In the post house built by Honglu Temple, there are Han soldiers standing with spears in front and behind the pillars. From time to time, soldiers breathing in the heat are cruising back and forth. In the room in the west wing on the second floor, the lights are on, glowing like fire. .
The Jurchen envoys on this trip, Zhang Shang and Shuo Tuo, were sitting on the kang table and having dinner.
Shuo Tuo was in his early forties. This man was originally tied up and executed by Daishan for supporting Dorgon with his son in a parallel time and space, but now he is an envoy representing the Jurchens and the Han Dynasty in peace talks.
Shuo Tuo picked his teeth with a bamboo skewer and said with a smile: "Don't say it, the skills of this Han cook are really good, they are more authentic than those in Shengjing."
Zhang Shang said: "Your Majesty, the Han people are very particular about never getting tired of fine food and fine cooking. Huaiyang cuisine is a rare delicacy."
Shuo Tuo lowered his voice and said: "When we take over the Central Plains, I will have a dozen Huaiyang cooks in the house."
"Your Majesty, the Han court officials have been quarreling recently." Zhang Shang suddenly said.
Shuo Tuo's eyes flashed and he said: "Didn't Mr. Fan say before that these Han officials are like this? As soon as they hear there is an opportunity for peace talks, they start to have illusions. Now they are really in chaos."
Zhang Shang listened to Shuo Tuo's words and said, "Your Majesty, I heard that Yongning Bo Jiaheng has arrived in Luoyang and will return to the capital. This person is difficult to deal with."
Shuo Tuo's eyes flashed with cold light, and he said in a deep voice, "He was the one who captured Uncle Wang alive. This man is truly a serious nuisance to my daughter."
Zhang Shangdao: "Your Majesty, don't worry. When the Han Dynasty fights, Uncle Yongning will be put on the fire. He is a military general who stands on the opposite side of the civil servants. Even if he is temporarily defeated in the future, as long as the war is unfavorable, these people will be defeated." To verify that I am right."
Shuo Tuo smiled and said, "You Han people still have a way."
"Your Majesty, this is an old practice recorded in history." Zhang Shang smiled.
…
…
Kaifeng, the backyard of the governor's office
In the hall, Zhongjing Hou Shi Ding and his wife Zhou were entertaining Jia Heng and Xiang Yun who came with them.
Shi Ding looked at the young man not far away, with a bit of eagerness in his eyes, and whispered: "Ziyu, sweet potatoes have a great harvest in Henan. I remember that the last time I met Ziyu, the official of the Henan Yamen was full of complaints and slander. Ziyu, now all are speechless."
Jia Heng picked up the wine cup and said, "Uncle Shi, the people who were previously released have all returned to their hometowns and are farming in peace, right?"
"A booklet was compiled according to the severity of the crime, and many of them were released back to their hometowns." Shi Ding said in a low voice: "The feudal lord's office did not agree with this at first, saying that these people would be used as hard labor to build city walls and official roads, but Save people’s energy.”
Jia Heng said: "Since we have made promises to the people before, we should not renege on our promises, especially when there was great chaos before, which was the key to rebuilding the prestige of the government."
Shi Ding nodded and said, "What Ziyu said is true, and I mean the same thing."
Mrs. Zhou took Xiangyun's hand, smiled, and said, "Girl Yun, when you go back this time, give the things you brought to the old lady."
Shi Ding whispered: "You talk to Xiangyun, Ziyu and I will go to the study first."
Mrs. Zhou smiled and said, "Master, let's go."
The two of them entered the study and sat down again. The servant put on the tea cup and turned to leave.
Shi Ding's eyes fell on the young man's face and he sighed: "Ziyu went to the south of the Yangtze River to organize the salt affairs and pacify the bandits. Now his merits can be considered complete.
After returning to Beijing this time, he will definitely be granted the title of Marquis, and it will not be a third-class Marquis like him.
Jia Heng said softly: "This journey has indeed been a busy one, but fortunately everything has been taken care of."
Shi Ding nodded and asked worriedly: "Ziyu, there has been a lot of talk about peace talks in Beijing recently, will it affect the national policy against the captives?"
As a frontier official and an important member of a province, he was naturally very sensitive to the movements of the central government. As the original work of Red Mansion said, the four major families all prospered and suffered losses. If Jia Heng fell, the historians would not be able to survive alone.
Jia Heng said: "Don't worry, uncle, it's just some scientific discussions. Besides, since the first year of Chongping, when have the Jurchens negotiated peace with my Han Dynasty? Now it's just a sudden change by them."
The Han's national policy against the captives was consistent, clear, and unshakable.
Shi Ding was silent for a moment and said: "As long as the emperor's stance on this matter is firm, the rest is of no concern. But if everyone above and below holds peace talks, Ziyu will be under greater pressure against the captives in the future."
