prosperous age

Chapter 654 Chapter 653
In March of the second year of Longqing, many things happened.

However, in Wei Guangde's view, there are only two most important things, one is the canonization of the crown prince and the imperial examination of the Wuchen Division.

Coming out of Zhongji Hall, Xu Jie was holding the yellow list in his hands. From this moment on, Jinshi of Jinke was considered finalized.

Although Luo Wanhua appeared as an outlier, the other rankings were not bad, and Wei Guangde could accept it.

But for the Ministry of Rites, the matter is not over yet, and there will be the Grand Ceremony of Passing on Lu, Honor Banquet, Visiting the Confucian Temple to perform the Ceremony of Interpretation of Vegetables and the activities of conferring officials.

However, there are rules and regulations. Wei Guangde also went through it at the beginning, and he just asked about the preparations and was relieved.

When he returned home that day, as soon as he got off the carriage, he saw several carriages parked on the street opposite the door.

The Wei family is located in a not-so-wide alley. In the opposite wall is another official's mansion, but the gate and side gate are not opened here.

What do these wagons stop by the wall mean?
Which one?
Wei Guangde was suspicious, but he still stepped into the gate.

As I said before, no matter who Wei Guangde wants to visit, he will send his family to send a post in advance. In fact, this is also the rule of going out to visit during this period.

On the TV, there are scenes of people lining up in front of some dignitaries' mansions, many of them carrying gifts, which is actually rarely seen in the capital.

There is only one possibility for such a situation to happen, that is, the owner of the house is promoted, and someone will come to visit the house a few days after the decree is obtained, because there are too many visitors to queue up.

As for the Wei family, many people came during several promotions, but it couldn't compare to the spectacular scene of a street full of people in the film and television drama, or it was actually an exaggerated depiction.

"Zhang Ji, are there any guests at the house today?"

Before Wei Guangde walked a few steps into the gate, Zhang Ji had already greeted him.

"Master, the eldest son of Dingguo's mansion just came and said a few words, Madam asked me to come out and prepare the carriage."

Zhang Ji replied.

"Oh, then I'll go in and have a look."

The current Duke of Ding, Xu Yande, inherited the title of Duke of Ding in the eighth year of Jiajing. It has been more than forty years, and his health has not been good for the past few years.

According to the news sent back by Xu Jianglan, she has been bedridden for the past month, and she may not have much time left.

Sure enough, when Wei Guangde went in, he saw Xu Jianglan's eyes were red, and standing next to him was Xu Wenbi, who was doing idle work in the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies.

Wei Guangde was still wearing the second-rank official uniform of the imperial court, but he was already at home, so he naturally couldn't put on any ostentation, but took the initiative to bow his hands to Xu Wenbi and said, "Hi cousin, how is uncle's health? I heard from my wife that my uncle is ill a few days ago. My little nephew is busy with official duties, so he never left to visit, please make amends."

"Shan Loan, you are back."

Xu Wenbi also clasped his fists in return, but his voice was a little hoarse, and said: "The Ministry of Rites has a lot of affairs these days, you have to preside over the general examination, the palace examination, and the canonization of the crown prince, so you are naturally very busy.

Fearing that time is running out, my father asked me to call my relatives in Beijing. He wanted to see everyone again, so I came to bother you. "

Dingguo Duke's Mansion and Wei Guogong's Mansion are from the same lineage. Although Dingguo Duke's Mansion has already spread branches and leaves to form a huge family, Wei Guogong's mansion in the capital is only relatives of this one.

Xu Yande wanted to see his relatives again, so the boys from Xu's family naturally went around to inform them.

Although they occupy the title of duke of the country, in terms of seniority in the family, many people are considered their elders.

Even if the status is distinguished, he dare not make mistakes.

Although the Wei family was of the same generation as them, Xu Yande treated the Wei family with courtesy when Xu Yande was in good health. At that time, Emperor Longqing had not yet ascended the throne.

Xu Wenbi is not a fool, now Wei Guangde is different from the past here, he is already a close minister of the emperor, there are rumors that he may have entered the cabinet within a year or two.

Although Xungui's influence is still huge, he can face the saint and sue the emperor, but he has lost his original power.

And precisely because of lack of power, they were even less willing to offend the Wei family.

This time when he came to Wei Mansion, it was the eldest son of the Xu family who came in person, which was considered as a way of saving face.

Xu Wenbi, if nothing unexpected happens, will be the next Duke Ding.

Knowing the purpose of coming, Wei Guangde looked at Xu Jianglan with red eyes, and just nodded.

The two children were handed over to Mother Wei to take care of them. After the carriage was harnessed outside, they went straight out of Wei's mansion and got into the carriage.

"Elder Brother said earlier that Uncle has already written a suicide note, I'm afraid"

Xu Jianglan followed Wei Guangde from Nanjing to Jiujiang, and then from Jiujiang to Beijing, thousands of miles away, and the family members in Nanjing could only communicate with each other through letters.

