Six-year-old Huang Zongxi hid behind the pillar near the door in the transept, looking at the scene in front of his house.
In this little child's limited life memory, whether in his hometown in Yuyao or in Songjiang Prefecture, not to mention the women next to him, not even his grandmother and mother had the same expression as Miss Zheng when talking to his father.
Huang Zongxi felt that Miss Zheng's serious direct gaze and frowned brows when speaking were not like a woman, but more like a teacher from his school.
He then moved his body towards the door again, trying to hear clearly what Miss Zheng was arguing with his father.
He wants to go back and report to his mother. His mother liked Miss Zheng and worked hard for what she was going to do with Miss Zheng. He saw it all these days and knew it in his heart.
"Mr. Huang, you don't have to give me calligraphy treasures, you don't have to count our Shoukuan Academy as a part of social studies, but you promised Grandma Huang to teach, how can you go back on your word now?"
At this moment, Huang Zunsu faced Zheng Haizhu, who had a low tone but clear anger, and stood with his sleeves back coldly.
He had just taken off duty from the mansion, and he was still wearing a blue official robe. It was indeed a bit eye-catching to stand in front of his house like this, confronting the maids of the Han mansion.
But Huang Zunsu did not intend to invite her into the house to talk.
Indeed, this girl shared the troubles with him in the bandit's house. Without her unhesitating chisel, he would have been killed by the ruthless bandit's sword.
In addition to being chivalrous and kind-hearted, she also has some abilities. She has been in Yingtian Mansion for more than half a month, and she has already rented the grounds of the kindergarten like those generals who attack the city and destroy the house.
However, a gentleman is associated with righteousness, and a villain is associated with profit. If this girl wanders in the area between the gentleman and the villain, opportunistically, and has the intention of clinging to the eunuch, Huang Zunsu will stay away from her.
Not only should you keep her at a respectful distance, but you should also avoid your wife having any contact with her.
The door of the Huang Mansion was unwilling to be opened to her again.
Huang Zunsu then said bluntly: "Miss Zheng, as soon as I returned to Songjiang, I heard that a fatal incident occurred in Shanghai County. If the girl had not gone to Eunuch Liu to speak to him, this incident would not have ended so quickly."
On the way here, Zheng Haizhu guessed that the reason why Huang Zunsu suddenly attacked him as soon as he came back from a business trip was because he heard that he had befriended the eunuch.
At this time, there were still four or five years before the Apocalypse. The famous 9,000-year-old Wei Zhongxian was probably still in charge of his salary. The eunuch party had not yet been formed in the court, but the imperial censors and local officials in various provinces were Hostility and even impeachment against the mining tax eunuchs and weaving eunuchs who talked about Tianxian have gained momentum.
Huang Zunsu, a highly accomplished member of the Donglin School, a Ming Dynasty civil servant who considers himself a gentleman, no matter how mature his political wisdom will be in the future, he will probably reject eunuchs at the moment.
At this moment, hearing his sarcasm, it turned out to be so.
Zheng Haizhu then stared at Huang Zunsu frankly: "Yes, by chance, the two young masters of the Zhang family in Shanyin that I met were the former owners of the nun who was wronged in the murder, and it happened that Mr. Liu from the Suzhou Dyeing and Weaving Bureau came to visit. I have a weaving workshop in Han Mansion, so I asked Eunuch Liu to ask about this matter."
"Miss Zheng, there are so many promotion officials in the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty. When did the internal officials get their turn to be involved in lawsuits and jails?"
Zheng Haizhu said calmly: "Yes, Mr. Huang, you are the official, but you happened to go to Yingtian Mansion. When the Shanghai County magistrate was interrogating, I also stood in the hall and listened. The county magistrate had great contempt for that nun. I But if you listen with your brain in mind, it will be difficult to believe that he will judge the case impartially."
Huang Zunsu said coldly: "You can wait for me to come back. The imperial prisoners are not so quick to kill, so why can't you wait?"
