Chapter 12 The Twelfth Round

Chaoyangmen Wharf is the terminus at the northern end of the canal. It fell into disrepair due to the war in the late Ming Dynasty.When the rain is sufficient, the official ships of the water tanks can still berth directly. In normal years, the port is located in Tongzhou, which can also be counted in Beijing.After the 16th year of Kangxi, the national power gradually became more abundant. During this period, Jin Fu, Chen Huang, and Yu Chenglong, who were able to govern the river, repaired the paintings several times. stand up.Jia'anpu has row upon row of shops and shops, and dangerous buildings with upturned wings and cornices soaring into the sky, like an independent small city outside Beijing, full of flowers and bustle.

Babeile Yinhu's mansion is on the north bank of the wharf.He hesitated when he received the news that Yinzhen was about to return to Beijing.According to national etiquette, he can't go to greet him unless he obeys the order; according to his brother's status, it is absolutely unreasonable for the elder brother to come back from a long way and get off the boat at the gate.Among Kangxi's many sons, Yinhu only cared about the red, blue, and white three flags, and was the prince of the prince, the most leisurely.But he is shrewd and capable, tolerant and kind, no matter brothers or foreign officials have troubles and embarrassing things, they are willing to ask him to complain and ask for help.The things that can help, regardless of relatives or distance, no matter asking for money for an official or taking love to avoid participation, Yinhu never stands by and watches people fall into the water.Therefore, the "eight virtuous kings" stayed at home, abided by the precepts of the ancestors and refrained from government affairs, and none of the six affairs could be hidden from him, and nothing could refute his face.After thinking for a long time, Yinhu decided to change into casual clothes to meet Yinzhen.Ninth elder brother Yinyu came to the mansion yesterday and already learned about Jiang Xia. Tenth elder brother Yinyu owed Ku Yin and was angry with Shi Shilun.Yinzhen and Yinxiang are Yinreng's left and right arms, and he knew about these things as soon as he returned to Beijing. If he didn't meet him in person, the situation between the brothers became more and more embarrassing.The courtiers have spread rumors in secret that the Prince Ba Ye was abolished in power. Although it is nonsense, the brothers are jealous, so what gossip can't come out?

Played chess with the Qingkes for a while, and when it was almost dark, people from outside rushed in and said, "Eighth Master, Fourth Master and Thirteenth Master's official ship has arrived!" "What are you up to!" Yinhu smiled Said, "Wait until they pick me up." Then he got up and changed into a moon white poplin robe, without a coat or hat, a sandalwood horsetail crouching belt around his waist, and a pair of black pants under his feet. Melaleuca-soled shoes, with only two slaves, walked out of the gate with ease. The receiving ceremony of the imperial envoy on the pier has just passed.It seemed that Yinzhen Yinxiang had just disembarked, and was holding hands with several people from the Ministry of Rites.At this moment in the reed shed, there was a rest for singing and music, under the twelve yellow gauze lanterns, a group of officials with brilliant plumes crowned the moon surrounded Yinzhen and Yinxiang to have fun talking, seeing that it was Yinhu who was coming, they hurriedly moved away an alley.

"Fourth brother, thirteenth brother, it's been a hard journey!" Yinhu walked a few steps, hit a thousand children in front of Yinzhen, got up and held Yinzhen's cold hand tightly, smiling and said: "You look good. In Beijing Seeing each other every day, I don't feel anything, once you go away for eight or nine months, your heart will be empty, you are always brother and sister!" After saying that, he turned his face and said: "The thirteenth brother is still as handsome as before, seeing this is a little bit more It looks like I'm getting old." "Mynah is thinking about it!" Yinxiang said with a smile, "We really miss you outside! Seeing that August 15th is here, what can you prepare for me? fruit to eat?"

Yinzhen only smiled and listened, because he said: "Let's go, there are still many people kneeling at the reed shed!" Yinxiang said with a smile: "Men have gold under their knees, so I would like to ask them to kneel for a while longer! Can't you be promoted and get rich? Kneel down to say hello, what do you mean?" "Thirteenth brother was not like this when he was young, but now he is so clever!" Yinhu smiled, "Only this mouth is too unforgiving." The three of them walked past the reed shed talking and laughing.The people who met them on the shore were all officials above Langguan, and there were hundreds of officials in the shed here. When they saw them coming, they all kowtowed.Yao Dian and Liu Xie, the officers of the Fourth Translation Office of the Ministry of Rites, led the greetings and said, "Four Lords and Thirteen Lords Ji'an!"

