Chapter 10 The Tenth Chapter: Heavenly Wrath Severely Punishes Xi Meixing, an official selected for the West, and Begs Zhong Sanlang

Cai Liangdao hosted a banquet in honor of Zhou Yunlong.But as soon as he mentioned the matter of the horse dealers, Zhou Yunlong snapped him back.When Kangxi saw that things were getting tense, he quickly gave Xiaomaozi a wink, and Xiaoqizi stood up and said, "Yoho, this scene today is really eye-opening. Master Futai robbed someone of his horse, But the county magistrate was required to squeeze the people to pay back; Zhou Dashou took a fancy to a civilian girl, so the county magistrate had to help him snatch it. Fortunately, Mr. Cai introduced it to her just now, otherwise, we would have thought Zhou Dashou was a mountain king. Even the King of the Mountain, I'm afraid he can't be so unreasonable, right?"

Although Xiao Maozi said it lightly and playfully, when he said the words, everyone was shocked.Several horse dealers thought to themselves: My lord, we kowtow to beg for mercy here, and Mr. Zhou still doesn't agree, and your scolding can't be all over.Although Cai Liangdao knew in his heart that these people came here strangely, a servant of a noble son dared to rob the prefect face to face.Who knows what their origins are?The banquet is set in his own hall, no matter which side suffers, he is not easy to serve as the host!Sure enough, before anyone could figure out what happened, Zhou Yunlong was furious:

"Who are you, how dare you be so presumptuous and wantonly insult the minister?" "Hehe......, Mr. Zhou is talking about something strange again. Since you claim to be a minister, you should understand the royal law of the court. Are you only allowed to rob rich women and do whatever you want, and outsiders are not allowed to say no? word?" Zhou Yunlong was even more furious when he saw that this unattractive man who was talking in a drake voice dared to confront him without giving an inch: "Hmph, let me tell you, on the ground of Datong Mansion, the words of my Zhou It's Wang Fa. Why, do you dare not accept it!"

"Okay, well, that's really good, Mr. Zhou is a straightforward person. I would like to ask, if I refuse to accept, and you are not allowed to do anything wrong, then what should Mr. Zhou do?" Zhou Yunlong was so angry that his hands trembled and his face turned blue, he couldn't hold back anymore.Pushing away the wine glass on the table, he shouted sharply: "Come here, take it down for me!" "Zha!" With this shout, five or six of the prefect's officers standing in front of the hall came all at once, rushing forward, trying to arrest Xiao Maozi.Kangxi had already run out of patience.stood up and drank:

"Presumptuous, who dares to be rude?" But Zhou Yunlong was already very angry.Since he came to Datong Mansion to take office, he hasn't stumbled yet. How could he let the country bumpkins see a joke in this small Shahebao today.He reckoned that the young man in front of him might be the young master of some Beijing official.When the incident got serious, King Pingxi was standing behind him, so he pointed at Kangxi and ordered the guards without showing any weakness: "I even caught this kid and brought him back!" "Zha!" The guards rushed forward, but Wei Dongting took a step forward and knocked them all to the ground with a raised hand.Xiao Maozi took a look at Kangxi, saw the emperor nodded to him, and shouted at the top of his voice:

"Accept—holy—drive!" "Following this shout, Lang Tan led eight guards to enter the hall, one by one dressed in python clothes, wearing swords at their waists, and entered the hall in a majestic manner, and went straight to the hall. Kowtowed in front of Kangxi and saluted: "Long live, please issue an order! " At this moment, everyone in the hall was stunned.Cai Liangdao and Liu Qingyuan were the first to react, they looked at each other and knelt down.Followed by everyone also knelt down on the ground.That Zhou Yunlong was stunned at first, and was nailed to the ground like a clay puppet in a temple. At this moment, he rolled his eyes and collapsed to the ground.Kangxi glanced at Zhou Yunlong, and said angrily, "What a governor, you are full of evil. Xiao Maozi, get a pen and paper." Xiao Maozi hurriedly presented the imperial edict that he brought with him, and Kangxi wrote a few cases, and then Put the jade seal on it and hand it to Liu Qingyuan: "You are a small county magistrate, but you know how to abide by the law and cherish the people, and you are also very assertive in handling things. This imperial edict is paid to you. Now, you will go to Datong Mansion to take up a post and handle it according to the law. This servant, then, report this case to the Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of Punishment. Wei Dongting, let me go!"

