Jia Yun personally went to the General Military Office of Shouchun Town and invited Lou Shoufeng to have a banquet at the temporary Coal Administration Yamen tomorrow evening.
Lou Shoufeng agreed.
For one thing, although Lou Shoufeng knew all about Jia Yun's affairs in Huainan these days, and thought that Jia Yun was a confused young man, a playboy, and a fatuous and corrupt official, he still paid some attention to Jia Yun. After all, Jia Yun was the imperial envoy to the coal mine department and the imperial minister.
First-class bodyguard, and Lou Shoufeng has a guilty conscience...
Secondly, Jia Yun was very polite when inviting Lou Shoufeng to a banquet this time. She asked Lou Biao to mention it to Lou Shoufeng first, and then Jia Yun came to invite him personally. If Lou Shoufeng didn't go, he would really be disrespecting Jia Yun. Lou Shoufeng would not do it for
Offending Jia Yun over such a trivial matter.
Not to mention that Jia Yun is also the imperial envoy of the Coal Mine Division. Even with his status as a first-class imperial guard, some high-ranking civil and military officials in Shenjing City would not dare to offend him easily. Lou Shoufeng is only a second-grade military foreign official, let alone
Still having a guilty conscience...
After personally inviting Lou Shoufeng, Jia Yun went to the Huainan government office in person to invite Chu Kaichun, who naturally agreed.
In addition, Jia Yun also sent Meng Jing to Yuan Nan's house to invite Yuan Nan, and Yuan Nan naturally would not refuse.
In addition to Lou Shoufeng, Chu Kaichun, Yuan Nan, Lou Biao, and Jia Yun, they also invited several other private coal dealers, the same people who had bribed him before.
As a result, the two largest officials in Huainan, Lou Shoufeng and Chu Kaichun, both came, as did several well-known private coal traders in Huainan.
Everyone is involved in this grand banquet carefully set up by Jia Yun!
…
…
On the eighth day.
In the afternoon, Lou Biao was the first to arrive at the temporary coal administration yamen. After arriving, he couldn't wait to ask Jia Yun: "Master Jia, have you told Miss Qin that I want to take Miss Qin as my concubine?"
Jia Yun smiled slightly: "Don't worry, I've already said it."
Lou Biao became even more anxious: "What did Miss Qin say?"
Jia Yun said: "Congratulations to Brother Lou, Miss Qin accepted."
Lou Biao smiled and said: "As expected of Master Jia, before you came, I often came to see Miss Qin, and Miss Qin never gave me a good look every time. Now that Master Jia has said it, Miss Qin is willing to be my concubine."
Now that we have a room, Mr. Jia’s face is the best.”
Jia Yun smiled and said: "It's a pity that I have to leave tomorrow and I won't have time to attend your Miss Naqin's banquet."
Lou Biao subconsciously said: "It's just taking a concubine, it's not... uh, yes, I said I wanted to entertain guests with wine in an upright manner."
"Speaking of which, Mr. Jia is not only a high-ranking official, but also the matchmaker between me and Miss Qin. It is a pity that Mr. Jia cannot attend our banquet. But it will only last a long time. I will definitely take Mr. Jia with him when he comes to Huainan in the future.
Let’s entertain Miss Qin well together.”
Lou Biao immediately said eagerly: "Master Jia, should I go see Miss Qin now?"
Jia Yun smiled and said: "Brother Lou, since Miss Qin has already accepted this matter, why are you anxious now? If you are anxious, you can accept Miss Qin tomorrow. Today is the farewell banquet I invited, your father Mr. Lou
Mr. Chu will be here, so just leave the matter of taking concubines aside for the time being."
Lou Biao smiled and said: "Master Jia is right."
…
…
Tonight's banquet, Jia Yun decided to start at three o'clock in the morning, which means it will start at half past five in the evening.
At three o'clock in the hour, everyone except Lou Shoufeng came one after another.
