The story of officialdom in the late Qing Dynasty keeps us sane.

In the late Qing Dynasty, the four seas were restless, so that the DPRK was in turmoil, the monarch was moody, and various forces attacked each other for their own selfish interests, so that they accompanied the monarch like a tiger and became an official like a tired egg. In this case, many ways to preserve our sanity have been born. Among them, Zhang's kowtow and deafness are the most famous.

Zhang is the top scholar, and his knowledge should be first-class. However, Zhang insists on the creed of "less talking, more kowtowing" and kowtows 100 every day. Zhang basically doesn't talk at work and has a free lunch in the yamen. Zhang eats more than anyone else, his stomach is round, and then he digests it with three knocks and nine obeisances. However, a champion is a champion and his talent is indelible. This guy actually realized the way of self-cultivation and fitness from kowtowing. He believes that this can relax the muscles and bones, exercise the waist and legs, run the qi and blood, and achieve the goal of health and longevity. His theory of keeping in good health has been popular in Shilin for some time, which has the flavor of group dance and brisk walking today. It's just that people kowtow themselves and can go on day after day. Now the square dance needs a group of people to dance, not as elegant as Zhang.

Another great figure is Wang Wenshao, who was born a scholar and served as governor, governor, minister of Beiyang and minister of military aircraft. Wang is good at speculation and has a glib tongue. At that time, there were "eggs" and "oil-soaked loquat". According to unofficial history's records, the "egg" was given by Cixi. When Wang was the governor of Hunan, he was idle at home, and the court invited Peng to come back and let Wang pass the decree. Wang said with great fanfare that he would give a banquet to see Peng off. At noon, the chef asked how many people to prepare a banquet. Wang said there was no need to prepare, and Master Peng was not coming back. Peng Yulin really didn't go to the party. Its guessing skills are average.

Wang's greater skill is to play dumb. It doesn't matter what is bad for him, and it doesn't matter if he plays dumb to the point of impudence. Empress Dowager Cixi asked Wang Wenshao for advice on the Beiyang Navy. Wang Wenshao didn't speak, just smiled. Empress Dowager Cixi urged again and again, but Wang Wenshao still smiled and couldn't hear clearly. His student Qu Hongji couldn't stand it any longer, so he told Cixi that Wang Daren was hard of hearing and asked the Queen Mother to make amends. Empress Dowager Cixi asked Wang again, Are you deaf? Wang Lima answered "Yes". Cixi scolded: "You are just afraid of offending people. You are really a glazed egg. " Wang Tian really looked at Cixi with a smile, as if to ask, "What did you say, Empress Dowager Cixi?" .

Being able to pretend to be deaf and dumb so freely requires not only first-class performance skills, but also strong psychology and thick enough skin. Rare.