Zhong Niangzi Wanfu

Chapter 53
一
Now that Zhong Lan and others are distinguished guests of the Zhang Mansion, Shan Tuan naturally has no reason to neglect them. First, there are dozens of appetizers, and then delicacies, delicacies from mountains and seas are brought together, and a dozen female envoys are called to accompany them. , giving enough pomp to several people.

Several people did not dare to forget the rules and took their seats to eat according to the etiquette.

After finally finishing the meal, Steward Shan asked the maid to bring them some mouthwash tea, and waited on several people to rinse their mouths, and finally served them the precious after-dinner tea.

"Chief Steward, we have had our meal now, and we want to take a break to talk. If you can help me, please come down first." Shen Feng noticed the discomfort of several people, rubbed the lid of the tea cup, and nodded gently to Steward Single. smiled.

"I'll take my leave, gentlemen." Shan Guanshi understood and led a group of attendants to bow to a few people before leaving.

The atmosphere suddenly became quiet, and the four people present looked slightly frozen.

Seeing that no one spoke, Zhong Lan put down the tea cup in his hand and said softly: "Now that these 8000 million taels of mines are in the hands of Wen's Company, they are nothing short of a disaster. We have to find a way to get rid of them in time."

"This batch of ore is now in the western border of Yuzhou. If it is transported back rashly, it may alarm the state capitals along the way. I plan to simply put it into the official mine of Yuzhou. Now the official mines of Yuzhou and Baozhou are under the rule of King Li Now, King Li needs to honor Wen's power in Dongchang, so it may not be difficult for King Li to help Wen get rid of these mines." Wen Shu explained.

"But how do you explain the sudden appearance of the mine?"

"It's not difficult to explain." Wen Yi had an idea, "Guo Bing is dead, so there is no proof. All we need to do is push the guarantor of Guo's caravan out."

Seeing the puzzled expressions on the three people's faces, Wen Yi explained with a smile: "Guo Bing and his eldest sister signed the deed in a hurry and did not let the sponsor take a closer look. The book the sponsor handed to the government still had the surname Kong of the Guo family's caravan and the prince's pseudonym. The owner. And the case involves a wide range of people. If the guarantor wants to survive, he can only insist that the Guo’s caravan transported the wrong goods and stopped at the border of Yuzhou."

Wen Shu understood: "Exactly, now that the case involves Dongchang, Beizhao needs to give Dongchang an explanation as soon as possible. The case must be closed as soon as possible to maintain the diplomatic relations between the two countries. They should not bother to investigate carefully."

Zhong Lan thought about the feasibility of this matter and looked at Shen Feng tentatively.

Shen Yan nodded slightly: "Now the review of this case is handed over to Zongzheng Temple and His Highness Li Wang for joint trial, so it is feasible."

Finally feeling relieved, Zhong Lan slightly curved his lips: "Then let's do it."

two

At night, Shen Feng was lying on the couch, tossing and turning. She got up gently, walked around Zhong Lai, put on her clothes and walked out of the inner room. She lit a lamp, studied ink, picked up a pen, and wrote something on the desk.

"It's cold at night. I'll order Jiangliu to boil a pot of hot water and bring it over." Zhong Lan's voice came.

Shen Feng raised his head and saw Zhong Lan wearing only a single piece of clothing, leaning on the edge of the door of the inner room and looking at him. He suddenly felt guilty. He paused with the pen in his hand, and instantly touched a thick ball of ink on the paper. .

"It's work."

Zhong Lan put on his coat and went out to call the river to boil water. Then he went in and sat aside: "It was late at night and the frost was heavy. Master Shen got up with his clothes on and burned the lamp to fight at night. I'm afraid he didn't just want to practice calligraphy on a whim, right?"

Seeing that Zhong Lan wanted to ask, Shen Feng didn't want to hide it from her, so he put down the pen gently: "I'm sorry to make you uneasy, but we can't go back to Tan Lin for the time being."

Zhong Lan was stunned: "It's from Prince Li..."

