Great Qing Xiangguo

Chapter 61

Chen Ting led his wife and children to his elder brother's house, and the whole family went on the road together.Zhang Qian came here to see him off, and said: "Dear family, I can't move, I have already finished my studies, let the dog Zuyan and Tongjia Yao burn incense in front of the old lady's spirit on my behalf!"

Chen Tingjing's face was full of sorrow, and he thanked him.Zhang Jian said again: "We all know your grievances. After a while, the clouds will clear up."

Chen Tingjing just shook his head.The family was about to go out, Dashun said that two official sedan chairs came outside, followed by three carriages.Chen Tingjing walked out of the ear door to look, the sedan chair was gradually approaching, and Zhang Ying raised the curtain of the sedan chair with a solemn expression.Chen Tingjing hurriedly bowed his head to greet him, and then ordered Dashun to open the door.Zhang Ying and Gao Shiqi got off the sedan chair in front of the door, and silently bowed their hands to Chen Tingjing.

Entering the door, Zhang Ying said: "Chen Tingjing listens to the order!"

Chen Tingjing was taken aback, and quickly knelt down.The whole family also knelt down.

Zhang Yingdao: "The emperor said, Chen Ting respects his mother, Li Shi, Wen Su Duanren, Kai compassion and kindness, Ju educates all the sons, and is extremely kind and diligent. I am very sorry for the sudden passing of the gods. I will give you twenty boxes of tea and five wines. Ten altars, to express condolences. This!"

Chen Tingjing kowtowed and said: "The emperor set an eternal precedent for the unfilial ministers, and the ministers are terrified!"

After the ceremony, Chen Tingjing bid farewell to Zhang Ying and Gao Shiqi and set off with his family.Chen Tingjing and Yueyuan were in the same car, Zhen'er and Cuiping were in the same car, brothers Yu Peng and Zhuang Lu were in the same car, and Ting Tong's family rode in two carriages.Liu Jing, Ma Ming, Dashun and several servants rode horses to guard them.After walking for more than a month on the road, I just saw Jiashan.When they arrived outside Zhongdaozhuang, everyone got off their cars and fell off their horses.At home, there were already spirit flags hunting and the sound of Dharma music.After entering the courtyard gate, the family hurriedly handed over the filial piety clothes and put them on.But seeing his wife Shuxian and his son Qianji coming out with the old man by the arm, Ting Jing and Ting Tong hurried over and knelt down.The old man was leaning on crutches, trembling, and said in a hoarse voice: "Go and see your mother."

On the seventh day of the wake, Mrs. Chen went to the funeral and was buried in Ziyunqian on Jingping Mountain in the north of the village.The tomb has already been repaired, and Chen Tingjing lived here for three years, reading and copying scriptures all day long, as if he had completely forgotten about the world.

One day, Jiayao and her son-in-law Zuyan came to the tomb. Jiayao said, "When grandma was sick, Zuyan and I came back several times. Every time we said to write to ask you to come back, grandma always refused. Grandma said, your father is the pillar of the imperial court, he belongs to the emperor and the common people, you can't let him delay his errand because of my old bones!"

Hearing this, Chen Tingjing thought of his own situation, felt sad and burst into tears.

Zu Yan said: "Grandma expects my son to be famous, but my son is disrespectful and has repeatedly failed the rankings! My son is ashamed to teach grandma!"

Chen Tingjing said: "Zu Yan, it doesn't matter if you don't want to be an official, you and Jiayao take care of the family and live your life calmly."

Chen Tingtong also lived in the cemetery. He chatted with his brother when he had nothing to do, but he always said something unkind: "I know you have a lot of things on your mind. The imperial court is controlled by people like Mingzhu and Gao Shiqi. You can't help it."

Chen Tingjing said: "Tingtong, I don't care about the affairs of the court now, I just want to guard my mother."

Chen Tingtong said: "You don't want to talk about these things, but it makes you feel disheartened. In fact, you have been troubled by these things all day long. Mingzhu and the others have done many things that you don't know. Remember the semi-celestial ancestor in the capital Zeshen? He was sent to Wuxi to be the magistrate."

Chen Tingjing was very surprised, and said: "Why is Zu Zeshen the county magistrate? He has no fame!"

Chen Tingtong said: "Zu Zeshen was not interested in being an official at first, but his house was burned down in a fire last year, so he had to find another way to survive."

Chen Tingjing smiled wryly and said, "Isn't Zu Zeshen clever? Why didn't he calculate the fire in his own house? I don't believe his tricks!"

Chen Tingtong said: "Anyway, inside and outside the imperial court, officials are all around people like Mingzhu and Gao Shiqi. It's just that Gao Shiqi, someone sends money to his home all the year round. Peace money."

Chen Tingjing shook his head and said nothing, he knew Gao Shiqi too well, but how could he do anything to him?The word "Ping An" on the door of the house was bestowed by the emperor!
Chen Tingtong said again: "Zhang Qian was always behind you, this time he went to Hunan to serve as the chief envoy, and walked ahead of you."

Chen Tingjing blamed his younger brother for speaking wrongly, and said: "Zhang Qian is his relative, we should be happy for him. If Zu Yan listens to your words, what will people think of you!"

