It was now the end of autumn, and after leaving the capital, there was a dry and yellow scene along the way. More than 5,000 officers and soldiers were marching along the official road. It was impossible for these people to bring all their own rations, and some had to be purchased along the way.
Normally, governments, prefectures, and counties sometimes have to provide some food for the army. However, from the years of accumulation from the twelfth to the seventeenth year of Hongzhi, the prince now has a private treasury, so he will not eat from various sources. Local free food does not require the user's money.
The more you pay, the more you earn.
On this trip to Zhejiang, how could I come back empty-handed?
The dryness of the North China Plain caused the dust to fly when the army crossed the border. From time to time, Zhang Yong rushed to the side and spit, because there was always a feeling of eating dirt on his tongue.
The original commander of Tengxiang's left guard was Nanning Bo Maorong, but he has now returned home. In the fifteenth year of Hongzhi's reign, he was dismissed and replaced by Chang Fei, who had studied in a military academy.
Chang Fei is the second son of Chang Fu, the current Marquis of Huaiyuan. He is now twenty-eight years old.
This Huaiyuan Hou Chang family is the descendant of Kaiping King Chang Yuchun.
The Chang family was not bad at first. They were relatives of Zhu Biao, the crown prince of Yiwen. However, due to the development of history, the throne did not go to Zhu Biao.
In fact, the Chang family began to decline from the Yongle Dynasty.
Until the fifth year of Hongzhi, the emperor was benevolent and felt that the descendants of the heroes should not live in the wild. Therefore, a decree was made: the Imperial Ancestral Temple deserves to be honored by all the meritorious officials, and those who are given to the king are all Zuo Huangzu who have made great contributions to the peace of the world. However, the descendants may not get enough money and become slaves. I can't bear it, so I can ask him to be his direct descendant, give him an official, and offer sacrifices to him first.
Later, Chang Yuchun's heir Chang Fu was transferred from Yunnan to Nanjing and was awarded the command of Nanjing Jinyi Weishi. His two sons were also taken to Nanjing.
In the twelfth year of Hongzhi's reign, the prince suddenly opened a military academy in Beijing.
The nobles and nobles were all very keen on this, and Emperor Hongzhi also mentioned to the prince that he would give the nobles some opportunities.
For example, Huaiyuan Hou Changfu, his position as Nanjing Imperial Guard was hereditary, but his second son had nowhere to go. So they appealed to the emperor, hoping that the military academy could give them a place.
The subsequent story is not complicated either.
Although it is difficult for the descendants of the Chang family to be as heroic as General Chang Yuchun back then, Chang Fei was quite careful and conscientious. At first, Zhu Houzhao did not let him learn from him, but first taught him the deeds of General Chang Yuchun. Brain, don’t embarrass your ancestors.
Chang Fei doesn't have any outstanding talents. He does things strictly and doesn't talk much. Such people have mediocre abilities and tend to be very obedient.
The Tengxiang Left Guard was a Class A guard led by Zhu Houzhao himself. The fate of Chang Fei, Chang Fu and others changed because of Emperor Hongzhi.
The father and son were naturally loyal to Zhu Houzhao and his father.
In addition, there are no famous generals like Chang Yuchun and Qi Jiguang for the prince to choose. It’s good to have someone you trust by your side to keep yourself safe.
In the military academy, many people have become the prince's confidants.
Chang Fei has this status and the honor of his ancestors. As long as he performs his duties conscientiously, there is no doubt that he will follow the prince in glory and wealth in the future.
So now Commander Chang has no other thoughts. Anyway, if he wants to go to Zhejiang, he will leave. The military academy taught him how to march an army, so he took out the textbook in his pocket and arranged it step by step.
This kind of rigidity is very fatal in the military, but within the borders of the country and not on the grasslands, it is still possible to cope with basic situations.
Besides, Zhang Yong is here.
As for the position of Uncle Nanning that Mao Yuwen longed for...
He still lacks some credit.
This was what he thought, so much so that the literati said that they were the factory and the guards working together, but in his opinion, that was just noise.
While walking on the road, Mao Yuwen was still thinking. It had been peaceful for a long time since the twelfth year of Hongzhi. He didn't want to miss this time.
"Eunuch Zhang, I have a suggestion." The Maoist scholar swayed on the tall horse, which he specially selected from the northwest racecourse.
Zhang Yong remembered the prince's evaluation of Mao's Chinese language, so he immediately replied: "You say it."
"The official thought that he should send someone to Jing'an County, Jiangxi Province."
This place name is nothing, but Zhang Yong quickly reacted, "That's Zhang Cheng's hometown. What are you sending people there for?"
Mao Yuwen analyzed: "The dignified Minister of Rites, a second-rank official of the imperial court, even if he made some mistakes, according to the habits of the emperor, his life would not be easily killed. Even if His Highness the Crown Prince is stricter, Ma Wensheng and Wu Kuan Waiting for others means being demoted and dismissed from the official position. How serious is Zhang Chengwei’s crime before he feels that there is no possibility of his own survival? Is it treason? "
it's out of the question. No need to think about it.
Zhang Yong was thoughtful,
This boy is really a man who can use his brain as His Highness said.
Mao Yuwen then said: "Since it was not rebellion, then what killed him was the situation, the situation in Zhejiang. But father-in-law, please think about what Wei Bin did."
"Wei Bin... is begging His Highness to spare him."
"Then why can't Zhang Cheng do this?"
"What do you mean, Zhang Cheng is protecting his family?"
The eunuch didn't have such worries, so it was normal for Zhang Yong not to think about it.
