Generals and officials from all over the country rushed to Chongqing one after another, and for a time the city of Chongqing was very lively, and there was also an endless stream of generals returning from all over the country. Everyone knows that now Zhu Youdong is going to supervise the country, and they can all be regarded as heroes from the dragon, although Zhu Youdong has not yet ascended the emperor's throne, but this is also a matter of time.

Especially some of the generals at the beginning of the Restoration Army, these people all followed Zhu Youdong all the way. Except for Liu Yingnan in Yunnan, all the people who followed Zhu Youdong in the early days also returned to Chongqing. Even Song Gaoju, who was confronting the Huguang Qing army in Shizhouwei, rushed back.

Kuidong's generals also returned, only Ta Tianbao was in Duyun Mansion, Guizhou, and couldn't leave, but he also let the deputy general Qu Mingjie rush back. For a while, the entire city of Chongqing was like a cloud, and seeing that there was such a scene in Daming now, Zhang Huangyan, Hong Yuao and others were speechless with joy.

Even Pan Yinglong, the eunuch of the prison army sent by Yongli to Kuidong, saw such a situation, and burst into tears with excitement, and read in his mouth: "If the emperor had such a grand occasion back then, he would not have died abroad." Hou Tianci on the side said: "I said Father-in-law Pan, don't be in a hurry to cry." Now the Marquis of Pingyu is much more powerful than that Yongli. Look at the grand occasion in Chongqing City, this is all brought down by the Marquis of Pingyu with a knife and a shot, but it is not something that the emperor who can only escape can do. ”

Pan Yinglong said: "Yes, this is all blessed by God, and the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty are blessed." When Daming was at its most critical, he gave Daming what a powerful clan. Daming Zhongxing is expected to recover. Even if I die, I can go to see the Yongli Emperor and the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty with peace of mind. ”

Hou Tianci said: "Ouch, Grandpa Pan, don't be emotional, everyone is watching!" Hearing Hou Tianci's words, Pan Yinglong was like a singing actor changing his face. The smile on his face disappeared immediately, and then he stared at Hou Tianci gloomily. said: "I said Hou Tianci, have you done what I told you?" This can see that Hou Ye is about to be imprisoned, and there will be no one at that time, so I can ask you. ”

Listening to Pan Yinglong's cannibalistic voice, Hou Tianci couldn't help but shiver, and said with a wry smile: "Father-in-law Pan, in these war-torn years, I went there to find those former fathers-in-law, why don't Father-in-law Pan just find some people and let the master castrate?" Why do you have to go to those lost fathers-in-law? Where do I find it? ”

Pan Yinglong said: "You and I don't want to find someone to castrate directly, but the Hou Ye doesn't allow it, he said that in this year, the people of the world have been plagued by the Manchu Dynasty, and the population is not much, and he still wants to castrate people." Hou Ye said that if we find that a person has been castrated, none of us will be able to please him. is looking for the former father-in-law, that is why I begged the Hou Ye, and the Hou Ye rewarded everyone with a way to live. ”

Hou Tianci was curious: "Why is Hou Ye not allowed?" This is for Master Hou to be the Son of Heaven. Pan Yinglong said: "Hou Ye said, there will be no castration in the future, and after we people go, people like us will no longer be used in the palace." ”

Hou Tianci said: "There is no father-in-law in this palace, what about the errands in the palace?" Who's going to be on an errand? Pan Yinglong said: "Don't worry about it, Hou Ye said, he now uses Miss Tan as a guard, and then the palace will directly let the palace maid be an errand in the future." The world does not allow castrated people. ”

Hearing that Zhu Youdong only used women in the harem, Hou Tianci suddenly said secretly: "I used to think that Pingyu Hou was not a good woman, but now that I see that Daming is a little stable, I have also begun to collect beautiful women." After thinking about this, he suddenly said: "Yes, since Pingyu Hou arranged it like this, then we can just do it." I have already visited more than a dozen fathers-in-law, most of whom are old, and I don't know if Father-in-law Pan wants them. ”

Pan Yinglong said: "Okay, you are a killer, find some older ones, whether they serve Hou Ye or Hou Ye serve them, don't want those who are over fifty years old." Hou Tianci said: "Okay, then there are only three people who are eligible, so I will ask someone to send them to Pan's father-in-law." ”

Pan Yinglong said: "You ask them to wait for me at the governor's yamen, and I will go to the governor's yamen to see them." After saying that, Pan Yinglong left. Hou Tianci saw Pan Yinglong walk away, and he returned directly to the prisoner of war reform camp, and arranged for three eunuchs who were not too old to patrol the yamen, and then left himself.

