In the city of Dengzhou in June of the seventeenth year of Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty, there were still many idle officials or former officials.

The former followed Zhu Cihong all the way to Dengzhou, no matter whether it was useful or not, they were all heroes who overcame difficulties, so after arriving in Dengzhou, everyone had a piece of money and food, and they also arranged a place to live, and they could go to the palace or the Generalissimo's Mansion every day.

The latter are former officials who came out of Beijing and ran to Dagukou after Li Zicheng's defeat and left Beijing, and the reason why they are "predecessors" is because they all have the stain of being a thief or suspected of being a thief. Zhu Cihong didn't ask about their crimes, but their official positions, titles, and fame were all removed, and they would not be given any more money and food, so they were left to fend for themselves.

Compared with the "heroes of overcoming difficulties", this group of people was of course more down, there was no money and food, and there was no place to live arranged by the Yamen of Denglai Governor, so they had to rent a private house or borrow to live in the Penglai Pavilion (Taoist Temple) next to Dengzhou Water City.

Shi Kefa's cousin Shi Kecheng is an unlucky guy who has lost his official position and fame, and now he has rented a room in Penglai Pavilion with a group of like-minded former officials.

However, unlike most of his "predecessors", he is not worried about his career, nor does he seem to be down, but he makes appointments every day, travels the mountains and rivers, recites poems, and lives a very leisurely life.

And those heroes who have nothing to do do do not reject him, but are willing to make friends with him, who let him have a hot cousin named Shi Kefa?

Today, it was drizzling in Dengzhou Mansion, and Shi Kecheng, a white-faced scholar in his twenties this year, did not go out, but sat leisurely with his legs crossed in a clean guest room in Penglai Pavilion, with a pot of fragrant tea on the coffee table in front of him, and a book in his hand.

The surroundings of the guest room are very quiet, only the sound of wind, rain, and waves comes into the ears, which is quite a laughing artistic conception of watching the world.

Outside the door, there is a wooden floor, which is old, and people occasionally creak when they walk on it. Shi Kecheng suddenly put down the scroll in his hand, listened attentively, and then said with a smile: "Which brother is it?" Come on in. ”

A respectful announcement came from outside the door: "Nephew Stilwell heard that Uncle is here, and he has come to visit." ”

Then I saw the door being pushed open, and a man in Confucian clothes walked in, holding a wet umbrella in his hand, it was Shi Kefa's adopted son Shi Dewei.

Stilwell concealed his identity and followed Tang Yun to Dengzhou, so he was not summoned by Zhu Cihong or Chongzhen, but wandered around the city to inquire about the news. I heard that one of my uncles was living in Penglai Pavilion in Dengzhou, so I came to visit.

"My nephew has seen my uncle." Stilwell put down his umbrella and saluted again.

Shi Kecheng knew Stilwell, but he was not intimate, but today he got up very enthusiastically, took Stilwell's hand and asked him to sit beside him, and poured him a cup of tea.

"Longjiang, why did you come to Dengzhou?" Shi Kecheng asked, "Did Daolin (Shi Kefa) send you?" Where is Daolin now? ”

"Uncle," said Stilwell, "it was my father who asked my nephew to come to Dengzhou to investigate the situation, and my father personally led the army of King Qin to the north, and now it is time to go to Yanzhou." ”

"Arrived in Yanzhou?" Shi Kecheng calculated in his heart, "It's time to go to Dengzhou in three or five days, right?" I'll have to go meet him. ”

Of course, he hopes that Shi Kefa can come north to Dengzhou soon, Shi Kefa is the head of the officials and nobles in the capital, and he also holds the military power of Nanzhili, and he is the boss of Donglin, so his face is naturally very great.

If Shi Kefa led King Qin's army north, the crown prince would definitely forgive him for the sin of defecting to the enemy and reinstate him.

"Father can't come to Dengzhou for the time being," Shi Dewei's words surprised Shi Kecheng, "Uncle might as well leave Dengzhou with his nephew." ”

"Why?" Shi Kecheng was stunned, "Daolin is the secretary of the Nanjing Military Department, and he commanded the troops to go north to the king of Qin, how can there be a reason not to come to Dengzhou to face the king?" ”

"Doesn't my uncle know who is in power in Dengzhou now?" Stilwell asked rhetorically, "And how did the power of the crown prince come from?" ”

Shi Dewei, who came to Dengzhou for three or two days, had already heard a little about the change of the Huangji Gate - the palace change or something, everyone did not dare to say it, but there were a lot of sayings about the soldiers. After all, the change of the Huangji Gate took place in front of everyone's eyes, and it was impossible to hide it at all.

