The two discussed for a while on the boat. Qiu Yizhi then remembered that his "uncle" Zhou Cijing had been sitting in the central hall of the prime minister's residence for a long time, so he said to Yang Yuanzhi: "To avoid being seen, I came here pretending to be the nephew of Guangyang rich businessman Zhou Cijing, and I came to Beijing to pay an official salary. He took care of me a lot along the way, and now I have left him aside for some time. Please keep an eye on me, old prime minister."
Yang Yuanzhi had been in the officialdom for decades, so he was naturally very clear about the connections involved: "The imperial examination is the right way, but there are also many talented people who are not good at the imperial examination. It is not a bad idea to leave a way out by donating money. Since Zhou Cijing is willing to contribute to the country, I might as well meet him and do him a favor."
So Qiu Yizi picked up the oar and slowly rowed towards the shore.
The boat was still a dozen steps away from the edge of the pond. It seemed to be impacted by an underwater undercurrent and could no longer move forward, but just slowly turned in place.
At this moment, a boy about eight or nine years old was seen running down from the rockery beside the pond, shouting in a childish voice: "Grandpa! Why didn't you call me when you went to row the boat?"
Seeing this, Yang Yuanzhi, who was sitting peacefully on the boat, actually tried to stand up and shouted to the boy, "Run slower, be careful not to fall!"
The boy didn't seem to care at all and shouted back, "Grandpa, row the boat over here. I want to play too!"
Yang Yuanzhi just kept shouting: "Run slower, be careful not to fall! Run slower, be careful not to fall!"
Qiu Yizi listened to the loud conversation between the grandfather and grandson, one with an old voice and the other with a young voice, just like a melodious old huqin and a crisp and pleasant jade pipa singing in harmony with each other. He thought: The joy of having children and grandchildren around one's knees is not inferior to the power of a prime minister who commands all officials!
Qiu Yizhi finally rowed the boat to the shore. Yang Yuanzhi couldn't wait for others to help him, so he trembled and stepped onto the shore with a cane, looking at his grandson with a very serious expression: "What did grandpa teach you? Have you forgotten?"
"A gentleman thinks of dangers and takes precautions. I know what is in the Book of Changes."
"Then why don't you listen to grandpa and run around everywhere. Look at the rugged path in the rockery, which is full of stones and branches. What if you trip and fall and get a bloody head? Your body and hair are given by your parents..." Yang Yuanzhi started to complain non-stop.
The boy seemed to know that his grandfather would never stop quoting from classics, so he interrupted and said, "My grandson has calculated it today. Today is the Xun hexagram, which means small prosperity. It will be good for you to go somewhere and meet adults. It's okay." He pointed at Qiu Yizi and asked, "I have never seen this brother before. Where did he come from?"
Before Qiu Yizhi could say anything, Yang Yuanzhi said, "The sixty-four hexagrams in the Book of Changes are the art of the universe. How many people in ancient and modern times can understand it? There are countless people who think they know the secrets of heaven and take risks, only to end up ruined. At your young age, what do you know? I'll tell your father and let him punish you."
The child seemed to be very afraid of his father. After hearing what his grandfather said, he stuck out his tongue and never dared to talk back again.
Yang Yuanzhi loved this little grandson very much in her heart, and said: "Also, the distinguished guest is here, but you are so unrestrained, this is called rude. Come on, call me 'Uncle'?"
The boy was a chubby boy, very pleasing to the eye, especially his big almond eyes, which shone with a clear and smart light. When Qiu Yizhi saw him, she seemed to see herself a few years ago, and said with a smile: "The old prime minister and my adoptive father have a teacher-student relationship, and I dare not overstep my bounds. Just now, the young master called me brother, and I am ashamed to accept it."
