Lee Wen An
On Lee's seventy-fifth birthday, the feast was particularly grand and lively.
Coincidentally, her birthday coincided with the fortieth birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi in the palace. Therefore, when the emperor heard about this, he gave a piece of holy will.
"The cabinet issued an edict that the mother of Li Hongzhang, the governor of Huguang, was nearly eighty years old, and the mother of the governor of Huguang was nearly eighty years old."
On one side of the "Pine Rei Yishou" plaque written by the saint himself, there are three rosewood woods, a handle of jade ruyi, two horses of the large roll of silk robes, and two horses of the large scrolls of eight silk forged robes.
The gift of water was moved into the Li Mansion by the people, and no one did not praise the "old life star" on the high seat.
Lee leaned on the soft stomp and smiled amiably.
She went from being an ill "ugly girl" to today's Lady of commandments. It is not only virtuous and virtuous, but also very lucky and discerning.
Who would have thought that the "life and death disaster" when she was young would turn her life upside down.
Genealogy of the Lee family
A winter day decades ago.
Li Dianhua braved the snow to go out, he was a well-known local Langzhong. Today, I was invited by a family in the same township to see a doctor, and by the time I returned home, it was already dusk.
The cold winter moon weather is really not suitable for going out. Li Dianhua tightened the cotton clothes on his body and buried his head to continue walking home.
Unexpectedly, suddenly heard a burst of babies crying, Li Dianhua thought that he had heard wrong, stopped and listened carefully for a while, and then confirmed that there were indeed babies around.
Li Dianhua did not dare to delay and hurriedly sniffed and searched. Soon a swaddle was found on the side of the road, and Li Dianhua stepped forward to pick it up.
Only to find out that lying inside was actually a sick and weak baby girl.
Li Dianhua knew that such weather would not be ignored if he did not care. The baby girl was bound to freeze to death here, and he couldn't bear it in his heart, so he thought about it and took the child home.
After returning home, Li Dianhua carefully looked at the child. It turned out that this child had smallpox, and it was because of this that he was abandoned by his family.
Li Wen'an's second son, Li Hongzhang
Li Dianhua is a doctor who has always believed in the "benevolence of the healer". After some careful healing by him, the baby girl miraculously survived.
Although Li Dianhua practiced medicine, his family was not rich. He has four sons under his knees, and now he suddenly has one more child, and the pressure on the family is still very great.
Li Dianhua felt that he was very close to this baby girl, and he himself had no daughter, so after consulting with his wife, he decided to leave the baby girl behind.
Li Dianhua married a cute little girl name "Qiao'er", and since then, the Li family has had another little daughter.
Qiao Er knew from an early age that she was not born to her parents, but her parents were very kind to her. Other brothers have, and they will have them. She wanted her birth parents to be just that.
Therefore, in order to repay her adoptive parents, Qiao Er became more and more filial and well-behaved. At a young age, he took the initiative to do various housework, and although the family was poor, their lives were particularly warm.
Qiao Er has four older brothers, and the most favorite is the fourth brother Li Wen'an. Unlike the other brothers, he was physically weak, so his intelligence and physical strength were inferior to those of other children of the same age.
Li Wen'an's eldest son, Li Hanzhang
Many people often laugh at Li Wen'an behind their backs, but Qiao'er does not. On the contrary, it is more "favored" for this fourth brother. Even though he was younger, he took care of him everywhere.
Although the life of the Li family is not good, Li Dianhua has always had a high spirit and advocated the supremacy of reading. Therefore, he was determined to make his four sons able to study and become officials, fly yellow Tengda, and honor the ancestors of the Guangzong Dynasty.
Therefore, the four sons of the Li family were arranged to attend private schools from an early age in order to pass scientific expeditions in the future.
Unfortunately, Li Wen'an was too weak and did not start reading until he was eight years old.
