The news of Medicine Master Guo's Ever-Victorious Army's surrender spread throughout the city and became the focus of everyone's after-dinner conversation in the past two days. In Bianliang City, the people at the top of the pyramid of the Wu dynasty, who had pushed for the implementation of this matter, were also feeling the joy of the victory.
In the past year, the Jin's offensive had been fierce and had conquered nearly half of Liao's land. Under such circumstances, it could almost be said that the death knell of Liao had been sounded. In the court of the Wu dynasty, many people believed in the principle of "a just cause enjoys abundant support and an unjust cause finds little support". At this time, the Ever-Victorious Army was the best proof of this principle.
Since the beginning of the war, the pro-war forces in the court had been quite serious, but there were still a considerable number of people in the pro-peace camp. And the pro-war camp was not united. Later, in the delicate situation of continuous defeats, they gradually divided into two groups. One group demanded that the army in the front fight to win and show their strength, so that it would be easier to negotiate with the Jin later. The other group, because of the repeated defeats, began to advocate that their side should preserve their strength, use the art of war, sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, and wait until the Jin and Liao were both injured, then take advantage of the situation.
These two theories had existed from the very beginning. It was only after the situation of the battle changed that they were clearly separated. But in any case, the bottom line of the pro-war camp was to recover Youyan Pass, at least not to let the pro-peace camp gain the upper hand. When the news of the Ever-Victorious Army's surrender was confirmed, among the people, the latter's voice still prevailed. At this time, the north did not move, and Tong Guan led the imperial army north. Medicine Master Guo had already surrendered before the war started again, which was in line with the demeanor of a king. For most people, this was a sign of the opportunity for the Wu dynasty to revive.
The voices were warm and the people were united. At this time, the way to celebrate was of course various banquets and gatherings. In these two days, the merchants who hosted all kinds of gatherings in Bianliang City made a lot of money, and the brothels also made a lot of money. Several literary gatherings were well organized. A scholar named Yu Shaoyuan wrote the "Ode to the Way of the King" in the Garden of Tranquil Thoughts, which was regarded as a rare magnanimous work in the past hundred years. It had the style of the Tang Dynasty, and it eloquently explained the inevitability of the Wu dynasty returning to its golden age.
Wen Daochang, naturally, could also be regarded as a sign of prosperity, and no one would have any objections to this. After producing the "Ode to the Way of the King", this Yu Shaoyuan had gained the favor of the capital's courtesan queen, Ji Xianqing. In these two days, he had become a legend that spread throughout the capital. He was vaguely on par with the four great scholars of the capital, Zhou Bangyan, Zheng Shuhe, Wang Yuanshi, and Xie Daosan.
These things were the most popular in this era. No matter where one was, they could not be avoided. In the afternoon of this day, in the Right Minister's residence, there were several people reading and discussing the "Ode to the Way of the King". This was the East Courtyard of the Right Minister's residence, and it was very close to the study where Qin Siyuan usually worked. There were many books and tables in the room, which proved that these people were Qin Siyuan's trusted aides or advisors. One of them was a handsome middle-aged monk, while the other three looked to be in their thirties, forties, and fifties respectively. All three of them had a mature and steady temperament, but their age seemed to be written on their faces, giving off such a feeling at first glance.
"… Eloquent, vigorous, this Yu Shaoyuan can be called a genius … He is only in his early twenties this year, but he reminds me of Wang Zian …" The one who spoke after reading the poem was the old man in his fifties, shaking his head in admiration. The Wang Zian he spoke of was Wang Bo, one of the four heroes of the early Tang Dynasty, who wrote the "Preface to the Teng Wang Pavilion". To be able to work as an advisor in the Right Minister's residence, they were all people with outstanding literary talent. This old man was able to compare Yu Shaoyuan to Wang Zian, which was enough to prove his achievements.
But after he said this, it was immediately met with a rebuttal that did not agree with him. The one who spoke was a man in his thirties who was writing on a table not far away. He raised his eyebrows, "His literary talent is good, but it is just empty praise, and the argument is not enough. If it is only the righteousness of the King that can bring peace and prosperity to the country … En, although it is not without reason, but in this case, Nian Gong, what are we doing?"
