If Wei Zhao really received a letter, he would naturally communicate with Kong Wenshao personally.
Now that Kong Wenshao is asking this question, it can only mean that his heart is very confused.
At this moment, Kong Wenshao didn't know what happened in Sichuan. He only knew about the incident at the Fifth Army Camp in March in the capital, and that Zhang Wei and several other relatives who were stationed at the Fifth Army Camp were arrested for treason.
Zhang Wei's staff Shen Wenzhou was also arrested, which was what made Kong Wenshao restless.
After leaving the Kong Mansion, Kong Wenshao got on the sedan chair and ordered with a gloomy face: "Go to the county government office."
Yanshenggong has a transcendent status and is a civil servant. He has his own official uniform for worship, but at the moment he is only wearing a white singlet.
The weather was getting hotter, so the bearer gritted his teeth, kept his back, and walked steadily with his steps.
For more than a month, Yan Shenggong's temper has not been very good. If you bump the sedan chair, you will suffer a lot.
They carried him steadily to the gate of the county government office. The government officials had already recognized who it was, and hurriedly stepped forward to help him hold down the sedan chair and lift the curtain. He said in a flattering tone: "Master Sheng is here to see you." Really? The eldest master is taking a vow of fasting and sleeping in the back office."
Kong Wenshao nodded: "Is the county preparing for the Xia Ding Festival?"
"Everything is ready. The Holy Father is here to see the sacrifices and the fruits, vegetables and cereals?"
"Let's meet Wen Fang first."
Kong Wenshao entered the county government office as if he were returning to his own home. Why should he care about the Xia Ding Festival that he and the government officials said?
Every year in February, May, August, and November, the Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter Four-Ding Festivals are held, which is something you don’t have to worry about anymore.
At this moment in Qufu City, there are all kinds of people working on it.
In Qufu, there are many specialized cattle households, pig households, and sheep households. Now, there is a sheep farmer who is begging for the sacrifice of his servant who came to his house.
"Master, who would have thought that most of the lambs born in these two litters last year were female? That one ram was already offered as a sacrifice in the winter last year. You can be accommodating. I will breed a few more litters this year. Next year One more..."
"That's what you say when it's your turn? That's what I say to everyone I go to. Can you afford to miss the Ding Festival?" The subordinate stretched out his hand, "The old rule is, if you can't hand over the sheep, you have to do it." Pay the money."
"The master is accommodating. It's really..."
"I'll give you some accommodation. Will the priest give me some accommodation? It's the fifteenth day before the Ding Festival, and it's the day of sacrifice, but you haven't even done the washing ceremony yet, let alone the ram!" The subordinate officer stared with his eyes. He raised his voice and said, "Don't cry to me. If you don't pay, I will have to report it. Let you pay the money and let me go and buy it quickly. This is already accommodating!"
The Ding sacrifice requires two pure black bulls, thirty-one sheep, twenty-six pigs, and more other millet, rice, fruits, vegetables, fish, salt, wine, candles, oil, vinegar, etc.
Not only that, the sacrifices must be placed in a brand new wooden cage pavilion with red flags, and the rice cakes must be caged in red sarongs.
There are four Ding Festivals held every year. For this reason, people in Qufu have to spend more than a month preparing for each Ding Festival.
Now the people who are preparing the sacrifices are worried, but the officials and scholars who will attend the sacrifices are all looking forward to it.
In the yamen of Qufu County, Kong Wenshao did not bow when he saw the county magistrate. He opened his mouth and asked, "Why are you starting to abstain from fasting and sleeping now? Are you worried about water conservancy issues?"
Kong Wenfang, the magistrate of Qufu, was his cousin. When he saw him coming, he paid him a high standard of courtesy: "I don't need to worry about water conservancy projects. Qufu can be cleaned no matter how it is cleaned. The rest of the counties will be fine." The governor and the water patrol censor know this well. Zonggong, I am thanking guests behind closed doors. After the news came from the capital, there will be many people visiting the mansion, right?"
