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Volume 1, Chapter 227: The Eagle Lord and the Patriots

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    Two hundred and twenty-seven The Eagle Lord and the Patriot

    The night was dark and light snow was falling. Three pedestrians in raincoats and cloaks walked quickly through the quiet streets of Jing'an.  They passed through the lonely and empty streets and stopped in front of a large house in the city.  Someone knocked on the door, and the crisp knock was particularly loud in the silent night. The sound of a dog barking could be heard deep in the alley in the distance.  The three men in raincoats looked around uneasily, with vigilant and fearful eyes, as if there were countless monsters in the darkness ready to devour anyone.

    There was a knock on the door, and someone opened the door and quietly welcomed the three people in.  The person who answered the door was a wealthy middle-aged man. He was very well-dressed, but he didn't look like a night watchman.

    The middle-aged man looked worried and uneasy: "Mr. Zhao, you are finally here! I heard something happened to the Li family today, and we are all worried about you!"

    The person called "Master Zhao" was a middle-aged man with a serious expression. He took off his wet raincoat and said, "I'm fine."

    He just said it so casually without explaining what happened. There was a touch of official authority in his expression, which made him look very dignified.

    The other two men in raincoats took off their cloaks, but they were a man and a woman.  Seeing the woman, the old man was surprised: "Ah, isn't this Hui Yingxian's niece of the Li family?"

    The woman is young, she looks about sixteen or seventeen years old. She is quite handsome, with big eyes, a face with oval seeds, and a slim figure.  However, at this moment, her eyes were red and her expression was in a daze, with only a few cents of color left at most.  When she heard someone calling her name, she suddenly trembled. When she saw the middle-aged man in front of her, tears burst into her eyes: "Uncle Zhang, Uncle Zhang! My father and mother were both taken away by the white wolf!" As she said this, she  He burst out crying, tears streaming down his face.

    The middle-aged man sighed repeatedly: "Niece, it's great that you can escape. Finally, one of your Li family is spared. Brother Wan Chang can still have a trace of his blood. This is a blessing among misfortunes."

    The third man in coir raincoat is a man in coarse cloth with a gloomy expression.  After entering the room, he didn't speak. He just kept scanning everywhere with his sharp eyes like a falcon, and kept his right hand in the lapel of his clothes.  Judging by his demeanor and expression, Zhang Yuanwai could tell that this person was probably Special Envoy Zhao's bodyguard.  Knowing that there were many rules in Beifu, he did not dare to ask the man's identity. He just asked politely: "This gentleman is new to me. How do I call him?"

    The guard nodded indifferently: "My surname is Lao, Lao Deming."

    "Special Envoy Zhao, Mr. Lao, you must be tired after a day of running around, right? If you don't mind being rough, how about ordering some food first?"

    Special Envoy Zhao nodded graciously: "In this case, we will disturb Yuanwai Zhang."

    "I don't dare, I don't dare. It's an honor for me to be able to entertain the two adults from the imperial court who have come all the way!"

    Although it was the middle of the night, Zhang Yuanwai had obviously made preparations, and a table of food was quickly put on the table.  The dishes were very rich, but because of the accident, no one was in the mood to eat, so they just grabbed some rice.  The little girl Li Huiying was even more pitiful. Her eyes were always red and she couldn't eat at all.

    "Well, Mr. Zhao, what happened to the Li family?"

    Special Envoy Zhao shook his head: "I was in such a hurry that I didn't understand. Miss Li, please come and talk to Zhang Yuanwai."

    Li Huiying wiped her tears and began her intermittent narration.  But she didn't know much about what happened. She only knew that she was sleeping in her boudoir last night when she suddenly heard a loud noise outside.  As soon as she got up and put on her clothes, the old woman rushed in and pulled her out, shouting: "Miss, run! The White Wolf is here!" She didn't understand what was going on, but she was pulled away by the old woman.  go out.

    The yard was in a panic, with panicked screams and servants running away everywhere. Exclamations and screams were heard everywhere: "The white wolf is coming to ransack the house! Run for your life!" The air was filled with panic and despair.  The atmosphere felt like the end was approaching.

