During the Qing Dynasty, after Huang Lanjie of Fujian was promoted to the rank of Jinshi, he never got an official and a half-post. Therefore, he was often counted down by His wife Zhang.
When Huang Lanjie's father was alive, he was friends with zuo Zongtang, the minister of military aircraft. He thought that as long as Zuo Daren wrote a letter of recommendation to He Zhang, the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, he would definitely be able to mix with an official and a half-post. Although he knew that Zuo Zongtang never wrote a letter of recommendation to anyone, he still planned to give it a try.
Huang Lanjie immediately set off, and two months later, he finally arrived at Zuo Xiang Mansion. Zuo Zongtang saw that he was the son of a former friend who came to visit and warmly welcomed him.
After the greeting, Huang Lanjie carefully explained his intentions: "Shi Bo, my nephew is full of poetry and books, and he wants to do his best for the country, who knows that I have waited for many years and have no place to use, and besides, the old and young in the family are all supported by the strength of my nephew, and now I can't live anymore." ”
Hearing his intentions, Zuo Zongtang changed his face and said solemnly: "You are a useful person, naturally there will be people who use you, I never write a letter of recommendation to anyone, I see this, I will send you a few acres of paddy fields to live." ”
Huang Lanjie said: "My nephew has only read poetry books since he was a child, where can he cultivate the land?" Over the years, it was all up to the money that the lady grew vegetables and sold the soles of her shoes to survive. Please also ask the adults to look at the face of the father at home and think of a way for the nephew. ”
Zuo Zongtang listened to him mention his father, really embarrassed, turned around in the hall, or dismissed the idea of recommendation, said: "If I open this head for you, there will be protégés to ask for recommendation in the future, I am afraid that it will be difficult to resign." It's not early, I still have something to do, you have to believe, it is gold that will always shine! ”
When Huang Lanjie heard this, he had to leave zuo xiang mansion depressed and wander the streets aimlessly.
After a while, Xu Ran, the housekeeper of Zuo Xiang Mansion, followed up, gave him three or two pieces of silver for coiling, and said, "I also knew your father before I was born, and this is a little bit of my heart." Huang Lanjie was worried about the lack of silver flowers, and pretended to resign for a while before accepting it, saying that the situation would be a good reward in the future.
Xu Ran also said: "There are several calligraphy and painting shops in the Liuli Factory, you might as well go shopping and have a long insight, maybe you can find a way to live." ”
Huang Lanjie listened to his advice, so he turned to the side of the glass factory he was referring to, and sure enough, he saw several calligraphy and painting shops, and the business was relatively prosperous. He looked over and saw one of the calligraphy and painting shops called "Auspicious". The calligraphy and paintings hanging in the shop are similar to the painting style of Zuo Xiangfu. He was suddenly attracted to the past, and took a closer look at the words written by the shopkeeper, which were no different from Zuo Zongtang's handwriting.
He secretly wondered to himself, why not ask the shopkeeper to copy a letter of recommendation from Zuo Zongtang? However, this thought was only a flash, and he understood that the shopkeeper would not take this risk for himself.
Huang Lanjie saw that the shopkeeper was writing an inscription on the blank fan for the customer, and immediately counted his mind. He thought that as long as he asked the shopkeeper to help him write a few words on the fan and hint at He Zhang about the promotion, maybe He Zhang would give him an official position.
So, he leaned forward and said: "Shopkeeper, I am a student, I have always liked the words of Zuo Daren, but I have no chance to get the real handwriting of his old man, I see your words, but it is very similar to his words, it is better to write on the fan, I will take it back to my hometown for a thought." ”
The shopkeeper said: "This is easy, many students think like this, some even go to the door to ask for it, causing trouble to the Xiangfu, just to solve this problem, Zuo Fu only put some zuo da ren calligraphy and paintings here to sell." Which words do you want to write? ”
Huang Lanjie pondered for a while, and then he had an idea, he took the shopkeeper's brush and wrote a line on the white paper - read a hundred classics, into a new generation. The shopkeeper read it, shouted well, and wrote it on the fan surface. Just when Huang Lanjie was worried about the payment, the shopkeeper took the initiative to take out a seal to drop the money, which was the three words "Zuo Zongtang" written by Fan. The shopkeeper took ten pieces of money and gave him a fan.
With this fan, Huang Lanjie's confidence was enough. All the way to the dream of promotion, he took a boat to change cars, and quickly rushed back to Fujian.
He knew that on the day of Li Qiu, He Zhang would summon the reserve officials with meritorious names to talk to show his concern.
Back at home, Huang Lanjie told Zhang Shi about her brilliant plan, asking her to go around publicizing that her family and the current Zuo Xiang were friends, and she had just gone to visit Zuo Daren and returned. In order to be prosperous and rich, the Zhang family worked hard to publicize it.
On the day of The Autumn Festival, Governor He Zhang did indeed summon the reserve officials to a meeting. Huang Lanjie held up the fan and swung it specifically in front of He Zhang.
He Zhang said unhappily: "It's autumn, and you still can't leave your hand!" ”
Huang Lanjie took the opportunity to say: "Lord, Lord Zuo and my father are family friends, I just went to visit his old man's home and came back, this fan is a gift from him, I love it!" He Zhang did not dare to be careless, and quickly took the fan to look at the words inscribed on it, this time, he was much more polite to Huang Lanjie.
