Chapter 110 Section One Hundred and Tenth, Arguing for Advisers

In the morning court the next day, Zeng Guofan found that the number of people attending the court was decreasing day by day. There were still more than 30 people in the morning court the day before yesterday, but today there were only about 20 people left.No need to ask, it must be the one who asked for leave, and the one who returned home, they are all busy with their own future. Emperor Xianfeng also looked listless while sitting on the dragon chair.His biggest headache now is the "bandit chaos" in Guangxi, the treasury has no money, and people's hearts are lax.The news in Guangxi is getting worse day by day, the officers and soldiers of the "suppression bandits" have been defeated one after another, and the army of "conquest and suppression" has changed commanders several times, but there is still no good news in exchange.Emperor Xianfeng dispatched troops everywhere and changed generals at any time. The strength of Guangxi was nearly 30,000, and almost all good generals were dispatched there.

According to Du Shoutian's instruction, Emperor Xianfeng not only worshiped the heaven and earth, but also offered sacrifices to his ancestors, and the current situation could not be reversed in the slightest.The angry young emperor wished he could turn himself into a knife and fly to Guangxi to take down the head of that surnamed Hong. , And also enriched the treasury to the prosperity of Kangxi and Qianlong. Emperor Xianfeng is currently swearing at people during the day, reading scriptures, burning incense and kowtow to his ancestors, having nightmares and talking nonsense at night, being disturbed by the surname Hong, he wakes up many times a night, and several times he is so scared that he loses his urine.In the early court, he had to act as if he was as stable as a mountain and the sky did not dare to collapse.

Today's morning court, after all the princes and ministers paid homage, the Military Aircraft Department presented the emergency document from Guangxi, which frightened Emperor Xianfeng's heart pounding for a long time. Later, seeing that it was a general emergency, not an urgent one, he sent the Emotions stabilized. Zhuo Bingtian from the household management department of the university scholar was the first to hand in a copy of "The relief money transferred by merchants from other provinces to Shandong and Henan has been in place, and one million shi of grain was collected from Sichuan and Gansu provinces yesterday and shipped to Guangxi." The book, with such good news, finally enliven the atmosphere.

Before the end of the dynasty, Zeng Guofan came out of the class and presented a discount of "Officials Introducing the Ministry of Officials to Collect Money". According to the allocated time, Zeng Guofan will be on duty in the Ministry of Rites today. When I arrived at the Ministry of Rites and sat down for a while, seeing that there were no official documents to read, and wondering whether Wang Zhengfu's Beijing control company would come to Beijing, I told the duty officer of the Ministry of Rites, "If you have something to worry about, go to the Ministry of Criminal Justice," and then took a sedan chair to the Ministry of Criminal Justice.Sure enough, Wang Zhengfu's Beijing Control has arrived.

Wang Zhengfu's Beijing control only had more than 5,000 words. Not only did he categorically deny the embezzlement of public funds, but he also said that the Yamen of Shuntian Prefecture was discovered by him because of the sale of officials and nobles.The Ministry of Criminal Justice criticized the four characters "a bunch of nonsense" next to it, and I don't know which adult wrote it. If he hadn't listened to Dai Li's words, Zeng Guofan would have criticized "a bunch of nonsense".But it is very difficult to review this case. One is that nearly three months have passed, and Wang Zhengfu must have been sent to the army; one is that because of the involvement of the Rongfa case, not only Dai Li was dismissed, but also the school administrator and the governor of Shuntian Prefecture were demoted; Wang Zhengfu's Beijing control has been personally refuted by the chief minister, and Zeng Guofan has requested a review. What will the emperor think?There is another point that makes the Zeng Guofan Committee most determined. If Wang Zhengfu really complained indiscriminately, how should he face the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and the capricious current emperor?

Zeng Guofan suppressed Wang Zhengfu's Beijing Control to the bottom of a few speeches, and asked the officer on duty to send Hong Xiang in for questioning. Hong Xiang walked in quickly, and Zeng Guofan asked straight to the point: "Master Hong, have you ever borrowed the silver?" Hong Xiang said with a happy face: "The silver arrived at noon yesterday, and it was sent to the official department in the afternoon. This morning the official The Ministry sent a message that Yan Qing should come to the Ministry of Officials in three days to write his resume and examine the official certificate, and the introduction will only take a few days. Mr. Xie is still thinking about this matter."

Zeng Guofan said: "Congratulations! You have met Yan Qing, and I would like to say hello for the Headquarters." Hong Xiang said: "Xiaguan told him many things about your lord yesterday, Yan Qing clamored to visit your lord." Before Zeng Guofan could answer, the officer-in-charge stepped in and said, "My lord, Mr. Sushun from the Ministry of Rites is here to greet you." Zeng Guofan hastily agreed, "Please!", and went out to welcome him. The red-faced Sushun appeared at the door of Zeng Guofan's office in the Ministry of Criminal Justice. When Zeng Guofan saw Sushun, he was afraid that he would pay his respects, so he took a step forward to hold him back, and rushed in. Hong Xiang and the officer on duty retreated together.

