Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 682 The Captain Also Wants Enke
"Quick, quick, where is the helmsman?"

There were not many diners in a tavern in Jufang, Nancheng. A waiter in coarse cloth unexpectedly broke in from outside. Seeing that there were not many people in the lobby, he ran directly to the backyard and even called out to the helmsman.

An anxious look, panting, obviously he had come back running, but as soon as he shouted,
The guys working in the yard were horrified. They knew that everyone in this place used secret language, so how could they dare to shout like that? Immediately, a voice came over, scolding them.

"How dare you talk nonsense, do you want to die?"

The incense master Wan Sheng, who was chopping wood, suddenly changed his expression, threw down his axe, and immediately shouted at the man. He looked around vigilantly, and his hand could not help but reach for the dagger behind his waist. The man suddenly realized that he had said something wrong, and immediately knelt on the ground to apologize.
"Master Wanxiang, I have spoken out of turn. Please punish me, but there is something urgent that I need to report to you, Captain. Today, Wang Ziteng has led his army south from the Anhu camp outside the city. He is taking the official road. More than 100,000 troops have all left the camp. In addition, the imperial guards have 10,000 elite cavalrymen following them. It is a huge force."

The voice just fell,

In an inconspicuous side room in the backyard, the door suddenly opened, and a middle-aged man dressed as a clerk suddenly walked out of the room. This man was sent by the leader Zhang Shixian, the person in charge of the Taiping Sect in the capital, the helmsman Pan Chaozuo, who was once a trusted and brave general of the Taiping Sect. He asked with a sullen face;

"What you just said is that Wang Ziteng has led his troops south? How many infantry and cavalry are there? Did you see clearly?"

The urgent question clearly made even the captain feel uneasy. Sect Leader Chu was in the south of Beijing, waiting for the news of the imperial court sending troops. How could he not feel anxious when the army passed by right in front of him?

"Master, I am sure that I have seen with my own eyes at the Anhu camp that there are about 100,000 infantry and more than 50,000 cavalry. It is obvious that they have sent out all their forces and only returned after the main army left. Everything they said is true."

The man was breathing heavily, his face was red and his neck was thick. It was unclear whether he was tired or excited. How should Master Chu deal with 50,000 cavalry? The south of Beijing is a flat land with no strategic locations to defend.

"Haha, good, that's a great move. Someone, send a pigeon to inform Master Chu that the imperial army has moved. Also, write down the number of 50,000 cavalrymen. Master Chu, please be careful."

Captain Pan laughed. It was expected that the imperial court would really be willing to dispatch 50,000 cavalrymen. However, it was unexpected that he couldn't help feeling a shadow in his heart.

"It's the helmsman."

From the corner door in the dark corner of the yard, there came a gloomy voice, and the helmsman took out a silver ingot and handed it over. There were fifty taels of silver, not just the usual amount.
"You should be punished, but considering your loyalty, I will let it go today. You must be careful in the future. In the next few days, you should keep an eye on the Anhu camp as usual to see if the Beijing camp is mobilizing troops. If there is any unusual movement, report it immediately."

"Yes, Captain, I will keep a close eye on them and report any disturbance."

The visitor thanked him gratefully, saying that the helmsman was indeed magnanimous and gave him some silver. Then, he took the silver, stood up and walked out of the yard quickly.
After people leave

, the incense master who was still chopping wood could no longer hold back, and complained with some questions;

"Captain, why are you, ahem! Shouldn't you at least give this kid a warning?"

"You, this is the time to employ people. Sometimes you don't have to be too strict. Employing people requires both kindness and authority. The court is suddenly anxious to go south. There must be something wrong in the south. Master Chu sent back a letter saying that the people of the White Lotus Sect have re-emerged and are currently gathering their troops. He asked us to pay attention to their movements in the capital. You have to pay attention to it. It is a great sect that has been passed down for a hundred years. The hyacinth will die, but it will not die stiff."

The incense master looked confused. Didn't the White Lotus Sect disappear long ago? When did they come out again? He looked at the hall master on the other side with a questioning look on his face.

The hall master Luo Fei beside him looked embarrassed. When it came to hiding and investigating the people of the Imperial City Bureau, the Taiping Sect had plenty of good people, but searching for the whereabouts of the White Lotus Sect was like looking for a needle in a haystack. If those people were so easy to find, they would have been killed eight times by the people of the Imperial City Bureau of the court. If it was true as Sect Leader Chu said, the White Lotus Sect was still in the world, then they had been hiding for all these years, and their stronghold in the capital must be hidden very deeply, otherwise they had been there for so long without hearing any news.

