scourge the qing dynasty

Chapter 58 Fatty Mingyue didn't shine in the ditch?

"You are guilty of deceiving the emperor." The old hag in Xiaozhuang's voice was flat, but her tone was full of murderous intent, "You knew the identity of the emperor a long time ago, but you just pretended not to know, took the opportunity to flatter and please the emperor, right? ? Seriously, the Ai family can spare you!"

"My flaws have been revealed?" Fatty Lu was shocked, but his fat face, which had been tried and tested for a long time, showed a conditioned reflex of doubt as if he had seen an alien, and said in a confused way: "Wei Chen already knew the identity of the emperor? Empress Dowager Lafayette, are you talking about Wei Chen?"

"Grandmother, how do you know this?" Xiao Mazi was also very surprised, and turned his eyes to Xiaozhuang, thinking what happened to my grandmother, why is she like Kong Sizhen and Zhou Chang, just because Lu Yifeng is not Pleasing to the eye? ——I think Fatty Lu is pretty good.

Xiao Zhuang sneered and remained silent, tilted his head, and winked at La Aunt Su Ma who was next to her. La Aunt Su Ma understood, stepped forward and said lightly: "Lu Yifeng, it's useless for you to pretend. Since you don't know the emperor The real identity of the emperor, and the two meetings with the emperor who was privately interviewed by Weifu, and the conversation for a long time, so the voice of the emperor must be very familiar - just now when you knelt down on the ground, you heard the voice of the emperor... "

"This minister thinks the emperor's voice is very familiar!" Fatty Lu is so cunning, just halfway through Lagu Su Ma's words, Fatty Lu immediately understood where his fault lies.So Fatty Lu hurriedly interrupted Aunt Su Ma, and rushed to say: "This lady must want to say, since I feel that the voice of the emperor is very familiar, why don't you look up first?"

"That's right." La Aunt Su Ma nodded, and said, "It's the first time you saw the emperor, and you thought the emperor's voice was familiar, but you didn't look up. Is this unreasonable? This also proves one thing, You already knew the identity of the emperor, so you were not surprised to hear the emperor's voice."

Xiao Mazi's face elongated a little, and only then did he realize that Fatty Lu's reaction was indeed a bit unreasonable.But Fatty Lu was not in a hurry, just kowtowed and said: "The emperor's lesson, the empress dowager Lafayette's lesson, I have the laws of the Qing Dynasty, and I am not allowed to look up at the king. It is a crime of disrespect!" There are also "Thousand Characters" Zai, lead step by step, and look up to the temple. It is also said that as a courtier, his behavior must be carefully checked, respectful and respectful, and there must be no negligence! As an official of the court, how dare a humble minister violate ethics? Although I feel that the voice of the emperor is quite familiar, I dare not break the law and look up."

Fatty Lu's words were indeed sophistry, but there was some truth in them that made it impossible to refute, so after hearing Fatty Lu's explanation, Lagu Xiaozhuang and Lagu Su Ma were inevitably stunned and speechless for a while.Xiao Mazi nodded slightly, agreeing with Fatty Lu's approach - after all, this bullshit law also respects his imperial dignity, Xiao Mazi can't think that Fatty Lu should despise the dignity of imperial power, can he?
To be honest, Xiao Zhuang's suspicion of Fatty Lu was entirely based on the intuition of a politician and an old fox, and there was no real evidence at all. Just now, he managed to catch a little loophole to attack, but Fatty Lu immediately dismissed it lightly, no matter his expression, His tone and words did not reveal any flaws, so that although Xiaozhuang's doubts were hard to dispel, he couldn't help being shaken in his heart-could he really be too suspicious and wronged this fat man Lu?After thinking for a long time, Xiao Zhuang nodded slightly, and said: "In this way, Aijia and Su Ma really wronged you, let's get back together."

"Thank you, Empress Dowager Lafayette." Fatty Lu kowtowed again, then stood up, and quietly looked at the famous Xiaozhuang Dayuer in history from the corner of his eyes-to Fatty Lu's great disappointment, he was over half a hundred years old. Xiaozhuang is no longer even considered a mistress, at most she can be compared to the Empress Dowager Cixi in the photo, or even worse.

