National color raw owl

While the flags were flying, the convoy came slowly, ten Shenyiwei opened the way ahead, besides the previous Baihu, there was another Baihu among them, the officials were surprised when they saw it, it seems that the imperial court had a great deal of respect for Xu Congyang. As expected, Shenyiwei had only twelve hundred households in total, but sent two guards, which shows that the emperor was very considerate of Xu Congyang's safety.

The three carriages are not very gorgeous, but they are very strong. Beside the carriages are all followers. Behind the convoy, there are nearly a hundred cavalry. They are all black armor and helmets. Even the horses are equipped with armor. It was extremely mighty, and several cavalrymen among them were holding banners, which fluttered in the cold wind, with a unicorn pattern on them.

When the officials saw the pattern on the flag, they knew that it was escorted by soldiers from the Twelve Guards in Beijing.

The Twelve Guards is the collective name of the Sixth Guards of Zuo Tun and the Sixth Guards of Right Tun. The two armies are the elite divisions in the middle of Beijing, and they are under the command of the General Twelve Guards. However, the responsibilities of the two armies are quite different. different.

The Six Guards of Zuo Tun were only responsible for public security in central Beijing, while the Six Guards of Right Tun took on some special duties, such as escorting imperial envoys out of Beijing to ensure the stability of the outer areas of Gyeonggi.

As the convoy approached, Qiao Mingtang straightened his clothes, and was the first to go forward. The soldiers in front of the convoy immediately fanned out, and the convoy stopped. Qiao Mingtang led the officials, big and small, to step forward. Opening the curtain of the carriage, I saw a person coming out of the carriage. The man was nearly sixty years old, dressed in green robes and casual clothes, with a slender figure, a gray beard, and a cotton cap on his head. , but his spirit is still strong, just look at his eyes, and you can tell that he is not an ordinary person.

His skin is already loose, but it can be seen from the shape of his face that when he was young, he must have been a handsome and unrestrained man. This person waved his hand to stop him, but got out of the carriage by himself, as if to prove that although he was old, he was not useless.

When Qiao Mingtang saw the old man, he had already knelt down on the ground, only to hear a crash, all the officials present knelt down, and said in unison: "I pay my respects to Mr. Xu!"

Chu Huan and the other guards stood guard on both sides of the road instead of kneeling down. When he saw the old man, he knew that this old man was Xu Congyang, the censor of the left capital of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. .

Xu Congyang got out of the carriage, and a blue-robed official came down from the last carriage. He was not tall, but he had a big belly, thin skin and tender flesh. He was over forty years old and came to Xu Congyang's side.

Chu Huan only glanced at it, and guessed that this person was probably Shen Jing, the Shaoqing of Guanglu Temple, and this person was in charge of the imperial wine selection.

Xu Congyang had already raised his hand and said, "Governor Qiao, let everyone get up, there is no need to be so formal." He looked up at the majestic and vicissitudes of Yunshan Fucheng in the distance, with a look of melancholy on his face, stroking his white beard, and murmured Said: "There is no one hundred years old in the world. It's useless to think about it with your fingers, exhaust your organs, and waste your energy. The young are foolish, and the old is haggard. Only the middle years, the spring breeze is proud, and you can bear to be tied to the false name?"

His voice was deep, slightly hoarse, and he had experienced many vicissitudes of life. He had already told his whole life with just a few words.

Qiao Mingtang and other officials had already thanked and got up, and when they heard Xu Congyang suddenly read a poem, they all looked at each other in blank dismay, and it was difficult to guess Xu Congyang's thoughts for a while.

The blue-robed official beside Xu Congyang gave a thumbs up, and said with a flattering smile: "Good poetry, good poetry. Master Xu really has a heart, and he utters poems. It's really a three-year-old official to hear the adults recite poems for himself today." Fortunately!"

But Xu Congyang ignored the blue-robed official, and just said to Qiao Mingtang: "Governor Qiao, there is no need to go to war like this. In the cold winter, you all have official duties, so why bother to suffer from the cold here for the sake of this old man? I delayed my official duties, old man But I feel ashamed."

