Chapter 23 ancestral training

A few days after the old lady's funeral, a terrible news came: Dongtianmen in Jin Province had been breached by German, French and foreign invaders, the officers and soldiers were defeated, and Pingding and Yu counties had been looted by deserters.A few days ago, the rebels had entered Shouyang, the gentry and the people fled in droves, and He County was panicked.Yuci, which is adjacent to Shouyang, is also in panic, and they are planning to flee. Yuci is close to Taigu.If there is chaos in that county, it will be Qi Taiping who will suffer next. The third master got the news first, and immediately came back to see the old man.Before he could say a few words, the two big shopkeepers, Sun Beiming and Lin Qinxuan, also arrived one after another, and the critical atmosphere was suddenly clouded like dark clouds.

Ke Kang Hunan was depressed, and it seemed that he hadn't gotten over the grief of the widow.Hearing that the three of them were clamoring that the situation was critical, he said weakly: "How should we deal with it? Let the two big shopkeepers go and plan together with the third brother. Whether it is a blessing or a curse, it is all your business. My boss Bones are too much to keep, so whoever wants them, give them to him.” The two shopkeepers hurriedly comforted him, but Kang Hunan didn't listen to the advice, and said, "Go, go, you go plan. I am annoyed by hearing this kind of chaos in the world. Go, go, don't dare Missed your big business."

Since Kang Hunan said so, the two big shopkeepers were inconvenient to disobey, and they said a few words of comfort, and then retreated. The third master hurriedly followed, led the two to the front living room, and yelled at his servants to serve him attentively.As soon as the two sat down, the third master cupped his hands and said, "The old lady is in a new funeral, and the old man is not in good spirits, so he met this crisis. The prosperity of the Kang family depends entirely on the two big shopkeepers! I am new to business, and even If you are ignorant, if you offend the two of you, please forgive me. Especially shopkeeper Sun Da, I was disrespectful a year ago, and I hope you will forgive me!"

Whether he will come or not, the third master will make an apology like this, which is beyond Lin Qinxuan's expectation.But he didn't speak first, and wanted to tell shopkeeper Sun Da to answer first.Shopkeeper Sun seems to have lost his usual prestige today, seeing that the third master gave himself face first, he answered: "Don't worry, Third Master! Who doesn't know that Third Master is chivalrous and courageous? So when I talk to Third Master, I just go straight to the point. Third Master, don't be careless!" Only then did Lin Qinxuan say: "We're all a family, a little small, otherwise, don't mention it soon! Let's talk about the crisis at hand first."

The third master said: "Then listen to the advice of shopkeeper Sun first!" Sun Beiming was so much more modest today because he was a little frightened by the sudden change in the situation.Troops were approaching, looting everywhere. When he heard such rumors, the first thing he thought of was the catastrophe that happened to Beijing-Tianjin No. 2 last year.Although the Beijing account was lost, shopkeeper Dai remained calm in the face of danger. He cleverly spread out the silver in the cabinet, showing the style of a master.He really didn't expect that the old account would suddenly face such a crisis!It seems that it can be done without chaos in the face of danger, but no matter how clever it is, it doesn't scratch at all!The old bank's deposit of silver is not a small amount, how can it be dispersed?If the old account was robbed like the Tianjin account, his old bones would become redundant waste... So he came here in a hurry, really a little guilty and timid.Seeing that the third master respectfully asked him to speak first, he had no choice but to say:

"Third Master, how can I have a good opinion? Since last year, the current situation has been chaotic, business can't be done, and there is a lot of silver in the Tiancheng Veteran Account. The most urgent thing is to move the old account giant silver out of the secret storage!" Shopkeeper Lin Da said: "In Taigu's business world, Tian Chengyuan is no small matter! If you transfer a huge amount of silver to get your name, won't it cause chaos?" Sun Beiming said: "Of course the silver stored in the account must be removed secretly." Lin Qinxuan said: "How can the giant silver move be kept very secret?"

Sun Beiming said: "If you don't have this kind of ability, how can you issue a ticket number?" Lin Qinxuan said: "Our tea house doesn't have this kind of ability. How to remove the tea goods secretly, I hope the shopkeeper Sun will give me some pointers!" Sun Beiming said: "How much are those tea goods at the bottom of the warehouse worth? Just move the silver and account books out of the secret storage." Lin Qinxuan said: "What about the boss? How will the boss's wealth be removed? After the move, where can they hide?" Sun Beiming said: "My master has his own way."

Lin Qinxuan said: "According to the meaning of shopkeeper Sun Da, wouldn't it mean that a catastrophe is approaching, and each escapes? If so, what else do we plan? We just flee with our money!" The third master hurriedly said: "What the treasurer Sun said is also a top priority. In the future of war, we can only move out the silver coins and hide them first, keep some, and count some." Lin Qinxuan said: "Third Master! In my opinion, we must not respond in such a hasty way. Before the war broke out, we would lead the way and cause chaos throughout the city. How can this be like the Kang family?"

Sun Beiming said: "Then just sit and wait?" Lin Qinxuan said: "Last winter, when the third master was away from the south, the military situation at Zijing Pass and Longquan Pass in the north was also in critical condition. The old man did not panic. He invited Cao Peide from this town and Qiao Zhiyong from Qi County to discuss calmly and come up with a good strategy. After that, Cao Peide went to see Ma Yukun, found out the real situation in the army, and had a good idea. Afterwards, the Kang family, the Cao family and the Qiao family were calm as usual. It was time to do business, and it was time to celebrate the New Year. The people's hearts and the market will stabilize."

The third master said: "So you have experienced a thrilling adventure?" Lin Qinxuan said: "That's not true! At this time, the third master should also discuss urgently with the big households in Taigu to plan countermeasures. After all, such a military disaster cannot be resisted by our family. Ma Junmen is still stationed in Shanxi, The third master has friendship with Ma Junmen, why don't you go to see Ma Junmen first?" Hearing what Lin Qinxuan said, the third master had some ideas in his mind.But he didn't dare to neglect Shopkeeper Sun, and continued to respectfully ask for advice on countermeasures.At the end, he said: "At this critical juncture, the Kang family depends entirely on the two big shopkeepers! As long as the two sit calmly, our family will not be flustered."

