Chapter 9 The ninth quarter was promoted to four consecutive levels

In the 23rd year of Daoguang (AD 1843), that is, six months after Zeng Guofan changed from a reviewer of the Imperial Academy to an alternate reviewer of the Imperial Academy, an imperial decree came to the Imperial Academy: "Alternate reviewer of the Imperial Academy Zeng Guofan was hardworking and thrifty, outstanding in learning, and wrote He was promoted to be a lecturer in the Imperial Academy, and to walk in Zhan Shifu. I admire this." The servant of the Hanlin Academy is a fifth-rank official, and Zhan Shifu has no rank and is a false title.Zeng Guofan was able to work in the two yamen of the Imperial Academy and Zhan Shifu.The thirty-three-year-old Zeng Guofan suddenly joined the ranks of middle-level officials.

The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were surprised, Zeng Guofan was also surprised, Hu Linyi, Mei Zengliang and others were even more surprised. Zeng Guofan went to the palace to thank him as usual, and the eunuch Cao Jinxi revealed the inside story to him. The reason why the emperor promoted him to four ranks in a row was that he was able to handle it well during the grand ceremony. Strongly recommended by University scholar Mu Zhang'a, Taichang Temple minister Tang Jian and others.Knowing this, Zeng Guofan's two lines of tears flowed quietly into his heart. It is no longer possible to live in the guild hall. Living in the guild hall for fifth-rank officials is contrary to the Qing Dynasty official system.Through the introduction of the guild hall, Zeng Guofan rented a small courtyard house in the north of Xitou Road, Nian'er Hutong in Qianmen Nei'er Hutong: first is the gatehouse, behind the gatehouse is the courtyard, through the courtyard is the main house, five main rooms, Zeng Guofan's study and bedroom have it all.What satisfies Zeng Guofan the most is that outside the left and right walls, there is a big pagoda tree, which covers the courtyard in a messy way, and it is just a good time to enjoy the shade in midsummer.There is only one shortcoming in this courtyard. When officials visit, the sedan chair can only be parked outside the courtyard.

The seventh-rank official uniforms reviewed cannot be changed anymore. If they are too out of style, they will really become the second governor of Jiangxi during the Qianlong period.Fortunately, there are still more than twenty taels of silver brought from Xiangxiang.So he took out two taels and gave all his brains to the tailor. Within five days, the fifth-rank official uniform and supplementary uniform were completely prepared. Walking on the street, he felt much more energetic.But then there was a folk song, which was also called a monster in the capital: "The root of the imperial city is a big monster, and the fifth-rank Dingdai is walking."

This was originally a satire on Zeng Guofan, which was compiled by those Manchu officials. It was nothing more than saying that Zeng Guofan, as a fifth-rank official, went to the Imperial Academy every day to work as an errand, which discredited the Qing Dynasty.Among them are the words of Zhao Ji, Jin Zhengbi and others.After these rumors reached Zeng Guofan's ears, he had the right to think that his ears were stuffed with chicken feathers. Hearing that Zeng Guofan set up the door to open the house, the Minister of the Household Department, Shu Yinghe, recommended one of his attendants to Zeng Guofan as a porter. The porter's surname was Chen Mingsheng, who was also from Hunan.Due to Yinghe's face, Zeng Guofan had no choice but to keep this person.

Because he was promoted to an official position, he only rented a house and hired a porter, and Zeng Guofan's expenses suddenly increased. At this time, he urgently needed another hundred and eighty taels of silver from his family to pay off his debts and maintain his daily expenses. .Sometimes when he thinks about it, he laughs dumbfounded himself.When I was promoted to an official, not only could I not benefit my family, but I continued to ask for money from my family. After receiving Zeng Guofan's family letter, his father Zeng Linshu couldn't help but announce the good news to Zeng Xinggang excitedly: "Father, the good news is here! Kuan Yi has been promoted!" Zeng Xinggang rolled his eyes, "Lin Shu, It’s not that Dad doesn’t like you. You are also a husband now, so you can’t be more stable when you walk and talk?”

