Chapter 13 Section Four: Ouyang Zhao and Xiong Dongshan comment on Zuo's poems

In the evening, a group of soldiers came in front of the gate of Tao Mansion at Jianziqiao in Changsha City. Geshiha, the leader, said to the porter, "Please tell Mr. Tao that Mr. Futai has an urgent letter for him." The concierge did not dare to be negligent, welcomed the visitor into the living room, and after serving tea, immediately sent the letter to the inner room and handed it to Tao Guang. Tao Guang was the only son of Tao Shu, the former governor of Liangjiang, and the son-in-law of Zuo Zongtang. He was originally from Xiaoyan, Anhua, and was living in Changsha at this time.It is really a good story to talk about the marriage between Tao and Zuo.

Tao Shu achieved his ambition at a young age, achieved success in his career, and became a Jinshi at the age of twenty-five. After that, he successively held important positions in the localities, and became the governor of Liangjiang in his later years.During his tenure, he rescued famines and treated the Huaihe River, dredged rivers and lakes, opened shipping for the first time, and reformed salt administration. He was a famous eunuch during the Daoguang period.He made many private visits to the people in a micro-service, and handled the murder case impartially.In his hometown in Hunan, scholars worshiped Tao Shu very much.Compared with Tao Shu, Zuo Zongtang's status is too far behind.After Zuo Zongtang won the 21-year-old exam, he will try his luck.It's the first time to report.The second time it was selected as the 15th place, but because Hunan won one more place, his name was wiped out, and Hubei was added, and he was only selected as the honorary record.Zuo Zongtang disdained to be a mere scribe, so he went back to the south and worked hard at home to study history and geography, famine politics, salt politics and other economics.In the seventeenth year of Daoguang, Zuo Zongtang gave lectures at Lujiang Academy in Liling.This year, Tao Shu, governor of Liangjiang, went to Jiangxi for a military parade, went home to scan the tomb, and passed Liling.The county magistrate asked Zuo Zongtang to write couplets for the place where Tao Shu stayed.Zuo Zongtang's pen was like a dragon and a snake, and he swiped it in an instant: "The language of the Spring Palace is calm, and the heart stone of the family mountain is there for twenty years; the river flows day and night, and the children of Bazhou are eager to return." This couplet not only expresses the hometown people's love for Tao Shu Admiration and welcome, and the most proud experience in Tao Shu's life: At the end of November in the 15th year of Daoguang, Emperor Daoguang summoned Tao Shu 14 times in Qianqing Palace, and personally wrote the "Yinxin Stone House" where he read for him when he was young. "Title plaque.Tao Shu considered this incident to be the glory of the Kuang Dynasty.When Tao Shu saw this couplet at that time, he was very appreciative, and immediately invited Zuo Zongtang here, full of praise.Zuo Zongtang originally admired Tao Shu. He was full of ideas about managing the world and helping the people, and he had nowhere to pour out his hatred.Seeing Tao Shu now, I can't wait to pour it all out.So it was half asking for advice, half showing, from knowledge to state affairs, from salt administration to shipping, and talked with Tao Shu all night.Tao Shu is very happy to have such an extraordinary talent in his hometown.

Tao Shu was fifty-nine years old that year, and Zuo Zongtang was only twenty-six.Tao Shu believed that Zuo Zongtang's future prospects would surpass his own in the future, so he made a year-end friendship with Zuo Zongtang regardless of the difference in age in his thirties. In the second year, Zuo Zongtang will try to apply for the third time.Tao Shu was seriously ill at that time, and he was invited to Jiangning again and again to entrust him with important things.When returning to the south, Zuo Zongtang made a detour to Jiangning.Knowing that he died soon, Tao Shu entrusted Zuo Zongtang with his only son Tao Guang, who was still young, and offered to marry him.Zuo Zongtang believed that he could not marry the Tao family no matter in terms of status or seniority, and he refused firmly.Tao Shu held Zuo Zongtang's hand and said: "Thirty years later, your status will be higher than mine.

