The rebuilt Chongqing Guild Hall is both grand and elegant. There are more people celebrating the New Year at the Guild Hall than last year. Even the wine and food for the New Year’s party banquet and tonight’s Lantern Festival banquet were better than last year. However, Ji Yunfei, editor of the Hanlin Academy, Jiang Haoxuan, the Ministry of Justice’s Officer, and He Heng, secretary of the cabinet, always felt that the New Year was not as interesting as last year. The juren who came to Beijing for the exam for the first time was very enthusiastic. He chanted poems while drinking, for fear that others would be able to compete.

Liu Shanyang, a juren from Jiangbei Hall, did not come, and Fei Erye did not come. Among the juren who celebrated the New Year at the guild last year, only Rongchang County juren and Ba County juren Ren He came.

Bao Lingyun's style is still the same, but Ren He has changed a lot. It has only been less than a year since he was ten years old. Not only did he no longer show his sharpness, but he even became less talkative. He did not live outside like last year, but lived in the guild like other juren.

Just as he was wondering why he had such a big change, Ji Yunfei suddenly asked, "Qianli, why didn't Shizhen come to take the exam?"

Bao Lingyun quickly put down his chopsticks and said with a bitter face: "Master Ji, you don't know that his father passed away and left on the night of November 17 last year."

"So that's it. This filial piety will take three years." Ji Yunfei sighed lightly and said nothing.

Bao Lingyun didn't want to ruin Ji Yunfei's interest, so he hurriedly changed the topic: "Master Ji, I heard that Wuchang City has been recovered?"

"Xiang Rong's report said this, but there was no mention of how to recover it. The emperor has ordered Zhang Liangji and Luo Bingzhang to rush to Wuchang to handle the pacification and slums."

"Where are the thieves?"

"I went downstream, Xiang Rongzheng was leading troops to pursue the attack, but the situation was not optimistic from the Beijing newspapers and documents these days. Lu Jianying, the governor of Liangjiang, who was supposed to be in the Jiujiang area, actually used the excuse of blocking Jiangning and entrusting Jiangxi and Anhui to ignore it, resulting in the general's death. Anhui Governor Jiang Wenqing was angry and rushed to impeach him for 600 miles. The emperor was furious and issued an imperial edict to dismiss Lu Jianying, but he still ordered him to handle local affairs to observe the future."

"Master Ji, saying this is not only Anhui and Jiangxi are in danger, but Jiangning is also in danger!"

"The army in Jiangnan is soft and fragile, and he is also spreading people like Lu Jianying who are greedy and afraid of death. I think Jiangning can not hold on, but how many days can he stay."

There were many people in the guild, and He Heng felt that these words were not good to spread. Although he was not optimistic about the war, he still pretended to be relaxed: "Master Ji, Lu Jianying is greedy for life and fear of death. However, not only Lu Jianying, Jiangning, but also Jiangsu Governor Yang Wending, and Jiangning General Xianghou. The emperor had approved the report the day before yesterday and ordered Jiangsu vassal officials, Yangzhou Pass and Longjiang Pass to transfer tax silver to Jiangning vassal treasury for blockade."

"What's the use of just having silver?"

"Not only have silver, but also soldiers. The two thousand Shandong soldiers requested by Lord Yang to help the emperor were approved. Besides, the canal was blocked and the grain could not enter the capital. The sailors of the canal had nothing to do, and the sailors of the canal were all strong. The emperor also asked the Military Affairs Office to weigh whether they could recruit those sailors of the canal to fight against insults. If there is no illness, please handle it at the appropriate level."

He Heng put down his chopsticks and said, "In order to boost morale, the emperor also approved the imperial envoys and other imperial envoys to order the imperial envoys who were recovering and blocking the bandits to clearly define the reward standards, clearly define the terms, and make the instructions everywhere. If anyone is killed, no matter the officials, soldiers, civilians, etc., he will be rewarded with a huge amount of reward."

"Where are those who follow the rebellion?"

"I have the same reward. This edict was copied and archived by me. I have recorded it very clearly. The emperor said, "With a heavy reward, there must be a brave man, and I will never control it from a distance."

Ji Yunfei was shocked and thought that as soon as this precedent was set, the imperial envoys who had recovered and blocked the thieves and bandits would have the right to select civil and military officials. As long as the names of civil and military officials to be elected were reported to the Ministry of Personnel, the court would have to recognize them if they did not recognize them.

Just as he didn't know what to say, Jiang Haoxuan suddenly said: "Zhixing is an official in Yangzhou Prefecture, Jiangning is in danger. Yangzhou is so close to Jiangning, isn't Zhixing's situation very dangerous?"

"Yangzhou Prefecture is big. Zhixing is in Taizhou under Yangzhou, not in Yangzhou City, so it should be fine." Ji Yunfei thought about it and said, "Although the Taiping bandits captured Wuchang, most of the prefectures and counties in Hubei have not fallen. Qian Junchen can survive the disaster and escape the disaster. Zhixing will definitely not be able to do anything."

If Ji Yunfei hadn't mentioned Qian Junchen, Bao Lingyun wouldn't have remembered Qian Junchen, and could not help but ask: "Master Ji, didn't Mr. Qian be a governor in Hubei? Logically speaking, it should have been in Wuchang City when the city was broken. How did he escape the disaster?"

"Lu Jianying is afraid of death. Xiang Rong is not much better than Lu Jianying. He said he was chasing from Guangxi to Hunan, and from Hunan to Hubei. I think he was chasing but not suppressing him. He only knew that he wanted money, food, and reinforcements. Before Wuchang City was surrounded by bandits, Qian Junchen happened to be ordered to raise food and grass for Xiang Rong, and was not in Wuchang City."

"Master Ji, how do you know?"

"I originally thought he died in the fall of Wuchang. I never thought that he had seen his name in Xiang Rong's report. Not only did he escape the disaster, he was promoted. He should be helping Zhang Liangji, Zhang and Luo Bingzhang and Luo Bingzhang to handle the pacification matters in Wuchang."

It was the first time He Heng heard about it, and he couldn't help asking: "Qian Junchen has been promoted. Where is his current position?"

"Wuchang lost so many officials, and there were so many vacancy, so no one could clean up the mess. Xiang Rong recommended that he act as the chief judge of Wuchang Prefecture, from a fifth rank to a fifth rank. Maybe he would be promoted in a short time, and it would be possible to become a prefect."

"He is really lucky and lucky."

...

Ren He sat next to the side with a wine glass in silence, but he thought in his heart that Qian Junchen was blessed and destined, which did not mean that everyone was blessed and destined. He was actually looking forward to the Taiping bandits taking over Jiangning in one go, and then taking over Yangzhou and Taizhou. If Taizhou was captured like Wuchang, Han Si would be in trouble.

He was thinking about it all, and Bao Lingyun suddenly said, "Mr. Ji is right. People who are determined to be successful will have their own appearance, and there will be no trouble!"

"Yes, Zhixing is not only diligent in his work but also values ​​friendship and righteousness. His bosses must value him very much and will not let him take risks easily. Moreover, Guo Peilin should be about to take office now. With Yang Zhongcheng, Lord Qi and Lord Guo, he will not only be able to do anything, but may also rise to the top like Qian Jun and Minister."

"What does it mean? I think it's certain! If you don't believe it, you can make a bet. If Zhixing is only a ninth-grade inspector next year, I'll invite you to drink."

"Master Jiang, are you so optimistic about Aixing?"
Chapter completed!