Chapter 58 a double spring

Gong Dingzi really did what he said.A few days later, Qian Qianyi got a notice from him, saying that he had agreed with Chen Mingxia that Chen Mingxia would take him to visit Tan Tai, the capital of the Zhenghuang Banner, and ask this powerful Manchu noble official for help. .Gong Dingzi also revealed in particular: Tan Tai's relationship with the regent is extraordinary, and his words carry weight.As long as he promises to come forward, things will be done.Naturally, Qian Qianyi had no objection to this.So on the second day, that is, the third day of the Lunar New Year, he went to meet Chen Mingxia at the designated place according to the time agreed in advance, and then followed the latter to Tan Tai's mansion.

Although the Forbidden City has changed its owner, after all, it is the Spring Festival again, and Beijing, the capital of emperors, has its own ostentation and grandeur that cannot be compared with other places.Not to mention the colorful canopy lights all over the city, the deafening firecrackers, the kites flying all over the sky, the guards of honor of sedan chairs and horses passing by in the streets and alleys, and the novel and strange mantle feathers are enough to make people feel that even in the During the festival celebrated by the whole world, the city of Beijing also has a kind of aloof majesty, a kind of demeanor of a ruler over all places.However, Qian Qianyi is not in the mood to appreciate these things right now.Because although he had known Tan Tai for a long time and had seen him from afar when he was in court, he had never dealt with him before, and it was the first time to visit him.Although Chen Mingxia was leading him, he was still a little apprehensive, not knowing what the outcome would be.

Since the first step of the contract had already handed in the greeting card, when they arrived at Tan Tai's mansion, a middle-aged man with the appearance of a housekeeper was already waiting in front of the door.Seeing Chen and Qian rolling off their horses, the man rushed up to greet him, bowed, and said: "Happy New Year to the two masters! I don't know the two masters will come, but I have lost my way to welcome you. I pray for forgiveness! My master respectfully invites the two masters to meet inside!" "Huh? Your master..." Because Tan Tai didn't follow the official etiquette and came to greet him in person, Chen Mingxia was obviously a little strange, so he couldn't help asking him while walking in.

"Master Qi, my master is having a banquet in the flower hall, so..." After answering half a sentence, he probably noticed that the guest's face was a little strange, and the housekeeper hurriedly put on a smile, "My master drank a lot today, He ordered the young man to invite the two masters to come over and have three drinks together!" Chen Mingxia said "Oh" and didn't say anything more.But Qian Qianyi remembered: just outside the door, he saw a few horses with distinctive saddles resting under the shade of the wall, and there were a few men who looked like servants beside them, forming a pile around there to gamble.At that time, he was a little bit suspicious, but he didn't expect that there would be a guest first. "However, no matter how much the host drinks, as long as he can still see the guests, there is no reason to let the guests go in by themselves!" He thought.However, seeing that the other party was full of people and a very popular noble official, he could only secretly smile bitterly; however, the uneasiness in his heart became more and more intense.

Now, the two are already walking on the corridor leading to the flower hall.Qian Qianyi discovered that this house is not only large in scale, but also quite elegant in architecture.He had been introduced by Chen Mingxia in advance that this was originally the mansion of Zhou Yanru, the chief assistant of the cabinet in the Ming Dynasty.In the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, after Zhou Yanru died for his crime, the house was confiscated.When the Eight Banners army entered Beijing, all real estate was redistributed by the new master as usual.Originally, it was not Tan Tai's turn to live in this house.However, this Lord Dutong has a lot of strength to dare to fight and quarrel, and he didn't see any way to get the house in his hands.For this kind of role, Qian Qianyi's purpose has always been to keep a respectful distance.On the contrary, Chen Mingxia has a unique skill, not only has a very warm relationship with the other party, but it is said that he has also become an irresistible acquaintance.Today, he brought Qian Qianyi to Tan Tai for help, relying on such a relationship...