    In a panic, Miss Li was pulled into the laundry room by the old woman, found a servant's clothes to change into, and hid there in fear.  Throughout the day, she heard constant noises coming from outside. The vicious Dongling guards searched everywhere, even in the laundry room where they were hiding.  Fortunately, seeing that they were just servants, the soldiers didn't make things difficult for them and just asked them to wait there to be dealt with.  Fortunately, the old woman was very discerning and secretly handed three taels of silver to the leading soldier, pleading that they were just here to help and did not want to be involved in a lawsuit.  The soldier saw that the two servants were not important people, so he waved them off.  So, taking advantage of the chaos, Miss Li sneaked out, and later met two guests at home - because they had met before, they all recognized her, and they knew it was Li.As a member of the family, Special Envoy Zhao took her in and took her to seek refuge together.

    Zhang Yuanwai suddenly realized: "So that's it. The White Wolf is always ruthless when it comes to ransacking homes. It's lucky that niece Xian escaped. In this way, niece Xian has had a hard day running around today, so you should go and rest first. Uh, you too  Don¡¯t worry too much. Your father is a kind-hearted person who always accumulates virtues and does good deeds to benefit the village. Good-hearted people will have God¡¯s blessing, and they will definitely turn their bad luck into good. Of course, your father and I are also brothers from all over the world, so naturally we will not stand idly by and we will definitely do it.  If you want to help me, my dear niece, just relax and wait, don¡¯t worry yourself."

    Miss Li wiped her tears, stood up and said a blessing: "Everything depends on Uncle Shi."

    Miss Li¡¯s family left, and there was still a faint layer of worry hanging over the table.  Zhang Yuanwai sighed and said: "The Li family brothers are really unfortunate. They suffered this disaster for no reason. The whole family was put in a dark prison, and only one daughter could escape. Alas, is there no law in this world? The day is precarious, I don't know what to do.  It¡¯s the same time!¡±

    Zhang and Li are both wealthy families in Jingan City. They live in the same city and often have a lot of friction and conflicts. In fact, their relationship is not very harmonious.  But this does not prevent Zhang Yuanwai from now sincerely lamenting for the Li family: After all, we are all of the same class. Dongling Guards can attack the Li family today, and they can attack the Zhang family tomorrow. Putting aside the past grudges, the feeling of sorrow for the rabbit and the fox.  There are still some.

    Special Envoy Zhao also sighed: "The Tartars are rebellious and unscrupulous. Under their rule, countless good people have lost their families and scattered their wives and children. As long as the Tartars are not eliminated, this kind of tragic disaster in the world will not disappear, and we will never be able to survive."  Live a good life."

    Zhang Yuanwai sighed with emotion: "What Mr. Zhao said is true. We, the remnants, are looking forward to the early northern expedition of the imperial army day and night, so that all the people will be saved from the fire and water! Mr. Zhao, after you return to the south this time, you must make us anxious.  I convey my sincere hope to the imperial court and urge the imperial court to send out the army as soon as possible."

    Special Envoy Zhao Su Rong: "Don't worry, members. I will report to Your Majesty myself what I saw and heard during this trip. If I hadn't seen it personally, I really couldn't imagine that the people in the north had been so poisoned and harmed by the government. It was really dark.  Ah! The Xianbei Tatars have done so many evil things, I will definitely not let them go in the future!"

    "Exactly, exactly! Especially those white wolf scoundrels like the Dongling Guards, they are the most abominable! In the future, the court will liquidate them and we will not let them off lightly."

    Everyone was chatting and drinking, and the atmosphere gradually became lively.  Zhang Yuanwai has a smart mind and extraordinary knowledge.  He knew that the Wei Dynasty was now torn apart by civil war, and that the Xianbei people were about to be doomed.  According to people's wishes, in the future the world will most likely be dominated by the Southern Tang Dynasty.  And this special envoy Zhao is the intelligence envoy sent by the Beifu of the Southern Dynasties to contact him. It is said that he is a powerful and senior official in the Beifu. It is necessary to have a good relationship with him.  In the future, when the Southern Tang Dynasty gains power, he will also have someone to take care of him in the government.  Therefore, Zhang Yuanwai was attentive and deliberately flattering:

    "There was no news of Dongling Guard's sudden search beforehand. Fortunately, Mr. Zhao, you were lucky enough to survive, so we can feel relieved."

