Chapter 38 The thirty-eighth round of Wild Horses Flying Domineering Kites and a Line of Sky
Wei Xiaobao returned to the hall with a smile, only to see Wu Yingxiong chatting with the four generals.Zhao Liangdong and Wang Jinbao didn't know what they were arguing about, their faces were red and their ears were red, and their voices were loud.When the two saw Wei Xiaobao coming out, they stopped talking.
Wei Xiaobao smiled and asked: "What are you two arguing about? Can you tell me if it will work?" Zhang Yong said: "We are talking about horses. Deputy General Wang has a unique eye for horses. The horse he picked must be a good horse. Just now everyone said After picking up the animals, Deputy General Wang praised the Yunnan horses for being good. Zhao Zongbing didn't believe it, saying that the Sichuan horses and Yunnan horses had short legs and couldn't run fast. However, Deputy General Wang said that the Sichuan horses and Yunnan horses had great strength and couldn't match other horses within ten miles. After running for twenty or thirty miles, the more I run, the more energetic I am."
Wei Xiaobao said: "Is that so? My brother has some horses, I invite Vice General Wang to meet you." He ordered the soldiers to go back to the residence and bring the good horses from the stables.
Wu Yingxiong said: "Wei Dutong's mount is a gift from Prince Kang. It is a famous Dawan horse called Yuhuacong. How can our Yunnan horse be as good as it?" Wang Jinbao said: "Master Wei's horse is naturally good. Dawan has good horses, and I have heard of them. When I was in Gansu and Shaanxi, I used to ride many famous Dawan horses. They are extremely fast in short-distance sprints, and no horse can match them."
Zhao Liangdong said: "Then what about long-distance races? Could it be that Dawan horses are not as good as Yunnan horses?" Wang Jinbao said: "Yunnan horses are not good in the first place, but they are better because they work hard and have long-term strength. They have been raised in northern Yunnan by low-level jobs all these years. Horses, crossing Sichuan horses and Yunnan horses, this new breed is very good." Zhao Liangdong said: "Brother, you are an amateur. Horses are always purebred, the purer the breed, the better, I have never heard of crossbred horses being better Yes." Wang Jinbao blushed, and said, "Mr. Zhao, I'm not saying that all hybrid horses are good. Horses are used for different purposes. Some are used to charge and some are used to carry baggage. Even army horses are quite different. Ah. Some are hundred-mile horses, some are thousand-mile horses, long-distance and short-distance, completely different."
Zhao Liangdong said: "Hmph, someone said it's better to be a bastard." Wang Jinbao was furious, stood up suddenly, and shouted: "Who are you calling a bastard? Such dirty talk!" Zhao Liangdong sneered: "I mean Horses, not people. Whoever’s breed is impure and guilty of a thief, why lose his temper.” Wang Jinbao became even more angry, and said, “This is the mansion of the son-in-law, otherwise, hehe!” Zhao Liangdong said: "Hmph how? Do you still want to fight with me?"
Zhang Yong persuaded: "You two met for the first time, why bother to be so idle about the livestock? Come on, let me have a drink with you, don't argue." He is an admiral, and his rank is higher than Zhao Liangdong and Wang Jinbao. People didn't dare not sell his face, so they had to drink.The two of you stared at me, and I stared at you, if not for the presence of the Shangguan, the two fiery people would have fought on the spot.
Not long after, the guards and grooms from Wei Xiaobao's residence came with their horses, and everyone went to the stables behind to look at the horses.Wang Jinbao really understands horses, at a glance, he can tell the strengths and weaknesses of each horse, and even guessed the temperament and temper 70% to 80%.The servants in Wei's mansion admired him very much, and praised Vice General Wang's good eyesight.
Finally, I saw Wei Xiaobao's mount, Yuhuacong.This horse has long and fat legs, looks like a handsome horse, its snow-white hair is full of rouge spots, its coat is shiny and smooth, it is extremely beautiful, and everyone applauds it.Wang Jinbao was noncommittal, looked at it for a long time, and said: "This horse is very good in nature, but it is a pity that it has been spoiled." Wei Xiaobao said: "Why is it spoiled? I would like to ask for advice." Wang Jinbao said: "Master Wei, this horse It can be said that it is a rare good horse in the world. This kind of good horse needs to be ridden for more than ten miles and cantered for dozens of miles every day. The life of the animals is too comfortable, they eat high-quality ingredients, and they rarely run once or twice a year, alas, what a pity, what a pity, they seem to be the children of rich and noble families, spoiled."
Wu Yingxiong's face changed slightly after hearing this, and he snorted softly.Wei Xiaobao saw it, knew that Wang Jinbao's last few words had offended Wu Yingxiong, and thought: "I might as well take the opportunity to sow dissension, so that they will be at odds with the generals in Yunnan." Then he said: "Vice General Wang's words are probably only half right, The sons of rich and noble families also have great abilities. For example, the son-in-law, he is the eldest son of your lord, since he was a child, he has eaten with a golden bowl and drank soup with a jade bowl, but he has not been spoiled in the slightest."
Wang Jinbao blushed, and hurriedly said: "Yes, yes. The son-in-law of the prince is naturally different. The humble position definitely does not mean the son-in-law."
Zhao Liangdong said coldly: "In your heart, I'm afraid it's no different." Wang Jinbao said angrily, "Mr. Zhao, why do you always get along with your brother? My brother didn't offend you." Wei Xiaobao laughed "Okay, don't hurt your friendship because of trivial matters. Military officers often look down on young ministers in the court, and there are some." Wang Jinbao said: "Master Hui Dutong: I dare not look down on you for a humble position." Zhao Liangdong said: "You I look down on my son-in-law." Wang Jinbao said loudly, "No."
Wei Xiaobao said: "Vice General Wang, it's a pity that all the good horses you raise stay in Yunnan, otherwise we can see them." Wang Jinbao said: "My horses... yes, yes, I dare not take them." Wei Xiaobao felt strange: "What do you mean 'yes, yes, dare not be!'?" Zhao Liangdong said: "Anyway, Vice General Wang's good horses are all in Yunnan, and there is no proof of death. Wei Dutong, the young general raised hundreds of good horses outside the pass, and each horse travels three times a day. Thousands of miles, two thousand miles at night. It's a pity that the distance is far away, and I can't let Lord Dutong see it."
Everyone laughed loudly, knowing that he was deliberately ridiculing Wang Jinbao.
Wang Jinbao was so angry that his face was livid, pointing to the stable on the left, and said loudly: "I brought the dozens of horses over there from Yunnan this time. Mr. Zhao, you pick ten horses, and let me pick out any of them. Ten horses compete with each other to see who wins and loses."
Zhao Liangdong saw that those Yunnan horses were thin and small, with bald hair and dry skin. There were fifty or sixty of them in total, and he thought: "What's so great about you beggar horses?" Seven wounds. These few random animals from Wei Dutong’s mansion are guaranteed to outperform the darling you personally nursed by Deputy General Wang.” Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “It’s useless to fight for nothing. My son-in-law, we all Pick ten horses and come to a horse race, and the two sides will bet on their success."
Wu Yingxiong said: "Wei Dutong's Dawan good horse, how can our Yunnan pony compare? There is no need to compete, of course we lose." Seeing Wang Jinbao's angry and unconvinced expression, Wei Xiaobao said: "My son-in-law is willing to admit defeat, but Vice-General Wang refuses to admit defeat. Well, I will take out ten thousand taels of silver, and my son-in-law will also take out ten thousand taels of silver. Later, we will go for a race outside the city, which one wins?" After six games, there is no need to compare. Do you think it is good?" Wu Yingxiong was waiting to push, and suddenly thought: "This kid is young and competitive, so I deliberately lost 10,000 taels of silver to him to make him happy. He smiled and said, "Okay, that's the way to do it. Mr. Wei, if you lose, don't get angry."
Wei Xiaobao said with a smile: "If you win, you need to be pretty, if you lose, you need to be bachelor, so there is no reason to be angry when you lose?" After a glance, seeing Wang Jinbao's eyes flashing with joy, he thought to himself: "Ah, looking at the expression of Deputy General Wang, it seems quite interesting Be sure, is it possible that these consumptive horses of his are really strong? No, no, you have to cheat." He gambled all his life and loved to cheat. Seeing that this horse race might not be guaranteed to win, he suddenly had a bad idea, thinking that today's horse race, It was too late to do anything, and said: "Since I want to bet on the race, I have to choose ten horses carefully. How about another race tomorrow?"
Wu Yingxiong was determined to pull the horse back and did not try his best. He lost eight or nine out of ten games, and there was no difference between today and tomorrow, so he immediately nodded in agreement.
Wei Xiaobao drank and listened to the opera in the eunuch's mansion, and did not mention the horse race anymore.In the evening, he invited Wu Yingxiong to bring Zhang Yong, Wang Jinbao and Sun Sike to his mansion for a drink.Wu Yingxiong readily accepted the invitation, and a group of people came to Wei Xiaobao's Earl's Mansion.
After sitting down and offering tea, Wei Xiaobao said: "Come with me, brother, let's make arrangements." Wu Yingxiong said with a smile: "Everyone is your own, so you are welcome." Wei Xiaobao said: "Your guest is coming, you can't be too humble."
When he came to the back hall, he ordered the manager to prepare the banquet troupe, and then called the head groom in the mansion, handed him three hundred taels of silver, and said, "My Yuhuacong and other horses are still in the mansion of the forehead. , you just go and bring it back, and by the way, invite a group of grooms in the eunuch's mansion to drink, and drink until they are all fucking shitty." The groom leader agreed.Wei Xiaobao said: "What do you feed the horse, so that it will be weak and weak to run? But it can't be poisoned to death." The head groom said: "I don't know what the lord wants, the villain will try his best to do it. That's right." Wei Xiaobao smiled and said, "It doesn't matter if I tell you, I have a batch of horses on my forehead, they just arrived from Yunnan, and they boasted that they have excellent stamina, and we will compete with our horses tomorrow. We can't lose Shame on you, isn't it?" The groom immediately understood, and said with a smile, "Your lord wants the villain to get something to eat for my son-in-law's horse, so we can win the race tomorrow?"
Wei Xiaobao smiled and said: "That's right, you are very smart. Tomorrow's horse race, there will be winners, and if you win, you will be rewarded. You should do this quietly, but you must not give it to the son-in-law's mansion." The groom knows. The three hundred taels of silver are used to treat guests, drink, gamble, prostitute, and do anything f**king to make them dizzy, so this is the drug."
The head groom said: "Your Majesty, Wang An, you can't go wrong. The villain went to buy dozens of catties of crotons, mixed them with the bean feed, and fed them to the horses in Wu's house, and asked each horse to pull them all overnight. Shit, the race will start tomorrow, and the tortoises will outrun them too."
Wei Xiaobao immediately went out to drink with Wu Yingxiong and others.He was afraid that after Wu Yingxiong went back, Wang Jinbao would go to see the horse again and see something wrong, so he received him hospitablely and kept persuading him to drink.Zhao Liangdong drank a lot, and he kept fighting with Wang Jinbao until late at night. Except for Wei Xiaobao and Wu Yingxiong, all four generals passed out.