Jia Yun felt a little nervous, wondering if Lou Shoufeng would not come tonight. You know, the Hongmen Banquet he set this time was mainly aimed at Lou Shoufeng!
Fortunately, at four o'clock in the morning, Lou Shoufeng also came.
After Lou Shoufeng arrived, the feast began.
The banquet was held in the main room. There were two tables in the main room and one table in an empty room next door, making a total of three tables.
Jia Yun, Lou Shoufeng, Chu Kaichun and several civil and military officials were sitting at a table in the main room.
Meng Jing, Zhao Xiuyuan, Yu Keping, Cao Wu, Yuan Nan, Lou Biao, Lou Meng and others were sitting at another table in the main room.
Others were sitting at a table in the next room.
This position was not arranged by Jia Yun, but by Jia Yun who asked Chu Kaichun to arrange it.
Although Lou Biao is the eldest son of Lou Shoufeng, he does not have an official position himself, and Yuan Nan does not have an official position either. However, in Chu Kaichun's eyes, Yuan Nan and Lou Biao not only have powerful backstages, but also have great financial interests in Chu Kaichun, so Chu Kaichun will
Yuan Nan and Lou Biao also arranged to sit in the main room.
Lou Meng is Lou Biao's younger brother, and he is also a fifth-grade guard under Lou Shoufeng's banner.
Lou Shoufeng doted on his two sons, Lou Biao and Lou Meng. However, Lou Biao was not capable of working hard in the army and could not endure such hardships. Therefore, with Lou Shoufeng's connivance, Lou Biao became a private coal dealer.
He opened his own house, and Lou Meng was trained by Lou Shoufeng as his successor.
Compared to Lou Biao, Lou Meng is considered a capable person and has been working hard in the army since he was a teenager. He is now able to become a full fifth-grade guard. Although it is because of Lou Shoufeng's special care, it is also because he has worked very hard in the army.
He worked hard and made several achievements.
"Sir Lou, I told Brother Lou yesterday. I also told you when I went to the General Military Administration to invite you this morning. You are a senior official I admire and my senior in martial arts. Before leaving Huainan this time, you
It is really an honor for me to be willing to come to my farewell banquet, and it also makes me have no regrets about this trip to Huainan."
"Here, let me toast you!"
Jia Yun has already skillfully entered into the state of acting.
Lou Shoufeng raised his glass and took a sip of wine. His attitude towards Jia Yun was not cold but not enthusiastic either.
Although he valued Jia Yun a little in his heart and was willing to give Jia Yun some face, he already felt that Jia Yun was a confused young man, a playboy, a fatuous and corrupt official, and Jia Yun even called his son Lou Biao brothers, so he would not treat Jia Yun too much.
Enthusiastic.
At this time, at another table in the main room, Zhao Xiuyuan also imitated Jia Yun and entered the state of acting. Lou Biao raised his glass to Yuan Nan: "Two friends, I, Zhao Xiuyuan, toast you a glass of wine!"
Yuan Nan raised his wine glass and said with a smile: "Mr. Zhao, you are very polite. You are a fourth-rank palace guard. How could you propose a toast to me first? I should toast you this glass of wine."
Lou Biao didn't think highly of Zhao Xiuyuan in his heart, but at this time he still echoed Yuan Nan's words: "Master Zhao really shouldn't respect us first, we should respect Master Zhao first."
Zhao Xiuyuan smiled at Lou Biao and said: "It's better for me to respect you first. You are Lord Lou's eldest son, not to mention you are a rich man. Don't look at me. Zhao Xiuyuan's military attache is not low in rank, but he is poor compared to you. In today's world
, not only is it important to be an official, but it is also important to have money."
Zhao Xiuyuan said to Yuan Nan again: "You are the same, you are a rich man, I am very envious."
Yuan Nan and Lou Biao both laughed and drank a glass of wine with Zhao Xiuyuan without being polite.
