Chapter 19 2. Wei Rongguang told his successors about the disadvantages of Shanxi

Zhang Zhidong would get up before dawn every day, go to bed in the middle of the night, and never go to bed at noon. If he was really tired, he would lie on the back of the chair with his eyes closed to rest for a while.He took turns summoning officials at all levels in Shanxi in the yamen, from the two divisions to the Taoist government, basically seeing them all.For some, if one day's detailed discussion is not enough, they stay in the yamen overnight and talk again the next day.Some talked for less than half an hour, and he waved them away.There are more than 80 counties in Shanxi, and he cannot summon all the county magistrates in a short period of time, and plans to meet with them one by one during the inspection in the future.He checked the documents and archives of recent years day and night.Qian Liang Xingming, he has been unfamiliar with in the past, but now he has to bite the bullet and delve into it, not letting go of every detail.He took the time to visit Mr. Shan Chang Shi Liren at Jinyang Academy, and had a heart-to-heart talk with him for an afternoon.I also visited many students in the academy.He also made a special trip outside the city of Taiyuan to inspect the barracks, and stayed in the barracks for two nights, watched the soldiers drill and ate in a big pot with them.He often dresses up as an ordinary person and walks around the streets and alleys of Taiyuan City with Dagen.If you are hungry, you can find a small restaurant to eat at random, and if you are thirsty, you can go to the nearest small family to beg for saliva.Taking advantage of the opportunity of eating and drinking, he asked about the daily life of the people and listened to their comments on the government.During this period, he sent Sang Zhiping to the northern Shanxi area to conduct field investigations.Recently, Sang Zhiping returned to Taiyuan and made a detailed report on the results of the investigation.In this way, after more than 20 days, Zhang Zhidong had a general understanding of the official circles, scholars, and people's customs in Shanxi Province.

The former governor, Wei Rongguang, was supposed to leave Shanxi to take up his post after handing over his seal, but he was temporarily staying in Taiyuan for treatment due to a cold.In the future for Zhang Zhidong's family, Wei Rongguang's family will still live in the backyard of the governor's yamen, and only set aside a few rooms in the east wing of the front yard for him, Sang Zhiping, and Dagen to live in.Whenever he had free time, Zhang Zhidong would go for a walk in the backyard, see Wei Rongguang, ask about his condition, and chat casually about trivial matters. During this period of time, Wei Rongguang saw Zhang Zhidong working so hard every day, almost ignoring himself, and felt a lot of emotion in his heart.He is a person who has been in the officialdom for decades, from the prefect to the governor, he is familiar with everything in the officialdom.The older he gets, the bigger the official is, the more cautious he acts and the less courageous he is.At the beginning of the year, Zeng Guoquan, the governor of Shanxi, was promoted to the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, and he was also promoted from the governor of Shandong to the governor of Shanxi.The governor is a great official in the frontier, and the local officials have achieved this step, which is considered the top.After thirty years of hard work, I have finally made it to this day, and I have lived up to this life.Wei Rongguang, who came to Taiyuan for the first time, felt satisfied.He thinks that he is close to sixty years old, has no special talents, and has no strong backing in the court. His greatest wish in this life is to keep the coral on his head and get a red crown. When things are going smoothly and the wind is bright, you can comfort your ancestors on the top, and you can set an example for future generations.In this way, Wei Rongguang stayed in Shanxi for ten months. Facing the current situation full of diseases, he neither wanted to remove the old, nor wanted to create new ones.For Zhang Zhidong who came to Shanxi as a celebrity, Wei Rongguang did not trust him.In the past 30 years, Wei Rongguang has come into contact with too many celebrities, whether they are celebrities in the capital or in the local area. Of course, there are many people who deserve their reputations, but most of them are not worthy of their names, and some even have false names and are useless.

After observing Zhang Zhidong coldly for more than 20 days, he found that Zhang Zhidong was still very different from ordinary celebrities.At least, he doesn't go to banquets, doesn't accept gifts, and gets up early and dark every day to be diligent in political affairs, which is commendable.Wei Rongguang, who was born in the Imperial Academy, has been influenced by poetry, etiquette and righteousness since he was a child. After all, he still has a sense of morality and responsibility deep in his heart.He decided to have a detailed talk with Zhang Zhidong about the situation in Shanxi that he knew before leaving Taiyuan.In the past few days, Wei Rongguang has basically recovered and will leave for the south the day after tomorrow.That night, he came to Zhang Zhidong's room in the front yard to bid farewell to his successor, who was more than ten years younger than himself.It was the first time that Wei Rongguang came to visit on his own initiative, and Zhang Zhidong received him very happily.After exchanging pleasantries, Wei Rongguang began to get to the point.

