After discovering three masters in a small noodle shop, Jia Huan often went to eat noodles in the name of "seeking talents". On this day, he casually revealed that his marriage was difficult. After dark, there was a beggar near the Forbidden City.
I saw Boss Wang going in through the back door of the old eunuch's outer house. He didn't come out until the fourth watch. No one came in or out.
The next day when Shi Li heard the news, he smiled and said to Jia Huan: "What did I say? The cunning rabbit has three caves. How can there be only one secret passage in the palace?"
Jia Huan argued: "I didn't say that there is only one secret passage in the palace! The house is too close to the imperial city. Shouldn't the secret passage be built farther away? If there is a soldier trapped in the Forbidden City, it is still within the scope of the 'Pond Fish Disaster' so close.
It’s useless inside.”
Shi Li thought to himself, "That makes sense. Or is it because the secret path was built too late and there is not enough money?"
Jia Huandao: "Isn't the Empress Dowager quite young? Could it be that the late Emperor is dying and she has taken over part of the late Emperor's power. She is afraid that the new emperor, Queen Qiu, will settle her accounts and secretly build a way out for herself?"
Shi Li rolled his eyes at him: "Since she has many secrets of the Tian family and a group of imperial guards, she has already left if she wants to fly far away, so why should she be trapped in that shameful place? The late emperor still has a good eye for seeing people, and he will not be honest.
He established a queen indiscriminately. This empress dowager must be ambitious and unwilling to give up her position and name."
Jia Huan thought for another long time and said: "She has been in the palace for a long time. She may not dare to go out. I am afraid she will not be able to live outside. Otherwise, the house may be an exit of a long tunnel."
The two looked at each other and immediately went to look at the map of the capital city. With their fingers, they found that the house was indeed on the line connecting a temple on the outskirts of the city and the Forbidden City. Shi Li said, "I'm afraid so. This tunnel has an exit outside the Forbidden City."
, it is impossible to say that there is an exit elsewhere in the capital, and a temple is in the suburbs."
Jia Huan looked at the map and then at Shi Li: "Who is that eunuch's nephew?"
Shi Li said: "Don't make any decisions. Those who can be chosen to guard the exit of the secret passage are loyal and reliable."
"I'm thinking about those military books in the Plum Grove outside the city for Sister Lin." Jia Huan muttered.
"I have no future, I just care about idea books."
Jia Huan was noncommittal, and after a while he said, "I still don't think it's quite right."
Tomorrow Jia Huan went to eat noodles again, and the landlady asked him with a smile: "Master Huan, how is everything going? Can you think of anything to do?"
Jia Huan was originally in high spirits, but when he heard this, he immediately became discouraged: "I've thought of a way for a long time. If it doesn't work, I'll ask the prince to be a matchmaker, just as a favor to him." He held his cheek and said, "It's just not.
I really want to owe this favor."
The landlady advised: "Third Master Huan is a famous talent in the world. I think princes from all families would be willing to marry their daughters to Third Master. If this family is not good, there are other families."
Jia Huan smiled bitterly and said, "It would be great if I could just find a family at will. It's not like a small family doesn't have good girls. I've already fallen in love with her, and it's a headache if someone else doesn't want her."
The landlady said: "Although your sister helped you see it, she is young and may not be able to see it accurately."
Jia Huan glanced at her: "Although my fourth sister is young, she is very accurate in judging people. And she knows what I like. After all, marrying a wife is not about buying things. Although there are thousands of them, there is only one I like best."
The landlady said "Ouch": "I can't tell, Mr. Huan is still a lover."
Jia Huan smiled and said: "Love doesn't count. After all, it's a lifelong matter. You have to make the final decision."
The landlady frowned and said, "Since ancient times, marriage has been the order of the parents and the words of the matchmaker."
Jia Huan said: "It's no longer 'from ancient times'. Besides, neither I nor my mother can be trusted."
The landlady and Boss Wang looked at each other and said, "Since I don't want to owe the prince any favors, there is also the empress dowager in the palace."
Jia Huan said: "I don't know each other." He immediately realized something was wrong. He looked at the two of them and said flatly, "You two are not heroes."
Boss Wang smiled and said: "I told you before that we are just ordinary people."
Jia Huan rolled his eyes: "How many ordinary people remember the Empress Dowager? Few ordinary officials remember it. You must be someone of the Empress Dowager, right?"
Just when the landlady was about to speak, Boss Wang waved his hand towards her and said with a wry smile: "That's a good thing. Not many people remember the Empress Dowager these days."
Jia Huan said: "Actually, even when the late emperor was still there, not many people cared about her. It was just that the emperor often used her and the late emperor as a cover to pretend to be filial. A woman, unless she listens to politics from behind the curtain, no matter she is the queen or the queen mother,
The Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager are just a cover. Although the little saint is young now, they and their grandson have no power at all. It is impossible for her to listen to politics from behind the curtain." Nai blinked, "Three of you, it's really better to be bodyguards.
."
Boss Wang said: "There are always a few people in the world who are loyal and unchanging."
