Hunan Province under the jurisdiction of Zhili Prefecture Li Zhou Zhizhou Huang Lao, is a rare combination of Cantonese people with a large and tall national character, he is the one hundred and fifty-eighth in the three Jiachen Branch of Kangxi, and the first Jinshi in that subject is the penultimate Jinshi in that subject!

Don't underestimate this penultimate one, this is the penultimate one in the entrance examination, and the gold content is even greater than that of Tsinghua University and Peking University in later generations! How much does Tsinghua Peking University recruit in a year? Kangxi's liberal arts scholars, one subject in three years, each subject is only in their early 200s, and everyone who can be admitted is a scholar.

And Huang Zhisheng Huang from Huangjia Village, Etang Du, Xinhui County, Guangzhou Prefecture, Guangdong Province, that is a well-known Xinhui prodigy, a Guangfu scholar, when he was taking the Xiucai exam, the county, the government, and the hospital were all the first (that is, the first place), all of them passed at one time!

Later, I took the Guangdong Township Examination, and got a Jingkui (the third, fourth, and fifth are all called Jingkui), after the lift, I immediately ran the Beijing Examination Examination, and the result was a high school, the ranking was not high, but it was also a tribute, and then a few days later, I took the palace test and the penultimate first This exam was completed, and he was only twenty-two years old, and he was definitely a genius examiner.

If anyone thinks that he is just a genius examiner, they are very wrong. Master Huang is actually an examiner with a background, he is the son of an official eunuch and a child of a eunuch!

His father, Mrs. Huang, and his grandfather, Mrs. Huang, are all loyal ministers of the Three Dynasties, and have served the masters of the Ming Dynasty, Dashun, and the Qing Dynasty, among which the old lady Huang entered the government in the year of the Apocalypse, and also recognized a particularly awesome godfather, named Wei Zhongxian!

This kind of official eunuch family plus eunuch family from the examiner family after high school, of course, will not be stupid to wait for the selection of the operation, a few months after high school, the county magistrate, and it is also a relatively easy to promote the coastal fat shortage - Songjiang Prefecture Shanghai County magistrate, after three years of service, because of the merit of repelling pirates in office, the evaluation of a "Zhuo Wei", Menzi left, and then let go of the state of Hunan Lizhou, after the state was full, and was promoted to the governor of Lizhou less than eight years before and after, and then promoted two levels, climbed from a county to a county, for the penultimate jinshi who started in the county, there is really no one in this official fortune.

However, for a "penultimate jinshi", the Zhizhou of Zhili Prefecture is usually the ceiling, and it is not possible to go up step by step, you have to use some special means!

For example, spend money to donate to a prefect!

Or be a second minister, and mix up the dragon's work!

These days, he is thinking about how to choose with his "really unfilial father" Mrs. Huang!

Why is his father said to be "really unfilial"? That's because Old Lady Huang, the godgrandson of Wei Zhongxian, died last year.

According to the "Laws of the Qing Dynasty", Mrs. Huang was allowed to "start with the day of the funeral month, regardless of the intercalary month, and keep the system for 27 months (rounded to three years)". It's a sin!

But now, before the halfway point of the twenty-seventh month, Mrs. Huang did not stay in her hometown, but took Xinna's little wife to Lizhou, where her son was an official, to discuss with her son whether to be a second minister or a fourth minister (Huang Zhisheng was a second minister, and Old Lady Huang was a fourth minister), which was really disloyal and unfilial.

"Decrepit boy, come here, there's a newspaper."

Early this morning, before the sky was completely bright, Mrs. Huang, who was accustomed to getting up early, was eating Cantonese morning tea while affectionately calling Mr. Huang's "nickname", holding a copy of the newspaper he had just received, and beckoning his son to come over and take a look.

There is also a seventeen or eighteen-year-old concubine waiting for this old lady. Master Huang knew that his "unfilial father" played with this Xinna's little mother until late at night last night, what a dragon and a tiger!

