MTL - Feng Xing-Chapter 18

After waiting for two more days, the official that the old shopkeeper was talking about finally came.

Only two people came, dressed as yamen servants, looking very impatient.

"Where are people?"

"Officer, are you asking the dead or the murderer?"

The old shopkeeper cautiously accompanied him, and the two yamen servants were not polite, they found a table and sat down on it after entering. Kuizi hurried over with the teapot and poured tea for them.

"Of course it's the murderer. We probably heard the story from people in your shop on the way, so you don't need to repeat it. It's not easy for us brothers to get some good wine and food. It's not easy to ride a horse. After half a day, we will go on the road after eating and drinking, and we have to rush back to report to the boss."

"You two officials, wait a moment, the food and drink will be here soon."

The old shopkeeper quickly prepared a table of meals, including chicken, duck, fish, meat and wine, which is rare in this barren mountain and wild place.

Fang Fengsheng and Fan Jinchuan, as the main personnel who solved the homicide case this time, have been waiting by the side, afraid that the old shopkeeper will not be able to answer when the yamen servant asks questions. Unexpectedly, when they came, they didn't ask questions at all, they didn't ask anything, they just ate and drank here, and didn't even give them an extra look.

After the two yamen servants finished eating and drinking, they smelled of alcohol, but they were not drunk, so they brought Chen Si and the porters out.

There was only one chain, which was used to lock Chen Si, and the other three followed behind.

"Okay, we won't stay any longer, and we will come to you later if we have something to do."

Having said that, the two did not move.

Fan Jinchuan kept holding back his words. Seeing that the person was about to leave at this time, he couldn't hold back and stepped forward: "Don't the two officials ask about the details of the case? Are you afraid of arresting the wrong person and causing wrongful and false cases?"

One of the yamen servants gave him a drunken look: "Are you the official, or are we the official? We need you to tell us how to do things? He has already said that he has found the real culprit, and the real culprit will also plead guilty. If you have something to do, you will naturally find him, so why worry about it!"

This he was referring to the old shopkeeper, and the old shopkeeper was always smiling wryly by the side. At this point, Fan Jinchuan understood why the old shopkeeper had such an expression when the homicide happened.

Fang Fengsheng took a step forward and said with a smile: "You two officials, my elder brother is not sensible, so don't argue with him."

At this time, the silver that the old shopkeeper had asked to fetch just now was also brought.

He smiled and stuffed it into the hands of one of them, the yamen servant weighed it, and then looked at the old shopkeeper with a smile that was not a smile.

"Okay. But there are four people here. We came here on two horses, but we can't take them away. You can ask someone to get a car and go with us."

"You don't need to order from the official, it's all ready."

After a while, the old shopkeeper came back after sending the people away, and looked at Fang Fengsheng and the two with wry smiles: "This matter is finally over, and this incident almost cost the little old man his life."

"If they are like this, no one will take care of them?" Fan Jinchuan said angrily.

The old shopkeeper thumped his leg: "What do you care, how do you care? Like us who open a store here, they all have no money and no one, so they just point to this place to support their families. Whether the store can still be opened is all a matter of their words." , don’t compare this to the truth, you can’t compare it to the truth.”

"But in this kind of homicide case, they don't even ask, they don't even investigate, and they just take the person back to custody. This is completely dereliction of duty."

The old shopkeeper smiled wryly: "Didn't the official just say that? Come and find me if you have something to do." The definition of something to do has many meanings.

The old shopkeeper left, but Fan Jinchuan was still angry.

"These subordinate officials should be severely punished and rectified."

Seeing him like this, Fang Fengsheng couldn't help laughing.

"What are you laughing at?"

"I'm not laughing at anything. That's right, some things may not be as simple as Brother Fan thinks, and you'll know when Brother Fan takes office."

"Your brother, do you still understand this?"