I have been around for most of my life, and I have never met anyone who surpasses you, please don't shirk.After I die, Guang'er will be like your own son. If you can teach him to become a talent and not insult Tao's family tradition, then I will die in peace under the nine springs.Not only my son is entrusted to you, but my wife is not sensitive, I also entrust all my family affairs to you. " Zuo Zongtang was very grateful for Tao Shu's confidant, and said: "Don't worry about making the platform. In this case, Zuo Zongtang should do his best to teach the son to become a talent in this life. I have already tried three times, and I have seen through the shortcomings of the examination room. Go to Beijing for an exam, take reading classes, and work on Liuzhuang, and spend the rest of my life as a farmer in Shangxiang."

Soon, Tao Shu passed away.Zuo Zongtang took Mr. Tao to his hometown in Anhua and lived in Xiaoyan for eight years, teaching him everything he had learned.Later, he personally hosted Tao Guang's marriage.Tao Guang has always regarded Zuo Zongtang as his biological father. At this time, Tao Guang opened the letter and took a cursory look, he was so shocked that he couldn't breathe for a while. The original letter stated that Changsha is in crisis recently, and all officials, gentlemen and people have contributed their strength and money to defend Changsha.The Tao family is a well-known rich family in Hunan, and they have received the grace of the country. At this time of crisis, they should be role models for officials and the people.Mr. Tao is specially invited to prepare one hundred thousand silver within five days for military supplies.

The porter saw that the young master was sitting silently, making Zhanger Vajra confused.He stood aside and reminded softly: "My lord, I'm waiting for a reply outside!" Tao Guang seemed to wake up from a start, and said slowly: "Go and tell them, just say that I'm not at home, and ask them to go back first." After the visitors had left, Tao Guang immediately sent his family member Tao Gong, with Zhang Liangji's letter, on a fast horse, out of the Xiangchun Gate, and ran northward. Sixty miles to the east of Xiangyin City, there is a large stretch of meandering mountains with intertwined peaks and deep valleys.Xiangyin people generally refer to this area as Dongshan.Since the Taiping Army besieged Changsha, Xiangyin, which is only a hundred miles away from Changsha, has long been panicked.People with some wealth in the city moved their gold and silver and their families to Dongshan one after another.

At this time, Zuo Zongtang also took the whole family to live in seclusion here, living in Baishui Cave.Zuo Zongtang got married at the age of 21. Because of his poor family, he married into Yue's family in Xiangtan.His wife, Zhou Yiduan, styled Yunxin, received a good family education since she was a child. She is quite talented, and her poems and songs are not inferior to Zongtang.The couple sang together with poems in their spare time, and sometimes talked about history with each other.When Zuo Zongtang encountered something he couldn't remember, Mrs. Zhou immediately took out the book collection and turned to a certain letter and volume, and it was probably good.Zuo Zongtang once spent a year drawing a map of the whole country with his own hands, and Mrs. Zhou shadowed it.The interest of Qin and Se is quite similar to that of Yi'an lay couple in ancient times.

Mrs. Zhou was weak and worried about her son's rest, so Zuo Zongtang took in Zhang's assistant at the age of twenty-five.In the 23rd year of Daoguang, Zuo Zongtang used his accumulated years to repair and buy 70 mu of paddy fields in Liuzhuang.In the second year, the whole family moved from Xiangtan to Liuzhuang.Liuzhuang is thirty miles away from Dongshan.Although Zuo Zongtang mostly lived in Dongshan, he often visited Liuzhuang. On this day, he had just returned from Liuzhuang, and the villagers told him that Mr. Ouyang Zhaoxiong from Xiangtan had visited.Zuo Zongtang was overjoyed when he heard that, and rushed back to Baishui Cave in three steps at a time.

"Brother Cen!" Zuo Zongtang shouted loudly before entering the door. Ouyang Zhaoxiong and Zuo Zongtang are old friends for many years, they used to live together in Xiangtan, and they had a close relationship, Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Zhang did not avoid him.At this time, he was sitting in the study reading Zuo Zongtang's poems and essays, when he suddenly heard shouts from outside, he stood up quickly, and saw Zuo Zongtang striding into the room. "Rare guest! Rare guest! I haven't seen you for more than a year." Zuo Zongtang patted Ouyang's shoulder, happy like a child.

