Behind Zhu Yunxi, bursts of clanging sounds could be heard.
Those were the officers and soldiers of the Northern Patrol, setting up camp.
These all have their own rules and regulations, and even Cao Zhen does not need to show up. There are many generals in the army to supervise the soldiers.
The supply camp had already chosen a location upstream of the camp, and began to collect water and bury the pots for cooking. Along with the rising smoke, tents were set up one after another.
When the materials prepared in advance by the Shanxi Daodu Commander-in-Chief were sent outside the camp, the troops and horses of the Northern Patrol had already begun to dig deep ditches and build fences around the camp.
The snow in the sky is quite heavy.
Snowflakes began to fall on the first day of the new year, and then the sky was filled with heavy snowflakes, which blocked everyone's sight before people noticed it.
The ground still has some warmth. When the snowflakes fall on the ground, they first melt and moisten the soil, continuously cooling the ground.
When the temperature reaches freezing point, the snowflakes falling from the sky begin to accumulate thinly layer by layer.
With just a cup of tea, the entire earth has been covered with a thin layer of snow. And the snowflakes falling from the sky are still thickening this thin layer of snow, trying to cover the entire land.
The whole earth was covered.
On the shore next to the water, someone had already held up a big umbrella for the emperor's grandson and others who were looking at the snowy scene.
The thick umbrella handle was inserted deeply into the soil under the feet, blocking this small area from the heavy snow.
Under the umbrella, the snow reflected the shape of the umbrella, revealing circles of clean open space.
Zhu Fan looked at the scenery outside Taiyuan City that he had seen for countless years, and asked curiously: "Now that we are in Taiyuan, you know the situation here well. What are you going to do now?"
Zhu Yunxi looked at the falling snow outside the umbrella in front of him, thinking that Yingtian City was probably just a little colder at this time, but if he wanted to see snow, it would probably take some time.
He turned to look at Zhu Fan and said with a smile: "Of course I'm waiting for the food and grass to be ready, and then after my third uncle's birthday has passed, I will send my troops north to inspect the borders."
Zhu Fan stared: "Seriously! How do you plan to deal with the people in Shanxi Road?"
"Of course I'm waiting for them to take action." Zhu Yunxi blinked, and his face finally became serious: "Now that I've thrown out the lead for auditing, it depends on how they take it."
Gao Yangzhi stepped forward from behind the two of them and said softly: "In fact, the Taiyuan Prefecture does not need to raise one month's worth of food and grass for the Northern Patrol. It only takes five days of food and grass to reach Datong, and Datong will provide the required food and grass."
"
Zhu Yunxi took the words and looked at Zhu Fan: "Actually, from the beginning, Taiyuan asked for food and grass for one month, just so that he could stay in Taiyuan. He also wanted to use this to raise the matter of auditing the accounts."
Whenever a large army is out and passing through local prefectures and counties, generally speaking, it only requires the local prefectures and counties to provide about five days of food and grass supplies.
If Zhu Yunxi were not the emperor's grandson of the Ming Dynasty, or if he were replaced by any other military general, and if he asked Taiyuan to prepare a month's worth of food and grass, there would only be one result.
That is to be flatly rejected.
No local government would agree to provide an army with food and grass supplies for a month.
This is to ensure that the military outside is always under the control of the imperial court and needs to rely on the imperial court's support at all times. It is also because local governments cannot have so many grain and grass reserves, thereby reducing the burden on local governments.
Zhu Fan's eyes hesitated: "What do you think you can find out from Shanxi Road's accounts?"
Zhu Yunxi shook his head and said: "The audit is not the purpose, it is just a means. The purpose is just to check the accounts and see what they will do. It is like two people playing chess. The nephew has already made the move, and now it is their turn to make the move."
Zhu Yunxi's eyes flickered.
There was no accounting matter from the beginning, it was just an excuse. What he is doing now is to scare the snake, and he slapped the grass in Taiyuan City with a stick to see what kind of reaction there will be in the grass.
Gao Yangzhi stood aside and stared at Zhu Fan dimly, staring and thinking for a while.
Then he whispered: "Is it true that all three of the prince's guards are at Ningwu Institute?"
Zhu Fan was stunned for a moment: "The three guards of the Jin Palace have indeed been transferred to Ningwu."
Gao Yangzhi asked doubtfully: "Did the prince really not leave any backup plan?"
Zhu Fan looked at the young cabinet minister and suddenly laughed: "I never fight a battle that I am not prepared for. It's just that I have determined that brother Xi will not come to Taiyuan City, so those people can't take action too early. Now Xi
Brother is here, I have sent people to Ningwu this morning to recall the three guards of the Jin Palace."
