"Lord Hou," Ji Xin said in a weird manner: "You also said that this trial of the murderer is a matter of the Dali Temple of the Criminal Department, since they are not there, we will do it for Dongchang and Jinyiwei." Your military department is doing big things, so you don't have to meddle. ”

"Such a big thing happened in Jingcang, how could this official stay out of the matter," Hou shouted, "Commander Fan"

"My lord," a mighty man in iron armor and a goose-winged helmet on his head, strode up to him and obeyed the order.

"There is a riot in Jingcang, endangering the fathers-in-law of the inner court," Hou said with a solemn face: "You quickly go and lead people to surround the granary in front, don't let one of the murderers go, otherwise, the official is the only one who asks." In addition......" The corner of his eye swept Ji Xin and Ma Shun, and accentuated his tone: "Before the arrival of the official of the Criminal Department, no one is allowed to approach the grain hoard, and those who violate the order will be killed!" As soon as these words came out, a chill arose on the backs of everyone present.

"The last general obeys!" Commander Fan answered loudly and strode away.

"Hou, you" Ji Xin was furious when he heard this, and was about to scold the halberd, Ma Shun hurriedly stopped him, and smiled at Hou and said, "Lord Hou, why are you doing this?" It's all for the emperor, and such a trivial matter makes a big fuss, doesn't it hurt the harmony between the inner court and the military department? ”

"A trifle?" Hou Leng snorted, "Jingcang Fafeng, the eunuchs of the inner court actually fought here, and even killed one of the father-in-law of the celebrant supervisor, do you dare to say that it is a trivial matter?" ”

"Lord Hou," Ma Shun said in a low voice: "The deceased is the master of ceremonies, the prince is the head of the master of ceremonies, and the superintendent of Dongchang, there is nothing wrong with asking about this matter, and please read it for the sake of being an official in the same hall with the prince and the princess, and it is convenient for you." ”

"An official in the same hall?" Hou sneered, "It's really a strange news in the world, does he Wang Zhen dare to stand on top of the court in a grand manner?" His eyes glanced to the side, and the corners of his mouth hooked, "Isn't there something unsightly hidden here, for fear of being discovered?" ”

"Hou" Ji Xin's cheeks turned purple pig liver color, and he said angrily: "What are your intentions in slandering our governor so much? ”

"Presumptuous" Hou shouted, and the horsewhip was raised, "As soon as the incident happened, you rushed here, what is the plan, before the official asked you, you reprimanded the official." Solemn eyes swept around, and said loudly: "None of the people present are allowed to leave, and those who violate the military order will be taken down by the officer." ”

"Yes," the officers and men present responded loudly in unison, and the sound of the waves was like a tsunami in the mountains.

"You ......" Ji Xin's eyes were about to split, as soon as his right hand grasped the handle of the knife, he felt his wrist tighten, and looked sideways, but it was Ma Shun, only to see him shake his head at himself, so he forcibly suppressed the anger in his chest.

As soon as Hou waved his hand, a group of officers and soldiers under his command ran out of the queue and surrounded everyone present.

Yang Muyun was also surrounded by a circle of officers and soldiers of the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division.

"What are they going to do?" Zhu Xiyuan leaned closer to Yang Muyun, looked at him with a pair of beautiful eyes and asked.

Yang Muyun was very anxious, seeing this situation, as soon as the officials of the Criminal Department arrived, everyone present would be escorted to the Criminal Department for interrogation. It's okay for others, but if Her Royal Highness the princess next to her is also taken to the criminal department, it will be ...... He couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, and didn't bother to answer Zhu Xiyuan's words, so he said to a person dressed as a junior officer among the officers and soldiers around him: "This brother, please!" ”

The little officer frowned and looked at him, "What are you going to do?" ”

"Don't hide it, this official is also from the Ministry of War, and I have something important to tell Lord Hou, and I hope that my brother will be accommodating." Yang Muyun said with a smile on his face.

"You're from the military department?" The little officer took a closer look at him again, and saw that although he was young, he was wearing a six-grade official uniform, and he was groaning. The lieutenant beside Yang Muyun stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Brother Lei......"

The little officer's eyes lit up, "Brother Hu, why are you here?" ”

"Brother Lei, this lord is the head of the Qing Officials Department of the Ministry of War, and he came out on an errand on the orders of Lord Shangshu." The lieutenant said, "Please also tell Lord Hou about it." ”

"You wait." The little officer turned and walked towards Hou.

"Yang Muyun, you want Lord Hou to let us out, right?" Zhu Xiyuan asked with a wink.

"Princess, you are standing here now, don't do anything again." Yang Muyun wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"In your eyes, this princess will only give you trouble, right?" Zhu Xiyuan pouted unhappily.

