It was a calm day today. At the Xizhimen gate in the northwest corner of the capital, Mr. Pang, who was on duty at the gate, received a notice from above.
It is said that there is a criminal who was sent to Xizhimen to serve in the army. He will be escorted over today and asked to be taken over by Mr. Pang.
This kind of thing is normal and common, and people who commit crimes are often punished. It is strange and weird. Isn't the word "fapiao" used in Xizhimen a bit too close?
Although Xizhimen is located in the most remote northwest corner of the capital, the capital is only a little over ten miles around, so being exiled for more than ten miles sounds like a joke.
But in the capital, nothing that happens is worth making a fuss about, because this is the capital, the most absurd place in the world.
The daily management system of the sixteen city gates inside and outside the capital is as follows. The number of gatekeepers is under the control of the Houjun Governor's Office. Each gate is rated to have more than 400 officers and soldiers, divided into two shifts.
There is also a guard eunuch at each city gate, also known as the gate official. He is the supervisor of the city gate and the first person in charge of the city gate.
In actual work, there is also a director of the Ministry of War who is responsible for inspecting the equipment of officers and soldiers at each city gate twice a month.
Then there is "Admiral Zhengyang and other nine gates Yongding and other seven gates and four gates of the imperial city eunuchs", which is equivalent to the general commander of all city gates.
This eunuch position is the predecessor of the nine-door admiral who often appears in braided movies and TV shows.
All in all, this system is very characteristic of the Ming Dynasty, with civilian officials and eunuchs mixing in doubles against military attachés.
Boss Pang, who had long been accustomed to this kind of life, was squatting under the city wall with a few so-called personal soldiers, enjoying the warm breeze and spring weather.
In peacetime, nothing big happens here at the city gate, especially a relatively quiet city gate like Xizhimen.
If there is any major event, such as the emperor wants to leave the city from here, or the enemy troops attack outside the city, naturally there will be noble military attachés leading the elite troops of the Beijing camp to take over the defense of the city gate.
Suddenly a soldier pointed in the direction of Xizhimen Inner Street and shouted: "Here we come! Someone is coming!"
Manager Pang looked up, and sure enough he saw an official in the distance, escorting a majestic man, walking towards Xizhimen.
As he got closer, he recognized it. The official was Director Zhao of the Ministry of War who was responsible for supervising the officers and soldiers at the city gate. He would come here for inspections twice a month.
Mr. Pang immediately stood up, hurriedly greeted him, and saluted, "I've met Mr. Zhao!"
Director Zhao pointed to the majestic man next to him and introduced: "This is the imperial convict Lin Tailai, who has been sent to your Xizhimen for military confinement. Please accept it!"
Lin Tailai? President Pang suddenly felt that this name sounded familiar.
Xizhimen is more than ten miles away from the political center, so it is definitely the edge of the edge.
Therefore, President Pang is usually not sensitive to politics, nor does he pay much attention to politics that has nothing to do with him, but he has still heard of the name Lin Tailai.
Looking at the characters again, Mr. Pang guessed the truth and asked in a low voice to Director Zhao: "Is this person the one who won nine yuan in civil and military competitions?"
Director Zhao nodded and said, "That's him", then threw Lin Tailai to Mr. Pang, then walked away.
Mr. Pang took a deep breath, dear mother, how could such a person be assigned to him? The one who is riding a horse is an imperial convict!
Behind this kind of thing is often a fierce confrontation between the two political forces, and neither side can afford to offend it.
You won't be caught in the middle and become an insignificant victim, right?
"Um, Mr. Lin Lin, why are you here at Xizhimen?" Mr. Pang was confused for a while and asked tentatively.
Lin Tailai looked up at the tall and majestic Xizhimen, and cursed: "Who wants to come to this shabby place like yours? I want to go to Chongwenmen!"
Originally, Lin Tailai thought that the best way for the officialdom to solve problems was formalism.
Therefore, you can create a formalistic military expedition, which will be accepted by all parties, and you can just hang out in the capital's official army for a while.
And it is best to find a place located in the political center, or somewhere very close.
In this way, you can still maintain your influence on the political situation and respond in time when things happen.
After all, the world is still undecided, and the old issues of the Three Pavilions are still unresolved. Who goes up and who goes down, who comes in and who goes out must be paid close attention to.
But I didn’t expect that others guarding themselves is like guarding against thieves. It’s not just one person, but many people think this way!
As a result, a group of bureaucrats just sent themselves to Xizhimen, a marginal corner of the capital's political field!
What is the difference between this and physically benching yourself?
Isn't it just that my behavior is a bit arrogant? Why are you targeting me?
