Chapter 10 The seventh round of promotion of excellent and poor students

Why do you ask Gu Yan not to accompany him?Because just now Chen Gui pulled off his wig braid, fortunately the straw hat was tied on his forehead, and he never sang "Meng Jia's Hat Off", but how can his fake braid be fixed in such a hurry?So he took off the hat and installed it by himself, but the more anxious he became, the more unstable he became, Wen Lu came over and tied it up for him, put on the hat, and then went to the flower hall with him.Because the two of them were foreign students sent by him, Zhuang Gongbao thought he was very happy to return to China after finishing his studies, so he gave him special preferential treatment, and he greeted them out of the flower hall.Yang and Gu lowered their heads and did not dare to look up. Wen Lu led them into the flower hall, and Gong Bao also followed.The two of them knelt down on the carpet to attend the court ceremony, and Zhuang Gongbao bent over and gave him a hand, which was extra face.Because this old Gongbao was a veteran of the three dynasties and an important minister of the state, no one in the governor's team dared to resist him.When Si Dao paid homage to him, he just bowed down, and as for Fu Tongzhou County, he just bowed his hands.Today, when he was so humble to Yang Gu, the Ghosh patrol next to him was secretly surprised when he saw him.The two stood up, Kung Pao pointed them to the two chairs on the coffee table, and told them to sit down, but he sat on the warm pavilion and asked with a smile on his face, "How many years have you two studied in Japan? When did you return?" country?" Yang Xiu respectfully replied: "Students Yang Xiu and Gu Yan were sent abroad together by Gongbao six years ago when they served in the Lianghu government. Now it has been five years. They graduated in April this year and returned to China in May. Visiting relatives at home, I didn't dare to delay, so I hurried to Nanjing to pay respects to the Gong Bao, and thanked the cultivation." Zhuang Gongbao was really happy when he heard his clear and tactful reply, and encouraged him: "You two should return to China after you have completed your studies. Royal family, don't be fooled by heresy. I and Xiang Gongbao all love you, have you ever gone to Beiyang?" Yang Xiu replied again: "Haven't been there yet, I have to ask Gongbao for advice before I dare to go." Zhuang Gongbao said: "Since you have met me, you don't need to come again, you can go to Tianjin immediately to see Xiang Gongbao. How should you recommend? We will make a compromise between the two of us, and he will be the drafter. When the decree comes down, I will use your advice. Go to the local area and call to invite." Yang Xiudao: "The students were originally cultivated by Kung Pao, and they are still willing to serve Kung Pao. Moreover, Kung Pao is a famous Confucianist and great sage in our country. We are a role model for pursuing morality and cultivation." These few words made Zhuang Gongbao very happy, so he twisted his beard and smiled and said, "You can teach children. You just go to Tianjin first, and the days of gathering together will be very long in the future." Turning his face around, he called Leopard.I saw a young officer, with red lips and white face, very beautiful, wearing a short military uniform, carrying a knife, a three-pin bright blue cap, and a flower feather, walking up to the palace guard, beating thousands with one leg, Please show me Gongbao.Zhuang Gongbao said: "You need two hundred foreign bills at the cashier, one hundred ones, get them quickly." The officer responded and wiped his head away.In less than three minutes, the money was already received, so it was time to submit it to Gongbao, who ordered to send it to the two young masters, Yang and Gu, as a fee for going to Tianjin.The two dared not accept it, and they dared not refuse, the officer said in a low voice: "The Gongbao rewards money, and the rule is that you are not allowed to resign, so you can accept it." He got up and went to Tianjin, so he said goodbye, and kowtowed again.Zhuang Gongbao didn't bend over to help this time, but nodded with a smile, and just said nothing.Qin Wenlu led the two of them out to the official hall. They hurriedly took off their official clothes and changed into casual clothes. Their robes were already drenched with sweat.Wen Lu congratulated the two of them, and said, "Gong Bao is really giving special treatment today. You two can be called high-ranking officials." The two counted the tickets, and they were all eighty, and asked Wen Lu why. , Wen Lu laughed and said: "You two have just entered the officialdom, how do you know the secrets of this? As usual, the palace guard rewards people, and they are Gesh. They have to draw and share it with the accountant. You draw 28, This is the example of assisting the palace to protect the folks, and it is the lightest. If it follows the example of rewarding subordinates, it will be folded in half." After hearing this, the two of them suddenly realized.Each person proposed another 20 yuan to give to Wen Lu, but Wen Lu was not polite, so he accepted it.They just went back to the store together, Mrs. Zhao greeted them and asked about the situation, naturally very happy.

