Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 723: Your Majesty, This Is the Bad Plan
"Drive, drive,"

"call"

In front of the residence of the Beijing official Yan Cong, a messenger from the Luo Yunhou Mansion came galloping, dismounted from his horse, stretched out his hand and patted the door.

"Bang, bang, bang,"

The violent knock on the door broke the silence of the house.
The old man who was guarding the door stood up, put on a coat, and shouted in an old voice,

"Who is it? Which distinguished person is knocking at the door?"

The old man is also an elder in the Yan family. He was also puzzled today. His master is an honest official. He usually has only one or two close friends. Who would come to knock on the door so late at night? So he asked in confusion.

The personal guards of the Marquis' Mansion didn't care about that and shouted directly;
"I am a personal soldier of Marquis Luo Yun's mansion. Following the order of my master, I am here to pass on the order to all examiners in Hanyuan Hall to be present in Hanyuan Hall on time tonight. There must be no mistakes. Please listen carefully."

The old man inside the door hadn't opened the door yet, but when he heard the shout, he replied;
"I heard,"

Maybe he was too slow to open the door, but when the old man opened it, there was only the sound of horses' hooves leaving, but no one was there.

The old man thought of his master, who was indeed the examiner of the special examination, and hurriedly closed the door and returned to his mansion.

The main house in the backyard,
Many pieces of furniture and daily necessities in the hall were brand new. They were all replaced with the silver given by Marquis Luo Yun that time. Seeing that the lady's face looked much rosier, Yan Cong felt a little relieved in his heart. A gentleman can be a gentleman, and a villain should be kept away. However, among gentlemen, some vulgar things are not offensive. Perhaps in the future, he can get closer to the Marquis. This thought was buried deep in his heart.

"My dear, everything is ready for you. You can just take it with you tomorrow. I think Marquis Luo Yun will not be too harsh on you this time."

Madam Yan accompanied her husband, sitting on a chair, her face full of concern. She didn't know where her husband saved the money from, but the expenses of the family these days were much more comfortable. Sometimes she had doubts in her heart, but she didn't dare to ask. Two days ago, she found a pawnbroker to act as a guarantor outside the city and bought a small farm. She still had an income of several thousand taels of silver a year. In this way, the expenses of the family were reliable. However, her husband sometimes remained silent for a long time alone, and she didn't know what was troubling him.

"Well, the Marquis is broad-minded and will not be too harsh. Madam, don't worry. Besides, you are only going to the Enke examination room to supervise and mark the papers, not to do anything else. How can you have other things?"

Yan Cong comforted him, thinking that this time, going to Hanyuan Hall to supervise the exam was nothing more than following Marquis Luo Yun and watching over the candidates. As for marking the papers, with their skills, it would be a piece of cake. However, it was unknown whether there would be other requirements. He thought that the Marquis should have a foolproof plan.

But deep down, I suddenly felt something strange. I wondered if the Marquis was biased in private. I thought about how the examiners had always hinted at it overtly or covertly in the past, and even handed over some lists of names. Could there be these people who were abusing their power for personal gain?

It's no wonder Yan Cong thought this way. Although the rules of the imperial examination were strict, many people who cheated were escorted out every year. There were also many cases of cheating, and there were even more cases that could not be found out. As the chief examiner, he was nominally the teacher of the candidates of that year. In this way, Luo Yunhou might not be without selfish motives.
Thinking of this, Yan Cong had an idea in his mind.

"My dear, I didn't say anything else. Don't worry about it. Have a good rest tonight. It won't be too late to go after dinner tomorrow."

Madam Yan's face was flushed with shame, and it was obvious that she was moved. Yan Cong's heart was warmed. He took the tea bowl and drank it all. He walked forward eagerly and pulled Madam to go to the inner hall. But as soon as he stretched out his hand,
There was a knock on the door.
The two of them were startled at the same time, and the shy atmosphere came to an abrupt end.