    Special Envoy Zhao smiled faintly: "The imperial court sent me north this time to contact heroes and lofty ideals from all parties and prepare for the great cause of the Northern Expedition. This journey was uneventful. What I didn't expect was that on the border of Northern Xinjiang,  In the wilderness, the white wolf is so powerful. Mr. Li and I just came into contact, and they immediately smelled the wind and rushed towards me, and almost missed. As soon as I walked away, they surrounded the yard with their back legs. This is really true.  What a coincidence!¡±

    "Haha, this is not a coincidence. It is clearly the result of your great fortune! My lord, if you survived the catastrophe, you will be blessed later. This time you went deep into dangerous situations and made great contributions to the court. You will definitely not be able to run away if you go back and get promoted.  It fell!"

    Mr. Zhao said calmly: "I am dedicated to working for the imperial court. I am not very concerned about fame and fortune. However, there is something very strange to me. Now the puppet dynasty is torn into pieces and its fall is imminent. In this world, anyone who has a little bit of intention will do it.  I know that the life of the Tatars will not last long. I came all the way here. In the Central Plains, the government and Dongling Guards don¡¯t care about anything at all. Even if we have public activities, they don¡¯t dare to provoke us, in order to leave some backup for the future.  Road. I didn¡¯t expect that there are such loyal white wolves here in Northern Xinjiang? Are the Dongling Guards here really determined to accompany the puppet dynasty to death? "

    Zhang Yuanwai smiled apologetically: "Well, Mr. Zhao, you have just arrived in Northern Xinjiang, and you may not know much about the situation here. The Dongling Guards in Dongping are different from the Tomb Guards in other places. In other places in the Puppet Dynasty,  The Tomb Guards are responsible for arresting thieves and have nothing to do with the local government. But here in Dongping, northern Xinjiang, the Tomb Guards have great power. Even the governor's Yamen and the magistrate's Yamen must obey the orders of the Tomb Guards.  On our side, Dongling Guards are the imperial court."

    "Oh?" Special Envoy Zhao was very surprised: "Donngling Guards can actually control the army and government? ThisI have traveled all over the world, and this is the first time I have heard of it.  Are the customs in northern Xinjiang really so strange?  Or does the puppet DPRK have any special regulations here?  "

    "It's not that the customs in northern Xinjiang are strange, or that the Tatars have any rules, it's just that the Governor of Dongling Guard here is a ruthless character. He suppresses the military and local officials so much that they can only follow orders.  .¡±

    "Is there such a thing? How can the people in the army over there and the local government swallow such a breath?"

    "Oh, I have to endure it! Meng Ju, the governor of Dongping Lingwei, is famous for his ruthlessness. Anyone who goes against him will lose his life. In order to grab a singer in a brothel,  , he even killed Sun Shou, the former governor of Dongping, and also killed many generals in the border army My lord, you say, he even dared to kill the governor in the army, who else dares to go against him?

    The list of things that Meng Ju did illegally and domineeringly is too numerous to describe. It would take three days and three nights to describe all of them!  This person is greedy, lustful, cruel and willing to kill. He is a frightening disaster in Northern Xinjiang.  He led his minions to plunder people's wealth and robbed people's women. He harmed many people with lofty ideals and destroyed their families and scattered their wives and children.

    ¡°Alas, it¡¯s our misfortune in Dongping to encounter such a lawless warlord. I don¡¯t know when this kind of life will end!  "

    Zhang Yuanwai sighed, but felt vaguely strange in his heart.  Mr. Zhao is a high-ranking official in Beifu - I don't know how high Mr. Zhao's official position is, but looking at Mr. Zhao's demeanor, this official is definitely not a small one.  It's just that the big shots in Beifu came to Northern Xinjiang and didn't know about Meng Ju. Isn't this news too closed-minded?  You know, Meng Ju is a powerful man in Northern Xinjiang. Even the king of Northern Xinjiang, Tuoba Xiong, was defeated by him. Beifu is responsible for collecting intelligence in the north. Even Meng Ju, a heavyweight who can influence the power of the Northern Wei Dynasty, doesn't know.  That would be too strange.

