Chapter 71 Enter the capital together

One day in late December of the 17th year of Chongzhen, Zhang Zilie, who served as an aide to Governor Xingyuan of Yangzhou, returned to Nanjing in light clothes.Huang Zonghui, Huang Zongxi's younger brother, also entered the city with him.They met by chance when they were stopping to worship in front of the Xiaoling Mausoleum.Although Huang Zonghui is not a member of the Fushe and rarely goes outside, he had acquainted with Zhang Zilie when he went to Nanjing to participate in the provincial examination, so once they recognized each other, they walked together as usual.However, when it comes to the purpose of coming here, the two are different.Zhang Zilie had to go back to visit because his mother was seriously ill at home in Jiangxi.This time he made a detour to Nanjing to deliver a letter from Shi Kefa to Mao Xiang, and at the same time, he also wanted to meet up with his long-lost commune friends.As for Huang Zonghui, just like Maoxiang a while ago, he also got the news that the imperial court called the tribute students to go to Beijing to be candidates. He planned to come here to try his luck and see if he could get an official position; Brother who has been half a year.

Right now, it is almost the end of the twilight year, and since this month, the bitter drought that has lasted for more than half a year with red sun and abnormally hot sky has suddenly cooled down.For half a month, the sky became cloudy, the wind howled, and then it snowed heavily.It has been snowing for the past two days, but the bitter cold is even more pressing.Wrapped in windbreakers and hoods, Zhang and Huang each rode a donkey, entered the city from Chaoyang Gate, and walked through the snow all the way. They didn't arrive at Sanshan Street until around noon.All in all, Zhang Zilie hadn't been back since he arrived in Yangzhou at the end of July; as for Huang Zonghui, he had been separated from Nanjing for more than two years.However, when they looked at the scene on the street with a somewhat curious mood, they found that the Nanjing in front of them was quite different from their original imagination.Although it did not have the sublime and majestic envisioned by Huang Zonghui from the backcountry, it also did not have the tension and panic expected by Zhang Zilie when he was on the Huaiyang front line where bad news was frequent and terrified every day.Compared with the past impressions of the two, Nanjing does not seem to have changed much.Undoubtedly, due to the cold weather, the ground and the tile ridges are covered with snow.Pedestrians on the road also looked bloated and dull because of their thick winter clothes.On the Qinhuai River, the blue waves floating with fat fragrance have obviously become shallower, and the number of yachts coming and going has suddenly decreased a lot. However, as the Lantern Festival, which lasted for a month, has begun, the lintels of every household are now decorated with all kinds of decorations. All kinds of colorful lanterns, big and small, judging from the ingenious shapes like beads, birds, beasts, platforms, lotuses, and precious trees, it is not difficult to imagine that when they all shine brightly at night, How wonderful and charming that scene must be.Coupled with the fact that people are rushing in and out of all kinds of shops and corridors to buy new year's goods, this largest city in the south of the Yangtze River still presents a peaceful and festive atmosphere.It seems that Nanjing is indeed Nanjing.This land of golden powder from the Six Dynasties seems to have its own pattern that cannot be changed by any will, a sound dream that cannot be awakened by any incident.If there is any difference, the number of civil and military officials wearing various official uniforms and swaggering through the city has increased significantly.As a result, Zhang Zilie and Huang Zonghui were forced to temporarily rein in the donkeys time and time again when they were greeted by the guard of honor, and they could not resume their journey until the red and purple teams passed by.

Now, they have come to Cai Yisuo's bookstore.Because Zhang Zilie and Cai Yisuo, the owner of the workshop, were old acquaintances, and they had been living here with Wu Yingji before leaving Nanjing, so Zhang Zilie first thought of coming here to see if Wu Yingji was still there, and to inquire about the whereabouts and residence of other community members by the way. nothing changed. "Ah, isn't this Mr. Zhang! Come in, please!" Zhang Zilie heard Cai Yi's surprised voice say when they handed over the donkey to the luggage-carrying team leader and lifted the thick cloth curtain over the door.Just walking in from the bright place, for a moment, he couldn't recognize the owner of the bookstore from the four or five figures sitting in the room.

"When did Mr. Zhang come back? Hey, it's freezing, come in and warm up!" Cai Yisuo's voice continued.Following the words, a short and fat figure came to him, "Then, this gentleman is..." "This is Mr. Huang Taichong's younger brother, Mr. Zewang." Zhang Zilie said as he introduced, while catching a hand stove handed over by the other party.At this time, the round face of the owner of the bookshop who often smiled became clear before his eyes, and then he saw clearly the appearances of the guests who were standing up hesitantly. "Oh, so it's Mr. Zewang! Nice to meet you, nice to meet you!" Cai Yisuo hurriedly greeted him affectionately.

