Chapter 536: Deliberately Winning Over the Dead Mailbox

Chapter 536: Deliberately Winning Over the Dead Mailbox

Chapter 536: Deliberately Winning Over the Dead Mailbox

"Sealing wood?"

"Jian Marquis Mansion?"

The smile on Liu Heiying's face disappeared instantly, but reappeared in an instant.

There was a bit more hypocrisy and friendliness, as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years.

He walked down the steps as fast as he could, his face full of joy, and shouted loudly as he walked:
"What a distinguished guest, what a rare guest!"

The wooden seal in front of the door was stunned. Liu Heiying's enthusiasm seemed a little too much.

But as the steward of the Marquis of Ji'an's Mansion, he was naturally familiar with the ways of the world.

He immediately smiled and bowed respectfully:
"I am here to greet General Liu. I am here today to congratulate him on his promotion."

A gleam of light flashed in Liu Heiying's eyes, and his smile became more intense. He said hurriedly:
"Hurry up, hurry up, please come in!"

He immediately looked at Hu Xiaowu and quickly ordered: "Go and buy some tea and snacks!"

After Hu Xiaowu hurried away, Liu Heiying looked at Feng Tiemu with a hint of apology on his face:
"Manager Feng, this is my first time here.
Many things in the mansion have not been prepared yet, so I can only treat you with a little tea. I hope you can understand. "

Feng Tiemu looked at him like this, and suddenly a strange feeling came over him.
It seemed as if I was not talking to a military general.
Instead, he was talking to a businessman who needed a favor from him, which made him feel dazed.

"General Liu, you are too polite. It is my great honor to step into Liu's mansion.

The Marquis specifically asked me to deliver the gift.

He also said that we are neighbors from now on, and if we need anything, we can just ask for it. "

As he spoke, Feng Tiemu moved aside to make way for the two large carriages behind him.

Seeing this, Liu Heiying raised his eyebrows slightly and quickly made a gesture of invitation:
"Manager Feng, please come in. I have long admired Lord Ji'an."

The two of them walked into the mansion talking and laughing, like old friends who had not seen each other for many years.

The personal guards present and the entourage from the Marquis of Ji'an's mansion who followed them all had strange expressions on their faces.

In the main hall, after some reluctance, the two finally sat down side by side.

Feng Tiemu sat in the chair at the head, feeling uncomfortable.
After all, he usually stood by and served.

Seeing him like this, Liu Heiying comforted him:
"Manager Feng, I am a military man.

I don't care about these red tapes, just sit there casually, if you don't say anything and I don't say anything, who will know. "

Hearing this, Feng Tiemu smiled and relaxed.

Sitting in the upper seat with emotion, he took a long breath and said:

"To be honest with you, General Liu, I usually stand and serve.

Sitting here today, I feel really different, as if I were looking at a world of mountains from a distance. "

"Ha ha ha ha."

Liu Heiying laughed loudly and kept patting the armrests of the chair:

"As Feng's steward, I can go to the homes of some merchants and officials, so I am naturally worthy of the top position."

Feng Temu was very happy to hear such praise, and thought to himself that this person was indeed not an ordinary person.
I had only been at Liu's house for a quarter of an hour, but I already felt unusually close to him. It was really strange.

After a brief pause, Feng Tiemu picked up a wooden box beside him and said solemnly:

"General Liu, those things outside the door are mostly daily necessities.
General Liu's mansion is now empty, which is just right for use.

This is the real gift from my Lord."

"Oh?"

Liu Heiying looked surprised. He sat up straight and looked at the wooden box in front of him.

This wooden box is thick, narrow and dark red.

Some clan emblems of the ancient Yuan tribe are carved on it, with dragons soaring and tigers leaping, which is very majestic.

"Excuse me, Manager Feng, what is this?"

Feng Tiemu didn't keep the secret any longer. He placed the box on the square table between the two of them and gently opened it.

