Chapter 15 4. On the eve of leaving the mountain, Sang Zhiping and Zhang Zhidong made a three-chapter agreement

Zhang Zhidong sat on the mule cart driven by Dagen, along the thousand-year-old road from the capital to the outside of the Great Wall, after two days of shaking and bumping, he arrived at Gubeikou in the afternoon.Zhang Zhidong has lived in Beijing for more than ten years and has never been here.He looked around and saw that the terrain was dangerous. The Yanshan Mountains, which stretch for more than 400 miles, originate from here.At its source, there are strange peaks and steep peaks, but a grand canyon was born here.The steep hillsides on both sides of the canyon seem to have been split with a magical axe to facilitate the living beings in the lower world, allowing them to have a north-south passage.The slopes on both sides are solid rock.All kinds of trees grow tenaciously in the crevices of the stone, including low dense bushes and towering pines and cypresses.Legend has it that it was built in the era of Qin Shihuang, and the ancient Great Wall rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty is basically well preserved.It is like a giant python without head and tail, crawling slowly on the ancient Yanshan Mountains, jumping up into the air for a while, and bowing its head for a while, which puts a heavy historical burden on this thousand-year-old pass, and also adds dynamic vitality to it. and fun.The ancient Guanlou is still majestic and majestic.

Due to the high mountains and narrow roads, there are few pedestrians, so this place is extraordinarily quiet and deep.Shortly after noon, the sun disappeared, and everything was covered with a gray and black color.The rocks are gray and black, the trees are gray and black, the ancient Great Wall is gray and black, the houses dotted around are gray and black, and even the palaces that have been abandoned for many years are also gray and black.Inside and outside the pass, there is a strong solemn atmosphere.Gubeikou is really an unpredictable and dangerous pass that guards the capital. When Zhang Zhidong was concentrating on Shensi, a person had already walked up to him, and greeted him with a smile: "Brother Xiangtao, you're here as soon as you say it!"

Zhang Zhidong looked back, and it was Sang Zhiping standing beside him.He said happily: "I was about to ask someone about your home, but I didn't want you to come here. How did you meet me by such a coincidence!" Sang Zhiping said: "Do you think Gubeikou is the capital city? This is just a place the size of a palm, and the whole Gubeikou will know about the big sesame. I heard from neighbors that there was a man who looked like an official who took a mule cart from the capital. Come, stop at the pass, and look around. I think it's probably you." "Then you received my letter?"

"I received it the day before yesterday." As Sang Zhiping said, he greeted Dagen who was taking care of the big green mule, turned his face and said to Zhang Zhidong, "Go home, it's right in front." Zhang Zhidong's master and servant followed Sang Zhiping to the gate of a house.A mud wall encloses a spacious and clean courtyard.Sang Zhiping pointed to the door and said, "Please come in, this is the humble house." Zhang Zhidong stepped over the threshold.The four rooms on the front are large tile-roofed houses facing south, and the six side rooms on the two sides are covered with sorghum straw. In the courtyard, there is a large vegetable field with radishes and Chinese cabbage, and a flock of chickens and geese are playing beside the vegetable field.The courtyard is filled with a strong rural atmosphere.

Sang Zhiping led Zhang Zhidong to the main room, pointed to a room on the right and said, "This is my study, let's talk here!" After sitting down, Zhang Zhidong saw a long bookshelf on the left wall of the study, on which more than a hundred books were neatly placed.Compared with Zhang Zhidong's study, Sang Zhiping's books are probably less than one tenth.Next to the bookshelf hangs a banner that reads: There is a line of small characters in the lower left corner: Chai Guanggong recorded the words of Mr. Liu Bowen, the sincere uncle of Ming Dynasty. Facing this banner, Zhang Zhidong pondered for a long time, thinking: the universe is the world from a large perspective, and my heart from a small perspective. These two are actually the same thing.If you want to control the world, you must first control your own mind.Liu Bowen is a great wise man.He turned around and asked Sang Zhiping: "I heard that Chai Guang is your father-in-law, and the Chai family is the descendant of Chai Rong. Is that true?"

Sang Zhiping said, "How do you know that Chai Guang is my father-in-law?" Zhang Zhidong said: "A commoner friend of mine came to Gubeikou to visit you a few days ago. His name is Wu Qiuyi, remember?" "Remember, remember, that was a very interesting man." "He tried to push you up in front of me." "How did he recommend me?" "He said you have the talents of Guan Zhong and Le Yi." Sang Zhiping laughed: "How can I compare with Guan and Le? I'm just a wanderer! But the Chai family is indeed the descendant of Chai Shizong. It's a pity that there is no iron coupon book, and they have been reduced to common people."

