Zhong Niangzi Wanfu

Chapter 57 Shen Feng’s worries

一
For several days, Shen Feng ate, drank and rested in the front yard. Later, he even skipped Rong Niang's morning and evening greetings.

Rong Niang went into Shen Fie's study without permission to deliver tea and fruits, but he scolded her and sent her back to the backyard.

Shen Feng was afraid and asked someone to guard the arch connecting the front and back yards to prevent Rong Niang from coming to the front yard again.

The Marquis of Lin'an Mansion would send people to ask questions at first, but Shen Feng asked back on the grounds that the study documents involved government affairs, so he stopped.

However, Rong Niang did not have any more trouble. She stayed at home and did her duty day after day. One day, when Shen Feng was away and her guard was slack, she ran to Zhong Lai crying and burst into tears: saying that the Marquis of Lin'an Palace had detained her father, mother and brother, forcing her to She came to sow discord between the two, but she was also a sensible person, and she just wanted to stay to save the lives of her family.

Zhong Lan did not believe everything, but in line with his natural temperament of not treating innocent people harshly, he did not want to make things too difficult for her and completely offend the Lin'an Marquis Mansion. He gave her the status of a noble concubine and allowed her to hang out in the front yard when she had nothing to do.

Shen Feng couldn't defeat Zhong Lan, and when he had to meet her, he treated the concubine in a polite and indifferent manner.

Towards the end of the year, Shen Feng became even busier with errands in the imperial study, and sometimes he couldn't come back after dinner time.

When Zhong Lan asked about it, he only said that it was a tribute at the end of the year, and many officials from various states and envoys from other countries came to see him.

But Shen Yan understood that the matter was not that simple, but that Beizhao and Xiliang would start a war.

two

In the past few days, the military commanders in the royal study came one after another, and the court affairs they talked about made Shen Feng, who was recording on the side, frown repeatedly.

But he could only let these words rot in his heart. On the first day he entered the imperial study, Min Duo warned him to talk less and do more.

The imperial study room is such a secret place. One after another the emperor's decisions that determine the people's livelihood are made from here.

Shen Feng listened and learned while writing hard, and he benefited a lot.

Deng Qing, the Marquis of Wu'an, dressed in red robes, strode into the palace and kowtowed to the emperor: "Your Majesty, the situation on the western border is getting more and more tense. Beizhao and Xiliang generals are fighting, and Nan'an is not a man of his duty. It is very likely that he will take advantage of the situation and rob him." .”

"What does Deng Qing have to say?" Qi Weijun looked up at Deng Qing calmly.

Deng Qing clasped his fists and said seriously: "Beizhao Danzhou is located in the southern border. If a barrier can be built to resist Nan'an, it may be able to relieve Nan'an's difficulties. I propose to build a Great Wall in Danzhou."

Shen Feng frowned when he heard this. He stopped writing for a moment and looked up at the emperor.

Min Duo glanced at Shen Feng and noticed that he was thinking.

Qi Weijun looked at the map in the middle of the palace and pondered for a long time, and said in a deep voice for a long time: "Min Duo, I ordered the province to draw up a decree, and named Zhang Yan, the governor of Danzhou, as the history of southern supervision and defense. Wenyi, the magistrate of Tanlin County, and You Hanting, the captain of Wuding County As the deputy history officer, the Danzhou army will be drilled in Danzhou from now on, and the armaments will be reorganized in Tanlin, Taiming and other counties in the southern border of Danzhou to prepare to support the battle against Xiliang. In addition to recruiting migrant workers, it is bound to build a road across Danzhou within three years. The Great Wall south of the state."

"Yes." Min Duo glanced at Shen Feng again, lowered his head and asked, "Your Majesty wants to build such a large fortification, so that the people's livelihood in Danzhou..."

Qi Weijun, who was looking at the map carefully, had a cold look on his face, and just waved his hand: "I won't consider it for now."

Shen Feng's pen paused slightly and he raised his head to meet Min Duo's eyes.

Min Duo also shook his head at Shen Feng.

Shen Feng understood, remained silent and had to lower his head to record again.

After getting off duty, Shen Feng remained silent and prepared to leave the palace.

"Shen Sheren." Min Duo's voice came from behind, stopping Shen Feng in his tracks.

Shen Feng looked back and bowed humbly: "Superintendent Min, your Majesty has an order?"

"I don't have any orders from you now." Min Duo shook his head, "It's just that our family has come here to give you a message about Danzhou today."

Shen Yan nodded upon hearing the words: "Please speak, Supervisor."

"Our family knows that Shen She lives in Danzhou. When he was an official in Danzhou, he loved the people like his own children and regarded people's livelihood as his top priority. It's just that he is the emperor now, and the emperor and we have different visions. Even though Sheren and the emperor made different decisions , and you can’t speak out and offend Tianyan.”