Qiao Mingtang said respectfully: "It's been a hard journey for a bachelor. I'll wait here to greet you. Compared with the hard work of a bachelor, it's nothing to mention. A bachelor is the glory of my Yunshan Mansion. If the officials stop everyone It's unreasonable for my son to come to greet you, if there is anything inappropriate, please give advice to the Grand Scholar!"

Xu Congyang smiled, but did not speak, his eyes were still looking at the ancient city wall of Yunshan Mansion, and sighed: "This Yunshan Mansion City has been built for more than 100 years, and it is an ancient city. After the founding of the country, the old man also came back , That was more than ten years ago." After speaking, his face was full of emotion.

The commander, Luo Shiheng, had already bowed his hands and said respectfully: "The Grand Scholars and Shen Shaoqing have worked hard all the way. We have set up a banquet in the city to welcome the Grand Scholars and Shen Shaoqing. Please transfer the Grand Scholars and Shaoqing to official sedan chairs. During the banquet, Listen to the teachings and instructions of the Grand Master!" He turned his head and waved his hand, and two sedan chairs came forward.

But Xu Congyang waved his hand and said: "Don't bother so much." He asked Qiao Mingtang: "Governor Qiao, where are you going to arrange for us to rest?"

Qiao Mingtang immediately said: "Back to the bachelor, the Xingyuan is arranged to stay in the thatched cottage!"

"Thatched cottage?" Xu Congyang's eyes lit up.

Qiao Mingtang smiled and said, "Do you still remember the Grand Scholar?"

Xu Congyang smiled and said: "How can I forget. The old man was studying in thatched cottage back then, ten years of hard work, but he learned countless principles in thatched cottage...!"

Qiao Mingtang cupped his hands and said, "The Caotang Bieyuan used to be a place for university scholars to study, and it was also the number one academy in Yunshan Mansion. At that time, all the elites of Yunshan came out of the Caotang."

Xu Congyang stroked his beard and nodded, but quickly frowned and said, "Arrange to stay in the other courtyard of the thatched cottage? What about the students in the other courtyard? Are they willing to lend two courtyards?"

"Bachelors, don't worry, there are no students in that cottage now." Qiao Mingtang reported.

Xu Congyang lowered his face and asked, "Did you drive them all out of the other courtyard?"

"I don't dare to be an official." Qiao Mingtang hurriedly said: "I don't know about the great scholars. Six years ago, the thatched cottage moved to the west city. There is a newly built thatched cottage academy in the west city, which is more spacious than the thatched cottage. Over the years The number of students studying is increasing day by day, and the Caotang Academy can no longer accommodate so many people, so a larger Caotang Academy was built in the west city, and the Caotang Academy has been renovated and used as a Xingyuan.”

Xu Congyang's expression softened slightly, and he said, "So, there are no students in thatched cottage now?"

"That's right, they have already gone to Caotang Academy." Qiao Mingtang replied: "When we built a new academy, we thought about a lot of academy names, but finally thought of the true meaning of thatched cottage, so the word thatched cottage has not changed."

Xu Congyang became interested and asked, "Governor Qiao, what do you think of the word thatched cottage?"

Qiao Mingtang replied: "The lower officials learned that the thatched cottage was originally called Yunshan Academy, and the bachelor once studied in Yunshan Academy. Later, the bachelor and many seniors proposed to change the name, so it was changed to thatched cottage. The word "Caotang" originally means a grass-roots hall, and its deep meaning is that no matter how high or low the family background is, as long as you have the ambition to study, you can have a way to study and select talents for the country. , as long as you have talent and learning, you can still contribute to the country and be reused by the court!"

Xu Congyang finally had a smile on his face when he heard the words, and said, "That's right, that's exactly what it means. Governor Qiao, you know it's not difficult, but is this how you act?"

