Zhurou

Chapter 252 Sing Along

Even outsiders were moved, so how could Fu Jiao in the main room not be moved?

However, he knew that things in the world that are easily obtained are often not cherished. He was indeed worried about what he had just mentioned. After hesitating for a while, he said, "Thank you for your kindness, General. You have said so much and you have considered me so much. I should not refuse. However, I am just a commoner who can write a few words and has no special talents. How can I deserve such a generous treatment? I am afraid that if I accept it now, the general and the governor will be disappointed in the future."

The man opposite had round eyes, thick eyebrows and a very upright appearance. He was Wei Chengyan, who had been sent by his second brother to come and get the literary gift.

He listened to what Fu Jiao said and replied, "A real man should not shirk his responsibility. I don't like to hear you talk like that."

Then he pointed to a manuscript in front of him and said, "Although I am a martial artist, I do have some knowledge. Moreover, when you were in Qinzhou and Fengxiang, you often gave advice on water conservancy and thoroughfare. The governor had heard of you. He asked people to collect the articles you wrote. He read them himself and asked others to study them. He felt that many of the contents were quite reasonable. If what you have been thinking about can be realized, can't Jingzhao Prefecture guarantee you a career?"

Fu Jiao's face had already turned red when he heard this, but he tried to hold it back and said, "I just did it casually. There are many errors in those articles. Without any evidence, they cannot be used completely. The governor should be cautious in adopting them."

But after saying this, he couldn't help but murmur: "The governor... really collected my article..."

If this is a self-question, no one can prove it. If it is a question, the voice is too low and the person on the other end can't hear it clearly.

Wei Chengyan said with a smile: "Of course we need to prove it with facts, but the evidence also needs people to prove it. How can we prove it without a year or two of collective efforts? If you can be the leader, it will be much easier."

He added, "When you're done, even if you don't have a good family background, it would be more useful to go out and get down to earth than to stay here and write articles day and night, right?"

After he finished speaking, he laughed and said, "I am a rough man, and my words are not pleasant to the ear. The governor often teaches me that I am ignorant and short-sighted. Scholars can naturally become famous for their writings and leave their names in history. But for someone like me who is incompetent and without talent, I always think that it is good to do something down there, although it is not as good as writing books and articles..."

Before Wei Chengyan finished speaking, Fu Jiao hurriedly said, "General, although I am a poor scholar, I also know that a gentleman is ashamed of his words but not his deeds. If I can do some practical things to benefit the world, how can I care about other things!"

After saying this, he stood up, bowed to the person opposite him, and said, "Wait a minute, I will explain this to my mother first, and then I will reply to the general."

Wei Chengyan was overjoyed and was about to speak, but then he thought of something and said, "Don't be so anxious. If the governor finds out, he will say that I forced a good man to do something. I'm afraid you will regret it in the future. Think about it carefully again."

He paused, then asked, "I came here today to bring some gifts to the old lady on behalf of the governor. I wonder if it would be convenient for me to go and ask how she is?"

Fu Jiao hurriedly agreed and took the man to the side. He asked through the door first, and after getting a response, he lifted the door curtain - the old lady's room was actually in the east wing of the main hall.

It turned out that although Fu Jiao lived far away in Waichengzhou, it was still in the capital.

Living in Kyoto was originally very difficult, and now it is even more expensive after the war reconstruction. Prices are hard to suppress. A family of eight or nine people live in this small house, but it is really crowded with four rooms.

As soon as he entered the door, he introduced the guest's name and official position to his mother.

Old Madam Fu hurriedly offered her seat to Wei Chengyan and asked someone to serve tea.

Wei Chengyan quickly declined, saying, "I have something else to do, but I was asked by the governor to come and get the essay written by the gentleman, and then to say hello to the old lady."

As they were talking, the people around them presented the things in their hands, which were eight kinds of snacks, four kinds of cloth, and twelve boxes of sandalwood.

He also gave the children of Fujiao various toys, including wooden swords, wooden knives, kites, clay figurines, etc., as well as two sets of writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone.

When Old Madam Fu saw all these things in front of her, she didn't care about the rest, but she didn't dare to accept the sandalwood, which was in short supply at the moment. However, she couldn't refuse it, so she smiled and said, "This incense is so precious, how can an old woman like me use it?"

Wei Chengyan said, "Jiedu Pei wants to invite Mr. Fu to Jingzhao Prefecture to help manage water conservancy and roads. Since he is asking for help, it is only natural to send him something. Madam, please don't refuse."

Madam Fu exclaimed, "Ah!" and asked, "Is this true?"

Wei Chengyan smiled and said, "Sir, you are worried about the old lady's health and don't want to travel far. But he is also worried that the old lady can't stand the journey. He is still considering it and may not agree."

Upon hearing this, Madam Fu almost held back her words and turned to look at her son. Seeing Fu Jiao nod at her, she breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "I can eat two bowls of rice in one meal, my spine is very straight, and I walk faster than ordinary people. Why should he worry?"

