Wei Huai was waiting outside the gate of Lu Mansion, and when he heard the voice "Come in", he walked along the cobblestone road to the inner courtyard, and saw Lu Fangxuan walking on the side of the road, bending down to pick a plum blossom, and quietly sniffing its fragrance, so elegant.

"You've come to see me?" Lu Fangxuan turned his back and smiled brightly at him.

"Yes, I haven't seen you for many years, and you and I are a lot older." Wei Huai also smiled.

"I'm afraid you're not here to catch up with the past, are you?" Lu Fangxuan sneered, "When did the Wei Sacrifice Wine also have this problem with polite words......

"Your Excellency, you're definitely mistaken." Wei Huai resolutely said, "I think you must still remember the things that supported my reform, which shows that you are really for Nanjing, and there is no hypocrisy." What kind of partisan dispute broke out today over my suggestion is an insult to my original intentions! ”

As he spoke, he threw down his crutches and knelt down slowly with a limp: "Lu Yue Gong will not want to see this happen, and please decide on the policy of cutting officials as soon as possible, don't let the situation develop like this......"

Lu Fangxuan was silent. He pinched the rhizome of the plum blossom and broke off a few snow-colored petals, which landed on Wei Huai's knees.

"You're so naïve." A sentence finally popped out of his mouth, and the petals fell together with the flying petals, "I have never seen people who are mixed with officialdom and the more confused they are!" ”

Lu Fangxuan's tone gradually intensified: "I am a feudal official, how many people have I unjustly killed, and how many dirty things have I done that harmed others and benefited myself...... You say I'm really for Nanjing...... Are you kidding? Ridiculous! ”

Although Wei Huai didn't speak, after lowering his head and picking up a few plum blossoms, he still opened his eyes with righteousness and awe, and his sharp sword eyebrows were horizontal, without the slightest wavering will.

"I'm okay, I'll tell you plainly, I don't want to lie to you; If you put on a person like Wan Heshun, you are still in the dark! is almost forty years old, and he is still the leader of the literary world, but he doesn't understand any reason......"

Lu Fangxuan fiddled with the plum blossom in his hand and glanced at it coldly: "Aren't you celebrities all high-winded and bright on weekdays, boasting of plum blossoms?" But even this plum blossom is smarter than you, and it at least knows when to bloom and when not to bloom......"

He threw the flower on the ground, "The official has finished what he should have said, it can be regarded as benevolent and righteous, so don't bother people from now on." With that, he slowly walked away from the stone pavement and wiped it in from the corner.

Wei Huai smiled helplessly, lowered his head and reached out to pick up the plum blossoms, then stood up tremblingly, helped the vine crutches, turned his back, and looked up at the pale sky, which was boundlessly white. He didn't complain, he just muttered to himself as he walked: "I don't know when the flowers will bloom......"

After he walked out of the Lu Mansion, he walked along the wall and walked down the street with his head bowed. The pedestrians on the road came and went, and he was afraid that they would recognize him at a glance, so he handed over his crutches to his right hand and tucked them away.

But the people have always admired Wei Huai, only to see his rickety body, a plain clothes, they gradually gathered around, and some even had tears in their eyes, looking at him affectionately.

"Mr. Wei!"

Wei Huai raised his head suddenly. He was in a depressed mood at the moment, but he could only smile reluctantly on his face and slowly wave to them.

"You are at great risk to propose to reduce redundant officials and work for the benefit of the people, so remarkable, please accept our worship!" Then the crowd fell to the ground and bowed. "We also heard that you went to the Lu Mansion once, but you also went to this matter?" They walked up in droves and asked enthusiastically.

Wei Huai was almost driven into the corner by them. The crowd was full of ardent expectations for him, which made him feel mixed feelings. He had to say flatly, "Indeed." However, there were some obstacles. ”

"Whatever hinders or not, you will definitely be able to do justice for us!" A six- or seven-year-old child sat on the neck of an old man and shouted in a childish voice.

"Yes, yes......" said the old man, stroking his beard. When everyone heard this, they also raised their arms and agreed: "That's right! You can say that again! ”

When Wei Huai saw this scene, he didn't know whether to cry or laugh in a trance. He sees people as motivation, but he also invisibly makes his body more and more tired. His heart was struggling, he didn't want to abandon these simple people, but at the same time, he didn't want to carry too heavy a burden.

He still remembers that his original intention was nothing more than to "enlighten the world and make the people know about the new deal", to be a reformer who works silently; But time has quietly given him the title of "hero", a realm that he is far from reaching. Then, let him shout to the world alone. There is nothing to be done, because, except for Wei Huai, there is no leader in the cause of reform.

"Ladies and gentle......men," Wei Huai's tone was a little heavy, "if I fail to live up to your expectations one day, please don't blame me." With that, he walked straight through the crowd and never looked back.

Wei Chong was walking on the opposite street at this time, and without looking at this side, he hurried to the official office. He entered the lobby and saw that Hu Qi was eating in the second hall, and what he ate was just a bowl of pickles and a vegetarian dish, which was not unusual.

"You're late enough to eat...... Must be busy? Wei Chong said.

"How long have you been putting it away, and you still give it to me to eat," Hu Qi took a bite ......of the pickle and said to himself.

"You ......"

"I can't even eat at ease!" He grumbled.

Wei Chong knew that this Hu Qi despised him and deliberately embarrassed him. But now he could only hold his breath, so he whispered again and said, "Little Wei Chong is here to see you." ”

Hu Qi chewed the pickles in his mouth, and then raised his head.

"Wei Chong, you're finally here, haven't you been here for an hour?" He dropped his chopsticks.

"I posted an official document below, and I rushed over immediately, maybe it was delayed for a while."

"The king of the county said that the reduction is inevitable, you don't have to do anything to obstruct it, just let it be." He took out a booklet from his pocket, "This is the book of officials and officials in Nanjing, and I handed it over to Governor Ye, and he decided who went and who stayed." ”

Although Wei Chong still wanted to ask something, he really had nothing to say to Hu Qi, so he just took the letter and nodded, "I'll go now." ”

He came out of the official office, took a shortcut, walked to the hall of the government office, saw Ye Yongjia, gave him the booklet, and sat outside the house with the official to pass the time.

About half an hour, Ye Yongjia lifted the curtain and came out, handed the booklet back to Wei Chong, and said: "The people who should be laid off are all written on it, you go to the palace to show the county king, and then draw conclusions." ”

Wei Chong was resigned, took the booklet down, and saw that Ye Yongjia had entered the house, so he secretly opened the roster. This opening was incredible, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on the head - the first name circled by pen and ink was himself.