The Red Mansions

Chapter 602 Emperor Chongping: Zhenlong is in good health!

Chapter 602 Emperor Chongping: Zhenlong is in good health!

Henan, governor's office

In the middle of the night, the candles in the study room in the backyard were still dimly lit. A tall and tall figure sat behind the grand teacher's chair, holding a pen and hanging his wrist, writing at the desk.

Jia Heng settled down, held up the teacup on the side, took a sip of the clear tea, and suppressed the bursts of sweet and greasy snow fragrance between his teeth and cheeks.

Just after enjoying the dance, I immediately wrote a letter.

The fact that Jinyang was coming to Henan also reminded him, he seemed to write a letter to his family before, but he forgot to write a letter to Jinyang?

So I can't help thinking about it, I will stay in Henan for two or three months, I'm afraid I need to write letters to my family often.

Jia Heng thought for a moment, put a letter that had just dried into an envelope, wrote the words "Yuanchun Dear Parents" on the cover, and immediately sealed the envelope with wax lacquer. His eyes were deep under his sword eyebrows, and he said in a low voice: " It’s better to write all of them, it’s less eye-catching, just can’t… don’t send it wrong, otherwise, you’ll die on the spot.”

The reason why he didn't write the letter to Jinyang before was just in case, the letter was written in writing, and once it was intercepted, there would be a security problem.

Therefore, even if it is written now, there are ordinary greetings to Yuanchun and Princess Jinyang, which is nothing.

The next step is to write to Qin Keqing and Baochai. Their two letters can be packed together so that Keqing can deliver the letter to Baochai.

Another letter was written to Xichun, and she and Miaoyu put it in an envelope.

Daiyu can write a separate letter, which is not a big deal, Xiangyun can be packaged together with the letter to Tanchun.

Even Jia Zheng and his father-in-law, Qin Ye, wrote letters to each other.

As for the contents of the letter paper, I told him what to do after leaving Beijing, and he must be diligent and responsible for his official duties, and he must not be separated from the dispute between the two parties in the court, Qi and Zhejiang, so he wrote more letters to ask about his side. Opinion.

In addition, I wrote a letter to Dong Qian, asking about the recent situation of the soldiers and horses in Wucheng, or in a vague way, about the recent situation of King Wei.

And just when Jia Heng was "posting" the letters, in the west courtyard, in the wing room, the light yellow curtain broke away from the golden hook and fell down, while the sound of clattering came from the inner room, illuminated by the bright lights on the high table , reflecting a beautiful figure sitting in a bathtub with a cloud piled green bun on the screen.

Princess Xianning rolled up her temples and revealed that, with her lotus root arms stretched, she lifted up the hot water with petals. In the steaming heat, a beautiful and beautiful cheek was already hot as fire, and it was as beautiful as a rosy glow. As for the crystal clear eyes, Full of absentmindedness.

Just now, sir, it was really... completely different from usual, just like a child.

But why didn't she feel disliked at all, instead, she felt a little happy in her heart?

Ah, what is she thinking.

It's just that Mr. treats her like that... When will you marry her?

Princess Xianning fell into a daze for a moment.

After washing for a while, I also felt clueless, picked up a towel and wiped my body, changed my clothes, and lay down on the bed to rest.

……

……

The next day, the sky was bright and the morning sun had just fallen over the governor's yamen. Jia Heng called Princess Xianning to have breakfast, and under the retinue of a large number of Jinyi Mansion guards and the Jingying Cavalry, rode fast horses all the way to Lanyang The county inspected the embankment, and in the evening, Danfang returned from the embankment and returned to the governor's office.

"Sir, the embankment over there in Lanyang County is better." Princess Xianning said softly beside Jia Heng, her temple hair sticking to her temples due to slight sweat.

Jia Heng sighed: "The terrain there is steep and the river bed is steep and high, so it needs to be reinforced."

The last diversion of the Yellow River during the Xianfeng period was when the embankment broke at Waxiangkou in Lanyang County, resulting in the pattern of the Yellow River's direction in later generations.

Jia Heng and Princess Xianning, while talking, went to Song Xuan's house.

Song Xuan's family of four temporarily lived in a mansion in the urban area of ​​Kaifeng Prefecture, and entered the house three times. At this moment, Song Xuan changed into a round-neck robe and stepped down to greet him with his wife, Yue Shi. They waited for a long time.

Because of Princess Xianning, Jia Heng was regarded as a good friend of the whole family.

"Uncle Song Guo, I've been waiting for a long time." Jia Heng greeted.