When the two guests stepped into the flower hall with the sound of zither, pa, flute and drum, what they saw was indeed a noisy carnival scene: several tables and chairs in the room had been moved away for some reason.In the vacant place, a thick blanket was lined up, and the cups, plates, bowls, and lamps were all placed on the blanket.The seven or eight people who arrived first, including the host, sat on the ground next to the tableware.They had indeed drank a lot of wine, their faces were blood red and blue, but they didn't look drunk yet, they just looked excited, their hands and feet were dancing, and they were shaking their bodies rhythmically. While tearing open his throat, he waah waah sang.There are also a few musicians standing beside the screen, tuning strings and pipes to accompany them.Those Manchu women with their hair combed in a bun and wearing flag dresses interspersed between the banquets to wait on them.However, the most eye-catching thing was a large iron pot in the banquet. The lid of the pot had been uncovered, and the aroma with a strong smell of mutton filled the hall. In the pot, there was a steaming pot with a horny head and an untouched body. Dismembered fat sheep!

Upon discovering that Chen and Qian had arrived, Tan Tai, the host who was beating each other with two meat-cutting knives and singing loudly with the guests, blinked and stood up from behind the cup. "Haha," he waved his hand to stop the other people's noise, and then stepped forward with bowed legs to meet Chen Mingxia, and said loudly to Chen Mingxia, "When I heard that your brother was coming, I was going to go out to greet you immediately! But these brothers Everyone said, Lao Chen is a good savage, a good brother! You don’t need those bullshit etiquettes! I thought so, so I sat still!” As he spoke, he had already come to the front, blinking his eyes slyly, breathing out the smell of alcohol , looked at the guest and asked: "Why, won't you be offended, brother?"

"Is it strange?" Chen Mingxia pretended to be taken aback, "Where do you start with this! Youdao is unconventional and only pays attention to the truth, which is the true nature of a good man! My Chen Mingxia admires my brother, and it is this kind of really good man What's more, it's such a lively party, if the elder brother abandons his good friends and goes out to meet us alone, interrupting everyone's excitement, the younger brother will be offended!" So far, many former officials of the Ming Dynasty, including Qian Qianyi, have surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, but they always feel uncomfortable with this group of "heterogeneous" people from outside the customs. Especially can't stand it.But Chen Mingxia was obviously different, he was able to put down his airs and mingle with each other, so he was very popular among the Manchus.It's the same now, as soon as he said these few words, he immediately won the enthusiastic response of the audience:

"Yes, a real man! Well said!" "Chen Guan'er, you are such a barbarian! Good friend!" "Haha, it's better to come early than coincidentally! It's just in time for the whole sheep to be boiled!" "Get in your seat! Quick, quick!" Hearing these affectionate calls, Tan Tai laughed loudly, and grabbed Chen Mingxia's hand: "Come on, come on, your brother can sit here!" As he spoke, he couldn't help but bring Chen Mingxia to his seat, forcefully Pressed and sat down, then greeted Qian Qianyi: "Master Qian, sit down too!"

At this moment, several maids were already preparing.After the host and guest had said auspicious words of congratulations on the New Year to each other, they went forward together and hurriedly set up cups, plates and bowls for Chen and Qian, and according to the custom of the Manchus, first presented him with a bag of gold silk Smoke, followed by greasy milk tea.After being so tense for a while, Tan Tai waved his hand and said, "It's done, you all stand down!" Then, he picked up the big silver jug, filled the two jade cups with wine himself, knelt down on the mat, and The tray was delivered.

