Zhu Houzhao arrived in Nanjing.
It was just after the Mid-Autumn Festival, and everyone else was having family reunions, but he took the Four King Kongs to the south of the Yangtze River to play. At his age, there seemed to be nothing that interested him except playing.
Rather than saying that this is a journey to study, it is better to say that this is a journey of making trouble for him.
"Is this the city of Nanjing? It's nothing more than that..." Zhu Houzhao took a boat across the river and was about to enter the city from the water gate of the Qinhuai River. All he saw along the way were some low-rise houses, because it had been raining these days, so that The river is filled with smoke.
Sun Che smiled and said: "Young master Zhu, you don't know, but this ancient city in the south of the Yangtze River also has the aura of the Six Dynasties. It's a pity that you can't appreciate that at your age."
Zhu Houzhao glanced at Liu Jin and the others, then turned around and said, "Who said I can't appreciate it? Does it cost money? How much money?"
"Ahem...that's not what I meant." Sun Che couldn't help but look embarrassed.
He had witnessed Zhu Houzhao's generous spending along the way.
At first, I thought it was a down-and-out young man from some family who was accompanying me on the road. At most, he was teasing a naughty boy for fun. Who would have thought that halfway through, I would see how unrestrained this naughty boy is with his money.
Whether it's staying in a hotel, attending cultural events, or buying some souvenirs... Zhu Houzhao has it all covered.
He has talents that are not what a child of his age should have, he also has a wealth that is not what a child of this age should have, and he also has the pride of "gold and silver" for his friends... This kind of naughty kid is simply like a radiant child. Just like the rich man, if Sun Che and the others were asked to leave Zhu Houzhao now, they would not leave either.
Who wants to get closer? We must uphold the dignity of the young master of the Zhu family as a personal guardian.
Liu Jin came over and said with a smile: "Sir, look, we have arrived at the city gate. Beyond that is Nanjing City."
Sun Che said: "After passing the city gate, we have to check the route. There is no need to get off the boat."
"Luyin? Can't you give me some money?" Zhu Houzhao didn't have that kind of thing. In the cities he passed by on the way, he either didn't enter the city, or went to the city and just spent some money to make accommodations.
But now in Nanjing, the situation is different. If you don't even have an identity document, it will be troublesome to enter the city.
Hu Feng came over and said: "It's okay, I'll go over and meet him. But I'm afraid the money for accommodation is indispensable... Didn't Mr. Zhu come to Yingtian Mansion to visit his relatives? By the way, the road guide should be arranged."
"Yes, yes." Zhu Houzhao smiled, "Give me money!"
Liu Jin was the housekeeper next to Zhu Houzhao. When he heard that he wanted to give money again, he couldn't help but look at Hu Feng and the others with vigilant eyes. He was thinking that he had been tricked by these three guys a lot along the way, and now he has to pay more to Nanjing City. so?
I heard that the consumption level in Nanjing is very high. If these three guys are allowed to eat and drink and go shopping in some places with the "Six Dynasties Beauty and Beauty", let alone 3,000 taels, it will be 30,000 taels. It may not be enough, and after the transfer is completed, our lives will be gone!
Take the prince to look for flowers and willows...
Liu Jin dug around and took out more than one or two pieces of silver and a few copper plates. Zhu Houzhao frowned and said, "Is this possible?"
After saying that, he grabbed a twelve-weight silver ingot from Liu Jin's baggage, threw it to Hu Feng and said, "After the road is set up, accommodation and accommodation in the city will also be arranged. Is this enough?"
"This...enough is enough!"
Originally, Hu Feng wanted to take advantage of Zhu Houzhao's lack of social experience and try to gain some leverage over it, but when he saw that even his companions Gong Yeping and Sun Che looked at him with greed in their eyes, he wisely nodded.
…
…
Let the boatman dock first.
Then Hu Feng headed towards Shuimen by land, while the boat stopped at the ferry first.
Zhu Houzhao watched the ships heading toward the water gate. Often, beautiful women would come out of the cabins, pouring water or washing clothes. Even the river bank was full of human smoke. He couldn't help but stare at it with wide eyes. look.
Sun Che ran over, sat beside Zhu Houzhao and said, "Master Zhu, these are all flower boats on the Qinhuai River."
"What is a flower boat?" Zhu Houzhao asked.
Sun Che smiled and said: "Of course it is a ship full of red-blooded women. They go to the city to do business at night and will leave the city after the night."