When he got out of the Yatang, Jia Heng didn't know how to address him. If he called Brother Song, he would definitely get Xianning's eyes. If he called Song Zhixian, he was too ostentatious. He could only call Uncle Song Guo. , to show respect.

In the yamen, Uncle Song Guo also called him by his superiors and subordinates.

Perhaps it was because of his background in Kejia, Song Xuan did not have the arrogance of ordinary royal relatives, his face was like a crown jade, and his eyes were like stars. When he saw Xianning and Jia Heng, he smiled and invited him: "I haven't waited long, listen According to the scribes in the Governor's Yamen, Ziyu just came from Lanyang County?"

Jia Heng said: "I just came back."

On the other side, Princess Xianning called Song Xuan's wife and said softly, "Aunt."

Yue Shi was only 24 or [-] years old, fair-skinned, gentle and tranquil Huaxin young woman, with a sweet smile, looked at the girl in the flying fish suit with an embroidered spring knife on her waist, and asked with a smile: "Xianning, why are you wearing this outfit? "

As he said that, he went up to grab Princess Xianning's jade hand, and said softly: "It's also dusty to look at."

"Isn't this just returning from the inspection of the river embankment with my husband, and I haven't had time to change my clothes yet." Princess Xianning said softly with her eyebrows curved.

Song Xuan stretched out his hand to invite Jia Heng into the flower hall, turned around and saw the gifts carried by the guards of the Jinyi Mansion, and said, "Zi Yu, you're here right now, why are you still bringing these?"

Jia Heng sat down and said: "There is no reason to come to the door empty-handed. I came in a hurry and picked some gifts for the children. They are all for food. Please don't be offended."

Song Xuan smiled, and didn't pay much attention to it. The host and guest were seated separately, the servant brought tea, and the two had a chat.

"Ziyu, how is the embankment in Lanyang County?" Song Xuan asked.

Jia Heng said: "It is stronger than the dikes on the north and south banks of Kaifeng, but it should not be ignored. It will need to be dredged in the past few months."

Song Xuan looked serious, and said, "Ziyu, are you sure there will be heavy rain this summer?"

"It's hard for anyone to say, but after several years of drought, we should take the opportunity to repair the embankment." Jia Heng asked, "How about the county officials?"

"Recently, some confessions have been taken, including the crimes committed by the officials of Runing and Huaiqing." Song Xuan said softly.

"It's not surprising, but we should also strictly guard against false accusations?" Jia Heng asked.

When it came to official business, Song Xuan looked serious, and said, "That's not true. Strictly follow what the platform said, and check with multiple parties. First register and then check."

Jia Heng's suppression of local gentry and corrupt officials does not mean that unchecked, false and wrongly decided cases are created without investigation. It also needs to be verified through multiple channels afterwards, openly and unannounced visits, and finally taken away and interrogated. At the same time, it is not all caught up.

"According to the thieves and Ding Fu, officials with a high official reputation can also be registered. I will have someone check them afterwards." Jia Heng pondered for a moment and said.

Song Xuan nodded, remembering Jia Heng's words.

Jia Heng said in a clear voice: "After the great chaos, there will be a great order. First build water conservancy to make the people live, and then find other ways to relieve the people's livelihood. Uncle Song Guo has been in Henan for three years, and he has some experience in dealing with the difficult situation in Henan I understand, do you have something to teach me?"

Song Xuan looked solemn, and said: "In recent years, although there have been natural disasters in the Central Plains, more of them are man-made disasters. Officials are corrupt, greedy and harsh. The prohibition has been repeated repeatedly, so in every disaster year, the people who can’t eat enough to eat will sell themselves to the big family. The year before last, there was a severe drought in Nanyang.

Jia Heng frowned, with a serious face, and asked, "Didn't the imperial court send food relief?"

Song Xuan shook his head and said: "The Ministry of Household Affairs sent a Tang official to help, and he was also the Governor of Henan Province. However, Yuan Jichong, the prefect of Nanyang, and his greedy ink rescue food, mixed rice porridge with sand, and many people died of starvation."

He has been an official in Henan these years, and he has seen too much of all kinds of chaos, and he is the magistrate of Fuguo County. Because of his special status, although no one makes things difficult for him, the local officials do not regard him as their own.

Jia Heng frowned and said, "The servant of the household department? Liang Yuan?"

"That's the man." Song Xuan said in a deep voice: "Governor Zhou Dezhen and chief envoy Sun Long lived with them and did not report to the court. Why did Ziyu think that Zhou Dezhen and Sun Long were murdered by bandits? These two gritted their teeth, wishing they could eat their flesh raw."