Chen Mingxia——and Qian Qianyi, of course, did not expect him to become so solemn all of a sudden, he was taken aback, and hurriedly said "oh, oh" humbly, put down the milk tea, and took it respectfully, on both knees, Lift it to your lips.Before it entered his throat, Qian Qianyi already felt the strong pungent taste of the wine, but when he saw Chen Mingxia tilted his neck and drank it all down, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and forcefully drank the wine one gulp at a time. "Okay, okay! Come again, come again!" "Yes, have another drink!" Several voices coaxed at the same time. However, Qian Qianyi already felt as if he had swallowed a ball of fire, and his chest and abdomen were burning uncomfortably.He opened his eyes wide, exhaled a spicy breath, and at the same time saw that the host had filled up the wine again excitedly, he couldn't help panicking.To be honest, his drinking capacity was originally limited, and the drink just now was because he asked for it. He was afraid of offending his master, so he risked his life to accompany him.Now that the other party has only one cup, and another cup, how do you tell him to parry?Fortunately, Chen Mingxia probably also knew that the situation was not good, so he took the wine in his hands and said boldly: "Everyone, these three glasses of wine are very affectionate! But there is a saying that wild geese can't leave the group, and good wine can't be drunk alone. Now everyone just watches me drink it, it's too meaningless! Why don't you make a wine order, Let's drink together, how about it?" "No way!" Tan Tai waved his big hand, first expressing his objection, "You don't want to run away with this drink today! Besides, you barbarians can't understand the wine, who likes to play with that kind of stuff?" Son!" Chen Mingxia smiled slightly: "It's not the drinking order. The drinking order I'm going to do today is very easy, everyone will know how to keep it, and everyone is happy-what about my order, that is, everyone takes turns to say one thing, it must be different Ordinary, dripping and joyful, even if it is not earth-shattering, it is enough to boast of a lifetime, be called a good man, a miracle, a pleasure, a top-notch thing of a real man! Whoever speaks out, if he wins the house, everyone will say "yes" , let everyone congratulate him with a drink; if he speaks badly, he will be fined to drink a drink himself. What do you think?" It's strange to say that the guests in the seat, who were still full of reluctance just now, seemed to immediately regain their spirits after hearing what he said, and they all applauded. Even Tan Tai stroked his yellow beard full of cheeks, flattened And a smile appeared on his bony face. Seeing this situation, Qian Qianyi wondered secretly.But then it dawned on him: These savage warriors are born to be aggressive and victorious.This fresh method proposed by Chen Mingxia obviously suits their appetite. "Well, it seems that Lao Chen not only understands their temperament, but also is good at dealing with them." He thought admiringly, and couldn't help but gain a little confidence in this entreaty, so he settled down and watched how his companions fiddled with him. Act as. At this time, Chen Mingxia had already put the wine glass on the table, and said loudly: "Then, I will start first, and please forgive me for my bad words. What I said is: In April of the first year of Shunzhi, I will Under the orders of the Son of Heaven, the regent entered the pass to seek thieves, opened the banners, and smashed the bandits on a piece of stone, annihilating more than 800,000 of their elites. , and I have achieved the great cause of unification. Such a military might, such a spirit, in the past, has never been seen before! Ladies and gentlemen, does this count as the true qualities of a hero?" Chen Mingxia first mentioned the crucial battle before Shanhaiguan, obviously after weighing it.Because as a descended official from the former Ming Dynasty, neither the motherland nor himself had anything to boast about. Only the fact that they finally defeated the peasant army, their deadly enemy, with the help of the Qing Dynasty, had something to do with them.Moreover, this is also a "moral" basis for them to ridicule their injustice.So Qian Qianyi couldn't help nodding secretly when he heard this, thinking that this example took into account both sides, which can be said to be quite decent.Sure enough, as expected, since most of the Manchu nobles present here had participated in that battle, they were immediately aroused with a sense of heroism. "Naturally, this is the true qualities of a hero!" "Aha, that battle was really a joy to kill!" "I have never fought against them before, I just know how difficult it is, who knows that once we fight... Bah!" " Well said!" "Good!" There was a roar of applause and boasting from the banquet, so everyone raised their wine together and gulped down their necks. "It's my turn to say it, isn't it?" An impatient voice sounded from the right of Qian Qianyi. It was a tall warrior with a gray braid and thick eyebrows. The eyes were small, and the round, weather-beaten face was burnt red with strong wine.He slapped his face and said loudly: "If you talk about heroes, Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong are all invincible heroes and heroes! I