"Forget it, I'm sorry for you!" A smile flashed across Yinzhen's face, he raised his hand slightly and said, "Everyone get up. It's already so late, and some of them are still living outside Xizhimen, so they just left, and we will see each other another day." Let's go." Song Wenyun, the servant of the Ministry of Rites, followed him to the right, and hurriedly said: "Fourth master, I have come back from a long way, and I may not have eaten dinner this time. The servants have prepared some water and wine, and we will go after a little." Yinzhen glanced at it, and saw that there were twenty tables neatly arranged under the shed, and a table of dried and fresh fruits, water, land and delicacies piled up like a hill. He couldn't help frowning, stopped and said, "There has been a decree for a long time. The imperial envoy is on tour, and you are not allowed to make trouble in other places! My thirteenth brother and I have already used it on the boat. At this moment, I am so tired that I just want to rest early. You are an old man, and you know my temper. Why do you still do this? I never take the invitation of the landlord and official outside, and I don’t need it when I go back to the chariot. Besides, it’s too extravagant to welcome the guard of honor tonight, and I can’t afford it.”

The crowd came here like a charcoal group, fully thinking that even if they couldn't make intimacy, at least they wouldn't be bored.After receiving these cold words, I couldn't help but look at each other, everyone was upset, and they smiled dryly and scolded their mothers in their hearts: Damn, we are forced to use our hot face to rub our cold ass!Song Wenyun was filled with flies in his heart, and said with an apologetic smile: "Fourth Master, don't be suspicious, this is not money from the palace, but the lower officials' fawning. You don't need it, how can the lower officials look so good?" Yin Xiang My stomach was growling with hunger, and when I heard Yinzhen say "I've used it", I was angry and funny, but I couldn't say anything.

"Use a little bit." Seeing everyone's sullen faces and not saying a word, Yinhu said with a hearty smile, "This is not an example. It's already ready, and it's a waste of money if you don't eat it. It's my brother who invited you. Originally I have some prepared by my house, so just call them." After saying that, he followed Yinzhen in. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at this time, and filed into the seat.After a while, there was a staggering of toasts and chips, and the sound of open boxing orders gradually became louder, and then it became lively.However, Yinzhen has his own thoughts: it stands to reason that when the prince goes on tour and returns to Beijing, there are only eight palace lanterns to welcome him, and only nine dragon flags.Now there are zodiac lanterns and 12 dragon flags outside, and the imperial music of Changyin Pavilion is used to sing the prince's triumphant song on tour, and there is no place where the prince shows off. Whose idea is this?If you follow the order, you should explain it, if you don't follow the order, you are setting a circle for yourself to jump!Looking at the table surface, it is also the standard of imitation meal, Yinzhen became more and more suspicious, just pondered.Yin Xiang didn't care about it, regardless of Lao Su's food, he chewed and said with a smile: "I don't have fifteen taels of silver for this table, so I definitely can't do it. Starlings have money to treat guests, so I'm going to feast on them!"

"The banquet is organized by them, and the old thirteen wants to accept their affection." Yinhu is so alert, and he knows that this old thirteen has bad intentions, and he wants to put the reputation of "treating guests" on himself, because of one He leaned back and said, "I'm going to be stingy and don't pay any money. The two of you walked away in a huff. It's too much for everyone's affection." Then he advised Yinzhen: "Why doesn't fourth brother keep his chopsticks? We can't take things too seriously now. Go up When I went to Fengtian in 2010, Bahai and Zhang Yuxiang invited me to eat noodles. I didn't say a word to them, but they said: "This recipe was rewarded by Lord Long Live during his east tour! If it's not called eating, what should we reward us for?" ?' Tell me, isn’t it clear and confused?” “I like to be clear.” Yinzhen made up his mind not to eat, and smiled, “It’s not that I dare not eat this meal. I’m really not hungry at first Second, I was thinking, such a meal costs three or four hundred taels of silver. The world is such a big place, with so many officials, how much do we get? Are we really so rich? We can do it just by saving this entertainment money. something happened..."

