Taiyuan and Datong are in harmony with each other. The Tartars have attacked the frontier, mostly from Xuan Fu and Datong. Taiyuan is closer to the mainland and is not the main target. Therefore, Taiyuan's troops have become an important force that can restrain the Tartars. Every time Datong is in danger, they have to mobilize troops from nearby Taiyuan to help.
Before Yang Yiqing's army reached Datong, because of the critical situation at the frontier, the commander of the Taiyuan Guards led the army to help. He was injured by a stray arrow on the battlefield. Originally, his condition was not too serious, but unexpectedly, after returning to Taiyuan, his wound suddenly worsened and he died. Unexpectedly, the new commander of the Taiyuan Guards is this Zhang Yin, Zhang Daren.
The Guo family has a lot of influence in the army. It seems that this Zhang Yin is a trusted aide recommended by Guo Xun. Yang Ling hurriedly cupped his hands towards him and said: "I have long heard of your name. Last year on New Year's Eve, Daren Zhang had to rush on the road. It must have been hard on you."
Zhang Yin cupped his fists in salute and said with a smile: "So it is Mr Yang. I have long heard of Daren's name, it is like thunder piercing my ears. To be able to meet you today is the good fortune of three lifetimes. To begin with, soldiers are trained for a thousand days to be used in a single day. At this time, it is only right that you work a little harder. "
As he spoke, he lightly swept his gaze over the people around Yang Ling. When he saw Wu Hanchao, he gave him a second glance and then returned his gaze to Yang Ling as if nothing had happened. Yang Ling saw that he is refined and scholarly, his eyes are bright and his manner of speaking is neither servile nor overbearing. Yang Ling immediately had a good impression of him.
Both sides exchanged a few words and saw that the number of people at the city gate is increasing. Guo Xun frowned slightly and said to Yang Ling: "I will not disturb Mr Yang any further. Brother Zhang is anxious to see Ren Lizheng. I will take my leave now."
Yang Ling said with a smile: "All right, we will talk when we have time. Respectfully sending off General Guo and Daren Zhang!"
Zhang Yin nodded with a smile and said in a clear voice, "Mr Yang, I will take my leave now!"
Yang Ling watched as they left the city on horseback. When he turned his head, he saw Han Youniang, Su San, and a few other women standing to the side with smiles on their faces. Seeing him turn his head, Han Youniang came forward and happily said: "Husband, today is New Year's Eve. My sisters and I were wondering when you would come back. I didn't expect you to come back so early."
Yang Ling dismounted from the horse and walked to her side. He glanced at Su San and the others and smiled: "Didn't you guys go to the temple fair? What are you doing at the city gate? "
Han Youniang blushed and Su San and Sheridan looked a little bashful. Gao Wenxin covered her mouth and giggled behind them. Yang Ling did not expose them and said with a smile: "Since we have met, let's go back together."
Yang Ling's sedan chair was parked to the side, and after the ladies boarded the sedan chair, Yang Ling could not travel quickly on horseback. He accompanied the sedan chair and watched the bustling atmosphere of the capital as he chatted with Han Youniang through the curtains. When the group was about to reach the western side of the city, they saw a group of people gathered by the roadside. The people from the Warden's Office had already surrounded them.
Yang Ling's subordinates had experienced the previous incident where the factory supervisor was kidnapped, and they all acted as though they were facing a great enemy at the slightest sign of trouble. Dozens of men in the open and in the dark immediately guarded the sedan and horses, separating the commoners from the crowd. They quietly reached into their robes and tightened their grip on their crossbows.
Wu Hanchao did not even look at the commotion in front of him. As he reined in his horse and approached Yang Ling, he quickly scanned the surroundings and observed the commoners on the roadside. Yang Ling slightly raised his buttocks and glanced at the crowd. When he saw the people in the crowd, he could not help but frown. He beckoned to Liu Biao and said in a low voice: "Go and see what's going on."
