Hidden Dragon in Qing Dynasty

Li Tuo had never thought that he would come to the Great Marshal Zeng Residence on Nanheng Street to probe the Great Marshal's background and help with the matters of the imperial court.

This fighting history was not only terrifying, it was also ghastly!

However, when Li Tuo came back to reality from the ghost story, he had already started to understand Ceng Guofan's hidden meaning.

Ceng Guofan's reasoning was simple, it was that your imperial government should not even think of using this fan to threaten me, but rather, use it to punish me for the crime of corruption. Knowing that we literati love to protect our feathers, especially at my age, I cherish my reputation after death even more.

If I don't lower my head today, you'll have to pour sewage on me, won't you?

In order to suppress us Chinese Officer who have military power, you, Ci Xi, are really going all out! Wasn't it just to stop us from making a scene at the beacon fire?

But I, Ceng Guofan, have already told you guys today, don't threaten me, this lord will not take this lying down!

Why must I give Mu Zhanga a present? I'm not afraid of writing this down in the history books. The reason why I sent the gift is to become an official, why would I want to become a high-ranking official?

It's not that I, Ceng Guofan, am greedy for wealth, but when I just entered the official site, I met the major change that hasn't been here for three thousand years, and that westernization invaded me from the sea!

China was defeated in a mess, with no way to fight back. Hong Xiuquan even borrowed the power of the westernization to rebel!

These were all calamities that could topple the heavens, so who was going to help the heavens? The truth has been proven that I, Ceng Guofan, and a bunch of Chinese Officer have made up for it! Our goal as high officials is to make up for our sins!

Don't forget that your Manchu's mountains and rivers were protected by our Chinese Officer's warlords. Without our help, even if you didn't destroy the country, you would have been left with no choice!

The sin of wanting me to send you a gift now? Go f * ck yourself and dream on!

Using the lives of 70 people from Salonga's family to threaten me? This is a moral kidnapping! I don't eat this shit!

This was what Ceng Guofan had been thinking deep down, but he did not say it out loud. Isha was stunned as he narrated the story indirectly, and even Li Tuo was a little unable to keep up with his thoughts.

Ceng Guofan pointed to the rented house, "Master Li, why do you think I'm still living here? Why not build a house in the capital? That's because I need to remind myself not to forget my roots! "

"From the beginning, I have been renting a house in Caishikou. From an annual rent of 33 taels of silver, the higher the official's position, the more expensive the house becomes!"

"33 taels, 67 taels …" The annual rent of the house ended at 610 taels of silver. Now that the war is over, I have returned to the Caishikou and even I have rented this house. It costs a total of 1060 taels of silver a year … "

"This piece of land has recorded the history of my growth, the beginning of my struggle … I can't leave! You're talking about the palace that the imperial court has bestowed upon him? Haha … What do I want that for? Do I still need a house? "

"Even if I, Ceng Guofan were to roam everywhere in this world, wouldn't that country give me a place to sleep?"

Saying that, Ceng Guofan laughed: Master Li ah. I wonder how the empress dowager of Salonga's residence dealt with it? "

Li Tuo's face flushed red. "This …"

Isha watched from the side and anxiously told him, "The empress dowager has already bestowed the elephant nose pit's mansion to Master Li …"

"It's not a reward …" Hey, stop talking nonsense... Is Lease... Ministry of Internal Affairs leased it to me … " Li Tuo hurriedly tried to explain.

Ceng Guofan nodded his head, "At least you're a smart person! But unfortunately … "No matter how smart he is, he's still just Zhang Jing. It's not a good thing for him to show his intelligence just because he's too young!"

"For example, this house... I dare to reject the bestowal from the imperial government, but you, Li Tuo, don't dare! "

"Alright, I'm tired …" Old farmer, please help me send him off! " Saying that, Ceng Guofan took the tea and prepared to go back to rest.

Li Tuo stood up with an awkward and bitter smile, "Thank you for your teachings, marshal … But the matter of Salonga and his family... Marshal, do you really have nothing else to say? "

Ceng Guofan stopped and turned his head to look at Li Tuo, "Tell the empress dowager … Just say your thanks to the empress dowager for her fan! " With that, he turned and left.

The old farmer extended his hand and said, "Sir, please …"

Li Tuo, Isha and their entourage left the manor together. After they arrived at the metre market alley, Isha asked with an anxious face, "Sir Li … What in the world was going on? How are we supposed to explain this? "

Li Tuo said with a bitter face, "We are too inexperienced, too inexperienced … He thought he could force the marshal with seventy lives, but the marshal had even brought out a ghost …

"Oh my god …" If he was ten years younger, who in the court could match him? "We're all thinking too simply …"

"Let's go …" He could only say whatever he wanted to say, but he didn't need to worry too much about it. This kind of important figure wouldn't do anything without a care in the world … The marshal will think about it later! "

Li Tuo went back to the palace to report while Ceng Guofan rested on the soft couch in the inner chamber with his eyes closed as if he had aged a few years. The fan was placed on the tea table.

After the old farmer entered the house, he waved his hands, signalling for the girl who was beating her legs to go out. He personally gave the marshal a few acupuncture points on his leg, he was indeed an expert from the inner sect.

"Gone?"

"Yes, he's gone!"

"Ai …" What a pity, what a good talent, Li Tuo, Li Tuo, Li Tuo … He's a good player in the government! "

The old farmer rubbed his acupuncture points and said softly, "It's a pity that it was taken away by Ci Xi …"

"There's nothing to be regretful about. In any case, we don't want to go any higher. What kind of talent are we fighting over? Let's just watch and see!"

The old farmer looked up and said, "Then are our people still moving?"

The Xiang Army was a large power, so many of the direct descendants of the Xiang Army were preparing to put pressure on the imperial government, and even some of the Jiangnan newspapers were preparing to start a war.

Ceng Guofan really wanted to take this opportunity to beat Manchu up, to scare these ignorant fools, but he never thought that Ci Xi would move so fast, and be so ruthless!

"Originally, I wanted to use the Fire Beacon incident to suppress Manchu … Tell them to give up a little more position so that we, the Chinese Officer, can have a little more power … "

"But I didn't expect that …" I didn't expect to use seventy lives to force my hand! Damn it... "Damn it …"

Ceng Guofan was so angry that he slammed the table, causing the fan to jump back and forth.

The old farmer said ruthlessly, "If I die, I die!" Since Salonga is a Manchu, we won't pity him even if we die! "How about we do it, let's let the Jiangnan newspapers spread the news first …"

But he never thought that Ceng Guofan would actually wave his hand and say, "Stop messing around … Stop messing around... At least it was seventy lives! "He's also the descendant of my master …"

"They are heartless, we can't not be righteous! I've killed too many people in my life... People who are about to die, I really don't want to create more massacres! "

"Rest!" Rest... Right, didn't Hu Xueyan give me a small jade ruyi last year? "

"Find out …" Send it to Ci Xi … Just say that it's a thank-you gift from me … I thank her for the fan... Hehe … Just as she wishes! "

No matter how powerful Ceng Guofan's methods were, he was unable to step over the moral threshold in his heart. These formless things had always been binding him and never disappeared!