Emperor Kangxi: Yuyu Chengxiang

Chapter 26 The trend slave conspires to make friends with sprites, trend scholars, master thesis, and Hongru (1)
After the erudite Hong Confucianism supervisory examination was completed, Suo Ertu went back to the mansion that night, which was a new trend.Lao Cai was holding a watermelon lantern on the door, and was waiting for him to come back. Seeing the sedan chair alight, he hurriedly greeted him with a smile and said, "The master will come back sooner or later. I heard that the imperial examination is over today. There used to be a sound from the officials from various ministries." They came in a large group, waiting to be heard, and they dispersed when it was dark. Master Li left, and the master came back..." Suoertu yawned as he walked towards the mansion. , Said: "It's good to be gone, who is impatient with their pestering day and night! I just finished the exam, what information do you have? They say they are looking for news, not here to flatter!" Lao Cai led the lamp Walking in zigzags, he replied: "Master is right, but there is another one in the flower hall of Xitou Garden! If you are tired, this servant will tell him and tell him to come back tomorrow." .”

"Who?" Suoertu stopped in his tracks, and his face could not be seen clearly in the shadow of the lamp.

"It's a visitor from afar, Tong Bao, the cousin of Lord Ge Li, the governor of the south of the Yangtze River." Lao Cai heard the difference in his tone, and replied cautiously, "Mr. Wang and the two brothers of the Chen family are talking with him there."

Suo'etu didn't say anything after hearing this, turned around and walked towards the west garden. Seeing Lao Cai following closely, he said, "Cai Dai, you don't need to come in to wait, but ask the chef to hold a banquet and bring it in. Don't make any tricks." There are many, as long as it is lighter." After saying that, he hastily left, and Cai Dai also went to hold the banquet by himself.

The flower hall was shrouded in smoke, four people with four hookahs were snoring vigorously under the dim candlelight.As soon as Suo Ertu entered the door, he was choked and coughed, and everyone stood up when they saw him coming in.Suo'etu stood under the lamp, frowned and waved his hands, and ordered: "Open the window for some air——Tong Bao, when did you come to Beijing?" Tong Bao looked about 30 years old, short and fine His thin face was full of pockmarks, with only a pair of black and round eyes embedded under the brows, but they rarely blinked, looking very shrewd.He didn't wear an official uniform, only a Baturu vest was put on over the robe, and the snow-white lining on the cuffs was turned outward.Listening to Suo'etu's question, Tong Bao quickly called Qian'er and said, "I'd like to greet the third master! The official came the day before yesterday, and I have already met the uncle Xinyu and the second master Fabao. The two masters are called Xiaguan Waiting for the third master to come down tonight, my brother Ge Liren has something to do, and I have to tell the third master to know—it’s not easy to write in a letter."

"Don't talk about the ones in Nanjing." Suo'etu sat down, took a sip of herbal tea, and said, "Beijing's affairs are still entangled! Let me tell you, it may be difficult for Jin Qing to enter the study—— It was supposed to be a good thing, let Mingzhu, a living treasure, get stuck in his leg, and kill Gao Shiqi on the way--I knew this, I might as well have recommended Mr. Wang to be an erudite scholar, at least there would be one more person in the court !"

"It's because I don't want to go out of the mountain. There is no shortage of people in the middle hall. I'm afraid that the holy family will not be prosperous, so it will be difficult." Wang Mingdao said with his eyes flickering, "If the emperor doesn't listen to Mingzhu's bewitching, he will not change." With the original intention of the prince, Zhongtang will be in an invincible position." Suo'etu laughed and said, "That's not enough. The officials have proposed that I take the first-class position a few days ago, and the emperor has agreed. Just wait and see, I still It's better than Mingzhu." While talking, the food and drink had already been served, Suo'etu ordered the servant to avoid him, and invited the four of them to sit down and have a drink while discussing.

"I don't know the true face of Lushan Mountain, but because I live in this mountain." Tong Bao ate with vegetables, and said with a smile, "Zhongtang's words reminded me of the eighth year of Kangxi, and the day when Oboi Zhongtang was promoted to the first-class prince , let Wei Dongting take it in Yuqing Palace the next day..." His round eyes swept over Suo Ertu, and he drank a glass as if nothing had happened.Suo'etu felt a chill in his heart, and his face turned pale.Wang Mingdao looked at his two disciples, put the chopsticks away with a smile, and said, "Tong Bao's words are alarmist, but they are not unreasonable. According to the old man's cold eyes, Zhongtang has gradually been neglected by the emperor since the 12th year of Kangxi. At that time, Zhongtang advocated and Wu Sangui He was reprimanded repeatedly by the emperor when he negotiated peace; later, Gu Badai, a scholar of the Imperial Academy, offended Zhongtang. Zhongtang wanted to depose him, but was deposed by the emperor to second rank;

Suo'etu was calm in his heart, but was disturbed by what they said. Hearing Wang Mingdao shaking off like a few treasures, he cut it off proudly: "What is Wei Xiangshu! Taking advantage of the Henan earthquake, you want to get rid of me? Didn't the emperor save me?" - I'm still me!"

"Your Majesty remembers that the emperor was so protective—the earthquake was caused by my failure of morality, and the repair of the province should start from me!" Tong Bao laughed, "The next day, I called the third master and Master Mingzhu in, and announced: You wait It is advisable to cleanse the lungs and intestines, and be loyal to the public. Since the appointment, all the ministers have a lot of money, and they are friends for selfishness, and they are more greedy. If the matter is discovered, the law of the country is in place, and I will never lend it to you! ——Third Master Listen, does Long Live Lord like you very much?"

