Chapter 55 Nine, half a hundred and then get a son, Zhang Zhidong is endlessly happy

The next day, Li Hongzhang told Yizhen about the conversation he had with Li Lianying last night.This also solved the knot in Yizhen's heart: it turns out that Li Lianying came to ask Li Hongzhang for money, not to supervise herself.Yi Gun felt relieved for a moment, and felt an inexplicable gratitude towards the Queen Mother. He enthusiastically helped Li Hongzhang revise the donation plan: "Yang Zonglian's silver cannot be donated to garden workers, which will bring a bad reputation to the Queen Mother. It can only be said to be donated to Haiphong, and people like Yang Zonglian are encouraged to serve Haiphong. The yamen separately registers this payment. Then, transfer the money to the Summer Palace project. The cost of coastal defense has been suppressed temporarily for the past two years, and it is also a good thing to support the Queen Mother. After two years, the garden will be repaired, and the Queen Mother will return to the government. Come on, let’s do it before it’s too late!”

Reminded by Li Lianying, with the acquiescence of Cixi, Li Lianying proposed to Li Hongzhang privately by taking the opportunity of inspecting the navy, and finally Yizhen made a decision.This is the entire planning process of the largest economic case in modern Chinese history.From then on, the Summer Palace Engineering Office, which was under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, demanded money from the Navy Yamen in a justifiable and unscrupulous manner.Later, the sign of the Naval Academy was hung at the gate of the Summer Palace, saying that Kunming Lake could be used for naval training.Can the small Kunming Lake allow 10,000-ton iron ships to gallop freely?Isn't this a joke!In fact, this is to cover up the eyes and ears of the world, in order to tie the garden workers and the coastal defense together, so that it is more convenient to transfer the money of the navy office.According to the statistics of historians, during the nine years from the official opening of the Navy Yamen in the 12th year of Guangxu to the disappearance of the Beiyang Navy in the Jiawu year, the Summer Palace embezzled a total of 20 million taels of silver from the navy, accounting for two-thirds of the funds allocated by the provinces to assist the navy.In addition, there are six million taels of silver that have been deposited in the household department for a long time, and the interest silver is also used in the Summer Palace.Because the money was saved for death, the Navy Yamen was unable to withdraw the money from the Ministry of Households even for the construction of forts.In addition, the Navy donated 4 million in service silver, all of which were given to the garden workers.Therefore, the Summer Palace project used about 25 million navy silver.According to the practice at that time that the palace employed 30 to 70 people, only more than 7.5 million yuan was actually used for construction, and more than 17 million yuan went into the private pockets of personnel at all levels.In the past nine years, that is, since the establishment of the Navy Yamen, the Chinese Navy has not added a new warship. As a result, the navy, which was already not bad in strength, fell far behind, and was finally defeated by the Japanese navy that caught up later in the Sino-Japanese War. overwhelmed.Economic corruption leads to political failure, which eventually leads to the complete collapse of the regime.This is the lesson that history has left for future generations.

After Yizhen had a quick look at a few cannons, he immediately went back to Beijing.After returning to Beijing, he reported to the queen mother the grand occasion of the Beiyang and Nanyang Parade, asked the queen mother to reward the meritorious personnel, and then greeted the officials.Soon, Yang Zonglian received a letter from the Ministry, expelled him, and handed it over to the Beiyang Committee.Yang Zonglian's use of 20,000 silver to serve the navy as atonement caused great repercussions in the officialdom.As a result, many dismissed officials raised money in various ways, came to the Navy Yamen, asked for service, and the Navy Yamen accepted them all, and these dismissed officials were re-appointed.Many serving officials who wanted to be promoted soon also came to the Navy Yamen with huge sums of money.Before long, the chief of them was promoted to doctor, the doctor was promoted to Taoist priest, and the Taoist priest was promoted to two divisions.It can be said that when the money comes to the official, the results are immediate.The officialdom, which was already festering, became even worse from then on.

In the capital, there were many speech officials who liked to make a fuss about it. They were very dissatisfied with Li Lianying's departure from Beijing to participate in the navy inspection in Tianjin.There is a censor who is not afraid of death, and he actually directly reported to Cixi, criticizing this incident by name, and then brought up the old story of An Dehai's decapitation when he left the capital without authorization more than ten years ago, reminding Cixi Never reuse eunuchs so as to mess up the court. This censor named Zhu Yixin seemed to have eaten the guts of a leopard. He dared to stroke the tiger's beard against the dragon's scales. Cixi was very annoyed.Zhu resigned in anger, and wanted to return to his hometown in Zhejiang to die in Linxia.