Mao Yuwen was not sure, but he thought it was a possibility, "The Minister of Rites died like this. The deceased is the most important, so the court should give him what he should give. But if he does not die, he will be exempted from the death penalty and will not be able to escape the living crime. Then At that time, everything for him will be lost, and his family may even be affected.”
"But his death will still shock the court. Under strict investigation by the court, what can be hidden?"
"Maybe..." Mao Yuwen thought of a possibility that worried him. "Maybe Zhang Shangshu feels that even if the court conducts a strict investigation, nothing will be found. Then everything will remain the same."
This is just a guess,
But His Highness may also think so.
That's why Tengxiang left guard came out in full force.
"Hmph." Zhang Yong pouted with disdain, "The Ming Dynasty is still the Ming Dynasty of the Emperor and His Highness. If His Highness wants to investigate, what can't be found? Where Zhang Cheng doesn't dare to go, you and I dare to go , He is afraid of arresting people, you and I dare to arrest him. Corrupt officials are full of tricks, but when the knife is put on the neck, can he still turn the world upside down? "
This was actually said by Zhu Houzhao and Zhang Yong at the beginning, and now by Zhang Yong and Mao Yuwen.
Mao Yuwen was also full of blood, which was the benefit of working under the prince. The thighs that are hugged are right. No one dares to slap their chests and say that my backstage is bigger than yours.
"Then over there in Jing'an County..."
Zhang Yong nodded, "Okay."
In this case, there will be a small group of Jin Yiwei heading towards Jiangxi along the official road halfway.
At this time, Zhejiang had not yet received a single word of the imperial court's decree. To them, Wang Hua was just sending the eucalyptus scroll.
Officials at all levels estimated that Jingli had just received the news.
Otherwise everything was calm.
It was not until the beginning of November that there began to be heard one after another that the Minister of Rites of the imperial court had committed suicide.
Later, officials spread rumors that the suicide of the Minister of Rites was related to Zhejiang's Eucalyptus.
In short, Zhejiang is getting closer to what is happening in the capital step by step.
The speed of Zhang Yong's army is naturally not as fast as a single man and a horse.
On this day, Li Yan suddenly received news from Kuai Ma that Tengxiang Zuowei had arrived in southern Zhili. When he heard the news, he fell from the warm bed in an instant.
"It's over, it's over, how come the Grade A guards in the capital are transferred to Zhejiang at this time?!"
Before he could digest it,
Dang Shanji broke into his backyard directly. As soon as they met each other, the two pale-faced people seemed to understand each other's thoughts.
"heard?"
Li Yancai was speechless for a moment and nodded with difficulty, "Is... is it true?"
Gudong!
Dang Shanji swallowed his saliva, "Really!"
"Ah!" Li Yancai cried suddenly, "What is the prince trying to do! There are no rebels or civil uprisings in Zhejiang, so who are you targeting!"
Dang Shanji sat on a stool, holding the table with one hand and saying nothing.
As the candle flickered, his face shone brightly and darkly.
"Speak!" Li Yancai was extremely anxious, "Weren't you quite good at speaking before? Why are you being so profound now?!"
"What did I say?" Dang Shanji slapped the palm of his left hand with the back of his right hand, making a 'pah pah pah' sound, "We don't know what Jingli means! Now we only know that Tengxiang Zuowei is coming to Zhejiang, you let me say What? It was Governor Wang Hua who nodded his head when it came to Wei Bingu. He is from the prince. How do I know why this is the case now? "
Mentioning Wei Bingu,
Li Yan just remembered the scene where this guy was competing with him for money.
With grief, anger and despair in his heart, he went up to pinch Dang Shanji's neck, wearing only a single coat, regardless of the cold winter night, "It's you, the pig, who hurt me! I said this was a strange thing at the beginning, take it less, you insist on teasing me from behind." Me! It’s you!”
It's ridiculous to say it,
Two provincial officials, a middle-aged fat man with little strength, wanted to solve the problem with their fists at this time.
In the end, Dang Shanji still obeyed the inspection and used some force. When Li Yancai came up to fight with him, he pushed him down and pushed him to the ground, shouting: "You think you can change anything by taking less? You are the chief envoy in Zhejiang and you have no money. , who will work for you? You won’t be like the light, anything can set you up, and you will still end up with the same fate!"
"Fart! I think it was you who set me up!"
Snapped!
Dang Shanji actually slapped him, "Calm down! Tengxiang Zuowei is not necessarily coming for us! Besides, the two of us can have internal strife at this time, wouldn't we hurt each other?!"
"I'll hurt your mother's head!"
Li Yan was slapped and became even more angry, "I'm a dead man anyway, but you dare to hit me. I'll fight you today."
This was hysteria when faced with death threats. A punch wouldn't hurt at this time, so the two people started fighting each other. Of course, with their physical strength, they couldn't fight each other for long.
Not even half a minute to burn the incense, the two of them were sitting on the ground in disheveled clothes, panting.
Li Yancai was like a defeated rooster, "...still, let's think of a way."
"What can I do?"
When it comes to serious business, this guy loses his mind.
Li Yancai couldn't be angry now and didn't want to be angry anymore. He said slowly: "If you follow the instructions we sent, even if there are some minor problems, Tengxiang Zuowei will not be offended. In my opinion, Wang Hua is still on the side. Is there something you are hiding from us..."
Dang Shanji couldn't use such a delicate mind, he only had a fierce spirit, "If the prince is really here to arrest us and sends Class A guards to suppress the situation, then we have only one option, which is to bite! Involve! Bring the entire Zhejiang Province. , even people from the capital are involved, let’s see how he kills him then!”
