Heroes of the Sons and Daughters

Chapter Three
This time the book follows the previous one, and it tells the story of Mr. Na'an who appointed the magistrate of Hegong County, and after finishing all the public and private entertainments outside, he started to take care of the road at home.

I have nothing to do after dinner today, I want to explain the housework first, because it has been passed on to several middle-class family members in the family, some of them are clever and some are confused, who doesn't want to be courteous and please the master Like it, good picture of reuse of a door seal?Unexpectedly, the master had already made up the idea of ​​"hiring a car back and forth", so he looked at his wife first and said, "Madam, now we are going to be a foreigner. I think I will go to a foreigner this time, and if I take the time to fill the vacancy, it is The alternate magistrate, I don’t know if I’m allowed to do it or not, and I don’t know if I’m allowed to do it or not.” At this point, everyone was startled for a moment, and the wife had to agree.

I just heard the master continue to say: "I am afraid of being a foreign official, my wife knows it, and I chose to go this way this time. In the officialdom, it is really a blessing from God. Is there anyone I don't appreciate? But , I am a conscientious person by nature, I don't like prosperity, I am not good at socializing, and I am even more afraid when it comes to handling money and food. Now going to be an official outside is not comparable to living at home, and I have to learn some tact. But the tact comes from It’s easy to say, when Yuantong doesn’t come, I have to be a fool. I don’t know if it’s going to work or not. So my idea is to not bring any family members with me for the time being. Go and see the number of roads first. If you can get along, I will send someone to pick up the family members in Mingqiu. I have never cared much about family affairs. It is my wife who worries about it. I don’t need to tell you. I don’t need to worry about money, I can deal with what I have, and I don’t need to think about it. My concern is that although there are two reliable family members at home, there are really few sensible ones. Yuge is young. I have entrusted boss Wuming Awu with lettering and carrying things. Although he is the same as our Manchurian Han army, he is my first favorite student, and he treats me really affectionately. That person has a limitless future. The wife watched, and he went up in a few days. After I got up, he would come often. When I came, my wife would always see him, and Yuge could get close to him often. Yuge must teach him to watch the Yuexiang examination." Because he said to the young master: "I have asked Mr. Mo Youshi and Wu Shilang to review your article, but I took the topic as scheduled and sent it separately. .” The young master agreed one by one.

At this point, the wife was about to speak, but the master said again: "Oh, there is one more thing. The day before yesterday I met the third master Bu Decheng of our banner, and I was in a hurry to propose marriage to Yuge." The wife heard someone propose marriage to the son , quickly asked: "Whose family are you talking about?" The master said: "Madam, there is no need to ask in a hurry. This kind of marriage is not easy, and maybe the wife may not be willing. He is talking about the girl from the Long family. Forget it, my family Although it's not a family whose number can't be found out, now I'm a senior member of the seventh rank. It's unnecessary to marry such a wealthy family as in-laws for no reason; besides, I found out that the girl has an arrogant temper and looks very good Usual. After I leave, if he asks someone to tell me again, just reply that I didn’t leave a message. As for Yuge, he’s only 17 years old this year, so it’s not too busy. I mean, wait for him to make further achievements He proposed marriage to him because of his achievements." The wife said: "After hearing this, I dare say it's not suitable for this family. With such a good boy like us, if we are to win, we are not afraid that no rich family will come to our door. I'm afraid that two or three families rush to bring it up and still can't decide!"

The master said: "I don't care about the rich and powerful, as long as I get a child with good looks, a virtuous temperament, and a family that can afford hardships, even if he is from Nanshan and Beicun." The wife said: "Teach me what the master said. Really, what's wrong with our child, we will marry someone from Nanshanli Beicun? At this time, we can't talk about these things, but the master just said that if we go alone first, we should discuss it. Although the master can endure hardship, he can't He is 50 years old, besides, he is suffering from a serious illness. I am afraid that these maids and old ladies will take care of me on weekdays. What about it? Besides, if there is a vacancy, or if there is a yamen for the agency, can't the master be at home every day? Don't worry, this seal is very important. It is absolutely impossible to separate the inside and outside of the yamen! Master thought Think." The old man said: "Why not! It's not that I didn't think of this. But Yuge must stay in Beijing for this rural examination. If you keep him, you can't leave your wife to take care of him. This is a coincidence. What can I do about it!"