Yan Cong frowned and shouted to the door;

"Who's there, what's going on?"

"My lord, a military officer from Marquis Luo Yun's mansion just reported that Marquis Luo Yun sent a message that all examiners of Hanyuan Hall must enter the hall tonight without any delay. I received the message and came to pass it on to my lord."

The old steward outside struggled to speak out, waiting outside and not daring to leave. Inside the house, Yan Cong thought of many things in an instant. What backup plan did the Marquis have to make, and he only mentioned Hanyuan Hall. In this case, the situation of Lord Nan in the Imperial Examination Hall should remain the same.

"I understand. You should go back and rest first."

"Yes, sir."

It was no wonder that the old steward called Yan Cong "Master". After all, Yan Cong's father died early and he was raised by his mother. Although he passed the imperial examination and became an official, his mother died of old age. Only his first wife, whom he had been engaged to since childhood, was by his side. After following him for many years, she had not enjoyed any happiness. This matter was a pain in Yan Cong's heart.
Hearing that there was no more noise outside, Yan Cong, feeling guilty, picked up his wife with one hand.
: "Madam, it's late, please rest."

"My dear, aren't you going to Hanyuan Palace? Ah!"

He exerted force on his waist and went to the inner hall. With a gasp of surprise, the sound of the bed shaking became louder and louder.

Simultaneously,

All over the capital,

As the sound of horse hooves rang out, more and more people noticed that reports from spies came from many people's mansions.

Beijing Palace,

The shadow guard who came out of the secret passage hurriedly entered the inner courtyard, an ordinary small courtyard in the west, where Mr. Leng Shiwen, the master of Beijing Prince's Mansion, lived.

"Report, Mr. Leng, the tip from the capital,"

"Well, come in, Beijing City intelligence report, what's going on, is there anything else going to happen tonight?"

At this time, Leng Shiwen had already washed up and went to bed in his clothes. As soon as he lay down, he heard the movement outside the door. The so-called capital intelligence was what happened in the capital today. Some secret letters from the shadow guards had to pass through his hands before they could be delivered. This shows the trust of King Beijing.

"Yes, Elder Leng, a lot of things happened in the capital tonight. The letter sent by the secret agent is very urgent. I dare not delay and will come back to deliver the letter immediately."

After saying this, the shadow guard took out the secret letter from his arms and presented it to him with both hands.

Leng Lao put on a coat, sat up, lit the oil lamp, and then took the secret letter. After opening it, it turned out to be nothing important. It was just about Rongguo Mansion. Well, Rongguo Mansion,
Old Leng concentrated and held his breath. He read on and found out that it was the Jia family members who were causing trouble for the master's family and stopping the students from taking the imperial examination. This was a big deal, especially at this time. How could the old lady of Rongguo Mansion be so unwise?

"Is there really a disturbance at Rongguo Mansion?"

"Replying to Elder Leng, there is indeed a disturbance. There is a large group of people surrounding them and making noises. Several of the leaders have been detained by the head constable of Shuntian Prefecture when he encountered them during patrol."

Listening to the words of the shadow guard, Leng Shiwen was somewhat incredulous. Such a coincidence had alarmed the people of Shuntian Prefecture. Could there be some other hidden secrets? He spread out the secret letter and continued to read it.
unfortunately,

As for the matter of Luo Yunhou in Hanyuan Hall, all examiners will enter the hall tonight, and candidates will enter early tomorrow. This is a change in the rules.
"Besides Marquis Luo Yun's Hanyuan Hall, which has this rule, has Lord Nan from the Imperial Examination Hall made any moves?"

"Reporting to Master Leng, I haven't seen any movement in the Imperial Examination Hall. The gate has been closed all the time."

Listen to the Shadow Guard's voice.

Old Leng suddenly thought, maybe Luo Yunhou discovered something before the Enke. He had always heard that someone was secretly selling test questions by using fortune-telling skills, but he didn't know if it was true. Maybe Luo Yunhou noticed it?