After dinner, the Shangyuan County Office sent a person with a letter of recommendation.Gu Yan took it apart and read it, and what was written on it was: Chen Guiniu's nature is hard to change, and he is not fit for the job of the leader.My younger brother will deport him back to his hometown tomorrow, and today I will recommend my younger brother's personal servant, Gao Sheng, to my brother. This man has been a squad leader for many years, agile and pleasant, mature and reliable, and skilled in official etiquette.With him by my brother's side, he will be able to direct Ruyi and so on.Gu Yan looked at Gao Sheng, sure enough there was a shrewd look on his face.Ask him a few more words, he will open his mouth, master, and shut his mouth, master, and the answers are all soft and pleasant.Gu Yan was overjoyed, so he wrote a reply letter to thank him again and again, and kept Gao Sheng's servant.Gao Sheng immediately stood with his hands down, showing the attitude of a long shift, and said to Gu Yan: "If you go back to the master, please take two o'clock off to pack your luggage, so that you can wait for the master to go out tomorrow." Gu Yan happily agreed to his request. It was false, and another four yuan was rewarded to tell him to prepare to settle down.Gao Sheng thanked him, and tiptoed out of the house without even moving the door curtain. He was really used to serving people, and took Gu Yan's reply to Shangyuan County Office to see Chen Li.

It turned out that Chen Li had been going back to the Yamen after seeing Gong Bao, and first went to the signing room to order someone to bring the prisoner Chen Gui into the room. I have something to ask him.Going out with someone, he took Chen Gui into the signing room in a short time. Chen Li waved his hand and handed over the money to him, then stood up, asked Chen Gui to sit down, and asked with a smile, "Your name is Chen Gui." He, does the number belong to Li Qing?" Chen Guijian asked, tears welled up in his eyes, and he said, "Yes, yes, I am Chen Guihe, I think you are also very hot, but I just can't think about it for a while. Get up." Chen Li said: "Brother, why are you so cold? We two are from the Yuanzhi family, and we studied together for a year. I was eighteen years old and you were only seven years old, so I went to my family's special library to study. After I went to school, I went to Wuchang to go to the township test. After that, I would go to the provincial government and not go home easily, so it is not common. Or I will go home to worship the ancestors after passing the Jinshi. You met once, and you were nineteen years old at that time. I asked you if you had ever entered school, and you said that you failed an exam once, and it was only ten years ago, how did you end up like this?" Guihe asked , Yifa cried, and said: "A few years ago, both parents died, and there were floods and droughts. All the fields at home were sold out, and I had no other skills, so I had to teach private schools to earn a living. One wife and one son even had three mouths for themselves. Not enough to eat, not to wear warm clothes, and suffering all the year round. The Gu family owed my father eight hundred taels of silver that day, and all Gu Yan’s fawning over his studies was all my family’s money, because his father and my father were brothers and did not distinguish between each other. My father took care of him. Strider is smart and promising, so I lent him money to study and seek fame. Later, when my father died, his family refused to recognize the debt because he borrowed money and never created a calligraphy. I was honest and dared not ask for it, so I had to beg Instead, he borrowed money from his family. Sometimes Mr. Gu borrowed a lot of money, and even asked me to make a written statement. This year, when Gu Yan came back from graduation, I went to congratulate him. When I heard that he was going to be an official, I begged him to take me. Come out, in the future, being a teacher is better than teaching a private school. He still refused, but later his father said, asking me to be his class leader. Even though he is a subordinate, it is still better than starving, so I let him come out. I kept women and children at my husband's house. I didn't expect him to be an official, and his temper was bigger than the gods. He beat and scolded all the way. Let me go in a fit of anger, and I don't have to ask for money; bear it, but I can't bear it anymore .I met my eldest brother by accident today. This is because our family is virtuous. I shouldn’t be starving in a foreign country. I beg my elder brother to give me a few taels of silver to pay me so I can go home. I will starve to death and never go out.” Weeping loudly on the ground.Chen Li felt sorry for him when he heard this, so he quickly pulled him up and said, "You don't have to be sad, brother, I have my own way. Now you have two nieces and a niece, all of them are around ten years old. I would like to invite one The gentleman from my hometown, one can understand the language, and the children are easy to understand; the other is that I am getting bored, and talking to each other about hometown affairs can also break my loneliness. My brother came just in time, let’s teach in my yamen, I will teach every day I will give you ten taels of silver every month, and it will be doubled in three quarters. If you can become a teacher, you can bring your sister-in-law and nephew here in the future. Isn’t it better to be at home? As for Xiao Gu, I have my own way to deal with him.” Guihe heard this He said, as if he was lifted from the eighteenth level of hell to the thirty-third level of Daluo Heaven, it was an unexpected blessing, and he stopped crying immediately.Chen Li asked someone to take him to take a bath, shave his head, change clothes, and went to the upper room with him to meet his sister-in-law.On the one hand, he sent Gao Sheng to meet Gu Yan with his letter, and told Gao Sheng that if he asks Chen Gui, you can just say that you have been deported, and you don't need to tell him anything else.From then on, Chen Guihe changed from a slave who was out of time to an old master in the Jiaokuoguan. It can be seen that people in the world are ups and downs, good and bad are unpredictable, and tiles and bricks have their day of turning around.

