The army walked for a few days and finally reached Yanping Mansion. Zhang Wenguan looks at its topography, surrounded by water on three sides, and the city wall is tall; Looking around the left and right, it is located in the main road of waterway transportation, it is really possible to attack and retreat, Zhang Wen couldn't help but sigh: "Tong Yanping, Tie Shaowu, worthy of the name, Yanping Mansion is indeed a place where soldiers must fight." ”

Zhang Wen entered the city with the army and found that the garrison in the city was empty and scarce, and the Ming Dynasty magistrates who were close to the left did not take the opportunity to seize these important military towns, which was really a missed opportunity. He has walked around western Fujian in the past few months, and has concluded that it will be easy to recover Fujian, and it is simply intolerable for heaven to fail to achieve such a great achievement.

Han Amei had already agreed to accept the imperial court's recruitment, and Zhang Wen was in a very good mood, as if he had seen great achievements beckoning to him.

The Lord of the Golden Altar guarding Yanping Mansion was a member of the White Lotus Sect, and he originally took refuge in Ye Feng; Now that Ye Feng is tree is fallen and scattered, the Lord of the Golden Altar faced the army brought by the Holy Aunt, and handed over the city very simply, and led the sect to kneel at the gate of the city to welcome the Holy Aunt. After the natural disaster, Yanping Mansion was sparsely populated, and a large number of properties were vacant and uninhabited. And Mu Xiaoqing immediately took over the defense of the four cities of Yanping Mansion, transferred troops to occupy major roads, and controlled the entire city.

The lord of Jintan rode a horse and personally took Han Amei's carriage and a group of guards to the garden where he lived, and walked to the gate of the garden, Zhang Wen couldn't help but pick up the curtain and looked at the name on the door: Duchun Garden. He turned around and said, "The twilight spring is harmonious, and the sun shines on the garden." The old owner of this garden was a man of letters. ”

Han Amei said coldly: "Lord Zhang is in a good mood, and Yaxing is singing poems against you." ”

Zhang Wen shook his head and smiled. Han Amei said again: "Time is pressing, let's rest for an hour, eat something, and after a while, I will call Mu Xiaoqing and the commanders of each battalion to discuss the cooperation with the government with Master Zhang." ”

Zhang Wen arched his hand and walked down from the carriage with Zhang Ying, Xuan Yue and the others were already waiting beside him, and there was a chubby man on the side, who looked like he was about fifty years old, bowed and said: "The old slave is Xu Wu, the slave who guards the garden, what do you command, just summon the old slave." ”

Zhang asked, "Take me to where I live." ”

"Your side, please."

Zhang Wen and the others followed Xu Wu along the corridor to the east, in addition to the five women beside Zhang Wen, Han Amei sent a few white-clothed guards to follow. When they had crossed the corridor, they saw several well-cleaned houses on the north side of the patio, and under the eaves stood a dozen maids in cloth skirts. Xu Wudao: "These people are all slaves and maids arranged by the master of the golden altar to wait for your daily life, carrying basins and pouring water, delivering meals and cleaning are all done by them, and obey your commands." ”

"Okay, you go down, I'll call you again if I have something."

"Yes, the old slave is retired."

Zhang Wen chose a large room, pushed the door and walked in, Zhang Ying turned around and said coldly to the slaves outside: "You are waiting outside, no one is allowed to come in without a summons." ”

The maids obediently bent their knees and made a blessing and said, "Slaves and maids obey orders." ”

Zhang Wen, Zhang Yingxuanyue and others and the four female guards of Han Amei walked into the house, only to see that this room was very spacious, the warm pavilion inside was separated by a curtain, and there were two beds outside for slaves and maids to sleep in at night, and there were small doors on both sides, each with an ear room. Such a house is a typical design of a large family, and only the big officials or large landowners have this specification, and they need to be served by many slaves and maids.

Xuan Yue walked quickly to the warm pavilion, and pointed to the ear room next to him and said, "You two, go and check the ear room, check carefully, knock on the wall to see if there is a vacant wall." ”

"Yes."

Zhang Wen sat on a chair and waited for them to inspect all sides of the house before entering the warm pavilion to rest. The slaves and maids brought tea and snacks, and all of them were inspected by Zhang Wen's subordinates first.

