Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 547 Traveling to Liaoyang
Tang Yicheng left trembling. Then, Lu Jianxing closed the door.

"What?" Lu Wenzhao asked with a chuckle, "You want to sleep next to me? Tonight."

Lu Jianxing was stunned for a moment, then laughed dryly, "Haha, sir, you're joking."

"Then you can go back and rest by yourself. We still have to travel tomorrow." Lu Wenzhao stood up and stretched vigorously.

"Sir, is there something wrong with Guangning's case?" Lu Jianxing came over and held the candle for Lu Wenzhao.

"No problem, it's fine, at least that's what I think." Lu Wenzhao finally couldn't help but yawn. He felt like his whole brain was numb after almost no rest all day.

"What did you say just now?" Lu Jianxing glanced sideways at the door.

"I just wanted to scare him. It's better if fewer people know we are here," said Lu Wenzhao.

"Then why not just send a brother back." Lu Jianxing followed Lu Wenzhao to the bedside.

"There's no need for that. It doesn't matter if this matter is made public," Lu Wenzhao said. "Besides, even if we don't report it, they will find out sooner or later."

"Then why?" Lu Jianxing was confused.

"It's a matter of attitude. I can't know and not inform. As the emperor's eyes and ears, we can be meticulous about everything, even repeating ourselves, but we absolutely cannot withhold information." Lu Wenzhao untied his belt and tossed his coat onto the rack. "Otherwise, why would the higher-ups send us out here? To see the scenery? Even if we see the scenery, we have to write a travelogue."

"Oh." Lu Jianxing nodded thoughtfully.

"Oh shit, go to your own room." Lu Wenzhao didn't avoid people at all and directly untied his belt.

"Yes." Lu Jianxing blew out the lamp wick, groped his way into the darkness of the night, and left Lu Wenzhao's room.

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After bidding farewell to Yizhou, our next stop was Haizhou. The distance from Yizhou to Haizhou was nearly 400 li, of which 100 li was the return trip.

When they arrived at Xiaolinghe Posthouse, they heard an exciting piece of good news: the enemy had withdrawn, Shenyang was safe, and the governor Xiong Tingbi had returned to Liao.

While Yuan Keli was excited, a shadow of uncertainty loomed within him. If the imperial decree proved correct, the enemy would shift their strategic focus to Korea. Having been entrusted with such a significant task less than six months after his reinstatement, one could imagine the pressure on Yuan Keli.

Yuan Keli had already made up his mind to die. He hadn't thought of returning alive since this trip. He wasn't afraid of death, but he was afraid of betraying the emperor's kindness and dying without being able to serve his country.

The team spent the night at Xiaolinghe Posthouse and continued their journey early the next morning.

When they were almost at Yaozhou Posthouse, they ran into a transport team that was slowly moving, pulling a dozen large boxes.

The transport convoy itself wasn't surprising, but the vanguard and rearguard of this cavalry were fully dressed cavalry, and even the leader was Ding Bi, the Lieutenant General of Haizhou. The sheer scale of this display made it hard not to be intrigued.

Relying on the disguised identity of the new Zhenjiang military councilor, Yuan Keli easily met Ding Bi and the distinguished guests protected by Ding Bi - several eunuchs who went to Guangning Zhongwei to open a bank.

The eunuchs' leader was a man in his thirties, in the prime of his life. Apart from his beardlessness, he looked like an ordinary man.

The leading eunuch was not shy about talking about himself. There was even a hint of boasting in his expression. During the conversation, Yuan Keli and the others learned that this eunuch had previously held an idle job at the Military Affairs Bureau and had secured this lucrative assignment by becoming a disciple of the eunuch Wei Chao. As a gesture of filial piety, the eunuch had simply given up his original surname and adopted it, following Wei Chao's lead.

Eunuch Wei also told Yuan Keli that they had originally planned to settle in Zhongwei, Guangning. However, with Nurhaci's invasion of Shenyang, a crisis throughout Liaodong, Eunuch Ma Xiandian, the head of the Shandong branch of the Liaodong Bank, worried that the bank's funds might be stolen or otherwise compromised, so he temporarily suspended the Guangning branch. Only after news arrived from Shenyang that the situation had been lifted did Eunuch Ma allow them to depart westward for Guangning.

Ding Bi was loaned to Eunuch Ma by the Liaodong government. Eunuch Ma lacked military authority, and Ding Bi could not leave Haizhou Garrison without permission. However, they were to transport hundreds of thousands of taels of silver and banknotes. Zhang Quan, the military governor of Jin Fuhai, was concerned about the money, so he formally sent a note to Liaoyang on behalf of the military preparation office, hoping that they would allow Ding Bi to personally lead the troops and deliver the money, along with Eunuch Wei and his men, to Guangning.