"Old funny," Huang Zhisheng greeted his father, sat down on the edge of the table, looked at his old man, shook his head and said, "You are still worried, if this appearance is known by the imperial history, I will also be affected as a son!" ”

"When is it, how can those imperial historians join you and tease me?" Old lady Huang looked disdainful, "Let's take a look at this first!" This was only delivered last night. ”

As he spoke, he handed the copy of the newspaper in his hand to his sixth aunt and asked her to pass it on to his son.

Huang Zhisheng took the copy of the newspaper and looked at it, and his face immediately changed, "What? The emperor wants to drive the expedition in person? In addition, it is necessary to recruit poor households from the six northern provinces to go to the Guanwai Settlement."

Old Lady Huang snorted and stuck out two fingers, "This is to make two preparations. If you can fight, you can fight, and if you can't, you will run away! ”

"I haven't started fighting yet, I want to run away, this Qing Dynasty is going to end!" Huang Zhisheng hurriedly asked his father, "Old tease, are you familiar with His Royal Highness King Xi?" If you take refuge in the past now, can you be a scholar? ”

Old Lady Huang shook his head, "Of course I'm not familiar with it, how did I know that His Royal Highness the King of the West has such a great ability to rebel?" I originally thought that sooner or later he would let the Tartar court cook the rabbit and the dead dog, so it was too late to hide from him. I knew that I would have slapped him up in the first place! But if we go to him now, we can be regarded as a dragon, and there will always be a lord to be in the future, which is also good.

By the way, what does that Lizhou general Chen Dabao mean? The king of the West is coming, is he going to be a loyal martyr or a second minister? ”

"He's." Master Huang shook his head as he spoke, "Although this Chen Dabao is a martial artist, he is very pedantic, full of loyalty to the monarch and serving the country, and he thinks that the Eight Banners Heavenly Soldiers are so powerful, it is estimated that he is unwilling to be a second minister." ”

Old Lady Huang was stunned, "But the green battalion soldiers I guard the city are all hungry, as if they haven't eaten enough." ”

"Of course I can't eat enough, the military salary calls him embezzlement, and the people at the bottom still eat a fart" Huang Zhisheng shook his head again and again, "If the soldiers of the King of the West come over, it is estimated that he will have to run away!" ”

When the father and son were talking, Master Huang's Master Qian Gu Leng Housheng Leng walked in with his robe, and saluted with his fists at Master Huang's father and son: "Zhou Mu, old lady, yesterday evening, General Chen sent someone to the mansion to ask about the rich businessmen in the city. People said that the territory of Lizhou has been very unstable recently, and Hefeng Prefecture and Shinan Mansion in the west of Lizhou are the nests of thieves infested by the remnants of the Thirteen Families in Kuidong! If you don't raise more money as soon as possible to raise Xiangyong, when the thieves in Lizhou and the henchmen of the Thirteen Kuidong families make trouble together, the city of Lizhou will be completely finished. ”

When Old Lady Huang heard this, she looked back at her son: "Decrepit boy, how much silver did you get?" ”

Huang Zhisheng snorted: "Less than three thousand taels and a gang of misers!" They all cried poor with me, and when the king of the West called, they were good-looking! ”

Old lady Huang touched her beard, thought about it and asked, "How much do you give to that surnamed Chen?" Five hundred? Thousand? ”

"Don't give a penny!" Huang Zhisheng said, "He also ran away. This surnamed Chen knows how to make money! Instead of letting him fish, it's better for me to fish it myself! ”

"Yes, that's right!" Old lady Huang gave a thumbs up, "The silver must be spent on the blade, you give me all the three thousand taels. I will take it back and give it to the prince of the West, as long as I climb the high branch of the prince, I am not afraid that there will be no future in the future! ”

"Old teaser, can you really see the prince of the West?"

"Of course," said Mrs. Huang with great certainty, "I have been an official in Beijing for so many years, and I still don't look up and look down with the prince of the West." ”

"Master, master" At this time, a panicked squad leader ran in from outside.