The news that Emperor Kangxi went on a tour in micro-clothes and punished Zhou Yunlong, the prefect of Datong, who was full of dissatisfaction among the people, caused a sensation in the small town of Shahebao. , Merchants, and pilgrims all praised the emperor's sageness.Kangxi's diligent administration, caring for the people, and perspicacity, as well as the bravery, wit and intelligence of the guards in the palace, were all passed down by the people as miraculous.Seeing that the traces of the holy driver could no longer be concealed, and hearing that the assassin was waiting on the mountain, even the empress dowager, who was so concerned about the late emperor Shunzhi, no longer insisted on moving forward.In the afternoon of the same day, Liu Qingyuan, the newly appointed magistrate of Datong, brought soldiers and escorted them back to the capital.

However, Emperor Kangxi once again "escaped the golden cicada" on the way.He pretended to be a candidate for the exam, wearing a small hat in green clothes, and only brought Wei Dongting as a "companion", left the driving team, and quietly came to Gu'an County. Gu'an County is close to Gyeonggi, and the garrisoned Qiying is under Wei Dongting's subordinates.Even so, Wei Dongting was still very careful.When passing by the camp outside the city, he specially went in to give instructions to Guan Dai, and then he and Kangxi rode into the city. It was already the beginning of the unitary year, and the doors of the shops were all closed, and the shops selling roast chicken, won stew, and tofu nao in the alleys were all lit with clusters of shofar lanterns.The cries of hawking echoed one after another in the depths of every street corner and alley, continuously.

Looking at this peaceful folk scene, Kangxi said with great interest: "The hawking here is different from that in Beijing, and it makes people salivate."Wei Dongting was in a hurry to find a shop, afraid that Kangxi would wander around looking for someone to talk to as usual, so he rubbed his legs and replied: "There is an old shop in front, let's live in it. Master Wouldn’t it be good to ask the buddy to come out and buy what you want to use?” Kangxi understood what he meant, smiled and nodded, “It’s up to you.” Then he followed Wei Dongting into an “Old Wang Kee Store”.

A twenty-five or six-year-old shop clerk, wearing an indigo cloth gown, covered with a black bamboo cloth gown, with snow-white cuffs rolled up slightly, looks very clean and neat.He had just closed the tent under the lamp, when he looked up and saw Wei Dongting and Kangxi coming in one after the other, he hurriedly got up and left the counter.While giving up his seat, while making tea, he kept saying: "Oh, my lord, why did you only come back after going there for several months? You must have made a fortune! I was thinking about it yesterday. Well, where in the small shop is the service not thoughtful, offended the two old customers, and lived in someone else's place! I don't think you two are still thinking about our old friendship, and you are back again! This time you can stay for a longer time, " While talking non-stop, he handed them two hot towels to wipe their faces, and brought two basins of steaming water, "You two old guests, wash your feet first. After the house is settled, the little one will come again." Get something to eat!" This bunch of words were kind and contained "complaints", which made Kangxi look bewildered.