    Seeing the confusion in Zhang Yuanwai¡¯s eyes, Special Envoy Zhao smiled faintly.  He turned to guard Na Lao and smiled and said: "As the governor of Lingwei, he suppressed the border troops - I didn't expect that there are such people in this deserted land in the northern border. It seems that in the wilderness, there are really still  Hidden dragon and crouching tiger!¡±

    Guard Lao smiled and said, "Your Excellency, you think highly of him. He is just a local tycoon who is arrogant and arrogant in a poor village. He is a frog in a well and doesn't know how deep the sky is. Only when Master Wang comes, will he know what it means to be powerful."

    Zhang Yuanwai suddenly realized that this was right.  Mr. Zhao has traveled all over the country and has never seen any big shots.  People like Meng Ju are great in the eyes of Northern Xinjiang, but in the whole world, they are just local tyrants at best and cannot be regarded by others at all.

    He smiled and said: "Master Lao is right. Although Meng Ju is domineering and arrogant, no matter how strong he is, he can't compare with the imperial soldiers. But, I don't know when the imperial court will start the Northern Expedition to rescue us? I'll wait.  The remnants have been living in the dust for a long time, and they look forward to the heavenly soldiers of the imperial court, just as they look forward to the rain after a long drought!"

    "There is no need to worry, Yuan Zhang. The Northern Expedition is a major national event and cannot be undertaken lightly. In fact, the imperial court has now begun preparations for the Northern Expedition. Clearing out Zhang's rebellious party in Western Shu is the prelude to the imperial plan for the Northern Expedition. After pacifying central Shu, the imperial court  Only then can we concentrate our efforts on dealing with the Tatars.¡±

    "Of course, of course, this is the right thing to do. However, the Tatars are behaving recklessly and bullying the good people, and we, the remnant people, really can't bear it anymore Alas, I can only hope to see Master Wang as soon as possible. Even if I die, I can rest in peace Alas.  "

    Looking at Zhang Yuanwai¡¯s expression of disappointment, Special Envoy Zhao was also very sorry.  He said: "I know a little bit about the major events of the Northern Expedition, but this is a confidential matter - but Yuan Wai is a loyal person, so there is no harm in the news. Well, Zhang Yuan Wai, I can tell you a few things.  , but you must never tell anyone else again."

    "That's natural. Don't worry, sir. I know the importance. Such a big thing will never be leaked to the outside world."

    Special Envoy Zhao lowered his voice: "Actually, the battle to pacify Western Shu has come to an end. The imperial army has approached Chengdu. Zhang's rebel party is at the end of its rope and will be defeated soon. Now, the Privy Council has made a decision. Waiting for  After pacifying Western Shu, the army that defeated Shu did not withdraw its troops and return to the court. After they rested for a while in Shu, they would directly attack Hanzhong. At that time, the imperial army would send troops from Jingxiang, Jiangdu and Hanzhong at the same time for the Northern Expedition to attack Luo.  Beijing has formed a siege. Zhang Yuanwai, just relax and wait. When spring warms up next year, the Tatars will be driven away, and Northern Xinjiang is just around the corner."

    Zhang Yuanwai was very excited when he heard this. He rubbed his eyes vigorously, as if countless tears were about to burst out from his eyes: "This is so good, so good! If I could see this day, I would die even if I could  I can rest in peace~"

    With that said, the atmosphere at the table became even more lively.  In front of Special Envoy Zhao, Zhang Yuanwai deliberately flattered him and repeatedly encouraged him to drink.  During the dinner, he vaguely mentioned??I have always been loyal to the imperial court and to China, and I very much hope to serve the imperial court.  In the future, when Wang Shi regains the Central Plains and Northern Xinjiang, Zhang Yuanwai hopes to come out to relieve the imperial court.  According to Zhang Yuanwai, he had been in the north for a long time and was familiar with the place and environment. He was able to do everything with ease, which was more convenient than the imperial court sending officials from the mainland.

