Just when a small change was discovered in Yuzhou, some unpredictable disturbances also occurred in Jizhou.
In late June, when the sky was slightly bright, Zuo Feng's convoy entered Lu Zhi's camp in a mighty manner.
Lu Zhi couldn't compare with Zhou Yafu, so he could only lead all the army officers to stand outside the camp and wait.
Zuo Feng got out of the car and saw long lines of officers and soldiers, constantly patrolling inside and outside the military camp. Their uniform steps seemed to remind all visitors that this was war time.
"Angel Zuo, we've come a long way."
Lu Zhi slightly arched his hands to show respect for the emperor. But his attitude was lukewarm. He really didn't like eunuchs.
But Zuo Feng enthusiastically went up to hold Lu Zhi's hand, and said with a smile: "General Lu shared the emperor's worries, and his hard work has made great achievements. It is understandable that he failed to go out to the camp to meet the emperor according to the regulations."
Lu Zhi frowned. Although the angel represented the emperor's hunting tour, there was no rule in the etiquette of the Han Dynasty that one had to go out of the city or camp to greet the angel when he arrived. It was just a convention established by the officialdom. What did Zuo Feng mean by that?
Lu Zhi quickly went through his problems with the reception procedures in his mind, and after making sure that he could not be caught with any evidence, he said slowly: "The angel has come from afar, so please go first and sit down in the tent."
"It's natural."
Zuo Feng and Lu Zhi entered the camp. The main camp in the army was very large. The floor was covered with carpets. Lamps and candles were lit on the left and right. The generals sat in rows.
Since Zuo Feng was patrolling on behalf of the emperor, Lu Zhi could only give up his position as the leader.
"In the first year of Zhongping, Emperor Liu Hong of the Han Dynasty issued an edict: Tell General Zhonglang of the Northern Army that the bandits are surging and the sea is shaking. You should destroy the Yellow Turban bandits as soon as possible and purge the world. In order to achieve extraordinary achievements, hundreds of troops will be defeated.
They all have high hopes. They informed Liu Bei, the commander of the Northern Army, and a clan member of the Han Dynasty. They also made military achievements, recorded them in the clan ultimatum, and sent them to Ting Hou to encourage him."
Zuo Feng read out the imperial edict. The meaning of this sentence was that he hoped that Lu Zhi could quickly clean up the Yellow Turbans in Jizhou and achieve this feat that was difficult for ordinary people to do. The emperor and all officials had high hopes for him.
In addition, it has been found out that Liu Bei is indeed a clan member of the Han Dynasty, and he has made military exploits, so he is named Tinghou as an encouragement.
Lu Zhi and Liu Bei bowed their hands and said: "Respect the emperor's edict."
Zuo Feng collected the bamboo slips and said with a smile: "Although the emperor is sitting high in the hall, he is also worried about the development of the war. The emperor has decreed that General Lu cannot be detained. He hopes to send troops as soon as possible to quell the rebellion."
Lu Zhi said calmly: "That's how it should be."
Zuo Feng looked around and said: "The emperor gave instructions before leaving, specifically ordering me to observe the bandits. I wonder if it is convenient for the general?"
Lu Zhi stroked his beard and smiled and said: "Angels can rest assured. I have surrounded Zhang Jiao in Guangzong. I am making siege equipment. Within a few days, I will be able to break down the city wall and dedicate Zhang Jiao's head to the emperor."
"It's just that the emperor's order cannot be disobeyed..."
Zuo Feng looked hesitant and seemed very embarrassed.
Lu Zhi wanted to get rid of the eunuch as soon as possible, and after thinking for a while he said: "Then please invite the angels to come to the military tower and watch."
"It's best to watch from a high place."
Zuo Feng nodded.
The two of them left the camp and came to the high platform to watch.
Then I saw that Guangzong City was full of yellow turban soldiers, standing densely at the top of the city facing the government troops as if they were facing a formidable enemy.
