Chapter 15 Section 15 Doing things abroad is based on modesty

"Broken Felt Hat" surnamed Bao, surnamed Fu, surnamed Chunlin, was born in Fengjie, Sichuan. He couldn't come to Shandong to visit relatives. He and his sister Bao Yan wanted to go to Hunan to find his younger brother Bao Chao who had been in the army for many years.In order to catch up with the journey, it was already late in Pingyuan County, and because they stayed for a while looking for an inn on the street, the brother and sister were arrested by the yamen servants and taken into the lobby.Bao Fu had a bad temper, and he contradicted the county magistrate a few words in the lobby, was beaten forty times, and was fined twenty taels of silver, while his sister was led into the back hall for single interrogation.

Later, the master came out and told the servants to release him and send him to the Longmen Inn, and told him that his sister would be released tomorrow.Unexpectedly, the waiting period lasted for a month, and Bao Fu went to ask for someone every day, and he was either beaten or scolded, or he would not let him go. Bao Fu said bitterly that he was going to go to the magistrate's office tomorrow to appeal for grievances. He Bao Fu didn't believe it, and there was no reason in the Qing Dynasty.After hearing what he said, Zeng Guofan was so angry that he trembled all over, and even Changshun and Taizhuang hated him.

Chang Shun said: "There is still such a county magistrate in the Qing Dynasty! How can the common people not rebel!" Taizhuang also scolded: "This kind of official, you have to see one, cut one!" After the chat was over and the people dispersed, Zeng Guofan said to Chang Shun: "Chang Shun, what do you think we should do with this matter? We must not disappoint the emperor's expectations, right?" Changshun thought for a while and asked, "What does Lord Zeng want to do?" Zeng Guofan said: "Humbleness is the main thing when doing things abroad. What I mean is that I want to invite the long guard to ride back to Beijing and tell Lord Su what happened in Shandong and Pingyuan County. What should I do? Please Lord Su please the emperor." The guards and I are waiting here at the Longmen Inn. How about we move forward when you come back?"

Chang Shun thought for a while and said, "Master Zeng, don't you always have a special order from the emperor? Why don't you..." Zeng Guofan smiled and said, "Chief guard, why are you so confused? I only have the right to participate in the performance, but not the right to be dismissed! Besides, behind the small Pingyuan County, there is the Fuyuan. Let me alone A fifth-rank Beijing official going to serve as a governor, isn’t he hitting a stone with an egg? I think we’ll just stay in Pingyuan for a few days, so you’ll have to work hard. The emperor only judges right and wrong based on the governor’s notes. Like Pingyuan County, it’s about to become a robbery. Officials The Ministry even gave him a good speech! If things go on like this, how can we achieve it! There is a plain in Shandong, and a few more plains in Shanxi and Hebei. "

Chang Shun thought for a while and said: "Let's do it according to your lord's wishes. However, your lord has to write a note, so as not to be confused by the humble and Su lord; it's best to let Bao Fu write a note, and I will bring it to you. Master Su, it can be considered as a basis." Zeng Guofan said: "It's rare for the chief guard to think so thoroughly! Well, please go and call Bao Fu. I'll write his certificate first, and then write the paper to the emperor overnight. You leave early in the morning. The officials in Shandong are It needs to be cleaned up completely!"

Changshun agreed and walked out.Zeng Guofan asked Taizhuang to borrow the Four Treasures of the Study from the store to prepare for the night battle.Changshun tidied up and rode to the capital.Seeing Changshun walking farther and farther, Zeng Guofan asked Taizhuang to accompany him to walk around Pingyuan County. There are many ancient buildings and temples in the plain.At that time, Guan Yu was worshiped in Daxing everywhere, and Pingyuan was no exception. There were Guandi temples everywhere.Zeng Guofan and Taizhuang went to several temples, but they were all dilapidated, some didn't even have doors, and only hung a bamboo curtain to keep out the wind and cold.There were very few people offering incense. In the three Guandi temples, there were only eight people offering incense, and one of them was a nursing child.Although there are some ancient characters on the ancient steles, they are all incomplete, which does not arouse people's interest at all.

Zeng Guofan couldn't help thinking of an old saying: "Officials are abolished, and all industries are abolished!" Now it seems that this statement is true! During the daytime, there was no movement in the Pingyuan county government office, and all the people who passed by walked around, lest they would cause trouble.The shops in the market and the people doing business in the alleys on both sides of the street whispered softly, especially the people in the alleys looked left and right, and left in a hurry after the transaction was completed. It was almost noon at this time, and Zeng Guofan and Taizhuang were a little hungry. It happened that there was a small shop on the side of the road selling Hu spicy soup with steamed buns, so the two walked in.Zeng Guofan ordered a bowl of Hu spicy soup for Taizhuang, and he ordered a bowl without spicy peppers, and asked the store to serve two steamed buns, and then sat down to eat and drink.After a while, two more people walked in, and one of them ordered a bowl of soup. While drinking the soup hurriedly, he muttered in a low voice: "After drinking the soup, hurry back to the inn. Pingyuan is incomparable to other places, and you can't afford to mess with it!"

