Chapter 54 Section 54 Participating in the Evil Official Zhang Ye

The day after Zeng Guofan left his hometown and returned to Beijing, Zuo Zongtang came back from visiting friends. When he saw the obituary of the Zeng family on the case, he knew that the old lady was gone, so he hurried to Xiangxiang, which was still a step too late.I had to be accompanied by Zeng Guohua and Zeng Guoquan, and wept on the grave of the old lady. That night, Zuo Zongtang, Luo Zenan, and Liu Rong will be together.When the three of them were at the wine table, Luo Zenan told Zuo Zongtang what Zeng Guofan said before he left, and Liu Rong made up for the incomplete parts. Zuo Zongtang also agreed with this.The three of them went to the magistrate's office together to find Liu Xiangdong.Liu Xiangdong had nothing to do today, and was sitting alone in the signing room, thinking about things.

Hearing the news, he hurriedly welcomed the three of them in.After the ceremony was completed, a young servant came in with tea, set it up, and left again. Without waiting for Zuo Zongtang to speak, Liu Xiangdong said: "The three of you must have come here for Zhang Ye's affairs. Zeng Disheng is entangled with me! In fact, why did the government not want to expose Zhang Ye's harm to the people? Jingli, don’t talk about this mansion, even Mu Zhongtang might be involved! But, without evidence, how do you ask this mansion to expose the ginseng! Having seen Zeng Disheng, this manor has been thinking about it.”

Zuo Zongtang said: "As long as the Master Futai has this sentence, we will collect the evidence. It will be easy to collect more than a dozen pieces in just three to five days." Liu Xiangdong said again at this time: "Please be careful when you go back, the three of you, and don't let Zhang Ye find out. If you submit a report, even if the Fuyuan refuses to approve it, I have room for maneuver. I also have Zhang Ye's insider in my yamen. , in order to ensure the success of this matter, I will not let the tolerance participate." Luo Zenan said: "Why do you need to be involved in this matter? As long as the master of Futai reports Zhang Ye's bad behavior, he can finally clean up some ties for himself! Even if I go to Beijing to sue the imperial court, it has nothing to do with the master of Futai. Said Not sure, because the master of Futai has made great contributions in exposing the bad, the emperor can still let go of a real deficiency!"

Liu Xiangdong smiled wryly, and said: "It's hard to be an official, but it's enough to keep a gap every now and then!" After lunch, the three of them left the magistrate's yamen.Zuo Zongtang went back to Xiangyin, Luo Zenan and Liu Rong turned back to the lotus leaf pond. Luo Zenan asked a dozen of his disciples to collect evidence of Zhang Ye's misdeeds and harm to the people in Xiangxiang.Within three days, six or seven evil deeds were collected, including forcibly buying women from good families, lending usury without giving money away, and luring rich children to smoke and gamble.Luo Zenan wrote down the most important ones one by one, and contacted more than a dozen country gentry to sign up, and then sent it to the magistrate's yamen.Liu Xiangdong didn't dare to be negligent, and hastily wrote the report, together with Luo Zenan's charge sheet, and sent it to the governor's office in the dark of night with a close servant.It's really unknown.

The servant came back quickly, saying that he had handed the secret letter to the yamen copywriter in person, and Liu Xiangdong finally let go of his hanging heart.Counting from the day when the report and charge came to the governor's office, Liu Xiangdong was looking forward to it day and night, for a whole month, and after a month, there was no movement at the governor's office.Liu Xiangdong raised his heart again. Zuo Zongtang came to the magistrate's yamen to inquire about the news this day, just in time for Liu Xiangdong and his family to have dinner in the inner room.When Liu Xiangdong saw Zuo Zongtang, he hurriedly asked the cook to add two more meat dishes.

Zuo Zongtang was not polite at the moment, he changed his clothes and went up to the kang.The lady of the Liu family and the two and a half older children have finished their meals, and they all went to the bedroom with their mothers. The remaining two, Xiang Dong and Ji Gao, can talk with their voices open. When the wine was half full, the yamen servant on duty suddenly notified that the housekeeper of Zhang's parents in Xiangxiang County wanted to see the adults in the signing room. Liu Xiangdong had no choice but to put down the bowls and chopsticks, said to Zuo Zongtang, "Ji Gao, Master Li will accompany you first", and walked out.

After a while, the plump and round master Li walked in.When he saw Zuo Zongtang, but he knew him, he saluted and greeted him, then sat down on the kang, picked up the jug and filled Zuo Zongtang first, and poured himself a glass. Mr. Li had just finished a glass of wine when Liu Xiangdong walked in, slammed the post in front of Zuo Zongtang, and said, "This Zhang Ye, I really don't know what kind of tricks he is playing! There is no reason, no reason, what kind of crabs are you going to invite me to eat tomorrow?" I filed the charge against the governor on behalf of Luo Xianggong, and I don’t know what went wrong, but forty days have passed, and there is no response at all! Cough!” Liu Xiangdong didn’t dare to report to the governor in front of his master. Things come out.

