Chapter 923 Returning home in rich clothes

A picture of Along the River During the Qingming Festival and ten volumes of "Tokyo Menghua Lu" cannot describe the prosperity and prosperity of Kaifeng, Tokyo in the Song Dynasty. However, that famous city that may have once surpassed Chang'an in the Han and Tang Dynasties was now only the seat of the Chief Secretary of Henan.

In the territory of the Ming Dynasty, it was just an ordinary city.

After nightfall, the whole city is in darkness. Shops do business all night long. The sight of people in the city not making food but eating in restaurants is long gone. Even the Mandarin of Kaifeng has been replaced by the Mandarin of the northern and southern Beijings.

The locals only hear the two familiar accents, and by looking at the person's clothes, they can tell whether the person is noble or wealthy.

In the Song Dynasty, Kaifeng City had twelve outer city gates and ten inner city gates. By the end of the Yuan Dynasty, in order to prevent the uprising army from attacking the city, five of the ten inner city gates were blocked. This pattern

It is still in use today, with the Song Gate and Cao Gate on the east wall respectively, while only one gate remains on the north, south and west sides. The Liang Gate and Zheng Gate on the west were originally both open, but now Zheng Gate has been closed for a hundred years.

This gate is open to the west and seems a bit lonely. These years have been peaceful and prosperous, and only the Yellow River often floods. However, it is not the rainy season now, so the soldiers guarding the gate are usually quite lazy, but this day

Everyone is in high spirits.

The reason is very simple. Today, all the officials from the Chief Secretary of Henan, the Dusi of Henan, and the Inspectorate of Henan are gathered here. Who dares to be lazy and idle? Although the weather is extremely cold now, the officials are all official officials.

The soldiers stood waiting, but no one went into the room next to the city tower to take shelter from the wind. Even if there were noble people coming out of the Zhou Palace on weekdays, it would not be so grand. Therefore, a few soldiers who had not yet been on duty looked out of the room.

He probed his head and then retracted his head.

"Tsk tsk, Luo Fantai of the Chief Secretary, Qin Dushuai of the Dusi, and Fang Zhitai of the Chasi. It would be extraordinary for these three to appear one by one, but now there are three of them in the battle together. Master Xiao Zhang is really proud of himself.

!”

"Master Xiao Zhang, that small character should have been removed by now. What are those three adults? Even in the capital where dignitaries gather, if Master Xiao Zhang says a word, the ground will shake three times! Don't you see?

?The Gu family actually dared to mingle with the welcoming official family members with saliva on their faces. Didn’t they think that Mr. Zhang came back to his hometown to pay homage to his ancestors’ graves? "

"It doesn't matter who you are, the Gu family has received a lot of help over the years. When the eldest son of the Gu family came to Beijing, he also stole a lot of land from others, but now he should be in decline. It should be said that the seventh generation of the Gu family is in decline.

I am indeed capable, but he is an academic official, and he is also upright. If someone from his clan is cheating in his name, he will immediately take the initiative to send him to the Yamen, and even if he is far away, he will send a note to the government. This is the real conclusion.

After leaving the Gu family, it just depends on how Master Zhang treats them this time."

Sun Gulin, the eldest son of the Gu family, was wrapped in a half-worn sheepskin coat behind a large number of officials in bright official uniforms. He was shivering from the cold. In the end, he couldn't bear it any longer and suddenly sneezed.

When he came out, he saw that the magistrate of Xiangfu County who was ahead of him turned back to look at him angrily. He immediately shrank his neck, resisted the urge to stamp his feet to keep warm, and secretly hated Zhang Yue for being late.

I don’t know how long it took, but someone from the front finally shouted: “It’s coming, it’s coming!”

For a moment, the crowd that was already whispering suddenly became quiet. Gu Lin was in the last row. He tried his best to tiptoe and couldn't see what was happening in front of him. He was secretly worried, but the people on the left and right had already been cleared away.

After all, even the county magistrate in the county government office cannot be easily dispatched by the Gu family today.

This situation started a few years ago, and I don’t know why. The county government office, which used to have some care for the Gu family because of the in-laws Zhang’s family, suddenly became strict with them. If the children do anything wrong, they will be punished if they are caught.

If you bully a man, dominate a woman, or bully the common people, someone will immediately take care of it; not to mention the rest. Seeing that the Gu family's family situation is gradually declining, the four hundred acres of dry land and two hundred acres of slope land have also been depleted because of sitting there.

It changed hands within two years, and the situation now is not as good as it was then.

This time Zhang Yue comes back, he has to support the Gu family, right?

Just when Gu Lin clasped his hands and stretched his neck, he saw the crowd in front parted. He was stunned for a moment and hurriedly stepped aside. When he leaned over, he saw the local chief official of the Sansi Yamen surrounded by a young man.