Feng Sheng's eyes darkened, but his face was still smiling: "It's said that it's a family tradition, and I've met a lot with my father before. This matter is also over, and I plan to leave tomorrow, Brother Fan, how about you? " She changed the subject.

Fan Jinchuan was unprepared: "Leave so soon?"

"Because of this matter, a lot of time has been delayed, and now the road is done. If you don't go, will you live here for the rest of your life?"

"Can-"

"Why? Brother Fan, do you want to stay?"

Fan Jinchuan took a look at her smiling face, with regret on his face: "My good brother and I hit it off right away, and we have similar temperaments. I once imagined the scene of exploring at night by holding candles and picking up greenery for outings. Unfortunately, there is always a banquet in the world, and it is inevitable that I will not let it go."

"Landscapes meet each other. Maybe someday we will meet on the street. By the way, the destination of my trip is Yangzhou. How about you, Brother Fan?"

"Yangzhou? I have several friends in Yangzhou. This time I planned to go to Yangzhou to visit friends first, and then leave for the place where I took office."

"So, we can still go together next?"

"Yes, yes, I hope Brother Fang Xian will take care of you in the future."

Yangzhou City Street is full of pedestrians.

Thousands of miles to see you off, but we have to say goodbye.

In front of a carriage, Fang Fengsheng and Fan Jinchuan stood face to face.

"I'm going to say goodbye. I don't know when I will see you again. Brother Yu gets along very well with my virtuous brother and regards him as a confidant. Thinking of not being able to see each other again, I feel extremely uncomfortable. I hope my virtuous brother will take care of you in the future."

"Of course, Brother Fan too."

Fan Jinchuan nodded and turned around.

Not far away, Xiao Qi was waiting for him in a mule cart.

He took two steps forward, stood still suddenly, and then turned back with big strides: "Brother Yu, Brother Yu has something else to do, I don't know if I should say it or not?"

"Speaking."

He glanced at Feng Sheng first, then looked away for some reason, with a slightly embarrassed look on his face.

"I see that my virtuous brother is full of talent, and he has rules and methods in dealing with people. I expect that the future will be limitless. But you need to know that industry is good at diligence and leisure, and success in thinking is ruined at will. I hope you will pay more attention to it in the future. Letting go of the root and chasing the end."

"I don't know what Brother Fan is referring to—"

"This-"

Fan Jinchuan looked embarrassed, as if there was something difficult to say.

After thinking and thinking, he lowered his voice and said: "My dear brother, we should keep a distance from your two bookboys in the future. Such things of sharing peaches and playing games are destructive, invisible, and often violate the laws of heaven. Broken the hearts of parents. Brother Yu really can't bear to let my virtuous brother fall to the ground, and this is the end of my words, I hope you will take care of yourself."

Uh?

Feng Sheng was stunned.

It wasn't until Zhiqiu came to her that she came back to her senses and shook her head with a broken smile.

"Master, what's the matter?"

Feng Sheng glanced at the mule cart going away, then shook his fan: "It's nothing, let's go."

…

"My lord, where are we going now?"

After a pause, Xiaoqi couldn't hold back her complaints: "Master Mingming said that he would not see anyone and go directly to the post, but you changed your schedule temporarily and came to Yangzhou with Young Master Fang. Since the person has already arrived, don't go see him." See Master Du?"

"I came to Yangzhou this time to meet Ziyue. Didn't I tell you before, what are you doing with Brother Fang Xian? As for Master Du, let's talk about it after going to Ziyue's place."

Fan Jinchuan got into the car and waited for a while, but the car hadn't left yet.

"Why don't you go?"

Only then did Xiao Qi raise his whip and drive the car forward.

The same conversation about where to go was repeated on Fang Fengsheng and his group.

They really have no purpose.

After talking with Uncle Yu, Fang Fengsheng also got a general understanding of some situations.

