Wang Zhongxiao never imagined that he would have a good life living in a "complex" in the East Third Ring Road of Beijing. After just one night, he couldn't live anymore!
Early the next morning, he discussed with his uncle and steward Li Fuhan about moving to Zhuangzi outside the city.
"Shikai, why are you moving after just one night? Do you think the east wing is uncomfortable? I will ask your aunt and your sister to clean up the main room for you, and we will move in today."
Li Fuhan was very surprised by Wang Zhongxiao's request... How nice the inner city of Beijing is! There are powerful people everywhere, and there are as many high officials as dogs. When you go out, you may meet a prince or a minister taking a walk. There may be a big shot living right across the street from your house, with hands and eyes as wide as the sky. This is really not just a casual comment. Just saying that there are dragons and crouching tigers hidden in the Bean Sprout Alley. Wang Fuchen's second-grade chief military officer is not enough to see here.
Not to mention, Zhang Xiaobaobao and Cao Yin, who will go to the imperial dining room with Wang Zhongxiao for dinner later, will be in trouble!
Zhang Xiaobao's father was Empress Dowager Bumu Butai's favorite cook, and the old lady loved the buns he made the most... When eating his buns, you might be able to think of your love with Dorgon! Who else in the world can make this steamed bun?
Zhang Xiaobao's sister is not simple either. She is Bumbutai's personal aunt, and she serves the old lady together with Aunt Sumala.
As for Cao Xueqin’s grandfather, needless to say, he and Emperor Kangxi were brothers with “similar milk tastes”. They drank the same brand of milk since they were young, and they were closer than real brothers! Historically, Kangxi visited the Cao family in four of his six southern tours. What is the relationship?
When Wang Zhongxiao was in Yunnan, he was still wondering where to buy imperial guards, but he couldn't find one. Well now, Kangxi's milk brother will go to the imperial dining room with him for dinner soon...
So when it comes to finding connections and connections, living in Sijiu City is a huge advantage. The inner city of Beijing in this era is a huge power circle. As long as you have some ability and know how to work hard, it's really easy to find an official position. Even if you don’t have any abilities, you might still be able to meet someone noble! Therefore, those who are disciples of the Eight Banners and want to make progress cannot leave this circle.
"Shikai," Li Fuhan frowned and said to his "silly nephew," "Uncle, I know you are used to living in a big house in Yunnan and cannot live in this small courtyard. But Zhuangzi in Haidian is twenty miles away from Beijing. , you have to live there, but it’s inconvenient to move around the city... Although you and the young master of Dim Sum Zhang and Weaving Cao’s family are childhood playmates, you haven’t played together for many years after all. We need to move around more so that the relationship that has cooled can warm up again."
"Uncle, I know that Zhang Xiaobao and Cao Yin have good connections, but I am a warrior after all, and I can earn wealth by relying on my true skills." Wang Zhongxiao said seriously, "If I had been living in Bean Sprout Alley, I wouldn't be able to practice Practice martial arts and equestrian skills!" As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed outside the window, "Look outside...the beautiful courtyard is almost ruined by these dozen horses!"
Li Fuhan looked out of the window, looking dumbfounded. He, his wife, and his daughter had spent a lot of time taking care of this courtyard in the past few years. They planted many flowers and plants, and they also picked them up every day. It's better now, it has become a temporary stable. The dozen horses that Wang Zhongxiao and the others rode all the way from Yunnan are now kept there. But even if Wang Zhongxiao no longer wants his own yard, he can't keep so many horses at home!
This horse has to run and be walked. It cannot be kept at home all day long, otherwise its legs and feet will become "hard" and it will become useless.
In addition, Wang Zhongxiao also brought four big men including Wang Mazi, Wang Dapao, Wang An, and Wang Quan, who are now all placed in the inverted room... Even if they can endure this hardship, what about training? ?
The martial arts skills of these few of them and Wang Zhongxiao are all based on daily rigorous training, and if you don’t advance in martial arts training, you will retreat! Progress is hard and regression is fast. The last time Wang Zhongxiao had Wu Shijue beat him to death, because he lay flat for a few days and was in a daze for more than half a month, Wang Zhongxiao's physical fitness and martial arts had deteriorated a lot. It was not easy for Wang Zhongxiao and Wang Dapao to defeat him. With the help of the two, I started practicing again.
Moreover, Wang Zhongxiao also plans to recruit more subordinates after gaining power and train them well. There is no larger territory to expand.
But Li Fuhan didn't understand Wang Zhongxiao's thoughts, and just shook his head and said: "Why are you bothering? How many of the Eight Banners disciples in Beijing take martial arts and equestrian skills seriously?
The Zhuangzi outside Beijing that rewards heroes and nobles are all left to the head of the village to take care of them, and you may not be able to go there even once a year as the master. Even if you go to live outside the city, it is not for the convenience of practicing martial arts.
