After the Lantern Festival, Li Yu immediately contacted Yan Fu and left for Tanggu.
Yan Fu originally wanted to wait until the first lunar month, but seeing Li Yu's impatient look, he couldn't help but laugh and said, "Now you know how anxious the monkey is?"
Li Yu had already taken back the snuff bottle from Ma Shaoxuan: "Everything is ready, of course we have to set off."
Yan Fu took the snuff bottle and admired it. On one side of the snuff bottle was a poem from the Song Dynasty, and on the other side was a scene from Along the River During the Qingming Festival. The painting was lifelike.
Yan Fu praised: "It is indeed Ma Shaoxuan's handiwork. I can guarantee you that the thing will definitely come true and you will definitely win the beauty."
Li Yu laughed and said: "You have to do it even if you don't, otherwise I will rob people."
Yan Fu said: "Don't worry, the high-quality Jianzhan, Shaw's purple clay pot, and Ma Shaoxuan snuff bottle, these three things are placed in front of Brother Feng Sheng, you can call him brother and brother, not to mention Mr. Tang comes forward."
"
Li Yu said: "With Master Yan's words, I feel relieved."
The two took the train and immediately found Tang Shaoyi after arriving in Tanggu.
When Tang Shaoyi saw Li Yu, he said, "Brother Shucai, congratulations in advance."
Li Yu cupped his hands and said, "I still need to rely on Mr. Tang."
Tang Shaoyi patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, the commander-in-chief said that if Yan Fengsheng doesn't agree, he won't have to hang out in Tianjin."
Li Yu smiled and said: "No, this is so bad! You should be kind."
Tang Shaoyi pointed behind him: "In order to help you build up your momentum, I pulled out a group of student soldiers from the Beiyang Armed Forces Crash Course. Many of them were your students before. After hearing what you said, they were very enthusiastic."
Li Yu looked over, okay! Although they are all still students from the military academy, the lineup is luxurious: Wu Peifu, Sun Chuanfang, Li Jinglin, Cai Yubiao...
They all wore Beiyang military uniforms and were equipped with ceremonial sabers and guns.
Li Yu couldn't laugh or cry: "Master Tang, is this necessary?"
Tang Shaoyi smoked a cigar and smiled: "The Marshal said, since Beiyang agrees to help you, there is no reason why it can't be done."
Li Yu said: "I'm worried..."
Yan Fu said happily: "Brother Shucai must be worried that you will scare your mother-in-law and brother Feng Sheng."
Yan Fu suddenly remembered something and asked Li Yu: "By the way, I've never heard that you have any family?"
Li Yu said: "I am lonely and alone. In the whole world, I am the only one left."
Yan Fu sighed after hearing this: "It turns out that your life experience is so miserable. Bicheng is a good girl. I hope you can grow old together in the future."
Tang Shaoyi took out the letter of appointment: "Brother Shucai, you have to tell me your date of birth."
Li Yu was stunned for a moment, then replied: "The 24th day of the twelfth lunar month in the fifth year of Guangxu's reign (1879)."
Tang Shaoyi added in the appointment letter: "Brother Shucai is really young. In addition, don't talk about being alone in the future. Are these big brothers not enough?"
Li Yu smiled and said: "Thank you brothers."
Wu Peifu, Sun Chuanfang, and Cai Yubiao also shouted to support from behind: "Teacher, there are us!"
Li Jinglin was half a beat slower than them: "Me too!"
Li Yu also said to them: "Thank you all!"
Then he looked at Wu Peifu, who was standing at the head of the team: "I heard that you made meritorious service on the front line of the war between Japan and Russia."
Wu Peifu pointed to a medal on his chest and said: "This is the Single Light Rising Sun Medal presented to you by General Nobujun Aoki."
Tang Shaoyi said: "Peifu is indeed very brave. As an intelligence officer, he detected many movements of the Russian army. Unfortunately, he was captured by the Russian army because he was betrayed the last time and was escorted to Harbin to be shot in public."
Li Yu asked: "Then how did you escape?"
Wu Peifu said: "I heard from the locals that Russians love to drink, so I secretly exchanged my cotton clothes for a bottle of white wine and a roast chicken from the conductor. The two Russians who were guarding me did not drink as much as I expected. A bottle of
I became drunk after drinking wine, so I jumped out of the train while they were not paying attention."
Li Yu continued to ask: "They didn't stop and search?"
Wu Peifu said proudly: "We searched! But I'm lucky. They stabbed their bayonets randomly in the weeds. The nearest knife was less than a foot away from me, but they couldn't find me after all."
It was freezing cold, and Wu Peifu was indeed brave enough to hide in single clothes for so long.
This was also a turning point in his life.
——
After arriving at Yan Fengsheng's house, Tang Shaoyi walked up and knocked on the door.
Yan Fengsheng opened it and his eyes widened when he saw the formation outside, especially the two groups of soldiers from the Beiyang New Army lined up.
Tang Shaoyi said: "Sir Yan, as Li Yuzhi's matchmaker, I came here to give you a betrothal gift to marry the girl from Bicheng in my house."
Yan Fengsheng came to his senses and said quickly: "Master Tang, please come in quickly."
Tang Shaoyi was in front, Li Yu and Yan Fu were behind, and entered the courtyard. The two groups of soldiers also lined up again in the courtyard.
Tang Shaoyi handed over the letter of appointment.
Yan Fengsheng took a quick look and found a letter written by Yuan Shikai behind it.
Tang Shaoyi said: "Sir Yan, my younger brother Li Yu has been disrespectful a lot before, but as a young man, it's normal for you to be rough in things, right?"