"What do the angels think?"
Lu Zhi said confidently: "Although there are many thieves and bandits in the city, they are nothing more than chickens and dogs. When I finish making the equipment, it will be the time for the decisive battle."
Zuo Feng looked at it and said it again: "The general defeated the enemy in consecutive days and won a great victory. He must have spent countless money."
"What did the angel mean?"
Lu Zhi was slightly angry.
Although I knew that eunuchs were greedy, I didn't expect that they were so greedy that even generals who fought abroad would demand bribes.
Zuo Feng said with a smile: "Nothing happened. It's just that the uterus collapsed the day before yesterday and there is no money to repair it. I heard that the general killed Zhang Jiao and captured a large amount of coins and luggage, so I ordered the general to transport these things to Luoyang to repair the palace."
Lu Zhi said coldly: "Then please ask the angel to report back to the emperor. Although Zhang Jiao was defeated, he hid the money. Zhi did not find the coins. What's more, the army is still short of food and grass, and there is no money to offer to the emperor."
Zuo Feng's face gradually turned cold, "If that's the case, then I can only report it based on the facts."
"The angel is leaving without seeing you off."
Lu Zhi walked away with a puff of his sleeves.
Watching his leaving figure, Zuo Feng narrowed his eyes and didn't know what he was thinking.
……．
……．
Luoyang, the ancient capital for thousands of years.
Wang Jun has been waiting for two days after returning from Yuzhou.
Early this morning, when the clapper rang, I walked out of my house on time and headed to the palace.
Eunuchs in the Eastern Han Dynasty did not need to live in the palace. They had their own houses outside, and even had wives and families, no different from ordinary courtiers.
Wang Jun wore a Jinxian crown on his head and a wide robe with a curved train. He walked out the door with slow but steady steps.
There was a coachman waiting at the door. Not only that, but there were also guards accompanying him. Nowadays, the government and the public are very hostile to eunuchs. Zhang Rang had the experience of being assassinated, so the eunuchs themselves were very careful about their own safety.
"Prince Shizhong, did you enter the palace so early today?" Yu Lin, who was guarding the palace gate, checked his badge and greeted him with a smile.
"Yes, the emperor is worried about domestic bandits recently, and there are many paperwork and government affairs, which must be dealt with as soon as possible."
Wang Jun also answered with a smile.
Shizhong is an attendant of the emperor, second only to the Changshi. In the Western Han Dynasty, it was mostly held by ministers and scholars. After the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was mostly middle-level eunuchs. The position above it is the position of Zhongchangshi.
Now is the time of the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Memorials from various states, counties and counties across the country are coming in like snowflakes, and they all need to be reviewed by the emperor one by one. Since the eunuch's task is to help the emperor organize documents, this undoubtedly increases the workload of these eunuchs.
Wang Jun was naturally very busy.
"This damn Zhang Jiao, the imperial court will definitely cut off his head as soon as possible and hang it on the gate of Luoyang City." Yu Lin complained. Recently, the court meetings have been held every day, and the workload of the guards on duty has increased a lot.
Not as leisurely as before.
"Well, there will be a day."
Wang Jun responded casually and slowly entered the Luoyang Palace with small steps.
The Luoyang Imperial Palace is not as vast as the Forbidden City of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, but it is unique. After entering from the Middle East Gate, there is a straight corridor that leads to the complex road connecting the South Palace and the North Palace.
At this time, the emperor should still be in the Changqiu Palace in the North Palace. Wang Jun, as the eunuch on duty in the South Palace, is not qualified to go to the North Palace. The eunuch systems of the two palaces are different. The eunuchs in the South Palace are regular attendants serving the emperor, while
The eunuchs in the Beigong are in charge of the harem. Their chief is called Da Changqiu, and his rank is the same as that of the Changshi.
Therefore, Wang Jun continued as usual, with his hands in his sleeves, his head lowered, and he stepped up the tall white jade steps. He passed through the Xuanwu Gate and arrived at the South Palace. His purpose was very clear. He passed through several halls in succession and arrived at the Nangong Palace.