There are few gossips, but it is said that Yang and Gu came back from the supervisory office and came to Tianjin after a day's rest. They met with Jin Caozhang and each described the situation after their farewell.Jin Guoan sighed and said, "Unfortunately, Brother Boyuan, he went to France again. Six people returned to China, and now there are only five left." Yang Gu hurriedly asked the reason, and Guoan explained them one by one, and Yang Xiu also sighed. .But Gu Yan said: "Bo Yuan's failure to come may not be due to our good fortune. Please think about it, you guys, he took the word revolution as a real thing to do, and if he encounters a nail in the future, you and I will have to do it too." A little implicated. Since he doesn't come now, we can get freedom and avoid many worries. Isn't that a great thing?" Both Cao and Zhang applauded and said, "Zhongmian's words are very thorough. Yes." Jin Yang also nodded in agreement, and Guoan led the two of them to see Youyi again, and Youyi said: "The four of them are all here, so hurry up and report to the courtyard, so that you can wait for Gong Bao to hear you, and you can't do it any more." It's late." The next day, the five of them went to the court together, and Guoan was still holding Youyi's film.The head of the patrol room was Wu Degui, and he was very nervous when he saw the film of Jin Daotai.Wu Degui will definitely not accept the five people presenting him at the door. He said that a word from Mr. Jin is worth a thousand pieces of gold, so how dare we ask for money.Later, in a hurry, Degui handed over all the money to Guoan and said, "Please take it back, young master. I will not dare to receive it until I see you tomorrow."Wu Degui said: "This palace guard has no temper. No matter who comes, as long as he asks for an interview, he has to go up and answer. If he doesn't like to see, you are Zhongtang Shangshu, and you can't resist him; if he is happy to see, He is not afraid of teenage pupils, he also invites in for a chat. And he does not stick to official etiquette, let alone official clothes. The five of you were originally students, but today you come in official clothes. You don’t have to. If you wear straw hats, He is still dressed as a student, and he is very happy to see it." Guoan smiled at Yang and Gu and said, "What am I talking about, my father sees him every day, and I don't know his temper. You two must wear official uniforms, so we have no choice but to Then, isn’t it for nothing?” Yang Xiu laughed and said, “We were frightened by Gongbao Zhuang, thinking that this Gongbao must be the same.” Zhang Jingzong said, “According to my younger brother, let’s go back today. Change your clothes and come back tomorrow, and see if you look good.” Everyone agreed, Jin Caozhang went home, and Yang Gu went back to the inn.On the second day, they all changed into their school uniforms, and they were still gathered at Jin's family, and they came to the Superintendent's Office together.It didn't take much time to take the notebook, so I called out please and met me in the foreign flower hall.After turning around and walking through three or four floors of courtyards, I came to the Western Flower Hall.

