Chapter 179

Ziyang County was a small place, and the orangery south of the city was only one or two li away. The orangery owner, Zhang Peng, lived in the city. Normally, there were only two old gardeners in charge of the orangery south of the city, but the number of ripe fruits had increased to eight.

The purpose of increasing the number of people was to prevent theft. Now that the oranges had all been picked, they only had to wait for someone from the capital to come. Thus, there were only four people left to guard the oranges. After the oranges were picked and placed in baskets, four people were enough.

Deputy Xiang first went to see Zhang Peng and explained the situation to him. In reality, Zhang Peng's hut was empty anyway, so it wasn't a big deal to borrow people for a night. It wasn't much money, so it was better to use it as a favor. Thus, Zhang Yuanwai generously agreed. There was no need to calculate money.

Zhang Yuanwai didn't calculate money with Deputy Xiang, but Deputy Xiang could calculate money when he reported to his superiors. Thus, he made a small profit and was especially happy. He personally led Ye Xiaotian and company, accompanied by the Zhang family, to the orangery.

The houses in the orangery were very simple. They were mainly used to store the oranges in cold weather or during rainstorms. However, they were large enough and had good ventilation.

Deputy Leader Pi's group had passed through unfrequented places on the road, so they had brought their saddles. Now, they laid the saddles on the ground. Although it wasn't as comfortable as staying in an inn, it was much better than camping in the wilderness.

The four gardeners lived in a tiled house with three rooms. It was the only place in the entire orangery that looked like it. With Deputy Minister Xiang's help, the four gardeners naturally moved out obediently, leaving the place for Ye Xiaotian, Vice Leader Pi, and a few other officials like Baihu and Zongqi.

Deputy Xiang said to Ye Xiaotian, "Sir, please rest first. Before I left, I already told the inn to prepare food. It will be sent over in a moment."

Deputy Leader Xiang chuckled and said, "I am an expert in cooking. Sirs, you have worked hard. In a moment, I will personally make a few dishes and send them over for you to try."

Deputy Leader Pi's face lit up when he heard this. A deputy was dressed like a chef. Even though he had changed his clothes, there was still the smell of cooking oil on his body. This kind of person was definitely a glutton who lived and died to eat. The food he cooked would not be bad.

Vice Chief Officer Pi, a few baihu, and Flag Commander thanked him profusely and politely sent Deputy Minister Xiang off …

…

In Yangui House, Mu Dong excitedly asked, "Brother Hu is really capable. How did you do it?"

Zhan Hu drank a mouthful of wine and said with a hint of drunkenness, "Gunpowder is easy to handle. You also know that every chieftain will more or less hoard some firearms and gunpowder. That is a sharp weapon. Zhan Hu took a mouthful of food and drunkenly looked at Mu Dong, "As for burying it in the house, it's is even easier. is easier. is easier.

Zhanhu picked up a mouthful of food and looked at Mu Dong with drunken eyes, "As for burying it in the big house, it's even easier. All he needed was a stick of sleeping incense to make the already asleep gardener sleep a little deeper. He then dug a hole to bury the gunpowder and moved the soil to lay the floor tiles. One night would suffice! I don't need to bury it too deep, hehe … "

Zhanhu proudly said, "Even if they find out that they slept too soundly that night and didn't get up to patrol, the orange isn't lost anyway. Would they take the initiative to confess to the owner? Even if they were to confess, would their master still suspect anything? "

That means we can crush that thief Ye to pieces tonight! " Zhan Hu looked at the sky and laughed. "Come, come, let's drink.

Zhan Hu looked at the sky and giggled, "Come, come, come. Let's drink, let's drink. It's still early, so there's no rush. When it's about time, we'll go to the north of the city to camp, then sneak to the south to watch the fireworks, hahaha … "

It is still early. There is no rush. When it is about time, we will go to the north of the city to camp. Then we will sneak to the south to watch the fireworks. Hahaha … "

Guo Jianwu and Mu Dong also laughed. The three of them raised their cups and drank it in excitement.

At this moment, Ziyang County Magistrate Yan Yifei was entertaining an important guest. This esteemed guest was a white-faced man in embroidered robes. He was a eunuch sent by the Imperial Court. His surname was Yu, and his name was Yu Xiaobai.

This Yu Xiaobai was naturally Xu Boyi. Right now, Xu Boyi could not be considered a chief eunuch, but he was a eunuch with a high rank in the inner court. Eunuchs could not easily leave the inner court. If they could leave the capital by imperial edict, it was an honor and an opportunity to make a fortune.

Xu Boyi could not be considered a head eunuch, but he was a high-ranking eunuch in the inner court. Eunuchs could not easily leave the inner court. It was an honor to leave the capital and a chance to make a fortune. Once they left the capital, they were imperial envoys. It was reasonable for local officials to greet and see them off.

Using this identity as a cover, it was only natural that some low-ranking officials in places with less noble moral integrity would try their best to curry favor with him.

However, Eunuch Xiaobai was not an ordinary eunuch. Even if the eunuchs in the inner court were literate and as talented as the Jinshi of the outer court, they still studied in the inner study. Due to the environment they were in, their knowledge was not inferior to the officials of the outer court, but their conduct was still very different.

Thus, most of the eunuchs in the inner court would make a big show of themselves when they had the chance to leave. It was not easy for them to leave the palace. Who knew if this would be the only time in their lives. How could they not make a big show of themselves?

However, Eunuch Xiaobai was different. He first became a juren and then entered the palace. He entered the palace as a eunuch as a juren. This kind of person was probably the only one in five thousand years.

