The bear child of the Red Chamber, Jia Cong

Jia Cong and Liu Xiaoqi found Qiu Sheng, an acquaintance of Monk Wenkong, in a small house next to Wengshan Po. Jia Cong smashed a large part of his investigation report.Qiu Sheng was stunned for a moment and his face turned cold: "Brother Zhou, what is the meaning of this?"

"It's nothing." Jia Cong said, "I want to check with Brother Qiu on a guess. Does the Wu family in Cangzhou know who Monk Wenkong's biological father is?"

Qiu Sheng said calmly: "It has nothing to do with Brother Zhou." He turned around and was about to close the door, but Liu Xiaoqi took two steps forward and got stuck between him and another door.

Jia Cong said "Oh": "That means I don't know. If you know, according to the degree of acquaintance between the two of you, you should mourn for him or vicissitudes of life for half a second. How did those monks break up with you? Wu The noble concubine was framed by other concubines in the palace... other concubines don't have that ability, so she was framed by the empress, she was replaced by a civet cat for the prince, and she stole the phoenix and turned into a dragon."

Liu Xiaoqi said: "You have to rely on some tricks to believe in deception. The play is nonsense, and the child who changes the imperial concubine in the Forbidden City is no match for the sky. I guess they mean that Wu Guifei's son was born with a horoscope to defeat his father, and the Supreme Emperor ordered him to live a long life He became a monk in a Zen temple. You can see that his master became a monk because of this, so the temple specially made this child a disciple of Yuan."

"Anyway, the reason why many seniors in the temple joined the temple can be used, and at most it will confuse the origins of two or three people." Jia Cong looked at Qiu Sheng with a smile, "Right."

Qiu Sheng's expression was uncertain, and he said after a long time: "Brother Zhou is not afraid of death if you talk about the right and wrong of the Tian family?"

Jia Cong snorted and said, "The ashes of their Tian family crawled out of the living people, why don't people say it?"

As if struck by lightning, Qiu Sheng blurted out: "You can't talk nonsense!"

Jia Cong looked at Liu Xiaoqi: "How about this. Let's talk to Master Chen and ask Brother Qiu to listen next door. If he still can't accept the reality, then talk to Master Yuan again and ask Brother Qiu to listen next door. Well, Let's talk to them and discuss why the late emperor picked Concubine Wu to pick up ashes. After all, Concubine Wu is the niece of Mr. Wu Tianzuo, and I don't believe it if he just picks up any concubine in the palace."

Qiu Sheng stared at the two of them for half a day, and suddenly said: "Master Wen Kong suddenly contracted a strange disease, and two masters, Liao Chen and Lio Yuan, accompanied him to the north to find a miracle doctor. Is it true?"

"Of course it's not true." Jia Cong said, "Because of the wholesale green hat case of the monk and his disciples, new progress has been made, and all of them are in prison at the Ministry of Criminal Justice."

Qiu Sheng was shocked: "What big case? Hearing the Dharma, he was not imprisoned with his family? What did he do with the two masters?"

"Huh? You are so familiar with Wenkong, don't you know about it at all?" Jia Cong said in surprise, "Not only listening to the Dharma, but also many monks from Wanshou Temple have mixed in; there are countless female relatives who have fornicated, half of the capital anyway. The tops of the heads of the rich and powerful are green." Qiu Shengba staggered.

Liu Xiaoqi went on to say: "Master Wenkong, you don't have to worry, it's pretty good. After a year or so, you'll be a scholar or a doctor, and you won't know your origin in this life."

Jia Cong said: "If you two meet again by fate, brother Qiu, please don't tell him his life experience, just treat him as an ordinary abandoned baby."

Qiu Sheng looked at Jia Cong and said, "Brother Zhou must not be an ordinary person."

"Well, no."

Qiu Sheng lowered his head and thought for a moment: "I can't believe it."

Jia Cong nodded: "Understandable. We will arrange for someone to interrogate the two old monks, and you will understand when you hear it yourself."

Qiu Sheng shook his head and said after a while: "...No need. I believe it is true." Nai sighed sadly. "He was originally a first-class figure."

Jia Cong comforted, "When he loses the smell of the incense burner and becomes a free and good citizen, he can still be a first-rate god." Nai changed the subject, "You called Wu Rui."

Qiu Sheng said calmly: "Brother Zhou is from the imperial court, right?"

Jia Cong frowned: "Is it important whether I am a member of the imperial court? I think Brother Qiu and Wen Kong are both lovers of poetry. Young literary and artistic youths have a kind of innocence and kindness. Therefore, I thought that although you are a little cowardly, you are still respectful. He can be regarded as a good person, at least he has a rough understanding of right and wrong. You have to admit that Wenkong’s life experience is not only embarrassing but also dangerous, he is not as good as an abandoned baby. It is better for him not to know anything, and it is better than mistakenly thinking that he is the emperor. It's okay with Concubine Wu's son, right?"

Qiu Sheng hesitated slightly between his brows.Jia Cong said: "If he mistakenly thinks that he is an unlucky prince, Bao Buqi will want more. For example, to restore his mother's reputation and restore his status as a prince. Then he will search for evidence. Or he will find nothing. , I feel aggrieved; or I can find out my real identity."

