Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 644 Gongyuan meets Mr. Nan
In the Li family’s viewing attic,
Everyone was red-faced and excited after drinking. After they had had enough wine and food, it was almost time.

"Young Master, I'll take my leave first, hiccup."

"My eldest son, please give my regards to my mentor for us. If he gets better, my students will definitely come to visit him."

"Yes, eldest son, don't worry, we are also our mentor's students."

The three of them said goodbye, supported each other tremblingly, stood up and left.

Outside the gate of Li's house,
The eldest son, Li Chaosheng, took his servants and put the three senior brothers into the carriage one after another. He told the coachman that he must take the people back to the mansion. The coachman responded, waved his whip, and the carriage gradually drove away.

at this time,

Li Chaosheng, whose face was flushed, had drunk too much and was a little dizzy. He wanted to go back to the house to rest, but as soon as he entered the side door, he was stopped by the housekeeper.
"Eldest Young Master, I would like to ask the Eldest Young Master to come over and discuss some matters in Nuange."

"Well, isn't father asleep? Why are you calling me again? Just lead the way, hiccup!"

I wanted to ask again, but the alcohol in my stomach made me feel uncomfortable, so I decided to hurry up and go back to the house to rest.

I felt dizzy all the way, and after a bit of wind and cool air, I felt better.
Then he followed the old housekeeper into the main room. Many maids saw the eldest son and hurriedly saluted. Li Chaosheng ignored them at all.

As soon as he entered the Nuan Pavilion in the inner hall, he saw his father lying on the kang, as if he was asleep. Li Chaosheng blinked and looked at the old housekeeper standing beside him, seeming to ask questions.

"Isn't father asleep? Why do you want me to come over?"

After asking confusedly, Butler Li was also a little puzzled.

"Master, please wait for a moment, let me go over and take a look,"

After saying that, I wanted to go over and see how the master was doing.

Unexpectedly, before his feet could move, Li Shoufu suddenly lifted the quilt and sat up. Although his hair was gray, the sparkle in his eyes had not changed at all. Looking at the drunken son in front of him, he frowned slightly.

"Why did you drink so much? What good things did you talk about when you were with your senior brother? Huh?"

The neither salty nor bland words made Li Chaosheng wake up. He was still a little confused. With the strength of the wine, he swayed and sat down at the table. He took the teapot and poured himself a bowl of tea. He drank it down in one sip. Feeling much better,
He looked towards his father and said;
"I didn't say anything. I just talked about my views on government affairs. That's not right. Father, aren't you sick?"

Li Chaosheng stuttered his reply, feeling something was wrong. His father seemed to be in good spirits. Didn't he catch wind and cold yesterday and be bedridden? What happened?
suddenly,

Li Shoufu's eyes widened and he said angrily;

"Sick? I have been an official for decades. I became ill after the new emperor ascended the throne. I have been sick for almost ten years, and you didn't know about it until now!"

The sharp scolding shocked the two people in the inner hall. Li Chaosheng was even more stunned. He was half awake from the wine and quickly stood up holding the table.

"Father, calm down, your son just lost his temper."

Li Chaosheng suddenly started sweating on his forehead. He no longer looked as arrogant as before, and he just kept explaining.

That appearance made Li Shoufu even more angry.

"Look at your appearance, how can you remember your identity as Zuo Cheng? You are young, and when you encounter setbacks and scolding, you will be submissive and slack. How can you become a great person in the future?

No matter how knowledgeable a person is, even if he is full of knowledge, if he is a chicken-intestinal person who cannot even tolerate a few bad words, he might as well go home early and stay there, lest he be remembered by others in the future.
Chaosheng, you have to remember that only when you are generous can you become a great person. Sit down. "

Li Shoufu asked his son to take a seat, and then asked,

"What did your three senior brothers say, I want to hear?"

Li Chaosheng, who had just sat down, suddenly tensed up again, hesitating and hesitating, thinking that his father was hiding his clumsiness, so what he had discussed before was not treason.
"Father, the three senior brothers want to reminisce about the past and discuss matters in the court. Now Enke is around the corner. On the civil service side, the north and the south are relatively gentle. Wu Xun has caused a disturbance. Now the direct descendants of the Jia family of Ningguo Mansion are in prison. ,besides"

"And you, you are looking for a way out, haven't your senior brothers found a backer for you to protect your glory and wealth for the rest of your life?"

Li Shoufu's wise gaze struck him, making his son Li Chaosheng restless and replied vaguely;

"How can father speak nonsense?"

"Haha, although I have so many disciples in my life, unfortunately none of them are talented, let alone open-minded. There are only some who are safe, arrogant and greedy, and most of them are mediocre and inactive.

You three senior brothers are more than conservative but not enterprising enough. Even if they have radical ideas, they only care about the beginning and not the end. They have no rules. Especially that Young Master Yang, who can't hide it in his heart. Who are you looking for? "

Li Shoufu didn't show any dignity to his son. None of the students who worked for him could be of great use. None of them could be used. That's why he kept a low profile and kept a low profile in cabinet affairs. He acted wisely and protected himself.