Lin Shu said with a smile: "What Dad said is true! My son will definitely pay attention to it in the future. Your grandson is promoted, and my son is happy. Dad, guess what official Kuan Yi was promoted this time? A fifth-rank Imperial Academy attendant! " "Don't fool me, do you think that the officials of the court will be promoted as soon as they say they are promoted? How long has it been since Kuan Yi introduced him!" Zeng Linshu said anxiously: "Father, why don't you believe what your son says!" Zeng Xinggang snorted.At this time, more than a dozen servants who heard the news poured in from outside, men, women, old and young, knelt together in front of Zeng Xinggang and Zeng Linshu and said: "Congratulations to the young master for his promotion, and congratulations to the old man for his longevity! ! Congratulations to Master Furu Donghai!" Zeng Xinggang was stunned for a long time before waving his hands and saying, "Okay, everyone get up."

Zeng Xinggang turned to Linshu and said, "Zhuting, tell the cook to improve the food today." Linshu first agreed, and after thinking about it, he said, "Father, depending on your son, it's better to kill a pig..." Zeng Xinggang said: "It's not the festival of the year, why kill pigs? Have you forgotten that this season is when pigs are fattening?" Zeng Linshu still smiled and said, "Father, my son hasn't finished talking yet. What my son means is that when a pig is killed, all relatives and young people in the four villages and eight neighbors will be notified, and we will take this opportunity to do it properly. Your grandson was promoted to a fifth-rank official this time, and he was promoted to four ranks in a row! But this official can’t be promoted just because he wants to be promoted!” Zeng Xinggang raised his hand and said to the servants: “Remember, the young master’s You are not allowed to publicize this matter. If you dare to bully others, don't blame my Zeng family for being ruthless! Everyone go down."

After all the servants retreated, Zeng Xinggang pointed to his son and said, "Zhuting, can you listen to my father's words and keep it quiet? It makes people laugh. You must know that you are not an ordinary citizen, but a scholar. " Linshu argued: "Father, do you know how old a fifth-rank official is? It's three grades older than the county magistrate! Such a great thing is not ostentatious, who would know! My son wants someone to send a letter to the county magistrate too. Son." Zeng Xinggang yelled: "You dare!" He grabbed the crutches back, pointed at Linshu and said, "Kneel down!"

Lin Shu hurriedly knelt down and said, "The son didn't mean to make father angry." Zeng Xinggang said: "Listen, Zhuting. From now on, no matter how big an official Kuan Yi is, the members of the Zeng family are not allowed to make public. Also, you should avoid dealing with officials in the yamen. As long as the family members keep their own place and don't go out to show off, Only Kuanyi's officials can be stable. Do you remember?" Lin Shu kowtowed and said, "My son remembers it all, and my son will never show off again!" Zeng Xinggang sighed and said, "Zhuting, it's not that father doesn't like you, but father is afraid that you will ruin Zeng's family and Kuanyi in a moment of foolishness! Get up and tell dad about Kuanyi's letter. What did you say?"

Lin Shu hurriedly got up and opened the letter and said: "Kuan Yi said that he has moved out from the guild hall to live outside. The money that his family lent him last time will be brought back by someone when his salary comes down. He also said that his current money The salary is eighty taels of silver per year, and eighty dendrobiums for rice, and there is also a kind salary at the end of the year. Deducting his old debts in Beijing..." Besides, in Zeng Guofan's case, a fifth-rank top wearer flew down out of thin air, which gave him infinite comfort and hope.In "Guo Gap Shadow", he solemnly wrote such a passage: "When an official is based on not loving money, he is honest and self-disciplined, so that he can be worthy of the sky, the emperor, and the country at the top, and the people, relatives, friends, and nephews at the bottom. As long as Adhere to a word of honesty, even if you do things occasionally unfairly, you will not cause trouble." However, before Zeng Guofan's handwriting was dry, Chen Sheng, the porter, came in with a bag of silver, reeking of alcohol.