think back then, when we were in Manchuria in Zhenghuangqi, how miserable we were bullied by Ye He and Minggou! How miserable! If there were no two How can we avenge the hatred of generations? How can we eat well, wear warm clothes, and walk in Yanjing with a proud belly like today? The savages are lying at our feet like dogs? Humph, it’s all over now, the vast land in this pass, the number of cattle, sheep, and animals, as well as the countless men and women, are all ours! From now on From now on, our Eight Banners family will have endless blessings and endless money to spend! Haha, how good, how good! Haha, do you think Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong are great heroes, great heroes?" He cited the two founders of the Qing Dynasty, Nurhachi and Huang Taiji, as examples of heroes, which is naturally indisputable.However, this old guy kept calling the subjects of the Ming Dynasty "dogs", and when he talked about the wealth and population of the Central Plains, the ecstasy and boasting of the nouveau riche made Qian Qianyi's ears very harsh and unpleasant. .Therefore, when the rest of the people shouted "Long live" and toasted warmly and solemnly, he felt a sense of shame from the bottom of his heart, feeling dingy and at a loss, until Chen Mingxia warned him He was startled when he saw her gaze, and hurriedly raised his wine glass... Fortunately, soon someone happily accepted the order.It was a royal guard named Barkol, with a fair and handsome face and a muscular neck... "The two late emperors are not only great heroes, but also great sages!" He grabbed the braids hanging down to his chest, threw them back vigorously, and jumped up from the mat with his eyes shining, "Remember Chong Once in the sixth year of Dezhou, our soldiers besieged Jinzhou, and it was about to be captured. Unexpectedly, the Ming army sent reinforcements from the pass. Be good, one guy came with 130,000! Emperor Taizong heard the report and immediately marched in person. At that time, the two armies They each set up their camps outside Songshan City. Before the battle, the emperor smiled and said to his ministers: "I'm afraid that the enemy will run away overnight if they find out that I'm coming. Otherwise, I will teach you to fight one of them." Such a great victory! It’s like a hunting dog chasing a rabbit, bending over to pick up sand, no effort at all!’ After finishing speaking, the emperor pointed west with his whip, and said with a smile: ‘When this battle is over , Next, I, the Qing Dynasty, should go to the customs to sit in the country and be the master!' At that time, I was listening below, and I was a little confused and didn't understand. Later, the battle was fought very happily! Thirteen The Wanming army was surrounded by us, fighting from the front! Fighting from the back! Fighting from the left! Fighting from the right! They even went inside to fight! They were beaten so badly that they cried for their fathers and mothers. Tashan was chased and beaten by our soldiers from behind, and they all fled into the sea, and I don’t know how many people drowned! Hey, in short, that battle seemed to be blessed by God, and the victory was amazing! Later, it passed After a little more than two years, our Qing Dynasty really entered the customs and came to sit in the country! Ladies and gentlemen, if Emperor Taizong is not a saint, how can he know the past and the future, what will happen, and what will happen!" This Barkol was Emperor Taizong's imperial bodyguard, and he served as an escort during the Battle of Songshan.What he said is naturally reliable.Therefore, in addition to being pleasantly surprised and proud, everyone felt a feeling of infinite reverence, and everyone's eyes were the same as Barkol's, emitting a strange light. However, Qian Qianyi, who was listening blankly, still couldn't get rid of the previous feeling of despair.And the more cheerfully and energetically these former opponents spoke, the stronger this feeling became.In addition, he didn't eat anything when he got up in the morning, and now he was drinking on an empty stomach, so the power of the alcohol dissipated very quickly.Therefore, although he tried his best to put on a smile and shouted "Long live!" with everyone again, his unruly thoughts stubbornly flashed back to the horrible scene of the Ten Days in Yangzhou, and flashed the memory of being forced to shave his hair to change his life. The obedient and emotional Nanjing gentry flashed Liu Rushi's angry face... "Hey, Elder Mu, it's your turn!" A familiar voice came faintly in the midst of the chaos. Qian Qianyi raised his head bluntly, and found that Chen Mingxia's usually piercing eyes were staring at him sharply.He was slightly taken aback, looked around suspiciously, and only then did he somewhat realize that the drinking order had already come down to him, and everyone was waiting for him to utter bold and sensational words. "Big words...huh, it's all come to this point, what else is there to say? What else is there to say?" He thought dejectedly and with a wry smile. In the process, everything in front of him, including Chen Mingxia, Tan Tai and others, became so distant and illusory. Only he—Qian himself was real, and only the great grievances, frustrations and grievances that filled his heart were real. real.These days, he