Jia Heng was silent for a moment, then asked: "What about Yuan Jichong?"

Song Xuan said angrily: "I was impeached by the imperial censor, dismissed from office, and reinstated last year. I don't know who got through the door. Now I am sent to Yangzhou to serve as the magistrate."

Jia Heng paused for a moment, and asked, "Is this the end? Uncle Guo didn't write a letter to the Holy One to explain this matter?"

Song Xuan shook his head and said: "My sister... the mother refuses to let me go, saying that local affairs have their own rules and regulations. If they are dissatisfied with the transfer of officials, they have their own department to prosecute and impeach them. Besides, that's all... let's not mention it."

As she spoke, she suddenly realized that her elder sister was the queen and should be called Empress, so she quickly changed her words.

It's also because the young man in front of him always gives people the feeling of his peers.

Jia Heng said: "It's a person from the governor's yamen. He has talked with Uncle Guo, so he must not interfere in Henan's affairs?"

Song Xuan was startled when he heard the words, and said, "How did Zi Yu know?"

Jia Heng's eyes were gloomy, and he said in a deep voice: "They deceived the top and the bottom, so naturally they had to deal with it up and down. When Uncle Guo was transferred to Xiangfu County, under their noses, it was the means of defense for these officials."

Song Xuan said: "Ziyu's words are right. I am ashamed to say that even though I am a relative of the country, I have nothing to do with them. They are all here."

"Official corruption needs to be rectified urgently. This is the consensus of the sage and the princes. The Beijing inspection is now in full swing, and the plans of the provinces will be implemented as scheduled. This time I will also conduct a major inspection of the county officials. Next." Jia Heng pondered for a while, and said loudly.

The fourth younger brother of Empress Song had a political conscience, perhaps a political ambition.

"Ziyu is a handsome young man. He was famous all over the world when he first took charge of the army, and now he is a military assistant minister. He will definitely make a difference in the local area." Song Xuan said.

Speaking of which, he was a bit envious, his brother-in-law believed in this young man who was not as young as the weak crown, but he didn't rely too much on their relatives.

Jia Heng said: "The stay is too short, and there are only a few who can do it. Now we can only reorganize Henan. When we have the opportunity, we can go to the governor's office."

He must not have the idea of ​​farming in one province and one area, otherwise, how about Gao Zhongping, Governor of Sichuan?Back then, he was also the arm of Emperor Chongping, but once he was welded to the place and did not return to the center for several years, the emperor immediately found a "new favorite".

Well, that's him.

Moreover, the place where he started was originally in the center, otherwise, if he leaves for too long, people's feelings will fade.

This is also the reason why he asked the Beijing camp to assist in the embankment repair. Once the Beijing camp is gone, he will also take advantage of the situation and the Central Plains will be settled.

In other words, what he wants to be is the emperor's firefighter, not the official of the frontier.

But the local foundation has to plan. If you want to secure a position in the center, how can you leave the echo of the big officials in the frontier?

Therefore, within this limited time, it is necessary to place cronies, first of all, the commander of the capital, and transfer Qu Guang to be the general. After returning to Beijing, let Shi Ding operate.

Song Xuan said with a smile: "That's right. Now that the Beijing camp has a strong army, after the Eastern Captives are first pacified, it will not be too late to sort out the internal affairs. Ziyu is young, and his future is limitless."

On the other side, Princess Xianning entered the back hall of the flower hall under the arm of Yue Shi.

There was concern on the beautiful face of the Yue family, lowered his voice, and said: "Xianning, tell my little aunt honestly, what is your relationship with this Jia Ziyu?"

The bright eyes under Princess Xianning's beautiful eyebrows saw shame, and she said angrily: "Little aunt, you are very good, why do you suddenly ask this?"

The Yue family is 24-[-] this year, only Princess Xianning is eight or nine years old. She was originally Song Xuan's childhood sweetheart. After getting married, she stayed in Beijing for a while because of accompanying Song Xuan. She once got along well with her niece Princess Xianning.

Seeing the look on the young girl's face, Yue Shi was half convinced, and said softly: "Xianning, you followed Jia Ziyu all the way from the capital to Kaifeng Mansion, what's going on?"

"Isn't this the father? He said that he asked me to come here to fight the rebellion with the army, and at the same time report back what I saw and heard in secret. I thought that I would have nothing to do in Beijing, so I followed my husband to put down the rebellion." Princess Xianning Sighing slightly, he said softly.

