The sun rises early in midsummer, and it's already dark before Yin Shi.
Both sides of Andingmen Street were surrounded by people. Jin Yiwei had deployed control of the entire street. All the streets and alleys at all intersections were blocked. Even the shops along the street were forced to close. Lookout posts were set up at several high places and archers were deployed.
It can be said that they are on standby, just to ensure that the emperor's departure from the city is safe.
At the intersection of Shuntianfu Street, Chang Yu found Wu Mengming and Chunxiang here. The two inspected the street carefully several times, but they were still worried that something was wrong.
The reason for being so cautious is because of what Chang Yu said before, that the Tatar Kingdom has been operating in the Ming Dynasty for more than ten years and has countless spies.
You must know that not long ago, when the Tatar Prince of England had just been captured, the Tatar spies in the capital were so arrogant that they went to Dongchang to rob the imperial prison. When their plan failed, they even started a riot in the capital. This shows how powerful and courageous they are.
big.
Although Dongchang and Jinyiwei later jointly killed and eradicated some of them, who knows how many Tatar spies are still hiding in this city. Who knows whether they will take the opportunity to assassinate the Ming Emperor. After all, the Tatars were beaten a few days ago.
If they look like that, they might get angry.
Today at the ceremony, Wu Mengming was solely responsible for the security issues. He did not dare to work for Chang Yu, so he hired Chunxiang as his assistant. The two of them had studied and judged for a long time, but they still felt that it was difficult to make sure everything was safe. When Chang Yu came to see him, he was overjoyed to ask for advice.
Chang Yu did not dare to be careless. He walked back and forth three times from Anding Gate to the Imperial City. He carefully observed both sides of the street and deployed manpower at any suspicious places where an ambush might be possible. He asked Wu Mengming again: "Can we let out plainclothes?" Seeing that Wu Mengming was a little confused.
Confused: "It's the secret agent."
Hey, Wu Mengming slapped his head: "I feel like something is wrong, it turns out it's here." Then he called his subordinates and gave secret orders to deploy spies along the street.
After another round of preparations, the city was completely impeccable, but outside the city, there was still more than ten miles from the capital to the military camp, and there were cottages and woods along the way...
"It doesn't matter. After the city gate is opened, thousands of soldiers and horses of the Yulin Guard and the Huben Guard will block the main road. People are not allowed to pass, or even get closer than a mile. If you want to watch the military parade, then take the wilderness trail."
.Wu Mengming was confident that it was actually safer than the ten miles inside the city.
Chang Yu nodded and looked at the sky. The city gate was about to open: "You two should pay more attention to the things outside. Let's go into the palace and have a look." After explaining Wu Mengming and Chunxiang, the little eunuch rode on horseback.
As we walked towards the imperial city, there were more and more people watching on the street.
Chang Yu dismounted from the Bei'an Gate in the imperial city and entered the palace. After walking for more than a hundred steps, he saw an endless stream of eunuchs and maids in a hurry. He knew that today's military parade was held and all the yamen in the palace were very busy.
Bypassing Wansui Mountain, we rushed all the way from the east side of the palace to the gate of Neidong Changyamen. We saw nearly a hundred eunuchs coming and going in and out of the gate of Shangshan Supervisor. I was surprised and asked about it. It turned out that it was Emperor Chongzhen who wanted to go to the palace after his early morning dynasty.
To give a banquet to all the officials, to put it bluntly, is to treat them to breakfast.
Presuming that he was going to leave the city after breakfast, Chang Yu entered the palace through Donghua Gate and asked the eunuch who was in charge of rituals. He knew that Emperor Chongzhen had just left the morning court, but he was not summoned to the palace.
Could it be that those words he said yesterday made Chongzhen still unrelieved and angry? Otherwise, at this critical moment of the military parade, how could he not have the young eunuch accompany him.
Come on, if you want to leave it alone, I can leave it alone. Just having a leisurely moment, Chang Yu walked towards Duanben Palace. The prince was banned by the queen, but today he will be released from the ban.
