Xie Yilu came home from the ministry, dinner was a plate of dried bamboo shoots and a plate of tofu, Da Tian waited for him to wash his hands, Xu Xu asked him about the situation outside the city, he uttered a few perfunctory words tiredly, and walked into the study with a dull head. There was a stack of neatly folded letters on the table, which he forgot to take in the morning. When he saw it, he felt his chest warm up. Looking at the sky, he put the letters in his arms and went to Lingfu Temple.
As soon as he opened the door, there was a cry from outside the window. Far away, maybe a street or two away, was a woman with a mournful voice. He sighed and was about to go out. Comparing the competition, the crying quickly became a piece, continuous and continuous.
No need to guess, it's because of those trees. Xie Yilu retreated back into the room, the letter in his arms became heavy, he took it out, just opened a corner, and saw his exquisitely carved small characters:... I don't know if it meets the king's intention? On the rainy day in March, the garden is full of flowers, their appearance is also beautiful, and their smell is also...
He suddenly crumpled the paper, threw it into a ball of charcoal, someone was going bankrupt, but he was lingering in the interest of the study, but where could he find the anguish in his chest that had nowhere to vent? He randomly tore a piece of paper, held a large brush, dipped it in thick ink, and wrote four words in one stroke: Erwei Yanmei.
Salt grains are salty, plums are sour, without the sourness and saltiness, there will be no taste in the mouth, just like this letter expressing his feelings every day is the only taste of Xie Yilu's days in Nanjing. Without waiting for the ink to dry, he folded the paper casually, pinched it in his hands and pushed the door out. Datian was packing up baskets in the yard, and when he saw him, he hurriedly stood up.
"Open the door." Xie Yilu tightened the net scarf.
Datian dropped the basket and ran in front of him to unbolt the door. The door opened, and there was a man from Dai Wusha standing outside with his hands raised. He was about to knock on the door. Xie Yilu recognized him as the secretary of the Ministry: "There is something wrong. ?”
The secretary made a bow: "Ye Langzhong, please go right away."
It's official business, Xie Yilu turned around, he didn't need to order, Datian had already run out from the house with his official hat in his arms, Xie Yilu took it and put it on, and asked as he walked, "Who is there?"
"My lord, Liu Shilang and Ye Langzhong, and then you, my lord."
They are all important people, and they are all people who are not in Zheng Xi's table. Xie Yilu stopped at his feet: "What's the matter?"
Siwu chuckled: "I don't know, you little one."
Xie Yilu also smiled, this guy knew: "Where is Si Wu from?"
"Little Qian'an people."
"Qian'an," Xie Yilu thought for a while, "are you from the same hometown as Lord Ye?"
The little Siwu kept a secretive look: "Don't dare to climb high." After a while, he whispered uncontrollably, "My family and Ye's family live opposite each other, just across the street."
Xie Yilu was very respectful, stretched out his hand to invite him forward, and took half a step back by himself. The secretary immediately put on a smile and shyly gave way to him. After giving way, he will arrive in a short time. It was time for the Ministry of War, Xie Yilu thought he was going to wait in his office, but he was not expected to be led by the secretary to the door of the master of the Ministry, and he said "be safe", and then went in to report.
As soon as the door was closed and opened, Ye Langzhong came out with his sleeves rolled up, stared at Xie Yilu sharply for a while, and asked him: "Do you know about the weaving bureau's cutting down of trees?"
Xie Yilu bowed his head: "I know."
Ye Langzhong took a step closer: "I'll give you 5,000 people to suppress, do you dare?"
Xie Yilu raised his head abruptly, staring at the superior in disbelief, Ye Langzhong stuck his fingertips out of his sleeve, and pointed in the direction of Xie Yilu's house: "Didn't you hear the cry of the whole city?" ?”
Xie Yilu responded, the admiral of Nanjing weaving eunuch is the big peng among the big pengs, holding the imperial edict in his hand, it is a matter of losing his head: "When will we move?"
"They cut down trees at dawn."
"It's too late to arrange."
"The soldiers have already been ordered, and they are just outside the Shence Gate."
Xie Yilu couldn't help shivering, he knew why they were looking for him, because he was new here, because he had been excluded by the eunuchs, and because he was eager to gain a foothold.
