Chapter 76 Eleven Strides on the Road to Funeral
"My lord, Ruizhou Emergency Military Report!" Kang Fu came in like a gust of wind, and sent a letter of emergency assistance of one hundred thousand to Zeng Guofan.This was sent by Zeng Guohua from the Ruizhou military camp.It turned out that Luo Dagang and Zhou Guoyu, who were defeated on the battlefield in Hubei, led their troops to Jiangxi from Hubei, surrounded the city of Ruizhou, and threatened to capture Ruizhou. revenge.When Zeng Guohua saw the crowds of Taiping soldiers outside the city, he panicked for a moment, and quickly sent someone to ask his elder brother to rescue him.Zeng Guofan was very dissatisfied with the panic of the sixth brother, but he couldn't ignore it: if Ruizhou City was really lost, the sixth brother would not be able to stand up in Xiangyong.But right now, everything is tight, and no troops can move.After much deliberation, only Li Yuandu's army could move temporarily.When Zeng Guofan rushed to the city of Ruizhou with Li Yuandu's 2,000 troops, Luo Dagang and Zhou Guoyu had already left in the afternoon.They originally passed by Ruizhou, but they just used this to scare Zeng Guohua, and they didn't really mean to hit Ruizhou.After this false alarm, Zeng Guofan became even more melancholy. Jiangxi Changmao's arrogance is still arrogant, the military has made no progress, and money is in trouble. The sixth younger brother, who has always been regarded as a genius, is so mediocre. manage?He sent Li Yuandu back to Nankang, and he stayed in Ruizhou to help his sixth brother, no matter how bad he is, he is still his own brother, and he will have to rely on him to be the chief general of Zeng's army!
In the middle of the night, Zeng Guofan and his sixth younger brother talked about how to defeat the enemy with courage in the middle of the night in the study, and when they were about to go to bed, Kang Fu came to report: "Jiang Yili is asking to see him outside the door."
"Why is he here?" Zeng Guofan was deeply surprised, "Quickly tell him to come in."
Jiang Yili came in hurriedly, and saluted Guofan and Guohua.Zeng Guofan asked: "Xiangquan, you are not serving Deyin Hangbu in Nankang, what are you doing here?"
"My lord," Jiang Yili replied respectfully, "I am not from Nankang, but from Nanchang."
"Deyin Hangbu went to Nanchang again?"
"Yes, my lord will leave first, and he will ask me to pack my luggage the next day and accompany him to Nanchang."
"Why is he so impatient to go to Nanchang?" Zeng Guofan frowned, as if asking Jiang Yili, or talking to himself.
"My lord doesn't know," Kang Fu interjected, "A few days ago, Wen Zhongcheng bought him a house in Yanzhi Lane, and bought a prostitute in Li Rui Yuan with a thousand taels of silver. A flower in Yuzhang. He had wanted to go to Nanchang a long time ago, but he was only in the way of my lord being there."
"No wonder he hurried to Nanchang as soon as the eldest brother left." Zeng Guohua was the one who was most interested in female sex among the five brothers of the Zeng family.He is very envious of Deyin Hangbu's beauty.
"Kang Fu, how do you know so clearly?" Zeng Guofan asked with a smile.
"I heard it from Peng Shouyi. He went to Nanchang two days earlier."
Kang Fu had a secretive smile on his lips.
Zeng Guofan looked at Jiang Yili and jokingly said, "Xiang Quan is now following this Mandarin, just to enjoy himself in the world of flowers and flowers, why did he come here late at night?"
Yi Li blushed and said: "How dare I forget my lord's entrustment, Kui Ye is here, I have something important to tell you."