The origin of the whole incident was that Zhou Guangrui discovered that the Lianghuai salt administration was riddled with many problems, that the top and bottom were colluding, and that greed for profit was commonplace. Zhou Guangrui was upright by nature, jealous of evil, but he was not stupid, it was obvious that once this matter got into trouble, the matter would not be trivial, so he could only hold back, investigate carefully, and collect evidence.

The more I investigated, the more shocking it became, and it was obvious that even if he hadn't been involved in it, he would be in danger of being involved once the crime happened.

In order to protect himself and also to be loyal to the emperor, Zhou Guangrui planned to expose the matter in a memorial.

Therefore, the matter involves too much. Once it fails, it will be lost forever, and many people will be involved. It was also out of trust that Zhou Guangrui told his master Song Ge about this, so that Song Ge could support him in the court.

Elder Song Ge was very concerned about this matter, and even wrote to Zhou Guangrui many times to advise him.

Song Ge's supportive attitude also gave Zhou Guangrui unlimited confidence. He spent several days with Fang Yan, finally prepared a memorial, and sent it to the capital in 800 miles.

It was this memorial that opened the beginning of the tragic ending between him and Fang Yan.

First, Gu Bichang, the censor of salt inspection, impeached him for accepting benefits from salt merchants, and embezzling hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in advance of salt. Zhou Guangrui was far away in Yangzhou, and the news was not well-informed. The people who came to search came from the sky, and it happened that the dirty silver of unknown origin was found in Zhou's mansion.

So Zhou Guangrui was taken into custody that night, along with his confidant Fang Yan.

Because Zhou Guangrui was very careful, every time he discussed this matter with Fang Yan, he would back off, so what Uncle Yu knew was not clear, and the above information he and Fang Fengsheng had said in detail from Fang Yan, and some of the things he had inquired about before. pieced together from the news.

And since Zhou Guangrui and Fang Yan had an accident, all the friends they had known before closed their doors, and everyone was afraid to avoid it. Uncle Yu is just a master's housekeeper, and usually has nothing to do with those dignitaries. After Fang Yan died in prison, he tried many methods but failed to get Fang Yan's body.

In the end, it was Song Ge's relationship that came out to take care of him, so Uncle Yu was able to take Fang Yan back to Shaoxing, but Song Ge's side was not looking at Fang Yan's face, but Zhou Guangrui.

It's a pity that Zhou Guangrui also died on the way to Beijing under escort.

"Find a place to stay first, and then I will go out and look for the group of Shaoxing masters to help, and I can always get some news." Feng Sheng said.

Speaking of the Shaoxing Master Gang, this is going a little too far.

There is an old proverb that no government can be established without curtains, and it gradually evolved into that no government can be established without Shaoxing.

This Shao refers to Shaoxing.

The literary style in Jiangsu and Zhejiang has always been at its peak, and all dynasties and dynasties have been a major province of imperial examinations, and the number of talents in Jiangsu and Zhejiang is also known to both inside and outside the court. It is a good thing to be well-known abroad, but the suffering in it is probably only understood by the scholars in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Without him, if there are more scholars, the competition will be fierce.

As early as the founding of the previous dynasty, officials from Jiangsu and Zhejiang occupied more than half of the court halls. Whenever a course was opened to recruit scholars, the number of scholars admitted from the south always accounted for the majority, and even less than one of the scholars from the north. In order to appease the scholars in the north and recruit talented people from all over the world, the imperial court specially set up a list to select scholars from the north and the south.

As a result, the number of admitted scholars in the north increased, and on the contrary, the number of admitted scholars in the south was reduced.

Especially in the year of the big exam, there is a fixed quota for the selection of tributes in each province, and there are no more than a hundred or so in large provinces, and no more than forty or fifty in small provinces. Other provinces seem to have few places to admit, but they admit from hundreds or even thousands of people. When it comes to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, tens of thousands of people compete for this limited number of places, and there are bound to be many people who fail.