    "Mr. Zhao, the climate, customs and folk customs in the north are very different from those in the south. The imperial court suddenly sent people here, and the people are afraid that they are not familiar with the customs and customs in the north and will delay official duties."

    Mr. Zhao agreed happily: "The Imperial Northern Expedition is about to begin, and it is the right time to hire people. Since Zhang Yuanwai is willing to serve the imperial court, how can we not accept him? This is a good thing! When Master Wang arrives, we will not be in trouble."  Zhang Yuanwai, you are the internal support and guidance for Master Wang. Yuan Wai's loyalty is truly admirable. Come on, I'd like to toast you!"

    Zhang Yuanwai looked a little embarrassed: "Yes, my lord has given you the award, but I really don't dare to accept it. However, my lord, what I mean is that if the court allows it, I can make greater contributions to the court"  Uh, it's not just as simple as leading the way Uh Well, Xiaomin also has a little dabbling in the art of governing the people This"

    The more he talked, the more embarrassed he became, so he simply gritted his teeth and said: "Sir, what Xiaomin means is that even if the court asks Xiaomin to guard a place, Xiaomin will be able to do the job."

    Special Envoy Zhao suddenly said: "Oh, Zhao Yuanwai wants to be an official?"

    "Haha, it makes the adults laugh, laugh. This is also the intention of the common people to share the worries of the imperial court"

    "I'm afraid this is impossible."

    As if he were hit by freezing water, Zhang Yuanwai's eyes widened: "This"

    Special Envoy Zhao said slowly: "Zhang Yuanwai, you don't know something. The rules of our government are different from those in the north. Our officials are selected through the imperial examinations at all levels, including the college examination, the provincial examination, and the joint examination. In the end,  You have to pass the imperial examination in person. Without the imperial examination, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Beifu Government are not allowed to appoint officials. Outside the officials, we are afraid that we will not be able to agree to this."

    Seeing Zhang Yuanwai's disappointment manifest in color, Special Envoy Zhao said slowly: "But it's not impossible, it's just" He pondered, but didn't speak for a long time.

    When Special Envoy Zhao mentioned things about the Southern Tang Dynasty, Zhang Yuanwai was still half-understood. But when he mentioned "flexibility," Zhang Yuanwai immediately understood: crows are as black as crows in the world, and they are the same in the north and the south. The official said: "  "flexible", what else can it mean?

    Zhang Yuanwai hurriedly approached and said: "I hope that you will fulfill this little wish of the common people! If it really comes true, the common people will be rewarded heavily in the future, even if it means losing everything!" As he spoke, several banknotes were already there.  He quietly stuffed it under the table to Special Envoy Zhao.

    "According to Zhang Yuanwai's experience, using banknotes to clear the way to deal with officials is an unfailing and tried-and-true stunt.  But this time, he miscalculated. Envoy Zhao did not accept the bank note at all. He pushed his hand away with a frosty face: "Zhang Yuanwai, what do you mean?"

    "Well, it's been very hard for adults to come from afar, and this is just a little thought from the common people"

    "We are the officials of the imperial court. Don't use those dirty tricks against the puppet officials on us! We went deep into the tiger's den and the wolf's den in order to expel the Tartars and restore China. We didn't even risk our lives.  Do you still care about these yellow and white vulgar things? You are really looking down on me!"

    Special Envoy Zhao spoke sternly, while Yuan Zhang was sweating profusely and ashamed.  He put away the banknotes sarcastically, with a blushing face, and bowed to the end: "Master Zhao, please calm down, we border people have been neglected by the imperial court for a long time. We are ignorant, act recklessly, and insult your innocence. The common people are frightened, and I would like to apologize."

    "snort!"

    Special Envoy Zhao¡¯s face was as cold as frost and he said nothing with a straight face.  At this time, the guard Lao who had been silent interjected: "Sir, please calm down. Based on my humble position, it seems that the officer has good intentions. He has been in the north and does not know what is going on here. He acted recklessly and caused a misunderstanding."  . But after all, he is doing something for the imperial court, and his intentions are good."