He then asked, "Can others go to Jingzhao Prefecture but I can't?"

Then he said, "Since I am leaving, I am not afraid to speak frankly. The houses in the capital are too narrow. I am really not used to living here. The bed is three times smaller than the bed. I am afraid of rolling off when I want to turn over at night! My bones are too fragile and I really can't stand falling. If I can find a spacious place, I will leave immediately!"

In front of Wei Chengyan, he scolded him, "Foolish boy, you are going to Jingzhao Prefecture to help look after the water conservancy projects. This is to accumulate virtue for your descendants. If you do well, you will save lives. What is there to think about? I taught you how to be a good person in vain!"

She handed the ladder to her son, and Fu Jiao couldn't help but nod and slide down.

Seeing the situation, Wei Chengyan did not dare to stay and quickly stood up to say goodbye.

As soon as he left the house, Fu Jiao came to see him off. He saw a man standing in the hall holding his child. He was surprised and asked, "When did Brother Han come?"

The one called Brother Han was naturally Zhang Yi's retainer, named Han Yichang.

This person had been eavesdropping for a long time. The child in his arms could not stay still and kept making a lot of noise. He was trying to appease the child with some maltose. When he looked up and saw Wei and Fu, he felt embarrassed. He quickly put the child back on the ground and said awkwardly, "I met this kid outside trying to catch a horse's tail. I was afraid something might happen, so I brought him in..."

Fu Jiao naturally thanked them quickly and introduced the two sides, but he did not mention that Han Yichang was a disciple of Zhang Yi, nor did he mention Wei Chengyan's official position. He only said that one came to make new friends through literature and the other came to visit an old friend.

Wei Chengyan greeted him and said a few simple words of greeting, fulfilling his duties of courtesy. He did not stay any longer, but bowed and left leisurely.

Fu Jiao sent the person to the door before turning back to look for the guest Han Yichang.

The latter pretended not to know, put down the things he had bought, chatted for a while, and then asked his classmate about the follow-up arrangements. He then said, "My husband, I have heard you mentioned, and I know that you are a very good writer. It happens that your mansion is short of a clerk, so I was asked to ask you, what do you think?"

Fu Jiao immediately shook his head and said, "Brother Han, you and I have known each other for many years. Don't you know my two skills? How can I stand firm under Prime Minister Zhang?" He added, "It just so happens that when I was in Qinzhou before, a few old friends wrote to me recently to invite me. They said that the Di people had retreated and asked me if I had time to go back and visit. I thought that while my bones were still stiff, I should revisit the old place. If I can do something, I will write it down in an article someday. I think the words and deeds can be inspiring."

Han Yichang tried to persuade him a few more times, but seeing that the other party had made up his mind, he acted very regretful and sighed, "That's right. A real man should travel thousands of miles. With your talent, you may be able to make a name for yourself in Qinzhou."

He added: "But you will be away for a long time, and I will take good care of you here, old lady."

Another question was asked, "Da Lang will be able to leave soon. Since he is in the capital, if he cannot enter the Imperial College, he should try to go to Maoshan or Chengde Academy."

Fu Jiao said: "It doesn't matter if it's convenient, we can go west together."

He had no intention of hiding the truth from Han Yichang, and there was nothing to hide in the future, so he just said a few gossips about his family.

As it was too late and the place was small, Han Yichang could not stay overnight. After two cups of tea, he left the things in his hands and said goodbye.

Besides, Han Yichang left the Fu family's gate and inquired in the city for a long time the next day. After getting a lot of confirmation, he went back to the Zhang Mansion to ask to see Zhang Yi.

As soon as he entered the room, he saw seven or eight guests sitting upright in a solemn atmosphere. He didn't know what they were discussing. He was startled and bowed quickly.

The others were reluctant to speak. Zhang Yi frowned and said, "I looked for you several times yesterday, but I couldn't find you. Sun Chong returned to the capital last night."

Han Yichang said hurriedly: "I'm out for something..."

He hesitated for a moment, and it was not easy to mention Jiao in front of the others, so he said, "A classmate is going on a long journey."

Then he said, "I just happened to have something to report to my husband."

Zhang Yi immediately understood what was going on, and his expression eased slightly. He just sent the rest away, and then asked again, "What's the matter?"

Han Yichang hurriedly told Zhang Yi the news he had gathered, and added: "In my humble opinion, it is still hard to say what will happen to the Jiedushi Pei Yong, but Li Yan will try to transfer back to Jingzhao Prefecture in the near future. If you use this to control it, maybe you can do something in the Western Army."