Meng Jing, Yu Keping, and Cao Wu who were sitting next to Zhao Xiuyuan all admired Zhao Xiuyuan when they saw this.
Meng Jing and Yu Keping are both honest people, while Cao Wu is a bit reckless. The three of them cannot show such acting skills like Jia Yun and Zhao Xiuyuan. In fact, it is not easy for the three of them to sit at the table with smiles.
Yes, this is because Jia Yun warned them repeatedly beforehand.
Meng Jing, Yu Keping, and Cao Wu laughed together while thinking about the time in their hearts.
While Jia Yun and Zhao Xiuyuan were acting, they were also thinking about time in their hearts.
Jia Yun occasionally looks at the pocket watch she carries.
Yes, pocket watch.
In The World of Red Mansions, there are not only mechanical wall clocks but also pocket watches. In the original novel, Jia Baoyu had a pocket watch. This kind of pocket watch was introduced from the West.
Jia Yun is waiting for the arrival of the fifth hour of Youshi, which is six o'clock in the evening!
According to his plan, Qin Houxiang's vanguard army must arrive at the gate of Huainan City at five quarters of the hour and six o'clock in the evening. Upon arrival, they will immediately rush to the temporary Coal Administration Office!
…
…
Qing Dynasty’s firearms are not weak!
In today's Qing Dynasty, all provincial armies use shotguns, cannons, bows and arrows, and shields as their main weapons, and all other weapons are secondary.
In inland provinces, there are 300 shotguns for every 1,000 officers and soldiers, and in coastal provinces, there are 400 shotguns for every 1,000 soldiers.
However, the Qing Dynasty strictly controlled firearms and crossbows, especially in the capital city of Jingjing.
In Shenjing City, not to mention firearms and crossbows, even long-handled swords and short-handled swords were not allowed to be taken out on the streets casually. It was only after Jia Yun became a martial arts scholar that she was allowed to take out the swords on the streets.
Jia Yun had stayed in Shenjing City for so long, and even served as a first-class imperial guard for several months, but she rarely saw firearms.
Naturally, the management of firearms and crossbows in the palace is very strict. The palace guards are not equipped with firearms, not even crossbows.
…
…
The city gates of Qing Dynasty cities usually opened at the fifth quarter of the Yin hour, which was four o'clock in the morning, and they usually closed at the fifth quarter of the Xu hour, which was eight o'clock at night.
It was now four o'clock in the morning, almost six o'clock in the evening.
At the gate of Huainan City, there were only twenty officers and soldiers guarding the gate. The leader was Zhou Yan, the military attache who had previously intercepted Mu Fu and Tang Daqian and conducted a body search.
Huainan City is located in an inland province, and the General Soldier of Shouchun Town is stationed here. The people guarding the city gate are not ordinary government servants, but officers and soldiers under the General Soldier of Shouchun Town. Therefore, troubles rarely occur at the gates of Huainan City, even if there is trouble.
, usually it’s just a small fight.
It's already dinner time now, and it gets dark earlier in winter, so it's already getting darker now.
Therefore, the current city gate is not well defended.
At this time, Zhou Yan was staying at the city gate, leaning lazily against the wall.
In front of his eyes, people were coming in and out of the city gate from time to time. Some people would be checked by the officers and soldiers, and some people were not even bothered to be checked by the officers and soldiers...
Zhou Yan has been watching this scene for two years!
He has been the commander of the seventh rank for several years, and in the past two years he has been responsible for guarding the gates of Huainan City.
He is a small military attaché, but he has done enough.
He had had enough of watching the city gate.
He has long wanted to be promoted from the seventh rank to the sixth rank, Yingqianzong.
He also knows that he does not have a powerful family background, nor does his family have much wealth. He is not a martial artist, but only a soldier.
In the past, he was just an ordinary officer and soldier. The reason why he was later promoted to a seventh-level commander was not only because of his meritorious service, but also because he was good at pleasing his superiors.