The young master was at the side, just because his father couldn't get up to go to the government, and he couldn't stay in the capital for the provincial examination, the parting of father and son made him feel very sad.In terms of father's body and age, the wind and frost along the road, the soil and water in a foreign land, and no one to take care of him, I really don't feel at ease.Now he heard that his parents' embarrassment was for his own sake, so he said: "I dare not say something stupid, just because my parents won't allow it. According to my stupid knowledge, I ask my parents to just go with me and leave me at home." Before the master and wife finished speaking, they said together: "How can I do it!" The young master said: "Please listen to me and understand. If you want to talk about the way of life, cooking, I am naturally useless. But I have always Those who are timid, do not show their heads, and are taught by their parents not to walk around, can still be confident at this level. As for the outside affairs, they have settled down now. There will be two more middle-aged family members left at home to support the family. I just checked and asked, and then I started to use it wholeheartedly. After the provincial examination, if I passed or failed, I quickly got up and rushed to go. It took only half a year. Kill three birds with one stone, but I don’t know what to do?"

After hearing this, the wife just shook her head, and the master didn't seem to think so.But returning to the left and returning to the right does not make sense.It's still the master who made a clear decision, anticipating how much inconvenience it would be to go alone, and everyone was worried about each other. After hearing what the young master said, after thinking about it, he said to his wife: "Yuge's words, although they are true It's a child's talk, but it has some knowledge. If I go alone, both of you women are worried; if the wife goes with me, the wife has nothing to worry about; if there is a wife to go with, Yuge has nothing to worry about. Don't worry; but with the addition of Yuge at home, my wife and I are worried-this is something that cannot be balanced by nature. For example, we were sent by the foreign office to take the provincial examination in Beijing. Can Mrs. He still follow him? Besides, he is so old, so it is good to practice. Since he has this ambition, we have to make a decision according to his words. What is the wife thinking?" After hearing this, the wife naturally said In a dilemma, but when things came to an end, there was nothing I could do, so I said to the master: "Of course the master saw it well, so let's make a decision like this. But didn't the master say the day before yesterday that he would take Hua Zhong with him? Now that it's been agreed, let Hua Loyalty was left behind by Yuge. That old man is also diligent and open-minded, follow him, inside and out, and put a little more care."

The master even said: "That's right. I'm going to take Hua Zhong there. It's because he's making arrangements for me to clean up Shanshan and these sporadic things, just to see a room. Now that he's left, I should send Dai Qin to do it. Dai Qin Song Guan'er took care of Qin's affairs."

The plan for that day has been decided, so the family members are dispatched and the luggage is packed for several days.On the other hand, master an invited his brother Cheng Shiye, who had worshiped a teacher before, to stay at home to take care of his son's study and career, and to help support foreigners.Mr. Cheng has a single name.He also had a son named Cheng Daibi. Although he couldn't write, he could write a good handwriting. So he asked Mr. An to take him with him, and he helped write correspondence without paying for the repair money.Those who went outside were the family members who were promoted at the door, Ye Tong who signed the family, Liang Cai who took care of the house, Dai Qin and Hua Zhong's son Sui Yuaner, three or four attendants, big and small, two or three people who were recommended by foreign leaders, and even the cook. , Mrs. Huo, etc.; inside are those from the Jinsheng family, Liang Cai's family, Dai Qin's family, Suiyuan's daughter-in-law-this Suiyuan's daughter-in-law is Dai Qin's girl, and the rest of the women and maids, there are twenty in total. Yu people.The master has a Taiping car, the wife has a Henan boxcar, and the rest of the family are half-packed and half-ridden carts.After all the arrangements have been made, the master and wife bid farewell to their relatives and friends, and the ancestral hall, so they chose a long and auspicious day to lead a group of people inside and outside, and set up to go south.

On this day, the son was sent to Puji Hall, but the master didn't teach him to send it down.At present, the father and daughter are reluctant to part, the son is just crying, and the wife is also urging her to wipe her tears and say nothing.The master held back his tears and said, "After a few days of separation, we will have a party in a blink of an eye. Why do you have to do that?" Then he told the young master a few words to live quietly and study hard, and then Mrs. Zihe got into the car.

The young master sent the master and wife off, seeing the car go far away, and still staring blankly.The master and wife couldn't help looking back several times in the car, just reluctant to part.This is exactly what the ancients said: "There are infinitely sad things in the world, and the hardest thing is to die and be separated from life." This young man waited until the party of vehicles and horses had left, and let the relatives and friends who saw him off go first, and then he took Hua Zhong and agreed. The family returns to the manor.To be honest, he just didn't leave the door with his head full, studying books every day, and getting up to write compositions on schedule.This is not the case.

Let's say that Mr. An and his family members went on a long trip from Pujitang and lived in Changxindian that day.

Along the road is nothing more than Xiaoxing staying at night, thirsty and hungry.Or one day, I arrived at Wangjiayingzi.