The other said: "There are still three carts of jujubes, so it's the year of the monkey?" The one who spoke first said again: "We will catch up early in the morning and sell them at a low price, and rest in the afternoon. This place in the plain is evil!" After listening for a while, Zeng Guofan thought to himself: "It seems that people who sell things in Pingyuan have realized the way." When paying the bill after eating, Zeng Guofan asked the waiter: "Shopkeeper, do we clean the streets at night in Pingyuan, and also clean the streets during the day?"

The shop waiter stretched out his head to look outside the door, and then said: "Cleaning the street at night is to arrest wanderers, and cleaning the street in the afternoon is to arrest businessmen. According to the regulations of the Pingyuan County Government, only peddling along the street in the morning is allowed, and those who continue to peddle in the afternoon are violating the king's law." If you catch one, it will cost you ten taels of silver and twenty boards! Come on, my shop has to be closed now." Zeng Guofan gave a wry smile, and walked out of the shop with Taizhuang. Looking back, Xiao Er really started to close.The two walked back to the inn, Taizhuang yelled that he was tired, and asked the clerk to open the room, and lay down to rest.

Zeng Guofan went to the cabinet alone and asked the shopkeeper: "Just ask the shopkeeper. On the day we came, my guy bought a few pig's trotters in the afternoon. Just now we both heard people say on the street that Pingyuan County will leave after noon. You are not allowed to do business, how can you still dare to sell pig’s trotters? Are you not afraid of being beaten and punished?” The shopkeeper said with a smile: "Except for the inn and the shop with the red lanterns, all other businesses have to close in the afternoon. But the pig's trotter seller is a Christian, backed by a big nose and blue eyes, lending a hundred guts to the county government office." He dare not provoke him even if he is scared to death! I heard that he has contacts with strong men on the nearby mountains! It is some kind of gang. Dare to punish and beat others, unless he wants to die!"

