The weather in Beijing is getting colder and colder. The Spring Festival is only one and a half months away, and the most important festival of the year has entered the warm-up period. This year's Beijing city is destined to be countless times more lively than in previous years, because this year the emperor has shown mercy and granted an extra favor to all the people in the world.
As the name suggests, Enke is an additional examination in addition to the normal number of imperial examinations. This is the greatest gift the imperial court gives to scholars in the world. In real history, throughout the entire Qing Dynasty, Enke was added only five times, and they were all concentrated in the three dynasties of Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong, which shows the importance of Enke.
It was precisely because the flapping wings of Xiao Letian, a little butterfly, changed history that Tongzhi Chao Enke, who should not have appeared this time, appeared.
In the summer, the imperial edict was delivered to all parts of the country by fast horses, and countless people moved upon hearing the news and shouted long live the mountains. One encore means that hundreds of more imperial examination officials will be added. Scholars all over the world will suddenly have hundreds more opportunities to become officials. How can they not be excited about this?
The son with a rich family had prepared his expenses early and headed straight for the capital with his servants, bookboys and friends. Along the way, he could also enjoy the unpolluted and undeveloped mountains of the motherland. Landscapes and rivers, after reciting poems and pairings, you can also enjoy the gentle countryside with your arms around the adoring brothel girl.
And those children from poor families don’t have to worry. Ever since they got the status of being a juren, there have been farmers who have come to submit their land deeds. When the big exam in the capital comes, there will be landowners and gentry from the same hometown who will come to see them off with silver. If you really have some literary talents, even the local county magistrate will give you money to support your trip.
This is the world of Xianxue. For thousands of years, people have attached themselves to the banner of Xianxue, forming a spontaneous economic mutual aid system. As long as a scholar crosses the threshold of being a scholar, his life will undergo tremendous changes.
Come and fall into the arms of Xianxue. As long as you take refuge in it, you will have money, fame, beauty and even rights. Everything you pursue in life can be obtained. With such huge profits, how could the students of Xianxue not unite, and how could they not defend to the death.
As long as the rules of the game and economic mutual aid based on Xianxue are not destroyed, this group of scholars will not care who becomes the emperor. It does not matter who is the Manchu or Mongolian. If the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty had respected these scholars more, It is estimated that extending its lifespan for another hundred years will be fine.
The cold wind was blowing, but the atmosphere in the capital was extremely warm. There was a huge flow of people near Yongding Gate. Almost all the people from all over the country chose to enter Beijing from here.
"Young Master of the Huang family, I'm here. Our young master asked me to pick you up..."
"Brother Luo, oh my, I missed Sichuan the year before last. I miss you so much. Enke, you must win the title of Toad Palace this time..."
"You're welcome, I've had a lot of trouble in Sichuan, but now I'm in the capital, I'll be the host, everything will be done by me..."
The entire Yongding Gate has become a meeting place for the princes. There are people bowing to each other and calling for friends everywhere. There are also countless inns, wine shops and people renting out temporary courtyards in the capital, soliciting business. , the scene was as lively as attending a big party.
All the princes of the Qing Dynasty have gathered in Beijing. The police officers of Shuntian Prefecture and the city gate soldiers under the nine admirals are all exhausted.
Facing the Juren Master, they could no longer show off their old skills of exploiting the common people. They could use up all three years of smiles in three days.
In the past, most of what they saw were ordinary people and businessmen from various places, and just a few scraps were enough for the family to eat and drink for half a month. But in the face of these actions, let alone looting, everyone has to smile. These are future officials, who dares to offend them.
"Hey, Master Juren, what are you talking about? Tongfu Inn is very close. Just walk three blocks ahead and turn right, and you can see it..."
"Hey, where are you looking for? Go to the Hubu Department. It's easier to find. Just keep walking along the Yongding Gate. The six departments are all together..."
The veterans and government officials guarding the city gate were so tired that they almost stuck their tongues out. At this moment, a simple sedan chair carried by two people came from the inner city. It looked like the kind that ordinary rich families hired all year round.
But when the veteran guarding the gate saw the middle-aged man getting off the sedan, he was so frightened that he trembled, "Oh, oh... Say hello to your lord, why are you here? Look at this mess, sit down..." "
The person who came was none other than Weng Tonghe, named Shuping, who was the top scholar in the palace examination in the sixth year of Xianfeng and was now awarded the title of "Hongde Hall" and served as the Tongzhi Emperor's tutor.
"Master Weng, it's Master Weng...Master Weng, the Imperial Master!" Many of the people around Yongdingmen were stationed in the capital, and they immediately saw their idol, Qingliu leader Weng Tonghe, at a glance.
The crowd was crowded all of a sudden, and people from all over the country gathered together to pay respect to Weng Tonghe with accents from all over the world. Weng Tonghe indeed had the momentum of an ancient scholar, noble but not arrogant, and he talked to each one attentively.
"Your accent sounds like you are from the Huai region. It's not bad. There have been many heroes since ancient times..."
"You come from the land of two lakes? It's not easy. After so many years of trouble in Changmao, you can persist in your studies. This desire to learn is worthy of my admiration..."