The next day after the morning court, Wei Xiaobao went into the palace to wait on the emperor.Kangxi was in a good mood with a smile on his face, and said, "Xiao Guizi, I have some good news for you. Both Shang Kexi and Geng Jingzhong have been ordered to withdraw from the feudal clan, and they will leave for Beijing within a few days." Wei Xiaobao said: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, Shang Geng's second feudal vassal, the old Wu Sangui can't clap with one palm..." Kangxi laughed and said, "It's hard to sing with one hand." Wei Xiaobao said: "Yes, it's hard to sing with one hand, let's beat him to death." Kangxi laughed and said: "What if he also withdraws from the imperial edict?" Wei Xiaobao was stunned, and said: "That's very good. When he comes to Beijing, the emperor wants to rub him round. He doesn't dare to flatten him, but the emperor wants to rub him flat." , he couldn’t make it up with anything.” Kangxi smiled and said: "You also understand this truth." Wei Xiaobao said: "At that time, he was like a dragon trapped on the beach. One click, hit a note.Kangxi laughed loudly, and said: "This is called Huluo Pingyang being bullied by you. At that time, not to mention that he didn't dare to offend me, he didn't even dare to offend you." Wei Xiaobao said: "Yes, yes, that's fun too tight." Kangxi said: "I have already finished the article on building the Yangzhou Martyr's Shrine. I have written it for the Hanlin scholars. You can take it to Yangzhou and engrave it on the stele. Pick a good day and start now." Wei Xiaobao said: "Yes. If The three feudal vassals were ordered to withdraw their vassals, so should we still build this Temple of Loyalty?" Kangxi said: "I don't know if Wu Sangui is following the imperial edict. Besides, it is a good thing to praise loyalty, even if Wu Sangui does not rebel, it must be done." Wei Xiaobao He agreed, and while chatting, he mentioned that Princess Jianning asked for an audience.Kangxi nodded, and ordered the eunuch behind him to announce Princess Jianning immediately. Kangxi was very interested, and asked him in detail about the people of the Raksha Kingdom, how the musketeers rebelled at that time, how Princess Sophia put down the chaos, and how the big and small tsars stood side by side. After talking for a while, the princess came to the upper study. Upon seeing it, the princess fell at Kangxi's feet, hugged his legs, burst into tears, and said, "Brother Emperor, I will stay with you in the palace from now on, and I will never go back." Kangxi stroked her hair , asked: "What's the matter? Is the forehead bullying you?" The princess cried: "Forgive him, he didn't dare, he...he..." And wept again.Kangxi thought to himself: "You castrated him so that he can't be your husband. You have to suffer on your own." He comforted her a few words and said, "Okay, okay, don't cry, you eat with me." There was no fixed time for the emperor to eat, and he would eat at any time as long as he liked it.At that moment, the eunuch in the imperial dining room opened the imperial dining room, Wei Xiaobao waited on him.Although he was extremely favored by the emperor, he could not accompany him to eat and drink.Kangxi rewarded him with more than a dozen bowls of big dishes, and ordered the eunuchs to deliver them to his mansion and eat them after returning home. The princess drank a few glasses of wine, her face was flushed, her eyes were watery, and she glanced at Wei Xiaobao.In front of the emperor, Wei Xiaobao didn't dare to be rude, his eyes never met the princess's, his heart was beating wildly, and he thought to himself: "If the princess leaks something after drinking, and let the emperor see it, my head It’s not safe.” He was ordered to escort the princess to Yunnan to get married, but on the way he guarded himself by stealing and having an affair with the princess. The crime was really not small, and he regretted it, and he really shouldn’t have asked the emperor to ask the princess to see him. The princess suddenly said: "Xiao Guizi, fill me with rice." As she spoke, she stretched out the empty rice bowl in front of him.Kangxi smiled and said: "You have a good appetite." The princess said: "When I see the emperor's brother, I can eat enough." Wei Xiaobao packed the meal, held it respectfully with both hands, and placed it on the table in front of the princess. He got down and twisted hard on his thigh.Wei Xiaobao was in pain, but he didn't dare to say anything, he didn't even dare to lose the smile on his face, but he laughed awkwardly, but there was nothing he could do, he cursed in his heart: "Damn bitch, when will you see that I don't twist hard?" Give it back to you." The cursing in my heart didn't stop, and I couldn't help but tilt my head back, but it was the princess who reached behind his back, grabbed his braid and pulled hard. This time, Kangxi saw it, and said with a smile: "The princess is married, and she is still so naughty." The princess pointed at Wei Xiaobao and smiled, "It's him, it's him..." Wei Xiaobao was very anxious, not knowing what she would say Having said that, Princess Xingxi only chuckled a few times, and said, "Brother Emperor, your reputation is getting better and better. I didn't know it in the palace, but this time I went to Yunnan, and all the way back and forth, I heard the common people say, you As the emperor, the lives of the people all over the world are really good. It's this kid," he said, giving Wei Xiaobao a blank look, and said, "The officials are getting bigger and bigger. Only your little sister is getting more and more unlucky. " Kangxi was in a good mood at first, but Princess Jianning's compliments were just right, and she said with a smile: "You are a wife and a husband is valuable. If Wu Yingxiong and his father and son are obedient and withdraw from the domain, the world will be peaceful. I promise you that he will be promoted to the official position." " The princess curled her mouth and said, "Whether you can be promoted to Wu Yingxiong's official position is none of my business, I want you to be promoted to my official position." Kangxi smiled and said, "What kind of official are you?" The princess said: "Xiao Guizi said, what is the princess of the Raksha kingdom to be the regent queen? Just make me the generalissimo and send me to fight against Fanbang." Kangxi laughed loudly and said, "How can a woman be the generalissimo?" The princess said: "In the past, Fan Lihua, She Taijun, Mu Guiying, who didn't grab the seal to be the generalissimo? Why can't they do it, but I can't? You say I am not good at martial arts, so let's make gestures." He stood up with a smile on his face get up. Kangxi laughed and said: "You don't want to study, you are as ignorant as Xiao Guizi, and you only know the stories in the drama. It is true that there were women in the previous dynasty who were marshals. Tang Taizong Li Shimin's sister, Princess Pingyang, helped Tang Taizong win the war. The whole world. As a marshal, she commanded an army called Niangzijun, and the pass where she garrisoned troops was called Niangziguan, which is very powerful." The princess clapped her hands and said: "That's it. Brother Emperor, you are better than Li Shimin as an emperor. I will learn from Princess Pingyang. Xiao Guizi, what are you learning? Gao Lishi? Or Wei Zhongxian?" Kangxi laughed loudly, shook his head again and again, and said, "You're talking nonsense again. Xiao Guizi is a fake eunuch. Besides, Gao Lishi and Wei Zhongxian are eunuchs under the Hunjun, aren't you scolding me?" The princess smiled and said: "I'm sorry, Brother Emperor, don't take offense, I don't understand." Thinking of the sentence "Xiao Guizi, this eunuch is a fake", she glanced at Wei Xiaobao, couldn't help feeling spring in her heart, and said: "I It's time to kowtow to the Queen Mother." Kangxi was stunned, and thought: "The fake queen mother has been replaced by the real queen mother, and your mother has escaped from the palace." He has always loved this girl, and couldn't bear to embarrass her, and said: "The queen mother has been feeling very uncomfortable these days, don't worry about it." Go and bother her old man, just kowtow outside the Compassionate Ning Palace to pay her respects." The princess agreed, and said, "Brother Emperor, I'll go to the Palace of Compassion and Ning, and I'll talk to you later. Xiao Guizi, you go with me." Wei Xiaobao didn't dare to agree.Kangxi winked at him and ordered him to try to stop the princess and not let him see the queen mother.Wei Xiaobao understood, nodded and accepted the order, and immediately accompanied the princess to the Palace of Compassion.
Wei Xiaobao asked the little eunuch to rush to the Compassionate Ning Palace to report.Sure enough, the queen mother ordered to come down, she was not feeling well, so there was no need to kowtow. The princess hadn't seen her mother for a long time, she was worried in her heart, and said: "The queen mother is not feeling well, so I need to take a look." Saying that, she broke into the queen mother's bedroom.How could all the eunuchs and maids dare to stop him?Wei Xiaobao said anxiously: "Your Highness, Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has caught a cold and cannot get the wind." The princess said: "I will enter the door slowly, without bringing in a little wind." Pushing open the door of the sleeping hall, raising the door curtain, I saw the curtain hanging down, the queen mother was sleeping on the bed, and four court ladies were standing in front of the bed. The princess whispered: "Queen Mother, my daughter is here to kowtow to you." Then she knelt down and kowtowed a few times.Only the queen mother groaned a few times in the tent.The princess walked to the bed and stretched out her hand to lift the curtain. A court lady said: "Your Highness, the queen mother ordered that no one should disturb the queen mother." The inner bed seemed to be a deep sleep.The princess called out in a low voice: "Queen Mother, Queen Mother." The Queen Mother didn't answer. The princess had no choice but to put down the tent and back out quietly, feeling sore in her heart, she couldn't help crying. Seeing that she didn't see the truth, Wei Xiaobao felt a big stone in his heart, and persuaded: "Princess lives in the capital, so she often goes to the palace to pay her respects. After the queen mother recovers, come to the Palace of Compassion." The princess thought it made sense, and immediately wiped away her tears. , said: "I don't know what happened to my former residence, so I'll go and have a look." Then he walked to his bedroom, Wei Xiaobao followed. The Jianning Palace, where the princess lived before, is on the side of the Compassionate Ning Palace, and she arrived in a short time.After the princess got married, the Jianning Palace was guarded by eunuchs and palace maids Sasao, just like before. The princess came to the door of the bedroom, and saw Wei Xiaobao standing outside the door smiling, refusing to come in, blushing and said: "Damn eunuch, why don't you come in?" " The princess stretched out her hand, twisted his ears, and shouted: "If you don't come in, I'll twist your dog ears off." Pulling him hard, she pulled him into the bedroom, closed the door and bolted it.Wei Xiaobao was so frightened that his heart beat wildly, he said in a low voice: "Princess, you can't mess around in the palace, I... I... this is going to be beheaded!" The princess's eyes were watery, as if dripping water, she said softly, "Master Wei, I am your servant, I will serve you." She stretched out her arms and hugged him tightly.Wei Xiaobao smiled and said: "No, you can't!" The princess said: "Okay, I'll go and tell the emperor's brother that you lured me on the way and told me to castrate that kid Wu Yingxiong, and now you ignore me again." She stretched out her hand on his leg He twisted hard. After a long time, the two came out from the bedroom.The princess smiled all over her face, and said: "The emperor ordered you to tell me about the princess of the Raksha Kingdom, why are you leaving before you finish?" Wei Xiaobao said: "This servant is exhausted and has no strength to speak anymore. The princess smiled and said, "Next time, come and tell me about going to Liaodong to catch vixen." , and slapped him. The eunuchs and maids of Jianning Palace are all old people. They knew the princess's delicate and savage temper. Seeing her attacking someone, they all thought: "The princess is married, but her old temper has not changed at all. Earl Wei is the emperor's favorite. Minister, she actually just hit her with her hand." The two went back to the upper study to bid farewell to Kangxi.It was evening, and I saw Kangxi contemplating a large map on the case.The princess said: "Brother Emperor, the Empress Dowager is not feeling well, I can't see you, I will come back to kowtow to pay my respects in a few days." Kangxi nodded and said, "When she hears from her next time, come again." Pointing to the map with his right hand, he asked Wei Xiaobao. : "You enter Yunnan from Guizhou, but exit from Guangxi, which is the easier way to go?" It turned out that he was referring to the topography of Yunnan. Wei Xiaobao said: "The mountains in Yunnan are so high, whether you go from Guizhou or Guangxi, it's hard to walk. Most of the way out is not marching. The princess rides in a sedan chair, and the slaves ride horses." Kangxi nodded, suddenly remembered Regarding this matter, he told the eunuch: "Chuan Zhong, the driver of the military department." Turning to the princess, he said, "Go back to the mansion now. You have been out all day, and the forehead is waiting for you." The princess curled her lips, and said: "He didn't wait for me." She wanted to wait for Wei Xiaobao to go out of the palace together, and it would be good to say a few more words on the way, but hearing the emperor's news about ministers, there are state affairs Consulting, said: "Brother Emperor, it's so late, and you still have to worry about state affairs. In the past, Emperor Father was not as diligent as you in government affairs." Kangxi felt sore, thinking of his father being a monk in Wutai Mountain alone, he said: "My father is smart and wise, what he can do in one hour, I can't finish in three hours." The princess smiled and said: "I heard everyone say that the emperor's elder brother is wise and wise, which is rare in ancient times. People dare not say that you are better than the father, but they say that you are the rare good emperor in China for thousands of years." Kangxi smiled slightly, and said: "There have been many good emperors in China. Not to mention Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang Wenwu, under three generations, Emperor Wen of Han, Emperor Guangwu of Han, and Emperor Taizong of Tang are also very admirable." When the princess saw Kangxi talking, she still stared at the map intently, not daring to say more, she glanced at Wei Xiaobao, her arms were still hanging down, she pointed at him, then she turned and pointed at herself, saying that she would He comes to see himself from time to time.Wei Xiaobao understood and nodded slightly.At that moment, the princess saluted Kangxi and resigned.