Everyone put away their smiles.Jing Qi brought food to Yi Li.After sitting on the fast horse for two hours, tired and hungry, Jiang Yili ate several bowls of rice without being polite.He wiped his mouth and said to Zeng Guofan: "Last night, four people, Wen Zhongcheng, Lu Fantai, Qijiantai, and Shi Taishou, invited Deyin Hangbu to the Nanchang magistrate's yamen for a drink. He deliberately didn't want me to follow, which aroused my anxiety even more." Suspicion. On the way, I took the opportunity of sending clothes to enter the yamen, secretly hid behind the screen, and listened to their conversation. I didn’t expect these dignified officials to talk about food and women at the banquet table. I was disgusted. Just as he was about to quit, Shi Zhier suddenly asked Deyin Hangbu: "I heard that Zeng Shilang is going to pay the imperial court and strictly prohibit Huaiyan from entering Jiangxi. Does Lord De know about this?" Deyin Hangbu said: "There is such a thing. This time, Guo Songtao lost money selling Zhejiang salt from Hangzhou. It is said that it was because Huai salt entered Jiangxi." After Deyin Hangbu finished speaking, there was a moment of silence at the banquet, and then Lu Yuanhong's voice: "It seems that Zeng Shilang intends to Stay in Jiangxi for a long time.” Deyin Hangbu sighed and said: “It is also my fate. I was in Shengjing well, but was sent to the military camp by the emperor to suffer. I don’t know what I did in my life. Qi Ling said: "Yes! There is a delicate Xie Yuhua who can't be with her every day, and she has to take advantage of the opportunity of leaving Nankang to have an affair in a hurry. It's really pitiful." The audience roared with laughter.
"These people are very excited when they talk about women." Kang Fu said contemptuously.
"After laughing, Lu Yuanhong said: "It's not difficult for Mr. De to bring Mrs. Ru back to Shengjing to enjoy the blessings." Deyin Hangbu hurriedly asked: "What can Mr. Lu teach me? I will definitely thank you." Lu Yuanhong said in a low voice : "The emperor wants you to come and watch Zeng Shilang, Zeng Shilang is no longer working hard, isn't your errand finished?" "Exactly. But that Zeng is very stubborn, no matter how he loses the battle, no matter how he hits a wall, How can he leave the barracks?''Of course Shi Lang himself will not leave. The army he created with his own hands, he is willing to hand over to others? If the emperor doesn't want him to be in the barracks, can he still stay?' These words seem to have reminded Deyin Hangbu. After a short pause, he said: "My lords, please provide some materials. I will write a note to the emperor. The words are to the point. Let the emperor remove his post of supervising military affairs, and I will Thank you so much.'”
Hearing this, Zeng Guofan's face was tense, and he cursed in his heart: "This Deyin Hangbu, who has brought disaster to the country and the people, does not hesitate to trade the emperor's country for his personal pleasure. It is really shameful and detestable!" Ask: "What do they arrange?"
Jiang Yili said: "I pricked up my ears to listen, and I heard that they gathered a few items among the cups and chopsticks: one is to condone subordinates' rape, rape, and robbery, taking Bao Chao's army to capture Jing'an as an example. The ruffian, the rogue, and the rascal run the money bureau, openly sell their officials and ranks, citing Xia Zhen and Lu Lun as examples."
Zeng Guofan's heart skipped a beat: These two examples are close to each other, let the emperor know that dismissal and investigation are entirely possible.
"These ghosts!" Zeng Guohua was so angry that he punched the table and overturned the oil lamp.Jing Qi hurried over to light the lamp.Jiang Yili said: "The more vicious thing is yet to come. It was Lu Yuanhong who said it. The old bastard said: "I heard from a few Hunan natives that on the day their Master Zeng was born, the old man dreamed that a dragon flew into Zeng from the sky. Mr. Zeng is a real dragon descending to earth, and he will have the blessing of the emperor in the future. Mr. De, write this up too. Perhaps in the future, it is not Chang Mao who will actually usurp the throne, but Zeng Guofan."
With a "bang", the teacup in Zeng Guofan's hand fell to the ground and shattered, which shocked everyone.I saw that his face was pale and he almost passed out.Zeng Guohua hurried over to help his eldest brother, Jiang Yili quickly stopped talking.After a while, Zeng Guofan recovered and asked again, "What else did they say?"
Jiang Yili said: "After hearing this, Deyin Hangbu said happily: 'Okay, this one alone can put Zeng to death. I was afraid that people would find out if I stayed for a long time, so I slipped out quietly. This afternoon, I rode a horse to Ruizhou."
"How did you tell him when you left Nanchang?"
"I said go back to Nankang to get things."
"Okay! You've worked so hard today, get a good night's sleep, and go back to Nanchang after lunch tomorrow."
"My lord," Jiang Yili said anxiously, "These scoundrels are really wolf-hearted, are you going to let them sue the emperor like this?"
Zeng Guofan smiled faintly: "He wants to sue, what can I do? Go to sleep at ease and let me deal with him slowly."
