Beijing, heavy snow.
This is not the first snow in Beijing, but it is the first heavy snow this year.
Heavy snowflakes, like goose feathers, began to fall in the evening, and by the time it got dark, they were already ankle-deep.
It's late at night, the snow is heavy, and it's extremely cold. There are few pedestrians on the street. Occasionally, I see a hunched-up watchman carrying a lantern or a patrolman from the Army and Horses Division hurrying past. When passing by a brothel and restaurant, I hear the laughter of Sizhu inside, and I will look sideways, with a look of disdain on the corner of my mouth. How many curses
sentence.
At the intersection of Sancha Street near Andingmen, there is a wonton shop that has not yet closed. There are two or three customers sitting inside, making tea and chatting.
With a creak, someone pushed the door open and came in, bringing with it a gust of wind and snow. The people inside couldn't help but shuddered and glanced at the door, seeing a man wearing a bamboo hat and covered in white.
"Please close the door quickly, it's so cold," a customer said dissatisfied.
The man bent down to apologize, closed the door, took off his bamboo hat and placed it at the door. He patted the snow on his body and glanced inside: "Here comes the shopkeeper, a bowl of wontons."
A waiter responded and soon brought a bowl of steaming wontons. The man took out a penny from his pocket and put it on the table. "Guest, the price of these wontons has increased, it costs two cents..." The waiter said and suddenly stared at the penny on the table, then picked it up and put it in front of his eyes to look at it carefully, and then glanced at the man who was devouring it. Young people will
He hurried to the counter and handed it to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper put it on the oil lamp and looked at it carefully, then walked out of the counter and cupped his hands in front of the customers: "I'm sorry, the shop is closing."
"Hey, let me tell you Deng Jiu'er, it's closing so early today, doesn't it usually close in the middle of the night? Besides, there are still customers here, right?" "I'm sorry, it's snowing and cold today, so we have to close early. Please come." The shopkeeper smiled apologetically. Those customers were actually nearby neighbors. In the evenings, he used this place as a teahouse, inviting friends to chat.
To pass the time.
But after hearing what the shopkeeper said, he couldn't help but beg in vain. He muttered and left angrily. The waiter then closed the door, locked the door, turned around and stared at the big man.
The big man was still engrossed in eating wontons when the shopkeeper walked up to him gently, made a gesture with his hands in front of his chest, and whispered: "Qilin front hall to worship the emperor."
The big man then put down his chopsticks and wrote with both hands: "Walking horse west to attack the Great Wall".
"It turns out he's my brother. May I ask what his cousin's name is?" the shopkeeper said with a faint smile.
"Nine heavens in Hangzhou, fish roe". The big man stood up and cupped his hands.
"It turns out that he is Brother Yu from the three great kings under the sect master. It's a pleasure to meet him. It's a pleasure to meet him." The shopkeeper quickly bowed in greeting. "I've heard about Brother Fei for a long time. He's been living anonymously in this capital for ten years. I regretted not seeing him last time I came to Beijing. Today I finally saw him," said Yu Zie'er, looking toward the door. One glance: "When did the sect master arrive?"
? "
"I've been here for five days. Where is Brother Yu?"
"I've been traveling in the capital for almost half a month." Yuzier exclaimed, "Where is the sect master?" There is a grocery store called Sanweixian in an alley two alleys away from the wonton shop. You can buy three delicious meals a day. It mainly sells firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea. It has a good reputation among nearby neighbors and has been open for ten years.
.
The grocery store still has the layout of a front store and a courtyard behind it. The courtyard has a main room and an east and west wing. At this time of night, only the west wing was still lit.
Oil lamps, like beans.
Drowsily swaying, there is a person sitting in front of the lamp. He is nearly thirty years old and elegant and calm. He is holding a book in one hand and stroking the teapot to warm his hands.
There were knocks on the door, three long and two short, and someone who was lying on the cave just now was standing at the door without knowing it: "Who is it?"