After a while, Kangxi raised his head and said: "Then the cannon we built is probably too heavy and too big, and it will not be easy to drag on the mountain road." Wei Xiaobao was startled, and then he understood that Kangxi was going to transport the cannon to Yunnan to fight Wu Sangui, and said: "Yes, yes. The slave is so confused, I didn't expect this section. It's better to build more small cannons, which can be moved by two horses. It will be much easier to enter Yunnan." Kangxi said: "A battle in the mountains cannot be done with thousands of troops. Thousands of horses charge together, infantry is more important than cavalry." Not long after, three Man Langzhong and one Han Langzhong, driving the military car, came together. After seeing each other, Kangxi asked, "How are the horses getting ready?" It is reported how many horses have been bought from the Western Regions and Mongolia, and how many horses have been transported from outside the customs. There are more than 85,000 good horses, and they are continuing to be purchased and raised.Kangxi was very happy and gave a few words of praise.The four doctors kowtowed to thank them. Wei Xiaobao suddenly said: "Your Majesty, I heard that the horses in Sichuan and Yunnan are different from the horses in the Western Regions outside the mouth. Although they are small, they have great strength and are good at walking on mountain roads. I don't know if it is true." Kangxi asked the four doctors: "This Is it true?" The Han doctor said: "Return to the emperor: Sichuan horses and Dian horses are hardy and heavy-duty, and they have great strength. They are really good for walking on mountain roads. But charging on flat ground is far inferior to horses and horses from Western Regions. Therefore Sichuan and Yunnan horses are not used in the army." Kangxi glanced at Wei Xiaobao and asked the doctor, "How many Sichuan and Yunnan horses do we have?" The doctor said, "Return to the emperor: In the garrisons of Sichuan and Yunnan, Sichuan and Yunnan There are quite a few horses and Yunnan horses, but there are very few in other places. There are more than 500 horses in the Hunan garrison." Kangxi nodded and said, "Let's go out." He didn't want to reveal his intention to attack Yunnan to his subordinates, and after the four Langzhong had withdrawn, he said to Wei Xiaobao: "Thank you for reminding me. Tomorrow I will order the governor of Sichuan to purchase Sichuan horses as soon as possible. This matter must be done very carefully." It's better to keep it secret." Wei Xiaobao suddenly grinned, his expression very complacent.Kangxi asked: "What's the matter?" Wei Xiaobao smiled and said: "Wu Ezu has a batch of Yunnan horses, which he just brought from Yunnan. He boasted that these horses are very strong. The slave didn't believe it, and made an appointment to race with him .Whether the Yunnan horse really has long strength will be known after the race." Kangxi smiled and said: "Then you have to play a good match with him, how can you make a match?" Wei Xiaobao said: "We have agreed that there will be ten games in total, and whoever wins six games will be considered the winner." Kangxi said: "Only ten games You may not really know the benefits of Yunnan horses. Do you know how many Yunnan horses he brought in?" Wei Xiaobao said: "I see that there are always fifty or sixty horses in his stable, all newly arrived." Kangxi said: "Then you can compete with him for fifty or sixty rounds. If you want to fight a long way, it's best to go to the west mountain and run the mountain road." Seeing that Wei Xiaobao's face was a little strange, he said: "Damn it, you are worthless. If you lose, take the I'll give you gold." It is inconvenient for Wei Xiaobao to report directly to the emperor, he has already tampered with Wu Yingxiong's stable, and he has won 90% of the match, but after the first match, if the emperor thinks that the Dian horses are useless, he may miss a big deal when he marches and fights in the future , smiled and said: "That's not for mining gold..." Kangxi suddenly said "Hey" and said: "Dian horses have great strength, Wu Yingxiong, why did you bring this large number of Yunnan horses to Beijing?" Wei Xiaobao laughed: "He must want to show off and praise his Yunnan horses. Good." Kangxi frowned, and said: "No! This... this kid wants to run away." Wei Xiaobao didn't understand yet, and wondered: "Run away?" Kangxi said: "Yes!" He shouted loudly: "Come here!" He told the eunuchs: "Immediately pass the decree, close the nine gates, and no one is allowed to leave the city, and then send Wu Yingxiong to the palace to see me." Several eunuchs He agreed to go out to deliver the decree. Wei Xiaobao's face changed slightly, and he said: "Your Majesty, you said that Wu Yingxiong is so bold that he wants to run away?" Kangxi shook his head, and said: "I hope my prediction is not correct, otherwise, we will have to use troops against Wu Sangui immediately. At this time we haven't made the arrangements yet." Wei Xiaobao said: "We haven't made the arrangements, and Wu Sangui may not have made the arrangements." Kangxi's face was deeply worried, and he said: "No. Wu Sangui has not yet arrived in Yunnan. He is recruiting troops and starting a rebellion. He has been doing it for more than ten years, but I only started to deploy it on a large scale in the past two years." Wei Xiaobao could only comfort him with words: "However, your majesty is wise and wise. One year's deployment is worth Wu Sangui's twenty years' deployment." Kangxi raised his foot, gave him a kick, and said with a smile: "I kicked you, that old boy Wu Sangui kicked you twenty times. Damn it, Xiao Guizi, don't underestimate Wu Sangui, this The old boy is very good at fighting with soldiers, Li Zicheng is so powerful that he has defeated him. In the imperial court, there is not a single general who is his opponent." Wei Xiaobao said: "We win with more, the emperor sent ten generals out, ten beat him Damn one." Kangxi said: "That also requires a capable general. If I have Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, or Mu Ying under my command, then don't worry about it." Wei Xiaobao said: "Your Majesty. The personal conquest was better than Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and Mu Ying. When Ming Taizu beat Chen Youliang, he also personally conscripted." Kangxi said: "It's easy for you to flatter, what you say is bird raw fish soup, wise and wise. If you are really wise, you must first have self-knowledge. Marching and fighting is no small matter. I have never fought a war. How can I be Wu Sangui's opponent? Dozens of Tens of thousands of soldiers and horses, if one command is wrong, it is inevitable that they will be defeated. In the change of Tumubao in the former Ming Dynasty, the emperor believed the eunuch Wang Zhen's words, and the imperial conscripts personally led the conquest. Hundreds of thousands of troops, all asked the eunuch to be confused and wiped out the entire army. The emperor was also captured by the enemy." Wei Xiaobao was taken aback, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, this eunuch is a fake." Kangxi laughed loudly and said, "You don't have to be afraid, even if your eunuch is real, I'm not a fool like the former Ming Yingzong. Let you mess around?" Wei Xiaobao said: "Yes, yes! The emperor has a clever plan, it is not trivial, it is said in the play, it is called... what is it called, what is it, what is thousands of miles away." Kangxi laughed and said: "This sentence It's too difficult, I won't teach you." After talking for a while, the eunuch came to report that the admiral of Jiumen had been ordered to close the city.Kangxi was feeling a little relieved when another eunuch came to play: "My father-in-law went hunting in the city but has not returned, the gate of the city is closed, so I can't go out to call." Kangxi slapped the table, stood up, and shouted: "Sure enough." Asked: "Where is Princess Jianning?" The eunuch said: "Return to the emperor: Your highness is still in the palace." Kangxi hated Said: "This kid, there is no love between husband and wife." Wei Xiaobao said: "Your Majesty, this servant is going to chase that kid back. He said he was going to have a horse race with this servant today, and suddenly he went out to hunt in the city. It is indeed the wrong way." Kangxi asked the eunuch, "When did the eunuch leave the city?" Then Eunuch: "Going back to the emperor, the servant went to the Ezu Mansion to announce the decree. The chief manager of the Ezu Mansion said that this morning, the Ezu will go out to hunt in the city." Kangxi snorted and said: "This kid must be very happy to get it this morning." , Geng Jingzhong received the news of the decree to withdraw the feudal clan, and knew that his father was about to rebel, so he ran away quickly." Turning to Wei Xiaobao, he said: "He has walked for six or seven hours, and he can't catch up. He was transported from Yunnan Dozens of Yunnan horses are going to change horses along the way and flee back to Kunming." Wei Xiaobao thought to himself: "The emperor is really good at predicting things. As soon as he heard that he brought a large number of Yunnan horses, he expected that he would run away." Ann, the servant may have a way to catch this kid back." Kangxi said: "What can you do? Nonsense! If the Dianma is really powerful, he will be far away from Beijing, disguised, and he will never be able to catch up again." Wei Xiaobao didn't know if the groom's boss had fed crotons to Wu Yingxiong's Yunnan horses, so he didn't dare to brag about it in front of the emperor, saying, "It's a matter of being loyal to the emperor. I'm going to chase after it, really. No, there is no way." Kangxi nodded and said: "Okay!" He quickly wrote an imperial edict, sealed it with a jade seal, and ordered the admirals of the Nine Gates to open the city gate to let Wei Xiaobao out, saying: "Take more soldiers from the Xiaoqi Battalion. If Wu Yingxiong refuses to be arrested, he will fight it with his hands." Already." Handed him the golden talisman for dispatching troops.Wei Xiaobao said: "Decree!" After receiving the order, he rushed out of the palace. The princess was waiting at the gate of the palace, and when she saw him rushing out, she shouted: "Little Guizi, what are you doing?" .The princess scolded: "Dead eunuch, you have no rules, stop quickly." Wei Xiaobao shouted: "I'll catch the princess's husband, go through fire and water, never give up, wear stars and wear moons, non-stop..." Nonsense, long ago Go too far.