Yue's eyes flickered, and he said: "You are still talking nonsense in front of your aunt? I heard from your uncle, how can you say that you fell in love with Jia Ziyu?"

When Princess Xianning heard the words, her jaded face was flushed with embarrassment, and she said softly: "Uncle, who did you listen to?"

Neither admitted nor denied.

Yue Shi sighed softly, and said: "It's useless to hear that, you have been living in the Governor's Yamen for the past few days, and I called you to come and stay with me for a few days, and you are still reluctant, Xianning, I can I heard from your uncle these days that this Jia Ziyu has a family in Beijing, and his wife is the daughter of Qin's family, the servant of the Ministry of Industry, how can you?"

After thinking for a long time, I didn't know what to say, but I was a little anxious.

Princess Xianning hurriedly grabbed Yue Shi's jade hand, and said: "Little aunt, the emperor has his own plans in mind, I don't want to say anything else, besides, the mother and concubine didn't say anything before they left Beijing."

Yue's complexion changed when he heard the words, thought for a while, and sighed lightly.

Since the two empresses didn't think it was wrong, she couldn't do it for her.

"Okay, little aunt, don't worry anymore. Princess Xianning smiled softly and said softly.

"Xianning, you are here, and I have to say that you two get along day and night, so you have to pay attention to the defense between men and women." Yue Shi thought for a while, and then said: "Your uncle is hard to say. Worry about it."

Princess Xianning's cheeks were slightly red, she lowered her head, and said softly: "My husband and I are all about love and end with courtesy."

In the end, the confidence is also slightly lacking.

Yesterday's nibbling step by step, gnawing at the necklace, made her feel trembling, and she tossed and turned on the bed last night until the early hours of the morning, but she didn't fall asleep.

Yue Shi took Princess Xianning's hand and said: "As for you, you have had your own opinions since you were a child, so it's good to know what's in your mind, and the other aunts don't say much, let's go eat."

If what Xianning did here would damage the royal family's reputation, she would not be able to meet the two empresses in the palace.

The two were talking, and when they came to the flower hall, Princess Xianning called softly: "Sir, uncle, the food is ready, let's sit down and eat."

Song Xuan laughed and said, "Say, it's getting dark today, let's have dinner."

Just as she got up, a thought suddenly came to her mind, who was Xianning calling first?

Jia Heng responded with a smile, and had dinner with Song Xuan's family.

……

……

Time flies, and before you know it, another seven or eight days have passed.

During the past few days, Jia Heng, accompanied by Princess Xianning, visited all the embankments of the Yellow River in Henan Province and inspected the dredging of the Tongji Canal.

At the same time, they received a letter from Shenjing, as well as a report from Jinyi Mansion to the Central Court Bureau in Shenjing City.

As a matter of fact, when Jia Heng was busy governing Henan, the city of Shenjing was not peaceful.

In the early morning of this day, Daming Palace

The golden morning light shines on the majestic and majestic palaces, the glazed tiles reflect the brilliant brilliance, and the curtains on the windows are erected, and the spring light shines on the inner study in the south of the side hall of Hanyuan Hall.

Behind a square table made of rosewood, the thin middle-aged emperor wearing a yellow dragon robe, with a gloomy face and cold eyes, was holding a memorial with trembling hands and threw it on the ground.

"It's just nonsense!"

Impressively, there was another memorial to Emperor Chongping who established the foundation of the country early. This middle-aged emperor, in just two days, has lost count of how many similar memorials he has read.

Since the Imperial Academy edited Yu Shishou the day before yesterday, and Shangshu advised Emperor Chongping to set the country's foundation early, in order to reassure the hearts of Chinese and foreign people, and Emperor Chongping kept the memorial, within a short period of two or three days, Kedao began to set off a wave. There was a storm of public opinion, and today even officials from six departments have followed up with Shangshu.

There were even some daring ones who proposed to appoint the kings of Wei, Qi, and Chu as heirs respectively. This made Emperor Chongping very angry, and felt that a political storm was brewing.

Seeing Emperor Chongping's sudden thunderous anger, Dai Quan's fair face twitched, and he shrank his figure by the side of the curtain, almost too frightened to breathe out.

"Dai Quan." Emperor Chongping called out with a gloomy expression.

"The servant is here." Dai Quan hurriedly stepped out of the figure and responded.

"Let someone tell the cabinet that if there is such a memorial to discuss the establishment of a crown prince, it should be submitted to a separate category. I will collect it for the imperial review, and must not transfer or copy it to other officials. In addition, the internal supervisor and the Jinyi government will conduct a strict investigation. Who is secretly building up momentum." Emperor Chongping said coldly with a complexion like iron.