Dare to impeach Lafayette, this is really a shocking and admirable act.Although Zhu Yixin's memorials did not dare to be published in the residence newspaper, they spread like wildfire and became popular all over the world.After Zhang Zhidong read this memorial in Guangzhou, he couldn't help applauding: "I haven't read such an article for many years. There is one Zhu and one new one, which shows that the Qing Dynasty in the capital is still alive!" He immediately became excited, and said to Yang Rui who was beside him: "You write a letter to him in my name, telling him not to go back to Zhejiang, but to come to me. I will hire him to be the lecturer of Guangya Academy, and let him take the Bring a kind of awe-inspiring spirit to the southern country."

Yang Rui agreed, and was about to write a book, when Zhao Maochang reminded Zhang Zhidong: "Xiang Shuai, Zhu Yixin offended the Queen Mother, you hired him to Guangzhou, won't you make the Queen Mother angry?" Just now, Qingliu's old habit was triggered for a while. After being reminded by this, Zhang Zhidong suddenly realized: "Mr. Zhu is right, but talents are rare. It is a pity that Guangya Academy lost this person." "Let's see it this way," Zhao Maochang suggested, "Let Liang Jie'an write a letter to him as a friend, asking him to come and have fun in Guangzhou. That's how he will keep his face."

"Alright." Zhang Zhidong nodded. Soon, Zhu Yixin was invited by Liang Dingfen to come to Guangzhou and live in Guangya Academy.Zhang Zhidong quietly went to Guangya Academy to visit Zhu Yixin, highly appreciated his memorials, and invited him to give lectures on Guangya.Zhu Yixin readily accepted.Zhang Zhidong was very happy for several days that he had recruited such a talent as Zhu Yixin. In the afternoon of this day, Dagen pushed open the door of the signing room with a happy face, and said loudly: "Fourth uncle, congratulations, my aunt gave birth to a son, mother and child are safe!"

"I gave birth so soon, don't you say it will be midnight?" Zhang Zhidong said happily, "I'll go and see!" "Fourth Uncle, go later, the house smells of blood, it's bad luck!" Da Gen dissuaded. "It doesn't matter, I am upright, and no smell of blood can hurt me!" Zhang Zhidong hurried out of the signing room, and ran towards the backyard in three steps at a time. Zhang Zhidong already had two sons and a daughter, and his eldest grandson was over five years old. Normally speaking, he didn't need to be so excited, as if he was a father for the first time.This is because one is out of love for Peiyu, and the other is that he has more confidence in himself.

Peiyu had been married to him for three or four years, and had never conceived a child before.Peiyu was anxious, and he was also disturbed by it.In the past few years, Peiyu has warmed Zhang Zhidong's emotionally bruised heart with her unique virtuousness, especially Peiyu's piano sound and her love for Zhuang'er, which made Zhang Zhidong feel the love of women from time to time. Warmth and tenderness added the bright color of life and the fun of family to his busy and boring official duties.When Zhang Zhidong has some spare time and is in a relaxed mood, Peiyu often plays a few pieces for him.Peiyu's qin music at this time often arouses the feelings of reciting poems and prose in his youth, and waving his hair in the pool, and at the same time makes him lament that books are piled up and elegance is exhausted.When Zhang Zhidong's business affairs are not going well and he is depressed, he will also ask Peiyu to play the piano.Peiyu's quiet and secluded qin music can often attract him a stream of clear springs, washing away the dust and stagnation in his heart.Once, Peiyu played a piece of music for him, and the sound of the piano was so cold and clear that it seemed like a legacy from the past.Zhang Zhidong half-lyed on the bed and squinted his eyes slightly. A picture of high mountains and deep streams, clear spring water, cold moon hanging high, and apes singing ancient pines gradually appeared in front of him. The creative desire that had been silent for many years suddenly surged in his chest.

He asked Peiyu, "Does this score have lyrics?" Peiyu replied: "This is a very old music score, which my father taught me. My father said that the master who taught him said that this music score originally had words, which were lost hundreds of years ago." Zhang Zhidong jumped up from the bed: "I'll add a new word for it." He walked to the desk and meditated while grinding the ink.Peiyu put down her qin and came over to watch, only to see Zhang Zhidong write three words on the paper: Youjianquan.Peiyu asked, "Is this the name of the word?" "Yes." Zhang Zhidong said, "I think this must have been made by a hermit who escaped to the mountains and forests in ancient times with great ambitions and high learning. He used secluded streams and flowing springs to symbolize his nobility of independence from the world. character, I will now imitate his mood to compose a poem."

