Three edicts in succession, with Wang Luo, lock Namaqi, and depose Zhang Tingyu, the upper study established from the eighth year of Kangxi has existed in name only. This is already a major event that shocked the government and the opposition. Unexpectedly, after Duanyang in May, You Mingtang and Shi Shilun were also dismissed and questioned, and they were imprisoned in the Rope Craftsman Hutong Prison Temple to be investigated. In the past, when dealing with these things, Kangxi repeatedly considered them, consulted the ministry, and refuted them, but these ensuing thunderous angers had no warning in advance or discussion afterwards, and there were all kinds of people to deal with, which "party" had them, but most of them were capable officials who were known for their good reputations. Therefore, not only did the brothers fall into the clouds and mist of Lushan Mountain, but many courtiers were inexplicably surprised and panicked. There is a secret legend: Long live the phlegm in the heart and suffer from madness.

After the July Festival, the cool breeze rose in Beijing, and Yinzhen, who had nothing to do, received an edict to remove him from the errand of the Internal Affairs Office and the second ministry of criminal households. Barely holding back the panic in his heart, Yinzhen calmly entered the garden to ask for peace, and dragged his two legs like lead back to the mansion, but saw that Dai Duo was already waiting in the mansion, and there were a jar of unopened old Fuzhou soju piled up under the eaves, as well as more than a dozen baskets of Fu Tangerine, stacked in front of Wanfu Hall. Dai Duo was playing against Monk Wenjue, and next to him Xingyin and Wu Sidao sat and watched the battle. Seeing Yinzhen come in, except for Wu Sidao, several people got up to greet him. Dai Duo hurriedly took a step and knelt down and kowtowed: "Slave Dai Duo knocks to see the master!" ”

"Coming back?" Yin Zhen glanced at the gift outside, sat down with a wave of his hand, took a sip of the tea handed by Changsui, and asked lightly, "When did it arrive?" In the past few years of Dai Duo's foreign appointment, he has eaten black and fat, his face is shiny, his figure is not high, wrapped in a black satin robe, revealing a fierce atmosphere, because he saw Yinzhen's unhappy face, he said carefully: "The slave came back yesterday, because he obeyed the instructions in the master's letter, he didn't dare to go back to the house to see him first." First go to Changchun Garden to ask for peace to the Lord of Long Live, only ask a few words and come down, come in early this morning, the master has already gone out......" said, and presented the gift list. Yin Zhen took a glance and put it aside, paused for a moment, and said: "The most ruthless and unrighteous person in the world is to count you two Dai Duo brothers!" Every year, I use these things to prevaricate, and every time I write a letter, I either cry poor or cry bitterly, so boring! Are you really that poor? Wine, I have never eaten it, there are no ripe oranges, how to use it when it is ripe? According to me, you pull it out, sell it in the market, and go back to the coil! ”

Dai Duo didn't dare to say anything when he heard it, he only lowered his head to listen to his reprimand, Wu Sidao and Wen Jue glanced at each other, and said with a smile: "Fourth master, what's wrong with you?" If you lose your temper if you are good, is it the mission of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the ministry that does not go well? Yin Zhen let out a long breath, sat down on the chair, and said, "Messenger...... Nope. That's just right, nothing to do! Won't I be blessed? Today's situation is really a bit of a tree falling apart, the people who do the work take it, ask the question, what else can be done? There's been nothing to do for a long time! Some people outside say that Banzai is crazy, but I don't look at him like this, just take care of the government like this, and pay it back? Monk Wenjue twisted the rosary in his hand quickly, and said slowly: "Fourth master, don't be in a hurry, Dai Duo still has news, let's refer to it for details?" Yin Zhen glanced at Dai Duo distraughtly and said, "Your master is in a bad mood, don't blame you for a few words." ”

"How dare a minion!" Dai Duo bowed slightly and said, "The slave is waiting to see him in the courtroom, and Li Xiangguo of Anxi is also there, and he has a few words. He also went in to ask for peace, and when he talked about a few elder brothers, the slave asked him, which elder brother does you think is the best? Li Guang said, "The elder brothers all have their own strengths, and they seem to be better than the eighth master." ’”