Wei Xiaobao came outside the palace, got on his horse, and galloped back to the mansion. He saw Zhao Liangdong drinking with Zhang Yong and other three generals in the flower hall. He immediately turned around, summoned dozens of soldiers, and ordered Zhang Yong and other three generals to be captured .All the soldiers tied up the three generals immediately. Zhang Yong said solemnly: "May I ask Mr. Du Tong, what crime did the young general commit?" Wei Xiaobao said: "There is an edict here, I don't have time to talk to you." As he spoke, he raised the edict in his hand, and issued a series of orders: "A thousand sergeants from Xiaoxiao's cavalry battalion, and fifty imperial guards, come to the mansion immediately. Listen to the order. Prepare the horses." The soldiers took the order and went. Wei Xiaobao said to Zhao Liangdong: "Zhao Bing, that kid Wu Yingxiong has escaped. Wu Sangui is going to rebel. Let's go out of the city and chase after him." Zhao Liangdong shouted: "This kid is so bold, I'm under orders." Zhang Yong, Wang Jinbao, Sun Sike The three of them were taken aback and looked at each other.Wei Xiaobao said to his soldiers: "Take care of these three people. Commander Zhao, let's go." Zhang Yong shouted: "Wei Dutong, we are from Xiliang, we are officials of the Qing Dynasty, and we have never been the direct descendants of King Pingxi. The three of us used to be military officers in Gansu, and later transferred to Yunnan as errands, and we have been excluded by Wu Sangui all the time." He transferred the three people from lower ranks to leave Yunnan because he knew that the three of us would not join us, and he was afraid that his event would be ruined." Wei Xiaobao said, "How do I know if your words are true or not?" Sun Sike said, "Wu Sangui wanted to kill him last year. My head was protected entirely by Admiral Zhang, and the lowly position saved my head. I hate this old bastard in my heart." Zhang Yong said: "If the three lowly level people conspired with Wu Yingxiong, why didn't they escape together?" Wei Xiaobao thought that this sentence was not bad, and pondered: "Okay, are you going to go with Wu Sangui, and then interrogate carefully later. Zhao Zongbing, it's important to chase people, let's go." Zhang Yong said: "Master Dutong, Wang The lieutenant general is good at observing horse tracks, he can tell the shape of a Dian horse's hooves at a glance." Wei Xiaobao nodded and said: "This skill is quite useful. But if I take you there, if there is trouble on the way, I will be fooled by you .” Sun Sike said loudly: "Lord Du Tong, you tie the young general here, and take Admiral Zhang and Deputy General Wang to chase after him. If there is any change between the two of them, you can kill the young general when you come back." 韦小宝道：“好，你倒挺有义气。这件事我有些拿不定主意。来来来，张提督，我跟你掷三把骰子，要是你赢，就听你的，倘若我赢，只好借三位的脑袋使使。”也不等张勇有何言语，当即大声叫道：“来人哪，拿骰子来！” 王进宝道：“小将身边有骰子，你松了我绑，小将跟你赌便是。” 韦小宝大奇，吩咐亲兵松了他绑缚。王进宝伸手入袋，果然摸了三枚骰子出来，刷喇喇一把掷在桌上，手法甚是熟练。韦小宝问：“你身边怎地带着骰子？”王进宝道：“小将生平最爱赌博，骰子是随身带的。要是没人对赌，左手便同右手赌。”韦小宝更是兴味盎然，问道：“自己的左手跟右手赌，输赢怎生算法？”王进宝道：“左手输了，右手便打左臂一拳；右手输了，左手打右臂一拳。”韦小宝哈哈大笑，连说：“有趣，有趣。”又道：“老兄跟我志同道合，定是好人。来，把这两位将军也都放了。王副将，我跟你掷三把，不论是输是赢，你们都跟我去追吴应熊。若是我赢，刚才得罪了三位这件事，就此抵过。如果是你赢，我向三位磕头陪罪。”张勇等三人哈哈大笑，都说：“这个可不敢当。” 韦小宝拿起骰子，正待要掷，亲兵进来禀报，骁骑营军士和御前侍卫都已聚集，在府外候令。韦小宝收起骰子，道：“事不宜迟，咱们追人要紧。四位将军，这就去罢！”带了张勇、赵良栋等四人，点齐骁骑营军士和御前侍卫，向南出城追赶。 王进宝在前带路，追了数里，下马瞧了瞧路上马蹄印，说道：“都统大人，奇怪得很，这一行折而向东去了。”韦小宝道：“这倒怪了，他逃回云南，该当向南去才是。好，大伙儿向东。”赵良栋心下起疑：“向东逃去，太没道理。莫非王进宝这小子故意引我们走上错路，好让吴应熊逃走。”说道：“都统大人，可否由小将另带一路人马向南追赶？” 韦小宝向王进宝瞧了眼，见他脸有怒色，便道：“不用了，大伙儿由王副将带路好了。滇马是他养的，他不会认错。”吩咐亲兵，取兵刃由张勇等三人挑选。 张勇拿了一杆大刀，说道：“都统大人年纪虽轻，这胸怀可是了不起。我们是从云南来的军官，吴三桂造反，都统大人居然对我们推心置腹，毫不起疑。” 韦小宝笑道：“你不用夸奖。我这是押宝，所有银子，都押在一门。赢就大赢，既抓到吴应熊，又交了你们三位好朋友。输就大输，至不济给你老兄一刀砍了。” 张勇大喜，说道：“我们西凉的好男儿，最爱结交英雄好汉。承蒙韦都统瞧得起，姓张的这一辈子给你卖命。”说着投刀于地，向韦小宝拜了下去。王进宝和孙思克跟着拜倒。 韦小宝跳下马来，在大路上跪倒还礼。 四人跪拜了站起身来，相对哈哈大笑。韦小宝道：“赵总兵，你也请过来，大伙儿拜上一拜，今后就如结成了兄弟一般，有福共享，有难共当。”赵良栋道：“我可信不过这个王副将，等他抓到了吴应熊，我再跟他拜把子。”王进宝怒道：“我官阶虽低，却也是条好汉子，希罕跟你拜把子吗？”说着一跃上马，疾驰向前，追踪而去。 向东驰出十余里，王进宝跳下马来，察看路上蹄印和马粪，皱眉道：“奇怪，奇怪。”张勇忙问：“怎么啦？”王进宝道：“马粪是稀烂的，不知是甚么缘故，这不像是咱们滇马的马粪。”韦小宝一听大喜，哈哈大笑，说道：“这就是了，货真价实，童叟无欺，这的的确确是吴应熊的马队。”王进宝沉吟道：“蹄印是不错的，就是马粪太过奇怪。”韦小宝道：“不奇怪，不奇怪！滇马到了北京，水土不服，一定要拉烂屎，总得拉上七八天才好。只要马粪是稀烂的，那定是滇马。” 王进宝向他瞧了一眼，见他脸色诡异，似笑非笑，不由得将信将疑，继续向前追踪。 又奔了一阵，见马迹折向东南。张勇道：“都统大人，吴应熊要逃到天津卫，从塘沽出海。他在海边定是预备了船只，从海道去广西，再转云南，以免路上给官军截拦了。”韦小宝点头道：“对！从北京到昆明，十万八千里路程，随时随刻会给官兵拦住，还是从海道去平安得多。”张勇道：“咱们可得更加快追。”韦小宝问道：“为甚么？”张勇道：“从京城到海边，只不过几百里路，他不必体恤马力，尽可拚命快跑。”韦小宝道：“是，是。张大哥料事如神，果然是大将之才。”张勇听他改口称呼自己为“大哥”，心下更喜。 韦小宝回头传令，命一队骁骑营加急奔驰，去塘沽口水师传令，封锁海口，所有船只不许出海。一名佐领接了将令，领兵去了。 过不多时，只见道旁倒毙了两匹马匹，正是滇马。张勇喜道：“都统大人，王副将追的路径果然不错。”王进宝却愁眉苦脸，神色甚是烦恼。韦小宝道：“王三哥，你为甚么不开心？”王进宝心想：“我又不是行三，怎么叫我三哥？”说道：“小将养的这些滇马，每一匹都是千中挑一的良驹，怎地又拉稀屎，又倒毙在路？就算吴应熊拚命催赶，马匹也不会如此不济！唉！真可惜，真可惜！” 韦小宝知他爱马，更不敢提偷喂巴豆之事，说道：“吴应熊这小子只管逃命，累死了好马，枉费了王三哥一片心血，他妈的，这小子不是人养的。”王进宝道：“都统大人怎地叫小将王三哥，这可不敢当。”韦小宝笑道：“张大哥、赵二哥、王三哥、孙四哥，我瞧那一位的胡子花白些，便算他年纪大些。”王进宝道：“原来如此。吴三桂一家人，没一个是好种。当兵的不爱马，总是没好下场。”说着唉声叹气。 行不数里，又见三匹马倒毙道旁，越走死马越多。张勇忽道：“都统大人，吴应熊的马吃坏了东西，跑不动了。可是防他下马逃入乡村躲避。”韦小宝道：“张大哥甚么事都料早了一着，兄弟佩服之极。”当即传令骁骑营，分开了包抄上去。 果然追不数里，北边一队骁骑营大声欢叫：“抓住了吴应熊啦！” 韦小宝等大喜，循声赶去，远远望见大路旁的麦田之中，数百名骁骑营军士围成一圈。这一带昨天刚下了雨，麦田中一片泥泞。韦小宝等纵马驰近，众军士已押着满身泥污的几人过来。当先一人正是吴应熊，只是身穿市井之徒服色，那还像是雍容华贵的金马玉堂人物？ 韦小宝跳下马来，向他请了个安，笑道：“额驸爷，你扮戏文玩儿吗？皇上忽然心血来潮，要想听戏，吩咐小的来传。你这就去演给皇上看，那可挺合式。哈哈，你扮的是个叫化儿，这可不是《金玉奴棒打薄情郎》中的莫稽么？” 吴应熊早已惊得全身发抖，听着韦小宝调侃，一句话也答不出来。
韦小宝兴高采烈，押着吴应熊回京，来到皇宫时已是次日午间。康熙已先得到御前侍卫飞马报知，立即传见。韦小宝泥尘满脸，故意不加抹拭。 康熙一见，自然觉得此人忠心办事，劳苦功高之极，伸手拍他肩头，笑问：“他妈的，小桂子，你到底有甚么本事，居然将吴应熊抓了回来？” 韦小宝不再隐瞒，说了毒马的诡计，笑道：“奴才本来只盼赢他一万两银子，教他不敢夸口，同时奴才有钱花用，给皇上差去办事的时候，也不用贪污了。那知道皇上洪福齐天，奴才胡闹一番，居然也令吴三桂的奸计不能得逞。可见这老小子如要造反，准败无疑。” 康熙哈哈大笑，也觉这件事冥冥中似有天意，自己福气着实不小，笑道：“我是有福的天子，你是福将，这就下去休息罢。”韦小宝道：“吴应熊这小子已交御前侍卫看管，听由圣意处分。”康熙沉吟道：“咱们暂且不动声色，仍然放他回额驸府去，且看吴三桂有何动静。最好他得知儿子给抓了回来，我又不杀他，就此感恩，不再造反。”韦小宝道：“是，是。皇上宽宏大量，鸟生鱼汤。” 康熙道：“你派一队骁骑营，前后把守额驸府门，有人出入，仔细盘查。他府里的骡马都拉了出来，一匹不留。”他说一句，韦小宝答应一句。康熙道：“这次的有功人员，你开单奏上，各有升赏，连那放巴豆的马伕头儿，也赏他个小官儿做做，哈哈。” 韦小宝跪下谢恩，将张勇、赵良栋、王进宝、孙思克四人的名字说了，又道：“张勇等三将是云南的将领，但也明白效忠皇上，出力去抓吴应熊，可见吴三桂如想造反，他军下将官必定纷纷投降。”康熙道：“张勇和那两员副将不肯附逆，那好得很。张勇本来是甘肃的提督，另外两员副将多半也不是吴三桂的旧部。”韦小宝道：“皇上圣明。” 韦小宝出得宫来，亲将吴应熊押回额驸府，说道：“驸马爷，我在皇上面前替你说了不少好话，才保住了你这颗脑袋。你下次再逃，可连我的脑袋也不保了。”吴应熊连声称谢，心中不住咒骂，只是数十匹好马如何在道上接连倒毙，以致功败垂成，这道理却始终不懂。 数日后朝旨下来，对韦小宝、张勇等奖勉一番，各升了一级。康熙不欲张扬其事，以致激得吴三桂生变，因此上谕中含糊其事，只说各人办事得力。 吴应熊这么一逃，康熙料知吴三桂造反已迫在眉睫，总算将吴应熊抓了回来，使他心有所忌，或能将造反之事缓得一缓。康熙这些日子来调兵遣将，造炮买马，十分忙碌，只是库房中银两颇有不足，倘若三藩齐反，再加上台湾、蒙古、西蒙三地，同时要对付六处兵马，那时军费花用如流水一般，支付着实不易，只要能缓得一日，便多了一天来筹饷备粮。 康熙心想多亏韦小宝破了神龙岛，又笼络了罗刹国，神龙岛那也罢了，罗刹国却实是大敌，此人不学无术，却是一员福将，于是下了上谕，着他前赴扬州建造忠烈祠，暗中嘱咐，南下时绕道河南，剿灭王屋山司徒伯雷的匪帮，除了近在肘腋的心腹之患。韦小宝奏请张勇等四将拨归麾下，康熙自即准奏。 这日韦小宝带同张勇等四将正要起行，忽然施琅、黄甫以及天地会的徐天川、风际中等一齐来到。相见之下，尽皆欢喜。原来韦小宝中了洪教主的美人计被擒，施琅等倒不是不敢回来，却是每日里乘坐舰只，在各处海岛寻觅，盼能相救。徐天川等更分赴辽东、直隶、山东三省沿海陆上寻访，直到接到韦小宝从京里发出的讯息，这才回京相会。 韦小宝自然不说遭擒的丑事，胡言乱语的掩饰一番。施琅等心中不信，却也不敢多问。韦小宝又去奏明皇帝，说了施琅等人的功绩，各人俱有封赏。徐天川等天地会兄弟不受清廷官禄，韦小宝自也不提。众人在北京大宴一日，次日一齐起程。
不一日来到王屋山下，韦小宝悄悄对天地会兄弟说知，要去剿灭司徒伯雷。Everyone was taken aback.李力世道：“韦香主，这件事却干不得。司徒伯雷志在兴复明室，是一位大大的英雄好汉。咱们如去把王屋山挑了，那可是为鞑子出力。”韦小宝道：“原来如此，我瞧司徒老儿那些徒儿，果然很有英雄气概。可是我奉了圣旨来剿王屋山，这件事倒为难了。” 玄贞道人道：“韦香主在朝廷的官越做越大，只怕有些不妥。依我说，咱们跟司徒伯雷联手，这就反了罢。”祁清彪摇头道：“咱们第一步是借鞑子之手，对付吴三桂这大汉奸。韦香主如在这时候造反，说不定鞑子皇帝又去跟吴三桂联成一气，那可功亏一篑了。”韦小宝原不想对康熙造反，一听这话，忙道：“对，对！咱们须得干掉吴三桂再说，那是第一等大事。司徒伯雷只不过几百人聚在王屋山，小事一件，不可因小失大。” 徐天川道：“眼前之事，是如何向鞑子皇帝搪塞交代。再说，鞑子皇帝有心在扬州为史阁部建忠烈祠，这件事，咱们也不能把他弄糟了。”史可法赤胆忠心，为国殉难，天下英雄豪杰无不钦佩。天地会群雄听徐天川一说，都点头称是。至于如何向皇帝交代敷衍，谁也及不上韦小宝的本事了，众人都眼望他，听由他自己出主意。 韦小宝笑道：“既然王屋山打不得，咱们就送个信给司徒老兄，请他老哥避开了罢。”众人沉吟半晌，均觉还是这条计策可行。韦小宝想起那日掷骰子赌命，王屋派那小姑娘曾柔瓜子脸儿、大大的眼睛，甚是秀美可爱，心想：“我跟司徒老儿又没交情，要送人情，还不如送了给曾姑娘。” 正在此时，张勇和赵良栋分别遣人来报，已将王屋山团团围住，四下通路俱已堵死。原来韦小宝一入河南省境，便将围剿王屋山的上谕悄悄跟张勇、赵良栋等四将说了。四将不动声色，分别带领人马，把守了王屋山下各处通道要地，只待接令攻山。 四将跟随韦小宝后，只凭擒拿吴应熊这样轻而易举的一件差事，便各升官，都很感激，只盼这次出力立功，在各处通道上遍掘陷坑，布满绊马索。弓箭手、钩镰枪手守住了四面八方，要将山上人众个个擒拿活捉，不让走脱了一个。四将均想：“五千多名官兵，攻打山上千来名土匪，胜了有甚么希奇？只有不让一人漏网，才算有点儿小小功劳。” 韦小宝心想：“将司徒伯雷他们一古脑儿捉了，也不是甚么大功，天地会众兄弟又极不赞成。江湖上好汉，义气为重，可不能得罪了朋友。”正自寻思如何向曾柔送信、放走王屋派众师徒，忽听得东面鼓声响动，众军士喊声大作。跟着哨探来报，山上有人冲杀下来。 韦小宝心想：“三军之前，可不能下令放人，只有捉住了再说，慢慢设法释放便是。”传令：“个个要捉活的，一人都不许杀伤。”亲兵传令出去。韦小宝又加以一句：“尤其是女的，更加不可伤了。”一瞥眼见到徐天川、钱老本等人的神色，不禁脸上微微一红，心道：“你们放心，这次不会再像神龙岛那样，中美人计被擒了。” 他带了天地会群雄，走向东首山道边观战，只见半山里百余人众疾冲而下。官兵得了主帅将令，不敢放箭，只涌上阻拦，但听得吆喝之声此伏彼起，冲下来的人一个个落入陷坑，被钩镰枪手钩起捉了。韦小宝想看曾柔是不是也拿住了，但隔得远了，瞧不清楚。 忽见一人纵跃如飞，从一株大树跃向另一株大树，窜下山来。官兵上前拦阻，那人矫捷之极，竟然阻他不住。玄贞道人赞叹：“好身手！” 这人渐奔渐近，眼见再冲得数十丈便到山脚。钱老本道：“这人武功如此了得，莫非就是司徒伯雷么？”徐天川道：“除了司徒老英雄，只怕旁人也无这等……”一言未毕，孙思克突然叫道：“这人好像是吴三桂的卫士。”说话之间，那人又已窜近了数丈。 韦小宝叫道：“先抓住他再说！”天地会群雄纷向那人围了上去。 那人手舞钢刀，每一挥动，便砍翻了一名军士。孙思克挺着长枪迎上，看清楚了面貌，叫道：“巴朗星，你在这里干甚么？”这人正是吴三桂身边的亲信卫士巴朗星。他大声叫道：“我奉平西亲王将令，为朝廷除害，杀了反贼司徒伯雷。你们为甚么阻我？” 徐天川等一听，都大吃一惊，只见他腰间悬着一颗血肉模糊的头颅，也不知是不是司徒伯雷。众人一拥而上，团团围住。 孙思克道：“韦都统在此，放下兵刃，上去参见，听由都统大人发落。” 巴朗星道：“好！”将刀插入刀鞘，快步向韦小宝走去，大声道：“参见都统大人。”韦小宝道：“你在这里……”巴朗星突然一跃而起，双手分抓韦小宝的面门胸口。 韦小宝大叫：“啊哟！我的妈！”转身便逃。巴朗星武功精强，嗤的一声，左手已扯下了他背上一片衣衫，右手往他头顶抓落，突觉右侧一足踢到，来势极快。巴朗星侧身避开，那人跟着迎面一掌，正是风际中。巴朗星举掌挡格，身子一晃，突觉后腰一紧，已被徐天川抱住。钱老本伸指戳在他胸口，巴朗星哼了一声。风际中左腿横扫，巴朗星站立不定，倒了下去。钱老本将他牢牢按住，亲兵过来绑了，推到韦小宝跟前。 巴朗星大声道：“平西王大兵日内就到，那时叫你们一个个死无葬身之地，识时务的，这就快快投降。”韦小宝笑道：“平西王起兵了吗？我倒不知道啊。他老人家身体好罢？”巴朗星见他神态和善，一时不明他用意，说道：“钦差大臣，你到过昆明，平西王也很看重你。你是聪明人，干么做鞑子的奴才？还是早早归顺平西王罢。”徐天川在他屁股上踢了一脚，喝道：“吴三桂这大汉奸卑鄙无耻，你做他的奴才，更加无耻。” 巴朗星大怒，转头一口唾沫，向徐天川吐去。徐天川侧身避过，这口唾沫吐中一名亲兵的脸。韦小宝道：“巴老兄，有话好说，不必生气。你要我归降平西王，也不是不好商量。你到王屋山来贵干啊？”巴朗星道：“跟你说了也不打紧，反正司徒伯雷我已杀了。”说着向挂在腰间的首级瞧了一眼。韦小宝道：“平西王为甚么要杀他？”巴朗星道：“你跟我去见平西王，他老人家自然会跟你说。” 徐天川等人大怒，拔拳要打。韦小宝使眼色制住，命亲兵将巴朗星推入营中盘问。岂知这人十分倔强，对吴三桂又极忠心，只是劝韦小宝投降，此外不肯吐露半句。一搜他身边，搜出一封盖了朱红大印的文书来。韦小宝命人一读，原来是吴三桂所写的伪诏，封司徒伯雷为“开国将军”，问他这文书的来历，巴朗星瞪目不答。韦小宝眼见问不出甚么，吩咐押了下去，将擒来的余人拷打喝问，终于有人吃打不过，说了出来。 原来吴三桂部署日内起兵造反，派了亲信巴朗星带了一小队手下，去见旧部司徒伯雷，要他响应，嘱咐巴朗星，司徒伯雷倘若奉令，再好不过，否则
