serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 270 Afternoon
A melodious flute sound came from afar.

There is lively singing in Rong En Hall.

Under the stage, Jia Amnesty tapped the tabletop with his fingers, and would applaud loudly when he heard the highlights.

Just as the singing was getting to the point, Jia Hu came in, went straight to the empty chair next to Jia She and sat down.

Jia Amnesty stared straight at the stage: "There's still one verse to finish. Would you like to play it too?"

The maid gave Jia Hu the tea.

Jia Hu took a sip from the tea bowl and asked, "Where is my father-in-law?"

Jia Amnesty still looked at the stage: "I went to visit some of his contemporaries. Let me tell you, don't wait for him for dinner."

Jia Hu nodded.

At this time, Wang Shanbao led the troupe over and asked Jia Hu with a smile: "Second Master, this is a new troupe from Suzhou. They sing the new Kunqu tune, which is not bad. Would you like to order it?"

Jia Hu also looked at him with a smile: "Okay, I'll just click "Huan Sha Ji"."

The head of the group was startled for a while, and immediately smiled apologetically, and said, "My lord, there are a total of 45 performances in "Huansha Ji", and you can sing it all in one breath. Look."

Wang Shanbao's face sank: "Presumptuous! You can sing as you please. How can there be so much nonsense!"

Jia Hu waved his hand: "Let's sing the passages of seeking Wu, conquering Yue, fighting, and being besieged."

The team leader: "Yes. The younger one will go to prepare." After finishing speaking, he hurriedly retreated.

Jia Hu said to Wang Shanbao again: "Tell them to work harder and play louder than usual!"

"Yes."

Wang Shanbao answered, refilled Jia Amnesty and Jia Hu's tea, turned around and retreated.

After singing the song, Jia Amnesty turned to look at Jia Hu: "What happened?"

Jia Hu looked around, then briefly talked about the things in the upper study, pondered for a while, and then said: "If my guess is right, the Liaodong Army will attack Shengjing in advance."

Jia Amnesty didn't speak, but just looked at Jia Hu quietly, waiting for him to continue.

Jia Hu sighed: "Liaodong is not a grassland outside the pass. There are many cities to be attacked and divided into guards. This will not only seriously weaken the strength of the Liaodong army, but also be defeated one by one by the Manchu reinforcements, causing the main force of the Liaodong army to fall into a tight siege. This also Forget it, let us sign some kind of contract with Wuya Boyong. I don’t know which idiot gave the emperor such a bad idea, but I know, I’ll kill him!”

But Jia Amnesty slowly took out the snuff bottle from his sleeve, wiped a pinch of snuff into his nostrils with two fingers, then closed his eyes and inhaled slowly.

Jia Hu was taken aback for a moment, and had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

Suddenly there was a crisp sandalwood board on the stage, followed by the sound of the small hall drum, and then a melodious sound of the flute.

Jia Amnesty stopped pretending now, opened his eyes, sat up straighter, looked at the stage, and said slowly: "Li Chengyang is a veteran of the battlefield, not incompetent. As you can imagine, he It’s impossible not to think about it. In addition, Liaodong is not in the pass, so there are not so many taboos when fighting. Well, this is all about the royal family, so don’t worry about it in vain.”

After a pause, "Don't tell me such troublesome things from now on."

Jia Hu smiled: "There are really troublesome things, or two."

Jia She was taken aback.

"Prince Teng's old tree is blooming, and Xinna's concubine is pregnant."

After a pause at this point, Jia Hu continued: "Wang Ren will die after the first lunar month."

Jia She looked at him blankly.

At this moment, Wang Shanbao came over with a soldier.

The soldier came to Jia Hu's side and said, "Second Master, my aunt is hosting a banquet for some Tongnian in Qianmen Street, and said that if Second Master is fine, please go."

Jia Hu was slightly taken aback.

Jia She said: "Go. The palace is very aware of the relationship between these people and your father-in-law. If you don't go at this time, it will be self-defeating. Besides, your father-in-law is not good at drinking, so I asked you to drink for him. "

Jia Hu smiled wryly and stood up: "All right. I'll go now."

"Students have a good face, pretend to be drunk when they are almost drunk." Jia She added.

Jia Hu laughed loudly and said, "Don't worry, I still understand this bit of worldliness." After speaking, he led his soldiers and walked out.

Watching Jia Hu go out, Jia Amnesty said to Wang Shanbao again: "Let them sing the part of "Huan Sha Ji·Holding the Heart"."

Wang Shanbao: "Yes." He turned around and shouted to the stage: "Stop!"

The sound of playing on the stage immediately became hoarse, and the actors and musicians all stared blankly.

Wang Shanbao then shouted: "The master said, sing "Huansha Ji·Holding the Heart"!"

On the stage, the sandalwood flute sounded again.

Under the stage, Jia Amnesty lay down and closed his eyes again.

At this time, in the imperial garden of the imperial city, Emperor Jianwu in casual clothes was walking on the stone path with his hands behind his back.

Behind him was Zhao Zixun, Minister of the Household Department.

