The two of them were sitting in the side hall, and there was no one else. Wang Zhi didn't hide it: "Actually, since some people were dispatched to Taiyuan to garrison a few years ago, Datong's troops are not sufficient, and there must be priorities and weaknesses when deploying defenses. Minute."
Tang Fan nodded and listened carefully.
Wang Zhi said: "But the strange thing is that these times, the Tatars always seem to be able to detect it in advance. Like last time, we heard that the Tatars will come from the east of Datong, and they will be located in the west of Shuozhou. If you transfer some of them to defend, who knows that those Tatars will go to the side, if there is nothing strange in this, then I really don’t believe it!”
He explained the problem to Tang Fan again: "Even if the Tartars or the White Lotus Sect send meticulous works in the city, those meticulous works must know the news in advance before they can pass the news. It will take time. The people also know that it is too late to send the news back to the Tartar side. This means that there must be someone on our side who is passing the news to them!"
Tang Fan asked, "Who can get the news in advance?"
Wang Zhi: "I and Wang Yue's personal soldiers and confidants know it, but they can't betray us. There are also senior generals in Datong. They have to be appointed and dispatched before going to war, so they will also know. There is also the prefect of Datong, but since the news was leaked, Wang Yue and I have tried to narrow down the group of people at the core of the news, excluding the prefect of Datong."
He paused: "Besides them, I suspect one person."
Tang Fan raised his eyebrows: "Guo Tang?"
Wang Zhi sneered: "Yes, he is a member of the Wan Party, and there is no reason to be with us. It is very likely that in order to bring us down, he will cooperate with the White Lotus Sect!"
Tang Fan frowned slightly: "If this is the case, then it will be a little troublesome. Guo Tang is the governor of Datong, and his duty here is to control you and Wang Yue, and now there is no evidence, if you rashly accuse him, not only will your majesty feel that you and Wang Yue Wang Yue is eradicating dissidents, and even Wan'an and the others will gang up and attack them."
Wang Zhi sighed, as if he was tired from walking, and sat directly on the chair: "So we need evidence, so that they can prove irrefutable! In this matter, neither Wang Yue nor I can interfere, otherwise it will not be enough to win the trust of Your Majesty. And according to the habit of previous years, in about half a month, the Tatars will come to thresh the grain again. We are going to start preparing now, how to prevent the news from leaking again, and find out the source of the meticulous work, and we will entrust this matter. Here's to you."
Threshing is originally a happy event for the people of the Central Plains during the harvest season. He used it here to describe the Tatars coming to loot, but it is quite ironic.
Tang Fan smiled wryly: "You really look down on me. You guys have been looking for someone who hasn't been able to find them for months. How can I be so capable!"
Wang Zhidao: "If it's not difficult, what do you want to do with you? I don't worry about leaving it to others."
Master Tang still wanted to struggle for a while: "Jin Yiwei is better than me in doing this kind of thing, you should ask Guangchuan yourself."
Wang Zhi squinted at him: "Anyway, as long as you take it, can he help you? It's easier to find you than to find him. I'm not interested in talking to his dead face!"
Tang Fan was speechless: "They just did you a big favor. It's not good for you to cross the river and demolish the bridge like this?"
Wang Zhi waved his hand: "I will find a chance to repay this favor, but I don't like talking to him. We are born with different characters, and we don't talk too much. I'm annoyed when I see him, and he must be the same. You Don't worry about it! If you need to investigate carefully, you can come to me, if I'm not here, you can find Ding Rong, and I will explain it to him."
Tang Fan pondered for a moment: "The few fine works you captured in the city earlier, can you find something from him later?"
Wang Zhi nodded: "Yes, those meticulous works have letters on them."
Tang Fan said, "I want to see it."
Wang Zhi said: "In my mansion, I didn't bring my body, I'll bring it back to you."
Tang Fan asked again, "The soldier disappeared, what happened?"
Eunuch Wang, who has always been invincible, sighed rarely. When he was in the capital, he always felt that he was not afraid of the sky and the earth. When he came to Datong, he experienced many winds, frosts, rains and snows, and sparred in world affairs. Only then did he realize that there are many people and things in the world. Can not be controlled.
"The three groups of people disappeared near Weining Haizi when they were chasing the Tartars."
