After the grass list was finished, the crowd dispersed. Zhou Yanru counted carefully, a total of 347 tributes were selected from this list, and 62 of them were born in the Restoration Society, and sighed in his heart: "If the Restoration Society is used by me, the government and the opposition are united, and the position of this first assistant will not only be stable, but also a lot more pure." He felt extremely tired these days, and was about to go to bed when someone shouted outside the door: "Master Shoufu, someone wants to see you." ”

"Bastard, I don't know if this is a forbidden place for the state, can you come and go at will? Don't have a head! Zhou Yanru scolded outward.

"That person can't get in, please Shoufu deign to go to the inner dragon gate to speak."

"Who's coming?"

"It's a white-bearded old man. The little one doesn't know, and he doesn't say his name. ”

"Mr. Taimei?" Zhou Yanru was completely sleepy, he knew that if it wasn't for something very important, Xu Taimei would never come late at night, so he hurriedly got up in his clothes and arrived at the inner dragon gate. Fortunately, the three games have been completed, and the access control is not as strict as a few days ago. Zhou Yanru looked out from the crack in the door, and by the light on the door, he saw Xu Taimei standing in the cold wind with a big coat, anxiously walking back and forth.

The protector greeted him: "Shousuke, do you want to open the door?" Unexpectedly, Zhou Yanru said sharply: "Who dares to open it without a holy decree?" The guards were bored, turned and hid far away.

"Who's looking for me?" In order to avoid suspicion, Zhou Yanru deliberately asked in a loud voice.

Xu Taimei replied: "It's an old slave." ”

"What's the matter?"

"Madame has an emergency." Xu Taimei approached the door and said in a low voice: "Just now Qian Xiangkun sent a letter, someone wants to fold the bullet impeachment will try to cheat, I don't know what handle I caught, be careful!" ”

"I see. Hurry up to the hospital and ask a doctor for diagnosis. Then he whispered, "What else did he say?" ”

"The housekeeper of the Qian Mansion sent a message to the people I sent to keep an eye on the door of the Qian Mansion, but I was afraid that there were factory guards around, so in a hurry, I only said these two words."

"Which instigated it, and who told it?"

Xu Taimei shook his head and said, "I don't know." I think this matter is very important, and I don't feel at ease when others come. Beifu is heavy, I'm afraid that you won't want to meet because of the curfew, and the matter will be delayed. ”

"Tomorrow Beifu is coming, I will enter the palace to restore my life, spy on the movement, and then discuss." Zhou Yanru was as anxious as fire, a gust of night wind blew, and he suddenly shivered, only to realize that his body was cold, and his chest and back were already soaked with sweat.

The excerpt of the impeachment of fraud in the field has been sent to the palace and put on the imperial case of Chongzhen, accusing Zhou Yanru of favoritism and fraud, taking the in-law Chen Yutai and Wu Weiye, the son of his friend, to say what "secretly instruct the public to divide the room, and take the Chinese-style title to steal and peep before submitting the volume", the excerpt is Xue Guoguan in the matter of Likedu, this time, he participated in it as a Taoist official of the six departments. Chongzhen saw that most of the speculations were chasing after the wind and shadows, and the words were unknown, so he stayed in the middle.

Since the beginning of spring, Chongzhen's mood is like a spring flower, Liaodong is safe and war-free, and Yang He from Shaanxi has sent good news and appeased Shen Yikui. Since the day of Yang He's resignation to Shaanxi, Chongzhen has been a little worried. He didn't know much about Yang He, he knew from the official department that he was from Wuling County, Guangchangde Prefecture, Huguang, and was a Jinshi in the 32nd year of Wanli, and had been a county magistrate for several terms, and later became a Beijing official, and was repeatedly reprimanded, and was used as the right capital of the imperial history for less than a year, and was promoted to the deputy capital of the Imperial History of the Inspectorate. According to the usual practice, he should not be transferred to a foreign position, but since he is a ministry, and he is also an important position of the governor of Shaanxi, he cannot be absent for too long, Chongzhen made an exception to allow it, but he was worried that Yang He lacked the talent to fight the chaos, and he had no experience in expanding the frontier and guarding the frontier, so he summoned him on the platform and questioned him face-to-face. When asked about the strategy of quelling the chaos, Yang He said "Be cautious and self-controlled, and compassionate the generals", Chongzhen's heart was a little relieved, the border handsome and upright, and the generals naturally used their lives, and a few chaotic soldiers and homeless people were not to be afraid. Now that there is only Wang Jiayin left in the Shaanxi civil uprising, it is difficult to sing alone, and Pingkou is just around the corner. Chongzhen repeatedly looked at Yang He's excerpts, couldn't help but smile, and felt a little proud in his heart, the nine sides have been short of pay for many years, the soldiers are hungry and cold, and the deficit of so many years is difficult to make up for a while, so it is necessary to use more followers. He ordered Cao Huachun to take down a brocade box from the bookshelf, stretched out his hand to open it, and the full of folds in it were lined up in turn, and pasted the paper sticks prepared by the minister's ink pen, he snorted coldly, closed it forcefully and said: "Xiao Chunzi, seal this brocade box, and send it to Yang He urgently for six hundred miles." ”

