First Minister of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 586 There is thunder in the chest, and the face is like a flat lake

...

Everyone analyzed each other's words and talked until late at night, but they still didn't feel sleepy.

Although the four young men are young and have not yet entered official positions, they have been intelligent since childhood, each has rich experience, and has a unique personal perspective on some things. This also allows Gao Chong to benefit a lot from his words and deeds.

Until midnight, Gao stood up, stretched his muscles and bones, and smiled at the four people: "Let's all go back and rest. We will continue our journey tomorrow. We will only stay in Gaozhou for one day and will not enter the city again."

The four of them agreed upon hearing the words, but Gao Kan did not leave, looking a little hesitant.

Gao Chong was also curious when he saw this, "Is there anything else wrong with Yunzhi?"

Gao Kan scratched his head, seemed to have made some determination, and finally said, "Brother, I also want to worship you as my teacher."

Gao Chong was startled, shook his head and said with a smile: "What nonsense you are talking about. You and I are brothers, how can we mess up the seniority and be inconsistent with etiquette?"

Seeing that Gao Kan was still determined to persist, Gao Chong stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder.

"I already have four disciples. I can't accept any more, otherwise I'll be criticized. Brothers and sisters of the same clan, you and I, don't need to care about our status. Go ahead and rest early."

Gao Kan could only nod his head when he heard this. He was almost the same age as Xue Rengui and others. He learned from Gao Chong every day and benefited a lot. He felt that he should become a disciple, but he didn't worry about anything else.

Returning to my seat, I saw a pile of manuscript papers on the desk, "A Survey of the Lingnan Shipbuilding Industry", "A Survey of the Barbarians in Southwest China"...

Gao Chong knew that Xue Rengui and others were still recording what they saw along the way, and he intended to compile it into "Lingnan Scenery Record".

Thinking of this, Gao Chong couldn't help but laugh. In the future, these four young men might be able to use these data to compile a book that will be handed down from generation to generation. In this era of inconvenient transportation and limited information, the situation of Lingnan and the barbarians in the southwest can only be found in history books. A little bit of record.

For example, among the barbarians in the southwest, Gao Chong would not know the specific situation of the Zhenla royal family if Bao Cong had not explained it in detail.

It is better to read thousands of books than to travel thousands of miles. This sentence is undoubtedly a wise saying. What you read on paper will eventually feel shallow. If you know it, you must practice it. It is the same reason. If you are familiar with the words of the four books and five classics, you must also combine theory with practice. , apply what you have learned.

Gao Chong has reason to believe that after traveling thousands of miles, the four young men will definitely achieve greater success in the future.

When he returned to the bedroom in the backyard, he was surprised to find Xue Rengui preparing hot water. Gao Chong was also quite emotional. Among the four, Xue Rengui had endured the most hardships and had the most honest personality.

When Gao Kan was 15 years old, his father died of illness, and Gao Junya took him back to his home.

Although Pei Xingjian lost his father when he was young, and his mother died of illness when he was seven or eight years old, his father and brother still have the power, and his uncle Luo Shixin dotes on him, so Pei Xingjian's childhood was not difficult.

The best native family is Tudijin. His parents are still alive. He has been the young chief of Sumo Mohe since he was a child. However, he grew up in a bitter cold place outside the Great Wall. He was used to fighting since he was a child. It is extremely rare for him to develop perseverance, perseverance and determination. Cautious and honest nature.

"It's late at night, Rengui, please take a rest early," Gao Chong stepped forward and said warmly, "Gao Dao and others will do this."

Xue Rengui rolled up his sleeves, picked up a bucket of water with one hand, and said with a smile: "If you have something to do, I'll accept your hard work. It's also a good time to exercise your strength."

Seeing this, Gao Chong had no choice but to let him continue. After all, it is only natural for a disciple to serve his master. Since he was filial, he could not refuse.

The next day, when Gao Chong finished his morning exercise, he took the four of them to the dining room and discovered that five portions of fried glutinous rice cakes had been prepared on the dining table.

