When Xue Yan and the others arrived in the Beizhili area, it was already early winter. He and the soldiers of the Beijing camp did not go to the northern capital, and after going to Yongping Mansion, they did not go to the western Liaoning corridor, and went north and went straight to the Yanshan area.

Go north along the Laoha River, as long as you wait to cross the Laoha River, you will cross the Yanshan Mountain Range, and Daning City is not far away.

"Your Excellency." Someone called outside the bumpy carriage.

Xue Yan lifted the grass curtain, and suddenly the snowflakes in the sky came into view. He was immediately attracted to the attention and looked into the air in surprise. The snow fell silently, and he didn't know when the snow began to fall on the world, and by the time he realized it, it was already flying.

When the voice just now came again, Xue Yan came back to his senses this time and realized that someone had called him just now. The military general hugged his fists and said: "The river is frozen, and General Wu is afraid that it will not be strong, so he has sent the forward army to build a bridge." The bridge had not yet been completed, and Wang Dashuai ordered that the march be stopped today and camp in the nearest place. ”

Xue Yan nodded in response. After a while, he stooped down from the back of the carriage, and then draped a dark purple cloak over the red robe and tied it with a rope.

The surrounding officials and soldiers all saluted him respectfully, including Pei Youzhen, the squire of the military department. After a while, I saw the handsome Wang Bin also riding a horse and walking towards this side.

After Xue Yan returned the salute, he looked around, then turned around and walked and climbed up a hillside. When he reached the top of the slope, he looked back to the south and saw the mountains behind him, as if one mountain was higher than the other; In the basin of the Laoha River ahead, the terrain has gradually lowered and has become gentle.

"Our most urgent thing is to clear the problem of Daning City. In this way, the Northern Expedition of Dingguo Gong can avoid worries. Xue Yan turned his head to Wang Bin who was standing next to him and said.

Wang Bin hugged his fists and said, "Xue Butang has thought it through. ”

Xue Yan stood tall and looked at it for a long time, looking at the desolate scene in the snowflakes. At this time, he found that Pei Youzhen, the soldier at the back of the side, was humble and respectful, and he was still very respectful when he looked at him.

This civil official Pei Youzhen has a very simple face, and his skin is dark and rough, and his sideburns are withered, like a farmer. Even if he wore a red satin official uniform, he couldn't make his appearance noble. In addition, it was Pei Youzhen's expression and posture that were too low and too humble, so Xue Yan felt that he seemed to be very simple.

Probably Pei Youzhen felt that Xue Yan wanted to preside over very grand things from a high vantage point, and the things he was thinking about were very lofty and profound, so he showed extra respect for Xue Yan.

In fact, the rank and status of the squire are not much lower than Xue Shangshu, not to mention that Pei Youzhen is a civil official of the Han Dynasty, so there is no need to be like that.

Xue Yan was a little puzzled, didn't Pei Youzhen see that Wang Bin, the commander who led the troops this time, was also a military general of the Holy Descendant Department? He, Xue Yan, has to try to take everyone's opinions into account.

However, Xue Yan didn't break it, but said quietly: "The Holy Lord has to do a great thing that has never been done before, and only the Holy Lord can change the maladministration and create a situation." ”

Pei Youzhen hurriedly said: "I also hope that Xue Butang will teach more teachings and teach the officials and others to comprehend the general strategy of the Holy Lord." ”

Xue Yan said: "Pei Shilang is serious, we should cooperate with each other and work with one heart and one mind, so that we can do our best." ”

Pei Youzhen bowed deeply, her expression was serious, and she was thinking about something very seriously.

At this time, a cold wind came on his face, Xue Yan shivered, he took a deep breath, let go of his gaze and looked into the distance. But see endless snowflakes shrouded

Heaven and earth, the magnificent mountains and rivers are undulating, and for a while Xue Yan felt that he was also standing at the height of the country.

The conversation was interrupted, and the wind took advantage of it.

Xue Yan pondered for a while, and finally returned to his normal heart, he knew that he was just a mortal.

At present, he is one of the highest-ranking civil officials in the Ming Dynasty, a first-class figure in the criminal law of the dynasty, a respected position, and entrusted by the emperor with a great responsibility, and his prestige in the north is prominent; But he also had times when he was embarrassed to drill into the camp.

Perhaps there are indeed some people in the world who have big hearts, and even when they are denounced, they are still full of "worries and worries about the world". However, Xue Yan is obviously not that kind of person. Back then, he had the embarrassment of being captured by a foreign race and pretending to be dead. Even now, Xue Yan can't deceive himself, doesn't he have the selfishness to covet glory and wealth?

But he doesn't seem to feel that he is bad, he wants to survive, he wants to be rich, how wrong is it? It's just that he thinks that others think too deeply of him.