After a while, Hou Tianci came to a courtyard, and when he entered the door, he saw that there were already several people inside. When these people saw Hou Tianci coming in, they immediately let Hou Tianci in.

The main seat was vacant, and the others sat on either side. On one side, the first place was actually Zhao Shichao, followed by Li Rubi, Li Tingming's representatives Wang Liucang, Wang Xing, and Yang Mingyu. There are Deng Jiushao, Hu Yiqing, Ma Bao, and Xia Guoxiang on the other side. After Hou Tianci came in, he said: "Only one of the people we agreed on didn't come, let's discuss it first, and see if everyone agrees?" ”

As soon as Hou Tianci's words were finished, Yang Mingyu said: "What is there to disagree with, now the subordinates of the Hou are obviously divided into four directions. The first party was the people who followed Hou Ye when he raised troops from Boryeong Mansion, and they were also the people who were most trusted by Hou Ye and were like one with Hou Ye. The second party is Kui Dong and other generals, they are headed by Li Laiheng, and this Li Laiheng is still the scheduled father-in-law of Hou Ye, and now he is the only force in the army that is only the strength of the Baoning generals. ”

Yang Ming saw that everyone agreed with his statement, so he continued: "The third party is our generals who surrendered, and now there are several armies among our surrendered generals. But we want to compete with the other two, and I'm afraid no one has the ability, and we can only form an alliance to compete with them. ”

Deng Jiushao said: "The fourth party you are talking about should be the generals of the Jin Dynasty who just came from Yunnan." Yang Mingyu said: "Exactly, don't underestimate these generals, although they are already scattered under the attack of the Qing army, but as long as they are rectified in the Restoration Army, their generals can quickly grasp the strength of several armies." ”

Yang Mingyu paused for a moment and said: "There is another variable, that is, once the Hou Ye is in charge of the country, I am afraid that those civil servants will let the Hou Ye marry the first queen and the second concubine according to the system." Now that the King of Jin has just returned from the border of Yunnan, it is very likely that the generals of the Jin Dynasty will let Hou Ye marry the generals of the Jin Dynasty again, after all, the generals of Kuidong have already done so before. ”

Hearing Yang Mingyu's analysis, the others were stunned for a moment. Deng Jiushao said: "Indeed, if we want to compete with these three parties, we must have a leading figure, and there must be a person who can influence Lord Hou, otherwise we will only be excluded." ”

Wang Xing said: "What you said, where can we find someone with a daughter to marry the Hou Ye?" Deng Jiushao said: "General Wang is surprised by this, we are not allowed to look for it." Wang Xing said: "If you don't look for it, can it still fall from the sky?" ”

Deng Jiushao said: "This is really there, not to mention that now we are looking for it, it is difficult to say whether we can find it or not." Even if you find the way, it may not be able to meet the Hou Ye's wishes. So I have a suggestion, that is, we work together to ensure that Hou Ye marries his guard Tan Shuanghua as a concubine. ”

Hearing Deng Jiushao's words, the people present, except for Hou Tianci and Yang Mingyu, who already knew, were all taken aback. Wang Liu Cang said: "Lord Deng said it's funny, let Pingyu Marquis marry a guard, I'm afraid it's a little difficult." I think I'll find another one. ”

Deng Jiushao said: "I have a credential for this, it is said that when I was in Shengjing Pass in Guizhou, Li Laiheng's daughter Li Xiao had already promised to let Pingyu Marquis marry Tan Shuanghua, but this matter has not been made public. Otherwise, if you want to live with unmarried men and women, can this woman still get married? What's more, this man is still a person like Pingyuhou, and he will be the Son of Heaven in the future. Who would dare to marry his woman? ”

