Chapter 178: The Art Is Not to Be Passed on to Outsiders

The city of Yangzhou has been really lively these days. First, Magistrate Lin, who had been ill for a long time, finally recovered. Soon after, the family of Huang Wendong, a wealthy man in the city, was involved in several cases. Not only did people die, but even their property was confiscated by the government officials. .

Those two major events before and after will inevitably be put together to make connections. All kinds of rumors and news spread lively in the city for a while, causing a lot of discussion.

Jiang Yuanbai and others were not immune to this. They knew about Chen Heng's relationship with Lin Mansion and curiously inquired about it once. This matter involves an acquaintance of an elder. Not to mention that Chen Heng didn't know about it. Even if he knew about it, he wouldn't dare to talk about it behind his back without his uncle's permission.

Seeing that his friend really didn't know anything, Jiang Yuanbai didn't care and took the initiative to tell the other party the news he heard. There are many opinions, but the content that comes and goes is that Huang Wendong deserves his punishment.

In addition to selling salt, their family also ran a profit-making business that destroyed families, and they also engaged in the business of buying and selling people in private. As for hiding weapons, there is no need to say more. However, Yangzhou people generally believe that the latter crime was deliberately framed.

The people's speculations were strange. They felt that the Huang family was not that stupid. They knew that hiding crossbow arrows would lead to death, but they would do such a thing. But if you ask these people to explain the former, they can't explain it clearly.

The three newspapers in the city have become the mouthpieces of the government this time. Publishing Huang Wendong's crime in the newspaper can be regarded as a conclusion to the Huang family's coffin, and it has quelled the rumors in the lower city.

Three days later, I was taking a break at the academy. Chen Heng also received an invitation from Uncle Lin after a long time. Without much hesitation, he packed up a little and rushed to the government office. The two people, who had not seen each other for a long time, looked very good when they met in the study room of the back house.

"Are you worried during this time?"

Lin Ruhai led the child to sit next to him, and as usual started talking about ordinary things.

Seeing that Uncle Lin looked really good, Chen Heng nodded with a smile and said, "Uncle seems to have gained weight."

"Are you fat?" Lin Ruhai pinched his face subconsciously. The color of his clothes was bluish, which made him look fat. In addition, for a few months, I ate and slept in the back house, and slept and ate. You don't have to deal with any official duties, but you don't have to gain a lot of weight. The combination of the two made my uncle's changes particularly noticeable.

"No." Lin Ruhai shook her head and sighed, "I have to get hungry before your aunt comes back."

"Huh?" Chen Heng said a little strangely: "Why is this?"

With the Lin family's body, it would be a good thing if they could gain weight.

Lin Ruhai pursed her lips. When he did this action, he looked particularly like Daiyu. "You're still young and don't understand. You'll know when you get married." Uncle Lin waved his hands, unwilling to talk more about this issue, and took the initiative to pull Chen Heng to the couch, "I'm here now, let's accompany you first. Uncle plays chess."

During this period, when Lin Ruhai had nothing to do, he played chess with himself. She had been holding back her idleness for a long time, and today she caught Chen Heng. Even if the opponent's chess skills were bad, Lin Ruhai had no intention of letting him go.

Two figures, one large and one small, sat facing each other on the couch. Lin Ruhai, who had only made a dozen moves and didn't feel any pressure at all, chatted about family matters in a relaxed tone, "Congratulations on your passing the scholar examination."

"Didn't uncle ask Brother Jue to come to congratulate him?" Chen Heng didn't care. He knew that his uncle was busy with something at that time.

"After all, it's your big deal." Lin Ruhai smiled, took out the gift he had prepared long ago from nowhere, and handed it into Chen Heng's arms, "This book of chess can be considered a congratulatory gift to you."

Why are you sending chess records again? Chen Heng couldn't bear to laugh or cry. Lin Ruhai saw that this stupid kid didn't know what he was doing. After he played the game himself, he chuckled and said, "I can probably imagine Brother Wei's reaction after receiving the chess record."

Where is this? Chen Heng scratched his head. Fortunately, he had to think about the direction of the chessboard and had no time to think about it.

It's just that Lin Ruhai is quite leisurely. When he called Chen Heng today, he had the intention of teaching him a lesson. So he picked up his multi-tasking ability and played chess while breaking down what happened during this period to Chen Heng.