The official came over. He saw that the official was not wearing an official uniform, but a blue brocade robe. He was smiling and greeted the officials who were saluting along the road. He was very kind. It was the Zhang Yue he had seen. He immediately woke up.

He came over and hurriedly squeezed forward, but he had already been blocked by several county government officials with their shoulders. Just when he was in a hurry and yelled "Cousin Yue", someone in front of him turned around.

Come.

"Do you understand the rules? At noon, Luofantai Qin Dushuai and Fang Zhitai were hosting a banquet for Master Zhang. What's going on with you, a poor relative, rushing up to you? Even if Master Zhang recognizes you, when he turns around and leaves, the three adults

I feel like if you disturb a good thing, your family will be left with nothing to eat!"

More than ten years ago, Gu Lin would not have been able to bear such a threat, but now he had to hold back the breath, nodded and bowed and said yes with a smile, and watched helplessly as Zhang Yue got on the carriage again.

Surrounded by many officials' carriages and horses, they headed toward North Street. He had the intention of pursuing him there to see if there was any chance, but after thinking about it again and again, he gave up the idea.

Instead of joining in the fun now, it would be better to just go to Zhang’s old house and wait for it!

Zhang Yue has not returned to Kaifeng since he returned to his hometown to bury the Gu family in the tomb of the Zhang family. Now that he has returned after nearly ten years, he can't help but find that the city of Kaifeng has not changed much from what he remembered. The houses facing the street still look the same.

In the past, some wealthy people's houses had been renovated, while those without money were even more dilapidated. Several more restaurants and restaurants were built, but the ones that once dominated the limelight are now missing.

Many. The main street that only runs from north to south is still as it used to be. The loess paved road is extremely smooth, with many shops on both sides, but not many people.

So, when he sat down in the restaurant, Zhang Yue, who was forced to sit as the chief, laughed and said: "I just asked for leave to be a sweeper, not to do something according to the order. You are cleaning the street too thoroughly."

Since all the vacancies for the ministers of the six ministers were filled, the chief envoys of the provinces who had originally held out hope gradually gave up, knowing that this life would be the fate of the feudal officials. Therefore, the chief envoy of Luo Bu did not expect to curry favor.

Zhang Yue will be able to rise after that, but after all, Kaifeng is located by the Yellow River and is most susceptible to floods. Taxes and disaster relief consume a lot of money and food every year, so he has to have a good relationship with the God of Wealth. As for Qin Fang, these two

The situation is different between the capital commander and the procuratorate. The capital commander always hopes to move to a higher position, while the procuratorate also thinks about whether he can enter the capital procuratorate, so he fawns more enthusiastically.

"Master Zhang is an important minister of the emperor. Since he is returning to his hometown during the imperial holiday, the lower officials and others are naturally responsible for ensuring safety. Wouldn't it be a sin if a young person disturbs the emperor?"

Seeing that the person who answered was the inspector, Zhang Yue smiled slightly and ignored the topic. Because he had sent his capable family members to inform him before arriving, and he also prepared a menu of hometown dishes he wanted to eat, and also asked people to prepare along the way.

, so although the dishes on this table are all delicacies from mountains and rivers, they are not too outrageous. When he was drunk, officials from Sansi to Fuya County Yamen Jinyiwei Qianhu Office came to propose a toast, but he declined for a while.

After all, he only drank three drinks. When he returned to the Zhang family's old house after this social gathering, he realized that Du Wan, who had returned here with Amber Qiuhen and the children, had already received several groups of official wives.

Not to mention that, when the door was reporting, another person came out of the concierge, but he stepped forward with a smile, saluted, and called cousin Yue again. Zhang Yue looked at this man wearing

The man in the sheepskin coat couldn't help but frown when he saw someone who was several years older than him coming forward to salute. He didn't understand until the other person announced his home address with a smile on his face.

Is this Gu Lin? The last time someone came to visit, at least he was decently dressed, but now he is in this situation. It seems that the news sent by Kaifeng earlier is correct. The Gu family is really because of the dispute between descendants.

It was torn apart, and then everyone was left with nothing! He glanced at Gu Lin and said calmly: "It turns out to be the eldest cousin."

"Cousin Yue, I heard that you are back. My father and the clan are very happy and have specially prepared for this..."

"Forgive me, cousin. I came back this time to clean up the fake sacrifices. My time is limited. I also plan to stay in a cottage in front of my ancestor's tomb for three days, so I'm afraid I don't have time to run around. After all, the affairs of the DPRK are complicated." Zhang Yue

As if he didn't notice Gu Lin's expression suddenly frozen, he asked calmly, "By the way, my eldest cousin came to the capital once a few years ago. At that time, I remember helping the Gu family with four hundred acres of dry land and two hundred acres of dry land.