Putting them together, of course, for the sake of convenience, they will not send them out, or they may not even look at them directly, and throw them all aside.

It is meaningless if I just don't read the colorful flowers you write.

Dai Quan's face paused, and he quickly responded: "Yes, the servant obeys the order."

Emperor Chongping looked through the memorials again, and saw that all those who proposed to establish a crown prince were put aside. After a while, he finally saw a memorial that was not an invitation to appoint a crown prince.

Looking carefully, as time passed, his thin brows were tightly frowned, he picked up the ink brush, and inscribed a line of small characters on the memorabilia.

Corrupt officials, everyone can punish them!

This is obviously a memorial to the Yushi of Henan Province impeaching Jia Heng for his tyrannical government in the local area, and the words are not so fierce.

Perhaps it was because he had learned the lessons of the former Kodao officials who impeached Jia Heng for military affairs, and all of them were rectified in batches. In the memorial, he euphemistically advised the emperor. Jia Ziyu had never appeased the local people. If things go on like this, there will be complaints and complaints, which will damage the name of the saint's benevolence.

"The memorabilia for the impeachment of Jia Ziyu has also been gathered together, so there is no need to intersperse them." Emperor Chongping said coldly to Dai Quan with a silent expression.

Ziyu's memorabilia had already said that there was indeed movement in Beijing, and they had already gritted their teeth before trying to reform themselves.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Dai Quan quickly bowed his head in response.

Emperor Chongping put down his ink brush, and said in deep thought: "Go to the Secretary of the General Administration to have a look. If you have Ziyu's memorabilia, no matter if it is written in the Ming Dynasty or in secret, I will send it to you as soon as possible without any delay."

After Jia Heng’s six memorials were completed, Emperor Chongping was looking forward to the memorials from Henan.

Dai Quan quickly responded, and then ordered someone to pass the order.

At this moment, a young eunuch entered the study room, knelt down to salute, and said: "Your Majesty, the king of Wei and his concubine Wei entered the palace to pay their respects. The king of Wei is waiting outside to be summoned by his majesty."

"I don't see, let him go back to the Wucheng Bingma Division, so that he can handle errands, but he doesn't have to worry about it every morning and evening." Emperor Chongping said in a cold voice with a gloomy expression, and suddenly added: "Zhenlong is in good health!"

Who is behind the scenes that all the courts and halls are going up and discussing the establishment of the East Palace?

King Wei is very suspicious!He is the son of the Queen Yuan, and in these memorials, there are even many proposals to directly make Wei Wang his heir.

He just fainted at the beginning, but he is not terminally ill and can't manage affairs, so he can't wait?

Hearing the words, the inner eunuch felt a "thump" in his heart, and felt his back was soaked in cold sweat, so he didn't dare to delay, so he took the order and went out to the side hall.

At this moment, the king of Wei was standing under his majesty Dan, dressed in royal robes, his handsome and fair face was as solemn as frost, when he saw the young eunuch coming out of the palace, he hurried up to meet him, cupped his hands and asked, "My father-in-law, Did the emperor summon him?"

The internal supervisor had a complex expression, and said: "His Royal Highness, His Majesty said that His Highness Wei Wang will go back to do business, but there is no need to make up his mind every day, and His Majesty also said..."

Even if it feels too scary, the oracle must still be conveyed without compromise.

"Your Majesty also said... the dragon is in good health!"

Hearing this, the king of Wei's face changed suddenly, his heart was awe-inspiring, he felt his hands and feet were cold, and he shuddered.

My dragon is in good health!

It seemed that his father's gloomy face appeared in front of his eyes, and these words were expressionless, and they were not formulaic words.

This... is a knock and a warning!

It must be the matter of discussing the foundation of the country in the past two days that made the emperor suspicious and resentful. I'm afraid the suspicion has already reached his head!

Thinking of this, King Wei thanked the inner eunuch with a pale face, and bowed respectfully in the direction of the inner study, and then, under the retinue of the accompanying inner eunuch, hurriedly left the side hall, lost his mind and headed towards the palace garden Walking outside, just when he reached Wenyuan Pavilion, suddenly, he saw a familiar figure at the corner of the hall.

"Third brother, the queen mother asked me to call you." Liang Wang Chen Wei stepped forward quickly, whispered something dignified beside Wei Wang, and then went to Wenyuan Pavilion.

Wei Wang Chen Ran's face moved slightly, and he breathed a sigh of relief, and walked to Kunning Palace with heavy steps.

(End of this chapter)