A cold light instantly came into his eyes, and Liu Heiying's body instinctively tensed up, but then relaxed.

At this time, the candles in the lobby were already lit, and the sun had not yet completely set.

The orange-red afterglow sprinkled on the wooden box, making the sharp sword in the box seem to be covered with a layer of golden light.

"Hiss" Liu Heiying saw what was in front of him clearly, and couldn't help but take a breath of cold air and exclaimed softly:
"This? Is this the Snowflake Iron Ring Knife?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Feng Tiemu's eyes:
"General Liu has a good eye.

This is the Snowflake Iron Ring Knife, a favorite item of generals and warriors in the Yuan Dynasty.

The owner of this knife is no ordinary person."

"Appreciate further details."

"This sword was originally the weapon of Chilaowen, the leader of the Qiexue Army, and it was passed down until the fall of the Yuan Dynasty.

Later, when Lord Ji'an followed General Xu Da to sweep the north, he captured it in Peking!"

"what?"

Liu Heiying was really shocked, "This is too expensive."

Feng Tiemu was quite satisfied with his reaction, waved his hand and said:

"This is a token of the heart of Lord Ji'an.
General Liu didn't know that many officials in the court had coveted this sword for a long time, but the Marquis of Ji'an had always kept it carefully and never showed it to anyone easily.

Today I told Lord Hou that General Liu moved here.
The Marquis was surprisingly determined and insisted on sending the sword over, saying that it was a precious sword given to a hero!
A young talent like General Liu is more than qualified to wear this sword! "

Liu Heiying felt uncomfortable after hearing this compliment.
But he still picked up the long knife and looked at it carefully.

The more he looked at it, the more fondness he showed in his eyes, and he simply couldn't let it go.

Feng Tiemu did not disturb him, but looked at the empty lobby quietly, thinking about sending some items to decorate it tomorrow.

At this moment, Liu Heiying no longer had the stern look he had in the military camp.

Instead, he has a bit more of the smoothness of a businessman.

Thinking that he came from a merchant family, Feng Temu felt relieved.

After a long while, Liu Heiying reluctantly put the long sword back into the box, his eyes full of love:
"What a good knife it is." Then he changed the subject.
"I just don't know if Lord Ji'an has anything to tell you after sending such a generous gift. But feel free to tell me, I will do my best."

A gleam of light flashed in Feng Tiemu's eyes. He was somewhat caught off guard by this straightforward question.

But he remained calm and smiling as usual.
He just asked meaningfully, "General Liu, are you satisfied with this reward?"

Liu Heiying's eyes flashed with astonishment, his expression became a little strange, and he nodded slightly:

"I am only twenty years old, but I have already been ranked as a third-rank official. I am naturally satisfied with becoming a local official."

This reaction was within Feng Tiemu's expectations.

He nodded slightly and turned to talk about other things:

"General Liu, the third rank in the army is different from the third rank in the court.
It is easier to obtain, do you think this makes sense? "

Liu Heiying frowned slightly:
"I have also heard this statement and I think it makes some sense."

"General Liu is not often in the capital, so he may not know the ins and outs of this.

In fact, the third rank in the army is far inferior to the third rank in the court."

"Appreciate further details."

Feng Tiemu pursed his lips and said in a low voice:
"In the army, being a guard commander is the third rank.

A deputy chief like General Liu is already a local official.

However, there are many provinces in the Ming Dynasty, and each dusi has at least four assistants, so the number of people is not small.

On the other hand, there are only a few third-rank officials in the court.
The prince's guests, twelve left and right vice-ministers, two left and right deputy censors-in-chief, the minister of the Supreme Court, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, and the prefect of Yingtian Prefecture.

Excluding the prince's guests who had been vacant for a long time and only enjoyed honors, there were only eighteen people in total.

Looking at the local area, there are at least two hundred garrison commanders.