"You hid in this mountain and didn't give me a letter telling me where to find you." Ouyang held Zongtang's hand tightly, as if we had been separated for decades. "Don't get me wrong, I have only been in Baishuidong for more than a month. In the first half of the year, I went to Changsha and went to Shilixiang to look for you three times, but I didn't even see you. Ask your nephew, he can't tell. Are you really Wandering in the rivers and lakes, whereabouts are uncertain." "I went to Kuanglu in the first half of the year, and bought you a basket of tea in Fuliang. It's really good tea. No wonder the old man in Xiangshan wrote a poem, saying, 'Businessmen pay more attention to profit than parting. The month before last, go to Fuliang to buy tea'. You Taste and taste." Ouyang pointed to the small basket made of thin green strips on the desk.

"Bring me tea, the more the better. Make a cup of Fuliang tea and read a few Yuanming poems. I will be a real hermit." Zuo Zongtang opened the basket and sniffed it with his nose, "Oh! Not bad." "You're wrong. To read Tao Gong's poems, you need to pour a glass of white crane liquid." Zhaoxiong said with a smile. "Brother Cen, it seems that you don't know much about poetry. You only know that there is a lot of wine in Tao Gong's poems. That's why Tao Gong often composes poems after drinking. You need wine to write poems. Yuan Haowen said it well: "Mingyue Gaolou Yanshi Wine, Plum Blossom People Day Thatched Cottage Poetry." Poetry comes only when there is wine. As for reading poetry, you can't ask for wine, but tea. Don't you remember Lu Fangweng's famous line: "Wait for the fire and cook Guzhu tea Burning incense and reading "Xiechuan Collection" carefully? Let's cook tea and talk poetry now!" Zuo Zongtang immediately asked Zhang to cook two cups of good tea. Ouyang Zhaoxiong has always been ashamed of Zuo Zongtang's eloquence, so he followed Zuo Zongtang's words and said: "Ji Gao, you were not at home just now, and I read your "Forty Self-Defined Drafts". Why don't you write it down?" What about Fu Zi?" "Brother Xiao Cen, you place too much importance on poetry. How about paying a seal? It can be handed down? Since ancient times, there have been more than tens of thousands of good poems and essays. How many are there? Among those who pass on their names, how many of them are really due to their good poems and prose? The so-called people pass on the text, and the text is passed on to the person, but in fact, it is only the text to the person. Like mine Grandfather, father, and your father, all of them were outstanding poets and essays, and they also carved a few collections, but how many people in later generations know? How big is the difference between engraving and not engraving?" Zuo Zongtang said Here, he seemed very excited, and Ouyang nodded frequently.Pausing for a moment, Zuo Zongtang said in an extremely serious tone: "In the future, wait until I become a Marquis and pay homage to the Prime Minister before paying the papers!" If this sentence is uttered from someone else's mouth, both the speaker and the listener will take it as a joke. Now they are not laughing. It seems that Feng Houbai is only a matter of time compared to Zuo Zongtang. "Okay! Let's not publish it for the time being! As far as poetry is concerned, I especially like "Eight Poems of Guiji Yantai Collection" and "Eight Poems of Self-Inscribed Portraits at the Age of Twenty-Nine". They are concerned about the country and the people. The desolate and tragic style is comparable to Lao Du's "Eight Poems of Autumn Xing", and the melancholy and incomprehensible atmosphere in it can even resonate with many scholars who are underappreciated." "Cao Zhan wrote, self-titled 'every word looks like blood'. In fact, what are his things! These words of mine are really the condensation of blood and tears. This self-defined draft was compiled only two days ago. Yes. Yun Xin is the first reader, and you are the second. I really want to hear you talk, and see who is really the confidant in my poems between you and Yun Xin." "The confidant in the poem, naturally recommend my wife." Ouyang said while opening "Forty Self-Finishing Drafts", "As I said just now, I like the two and eight poems the most, and the other four are also very good. From the whole Judging from the idea of ​​the article and the words, these two are the best." Ouyang pointed to the first and fifth of the "Eight Poems of Guiji Yantai" and read it again: The affairs of the world are leisurely watching, who will govern the law and order with Confucianism. There is no tyranny in the