Wei Dongting smiled faintly, this kind of trick of attracting customers has been seen a lot.He didn't say anything at the moment, and while helping Kangxi wash his feet, he said casually: "I want a good house. It should be clean and not disturbed by miscellaneous people. We will leave after a night's rest and pay more for the rent. In the west room over there is What are you doing so lively?" "If you go back to the master, there are a few candidates who came to Beijing for the exam to live in the west room. They are just reading the essays. There is also a businessman, Mr. Yang, who lives next door to them. If the master is too noisy, there is another room in the backyard. The big house is remote and clean, but the housing price is higher..." He was still rambling on, Kangxi had already put on his boots, got up and said to Wei Dongting: "Of course we live in a big house, let's go!" After dinner, Kangxi walked to the front yard for a walk, seeing Wei Dongting following behind him, he said with a smile: "A slave like you is not like a slave, and a companion is not like a companion. You are too careful. Can something happen in this shop?" "After all, it's a living place, but things can't happen. I just took a look in the courtyard. Most of the people living here are juren who are in trouble in March, and there are also a few businessmen. The brand of this store is also very good. Old..." As he spoke, seeing Kangxi enter the Westinghouse, he followed him. This is a large suite of three consecutive rooms.Four people sat around the table.A middle-aged businessman with a handsome face was sitting on a chair against the wall, holding a tureen in both hands, watching intently.Kangxi saw that several Juzi were sitting quietly and meditating, and no one had time to talk, so he smiled and asked the merchant softly, "What are they doing sitting like a Bodhisattva?" "I'm playing a riddle!" "Ah, thank you for your advice. What's your name, Taifu?" "Don't dare, lest your surname be Yang, and your humble name be raised. Young master, what about you?" "My surname is Long." Because all the people in the room were concentrating on their minds, Kangxi couldn't talk much, so he sat down beside Yang Qilong and observed these moves.It turned out that they were playing riddles with sentences from "Four Books".A thin man with a quick mind was gaining satisfaction when another fat young man broke in.He came from behind and beat the skinny man until he was defeated again and again, and the whole army was wiped out.Kangxi looked at it and couldn't help but think of his teacher Wu Ciyou. If he were here tonight, the whole room would be full of opponents. Just when the two young men, one fat and one thin, were arguing, Yang Qilong, who was sitting next to Kangxi, stood up suddenly, took out a big silver ingot of ten taels from his arms, and threw it on the table: "You two are great talents, and Xiao Ke admires them very much. I will offer a little favor here, so that you can make them laugh, but first I have to ask your surnames, the masters." The fat man stood up.After looking at Yang Qilong, he said humbly: "I dare not be praised by this old man. Xiaosheng Li Guangdi is from Anxi, Fujian." Yang Qilong hadn't answered yet, but he saw the skinny scholar who was red-eyed just now laughing up to the sky: "Hahahaha, it turns out that brother is the disciple of the old master Wu Yaxun. The little brother Chen Menglei learned his dignity today, and he lost happily, and it was worth it." .Come on, let’s meet a fellow countryman, I’m also from Fujian.” Wei Dongting whispered in Kangxi's ear: "Master, the Wu Yaxun they are talking about is Mr. Wu Ciyou's father." Kangxi nodded secretly, appreciating Li Guangdi's talent and Chen Menglei's boldness. Yang Qilong said to Li Guangdi and Chen Menglei with a half-smile, "The two of you have joined together as fellow countrymen. If you don't have this little benefit, how should you deal with it?" Chen Menglei heard Yang Qilong's words implied sarcasm and provocation, and asked contemptuously: "According to Yang Qilong's respect, what should we do?" Yang Qilong was not angry, but said: "I'm here to ask you two for advice." Then he said the riddle: "Dragon Boat Realgar, Mid-Autumn Mooncakes!" Chen Menglei blurted out: "Yang Zhangshu is worthy of being a businessman. Your answer to this riddle is a sentence from above: diet." "Good! Monk Hua punches the town of Kansai." "Those who don't know think it's meat, but those who know it think it's rude!" "Gao Cai, Gao Cai, I admire you!" Yang Qilong suddenly put away his smile: "Please listen to this again: Tiemu'er wastes land, wastes land and destroys clothes!" Li Guangdi's complexion darkened, and he was about to answer, but Chen Menglei stood up and pushed the money back to Yang Qilong: "Everyone has his own ambitions, why should we be so forced, Guangdi and I are willing to bow down." After speaking, he pulled Li Guangdi up, "Oh, disappointment Very soon, let’s go, brother Guangdi, let’s cook wine and have a chat in the younger brother’s room, the younger brother is the host!” The two held hands and walked out without looking back, leaving Yang Qilong there, very embarrassed. Kangxi hurriedly chased them out, and shouted to Li Guangdi and Chen Menglei: "You two, please stay!" "Ah? What's the matter?" "Forgive my ignorance, just now I saw that the two of you are not unable to answer, but it seems that there is something difficult to say: can you show the answer to the riddle?" "Little brother, you are very clever." Chen Menglei said with a smile: "This riddle is not difficult