Chapter 22 Before Returning to Beijing (Part 2) Second Update
A bowl of gruel, a steamed bun, and a few pickles, this is what the people of Lu'an Prefecture received for dinner from the government porridge shed.
If you don't eat well, you may not be full, but at least you can eat well, so the people are already very content.
When it was Zhao Junchen's turn to receive the porridge, the yamen servant who handed out the porridge went out of his way to please Zhao Junchen by giving him an extra wotou. Zhao Junchen did not refuse this time, but when he left the porridge shed, he divided the two wotou. He gave it to the two grandchildren of the old man. Before the old man could refuse, Zhao Junchen said with a smile: "Let the children eat more. It is the time when the body is growing. I am not hungry, so a bowl of porridge is enough." .”
With that said, Zhao Junchen left without waiting for the old man to refuse.
After drinking the porridge in front of the people, Zhao Junchen returned to his temporary residence in Lu'an Mansion, accompanied by Liu Changan and others. There, Xu Qingyan had been waiting for a long time.
Xu Qingyan had a loose temper, didn't like to work, and was too lazy to work on "face projects" with Zhao Junchen, so Zhao Junchen simply kept him in the city to avoid causing trouble.
Xu Qingyan was doing nothing in the main room. When he saw Zhao Junchen coming back, he quickly stood up to greet him and said, "Master, you have really worked hard today."
Zhao Junchen smiled and shook his head and said, "Yes, you are nothing like you. You are idle all day long. I'm starting to envy you."
Xu Qingyan curled his lips and said, "Master, you are just doing it for a few days, so why do you go every day? You are a noble person and you have been working so hard all day long. What will you do if you are exhausted?"
Zhao Junchen rubbed his shoulders and said: "It's only been a few days. Now the locust plague is almost extinguished, and the distribution of relief food and grass is also proceeding steadily. In a few days, we will be able to go back."
Xu Qingyan nodded and said nothing more. He just took out a plate of food from the back room, placed it in front of Zhao Junchen, and said with a smile: "Master, I bought you a piece of beef tongue, how about you try it?"
Zhao Junchen nodded, did not refuse, and just started eating.
Ever since Zhao Junchen and the people of Lu'an Prefecture "shared the joys and sorrows", Xu Qingyan would find some meat for Zhao Junchen every day. Zhao Junchen himself had an appetite for meat, and Xu Qingyan was doing it for his own good, and no one knew, so I just went with the flow and came back every day to eat Xiao Zao.
Zhao Junchen believed that not only him, but also Liu Changan and others were enjoying Xiaozao food just like him, and maybe it would be even richer.
And this is also the reason why Zhao Junchen will give away the wotou, because he knows that he is not hungry. It's okay to eat the steamed buns once in a while, but if you eat them all the time, Zhao Junchen's stomach really won't be able to adapt.
This may be a bit hypocritical, but the so-called "shared joys and sorrows" between the superior and the inferior is what it is.
In Zhao Junchen's view, the basis of sharing joys and sorrows lies in equal conditions. If there are clearly better conditions, but he still shares the joys and sorrows with ordinary people, Zhao Junchen will indeed not be able to persist for a few days.
While Zhao Junchen was enjoying the delicious taste of beef tongue, a servant reported outside the door: "Sir, Guo Linxiang wants to see you."
Zhao Junchen was slightly stunned, not knowing why Guo Linxiang came here, but he still said: "Let him wait for a while, I will go see him right away."
With that said, Zhao Junchen wiped his mouth with a towel, looked at the beef tongue that he had just eaten a few bites reluctantly, and then walked towards the living room.
………
When Zhao Junchen came to the living room, Guo Linxiang was waiting there, with a brocade box on his hand, and he didn't know what it contained.
"I apologize for keeping Boss Guo waiting for so long."
After entering the room, Zhao Junchen cupped his hands at Guo Linxiang.
"Your Majesty is too kind."
When Guo Linxiang replied, he was about to kneel down, but Zhao Junchen held him up. After helping Guo Linxiang up, Zhao Junchen said with a smile: "You still said that I am being polite, but you are too polite to ask me to say that you are too polite." , you and I have gotten to know each other, and I will not treat you as an outsider, so these false courtesy are not necessary."
When both parties sat down, Zhao Junchen asked: "I wonder why Boss Guo came to see me so late?"