In Qufu, the honorary title of Yanshenggong is basically replaced by the eldest son. In special circumstances, a biological brother will replace him.
Naturally, most of the people who serve as Duke Yansheng are not the best among their clansmen.
The Kong family also had another honor, which was that they could be recommended by Duke Yansheng as the magistrate of Qufu. The magistrate of Qufu County is a hereditary position of the Confucius family according to the regulations, but in fact it is still a hereditary position of the Confucius family.
Whether it is counted from the time when the first descendant of Confucius served as the magistrate of Qufu during the Yizong period of the Tang Dynasty, or from the time when a descendant of Confucius served as the magistrate of Qufu County, which was renamed Xianyuan County during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, the Confucius family has In the Song, Jin and Yuan dynasties, descendants of Confucius who served as King Wenxuan or Duke Yansheng had always been the magistrate of Qufu.
Zhu Yuanzhang did not like Duke Yansheng at that time, but in the seventh year of Hongwu, it was only changed to no longer hereditary but recommended by Duke Yansheng.
The Kong family may only be a spiritual symbol nationwide, but in Qufu, they are the actual Tu Emperor, and they are Tu Emperors that have been passed down for more than 600 years and nearly 700 years.
In this case, there is really no need to worry about the water conservancy project in Qufu - no matter how it is changed, it is basically the Kong family's land.
Kong Wenshao nodded: "Is there any news from the south? Wen Fang, it was you who said that His Majesty is determined to mobilize the world's levies. Why Yang Jiefu and others are willing to do this, I really can't think carefully about it."
Kong Wenfang laughed: "Zong Gong, what I can see clearly, they can only see more clearly. The news spreads more slowly to the south, and it takes time. Why Yang Jiefu and others are willing to do this, it is naturally nothing more than their reputation. Words. Are you worried about the Longevity Festival?"
"Exactly. His Majesty did not announce my coming to Beijing during the Zhengdan Festival three years ago. It happened that he made this decree after the changes in the Fifth Army Camp."
"In my opinion, there are still a few months, so don't worry. Since there is a decree, it is natural to go." Kong Wenfang said calmly, "In any case, my Kong family is extraordinary. The water patrol censor did not start a big war in Shandong. It seems that Your Majesty and the court also know the importance of this."
How could Kong Wenshao feel at ease?
"Don't forget that practical science!" Kong Wenshao's eyes were filled with anger, "The theory of the three principles of heaven, things, and people can be regarded as coming from the knowledge of the ancient sages, but that practical science, especially dialectics, is so heretical! Today's people If he is better than the ancients, do scholars in the world still need to respect Confucius?"
Kong Wenshao's intellectual level was actually not enough for half a bucket of water.
Regarding the new knowledge exposed in this scholarly community at the end of last year, Kong Wenshao only grasped one of the most frightening inferences. That is: looking at problems from the perspective of changes and development of affairs, it is natural that modern people are better than ancient people. In this case, it is untenable to take the sages and sages as examples and spend all his life just to get close to them. In this case, why should we respect Confucius?
Kong Wenfang shook his head resolutely: "There is no need to worry about this matter. Zonggong needs to know that as long as the scholars in the world have already enlightened to literacy and read the classics, everyone preparing for the exam will hate the new learning. If the new knowledge ruins the future of the scholars in the world, The new law will also take advantage of scholars all over the world, and those who are unwilling will definitely outnumber those who are flattering. The Confucius family has gone through thousands of years, so what's the point? The more at this time, the more important it is for Yanshenggong Mansion to respect teachers and teach. Therefore, I take a vow of fasting and fasting early.”
"What about His Majesty and the imperial court forcing Qufu?"
"Retreat and endure." Kong Wenfang said confidently, "In less than twenty or thirty years, the old and new knowledge and the new and old methods cannot completely distinguish the winner. This has never been the case in the history of reform? I, the Kong family, only worship with one heart. This is what our ancestors and sages are like. Right and wrong are just and in the heart of the people!"