to guess, but it is not convenient for us to answer it here and now. He is very tricky!" "What exactly is it?" Kangxi stared and asked. "It's not as good as having no emperor in Yidi than in Huaxia." Li Guangdi said softly, and left hand in hand with Chen Menglei.Kangxi stood on the ground, his face suddenly pale and bloodless. Kangxi didn't sleep well that night. "It is not as good as having no king in Yidi than in Huaxia." This Confucius quote chased him like a nightmare: "I am a Manchu, so of course I am also among the "Yidi". Since entering the customs, from Daxing Emperor Shunzhi to him, the This is the headache. Scholars among the Han people think they are disciples of saints, and they must be used to rule this huge country. With this in mind, let alone San Francisco, which is a Han Chinese, may rebel, even if it does not, And how can we make these scholars submit to the Celestial Dynasty with sincerity and sincerity, so that the world will be prosperous and honorable for generations?" Kangxi tossed and turned, dazed until four o'clock before falling asleep, and when he woke up, it was already high in the sun.He got up quickly, washed his face indiscriminately, and ordered Wei Dongting to call the shop owner to come in and settle the accounts. It was an old man with a mustache.Kangxi looked at him in surprise and asked, "It wasn't you who picked up the guest last night, wasn't it a young man?" The owner of the shop seems to be much more experienced than the shop assistant, and he is not so talkative. Seeing that Wei Dongting gave a lot of rent, he thanked him again and again, and said: "If you come back to the master, the younger one went out to worship last night and came back very late, so don't worry about it." Dare to surprise the Lord." "Worship? Do you want to break the string and continue?" Knowing that he had misunderstood, the owner of the shop hesitated for a moment before saying: "It's not marriage, it's... the younger one is taught by Zhong Sanlang. Last night, the altar owner set off a flame to pray to the gods, and the younger one also went to offer some incense money." "Oh... Zhong Sanlang." Kangxi tried his best to recall the stories of the characters in the novel, and said, "I've never heard of this fairy..." "The Great Immortal Zhong Sanlang is a new immortal named by the Jade Emperor. He came to the mortal world to rescue those of us who open shops, do business, and serve as long-term followers... Believe in him, we will be lucky and safe. Whoever offends him The old man is about to suffer a bloody disaster..." He said cautiously, his voice trembling. Wei Dongting asked with a smile on the side: "What proof do you have? You don't have to be afraid of this, Zhong Sanlang is not a donkey, he doesn't have such long ears!" "Sin, sin! You are a long-term follower, and Zhong Sanlang is in charge of you! If you want to talk about evidence, there are many scorpions. A few days ago, the great immortal descended to the altar in Tongzhou. Some shops did not believe it, and they were banned overnight. The fire burned down seven houses! Ladies rest first, I will arrange for you to go early." After speaking, he gave Kangxi a thousand son and retreated.Seeing the wind blowing outside, Kangxi ordered Wei Dongting to take out a gray ermine leather Baturu vest, fasten it with a buckle, and said, "Xiao Weizi, let's go back to Beijing immediately." Wei Dongting saw that Kangxi's face was not good-looking, agreed, and prepared his horse to go. Dust billows outside Gu'an City, and the cold sun is dim.A bay of Yongding River is covered with ice flowers, and the undercurrent is murmuring.The weeping willows on the embankment swayed with the wind, making whistling sounds.Seeing Kangxi groaning silently on the horse, Wei Dongting seemed to be very preoccupied, so he rode his horse to follow.He laughed and said: "Although this Wuding River has been renamed Yongding River, it can't change its temper. Don't look at it like a cold girl quietly at this moment, but if it gets angry, it's like a wild horse!" Kangxi ignored Wei Dongting's words, and said with a deep breath: "Although there are many talents in the world, they are not willing to be used by me, and Zhong Sanlang Xiangtang came out of nowhere, alas!" "Master, don't listen to that nonsense surnamed Yang. Isn't 'the emperor has no relatives, but virtue is his assistant' also the words of a saint?" "Well, of course what you said is right, but... hey! Huchen, what do you think there are so many people gathered over there?" When Wei Dongting looked forward, he saw a group of peasants, about four to five hundred people, who had just come out of the city, carrying shovels and dustpans, moving lazily and slowly towards the bank of Yongding River.Then he turned his head and said to Kangxi, "Master, you are very much like a man who manages the river." "No way? River management usually starts after the autumn floods, and stops after the beginning of winter. Why is Gu'an County so strange that there are still river workers at such a time? Let's go and have a look." Wei Dongting promised, and was about to go, see later A warm blue wool sedan chair was carried along the embankment.There are two tiger head plaques in front, followed by more than a dozen yamen servants carrying water and fire sticks and shouting, one can tell at a glance that it is the guard of honor of the fourth-rank Taoist platform.Lian Xi thought that the person in the sedan chair must be a river, so he said to Wei Dongting: "Xiao Weizi, let's catch up with the group of people in front and see what happens!"