Liu Biao understood. Dismounting from his horse, he squeezed into the crowd to see what was going on. He saw the owner of a tailor's shop holding back a man in his forties and yelling at the patrolmen of the Warden's Office: "Master Hu Si has come at the right time. This man is very unreasonable. A few days ago, he came and paid a deposit of one tael of silver, saying that he wanted me to make a fine woolen robe for him. Today, he came to try it on and it fits his figure perfectly. But he said that he only wanted low-quality woolen clothing. When I took out the contract, he tore it into pieces and said that I was falsely accusing him.
This old man thought that he was unlucky and wanted to keep the peace. But he said that tomorrow is the new year and I wrongly bought his robe, so he wants me to use this robe as compensation. This old man has opened his shop for thirty years and has always been fair and honest. All the neighbors can testify to this. When have I ever cheated anyone? This man is truly tyrannical. "
Next to the man in his forties was a scholar in his early twenties. His face reddened as he pulled on the man's robe. The man waved his hand and opened it. Not only was he not afraid of the soldiers, he was even arrogant. He glanced at the patrolmen and sneered: "You are not cheating? If you are not cheating, then do I look like I am a swindler? Let go! "
With a cold shout he shook off the old man's hand and dusted off his robe. "Do you know who I am?" he said slowly. "I am the commander of His Majesty's Imperial Bodyguards, the Admiral of the Inner Palace, the Formidable Earl Yang Ling."
Hearing this the old tailor trembled in fright. The patrolmen called Hu Si Ye also could not stop their countenance from changing. There was silence all around. The man in his forties calmly continued to speak: "… Cousin, Hu Si Ye, do you think I look like a swindler?"
Speaking to this point, he raised his eyelids. Unexpectedly, as soon as he raised his eyes, he saw that outside the crowd, surrounded by several large horses, Yang Ling was looking at him with an ashen face. He could not stop his body from trembling and his expression immediately became awkward.
Hu Si Ye's face was bitter as he nodded his head and bowed. "Not at all, not at all. Sir, you have a dignified appearance and are the elder brother of Earl Yang and Mister Yang. Why would you bully a small clothing store owner? Haha, haha."
He finished speaking with an obsequious smile and straightened his back to the old tailor. "Old man Pei, it is clear that you are old and muddle-headed and heard the wrong instructions. Uncle Yang is a person of status. Why would I bother with a small tailor like you? You have delayed my business. What do you think you should do? "
The old tailor stammered, "This … this … Young husband, please take this robe and give it to me as an apology."
The old tailor's heart ached as he spoke, but he really could not afford to provoke the factory guards.
As the saying goes, "In the north, there are velvet, and in the south, there are women's silk." The premium Lanzhou velvet could only be found in the tributes of the Imperial Palace. The purple and red cloak Yang Ling was wearing now, embroidered with golden velvet and lined with heavy silk, had been bestowed upon him by the Zheng De Emperor two days ago, and was worth a hundred taels of silver.
Although the old tailor's fine velvet was not a tribute, it was still worth ten taels of silver. Even rich families often wore it for several decades and even passed it on to their descendants. If this robe was given away, several months of hard work would be wasted.
Yang Quan stared at Yang Ling, his lips turning white. How could he dare to accept the fine velvet robe? Liu Biao turned to look at Yang Ling. Yang Ling suppressed his anger and gestured to Liu Biao. Liu Biao nodded and squeezed into the crowd. He took out a silver ingot from his sleeve and stuffed it into the old tailor's hands. He smiled, "How could Yang House take advantage of you? Third Master originally wanted to make a set of casual clothes for everyday wear. I'm not afraid of it getting dirty or worn out. Since you've already used good material, I'll buy it as well. This ingot is worth no less than ten taels of silver. Including the deposit, is that enough? "
Overjoyed, Tailor Pei hurriedly nodded his head. "It's enough, it's enough. After deducting the material and workmanship, I still have to give you five taels of silver."
