Chapter 68 Section 68: Imperial Envoy Zeng Transformed into a Sedan Bearer

Huang Liang, the magistrate of Caozhou Prefecture, is an old magistrate. He has been in the prefecture for nearly twenty years.Huang Liang is especially fond of antiques, specializing in textual research, and is well-known at home and abroad.But his knowledge in this area is still inferior to that of his son Huang Yizhou. Huang Yizhou, with the same characters, was born in Juren, and was an official in Zhejiang. He collected explanations about the ritual system since the Han and Tang Dynasties, and compiled "Tonggu of the Book of Rites" successively. More than 30 articles were published and published.Father and son were officials in different provinces in the same dynasty and had a habit of textual research, which was unprecedented in the Qing Dynasty.Zeng Guofan has long been known to the Huangs and his sons, and he has collected some of Huang Yizhou's articles.In particular, the book "Tonggu of the Book of Rites", which has been published successively, is indeed helpful to improve the ritual system of the Qing Dynasty.

The General Temple in the south of Caozhou Mansion is next to the official road, and this road is the only way to enter Caozhou Mansion.Zeng Guofan saw that although the general temple was rather desolate and deserted, but the architecture was in the style of the Tang Dynasty, he decided to take a rest here and take a look at the temple. As soon as Li Bao and Liu Heng saw the adults getting off the sedan chair, they knew that the adults were going to visit the ruined temple, so they hurried forward to lead the way. Zeng Guofan walked up the dilapidated steps step by step, lamenting the failure of human beings caused by natural disasters.

The general temple is generally dedicated to Zhang Fei, the general of the Han Dynasty.Now, Zhang Fei has gradually been neglected, and people are busy with their lives. Compared with God and fate, people choose the latter first. The gate was unlocked, apparently an empty temple.Li Bao opened the door first, and Zeng Guofan walked in slowly.As soon as he entered the temple, the first thing Zeng Guofan saw was not General Zhang Fei, but an old man with white beard and hair. Unaware of the visitor, the old man was rubbing words on a large stone tablet next to the portrait of General Zhang Fei.

He first used a pen to smear a light layer of ink around a character, and then covered it with a piece of straw paper, compacted it bit by bit with a white cotton ball, took it off and blew it with his mouth. , put it aside.Then, expand the second word like this, very patiently. Zeng Guofan looked at the inscription carefully. The title is: "The Temple of General Caozhou".The full text is about 500 characters, and the font is strong, which seems familiar.When I saw the signature, I suddenly realized that it was written by Wen Tianxiang, Prime Minister of Song Dynasty. This is the first time Zeng Guofan has seen Wen Tianxiang write a temple record for the General Temple.But from the words and sentences to the use of pens, after careful consideration, it should undoubtedly come from the hands of Prime Minister Wen.

At this time, the old man who had just rubbed more than a dozen characters suddenly stopped and put the dried rubbing papers together one by one. If there were no dry rubbing papers, he carefully blew them dry with his mouth, and then I put all the paper, pen and ink in a pocket, and I obviously have to leave. Zeng Guofan was suddenly a little embarrassed, as if he had ruined the atmosphere.He arched his hands apologetically to the old man and said: "Dare you startled the old man? Let's go now, the old man is busy. Prime Minister Wen's temple records are really good!" The old man carried his big sack on his back, laughed loudly and said, "My lord is wearing an official uniform with nine pythons and five claws, a golden pheasant men's suit, and a flowered coral red top. It's not that you surprised the old man, but it may be that the old man bumped into the old man." drive!"

Zeng Guofan hurriedly said: "I'm just passing by, the elderly don't need to care about it." The old man said: "When you come to ancient sites and focus on the relics of the predecessors, don't ask, it must be Master Zeng, the Minister of Relief in Shandong, who is famous all over the world! It's a pity that the old man does not meet the adults in the lobby of the government office, but meets in the ruins. In the temple. The old man has no choice but to go first! I can also welcome the adults in front of the Yamen." Saying that, he snatched the door and wanted to leave.

Zeng Guofan hurriedly said: "Could it be that the old man is Huang Liang Huang Taizun who is famous all over the world?" The old man smiled and said: "It's not Huang Liang, what are you doing to avoid you!" Zeng Guofan was sure that the old man in front of him was Huang Liang, so he took a step forward and said, "This department has seen the old man." Huang Liang hurriedly said: "My lord, don't be so humble. Huang Liang is not wearing an official uniform, so he can't greet you." Zeng Guofan said with a smile: "Huang Taizun knows that his head is coming to Caozhou, so he shouldn't be waiting in the yamen."