"He is only in his early twenties, it is enough that he has literary talent. Moreover, to bring peace and prosperity to the country, the King should be the main path, this is not wrong, haha, Zhou Hai you don't have to mind. " The old man who was called Nian Gong smiled. On the other side of the window, the monk who was drinking tea raised his head, "In terms of literary talent, he may be on par with Zhou Meicheng, but … I'm afraid he can't compare to that 'A Night of Dancing Fish and Dragon' …"
"That is a strange person, there is no need to compare him." The man in his thirties said, and the monk by the window nodded his head.
Among the few people, there was a middle-aged man in his forties with a dignified appearance, but he seemed to be relatively taciturn. Although he was listening to the few people, he did not participate. If they were outside, the few people sitting here would have a little bit of fame, and they could even scare people in many places.
The old man who was called Nian Gong was surnamed Yao, and his name was Yao Zunian. When he was young, he was an advisor to Qin Siyuan, and he was very knowledgeable. Although he followed Qin Siyuan before, he was also very famous in the officialdom and literary circles. After Qin Siyuan resigned, he could have been given a bright future. With his reputation, he could have been transferred to anyone's name. However, after the Blackwater Alliance incident, his utilitarian heart had dimmed. It was only when Qin Siyuan was reinstated that he came back to help.
The middle-aged man in his forties was called Ji Kun, and he was originally a servant of Qin Siyuan when he was young. Later, he followed Qin Siyuan to learn how to read and write, and became one of Qin Siyuan's first disciples. However, this person was not good at poetry, but at doing things and arranging things for others. Although he looked dignified and even a little dull, in fact, when Qin Siyuan was in charge of the Ministry of Personnel, many people had experienced this person's ruthlessness. When Qin Siyuan was dismissed, he did not want him to follow him to Jiangning, and in the end, he became a housekeeper, so he followed the Office of Secret Investigation to the north. After Qin Siyuan was revived, he came back from Liao. It seemed that not much had changed, but he was more taciturn than before.
The man in his thirties was also Qin Siyuan's disciple. His surname was Cheng, and his name was Fang, and his courtesy name was Zhouhai. He had not studied under Qin Siyuan for a long time, but his character was more cynical. He was quite famous in the Daming Residence and there were some people in the capital who knew him. In the early years, he had also used good poetry to fight on the stage of other people's literary gatherings and had been the guest of the Courtesan Belle. Occasionally, his name would appear in the eyes of some people, but until now, whether it was in the officialdom or literary circles, he did not have much achievements. His ambition was also not here. After Qin Siyuan recovered, he called him over and he came over.
As for the monk, he was really famous in the capital. His Buddhist name was Jueming, and he was originally the son of a Jun Wang. When he was young, he was handsome and talented. Later, he shaved his head and became a monk, which shocked the capital for a while. Although his knowledge was not as profound as Yao Zunian's, his talent in poetry was firmly above the other three. Because he was already a monk, no one in the capital listed him as one of the four great scholars. However, compared to Zhou Bangyan, his reputation was not necessarily worse. Although this Zen Master Jueming was a monk, he did not practice hard. Instead, he had a wide circle of friends. At this time, in the Right Minister's residence, he was not an advisor, but a friend.
That afternoon, Qin Siyuan was not in the residence. The few of them chatted for a while, and a servant came to report something to Ji Kun. Ji Kun went out for a while, and after a while, a servant came to report something to Ji Kun. Ji Kun went out for a while, and after a while, a servant came to report something to Ji Kun.
Naturally, it was Wenren Bu 'er who came from the pier. He stood at the door and cupped his hands in greeting, "Mister Yao … Zen Master Jueming, long time no see. Ah, Zhouhai … "
Wenren Bu 'er was about the same age as Cheng Zhouhai, but he looked younger. They had met a few years ago, and the few people in the room actually knew about the Secret Investigations Office. In fact, Jueming's identity and relationship were the same as Kang Xian's. They were also one of the protective umbrellas of the Secret Investigations Office. Everyone already knew that Wenren Bu 'er would come here, and they also knew what he had done in Hangzhou. At this time, they smiled and greeted each other. Cheng Zhouhai subconsciously looked outside the door a few times. When Wenren Bu 'er saw this, he was a little puzzled, "What is Zhouhai looking at?"
Yao Zunian laughed, "I'm afraid he is watching 'A Night of Dancing Fish and Dragon'. Since Bu 'er is here, why isn't the Young Master Ning here? "
Hearing him mention Ning Yi, Wenren Bu 'er laughed and told him about Ning Yi looking for a place to stay. Then, he looked at Zhouhai and thought of a reason, "That Ning Liheng's way of doing things is indeed somewhat similar to Zhouhai's. Zhouhai has always been good at poetry. Could it be that he is eager to find someone to exchange pointers with?"