Liu Biao grinned. "There's no need. It's not easy to celebrate the new year. Take it as a reward from my Third Master."
As he spoke, he took the robe and said to Yang Quan, "Third Master, let's return to the residence."
Yang Quan was startled. He hurriedly replied, "Oh, oh." Then, he obediently followed him out of the crowd. Yang Ling's face was as dark as still water. He looked at Yang Quan indifferently and shook the reins of his horse. Yang Quan's face had turned purple. Liu Biao was smooth in dealing with people. Although he knew that Yang Ling was furious, Yang Quan and his nephew were still members of the Yang Family. No matter how far they were, they were still closer than him. He knew that the two of them didn't know how to ride a horse, so he hurriedly called for a foreigner to hire a sedan chair for the two of them.
Cheng Qiyun lifted the curtain of the sedan chair. When she saw this scene, her black eyes turned and a thoughtful expression appeared on her face.
When Yang Ling returned to the residence, he walked into the central hall with a gloomy face and took off his cloak. Han Youniang knew that he wasn't in a good mood, so she obediently took it. She secretly gave her sisters a look and they all quietly went to the rear residence.
Yang Ling only wore a sky-blue robe. He entered the study in the central hall. He had just sat down when Yang Quan and Yang Yun Long nervously followed him in. Yang Quan embarrassedly said, "Brother Ling …"
Yang Yun Long also timidly called out, "Uncle!"
Everywhere in the residence, there were couplets, "Fu" characters, and New Year pictures. It was a festive atmosphere. From far and near in the village, firecrackers could be heard from time to time. Today was New Year's Eve …
When Yang Ling thought of this, he only sighed. He stood up and said, "If we don't have enough, Third Brother can just tell Young-niang. How can our family do such a thing that people ridicule us?"
Yang Quan was embarrassed and irritated. He was angry, but he didn't dare to explode. He meekly agreed. Yang Ling looked at Yang Yun Long and said, "It's almost the New Year. I've already talked to the Ministry of Appointments. After the fifteenth, I'll arrange a job for Yun Long. You can write and calculate. Don't use the Yang Family's name. Do it with your own ability and don't bite off more than you can chew."
Yang Yun Long happily said, "Thank you, Uncle. As long as you have a servant in the capital, it's enough. Yun Long definitely won't give you any trouble."
Yang Ling made a sound of agreement. He looked at Yang Quan and said, "Even a small soldier in the capital's yamen isn't easy to be. Third Brother … Oh … I'll help you think of a better position later."
Yang Quan was a bit disappointed, but he didn't dare to show it on his face. He made a sound of agreement. Seeing that Yang Ling didn't want to say anything more to him, he said his goodbyes and left.
Yang Ling sat back in his chair. He pinched the space between his eyebrows and closed his eyes to rest for a while. Yang Quan was ignorant and incompetent, and his conduct was low. He really didn't want to have anything to do with him. However, the familial and familial relationship was like an invisible net. That kind of silent pressure made it impossible for people to even speak of resistance. So many big storms and waves had come, and he actually didn't know what to do with this little person who could be pinched to death at any time.
Originally, he had wanted to arrange a job for him as the head of the prison in the Ministry of Punishments. Looking at the situation, he couldn't use this person. Yang Ling let out a breath and temporarily didn't think about him. He carefully thought over the matter of arranging for the Emperor to leave the capital after the New Year. Then, he got up and walked to the rear residence.
There was a sweet smile on Cheng Qiyun's face. She greeted the three furen and Gao Wenxin before turning into the inner study. The light smile on her face immediately disappeared. Her shoulders slumped in exhaustion and she slowly strolled into her residence.
Han Youniang and the others were all girls of similar age. They were full of energy and had agreeable conversations. She was more than ten years older than these girls. Her experience and age made it very difficult for her to be interested in the topics the four girls were talking about. After walking in the city for a whole morning, Han Youniang and the others were still full of energy, but the tedium and boredom made her feel tired all over.