Yi Cheng bowed his head at the side, with a smile on his face, "Yesterday I heard that Master Jinglue likes to eat these oils and rice rolls, so I specially prepared some this morning. Please taste them and see what the Bizhilongkan Dojo has to offer. Vegetarian food, what’s the difference?”

Hearing this, Gao Chong kept the smile on his face, "Where did you hear that I like rice rolls?"

Yi Cheng's smile faltered, and he hurriedly said with a smile: "Yesterday, we made a brief inspection of the Longchang Dojo. We, the people of Yongning, have also heard about it...".

"You're smart," Gao Chong smiled coldly and snorted, "Go down."

Yi Cheng was shocked. He was busy apologizing and didn't dare to say any more. He rolled back and crawled away.

Seeing the four young men bowing their heads and saying nothing, Gao Chong changed his face and said with a smile: "What are you doing standing there in a daze? Why don't you eat it quickly? The rice rolls won't taste good if they get cold."

After saying that, he lifted up his sleeves, dipped some bean paste on the rice rolls, and ate it directly, nodding from time to time, "Hmm...it still has a meat and oil base, which is more flavorful than the vegan ones at Longkan Dojo."

The four teenagers looked at each other.

Pei Xingjian was the first to react and said with a smile: "Eat quickly. Master is worried that officials from all over the country will follow suit and do this deliberately."

Gao Chong glared at him and said, "I'll eat your food, you're the only one who talks more."

Seeing Pei Xingjian being scolded, everyone burst into laughter.

At the county government office, Chen Longshu was speechless when he saw the frightened Yi Cheng.

"Okay, let's go down." Chen Longshu waved his hand impatiently: "How can I blame you for someone like Jing Lue?"

"Ah, this, but he..." Yi Cheng comes from a wealthy family in Yongning, and has always had a good relationship with the Chen family. He has occupied the position of Yi Cheng for many years, but he is still a little uneasy when he hears this.

But before he could finish speaking, Chen Jiyuan glared and scolded: "Tell you to get down."

Chen Erlang's reputation made Yi Cheng dare not delay and hurriedly resigned.

"This idiot..." Chen Jiyuan curled his lips in disdain, "Jing Lue was obviously just showing his attitude, look at how scared he was."

Chen Longshu glanced at him, stood up, shook his sleeves, and sighed: "Let's go, I respectfully see this Buddha off."

When the father and son came to the post house, their words and deeds remained respectful.

"Jing Lue has a busy schedule and doesn't have time to inspect Longshui. I will definitely come to Longzhou again later so that I can fulfill my duty as a landlord."Chen Longshu said regretfully.

Gao Chong just put his hands behind his back and said: "It will come. Longzhou and Nanfuzhou will depend on Chen Shijun, especially the officials in Nanfuzhou. They are newly attached and their hearts are not stable. Chen Shijun must be kind." Add comfort".

Chen Longshu's heart trembled, and he finally arrived. He nodded hurriedly and said: "This is natural. You must listen carefully to the words of the classics."

After being sent all the way five miles outside the city, Chen Longshu breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the Jinglue Mansion drive away, his face gradually becoming heavy.

"Now it seems that taxation does not necessarily lead to political achievements. As long as the economic strategy is well served, it is better than anything else," Chen Longshu said to himself.

The two Chen Puguang brothers beside them also looked a little unnatural when they heard this. Although these words were a bit too explicit, there was no other way.

Look at Ning Chun, either because he has won the trust of the military envoy or he has taken over the position of governor, Chen Longshu is still the governor of Longzhou.

"Aye, you're in trouble," Chen Puguang sighed lightly from behind.

Chen Longshu looked startled, and was about to reprimand, when he suddenly heard Chen Puguang continue to say: "Jinglueshi just caught your thoughts and manipulated them deliberately. If this continues for a long time, maybe the Chen family will never reach the height of the Ning family."Chen Longshu and Chen Jiyuan were stunned for a moment when they heard this. After thinking about it carefully, they found that this was really the case.