It turned out that the foreign flower hall was built in the style of a hexagonal pavilion, resplendent and magnificent, with glass on all six sides, and windows separated by iron gauze inside the glass.Outside the door of the flower hall is a bright red soft curtain hanging high, but what blocks the door is a very thin curtain of shrimp whiskers.Standing outside the door curtain were four Ghosh, all wearing white cloth military uniforms, small straw hats, and carrying sabers. Their demeanor and appearance were all very elegant, like students and not warriors.Seeing that the five of him had attracted them, they all paid attention to them, looked them up and down carefully, then lifted the curtain, and said loudly: "Young Master Jin, five people are here." There is a large round table with more than a dozen small foreign-style chairs, and a soft bed with floral velvet tires is placed there.Sitting on the soft bed was a person, apparently in his forties, with a black swallowtail beard, red face, wearing a shrimp gray woolen coat, but wearing a pair of big black crystal glasses.Seeing the five of them coming in, they stood up slowly and took off their sunglasses. The five of them met his eyes and felt a strange light in his eyes. These five people's eyes were hit head-on. The Bodhisattva who studied in the field lowered his eyebrows, and no one dared to look up at him anymore.Just when I was about to kneel down and salute, I heard him say: "Don't do the official ceremony, just bow." The five bowed deeply.He took the notebooks of five people, asked them their names next to each other, and then told them to sit down around the round table.I also sat in a chair to accompany him, and said to everyone with a pleasant face: "You five are studying abroad and studying thousands of miles. They are all people with lofty ideals. This time, the special telegram invitation of the headquarters, I actually accept that you five will not give up. Gathering together, the joy in my heart is really indescribable. When I, Beiyang, was looking for talents, the five of you came just in time. I will specially recommend you tomorrow, and I will be able to fulfill the order in about half a month. The five of you Stay in Tianjin and wait for a while, if it is inconvenient to live outside, you can move to live in my yamen." All five thanked them, saying that it is convenient to live outside, and they dare not come to Gongbao yamen to disturb them.He asked them about the subjects they were studying, then raised the teacup, and shouted to see off the guests.All five stood up and exited the flower hall respectfully.Xiang Gongbao sent him to the entrance of the flower hall, and the five people stood there standing with their hands down, Gong Bao nodded to them, and then retreated into the flower hall.The five people still came out with Wu Degui, and sat in the patrol room for a while. Guoan asked Wu Degui, "Why does this palace guard wear woolen clothes in July? Doesn't he think it's too hot?" Wu Degui said, "You don't know something , this Kung Pao's physique is inherently different from other people's. Even in the hot weather, he has to wear woolen trousers and jackets close to his body. No sweat, he is about to fall ill at this very moment. According to a superstition, this Kung Pao probably came from Longgong Haizang, so he can’t live without water for a moment.” This sentence made the five of them laugh.But I heard a shout from outside, saying that Duan Xun is coming.Wu Degui ran out in a hurry, and said to the five people, "I won't accompany you, I won't accompany you." The five people also took advantage of the momentum to say goodbye and walked out, just to have a face-to-face meeting with Duan Guan.I saw that the observer was very young, but only in his twenties, with long eyebrows and fine eyes, a face like a powder, and wearing a very gorgeous official uniform.The two long classes behind followed, staggering and walking straight in.Seeing five of them, they passed by without even paying attention.The five people came out, took two carriages, and all came to the Jin mansion.Youyi greeted them and asked about everything. He was very happy and asked the four of them to have dinner together.During the dinner, Cao Yulin talked a lot, asking this young Duan Guan, who is he, and why is he so arrogant.Youyi replied solemnly: "Don't underestimate this Duan Gong, he is the first celebrity in front of Gong Bao seat. It's a long story, his uncle used to serve Gong Bao as a sentinel of the guards Officer. At that time, Gongbao was training soldiers, and he treated his generals like father and son. The Duan sentry officer had no son, so he went home and told his brother that he wanted to inherit a child. His brother had three sons. Because of the poverty of the family, the two older ones were hired to do long-term work, and the younger one was also hired to shepherd sheep. Now that the brother came back as an official and wanted to adopt a son, he naturally agreed, and it was all right. He called all three sons back. Come home, ask his brothers to choose at will, and call whichever one he likes to follow. Among his three sons, the eldest is called a horse, the second is called a cow, and the third is called a sheep. When Duan sentry saw it, he took a fancy to the sheep. He was only fifteen years old that year. Although he was a farm boy, he was born with delicate features and extraordinary appearance. At that time, the sheep kowtowed to his uncle and called the word "father" loudly. Officer Duan was so happy that he took the sheep with him. To the barracks. It should be said that he is a lucky man. He was seen by Gong Bao by chance and asked him his surname and where he lived. Promising. Officer Duan took advantage of the situation to flatter him, saying that since the commander-in-chief liked him, let him serve the commander-in-chief. Kung Pao agreed, and since then he has been a tea boy by Kung Pao's side, serving tea and meals in the morning and evening, very attentive Kung Pao wanted to praise him, saying that serving people was useless, so he sent him to the Armed Forces Academy to study. His homework was very good, and after graduation, he was asked to enter Jiangbian Academy. Later, after graduating from Jiangbian Academy, Kung Pao had already achieved The governor of Shandong Province transferred him to Shandong, and donated his own money as a substitute magistrate for him. Within two years, he was guaranteed to be the prefect of Banzhi. When Gong Bao arrived in Beiyang, he was transferred to Zhili again. Last year, even with donations and guarantees, he actually passed the class and became a member of the supervisory department. A kid who herds sheep has worked for more than ten years, with red-topped flower feathers, and has become one of the best red alternates in Beiyang, isn't this fate?" Jin The five students were dumbfounded by Daotai's words, and the enthusiasm for promotion in their stomachs became more and more intense, and they wished that they could get the status of Duan Guan at this time, just as they wished.After eating, Yang and Gu went back to the shop.