Tang Fan found a place name: "Weining Haizi?"
Wang Zhi: "Yes, the word Haizi comes from the Mongolian language. The locals used to call the lake Haizi. Weining Haizi was one of the big lakes. It was called Xingshui in the former Yuan Dynasty. the name."
Tang Fan: "What's so special about that place?"
Wang Zhi: "Later we asked the local people in Datong. It is said that there is always fog nearby, which makes it easy to lose your way. Some people have disappeared there, but only when the weather is bad, and people rarely run to the place for no reason. Go there."
"In the Barbarian Mountain to the north of it, strange things often happen. According to the people who came back later, they chased to the north of the lake, and suddenly they encountered the fog. Hearing the sound of swords, swords, halberds and the neighing of horses, some soldiers screamed after rushing into the fog and never came back. The remaining few people remembered the previous disappearance rumors, and felt that they had to come back first to report and retreat in time to save them. took a life."
This kind of mysterious description made Tang Fan frown: "Is there only one road left to Weining Haizi, and is there any other way to go?"
Wang Zhi shook his head: "Where Weining Haizi is, there is Manhan Mountain in the north and Matou Mountain in the south. It is in the depression between the two mountains. From the Great Wall to Weining Haizi, there is only one road in the middle that can be unblocked."
"Besides, don't say that there is only one road, even if there are other roads, you can't go easily. You have never been to the grasslands. I don't know that although the grasslands look flat and wide, they are also the easiest to lose your way. Unlike the Tatars who have been galloping on the grassland since childhood, walking along Weining Haizi is the most difficult route to get lost. The Tartars have no way to escape. Do you remember the great victory in the sixteenth year of Chenghua?"
Seeing Tang Fan's nodding, Wang Zhi was slightly ecstatic: "At that time, the little prince of Tartar was only spared, and even their little prince's wife was killed in the battle. That battle was fought near Haizi, Weining. In the past two years, we have fought a lot with the Tatars, and every time we pass by Daihai, everything is safe, but the place suddenly becomes forbidden to enter.
Tang Fan: "Have you tried catching one or two Tartars or White Lotus believers to ask?"
Wang Zhi: "Yes, but coercion uses them, and they are punished in turn. They can't ask them all. They just keep saying that they are sheltered by the gods. It can be seen that these people should be unaware. Only the high-level officials of the White Lotus Sect know the inside story, and if they want to use it to deceive the people below, they naturally cannot let them know the truth."
After listening to the ins and outs, Tang Fan also felt that things were a bit tricky, thinking that the absurd Izumo had warmly invited him to practice Taoism just now, he sighed: "Then since the incident happened in Daihai, you can do it. What is the use of a Taoist priest to exorcise evil spirits in the General Military Mansion?"
Wang Zhi: "The white lotus sect demons use some sorcery to deal with us, and we naturally have to change the color. Izumo said that those chicken blood can ward off evil spirits, and they can also counteract the spells of the white lotus demons. I would rather believe what they have, not Believe it or not, do you want to find Yunzi and splash it when you look back?"
Master Tang supported his forehead: "No need, thank you for your kindness!"
After saying goodbye to Wang Zhi, Tang Fan just walked out of the side hall when he saw Sui Zhou standing in the garden with his hands behind his back.
Butterfly dancing in the garden is like a good spring.
When Tang Fan approached, the other party didn't turn his head back: "Finished talking?"
From the tone of voice, Sui Zhou clearly knew who was walking behind him.
Tang Fan couldn't help but be surprised: "How do you know it's me?"
Only then did Sui Zhou look back: "I recognize your footsteps."
Experts are extraordinary, and Tang Fan has long been numb to this.
"Where's Commander Wang?"
"There's something going on at the barracks, call him away."
As the two walked out, Tang Fan asked, "What is he looking for from you?"
Suizhou said: "Inquire about the latest developments in the capital, ask me to speak a few words of kindness to him in front of Your Majesty, and send me a stack of silver notes."
Tang Fan couldn't help laughing: "What's the denomination?"
Sui Zhou glanced at him: "Ten sheets, one hundred taels each."
Tang Fan sighed, "Sure enough!"