"The guests from the Nine Heavens have arrived." The voice outside the door was very familiar. The person inside put the dagger into its sheath, pulled out the door and opened the door: "I came so late."
"The wind and snow are too heavy, and we have to avoid people's eyes and ears, so we are a little slow." Yu Zie'er walked over and glanced at the person at the door: "Yinghuang, you are more cautious."
"It concerns the safety of the sect master, so we must be cautious." The man said and locked the door. Yu Zieer smiled faintly, walked quickly to the elegant middle-aged man, knelt down on one knee and said, "I see you, sect master." The middle-aged man put down the book in his hand and reached out to help it up: "It's a cold night and the wind is strong. Let's drink some hot tea to warm yourself up." After saying that, he stood up and was about to pour the tea. Yu Zie'er quickly stood up: "I dare not trouble my lord, my subordinates." I had eaten and drank enough just now,
It’s very warm.”
The middle-aged man hummed: "When did you arrive in the capital?"
"It's been more than half a month since my subordinates came to Beijing," Yuzie'er said, "I heard that the sect master has only been in Beijing for three or five days. When you were in Tai'an, you were the first to take the next step. Could it be that on the way..."
The elegant man waved his hand: "The journey was smooth, but it took me a while to walk around and look around. You have been in Beijing for more than half a month, what have you learned?"
Yu Zie'er sighed: "If I say that I have experienced something, it would be better to have a lot of emotion."
Oh, the elegant man smiled: "Then tell me what your feelings are?"
Yuzier scratched his head: "Compared with two years ago, the appearance of this capital is different, the interior is also different, and the feeling is very different. If anything, I feel... on tenterhooks."
The elegant man was startled, then nodded silently: "Do you know why I haven't left this courtyard for five days since I came to Beijing?"
"Is it because the inside is different?" Yu Zie'er looked serious: "Does the sect leader also have that sense of panic?" "As you said, the face of this capital is different. It has a completely new look compared to two years ago. It can even be said that it has completely changed its appearance. "The elegant man picked up the tea cup and took a sip: "As for this place, I still remember that two years ago, we were full when we came here.
The scoundrels on the street are provoking troubles... Of course, this is just the surface inside. When we came here, it was as comfortable as traveling around the mountains and rivers, but now everything feels strange, and it is this strangeness that makes people feel scared."
Yu Zie'er nodded and said, "There are soldiers and horses patrolling the streets and alleys of Jingzhong from morning to night. The people we installed or the informants we bought in the past have either been exposed or have been targeted."
"That's why we feel panic." The elegant man sighed: "It can be seen that Dongchang and Jinyiwei have worked hard to poach us in the past two years." "Fortunately, we were buried deep and rarely made any moves. Unlike Li Chuang and the Tatars outside the pass, they all made fools of themselves by shouting and shouting, which was considered a cover for us. It is said that several of Li Chuang's strongholds last year were Being tied up together, I guess it’s like
Now they have no place in the capital." Yu Zie'er looked gloating. The elegant man chuckled and shook his head: "Don't underestimate Li Chuang's brilliant strategy. The world only knows the cunning rabbit has three holes, but few people know the fox. Nine nests, that Li Chuang is a fox that has become a spirit. No one can figure out how many nests there are in the capital, that is,
There are none in the city, but they are also indispensable outside the city." "I have only heard that vixens have nine tails, but never heard of nine nests." Yuzier scratched his head, and then said: "Fortunately, brothers usually hide enough Shen acted cautiously and low-key. Although some people were poached by the court, they were just outsiders.
The small fish and shrimps around me have not hurt my bones or muscles."
"It's better to be cautious." The elegant man stood up and paced in the room: "Try not to contact the people who were originally deployed in various industries and those who were bribed. You must first check whether they have been exposed or betrayed." .
"This subordinate knows that he has not contacted anyone for half a month since he came here. It was not until he saw the sect master's mark yesterday that he knew that the sect master was coming to the capital. Then he contacted the capital hall and found him here."
