Chapter 28 The four kings, Kai Yun, talked about the country's great plan, and Zeng Guofan replaced ink with tea.

Hu Linyi died a few days after returning to Wuchang.When the bad news came, Zeng Guofan was very sad and cried: "Runzhi worries about the country with all his heart, takes care of his friends to survive, and works hard to protect the generals. It is hard to find such a good person in the world." In Wuzhong, it was the last emperor and his ministers who hated each other at the end of their lives; recommending sages all over the world, I hope that future generations will make up for my unfulfilled honor." Sending Zhenqian on his behalf to Wuchang with elegiac couplets and offerings of money.

At this time, Luo Bingzhang was transferred to supervise the military affairs in Sichuan.Zeng Guofan wrote to him, recommending Liu Rong as his assistant, and told him in detail that Liu Rong's talent could win the great task of enforcing Xinjiang.He also discussed with the officials and recommended Li Xuyi as Efu and Mao Hongbin as Xiangfu. At this time, Yang Zaifu came to Anqing from Hukou to cry. He violated the taboo of "Zaichun" with Zeng Guofan and the word "Zaifu", so he planned to change his name to Yue Bin.He also said that Deng Yisheng's original surname was Huang. He lost his father when he was young, and his mother changed his surname to Deng's.

Zeng Guofan agreed with all his mouth: "Renaming Yue Bin is a respect for the emperor; returning the surname to the clan is a filial piety to the ancestors. These are all good things. Especially the situation of Deng Yisheng, there may be many in Xiangyong, so we should use this to publicize , I encourage everyone to come to accumulate meritorious service and receive rewards, like him, the emperor personally confers his surname back to the clan, such a filial son and grandson will be honored and glorious!" Not long afterward, edicts were sent from the Rehe Palace one after another, rewarding those who had made great contributions to conquering Anqing: Zeng Guofan was rewarded with the title of Prince Shaobao; Lizhou chose it first and rewarded him with Hualing; he also posthumously posthumously Zeng Guohua as Minlie to honor his loyalty for the country.Zeng Guofan was overjoyed and frightened when he received the order, and quickly sent a secret letter to Lushan Mountain, asking his sixth brother not to go down the mountain.Zeng Guofan noticed that the Shangyu had changed the past practice and called Xiangyong the Hunan Army, which made him especially happy.He remembered the accusations against Wang Chi and the persuasion to Zuo Zongtang on this matter in the past, and felt that his prudence was still right.In the future, you can call the Hunan Army grandiosely without worrying about being ridiculed!

The actual conferrals of the governors of the three provinces have also come down: Peng Yulin, governor of Anhui, Li Xuyi, governor of Hubei, and Mao Hongbin, governor of Hunan, all of which were approved according to Zeng Guofan's recommendation.Li and Mao took office happily, but Peng Yulin refused to resign.The imperial court had no choice but to assign Li Xuyi as Wan Fu and Yan Shusen as E Fu, the right servant of the Ministry of War. Then a box of souvenir clothes of Emperor Daxing awarded by the new lord was brought in.Zeng Guofan burned incense and saluted, bowed to the north, and ordered someone to open the box.The reward package is very tight.There is a layer of cowhide on the outside, and after the cowhide is taken apart, there is another layer of felt. After the felt is taken apart, the memorial clothes come out: a crown topped with red silk; a green fox gown; a western fine watch, One piece of jade finger, engraved with the words "Jiaqing imperial use"; a string of pale yellow east beads; ten large and small orange Shoushan seal stones.All of them are marked as the favorite things of Emperor Daxing during his lifetime.Zeng Guofan cried again while holding these memorial clothes.This is the second time I've gotten a souvenir.When Emperor Daoguang died twelve years ago, Zeng Guofan received a spring silk shirt as a second-rank servant.It was later discovered that it was a fake. The eunuch took it away and sold it at a high price.This time he was far away in Anqing, but he got so many such precious genuine products, how could he not be grateful?The commendation of the four brothers of his family, the appointment of the governors of the three provinces according to his recommendation, and the award of this box of souvenir clothes, these three things made Zeng Guofan deeply feel that although Emperor Xianfeng has become a great success, the new lord still cares for him Shilong was very correct in rejecting Hu, Zuo, and Peng's temptations resolutely and without hesitation.The royal family's kindness should never be forgotten!