"Princess......" Yang Muyun was about to say more, only to see the little officer in a hurry

hurriedly returned and said, "Director Yang, Lord Hou asked you to go over." ”

"Thank you, brother!" Yang Muyun arched his hand to him, and then turned his head to look at Zhu Xiyuan.

"Alright, alright," Zhu Xiyuan glanced at him, "I'll just stand here obediently, are you relieved?" ”

Yang Muyun nodded, turned around and hurried away......

"You are the new head Yang Muyun who came from the military department yesterday?" Hou glanced at him faintly and asked.

"It's Xiaguan." Yang Muyun glanced at the dignified Hou Shilang, and hurriedly bowed down and said.

"I heard that you were originally a brocade guard Qianhu, how did you come to my military department?" Hou stared at him.

"Lord Hui," Yang Muyun said respectfully: "The lower official went to Beijing to meet the emperor, and the emperor asked Weichen some questions, and when he saw that Weichen knew a lot about military affairs, he asked the lower official to report to the military department. ”

"A brocade guard can still know a lot about soldiers?" Hou laughed and said, "Have you ever been on the battlefield?" ”

"The lower officials have not." Yang Muyun replied with his head down.

"Every Jinyi guard says that he has the imperial ......order," Hou glanced at him with disgust, "Put your errand aside in advance, wait for a while to go to the criminal department to record the confession, and then go to your errand to do your errand." ”

"Lord Hou......" Yang Muyun stepped forward and whispered to him.

Hou's eyes widened, "Really? Seeing Yang Muyun nodded, he waved his hand, "Then you will invite her to this official!" ”

"Yes." Yang Muyun replied in a low voice.

......

Hou carefully examined Zhu Xiyuan, who was dressed in a eunuch suit, and hurriedly stepped forward to salute and said, "The left attendant of the Ministry of Ministers and Soldiers, see Her Royal Highness the Princess." ”

Zhu Xiyuan grinned: "Hey, long beard, what are you doing with so many soldiers?" ”

"Naturally, it is for the safety of Her Royal Highness the Princess," Hou raised his chin slightly, "Her Royal Highness the Princess left the palace without permission, the emperor must be uneasy, and please ask Her Royal Highness the princess to return to the palace quickly." Sideways shouted: "Lu Dahai"

"My lord," an officer with a tiger's back and a bear's waist wearing heavy armor, strode in with the hilt of his sword in his hand, bowed to Hou and said with his fists clenched.

"You take a team of soldiers to escort this highness back to the palace." Hou commanded.

"Your Highness?" Lu Dahai was stunned.

"What do you ask? Don't go yet! Hou shouted: "If something goes wrong, this official will definitely skin you!" ”

"Yes, yes." Lu Dahai reluctantly retreated.

"Your Royal Highness Princess, please," Hou said, standing aside and bowing.

"What about Yang Muyun?" Zhu Xiyuan looked at him and asked.

"As a witness at the scene, when the official from the Criminal Department comes, he must go to the Criminal Department to record a confession." Hou said.

"He must go with Princess Ben," Zhu Xiyuan said word for word: "Otherwise, Princess Ben will not go anywhere here." ”

Hou was stunned......

A carriage was quietly parked at the market entrance of Juxianfang in the north of Dongzhimen Street, opposite the gate of the new Taicang.

The girl in Tsing Yi on the carriage said to the people in the carriage: "Miss, the carriage of the military department is the new Taicang from here. ”

The person in the car pondered for a moment and said, "Ning Xin, you come in and talk." ”

"Yes, miss." The girl in Tsing Yi jumped off lightly, pulled the car door and stepped into the car.

The carriage of the carriage is very large, very spacious, the pine carriage, with the delicate carved wall panels, there is a very large and comfortable soft couch in the carriage, as well as a few brocade piers and a small table, the lower half of the wall panels on both sides are made of a mezzanine, which can hold musical instruments, chessboards, or fine wine, candied fruit along the way, the four walls of the car are hung with light curtains, and the window position is woven with relatively sparse bamboo curtains.

A graceful and beautiful young woman with a high bun, a golden step swayed obliquely in her hair, and a light purple skirt sat beside the small table, her slender white right hand supported the delicate chin, and her left hand gently turned the page, and when she saw the girl in Tsing Yi coming in, she closed the page, pointed to the brocade pier on the side of the small table, and smiled slightly: "Sit"

"Miss Xie!" The girl in Tsing Yi came to sit down on the brocade pier next to the small table, leaned forward slightly, and lowered her head slightly, looking deferential.

The young woman is Zhou Mengnan, and the girl in Tsing Yi is one of her personal maids, Ning Xin.