"Well, you are very cautious." The elegant man walked up to Yu Zie'er and patted him on the shoulder: "Tell me what you have heard in the capital in the past half month."
"Recently, the most well-known thing in the capital is the selection of concubines in the Eastern Palace..." Yu Zie'er coughed lightly, but was interrupted by the elegant man as soon as he started to speak: "Since it is well-known to every household, why do you need to repeat it again and say something I don't know?" .
"Yes, Sect Master." Yu Zie'er thought for a moment and said, "Sect Master knows that there is going to be a war outside the pass."
"You've heard a little bit, but you don't know much. Tell me what you know." "My subordinates only know a few things. It is said that the eunuch first went to inspect military affairs outside the customs, and somehow started a war. Now he is planning to have a big fight with the Tatars outside the customs... and I heard that North Korea is now fighting with the Tatars. I also broke my face
"" At this point, Yuzier lowered his voice with a mysterious face: "I heard that this was also instigated by the eunuch of the East Factory..."
Oh, the elegant man frowned: "His hands are stretched so long and he takes care of so many things. He really has three heads and six arms! Did you hear anything else?"
"Hmm... Also, I heard that the imperial court used the border war as an excuse to collect donations!" Yu Zie'er thought for a moment and said, and the elegant man couldn't help but exclaimed: "Good guy, you won't attack those nobles again, right? ". "Hey, the sect leader really guessed it right. I heard that the emperor took the lead in donating 20,000 yuan, and the rest of the princes, marquises, uncles, and civil and military ministers of the third rank and above have to donate, at least 5,000 yuan as a base." Yuzier chuckled: "To put it bluntly, where is this?
It’s a fundraiser, it’s a forced request! "
The elegant man also smiled: "Last year when I was raising funds, I offended many nobles and nobles. I think I offended them incompletely. At that time, it was the eunuch who was the vanguard to carry the banner. Who is it this time? It won't be the emperor himself." ?”
"No, it is said that Ni Yuanlu, the Minister of Household Affairs, and Liu Wenbing, the Marquis of Xinle, were the first to die, and the emperor followed suit." "Hey, it's interesting. That eunuch is vicious and resolute in his actions. He is not afraid of anything when he is a bachelor, let alone offending anyone except the emperor. But why did the Minister of Hubu and Xin Lehou get it by taking the wrong medicine?
Have you lost your mind and gone crazy? "The elegant man looked puzzled. "Then I don't know." Yu Zie'er shook his head lightly: "Anyway, the emperor took the lead, and those nobles were jumping around at home and scolding their mothers. No matter how much they cried in mourning and were poor, they had to cut some meat out. It’s just a must to greet the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and
"Xin Lehou's family". "Huh, noble, noble, they have forgotten how their family's glory and wealth came from, who gave it to them, one by one when the court is in trouble... Hey, If not, how could the Ming Dynasty be so bad and decayed?" In the eyes of elegant men
A glimmer of cold light flashed, and then it went out again: "Fortunately, they are like this, we can take advantage of this opportunity! If everyone is loyal to the emperor and defends the country, and dedicates his or her life, how can we have the opportunity to show off our grand ambitions and hegemony!"
Seeing that Yu Zie'er didn't speak, the elegant man asked again: "You have indeed heard more than me, but where did such secret information come from? Doesn't it mean that I haven't contacted the eyes? These inside stories are not something ordinary people can know."
"It is true that my subordinates have not contacted any eyes. They found it in the big world. Does the sect leader know about the big world?" Yuzier asked with interest.
"That gold-selling cave outside the front door?" The elegant man raised his eyebrows. "Yes, yes, yes, it's the Gold Selling Cave. There's everything to eat, drink and have fun there, but it's indeed a Gold Selling Cave. I spent more than sixty taels of silver there on the first day!" Yu Zieer said with a look on his face! Feeling distressed, the elegant man was shocked: "You spent so much money eating dragon meat and sleeping with the Queen Mother."
