Bantam An is the most mysterious person in Guangzhou City, so mysterious that many people in the military marshal's mansion do not know about his existence, and even fewer know about it on the imperial court. Pen ~ Fun ~ Pavilion www.biquge.info When discussing seniority in the Taiping Army, many people habitually omit Zhang An and don't take him seriously. But in fact, Zhang An, like Ge Yi, Zhao Sihai, and Jiang He, are all old brothers from Daqiao Mountain, and although they are not leading troops at the moment, they are not as beautiful as Ge Yi and them, but they are in charge of the most important department of the Taiping Army, the Military Intelligence Department.

The Military Intelligence Department is an agency directly under the military marshal's office and under the direct control of Zhou Shixiang, and even the military department has no jurisdiction, and the Ming military department located next to the cabinet has never heard of the existence of this institution. The Military Intelligence Division, as the name suggests, is an agency responsible for military intelligence gathering. With the successive victories of the Taiping army in Liangguang and Huguang, the scope of activities of the Military Intelligence Department became more and more extensive, and more intelligence agents were able to attract recruitment, and the activities in the Qing occupation area were also secretly supported by many local gentry.

At present, the intelligence officers of the Military Intelligence Department have been densely distributed all over the country, and Beijing has also laid out the line, and even among the prisoners who have been sent to Ningguta outside the Guanxi Province, there are also personnel from the Military Intelligence Department. On the Annan side, the Zheng family, the Ruan family, and the Mo family all have people from the Military Intelligence Department who are active, and the people from the Military Intelligence Department in the Qing military camps in various places are also often haunted, and as for friendly troops such as the Loyal Battalion and the Zheng Army under the Yanping Domain, the Military Intelligence Department has also quietly stretched out its tentacles.

While the intelligence work was being carried out smoothly, the Military Intelligence Department was devouring Guangdong's small financial resources like a gold-swallowing beast, but even if the financial difficulties were and the tension was tight, Zhou Shixiang's instructions to Song Xianggong, who was in charge of Guangdong's finances, were all allocated to the Military Intelligence Department on a priority basis. With the strong support of Zhou Shixiang, people often appeared in various places with silver tickets, and even directly carried gold and silver bags to the Qing army generals or officials' mansions. Of course, the unified appearance of these people to the outside world is businessmen, or self-motivated scholars.

The importance of intelligence enabled Zhou Shixiang to know the world without leaving Guangzhou. The growth and maturity of the Military Intelligence Department, Zhang An has made a great contribution. It is difficult to say that Zhou Shixiang was a discerning person back then, because when the Military Intelligence Department was formed, there was really no suitable candidate, and Zhang An, who could speak and read, was driven by Zhou Shixiang to put on the shelf, but the result was impressive.

Now, in addition to the task of collecting military intelligence and bribing the generals and officials of the Qing army, Zhou Shixiang has assigned Zhang An another task, but this task is a bit rebellious, which is to monitor the six ministries of the cabinet and even the palace of the state of prison. As before, Zhang An received the task without saying a word, and arranged it silently and secretly, as if nothing happened, everything existed definitely.

Zhang An met Zhou Shixiang under the guidance of Xiang Rong, the manager of the Military Marshal's Mansion, and looked a little fatter than before, quite rich. Seeing this, Lin Wan'er, who was eating with Zhou Shixiang, got up and quit obediently.

Zhou Shixiang nodded at Zhang An, and Xiang Rong also retreated with interest. Zhou Shixiang pointed to the huge map on the wall and said three words to Zhang An: "Well done." ”

This is a map that includes the eight provinces south of the Yangtze River, and it is drawn in great detail, with official roads, waterways, water and land points, and mountain topography all clearly marked. In order to draw up this map, the military department sent no less than 100 staff officers to follow the personnel of the Military Intelligence Department to the Qing-occupied areas, and in order to ensure the safety of these surveyors, the Military Intelligence Department made great efforts and sacrificed dozens of people for this.

"It's all done by subordinates."

Zhang An was still a little restrained in front of Zhou Shixiang as before, Zhou Shixiang asked him to sit, but he refused to sit, only willing to stand.

"Dashuai, Zhang Xiaoqi and they ignored Pan's father-in-law's words, they will go up to Guo Ge's old mansion, look at the posture, I'm afraid they will make this matter bigger," Speaking of this, Zhang An hesitated, "Did you send someone to arrest them?" ”

"What are you doing with them?"