"My lord, Mr. Wang Renqiu is here to see you." Jing Qi came in to report. "Why did he come here?" When Zeng Guofan was thinking, Wang Kaiyun had already entered. "It's a pleasure to meet you, it's a pleasure to meet you!" After seven years of separation, Wang Kaiyun appeared to be much more mature and experienced than before, adding a bit of majesty to his suave and unruly personality.In the past few years, Wang Kaiyun has become famous in the capital as "Yi Diao Ju Ren".Here's a story.Once when Sushun posted a memorial, Emperor Xianfeng read it and asked, "Who wrote this memorial?" Sushun replied, "The Xixi at home is Hunan Juren Wang Guoyun." Emperor Xianfeng asked again, "Why is this person not an official?" Sushun replied: "This person is not a mink or an official." Emperor Xianfeng said: "You can wear mink." According to the rules at that time, only officials of the second rank and above and Hanlin can wear mink fur clothes.Although the rank of Hanlin is not high, because they are disciples of the emperor, they can also enjoy this kind of treatment.Since then, others have called Wang Kaiyun "Yi Diao Ju Ren."

"The Hunan army conquered Anqing, and Kai Yun came here to congratulate Gong Bao and Jiu Shuai." Wang Kaiyun still smiled respectfully and generously as before. "Although Anqing is restored, the emperor is always in charge of the guests. At this time, what congratulations are there?" Zeng Guofan and Wang Kaiyun sat opposite each other, and watched him carefully for a while. "I heard that you have been working as a teacher at Su Zhongtang's house, why come to Anqing when you have time?" "I have been away from Su Zhongtang's house for half a year, and I have always been a guest in Shandong." Wang Kaiyun picked up his teacup, took a sip, and suddenly said seriously, "My lord, the country is in chaos, and Kai Yun wants to ask you for a good plan to avoid the risk .”

"Where did Renqiu say this?" Zeng Guofan asked in surprise. "My lord, it's not that I'm a late-born alarmist. Sooner or later there will be great turmoil in the court." Wang Kaiyun said calmly, "My lord, someone has turned up and asked the empress dowagers of the two palaces to listen to the government behind the curtain. Do you know that?" Zeng Guofan shook his head. "Long Haochen is still at Suzhongtang's house. Before leaving Jining, I received a letter from him, which mentioned this matter." Wang Kaiyun took out a letter and handed it to Zeng Guofan with both hands.In Long Haochen's letter, he mentioned that Yushi Dong Yuanchun was absent, and suggested that the Empress Dowager listen to the government behind the curtain; he also mentioned that King Gong went to the Rehe Palace to pay homage to him, and said that Emperor Daxing would return to Beijing at the end of September, etc.It seems that the situation is indeed getting more and more complicated.Zeng Guofan was silent for a long time, and then slowly uttered a sentence: "There is no precedent for a queen mother to come to court in my court."

"It's exactly what your lord said, you can't listen to politics behind a curtain." Wang Kaiyun had a righteous attitude, "Looking at the annals of history, when a heroine comes to court, the country will be in chaos, and this is the worry of late life." On this point, Zeng Guofan saw the same thing as Wang Kaiyun, but he could not speak out so unscrupulously like Wang Kaiyun.It should be noted that what is discussed is not the past events of the previous dynasty, but the current queen mother. If one is not careful, it may lead to disaster.He thought for a long time before saying: "Su Zhongtang's talent is rare in the world, with him and the other seven princes and ministers assisting him, there is no need for the Queen Mother to worry about it."