Can't we not let the descendants inherit?
The sages and sages who already deserve to be in the Confucius Temple cannot but be shown respect, right?
The foundation of the Confucian family has always been the status of Confucius. Kong Wenfang was fully confident in the unshakable status of Confucius and the strong interests involved in Confucianism.
After Kong Wenshao heard what he said, he just asked: "Shen Wenzhou next to Zhang Wei was arrested. Zhewen has many contacts with him. Are you not worried?"
Hearing him mention his son, Kong Wenfang was silent for a moment, and then said: "If the Kong family is punished for the crime of treason against the same party, then the court is really crazy. If the Kong family is the treasonous minister, , Who among the scholars in the world is not a rebel? Our ancestors taught us that loyalty comes first."
…
Starting from the decree that all the vassal kings and relatives in the world should come to Beijing to celebrate before Halloween, there were Tiqi going south at that time.
This team of Tiqi was first ordered to capture the first batch of people on the list.
The Zheng family in Pujiang and the Shen family in Wuxing.
In today's Zhejiang, there is no longer Wuxing County, but Wucheng County, where Huzhou Prefecture is located.
The Wuxing Shen family, which has been famous since the Eastern Jin Dynasty, does not entirely live in Huzhou Prefecture now.
As for the Zheng family in Pujiang, they no longer abide by the ancestral precepts and live together in one place since the Yongle period. Instead, they live scattered in various counties and rarely mention their ancestral origins.
So the problem now facing the governor of Zhejiang is: the sudden uprooting of these two families that have been inherited for many years will have a great impact on Yan Song's arrangements in Zhejiang.
"Now that Liu Qianhu has found me in front of Futai, is there any difficulty?" Yan Song looked solemnly at the Jinyiwei North Town Fusi prisoner Qianhu in front of him.
The frightening Jinyiwei ordered thousands of households to be imprisoned and came to Zhejiang in person, which shows the determination of the holy will. Yan Song would not resist, but was very cautious.
Yan Song, who had stayed with the emperor for a short period of time, knew better that since Luo An went to Jinyiwei and Wang Zuo took office as the governor of Beizhen, the governor of Beizhen had been selecting people with strong martial arts, bravery and strategy. There was one person. The name of the so-called "Pacific Insurance".
This is the title of the Three Lords. The so-called "taobao" within Jinyiwei are undoubtedly people who must be absolutely loyal to the emperor's orders and be decisive and brave.
Yan Song felt some uncomfortable pressure from Liu Zhenyuan.
Liu Zhenyuan nodded and replied: "Futai is a loyal minister of His Majesty, so he naturally knows that Jin Yiwei is traveling in various provinces. I already have a list in hand, and after arriving in Zhejiang, I also arranged for people to check first, and there are a few more people on the list. Just don't move. Now, if you move, you can no longer leak anyone. After Li Xiang died and his father-in-law Zheng and his son were imprisoned, the Zheng family in Zhejiang hid many people. Now that I have arrived in Zhejiang, some people have heard about it in the past ten days. There is no time to delay. , Futai has been in Zhejiang for more than half a year, can you give me another list?"
Yan Song asked solemnly: "Seriously, you don't ask whether you are involved or not and just take care of it?"
Liu Zhenyuan replied calmly: "If you are guilty or not guilty, go to Beijing and have your own Tribunal for interrogation. Conspiracy is such a big thing, how can we check the evidence carefully?"
Yan Song frowned and thought carefully for a while, and then made up his mind: "If you don't move, don't move. If you want to move, don't just arrest the Zheng and Shen families. I have gained a little in the past half a year in Zhejiang. Liu Qianhu gives me five days, and I will hand over another list to Liu Qianhu."
After seeing off Liu Zhenyuan, Yan Song then gave the order: "Xingwen Fan Si Yamen, please come over and ask Sun Fantai to come over. Then go to Eunuch Liang and tell him that I will hold a banquet tonight and discuss the emperor's score." thing."