Cao Huachun was surprised: "These pieces have been drafted by the cabinet ministers, and they are all impeached for Yang He's raising Kou, how can they be transferred to him again?" ”

"I'm going to give him the kindness of the city." Chongzhen frowned slightly, and then smiled faintly, "Xiao Chunzi, have you forgotten the ancestral teachings on the iron plate in front of the palace gate?" Go down to the palm mouth twenty. ”

"The slave is right here! Long live the Lord to dissipate his anger and amuse his boredom. Cao Huachun's eyes wandered over Chongzhen, and seeing that there was no annoyance on his face, he carefully raised his hand and slapped his mouth. Sure enough, Chongzhen snorted: "You slave is kind, but you are too talkative." This time, I will make a note of it, and I will punish it in the future. ”

"Long live you!" Cao Huachun held the brocade box in his arms, knelt down and kowtowed, and asked: "Long live this trick is very clever, Yang He must be grateful when he sees it." ”

"It seems that you haven't read the books in the inner study hall in vain, but you really understand a lot of things!"

"It's a pile of old books that are not alive when you read it in the inner study hall, but I still have a solid learning from the Long Live Lord."

"Oh----" Chongzhen took out an egg-sized octagonal oval Su-like water-milled red copper hand stove from his sleeve, "Tell me how solid it is?" ”

"Long live the Lord has already sent those impeachment notes to the palace a month ago, to teach Yang He to know the courtiers...... Ah! The slave maid is in the way of the Long Live Lord, don't you want to slap your mouth again? ”

"Hahaha...... You don't have to be afraid, I command you to say, do you still want to resist the decree? ”

"The impeachment chapter is published in the Di Bao, and the meaning of Long Live Lord is nothing more than one word."

"Say it happily! You don't have to spit it out. ”

"Forced."

"Huh?"

"This time, the titles of these concerts and the votes of the ministers will be given to Yang He, and it is also one word: An."

"Tell me about it."

"Enwei and Shi, teach Yang He to take care of the peace of mind, and settle the northwest as soon as possible."

Chongzhen was noncommittal, but changed the topic and asked, "I agree with Yang He's appeasement strategy, what is the rumor outside?" ”

Cao Huachun grinned, "The slave maid is by the side of the Long Live Lord every day, and the Long Live Lord that the slave and maid heard also heard it, and the courtiers didn't have many different words." ”

"I always feel a little strange in my heart, when the appeasement strategy was first decided, there were still many people who played Yang He to raise Kou, and the main soothing the country, now I know that he has succeeded in appeasing, but I have seen the opportunity quickly." Chongzhen's mind was so powerful that he left the throne a few times, "Wang Yongzuo hasn't entered the palace for a few days, do you know what he's busy with?" ”

"The slave maid heard that he recently liked a fan, and it is rumored that he is a disciple of the famous prostitute Xue Susu, who is very charming and extremely lovely, and has flattered the prince and the fox ......"