Pei Youzhen didn't know when he had taken out the file to look at it, and his voice said: "There are some tunbao near Yanshan, which belong to the Daning city management. Those who have ghosts in their hearts in Daning, will they have noticed it a long time ago? ”

Wang Bin's voice said: "Not to mention Tunbao, who doesn't have a few acquaintances who are officials in the guard?" We came with great fanfare, and of course we couldn't hide it. ”

Pei Youzhen suggested: "We may first send someone to appease Daning Wenwu to confuse and stabilize them; Wait for the army to enter and then trap it. ”

Xue Yan pondered for a while and said: "The Holy Lord sometimes speaks in front of the courtiers, for fear that the courtiers will be wrong, so he specially reminds that the Holy Lord must clearly say what important things he wants to do, so that everyone does not have to guess." ”

Pei Youzhen was suddenly in awe, nodded and said, "Xue Butang is reasonable, and the lower officials are abrupt. If you trap the criminal, you are afraid that you will be separated from each other in the future, and you will be suspicious. ”

Xue Yan said: "Pei Shilang understands people. They want to run and resist, and we are not afraid of trouble, just come clearly. ”

Having said that, Xue Yan immediately said again: "When the people from Liaoyang arrive, they will immediately inform the official." ”

Pei Youzhen said: "Yes." The people who commanded the envoys of Cao Du? ”

Xue Yan nodded, looked at Wang Bin and said, "The Jinyi Guard generals in our camp, can they manage the Jinyi Guard Captain in Daning City?" ”

Wang Bin said: "At the end of last year, the Shengshang was fortunate in Liaodong, and Zhang Sheng, the commander of the Jinyi Guard, who accompanied him, was ordered to beat the captain of the Jinyi Guard in Liaodong and changed some people. This time, the general of the Jinyi Guard who came out of the Chinese army with us is a general surnamed Wang, who is the person next to Zhang Sheng. I just need to ask the king to contact the people in Daning City, and I can probably figure out a lot of things. ”

Xue Yan praised: "Dingguo Gong is brave and good at fighting, and he doesn't want to be a bold and careful person." ”

Wang Bin smiled disapprerovingly, as if he had done something similar to show such a disapproving expression.

Xue Yan said: "The king general, report the situation of Daning City as soon as possible." ”

Pei Youzhen said: "The lower official immediately ordered this matter. ”

…… Jinyiwei originally belonged to one of the guards of the Jingying camp, and was the emperor's pro-army, and now it is nominally the same; It's just that the difference between what he did and Zhu Wei, after a few ups and downs, and now the right to arrest and torture has been restored. They would inquire about the situation of the people, such small things as the rise and fall of prices, but the people could hardly notice their presence. Those who are really qualified to deal with Jinyiwei,

They are all officials, big landlords, and rich businessmen, and those with low status are not good.

The Jinyi Guards who are responsible for the daily supervision of the government yamen and the handling of affairs in various localities are all dispatched by the Beijing Yamen. There are not many Jinyi Guard captains in Daning City, and the highest military rank is only a general banner, named Zhou Yuanzhong.

Zhou Zongqi has received a secret order from the upper peak, and he is busy contacting his subordinates, gathering reports, so as to report to the top.

There are few Jinyi guards in his hands, because there are also a number of Jinyi guards in the country, and most of them are hereditary, and there are only so many people who are assigned to Daning City. But there are a lot of people who work for Jinyiwei, including undercover agents, secret agents, etc., many of whom do not belong to the Jinyiwei army, but the captains spend a little money to hire them to use.

Then another spy came into the house, a young man with crumpled clothes and a short beard stained with snowflakes. This person was originally called Sun Yong and was a military household, but there were too many people called "Yong" and "Sheng" in the army, and because of the second ranking, he was named Sun Yonger on his military register, and everyone called him Sun Laoer. Sun Laoer's father was transferred to Tuntian, Liaodong during the Hongwu period, and he didn't know how to escape after inheriting the military status.

After Jin Yiwei caught him, he did not punish him, but gave him a meager remuneration and taught him to do the errand of a secret agent.

Sun Lao Er bowed respectfully and said, "General Banner of Zhou, the place where General He will meet privately with the salt merchant lady is not in the fat powder shop in the south of the city. He Shen bought a new house, and the woman often ran quietly inside. ”

"Where's the house?" Zhou Zongqi asked directly.

Sun Lao Er said: "Just the largest house in the south of the city, go east on the north and south streets." ”

Zhou Zongqi asked, "What did the two of you do and what did you say?" ”

Sun Lao Er said: "How do I know? I used to work in the fat powder shop, and I can still take a look. The two of them will change land, and I won't even be able to enter the yard for a while. ”

Zhou Zongqi said: "Then what are you doing here?" Find a way to get in, and talk about things when you hear and see. Don't be caught, if you are caught, you will say that you are a thief. ”

"The villain has to be ordered." Sun Lao Er hesitated for a moment, and asked cautiously, "You said that you have established a great function to obtain the Jinyi Guard's military membership, is it true?" ”

Zhou Zongqi said with a smile: "I still need a military membership, why did I want to flee in the first place?" ”

Sun Lao Er said: "Today's military status is different from before, and the military status of Jinyi Wei is different. ”

Zhou Zongqi pointed at him with his finger and said: "You really found out the name hall, let me go to the top and have something to say, and then ask for credit for you, and let you be the captain of the Jinyi Guard, it is not impossible to do it." ”

"If it's a big case?" Sun Lao Er asked.

Zhou Zongqi looked at him and said suddenly: "Do you know something, hide it and don't report it?" ”

Sun Lao Er shook his head and said, "I haven't found it yet, I just ask." ”

Zhou Zongqi said: "The general will not hang carrots, and he will be the captain of the Jinyi Guard, that is what Commander Zhang said." I can't do anything else, so I'll ask for credit and reward for you when the time comes. ”

Sun Lao Er said: "Success!" As long as you can have the Jinyi Guard, it would be good to take it steadily. ”

Zhou Zongqi nodded and said, "Go ahead, do it well." ”

"The villain quits." Sun Lao Er picked up the hat by the door, put it on his head, lifted the curtain and bent down to go out. The wind suddenly became louder and poured into the house for a while.