That night, He Zhang told Master about this. Master Shi pondered and said, "Looking at the content of this inscription, it means that he has read hundreds of classics and is a talent, and he wants us to promote and use it." However, this is not urgent in advance, and I will wait until I go to his house tomorrow to explore the truth. ”
He Zhang said: "The safest thing is to write a letter to Zuo Daren to find out whether it is true or false. ”
Master said, "A letter has been back and forth for too long, and it seems that you don't believe Zuo Daren, and besides, how can you ask?" Zuo Daren did not say that this fan was his letter recommending Huang Lanjie, it all depended on his understanding! ”
He Zhang listened and nodded.
The next day, Master Shi personally went out on horseback and went to the village where Huang Lanjie lived to ask questions from the east to the west, and sure enough, he learned that his father and Zuo Zongtang were indeed family friends, and he was immediately frightened into a cold sweat. Moreover, Huang Lanjie had indeed just gone to Zuo Xiang Mansion for activities. It seems that this Huang Lanjie really did not brag, it was his own poor handling, and he kept letting him sit on the cold bench.
Back at the Governor's Mansion, after Master Shi reported to He Zhang, the two of them muttered and decided to arrange work for Huang Lanjie. On the third day, they heard that Lord Zuo had arranged for someone to buy a few acres of paddy fields to give to Huang Lanjie, and they were even more convinced.
Ten days later, Huang Lanjie became an alternate Zhi County. However, his heart was always unsteady, and he was afraid that after He Zhang knew the truth, he would take back his official hat.
Zhang Shi saw his concern and said, "It is better to sell an acre of land given to us by Lord Zuo to give a gift to He Zhang, to bring each other closer to each other, and to alleviate his suspicions about you; sell another acre, give a gift to Lord Zuo, and carry a letter reporting on your recent situation, and by the way thank him for giving us the field, this matter, I sent my brother to do the most reliable." Huang Lanjie listened and felt that this was a good idea, so he acted according to the plan.
He Zhang's suspicion of Huang Lanjie when he received The gift was indeed alleviated, and he thought to himself, since this boy knows how to make a point, then he must have given a gift to Zuo Xiang Mansion, otherwise how could Lord Zuo return a fan with a deep meaning?
Zuo Zongtang received a handwritten letter from Huang Lanjie, knowing that he had happened to be filled by the governor after he returned this time, and felt a lot of peace of mind, thinking that his friends under the Nine Springs would not blame him. He replied with a letter encouraging Huang Lanjie to work hard to govern and benefit the people.
This precious reply became Huang Lanjie's talisman, and he took an opportunity to show it to He Zhang, who had been convinced of him ever since, but whether to promote and reuse him, he felt that he would have to meet Zuo Zongtang and then decide.
Taking an opportunity to return to Beijing, He Zhang, with a smile on his face, mentioned the cultivation of Huang Lanjie in front of Zuo Zongtang. Zuo Zongtang had already received Huang Lanjie's handwritten letter of thanksgiving, and although it was to thank him for sending the land, he also talked about the important matter of getting He Zhang's appointment. At the moment, he smiled and said, "Yes, I said earlier, he is a piece of gold, he will always shine, not to mention that he was originally a jinshi, he must be a talent, Lord He, you are his Bole!" This remark, to He Zhang's ears, has a deeper meaning, that is: "I understand, thank you!" ”
Of course, He Zhang could not restore the details of Huang Lanjie's shaking fan that day, and could only smile, indicating that you and I had a number in mind.
Back in Fujian, He Zhang, because he had a number in mind, promoted Huang Lanjie from Qipinzhi County, and within two years, he was promoted to Sipin Daotai. And every time he was promoted, Huang Lanjie did not forget to give Zuo Zongtang good news and gratitude as a nephew, telling his story of benefiting the people. After coming and going, he really became a person that Zuo Zongtang appreciated. Because of Zuo Zongtang's reasons, and the political achievements are really good, He Zhang really appreciates him, and he also feels that his vision is good.
Huang Lanjie's official Yun Hengtong did not forget to thank his wife Zhang Shi. He thought that if she hadn't been meticulous and always reminded herself to report to Zuo Zongtang, I'm afraid her career wouldn't have been so smooth. But there was one point that he always couldn't understand, that day, Xu Ran, the housekeeper of the Zuo Mansion, sent himself to coil and instructed himself to go to the calligraphy and painting shop next to the Liuli Factory. Is that what Zuo Daren meant? Is he helping himself in disguise? Otherwise, how could things be so coincidental?
In order to solve this question, taking advantage of an opportunity to enter Beijing, he specially went to Zuo Xiang Mansion, of course, this matter could not be asked Zuo Zongtang, he only dared to ask the housekeeper Xu Ran to inquire.
Xu Ran just said meaningfully: "Everything is organic, depending on fate, depending on your understanding, some things cannot be broken, but in the end, your seat still lies in yourself, those who rely on the recommendation letter to ascend to the throne, blindly scavenging the people's fat and people's ointment, and soon they are tossed home by themselves." ”
For many years after that, Huang Lanjie never understood, if Zuo Daren recommended himself in disguise through Xu Ran's guidance, then why did he send The Paddy Field to him? Once he was thinking about this question again, and the drunken He Zhang happened to ask this question coldly, and Huang Lanjie was in a hurry and made up nonsense: "That paddy field was actually given to my brother by Lord Zuo, because my brother can't read, he can only farm, but my brother can't write, can't sign the deed, and has full authority to entrust me." In the early years, my father saved the life of Zuo Daren's mother, so when Zuo Da learned of my father's death, he tried his best to help our brothers. ”
In this way, He Zhang believed it, and Huang Lanjie poked his ears, and he also believed his own statement a little. He thought, I am a jinshi who never lies, in order to have a bowl of rice to eat, I took an imposter fan to deceive He Zhang, and now I lie even more that I don't fight the draft, it is not that my heart is not good, it is really the world, I can't help but be improvised.