The next day after the morning court, Wei Xiaobao went into the palace to wait on the emperor.Kangxi was in a good mood with a smile on his face, and said, "Xiao Guizi, I have some good news for you. Both Shang Kexi and Geng Jingzhong have been ordered to withdraw from the feudal clan, and they will leave for Beijing within a few days." Wei Xiaobao said: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, Shang Geng's second feudal vassal, the old Wu Sangui can't clap with one palm..." Kangxi laughed and said, "It's hard to sing with one hand." Wei Xiaobao said: "Yes, it's hard to sing with one hand, let's beat him to death." Kangxi laughed and said: "What if he also withdraws from the imperial edict?" Wei Xiaobao was stunned, and said: "That's very good. When he comes to Beijing, the emperor wants to rub him round. He doesn't dare to flatten him, but the emperor wants to rub him flat." , he couldn’t make it up with anything.” Kangxi smiled and said: "You also understand this truth." Wei Xiaobao said: "At that time, he was like a dragon trapped on the beach. One click, hit a note.Kangxi laughed loudly, and said: "This is called Huluo Pingyang being bullied by you. At that time, not to mention that he didn't dare to offend me, he didn't even dare to offend you." Wei Xiaobao said: "Yes, yes, that's fun too tight." Kangxi said: "I have already finished the article on building the Yangzhou Martyr's Shrine. I have written it for the Hanlin scholars. You can take it to Yangzhou and engrave it on the stele. Pick a good day and start now." Wei Xiaobao said: "Yes. If The three feudal vassals were ordered to withdraw their vassals, so should we still build this Temple of Loyalty?" Kangxi said: "I don't know if Wu Sangui is following the imperial edict. Besides, it is a good thing to praise loyalty, even if Wu Sangui does not rebel, it must be done." Wei Xiaobao He agreed, and while chatting, he mentioned that Princess Jianning asked for an audience.Kangxi nodded, and ordered the eunuch behind him to announce Princess Jianning immediately. Kangxi was very interested, and asked him in detail about the people of the Raksha Kingdom, how the musketeers rebelled at that time, how Princess Sophia put down the chaos, and how the big and small tsars stood side by side. After talking for a while, the princess came to the upper study. Upon seeing it, the princess fell at Kangxi's feet, hugged his legs, burst into tears, and said, "Brother Emperor, I will stay with you in the palace from now on, and I will never go back." Kangxi stroked her hair , asked: "What's the matter? Is the forehead bullying you?" The princess cried: "Forgive him, he didn't dare, he...he..." And wept again.Kangxi thought to himself: "You castrated him so that he can't be your husband. You have to suffer on your own." He comforted her a few words and said, "Okay, okay, don't cry, you eat with me." There was no fixed time for the emperor to eat, and he would eat at any time as long as he liked it.At that moment, the eunuch in the imperial dining room opened the imperial dining room, Wei Xiaobao waited on him.Although he was extremely favored by the emperor, he could not accompany him to eat and drink.Kangxi rewarded him with more than a dozen bowls of big dishes, and ordered the eunuchs to deliver them to his mansion and eat them after returning home. The princess drank a few glasses of wine, her face was flushed, her eyes were watery, and she glanced at Wei Xiaobao.In front of the emperor, Wei Xiaobao didn't dare to be rude, his eyes never met the princess's, his heart was beating wildly, and he thought to himself: "If the princess leaks something after drinking, and let the emperor see it, my head It’s not safe.” He was ordered to escort the princess to Yunnan to get married, but on the way he guarded himself by stealing and having an affair with the princess. The crime was really not small, and he regretted it, and he really shouldn’t have asked the emperor to ask the princess to see him. The princess suddenly said: "Xiao Guizi, fill me with rice." As she spoke, she stretched out the empty rice bowl in front of him.Kangxi smiled and said: "You have a good appetite." The princess said: "When I see the emperor's brother, I can eat enough." Wei Xiaobao packed the meal, held it respectfully with both hands, and placed it on the table in front of the princess. He got down and twisted hard on his thigh.Wei Xiaobao was in pain, but he didn't dare to say anything, he didn't even dare to lose the smile on his face, but he laughed awkwardly, but there was nothing he could do, he cursed in his heart: "Damn bitch, when will you see that I don't twist hard?" Give it back to you." The cursing in my heart didn't stop, and I couldn't help but tilt my head back, but it was the princess who reached behind his back, grabbed his braid and pulled hard. This time, Kangxi saw it, and said with a smile: "The princess is married, and she is still so naughty." The princess pointed at Wei Xiaobao and smiled, "It's him, it's him..." Wei Xiaobao was very anxious, not knowing what she would say Having said that, Princess Xingxi only chuckled a few times, and said, "Brother Emperor, your reputation is getting better and better. I didn't know it in the palace, but this time I went to Yunnan, and all the way back and forth, I heard the common people say, you As the emperor, the lives of the people all over the world are really good. It's this kid," he said, giving Wei Xiaobao a blank look, and said, "The officials are getting bigger and bigger. Only your little sister is getting more and more unlucky. " Kangxi was in a good mood at first, but Princess Jianning's compliments were just right, and she said with a smile: "You are a wife and a husband is valuable. If Wu Yingxiong and his father and son are obedient and withdraw from the domain, the world will be peaceful. I promise you that he will be promoted to the official position." " The princess curled her mouth and said, "Whether you can be promoted to Wu Yingxiong's official position is none of my business, I want you to be promoted to my official position." Kangxi smiled and said, "What kind of official are you?" The princess said: "Xiao Guizi said, what is the princess of the Raksha kingdom to be the regent queen? Just make me the generalissimo and send me to fight against Fanbang." Kangxi laughed loudly and said, "How can a woman be the generalissimo?" The princess said: "In the past, Fan Lihua, She Taijun, Mu Guiying, who didn't grab the seal to be the generalissimo? Why can't they do it, but I can't? You say I am not good at martial arts, so let's make gestures." He stood up with a smile on his face get up. Kangxi laughed and said: "You don't want to study, you are as ignorant as Xiao Guizi, and you only know the stories in the drama. It is true that there were women in the previous dynasty who were marshals. Tang Taizong Li Shimin's sister, Princess Pingyang, helped Tang Taizong win the war. The whole world. As a marshal, she commanded an army called Niangzijun, and the pass where she garrisoned troops was called Niangziguan, which is very powerful." The princess clapped her hands and said: "That's it. Brother Emperor, you are better than Li Shimin as an emperor. I will learn from Princess Pingyang. Xiao Guizi, what are you learning? Gao Lishi? Or Wei Zhongxian?" Kangxi laughed loudly, shook his head again and again, and said, "You're talking nonsense again. Xiao Guizi is a fake eunuch. Besides, Gao Lishi and Wei Zhongxian are eunuchs under the Hunjun, aren't you scolding me?" The princess smiled and said: "I'm sorry, Brother Emperor, don't take offense, I don't understand." Thinking of the sentence "Xiao Guizi, this eunuch is a fake", she glanced at Wei Xiaobao, couldn't help feeling spring in her heart, and said: "I It's time to kowtow to the Queen Mother." Kangxi was stunned, and thought: "The fake queen mother has been replaced by the real queen mother, and your mother has escaped from the palace." He has always loved this girl, and couldn't bear to embarrass her, and said: "The queen mother has been feeling very uncomfortable these days, don't worry about it." Go and bother her old man, just kowtow outside the Compassionate Ning Palace to pay her respects." The princess agreed, and said, "Brother Emperor, I'll go to the Palace of Compassion and Ning, and I'll talk to you later. Xiao Guizi, you go with me." Wei Xiaobao didn't dare to agree.Kangxi winked at him and ordered him to try to stop the princess and not let him see the queen mother.Wei Xiaobao understood, nodded and accepted the order, and immediately accompanied the princess to the Palace of Compassion.
