Chapter 288 Carrying the Coffin
Chapter 288 Carrying the Coffin
Wei Bo left with great ambition and firm steps.
His figure gradually disappeared in the distance, his back filled with longing for the pinnacle of power in the future.
At this moment, Xie Quan hurried over with a Westerner and asked to see Xu Qing.
This Westerner was a friend he had recently made, and he was a missionary.
"This is Lord Xu, the modern-day God of Literature! His status in our Dayu Dynasty is as respected as that of your Western archbishop." Xie Quan's face was full of enthusiasm, and he turned sideways to introduce Xu Qing to the missionary next to him.
This missionary took great pains to successfully preach in China and gave himself a very meaningful Chinese name - Zhou Taixuan.
Not only that, even his hair was dyed black, in an effort to blend into this land.
The two words "Taixuan" contain extraordinary meaning.
In China, the Taixuan Jing is an important book for interpreting the Yijing, and the Yijing is the king of classics, and its status is just like the Bible in the West.
It is self-evident that he wanted to spread his teachings by using the power of Middle-earth culture under the name "Taixuan".
After an in-depth conversation with Zhou Taixuan, Xu Qing realized that the missionary in front of him was an expert on the Middle-earth. He was well-informed and had a wide range of experiences, and his conversation was extraordinary.
From poetry and songs to local customs and practices, from political systems to folk customs, he can talk eloquently and has unique insights. No wonder Xie Quan would make friends with him.
The situation in Nanyang today is complicated. There are constant frictions and conflicts between the imperial navy and the Westerners. However, the Westerners are not united. After seeing the powerful military force and advanced firearms of the Dayu navy, they quickly split.
After all, everyone has come across the ocean just to make money, and no one wants to be easily involved in meaningless deaths and injuries.
Zhou Taixuan represents the position of his country, Marcella.
Macera is a fairly large country in the West, with its own unique culture and political system. The current situation in the West is like the late Spring and Autumn Period of the Yu Dynasty, with many countries standing side by side and fighting each other.
However, they all believe in a common deity - "Aloha". The status of "Aloha" in the West is like that of the Great Heavenly Lord in Taoism in China. It is the core of Western people's spiritual beliefs.
Xu Qing: "When I was in Southeast Asia, I studied some of your Western classics. I heard that this Arhat has many aliases, such as Amon, Messiah, Mokomod... Because of the competition for the orthodox beliefs that represent him, you have fought among yourself and launched countless wars..." Xu Qing talked eloquently, and his understanding of the Western world shocked Zhou Taixuan.
He originally thought that he knew a lot about Middle-earth, but he didn't expect that Xu Qing also knew a lot about the West.
But when you think about it carefully, it seems reasonable for Lord Xu in front of you to know all this, as he had previously pacified Southeast Asia and is now the most enlightened governor of the Dayu Dynasty.
"Aloha has many incarnations in the world and still exists today. In terms of realm, he even surpasses the Creator mentioned in your country's religion..." Zhou Taixuan was not willing to be outdone and tried to spread his beliefs.
He straightened his back, his eyes flashing with fanaticism, as if he was telling an indisputable truth.
Xu Qing smiled calmly: "If this Western god really has such great powers, then the Middle Earth should have been bathed in his divine light long ago. But the reality is that you Westerners will be driven out of Southeast Asia sooner or later. By the way, I heard that you Westerners have now invaded the country of India..."
Every word Xu Qing spoke seemed to be filled with wisdom that could see through everything in the world.
Zhou Taixuan was increasingly surprised. Many Westerners knew very little about the affairs of India. He did not expect that the actual ruler of the Dayu Dynasty knew more about it than he did.
As the communication continued to deepen, Zhou Taixuan's admiration for Xu Qing grew stronger.
Especially since this governor of the Great Yu Dynasty had no aversion to Western learning, Zhou Taixuan seemed to see the light of hope for missionary work. He secretly thought that perhaps he could use Xu Qing's influence to make his religion take root in this land.
However, the end of the conversation struck him like a bolt of lightning, and he almost vomited blood on the spot.
