Centennial body

On the fifteenth day of the first month of the fourth year of Jiaqing, Beijing.

It's the New Year's Eve, but the usually bustling Qianmen Street is in a slump. There are no Mongolian Eight Banners walking around with birdcages, nor beautiful men and women performing juggling on the street. Only the overwhelming white flags flutter in the wind.

The year before, the Yellow River broke through Qujiazhuang in Fengbei, and many refugees from Shandong poured in. Now there are a few who are better off and still have spare money to spend a big bowl of hot tea in the teahouse and ask the shopkeeper about things.

"Well, if it wasn't for the national funeral, I don't know how lively the capital is at this time." The shopkeeper is also a bastard, and he can say such rebellious words, "But ah, although there is no Shangyuan Lantern Festival, there is no such thing in Beijing. Lack of fun to watch."

"Oh? What excitement?"

At this time, another customer in a mandarin jacket from the teahouse also came over, and whispered with a playful smile: "It's not our Lord He Zhongtang and his lord, who managed the national funeral well, and went to jail."

When the shopkeeper saw him, he flattered him immediately: "I've heard the news before, and I don't know if it's true or not, but today I heard what the master said, it's [-]% sure."

That man is a leisurely Jueluo, the title has been passed down to his generation, and only the third-class General Fengen is left, but no matter how poor he is, he is still a red belt, and he knows much more than these countrymen like them.

"No way?" The Shandong refugee showed surprise on his face, "He Zhongtang is always like the sun, why..."

The red belt looked contemptuous of the country people who have never seen the world, "How long ago is the old Huangli, do you understand that the emperor and the courtiers understand it? Well, besides, I have committed a taboo, everyone, remember not to talk about state affairs. "

They chatted so much that they didn't know that the sky prison where felons were detained just a few miles away from them was a different situation.Although the status of the detainee is special, the cell is clean and spacious, and there are even desks, chairs, pens and ink, but the prison is still a prison, with four high walls in the prison, and it is difficult to see the sun. musty stale air.

The "lively" person just now was sitting at the table, staring in a daze at a bean candle. In front of him were several thick stacks of fresh papers, which were full of petitions and begging for mercy.However, he knew better than anyone else that he would definitely die this time.

But he's done once and for all, his children are still alive, if he doesn't beg for them, wouldn't Yong Yan be even more unwilling to let it go?

"He Shen." The jailer who delivered the food threw the food box on the table casually, and gave him a blank look by the way.

He Shen took the food box with a wry smile, and found that there was actually a jug of shochu inside. If it weren't for the auspicious day of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, when it was not appropriate to deal with the prisoners, he would have thought it was a beheaded meal.

Usually, even if these little people burn incense and pray, they can't touch the hem of his clothes, and even if they are lucky enough to see him, they would bow their heads and kneel before him. Unexpectedly, this time is different from the past, so the ants in his eyes can still shout at him.

It's just that I don't know if those nobles felt the same way when I was successful.

I don't know whether it's because of his pity, or because of his remaining prestige, the prison still prepares charcoal fire for him, but he has no choice but to wear the guilt, naturally there is no high-quality silver silk charcoal, and the inferior coarse charcoal smoked the whole cell.

He Shen couldn't help coughing, and his face, which was not confused but well-maintained, was flushed, looking quite embarrassed.

"How dare you treat us and Zhongtang so harshly, are you tired of work?"

The voice of the visitor was clear and domineering, just like the person.

He Shen looked up - Fu Kang'an was dressed in fox fur, holding a wine jar, and stood outside the door looking at him from a distance.

"The King of Jiayong is laughing at you." He Shen sat up straight, watching Fu Kang'an push the door open and enter.

Fukang'an pulled away the chair opposite him, sat down after lifting the hem of his clothes, and poured wine on his own, "You don't have a few days to live, I'm here to see you off for the last time."

He Shen also took his small jug, raised his head to taste it, and couldn't help coughing again, "I didn't expect this inferior shochu to have something interesting."

Fukang'an raised his eyes and glanced at him, "He Zhongtang is indeed a gentleman, his speech is so tortuous and euphemistic, it's just my wine, do you dare to drink it?"

He Shen smiled and said: "You just said that I don't have a few days to live, why do you care about this? Besides, I am not even afraid of you, am I afraid of your wine?"

"Forget it," Fukang'an really brought his wine jug to He Shenman, "You and I haven't had a toast to each other for some years."

He Shen took a sip of the wine, feeling that it was very spicy, but after a while, it was refreshing. He shook his head and sighed, "Have you and I ever toasted to each other? Even if we toasted to drink together, the number of times is very small."

Fu Kang'an thought about it for a while, and shook his head, "That's right, it seems that the last time I toasted you was at Bi Yuan's mansion?"

He Shen frowned and thought for a while, "No, it was at the Xizhai Mansion, his 59th birthday, yes, the [-]th year of Qianlong."

Fukang'an nodded, "Speaking of Xizhai, he often talks about you. I haven't been home recently, is everything okay in Chang'an?"

He Shen put down his wine glass, "Being implicated by me, he is also in danger... But the emaciated camel of Fucha's family is bigger than a horse, so his life is definitely safe. I guess because of Yong Yan's temperament, Chang'an escaped." Layers of skin are inevitable."

Fukang'an played with the wine glass in his hand, "He chose the road himself. If he insists on following you all the way to the dark, he can't blame others. Just ask him not to implicate his family and clan."

It was almost midnight at this time, and there was only a small window on the top of the cell, and the moonlight poured down like water, sprinkled on He Shen's haggard face, pale as a ghost.

"Why did you come this far?" Fukang'an said slowly, "The sun will be dizzy at midday, and the moon will be full of eclipses. You don't understand this truth, why don't you know when enough is enough?"

He Shen smiled self-deprecatingly, "Fukang'an, you and I have known each other for more than thirty years, right? But how much do you know about me? I want to stop, I want to turn back, I can take it, but I can go back Got a head?"

"Why not?" Fukang'an looked at him sarcastically, "One billion silver and Zhongtang, it can catch up with my 15-year tax silver in the Qing Dynasty! You said that the Holy Spirit is short of money, if you don't take the knife, who will take the knife?"

"I admit that I am insatiably greedy, but could it be that I am the only one who was greedy for this money? I was the only one who used it?" He Shen retorted, "If it weren't for me, it is still unknown how many taels of silver there are in the treasury. No If you leave me, what will Lord Qianlong give you as a reward?"

He gradually faded away the smirk that had been on his face before, revealing his indifferent and gloomy true face, "Master Fucha came from such a background, and was raised by the late emperor himself in the palace, but what he learned in Potian Fugui is to value righteousness and despise profit. You only know the disadvantages of silver, how do you know the benefits of silver?"

"Do you know why I always have trouble with you?"