Time passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was the Mid-Autumn Festival. The day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Jin Daotai came back from the courtyard and immediately called Guoan to the house. He smiled at his son with a smile on his face, "The decree has been announced." He took out a piece of handwritten paper and handed it to Guoan for viewing.Guoan received it, and saw that it was a decree, which read: The decree: According to the ensemble of Beiyang Minister Zhili Governor Xiang Zicheng and Nanyang Minister Liangjiang Governor Zhuang Zhishan, Japanese students Jin Guoan, Yang Xiu, Gu Yan, and Cao Yulin were sent to study abroad. , Zhang Jingzong, who stayed in Japan for five years, all graduated from universities in that country.Or specialize in law and politics, or intensively study business and industry, all of them have excellent grades and good character.When the country is in a difficult situation and talents are urgently needed, I would like to ask for the grace of God, and give them a discount for their backgrounds, ministers, etc., at their discretion. After reading it, I am very pleased.Both Jin Guoan and Yang Xiu were awarded Jinshi background and added the title of review by the Imperial Academy.Gu Yan, Cao Yulin, and Zhang Jingzong were all conferred Jinshi backgrounds, and were given the title of cabinet secretary, and handed over to Xiangzi Chengzhuang Zhishan to appoint them according to their own learning.This is it.

After seeing it, Guoan liked it so much that he didn't know what to do, so he quickly kowtowed to his father on the ground to congratulate him.Youyi said: "Our family's congratulations are not busy. Please hurry up and tell all four of them to come to our house and put on official clothes. Isn't there a long live card in our front hall? You first kowtow to the long live card to thank you, this is The royal ceremony cannot be mistaken." Guoan heard this, hurried to the front, and told Cao and Zhang, and they were naturally overjoyed.On the one hand, he sent a carriage to the inn to pick up Yang and Gu, and brought a message to invite them to wear official clothes.Not long after, Yang Guquan arrived, Guoan greeted them and congratulated them, and showed them his will, and everyone congratulated each other for a while.Then he crowned the crown and bowed three times and kowtowed nine times to the long live card in the front hall.Youyi put on court clothes and kowtowed to thank Youyi because his son got an official position. The four of them must kowtow to Youyi again, saying that the nephew's fame was all boasted by the old man.Youyi returned half the salute, and then prepared a table for them to congratulate.Just as I was about to sit down, I heard three cannon shots in front of the door, followed by three more, and three more in succession.It turned out to be the poor room in the courtyard. It was ordered by the master to patrol and come to the Jin mansion to announce the good news.Knowing that Cao and Zhang also lived here, they fired nine happy cannons.Later, I found out that Yang and Gu also went to the banquet here, and found six more cannons, which scared all the neighbors and neighbors, saying why the cannons were staged in this mansion for nothing. Asking for money, Jin and Yang asked for fifty yuan each.Gu Caozhangsan asked for thirty yuan each, and nothing less would be acceptable. Later, Youyi took out the shelf of Daotai and gave them a reprimand. They were rewarded with a total of sixty yuan before they were sent away.On that day, the five people went to meet Xiang Gongbao and kowtowed in person, this Xiang Gongbao had to drink thick rice soup for a while.On the 15th day of the eighth month, five commissions were issued, including Jin Guoan as the office of the School of Law and Politics, Yang Xiuchong as the Chief of the Military Law Section of the Supervisory Office, Gu Fuchong as the head of the Xingli Bureau of the Transportation Department, and Cao Zhang as the two. They all walk in the copywriting office of the supervisory office.The monthly salary of Jin and Yang is three hundred taels, and the public expenses are one hundred taels. The monthly salary of Gu Caozhang and the three is two hundred taels, and the public expenses are sixty taels.These five people were flat-out thunderous, they were promoted again, and they got meritorious deeds again, so they were naturally satisfied.Tracing back to the source of poverty, it is all wealth and honor in exchange for the word revolution.Since then, the revolution has become a fan of the late autumn, and it is no longer used, and it has long since been thrown into the clouds.However, the original intention was to appoint Nan Beiyang and Nan Beiyang to appoint these five people separately, but Xiang Gongbao acted arbitrarily and took them all under his control.After the appointment of errands, I just sent a note to Zhuang Gongbao, saying that there is a shortage of talents in Beiyang, and all of them are dispatched for the time being. Later, if your province can use them, we will discuss with the elders.This is just a trivial matter, and it can be seen that his domineering spirit is really incomparable.It turns out that this Kung Pao is not only talented, but also good at drilling and making money.From the empress dowager to the ministers of the king of warships, and a group of eunuchs serving the court, he spared no expense to buy their joy.So the Empress Dowager favored Youlong for him, and all the other Beijing officials, big and small, spoke well of him.

