"The Story of the Stone? Why do you ask this?" Zuo Zuo was stunned and asked in confusion. After this delay, he could not keep up with the big team. King Shangtai was not annoyed and waved his hand and said, "Mr. Zuo, please enter the palace with General Xiang later. I'm leaving first!"
King Shang Tai and the one on the left had a friendship together in the northwest of Dunhuang. Not to mention that the two of them partnered to plot the death of a British explorer. With this relationship as the foundation, the two are already good friends!
Xiang Ying pulled Zuo Zuo to the end of the corner of the corridor, and in a low voice briefly repeated what the head of state had just said. Zuo Zuo furrowed his brows while listening and thinking!
"Hmm...hmm...that's it...I didn't expect the head of state to know this strange book!"
"Huh? From your tone, you seem to have some clues?"
"More than just knowing! I once received a copy myself, and it was reviewed by Zhi Yanzhai. However, I was busy studying a batch of Shang bronzes at that time, and I really couldn't find the energy to read it, so I just read one The first time I turned around, the buyer took it away!"
"I don't make much money either. I only increased the price by one hundred and twenty taels for a set of books. It's half sale and half giveaway!"
"Ouch... look at you, why did you sell this rare book that even the Yuan Dynasty liked so much? Besides, you read it before selling it!" Xiang Ying complained and stamped his feet anxiously. .
The person on the left was also very aggrieved, "You don't understand the truth behind this. This book is not a popular product in the first place. Most people have never even heard of the name!"
"But this book is liked by a small group of officials and scholars, because there are many things in this book that allude to the royal family. Otherwise, could Qianlong ban it?"
"Although the ban was lifted again in the later period of the Qianlong Dynasty, it was also the version continued by Gao E who lifted the ban. The original version could not be lifted at all!"
"There are too many stories in it, and the water is too deep... I heard that the lifting of the ban on this book has something to do with Heshen. When Heshen was popular, not only did Emperor Qianlong like him, but Emperor Qianlong's biological mother, Empress Dowager Chongqing, also liked him very much. He Shen……"
"At that time, in order to please the Empress Dowager, He Shen would often tell the story of the Story of Stones in front of the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager became addicted to it and asked He Shen to find the original work..."
"He Shen can only say that this book has been banned. You must know that the Qianlong Dynasty's literary inquisition was also very powerful. How many Sikuquanshu were sealed? I can't count..."
"The Queen Mother would naturally put pressure on Emperor Qianlong, so Emperor Qianlong had no choice but to agree, and then the ban on the second part of The Story of the Stone was lifted! But here the court took a detour, and what was lifted was Gao E's continuation of Forty When I go back to the version, the original version is still destroyed!"
"The Queen Mother doesn't know why the original forty chapters were written or the continuation of forty chapters. Anyway, Gao E wrote an ending that was considered satisfactory, so the matter passed in front of the Queen Mother..."
"General Xiang, think about it. If the book I collected is calculated according to the king's law, it is actually a banned book. If my opponent secretly accuses me of making trouble, I will have a hard time defending it!"
"If I can make money, why should I throw it into my own hands... Besides, it was still during the Xianfeng period, and I didn't even know who the head of state was, so how could I keep it for him?"
Xiang Ying rubbed his hands and said, "Don't take it seriously. I know the head of state. When he mentioned this book just now, there was a really regretful look in his eyes, and his tone was very lonely..."
"If the master doesn't really like it, he won't show such emotion! So I have to find this book. Do you remember who you sold it to? I bought it for a high price..."
"Oh...my general, this happened fourteen or five years ago, how can I remember it clearly! I know the accent is from Huaidi..."
"Where can I find him after so many years of war and chaos?"
This sentence made Xiang Ying feel chilled. Fourteen or five years ago, it was when the killings in the south were fierce. The population was declining and social mobility was great. The original order was destroyed. At this time, it was simply impossible to find an ordinary book buyer. impossible things!
"Is there no way? Is there no way at all..."
Seeing Xiang Ying on the left who was so anxious, he quickly helped him find a way, "Don't worry, let me think about it... I don't believe that I can't find a set of books with all the skills I have spent in Liulichang for so many years?"
The two of them were holding their heads and spinning around at the end of the corridor, causing other people in the embassy to look at them, wondering what the hell was wrong with these two!
"Yes!" Zuo suddenly said, "I have a clue!"
"General, I still vaguely remember that the person who sold me the Stone Chronicles didn't have a Central Plains face... If I look at it with my ghostly eyes, he should be a Mongolian general serving as an official in the capital!"
"Mongols? Mongolians still read books?" Xiang Ying asked in surprise.
The left man curled his lips, "What are you talking about? You are a bit...a bit racist! Why don't Mongolians read? To tell you the truth, this Mongolian official actually likes to read more than the Han people!"
"But they only see storytelling, story books, novels, etc., and don't want to read the Four Books and Five Classics... Why do you think all Mongolians are illiterate?"
"I'm going too far, I'm going too far... What I mean is that the imperial court has valued the Mongols since ancient times, and they have always given preferential treatment after preferential treatment. Many of the bans imposed on the Han people are invalid for the Mongols!"
"Whether it's a literary inquisition or destroying rare copies of Sikuquanshu, it's all concentrated in our Central Plains. The imperial court doesn't even care about the territory of Mongolia!"
"Perhaps the emperor also thinks like you, the general, that those are just big-headed and brainless warriors who can't possibly like reading!"
"But the emperor was wrong. For more than two hundred years, countless high-ranking Mongolian officials have been working in the Central Plains. Caravan trade has become increasingly close, and the cultural achievements of the Central Plains have been accepted by the Mongolian princes!"
"The book "The Story of the Stone" was originally a strange book that was popular among noble officials. It is normal for the Mongolian nobles to like it!"
"If you have one set, you must have a second set. Find old shopkeeper Fan Jian! The Fan family's caravan is very powerful in Kulun, Mongolia. If you ask them to collect books at a high price, you may be able to find a solution!"
"By the way, there are also book markets in Chosun and Fusang. You can search them all. The literary prison of the Manchu Qing Dynasty will not also attack Chosun and Fusang, right?"
"This is the first method, and there is a second method... that is to ask Ermao to take action and find clues from the secret files in the palace. Since Heshen and the Queen Mother had read this book, then it is impossible No clues!"
"The Manchus often do this kind of thing and impose bans on us Han people. In fact, they themselves are specializing!"
"Third... tsk tsk, this is also the worst evil move!" Zuo Zuo said in embarrassment.
"Is there a third way? Just tell me quickly... As long as you find the rare book, I can also help you reach for the stars!"
The one on the left looked constipated and uncomfortable, "I...my third method is a bit unethical!"