Nearly a year has passed since the battle for tribute at the turn of April and May last year, and the Zhejiang Shipping Department has been abolished.
After Yan Song arrived in Zhejiang after a slow trip around Jiangxi last year, he did not start a war as aggressively as Yang Tinghe did at the court meeting at that time.
Nowadays, what everyone in Zhejiang pays most attention to is Yan Song's attitude.
There was a mutiny in the capital, Zhang Wei's rebellion, and the Jinyi Guards rode to Zhejiang. The governor hosted a banquet for Zhejiang's eunuch Liang Yao and the chief envoy Sizuo's chief envoy Sun Xiu. Many people in Hangzhou knew the news.
Sun Xiu helped Yan Song build the governor's Yamen, and Yan Song accepted it with a smile - it was a public Yamen anyway, not his private residence.
But the backyard of the Governor's Yamen is extremely exquisite, with strange rocks and meandering water, and every step leads to a scene.
This small banquet was held in a pavilion in the garden. It's April, the fragrance of flowers is refreshing, and young maids are bringing delicious dishes one after another.
Liang Yao and Sun Xiu had been polite to Yan Song for a long time, but they never got to the point.
What happened to Huang Ming’s semicolon? That doesn't require labor. Yan Song personally invited Liang Yao and Sun Xiu to come together to discuss something.
After the abolition of the Shipping Department, Yan Song asked to establish the Huangming branch in Zhejiang. Liu Zhong and others from the Hangzhou Weaving Bureau had become very close to Yan Song.
Although the Municipal Shipping Department no longer exists, the ships of the Zhejiang branch of Huangmingji often go to Guangdong under the escort of the Haiphong Road warships arranged by the inspector Wang Hong.
"Futai, I wonder if there is anything new about Huang Ming's semicolon that requires me and Eunuch Liang to discuss it together?" Sun Xiu finally spoke after drinking two glasses of wine.
Yan Song only said: "The emperor has nothing to do. There is indeed a reason for inviting the two of you to a small gathering today."
Sun Xiu put down his wine glass and bowed: "Please tell me about Futai."
After saying that, he looked at the governor who was ten years younger than himself.
Last year, Sun Xiu judged that Yan Song was not in a hurry to rush to Zhejiang and concluded that he was not really going to be the pioneer of the new law under Yang Tinghe, so he had to clean up Zhejiang first. Yan Song arrived in Zhejiang during the autumn harvest time, which was a signal for stability.
He smiled and accepted the governor's office that was rushed to be built in Zhejiang.
Afterwards, they only impeached Hu Dingzhi and Zhang Qin, the deputy envoy of the Imperial Guard, who were not really effective in the battle for tribute, and transferred them to Nanjing. Then Wang Hong went to Zhejiang to serve as the Imperial Guard.
Apart from this, there are no changes in Zhejiang. Instead, the imperial court set up the Huangming branch, which gave some wealthy gentry households in Zhejiang an additional channel for legal transactions.
Sun Xiu looked at Yan Song who was a little abnormal, and thought to himself, is it now time to settle old scores and do something? Over the past six months or so, Yan Song has been open to many things.
Yan Song pursed his lips and smiled: "Let me first tell you about the old events in the royal study after Wang Zhitai was defeated for the first time during the naval battle in Tuen Mun, Guangdong."
Liang Yao and Sun Xiu suddenly felt their hearts skip a beat.
Then, there was how Wei Bin knelt at the gate of Qianqing Palace for several hours. Later, Chen Jin and Guo Xun apologized on their own and drank from the emperor's golden cup together.
Sun Xiu and Liang Yao secretly broke into a cold sweat.
They are not fools. They know that there is going to be a storm in Zhejiang.
They naturally understood what Yan Song meant: they had to take sides.
Speaking of these secrets suddenly and solemnly only proved to Sun Xiu what he had guessed from the incident in the Fifth Army Camp: the new law was basically something the emperor was determined to do, so the correspondence with Fei Hong was not trustworthy. I'm afraid Hong has already lined up, otherwise he could be the governor of Sichuan?
