At lunch, Chang Yu casually dealt with it and asked the cook to prepare some side dishes. Wang Dehua and Wang Dehua sat together and chatted while eating. Wang Dehua and Chang Yu were also old acquaintances and old friends. Like the power eunuchs in the palace, they were all like Chang Yu. There are various interests and relationships attached to him.
After Chang Yu returned to Beijing, he was too busy and never had a chance to get together with these eunuch chiefs, and it was not convenient for them to leave the palace at the same time. I heard that Chang Yu was going to have a housewarming banquet this morning and knew the purpose of the banquet. Several eunuchs After discussion, the leader decided that each person would give five thousand taels of silver as a gift to Chang Yu, and asked Wang Dehua to convey that the silver would be placed in the Neidongchang Yamen in the palace, and Chang Yu could withdraw it at any time.
"Our family doesn't speak the same language. If it wasn't to raise funds for the school, why would our family hold this embarrassing housewarming party?" Chang Yu smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Our family accepted the wishes of those brothers in the palace and stayed here. I also want to say thank you to the Empress and the future students of the Ming Dynasty. I will go to the palace to thank them one by one when I have time."
"Hey, Eunuch Chang, isn't it too unreasonable to say that? We are all a family. We will follow you wherever you point us and we will never hold you back." Wang Dehua spoke in a smooth tone, and sighed again: "To be honest, we are internal officials. Hey, what else can we do with so much money besides providing for old age? What's the point of using it now to gain a good reputation? Most outsiders look down on us internal officials, so we have to stand up for it. Stand up and show them."
Chang Yu understood the meaning behind his words. He left his name and his voice behind. The eunuchs had too much inferiority complex and wanted to be recognized, so these eunuchs each took out five thousand taels not just as a congratulatory gift to Chang Yu but He borrowed his hand to donate to the school and leave a name for the ages: "My lord, don't worry, there will be a place for our brothers on the merit monument."
While eating and chatting, Li Muchian came in a hurry: "I have been studying behind closed doors in the temple for the past few days. Unknowingly, a few days passed by and I almost missed the governor's move."
Chang Yu curled his lips: "Every time I hear your nonsense, I can't help but expose you. Last night, Kuang Ren saw someone wandering around on the street outside Qianmen. Could it be that he was blinded?"
Li Muxian's face remained calm and his heart did not beat: "It must be a trick, how could a poor Taoist monk go to that land of fireworks alleys and willows?" Chang Yu couldn't help but scolded: "It's so shameless, our family only said that the street outside the front door is... How did you know it was Fireworks Alley without mentioning those alleys?"
Li Muxian choked, and Wang Dehua couldn't help laughing: "This Taoist priest is very interesting." But he also helped Li Muxian out of the way and quickly raised his hands and said: "This is..."
Chang Yu introduced him and asked the two of them to get closer to each other. It would be up to the two of them to deal with people later. As for him, he had to take a good rest to receive the distinguished guests.
How could a housewarming banquet not be attended by distinguished guests? The emperor's family had all expressed their feelings and put on a lot of drama. Anyone who didn't come would be disrespecting the emperor.
So who is the first to come?
In the evening, a stranger came. The name written on the greeting card was Li Bangmei. The concierge outside did not recognize him and thought he was just an ordinary Beijing official. Wang Dehua hurriedly went out after the notice was reported.
Others don't know, but he knows that although this person is unknown, his brother is very famous, Li Banghua, the chief minister of the Ming Dynasty cabinet today.
Obviously Li Bangmei came to congratulate him on behalf of his brother.
The chief minister of the cabinet, the head of the ministers, and the head of the civil servants, Li Banghua's status is too special and too sensitive. The civil servant group and the eunuch group are natural enemies, even though Li Banghua doesn't have much personal opinion of Chang Yu and even admires him in some aspects.
But even so, he couldn't blatantly get close to the young eunuch. The specific reason was self-evident. He no longer represented himself, but a group.
But this kind of human sophistication cannot be avoided, and it seems that he does not take it seriously enough if he cannot send the housekeeper in person, so he asked his brother to come.
In fact, Chang Yu has been speculating in his mind whether Li Banghua will come. At this time, he heard that it was his younger brother who came. If that is the case...
"The Governor is no longer in the house at this time, Mr. Li will have tea in the hall first." Wang Dehua and Li Muxian welcomed Li Bangmei into the lobby to serve tea. Li Bangmei was not a fool. I just heard that the little eunuch was showing off royal gifts in front of the mansion. Why? It's gone in a blink of an eye, no matter what, everyone knows it.