Wei Xiaobao asked the little eunuch to rush to the Compassionate Ning Palace to report.Sure enough, the queen mother ordered to come down, she was not feeling well, so there was no need to kowtow. The princess hadn't seen her mother for a long time, she was worried in her heart, and said: "The queen mother is not feeling well, so I need to take a look." Saying that, she broke into the queen mother's bedroom.How could all the eunuchs and maids dare to stop him?Wei Xiaobao said anxiously: "Your Highness, Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has caught a cold and cannot get the wind." The princess said: "I will enter the door slowly, without bringing in a little wind." Pushing open the door of the sleeping hall, raising the door curtain, I saw the curtain hanging down, the queen mother was sleeping on the bed, and four court ladies were standing in front of the bed. The princess whispered: "Queen Mother, my daughter is here to kowtow to you." Then she knelt down and kowtowed a few times.Only the queen mother groaned a few times in the tent.The princess walked to the bed and stretched out her hand to lift the curtain. A court lady said: "Your Highness, the queen mother ordered that no one should disturb the queen mother." The inner bed seemed to be a deep sleep.The princess called out in a low voice: "Queen Mother, Queen Mother." The Queen Mother didn't answer. The princess had no choice but to put down the tent and back out quietly, feeling sore in her heart, she couldn't help crying. Seeing that she didn't see the truth, Wei Xiaobao felt a big stone in his heart, and persuaded: "Princess lives in the capital, so she often goes to the palace to pay her respects. After the queen mother recovers, come to the Palace of Compassion." The princess thought it made sense, and immediately wiped away her tears. , said: "I don't know what happened to my former residence, so I'll go and have a look." Then he walked to his bedroom, Wei Xiaobao followed. The Jianning Palace, where the princess lived before, is on the side of the Compassionate Ning Palace, and she arrived in a short time.After the princess got married, the Jianning Palace was guarded by eunuchs and palace maids Sasao, just like before. The princess came to the door of the bedroom, and saw Wei Xiaobao standing outside the door smiling, refusing to come in, blushing and said: "Damn eunuch, why don't you come in?" " The princess stretched out her hand, twisted his ears, and shouted: "If you don't come in, I'll twist your dog ears off." Pulling him hard, she pulled him into the bedroom, closed the door and bolted it.Wei Xiaobao was so frightened that his heart beat wildly, he said in a low voice: "Princess, you can't mess around in the palace, I... I... this is going to be beheaded!" The princess's eyes were watery, as if dripping water, she said softly, "Master Wei, I am your servant, I will serve you." She stretched out her arms and hugged him tightly.Wei Xiaobao smiled and said: "No, you can't!" The princess said: "Okay, I'll go and tell the emperor's brother that you lured me on the way and told me to castrate that kid Wu Yingxiong, and now you ignore me again." She stretched out her hand on his leg He twisted hard. After a long time, the two came out from the bedroom.The princess smiled all over her face, and said: "The emperor ordered you to tell me about the princess of the Raksha Kingdom, why are you leaving before you finish?" Wei Xiaobao said: "This servant is exhausted and has no strength to speak anymore. The princess smiled and said, "Next time, come and tell me about going to Liaodong to catch vixen." , and slapped him. The eunuchs and maids of Jianning Palace are all old people. They knew the princess's delicate and savage temper. Seeing her attacking someone, they all thought: "The princess is married, but her old temper has not changed at all. Earl Wei is the emperor's favorite. Minister, she actually just hit her with her hand." The two went back to the upper study to bid farewell to Kangxi.It was evening, and I saw Kangxi contemplating a large map on the case.The princess said: "Brother Emperor, the Empress Dowager is not feeling well, I can't see you, I will come back to kowtow to pay my respects in a few days." Kangxi nodded and said, "When she hears from her next time, come again." Pointing to the map with his right hand, he asked Wei Xiaobao. : "You enter Yunnan from Guizhou, but exit from Guangxi, which is the easier way to go?" It turned out that he was referring to the topography of Yunnan. Wei Xiaobao said: "The mountains in Yunnan are so high, whether you go from Guizhou or Guangxi, it's hard to walk. Most of the way out is not marching. The princess rides in a sedan chair, and the slaves ride horses." Kangxi nodded, suddenly remembered Regarding this matter, he told the eunuch: "Chuan Zhong, the driver of the military department." Turning to the princess, he said, "Go back to the mansion now. You have been out all day, and the forehead is waiting for you." The princess curled her lips, and said: "He didn't wait for me." She wanted to wait for Wei Xiaobao to go out of the palace together, and it would be good to say a few more words on the way, but hearing the emperor's news about ministers, there are state affairs Consulting, said: "Brother Emperor, it's so late, and you still have to worry about state affairs. In the past, Emperor Father was not as diligent as you in government affairs." Kangxi felt sore, thinking of his father being a monk in Wutai Mountain alone, he said: "My father is smart and wise, what he can do in one hour, I can't finish in three hours." The princess smiled and said: "I heard everyone say that the emperor's elder brother is wise and wise, which is rare in ancient times. People dare not say that you are better than the father, but they say that you are the rare good emperor in China for thousands of years." Kangxi smiled slightly, and said: "There have been many good emperors in China. Not to mention Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang Wenwu, under three generations, Emperor Wen of Han, Emperor Guangwu of Han, and Emperor Taizong of Tang are also very admirable." When the princess saw Kangxi talking, she still stared at the map intently, not daring to say more, she glanced at Wei Xiaobao, her arms were still hanging down, she pointed at him, then she turned and pointed at herself, saying that she would He comes to see himself from time to time.Wei Xiaobao understood and nodded slightly.At that moment, the princess saluted Kangxi and resigned.
After a while, Kangxi raised his head and said: "Then the cannon we built is probably too heavy and too big, and it will not be easy to drag on the mountain road." Wei Xiaobao was startled, and then he understood that Kangxi was going to transport the cannon to Yunnan to fight Wu Sangui, and said: "Yes, yes. The slave is so confused, I didn't expect this section. It's better to build more small cannons, which can be moved by two horses. It will be much easier to enter Yunnan." Kangxi said: "A battle in the mountains cannot be done with thousands of troops. Thousands of horses charge together, infantry is more important than cavalry." Not long after, three Man Langzhong and one Han Langzhong, driving the military car, came together. After seeing each other, Kangxi asked, "How are the horses getting ready?" It is reported how many horses have been bought from the Western Regions and Mongolia, and how many horses have been transported from outside the customs. There are more than 85,000 good horses, and they are continuing to be purchased and raised.Kangxi was very happy and gave a few words of praise.The four doctors kowtowed to thank them. Wei Xiaobao suddenly said: "Your Majesty, I heard that the horses in Sichuan and Yunnan are different from the horses in the Western Regions outside the mouth. Although they are small, they have great strength and are good at walking on mountain roads. I don't know if it is true." Kangxi asked the four doctors: "This Is it true?" The Han doctor said: "Return to the emperor: Sichuan horses and Dian horses are hardy and heavy-duty, and they have great strength. They are really good for walking on mountain roads. But charging on flat ground is far inferior to horses and horses from Western Regions. Therefore Sichuan and Yunnan horses are not used in the army." Kangxi glanced at Wei Xiaobao and asked the doctor, "How many Sichuan and Yunnan horses do we have?" The doctor said, "Return to the emperor: In the garrisons of Sichuan and Yunnan, Sichuan and Yunnan There are quite a few horses and Yunnan horses, but there are very few in other places. There are more than 500 horses in the Hunan garrison." Kangxi nodded and said, "Let's go out." He didn't want to reveal his intention to attack Yunnan to his subordinates, and after the four Langzhong had withdrawn, he said to Wei Xiaobao: "Thank you for reminding me. Tomorrow I will order the governor of Sichuan to purchase Sichuan horses as soon as possible. This matter must be done very carefully." It's better to keep it secret." Wei Xiaobao suddenly grinned, his expression very complacent.Kangxi asked: "What's the matter?" Wei Xiaobao smiled and said: "Wu Ezu has a batch of Yunnan horses, which he just brought from Yunnan. He boasted that these horses are very strong. The slave didn't believe it, and made an appointment to race with him .Whether the Yunnan horse really has long strength will be known after the race." Kangxi smiled and said: "Then you have to play a good match with him, how can you make a match?" Wei Xiaobao said: "We have agreed that there will be ten games in total, and whoever wins six games will be considered the winner." Kangxi said: "Only ten games You may not really know the benefits of Yunnan horses. Do you know how many Yunnan horses he brought in?" Wei Xiaobao said: "I see that there are always fifty or sixty horses in his stable, all newly arrived." Kangxi said: "Then you can compete with him for fifty or sixty rounds. If you want to fight a long way, it's best to go to the west mountain and run the mountain road." Seeing that Wei Xiaobao's face was a little strange, he said: "Damn it, you are worthless. If you lose, take the I'll give you gold." It is inconvenient for Wei Xiaobao to report directly to the emperor, he has already tampered with Wu Yingxiong's stable, and he has won 90% of the match, but after the first match, if the emperor thinks that the Dian horses are useless, he may miss a big deal when he marches and fights in the future , smiled and said: "That's not for mining gold..." Kangxi suddenly said "Hey" and said: "Dian horses have great strength, Wu Yingxiong, why did you bring this large number of Yunnan horses to Beijing?" Wei Xiaobao laughed: "He must want to show off and praise his Yunnan horses. Good." Kangxi frowned, and said: "No! This... this kid wants to run away." Wei Xiaobao didn't understand yet, and wondered: "Run away?" Kangxi said: "Yes!" He shouted loudly: "Come here!" He told the eunuchs: "Immediately pass the decree, close the nine gates, and no one is allowed to leave the city, and then send Wu Yingxiong to the palace to see me." Several eunuchs He agreed to go out to deliver the decree. Wei Xiaobao's face changed slightly, and he said: "Your Majesty, you said that Wu Yingxiong is so bold that he wants to run away?" Kangxi shook his head, and said: "I hope my prediction is not correct, otherwise, we will have to use troops against Wu Sangui immediately. At this time we haven't made the arrangements yet." Wei Xiaobao said: "We haven't made the arrangements, and Wu Sangui may not have made the arrangements." Kangxi's face was deeply worried, and he said: "No. Wu Sangui has not yet arrived in Yunnan. He is recruiting troops and starting a rebellion. He has been doing it for more than ten years, but I only started to deploy it on a large scale in the past two years." Wei Xiaobao could only comfort him with words: "However, your majesty is wise and wise. One year's deployment is worth Wu Sangui's twenty years' deployment." Kangxi raised his foot, gave him a kick, and said with a smile: "I kicked you, that old boy Wu Sangui kicked you twenty times. Damn it, Xiao Guizi, don't underestimate Wu Sangui, this The old boy is very good at fighting with soldiers, Li Zicheng is so powerful that he has defeated him. In the imperial court, there is not a single general who is his opponent." Wei Xiaobao said: "We win with more, the emperor sent ten generals out, ten beat him Damn one." Kangxi said: "That also requires a capable general. If I have Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, or Mu Ying under my command, then don't worry about it." Wei Xiaobao said: "Your Majesty. The personal conquest was better than Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and Mu Ying. When Ming Taizu beat Chen Youliang, he also personally conscripted." Kangxi said: "It's easy for you to flatter, what you say is bird raw fish soup, wise and wise. If you are really wise, you must first have self-knowledge. Marching and fighting is no small matter. I have never fought a war. How can I be Wu Sangui's opponent? Dozens of Tens of thousands of soldiers and horses, if one command is wrong, it is inevitable that they will be defeated. In the change of Tumubao in the former Ming Dynasty, the emperor believed the eunuch Wang Zhen's words, and the imperial conscripts personally led the conquest. Hundreds of thousands of troops, all asked the eunuch to be confused and wiped out the entire army. The emperor was also captured by the enemy." Wei Xiaobao was taken aback, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, this eunuch is a fake." Kangxi laughed loudly and said, "You don't have to be afraid, even if your eunuch is real, I'm not a fool like the former Ming Yingzong. Let you mess around?" Wei Xiaobao said: "Yes, yes! The emperor has a clever plan, it is not trivial, it is said in the play, it is called... what is it called, what is it, what is thousands of miles away." Kangxi laughed and said: "This sentence It's too difficult, I won't teach you." After talking for a while, the eunuch came to report that the admiral of Jiumen had been ordered to close the city.Kangxi was feeling a little relieved when another eunuch came to play: "My father-in-law went hunting in the city but has not returned, the gate of the city is closed, so I can't go out to call." Kangxi slapped the table, stood up, and shouted: "Sure enough." Asked: "Where is Princess Jianning?" The eunuch said: "Return to the emperor: Your highness is still in the palace." Kangxi hated Said: "This kid, there is no love between husband and wife." Wei Xiaobao said: "Your Majesty, this servant is going to chase that kid back. He said he was going to have a horse race with this servant today, and suddenly he went out to hunt in the city. It is indeed the wrong way." Kangxi asked the eunuch, "When did the eunuch leave the city?" Then Eunuch: "Going back to the emperor, the servant went to the Ezu Mansion to announce the decree. The chief manager of the Ezu Mansion said that this morning, the Ezu will go out to hunt in the city." Kangxi snorted and said: "This kid must be very happy to get it this morning." , Geng Jingzhong received the news of the decree to withdraw the feudal clan, and knew that his father was about to rebel, so he ran away quickly." Turning to Wei Xiaobao, he said: "He has walked for six or seven hours, and he can't catch up. He was transported from Yunnan Dozens of Yunnan horses are going to change horses along the way and flee back to Kunming." Wei Xiaobao thought to himself: "The emperor is really good at predicting things. As soon as he heard that he brought a large number of Yunnan horses, he expected that he would run away." Ann, the servant may have a way to catch this kid back." Kangxi said: "What can you do? Nonsense! If the Dianma is really powerful, he will be far away from Beijing, disguised, and he will never be able to catch up again." Wei Xiaobao didn't know if the groom's boss had fed crotons to Wu Yingxiong's Yunnan horses, so he didn't dare to brag about it in front of the emperor, saying, "It's a matter of being loyal to the emperor. I'm going to chase after it, really. No, there is no way." Kangxi nodded and said: "Okay!" He quickly wrote an imperial edict, sealed it with a jade seal, and ordered the admirals of the Nine Gates to open the city gate to let Wei Xiaobao out, saying: "Take more soldiers from the Xiaoqi Battalion. If Wu Yingxiong refuses to be arrested, he will fight it with his hands." Already." Handed him the golden talisman for dispatching troops.Wei Xiaobao said: "Decree!" After receiving the order, he rushed out of the palace. The princess was waiting at the gate of the palace, and when she saw him rushing out, she shouted: "Little Guizi, what are you doing?" .The princess scolded: "Dead eunuch, you have no rules, stop quickly." Wei Xiaobao shouted: "I'll catch the princess's husband, go through fire and water, never give up, wear stars and wear moons, non-stop..." Nonsense, long ago Go too far.