Huang Zhisheng glared at the team leader, "Li Bantou, what are you panicking about?" ”

"Sir, something is wrong. The West Gate Tower ran away from the water, and a fire broke out to the sky! ”

Huang Zhisheng and Mrs. Huang were both stunned, looked at each other, and Master Huang said: "Declining boy, you are still a state pastor, you have to go and see if the city gate is on fire." ”

Huang Zhisheng sighed, so he had to reach out and grab two white-cut steamed buns, one bite at a time, and after eating, he took an egg that had just been peeled (it was peeled for the old lady) from his sixth aunt, stuffed it into his mouth indiscriminately, and led Master Leng and Li Bantou out to watch the fire with the last mouth.

At the same time, in the barracks of the Lizhou garrison, Chen Dabao, the general of the city guard, was standing in the courtyard where he lived with his sleeves cuffed and a blank expression, watching his family and servants packing their belongings and luggage. This term of his general deserves a loss!

Although he was born in a martial arts, in order to make up for the lack of this Lizhou general, he still spent a lot of silver, plus the expenses of the previous candidate in Beijing, he had already been saddled with usury.

After all, Lizhou is not a wealthy area along the coast, along the river, and along the canal, and there is no place to catch smugglers. There are many bandits. In the mountains west of Lizhou, the remnants of the thirteen families in Kuidong are active!

Although those big thieves have been wiped out, there are still many old thieves hiding in the mountains, and some of them are still Li Zicheng's old battalion soldiers! Chen Dabao wanted to kill one, but as soon as the green battalion soldiers under his command heard that they were going to suppress the thieves, they were all so frightened that their legs and feet were weak, and they couldn't walk.

A while ago, there was a squire from Shimen who came to report that the monk Feng Tianyu, the temple master of Shimen Jiashan Temple, may be the remnants of the thirteen families in Kuidong, saying that he has two or three hundred Shaanxi accents under his command, with a fierce face, a strong physique, and a little older!

With this amount, Chen Dabao didn't want to ask for trouble. People are just monks, and they don't get in the way of anyone! looks fierce, and is not allowed to be a monk?

If he can't make a contribution, Chen Dabao can only work hard to make money, eat empty quotas, and drink the blood of soldiers, and he can't wait to dismiss all his battalion of soldiers, and put all the food and salary in his own pocket, of course, his purpose in making money is to continue to be loyal to the Qing Dynasty.

His term of general is almost over, and after the vacancies are filled, he has to go back to Beijing to elect, and it costs money to be loyal to the Qing Dynasty!

This time he has to spend some money, and he must be short of exercise. With a good shortage, he will be able to lead his troops to be loyal to the Qing Dynasty!

When he was thinking about whose way he would go to buy an official after returning to Beijing, suddenly a commotion came in from outside the courtyard, and he listened attentively, as if he heard someone shouting: "You are the soldiers of the Western King, and you are not yet obedient!" Three thousand soldiers of the West King have entered the city, and they will return to Shun as soon as possible."

What? Wu Sangui's soldiers have already entered the city? How is it possible to return three thousand?

Chen Dabao was stunned when he heard this, and the servants of the Chen family who were packing up their luggage and belongings in the courtyard were also stunned, and they all turned their heads to look at General Chen Da, as if asking him: Master Chen, Wu Sangui is calling, do you want to be a martyr or a second minister?

Chen Dabao quickly reacted, his face was full of loyalty, and he shouted: "Come on, bring the general's spear, the general will fight to the death with the traitor!" ”

"Huh!"

A few members of the Chen family responded weakly, and then spread their feet and ran away

Seeing that the people below were running faster than rabbits, and they all fled outside the yard, Chen Dabao realized that something was wrong! Just as he wanted to chase after him, he heard the most terrifying shout again.

"It's the other way around! Kill the stolen officials and welcome the king of the west! ”

"Kill the stolen officer surnamed Chen and snatch our military salary back!"

"Kill!"

"Ahh

With a miserable scream, it seems that someone has been chopped up, but it is not General Chen, probably one of his servants or a servant, who fled in a panic, and happened to meet the rebels.