But why was it that only Marquis Luo Yun took action, while Lord Nan, the Grand Secretary of Wuying Palace, did not move at all? Could it be that he was using stillness to control movement, or was he completely ignorant?

Thinking of this, Leng Shiwen recalled that Prince Zhongshun had been released from confinement ahead of schedule, and was now sorting out internal affairs at the clan residence. Many clan members and old friends had been reprimanded, and some had been directly sent back to the residence. It seemed that a secret plan had been made in advance, but he didn't know whether the princes were ready.
"I will report this to the prince. We need to keep an eye on the capital. We must not be careless. Send more people to the south of the city to see where the tribute convoys from the princes of various places have gone and whether those princes have made any moves."

"Yes, Master Leng, I understand. The spy reported that the convoy is normal, but I haven't seen the figures of those princes. It's quite strange."

The shadow guard knelt down and replied, thinking that the shadow guards in the south had sent letters by carrier pigeons and did not see the princes, which was a bit strange. After all, they were taking the official road and were escorted by a large number of guards, so it made sense for them not to show up.

"Oh? Haha, I didn't see them, which means they are not in the convoy. I'm afraid, if my guess is correct, those princes should have entered the capital long ago. Keep an eye on them."

Leng Lao sneered. The thoughts of these vassal kings were known to almost everyone. His Majesty should have noticed it, but this time, they hid it too well. He was alert. These vassal kings were not simple. "Yes, Leng Lao, I will take my leave."

As the shadow guard knelt and left, Leng Shiwen put away the letter, changed his clothes, and prepared to report to the prince.

As for that!
Why no one noticed that the princes of the vassal states had come to the capital in advance was all thanks to the secret help of the Wu family. As for when the Wu family had contact with the princes of the vassal states, it is unknown.

After tidying up,
Then he picked up the lantern at the door and went to the back hall of the inner courtyard.
The main house study,

The lights are still on.

Sleeping late, I don't know when it became a habit of Shui Rong. Sometimes I sit alone behind the desk in the study, quietly looking at the hand-drawn map of Da Wu's territory, sometimes frowning, sometimes sighing. There is no best place to stay in the north, what can I do?
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty,"

I am worried.

I heard Leng Lao calling out from outside the door, and I was moved and replied;

"The king is here, come in."

With the voice,

Leng Shiwen held the lantern, gently pushed the door open, put the lantern down beside the door, turned around and closed the door, then walked in.

He tightened his robe, walked closer, and bowed;

"Greetings, Your Majesty. Shadow Guard tip-off."

"Hmm, a tip-off? What else could happen in the capital at this late hour? Leng Lao, sit down."

This reaction was exactly the same as that of Old Leng just now. He first asked Old Leng to sit down, then took the secret letter on the table in his hand, opened it and looked through it. It turned out to be about the Rongguo Mansion and the Enke. It seemed that Marquis Luo Yun had made some moves, and he didn't know whether it was good or bad. As for the troubles caused by the Rongguo Mansion, Prince Beijing Shui Rong was actually used to it. Since the beginning of the year, there has been some trouble in the Jia family every month. He didn't know if it was a feng shui problem or an unlucky year?
"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Leng Shiwen did not shirk his responsibility and sat down as usual.
Seeing the prince put down the secret letter, he began to explain;
"Your Majesty, this is what happened tonight. It's not a big deal, but it's not a small deal. The matter of Rongguo Mansion depends on whether Lord Xu, the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, can suppress it. If he does, even if His Majesty knows about it, he won't ask about it anymore. After all, Rongguo Mansion involves too many people.
As for the actions of Marquis Luo Yun in Hanyuan Hall, if Shiwen guessed correctly, the Marquis should have some ideas, but it is unknown why. However, over at the Imperial Examination Hall, Lord Nan did not make any moves. "

Shui Rong raised his hand and patted the secret letter on the table. After listening to Old Leng's explanation, he agreed. Rongguo Mansion was involved with the Wang family, and Wang Ziteng's army was on the way to suppress the rebellion. Even if there was something, it was nothing. The court knew the priorities, and Lord Xu of Shuntian Mansion was even more ingenious, so he naturally made it disappear.