After sending the two shopkeepers away, the third master asked for a fast horse, flew up and swung his whip, and went to Cao's house in Beidao Village. Cao Peide, the head of the Cao family, also received the same news, and was about to go to the government to inquire about the authenticity, when he saw Kang Sanye rushing to visit.It seems that the situation in Taigu is really critical. Cao Peide hastily ushered Mr. Kang into the living room, tried his best to calm down and said, "Master Kang is a rare visitor, and he finally came to see him once. Why are you in such a panic? Are you here to put out the fire?" The third master said: "It's really more urgent than going to the house on fire. Haven't you heard of it in your house?" Cao Peide said, "Does it mean that Dongtianmen fell?" The third master said: "That's not true. Seeing that the rout soldiers are coming to loot Taigu!" Cao Peide said: "Your old man has seen a lot, and he has a big weapon. He has always been calm in times of crisis. Now the third master is so anxious. Could it be that the situation is really bad?" The third master hurriedly asked, "Dear brother, do you have another secret report?" Cao Peide said: "Where can I get a secret report? No, I'm going to the city to ask the government for the authenticity!" The third master said: "What can the county government know? We should go to see Lord Ma Yukun as soon as possible! Only Ma Junmen can stop the defeated army and counter the foreigners." Cao Peide said: "I heard that Ma Junmen has received the imperial edict and is going to move to Zhili to guard. The imperial court has long changed the appointment of Ma as the admiral of Zhili. Before that, the governor of Sichuan, Song Old Marshal Qing also led the Sichuan army to move to Henan according to the order." The third master said: "It's no wonder that the foreign bandits are so rampant! Shoujin masters have been transferred out one after another. Is the imperial court going to abandon Shanxi?" Cao Peide said: "I don't dare to abandon it. Shanxi is the barrier of Xi'an. How can she protect Shaanxi by abandoning Jin? I'm afraid that I think the peace will be achieved by transferring the heavy division. You can take care of the defense of other provinces." The third master said: "every day we are talking about a tie, where is the tie? The imperial court moved out the heavy troops stationed in Jin, but the foreign bandits surrounded Jin not only did not withdraw, but took the opportunity to break through and enter! The imperial court is so weak, we It's hard to see a draw!" Cao Peide said: "Since the loss of the capital last year, he has been defeated by others. How can he be strong?" The third master said: "I don't think the foreign bandits are heavenly soldiers and generals. It has been more than half a year since the attack on Jin in the autumn before they broke through Dongtianmen." Cao Peide said: "Don't tell me how many garrisons the imperial court sent to Shanxi!" The third master said: " Then we have to see Ma Junmen as soon as possible, and cry for blood on behalf of the three Jin fathers and elders! At this critical time, Ma Junmen must not leave. Once Ma Shi leaves, the chaos in Shanxi will be difficult to reverse Already!" Cao Peide said: "The third master has friendship with Ma Junmen, and this important task belongs to the third master!" The third master said: "Your mansion is the first household in Taigu. How can you shirk? I would like to accompany you to see Ma Junmen!" Cao Peide said: "Well, let's go to the Ma Junmen together! It's just that we are rich and famous, so we can't go there empty-handed, right? Don't talk about donating military salaries, at least we need to show some kindness to reward the soldiers. ?” The third master said: "What's so difficult about it? When you see Ma Junmen, you can tell what you mean, and you will be rewarded soon!" Cao Peide said: "It's not difficult to be like the third master. In the twelfth lunar month of last year, the military situation at Zijing Pass and Longquan Pass in the north was critical. Your old Mrs. Kang and Mrs. Qiao in Qixian County were also afraid of being looted by the army. They were very worried. I was affected by the two elders Entrusted, to see Ma Junmen. Master Ma was very straightforward, and he said frankly that there is no need to worry, saying that he and Song Qing will go to the border in person to fight against the bandits. I was very comforted at the time, and said that the New Year is approaching. I will collect some small gifts to reward the soldiers, but the time is not good, I am afraid that it will not be a respect. Of course Ma Junmen was very happy to hear that, so he swore: Jin province will never be lost." The third master said: "What my dear brother does is reasonable." Cao Peide said: "At that time, the two old masters also praised a few words. The two elders also came forward to raise money for rewards. Who would have thought that this move would attract a lot of criticism! The third master also heard about it, right?" The third master said: "When I came back from the south, I just caught up with the old lady's funeral. I really didn't have time to look around. What's the criticism? I haven't heard of it yet. " Cao Peide said: "The most powerful one is that Qiao Jiakang's family wants to reveal their wealth again!" The third master said: "The wealth and fame of the West Gang has long been controlled by hiding the dew! At this time of crisis, if you still keep your wealth and don't reveal it, don't you want to create grudges and cause trouble?" Cao Peide said: "Who says no? There are quite a few people who don't see through this level. I'm afraid that they will show off their wealth and attract officers and soldiers to eat the rich, but if they don't want to blindly keep their wealth and cry for poverty, it will also cause disaster! Your old Mrs. Kang and Mrs. Qiao originally wanted to facilitate an emergency meeting of Qi Taiping’s business community to discuss a countermeasure for a joint guarantee. But after a long time of