"Master Zhang, I have not been able to help you due to illness for more than 20 days. Seeing that you are busy from morning to night without a moment of rest, I am both admired and deeply disturbed." Zhang Zhidong felt a little surprised when he heard this.It is a fact that he was sick these days, but in the first few days when he arrived in Taiyuan, he was in good health and did not cooperate with the confession.We met several times, and as soon as Zhang Zhidong got involved in Shanxi's major government affairs, he was vague and vague, obviously harboring a grudge.As the former governor, Wei Rongguang's attitude is quite incomprehensible.Fortunately, he did not serve as Jin Fu for a long time, and he did not intervene in many matters. Zhang Zhidong could learn about the specific matters from the officials of the yamen.Some things that he insisted on asking Wei Rongguang, he did not ask himself, but sent the relevant personnel to ask for instructions.The handover between the two terms is like this, although there are many inconveniences, it is not a big deal.Tonight, Wei Rongguang took the initiative to visit and talked about political affairs. Could it be that his attitude has changed?As the predecessor, no matter how short his tenure is, no matter what he does, his status means that he must have a better grasp of the situation than others.How desperately Zhang Zhidong wanted his ex to have a frank talk with him!

Zhang Zhidong held up the teacup with both hands and handed it to Wei Rongguang: "Master Wei, please have a sip of tea, treat it as my toast!" Wei Rongguang hurriedly took it with both hands, and said repeatedly: "Don't dare to do it, don't dare to do it." After saying that, he took a sip. "Master Wei, you call me Master Zhang, I really can't bear it, you should call me Xiangtao!" Zhang Zhidong said sincerely, "In the year of Xianfeng Guichou, when you entered Hanyuan, I, Zhang Zhidong, was just a The boy who just passed the exam, you are truly my senior."

Zhang Zhidong's words were not polite.Hanlin pays attention to seniority.This seniority is not divided by age, but by the subject of entering the Hanlin Academy.The Hanlin of the latter subject calls the former one the senior, and the person who is two or more subjects earlier is called the old senior.Zhang Zhidong is a member of the Imperial Academy of Tongzhi's Guihai Division. Compared with Wei Rongguang, he has completed five subjects. It is only natural that he is called Wei Rongguang's old man. Wei Rongguang was happy when he heard this, but he said: "You are in full bloom now, and I am already old, and the sun is about to set."

"The family depends on the elders, and the country is old. What's more, Mr. Wei is only in his fifties, and the court will still have a long time to pay him!" A few simple words can be spoken decently and beautifully. "In the past few days, I always want to ask you to teach me a lot. Seeing that your body is not in harmony, I dare not disturb you, and I return with regret every time. Now that your body has recovered, I will leave Taiyuan the day after tomorrow. I am really attached. Mr. Wei, you know that firstly I am young, and secondly I have just been let go of a foreign post, so I have no experience in politics. I am afraid that I will fail the empress dowager and the emperor, and I am afraid that I will not be able to do good things for the people of the three Jin Dynasties. I am sorry for nearly a thousand My dear fellow Wanfu. Every day, I feel like I’m in the thick of it. Mr. Wei,” Zhang Zhidong said here, took Wei Rongguang’s cold hands in both hands, and said with the utmost sincerity, “Whether it’s about Shanxi The specific situation is how to be a good member, in front of you, I am just a student, please don't hesitate to teach me!"

Wei Rongguang was quite moved by Zhang Zhidong's attitude. He shook Zhang Zhidong's hands with his own hand, expressing his affection for his successor.Then he let go of his hand, picked up the teacup, and took a sip slowly.After putting down the teacup, he said slowly: "I can understand your mood, and I also have the responsibility to tell you about the situation in Shanxi. It's just that the bitch has been unwell during this period and has not been able to fulfill his wish. Tonight Let's have a good chat!" "I'm all ears." Zhang Zhidong moved his seat to Wei Rongguang's side to show his sincerity.

