[Red House] The First Imperial Merchant

Chapter 40 Returning to Beijing

In the past three days, the heavy snow has accumulated an inch thick, and the dead trees are covered with snow. When the wind blows, it flutters and greets Xue Pan. A few months ago, the land here was dry and cracked with no grass growing. Although it is covered with heavy snow now, Xue Pan can imagine that the land here will be moistened by snow water in the next spring, and it will definitely be fruitful in autumn.

"My lord, the second prince is ready." Xiaobing said respectfully with his hands clasped.The first time I saw Lord Xue a few months ago, he also disdained it. The young civil servants came to grab military exploits, but within a few months, this Lord Xue was bold and the most important thing was to love the people, not to be greedy, and to raise money He was by his side to help the people with food and silver, but Mr. Xue was busy all night, eating and doing the same work as them, and he didn't have the airs of being a civil official at all.

Xue Pan nodded. Here he has found the root of being an official, and his future journey will not go astray.

"Let's go!" Xue Pan nodded, turned and went downstairs.

Xiao Bing followed behind and said: "My lord, the people in Ludi heard that you are returning to Beijing today, and they are waiting downstairs to see you off. I also heard from Mr. Mei that people from the distant suburbs came one after another. I'm afraid it will be too late if the snow is too big, sir, do you want to wait any longer?"

Xue Pan stopped in his tracks and remained silent for a while, "The snow is so thick---" The wide streets below the city tower were already full of people from Ludi, and when they saw him coming out, they cheered, "Master Xue, Lord Xue!"

Seeing this scene for a while, Xue Pan, who has always had an idea, didn't know what to say.

The magistrate of Mei County stood in front, bowed his hands and said: "My lord, I heard that you are leaving today, and the people spontaneously came over to see you off. You can't stop it. Look---" His eyes turned to the outside of the building, and the magistrate of Mei County pointed out , said: "My lord, you see that the people in the village have caught up."

As soon as Xue Pan turned around, gray and black figures could be seen in the whiteness in all directions, driving an ox cart, drawing closer bit by bit, wearing old cotton-padded jackets, his face was red with cold, his temples were stained with hoarfrost, and even more so. Not to mention that half of the calf under the feet was soaked in slush. Obviously there was an ox cart, but they walked over on foot. The roof was covered with tarpaulin, so I couldn't tell what it was---

As the people approached, Xue Pan saw clearly that the people who came were all men. When he saw Xue Pan, his eyes were red, and he breathed a cold breath when he opened his mouth, but he didn't feel the cold, so he said enthusiastically, "Fortunately, I caught up with you, otherwise I would have been in trouble." I don’t have the face to go back to see everyone in the village.”

Xue Pan was sore and happy in his heart, this kind of emotion is hard to describe but he likes the mood at the moment.When you do good deeds, others are always very proud when they repay you.

The weather was cold, and the man who came saw that he uncovered the tarpaulin on the ox cart, which contained food in jars. The man pointed to them and introduced them one by one: "Xiao Cui pickled vegetables in our village are ready, this is Xiao Cui Pickled ones for adults to taste. This is the oily egg made by Grandma Huang. The cracked shell is delicious and delicious. Adults can eat it when they are hungry on the road. There are also pancakes made by Mr. Niu. The pancakes are dipped in Mr. My lord, you know what it’s like when you’re hungry, that’s refreshing——” The man scratched his head, lowered his head in embarrassment, thought for a while, when he raised his head, his eyes were red, and he said with sobs: “My lord You saved the lives of 380 adults and children in our whole village, and the whole village remembers your kindness. If the mothers-in-law and the children can’t come, please ask me to kowtow to you three times.”

After he finished speaking, he was about to kneel in the snow. Xue Pan was quick, and with all his strength, he dragged the seven-foot man up. He liked to say some sensational things, held Niu Da's arm tightly, and said word by word: "Xue Pan should do, the Holy One is kind, and we should all thank the Holy One." Patting the strong man's arm, Xue Pan Smiling, he said, "I'll just accept the delicacies in the car. If Xue doesn't like anything else, it's just this farmhouse specialty."