Cheng Qiyun was afraid of the cold, so Yang Ling specially ordered for two more fire basins to be added to her room. During the day, the fire basins were used to light the fire basins, and at night, the fire kang and warm wall made the room comfortably warm. At this time, the sun had just passed noon. Because it was New Year's Eve, the fire basins were still burning in the room, and it was as warm as a spring breeze.
Cheng Qiyun lazily took off her silk dress and lined jacket. She took off her deerskin boots and put on her embroidered shoes. She sat in front of the mirror. The face in the mirror was graceful, willowy eyebrows, starry eyes, peach cheeks and lips. She was still as beautiful as a flower.
She wore a narrow-sleeved shirt and a moon-white dress that dragged on the floor. The crimson "hezi" wrapped around her full breasts. Her cleavage was deep, and her clothes were about to burst out, outlining the seductive curves.
Cheng Qiyun sighed softly. Her jade-like fingers gently stroked her soft and pink breasts. Her body was still charming and enchanting, and her almond eyes still had the charm to bewitch all living things. But how much youth did she have left? After today, she would be one year older.
The joyous atmosphere in the Yang House and the occasional sound of firecrackers coming from the village made her feel lonely and empty. Everything that she had yearned to pursue in the past seemed to have become boring. Now, she only wanted to find someone that she could lean on, someone that she could curl up in a warm embrace and talk softly. But this most simple request was not as easy as power and money.
Cheng Qiyun's shoulders drooped lazily. Looking at herself in the mirror, she sighed softly. Just as she was about to go to the kang bed to rest, Yang Ling's voice came from outside the door, "Miss Cheng, have you rested?"
Cheng Qiyun was startled. A trace of joy suddenly flashed through her eyes. That feeling of fatigue and soreness immediately disappeared, and the spirit also returned to her face. She hurriedly said, "Not yet. Daren, wait a moment. I will come out now."
Cheng Qiyun hurriedly picked up her clothes and put them on. Still wearing the soft-soled embroidered shoes, she hurriedly came out to welcome him. Yang Ling was standing by the table with his hands behind his back, looking at Cheng Qiyun's scribbling. Seeing her lift the curtain and come out, he smiled and said, "Tired? I also hate shopping the most. In the summer, I might as well fish under the willow tree. Once the rod is in the water, I can lie on the mat and listen to the wind as I sleep. In the winter, I can snuggle up on the kang bed and read a good book. Young-niang and the others are still young and rarely go out. Therefore, they like lively places. They are not outsiders. You do not need to socialize with them. If you are not willing to move, then just stay in the fu. "
Cheng Qiyun brushed her hair and said sweetly, "It is just that it is rare to go out. How can I disturb everyone's mood? Daren has been extremely busy these past few days, so it is not convenient for me to ask. I only heard that Daren often goes to the Three Workshops, the First Guard, and the Twelfth Regiment. Is it still for the war in the north? "
Yang Ling nodded his head and said, "Yes, it is a very important matter. In the Inner Yard, only Old Wu knows the details. The others only know how it is, but not why it is. Haha, at the beginning, we had planned to let you return to Jiangnan after you had settled down in the capital and set a time. Unexpectedly, it was because of the lifting of the sea ban that you had to fight for grain cultivation, and for grain cultivation, you had to fight for species. Then, bandits entered the capital and the border rebels rebelled.
This matter has been put on hold again and again. Are you used to living here? "Cheng Qiyun pursed her lips and smiled." The wind in the north is as cold as a knife. At first, I was not used to it. Now I feel that there is a different flavor to it. Compared to the inside and outside of the house in the south, it is damp and cold. Once I enter the house, it is as warm as spring. Daren and Furen are also very considerate to me. If this continues, I will be so happy that I will forget home. "
Yang Ling smiled and said, "That won't do. Even if you don't want to forget home, you must first complete the important matter of lifting the sea ban."
Cheng Qiyun's eyes brightened and she asked, "You have confidence?"