Xuan Yue also proposed that all the people here should not be separated and live in this room. Zhang Wen and Zhang Ying lived in the warm pavilion, Xuan Yue and the other four black-clothed women lived outside, and the four white-clothed guards lived in the ear room next to them, so as to protect Zhang Wen nearby. Zhang Ying saw that Xuan Yue was busy and said to Zhang Wen: "Xianggong, the head of internal affairs, is really conscientious. ”

Xuanyue arched her hand and said: "This golden altar master of Yanping Mansion, we don't know each other, we don't know people and faces, we don't know our hearts, so we have to be careful." ”

The people ate something and rested in their rooms. At this time, a woman in Xuanyi walked into the room with a woman and said, "Chief helmsman, the people below have already done the work of burying Qiao Niang's family, and the subordinates have sent Qiao Niang over." ”

Qiao Niang is the village girl who was in the village on the road a few days ago, and the whole family was killed by the disciples who collected grain. When Zhang Wen heard this, he was stunned, he didn't expect this woman to be quite beautiful after cleaning up a little, no wonder those disciples were interested in seeing it. I saw that Qiao Niang had been cleaned up and put on the kind of black clothes worn by Zhang Ying and others, and the black clothes reflected her tender white skin, which was even more moving. This woman is not tall, with a pointed face and a chin, a typical southern woman's face, small but well-behaved.

The guard next to him said: "Qiao Niang, this is Lord Zhang who avenges your whole family, this is Mrs. Zhang, and also our chief helmsman, in the future, we will listen to the orders of the chief helmsman, understand?" ”

Qiao Niang knelt down and kowtowed: "Lord Zhang, Mrs. Zhang avenges the slave family, and the slave family is willing to be a cow and a horse to repay Mrs. Zhang, Lord Zhang......"

The guard reminded: "Don't call yourself a slave in the future, say a subordinate." ”

"Yes, my subordinates know."

Zhang Ying said coldly: "Stand up and let me see." ”

Qiao Niang timidly got up and stood in the middle of the house with her hands down. Zhang Ying said: "I don't need to mention the matter of avenging you in the future." Now you and me, soon you will know that you will live better than in the village, you will no longer have to worry about oil, salt, firewood and rice, and you will not have to worry about trivial things, but your summit will teach you other things, and you may suffer a lot. ”

Qiao Niang hurriedly said: "My subordinates do a lot of work when they are young, and they are not afraid of hardship." ”

Zhang Ying pointed to the chubby woman in Xuanyi next to Qiao Niang and said: "Very good, I see that you are still aura, and your background is simple, in the future, you will stay with me to do things, I will not treat you badly." We don't have many rules in Xuanyiwei, but you have to completely obey the peak, talk less and do more, and be smart, understand? ”

"My subordinates understood."

At this time, another guard walked to the door and said, "My lord, the Holy Aunt has sent someone to invite the owner to come over to discuss important matters. ”

Zhang Wenxin said: It must be talking about recruitment, cooperation and other matters. He stood up and said, "Then we'll go over now." ”

The group followed the white-clothed man who delivered the message into the second garden from a moon cave gate, and the white-clothed man pointed to a cave door by the lake and said, "The holy aunt and the generals are in the courtyard over there, just waiting for Lord Zhang." ”

This garden is as exquisite as all gardens, there are mountains and rivers, especially the water pavilion on the water, which is the most elegant place in the garden; However, the courtyard that Zhang Wen was going to was not a water pavilion, and they were not amusement gardens now, so they didn't need Yaxing.

There were many white-clothed guards walking around the cave gate, all of whom were Han Amei's subordinates. Zhang Wen and the others entered the cave gate, and there was a small courtyard inside, with a pool in the middle of the courtyard, as well as rockery flowers and trees, which was a very quiet and elegant place. By this time the sun had set, the light was beginning to dim, and as night approached, lanterns were lit under the eaves. The group walked to the door of the living room, and the guard at the door said, "The place inside is narrow, please let Lord Zhang and Mrs. Zhang enter." "Xuanyue and the others had to stay outside.

The living room was brightly lit, with many candles lit on the lampstands on both sides, and there were only four people sitting in the room, and a few women in white stood on either side.

Han Amei sat on it, wearing a white dress and a scarf covering her face. On the left and right sat Mu Xiaoqing and two generals. The two generals Zhang Wen knew each other, namely the commander of the left post of the rebel army, the former army commander Li Shengzhi and Zhao Wuxian. When Han Amei saw Zhang Wen coming in, she said, "Lord Zhang, Mrs. Zhang, please take a seat." ”

Zhang Wen and Zhang Ying stepped forward, Mu Xiaoqing and others stood up and bowed, Zhang Wen returned the salute one by one, and then took a seat.

