Ren Yu'er was ordered by the emperor to send Han Xiufeng to Fengchen Yuanqing on the third day to rush to the capital, in addition to Lian'er, who was actually a sister named maid, and the English missionary Bao Er, who was actually about the same as a sister, also brought an old mother who washed and cooked and six guards from Shanghai.

Han Xiufeng all recognized these six guards, two of them were Sichuan villagers who were injured when he accompanied Liu Cunhou to attack and suppress the Xiaodao Society, and the other four were Hai'an's disciples who later went to Shanghai to defect to Su Jueming with Dean Gu's letter. Su Jueming really didn't know how to arrange it, so he asked them to follow Zhou Xingyuan on an errand.

Shanghai is thousands of miles away from the capital, and the world is not peaceful, Liu Shanyang, Zhou Xingyuan and Su Jueming really didn't worry about Ren Yu'er and Lian'er, so they ordered the six of them to escort them all the way to the capital. And as soon as they heard that the "fourth master" was no longer the Shaoqing of Taifu Temple in the fourth grade, but the Fengchen Yuanqing of the third grade, they unanimously decided not to go back. As for how to arrange them, Han Xiufeng didn't think about it for a while, and in fact, he didn't think about it.

When a new official takes office, he has a lot to do.

The first is to move quickly and take this opportunity to move the "Houyi Hall" to Nanyuan; Second, I want to visit the five ministers in charge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Yucheng, Wencai, Wenfeng, Linkui and Cunyou. Ren Yu'er knew that he was busy, so he simply asked Yu Biao, the former Green Camp Alternate Qian, and others to help move together, and then sent Lian'er home to reunite with his parents.

It wasn't until Han Xiufeng met with the five top bosses, visited his colleague Zaiying, who was also Fengchen Yuanqing, and returned to his new home on the edge of the "Old Palace" in Nanyuan, that the two had to sit down and catch up.

After three or four years, Han Xiufeng has not changed much, but Ren Yu'er has changed a lot, from a small jasper who is both eccentric and a little green, to a woman with a more and more plump figure, generous in speech and action, and a smile with a bit of amorous feelings.

Although she had received photos from Shanghai more than once before, Han Xiufeng still felt a little strange and embarrassed when she arrived, and took the tea she had just made, and didn't know what to say for a while. Ren Yu'er was also a little embarrassed, even a little nervous, and picked up the rag again while wiping the tables, chairs and benches, while looking for something to say.

"Fourth brother, although Lian'er's mouth is cured, there is a scar on her lips, and her speech is not very neat, her mother is worried that she can't find a good husband, so she asked her to come back with me."

Han Xiufeng relieved himself, put down the teacup and asked, "Did her father say anything?" ”

"You don't know that when she came out of her mother's womb, her father didn't want her, so her father didn't care about her. finally met, but he didn't give her a good face, as if Lian'er was not his own. ”

"Having a father is almost the same as not having a father, and he is also a poor baby."

"Yes, so as soon as her mother opened her mouth, I didn't hesitate to bring her back."

"Lian'er is not young this year, the man should get married, and the woman should get married. If you meet the right offspring, you will help make a decision. ”

Ren Yu'er suddenly turned around: "Fourth brother, if you want to talk about age, I am much older than Lian'er!" Why do you just think about Lian'er and don't want to think about me? ”

Han Xiufeng didn't expect her to make such a joke, looking at her beautiful face that was both familiar and a little unfamiliar, she smiled and scolded for a while: "You girl with no conscience, brother still has less heart to worry about you, I told you what I should have said a long time ago, but you don't listen!" ”

"I was young and ignorant at that time. Fourth brother, don't be angry, I will listen to you in the future. ”

She said this, but her eyes flashed with a trace of shyness, Han Xiufeng didn't want to talk about this topic anymore, so she hurriedly coughed dryly, and asked pretending to be serious: "Yu'er, there is something I almost forgot to ask, how did you arrange that English missionary?" You must know that this is not Shanghai, let alone a foreigner's concession, but a royal garden. What's more, the imperial court is in an eventful time, if this matter is put on a copy by people with ill intentions, your brother and I, Fengchen Yuanqing, will not only not be able to do it, but I am afraid that they will have to be investigated. ”

Speaking of business, Ren Yu'er seemed to have changed a person, and immediately put down the rag and sat down and said: "You can rest assured, I have asked Xiao Shandong to find a few clothes worn by the Huijiang people for him to change into, the Huijiang people look similar to foreigners, and the official language is not good, as long as he doesn't say that he is a foreigner, no one will be suspicious." ”

"It's okay to pretend to be a 'guest return', but there are some things that you still have to explain to him clearly."

"I've already explained, he knows that if he doesn't reveal his identity, he will lose his head, so be cautious."

"I'm relieved." Han Xiufeng nodded slightly, and then changed his words: "Yu'er, when I went to see Lord Cunyou in the morning, I asked the big head to go to the performance office to hand over the excerpt and report to the emperor about your return." ”

"Fourth brother, you're not kidding, I still have to report to the emperor about returning to Beijing?"

"Although you are a woman, you have served the imperial court as well, at least it is not a trivial matter for you to return to Beijing for 'Houyitang', not to mention that the emperor has long known about you."

