly at first, but after hearing it, Wang Jibao even took a pot of confused soup with history and drama, and even took a pot of confused soup with people and things, compared to Lian Po and Lin Xiang, all of them rubbed in and flattered, and couldn't help but laugh and tremble, and said: "You must think that Zhao Hao's son is stronger than his old son...... You mudworm! Twice as muddy ......as your Lao Tzu" laughed, felt a lot more relaxed, and looked at the temple hall There is no place to sit, so I have to owe the god case on my body to support my hand crookedly, looking at the gray temple top.

This is the fourth time he led his troops to fight, Zaozhuang captured Cai Qi in the first battle, Anqiu annihilated Wang Lun in the first battle, Ningxia kicked Ma Dingjun to rebel back to the old camp, beheaded 3,000 enemies and sacrificed 700 prisoners, Qianlong has been faintly known as a famous general. As far as his own plan is concerned, he is still a little worse than his father. There is no doubt that the old man is the most appreciative of him among the sons, one is that he has the ability to never forget, and the courage to win by surprise, and the other is the arrogance that has taken root and is beyond the standout, so the six words "remember Zhao Kuo and Ma Tan" have almost become a must-talk family motto when they meet. Therefore, even though I see that people still look like they are not in the dust, their minds are really becoming more and more careful and careful. Zaozhuang was suddenly dealt with by the opportunity, and Wang Lun and Ma Dingjun were surrounded by large soldiers, and he led the vanguard to successfully raid, but this time the battle of Guimengding was different from before, when the official army occupied the sky, Wang Yangong and the blind man occupied the geographical advantage. Surrounded by mountains, there are bandits in the village, and a setback will erode the situation in the whole Lunan area. Both sides are prepared, he likes to use artillery, but the cannon can't pull Pingyi at all. Besieged on all sides, it is calculated that it will take at least 70,000 troops to trap the turtle Mengding, not only is the dispatch difficult, but also the secret cannot be kept, once the anti-crowd breaks through in advance, Shangmeng Lianggu and the bandits converge, go to the sea and escape, then everything is over.

…… He stroked his hot brain and repeatedly examined his plan, ten red-clothed cannons were transferred to the north foot of Guimengding, and Wang Yan's Beizhai Gate was bombarded head-on, and three thousand soldiers attacked from Jiepai Town, Wang Yan did not dare to go east, and as soon as he went out of the mountain to the west, he would collapse, and the only way to escape was from Pingyi to Shengshuiyu, and then enter Weishan Lake to deal with the officers and troops. He hurriedly led his troops to sneak into Pingyi, just because the more than 1,000 officers and troops in Pingyi were not opponents at all. Now that he has come, he is a little apprehensive in his heart, Liu Yong is in charge of the northern foothills, if Wang Yan gathers the strength of the whole village to break through from there, can this scholar stop it? Ge Xiaohua, the old slippery head, is guarding the boundary card, and he can't be counted on here, and the crowd is scattered, is he willing to lead troops to stop him? ......The soldiers are not familiar with it...... Fukangan has already thought about it, his eyes are blazing, "This is a field battle, and the battalion soldiers are temporarily brought in to make do, can it not make people suspense?" …… After fighting this battle, you must ask for orders to train the troops, or the soldiers you bring out are handy......" He was tired all night, thinking about things, his body was warm, and he seemed to snore, his head slipped from between his elbows, and he "banged" on the wooden frame of the file, and jumped up in shock. He rubbed his face and paused his body, and when he saw Wang Jibao come in with a basin of hot water, he said, "I didn't do anything big, and I almost fell asleep!" This basin of water is good! As he spoke, he hurriedly washed and rubbed, wiped his face and wiped his teeth with green salt, and felt in good spirits, and ordered: "You go out and give orders, the pots of the Taoist priests are used to boil water, so that the soldiers can eat dry food and sleep after eating!" Tell He Lao Liu to come! ”

"Yes!"