"Master!" Chen Sheng threw the money on the desk happily, "One hundred taels of silver is your salary for one year! No wonder Master Ying always said that it is good to be an official. It is really good to be an official!" "Who sent it?" Zeng Guofan didn't get angry because of Yinghe's face, but asked calmly. "A tall, thin Gosh with no beard." Chen Sheng replied impatiently. "Where are people?" Zeng Guofan looked outside the door. "Let's go." Chen Sheng was so puzzled, "The money is here, so let's not go away!" "Didn't you say anything or leave anything?" Zeng Guofan was curious. He had lived so long, and he had never seen anyone who gave away money for nothing and left without saying a word. "I didn't say anything! What did you say when you left the silver?" Chen Sheng closed his eyes and thought for a while, then suddenly slapped his thigh, "Oh, my lord, when I saw the silver, I went to buy wine first, and took the man away. A letter left for the master was given to the concierge. I will go get it and show it to the master." Chen Sheng beat his head with his hands while walking: "Look at my memory!" Chen Sheng opened the door and went out. Seeing Chen Sheng's swaying figure, Zeng Guofan was almost blown out of his lungs. He suppressed his anger and waited for Chen Sheng to get the letter. He quickly unfolded the letter. The chief examiner was selected, but there was no candidate for the deputy chief examiner. Mr. Mu Tongmu, Minister of the Zhengsi Rank Honglu Temple, is also a nephew of the fifth rank of Mu Zhongtang, a scholar of the Zhengyi Rank University and Zeng Guofan's master. The meaning of the examiner.But at the same time, Lord Zhongtang asked Mu Tong to show Zeng Guofan whether he could let Zeng Guofan see the emperor (Zeng Guofan and Zhan Shifu were walking, and he regularly lectured on the "Four Books and Five Classics" to the emperor and the princes. Zeng Guofan saw the emperor more often at this stage. More than other officials) give some good words to add some leverage.Because, the deputy chief examiners of the previous provincial examinations were all selected from the Imperial Academy and the Ministry of Rites, and Mu Zhongtang wanted to change the rules this year. Mu Tong also revealed that the emperor appreciated Zeng Guofan very much recently, saying that Zeng Guofan explained the "Four Books and Five Classics" thoroughly and deeply, which was rare in the dynasty.He also stated that the emperor said this to Mu Zhongtang himself, and that a hundred taels of silver is a small gift, and he will thank Yunyun heavily when he returns from Zhejiang. Holding the letter, Zeng Guofan said in his heart: "The emperor appreciates me. There is no doubt that I have been promoted to four levels in succession. However, I am afraid that only the emperor knows what the emperor thinks. Although the emperor asked Eunuch Cao to find me in private I asked myself twice, and the questions I asked were nothing more than 'what have you written recently', 'what books are you reading', 'what do you think of the church' and other extremely common questions. However, a fifth-rank official can become an official The eyelids of the Son of Heaven, this has already made the officials and generals of the Manchu Dynasty feel that it is extraordinary." After thinking about it carefully, Zeng Guofan wrote a reply letter to Mu Tong.The wording of the reply letter was euphemistic, it was nothing more than the matter assigned by Master Zhongtang, and the officials worked hard, which was more false than Mu Tong's writing, but it was repeatedly stated that money cannot be collected, and no merit will be rewarded.At the end of the letter, Zeng Guofan said that if Mr. Mu insisted on doing so, the lower officials had no choice but to hand it in. After sealing the letter, Zeng Guofan told Chen Sheng, "Send this letter and the one hundred taels of silver to Lord Mu Tongmu's house in Hanlin Hutong. Don't delay, go now." Chen Sheng, who had been sober for a long time, put the letter into his bosom first, and pressed it outside with his hand to show his solemnity, then took the money and weighed it, hesitated for a long time before saying: "Master, have you