Han Amei said: "The few people here are not outsiders, the left and right are already under martial law, and no one can get close." Whatever we have to say today, we will make it clear in front of everyone...... I have already discussed the matter of accepting the title from the imperial court with Mu Xiaoqing, Zhao Wuxian, and Li Shengzhi just now. Not only Lord Zhang knows, but we also know that the strength of the rebel army is weak now, and several states and counties in northern Fujian have no ability to resist. Everyone has reached an agreement on the matter of recruiting An, and now we want to hear the specific arrangements of Lord Zhang. ”

Zhang Wen arched his hand and said: "I don't think there is much need to say about the specific situation, I believe you are all people who know the current affairs." After I returned to Wenzhou, as the governor of Zhejiang, I mobilized the garrisons of several prefectures and counties in southern Zhejiang to enter Fujian, first took over the defense of Jianning and other prefectures and counties, and then went south to station in Shaowu Mansion, and the righteous army of Shenggu in Yanping Mansion became a strong position, and advanced south with superior forces to eliminate the resistance of the Han sect leader and recover the lost territory in Fujian. After the pacification of Fujian, the good news will be urgently transmitted to the Beijing division, and then I will go to the imperial court, stating that your army has abandoned the secret and surrendered to the Ming to eliminate the rebels, and recommended General Mu to take up the post of Fujian General Army. As a common practice, the imperial court will definitely order the governor to go to Beijing to offer tribute, and then reward the meritorious soldiers, and General Mu will return to the imperial court, and he will also get the corresponding military general status. I don't know if you have any objections to this arrangement? ”

"There will be something to be said in the end." Then a man said. When Zhang Wen looked back, he saw that it was the former army marshal Zhao Wuxian, this person had a tiger's back and a bear's waist, rough skin and thick meat, and a wide face full of black and thick beards, although he was not tall, but his round arms and broad body made him look very large.

The whites of the two eye sockets on Zhao Wuxian's black face contrasted very conspicuously, like a person who had been blown up by a powder keg and only had only two eyeballs left. He rolled his eyes and said, "Master Zhang has fought with us, and I, Zhao Wuxian, don't want to believe you." But you are an official, we are bandits, so we can't help but have more eyes. If you go back and don't return it, it's good to say, let's take it as a favor, but if you go back and bring a group of troops over, take us and Sect Master Han together......"

Li Shengzhi, who was sitting next to Zhao Wuxian, also agreed: "Now that we have so many people left in our hands, your government will make a profit and clean us up, isn't it just to get rid of the trouble?" Second Brother Zhao is right, you are an official, standing in the position of an official, why do you want to leave us? ”

Zhang Wen glanced at Li Shengzhi, this person's life is quite normal, not like Zhao Wuxian, who is as black as charcoal, Li Shengzhi looks like he is in his forties, with a Chinese face, and is tall, but he is not as strong as Zhao Wuxian.

Zhang Wen said calmly: "The worries of the two generals are very reasonable, and I understand them very well. Indeed, from the standpoint of the government, it is most beneficial to exterminate you all together...... But why don't I think of myself? I helped Shenggu gain a firm foothold in Fujian, don't I have power in Fujian? ”

The black-faced Zhao Wuxian was stunned, glanced at the lady next to Zhang Wen, and said, "You are an official, don't help the government, you help the holy aunt?" If Lord Zhang plans to marry the Holy Aunt, we have to make it clear, you have to marry the media, at least let the Holy Aunt be the second wife......"

"Black Dun!" Li Shengzhi next to him snorted and directly called out his nickname, "Damn, if you don't talk nonsense, you won't be down-to-earth?" ”

The black-faced Zhao Wuxian said with an unhappy face: "Lao Tzu told the truth, what did you say wrong?" How long has this adult known Shenggu, if he hadn't fallen in love with Shenggu, he would have helped us wholeheartedly? ”

"You still say! No one speaks when you're dumb! It's about the reputation of the Holy Aunt, what nonsense are you talking about? Li Shengzhi scolded Zhao Wuxian with a fierce voice, and Zhao Wuxian closed his mouth in a daze.

Zhang Wen turned his head to look at Han Amei, only to see that Han Amei was also looking at herself, although there was a translucent veil, Zhang Wen could still feel her gaze. Han Amei's gaze touched Zhang Wen's, and she immediately looked away.