While talking, an ink painting on the side wall caught Zhang Zhidong’s attention again: On the vast and vast Yanshan Mountain, there is a winding Great Wall, Gubeikou towers in the lower left corner of the picture, and the majestic Guanlou stands in the sky, looking down. Looking at the endless Kanto Great Plains. Seeing this painting, Zhang Zhidong suddenly remembered King Chun's entrustment. "Prince Chun heard from my brother that he is good at painting, and I would like to ask you to draw a picture of Gubeikou Zhongtang for the palace. I think this one is very good, how about another one like this?"

Speaking of King Chun, the scene of Sushun's arrest at night in Miyun County 20 years ago came to Sang Zhiping's mind again.He wanted to refuse flatly, but he was afraid that Zhang Zhidong would be embarrassed, so he said: "This painting was painted several years ago. I haven't picked up a paintbrush in recent years, and my skills are unfamiliar. In two years, let me do it alive." Let's draw it later!" Zhang Zhidong didn't know about Sang Zhiping's history.He thought it was probably due to the literati's nobility, and it was understandable that he didn't want to send paintings to the palace casually to avoid the suspicion of flattery, so he smiled and said, "Okay, we'll talk about it later."

Mrs. Chai came in, said hello to Zhang Zhidong, and invited him to the hall for dinner.Sang Zhiping's only daughter, Yan'er, also ate at the same table.Although it is a mountain village, it does not have the luxury and luxury of the capital, but it is fresher and more delicious than the vegetables of the capital, especially a few bowls of Yanshan game, which cannot be eaten in the city.Everyone was in high spirits after dinner, and the family members of Zhang Zhidong and Sang Zhiping seemed cordial and casual. After dinner, Sang Zhiping accompanied Zhang Zhidong to visit the ancient Guanlou and the palace of the former dynasty, and took a closer look at the buildings of this section of the Great Wall.When it was time to light the lamp, the two returned to the study and began to talk about the topic.

Sang Zhiping said: "After receiving your letter, I know that you have received special grace and was promoted to governor of Shanxi. First of all, I want to congratulate you." Zhang Zhidong said: "To tell you the truth, my old friend, Jiu Qu Hanyuan, I was naturally excited and deeply grateful when I suddenly got the sacred order of exile. It's just that the governor's position is respected, but the burden is heavy. It's not like being in the capital. The official historian, after all, just writes and talks, and has no actual responsibility. Therefore, I have never felt at ease since I was ordered. I have wanted to visit you for a long time, but it was delayed for some reason."

Sang Zhiping listened attentively to what Zhang Zhidong said, and he could tell that what he said was the truth.He said: "As you said, the governor of a province is indeed a heavy burden. It is directly related to the vital interests of the people. What he has to do are all practical matters related to the national economy and people's livelihood. It cannot be solved by being eloquent and citing classics. " Zhang Zhidong nodded and said, "You are right. What I lack is the experience of doing practical things. Although I have studied politics in Hubei and Sichuan provinces in the past, I only dealt with books and scholars. These major economic issues are not on the sidelines. You have been a close friend with my brother for many years and have rich experience. I really want to get your advice at any time. I won’t go around in circles, let’s get straight to the point. This time I came to Gubeikou for the purpose of coming. I would like to ask you brother to come out of the mountain and follow me to Taiyuan, how can you help me?" Sang Zhiping picked up the teacup, took a sip slowly, avoided Zhang Zhidong's question, and said: "A few days ago, I received a letter from Nanpi from the Youth Commander. It said that you have been promoted. , or it will be given to the assistant minister, or it will be released to the governor." "Oh! My brother told you about me so quickly." Zhang Zhidong was quite surprised, "What else did my brother say in the letter?" "The Commander-in-Chief said in the letter," Sang Zhiping put down his teacup, "If it's really a servant, that's all. If it's a governor, I hope I can serve as your curtain." "Look, we two brothers want to be together." Zhang Zhidong said earnestly, "Brother Zhongzi, please do me a favor." "What can I do for you?" Sang Zhi thought with a serious face. "You can be the chief copywriter of my shogunate. Of course, this position has many things and complicated things, so it may not be suitable for you. Or, without any actual responsibility, just live in the yamen as my friend and give me advice , Dangdang as a staff officer. No matter which status you choose, I will pay you a double salary according to the salary of the previous chief copywriter of the Shanxi Governor's Yamen, to ensure that your family will have no food and clothing." Sang Zhiping smiled and said: "I have never done a real thing with you. What I usually say