"Mr. Xie, Pastor Zhou is really good and I admire him very much. Let him serve as the court painter temporarily." Xu Qing's voice was steady, but unquestionable.
Court painter?
Zhou Taixuan could hardly believe his ears, and the poem from the Dayu Dynasty "Don't ask about the common people, ask about ghosts and gods" emerged in his mind.
He was looking forward to preaching, but was arranged to be a court painter. This gap was too big. His face instantly lost color, and his lips trembled slightly. He seemed to want to say something, but he couldn't.
Xie Quan, who was standing by, saw Zhou Taixuan's expression of not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and laughed in his heart. Recently, the atmosphere in Yingtian Prefecture has become more open, and the residents in the city have even started blind date activities, which are said to have been initiated by Xu Qing.
Xu Gongming's move was like two people meeting each other and being quite satisfied with each other, but the other party suddenly said, "This girl is good and is very suitable to be our groom." It really caught people off guard.
Xu Qing was determined, and even though Zhou Taixuan was unwilling, he could only leave in frustration. His steps were heavy, as if every step was filled with endless loss.
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Seeing Zhou Taixuan leave, Xu Qing explained to Xie Quan who stayed behind, "Western painting has its own unique features. In this dynasty, there was a painter named Zeng who invented a technique called 'ink bone method', which was created under the influence of Western painting to a certain extent."
Xie Quan knew this person. When this painter painted, he always used an ink pen to carefully outline the contour structure of the character's face, and then used light ink to lightly smudge, meticulously showing the bumps and subtle changes in the facial bones and muscles. Finally, he added color, using layer upon layer of light colors to show the three-dimensional sense of the facial structure to the fullest, and he claimed that it was "like a mirror image, so lifelike."
With this unique technique, he formed a distinctive painting style in Southern Zhili and has become one of the famous artists of the time, with generous remuneration.
Now this man is nearly 80 years old, and he wants to marry a young girl in her twenties.
By the way, his wives have died three times of illness.
I heard that people become physically weak and sick because of long-term sexual abuse.
Then, Xu Qing expressed his deeper intention: "It's almost the end of the year again. I plan to let Zhou Taixuan paint for your majesty, and then find someone to copy it and post it in the duty rooms of various government offices to show the emperor's power."
As he spoke, he paced lightly and tapped the table rhythmically with his fingers, as if he was conceiving a grand picture.
Xie Quan couldn't help but secretly admire Xu Qing's cleverness when he heard this. This move not only cleverly flattered His Majesty, but also didn't cost too much money.
The key point is that officials of the Great Yu Dynasty have always been keen on pursuing progress. With the portrait of the old emperor hanging in the duty room, they would naturally think of adding some other foils, such as the portrait of Xu Liushou or the portrait of the Master. Even if Xu Qing did not mention this matter, the party members of the Fushe would definitely take the initiative to bring it up.
A portrait can further deepen Xu Qing's authority in a subtle way, and there is no need for compulsory orders, which really kills two birds with one stone.
In fact, this practice is similar to the Taoist and Buddhist practice of worshipping statues of gods. The difference is that Xu Qing's method is more subtle and leaves no trace.
Moreover, the organizational structure of religion has always been known for its strictness, and there are many things worth learning from.
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After Xu Qing and Xie Quan had finished their discussion, they went to Yannian Palace to pay a visit to the old emperor, ready to propose to him the matter of hanging the portrait in the yamen.
The palace of Yannian Palace is magnificent, with carved beams and painted rafters, fully displaying the royal majesty.
Xu Qing walked steadily into the palace, bowed respectfully to the old emperor, and told him the purpose of his visit.
Upon hearing this, the old emperor could not help but smile: "You kid, you are always good at doing these unconventional things, you should focus more on business." There was a hint of doting in his voice, and the smile on his face was amiable, as if he was looking at his junior.
Xu Qing looked solemn and said seriously: "Your Majesty's business is the most important business in the world." He lowered his head slightly, his tone was firm, and his eyes revealed his loyalty to the old emperor.
The old emperor raised his lips slightly, revealing a gratified smile, and then changed the subject to ask about the situation in the north. Now the north has shown a trend of independence, but the old emperor and Xu Qing tacitly chose not to break this window paper.