Seeing that Lin Tailai, an imperial convict, looked down upon Xizhimen so much, Commander Pang defended himself:
"It's quite nice here, with beautiful scenery and abundant water and grass. None of the other city gates have as good a view as this one."
No matter what, this is where I work and live. Mr. Pang can complain on his own, but he doesn’t want to hear others say that this place is not good!
Lin Tailai glanced at Boss Pang and asked, "If I help you clear your joints and transfer you to Chongwenmen, will you go?"
"Go!" Mr. Pang said without hesitation, and everything came from his heart.
Lin Tailai, who was assigned here, could not change the reality. He could only wander around nearby, then passed through Xizhimen and Wengcheng, and arrived outside the city.
Sure enough, as Mr. Pang said, the scenery here is really good.
Outside Xizhimen is the Gaoliang River, which is regarded as the "source of life" of the entire capital today. The river banks are lined with green plants and occasionally pastoral fields appear, creating a beautiful scenery.
About ten miles to the northwest is the Haidian Scenic Area with a large area of water.
It can be said that outside Xizhimen is the area with the richest water resources around the capital.
No wonder that during the Qing Dynasty, a large number of gardens from the royal family to princes and nobles were built in this direction.
"How is it? What I said is true, isn't it?" Mr. Pang next to him said.
Lin Tailai still replied depressedly: "Although the scenery is nice, it is too far away from the court, which is not conducive for me to control the political situation."
Mr. Pang: ""
Is this something a convict should consider?
Then I heard Lin Tailai sighing: "Finally, I can understand what it feels like to read a letter to the nine heavens in the morning and be demoted to Chaoyang Road eight thousand in the evening."
Mr. Pang said casually: "It's not that bad, it's only a dozen miles away."
Lin Tailai said in surprise: "You actually understand what I say?"
Mr. Pang said: "When I was young, I also wanted to take the martial arts exam. I read several books, but all my efforts were in vain."
Lin Tailai walked back to the city through Xizhimen and frowned:
"I remember that there were more than 200 gatekeepers in each shift at the city gate. How come we only saw a hundred or so?"
Mr. Pang's face turned serious, "Master Lin, as a new prisoner in the army, don't you have too many problems?"
"Huh?" Lin Tailai turned his head, looking down at Mr. Pang with a dead look in his eyes.
Pang Ba always felt as if he was being targeted by a ferocious beast, so he quickly and sincerely replied: "If the servant pays the gate officer five taels of silver every month, he will be exempted from work."
The gatekeeper was the eunuch guarding the city gate. Lin Tailai said in confusion: "Where is he? I haven't seen the gatekeeper even after I've been here for a long time."
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Mr. Pang pointed at the city gate tower and said, "Eunuch Liu is sleeping up there."
Lin Tailai shook his head, this Daming is really a pill!
I couldn't help but complain: "It's such a broad daylight that he can't sleep!
A normal man might be busy at night and catch up on sleep during the day, so what can a father-in-law do at night?"
Within a few dozen feet, Lin Tailai was probably the only one who dared to mock the eunuch like this.
Mr. Pang explained: "Eunuch Liu went to drink wine last night and played with the girls until dawn."
Lin Tailai: ""
When a eunuch goes to a brothel, he has such a strong personality that he actually meets such a weirdo.
While he was talking, a head suddenly popped up from the top of the city wall and shouted towards the bottom of the city wall: "Sir Pang! Eunuch Liu asked, have the prisoners who were exiled today been delivered?"
Mr. Pangba shouted back: "We're here! We're here!"
Not long after, a eunuch in his thirties was seen coming down from the city gate tower surrounded by several soldiers.
Then the eunuch smelled of alcohol and looked sideways at Lin Tailai:
"You little thief, are you Lin Tailai? Other civil and military officials are afraid of you, but our ministers are not afraid of you!"
Looking at Eunuch Liu, Lin Tailai was quite surprised.
I thought that when my identity was revealed, there would be no such things as pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger, or pretending to be a slap in the face.
Looking at Mr. Pang next to him, he can tell that there are still many normal people in this world.
Unexpectedly, there are still people who want to show their faces to the door? Is it reasonable for such a stupid person to appear?
Eunuch Liu continued arrogantly: "No matter what your status was before, when you get here you will be a thief serving the army!
Some rules cannot be broken, have you ever heard of the Killing Stick?"
Lin Tailai replied coldly: "I have never heard of the killing stick. I have only seen it in novels."
Eunuch Liu shouted: "Then today, Mr. Liu, I will let you know that this novel is based on reality!"
Then he ordered the soldiers on the left and right: "Take this thief and join the army! First hit him with a hundred military sticks!"
Mr. Pang quickly advised: "Master Liu, think twice and don't hurt your harmony!"