There are another fifty clerks in various places, plus the provincial governors.
The number of people is almost close to 300, this gap is not small. "

"What does Manager Feng mean?" A hint of doubt flashed across Liu Heiying's eyes. He felt that this man was beating around the bush and was really a bit long-winded.

"Everyone aspires to be an official in Beijing. Doesn't General Liu want to do that?"

Feng Tiemu's eyes were dark and his expression was somewhat obscure.

Half of the face is hidden in the shadows, and the other half is bathed in sunlight.

Liu Heiying frowned, with a lot of thoughts in his mind:

"Beijing official?"

When he asked this, Feng Temu sighed:
"It's a pity that there are only a limited number of third-rank officials in the capital. There are only so many in the entire Yingtian Prefecture.

Even if Lord Ji'an wants to help, he is somewhat powerless."

"But." He changed the subject.
"The Marquis of Ji'an has no successor yet, and the young talents in the army are
Either they were born into a noble family, or they had already defected to others.

As the Marquis saw his health deteriorating, he became more and more anxious.

But after reading General Liu's many documents on handling matters in Luchuan,
The Marquis felt that perhaps the successor he had been looking for had appeared! "

what?
Liu Heiying couldn't help but be stunned. He didn't expect that things would be laid out so bluntly.

"To be honest, when Lord Ji'an was in the army, he did things similar to General Liu.
He was responsible for commanding the army, raising food, supplies and weapons, and had the ability to kill the enemy.

I have often heard the Marquis say that generals like him are mostly not well-known.

If he had not been born in Haozhou and had not experienced many years of fighting in wars, he probably would not even have been able to get a title.

Today, the Marquis saw that General Liu was also a man of talent but not appreciated, and he couldn't help but feel sad.
Then he ordered the little man to bring the knife, and specifically instructed him to tell General Liu,
Just let go and do every move in the army,
He sees everything and will definitely help you at the critical moment."

Liu Heiying was stunned at first, then his face was full of disbelief, and ecstasy was revealed in his eyes without any concealment.

Seeing him like this, Feng Tiemu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

I think this is the normal reaction of a soldier.

As a founding general, Marquis Ji'an stood in the court for twenty years.

How could a twenty-year-old young man refuse the kindness of such a big shot?
Liu Heiying remained silent for a long time.
Feng Tiemu was more and more satisfied with his performance! That's how it should be!
After a long time, Feng Tiemu smiled slightly, slowly stood up, and bowed to Liu Heiying:
"It is getting late today. I have delivered the message that the Marquis asked me to deliver. I will take my leave now."

As he said this, Feng Tiemu slowly turned around, but when he reached the door,
He suddenly stopped again, as if remembering something, and turned back and said:
"General Liu has made great military achievements and is extremely intelligent. He should not be buried.

I heard that the Governor's Office will hold a military exercise in the small parade ground tomorrow to test the soldiers from other places.

Perhaps General Liu will have a chance to show his skills, so I hope General Liu will be ready."

After saying this, he bowed and left quickly.

The figure quickly disappeared into the increasingly dark courtyard.

After he left, the enthusiasm in Liu Heiying's eyes faded instantly, replaced by a look of confusion.

He knew very well the purpose of Feng Temu's visit today.

It is nothing more than creating conflicts through "dividing and winning over".

But why did you choose him?
Liu Heiying was puzzled. As one of the core figures of the Huaixi nobles,

They are also the main force opposing the imperial court, so why would they try to win me over?
This left him completely puzzled, and he still had no clue after thinking about it for a long time.

Moreover, this letter was from the Imperial Guard, so why was he joining in the fun?
He clearly remembered that this was clearly written in the last document Deng Lingyun wrote to Brother Yuner.

[In April of the 13th year, Feng Tiemu entered the Marquis of Ji'an's mansion].

But after thinking about it, Liu Heiying understood a little.
At least on the surface, Feng Tiemu is still a member of the Ji'an Marquis Mansion and has to show a certain degree of loyalty.

Liu Heiying couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for Marquis Ji'an.