Zeng Guofan's mind suddenly flashed Zhu Guilai who opened a hotel in Shuibo Liangshan.He was really worried for the emperor.It seems that Pingyuan County is not just as simple as blackmailing and depriving people of charcoal, the collusion between officials and bandits is also the key. Seeing that Zeng Guofan was silent, the shopkeeper whispered: "Foreigners are thicker than my waist when they pluck a hair, and the governors and imperial envoys don't dare to mess with them! If you want to participate in some kind of help meeting, that's fine!" Thirty days later, when Changshun returned from the capital, the words that Emperor Daoguang brought to Zeng Guofan were: "I already know about Shandong and the plain." This was what Daoguang asked Sushun to bring to Zeng Guofan. Zeng Guofan knew that he could continue to set off.Before the group left the ground in Shandong, they heard rumors from passers-by that Shandong had changed its governor and Pingyuan had changed its county magistrate; the former county magistrate was executed on the spot. .Then there is no text.After walking for a few more days, passers-by said that the governor of Shandong and the county magistrate of Pingyuan were rumored by passers-by, but there was still nothing to say.At this time, Zeng Guofan had entered the border of Henan. No matter how far the Shandong matter has been handled, Zeng Guofan has done his duty.He speculates that Sushun must know the inside story, but Sushun just doesn't reveal anything about the emperor. Zeng Guofan thought: "Could it be that the emperor just replaced a governor and executed a county magistrate to settle this huge case?" After Zeng Guofan left Beijing, Emperor Daoguang wore less clothes one night when he was reviewing papers, and caught a little cold.The imperial physician prepared several doses of sweating medicine, but after taking it, it was not very effective. The sweating did not come out, but coughing aggravated it.Despite this, Emperor Daoguang still did not dare to delay political affairs; he went to the court every day as usual, and approved the papers as usual after the next court. Just after taking the medicine that day, Emperor Daoguang was wearing his clothes and thinking about something. The eunuch came in to report, and the minister of Sanzhi, Sushun, asked to see him.Emperor Daoguang was startled and hurriedly called.After the ceremony, Sushun presented Zeng Guofan's certificate and Bao Fu's certificate. After reading it, Emperor Daoguang broke out in sweat from fright, and was chased away by the wind and cold that had plagued him for many days. Emperor Daoguang closed the folder, raised his head and asked Sushun: "Sushun, what Zeng Guofan played is the truth? How can I not hear anything about the troubles in Shandong? It's really strange!" Su Shun said: "Zeng Guofan's performance, Chang Shun's personal experience, every sentence is true. The people in the plains really have no way out!" Emperor Daoguang said: "I know about the Pingyuan, you go down. Get up early tomorrow and let Changshun go back to the Pingyuan. The provincial examination in Sichuan can't be delayed." Sushun had to kneel down and quit. Emperor Daoguang immediately ordered Mu Zhang'a, Minister of the University's Military Aircraft, to co-organize the University's scholar, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, and Jin Jian. After Mu Zhang'a and Yinghe came in, Emperor Daoguang threw Zeng Guofan's booklet over and said angrily, "You are a good official recommended! Shandong is on the verge of rebellion!" a wooden stake. Mu Zhang'a carefully opened the booklet, browsed through it quickly, and began to think of countermeasures in his mind. The governor of Shandong at that time was Lin Kui from Manchuria, who gave him the nickname "Know how to play Tai Sui". Linkui was originally the chief envoy of Zhili and the rank of inspector. He was recommended by Yinghe and left Mu Zhang'a's door before he was placed in Shandong.Linkui was a money lover when he was in Zhili, and he has more space to display in Shandong. Every year, more than 200,000 taels of silver are sent to the capital to honor all aspects.For Yinghe alone, he had to manage 100,000 taels, and Mu Zhang'a also received 50,000 to 60,000 taels a year. Only Emperor Daoguang, the ruler of the Qing Dynasty, could not get one tael. Linkui has been in Shandong for two years, not only the Shandong governor's yamen has been praised by the Ministry of officials for two consecutive years, but also the yamen of various prefectures and counties in the territory have more excellent yamen than other provinces.Soon, in Daoguang's mind, Linkui became a capable member of the Qing Dynasty.Emperor Daoguang sometimes thought this way: It would be great if the Qing Dynasty could have a few more Lin Kui! Mu Zhang'a handed the booklet to Yinghe, and Yinghe looked at it at a glance. "Your Majesty," Mu Zhang'a finally came up with an idea, "I think that Zeng Guofan is an honest and honest person, and he will never act rashly. Pingyuan County is so bold, and Linkui is directly responsible. Yinu wanted to come, and Linkui has been under the influence of several generations. My emperor's kindness, I dare not condone my subordinates' misbehavior, there must be something hidden in it. Please be aware of it, Your Majesty." Emperor Daoguang hurriedly stood up, and asked loudly, "Mu Zhang, according to you, Linkui has no faults but has merit? Let the officials give him another compliment?" Mu Zhang'a hurriedly knelt on the ground and said: "Please calm down the emperor. The meaning of this servant is that Linkui should be dismissed first and sent to Beijing, and after the truth is found out, he will be dealt with severely! If such a person does not deal with him, Wang Fa Where is it?!" Emperor Daoguang said: "You and Yinghe go down and draw up the decree, dismiss Linkui and escort him to Beijing. If there is a lack of governor left, let Cheng Yucai, the governor of Shandong, act as his acting agent. Pingyuan county magistrate, let's escort him to Beijing together! Let's see how many heads he has!" Yinghe was worried about getting burned, so he said at this time: "The emperor is wise. The slaves thought that a small plain order would not need to go to war, and it would be fined on the spot. It also let the people in the plain know that the court enforces the law like a mountain and does not tolerate cruel officials." Mu Zhang'a also echoed: "Official Yingtian thought carefully. Cutting the plain order on the spot shows our emperor's love for the people like a son." Emperor Daoguang looked at the two of them, thought for a while, and waved his hand noncommittally: "Let's make a decree." After Linkui was escorted to Beijing, he naturally blamed all the faults on Pingyuan's dead ghost, never admitting the crime of collaborating with others, and only said that he had neglected his subordinates.Only then did Emperor Daoguang know that the Pingyuan Order had been cut too early, which was tantamount to fulfilling Lin Kui.The case had to be dragged down. In the end, it is said that it was Mu Zhang'a who pleaded for Linkui again, saying that Linkui felt that he could not live with the emperor, and he was willing to pay for his life with the one million family fortune he had earned in a few generations.Yinghe spoke good words for Linkui again, and Emperor Daoguang agreed to do what Linkui said, and dismissed him for negligence and fined him one million taels of silver.Although Lin Kui saved his life, his political career was completely over. Soon, Linkui took the remaining hundreds of thousands of family property and a large group of wives and concubines back to Fengtian to enjoy the blessings, and he really became a "playing Tai Sui".As for how much benefit Mu Xiangye and Yingtianguan gained from Lin Kui in this case, it is not known.