Cheng Zhouhai was a little cynical. Although he was good at poetry, he was usually a little disdainful about exchanging pointers at literary gatherings. According to him, he was disgusted by those who were not good enough to deliberately show off and flatter each other. This was something Wenren Bu 'er knew. But Ning Yi's poetry should be able to suppress his disdain. He thought of this and said it. Cheng Zhouhai smiled and shook his head, waving his hand, "It's not because of this … Hey, I'm afraid Young Sixteen is going to be criticized again …"
He murmured with a bit of ridicule. Yao Zunian and Jueming frowned and looked at each other, "Yes, where did Shao Yu go?"
Ji Kun said, "I'm afraid he went out to play with those young masters."
Wenren Bu 'er couldn't help but feel a little confused. When she asked, she found out that Qin Siyuan had already sent someone to receive him and Ning Yi's visit to the capital. This person was a nephew of Qin Siyuan's from his hometown. Although he didn't have much contact with people from his hometown during his dismissal, after Qin Siyuan was reinstated, many people from the Qin Clan came to the capital to ask for help. Other than money and food, and those who wanted to become officials, they also sent a few young masters of the younger generation to ask Qin Siyuan to discipline them and give them a bright future.
Once he sat in the position of the Right Minister, this kind of thing was almost endless. Unfortunately, Qin Siyuan couldn't refuse or ignore it. Although he could refuse some, there were always some people who stayed in the Right Minister's residence. They could be considered as the ones chosen by Qin Siyuan with better qualifications. Young Sixteen Qin Shao Yu was one of them.
When these people were sent over, they were already in their teens or twenties. Qin Siyuan couldn't teach them how to behave, he could only teach them how to do things. But no matter how dignified he was, he couldn't really suppress his family. In nearly a year, when these young masters came to the capital, the first thing they got was all kinds of unavoidable diseases of rich young masters. They went out in groups to play, to participate in literary meetings, to play in brothels, and to fight for the title of the young master of the Right Minister's residence. Qin Siyuan had dealt with it a few times, and even used the family law. But in the Right Minister's residence, everything was still rushed. In this year, he had mainly dealt with matters related to the Northern Expedition, and made up for the gap in his work over the years. There was no time to settle the various rules of the family, and it was beyond his power to completely close them.
This time, when Ning Yi and the others came up, he estimated the time and asked Qin Shao Yu to wait at the dock every day to bring the two "brothers" back to the residence. From the old man's point of view, perhaps he wanted to let Ning Yi and Wenren Bu 'er help the younger generation. Making friends with capable people was always good for his family. But first, the estimated date was vague, and second, there were many unforeseen events on the way. With Qin Shao Yu's personality, how could he really care about this every day? At this time, he made a mistake and would probably be scolded by the old man.
Hearing this, Wenren Bu 'er smiled bitterly for a moment. If Qin Shao Yu was scolded, he would definitely vent his anger on her. No matter what, it was not a good thing to not get close to each other. But Yao Zunian and the others could see his worry. Cheng Zhouhai waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, they can't do anything right, but they can't do anything wrong. Teacher definitely has a way to distinguish these things … To be honest, although all the noble families are like this, and there will definitely be people who try to get close to them, the Right Minister's residence can be considered to have overturned everything and started over again. Teacher and Teacher's wife can't stand it anymore … "
He paused and said, "But, I really want to see Ning Liheng as soon as possible. Teacher also said to let him come to the residence as soon as possible … But you guessed the reason wrong."
Wenren Bu 'er frowned and thought for a while, "I know he is a friend of teacher, but … it's not because of poetry?"
"It's not because of poetry, and it's not because of Liangshan. Although in these things, what he has done is far inferior to what we have done. But teacher, Teacher, Duke Nian, and Master Jue Ming have discussed that this Young Master Ning's way of thinking … of solving problems is different from ordinary people. Teacher said he is a Dissimilated Man, but it's not that there are no such people. But the thing that really makes people think deeply is this … I didn't notice it at first … "
Cheng Zhouhai said with a serious expression. He took out a precious box from the cabinet beside him. After opening it, Wenren Bu 'er recognized it at first glance. It was some information he had sent from Hangzhou. There were a lot of things, and they were all bundled up. These pieces of information had been sorted out. Most of them were sent after the city was breached, because there were too many of them. But most of them were sent after the city was breached, and most of them were not important. They were only added to the overall situation.