Since entering Beijing, at the beginning, he only made good friends with Duke Ding's mansion according to his father Wei Guogong Xu Pengju's intention, hoping to gradually restore the relationship between the two.

But later, Mrs. Dingguo's meticulous care for her made her feel the warmth of home, and the old Dingguo was also good to her, so he unconsciously regarded Dingguo's mansion as his natal family in the capital, and would go there every now and then .

"It's okay, there are days of birth, old age, illness and death. The old man has great blessings, so it was a false alarm at that time."

He didn't have any impression of the Ming Dynasty emperor, and Wei Guangde naturally didn't know Xu Yande at all.

But from seeing him at the court meeting last time, and not showing up at the important court meeting afterwards, Wei Guangde also knew that his illness might be serious.

The ancient medical technology is like this, Chinese medicine removes the root, but the effect is slow, and the first aid is always inferior to Western medicine.

Even so, Western medicine did not appear at all in this era, not in the Ming Dynasty, but in fact it did not appear in the West.

Over there, it is only now that they have just entered civilized society from raw hair drinking blood.

Along the way, he kept comforting Xu Jianglan, while thinking about it.

Xu Wenbi should soon ascend to the throne, but he doesn't know how other people are. As long as he is not out of character, it should be fine, but he doesn't know what the other brothers in his family are like.

"I think my cousin acts prudently, but I don't know what kind of temper his brothers are like?"

Wei Guangde asked seemingly casually.

At the beginning, he didn't care much about Dingguo's mansion, so he didn't know the situation of Brother Xu Wenbi in detail, but at this time, he couldn't do without asking.

Xu Jianglan glanced at him, although her eye circles were red, but her eyes were lively, she seemed to understand what he meant and said: "The other brothers are all concubines, although they are a little neglected, they will not cause much trouble. "

"Oh, hehe. I was worrying too much."

In fact, Wei Guangde also thought about Wei Guogong's situation, so he asked this question.

He knew that Xu Wenbi had brothers, but since he was the only descendant, it was fine.

When they arrived at Duke Dingguo's mansion, Xu Wenbi led the way and quickly went to the backyard to visit Xu Yande who was on the sickbed.

In front of the door, I also saw two waves of relatives who came to visit first, and after being introduced by Xu Wenbi, they greeted each other a few times before entering the house.

The image of the old man now is more haggard than what he saw at the court meeting before, with a haggard face and sunken eyes, almost like a different person.

After seeing the ceremony, Mrs. Dingguo asked him to sit down beside him. Afterwards, Xu Wenbi took Xu Jianglan's hand and said a lot. Probably the biggest regret was that he never went to Nanjing to visit his brothers of the same generation, and he never paid homage to the tombs of his ancestors. guilty.

He also asked Xu Wenbi to go to Nanjing if he had the chance, to visit his uncle in Nanjing, and to take him to worship at the tomb of King Zhongshan.

Whether it is Duke Wei's mansion or Duke Dingguo's mansion, they all entrusted their ancestors Zhongshan Wuning King Wei Guogong Xu Dafu and so on.

Another thing is to let Xu Jianglan come to the mansion more often as usual in the future, but he didn't say anything about caring for each other.

Wei Guangde knew very well that we were relatives by marriage, so there was no need to say some things.

After going out, Wei Guang pulled Xu Wenbi and asked, "Have you ever delivered any news to the palace?"

"A few days ago, I handed over a sick leave note for the imperial examination, and Wanzai sent his servants and imperial physicians to see it."

Xu Wenbi replied that at the moment he looked very calm and capable.

"What did the doctor say?"

Wei Guangde asked again.

"As I said today, all my father's wishes can be fulfilled."

Xu Wenbi replied.

Wei Guangde knew the meaning of the words, but after thinking about it, he said: "Did someone send someone to invite Xu Changling to come to the residence?"

"Physician Xu has come and said"

Before Xu Wenbi finished speaking, his tone became a little choked up.

Seeing this, Wei Guangde didn't say much, just stretched out his hand and patted him on the shoulder.

In fact, Wei Guangde still misunderstood, Xu Wenbi was really sad at this time, partly because his father might be in danger, and partly because he wanted to play for a few more years.

The son of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion naturally got married long ago, but his heart has not settled down.

In the mansion, he was naturally calm and capable, but when he left the mansion, he still looked like a noble son, eating, drinking and having fun like other sons of noble families.

If his father dies, he will take over the title and go to the Fifth Army Commander's Mansion on time to run errands.

Many people think that after losing power in the Ming Dynasty, the nobles mostly ate at home and waited to die, but this is actually wrong.

The nobles are all on errands, but a lot of power has been emptied, but the rules are still there.

Let’s just talk about the few princes of the state, all of whom have the title of governor of the five armies, and they still have to clock in on time every day.

It's just that the general official affairs are processed in half an hour, and then they leave the yamen for some reason, and continue to come in the next day to deal with some official documents.

Do this job, unless you don't want the title, after all, this is in the capital, and there is the scary Metropolitan Procuratorate nearby, where the censors go to the various yamen in shifts to check.

