Chapter 178: The capital is in trouble

Yang Yuting was decisive in his work. For a time, officials related to this matter were dismissed in Zhili, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and other places, and all the merchants involved were also seized. The Zhou family suffered the most damage. Children and relatives in the family were arrested, and shops were also banned. Eight out of ten of the property on the surface were removed. Fortunately, they still have some foundation to support it, but in Zhili, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia, their reputation was completely bad, and they eventually had to move westward to Sichuan to avoid the limelight.

After this incident, a power vacuum was formed in the Zhoujiazhai area. I wonder if Yang Yuting did it intentionally, he recommended some relatives of the Zhou family's direct descendants to those vacant official positions, and only allowed Zhou Zhenglin to spend a little money, so he retrieved the land shops that originally belonged to the Zhou family's side. After everything subsided, the Zhou family's direct descendants regained the rights to be eroded by the Zhou family's side over the years. At the same time, because of Yang Yuting's relationship, Zhou Zhenglin also had some connection with some local forces outside the pass, and unknowingly brought the Zhou family into the whirlpool of secular rights.

Chen Yuanshan helped a lot in helping Zhou Zhenglin stabilize the Zhou family. Not only was he superb in Taoism, but he was also extremely capable of dealing with civil affairs. In order to calm the panic of the people, he and Zhou Qinglan worked together to stage a drama of catching ghosts and exorcising evil spirits, and then built a temple for the dead Li woman, so that the people of Zhoujia Village could comfort their fears.

After the matter of Zhoujiazhai subsided, Chen Yuanshan and Zhou Qinglan assisted Zhou Zhenglin and his wife in taking Shangqing Yunqi Pill, so that all the medicine could be absorbed by them. After taking the elixir, they went into seclusion to consolidate their income from these days. On the third day after the retreat, they left Zhoujiazhai together at night, leaving only a message saying that they wanted to travel around to find the trail of the road, and contact Zhou Zhenglin when they settled down, so they could go freely and freely.

After a series of changes, the two elders of the Zhou family fell ill one after another. Fortunately, the elixir left by Xu Changqing saved their lives. After the illness, they seemed to have a great enlightenment and handed over all the family rights to their descendants. Then, with Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Zhang, they went to Hengshan to live in seclusion, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddha's name every day without caring about the world, and living a hermit life. The small building in Hanyue Xiaoyuan in Zhouzhuang collapsed inexplicably the day after Mrs. Zhou left, and all the plants in the garden withered one after another, and only a bamboo forest still stood there.

In the capital, the people still work as they used to live, working from day to day and resting from sunset, and everyone is busy with life. All the strange things that happened in the capital a month ago have gradually calmed down, and many people have forgotten them, and have gradually replaced them with new topics, becoming the topic of conversation for the people in the capital after dinner.

In the Qing court's power struggle, Zaifeng, who broke free from the shackles of Xuangang Heavenly Demons, did not fully grasp real power. In the court, there was also the veteran faction headed by Prince Qing Yikuang, and the Beiyang faction headed by Xu Shichang, Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang. Although Zaifeng's real power was the largest among the three forces, Yikuang, who had always been in a wrong with the Beiyang faction for some reason, made Zaifeng at a disadvantage in the court. Fortunately, neither Xu Shichang nor Yikuang had the intention to monopolize the power, nor did he suppress and threaten Zaifeng excessively. The power within the Qing court was temporarily in a balanced state, and no one wanted to break it.

The biggest news in the capital is that Zhang Zhidong, the last pillar of the Qing Dynasty, was almost out of reach. Since Zhang Zhidong got up with Zaifeng, his heart was depressed and his health was getting worse. But even so, he could still walk around. The people in the capital could see him from time to time in Liulichang and theaters. But this time, Zhang Zhidong seemed to be in no time. The disease came very suddenly. He was fine the night before, but he was unconscious the next morning. After a week, although he was hanging his life with medicine, Zhang Zhidong could wake up from time to time after the fever subsided, but everyone knew that this was just a reflection and he could never stand this summer. In the Zhang Mansion, Zhang Zhidong's wife and children began to prepare for his funeral, coffin, mourning hall, and the location of the cemetery, etc. according to customs, and everything was nervously preparing, waiting for him to die.

That night, Zhang Zhidong's fever subsided, and he recovered some energy. He drank two bowls of porridge rarely. After talking to him for a while, his daughter-in-law went back to the house to rest. After leaving his daughter-in-law, three figures fell from the sky, like feathers, and landed lightly at the door of Zhang Zhidong's dormitory. The guards at the door seemed to be unable to see anything, standing there straight, which was very strange.

At this time, the tall and thin figure lowered its head toward the two short figures and said, "You two are waiting outside the door, don't run around, so as not to run out of the avenue map and be seen."

"Yes, Master!" The two short figures had very tender accents, probably two children. After answering, they led the other one a little taller, walked to the stone steps beside them and sat down, then took out a piece of meat bun from the bag and ate it.

At this time, a Zhang Mansion guard at the door suddenly shook his nose, took a big breath, frowned and said, "Strange, why did you suddenly smell such a strong meat bun?"