discussion, there were not many responders. Even if some small funds were shared to express the intention of laboring the army, there were also many brands that refused to do so. It’s still your old man Jiakang who is very powerful, saying that people don’t want to bleed, so don’t force it. At worst, our Cao, Qiao, and Kang families can afford to reward officers and soldiers! Old man Qiao also has means. "Military plaque", all those who contributed capital will have their names engraved on the plaque." The third master asked: "Can this method work? I am afraid of revealing my wealth. Who would like to leave a name?" Cao Peide said: "You guessed wrong, this method really works." The third master asked, "what's the reason?" Cao Peide said: "The nameless ones on the plaque are afraid that the officers and soldiers will take revenge, and they will be picked on to bully them." The third master said: "So that's the case. Then it was like a cloud of responders?" Cao Peide said: "That's not true. Although there are many brands that are willing to work together with our three families to send plaques, they are limited after all. Pingbang has a few big names, and others set up another one to work on their own. Qibang and Taibang There are also a few others, and they can act on their own. Don’t stick to just a few, anyway, at the end of last year, Qi Taiping’s business circles mobilized their troops to appease the scourge approaching the door.” The third master asked: "The foreign bandits who broke through the barrier were also blocked back?" Cao Peide said: "Lingqiu and Wutai both have heavy troops stationed, and the German, French and foreign invaders dare not rush into the Jin territory. The imperial court also issued urgent orders to resist the foreign invaders and not to lose Jin. However, they were defeated from Longquan Pass. A group of officers and soldiers fled all the way, robbed all the way, and were not restrained until Yangqu. It is only one step away from Taiyuan, the provincial capital!" The third master said: "Whether foreign bandits, officers or soldiers, they are all scourges of our business!" Cao Peide said: "We can only rely on our wisdom, not our strength, to resist such floods and beasts." Kang Sanye and Cao Peide just sent people to inquire about Ma Yukun's whereabouts, when Taigu suddenly stationed many officers and soldiers.When I asked, it turned out to be the soldiers and horses commanded by Ma Junmen.It turned out that the officers and soldiers of the Ministry of Horse were about to detour from Lu'an and Zezhou to go out of Jin to Zhili. When they heard the alarm of the fall of Dongtianmen, they also suspended their march and transferred the troops and horses under their command from the north of Taiyuan to Xugou, Yuci, and Taiyuan. Gu and Qi County are spread out to the south.In Taigu alone, six battalions of heavy troops arrived, four battalions were stationed around the Chengguan, and two battalions were stationed in Fancun, a large town. Firstly, when they heard that the troops from the Ma Department had been stationed, the third master and Cao Peide breathed a sigh of relief: relying on the Ma Junmen, the situation in Qi Taiping would not be in chaos.But after thinking about it for a while, I feel strange: the place where the military situation is critical is to the east of Yuci, from the old Guandong Tianmen to Shouyang;What does this mean?Do we want to let the enemy go deep, close the door and fight dogs on Qi Taiping's line, and fight a decisive battle? If so, Qi Taiping will suffer even more!Together in war, what else can be preserved? Realizing this level, San Ye and Cao Peide broke out in a cold sweat.Fortunately, they found out that the big tent of Ma Junmen was set up in Qi County, and the two hurriedly flew to Qi to ask for an interview. Ma Yukun was very face-saving, and when he heard that it was Mr. Kang, he immediately called him in. As soon as the third master and Cao Peide were seated, Ma Yukun smiled and said, "Are you scared?" The third master hurriedly said: "Master Ma's soldiers and horses have already stationed in Taigu, what are we afraid of?" Cao Peide also said: "We are here to pay tribute to Mr. Ma on behalf of Taigu's elders." Ma Yukun laughed even more, and said, "Look at your faces, how can you hide it from me?" Seeing Ma Junmen like this, the third master was not restrained, and said directly: "We are just plain-headed grassroots. How can we not be frightened when we encounter such a disaster of war suddenly! Dongtianmen has natural dangers to rely on, and is guarded by heavy teachers. Was it broken by foreign bandits?" As soon as the third master finished speaking, Ma Junmen suddenly became angry and said loudly: "Could it be that the Eastern Heaven Gate was breached by foreign bandits? It was all surrendered by this Cen Futai!" Only then did the third master hear that Ma Junmen was angry at Cen Chunxuan, the new governor of Shanxi. Although he was relieved, he couldn't say anything more.Ma Junmen seemed to have no scruples at all, blindly yelling at Cen Chunxuan. It turned out that after Cen Chunxuan was transferred from the governor of Shaanxi to the governor of Shanxi in February, his first priority was to negotiate peace with the German, French and foreign troops who besieged Shanxi.For this reason, at the beginning of his tenure, a new Western Affairs Bureau was established, and Shen Dunhe, who was proficient in English, was hired from Zhangjiakou to be the supervisor of the Western Affairs Bureau and preside over the peace talks. Shen Dunhe was originally from Zhejiang. He had studied abroad in England and studied law and politics at Cambridge University.After returning to China, he was hired by Liu Kunyi, the governor of Liangjiang, and went to the general office of the Wusong Port Opening Bureau, and was recommended as a registered envoy minister.Later, he was dismissed because of the Wusong Fort case, and was sent to the east entrance of Beidi as a crime of exile.After the fall of Xia Jingshi, a group of foreign bandits also