Chapter 201 Butterfly Immortal

In the thirty-fourth year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, there was a great earthquake in Weinan, Shaanxi. Houses collapsed, people were in distress, millions of people were killed and injured, people were displaced, and mourning was everywhere. During the earthquake, the prefect of Weinan was killed. After the earthquake, the new imperial court sent Gu Jishang to take over.

He is a descendant of an aristocratic family and has been approved by the emperor. When he comes to the disaster area, those who want to cling to him flock to him like a swan, just like ants clinging to him after hearing the smell.

Weinan is a prosperous place. When Gu Jishang took office and was repairing after the earthquake, there were countless victims and the people were in dire straits. However, the officials and wealthy businessmen still lived in luxury. Within a few days of his taking office, gifts and followers came in droves. Gold and jewelry were clearly marked with prices for those who wanted to buy them.

, Those who want to clear official channels, those who want to reduce punishments, and those who have no tribute have nothing to ask for.

Gu Jishang came from a wealthy family and came from the capital. He had a lot of experience in rare jewels. Therefore, he had no interest in rewarding bribes and refused them. He summoned all the officials and gentry and said, "I have no shortage of gold and silver. Only my wife has always been happy with them."

Rare and exotic beast, he recently saw a golden butterfly, as big as the palm of his hand, with a strange fragrance, and he has never forgotten it since then. The nineteenth day of this month is Ji Nei's birthday, and if there is a golden butterfly to congratulate him, he will definitely be overjoyed."

All the officials and gentry said: If you hold a golden butterfly to celebrate your birthday, you will definitely win the favor of the governor. Who can achieve it? However, it is autumn, when the flowers are falling, where will the butterfly come from? Even in summer, the body is golden and as big as the palm of your hand.

Fragrant butterflies are also hard to find.

In the former magistrate's office, there was a Dian Bo named Wang Mingxiang, who was in charge of the government's finances and was also a junior official of the eighth grade. When he saw the new magistrate taking office, he wanted to climb up the ranks and bribe him. He guessed that the magistrate Gu wanted to accept bribes but was afraid of losing his reputation, so he

Using this method to create another one, Gu wanted not a butterfly, but gold. So he hired a craftsman to make a butterfly out of gold and dedicated it. When Gu saw it, he immediately frowned and refused, saying: "What I said is a living butterfly, why?"

Can you ask for such vulgar things?"

Wang Xiang was hit by a wall and was at a loss. Where could he catch golden butterflies? He had never seen one before in his life. In addition to him, there were many people in Weinan who wanted to curry favor with the prefect Gu, so they were looking for him everywhere. One day, a servant excitedly told Wang Xiang,

I heard rumors in the streets: More than 200 miles away from Huashan Mountain, there is a hot spring valley at the foot of the mountain. It is like spring all year round, with green trees and butterflies all year round. There are also people selling golden butterflies. Why don't you go quickly? This news has been spread in the streets and alleys.

There are definitely many of them, so we have to reach them quickly and calculate carefully, and now it is only ten days before Mrs. Gu's birthday.

Wang Xiang carried a lot of money and a servant to ride a fast horse all night and galloped to Huashan Hot Spring. It was like spring here, full of spring, bright flowers blooming, orioles singing and dancing, and butterflies flying in groups. Although there were many rare butterflies in Huashan Hot Spring, there was no gold.

Butterfly, weird?

After asking passers-by, no one heard that there were any golden butterflies nearby. Wang Xiang was frustrated and wanted to go back, but then he thought: since he came here and couldn't find the golden butterflies, why not look for beautiful butterflies. Mrs. Gu might see them and be happy.

He saw a fisherman hanging a net on the side of the road, so Wang Xiang bought it. He and his servants held the net to catch butterflies. The butterflies flew wildly, and the master and servants were in a hurry. Someone among the flowers saw it, laughed and said, "You guys are waiting.

Where did it come from? How can we capture it with such random arrests? Do you want to capture the 'Golden Queen'?" Wang Xiang was startled. He was not confused when he saw the laugh. Although he was a farmer, he still had the spirit of an immortal and full of charm. He stepped forward.

Asked: "I came from Weinan, please tell me, what is the 'Golden Queen'?" The farmer replied: "The Golden Queen is the best butterfly, as big as the palm of your hand, golden all over, exuding a strange fragrance, and the golden light is dazzling when flying.

Therefore, she is called the Golden Queen. Many people have come here to seek her, but there are not many left."

When Wang Xiang heard about it, he was overjoyed. The Golden Queen Butterfly was exactly what he wanted. He hurriedly went up to chat with him and asked politely: "I heard what Mr. Wang said, I must be an expert in recognizing butterflies. May I ask, Sir, where does the Golden Queen still exist?"

After thinking for a while, the farmer introduced himself and said: "I am a butterfly breeder. I have a garden at home where I raise exotic flowers and herbs, which attract butterflies from all over the world to flock to me. There is a golden queen in it. But if you want to get it, you have to buy it with a lot of money."

"Wang Xiangxi said: "What's the problem with money? I don't lack it. I just ask Queen Jin to buy it. But I came here in a hurry and only brought a hundred silver. Can I get it on credit?" The farmer nodded and agreed.

The farmer led the king to enjoy his master and his servants, winding down the mountain, to a mountain stream, and saw only the dark willows and bright flowers. The flowers were filled like an ocean, and a group of butterflies were flying around the sea of ​​flowers.

, emitting a strange fragrance, flying back and forth, and the shining golden light dazzled people. Wang Xiang saw such a big butterfly for the first time in his life, just what he had been looking for after all the hard work!

