Chapter 60 full of sincerity

In the first month after coming to Beijing, Huang Zongxi spent it in a state of extreme excitement, busyness and anticipation. Although fifteen years ago—when he was a seventeen-year-old boy, he had come to Beijing once for Shen Xue’s father’s unjust case, the impression of this city in his mind was so fragmentary and vague afterwards. Apart from the majestic Forbidden City, the Yamen of the Ministry of Justice, and the weird courtyards, there seems to be only camels staggering leisurely on the street, and sweet and sour candied haws.However, this time it was completely different.From the day he entered Beijing, he immediately felt the extraordinary layout and grandeur of the largest city in the country—the political and economic center, its aura of dominance.Especially after the malaria passed and he started to walk around, this feeling was even stronger.

Yes, the supreme emperor lives here, who possesses the daunting power of life and death, gathers the best people from all over the country, and can learn important news about the current situation as quickly as possible, and accurately grasp the decisions made by the court. pulse; naturally, there is also the greatest opportunity to realize one's own propositions and ideals... It is all of these that strongly moved Huang Zongxi's heart, making him attracted and conquered uncontrollably, and fell into a kind of intoxicated, ecstatic, and forgetful state of mind. state. Since the fall of Songshan in March and the aftershocks of Hong Chengchou's surrender to the enemy have gradually passed, since then, the Qing soldiers outside the pass have not seen any further actions; and the peasant army in the south seems to have always been contained in the Henan and Huguang areas. It poses a threat to the capital, so in recent months, the situation in Beijing has remained relatively calm for the time being.Accompanied by Fang Yizhi, Lu Fu, Huang Chongjian and other friends, Huang Zongxi paid homage to the Forbidden City, visited famous and lively places such as Qipan Street, East and West Archway, Chenghuang Temple, Dengshikou, etc.; Prime Minister's Temple, Shoushan Academy and other places of interest; I also went to the city wall, standing among giant iron cannons and piles of ash bottles and rolling logs, and asked the generals guarding the city in detail about the Qing army's three invasions and approaching in the past. The battle situation in Gyeonggi.However, during this period, he was more busy and frequent, visiting some seniors and friends who were officials in Beijing, asking them for news, exchanging opinions on the current situation, and unexpectedly becoming an "optimist", often Surprise everyone with his warm words and high spirits.

"Everyone," he said more than once, "when my younger brother was in the south of the Yangtze River, I heard about the various situations in Beijing. There were many people shaking their heads and sighing, but few cheered and cheered. After listening to it, I also thought that state affairs should not be done. Hey! However, this time I came to the north, I knew what I had heard in the past, and it was exaggerated. It is true that the country is in dire straits, and it is extremely difficult now! But it is not hopeless. The most important thing is that the sky is smart and sensitive today, and it is hard to work hard at night and night. Ambition, the more difficult it is to become stronger, this is the first; the gentleman in the court is benevolent, fully supports, outspokenly seeks the country, and the righteousness has not fallen, this is the second; moreover, the 300-year-old benevolence of my dynasty is in the people, and the heart of gratitude for repayment is everywhere. It can be seen. For example, when Hong Hengjiu surrendered to Jianlu in the past, when the news came, the people in Beijing were so angry that they did not wait for orders, so they demolished their sacrificial shed overnight; This is the spirit of the people! Destroying the bandits and captives depends on this, and the prosperity of the family and the country depends on this! Brother, I know that there is still hope for Ming Dynasty!"

Of course, Huang Zongxi’s arguments didn’t just stop there. He often pointed out the current political, economic, military and even cultural and educational shortcomings, and excitedly and confidently put forward a series of reform proposals: first, second , Third... However, when he said this, most people's reactions were relatively indifferent, or they curled their beards and smiled, or remained silent, or simply shook their heads to express their disapproval, but very few people agreed and supported him .Seeing this situation, Huang Zongxi was a little surprised and disappointed. "Well, maybe I can't speak, they didn't understand me. Indeed, these propositions of mine are by no means clear in a few words!" He thought, so he regained his confidence and started to work on his letter The first draft was re-modified and supplemented to make it as clear and complete as possible, practical, and ready to be submitted as soon as possible for the imperial court to consider and adopt.