Xiong Tingbi naturally would not refuse such a legitimate request. He immediately agreed to Zhang Quan's request and allowed Ding Bi to temporarily leave Haizhou and escort Eunuch Wei to Guangning.

Because they met on the way, there was no room for conversation, so Lu Wenzhao suppressed the idea of ​​revealing his identity to curry favor with Eunuch Wei and never appeared as a Jinyiwei. However, he also made up his mind that after arriving in Haizhou, he must pay a proper visit to Eunuch Ma's wharf.

Lu Wenzhao was well aware that mid-level eunuchs sent to remote areas during the pioneering era were guaranteed promotions in the future, provided they didn't make major mistakes and discredit themselves. Putting aside the long-term implications, the title of "Head of the Shandong Branch of the Bank of China" alone indicated that Eunuch Ma would likely drop the "Bank" title and take up the position of Shandong Branch Head. If such an eunuch returned to the capital, he would likely be assigned to the bank's headquarters or even the Imperial Household Department. Currying favor with him early on would only benefit him.

But unfortunately, Eunuch Ma is not in Haizhou.

Eunuch Ma was well aware of his role. Although he came from the imperial court, he was no angelic envoy like Gao Huai, whose words carried the weight of heaven. To accomplish his mission, to fulfill his duties, to resign and take up the position of Shandong branch manager, as Lu Wenzhao imagined and hoped, he would do, he absolutely could not do without the assistance of the Liaodong region.

Therefore, after the victory news from Shenyang reached Haizhou, Eunuch Ma not only dispatched Eunuch Wei, who was stranded in the city, to Guangning, but also, the day after Eunuch Wei left Guangning, he set off north to Liaoyang to pay a visit and thank the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State Affairs. The eunuch also wanted to build connections.

Therefore, Yuan Keli and Lu Wenzhao only met Zhang Quan, the military governor of Jin Fuhai, in Haizhou, who had turned Tianjin across the sea upside down with a single question and indirectly led to the dismissal of Li Changgeng, the Minister of Finance, pending investigation.

Like Yang Lian, Zhang Quan also warmly welcomed Yuan Keli, a senior who had passed the imperial examination long ago, with the etiquette of a junior student. However, the two did not have much to talk about when it came to official business.

Haizhou was deep in the hinterland, and even during the 47th year of the Wanli reign, when Liao forces were at their worst, large groups of slave bandits could still be seen. However, ever since Xiong Tingbi arrived and began to enforce military discipline throughout the region, establishing a Liao defense line centered around the four garrisons of Shen, Feng, Hu, and Wei, there has been no further incidents of slave chieftains invading Haizhou and attempting to cut off the supply route.

In other words, although Zhang Quan was constantly busy, his hair falling out in clumps, it was all about trivial matters like the transportation of grain and livestock. Apart from the major event he had initiated, the diversion of sea transport, there was almost nothing to talk about.

Despite the busy schedule in Guangning, Yuan Keli decided to arrive that day and leave the next. With less to do in Haizhou, Yuan Keli decided not to stay any longer. The team stayed only one night, and the morning after their visit with Zhang Quan, Yuan Keli and Lu Wenzhao packed up and set off north to Liaoyang.

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Haizhou and Liaoyang are a hundred miles apart, and if you travel quickly and non-stop, you can reach them in one day. However, Yuan Keli decided to stop at Anshan Post Station between Haizhou and Liaoyang first, rest for a night, and then set off again.

Six days after leaving Yizhou Wei, Yuan Keli and Lu Wenzhao completed the 500-li journey from Yizhou to Liaoyang. In the bright early summer morning, they could see the Liaodong capital, which was surrounded by trenches and had tall towers and fortified cities, from afar.

Since Yuan Keli was disguised as a military officer in Zhenjiang and a political advisor, his official rank was lower than that of the Liaodong Governor and Liaodong Governor, and Lu Wenzhao, who accompanied him, did not publicly display his Jinyiwei status, neither Xiong Tingbi nor Yuan Yingtai left the city to greet him. Even though they had received a note from Anshan Post before Yuan Keli arrived,

Although neither Xiong Tingbi nor Yuan Yingtai came out of the city to greet him, they were not so arrogant. As soon as they heard the doorman's clerk announce the visit of Yuan Keli, the new Zhenjiang Military Affairs Councillor, they immediately dressed neatly and came out from the depths of the government office to greet him.

"I am Yuan Keli. I pay my respects to General Xiong and Governor Yuan." After completing the act, Yuan Keli was the first to salute.

"I am General Lu Wenzhao. I pay my respects to General Xiong and Governor Yuan." Lu Wenzhao also followed suit and performed the salute of a low-ranking official.