Fighting against everyone's opinions is easy to build prestige, but it is also easy to damage prestige, especially if it is proved wrong later, then it becomes perverse.
Once it is the consensus of the courtiers, it becomes a central collective decision-making. The risk of wrong decision-making is naturally shared by everyone. Even if the decision-making is wrong, everyone chooses to forget it together and move on.
The same is true for Jia Heng. If the war fails in the end, Jia Heng may have to take the blame, and the emperor may be unable to recover.
Originally, if you lose the battle, you will lose the battle, which is nothing more than sitting on the bench. But once the fire is too strong, if you lose another battle, the outcome will be more tragic.
This is what Shi Ding is worried about. Now, Jia Heng's future and destiny are not only tied to one person, but also to several other major families.
Jia Heng nodded and said: "Don't worry, Shibo, today's big men are not completely incapable of fighting."
The Beijing camp has been tempered for many times, and if some military weapons are added, it should be able to resist the Jurchens.
Shi Ding sighed with emotion and said: "It is difficult to know the outcome of the military affairs, it is still too dangerous."
On the other side, Mrs. Zhou also held Xiang Yun's chubby little hand and said with a smile: "Girl Yun is almost growing up now. Wait a year or two and my aunt will find a suitable match for you."
Xiangyun's fair and rosy face was as red as a Fuji apple, and she hurriedly said: "Auntie, I'm not in a hurry, my sister and I haven't married anyone yet."
Zhou smiled and said: "It will only be in the next two or three years, so we can decide it sooner."
While he was talking, he heard Shi Ding's voice coming from outside, saying, "What are you talking to the child about."
Mrs. Zhou said: "It's been a long time since I last saw Girl Yun. Let's talk to her about getting married in the future."
Shi Ding frowned and said, "Old lady Zi Zi is worried about this matter, why are you joining in the fun?"
If Ziyu was not already married, it would be good for Xiangyun to marry Ziyu. In the next few decades, the old lady of the Jia family would still belong to their Shi family.
Mrs. Zhou did not dare to talk back, but just smiled and said: "The old lady is so busy, how can she have this time?"
"Okay, get ready for lunch. I'll have a few drinks with Ziyu later." Shi Ding waved his hand and whispered.
Xiangyun looked at Jia Heng, walked closer and said, "Brother Heng."
Jia Heng nodded and finished lunch with Shi Ding without stopping. While Shi Ding was seeing him off, he and Xiang Yun got into the carriage and headed to the ship anchored at the ferry.
On the carriage, the curtains hung down from all directions. The temperature inside the carriage was somewhat low. The two people sat side by side. Jia Heng took the mattress on the side and covered it up.
Jia Heng raised his eyes to look at Xiang Yun, smiled lightly and asked, "Sister Yun, just now your aunt said that you would get married."
Xiangyun's fair and rosy face turned red with embarrassment, and she said softly: "Brother Heng, I don't want to get married. It's good to play with the sisters every day."
Jia Heng stared at the girl with Apple's round face and said with a chuckle: "You can't play with her like this for the rest of your life. You will always get married."
Xiangyun suddenly blushed, looked at the young man, and summoned up the courage to ask: "Brother Heng, are Sister Bao and Sister Lin going to marry you?"
Jia Heng: "..."
"Where did you hear about it?" Jia Heng calmed down, asked with a chuckle, pinched the girl's rosy cheeks, and joked: "Why are you still blushing as you talk about this?"
Xiangyun tilted his head, his dark eyes were looking forward, and he said with a chuckle: "I see that Sister Lin usually doesn't touch Yangchun water with her fingers. She is learning to cook and helping Brother Heng sew clothes. I I feel weird."
Although Xiangyun is charming and charming, and usually a little careless, he is not as careless as he appears. After such a long time, he gradually became aware of Chai Daiheng's triangular relationship.
Otherwise, in the original work, after Xiangyun said that Daiyu was like an actor, he would not have said to Baoyu: "Go and apologize to the person who is used to making petty tricks on you."
Jia Heng chuckled and said, "You, Sister Lin, are usually quite diligent, but why do you think Sister Yun seems so lazy?"
Xiangyun and Daiyu usually have a good relationship.
Xiangyun chuckled lightly and said, "Brother Heng, what about Sister Bao? Sister Bao also cooks for Brother Heng."
Jia Heng said softly: "We are so small and so big, so ordinary sisters can't sew some fabrics and clothes together?"
Xiangyun pouted and said softly: "Brother Heng lied to me again. One morning, I saw you coming out of Sister Lin's house."
Jia Heng smiled, rubbed the girl's bangs, and said, "Okay, it's what you think, you will marry me in the future."