While eating, everyone listened to his lesson, each one was so angry and helpless.After a while, one said, "How did this chicken do it? It's so light!" The other said, "Oh, it's stabbed!" Yao Dian slapped himself for no reason, and Liu Xie asked, "What's wrong?" Dian said with a smile: "This mosquito bites people!" Song Wenyun smiled dryly and just persuaded: "Si Ye, the food is cold, please..." "I really can't eat it." Yinzhen was clear in his heart, and he just said, "Han Chunhe invited me when we passed Luoma Lake, and a roast pig cost more than one hundred taels of silver. I told him: 'Look at me These two companion boys, one named Gouer and the other named Kaner, their parents died of starvation. I bought a servant girl, worth only five taels of silver, this is all folk blood!'" Yinxiang gnawed on a chicken leg , Trying to bite off the tendons inside, said with a smile: "Fourth brother, if you can save it, you can use it too!"

Yinzhen's expression changed suddenly, he stood up and went away.Yinxiang ate his fill, got up with a red face and said: "You are full, you are full! You just eat slowly." Then he followed.Seeing Song Wenyun and a large group of people blushing in embarrassment, Yinhu hurriedly got up and comforted him: "Si Ye has such a temper, look at my face, don't take it to heart!" As soon as the brothers left, the officials here immediately unlocked the locks like monkeys.Liu Dian knocked the bowl loudly with his chopsticks, and said loudly, "Please! Mr. Village Bamboo, let's eat! Why are you in a daze?" "Cun Zhu caught the horse's hoof this time!" Liu Xie poured wine for Song Wenyun with a smile, and said, "Your face is so pale! What are you afraid of? Just admit that it's bad luck, don't talk about us, elder brothers and men still do it." It's going to be like chickens flying like dogs!" One of the generals held a cup and said with a smile: "What bad luck, eat a dick and hit uh, I'm so angry!" The crowd burst into laughter, and this one said: "The father-in-law carries his daughter-in-law across the river, and he is not thankful for his efforts!" The other said: "The editor is good! What kind of hurdle? Is there a hurdle in the world? I have given the emperor a list of debtors. The first one is Cao Yin, the second is Wei Zixu, and they are all Qingtian. Protect the nobles who have been born and died! Wait and see who can't get through the ditch and Kan'er?!" Yinxiang hadn't left because of his urgency, and when he came back, he saw Gou'er and Kan'er waiting for him outside the shed, and said: "You guys Why haven't you left yet?" "Listen!" the dog gritted his teeth, "What kind of maggots are there in the mouths of these donkeys!" Yinxiang listened attentively, and there was a lot of chatter inside, pointing at Sang and Huaihuai, neither cold nor bitter, and some people vaguely said "there are nine kinds of dragons and phoenixes, and mice can make holes from generation to generation", but it was very like insinuating and scolding himself, and he couldn't help being angry With a pale face, he took the two children out and said, "I must punish them!" Kan'er saw at a glance more than twenty horses tied to the river bank, all of which were ridden by the officials in the shed. Eating wine, no one was watching, blinking and whispering something into Yinxiang's ear. "Good idea!" Yinxiang's eyes lit up suddenly, and he smiled, "It's really yours! Just do it, if anything happens, it's the Thirteenth Master's fault!" Kan'er nodded, took out a firecracker from his waist, and said nothing With a smile, he walked up to a horse and tied the firecrackers firmly to the horse's tail.The dog has already understood it, and hurriedly stepped forward to untie the rein, and said with a smile: "Master Shisan, it's a bit indecent. When the firecrackers go off, we have to run away!" Then he led it over.Seeing that he lit the twister, Yinxiang kicked the horse's ass fiercely, and said with a smile: "Come on for your master, let them scold you again!" The horse was kicked and ran a few steps forward. Just as it stood still, the firecrackers behind its tail crackled.The animal jumped up in shock, and rushed towards the shed with a long hiss. Immediately, the old turtle turned upside down inside, people screamed, tables were turned over, horses neighed, cups and cups sizzled, and I don't know what happened. Noisy.Yinxiang smiled triumphantly, and said "Let's go!" The three went straight to Babeile Mansion to find Yinzhen. When they got to the gate of Babeile's mansion, the three of them slowed down, and all the attendants at the gate of the mansion recognized Yinxiang, so they went straight to Yinhu's