Zhou Shixiang smiled and waved his hand: "Give them another warning, Ben Shuai has limited patience, don't really think that Ben Shuai is a toothless tiger." ”

Zhang An asked cautiously, "What does the commander want his subordinates to do?" ”

Zhou Shixiang thought for a while, and said casually: "Xiucai meets a soldier, it is unreasonable." ”

.......

Most of Guo Zhiqi's family died at the hands of the Qing army, and the rest were also killed in the shipwreck in the eighth year of Yongli. However, the local chief assistant can choose at will, but he can't push the treatment he deserves.

According to the regulations, the Guangzhou government allocated more than a dozen envoys to the Shoufu Lord's mansion, and also dispatched 50 soldiers as the Shoufu Lord's escort and honor guard. Guo Zhiqi's hometown in Chaozhou heard that he was the first assistant, and many people have come to take refuge recently, and for the sake of the villagers, Lord Shoufu accepted a few people, and the rest gave them some silver and two plates to wrap them home.

Zhang Xiaoqi and they went straight to Guo Zhiqi's mansion after they came out of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, but a team of sergeants rushed over on the road, which frightened Zhang Xiaoqi and them by surprise, thinking that Zhou Shixiang was arresting. But seeing that the sergeants of the Taiping Army just told them to stop, but did not come up to tie up people, I couldn't help but feel a little strange. Strange but relieved, no matter what, the people present are all court officials, all of them are senior members of the fourth grade or above, as long as these soldiers are not sent by Zhou Shixiang to arrest them, then they are really not afraid, even if they are really sent by Zhou Shixiang to arrest people, they are not afraid.

This is the benefit of the system, as long as Zhou Shixiang is the Duke of Yue of the Ming Dynasty for one day, and as long as the tiger and wolf division under him is the official army of the Ming Dynasty for one day, then these Ming officials who are also in the Tang Dynasty regime will not worry that they will die. It's that Zhou Shixiang is really annoyed with them, at least, he always has to explain to His Royal Highness King Tang in face, so many officials are not something he can arrest and kill if he wants.

Zhang Xiaoqi pulled his face and asked the soldiers angrily: "What are you going to do, haven't you seen me and other court officials!" ”

"What's wrong with the court officials?"

The Taiping Army, the leader of the team, stepped forward with a smile, waved his hand with a grin at the corner of his mouth, and shouted: "Search!" Immediately, his subordinates pounced on the officials like wolves.

"Bastard, this official is an official of the imperial court, you dare..."

Before Zhang Xiaoqi finished speaking, he was surrounded by soldiers. Guo Tianxu, who came with him, saw that the situation was not good, and when he saw that there were guards in front of Guo's mansion, he opened his mouth to call for help, not wanting the guards on duty to turn a deaf ear, but looking at them gloatingly. When a team of Guangzhou government officials came over on the way, they also avoided it from a distance, and did not dare to come to this troubled water. Officers and soldiers did not dare to take care of it, and ordinary people dared to come over, and they all ran far away.

How a group of scholars were the opponents of the five big and three thick soldiers, three or four against one, and quickly controlled them. However, those Taiping soldiers did not let Zhang Xiaoqi and them suffer, but searched them one by one, and after searching for a while, there was nothing, and the 100 teams that led the team nodded and walked in front of Zhang Xiaoqi, made a series of them, and said with a smile: "A few adults, how offended..." ”

"You have no king's law, and you dare to humiliate the court officials in public!"

Zhang Xiaoqi's eyes were full of anger, what happened just now shocked him more than Pan Yinglong's eunuch daring to interfere in politics, he never expected that the people of the Taiping Army would dare to humiliate themselves so much in broad daylight and at the door of this cabinet chief. The rest of the officials were also filled with righteous indignation, glaring angrily at the Taiping army and his men.

The hundred households said: "Your Excellency, don't say that, it's just that recently there have been Tartar spies in the city who have infiltrated the city, and it is said that someone in the court has fornicated with Qinggou, so he was ordered to search." My lord must also know that my marshal is about to go on a northern expedition, and if it is true that someone in the DPRK and China has an affair with Qinggou and leaks our military information, it will be a great disaster. Therefore, just in case, the humble duty is in line with the idea of rather searching for a thousand mistakes and not missing a person, if there is any offense, please forgive me! ”

"I'd rather search for a thousand mistakes than miss a single person" This sentence made Zhang Xiaoqi stunned. There is only one thought in everyone's mind: this Taiping army is too domineering and domineering!