invaded Dongkou.Because Shen Dunhe was proficient in English, he was appointed to negotiate with the foreign invaders.After his persuasion, the foreign bandits actually withdrew from the east entrance!This matter was reported to Xi'an, and the imperial court specially ordered him to return to his original position. Of course Cen Chunxuan heard about this in Xi'an, so as soon as he took office in Shanxi, he hired Shen Dunhe, who was good at negotiating peace, under his command. Entering the Xinchou year, that is, the twenty-seventh year of Guangxu, the original eight countries of the East, West and the West, Gabi, the West, and the Netherlands, a total of eleven countries allied forces, and the Qing court had initially signed twelve peace treaty outlines. Foreign troops also withdrew from various places one after another.Only the German and French troops besieging Shanxi refused to retreat.The commander-in-chief of the German army, Waldsee, was also the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces. The Qing court did not dare to be careless if Germany and France were so encircled and did not withdraw.When the foreign army captured Beijing and Tianjin last year, this Vadsi was still in the future, and he came to take up the post of commander-in-chief only in the fall.Although he became the commander-in-chief, he didn't have much military exploits in the invasion of China, so he was very aggressive in attacking Jin Province, and wanted to quickly earn some military exploits to convince the public.Li Hongzhang, Minister of Peace and Plenipotentiary, repeatedly negotiated with Germany and France, but to no avail.The other side's minister actually prevaricated with "this is a military secret of Vashuai"! The imperial court mobilized heavy troops from all over the country to defend Jin, but there were still critical military situations, and the Empress Dowager was very disturbed.In a fit of anger, Xiliang was vacated, and Cen Chunxuan was given the title of head pin Dingdai and minister of the Ministry of war, and was transferred to serve as governor of Shanxi.So Cen Chunxuan knew that the best way to please the Empress Dowager was to negotiate a peace with the German, French and foreign troops as soon as possible to relieve the siege of Shanxi.Shen Dunhe, who is proficient in Westernization, was hired to accomplish this. But just by being proficient in Western affairs, you can retreat the heavy German and French troops?It is too naive to think.Germany and France have encircled Jin from the northeast for several months, especially after spending a severe winter in the border mountains. How could they be willing to listen to a few good words and then give up their troops?Shen Dunhe retreated from the enemy at Dongkou, actually relying on heavy bribes.The small group of foreign bandits who sneaked in there, after several days of looting, had already had a lot of money, and it was easy to persuade them to leave if they were given heavy bribes.Now that the army is under pressure, how to pay bribes? Shen Dunhe negotiated several times, perhaps with great profit, and the German army that besieged Dongtianmen in Jin Province has not responded. Only the French army sent a note: The defenders of Jin Province retreated into Shanxi before they could negotiate a peace. Why did the French army make such a request?It turns out that Dongtianmen at the junction of Shanxi and Zhili is composed of Guguan, Jiuguan and Niangziguan.Although there are natural dangers that are easy to defend and difficult to attack, these passes are all on the top of steep rocky mountains, and there is no way to station a large army and lack of water.Therefore, Liu Guangcai, the commander-in-chief of Datong who guarded Dongtianmen, scattered his troops and horses among the valleys inside and outside Dongtianmen, near the river.Gravity artillery positions were built on the pass, and the valleys were filled with brigades of reinforcements and logistical food and ammunition, relying on each other to make the pass defense unbreakable.Most of the camps stationed outside the pass belonged to the Jingxing area under the jurisdiction of Zhili.The German, French and foreign troops who had been in Huolu and Jingxing for a long time were blocked by the Jin army all over the valley every time they tackled key problems.Now, the French army is asking the Jin army to retreat into the Jin territory. It really wants to break the natural danger of Dongtianmen! Therefore, Ma Junmen and Liu Zongbing strongly insisted that they must never agree to the French army's request.Jingxing does not belong to the French land, so why order our army to withdraw? However, in order to promote the peace negotiation, Cen Chunxuan asked the Xi'an Military Aircraft Office to agree to the retreat of Liu's defenders to Jin.It is only required that when our army retreats, the German and French troops also retreat at the same time. The French army saw that I was willing to retreat, so they sent a new note: The French army had no intention of going west, and now they are retreating with your two armies.Your garrison must first withdraw from Jingxing before peace can be negotiated.Otherwise, Germany and France will march westward together! The French army is obviously pushing an inch, and it is becoming more and more unreasonable.But Cen Chunxuan still reported to the Military Aircraft Office, saying that in order to avoid leaving excuses for the foreign army, he still agreed with our army to retreat first.The Military Aircraft Department also approved it. Liu Zongbing and Ma Junmen couldn't stop them, so they had to prepare to withdraw their troops.On the Jin side of Dongtianmen, there are mostly dry rocky mountains that are not suitable for garrisoning troops. Most of the soldiers and horses must retreat to the vicinity of Pingding and Yuxian Chengguan, which are far away from the pass.This is almost tantamount to giving up Dongtianmen. Just when Liu Zongbing was forced to Zhang Luo to withdraw his troops, 5,000 French troops and 8,000 German soldiers left Beijing