Guo Linxiang smiled and replied: "I shouldn't bother you at this late hour, but these days you are running around to exterminate locusts and do it yourself. Firstly, I don't know where to look for you. Secondly, there are so many people with so many eyes. It’s also inconvenient, so I can only come at this time.”
While talking, Guo Linxiang opened the brocade box at his side and saw a book inside. Then Guo Linxiang brought the book to Zhao Junchen and said, "Please take a look, sir."
Zhao Junchen took the book and saw the words "Record of Locust Extermination in Lu'an Prefecture" written on the cover.
When I opened it, it was true as the title said. Everything before and after the locust eradication in Lu'an Prefecture was recorded. It also focused on describing the debate between Zhao Junchen and Zhang Qicheng during the sacrifice to heaven, as well as Zhao Junchen's personal efforts to exterminate the locusts with the people. Among them, Zhao Junchen was highly praised for his actions, which somewhat meant that Zhao Junchen was rehabilitated in the name of "corrupt official".
After Zhao Junchen glanced through it briefly, he waved the book in his hand, raised his head and asked Guo Linxiang: "Boss Guo, what does this mean?"
Guo Linxiang said with a smile: "Please don't misunderstand me. This is the common intention of Shanxi merchants and us. Your lord's love for the people like a son and your heart for the country and the people these days are all visible to us, and it is also your honour." I was very moved by what you did, but when I thought about how many people misunderstood you, I became angry and helpless. So after summing up, I came up with this method to record what you did in Lu'an Mansion. Book and distribute it all over the world, in order to rectify your name."
Zhao Junchen's eyes flashed with joy, and he felt that what Guo Linxiang did was in line with his own wishes. It was foreseeable that after this book was published all over the world, Zhao Junchen's reputation was likely to change from a state of disgrace to a mixed reputation.
For Zhao Junchen, this book is much more valuable than the 100,000 taels of silver notes that Shanxi merchants paid tribute to before.
Although he was thinking this, Zhao Junchen still looked hesitant and said: "I understand Boss Guo's intention, but is the intention of doing this too obvious?"
Guo Linxiang shook his head and said: "You don't know, my lord, that the people of this world are not only prejudiced against you. Many officials in the imperial court have a bad reputation among the people. There are quite a lot of extreme people who think that our Ming Dynasty has been Corrupt officials have taken control, but the actual situation is naturally completely opposite. The publication of this book is to let the world understand the truth of spreading lies and three people become tigers, not only for adults, but also for the name of all officials of the Ming Dynasty."
Zhao Junchen's actions and intentions in Lu'an Mansion these days cannot be hidden from Guo Linxiang, a local snake. He understands that Zhao Junchen wants to reverse his reputation among the people. Guo Linxiang appreciates this very much. In Guo Linxiang's view, if a court official, whether corrupt or honest, does not pay attention to his or her reputation, he is a completely unqualified official. Only with a good official reputation can one stand in the officialdom for a long time.
It is precisely because of this that Guo Linxiang values Zhao Junchen even more, because Guo Linxiang sees Zhao Junchen's "ambition" from Zhao Junchen's actions. Because of this "ambition", Guo Linxiang's view of Zhao Junchen is also the same. From "collaborator" to "important and long-term collaborator".
The Shanxi Merchant Group has always focused on cultivating its spokesmen in the imperial court, and even once promoted the Shanxi Merchant Group's spokesmen as the chief ministers of the cabinet. However, with the reforms of Emperor Chongzhen, the influence of businessmen in the court has weakened. Although the spokesmen are still There was a lot, but the portion was a bit lacking.
The emergence of Zhao Junchen, in the eyes of Guo Linxiang and other Shanxi merchant groups, may be an opportunity to change this situation.
Therefore, the Shanxi Merchant Group is preparing to publish the "Record of Locust Extermination in Lu'an Prefecture" to help Zhao Junchen, not only to further establish a good relationship with Zhao Junchen, but also to further enhance Zhao Junchen's status and power in the court in the future.
On the other side, after hearing what Guo Linxiang said, Zhao Junchen nodded. Just as he was about to say something, he saw another servant hurriedly arrived and reported to Zhao Junchen: "Sir, there are angels in the capital."
ps: Please continue to ask for recommendations, and every support from everyone is an indispensable motivation for Chongzi’s writing.