is just lip service. As the saying goes, it is easy to say but hard to do. Why do you believe it like this?" I?" Zhang Zhidong said seriously: "Based on what I knew about you when we were dating, based on my brother's trust in you, and also based on the recommendation of Wu Qiuyi, who has never met you this time." After hearing these words, Sang Zhiping was quite moved.A scholar dies for a confidant, just because of this sincere acquaintance, it is worth going out to help him. Sang Zhiping picked up the tea bowl without making a sound, took a few sips of tea slowly, put down the tea bowl, and opened his mouth calmly: "The Qing Dynasty had three prosperous periods of Kang, Yong, and Qian. Adding up to more than 130 years, it is comparable to Wenjing, Zhenguan, Kaiyuan, and Tianbao in the Han and Tang Dynasties. It is really rare to have such a long period of time. It has never been stable again, and the trend of the country's decline has been unstoppable since then. Especially since the 20th Opium War of Daoguang, the war has continued, and the country has no peace. First, the Taiping Army rebelled in Guangxi and has been fighting In Jiangning, during the thirteen or fourteenth year, the imperial court and the Taiping army fought back and forth, destroying the beautiful Jiangnan like ruins, and there were also Tiandihui, Sanhehui, Nianzi, etc. to make noise, until the seventh year of Tongzhi. After it subsided, it was considered a breath of relief. However, the riots of the Muslims in the northwest area did not stop. It was not until Zuo Zongtang’s army returned from outside the pass a few years ago that the riots in the northwest were barely stopped. It seems that the northwest The chaos in a corner has nothing to do with the overall situation of the Central Plains. In fact, the endless supply of food and salaries was transported from the Central Plains. Fighting in the Northwest is almost the same as in the Central Plains. There was also a British-French coalition army invading Beijing, the capital fell, and the emperor went north. Fleeing. If you use old sayings like internal troubles and foreign troubles, people not talking about life, discipline, chaos and people's hearts, to describe the current situation in the past forty years, it is indeed not too much. Brother Xiang Tao, this is the background of the current situation that you, the governor of Shanxi, are in." Zhang Zhidong nodded and said, "You are right. We were born in troubled times, and I am an official in troubled times. It is difficult for ordinary people in troubled times. It is even more difficult to be an official who makes a difference." "This is from the big picture of the country. If you look at the small province of Shanxi, the situation is roughly the same." Sang Zhiping continued, "I went to that place in Shanxi more than ten years ago, and I was imprisoned by my wife. After looking east and west, I entered Taiyuan Mansion. I lived in the city for half a month, and then went south, from Yuci to Taigu, then to Qixian, Pingyao, via Hongdong to Linfen, and finally to Zhongtiao. Shan entered Henan to visit Mengjin Ancient Ferry and Mianchi Old League. I stayed in Shanxi Province for a full month and a half.” Hearing that Sang Zhiping had this experience, Zhang Zhidong became excited, and felt more and more that he must be invited to Shanxi. "Shanxi is poor, but it's more complicated." Sang Zhiping continued, "At that time, Zhao Changling was the governor. What I saw along the way was that the officials were corrupt and the people's livelihood was dying. What I heard along the way was moaning, crying and complaining. I heard everywhere that there were green forest thieves. Looting houses. When I passed Zhongtiao Mountain, I saw with my own eyes several strong men roaring in the mountains. There were two or three hundred people in each place. They were dressed in rags and looked fierce. It really made people feel both pity and hatred. The south of the Yangtze River is not completely peaceful yet, Anhui and Henan are in trouble again, and Shanxi is known as a province of perfect wealth. In fact, it is neither perfect nor rich, and the interior is rotten. It’s just that those who are officials have to keep their top positions and report good news and not bad news. , the empress dowager and the emperor sat in the Forbidden City, how could they know that the people of the three Jin Dynasties were suffering from hunger and cold? A few years ago, there was a severe drought in Shanxi. Appeared. It may have improved in the past two years, but it probably won't be much better. Brother Xiangtao, you are not in the right place for this mission!" Zhang Zhidong paced back and forth in the Sang family's study.The situation in Shanxi Province that Sang Zhiping said is true, but how much better are other provinces than Shanxi?Although Hubei is called a granary, there has been a folk song since ancient times that "Huguang is cooked, the world is full", but Zhang Zhidong, who has studied politics in Hubei for three years, knows very well that after the scuffle between the Hunan Army and the Taiping Army in the past few years, Hubei's vitality was severely damaged. I