At the foot of Xunfeng Mountain, the frost brought by the cold wave has caused the branches and leaves of many evergreen trees to wither and fall, and Guangzhou, which is like spring all year round, also looks a bit desolate. Xunfeng Mountain is said to be a mountain, but in fact it is only more than 80 meters above sea level.
It's just a small dirt bag in a real mountainous area.
Shabei Village at the foot of the mountain is located more than ten miles northwest of Guangzhou City. The Chen family has been settling here since the founder Chen Kangyan became an official in Lingnan during the Shaoxing period of the Southern Song Dynasty.
In the Chenzhai Buddhist Hall, a gray-haired old woman was chanting sutras and worshiping the Buddha. After reciting, the old woman was about to get up, and her young son standing aside quickly stepped forward to help her.
After the old woman sat down, her two sons took their seats. Her daughter-in-law, grandson-in-law, and unmarried daughters stood beside her.
"Mom, the decoration of the Buddhist hall at home is simple, and there are no eminent monks in famous temples around the village. It is also very inconvenient for my mother to go to Buddhist temples in other places to attend Buddhist meetings. My father went west that day, and I went to Beijing to take office and was unable to serve my mother. The officialdom turmoil also made my mother worried.
Thinking about it today makes my son feel deeply guilty and restless. Now that he has returned to his hometown, he should let his mother live a pure life and live a long life. There are many Buddhist monasteries on Baiyun Mountain in the north of Guangzhou, and my son found one next to Baiyun Temple.
I want to build a villa in a geomantic treasure land. I will build a nunnery statue for my mother in the villa, offer incense and worship Buddha, and invite several virtuous monks to perform rituals every month to fulfill their filial piety." The speaker was tall and had an angular face.
He is clear-cut, with a big mouth and sparse eyebrows, and a long goatee on his chin, giving him a sense of maturity and stability.
"Zizhuang, you have such filial piety, and I am very happy to be a mother. But you said that building a new villa will cost a lot of money. Now the family and country are undergoing great changes, and thieves have invaded Lingnan. I, the Chen family, have been favored by the emperor for generations, so I should destroy the family to save the trouble, and be loyal.
Since you are fulfilling your filial piety." The old woman turned her rosary beads in her hand and was very satisfied with her son's filial piety, but she refused very resolutely.
The old woman is the daughter of the Zhu family in Jiujiang. Jiujiang has been named "Rulin Township" since the Ming Dynasty. The Confucian atmosphere is very strong. Her father Zhu Rang was a Jinshi in the 32nd year of Wanli (1603) and once served as the head of the household department.
Later, he became the prefect of Kuizhou. Among the descendants of the Zhu family, there was also Kang Youwei's teacher - "Mr. Jiujiang" Zhu Ciqi. The Zhu family received Confucian education since childhood, knew books and etiquette, and can be said to be a model for women in Confucian feudal ethics.
Her eldest son was Chen Zizhuang, the head of the "Three Lingnan Loyalists" who would be famous for generations to come.
Chen Zizhuang, also known as Jisheng and Qiutao, won the first place in the imperial examination in the 37th year of Wanli. As an official, Chen Zizhuang was upright and upright. He once denounced the eunuchs in front of Emperor Tianqi. Later, Wei Zhongxian used it to present the emperor's policy questions when he presided over the Hangzhou Provincial Examination.
There are phrases such as "The mediocre master loses power, and the British master seizes power", which is regarded as "slander", and both father and son were demoted from office. After Chongzhen came to the throne, Chen Zizhuang was re-enabled and promoted to the post of Shao Zhanshi of Zhanshifu and concurrently bachelor of Hanlin Academy.
, he was again appointed as the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, and because the Ministry of Rites was temporarily lacking a chief minister (Shang Shu), he took charge of the affairs of the Ministry of Rites.
Chen Zizhuang has experienced ups and downs in officialdom, and is now in his forties. I recall that when I was the most beautiful girl in the imperial examination high school, my horse was hoofed in the spring breeze. It was in response to the poem he blurted out when he was seven years old, "When I visit Shangyuan in his second year, I will ask Chang'e why he is the most beautiful girl in the imperial examination."
." He and his father were officials in the same court, and he had a good memory at first.
However, his experiences in recent years have left him with a deep sense of powerlessness over the current situation.
