Chapter 1277 Jiuyuan and Yecheng
“Are mother and Sanniang okay?”
"Everything is fine, everything is fine," Feng Erniang nodded repeatedly, "We are all fine, we are just worried about you."
Mother and daughter are all working in the textile workshop, and they are female workers in the same batch, so naturally they are not separated.
Only Feng Chuan stayed at the farm for more than two months, but no news came out.
On the contrary, it is he who worries his family the most.
After hearing that everyone was well, and seeing that although Er Niang was wearing coarse clothes, her face was actually rosier than when she first arrived in Jiuyuan, Feng Chuan finally felt relieved.
Feng Erniang, on the other hand, saw her brother's bare feet and hands covered with mud. Her eyes felt hot and she choked with sobs:
“Brother, what about you? Are you suffering? Are you tired?”
It is definitely painful and tiring, otherwise how can we call it reform through labor?
But at this time, Feng Chuan was still holding on no matter how hard and tired he was—at least he couldn't show his timidity in front of Mr. Li.
Feng Chuan shook his head: "It's okay, I'm used to it."
Hearing what her brother said, Feng Erniang couldn't help but wipe her tears.
The two brothers and sister met again and each talked about their situation since their separation. Time passed by unconsciously.
After saying hello, Li Langjun, who was standing far away, came over and reminded that the visit time was coming.
Feng Erniang was naturally a little reluctant to give up. She looked at Li Lang with a pleading tone:
“Li Lang, my brother is so old and has never suffered such a serious crime. Can’t you think of a way to help him?”
Before Li Jian spoke, Feng Chuan's expression changed slightly.
Li Lang?
What Li Lang?
But Li Jian shook his head:
“Er Niang, you also know that I can bring you here only in the name of our relationship and have my application approved by the Governor’s Office.”
“And the army is the army, and the farm is the farm. They both perform their own duties. How can I help?”
Feng Erniang also knew in her heart that this was almost impossible, but when she heard Li Jian's personal rejection, her eyes became gloomy.
Feng Chuan on the side couldn’t bear it anymore and asked:
“Li Langjun, what did you mean by what you just said about your relationship with Er Niang?”
Li Langjun coughed.
Feng Erniang's face suddenly turned red again.
I could only hear her saying a little bit:
“That’s it, just a good friend…”
Looking at her brother with a guilty conscience, Feng Erniang stamped her feet and became a little embarrassed when she saw his suspicious look that was about to solidify:
“Oh, didn’t you tell me, brother, that this time, thanks to Li Langjun, I can come over and see brother!”
I'm not blind!
Feng Chuan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then looked at Li Jian:
“May I ask where your hometown is, Mr. Li Langjun?”
“Replying to Feng Langjun, the native place of Jianxiang is Nanzhong, and he is not married yet.”
Hearing the last unnecessary words of the other party, Feng Chuan felt relieved for some reason.
Although I don’t know all about the other party’s situation, since my mother is willing to let him accompany Er Niang, it is an attitude in itself.
And now Feng Chuan, it is not an exaggeration to say that he is unable to protect himself, and there is absolutely nothing he can do to stop this.
“Er Niang rarely endured hardships before, but when the family encountered great difficulties, she experienced all the hardships in the world.”
"I am the brother-in-law who has no ability!" Feng Chuan smiled bitterly, "I dare not ask her to have lavish clothing and delicious food in the future, but it is enough to ask her to be safe and happy."
Hearing her brother’s entrusting words, Feng Erniang was both ashamed and happy, but her eyes were red:
“Brother…”
"Feng Langjun, please rest assured. Although Jian comes from a humble background, he was fortunate enough to hear a great scholar explain in detail the way to be a scholar in the academy."
Li Jian's face was solemn, "There are hundreds of things a scholar can do, and virtue is the first. Although Jian doesn't dare to be called a scholar, he yearns for it."
Hearing these words, what else could Feng Chuan say?
With a long sigh, he said to Feng Erniang: "Take care of yourself."
Feng Erniang finally couldn't help crying.
Li Jian sighed when he saw her appearance:
“I’ve made inquiries and found out that Brother Feng’s family has been implicated in the crime, not even conspiring, so there’s no need to worry too much.”
The governor's office naturally has considerations about who can mess with the exiled women and who can't.
Feng Erniang, a daughter from an aristocratic family with excellent appearance and cultivation, can indeed be regarded as a good match for frontier soldiers - if she had not been exiled, who would have been picked up by them?
“Although Brother Feng cannot leave the farm now, as long as he behaves well and works hard, he will have one day every month to go out and spend time with his family in half a year.”
Feng Erniang raised her head in surprise: "Really?"
Li Jian nodded:
“I remember Er Niang once said that Brother Feng also studied at home?”
"Yep!"
“It’s cold and miserable outside the Great Wall. There are many barbarians and few Han people, so there are even fewer scholars like Brother Feng. The imperial court wants to educate people in Jiuyuan, but what they lack most are scholars.”
Li Jian looked at Feng Chuan, "So after the half-year observation period expires, Brother Feng can apply for an assessment to see if he can go to Dahe Gongfang School to teach."