don't know each other every year, even if I do it once a year, even the people of Hubei Province can't be satisfied, let alone the world!Sichuan is not much better than Hubei.The money and grain of the Land of Abundance was almost emptied due to the Jiangnan War.As for the corruption of officials and the antagonism between officials and the people, the case of Dongxiang is a prominent example.If he wanted to be a relaxed and peaceful governor, he might not be able to find any of the eighteen provinces right now. Zhang Zhidong smiled wryly and said, "I can't help myself when the imperial court is in charge! No matter how poor Shanxi is, I have no choice but to go to the post." "Let me help you with an idea, so that you can avoid this job and find another advantage." Sang Zhiping blinked and smiled slyly. "What's your idea?" "You can ask for three months' leave under the pretext of being sick. Wang Shimin, the servant of the Ministry of Rites, is very ill and will be available within a month or two. At that time, you can ask Jin Wang for help, and make a transfer instead of going to Taiyuan. Make up for the lack of Wang Shimin. In this way, you can avoid a hard job and get an advantage. You are a scholar, a scholar, and a politician. In the future, you can still be an official while reciting poems and compositions, without losing your true qualities as a literati.” "Brother Zhongzi's words are wrong!" Zhang Zhidong said seriously, "The ancients said that scholars and bureaucrats should be cautious when they advance and retreat. I, Zhang Zhidong, have been clean and honest all my life, and I am open and aboveboard when I advance and retreat. Such a trick. King Chun summoned me last month and asked me if I had the choice between a governor and a minister. I answered without hesitation that I would choose the governor. It’s not that I don’t know that the governor is tired and the minister is rich. I am willing to do a few practical things for the country and the people. As early as the beginning of entering Hanyuan, I said to Brother Ziqing: I am interested in my life, and I don’t pretend to be a literati. A literati is noble and has more than enough entertainment. If the poetry is well done, it will not only be famous at the time, but may also be passed on to future generations, but after all, it is not very effective for the country and the people. If the fate is not good, and you can’t get a real job, that’s all you have to do. Today, I am fortunate to be highly valued by the Queen Mother and the Emperor How can you stop because the land you go to is poor and difficult? Brother Zhongzi, to tell you the truth, as long as we can do a few practical things for the people of Shanxi and bring benefits to the people of Shanxi, I will In the future, even if you die of exhaustion in the Sanjin Dynasty, you will be willing and will never regret it!" "Okay, your ambition is commendable!" Sang Zhiping clapped his hands in praise, "Xiang Tao's ambition coincides with Sang's. What you said just now is just a joke, please don't take it to heart. Regarding your plan after taking office, do you have any idea?" Haven't thought about it?" "To tell you the truth, my wife passed away due to dystocia just a few days after I received the decree. I was so confused by this misfortune, so I didn't have the heart to think about the plan after taking office for more than a month. I really want to hear your opinion Goodbye." After hearing this, Sang Zhiping's heart sank: life's misfortunes and fortunes are really unpredictable.He knew that a few words of consolation would not be of any help when encountering such unfortunate things, so it was better not to speak, but to express his sympathy in silence. After a long time, Sang Zhiping finally said: "Tao Yuanming said it well: in the midst of the tide, neither joy nor fear. Do what you have to do, and don't worry about being alone. Let my wife go if she should go!" The living are living in this world, and they have to do what they should do!" "That's the only way I can think of it." Zhang Zhidong replied helplessly. "You asked me to come out to be your curtain, because you believed in me, I am very grateful, only because of this, you must be honest with each other. I want to tell you the truth, I have almost abandoned Confucianism in the past twenty years, What I study is miscellaneous studies, military strategists, yin and yang, Mohism, and Taoism are valued together, especially the study of Guanzi, which is the study of Guanzi. I love to read "Salt and Iron Theory", and I regard Guanzi and Sang Hongyang as my masters. From the perspective of famous teaching Look, I am a kind of wild fox Zen, and I am not considered by orthodox scholars. You are a famous scholar of Qingliu, and it may be difficult to accept. Instead of breaking up unhappy in the future, it is better to pick and understand today. If you do it, you will work together. Zhang Zhidong, who regarded himself as a Confucian believer and lived by the name of a sage, was quite surprised when he heard these words at first.However, he is not a pedantic Neo Confucianist like Woren and Xu Tong. After a short pause, he said: "Guan Zhongjiu united the