Wei Xiaobao came outside the palace, got on his horse, and galloped back to the mansion. He saw Zhao Liangdong drinking with Zhang Yong and other three generals in the flower hall. He immediately turned around, summoned dozens of soldiers, and ordered Zhang Yong and other three generals to be captured .All the soldiers tied up the three generals immediately. Zhang Yong said solemnly: "May I ask Mr. Du Tong, what crime did the young general commit?" Wei Xiaobao said: "There is an edict here, I don't have time to talk to you." As he spoke, he raised the edict in his hand, and issued a series of orders: "A thousand sergeants from Xiaoxiao's cavalry battalion, and fifty imperial guards, come to the mansion immediately. Listen to the order. Prepare the horses." The soldiers took the order and went. Wei Xiaobao said to Zhao Liangdong: "Zhao Bing, that kid Wu Yingxiong has escaped. Wu Sangui is going to rebel. Let's go out of the city and chase after him." Zhao Liangdong shouted: "This kid is so bold, I'm under orders." Zhang Yong, Wang Jinbao, Sun Sike The three of them were taken aback and looked at each other.Wei Xiaobao said to his soldiers: "Take care of these three people. Commander Zhao, let's go." Zhang Yong shouted: "Wei Dutong, we are from Xiliang, we are officials of the Qing Dynasty, and we have never been the direct descendants of King Pingxi. The three of us used to be military officers in Gansu, and later transferred to Yunnan as errands, and we have been excluded by Wu Sangui all the time." He transferred the three people from lower ranks to leave Yunnan because he knew that the three of us would not join us, and he was afraid that his event would be ruined." Wei Xiaobao said, "How do I know if your words are true or not?" Sun Sike said, "Wu Sangui wanted to kill him last year. My head was protected entirely by Admiral Zhang, and the lowly position saved my head. I hate this old bastard in my heart." Zhang Yong said: "If the three lowly level people conspired with Wu Yingxiong, why didn't they escape together?" Wei Xiaobao thought that this sentence was not bad, and pondered: "Okay, are you going to go with Wu Sangui, and then interrogate carefully later. Zhao Zongbing, it's important to chase people, let's go." Zhang Yong said: "Master Dutong, Wang The lieutenant general is good at observing horse tracks, he can tell the shape of a Dian horse's hooves at a glance." Wei Xiaobao nodded and said: "This skill is quite useful. But if I take you there, if there is trouble on the way, I will be fooled by you .” Sun Sike said loudly: "Lord Du Tong, you tie the young general here, and take Admiral Zhang and Deputy General Wang to chase after him. If there is any change between the two of them, you can kill the young general when you come back." 韦小宝道：“好，你倒挺有义气。这件事我有些拿不定主意。来来来，张提督，我跟你掷三把骰子，要是你赢，就听你的，倘若我赢，只好借三位的脑袋使使。”也不等张勇有何言语，当即大声叫道：“来人哪，拿骰子来！” 王进宝道：“小将身边有骰子，你松了我绑，小将跟你赌便是。” 韦小宝大奇，吩咐亲兵松了他绑缚。王进宝伸手入袋，果然摸了三枚骰子出来，刷喇喇一把掷在桌上，手法甚是熟练。韦小宝问：“你身边怎地带着骰子？”王进宝道：“小将生平最爱赌博，骰子是随身带的。要是没人对赌，左手便同右手赌。”韦小宝更是兴味盎然，问道：“自己的左手跟右手赌，输赢怎生算法？”王进宝道：“左手输了，右手便打左臂一拳；右手输了，左手打右臂一拳。”韦小宝哈哈大笑，连说：“有趣，有趣。”又道：“老兄跟我志同道合，定是好人。来，把这两位将军也都放了。王副将，我跟你掷三把，不论是输是赢，你们都跟我去追吴应熊。若是我赢，刚才得罪了三位这件事，就此抵过。如果是你赢，我向三位磕头陪罪。”张勇等三人哈哈大笑，都说：“这个可不敢当。” 韦小宝拿起骰子，正待要掷，亲兵进来禀报，骁骑营军士和御前侍卫都已聚集，在府外候令。韦小宝收起骰子，道：“事不宜迟，咱们追人要紧。四位将军，这就去罢！”带了张勇、赵良栋等四人，点齐骁骑营军士和御前侍卫，向南出城追赶。 王进宝在前带路，追了数里，下马瞧了瞧路上马蹄印，说道：“都统大人，奇怪得很，这一行折而向东去了。”韦小宝道：“这倒怪了，他逃回云南，该当向南去才是。好，大伙儿向东。”赵良栋心下起疑：“向东逃去，太没道理。莫非王进宝这小子故意引我们走上错路，好让吴应熊逃走。”说道：“都统大人，可否由小将另带一路人马向南追赶？” 韦小宝向王进宝瞧了眼，见他脸有怒色，便道：“不用了，大伙儿由王副将带路好了。滇马是他养的，他不会认错。”吩咐亲兵，取兵刃由张勇等三人挑选。 张勇拿了一杆大刀，说道：“都统大人年纪虽轻，这胸怀可是了不起。我们是从云南来的军官，吴三桂造反，都统大人居然对我们推心置腹，毫不起疑。” 韦小宝笑道：“你不用夸奖。我这是押宝，所有银子，都押在一门。赢就大赢，既抓到吴应熊，又交了你们三位好朋友。输就大输，至不济给你老兄一刀砍了。” 张勇大喜，说道：“我们西凉的好男儿，最爱结交英雄好汉。承蒙韦都统瞧得起，姓张的这一辈子给你卖命。”说着投刀于地，向韦小宝拜了下去。王进宝和孙思克跟着拜倒。 韦小宝跳下马来，在大路上跪倒还礼。 四人跪拜了站起身来，相对哈哈大笑。韦小宝道：“赵总兵，你也请过来，大伙儿拜上一拜，今后就如结成了兄弟一般，有福共享，有难共当。”赵良栋道：“我可信不过这个王副将，等他抓到了吴应熊，我再跟他拜把子。”王进宝怒道：“我官阶虽低，却也是条好汉子，希罕跟你拜把子吗？”说着一跃上马，疾驰向前，追踪而去。 向东驰出十余里，王进宝跳下马来，察看路上蹄印和马粪，皱眉道：“奇怪，奇怪。”张勇忙问：“怎么啦？”王进宝道：“马粪是稀烂的，不知是甚么缘故，这不像是咱们滇马的马粪。”韦小宝一听大喜，哈哈大笑，说道：“这就是了，货真价实，童叟无欺，这的的确确是吴应熊的马队。”王进宝沉吟道：“蹄印是不错的，就是马粪太过奇怪。”韦小宝道：“不奇怪，不奇怪！滇马到了北京，水土不服，一定要拉烂屎，总得拉上七八天才好。只要马粪是稀烂的，那定是滇马。” 王进宝向他瞧了一眼，见他脸色诡异，似笑非笑，不由得将信将疑，继续向前追踪。 又奔了一阵，见马迹折向东南。张勇道：“都统大人，吴应熊要逃到天津卫，从塘沽出海。他在海边定是预备了船只，从海道去广西，再转云南，以免路上给官军截拦了。”韦小宝点头道：“对！从北京到昆明，十万八千里路程，随时随刻会给官兵拦住，还是从海道去平安得多。”张勇道：“咱们可得更加快追。”韦小宝问道：“为甚么？”张勇道：“从京城到海边，只不过几百里路，他不必体恤马力，尽可拚命快跑。”韦小宝道：“是，是。张大哥料事如神，果然是大将之才。”张勇听他改口称呼自己为“大哥”，心下更喜。 韦小宝回头传令，命一队骁骑营加急奔驰，去塘沽口水师传令，封锁海口，所有船只不许出海。一名佐领接了将令，领兵去了。 过不多时，只见道旁倒毙了两匹马匹，正是滇马。张勇喜道：“都统大人，王副将追的路径果然不错。”王进宝却愁眉苦脸，神色甚是烦恼。韦小宝道：“王三哥，你为甚么不开心？”王进宝心想：“我又不是行三，怎么叫我三哥？”说道：“小将养的这些滇马，每一匹都是千中挑一的良驹，怎地又拉稀屎，又倒毙在路？就算吴应熊拚命催赶，马匹也不会如此不济！唉！真可惜，真可惜！” 韦小宝知他爱马，更不敢提偷喂巴豆之事，说道：“吴应熊这小子只管逃命，累死了好马，枉费了王三哥一片心血，他妈的，这小子不是人养的。”王进宝道：“都统大人怎地叫小将王三哥，这可不敢当。”韦小宝笑道：“张大哥、赵二哥、王三哥、孙四哥，我瞧那一位的胡子花白些，便算他年纪大些。”王进宝道：“原来如此。吴三桂一家人，没一个是好种。当兵的不爱马，总是没好下场。”说着唉声叹气。 行不数里，又见三匹马倒毙道旁，越走死马越多。张勇忽道：“都统大人，吴应熊的马吃坏了东西，跑不动了。可是防他下马逃入乡村躲避。”韦小宝道：“张大哥甚么事都料早了一着，兄弟佩服之极。”当即传令骁骑营，分开了包抄上去。 果然追不数里，北边一队骁骑营大声欢叫：“抓住了吴应熊啦！” 韦小宝等大喜，循声赶去，远远望见大路旁的麦田之中，数百名骁骑营军士围成一圈。这一带昨天刚下了雨，麦田中一片泥泞。韦小宝等纵马驰近，众军士已押着满身泥污的几人过来。当先一人正是吴应熊，只是身穿市井之徒服色，那还像是雍容华贵的金马玉堂人物？ 韦小宝跳下马来，向他请了个安，笑道：“额驸爷，你扮戏文玩儿吗？皇上忽然心血来潮，要想听戏，吩咐小的来传。你这就去演给皇上看，那可挺合式。哈哈，你扮的是个叫化儿，这可不是《金玉奴棒打薄情郎》中的莫稽么？” 吴应熊早已惊得全身发抖，听着韦小宝调侃，一句话也答不出来。
