Zhang Yue was puzzled by Cai Xiang's invitation. Should he go or not?
It's definitely impossible not to go. The prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture, if you don't go, where can you let him put his face? But if he goes, who knows whether it will be a Hongmen Banquet.
Zhang Yue said to the official who delivered the letter: "Wait a moment until I change my clothes before going."
Nafu Gan urged: "Please hurry up, scholar, and don't keep your husband waiting for a long time."
Zhang Yue thought to himself that since Wang Anguo and Wang Anli recommended him, Cai Xiang should not do anything to him. However, Zhang Yue thought about it and sent someone to report to Ouyang and Zhang Heng.
After leaving the house, Zhang Yue and the official chatted while walking.
Zhang Yue wanted to find out what he was talking about, but the other party was very wary and kept repeating the sentence "We will know when the scholar arrives".
Zhang Yue followed the other party to Cai Xiang's house.
But seeing that the residence of Cai Xiang, the governor of Kaifeng, was not that prosperous and magnificent.
But Zhang Yue understood that Cai Xiang was definitely a rich man because he had a large collection of books. Liu Kezhuang once lamented that he did not know anyone who had a richer collection of books than Cai Xiang.
As for Cai Xiang, how could he have so much money to buy books?
Salary is one thing, but another reason is that he is good at calligraphy. Cai Xiang's calligraphy, Ouyang Xiu's articles and Mei Yaochen's poems are known as the three greatest things in the world.
Today's officials are Cai Xiang's number one fans. Ouyang Xiu also highly admires Cai Xiang's calligraphy and thinks that no one can match it, but Cai Xiang is too modest to admit it.
However, Cai Xiang understood the principle of rare things being valuable. He cherished his calligraphy very much, and would not easily let his handwriting be circulated, nor would he easily write letters to others. Therefore, his calligraphy was hidden as a treasure.
The income from writing rulers and tablets is not high, but there are two most profitable incomes from calligraphy.
One is to write an epitaph for someone, and the other is to write a monument for a newly built temple or mansion.
For example, when Yuan Zhen died young, his family asked his good friend Bai Juyi to write an inscription. Yuan Zhen's family sent carriages, horses, silk, silver saddles, jade belts and dozens of slaves to invite Bai Juyi to write his epitaph.
Bai Juyi calculated its value at 700,000.
Bai Juyi refused to accept it. He said that Yuan Zhen and I were good friends and we could just write it for free. There was no point in getting paid.
But Yuan Zhen's family insisted on giving it away, and in the end Bai Juyi had no choice but to accept it, return the slave and donate all the money to the temple.
Bai Juyi's article "Records of Xiangshan Temple Repair" talks about this matter. Bai Juyi said in the article that these money were given to Yuan Zhen by me, and the merits were all his.
There is also the matter of writing monuments for temples. Pei Du, the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, once asked Huangfu Shi to write monuments.
After finishing writing, Pei Du gave Huangfu Shi a lot of money, but Huangfu Shi found it too little. He directly said to Pei Du, "I don't write monuments easily for others. My inscription has a total of 3,000 words. According to the rules, one word and three strings, You should give me nine thousand coins.
One word is worth three pieces of fine silk, and the entire text is worth nine thousand pieces of fine silk.
Pei Du was also very generous and gave Huangfu Shi more than 5,000 pieces of silk, making up the total of 9,000 pieces.
Han Qi built a Zhoujin Hall at home, and Ouyang Xiu wrote the text, and then asked Cai Xiang to write it. In order to write this article well, Cai Xiang practiced each word hundreds of times until he was satisfied before writing it. Therefore, this stele is called the Baini stele.
However, Cai Xiang didn't write all the monuments, and he didn't even give his number one fan the honor of being his emperor. The officials asked him to write the "Inscription on Wen Cheng's Empress' Father", but Cai Xiang declined.
Later Ouyang Xiu also asked Cai Xiang to write a preface to his collection of ancient records.
After Cai Xiang finished writing, Ouyang Xiu was very satisfied and wanted to reward Cai Xiang heavily, but he felt that he was his friend and would not accept money.
He knew what Cai Xiang didn't like, and the only three good things were 'burning, tasting tea, and squandering'.
So Ouyang Xiu did what he liked, using a rat whisker pen with a verdigris pen grid, and then using Longjing tea with Huishan spring as a gift to Cai Xiang.
Cai Xiang was very happy.
But a month later, someone gave Ouyang Xiu a rare fragrant cake (used for burning incense). Cai Xiang was very envious and said to Ouyang Xiu regretfully that I wrote this book too early. If it were more than a month late, I would have this fragrant cake in my pen. .
After hearing this, Ouyang Xiu quickly turned around and added.
Zhang Yue had heard Ouyang Fa tell this story, so he practiced calligraphy diligently and had this concern.
In the future, if you can no longer survive in the officialdom, you will still have this way to make a living.
When Zhang Yue followed Fu Qian to Cai Xiang's mansion, he first went to the front hall and sat down.
Zhang Yue waited for a while but no one came.
When the people serving tea arrived, Zhang Yue asked hurriedly: "I wonder when Mr. Cai will meet me?"