"Now the missing mine case and the scrap iron case were handed over to King Li and Dali Temple for detailed investigation. King Li asked me to write a policy statement on this matter and submit it." Shen Feng's eyes narrowed slightly, and he stared at himself and wrote. in small, traditional Chinese characters.

Zhong Lan understood instantly: "Did King Li take a fancy to you and plan to find an opportunity to promote you and promote you to an official position?"

"If I can go one step further, I can seek justice for more people, not only Qinlin, not only Danzhou, I will let Beizhao have more poor homes to recruit poor people, and let more people's children study .”

Shen Feng raised his eyes and looked at Zhong Lan, his burning eyes reflecting the candlelight once again touched Zhong Lan's heart: "This is an opportunity, Mrs. Lan."

Lai Niang.

Shen Feng rarely calls Zhong Yan like this. Calling him like this is enough to show that Shen Feng is tempted by this opportunity.

Seeing that Zhong Lan didn't reply, Shen Feng said again: "I understand that my experience and thoughts are not enough for me to gain a foothold in the royal capital, but there is a difference between trying without success and not even trying."

Seeing the eagerness in Shen Feng's eyebrows, Zhong Lan's eyes slightly curved: "Who can guarantee that you will understand the twists and turns when you are born? If you want to give it a try, then write this policy and give it to His Highness Prince Li. "

Shen Feng didn't expect that Zhong Lan would agree so happily, and was slightly startled.

Zhong Lan's eyes flashed, as if he had thought deeply, and he smiled relievedly at Shen Feng: "You never thought of restraining me, and I don't want to restrain you. Although I am not a scholar, I understand that your literary ambitions are in your heart. position. Now that you’ve made up your mind, let’s do it.”

Seeing that Shen Feng still didn't respond, Zhong Yan stood up with a smile, picked up the still-dry ink pen and put it in Shen Feng's hand: "You and I are husband and wife, and we should be like-minded. No matter what you want to do, as long as you have I will stay with you to support you regardless of your own reasons."

Shen Feng looked at the ink pen in his hand and felt moved. He picked up the pen and wrote down eight pages of strategy.

It was daytime, and the faint morning light shone through the window lattice on the case, on the document titled "Beizhao Official Mine Theory", and on Zhong Lan who was taking a nap on the beauty chair.

Shen Yan put away the pen, blew on the ink that was not yet dry, read it through and closed the document with satisfaction, stepped forward and put his own robe on Zhong Yan, and went into the inner room to change clothes lightly , holding the strategy and opening the door.

The eyes outside the door were a bit dazzling, but Shen Feng seemed to see something else through the rising sun.

"Uncle?" Chang Huan was waiting outside the door. "Your girl rested late last night. Let her rest for a while and don't disturb her." Shen Feng ordered softly.

Chang Huan was stunned for a moment, then agreed.

Shen Feng's policy statement not only directly stated the shortcomings in the ownership of power in Beizhao's official mines that can be reflected in the case of the prince's smuggling of official mines, but also elaborated on the inappropriateness of the old law from three aspects, and proposed six detailed clarifications on it. Possible solution strategies.

King Li was delighted after seeing it and presented it to the Emperor's case the next day.

After the emperor saw it, he summoned Shen Feng to the court to play a duel.

The emperor of Beizhao, Qi Weijun, sat in a high hall. He was nearly seventy years old, with a white head and a golden crown.

"Shen Feng, the magistrate of Qinlin County, kowtows to the emperor for his holy bow. Long live our emperor." Shen Feng, wearing an indigo official robe and a black gauze hat, entered the palace and kowtowed in greeting.

"I am safe, Shen Qing, please come up." Qi Weijun's voice was not loud, with a heavenly majesty that could not be presumptuous.

Shen Feng entered the Mingtang for the first time. He would be lying if he said he was not timid. He calmed down and stood up calmly: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Qi Weijun raised the document in his hand: "Is this a memorial from Shen Qing?"

Shen Feng bowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty, yes."