Of course, during this period of time, Huang Zongxi continued to hear various news about the current situation and the court.For example, he heard that recently the emperor saw that the country's affairs were getting worse and worse, and he was very worried. He became more and more superstitious about gods and Buddhas. Play tricks.Several speech officials once went to the court to remonstrate, thinking that it was not the way to govern the country, but the emperor just refused to listen.Another example, Huang Zongxi also heard that the assistant minister He Fengsheng had recently been approved to retire from old age and return to his hometown.In the few days before he left, every time he saw the emperor, he would cry and kowtow.Ask him why he is like this, and he refuses to say.Everyone felt very strange.For another example, I also heard that the emperor had listened to someone's slander recently, thinking that there was a practice of favoritism and cheating in the selection of cabinet ministers this time.Now these six people have been exiled and dismissed from office. Even Hui Shiyang, the servant of the Ministry of punishment, was convicted of lax law enforcement and was dismissed.Of course, there are other news, such as the emperor's favorite concubine Tian is getting sicker, Ma Shiying has been appointed as the governor of Fengyang, and all the troops dispatched by the imperial court to rescue Kaifeng have gathered in Zhuxian Town. What's up, and so on.Regarding these events and news, Huang Zongxi also expressed some outspoken views as usual.However, since he was concentrating on revising the letter stating his political views, he didn't want to be distracted from exploring such insignificant news.

In this way, until July.One morning, Huang Zongxi was writing a letter to his friend Lu Fu in Fang Yizhi's apartment outside Xuanwu Gate, intending to tell him that he did not plan to move to live in Wanfuma's North Lake Garden for the time being.Although Lu Fu has mentioned this matter many times, Huang Zongxi considered it this way: Beihu Garden is located at the far west end of the city, where it is indeed relatively quiet, and it is suitable for concentrating on studying and taking exams; but it is too far away from the center of the city, so there is not much news Lingtong, it is not easy to find someone to discuss anything.However, Huang Zongxi is currently revising the letter to the court, but he must keep abreast of the latest trends in the current situation, and ask relevant people for advice from time to time.After thinking twice, he still decided to decline Lu Fu's invitation.

In the end, however, he could not finish writing the letter.Because Xu Shiqi, the left servant of the Ministry of Punishment, suddenly sent an envoy to deliver a message, asking Huang Zongxi to go to him immediately.Xu Shiqi was a disciple of Huang Zongxi's father.During the Tianqi period, Huang Zunsu was arrested and imprisoned for offending Wei Zhongxian.At that time, Xu Shiqi was the head of the Ministry of Construction and Repairs. He tried his best to rescue him, but he was also implicated and dismissed from office.It was not until Wei Zhongxian collapsed that he was re-appointed.He had worked in Nanjing for many years, cared for the Huang family very much, and insisted on treating Huang Zongxi, who was 32 years younger than him, as a little brother.For this reason, Huang Zongxi always visited him when he was in Nanjing.This trip to Beijing is no exception.However, Xu Shiqi's temper is a bit weird, with a steel-blue square face, he rarely smiles, and sometimes he sits face to face with guests, without saying a word for a long time, and it's hard to tell what he's thinking.So Huang Zongxi didn't bother him easily.Now when he suddenly heard the summons, Huang Zongxi didn't dare to be negligent, he quickly put down his pen, changed his clothes, followed the messenger from the Ministry of Punishment, got on his horse, and went to the experts of Xuanwumen.

It's approaching autumn, and the weather is neither hot nor cold. Looking up, the sky is clear and the sun is shining brightly.This area is where middle and lower officials live together. There are courtyards one after another. The gates are all opened at the southeast corner, and there are carved screen walls inside the gates.Although the house is not very magnificent, it is still relatively tidy.This area is also a famous flower market, especially in Shangxie Street and Xiaxie Street. There are quite a few residents who make a living by planting flowers and trees and selling them all year round.Now through the bamboo fence, you can see rows of neatly arranged flowerpots and nurseries filled with all kinds of seasonal flowers and trees.Among them are okra with six yellow petals and flowers as big as a bowl, small and exquisite marigolds with reddish-purple spots on the yellow petals, blue, purple and red blue chrysanthemums, delicate and lovely magnolias, and The vermilion, vigorous herb phlox, begonias, cockscombs, and other unnamed flowers and trees are quietly blooming under the autumn sun.A few small white butterflies are flying up and down around the flowers.From time to time, you can see an old gardener, or a woman with a child busy among the flowers, and when they hear the sound of horseshoes, they straighten up in a hurry...

"The cool pot turns a thousand clusters of beauty, and the early sun reflects a hedge of autumn!" Huang Zongxi happily looked at the scenery beside the street, and these two poems came out of his heart.Then he thought again: "Ah, such a colorful autumn, such a peaceful and leisurely time, how can I imagine that it can be destroyed by the rogues and Jianlu!" So he thought of his letter again, " I have to modify it as soon as possible, no matter what, I have to give it a try! Maybe the emperor will really accept it?" He thought to himself, he became excited again, tightened the reins, accelerated, and moved forward.