"This is what the king and the ministers have suffered." Chen Tiejia laughed, "Although he saved the third master, did he not rely on the credit for getting rid of Oboi? Once the old book is finished, the emperor may not be so polite." Chen Xijia listened. After the elder brother had said something, he continued: "Long live Ye Ying tomorrow is unfathomable. Even if Gao Shiqi climbed up to the master by himself, why didn't Wan live reuse Li Guangdi? In addition to lightly punishing Chen Menglei, The more I think about it, the deeper the meaning of this article!"

Before Tong Bao left Nanjing, he had a secret discussion with Ge Li in the Governor's Mansion. Hearing Ge Li's words, it seemed that Suo'etu entrusted him with a shocking event. "Introduce without sending out, use it with advantage".He came to Beijing this time as a debriefing, but in fact he must show Suo'etu's real background, otherwise in the future, something will happen and his head will be lost, but Suo'etu can use these ambiguous words to shirk his responsibility.Hearing this, seeing the people around Suo'etu say these almost treasonous words so bluntly, I already know it in my heart, but I also know that my brother's life's wealth is already tied to Suo'etu's safety.With a thought in his mind, he approached Suo'etu and asked, "I went to visit the learned scholars today, did the emperor bring the crown prince?"

"I brought it." Suo'etu seemed a little restless, "There is also Beizi Yinzhi." Wang Mingdao asked: "The third master Yinzhi is also the title of Beizi, why didn't the emperor take it with him?" Suo'etu's eyes froze. He jumped up and said, "He's only three years old, maybe he's too young, maybe he's sick, maybe..." He suddenly trembled, didn't speak anymore, staring blankly at the flickering candlelight in a daze.Wang Mingdao sighed meaningfully, and said: "No one loves a child without a mother. If there is a stepmother, there will be a stepfather. How many things have been lost because of love throughout the ages? Wu Zongye of the former Ming Dynasty was an only son, a concubine of power in the harem." Even if he refuses to let it go, if Empress Ma is not around, the emperor Jianwen is still untenable! A teacher who never forgets what happened in the past! The crown prince has no reliable master, he is unscrupulous on the inside to protect and support him, and he is unscrupulous on the outside. Support, after all, is incredible!"

"Good prime...good general?" Suo Etu chewed on Wang Mingdao's words, his face turned green and white: the so-called "good prime minister" is himself, but after these people talked about how much trust Kangxi had in him, it became more and more uncertain "Although Xiong Cilu has no second thoughts about the prince, he is more loyal to Kangxi. If the emperor changes his mind, there is no guarantee that he will not turn his back on him."He thought about the "good general" outside, Lang Shuang led the troops on the left side of his forehead, but this man never ventured into muddy waters, and he could not count on adventures; Zhao Liangdong died of illness; Cai Yurong was locked up and sent to Beijing because he married Wu Sangui's granddaughter secretly; Although Tu Hai was serving as a general of Fuyuan in Shaanxi, he asked to retire due to a stroke due to old age; it is a pity that Wu Liuyi, the governor of Guangdong, was poisoned and killed by Shang Zhixin as soon as he took office. , That's absolutely right... After thinking for a long time, Suo'etu suddenly slapped the back of the chair, and said with a laugh: "How did I forget Zhou Peigong! If he didn't sing poems in front of the queen's bed to see the end, the prince still doesn't know who it is." Well! Mr. Wang, let’s not talk about this matter tonight. Please write a letter to Mr. Pei Gong tomorrow, saying that I have already reported to the Emperor Ming, and then I will send ten battalions of the Han army and the green battalion under his command. As far as the point goes, he killed a smart person who knows the poor world, and he can understand it when he reads the letter."

"Wonderful!" Tong Bao clapped his hands and said with a smile, "This person is not only the emperor's confidant, but also the prince's sponsor. No one can match his literary and military skills, and he leads troops outside. He is indeed a person who can be relied on in a timely manner. Lord, I can figure it out—I only heard that he got sick after going to Fengtian because he was not acclimatized to the environment. I don’t know if it’s true or not?” Suo’etu said: “Where is he not acclimatized? Ask Mingzhu to separate him and Gu Azuo It’s a good marriage, and it’s true that I’m really depressed when I send him outside the pass to suffer the cold.” After saying that, he laughed.

No one knew about this past, and the four of them couldn't help but exchanged glances.Wang Mingdao murmured: "Just now when Jin Qing came to the mansion, I talked with him for a long time in the study. Although this man looks a bit noble on the outside, he is actually very enthusiastic on the inside. Mingzhu saved Chen Menglei, and he felt very uncomfortable. I think Zhongtang will try to let him He joined the cabinet. Hmm... As for Mr. Zhongtang, I have another sentence, I don't know if I should say it or not."

"Well??"

"Ask for leave and resign, and temporarily leave the game!"

As soon as the words came out, everyone was stunned.Only Suo'etu rolled his eyes, thinking quietly.Chen Xijia leaned forward and said: "Teacher, the students don't understand what the teacher said - I just hate that Zhongtang has too few errands now. The more errands he has, the more authority he has, and the fewer people who criticize him. How can he leave the study room on his own?"

(End of this chapter)