by train and headed south to urgently reinforce the German and French troops stationed in Huolu and Jingxing.The intention of the foreign bandits could not be more obvious: first lure our army to retreat, and then gather heavy troops to break through the barrier and enter! Li Hongzhang, the Minister of Peace in Beijing, learned that Germany and France had increased their troops to the west, so he sent an urgent telegram to Cen Chunxuan, informing him that he was negotiating with Germany and France on this matter, but it was hard to guarantee that the generals of the foreign army would be greedy for credit. Invaded Jin Province.Hope to be on guard, dare not be careless. But Cen Chunxuan actually said: Even if the foreign army comes to invade, they can no longer start wars.In order to achieve a peace plan as soon as possible, my defeat will cause delays, and my victory will also cause delays.Anyway, you can't fight the foreign bandits! When Ma Yukun said this, he was already furious: "The enemy has already broken through, and our army is defeated without a fight. After the settlement, the situation is chaotic, and Cen Futai has not seen him go to die!" The third master boldly asked: "Even if the defeat is unavoidable, it is not the turn of Mr. Cen to die, right?" Ma Yukun sneered and said, "No one told him to die. He boasted about Haikou and was going to die. He insisted that General Liu retreat to Dongtianmen. I said it would be easy for Liu to withdraw first, but the foreign bandits rushed to chase him down." It's hard to resist. The Lord Cen generously promised: "If there is such a danger, Xuan has to go to the enemy's camp and reason with him. If he doesn't listen, Xuan is willing to die and prevent him from going to war!" Jin Yang Kou has broken through the pass and entered, killing and looting all the way, but he did not see Mr. Cen go to the enemy camp to stop the battle with his death!" Cao Peide suddenly knelt down to Ma Yukun, and said: "Since the situation in Jin Province is so critical, the lives of the mediocre people, and our ancestral property, are all tied to Ma Junmen! It is not Ma Jun who can turn the tide. The door must be..." The third master also knelt down and said: "The elders of the three Jin Dynasties all hope that Ma Junmen will quickly march eastward to fight against the foreign invaders! Our Western Gang is also willing to donate more military pay to help adults fight against the foreigners..." Ma Yukun hastily called the two to stand up, and said: "You two have misjudged me if you want to do this! Don't I want to send my troops to meet the enemy? It's just that there has been a decree earlier, ordering the headquarters to move to Zhili. No new order has been received yet. Don't act rashly. The newly deployed troops are on the line from Xugou to Qixian, which is the route for withdrawing from Jin Province. The mobilization is suspended now, which is to protect Jin. Once the foreign invaders come here, our troops will wait for work, and we will rush to wipe them out! You can do whatever you want Don't worry, there's no need to panic." Hearing what Ma Junmen said, the third master and Cao Peide became more and more uneasy: wait for work with ease, rush to wipe them out, even if this is the case, the war is still in Qi Taiping's territory.At the beginning of the war, I really dare not expect to save anything! The third master couldn't help sighing and said: "The wars in other places have subsided long ago, why are the foreign bandits so hard to get through with Shanxi?" Cao Peide also sighed: "Foreigners hate Yu Xian, and Yu Xian has already been dismissed and investigated. Why are you still unwilling to negotiate peace with Jin Province?" Ma Yukun smiled and said, "The two of you should know the reason most." The third master and Ma Yukun looked at each other blankly. They were really confused, so they begged Ma Junmen for advice. Ma Yukun said: "The two of you are really counting donkeys! The foreign bandits refused to let go of Jin Province. Isn't it because your province is a piece of fat? If you wait for rich businessmen and rich houses everywhere, even looting will be lucrative! Jin Province, once the looting is over, there will be additional indemnities from the court. Since Jin Province is a rich province, will the additional indemnities be less? Hearing what Ma Junmen said, the third master and Cao Peide broke out in a cold sweat. The third master said blankly: "Do foreigners know about the wealth of Jin Province?" Ma Yukun said: "How can foreign merchants know the details of your Western gang? Besides, there are also religious people who follow the foreign bandits. They don't know anything!" Cao Peide said: "Fortunately, there is Ma Junmen guarding the land of Jin today, so it's not like the sky will not mess with Jin?" Ma Yukun really said high-spiritedly: "Don't worry, you two, there are good soldiers and horses here. Once the foreign bandits penetrate into Jinzhong, they will become turtles in the urn!" Ma Junmen said so impassionedly, it is difficult to explain the panic of the third master and Cao Peide: it seems that Ma Junmen still wants to use the Qitaiping area as a battlefield to resist the foreign forces.Regardless of victory or defeat, war is inevitable.The soldiers and horses of the horse department refused to send their troops eastward, because there was an imperial decree, how could they be persuaded by the affection of the third master and Cao Peide?Therefore, the two of them could only compliment Ma Junmen as much as they could, and retreated in panic as before. Liu Guangcai, the general guarding Dongtianmen, withdrew most of his troops back to the old pass and the old pass on the first day of March.By the fifth day of March, the German, French and foreign troops gathered heavy troops and rushed to the pass. This urgent military telegram was sent to the military aircraft office in Xi'an, and the handling was nothing: on the one hand, he sent an order to Li Hongzhang to quickly negotiate with the German and French envoys;As for whether