country and poverty is still dependent, and it is difficult for the people to be hungry. The world's army reserves labor and holy concerns, and the Shengping String Orchestra gathers all officials. The green shirt doesn't explain current affairs, and the poems and books are full of sighs. The soldiers in the Western Regions don't count the years, when the country was established and the frontiers were reopened. The camels transport official rice for thousands of miles, and the sand moraine is the stone field for thousands of years. It is still troublesome to set up the province for its daily policy, and Xingtun Ning spends money. General Mo Geng relieved his sorrowful eyes, and his livelihood in the Central Plains was also pitiful. Zan said: "This is the real voice of Langmiao, but it's a pity that it can't be heard by the sky! As far as individual sentences are concerned, 'Scholars don't want to be a marquis, so as to spread the sky and help the peace', the spirit is magnificent; "He Rongzi It's not a long-term calculation, because you can't tame wolves', knowledge and insight are beyond..." "You! You speak nicely. What a heroic spirit. You have great insight." Zuo Zongtang interrupted Ouyang's words, "'The people have their own strategies, and when they talk about worries, they will come to Caolai'. Meat eaters can do it themselves. What is the use of our generation to seek it?" Zuo Zongtang began to feel aggrieved. "Meat eaters are contemptible, and they can't plan far. If they really have a plan, why would I come to Dongshan to find you today?" "Dongshan is a good place! 'And get Xie Anshi in Dongshan, talk to Husha with a smile for the king'. There is also Xie Anshi in Dongshan in Xiangyin. I wish I hadn't Huanwen invite me." Zuo Zongtang stood up angrily. "I am born to be useful. Ji Gao, don't be too angry. I heard that the new Zhang Futai is a talented person. I think he will use you sooner or later." "These gentlemen are very majestic when nothing happens, and helpless when something happens. They are not people who work together. Hu Runzhi wrote that he had recommended Zhang Liangji and advised me to die in Liuzhuang. Shanglaonong. I wrote back a letter to He Zhongsu this spring, and I’ll read a few lines to you.” Zuo Zongtang folded his hands behind his back, and read as he walked in the study, “‘What’s your busy day? Long mu. The seedlings are just growing, the water in the field is congling, the birds change their voices, the grass is new and the soil is moist. Don’t have a happy time. Ande has come to my Liuzhuang for generations to talk!’As long as you often come to me, drink wine and give together Wouldn't it be good to write poems, cook tea and treatises for a long life." "It's good, but these benefits can only be given to others. Have you forgotten your elder brother's expectation? 'Give the long things of the green felt to the son, and the swallows will seal the prince's hope to the season'. I heard that this is still the wish of my aunt." "If a man is not a ten thousand householder, his life will be in vain. But Zong Tang is born in this world, so his luck is not good!" Ouyang knew Zuo Zongtang's ambition best, knowing that just now he accidentally touched the biggest regret in his heart, which made the atmosphere of talking and laughing suddenly cold, and he couldn't help feeling a little regretful.It so happened that Mrs. Zhou came to refill tea, Ouyang immediately smiled and said to Mrs. Zhou: "Madam, let me tell you a story!" "Okay! It's rare that you're in high spirits. I've been huddled in the boudoir all my life, with my eyes and ears closed, and I'm about to listen to you tell some news stories to broaden my mind." Mrs. Zhou was very happy, and sat down next to Zongtang. "That year, a friend and I took a boat to the north to take a test in Beijing. The boat crossed Dongting Lake and stopped at a small ferry. It was already late. That friend was writing a book in Fuji. I asked him who he wrote , he said to write a letter home to his wife. At this moment, Zhouzi asked him to go ashore to play. The letter was put on the table, and it was left unsealed in a hurry. I was young and curious, and I wanted to see how his love letter was. I wrote it. The first few sentences were written about other affairs, which is no different from ordinary people. But the middle part surprised me." Ouyang paused, and saw that Zongtang and Mrs. Zhou were listening attentively, "This is what the letter says : One night, the boat stopped in a secluded place. In the middle of the night, suddenly more than a dozen water robbers entered the cabin