This year coincides with the Empress Dowager's sixty-fifth birthday. Although the Empress Dowager is very old, she is still more energetic than a young man, and she advocates all the major policies of the court.As for the seal performances of various provinces, they can be reviewed and approved as they are, without getting tired.Although there is an Emperor Guangxu, he is a monk who has retired from the hospital and cannot ask questions.Although this empress dowager is very talented, she has a problem, that is, she loves money like her life.The House of Internal Affairs gives her 120,000 taels of silver every month as a snack fee, and the old man doesn't need any of it, all of it is stored in the internal treasury.Her internal treasury and her bedroom are connected to each other. There are nine rooms in total. Five rooms are dedicated to silver, two are dedicated to gold, and two are dedicated to pearls, diamonds, tourmalines, and various rare treasures.She needs to open the warehouse and check it out by herself every day, and fiddle with gold, silver and jewelry a few times before she can overcome her addiction to money.The Ministry of Internal Affairs came in every month, but she was not satisfied, so she sent eunuchs out to solicit official vacancies.The most famous Shanhaiguan weaves all kinds of flags, with an annual income of 18 million.This kind of shortage cannot be obtained by people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If you have enough qualifications, you have to entrust the eunuchs to open up joints with the empress dowager.The rest of the governors and governors are also very popular, and they are the same price.Therefore, the empress dowager's private savings are really as rich as the enemy's country. Unexpectedly, during the Gengzi Boxer Rebellion, the two palaces fled, the coalition army entered Beijing, and a good palace was completely occupied by people.They were not polite, and carried away all the empress dowager's internal treasury.After returning to Luan, I learned from the painful experience. I can't cherish the lost money at all times, and I always have to change the method to restore it to the original state.But how can you get what you want immediately in a hurry.Wanshou, who was just sixty-five years old this year, was considered to be a good topic of getting rich, but it was not easy to say this from his own mouth. If he wanted to appoint eunuchs, he was afraid that they would be unreliable.After thinking about it, he suddenly thought of a person, and immediately sent an order to summon him in the harem.Do you know who this person is?It turned out to be a Mongolian bannerman named Tie Muxian, who is currently the Minister of the Army Department.He is the grandson of the empress dowager's natal family. His grandmother is the aunt of the empress dowager's direct relative. He is the empress dowager's cousin. He served as an attendant to King Chun once and went to Germany to make amends.Before leaving, the empress dowager told him: "Germany's army is the largest in the world. You should pay attention to it this time and check it out. After returning to China, you can do a better job." Tie Muxian agreed. He invited a gentleman who was fluent in German to translate a very rough German army system for him, and presented it to the Empress Dowager for reading.Said that it was investigated by the slaves with their own eyes and compiled into a book, please read it respectfully.The empress dowager was very happy to see him, and said that he paid attention to military affairs, so she ordered him to be the left servant of the army department.From then on, this gentleman claimed to be a master of military science, but in fact he didn't have any real knowledge of military science, but he was good at serving others, and from time to time, he took the lead of the empress dowager.Every transaction, ranging from three to five million yuan to as little as thirty to twenty thousand yuan, was submitted without compromise.So the queen mother liked him very much, saying that he was honest and reliable in his work.In fact, he already got enough kickbacks outside, so he actually made a fortune of more than one million yuan in two or three years.On this day, the Empress Dowager suddenly summoned him in the harem, and he rushed in, prostrated himself in front of the imperial couch, and said that his servant Tie Muxian knelt down to ask for Shengan.The queen mother smiled and said: "I have something to discuss with you, and you should try your best to do it for me." Tie Muxian kowtowed and said: "What is the Buddha's order, the servant will go through fire and water." The queen mother smiled and said: "There is no need for you to go through fire and water , do you know that this year is my 60th and 50th birthday?" Tie Muxian said: "This is a universal celebration, why don't the slaves know." The Queen Mother suddenly sighed and said: "The change of Gengzi, my inner All the savings in the treasury have been lost, you know it. Now that the current situation is a bit peaceful, they, as high-ranking officials, think of the source of drinking water, do they just watch me grow old and poor? Take advantage of this year's opportunity, you always have to think for me If you think about it, this is also your duty as a courtier, do you understand what I