Great Qing Xiangguo

Chapter 32

The emperor said with infinite emotion: "Chen Tingjing has been teaching for many years, enlightening my heart, and he has done a great job! Everyone knows that learning is endless, but when I was young, I was very annoyed when I heard Tingjing talk about it! Now the more important things I encounter, the more I understand the importance of reading. It is a pity that Master Wei has passed away. Ting Jing, I order you to be in the Hongde Hall every day in addition to government affairs, and to listen to lectures at any time."

Chen Tingjing thanked him for accepting the decree, and was very grateful.The emperor had never praised Chen Tingjing so much before.Mingzhu's face was a little uneasy, the emperor felt it, and said with a smile: "Mingzhu, you have worked hard, and you have to look over everything."

Mingzhu hurriedly said: "It's just my duty, I'm afraid I can't do it well."

The emperor said: "I have read all these bills, and they are all approved. Why is it that Shandong Governor Fu Lun's book is missing the bills?"

Mingzhu replied: "The ministers are discussing, and the holy car will arrive. Fu Lun reported that Shandong has a bumper harvest this year. The people thanked the court for the relief of the disaster in the past few years, and voluntarily donated one-tenth of the harvest to the court!"

The emperor was overjoyed: "Ah? Is that so? Fu Lun is a minister! Mingzhu, when you recommended Fu Lun to be the governor of Shandong Province, I was still a little hesitant. It seems that you have read the right person."

Mingzhu cupped her hands and said, "It's all about the emperor's discernment! Does the emperor think he can approve Fu Lun's request?"

The emperor pondered for a while, and said: "Shandong is worthy of being the hometown of Confucius, and the folk customs are honest and honest! The court has kindness, and knows how to appreciate it; the grain harvest is abundant, and knows how to serve the country! Well, please ask Fu Lun to deposit the grain donated voluntarily by the people in the cemetery on the spot. , to prepare for the disaster year!"

The emperor was full of joy, but Chen Tingjing stepped forward and knelt down and said: "Qiu the emperor, I think this matter needs to be considered!"

The emperor suddenly felt strange, and looked at Chen Tingjing suspiciously: "Chen Tingjing, do you think there is something wrong?"

Just as Chen Tingjing was about to speak, Mingzhu gave Gao Shiqi a secret wink.Gao Shiqi understood, and said first: "Your Majesty, Chen Tingjing has always had a prejudice against Fu Lun!"

Chen Tingjing was still kneeling, and said: "Your Majesty, Chen Tingjing is not a person who sticks to his prejudices."

The emperor showed displeasure: "I think it's a bit strange, Chen Tingjing, Gao Shiqi, why do you two keep screwing up?"

Gao Shiqi also stepped forward and knelt down, making a look of sincerity and fear: "Back to the emperor, Chen Tingjing is an important minister from the second rank, and the humble minister is no more than a small official of the sixth rank. How dare you screw him! The minister is just out of loyalty to the emperor, and dares to fight him." The following guilty."

Chen Tingjing didn't want to answer Gao Shiqi's words, but said: "Your Majesty, let's just discuss the matter. Shandong is not too small. The land is divided into north and south, and there are things in the mountains. The harvest must be different in different places. How could the whole province have a bumper harvest? What? Even if the harvest is good, it is unbelievable that all the people will donate one-tenth of the grain voluntarily. Even if the people donate grain voluntarily, patriotism is commendable, but the court has to pay according to the price. Your Majesty , It is always a bit suspicious to say that the people are voluntary about the things that are said below!"

However, Gao Shiqi insisted on it: "Your Majesty, Chen Tingjing is slandering His Majesty's sage rule! Ever since His Majesty's "Sixteen Points of Sacred Edict" was promulgated to the whole world, officials from all over the country gathered the gentry and ordinary people every month to preach. As the rain falls, the folk customs are becoming more and more honest, and the place is stable and peaceful. Guo Yonggang, the former governor of Shandong, was investigated and prosecuted by the court for his ineffective rescue in disasters. The people of Shandong applaud him. Now Fu Lun lives up to his trust, and the appearance of Shandong will be greatly improved in just one year. Your Majesty, the country needs such loyal ministers!"

Chen Tingjing's tone was very calm, but soft and strong: "Your Majesty, I am willing to believe that Shandong will have a good harvest this year, but even so, it is just Fulun's luck. In less than a year after taking office, the whole province has changed drastically. Unless heaven and man!"

The emperor said coldly: "Chen Tingjing, you have read books for more than 30 years, and you have never stayed in the local area for a day. How can you convince me that what you say is correct?"

Chen Tingjing replied: "Your Majesty, as long as you have a public heart and look at people and things, your eyes will not be distracted! Be afraid of selfishness!"

Gao Shiqi immediately said: "Your Majesty, my ministers and Fu Lun are all ministers serving the imperial court, so there is no selfishness to speak of."

The emperor glanced at Gao Shiqi, then looked at Chen Tingjing and said, "I see that Chen Tingjing has always been mature and generous, what's going on today? You and Shiqi have been working together for almost 20 years, so you have to be considerate of each other."

Chen Tingjing said: "I don't compete with others, but distinguish the truth from the facts. Once Fu Lun's performance is not true, the government will inevitably snatch it, and the people will complain, and it may cause a civil uprising. Your Majesty, is this not true? The minister is alarmist!"

The emperor looked at Mingzhu and said, "What do you think of Mingzhu?"

Mingzhu said: "Let it be judged!"

The emperor asked Zhang Ying, "What do you say?"

