Hundreds of households in Liaodong, covering the light with one hand

It is August 17th, the third year of the Great Ming Dynasty, outside Beijing.

After half a month's journey, the Nanjing delegation has arrived outside Beijing.

Being "escorted" by Qin Erbao's Liaodong Army all the way, Shi Kefa had changed from riding a sedan to riding a horse since Pi County.

Looking at the vaguely majestic city in the distance, Shi Kefa, who had been worried and thinking all the way, was now a little excited.

Holding the horse's rein tightly, Shi Kefa secretly made up his mind that in this line of work, he would sacrifice his life to achieve justice, even if he died in this way, he would not hesitate!

"Master Shi," while Shi Kefa was hypnotizing himself, the armored soldiers on the side had already stepped forward: "From now on until you leave Beijing, all matters related to the matter will be handled by the Imperial City Secretary. Please cooperate!"

Shi Kefa opened his eyes when he heard this, and saw a black armor holding a sword - an armored soldier!

Of course Shi Kefa knew about the Armored Man of the Imperial City who had suddenly risen recently and was a hot topic throughout the Ming Dynasty.

He is covered in elite armor and holds a long sword at his waist. He can form a formation to defend the enemy. He also has a powerful crossbow on his back, which he can use to ride a horse and shoot to kill the enemy dozens of steps away. I heard that there are also fine steel daggers hidden on the sides of his legs. For close combat.

The whole body weighs about thirty kilograms, and no one without strong armor can do the job.

"The Duke of Qi really values ​​us," Shi Kefa replied with a non-smiling smile.

"Please!" The armored soldier cupped his hands and rode away on horseback.

At this time, the entire people of Beijing knew that the delegation from Nanjing had arrived.

The entire Yongdingmen Street was surrounded by people who came to watch the excitement.

All of a sudden, there was a buzz of people, people were crowded together, and black crows were everywhere as far as the eye could see.

Looking at these people, Shi Kefa thought they were here to welcome him at first, and he felt inexplicably excited. After all, God had lived up to Donglin, and everyone was finally upright.

But after counting, Shi Kefa felt something was wrong.

These people don't seem to welcome me.

"Nanjing man! Go back"

"You are not welcome in Beijing!"

"The emperor will not go with you!"

"Design the Duke of Qi as soon as possible, so that the light of the parliament can illuminate the entire Ming Dynasty!"

"Xu Xu!!! Go back!"

There were no cheers as imagined, and there was no scene of eating pot pulp. All that reached Shi Kefa's ears were curses and curses.

Shi Kefa couldn't understand why in just four months, the people of Beijing had already sided with Wang Qi.

Why is this historical sinner and usurper so popular?

Have they all forgotten the scene where the emperor was imprisoned and the princes were beheaded?

Has the river of blood in Beijing become history?

Do not! ! !

Perhaps, whether the people welcome his arrival is not that important.

Shi Kefa pursed his lips tightly. He didn't think the people's approval was so important.

In the heart of this Donglin party member, the people are ignorant and ignorant. People who work hard for three meals a day have no way of understanding what loyalty and filial piety are. They fight for petty profits every day and lose their lives. People who live in poverty cannot be expected to throw their lives and blood for lofty ideals.

Therefore, we are not asking for help from the people, but we are asking for help from the annals of history, from the sages, and from the lofty justice!

This is the real Donglin Party member!

Therefore, Shi Kefa, the backbone of Donglin who shoulders the expectations of all his colleagues in Nanjing City, still straightened his waist at this moment and rode his horse forward, not caring at all about the noise and discussion around him.

Not long after, Shi Kefa, led by the Imperial City Secretary, arrived at Honglu Temple - the place where the parliament arranged for the delegation to rest during their stay in Beijing.

This place is relatively close to the imperial city and is considered a central location in the entire capital. No matter where you look at it, it is considered appropriate.

Moreover, Honglu Temple is in charge of court gatherings, guests, good and bad rites, and the council placed it here, which also means that Nanjing City is treated as an equal.

"Master Shi, it's been a long time since we last said goodbye to Qianqing Palace!" Wang Huazhen stood at the entrance of Honglu Temple with his clothes on and his sleeves wide, waiting with a smile on his face.

"I've met Mr. Wang," Shi Kefa got off his horse and saluted Wang Huazhen.

Although they are political enemies, at this time, before they really break apart, both sides still retain a trace of dignity.

"Because of the visit of the Nanjing City delegation, the parliament specially asked Honglu Temple to prepare some preparations so that the delegation could have a good rest without being disturbed by the outside world." Wang Huazhen took Shi Kefa to visit the front yard and explained it to him.

