Chapter 5 Section 5 When you are frustrated, it is an opportunity to grow

In the evening of that day, Zeng Guofan invited his best friends to the guild hall to discuss the matter of Zhao Ji.If he doesn't go alone, he stands out too much; it's not a joke to make people a living target! The first to arrive was Liu Chuanying, the eighth-rank scholar of the Imperial Academy, followed by Hu Linyi from the eighth-rank book of the Hanlin Academy, Chen Gongyuan from the sixth-rank editor of the Imperial Academy, Mei Zengliang, Shao Yichen, and Shao Yichen, the seventh-rank editors of the Imperial Academy. The two couldn't be there because they ate flower wine.Except for Liu Chuanying, who came from a special department, the five people who came here were all well-educated Hanlin Gong.

Unlike being in the yamen in the guild hall, it is naturally much more casual.Several people asked the waiter to add stools, and each of them asked for a bowl of tea, and then sat down to talk.Zeng Guofan is the lord, so he spoke first: "My brothers and sisters, I wonder if you have received an invitation from Mr. Zhao?" Upon hearing this, Liu Chuanying immediately interjected: "Everyone in the Imperial College has received the invitation, and those from the Imperial Academy can still accept it." fall?!" Hu Linyi smiled and said: "Master Zhao's father came to Beijing as a subordinate. Even if he didn't post a post, he should be there. Mr. Zhao is different from other ministers. As the old saying goes, if you are not afraid of officials, you are afraid of management. I wait for the annual evaluation. His handwriting!"

Mei Zengliang turned his head and asked Zeng Guofan, "Disheng, what do you mean?" Zeng Guofan pondered: "If you work with suspicious people, you will fail. If you work with good people, you will suffer! I don't want to go to Mr. Zhao's banquet this time! He is suspicious by nature, and he only has Manchu in his eyes. Such a person, It's better to have some distance!" Hu Linyi said: "Master, I'm like working in an office. If you don't go, how can others go? Going to see Zhao Ji's father is for our own future!" At this moment, Liu Chuanying took over the words: "I didn't plan to go. I am a person from Teke ①, and I didn't have much future. Why don't you curry favor with him! What Sheng said makes sense, like Zhao Ji It’s better to keep a distance from someone who is only able to curry favor with Manchurians!” After hearing what he said, neither Hu Linyi nor Mei Zengliang said anything.

At this moment, Chen Gongyuan opened his mouth: "Let me tell you, let's see the situation and talk about it. The big deal is, what can I do if I give him five taels of silver! He can't make him rich, and we can't be poor either!" Hu Linyi and Mei Zengliang looked at each other, and both said: "We have to leave first, the Liangjiang Guild Hall closes early, it's late, and we have to look for inns all over the capital." Liu Chuanying and Shao Yichen paused and said goodbye. Chen Gongyuan and his family rented a private house alone, so it was okay to leave late and early, so they had another cup of tea with Zeng Guofan before resigning.

What Zeng Guofan didn't expect was that in the afternoon of the second day, Wen Qing, the academician in charge of the academy, and him were the only two people left in the huge Imperial Academy.Of course, the guards guarding the gate are still guarding the gate as usual, and the waiter is also serving tea and water as usual, all of them are unworthy people.After getting off work and walking out of the office, he met Wen Qing face to face. "Your Majesty, please greet Mr. Wen." Zeng Guofan bowed and greeted, while stepping aside. Wen Qing suddenly stood on his feet, and said: "Why, don't you know that Mr. Zhao's father is going to Beijing?" Zeng Guofan quickly bowed and replied: "Your official knows."

Wen Qing looked him up and down with his eyes, his face sank, he said nothing, put his hands behind his back and left. Zeng Guofan was very surprised, and thought: "It seems that Wen Qing gave all the members of the Imperial Academy a holiday, but why didn't he go to the meeting?... Probably a high-ranking official of his level would disdain to see Zhao Xiao Your lord; the guards didn't go, neither did the waiter, these people probably knew that even if they went, they wouldn't be able to sit on the table, and instead made Lord Zhao angry." Zeng Guofan entered the guild hall thinking about it, but surprised the waiter who was sitting there.