"Emperor Daxing granted two seals to the two empress dowagers before his death. One seal said Imperial Reward and was given to Empress Dowager Ci'an, and the other seal was called Tongdaotang and was given to Empress Dowager Cixi. Emperor Daxing said that in the future, the edict must be After review by the two Empress Dowagers, it will be issued after the imperial reward is covered in the front and the Tongdao Hall is covered in the back." These few words of Wang Kaiyun solved the big knot in Zeng Guofan's heart.These two seals are stamped on the edicts sent these days, and he has always wondered why.He secretly thought: Emperor Daxing didn't consider this matter carefully, what if Minister Gu Ming's decree was at odds with the Queen Mother's opinion?Unexpectedly, Wang Kaiyun clarified his worries: "My lord, if Su Zhongtang's affairs are exactly the same as those of the Queen Mother, it will be easy to handle, or it will be easy for the Queen Mother to ignore the matter and just perform the bell and seal procedures, but the Empress Dowager Cixi also has the same problem." Talent, a good teacher for his own use, there will be dramas to watch in the future."

Zeng Guofan's heart began to tense. Since ancient times, there are no two days, no two masters, and the Sacred Heart must be the dictator for major events.The Empress Dowager, Gu ordered ministers to handle political affairs together, which would indeed increase a lot of trouble.The emperor is always wise, why is this matter not wise? "My lord, I think that one day, the Empress Dowager will use her six-year-old son's mouth to kill Su Zhongtang and the others." Wang Kaiyun said casually.Zeng Guofan's hand suddenly trembled as if being stung by a wasp. "There is no such thing, don't talk nonsense." Although the words were harsh, the tone was gentle, and there was no sullen expression on his face.