韦小宝兴高采烈，押着吴应熊回京，来到皇宫时已是次日午间。康熙已先得到御前侍卫飞马报知，立即传见。韦小宝泥尘满脸，故意不加抹拭。 康熙一见，自然觉得此人忠心办事，劳苦功高之极，伸手拍他肩头，笑问：“他妈的，小桂子，你到底有甚么本事，居然将吴应熊抓了回来？” 韦小宝不再隐瞒，说了毒马的诡计，笑道：“奴才本来只盼赢他一万两银子，教他不敢夸口，同时奴才有钱花用，给皇上差去办事的时候，也不用贪污了。那知道皇上洪福齐天，奴才胡闹一番，居然也令吴三桂的奸计不能得逞。可见这老小子如要造反，准败无疑。” 康熙哈哈大笑，也觉这件事冥冥中似有天意，自己福气着实不小，笑道：“我是有福的天子，你是福将，这就下去休息罢。”韦小宝道：“吴应熊这小子已交御前侍卫看管，听由圣意处分。”康熙沉吟道：“咱们暂且不动声色，仍然放他回额驸府去，且看吴三桂有何动静。最好他得知儿子给抓了回来，我又不杀他，就此感恩，不再造反。”韦小宝道：“是，是。皇上宽宏大量，鸟生鱼汤。” 康熙道：“你派一队骁骑营，前后把守额驸府门，有人出入，仔细盘查。他府里的骡马都拉了出来，一匹不留。”他说一句，韦小宝答应一句。康熙道：“这次的有功人员，你开单奏上，各有升赏，连那放巴豆的马伕头儿，也赏他个小官儿做做，哈哈。” 韦小宝跪下谢恩，将张勇、赵良栋、王进宝、孙思克四人的名字说了，又道：“张勇等三将是云南的将领，但也明白效忠皇上，出力去抓吴应熊，可见吴三桂如想造反，他军下将官必定纷纷投降。”康熙道：“张勇和那两员副将不肯附逆，那好得很。张勇本来是甘肃的提督，另外两员副将多半也不是吴三桂的旧部。”韦小宝道：“皇上圣明。” 韦小宝出得宫来，亲将吴应熊押回额驸府，说道：“驸马爷，我在皇上面前替你说了不少好话，才保住了你这颗脑袋。你下次再逃，可连我的脑袋也不保了。”吴应熊连声称谢，心中不住咒骂，只是数十匹好马如何在道上接连倒毙，以致功败垂成，这道理却始终不懂。 数日后朝旨下来，对韦小宝、张勇等奖勉一番，各升了一级。康熙不欲张扬其事，以致激得吴三桂生变，因此上谕中含糊其事，只说各人办事得力。 吴应熊这么一逃，康熙料知吴三桂造反已迫在眉睫，总算将吴应熊抓了回来，使他心有所忌，或能将造反之事缓得一缓。康熙这些日子来调兵遣将，造炮买马，十分忙碌，只是库房中银两颇有不足，倘若三藩齐反，再加上台湾、蒙古、西蒙三地，同时要对付六处兵马，那时军费花用如流水一般，支付着实不易，只要能缓得一日，便多了一天来筹饷备粮。 康熙心想多亏韦小宝破了神龙岛，又笼络了罗刹国，神龙岛那也罢了，罗刹国却实是大敌，此人不学无术，却是一员福将，于是下了上谕，着他前赴扬州建造忠烈祠，暗中嘱咐，南下时绕道河南，剿灭王屋山司徒伯雷的匪帮，除了近在肘腋的心腹之患。韦小宝奏请张勇等四将拨归麾下，康熙自即准奏。 这日韦小宝带同张勇等四将正要起行，忽然施琅、黄甫以及天地会的徐天川、风际中等一齐来到。相见之下，尽皆欢喜。原来韦小宝中了洪教主的美人计被擒，施琅等倒不是不敢回来，却是每日里乘坐舰只，在各处海岛寻觅，盼能相救。徐天川等更分赴辽东、直隶、山东三省沿海陆上寻访，直到接到韦小宝从京里发出的讯息，这才回京相会。 韦小宝自然不说遭擒的丑事，胡言乱语的掩饰一番。施琅等心中不信，却也不敢多问。韦小宝又去奏明皇帝，说了施琅等人的功绩，各人俱有封赏。徐天川等天地会兄弟不受清廷官禄，韦小宝自也不提。众人在北京大宴一日，次日一齐起程。
不一日来到王屋山下，韦小宝悄悄对天地会兄弟说知，要去剿灭司徒伯雷。Everyone was taken aback.李力世道：“韦香主，这件事却干不得。司徒伯雷志在兴复明室，是一位大大的英雄好汉。咱们如去把王屋山挑了，那可是为鞑子出力。”韦小宝道：“原来如此，我瞧司徒老儿那些徒儿，果然很有英雄气概。可是我奉了圣旨来剿王屋山，这件事倒为难了。” 玄贞道人道：“韦香主在朝廷的官越做越大，只怕有些不妥。依我说，咱们跟司徒伯雷联手，这就反了罢。”祁清彪摇头道：“咱们第一步是借鞑子之手，对付吴三桂这大汉奸。韦香主如在这时候造反，说不定鞑子皇帝又去跟吴三桂联成一气，那可功亏一篑了。”韦小宝原不想对康熙造反，一听这话，忙道：“对，对！咱们须得干掉吴三桂再说，那是第一等大事。司徒伯雷只不过几百人聚在王屋山，小事一件，不可因小失大。” 徐天川道：“眼前之事，是如何向鞑子皇帝搪塞交代。再说，鞑子皇帝有心在扬州为史阁部建忠烈祠，这件事，咱们也不能把他弄糟了。”史可法赤胆忠心，为国殉难，天下英雄豪杰无不钦佩。天地会群雄听徐天川一说，都点头称是。至于如何向皇帝交代敷衍，谁也及不上韦小宝的本事了，众人都眼望他，听由他自己出主意。 韦小宝笑道：“既然王屋山打不得，咱们就送个信给司徒老兄，请他老哥避开了罢。”众人沉吟半晌，均觉还是这条计策可行。韦小宝想起那日掷骰子赌命，王屋派那小姑娘曾柔瓜子脸儿、大大的眼睛，甚是秀美可爱，心想：“我跟司徒老儿又没交情，要送人情，还不如送了给曾姑娘。” 正在此时，张勇和赵良栋分别遣人来报，已将王屋山团团围住，四下通路俱已堵死。原来韦小宝一入河南省境，便将围剿王屋山的上谕悄悄跟张勇、赵良栋等四将说了。四将不动声色，分别带领人马，把守了王屋山下各处通道要地，只待接令攻山。 四将跟随韦小宝后，只凭擒拿吴应熊这样轻而易举的一件差事，便各升官，都很感激，只盼这次出力立功，在各处通道上遍掘陷坑，布满绊马索。弓箭手、钩镰枪手守住了四面八方，要将山上人众个个擒拿活捉，不让走脱了一个。四将均想：“五千多名官兵，攻打山上千来名土匪，胜了有甚么希奇？只有不让一人漏网，才算有点儿小小功劳。” 韦小宝心想：“将司徒伯雷他们一古脑儿捉了，也不是甚么大功，天地会众兄弟又极不赞成。江湖上好汉，义气为重，可不能得罪了朋友。”正自寻思如何向曾柔送信、放走王屋派众师徒，忽听得东面鼓声响动，众军士喊声大作。跟着哨探来报，山上有人冲杀下来。 韦小宝心想：“三军之前，可不能下令放人，只有捉住了再说，慢慢设法释放便是。”传令：“个个要捉活的，一人都不许杀伤。”亲兵传令出去。韦小宝又加以一句：“尤其是女的，更加不可伤了。”一瞥眼见到徐天川、钱老本等人的神色，不禁脸上微微一红，心道：“你们放心，这次不会再像神龙岛那样，中美人计被擒了。” 他带了天地会群雄，走向东首山道边观战，只见半山里百余人众疾冲而下。官兵得了主帅将令，不敢放箭，只涌上阻拦，但听得吆喝之声此伏彼起，冲下来的人一个个落入陷坑，被钩镰枪手钩起捉了。韦小宝想看曾柔是不是也拿住了，但隔得远了，瞧不清楚。 忽见一人纵跃如飞，从一株大树跃向另一株大树，窜下山来。官兵上前拦阻，那人矫捷之极，竟然阻他不住。玄贞道人赞叹：“好身手！” 这人渐奔渐近，眼见再冲得数十丈便到山脚。钱老本道：“这人武功如此了得，莫非就是司徒伯雷么？”徐天川道：“除了司徒老英雄，只怕旁人也无这等……”一言未毕，孙思克突然叫道：“这人好像是吴三桂的卫士。”说话之间，那人又已窜近了数丈。 韦小宝叫道：“先抓住他再说！”天地会群雄纷向那人围了上去。 那人手舞钢刀，每一挥动，便砍翻了一名军士。孙思克挺着长枪迎上，看清楚了面貌，叫道：“巴朗星，你在这里干甚么？”这人正是吴三桂身边的亲信卫士巴朗星。他大声叫道：“我奉平西亲王将令，为朝廷除害，杀了反贼司徒伯雷。你们为甚么阻我？” 徐天川等一听，都大吃一惊，只见他腰间悬着一颗血肉模糊的头颅，也不知是不是司徒伯雷。众人一拥而上，团团围住。 孙思克道：“韦都统在此，放下兵刃，上去参见，听由都统大人发落。” 巴朗星道：“好！”将刀插入刀鞘，快步向韦小宝走去，大声道：“参见都统大人。”韦小宝道：“你在这里……”巴朗星突然一跃而起，双手分抓韦小宝的面门胸口。 韦小宝大叫：“啊哟！我的妈！”转身便逃。巴朗星武功精强，嗤的一声，左手已扯下了他背上一片衣衫，右手往他头顶抓落，突觉右侧一足踢到，来势极快。巴朗星侧身避开，那人跟着迎面一掌，正是风际中。巴朗星举掌挡格，身子一晃，突觉后腰一紧，已被徐天川抱住。钱老本伸指戳在他胸口，巴朗星哼了一声。风际中左腿横扫，巴朗星站立不定，倒了下去。钱老本将他牢牢按住，亲兵过来绑了，推到韦小宝跟前。 巴朗星大声道：“平西王大兵日内就到，那时叫你们一个个死无葬身之地，识时务的，这就快快投降。”韦小宝笑道：“平西王起兵了吗？我倒不知道啊。他老人家身体好罢？”巴朗星见他神态和善，一时不明他用意，说道：“钦差大臣，你到过昆明，平西王也很看重你。你是聪明人，干么做鞑子的奴才？还是早早归顺平西王罢。”徐天川在他屁股上踢了一脚，喝道：“吴三桂这大汉奸卑鄙无耻，你做他的奴才，更加无耻。” 巴朗星大怒，转头一口唾沫，向徐天川吐去。徐天川侧身避过，这口唾沫吐中一名亲兵的脸。韦小宝道：“巴老兄，有话好说，不必生气。你要我归降平西王，也不是不好商量。你到王屋山来贵干啊？”巴朗星道：“跟你说了也不打紧，反正司徒伯雷我已杀了。”说着向挂在腰间的首级瞧了一眼。韦小宝道：“平西王为甚么要杀他？”巴朗星道：“你跟我去见平西王，他老人家自然会跟你说。” 徐天川等人大怒，拔拳要打。韦小宝使眼色制住，命亲兵将巴朗星推入营中盘问。岂知这人十分倔强，对吴三桂又极忠心，只是劝韦小宝投降，此外不肯吐露半句。一搜他身边，搜出一封盖了朱红大印的文书来。韦小宝命人一读，原来是吴三桂所写的伪诏，封司徒伯雷为“开国将军”，问他这文书的来历，巴朗星瞪目不答。韦小宝眼见问不出甚么，吩咐押了下去，将擒来的余人拷打喝问，终于有人吃打不过，说了出来。 原来吴三桂部署日内起兵造反，派了亲信巴朗星带了一小队手下，去见旧部司徒伯雷，要他响应，嘱咐巴朗星，司徒伯雷倘若奉令，再好不过，否则