princes to rule the world, and Sang Hongyang created the method of equalization and equalization. They were all great talents for a while. , Sang is a teacher, and it is not bad. You might as well talk about your views in detail." "Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty deposed a hundred schools of thought to respect Confucianism, during the Warring States period, a hundred schools of thought contended for change, and one family dominated for nearly two thousand years. This may be beneficial to consolidating the imperial power and unifying the hearts of the people, but it strangles academics and suppresses talents. Especially bad is the development of Confucianism. Later, it became an empty and hypocritical study, which is far from the theories of Confucius, and has nothing to do with the national economy and people's livelihood. In my opinion, China has fallen into a state where the country is weak and the people are poor. It must be traced to the hegemonic national policy promoted by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty." Zhang Zhidong listened attentively to the unique discussion of this hermit, and noticed that he did not attack Confucius' theories, but only criticized the Confucianism after the Western Han Dynasty. This is different from completely denying Duke Zhou, Confucius and Mencius. "The affairs of the country and the people in the world are clearly explained in the book "Guanzi". All herdsmen who have land should keep them in the granary at four o'clock. The granary knows the etiquette, and the food and clothing are enough to know the honor and disgrace. It also talks about the government. Prosperity lies in conforming to the will of the people, and the abolition of government lies in going against the will of the people. It is also said that the prosperity of the world lies in the wealth of the people, and the peace and tranquility of the world lies in the joy of the people. A piece of "Guanzi" repeatedly states these layers of meaning, and these layers of meaning reveal the meaning of governing the country. All the mysteries of the people. That is to say, all the actions of the politicians, the final result must be implemented on the heads of the people, even if the people are happy. Happiness lies in wealth, and wealth lies in having food and clothing, and only knowing etiquette, honor and disgrace The so-called Confucianism for two thousand years only talks about etiquette, honor and disgrace, not about food, clothing and wealth. Don’t pay attention to the basics. How can this win the support of the people, and how can it govern the country well?” Zhang Zhidong thought to himself: Although what he said was a bit biased, it cannot be said that it was completely unreasonable. Scholars are indeed interested in etiquette, justice, integrity and shame, and disdain to ask about agriculture, industry and commerce. The more you talk about it, the more mysterious it is, and the more you talk about it, the more empty it is. Therefore, later generations criticize the subjugation of the Song and Ming Dynasties on empty talk.As Guan Zi said, etiquette, honor and disgrace are based on food and clothing in warehouses, especially rural farmers and market vendors. They do not understand poetry and books and have no ambitions. Their pursuit is to eat enough and wear warm clothes.In the past, when I worked as a scholar and government official, I dealt with scholars and officials. They had no worries about food and clothing, so they naturally wanted to talk about etiquette and honor and disgrace.Now as a governor, money, food, taxes, banditry, and criminal cases are all dealt with by small people.The little people are looking for food and clothing, so how can the governor not care about their food and clothing? Thinking of this, Zhang Zhidong said: "Guanzi said that if the warehouse is real, you will know etiquette, and if you have enough food and clothing, you will know honor and disgrace. This is very reasonable. As a herdsman official, you should always remember these two sentences so that the people have enough food and clothing. In fact, The teaching of sages also pays great attention to this aspect. Mencius said that the people of Li are not hungry or cold, and there is no such thing as a king. That is to say, a politician should follow the people's will, so that the people have food and clothing." Sang Qia said with joy, "Brother Xiangtao is indeed a sensible person. In this way, we have a common language. In my opinion, when you go to Shanxi, you should focus on seeking real benefits for the people. To work hard for the people to have enough food and clothing, it will take three to five years to make the people of the Three Jins prosperous, so you, Zhang Xiangtao, are a good governor; as for how to enrich the people, we can discuss it calmly after arriving in Shanxi!" Zhang Zhidong said happily: "It is the job of a Jinfu to make the people of Shanxi live a good life. I agree with you on this point. Of course, I believe in the famous teaching of saints, and I will not change. Guan Zhong and Sang Hongyang are teachers, so you don’t have to change. You are my aide, and I value your