"Ahem." Liu Jin coughed twice, meaning you have an ulterior motive for telling this to a ten-year-old child?
Zhu Houzhao asked: "Since everyone has entered the city, it is enough to live in the city. Why do we have to go out of the city?"
"this……"
Sun Che was embarrassed for a moment. He didn't expect that the naughty children's focus was completely different from that of adults like them.
Gong Yeping added with a smile: "It's because the ship is not a place to live. Besides, the Qinlou girls are from humble backgrounds. Even if they have money and want to rent and buy a place to live in the city, others don't want to live with them, so they just I can make my home outside the city."
"Oh." Zhu Houzhao asked with a smile on his face, as if he had learned new knowledge, "Are their families and children also outside the city?"
"Ahem!"
This time even Gong Yeping was defeated by the naughty kid's brain circuit.
Liu Jin said: "Sir, those lowly girls don't have families."
Sun Che said: "You are wrong about this. Girls from Leji have been wandering for half their lives, and they will eventually return to their roots. When their beauty fades in their twenties, they will definitely find a man from Leji to marry. Otherwise, do you think this girl from Jiangnan?" How do they maintain their population? But their youth only lasts a few years. After that, it will be difficult to support their families. Although they are all prosperous now, most of them will have a miserable life in their later years because they can't even buy land. I don’t even have the qualifications to farm.”
"Wow."
Zhu Houzhao suddenly felt a kind of desolation in the world. He still had the innocence and kindness of a child in his heart, and said, "Then it's time to change everything."
Sun Che asked curiously: "What changed?"
Zhu Houzhao said: "You don't know, I have a husband who once told me that people in this world are not born high or low. At first, I thought he was fooling me, but now that I think about it, there are indeed many people who are born with high or low status. They are so poor that their whole life is miserable, and I think this should be changed.”
"Hahaha..." Gong Yeping laughed at the side, "Young master, you are quite ambitious. It is a tradition left over from the Ming Dynasty for more than a hundred years, or from China for thousands of years. You can do it all by yourself." Want to change?"
"Where there's a will, there's a way." Zhu Houzhao scratched his head and grinned.
Just when Gong Yeping was about to make a few more jokes, he saw Hu Feng coming back not far away, and Hu Feng already had a road guide in his hand.
"So fast?" Zhu Houzhao took the initiative to greet him.
Sun Che also asked curiously: "Brother, you really have connections. How did you get the connections in Jinling City just like that? How much money did you spend?"
Hu Feng said with an embarrassed look on his face: "I...I didn't spend any money. After I went there, it was explained that someone wanted to go to relatives, so they directed the way and said that I could contact them if I have any problems in the future."
"Ah?" Gong Yeping and Sun Che listened as if they were reading a book from heaven.
Even Gao Feng, Qiu Ju and others on the side didn't quite understand.
Zhu Houzhao said with a smile: "Then what are you waiting for? Hurry into the city, Liu Chao Zhenfenqi, I'm coming!"
"The money?" Liu Jin immediately wanted to get back the money he had given him before.
To the prince, more than ten taels of silver was no different than a piece of stone, but to him, a eunuch with no future, it was more valuable than life.
Zhu Houzhao said: "Young Master Hu has the ability. With the money, he will arrange a place to stay after entering the city. By the way, I plan to visit relatives and friends after entering the city, and I will come back to you."
…
…
The ship successfully passed the water gate of the Qinhuai River.
Ma Yongcheng pulled Gao Feng aside and asked in a low voice: "Eunuch Gao, do you think Duke Lai Guo already knew about the news that was spread before, so he sent someone to take care of it?"
"This...no one came to contact me." Gao Feng was also confused.
At this moment, Liu Jin came out to take a breath.
The two of them quickly saluted Liu Jin.
Around the prince, whoever is favored is the boss, and whoever takes the lead now... whoever returns to the palace will have greater responsibilities, so even Ma Yongcheng is very sensible and does not act arrogantly in front of Liu Jin.
Liu Jin said: "You two, in fact, our family has secretly informed Master Zhang about the prince's move south."
Gao Feng was surprised and said: "Didn't you let our family..."
"Counting on you? Do you know where to contact Master Zhang? Didn't you find that someone was secretly protecting you all the way south?" Liu Jin looked very proud.
"No... I haven't seen you... No, it seems that after passing Xuzhou, someone tried to get close to us, but it was a different person every time..." Gao Feng suddenly thought of something.
Liu Jin sneered: "If it was always the same batch, the prince would have noticed the clues long ago. I believe you two will not leak this matter, right?"