Xiong Tingbi returned the greeting with a bow before warmly approaching. "Li Qing, Dalai and I were just talking about you." After a few days of recuperation, Xiong Tingbi's condition had improved significantly, but a closer look revealed a lingering trace of illness.

Yuan Keli was somewhat surprised by Xiong Tingbi's enthusiasm. He bowed again and said, "I am sorry for being late and keeping General Xiong and Governor Yuan waiting. I hope you will forgive me."

"Hey, I was prepared to wait for you for a long time. But Li Qing, it didn't take you that long to walk around, did it?" Xiong Tingbi even joked, "Come on, come on, come on, you must be tired, come in and sit down, come in and sit down!"

Xiong Tingbi had already made up his mind that no matter whether Yuan Keli had any connection with Xu Guangqi, as long as he did not get in the way and was still obedient, he would be treated with normal courtesy.

"Excuse me." Yuan Keli nodded and walked into the yamen, pausing slightly to wait for Lu Wenzhao.

Lu Wenzhao followed him in, but neither Xiong Tingbi nor Yuan Yingtai paid any attention to him. In Liaodong, a place full of high-ranking military officers, a military officer wearing a fifth-rank official uniform didn't even have the qualifications to meet with the governor or governor alone. Orders came from above, and they just had to be followed.

Yuan Keli and Lu Wenzhao followed Xiong and Yuan to the reception room of the yamen. When they arrived, hot tea and cold snacks were already served.

There were only three sets of refreshments: one set for each of the two main seats facing south, and one set for the first guest seat to the left of the main seat.

"Come, please take a seat." Xiong Tingbi smiled and led Yuan Keli to the guest seat.

Looking at the unique tea and snacks, Yuan Keli suddenly felt a little embarrassed. He immediately sat down and turned to look at Lu Wenzhao who was following him silently.

Xiong Tingbi's gaze was drawn to Yuan Keli, and his brows couldn't help but frown slightly: Where did this young man come from? He's too unruly.

However, Xiong Tingbi did not say much. The Liaodong Governor did not need to issue the order to expel the fifth-rank military officer.

Xiong Tingbi only gave the clerk serving the tea party a look, and the clerk stepped forward to drive Lu Wenzhao away: "General, please follow me to rest somewhere else for a while."

Lu Wenzhao did not move, but just smiled and looked back at Yuan Keli who turned around.

Yuan Keli had originally intended to exchange pleasantries before asking Xiong Tingbi for a private room to discuss the matter. But given the situation, it would be rude for him not to speak. "Xiong Jinglie, Governor Yuan. This is Captain Lu of the East Office of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Jinyiwei?" Xiong Tingbi was stunned for a moment, and Yuan Yingtai was also obviously stunned.

"My name is Lu Wenzhao. I am trusted by His Majesty and currently work in the East Office." Lu Wenzhao suddenly recalled the scene in Li Guangrong's tent a few days ago.

"Watch the tea!" Xiong Tingbi didn't ask any more questions and directly gave orders to the clerk serving the tea department.

The clerk took the blame and bowed to Lu Wenzhao. "I'm blind and ignorant. I hope you will forgive me for my mistake."

Lu Wenzhao smiled and waved his hand.

"Excuse me." The clerk bowed again before retreating.

"Please take a seat." Xiong Tingbi had already regarded Lu Wenzhao as an imperial envoy who was inspecting Liao on behalf of the emperor and carrying a secret decree, so he simply gave up his seat.

Yuan Yingtai was also very perceptive. Seeing this, he immediately ordered the nearby yamen runners to help carry Xiong Tingbi and his own tea to the guest seat. If Lu Wenzhao was truly an imperial envoy, carrying an imperial decree, then no one could sit with him until he had completed his inquiries concerning matters of concern to the emperor. If he shouted "Imperial edict" or "There is an imperial decree," everyone present would have to kneel.

Lu Wenzhao was stunned at first, not quite understanding what these two frontier officials were doing. But he soon understood the meaning of this courtesy.

Lu Wenzhao's face paled, and he shrank back, a look of deep trepidation. "I dare not, I dare not. I have no orders for you." Lu Wenzhao could pretend he was on a mission to investigate Guangning's case, but Xiong Tingbi and Yuan Yingtai's courtesy was excessive. He dared not accept it.

"Ah, you don't have an imperial decree?" Xiong Tingbi didn't understand again. He really wanted to ask Lu Wenzhao: Why did you come to Liaodong without an imperial decree, and why are you so mysterious?

"General Xiong," Yuan Keli interrupted, "I have something important to discuss with you. Could you please lend me a private room to discuss this?"

"Heh. I was wondering why my left eyelid kept twitching when I woke up this morning. So it was waiting for me here." Xiong Tingbi suddenly laughed, "Come on, sign the bond with me."

(End of this chapter)