It was already midnight when Chang Yu left the palace. He was a little tired from chasing stars and catching the moon from outside the customs in the past few days. But when he left the palace, he did not rush back to the Yamen. Instead, he went to a large house in Beicheng.
Wu Mansion.
It is not the residence of Wu Sangui, but the residence of Wu Mengming, the last commander of the Jinyi Guards in the Ming Dynasty.
This was Chang Yu's first visit, and it was still late at night.
So when Wu Mengming heard the news, he was very surprised. He hurriedly welcomed Chang Yu into the main hall: "The factory director came to visit late at night. Could it be that something big happened?"
"It's no big deal." Chang Yu smiled slightly: "I'm going south tomorrow, I want to talk to you before I leave." Wu Mengming breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly helped Chang Yu make tea.
"Father, is there a guest?" At this time, a sleepy young man appeared at the entrance of the lobby. Chang Yu raised his eyebrows and looked at Wu Mengming: "Your Majesty?"
"It's Quanzi." Wu Mengming waved to the young man: "Bang Fu, come here to pay homage to the factory supervisor."
The young man was startled and suddenly became energetic. He strode into the hall and Chang Yu saluted him. His eyes were very fiery. It was obvious that he was very interested in the little eunuch and he must be a big fan.
But Chang Yu had no interest in him and nodded: "We have something to say with your father, so please stay away for now."
Wu Bangfu looked a little disappointed, but he still retreated obediently. The eunuch in front of him, who was many years younger than him, was far from comparable to him in terms of power and aura.
"My son is so old." Chang Yu was a little surprised. Wu Mengming was only over forty and his son was twenty-five or six: "Where will he serve?"
"Libei Si Xing" Wu Mengming smiled and said: "I am humble enough to get married at my age."
Chang Yu nodded and said, "It turns out that Wu Bangfu also works in Fusi, Jinyiweibei Town. He might have gone in through the back door. But he didn't come here late at night just to gossip about trivial matters, let alone talk to Wu Mengming."
So simple.
"Tomorrow our family will leave Beijing, and Chunxiang will also go out. There are only a few gatekeepers left in Dongchang, but they have a heavy workload, so I have to ask you to help me and guard the gate for our family." Chang Yu said calmly
As he spoke, he blew into the tea cup.
"Look at what the Lord said, it's too superficial. I know it well in my humble position. Your business is my business. We have to tear it apart in the open, but in the dark, I wear a pair of trousers. Don't worry, sir. If anything happens, just send me a message." Wu Mengming
With a calm face, he invested all his wealth in Chang Yu. It can be said that he was more loyal to Chang Yu than Emperor Chongzhen.
Chang Yu was very satisfied with this answer, so he talked to him about some official matters. The two discussed in secret for a long time before Chang Yu said goodbye and left.
Wu Mengming walked outside the house, looked around and asked in a low voice: "Why did you come here without covering up, sir? Didn't you say that you want to... keep a low profile?"
"If you are too deliberate, you will be suspected by others. We will come to our house before leaving Beijing and let the interested people figure it out for themselves." Chang Yu said and got into the car: "The bank is a major matter for us, so you should be more careful."
Wu Mengming nodded heavily: "Don't worry, Governor, all the things you asked me to do will be handled well. The bank is our big business and must be done well and big, and the sweet potatoes and potatoes are life-saving and must be handled well for you."
Yes, there is also the Military Industry Research Institute..."
"Okay, okay, just keep it in mind." Chang Yu got into the car, waved and left.
Early the next morning, at dawn, the Dongchang Yamen next to the Imperial City was bustling with activity, and dozens of guards were getting ready at the entrance of the alley.
A carriage slowly drove out from the Yamen, accompanied by Chen Wangting, Qiao Sanxiu and other personal attendants. Needless to say, it was Chang Yu's special carriage.
As soon as he came out of the alley, he saw an eunuch hurriedly running to the carriage and panting: "Eunuch Chang, the Queen heard that you were leaving Beijing today, and made breakfast for you with her own hands, and invited you to come to the palace to eat.
Let’s go again”.
Hey, the guards all around couldn't help but exclaimed, our governor of the East Factory is so proud that the queen personally made breakfast to see her off.
Chang Yu lifted up the car curtain and stuck his head out and said to the eunuch: "Please tell the queen, the military affairs are urgent and cannot be delayed. Our family will not eat any food. I accept this."
The eunuch bowed and left, surrounded by guards who looked at each other in confusion. The governor was so majestic that the queen didn't even give him face.
The carriages and horses pulled out of Zhengyang Gate. Although it was early in the morning, there were many people in the outer city. Wherever they passed, onlookers would inevitably make comments: Is this also going out to fight? Which bodyguard is it?
Are you blind? Didn't you notice that there are people all around you? This is from Dongchang. Looking at this battle, it must be the big eunuch.
You know what the heck, didn’t you say that the eunuch had left the capital a long time ago...
Outside the Anding Gate, the four battalions of the Dongchang Guards had already gathered here and had been waiting for a long time. They saw a carriage leaving the city in the distance, and several commanders came to greet them on horseback.
Chang Yu raised the car curtain and swept away the people: "In the name of Dongchang in Gongziying, we will inspect the military disciplines of various ministries along the way. Anyone found guilty of committing crimes will be severely punished!"