"Why, you haven't been to the banquet?" The waiter stood up, "Didn't you say that no one is having dinner in the guild hall today? My little one hasten to serve you a bowl of noodles." Zeng Guofan walked into his room angrily.He couldn't figure it out, since they were both Han Chinese and worked in the same office, why did the big guys join hands to fool themselves. When he arrived at the office, Zeng Guofan was ordered to transcribe a copy of the "Huang Kao", but failed to pass it three times in a row. Zhao Ji wrote two words on it every time: "Re-transcription." ", Zeng Guofan transcribed it for a whole day before handing in the paper.

Zeng Guofan already knew that there would be no good content in this year's evaluation, but in his heart he boasted that his growth and progress were all in times of humiliation and setbacks.That night, not long after Zeng Guofan returned to the guild hall, someone came to the waiter and asked, "Master Zeng lives here?" The waiter looked up and saw that the visitor was dressed unusually. He hurriedly bowed and promised: "Yes, yes, the young one will lead the way for the master." Before reaching Zeng Guofan's door, the waiter shouted: "Master Zeng, I'm looking for you!"

Zeng Guofan opened the door to see the person, and hurriedly clasped his fists together and said, "Boss Zhang has worked hard! This officer is polite." The person known as Manager Zhang took a step forward and said: "Master Zeng, please don't break the slave's life! I'm here to pass on the words of the Prime Minister. Your Excellency will visit the Prime Minister's Mansion tonight. The Prime Minister recently got a very interesting thing. I can't take it." It must be good." Zeng Guofan hurriedly said: "Master Xiang told me, how dare I be negligent, let's go now."

The two walked out of the hall modestly one after the other.The waiter stared blankly from behind, secretly guessing who it was. This manager Zhang is called Zhang Jizhou, and he is the chief steward of the mansion of Mu Zhang'a, the minister of military aircraft.In the officialdom of the capital at that time, anyone who wanted to see Mu Zhongtang had to see Director Zhang first.If Manager Zhang doesn't like you, not only will you not be able to see Mu Zhongtang, you may even be unable to enter the gate of Mu's residence.Someone tried it because he was a disciple of the admiral of the nine doors. Not only did he fail to enter the gate of the Mu Mansion, but he was beaten up by the guards guarding the gate. In the end, the admiral of the nine doors set up a banquet for him. resolve this matter.