Huang Liang said: "My lord calculates according to the usual practice. My lord should arrive at Caozhou in the afternoon. If you dare, my lord will start off after breakfast? I want to add five or six words, and it will not be too late to go back to meet my lord. I don't know, it's still too late." Already!" Zeng Guofan took Huang Liang's hand and said, "Huang Taizun, let's go back to the city." Huang Liang said: "My lord, please get on the sedan chair, and Huang Liang will help you!" Zeng Guofan was taken aback: "Did Huang Taizun come here on foot?"

Huang Liang said: "The lower official has not taken a sedan chair for many years." Zeng Guofan asked: "Why is this? Doesn't Huang Taizun not know that it is a kind of prestige for our Qing officials to ride in sedan chairs?" Huang Liang laughed loudly and said: "Master Zeng's words are certainly good, but although I have been in the officialdom for a long time, I have a special liking for textual research. The salary given by the imperial court is not enough to support the family, and the rest is not enough to buy books. How can there be bearers who are both idle and silver!"

Zeng Guofan became more and more suspicious, and asked back: "There is a real shortage of officials to take the sedan chair, and the yamen will pay the fee as usual. Can the majestic Caozhou government not afford the money for the sedan chair bearers?" Huang Liang said as he walked: "Caozhou Mansion is a big mansion, but it is also a poor mansion. When Xiaguan took over the seal ten years ago, the deficit of Caozhou Mansion was as much as one million. Xiaguan has blocked the hole for eight years! Just now Breathe a sigh of relief, and encounter this once-in-a-century catastrophe!" After finishing speaking, his face turned gloomy.

