son-in-law

At noon, the sun fell on the bright courtyard of the Princess Palace.In the main hall where more than fifty people gathered for a banquet, the emperor's words were soft, Huang Shengyuan couldn't help but raised his head and looked at the people around him. There were a few familiar figures who looked at each other almost subconsciously, knowing that something might be wrong .

"...The rich family wants to grow big, and the clan wants to last forever. These are all human beings who are dignified and upright. After all, if your family is long and your life is better, the family property of the country will also be better. Therefore, I also ask for advice on this matter. I have passed many, many people. I am here today, and I have some opinions on the longevity of the family, and I want to share it with all of you..."

"One, it's a story about the Zuo family..."

In front of the main hall, Jun Wu smiled and looked around.

"...Speaking of the Zuo family, everyone is not unfamiliar with it. It is a big family that has been passed down from Duke Zhenglian since the founding of this dynasty. The previous generation's patriarch, Duke Duanyou, you have all heard of his name... The uproar is that a group of Zuo family members came from the southwest. I entrusted them with a heavy responsibility, and they also had a lot of trouble with many people... Haha, you don’t have to turn your head, let’s not talk about other things today, not about political affairs, just talk Clan, everyone, these Zuo family members are real talents. They have been on the battlefield, killed the Jurchen, and they are clean and tidy when they do things..."

"... But why do the Zuo family have so many talents? Some people say that the Zuo family is a great Confucian, and everyone in the family studies. These children have been influenced by their ears and eyes since childhood, and they have laid a good foundation. , even a daughter-in-law of the Zuo family has to be a educated woman, plus they are from a wealthy family, and they are married to the right family, so the children they give birth to are naturally not bad, they are highly talented..."

"... But it's not true. When Zuo Gong was still alive, I was fortunate enough to be taught by him. When he talked to me about the children in the family, he just sighed. When it comes to grandchildren, he is already ignorant and incompetent. I am afraid that if things continue like this, the Zuo family will not even be able to achieve success... At that time, the Central Plains fell, and the Zuo family moved south. At that time, he made a decision that no one could have imagined... "

"...he selected a total of more than 120 children and teenagers from the direct and collateral families of the family, and sent them to the Xiaocanghe Huaxia Army at that time. Take care of the children for him on the front line of the battle with the Jurchens."

Now the Zuo family can almost be regarded as the largest family closest to the Wu Dynasty. There are many rumors about the family's deeds in the world, and occasionally someone secretly mentions it, but the emperor talked about Xiao Canghe so openly, even He didn't care about revealing the possibility of the Zuo family's "collaboration with the bandits" head-on, but it still made everyone at the table look at each other in dismay.

Jun Wu waved his hand above.

"I've said it, today we don't talk about politics, we only talk about clan..."

"...Whether Mr. Zuo's decision at that time was right or not, many people who knew about it have discussed it. But one thing is that the Zuo family was originally a rich family in Hedong. The real person, he has an idea of ​​where to put his family; secondly, Zuo Gong and Ning Yi also have three chapters of the agreement, and it is agreed that the Zuo family will never be against the Wu Dynasty. And many things happened during this period, one of them, It's very moving..."

"...It was the autumn of the third year of Jianshuo. The Jurchens began to mobilize troops one after another to besiege the northwest. The Huaxia Army knew that this battle would be very fierce. Ning Yi contacted Zuo Gong and asked him if he would stay here. Take away the child in advance, otherwise I am afraid that he will inevitably die. Zuogong refused... In fact, some people have heard of this matter, but many people have not heard of it. In the fifth year of Jianshuo, the Northwest became a piece of white land. Canghe had already been besieged and beaten to pieces. At that time, Ning Yi contacted Zuo Gong again and said... the athletes of the Ru family were nearly half dead or injured, but they had already seen blood, and they had fought... Don't take it back?"

"... Zuo Gong... At that time, his health was very bad, and he was close to death. The elders in the clan thought, it's okay, take it back, and I can see Zuo Gong for the last time. Parents of some children, crying Wanting to get the child back, when Mr. Zuo came to his senses, everyone persuaded them, saying that the unreasonable Huaxia army is in that mountain nest, fighting to the death with the Jurchens... After Mr. Zuo heard this, he raised his hand Raise your hands and pat the bed hard..."