After Jiang Yili left, Zeng Guohua said angrily, "Brother, you can't let them frame you like this, you have to show him some seriousness."
Kang Fu also said: "Deyin Hangbu is a Manchurian. It is extremely detrimental to adults if he really accepts such a book."
"It's not only bad, it's not an exaggeration to kill the head." Zeng Guofan smiled again, "A few years ago in Hunan, although Bao Qibao, Xu Youren, and Tao Enpei couldn't tolerate me, they were not so despicable and vicious. They are open flames. Holding a stick, the outside and the inside are consistent. These demons are full of honey and swords, and hide their swords in their smiles. They are people in front of them and ghosts behind their backs. If Xiangquan hadn't heard it, they would have died in their hands. I don't know where the grievance is! It's exactly what Kang Fu said , there are three Manchus among the five of them, and Deyin Hangbu was sent by the emperor himself, so the emperor will naturally believe their words."
Kang Fu said: "Lu Yuanhong used to be more polite than Chen Qimai and Yun Guangchen, why has he become so black-hearted now?"
Zeng Guofan said: "The smuggling of Huai salt was investigated, and he was found to be fatal. There is also Shi Zhier, who was not bad at first, but as soon as I checked Huai salt, he was afraid and hated. The key is Deyin Hangbu. This person is both greedy and stupid. In order not to endure hardships in the military camp, he is really unscrupulous. This person will suffer a big loss in the end. Wen and Lu are using his stupidity to achieve their own goals, but he can't see it at all. In the future, the court If it is found out that it is a false accusation, and he is the one to be punished, both Wen and Lu will be blamed."
"Brother, a small amount is not a gentleman, and non-toxic is not a husband. I think we have to act first!"
Zeng Guohua walked up to his elder brother with a murderous look.
"How do you say to do it?" Zeng Guofan's triangular eyes shot out a cold and fierce light.
"Kill De!" Zeng Guohua threw out three words in a low but heavy voice.
Zeng Guofan looked at his sixth younger brother, his two broom eyebrows connected into a horizontal line, his gloomy face showed nothing.He raised his left hand and slowly stroked the beard hanging on his chest.Kang Fu said solemnly: "Master Liu is right. As soon as Deyin Hangbu died, the book was blown, and he also removed a thorn in our Xiangyong's side. My lord, leave this task to me! I will be like As clean as crushing a mosquito."
Zeng Guofan was still stroking his beard, as if it was a think tank that could give him enlightenment and wisdom, or as if it was a mighty army that could give him courage and courage.Finally, he flicked his beard to the right, stood up abruptly, glanced at Kang Fu and Zeng Guohua with two gloomy eyes, and then walked into the bedroom without saying a word.This was a signal to kill after repeated consideration, and everyone around Zeng Guofan knew it well.
"Sixth Master, I will go to Nanchang with Xiang Quan tomorrow morning, see what else I need to order." Kang Fu touched the new waist knife around his waist and asked.Zeng Guohua pondered for a while and said: "You have to be patient and find a good opportunity. It is best to let him die in the yamen of Wen Jun and Lu Yuanhong. At that time, I will ask my eldest brother to give a report to the court and accuse him of murder. Let them be inseparable for the rest of their lives!"
On the evening of the fourth day after Kang Fu and Jiang Yili left, Yuan Xunju from the Wenjun Yamen came to Ruizhou in a hurry, and said to Zeng Guofan with a mournful face, "Master Zeng, Mr. Deyin Hangbu was assassinated last night!"
Zeng Guofan was very happy, and asked with feigned surprise on his face: "Master De is doing well in Nankang, how could he be assassinated?"
"Master De, he didn't die in Nan, Nankang, but in Nan, Nanchang."
Yuan Xunzuo stuttered when he was in a hurry.He deliberately said slowly, "Lord De came to Nanchang more than ten days ago. Last night, Wen Zhongcheng invited him to the governor's office to discuss matters. The two had a secret conversation in the study. After a while, Wen Zhongcheng went out for convenience. After a big jump, Master De had already died in a pool of blood. Wen Zhongcheng immediately ordered people to seal the yamen, but no trace of the assassin could be found, and Wen Zhongcheng ordered a thorough investigation."
