Brocade tears

On the first day of May in the 20th year of Wanli, in the afternoon, it was cloudy and light raining, and it was at the Guazhou Ferry in Yangzhou Prefecture.

The summer in the south of the Yangtze River has entered the summer, and recently the plum blossoms have ripened and the rain has fallen continuously.The hot and humid weather made the visitors from the north a little unaccustomed to it. They all thinned their clothes and waved their fans.

Meng Kuang and others who were originally scheduled to disembark at Yizhen Wharf had to disembark at Guazhoudu due to the temporary change of course of the horse boat.The navy's boats were laid out on the river at Guazhoudu, all official ships were stopped, and a temporary call-up order was issued, all official ships going south must immediately unload their cargo and return to the voyage, transporting grain northward.Therefore, the horse boat had to temporarily unload the cargo at Guazhou Ferry, and pay the food and wages here, and transport it northward.

This batch of grain was sent to the northwest, and the war in the northwest was already in full swing.Xiaobai sits behind the scenes as the mastermind, with the vanguard Liu Dongyang as the commander-in-chief, his sons Gu Chengen and Xu Chao as the left and right deputy commanders, and his adopted sons Qi Yun and Tu Wenxiu as the left and right generals, occupying Ningxia Town and forming an alliance with animals.Troops were sent to Zhongwei, Guangwu, Yuquanying, Lingzhou and other cities, but Pinglu City could not hold on.The rebels also used Tingqi's living and herding in the area of ​​Xuhuamachi as a bait, and got the help of Litu, the Mongolian leader of the Hetao Department, and others.The deputy commander-in-chief, Li Wei, followed the governor Wei Xuezeng's call, and took charge of the general's military campaign, but the rebels relied on the Mongolian support of the Hetao Department, and they were very strong.So Ma Gui, the former general of Ningxia who had been demoted to the frontier, was re-appointed as the deputy general, and the commander-in-chief of Ningxia was urgently dispatched to fight against the rebels.Ma Gui led the Cangtou army to attack the city and failed, so he turned to block the Hetao tribe, which was quite successful.In April, Li Rusong served as the commander-in-chief of Ningxia, and Mei Guozhen, the imperial censor of Zhejiang Province, supervised the army, leading a large army to encircle and suppress.However, many sieges failed, and by May, the war fell into a stalemate.

"Once this battle cannot be settled quickly, the final battle will be food and wages. Whoever runs out of food first will die first. Except for a few real heroes, the gang of people who besieged the Northwest Tartars are not capable. It is unlikely that they will make a surprise attack. But as long as they take it step by step, do a good job in every step of the strategy, and don't hold each other back, this battle can still be won. I estimate that in another month, the war will be over. There is an obvious turning point, and we can win soon. No matter how strong the iron walls of Ningxia Town are, the people inside the walls cannot afford to be exhausted.” When disembarking, Guo Dayou said goodbye to the gang leader, who asked him his opinion on the Northwest War, so Guo Dayou Said the above words with a smile.

Saying goodbye to Gangshou, a group of people set foot on land again in a few days, led horses and rode into the town of Guazhou, Yangzhou Prefecture.

This Yangzhou Prefecture is a well-known place. Since ancient times, countless literati have left famous sentences to praise this place, especially Taibai's "Fireworks will go down to Yangzhou in March".However, it is now May, and Meng Kuang couldn't help but smile helplessly as he looked at the overcast sky.Fortunately, there is a contiguous apricot forest near the ferry. The white petals are soft and moist in the rain, and the fragrance is even stronger, but there is still a little bit of late spring.In the carriage behind, Sui'er stretched out her hand from the car window to look for flowers and smell the fragrance, and Meng Yan followed her example, causing Han Jiaer to make fun of her, and then coaxed Bai Yuyin to come too, to compare who was more beautiful, and there was a series of laughter immediately .Looking back at Sui'er laughing among the flowers, Meng Kuang couldn't help feeling drunk, and felt that Su Dongpo's "Jiangchengzi" was more appropriate than Xingmu's feelings:

"Moyun drags the rain across the west building. The water flows eastward, and the evening smoke is collected. Outside the willows, the setting sun shines back and moves the curtain hook. Wushan is really good tonight, the flowers are not falling, and the wine is new.

