Chapter 66 Dusty Noji

When we arrived at the rock kiln factory in Tingyan County, a furnace of new porcelain had just been fired. More than a dozen craftsmen opened the first kiln door with shouts. The heat seeped out from the gap in the inner seal, gushing out so that the entire courtyard seemed to be in scorching heat.

In summer, Zhuo Siheng felt as if his eyebrows were on fire.

"This is a furnace that has cooled down." Pan Guangling always speaks more patiently when encountering his own profession. "The fired porcelain should be left in the furnace for a period of time, and the remaining fire will be used to bake out the final moisture.

, porcelain is hard, strong and durable.”

Zhuo Siheng saw such a scene for the first time, and his heart was filled with excitement. He wished he could roll up his sleeves and pull the hemp rope, and work together with the kiln workers to pull open the door sealing bricks.

Even the talkative Chen Rong couldn't help but say: "I am also a local, but I have never heard them sing well, and I can't understand some of the words. Doesn't it sound like the dialect in our county?"

Pan Guangling shook his head and said: "I've been here many times, and I've asked before, but I just heard them say that they sang and chanted for unity. They were passed down by word of mouth among the local kiln workers, but they were not the local dialect of the county. I don't know those words either.

Can't understand."

"That's an ancient Illinois tune."

The speaker was a shirtless man, who was wiping the top of his bald head with a soaked towel and talking to the three people in Mandarin with a local accent.

"Master Xiao Wu." Pan Guangling, who was most familiar with the people and things here, recognized this person and hurriedly introduced him to Zhuo Siheng, "This is Wu Xing, the kiln owner of Yan Kiln. He inherited this kiln at a young age, but he has a lot of experience.

The most experienced person, you can ask him about all matters related to the rock kiln."

After finishing speaking, he said to Wu Xing, who was still wiping sweat vigorously: "This is the newly arrived magistrate Zhuo Tong of our county. He came to the county to take a look during his inspection and came to the kiln factory specifically."

Wu Xing suddenly stopped wiping his hands on his head, and was about to salute when he heard someone in the distance calling him: "Master Wu! The kiln is open!" So he ignored those things, left the three of them, and ran to the kiln.

The thick rope around the wrist was wrapped around the arm, and he shouted back: "Sing!"

"They are going to tear open the second sealed kiln entrance." Pan Guangling was afraid that Zhuo Siheng would mind Wu Xing's rudeness, so he hurriedly explained for him, "Be sure to open the heat vent before the kiln temperature has completely dropped, otherwise the whole kiln will be destroyed."

The vessel will be broken."

Zhuo Siheng didn't care about this at all, he only watched and listened carefully.

I saw more than a dozen men with red faces singing a desolate ancient tune that they did not understand. Their scattered movements gradually became uniform. When the song reached the last line, the high-pitched tone changed from singing to shouting, almost roaring, and the kiln door

It fell down in response, and the red light in the kiln was so bright that it seemed like there was only one color left in front of people's eyes.

It took a while for the three of them to recover from this magnificent and powerful man-made scene. At this time, Wu Xing had led more than ten people to stand and salute Zhuo Siheng, and the leader said: "Master Zhuo, please save Yanyao!"

…

Imperial Capital, Zhuozhai.

The weather is getting hotter, so the rolling curtains of the cool pavilion have been replaced with bamboo curtains, and the window panes have been removed to let in the good wind. Now it is used by Hui Heng. She kept Zhuo Siheng's books and study room as they were before, except that

I set up a small table next to the big table by myself, doing calculations and reading in my spare time. I turned my head to look at the pens and inkstones on the big table that were still arranged as usual. I still felt that my eldest brother was still in the imperial capital, and he would be able to do it himself later.

Hanlin Academy returns home.

But today, what Hui Heng held in his hand was not a scroll, but a mud-yellow rock kiln porcelain washer.

Xi Heng, who was in Xun Xiu, changed his clothes and took the book box and walked to the curtain. There was no door to the Liang Pavilion, so he called his second sister. Hui Heng was so focused that when he heard the voice, he suddenly raised his head and called him in.

"I have sorted out the poems. Most of them are my own, and there are also a few classmates who have been in contact with each other. One hundred and seventeen poems." Xi Heng put down a stack of bound books and carefully pasted them on thick paper.

cover.

Xiongya Academy had a heavy workload and could save these poems in ten days. Hui Heng felt sorry for his brother and asked him to go and rest first. Unexpectedly, Heng shook his head and sat down, saying in a deep voice: "There is one thing I want to follow the second sister's letter."

Attached, tell my brother."

"Is it important?" Hui Heng asked as he turned around to get a pen and paper, "Write it down now and I will have someone take it to the inn tomorrow."

"It's about Brother Gao."

Huiheng was stunned. Of course she knew the importance of Gao Yongqing in Zhuo Siheng's heart. The two of them were old friends introduced by their respective fathers. Their friendship was extraordinary. Since Gao Yongqing was demoted, Zhuo Siheng felt worried every time he mentioned it.

I have no idea. Now they are one in the southwest and the other in the southeast. They are separated by mountains and rivers. In addition, there is a dispute between the court and the court, which makes it difficult to communicate. Before leaving, Zhuo Siheng told Huiheng that if there is any news about Gao Yongqing in Beijing, he must do it.

Jiyi informed him, but she had only visited Mr. Zeng not long ago. Tong Shipei had also visited and talked with Zhao Lanxuan a few days ago, but he did not mention anything in the court related to Gao Yongqing.

"I have a classmate who I am quite familiar with in the academy. His eldest brother is currently serving as a seventh-grade captain in the prefecture army of Wuning County, Weizhou. Their station is in Jinchuan County in the county, and Brother Gao is working there.