to fight against the enemy, it is unclear!There is a big worry in the imperial court: once the war starts, the peace will be disrupted, so what's the deal?But if Jin Province is lost again, Xi'an will be hard to keep, and the draw will have to be renegotiated. When the Military Aircraft Department was in a dilemma, Wang Zutong, the supervisor of Shaanxi Province, gave a memorial and came up with an idea for the court: Since stealing the armistice agreement, our army has complied with the agreement and has not moved lightly.But when the foreign soldiers invaded Yi, they did not restrain themselves a little.Bauhinia and Huolu were harassed successively.When the draft contract was adjourned, Liu Guangcai was forced to retreat, not to bother a single soldier, and to occupy the fortress of Jingxing.Near Fulan entered the Jin region and seized our Yanguan. The Taihang is a natural danger. If you lose it, the Pingding area is in danger, and the whole province of Taiyuan will also be shaken.Husband retreats from one side to the other, misleading me in many ways, unable to refuse, but relying on words to fight, it is already a very difficult thing to do, if you keep your mouth shut and touch your tongue, let them invade, do not compare with each other, and use this to seek peace and peace Insurable? On the right side of the mountain, the rich and powerful merchants are coveted, and they will eat the fat, which is bound to come.At present, most of China's rights and interests are invaded by foreign countries, and Shang Laixi's business name is in rapid circulation.If they are all searched, not only will they lose huge profits, but they will also impoverish the salary sources of the provinces, which is actually an obstacle to the overall situation.And all countries followed suit, looting everywhere in Yinhou, Yiyuhudi!The foolish official thought that if the localities were disturbed after the discussion, it is advisable to check and estimate the exact amount of losses and deduct them from the compensation. Whether the minister's ignorance is right or not, I beg the empress dowager and the emperor for the holy lesson.Sincerely. Wang Zutong's idea of ​​"deducting compensation" is of course not a brilliant move, let alone a noble act, but the Military Aircraft Department appreciates it.On the day of seeing Wang Zutong's memorial, he sent an edict to Li Hongzhang on behalf of the court: According to the decree: the foreign soldiers are good at forcing the Jin territory, and they have passed the old pass, which is not in accordance with the previous agreement.Now I hear disturbances everywhere, even if I don't want to go west, I still stress and debate.If it still seems to be extorting silver and looting treasures in Beijing, Tianjin and Zhili, it will have to be paid off in the indemnity in the future.This is it. You can't justly declare to meet the enemy and fight back, but you have to say something hard, right?Deduction of compensation is really an appropriate argument!However, the implication of this edict is that Jin Province is about to be abandoned. The military aircraft department sent out this telegram on the tenth day of March. At that time, not only Pingding, Shouyang, and Yuci, but also the provincial capital of Taiyuan and Qitaiping area, rumors had already spread, people were panic-stricken, and the trend of fleeing was almost unstoppable. The third master and Cao Peide met Ma Yukun, and before rushing back to Taigu, they went to Qiao Zhiyong's house in Qi County to meet senior Qiao Zhiyong.Speaking of seeing Ma Junmen passing by, Mrs. Qiao said that he and several big families in Qi County had already paid a visit to Master Ma.But looking at Mrs. Qiao's demeanor, he didn't seem to be anxious, and it was not much different from usual. The third master asked: "Did Ma Junmen give you some reassurance?" Qiao Zhiyong smiled and asked, "Ma Junmen is not the son-in-law of the Qiao family either, so why would he favor us?" Cao Peide said: "We see that the old man seems to have nothing to do, so we are a little puzzled. Qi Taiping is in danger, and you are sitting on the Diaoyutai. You don't know it well. How can you calm down like this?" Qiao Zhiyong asked the third master, "Is your old man panicking too?" The third master said: "The old lady is newly mourned, and my father is still in grief. He just says that the sky is falling and he doesn't care." Qiao Zhiyong said: "That's it, your old man didn't panic, and still accuse me?" The third master was still puzzled, and said: "My father, how can we not be panicked? Our Kang family is really suffering from multiple misfortunes. The old lady has a new funeral, and this kind of military disaster, my father is unable to take care of it, and I can't overcome it either!" Cao Peide said: "When encountering such a crisis, who can easily deal with it? Mrs. Qiao has a long history, rich knowledge, and many strategies. I hope you can give me more advice so that we can tide over the difficulties together!" Qiao Zhiyong said: "I live a few more years, how can I be different from you? There are no surprises to go out, and no surprises to do. If the defeated army comes to rob and the foreign soldiers come to kill, I can only resign myself to fate. Think Once this layer is broken, there is no need to panic. Panicking is useless!" The third master said: "Old Master Qiao still refuses to speak out. Are we just waiting to be killed and looted?" Qiao Zhiyong said: "The imperial court has a heavy army from all over the world, but it is still defeated by the foreign invaders. We don't have a single soldier, how can we resist the foreigners?" Cao Peide said: "Then we have only one way to escape as soon as possible?" Qiao Zhiyong said: "A small family needs a pole; a middle-class family needs a few carriages, and the whole family escapes. How do we escape? Once the mighty people are on the road, they will become the target of robbery! Although there are many people fleeing, Most of them are small households and ordinary households. In my opinion, we big households