Qiao Mingtang said seriously: "I dare not be negligent. These students are the future pillars of our Great Qin Empire. The prosperity of our Great Qin Empire requires these scholars to offer their wisdom and suggestions. The lower officials are not talented, so they have specially set up a student aid program in Xishan Road. Lu!"

"Student salary?"

"Exactly." Qiao Mingtang explained: "Anyone who has passed the rural examination, who is born in a poor family but has both excellent character and talent, can enter the Caotang Academy to study, and the government will pull out money to provide him with food and clothing. Xuelu!"

Xu Congyang smiled and said: "What a student salary. Governor Qiao, you have finally done some practical things as an official. This student salary is a good strategy for benefiting the country. After I return to Beijing, I will definitely mention it to the Holy Majesty. "

Qiao Mingtang bowed and said, "I am grateful for the praise of the Grand Scholar, I am ashamed of myself."

Seeing Qiao Mingtang courting Xu Congyang, Luo Shiheng couldn't help but glance at Qiao Mingtang, and then respectfully said: "Grand scholar, the horses and horses are exhausted, let's invite you to the banquet first!"

Xu Congyang shook his head, and said: "It's okay, I'm not here to eat or drink." He said to Qiao Mingtang: "Governor Qiao, this old man is indeed a little tired, you let everyone go, go back and rest earlier, so as not to miss you I have done my own errand. You have someone take us to Xingyuan, so we can prepare some food and drink in Xingyuan!"

He didn't say much, turned around and returned to the carriage. All the officials looked at each other. Luo Shiheng was slightly startled. Seeing that Shen Jing hadn't left, he hurriedly lowered his voice and said, "Shen Shaoqing, this... this banquet is ready, Yunshan Officials, big and small, all want to clean up the dust for the Grand Scholars, look...!"

Shen Jing's face was a little strange, he glanced at Xu Congyang's carriage, then lowered his voice and said, "Since the Grand Scholar said so, let's arrange it according to his old man's wishes!" He didn't dare to say more, and went to his own carriage.

With the sound of a gong, the convoy started up again, Qiao Mingtang hastily summoned Wei Tianqing, and ordered him to lead the soldiers to lead the way to the thatched cottage, while he and the officials mounted horses and followed beside him.

Wei Tianqing immediately ordered Chu Huan to lead a team of troops to clear the road ahead, and make sure that the road to the thatched cottage was unimpeded. Chu Huan took the order and led Fat Liu Wang Han and more than a dozen Imperial Guard soldiers to clear the road on horseback.

At this time, the sky had already darkened, and the mighty team slowly entered the city. Fat Liu urged the horse to go forward, came to Chu Huan's side, and said in a low voice: "My lord, I feel weird for being humble!"

Chu Huan glanced at him and asked, "What earth-shattering thing did Lieutenant Liu discover?"

Fat Liu was embarrassed for a while, and said with a smile: "It's not anything earth-shattering, it's just... just adults can see that there are three carriages in the convoy, but only two carriages get off!"

"Oh?"

"Master Xu got off the first carriage, and that Shaoqing got off the third carriage, but there was no movement in the second carriage, and no one came down." Fat Liu said in a low voice, "And Shen Yiwei's The two hundred households should be guarding the Grand Scholar, but the humble officer found that the two had been riding around the carriage in the middle. Do you think this is weird? My lord, do you think the carriage in the middle is hidden? what baby?"

Chu Huan smiled and said, "What you said really makes sense. Why don't you go over and find out what treasures are in there?"

"I obey you!" Fat Liu conditioned reflexively, and was about to turn his horse's head, when he suddenly thought of something, saw Wang Han looking at him with a strange look, with cold sweat on his forehead, and said in a low voice: "My lord, then... what's the matter?" Shen Yiwei guards, humble job...hehe...!"

Chu Huan shook his head and sighed: "It seems that you are not too courageous!" Puffing the horse and leading the crowd forward, Fat Liu was a little unwilling, but when he looked back at the indifferent Shenyiwei, he did not have the courage Approaching the past, Pai Ma hurriedly followed Chu Huan's team.