Seeing the end of the three-year mourning period, Chen Tingjing went down the mountain to accompany his father.It was spring day, and Chen Tingjing and Tingtong sat chatting with their father under the pomegranate tree in the garden.When Chen Tingjing asked about the family's business, Mrs. Chen said: "The business is now managed by Sanjin, and I don't care much about it. The business is still passable."

Chen Sanjin happened to be next to him, and said, "Old Master, there is a letter from Taiyuan saying that we sold them plowshares and iron pots this time, but they have no cash to pay. They want to use corn and wheat to pay for copper coins, and they asked us if we would agree."

Mrs. Chen asked: "Why do you always have no money to pay? The grain in the warehouse is full."

Chen Tingtong didn't understand the reason, and said, "Is there too much food?"

Old Mrs. Chen shook his head and said, "Although we don't have to worry about having a lot of food, it's not a problem if we have too much food in our family!"

Chen Tingjing listened strangely and asked, "Why can't you pay the three gold?"

Chen Sanjin said: "Copper is expensive nowadays, and the price of money is not equal to the price of copper. Businessmen take all the coins, melt them into copper, and sell them to Baoquan Bureau to make a difference! In this way, the copper coins on the market will be more and more expensive. Come less and less!"

Chen Tingjing said: "There is such a thing? Destroying money and selling copper is a serious crime!"

Chen Sanjin said: "It's profitable, those profiteers don't care so much! If the court doesn't care about it, the people will have no money to spend, and they can all barter!"

Under the gazebo in the garden, Qianji watched his younger brothers Yupeng and Zhuanglu play chess, while Shuxian sat beside Yueyuan and Zhener chatting.Chen Tingjing accompanied his father, but looked towards the pavilion from time to time.Thinking of Shuxian's mother and son, he felt quite guilty.He has been in the capital for more than 20 years. Shuxian has suffered a lot at home, respecting his parents-in-law, taking care of the family and raising the children.Qianji's studies have also been delayed, and he has no fame so far.He wanted to stay at home for a while, and to reunite with Shuxian's mother and son.

Mingzhu quickly entered the gate of Qianqing, the guards saw him, and hurriedly bowed their hands to say goodbye.Mingzhu didn't care about answering, and hurried in the door.After entering Qianqing Palace, Mingzhu went straight to Xinuang Pavilion and shouted loudly: "The emperor is overjoyed!"

The emperor was reading a book, seeing Mingzhu being so reckless, he frowned slightly.Mingzhu hurriedly knelt down and played: "Please forgive me! Mingzhu is so happy that she forgot the body of a minister!"

The emperor hurriedly put down the scroll and said, "Quickly tell me, what is the happy event?"

Mingzhu handed Yunnan five hundred li to expedite, and said: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, Yunnan has been recovered!"

The emperor jumped up from the kang, took the five hundred miles of Yunnan with both hands and hurried, laughed loudly, and said: "Call everyone in the South Study Room!"

Zhang Shande immediately ordered his father-in-law to go to the South Study Room to pass the decree.

Not long after, Zhang Ying, Gao Shiqi, and Xu Qianxue, who was new to the South Study, all arrived.The emperor smiled all over his face and said: "It has been 67 years since the founding of the country, and it has been 38 years since the country was established. Now that Yunnan has been recovered, it will be forever safe from now on! Now Taiwan is left alone overseas, and I am determined to recover! These days are really good things. I am very satisfied with the recent examinations of the officials of the Imperial Academy and Zhan Shifu. In the past many examinations, Chen Tingjing was the first. This time, Xu Qianxue is the first."

Xu Qianxue hurriedly cupped his hands to thank En: "I thank the emperor for his promotion!"

Seeing that the emperor mentioned Chen Tingjing, Zhang Ying hurriedly said: "Your majesty, Chen Tingjing has been in charge for three years, and I invite the emperor to call Chen Tingjing back to Beijing!"

Before the emperor spoke, Gao Shiqi said: "The emperor once gave an order, and Chen Tingjing will never use it!"

The emperor was still smiling, but did not speak.

Zhang Yingdao: "Show the emperor, although Chen Tingjing was guilty, but the time has passed and the situation has changed, he should be given leniency. The emperor has repeatedly instructed ministers and others that it is better to be lenient in employing people, and lenient will win more people!"

Mingzhu secretly thought about the emperor's thoughts, and seemed to have the intention of recalling Chen Tingjing, so she pushed the boat along the way: "Qi Zou, the emperor, I think Chen Tingjing should be recalled!"

The emperor nodded and said: "I will recall Chen Tingjing according to what Mingzhu and Zhang Ying played!" Zhang Ying hurriedly thanked Chen Tingjing.

The emperor said: "The recovery of Yunnan should be celebrated by the whole world! You should discuss it carefully. I want to worship the ancestors in Fengxian Temple, Taimiao, and Shengjing to tell the heavens. The etiquette and the date of the trip must be discussed in detail!"

Mingzhu and others led the decree and left the Qianqing Palace.Gao Shiqi looked at Kong'er and asked Mingzhu: "Ming Xiangguo, why are you speaking for Chen Tingjing? He is a guilty minister!"

Mingzhu looked at Gao Shiqi, and said with a soft smile: "You have been in the palace for so many years, do you really think Chen Tingjing is guilty? He is not guilty at all!" Mingzhu said, and walked away.

(End of this chapter)