novelaction Chapter 652 Arriving in the Capital
Chapter 652 Arriving in the Capital
The team became more lively as it went north.
Zhang Ping'an's group was quite large, and they were all well-dressed. They looked extraordinary and not ordinary people.
Therefore, no ordinary people dared to come forward and disturb them.
The capital city is worthy of being the capital of the emperor. Although it has only been a short time, it already looks peaceful.
There were many small vendors doing business, and all the shops on both sides were open for business. All you could hear were the shouts of people trying to attract customers.
The guards accompanying him were jealous and wanted to go for a walk.
Zhang Ping'an and Mr. Huang also understood the situation very well. They discussed it and said, "There are so many people here. Let's go to the post station and put down our luggage first. Then I'll send a letter to my brother-in-law, asking him to come pick us up and show us around the capital. As for the guards, let them go out in batches. They've finally come to the capital, so we should let them have a look around and broaden their horizons!"
"Okay, that's what I mean. It's easier to get things done if you have acquaintances!" Mr. Huang said with a smile.
"Let's not only invite Sanlang, but also Brother Zhao. He's smart, well-connected, and good at winning people over. With him, we can quickly familiarize ourselves with the official circles in the capital. Coming to see the emperor isn't just about seeing him. It's also important to build good relationships with officials in the various government offices in the capital. If he can find a few good marriages for our family, that would be even better!"
"Okay," Zhang Pingan nodded, then said jokingly, "I see your abacus beads are about to jump out of your face. I'm really ashamed of myself!"
"Haha, you still have a lot to learn!" Lord Huang said with a smile, without being annoyed.
This person is in a good mood and everything looks good to him!
The post station was just east of the capital, and they arrived after walking for more than half an hour.
The post station in the capital is much better than the one in Langfang. It was renovated on the basis of the previous post station, and the mansion next to it was connected to build a new one. It is very magnificent.
The housing allocated varies according to the rank of the official.
Zhang Ping'an's rank is slightly higher than Mr. Huang's, and the housing allocated to him is also larger.
Except for a few of the best rooms which are reserved for special officials, the other rooms follow the principle of early come, early served.
If you are delayed on the way to Beijing, arrive late, and the post station is full, then you can only stay in a hometown association hall or a temple.
So Zhang Pingan and his friends were pretty lucky.
After putting the luggage away, Zhang Ping'an sent someone to the Ministry of War to deliver a letter to his brother-in-law and Zhao Renzhi.
Mr. Huang took advantage of this opportunity to make friends with other officials at the post station.
Before lunch time, Lord Huang had almost figured out who was living in the post station, their rank, position, and background. Of course, the other party also figured them out at the same time.
Many people politely invited the two to have dinner together, but the two temporarily declined.
"You came at the right time today. On normal days, we would have gone out for an outing and visited friends, and there would be hardly any people in the post station," someone said.
"Why is this? Did something big happen today?" Lord Huang asked hurriedly.
"Well... you will know it later!" This person kept the secret and acted mysterious.
Mr. Huang was very understanding when he heard this. He smiled and leaned closer and whispered, "Thank you for clearing up my confusion, Brother Hong. I promise not to tell anyone else. Otherwise, I'll be so itchy that I might not be able to eat my meal later!"
"Well, it's not really a secret, it's just that no one talks about it openly. So I'll tell you!" said the man.
Mr. Huang bowed and expressed his gratitude.
The man looked out the window and continued quietly, "I heard that the one in the palace is dying, and the emperor is very worried!"
"Ah?" Lord Huang was shocked when he heard the first sentence, thinking that the emperor was dying.
After hearing the latter part, I realized that it was not the emperor, but I was still confused: "Brother Hong, are you talking about the queen?"
"It's not the Queen, it's the Nine Thousand Year Old Man from the previous dynasty!"
"Wei..."
"Shh, it's enough for you and me to know this matter in our hearts, don't say anything more," the man said in a low voice.
Mr. Huang knew a little about Zhou Ziming's background, and since he was not very familiar with this person, he did not ask too many questions since he only knew the appearance of the person.
After bowing and thanking him, he went back to his room.
He turned around and told Zhang Pingan the news.
Zhang Pingan thought after hearing this: "These officials in the capital are really well-informed and cautious. Just such a thing can make them stay indoors. It seems that being an official in the capital is not easy!"
"Whether it's easy or not, someone has to do it. If others can do it, why can't we?" Lord Huang said indifferently.
"Actually, this isn't such a bad thing. The Emperor won't have to worry about it anymore, and it avoids further conflicts between the court officials and the Emperor. Besides, Eunuch Wei has been hindering the harem for decades and has a terrible reputation in the court and the country. It's really good that he can enjoy his old age and live to be over sixty. It can be considered a natural death. I may not even live that long!"
"But he did help the emperor a lot, there is no doubt about that, and the emperor also cares about the old friendship," Zhang Pingan said.
"Anyway, we should be careful to avoid being implicated and being caught by others. We should eat something ordinary later and there is no need to go to the brothel," replied Lord Huang, with a hint of regret in his tone.
After a while, Liu Sanlang came over on horseback.
Seeing that he was alone, Mr. Huang looked back and asked, "Hey, where's Brother Zhao?"
Liu Sanlang explained with a smile, "You don't know, but Brother Zhao was recently transferred to the palace to work. He's now the Palace Guards' Chief Yuhou, so he can't spare the time to come over. Let me take you out for dinner first, and then show you around the capital. The capital has changed a lot now!"
"Don't even mention changes, I've never been here before," Mr. Huang joked.
Zhang Ping'an was also very happy to see his brother-in-law. The two hadn't seen each other for a long time, so they exchanged greetings first.
"Brother-in-law, why do you seem to have grown taller?"
"No," Liu Sanlang scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "I guess I ate too much. I grew stronger, so I naturally look taller! Oh, right, I'll take you to eat fried lamb sausage. It's a Beijing specialty and it's delicious!"