"Humph! It's blinding my ears and eyes. Chongzhen didn't feel angry, walked back and forth in the warm pavilion a few times, and asked, "The West Courtyard is still so lively?" ”

The West Courtyard is the West Courtyard Goolan Alley, and the Fan Hutong is the place where prostitutes gather since the Yuan Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty changed the residence of the official prostitutes to the Goolan Hutong in the East City, and the Hutong of the Department of Teaching and Workshop is adjacent to the Hutong and the Yanle Hutong, the West Courtyard then declined, and became a place for the pawns of the peddlers and the prodigal sons of the rivers and lakes, and some of the faceless characters have long been disdainful. Cao Huachun saw Chongzhen asking about the West Courtyard, he had secretly been there a few times, and each time he was disappointed, he couldn't meet an outstanding woman, but he was afraid that the emperor would know about the punishment, so he said: "It's still lively...... However, most of the people who walked to the west courtyard were young eunuchs who had been repelled or had not been in the palace for a long time, and if the identity of the prince and prince went, he would inevitably be laughed at. The prince was married to the family. ”

Chongzhen sneered: "I said it! Those who have entered the palace and have no way out want to play the yin and go to the west courtyard or find a vegetable in the palace to relieve their boredom and have fun, which is my bad rule, and that's it. How can a big eunuch with status be so condescending and immoral, marrying a pickled woman in a green house, wouldn't it defile the court? I have decreed that the prison prisoner is forbidden to marry and to sleep outside the house, doesn't he know? ”

"I think I know."

"Xiao Chunzi, if you go to the Great Xuangao Hall to get a happy Buddha, just say that I specially rewarded him, taught him to practice well, and enjoy more happiness, but you have to be careful of the seal letter of the Qincha East Factory, don't be a prostitute, and change it for silver."

"So, how could that be! Wang Gonggong still knows the severity, so the Dongchang customs defense is not trivial, how dare he ......"

"Wordy! I don't need you to intercede for him. Chongzhen saw Cao Huachun's words flickering, and said that he had accepted a bribe from Wang Yongzuo, his face was like frost, and he asked coldly: "Do you have a common meeting with him?" ”

Cao Huachun was so frightened that he knelt down, kowtowed, and said, "What kind of person is a slave, just a small Qianqing Palace steward brand, where can I climb high?" Emperor Taizu has already decided**, how many heads do slaves and maids dare to make friends with the outer court? Besides, long live the kindness of the slave and the maid, how can the slave and the maid lose their conscience and twist their elbows outward! ”

"Get up! I just asked. Chongzhen's tone eased and said: "Xiao Chunzi, you have been following me for a few years, and you have seen a lot in the world, and you are a talented person in the inner library, I have the heart to cultivate you, you look at the East Factory for me, Wang Yongzuo is old, sooner or later I will reward you with the East Factory!" ”

"Long live the ......" according to the old system, the commander of the East Factory must be selected from several eunuchs of the celebrant of the pen, its status is second only to the eunuch of the palm of the seal, is considered the second person in the palace, the chief eunuch of the East Factory is only the first rank of the commander, although it is said that the official position of the five products with the Qianqing Palace steward brand, but the Qianqing Palace steward brand follows the emperor, often can't help it, day and night in the palace on duty, it is really hard, inside and outside the palace to see the emperor's gold face is also a glance, but how can there be the day of the eunuch in charge of the East Factory? Sleep peacefully every day, don't be as worried as in the palace, always afraid of what will go wrong, whether you go to the yamen on an errand, or return to the private house, there are people to serve, if you are looking for a beautiful little girl, tsk...... Cao Huachun stood with his hands down, his heart was full of joy, and he never dreamed that it would suddenly develop, and he muttered: "Long live what the Lord said, what he said, but it is true, true? How can a slave and a maid be able to do this, this ......"

"It's bastard again! Why should I tell lies? Good life for me to keep an eye on! Dongchang is my eyes and ears. ”

"The slave is unwilling to leave the Long Live Lord." Cao Huachun's nose was a little sour, and his tone was slightly whimpering.