"What kind of information is this?"
"In the beginning, you only sent a few articles. I took a look and then threw them aside. Duke Nian and the others did the same." As Cheng Zhouhai spoke, he took out a few letters at the bottom and took out the papers inside. Wenren Bu 'er took them and read for a while, but he frowned. Because these things were really too unimportant. After reading half of the article, he finally remembered what it was. Then he read the whole article carefully, "These? Is there any mystery in it? "To him, reading an article that was too childish and full of mistakes was also a kind of torture.
"There is a mystery." Cheng Zhouhai patted the big pile of things beside him, "But I can't see it at first. I didn't see it."
Yao Zunian shook his head, "I'm ashamed. I didn't see it at first."
"I remember these are the things that Ning Liheng made in the Dominator's Blade Camp. He forced those Confucian scholars to write articles, but they were mixed. Some of them were even nonsense. Is there some secret code in them? "Wenren Bu 'er read word by word for a while and then raised her head," But it's useless now. "
"I can't see it at first …" Cheng Zhouhai rubbed his forehead.
"You don't want to say …" After thinking for a while, Wenren Bu 'er thought of something, but she couldn't put it into words, "In these things …"
Cheng Zhouhai smiled meaningfully, "There are good and bad literary skills in these things. If we just talk about words, Ning Liheng really shouldn't have given a single grain of rice to those scholars. After you sent them to us, we didn't pay attention to them. Until a few times, I found out that my teacher actually took these articles and read them. He even found everything and picked them out one by one. Then we felt that there was something wrong. After my teacher told us about it, we … were really scared … "He paused and lowered his voice," This is a criticism … "
"You must be joking." Wenren Bu 'er glanced at the people in the room, "At that time, I knew that he had set up a trap. Lady Liu from the Dominator's Blade Camp also believed him. But in that situation, he would have been dead if he didn't set up the trap. But I can't say that it's possible. In that kind of situation, he was only caught two or three months ago … Are these things really possible? "
"In the thirteenth year of Qi Zong, the great Confucian scholar from Hezhou, Lv Jifang, spent all his wealth to carry out the 'Great Harmony' in the local village. Everything belonged to the villagers. They ate, lived, and worked together. The affairs of the village were decided by many 'Benevolent Elders' after a discussion. They wanted the elderly to have a good life, the strong to have a good life, the young to have a good life, and the widows, the widows, the orphans, and the disabled to have a good life …" Yao Zunian said.
"It wasn't the first time that something like this happened. But every time, the idea was good, but it didn't work. Lv Jifang carried it out for three years. Later, it was said that the villagers became lazier and lazier. The village couldn't make ends meet. Lv Jifang persuaded the villagers to work and wanted to restrict them in the name of 'Benevolent Elders'. But in the end, it caused a conflict. Lv Jifang was killed in the conflict, and the villagers dispersed. The local magistrate tried the case and thought that Lv Jifang had the potential to be a saint. But after he spent all his wealth, he was killed. After the case was reported to the Heaven, he sentenced twenty-three people to be executed, and all of them were beheaded … "
Wenren Bu 'er said, "How can these two things be the same?"
"But they are similar." Cheng Zhouhai looked at her, "Teacher saw everything he did in the Dominator's Blade Camp in Hangzhou. Everything was connected. He wasn't playing, and he wasn't lying. Wenren, he knew what he was doing."
Wenren Bu 'er was silent for a while, "Zhouhai, tell me first, is this a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Of course it's a good thing. How can it be a bad thing?" Cheng Zhouhai spread out his hands and said.
Wenren Bu 'er heaved a sigh of relief. Ji Kun passed her a cup of tea.
"Teacher said that when I first got to know this little friend, he was good at playing chess, and his sword was unconventional. Later on, he wrote beautiful poems. When the disaster came, he had the talent to help the people. Later on, he was calm and composed when facing the enemy. This is the style of a great general. If these things were on anyone, they would be a pillar of the country. But compared to what is happening right now, those things are nothing. "
Ji Kun's tone was light, but steady. He repeated Qin Siyuan's words, "Everyone can be Yao and Shun … This is the orthodoxy. Wenren, that Young Master Ning, has the idea of the Great Unity …"
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