It was only then that Zhang Zilie felt more and more clearly how cold it was outside a while ago.Therefore, when he saluted and sat down afterwards, he forgot to answer. He just put his frozen hands on the copper mesh cover of the hand stove in turn, eagerly feeling the heat from the stove.Afterwards, he handed over the stove to Huang Zonghui who was sitting next to him, took a cup of hot tea from the servant, took a sip, nodded, and said: "Xiaosheng and Mr. Huang just arrived in Liudu today and passed by Baofang. One is to visit father, and the other is to ask whether Mr. Wu Ciwei still lives here?"

"Oh, since Xianggong went to Yangzhou, Wu Xianggong lived in our workshop for more than a month, and then moved away. I heard that he and Yu Danxin are living in the same place now." Cai Yi replied.After a pause, he probably saw Zhang Zilie groaning silently, so he graciously invited and said: "The west wing of our workshop is still vacant since Wu Xianggong moved there. If the two of you don't think it's too simple, please stay in our workshop. how?" Zhang Zilie shook his head: "Thank you for your kindness, let's discuss it later. I just don't know..." He wanted to ask more, but he caught a glimpse of some unfamiliar guests in the room, so he temporarily stopped talking.

The obedient Cai Yisuo immediately understood.He turned around and said to those people: "Everyone, let's talk about that matter today, let's talk about it later, how about it?" The few people looked at each other, and probably knew that in such an occasion, the conversation could no longer continue. After the leader, a middle-aged man with an outside appearance, agreed, they all got up together, said goodbye, and opened the curtain. Filed out. "It turns out that Dad has something to discuss, and Xiaosheng doesn't know, but it's so disturbing!" After the host finished seeing off the guests, he turned around, and Zhang Zilie apologized as usual.

Cai Yisuo waved his hand: "It's okay. He was desperate, so he came to find Xiao Lao's helper. In fact, what kind of thing can Xiao Lao do!" "Oh, I don't know what's going on?" Probably noticing that the middle-aged man who looked like an outsider looked sad and worried, Huang Zonghui couldn't help asking beside him. Cai Yisuo sighed: "Accordingly, this should have been a happy event, but the unforeseen event caused everyone to worry and every family was afraid. This really makes people not know what to say." "What's the matter?"

"It's not about the selection of concubines by the Lord Long Live. It's been a lot calmer now. In the early days, those dignified families in the city, and those who had daughters, seemed to have been mad. They rushed to get married together, for fear of delay. She was carried away by the internal prison with a piece of yellow paper. Some of them had no family at all, and her parents did not go through a matchmaker, so they agreed overnight on their own, and sent them away the next morning. This is nothing more than ridiculous. Smell it There was a widow Yang in the alchemist camp. Her daughter killed herself because she was afraid of entering the palace. The mother also committed suicide on the same day. When this incident spread, every family panicked. Some monks sent their family members to stop him on the street when they saw a young man. , dragged into the family, and married. Li Yuanwai just now has three daughters under his knees. The eldest sister and the second sister have already left the court. Because the youngest one has both good looks and good looks, her parents love her the most. Willing to let it go. Unexpectedly, a few days ago, the inner eunuch found out that she came to the door to sit on the rope, and could not resist, so she had to let him carry it away. These days, her mother cried bitterly all day long because she missed her daughter, and she couldn't eat or drink. Fa'er, asking for help everywhere, wanted to ask someone to clear up and let his daughter back. He didn't know who said that the little old man had entered Qian Dazong's house because of selling books, and today he came to beg the young old man. In fact, the young old man was only one How much does a poor man in the market weigh? There is nowhere to help him!"

Zhang Zilie nodded.When he was still in Yangzhou, he had already learned from the residence newspaper that the emperor had decreed to select ladies from the people to enrich the palace.However, the imperial edict stipulated that the selection should be made in various prefectures and counties in the south of the Yangtze River, and Yangzhou was not affected, so it was fine for him to have seen it at that time.Now, after hearing what Cai Yi said in one breath, I realized that this matter really caused a mess among the people.However, it is not uncommon for similar things to happen frequently in previous dynasties.Because it is a great honor to be selected and become a queen or concubine, but after all, only two or three families are so lucky, and more girls will become ordinary concubines by then. In the deep palace isolated from the world, Live a life of loneliness and desolation.It was this kind of fate that made many people who thought about their daughters shudder, so the above-mentioned ridiculous and pitiful scene was staged.After all, this matter is required by the etiquette system, and it seems difficult to criticize too much.After Zhang Zilie heard this, although he sighed in his heart, he didn't intend to express anything.However, Huang Zonghui who was sitting on the side seemed to be unable to bear it.