Following the appearance of a line of words, Peiyu read softly: "What a poignant and beautiful poem." Peiyu praised. "When I played this piano piece, I also had this kind of artistic conception in my mind. After you describe it with words, it becomes a tangible and real scene. I think your word is similar to that lost ancient song. The words are about eight or nine out of ten." Zhang Zhidong said happily: "Just look for it. You play and sing for me." After Peiyu read it a few times, she remembered it in her heart, so she sat next to the piano stand again, stroking the strings and singing softly.Sure enough, the words and music blend together, and the artistic conception is even more wonderful.Since then, this piece of piano music has been loved by both of them. Under Peiyu's careful guidance, Zhun'er can play the qin well now, which makes Zhang Zhidong especially gratified: now someone in the Zhang family can finally pass on his mother's qin art, and his mother's spirit in heaven should be able to get some comfort.Peiyu has done so much for him, but Peiyu is still a concubine. If she doesn't have a son, she will have no status in the Zhang family.Peiyu is still young, and I will definitely go ahead of her. A concubine without a son is in a very sad situation.While worrying about Peiyu, he also doubted his vitality.Peiyu has been unable to conceive a child for so long, which undoubtedly proves that her vitality is not as good as before.The career has just begun, and many grand ideas are still waiting to be put into reality one by one. A strong body and strong energy are the foundation of career success.There is a young concubine in the family, but she cannot be allowed to conceive a child. What does this mean?Every time Zhang Zhidong thinks of this, a trace of sadness can't be suppressed spontaneously.It's all right now, Peiyu has given birth, and she is still a son, her anxiety has been swept away, and Zhang Zhidong's self-confidence has also increased by ten points! When Zhang Zhidong came to the backyard, there was a crowd of people in front of the door of the upper room, several women hurried in and out carrying basins and towels.When everyone saw Zhang Zhidong, they hurriedly congratulated: "Congratulations, congratulations! My lord, you have another precious son! This is a great joy!" Zhang Zhidong also made an exception, clasped his fists in both hands, and smiled at everyone: "Thank you, thank you!" After all, we will enter the door.Just when Peiyu's mother came out with a bunch of bloody cloths, she was startled when she saw Zhang Zhidong, and then she smiled all over her face: "My lord, please don't go in for now, I need to see my son, I will wrap him up later and take him out." .” Zhang Zhidong said: "It doesn't matter, I want to see my son, but also Peiyu. Is she okay?" Pei Yuniang was very moved when she heard this, and said repeatedly: "Okay, okay, Peiyu is fine, I entrust the protection of my lord and ancestors, mother and child are safe." As soon as he spoke, Zhang Zhidong had already entered the room, Chunlan and the newly hired little girl Jiaoer were checking around the bed.The midwife had already dressed the baby, and Peiyu was lying on the bed with a pale face.Seeing Zhang Zhidong approaching, the midwife hurriedly handed over the baby as if offering a gift, and said with a big smile: "Master Zhang, look at your son, he has a big head and big ears, and a rosy face. His nose and eyes are similar to those of his son. My lord, you are the same, there is no difference." Everyone laughed when they heard this. Peiyu saw that Zhang Zhidong came in so quickly regardless of the blood and blood in the delivery room, she was extremely relieved, and a sweet smile appeared on her face.Zhang Zhidong was really happy when he took over his son.He carefully looked at the little face that hadn't opened his eyes, and smiled comfortably: "It looks like me, but it's more like his mother. When his face grows up, it must be plump than mine, and it won't be like me. I have such a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks." Zhang Zhitai, who usually has a majestic face, teased himself in public like this today. Everyone knew that he was really happy at the moment, so they all laughed with confidence.Zhang Zhidong returned the son to the midwife, sat on the edge of the bed, looked at the smiling Peiyu, and asked tenderly, "Is it better now?" Peiyu nodded. "It is said that it will not be born until midnight, but the little guy can't wait, so he got out early." Zhang Zhidong made everyone laugh again with a joke. Zhang Zhidong pressed the corner of Peiyu's pillow, and said: "A woman giving birth is like returning from the gate of hell. The mother and child are safe. It is a great joy. I just lie on the bed for a few days. Ask your mother to instruct Chunlan and Jiaoer to make more blood-activating and refreshing chicken soup and broth, eat more, and recover as soon as possible. The first thing is not to catch a cold. Postpartum emptiness is like a lamp lit by a strand of hair. The most important thing to watch out for... " As she spoke, the scene of Mrs. Wang dying in childbirth came to mind again.What a virtuous lady, what a delightful addition, but in a flash, it would turn into the worst tragedy in the world.It has been more than six years since