Zheng Haizhu shook his head resolutely: "We can't wait. There are so many clues about human life that once caught, we must quickly trace, detect, interrogate, and obtain confessions. The county magistrate has power, but he doesn't seem to be able to use it well. Liu Gonggong's power is even more He is a big man and is willing to use it to solve doubts. Why can't we ordinary people ask him? Facts have proved that under his intervention, the real culprits were caught in series, and the Shanghai County magistrate and officials also followed him from beginning to end. , Eunuch Liu did not ask them to stand aside. Obey the authority when the matter is urgent, and finally solve the mystery. Are these eight words so unbearable in the eyes of Mr. Huang? "
"Alas, alas!" Huang Zunsu was choked by Zheng Haizhu for a moment and could only sneer, "Miss Zheng is really worthy of use. She even presented a play to Eunuch Liu, and everyone in the streets started to sing."
Zheng Haizhu responded tit-for-tat: "Who in the country has a son and wants to set up a stage to sing the Three Heavens Party? Eunuch Liu saved a life, shouldn't the sufferer be grateful to him? The eldest son of the Zhang family can write better drama scripts than Tang Xianzu. The family is well off, why can't he hire a troupe to sing this song? Oh, by the way, I also helped a lot, so their brothers also thanked me and gave our academy a large sum of money. I will take this money I feel at ease and happy because I can use this money to help poor children learn some skills. Mr. Huang, from beginning to end, the only reason I can think of to make you angry is because Eunuch Liu is an internal official. .So, you just treat people wrongly."
"you!"
For the first time, Huang Zunsu noticed that this girl was so sharp-tongued and lacking in sense of propriety. He didn't want to accompany her anymore. He was about to walk in when he saw a small figure approaching from far away.
It turned out to be Xiaoru, the daughter of the owner of a tofu shop in the alley, who was about the same age as Huang Zongxi.
Xiao Ru held a piece of rice paper more carefully than holding tofu, staring at the dense writing on it, so she didn't look up until she walked to the door of Huang's house.
Children of poor people have long been in charge. Not long after Xiaoru could walk, she helped her parents take care of the tofu stall. She had a cheerful personality and was not shy about adults, not to mention Mr. Huang, who had always been kind to his family.
Xiaoru then bowed respectfully to Huang Zunsu and said softly: "Mr. Huang is well."
Huang Zunsu was at war with Zheng Haizhu a moment ago. Now when facing his cute little neighbor, his expression had not relaxed so quickly, and his tone had already softened: "Xiaoru, Zong Xi is in the house, go find him."
Xiao Ru smiled sweetly: "To tell you what to say to the master, I came here to see grandma. This is what grandma asked me to write. The paper, pen and ink were also rewarded by grandma."
Huang Zunsu was stunned and looked at the rice paper and ink stains with a little doubt.
"Daddy."
Huang Zongxi walked out of the courtyard quickly, saluted Zheng Haizhu first, and then explained to his father: "My mother often lets girls from the neighborhood come to her home these days. She spreads paper, grinds it, and teaches them to write."
When the little child said this, he stopped and looked at Zheng Haizhu. After hesitating for a while, he finally plucked up the courage to continue: "My mother was very happy when she thought of going to Miss Zheng's academy to teach, so she said she would take advantage of the opportunity. We haven’t opened the door yet. Let’s get ready first and give Xiaoru and the others a few calligraphy lessons, lest they fail to teach at Miss Zheng’s place..."
When Zheng Haizhu heard this, his heart suddenly felt sour, and the fighting spirit he had just argued with Huang Zunsu suddenly turned into a sigh that filled his chest.
Even if the Huang Zunsu in front of him dares to expose fraud in the examination room, dares to face the thugs and even gangsters who do evil, is a clean figure in official and unofficial history, and one of the Seven Gentlemen of the Apocalypse, so what?
In this era, even in a family like Huang Zunsu's, which was considered decent and loving, and even in the boudoir, his wife Yao, who had received a good education in her boudoir, still lived under the shadow of husband's power.
Zheng Haizhu was no longer interested in staying at the entrance of Huang's house. Although she would not give up on the Yao family just like that, she did not have to complete Huang Zunsu's enlightenment right now.