"My lord, Su Zhongtang's efforts to rectify and abuse the government, and reuse the Han people, especially the lord and the Hunan Army, are the pillars of the prosperity of my Qing Dynasty. But Su Zhongtang also has a fatal weakness. He is too power-hungry and narrow-minded. I think he will have trouble sooner or later. .” Zeng Guofan didn't want to see Sushun collapse, which was not good for him or the Hunan Army.He smiled and said to Wang Kaiyun: "Su Zhongtang has the kindness of knowing you, you should point him out and help him at this critical moment." "I have mentioned Su Zhongtang's weakness many times, but he didn't pay attention to it. This time I came to Anqing from Jining day and night, just to ask you to do something for the country, for Su Zhongtang, and for the Hunan Army. "Wang Kaiyun said earnestly. "What can I do for him?" Zeng Guofan realized that this matter was extraordinary. "My lord." Wang Kaiyun straightened his body, sat on the chair with a serious attitude rarely seen in the past, and proposed his well-thought-out plan, "The situation in the world today is at a critical moment. Ministers are like lying in a dangerous building, swimming on the top of the waves, and there will be disasters at any time. From Wansheng's point of view, once Su Zhongtang steps down, there will be no one to clean up the situation in China. At that time, the chaos will be inside, and the barbarians will invade outside , The two hundred years of the Qing Dynasty is at stake. Since the death of Emperor Daxing, Gongbao has been the most rewarded and generously rewarded by the court. It can be seen that whether it is the empress dowagers of the two palaces or the eight ministers who assist the government, they have always relied on Gongbao. It is the same. Therefore, Wansheng looked around the government and the public. Today, the only one who can save us in the Qing Dynasty is Gongbao. Now the empress dowager is not willing to take the vacant position of Lanzuo's seal, and wants to intervene in state affairs. Censor Mingzuo, The empress dowager's scheming, according to her later life, is not enough to subdue Su Zhongtang and others. One is that the ancestral system is more important than Mount Tai, and the other is that Su Zhongtang is a minister of the Daxing Emperor Tuogu, and the whole dynasty knows it. But the empress dowager will make a move, which is the mistake of the emperor Daxing, and Su Zhongtang was negligent, that is, contacting the king of the capital, conspiring with the uncle and sister-in-law, and a coup d'état in the palace. " Zeng Guofan's expression became terrified, he secretly admired Wang Kaiyun's insight into the situation and his incisive analysis. "Originally," Wang Kaiyun changed into a calm tone, and continued in an orderly manner, "Emperor Daxing should bear in mind the ancient teaching that Zhou Gongfu became a king, follow the precedent of Dorgon and Shunzhi in this dynasty, and appoint Prince Gong as the regent. Entrust the youngest son to him, and ask Su Zhongtang to help King Gong with all his heart. In this way, even though the new lord is old, the political situation will be stable. The Emperor Daxing has gone, so naturally we can't be harsh. For the current plan, only Gongbao invites himself into the audience , to affirm the ancestral system, and to explain the principle that the two palaces cannot listen to the government behind the curtain. Then, together with Su Zhongtang, we will meet King Gong, and ask King Gong to put the country as the most important thing, eliminate the past suspicions, and assist the new master. In this way, there will be a regent who is wise and close, There is Su Zhongtang, who is capable and decisive, and Zeng Gongbao, who holds a heavy army outside. Even if the Qing court is hit by storms and catastrophes, it can still be as stable as a rock. Contribution to the country will be far better than capturing a city and a place, and the history of thousands of years will always mark the loyalty of the Lord for the country!" The more Wang Kaiyun talked, the more high-spirited he became, while the more Zeng Guofan listened, the calmer he became.The extremely intelligent scholar in front of him, for Su Shun's plan, can be said to be far-sighted and deliberate, but he is a young scholar after all, with little experience in the world.With Sushun's temperament, if he wanted to take over the power of the country, how could he ask Prince Gong to be the regent?Maybe it was Sushun's idea that Emperor Daxing didn't want Prince Gong to be regent!Conspiring with Sushun for this matter is tantamount to seeking skin with a tiger and asking for trouble.Besides, Su Shun is domineering and has a lot of grievances. It is hard to say whether Prince Gong would like to work with him.If you invite yourself to enter the court to affirm the ancestral system, it is impossible to predict whether Sushun and King Gong will get it well, but it is certain that you will offend the two empress dowagers first.With Empress Dowager Cixi as a person, there is no benefit in offending her!Now the Queen Mother, Minister Gu Ming, and King Gong are fighting openly and secretly. No matter who wins in the three aspects, they must rely on themselves. Why bother to intervene in the middle!In Anqing, it is the best attitude at present to observe the changes of the current situation quietly and respond to all changes with the same.Having made up his mind, Zeng Guofan said with a smile, "Renqiu, your idea is very good, but how can I interfere with the government as a foreign minister? Besides, the frontline military is changing rapidly, and I am not allowed to leave." Zeng Guofan's categorical refusal was like a basin of cold water being poured on Wang Kaiyun's body in the cold winter, and he immediately became listless and speechless for a long time.But Wang Kaiyun didn't give up. After gathering his mind, he came up with a second plan: "My lord, do you still remember what Wansheng said to your lord on the eve of Hengzhou's dispatch of troops in the first month of the fourth year of Xianfeng?" How is it possible not to remember?What Wang Kaiyun said back then made Zeng Guofan, who had just led the army, feel his heart pounding.Now, he has been on the battlefield for a long time, and he has even conquered famous cities. He is calm when he hints and persuades Hu, Zuo, and Peng. Wang Kaiyun's words are nothing more than that.Zeng Guofan nodded, seemingly absently. "If your lord feels that what Wan Sheng said just now is inappropriate, your lord can raise the banner of righteousness in Anqing for the first time and be the master of all people. With the strength of your lord's virtue today, Wan Sheng can guarantee that not only the world will respond, the four sides will follow, even the Su Zhongtang will also support him sincerely." At this point, Wang Kaiyun took a sneak look at Zeng Guofan, and saw him sitting peacefully at the desk with his head lowered, dipping his hands in tea and scratching on the table as if nothing had happened.Wang Kaiyun thought to himself: This time he may be tempted.He was in high spirits: "Su Zhongtang often said that Manchu people are confused and unable to contribute to the country. They only know that they need money. When the country encounters major difficulties, they must reuse Han people, especially respect adults..." "My lord, I have sent an important letter." Jing Qi came in and interrupted Wang Kaiyun. "Okay, I'll come." Zeng Guofan got up and said to Wang Kaiyun, "You came just in time. A few days ago, a scholar named Cao in Anqing City, who claimed to be a descendant of Cao Zijian, gave me a handwritten page of Zijian. .You are an expert, help me appraise it to see if it is authentic." When Zeng Guofan went out, Wang Kaiyun walked to the desk, and saw that the words Zeng Guofan had just written in tea instead of ink were still dry. When he looked carefully, it turned out to be a long string of "arrogance, arrogance, arrogance!" There was a wry smile, and a sense of sadness welled up in his heart.