() Zhong Jinwei comforted Archie and said, "Don't think so much. Everything is fine with them. We can see them tomorrow."
Archi nodded, and then said to Zhong Jinwei: "Young Master, please take a rest first, and I will go boil some water for you."
"No, I have something to do here, please help me." Zhong Jinwei stopped Archie who was about to leave.
When Archi heard that he could help the young master, he immediately stopped and looked at Zhong Jinwei.
"From now on, you have to teach me calligraphy and then accompany me to study." Zhong Jinwei is already a bit thick-skinned in front of Archie, and he doesn't blush at all when he says this. He is still thinking: If there was a beautiful girl when I was studying in the past.
My girlfriend helps me with my homework, so I study by myself every day and night.
Archi's mind immediately showed Zhong Jinwei's twisting words, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud. He was afraid of irritating Zhong Jinwei's self-esteem, so he suppressed his laughter. But looking at Zhong Jinwei, he seemed to be indifferent.
, he no longer suppressed his laughter, and a string of laughter like silver bells sounded in the side hall.
That night, the cold wind was biting, and there were almost no people on the street. In the Gongjian Hutong in the north of the Forbidden City, the third large house from the street entrance, there were two red lanterns hanging at the door, one on the left and one on the right, both with the word "李" written on them.
word, the light from the lantern just illuminated the area in front of the mansion gate.
Finally, the night scene was picturesque, and there was no longer just a swaying lantern. A man came to the door of Li's house. The man was wrapped in a thick mink coat, and he also wore a large felt hat on his head, with the brim pressed down.
Very low. This way of dressing makes it difficult to see his body shape and face. To say that he is afraid of the cold seems a bit excessive, but rather like a thief who is afraid of being recognized.
Arriving at the door of Li's Mansion, the man suddenly looked left and right at the streets on both sides. There was no one there, and then he turned around, pulled the knocker, and knocked on the door.
It took a while before the Zhuqi door was opened a crack, and a voice of complaint came out. But soon, after the person who knocked on the door showed his face, the people inside suppressed the complaint and let the person in.
Got in.
After the concierge closed the door again, the person who showed his face asked: "Where is my godfather now? I have something important to see him." The voice was a bit high-pitched, not like a man's voice, not like a woman's voice, but more like a eunuch's.
.
"I seem to be sleeping now. You can go directly to find the master." The concierge said directly.
Isn't it normal that a visitor can break into the master's bedroom? Is the concierge confused by the cold?
I didn't expect anyone to come, but I wasn't surprised at all. I nodded, walked around the screen wall, and went directly.
The visitor was familiar with the way, walked through the hall, and soon arrived in front of the master's bedroom.
He found that the light was still on in the bedroom, so he stretched out his left hand, knocked twice on the door frame, and said in a low voice: "Godfather, Godfather."
"Who?" came a slightly older voice, also relatively high-pitched.
"This is my son Wang Xuan. I have something important to report to my godfather." The person outside the door replied softly.
The people inside knew that Wang Xuan was the most aware of importance among his godsons and would not disturb them at this time for trivial matters. So they said to the door: "Go and sit in the next room, your godfather will be here soon.
"
After Wang Xuan heard this, he went straight to the wing next door, took out a piece of flint from a shelf in the corner of the door, and lit the candle in the wing.
Then he took off his felt hat, put it on a clothes rack on the side, and sat down to wait for his godfather to arrive.
Not long after, a man with a little gray hair and a white jade hairpin in his bun walked in and closed the door by himself.
When Wang Xuan saw the visitor, he knelt down and said, "Kowtow to your godfather."
"Get up, what are you doing here on such a cold night?" the visitor asked, sitting down in the main seat in the side hall.
"Godfather, my son is on duty in the palace today. I heard some news related to my godfather, so I came here to report it." It turns out that this Wang Xuan is the chamberlain who behaved abnormally during the day.
"Um?"
"Godfather, Uncle Zhongxing, told Your Majesty today that he will reorganize the capital camp according to the method of eliminating troops from the royal army outside the city."
"What? Did you hear clearly, when will it start?" The godfather stood up from his chair and seemed shocked by the news.
"The emperor said it was postponed, and he asked Uncle Zhongxing to take a big step in this matter. Godfather, you are in charge of the Beijing camp. If we really want to reorganize it like this, our oil and water will be gone."
It turned out that Wang Xuan's godfather was Li Fengxiang, the eunuch and eunuch in charge of the Beijing camp. When he heard that the army would not be organized immediately, he temporarily put aside his newly raised heart and sat down slowly.
He and Liang Shixun, the Marquis of Baoding, have always been in charge of the Jingying Camp. The generals and generals inside are their confidants. It can be said that the Jingying Camp is their two-quarter land. Anyone who wants to move must ask them first.
Just fine.