When he was in Beijing, Shi Kefa also visited Honglu Temple. However, at this time, Honglu Temple had obviously been renovated and its area had doubled. The Taiyuan Hospital, which was originally separated by a wall from Honglu Temple, was moved to the vicinity of Taipu Temple. .

"It's changed a lot," Shi Kefa nodded expressionlessly, not knowing what he meant.

"Nowadays, the entire city of Beijing has changed a lot," Wang Huazhen smiled: "The delegation will rest today. I will be here tomorrow to take Mr. Shi on a tour of Shijing Mountain."

"Shi Jingshan?"

Shi Kefa frowned slightly when he heard this.

"The steelmaking plant of the Science Society is under construction. This mission has this item in the schedule in the capital. You can go and learn about it so that you can go back and report to the princes," Wang Huazhen seemed to be very enthusiastic about introducing it to Shi Kefa. It's a steel mill.

"I have no interest in Shi Jingshan or the Science Society." Shi Kefa shook his head and looked solemn: "When can I go to see Wang Qi?"

"Master Shi, the Chief Master will also go to the steel mill tomorrow, and I will see you then," Wang Huazhen seemed to have known that Shi Kefa would ask this question, and returned directly.

"Well, the Japanese official will be waiting for you here tomorrow!" Shi Kefa nodded, then handed over his hands and said, "It's been a hard journey, so Shi won't send me off!"

Is this a direct eviction of people?

Wang Huazhen was not angry, bowed and left with his men.

After taking Wang Huazhen away, Shi Kefa stepped into the backyard prepared for him by Honglu Temple. After scanning the surroundings, he said to Sun Kewang: "Send someone to guard the door and don't allow anyone else to come in!"

"Obey!" Sun Kewang obeyed the order and bowed and retreated.

Shi Kefa walked around the room before slowly sitting down.

After resting for a long time, Shi Kefa took out a piece of silk-thick silk paper from his sleeve.

At first glance, it seems to be just a piece of extremely thin tissue paper, but if you look closely, you can see that it is densely packed with a secret message of thousands of words.

It records in detail all the plans of the Nanjing mission to rescue the emperor. From how to enter the palace, to how to find the emperor, to how to create chaos in the city, and then take advantage of the chaos to rescue the emperor. When the time comes, there will be people outside Beijing to respond.

All plans are interconnected!

And the most important thing is how to create chaos?

A chaos that makes Wang Qi have no time to pay attention to the imperial city!

Shi Kefa looked at the Beijing city map on the table: the location of the Wang Gongchang Gunpowder Factory was highlighted on it.

Shi Kefa clearly remembered the attempted bombing a few months ago.

That case was handled by Wang Qi, who was the commander of the Jinyi Guards at the time. Shi Kefa had even written a letter to impeach Wang Qi for using his private actions and killing too many people.

Today is no better than before!

Shi Kefa explained what he had done: After all, the emperor is more important than anything else!

Now, how many people have died to save the emperor? It doesn't matter!

Shi Kefa's expression was a little ferocious at the moment.

Silent all night.

Early the next morning, while Shi Kefa was still washing, his entourage came to report.

"Sir, Mr. Wang is already waiting in the front yard, waiting for you to set off to Shijingshan together."

He took off his sleeves, wiped his face with a white cotton cloth, and then slowly stepped back a few steps, sitting there and letting the maid serve to twist his hair. Then Shi Kefa slowly said: "I will go over there in a while, and let Mr. Wang wait for a while!"

The attendant wiped the sweat on his head and hurriedly turned around to answer the question in the front yard as if he was relieved.

In the front yard, Wang Huazhen was sitting and drinking tea, with the minister of Honglu Temple carefully accompanying him.

"My lord, please wait a moment. My lord will be here soon." The attendant hunched over, obviously trotting all the way over.

"There's no rush, you can go ahead," Wang Huazhen waved his hand and asked the entourage to retreat.

"I'm afraid Mr. Shi is angry," the minister from Honglu Temple chuckled and spoke to Wang Huazhen.

"What are you angry about?" Wang Huazhen put down the tea cup leisurely: "It's just that he was not allowed to see the emperor today. What are you angry about? Allowing him to enter the capital is a great favor. Let me tell you, my... My nephew is too kind-hearted. He thinks too idealistically about some things. Does he think everyone is as open-minded as he is? Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Hearing Wang Huazhen commenting on Wang Qi, the minister of Honglu Temple could only laugh dryly and did not dare to reply.

What's going on?

Does your nephew have a kind heart?

He built an army of tens of thousands of slaves and slaughtered his people to death. Even the legendary and only surviving young prince Dorgon was ordered to be hanged in Hetuala. Is this called a kindhearted person? After hearing this, Nurhaci and Huang Taiji might be so angry that they would rise from the dead!

After burning the incense, the water for Wang Huazhen's second tea was almost cold, and Shi Kefa just walked out of the backyard.