"Master Langzhong!" From afar, Menzi came quickly, holding a famous badge in his hand, Ye Langzhong was obviously annoyed at his interruption, but when he took the badge with his mouth curled up, his expression changed immediately.
Xie Yilu ignored it, he only knew that no matter whether he should or should not, he couldn't do without tonight.
Ye Langzhong was pacing on the spot, pacing up and down, and hurried back to the house. It should be discussed by several people, and he handed out a sentence for a long time: "Let him in!"
Menzi went to lead the man, while Xie Yilu was left in the same place in embarrassment. In a blink of an eye, the man arrived, alone, a young eunuch, tall, looking like a jade tree from a distance, wearing a green blue half-collar gown, moon white stickers, and a plaque The black boots with laces were inconspicuous at first glance, but Xie Yilu found out at a glance that what he was holding was a small official fan with a handle of fifty taels of silver.
The secretary came out to pick up the man, and Xie Yilu was surprised to hear him call the man "Master Mei". The position of the sixth rank petty official.
The secretary directly invited people into the room, but he didn't go in. He came out and stood side by side with Xie Yilu. He was looking at him from outside. Xie Yilu understood: "Who is here?"
Obviously, Si Wu didn't want to talk too much, but the two of them chatted well on the road just now, so he was too embarrassed to push back: "Anyway, you will recognize it sooner or later," he squeezed his voice, "That's Liao Jixiang, the chief steward of the Weaving Bureau, Mea check."
"Me... Acha?" What a weird name.
"Some say he is from the Miao people, and others say that he is from the Yi people. I don't know exactly."
Xie Yilu thought about it for a while: "How about the Weaving Bureau..."
"Yes, there are many foreign eunuchs."
The former Korean eunuch Zhang Cai, the Annan eunuch Ruan Tian, this time the Southwest eunuch Meacha, and the big Yi Shiha whose name looks like a Jurchen: "Isn't Liao Jixiang Han?"
"He's from Han," Si Wu said with certainty, "Before he came to Nanjing, he worked as a gun eunuch in Gansu and Jiayuguan for ten years. Haven't you noticed that all the little pens under his hands have sabers?"
Xie Yilu snorted and said, "What kind of battle can a eunuch fight? It's not that he is domineering and flees in battle."
"Gansu is a bitter place," Si Wu unconsciously rubbed his hands, "In winter, it snows heavily, and you can lose your limbs and feet in the cold. When the Tartars plunder the city in the middle of the night, it doesn't matter if you are a human or a sheep, your stomach will be completely spared." !"
He was talking lively, the door of the hall opened, and Ye Langzhong sent Mea to find out. The two looked a little strange, especially Ye Langzhong, who wanted to talk but couldn't speak.
Meazza didn't even say goodbye, he cupped his fists, turned around and walked along the way he came, but Ye Langzhong stared at his back and shouted recklessly: "Master Mei, go slowly!"
Xie Yilu was very surprised, saying that an eunuch "my lord" is out of line, not to mention being so respectful, Ye Langzhong turned his head thoughtfully, saw Xie Yilu, and said flatly: "You go back."
Xie Yilu stared blankly: "My lord?"
"Go back," Ye Langzhong waved his hands impatiently, "Shencemen will withdraw their troops now."
Xie Yilu's stubbornness came up: "Why?"
Ye Langzhong curled the corners of his mouth in amused manner, his beard twitched slightly: "Why do I have to tell you?"
Xie Yilu was cold, and also laughed: "The eunuch came with a gift list!"
Ye Langzhong was enraged, he flicked his sleeves violently, and walked away.
Meazza did have a gift list in his arms, but it was not for the Ministry of War. Coming out of Liubu Street, he rode past Hongwu Gate and went straight to Zheng Mi's official residence in Taiping Lane. The gatekeeper saw that it was him, so he didn't even ask. , obediently called "Master Mei", and graciously invited him in.
Zheng Xian’s Little Flower Hall is famous in Nanjing official circles, with glass screens and agate hills, Huihui flower-woven carpets, a pair of Siamese red parrots, even the chains that fasten the parrots are pure gold, Meazza sat The pair of parrots lowered their heads and sipped his tea slowly. After waiting for about half an hour, Zheng Mi stumbled out with long hair and clothes.
"It's late at night," Zheng Mi babbled, with a bad temper, and sat down beside Meazza, stepping barefoot on the edge of the chair, "What's the matter, Brother Seven?"