After Lin Ruhai finished explaining the incident, Chen Heng suddenly realized: "So Huang Wendong died at the hands of Li Bian."

Unexpectedly, this was the answer, and Chen Heng was filled with sadness. According to his uncle's story, Huang Wendong treated Li Bian with all his heart and soul. Unexpectedly, in the end, he became the first victim.

Lin Ruhai nodded. He had probably finished explaining the story, and then he began to give Chen Heng a good lesson. Explain the intention of each step step by step.

Finally, Lin Ruhai concluded: "Li Bian knows that I know about Huang Wendong, and Huang Wendong knows that Li Bian knows that I know about him. But they don't know what I will do, whether to deal with Huang Wendong, or whether to deal with Li Bian through Huang Wendong. They don’t know anything and can only guess.”

"The most feared thing about officialdom is relying on listening and guessing." Lin Ruhai changed her sitting position, closed her sleeves again, and then continued to ask Chen Heng, "Heng'er, do you have any questions in your mind?"

Seeing his uncle asking questions like this, Chen Heng put the black piece in his hand back into the chess box and looked thoughtful. After a long time, he said in a deep voice: "Uncle, how can you be sure that the opponent will definitely take action?"

"Oh?" Lin Ruhai raised an eyebrow and asked, "If it were you, when would you choose to take action?"

"As the art of war goes, if you know yourself and your enemy, you can fight a hundred battles without danger." Chen Heng said seriously, "My nephew will not take action unless he is absolutely sure."

"Because it's a great opportunity for him." Lin Ruhai spread his hands, "The border war is going on, and your Majesty needs money. The government's treasury is indeed short of silver, and I'm claiming to be ill."

These are all external factors. Lin Ruhai finally added: "And Li Bian's journey has been very smooth. He passed the imperial examination at the age of sixteen and became a Jinshi at the age of twenty-two. Long before he took office, I asked Brother Wei to be transferred from the capital. Come to his case. Such a person will not miss this opportunity.”

Chen Heng nodded. He understood what his uncle meant and took the initiative to speak for him, "So even if it is a trap disguised as an opportunity, he will feel that it is God's favor again."

After letting Lin Ruhai explain until now, Chen Heng also understood that the person his uncle really wanted to deal with was Feng Zhu, and he couldn't help but asked curiously: "So it was my uncle who pushed Feng Yuan and others to Li Bian's side?"

"What do you think?"

Seeing the questions sent by his elders, Chen Heng thought for a while and then said: "They have spent a lot of money on several disasters in the state capital. On one end is the uncle who continues to ask for money on behalf of His Majesty, and on the other is Li Xuezheng who does not want money. They will choose Li Bian is also inevitable. "

"It's due to the situation. It's not up to anyone. As long as Li Bian promises not to pay, they will definitely come over. It's just a matter of time." Lin Ruhai sighed, then sighed, "Then do you think Li Bian was right or wrong to kill Huang Wendong? ?”

"It's hard to say." Chen Heng shook his head. He didn't care whether his thoughts were right or not. He simply said what he wanted in front of his uncle, "Once Huang Wendong died, Li Bian's reputation would be ruined in the eyes of Feng Zhu and others. He thought that he already had Feng Zhu, and if he lost Huang Wendong, he would lose it. But his mind changed..."

"Uncle only wants money, and Li Bian may kill them. Once this starts, Feng Zhu will never dare to follow Li Bian. But..." Chen Heng took the teacup handed over by Lin Ruhai, "If he If you don't do it, you will be tying your wealth and life to your uncle's thoughts, which is not what a wise person would do."

"Then if it were you, what would you do?" Lin Ruhai looked interested, obviously curious about Chen Heng's reaction.

"Hehehe." Chen Heng didn't know why, so he chuckled to himself, with an embarrassed look on his face, "I will ask Huang Wendong to pack his things and surrender to Jinling or the capital."

Good on you, even Lin Ruhai raised his eyebrows when he heard this. Even he himself didn't expect this move. Lin Ruhai couldn't help but secretly marveled, "You're obviously very smart, but why are you so bad at chess?"

"So, my plan is feasible?" Chen Heng looked at Uncle Lin expectantly. Like a little fox looking forward to praise from the old fox.

Lin Ruhai laughed loudly and said sympathetically, "It's a wonderful move."