Yin Zhen was shocked when he heard this, and sneered: "Okay! You didn't ask him—how could you see that? "The slave didn't dare to ask like that," Dai Duo said, "The slave said: 'It's not that the lower official refutes the boss, I know the refreshing below, the eighth master gets the official prestige, and the fourth master gets the popular prestige: the Fujian folk song says, 'The batter is collapsed, looking for the eighth child, the lawsuit is clear, looking for Yinzhen' - this is the evidence! The fourth master has just been meticulous in his decision, and he treats people strictly with rewards and punishments, and the eighth master can't compare! Yinzhen said: "What are you doing with him?" When did Lee Kwang-di think about the people? Spread such a ballad, and if you tell the emperor about it, you may be suspicious again! ”

"The fourth master doesn't need to be afraid, now there is such a rumor, and it will not hurt at all when it reaches the ears of Banzai!" Wu Sidao smiled and said, "Li Guangdi has been cautious all his life, and he didn't climb into the study in the end, because he didn't see him enough." There is a loss in action! Yinzhen suddenly remembered that Li Guangdi's betrayal of friends, taking concubines, and hiding the funeral were known to everyone in the government and the opposition. Kangxi really only learns from his credit, so it is difficult for him to be favored for life. Yin Zhen couldn't help but nod and sighed: "It's all fate!" Like him and Chen Menglei, now they are lying on their backs, and they are partial to capable ministers like Shi Shilun, Peng Peng, and You Mingtang, none of them have a good end! ”

Wu Sidao suddenly looked up to the sky and laughed, and said, "The fourth master is really stupid! Do you really think that Banzai is for the rectification of these people? Are you frustrated these days, for this? ”

"You ......"

"Fourth Master!" Wu Sidao's eyes flickered, "You really have to take a good look at the Long Live Emperor's Mental Technique!" He picked up his crutches and paced a few steps, and said abruptly: "Long live the dragon's body is not safe, and he can't afford it!" The brothers have their own ambitions, and the battle for the deer is getting hotter and hotter. If these capable people are not protected, they will inevitably fall deeper and deeper, and each will be assisted by one master, and the future will not be lost! Therefore they were to be deposed. Now—the safest place is not in the upper study, not in the sixth, but in the Hell Temple! Don't be busy – it's one. Second, one day in the future, the new monarch ascends to the pole, if these people do not go, it is inevitable to regard themselves as veterans, so that the new monarch is at a loss, and now they are 'guilty of crimes' one by one, the new monarch is in power, and an edict is pardoned, and they immediately have to be grateful to the new monarch! Not only to prevent them from falling into party disputes, but also to prepare a group of capable ministers for the new monarch, long live the mind is powerful? ”

Yin Zhen was shocked when he heard this, and muttered, "Oh...... That's really ...... It's too ...... But what if some are old and frail, what if they can't stand it? ”

"Such a great good deed," Wu Sidao said with a little melancholy, "what does it matter how many people die?" What temple does not have a dead ghost? Before he finished speaking, Cai Ying hurriedly came in outside and said, "Fourth master, Mr. Fang Bao Fang is visiting!" ”

Yinzhen was in high spirits, and waved his hand and said: "Please avoid it, I'll go and greet you!" Wu Sidao stroked his beard and smiled: "They avoid it, the fourth master doesn't have to welcome, I will continue to play this game of residual chess!" I have heard Fang Linggao's name for a long time, and it is also a great pleasure to meet today. Everyone exited Wanfu Hall, and they saw a long-looking Fang Bud enter the second gate.

"Disturb the fourth master Qingxing!" Fang Bao came in with a little Xi Nu and said with a smile: "I have wanted to come for a long time, but I have been so busy that I can't spare time...... Yin Zhen dropped the chess pieces in his hand and stood up, waved at Fang Bao, and said: "Mr. Linggao, what kind of wind blew you here?" You may be seated! Fang Bao sat down with a smile and said, "I just came out of Ma Zhongtang, and I went to see Lao Shi again, and I came to meet the fourth master by the way......" He took the tea served, glanced at Wu Sidao, and asked: "This gentleman is ......"