"...He laughed and said that the athletes of our clan fought to the death with the Jurchens and never retreated! They never retreated! How dare you let them come back! Destroy their lives! They—their never retreat—"

Jun Wu's palm slapped on the table, making a loud bang, and for a moment, everyone seemed to have seen the scene of the dying old man clapping his hands and laughing on the bed.The emperor in dragon robe seemed to have mist in his laughing eyes, but of course no one dared to look closely.

Everyone just listened to the voice echoing in the hall.

"... So Zuo Gong asked Zuo Jiyun to go back and tell Ning Yi that when your black flag will be fought, my Zuo family will fight. Ning Yi readily agreed."

"... After another year of fighting, the Huaxia Army finally went south and arrived at Liangshan. At that time, only 120 of the 55 and seven Zuo family members who were sent to the southwest at first... This was the most difficult part, and then they Participated in the Great War in the Southwest. In the end, 37 people survived. These 37 people had experienced the war on the front line. In the southwest, they were brought back to the Wu Dynasty..."

"...Regarding this matter, some people will say that the Southwest Black Flag and our Wu Dynasty have a sworn hatred. But I think that when the country is destroyed and the family is destroyed, and China falls, the biggest enemy is the foreign race. Zuo Gong put the children in his family on the front line of the battle with the Jurchen, with nearly a hundred casualties, did he feel pain? I think it must be painful. But they fought to the death with the Jurchen... without retreating, and in the end, they will be good again I think that this is his heart, as a big clan, towards Wu Dynasty and Sheji... This is the first story I can tell you today."

When Jun Wu said this, he stopped for a while.

"There is a second story, which should not have been told to you..."

"This time I'm talking about my experience..."

"...When I was young, I was the son of an idle prince in Jiangning City, and was strictly controlled by the imperial sister. I didn't get any bad habits since I was a child, but to be honest, I didn't expect too much. Of course, you can’t fight chickens and dogs, and you can’t always learn poetry and arithmetic. At that time, many people passed judgments, saying that I am a middle-aged man..."

"...The appearance of a middle-aged man is also quite good. A young prince will not have to bear too much responsibility in the future. But slowly, the responsibility still came. Father became emperor father, and I became prince. The Central Plains fell, Retreat to Lin'an..."

"...When I was still a prince, I drove ducks to the shelves and handled military affairs... Do you know how it feels when hundreds of thousands of troops pile up to fight? Thousands of people just died like that, and blood flowed like a river. I don't know how to fight , even if you keep telling yourself that the country hates the family, but standing on the battlefield, you will die at any time, and you will still be afraid in your heart..."

"...Do you know when I was not afraid?"

Jun Wu looked at the people below.

"...When guarding the Yangtze River, the battle was very bad. I rode my horse and went around to encourage the soldiers not to be defeated. Then an arrow suddenly shot over and stuck in my stomach, which is...here."

He stretched out his finger and tapped a spot on his stomach slowly.

"...Since that time, whether I go to the battlefield or do other things that ordinary people dare not do, I am no longer afraid. I led troops outside Jiangning City to rush through the Jurchen army formation and arrived in Fuzhou , and have fought two battles, big and small, and you all know that... I can’t say that I am a talented and bold pioneering monarch. Many things can be accomplished, we will only know if we have to do it. But if you really give me a small family, Whether it's pioneering or defending, I'm really confident..."

Jun Wu smiled to himself.

"The two things I said today are a bit fierce, but I am still young, and I am such a person. Please forgive me... What are these two things talking about? Talk about a big clan, to continue, In order to prosper, what exactly do we need? Actually, it’s not about profiteering or relationships. In the final analysis, what we need is young people who can become talents..."

"Many clans among us, in the first generation, were all born out of fighting. But the previous generation suffered and suffered, so they began to spoil the second generation, and then the third generation, from the beginning It is even more difficult to beat and scold. The family is rich, and the children are not talented. After the ancestors die, they will lose their pillars, and they will be wiped out sooner or later. The so-called wealth is not more than three generations, and most of them come from this..."