There was a sedan chair waiting outside, Pang Qi, Ding Rong and others were also outside. Seeing the two of them come out, Ding Rong hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Two adults, Duke Wang ordered the young to send the two to the official post in the city to stay. The place was just renovated some time ago, and the place is no worse than the general military mansion, Wang Gong said that he can't keep the two to live with him now, please forgive me."
Of course, Wang Zhi and Wang Yue didn't dare to keep Tang Fan and the others, because there was a Guo Tang staring at them. If Tang Fan and the others lived in the General Military Mansion or the eunuch's mansion, when they turned around, Guo Tang would deduct one for them. accusations of collusion.
Tang Fan nodded: "It's okay, you lead the way."
Ding Rong responded and asked Tang Fan and others to get on the sedan chair, then explained the location to the sedan chairman and sent them to the official post.
The official post is actually not far from the General Military Mansion, and as Ding Rong said, the interior has been renovated, and the decoration is not much better than that of a good inn. There is even a spacious bath pool. Of course, this is only provided for Officials like Tang Fan and Suizhou bathe, Pang Qi and the others are not qualified.
As soon as Tang Fan arrived on the front foot, the people from Wang Zhi's back foot arrived, and he also brought a few letters, which were the ones he had mentioned to Wang Zhi before, the letters found from Xiao Zuo's body.
He didn't even bother to wash and change clothes, he took the letter and opened it up.
The letters were filled with information about the city of Datong, such as where the granary was, the movement of the Ming army, and which city gate to go out from on a certain day and so on.
Among them, there is also a letter saying that the strength of the Ming army has changed in Pianguan County, and I am afraid that it will be transferred away soon.
Although Wang Zhi and the others found these letters in time, it was later proved that the news was still spreading like wildfire. The Tatars were informed of the news in advance, so they not only bypassed the defense of the Ming army in time, but also chose to attack the weak areas, which made the Ming army exhausted. .
Afterwards, Wang Zhi and the others interrogated the people who carried the letters, but they couldn't find anything, because the people who brought the letters out of the city didn't even know how to read, and they just took silver taels to help deliver the letters.
Tang Fanwang turned to Suizhou: "What do you think?"
Sui Zhou thought for a while: "Maybe they have other covert methods to transmit news. These letters are just to hide people's eyes and ears, and they made news on purpose."
Tang Fan nodded, Sui Zhou's opinion coincided with his.
"Wang Zhi said that Guo Tang is the most suspect."
Suizhou said: "It's not impossible."
Although his words are few, he is very cautious, never jumping to conclusions before the truth is known.
Tang Fan was used to his style for a long time, and he said: "Guo Tang is not an ordinary person, and it is impossible for the Governor's Mansion to let us in and search, so please let Yan Li and the others treat the Governor's Mansion more during this time. Keep an eye on it and report it in time if there is any movement."
Suizhou said concisely: "Okay."
Tang Fan stretched his waist: "It seems that this Datong city is really like muddy water, and you can't even see what fish are swimming below."
Suizhou: "Are you going to look at it like this?"
Tang Fan: "For now, it can only be like this."
Sui Zhou raised his eyebrows, how much he knew about this man, he didn't believe that the other party was really prepared to stand by.
Seeing his apparent disbelief, Tang Fan smiled mysteriously: "Actually, I just gave Wang Zhi an idea."
The next day, Tang Fan and Suizhou visited Datong Governor Guo Tang.
The latter also received them warmly. Everyone exchanged greetings and said a lot of nonsense and innocuous words. Guo Tang sat with them for a whole morning, and stayed for dinner again and again. farewell.
Guo Tong personally sent them to the door, only to feel back pain and dry mouth.
However, there is no way to do this. The most common scene in officialdom is such a scene of socializing and socializing. Tang Fan and the others have just arrived in Datong.
But the two sides are clearly not from the same camp, so there is nothing to say other than polite greetings.
Therefore, not only Tang Fan Suizhou felt tired, but Guo Tang, the owner, must also be physically and mentally exhausted.
After coming out of the Governor's Mansion, Tang Fan and Sui Zhou just wandered around the city at will.
The climate in early spring is warm and cold, and it seems to be a bit colder than the capital. It is obvious that spring shirts can be seen everywhere in the capital, but many people here are only wearing slightly thinner winter clothes.