"The fathers-in-law in the palace have always received the converted silver in the Tongzhou warehouse outside the capital, why do they come to this Jingcang to receive the rice now?" Zhou Mengnan looked at Ning Xin and asked.

"Miss Hui," Ning Xin said: "According to the past, this was the case, but now I heard that the household department made a statement to the emperor, saying that Tongzhou Cang was too far away from the capital, and it was not as convenient as Jingcang, so the emperor changed to Jingcang. ”

Zhou Mengnan smiled when he heard this, "It's just a lie to say that the distance is far away, and the nearest surveillance is true," slowly put down his right hand, and continued: "In this way, the father-in-law in the palace will have more than half of the money. ”

"Miss Mingjian," said the girl in Tsing Yi, "The father-in-law's Yulu was originally converted according to the old Hongwu system, one stone of rice and one tael of silver, but now the price of grain is one tael of silver and three stone of rice. After the fathers-in-law received the rice, they had to go to the market and sell it, and even less money fell in their hands. ”

"Xianggong hurried to New Taicang, he must be looking for some father-in-law in the palace to do something." Zhou Mengnan couldn't help but look out the window as she spoke.

"Now because of the matter of the inner court, the outer court has become like water and fire, and the lord may be troubled a lot when he goes to the father-in-law of the inner court to do things." The girl in Tsing Yi said worriedly.

"Ning Xin," Zhou Mengnan pondered for a while and said, "You inform the Shen manager of the Datong Grain Store in Jintaifang, Gulou, and ask him to hang out a sign to purchase rice from the fathers-in-law of the inner court, and the price is set at one tael of silver and one stone." ”

"Miss," Ning Xin said in surprise, "This requires the circulation of a large amount of money, and I am afraid that there is not so much cash in the Shen stewardship." ”

"What are you anxious about?" Zhou Mengnan glanced at Ning Xin, "If you are short of money, just go to Wanyuan Money Village in Jiaozhongfang Scissors Lane to get it." ”

Ning Xin was still a little puzzled, "Miss, are you using the Zhou family's own money to pay for your father-in-law's money, doing this...... Is it worth it? ”

"What, you're distressed?" The corners of Zhou Mengnan's lips curled slightly, and she opened the pages in front of her and looked at the book.

Seeing that Zhou Mengnan stopped talking, Ning Xin pondered for a moment and asked, "Miss's move...... Is it for the master? ”

"You can say yes, you can say no." Zhou Mengnan's eyes rolled and said lightly.

"Ning Xin doesn't understand, can you tell me more about it, Miss?" Ning Xin's eyes widened, and she asked curiously.

"You want to know?" Zhou Mengnan closed the page of the book and smiled indifferently, "When will you and Su Yue grow more, I won't have to worry so much." ”

Ning Xin's face flushed and she lowered her head.

"Our Zhou family's business is making a lot of noise in the south, but in the north, which is centered on the Jingshi, it is struggling, do you know what the reason is?" Zhou Mengnan asked.

"Is it the wrong way for us to sell goods?" Ning Xin asked.

"No, because we don't have a force behind us to support us," Zhou Mengnan said: "Especially in the capital, high-ranking officials and nobles are everywhere, and they all have businessmen who represent their own interests, and it is difficult for our Zhou family to intervene." Glancing at Ning Xin, "The emperor tends to be mean to civil officials to the inner court, if we help them at this time......"

"Miss wants to establish a relationship with the entire inner court through this move." Ning Xin suddenly understood.

Zhou Mengnan smiled and nodded, with a sense of approval in his eyes, "In business, we should focus on the overall situation, and we can't care about temporary gains and losses." Behind the inner court is the entire royal family, if we can establish a good relationship with them, then the purchase of the entire inner court can be contracted by our Zhou family. His eyes lit up, "The royal trade route has been opened, so our Zhou family can firmly gain a foothold in Beijing." ”

"Miss is amazing." Ning Xin praised from the bottom of her heart.

"I said it was because it could help Xianggong, but I didn't say it because even if Xianggong wasn't involved, I would do it." Zhou Mengnan said with some smugness.

"Miss is really a person who does great things," Ning Xin sighed, "No wonder you have always been reluctant to marry." ”

Zhou Mengnan's crystal jade cheeks were slightly red, and her eyes looked out of the window again, "Actually, there is nothing wrong with marrying Xianggong, he has always treated me well, he never interferes with what I do, he is a good person with ambition and ambition......" Her bright eyes narrowed slightly, and a carriage went out of the gate of New Taicang surrounded by a group of cavalry, and one of the officials on horseback was her Xianggong Yang Muyun.