    "Yes, yes, Master Lao is right. Although the common people are ignorant, they do have good intentions."

    The two of them had a good talk, and then Special Envoy Zhao calmed down and sighed: "Zhang Yuanwai, I am not a rigid official, but this kind of thing is very serious."

    Breaking taboos.  You must remember that our court and the Tatar court are completely different.  This kind of thing can be done in the puppet dynasty, but it is absolutely impossible in our dynasty.  If the supervisor discovers it, it will be infamy for eternity.  "

    Being taught such a merciless lesson, Zhang Yuanwai felt very comfortable. This was the first time in his life that he encountered an official who did not accept payment - he was indeed a member of the Chinese imperial court.Officer, he is solemn, serious, honest and self-disciplined, so different from those greedy and shameless Xianbei Tatar officials.

    "Mr. Zhao's noble character and integrity are greatly admired by the common people. Having officials like you to shepherd and protect the people is truly a blessing to Northern Xinjiang!"

    "Where, Yuan Wai's words are harsh." Special Envoy Zhao frowned and said solemnly: "Actually, I haven't finished what I just said. If Zhang Yuanwai really wants to contribute to the imperial court, there are many waysbut it's a bit difficult!"

    Zhang Yuanwai was surprised and happy: "I hope you can give me your guidance!"

    "Well, let me tell you this, Yuanwai, the King's Northern Expedition is about to begin. The Holy Emperor and all the lords in the court are united in one heart and one mind. They vow to wash away the three hundred years of national humiliation and regain the old mountains and rivers of the motherland! But now, the Northern Expedition has also encountered some problems.  difficulty."

    "Ah? I wonder what the difficulty is?"

    "The biggest difficulty is the lack of military resources. Since this year, the imperial court has used troops against Xishu. Although it has been victorious, the cost has been huge. The national treasury is now destitute."

    Special Envoy Zhao looked solemn: "However, His Majesty's holy will has been determined. No matter how great the difficulties are, the puppet government is in civil strife, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! The great cause of regaining the mountains and rivers and saving the people is an overwhelming event, and we must not delay it!"

    Zhang Yuanwai sincerely praised: "The Holy Emperor is really wise and a benevolent king!"

    "Exactly! Since Your Majesty is so determined, we must try to overcome any difficulty no matter how big it is. Before setting off from Jiangdu, I have been notified that the imperial court is suffering from insufficient military expenditures, and the Ministry of Revenue has decided to reopen the donation class, and all the funds raised will be used  Opening a donation class for military use in the Northern Expedition, do you know what that means, Yuanwai?"

    "This seems to mean paying for an official position?"

    "That's right. This is an expedient policy of the imperial court. It is only a temporary policy to alleviate the shortage of military resources for the Northern Expedition. It will not last long. If you are interested, I can handle it on your behalf when you go back this time."

    "I wonder how much money this will cost? This won't be very expensive, right?"

    "It's not much. The minimum standard for donating classes is ten thousand taels of silver. There is no limit to those who have more."

    Zhang Yuanwai lost his voice and said: "Huh? Ten thousand taels of silver, so much?"

    Special Envoy Zhao looked at him with disdain and said earnestly: "Executive member, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You don't just need to tell the money. Think about it, our country is rich and the people have tens of thousands of taels of silver. The people don't know.  How much? If you really become an official, to put it harshly, you can get back such a small amount of money in a few months.

    Everyone wants to be an official. Even if the Tatars are expelled in the future, the territory in the north will not be enough!  Therefore, the court also has regulations. Those who want to donate classes must not only have money, but also have a clean family background, have contributed to the court during the Northern Expedition, and must have a court official to vouch for it.  Now, over in Jiangdu, I don¡¯t know how many people are holding money and trying to grab a position!

    "To be honest, Yuanwai, you are from the north. It's hard to say whether you are qualified to donate classes or not.  According to the rules, my court and the people have priority!  If the members are not interested, just pretend that I didn't say anything about it. Come on, let's all drink.  "

    Zhang Yuanwai was still worrying about gains and losses just now. He wanted to get an official position, but he was also afraid that it would cost too much.  But when Special Envoy Zhao said this, he suddenly became anxious: "Sir, you can't say that! Although the common people are in the north, they are always loyal to the imperial court and loyal to His Majesty. The people in the north also belong to the imperial court.  My subjects, you must not favor one over another. This will chill the hearts of the righteous people in the north. Mr. Zhao, you know the common people best. The common people are loyal to the court, so you can vouch for them!"