Yang Yuanzhi smiled and said, "This is my grandson, Yang Jin. His father, Shang Zhang, passed the imperial examination and was awarded the third place in the imperial examination two years ago. He should have stayed in the Imperial Academy. I felt that although he would be promoted faster if he stayed in a central position, it would not be conducive to self-cultivation, so I sent him to Lingnan to serve as an official. Well, I left this grandson to study by my side, but I spoiled him a little too much, making him so arrogant..."
When Yang Jin heard that his grandfather was about to give another long speech, he quickly interrupted, "Old Zhang, the gatekeeper, said that your brother came from Youyan, so he must have seen the Turks. Tell me about it in detail someday!" After that, he jumped away.
Yang Yuanzhi frowned and said, "Old Zhang has been in my house for more than 20 years. How come he is so tight-lipped?"
"When I set out, my adoptive father repeatedly told me to keep one secret, fearing that the news would leak out. Why don't I stay here for one night, and visit the eldest son of the emperor, Zheng Chang, with Prime Minister Yang the next morning to complete this task as soon as possible." Qiu Yizi said, "Zhao Chengxiao, whom I brought with me this time, is a bandit who was recently recruited. He has no connection with the court and is very reliable. Why don't we let him sleep next to the doorman, Lao Zhang? Even if we have to "judge others by our own standards", we can monitor his every move to avoid unnecessary trouble."
"Good! This is a perfect plan. The young master lives up to his reputation and is indeed a meticulous person. But it is inconvenient for Zhou Cijing to live here, and I am afraid that he will go out and show off and reveal his true colors."
Qiu Yizi was full of confidence and said with a smile: "This time Mr. Zhou will need the old prime minister to control him!"
As they were talking, the two of them slowly walked to the central hall.
Zhou Cijing had been sitting alone in the hall for a long time. His bowl of tea had been refilled countless times and had lost its color.
On ordinary days, this wealthy man would have left in anger after being treated so coldly. However, this is the residence of the three-dynasty prime minister, where many ministers are waiting for advice, many frontier officials are respectful, and many Hanlin scholars are visiting their teachers. Zhou Cijing, a businessman, can drink a cup of tea here. Even if he gets nothing from this trip to Beijing, it is enough for him to brag about it in front of other merchants after returning to Guangyang.
When Zhou Cijing saw Yang Yuanzhi coming in, he stood up in a hurry and bowed down. His movements were so violent that a lot of hot water in the tea bowl in his hand was spilled.
Yang Yuanzhi accepted the greeting calmly, and without waiting for Zhou Cijing to speak, he slowly said: "Although merchants are the lowest of the four classes, they are also the people of the Han Dynasty. It is said that the rise and fall of the country is the responsibility of every man. I think people who are good at financial management are also indispensable in the world. It is not a bad thing that Mr. Zhou wants to serve the country."
Zhou Cijing lay on the ground, trembling, and said, "Old Prime Minister, you are too kind, old Prime Minister, you are too kind."
Yang Yuanzhi added, "The current Minister of Personnel Liang Xunde is my disciple. I will write a letter right away and present it to Mr. Zhou. I'm sure he will give me some care." Yang Yuanzhi's family tradition of poetry and literature passed down from generation to generation, so there were naturally pens, ink, paper and inkstone in the hall. After a while, he had scribbled a letter without any additions and handed it to Zhou Cijing with one hand.
Zhou Cijing then stood up and took the ink-stained note with both hands as if he were holding a priceless treasure. He glanced at it and then carefully hid it in his sleeve. He then took out a carefully framed post and said carefully, "This is a small gift from Xiaoke. It's not much of a token of respect, but please accept it, old Prime Minister."
Yang Yuanzhi didn't even extend her hand. She knew from the corner of her eye that this note was a gift list, so she said, "Why is Mr. Zhou doing this? Please take the original items back."