"Shen Qing's memorial was written in a hurry. I want you to explain it to me in detail here." Qi Weijun put down the memorial and stood up from the throne, "Min Duo, bring up the map."

"Yes." Min Duo ordered several attendants to move the map of Beizhao, which was as tall as one person, into the palace.

Shen Feng was instantly frightened and uneasy: "The status of a small county is low, and I am ashamed to read the map with the emperor."

"Does Shen Qing want to resist the decree?" Qi Weijun smiled at Shen Feng, but his eyes were a little cold.

Shen Yan's scalp tightened, he stepped forward to demonstrate, and told the emperor one by one his melodies.

His memorial words were all carefully considered and written in the past few days. He spoke like a fish in water, and gradually lost his timidity. When it came to rising, Shen Feng also detailed his experience in governing Tan Lin.

After Shen Feng finished speaking, he saluted Qi Cheng: "These are despicable opinions from a small county. The Emperor will forgive me."

Qi Weijun stared at the map of the states where the Shangguan Mine was located, pondered for a moment, then patted Shen Feng on the shoulder: "Shen Qing has extraordinary insights, and I am very pleased. He is really a formidable person."

"Your Majesty was so complimentary that the small county was frightened."

"If I remember correctly, Shen Qing was a Jinshi in 19 years?"

"Your Majesty, Xiaoxian is indeed a Jinshi on the imperial list in the 19th year of Longyu." Shen Feng lowered his head, thinking of Wen Yi, and carefully added, "Yongan Wenyi, who investigated the case with Xiaoxian this time, was in the same year as Xiaoxian. Cheng'en was awarded the title of Taiming County Lieutenant. He was hunted down for investigating the Luoxia Village case, and his life and death were unknown for three years. He was unjustly dismissed from his official position."

"Shen Qing wants to vindicate Wen Qing?" Qi Weijun narrowed his eyes.

Shen Feng kowtowed: "Wen Yi worked hard to investigate the case. It is really unjust to suffer unfair injustice. I hope your Majesty will understand clearly!"

Qi Weijun pondered for a long time, then returned to the throne and sat down: "I'm sure."

Shen Feng was delighted: "The small county thanks His Majesty for His grace."

"Min Duo was appointed to the Ministry of Education to draw up an edict. Shen Feng, the magistrate of Qinlin County, was cautious and thoughtful, and had meritorious service in investigating cases. He was promoted to the sixth rank of the Ministry of Public Affairs, where he lived and served, and was assigned to study and study. Yong'an was elegant and loyal, and investigated The case was meritorious, and I pity him for being dismissed from office three years ago, and reinstated him as the Qipin County Magistrate of Qin Linzheng."

"Yes." Min Duo accepted the order and resigned.

Seeing that Shen Feng was about to bow again, Qi Weijun stopped Shen Feng's movements with a smile: "Shen Qing has unique insights. King Li and Zhang Qing mentioned it to me more than once and they were full of praise. When Shen Qing comes to the imperial study in the future, don't let him I'm disappointed."

"I accept the order and thank you for your kindness." Shen Feng felt happy and saluted to express his gratitude.

The emperor's edict arrived soon.

After taking the edict into his hand and thanking him, Shen Feng pursed his lips and said nothing.

Wen Yi took the edict and was full of joy: "I didn't expect you to enter the capital first, you wait for me for two years, and when I show my talents and achieve political achievements, I will be called by His Majesty to be an official in the capital and go to our An appointment with the royal capital!"

Shen Feng smiled and nodded. Regardless of the high-spirited Wen Yi, he looked at Zhong Lan apologetically: "You have always liked a peaceful and peaceful life. When you enter the royal capital from now on, I'm afraid everything will have to start from scratch. But don't be afraid. I will do my best to protect you and my parents. As long as I am here, you can feel at ease."

"I'm not afraid." Zhong Lan smiled and held Shen Feng's hand, "Wherever you are, I feel at ease; where I feel at ease, this is my hometown."

(End of this chapter)