The advantage of this plan is to turn passivity into initiative. They were all arrested. Were they arrested in Yangzhou or in Jinling? The ending and impact are completely different. If Li Bian really took this step, Lin Ruhai wouldn't be able to play this game so easily.

After thinking about Chen Heng's evil idea, Lin Ruhai felt more and more that the boy could be taught. He did not punish Chen Heng to copy books like Wang Xianming did, but only warned: "You should not underestimate the people of the world in the future."

"My nephew understands." Chen Heng couldn't help but nodded, "My nephew is not reckless."

"This is how you should plan for people and things." Lin Ruhai also agreed, "Before you calculate the success, consider the failure first. Only then can you advance and retreat freely. Li Bian was too anxious. If he had waited a few days, with his brain, he shouldn't have been unable to figure out how to protect himself. Only by joining Huang Wendong can Feng Zhu truly surrender."

You didn't leave him any time, and you forced him to die one after another. Chen Heng thought this in his mind, thinking carefully about the rhythm of his uncle's moves, and suddenly realized something. The same method, how much time is required, is also so meticulous.

Putting himself in his shoes, Chen Heng asked himself that he couldn't be as compact as Uncle Lin. It only makes the opponent breathless and has no time to calm down and think carefully.

"It's just easy to use your brain." Chen Heng sighed, picked up a piece from the chessboard, and continued to play chess. The sun has shifted slightly, and the sunlight streaming in from the window just shines on the chessboard, making the black and white colors distinct.

"Uncle, since the salt merchants and the Huang family's silver have to be shipped to the capital, what should we do about Qiupu Street?" After all, Chen Heng was thinking about the old, weak, women and children on Qiupu Street.

His family members are all working there, and they are still waiting for the government office to come forward and give an explanation. In two days' time, it will be the day when the government office calculates wages.

"I can make do with it this month, but I won't be able to do anything about it in the future." Lin Ruhai said helplessly, "The government doesn't have much money left. I don't think the salt merchant will be able to recover in a few years. We can't really let it go. They can’t live without fishing.”

Hearing this, Chen Heng was also a little dumbfounded and murmured: "What should we do?"

"But uncle knows who has a way to solve this matter." Lin Ruhai suddenly showed an inexplicable smile.

Chen Heng immediately asked, "Who is it?"

"You." Lin Ruhai pointed at Chen Heng, "Have you forgotten? Didn't I promise you before that when you pass the scholar examination, you can come out and do something. There is always a time to read the Four Books and Five Classics to the end."

Chen Heng suddenly took over the task without looking too embarrassed. After all, leaders have tasks. If they push back and block others, what does that mean? He thought for a moment and then asked, "Can the government office do anything to help my nephew?"

"Absolutely not." Lin Ruhai waved her hands immediately and laughed, "It's not like Li Bian left, maybe he is waiting for an opportunity in the dark. If I stand up for you, I will go to the court to fight for the interests of the people. . The quarrel is too troublesome. So not only can I not help you, but if something happens to you, your uncle will just watch."

Chen Heng raised his eyebrows and said helplessly: "Uncle, I will accept it, please don't try to provoke me."

"Hahahahaha." Lin Ruhai didn't know why he was so happy. Maybe it was because he saw Chen Heng was frustrated. He raised his chess again, but because of his smile, he couldn't do it. "Don't be afraid. Since you are asked to do something, you will always get some benefits."

"What is it?" Chen Heng was immediately surprised. If his uncle said this, he would not be sleepy.

"If you can handle this matter well, your uncle will be relieved and find another teacher for you. Teach you some real ways to save the world." Lin Ruhai was obviously making big promises, otherwise he would not have said it so mysteriously.

Chen Heng was still a little bit unconvinced, "Doesn't what uncle taught count?"

"It's just some techniques that can't be put on the table. Scheming for others and yourself is only a lifetime achievement and a hundred years of career. If you learn the law, you can achieve eternal achievements and establish a career for thousands of years."

Seeing that Lin Ruhai was getting more and more exaggerated, Chen Heng couldn't help laughing and said, "Uncle, do you want me to be a ten thousand enemy?"

He was talking about the story of the King of Western Chu learning the art of war. At that time, the King of Chu was confident that he could lift a tripod and had extraordinary martial arts, and didn't like to bother with other things. His elders advised him that swords could only defeat a hundred people, and you could only be a ten thousand enemy if you learned the art of war.