Zhu Fan knew very clearly which one was more valuable, the clan king or the emperor's grandson who was in charge of the country.
Not to mention the past, now in the eyes of those people, I am probably just a casual thing.
However, Gao Yangzhi frowned and said, "Ning Wu is going south to rush back to Taiyuan City. It will take four days at the fastest and about five days at the slowest time."
Zhu Yunxi said softly: "In total, it is around the time of my third uncle's birthday."
The third uncle in front of him really sent the princess and children to Yingtian City. He wanted to be with Taiyuan City.
Zhu Yunxi knew this very well.
He suddenly said, "The snow is getting heavier and heavier, it's going to be really cold."
Zhu Fan said with a smile: "Every time it snows in the north, it becomes cold. It will gradually clear up and warm up after the New Year's Eve. It will not be completely warm until spring begins."
Zhu Yunxi said quietly: "The soldiers in the camp have enough charcoal fires for the night. Be careful of catching fire. You must also remember to ventilate. Don't suffocate to death in the tent just to stay warm."
Cao Zhen, Marquis of Jingchuan, who had been accompanying Taisun, immediately said in a muffled voice: "The general has already informed us, pits are being dug everywhere in the camp to prepare water, and holes have been opened in the tents."
Zhu Yunxi nodded, and then looked at Zhu Fan: "Third uncle, it is better to return to the palace early. Don't let those people worry about whether third uncle is conspiring with Gu."
Today on the official road in the south of Taiyuan City, when Changsun Gong and others saw Zhu Fan clearly, the expressions on their faces were very wonderful.
I don’t know how these people are feeling right now.
Zhu Fan waved his hand casually: "Those people are probably thinking that we, uncle and nephew, can be reunited together."
Joking casually, Zhu Fan had already lowered his head and walked out from under the umbrella that was protecting everyone from the wind and snow. The royal guards stepped forward holding the umbrellas, trying to block Zhu Fan from the wind and snow coming from the sky.
Zhu Fan waved his hand, got on his horse despite the heavy wind and snow, and rode away with a loud roar.
Under several large umbrellas on the shore of Fenshui River, everyone watched the departure of King Zhu Fan of Jin with calm eyes.
After a long time.
Cao Zhen just said: "Prince Jin is a man!"
It was rare for him to speak in a calm tone, with a hint of admiration. Although it sounded like a sick sentence, everyone present understood what he meant.
Gao Yangzhi also nodded and said: "If His Highness has not changed his mind, I am afraid that King Jin really intends to coexist with Taiyuan City."
"Uncle King Zhou was naughty at first and was demoted to Yunnan by the emperor. After he came back, he devoted himself to medicine. Uncle King Jin was the same way. He was violent in his early years and now often leads troops to go to the north for expeditions." Zhu Yunxi lamented that these people in the old Zhu family seemed to
More or less, they all have some bad deeds, but they all suddenly wake up to the same thing: "The incident where the uncle of the King of Jin tied people and horses to pieces in public has now been found out. He can have the same mentality as the city, which is unprecedented.
I feel surprised.”
Actually, I think so.
People like the King of Jin and the King of Zhou all grew up next to Queen Xiaoci.
How could someone like Queen Xiaoci really educate children who are violent and indifferent to human life?
There are so many unknown things in this, and I am afraid only these parties are the ones who know it best.
Sun Cheng, who had been patrolling the camp, now came over covered in wind and snow.
He passed by in front of everyone and glanced at them calmly.
When he arrived in front of Zhu Yunxi, the people around Zhu Yunxi had already quietly stepped back a few steps.
Sun Cheng stepped forward, nodded, bent down, and whispered: "Your Highness's Chinese army tent has been built, and the entrance and exit are inside the tent."
Zhu Yunxi nodded: "Just wait and see what happens in Taiyuan City in the past few days."
Sun Cheng hummed and silently stepped back.
…
That night.
The heavy snowfall during the day has not stopped yet.
It seems that the snow will bury the entire Taiyuan Prefecture before it stops.
In the dark night, the dark clouds carrying wind and snow blocked the moon behind. In the hazy night, except for the snowflakes floating in front of my eyes, I could no longer see anything else.
In a small courtyard in the north of the city.
Zhu Yunwen was wrapped in a large cotton coat, which was tightly wrapped from shoulders to calves.
He stood behind the door of the house, relying on the candles lit inside the house, watching the snow outside continue to fall and pile up layer by layer in the courtyard.
Zhu Yunwen just stared at the falling snow outside quietly.
After a long time, there was movement at the door of the back room.