study, Yixingzhai.But I saw Yinzhen's three sons, Hongshi, Hongzhou, and Hongli, were all respectfully waiting at the gate of the Zhai. Because the eldest was only eight years old and the youngest was only five years old, they were all children, and there was a large group of eunuchs, maids, and old women .The eldest son, Hongshi hurriedly took a step forward, knelt down on both knees and said, "Uncle Thirteen is back? Just now my father asked you." Hongzhou Hongli kowtowed, then threw himself into Yinxiang's arms, twisting his thighs Candy-like coquetry.Yinzhen had already heard it inside, so he walked out and said, "Let go of your thirteenth uncle. Gao Fuer took your three sons back and told Fujin that I am an imperial envoy. I can only go home when I see the emperor tomorrow. Mister Wenjue Xingyin and the others have a message." Yinxiang picked up Hongzhou Hongli, put down his parents, and said with a smile: "Fourth brother is also true, the father can do it for the son, so he trains the child You have to avoid cats and mice. Although a gentleman has grandchildren but not children, what is the taste without this family happiness?" Then he turned back and said: "Gou'er Kan'er, you also go back with the three masters. I gave them the clay figurines, folding fan sachets, and bamboo katydid cages I bought from Wuxi." After teasing for a while, I went into the study to have tea with Yinsi Yinzhen. "Fourth brother," everything was settled, Yinhu personally arranged the snacks, Fang shook the Xiangfei bamboo fan and sat down, and said sincerely, "Brother has a word of advice. Don't say it, I'm panicked, and I'm a little afraid of you; I don't know what to say." How to say?" Yinzhen's dark pupils stared at Yinhu for a long time, then he smiled and said, "I'm that good? Just say what you want." Yinhu smiled and said, "Fourth brother is born with evil spirit, strict and intimidating. It is a rare thing to dare to be disrespectful even though you are angry. The ancients said that those who are stubborn are easy to break. , but the city of Beijing is so big, why is there no villain? It's inevitable..." He glanced at Yinzhen, and didn't go any further.Yinzhen smiled and said, "Oh? What are you talking about? Just talk!" Yinhu leaned over slightly, and said: "I have an exposing post here, which is written in a very dirty way. It was received by the Ministry of Criminal Justice, and I told it to be held up and not handed in." As he spoke, he picked out a piece of yellow paper from under the desk book. Pass it to Yinzhen.When Yinzhen took it and looked at it, it read: The plaintiff, Liu Xiazhi, a salt merchant, swallowed blood for the sake of power: the two brothers Boyi and Uncle Qi were extremely evil, relying on the power of their father and grandfather, they excavated Xu You's tomb, and connected with Liu Qi and Chen Yankang, the ministers of Anhui Province. A certain extorts people's wealth, exhausts the river to fish, and is extremely vicious. He forces three hundred acres of Weitian in Shouyang Mountain to be donated, with no contract.Chonghou saw the tiger.Weeping and thinking about the supreme king of Wu, he still tolerates knocking on his horse and admonishing him. In the world of Yao and Shun, how can there be no cry of a horse?Eager to appeal! Yinzhen just smiled when he saw it, handed it to Yinxiang, and said: "The writing is not bad, I don't know how much money it was bought for-you have a look." Yin asked again: "What else can I say?" "It's nothing else." Yinhu murmured, "For example, the fourth brother did not do badly, but I think it's a bit too much. After all, everyone's kindness, Xingxing took the lead, it's too embarrassing." Yinhu Xiang secretly laughed, pretending to be bored, and said in his heart: "You haven't seen the embarrassment later!" Yinzhen picked up two pine nuts and rubbed them in his hands. After a while, he said: "If the sky is loving, the sky will be old, and the moon is like a moon without hatred! I want horses to be good, and I want horses not to eat grass. What in the world is that good?" Is there such a beautiful thing?" He paused and changed the subject, "How is Huang Ama's body?" "It's pretty solid." Yinhu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "This year, the old man didn't leave Changchun Garden. But his spirit seems to be running out of money, and he likes to forget things. Feng, who was recommended by the Governor's Department of Water Transport Shengyun, he has already agreed, and the people who summoned the official department said: "Why hasn't Feng Zhiren, the governor of Xinhe, come to Beijing to introduce him?" Brother's disciple Feng Shengyun, I just