"Everyone who came here today, I know, it's not easy to be a family member. You want to give your children an official position, you want to gain some power, and I have recorded every bit of it in this book. I have read it. In fact, it’s all pity for the parents of the world... Is the child in your family already spoiled, unable to do anything, or... looks like a mediocre person, so you worry about it every day?"

He looked at the changes in the eyes of the people below and sighed.

"...The two stories I just told are actually because of this... Ladies and gentlemen, in fact, there are many truths that everyone knows. I know that if there is a child who can read in any family, A great genius is born, that is something that the whole family can be happy and proud of, why? Because everyone knows that such a child will be able to keep the family prosperous in the future. But, is it true that a person's success is Can you only look at geniuses?"

"...Don't talk about me, just talk about people from the Zuo family. Are they geniuses? In fact, they are not... Back then, Mr. Zuo selected children from the main branch and collateral branches of the Zuo family. The biggest criterion was not how smart the child was. , but is there any kind of child who can endure hardship? He threw 120 seven children into the black flag, leaving 37 people. A genius is brought out to fight these Zuo family members, there is no genius who can beat them..."

"...I said it when I came here, the marriage of one person is a trivial matter." Jun Wu paused, "But the wish of the people in the world is a big matter... Sister Huang sent this booklet into the palace. After reading it, I can see that it is not easy for you. You want to have a good future for your family and a stable life for your children. For this reason, many people really took out all they could... ..."

"...But, the matter of choosing a few concubines, even if it is really selling the officialdom, how many of you can be satisfied? The fact that you can produce these things for this matter is enough to show that we share weal and woe with the Wu Dynasty. Heart, this intention, I don't want any of you to fail. So in the past few days, I have discussed carefully with several elders, and finally decided to offer another favor to you in the military training school... ..."

"...If you have young heroes in your family, or children who can endure hardships and stand hard work, please send them to me...I can't promise the wealth and honor in front of them, but I will arrange Li Guang, Li Pin, Zuo Wen Huai waits for the best teachers to teach them. I will arrange them to experience in the most difficult environment. I will make them useful people and then entrust them with important responsibilities. In the future, some of them will become your family members. , the real pillar!"

"...Since I succeeded to the throne, I know that there have been several public debates outside. One is that I carry out reforms and do not listen to anyone's advice, and I am an independent husband; Any great family is unwilling to divide power... In fact, the world is my world, and you are my people. How can there be any difference between a gentry and an ordinary person? Ordinary people become officials, and they will naturally gradually become a gentry. If the gentry can Manage the place well for me, why should I use a stunned young man?"

"...The country's affairs are difficult, and I'm really thirsty for talents. But what is a talent? Because of the relationship between your in-laws, do you give the children in your family a favor? Give them an official? Keep them safe forever? But in this regard, no To tell you the truth, I am very harsh. But I believe that even if ordinary people are put into the fire to be refined, refined iron will definitely be born. I also know that your expectations for the continuation and growth of the family must be placed on Such refined iron!"

"...In the past, we were far apart. You don't know what kind of person I am, and I don't understand you clearly enough. But this time, I have already expressed my thoughts to you with all my heart. What kind of talents do you want, and what will I do? They are all listed here. After this luncheon, each of your families will have two or three people who come to Fuzhou to study. It will be too easy, but they will be appointed officials in the future. I hope that the children in your family can become the ministers of the court in the future, and your family can become the pillars of the world... I will use this cup to encourage everyone. "

Jun Wu was above, raising his wine glass.

At the banquet below, everyone raised their glasses happily, and Huang Shengyuan was also smiling all over his face, but he was a little confused in his heart, just thinking: Here we go again...

Just after drinking the wine in the cup, an old man on the seat in front of him knelt down on the ground crying, only to hear him say: "Today I can see His Majesty's face, and I will know that His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and there is hope for the Wu Dynasty to cheer up. All the juniors in the old family are willing to hand over to His Majesty, and let His Majesty spur..." Naturally, there was a mess of compliments after that.This man is a rich man in the country, and he has never seen such a big world. Even though the words in his mouth are not elegant, everyone just behaves normally. But after speaking for a while, the words are gradually not quite right, and then there is a sharp forehead Nibbled on the ground.