Eunuch Liu scolded: "Go away! Don't delay my promotion and fortune! Otherwise, I'll beat you too!"
"Get promoted and make a fortune?" Lin Tailai was slightly puzzled.
Eunuch Liu smiled ferociously and said: "It's fine if you just be a sensible person! We don't want to guard the broken city gate anymore!
As long as I deal with you, Concubine Zheng will definitely reward and promote me! This is our opportunity!
So although you and I have no grievances, you must be unlucky today!
Then I can leave this shabby city gate and find a fat job!"
Lin Tailai was actually a little speechless. Eunuch Liu was really stupid and sober at the same time.
The twenty or thirty soldiers around looked at each other and surrounded Lin Tailai, but they were timid.
Eunuch Liu shouted: "Don't be afraid! He is just a thief! If he dares to attack your guard, it will be a serious crime!"
Lin Tailai sighed deeply. As expected, the scene of showing off and slapping someone in the face is indispensable. Could this be the halo of the protagonist?
A long whistle sounded, and suddenly countless big men jumped out from the alleys on both sides of Xizhimen Inner Street.
Moreover, these big men were well-trained, and within a few breaths, they formed a formation and surrounded them.
Mr. Pang took a few glances and saw that there were over 200 of these big men!
"Who are you?" Eunuch Liu asked loudly.
Lin Tailai sneered and said: "These are the servants of the Lin family. There is no rule that says you are not allowed to bring servants into the army, right?"
Don’t worry, servants like me bring our own dry food and don’t need to spend the court’s money on food.”
Everyone: ""
The actual number of officers and soldiers in each squadron at the city gate is only about a hundred. You, a thief and an army, lead two hundred servants?
Why don't everyone else have a holiday and you can guard the city gate alone?
Looking at Eunuch Liu who was sandwiched by several Lin family servants, Lin Tailai felt the slap in the face and said calmly:
"It seems that you don't know the core competitiveness of Lin Mansion. Do you think civil and military officials are afraid of me just because I have nine civil and military talents?
Let me ask you, can you avoid the killing stick?"
Eunuch Liu still said harsh words: "It's inevitable!"
This was the first time Lin Tailai saw such a tough eunuch, so he threatened again:
"You must have heard about what happened in the inner palace a while ago. Do you think I really dare not take action against the inner prison?"
Eunuch Liu gritted his teeth and said: "Do it! As long as you can't kill me, this killing stick will be inevitable!"
Not to mention Lin Tailai, all the Lin family servants around were shocked that there was such a tough eunuch!
Lin Tailai was stunned for a moment. He had never encountered such an opponent before.
Is this eunuch mentally retarded, or is he just mentally retarded?
Eunuch Liu yelled crazily: "If you're brave enough, just do it! I'm sorry you don't dare to beat me to death!"
Objectively speaking, this is true. As long as Lin Tailai did not lose his mind, he would not have beaten to death the eunuch responsible for guarding the city gate.
That was truly an indisputable heinous crime. No one could reduce the sentence. Beating and beating to death were completely different things.
But even if he is not beaten to death, the pain of being beaten, as well as the double physical and mental humiliation and torture are not what ordinary people are willing to bear. Why is Eunuch Liu so stubborn?
Lin Tailai put himself into Eunuch Liu and thought for a while.
What would be the consequences if a certain eunuch with certain connections was beaten up by the vicious Lin Tailai?
At the very least, can it attract the attention and even sympathy of Concubine Zheng, who is very energetic in the inner palace?
This will give you a reason to move closer to Concubine Zheng, right?
After the last inner palace war, Concubine Zheng's close confidants and eunuchs suffered heavy losses. Some were disabled, and some were beaten to death by the emperor's anger.
So now that Concubine Zheng is short of people, people like Eunuch Liu who have withstood the test of Lin Tailai have a very good chance of being promoted by Concubine Zheng!
Thinking of this, Lin Tailai almost cursed, "Damn you, mother!"
From a profit perspective, Eunuch Liu is simply in an invincible position.
No matter whether he is beaten with a killing stick by Eunuch Liu or he beats Eunuch Liu himself, Eunuch Liu will not suffer any loss.
As long as Eunuch Liu survives, he will make huge profits.
How can this be a brain-dead person? This is simply a ruthless person among brain-dead people.
Lin Tailai pondered for a while, slightly confused.
It's easy to pretend to be a slap in the face, just give Eunuch Liu a good beating. But if it makes the other party gain something, is it still called a slap in the face?
When Eunuch Liu saw Lin Tailai's delay in moving, he started taunting him:
"Thieves join the army! Fight and don't fight, let go and don't let go, but why?"