Ning Chun was neither humble nor arrogant in front of Gao Chong. Even if his official rank was not as good as Gao Chong's, he was still on an equal footing. Ning Chun always called himself "I", and Gao Chong also called his nickname Chunhe.

Because of Chen Longshu's cleverness, he unconsciously found himself in a humble state and called himself "Xiaguan" in front of Gao Chong. Gao Chong also always called him "Chen Shijun". The distance between them was very different.

Thinking of this, Chen Longshu turned pale. After all, as a father, it would be embarrassing to face such an analysis.

But Chen Puguang didn't take it seriously. He just looked at the white clouds on the horizon with his hands behind his hands and said quietly: "But for Erlang, Jinglue looks at him differently. Maybe Erlang is a turning point."

Hearing these words, Chen Longshu's eyes froze, as if he was enlightened, his thoughts suddenly became clear, and his worries immediately turned into joy.

"What Dalang said makes sense. Gao Jinglue obviously values ​​Erlang more. In this case, the military administration of the two states will be handed over to Erlang Tong to the Jinglue Mansion from now on."

Chen Jiyuan was stunned when he heard this, but Chen Longshu looked serious and could not refuse.

"This is an excellent opportunity to get close to Jinglue. Erlang, you must be patient and not rash. This is not only your opportunity, but also an opportunity for Chen's revival. Your eldest brother is dedicated to Buddha and has no fight with the world. Chen The burden of rising is on you, you must shoulder it."

Chen Puguang looked helplessly at his father, and then at Chen Jiyuan. The two brothers looked at each other, equally helpless.

Today, Chen Longshu seems to have lost his former power, and is obsessed with opportunism and flattery. Every day, he is reviving the Chen family, rising up the Chen family, and revitalizing the lintel... These words are on his lips all day long, as if he is possessed by a demon.

In fact, Chen Puguang has made it clear enough that there is no need to lower your status to please Jing Lue. You only need to work diligently, just like Ning Chun, and you can be appreciated by Jing Lue. I believe Jing Lue has the same thoughts.

It's just that the authorities are obsessed with it. Chen Longshu only has achievements in his heart and is too utilitarian. On the contrary, he has fallen behind.

As the car continued to drive on the official road in the mountains, Tian Yangming and others were also talking about Chen.

"Chen Longshu was sworn sworn ally with Ning Changzhen back then, and he was famous in Lingnan. I had often heard of his great reputation in central Guizhou, but I didn't expect that he would be... now."

At this point, Tian Yangming shook his head and clicked his tongue, obviously very disappointed with Chen Longshu.

Pang Xiaojie was also filled with emotion. He was no stranger to Chen Longshu. Hearing Tian Yangming's words, he could only sigh: "People's hearts can change."

Gao Chong's attitude towards the Chen family is also quite obvious. No matter how much Chen Longshu pleases him, Gao Chong only handles business matters and maintains an attitude of neither far nor near.

Not to mention the four young men with clear minds, Tian Yangming and Pang Xiaojie also saw clearly that the future of the Chen family lies in Chen Jiyuan, and Chen Longshu has never really received the attention of the official.

Regarding their discussion, Gao Chong was noncommittal and made no comment. He just turned his head and looked behind him.

The team was not moving very fast. Pei Xingjian was sitting on a packhorse, holding a wooden board in front of him and holding a piece of charcoal. He looked left and right from time to time to draw lines on the board.

Gao Chong also admired his secretariat very much. Before he had this idea, the senior brother Xue Rengui was the first to propose the outline of the Lingnan map, which was already in progress when he set off from Qinzhou.

Although the Lingnan map is also archived by the government, it is definitely not as detailed as the one they drew in their own hands. The four young men worked together and took turns writing, confirming and supplementing each other, and complementing each other.

"Keep the promise, come here," Gao Chong shouted, interrupting Pei Xingjian's train of thought.

When Pei Xingjian heard this, he handed the drawing board to Tu Dijin beside him and stepped forward, "Master, what's wrong?"