After crossing the Yellow River, you will arrive at the place where the governor of Nanhe River is stationed, which is Huai'an.A long time ago, the local team leader found the mansion in advance and met him along the river.The whole group carried their luggage and temporarily stayed in the mansion.After the hasty settlement of Mr. An was completed, he went to pay his respects to colleagues in various halls of Shanyang County, Shou County, and met the government roads, and then he went to the court to deliver the manuscript and reported it.That Hetai was originally a member of the river workers. He got some money by relying on the catering, but he also used the useful money and food of the emperor's family as his personal donation to send him to the throne. Years later, he fawned on the river workers.In addition, he has been working for many years, and he can't hide anything from him about how to buy materials, how to work, how to save trouble, and how to make money in the projects of picking dams and embankments.Therefore, the affairs of the two rivers were administered by the Shangli, and the governor of the Nanhe River was appointed.He is arrogant and extravagant in his dealings with others, and he is cautious and insidious.

At that time, more than half of the 12 people selected by Mr. Tong'an's group had already found their way, asked for letters, and rushed to Hegong first, in order to rush to find a job.

When Mr. An arrived and handed over the manuscript, Hetai read it and felt that he was neglecting him.

Seeing that there has never been a senior official in Beijing who wrote a letter to ask him to take care of him, he suspected that Mr. An wanted to be proud because he was a bannerman of a family.According to the order, he said, "teach him to wait for the day when he sees the official." Mr. an is a frank and upright person. Where do you pay attention to these things?
Generally, they also arrange some earthen rituals in Beijing with the crowd and send them to Hetai.When it was sent to the courtyard, the patrol passed it in and handed it to the door.The family at the door looked at the gift list and saw that it was just some Beijing boots, gentry, almonds, winter vegetables, etc., so they said to the inspector: "This official is weird! You are not an arrester in this courtyard." One year, all the officials who come to work give gifts, who is not embroidered? Feathers, silk and satin leather sheets, as well as jade and gold wares, and foreign watches made of pearls. Why did this master give this? He is still a gift from a member of the river. , or 'Watching the Grave's Da Chaofeng' [the epilogue has "Looking at the Grave Da Chaofeng—eating ghosts". This refers to being very stingy.] Here? Isn't this a disturbance! There is no way, I have to go back to him. "He said, went back in, and said some slack words from it.Na Hetai felt even more in his heart that Mr. An looked down on him, and added three points of disapproval.At that time, he ordered it out and said, "my lord never accepts gifts. If you take such trouble and trouble, teach Mr. an to keep them and give them away!".

The next day, it was the day to meet the official, and Mr. An followed the crowd to vote in the manuscript.When I was young, I heard that Hetai first calculated that Mr. An was a man of no experience and no ability. When we met and handed over his resume, he found out that Mr. An was born as a Jinshi.Seeing his serene demeanor and generous speech, he said to himself: "Since this man is so knowledgeable and proficient, how could he not understand the importance of giving gifts? It is clear that I am from a mixed family background, and he himself is a Two rankings, I mean to belittle me. I have to take him first!"

Because he was jealous of talent again, he asked a few words lightly, then got up to let him go, and sent it out.Mr. An only said that new officials often meet each other, but he didn't care about that.Since then, I have been an alternate footman in Huai'an, except for March [-]th, the upper court, and the moon and moon, but I have nothing to do.Mr. An was generous, so he went to the banquets of those colleagues, but once there were singers and dancers, he couldn't get it when he met the card-playing stalls.After a long time, those colleagues also felt that he was alone, and the crowd was unhappy, and gradually became a little choked up.This goes without saying.

But it is said that Hetai received a report from Pizhou one day, saying that Pizhou was in charge of Hezhou and died of illness and was vacant.This place was supposed to be a calm place with the simplest work schedule, and it happened that it was Mr. An's turn to be on duty, so he issued a letter and hung up a card, and appointed Mr. An to go to the office.Master an accepted the appointment card, resigned, and then went to the mansion to resign.The Zhuan'an Mansion first talked a few words in official language, and then asked: "My brother, have you made friends in the curtain?" Master An said: "The humble post has not long been here, and the people are unfamiliar. The magistrate said: "Very good. The friend Qian Gong invited by the predecessor is very appropriate. You can invite him to continue in office."

As he spoke, he took out a name note from the boot strap.Master An quickly took it, and seeing the words "Qian Rufu" written on it, he accepted it immediately.

This day, Shanyang County invited him to dinner. During the drinking, Mr. An also asked the workers how to do things.The county then said: "The head of the job is to get the people, but there is a man who is very capable here. He used to be in the Yamen of Pizhou, and now he is here with the brothers. It's just that there are too many people here, so it is really useless. Second brother , if you take him there, it will be of great help to you." As he spoke, he called the man to kowtow.

(End of this chapter)