A guy's voice came from outside the door, "Hu Keguan, Hu Keguan."

He Sanjie stopped and stood aside. Hu Guiyang waited for a while and said, "What's the matter?"

"Someone outside asks for a visit, would you bring it in?"

Hu Guiyang had said before that someone would come and bring it in. Because it was too late, the guy came over and asked.

"Please bring it in."

The guy responded and went to the front to invite the guests. He Sanjie quickly pushed the door and left.

Hu Guiyang lit the oil lamp again, guessing that the person who came back was probably Zhao Aqi, Yuan Mao and Fan Dajian could not be so fast.

The guy came back soon, Hu Guiyang opened the door and gave him a handful of copper coins. The guy who was woken up in the middle of the night held the money in both hands and happily left.

Hu Guiyang looked at the stranger opposite him with the faint light in the room.

It was a man in a long gown, about thirty years old, with a respectful and humble expression. Seeing him, Hu Guiyang immediately remembered Yuan Mao when he was beside Yuan Bin and bowed, "Your Excellency is..."

"I'm here for the master." The man was indeed a follower. He pointed his finger into the house, meaning he wanted to enter the house and talk in detail.

Hu Guiyang moved aside, "Please."

When the man entered the room, Hu Guiyang closed the door, walked to the table, and said, "Please sit down."

The man bowed his hand and thanked him, sat opposite him, and looked around, "The shop is simple, are you used to living in Seoul Hu?"

"It's much better than the place I slept a few days ago. Do I recognize you?"

The man smiled and shook his head, "We have never met before. My name is Qian Gong, and I am a small follower next to Shang Shaobao."

"Shang Shaobao?" Hu Guiyang knew that Shaobao was the best official title, and the only official surnamed Shang in the court was Shang Lu, the chief assistant of the cabinet, but as far as he knew, Shang Lu had not been named Shaobao.

"Have you heard about Captain Hu yet?"

"I've been running around outside and I've heard of things in the court at all times."

"Mr. Shang asked for retirement a few days ago, and he has been approved to be granted the title of Young Guardian. He returned home today. I heard that Captain Hu was also in the dock shop and sent me to visit him. He came to disturb him late at night, and hoped to let him go."

Qian Gong was kind, but Hu Guiyang forgot to be polite and said in surprise: "Shang Shaobao... Shang Shaobao retired and returned home. Who has the prime minister changed to?"

"Your Majesty has not yet decided. According to qualifications, he should be the Grand Secretary of Wan'an." Qian Gong said calmly.

Hu Guiyang still had not recovered from the shock, and after a while, he said: "I used to avoid the Shang Shaobao Mansion for a while, and I have never come to thank you."

"My adults also felt regretful, so they sent me here. Since Captain Hu came to Tongzhou, would he want to take a boat south?"

"I'm going to visit Yunyang Prefecture."

"What a coincidence, we have a boat and we go straight to Hangzhou. If Captain Hu has not yet made a reservation for the boat, why not take a boat to go?"

"I'm waiting for a few people, I don't know when I can set off..."

"It's okay, we are not in a hurry. There are many adults coming from the capital to see you off. Shang Shaobao has to delay two days in Tongzhou."

"I am just a captain in Jinyi. How dare I take the ship of Master Shaobao?"

"Haha, Hu Zhengwei is so polite. The lord said that he has retired. Although he has the title of Young Guard, he is strictly speaking the body of the common people. If he can get Hu Zhengwei's ship protection, he will not be able to ask for it."

The people are different from the people. After the retired chief minister returned to his hometown, the local officials must go out of the city to greet him and visit him during festivals. A lieutenant like Hu Guiyang usually has no qualifications to pay homage, but today he was invited to take the same boat together.

"I'm disrespectful. Please thank Master Shaobao for me and wait for me to determine the departure time..."

"We are temporarily living in the inn, not far from here."

"Okay, the person I'm waiting for should arrive soon."

"Then let's chat on the boat and say goodbye."

Hu Guiyang sent Qian Gong to the entrance of the hotel and couldn't help asking: "I just told my friend, when did Lord Shaobao hear that I came to Tongzhou?"

Qian Gong bowed and smiled, "I am just a servant, I came on the order of the Lord, and I don't know anything else."

"Let's talk on the boat?"

"Let's talk on the boat."

Qian Gong also had a follower, waiting on the street outside with lanterns. Hu Guiyang watched the two go away and returned to his house in confusion. He couldn't think of order, so he simply fell down to sleep.

The first person to come back was not Zhao Aqi, but Yuan Mao. He arrived at Tongzhou Wharf the next afternoon and soon found the inn where Hu Guiyang and others settled.

"The factory is not very satisfied with you. He said that you are becoming more and more arrogant. If you don't go back to the capital, you won't go to the West Factory, and you will still think that you are the captain of the West Factory?"

"What did Wang Zhi tell you in person?"

"Of course not. How can I be qualified to be scolded by the factory in person?" Yuan Mao was not easy to do. Every time he went to the West Factory, he would be scolded. He didn't dare to reply. He had to carefully look at the other person's face, but he finally completed the task and pushed it to Hu Guiyang from his arms.

Hu Guiyang opened it and glanced. It was a document issued by the Xichang Factory. He sent the lieutenant Hu Guiyang to the public servant of Yunyang Prefecture and asked the post station to receive Yunyun along the road. With it, Hu Guiyang could also live in the official office, and after arriving at Yunyang Prefecture, he could still get assistance from the official office.

"It's thank you for your help." Hu Guiyang smiled. If he went to the West Factory, although he could get official documents, he would offend more people.

