In the twenty-third year of Chenghua, it was summer.
It rained continuously for seven days. The sky finally cleared today.
A three-level house in the north of the city is the new home of Chang Feng and Liu Xiaoyan.
The house is spacious, with a rockery and a small pond in the backyard, surrounded by shady trees.
Although the dowry house given by Liu Bingyi could not be called luxurious, it was quite elegant.
Chang Feng also used the money given by his father-in-law to hire several servants. Lived a prosperous life of "a fish tank on the ceiling, a pomegranate tree, a fat husband, a fat dog and a fat girl".
The weather is bad, so it's not worth it. He sent a servant to invite Fatty Xu to come to the house for a drink.
Now the prince speaks in the court. Chang Feng interceded with old brothers such as Fatty Xu and Shi Wenyi, and they had restored their official positions as Jinyiwei.
Before Fatty Xu arrived, his father-in-law Liu Bingyi came.
Chang Feng is a person close to the prince and is well-informed. In the past few months, Liu Bingyi came to Chang Feng to inquire about matters in the palace.
Chang Feng welcomed Liu Bingyi into the living room and ordered the servant to serve tea.
After Liu Bingyi had tea, he asked: "There is something strange, I have to ask you about it."
"You know, I am the same year as Gao Zhangyuan of the Hanlin Academy. The person in charge of studying history in the Hanlin Academy is Li Dongyang, the associate lecturer."
Chang Feng interrupted: "Yeah. I'm not familiar with Gao Zhangyuan. Li Shitiao often goes to the East Palace to attend the scripture banquets hosted by His Highness, but I have met him a few times."
Liu Bingyi said: "Concubine Wan Gui died in Kaichun. According to the rules, the Hanlin Academy must record it for future use when compiling the "Records"."
"However, Li Dongyang wrote the cause of Concubine Wan Gui's death as 'beating the maid in anger and dying of phlegm'."
"Master Gao doesn't know whether I should correct it. If you don't correct it, I'm afraid the emperor will see it and pursue it."
"Correction, I'm afraid that Li Dongyang got instructions from the East Palace and deliberately remembered it like this..."
Chang Feng smiled slyly: "Old Taishan. This is a matter of your age, not yours."
"Anything involving the palace, I advise you to stay out of it and stop inquiring."
Liu Bingyi said quickly: "That's right, the wise son-in-law taught you the right thing. I just told Gao Zhangyuan that I can't find out the inside story."
"Oh, by the way. My three-year term is approaching. The Crown Prince issued an edict before, saying that he would return to the ancestral system established by Taizu, 'people from the north will be in charge of the south, and people from the south will be in the north'."
"Xiaoyan is a frequent visitor to the Crown Princess. Can you please let her say something nice in front of the Crown Princess? Let the Crown Princess give me some advice and transfer me to a wealthy province like Zhejiang or Huguang?"
Chang Feng smiled bitterly: "Old Taishan! You, the old lady, look up to me and your daughter! How can we be so capable as to interfere with the transfer of officials in the border areas?"
"Besides, we don't have the guts!"
At this time, Fatty Xu walked in. He cupped his hands towards Liu Bingyi and said, "Uncle Shi, you are polite."
Liu Bingyi returned the gift: "Your Majesty."
Fatty Xu smiled and said: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince just rewarded your son-in-law with a jar of aged Ner Hong sent from Hangzhou as a tribute a few days ago. I am here today to beat the autumn wind and drink good wine."
Liu Bingyi showed a proud expression on his face: "The prince is so kind to me, my virtuous son-in-law!"
The three of them came to the pond in the backyard. There are many tortoises in the pond.
The three of them chatted and fished for bastards. Huzi was lying on the edge of the pond, squinting his eyes and sticking out his tongue. Liu Xiaoyan went to the kitchen and copied a few side dishes for her father and husband.
The whole house is immersed in the laziness and comfort after the summer rain.
The laziness and ease were soon broken!
Like a whirlwind, dozens of regiments and battalions of cavalry arrived in front of Chang Mansion.
The leader among them is a man named Li Guang.
Li Guang has the same name as the Han Dynasty flying general. But he is not a general, but a eunuch.