“Dahe Workshop School?”
“Yes, that is the largest school in the Dudu Mansion. All the children from the nearby workshops, regardless of whether they are Hu or Han, are basically educated there.”
Li Jian explained:
“If Brother Feng can become a teacher, not only can he develop what he has learned, but it will also be easier, and the salary will be high.”
At this point, he lowered his voice slightly:
“And Brother Feng can still continue to study hard there with peace of mind. Once the five-year labor reform period is over, he will be free.”
“At that time, if Brother Feng doesn’t give up, Jian is willing to be a guarantor, and Brother Feng can use this to apply to take the examination at the Governor’s Mansion.”
"If I can pass the exam, even if I can't go back to the Great Wall, I can still find a casual job in Jiuyuan. At the worst, I can be a steward or something like that. At any rate, I won't have to worry about food and clothing."
The current superintendent of Dahe Gongfang School also happens to be named Li.
The difference is that Li Jian is from Nanzhong Li.
And that Superintendent Li came from the Li family in Guanghan, that is, the direct descendant of the Li family in Shu.
Of course, the current Li family in Shu has long been dismembered into pieces.
In this way, it is impossible for Li Jianzheng to have something in common with the uncle in front of him.
Hearing Li Lang’s explanation, Feng Erniang, who was wiping away tears, was suddenly surprised and happy:
“Li Lang, are you serious about what you said?”
Li Jian smiled casually:
“Do I need to lie to my second mother about this kind of thing?”
Feng Chuan was also very excited after hearing this.
Having stayed here for nearly three months, what I saw and heard has already overturned Feng Chuan's inherent impression of the frontier fortress.
There are flocks of cattle and sheep, and there are acres of farmland.
I heard Er Niang say that the workshop where she works has an endless machine room, and the machines are running day and night.
If Er Niang is not exaggerating, then in this way, this ancient Henan land can be called the Small Central Plains on the Fortress.
Shangdang probably won’t be able to go back. Even if he can go back in the future, everything there no longer belongs to the Feng family.
It’s better to think about it now.
“Feng Bomao, it’s time to go to work! The time is up, if you don’t go to work, your wages will be deducted!”
“Brother, let’s go.”
“Brother Li, please take care of Erniang more.”
"sure!"
Feng Chuan returned to the ground and pulled out the weeds from the bean roots.
Originally, I had a great change and almost dead heart. After hearing the words of my future brother -in -law, I quietly gave birth to a certain idea.
This kind of thought is like a weed, starting to grow wildly and uncontrollably.
—
Yecheng.
“Taifu, there is news from Xuchang.”
Fu Gu, a lieutenant in the Taifu Mansion, walked hurriedly, holding an official document in his hand, and entered the house to report to Sima Yi.
Sima Yi, who was at his desk reviewing documents, raised his head and looked at Fu Gu, who looked a little anxious, and his heart sank slightly:
“What’s the news from Xuchang?”
Fu Gu walked closer to the case, with an uncontrollable urgency in his tone:
“Gong Manchu died of illness!”
Sima Yi paused visibly, his eyes fixed on Fu Gu for a while, and then he asked with some difficulty:
“Man Boning (i.e. Man Chong)?”
“Exactly.”
“Bah!”
The pen in Sima Yi's hand fell on the case, staining the document with black ink.
Then it rolled like a bone again, and then fell to the skirt of the clothes.
Sima Yi, who always paid attention to appearance and etiquette, seemed to have been drained of energy after retreating from Taiyuan to Jizhou.
At this time, his hair and beard were all gray, and his beard looked like it had not been taken care of for a long time and was a bit messy.
The bun on her head was also not neatly combed and was loose and loose. A few strands of hair sprouted like weeds, making her look quite decadent.
“Taifu?”
Seeing Sima Yi's somewhat dull expression, Fu Gu couldn't help but feel anxious.
Fu Gu was originally from the Fu family in the north. He was well-known in the world when he was weak. In his early years, he was made a vassal by Sikong Chenqun.
After Cao Fang ascended the throne, Fu Gu was moved from Shangshu Lang to Huangmen Shilang. He couldn't stand the behavior of the "Three Dogs of Taichung", so he said to Cao Xi, Cao Shuang's younger brother:
“He Yan looks calm and calm on the outside, but inside he is sinister and dark. He is greedy for personal gain and does not consider the fundamentals of his conduct.”
“I am sure that he will confuse you brothers (referring to Cao Shuang) first. Then the benevolent and wise men will alienate you, and the government will gradually decline because of this.”
Who expected that these words would be known to He Yan, so He Yan found a small mistake and dismissed Fu Gu.
After Fu Gu was dismissed from office, he was already disillusioned with the court. Unexpectedly, Sima Yi heard about this and specially asked him to be a minister.
The completely different attitudes of the two auxiliary ministers convinced Fu Gu that the Taifu was the true loyal minister of the Wei Dynasty.
Seeing that the Taifu did not respond, Fu Gu could not help but raise his voice slightly:
“Taifu?”