"This place in Shanxi, more than ten years ago, was known as a land of perfect wealth when Changmao and Nianzi rebelled. In fact, this is not the case at all. I have worked as a secretary in Hubei and Shandong, and I know these provinces better. Shanxi Compared with Hubei and other provinces, it is really bad." Wei Rongguang narrated in an official accent with a central Henan accent. Zhang Zhidong nodded and said, "Even though I've been here for a short time, I already feel a lot of pressure, just like facing a mess of threads and don't know where to start." "Brother Xiangtao," Zhang Zhidong said so sincerely, Wei Rongguang no longer referred to him as "Master Zhang", the change of address made Zhang Zhidong feel that the relationship between them was much closer. "It wasn't long before you came here that you saw a mess of threads. After a long time, you will know that this place is not a mess of threads, but a pool of mud, which is easy to sink and difficult to pull out. As for rectification, it is almost hopeless. "

The words "almost hopeless" made Zhang Zhidong's heart tremble. "Master Wei, what are the main problems in Shanxi?" "The first disadvantage of Shanxi is poverty." Wei Rongguang said slowly, "Historically, Shanxi was originally a place of prosperity and strength. Among the seven heroes of the Warring States Period, three countries were separated from the Jin Kingdom. Until the end of the Sui Dynasty, Taiyuan was still a national important town. Therefore, Li Yuan and his son rebelled against the Sui Dynasty and created the Kingdom of Tang Dynasty. Poetry prospered in the Tang Dynasty, and Shanxi literati dominated the style, which is a clear proof. After the Song Dynasty, the country's center of gravity moved south. After the Ming Dynasty, the capital was fixed in Beijing, and the Three Jin Dynasty gradually fell out Come down. In addition to external reasons, Shanxi was left out because of its own poverty, and the poverty was firstly due to the fact that there were many mountains and little land, and the land was barren. The people were poor, and the tax revenue of all levels of government was small. If the tax was low, they would donate There are more stalls. Donating stalls has become the second problem in Shanxi.”