with open fire, and opened my tent with the tip of a knife. They were defeated one after another and retreated outside the cabin. I shouted to chase again, but the thieves were so frightened that they fell into the water, wishing they could not swim, and watched them escape.” "Jigao, are you the friend that Xiaocen is talking about? I remember that in the thirteenth year of Daoguang, the letter you brought back from Dongting Lake wrote about this incident. You were also in the same boat with Xiaocen that time." .” Zuo Zongtang looked at Mrs. Zhou, but did not answer. "Sister-in-law, this person is Ji Gao. I want to expose him face to face today. He made up this heroic story, which is actually a fabrication. Ji Gao, you have to apologize to Yun Xin today. You lied to her for twenty years." Ouyang laughed. "I really believed it at the time. On the one hand, I was worried about him, and on the other hand, I was proud of him. I thought at that time, Ji Gao is really a hero. I only found out today that it was a fake." Mrs. Zhou angered Zuo Zongtang glance. Zuo Zongtang said leisurely: "You are really weird, you didn't share the dream with me at that time, how do you know what I'm doing?" "Dream?" Zhao Xiong asked in amazement, "You said that everything you wrote in your letter was a dream?" "Yes, it's true." Zuo Zongtang smiled treacherously. "You wrote the dream so vividly as if it were real. Can you deceive others like this in the boudoir?" Zhao Xiong couldn't understand Zuo Zongtang's approach. "Hey! Xiao Cen, you are such a lovely idiot." Zuo Zongtang sighed, and said solemnly, "Before I went to bed that night, I read "The History of the Later Han Dynasty Guangwu Ji" by accident. In the battle of Xu Kunyang, Wang Xun, Wang Yi and Chen Bing under the Kunyang city were surrounded by dozens of layers, with more than a hundred camps, banners and flags covering the fields, dust and dust, and the sound of gongs and drums for hundreds of miles. The Death Squad finally broke through, and there were millions of people in the city. It coincided with a heavy thunder and lightning, the roof tiles flew, the rain fell like a torrent, the river surged, tens of thousands of people drowned, and the water did not flow. Think carefully about the countless battles in ancient times , which battle can be compared with the battle of Kunyang? Guangwu is a true hero. He is so excited that he falls asleep, and that night the dream of water robbers comes. Don't be afraid, I, Zuo Zongtang, am still afraid that some clowns will fail! Instant courage multiplied, and he swung a knife to fight with them, just like Guangwu defeated the reckless army back then, killing water thieves, ghosts and wolves, leaving no armor behind Unprecedented joy. After waking up, I looked at the boundless lake, and my mind began to clear up. I thought: Is there really such a thing in the Battle of Kunyang? Can three thousand soldiers really defeat a million people? Emperor Guangwu I’m afraid I’m dreaming like me! Thinking of the Battle of Feishui, the Battle of Chibi, the Battle of Changshao, the Battle of Chengpu, and the Battle of Muye recorded in the history, I’m afraid it’s all a dream! The predecessors said Dreams, later generations will take it seriously. A history of twenty-three, perhaps half of it is the story of Zuo Zongtang's water pirates in a boat. "Brother Cen," Zongtang patted Zhao Xiong's shoulder and said with a smile, "Fan Ye can make up In the Battle of Kunyang, predecessors could fabricate twenty-three histories, but couldn’t Zuo Zongtang fabricate a small heroic story? You make such a fuss, as the ancients said: Idiots can’t talk about dreams.” Zhao Xiong originally wanted to tease Zongtang, but now he teased Zongtang, feeling a little disappointed, and then thought, Zongtang's words had a deep meaning, it seems that what was said in the letter was not just a momentary slapstick, but the emotion in his heart Take the opportunity to vent.Thinking of this, Zhao Xiong also smiled heartily. After taking a sip of tea, Zhao Xiong said again: "Okay, the past is over, let's not talk about it anymore, my poem review is not over yet, and there are a few lines I also like: 'Silkworms have slept and should be cocoons, magpies come "Walking around the tree without sticking to the branches" is thought-provoking; "gambling history and playing chess is a lot of fun, when will Zhaoshan have a Mao'an", the taste is noble..." "Hahaha," Zuo Zongtang let out a burst of hearty laughter when he heard this, "Brother Cen, you and Yun Xin are heroes who see the same thing. But forgive me to be frank, you