Zeng Guofan turned around and said to Li Bao: "Please help Huang Taizun to get on the sedan chair, and the hall will help the sedan chair. Huang Taizun, please." Huang Liang laughed again: "Master Zeng, I am a person who is used to walking. Stop teasing me. This kind of For things that violate the rules, you can try it after you resign, but now... the adults just get on the sedan chair." Zeng Guofan glanced at Li Bao and said: "This hall is also a person who is not timid to leave. Whether it violates the rules today or not, this hall will help the old seniors back. Besides, the old seniors are not wearing official uniforms. Not to mention a violation." Huang Liang was still stubborn, but Li Bao and Liu Heng pushed him into the sedan chair one by one. Zeng Guofan took a step forward to support the pole of the sedan chair, and ordered: "Get up the sedan chair!" The group walked slowly into the city. While walking, Zeng Guofan suddenly smiled.He grew up so big, and it was the first time for him to help someone else's sedan chair, and it was for a magistrate with a rank of four ranks. This is probably unprecedented in the Qing Dynasty.Let Hechun know about this, it would be strange if he didn't participate in the papers!Do you, Zeng Guofan, dare to do such a violation?Thanks to Huang Liang not wearing an official uniform!Thinking of this, he quickened his pace, but he only entered the city gate in the afternoon. Caozhou is a large commercial port. Although it was a famine year, the scene is also more prosperous than other counties.Those who sell cooking cakes and steamed buns can be seen everywhere along the street as usual.There are relatively few people selling other items.In a famine year, people only have one mouth left.Walking on the street, Zeng Guofan and his party immediately attracted the attention of passers-by.The biscuit sellers put down their burdens, and the steamed bun sellers stopped hawking, and everyone on the street stood still to watch. The person holding the sedan chair is a high-ranking official with a red top. Could it be the emperor sitting in the sedan chair?Even a bachelor would not dare to make such a big deal!The officials of Hongdingzi have seen many people in Caozhou, but this is the first time they have seen the officials of Hongdingzi helping the people of Caozhou.The common people finally concluded that the person sitting in the sedan chair was either the prince or the emperor! People began to gather more and more, and gradually, the officials who led the sedan chair could only move forward by shouting.The people in Caozhou Mansion felt strange and wanted to take a look at the people in the sedan chair. Huang Liang had no choice but to lift the car curtain, and said loudly, "Master Zeng, the imperial envoy, came to Caozhou to check for relief, everyone, let's get out of the way!" When the onlookers saw that the person sitting in the sedan chair was the magistrate, they were even more surprised, and their voices of discussion became even louder.But finally made way. A group of people finally came to the magistrate's yamen.The Tongzhi and the master brought the officials of all sizes from the yamen to welcome them out early, and they knelt down towards the sedan chair together; when they saw that the official walking out of the sedan chair was the prefect Huang Liang, everyone was stunned. Huang Liang took a step forward and said to Zeng Guofan: "Your official cannot perform the salute without wearing an official uniform. Please go to the lobby to rest for a while, and let the official change his clothes before proceeding with the salute." After Huang Liang finished speaking, he hurried into the Yamen with his entourage. Zeng Guofan waved to the kneeling officials, then walked into the lobby, followed by a group of people.After a while, Huang Liang came out in official uniform, took all the officials, big and small, into the lobby, and met the big ceremony again with Zeng Guofan, and then introduced the people in the yamen one by one. After the introduction, Huang Liang smiled and said, "Please tell me, should I eat first or do business first?" Zeng Guofan said: "I'm a little hungry, let's eat first, and then go to work." Huang Liang cupped his hands happily: "My lord, please accompany me to the dining room for dinner, my lord please." A group of people followed Huang Liang to the big dining hall.In the large dining room, a large pot of sweet potatoes, a large pot of taro, and a large pot of millet porridge have been placed, and two small plates of salty mulberry leaves are placed in the center of the table. Tongzhi arranged Zeng Guofan's entourage to eat at the big table, while Huang Liang mysteriously led Zeng Guofan into the small dining room inside. Zeng Guofan smiled and asked as he walked, "Maybe Huang Taizun wants to feed Wansheng Xiaozao?" Huang Liang smiled mysteriously and said nothing.After entering the small dining room and sitting down, Zeng Guofan saw that a small plate of salted peanuts and two bowls of white rice porridge had been placed on the dining table, and there was another small box containing five or six sweet potatoes. Huang Liang sat down and said, "Peanuts and white rice were brought over by Quanzi Yizhou from Zhejiang. Quanzi was afraid that officials would often eat sweet potatoes and would not be able to survive. For Xiaguan who is still wasting time in government offices at his age, I am no longer in the Qing Dynasty." Too many. If it wasn’t for the disaster in Shandong, this old man would have resigned from office and returned to his hometown to enjoy the blessings. After the disaster in Shandong, it would take two years for him to recover, and the next official can’t bear to abandon the people and leave! Please eat, my lord. This is the personal pocket of the lower official. Eat whatever you want, so please take care of it." Zeng Guofan said: "Senior, you are too polite." Then he raised his chopsticks. After the meal, Huang Liang specially vacated a vacant room for Zeng Guofan to check the relief office, and sent ten yamen servants for Zeng Guofan to dispatch.Tongzhi, master, copywriter, book office, etc. are always on call, and they are more thoughtful than Zeng Guofan thought.Zeng Guofan sighed in his heart: "As expected of being from Laozhou County!" Zeng Guofan began to search for relief in Caozhou, while Huang Liang opened his office as usual.The government office is well organized. Zeng Guofan checked in Caozhou Mansion for five consecutive days, but found no disorder; the prefectures and counties under the Caozhou Mansion were also taken and released reasonably, and there were no excessive mistakes. Zeng Guofan had to admit that Huang Liang, who was approaching the age of hearing, was indeed a good official of the Qing Dynasty who could handle affairs. Zeng Guofan decided to return to Jinan, he estimated that the imperial decree should arrive. The day before his departure, Huang Liang gave Zeng Guofan a stack of Wen Tianxiang's "The Temple of General Caozhou" that he had expanded years ago.He told Zeng Guofan that the one he was expanding was for his son Yi Zhou, and there were still thirty-six characters left to be expanded.After textual research, Wen Tianxiang did inscribe the temple records for the General Temple in Caozhou, which is undoubtedly authentic.Zeng Guofan was greatly moved and thanked him again and again. After breakfast, Huang Liang asked Zeng Guofan to get on the sedan chair, and then personally helped Zeng Guofan out of the city to repay Zeng Guofan's love for helping the sedan chair.Zeng Guofan refused in every possible way, but Huang Liang just refused.Zeng Guofan had no choice but to get on the sedan chair. The people of Caozhou saw a bearded official wearing a fourth-rank official uniform, who was clearly the magistrate Mr. Huang, holding a big green woolen sedan chair, talking and laughing slowly out of the city.The whole city was a sensation. Huang Liang stopped after sending Zeng Guofan out of the city gate.