Shikai, you must know that now is the time for the world to be at peace, for swords and guns to be put into storage, and for horses to be released to Nanshan. If you want to get promoted and make a fortune, you can no longer rely on your ability! Otherwise, you, Ama, would not have been able to get promoted after working as a general soldier for so many years. "
Of course Wang Zhongxiao knew what Li Fuhan said... Isn't this how the Eight Banners disciples were destroyed? The Heavenly Soldiers of the Eight Banners are said to conquer the world with their bows and horses. Although they are also very capable in infantry combat and good at using firearms, their cavalry can definitely suppress the Mongolian cavalry and the Ming Dynasty cavalry. Otherwise, they can only be passively beaten on the battlefield. It is impossible to conquer the world.
And powerful cavalry, especially the traditional "all-round cavalry", are "hexagonal warriors" who can assault, mount and shoot, fight in close combat, dismount and kill people, shoot on foot, and climb walls to attack cities. "You have to start from the baby. Either train them strictly from childhood, or let them accept the harsh living environment. But no matter what, such strong soldiers cannot be cultivated in the narrow courtyards of old Beijing... No matter how motivated these Eight Banners disciples are, if you live in a courtyard, there will be no room for horses and no target for archery. The place is so small, how can he be so good at bow and horse?
Although the yamen garrisoning the Eight Banners in Beijing would also organize bannermen and coated men to undergo riding and shooting training, the intensity of this training was simply not high enough.
So in today's era, the Eight Banners have been abolished, but the military force of the Han people, including the San Francisco and Green Camp, is still maintained well. Especially the Gansu and Shaanxi Green Camp who often fight against the Xiwang Fan and the soldiers under him are still very good at fighting. of.
If Wu Sangui, an old and unsatisfactory man, had not given up at the critical moment, but had taken advantage of the opportunity when Kangxi had not pulled up the Gansu and Shaanxi Green Camps, nor had he retrained the Eight Banners disciples, he had covered his head and fought northward, fighting in one go. If we go to the Yangtze River, we might be able to bid farewell to the Qing Dynasty more than 200 years in advance... Fortunately, the Qing Dynasty now has a great minister nicknamed "Big Head" and nicknamed "Shikai".
Thinking of this, Wang Zhongxiao said with a serious face: "Uncle, I have decided to rely on my own ability to become the final minister of the Qing Dynasty. So I am ready to answer this challenge! I have already found We have established the Tongtian Gate, and we have prepared four thousand taels of silver to buy an official position...there will be no accidents!"
"Oh..." Li Fuhan finally smiled, "You have connections and some money prepared, then I can rest assured."
Wang Zhongxiao added: "Now that my uncle is relieved, please arrange for me, Wang Mazi, Wang Dapao, Wang An, and Wang Quan to move to Zhuangzi in Haidian as soon as possible!"
"Okay!" Li Fuhan glanced at the horses in the courtyard, nodded and said, "Let's make arrangements today! Let Zhongxian, Zhongyi, Wang An, and Wang Quan move over first. You and Jixiang will stay here in Douzhaocai Alley. Stay a few days!”
"Okay, listen to uncle."
Wang Zhongxiao had just finished talking about moving to live outside the city, and wanted to talk to Li Fuhan about his cousin Chunni's marriage. Li Jixiang's voice suddenly sounded in the yard: "Second brother, Xiao Baozi, Xiao Caozi and Jinbao are together. The son is here!"
Wang Zhongxiao turned to Li Fuhan and said, "Uncle, I'm going to build relationships now!"
Li Fuhan stood up and said, "Okay, I'll take you out."
As they spoke, the two people left the east wing one after another, passed through the courtyard filled with livestock, passed through the hanging flower door and entered the small front yard. In the front yard, there were three young men standing under the banner wearing melon-skin hats and long fir mandarins, with various odds and ends hanging from their belts, and each holding a folding fan. The person in the middle is none other than Zhang Xiaobao, who hugged Wang Zhongxiao yesterday.
To the left of Zhang Xiaobao stood a short, fat man with a dark face and a very obscene smile, staring at Li Chuni who quietly followed Wang Zhongxiao and slipped out of the hanging flower door. Seeing this black face, Wang Zhongxiao remembered that this man was Guo Jinbao from the Gunpowder Guo family... His father's nickname was Gunpowder Guo. He was a craftsman who was a former Ming arms supervisor. He had been loyal to the Ming Dynasty and Dashun. After the Qing Dynasty established Dingding in Beijing, Gunpowder Guo and some other Ming Dynasty weapon craftsmen were turned into coaters.
On the right side of Zhang Xiaobao stood a baby-faced boy who looked to be only fourteen or fifteen years old and was smiling silly at Wang Zhongxiao. Needless to say, this young man must be Cao Xueqin's grandfather, Cao Yin.
Remembering who the visitor was, Wang Zhongxiao smiled and went up to give them a "hug, hug, hug", and hugged Cao Yin a few more times... After hugging him, he said with a smile on his face: " Little Baozi, Little Caozi, Jinbao, Jixiang, let’s go to the imperial kitchen for dinner!”
