Chapter 35 Thirty-fifth way to save people

Zeng Guofan rushed to Wanfu early, just in time for Qiling, Zeng Guofan had to cry for a while, and went out of the city with his coffin, and settled Lao Wan in Fahua Temple outside the city before returning. Zeng Guofan returned to the Wan Mansion, and the housekeeper followed, and stepped into the inner room. Mrs. Wan was already losing her temper after waiting.After seeing the gift, Mrs. Wan said: "Thanks to the second uncle who came in time, I sent your brother there in a beautiful manner. I thank you here! I don't know when the second uncle will leave for Beijing? But I have found a place in the capital." place?"

Zeng Guofan said: "I have already greeted the Changsha Guild Hall in advance, and the lodging is not a problem. Just ask my sister-in-law, is there something inappropriate in the capital? Just say it." He Xiang was stunned for a while, then suddenly smiled, and asked charmingly: "Ask second uncle, does the capital have a reliable bank? Although your sister-in-law and your brother haven't made much progress in the past few years, they have lost a few pennies. I think I beg Second Uncle to find a good bank that knows the basics and deposit the money, and the slave family can make a living with a few loan sharks, can Second Uncle see it?"

Zeng Guofan thought for a while and said: "I will do this after I settle down. My sister-in-law is waiting for news in Baoding." He Xiang was alone for a long while. Zeng Guofan returned to the inn, but Changshun hadn't come back yet, so he made a pot of tea and waited for Changshun by himself.When Chang Shun came back, Zeng Guofan had already eaten his dinner. Seeing Chang Shun's red head and face, Zeng Guofan knew that he had eaten his dinner. Chang Shun poured himself a cup of tea, closed the door again, and then said: "My lord, I have been sitting in the tea shop in front of An's house for most of the day today. Then Ange is really powerful, and the one who went to his house The blue and green sedan chairs have never been broken, and they are more lively than the Governor's Yamen. After talking for a long time with Dr. Cha, I learned a little about the situation in Anfu.

"When An Ge sells an official, he has to deal with a man named Wen Shiye. As long as Wen Shiye collects the money, the vassal yamen will be able to hang a sign. This is what the former door of the Anfu said, so it can't be wrong. He He also said that Anjunmen also had contacts with the Western Regions. Last year Ange celebrated his birthday, and the Western Regions sent someone to give him a robe, which was very precious. On the way back from the humble job, I was still thinking, if only from the case of Li Chungang I'm afraid it will be difficult to bring down Ange. Let's try from other places, as long as we can get him one or two pieces of evidence, even if we can't bring him down, we will give him some color."

Zeng Guofan pondered for a while and said: "If it is true as what you said, then An Geding is a treacherous and cunning person. It may be difficult to obtain evidence. If you can't go to the General Military Mansion to search, even if you ask for an order to search, Can we guarantee to find evidence? The consequences of not finding evidence..." Chang Shun was speechless for a long time. Seeing Changshun's silence, Zeng Guofan stood up and took two steps, sat down and drank tea for a while, and then said: "The chief soldier is different from the magistrate, let alone there is a big tree like the prince of the county. Let's go to the opposite side of the Anfu to have a drink tomorrow." One day, try to get acquainted with one or two people in his mansion, and get to know the bottom line, how about it?"

Changshun said loudly: "Changshun listens to your lord, as long as you can bring down this Ange and wipe out all the evil for us, it will be worth it!" The next day, Zeng and Chang came to the Yipinxiang tea shop opposite Anfu early, picked a table near the window, and ordered a pot of Longjing. Zeng Guofan casually looked at the opposite mansion. At that time, foreign guns and cannons were still rare, but the soldiers on both sides of the Anfu Gate each carried a foreign gun, and there were already two blue woolen sedan chairs parked at the gate, and the bearers got together and said something .

Zeng Guofan shouted to Changshun: "I don't know what kind of family is on the opposite side. There are actually two men with foreign guns guarding the gate. They are as imposing as the Grand Master Zhongtang in Beijing!" The store owner was looking for an opportunity to strike up a conversation with the customer, when he heard Zeng Guofan speak, he hurriedly took over the conversation: "This man is not a local at first sight. There is someone who lives in the opposite place! The governor of Zhili has to look at him Acting on face! Don't you think it's a big deal?"

"Greater than the governor?" Zeng Guofan shook his head deliberately, with a disbelieving expression, "The shopkeeper doesn't understand our Qing system. The biggest governor in a province is the governor, and the governor of Zhili is also the governor. The cloth, the second secretary and the admiral are all controlled by him! The emperor can't arrange a Zhongtang in Baoding, can he?" But the shopkeeper smiled and said: "The little old man's words sound like he doesn't know much, but he is not talking nonsense. Think about it, Lao Taishan is a well-known county prince in our Qing Dynasty, and the aunt's father is also a powerful and powerful man in the Western Regions." My lord. Is this a common style? The Qing Dynasty will really be fine if the Zhongtang Lord in Beijing stomps his feet, but if this one stomps his feet, he is not sure what the Qing Dynasty is like! You two believe No?"

The three of them were chatting, and the number of people drinking tea gradually increased, and the tea shop began to be a little bustling. Suddenly, all the people in the tea shop looked out the door.Zeng Guofan was surprised when he saw a tall young man walking in slowly. The shopkeeper hurriedly went forward and said, "Here you are...are you the one who was on duty last night?" "That's right!" The tall man shyly chose an empty seat and sat down: "It's Biluochun!" The shopkeeper said: "Your elder must be Biluochun! The little old man will wash you with spring water, so you can remember it next time." Drink." The big man snorted and said, "Next time? The next time will be two months later."

