Chapter 146: Prime Minister Wang Invites Out the Crazy Taoist
The people who were released came back in disgrace one by one, shaking their heads and waving their hands, saying that they could not find such a worldly master. After Wang Shugui scolded all the people who were doing the work, he was still helpless, calmed down and thought about it, like Van Gogh.
People either live in seclusion in ancient temples in the mountains or hide in the vast sea of people. These people are all divine dragons that can be seen but not tailed. They can be encountered but cannot be sought. Where can they find them in such a big way?
Prime Minister Wang was anxious and worried about this matter, so he didn't think about eating and drinking day and night, and he couldn't sleep well at night. Not to mention the group of pretty little girls in the courtyard, he completely lost interest. Under such circumstances, Prime Minister Wang still couldn't sleep.
Returning to his wife, the old lady saw that he was sighing and frowning all day long. She was very concerned and asked:
"What's on your mind, sir? Why don't you tell me and let my wife listen?"
Prime Minister Wang said disdainfully: "You are a womanly person, telling you is like playing the harp to a cow, so it's better not to tell."
The old lady said: "There is always something wrong with farts, what's wrong with women? I might even come up with a clever trick for you! Looking at your frown, won't others feel annoyed?"
Wang Shugui turned around and looked at his old wife, who had lived with him for more than half his life. He couldn't bear that his wife was born into a family of officials. Back then, she was considered a gorgeous young lady! After marrying him, she was gentle and virtuous, and followed him in everything.
Baishun, I have never blushed with him once. The husband and wife have been friends for hundreds of years. After thinking about this, he poured out the difficult things in his heart.
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Wei burst out laughing after hearing this
Prime Minister Wang was puzzled and asked his wife why she was laughing.
The lady said: "Sir, you are also a very human minister. As the head of a hundred officials, you are in charge of the major affairs of the court. You can be regarded as a powerful person among people. Why can't you do anything because of such a trivial matter?"
Wang Shugui immediately beamed with joy and said, "Is it true that Madam has a well-thought-out plan?"
"I'm a woman, what do you think?" Madam put on airs instead.
Wang Shugui condescended to the virtuous man and hurriedly bowed and said: "Madam, you and I are one, why do you need to take advantage of me? Don't you know that I am already in trouble here?"
The lady calmly said: "Husband, that Guo Banxian who did Feng Shui for us back then, I think he is a good master."
Wang Shugui suddenly realized, clapped his hands and stamped his feet and said: "It's all my fault that I was confused for a moment. How could I forget about this old man? I just don't know if this person is still alive?"
"How could he not be alive? He was only around fifty at that time, and ten years later he will be sixty. He will not be alive anymore," the lady said calmly.
"This man travels all over the world, acting crazy and stupid all day long. I don't know where to find him?" Prime Minister Wang wondered.
"Looking for his house?" the lady reminded.
"How can such a person have a family? Monks have no family!" Wang Shugui sighed.
"Aren't Wen Shichang friends with him?" said the lady
"It's just an ordinary friend, but you can try it with Lao Wen." Prime Minister Wang wanted to try his luck.
The servant invited Wen Shichang. Wang Shugui said that he wanted to find Guo Banxian. Wen Shichang shook his head and said:
"En Xiang, I'm afraid I haven't seen this person for five or six years, and I don't know where he ended up."
"Does he have a family?" Wang Shugui asked reluctantly.
"How can he have a family? But I heard that he is familiar with Feng Jingang, and they seem to be somewhat related to each other," Wen Shichang said.
"If you don't open the pot and lift the pot, Lao Feng is already dead. What's the point of lifting him?" Wang Shugui said angrily.
Wen Shichang explained: "Old Feng is dead, but there are people in his family!"
Wang Shugui couldn't help but sigh: "After Lao Feng died, his family asked for a pension of 10,000 taels of silver, but I didn't agree. His death at the hands of the young eunuch was not a death for the king, and it was not counted as sacrificing his life for the country.
Naturally, Ting won't pay for it, so he still wants me to pay for it?"
Wen Shichang lowered his head and thought for a while, then said: "En Xiang, I have a plan to get the best of both worlds."
Wang Shugui scolded: "Say, you still have to show off in front of me."
"Invite people from the Prime Minister's Mansion to go to Feng Jingang's house and find out clearly who killed Lao Feng. Pan You'an, the harem eunuch, wants to avenge Lao Feng. He will definitely invite the expert Guo Banxian to ask them if they know about Guo Banxian.
His whereabouts? By the way, I brought a thousand taels of silver to his family to help his family live without rice."
"Where do you want me to find a thousand taels of silver? You know that the Cuihua case caused trouble for me. The young eunuch threatened to take revenge, and the stepmother beat her son secretly and hard, almost without ruining the family. Where can I have so much money now?
One hundred taels!"
"I can't get away with one hundred taels. After all, he was also a general in charge of the army. Although he died in an unknown manner, you and I know that it was not for official business, at least five hundred taels," Wen Shichang argued forcefully.
"In this case, Lao Wen," Wang Shugui thought for a moment and said, "Normally, Lao Feng's death was also related to your improper command, and you can't escape it. I will offer you two hundred taels, and you can chip in another hundred taels and send Lao Feng away.
How is your family doing?"