Hearing this, Xiangyun's cheeks turned slightly red, his eyes moved slightly, and he said softly: "Both of them will marry Brother Heng?"
"Yes." Jia Heng responded softly and said seriously: "After Sister Yun goes back, don't tell anyone else."
Xiangyun said quickly: "I won't tell anyone else."
Just as he was saying this, he looked at the boy opposite, his pink lips twitched, and suddenly his pink and snowy cheeks turned red into an apple face, and he whispered: "Brother Heng, in the future I will also..."
After all, it is the nature of a girl. In the end, her own shyness took over her body and mind. She hesitated and did not say the next words.
Jia Heng chuckled and asked: "What...what? Marry me too?"
"Yeah..." Xiangyun's heart was revealed, and his plump jade plate face turned red as fire, and he whispered: "That way we can play together all our lives and never be apart every day."
Jia Heng took Xiang Yun's slender hand and whispered: "When you return to the house, please don't say such words in the future. If the honor of your daughter's family is stained, it will be difficult for her to marry in the future."
Xiangyun still doesn't know what the word "marriage" means. Maybe in Xiangyun's eyes, everyone just plays around and is happy every day, hoping to be with him forever. He probably forgot about it after two days. Same thing.
He couldn't really take Xiang Yun's words seriously.
Xiangyun nodded, responded softly, and leaned his head in Jia Heng's arms. The jade cheeks of his apple-round face were a little hot, and he said in a trembling voice: "Then, brother Heng, are you willing?"
"Let's wait two or three years until you grow up. Are you thinking about getting married before you reach the age of hairpins?" Jia Heng smiled and said, "When you get to Beijing, you and your third sister, Sister Lin and the others play together, why don't you also make some embroidery bags and meals for me on a regular basis?"
Xiangyun was actually only a few months younger than Daiyu, or in other words, Tanchun and Xiangyun were originally from the same year, but they still gave him different feelings.
Daiyu should understand love affairs earlier.
Xiangyun chuckled lightly and said, "Brother Heng, I did a lot of sewing at home. Didn't Brother Heng just say that there was no one to cook for me?"
Xiangyun usually doesn't just play around, but also reads some poetry collections. Otherwise, in the later Haitang Poetry Society, Xiangyun would not be as talented as Xue and Lin.
"It's time to be lazy now that you're in the house." Jia Heng held the girl's soft and slightly chubby hand and joked softly.
Xiangyun raised her fair and rosy face, and suddenly said seriously: "Brother Heng, are you going north to fight with the Jurchens?"
Jia Heng said: "Well, there have been a lot of wars in the past few years. When we get to Beijing, we may not have time to play around with Sister Yun."
"Brother Heng is busy with national affairs now, so you don't have to play with me all the time." Xiangyun said softly: "We went to many places in Jinling this time, and we also went to many places in Kaifeng to play. .”
Jia Heng rode a carriage towards the ferry. The accompanying Jinyi guards came to report. Runing Magistrate Xu Kai came to visit and had been waiting at the ferry on the shore for a while.
Jia Heng let Xiang Yun board the boat alone, got off the carriage, and looked at Xu Kai, the former Hanlin bachelor and now the prefect of Runing Prefecture, sitting and waiting in the reeds at the ferry.
Xu Kai is dressed as a scholar, wearing a blue robe and blue shirt. He has an elegant temperament and is as gentle as jade. He looks more like a scholar than a fourth-grade life official of a big Han Dynasty.
"Uncle Yong Ning." When Xu Kai saw Jia Heng, his face showed excitement. He stood up, walked a few steps quickly, and bowed to Jia Heng.
Jia Heng looked at the slender, fair-skinned young man across from him and returned the gesture: "Brother Qiyuan, long time no see."
When he was in Jinling, he exchanged letters with Xu Kaiduo, describing the salt affairs of the Huaihe River and the political affairs of the Runing Mansion.
"Yes, from summer to winter, even the water of the Yellow River has gone down a lot." Jia Heng said with a smile.
The two exchanged pleasantries and smiled at each other.
Jia Heng sat down, looked at Xu Kai, who had a calm look in his eyes, and asked, "How is Brother Qiyuan doing in Runing?"
"After the war in Runing Mansion, everything is waiting for improvement. However, this year's sweet potato and wheat harvests are good, and this winter has been much better. Recently, we are leading some prisoners to take advantage of the dry season in winter to build water conservancy projects. We will not wait until next year Whether it is a drought or a flood, we all have a certain ability to withstand disasters." Xu Kai said energetically.
The practical experience of being in charge of government also imbued this former Hanlin poet with qualities such as competence and practicality.