must not act rashly. In Qi Taiping, if our merchants and large households move, they will inevitably move the city. At that point, before the enemy arrives, we will mess up first, and then we will be out of control. .” The third master said: "The old man still tells us to sit and wait for death?" Qiao Zhiyong said: "In the old man's humble opinion, the current Governor of Jin, Cen Chunxuan, may not dare to hand over the Jin Province to the foreign bandits. The imperial court granted him the title of Head Pin Dingdai and Minister of the Ministry of War. Could it be that he was asked to come and welcome the bandits? ?” Cao Peide said: "I heard from Ma Junmen that Cen Futai would rather die than start a war. That's why Dongtianmen lost." The third master also said: "The foreign bandits have broken through for many days, and Jin Province will fall into the enemy's hands. It's only a matter of time!" Qiao Zhiyong said: "We have to listen to Ma Junmen's words. But you didn't hear it? Ma has a lot of disdain for Cen! When we went to visit, Ma Junmen scolded Cen: 'You can act recklessly and don't listen to me. He said that he would withdraw the garrison of Dongtianmen and cause this trouble.' I asked Ma Junmen: Why don't you lead your troops out of Shouyang to retreat from the enemy? Finally, please see how easy it is to rescue him from Shuai Kecheng!'Listen, Ma Junmen stood still, so it was to make Cen Chunxuan look good! Did you say this to you?" The third master said, "I didn't say that clearly." Cao Peide said: "You two are fighting, and we are the only ones who suffer!" Qiao Zhiyong said: "At that time, I asked Ma Junmen: The mountains and rivers inside and outside Jin Province are not easy to get in, and it is also difficult to get out; the German, French and foreign bandits who broke through the East Tianmen, dare to go in alone?" The third master hurriedly asked: "How does Ma Junmen answer?" Qiao Zhiyong said: "He said that there is no other way to use troops from foreigners. It's hard to say if they are reckless and deep. My old man doesn't understand the art of war and military affairs, but let me see that the foreign troops are not so reckless. Even if they go deep into the Jin Dynasty, they must Step by step, leave a back road that can enter and exit. The base camp of the foreign army is in Beijing and Tianjin, and it is thousands of miles away from Beijing and Tianjin to Taiyuan. .” The third master said: "We withdraw our troops all the way to surrender to the enemy, and they don't need many troops!" Cao Peide also said: "Before the arrival of the foreign army, the defeated official army is like a scourge!" Qiao Zhiyong said: "Recently, we received an urgent report from Jia Jiying, our provincial name, saying that he has just visited Cen Futai, and he is sure that Master Cen has sent heavy troops to Shouyang to suppress and loot the army." The third master said: "This is still good news." Cao Peide said: "The bullets of the defeated army are suppressed, and the foreign bandits follow in!" Qiao Zhiyong said: "When the foreign bandits really come, they can only spend money to protect the foundation, right? I heard from Jia Jiying that Shen Dunhe of the Western Affairs Bureau negotiated a peace in Dongkou, and he dared to spend money! Sending tens of thousands of taels of silver to the foreign bandits, A thousand sheep, a thousand horses, a hundred cattle, a hundred camels, more than a hundred fox furs, and more than a thousand sheep furs." The third master asked in surprise: "We are also like this. Isn't that humiliating and surrendering to the bandits?" Cao Peide also exclaimed: "Since last year, our West Gang has lost too much money!" Qiao Zhiyong said: "In addition to losing money, the only thing we can do is to lose our lives. Last year, the boxers went all the way to lose their lives. What happened? Now that the imperial court has been compromised, what else can we do?" The third master and Cao Peide thought about it, and felt that this was the only way to go.The court officials and army are powerless to resist the enemy, and they are bent on negotiating peace, so what if the merchants are not humiliated!It's just that if you lose your money, can you keep your foundation?I really didn't dare to think deeply. How to stop the current wave of fleeing, the three of them discussed for a long time, but there was no good plan, they just contacted big households and big companies, tried their best to stay stable, and did not dare to act rashly. On the way back to Taigu, Sanye and Cao Peide saw a steady stream of family members fleeing.If this trend spreads for a few more days, the situation will really get out of hand!So, while riding on the road, the two agreed: After arriving in Taigu, the third master will go to see the leader of the martial arts world, Che Ershifu, and ask the escort to send a capable man to go to Dongtianmen to find out the truth; Cao Peide will go to the county government to meet the official , affirming that the merchants are willing to work with the government to seek a strategy for the safety of the people. When the third master arrived at the house of the second master Che in Guanjiabao, Li Changyou and other masters of Xingyi Quan were there. The third master bowed to all the martial artists one by one, and then briefly talked about the situation when he met Ma Yukun.Everyone scrambled to ask: Where have the foreign invaders attacked?Has Shouyang been broken? The third master said: "The army on the East Road, Ma Junmen refused to report in detail, only said that it is possible for the foreign invaders to go deep into Taiyuan recklessly and capture Taiyuan." Everyone also asked: "The foreign invaders are approaching, why did the army of the horse tribe stay still?"The third master only said: "Ma Junmen has not received the order to send troops to meet the enemy." Li Changyou then said: "We are discussing, judging by the posture of the officers and soldiers, we definitely don't want to fight against the foreign bandits! The plain-headed grassroots fled one