Since the Apocalypse, Donglin and the eunuchs have been fighting against each other. If it were a peaceful year, it would not have shaken the country, but the Liao Dynasty was corrupted. In the first year of Chongzhen, his fellow countryman Yuan Chonghuan, who was also a Jinshi in the same year, was re-appointed by the new emperor and promoted to
Chen Zizhuang, Minister of the Ministry of War and the right deputy censor of the capital, Governor Ji Liao, prepared a grand farewell party for him. The poems and paintings of 19 people attending the meeting were gathered into a "Farewell Picture of Governor Liao". Unfortunately, Yuan Chonghuan did not wait until "the success was achieved"
" had already been executed by the unpredictable emperor Ling Chi, and the inscription on the "Farewell Picture of Du Liao" was also gouged out by collectors, leaving only the four words "Fu Gong Ya Zuo" inscribed by him.
There were strong enemies outside and rebellions inside. The northwestern civil uprising in the early years of Chongzhen has now become a prairie fire. August of the seventh year of Chongzhen was the most depressing day in his life for decades. His mentor, right-wing politician Lu Menglong insisted on guarding Shaanxi
Longde City in Guyuan Prefecture was killed by the peasant army after the city was broken. When the news came, the capital was shocked. Chongzhen posthumously awarded Lu Menglong the title of Taipusi Minister and held a memorial ceremony in person. As the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, Chen Zizhuang endured the pain of losing his mentor and friend.
Sadness presided over the memorial ceremony.
In the eighth year of Chongzhen's reign, two rebel armies, Gao Yingxiang and Zhang Xianzhong, captured Fengyang, the central capital, and excavated the emperor's ancestral tomb. Emperor Chongzhen was extremely sad when he learned about it, and in a rage, Yang Yipeng, the censor of the water transport capital, who had not been rescued in time, beheaded and abandoned.
Then he put on plain clothes and offered sacrifices to the Ancestral Temple, and hid in the Wuying Hall. The ministers did not dare to speak, but they felt that the matter was of great importance and the emperor should have an explanation of the incident. So Chen Zizhuang went to Shu and said, "Qiu Long,
"If someone scratches a tree and scratches a tree, he will not bear it." This is related to the changes in the royal ancestral mausoleum and should not be ignored by others. The emperor should issue a "sinful edict", which was adopted by Chongzhen. Chen Zizhuang also put forward some suggestions regarding current affairs.
Of the twelve suggestions, the emperor adopted ten, which made him encouraged and proud.
However, the price of the gift given by fate has already been secretly marked. Also in the first month of this year, Chongzhen issued an edict requiring that all descendants of the clan who have civil and military talents and are worthy of appointment, the clan government can list their names and report them, and they can be tested by the imperial court.
Granting official positions. Chongzhen's approach was obviously a manifestation of dissatisfaction with the existing officials within his sight. However, this move violated the ancestral system set by Zhu Yuanzhang that the clan "can only be granted titles but not be awarded officials." Chen Zizhuang thought again and again,
After deliberation with friends and colleagues, they revised the draft three times and finally submitted a memorial of objection to the emperor. As a result, the Tang Dynasty king found out about this matter and impeached Chen Zizhuang in front of Chongzhen. Therefore, Chongzhen dismissed Chen Zizhuang as "not an ancestral relative, bullying and wanton".
He goes to jail.
In the prison of the Ministry of Punishment, there were a total of sixty-six officials imprisoned at the same time as Chen Zizhuang. Besides him, there were twenty-three ministerial-level officials, including the one who mistakenly believed that Li Zicheng had surrendered in Shaanxi Chexixia Gorge, which caused the peasant army to resurrect from the dead.
Chen Qiyu, the military governor of the five provinces. Finally, thanks to the intercession of many colleagues and the empress dowager, Chen Zizhuang was released, dismissed from office and repatriated.
Chen Zizhuang cried bitterly and kowtowed at the front gate of the capital, bid farewell to the emperor, climbed on the back of a donkey, went out of the Lu River and boarded a boat back south, and wrote "Reflections on the Lu River":
Watching people scolding short donkeys along the road, will the willow trees in Qingmen be sparse?
Open the cage and pet the crane, and enjoy the deep water and the dry fish.
Mr. Tianwai was born in a dream, and the teaching scrolls in the box were not burned.
If Xing Gong is not a talkative person, then he should seek the emperor's gifts and be at the beginning.