The hundred households bowed down and saluted again, waved their hands and led the people to swagger away. After Zhang Xiaoqi was stunned for a long time, Fang Chang blushed and said to everyone: "This insult can be remembered, and Zhou Shixiang will settle accounts in the future!"

......

After arriving at Guo's mansion with a stomach full of anger, Zhang Xiaoqi told the porter his intentions, and after a while, the porter came over and said, "The elder of the pavilion invites a few adults in." ”

Well?

Zhang Xiaoqi was stunned: So smooth?

But it's always good to see it, so he hurriedly pulled Wang Wanda and Ma Anmin into Guo's mansion. After arriving in the living room, I saw Guo Zhiqi sitting there sipping tea.

Seeing Guo Zhiqi's appearance, Zhang Xiao got angry and didn't fight anywhere, scolded secretly, and hurriedly stepped forward and said: "Elder Ge, the country's cultivator, that is, to uphold righteousness!" Zhou Shixiang wants to overturn the iron case of the King James in the future, even if it is not for the Qing Dynasty in the future, what is the difference between the death of righteousness and the death of the country? ”

Guo Zhiqi sighed, he had long known that Zhou Shixiang had instructed Ding Zhixiang to rehabilitate Shaowu, and he also knew that Zhang Xiaoqi had raised them to make trouble behind the city wall, but he really didn't want to get involved, because the big thing that the court was busy with at the moment was the Northern Expedition, not arguing over the title of a dead man. Besides, Shaowu is the brother of King Tang after all, and if he doesn't rehabilitate his brother, it seems that he can't say anything, which is against human ethics.

"Since His Royal Highness the King of Tang is in charge of the country, there is a precedent for Longwu, and it is not impossible to pursue the seal."

Guo Zhiqi got up and persuaded Zhang Xiaoqi to put the overall situation first and stop making trouble. I don't want to, Zhang Xiaoqi and others didn't listen to persuasion at all, but said that now the imperial court is controlled by Zhou Shixiang, not only the military order is from Zhou Shixiang's military marshal's mansion, but also the six large and small yamen of the cabinet are also from his military marshal's mansion, and the two vast small prefectures and counties are also only the orders of the military marshal's mansion, and the court is like a child's play. Is this court listening to him Zhou Shixiang, or listening to His Royal Highness King Tang!

Zhang Xiaoqi used the method of agitation in his words, wanting to provoke Guo Zhiqi to come forward, but he didn't want Guo Zhiqi to listen to it, but he was indifferent, only chuckled, and motioned for Zhang Xiaoqi to sit down and talk, and then said slowly: "The old man is old, although he does not hesitate to serve the country, but if the Duke of Yue does not listen, where will the prince leave His Royal Highness?" ”

When Zhang Xiaoqi heard this, he was anxious, Guo Zhiqi was obviously standing by and watching, not being provoked by himself, and under the emotion, he couldn't help but get up and said angrily: "The elder of the pavilion is the first assistant of the Ming Dynasty, and the head of the hundred officials, but he saw that the power of the court fell to him Zhou Shixiang alone, and he watched Zhou Shixiang turn over the reverse case, and the reverse case was overturned, the Son of Heaven has nothing to do with the Tang King, and the two Guang have nothing to do with the Ming Dynasty. ”

Zhang Xiaoqi's words were too hurtful, and no matter how amiable Guo Zhiqi was, he couldn't help but be angry. Huo got up, stared at Zhang Xiaoqi and said angrily: "In your eyes, how have you ever had a cabinet, how have you ever had my first assistant, and how have you ever cared about my Ming safety, the things of the world, but you don't try your best to serve the Northern Expedition and restore the country, but in this catty calculation, stringing up hundreds of officials, acting recklessly, what kind of heart do you have!" If you put hundreds of officials in danger because of what you did, the old man will not fall, and he can still recover; If the old man falls, then who else in the court can save you! ”

..........

Loyal people who are full of benevolence and morality, you are finished! Those who are in troubled times must be me! ――――"The Raiders of the Ministers" (the author's friend book, everyone has time to help him collect it) (to be continued.) )