"Lu Aiqing." After Fatty Lu stood still, Xiao Mazi immediately asked impatiently: "What is your background?"

"Back to the emperor, I was born as a scholar." Fatty Lu replied honestly: "This year, I only passed the examination of a scholar in the Dali Mansion Court Examination. Because I know that I am not a material for reading sage books, I spent 3000 taels of silver." Donated a seventh-rank official. Later, there happened to be a vacancy in Qujing county, and with the grace of the emperor, Prince Pingxi favored him and gave this missing finger to this minister, so this minister was able to come to Beijing to meet His Majesty, and was fortunate to see the holy face."

Xiao Mazi has already memorized Fatty Lu's resume by heart. Seeing that Fatty Lu is quite honest, Xiao Mazi used this to say: "Lu Aiqing, I see that your conversation and knowledge are not like those who can't read. Kind of person? Since you are extremely talented and have already passed the examination of scholar, why don't you continue to take the examination of Jinshi and take the dignified imperial examination? Do you have to take the shortcut of donating to become an official?"

"Back to the emperor, a low-ranking minister is not talented, and you can learn those heresy and ingenious obscenity skills in no time." Fatty Lu said with a sad face: "But once you pick up the Four Books and Five Classics, the book of sages, it's just a three-brained brain." He's a big man, he can't get into the reading even if he hangs a beam and stabs his thighs, or chisels the wall to steal light. The humble minister dare not lie to the emperor, and even the humble minister, who is a scholar, is actually picked."

"You picked it up? How did you pick it up?" Xiao Mazi was very curious - this matter was not mentioned in the information collected by Kong Sizhen.

"Back to the emperor, because Prince Pingxi is in urgent need of scribes, this year he designated Dali Mansion to recruit ten scholars." Fatty Lu said with a flushed face: "But this year, there are only nine children in Dali Mansion who are taking the examination for scholar talents. Reluctantly, I found Weichen's papers from the waste papers and made up the number."

"What else?" Xiao Mazi and Xiao Zhuang both laughed dumbfounded, but there were many illiterate officials in the Qing Dynasty these days, and Xiao Mazi had long since gotten used to it, so he just smiled and said, "Lu Aiqing, You are really lucky, you failed the examination to catch up with the examiners to make up the number, donate the seventh-rank official to catch up with the magistrate’s vacancy, you have encountered all kinds of good things. But Lu Aiqing, don’t you worry that you won’t be able to do this magistrate?”

"Back to the emperor, I don't have to worry." Fatty Lu said without blushing: "My number one civil official in the Qing Dynasty, Fan Wencheng and Fan Wensu, was also born as a scholar, but he can still assist my great ancestor Taizong of the Qing Dynasty to set the tripod in the Central Plains and rule the world! Weibo The minister is not talented, and I would like to follow Wen Su as an example, as a scholar, to be the emperor's supervisor and herdsman, to govern the country and the people, to benefit the government widely, and to assist my emperor Long live to become an emperor through the ages!"

"One emperor through the ages?" Xiao Mazi laughed, and said with a smile: "You are a talented official, and you still want to assist me to become the emperor through the ages? But that's okay, as long as you have this ambition, I will give you a chance. "

"I would like to thank the emperor for his grace." Fatty Lu saluted again helplessly, and said: "After returning to his post, I will definitely live up to the emperor's expectations. I will govern the county so that I will not pick up the road and close the door at night. If not, I will wear a crown and go back to seclusion. , abdicate to the virtuous!"

"Very good, I believe you can do it." Xiao Mazi nodded, not in a hurry to wake up Fatty Lu, and said slowly: "However, for you, after returning to Qujing, your errand is not to Qujing is governed so well that you don’t pick up lost things on the road, and it’s as simple as not closing your house at night, but there are more important and heavy tasks that need you to handle.”

"Please the emperor make it clear, I will definitely remember it!" Fatty Lu saluted again.

"Lu Aiqing, since you are an official selected by King Pingxi, you must have met King Pingxi?" Xiao Mazi asked back, "What do you think of King Pingxi?"

"Pillar of the Qing Dynasty! Long live my emperor, the minister of the humerus! The good parents of the people in Yunnan, the good prince of the Qing Dynasty!" Fatty Lu replied decisively, without blushing or heartbeat, as if he didn't know how to write the word "honesty" Same.