"When my younger brother came from Hangzhou," he said, "there was a lot of turmoil along the way, and everyone was talking about this, and said that when the eunuchs arrived in the place, they would act as a tyrant and force the government to visit ladies from house to house. The rich family There are those who hide, and the neighbors should sit together. Some prefectures and counties have troubles because of this, and the shackles are flooding the roads, and the prisons are full. Those internal prisons take the opportunity to extort money and arbitrarily point people to hide. There are women's homes to avoid disaster. In addition to giving away daughters, you have to lose money, and some people go bankrupt because of this. What is the law of the country for such nonsense!" The more he spoke, the higher his voice became, and a blush appeared on his fair face.Apparently this matter had irritated him so much that once it was mentioned, he couldn't help but feel resentful in his heart. Zhang Zilie glanced at him and thought to himself: "This Huang Laosan, don't look at him usually polite, like a girl who likes to blushing, but when he loses his temper, he is exactly the same as his elder brother! It's just that he stays at the feet of the emperor, no more They are in Huangzhupu, so they can talk nonsense freely, um, I have to remind him later!" Thinking of this, he didn't reply, but turned around and started asking Cai Yisuo about Wu Yingji, Huang Zongxi and others The current situation of the club members, as well as the situation of Zhou Biao and Lei Zuo.However, Cai Yi didn't know much. He could only tell that Wu Yingji and others were all in Nanjing, but they seemed to be very busy. Only Huang Zongxi often went to the bookstore to hang around.As for Zhou and Lei, it is said that they are still in prison, that's all.Zhang Zilie saw that he couldn't get any more information, so he turned his head, looked at Huang Zonghui and asked: "Well, shall we say goodbye then?" As he spoke, he put down his teacup, stood up, bowed his hands to the host, and said, "Thank you for the tea from my father, it's getting late, Xiaosheng, don't live here, I'll come to trouble you some other day!" Cai Yisuo quickly said: "Where did Mr. Zhang come from? It's rare for the two Mr.s to take care of him. Why go in a hurry? It's better to stay and have a meal—or, actually, stay in our workshop first, and then go to visit Ling tomorrow." Friends are not too late!" Zhang Zilie shook his head: "Thank you for your kindness. This Mr. Huang came here to visit his elder brother. Xiaosheng must accompany him to find him as soon as possible!" As he spoke, he and Huang Zonghui each put on their trench coats and hoods, then turned and walked towards the door.At this moment, the sound of chaotic footsteps suddenly sounded on the street, as if many people were running, and several voices were shouting: "Look quickly, look quickly, someone is out, someone is about to be out!" The so-called "exiting people" refers to the execution of prisoners.Zhang Zilie was taken aback, and was not sure what was going on, when he saw the door curtain lifted, and the bookstore's clerk—a dazed seventeen-year-old boy, stepped in wrapped in a cloud of cold air.He blushed, opened his sparkling eyes, and shouted excitedly: "Dad, hurry up and look, there's going to be someone out, it's at the intersection!" "Well, who came out?" Cai Yisuo frowned. "I don't know. I heard that I'm a scholar. Anyway, I've violated some law! Hey, if you want to see it, you have to go quickly. The criminals have arrived and surrounded by many people. If you are late, you will not be able to get in!" the guy said anxiously. .He probably wanted to see it very much, but he didn't dare to act without his master's permission, so he just turned sideways, showing that he couldn't wait. If it was an idle prisoner, Zhang Zilie didn't care about it.Hearing that he was a scholar, he couldn't help paying attention, and quickly asked: "What kind of scholar is he, and what's his name?" After a pause, he saw that both the staff and Cai Yisuo shook their heads to express their ignorance, so he turned around and said to Huang Zonghui, "Then, how about we go and have a look?" "Ah, brother, you mean, go and see... see the decapitation?" Huang Zonghui was obviously a little timid. "He said he was a scholar, so you have to take a look, I'm afraid it's..." Zhang Zilie wanted to say, "I don't know if he recognizes him." But because Cai Yi's master and servant were present, he didn't say it. "However, it's getting late now." Huang Zonghui said evasively, "I think it's better to find my elder brother first, and then be the District Office." When he talked about choosing a lady just now, he was still so indignant and fierce, and now he is so timid and timid all of a sudden.When Zhang Zilie saw him, he couldn't help shaking his head secretly: "He said he was going to be a candidate for the ministry! You don't even dare to kill a prisoner. Then you will really become a county magistrate or something, how can you solve the case!" However, they are not on the same page It's inconvenient to force a close