"What, Captain Pan, is this true or false? The White Lotus Sect has reappeared. Could it be that they are competing with us for the southern part of Beijing? However, we haven't heard any news about the capital, and they haven't sent anyone to contact us."

Hall Master Luo had a look of surprise, the White Lotus Sect had a great reputation in the martial arts world. In the past, no matter who it was or what the matter was, all the martial arts sects and people who traveled the martial arts world had to give the White Lotus Sect some face, especially when the White Lotus Sect rose to power and showed signs of sweeping the world, which caused a huge shock in the martial arts world. What a pity.

"Please keep this in mind. The leader Chu of Jingnan has made his own arrangements. I think he should have reached an agreement with the White Lotus Sect. As the saying goes, unity is a win for both sides, while division is a loss for both sides. If the three parties combine their strength, the imperial court's army heading south will probably never return."

"Okay, Captain, I will pass on the instructions and will not hold you back. We should be able to find it."

The hall master clasped his fists and agreed to this matter.

soon,

In a house not far from the tavern, a carrier pigeon took off and disappeared into the sky.

same,

In the market area east of Ningrong Street, carrier pigeons were flying around secretly with no pattern to be found, which attracted the attention of Liu Chen from the Northern Pacification Office, and the truth was finally revealed.

"Report, Captain, the brothers are watching everywhere and report that at noon, carrier pigeons flew out from all over the city, with no pattern. There are three suspicious places on one street."

Liu Chen, who was lying on a bamboo stool and resting with his eyes closed, stood by the window on the second floor of Zuixian Tower. He immediately opened his eyes, and a gleam of light flashed across his eyes.

"Okay, the fish should be biting. There must be some changes at the Anhu camp."

"Your Excellency is wise. Today is the day when Wang Ziteng, the governor of the Beijing Camp, leads his army south. Those spies will definitely take action. Qian Hu's strategy of waiting for the rabbit is indeed ingenious. The brothers outside are already in place, waiting for Qian Hu's order."

Deputy Captain Gu Xuanji, dressed in iron armor, was waiting here with a group of centurions. He had already made this plan. As long as the imperial army moved, those spies would definitely move. Sure enough, the general position was determined.

"There is no time to hesitate. Follow the agreed-upon divisions and fence off and investigate. If there are any resistance, arrest them all. I hope you will be diligent. As for the Southern Pacification Division, Ma Jianshi has reorganized the situation after taking office. Now things are looking up. You must have a sense of crisis."

"Yes, Qianhu, we understand."

"Go."

Liu Chen waved his hand.

Gu Xuanji led the crowd and rushed downstairs. The sound of their footsteps echoed throughout the Zuixianlou, making the diners who were still having their meals dare not even breathe.

Soon,
The guards of the Imperial City Department who were attached to the outside began to hunt for spies on a large scale. There was chaos and many people fled in panic. Many courtyards facing the street were thoroughly searched, and those who dared to resist were beaten with sticks and arrested.

In the alleys, we encountered many ambushes.

"Gu Xuanji, be careful,"

A centurion shouted anxiously, and suddenly a large number of men in black emerged from the alley ahead. They first fired crossbows, killing many Imperial City Guards, and then rushed over with long swords.

"Defend against the enemy, shoot, shoot quickly."

A shrill cry was heard. The archers of the Imperial City Division had been waiting for a long time. With an order, arrows were shot out. A large number of men in black fell to the ground, and were then killed one by one by the Imperial City Division guards who rushed over.

"Tani Chien-hu, are you okay?"

"It's okay. Check this place thoroughly and send someone to tell Captain Liu."

"Yes, my lord."

Xiaoqi clasped his fists and left.

Looking at the corpses all over the ground, Gu Xuanji's face turned pale. He was too careless. There were actually people who took risks in broad daylight. They all looked like death warriors.

He walked up to the bodies of the men in black, reached out and pulled off their masks, and took a closer look. They were all ordinary dealers. If it weren't for the calluses on their hands, he wouldn't have known their identities. Who could they be?

Zuixian Tower,
In the stable in the backyard,

At this time, Cui Yu, the leader of the White Lotus Sect, was recruiting a servant to feed the horses together. He was wearing tattered clothes and drying the hay, while the servant was holding a rake and dividing the hay into the trough one by one.
After working for a while, the two wiped their sweat and said, "Manager, it's so hot, why don't you take a break?"