"Um?"
Gao Feng and Ma Yongcheng couldn't help but look at each other.
They are also thinking about such a big secret that neither of us knows. What is your intention in telling us? Wouldn't it be easier for the secret to be leaked if there were more people keeping it?
Liu Jin said: "The prince has asked about looking for Master Zhang after entering the city. You must cooperate well. Arriving in Nanjing is not as good as on the road. This is a dragon's den and a tiger's den. The prince's safety is much more important than our heads. "
"Yes Yes."
Gao Feng answered for Ma Yongcheng.
…
…
Ships enter the city.
After arriving at the shore, Nanjing City was even more noisy and lively.
After Zhu Houzhao landed ashore, he was so excited that he almost ran away into the crowd, but Sun Che and others stopped him.
"Young Master, you are not old, so it is not suitable for you to run around in the city. Since you are going to visit your relatives and friends, you might as well agree on a meeting place first. We can also tell you the location of your residence so that you can come here after visiting your relatives and friends. Look for it." Gong Yeping walked over and said.
Zhu Houzhao said: "No, I originally planned to visit my relatives, but seeing how busy this place is, I decided not to go. Let's go to the Wenhui first, my hands are itchy!"
"Itchy hands?" Gong Yeping didn't understand.
It’s as if you’re going to play a game with others. You’ve been talking about mind and heart with people along the way. Haven’t you talked enough?
It was always those clichés. At first we thought it was very fresh when we heard it, but then we felt... You are just using one trick to bully the scholars you met on the way south. None of them have ever participated in a debate with you. The text will be there, right?
Liu Jin said: "Sir, let's go."
Zhu Houzhao glared at Liu Jin, as if to say, don't think that I don't know what you are worried about.
When I find Mr. Zhang, he will definitely find a way to tie me up and escort me back to the capital, and my plan to travel around will be ruined.
"Originally, I was very concerned about that relative and friend, but after I came here, I made careful calculations. What if he covets my former family property and cheats me? I am alone and I may not be able to compete with my clan members now." When Zhu Houzhao talks, he is no different from an adult.
Hu Feng's eyes widened when he saw the money, and he smiled and said: "What Mr. Zhu said is absolutely true, so you should be more careful. Brothers can still settle accounts clearly, and distant relatives cannot be trusted."
Several people looked at Hu Feng.
It seems that even Hu Feng’s companions realize that this is teaching children? If your relatives don’t deceive you, but you did it first, who is more trustworthy than the other?
…
…
Hu Feng went to hire a carriage. He had experience coming to Nanjing, and immediately found the inn in Chongrenfang.
"... Entering the city from Xishui Pass, this is Jiangning County, and it is in Yingtianfu City. This is the outer city and the old city." Hu Feng said.
"Where is the Forbidden City in Nanjing?" Zhu Houzhao asked with a smile.
Hu Feng frowned and said, "You can't go to the Forbidden City casually. If you get close, even if you look up, the officials will hold you accountable if they see you. Mr. Zhu has no fame, so it's better not to get yourself into trouble."
"Oh, I was just asking."
Zhu Houzhao thought to himself.
Isn’t that my territory? You won't let me go, but I really want to see it, and I also want to live there.
Make you mad.
"Where is the residence of Duke Lai Guo?" Zhu Houzhao asked, "Do you know that Duke Lai Guo, Zhang Zhou's courtesy name is Bingkuan?"
"Don't talk nonsense." Gong Yeping interrupted Zhu Houzhao this time, "Young Master, since you are from the lineage of Zhang Xueshi in terms of knowledge, you should also know that the teacher's name is not allowed to be mentioned on your lips. Xueshi Zhang is not in Nanjing. No mansion.”
"Who said no? Isn't he from Yingtianfu?" Zhu Houzhao was puzzled.
Sun Che said: "This is about a past event. As far as I know, Zhang Xueshi was once just a tribute student in Nanyong and a donated prisoner. As a result, his family fell into decline and had to sell his property. Later, he got a fortune. With the guidance of this divine man, he became famous all over the world in Gongyuan. Later, he even traveled thousands of miles away to cure the acne of today's little princess, which won his majesty's trust... Needless to say, he won the first prize in the exam and became the top scholar. He has made great achievements, compiled the "Huidian" and compiled the "Xinxue Classics". It can be said that he has gained both fame and fortune. I heard that his lovely wives are... tsk tsk..."
"What are you thinking about?" Hu Feng next to him almost wanted to slap Sun Che on the head.