The famous article "On the War of Cao GUI" states that if food and clothing are secure, I dare not specialize in it, but I must divide people. However, the small benefits are not universal, and the people cannot follow.
Although prisons, large and small, cannot be observed, they must be fought with love and loyalty.
Xu Kai nodded and said: "I have also been sorting out the injustices in the mansion recently, accepting redress of grievances, and rebuilding the dignity of the court."
It can be said that after Jia Heng severely suppressed the powerful and evil gentry in Henan, the difficulty of local governance has plummeted a lot.
As Xu Kai spoke, he muttered: "Uncle Yongning, there have been a lot of talk about peace talks with the Jurchens in Beijing recently. I came to the provincial government to do business, and I also heard some discussions. I don't know whether the center is going to war or peace?"
Jia Heng smiled and looked at Xu Kai, but did not repeat what he said to Shi Ding, but said: "Actually, I have something to entrust to Brother Qiyuan."
When Xu Kai heard this, his heart perked up and he said, "Uncle Yongning, please give me your words."
Jia Heng pondered and said: "Brother Qiyuan once served as a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy. He is very talented and has excellent diction. Can you write a memorial essay for me?"
"Sacrifice?" Xu Kai said softly with confusion on his face.
Jia Heng plastic surgery calmed his expression and said solemnly: "This memorial text is a prayer for the soldiers and civilians who died in border affairs in Yanzhao, Qilu and other places over the past ten years, to comfort their heroic spirits in heaven, and Jinyi Mansion has recently collected I will give some war materials to Brother Qiyuan later for reading so that I can write memorial texts to comfort the heroic spirits of the people and to present prisoners to the Ancestral Temple."
This kind of memorial work can be regarded as a masterpiece, often involving some uncommon allusions and diction. He is definitely not as soul-stirring as Xu Kai's wonderful pen Shenghua.
But he also prepared other propaganda methods for ordinary people. He compiled the Jurchen's brutal deeds into an album and narrated the story in teahouses and wine shops in Shenjing to stimulate the morale of ordinary people.
Then he used the head of the Jurchen Prince to comfort the heroic spirits of Yan, Zhao, Qilu and other places.
Officials who occupy high places in temples are never isolated individuals. They must receive the attention of ordinary people in the sacred capital. At that time, the public opinion in the capital formed by the unity of the people from the bottom up can control the public opinion of the scholars who will rise. Carry out encirclement and suppression.
At that time, whoever continues to make peace will be a traitor to the country, and the whole world will attack him!
When Xu Kai heard this, his face showed contemplation, and all kinds of speculations suddenly surged in his mind. He asked with blazing eyes: "Is Uncle Yongning going to use this method to calm down the gossip in the court and the public?"
Jia Heng nodded and said: "Let those colleagues who are trying to make peace with the Jurchens hear how I, a big man, have endured the Jurchens' iron hoofs and how they have endured the Jurchens' iron hoof trampling over the years, and how the scholars, people, women and children have shed tears in the dust, but they still want to make peace with the Jurchens and bow their knees. Have a good night!"
This is just part of his efforts to build consensus among public opinion. If he does not occupy the high ground of public opinion, others will.
When this matter is mentioned, if these people dare to negotiate peace with the Jurchens again, they will be hated by the people of Yanzhao, criticized by the people of Shenjing, and regarded as enemies by their colleagues!
Xu Kaixin was in a state of excitement, and there was a sense of mission in his eyes, and he said: "Uncle Yong Ning will wait a few more days. After I watch these tragic events, I will burn incense and bathe before I can write a memorial."
If he had written this memorial letter, he would undoubtedly have made a clean break with the groveling people among the scholars, but to comfort the heroic souls, even though there are thousands of people, I will die!
Jia Heng stared at Xu Kai and said: "Don't worry, there is still some time before we leave the capital. I will stay with the guards later and wait for Brother Qiyuan to sign in. Then I will rush to the capital with a fast horse. As long as I can get there before entering the capital." Once you finish this great article, you won’t miss anything.”
In fact, this memorial letter is also a letter of surrender presented by Xu Kai to him to some extent. Of course, Xu Kai will not suffer any loss. After this memorial letter is written, it will be enough to leave a name in history and be famous for generations. When he wins a victory over the captives, it will be even more A meteoric rise.
Xu Kai left the table and bowed again. He straightened his clothes, bowed his hands and said, "Don't worry, Uncle Yongning. If you are entrusted by others, you will live up to your mission if you are loyal to them."
Jia Heng also stood up, holding Xu Kai firmly with both hands, and said solemnly: "Then there is Brother Lao Qiyuan."
After talking to Xu Kaisu about the matter, Jia Heng also got on the boat again and boarded the deck while Xu Kai watched.
This matter has finally been settled.