Emperor Jianwu was in a very good mood, and said with a smile: "The contract can be delivered to Shengjing City in at most three days. The Tartar defenders in Yizhou will withdraw first, followed by the Zhenglan Banner soldiers stationed in Guangning. Counting the time, it's just right." In mid-February”

"Your Majesty." Zhao Zixun interrupted him.

Emperor Jianwu stopped in his tracks: "What's wrong?"

Zhao Zixun hesitated for a moment: "I think this matter should be carefully considered."

Emperor Jianwu frowned, but said nothing.

Zhao Zixun went on to say: "I think there are too many variables in this matter. Let alone whether the Manchu nobles such as the Wu Ya clan are trustworthy, even the Tartar people will cause a lot of trouble for the army. There are also local Han people in Liaodong."

Emperor Jianwu smiled faintly: "The imperial court will get a brand new Liaodong area. At that time, people will migrate from the provinces that are often affected by disasters."

Zhao Zixun shuddered.

Emperor Jianwu walked away again, and said as he walked: "Li Chengyang has already thought about everything, even the person who is responsible for the blame has been selected. In addition, I transferred some troops from Jizhou to go to the Yanshan Fortress by water , They will attack from the flanks and cooperate with the Liaodong Army to take Shengjing."

Zhao Zixun's eyes lit up: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Emperor Jianwu smiled again: "What kind of sage is not sage! This is Li Chengyang's strategy, and I am only responsible for dispatching it."

"Ning Yuanhou is worthy of being a famous general in the country, and he has thought of everything."

As he said that, Zhao Zixun suddenly remembered: "Mr. Ning Guo miscalculated this time!"

A trace of smile appeared on the corner of Emperor Jianwu's mouth, and he said, "After all, he's still too young to be impulsive!"

Zhao Zixun smiled: "This is a person with true temperament. Unlike those of us who have been in officialdom for too long, everyone is a white-faced Cao Cao on the stage."

Hearing this, Emperor Jianwu twitched slightly between his brows and asked, "What did you hear again?"

Zhao Zixun: "Your Majesty also knows that I have stayed in the Ministry of Rites for five years, and I still have many old subordinates. I just heard something. Minister Qian Shu of the Ministry of Rites stayed alone with Wuya Boyong for nearly a quarter of an hour in the lobby of the Ministry of Rites."

Emperor Jianwu: "Go ahead."

Zhao Zixun went on to say: "At that time, Qian Shangshu sent the doctor of the Ministry of Rites who was on duty to ask for the Minister of Rites. In fact, there was nothing in this book, but the doctor accidentally discovered that the tea table next to Wuya Boyong had been wiped with a handkerchief. "

Emperor Jianwu's face changed suddenly: "Is there such a thing?!"

Zhao Zixun nodded, "The doctor went to touch the chair next to him, and it can be concluded that Qian Shangshu sat on it."

Emperor Jianwu: "Damn it! How dare he lie to me!"

"perhaps."

Zhao Zixun hesitated for a moment, and said, "Maybe they are just talking and chatting normally."

Emperor Jianwu waved his hand: "Don't ask about this matter, just leave it to the Supervisor of Rituals."

Zhao Zixun nodded.

Emperor Jianwu was walking, and suddenly stopped and asked: "The exam will start on the ninth day of the next month. Tell me, who is suitable to be the chief and deputy chief examiner for this exam?"

Zhao Zixun quickly replied: "This is a big matter, and I should discuss and decide what I want."

Emperor Jianwu said quietly, "What do you think?"

Zhao Zixun thought for a while, and replied: "According to the regulations, the examiners of the general examination should be university scholars with Jinshi background, six ministers, and officials above the deputy capital censor."

Emperor Jianwu looked at him with a smile: "That's you."

Even though Zhao Zixun was mentally prepared, he was still excited after hearing this, and said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness." As he spoke, he bowed deeply.

Emperor Jianwu waved his hand: "Okay. Who do you think can be the deputy chief examiner?"

Zhao Zixun: "...But listen to the emperor's orders."

Emperor Jianwu smiled: "You, you. Forget it, it's Jia Zheng."

Zhao Zixun quickly replied, "Yes."

Emperor Jianwu smiled secretly, took a few steps forward, stopped again, and then walked back: "There are still too few people who can use me now. People from the Mei Party can't really use them. You have to pay more attention to me. , should be able to discover a group of talents.”

After hearing this, Zhao Zixun's eyes lit up, and he nodded immediately.

Emperor Jianwu suddenly remembered: "That's right. Tomorrow, I will discuss Liangjiang's government affairs with Lin Ruhai, so come and listen to me."

Zhao Zixun: "Yes."

At this moment, Dai Quan hurried over and whispered something in Emperor Jianwu's ear.

A cold light flashed in Emperor Jianwu's eyes immediately: "That makes sense." Turning to Zhao Zixun, "Qian Shangshu and Wu Qingbo have made friends!"

Zhao Zixun's expression changed immediately: "Is nothing wrong?"