say?" Tie Muxian kowtowed and said, "Buddha asked himself to be safe, and this slave can do it all. Fortunately, it is still far away from the Longevity Festival. It will take three months, and the slaves will try their best to do it from today. It's just that the big and small bureaucrats are different. It's best to start with the big officials of the provinces. One-tenth, the loss of the Gengzi year of the Buddha, it is not difficult to recover immediately. As for a group of poor Beijing officials, most of them have nothing to do, so they can be ignored." The Queen Mother nodded in agreement.Tie Muxian said again: "The governors of all provinces have the best score in Sanjiang, Fujian and Zhejiang. The slaves have a plan to make them do their best, but they dare not act rashly." , I will never blame you." Tie Muxian said: "It is best to ask the Buddha to send a decree to send slaves to investigate the finances of the three provinces of Fujian, Zhejiang, and five provinces. But after Wanshou is called, please leave Beijing next spring. The slave hangs up this With a false title, it is easy to speak to the governors of the five provinces, implying to them that if they can do their best to serve them during Wanshou, they will not be serious if they fail to investigate and deal with the false story next year. When the slaves go out of Beijing, they must do business. The finances of their five provinces are full of flaws, which have been covered up by previous officials, and no one has exposed them. Now the military aircraft department sent the imperial court to send the slaves to investigate, and it was a thunderbolt. Then let the slaves write to them and take care of them, whoever dares not to obey orders." The queen mother was overjoyed when she heard this, praised him for the soundness and ingenuity of his strategy, and told him to go down to wait for the order.Tie Muxian withdrew, and the Empress Dowager ordered the Minister of Military Aircraft to send Tie Muxian to investigate the finances of three provinces, Fujian, Zhejiang, and five provinces. After Wanshou passed, and he left Beijing in the next spring, the five provinces would be dispatched to the court first, and asked them to clean up their finances. , pending investigation.The Minister of Military Aircraft agreed to come down, quickly drafted the court mail, and telegraphed it to the five provinces.

When the governors of the five provinces received the court order, they were all at a loss, saying that this matter was too strange, and that they had always come in secret to investigate and handle matters, and there was no reason to notify in advance.Occasionally, the notification must refer to the east and the west, and the guide to the north, and did not mention the whole province of the investigation and handling in one go.Besides, since the investigation is done, why not come immediately, what kind of longevity, what kind of next spring, all kinds of doubts, I don't know what kind of medicine is in this gourd.It turns out that this court post was not only photographed to the five provinces under investigation, but also sent to all other provinces. No one can guess the purpose of it.Only Xiang Zicheng, Governor of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang, received the telegram, read it once, and immediately called the Mint General Office Jin Guan to rush to the upper court for important matters.

This Jin Guan is Jin Guoan's father, Jin Youyi, who is the general manager of the mint of the new committee.This is the difference between the top five in the direct province, because his son was newly awarded the Imperial Academy, and Kung Pao gave him special treatment, so he was entrusted with this job.It had only been three days since he took over the job, and he was cleaning everything up, when suddenly he was urged by the court, so he dared not neglect, he immediately drove to the Superintendent's Office in a carriage, handed over the book, and passed it on immediately.Gong Bao was in the lounge in the backyard, and he was thinking about it alone with Tingji. Jin Jian came in and bowed to the ground. Gong Bao asked him to sit beside him, and asked with a smile, "Does your brother know the current market price of gold?" Do you?" Jin observed and said, "I know, there are only twenty-seven or eight changes here in Tianjin, and I don't know much about the market in Beijing and Shanghai." Kung Pao said: "How much raw silver is there in the mint now? Jin observed, "It's less than one million taels, about eight hundred thousand." Kung Pao smiled and said, "Okay, that's enough. You should quickly investigate the gold coins in Beijing and Shanghai, and buy them wherever they are cheap." , I want to buy 30,000 taels of raw gold, and I will prepare it within ten days. If the department needs it, I can’t make any mistakes. All the gold prices will be paid by the mint first, and I will know as soon as it is ready." Gold Observer Nuonuo repeatedly agreed When I got down, I immediately called Beijing and Shanghai to inquire about the price of gold.When I returned the call that day, the price of gold in Shanghai was seven or eight yuan cheaper than that in Beijing and Tianjin.Gold Watch immediately called back and asked Shanghai Dao Shen Watch to approve 30,000 taels for him, and the gold price was transferred