always given this money?" move?" Zeng Guofan stared alertly: "Why..." "Master," Chen Sheng muttered, "It was originally a hundred taels, but I used a few silver coins to buy wine and drink it. The man in the house of Master is too thin, unlike Mr. Ying, there are people who honor their slaves and drink every day. Lord, just add some more money, it will look better if you send it over." "You?" Zeng Guofan's eyes widened and he was shaking with anger, "You are so brave! You dare to touch the guest's silver! Take out the letter, I can't keep you here. The money will be used as money." Your wages!" In terms of selecting and employing people, Zeng Guofan has three principles and four criteria.The three principles are: one is not to overestimate the selection of candidates; the other is to choose loyal and bloody people;The four criteria are: first, you must have the ability to govern the people; second, you must not be afraid of death; third, you must not be too greedy; fourth, you must be able to endure hardship.Like Chen Sheng and others, if it wasn't because of affection, he would have wanted to drive him out of the house a long time ago. Hearing Zeng Guofan's words, Chen Sheng was also stunned. He tilted his head and said, "Why, you are only a fifth-rank official and you have such a temper, Mr. Ying..." Zeng Guofan didn't allow him to continue. The concierge pointed and said: "Chen Sheng, do you still need me to help you pack the bedding?" Chen Sheng was stunned for a long time, and finally heaved a long sigh and said: "There is no place to raise my father, I have my own place to raise my father. What can I do if I leave here !" After driving Chen Sheng away, Zeng Guofan pocketed enough money and letters and went straight to the Changsha guild hall, so he had to ask the guild hall's waiter to do it for him. When Zeng Guofan rushed back to the mansion, it was already nightfall. After entering the room, he felt ringworm attack, his whole body was itchy, and he stayed awake all night.This innate strange disease has caused Zeng Guofan a lot. On the second day of the official holiday, it happened that Chen Gongyuan, the old Hanlin, came to visit. Chen Gongyuan was originally from Shanxi Province. He was a Jinshi of Zeng Guofan's two subjects.Chen Gongyuan is good at talking, smoking cigarettes, and especially good at collecting books. He has similar tastes with Zeng Guofan, and they can get along quite well.Because both of them lived alone in the capital, whenever the government was on vacation, either Zeng Guofan would go to find Chen Gongyuan, or Chen Gongyuan would come to Zeng Guofan. Zeng Guofan told Chen Gongyuan about his protégé Chen Sheng, and Chen Gongyuan was also very angry at the former slave of this big family.Chen Gongyuan accidentally saw blood stains on Zeng Guofan's bed, and knew that Guofan's ringworm must have had a major attack, so he didn't say anything, just took out a cigarette, held it in his mouth, lit it with the scythe he carried, and put it in Zeng Guofan's hand. After handing it over, he said with a smile, "Da Sheng, I smoke one whenever I am upset. You might as well try it. One penny is enough to smoke for a month, and you don't drink alcohol. How can you relieve your worries? Only paper cigarettes." Zeng Guofan took the cigarette hesitantly and held it in his mouth. Like Chen Gongyuan, he pursed his mouth and just took a puff, then immediately coughed, tears and snot coming out of the cough.He handed the cigarettes to Gong Yuan and said, "This stuff is too spicy, I don't have the good fortune, let's play a game." Then he set up Go. Chen Gongyuan said: "Disheng, you are an official who has done too much. You don't eat flowers and wine, you don't like orchestras, and smoking a cigarette is the right to relieve your sorrows? This cigarette is quite useful. Among the full-fledged women there are still It sucks! You take a few more sips and the taste will come out. It relieves fatigue and troubles, and it is a good thing.” Zeng Guofan knew that Chen Gongyuan had good intentions, so he had to take a few sips, and he really felt that he was very satisfied. From then on, Zeng Guofan started smoking cigarettes.