When others were preparing to pass the Xiucai examination, Li Wenan had just begun to study the Four Books. Therefore, people around her are not optimistic about Li Wen'an, only Qiao'er always believes that her fourth brother is the best.
Similarly, Li Wen'an is also very fond of Qiao'er. Two people help each other, take care of each other, and have a better relationship than brother and sister.
As Qiao Er gets older, according to tradition, she needs to wrap her feet like other girls. Qiao Er didn't want to wrap her feet, she was afraid of pain.
Li Hanzhang, Li Hongzhang
When the family saw that she really did not want to wrap their feet, they could not bear to let her suffer this. Qiao Er sometimes couldn't help but be thankful in her heart, although she didn't have her biological parents, but she got no less love than other girls.
And because of this, she was able to avoid the persecution of "foot binding". However, this happiness began to change as she grew older.
When she was a teenager, Qiao Er gradually paid attention to her appearance, but whenever she took care of herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but sigh.
She contracted smallpox when she was young, and after being rescued by her adoptive father, she survived. But the face left scars, deep and shallow, like a "hemp".
Qiao Er was sad in her heart, no one would like her "unrecognizable" face.
What is even worse is that when people respect the woman's "three-inch golden lotus", Qiao'er is a pair of big feet, which undoubtedly "aggravates" the ups and downs of her marriage road.
Qiao Er thought to herself, I'm afraid that no one will want to marry such an "ugly woman with big feet" as herself.
The girl's self-esteem was frustrated, making Qiao Er more and more humble. She worked harder on the housework, "paralyzing" herself during her daily toil.
After a heavy day's work, Qiao Er stood by the stove to watch the fire. Unconsciously, some sleepiness is on the head.
Li
Thinking that nothing was wrong at this time, Qiao Er simply fell asleep at the entrance of the stove hall.
When Li Wen'an returned, what he saw was his sister sleeping with her eyes closed at the mouth of the stove. She slept quietly, the faint light of the fire shining on her face, softening her facial features more and more.
When the wind blew, Li Wen'an hurriedly took off his coat. Lightly covering Qiao'er's body, she still did not wake up.
Li Wen'an couldn't help but look at the girl in front of him carefully, and his heart was soft. Although it is often said that the hemp on Qiao'er's face is not good-looking, he feels that his sister is the kindest little girl.
Gently crouching down beside her, Li Wen'an had a gentle smile on his face.
In the small kitchen, the girl sleeps quietly, and the teenager quietly accompanies her, and the picture is too beautiful to be disturbed.
Li Dianhua "crept" and turned away, lest his figure be discovered by the children behind him.
Statue of Li Hongzhang's mother
A bold thought arose in his mind: Qiao'er's "ugly appearance" is difficult to marry, and Wen An is weak and difficult to marry. They are also green plum bamboo horses, deep feelings, it is better to get married!
Although Li Wen'an and Qiao Er are not brothers and sisters, they always have the name of brother and sister. If it is combined, there will certainly be neighbors gossiping.
But Li Dianhua has never been a stubborn person, he cares more about whether his children are happy with each other. After thinking about it, the more Li Dianhua thought about it, the more he felt that this idea was excellent, so he called his two children to him.
"Wen An, Qiao'er, if you are the master of your father and let you two marry, are you willing?"
Qiao Er was upset and let her marry the fourth brother? She couldn't help but look up at Li Wen'an beside her, unable to tell whether she was happy or worried.
She grew up in the boudoir and had never seen a man next to her. She didn't know what a good husband should be like, but in her opinion, there was no more gentle and generous person than her fourth brother.
Li Hongzhang's mother
So if she marries the fourth brother, she is willing.
And what pleased her was that the fourth brother also did not refuse. Qiao Er's heart was excited, maybe the fourth brother also liked her.
In short, under the mediation of Li Dianhua, the two young people successfully entered the palace of marriage.
After becoming a parent, Qiao Er changed from a daughter of the Li family to a wife of the Li family and began to take care of Li Wen'an's living.