to the Bank of Great Qing.Shen Guan and Jin Youyi were brothers who worshiped Mengmeng, and they knew that Brother Ba was a prudent person, and that this matter must have been ordered by the Supreme People's Government to purchase this matter, so without hesitation, the Daoist Department approved 30,000 taels of cash, a total of 81 silver More than seventy thousand taels.After the approval, the payment was limited within three days. Pan Dagong, an alternate state judge of the special Taoist committee, was escorted to Tianjin to pay the payment.After the gold was sold, Jin observed and saw Xiang Gongbao to explain everything in person.Kung Pao rewarded him very much for his quick work, so he said to him: "The main hall will mint 30,000 yuan of gold and foreign coins, each of which weighs one tael in the warehouse. The four big characters on the front are Qing gold coins, and the four big characters on the back are Wanshou Wujiang." The small characters on the front are made in a certain month of Guangxu in a certain year, and the small characters on the back are Xiang Zicheng Gongjin, the Minister of Beiyang, Governor of Zhili, surrounded by a dragon pattern. The 30,000 yuan will be cast in the first half of the Queen Mother's Wanshou, so it cannot be mistaken During the period, your brother worked hard for me and had to personally supervise the construction. First, make a few hundred samples and send them to the hall for review. If the style is not good, you should correct it early to avoid temporary delays. Do you understand?" Jin observed He said: "I understand the profession, so hurry up and do it. But there is one thing to go back to Ming Gongbao. There is no reason why this money is cast into gold. After removing the lead, add a little silver, about ninety-five percent pure gold, that is, It can be applied, even if there are some injuries, the 30,000 taels of pure gold will always be enough to cast 31,000 yuan. I never dare to be ignorant when doing things. I will declare it to the palace guard first, so that I can submit it according to this amount in the future. I dare not keep a single dollar for myself. Because this is something that the palace guards have brought into the imperial court, it is unusual, and we, as ministers, do not dare to be a little bit deceitful. After observing the conversation, Xiang Gongbao laughed loudly and said, "Your elder brother really can't deceive the dark room, brother admires him very much."Jin Youyi went down, and sure enough, he supervised the work day and night. First, he cast the money sample and presented it to Xiang Gongbao for review.Kung Pao agreed with it very much, saying that it should be cast as it is.Twenty days before the Longevity Festival, all the more than 30,000 yuan will be minted.Xiang Gongbao ordered it to be stored in the back house, and asked Nei Xunbu to order 300 red satin square scarves at the silk and satin village. The middle of the square scarves should be embroidered with gold thread into the words "Cisheng Wannian", one for every one hundred yuan. The square scarf is wrapped, and the embroidered characters are right in the center.Ready, Xiang Gongbao was very proud, thinking that this birthday gift, no matter who he was, the ministers and workers inside and outside would not be able to suppress it.The queen mother must be very happy to see her.When his aunt saw him, she asked him with a smile, "For the longevity of the empress dowager, you should pick some rare treasures, such as pearls and gems, which are very beautiful just now. Now you are giving her this gold and foreign money. Could it be said that a queen dowager?" Have you never seen gold?" Xiang Gongbao said with a smile: "How does your wife know that now that the Empress Dowager is getting old and greedy, she lost a huge sum of money in the Year of Gengzi, and she can't wait to restore the original amount immediately. Wanshou, we need to make a big net. A few days ago, Tie Muxian was sent to investigate and deal with the five provinces. I had already guessed eight or nine times. If she loves money, I'll give her money, why bother to make a farewell birthday present?" The aunt and wife nodded in agreement.

In a blink of an eye, the Longevity Festival is approaching, and Xiang Gongbao is near Jifu, so naturally he has to go to Beijing to congratulate him.Before leaving, I prepared all the money, and first remitted 500,000 silver, and went to Beijing to prepare to distribute the ice charcoal tribute to the big and small Beijing officials.When Xiang Gongbao came to Beijing, he lived in the Xianliang Temple. First, he met with the Minister of the King of Junji separately, and then handed over the note of greetings, and waited for the summons.The Empress Dowager was naturally very happy to see that Xiang Zicheng came to Beijing to congratulate her on her birthday. She summoned her the next day and said a few words of condolence. .The Empress Dowager kept him in Beijing for a few more days, and returned to his post after Wanshou. Xiang Zicheng kowtowed to thank him before retiring.Back in the apartment, there were three days before the Wanshou Festival, so I hurriedly ordered the attendant to take the money out of the box and check it, so that I was ready to submit it.随侍官当着宫保面前把钥匙请出来，开开箱子一五一十地点验，及至点验已毕，不觉大吃一惊，彼此目瞪口呆，面如土色。要知所因何事，且看下回分解。