Zuo Zongtang pondered for a moment, then suddenly put down his wine glass and said, "Couldn't Zhang Ye have heard something? Dare he want to make friends with you?" Master Li said: "Zuo Xiaolian, don't say that Dong Weng handed over a charge sheet for someone, even if Dong Weng personally intervened with him, he may not be afraid of Dong Weng." Zuo Zongtang patted the table and said: "You will go to Xiangxiang tomorrow, and you should go to the territory to inspect and see what he can do to you! Maybe it's good news!" "Okay!" Liu Xiangdong finally gritted his teeth, "I'm a person from the top two rankings, I don't believe he can eat me! I will go to Xiangxiang tomorrow!" After speaking, he opened his mouth and drank the wine in the glass.

Zuo Zongtang stopped talking, and Liu Xiangdong's "born in the second list" hurt his self-esteem. Liu Xiangdong also immediately realized that he had made a slip of the tongue, so he diverted it with other words. That night, Zuo Zongtang stayed in the master's room in the magistrate's yamen. Liu Xiangdong went to Xiangxiang in the afternoon of the second day, and he was still fine when he came back.Zuo Zongtang concluded at the time that this piece must have been afraid of Liu Xiangdong and was trying to make friends with Liu Xiangdong.Liu Xiangdong also thought so, but on the second day after returning from the banquet, Liu Xiangdong vomited and diarrhea, and his illness became extremely severe.Zuo Zongtang invited all the famous doctors in Changsha, and they all said that it was a symptom of poisoning. After suffering for seven days, he passed away.When the obituary was issued, Zhang was also the first to attend the funeral.That one was also in front of Xiangdong's coffin, with snot and tears, and wept so loudly.Zuo Laosan looked at Zhang Ye, and was so angry that the three corpses jumped violently, and the seven orifices were filled with smoke, but there was nothing he could do.

Finally, Zuo Zongtang said angrily: "Disheng, tell me, is there still a king's law?" After fumbling for a long time in his pocket, he took out a few pieces of paper, threw it in front of Zeng Guofan, and said, "This is the law of the king." It took me a month to collect the Wanmin Zhezi. Liu Xiangdong died unjustly!" Before he finished speaking, Dou Da's tears welled up in his eyes. Zeng Guofan folded Wan Min in his hands and called out casually, "Zhou Sheng!" There was a sound of "嗻" outside the door, and two guards named Li Bao and Liu Heng appeared at the door.