The beauty smiled and turned her starry eyes.The moonlight is ashamed, holding Jinou.The singing fan lingers in the wind, blowing away the sorrow of spring.Just ask the friends in the south of the Yangtze River, who is like me, drunk in Yangzhou. "

Yangzhou Mansion is the hometown of Meng Kuang's mother's mother's Zhao family. It stands to reason that it is rare to come here, and it seems inappropriate not to visit.However, they are currently in Guazhou Town, and their old house is in Jiangdu County in the northeast. There are sixty or seventy miles between the two places, and it will take at least an hour to get there. Naturally, they will not go there for no reason. .It's getting late today, and everyone plans to rest in Guazhou Town.There is water in Guazhou, Jingkou. Tomorrow they plan to cross the river from Guazhou to Xijindu in Jingkou, and then go overland along Zhenjiang Mansion in the south of the Yangtze River to Nanjing City of Yingtian Mansion.The journey here takes about one or two days. Generally speaking, there is not much difference from their estimated arrival time.

After settling in the Guazhou inn, Meng Kuang took Meng Ai and Sui'er out of the inn and headed for the local pharmacy.This has almost become their habit. Whenever they go to a place, they go to the pharmacy to prescribe medicine first.The main reason is that Meng Yan needs to take medicine every day, and the amount of medicine she can carry is limited.Because it is a trivial matter, so many people are not needed to accompany them, so Guo Dayou, Bai Yuyin, Lu Han and his wife stayed in the inn and did not come with them.Bai Yuyin has not been feeling well for the past few days. If she doesn't come with her, Meng Kuang doesn't have to worry about the level of a bowl of water.Since April [-]st, another ten days have passed, but Meng Kuang never mentioned whether there was any new news from Brother Meng and Daoist Luo. If she didn't mention it, it meant that they had no new news. Er and Meng Yan didn't ask too many questions along the way.

Two days ago, Meng Kuang took the opportunity to tell Meng Yan and Sui Er the contents of the letter in Guo Dayou's package that she peeked at that night, and only the two of them know about it.

The letter was written by Zhao Nanxing, a meritorious official of the Ministry of Officials, to Gu Xiancheng, a former colleague of the Ministry of Officials, who has now resigned from office and lives in Jingli Town, Wuxi County, his hometown, to guard his mother's filial piety.The content of the letter is very simple, but when you read it carefully, it makes people feel horrified.Zhao Nanxing was telling Gu Xiancheng that he was wooing his partners in the DPRK and China, and he wanted to find a way to get the court to use Gu Xiancheng again in next year's Beijing inspection, and to let him return to the Ministry of Officials to serve as a meritorious doctor, and to control the rank of officials with Zhao Nanxing Promotions, transfers, etc.He listed all his partners, and asked Gu Xiancheng who was reliable and who had doubts about participating inappropriately.

The assessment of Ming officials is divided into external inspection and Beijing inspection.Foreign inspections are held once every three years, when officials from other places come to Beijing for a pilgrimage to accept inspections. They are divided into three times: preliminary examination, re-examination, and general examination. The nine-year cycle is called "full examination".The Jingcha once every six years is an inspection of officials in the middle of Beijing. This is a rule set since the Hongzhi period.Gu Xianben is a Beijing official. He was deposed five years ago, that is, in the 15th year of Wanli, because of the last Beijing inspection. Relatively large float.This is both an opportunity and a time of greatest danger for many.