If you don't want to be fussy, just hug left and right at home, eat and wait to die, then wait to be impeached.

Once or twice will not affect the title, but if there are too many impeachments, the emperor has a view, and it is not impossible to lower the title.

Their titles were handed down by their ancestors. If they lost or lowered their titles, what face would they have to see their ancestors.

Therefore, in fact, Xungui should also be like a civil servant, get up early to go to the yamen to do some work, and then count his own time, find an excuse to leave the yamen and go home to catch up on sleep, or go in groups to find places to have fun.

It's just that Xu Wenbi is an honorary guard now, and he still holds the rank of a red helmet general. It doesn't matter if he drinks flowers and wine with other princes and plays with money on weekdays.

Undoubtedly, this is to put a layer of shackles on him.

He is the only legitimate son, and he can't run away from the title, so he really doesn't want to take over the title so soon, but from the bottom of his heart, he hopes that his father will live a long life.

Wei Guangde also noticed that Xu Wenbi was completely different at home and outside.

He also knows that these young masters are doing things, and he is very envious, but he can't do it.

After Emperor Longqing ascended the throne, he stopped doing these things because he was afraid of being caught.

As for what has been done before, I have not seen amnesties for the new emperor's ascension to the throne and the canonization of the prince. It's just that officials who drink some flowers and play with money are within the scope of amnesty, as long as they do not do it during the funeral ceremony.

It was very late when he returned home, but there was a lantern of Wei Mansion on the carriage, and his official position was on it, so naturally no school captain who was watching the night dared to block the way.

The night ban is only for civilians.

Early the next morning, someone knocked on the gate of the Wei Mansion, and the Dingguo Mansion sent someone to report the funeral.

The Wei Mansion had already prepared, Wei Guangde sent someone to deliver a note to the Ministry of Rites, and went to the Dingguo Mansion first, and asked his wife to go there later.

For the funeral, the Duke's Mansion had already prepared in private. When Wei Guangde arrived, the mansion was already covered with white sails.

After Wei Guangde went in to worship as a junior, he stayed here for the time being, but he was free, that is, Xu Wenbi and his brothers took turns to guard the spirit.

Not long after, the palace also received the letter from Xu's family, and sent people to pay homage.

"Eunuch Chen."

The status of the visitor is not low, he is the eunuch Chen Hongsi, the supervisor of ceremonies, and the eunuch of Bingbi, who also runs the East Factory. Wei Guangde has to be careful when he meets him.

I don't know whether it's the influence of watching TV or novels, but I always feel that Chen Hong doesn't seem like a good person.

For such a person, if you can't provoke them, don't provoke them.

"Master Wei is also there, oh, by the way, you are related by marriage to Duke Dingguo."

Chen Hong also said with a smile, "I'll go to worship first, and finish the emperor's errands first."

"Eunuch Chen, please."

It was Zhu Xixiao who came to represent Cheng Guogong's mansion. He met Wei Guangde and said a few words before being led into the mourning hall to worship.

According to his words, his elder brother Cheng Guogong Zhu Xizhong will come back later.

The British official Zhang Rong came directly, and there was no errand to come, and then there were other honorable families, and people from the mansions of the ministers of the DPRK and China came to express their condolences one after another.

Wei Guangde is like the steward of Dingguo's mansion, every visitor has to go over to talk to him, say a few words, and then lead them in.

In the afternoon, Gao Yi, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, came over and said to Wei Guangde after expressing condolences: "Tomorrow morning, the Ministry will discuss giving the old Duke a posthumous title, etc. You have to go back to the Ministry and don't worry about other things. People play by the rules.

You are here, representing both you and the Ministry of Rites. "

"Thank you for your understanding."

Wei Guangde cupped his hands.

In the next few days, Wei Guangde was not only a junior, but also participated in the funeral ceremony of Dingguo Duke's Mansion as a representative of the Ministry of Rites. During this period, he had more contact with the nobles in Beijing.

The Xungui Group was on the sidelines when discussing the opening of the sea at the court meeting last time, and did not take sides at all.

But Wei Guangde felt that even though the nobles had their power taken away, there were still many people.

It seems good to stand up and join the crowd at critical moments.

So during this period of time, he also intends to associate with the dukes, marquises, and uncles, so it is naturally a taboo to put it aside in normal times.

But now it is different, and it is reasonable to contact them.

He was busy until Xu Yande was buried in the Ma'anshan ancestral tomb outside Fucheng Gate, and then he returned to his original state, but the connection with Xungui had been established, so it was not a waste of work.

When Wei Guangde returns home, he will face those disciples next.

As the deputy chief examiner of the general examination, he selected Jinshi, no, there should be a lot of Gongsheng students.

But to be honest, Wei Guangde was not yet 30 years old at this time, and many of the students he ordered were older than him, so it was always awkward to meet them.

Looking at the posts of Zhao Zhigao, Hu Laigong and others in his hand, the corners of Wei Guangde's mouth twitched.

(End of this chapter)