A moment later, Wang Xingping was already in an unfamiliar room.

The man in front of him looked like he was in his forties, with willow eyebrows and fine eyes, white and clean, with a dark family jacket on his body, and an amiable appearance.

Dim sum and tea lighten the atmosphere, and the scent of incense and ink is even more intoxicating.

Men like archery and listen to dramas on weekdays, and they also like calligraphy and big characters, and when they are in a good mood, they write a few to give to the slaves around them, and when they are in a bad mood, they also like to wave a little more at will, so that this room is also a little more elegant.

"Hard work, sir."

The man still spoke softly, which was very comfortable, but the palace people standing on both sides of him set it off with a sense of luxury, and the ink on a banner on the table that was 'quiet and far-reaching' had not dried.

"Your Highness forgives your sins, but you are really powerless and ashamed."

Zhang Jiebin hurriedly bowed and saluted when he saw this person, because he had obviously seen Zhu Changluo for the sake of treatment, and he didn't feel that the meaning of the other party's words was to be genuinely sympathetic to himself, but it was just a little vigilant and a little tentative, and he replied with some trepidation.

"Really, isn't it?" When Zhu Changluo said this, he inadvertently glanced at the young woman next to him, and a trace of embarrassment immediately flashed on the woman's face, all of which was seen by Wang Xingping.

Zhang Jiebin pondered the words and selectively solved the doubts for the prince, "Mrs. Wang is a deficiency disease, coupled with the urgency, Zhang really tried her best, whether she can survive tonight depends on her creation." ”

In fact, what he wants to say is to prepare for the future.

After a moment of silence, the soft male voice sounded again, "I know, here is some heart, I hope the two gentlemen will take care of tonight's affairs." ”

Listening to him, he obviously knew Wang Xingping's identity.

Zhu Changluo said that he asked people to hold two trays, on which were five taels of silver ingots, each plate was full of ingots, and the craftsmanship was not bad. And from this detail, Wang Xingping also noticed the prince's caution, and did not offer the silver together, but divided it into two plates, which was for fear of 'uneven distribution of spoils', and I don't know if the prince thought of it himself or someone reminded him.

Wang Xingping thinks that this is mostly Wang An's care, his companion is dedicated to Zhu Changluo, it can be said that the prince has been able to get to this day step by step in the past 20 years, and the support of this king's companion is indispensable.

Zhang Jiebin was stunned for a moment, but immediately reacted, "Your Highness, rest assured, Zhang will never dare to talk nonsense about this matter." ”

He deliberately used the word 'dare' instead of the word 'will', hoping that Zhu Changluo could understand that today's matter was really tricky, which made him want to quickly clear up the relationship. In this way, the trip to Guizhou has become urgent, and what was originally just a whim has become a better choice to avoid disaster, and it is best to leave the capital as soon as it is time tonight.

"This is Mr. Wang, right?" Zhu Changluo turned to Wang Xingping, but his words were abrupt.

"It's insulting for your highness to listen to mere names." Wang Xingping also felt that the prince's question was strange, and this turn was a bit blunt, but he still picked up the conversation.

"Wang Banban once mentioned you in front of me, as for reputation, Mr. Xiao is too modest, your Liao Dongfang knows a lot of people, even Xiong Xianggong has mentioned you in front of his father."

"And what? I'm just talking on paper. Wang Xingping was perfunctory on his lips, but he didn't say it well in his heart.

The last time I visited Xiong Tingbi, it was only because Gu Ziming valued this person, but he had some exchanges with him about Liaodong affairs, but Xiong Tingbi was still living idle, and there was no such momentum outside, but he didn't expect to see the emperor without making a sound, and it seems that the day of recovery will not be too far away. He wasn't worried about Xiong Tingbi's recovery, after all, Wang Zunde's recommendation was still instigated by him, but the only thing to worry about was that he had a deep impression on Xiong Tingbi, and Xiong Manzi was an upright temper, so he was afraid that he would think of himself as soon as he took office. Wang Xingping is now just a small military attaché, if Xiong Tingbi asks him by name, he doesn't agree, the military department will also sell this face, and it is not a good thing to be really dragged to Liaodong, after all, his foundation is in Guizhou, although he is not unwilling, but he does not have that strength after all.

However, this is only a few possibilities, but there is another point that is most likely certain, if Xiong Tingbi really knows how to pass through Liaodong, the elite soldiers in the world will not be able to escape his network, and the recruits who have been trained in Tianjin for a period of time will inevitably not make up his mind. This Xiong barbarian is a person who is interested in state affairs, otherwise he would not have presided over the construction of water conservancy in his hometown of Jiangxia with peace of mind, and lived a 'secluded' life of 'returning with nothing to do, tired of throwing away books and sleeping in a small building', why bother to come to Beijing last year.