Who is Mu Zhanga?Anyone who has read Qing history knows that the most powerful person in the Qianlong period was He Shen, the co-organizer of the official residence, the minister of military aircraft, the minister of the Ministry of War, and the admiral of the Nine Gates, and won another duke; Zhang Ah, although his power is not as powerful as He Shen, but in the officialdom at that time, he was a first-class figure. The situation in the officialdom at that time was: the county was afraid of the magistrate, the magistrate was afraid of the governor, the governor was afraid of the military plane, the military plane was afraid of Mu Zhang'a, and Mu Zhang'a was afraid of the emperor. Mu Zhang'a, courtesy name Zipu, nickname Hefang, was fifty-eight years old this year, a Manchurian inlaid blue bannerman, Guo Jiashi, a Jinshi during the Jiaqing period.Mu Zhang'a successively served as minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, commander of the infantry, secretary of the Ministry of War and even a bachelor. The chief examiner, chief executive officer, and examiner of Zeng Guofan's examination is Mu Zhang'a. Therefore, there are two people who are teachers and students. In addition, Mu Xiang is known as a talented man among the Manchu nobles. He has handled several important military and state affairs relatively well. This is the fourth time that Jinshi came to the mansion to thank his teacher.Zeng Guofan never had close contacts with Manchu officials, for fear of being looked down upon by Han officials. Following Manager Zhang to the door, Zeng Guofan saw a four-horse car parked at a glance. Needless to say, it was beautiful, spacious, and imposing. The four maroon Mongolian horses alone were not something ordinary officials would dare to raise. Livestock.The size, fur color, and body length of these four elves are simply indistinguishable. It was the first time in Zeng Guofan's life that he rode in such a gorgeous carriage, and he was so nervous that he was sweating all the way.After a while, they arrived in front of the Mu Mansion. When Zeng Guofan and Director Zhang stepped out of the car door, they were walking out happily to meet several Jinshi from Xinke.Zeng Guofan thought to himself, this must be another scholar who was able to jump into the Dragon Gate by the chief examiner Mu Xiang.According to normal calculations, he should have come to thank the teacher. Entering the hall of the Mu Mansion, Mu Zhang'a, who is tall and burly, is sitting on the Taishi chair, smoking a hookah, and talking to two people who look like Taoists.Zeng Guofan took a step forward, and while giving a big gift, he said: "Your Majesty Zeng Guofan kowtows to your mentor!" "Haha, Tisheng is here, sit, sit," Mu Zhang'a put down the hookah, and hurriedly greeted Zeng Guofan, "Why don't you come to see me recently?" Mr. Tang Jinghai learned the science of righteousness and reason, learned Chinese studies from Mr. Worenwo, and learned calligraphy from Mr. He Shaoji. Please forgive me, my teacher." Mu Zhang said with a smile: "It's rare and rare. Scholars all over the world are like you. Why worry about the poor fortune of the country and the lack of prosperity in literature! Disheng, in the eyes of this old man, Tang Jian is a well-known master of Neo-Confucianism, and Woren is also a master of Chinese studies recognized by the Qing Dynasty. Don't mention you, even the old man often asks for advice. However, if you want to talk about calligraphy, your handwriting is already very good. It seems that there is no need to start with regular script. Looking at In my court, I don’t need to talk about the good handwriting of the holy ancestor. Apart from the holy ancestor, the old man only admires the good handwriting of Liu Yong, a senior scholar in the Qianlong period. Disheng, you might as well find this post and have a look.” Zeng Guofan said: "What my mentor instructed, I will remember it." When he handed over his hands, a ringworm scar on his wrist was inadvertently exposed. The old Taoist on Mu Xiang's left hand was taken aback when he saw this, and quickly asked, "May I ask you, is Mr. Zeng Linshu's eldest master in Xiangxiang?" Zeng Guofan clasped his hands and replied, "It's the younger generation." The old Taoist looked happy, nodded and said: "When the poor Taoist was traveling in Changsha, he often heard the legend from Xiangxiang people that when the old lady was born, Mr. Naizu Jingxi dreamed that there was a giant python in his arms, and there was a century-old tree in the courtyard. There is no reason for the locust tree to wither, is there such a thing?" Zeng Guofan hurriedly stood up, and said: "The late-born great-grandfather's dream of a giant python entering his bosom is purely a rumor from Xiangxiang people. It is a fiction, but it is true that the old locust tree in the courtyard is dry!" At this time, the old Taoist on the right hand also said: "The poor Taoist also heard that Mr. Zeng's whole body was scabbed like fish scales when he fell to the ground, and it hasn't healed yet, I don't know if it is true?" Zeng Guofan blushed: "It is true for late students. Before Wansheng came to the capital, he had seen many famous doctors, but there was nothing he could do. Unexpectedly, this disease is so stubborn, even now, Wansheng still needs to apply medicine every night before he can fall asleep." At this moment, Mu Zhang'a laughed loudly and said, "You three have confused this old man! Sisheng, someone sent something to this old man from Chang'an, come and have a look." Then he ordered someone to bring one. Oilcloth bag, when the oilcloth bag is opened, there is a picture of ancient characters inside.Seeing Zeng Guofan and the two old Taoists gathered around, Mu Zhang'a said enthusiastically, "I'm not sure if it's an authentic work by Lu Ji from the Western Jin Dynasty. Disheng, please show me a good look." Zeng Guofan took a closer look and saw clearly the famous "Ping Fu Tie" on the desk.