As soon as Sushun sat down, he said angrily: "This Zhuo Bingtian, the Ministry of Household Affairs entrusted him to him, it's a good show!" Zeng Guofan said: "Since Zhuo Zhongtang has been in charge of the household department, he has been in a steady state, and there have been no major mistakes!" Su Shun said: "What time is it, he is still safe! Now it's time for the treasury to borrow money from the provincial merchants, and he still has no idea! The soldiers are not paid enough, how do you let the frontline soldiers kill the enemy! " Zeng Guofan didn't say a word, just drank tea, and explained apologetically: his tongue is dry and his throat is dry.

Sushun continued: "Master Zeng, I have already thought of a solution, but I'm not sure if it will work." Zeng Guofan immediately raised his head and signaled Sushun to continue with his eyes. Su Shun said: "All the provinces have asked for permission to mint money in their own provinces. The lower officials thought, now that the treasury is empty, why not also mint some money to relieve the difficulties? When five is ten, how much is how much? , isn’t everything resolved?” Zeng Guofan put down his tea bowl and thought for a long time before saying, "Lord Su, this is indeed a good way to relieve the burning eyebrows! Is it just that opening the furnace to cast money will have any impact on the people? Once chaos is caused, the consequences will be more serious than the bandits in Guangxi!"

Sushun also took a sip of tea, and said, "Other than that, what else can we do? Changmao looted all the way, and a lot of money went into their hands!" Zeng Guofan suddenly pulled Wang Zhengfu's Jingkong out of the message, and handed it to Sushun: "Master Su, Wang Zhengfu's Jingkong, the more suspicious points are found in this department, and it is inconvenient to try again. .” Sushun didn't even look at it and said: "What Wang Zhengfu is dog Zhengfu, let's do something big. Saving ten Wang Zhengfus can't help us go to Guangxi to suppress bandits, even if we kill twenty Wang Zhengfus by mistake, the heavens of the Qing Dynasty You can't collapse. Lord Zeng, you are always the late emperor's favorite minister, and you have to work hard for the country. I'll be honest with you, don't be angry."