"Hey, you fat bastard, he flatters everyone he sees." Xiao Mazi smiled.At this time, Xiaozhuang suddenly said again: "Lu Yifeng, since you have such a high opinion of Prince Pingxi, why do you want to persuade Prince Pingxi to ask him to withdraw from the domain?"

"The Empress Dowager also knows about this?" Lu Yifeng was stunned for a moment, then he bowed and said: "Back to the Empress Dowager Lafayette, it is precisely because I have such a high opinion of Prince Pingxi, and I respect and love him so much. Only then can I urge him, the old man, to ask himself to withdraw from the feudal clan!"

"How do you say that?" Xiao Zhuang asked calmly.

"Back to the Empress Dowager Lafayette, since ancient times, absolute power has led to absolute corruption!" Fatty Lu said eloquently: "Prince Pingxi ranks first in the San Francisco, has a large army, and sits in a big town. The emperor treats the prince with the same flesh and blood, and the noble is extremely noble! It can be said that he is a high-ranking and powerful party! Because of this, although the prince of Pingxi himself is loyal to the emperor like a father and loves the people like a son, he still cannot avoid his subordinates. Relying on the power of the palace, they bully the good people, commit crimes, break the laws of the court, insult the dignity of the palace, and lose the favor of the emperor!"

"Really?" Xiao Mazi interjected deliberately and asked, "The situation in Yunnan has really collapsed to such a state?"

"Back to the emperor, the current situation in Yunnan is of course not as serious as what I said, but there are just a few signs." Fatty Lu slowed down and said: "And the prince also attaches great importance to such situations. Once found, immediately Severe punishment and no mercy—I remember that in the fourth year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, Zhao Liangdong and Zhao Junmen, the general soldier in Pingyuan, Guizhou, were greedy for power and position, concealed the mother's funeral and refused to worry about Ding, broke the laws of the Qing Dynasty, and humiliated the Qing Dynasty The national policy of governing the country with filial piety, the rites of no ministers, the filial piety of no sons! No father, no king, abandoning the country and family! After being noticed by Prince Pingxi, he severely reprimanded him, Zhao Junmen reluctantly reported Ding You, and finally Didn't embarrass the emperor and Lord Pingxi."

"What else? This Zhao Liangdong doesn't even want to be filial to his biological mother, he really isn't a thing!" Xiao Mazi was stunned, and then secretly remembered the name Zhao Liangdong—why didn't you just refuse Ding You?I will help you fulfill your filial piety, and let you Ding worry for a lifetime!

("Fatty man, did I dig your ancestral grave? Or did I rob your wife? How could you beat me to death like this?" Zhao Liangdong, who was mourning Dingyou in Ningxia, howled.)
"Frozen three feet, it's not a day's cold!" Fatty Lu raised his voice again, and continued: "Although Prince Pingxi is very vigilant about these situations and strictly forbids them, but the prince is old and lacks energy, so he has already dealt with it." There are some signs of powerlessness, and if things go on like this, the consequences will be unimaginable. For the sake of the family and the world, for the sake of the prince's life, and for the long-term peace and stability of the elders in my hometown, I made a bold move to persuade the prince of Pingxi to withdraw from the vassal. Such a presumptuous act, this humble minister deserves death!"

"What's your crime?" Xiao Mazi was taken aback again.

"The dismantling of the San Francisco is a national policy." Fatty Lu kowtowed and said, "I am no more than a small official of the seventh rank. I dare to make false statements about state affairs and usurp the government. I ask the emperor to punish me."

After being reminded by Fatty Lu, Xiao Mazi remembered that Fatty Lu, a seventh-rank sesame official, dared to talk about the withdrawal of San Francisco. Although his views were very to his liking, it seemed that he was a bit guilty of presumptuousness.Thinking of this, Xiao Mazi changed his serious face, and said: "Since you have been convicted of the crime, and you have not directly disturbed the government by making a public statement, then I will forgive you once! But from now on, you must not speak falsely about the government, disrupt the state policy, and never again. Next time, I will not forgive you lightly."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, the emperor's instruction, I will keep it in my heart." Fatty Lu put his forehead on the ground, and said cautiously: "Besides this, I have one more matter, I dare to ask the emperor for permission."