Wu Sidao put the waste into the box, only glanced at the illustrious and hot "cloth clothes" magnate, and bowed slightly: "Wu Sidao - dare to ask Mr. your surname, Taifu?" Fang Bao knew that this was the protagonist of the big trouble in Nanfu in the past, and he was the most troublesome, but he didn't expect to be a disabled person, so he bowed and said: "Fang Bao, the word Linggao." As he spoke, he handed over a famous thorn. Wu Sidao took it and looked at it indifferently, because he saw that it was written on it, "Tongfang Bud Xun Mu worships", so he handed it back and said perfunctorily: "Long admiration!" Then he pointed to the chessboard and said, "The fourth master lost half of this game of chess." ”

Fang Bao suddenly had a feeling of humiliation, since Kangxi accepted him as a cloth on the way to the south, it can be said that the emperor must listen to the preface, from the prince and Baylor to the secretary and Lang official of the ministry, no one sees him without saying compliments. Why does this Wu Sidao seem to have never heard of the word "Fang Bao"? I felt bored at the moment, walked over and judged the chess game curtly, and said with a smile: "Mr. Wu! Chess, just entered the middle game, it's too early to talk about the outcome of the game! ”

"Really?" Wu Sidao said coolly, "It turns out that Mr. Fang is also good at chess? Seeing Fang Bao smiling and not answering, Yin Zhen hurriedly said: "Mr. Fang is a great Confucian sect, he has read all the three tombs and five classics, and he knows the map of the poor Tianqiu River, which is very appreciated by the emperor!" Thinking is indispensable! Mr. Fang taught the four sons, and I still can't win! Fang Bao hurriedly thanked him and said: "The prince has won the award, Fang Bao doesn't dare to accept it!" Wu Sidao said with a smile: "Having said that, the cripple doesn't cry when he doesn't see the coffin, since Mr. Fang said that this game is not won or lost, why don't you ask the fourth master to go a few times?" ”

Fang Bao originally wanted to avoid such a contemptuous person, but at this point, he couldn't help but secretly get angry: You have the ability to win the fourth elder brother's half, just want to win me? Then he smiled and picked up the chess box and said, "It's better to be respectful than to obey your fate." So saying, he threw a son, went into the black corner, and ambushed the killer. Wu Sidao didn't think about it, and put the three three and one sons back to the top two or four and waited for the opportunity. After a few down, Fang Bao saw that the opponent was heavily defended, and if he was about to leave, it seemed to be real and virtual, hitting the left and right, and attacking the front after the rear, it was really not ordinary. Yin Zhen was already at a loss on the side, and he didn't understand the deep meaning of the two sides at all. I can't help but wonder: Mr. Wu won half of my son every day, it turned out that he took great pains to let it!

"Clever!" After more than thirty years, Fang Bao never recovered the first, and the abandoned son sighed: "I really want to win half of the son!" Wu Sidao also gently put down the chess box and said with a smile: "Today is a chess addiction." You are self-aware and admirable! Hearing this, Fang Bao felt arrogant, but he couldn't refute it, and it was unbearable to think about it, so he said: "Chess, Xiaodao'er, is it worth being like this?" I am afraid that this kind of insight is not quite human[1]

。 Wu Sidao immediately retorted:

"I read 10,000 books, what does it mean that I can't understand people?"

"Have you read 'Prison Miscellaneous'?"

"Books don't read under the Qin and Han dynasties."

At this point, the two of them were already moved, although they were not angry, and their tones were as cold as ice. Yin Zhen was in a dilemma, and Wu Sidouge smiled: "Since Mr. Fang is a well-known person, may I ask how to say that Fang Cai's name is tattooed with 'Tong Fang Bud'!" According to the person who can be called Tong, there are five in the world, Zhejiang has Tonglu, Tongxiang, Anhui has Tongzi, Tongcheng, Henan has Tongbai, and the foot calls itself 'Tongfang Bud', and the students are puzzled! ”

"Afterlife!" Fang Bao was stunned by his question, took a sip of tea, and sneered, "Reading is about nourishing qi, not about nourishing the tongue!" Although Tongcheng Fangbud is famous, Wenlin knows it after all, I use the word "Tongfang Bud" but to avoid the name and hide it, and it has become your handle! The king's name is called 'thinking about the road', but I don't know what to think? ”