If Zhang Ying hadn't been asked by the emperor, he would never talk too much; since the emperor asked him, he had to say it, but he didn't say it too bluntly: "I think this matter should be considered carefully."

The emperor stood up, took a few steps, and said: "In this case, Chen Tingjing, I order you to go to Shandong to see what happened!"

Chen Tingjing was slightly startled, but he had no choice but to kowtow: "I obey the order!"

The emperor said no more, got up and went back to Qianqing Palace.The emperor seemed a little unhappy, and his steps were a little hurried.After sending the emperor away, Gao Shiqi looked at Chen Tingjing with a smile, and said: "Master Chen, Shiqi, you know that you have no selfish intentions in your stomach, and the disagreement with you is due to business matters."

Chen Tingjing laughed, and perfunctorily passed it.Mingzhu spoke from the side: "Shiqi, we are all for the imperial court, do you need to explain further? Do you mean Master Zhang?"

Zhang Ying just nodded and smiled, and didn't say much.

It was getting late, and each packed up and went home.Zhang Ying was on duty tonight, so he stayed.Chen Tingjing walked out of the Qianqing Gate, walking unhurriedly, feeling that the way out of the palace was much longer than usual.Walking under the eaves of the Hall of Preserving Harmony, I saw that the setting sun was blocked by the high palace walls, only the glazed tiles on the cornices of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in front were shining with golden light.Chen Tingjing felt slightly regretful, as if he should be like Zhang Ying and not talk too much.

When Chen Tingjing left the Meridian Gate, his family members Dashun and his long followers Liu Jing and Ma Ming were already waiting there.Dashun saw the master coming out from a distance, and hurriedly greeted the bearers not far away.A big green sedan chair with four lifts was lifted over immediately, and the sedan chair was pushed down.Chen Tingjing got into the sedan chair and sat down, Dashun said "Let's go" and got up the sedan chair and set off.Liu Jing and Ma Ming just followed behind, not talking or laughing casually.

Chen Tingjing sat in the sedan chair and closed his eyes.He was a little tired and a little upset.I think this person will always feel aggrieved in the officialdom.Ministers are also the most difficult to do. They are under the eyes of the emperor all day long, and they will be convicted if they are not careful.

Today, I was lucky to be greatly appreciated by the emperor, but unexpectedly, the emperor was not happy because of Fu Lun, governor of Shandong Province.The emperor sent him to Shandong personally, which is not easy to handle.Fu Lun's mother is the emperor's nanny, and since the emperor was young, Fu Lun and Fu Lun have played together, just like brothers.With this section, how can Chen Tingjing go to Shandong on business?Besides, Fu Lun had a close relationship with Mingzhu.Chen Tingjing was a little envious of his in-law Zhang Qian. He left the museum early and went to Shandong for a foreign post. He went from county magistrate to magistrate, and now he is serving in Dezhou. He must be much more at ease.Chen Tingjing and Zhang Qian made a baby marriage for their children back then, but now Zu Yan and Jia Yao have tied the knot.

When Chen Tingjing returned home, it was getting dark.He got off the sedan chair outside the door, and heard Zhuang Lu chanting a poem loudly: "Spring blooms after the peony, and spring blooms before the plum blossom. If you want to make everything spring, you must teach spring to hate it!"

I also heard Yueyuan say: "This is a five-character quatrain written by your father when he was nine years old. He was praised as a child prodigy by your husband! You two should study hard and don't just play around! Dad is your age and lives in his hometown in Shanxi. It has long been known far and wide.”

Chen Tingjing felt much better when he heard his family talk.Dashun saw what the master was thinking, so he deliberately didn't rush to knock on the door.Then I heard the old man say again: "Grandpa hopes that you are better than blue!"

Yupeng said: "I want to be a Jinshi at the age of 21, just like my father!"

Zhuang Lu said: "I will be a Jinshi next year!"

I heard the old man laugh out loud.Chen Tingjing couldn't help laughing, and Dashun pushed the door open.It turned out that it was hot, and the whole family was enjoying the cool in the yard, waiting for Chen Tingjing to come home.Yueyuan led Yupeng, Zhuanglu and several family members around Xiaoqiang, and came to the door.

Chen Tingjing entered the room and greeted his old father-in-law respectfully.The moon has just risen and is hanging on the old plum tree inside the main entrance wall.

Chen Tingjing touched Zhuanglu's head and said, "Jinshi next year? Well, my son has ambition!"

The family held the lamps, and an old novelist family smiled, walked through the hall, and went to the Erjin courtyard.The strange flowers and stones here are more elegant than the previous ones.Yueyuan gave her orders, and tonight I will eat dinner outside, and the room is as hot as a steamer.Dashun's wife, Cuiping, also grew up in Chen's family, and followed her to the capital, which Yueyuan liked very much.Cuiping had brought over home-made clothes earlier, and changed the court clothes for the master.

Only Cuiping and two maidservants were left to greet him, while Dashun, Liu Jing, Ma Ming, bearers, and dozens of families all went down to eat.Yueyuan brought some dishes for Chen Tingjing, and said, "Tingtong came here, sat down for a while and left."

Chen Tingjing asked: "Did he not say anything?"

Yueyuan said: "He wanted to wait for you to come back, but when you didn't come back for half a day, he left."

Chen Tingjing stopped asking, and lowered his head to eat.He was a little annoyed with this younger brother, Ting Tong always complained that he was always working as a post in the Ministry of Industry, and he didn't know when he would make his debut.Chen Tingjing understood what his younger brother meant, and wanted him, the elder brother, to be a good friend among his colleagues.It's not that Chen Tingjing didn't recommend others, but he couldn't speak for his younger brother.

(End of this chapter)