Chongzhen scolded with a smile: "Little Wang Ba Lamb, you may not be willing to follow me all the time, you don't have a smile like this promotion, shouldn't it be greedy and insufficient!" I'm not a nerd, so I don't have to teach you to be happy. You have left the palace, but you are not a paper kite with a broken thread, you can fly as much as you want, you can't be happy, be careful that the rope is still holding in the palm of my hand! When he said the last few words, he was already stern, Cao Huachun's body shook slightly, knelt down and kowtowed, bent down and retreated: "The slave knows, it's just, but I don't know who will serve the Lord Banzai in the future, and I can't rest assured." When the Lord of Long Live found someone, the slave and maid explained a few words to him and went to the East Factory. ”

Chongzhen hates people the most, thinks about his position, thinks about things that shouldn't be thought, if it weren't for Cao Huachun's reluctance to part, most of them have been reprimanded, Rao is so, Chongzhen listened at this time, and couldn't help frowning slightly, lazy and didn't want to say, only stretched out his palms and made a circle. Cao Huachun is extremely smart, and when he has been by his side for a long time, Chongzhen's every move can guess his meaning, and he asked, "But Xiao Chengzi?" Xiao Chengzi is Ma Yuancheng, in the Mid-Autumn Festival in Cining Palace in August that year, he looked up at the full moon in the sky, and said that when he was hungry when he was a child, he longed for the moon to become a big oil cake with incense, so the eunuchs and palace maids in the palace called him "sesame oil cake", and Ma Yuancheng's name was called less.

Chongzhen nodded slightly, "Hmm! Teach Xiao Chengzi to follow me first, and explain a few words to him, he has a real heart, and he has to dial a little. You go to Dongchang, I will give you another secret decree, do not use it until you have to. Chongzhen wrote the words "Ru I come in person" and drew a monogram under the right corner.

Cao Huachun carefully put it away, knelt down and walked a few steps on his knees, and said with tears on his back: "The slave knows that this is the grace of the Long Live Lord, since the Long Live Lord practiced Zuo, he deliberately used people, Wang Chengen studied the diet, and said that the imperial diet of the Tang Dynasty was sudden, and he took charge of the imperial food workshop. ”

Chongzhen liked that he was clever and transparent, seeing that he was so affectionate, thinking of the life-saving grace of the Soldiers and Horses Division back then, he secretly sighed and was a little reluctant, but he heard him say something about it, what "the virtuous do not avoid relatives, appoint meritocracy, and have the style of the ancients", but I don't know if he is praising or boasting. Chongzhen couldn't help but smile, and said: "Don't just care about being happy, order you to go to Dongchang, it depends on how well you do it, if you live up to my wishes, Nanhaizi has few people to feed the horses, so you can think about it." ”

"The slave understands."

"It's good to understand. How many days have you been trying? ”

"It's the last day."

"Hmm!" Chongzhen pointed to the yellow dragon wrapper on the case, and said with a gloomy face: "What is the situation over there in the Gongyuan, you go and inquire and see if there are any disadvantages." Like gave Xue Guoguan a special fold in the matter, but the words were vague, and the ceremony of the imperial court could not tolerate a difference of half a point. He picked up the fold, and the words on the fold were particularly glaring: Sixty-two of the three hundred and forty-nine tributes were in the Restoration Society; Where is there no talent, and Xinwei Gongshi has more Su, Song, Chang, and Huai four mansions? Xue Guoguan is a small seven-grade official, and it is his duty to impeach and expose him, but there are many rumors and rumors, and there is not much evidence, and there must be someone behind it. Jiangnan has been a humanistic source since ancient times, and there may not be fraud if there are many talents, but the resumption of society is gaining momentum, and it cannot be taken lightly, so as not to become a Donglin again, and confront the imperial court. Chongzhen secretly thought: What kind of person is Zhang Pu, who actually merged more than a dozen literary societies into one? This person is good to use him, and it is also a blessing for the court.

Cao Huachun promised to retreat, this night slept very sweetly, at the fourth watch was ready to serve the emperor in the court, remembering that Ma Yuancheng had done the Qianqing Palace steward brand, his family had to go to the East Factory on an errand, and he no longer had to get up in the dark to suffer early, and his legs were sore and swollen all day long, he smiled, turned over and lay down, and slept until he was almost old, and went out of the palace to meet Admiral Wang Yongzuo in the East Factory. Wang Yongzuo knew that he was a celebrity in front of the emperor, and he was very polite and did not treat him as a subordinate official. Cao Huachun, the new official, had the intention to make meritorious contributions, and secretly placed his powerful hands around the Zhou Mansion, the Qian Mansion and the guild halls, and searched around.