Jia Huan shrugged: "Okay, I understand. What I said just now is just a last try. I won't poach you anymore. It's been really annoying these days, don't blame me."
Boss Wang sighed: "What the Empress Dowager said is that the Jia brothers are indeed very slippery, and they are not something that a woman like her can handle. Don't worry, Mr. Jia, the Empress Dowager can help you with your little things.
It doesn’t count that you owe her a favor. Even if you owe her a favor, she has nothing for Mr. Jia to repay."
Jia Huan thought for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "In that case, I would like to thank the Empress Dowager for her kindness. In a few days, I will ask my father to write a note to ask for the imperial edict, and just say that she sent someone to find me first. How about that?"
Boss Wang smiled and nodded. Jia Huan was secretly surprised that Boss Wang dared to agree without asking his master. He didn't even eat any noodles today and just left and went back home.
Back at Lixiangyuan, Shi Li was waiting. Jia Huan didn't even take a sip of tea and said, "Things are weird. Boss Wang and the wife of the boss were too eager, and they just said a few words and rushed to tell the Queen Mother.
Help me settle my marriage. It’s as if they knew I wouldn’t be willing to change to another woman, so they didn’t even try. Cong’er has a temper that doesn’t want to be listened to, and she even thought about sending another princess over;
I have a softer temper." After saying that, he found a teapot, sifted a bowl of tea, drank it all, sifted another bowl and drank.
He was so confused that Shi Li had to sit patiently. Jia Huan finished his tea and took a break before starting from the beginning, and finally said: "Do you think they are too impatient? How much have I prepared?"
I'm just waiting to stop them from trying to persuade you."
Shi Li said: "Ms. Chen is a female guard, and she has shortcomings that Liu Hu controls. It's not surprising that the Empress Dowager has made up her mind. You have fallen in love with the princess, and you have a high status."
"If I have already chosen someone, what benefits can she get? It's just a marriage to save face." Jia Huan said, "I just pretended to be in a hurry to leave, but Boss Wang didn't ask me if I was interested.
Who is the wife in the story? This is really weird."
"That's really weird to say." Shi Li frowned, "Aren't they curious? Or have they guessed it?"
"Even if you have guessed it, you should confirm it face to face." Jia Huan said, "That's it for now. Just ask casually." He felt a little uneasy. He sat there for a moment and stood up to write.
He wrote a text message and gave it to Shi Li, "Send a pigeon to Luzhou." Shi Li nodded and put it away. From then on, Jia Huan stopped going to the noodle shop to harass him.
Two days later, the spies who were following the old eunuch's outer house came to report that a carriage had gone to the house early in the morning to pull things. There were more than twenty carts there. It was said that the eunuch's nephew thought the furniture was too ugly and wanted to replace it.
New. Jia Huan was excited and said, "Okay! This empress dowager is too greedy." He hurriedly ran to discuss with Shi Li.
After hearing this, Shi Li clapped his hands and said, "That's right. Back then, the four generals raided many houses in the capital, but no one in the palace dared to raid them. The princes made some when they left the capital, and King Yan also made some in recent years, and there are still some left after all.
There are so many. A skinny camel is bigger than a horse. There is nothing bad in the palace."
Jia Huan sighed: "Why does the Empress Dowager need so much money? She has been very crazy since she started selling princes. Since she stole things from the palace, she won't be so short of money... Oh, that's right!"
The two of them looked at each other for a long time, and Shi Li said slowly: "There has been no one in the palace for a long time. How long has it been since the Empress Dowager moved to the palace?"
Jia Huan said: "Is it possible that she has been pretending to be poor? Yes, it makes no sense if she doesn't pretend to be poor. King Yan will be suspicious. My dear, this is called making a fortune in silence."
Shi Li asked: "Where did all the 'furniture' go?"
"I don't know yet. The person who followed me hasn't come back yet." Jia Huan was startled again and suddenly laughed, "The Empress Dowager is very tolerant. She has to pretend to be poor for a long time. No wonder she is anxious.
Selling a prince is like a nouveau riche, and it is obvious that having money cannot make you feel uncomfortable."
After waiting for about half an hour, the people who followed came to report that the furniture and carriage entered the Faxiang Temple on the outskirts of the city. This temple was not far from the Tiekan Temple in the Rongguo Mansion and was the family temple of the Liguo Mansion. Jia Huan and Shi Li looked at each other for a long time.
Laugh loudly!
Jia Huan shook his head and said, "I'm too young to manage the government."
Shi Lidao: "Both each other! I also told Fifth Master that the most useless part of the Four Kings Eight Kilometers is Liguo Mansion. From this point of view, Liu Hu said that the branch of Da Neiliu can be trusted and the branch of Liu Keli in Liguo Mansion.
It’s sheer nonsense that Zhi broke off contact long ago. They have always been in contact.”
Jia Huan asked: "What's going on with these two brothers? Do you know?"
"I don't know. But it is true that the people in the government are incompetent. Liu Eunuch has checked it carefully and he is sure that it is correct. Except for the two sons-in-law who were captured by the police, all the men in the house are idiots." Shi Li said, "Look back.