Now, if he wants to continue to be promoted to the sixth rank of General Ying Qian, in addition to continuing to please his superiors, especially Lou Shoufeng, he also needs to make meritorious deeds.
Fortunately, he had made a great achievement just seven days ago, that is, he intercepted and searched Mu Fu and Tang Daqian, and found the documents written by Jia Yun to the emperor from their bodies.
He knew how important this document was to Lou Shoufeng and Chu Kaichun.
So he felt that he had made a big contribution this time, and he then felt that he should be promoted by Lou Shoufeng to the sixth rank of Ying Qianzong soon!
Thinking of this, Zhou Yan, who was leaning lazily against the wall at the city gate, couldn't help but have a proud smile on his face.
This scene was seen by a nearby officer and soldier, who smiled and asked: "Mr. Zhou, why are you laughing suddenly?"
Zhou Yan immediately stopped smiling and scolded: "It's none of your business, just guard the door for me!"
The officer and soldier who spoke felt bored and turned around in frustration to continue guarding the door.
At this moment, an officer and soldier standing on the city gate suddenly shouted to Zhou Yan: "Master Zhou, there is a group of traders coming outside the city."
Zhou Yan didn't take it seriously: "What are you shouting? It's just a group of traders. There won't be hundreds or even thousands of traders coming in and out of the Huainan City gate any day."
The officers and soldiers at the city gate suddenly did not dare to say anything, and whispered in their hearts: But this time dozens of vendors appeared all at once, and many of them were strong men...
Soon, dozens of traders arrived at the city gate.
Zhou Yan also noticed something strange at this time, and immediately prepared to lead his officers and soldiers to intercept and inspect it, but it was already too late.
Suddenly, dozens of vendors took off their outer vendor clothes, showing off the uniforms of officers and soldiers inside, and took out large knives or bows and arrows hidden in the trucks.
Among them was a captain of Qin Houxiang's soldiers, who shouted loudly: "We are the soldiers of Mr. Qin, the commander-in-chief of Xuzhou Town. We are on an errand under the emperor's order. We will all be captured without mercy, otherwise we will not be killed!"
The twenty gatekeepers, including Zhou Yan, were dumbfounded...
When eleven people raised their hands and squatted on the ground, the remaining nine people resisted, including Zhou Yan, but they were quickly captured by Qin Houxiang's soldiers.
After a while, Mu Fu and Tang Daqian led a hundred cavalry in armor and rushed into the city gate.
When passing the city gate, Tang Daqian noticed the captured Zhou Yan and hurriedly shouted to Qin Houxiang's captain: "This person is important, leave it to me!"
Naturally, the captain of the soldiers would not refuse. He handed Zhou Yan, who had been tied up, to Tang Daqian. Although Tang Daqian was not as strong as Jia Yun and Cao Wu, he easily lifted Zhou Yan onto the horse and controlled him.
stand up.
Immediately, Mu Fu and Tang Daqian led a hundred cavalry, the vanguard army, directly towards the temporary coal government Yamen.
After a while, Qin Houxiang, the commander-in-chief of Xuzhou Town, personally led nine hundred officers and soldiers into the city gate.
The nine hundred officers and soldiers are all cavalry, all wearing armor, of which 300 are equipped with firearms and 200 are equipped with bows and arrows!
"Close the city gates and put the whole city under martial law. No one can enter or leave without my order!"
Qin Houxiang left dozens of soldiers and 200 officers and soldiers to guard the city gate and issued orders at the same time.
Immediately, Qin Houxiang led 700 cavalry and rushed towards the temporary Coal Administration Office.
At this moment, Huainan City is filled with cavalry armor!
Dozens of soldiers and 200 cavalry guard the city gates, and the entire city is under martial law!
Mu Fu, Tang Daqian, Qin Houxiang and 800 cavalry all rushed towards the temporary Coal Administration Office!