after another, just because the officers and soldiers can't be relied on. But we are people who practice martial arts, don't we? Like ordinary people, abandoning their hometown and fleeing?" Master Che Er also said: "Last summer, Yihe boxers started to kill foreign sects, but most of our Xingyi brothers did not participate. The foreign sects were in Taigu, and there were not many enmities. Several priests were killed, which is a bit too much. Today When the foreign army attacked, it was only to investigate and deal with the teaching case, that’s all. If innocent people were killed indiscriminately, raped and raped, we Xingyiquan brothers can no longer just sit idly by!” The third master panicked and asked: "Master Che, do you also want to have a boxing meeting?" Li Changyou said: "We will not be like Yihe Quan, who kill foreigners when they see them. Wu Jiezun first salutes and then fights. When the foreign troops come, we hide in the dark and watch quietly. If he does not do evil, we will not make it difficult for him; Anyone who commits evil deeds should be decapitated, and then secretly look for an opportunity to be severely punished! If a large group commits evil deeds, the commander of the army should be assassinated first." The third master said: "How is this different from boxing?" Li Changyou said: "The boxing club is a mob. It only has momentum, but it is not powerful. We will not show off the flag. The foreign army is in the open, and we are in the dark. We are invisible and invisible. Only the foreign bandits know the power of Xingyiquan. !" The great righteousness of the martial artists moved the third master.可这与拳会毕竟类似，一旦给官府知道，哪会被允许？官府怯于与洋寇交战，可剿灭拳会不会手软。拳师暗杀洋寇，也必然要扩大战衅，祁太平更得陷于水火之中。但三爷知道，他出面阻武师们的义举，也不会收效的。所以，他也没有多说，只是照原来目的，请求车、李二位师傅，派出高手，赶赴东路平定、盂县一带，打探洋寇犯晋的真实军情。 车二师傅说：已经派出探子了，有探报传回，一定相告。三爷有新消息，也望及时通气。三爷连声应承，又随武师们的议论附和几句，就匆匆告辞出来。 眼看天色将晚，三爷却无心回康庄去。多少焦虑压在心头，回到家中又能与谁论说？以往遇大事，都是老太爷扛着，你想多插嘴也难。现在，老太爷像塌了架，连如此危急的战祸都不理睬。这真似忽然泰山压顶，三爷很有些扛不住了。他不由又想到邱泰基。自己身边还是少一个足智多谋的人，邱掌柜远在西安，那位能干的京号戴掌柜，也远在上海。 天成元老号的孙大掌柜，那当然不能指望。 现在，只有去见茶庄的林大掌柜。能不能谋出良策，先不论；只是说说心头想说的话，眼下也惟有林大掌柜了。 于是，三爷吩咐跟随的一个小仆，回康庄送讯，自己便策马向城里奔去。 林琴轩见少东家摸黑赶来，还以为出了什么事。慌忙问时，才听三爷说：“跑腾了一天，还没有吃顿可口的茶饭。我是跟你们讨吃来了。灶房还没封火吧？” 林琴轩放下心来，说：“三爷想吃什么，尽管吩咐！灶火还不便宜？” 三爷说：“不拘什么吧，清淡些，快些，就成。” 林琴轩说：“总得烫壶酒吧？” 三爷就说：“不喝了。今日太乏累，能喝出什么滋味？不喝了。” 林大掌柜说：“喝口酒，才解乏！难得三爷来一趟，我陪三爷喝一壶。” 三爷说：“既受林大掌柜抬举，那就烫壶花雕吧。” “三爷哪能喝花雕！我这里有几坛汾州杏花村老酒，”林大掌柜转脸朝身后一伙友说：“快吩咐灶房，先炒几道时鲜的菜，烫壶烧酒，麻利些！” 三爷刚洗漱毕，酒菜已陆续端来。与林大掌柜这样灯下对酌，真还不多，可三爷喝着老酒，品出的却尽是苦味。他将见马军门、乔致庸以及车二师傅的经过，简略说了说，感叹跑腾一天，未遇一件如意事！ 林琴轩忙说：“三爷也不必太心焦了，大局如此，亦不是谁能左右得了。岑抚台既已派重兵弹压寿阳溃兵，这毕竟还是好消息。局面不乱，才可从容对敌。” 三爷说：“洋寇眼看攻杀过来，如何能不乱！” 林琴轩说：“叫我看，洋寇还不至轻易攻杀过来。” 三爷问：“何以见得？” 林琴轩说：“只要马军门统领重兵驻守晋省腹地不动，我看洋寇也不敢贸然进来。岑抚台想成就议和，只怕也会不惜多让利权，换取洋寇退兵。任洋寇攻杀进来，占去省府，那还叫议和吗？丢了晋省，西安危急，朝廷如何能饶得了他？太后赏他一个头品顶戴来山西，也不是叫他来丧土降敌吧？” 三爷说：“但洋寇也不是那么好哄吧？既千辛万苦攻破东天门，哪能轻易罢兵？听马军门说，洋夷用兵，是另外一路，很难说的。” 林琴轩说：“我们跟洋夷也做过许多生意了，他们可傻不到哪儿！晋省地形，他们不会不顾及。深入进来，就不怕断其后路，成瓮中之鳖？所以叫我看，大局还是和多战少。洋人攻入晋境，无非多加些赔款，也就成了和局。” 三爷说：“真如林大掌柜所说，那还让人放心些。” 林琴轩说：“乔老太爷说得很对，我们大户大号千万不能妄动！我们一动，谁还敢不动？到那一步，局面可就不好收拾了！” 三爷说：“眼下大户大号倒是都没动，可外逃潮流不还是日甚一日？照这样下去，过不了几天，大户大号也要慌！” 林琴轩说：“大字号表面未动，暗底里谁家敢静坐不动？我跟伙友们也在底下张罗呢！” 三爷说：“所以我说，不用几天，不拘洋寇攻来没攻来，祁太平局面必将大乱！百姓倾城蜂拥逃难，驻守的官军岂肯闲着？他们早视祁太平是肥肉。一想今后几日情景，就叫人心惊肉跳！” 林琴轩说：“听三爷说，曹培德正与官衙共议安民之策？” 三爷说：“正是。就怕谋不到良策！岑抚台顶着兵部尚书的头衔，尚不敌洋人，县令出面说话，谁又肯听？” 林琴轩说：“三爷，我倒有一安民之策！” 三爷忙问：“大掌柜有什么良策，快说！” 林琴轩说：“目前局面是人心惶惶，官府贴布告，不会有人信；可稍有传言，都信！所以，设法散布一些能安定人心的传言，说不定还管用。” “散布些安民的流言？” “这也算略施小计吧。” 三爷立马振作起来：林大掌柜献出的这个小谋略，可是今天最叫他动心的了！在马军门、乔老太爷及车二师傅那里，都未曾听到类似的奇谋。自家这位大掌柜，真还不能小看。 “林大掌柜，这个计谋甚好！只是，何种流言才能阻挡乡民外逃？” 林琴轩说：“叫我看，不在编出什么传言，而在谁编、编谁！” 三爷忙问：“我没明白，大掌柜说的什么意思？” 林琴轩倒反问：“三爷你说，现在乡民还敢相信谁？” 三爷竟一时不该如何回答：“也真是……” 林琴轩笑了，说：“传言官军能抵挡住洋寇，最没人信！说我们大字号得了密报，议和将成，洋寇将退，只怕市间也是半信半疑。现在惟有一家，乡民尚敬重不疑。” "Whose family?" “即三爷刚拜见过的形意拳武师们。” “车二师傅他们？” “对。车二师傅、昌有师傅他们，武艺高强，德行也好，在江湖中的名望谁不知道？传言他们已有对敌之策，乡民也许会驻足观望，暂缓出逃的。但凡有一点指望，谁愿背井离乡！” 三爷点头说：“车二师傅他们出面，势必应者如云。只是，如此一来，会不会将他们的形意拳，传说成义和团似的拳会，惹官府疑心？” 林琴轩忽然就击掌说：“三爷，你和曹培德就不会居中说合，叫县衙将形意拳编成乡勇？新编乡勇，不说抗洋，只说对付溃兵流匪。如能说成，再劝武师们率众来城里公开操练演武。其时，我们商界前往慰劳，县衙也去检阅。有了此种气象，不用多置一词，乡民也会传言纷纷，驻足观望的。” 三爷一听，也击掌说：“林大掌柜，明日一早，我就往县衙献上你的计谋！事到如今，我看县衙也别无良策了。” 至此，三爷才来了酒兴。对林大掌柜，他也更刮目相看了：林大掌柜的才具，当在孙大掌柜之上吧。 隔日，在城里东寺旁的空场上，真聚集了二百来名乡勇，在形意拳武师的统率下，持械操练。间或，爆出几声震天动地的喝叫，传往四处。闻声赶来观看的民众，也就越聚越多。 在场边，车二师傅、昌有师傅几位武林领袖，康家习武的康二爷、曹家习武的曹润堂等几位大户乡绅，以及县衙的几位官吏，正在神色凝重地议论时局军事。声音很高，语意明了，并不避讳围在身后倾听的一般民众。 他们的话题，多集中在如何对付溃兵流匪上，言语间，对将至的兵匪甚是不屑，又议论了一些擒拿兵匪的计谋。这叫挤在一边旁听的乡民，听得很顺心，很过瘾。 这中间，也对洋寇来犯，稍有议论。武师、乡绅们都煞有介事主张：对洋寇须智取，不能硬碰硬。洋寇到时，可杀猪宰羊先迎进来，再摆酒席大宴之；席上只备烧酒，务必悉数灌醉。 等洋寇醉死过去，可往洋枪枪管、洋炮炮筒内浇入尿汤；一过尿汤，洋枪洋炮就失灵了……这类降敌方法，更令乡民听得兴味高涨。 后来，知县大人驾到，检阅了乡勇操练，听了武师、乡绅的退敌之论，夸奖一番。县令刚走，几家大商号又来慰劳。 第二天，在北寺附近也有一队乡勇在操练，情形与东寺相差不多。 于是，官衙、武林、商界联手平匪御敌的种种消息，就由民众口口相传，迅速传遍全县城乡。民心果然稍定，外逃风潮开始减缓。 这几天，三爷也一直住在城里的天盛川老号，各方奔忙，一直未回康庄。见局面有了好转，正想痛快喝一回烧酒，就有仆佣来传老太爷的话：赶紧回来！ 匆匆赶到家，就听四爷说：这几天已将年少的男主和年轻的女眷，送出去避难了。六爷及各门的小少爷，三娘、四娘及汝梅以下的小姐们，都走了。 三爷一听，就有些急：他四处劝说别的大户不可妄动，自己家眷倒纷纷出逃了。他问是谁的主张，四爷说当然是奉老太爷之命。不过，都在夜间潜出，又都化了装，没多少人知道。 三爷能说什么，只在心里说：夜间出逃的并不少，怎么能秘密得了！ 康笏南听到东天门失守，洋寇攻入晋境，官家溃兵将至的消息，心头有些像遭了雷击：这是上天对他的报应吗？ 因为杜氏的“丧事”刚刚办完，就传来了这样可怕的消息。以他的老到，当然知道这消息意味着什么：康家的祖产祖业面临着灭顶之灾！太谷真遭一次兵祸，康家的老宅、商号必然成为被洗劫的重头目标，康家几代人、历几百年所创的家业，就将毁于一旦…… 这样的兵祸，不光在他一生的经历中，就是在祖上的经历中似乎也不曾有过吧。咸丰年间闹太平天国，危急时大清失了半壁江山，都以为战祸将至。外埠字号撤了回来，老宅、老号的家产、商资也做了匿藏准备。结果，是虚惊一场。那次战祸，起于南方，乱在南方，这边慌是慌，毕竟离得远，逃难也能从容准备的。 这一次，兵祸就在家门口，说来就来了，天意就是不叫你逃脱吧？ 去年朝廷有塌天之祸，危情不断，但于太谷祖业终究也只是有惊无险。眼看议和成了定局，怎么兵祸忽然又降临到家门口？ 这分明是上天的报应！ 如果不送走杜氏，就不会有这样的兵祸吧？ 分明是报应…… 康笏南面对突临的兵祸，就一直摆不脱这样的思路。越这样想，他就越感到心灵惊悸，精神也就垮了下来。他把应对危机的重担，那样草率地撂给了三爷，实在也是不知所措了。 这在康笏南，可是前所未有的！ 不论在家族内部，还是在康家外面的商业王国，康笏南一直都是君临一切的。他畏惧过什么！家事商事，就像三爷所深知的：别人就是想插手也很难，他哪里会把主事权轻易丢给你？ 康笏南给失宠的老夫人这样办丧事，也不是第一次。以前，他可没有这样惊悸过。他老谋深算，事情办得一点纰漏都没有。日后就是闹几天鬼，他也根本不在乎。但这一次似乎有些不同。治丧期间，好像人人都动了真情，为杜氏悲伤，却不大理会他，仿佛他们已经看穿了一切。所以在未知兵祸临头前，他已有些心神不定，恍惚莫名。 老夏和老亭一再说：没有一点纰漏，谁也不会知道真相。他不相信这两个人，还能相信谁？也许他自己衰老了吧？人一老，心肠就软了，疑心也多了？ 或者，他真应该受一次报应？ 时局一天比一天可怕，康笏南也一天比一天感到软弱。他自认逃不过报应，也只好预备舍身来承受，但祖业还得留给后辈去张罗。所以，他不敢再拖延，决定向三爷交待后事。 对老三，他依然不够满意，可还能再托靠谁？ 三爷见到老太爷，大感惊骇：就这么两天，老太爷好像忽然老了多少岁！精神萎靡，举止发痴，人也像整个儿缩小了……他当然不知道父亲内心的惊悸，依然以为父亲是丢不下新逝的杜老夫人。 父亲对杜氏有这一份深情，也难得了。 三爷一到，康老太爷就把所有仆佣打发开，气氛异常。 “父亲大人，你得多保重！”三爷先说。 康笏南无力地说：“我也活够了，不用你们多操心。外间局势如何？” 三爷忙说：“局面已有好转。近日商界、武林与官衙联手，已止住外逃风潮，民心稍定。” “溃军和跟在后头的洋寇呢，也止住了？” “听说岑抚台已派出重兵，到寿阳弹压溃军。退守乐平的大同总兵刘光才，也出来除剿乱兵。” “洋寇呢？洋寇攻到哪了？” “还得不到洋寇的准信，只听说岑抚台在