"Just tell me if you want to learn it." Lin Ruhai also started to act rogue.

"I want to!" Chen Heng nodded immediately.

"Humph." Lin Ruhai smiled and nodded, and then said, "Remember, when you go out to do things this time, you must act openly and honestly, and don't think about crooked ways. Someone will be watching you in the dark."

"Ah?! Who is it?" Chen Heng was really confused this time.

"Just do your job well, don't ask too much." Lin Ruhai picked up the Buqiuren beside him and hit Chen Heng on the head a few times. It was not until the other party cried out in pain that Lin Ruhai took his hand back, which was quite fun.

After playing with the child, Lin Ruhai suddenly cared: "Although we are in the city, we still have to pay attention to safety when doing things."

"Does anyone around you know martial arts?" Perhaps thinking of the crossbows found in the Huang family, Lin Ruhai couldn't help asking these trivial matters.

Chen Heng rolled up his sleeves and bared his teeth fiercely, "I never lost a fight in the village when I was a child. Uncle, does this count as martial arts?"

"Virtue." Lin Ruhai was too lazy to pay attention to Chen Heng's mischief. He pondered for a moment, "I'll ask Lord Xin for you before he goes to Beijing. See if I can find a warrior of similar age for you."

"Uncle Xin is also going to Beijing?" Chen Heng heard another piece of news.

"Yes, he will be promoted to the governor of the capital." This matter will be made public soon, and Lin Ruhai did not intend to hide it from his children.

This is a great thing, Chen Heng was immediately happy for Xin Geng's promotion. Afterwards, Chen Heng was invited to dinner by Lin Ruhai at home. He was also ordered to write a letter to Sister Lin.

Uncle Lin said that he would send his letter to the capital together with his letter, and prepare to invite the hostess of the house back home. This is a matter of course. The only thing Chen Heng couldn't understand was why his uncle insisted that he add a sentence at the end of the letter: Remember to make your mother happy.

Lin Ruhai was unwilling to explain more to the younger generation, and only said that he missed Jia Min. Chen Heng certainly didn't believe it. He vaguely guessed that his uncle was a weak husband.

This kind of thing naturally couldn't be said in person. Chen Heng smiled foolishly in his stomach, wrote the letter happily, and specially marked this matter to Sister Lin before leaving the Lin Mansion.

…………

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Seven days later, Xin Geng went to Beijing to take over as the commander, and he was accompanied by millions of taels of silver raised by the salt merchants. Lin Ruhai came to see him off. The two parties stood at the ferry, and he wanted to express his farewell feelings. Unfortunately, Xin Geng was very taciturn, just nodding and saying "hmm".

As for the difference between civil and military, Lin Ruhai did not expect Xin Geng to say anything new. After a thought, he entrusted Chen Heng's private affairs to Xin Geng.

"If you are proficient in martial arts, I still have a few guards under my account, and they are quite capable." Xin Geng misunderstood Lin Ruhai's meaning and directly began to recommend his own guards.

Lin Ruhai was helpless and had to shake his head continuously. Xin Geng thought about it again, and then he understood the other party's intention to make friends. Some friendships, when they fall on the younger generation, are indeed easy to conceal.

Xin Geng stood on the dock, facing the rustling river wind, and then he thought of a candidate he liked. "My son has a close friend, surnamed Liu and named Xianglian, who was originally a collateral descendant of the Duke of Liguo. Because his parents died early, there was no one to discipline him at home, and he has been wandering around the market all year round. He loves to play with guns and swords, and his martial arts are very strong. What do you think, Lord Lin?"

Duke of Liguo? Lin Ruhai frowned slightly and asked, "But is he a direct descendant of the Liu family?"

Xin Geng smiled, "He rarely even comes home."

If that's the case, it's worth a try. Lin Ruhai thought about it, but still worried, "Ask him what he thinks. It would be a good thing if he is willing to come to Yangzhou."

Hearing Lord Lin's request, Xin Geng nodded. He said a lot today. After getting on the boat, he was too lazy to even say goodbye. He just bowed to Prefect Lin at the bow.

Okay, okay, in the next chapter, Sister Lin is back, and Liu Erlang has to come to Yangzhou too.