"I humble my duty and obey the order." Fan Jiaqian, Li Tiezhu and others left with fists in their hands.
"The Black Wolf Camp will go to Xuzhou first. If anyone tries to steal our food and grass, we will kill them without mercy!"
Lao Jiu, the "low-ranking leader", dashed away on horseback. Now he has been promoted to the commander of the Black Wolf Battalion with the title of Qianhu.
"Tu Yuan, you should go to Jinan first and wait... don't conflict with Liu Zeqing, but if you really want to do it, go to Gao Jie for help." Chang Yu frowned and said softly.
"That guy Gao Jie is the same as Liu Zeqing. If we really fight, he will help us?" Tu Yuan curled his lips, and Chang Yu chuckled: "Just do what I say, you won't suffer any loss."
Tu Yuan also left. Jia Waixiong looked around, then spread his hands: "Supervisor, where am I?"
"Of course you are following the governor. If you fight with others on the road, you must have a helper, right?" Chang Yu smiled and raised his eyebrows: "Where are Hao Yaoqi and Ji Jike?"
These two men are the fierce generals under Chang Yu, and they must be taken with them when they go south.
"I'm not here. I left with Li Yan yesterday." Jia Waixiong responded: "Why don't I humbly call you back?"
"Look, you have nothing to do." Chang Yu put down the car curtain and said loudly: "Let's drive!"
A few months ago, I rode a horse when I left Beijing to go to Taiyuan to deposit money. I also rode a horse when I went north to call for reinforcements outside the customs. Why did I take a car when I went south this time?
In fact, the reason is very simple: the distance is too long and the weather is too hot.
At three o'clock in the morning, Chang Yu had already left Beijing for more than thirty miles. What he saw on the way was unbearable. Natural disasters, military disasters, loss of food harvests, the world was already a hell, and there were tragic images everywhere he looked.
Li Muxian occasionally shook the dust in his hand and kept chanting silently. Wu Zhong became impatient and wanted to scold him, but after seeing the pious look on the Taoist priest's face, he restrained himself.
"Master Wu, Master Wu, there's something going on back there..." At this time, a guard from behind called out softly. Wu Zhong was very impatient and yelled something: "What's going on back there? Are there refugees begging for food or killing people?"
"No, it seems the female general is here."
A female general is not a red lady. Nowadays, there is only one person in the capital who can claim this title, Song Luoyu, the personal servant of Dongchang.
A horse came galloping from a distance. He immediately showed his heroic posture and raised his arms and shouted loudly.
Wuzhong was very excited and rode forward to greet him: "Luo Yu, but you can't bear to leave me..."
Song Luoyu scolded him as a "bastard" and passed him by. He ran straight to Chang Yu's car and got off his horse. The governor said: "I have something to report to you because of my humble position."
Chang Yu stuck his head out and glanced at Song Luoyu: "No!"
"What's the matter with your humble position?" Song Luoyu choked.
"I know what you are going to say. If it doesn't work, it just won't work!"
"Sir" Song Luoyu suppressed his face and turned red: "Stomp your feet, just this once!"
Moreover, Chang Yu rolled his eyes: "Every time you do it, Luo Yu, this governor is confused. You are tired of fighting and killing, so you just joined me to find peace. Why?"
Now I can’t bear it anymore.”
"Sir, Luo Yu is just a wanderer. He cannot be like a virtuous and virtuous person who never leaves home. Also, I am not seeking safety by joining you in my humble position, but because I want to serve my country with all my loyalty!" Song Luoyu hurriedly defended.
Chang Yu shrugged: "You have done your loyalty and served the country. The rest will be left to these men. It's a good time to go back to Beijing and look after the house."
"Lord Governor..." Song Luoyu was anxious.
"Luo Yu" Chang Yu interrupted him: "You are a capable person and a loyal person. You want to show your ambitions, and I have given you the opportunity to do so. Now it's time to calm down. I am not
People who favor boys over girls, but you are a girl after all and you have to get married. Yu Gong, you have surrounded and suppressed the Tatars with the army, and you have made great achievements in battle. Yu Private, you have saved my life. It is too dangerous to go south, and I can’t let it go anymore.
You are in danger!"
Song Luoyu begged: "Sir, is it really just this once?"
Chang Yu shook his head gently: "Be obedient, go back and have a good rest. If you really can't rest, I will wait for you to go to Xi'an in the autumn."
Song Luoyu was overjoyed for a moment but then dimmed at the same time: "We have to wait until the autumn..." He looked at his brother Song Luoshu, Chen Wangting and others with pleading eyes, but no one interceded for her.
At this time, Wu Zhong jumped out: "Mr. Factory Supervisor, please give me some face for this humble position, and then..."
"Get out!" Chang Yu yelled angrily, and Song Luoyu and others stared at him fiercely.
Wuzhong touched his nose in embarrassment and walked up to Song Luoyu: "Luo Yu..."
Before he finished speaking, Song Luoyu got on his horse and clasped his fists at Chang Yu's carriage: "My lord, please don't break your promise." After that, he hit the horse and left.
Wuzhong looked at his valiant and heroic figure from a distance and swallowed his saliva: "This is the taste, it's so exciting!"