relationship, so I have to say: "Since this is the case, please wait here, brother, and return when I go out to have a look." Huang Zonghui didn't make a sound, and seemed unwilling. He saw that Zhang Zilie had already moved, so he followed him hesitantly.When Cai Yi commanded the servants to close the store door and catch up from behind, they were almost at the intersection. At this time, there was still a little time before the execution was three quarters in the afternoon.However, the intersection was already densely packed with onlookers, most of them were street commoners in green clothes and caps, and there were also some gentry and Confucian scholars in square scarves and robes.Their expressions are also different, some are excited, some are panicked, some seem to be indignant, but more generally they appear numb and dazed.Zhang Zilie led Huang Zonghui to squeeze through the crowd for a while, and then found that he couldn't squeeze anymore.He had no choice but to stop, but because he still didn't know who the scholar who was about to be executed was and what crime he had committed, he was quite anxious.Looking around, when he found a tall middle-aged gentleman standing behind him, he turned his body and asked in a low voice: "Sir, do you know who is the criminal today, and why do you want to kill him?" The gentleman had a narrow, goat-like face, with a short, pointed beard hanging from his chin.He squinted at Zhang Zilie, and said in a hoarse voice, "Sir, don't you see the 'crime card' written on it? This madman is so bold, he dared to write a letter to the court, slandering Mr. Ma Ge and Liu Chengyi in every possible way." My lord. Just imagine Ma and Liu who are loyal to the country. Today, we rely on it as a dry city. I also rely on their full support to save Jiangnan. I hate that the madman has the same heart with the rebels and bandits, trying to shake the tree. .So the emperor was very angry, and ordered him to be executed. It can be said to be very satisfying!" "Ah, then, I don't know his name or name?" Since he found out that the Confucian scholar who was about to be killed was guilty of writing a letter to impeach Ma Shiying and Liu Kongzhao, Zhang Zilie immediately thought of Wu Yingji, Huang Zongxi and other community members, and suddenly became nervous. . "Well, I heard his name is He—He, yes, He Guangxian!" He Guangxian, the name Zhang Zilie had never heard of before. "Hey, who is that?" He wondered suspiciously.He finally felt a little relieved when he found out that he was not acquainted with those social friends.However, Huang Zonghui, who was standing beside him, seemed taken aback. "Ah, it's He, He Guangxian?" He turned around and asked. Before Zhang Zilie could answer, the sheep-faced gentleman became sensitive: "That's right, it's this person!" He said with certainty, and at the same time gave Huang Zonghui a sharp look: "Sir, do you know him?" "No, no, Xiaosheng doesn't, I don't recognize it!" Huang Zonghui stammered in denial, and blushed.He immediately lowered his head, turned around, and stopped talking.However, Zhang Zilie could feel that the shoulder next to his was shivering slightly as if afraid of the cold. "Well, so Zewang recognizes this He Guangxian?" Zhang Zilie thought to himself, "I just don't know how their friendship is? I have to ask him carefully later. This He Guangxian dared to stand up as a commoner and wrote a letter of reprimand." Ma and Liu are traitors, you know they are bloody men! It is sad and indignant to not want to end up like this! It seems that Ma and Liu are now doing their best in the court, and they have reached the point of Shunchang's perdition. Then, Ciwei, Taichong and the others are staying in Liudu these days, I'm afraid it will be even more difficult..." Just thinking about it, the people around suddenly "coaxed", commotion, all stretched their necks, and kept looking towards the cross street to the east.Then, a thick and loud voice came from afar: "At three quarters in the afternoon!" This is the time to cut.Although it was not the first time for Zhang Zilie to experience this kind of scene, this situation made him unable to stop his heart from shaking suddenly, and then he tightened up.For a moment he seemed out of breath, and felt his temples throbbing and his head buzzing.Although there were many people standing in front of him, he couldn't see what happened on the execution ground at all, but after Kong Mu read out the indictment aloud, the criminal officer issued the order "beheaded and reported", and finally, The high-raised "Dharma Saber" flashed coldly in mid-air, and his heart suddenly sank to the bottom, realizing that everything was over... "Hey, Mr. Huang, Mr. Huang!" An eager voice sounded beside him, it was Cai Yisuo, the owner of the bookstore. "What Huang Xianggong? His surname is He..." Zhang Zilie thought in a daze, his whole mind was still immersed in the strong shock.Suddenly, he woke up, turned his head quickly, and was surprised to find that Huang Zonghui was standing in a daze, his eyes staring straight ahead, neither moving nor speaking.That delicate and sensitive face was as white as a piece of paper.