There was already sweat on the eldest son's face, but he didn't dare to hide it, but how to explain the discussion?

I had no choice but to stand up, bow to my father, and say;
"Father, forgive me. The three senior brothers did talk about this matter, but they were rejected by their son. Mr. Yang encountered some things at home, and he was a little impatient. It should be understood. As for the people talking about it, from the three princes to the civil servants and the Southern and Northern Township Party, The son thought it was not possible, but in the end, Senior Brother Yang said that Prince Zhongshun was okay, but the son refused because his father was in power and did not agree. "

"Humph, you still have some brains. The three princes came out of the palace to build a palace, attracting the attention of the world. The road to seizing the direct line is never a safe one. His Majesty is watching the civil servants, so they must not interfere. As for Prince Zhongshun, it is not a last resort. , you must not go. You have to know that in the Dawu court, there is no simple prince in the world. He seems to be harmless, but he is afraid of the one who hides the deepest."

Li Chonghou sat on the bed feeling helpless. He was sitting in the position of chief minister. If he didn't do something now, it would be regarded as merit. If he did, it would be wrong.

But Li Chaosheng was puzzled, especially what to do with his future position and the wealth of the Li family.
"Father, if, if, after you leave, how will those old disciples and your sons be able to gain a foothold in the government?"

The urgent words made Li Chonghou turn his head slightly, look over, laugh, and answer some of the questions.
"Look at a person's shortcomings, there is no one in the world that I can be friends with. Look at a person's strengths, everything in the world is my teacher. Along the way, whether you are a friend, an enemy or a teacher is determined by your heart. No matter at any time, You must remember to be kind, leave a way out, think before doing things, make many friends and make few enemies, the road is yours, so step back!”

"this,"

Li Chaosheng watched his father lie down again and cover himself with the quilt, but he no longer paid attention to him. He had questions in his mind for a long time about what his father meant, but he didn't have the courage to ask again. He had no choice but to bow his hands, stand up and leave.
Li Chonghou heard the footsteps before leaving and sighed slightly on the bed.

"Master, why don't you show the eldest son a clear path?"

When the housekeeper saw the eldest son leaving in despair, he couldn't bear to ask,
"Haha, point out a clear path? How many times can I show him a clear path? If he can't figure it out, he should leave the capital as soon as possible and choose a good place to be an official. Only after he figures it out can he gain a foothold in the field. My Those disciples, just let them go and leave!" "Yes, Master."

In the tribute courtyard of the capital,
Chu Nian took the marquis to the attic on the east side where the officials were located, where there were courts, living quarters, roll-call rooms, garrison rooms, examination rooms, as well as places for printing, engraving, transcribing, receiving papers, and sealing, for officials such as the president, vice president, examiners, and censors.

Everything is available, and there is nothing to see.
"Master Marquis, do you think there is anything else wrong?"

"Everything is fine, but I feel that the place where students take exams is too crude, too cold at night, and no brazier is provided?"

Zhang Jinyu felt pity in his heart. Students had always suffered, but he, Marquis Luo Yun, was a person who could not bear to see the suffering in the world.
"Master Marquis, there used to be one, but during the previous dynasty, the Gongyuan was caught in a fire and countless students were burned to death. Since then, it has been forbidden to provide braziers. This is also a rule. After all, safety comes first."

Chu Nian shook his head. When he participated in the scientific examination, he once complained that it was too cold at night. It would be great if there was a brazier. Now, as the examiner of these candidates, he no longer had these thoughts. The journey was long and he had to study hard for a long time. , just for the title of gold list, these hardships are nothing.

"That's true. It seems that not only do we need to investigate fraud, but we also need to prepare other things to put out fires. I think the imperial doctor should also be prepared, just in case."

Zhang Jinyu left the house. After all, there was nothing interesting to see. It was a very ordinary attic with no decorations. As soon as he left the attic, he saw a towering locust tree at the corner. It seemed to have been standing there for a long time and asked;

"There is such a big tree in Gongyuan, is it a locust tree?"

"The Marquis has a good eye. This is the famous Wenchang ancient Sophora japonica in the capital. It is said that this is the place where Wen Guang shot bullfights, so it is called "Wenchang Sophora japonica". Its roots grow on the east side of the road, and its main trunk bends to the west, so the crown is in the On the west side of the road, this locust tree grows like a crouching dragon. It is said that this locust tree is related to the candidates' literary fortune, so candidates must worship it to climb the dragon gate, so this locust tree is the famous locust tree in the capital."

Looking at the still green locust tree, Chu Nian had a lot of thoughts. Thanks to his shade back then, he was able to be successfully shortlisted. He wanted to pay his respects.

Zhang Jinyu looked at the lush locust tree and was a little surprised. It turned out that the Wenchang ancient locust tree was talking about it. It was an eye-opener.