Zeng Guofan said with a smile: "Master Su is a great talent with both civil and military skills. He is afraid that he will not be able to learn everywhere in this department. How dare he be angry?" Su Shun said: "My lord, the emperor is now only convinced by Du Shoutian's words. We should jointly sign up and ask for a furnace to be minted to make money. Otherwise, how can we solve the problem?" Zeng Guofan hesitated for a while and said: "Master Su, go back first, let the headquarter think about it. It is a good thing to make money to relieve difficulties. Once it causes panic among the people, it will inevitably add chaos. Sir Su, this matter is related to the country, so be cautious! " Su Shun stood up sullenly, exercising his muscles and bones, and said: "After Mu Zhang'a left the capital and returned to his hometown, the capital almost became Du Shoutian's world alone! This old thing is more important than anything else. Cough, I am leaving. .” Zeng Guofan sent him off and said: "I heard that Du Zhongtang initiated five or six donation bureaus in Zhili and Fengtian three months ago, and raised five million taels of silver for the court. Is it true or not?" Su Shun said: "I heard that this sum of money will be able to enter Beijing tomorrow. Cough, once the donation is made, it will be misunderstood, and mud and sand will fall! I don't know how many donated top sons from my Qing Dynasty will start to do anything wrong." As he spoke, he opened the door and walked away When he went out, he suddenly thought of something and turned his head to Zeng Guofan, bowing his hands, and then went with his head down. Zeng Guofan sat down again, but saw Wang Zhengfu's Jingkong at a glance, and couldn't help saying to himself: "Will the innocence of the Qing Dynasty not collapse if twenty Wang Zhengfus are killed by mistake?" Be sure, don’t lose the hearts of thousands of people by killing one person by mistake, and those who lose the hearts of the people will lose the world!” He didn’t dare to say the last sentence, even though he was the only one in the room. He picked up a pen and wrote the following line on the blank space of Wang Zhengfu Jingkong's brow: Wang Zhengfu Jingkong is too far from the criminal's confession, and the case will be retried by the Ministry of Criminal Justice. Holding the pen and thinking for a while, I added the words "Zeng Guofan, the right servant of the Ministry of Rites and the minister of the Ministry of Punishment". He put down his pen and shouted outside: "Master Hong Xianghong." The officer on duty said yes at the opposite door, and footsteps sounded. Hong Xiang walked in.Zeng Guofan handed over Wang Zhengfu's Beijing control to Hong Xiang and said, "Lord Hong, I'm sorry to bother you to present Wang Zhengfu's Beijing control to the chief criminal. This department means that this case will be retried by the Ministry of Criminal Justice. Go." Hong Xiang took Beijing Control with both hands, and walked out without a word. At this time, the Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment was Zhou Zupei, who was also a very playable character. Zhou Zupei, born in Shangcheng, Henan, with the word Zhitai, was a Jinshi in Jiaqing.When Chen Fuen, the Mu party, was ordered to retire, Zhou Zupei was serving as the minister of the Ministry of Industry.Chen Fuen opened the vacancy, and Hengchun handed it over to the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, and Zhou Zupei was transferred from the Minister of the Ministry of Industry to the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment. Zhou Zupei is fifty-seven years old, and he is a well-known veteran in the capital. He never does anything that hinders his future. When Emperor Daoguang was alive, relying on his youth and vigor, he also did several things and was commended.Hengchun opened a vacancy, and it happened to be transferred to him to fill in.All the civil and military officials in the Manchu Dynasty said that Zhou Zupei picked up a lack of merit in the Ministry of Punishment.Later, after encountering a few setbacks and having two copies published by the imperial censor, he shifted from being enthusiastic about state affairs to paying attention to self-cultivation, raising flowers and birds, and easily stopped repeating a word.But he still tries his best to take care of the affairs within his own duties, and he can be regarded as a relatively competent minister.Wang Zhengfu's refutation of the text on Beijing Control was written by him. Zhou Zupei had served as governor of the Shuntian Mansion, and he knew that the affairs of the Shuntian Mansion could not be handled according to the routine.Interfering with the Shun and Feng Er mansions is no different from interfering with the royal family, and it is the most thankless effort. After the early court, Zhou Zupei asked the officer on duty to send Zeng Guofan to the Minister's office to speak.Zeng Guofan was supposed to be on duty at the Ministry of War that day, so the officer on duty went directly to the Ministry of War to convey the call of the chief commander.Zeng Guofan didn't dare to be negligent, and hurriedly put aside the affairs of the Ministry of War, and rushed back to the Ministry of Punishment in a sedan chair. Zeng Guofan came to Shangshu's room and saw Zhou Zupei smoking cigarettes on a wooden bench. Zeng Guofan seemed to be standing in the clouds, gave a deep salute, and said in a loud voice: "I have seen the big Sikou." Zhou Zupei coughed dryly twice, extinguished the cigarette, then sat up straight and said, "Dasheng, sit down. Brother." In the past few days, I have been involved in the use of soldiers in Guangxi and the money-making of the foundry at the military plane, and I haven’t seen your brother for a few days, thinking about it!” Zeng Guofan gave a wry smile, sat down and said, "The lower officials also know that the Chief Sikou is busy, so I don't know if the matter of making money will be settled?" Zhou Zupei laughed and said, "My brother is in the Ministry of Punishments. Casting silver and gold is the business of the Ministry of Household Affairs. What do you have to do with me! Disheng, Wang Zhengfu is already on the way to exile, and it is too difficult to retry this case. Besides, Exile is not decapitation, according to my brother..." Zeng Guofan interjected: "Grand Sikou, in this troubled time, the lower officials think that it is better to correct the cases that can be corrected! Wang Zhengfu is a well-recognized official in the Qing Dynasty, and he is known for his talent. The lower officials are afraid of Shun Tianfu's usage. It's unfair, it hurts the hearts of the ministers; once it gets to the emperor, it will hinder the reputation of the chief minister!" Zhou Zupei let out a long sigh: "Wang Zhengfu is only five years younger than my elder brother, and he is already a poor man at the end of his life. Let him go." Zeng Guofan said: "The lower official has never had any contact with Mrs. Wang Zhengfu. I just feel that this case is strange, so I want to retry..." Zhou Zupei interrupted Zeng Guofan and said, "Brother Disheng, let's take it easy. As Han people, you and I have survived to the present level, which is already out of line. Interfering with Shun and serving the Second Mansion is tantamount to Why bother? You go to Shuntian to handle the school case, no one in the world knows the truth is with you! But, it’s not a punishment. The peony doesn’t need to be handled very much, but it grows extraordinarily luxuriantly. I want to wait for a sunny day, how about just inviting my brother to the humble house to admire it for a day? You and I raise a glass to invite the peony, and we will be three people! Okay!” Handed Wang Zhengfu's Jingkong to Zeng Guofan: "Smear out your brother's calligraphy and return it." Zeng Guofan took Beijing Control in his hand, and said: "Big Sikou, I am really afraid that Wang Zhengfu's Beijing Control is true! In this eventful autumn, you must use it incorrectly!" Zhou Zupei shook his head helplessly, lit a cigarette and said, "Dasheng, brother has finished his words, you can figure it out. I have to go to the military aircraft department to discuss matters in the afternoon, so let's not ask about this matter. Do you still want to reward the peony?"