More than two years have passed since Hu Zongxian last came to the capital.
Two years ago, Hu Zongxian was recommended by his teacher Yan Song to take up a post in Zhejiang. He then continued to be promoted, and finally reached the position of governor-general of Zhejiang and governor of Zhejiang. He was a veritable official in the frontier.
Now, when Hu Zongxian stood at the gate of the city, he felt that things were right and people were different.
After receiving the emperor's oral instructions, Hu Zongxian used water and land, constantly changing means of transportation, and rushed to Beijing in the shortest time and stayed in the post house. Tomorrow is the day to officially meet the emperor.
"Before that, let's go visit the teacher." Hu Zongxian thought so, and then sent someone to buy some cakes that Yan Song loved to eat, then got on the sedan and walked to Yan's mansion.
Soon, Hu Zongxian arrived at Yan's Mansion. The decoration here was almost the same as when he left two years ago. There were not many changes, except that the boy responsible for guarding the door changed one after another.
Hu Zongxian got off the sedan and said to the boy in charge of the door: "Can you please go in and inform me that Hu Zongxian is a student of Mr. Yan Ge and is here to visit the teacher!"
"Please wait a moment." When the doorman saw Hu Zongxian mentioning that he was a student of Mr. Yan Ge, and the crimson official uniform he was wearing, he did not dare to show any signs of neglect and quickly ran into the mansion to report.
"Mr. Xinge, there is someone outside asking to see you, saying he is your student."
"Oh, who is it?"
"He said he was Hu Zongxian."
"Let him in quickly!"
When the boy came in to report, Yan Song was lying leisurely in the open-air yard basking in the sun. After hearing the boy mention Hu Zongxian's name, he suddenly stood up from the recliner and said excitedly.
"My lord, please come this way."
Hu Zongxian did not let the butler lead the way, but walked through the corridor like a familiar road and leisurely enjoyed the scenery along the way.
"Ru Zhen is here!"
While Hu Zongxian was admiring the scenery, a familiar voice sounded. He looked up and saw Yan Song tremblingly walking towards him, with unconcealable joy on his face.
"Student Hu Zongxian has met the teacher!"
When Hu Zongxian saw this, he quickly bowed and saluted.
"Okay, don't worry so much when you get to the teacher. Let's have a good chat with the teacher." Yan Song said, holding Hu Zongxian's hand and walked into the yard.
In the courtyard, after the master and apprentice took their seats, a maid immediately came forward to make tea for them.
"Come, try it and see how this tea is? Your Majesty gave it to me, and I'm not even willing to drink it."
"Well, it's sweet and refreshing in the mouth, and slightly bitter and long in the aftertaste. It's really a good tea!"
Hu Zongxian picked up the tea cup and took a sip. Then his eyes lit up and he couldn't help but praise.
"How have you been in the past two years? On weekdays, even if there are letters between you and my master and apprentice, they are just business affairs. Counting the days, our master and apprentice have not chatted face to face like this for more than two years." Seeing Hu Zongxian praising the delicious tea, Yan Song had a smile on his face and couldn't help but sigh.
"Teacher, the students have had a good time these two years! To be honest, when you recommended me to work in Zhejiang, I actually didn't want to go. My idea at the time was that it would be good to just stay with the teacher and chat occasionally." Hu Zongxian said with a look of recollection on his face.
"The past two years have been really hard on you. The Japanese invasion is serious in the southeast. The imperial court has placed such a heavy burden on you. As a teacher, I can't bear it! I have to give you more support in terms of money, food, military supplies, etc. Alas." Yan Song said, as if resenting himself for not being able to provide more support to the students, he sighed helplessly.
"Teacher, don't say that. If it hadn't been for your strong support from the cabinet in recent years, how could the Southeast Anti-Japanese War have achieved such success? You are also responsible for this." Seeing the teacher becoming depressed, Hu Zongxian quickly spoke to console him. .
"Forget it, let's not mention these things today. Let's stay at the teacher's place for the night tonight! Have a drink with the teacher."
"Hmm...Okay, okay, the student will have his luggage moved from the inn later."
Seeing the earnest look on the teacher's face, Hu Zongxian couldn't bear to refuse.
"Yan Shifan! Yan Shifan! Where have you been? Come here, Yan Shifan!"
After Hu Zongxian agreed, Yan Song stood up from his seat and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Father, what do you want from me?" Hearing his father's cry, Yan Shifan hurried over and asked.
"You go down and make arrangements later. I want to have a drink with Hu Ruzhen tonight."
"But father, your body..."
"Stop talking nonsense and go quickly!"
"OK."
…
As night fell, Hu Zongxian, Yan Song, and Yan Shifan sat at the same table. After a few glasses of wine, Yan Song fell drunk on the table, and then made fun of the embarrassing things Yan Shifan did when he was a child and when Hu Zongxian was a student, which made the two of them laugh. Everyone looked embarrassed.
"Dad, you drank too much, you should go back and rest."
After three rounds of wine and five tastes of food, Yan Shifan said that he was going to help his drunken father to the room to rest.
"Dad, you are not drunk yet. I remember when your father was the Minister of Rites, no one could drink better than your father." Yan Song said, breaking away from Yan Shifan and talking nonsense.
"I'll do it." Seeing this, Hu Zongxian leaned forward to help him.
"Thank you." Yan Shifan said, thanking Hu Zongxian.
"Where is the room where the teacher sleeps? Is it still the same room as before?"
"Yes, it's the same one as before." Yan Shifan said, pointing out the way.
Following the path indicated by Yan Shifan, Hu Zongxian successfully sent his teacher Yan Song to the room to rest. However, seeing that Yan Song still looked drunk, he asked the maid for a bowl of sobering soup, lifted Yan Song up and served it with a spoon.
At some point, Yan Shifan had sneaked into the room where Hu Zongxian lived. After rummaging around, he found the confession about the Zhejiang dam collapse case in Hu Zongxian's luggage. Just when he was about to open it, Hu Zongxian's voice Came coldly.
"Mr. Xiaoge, if I were you, I wouldn't think of opening it."
"Hmph, why can't I open it? Hu Zongxian, you are my father's student! At the same time, you are also the person who was promoted by my father! Look what you did in Zhejiang?"
"Everything you do is serving our bowls and smashing our pots! They are all harming the interests of my Yan family. Tell me, what kind of student are you? Are there any students as ungrateful as you!"
Yan Shifan said angrily when he saw what happened was revealed.
Hu Zongxian was silent and could not reply for a long time. Then Yan Shifan angrily threw the confession aside and strode away.
The night passed quickly. Before dawn, Hu Zongxian sent people to pack their luggage and left Yan's Mansion. Today was the day to officially meet the emperor.
Forbidden City, Hall of Nourishing Heart.
"Hu Zongxian, the direct governor of Xuanzhe and governor of Zhejiang, has an audience!"
A high-pitched voice sounded, and Hu Zongxian, who had been waiting outside, saw this and quickly entered the Nourishing Heart Hall.
"Your Majesty, Hu Zongxian, comes to see you. Long live my emperor!"
"Without ceremony, please get up! Someone, please give Hu Aiqing a seat."
"My lord, Hu Zongxian, thank you for your kindness."
Jiajing waved his hand and asked Hu Zongxian to stand up. Immediately afterwards, a eunuch came forward and arranged a seat for Hu Zongxian.
"Do you know why I asked you to come here this time?"
"Your Majesty, I understand that here is a detailed confession."