Niu Da's eyes were red. Xue Pan lifted him up, but he was still in a hurry. If he didn't kneel and kowtow, what would he do if the village found out?Master Xue should have kowtowed a few times for his life-saving grace. He was in a hurry when he heard Xue Pan say that he would accept this cart of gifts, and immediately bared his teeth happily, and boasted: "It's as long as you like it, the elders in the village I know that adults must be happy to accept it."

The people on the streets of the city saw it, and raised their vegetable baskets, offering gifts one after another. When they came from the suburbs outside the city, they were all pulling ox carts, which were full. Xue Pan ordered the soldiers, as long as they were worthless snacks and pickles, they would accept them. Next, if there are precious gold, silver and silk, they will not be accepted.

The magistrate of Mei County is now with red eyes, wiping his tears to appease the local people, the second prince on the carriage opened the curtains to see everything, and asked himself, if he came to help the disaster, he would never be able to do what Xue Pan did. He was recuperating in a small farmyard, and he listened to Xue Pan's instructions. Who in the whole rural village would not praise the new Mr. Xue, who is upright and loves the people like a son?

The vehicle went out, and the people who came to see them off followed behind them step by step. Seeing this, Xue Pan jumped out of the carriage, looked at these people whose faces were flushed from the cold, and said with a smile: "Everyone, please go back, there is no need to send them off again. Otherwise, Xue will be uneasy, the snowy road will be slippery, and the long journey will go back this morning. I will say goodbye today, and I will see you again in the future. Xue wishes everyone that Ludi will not suffer from natural disasters, and that there will be no worries about food and clothing in the future."

"Master Xue, let's go!"

The crows screamed and sobbed, some even knelt and kowtowed in the snow, one knelt, one after another...

Xue Pan couldn't bear to look any longer, turned around and got on the carriage without turning his head, his eyes were red, and the echo of "Lord Xue" could still be heard outside the carriage.

"Wang Jia, drive away!" Xue Pan said quietly, leaning on the carriage.

Wang Jia, who was 1.8 meters tall, wiped his tears with red and rough hands, choked up and said, "Yes, my lord." He drove the carriage and left a series of horseshoe marks in the snow.

In the carriage, Xue Pan raised his head and closed his eyes.

There is snow on the road, and the return journey will be slow. In addition, the second prince's leg injury, although he can walk, but he has not fully recuperated in the difficult place, and now he walks with a slight limp and his leg bone hurts after walking for a long time.Whether it was the Daqing Dynasty or the previous dynasties, there had never been a lame emperor. The second prince took his leg injury very seriously, and he basically never got out of the carriage on the way back, except for eating and drinking, for fear of falling into a disability.

Xue Pan and the second prince stayed in their respective compartments on weekdays, except for saying hello and saluting during meals.The carriage was moving slowly, and it was already the end of December when we returned to Beijing, and before we got close to the capital, the small villages along the way could already feel the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Sending someone on a fast horse to report in advance, Xue Pan's return to Beijing is nothing, but the etiquette that the second prince should have in the carriage is still there.Wang Jia drove the carriage to the city gate, and seeing rows of officials and soldiers standing in the distance, he immediately said happily, "My lord, someone is here to pick us up at the gate of the city."

"He is here to pick up the second prince." Xue Pan said indifferently.

Wang Jia showed disdain on his face, and said: "I think they are here to pick us up. My lord, you didn't waste one soldier and one soldier to disintegrate the Black Lotus Sect, and you didn't need a penny from the court to save the 630 people in Ludi. Fate, besides losing the money, what other merits can the second prince show?"

"Talk a lot." Xue Pan said.