"Mr. Xiao is too modest, I only heard Wang Banban say that you helped Zhang Xianggong in Guizhou, which is very meritorious, and I don't want my youth to be like this."

Wang Xingping couldn't reply, Zhang Jiebin was busy helping Yuanchang, "Tiancheng and I are friends who have forgotten their years, and they are also quite accomplished in medicine." ”

"Oh?" Zhu Changluo was a little surprised, but immediately calmed down, "I still wonder how he could be with Mr. Jingyue." ”

Originally, Zhu Changluo and Wang Xingping chatted with him for many years, and if he was not favored by the emperor, he had to leave a good reputation in the outer court, otherwise there would be no foreign ministers to help, and when the emperor wanted the three kings to be crowned, most of the prince's position would have nothing to do with him, where could he still survive until his younger brother King Fu became a vassal.

is a capable general like Wang Xingping, who has recently become famous and is Zhang Heming, he has heard Wang An mention it twice, and he has paid some attention, and always wants to recruit, but he didn't expect that just a little inquiry found that this son is even more legendary than rumored.

Not only did he help Zhang Heming make contributions in Guizhou, but his friends in the capital were also extensive, and his article "On Protracted War" was very famous among the teachers and scholars in Beijing, and with the fulfillment of his deduction of the Liao incident, he won the blue eyes of many foreign ministers. But these were originally ordinary, but yesterday my father summoned Xiong Tingbi to ask about Liaodong, and the Xiong barbarian actually mentioned this person in passing, and he didn't expect to see me only one day later.

After today, perhaps Wang's death will still cause a lot of rumors outside, but the situation is much better with these two outsiders witnessing.

"The kid just read some medical books randomly, where can he catch up with Mr. Zhang." Wang Xingping naturally didn't know this twist and turn in Zhu Changluo's heart, but experience told him that he couldn't talk casually in this public, which interrupted the prince's thoughts, and he pondered it again and continued: "But His Royal Highness has a deep affection for Wang Niangzi, and Mr. Zhang and I can pay attention to it, but everyone has their own lives, and I hope that Your Highness will take care of your jade body and don't be too sad." ”

Is Zhu Changluo sad? There should be some, but his relationship with the Wang family doesn't seem to be as close as Wang Xingping said, at least not as good as the Li Xuanzhi from the west, but this is not something that Wang Xingping needs to care about, the emperor's family affairs are more complicated than ordinary people, mixed with too many irrelevant factors, Wang Xingping just doesn't want to be too deeply implicated.

It is said that he once thought about befriending the crown prince through Wang An, but after meeting in this way, he felt unsafe.

But I thought that I could get these dozens of taels of silver just by walking a few steps, and there was no reason to pick up the cheapness for nothing, and this thing also has a famous name, and you can't talk nonsense when you take people's benefits, and both sides are more at ease when you accept the silver.

At this time, Wei Chao followed here again, first whispered a few words to Zhu Changluo, and the prince looked grim and was about to confess and leave, it seemed that Wang's condition had worsened again, and he had to take a look.

Zhang Jiebin and Wang Xingping had to follow again.

When I returned to Wang's bedroom, the house had been cleaned up, and the original people in the palace had been sent away, and only one or two cronies were waiting by the side. The one named Jin Zhong was still in the house, and his face was full of sadness at this time, Wang Xingping already knew that this person was Wang's usual personal meal, but this meal was a real dispatch, unlike Li Kezhuo, who was just an honorific title. Listening to Wang Wenyan said that this person was originally a native of Suning, Beizhili, his surname was Wei, because he owed gambling debts to become an internal official from the palace, and he served with the Wang family quite attentively, and was restored to his surname by the Wang family, which was quite grateful to Wang Cairen, Wang Xingping always felt a little familiar when he heard this person's name and surname, but he didn't think about it anymore.

Zhu Changluo was already in the room, plus the eunuchs around him and Wang An and others who had already arrived, but the room was also crowded.

In this crowd, Wang Xingping found a young man standing by the bed, the young man had clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, but his age was similar to his own, and his appearance was somewhat similar to the Wang family on the bed. At this time, the young man was looking at the bed with teary eyes, his face was full of affection, and a beautiful young woman beside him was blindly comforting.

Zhu Changluo frowned when he saw it for no reason, and there was some reproach in his soft tone, "Why did you bring the eldest brother here." ”

'Sure enough, it's Zhu Youxiao', Wang Xingping secretly said that he guessed well, his own mother is dying, and it doesn't look like he is a son to be indifferent, but Zhu Changluo's attitude is quite interesting.

Zhu Youxiao was a little frightened when he heard this, and he didn't stop crying, but he saw the beautiful young woman next to him bowing and saluting, "Master, the eldest brother is also a pure filial piety, and we are not thoughtful." ”

Zhu Changluo didn't say anything more after hearing this, I am afraid that it was also because he spoiled the Li family too much, and now he owes the Wang family mother and son a little bit in his heart. Seeing that the Wang family has reached the point of dying, it is more important to think of a rhetoric to deal with the public opinion of the government and the opposition at the moment, and now it is estimated that he is just waiting for the Wang family to breathe here.