Counselor Chen's face turned white with fright, now it is not a problem for Wu Sangui's soldiers to call, but his subordinates have also rebelled. Thinking of this, where did he dare to stay in the yard? Without saying a word, he turned his head and ran into the house, and while running, he quickly took off his official uniform with one hand and foot, and threw away the official hat on his head.

In his general's uniform, there was actually a shabby ordinary person's clothes, and this Senior Counselor General Chen seemed to have smelled it for a long time, and he was ready to run away anytime and anywhere.

In addition to the people's clothes, Chen Dabao had other preparations, and the back door of his general's mansion was never locked, and he also opened a dog hole in the backyard!

In addition, General Chen also quietly rented a small courtyard in Lizhou City, where he stored some clothes and food, and buried some silver taels.

These "tricks" were all passed on to him by his father, who was a general in the Ming Dynasty.

Just when Chen Dashen was about to change clothes, drill dog holes, break out of the "heavy siege", and disappear into the houses in the city, the entire Lizhou City was completely chaotic!

The West Gate Tower and the South Gate Tower of Lizhou have been lit, and two banners with the word "Wu" are erected near the two burning city gate towers!

There are also many places in the city of Lizhou that have been lit up, with blazing fires and thick smoke. On the street, there are also strong men wearing cloth and iron armor holding high the banner of the word "Wu", shouting while running: "The Heavenly Soldiers of the Western King have arrived. Those who are obedient divide the land, and those who resist will not be forgiven! ”

From time to time, there are still people who fire muskets from somewhere, making bursts of "crackling" sounds, and they don't know what target they are shooting?

Huang Zhisheng, the governor of Lizhou, was also running on the street at this time, and he ran away with Master Leng and Li Bantou! And what forced them to flee was an old man, with a gray beard, no braids, and wearing an old but not broken cloth armor, and carrying a simple knife in his hand. Dog officer, you are not yet dead."

Huang Zhisheng was also shouting, shouting as he ran: "Don't chase, this official and His Royal Highness Wu and King Xi are in the same group, and this official has long been a person from King Xi!" ”

But where was the old man in the back willing to listen, and he was still shouting "Kill!" Kill! ", a look of not cutting Huang Zhisheng into meat sauce and vowing not to give up.

When Huang Zhisheng was hunted down, the Lizhou Yamen, where his "unfilial father" was located, had been captured by Li Laishun and three other old Dashun soldiers!

Yes, a total of four people entered the Lizhou Yamen!

It's like entering a no-man's land!

Where did the three classes of officials and a few masters in the Lizhou Yamen dare to fight against Wu Sangui's heavenly soldiers? If you want to be loyal martyrs, it won't be their turn!

Li Laishun grabbed a master and asked him where was the "surnamed Huang"? So Mrs. Huang and his sixth aunt were pulled out from under the bed.

"You old dog official, I ask you, are you Huang Zhisheng, the big dirty official in Lizhou?"

Li Laishun was angry when he saw Mrs. Huang and his sixth aunt, looking like he was going to cut people - could he not be angry? He called Li Zicheng "Imperial Grandfather"!

If Dashun is still there, he is a prince. But now, they are in their twenties, and they don't have anything to do, just a body of martial arts, and they don't even have a wife. But this corrupt official, so old, still occupies such a young and beautiful little wife, damn it! No, I have to kill this corrupt official and rescue his little wife!

"I, I, it's not Huang Zhisheng, Huang Zhisheng is my Ah Zai" Mrs. Huang was so frightened that she even spoke Cantonese.

Li Laishun was confused when he heard it, and was thinking about whether to kill this old man to rescue the little lady, but Huang Zhisheng came from the net, and before the others arrived, the shout had already arrived: "Old tease, the big thing is not good, the people of the King of the West are quite unreasonable, they want to kill us!" ”

"Don't kill me, don't kill me." Old lady Huang hurriedly pointed at her son, "He, he is the stolen official Huang Zhisheng"

Li Laishun understood a little, then turned around and looked at Huang Zhisheng, who had just run in and stood stupidly, and asked coldly: "Stolen official, I ask you, are you obedient or not?" ”

(End of chapter)