King Xiang held a net to catch it, but who knew that this butterfly had huge wings and could fly as nimble as a small bird. It was gone in an instant. The farmer laughed and said, "How can you catch such a famous butterfly so easily? This is the Golden Queen. One hundred taels of silver and one butterfly."

, are you willing to buy it?" Wang Xiang said: "Of course, I bought ten butterflies, but I don't have enough silver. Please give me nine butterflies on credit and pay them tomorrow."

The farmer stretched out his arms, hooked his thumb and index finger, and whistled loudly. As if he understood the command, the butterflies flew towards him in groups and stopped on his shoulders, hands, and head. When Wang Xiang and his servants saw this, they were stunned.

Butterflies are strange here, and the people who raise them are even more strange.

The farmer selected ten golden queens from butterflies, put them in a bamboo basket, and said, "The golden queen is very expensive and will not be supported by those who are not destined to have it. You have so much silver, please be careful to raise it."

Wang Xiang carefully built the bamboo basket, and ordered his servant Pegasus to go back to the house that day to collect nine hundred taels of silver. The next day, the servant returned and paid the full amount. He hurried back to the house, in order to prevent the Golden Queen Butterfly from starving to death.

Put nectar and pollen in the cage, and order the servants to guard it day and night and raise it carefully. Each butterfly is its way to promotion and wealth.

On the morning of the 19th of that month, Wang Xiang went to the Gu Mansion with a basket to congratulate Mrs. Gu on her birthday. He was about to get the gold and silver treasures and a prosperous official career. The more he thought about it, the more delighted he became, and he entered the mansion with great pride. He paid a courtesy visit to Magistrate Gu and did not care.

More than ten people had already come to the house to send gifts and celebrate birthdays, all carrying bamboo baskets, as if they were carrying the same thing. His heart sank, and he thought to himself: The birthday congratulators have come carrying bamboo baskets. Could it be that the baskets are all golden queens?

Mrs. Jia brought everyone to the garden to celebrate her birthday. It was late autumn and the flowers were withered, but the chrysanthemums were in full bloom. Magistrate Gu asked everyone to release butterflies for her husband.

People admired it. Wang Xiang thought: They are all the same, why don't I feast my eyes on it first and release it first. He stepped forward and opened the bamboo basket first, waiting for the golden queen to spread her wings and fly out.

Huh? There was no movement in the bamboo basket for a long time. He was confused and shook it, but there was still no movement. He put his head into the basket and looked at it. Oh! The golden queen in the basket turned into a yellow-spiked caterpillar, crawling on the walls of the basket!

Wang Xiang was horrified and puzzled. Mrs. Gu was smiling and full of expectation. When she saw the stinging caterpillars in the basket, her face instantly darkened. Magistrate Gu also had an angry look on his face, and his head was dizzy and he quickly retreated to one side. What happened to the rest of them? They all changed.

It turns into a stinging caterpillar and enjoys the same status as the king. Everyone is shocked and at a loss, which is strange.

The birthday congratulators left the house in frustration, and Wang Xiang asked those who failed to give gifts, only to find out that the golden queens all came from the hands of farmers in Huashan Hot Spring, who used blind methods to defraud people and deceive people. The more they thought about it, the more angry they became, and Wang Xiang and the deceived people went up the mountain to seek revenge.

After repurchasing funds, people rushed to Huashan Hot Spring to see if there was a butterfly garden? The grassy hillside was still full of flowers and butterflies fluttering, but the farmer and the Golden Queen were gone!

Everyone saw that on the stone wall of the valley, there was a long inscription: "There is not enough gold and silver to cherish, there are many corrupt officials among the people, and the people are in dire straits, even the golden butterflies are dejected."

After Wang Xiang read it, he recalled the experiences of the farmers he met and his magical ability to attract butterflies by whistling. He sighed and said, "The farmers we met are not monsters, but immortals."

A few days later, the disaster relief money and food were transported to Weinan. Unfortunately, the state treasury was in deficit and the allocation was insufficient. However, there were still corrupt officials who took advantage of the situation, leaving only a drop in the bucket. Magistrate Gu reported this situation and ordered Wang Xiang to distribute it.

Wang Xiang also wanted to take advantage of the disaster relief money and food. At this time, his servant reported that a farmer he met in the valley asked to see him. He was shocked and turned pale, and went out to greet him in panic. The farmer he met drove over. The guests entered the hall, and the host and guest sat down.

After a while, he raised his hands and asked: "What advice can the immortal master give me here?" The farmer said: "I heard that the money and grain for the disaster relief arrived in Weinan, and some corrupt officials took advantage of it on the way, and there was not much left. Now Mr. Wang is distributing it to the people. Mr. Wang can deliberately enrich himself and take advantage of it.

"What?" After hearing this, he was dripping with cold sweat. He knelt down and trembled: "Your Majesty has decreed that anyone who embezzles money for disaster relief will be executed! The lower officials dare not do anything rashly." The farmer sneered and said, "Even though it is so strict, there are still people.

You risk your life to do it. I advise you to remember: God will clearly observe what people do." He kowtowed and said, "I will remember it and I will never dare to offend it in the slightest."

The farmer twirled his beard with his hand, pondered for a moment, and said: "I drove here this time, carrying more than 10,000 taels of silver collected by Huandie, packed in more than ten boxes. Please send someone to unload it, and incorporate it into the disaster relief fund for distribution. Although it is not

If there are many, it can quench the hunger and thirst of thousands of families." After saying this, he turned into a giant butterfly, rushed out of the hall door, spread his wings more than ten feet, flew into the air, and disappeared in an instant!

When Wang Xiang and his servants saw this, they knelt down in shock and kowtowed to the sky. Magistrate Gu heard about this and sighed: "Hey! Before I took office, I was approved by the emperor. How dare I do this? So I
Chapter completed!