However, the beauty-loving nature of women cannot be concealed anywhere. The newly fashionable silver-trimmed Ru skirts in Beijing are also popular here, and many young girls from good families have already put on this dress.
It is estimated that because the border town is more open than the capital city, the colors of these women's clothes are also bolder. Tones such as pink, rose, red and orange can be seen everywhere, which makes people feel that this is not a border town where war can be ignited at any time. , but Jiangnan with beautiful flowers and rain.
"Does it look good?" A question suddenly came from the side.
"It's pretty, don't you think?" Tang Fan asked back.
Everyone has a heart for beauty and ugliness. Even if they don’t hold dirty thoughts, they will feel good just by looking at these pink lips and brightly dressed couples with admiration.
Tang Fan was wearing deep lake blue clothes today. He didn't have a crown on his head. He simply tied his hair on top of his head and fastened it with a hosta as if he were in the capital. However, if a person is born well, he does not need any complicated dress up to embellish it.
The simpler it is, the more it can bring out the beauty of beauty.
Along the way, I don't know how many eyes lingered on Tang Fan, but he didn't realize it himself, and was looking at others.
Little do they know that he has become a beauty in the eyes of others.
"I don't think so." Suizhou replied coldly.
There were one or two daring girls who seemed to want to talk to Tang Fan for an excuse, but they were scared away by the two cold eyes around him, and had to hide their faces and flee.
Tang Fan touched his nose and took his eyes away from them. Just as he was about to say something witty, he saw Ding Rong hurried over from the official post all the way.
"The two adults can make the little ones easy to find!" Ding Rong said, "Master Chief Bing and Duke Wang invite the two adults to discuss matters."
Master Tang was disillusioned with the idea of visiting Datong City, so he had no choice but to say, "Let's go then."
Suizhou: "I won't go."
Ding Rong looked embarrassed: "This, Wang Gong said that he wants to invite both of you..."
Before he finished speaking, Sui Zhou had already turned around and walked away several steps.
Ding Rong's eyes straightened: "..."
He has been by Wang Zhi's side for many years. Many people don't look at the monk's face and look at the Buddha's face, and they are very polite to him. Like Sui Zhou, who directly ignores him to the end, this is the first time Ding Rong has seen him. Can't react.
It wasn't until someone poked his shoulder that he looked at Tang Fan blankly.
The latter asked him, "Aren't you going yet?"
Ding Rong smiled wryly and shook his head: "Are you sitting in a sedan chair?"
Tang Fan: "No, I didn't take a few steps when I came here before, just walk over there."
Ding Rong said with a bitter face: "You will be the only one to go later. Wang Gong knows that he will punish the younger!"
Tang Fan's old god is there: "No, Guangchuan won't go, your father Wang can't wait, just put your heart back in your stomach."
Sure enough, as Tang Fan said, Wang Yue and Wang Zhi didn't say anything when they saw that only Tang Fan came.
In addition to the two of them, there was also Guo Tang, governor of Datong, whom Tang Fan had only met not long ago.
The four of them greeted each other first, and then took their seats separately.
Wang Yue cleared his throat and said first: "Today, I invite everyone to gather at the General Military Mansion because Governor Guo said that there is something to discuss. Governor Guo, since everyone has already arrived, you can say anything if you have anything."
Guo Tang said: "Xiaguan has just received an official letter from the capital."
When this statement came out, everyone was stunned.
Wang Yue asked, "What did the official letter say?"
Guo Tang said: "The reply from the capital of Weining Haizi is, let us send someone to investigate. If it is confirmed that it is really related to the White Lotus Sect, we will send troops to destroy it, so as not to escalate the situation."
As soon as he spoke, Wang Yue frowned and said, "Is the reply from the capital the cabinet's reply or the reply from His Majesty?"
Being stared at by the other party's eyes, Guo Tang really didn't dare to say that it was His Majesty's answer, because this kind of answer was too mentally retarded and looked down on Wang Yue's IQ too much, so he had to be careless: "Is this very important, in a word, no matter what. Whether it is the Cabinet or His Majesty's answer, as local officials, we should all obey."