Shen Feng's eyebrows became a little helpless, and he smiled: "I understand what the eunuch said." "Shen Sheren is smart, intelligent, studious and thoughtful. His Majesty praised Sheren more than once for being a humble and kind-hearted person. A person's future is bound to be immeasurable, so don't ruin your future over this matter." Min Duo said worriedly.

Shen Feng nodded and thanked him, then turned and left.

three

When Shen Feng arrived home, Zhong Lan was playing chess with Rong Niang.

Seeing Shen Feng enter the door, Zhong Lan stood up with a smile and stepped forward: "Dinner is ready. Go wash up and prepare for dinner."

Rong Niang stood aside with her head lowered, looking at the loving two people calmly. She didn't do anything deliberately to win the Lord's favor, and she tried her best to be a transparent person.

Shen Yan forced a smile to Zhong Yan, and responded.

Zhong Lan saw that Shen Feng was worried: "Did something happen?"

Shen Feng held Zhong Lan's hand and raised his eyes to look at Rong Niang.

Rong Niang understood, and hurriedly saluted: "I will leave."

Shen Feng hugged Zhong Lai and took a long breath: "If you sacrifice tens of thousands of people to protect the safety of tens of thousands of people in Beizhao, what would you choose?"

Not understanding why Shen Feng asked this, Zhong Lan became nervous for a moment: "If we exchange tens of thousands for tens of millions, would that be appropriate?"

Shen Feng was slightly startled, and then said hurriedly: "What if those tens of thousands are all people you and I know well?"

Zhong Lan probably guessed it, and said with a serious look: "There is no difference between familiarity and distance."

Shen Feng refused to give up: "What if you were allowed to destroy the vegetables you worked so hard to grow in the eastern suburbs for the sake of food prices in Qinlin?"

Zhong Lan became even more determined: "Then it will be ruined."

Shen Feng was stunned and his face became even paler.

"I have a different opinion." Rong Niang, who had not yet walked out of the main courtyard, quickly turned around and knelt in front of Shen Zhonglan and Shen Zhonglan.

"I just feel it's unfair. I've heard about the fields in the eastern suburbs that my mistress is tidying up in Qin Lin. If I ruin my hard work just for the price of food, it's not worth it for my mistress."

A gleam flashed in Shen Yan's eyes.

Zhong Lan looked at Rong Niang and thought with her eyes closed.

Rong Niang raised her eyes and glanced at Shen Feng, then lowered her head timidly: "I think that in life, there will be estrangements and estrangements that cannot be left behind. If you ignore the things you cherish for the sake of righteousness, then you are really right. If you can’t control yourself, you can’t live with your original intention.”

Shen Feng felt a little moved in her heart, but she didn't show it on her face. She ordered Rong Niang to get up and go back to the backyard.

Seeing that Shen Feng was silent and thoughtful while eating, Zhong Lan sighed: "I understand that Rong Niang's words have touched your heart. However, now that you have arrived in the royal capital, you are no longer the magistrate of Tan Lin."

"Ms. Lai, can you bear to see the hard work of Dongjiao ruined? What will Mrs. Qin do then? What will happen to Mr. Bai? What will happen to those women, children, old and young? Where is Jinyu Academy?" Shen Feng and Zhong Lan looked at each other and asked.

"In the two hundred prefectures of Shandong under the Han family, Jingqi grows in thousands of villages. Even if there are strong women with hoes and plows, the crops will grow on long acres without anything. Danzhou is different from Pingzhou and Yuzhou. Danzhou is a borderland. Without corvee, it is worse than peace. A quarter of the state cannot withstand such heavy corvee work. If we really follow the current policy and recruit civilians to build the Great Wall at the cost of the reputation of tens of thousands of Danzhou people, what will happen to Danzhou's poverty? "

Shen Feng's eyebrows were knitted into knots: "They are the people we are trying our best to protect in Qin Lin. In the end, they will either die in heavy labor or rebel."

Zhong Lan was speechless for a moment, knowing that Shen Feng could not control so much: "They are common people, and we are also common people. All people in the world, except for the emperor sitting in the royal palace, are all subjects. You are no longer a foreign minister, you are now a court official. , are you going to risk your life to change the emperor's mind?"

Shen Feng said nothing.

Zhong Lan knew that Shen Feng was stubborn, so he couldn't persuade him with his words alone: ​​"I heard from Mrs. Pan that the governor will return to the capital in a few days. You can choose a time when you are off herding and submit a post to meet him. Lord Inspector, I would like to ask you a question or two."

(End of this chapter)