Ren Yu'er is "lawless" in Shanghai, which does not mean that she is not afraid of heaven and earth when she arrives in the capital, and she was suddenly taken aback: "What did the emperor say?" ”

"The emperor said that it would be good to come back, and he also said that the queen would summon you in a few days."

"Let me go to see the Queen?"

"The queen is not something that anyone can see if they want to, this may be a rare grace, and maybe there will be a reward. So these days, you have to learn the rules of the palace, and think about how to talk after seeing the queen. Han Xiufeng thought for a while, and said with a smile: "I have to hurry up and buy a few clothes, and I have to dress like the official lady in Beijing." ”

"Okay, I'll listen to you, I'll go to the ready-to-wear store in the city early tomorrow morning to see if there is a fit."

Thinking that she not only lives in the royal garden now, but also can see the queen mother of the world in a few days, Ren Yuer is really a little excited, and feels that she has not been in the eyes of others in Shanghai for a few years. Just thinking about whether it was time to ask Qin'er's sister-in-law and Shi Chang about their current situation, Wang Qianli walked into the courtyard with Ji Lu.

Although she had seen her several times in the past two days, Ren Yu'er hurriedly stepped forward to say a blessing, and then walked to the side with a smile to help make tea.

Wang Qianli is also her elder, chatted with Han Xiufeng for a few words, and then took the tea she made and asked with a smile: "Yu'er, are you still used to living in Nanyuan?" ”

"Habit, more comfortable than living in the city." Ren Yu'er smiled, and then stood beside Han Xiufeng like a maid.

Han Xiufeng subconsciously glanced back at her, and couldn't help laughing: "This is nature, the city is stinky, it is simply not a place for people to stay." The reason why I was able to live so long is because I have lived in Bao City for a long time and don't smell it! ”

"What the fourth master said is very true, if there is nothing to do, I don't want to go to the city now."

"Don't talk about that, Jilu, hurry to see me, is there something wrong?"

"Fourth master, I just received an urgent letter from Mr. Wang from Guangdong, and as soon as Master Qingxian translated it, he ordered him to come over and report it quickly." Ji Lu took out an official document from his sleeve and presented it respectfully.

Han Xiufeng took the official document, looked at it and immediately frowned.

Wang Qianli couldn't help but ask, "Fourth Master, what's wrong?" ”

Wang Naizeng said that the Anglo-Buddhist coalition had sailed north from Guangzhou and Hong Kong respectively. Among them, Yingyi has two large ships, one is called Calcutta, equipped with 84 cannons, and there are more than 720 shipwrights, sailors, marines and infantry regiments accompanying the ship; One was called the Sedition, which was equipped with 40 guns, and there were about 240 boatmen, sailors, marines, and infantry regiments accompanying the ship. ”

Han Xiufeng looked down at the official document, and continued: "In addition, there are thirteen steam gunboats and gunboats equipped with three to eight artillery pieces and carrying fifty to one hundred and sixty foreign soldiers. The ships are named the Fury, the Namro, the Cormorant, the Cypless, the Fury, the Slaeney, the Levin, and many more. ”

Wang Qianli chuckled in his heart, and just didn't know what to say, Ren Yu'er couldn't help but say: "Fourth brother, when I was in Shanghai, I heard that the Consul of Citi and the interpreter of Citi mentioned to Baul about the Fuley, Slenny and Levine and other steam gunboats, and they said that these gunboats are all shallow-water gunboats, which can not only sail on the sea, but also enter inland rivers. ”

Han Xiufeng sighed lightly: "Wang Naizeng also said in the emergency report, after seeing the barrage outside the mouth of Dagu, it can only stop big ships such as Calcutta, but cannot stop shallow water gunboats such as Fuli. ”

Wang Qianli relieved himself and couldn't help asking: "Fourth master, where is Foyi, how many gunboats have come from Foyi?" ”

Han Xiufeng held the official document in his hand, and said solemnly while looking at it: "Foyi sent two Chinese ships, one called the Avenger and the other called the Kokang, each equipped with fifty guns. In addition, nine steam gunboats and shallow-water steam gunboats such as the Primgay, the Prison, the Mercer, and the Avalanche were also dispatched. Yingyi even came to a supply ship called the Hayspo, and Foyi hired a steamer named the Rainey to transport supplies such as guns, ammunition, food, and fresh water. ”

"How many cannons does the two Yingfo have combined?" Wang Qianli thought about it and asked.

"There are as many as three hundred and fifty-six guns on the ship alone," Han Xiufeng glanced at the official document, and then threw down the official document and said: "The infantry regiment that came with the ship has small cannons, the artillery regiment has cannons, and even the new breech guns that fire quickly and can hit far, and there are only a few guns on the north and south banks of Dagu Kou combined, how can this battle be fought!" ”

"In this way, Dagukou is in danger, and Tianjin is in danger!"

"Not only is Tianjin in danger, I think even the capital is in danger."

"Then what should I do, do you want to report to the emperor quickly?" Wang Qianli asked eagerly.

Han Xiufeng weighed it and shook his head slightly: "No, Wang Naizeng is just a reminder to us, Huang Zonghan already knows about this matter, and has already planned to report it for six hundred miles." Counting the days, at the latest three or five days, the emperor will receive the news of the two British and Buddhist invasions in the north. ”

"So what do we need to do?" Wang Qianli asked eagerly.

"Just do what was agreed before."

"Yes, I'm going to prepare."