The reason why he is so nervous about this news is that the Beijing Camp is one of their biggest financial resources. Pretending to receive military pay is a way to make a fortune. Drinking the blood of soldiers is also a way to make a fortune. Pulling the soldiers from the Beijing Camp out to work in vain
It is also a way to make a fortune.
In order to fool Emperor Chongzhen in the past, only a small number of people had training, and the training focused on showing off. So although Emperor Chongzhen knew that there was a problem in the Beijing camp, he didn't realize that the entire Beijing camp was rotten. Now I'm afraid he can
Just bullying the common people.
Wang Xuan was also one of the people who benefited from this. When Bai Ri heard that his money was cut off, he was of course unwilling to do so. Li Fengxiang nodded to Wang Xuan and praised: "This time, you did a great job.
Okay, I will remember this."
When Wang Xuan heard this, he knelt down and thanked him again: "Thank you godfather. My son was angry that Mr. Zhongxing dared to interfere in our territory. My son thought that he should be taught a lesson to make him give up the idea."
After listening to Wang Xuan's suggestion, Li Fengxiang thought for a while, and said slowly with a hint of coldness: "This Uncle Zhongxing suddenly rose up in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty. He wants to help the emperor, and we won't stop him. But we have to do it until
It’s our family’s top priority, and it’s also where our biggest money comes from, so we can’t ignore it.”
After thinking for a while, he said to Wang Xuan: "Does the Marquis of Baoding know about this?"
Wang Xuan shook his head and said flatteringly: "Godfather, this matter only happened this afternoon. My son came to report it to his godfather as soon as possible. I'm afraid the Marquis of Baoding doesn't know about it."
"Okay, our family already knows about this. You go back first and don't act any different than usual, so as not to be noticed by others and violate the emperor's taboo. Then no one can save you." Li Fengxiang told Wang Xuandao.
"Thank you godfather for reminding me, my son must be careful."
"Don't be careless. People from Dongchang and Jinyiwei are out again. Be careful where you go."
"Yes, godfather." Wang Xuan quickly obeyed. They knew how powerful the factory guards were and they didn't dare to be careless.
"Okay, then you leave through the back door." Li Fengxiang ordered.
"Then my son has resigned, and my godfather should rest early." After Wang Xuan finished speaking, he stepped back and went out. He took the felt hat by the door and put it on his head again, and headed for the back door.
Li Fengxiang sat inside for a long time, then walked to the door and shouted: "Li Fu."
Li Fu was the steward of his house and a member of his hometown. After he became successful, he took the initiative to join him. He was reliable and was one of his confidants.
Hearing the master's call, he quickly came over and said, "Master, what are your orders?"
Li Fengxiang waved to Li Fu and told him in a low voice: "Go to the Marquis of Baoding's house early tomorrow morning to meet the Marquis of Baoding and make an appointment with him tomorrow night at 15:00 (7:30 p.m.).
When we meet somewhere, tell us that we have important matters to discuss. Watch your whereabouts so as not to be discovered."
"Yes, sir." Li Fu bowed.
"Okay, let's go and rest now." After Li Fengxiang finished giving the instructions, he went back to his room.
On the morning of December 26, the second year of Chongzhen, the winter sun had not yet risen, and the cold wind was still raging. But Zhong Jinwei and his party had already set off.
This group of people, except Archi who was riding in a carriage, included a eunuch and two imperial guards. Zhong Jinwei and two Dongchang guards were all on horseback.
The eunuchs and Jin Yiwei were on official business and left to deliver the order. The Dongchang guards, namely Gu Baichuan and Wang Peng, were ordered to accompany Zhong Xingbo on his trip to Tongzhou.
Zhong Jinwei and A Qi were getting married, so they did not wear public clothes for private matters. For this reason, Gu Baichuan and Wang Peng also dressed in casual clothes.
Tongzhou is located northeast of the capital, about fifty miles away from the capital, and can be reached by horseback in half a day.
Because Zhong Jinwei doesn't know how to ride a fast horse, and Archi is going by carriage, so it won't go very fast. According to normal estimates, it will take a day to get to Tongzhou.
This group of people, walking on the streets of the capital, were mixed with eunuchs, royal guards, and civilians. They looked a bit different and attracted the attention of a few pedestrians.
After Zhong Jinwei found out, he felt that it was not good to attract too much attention, so he said to the eunuch and the two guards in brocade: "Three brothers, you are on official business. It is not very convenient for us to wear casual clothes. Moreover, our speed cannot be increased, which will delay the journey.
Otherwise, you go first and we'll take our time."
No one was willing to walk slowly on the road and suffer the cold in this cold winter month. Seeing Zhong Xingbo's suggestion, the eunuchs and Jin Yiwei had no reason to disagree, so they took their leave immediately. The remaining Zhong Jinwei and his party set off to Tongzhou at the normal speed.