Because during the military parade, not only did the emperor come in person, but the queen also left the palace to honor the world, and the prince and princess accompanied her. Because this military parade not only united the military's morale and boosted its prestige, but also strengthened the influence of the imperial power.
But the embarrassing thing is that Chang Yu was blocked outside Duanben Palace. The two eunuchs looked bitter: "Eunuch Chang, the queen has decreed that the prince cannot go out of the palace and cannot enter for leisure. Ahem, the queen also specifically warned not to do so.
You go in, if I let you in, the Queen will skin you, so please don’t embarrass me."
Chang Yu smiled slightly: "The Queen said it was a weekday, is today a weekday?" As he said that, he stepped in. The two eunuchs guarding the door looked at me and I looked at you, and they were speechless for a while.
After entering the palace for more than ten steps, he saw Linglong rushing from the main hall: "Eunuch Chang, you are here. The prince is still in morning class..."
"Then let's go and have a class at home." Chang Yu smiled slightly, and when he was about to enter the hall, he suddenly thought of something and pulled Linglong towards the side hall: "Come here and tell you something."
"Could it be that Eunuch Chang has something to do to make you rich and take care of your maid?" Linglong cheered, and Chang Yu chuckled: "It's true, our family has a good friend outside the palace. He is a wealthy foreign minister who recently entrusted our family to find a beautiful woman for him.
concubine……"
As the name suggests, Linglong people have a sharp mind, and their expression changes when they hear the words: "Chang, Eunuch Chang, you... Chunxiang told you."
Chang Yu snorted: "It's hard for you two to hide this from our family!"
Linglong was startled and knelt down: "Eunuch Chang, my maid didn't mean to hide it from you. Chunxiang said that he should tell you about this matter. Eunuch Chang, do you look down on your maid..."
"Our family has never looked down on you, but we are curious about how you like Chunxiang?" Chang Yu smiled coldly, and Linglong was startled: "Eunuch Chun is young and promising, and I can't ask for it, so why don't you like him?"
However, he quickly realized what Chang Yu meant and shook his head with a wry smile: "Eunuch Chang, who do you think palace maids like maid would marry if they left the palace?"
Both palace maids and eunuchs are miserable people. They either die of old age in the palace or are left alone and helpless after leaving the palace. Those who have some savings can still be self-sufficient, but those who don't are destined to be miserable in their later years.
Whether they are palace maids or eunuchs, they are of low status in the eyes of the common people and are dedicated to serving others. Most of them look at them with contempt. Most of the palace maids are over twenty-five when they leave the palace. In this era, they are the remaining daughters of the Monkey King. Find a husband.
It's not easy. Most of the people who are willing to take it are from poor and poor families. If they are good-looking and join a wealthy family, they will be concubines.
"Even if you are a slave in the palace, your servant has gained experience after all. You will always feel unwilling to marry a poor man or become a concubine when you go out of the palace. But Eunuch Chun is young and promising, he is loyal and kind to your servant, so there is nothing wrong with marrying him."
?" Linglong said while sobbing.
Chang Yu breathed out: "But he is a eunuch, and you are still very young. Don't you think about the future?"
Linglong stopped crying and suddenly blushed: "Although he is a eunuch, he is not incapable of human affairs, he is just unable to have children. Now there are orphans everywhere in the city. Let's just adopt a few."
Ah! Chang Yu was shocked and stunned. A little palace maid in this era could have such advanced ideas. More importantly, what she said meant that Chunxiang had already taken advantage of it!!!
Admit it! Admit it! It turns out that being silent is a sultry thing. This guy Chunxiang is really hiding his secrets. However, he still claims to be a master in picking up girls. It’s really a slap in the face!
"Okay, you can get up." Chang Yu waved his hand and took a long breath: "Since it's your wish, our family will agree to this. Let's have a good talk first and help you organize your happy event in a few days. By the way, Linglong
, do you want to leave the palace?"
"I think about it day and night!" Linglong stood up, looked into Chang Yu's eyes, and nodded firmly.
Chang Yu was startled. He didn't expect that a palace maid who was so favored didn't want to stay in this high-walled courtyard. Then the others...others might think it would be better to be kept in captivity here than leaving the palace.