Qiu Sheng thought for a while, nodded and said, "That's right. It's really better to be an abandoned baby."

"Then we have reached a consensus on this point." Jia Cong said, "There are few people who know about this matter. If everyone doesn't say it, he will never know in this life. However, there are still Wu family in Cangzhou who mistakenly believe that they are hiding in the capital. Brother Qiu, please go to Cangzhou again and tell Mr. Wu Rui about this matter. For the sake of Wenkong's lifelong happiness and the Wu family's reputation, please stop searching for and disturbing Wenkong. If we meet by chance in the future, don't let Wen Kong know that he is their grandson. Just pretend that Concubine Wu gave birth to a daughter."

Qiu Sheng thought about it for a long time, and said: "I'd better... hear the two masters, Chen and Liaoyuan, admit this with their own ears."

"No problem. Are you free this afternoon? We'll make arrangements."

Qiu Sheng asked softly, "Where is he?"

"Bandit den." Jia Cong said with a smile.On the same day, Wen Kong was taken away in a sack and sent to Panlong Mountain.The bandits interrogated him for half a day and said they had caught the wrong person.It's just that he couldn't let him go, so he stayed on the mountain as a minion, and asked the gentleman sent by the revolutionary party to teach him some concepts of freedom and democracy. "It's not far from Beijing. Now he has returned to lay life—his monk's robe is torn, so he can only wear ordinary clothes given by bandits. There is no vegetarian food on the mountain, no one shaves his head, and there is no scripture and wooden fish to read to him. The Buddhist precepts have been broken. There is not much left, and I have learned a lot of common sense. The two of you have a deep friendship, and when he is recruited to go down the mountain, he will definitely come to Brother Qiu to talk about the past."

Qiu Sheng was startled, and said sadly, "...that's fine."

It will be easy to handle later.Qiu Sheng could hear the words of Liu Xiaoqi personally going to the prison of the two old monks in the Ministry of Criminal Justice.Although he had already guessed that this was true, Qiu Sheng was still dumbfounded and speechless for a long time.After resting for two days, the man hurried to Cangzhou.

All the way to the Wu family's mansion next to Donghai Academy, Qiu Sheng took a post and asked to see Mr. Wu Rui.Wu Rui also discussed with his father for a long time these days, guessing what happened to Wanshou Temple.However, their whole family is a literati, and they don't have fine works in their hands.Suddenly I heard that Qiu Sheng came again, please come in hurriedly.

Qiu Sheng went into the study to see the ceremony, and told him about Wen Kong's life experience with tears in his eyes.Wu Rui was dumbfounded and fell down.After a while, I suddenly felt my limbs were cold, my eyes were dizzy, and my body softened and I fell back on the chair.Qiu Sheng hurriedly stepped forward to massage his chest, and pinched the person for a long time, before he regained his senses leisurely.After a long time, two lines of tears fell.Qiu Sheng didn't dare to leave his side, just stood there and wept, poured hot tea for him and fed him a few mouthfuls.

Wu Rui waved his hand, was stunned for a long time, and asked in a hoarse voice: "How did those two old monks go to the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, and how did you know, please tell me from the beginning."

Qiu Sheng then started with "Zhou Sheng" visiting him.At the end, he said: "Brother Zhou and Brother Liu never said where they came from. The students guessed that they must be important figures in front of the Regent."

Wu Rui thought for a while and said, "How did you meet Zhou Sheng?"

Qiu Sheng hurriedly said: "Last time the students were anxious to hear about Master Kong's sudden illness and forgot to mention him. The students met this man at Wanshou Temple on the [-]th day of the first lunar month." Then he talked about the night. "For some reason, the students quite trust this person."

Wu Rui asked him to write down the poem he wrote on the night of 'Zhou Sheng', picked it up and looked at it, and said, "Actually, it doesn't fit the occasion, and it should be revised according to the old one." After reading it again, "It also has a romantic meaning. According to this Judging from poetry, this Zhou Sheng's foundation is quite solid."

Qiu Sheng smiled wryly, "Sir, what time is it?"

Wu Rui said: "I just want to see if he has studied or not." Nai put down the manuscript and said, "So, Liaochen and the others were implicated and imprisoned because the monk who heard the Dharma seduced the female family members of the inner house?"

Qiu Sheng said, "That's what Zhou Sheng and Liu Sheng said."

Wu Rui snorted and said, "It's no wonder I believe it! They are coaxing you to be an idiot. They have been aware of the things inside the Wanshou Temple, but I don't know how many have been found out." After thinking for a while, he murmured, "Big thing... ...It's hard to handle." Qiu Sheng was too frightened to move.Wu Rui said calmly, "You go out first, I'll think about it myself."

Qiu Sheng said "yes" and withdrew.Just when he arrived at the door, Wu Rui called again, "Come back." Qiu Sheng hurriedly turned back: "Sir."

Wu Rui asked: "Just now you said that you believed in Zhou Sheng for some reason. Think about it, why?"