Xu Qing only euphemistically mentioned that Prince Yu was carrying out drastic reforms in the north and that important officials such as Wang Gong had fully supported them. At the same time, he also expressed his approval of these measures... His words were cautious, and every sentence was well thought out. He expressed his approval of Prince Yu's reforms without touching on sensitive political issues.
The old emperor nodded slightly and said with emotion: "I am deeply gratified that Prince Yu can take this step. However, young people tend to act on impulse. If they are not thorough in their work, they will definitely cause trouble. When the time comes, you ministers must take extra care to correct his mistakes."
There was a hint of worry in his eyes, as if he was worried about Prince Yu's future.
He is truly a role model of a loving father!
"We will do our best to serve you, and we wish your Majesty a long life." Xu Qing spoke earnestly, and the last sentence "long life" was the most important. He raised his voice, and his tone was full of sincerity.
The old emperor was very happy to hear this: "People should not live too long. The longer you live, the more people will despise you."
He sighed slightly, a lonely look on his face, as if lamenting the ruthlessness of time.
Xu Qing quickly retorted righteously: "Your Majesty is the pillar of our Dayu, respected by all the people. Your Majesty's longevity is a blessing for our Dayu and the people." He spoke passionately, his face full of reverence.
The emperor and his minister had a great conversation, and time passed quietly in laughter. Xu Qing then said that he had found a troupe to arrange a script of Journey to the West for the emperor's entertainment. The old emperor was very interested in this and joked that Xu Qing was his Guanyin Bodhisattva, appearing everywhere to help the poor and the needy...
All in all, the relationship between the monarch and his subjects was harmonious. But they all tacitly agreed not to mention Xu Xuanhu's affairs.
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After Xu Qing left Yannian Palace, the old emperor turned to Chen Zhong beside him and said, "This kid is so ambitious. By the way, how is the Xu family's child doing now?" He frowned slightly, with a hint of concern in his eyes.
"I heard that he was locked up by Madam Xu. No one is allowed to contact him, and meals are delivered to him on time every day." Chen Zhong answered cautiously.
He had a close relationship with Xu Qing, but he did not hide anything from the old emperor regarding the Xu family's affairs. Of course, he would present the things that the old emperor did not ask about in a pile of secret books. Anyway, if the old emperor saw it, it was Xu Qing's bad luck; if he did not see it, he would not be held responsible.
This is called the sea of books tactics, which is the favorite of the civil officials in the outer court. There are some things that you don't want the emperor to know, but you dare not not report them, so you can only do this. The emperor is also a human being, and there will always be times when he is tired. It is impossible for him to know everything. If you want to control everything and know everything, it will shorten your life.
However, Chen Zhong deliberately put all the presumptuous behavior of Prince Yu in the most conspicuous place. There was no other way. His loyalty to the emperor was evident to all, and he would never commit the crime of deceiving the emperor for Prince Yu. …
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"Wei Zhong, the Social Affairs Investigation and Statistics Department of Fushe must be established as soon as possible. We must first stabilize the country before we can resist foreign aggression. If social affairs are in chaos, our Fushe will sooner or later degenerate and hurt our own people..." Xu Qing sat in the main seat in the study with a serious face, staring at Yan Shan.
His voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to remind Yan Shan of the urgency of the matter.
Eliminating the bad atmosphere within the society is not something that can be done overnight, but a long and arduous task. For example, in his spare time, he met with Li Xiuwen, a capable official who passed the civil servant examination. This person was quite talented and a rare talent, but he did not even have the qualifications to join the Fushe.
Similar situations are not uncommon. If things continue like this, Fushe will probably be no different from other academies and schools, or even become the most corrupt social organization. This is by no means alarmist, but a cruel reality that is happening.
Under Xu Qing's earnest teaching, Yan Shan gradually realized the seriousness of the problem. However, he still couldn't hide his embarrassment. Because Xu Qing usually didn't care about the affairs of Fushe as much as Yan Shan, Yan Shan gradually gathered many confidants around him. However, these confidants were corrupting Fushe unknowingly.