    Special Envoy Zhao put down his wine glass and his eyes were bright: "Executive member Zhang, let me ask you first, how much money can you give, and how big an official do you want to be?"

    "this"

    Zhang Yuanwai gritted his teeth: "Well, the common people are willing to donate 10,000 taels of silver to the imperial court's Northern Expedition! If you can give me a governor or a governor or something, the common people will be very satisfied. As for the place, it is best to be in the Central Plains or Shandong.  Just arrange a province over there, I have no problem with it, as long as it¡¯s not in Northern Xinjiang.¡±

    Special Envoy Zhao and Guard Lao both laughed: "Zhang Yuanwai really likes to joke. The governor of a province or the governor of a military town must be approved by His Majesty at the meeting of the three provinces. There is definitely no reason to donate classes. There are also wealthy areas in the Central Plains and Shandong.  , please don¡¯t count on it, officials in those places will fight for their heads in the Ministry of Personnel.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that, member, you are too frugal.  This is only ten thousand taels of silver.  .  .  To be honest, it is still possible to find a remote place and have miscellaneous officials such as tax commissioners, patrol inspectors, and county captains.  As for upright officials such as county magistrates and chief registrars, don't expect them.  "

    "Ten thousand taels of silver can only buy a miscellaneous official?" Zhang Yuanwai looked very disappointed: "It is better to stay at home and enjoy the quiet life when you travel thousands of miles to be such a small official."???  If you want to be an official, you have to have a Taoist platform and a government platform, right?  "

    "For a donation at the level of Taotai or prefect, it costs at least one hundred thousand taels of silver, and a very reliable minister of the DPRK and China must be the guarantor. Yuanwai, you have to do everything according to your ability! Let's do it, Yuanwai,  If you want a high-ranking official and want to save some money, you might as well donate a military position. A fifth-grade Imperial Army General Yinghou only needs 30,000 taels of silver. Or a fifth-grade Beifu Counselor  , 40,000 taels of silver, what do you think? Before departure, Beifu has issued an authorization. In order to raise military resources, I can make a temporary decision, so I will bring a blank here to report. If the members are interested, we can do it tonight  This is done.¡±

    "This I'm getting older. I'm old and frail. I can't bear the hardships of serving in the army. Let's forget about the military service. I still want to be a civil servant. Otherwise, Mr. Zhao, where can you arrange a county for us?  How about the order? As long as the place is rich, the common people are willing to donate 20,000 taels of silver to the military."

    "Don't make such jokes outside of the officialdom. The county magistrate is an upright herdsman official, so he should get at least 50,000 taels of silver. If you want to be the magistrate of a superior county, that will cost you at least 80,000 taels of silver."

    "Alas, alas, this is too expensive If you have to donate 80,000 taels of silver to a county magistrate, you might as well just donate 100,000 taels to a prefect."

    "A prefect of one hundred thousand taels can only be a prefect of a lower-level prefecture. If you want a good prefecture, you have to pay more. In my opinion, it is better to donate to the county magistrate of a higher-level county.  If it is run well, the benefits will not be much worse than those of prefects in remote places."

    "Your Majesty, what you said is true. It's just that the small people don't donate this official just for money. They are not afraid of the adults' jokes. The small people also have some thoughts of honoring their ancestors. It is such a rare opportunity to donate to the prefect and write it down in the family tree.  I can shine a light on you, and I hope you will fulfill it."

    The banquet lasted until late at night. Special Envoy Zhao and Zhang Yuanwai repeatedly negotiated and back-and-forth, and finally reached an agreement: Zhang Yuanwai offered 90,000 taels of silver to donate the post of prefect of Handan Prefecture.  The two parties agreed that Zhang Yuanwai would pay 40,000 taels of silver first to purchase the appointment letter of Handan magistrate from Special Envoy Zhao, and he would pay the remainder when he took office the following year after Handan was recovered by the Southern Dynasty.