"Let's talk about it." Xiao Mazi, who admired Fatty Lu very much, agreed without hesitation.

"My minister has the guts to ask the emperor to change my minister to be a magistrate in another province." Fatty Lu said with a mournful face.

"Huh?" Xiao Mazi and Xiaozhuang were both stunned this time.Xiao Mazi asked in amazement: "Lu Aiqing, since Prince Pingxi appreciates you so much, why don't you want to be an official in Yunnan under his rule? As far as I know, after you entered Beijing, you seemed to live directly in Prince Pingxi. The prince's house? Prince Pingxi loves you so much, why don't you want to serve under Prince Pingxi's rule?"

"Back to the emperor, there are two reasons." Fatty Lu said hesitantly: "First, I am from Yunnan. According to the laws of the Qing Dynasty, people from this province are not allowed to be officials in this province. I dare not violate the court's laws. Second, My humble minister..., my humble minister..."

"Speak frankly, I pardon you not guilty." Xiao Mazi urged impatiently.

"Back to the emperor, I received the news last night." Fatty Lu said with a mournful face: "The news that my minister dared to persuade Prince Pingxi to withdraw his vassal, somehow, has quietly spread in the palace of Pingxi." Rumor has it that a very small number of officials in the Pingxi Palace gritted their teeth with hatred for the humble official, and the humble official was afraid of..., afraid of...."

Xiao Mazi and Xiaozhuang looked at each other, and they both understood what Fatty Lu meant—the gang of arrogant soldiers under Wu Sangui, Lao Qiu Ba, heard that Fatty Lu persuaded Wu Sangui to ask him to withdraw from the feudal clan. The thought of chopping up Fatty Lu made it difficult for Fatty Lu in front of him not to be frightened.Under secret joy, Xiao Mazi deliberately said: "Lu Aiqing, I don't agree with what you said, Prince Pingxi has the kindness of knowing you and recommending you. If you complain, you will develop a rebellious heart. If you do this, isn’t it ungrateful? You betrayed the Lord and asked for glory?”

"Damn my humble minister! Damn my humble minister!" Fatty Lu kowtowed desperately, and said tremblingly, "The emperor's instructions are right, this humble minister withdraws his pleadings, and my humble minister returns to Qujing to take up his post. I dare not choose fat and thin."

"It's not that simple." Xiao Mazi threatened deliberately, "If you think about it, I won't tolerate you. You don't have to be the magistrate of Qujing, just go back to your hometown in Dali to study."

"What?!" Fatty Lu raised his head suddenly, looked at Xiao Mazi's majestic face, tears flowed from his fat face, and said with a choked voice, "Damn it, I thank you Lord Long En, I thank you Lord Long En..., Wei Chen Minister, I'm sorry parents..., my minister..." Choking with sobs, Fatty Lu clawed at the cracks in the floor tiles with his fingers, and couldn't help crying.

Seeing Fatty Lu crying bitterly because of losing his official position, Xiao Mazi was determined, and hurriedly turned his gaze to Xiaozhuang. nodded.Immediately afterwards, Xiao Zhuang said: "Your Majesty, the Ai family feels that although this Lu Yifeng is guilty, his feelings are sympathetic, because of his loyalty to the Emperor, and because of his filial piety to his parents." , Your Majesty, please forgive him this time."

"This..." Xiao Mazi pretended to hesitate, until Fatty Lu raised his head nervously, Xiao Mazi reluctantly said: "Well, for the sake of the empress dowager's plea, I will pardon Lu Yifeng once , take back this will!"

"My humble servant thank you, Lord Long En!" Fatty Lu shouted excitedly, kowtowed desperately, and said with tears in his eyes, "My humble servant thanked Lord Long En, my humble servant thanked the Empress Dowager, my humble servant thanked the Empress Dowager!"

"Don't be so busy thanking you, I still have something to ask you." Xiao Mazi interrupted Fatty Lu's thanks, and asked darkly: "Last time when you were in the official department, you were dragged to Aozhongtang by Ashara. What did I say to you?"