Zeng Guofan knew that Zhou Sheng was a full-time doorman, and any errands other than doorman had nothing to do with Zhou Sheng. He said to the two people: "You two cleaned out a clean house, and I want to pay homage to Liu Futai. Tell the cook that I want to be vegetarian for three days. You two go do it." Li Bao and Liu Heng agreed again with a "hmm" and then left respectfully. Looking at the backs of the two guards, Zuo Zongtang sighed and said, "Dasheng, what time is it, you still have to play these tricks. Pay homage to Liu Xiangdong, and Xiangdong will be able to ascend to immortality? Vegetarian food for three days Revenge? When will you stop being so pedantic, the Qing Dynasty will be saved!" Seeing Zuo Zongtang yelling without any scruple, Zeng Guofan suddenly rounded his triangular eyes and said sharply: "Zuo Jigao, this is the Zeng Mansion, please respect yourself!" Zuo Zongtang was full of anger and had nowhere to vent. When he heard this, he jumped up with a groan: "Okay, Zeng Disheng, you have reached the third rank, haven't you? Have you become a pillar of the Qing Dynasty? Who do you think you are? You, a third-rank official, are not as valuable as a dog of the Manchus! I knew you were such a waste, and I, Zuo Jigao, brought the squire to Beijing Control ① and would not look for you!" After finishing speaking, he walked away. Zeng Guofan yelled: "Stop! The mansion of Sanpin Jingtang is the place where you, a country boy, come and go whenever you want? You drink tea for me honestly, and Liu Huangtang will come again after I finish the sacrifice. Settle accounts with you!" After speaking, he strode out of the hall and left the grumpy Zuo Zongtang alone in the living room to pant. Zeng Guofan came to the concierge and whispered to Zhou Sheng: "You can scold Zuo Xianggong if you want, and ignore him. Remember, he is not allowed to leave! Tell Li Bao and Liu Heng to watch him!" After finishing speaking, I went to pay homage to Liu Xiangdong. Zuo Zongtang was stunned for a long time, and thought to himself: "People's hearts are unpredictable, people's hearts are unpredictable!" He raised his eyes to find the Wanminzhe he brought, but there was no trace of it?He was taken away by Zeng Guofan long ago.Zuo Zongtang hated him again. He opened the door and walked out of the hall, looking for Zeng Guofan to get back the document signed by Wanmin that he had spent a month compiling, but he saw Zhou Sheng standing by the door with his hands down. He and Zhou Sheng knew each other, so he just nodded and said, "Please call your master over, I will only talk to him a word, and I won't bother him anymore." Zhou Sheng said with a smile: "Master Zuo, my master and you are always close friends. My master got angry because Zhang Ye was angry! My master is offering incense to Mr. Liu and crying! You should always go back to the hall Go drink tea." At this time, Li Bao and Liu Heng also came over with a smile, and while persuading them, each held an arm and carried Zuo Zongtang back to the hall.Zuo Zongtang earned a few bucks but didn't break away, so he had no choice but to listen. After a while, the cook began to set meals in the hall, not only meat, but also fish, and Zeng Guofan also walked in thoughtfully.After the family members withdrew, Zeng Guofan said: "Mr. Zuo, you don't have to hurry up when the food is already on the table!? If you dare to enter Beijing, you will be angry with Zeng Di, right? After finishing the meal, the two of us have to sit around for three game!" Zuo Zongtang glanced at him bitterly, but said nothing, obviously angry. Zeng Guofan went on to say: "Ji Gao, you are actually right! What can I do if I have been a vegetarian for three days? Liu Xiangdong really hurt me! First eat, and then go to the study to discuss it. Cough!" Zuo Zongtang picked up the wine glass and took a sip of the wine, before spitting it out before swallowing it. Zuo Zongtang yelled: "Dasheng, where did you buy the wine! Why is it as light as plain water! My Zuo official came all the way to see you, you can't spend some money to prepare a bottle of daughter's red wine!" what?" Zeng Guofan took a bite of his meal and said, "You should just have a sip. It's not the first time you've come here, why have you ever seen me prepare wine? Seeing you coming, Zhou Sheng is willing to sell a few catties, Shaoquan and the others have never drank half a drop Wine? In my place, besides rice is tea, wine is not prepared!" "Come on, let's go!" Zuo Zongtang picked up his rice bowl, "Mr. Zuo will have a drink and be scolded by you once, and I will eat too!" After the meal, the two talked over tea in the study, and they discussed it for most of the night. , before entering the bedroom and falling asleep. Zeng Guofan submitted the impeachment of Zhengyin Zhangye of Xiangxiang County for murdering the imperial officials, rampaging in the countryside, deceiving the upper and lower, and exploiting the people, together with Wanmin in the name of the Deputy Capital Censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. That night, Emperor Daoguang summoned Zeng Guofan in his bedroom. After the ceremony, Zeng Guofan raised his head and looked at the emperor lying on the couch. He saw that Emperor Daoguang was much thinner than when he was summoned last time. Fortunately, he was still in good spirits. Thinking that the emperor, who had become so ill, would have to deal with major military and political affairs, Zeng Guofan's eyes turned red involuntarily, and two lines of tears trickled down.He lowered his head, not daring to look at the emperor again. "Zeng Guofan," Emperor Daoguang held the booklet that Zeng Guofan submitted in the morning, "I have read your paperwork. I summoned you here to let you deal with the affairs of Hunan. Zhang Ye is rampant in the countryside, and the Hunan governor's yamen can't hide. It looks like the bureaucracy in Hunan is corrupt to the extreme." Zeng Guofan hastily kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, I am from Hunan." Emperor Daoguang smiled wryly and said: "I never knew that you are from Hunan. According to the laws of my Qing Dynasty, you should avoid things in Hunan. But after thinking about it for a long time, I'd better let you go. I believe you can handle it." The affairs in Hunan are done well. I decided to let Guanwen go with you. It can be regarded as a supervisor. If there is something to discuss, it is better to have someone to discuss. The family law of the ancestors and the laws of the Qing Dynasty cannot be static. Let it be an exception! Zeng Guofan Hey, I will give you the right to deal with it on the fly this time. Go down, I will have the Military Plane Department draw up an order tomorrow and send it to the Huguang Governor’s Yamen and the Hunan Governor’s Yamen, and you and Guanwen will leave the day after tomorrow.” Who is the official supervisor? The official character is Xiufeng, Wang Jiashi, from Zhengbaiqi, Manchuria, thirteen years older than Zeng Guofan.Like Sushun, he is one of the better ones among the Manchu nobles.The official document was entered by Lan Ling's guards. Although he is a doctor of the household department, he is the third rank top wearer.The official document has been in the capital for a long time, known for its smoothness, and it can be both right and left. Although Shengen is not too prosperous, no one dares to provoke it. Back at the mansion that day, Zuo Zongtang was walking up and down in the yard by himself, impatient to wait, when he saw Zeng Guofan's sedan chair coming in, it seemed like a caring person fell out of thin air, and he didn't care Zeng Guofan asked before his feet hit the ground, "Do you have any clues?" Zeng Guofan got off the sedan chair, shook his head three times, and walked quickly into the study without saying a word. Zuo Zongtang was stunned for a long time, and finally looked up to the sky and sighed: "This Qing Dynasty is hopeless! Come on, let these corrupt officials make trouble, and see how long he can last in this world!" No one said a word , walked into the hall with his head down, just in a daze. Li Bao came over quietly at this time, and said with a smile: "Zuo Xiaolian, my lord, please come to the study for dinner." Zuo Zongtang sat without moving, but said coldly: "Thank you! Let him use it alone, I can't eat it!" Li Bao was still not in a hurry, and said, "My lord said that after eating, we need to pack up the things we need on the road. Tomorrow morning, your lord will go to Hunan to investigate the case!" "What!" Zuo Zongtang stood up suddenly, "this Zeng Disheng, why didn't he say it earlier!"