He was recently promoted by Zhu Youtang to the post of internal official supervisor and palm print, and he was highly regarded. There are rumors in the court that Eunuch Li will be admitted to the ceremonial office sooner or later.
Li Guang entered the Chang Mansion. Chang Feng, Fatty Xu, Liu Bingyi and others did not dare to neglect, threw down the fishing rods for fishing for tortoises, and came to the living room to greet him.
Li Guangdao: "Chang Feng, you come to the East Palace immediately. His Highness is anxious to summon you. Oh? Prince Xu is here too? By coincidence, you are going with him."
Chang Feng cupped his hands and said, "Yes, Eunuch Li. I will change my clothes and enter the palace right now."
Li Guang told him: "Don't wear the armor of the Han general. Wear the flying fish suit."
Chang Feng and Fatty Xu followed Li Guang and rode fast horses to the palace gate.
Chang Feng noticed something strange!
There are not only Han generals guarding the palace gate! There are also three groups of people.
Judging by the colors of their uniforms, one group was from the Fifth Army Camp; another group was from the Regiment Camp; and the other group was from the Five City Military and Horse Division.
The Fifth Army Battalion and the Twelfth Regiment Battalion are stationed in the suburbs of Beijing and have no authority to protect the palace!
Not to mention the lower-status Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division. The duty of the Military and Horse Division is only to maintain public security on the ground in the capital.
Chang Feng raised his eyes and saw that there were not only soldiers standing at the entrance of the palace. There are almost every post every three steps and one sentry every five steps beside the palace wall.
Chang Feng's heart skipped a beat: "Is there a change in the palace?"
He and Fatty Xu came to the East Palace Hall.
There were more than a dozen generals standing in the hall. Led by Ye Guang and Shi Wenzhong, the others were all commanders of the Fifth Army Commander's Office.
These people may be close associates of the former imperial eunuch, Huai En; or they may have recently joined the prince after the death of Concubine Wan Gui in the spring of this year.
Zhu Youtang sat on the chair and closed his eyes to rest.
Xiao Jing reminded from the side: "Your Highness, everyone is here."
Zhu Youtang opened his eyes: "Everyone, my father is seriously ill. The sky will collapse and the earth will fall apart, which will probably happen within the next two days."
When Zhu Youtang told this news, no one was surprised.
Since the death of Concubine Wan Gui in Kaichun, Emperor Chenghua has been ill. Sometimes sane, sometimes crazy.
He even woke up in the middle of the night and shouted, "Servant Chief Wan has gone, and I will go too!"
When Emperor Chenghua was the crown prince, Concubine Wan Gui was his minister-in-waiting.
Both the civil and military officials of the DPRK and China saw that the destiny of heaven was not long in coming.
Zhu Youtang said seriously: "At this time when the sky is falling apart and the earth is falling apart, the capital cannot be in chaos! The imperial court cannot be in chaos!"
"Ye Guang! Return to the Fifth Military Camp. Someone in Jinyiwei has provided a list of Wanxi's gang members. You should immediately take custody of Wanxi's gang members in the Fifth Military Camp."
"Shi Wenzhong, take over the defense of the Nine Gates. Close the Nine Gates immediately. No one can leave the city without a single order."
"Li Guang. You are temporarily in charge of the Five Cities Military and Horse Division and will impose a curfew in the capital."
"Xiao Jing, you are still responsible for the imperial city's garrison."
Zhu Youtang looked at Fatty Xu again: "Xu Guangzuo, I'll give you an errand out of the capital. You immediately take Gu's order and rush to Nanjing Xiaoling to take Huaien back to the capital."
Zhu Youtang issued a dozen orders in succession, all related to military mobilization.
Finally, he looked at Chang Feng: "Chang Feng, I will promote you to Jinyiwei Qianhu! You immediately go to Jinyiwei to convey Gu's order and remove Wanda from all positions."
"The fifteen hundred Han generals he previously commanded will all be under your command from now on!"
Chang Feng didn't react for a moment.
Promoted to a thousand households? Didn't I hear it wrong?
From trial 100 households to 100 households to deputy 1000 households and 1000 households - it is equivalent to three levels in a row!
I heard that right!
I have performed three great services for the prince, and it is finally time to reward him based on his merits!