has been faking, covering up, and suppressing all the time, it's really uncomfortable!Why do you want to do that?Why not let off steam, even just a little bit?Such a thought, under the influence of alcohol, became more and more active and intense, so that in the end, he couldn't help covering his face with his sleeve and weeping. This time, it was obviously a big surprise.The flower hall, which was still noisy just now, suddenly became silent.Indeed, not to mention that it is the New Year's Eve right now, and it is customary to pay attention to auspiciousness, it is extremely disrespectful for Qian Qianyi to cry just now when everyone is happily talking about Emperor Taizong's meritorious deeds. Extremely ominous.Therefore, even the shrewd Chen Mingxia was startled by him, and his long round face, which was already blushing, couldn't help but change color. "Well, what's going on here?" Tan Tai finally asked, his voice was cold, and his anger was obviously hidden. Qian Qianyi was still groggy at first, however, the surrounding atmosphere finally made him startled for a moment, he raised his head, and at the same time realized that he had caused a catastrophe, he was so frightened that he was half sober from the wine.He quickly stopped crying, but he didn't know what to do. As a result, he could only sit in a daze in panic. "What's going on?" Tan Tai asked again, his voice became sharper. "Oh, I got it!" Before Qian Qianyi could respond, Chen Mingxia had already stepped in from the sidelines, "Lord Qian must have listened to us just now praising the great achievements of Emperor Taizong, and admired and admired him, because he knows me When the Qing Dynasty ruled China, it was a matter of obedience to the heavens and the people, and the imperial foundation would be eternal, with endless enjoyment. All my subjects should do their best to serve with loyalty and dedication. Only Mr. Qian had to do so because of old age and illness. And begging for support. Thinking of the greatness of the emperor's grace, I couldn't turn my back on it. So I had mixed feelings, and I was so sad that I burst into tears——Well, Mr. Qian, it's not bad for the next official to speculate like this, right?" Qian Qianyi was dumbfounded at first, but then his heart moved, and he suddenly came to his senses, so he quickly nodded and said with a sob: "I am a sinner, fortunately, I have been graciously pardoned, and I am reassigned to a prominent position. Although I am heartbroken, it is not enough to repay you." The only thing is that he is old and fatuous, unable to do what he wants, and he is often afraid of harming his family and country, so..." As he spoke, he burst into tears. The eagerness and wit of the two accomplices' joint explanation and performance really had a great effect.I saw that although Tan Tai was still frowning, he stopped questioning him.The rest were visibly relieved too. "Well, it turns out that Lord Qian planned to resign from office and return home?" Tan Tai asked flatly. "I do." Chen Mingxia hurriedly climbed up the pole, and then sighed again, "Speaking of which, Lao Qian is really pitiful. He is already in his sixties this year, and his body has always been weak, and recently he has become dizzy The disease of vertigo, the mind is often dizzy, can only lie down, and can't do anything. Besides, his life is not good, and he is destined to have a small population. He only had a son at the age of 10, but he was born with a weak and sickly body, and his temperament was stubborn, so that Lao Qian worked hard for him, but he could not change it. What's more, his wife and concubines were always at odds with each other, and they fought endlessly all day long. The small ones made noise by throwing plates and bowls, while the big ones beat with fists and sticks. If the old money was at home, he could manage it anyway, but he was far away in Beijing as he is now, but he was out of reach! As a result, he was here, thinking But he wondered what the troubles at home were going to be like. Alas, other people can be human beings, but it is rare for him to do it so hard!" Chen Mingxia's three-inch tongue is really powerful.Yes, the so-called dizziness is actually non-existent, but as long as Qian Qianyi insists on it, it is difficult for others to verify the truth; Exaggerated, Qian Qianyi became extremely pitiful, almost the most unfortunate man in the world.Sure enough, the group of Jiujiu warriors immediately became sympathetic when they heard this, whispered to each other, and let out bursts of sighs of surprise. "In that case," Tan Tai said, his tone obviously softened, "then take leave and go back, and take care of it!" "Old Qian himself also has this intention, but he is afraid that the imperial court will not grant permission..." "What's wrong!" Tan Tai waved his hand resolutely, "Since this is the truth, then go back first, take care of the housework, take care of your body, and it's not too late to return to serve the court! That's fine, no need to say any more , this matter, I count it as my old Tan's responsibility!" After finishing speaking, he turned around and greeted those musicians loudly: "Hey, why did they all stop? Play for me quickly!" Then, he turned his face to everyone and patted the seats: "Don't drink too much! Come on, let’s do it right away—separate the sheep!”