But the most shocking thing is the faction of Zhao Nanxing, Gu Xiancheng and others.It is not a new thing for the DPRK and China to form cliques. Now the DPRK and China can be divided into hundreds of parties, large and small, according to the localities and factions. However, if you carefully distinguish these parties, they are actually relatively loose organizations. Most of them can't be successful if they are connected together by the relationship or the old officials of the students of the scientific examination.However, Zhao Nanxing and Gu Xiancheng went beyond the concept of these parties. They are completely a group of insightful people united by aspirations and ideas. They are far apart and have huge differences in background, but they can sympathize with each other.They have relatively clearer organizational and personnel arrangements, are very united, and take care of each other.Although such an organization is only a spark at present, if given time, it will become a prairie fire.

This little-known, still in its infancy, small party has members all over the Ministry of Officials, the Ministry of Industry, the Sixth Division, and the Metropolitan Procuratorate. This is where they are confident that they can influence the next Beijing Procuratorate.Coupled with Guo Dayou and Luo Xun behind him, it means that even the emperor's own army, Jinyiwei, has their accomplices. In this way, they can grasp a wider range of information, and they can even get involved. in the army.This made Meng Kuang feel a little shivering down his spine. If such a group of people form a clique, if they disagree, wouldn't the situation of the court be completely controlled by them?If it really develops and becomes an unrivaled big party, then who else in the court will be able to control it?Even if it can't develop, forming a party will inevitably seek private interests. This is an iron law, and it will harm the public and benefit private interests, and there will be no good things in the future.

Of course, Meng Kuang didn't easily believe that Guo Dayou really had contact with Gu and Zhao's party, and there were still doubts about this matter.First of all, the origin of this letter is unknown. Did Zhao Nanxing entrust Guo Dayou to take it out of the capital and send it to Gu Xiancheng in his hometown Ding Youzhong?Or was this letter actually intercepted by Guo Dayou and brought with him?It's hard to tell right now.Meng Kuang is more inclined to the former, because this letter was signed on the ninth day of April, and the capital was closed at that time, and only military newspapers could deliver it back and forth. significance.Only privileged people like Guo Dayou can be taken out of the city.

Secondly, it is not known whether this letter is forged. Meng Kuang does not know Zhao Nanxing's handwriting, so he cannot distinguish the authenticity of this letter.If it is fake, then who made this letter?For what purpose?

Finally, did Guo Dayou deliberately let her see this letter?This last doubtful point should be considered in conjunction with the previous doubtful point. If Guo Dayou let her see it on purpose, it may be that he deliberately forged the letter. The purpose may be to disrupt Meng Kuang's investigation of the forces behind him.It may also be to intentionally direct Meng Kuang's attention to Gu Zhao Yidang to achieve some unknown purpose.It's just that doing so is a bit superfluous, not like Guo Dayou's style.In short, it is difficult to judge whether it is true or false. According to common sense, Meng Kuang still prefers that this letter was not deliberately let Guo Dayou let him read it, but Guo Dayou was indeed entrusted by Zhao Nanxing to take it out of Beijing and intend to give it to him. Made by Gu Xiancheng.They will also pass through Wuxi on this trip to Hangzhou. At that time, Guo Dayou only needs to repeat his tricks and leave alone under the pretext of visiting friends, and then he can deliver the letter without telling them. This is not difficult.

After purchasing enough medicines at the pharmacy in Guazhou Town, the three of them walked back to the inn slowly, taking a tour of the city of Guazhou along the way.The further you go to the south of the Yangtze River, the more beautiful and pleasant the scenery is, and the air is filled with water vapor, which is humid and warm.The people I met on the road became more and more dense, and both men and women showed a delicacy that was completely different from those in the north.Jiangnan is the hometown of Sui'er and Bai Yuyin. Meng Kuang himself is actually from Jiangnan. Her father's generation lived in Zhejiang, and his mother's family was originally from Yangzhou, South Zhili.Therefore, the closer the road is to the south of the Yangtze River, the more it feels like being close to the hometown. Meng Kuang is fine, but Sui Er and Bai Yuyin are really showing nostalgia these days. They talk less during the day and often look at each other. Staring at the scenery outside, he seemed to be lost.

