The courtyard in Beibingsi Hutong is gradually showing its old appearance. The tree hole under the courtyard wall has been dug very deep, but the crabapple tree has not yet been transported.
It is not easy to find a crabapple tree that is exactly the same as before, even for the Qing officials and officials with power.
Zhou Tong knew this very well, and he didn't feel any dissatisfaction with his subordinates, especially after hearing the successive reports.
"Wei Shilang didn't go back. I heard that there was a big commotion in the mansion last night."
"Before Master Huang of Qin Tianjian went out, he found that all the carriages at home had been borrowed. They lent them to relatives of the wife's family, saying that they wanted to go back to Wuzhou."
"Tianhai Shengxue had already boarded the car, but was stopped by the family's priests. It is said that there was a fierce conflict between the two sides. In the end, Chengwu Xiangguo came forward in person to calm the situation."
"There is no sound in the Xiangwang's mansion, but Chenliu Junwang has not appeared today. According to analysis, he should be imprisoned by the prince in the hall behind the mansion."
The day before yesterday, knowing that Chen Changsheng had come forward to help Xue Xingchuan, Zhou Tong's expression had never been good, especially after hearing that Xue's residence was planning to hold a sacrifice.
Although he has always been very calm, his subordinates and many people in the palace can tell that he is in a bad mood.
It wasn't until he heard the news that his complexion gradually improved, and the indifference in his eyes gradually loosened.
It was expected that no one dared to go to Xue's mansion to pay homage.
The Xue Mansion set up a sacrifice, which provided an emotional outlet for many people in the capital, and also dug a hole.
It is said that it is worshiping Xue Xingchuan, but in fact it is better to say it is worshiping the Holy Empress.
Today the court is staring at the Xue residence, who dares to show up there
"Chen Changsheng?" Zhou Tong asked suddenly.
A subordinate said: "The Orthodox Academy has never been visited."
"I didn't expect that our little dean Chen would be so calm and have such a good sense of proportion."
Zhou Tong walked out of the courtyard with his hands behind his hands, and said, "But it's inevitable that people will sigh the cruelty of the world, and that's right, except for me, who can have any real affection for him?"
The subordinates were very surprised when they heard the words, and did not understand why the lord made such a statement.
Zhou Tong stopped, looked at everyone and said seriously: "The whole world knows that he is my only friend, don't you all know?"
Seeing the smile on the face of the adults, the subordinates felt cold all over, and they didn't know how to answer.
…
…
By the lakeside of the Orthodox Academy, Mao Qiuyu looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "Now it seems that my worries are really unnecessary. You are much more mature than your peers."
"So you came here early in the morning and kept looking at me." Chen Changsheng looked at the lake and said, "But I don't really understand what you mean."
Mao Qiuyu said: "What you did the day before yesterday is enough, if you do it again, you may pass."
Chen Changsheng thought for a while, and said, "How to grasp this measure? Who will define it?"
He already knew that when the Xue Mansion held a sacrifice today, except for Taoist Si Yuan and the King of Ling Hai, no guests came.
"Both grasp and regulation come from a unique will."
Mao Qiuyu looked at him and said: "When His Majesty the Pope was alive, the state religion had only one will, so it could have only one voice, but what happened after His Majesty returned to Xinghai? When you succeeded the Pope, you were not yet twenty years old. Your will It is difficult to override the state religion, it can only be a symbiotic relationship.”
This sentence sounds a little vague, but it is actually very clear that whether the state religion can be passed on smoothly depends on the successor's own ability and means in addition to the will of His Majesty the Pope.
Maturity, stability, sense of proportion, patience, and sense of responsibility are all concrete manifestations of ability and means.
Mao Qiuyu continued: "His Majesty is not in good health."
Chen Changsheng said: "In a few days, I will go to Li Palace to see him."
Mao Qiuyu said again: "I think His Majesty the Pope will be very pleased."
Chen Changsheng was silent for a while, and said, "I'm not sure if Master Uncle will be happy when he sees me."
Mao Qiuyu said: "You are gradually learning the relationship between responsibility and silence, which itself represents growth."
Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, "Actually, you are wrong. I didn't go to Xue's mansion today. It wasn't because I was mature that I chose silence, and it wasn't that I saw proportion because of a sense of responsibility. As you know, Xue Xingchuan and I are really not familiar with each other."
Yes, different from what Zhou Tong thought, and what Mao Qiuyu was pleased with, Chen Changsheng didn't go to Xue's residence, and it had nothing to do with words like forbearance and propriety. He just felt that he was not familiar with Xue Xingchuan, so it seemed that there was no need to go, and he didn't know what he should say when Mrs. Xue or those people were crying.
"I'm not good at comforting people." He said to Mao Qiuyu.
At this moment, Su Moyu suddenly walked over.
Mao Qiuyu asked, "What happened?"
Su Moyu saluted, and then said to Chen Changsheng: "Zhou Tong took people to Xue's residence."
Chen Changsheng glanced at Tianguang, and said, "What time is Xue Fu's moving spirit?"
Mao Qiuyu looked solemn, and said: "If you change your mind because of other people's actions, it is not in line with your way."
This is both persuasion and warning.
Chen Changsheng said: "Minds will always change. To admit these changes is the true obedience."
Mao Qiuyu asked, "Why did it change?"
Chen Changsheng said: "I don't know Xue Xingchuan well, so I won't go to Xue's residence, but I know Zhou Tong very well, so it's time to go."
…
…
Xue's mansion was deserted, so Bai Fan looked even more lonely in the autumn wind, and felt pity for him.
Being deserted does not mean that there is really no one there. On the streets and alleys, there are many pairs of eyes staring at the front of Xue's mansion from a distance.
Some are idlers in Kyoto who are good and not afraid of trouble, and more of them represent the major forces in Kyoto.
From early morning until now, there were no guests in front of Xue's residence, not even sparrows.
Suddenly there was the sound of hooves in front of the street, and there was the sound of strong wind blowing clothes.
Dozens of officials and experts from the Qing Dynasty and even more Tiqi escorted Zhou Tong to the outside of Xue's mansion.
In a very short time, there was a dense crowd of people in front of Xue's house, but there was still no sound, it was very silent.
The street was so quiet that one could even faintly hear the crackling sound of burning paper thread behind the door.
Zhou Tong took a white cloth from his subordinate, tied it around his waist, and walked towards Xue's residence.
The steward of Xue's mansion looked at this scene and wanted to stop him, but he didn't have any courage, his legs were already weak.
A beautiful woman in sackcloth and filial piety stopped in front of Zhou Tong and shouted angrily, "You still have the face?"
Zhou Tong looked at her and said, "Madam Wei is back?"
He looked at the deserted mansion, shook his head, and said with emotion: "Why is this, I'll burn incense for Brother Xue, so that he won't be too lonely in the sea of stars."
The woman turned pale and cried, "Father would not like to see you, an ungrateful villain!"
"The friendship between me and General Xue is something you women can't understand."
After saying this, Zhou Tong walked into Xue's mansion with a calm expression, just like coming home.
During the whole process, he didn't even look at Mrs. Wei.
The officials of the Cleaning Department pushed Mrs. Wei aside and refused to let her come.
Seeing the enemy break into her house, thinking that her father's spirit in heaven must not be at peace, Mrs. Wei was filled with grief and indignation, but she was powerless to stop her, and she began to curse.
Hearing the endless swearing, Zhou Tong frowned slightly, a little displeased, and said, "Your father was a hero, how did you raise such a shrew?"
A subordinate took out the cloth ball and stuffed it into Mrs. Wei's mouth.