remembered." After saying that, he pursed his lips and smiled.Yinxiang opened his chest fan, served tea one after another to quench his thirst, and said with a smile: "Feng Shengyun, this old dog, has finally come out of the camp! Fourth brother has never seen this man, with a big chin, cocked like a shovel ——" He lifted his chin up and down as if chewing on something, "That's the virtue!" Yinzhen and Yinsi laughed. Yinhuyin said: "The reason for calling you back is to clear up the debts. Shi Shilun has already taken office. He is a man of strong character, and the emperor also values ​​it. Now the debts that should be repaid have been paid. Among us, only the tenth brother has not paid it off for a while." , there are ten or twenty others in the foreign office, like Cao Yin and Mu Zixu, some of them are not able to pay back, and some are generals who followed the emperor several times to send troops to free horses. These credits are divided, and it is difficult to start. The last time I saw Lao Shi, I'm so anxious, I'm waiting for you two to come back!" He stood up and paced squarely, his words seemed to be full of emotion, "Old Ten is a two-eyed temper, but it's okay to say. Cao Yin, Mu Zixu They are all the old guards of the Long Live God. From the first year of Kangxi to the present, life and death, ups and downs, have rolled with the emperor. On the surface, they borrowed treasury silver, but in fact it was spent by the master, millions of silver , Smashing pots and selling iron and knocking bones to boil oil can’t afford it!” "I don't think it matters." Yinzhen guessed Yinhu's intentions, as if interceding for these people, sipped a sip of tea and said: "We know who can't pay the bill, and the emperor knows it. If it's urgent, the emperor will take care of himself." The charter protects them. As for the tenth old man, he usually listens to the eighth brother the most. You persuade him not to hurt his face for a few dollars. Although I am poor, I can help him a few. , I can't disregard justice, and I can't disregard personal feelings." Yinhu didn't expect to be blocked tightly when he tried to intervene just now, he couldn't help being startled, and then laughed dumbly: "Fourth brother, you have such a heart that people can't dissatisfy. The old nine, the tenth, and the fourteenth are just in charge of Huangzhuang, and they are close to me. In fact, they respect you, but they are a little afraid of you. Even when I saw you, I was full of jokes, so I suppressed them .” However, Yinxiang didn't seem to hear the two brothers' conflicting minds, and flicked the cup with his fingers and smiled: "We can talk about business as soon as we meet, and you won't be too tired! Starling, I have something to ask of you!" "What's the matter?" Yinhu turned around and smiled. "I beat Brother Ninth a servant, and I want Brother Nine to mediate a few words with Brother Nine." Yinxiang put away his smile, "I heard that Brother Nine asked the servants to buy those operas for you, I'll see That's right, starling is a generous person, how about giving it to me?" As soon as Yinhu heard it, he knew that it was the matter that Ren Boan had reported. He was stunned for a while, and said, "What are you talking about? I don't understand at all. There are no servants in my house who go out, and I don't buy opera actors." !" Turning to Yinzhen again, he said, "I don't like to go to theater the most. You know, fourth brother, the old ten asked a few people to send them over, but I accepted them. When I asked, they were all the daughters of good people. They were sold all the way to Beijing. Poor thing, I sent them back at once—are you afraid that someone will do this in my name outside? I need to check it out!" Yinzhen then sent Jiang Xia Zhen Yinxiang After talking about the fight, he said again: "I didn't want to care about it. It's really indecent to hear them howling ghosts and wolves. I asked Thirteenth Brother to discipline this slave." "It's so wonderful that a hero saves a beauty!" Yinhu laughed loudly, "However, the person is indeed not mine. Since my thirteenth brother cares about this matter, and it is connected with my reputation, I will definitely find out the truth. If you have a little more time, let me do it. If you are the ninth brother, you can rest assured that the thirteenth brother will take care of me." Yinzhen got up with a smile, took out his pocket watch and looked at it, and said: "It's Haishi, we have to go to the post house, and when we haven't finished talking, let's talk about it later-we have to see the emperor tomorrow!" If they don't stay with each other, they will be sent out of the gate.