Meng Kuang no longer wears the Shura mask these days, but wraps the lower half of his face with breathable white silk cloth.One is to adapt to the heat and humidity in the south of the Yangtze River, and the other is that this mission needs to be done in secret. In the densely populated Jiangnan area, wearing a Shura mask is too high-profile and eye-catching, and it is not wise.In addition, in recent days, her clothes have become more and more civilian. The blue uniform of Jin Yiwei in the past has now been replaced by a light white satin military uniform. Once worn, it looks like a knight-errant traveling in the world, free and easy.

Sui'er and Meng Yan's clothes were also changed into thin double-breasted button-up shirts and eight-fold skirts. Sui'er's clothes were mostly moon white, which were hurriedly made in a tailor shop near Zhao's house before leaving Beijing. There are several sets in rotation.And Meng Yan is happy with pink.In spring, the delicate faces of the two daughters showed a different kind of charming style. The humid air in the south of the Yangtze River moisturized the skin of the daughter's house.

Meng Kuang walked behind the two girls, carrying the large and small bags of medicinal materials bought by Meng An in his hand, his eyes fell on the side of Sui'er's face, and he was a little distracted for a while.Meng Yan was talking to Sui'er about the interesting stories about her seeing a doctor in the past, and she listened carefully with her head tilted.Meng Ai suddenly made a joke, and Sui'er suddenly smiled sweetly, which really overshadowed Baihua for a moment, and made Wanfang overwhelmed.Just in front of him came a young man who looked like he was waving a folding fan, followed by a servant.When he looked up and saw Sui Er's smile, his soul flew into the sky.He stood there blankly and stared at her, until Sui'er and his party passed by his side, he didn't move a step.

"Brother Lian?" the servant behind him called suspiciously.

"Oh, it's okay, let's go." The young man shook his head, stopped looking, and continued to move forward.Both he and his family speak Hubei dialect, so they should not be locals.

Meng Kuang looked back, looking at the back of him leaving, his eyes narrowed slightly.

In the early morning of the next day, Meng Kuang and his party came to Guazhou Ferry to board the ferry.Because the carriages and horses had to be crossed, the ordinary ferry couldn't carry them for a while, so they had to wait for the big boat to come.While waiting, there were more and more people waiting for the ferry at the ferry. In the humid morning mist, Meng Kuang saw the scholar and servant he had met in Guazhou Town yesterday.This person also wants to take a ferry to Jingkou?Could it be that you go with them?Meng Kuang secretly guessed.She glanced at Sui'er again. Sui'er was whispering to Meng Yan and didn't notice the scholar.

Meng Kuang used his listening skills to listen carefully to the conversation between the scholar and his servant.I vaguely heard the family Ding asking the scholar:

"Brother Lian, we don't have much time to go out this time. I'm afraid we have to go back in a few days after arriving in Wuxi, otherwise we won't be able to go home."

"Don't worry, how can you go back easily without waiting for me to find Mr. Jingyang?" the scholar said impatiently.

"But Madam is still at home, Brother Yi is also young, Master and Madam are in poor health, you are always running outside, and the family really can't afford to worry about you."

"No need to say more, I have my own plan."

……

This person actually went to Wuxi to look for Gu Xiancheng?Meng Kuang was secretly surprised and couldn't help but glance at him more.Just at this time, a big boat for ferrying chariots and horses came. Guo Dayou greeted the boatman and urged everyone to get on the boat.Seeing this, the scholar hurriedly stepped forward, cupped his hands to Guo Dayou and said:

"Brother, dare to ask if we can board the ship with you. It is really urgent. Please help me."

Guo Dayou took a look at him, and smiled kindly: "It's okay, just the two of you, come up together."

The scholar suddenly showed a smile, bowed down and said, "Thank you, brother."