Meazza squinted at him, put down his tea, and said, "Sit upright."
Zheng Mi didn't do what he said right away, and moved his snow-white hands back and forth in his long hair: "Speak quickly if you have something to say, and fart quickly if you have something to say," but slowly, he put his foot on the chair, "Hurry up!" Yes, I'm going to bed."
His lazy, carefree look is very marked, but Meazza, as if he is used to seeing it, reached out and rubbed his chin lightly, there was a fresh tooth mark, just bitten, still Wet: "You won't be able to sleep when you go back, right?"
Zheng Xian frowned slightly, and Jasmine smiled like a flower: "Seventh brother, are you so interesting..."
"Lend me someone," said Meazza suddenly.
Zheng Mi was stunned, straightened his body, stroked his hair and said slowly: "I can lend you as much as you want." Suddenly, he hummed twice with a half-smile, "If others..."
Knowing who he was referring to, Meazza took out the prepared gift list from his pocket, put it on the table, and pushed it in front of him. Zheng Mi didn't even look at it: "What does he need someone for?"
"I'm afraid the common people will make trouble," Meazza rubbed his temples wearily, "there are too many families with pear trees in the city."
Zheng Mi gloated: "It deserves it!" He picked up Meazza's cup of tea, didn't drink it, and played with it in the palm of his hand, "Why is he cutting down trees?"
Meazza said nothing. Zheng Mian waited for a while, tapped the teacup with his long fingers, very mischievously, painted the tea he had drunk on his lips: "Don't say it."
He wanted to get up, but was stopped by Meazza: "Qi Wan is coming."
Zheng Xie immediately leaned over, like a big girl with good deeds: "The old guy is here... to pay tribute to the Long Live Lord?"
Meazza nodded, Zheng Mian suddenly understood, and turned his eyes: "Then you ask Liao Jixiang to borrow troops from the Ministry of War, why bother looking for me."
"Go," Meazza sighed, "the Ministry of War knew about it, but they refused to come forward."
"Oh," Zheng Mi sneered, seeming to be a little angry, "I usually talk about the common people in the world when I have nothing to do, and they are really needed, so they all shrank back!"
Meazza said in a deep voice: "They don't want to have anything to do with the eunuch," Yoyo said, "Old Jiu..."
"Come on, Seventh Brother," Zheng Mi interrupted him, "You will be my Seventh Brother until now, but Liao Jixiang..." He shook his sleeves violently, and his decisive look was somewhat glamorous, "He When I am proud, I will not be in his favor. If he capsizes..." Zheng Mi smiled, "I will definitely step on it."
Meazza grasped his wrist: "They all come from the palace, why bother?"
"It's not that I have trouble with him," Zheng Mi said after a pause, "It's that he looks down on me."
Meazza still wanted to talk, but an old woman hurried up behind her and murmured something into Zheng Mi's ear, Zheng Mi waved Meazza's hand away: "Stop talking, the people in the room are waiting. "
Meazza relaxed his body, leaned back on the back of the chair, and raised his eyebrows: "You hide from me."
Zheng Mi smiled nonchalantly: "I'm in a good mood today, and I took some medicine..." He came closer and blinked playfully, "Now, the mother-in-law has picked up the medicine."
Meazza didn't say anything else, took the gift list back, patted him on the shoulder, and stood up: "Go play your game."
Xie Yilu went to Lingfu Temple from the Ministry of War, and stuffed the letter in the stone lamp. He looked left and right, reluctant to leave. It's just a stone cave eroded by wind and rain, and a letter lover who has never met before, but he seems to be caught in a net and haunted by a demon, talking to the stone lamp alone, and he doesn't want to part with him until he feels cold. home.
As soon as he walked onto the avenue with the lantern in hand, he heard the sound of horseshoes behind him. Before he could avoid the side of the road to take a closer look, the fast horse was approaching like a whirlwind, and it flashed suddenly, revealing a touch of familiar emerald blue.
Meazza! Xie Yilu was sure that he was going in the direction of Jubaomen. It was so late, what was he doing out of the city
Suddenly, there was a gust of wind under the feet, and the candlelight shook violently with the lantern. Xie Yilu hurriedly stabilized the light. At this moment, there was a clanging sound of pecking on the mountain in the north of the city—the Weaving Bureau began to cut down trees.