County captain." Xi Heng paused and took the water handed to him by his sister but did not drink it. "His eldest brother sent him a letter two days ago, asking him to take care of his parents' health and do more filial piety for him. He said that he was in the military this year because of his illness.

I was unable to return home because of the accident. The letter said that the county captain of Jinchuan County, that is, Brother Gao, had a fifth-rank general of the state army beheaded for questioning, and the state army almost mutinied."

Hui Heng stood up suddenly, her face turning a little pale. She didn't know what the crime was, but the mutiny of the state army was a big deal.

Although the military strength of the state army is not as good as that of several military prisons and the second division of the forbidden army, many state troops stationed on the border are also elite troops to guard the border. Weizhou is located in the western border, adjacent to ancient Tibet. Although the two places are white

There has been no fighting, but there have been swords. If there is a mutiny among the troops stationed here, it is a very important matter!

"Can your friend tell you what crime the general committed?" Huiheng asked calmly after being frightened.

"Brother Gao accused him of being drunk and killing two herdsmen." Xi Heng said softly, "The herdsmen's only son brought the dagger used to commit the murder that day to sue. There are both witnesses and physical evidence. In fact, the general cannot deny it.

However, he kept saying that he didn't remember anything, and that if he wanted to deal with it, it should be dealt with by military law rather than by civilian officials. The details of the matter were not stated in his mind by his classmate and brother. He only said that he had sentenced the general to be beheaded in court, and the state military garrison.

When the generals of the guards arrived, the heads had already been on the ground for a long time."

"If the charges are true, it is true that the people in the government army should cooperate with each other to convict." Huiheng knew the rules well and knew that even if military officials above the seventh rank were convicted and sent to the Yamen, they must be discussed with the commander of the military prison where they are located.

It was a crime, but Gao Yongqing was not that reckless. Unless he had other reasons, she thought for a moment and said, "Mutinying for his fifth-grade general? Unless this guard general is his biological father? There must be something else going on."

Hidden secrets.”

Xi Heng realized that his sister was sharp and intelligent, so he immediately said: "This matter may be confidential. Even the elder brother cannot say more to the younger brother. My classmate only said that the garrison general wants to make a big deal out of a big deal, but this general has always been very careful.

Seeing that the general refused to make the decision, many of his soldiers bravely gathered dozens of people who were not afraid of death and barged into the county government office to kill Brother Gao and save his life. However, not only did they fail, but they accidentally killed several government officials and servants.

, the county magistrate was furious and reported the matter to the county and state as a mutiny. The officials at both levels were furious and refused to reconcile. These people are now in state prison, but..."

"It's just that after Datian heard it, there was no follow-up." Huiheng said without thinking.

"I don't know how the officials will decide." When he said this, a cold and sarcastic smile suddenly flashed across Xi Heng's face, "Don't be like last time, each playing fifty-fifty, as if he is doing a lot of things and is never biased.

…”

"Xi Heng." Hui Heng stopped him with a rare stern look, "Have you forgotten everything that eldest brother has taught us? Even though the four of us in our generation have been very bumpy, we shouldn't have many words of resentment, not for anything else.

, just because you shouldn’t let this make you feel trapped and only increase your worries. You must focus on the present and look at the road ahead, so that you can live up to your parents’ expectations.”

Xi Heng knew that he had made a mistake. He was silent for a long time and lowered his head and said, "Second sister, I know I was wrong."

Hui Heng also felt that the words just now were too strict, and he blamed himself and secretly thought that Xi Heng was the most deep and reserved person. If it was not to himself, how could he say what was in his heart? He would definitely not say this to others, so he

He gently held his younger brother's shoulder and said in a lower voice: "It's my sister's fault. My brother is not here, and my sister won't distract me from my guidance. Don't be sad. But even if you don't feel happy...won't you go to the court to be my brother's arm from now on?"

Huh? With this in mind, you should learn from now on not to show what you are doing, and to keep your traces out of your heart. Just look at how our brother behaves on a daily basis, and you should know what he is doing."

Xi Heng's guilt finally faded a little, and he spoke after a moment: "Second sister, I have been thinking about one thing these days."

"Say, sister is listening."

The eyes of the sixteen-year-old boy suddenly had a depth that was not for his age, and he whispered: "I will definitely not see my brother fighting alone in the mud of the court, but is there a way to help him?

Is there only one way to become an official through the imperial examination?"

This time, Hui Heng did not reprimand her brother for these words that sounded like madness. She just looked into his eyes quietly and remained silent for a long time. She only listened to the crisp sound of spring dew dripping on flowers and trees.

, she said in that soft yet firm tone:

"You and I don't have the ability to know everything, nor do we have the ability to predict the future. But the road that my brother is taking is definitely a thorny and dangerous road. It doesn't need both of them to know. If we, sisters and brothers, only wait until the sorrow comes, we will think about it.

Isn’t it too incompetent to share worries? Our eldest brother is not an ordinary sibling. He is both your father and my mother. Why stop bleeding thicker than water? When the family is at its most miserable, you hate yourself for being young and I hate myself for being weak.

We are all helpless and have no choice but to share the worries for my elder brother. Now that we are no longer what we used to be, it is time for us to shoulder the hardships together with my elder brother."

Xi Heng had never seen his sister's eyes flash with such a bright light that could reach the stars and surpass the moon. He knew that the same was definitely the case for him at this time.

"But, there is only one thing." Hui Heng said the strongest words in the lightest tone, "No matter what our decision is, we must inform our brother, and we cannot insist on going our own way and make him embarrassed."
Chapter completed!