"That's a big difference!" Wang Yue sneered. "You just say it's the cabinet's reply! Send troops to destroy? They really don't have back pain when they stand and talk. Is it impossible to be Datong when Weining Haizi is? Let us come in when we want, and go out when we want?!"
"Master Chief Bing, don't be impatient, first listen to what the governor has to say." Tang Fan said aloud.
Guo Tang coughed lightly: "The number of people who have disappeared three times in a row is not a small number. The court always wants to investigate. We are talking about disappearance here, so what is the method of disappearance, even the shadow of the white lotus sect's demons has not been seen. Now, it’s really hard to explain when I go back. I don’t care, whether it’s Wang Zongbing, Wang Gong, or Tang Yushi, I guess you don’t want to see this happen?”
Wang Yue looked at him coldly: "What about your opinion?"
Guo Tan said: "Send someone to investigate again. We must understand the situation of Haizi in Weining. Otherwise, as soon as the Tartars come, they will run away after the fight. The morale of the army must be a heavy blow."
Wang Yue said: "Guo Governor said it very vividly, why don't you lead the troops to investigate?"
Guo Tang was displeased: "Master Chief Bing, please don't mess around. I am a counselor in military affairs, not directly involved in military affairs. The imperial court sent me here to assist you. If I lead the troops, who will be the governor? ?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard someone say: "Guo Governor's words are reasonable, and the lower official also thinks that he should send someone to explore the way."
Guo Tang turned his head blankly, just in time to meet Tang Fan's agreeable look.
He was very inexplicable, thinking that Tang Fan was not on their side, why did he speak for himself now
Who knows, this is not the only thing that happened. After Tang Fan finished speaking, Wang Zhi also said: "Yes, I defeated the Tartars many times before Daming, and beat them to the ground. Seeing that even the Hetao is within easy reach, it makes no sense now. I was scared off by a mere magic trick, no matter how bad it is, we still have Izumoko here!"
Guo Tang couldn't help but widen his eyes. Even Wang Zhi, who usually wears a pair of trousers with Wang Yue, was on his side. What happened today
In the previous battles, Guo Tang was defeated every time, precisely because once the three had disputes, it was Wang Yue and Wang Zhi who joined forces to deal with him alone.
He also really hated and feared the aggressive aura of those two guys, but at that time Wang Yue and Wang Zhi gasped out of one nostril. He was alone and had no right to speak, so he had to frequently complain to Beijing. Thinking that the capital finally heard his voice and sent two helpers over, who knew that when he saw the list of people, Guo Tang's heart was half cold.
Tang Fan and Suizhou, who didn't know that they had conflicts with Wandang? Does Mr. Wange let these two people come here because he wants them to unite with Wang Zhi and make fun of himself
But today, when I look at it, why doesn't it seem to be the case at all
But before he could come up with any result, Wang Yue sneered: "Gangqing these soldiers were not brought out by Wang Gong himself, so you don't feel bad at all? But I feel bad! It's not like we didn't send someone out to investigate. I've tried it, but what's the result every time? All of them are missing! I don't believe in the prairie, there is no other way to go except Weining Haizi!"
Wang Zhi replied: "Even if there is another way, but every time the Tatars follow that way, why can't we go?"
Wang Yue said, "Did Wang Gong ever think that if the people sent out disappear again, how shaken it will be for the army? At that time, everyone knows that the Tartars have the power of ghosts and gods, so what kind of battles will they be fighting?"
Wang Zhi said: "As Governor Guo said, if the Ming army can't retreat, the damage to morale will only be greater. General Wang has led the troops for many years, so why would one day suddenly become timid? How can it be better?"
Wang Yue's face was ugly: "Don't forget Wang Gong, I am the commander of Datong, and I have the right to decide whether to send troops!"
Wang Zhi sneered: "Don't forget, who brought you today, and if you didn't have me, would you be able to become the Datong general soldier and make so many military exploits?"
Guo Bor was taken aback for a moment, obviously it was the topic he raised first, but how did the two of them end up quarreling by themselves
Moreover, the two of them are tit for tat, full of gunpowder, and they are in a stance of fighting when they disagree.
Although Wang Yue was from a civil service background, he had long since cultivated a murderous aura after leading the army for so many years. Not to mention Wang Zhi, if it wasn't for his white face, others would not associate him with his identity as an eunuch at all.
