In the early Ming Dynasty, Deng and Lai Prefectures were originally governed by ordinary prefectures.
After the Saarhu War, the situation in Liaodong was critical. In order to support the Liaodong operations, the Ming Dynasty separated the two prefectures of Denglai and Denglai and established a separate governor of Denglai to support the Liaodong operations full-time.
Because of its single function, Dengzhou City is not large and is only divided into two parts.
Main city and water city.
Liu Yiyuan pretended to be a traveling scholar, Zuo Mengeng pretended to be his servant, and the two entered Dengzhou City.
The reason for doing this was just because Zuo Menggeng had exposed himself. In order to avoid being noticed by Xu Yaqing, it was easier to hide by pretending to be a servant.
The rest of the investigation team entered Dengzhou in batches and dispersed around the governor's office as planned, keeping an eye on all the roads in and out.
This is a place where the rear camp cannot be affected at all, so everyone is very careful and dare not act randomly.
Zuo Mengeng and Liu Yiyuan lived in a restaurant in the city and traveled around for several days, just like ordinary traveling scholars.
"We have people watching the governor's office day and night, but most of the people coming in and out are sergeants, so we can't see anything. Every time the governor Wang Tingshi goes out, his followers gather around him, and we can't get close."
Liu Yiyuan was filled with regret.
"It's a pity that I don't know anyone in the governor's office, so I can't go in to find out."
Zuo Mengeng knocked on the table to signal everyone to calm down.
"The information we have received so far is that Xu Yaqing seems to be related to the governor in Dengzhou City. But the specific relationship is not yet clear. In this way, our eyes can no longer just focus on the governor's office, but also on the governor's office.
Start checking around."
Hou Qingchun, the leader of the First Squadron, asked a key question.
"We don't know what Xu Yaqing looks like, how can we find out?"
Zuo Mengeng was helpless.
"I have never seen her appearance. If I don't act carefully, I might be able to alert the snake."
Liu Yiyuan was quite decisive and suggested: "Of the information we know, the most useful one is Governor Denglai. I don't think it's better. Let's continue to monitor the governor's office and see if we can get any information about the governor."
If you were to change another place, doing this would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, and the possibility of obtaining information is very slim. But Dengzhou is a small town with a small population. As the largest local official, Denglai Governor Wang Tingshi must have attracted much attention.
As long as you inquire carefully, it is not difficult to obtain information about him.
This is also the only best way that can be thought of at the moment.
Seeing that no one had any objections, Zuo Mengeng made arrangements and everyone went to look for clues.
Zuo Mengeng and Liu Yiyuan did not have dinner in their room that day, but went to the lobby.
Teahouses, restaurants, brothels and theaters, with a complex flow of people, are perfect places to get information.
During meal time, there were many customers in the restaurant, and it was almost full.
Zuo Mengeng and Liu Yiyuan ordered food and drinks and ate in silence while paying attention to what the guests were saying.
"Hey, tell me, how beautiful is Miss Hanyue? It makes our governor not even care about government affairs."
The guests at the table next to them were obviously government officials, and as expected, they were involved in the governor's imperial examination as soon as they opened their mouths.
Zuo Mengeng and Liu Yiyuan slowed down their movements and listened attentively.
A man's wine table is naturally inseparable from a woman.
Someone immediately followed him, with regret and desire in his voice ready to come out.
"When Miss Hanyue was drinking in Bi Pavilion, I was lucky enough to see her true appearance. Oh, it's hard to imagine that there is such a beautiful face in the world."
This man's praise was not enough, so he started reciting poems again.
"The smoke is in the cold water, the moon is in the sand, and I stay in Qinhuai at night near a restaurant. If this girl dances a song, I will be drunk in life. What more can I ask for?"
Several other people slapped the table one after another, feeling the same thing.
"It's so hateful that Miss Hanyue's unparalleled beauty could have made a heart-to-heart with our poems and essays, but she was taken in by the governor as a forbidden concubine in his boudoir. How annoying and hateful!"
This is a drunken gaffe, and the person next to you coughs hurriedly.
"He is a governor. He has a high and powerful position. He is a man who oversees military and political affairs and is very considerate. He wears red sleeves to add fragrance. This is the act of being as handsome as jade in the book."
They were all official officials. Knowing that they had made a mistake, they changed the topic and talked about other trivial matters.
But Zuo Mengeng and Liu Yiyuan have already got what they want.
At night, people who were scattered around to collect information came back one after another. After comparing each other, the focus was on Miss Hanyue, the concubine that Wang Tingxian had adopted.
"There are rumors that this Hanyue girl appeared in Yinbi Pavilion during the first month of the first lunar month. She was unparalleled in beauty, and her singing and dancing skills were outstanding. She immediately caused a sensation. Countless guests spent a lot of money just to catch a glimpse of her beauty. Later, she was spotted by Wang Tingxuan at a banquet and was immediately spotted.
He fell in love with her, and then used money to bring the girl into the palace. The governor's authority must have been used, and Yinbi Pavilion could not resist."