"...Little old man... After learning from the pain, there is still one thing that I have to risk my life to tell. Your Majesty, I am going to die. I have heard that among the people who came to Beijing with us this time, there are bad people, and there are people who are plotting to do something wrong. Your Majesty— —”

The hall fell silent, everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, and then turned their heads to look up, only to see that the emperor's face gradually became calm and serious, and then he raised his hand falsely.

"Since this is the case, please invite Ming Gong to speak in the back hall..."

Then a guard came over and led the crying old man into the back hall.

As soon as the talent left, Huang Shengyuan heard a bang, and someone knelt down beside him: "The villain is guilty, I have heard about this, and the villain is willing to explain to His Majesty and the princess..."

Arranged...

Arranged two...

It's too fake, it's too fake...

Huang Shengyuan looked around, almost shouting.His eyes trembled constantly.

Here we go again...

Here we go again...

……

The bells of the temple in the distance rang, and it was past noon.

In May, people came to Beijing on a large scale, and the news of the emperor's first move has not yet spread on a large scale.Cao Jinlong drove through the streets of the city in a carriage and arrived at Xiangyufang in the south of the city.

This is an ordinary city where civilians live in Fuzhou City. After reconfirming his disguise, Cao Jinlong walked across the long street and sat in a simple teahouse for a while, watching the movement of a courtyard across the street.

In the middle of the day, there were some special movements gradually in the yard. The person he was waiting for had returned.

Cao Jinlong left the teahouse, walked into the old courtyard next to him, and then walked along the closed dark corridor to the innermost room on the second floor.

The room was dark, and the window facing the street was not open, but the next door to the room was connected to another wooden building in the courtyard.He pulled a rope on the wall, and after a while, someone from the room over there came and tapped lightly on the partition on the wall, and Cao Jinlong also tapped.

A small piece of wood on the room has just been opened.

Standing here, Cao Jinlong looked at the profile of the wooden frame, and could smell the tempting aroma from the tip of his nose.He was silent for a while, before he opened his mouth: "Shuang'er..."

"...Cao Lang."

The voice from the other side also came over.

It was Chen Shuangran.

……

Conspirators have their methods, and adulterers and adulterers have stories of adulterers and adulterers.In the afternoon of June, karma, large and small, accompanied by the ubiquitous sunshine, poured into the bustling and crowded city of Fuzhou, gradually converging into the bustling streets and alleys, and accompanied by countless connections. Extends far.

Ning Ji and Qu Longjun bought some dishes for the evening at the vegetable market, and they were walking towards Huaiyunfang with big bags and small bags. At the side of the crowded market, two green forest men in bunts suddenly opened their clothes , rushed to a green-robed official who was taking the children at a grocery stand to buy things.

Suddenly there was a chaotic sound, and on the street in the afternoon, two green forest men cut down the official on the steps outside the roadside door with several knives, and then rushed into the crowd, taking advantage of the confusion and fleeing.

Blood flowed all over the street, and the child who was brought by the official stood in a pool of blood and cried loudly.

Ning Ji and Qu Longjun looked at this scene with some confusion.

The same incident happened several times in Fuzhou City this day.

……

The sun is slanting westward, and it is evening in the world.

It's still hot.

At the intersection of Yinqiaofang, the fat aunt sweated a lot during the process of starting the stove and lighting the fire, and when the tables and chairs were set up, she was so tired that she sat down on the side of the road.

"This ghostly weather...it might as well be a strong wind..."

She was chatting with a partner who was familiar with her at the booth next to her, and the other party approached and slapped her on the mouth as if waving.

"Bah, bah, bah, Tongyan Wuji, Tongyan Wuji... It's better not to have a strong wind..."

"Hey hey, I'm just saying..."

People living in coastal cities do not expect typhoons even if they are extremely hot.

But they all understand.

Typhoon will come.