The visitor looked at Zhang Yue and was stunned for a moment, then said: "The government office has official business just now. My husband has taken a step ahead. Just wait here."
Zhang Yue thought to himself, which one of these could lead to him accidentally entering the White Tiger Hall?
Zhang Yue immediately became cautious, and after waiting for a while, he saw a lean and short green-robed official walking in.
Zhang Yue immediately stood up to greet him.
Seeing Zhang Yue's extraordinary appearance, the other party couldn't help but ask: "I wonder what you call a scholar?"
Zhang Yue didn't know the other party's identity, so he stood up and said vaguely: "I'm Zhang Yue. I'm a member of the family. I was summoned to the house by Mr. Cai."
The other party was fine at first, but I suddenly thought that I had heard this name somewhere. When I thought about it carefully, it was the young talent that Ouyang Yongshu mentioned that ranked third in the test.
The other party knew this well and immediately sat aside without speaking to Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue was in a place of right and wrong, and he didn't know the identity of the other party and didn't say a word.
The two of them were just bored.
Seeing that it was getting dark soon, the steward of Cai Mansion came over and said, "Master still has some trivial matters to deal with, so you two should have dinner first!"
This person and Zhang Yue both nodded.
So two desks were brought up and placed in front of the chairs, with dishes placed on them.
Zhang Yue saw that the food in Cai's house was quite rich, including fish and meat, as well as black bean paste soup. As for the rice, there was also a large bowl, enough for two or three people.
In fact, at this point, he would get hungry sooner. He touched his stomach and felt at peace with what he had learned.
Zhang Yue immediately took the rice from the bowl and put it in a bowl, and then poured some black bean paste soup onto the rice in the bowl.
First, the salted bean curd in your mouth is salty and fresh, and then you eat the soaked soft rice.
The official opposite seemed to pay attention to official etiquette and was full after eating less than half a bowl. However, he saw Zhang Yue soaking the black beans in rice and eating three bowls in a row.
At this moment, the kerchief that the other party was wiping his face paused slightly in the air for a moment.
The other party said: "Shang Sanlang-kun, do you know how much this bowl of rice is worth in Zhenzhou this year?"
Zhang Yue filled another bowl of rice and asked, "I wonder if you have any advice?"
Fang Yan said: "I have just returned to Beijing from Zhenzhou to report on my work. The people in a county below Zhenzhou have just been hit by sea waterlogging. After the flood, all the houses were lost, the fields were submerged, and I don't know how many people were buried in the belly of the fish."
"One bushel of rice can buy a child of this... height."
The other party gestured with his hands, and Zhang Yue put down the bowl and chopsticks after hearing this.
"Why don't the government take care of these children?"
The other party said: "Yes, the government has come forward to adopt orphans and widows. I have been there several times and we got along very well. However, due to busy work, I went some distance away. Many children cried when they saw me. I asked why ? When other orphans saw me visiting me for days, they felt a sense of sustenance, and then they stayed away for a long time. They waited so hard that they actually thought I had abandoned him."
Zhang Yue sighed: "This is not the responsibility of the members. It is a pity for these orphan children. I only hope that other children in the world will not suffer this disaster."
The other party said: "Exactly, as long as the officials can do more of their duties, the common people will suffer less. Unfortunately, most of the officials in the officialdom today do not know how to be considerate, but instead abuse the people and abuse them. This is really true. I bear the intention of being kind to the people."
After hearing this, Zhang Yue thought to himself that these words were indeed very good. This man must be a good official who cares about the common people.
Unexpectedly, he did not see Cai Xiang but met a good official.
Zhang Yue asked: "It would be great if all the officials in the world were like Yuanwai. I wonder if Yuanwai has a good surname?"
The other party said: "I am Lu Huiqing, whose cursive name is Jifu. I am currently the official of Zhenzhou."
Zhang Yue couldn't help but be stunned after hearing this. This person is Lu Huiqing. No, isn't this a famous rebel in history?
Zhang Yue couldn't associate the other party with the evaluation in the history books.
Zhang Yue thought to himself that before, he thought that Wang Anshi's road was dead, so he went to join Lu Huiqing, but he met him at Cai Xiang's house.
It's true that you can't find anything even if you wear iron shoes, and it takes no effort to get it.
This green-robed official is Lu Huiqing, who was in Ouyang Xiu's house before. He came to visit Cai Xiang today. When Cai Xiang learned about Quanzhou, Lu Huiqing was captured by Cai Xiang and then released.
He also didn't expect to meet Zhang Yue, whom Ouyang Xiu admired very much, and he became acquainted with him.
He observed Zhang Yue for a while, so he had the following conversation. Of course, it is true that Zhenzhou suffered from sea flooding, but it was not that serious. He also visited the orphan boy, but what he said was also true and false.
Relieving the victims was not his job, and he only heard about it through hearsay.
But Lu Huiqing took this as an entry point and immediately discussed the local people's situation in Zhenzhou with Zhang Yue.
Lu Huiqing was very eloquent and knew what scholars like Zhang Yue who had no official experience liked to hear. He immediately picked up some governance matters and added a lot of his own opinions.
