The Red Mansions

Chapter 850 Whoever makes peace again will be the traitor of the country, and the world will fight against it!
In the post house built by Honglu Temple, there are soldiers of the Han Dynasty standing with spears in front of and behind the pillars. From time to time, there are soldiers cruising to and fro breathing heat. In the rooms in the west wing on the second floor, the lights are on, glowing like fire. .

Jurchen's envoys, Zhang Shang and Shuotuo, were sitting on the kang table, having dinner.

Shuo Tuo was in his early forties. He was originally tied up and executed by Daishan because he supported Dorgon with his son in a parallel time and space, but at this moment he is an envoy representing the Jurchen peace talks with the Han court.

Picking his teeth with a bamboo stick, Shuotuo said with a smile, "Don't mention it, the cooks of the Han people are really good, and they are more authentic than those in Shengjing."

Zhang Shang said: "Your Majesty, the Han people pay attention to food that is never tired of fine food, and never tire of fine food. If so, Huaiyang cuisine is a rare delicacy."

Shuo Tuo lowered his voice and said, "When we enter the Central Plains, I will have a dozen or so cooks from Huaiyang in the mansion."

"My lord, the officials of the Han court have been arguing recently." Zhang Shang said suddenly.

Shuotuo's eyes flickered, and he said, "Didn't Mr. Fan say earlier that these Han officials are like this, as soon as they hear that there is a chance for peace talks, they start to have illusions in their hearts, and now they are really in a mess."

Listening to Shuotuo's words, Zhang Shang said: "My lord, but Bo Yongning Jiaheng heard that he has arrived in Luoyang and is going back to Beijing. This person is not easy to deal with."

A cold light flickered in Shuotuo's eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "It was he who captured Uncle Wang alive. This man is really a serious problem for my daughter."

Zhang Shangdao: "My lord, don't worry. When the Han court fights, this Yongning Bo will be put on the fire. He is a general standing on the opposite side of civil servants. Even if he overwhelms him for a while in the future, as long as the war is unfavorable, these people will be killed." To prove that I am right."

Shuotuo smiled and said, "You Han people have a way."

"My lord, these are all old cases with a long history." Zhang Shang said with a smile.

……

……

Kaifeng, backyard of governor's office
In the hall, Zhongjing Hou Shi Ding and his wife Zhou Shi are entertaining Jia Heng and Xiang Yun who came with him.

Shi Ding looked at the young man not far away, with some eagerness in his eyes, and said in a low voice: "Zi Yu, sweet potatoes are harvested in Henan, I remember the last time I met Zi Yu, the Henan government officials were full of complaints , slandered Ziyu, but now they are all speechless."

Jia Heng picked up the wine cup and said: "Uncle Shi, the people who were released earlier have all returned to their villages now, so they can farm in peace, right?"

"According to the seriousness of the crimes, a booklet has been compiled, and many of them have been sent back to the village." Shi Ding said in a low voice: "The vassal government did not agree with this matter at first, saying that these people were used to build city walls and official roads for hard labor. Save people's power."

Jia Heng said: "Since we have made promises to the people before, we should not go back on our promises, especially after the previous chaos, it is the juncture to reshape the prestige of the government."

Shi Ding nodded and said, "What Ziyu said is true, and I mean it too."

Mrs. Zhou took Xiangyun's hand, smiled, and said: "Young girl Yun, when you go back this time, send the things you brought to the old lady."

Xiangyun's usual romance disappeared a bit, and he was not used to it, but he nodded frequently during Zhou's "Hush and ask for warmth", obviously he was not very close to this third aunt when he was in the Shifu.

Shi Ding said in a low voice: "You talk to Xiangyun, Ziyu and I go to the study first."

Mrs. Zhou said with a smile, "Master, let's go."

The two entered the study room, sat down again, and the servants loaded the teacup, turned and left.