When Yuan Xunxun said this, he leaned close to Zeng Guofan's ear and lowered his voice: "Master Wen Zhongcheng Yinde died in his yamen, and there was no third person present at that time. I was a little scared, and I was afraid that I would not be able to explain clearly."
"Well done, Kang Fu has a plan." Zeng Guofan thought in his heart, but said to Yuan Xunbu sternly, "Master De is a Liudu doctor sent by the imperial court, a descendant of the holy grandfather, and the uncle of the current emperor. The Headquarters also admired him, and never let him go to places where the soldiers were fierce and dangerous. He lived in Nankang and had a team of soldiers to protect him, but now he died in Wen Zhongcheng's yamen for no reason, and the assassin was not caught , Tell me how to explain to the court!"
After all, he took out a handkerchief and wiped his eyes.Seeing this, Yuan Xuncup had to cry with him, and stammered: "Wen, Wen Zhongcheng knows that he is not doing enough to protect him, and he is a burden to the court, so he sent you to Nanchang for business and consultation, and to arrest the murderer together. Bring to justice."
Zeng Guofan said coldly: "Ruizhou is busy with military affairs, how can I leave!"
Yuan Xuncup pleaded: "Wen Zhongcheng has repeatedly warned and warned the humble official, please let me go."
Zeng Guofan thought to himself, it doesn't seem to work if he doesn't go, and it will be difficult for the court to answer questions in the future; if he goes, he will feel a little guilty.He sat on the chair, made a sad and angry look, and calmed down slowly.He deeply hated himself for being weak in courage and lacking the talent of Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao who are traitors in troubled times.This matter has been done flawlessly, what are you afraid of?After such a psychological self-blame and masturbation, Zeng Guofan became more courageous: "Okay! I will go to Nanchang with you tomorrow, and I must get to the bottom of this matter."
Yuan Xunzu hurriedly bowed: "Thank you Master Zeng!"
"Brother!" Zeng Guofan was about to ask someone to pack up and prepare to leave tomorrow when Zeng Guohua came in crying.
"What's the matter?" The imposing five-foot man actually burst into tears, isn't it a pustule!Zeng Guofan really looked down on this sixth brother.
"Brother." Zeng Guohua cried even harder after asking this question, "My lord father passed away!"
"What did you say? Who did you listen to?" Zeng Guofan stood up abruptly, and asked while grabbing the sixth younger brother's shoulder with both hands.
"The fourth brother sent Sheng San to deliver the obituary."
Zeng Guofan let go of his hands and collapsed on the grand master's chair, tears flowed silently from his slightly closed eyes.It took him a long time before he opened his eyes, and softly told his left and right: "Bring the mourning clothes!" Then he turned his face and said to Yuan Xunpu, "Guofan suffered a great misfortune and couldn't go to Nanchang as ordered. Please give me your best wishes." Congratulations from Wen Zhongcheng, please ask him to bring the murderer to justice as soon as possible, so as to comfort the soul of Lord De."
In the middle of the night, Zeng Guofan woke up from his grief.He calmly thought about it back and forth, if it was said that the time of his mother's death was the most inopportune, then his father's death at this moment was really just right.In the current situation, it will be more difficult in the future to let go without any reason, and the top and bottom will not allow it. It is better to take this opportunity to get rid of this predicament, throw this mess to Jiangxi, and embarrass the court.Apart from him, Zeng Guofan, who else can command the 20,000 Xiangyongs on land and water?At that time, it will not be too late to bargain with the emperor.Zeng Guofan's mind calmed down. He sat by the desk and drew up a "Returning Home for Father's Funeral" for the emperor:
"Since I served as an official, I haven't had a day to support my relatives for more than 20 years. Before my mother's funeral, Mo Yu assisted in the matter; now, my father's funeral is not taken care of. But the military camp has been for several years, and it has done little. Duo, I am a worthless person in the country, and I have a sin of a hundred lives at home. It is only ten days' journey from Ruizhou to the minister's house, and I will go to the funeral and return to my hometown on the same day."
He thought of the case of Deyin Hangbu, in today's situation, the sooner he left the better, he decided not to wait for the emperor's approval, but to seal him back home.