In Stilwell's view, the change in Huangjimen was a coup d'état! The crown prince's power to raise the army was usurped...... This prince is clearly a chaotic minister and thief!

"This is a royal matter," Shi Kecheng shook his head, "Can you manage it?" ”

"Why did my uncle say that?" Stilwell frowned and said, "Uncle is reading the book of sages, don't you know what righteousness is?" ”

Righteous size!

Shi Kecheng frowned, and said in his heart: Why are you a martial artist like Shi Kefa, your uncle and I are both second ministers, what do you care about? As long as the prince can make me an official! Your uncle and I have been studying the Four Books and Five Classics for 20 years, just to become an official!

"Ah," Shi Kecheng rolled his eyes, "what you said makes sense! Well, the scholar is to speak of righteousness. However, I can't leave Dengzhou right away, because I still have some friends in Dengzhou, so I'll go see them now and see if I can take them with me. ”

"That's great." Stilwell was overjoyed, "Why don't you let your nephew accompany your uncle to meet them." ”

"No, no, no," Shi Kecheng shook his head again and again, "It's inconvenient for you to show up, I'll just go and see you alone." ”

It was indeed inconvenient for Shi Kecheng to take Stilwell to meet his friends, because the person he wanted to meet was named Su Ziwen. and he were Jinshi in the same year, both of whom were in Chongzhen's sixteenth year of high school, and they were both given errands for editing by the Hanlin Academy.

It's just that Su Ziwen took the lead in taking refuge with Zhu Cihong outside the Huangji Gate, and he is a disciple of Tang Ruowang, who knows a lot of Western mathematics and chemistry knowledge, and can fiddle with gunpowder and artillery.

And although Shi Kecheng has a cousin like Shi Kefa, he had a bad idea and felt that Daming had no fun, so he didn't run away, stayed in Beijing and became a second minister, and now he has been pushed to the end and become a common man.

When the commoner Shi Kecheng had an important matter to ask to see Su Ziwen, the chief secretary of the Generalissimo's Mansion, Su Ziwen was working with Zhou Zerui, another chief secretary of the Generalissimo's Mansion, and Gong Dingyu, another speaker of the East Palace, to handle the affairs of Deng Laienke.

The doctrine of holding Denglaienko was put forward by Li Yan - while renovating the guard, the most powerful and powerful people in Denglai must be given the opportunity to become officials! Su Guansheng was busy with this matter during the "big inspection" in May.

After all, Denglai is at the forefront, and he can't be too ruthless against a group of landlords, otherwise they will all be the leading party? Therefore, we have to give a way, whether it is the military attache of the guard system, or the scholars of the seven guards and eleven counties in the three prefectures of Denglai, we must give them a chance.

And it's a big chance!

In short, the landlord-class intellectuals and powerful elements in Denglai and the two prefectures will soon usher in the most crucial official examination in their lives.

And Su Ziwen, as one of the main exams, is naturally very busy, but Shi Kefa's younger brother is here, and he still has to squeeze out time to meet him.

"Brother Ziwen, when the younger brother hears about the confidential matter, he wants to report it to the prince in person."

Su Ziwen was a Jiangnan celebrity before high school, and he used words to line, so Shi Kecheng called him "Brother Ziwen", and also called himself "Little Brother", and put his posture very low.

"What is the secret?" Su Ziwen said, "Can you reveal one or two?" ”

Shi Kecheng looked left and right, and then lowered his voice: "My cousin Shi Kefa sent his adopted son to Dengzhou!" ”

"What?" Su Ziwen was stunned, "I haven't heard of it!" ”

"He's here under a pseudonym!" Shi Kecheng said, "Brother Ziwen, can you introduce the younger brother now?" ”

That's a big deal! Su Ziwen thought to himself: Shi Kefa is a great figure now, whether Chitose can ascend the throne in Nanjing, he is a key! And this Shi Kecheng is his cousin....... If you take refuge in a solid way, it is also of great use!

"Good!" Su Ziwen nodded, "Come with me, and I'll take you to see His Royal Highness the Prince!" ”