Li Wen'an was bent on the examination, but his body was weak, so in terms of learning, it was inevitable that he would have some difficulties. For this reason, he worked as a teacher, and while receiving apprentices, he studied hard.
Qiao Er, on the other hand, concentrated on taking care of the elders and children in the family, and wholeheartedly accompanied Li Wen'an.
Although it is often said that Li Wen'an is afraid that he does not have the life of a jinshi, Qiao'er always believes in her fourth brother, and in her heart, even if he is not a jinshi, Li Wen'an is the best.
In 1834, Jiangnan Township was tested.
At that time, Li Wen'an's three older brothers failed to pass the examination for many years, and Li Wen'an also studied hard for many years, and was over thirty years old. Originally, there was no hope in the family, who knew that Li Wenan was unexpectedly hit by this expedition.
Four years later, Li Wen'an once again passed the jinshi examination and became a "Tianzi protégé". Although this merit came a little late, in the end it was still successfully "entered".
Coincidentally, Li Wen'an and Zeng Guofan were admitted to the academy in the same year. This relationship, also known as the "same year" at the time, was extremely close to each other.
Because of this, Li Wen'an and Zeng Guofan had a very close friendship. His eldest son, Li Hanzhang, and his second son, Li Hongzhang, were later able to worship Zeng Guofan and become his disciples.
I have to say that Li Wen'an's career path is still particularly "lucky".
And Qiao Er looked at her husband's thriving "official way", and could only become more and more virtuous and thrifty, focusing on taking care of her and her four brother's eight children.
At that time, Li Wen'an served as a waiter in the Punishment Department and was subordinate to two prisons. The prison of the Punishment Department held more than 50,000 prisoners, and Li Wen'an insisted on personally inspecting the scene every day.
The two prisons are one to the south and one to the north, ten miles apart. Li Wen'an did not feel hard, and not a single day fell.
And Li Wen'an is also a "kind" official. Under his rule, it was strictly forbidden for prison guards to mistreat prisoners, and it was stipulated that prisoners should be guaranteed a sufficient amount of food every day, and that they should not be short of two pounds.
Sometimes when there are difficulties in prison expenses, Li Wen'an does not hesitate to pay for the lack of public high schools at his own expense, and even donates rice to cook porridge to ensure that prisoners will not go hungry.
It can be said that Li Wen'an, as an official in the feudal era, did his best to protect "human rights."
Not only that, Li Wen'an has always believed in honesty and integrity for officials, and Fang Gang is thick, so he strictly adheres to the law when judging cases.
Regardless of whether the case is complicated or not, Li Wen'an will handle it with all his strength. Every time the case file was read until late at night, in his heart, he always insisted on striving for accurate sentencing, and resolutely did not wrongfully accuse any good person.
Qiao Er didn't know how to write and ink, and she didn't know what to ask in college. She only listened to her husband often say to herself: "The court is folded, and people have the eyes of the old man to reincarnate."
She asked the fourth brother what she meant, and the fourth brother took her hand.
Wen Sheng explained: "For the integrity of the official, for the innocence of the people, adhere to the character of Bao Gong in the past. ”
Qiao Er's heart was shocked, she did not understand the official arena of intrigue, fly camp dog gouging. All she knew was that her fourth brother was a really good official, a man who stood tall in the sky.
That is to say, under the influence of Li Wen'an, Qiao'er has more or less carried his "shadow" in the world.
Therefore, in educating her children, Qiao'er has more persistence and principles. Through her own practice, she exhorted her children to be thrifty, modest and low-key, and work hard.
That is, under the pure teaching of Qiao'er, all eight children received a good education.
In 1843, Li Wen'an and Qiao'er's second son, Li Hongzhang, were selected as Yougong at Luzhou Fuxue.
At that time, Li Wen'an was already serving as a Beijing official in Beijing, and after learning the good news, he hurriedly wrote a letter to his son, asking him to come to Beijing to participate in the Shuntianfu township examination the following year.
