The Ming army officer leading Ma Bao and others came forward to explain the situation and took out the pass sign. The city gate guards saluted solemnly, but their movements were obviously a little unfamiliar. What made Ma Bao and others a little shocked was that these soldiers saluted differently from before.
Keep your chest up and your head up, with the palm of your right hand facing down and your fingertips touching your temple.
The group entered the city and arrived at the Tengchong County Government Office. The security here was obviously much tighter than at the city gate. The soldiers were neatly dressed, holding knives and guns, standing sternly. A guard officer came in to report. After a while, Yicheng came with
Two scribes came out to welcome him.
"Your Majesty, Mr. Shi Yicheng, wishes to welcome King Ruyang and his distinguished guests. Please forgive me for not being able to welcome you from afar." Yicheng smiled with a smile on his face and held the ceremony very respectfully.
"Yi Changshi is so polite." Ma Bao hurriedly returned the courtesy and said, "I was supposed to arrive in the evening, but I was eager to see His Highness Min, so I came in a hurry, which is very rude."
"It's better to come early. Your Highness is also eager to see all the loyal generals. He also said that he will go out of the city to meet you!" Yi Cheng extended his hand and said, "Please come in, everyone, please come in."
Ma Bao and others humbly gave in and then followed Yicheng into the mansion. Seeing that Zhu Yongxing had not come out to greet him, he probably was not in the mansion. As for their guards, Yicheng's entourage went to arrange them.
After entering the mansion, before they could speak, Yi Cheng had already said: "His Royal Highness left the city for the military camp in the morning, but he will be back soon at this time, so please wait a moment."
Although the Tengchong County Government Office is old, the main building is still complete. Zhu Yongxing, Mengzhu and others live in the back, and outside is the place where meetings are held, as well as the residences of the guards in the government.
Yicheng led Ma Bao and others directly into the living room of the back house, and ordered people to serve tea and water. After a brief chat, he confessed his crime and went to arrange dinner and drinks.
"Good tea!" As soon as Yicheng left, several people immediately stood up and relaxed. Ma Weixing fell comfortably into the chair, crossed his legs, and exclaimed contentedly.
"It's really good." Ma Bao also praised it and said: "The Zheng family was originally a caravan and has been doing tea and horse business. Now it works for His Highness, so there is no shortage of good tea."
"This Zheng family is also a wise man, similar to the barbarian and fierce mountain tribe. Helping in times of crisis is like providing help in times of need. How could your Highness not praise him?" Ma Zide spoke with a bit of sourness, feeling both envious and jealous.
"Be careful what you say." Gao Qilong reminded hurriedly, "I heard that His Highness loves the princess of the Mengshan Ke tribe. Please don't say the word barbarian in the future."
Ma Zide curled his lips, what a princess, just the daughter of a barbarian clan leader. I heard she is very beautiful. I am afraid this is the reason why His Highness favors her!
"This is the residence of His Highness, so you must be careful in your words and deeds." Ma Bao saw Ma Zide's demeanor and was afraid that he would offend Zhu Yongxing and implicate them, so he also reminded him.
Ma Zide lowered his head. As a junior, although he was a little unconvinced, he did not dare to speak back and offend.
The hall fell silent. Everyone was either sipping tea, looking around, or lowering their heads in deep thought. There was no topic of conversation for the moment.
"It's placed under the table behind the screen in the hall. How can I not find it?"
"It's really not true. I have carefully looked at it, otherwise I wouldn't dare to work for Her Royal Highness."
"It's impossible. If you can't find it, His Highness will be unhappy."
…………
A woman's voice came from outside the hall, and the footsteps got closer and closer, reaching the entrance of the hall. Ma Bao and others heard it clearly, with different expressions on their faces, and they couldn't help but get up one after another.
Mengzhu walked into the living room with a maid. She obviously didn't expect that there would be several people here. She couldn't help but be stunned and hesitated: "You, you are -"
Ma Bao and others were also hesitant, not knowing what to call him, but Ma Weixing reacted faster. He bowed his hands and said, "I, the stallion of Huai Kingdom, Ma Weixing, would like to pay my respects to Her Royal Highness the Princess."
"Ma Bao, the young master of the country of Syria, pays homage to Her Royal Highness the Princess." Ma Bao omitted the word "under" and reported his original title. After all, he has not received the edict or seal yet. It's okay to talk about it outside, and it's okay to be complimented by others, here.
It's not easy to take it so far.
"The Crown Prince of Hanyang, Ma Zide, pays homage to Her Royal Highness the Princess."
"My descendants are Bo Gao Qilong of Yichuan, paying homage to Her Royal Highness the Princess."
The slightly different names also represent each person's attitude and psychology. Ma Bao was embarrassed to call himself inferior in front of a woman, while Ma Zide looked down on Mengzhu. Ma Weixing and Gao Qilong's attitudes were very upright and well-behaved.
Not at all beyond.
"Oh, it turns out that they are King Ruyang and other loyal ministers and generals who have traveled a long way." Mengzhu smiled, returned the gift, and said: "His Royal Highness Min was overjoyed when he received the letter. He said that you can command troops here, so that
He has the help of Mount Tai. Didn't he say that he would only arrive in the evening, and His Highness Min would have to go out of the city to meet him!"
Ma Bao and others immediately felt much more at ease, and their perception of Mengzhu also changed slightly.
"I am anxious to come to see you, so how dare I bother His Highness to greet you?" Ma Bao replied respectfully.
Mengzhu nodded, looked around, and said, "Where's Yi Changshi? Why don't you see him accompanying you, and let you just sit here?"
"Yi Changshi went to arrange the meals. I think I was in a hurry and failed to prepare in advance."
"So that's it." Mengzhu looked astonished and said with a smile: "There are too few people in the backyard, and His Highness is not here. Except for Yi Changshi, there is really no one suitable to accompany you. I am not neglecting you all!"
Ma Bao bowed again and replied: "We don't feel that we are being negligent. We don't think we can enter this backyard casually. We are extremely honored to be able to have tea and rest here."
"Then please take a seat. I will take some things and leave. Please forgive me for any offence." Mengzhu extended her hand to signal everyone to sit down. She took the maid and went behind the screen, rummaging around for a while. She didn't have much time.
, turned out again, said a few polite words, and walked out of the hall.
Ma Bao and others were relieved and sat back down. Ma Weixing was the first to laugh and said: "Meiyan is true to her words, but her words and conversation are also decent and generous."
"It's not surprising that I have been influenced by my ears and my eyes, and I have His Highness as a professor." Gao Qilong agreed: "She is a bit more free and easy than the Han girl."
Ma Zide also regretted his initial words, but he didn't want to change too quickly, so he had to laugh and drink tea to cover up.
After a while, Yicheng came in to accompany him and chatted, and the atmosphere gradually became lively.
"The military police are a new branch of the army established by His Highness. They only last for two or three days. They are mainly used to maintain military discipline and deal with disciplinary violations in the army. Well, they also have the function of Yamen to maintain public order."
"Military salutes are also implemented just after a great victory. Put your palms down to show defense of the country, touch the brim of your hat or temples to show respect, and raise your chest and head to show your military courage. His Highness said that such military salutes are clean and neat, and the entire army will do so in the future."