Wang Jibao ran away, and for a moment he saw He Lao Liu stepping in, and arched his chest and said, "Fourth master, you pass me?" Fukangan looked at the seal letter, customs defense, pen, ink, paper and inkstone on the corner of the file, and asked: "Do you know Hejialing Green Camp Management outside this county?" ”

"Back to the fourth master, he is just a thousand presidents, they have met, and they can't call his name under the mark." He Lao Liu said: "Last summer, the provincial city will be drilled, the school field staged a team, I led the most neat queue, Cathay asked me to demonstrate, and at the banquet in the evening, I was commended, and the officers above the general level were present, he should know me He Lao Liu!" As he spoke, he craned his neck proudly.

A smile flashed across Fukangan's face: Old man Fu Heng was parading in Chengdu, and He Lao Liu led the troops shirtless in the snow, proving in front of Fu Heng that "Sichuan soldiers are not a bad breed" - it was that time that he formed a fate with Fu Heng. He stared at He Lao Liu for a moment, then turned around, slowly pulled out an arrow from the box like a stick, and said in a heavy tone: "Although this person is rotten wood and dung, I still want to use his reputation as incompetent and fearless of the enemy. Originally, I should have gone in person, but I was afraid that something would go wrong here, so I still want you to go. ”

"The fourth master has an envoy, just command! He Lao Liu was brought out by his old man, and now he is the same as you! ”

"Now that I am running a military and political office, I actually treat you as an uncle in my heart. This battle is won, common prosperity, broken and humiliated. ”

"Fourth Master!" He Lao Liu became excited all of a sudden, blood gushed up, his face turned red, and he took a step forward and said, "My husband treats me like a mountain, I am a bloody man, I will treat you as my husband!" ”

Fukangan will know this, nodded and said, "You go to his camp and order him to lead the army into the city immediately with my command arrow - this has two advantages." When they enter the city, they can cover our main force, this is a group of loose bag soft egg soldiers, and when they enter the city, they can show weakness to the rebels in the mountains. Liu Yong feints, Wang Yan and Gong San are blind to break through, it is easier to choose Pingyi to seize the road to Weishan Lake, and here our soldiers will become ambushes - this is the plan. He Lao Liu smiled and said: "-Let's sell a flaw to Wang Yan!" Mark the province! It's not that difficult, I'll just get them into town! Fukangan smiled: "We don't know this pipe belt, I dare to conclude that it is a slippery old oil." I didn't understand why he didn't enter the county seat, and I took a rough look before entering the temple at dawn, and the north of Pingyi City was a condescending mountain, and it was an easy city to attack and difficult to defend. You see, a thousand crossbowmen were placed outside this temple to shoot arrows, and the defenders of the city did not even dare to show their heads, and the thieves did not dare to occupy the city, and for this reason. Since the city did not fall into the hands of the enemy, he was outside the city to take custody, and it was not considered to leave his post without permission, when the army attacked the mountain, he came out to fight the Taiping fist to help for a while, and the original suppression was not effective, and the crime of defending the land and protecting the city was offset - he has this abacus, you ordered him to enter the city, I am worried that he will drag and push! ”

"He dares!" He Lao Liu said, "The ancestors are flat, I will unscrew his eating guy!" ”

"If he is commanded, I can let him go and allow him to perform meritorious deeds." Fukangan's face was gloomy, and he said in a hoarse voice, "He wants to push, that's the reason of heaven - you might as well tell him that I have arrived in Pingyi and ask him to come to see me—just say that I brought ten followers." Our strength must be hidden until the day after tomorrow! ”