Nowadays, there is a saying in the outside world: Xu's Fushe, Yan's party. It means that although Fushe was founded by Xu Liushou, the party inside it has become Yan's private party. Although the matter has not yet developed to such a serious point, it has already begun to show signs.
Yan Shan reacted quickly, presumably Xu Qing had also heard these rumors. No one else could intervene in this matter, and he could only solve it by himself. Only in this way could the Yan Party be fundamentally disintegrated and the Fushe Society be put back on track. Only in this way could the Yan family's prosperity and wealth be preserved.
After Yan Shan realized the seriousness of the matter, there was no room for maneuver. Seeing that Yan Shan understood his intention, Xu Qing patted him on the back and said earnestly: "Wei Zhong, I will share the wealth and honor with you. But don't forget our original ambition, to save Dayu from danger!" His eyes revealed a firm belief, as if telling Yan Shan that no matter what difficulties he encountered, he must not forget his original ambition.
"Save Dayu!" Yan Shan nodded silently, his eyes revealing a firm determination. He felt relieved and walked out of Xu Qing's duty room. After really starting to work, he deeply realized why so many predecessors would fall under the temptation of power and desire.
It is not difficult to have ambitions, and realizing ambitions is not out of reach. The difficult part is to always stick to your ambitions and be consistent.
Although the previous dynasty's reforms had many shortcomings, there was one thing that was worthy of praise, and that was that he always adhered to his ambitions and never changed.
This is really too difficult!
On the road to saving the world, you will naturally face various temptations and difficulties. Difficulties are not scary, but temptations are scary. Even if you can be honest and upright and stick to your original intention, you will inevitably be shaken by your relatives and friends.
When people live in this world, their relatives and friends are both spiritual sustenance and sometimes also fetters and obstacles to their progress. In this complicated world, it is extremely difficult to be firm and stick to the path.
Yan Shan couldn't help but wonder, if he forgot his original intention and defended the Yan Party, how would Xu Qing treat him? He always knew that Xu Qing was soft-hearted towards the people around him. Although he always spoke tough words on weekdays, he rarely punished the people around him. But when it comes to such a fundamental issue, how will Xu Qing choose?
Because the rise of the Xu Party was too short, such serious problems have not yet arisen, but the future is difficult to predict.
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"Guo Zhuang's brother-in-law's family seized other people's land and forced them to marry their daughters to his brother-in-law?" Xu Qing had a serious face as he sat on a chair in the study, listening to Feng Wu talk about this matter.
Guo Zhuang was Xu Qing's first subordinate, and now he has been promoted to the chief constable of Yingtian Prefecture.
Xu Qing also planned to set up a police station to replace some of the functions of the Wucheng Bingmasi of Yingtian Prefecture, and Guo Zhuang came into his sight.
When hiring people, one should not only look at their abilities, but also their relationships with them. If you don't hire your own people, how can you hire outsiders? For those in a high position, loyalty is far more important than ability.
Xu Qing used to be a great advocate of meritocracy, but now that he is in a high position, his stance is different. Although the Guo brothers are currently lacking in ability, their loyalty is unquestionable.
They have all gone through life and death tests and worked their way up step by step from the bottom following Xu Qing.
Speaking of which, brother-in-law Guo Zhuang also has a long history with the Feng family. At the beginning, brother-in-law Guo Zhuang offended the county's head constable Zhao family because of his family's fertile land, and Zhao Bao sent someone to break his legs. At that time, he was a student of Xu Qing's father-in-law Feng Xifeng. Later, the Zhao family was almost destroyed in Xu Qing's hands.
However, things are unpredictable, and Xu Qing had never expected that the original victim, Guo Zhuang's brother-in-law and his family, would now become another "Zhao family."
Guo Zhuang's brother-in-law has now become mentally retarded, but his father-in-law's family covets other people's land and daughters. They want to take both for themselves, so naturally they resort to some improper means.
If this matter really came to light, it wouldn't be a big deal. Bullying men and women, forcing good women into prostitution, which family's servants haven't done this?
