Red Mansion Reader

Chapter 135 The Coming Crisis

After receiving the imperial edict, Wei Yinghong naturally wanted to invite the imperial envoy to have a meal, accompanied by the next prefect Lin Ruhai, Jinan prefect Huang Weizhong and other officials in the mansion.The meal was enjoyable, and everyone at the table was delighted.

But what they talked about didn't make much sense, they just said some scene words following the lively momentum.The real conversation is still reserved for the evening, at another family banquet set up in the back hall of the government office.

Tonight is Wei Yinghong's last stay in the government office as the magistrate of Yangzhou. Starting tomorrow, he will hand over duties to his friend Lin Ruhai.

There were not many people present at the family banquet in the evening.Only Lin Ruhai, Huang Weizhong, and Dong Qing were there.Originally, Pei Huaizhen was also invited, but the head of the mountain has not been in good health for the past few days, so he sent a letter to see him off at the ferry.

It took another half an hour for this meal.Only then did Wei Yinghong stand up and send Dong Qing and Huang Weizhong away.

Lin Ruhai waited for him to come back from the outside, and had skillfully taken out a set of chessboards and put them on the table.

"You know how to pick your time." Although Wei Yinghong's chess game is terrible, he is very addicted.Seeing his friend's actions, he rolled up his sleeves and sat opposite Lin Ruhai.

"The next time I want to play chess with you, I don't know when it will be."

The parting was imminent, and it was rare for Lin Ruhai to express emotion.He deliberately pushed Heizi in front of the other party, saying that he would take the initiative to give way today.

Wei Yinghong didn't refuse, just picked up a sunspot and dropped it with a smile.At the family banquet in the evening, he didn't drink much, and he was in good spirits at the moment, "I mean, after a few years, don't we still have to reunite in the capital?"

Lin Ruhai accepted his friend's blessing with a smile, his move was very casual.For Lin Ruhai, a chess player like Wei Yinghong is really not worth the trouble, "Is Your Majesty in a hurry?"

Wei Yinghong was at a disadvantage. After a few moves, he had to take a long exam before he had time to reply: "Dong Qing told me privately that the grassland tribes were a little restless. Do you want to make a small fuss, or are you forced by Tsarist Russia on the other side, and are ready to fight us hard?" (Note 1)

"However, His Majesty's patience is indeed becoming more and more limited. At such a juncture, the layout of Yangzhou is more critical."

Lin Ruhai agreed with the other party's judgment. After all, the two had been painstakingly planning the layout of Yangzhou since the disaster began.At such a critical juncture, Wei Yinghong was suddenly transferred to the capital. It can only be said that the party struggle within the court has become more and more intense.

And at the banquet tonight, Dong Qing said that the positions of "Patrolling the Salt Censor" and "Yangzhou Xuezheng" have not yet been determined, which is also a vague hint to them that His Majesty is wrestling with the former ministers of the Supreme Emperor for this matter.

"What do you think we should choose between Yushi and Xuezheng?"

Lin Ruhai's strategy is very good, but he is slightly inferior to Wei Yinghong in terms of decisiveness.This is also a common problem of most smart people. They see too many gains and losses in their eyes, and it is easy to complicate simple problems.

Just like this game of chess in their hands, they have been fighting at the corners all the time.Wei Yinghong suddenly dropped Heizi on Tianyuan, Lin Ruhai couldn't figure it out.

Here, what's all this mess? !Lin Ruhai kept frowning, thinking about the deep meaning of his friend's move.

"Of course it's the salt government." Wei Yinghong murmured in his heart that it was terrible, why did he make the wrong move, but he continued, "With money, you can have military pay, and with military pay, you can stabilize the troops everywhere, so that the world will not be in chaos.

This is the same reason as we want to manage the weaving workshop.Money, after all, is not too little.If there is going to be a war with the ministries of the grassland next year, then the Yangzhou salt merchants cannot afford to lose. "

Lin Ruhai agreed with Wei Yinghong's judgment. After casually mentioning a few sunspots in the corner, "It seems that the students in Yangzhou can only suffer."

If the position of academic administration is to be handed over to the opposing faction, it will be difficult to predict the future situation of the college examination.

"It's okay, just stay for a few years." Wei Yinghong's words meant something.

Lin Ruhai nodded tacitly, indeed, the Supreme Emperor is now nearly seventy years old.As long as His Majesty can stabilize the army and rely on a group of civil servants who are not in a good position, when the Supreme Emperor passes away, who else can hold the title of father and son on His Majesty's head.

The rest are just clowns.Time, after all, is on their side.

However, Lin Ruhai thought of one thing, should he take advantage of the fact that the new academic and political foundation is not stable, and take the opportunity to push Chen Heng in to pass the college examination first?

His original plan was to take Chen Heng with him and teach him for a few years.Then jump all the way to the meeting test in a few steps.But if Xuezheng is a person who is the emperor, with such a close relationship with his family like Chen Heng, he will be made things difficult for him.

After all, the college examination is different from the rural examination. It is a major event controlled by the academic administration of a government. The latter is an official appointed by the imperial court to serve as the chief examiner of the rural examination.And the magistrate does not have too much power to interfere with the hospital examination.This has nothing to do with rank, but with different powers.