Seeing this, Zhou Cijing apologized with a smile, "I had originally intended to give these gifts to Liu Langzhong of the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department. Naturally, they will not be favored by the old prime minister. I will go back and prepare other gifts, and then visit the old prime minister to show my gratitude..." The more he spoke, the uglier Yang Yuanzhi's face looked, and he became speechless.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Qiu Yizhi stepped forward to smooth things over, saying, "Old Prime Minister Yang is known to be honest and incorruptible, how could your uncle forget about it? You'd better take the gift back as it is. If the old prime minister gets upset, he might even take back the note from you!" Qiu Yizhi heard Zhou Cijing nodding repeatedly, and said with a smile, "Besides, Minister Liang is the old prime minister's student, so he is naturally very upright. Your uncle doesn't need to bring gifts when he goes to see Minister Liang. The old prime minister's words are worth a fortune."
Yang Yuanzhi was already smiling when he heard Qiu Yizhi's rather clever flattery, and said, "Sir, your words really appeal to me. Would you please stay at my house and have dinner with me?"
Zhou Cijing was a man who was accustomed to watching other people's expressions in the business world. When he heard Yang Yuanzhi only mentioned Qiu Yi when she wanted to keep him as a guest, he had already understood the implication and left after finding a topic to talk about.
Seeing that Zhou Cijing seemed unhappy, Qiu Yizi escorted him out of the prime minister's residence, and kept comforting him on the way, saying that Prime Minister Yang never ransacked the government office for others, and today he had already given him a great honor; and because of this, the prime minister's handwritten letter was even more rare, and everyone in the court would buy some face. Zhou Cijing got this good fortune, so the idle job of Yuanwailang was certain, and maybe he could even be assigned to a real job. Then he could go to Youyan Road to be a county magistrate, which could be considered a glorious return home.
Qiu Yizi was eloquent and painted a bright future for Zhou Cijing. She also swept away the gloom on the face of this "uncle" and sent him to the gate of the prime minister's residence. Then she said, "Old Prime Minister Yang wants to keep my nephew here for dinner, or to ask about the recent situation of my adoptive father, Prince Youyan. It is really difficult to refuse. Tomorrow, my uncle will go to visit Minister Liang of the Ministry of Personnel on his own. With the old prime minister's handwriting, it should be no problem. As for my nephew's donation of an official position, the old prime minister has other arrangements. After all, my nephew is also the adopted son of the prince. With such a status, please don't compare yourself with me. I apologize in advance." His tone was very sincere, and Zhou Cijing nodded continuously.
Seeing that he was sincerely convinced, Qiu Yizhi solemnly instructed, "I have been reminding you all along the way that this matter concerns the reputation of the Youyan Palace. Please restrain your servants after returning to the guild hall and do not talk nonsense. If you damage the face of the prince and he is furious, I am afraid that I will not be able to save myself."
Zhou Cijing knew the power of these words, so he quickly agreed. After saying a few more words, he jumped into He Jiugong's car, which had been waiting for a long time, and drove out of the alley in many twists and turns.
When Qiu Yizi returned to the main hall of the prime minister's residence, the servants had already set a table with food.
Qiu Yizi counted them and found that they were just stir-fried cabbage, tofu soup, stewed eggs and a small steamed crucian carp. They were no different from what a poor boy like himself used to eat in his daily life.
Yang Jin was unhappy when she saw this. She pouted and complained, "Grandpa is partial. If it weren't for my brother's funeral, I wouldn't be able to have two meat dishes in one meal."
After hearing this, Qiu Yizhi was even more impressed. He bowed deeply to Yang Yuanzhi and said, "The old prime minister is so honest and upright. He is truly a role model for us!"
Yang Yuanzhi waved his hand and said, "The ancients said, 'If you are rich, you should help the world; if you are poor, you should improve yourself.' I used to be a prime minister, but I could not select talents for the country. Instead, I could only work on these trivial matters. I really feel ashamed of the trust of the late emperor!" After saying that, he invited Qiu Yizi to sit down and have dinner.
Yang Yuanzhi was a master of Confucianism, and he insisted on "not talking while sleeping or eating", so the meal was very dull. (To be continued)