As for Hanyuan Palace, Marquis Luo Yun is a man who does not follow formalities and is hard to guess.

"Keep an eye on this first. How are the preparations for the imperial examinations for the candidates in our palace going?"

Shui Rong couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped asking. He also arranged for many of his disciples to take the imperial examinations. On the one hand, it was an opportunity, and on the other hand, it was a way to get into the civil service, which was also a way for the younger generation of the clan to have a way out.
"Your Highness, we have prepared what we should prepare, and we have also prepared what we shouldn't prepare."

There was a lot of meaning in what Mr. Leng said in reply. Shui Rong had heard a lot about buying the exam questions and asked the shadow guard to buy them. As to whether it was true or not, no one knew. The prince understood what Mr. Leng said and nodded.

"That's good. As the saying goes, it's better to be prepared. Elder Leng has one more thing to tell you. A message came from the palace that the Changle Palace of the retired emperor has now become the Palace of Inaction, and the retired emperor has also started practicing Taoism."

This matter is extremely secretive.

However, the letter could not be hidden from the four kings and eight dukes. The eunuchs who had been planted in the palace had passed the news out. No one believed it at the time. The emperor was such a talented and ambitious man in his early years, how could he believe it? Then the shadow guard brought news from the Ministry of Internal Affairs that a lot of Taoist items had been sent into the palace, and only then did they believe it a little.

Leng Shiwen was hearing about this for the first time, and was stunned. How could the emperor practice Taoism? After all, there was Jia Zhen from Ningguo Mansion, who was superstitious about practicing Taoism and ended up like this, becoming the laughing stock of the powerful people in the entire capital. Even if it was the emperor, how could he believe this?

"Your Highness, this matter is too serious. Is it true or false? Is it just a rumor? The emperor is extremely conceited. How can he believe in practicing Taoism? Speaking of practicing Taoism, the Ningguo Mansion has practiced Taoism for so many years, but has not achieved any positive results. In the end, the main line of the master family is still in the imperial prison."

suddenly,

When Leng Shiwen mentioned Ningguo Mansion, he thought of the matter of the demon. Now the elite troops of the Imperial City Division and the Northern Pacification Division have been dispatched, but they have not caught this person. This shows that there must be someone behind the demon. Could it be that this person has sneaked into the palace?

"Your Majesty, I have two guesses. The first is that there is a demon Taoist infiltrating the Retired Emperor? He has bewitched the Retired Emperor into practicing Taoism, causing the Retired Emperor's personality to change drastically."

Shui Rong frowned and stroked his beard with his hand. The letter from the palace was very vague and did not say anything in detail. Leng Lao's awareness was also very important. It was really possible, but it was a bit absurd to think about it.
"It's not impossible, but the chances are too small. After all, Changle Palace is heavily guarded. Even if there is a demon bewitching someone, how can they sneak in without being noticed? What about the second possibility?"

Seeing that the prince didn't quite believe it, Leng Shiwen felt the same way. The palace was different from the outside world. It was extremely difficult to sneak in. Another guess was that there was another hidden meaning.
"Your Majesty, think about it. The Emperor practiced Taoism, and so did the Ningguo Mansion. Jia Zhen has been insisting that he was bewitched by the evil Taoism, so he blatantly learned these things. This may not be for Your Majesty to see. Jia Zhen has been in the imperial prison for a while, and it seems that Your Majesty has forgotten about it and has not asked about it. The reason is that he is waiting."

As for what you are waiting for, it is because the time has not yet come.