Zhang Yi said coldly, "Sun Chong just came back last night, and was summoned to the palace this morning. As soon as he left the palace, he asked us to gather together for half a day to discuss. He first asked us about the list of envoys we recommended to go north to Xingqing Prefecture, and also asked about the generals we recommended to go to Shu and Guizhou to suppress the rebellion. He also asked about the rewards for the Jiedushi Pei Yong and his troops this time, and also asked about the affairs of the southeast and southwest borders. He has something to say about everything and needs people everywhere. As soon as he came back, he was looking for trouble. I'm afraid he will take the opportunity to stir up trouble for Pei Yong. He may not be so easy to control."

Han Yichang had been Zhang Yi's disciple for many years, so he naturally knew the temperament of Sun Chong, the co-prime minister.

Although he felt it was a difficult situation, he had thought about it all night and had come up with some plans. Although Sun Chong was around, he did not feel that it was much of an obstacle. He could not help but say, "Sir, I have a plan. Although it is a bit unrealistic, it may not be impossible to try it. Let's see, Sun Chong, the co-prime minister, has always regarded himself as the patriot of the country. He wants to make his own decisions on everything and is unwilling to give up any power. If he is around, it will be inconvenient for you to act..."

"Pei Yong wanted to return to Jingzhao Prefecture, but he holds military power and has been entrenched in the region for many years. How can we trust him? He is so young and far away in the northwest, out of reach of the court. He is a serious concern now, let alone in the future. Let's see what he does now. He treats Jingzhao Prefecture as an independent region and never listens to the court's orders."

"Everyone in the Privy Council is either old, or weak, or lacks prestige, or is indecisive. In another ten years, they will all rely on you for support. Now we should prepare for the northwest and arrange our chess pieces early, otherwise we will be passive in the future."

"If we want to let Pei Yong go, we should also try to divide and control him in many ways."

"As for the so-called methods, they are nothing more than people and money."

"Jingzhao Prefecture is like an iron barrel. Taxes are over-reported or under-reported. The court has no idea and cannot do anything about it. The only problem is 'people'."

"This is a good opportunity to arrange for people to go west, whether it's Jingzhao Prefecture, Qinzhou, Fengxiang, or other places. Even if the middle-level officials can't, there should be a few low-level officials among them, right?"

"Besides, how can the subordinates see any important things? If you want to control Pei Yong, you must have a person with rich experience and a pillar of the country. Sir, in your opinion, I wonder if Sun Chong, the co-prime minister, can take on this important task?"

At this point, Han Yichang's voice was so excited that it shone a little. His face, which had been a little haggard after staying up all night, was now shiny with oil. "If Sun Pingzhang can be transferred to the northwest, he doesn't have to go to Jingzhao Prefecture. Pei Yong will definitely not agree. If he is forced too hard, I don't know if he will cause trouble. But if he goes to Xijing and controls several routes from Xijing, I think even if he is surnamed Pei, he may not be able to jump too high, right?!"

Zhang Yixian just listened, took the teacup in front of him, and was about to drink it, but slowly put the cup back to its place, thinking carefully, his eyes bright for a moment.

But after a while, he still shook his head and said, "It is indeed a feasible method, but it is not suitable for the current situation. Sun Chong is one level older than me and has just returned from Caizhou. He is stationed in Caizhou and raised food and money from the south to the north. Everyone in the court and the public knows about it. Even for the sake of the emperor's reputation, Zhao must treat the old minister well."

"If we really make such a proposal, if we are not careful, we may not be able to send the person away, and we may even bring disaster upon ourselves."

Hearing the words "bringing disaster upon oneself", Han Yichang fell silent.

He is a man of rich experience and a pillar of the nation. Although he is not as good as Sun Chong, he may not be as capable as him in controlling the Northwest.

It's possible that the master in front of him is also a suitable candidate. If this is mentioned, judging from the princess's past behavior, as a second best option, maybe she will really send Mr. Zhang to Xijing.

That's when you'll truly be shooting yourself in the foot.

"I thought it was simple." Han Yichang became more and more scared the more he thought about it, and said, "I thought Pei Yong would leave sooner or later. If we could send Sun Chong away with him, and let the two of them fight each other in the northwest, wouldn't that be good..."

Zhang Yi sighed, and put the matter aside. He then asked, "How many people did Pei Yong recruit this time? Do you know?"

Han Yichang was in high spirits and said hurriedly, "He also knows that he can't hire powerful people, so he can only find some people from all walks of life, which is quite like buying bones with a lot of gold. I have been asking around these few days and heard that there are at least more than ten people. They didn't just hire one person, but took care of all the children. My classmate's family of nine people are all going to move west, including his eldest son. It was said that he was going to get married at the end of the year, and now he is also discussing with the girl's family to advance the wedding date, so that the husband and wife can go west together..."

He just mentioned it in passing and was about to continue speaking, but the cup lid that Zhang Yi, who was holding on to it with his right hand, suddenly lost its balance and fell on the table with a bang.

Han Yichang was startled and was about to look, but Zhang Yi ignored the beloved cup on the table that was broken into two pieces and just looked up suddenly.

His eyes were frighteningly bright, and he asked anxiously, "Husband and wife follow each other, what do you mean by that?"