"Well, both of you should calm down and talk about it if you have something to say!"
When the two had a conflict, Guo Tang was naturally delighted in his heart, but on the surface, he naturally had to persuade him with good words and pretend.
Someone next to him tugged at his sleeve.
Guo Tang bowed his head, but it was Tang Fan.
Tang Fan whispered to him, "Procurator Guo, don't persuade him. When I first came here yesterday, the two of you had a fight once."
Guo boring snorted and asked in a low voice, "How do you say?"
Tang Fan Nunuzui: "I was asked by Your Majesty to ask about the recent war. As a result, these two began to shirk their responsibilities from each other. If I hadn't stopped them, the quarrel would have been even more fierce."
Guo Tang was stunned, no wonder why he felt that the atmosphere was not right when he came in just now, dare Wang Zhi and Wang Yue have had a feud
After he came to Datong, he had been pressed and beaten by these two people, and now he suddenly found out that the alliance that seemed solid was actually not solid.
But Guo Tang couldn't show his schadenfreude too obviously, he coughed lightly: "Zongbing Wang is too stubborn, and he refuses to send troops to the left or right. This is not good for the overall situation!"
Tang Fan followed suit and sighed, "Who said it wasn't, if the Tartars knew we were in an infighting, they might be so happy!"
The two were whispering to each other, but Wang Zhi and Wang Yue were talking louder and louder, and finally they fell out. Wang Zhi walked away, regardless of whether Guo Tang and Tang Fan were still sitting in the hall.
Wang Yue gave them a wry smile: "Let the two of you see a joke!"
Guo Bor still wanted to say two polite words, but Tang Fan asked what Guo Bor wanted to ask most: "Master Chief Bing, should we send or not send this person?"
Wang Yue was annoyed: "You all agree. What's the use of my objection. The two imperial envoys are here. If both of them go to the capital to sue me, I can't afford it!"
Guo Tang laughed dryly: "Master Chief Soldier has been thinking too much, it's not like this, it's not like this!"
Wang Yue said: "People are going to send, but not now."
Guo Tang asked: "When was that? Please give me some time, so that the lower officials can report to the court."
Wang Yue said: "The weather has been bad these few days. I'm afraid the fog in Weining Haizi is even bigger. The Tartars will probably pick this time to come and loot. Let's deal with this battle first, and I'll go tomorrow. Datong Zuowei and Yunchuanwei are on tour, so I won't say hello to the two of them, please."
He picked up the tea cup and showed his attitude of seeing off guests.
Guo Bor and Tang Fan had to get up and say goodbye.
The two walked out of the General Military Mansion.
Because of today's quarrel between Wang Yue and Wang Zhi, Tang Fan agreed with Guo Tang's opinion, but the two of them showed a little sympathy for each other.
Guo Tang also felt that maybe he could win over Tang Fan and pull him to his side.
He couldn't help complaining: "Master Chief Bing's temper is so irritable, it's no wonder that even Duke Wang can't stand him!"
Tang Fan smiled: "He was also annoyed by us. If he changed his normal life, he wouldn't be like this."
Guo Tang shook his head: "I still don't know how to write the memorial to the court!"
Tang Fan said: "Master Chief Soldier is in charge of every day, we should always be considerate of him. Besides, if the Tartar attack is imminent, it really shouldn't be sloppy."
Guo Tang sneered: "What kind of Tartars are attacking, he said the same thing last time, but he didn't come. In fact, he, the general soldier of Datong, is nothing more than that. Maybe all the credits in the past were all the killing of good people. Well done!"
Tang Fan was surprised: "Guo Governor, it's not easy to talk nonsense, we have just left the general military mansion. If Wang Zongbing hears, we will not be served with our military sticks, this is not in the capital!"
Guo Bor obviously also experienced Wang Yue's agility, and immediately fell silent.
The two said a few more words and then parted ways to leave. Guo Tang still had official business to deal with, so he returned to the governor's mansion first, while Tang Fan went directly to the eunuch's mansion in a small sedan chair.
On the Suizhou side, after he parted with Tang Fan, he walked to the city gate alone, and on the way he met the general manager Meng Cun who had brought them into the city before.