Zhu Houzhao grinned when he heard this.
Although he didn't know a lot of what Sun Che said, he was familiar with the latter part, and he was the one who had experienced it.
"Even if his family is in decline, he should have a place to live in Yingtian Mansion, right?" Zhu Houzhao asked.
"I heard that he is now the Minister of the Ministry of War in Nanjing. He wanted to be a Han Confucian. In just two years, he won three yuan in a row and was ranked in the central court. He was also awarded the title of Duke. Who in the world can compare with him? Speaking of Jiangnan now There are also many people who are looking for the immortal who is said to have been banished to the human world, hoping to find adventures like Academician Zhang's." Sun Che had a longing look on his face, as if he was the next great person to meet the guidance of the immortal.
Zhu Houzhao said: "Didn't you say that he has no mentor?"
Sun Che asked in confusion: "Master Zhu, where did you hear this?"
"Forget it, I can't tell you clearly. Haven't you arrived yet?" Zhu Houzhao looked out of the carriage window.
"It's just in front, but there is a grand gathering of literary circles in Nanjing recently. People from various schools of thought gather in Nanjing. There may not be any spare guest rooms. I will use my contacts later to help find a private house for a larger Sanjin hospital. I wonder what Mr. Zhu thinks when we move in with a few of us?" Hu Feng said.
There was also Liu Jin sitting in the carriage. When he heard this, he frowned and glared over.
It's not enough to live in an inn now, why don't you find a hotel to live in? You don't spend money on feelings, right? Entering the hospital for the third time? Why not die? Nanjing City's Sanjin Hospital, how can the rent be reduced?
Zhu Houzhao said with a smile: "No problem, it's easier to do things with people I know. I just said that I met a noble person when I went out. I was right."
"Ahem, you are so humble." Even Hu Feng felt embarrassed.
When talking about "noble", the young master in front of him is the one, and the three of them are just following the financial owner to serve as foils.
…
…
After Zhu Houzhao and others checked into the inn.
Zhang Zhou followed Jin Yiwei's guidance and went to a rice shop opposite the inn. At this time, the rice shop had been taken over by Jin Yiwei, or temporarily rented.
"The backyard is very big..." Yang Peng came out of the inner hall. He also ran all the way, and it took him six days to get from the capital to Nanjing, his eyes bloodshot.
Zhang Zhou said: "Eunuch Yang, you have worked really hard."
"It's not hard work, it's all for His Majesty." Yang Peng looked at Zhang Zhou with a grateful face, "Thank you, Master Zhang, for finding the prince and escorting him here safely."
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "As long as the prince's identity is not exposed when he goes south, there is basically no need to worry about his safety. After all, he has people with him and he is following the official path. If this road is not smooth, how can the people of the Ming Dynasty live and work in peace and contentment?"
"Yes, yes." Yang Peng followed the words and said, "It's all thanks to His Majesty's grace that the world is at peace. Bandits and bandits have disappeared."
"It's enough to say that they are extinct. There are still a lot of bandits in Huguang, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan and Guizhou, etc., and there are even bandits in Fujian. Hasn't His Majesty already reassigned governors to calm the local people? As long as As long as the city of Nanjing is safe."
There was a commotion outside.
But a group of students came out of the inn, one by one, as if they were shouting slogans, and headed towards the Gongyuan.
Zhang Zhou often wanders around Nanjing in the past few days, and is naturally used to seeing this kind of scene. This is probably what outsiders call a "big literary event", but in fact it is not essentially different from a few gangs fighting in groups. It is just a polemic. The method is to use your words but not your hands. Of course, if the quarrel cannot be overcome, hands-on situations will happen from time to time.
This is also where Yin Wuxiong of Yingtian Mansion has a headache.
Yang Peng said: "The prince lives here, his character is complicated, and he is easily lost. Should we arrange a residence for the prince?"
Zhang Zhou shook his head with a smile and said: "Let him go first, arrange manpower inside and outside, and be sure to keep a low profile. I have asked Xu Jing next to me to be responsible for this. He knows many people in Yingtian Mansion, and they are scholars. Son, it’s easier to follow.”
Before he said a few words, there was another noise in the inn.
A guard in casual clothes and a royal uniform ran out and said anxiously: "Two adults, there is a fight inside."
"Is there anything about the prince?" Yang Peng asked nervously.
"No, it's the people who were traveling with the prince. They started fighting over the room. One of them was even pushed down the stairs."
(End of chapter)