teaching. You teach the study of getting rich, and you just help me find ways to make Sanjin rich as soon as possible, so that Your strengths make up for my deficiencies, isn’t this a great thing to achieve mutual beauty, why are you hesitating? I will wrong you to be the chief copywriter of my Shanxi Governor’s Yamen!” "Slow down." Sang Zhiping said, "Your eldest son has already married, so he will naturally stay in the capital. How old is the second son, should he stay in the capital or go to Taiyuan with you?" "I think, after I settle down, it's better to take him to Taiyuan to study." "Well, I'll still live in the yamen as a son and master, and help you with something." "Okay, that's it!" Zhang Zhidong said excitedly, "The salary will remain the same, and it will still be the same as the chief copywriter. We will make a deal like this." "However, we have three chapters of the agreement. If you agree, I will set off with you in a few days; Go home in a huff, and don't blame me." Zhang Zhidong hurriedly said: "This is the best way. Tell me which three chapters you have made an appointment with. If you agree, you will agree. If you can't agree, I will go back to the capital alone tomorrow." Sang Zhiping said: "The first chapter is that you, Zhang Xiangtao, cannot be a corrupt official. In China's officialdom, the common people hate corrupt officials first, and I, Sang, also hate this kind of people first. Yue Wumu said "Civilian officials don't love money, military officials don't fear death, and the world will be peaceful. This is the most to the point. Zeng Wenzheng, the first official, set the purpose of making money without saving, so he won people's respect. He has passed away for many years, but people still miss him. This is mainly because he was an upright official. Mr. Zeng Wenzheng said well, since you choose to be an official all the way, you should not think about getting rich. If you want to get rich, you should go into business The gold and silver obtained from business, even if it piles up like a mountain, the common people will not only not curse, but also admire it, because it depends on one of their own skills. Using the power given by the court to steal the money obtained by the blood and sweat of the people, that is With a black heart and a rotten liver and lungs, not only he deserves to be scolded, but he also deserves to be blamed for harming his descendants." Sang Zhiping used this chapter to make a big discussion.He didn't want to reprimand Zhang Zhidong, but the corrupt officials everywhere made him feel full of anger, and whenever this topic was touched, he would be filled with anger. Seeing that he wanted to keep talking, Zhang Zhidong had to interrupt: "Brother Zhongzi, don't go on talking, I understand how you feel. For corrupt officials, I am the same as you and thousands of ordinary people. I hate it. Since I was a child, my father, who is the magistrate, has been admonishing our brothers: the first way to be an official is to be clean and honest. This sentence has been engraved in my heart for decades. Brother, please rest assured that the "no corruption" is true. Regardless of others, it is by no means difficult for me, Zhang Zhidong. Hubei Xuezheng has served for three years, and I can get 15,000 taels of silver in the case; Sichuan Xuezheng has served for three years, and I can get two I don’t accept a single cent of the ten thousand taels of silver, and donate all of it to Jingxin Academy and Zunjing Academy. With this seniority, you should trust me.” "I believe in you. Your righteous deeds in Hubei and Sichuan are indeed admirable. However," Sang Zhiping emphasized, "Xuezheng cannot be compared with the governor. It is the academic officials and students who deal with Xuezheng, and most of the academic officials are poor. Self-defense people, students are in the spring of the mountain, and they all know self-love. The governor holds the power of a province, and the people who deal with it are all scholars, farmers, businessmen. It is easy to say that among the merchants, fish and dragons are really mixed, and most of them are fish. In order to obtain huge profits, anyone They use all the means. They can use the most ingenious means to make you accept bribes without knowing it. You love bribes and feel at ease. At that time, if you let me know that you have accepted bribes, and if you don't understand, I will leave immediately. " "If I really have to accept bribes in the future, before you go away, I will first ask the queen mother and the emperor for punishment and return to my hometown. Well, this is the first chapter. What about you? ?” "Well," Sang Zhiping touched his unshaven chin and said, "I just said that the purpose of going to Shanxi is to do practical things. So here I am, you can't aim to be an official and a master, but to serve The people of the Three Jin Dynasties do practical things, at least two or three practical things are done every year, and they really bring benefits to the common people." Zhang Zhidong nodded hurriedly: "This is natural. The biggest difference between being a local official and being a speech official and historian is that one is pragmatic and the