"Ao Zhongtang asked Wei Chen about Fujian." Fatty Lu didn't hesitate, and immediately told the whole story of what happened that day without hiding anything - this kind of thing that provokes Aobai and Xiao Mazi to turn against each other is also used. There is no need to hide.And when Fatty Lu said that Oboi cared about the military salary of Yunnan and Guizhou, Xiao Mazi and Xiaozhuang nodded again, and their impression of Oboi improved somewhat.

Honestly explaining what happened at Oboi's house that day, Fatty Lu naturally had to mention the fact that Oboi bribed him to win him over, and when Fatty Lu said that he firmly refused, Xiao Mazi finally caught another topic and asked : "Lu Aiqing, Ao Zhongtang recommends you to be a tour of the Huaihe River and the Huaihe River. This is one of the most fat jobs in the world, and the purpose is just to help him get the amount of Yunnan-Guizhou military salary from Wu Yingxiong. Why do you have to refuse?"

"Back to the emperor, Prince Pingxi's kindness to my minister is as great as a mountain, and my minister dare not do things like betraying the owner to seek glory." Fatty Lu replied honestly.

"Then, what if I want to win over you too? Are you willing to betray Prince Pingxi?" Xiao Mazi finally turned to the topic and asked with a smile.

Fatty Lu hesitated, wanting to agree, but he was afraid that Xiao Mazi would be suspicious, but fortunately, Fatty Lu soon told another story, and said: "Back to the emperor, I wonder if the emperor has ever heard the story of Buguishou medicine? People have medicine that can cure hands and feet cracking in winter. For generations, they have been washing their hands and earning only a few gold a year. Some customers heard that they bought it for a hundred gold and offered it to the King of Wu. When Wu and Yue fought on the water in winter, the Wu army used this medicine. Crack, victory over the Yue Kingdom! Wu Wangxi, crack the soil and seal the guest!"

"Your Majesty, Ao Zhongtang is not the King of Wu." Fatty Lu showed such a cunning smile, and said flatteringly, "Your Majesty, you are the true Son of Heaven."

Xiao Mazi and Xiaozhuang looked at each other again, both satisfied with Fatty Lu's smart choice.At that moment Xiao Zhuang agreed with his eyes, and Xiao Mazi said, "Lu Aiqing, since you compare yourself to Wu Ke, what about your ingenuity?"

"Return to the emperor, this prescription is not in the hands of this minister." Fatty Lu said with a mournful face, "I swear to God, so far, the son of the world has not told this minister a single word of this prescription!"

Xiao Mazi lowered his face, and secretly scolded Wu Yingxiong for being cunning, and refused to reveal the truth to his confidants.Fatty Lu observed his words and took the opportunity to say, "However, I do know that there is another person besides the Shizi himself who knows the prescription of this medicine."

"Who?" Xiao Mazi asked quickly.

"Back to the emperor, it is Lin Tianqing, the former governor of Yunnan." Fatty Lu said in a deep voice: "The prince asked this minister to participate in this matter, but the prince is not at ease with this minister, and he did not let this minister get in touch with this core secret. The minister helped to act with some documents related to this matter. But Lin Tianqing, as the former governor of Yunnan, Mr. Lin is familiar with Yunnan's military and political affairs, has rich experience, and is a family friend with Prince Pingxi, so the prince discussed this matter with him."

"Lin Tianqing?" Xiao Mazi's expression darkened, and he immediately remembered that he had suppressed the recommendation of all the officials and resolutely rejected Lin Tianqing, and then remembered Li Tianyu, who he was optimistic about, and Li Tianyu's case in the assassination of Nan Huairen Ugly, I couldn't help but secretly said in my heart: "It seems that I should summon this Lin Tianqing?"

"I don't dare to hide it." Fatty Lu peeked at Xiao Mazi's face from the corner of his eye, and said cautiously: "The fact that the prescription is in Master Lin's hands is actually Master Lin who quietly told Wei Chen after he heard that the emperor had summoned the minister. I hope that I will find an opportunity to report this to the emperor."

"The old man also has the idea of ​​selling prescriptions?" Xiao Mazi heard the sound knowingly, turned his head to look at Xiao Zhuang, but saw Xiao Zhuang just turned to look at him.Eyes met, Xiao Zhuang nodded.

(End of this chapter)