Yang Ling nodded his head and said, "Yes, but I will have to trouble you. On the sixth day of the month, I will leave the capital and head north. At the same time, you will head south to Jinling and start planning everything. By the beginning of the second month, you must bring people to the capital. As for those officials representing the coastal officials, I have already grasped some information that can be used against them. The Emperor has also nodded his consent. Now the difficult ones are a group of stubborn old men who use the dignity of the Celestial Empire as a shield. They are righteously and confidently conning the country and the people. We can't beat them or scold them. They will have to trouble you to use Miss Cheng's method to shut their mouths."
Cheng Qiyun leisurely sat down on the silk chair opposite him and said with a smile, "Daren, don't worry. Qiyun will not fail your mission. I will return to Jinling in the first month and return to the capital on time in the second month to report."
Yang Ling used the pad of his finger to gently stroke the warm jade paperweight and said, "Good. Although you are weak, you are a hero among women. You have never lied to this official. When you handle matters, I will definitely trust you."
He muttered to himself for a moment before standing up and saying, "Today is New Year's Eve. Come to the Reception Hall at dinner time. Let's all have a good time together. Don't hide here."
Cheng Qiyun smiled and agreed. Seeing him walk to the door, she suddenly asked, "Daren, your relative Yang San Ye has come to the capital to seek refuge. It seems that Daren is quite worried about how to settle him. How about I bring him to Jiangnan?"
Yang Ling hesitated and said, "This … is indeed worrying. I won't hide it from you. This person is ignorant and incompetent. He has all five poisons. Although he is not a big scourge, he is really annoying. I can't chase him away or keep him. Relying on the bloodline of the clan, this official looks at this troublesome meat. I don't know where to start. Do you dare to bring this trouble with you?"
Hearing his self-deprecating tone, Cheng Qiyun couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh. "You ah, saying that he doesn't live up to expectations is fine. How can you compare yourself to … compare yourself to … haha, I don't dare. But of course, I will first ask you for a token of authority. Yang San Ye is your closest relative. Since ancient times, the most difficult thing to do is to have a relationship with relatives. This lowly official is separated by a layer. As long as I can put down my face, it will be much better than you."
Yang Ling thought for a moment, then let out a smile and said, "Alright, then I'll leave this trouble to you. You have to be strict rather than lenient. If I hear that he uses my power to commit crimes, I'll hold you accountable!"
Cheng Qiyun smiled charmingly. "This lowly official obeys!"
※ ※ ※
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Emperor did not attend court. But the princes, dukes and their close officials went to the palace to pay their respects. Yang Ling gathered with his family in the warm hall. He played mahjong and chatted with them until the afternoon. He estimated that all the officials who should go to the palace had gone before he rushed into the palace to see the Emperor.
Zhengde was busy the whole morning. He woke up in the morning and went to the Empress Dowager's and the Empress Dowager's chambers to pay his respects and collect the red packets. Then he returned to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and sat on the chair to receive the greetings and red packets from the Emperor's relatives and civil and military officials. He had finished all the work that needed to be done. At this time, he had just finished his lunch. Jieyu and Shyflower were throwing arrows and throwing pots in the hall. Liu Jin was smiling and clapping his hands at the side.
Yang Ling entered the hall and stood at the side until Zhengde threw the arrow in his hand. Only then did he go forward to pay his respects and congratulate the new happy event. After a bunch of greetings were done, both the ruler and the official let out a long sigh of relief at the same time.
Zhengde called Yang Ling and Liu Jin into the inner study and immediately asked impatiently, "Yang, how is the preparation?"
Yang Ling said, "Everything is ready. We only need to find a suitable opportunity to ask the Emperor to issue a decree for me to patrol the borders. Then we can openly build the plank road …"
When he said this, he suddenly thought of something and his expression changed.
Zhengde was also very quick-witted. Seeing that his expression had stiffened, he asked, "What happened?"