Behind him were several attendants.

"I've kept Councilor Wang waiting for so long," Shi Kefa said, "It was hot and noisy in the capital last night, so I didn't sleep well. Please forgive me."

"It doesn't matter, it's just a matter of two minutes of making tea," Wang Huazhen shook his sleeves: "Everything in the capital is in ruins, and you will get used to it after a few days."

"Hey, everything is waiting to be done?" Shi Kefa raised his chin half-way, with some disdain: "Let's wait and see."

"Please" Wang Huazhen turned aside.

"Let's walk," Shi Kefa took steps.

Shijingshan is not far from Beijing. About half an hour after leaving the city, the group arrived at the southern foot of Shijingshan.

"The steelmaking plant was completed today. The chief minister and Congressman Xu are here to watch the ceremony," Wang Huazhen got off his horse and pointed to the mountainside in the distance that had been blown up to halfway up the mountain. .

"On my way to the capital, I heard people say that the steel mill was spitting out black smoke, and the black clouds had begun to fill the air, making half of the capital covered in smoke, like a purgatory on earth." Shi Kefa never forgot any new policies for the parliament. Make a comment.

"People's words are always exaggerated," Wang Huazhen was not angry: "Master Shi, combine knowledge with action, take a look and then speak."

"Hmph, I want to see what kind of monster this is!" Shi Kefa shook his sleeves and strode forward.

Wang Huazhen sneered and followed Shi Kefa.

The group of people walked around for about a mile.

The closer you get, the more obvious the heat and the trembling of the earth become.

The weather in August and September was already hot, and Shi Kefa was already sweating profusely. His brocade robe seemed to have been soaked in water, sticking to his body and making him extremely uncomfortable.

"Master Shi, turn the corner in front of you and you're here."

Before Wang Huazhen finished speaking, Shi Kefa had already turned the corner, paused in his steps, and looked up at the scene not far away, with a look of horror on his face.

"This is this?"

On one side of the foothills, large chimneys dozens of feet high are densely packed almost crowding the foothills on this side. At the same time, the dark chimney mouth is continuously spitting out black mist, like black dragons, soaring into the sky, and then Looking upward, in Shi Kefa's eyes, the sky on this side of the foothills was already shrouded in black mist.

"Witchcraft?" Two words finally popped out of Shi Kefa's mouth: "This is witchcraft!"

"This is the steelmaking plant," Wang Huazhen had already caught up with Shi Kefa and panted: "To tell you the truth, I was shocked for a long time when I saw this kind of monster for the first time, but you have to know that if If they can operate normally, in half a year, these steel furnaces can produce nearly 10,000 kilograms of fine steel, enough to equip all Gyeonggi troops."

"Ten thousand kilograms of fine steel in half a year?" Shi Kefa turned his head, still in shock, and asked subconsciously: "Doesn't that mean that within three years, all the Liaodong Army will..."

"Three years?" Wang Huazhen narrowed his eyes and did not answer Shi Kefa's question. Instead, he replied: "This is only 20% of the plan."

"Master Shi!" While the two of them were talking, a person from a distance ran over and saluted the two of them: "Chief Sir, please come over."

When Shi Kefa heard this, he turned and looked into the distance. There was a triangular pavilion with flying eaves, and a bunch of officials in light red brocade robes were respectfully surrounding a young man, reporting something.

Taking a deep breath, Shi Kefa suppressed the shock just now and said: "Lead the way!"

The steelmaking plant is a branch of the Science Society, so the director of the steelmaking plant is considered a third-grade official.

However, at this moment, this third-level official in royal robes stood in front of Wang Qi, but he was respectful and did not dare to show any slightest reaction.

"Not bad," Wang Qi nodded, with no emotion in his voice: "In three months, we started from scratch. This is the first glimpse of the door. Thirty iron-making furnaces can produce 100,000 kilograms of steel a year. , if the fine steel can have 30,000, it will be considered qualified."

"Please rest assured, Sir, if we cannot eradicate 30,000 pieces of fine steel a year, I, the MCA, will come to see you!" In three months, the former head of the Arms and Armament Department of the Ministry of War, who has lost a lot of weight visibly, is now the director of the Steel Plant Department. Long, resolute and unusual.

"Okay!" Wang Qi pointed at Ma Hua with his finger: "If you succeed, I will personally pour you a glass of wine and lead the horse and whip!"

"Thank you, sir!!" Ma Hua pounced upon hearing this and fell to his knees.

"Sir, Shi Kefa is here." He ran to Wang Qi's side and spoke softly.

"Please come over," Wang Qi replied, then stretched out his hand to help Ma Hua up: "The steelmaking plant is the first major event that the parliament has done since its establishment, so we must pay attention to it."

"I understand!" (End of chapter)