"Are you from Suzhou and Hangzhou? How is the economy now? Has it recovered? How much has it recovered..."
"Hahaha, your accent sounds like you are from the Land of Abundance. Did you take the waterway to Beijing this time? But after passing the Three Gorges... the apes on both sides of the bank can't stop crying. Can you hear the apes?"
Weng Tonghe impressed all the candidates present with his gentleness, and some young candidates even burst into tears with excitement. This is the real number one scholar, and he is also a hard-working number one scholar.
"Your Excellency is truly a role model for our generation. You are truly worthy of being the leader of the Qing Dynasty..."
Weng Tonghe waved his hands and was about to say a few words of courtesy, when suddenly a butler squeezed in from the crowd and whispered a few words in the master's ear.
"The court meeting in Dong Nuan Pavilion has ended. The insider has just sent information. The emperor, the Queen Mother of the West and Prince Gong are all furious. Even the emperor slammed the table and wanted to send troops, but at the last moment the Queen Mother of the East suppressed the matter... said You need to investigate carefully before making a decision!"
When Weng Tonghe heard this, he almost exploded on the spot. His eyebrows jumped with anger. In the end, he relied on decades of Qi-cultivating skills to suppress the anger in his heart.
How could this be? Xiao Letian has already amassed a private army. He is planning to rebel. How can the court tolerate this? What exactly is this woman Ci'an thinking? It's really scary to be so calm.
According to Weng Tonghe's calculations, this conflict in Tanggu should be the beginning of the break between Xiao Letian and the Manchu royal family. Even if Xiao Letian cannot be killed, he should at least be completely expelled from the country. This learned enemy must not be allowed to stay.
Weng Tonghe is not a corrupt scholar with no economic knowledge. He dare not say that he understands 100% of Xiao Letian's overall plan, but he can understand at least 70% of it. Otherwise, the person who knows you best must be your enemy.
"Xiao Letian, Xiao Letian, didn't you just use your identity as a second devil to get involved in the maritime trade? You make money, support people in the world, and even now you have raised your own small arms. Don't think I don't know about you What's the difference between your little calculation and Zeng Guoquan's?"
"The Qing Dynasty is getting old, and the Qing Dynasty is now riddled with all kinds of diseases, so you monsters have risen up. To a small extent, you just want to be warlords. To a large extent, you all have a disobedient heart. You are all possible rebels in the future. Deep down, Zeng Guofan, Hong Xiuquan, and you, Xiao Letian, are all careerists..."
The change in Weng Tonghe's expression could not be hidden from the eyes of the officials around him. They all asked in a low voice, "Why are you so frowning, sir? But is there any danger?"
"Hey..." Weng Tonghe sighed, "Forget it, you can settle down early. I wish you all can achieve great success in this subject..." After saying that, he turned around and got into the small sedan and returned to the inner city.
Weng Tonghe's strange behavior made all the officials very curious. People were talking about it and wanted to find out what happened.
As a result, that night, a horrifying news spread in all the wine shops, inns and even brothels in Sijiu City.
"Oh, my Emperor's ancestors, have you heard? Xiao Letian has rebelled against the imperial court. That guy secretly raised hundreds of troops..."
"Ah! Is it true? Are hundreds of them the army? Not necessarily. During the turmoil, which of the great gentry in the Jiangnan area didn't have hundreds of housekeepers and nursing homes? There were even thousands. , I haven’t heard that the imperial court has set up a private army?”
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... you don't understand this. You find hundreds of people to look after your home and no one cares about you. But if you dress these hundreds of people in uniform military uniforms, issue uniform foreign guns, and even flags, Ready……"
Before he finished speaking, the crowd exploded with a roar, and the students all jumped up and down in the room with red faces and angry voices. "Rebellion, this is rebellion. If you dare to raise the flag, what else is rebellion..."
The gossip was not over yet. He shook his head and said, "That's not all. Xiao Letian actually colluded with foreigners. Just four nights ago, Xiao Letian led his private army and foreigners to sneak attack on Tanggu Green Camp. That night, more than a thousand Green Camp soldiers Died in battle, General Li and General Wang died for their country, General Ding can’t even find his body, his whereabouts are unknown..."
"Tell me, what is this if it's not rebellion?"
The crowd was already furious. The scholars' chests were burning with the fire of justice. How could they tolerate rebellion in the world? Some people cursed on the spot.
"What did the court do? Why didn't they send out soldiers to suppress such villains and rebellious people? What's the use of the court raising them..." At this moment, the cotton curtain of the tavern was suddenly knocked open, and a minister came into the room panting and shouted .
"Did you know? Just now, Wang Shizheng and Wang Lao Hanlin have died of illness. He was angry to death by Xiao Letian! Wang Lao Hanlin will be serving as an official in two years, but he died in the hands of evil people. He is unwilling to accept it. , I really can’t reconcile myself to it..."
Everyone in the tavern was stunned. After a brief silence, everyone burst into angry roars: "Let's go together, let's go together to express our condolences to the old Hanlin. This dark sky really makes me breathless. There is a traitor in the imperial court." Sorry, the evildoers are running rampant but they are indifferent... Today we want justice!"
In the cold winter night, signs of a great chaos have emerged.