If Feng Temujin was a Jinyiwei, then wouldn't Mao Xiang know everything that Marquis Ji'an did today?
And my performance will surely catch Mao Xiang's attention!
For a moment, Liu Heiying felt cold all over.

If he did not know Feng Tiemu's identity, or accepted the solicitation of Marquis Jian,

Once the imperial court settles the matter, the consequences will be disastrous.
For a time, Liu Heiying felt that the Jinyiwei's actions were not fair and they actually used "fishing enforcement".

I don't know how many people were implicated by this.

Maybe until he is beheaded, he still won't know where the problem lies.

At this time, Hu Xiaowu ran back breathlessly, holding two packages:

"Sir, I am back."

Liu Heiying was sitting at the top, and his thoughts were interrupted. He rolled his eyes at him:
"Everything I've been waiting for you, the daylilies are getting cold!"

“The person has already left.”

Hu Xiaowu muttered to himself, turned around and saw the open wooden box on the table and the long knife inside.

"Sir, what is this?"

Liu Heiying looked over with a complicated look in his eyes.

After a long while, a hint of cruelty flashed in his eyes, and he handed over the wooden box:

"Let the people from Xinchen Commercial Bank come to decorate tomorrow. Hurry up and get it ready.
Hang this knife in the most conspicuous place for me, so that everyone can see it!"

Hu Xiaowu took the long knife with some surprise and nodded slightly:
"Yes!"

"Then, sir, are you still going to buy the white marble tiles and mahogany furniture that Lord Lu mentioned?"

“Buy, why not?
First, make the mansion habitable, and then we can prepare the rest later."

"Yes!"

Liu Heiying's eyes were gloomy. After thinking for a moment, he said:
“Arrange people to keep an eye on the Marquis of Ji’an’s mansion, with a special focus on the newly arrived seal.

Remember, don't follow him too closely, just record the time he enters and leaves the house, and be safe."

"Yes!" Hu Xiaowu looked serious.

"Hua Jieyu should be here the day after tomorrow." Liu Heying asked suddenly with a flicker in his eyes.

Hu Xiaowu replied:

"According to the plan, they will arrive the day after tomorrow. They have already arrived in Yingtian Prefecture."

"Got it. Ask Xinchen Commercial Bank to speed up the process. It must be habitable the day after tomorrow!"

"Yes, my subordinate will do it now."

The night was deep, and the inky darkness spread thickly, wrapping the capital city of Yingtian tightly.

There was no trace of moonlight on the inky sky.
The stars also hid their figures, looking particularly depressing.

After leaving Liu's house, Feng Tiemu did not return to Ji'an Marquis's house.
Instead, he turned left and right and quickly arrived at Chen Xing's dyeing room in the large workshop.

At this moment, the door of Chen Xingran's room was closed, with only a little light coming through the crack of the door.

Feng Tiemu looked at the gate in front of him with a calm expression and a sense of indifference.

His figure flashed and disappeared into the darkness, and soon he arrived at the back door of Chen Xingran's room.

Unlike the tidy front door, the back door was a bit messy, with some debris piled in the corner.

Feng Tiemu quickly glanced over and muttered:

"One, two, three, four, seven!"

Soon, he set his sights on the seventh brick from the top on the left side of the gate.

He took a step forward, inserted his fingers into the gap, and with a little force, half of the brick was pulled out.

A hint of relief flashed across Feng Tiemu's eyes:
"It was my first time using Chen Xing Dye's dead mailbox, and it went so smoothly"

According to the Jinyiwei regulations, each hidden spy has a special dead mailbox.

And it can only be used once, and will be replaced with a new one after use.

Moreover, the contact person only checks the dead mailbox once every three days to protect the sender.

Feng Tiemu thought about it while stuffing the information he had already written into it.
Finally, he put the bricks back in place, and then disappeared into the darkness with brisk steps.

Next, he just had to wait for his superior's arrangements.

(End of this chapter)