The old woman in Yangqu County was complaining about the suffering of donating stalls. Sang Zhiping came back from northern Shanxi and said that what the common people hated the most was the government donating stalls.Zhang Zhidong frowned and said: "The first is poverty, and the second is the donation booth. Poverty is mostly caused by God, but the donation booth is completely determined by the government. Why can't we get rid of the donation booth and benefit the people of Suli?" "Brother, you don't know something. Some donations are exempt, while others are unavoidable!" Wei Rongguang sighed and picked up his teacup.Zhang Zhidong quickly lifted the crock pot from the stove and filled it for Wei Rongguang with his own hands.Wei Rongguang took a sip and continued. "Shanxi has several large donation stalls, and there is no way to get rid of them, because they are caused by the imperial court. For example, the imperial court asks for more than 80,000 catties of Shanxi Jieping iron and 200,000 catties of high-quality iron every year. The 280,000 For catties of iron, including foot fees, the imperial court only gave more than 11,000 taels of silver, and the shortage cost was more than 39,000 taels. The price of more than 11,000 taels of silver was set in the early days of Qianlong, and it has been over a hundred years now In a hundred years, the price of anything has not increased several times, but the iron and silver given to Shanxi by the imperial court has not increased at all. Shanxi is a poor province, and the treasury cannot afford so much money, so what if it is not distributed to the states and counties?" Zhang Zhidong pondered in his heart: It seems that this is indeed a big event.Thirty-nine thousand taels of silver per year is really a lot of money for Shanxi.Over the years, it has been passed on to the common people, allowing the common people to bear this heavy burden.Why is the household department so ignorant? Wei Rongguang, who was still weak, felt a little cold, and moved his chair closer to the fire.Zhang Zhidong suddenly remembered that there were four Ganoderma lucidum plants given by Wu Qiuyi in the simple luggage he brought with him, so he took them out of the luggage and gave them to Wei Rongguang. Wei Rongguang carefully admired the four Ganoderma lucidum with black and red luster on the mouth of the bowl, and knew that they were indeed extraordinary.Zhang Zhidong insisted on giving him all four plants, but he refused repeatedly, and finally had to accept two plants. "Master Wei, the iron donation you just mentioned is indeed a big donation. I heard that there is also a silk donation, which is also very popular." With the effect of these two Ganoderma lucidum plants, Zhang Zhidong and Wei Rongguang The atmosphere of the conversation became more harmonious. "Yes. Since the Jiaqing period, the imperial court has demanded 1,200 bolts of silk from Shanxi each year. In the past ten years, due to the hard life of the people, the silk and silk cannot be sold, and the silk weaving workshops have basically changed. Okay, Shanxi can't hand over this much silk and silk, and the Ministry of Households stipulates that one less bolt of silk should be paid, and it should be paid for by ten taels of silver, so this fee is added every year. The more than ten thousand taels of silver has to be distributed to the states and counties Go, this is the silk stall." Wei Rongguang's spirit was much stronger than when he first entered the door. He took a sip of tea and said again: "There is still a big fee, that is, the civil and military provincial examination every three years, and the rural examination is undertaken by Yangqu County as usual. The provincial examination required at least 30,000 taels of silver. How could Yangqu County afford it? The governor's office had to come forward and distribute it to all states and counties in the province. The average annual cost was more than 10,000 taels. These are several large donations that cannot be exempted. There are also various other donation stalls that are determined by each state and county, adding up to twenty or thirty items, and these money are often added to the common people, how can the common people not bear heavy burdens? How can they not complain?" "The harvest in the field is so bad, where do the common people get their money from?" Zhang Zhidong asked with a sad expression. "What can the common people do? They have no choice but to grow poppies instead of crops. It's not that they don't know that it's bad to waste food and grow poisonous plants, but the profit of growing poppies is ten times that of growing crops. This is called prostitution." Wei Wei Rong Guang angrily put the teacup in his hand on the coffee table. Zhang Zhidong seemed to suddenly understand many things.On that day, the poppy seedlings he saw after stepping into Niangzi Pass aroused his great resentment.He hates the peasants in Shanxi for being so unconscionable and immoral; he hates the officials of the prefectures and counties in Shanxi for allowing the common people to break the law so openly!It turns out that there is an indescribable reason behind the "lust for profit"! Within a few days of receiving the seal, he was preparing to issue an order to all states and counties: to eradicate all poppy seedlings within three days.Sang Zhiping suggested that he suspend the order until he has a clear understanding of the situation in the province.He accepted the suggestion.Now it seems that eradicating poppies is not something that can be done with a single order. If the government's donations are not greatly reduced, forcibly eradicating poppies is not a very good thing. Zhang Zhidong was very grateful for Wei Rongguang's analysis: "Master Wei, it seems that abandoning crops and planting poisonous plants is the third biggest problem in Shanxi." "It can be said this way." Wei Rongguang nodded and continued his topic, "The consequences of this disease are extremely serious. One is that although poppies can make a lot of money, they can't satisfy one's hunger after all. In normal years, money can be used