Qiu Sheng didn't dare to sit down, so he stood before the case and thought about it for a long time, then said: "This man's words are all reasonable. On the Lantern Festival, he mentioned the third grandma of that family... We all felt that it was unfair earlier, but we didn't pay attention to it. I wondered where the injustice was. It wasn’t until I heard what he said that I realized that the third grandma’s natal family was not the same as her own. She was framed by her natal family, and even Wen Kong and my uncle were all accomplices. Besides, Although they sent Master Wenkong to the bandit den, they were able to wash away his original identity. In the future, he will be another person when he is recruited down the mountain. good."

Wu Rui nodded: "I thought so just now. Then Zhou Sheng must be the Prince Regent's confidant." He stood up, "You are walking in a hurry, go to the guest room to rest." Qiu Sheng agreed and left.Wu Rui sat alone for more than half an hour, then got up and went to the backyard.

Wu Tianzuo is a great Confucian in Cangzhou, famous all over the world.He is only in his sixties now, teaching in the academy every day, and usually only lives in a secluded courtyard behind Wu's house.When Wu Rui arrived, Wu Tianzuo had just returned from the academy and was sitting and drinking tea.Seeing his son coming in with a bad face, he frowned slightly: "But I didn't sleep well last night."

Wu Rui said: "Thank you, father, for your concern. My son slept well last night." Then he sent the serving boy out.Wu Tianzuo felt vaguely ominous in his heart.Wu Rui stepped forward and knelt down, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes.

Wu Tianzuo was shocked: "What happened? But what happened to that child Wen Kong? Get up and talk."

Wu Rui choked up and said, "That child is fine." He didn't get up, and repeated what Qiu Sheng said one by one.Nai bowed his head and remained silent.

Wu Tianzuo remained motionless like a clay bodhisattva.After an unknown amount of time, the old man let out a long sigh: "I told your second uncle a long time ago, don't take any imperial examinations, don't take imperial examinations. He just doesn't listen." Wu Rui was taken aback.After a while, the old man went on to say, "Later I said that there is a lot of food for him in the family, and he is just an idle official, what career to do! He still doesn't listen. In the end he wanted to send his daughter into the palace, but unexpectedly Don't tell me! I got a report, and I didn't stop me from going to Beijing at night." Nai sighed again, and took the case again, "If he just stayed in the academy to teach, how could such things happen! He ruined the children, brought down the reputation of the Wu family, and even harmed the late emperor. Bearing... such a bad name."

Wu Rui was stunned: "Father, forgive my son for being stupid... How did it cause the first emperor to be reprimanded? I heard from the two old monks that the emperor was too presumptuous at that time, and the first emperor wanted to punish him, so he could do it... then Come on."

Wu Tianzuo sighed: "You are still young, I don't know. Once a person gets old, he is like a child. When he is young, he will weigh the overall situation and make choices with patience. When he is old, he will not control himself, and many things will be done according to his temper. And easy I want to be confused. The older I get, the more I am like this. Wasn't the first emperor a wise king when he was young? When he was old, he did many foolish things. This is human nature. The emperor is also a human being, and the emperor will grow old. When he grows old, he will inevitably be confused. Then Wait, no wonder the late emperor."

Wu Rui was stunned for a long time again: "If you can't blame the late Emperor, then...you can't blame my sister."

Wu Tianzuo shook his head: "Of course I don't blame your sister. She is a weak woman, living in a deep palace, and she can't help herself. That's why I said, blame your second uncle. If he doesn't take the imperial examination, nothing will happen to him. It doesn't matter if he doesn't go in and fight for promotion, and it doesn't matter if he doesn't send his daughter into the palace."

Wu Rui said in a low voice: "Second Uncle has learned a lot, why would he not take the imperial examination? He is naturally ambitious and willing to do practical things, and the Shangguan is not blind, so it's no wonder he didn't get promoted. Besides, his father didn't allow him to take the exam, and even a If you refuse to tell him the reason, how can he be convinced?"

Wu Tianzuo clapped the case and said: "I didn't tell him. Of course it's because of me. Only the eldest son knows about the rules passed down from your great-grandfather. Since he is my younger brother, he just needs to be obedient. It's only because he insists on his own way that today's results can be achieved." .”

Wu Rui bowed his head.After a while, he said: "Even if there is no my sister, there must be other concubines. Since the late emperor is old and confused, he usually knows how to pick up ashes."

"Then it has nothing to do with my Wu family." Wu Tianzuo said, "Even if the infamy of the late emperor has to be carried, it is not my Wu family's daughter who caused the trouble. I will go underground to meet your great-grandfather, grandfather and grandpa. Can feel at ease."

Wu Rui opened his mouth and closed it again, and finally said "yes".After a long time, he asked: "The Wanshou Temple has been targeted by the traitor Jia Cong, and our family thinks there are some clues. What should we do next."

Wu Tianzuo said silently for a long time: "Let's not do anything first, we should keep the same to cope with all changes, and let's see what Jia thief wants."

Wu Rui answered "Yes" again, lowered his head and rolled his small eyes.