As soon as Wang Jia heard it, he went on happily. He has been with Xue Pan for the past few months, serving him like a servant. Xue Pan can tell whether he is happy or not. What Xue Pan said just now is "talking a lot" Did not mean to get angry.Wang Jia also understood the meaning. He used to think that Mr. Xue was here to take the credit of Mr. Ji, but now it seems that these great achievements have all fallen to the second prince who did nothing, so he immediately curled his lips and stopped talking.

At the gate of the city, Wang Jia had sharp eyes and whispered towards the carriage: "My lord, it seems that the first prince, the third prince, and all the officials are here to pick you up."

Hearing this, Xue Pan straightened his robes and said, "Stop the car." The eldest prince doesn't care who he picks up, where is his identity, how dare he sit on the carriage and walk over in a grand manner?Don't be afraid to be scolded by the officials tomorrow!

After getting out of the carriage, he took a closer look, isn't the First Prince waiting ten feet away?Take a closer look, there is a short Douding standing next to the elegant-looking eldest prince in brocade clothes and sable fur. Who is it but the third prince?I haven't seen the third prince for a few months and he has grown a lot, but now he is wrapped in a thick sable fur and looks like a ball around him. He is chubby and cute.

Xue Pan walked over, and the second prince's carriage behind him didn't come out at all, as if he didn't know that the first prince was waiting.When we met, the eldest prince still looked old, with a lot of frost on his beard, it was funny to see him, so he saluted.

The first prince lifted Xue Pan's arm falsely, and said with a refined smile: "Lord Xue is a hero of Daqing, so there is no need to be so generous." The eyes of the third princes beside the first prince were full of joy. Master, you are finally back."

"How is the third prince?" Xue Pan asked with a smile.This guy is still the same after walking by himself for several months.

Zhao Hongyi nodded his head and said beamingly: "It's all good, I couldn't eat a month before Master left, I'm hungry and skinny!"

Xue Pansong scanned it from beginning to end. Is this called starvation and thinness?The chubby little fat man's skin is also white, not like the black boy when Xia Tian just left.Seeing that the third prince and Xue Pan were talking non-stop, the eldest prince was very happy, his brows were unconsciously frowned, and then he smiled slightly, and said: "It's cold, let's go back to the palace first, the royal father is hosting a banquet in the Yulong Palace, sir Xue please! Just as he raised his foot, he suddenly thought of something, turned around, and said with a smile, "I have a good memory! I heard that Mr. Xue brought back my second brother when he came back this time. I haven't seen him for several months. I heard that my second brother's life and death were uncertain at first, but I was scared." Bad, now I know that my second brother is An Ran---hey, where is my second brother, Mr. Xue?"

You only think of your second brother now!Xue Pan has no expression on his face. The eldest prince really can't hide his thoughts. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the second prince has suffered a disastrous defeat in this fight. Now he wants to use him as a spearman to taunt the second prince in front of many small officials. If he agrees, he will be afraid It was the second prince who hated him, probably because he felt that he had taken refuge in the first prince, so why was he hated for nothing?Xue Pan is not stupid, on the contrary, he is smart.

He smiled and said: "The second prince has a high status, and now he is resting in the carriage on the windy and snowy road."

"But the second brother's leg injury broke out? I heard about it. This time when I go back, I must ask my father to call the imperial doctor Liu to have a look." The eldest prince looked at the carriage where the second prince was in and said.

Xue Pan didn't say anything, just nodded and smiled.The third prince, who heard the whole story from the side, interjected: "Second brother Hong Fu is sure to be fine, elder brother, let's go back to the palace? I'm cold."

When the eldest prince heard this, he had no choice but to nod his head, put on a respectful posture of brothers and sisters, touched the third prince's mink fur hat, and said with a gentle smile: "Little San is cold, let's go back." His gaze was cold.

Zhao Hongyi has always been not close to the two imperial brothers. The eldest prince touched his head, and his hair seemed to explode. He was not at all as comfortable as Xue Pan when he touched him.