I'll go to Prince Dongping's Mansion and ask. The Liu family has hidden it so deeply, and the Mu family may not know it."
Jia Huan thought: "If the Liguo Mansion is involved, their family is still hidden, and many things are difficult to say. Even if the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager are rich, what can they do? This is not the case with the Liguo Mansion. They can do it if they have money.
Doing many things, raising soldiers is not surprising."
Shi Li said: "Fortunately, firearms are not sold to anyone casually."
Jia Huan's eyes twitched: "Hey - so similar."
"Um?"
"The Empress Dowager and the Fang family of Shu," Jia Huan said, "both have money, but they haven't bought any firearms."
Shi Li frowned and said, "Are you suspicious of the government and the Empress Dowager raising troops?"
Jia Huan's mind turned elsewhere: "Fang Xiong raided the capital, and apart from giving face to our Ningrong and the Second Mansion, the rest of the families did not touch the Liguo Mansion. Fifth Uncle said it was because the Liguo Mansion had taken refuge with the King of Shu."
Shi Li clapped his hands again and said, "That's right! The Supreme Emperor and King Yan are the two brothers who are best at placing spies in other people's camps. Prince Yizhong has military advisor Guo Shu under him. Apart from him, the most powerful among the remaining princes is Prince Liu Ning. ——The current King of Shu." The two of them stared at each other for a long time.
Jia Huan couldn't help but touch his neck. Jia Xu once said that it was his plan for Jia Zhen of Ningguo Mansion to take refuge with Lao Liu, but he only knew that Li Guo Mansion had also taken refuge with Lao Liu, and did not know that their family had another branch in Da Nei. It can be seen that This branch was well hidden, and the Jia family didn't know about it until they met Zhenming. Jia Xu once said that if it weren't for his strategy, the Sixth Prince would not have looked down upon Jia Zhen at all. It shows that not everyone is willing to take refuge in Jia Zhen. The entire Liguo Mansion is really a piece of shit, but the Sixth Prince has taken a fancy to it. I am afraid that the people from the Liu family in Dauchi managed to show their hands to him. Since the two branches of the Liu family are not divided at all, and the one in Dauchi is the elite, The Liguo Mansion is a faggot, and the Liguo Mansion has taken refuge in Lao Liu... Whenever Lao Liu wants to rebel, he will end up like Prince Xian Yi Zhong.
Jia Huan sighed: "The late Emperor still hoped that the Supreme Emperor would be able to secure his position, otherwise why would he help him drive a nail under the Sixth Prince's head?"
Shi Li said: "It was not too early to block it. The Liguo Mansion took refuge with the Sixth Prince later than the Ningguo Mansion. It can be seen that it was blocked only after Prince Yizhong was gone."
Jia Huan asked again: "Why did the female guard named Liu Mingqiu follow Concubine Hui to the Kingdom of Chen?"
Shi Lidao: "Such a family cannot flourish. The daughter is born to an outsider and does not have to wait to get married. We can trust Liu Mingqiu, and he has nothing to do with the Liu family."
Jia Huan said "hmm" and then said: "Look back. Liu Hu is loyal to the Empress Dowager and is on the same side as the Liguo Mansion. The Liguo Mansion has never been ransacked. The Empress Dowager smuggles palace items out of the palace. And She also sells titles. They are so rich! What do they want to do if they are so rich?"
Shi Li said: "In today's troubled times, what the rich want most is to raise soldiers. Hey, let them check it out. Are they really not selling firearms to the Liguo Mansion?"
Jia Huan hesitated and said, "Probably not. The person in charge of this is Wu Xiaoxi, a very meticulous person. Moreover, The Book of Red Bones is not governed by humans at all, but by law. The rules are so many and strict that it is extremely difficult to find loopholes."
Shi Li thought for a while and said with a smile: "Then I know why Liu Hu went to Chengtian Mansion."
"Um?"
"The Empress Dowager and Li Guofu are rich, have a very high status, and have many masters in the palace, but they still have to be controlled by King Yan because they don't have firearms." Shi Li said, "The firearms in Red Bones have always been said to be Bought from the West, and had long ago monopolized the supply of firearms to our dynasty. And Liu Mingqiu came to the capital again and said that she wanted to kidnap some of the imperial guards to follow Zhenming to the West to delay the Seven Years' War between the Westerners. Her father Liu Hu followed her. Unfortunately, Liu Hu and she had no father-daughter relationship."
Jia Huan took a deep breath and said slowly: "Liu Hu went to the West not to help us, but to use our connections to explore the source of Western firearms. They want to bypass the Red Bones to buy firearms."
Shi Li nodded and said: "That's right. If the masters in the palace get enough firearms and take advantage of the opportunity such as King Yan's birthday to attack them all, the capital will not return to the hands of the little saint?"
"Returning to the hands of the little saint is actually returning to the hands of the Empress Dowager." Jia Huan pursed her lips, "She can listen to politics behind the curtain." (..)