Wen Shichang complained bitterly: "To be honest with you, I don't have that much. A large family needs to eat and drink. I haven't been promoted to the fourth-grade official position in ten years. The imperial rations are always so few.
The population is constantly increasing, where do you think I can get money?"
"Forget it, forget it," Wang Shugui waved his hand and said, "I still have two hundred taels, you take fifty taels and make up the number of two hundred and five, should this be done?"
Wen Shichang sighed and said: "Two hundred and five is unlucky, I'll pay forty-eight taels! Just go back and open your mouth like this. I don't know how your sister-in-law scolded me? It's strange that I haven't had enough food for three days!"
Wang Shugui said impatiently: "Go, wait until I have money later, and I will make up for it for you. Do you think I can lend it to you?"
Because the matter was urgent, Wang Shugui and Wen Shichang hurriedly brought the money to speak. Feng Jingang's family heard that they wanted to avenge Lao Feng, so they didn't care whether the money was more or less. Two hundred and forty-eight was two hundred and forty-eight. One day
Two is better than none, so he accepted the money and then truthfully told the whereabouts of Guo Banxian: Kongtong Mountain became a monk and became a Taoist.
Guo Banxian and Feng Jingang are cousins. When Feng Jingang went out to kill the young eunuch, Lao Feng once approached Guo Banxian. Guo Banxian pointed his fingers and said:
"Cousin, this is not appropriate. That little eunuch is in full swing and is protected by four gods of wealth from east to west, north and south. I'm afraid you are no match for him."
Feng Jingang was eager to achieve great results and said disapprovingly: "Brother, with the Prime Minister as my backing, what can a lottery man do to me?"
"Although I am a lottery person, I am afraid that I am a fake cousin. I heard my brother's words that my own life is at stake, so I still resigned from this job!"
Feng Jingang laughed at his cousin Guo Banxian's nonsense and refused to listen, and he lost his life as a result.
Kongtong Mountain is far away from Pingliang, Gansu Province, and the journey there and back is at least five thousand miles.
Guo Banxian practiced Taoism in the mountains and occasionally walked around. On this day, he was meditating in a cave when he suddenly heard a child coming to report:
"Three donors came down the mountain. The leader is called Shao Wanqiang. He said he was an envoy sent by the Prime Minister Wang. He wanted to talk to Master. Do you want to see me or not? If not, I will send them away."
Guo Banxian lowered his head and pondered for a moment, knowing that this was a calamity in his previous life, and he couldn't help it if he didn't leave the mountain this time, so he said:
"Tong'er, please invite the three of them into the cave. I want to talk to them."
Guo Banxian's original name was Guo Daocheng. He went to become a monk at Baiyun Temple in Kongtong Mountain to study Taoism since he was a child. His master thought that he had extraordinary appearance and profound Taoism. He was a rare good student in Taoism, so he paid special attention to him and taught him the five arts and metaphysics*
*, and Lao Tzu's "Tao De Zhen", etc. When the master was about to ascend to heaven and on his deathbed, he secretly told him again and again that important ministers in a dynasty with the surname of a king must not be enemies with him, otherwise there will be endless troubles and his reputation will be ruined for the rest of his life.
Guo Daocheng has never been able to figure out which person with the surname Wang is said to be the king. Although the surnames coincide, they seem to be different. The master did not give the specific name. It is said that there are at least a dozen ministers surnamed Wang in the court.
, which one is it? Since he is an important minister, he must be a very important minister. In addition to Prime Minister Wang, the most important ministers in the court today. Secondly, even if Pan You'an is safe, but Pan's surname is Pan and not Wang, it must have nothing to do with it. From this point of view, Daoxing
No matter how advanced a person is, he can only know one thing but not the other. Pan You'an's origins cannot be detected by an expert.
Guo Banxian is also called the Crazy Taoist. In fact, he is neither crazy nor stupid. Pretending to be crazy or stupid is one of his methods. At critical moments, when there are things that are inconvenient to say clearly or do not want to say at all or cannot be said, he will pretend to be crazy or stupid.
Guo Banxian does not pretend to be stupid at ordinary times, but only pretends to be stupid when it is time to do something. At this time, it is even more obvious that his Taoism is so profound that everyone in the world thinks he has truly become a god.
Soon after he arrived at the Prime Minister's Mansion, Wang Shugui opened the door and went out to greet him personally. He took a seat in the study. A boy brought him tea. Wang Shugui took a closer look at the body of this half-immortal. He was already in his sixties, but
His face is still fresh and refreshing, his lips are red and his teeth are white, his hair is as dyed as ink, his eyes are bright, he is wearing a Taoist robe, a Taoist crown on his head, his steps are vigorous, and his body is straight. Because we are old friends, after a little politeness, we speak frankly and tell the truth.
His own personal affairs, he said:
"... Master Guo, think about it, a fake eunuch is causing trouble in the inner palace. How can I, as the leader of all ministers, ever have peace?"
After hearing this, Guo Daocheng thought to himself, as expected, if the person he predicted that Prime Minister Wang was plotting was exactly what he had predicted in the Baiyun Temple in Kongtong Mountain, he counted the numbers and said:
"Prime Minister, don't worry. When I attack him with my bewitching skills, within three days, that fake eunuch will definitely be killed."