To buy food, in the famine year, there is no food, and the money is empty. This is the reason why Shanxi was drought and starved to death in the past two years. Second, Shanxi planted a large number of opium poppies, which caused the price of local medicine to be much lower than that of foreign medicine. This made opium smoking rampant in Shanxi." "Since I have been in Taiyuan these days, most of the people I have come into contact with have dark complexions and thin bodies, probably because they have smoked too much opium." "Brother Xiangtao, you don't know that opium smoking in Shanxi has reached a frightening level. A friend of mine estimated that four out of ten people in the countryside smoke opium, and seven out of ten people in the city. There are three types of people, soldiers, and soldiers. Almost ten out of ten people smoke. Although this estimate is a bit exaggerated, it is roughly the same. Opium must be eradicated, otherwise, the whole of Shanxi, from the city to the countryside, from the officialdom to the folk, will be very smoked. It will soon rot. Brother, this matter is up to you." For a moment, Zhang Zhidong felt a little depressed: I knew that Shanxi was such a filthy place, I really shouldn't have come, and being a servant in the capital, not only would things be much less, but it would also save me from dealing with so much opium. Dealing with ghosts, out of sight, out of mind!But soon, he broke free from his depression.He is a man with a strong endowment, strong and competitive, and then he thought again: When I, Zhang Zhidong, rectify the mess in Shanxi, the queen mother, emperor, friends and friends of the capital, and officials all over the world will be able to see my ability.Thinking of this, he said decisively: "Master Wei, don't worry about going south, I must completely eradicate opium in Shanxi!" "Okay. After all, I am young and promising. I am almost old, so I can't say such words." "Master Wei, it is said that the treasury in Shanxi has not been checked for 30 years. Many people say that it is a muddled account. I want to handle this matter in my hands, please give me advice!" Hearing Zhang Zhidong's words, Wei Rongguang's obscure eyes suddenly brightened.He is not a fool. After ten months as a Jinfu, he has seen that the greatest of all the ills in Shanxi lies in this financial chaos.Isn't it strange that the treasury of a province has been unclear for thirty years!If the accounts are muddled, wouldn’t it artificially create opportunities for those who manage the accounts to embezzle?When he first took office, Wei Rongguang also wanted to make a difference and had the idea of ​​cleaning up the treasury.But as soon as this idea came out, many people dissuaded him, and the first person to dissuade him was the feudal secretary Baogeng.Wei Rongguang knew in his heart that Bao Geng had been a feudal secretary for many years and was in charge of the feudal treasury.Once it is cleared up, he will be the first to be touched, and many current officials will also be implicated.Maybe it will also involve Zeng Guoquan.Zeng Laojiu, who has made great achievements in the world but is self-willed, is not a person to be provoked.Wei Rongguang, who regards being wise and safe as the highest principle, calmed down after only thinking about it for a few days, and quickly dismissed the idea.But Wei Rongguang himself is not a greedy person. Seeing that a group of idiots from the treasury will not be punished, he is unwilling to do so. As long as he does not hurt himself, he still hopes that these silverfish will be caught.No matter from the point of law and morality, or from the point of view of personal will, he always feels happy to eliminate corrupt officials who have embezzled public funds.Then, encourage the successor in front of you, who is known for his integrity and self-discipline, is not afraid of taking risks, and dares to do things! "Brother, are you really going to clean up the treasury?" Wei Rongguang stared at Zhang Zhidong. "I really want to do it!" Zhang Zhidong said resolutely, without any hesitation. Wei Rongguang nodded quite satisfied: "If you really want to do it, you have to do it to the end. I am more than ten years older than you, and I have spent more time in the local area than you. My experience taught me something that is not in the book. Knowledge." Wei Rongguang paused at this point.Zhang Zhidong took the opportunity to move his chair one step forward. He knew that the knowledge gained from this kind of experience was far more valuable than the knowledge read in the study, and he couldn't miss a single word! "For a political official, when faced with a major event, he must first consider all possible situations before doing it. If he can do it, he will do it to the end and never give up until the goal is achieved; If you can’t do it, don’t do it at all. The consequences of giving up halfway are much more serious than not doing it!” This is indeed a word of experience.Although Zhang Zhidong has no experience and lessons in this area, he has watched the political arena with a cold eye. He has also seen people stumble on this point.Tonight, it is said by this senior who has been in the officialdom for thirty years, and the weight is naturally heavier. Zhang Zhidong said very sincerely: "Master Wei, your words are really golden and jade, and I will always remember them in my heart." "The accounts of the Shanxi feudal treasury have not been cleared for thirty years. When I first came to Taiyuan, I felt very strange and had the idea of ​​clearing it up, but I finally didn't do it because of the reason just mentioned. I'm not afraid that my brother will laugh. The body is not strong, and I can't stand the drama. I am getting older, and my courage is getting weaker and weaker. I am afraid that it will cause more trouble, so I came here perfunctorily. My brother is willing to do this, and I agree very much Yes, I’m just reminding you once again that once you start this matter, you must bite the bullet and push through, there will be many unexpected messy things coming out in the future, and you