"What?" asked a tea guest, "Do you dare to travel far away?" Zeng Guofan hurriedly asked a tea customer nearby in a low voice: "This master who just arrived is..." The tea guest first took a look at the tall man, and then calmly dipped his finger in the tea and wrote the crooked words "Zongbing An's door" on the table. Judging by his expression, he was dismissive. up. Zeng Guofan waved to the shopkeeper, and the shopkeeper hurried over. Zeng Guofan asked in a low voice, "Is there a quiet place?" The shopkeeper said: "Yes, there are, but they are more expensive. Do you want to meet customers?"

Zeng Guofan nodded and said, "Lead the way." The shopkeeper led Zeng and Chang to a small room in the back hall.Zeng Guofan saw that the small room was really elegant: tables and stools of all mahogany, purple sand tea sets, and a chicken and pear teaser covering half of the wall in the middle hall, matching the pair of Liu Yong, a scholar during the Qianlong period. Zeng Guofan and Changshun looked at each other, Changshun understood, stood up and walked out, leading the tall man in after a while. Zeng Guofan first said to the shopkeeper: "Make a new pot of high-quality Biluochun and wash it with spring water." Changshun turned to Zeng Guofan and said to the tall man, "This is my master. I have long wanted to know him." Wang Haihan." The man also imitated Zeng Guofan, clasped his fists together and said, "Why should Xiaolian be like this! The ancients said: rely on parents at home, and rely on friends when going out. Just talk about what you have to say." The three of them sat down, and Zeng Guofan said, "I haven't consulted the master yet." The big man said: "Young one, I have been serving as a nursing home for Zongbing An for three years." Zeng Guofan made a very respectful look, and said with a smile: "So it's Master Ren." He stood up and greeted him again, the little servant who looked after the house was flushed with flattery, and his heart was full of joy.Changshun was also saluting again and again, choosing nice words to say. After taking his seat again, Zeng Guofan said: "The next time I come to Zhili this time, I want to do sports. Although I have a lot of money in my hand, where can I find a way? I invite you to come here today. I just want you to give me some advice." Luer." "It's easy!" Anybody said casually, "I don't know if Mr. Xiaolian should donate an official or find a job first?" Chang Shun interjected: "My grandfather doesn't lie to you. When he came out of the house, the old man gave orders to ask my grandfather to donate an official first and then make up for the real vacancies. It's a great honor to our ancestors!" Random suddenly slapped his legs and said: "Well, you Xiaolian Gong, luck! It's better to come early than coincidentally. It just so happens that there is a shortage of the history of the first county in Baoding Prefecture. Simply, you can make up for this shortage!" Zeng Guofan pretended to be reluctant: "Isn't the history of classics not in the stream?" "Not in the stream?" His eyes widened arbitrarily, "Many candidates are vying to fill this fat vacancy! Do you know how much a canonist of Baoding's prefectural county can achieve in a year?" He stretched out a slap before continuing: "At least this amount!" "Five thousand taels of silver?" Zeng Guofan asked in surprise. Anyhow smiled and said: "Five thousand taels of silver? You can tell a joke, that's fifty thousand taels! This is the capital, the first county, and it's almost catching up with the standards of the small provinces!" Chang Shun said, "How much money do you need for such a shortage?" Random thought about it carefully and said: "How about this, one hundred thousand taels of silver, I'll give you a 20% discount, this matter is settled, how about it? The small tea money is not counted!" Zeng Guofan thought for a while and said, "I heard that Mr. Wen of the General Military Mansion is a tough guy. I wonder if Mr. Ren can give me an introduction?" Changshun saw the embarrassment on that arbitrary face, and said: "Our master has never done such a thing, it's not that he can't trust Master Ren, it's because he has no idea!" Anybody was a little unhappy, and said disgruntledly: "If you want to see other masters, I am afraid that one hundred taels of silver will be enough. If you want to see Master Wen, there is nothing you can do for less than two hundred taels of silver. This master Wen is extraordinary. Who in Zhili doesn't know? The body of the chief soldier and the head of Master Wen are rigid!" Zeng Guofan stood up and cupped his hands and said, "As long as Lord Ren can ask Mr. Wen out, I will definitely send two hundred taels of silver to you. Although I have lived in the country for a long time, I have seen some things on the table. Yes. Are you still here waiting for your old letter tomorrow?" Ren Ran stood up, hesitated for a moment and said: "Let's set up the money for the little one first. It's not that the little ones don't show affection, this is the rule of the General Military Mansion!" Changshun hurriedly took out a silver ingot, reckoning it was not too much, he handed it up with both hands, and said, "Master Ren, don't worry about it." He looked at the silver in the sunlight again and again, and bit it with his teeth again, he was sure of it. , just put the sleeves in the sleeves, and there was no one to salute, so they walked away carelessly.Changshun was so angry that he scolded his ancestor ten thousand times in his heart. Zeng Guofan paid the tea money, sat in the lobby for a while, and then went out with Changshun. Seeing that it was still early, Chang Shun suggested going to a brothel to have a drink and relax.Seeing Zeng Guofan hesitated, Chang Shun said: "This is Zhili, not the capital, and there is no master. What's more, the place with the most news about fireworks, maybe there will be unexpected gains." Zeng Guofan said: "Then let's make a dry tea circle, the officials in that kind of place are not used to it." Chang Shun said: "It's fine just to have a tea circle." After finishing speaking, the two walked towards Man Yuanchun.