Nanming Engineer

Chapter 362 The Eunuch's Butt

Meng Qiaofang's governor's yamen is located on the south side of the west side of Xi'an City. Not far from the door is the bustling West Street, but because of the high-walled compound, it is quiet in the middle of the noise. Turning a corner into Nanyuan Street, you can't hear it at all. To the hustle and bustle of the busy city within walking distance, it seems that there are two worlds separated by one street.

There are several courtyards in the yamen, several sets of entrances and exits, and the construction is square and neat, and the seams are tight.It was originally a part of the imperial city of the Tang Dynasty. After the reconstruction and expansion of Jingzhao Mansion in the Song Dynasty and Fengyuan Road in the Yuan Dynasty, plus the careful decoration of the chief envoy of the Ming Dynasty and the Governor of Shaanxi in the Qing Dynasty, Meng Qiaofang, it has become more gorgeous despite the wind and rain. , the imperial courts of all dynasties have regarded this place as the seat of Shaanxi Province, with a profound foundation of Fengshui prosperity.

Now this place has become Meng Zhiyu's governor's yamen. Officials, big and small, come in and out, move tables and clear cabinets, sweep and clean, and prepare for the opening of the governor of Shaanxi in the Ming Dynasty.

In the very depths of the backyard, there is a courtyard, which was originally a guest room for temporary accommodation in the back house. Because the military barracks outside the city are also being rebuilt, Wang Huan has no place to live, so he temporarily settles in it.

At this time, many people crowded into the main hall of the courtyard. Headed by Wang Huan, the three battalion commanders of the Kuizhou Army, the governor Meng Zhiyu, the spy chief Chen Xiang, and the guard captain Ma Wannian, all of them were strong men sitting or standing. , crowded the small main hall to the brim.

Everyone's eyes were on a chair in the middle of the main hall. There was nothing surprising about the chair, but the person sitting on it.

This man was wearing a tattered sackcloth with more holes than fishing nets. He was almost naked, and he could smell a foul smell from a long distance away. It smelled like he hadn't bathed for at least a month. Almost, so dirty that you can't see the true color, your feet are barefoot, with mud all over your feet, and you don't even have a pair of straw sandals.

Looking at the long portrait again, it has a horse face with a broad forehead, a pair of cheekbones protruding like two glutinous rice balls, slender eyes are slack, and the hair is messy and shiny, and it is randomly tied in a knot on the top of the head, like a pile. Scattered hemp ropes; his body was thin and ugly, his skin was as black as black charcoal, and the linen clothes were already wide, and it seemed to be wrapped in a sack, as empty as a skeleton inside.

At this moment, under the watchful eyes of Wang Huan and others, this person is concentrating on a large bowl of gruel and a few steamed buns. Seeing him gobbling it up, he is no different from a refugee who has been hungry for a long time.

Meng Zhiyu wrinkled her nose, stretched out her hand to slap her face, and asked Chen Xiang in a low voice: "Is this man really Ma Mingtu, a senior official in the imperial court? Is there any mistake? Why does he look like a beggar?"

Prime Minister Chen had no expression on his face, rolled his eyes at him, and said in a low voice: "He has the imperial edict on him and a small copper seal indicating his identity. It cannot be faked. It is just left there. You can go and check it yourself."

Meng Zhiyu glanced at the table next to Wang Huan's seat. There was a small and short bamboo tube on the table. There was another roll of paper and a small seal next to it. The roll of paper and copper seal were small enough to fit into the bamboo tube. , should be what Chen Xiang said.

He was even more surprised, and asked again: "He took these things, dare to go to Shanxi? If he is caught by the Qing army, he will be beheaded."

Chen Xiang's face twitched slightly, and he replied almost inaudibly: "The bamboo tube was taken out of his valley."

Meng Zhiyu seemed to be infected, the muscles on his face twitched immediately, his legs tightened reflexively, he couldn't help but look at the bamboo tube again, gasped and murmured: " That makes sense, that makes sense."

The two were chatting, but Wang Huan kept watching Ma Mingtu who was eating, and waited patiently. He had just pinched his nose to look at the contents of the bamboo tube, confirming the identity of the beggar in front of him.

The Zhaoqing court had already contacted Shanxi Jiang Yu, and there was a tacit understanding and commitment. Wang Huan knew about it, otherwise he would not have been allowed to send troops to support him. The risk of losing your head and getting hemorrhoids is very rare.

Judging from Ma Ming's eating appearance, the eunuch hadn't had a full meal for a long time. Wang Huan didn't dare to give him a big fish and meat right away, because it would easily overwhelm him to death.

Although the bowl is big and the steamed buns are big, it didn't take long for Ma Mingtu to eliminate them. After licking the sea bowl clean, he poked a piece of rice from the corner of his mouth into his mouth with his tongue, smashed it, and ate it deliciously.

"Have you eaten, Eunuch Ma?" Wang Huan said with a smile.

"Fifty percent full, but it's done, let's talk about the business first." Ma Mingtu's demeanor also rose with the food for his stomach, his back straightened, and the majesty of Yongli's favored minister regained his vigor and vitality. If it weren't for the stench and tattered clothes, it would be enough to overwhelm many people.

He bowed to Wang Huan, then to the southeast, and said: "Our family set off from Zhaoqing three months ago. We traveled all the way alone at dawn and night, not on the main road, but on the small road. The emperor went to Shanxi with a secret decree to announce the imperial edict. To ensure the safety of the decree, he swallowed carbon black noodles and suffered a lot. He almost died several times. Fortunately, he came back from Shanxi and was able to see Lord Hou. There were twists and turns, and the story is really long. "

He spoke sadly, his words choked with sobs, and everyone in the hall could feel the bitterness in it. Wang Huan glanced at the bamboo tube, as if accidentally glanced at Ma Mingtu's butt, and responded sympathetically: " Eunuch Ma is tired, the emperor will not treat him lightly."

Ma Mingtu waved his hands with a smile on his face, then cupped his hands to the southeast and said: "Thank you, Lord Marquis, for your praise, but this is all our family's business, to share the emperor's worries, what's the harm in our family's risking our lives?"

Wang Huan looked around, and said solemnly: "Eunuch Ma is loyal, righteous and courageous, he is really a role model for my generation."

Everyone in the hall praised in unison: "It is true, Mr. Ma is loyal to the king and serves the country, and he has worked hard!"

Ma Mingtu reservedly adjusted his sitting posture so that his buttocks would not feel so uncomfortable sitting on the hard chair, and said loudly: "It's easy to talk, it's easy to talk."

Wang Huan lifted the sedan chair up, and then said to Ma Mingtu, "I wonder how the father-in-law is going to Shanxi, how about the news? How is Jiang Tiao's situation? Please come one by one."

Hearing Wang Huan say these words, Chen Xiang blushed unconsciously. Although the Kuizhou spy team had already deployed in Shanxi, there were many porters' shops and cart shops, and the vice-captain Jiang Li even went there in person. Shanxi sought information for Wang Huan, but due to the large army gathered in Shanxi, the endless wars and the scattered fleeing of the people, it was difficult for outsiders to obtain information through channels. As long as people without braids could not move in the area controlled by the Qing soldiers, Ma At this time, Mingtu also had a braid on the back of his head.

"Oh, it's urgent!" Ma Mingtu sighed and shook his head again and again: "I'm afraid Jiang Yu won't last long!"

(End of this chapter)