Originally, a few people in the room said that they were doing a good job, but Zhao Wuxian stirred up, and both sides had their own thoughts, and they couldn't say anything if they continued to talk about it, so Han Amei said: "It's not early, everyone has been tired for a few days, let's rest early today, and talk about it tomorrow." ”

Zhang Wen and the two generals all stood up to say goodbye and exited the room, only Mu Xiaoqing did not leave.

After everyone went out, Han Amei said to Mu Xiaoqing: "You didn't go with them, do you have anything to say?" ”

"Cousin......" Mu Xiaoqing did not call her holy aunt, she directly referred to her relatives, she hesitated for a while, and said, "There is a sentence I don't know whether to say or not." Although Zhao Wuxian has a big mouth and speaks with a big grin, he is a straight intestine, and what he says is reasonable. When I looked at what Zhang Wen said, there were only two possibilities: either he wanted to marry his cousin and expand his power; Either he is lying to us for the sake of meritorious service! ”

Han Amei frowned and said, "I don't think Zhang Wen is the kind of person who is willing to do anything for the purpose!" ”

Mu Xiaoqing nodded: "I don't think Zhang Wen will betray us, but ...... Zhao Wuxian is right, how can Zhang Wen help us honestly because of a few months of friendship? ”

Han Amei got up from the chair, paced back and forth a few steps, and said, "Do you also think it is necessary to marry Zhang Wen?" ”

Mu Xiaoqing groaned: "In the few months I have been dating him, I think this question is a reliable person. My cousin is also a big one, so I have to find a place to rely on. I see that Zhang Wen looks like a talent, he is still a young jinshi, and he is quite promising, such a man will naturally be liked by many women, and it is impossible for him to be in his twenties and not marry a wife...... My cousin is also in her early twenties, and in order to prevent your in-laws from affecting his power, Sect Master Han did everything possible to obstruct his cousin's marriage, but it delayed your life's events. ”

Han Amei was persuaded by Mu Xiaoqing like this, she thought of Zhang Wen, her face couldn't help but flush with two flowers, she thought for a moment, but sighed: "I already expressed something to Zhang Wen last time, but he didn't agree......"

Mu Xiaoqing looked at Han Amei's figure, her tall figure was concave and convex, her curves were smooth, and her demeanor revealed an elegant and dignified atmosphere, Mu Xiaoqing couldn't help but say, "Why doesn't he agree?" The marriage is good for both parties, and it is already a grievance to let his cousin relegate to the second room, and he will not suffer...... Could it be that Zhang Wen is really an unscrupulous person? ”

Han Amei's expression was cold, and she said coldly: "He shouldn't be that kind of person, if his intentions are so sinister, it's really terrifying!" ”

Mu Xiaoqing said with a straight face: "Knowing people and knowing faces but not knowing their hearts, what can't people in the officialdom sacrifice in order to climb up?" After all, we've only known him for a few months, so how can we get to know him thoroughly...... Cousin, think about it, if he helps us, it will not be good for the government or his military achievements: if we can eliminate all the rebel armies in Fujian and completely take Fujian back to the imperial court, the imperial court will be more satisfied with Zhang Wen. Then the reason why he helped us can only be personal relations, as Zhang asked himself, he can expand his private power in Fujian; But we and Zhang Wen are only a few months of friendship, a few months of mutual cooperation and use, such a relationship is not strong; Now we take the initiative to propose a marriage to show our sincerity, why did he refuse? It's not that we don't want to believe him, but this thing is really strange! ”

Han Amei used her long nails to play with the patterns on the teacup, pondered for a long time, and muttered: "This is the reason, but I think Zhang Wen is reluctant to marry, and there is a kind of reason why he is disgusted with this kind of transaction." I've always felt that he was a man of affection......"

"Cousin!" Mu Xiaoqing frowned and said, "You don't know men at all, how much do you think feelings will be taken seriously in the hearts of men with great power?" Scheming and mastery are the foundation of them! I've seen a lot of officials, and all loyalty and honesty are for the sake of gaining a foothold in the world, which really involves the future and net worth, and these things are like mustard in their hearts! ”

Han Amei gritted her little silver teeth and said, "I don't believe that all of them are like this!" If that's the case, I don't have anything to worry about......"

Mu Xiaoqing sneered: "Okay, okay, you can be martyred for the so-called love and righteousness, but the thousands of brothers below, those are our fathers and fellow villagers, and it was because they trusted their cousins that they joined the White Lotus Sect, and you want them to be buried together?" ”

Han Amei looked painful and said, "You give me a few days, and I'll find Zhang Wen to test it again." ”