have to be prepared first.” "Master Wei, don't worry." Zhang Zhidong got off the chair and stood up, straight in front of Wei Rongguang. "I, Zhang Zhidong, may not be very talented, but I have always been courageous and strong-minded. I am not afraid of ghosts and ghosts. I do things for the court and the people. I don't care even if I lose my post. " These words greatly excited Wei Rongguang, who was naturally cowardly. He had read Zhang Zhidong's majestic memorials many times in the past, and he always thought that they were just rhetoric, far from real action!Now he seems to see a real celebrity who is consistent with his words and deeds, and a state official who is upright and righteous.He couldn't help feeling admiration from his heart, and he also stood up, patted Zhang Zhidong's shoulder and said, "My dear brother, if you are prepared like this, then you don't have to be afraid of anything. Standing in front of you, I I feel ashamed, I didn’t do anything useful for Shanxi, I’m leaving here the day after tomorrow, and I’m willing to do my best to help you tonight.” Zhang Zhidong quickly shook Wei Rongguang's hand and said, "Master Wei, please sit down, sit down and talk." After the two sat down together, Wei Rongguang said quite emotionally: "My virtuous brother was promoted to Jinfu. He is really the wisdom of the queen mother and the emperor. It has been said since ancient times that a fence has three stakes, and a good man has three gangs. A virtuous brother wants to do it." This great undertaking cannot be done without the help of others. Although there are many mediocre and few capable officials in Shanxi official circles, I have found a few trustworthy people in my ten months of experience. I will recommend a few to you with sincerity. It is the only help my predecessor can do to you." Zhang Zhidong was very happy when he heard this sentence.There are so many ills in Shanxi, of course it is a worrying thing for him, but what is even more worrying is that he is new to Shanxi. The two departments of the government and roads in front of him can't talk about any evaluation.Some people are kind-hearted but not necessarily kind, some people are good at speaking but not necessarily capable, and some people are just the opposite.Knowing people has always been the most difficult thing, and it is also the most profound knowledge.As the saying goes, "Long distance knows horsepower, and time sees people's hearts", which means that it takes a long time to recognize people, but all kinds of things need to be done immediately, and there is no time for you to do it calmly. Recognize kung fu.At this time, if someone gives you the talents he has accumulated over a long period of time, what a timely gift it is!During this period of time, Zhang Zhidong has learned from many sources that Wei Rongguang is generally considered a decent person, and there are no rumors of forming cliques for personal gain.The long talk tonight also gave Zhang Zhidong a better impression of him.It should be said that the people he recommends can be trusted. Zhang Zhidong said with a smile on his face: "Master Wei, the help you gave me is really like coal in the snow. You speak slowly, and I will remember it." After Zhang Zhidong finished speaking, he sat down at the desk, held a pen and laid paper, ready to record. Wei Rongguang pondered for a long time, and then slowly said: "Fang Junyi, who is a master, has mediocre talent, but good conduct. Wang Kezhuang, who studied politics, is upright and good in learning. There are many scholars in Shanxi who praise him, but he never wants to ask questions. Local affairs. Regarding Shanxi Xingwen’s running a school, you can rest assured to let him do it. Wang Kezhuang can also be consulted on local affairs. When he took office as magistrate of Ji County, he got rid of tens of thousands of bad money. He served in Linjin County two years earlier, and handled the disaster situation most properly. Fang Longguang, the magistrate of Fenyang County, was benevolent and caring for the people. Qinming. Xiliang, the magistrate of Jiaocheng County, is an honest and honest official. Zhu Guangshou, the magistrate of Wanquan County, is honest and kind. Xue Yuanzhao, the magistrate of Taiyuan County, is honest and honest. These six are people who can be trusted.” Zhang Zhidong kept writing down all Wei Rongguang's words.I thought to myself: After a while, I will go to these counties in person to take a look.If this is the case, it should be reported to the Ming court as soon as possible to promote them exceptionally and entrust them with important tasks.At present, manpower is needed to clean up the treasury, and two or three of them can be transferred to Taiyuan to handle this matter.When Zhang Zhidong was meditating, Wei Rongguang slapped his forehead heavily and said loudly: "I'm really confused, I forgot to mention a very important person!" "Which one?" Zhang Zhidong put down the pen in his hand, got up and walked towards Wei Rongguang. "Old Mr. Yan Danchu Yan Jingming!" Wei Rongguang unconsciously raised his voice. "Yes, Mr. Yan Dan!" Zhang Zhidong said excitedly, "There is really a national treasure living in seclusion in Shanxi!" "Mr. Yan has lived in Shanxi for more than ten years. In the third year of Guangxu, he was ordered to inspect Shanxi's relief work. He is very clear about the situation in Shanxi. When you are free in a while, you can go to Jinnan to visit him." "Is he still giving lectures at Jiezhou Academy?" "Still there." "How's your body?" "Last month, the magistrate of Xiezhou came to Taiyuan and talked about him in the chat. According to the magistrate, although there is a little problem, it is not a problem, and he is in good health." Wei Rongguang stood up and said, "It's getting late , I’m going back to sleep, and you should rest early too!” Zhang Zhidong held Wei Rongguang's hand tightly and said, "Master Wei, thank you for your visit tonight. I will personally send you out of the city the day after tomorrow." After sending Wei Rongguang away, Zhang Zhidong faced the lights alone and pondered for a long time.