Shi Ding's eyes fell on the young man's face, and he said with emotion: "Zi Yu has gone to the south of the Yangtze River to rectify the salt affairs and put down the captives, and now he has completed his merits and virtues.

After returning to Beijing this time, he will definitely be named a Marquis, and he will not be a third-class Marquis like him.

Jia Heng said softly: "This journey is indeed back and forth, fortunately everything is in order."

Shi Ding nodded, and asked worriedly: "Ziyu, there has been a lot of talk about peace talks in Beijing recently, will it affect the country's policy towards captives?"

As a feudal official and an important member of a province, he is naturally very sensitive to the movements of the central government. As the original book of the Red Chamber said, the four major families are all prosperous and all are damaged. If Jia Heng falls, historians cannot be alone.

Jia Heng said: "Don't worry, Master, now it's just a matter of some science and Taoism. Besides, since the first year of Chongping, when will the Jurchens negotiate peace with me? Now it's just their trick."

The great Han's policy towards captives is consistent, clear and unshakable.

Shi Ding was silent for a moment, and said: "As long as the emperor's position on this matter is firm, the rest is not enough, but if everyone holds a peaceful discussion, Zi Yu will be under greater pressure on the captives in the future."

It is easy to build prestige and damage prestige, especially if it is proved wrong afterwards, it will become perverse.

And once there is a consensus among the courtiers, it becomes a central collective decision-making, and the risk of making a wrong decision is naturally shared by everyone. Even if the decision is wrong, everyone chooses to forget it together, and then look forward.

The same is true for Jia Heng. If he loses in the final battle, Jia Heng may be thrown out to take the blame, and the emperor may also be devastated.

Originally, if you lose a battle, you will also lose a battle. It is nothing more than sitting on the bench, but once the fire is too hot, if you lose another battle, the ending will be more tragic.

This is what Shi Ding is worried about. Now Jia Heng is not only tied to the future and destiny of one person, but also several other big families.

Jia Heng nodded, and said, "Don't worry Shibo, the big man today is not completely powerless."

The Beijing camp has been tempered many times, and if it is added with some military weapons, it should be able to withstand the Jurchen.

Shi Ding sighed, and said: "In the matter of military strategists, the outcome is hard to know, and it is still too dangerous."

On the other side, Mrs. Zhou also held Xiangyun's chubby little hand, and said with a smile: "Yun girl is about to grow into a big girl now, wait a year or two, and my aunt will find you a good relative."

Xiangyun's rosy cheeks were as red as Fuji apples, and he hurriedly said, "Auntie, I'm not in a hurry, my sister and sister haven't got married yet."

Zhou said with a smile: "It's just two or three years later, let's settle it earlier."

But when he was talking, he heard Shi Ding's voice from outside, saying: "What are you talking about with the child?"

Zhou said: "It's not been a long time since I saw Yun girl, talk to her about getting married in the future."

Shi Ding frowned, and said: "The old lady Liberty is worried about this matter, why are you joining in the fun?"

If it wasn't for Ziyu's already married, it would be good for Xiangyun to promise Ziyu. In the next few decades, the old lady of the Jia family will still belong to their historian.

Mrs. Zhou didn't dare to retort, but just smiled and said: "The old lady is so busy, how could she have such a time."

"Okay, get ready for lunch, I'll have a few drinks with Ziyu later." Shi Ding waved his hand and said in a low voice.

Xiang Yun looked at Jia Heng, walked closer, and said, "Brother Heng."

Jia Heng nodded, and after lunch with Shi Ding, he didn't stop, and while Shi Ding was seeing him off, he got into the carriage with Xiangyun and went to the boat moored at the ferry.

On the carriage, the curtains hung down from all sides, the temperature inside the carriage was somewhat low, two people sat side by side, Jia Heng took the mattress beside him and covered it up.

Jia Heng looked up at Xiang Yun, and asked with a light smile, "Sister Yun, just now your aunt told you to get married."