Qiao Er knew that the fourth brother had always placed high hopes on the second son.
Sure enough, the next year should be Shun Tianfu township examination, Li Hongzhang successfully won the move. He was the 84th in the examination, so he was able to live directly in Zeng Guofan's mansion to receive instruction.
"Whoever has written history for ten thousand years wants to be crowned marquis three thousand miles away."
Li Wen'an gently recited the poems composed by his second son, and could not help but be shocked by his heroic ambitions.
Qiao Er looked at the silent fourth brother, she didn't understand what was wrong with this poem, but just asked out loud: "Is there something bad about it?" ”
Li Wen'an shook his head, and sighed in an unspeakable tone: "I just think that Hongzhang has such a grand ambition at a young age." In the future, it will be far better than me! ”
Qiao Er smiled lightly and shook his hand: "In my heart, the fourth brother is always the best." ”
Li Wen'an shook her back: "Thank you, Qiao'er." ”
Qiao Er fell into his arms, and his heart was moved. She felt that it was she who should say thank you. He gave her a shelter from the wind and rain, and gave her several good children.
Her son was prosperous and prosperous, and her daughter was also married, and everyone said that she was a blessed person.
For women of their age, they rely on their fathers before they get married, their husbands after they get married, and their sons when they are old.
Li Hongzhang negotiated with foreign missions
Although she did not grow up under the lap of her biological father, she did not lack father's love. After getting married, he married the fourth brother who was "like a brother like a father", loved and cared for himself, and the husband and wife loved and obeyed.
In his old age, he | because of his son." She also enjoyed the glory and wealth that others had not enjoyed with the "rising tide".
After Li Wen'an's death, Qiao'er followed two sons who were governors, and as the wife of the governor Yamen, Qiao'er can be said to have unlimited scenery.
One year, the governor of Huguang "changed defenses", and Li Hongzhang was transferred from the position of viceroy of Huguang back to Beijing as the governor of Huguang.
I thought that Qiao Er would also move away from the Governor Yamen, but the new Governor was Li Hanzhang, Qiao Er's eldest son.
The Governor changed one, but the Governor's mother did not. So Qiao Er continued to stay in the Governor Yamen and was at ease to be her old lady.
For this reason, the country neighbors at that time could not help but make envious jokes.
"The Li family is the governor who changes the defense and the old lady does not have to change the guard."
It is conceivable that this blessing of the old lady of the Li family is envied by many people and cannot be envied.
In 1882, Qiao Er was already a dying old woman.
When I get older, I'm always sick. What she did not expect was that the emperor actually personally rewarded eight or two ginseng.
Qiao Er knew that this was all because the second son was valued by the emperor and he was able to have this "special honor". But she didn't care much about this, she missed her fourth brother a little.
Li Hongzhang was grateful for the ginseng given by the emperor to his mother, but his heart was still worried about his mother, so he specially asked to return to Hubei to visit his mother.
Li Wen'an and his wife Li Shi were buried in the cemetery
But I didn't think that before the conditioned ginseng was delivered, my mother died.
"The Cabinet issued an edict: Li Hongzhang, the viceroy of the university, and Li Hanzhang, the governor of Huguang, are prudent in nature, teach their sons to be righteous, and now they are dying of illness, and they are deeply sympathetic, and the imperial court is honored, and when the coffin returns home, the magistrates along the way are properly cared for, and when they arrive at the country, they give an altar to show their kindness. Admire this! ”
In March of the following year, Li Hongzhang sent the coffin of his deceased mother down the Yangtze River from Hankou. Along the way, the officials of the passing route did not carelessly greet the escort.
Li Hongzhang was filled with grief in his heart, but he also knew that there were no more regrets in his mother's heart. He just needs to "send" his mother back to his hometown, because his father is buried there.
Her mother and father were separated by more than twenty years, and now she just went to find her "fourth brother".