    Special Envoy Zhao was very happy and immediately took out the blank and filled in Zhang Shixian's name and official position.  In contrast, Zhang Yuanwai seemed very unhappy. When he handed over the banknote, he looked very distressed, as if someone was cutting his flesh.

    Fortunately, Special Envoy Zhao is very good at comforting people. He cupped his hands and said: "Zhang Taizun, from now on I will serve as ministers to you, and we will all be colleagues. I hope you will take good care of me in the future!"

    Hearing the name "Tai Zun", Zhang Yuanwai was so happy that his bones went numb.  He responded with a smile: "Don't you dare, Master Zhao, Xiaomin Well, I am also new to officialdom, and I don't understand many things. I hope you will give me more guidance in the future."

    "This goes without saying. Come on, Brother Zhang, let me tell you some rules. Before you take office in the future, you will have to enter the palace to meet the saint. You need to remember some trivial details. Among the five virtues, I  The imperial court respected the virtue of fire, and the color red was considered noble. Therefore, the nobles in the palace often wore red as the most precious color. Officials of our dynasty often wore red official robes when entering the court. However, the pseudo-dynasty respected the virtue of water, and black was regarded as the most noble color. Most of their items were  Black¡ªthis difference must be remembered, and don¡¯t violate any taboos.¡±

    "Ah, thank you brother for giving me some advice, otherwise I would have missed something important."

    "Well, there is one more thing. The nobles in the palace each have their own preferences. When my dear brother goes south in the future, he might as well bring some local specialties from the Northern Territory"

    The more the two of them talked, the more they became more speculative, and the more they talked, the more passionate they became. With such intimacy, they almost wanted to cut off the chicken head and drink blood wine on the spot.  Everyone was drinking and chatting until the middle of the night. Suddenly they heard some strange noises in the courtyard outside. Both Special Envoy Zhao and Guard Lao suddenly changed their expressions: "Is there someone outside?"

    "Brother, don't worry. Which servant should come over to deliver tea? I just asked them not to come over."

    Immersed in the joy of the new official taking office, Zhang Yuanwai walked over to open the door with brisk steps. He scolded: "You blind bitch, I didn't see it"

    "Halfway through the words, Zhang Yuanwai was stunned: There were dozens of torches in the yard, and it was as bright as day.  Beside the flowers and the building, there were shadowy soldiers in black standing, their bright white blades shining coldly in the night.  In the darkness, countless cold and sharp glances came towards him, and Zhang Yuanwai felt as if he had been stabbed by thousands of needles.

    "Whatwhatis going on?" His teeth chattered, and he encouraged himself: "Who are you? Are you an official or a gangster?"

    An officer walked out of the crowd.  He looked Zhang Yuanwai up and down and asked in a deep voice, "Are you Zhang Shixian?"

    "Yes I'm just an old man. Who are you?"

    "Just look for itIt's you.  "The officer stretched out his hand to show his waist card, and a ferocious white wolf head suddenly appeared in his hand. He said in a deep voice: "Donngling Guards are on duty.  I am Inspector Zhang from Ningnan. You have colluded with Yinghou to plot rebellion. Please come with us.  Who else is in the room with you?  "

    Hearing these words, Zhang Yuanwai's legs and feet went weak and he collapsed on the ground on the spot.  The joy and ambition of acquiring an official position had all vanished at this moment. Now, all that was left in his heart was panic and regret: You know, the Southern Dynasty official document with his name on it was still in the house.  Here!  There are two Yinghou officials from the Southern Dynasty who are also still in the room.

    ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????: The evidence is conclusive. There¡¯s no need to even try a trial, they¡¯re just taken to the execution ground and they¡¯re all executed!

    In despair, Zhang Yuanwai let out a cry.  He knelt down with a pop, hugged the leg of the officer in front of him and cried: "Sir, please have mercy on me, my lord, please have mercy! The younger one wants to report, the younger one wants to report - the two Yinghou officials from the Southern Dynasty are in the room! Sir,  I must atone for my sins, please spare my life!"
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