Sima Yi seemed to have come back to his senses. He lowered his head, picked up the brush and put it away. Then he shook his clothes again with an apology on his face:
“Lan Shi, I just lost my composure, don’t be surprised.”
Seeing the Taifu's face looking old and tired, and his whole body looking messy and embarrassed, Fu Gu felt sour in his heart.
The Taifu devoted himself to the Wei Dynasty, and at the age of sixty and three, he personally led the battle to attack the Western bandits.
And another assistant minister, who is in his prime, hides in the rear and indulges in extravagance, and even frames Zhongliang and drags down the front. It is really hateful!
But seeing the loyal minister of the Wei Dynasty in Fu Gu's eyes, he closed his eyes and let out a long sigh:
“The Wei Dynasty sadly lost its loyal ministers from four dynasties!”
After sighing, Sima Yi asked again:
“What posthumous title does the general intend to give Duke Man?”
“Not yet agreed upon.”
Hearing this, Sima Yi’s expression suddenly changed:
"Manchu was resolute, courageous and resourceful. He kept his troops outside and cared about his public affairs. He had the habit of doing things like his father and worshiping his father. Unfortunately, he died of illness. He should have decided on a good posthumous title as early as possible to praise his loyalty. How can we delay it for a long time?"
Immediately he wrote a memorial and handed it to Fu Gu:
“Please Lan Shi send someone to Xuchang immediately.”
Fu Gu responded, took the letter, turned around and went out.
After a while, he came back again and said respectfully:
“Master, we have arranged for someone to send it off.”
Sima Yi looked gloomy, nodded, and then said after a while:
"Over the years, thanks to Duke Manchu's dealings with the court, Xuchang has not cut off the food and grass for the Luoyang army. Unexpectedly... alas!"
Seeing Taifu sighing sadly, Fu Gu comforted him and said:
“Taifu, Duke Manchu passed away at the age of nearly ninety. It is a great joy to mourn him. Moreover, now that we have escaped from Luoyang and are stationed in Jizhou, we no longer have to worry about food shortages. It is considered that Duke Manchu’s help in the court was not in vain.”
Sima Yi shook his head with a heavy expression:
"What I care about is whether there is a shortage of food or not? But once Lord Manchu leaves, there will be fewer people in the court who can understand the overall situation!"
“Last year in the battle, I failed to conquer Shu. I thought I would be accused of wasting money and food, but I didn’t expect that it was even worse in Xuchang, and even Xiangyang was lost.”
As he spoke, Sima Yi’s face became more and more worried:
“It is rumored that Xiangyang fell because the general listened to the greedy words of the villain, so the reinforcements could not arrive in time, which allowed the Wu invaders to take the lead.” (Chapter 1208)
Speaking of this, Sima Yi smacked the table with resentment, and his face became angry:
“I only thought that the Three Dogs in Taichung were greedy for money and corrupt government. I didn’t expect that they would even dare to interfere in such a major military matter!”
“I wish I could lead the army south to Xuchang, flank the Qing emperor, and kill the traitors!”
“Don’t be impulsive, Taifu!” Fu Gu was startled and hurriedly advised, “The imperial court has just issued an edict, asking Taifu to control everything in Jizhou to prevent Western thieves.” (Chapter 1265)
"If the Taifu receives the edict and then raises troops to clear the emperor's side, I am afraid that his righteousness will be doubted by the world, so it is better to consider the long term."
Sima Yi took out a breath and smiled bitterly:
“Why don’t I know it? It’s just that the depression in my chest is hard to get rid of, and my ears are not happy if I don’t spit it out.”
Fu Gu suggested:
"The Taifu has a large army, Jizhou has plenty of food, and Taihang is in danger. As long as he blocks all the passes, what will happen to the Western thieves? The Taifu only needs to guard Jizhou and wait for the opportunity. Don't be in a hurry."
“In my opinion, since the overall situation of Jizhou has been decided, the next step for Taifu is not in the south, but in the north!”
"north?"
“Exactly.”
What is there to the north of Jizhou?
Youzhou.
Sima Yi nodded slowly and thoughtfully, then seemed to think of something, and his tone was quite helpless:
"Why don't I know this? A few months ago, I wrote to Wang Yuanbo (that is, Wang Xiong, the governor of Youzhou), but he never replied, so what!"
Fu Gu smiled and said:
"This is the case at this time and the other is the same. When the Taifu wrote the letter, the name of Jizhou was unjust and unreasonable. After all, Wang Yuanbo was also the governor of the state. How could he easily obey the Taifu's order?"
"But this time is very different from a few months ago. Today, Taifu's control of Jizhou is based on imperial edicts, which can be said to be justified. There are Western thieves in the west of Youzhou, Hu people in the north, and Gongsun clan in the east. There are dangerous enemies on three sides. also."
"Youzhou is located in it. There are insufficient troops and no food and grass. How can An Neng resist it on his own? Taifu might as well write another letter to clarify the interests. I believe Wang Yuanbo will know how to choose."
When Sima Yi heard this, his eyes lit up and he stroked his beard:
“Wonderful!”
(End of this chapter)