Yan Fengsheng said quickly: "Yes, yes."
Tang Shaoyi continued: "But my little brother, Li Yu, whom Governor Yuan Marshal cherishes, is still a very good person, and his rare talent is compelling. He is a rare pillar of talent."
Tang Shaoyi deliberately moved Yuan Shikai out.
Yan Fengsheng said: "Of course he is a pillar of talent. After all, he is a Nobel Prize winner."
Tang Shaoyi corrected: "It's the Nobel Prize. A few years ago, even the imperial court issued awards. The Queen Mother personally appointed Li Yu as a member of the fifth rank of the Ministry of Rites, but he was given the seal of the second rank of the Ministry of Rites, so he could do things cheaply.
."
Tang Shaoyi took out the seal: "I won't lie to you about this kind of thing."
Yan Fengsheng said: "How could you deceive me?"
Tang Shaoyi said: "Let's get back to the topic. The male is getting married and the female is getting married. The younger brother Li Yu has a secret alliance with the wealthy Bicheng girl. As the saying goes, it is better to demolish ten temples than ruin one marriage. There should be more elders.
consider."
Yan Fengsheng said: "I'm a lower official..."
Tang Shaoyi raised her hand to interrupt him: "I'm sorry, I forgot about the betrothal gift."
Tang Shaoyi clapped his hands, and Wu Peifu walked up with his military boots kicking and put a plate on the table.
Tang Shaoyi uncovered the red cloth on the plate: "A Shaw's purple clay pot, a high-quality Jianwan cup, a Ma Shaoxuan snuff bottle, and two thousand taels of silver notes."
After Yan Fengsheng saw these things, his eyes could hardly pull them out, and he immediately said: "Master Tang has spoken, how can I not sell your face?"
Tang Shaoyi smiled and said: "I'm not selling my face, it's all for young people."
Yan Fengsheng said to her sister Yan: "Call Bicheng out."
Mrs. Yan was startled by the sight in front of her. She quickly ran to the inner courtyard and called out Lu Bicheng.
Yan Fengsheng said: "Master Tang personally came to give the betrothal gift today. I can no longer have any objections. Bicheng, what do you mean?"
Lu Bicheng immediately said: "I am willing to marry!"
Tang Shaoyi said: "Such a bold and unrestrained girl is interesting!"
When Tang Shaoyi said this, Lu Bicheng blushed and quickly lowered his head.
Yan Fu said: "As for the wedding date, we will discuss it again, but the matter has been decided."
Lu Bicheng quickly asked: "Can I follow Li Yu back to the capital now?"
Everyone was stunned, and Tang Shaoyi laughed loudly: "Girls are outgoing! Master Yan, if you ask me what I want, it's just a lack of ceremony. You will definitely not be able to keep me."
Yan Fengsheng had no choice but to find a way out: "After all, one of them is in the capital and the other is in Tanggu. It makes sense to act cheaply."
Yan Fu pushed Li Yu: "What are you waiting for!"
Li Yu immediately stepped forward and bowed: "Uncle, please accept Li Yu's bow."
Yan Fengsheng helped him up: "I just hope you will treat Bicheng well in the future."
Li Yu said: "Uncle, don't worry, if Bicheng loses even one hair, you can take advantage of me!"
Yan Fengsheng said: "That's good."
Li Yu added: "On the wedding day, I will definitely prepare better purple clay pots and snuff bottles for you."
This sentence hit Yan Fengsheng's weak point. He twitched his face, calmed down his excitement and said: "They are just trivial things. What matters between you two is the big deal."
Tang Shaoyi stood up and said relaxedly: "Master Yan is really a cheerful person. In this case, let's have a few drinks!"
Yan Fengsheng also stood up: "I am the boss, how can I let Mr. Tang spend money?"
While they were eating and drinking, Lu Bicheng had already started packing at home.
Sitting next to her, Mrs. Yan said, "Li Yu is really capable of allowing Beiyang to give such great honor."
Lu Bicheng said: "Even if there is no such big battle, I will still go with him!"
Yan said: "Bicheng, when you arrive in the capital, be careful. If you have any problems, please go to your teacher Yan Fu. You also often write letters home."
Lu Bicheng said: "Mom, I know."
Yan added: "I saw in Li Yu's appointment letter that he has no father, mother, or brothers. It must have been caused by years of war. Hey, he is a poor child. You will take good care of him from now on, and you will tolerate him if he quarrels.
"
Lu Bicheng said: "Mom, Li Yu's temper is better than you think. The reason why I am committed to him is because he has an indescribable and unique temperament. And he respects me from the bottom of his heart, unlike those who
The dignitaries either care about my talent or my appearance."
Yan said: "I can see that Li Yu is different from others."
Yan suddenly started wiping tears as she spoke.
Lu Bicheng quickly asked: "Mom, what's wrong with you?"
Mrs. Yan said: "The water thrown out by your married daughter will mean that you will have less face when I see you again."
Lu Bicheng said: "Mom, now that there is a train, the capital is not far away at all. Besides, I want to take you there in the future."
Yan wiped her tears and said, "That's right. When you have a baby, I will have to help you."
Lu Bicheng said shyly: "Mom! Why did you mention the doll?"
Yan said: "Getting married is a normal thing. Besides, I have given birth to four of you sisters, and my experience is better than that of the best wet nurse."
In fact, Mrs. Yan wanted to take over this job so that she could be with her daughter in the future, so she mentioned it in advance.
Lu Bicheng understood in her heart and agreed: "When the time comes, my mother will have to work hard again."