Yang Ling hesitated and asked, "Your Majesty, in the outer court, only I, Grand Secretary Jiao, Yan Song of the Ministry of Revenue, and Wu Jie of the inner court know about your departure from the capital. Other than Eunuch Liu, is there anyone else in the inner court who has heard about it?"
Zhengde hesitated and laughed dryly, "Such an interesting thing, it is really uncomfortable for me to keep it to myself. So … I have mentioned it to Jieyu and Shyflower. But I only said that I will travel north and eventually reach Datong. Other than that, I have not said anything else to them. Is there a problem?"
Yang Ling frowned and said, "I have thought of something. The two hundred bandits of Bazhou were bewitched by the Maitreya Sect and suddenly entered the capital. Only a few leaders among the bandits know what their original purpose was. Currently, we still do not know the details. It is a big event for the Emperor to leave the capital. It is not good for too many people to know about it."
He laughed dryly and pretended to be joking, "I was tricked by the Maitreya Sect. Until now, I still have some lingering fear. I remember when I first met Lady Jieyu, she wore a jade pendant with the Maitreya Buddha carved on it. Isn't it strange for a girl to wear a Buddha statue? Haha, of course, I may have thought too much and it is a little absurd … "
Zhengde was startled and could not help laughing, "You, you are indeed absurd. Do you suspect that the two beauties Jieyu and Shyflower are from the Maitreya Sect? How is that possible? Besides, men wear Guanyin, women wear Buddha. The Buddha worn by women is precisely the Maitreya Buddha. If they were considered Maitreya Buddha followers, seventy percent of the women in the world would be beheaded. "
Yang Ling was stunned. After hearing what Zhengde said, he remembered that he had heard of the saying that men wear Guanyin and women wear Buddha. It was only after Zhengde's reminder that he remembered it. Thinking about the limited history that he knew, although King Ning rebelled, he did not hear that it had anything to do with the Maitreya Sect. Was he being overly suspicious?
Yang Ling said embarrassedly, "Well … it is always good to be careful. It is not because of this that I became suspicious. It is just that when we were greeting the Emperor, the two girls knew to stand aside and not be affected by the official's etiquette. It is strange that the uncivilized people are familiar with etiquette."
Liu Jin also laughed and said, "Mr. Yang, although they are uncivilized, before they were sent to the capital, King Ning's Mansion taught them palace etiquette for three months. Before they were sent to the palace, the Department of Rites sent someone to teach them for five days. It would be strange if they did not know these etiquette.
They were sent by King Ning. King Ning is the Imperial Uncle and Ming Destiny's royal family. The Maitreya Sect is against our Ming Destiny's dynasty. There is no possibility of the two conspiring. Moreover, King Ning has always been the most loyal to the Emperor. "
Zhengde remembered that during the coronation ceremony, King Ning was the furthest from the first batch of vassal kings who sent congratulatory gifts. The gifts he sent were also the heaviest and most to his liking. Now he also sent Jieyu Xiuhua. One could imagine his respect and reverence for him. Moreover, he did not have a single soldier in his hands. How could he have evil intentions? He nodded and agreed.
Yang Ling said, "Perhaps I am being overly suspicious. However, for the sake of safety, when I decide on the route, the way to leave the capital, and the time to leave the capital, I ask the Emperor not to mention it to anyone, including the two girls."
Zhengde smiled helplessly and said, "I'll listen to you, I'll listen to you. As long as I can leave the capital, zhen will listen to you. Is that all right?"
Yang Ling saw that Zhengde did not take it seriously. With a stern countenance he said, "Your Majesty, a monarch does not joke. You must keep your promise. Your Majesty must go to Datong to fulfill your duty as the Son of Heaven. For Your Majesty's safety, I must fulfill my duty as a minister! "
Hearing this, Zhengde also became serious. With a serious countenance he said, "Very well, coming out of your mouth, entering zhen's ears. Talking about Jieyu Xiuhua." He glanced at Liu Jin and said, "Even Old Liu, zhen will not tell him. How about this?"
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