Xiang Yun's pale and rosy face blushed into a glow, and said softly: "Brother Heng, I don't want to marry, it's good to play with my sisters every day."

Jia Heng stared at the girl with Apple's round face, and said with a chuckle, "You can't just play around like this for the rest of your life, you'll always get married."

Xiang Yun suddenly blushed, looked at the boy fixedly, and summoned up his courage to ask: "Brother Heng, are Sister Bao and Sister Lin going to marry you?"

Jia Heng: "..."

"Where did you hear that?" Jia Heng calmed down, asked with a light smile, pinched the girl's rosy cheeks, and joked, "Why are you still blushing while talking about it?"

Xiangyun tilted his head, his black eyes were looking forward, and said with a chuckle: "I see that Sister Lin usually keeps her fingers in the sun, she is also learning to cook, and she is also helping Brother Heng to sew clothes. I feel all nahan."

Although Xiangyun is sweet and naive, and usually a little careless, he is not as careless as he appears. After such a long time, he has gradually become aware of this triangular relationship between Chai and Daiheng.

Otherwise, in the original book, after Xiangyun said that Daiyu was like an actor, he would not have said to Baoyu: "Apologize to those who are used to making petty things about you."

Jia Heng smiled lightly and said, "Your elder sister Lin is usually very diligent, why is it that in the mouth of younger sister Yun, she seems too lazy."

Xiangyun and Daiyu usually have a very good relationship.

Xiang Yun smiled lightly and said, "Brother Heng, what about Sister Bao? Sister Bao also cooks for Brother Heng."

Jia Heng said softly: "You are a big kid, can't ordinary sisters sew some fabrics and clothes together?"

Xiang Yun pouted, and said softly, "Brother Heng lied to me again. One morning, I saw you coming out of Sister Lin's room."

Jia Heng smiled, rubbed the girl's bangs, and said, "Okay, it's what you think, and you will marry me in the future."

Xiang Yun heard the words, his cheeks flushed slightly, his eyes moved slightly, and he said softly, "Both marry Brother Heng?"

"Yeah." Jia Heng responded lightly, and said seriously: "When Sister Yun returns, don't tell anyone else."

Xiang Yun quickly said, "I won't tell anyone else."

Just as he was saying this, looking at the young man opposite, his pink lips twitched, and suddenly his cheeks as pink as snow flushed into an apple face, and he said in a low voice: "Brother Heng, I will also..."

After all, it is the girl's heart, and in the end, her own shyness took over her body and mind, and she hesitated, and did not say the following words.

Jia Heng smiled lightly, and asked, "Also... what? Marry me too?"

"Ah..." Xiangyun was told what was on his mind, his plump face like a jade plate was flushed like fire, and he said in a low voice: "Then we can play together for the rest of our lives, and we will never be separated every day."

Jia Heng took Xiangyun's slender hand and said in a low voice: "Back in the mansion, don't talk nonsense like this in the future, if your daughter's family's reputation is dirty, it will be difficult to marry in the future."

Xiangyun still doesn't know what the word "marrying" means. Maybe in Xiangyun's eyes, it means that everyone is playing around together, happy every day, and hopes to be with him forever. I guess I will forget about it every two days. one thing.

He couldn't just take Xiangyun's words seriously.

Xiang Yun nodded, and responded softly, leaning his head on Jia Heng's arms, the jade cheeks of his round apple face felt a little hot, and said in a trembling voice: "Then brother Heng is willing?"

"After two or three years, let's talk about it when you grow up. You haven't reached the age of Ji, and you want to get married?" Jia Heng smiled and said: "When you arrive in Beijing, you and your third sister, Sister Lin and the others play together, why don't you make me some embroidered pouches and meals?"

In fact, Xiangyun was only a few months younger than Daiyu, or in other words, Tanchun and Xiangyun were from the same year, but they felt different to him.