Mrs. Wang passed away with hatred. In the past six years, whenever he thinks about it, Zhang Zhidong will be very bitter, as if he took away his wife's young and beautiful life.Now that I am facing such a major event again, I am glad that the delivery went smoothly, and the postpartum care must not be underestimated.Zhang Zhidong, who had experienced the birth of three wives and was over half a century old, felt that he had a lot of experience, and he had to tell Peiyu in detail. Pei Yuniang came in from the outside, and she was surprised to see that Zhang Zhidong was still talking about this and that: she had never seen this majestic, cold-faced, half-aged man with such a warm and gracious expression. Affectionate side! She walked to the bed, hugged her little grandson from the midwife, and asked Zhang Zhidong: "My lord, have you chosen your son's name?" "I haven't figured it out yet." Pei Yuniang kissed her little grandson, full of infinite love for her daughter and grandson, and said: "My lord, it is a great joy to have another son after you are over 50 years old. Pei Yu has been married to the Zhang family for four years. I have just given birth to this son, and I have seen through my eyes. My lord, when my son is full moon, I will have a few tables of wine to celebrate." Zhang Zhidong said happily: "Of course, of course." Pei Yuniang was very satisfied with Zhang Zhidong's answer. She put the little grandson into her daughter's bed and let him sleep next to her mother. Then she touched the baby's flushed face and said, "Little boy, sleep with your mother. Your father has already passed away." I promise, I will show you a big face when the moon is full!" Peiyu hugged her son tightly, immersed in great happiness.Seeing this picture of mother and child connecting hearts, Zhang Zhidong also felt very warm and peaceful in his heart.In his spare time, when he reads good poems, admires antiques and paintings, or climbs mountains and faces waters to melt into nature, he often has a sense of peace in his heart, but that is caused by the outside world, and at this time this This feeling comes from the depths of my heart.Taste carefully, there is a big difference between them.Yes, this is the joyful acceptance of new life by human beings, and it is also the satisfaction of human beings' instinctive hope for the continuation of their own lives.How can the value of a human life be compared to something without blood and flesh!Once the myriad phenomena of the universe and all things in this world are separated from human life, what is the meaning? Half a month has passed in a flash. For the remaining issues after the end of the Vietnam War, such as the rewards and appointments of Feng's father and son and the repatriation of the 18th battalion bravery award, the proper placement of Liu Yongfu and the Black Banner Army, it is a long way to go. The disbandment of the Hunan and Huai troops who came to Guangdong, the early start of work for several Western Affairs Bureau factories in Guangzhou City, and a series of major and minor events, Zhang Zhidong was so busy all day long that he forgot to hold the full moon wine for his son. Two clean. That night, when Peiyu mentioned it again, he suddenly realized.Peiyu is not a very vulgar woman. She agrees with her mother's opinion and hopes that her husband will host the full moon wine in a lively manner. Apart from loving her son, she also wants to win face for herself.Peiyu, who was educated in poetry and books, after she became a widow, she still had the ambition of preferring to be a poor wife rather than a wealthy concubine. At first, she was moved by Zhang Zhidong's love of piano art and became the concubine of Zhang's family. .Although there is no official wife in the hall above, she is actually the master of the supervisor's backyard, but because she is always just a concubine in her title, her mentality is always unavoidable.She hopes to have a glorious opportunity, let her raise her eyebrows, put on a face, and truly accept everyone's congratulations and blessings to her with the attitude of a hostess.Ever since she found out she was pregnant, she thought it would be a good opportunity for her child to be a full moon.If she had a daughter, she could just set up three or five tables in the supervisor's office; if it was a son, she hoped that her husband would hold twenty or thirty tables of banquets in restaurants in the city of Guangzhou, and let the whole city know. She, Li Peiyu, gave birth to a son, and Zhang Zhitai added another line of incense. "Peiyu, I think we don't have the full moon wine." Zhang Zhidong lightly touched his son's face with his fingers.The son's name was decided during the Three Dynasties, and it was called Renkan.Xiao Renkan stared at the face of the half-old man with a long black and yellow beard, without blinking, with his shiny black eyes.Looking at his son's appearance like a powder cake, Zhang Zhidong smiled comfortably. "Why?" Peiyu was very surprised, and felt a little unhappy, "It's because he was born by a concubine, so he didn't serve wine? Although my status is low, he is your own flesh and blood!" The more Peiyu talked, the more wronged she became, and she couldn't stop crying. "Where are you thinking, Peiyu?" Zhang Zhidong picked up the silk scarf next to his pillow, and wiped away