Mu of sloping land, I wonder what the situation is like now?"

Gu Lin didn't expect that Zhang Yue would directly ask about those farmlands back then. He immediately wanted to explain, but he couldn't find a good reason for a long time. In the end, he could only pretend to beat his chest and sigh: "Cousin Yue, no

To tell you the truth, both my father and I were poor economic people. We initially farmed for others as tenants, but the tenant farmer Hua Xu repeatedly defaulted on the rent. Later, he sued the county government, but neither the Mingfu nor the government officials were responsible for it.

You ignored me, and finally took the land to a profiteer, I...I can't help you!"

Seeing Gu Lin acting there with excellent singing and acting, Zhang Yue felt even more disgusted in his heart. Such a century-old family, which was once compared with the Zhang family, has become what it is today because of three generations of useless children and grandchildren.

Such a dilapidated situation made it strange that people said that instead of having a great fortune, it would be better to raise good children and grandchildren. So, he just stood there quietly until Gu Lin finished what he said, and then he smiled.

"Are the fields taken away by profiteers?" Zhang Yue waved slightly to his back, and Lian Xiaoqing immediately trotted forward and presented two things with both hands. He took them and looked at them lightly, then changed them.

On the right hand, "I heard from the person below that because someone in the Gu family owed a large gambling debt, they took the land deed to the pawn shop. They saw that it was originally changed hands by the Zhang family, so they learned about this place.

It was finally redeemed with great difficulty, so why do you say it differently to your eldest cousin?"

What Gu Lin relied on was that the Zhang family and the Gu family were once related by marriage. Zhang Yue was very kind to him that day, and he was also very happy to give Tian. He thought that this relative would take care of him, but who knew that Zhang Yue would say it out of his mouth?

After saying this, looking at the field deed on the top, he felt his scalp numb and didn't even know what to say.

"When the old lady was still alive, she told her children and grandchildren not to have any contact with the Gu family. Do you know why?" Zhang Yue stared at Gu Lin's eyes and saw that he unnaturally avoided his eyes.

He said word for word, "The old lady came from the Gu family. If she wasn't really discouraged, would she have said such a thing? The letter the old lady left for you contained earnest and caring advice, but you all turned a deaf ear to it."

, when the trouble comes, you will know to take this to the capital for help! The Gu family used to be so prosperous, but now they have to go to the pawn shop to pawn their property, which has become a joke in Kaifeng City! "

Seeing Zhang Yue sneer, he picked up the Tian deed and was about to go inside. Gu Lin finally couldn't help it anymore and hurriedly stepped forward to stop Zhang Yue. But when he was about to say something else, he saw only a few guards behind him.

They all gathered around and stared at each other with evil looks. He was so scared that he had to get out of the way. But when he saw people coming in, he still mustered up the last bit of courage and shouted loudly: "Cousin Yue, even now

No matter how bad the Gu family is, you should take it for the sake of the old lady..."

"If it weren't for the old lady's sake, do you think the Gu family's cases would have been settled so easily?" Zhang Yue suddenly turned his head and looked at the lost Gu Lin coldly, "If it weren't for the old lady's sake,

Come on, I will help your family's fields! You go back and tell your father that I have my own opinions on those gambling accounts, but if he dares to gamble again, based on the messy things in your family, what crime is he, the head of the family, guilty of? Also

You don’t have money to live, but you have money to support your children. If there is someone in your family who is as promising as Brother Xiaoqi, there is no need to yell in front of me, for the sake of the old lady!"

Watching the driver drive the car into the corner gate, and the other personal guards also entered the door without mentioning it, Gu Lin stood in the empty alley, feeling as if the sheepskin coat on his body was not worn, and it was freezing to the bone. For a long time, he

He moved his steps with a sad face, but after taking a few steps, he turned around. To his disappointment, the door over there was already closed tightly, and no one came out to let him in.

As he walked, Zhang Yue's words just now naturally resurfaced in his mind. Distraught, he held his head and rushed forward a few steps, then suddenly stopped.

The Gu family's downfall was simply because no one was an official, and Gu Bin was the most aloof and aloof, and was not willing to abuse his name to his clan members. The officials in Kaifeng seemed to have gotten the message and were extremely strict with the Gu family. If it happened again.

For those who are officials like Gu Bin, this is not the case...

Gu Lin sighed dejectedly, walked out of the alley and met up with the boy who was shivering from the cold at the corner of the street. Then he walked towards home with his head hanging down. He didn't even see several young people from the Gu family's branch on the other side being led away.
Chapter completed!