"Look at you, it's just a small job. It won't be too late to rest after you feed the war horses."

Cui Yu winked at the waiter, and many soldiers walked into the stable, led out their horses, and then rode on their war horses and ran out. After they left,
Cui Yu deliberately poured a bowl of water and handed it to a handsome waiter.
"Captain, the news from the south of the city is that the Anhu camp's army has already set out to the south. The troops led by Wang Ziteng are all cavalry, and the enemy troops are all infantry, with a total number of nearly 150,000."

The man who was called the helmsman was Du Shuai, the confidant of Bai Shuiyue, the leader of the White Lotus Sect. He was once in charge of all the secret agents in the capital. Although he looked weak, he was also a serious scholar. He even got the examination ticket this year and was preparing to take the imperial examination.

"Oh, Wang Ziteng actually led his troops south ahead of time. It seems that he got the news. I can't wait to go there. That's good. I can get rid of them earlier. The leader has already gone north to Qinzhou and will take it down soon. By then, the important town of Runan in the northeast will be right in front of us. As long as we take Runan, cross the canal, and then raid Tangjun, Jiangnan will be just around the corner."

General Du's eyes flickered. If the war went well, they would head straight to Jiangnan. Once in Jiangnan, the Taiping Sect would have the capital to establish a country. Although Xihe County was mountainous, sparsely populated and suitable for hiding, they could only hide here and there in the chaotic mountains. How could they save the people of the world? The White Lotus Sect's Mother of No Birth should be the savior.

The hall master also had an excited look on his face. He carefully looked around and saw that there was no one around. He continued to ask in a low voice;
"Captain, I will send a pigeon to inform the leader of this matter and ask her to be careful."

Cui Yu was anxious and was about to leave, but Du Shuai grabbed his sleeve and glared at him.
"What are you going for?"

"Captain, please deliver the message."

The hall master looked puzzled. Why did he stop me?

The helmsman shook his head.

"Be patient, wait until it's dark before releasing the carrier pigeon. You didn't see it just now, but all the people from the Imperial City Bureau have gone out. If my guess is correct, they are trying to catch the spies. There was quite a lot of noise just now."

Du Shuai was dressed as a waiter, delivering meals upstairs and downstairs. When he was upstairs, he stood high and looked far, and saw a lot of things in the capital. Just now, there should be a lot of forces involved. Liu Chen from the Northern Pacification Office wanted to avenge the knife, so how could he let it go?

Cui Yu was stunned. He hadn't thought of this yet. Thinking about the fierce and ferocious look of the soldiers just now, they must have received the news.
He reached out his hand and wiped the sweat off his forehead with his dirty sleeve, leaving a gray mark that looked a little funny.

"Fortunately, the captain is wise. We almost made a big mistake. Liu Chen was watching us on the second floor. However, captain, anyone who can hide in the capital must be very capable. How can we catch him?"

"This is not something you can control. Just take care of your own business. Just now, the court posted a notice that the provincial examination will be held in two days. This captain has a red ticket. This is my first time to go to the palace."

Commander Du couldn't help but feel a little proud. Who could have thought that the leader of the White Lotus Sect would actually take the special examination, and even get a red examination ticket. It was truly rare.

But Cui Yu beside him opened his mouth and reminded;
"Captain, you should be more careful. Although you bought the test questions in advance, it is still unclear whether the higher-ups know about the leak. In addition, the chief examiner of the Hanyuan Hall in the palace is Luo Yunhou, who is a killer. Captain, you should be more careful. Although the Saint is here, the young master doesn't know of our existence."

When Du Shuai heard this, his face looked strange, and he no longer had the arrogance he had before. It was true that Luo Yunhou was very skilled, and his tricks were no longer effective. He would just have to memorize the article he bought.
"Got it. You keep an eye on the capital. I'm going to review my lessons and try to get second place in the exam."

"Yes, Captain,"

Cui Yu responded, but before he finished speaking, he saw the helmsman changed his clothes and hurriedly left the inn, heading north. Could it be that the helmsman was going to the academy to study?
He sighed. Ever since the Saint returned to the capital, people in the Holy Church suddenly rushed to follow her example. If the previous path was blocked, they might find another one. Many young people studied the classics, took the imperial examinations, or joined the army to make meritorious contributions.

But the leader repeatedly warned against doing so. Although the two masters did not confront each other, the left and right protectors each supported one person. What should the people below do?