Shui Rong had a gloomy face and remained silent. Everyone was trying their best for their own interests. Where was his own chance? Wait? It was easy to say in one word, but who could wait?

"Yes, we are all waiting, but I have been waiting for so many years, where is our chance?"

Shui Rong lay on the table, stroking the map of Dawu territory on the desk with both hands, as if he were touching a treasure, with a somewhat depressed look on his face.

all of these,
All of this fell into Leng Lao's eyes. Leng Shiwen stood up, bowed, and performed a great ceremony;

"Your Highness, nothing will remain unchanged. It's hard to find a place to stay in the north, but it's not impossible. Now we should focus on the south first to see if the East Palace makes any moves. If so, we don't necessarily have to stay in the north. The southern part of Beijing is a place of four battles. If Your Highness really wants to get involved, it's not impossible."

Leng Lao's eyes lit up. This matter is easy to say and easy to say. It depends on how to operate it. Shui Rong suddenly raised his head and looked over. His face flushed and he said anxiously;
"Does Elder Leng have any solution?"

"Yes, there is, but the right time, right place and right people are all essential, right?"

"how do I say this?"

Seeing that Mr. Leng was keeping him in suspense, Shui Rong asked impatiently.

"Your Highness, unless Wang Ziteng's army is defeated and Linshan County City is lost, someone is needed to turn the tide, and that person has the full support of his former subordinates. At the same time, Runan City, an important city in the northeast of Beijing, is lost, threatening Jiangnan. For this reason alone, Prince Mu can write a letter and lead his former subordinates to stop it in Tang County in Jiangnan, and wait for an opportunity to recapture Runan City. At this time, Your Highness can also propose to lead troops south to suppress the rebellion. However, Your Highness, if it really comes to that, Your Highness must win the battle, otherwise everything will be over."

Leng Shiwen's face suddenly changed. If His Majesty really agreed, the prince would lead the army to fight, and he would have to win. If he failed, all his efforts would be in vain. After all, Tang County was separated by the canal. With the cooperation of the canal guards, it would not be a problem to hold on. The East Palace could wait for an opportunity to act, but the North Palace had to face the bandits of the Taiping Sect. Now those bandits were obviously guided by experts.
Prince Beijing Shui Rong, who was still excited and flushed, suddenly turned pale and felt frightened at the thought of leading his army to fight against the enemy army. He smiled bitterly.
"How can this be? Although Wang Ziteng's soldiers are foreign troops, they are also brave soldiers. If he fails, it means that the Taiping Sect is obviously not a real bandit army, and there are countless forces behind them. How can I turn the tide, unless I am Marquis Luo Yun!"

Yes, if we talk about the ability to fight, it is only Luo Yunhou, who asked whimsically;
"Then can we bring Luo Yunhou with us? Let him lead the troops into battle!"

"My Lord, how could you have such an idea? If Marquis Luo Yun goes, there will be no place for you. We are trying to seize Marquis Luo Yun's position. If we want Marquis Luo Yun to follow us, unless Your Majesty grants us mercy, the last option is for Marquis Luo Yun to lead his troops south and let My Lord find another place. Then we can only lead our troops south to Xihe County, attack Runan County from the side, and join forces with the Eastern Prince's Mansion. This is the worst option."

Leng Shiwen sighed, and without waiting for the prince to ask any more questions, he explained directly;

"Your Majesty, why is this a bad idea? Because Hexi County has always been full of bandits, with many mountains and little land, and the people are fierce. Except for a few cities, the outside world is almost not under the control of the court.

Even if the prince settles down there, the resources here are not abundant, logistics are difficult to supply, and the cost is greater than the income. If the troops are lost, it will be a disgrace. It has always been a place that famous generals are reluctant to go. The last point is that after Ru Nan is recovered, it will belong to the East Prince's Palace or the North Prince's Palace. This is a taboo!"

"This"

(End of this chapter)