Lin Ruhai shared his thoughts with Wei Yinghong.The latter nodded with a smile, took out a secret letter brought by Dong Qing from his bosom, handed it to his friend, and said: "It's written by His Majesty himself, and I don't have a chance to show it to you at noon, so take a look." What is the end of the letter?"

Seeing Wei Yinghong's proud face, Lin Ruhai opened the secret letter.His Majesty's words were quite casual in the private letters between their monarchs and ministers. After caring about the family conditions of several subordinates, he focused on encouraging Wei and Lin for their performance in this disaster relief.

At the end of the letter, His Majesty expressed his appreciation for "The Book of Public Security" with a few strokes, and added: "Heng Zhicai, I love him very much, I hope Wei Qing and Lin Qing can teach him well."

Lin Ruhai couldn't help raising his eyebrows. He gave His Majesty such a high evaluation, but he was not too surprised because he was a little surprised. After all, he was one of the few people who knew the whole picture of "Public Security Book".

"Well, let me say that I'm lucky." Wei Yinghong rubbed his hands excitedly, "When he takes the exam in the future, I will strive to be his chief examiner, hahahahaha. In the future, when he sees me, he will also You have to call Master Wei."

This is a private joke, but Wei Yinghong does have the qualifications to say this.He went to the capital, although he only served as the left servant of the Ministry of Rites.But the Minister of the Ministry of Rites is over seventy years old, and he should retire with honor in one or two years at most.

When I entered the capital in another year, I might have to call Wei Yinghong "Uncle Dazong".

Thinking of this, Lin Ruhai chuckled lightly.It's just that he and Wei Yinghong, who has better luck, can't say right now, and it's even harder to say in the future.

"By the way, what are you going to do with Huang Wendong's salt merchants?"

After Wei Yinghong played chess, he raised another question with a cup of tea.

During this time, Xu Mazi and others were in prison, recruiting anyone they could.After the confession was made in Yangzhou City, and several salt merchants also participated in the incident, Wei and Lin wanted to make an example to others.

By the way, you can also copy a house, and you can also add extra income to the Yangzhou government office, right?

"Wait." Starting tomorrow, it will be Lin Ruhai, the magistrate of Yangzhou, who has left his son, "After the new Xuezheng takes office, let's see what he wants to do."

"But I can't see this excitement anymore." Wei Yinghong shook his head regretfully, "I don't think that boy Chen Heng has fully explained to us about the weaving workshop. After I leave, remember to arrest that boy." Come and tap and tap."

Lin Ruhai coughed lightly, and said with a strange expression, "I know it well."

Wei Yinghong was busy thinking about what to do, but he didn't hear the strangeness in Lin Ruhai's words, and said again: "By the way, when I leave the city, remember to bring Chen Heng to see me off."

"What are you doing?" Lin Ruhai was suddenly alert.

"I think this kid is a promising person and doing things. Whether he was willing to give 100 taels to others, toss a newspaper, and resettle refugees, I like it very much. I am going to let him see Mr. Qi , Shu'er and the others. Maybe they just fell in love with each other."

"Aren't those two in your family older than him?"

"What's wrong with being older?" Wei Yinghong didn't take it seriously, and said arrogantly: "In the future, many Shangshu adults will be father-in-law, so it's possible that he will be wronged?"

"You have a shrewd plan." After hearing this, Lin Ruhai gritted his teeth secretly.

"That's not true." Wei Yinghong didn't hear the backlash in his words, but said complacently, "He has fallen into His Majesty's eyes, how will his official career be worse in the future? Ruhai, let me say it first, he is my first." If you like it, you are not allowed to snatch it from me."

Wei Yinghong didn't want to experience Pei Huaizhen's regret again.

…………

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The next day, the dock in Yangzhou.

Lin Ruhai and Wei Yinghong, who have already put on new official robes, bid farewell here.The officials who came nearby to see them off felt warm when they saw the deep affection between the old and new officials.

It's good to have a good relationship. They are all officials who were handpicked by Wei Yinghong. Mr. Lin will definitely remember this old relationship and treat them well.

Taking advantage of the inattentiveness of his sending colleagues, Wei Yinghong pulled Lin Ruhai in front of him, "Why didn't you call that kid here?"

"My lord, who are you talking about?"

Starting today, Wei Yinghong will be the Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Rites, and Lin Ruhai has to be honored as Master Butang in public.

"Okay, Ruhai, you still dare to pretend to be confused with me!!!"

"Master Butang, you'd better get on the boat." Lin Ruhai laughed.

Lin Daiyu on the other side was rarely brought to the scene by Lin Ruhai.She was handing over the two handkerchiefs, and said with tears in her eyes, "I never thought that I would be separated from my two elder sisters like this."

Thinking of the company of day and night in the past few years, the past is vivid in my mind.Wei Qijun and Wei Shu were also very sad, and they only held sister Lin's hand, "Good sister, don't worry. If you miss us, write to us. If you come to the capital to play in the future, remember to come to us."

"The two sisters are going to take care of themselves along the way."

"My dear sister, you have to take care of yourself too."

　Ahhh, it’s been a long time to polish, if there is any typo, I will correct it tomorrow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)