"The Governor is very busy with official affairs, and there are many guests visiting today. I apologize for disturbing you. I am waiting for my brother to come to celebrate the Governor's move." Li Bangmei said and asked his entourage to take a letter of silver: "My brother and I are officials. "The breeze in my sleeves, although I have the intention but lack the strength, I still hope to convey my thoughts to the Governor."
In ancient times, a letter contained five hundred taels of silver. There is another allusion here, that is, the curse of two hundred and five in later generations came from this, and the "half-crazy" half-boxed two hundred and five.
The two brothers took five hundred taels, which was a huge amount of money for ordinary officials, but for the chief minister... it also made sense. Within the scope of Chang Yu's takeover, if he only took one hundred and eighty taels, the little eunuch would not be able to guarantee it. Take advantage of the wine to curse in the street.
Li Banghua only sent money to the banquet without food. This move of Li Banghua was justified by his civil servant group, the emperor and Chang Yu. He was really a veteran in officialdom.
Just as Li Bangmei left, someone else came, Wu Xuan, the second assistant of the Ming Dynasty.
Good guy, Wu Xuan is a thorn in the side. He is the kind of person who doesn't like Chang Yu with any eye. It's absolutely surprising that he came. Oh, he just sent his family manager to give him two hundred taels of silver!
No more, no less, just right, and it was beyond Chang Yu's expectation, because according to various news in the past, Wu Xuan scolded him a lot, both in court and in private.
In the back house, Chang Yu held a tea cup with a faint smile on his face. The two cabinet elders took the lead and asked what the officials below should do. Apart from the cabinet gang, who among the six ministers and nine ministers would know? Come on, who will stay to eat?
"Governor, Master Shi, Minister of the Ministry of War, is here." When Lao Hu hurried over, Chang Yu heard that, hey, here comes another helper, and hurriedly went out to greet him, which caused the people watching to talk about him: Who is this guy? He is so proud that the eunuch went out to greet him...
"I came to help after I had some official duties at hand. Please forgive me, Eunuch Chang." Shi Kefa's smile showed none of the pretentiousness of other civil servants. He and Chang Yu were old partners, and he was determined to work with this man. The little eunuch is a good friend, so he doesn't care about other people's opinions. He comes to celebrate openly and offers to help.
Chang Yu was naturally very happy. Shi Kefa was one of his few civil servant friends.
The Minister of Rites, the Minister of Punishment, the Minister of Industry... In a short period of time, the six ministers took turns taking turns as if discussing, but only Fan Jingwen and Ni Yuanlu were left as guests. The remaining few people excused themselves as they still had official duties, sealed the money and left. .
It's good, at least he came to the door in person. At this time, Chang Yu felt completely relaxed. It seemed that no matter whether there was any rift or not, these old-timers in the officialdom were very shrewd and would take care of face-related matters.
After the six bosses came Jiuqing. It was already dusk, and the officials from the capital began to arrive in large numbers. Some of them were really empty-handed, while others felt embarrassed to carry some gifts, but they were all stored outside the house. Lao Hu and Fang San Ask for confirmation at the door. People below level 5 will not be polite!
"Report to the Governor, Uncle Xiangcheng is here to celebrate." Old Hu gasped and ran in. Chang Yu almost spit out his tea, Li Guozhen? This nobleman who was pulled down from the position of governor of the capital camp by Chang Yu and whom he punished the most and hated the most, actually came to the banquet at this time!
This was definitely beyond Chang Yu's expectation.
Li Guozhen not only came alone, but also brought the suitcase with his entourage. He handed it over when he was far away: "It's really difficult to enter the gate of Eunuch Chang's house. It's almost blocking the imperial city outside."
"Hey, Uncle Xiangcheng is here. The humble house is full of radiance. The pelts are shining." Chang Yu hurriedly came forward and held Li Guozhen's hands and chatted enthusiastically. There was no trace of dissatisfaction, and they were completely close friends. Friend: "There are many carriages coming from behind. They seem to be from Duke Dingguo's mansion. I'm afraid I won't be able to get in."
"Ouch, we have to clear the place." Chang Yu saw how crowded the alley outside was, so his servants drove the crowd out of Dongsi Tiao Alley. Those who watched the excitement could go to the street outside.