He Laoliu took two soldiers to send an order, Fukangan paced out of the Jade Emperor Palace, first went to the temple behind the temple to see the Taoist priest, and the ten guides brought here are also guarded, stacked warm and good words of relief, made a wish to donate incense money, house accommodation and military expenses to settle the bill, said a while of gossip and stepped back to the front yard, because I saw that some officers lived in the house, and the soldiers were crooked under the corridor, so he ordered: "All officers will sleep under the corridor, and the military doctor will live in the house, and if there is a twisted foot and is injured, it will be arranged to be treated in the house." Seeing that some sergeants were picking on each other's feet, he came up to help fiddle with them, plucked his hair and soaked them, and he really put down the shelf, walked all the way to take care of it, pulled this blanket, dragged the quilt corner, and ordered the quartermaster: "Find a way to get some brown sugar and boil ginger syrup for the soldiers to drink." In the afternoon, you can go into the city to buy meat, vegetables, rice and noodles, you can't make a fire in the temple to cook, and you can send in from the city when you cook it - everyone is beheading and spilling blood, and you can't bend your stomach......" The quartermaster complained bitterly, saying that "the money is less", Fukangan scolded with a smile: "Give them the IOU first-I told He Shen when I left Jinan, after the battle, each sergeant was rewarded with 300,000 taels of silver, and 300,000 taels were allocated, and everything was more than rich - their civil officials sat there and did not work hard to grab a lot of silver, and my soldiers were poor? As he said this, the soldiers felt that the young Qincha was understanding and understanding, and they whispered and praised him.

Fukang Anxin has been thinking about He Lao Liu, and he is busy patrolling the camp to appease the soldiers, and he can't stop watching the sun move in the sky. Seeing that it was about to be noon, there was no shadow of He Lao Liu, and he was about to send someone to ask, Wang Jibao ran in from the temple gate and replied: "Dashuai, He Lao Liu is back!" Then I saw He Laoliu come in with a gloomy face and a big blade on his waist. Fukangan bowed down and was wrapping leggings for a hairy soldier, seeing their situation with a partial face, knowing that what he expected was true, straightened his waist, and asked He Lao Liu: "What's the matter?" ”

"Fourth Master, you really expected it!" He Lao Liutie blushed, and replied with a military salute, "I sent an order, and he said that the army has not moved, and the grain and grass will go first, and he will ask me for three months' salary first." He said that he had also arrested more than 1,000 family members of the thieves, all of whom were detained in the camp, and asked me what to do with them. He said that he could not enter the city hastily, and that he could not afford to be charged with the annihilation of the whole army, and that he would not be able to enter the city until tomorrow night at the earliest. I said that Master Fu had come and wanted to pass him on. He said he would come, and he followed—phew! When the turtle son heard which Gege's son it was, he spoke very horizontally! ”

"Gege's son?"

"It's to say that it's thirty-four Gege, I can't figure it out, and it has nothing to do with military affairs, and I don't want to entangle him with his housework, so I brought him here!"

He didn't understand, but Fukangan already understood that Thirty-four Gege was Kangxi's youngest daughter, and she was the little aunt of Emperor Qianlong's sister-in-law, who often went to the mansion to talk to her mother. Fukangan couldn't help but gasp, gritted his teeth and frowned nervously, and asked, "What's his name?" ”

"Agaha!"

"What about others?"

"Back to the marshal, they have a total of thirteen officers." Wang Jibao said on the side, "Because there are living people, I will let them wait outside the temple to hear the rumors!" ”

Fukangan felt that the ear drums were whistling, and he didn't pay much attention to these answers, he actually asked a few gossips to make time to think about how to deal with it: his father has adhered to the great policy for more than 20 years, since he was seriously ill, Qianlong has been looking for another heart, it turns out that the "protégé of the Fu family" Ji Yun, Li Shiyao and others are seeing the loss of power one day by day. How will Qianlong see himself? How does the mother explain it? How do you deal with this stake? Will someone take advantage of the fire to rob, put a shadow cannon in the ground, and hit black bricks? …… In an instant, Fukangan had countless thoughts...... Thinking about it, his own extremely proud self-esteem prevailed, and he sneered with a "hum", but he refused to lose his temper easily, his cold eyes glanced at the temple, and a sentence burst out from between his teeth, but it was extremely clear: "All the officers and soldiers in the temple are lined up, the officers gather in front of the Jade Emperor Palace, the musket team is waiting, and I will raise the account!" - Tell him to sign up for the meeting! ”

[1]

Wooden maps are similar to today's military sand tables and maps.

[2]

Shrine storehouse: A storehouse in a temple where dilapidated and damaged statues and artifacts are stored.