On February 21st of the seventh year of Xianfeng, it was a day of gloomy clouds and gloomy heaven and earth.A few days ago, the temperature was warmer, and the willow branches by the water had spit out some tender teeth. In the past few days, the howling north wind has solidified the vitality, and the few winter jasmine flowers that can be seen occasionally have all withered. under dead branches.The bare branches shivered in the cold wind.The birds did not dare to come out to look for food, and all curled up in their nests sheltered from the wind, looking forward to the arrival of a sunny day.After lunch, Zeng Guofan bid farewell to Peng Yulin, Yang Zaifu, Kang Fu and other civil and military officials who came to Ruizhou to see him off, as well as Li Huan from Liangdao, the prefect and the first county of Ruizhou City sent by Wenjun to express condolences, and took The sixth brother Guohua, the ninth brother Guoquan, and the servant Jing Qi set off on their way home for the funeral.
The three brothers rode on their horses silently without saying a word.Zeng Guofan's heart was more like the endless dark clouds in the sky, heavy and tense.Looking at the lonely and desolate fields with thin water and cold mountains and the narrow, dry, uneven thousand-year-old road under the horse's hooves, he fell into deep sorrow.This sorrow is not for the death of the father.His father was over sixty-eight years old, and although his own fame was only a scholar, his son had asked him to obtain a first-class imperial seal and three awards from the emperor. In the entire Xiangxiang County, no other person had such an honor.A father can rest in peace, and a son is also worthy.Zeng Guofan is sad about the situation he has been in since he came out of the mountain.
Five years have passed since I left the mountain in December of the second year of Xianfeng, and there have been so many hardships, humiliations and traumas, just like the Jinjiang River in front of me, which can't be poured out or vomited out.Jinjiang water can still pour out to the world, but to whom can I pour out the bitter water in my stomach? ——"A good man knocks out his teeth and swallows blood", he is unwilling to confide in others.Looking at the dry and shallow Jinjiang River without a single ship, he saw the calm Xiangjiang River and the choppy Yangtze River in his eyes.These two rivers that he had chanted affectionately almost swallowed his body.The humiliation of throwing himself into the river twice is hard to wash away, and he will become the laughing stock of future generations after many years.Full of passion, devoted to regaining the emperor's country and defending the dignity of Confucius and Mencius, but ended up being suspicious of the emperor, crowded out, blocked on all sides, discorded in all directions, and almost fell into a situation that the whole country could not tolerate.Apart from suffering, what have you gained in the past few years?In terms of official position, he is still just a servant.With courage, Jiang Zhongyuan was promoted from acting magistrate to governor.With courage, Hu Linyi was also promoted from Taoist to governor.That's all.There are also many people like Tao Enpei, Wen Jun, and Qi Ling, who have bad hearts and mediocre talents.Things in the world are so unfair.However, thinking about himself, he couldn't help shaking his head and sighing.In terms of merit, Wuchang, Hanyang, Qizhou, and Tianzhen were recovered and then lost, and finally others recaptured them.I have been in Jiangxi for more than two years, but Jiujiang and Hukou have not yet fallen, and Changmao still controls seven prefectures and more than forty counties. What credit can I say!Could it be said that the long hair cannot be destroyed, and the Qing Dynasty cannot prosper?Could it be said that this life is only worthy of being a scholar and not Li Mi and Pei Du?
On a field not far away, a farmer was walking with a weak buffalo.
Looking at the exhausted cow, Zeng Guofan suddenly remembered the cow that was used for blood sacrifice the day Hengzhou dispatched troops.The buffalo gradually disappeared into the twilight, out of sight.Zeng Guofan looked down at himself, and suddenly realized that he had become visibly thinner over the past few years.Not yet fifty years old, why is he aging so fast!The cow under Shigu's mouth came to mind again, it was about to die, twitching in pain, its two hazel-colored eyeballs were bulging and looking up at the sky.Zeng Guofan felt strangely that the cow seemed to be him!
The sky is darker, the north wind is stronger, and dusk is coming.The surrounding mountains, rivers, fields, houses, and roads gradually blurred.Where is the way out?Where is the future?Zeng Guofan couldn't predict, he just felt that the sky was dim and the earth was dark, and his mood was extremely bleak.He doesn't think about anything now, and he doesn't want anything anymore, he just longs to return to the lotus leaf pond as soon as possible.He was too tired, and he wanted to rest quietly beside his father's grave for a period of time, and then review everything he had experienced in the past few years in detail.
(End of "Blood Sacrifice")