He glanced around the Gongyuan again and had an idea in his mind. Fire prevention was the top priority. There would definitely not be such a layout in Hanyuan Hall. How to change it? After thinking about it for a while, I got a headache. I still need to see it on the spot.
"Lord Chu, let's go and have a look at the Hanyuan Hall together. I wonder if it will be renovated significantly. Each person has one seat. I don't know if it can be renovated."

"Listen to the Marquis, what should I do with the hangings in Hanyuan Hall?"

Chu Nian had gone to see it a long time ago. Not only was it magnificent, but the decorations were also considered extravagant. They were rare in the homes of ordinary officials. They were afraid of being damaged and punished.
Zhang Jinyu doesn't think about this. Whatever is valuable is just a matter of people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs falsely reporting the price and making miscellaneous mistakes. We will see when the time comes.
"Don't worry, we'll have a look when we get there. It's mainly the booths for candidates. Let's see how we plan. I'm afraid that although the palace is big, there won't be enough seats in the booths."

Zhang Jinyu couldn't help but worry. The main hall in the palace was very spacious and large, but compared with Gongyuan, it was dwarfed and not enough. In this way, how could we ensure that there were enough partitions.

The two of them were discussing as they walked without looking around. When they approached the gate of Gongyuan, Nan Zixian, a scholar from Wuyingdian Palace, led a large number of examiners into the door. Neither of them had any intention. It was not until they met that they were stunned. ,
Zhang Jinyu obviously didn't know the other person. Chu Nian was also thinking about what the Marquis said and didn't think of introducing him for a moment. Just when Nan Zixian and Marquis Luo Yun stared at each other,
An angry voice sounded,
"Who dares to enter the Gongyuan without permission? What are their intentions? When they see Mr. Nan, they are not polite and don't even wink at all."

"That's right, sir, we must check this person's identity and see if he has any other intentions when he comes to Gongyuan!"

Another young man stood up quickly and bowed to everyone with a fist in his arms.

Zhang Jinyu was speechless when he saw a group of old men and a few young people, all wearing official uniforms. The old man didn't say anything, but the young man rushed over first. This is called dog licking.

How could Ning Bian endure it and scolded her harshly?

"You are so brave. Whoever dares to attack the Gongyuan will capture them all."

On the contrary, the soldiers behind him had already drawn out their long swords and surrounded a group of officials, causing a commotion. Many elderly people blew their beards and stared in anger.

There was only one person at the head who was calm and calm, with a smile on his face. Looking at Chu Nian following him, he knew who such a domineering person was. Zhang Jinyu, the Marquis of Luoyun, was still young.

"Wait a minute, Lord Marquis, I am from Nanda."

Chu Nian suddenly came back to his senses, introduced, then walked forward, bowed his hands,

"Xiaoguan Chunian has met Mr. Nan, this is"

"Haha, this must be Marquis Luo Yun."

Nan Zixian actually spoke first,

Zhang Jinyu looked around and saw that the person in front of him was wearing a luxurious official robe, with a thick purple ribbon hanging on his chest. Under his broad and flat nose, he had a pair of round eyebrows knitted together.

What is particularly impressive is his steady face, grand demeanor, and calm demeanor.

As a great bachelor of Wuyingdian, Zhang Jinyu did not lose his etiquette, and at first he held his hands in front of him;
"I have met Mr. Nanda. Nanda is extremely popular. My subordinates are a little rude,"

Then, he scolded the soldiers around him,
"Don't back down yet."

With a swish sound, all the soldiers sheathed their swords at the same time, put them into their scabbards, and retreated in an orderly manner. Nanzi Xian's eyes condensed and he thought to himself, what a Luo Yunhou, not to mention knowing etiquette, this person is extremely tolerant. , and more, how could it not be a big deal? Looking at the soldiers around, no one made a sound. The elite are indeed the elite.

"The Marquis is out. I have heard about the Marquis for a long time. When I met today, it was indeed well-deserved. However, the people on my side do not understand etiquette, but I also know that they are also worried about Enke's matter, and they often offend with their words. They are all juniors, Master Hou will not hold on to them. "

Mr. Nan asked with a smile, then turned to look at the two young juniors, his eyes signaling,

The two people behind them were a little dumbfounded. They didn't expect that the person in front of them was Luo Yunhou, and they were frightened. However, seeing the look in Mr. Nan's eyes, the two people hurriedly stepped forward and bowed.
"I have spoken too much, Lord Marquis, please forgive me."

Zhang Jinyu had no intention of pursuing the case. He would lose his identity by getting angry with them.

"Be careful in the future. I'm fine, but if you encounter someone with a bad temper, it's always trouble."

After waving their hands, the two of them looked overjoyed and bowed again. At this scene, a group of officials across from them nodded frequently, and there was no obvious resistance as when they first arrived.

"Thank you, Lord Marquis."

Wait for the two of them to go down.
Mr. Nan smiled and asked;

"Master Marquis, what do Gongyuan think?"

(End of this chapter)