After Zhang Yue heard Lu Huiqing's words, he couldn't help but admire him. In terms of his knowledge as an official and his experience in government affairs, this person completely surpassed me, a novice, and he spoke eloquently.
If you really want to be the treacherous official mentioned in the history books, an incompetent official is really not qualified.
If he met someone who said that he would be a traitor if he was a good official, Zhang Yue would definitely take Lu Huiqing as an example and ask, "Would you rather be a good official?"
Do you think it's easy to be a traitor?
You can't marry a goddess, just like you can marry a rich woman just by looking for one, wake up.
When Cai Xiang didn't come, Zhang Yue discussed the past and present with Lu Huiqing. Zhang Yue had no experience as an official, but the extra thousand years of experience was still useful.
Just as Lu Huiqing and Zhang Yue were talking more and more, Cai Xiang returned home.
Cai Xiang met Lu Huiqing first, and after a while he called Zhang Yue in.
Zhang Yue also saw Cai Xiang for the first time.
Cai Xiang met Ouyang Xiu when he was appointed as an official in Beijing. At that time, Ouyang Xiu was surprised and asked why he was so old.
Cai Xiang was already ill at this time.
What's more, Cai Xiang's beard is also very conspicuous.
Cai Xiang was also famous for his beautiful beard. Song Renzong saw Cai Xiang's beard and asked, "With such a long beard, do you put it under the quilt when you sleep at night?" Or outside the quilt?
Cai Xiang said that I usually don't pay attention to it. I will study it when I go home and sleep before replying to His Majesty.
As a result, Cai Xiang kept thinking about this when he went back that night and didn't sleep well all night.
Now that Cai Xiang is indeed old, he is still at odds with Zhao Wen's prime minister Fu Bi in official circles.
Cai Xiang was awarded the title of Jinshi by Yan Shu, but Cai Xiang later impeached Yan Shu and deposed Fu Bi's father-in-law.
Fu Bi also hated Cai Xiang. Cai Xiang reorganized Jianzhou Beiyuan Tea and created a "Little Dragon Tuan" to offer to the emperor. Fu Bi said, this is a concubine's way of currying favor with her master. Unexpectedly, Cai Xiang, a man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, also did this. Instead of flattering him like this, you might as well copy an article from "The Traveling Mastiff" to the emperor.
But why did Fu Bi appoint Cai Xiang, who was at odds with him, as the prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture?
This is definitely not what Fu Bi meant, but what Song Renzong meant.
Zhang Yue saluted and saw Cai Xiang, and sat aside uneasily.
Cai Xiang looked at Zhang Yue and said: "Duzhi, I have heard many people mention you and praise you this time in Beijing. I have seen you interpret the test paper, and the meaning of your writing has already been written by your teacher Mr. Boyi. It looks like it’s divided.”
Zhang Yue thought to himself that Cai Xiang had read his paper and said, "My husband is so complimentary."
Cai Xiang said: "Your article is impeccable, and you deserve the third place in the interpretation test. I particularly admire the article "The Strategy of the King's Merits". I have no other intention of asking you to come over today. I just want to take a look at today's heroes." "
Zhang Yue suddenly realized that this was the case. He had really thought too much and had been tired and nervous for a long time.
After speaking, Cai Xiang smiled and said no more.
The boy on the side said: "Sir, please respect me."
Zhang Yue and Lu Huiqing stood up to say goodbye to Cai Xiang at the same time.
I didn't expect that I had to wait in Cai's house for so long, but the whole process of seeing Cai Xiang was just one sentence from beginning to end. Cai Xiang didn't even mention a single sentence about him and Zhang Wangzhi and Zhang Gongzhi. lawsuit between.
Zhang Yue thought that Cai Xiang might indeed have this intention, but after reading his own article, he knew that he passed the exam based on his true talent and learning, so he gave up this plan.
Of course, these are all his conjectures, and there is no way of knowing what Cai Xiang is thinking, but no matter what, he is judging the heart of a gentleman with the heart of a villain.
It seems that it is still the same saying, walking in the right direction is going straight. Although it may be slower in the short term, it will benefit the most in the long term.
As for coveting immediate benefits, although it may benefit temporarily, it will easily overturn in the long run.
Lu Huiqing and Zhang Yue were walking and chatting while the servants of the Cai Mansion lit lamps for them.
They passed by a yard and saw big lights on in the yard.
At this time, a servant came from the courtyard to greet Zhang Yue. Lu Huiqing's servant who led the way said: "Tonight is the first quarter of the moon. You use a small lamp to illuminate the way. The king asked me to change a big lamp for you to guide the guests." ."
Zhang Yue thought to himself that this move was very considerate, and it showed that this person had a meticulous heart.
After the servant changed the lamp as instructed, Lu Huiqing asked casually: "Who lives in this courtyard?"
The servant said: "They are two of Xianggong's relatives. Now they are in Beijing to study here with Xianggong."
Lu Huiqing didn't pay attention when he heard this and said nothing more.
Zhang Yue thought to himself, could these two clan relatives be brothers Cai Bian and Cai Jing?
Good guy.
Including Lu Huiqing, whom I met today, I have dealt with many New Party figures.