can't even count on me The confidant in the poem, you haven't seen the best poem." "Tell me yourself, which one?" "You read this one." Zuo Zongtang turned a few pages, pointing to "Urging Yang Ziqing to Draw Plum Blossoms" and said. When Zhaoxiong looked at it, it was also a poem of Qilu: There are twelve plum trees in Liuzhuang, with branches full of flowers before spring. This is what entertains me in the cold season, and watching Junmo's play can revive the wonder. Then Xinliao Pavilion stores Qiongsu, and it will compete with the courtyard for beauty. It was late in the heavy snow on the Xiangjiang River, and Xu Shan's wife knew her secluded bosom. "Look, do I look like Lin Bu?" Looking at Zuo Zongtang's proud look, Ouyang Zhaoxiong found it very interesting.He thought that he had been with Zuo Zongtang for more than 20 years, but he didn't fully understand him.At first, I always thought that he was a first-class figure like Guan Zhong and Le Yi, but I didn't know that he also had the mind of Tao Yuanming and Lin Hejing.What a lovely person!Zhaoxiong said: "It looks similar, but the most important thing is that it is not the same. Lay He Jing is a plum wife and a crane son, but you are a group of wives and children." After finishing speaking, they both laughed happily. After a while, Zhao Xiong suddenly remembered something, and said, "Ji Gao, I came back to Xiangtan from Daliang this time, and met an old friend in Yuezhou City by accident. Guess who it is?" "Who? Could it be Wu Nanping?" "No. Wu Nanping is from Yuezhou, so it's not a surprise to meet him." "Guo Yunxian? He went to Yuezhou." "No." Zuo Zongtang thought about it, but couldn't think of it, and said with a smile: "Your friends, there are all kinds of religions and nine streams, and there are all kinds of people in the world, how can I think of it!" "Zeng Disheng." Zhao Xiong said softly. "Disheng! Why did you see him in Yuezhou City?" Zuo Zongtang was surprised. "He came back from a funeral. His aunt died." "When did the old lady die? We don't know anything about it. Is he all right?" "He's fine, but he's a little old. This time, he went to Jiangxi to take the provincial examination, and got an obituary on the way. He had already received the emperor's permission. After the rural examination, he returned to Xiangxiang to be the mother. Who knew that he couldn't do it." "That's right! No matter how popular people are, they can't get everything they want." Zuo Zongtang sighed again, "Throughout these years, he has been on the rise. He is only one year older than me, and he has been a servant for four or five years. There is nothing to talk about in terms of character and knowledge, but in terms of talent, it's not that I look down on him, fearing that he won't be ranked first." Ouyang Zhaoxiong knew that Zuo Zongtang and Zeng Guofan had an interesting mutual ridicule.It was the winter of the 19th year of Daoguang. Zeng Guofan left Xiangxiang to go to Beijing after disbanding the museum. On the way, he passed by Changsha and stayed for a few days.One day, Zuo Zongtang, Guo Songtao, his younger brothers Guo Kuntao, Jiang Zhongyuan and others went to visit Zeng Guofan.Everyone discussed state affairs with great interest.Zuo Zongtang loves to express some unconventional views, and he is the best at speaking, eloquent and eloquent.Zeng Guofan always couldn't talk to him, and felt a little unhappy.When the guests were leaving, Zeng Guofan smiled and said to Zuo Zongtang: "I have a word for you: Ji Zi claims to be high, he is not in the court, he is not in the mountains, and he always disagrees with others." The word "Zuo Jigao" is embedded in the words.Zuo Zongtang smiled slightly after hearing this, and said: "I also send you a word: 'A vassal is a defender of the country, and he cannot fight when he advances, and he cannot defend when he retreats. What has happened to your economy?" It also happened to be embedded with the word "Zeng Guofan".Zeng Guofan marveled at Zuo Zongtang's quick thinking.The two said goodbye with a smile.Although it was a joke, Zuo Zongtang's dissatisfaction with Zeng Guofan is well known to his friends.On this point, Ouyang Zhaoxiong and Zuo Zongtang agreed.After hearing Zuo Zongtang's emotion, he nodded and said: "Disheng's official luck is good. If you want to talk about talent, don't talk about it. Let's take a group of scholars in Hunan who have shown their talents. For people like Disheng, don't talk about it." There are also ten or eight." The two were chatting, when Mrs. Zhang came in and said that someone had come from the Tao Mansion in Changsha.