Sun Xiu bit the bullet and said: "Your Majesty's broad-mindedness... I admire you greatly. Is the banquet held in Futai today related to the Jinyi Guards' cavalry going south?"
Who are you here to catch? Sun Xiu didn't know, he hadn't met the Jin Yiwei people yet.
After listening to Yan Song's hint, he thought it was related to Sun Xiu himself.
Of course it is related, Yan Song sighed: "Sun Fantai expected it. When I came to Zhejiang, my original intention was to preach the policy first and wait and see the effect of the new law in Guangdong. But now, some people are so impatient that they have the audacity to cause trouble in the capital and the whole country. You two know who they are who are plotting rebellion. Your Majesty is well aware of the wait-and-see attitude of the world. Now that you know that His Majesty is determined to reform and become stronger, it is better to make an early decision. The wealthy people in Zhejiang are worried about this, so you two We can't leave it to chance. I cannot bear to see you two trapped in such deep trouble when I tell you what happened in the ban."
Sun Xiu and Liang Yao were sweating profusely and hurriedly argued: "Master Futai's words are wrong. How dare I wait and see and conspire against him?"
"If that's true, how can I invite you two here?" Yan Song picked up the wine glass and said with a smile, "Not long after I visited Zhejiang, many people still couldn't trust me. The two of you are different. At this time of meritorious service. Zhejiang They are conspiring in tandem to rebel against the big clan, and the Fusi in Beizhen is in charge of imprisoning thousands of relatives. We cannot just arrest some insignificant people."
Only then did the two of them realize that the person who came was actually a prisoner who was in charge of thousands of households, and their hearts were extremely cold: "What does it mean to comfort the platform?"
Yan Song then stopped smiling, stared at Sun Xiu and said, "In Zhejiang, there is always correspondence between Sun Fantai and Fei Dutai. Which big families in Zhejiang are the most determined to resist the new law? Sun Fantai knows it best, right? The Zheng family, The Shen family is just relying on its many branches to rush ahead."
Sun Xiu's hand holding the wine glass suddenly shook and a lot of wine spilled.
Fei Hong exchanged letters with him, and Sun Xiu would burn the letters every time he read them. But Yan Song knew everything about this, so what else could he say?
What has the emperor arranged over the past two years? It was actually the sixteenth year of Zhengde's reign that he had such courage. At that time, he "respected the rivers and seas of the Ming Dynasty and the mountains and rivers of China." Yang Tinghe could no longer block the new law. Could it be that the ambition to recreate the Ming Dynasty was due to the struggle between monarchy and power?
But then, how did Yang Tinghe become more and more radical and become the leader of the new party regardless of the future of the Yang family?
Without him, I am afraid that he knows the emperor's will and skills better.
The emperor is too young. Even if the new law takes twenty or thirty years to determine the outcome, he can afford to wait and is determined enough.
The premise is that... His Majesty can really stay in power for as long as his cousin.
Sun Xiu knew these future things, and it was impossible for him to think about them any more.
"...The lower official should relieve your worries!"
Hurry and take a stand!
Yan Song smiled and raised his glass: "Your Majesty said that you should not shy away from selfishness, but you must have family and country in your heart. Brother Sun, don't worry too much. Eunuch Wei, Chen Dutai, and Marquis Wu Ding are the first ones. As long as Brother Sun reins in, he will be your Majesty's loyal minister."
"...I have always been a loyal minister!"
Sun Xiu cursed in his heart: Fei Hong, this old yin... I almost took the bait!
Yan Song looked at him with a smile.
Your Majesty can do it, so why can't Yan Song do it?
Now, Sun Xiu, who is like a mirror in his heart, knows that he has been on the list for a long time. What will happen to his desire to make meritorious deeds?
He, Yan Song, came to Zhejiang to win over some smart gentry and wealthy people. Let Sun Xiu do the dirty work.
Wang Hong, the sentencing envoy, will be busy next!
(End of chapter)