Mingguang Hall, the outermost part of the Nangong Palace.
Mingguang Hall belongs to the front hall, connected to Canglong Gate on the right, and only adjacent to Sangong's Mansion, where the Sangong's office is located. Therefore, memorials from all over the country go through Sangong's Mansion every day and then are sent to the Shangshu Desk.
However, at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the three ministers were no longer different from each other, so the Shangshutai actually assumed the task of the Ming Dynasty cabinet. All memorials would be sent directly to the Shangshutai. After being inspected by the Shangshutai, they would be handed over to the emperor for reading.
When Wang Jun walked into the Mingguang Hall, there were several officials from the Shangshutai who were working. When they saw him coming, they all raised their hands and saluted: "Wang Shizhong."
"Um."
Wang Jun nodded and asked, "Is there any memorial from Yuzhou?"
Shangshu Zuopushe, a minor official with a salary of 600 shi, stepped forward and replied: "There are more than ten letters, which were sent yesterday evening."
"where?"
Wang Jun asked.
Shangshu Zuo Pushe pointed to the pile of bamboo slips not far away and said: "It's being cleaned."
Wang Jun frowned slightly: "Liang Shangshu didn't ask you to wait for sorting yesterday?"
All the officials looked at each other, looking at each other.
Wang Jun was dissatisfied.
Although Liang Hu was from their eunuch faction, after he graduated from the Hongdu Sect, he was supported by Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong all the way to the position of Shangshu Ling.
But this man has great ambitions and little talent. He only knows how to flatter people, studies calligraphy all day long, and does a complete mess in his assigned work. I really don’t know why Zhang Changshi and Zhao Changshi value such a person so much.
"First sort out the memorials from Yuzhou, and then submit them to the emperor after they have been reviewed by the regular attendants."
Wang Jun sat aside leisurely and waited patiently.
The reason why the emperor sent him as an envoy to Jizhou to deal with King Anping's affairs was because of his calm character and ability to endure.
Anyway, all memorials in the world must go through the Shangshutai, so he is not in a hurry.
About half a quarter of an hour later, the officials sorted out the Yuzhou memorials sent yesterday. There were about ten bamboo slips, stacked together to a thickness of four to five centimeters.
"Servants, they are all here."
Wang Jun nodded and went over to check each bamboo slip.
Memorials in the Han Dynasty were tied with knots, and officials' official seals were printed on the ropes and bamboo slips. If they wanted to be opened, the ropes had to be cut to prevent the contents of the memorials from being seen by others.
Generally speaking, only the emperor has the power to open the memorial. Although Wang Jun could not open the memorial, he could judge whose memorial it was by the official seal on the bamboo slips.
When he saw an official seal with the four characters "Yuzhou, Governor" read sequentially on the upper right, he calmly picked up the memorial and said to Shangshu Zuopushe: "This memorial is what Zhang Changshi asked for by name.
I took it away."
Shangshu Zuopushe looked troubled: "Servant...this is against the rules."
Wang Jun smiled and said: "Don't worry, I won't embarrass you. After Chang Shi has seen it, he will submit it to the emperor. It's none of your business."
Everyone stopped talking.
Nowadays, several important departments of the imperial court, including the Shangshutai and Yushitai, are in the hands of eunuchs. These officials are also people from the Hongdu sect. As a eunuch of Zhao Zhong's line, Wang Jun naturally also has certain powers.
.
After leaving the Mingguang Hall, Wang Jun's mood fluctuated. For him, this was also a big gamble, because he didn't know whether what Chen Mu said was true or false.
If it is false.
Opening the court official's memorial without authorization is nothing to the regular attendants, but to him...
But what Chen Mu said was too scary.
The eunuch faction will both prosper and suffer. Once Zhang Rang falls, life for the eunuchs will probably be difficult.