Daiyu had to understand love affairs earlier.

Xiang Yun smiled lightly, and said: "Brother Heng, I do a lot of sewing at home, didn't Brother Heng just say that he didn't cook for me?"

Xiangyun is usually not always blindly playful, but also reads some poetry collections, otherwise, in the later Haitang Poetry Club, Xiangyun would not have the same poetic talent as Xue Lin.

"I'm going to be lazy in the mansion now." Jia Heng jokingly said while holding the girl's soft and chubby little hand.

Xiang Yun raised his rosy cheeks, and suddenly said seriously: "Brother Heng, are you going to the north to fight the Jurchens?"

Jia Heng said: "Well, there have been many wars in the past few years. When we get to Beijing, we may not have time to play around with Sister Yun."

"Brother Heng is busy with state affairs now, so you don't need to play with me all the time." Xiang Yun said softly, "We went to Jinling this time, we went to many places, and Kaifeng also went to many places to play. .”

Jia Heng drove towards the ferry in a carriage, and the accompanying guards in Jinyi came to report, and Xu Kai, the prefect of Runing, came to visit and had been waiting at the ferry on the shore for a while.

Jia Heng let Xiangyun board the boat alone, got out of the carriage, and looked at Xu Kai, the former Hanlin scholar who is now the magistrate of Runing Prefecture, who was sitting and waiting in the reeds at the ferry.

Xu Kai was dressed as a literati, wearing a blue cloth robe and blue shirt, with an elegant temperament, as gentle as jade, more like a scholar than a fourth-rank official of a big man.

"Uncle Yongning." When Xu Kai saw Jia Heng, his face showed excitement, he got up, walked a few steps quickly, and bowed his hands to Jia Heng.

Jia Heng looked at the slender, fair-skinned young man opposite him, and returned a salute: "Brother Qi Yuan, long time no see."

When he was in Jinling, he had correspondence with Xu Kaiduo, describing the Lianghuai salt affairs and the political affairs of the Runing Mansion.

Xu Kai smiled and said: "I haven't seen you in a few months. It seems like yesterday that I fought against the flood with Bo Yongning on the embankment of the Yellow River."

"That's right, from summer to winter, even the water of the Yellow River has gone down a lot." Jia Heng said with a smile.

The two exchanged greetings, looked at each other and smiled.

Jia Heng sat down, looked at Xu Kai who had a calm look, and asked, "How is Brother Qi Yuan in Runing?"

"After the war in Runing Mansion, a lot of waste is waiting to be built. This year, sweet potatoes and grains have a good harvest. This winter has been much better. Recently, some prisoners are leading some prisoners to build water conservancy projects during the dry winter. Whether it's drought or flood, they all have the power to resist disasters." Xu Kai said energetically.

The practical experience of the ruling party also gave this former Hanlin Ci official the qualities of being capable and down-to-earth.

Jia Heng nodded and said: "If you have enough food and clothing, you will know the etiquette. If you have enough food and clothing, you will know the honor and disgrace. Only when the people don't worry about famine can they return to peace and order. The law is fair and the people respect them. The imperial court will rebuild its prestige. If you fight against captives, the common people will gladly follow."

The famous article of "Cao GUI Debates" has food and clothing, and if you dare to specialize, you must divide people, but if the small benefits are not everywhere, the people will not follow.

Only the big and small prisons, although they cannot be observed, must be based on affection and loyalty, and they can be fought.

Xu Kai nodded, and said: "Recently, I have also sorted out the unjust prisons in the mansion, accepted the redress of grievances, and rebuilt the court's dignity."

It can be said that the difficulty of local governance plummeted a lot after Jia Heng's heavy blows against the powerful and evil gentry in Henan.

As Xu Kai said, he murmured: "Uncle Yongning, there has been a lot of talk about the peace talks between Beijing and Jurchen recently. I came to the provincial government to do business, and I also heard some discussions. Is the unknown center a war or a peace?"