Then came the sound of Qiuniang's footsteps.
"Erlang."
Qiuniang called out softly, and Zhu Yunwen quickly turned around.
Seeing that Qiuniang was only wearing a sleeping shirt and came to him, Zhu Yunwen quickly took off the cotton-padded clothes on his body and wrapped them around Qiuniang without any explanation.
"Don't refuse, I'm still wearing my coat." Zhu Yunwen tugged at the clothes he was wearing, held Qiuniang's hands and frowned, "Why are you awake?"
Qiuniang pursed her lips: "I can't sleep if I can't see Erlang by my side. Is Erlang thinking about something?"
Qiuniang looked at the wind and snow outside the house, pulled the cotton coat, spread her arms, and hugged Zhu Yunwen from behind with the cotton coat.
Zhu Yunwen patted Qiu Niang's hands around his chest and whispered: "I'm waiting to see if anything will happen tonight. You should go back to the house and sleep quickly. Don't catch a cold."
Qiuniang shook her head behind Zhu Yunwen and asked curiously: "What will happen with such heavy snow tonight?"
Zhu Yunwen looked dimly at the dark snowy night outside, shook his head and said, "I don't know, but something will definitely happen."
As he spoke, his gaze had already moved to the corner of the courtyard, to the cellar.
If something really happened tonight, then he should be prepared and wait for news and instructions in the cellar.
Thinking that he didn't know when there would be any movement, Zhu Yunwen quickly turned around and hugged Qiuniang in his arms, and put her on the bed in a few steps.
Zhu Yunwen's face was full of tenderness, and he carefully covered Qiuniang with quilt, gently stroked Qiuniang's cheek, and whispered: "Sleep well, otherwise I will be angry."
Qiuniang held the edge of the quilt with both hands, blinked her bright eyes, and nodded: "I know..."
With a smile on his face, Zhu Yunwen leaned over and kissed Qiu Niang's forehead gently, then turned and walked out of the back room, closed the door, then continued to wrap himself in cotton clothes and stood at the door.
On such a snowy night, it is impossible for a normal person to step out of the house.
And the heavy snow in the sky has become the best cover at this time.
Located directly south of the Jin Palace in the north of the city, across a few streets, a large area is covered with tall courtyard walls.
The Governor's Office of Henan Province, the Taiyuan Government Office, and the Yangqu County Government Office are located together, occupying an entire block.
In the wind and snow, someone was carrying a heavy basket and walking carefully against the courtyard wall.
When he reached the area between the three yamen, the man stopped. He raised his head and saw signs hanging on both sides of the courtyard gate, namely Taiyuan Prefecture Jia Ge Ku and Yangqu County Jia Ge Ku.
Taiyuan Prefecture and Yangqu County belong to the same place, so these warehouses for storing government archives have always been used.
Next to the Jiage Library in Heyangqu County, Taiyuan Prefecture, is the Jiage Library of Shanxi Daobu Zhengshi Siyamen.
The man carrying the basket stood in front of the Jiageku gate in Taiyuan Prefecture and Yangqu County, pushing the wooden door with his palm. Without even a moment's hesitation, the door was pushed open through a gap.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! The man immediately sidled into the cabinet.
After entering the Jiageku, there were no officers on duty as specified by the government, and everything was pitch black.
The man carried the basket and walked into the warehouse.
At this time, there was still no one in sight.
The man then brought out a brazier from the corner of the warehouse and poured out half of the coal in the basket behind him.
Then he poured some black kerosene on the coals.
The man took out the huozhezi from his body, unsealed it, and blew on the huozhezi a few times and saw that the sparks had ignited.
The man placed the fire folding piece on top of the brazier, stretched out his hand and patted it twice gently.
Sparks fell from the fire breakers into the brazier.
There was a muffled bang.
The whole brazier was on fire.
The man waited for a moment until all the coals in the brazier were burning, then he reached out and gently pushed against the edge of the brazier.
With a bang, the whole brazier fell to the ground instantly, and the burning coals were scattered on the ground.
The fire also lit up.
Seeing that the wooden boards on the ground were starting to ignite, the man raised his foot and kicked a burning coal onto the pile of books aside.
The flames struggled for a few times, raging and quickly ignited the stack of books.
Seeing that everything was done, the man breathed a sigh of relief, quietly pushed out of the warehouse, carefully closed the door, and then disappeared silently into the wind and snow outside.
Time is flowing bit by bit.
Suddenly, bright flames ignited in Taiyuan City.
The flames shone on the snow that had reached the calf level, and the light reflected in all directions.
The entire Taiyuan City lit up in an instant.
An exclamation came from no one knows which yamen.