However, Zhu Youxiao also seemed to know the situation of the Wang family, and when he saw his father's attitude, he didn't dare to say much, so he had to kowtow and get up after glancing at the bed again, and walked out of the house in a huff.

Since there is no way to return to heaven and take the silver, Zhang and Wang have no need to stay anymore, and they are ready to leave.

The two didn't go far before they were blocked under a big locust tree not far from the palace gate.

It was none other than Zhu Youxiao, who came out of them not long ago, and at this time, a white scarf had been wrapped around the young man's head, and his face was full of compassion under a round of crescent moon.

"Two gentlemen, stay here, I still have something to ask."

Wang Xingping immediately sensed that something was wrong, but the little yellow door beside him who was leading the way didn't know how to distinguish it.

At this moment, the beautiful young woman suddenly walked out from behind Zhu Youxiao.

"Mama Ke......" Xiao Huangmen blurted out when he saw this.

The young woman didn't answer, but said, "You should avoid it, the eldest brother and the two gentlemen have something to say." ”

The little yellow door hesitated for a moment and then retreated in amusement.

"Niangniang didn't hit Xi Li."

Zhang Jiebin looked embarrassed and didn't know how to answer, Wang Xingping saw the opportunity quickly, and relieved him and said: "The talented lady is indeed injured by external forces, but I don't know why, and I don't dare to talk about the rights and wrongs of the heavenly family." ”

"That's enough." Zhu Youxiao actually laughed when he heard this.

Wang Xingping saw it and continued: "There is a sentence I want to say to His Royal Highness." ”

Zhu Youxiao looked at the young man in front of him who was about the same age as himself with some surprise, and listened to him continue, "There is no certainty in the world, and my father is also a victim of gangsters, but for me, it can be regarded as an experience. I believe that Ling Tang doesn't want to see His Royal Highness like this, the most important thing is the word forbearance, and there will be a sunrise in Yunkai. ”

This can only be said in such a witful manner, Wang Xingping does not necessarily have to tell the other party that your grandfather is afraid that his life will not be long, and Lao Tzu may not be able to live for two more years, and when you become the emperor's enemy, you are not just pinching and rubbing round. However, his words can at least plant a seed in the heart of the little emperor grandson, and he can't say that he will be of some use to himself in the future.

Zhu Youxiao probably listened to it, or maybe he was wrong, and stopped stopping the two from leaving.

Seeing Wang Xingping's figure cross the Neijinshui River and go away, he sighed faintly and said to the Hakka beside him: "I really envy him, I should be about the same age as this person in terms of age." ”

I don't know what I envy.

When I came out of the Donghua Gate, it was almost dawn, but the gate of the capital had not yet opened.

Wang Xingping said to Zhang Jiebin: "Mr. will clean up when he goes back, it is estimated that he will leave sooner or later in these days, you go to Tianjin and wait for me." ”

After the explanation, he separated from Zhang Jiebin, and went back to Wang Zunde's house, today's matter has to be explained to his uncle by the way, Tianjin he has to hurry over, this trip to Tianjin he no longer intends to come back, then with the selection of the strong will go directly back to Guizhou.

When I went to the military department to change Kanhe, I packed up my things and went to rent a horse with Xiaoliu to set off, it was almost noon, and I happened to hear a news when I went out of Chaoyangmen, this morning when the crown prince was a talented person Wang Shixue died in Ciqing Palace.

And immediately following the arrival of this news, there is a more sensational one, this morning the emperor has issued a decree, with the former imperial history Xiong Tingbi ascended to the left temple of Dali Temple and Henan Province to supervise the imperial history, as for the dispatch is not surprising - to comfort Liaodong.

[References]

1, "Daming Huidian"

2, "Ming Shilu • Shenzong Benji"

3, "History of the Late Ming Dynasty" Fan Shuzhi

4, "Wanli Ye Ed" Shen Defu

5. "Detailed Map of the Forbidden City Palace of the Ming Dynasty"

6, "Chronicles of the Middle" Liu Ruoyu

7, "History of the Ming Dynasty, Benji Twenty-first, Shenzong II"

8, "Ming Shilu • Guangzong Benji"

9, "History of the Ming Dynasty: Biography II"

10, "The Legacy of Sheng Chaotong" Mao Qiling

11, "Ming Shilu • Xizong Benji"

12, "Jiashen Dynasty Affairs" Bao Yangsheng

13, "Ming Ji Beiluo" counts six odds

14, "Empress Ming Yi'an's Outer Chronicle" Ji Xiaolan

15, "History of the Ming Dynasty • Eunuch II"