Wang Liucang groaned: "This is true, but how can we let Tan Shuanghua help us speak?" Hou Tianci said: "It's very easy, Tan Shuanghua is the daughter of the former Ming Renshou Marquis, but this Tan family is a person who surrendered to the Qing court." Therefore, the people of the Tan family are now the same as us, and they belong to the people who surrendered. We have found Tan Tianxu and Tan Tianmi of the Tan family, and both of them are willing to cooperate with us. ”

Ma Bao said: "Even so, she may not necessarily cooperate with us." How can you be sure that she is genuinely working with us? Yang Mingyu continued: "When the Restoration Army captured Wanxian, Song Gaoju, the general of Baoning, killed Tan Hong and Tan Yi, which was the revenge of Tan Shuanghua's father. When Er Tan surrendered to the Qing court, she was miserable to the people of Kuidong, and now the people of Kuidong do not accept her. In just these two days, she can only cooperate with us, because she has no choice. ”

Deng Jiushao said: "What's more, we have already moved Tan Shuanghua's brother and cousin, and with the two of them lobbying, Tan Shuanghua will definitely cooperate with us." Hearing Deng Jiushao say this, even Li Rubi was a little shaken.

But Xia Guoxiang, who was forced by Zhu Youdong at Shengjing Pass and broke up the army, couldn't believe it, and said: "I think this matter is still too risky, if it is known by Hou Ye, I'm afraid it won't be possible." Now Hou Ye does not have any signs of squeezing us out. Under such circumstances, we are so conspiring, if Hou Ye knows the situation, I am afraid that Hou Ye will not be happy for us to do this. ”

At this time, how can people retreat, Hou Tianci said: "General Xia is too worried, we are here for the Ming court, if the court is controlled by the two factions of Kuidong and King Jin, where will we go?" This will cause a split in the imperial court, and we are here to prevent this from happening, so we are gathered together, and we are doing this to maintain the overall situation of the imperial court. ”

Li Rubi also said: "Yes, we don't want to engage in any party struggle, we are for self-protection and for the overall situation of the court." Don't let traitors and villains easily control the court, then we will be sinners of the Ming Dynasty. Only Zhao Shichao, who had been sitting there, did not speak, as if all this had nothing to do with him.

After everyone's persuasion, Xia Guoxiang also reluctantly agreed, if he needed to help, he would definitely take action. What's more, if everyone really gets together, the impact on the court will be greater.

Everyone has already expressed their position, and Zhao Shichao also said: "Since everyone agrees, then I have nothing to do, it is all for the restoration of the Ming Dynasty, and I am willing to contribute." ”

Seeing that Zhao Shichao finally agreed, everyone was very happy. Yang Mingyu said: "Since we have agreed, Deng Jiushao and I will contact Tan Tianxu and Tan Tianmi and ask the two of them to come forward to persuade Tan Shuanghua." ”

Several people discussed the details again, and determined that everyone was headed by Li Rubi and Li Tingming, and then dispersed. After Zhao Shichao left the small courtyard, he went directly to the original Li Guoying's residence, which is now Zhu Youdong's residence. When I went in, Zhu Youdong was inside.

Zhao Shichao went in and said to Zhu Youdong: "Master Hou, now in this Chongqing city, all the generals are trying their best to pull relations, wanting to combine their forces and strive for greater interests. ”

Zhu Youdong put down the official document in his hand, looked at Zhao Shichao and said, "What?" Who are they today? Zhao Shichao said the person just now. said: "Master Hou, I think we need to come forward to stop it as soon as possible, if it continues to develop like this, I'm afraid everyone will not have the heart to attack the Qing army in the future." ”

Zhu Youdong said: "It's okay, let them make trouble for a few days first." Do you know who provoked it? Zhao Shichao said: "According to Jinyiwei's investigation, it was provoked by several civil officials in Chengdu at the beginning. At the beginning, it was He Qi, the director of Chengdu, who instigated Du Xue, and Yang Guo used them to protect himself. Then I don't know how it reached the generals under Lin Kejia. They found some generals who followed Hou Ye to raise troops in Baoning to conspire. ”