Emperor Jianwu shook his head: "No, Wuya Boyong was kept a secret from Liaodong. They couldn't possibly know about it. But they have to guard against it." Then he turned his gaze to Dai Quan, "Advise the Courtyard side."

Dai Quan answered "Yes", turned around and backed out.

"There are still too few people who can really believe it!"

Emperor Jianwu sighed, and said to Zhao Zixun, "Go, go to the cabinet to watch the house." He went straight out.

Zhao Zixun hurriedly followed.

When the sun was setting, the cold wind blew again.

Jia Hu's luxurious carriage left the restaurant under the escort of Lin San and others, and drove slowly towards the inner city.

Inside the carriage, Jia Hu poured Lin Ruhai a bowl of tea.

Lin Ruhai took a sip from the tea bowl, and said to Jia Hu who was sitting on the side of the car with a smile: "I didn't realize that you can act so well before. If I didn't know your drinking capacity, I would have been fooled by you."

Jia Hu chuckled, but said nothing.

Lin Ruhai drank a few more sips of tea before putting it down, and then said: "The palace is very clear about the relationship between me and them. You don't need to deliberately avoid it. Gifts should be given for three festivals and two lives. Don't be too expensive, of course. It can’t be too frivolous.”

Jia Hu listened and looked at Lin Ruhai, waiting for him to say the following.

Lin Ruhai changed the subject: "Your carriage is not bad, it must have cost a lot of money."

Jia Hu was stunned for a moment, and understood a little, then smiled and said, "Sister Lin has the final say on family matters, and I only care about court and army affairs."

With a "hmph", Lin Ruhai took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, "I drew it up for you, and I will send it according to this standard in the future."

Jia Hu took a look at it, stuffed it into his sleeve, and saluted Lin Ruhai: "Thank you, father-in-law!"

Lin Ruhai shook his head: "To be honest, I regret it a bit. Who did you learn your shameless energy from?"

Jia Hu didn't care at all, and said with a smile: "It's too late for you to regret it now. I not only changed the imperial edict in the clan mansion, but also asked for an imperial edict from His Majesty. The key is that sister Lin cares about me."

Lin Ruhai was overjoyed: "You, you, it's no wonder your elders only have the words 'faceless and skinless' when they mention you."

Speaking of this, I swallowed a breath, "Forget it, let's not talk about it. From now on, the old relationship of the Lin family in the capital will be handed over to you, and you don't have to feel wronged to cater to these old guys. It's best if you can get along with them. If you can't, just forget it. When our family doesn’t have this relative or friend.”

Jia Hu: "Yes."

Lin Ruhai continued: "Tomorrow I will enter the palace, and His Majesty will arrange the affairs of Liangjiang."

Jia Hu nodded.

"The two rivers are still waiting for me to go back to preside over important military and political affairs. I will rush back in the morning of the next day."

"Don't you stay for two more days?"

"I have dealt with the matter of the Liangjiang Governor's Yamen, and I have to rush to the Jiangxi Governor's Yamen. Time is running out!"

"Aren't you going to Xuanzhen Temple?"

".Next time."

"Sister Lin sent someone to inform the master early in the morning."

"."

"Tomorrow, I will bring my younger sister Lin to wait for you outside the imperial city. As soon as you leave the palace, we will go straight to Xuanzhen Temple."

Lin Ruhai nodded: "All right."

Jia Hu breathed a sigh of relief, and said to Lin Ruhai: "Last night, I discussed with Sister Lin, let Niu Er lead a hundred soldiers to go south with you, and guard by your side."

"We can rest assured." Jia Hu added.

Lin Ruhai pondered for a while before saying, "A hundred personal soldiers is an exaggeration, isn't it? Besides, I have the guards of the governor's yamen."

Jia Hu waved his hand: "It's not the same. Niu Er is my confidant who crawled out of the dead, and those soldiers are also the sons of Jia's family and the children of good families in Zhuangzi. They will protect you with their lives. "

Lin Ruhai was slightly startled, then nodded.

Jia Hu went on to say: "I equipped them with self-generating firecrackers, ten of which are the latest rear-loading firecrackers."

Suddenly, a burst of crying came in from outside the carriage.

Then, the carriage slowly stopped.

Jia Hu: "What's going on?"

After a while, Lin San's voice came from outside: "Second Master, the three clans of the Nanzong Kong clan have been escorted to Beijing."

Lin Ruhai sighed softly, and said, "Yan Shenggong's lineage is completely over."

However, Jia Hu thought of those criminal officials and their clansmen who were imprisoned in the Chongwenmen camp. Counting the three clans headed by the Kong clan of Nanzong, more than ten thousand people would be killed on the first day of February.

This is the emperor's grace, otherwise at least [-] people would have been killed.

Thinking of this, Jia Hu said to Lin Ruhai: "Go home tonight. Sister Lin has a lot to say to you."

Lin Ruhai smiled and nodded: "Okay."

Jia Hu knocked on the front panel of the carriage and said loudly, "I won't go to the Xianliang Temple, go home."

(End of this chapter)