Who would have thought that before he arrived home, he heard that the Kun bandits had occupied Guangzhou City. If he returned to the capital at this time, Emperor Chongzhen, who was short of major generals, might appoint him as the governor of Southern Jiangxi and mobilize troops from several provinces.
He assisted Xiong Wencan in exterminating the Kun bandits. But he was worried about his mother, so he rushed back to Guangzhou before the Kun bandits blocked the pass.
This feeling of powerlessness that the world does not change according to his own wishes makes Chen Zizhuang quite frustrated. He wants to build a business in Yuncong, but in fact he also has other painstaking efforts, one is to pray for his mother's longevity, and the other is to strengthen his heart.
"It's not my business to move around the mausoleums and valleys. I chase people around with laughter and indifference." He still has fresh memories of his life insights when he left Beijing. He himself also wanted to borrow this green lantern ancient Buddha to calm down his mood.
"What my mother taught me is that my son will not disgrace the family tradition and vow to fight the traitor to the end and restore our Ming Dynasty." Chen Zizhuang answered respectfully, but in fact he was quite confused in his heart.
"Brother, do you still remember Mr. Iwano, the strange man I mentioned to you?" The young man who spoke was the young man who had just helped Mrs. Zhu, Chen Zizhuang's younger brother Chen Zisheng, who was nineteen years older than him.
"I remember that I had an exchange of letters with him when I was in Beijing. This man knew how powerful he was in the past and present, and he had great economic plans. Unfortunately, he failed in many attempts. It is really a loss to the Holy One."
Mr. Iwano is Chen Bangyan in the "Three Loyalty of Lingnan", with the courtesy name Lingbin and the nickname Yanye. When Chen Zizhuang was in Beijing, Chen Zisheng had many contacts with Chen Bangyan, Li Suiqiu and others, and their relationship was extraordinary.
Chen Zisheng said: "Mr. Iwano had a secret meeting with me a few days ago. He wants to visit my elder brother and discuss important matters together."
"It seems that Lingnan is not just a bunch of people who are greedy for money and unrighteousness. Chen Lingbin is loyal to the emperor and the country, and is proficient in Confucianism, Shangyong, and Shanyan. The three children in the picture above can learn from him." Chen Zizhuang stroked his beard.
At this time, a doorman came to report, "Master, Uncle Li, Uncle Kuang and Uncle Chen are all here and are in the front yard."
"Okay, please quickly invite them to meet in the back hall and living room, and tell the girl to serve the best tea to the distinguished guests." Chen Zizhuang said with a solemn expression.
Although Li Suiqiu and Kuang Lu were six or seven years younger than Chen Zizhuang, they often exchanged poems with Chen Zizhuang and had been old friends for many years. They were both present when they bid farewell to Yuan Chonghuan, the governor of Liao Dynasty. Li Suiqiu even took Chen Zizhuang as his teacher, and their friendship was very good.
Same as usual. But this was the first time for Chen Bangyan to meet Chen Zizhuang.
Farewell to Mrs. Zhu, the two brothers quickly came to the reception hall in the back hall. Chen Zisheng came to Chen Bangyan and introduced: "Brother, this is Mr. Iwano from Longshan, Shunde. He teaches at Jinyan Gang.
Scholars from near and far came here after hearing the news, and there were hundreds of students every year, making it quite popular."
Chen Bangyan cupped his hands and said, "Qiao Sheng (Chen Zi Sheng) is making ridiculous compliments, but he is just making a living. I have heard about Mr. Qiu Tao's name for a long time, but it is a pity that he is an official in Beijing and cannot meet each other. Today's fate is really a blessing. Mei Zhou (Li Sui Qiu)
, Zhanruo (Kuang Lu) is fine."
Li Suiqiu, Kuang Lu and Chen Bangyan had also known each other for a long time. After some pleasantries, the guests of honor took their seats one by one.
Chen Zizhuang knew clearly that not a word of what was discussed today could reach the ears of the thieves, otherwise it would be a disaster for the family. So he retreated and drove all the girls and servants into the front yard.
Chen Zizhuang looked around, calmed down, and said: "Everyone who came here today is definitely not for romance. The current situation is corrupt and out of control. How can we restore the Ming Dynasty and drive out the giant bandits? Although I have been to the Emperor's Hall.
, but now he is a farmer, without three heads or six arms. There are all close friends in the house today. If you have any opinions, please feel free to speak freely."