Peiyu's tears. "When did I treat you as a concubine? Didn't the whole housework and money be handed over to you? Except for your name, which family's wife is a little different from you? Stop crying, you are in confinement, Women's bones are loose during confinement, so don't hurt your body." In the past few years, Peiyu has been in charge of the housework in Zhang's house. Peiyu has the final say on oil, salt, firewood, and money for hiring people.It should be said that Peiyu is a powerful housewife.Thinking of this, Peiyu's resentment subsided a lot, and her tone of voice softened: "Why is that?" "Peiyu, let me tell you, Ren Quan is the firstborn son, and he didn't even have a full moon wine. Why, because I was poor at that time, although I was a famous poor Beijing official, I couldn't afford wine. Ren Bing Full Moon said yes I set up a few tables, but they were set up at his grandfather’s house in the Taiwanese yamen, not in my own house. They were all born by wives.” "Because it was born by my wife, it's okay if I don't do it." Peiyu interjected. "Renkan was born to my concubine. If we don't do it, someone will gossip about it." "Gossip is not gossip, don't worry about him, but your mother said that I would hold a full moon wine that day, and I wholeheartedly agreed. Not only for my son, but also for you. I want to congratulate you properly." With these few words, the resentment in Peiyu's heart has been reduced by 80%. "However, after thinking about it carefully, it's better not to serve wine." Peiyu stared intently at her husband without making a sound.She is listening carefully. "It's nothing else. It's not because of you and Renkan, but because of me. I shouldn't be the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi." Zhang Zhidong left the bed, walked slowly in the room, and said slowly: "In Guangzhou, how many officials are afraid of me, how many officials want to get close to me, how many businessmen want to To please me and bribe me, if I, Zhang, say that someone makes full moon wine for his son, hundreds of yamen, tens of thousands of officials, thousands of commercial firms, and hundreds of thousands of businessmen in Guangzhou will Those who are afraid of me and afraid of me, and want to get close to me and bribe me, will take this opportunity to give heavy gifts to achieve their goals. Officials get people's fat and people's anointing, and businessmen get extortion and exploitation. Such gifts are sent to Governor’s Yamen, even if it’s not for a certain purpose, I dare not take it or not. There are gods above, and ancestors below, and I, Zhang Zhidong, feel uneasy if I take it!” Peiyu, who was born in a poor school teacher's family, took her husband's words for granted, and she already nodded in agreement in her heart. "Among the officials, there are honest and honest officials, and among the merchants, there are also serious businessmen. If I serve the full moon wine, if they give gifts, it will be contrary to their hearts. If I don't give them, I'm afraid I will think differently of them." Peiyu felt sympathetic to these words, because his father was such a honest and poor scholar who was often troubled by worldly etiquette. "More importantly, in the city of Guangzhou, there are millions of Limin people staring at me with wide eyes. Right now, corrupt officials are all over the country. They take advantage of various opportunities to plunder, fill their own pockets, use promotions, transfers, and celebrate birthdays and funerals. This kind of method abounds, and it seems to be public. If I, Zhang Zhidong, held a full moon wine, even if I stated that I would not accept a penny for congratulations, who would Would you believe me? Wouldn’t my reputation be ruined for half my life? This is the second. More importantly, if I want to clean up the officialdom in Guangdong and Guangxi in the future, no one will listen to me. As the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, how can I Wouldn't it be a puppet that is nothing but a dead body?" Peiyu shuddered subconsciously in her heart. Her husband was right: for a little vanity, what a disadvantage it would bring him!Peiyu, Peiyu, you are really confused for a moment. "So, when I, Mr. Zhang, had a son and a second son, I didn't have money and didn't have a full moon wine. When I gave birth to my third son, I didn't have a full moon wine if I had money. Peiyu, I hope you can understand me and help me." "If you're thoughtful, Renkan's full moon wine will not be held." Peiyu said sincerely. "You are really my good wife!" Zhang Zhidong was moved by Peiyu's deep sense of righteousness, and sat down on the edge of the bed again, watching Peiyu kissing his son's face with eyes full of affection, his heart filled with deep family happiness. After a while, he said to Peiyu again: "I admire you for being so virtuous. It has been very hard to take care of the housework in the past few years. Now that Renkan is born again, I should express my heart. I still Let your mother and son have fun." "Oh, that's great." Peiyu became excited again, "You have another good idea?" Zhang Zhidong smiled and said, "Just wait and see that day!" Peiyu didn't inquire any more, and with this in mind, she began to observe carefully from the next day to see how Zhang Zhidong made their mother and son have a good time.