They first sketched the mountain topography on the drawing board on the way, and then copied it on the manuscript paper when they were stationed in the camp. This way, an atlas could be formed.

Gao Chong did not avoid Tian Yangming and others, and asked directly: "Who do you think is the best among the Chen family?"

Hearing this, Tian Yangming raised his hand, patted the horse and came closer, and responded positively, "I am the second son of the Chen family. He is both civil and military, benevolent, righteous, loyal and filial, and can be called the best hero in Longzhou."

After saying that, the guy grinned shamelessly and continued to add: "Of course, I, Da Lang Tian of Central Guizhou, am not bad at all."

The crowd burst into laughter.

Pei Xingjian grimaced, pondered for a while and then asked directly: "What aspects is Master asking about?"

Gao Chong was not surprised by Pei Xingjian's divergent thinking, "Let's talk about it. It doesn't matter if you are wrong, we are all our own people."

According to historical records, Pei Xingjian was proficient in the yin and yang calendar and was good at identifying talents. This is also one of the Pei family traditions, especially Pei Ji. This old guy has an extremely accurate eye for people.

Although Pei Xingjian is young now, he has been smart since he was a child. He also studied at Pei's for several years, but he didn't know how much he learned.

"Chen Longshu has an impure mind, but he can be used because he has desires and relies on his master, which can drive him.

Chen Jiyuan is just as Brother Ziguang said, he is both civilized and military, and he has a good feeling when dealing with others. I have never met him, and I want to make friends with him. Well, as Master said, he has personal charm. In the future, The achievement will be extraordinary."

After talking to these two people, Pei Xingjian clenched his chin and frowned in thought.

"But I always feel that Chen Puguang should be smarter. According to what the book says: Don't be overjoyed when going along, don't be discouraged when going against the odds, don't be frightened by danger, have a thunder in your chest and a flat lake in your face, you can be a general.

Chen Longshu sometimes showed expressions of joy and anger. When the master turned his face solemn, he became a little flustered.

Chen Jiyuan is young and vigorous, and sometimes he is more out-of-the-box than me. Only Chen Puguang, just like Master Huiji in Longkan Dojo, has no sadness or joy all day long. There is no expression on his face. I can't guess his joy. angry".

After all, Pei Xingjian was young, and his words showed his innocence. He did not mince words, but expressed his meaning in the simplest words. Gao Chong and others heard it very clearly.

Tian Yangming suddenly became excited, "Those who have thunder in their chests and faces as flat as a lake can worship the general. These words are very exciting, just like drinking strong wine, which makes people's minds excited. Keep your promise, your knowledge is good, hurry up and catch me On".

Pei Xingjian rolled his eyes, raised his chin, and said proudly: "I studied at the age of five, and I was a scholar at the age of seven. But have I caught up with you?"

Tian Yangming was stunned and glared at him angrily, "Okay, I know you are a child prodigy."

Everyone laughed again when they saw this. Only these two people liked to play along the way, and it was up to them to set off the atmosphere.

Gao Chong was very satisfied, and he valued Pei Xingjian even more. A child in his early ten years could have such insight. As Tian Yangming said, he was truly a child prodigy. Now Gao Chong somewhat believed that the deeds of Gan Luo, Xiang Luo and others were not rumors.

Du An of the Eastern Han Dynasty was admitted to Imperial College at the age of 13 and was known as a strange boy. Huang Xiang was only nine years old and became famous all over the world.

The Sui and Tang Dynasties also highly respected child prodigies. Yang Jiong was recognized as a child prodigy when he was only 11 years old and was waiting to build the Hongwen Hall. Wang Bo wrote "Zhixia" at the age of nine and was awarded the official title of Chaosan Lang. Pei Ji was also a rare talent and became the chief registrar of Bingzhou at the age of 14.

Seeing that Pei Xingjian was so smart, Gao Chong even wanted to promote him as a prodigy so that he could win at the starting line. However, on second thought, he had to give up for fear of hurting Zhongyong.

In fact, on the original track, Pei Xingjian was selected before he was 20 years old, which was also very amazing.

(End of this chapter)