Another guard with a rosacea also took a breath, smiled, and said, "How can you smell? I think it's probably because you're hungry until you're full tonight, and you're hungry, and you're illusioned. Otherwise, I'll help you with it first, and you go to the kitchen to find something to eat."

"No need." The guard glanced at the yard, but turned a blind eye to the three people in front of him, and seemed to find nothing. He shook his head, looked puzzled, and muttered to himself: "It may be really an illusion."

Hearing the conversation between the two guards, the tall figure turned to look at the apprentice on one side. The disciple knew that he had done something wrong, so he couldn't help but shrink his neck and stick out his tongue playfully. The tall figure sighed, shook his head, and did not give him a lesson. He walked forward, pushed open the door, and walked in, and the two guards at the door did not notice it at all.

After entering the house, the man walked straight to Zhang Zhidong's bed, looked down at the old man whose cheeks were sunken and surrounded by death, sighed and said, "Why are you doing this?"

Zhang Zhidong seemed to be able to hear the man's voice. He slowly opened his eyes and saw clearly the person from the moonlight. A hint of relief flashed across his face and said, "You are here, I didn't expect that I will see you before I die. Eternal Green!"

These three figures are Xu Changqing's master and apprentice. After leaving Zhoujiazhai that day, the three of them were originally planning to go back to Tianjin directly, but on the way, Xu Changqing saw the news that Zhang Zhidong was critically ill published in the newspaper, and knew that Zhang Zhidong was not far from his deadline. So he decided to stay in the capital and see the last look of the enlightenment teacher who taught him the way to respond.

"Sir!" Xu Changqing did not call him as usual to Zhang Zhidong, but instead used the name he was when he was a child.

Hearing Xu Changqing's name, Zhang Zhidong's eyes lit up slightly, and a hint of rosy appeared on his face. He smiled with relief and said, "I have no regrets if I can hear you call me sir again!"

Xu Changqing took a cup of water from the side, drew a talisman to the head of the bed, helped Zhang Zhidong up, and fed him to drink. Zhang Zhidong's face immediately improved a little, and his spirit also recovered. Xu Changqing knew that this talisman could only be used for a while, and it could not solve the problem. Zhang Zhidong's life span was over, and it could not be solved by Taoism and immortal arts.

"How did you come?" Zhang Zhidong leaned against the soft cushion on the bed, looked at Xu Changqing, and said.

"I heard the news that I was critically ill, so I rushed over. This may be the last time we met." The two were silent for a moment, and Xu Changqing sighed again and said, "You already know that the deadline is approaching, so you should have fun in time. Why do you have to work hard for those mundane affairs?"

"You already know!" Zhang Zhidong was slightly stunned and said with a wry smile.

"I guessed it." Xu Changqing said with a blank expression: "Although you sir, you will not be sick like this. If it weren't for the disease to enter the body, it would probably be popular."

"Ha!" Zhang Zhidong looked bitter and breathed a long sigh, as if he wanted to exhale all the resentment in his heart. Finally, he said, "Zaifeng is a waste of gold and jade!" Xu Changqing did not say anything, and listened to Zhang Zhidong quietly, "If Zaifeng had not wanted to monopolize the power, obey my words, and join forces with the Beiyang faction, how could he fall into today's predicament? Now that the Beiyang faction and Yikuang have joined forces, growing stronger and stronger, I am afraid that in a short time, Zaifeng will be wiped out by them as an empty regent in name only."

"The great trend of heaven is not something that ordinary people can reverse!" Xu Changqing comforted in a faint tone and said, "It is not a battle, sir, have done their best! sir, have already made a clear conscience towards the Qing court and there is no need to blame himself!"

"Get a clear conscience?" Zhang Zhidong smiled bitterly, his eyes closed slightly, his expression changed, as if he was recalling his life and past. Suddenly he opened his eyes suddenly, stared at Xu Changqing, and said, "Tell me honestly, the reason why that old devil is against the will of heaven is that he wants to continue my Qing Dynasty's destiny?"

Xu Changqing was stunned for a moment, nodded slightly, and said, "Yes! Most of what he did was for the destiny of the Qing Dynasty."

Zhang Zhidong looked at Xu Changqing with a complicated expression, but finally smiled and said, "You have already left the army!"

"Yeah! I know!" Xu Changqing also smiled and nodded.

A trace of fatigue flashed across Zhang Zhidong's face. Without Xu Changqing's support, he lay down with his body, closed his eyes slightly, and silently expelled the guest to Xu Changqing. Xu Changqing also understood what Zhang Zhidong meant, covered him with a thin blanket, and turned around to leave. When he reached the door, Zhang Zhidong suddenly said, "Help me train the three guarantees well, don't hide your own personal information, this is what you owe me."

Xu Changqing turned around and looked at Zhang Zhidong, nodded slightly, then walked out of the room, and closed the door with his own hands.

Seeing Xu Changqing coming out, Huang Shan quickly ate the steamed buns in his hand in a few bites, looked around, as if he was looking for a place to wipe his hands, and finally wiped it on his body. Then he smiled foolishly and asked, "Master, where are we going next?"
Chapter completed!