Jia Heng smiled, looked at Xu Kai, but did not repeat what he said to Shi Ding, but said: "Actually, I have something to ask Brother Qiyuan."

When Xu Kai heard this, his heart was lifted, and he said: "Uncle Yongning, please tell me."

Jia Heng pondered and said: "Brother Qi Yuan once served as a lecturer in the Imperial Academy. He has solid talents and excellent diction. Can you write a sacrificial oration for me?"

"Sacrifice?" Xu Kai asked softly with doubts on his face.

Jia Heng's face was changed, and he said solemnly: "This sacrificial rite is prayed for soldiers and civilians who died in frontier incidents in Yanzhao, Qilu and other places for more than ten years, to comfort their heroic spirits in heaven, and Jinyi Mansion has recently collected I will show some war materials to Brother Qi Yuan for reading later, so that I can write sacrificial texts to comfort the heroic spirits of the people, and I think it will be used by the Taimiao to present prisoners.”

This kind of sacrificial table can be regarded as a masterpiece, often involving some uncommon allusions and diction, he must not be as soul-stirring as Xu Kai, who can write with a wonderful pen.

However, he also prepared other means of publicity for ordinary people. He compiled the cruel deeds of Jurchen into an album, and told the stories in teahouses and restaurants in Shenjing to stimulate the morale of ordinary people.

Then use the head of the Jurchen prince to comfort the heroic spirits in Yanzhao, Qilu and other places.

Officials living in high temples are never isolated individuals. They must be watched by ordinary people in Shenjing. At that time, the public opinion in Beijing and China formed by the people from the bottom up can be compared to the public opinion of the scholars in the future. Carry out siege.

At that time, whoever makes peace again will be the traitor of the country, and the world will attack it together!
Hearing this, Xu Kai's face showed thinking, all kinds of speculations surged in his heart for a moment, and he asked with burning eyes: "Uncle Yongning wants to use this method to calm the rumors of the government and the public?"

Jia Heng nodded and said: "Let those colleagues who are trying to make peace with the Jurchen listen to how my big man has endured the Jurchen's iron hooves all these years, how the scholars, people, women and children shed tears in the dust, but they still want to make peace with the Jurchen, bowing their knees, May you have a safe night!"

This is just part of his efforts to build a consensus of public opinion. If he does not occupy the high ground of public opinion, others will.

When this matter is mentioned, if these people dare to negotiate peace with Jurchen again, they will be hated by the people of Yanzhao, accused by thousands of people in Shenjing, and regarded as enemies by their colleagues!
Xu Kai was emotionally agitated, and there was a sense of mission in his eyes, and he said: "Uncle Yongning will wait a few days. After I watch the deeds of the victims, I can burn incense and bathe to write the memorial."

If he had written this sacrificial letter, he would undoubtedly have a clean break with the servile generation among scholars, but to comfort the heroic spirits, even though there are tens of thousands of people, I will go!
Jia Heng stared at Xu Kai, and said: "No hurry, there is still some time before we leave the capital, I will stay with the guards later, and after Brother Qiyuan's letter is over, I will rush to the capital on a fast horse, as long as I can get there before entering the capital." Completing this grand article will not be a waste of time."

In fact, this sacrificial letter is to some extent also a letter of nomination presented to him by Xu Kai. Of course, Xu Kai is not at a disadvantage. Prosperity.

Xu Kai left the table and worshiped again, straightened his clothes, bowed his hands and said: "Don't worry, Uncle Yongning, you are entrusted by others, and you will never disgrace your mission if you are loyal to others."

Jia Heng also got up, supported Xu Kai firmly with both hands, and said solemnly: "Then there will be Brother Lao Qiyuan."

After talking about the matter with Xu Kai, Jia Heng boarded the boat again and boarded the deck under Xu Kai's watch.

This matter is settled.

(End of this chapter)