"It's nothing. Lai Wangxi and their bird guns have made some progress."

"Oh?" Hu Guiyang was more interested in this matter.

"But there is insufficient staff, the Xichang refused to help dispatch craftsmen, so they could only find people from the Five Elements Sect."

"Blacksmith, carpenter, pharmacist...there are all staff in the Five Elements Sect."

"Most of the people of the Five Elements Sect belong to each yamen, so they can only send some apprentices to help. Lai Wangxi asked me to tell me that in another half a year, it might be possible to build a better bird gun."

"Half a year?" Hu Guiyang felt it was too slow.

"There is no way, you can only take this kind of thing slowly, and it's useless to be anxious."

"Okay, what else?"

"Have you heard that something big happened in the court?"

"Shangshou Guardian retires and returns home?"

"Yes, it is said that it was because of the disagreement with the factory owner and was forced to retire. Unexpectedly, His Majesty actually agreed. It can only be said that the factory owner is too favored and has a bright future. We chose to defect to the Western Factory at the beginning, which is too foresight."

Hu Guiyang nodded with a smile.

"Where are the others?"

"Fan Dajian sent the villagers to his village, and Zhao Aqi went to chase the big hammer." Hu Guiyang roughly said what happened in Mojia Village, "We should be back tomorrow at the latest."

"Okay, I'll go and book the boat." Yuan Mao reached out to get the official documents, and he could only take the official boat for free.

"No, I've found a ship."

"Is that so? Who are you... lying to?" Yuan Mao was quite alert to Hu Guiyang's methods.

"It's not a scam, it's him who came to provide the ship on his own initiative."

"You have such good friends?"

"I can't be considered a friend, I am Shang Shaobao's entourage, and I'm called Qian Gong."

Yuan Mao's face suddenly changed, and he stared at Hu Guiyang blankly, "You, aren't you fainting, are you?"

"No, it's very normal." Hu Guiyang touched his forehead.

"Shang Lu can't fight against Wang Zhi and was forced to step down. You are the captain of the Nansi and seconded to the Xichang. Everyone thinks you are Wang Zhi's person. How can you... How can you..." Yuan Mao was anxious and called the names of the two adults, not knowing how to express his doubts.

"I am not qualified to participate in the battle, so why bother with so many things?"

"You can't ignore it. If you get on the merchant's ship, someone will definitely pass the news to the Xichang Factory. Wang Zhi... How could the factory man allow you to commit such betrayal? He was dissatisfied with you..."

"There's no way, I've agreed."

"No, I'll turn off the invitation, otherwise we will drag it away and wait until the merchant's ship leaves, and then look for other ships."

"Is it that scary? I heard that many adults came to Tongzhou to see you off."

"That's different. Shang Lu has a high reputation. The civil servants' farewell is to fulfill their friendship and gain reputation. As long as you don't do too much, you will not offend Wang Zhi. But you are different. You are the captain of the Xichang School. To be honest, you are Wang Zhi's subordinate. Wang Zhi's minions are like my former identity in Yuan's Mansion. Lord Yuan was transferred to the former mansion. If I had visited the new coach of the Jinyiwei in private, what would he think?"

"I understand what you mean, let's do this. I'll take the merchant's boat, and you can find another boat with the official documents."

Yuan Mao became even more anxious, "That's not the case. Fan Dajian and I work with you. If you make contributions, we will get a share of the pie. If you offend others, we have to follow melons, right?"

"But I have decided to 'offend' Wang Zhi."

Yuan Mao stayed for a while, "There is work to go to the West Factory next time. You can send it to someone else, or you can go by yourself. Since you want to eat melons, I will try to stay away as much as possible."

No matter what, Yuan Mao still has to follow Hu Guiyang.

Hu Guiyang laughed, "Don't be afraid, I agree to have a reason to get on the merchant's ship. Wang Zhi won't blame me if he knows it."

Yuan Mao frowned. He used to serve Lord Yuan Bin and Yuan, and he had never been used to Hu Guiyang's style.

"Once, He Baiwan once took me to hide in the back garden of Shang Mansion. In the palace incident, He Baiwan and Wenjiazhuang were wanted. Lord Shang was unscathed at that time, but now he is forced to retire and return home. I have to figure out the reason."

"I remember this, but this can involve secret matters in the palace..."

"He Baiwan's first target was pointed directly into the palace. If we hide, we would be afraid that we would be getting further and further away from He Baiwan."

Yuan Mao sighed, "How can I get a tiger's son if I don't enter the tiger's den? I'll just make a trip with you."

"Haha, it's just a boat, how can it be considered a tiger's den?"

"I'm not talking about the merchant ship, it's the West Factory... Forget it, you've offended it almost anyway."

Yuan Mao left, and went out to rent a room in the store, and the horses were also required to be fostered. He didn't know when he would be able to return to Beijing from Yunyang Prefecture. He paid three months at a time and went to buy some essential items to ensure that the trip was not too hasty.

In the evening of that day, Fan Dajian and Zhao Aqi came to the store together, and each brought one person.

Fan Dajian spread his hands helplessly, "There is no way, I can't control this and have to go to Yunyang Mansion alone, and not walk with us."

Zhao Aqi was very proud, "I convinced Wen Kuyu. She is willing to join forces with us to find more golden elixirs together!"

There were two more people in the team. Hu Guiyang sent Yuan Mao to inform Qian Gong in the inn, and then summoned Wen Kongyu alone. He had many doubts that he needed to solve. As for Xiaocao, "She wants to go to Yunyang Mansion alone? Then let her go alone to see how far she can hold on."
Chapter completed!