Wu Sidao's face was expressionless, he bowed slightly, and said, "Sir! Your words 'avoiding fame and hiding yourself', students still don't understand! For example, a crane in the clouds, flying around the emperor's house, has to say 'self-hidden' - the reason is difficult to understand. I am the parent of the word 'Sidao'. If you ask me what I think, I might as well tell me bluntly: the wise and philosophical people of the ancients are humble and indifferent, do not live on the side of the ruined buildings, and do not have a place where machinery is dumped. I just said that 'Jiuyang' is not a false word, and Lord Yong came back several times to say that Mr. was in the imperial study to talk to the brothers about the four books, and he spoke well. However, the university is concise in sincerity, and sincerity is concise in prudence and independence. The gentleman's words must be called etiquette, is it really for the cultivation of qi, or is it a little 'close to the name'? Jun quoted Zhu Xi's words and criticized the rotten Confucianism in this world, which sounds very pleasant, but is it for Mingdao, or is it a bit 'competitive'? Cultivating oneself and enlightening the Tao is the principle of heaven, but being famous and competitive is a human desire, and selfish desires cannot be overcome, so is the 'heavenly principle' mixed with water? ”

Wu Sidao gushed endlessly, and in a nutshell, not only Yinzhen was dizzy when he heard it, but Fang Bao was also dumbfounded, looking at this steady and quiet scholar in surprise. Wu Sidao gently closed the folding fan in his hand, put it on the desk and sighed: "In the past, I admired Mr. for all beings, that is, I admired Mr. for his writing, but in recent years, I haven't seen Mr. have a good article in the world. Why? I don't know myself! Mr. thinks to himself, being in this place, at this time, circling around the people and things, although he wants to be self-sufficient, he is afraid that it is rare, how can he think of the good chapter? Thinking about the foolishness, hidden under the wings of the four masters, with a peep, his words are also straight, his heart is also right, Mr. Daren, forgive no responsibility! With that, he lowered his head and looked at the game of chess without saying a word.

"Be taught!" Fang Bao only then returned to the color, these words were really like a slap in the face to him, and he was empowered, and he actually bowed down and said: "Thank you so much-Fourth Master, you have such a fearful friend, every day on the side, it is really your blessing!" Mr. Wu, I invite you to visit Tongcheng tomorrow and talk to you about wine again. Farewell! With that, he resigned. Yinzhen went straight to Yimen before stepping back, and smiled when he saw Wu Sidao clapping his hands, so he said, "What are you provoking him for no reason?" ”

Wu Sidao looked a little tired, and said with a deep breath: "Fourth Master, have you thought about it?" This person is in the middle, Li Guangdi is the master of the house, Li Guangdi did not ring the wooden bell in front of Banzai, and wanted to ask him for help, but this person is obedient! For this reason, when it is critical, there can be no mistakes in the fourth master...... Alas! It's really hard to deal with someone like Fang Bao! Yin Zhen stared at Wu Sidao, and a thought suddenly occurred in his heart: this surnamed Wu's scheming is too powerful...... But he smiled in his mouth: "You persuaded him to return to the hidden spring forest and leave the land of right and wrong, which is also the heart of the Bodhisattva." Wu Sidao said in a daze: "We have done our best, it depends on the destiny of heaven!" ”

Outside, I don't know when it was cloudy, and suddenly a gust of wind wrapped in stars, rain and fog broke through the curtain, hitting Yinzhen and Wu Sidao.

The destiny of heaven is at stake, and the court is paying attention, but no one thought that such a major matter would fall on the head of Long Keduo, the commander of the small Jingshi infantry army. Half a month after Fang Bao returned the gold to the mountain, a green tweed official sedan chair was carried into the poor palace of Changchun Garden, Zhang Tingyu first got down from the tightly covered sedan chair, turned around and said: "You are waiting for the summons inside." Then he ordered Xing Nian, "All the imperial doctors, eunuchs and palace maids, etc., all withdraw from the palace." Then he lifted the curtain and came in. Standing in front of the couch, he whispered, "Hooray, Long Kedo is here." ”

Kangxi and his clothes were half lying on the big pillow, his face was gray and dark, the wrinkles like a knife were motionless, and he was closing his eyes to recuperate, for a long time, Fang Quran opened his eyes and said, "Call in." After a while, he listened to the sound of boots, and Long Keduo came in and kowtowed, saying: "Slave Long Keduo Gong Long live Jin'an!" Kangxi didn't shout, only bowed his head slightly, and said to Zhang Tingyu: "Read it to him!" ”

"Wow!" Zhang Tingyu bowed, took out two copies of the edict from a small gold-skinned box on Kangxi's desk, and said: "Long Keduo, I am ordered to read the edict to you!" ”