Ten years of hard study, waiting to be proud, but repeatedly failed. The failure is not because I am not as talented as others, but because I was born in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

In particular, the Shaoxing area has always been a place where people gather together. Five or six out of ten talents in Jiangsu and Zhejiang are from Shaoxing, among which Kuaiji, Shanyin, Yuyao, and Xiaoshan are the most. However, Shaoxing is narrow and densely populated, and the serious imbalance between population and land makes the local people in Shaoxing feel more crisis than people in other places in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

They seldom stand still in their careers, and if they fail, they will find other ways out.

What is the other way out?

Opening a library to teach is the lower level, and the upper level should use curtains as a career to seek a way to advance.

First, most of the curtain masters are officials, so they can make friends with powerful people. If the curtain masters are on the rise, they will naturally have a bright future as staff officers. Secondly, you can also get familiar with the chores of the yamen in advance. If one day you are admitted to the imperial examination, you will naturally get twice the result with half the effort.

Nowadays, people pay attention to fellowship with fellow countrymen, and if they have developed themselves, it is of course indispensable to support and recommend relatives, friends and even fellow villagers. Just like this, one supports the other, gradually forming a climate, and each other unites and monopolizes, and even gives people an inherent concept that Shaoxing is a master, and nine out of ten of the world's entertainers are from Shaoxing.

For example, the Fang family is a typical family of masters.

In essence, the Fang family should be regarded as a scholarly family, but the head of the first generation Fang family was more pragmatic and set such rules. Children in the family should not neglect their studies, nor their ancestral inheritance. If they fail to win the exam after the age of thirty, they will change their careers and follow their ancestral inheritance.

There are many, many families like the Fang family in Shaoxing.

And many officials are also willing to ask Shaoxing masters to be masters.

Without him, Shaoxing's masters had formed a climate in the previous dynasty, and until now, they have even penetrated into various government offices, either as masters or as clerks.

Someone once said: The thirteen divisions of the household department are all from Shaoxing.

It can be seen!

While inviting a Shaoxing master, in fact, he also invited the intricate relationship behind him. If you want to get promoted and make a fortune in officialdom, you can't just rely on doing things, you must also know how to communicate. If the master of your Shangfeng or your colleagues is from Shaoxing, so is your master. This way of communication will get twice the result with half the effort, and it can also play a wonderful role in threading the needle.

And the place for these Shaoxing people to connect with their fellowship is the Shaoxing guild halls all over the place.

Fang Fengsheng looked up at the big characters 'Shaoxing Guild Hall' above his head, and stepped in.

She didn't bring Zhichun Zhiqiu with her when she went out today, but only brought Uncle Yu.

…

Just as Fang Fengsheng entered the guild hall, a motorcade passed by the street behind her.

More than 20 riders gathered around a carriage, and they were not ordinary people at first sight.

From the corner of Zong Yue's eyes, he saw the words "Shaoxing Guild Hall" and frowned.

Dewang also glanced at it, cursing inwardly: I don't even know how to choose the road, I don't know if I have seen the word Shaoxing recently.

But he didn't dare to say this in person, so he could only shrink back and act like a quail.

The author has something to say: In the Ming and Qing dynasties, Shaoxing masters were very good. The masters, officials, and book offices under various government offices, who did some writing work, were all from Shaoxing. The climate of their formation has a lot to do with the current situation, humanities, geography and so on.

In this chapter, there are a lot of words about Master Shaoxing, but there is no way, this is related to many plots in the future. It doesn't work here, and it doesn't work below.

There are also many famous ministers in history who were born as masters. For example, Zuo Zongtang, a famous minister of a generation, failed to pass the Jinshi three times, so he was discouraged from his official career and devoted himself to studying the art of war. Later, he became an official and was responsible for forming the Chu army. He made great contributions in fighting the Taiping army, and eventually became a member of the frontier. Lin Zexu, a famous anti-smoking official during the Daoguang period, was the mentor of Governor Bai Ling of Liangjiang and Governor Zhang Shicheng of Fujian in his early years. (The above is from Baidu, post it for everyone to see and understand)