It seemed normal for a court official to take a prostitute from a brothel as a concubine for the sake of beauty. However, this timing was abnormal and immediately aroused everyone's suspicion.
Hou Qingchun expressed his opinions on behalf of everyone.
"Therefore, we are extremely suspicious that this so-called Hanyue girl is most likely Xu Yaqing, the saint of Wenxiang Sect."
Needless to say, Zuo Mengeng guessed the same thing.
Although he had never seen Xu Yaqing's face, he could tell she was a beauty just by looking at her figure.
"The question now is, what should we do next after knowing this information? It is impossible for us to enter the governor's Yamen. What is Xu Yaqing's intention when she sneaks into the governor's Yamen?"
"Xu Yaqing is the leader of the demon sect. If we report this matter to the governor's Yamen, can we catch a turtle in a jar?"
"No."
Zuo Mengeng is not as naive as Liu Yiyuan.
"We can't guarantee whether Wang Tingshi is reliable or not. If he and Xu Yaqing are in the same group, then if the gate of Dengzhou City is closed, we will become the turtle in the urn."
Li Fuda can be a commander, but God knows if Wang Tingshi, the governor of Denglai, is a Wenxiang cultist?
Zuo Mengeng didn't have a deep impression of this person in his memory. He didn't have any precise information and didn't dare to take action blindly.
When he said this, everyone was helpless.
Don't say whether Wang Tingshi is related to Wenxiang Sect or not. At the very least, we can't have too much hope for the integrity of officials in the Ming Dynasty today.
Zuo Mengeng was still thinking about Zhou Xiang. He tapped the table lightly while expressing his thoughts.
"A person like Xu Yaqing will not settle for peace. She must have some ulterior motive for coming all the way to Dengzhou. No matter what she wants to do, whether it is in the governor's office or here
In Dengzhou City, sooner or later, something will be revealed. If we wait patiently, we will surely find an opportunity."
The matter has come to this, there is no other way, everyone can only act according to the plan.
Fortunately, the city of Dengzhou is small, and the governor's office is also small.
Everyone assigned tasks, and the front door and back door were guarded. They changed people from time to time, so they were not afraid of being exposed.
……………………
Zuo Mengeng guessed right, that Hanyue girl was Xu Yaqing.
However, her current identity is that of Mrs. Ru, the governor of Denglai, Wang Tingxian.
Wang Tingshi took office alone and was unbearably lonely. He happened to see Xu Yaqing's beauty in Yinbi Pavilion, and he immediately seduced her and used various means to get Xu Yaqing into the mansion.
Enjoying the warm and fragrant soft jade for many days, Wang Tingshi was as happy as a god, and he doted on Xu Yaqing, almost to the point of obeying her every word.
What Zuo Mengeng didn't know was that Xu Yaqing's purpose of approaching Wang Tingshi was to deal with him.
The spring night is short and the sun is high, so the king will not go to court early from now on.
After a night of romance, all the bones in Wang Tingzhan's body were numb. With his arms around the beautiful lady, he wished he could forget about the affairs of the king and the world and just be a romantic old ghost.
Xu Yaqing's hair was disheveled and she was panting deliberately, which made Wang Tingshi feel quite accomplished. Her bones were even softer by three points. She nestled in Wang Tingshi's arms and rubbed gently, constantly arousing Wang Tingshi's desire.
"Master, if I can follow you and live such a fairy-like life, I will be satisfied even if I die."
Wang Tingshi laughed heartily, as if he was possessed of a heroic spirit that he had never experienced in his youth.
"My beauty, don't feel sorry for yourself like this. Your master has a bright future. As long as he does this well, he may become the prime minister in the future. Do you want to get a job?"
Xu Yaqing showed an expression of surprise at the right time, and her body became even more tired.
"I have never dared to make such a delusion as Pu Liuzhi. In the future, I will be satisfied if I can serve the master and his wife well and repay the favor of the master."
Thinking of the dominatrix far away in his hometown, and then looking at the confidante in front of him, Wang Ting's heart almost melted.
"Don't belittle yourself. In the future, the affairs of the master of this house may not be left in your hands."
Xu Yaqing became increasingly resentful and said cautiously: "The slave family doesn't dare to hope too much. To be loved by the master and have a place to live is a blessing from the heavens and the earth. It's just... I just think of my parents who died tragically, the slave family... the slave family..."
Wang Tingshi hurriedly comforted him.
"Madam, don't worry, your master is really hampered by something big now. After this incident, I'm just a son of a governor, let's see your master avenge you."
Xu Yaqing rolled her eyes and said tentatively: "The slave family is poor and lowly. Even if the family is ruined and everyone is killed, this is the fate. But I don't know what kind of difficulties the master is in. If something big happens for the sake of the slave family, I can teach the slave family that there will be no redemption."
Speaking of this, Wang Tingzhi lost all his joy and immediately began to sigh and lament.
"It's not that Mao Wenlong was so bold that he secretly met with the Donglu envoys. In anger, the Holy Emperor stopped all of Mao Wenlong's salary and ordered me to come up with the detailed amount as soon as possible. Now I am caught in the middle and in a dilemma!"