other is making speeches. Don't look at me, Zhang Zhidong, who has been doing speeches all these years. In fact, I The most important thing is the actual achievements. It is inevitable that officials will be vain and lofty, but the actual achievements of benefiting the people are boundless. For a few important things, you can just abandon me. Please ask the third chapter." "Brother Xiangtao," Sang Zhiping said after thinking for a while, "this time I will go with you to Shanxi, purely as a personal favor between friends. So this third chapter is my request: First, no matter what happens in the future, No matter how much I have done for you, you should not mention my name in the memorial to the court, let alone recommend me." "Brother Zhong Zi," Zhang Zhidong interrupted Sang Zhiping, "I don't understand this. Brother Ziqing said that you have a reputation for being a public official, and you are an official in the second list, and you are also born in a proper way. Being an official and half-job, you can not only make your family famous, but also manage a mansion and a county by yourself in the future?" Sang Zhiping said: "Twenty years ago, I not only wanted to accumulate meritorious service and be a county magistrate, but also wanted to be a Jinshi and a member of the Hanlin Academy, and enter the army to enter the prime minister's mansion! But now I don't have this idea anymore. Do something practical for the country and the people.” Zhang Zhidong was very puzzled. There is no contradiction between being an official and doing practical things!Why put them so against each other?He knew that most of the hermits had some eccentricities, so he stopped asking and listened to Sang Zhiping. "Second point, don't talk about me in the officialdom. In this way, I can often go to the city and the countryside for private visits on your behalf to provide you with more facts." Zhang Zhidong felt that this was the most important point.Those who are in the upper position are very easy to be blocked by the lower feelings.In this way, either the teacher's mind is for his own use, or he listens and believes. Many officials who are capable and willing to do good things fail to do good things in the end. This is mostly the reason.If there are a few upright and caring people around him, acting as his eyes and ears to understand the situation, this official will be much easier.It's hard for Sang Zhi to benefit others like this.He couldn't help cupping his hands at Sang Zhiping: "Brother Zhongzi, I'm really grateful that you can think of me in this way. It's just that you have wronged yourself so much, and it makes me feel bad." "I didn't feel wronged at all by doing this, so don't feel sorry for it." Sang Zhi smiled flatly. "Okay, it's settled like this." Zhang Zhidong shook Sang Zhiping's hand excitedly and said, "I not only hired a master for Renbing, but also a master for myself. In the future, please feel free to Correct the wrong and the wrong for me, so that I can't catch it." "It's too serious, brother Xiangtao!" Sang Zhiping said emotionally. Two pairs of hot hands held tightly.After a long while, Zhang Zhidong let go of his hand and said to Sang Zhiping, "I have complied with the three chapters of your agreement just now, and now I would like to make a small request to you." "What's up?" "It's fine if you don't want to paint for Prince Chun's Mansion. I won't make it difficult for you." Zhang Zhidong looked at the picture of Gubeikou on the wall and said, "I like your painting very much. The rolling mountains, the ancient The Great Wall is just a microcosm of China's majestic mountains and rivers and glorious history. As for this tall, thick and solid Gubeikou Pass Tower, I think it can be used as a symbol of the officials who were ordered by the Queen Mother and the Emperor to patrol one side. I hereby If you are ordered to Fujin, you must guard the important areas of the Three Jin Dynasty for the imperial court just like the Gubeikou Guanlou guards the mountains and rivers. Brother Zhongzi, please give me this painting, I will hang it in the signing room of the Governor’s Yamen, let it inspire me and spur me every day.” "Very well said!" Sang Zhiping excitedly took down the picture of Gubeikou from the wall, rolled it up, and handed it to Zhang Zhidong with both hands: "I will give this picture to you. I hope you will keep your promise and do what you say." Zhang Zhidong took the scroll solemnly, and looked out the window with serious eyes.At midnight in early winter, a full moon was hanging high in the sky.In the melting moonlight, the cliffs appear more remote, magnificent, and unfathomable; the thousand-year-old Great Wall is like a circling black dragon, about to leap into the sky; the towering double-eaved Guanlou is like a mighty general, Pressing the sword with angry eyes, he stood firm.How strongly the deserted winter night in Gubeikou shook the heartstrings of Jinfu in the future! Zhang Zhidong pasted the painting on his chest, as if answering Sang Zhiping's words, or muttering to himself: "If you promise, you will do what you say. Yanshan Mountain is the proof, the Great Wall is the proof, and Gubeikou Guanlou is the proof!"