But Feng Wu has another hidden worry, that is, once this matter is dealt with, it will inevitably trigger a chain reaction and many similar things will be exposed.
Xu herself, as well as her relatives and friends, would be used as evidence to nitpick. Even the fact that Xu Xuanhu killed a family slave would be dug up and made into a big fuss.
Xu Qing's journey was not without flaws. Although it was not as disgusting as the Yanshenggong Mansion, it was by no means flawless.
In the imperial court, the attack on the ruling party in power usually starts with the family and character of the ruler. Although this matter is small, it contains mysteries and should not be underestimated.
On the other hand, if Xu Qing punished even his subordinates when he started out, it would undoubtedly cause panic among the people and create a sense of disunity.
Feng Wu expressed her concerns and asked with concern: "Husband, let's let Guo Zhuang control the man first, and then make long-term plans. What do you think?" She bit her lip slightly, her eyes revealing worry and anxiety.
Xu Qing shook his head slightly: "Given Guo Zhuang's character, by the time you received the news, he should have already controlled his father-in-law's family. We don't need to worry about this."
"Then what should we do?" Feng Wu asked worriedly.
"Do you think we should cover this up?" Xu Qing asked back.
"I don't know." Feng Wu looked confused, obviously not knowing how to make a decision. She shook her head slightly, her face full of helplessness.
Xu Qing smiled slightly, his eyes revealing determination: "Since these things have been done, there is no need to cover them up. Since they have reached our ears, let's give them justice. If there are similar things in the future, they will all be handled in the same way."
"So what my husband means is that there is no need to hide it?" Feng Wu confirmed again.
"Well, as long as it's a sin related to the Xu family, no matter if the subordinates acted privately or not, it can be counted as mine. If anyone wants to enforce justice, just come to me." Xu Qing said this very calmly.
It was so plain, as if he was talking about someone else.
After he finished speaking, he added: "No matter how much criticism there is from the outside world, the reform will be carried out unwaveringly in my hands. I will accept their dissatisfaction, whether openly or covertly."
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After a few days, the public sentiment became more and more agitated.
Before the grand court meeting, something happened that shocked the entire court.
Xu Liushou carried an extremely heavy coffin in one hand and went to court.
"This coffin is prepared for myself and also for those who oppose the reform."
Xu Liushou's voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the court, and every word seemed to carry a thousand pounds of weight.
At this moment, he was like a towering mountain, standing above the court.
His intention is even more obvious. If you can't kill me, I will kill you!
From then on, Xu Qing had a new nickname in the government and the underworld.
The coffin-carrying king!
He has a demon child at home.
I heard that he is extremely vicious!
But no matter how much dirty water and rumors there were, they could not change Xu Qing's determination to get things done.
And it is beyond the imagination of many insects in the dark.
It was obvious that the Xu family had been exposed for many evil deeds, and even Xu Qing did not cover them up, but as a result, there were not many complaints from the people.
Even the family of the servant who was killed by the young master of the Xu family took the initiative to set up a longevity tablet for Xu Liushou.
Because they gave so much, this family became local landlords.
Even when servants went back to visit their families, they were blamed by their families, asking why they were not eligible for such a good thing.
As a result, the servant was so angry that he returned to Xu's house that night.
What is even more shocking is that there are rumors among the people that even Xu Liushou’s family has so many bad things going on, which shows how dirty other families are.
There was even an old servant of a noble family who got drunk and yelled in the street: "The old master gave birth to these beasts! Every day they steal dogs and play with chickens, have affairs with other women, and keep mistresses for their brothers-in-law. I know everything..."
In an instant, it became the biggest joke in Yingtian Prefecture.
On the contrary, Xu Liushou's reputation became better and better during this process.
"These idiots, are their brains filled with water? Xu has done so many bad things, but they don't hate Xu Qing at all. Why?" Someone was discussing in a dark corner.
"I can't understand it. My family didn't do anything wrong, but these beasts actually tried to throw dirty water on my family..." The other person who spoke was an unlucky nobleman.
My sister-in-law seduced him, but she didn't support him!
An eternal injustice!
(End of this chapter)