In front of Chongwen Gate of the Imperial Palace,

Zhang Jinyu reined in the horse, patted his numb thigh, then inserted the whip into the saddle bag and stretched his body.
The captain of the palace gate guard had already come over with a smile on his face.

"My Lord, you just went out, why are you back again?"

"Come back and report to His Majesty. Is there a return?"

Zhang Jinyu generously explained that this expression was probably due to the one hundred taels of silver.
"Uh, my Lord, I spoke too much. I deserve to be beaten. Please."

When the captain heard what Marquis Luo Yun said, he immediately shut up in fear. What happened in the palace must not be listened to. This is an iron rule. If someone spreads nonsense, the grass on his grave will grow half a person's height.

Zhang Jinyu did not stay for long. He asked Ning Bian to lead the men to guard here. He walked quickly by himself and trotted all the way to the Yangxin Palace. The reason why he was so scheming was that he wanted to go to Rongguo Mansion to take a look.
As soon as I entered the Yangxin Palace, I saw Eunuch Yun standing guard outside and asked;

"Why is Eunuch Yun standing guard outside? Is His Majesty free?"

Zhang Jinyu asked anxiously, "Don't let anyone else be inside to delay things."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, His Majesty has just finished his work, and there is no one else inside, Your Majesty, please feel free to come in."

Hearing Eunuch Yun say this, Zhang Jinyu felt relieved. He pushed open the door and entered the study. He saw His Majesty sitting on the dragon chair, leisurely sipping tea and snacks, with no expression of joy or anger on his face.
"Your Highness, I am Zhang Jinyu, and I have returned to report."

Zhang Jinyu lifted his robe and knelt down. His impetuous appearance made the Emperor's eyelids jump. Why couldn't he be more steady in doing things? He took a sip of tea, put the tea bowl on the table, and asked;

"Get up and talk,"

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhang Jinyu took a breath and stood up. He ran a little anxiously and his breath was a little short.
"Your Majesty, the governor of the Beijing camp, Wang Ziteng, has already led the army to set off. The march is in accordance with your Majesty's instructions. The imperial guards are the rear guard. I watched them get on the official road before returning to report."

After a few words, I thought that after hearing His Majesty, I would be able to go back happily. But the Emperor Wu ignored me and picked up a cake to eat. Zhang Jinyu was a little confused.
Turning his head, he quietly looked at the chief steward Dai Quan who was serving at the desk. However, Dai Quan was looking at his nose, his mouth, and his heart. He ignored her. Zhang Jinyu couldn't help but curse in his heart, "This damn eunuch,
"Your Majesty, the army has left. Can I go back now?"

Emperor Wu's hand holding the pastry paused for a moment. Dai Quan, who was standing next to him with an expressionless face, actually had his mouth twitching. He was really speechless.

"What's the matter that makes Marquis Luo Yun so anxious that he can't even stay here with me?"

Emperor Wu put the cake in his hand on the plate, wiped his hands with a brocade cloth, and asked casually,
Zhang Jinyu clasped his fists and bowed;
"I am fine, but I left in a hurry this morning and didn't eat enough. I am very hungry and thirsty, so I am anxious."

This is true. After running back and forth in the city, everyone is thirsty and hungry, and their mouths are dry.

"Okay, you're the only one who has too much to do. Dai Quan, get him a bowl of tea and these cakes."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Dai Quan carefully picked up the tea bowl again, poured water in it, and walked over with the plate in his other hand.

Zhang Jinyu was not polite either. As the saying goes, "Your Majesty gives something, so don't refuse it." Pastries in the palace are rare. He took the tea and drank it all. He also ate one pastry on the plate in one bite. It was really delicious, but why was it so small? He could fill two in one bite. He still had some complaints in his heart.
But the way he ate voraciously surprised Emperor Wu Zhou Shihong and Dai Quan in front of him. Marquis Luo Yun was indeed hungry.

"Eat slowly, no one is going to snatch it from you. Give him another bowl of water. By the way, I have something else to ask you."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I am listening."

Zhang Jinyu had just swallowed the cloud cake filled with red bean paste and replied with a bulge in his mouth.

"Although the trip to Beishan is unusual, do you know that Princess Yueru lives in seclusion in the Beidi Palace?"

Zhang Jinyu quickly drank a sip of water, handed the tea bowl back, and looked up at His Majesty sitting on the dragon throne. Why did he think of asking this? Could it be that someone mentioned this matter? It must be the eldest princess's back-up plan. That's good, it's better to solve it early and get it over with.

"Your Majesty, I have heard of it."

(End of this chapter)