Long Keduo was taken aback, stared at the steady and self-controlled Zhang Tingyu in horror, kowtowed deeply, and Zhang Tingyu read: "Chalong Keduo Party is attached to the emperor's elder brother, and the government is chaotic and harms the people, and he will be killed!" Chin this! "Long Keduo didn't expect to secretly summon himself into the palace, in order to give death! I was so shocked that I trembled, and the cold sweat on my forehead immediately broke out. After a while, Fang kowtowed and said, "The slave is guilty...... Command! ”

"What do you think?" Kangxi stared at Long Keduo coldly and asked, "Is there anything to argue?" Long Keduoqiang suppressed his anger, kowtowed and trembled: "Thunder, rain and dew are all Jun's grace. Long live the slave to plead, the slave should cry blood and tell the master bluntly, the Tong family is indeed a party attached to the eighth elder brother, but the slave is stubborn since childhood, and he offends his own clan, so he cannot be tolerated by the clan master Tong Guowei...... The emperor went west, and the slave was responsible for the emperor's escape from Kobdo, and the emperor's special guerrilla position, because of the absence of Tong Kefei, who escaped from the battle, he was repeatedly ostracized...... Your Majesty, you know all this......" said that he was already crying on the ground and couldn't help himself. Kangxi remembered the past, he was sad for a while, and two lines of old tears flowed out silently, and he was busy collecting his thoughts, nodding and saying, "I know everything." But this edict may not be used, Zhang Tingyu is the one who announced the edict, and he will be the master in the future, and the empty days on the edict will also be filled by him. Tingyu, you read another secret edict of mine! ”

Zhang Tingyu nodded silently, and said: "Long Keduo listens to the order: Long Keduo enters the crown prince Taibao with the original products, leads the minister of the guard, the minister of the upper study, and still leads the position of the commander of the Beijing Division's infantry army. Qin this - the third day of October in the 60th year of Kangxi. ”

"Huh?" Long Kedo's eyes widened in astonishment, and he said for a while: "Hooray—this?" ”

"The sorrow of death and the joy of life, I will give you both." Kangxi's voice was low, but extremely clear. As he spoke, he ordered Zhang Tingyu to help him sit up, coughed dryly, and said: "You should forgive me for the difficulties, I will not fall into the hands of villains for the sake of the country, so I have to make this decision." If you are faithful to your duties and receive your will, the previous edict will be dismissed. If you are in office, the day of your new king's ascension to the throne will be your death! Zhang Tingyu is the same, he also has two copies of such an edict! ”

Long Keduo didn't know whether it was because of fear or admiration, his lips trembled, and he couldn't find the words to deal with it for a while. Kangxi ignored it, and said: "If you are in a small family, I should call you a cousin, but the affairs of the heavenly family are related to billions of trillions of Li Shu, and I can't follow these personal feelings." On that day, you escaped from the rebels with me on your back, and there was only one nest head, you let me eat, you chewed grass roots, just a gourd of water, I used it to the fullest, and you drank horse urine. So you have the heart to cut off the shares, and I see that you are the meson of this dynasty. After the battle, I forgot about it, and I buried you for many years, it was my fault......" Before he finished speaking, Long Keduo had already burst into tears. Kangxi sighed: "It can be seen that the monarch and the minister are in trouble!" I thought about it, but I have no grace for you, so I have to make this edict, you have to fulfill me, understand me, or you can be a generation of famous ministers in the future generations, and it will not be in vain for my hard work......"

"Long live the ......" Long Keduo fell to the ground all of a sudden, crying bitterly: "The slave is willing to ...... for you"

Kangxi waved his hand slightly and said, "Don't do this." How can there be a substitute for life and death? I have done so many things, and I have done so much in my life, and I have no regrets, such as writing a book, what is so sad about it together? If you can help me write this last volume, you will be able to fulfill my ......" and said, "Tingyu, you are all ministers of Tuogu, you might as well talk about it here, I am very tired, and my heart is beating hard, so I will listen to ...... here."

"Yes. Brother Long, please be seated. Zhang Tingyu wiped away his tears and said, "There are two copies of the emperor's edict, one is to record the merits of his life's career and the gist of governing the world, and the other is to pass on the throne. ”

[1]

A person who reads a thousand volumes is called a "Tongren".