Thus, in his mind, Xu Boyi still thought of himself as a scholar and despised eunuchs. Thus, he did not think it was a rare opportunity for Wanli to give him. After leaving the capital, he did not make a big show of himself and did not act as an imperial envoy. This evening, he suddenly appeared in front of County Magistrate Yan. County Magistrate Yan was shocked. He thought he was pretending to be a eunuch and wanted to swindle money. He only believed him when he saw the imperial envoy's official seal.

County Magistrate Yan smiled at Xu Boyi and said, "Eunuch Yu, it's rare for you to come to Ziyang. How about I accompany you on a tour of Ziyang tomorrow?"

Xu Boyi glanced at him and lightly said, "This imperial envoy is here to collect the tribute oranges. Can those fresh fruits be stored? "

Eunuchs had many ways of addressing themselves. They called themselves servants to the emperor, servants to people of the same rank, and husbands to people of lower rank. There were also some less common ways of addressing themselves that were used by high-ranking eunuchs. They called themselves ministers to the emperor and officials of the outer court called themselves officials.

Because the emperor often called eunuchs ministers and internal ministers, the high-ranking eunuchs also called themselves ministers. For example, the eunuchs in charge of guarding the imperial court called themselves ministers and so and so, and to the officials of the outer court, they called themselves ministers and so and so. Xu Boyi felt that being a eunuch was a very humiliating identity. Now that he had the opportunity, he naturally referred to himself as an imperial envoy.

County Magistrate Yan smiled and said, "Eunuch, don't worry. These tribute oranges can be stored for an entire winter. It'll take three to five days. It's not a problem."

Xu Boyi shook his head and said, "No! This imperial envoy has the Emperor's orders. How can I disregard official duties for personal reasons? After inspecting the tribute oranges tomorrow, I'll immediately send them back to the capital! "

When County Magistrate Yan heard this, he couldn't help but secretly admire this Eunuch Yu. When County Magistrate Yan saw that he spoke in a refined manner, neither arrogant nor vulgar, he had a good impression of him. He felt that this eunuch was different from those legendary eunuchs. Now that he saw that he was so respectful, he couldn't help but feel a bit of respect.

The guests and host left after the banquet. County Magistrate Yan politely said, "Eunuch Yu's status is high and the local inn is crude. How can we entertain you? Why don't you stay at my manor? I've already ordered people to clean up the guest rooms. "

Xu Boyi didn't stand on ceremony and nodded in agreement. County Magistrate Yan personally took him to the guest rooms. After sending off County Magistrate Yan, Xu Boyi first drank a cup of tea before washing up and going to bed. Xu Boyi lay on the bed and thought of his worries in the capital. He really wanted to return home.

It was rare for him to leave the palace. Sightseeing was what he wanted to do. He was anxious to return to the capital not because he was in a hurry to report and didn't want to waste time, but because … Xia Yingying had already arrived in the capital.

Xia Yingying hadn't been in the capital for long. She arrived half a month before he left the capital. It was troublesome for a woman to travel. The entire journey was in a carriage. They had to cross mountains and ridges, find a path for carriages, cross rivers and bridges, and find a boat or bridge for carriages. Their speed was two to three times slower than a horse. In the end, they set off in the summer and only arrived in autumn. Emperor Wanli was already looking forward to seeing them.

After Xia Yingying arrived in the capital, she first found a place to settle down. After resting for two days, she reported to the Ministry of Rites. The Ministry of Rites arranged for officials to train them in etiquette for three days before submitting the document to the Office of Commissioner.

The Office of Commissioner didn't know that a certain Guizhou chieftain's wife coming to the capital to express her gratitude was a matter of great importance to the Emperor. Of course, they didn't treat it as a big deal. Thus, they suppressed it for another two to three days before reporting it to the Emperor.

Fortunately, they didn't know what the Emperor was thinking. Otherwise, this memorial probably wouldn't even reach the Emperor. Since Yongle, the civil officials increasingly viewed the world as their own responsibility. The Emperor was a part of the world and the representative of the world. Thus, the Emperor was also their responsibility.

The civil officials had long regarded themselves as the Emperor's strict father and teacher. They were more concerned about the Emperor's every word and action than anyone else. If something slightly did not conform to their values, they would use their ability to cry, throw a tantrum, and threaten to hang themselves. Thus, after Hongwu and Yongle, the Emperors of the Ming Dynasty became more and more miserable.

When Xu Boyi heard that Xia Yingying had arrived at the capital, he couldn't help but be overjoyed. Ye Xiaotian had stolen his woman and caused him to end up like this. He wanted revenge! He wanted to send Ye Xiaotian's woman onto the Emperor's dragon bed. He wanted to see her being violated and ravaged. He wanted to see Ye Xiaotian in unbearable pain. Only then would he be happy.

However, Emperor Wanli felt that he was the high and mighty Son of Heaven. He was so young and not an old man. As long as he crooked his finger, there wouldn't be a woman in the world who could resist him and would obediently undress him.

Thus, the overjoyed Emperor Wanli rewarded Xu Boyi with a cushy assignment. He didn't allow him to continue participating, causing him to lose the chance to watch and vent his anger.

"By the time I return to the capital, Xia Yingying should have already become His Majesty's woman, right?" The more Xu Boyi thought about it, the happier he became. After a long time, he finally fell asleep.

"Boom!"

An earth-shattering explosion shook Xu Boyi awake.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom!"

A series of loud explosions rang out, causing the paper window to tremble. The teapot on the table bounced to the ground and shattered. Ever since Xu Boyi was castrated, he had a problem with urinary incontinence. With this shock, his lower body became wet and he peed again.