The eldest prince withdrew his hand without realizing it, got into the carriage, and returned to the palace.At this time, the petty officials greeted Xue Pan and congratulated him. The warm atmosphere dissipated the embarrassment just now. The third prince, who was slightly naughty in everyone's eyes, stayed by Xue Pan's side obediently. Sometimes the petty officials flattered him. I can also go back angrily.

Everyone was courteous, and the petty officials who were not eligible to be invited to the Yulong Palace dinner were walking back in sedan chairs and carriages.Fifty elite soldiers also had a celebration banquet, but it was not the Yulong Palace, but held by Emperor Pingkang in the military camp outside Beijing, and everyone was rewarded according to the rules. Wang Jia left after seeing the big guys, and looked at Xue Pan again, looking a bit simple and honest It's really slippery.

"My lord, do you still need a servant?" Wang Jia has always felt that he is not a soldier. He doesn't like to fight and kill. Heavy, now that they have parted ways, he can't think of going back. He wants to stay with Mr. Xue as a servant, and maybe he can be a civil servant in the future.In the Daqing Dynasty, there was a military general who abandoned literature and followed the military, but there was never a military general who became a civil servant. If he became a civil servant, he would have face.

Xue Pan knew what Wang Jia was thinking at a glance. The 1.8-meter tall man followed him all day to do the work of a young boy like Yanzi. Suitable.Xue Pan felt like he wanted to support his forehead when he thought of all the things he had done in Ludi in the past. Wang Jia is not a servant, but a personal bodyguard, or the kind of bodyguard with a murderous air.

"I'm short of a driver, so hurry up." Xue Pan laughed.

Wang Jia's stout body easily jumped onto the carriage, and drove the carriage away with ease.In the carriage, the third prince huddled together with Xue Pan. It had been a long time since we saw each other, and the third prince didn't feel the embarrassment of seeing him just now.

"Master, you want to teach me great kung fu." Zhao Hongyi took off his hat, bald and messy hair, and hummed, "Master, that brat Jia Huan only knows how to bully me and call him when I come in later than him." Brother."

"He's older than you, and he entered the door earlier than you, so it's not wrong to call him senior brother." Xue Pan said flatly.If Zhao Hongyi didn't mention it, he almost forgot that there was such a kid as Jia Huan as his apprentice.

The third prince was angry, his face was swollen like a big bun, and he said unwillingly: "If you call me a senior, you can call him a senior, but every time you brat shows off that whip technique in front of me, what is the master's whip technique called?"

"No word whip method." Xue Pan stroked the hairy head of the third prince, rubbed it, and said with a smile: "You are a junior when no one is around, and you are the third prince in front of people, no one dares to bully you. "

The third prince laughed, "Yes! From now on, if that brat shows off his power again, I'll beat the brat's ass in front of Asheng." Asheng is the little eunuch assigned to the third prince by Concubine Rui.

Xue Pan thought about the picture for a while, and couldn't help smiling. Jia Huan's temperament should be tempered by someone, otherwise he would be too old. Although he was wearing clothes, he was only eighteen before he died. Since he was accepted as a Apprentice, Xue Pan doesn't want Jia Huan to be depressed every day and only think about revenge, so that this life will be ruined.

While speaking, he arrived at the palace gate, checked his waist badge, passed the first palace gate, and got off the car and walked in at the second palace gate.

The dinner held by Emperor Pingkang this time was to celebrate Xue Pan, and it was held in Yulongdian, the palace where Emperor Pingkang lived. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that Emperor Pingkang treated Xue Pan differently, but he valued Xue Pan very much. This time Xue Pan made such a great achievement, but he was appointed as the fifth-rank official of the Ministry of Industry, Yu Hengqing. Entered the six departments, but everyone in this industry department knew that it was a cold-short yamen, and there was not much money to be made.

In short, all the officials were stunned by what Emperor Pingkang meant. How much did Emperor Pingkang value Xue Pan? !

The author has something to say: I have been crazy busy for the past two days, and there will be more today. Good night everyone! 【mwah