"Mr. Huang, Gu Gong, the leader of your Donglin faction, wrote that everyone in the world cares about national affairs and family affairs. If national affairs are trapped in factional struggles and family affairs become a prison for freedom, wouldn't the world's affairs be in ruins? This kind of concern is really very important. That sucks. Farewell."
…
The early winter in Jiangnan is humid and cold.
A few days later in the morning, at the beginning of the morning, Huang Zunsu, who had finished breakfast at home, put on his official robe, soap boots, and black gauze hat, and was about to go out when his wife Yao called him.
"Songjiang is windier than ours in Yuyao, so I put on my robe."
"Oh, not bad, newly made?" Huang Zunsu asked harmoniously, observing his wife's expression.
Mrs. Yao lowered his head slightly, his eyes focused on the tie at the placket of the wind robe, and replied with the word "hmm" calmly.
Under the transept, Huang Zongxi, who was about to go to school, also put on a new robe brought by his servants and praised: "It's so warm."
The nanny holding the baby Huang Zongyan, of course, also saw that the master and grandma were not at odds in the past two days. They must have had a quarrel and entered into a cold war again, but she didn’t know the specific reason. At this moment, she watched the master take the initiative to praise the new clothes, and was busy He said self-righteously: "This Han family's cotton is good, and there is no wadding. The two hats grandma is still wearing are made of better materials. They are Fujian Zhang velvet sent by Miss Zheng."
The nanny finished speaking happily, but everyone from the master to the grandma to the six-year-old young master was silent, and the atmosphere in the courtyard was suddenly quiet.
After a moment of silence, Mr. Yao said quietly: "I bought it with money. If you feel uncomfortable with it, I will buy it from someone else."
Huang Zunsu lowered his eyes and looked at the tip of his wife's nose, curved the corners of his mouth, and said in a lower voice: "As for Qi, the stuff is good, but your craftsmanship is better."
After saying that, he tightened his robe and walked a few steps outside. Suddenly he turned around and said to Yao: "The yamen will make some charcoal in a few days. You don't have to be too frugal in raising the brazier during the day. You teach the children how to calligraphy, and they will freeze to death." Home is not good.”
After walking a few more steps, he added: "It doesn't hurt to take in a few more girls. There is enough room in the house. Or teach them how to settle accounts."
Mrs. Yao still stared at the withered crabapples in the courtyard and uttered one word: "Okay."
…
When he arrived at the Yamen of the prefecture, Huang Zunsu was surprised to find that the prefect Zhuang Yumin had arrived earlier than him, and had obviously been handling official business for a while. He was calling the magistrate and several staff members to prepare to go out.
"Hey, Brother Huang, the imperial court sent you to Yingtian Mansion to sort out the Huang Register. The work is tiring just thinking about it. You just came back. You can rest for a few days before you come back to work."
Huang Zunsu raised his hands and said, "How dare you slack off when you are a man of high salary?"
"Oh, haha, I am diligent, diligent," Magistrate Zhuang did not mind that his sincere sympathy was ungratefully returned by this subordinate. He said to the general magistrate beside him, "Then today, why don't you stay in the government office to guard the house and the courtyard? , let Huang Tuiguan go to the riverside with me to have a look."
The general judge responded, gave some instructions to his staff, then turned around and went back to the duty room.
Huang Zunsu's expression became more and more serious: "Mingfu, is the Wusong River blocked by mud again, hindering Guandu?"
Magistrate Zhuang glanced at him sideways and said teasingly: "Old Huang, look at your bitter face, no wonder you think about bitter things all day long. Don't worry, the waterways of Wusongjiang River are relatively peaceful recently, but our Songjiang River If you go to the mansion, you might be able to get a great fortune, you will know when you go and see it."
After everyone left the government office, they got on the carriage and ran around for a while before arriving at a Guandu crossing on the Wusong River.
But I saw that dozens of men in their thirties and above had gathered here, wearing plain clothes and trousers, but most of them had bright eyes, sophisticated expressions, and a capable air.
Huang Zunsu recognized several familiar faces among them and asked Magistrate Zhuang, "Are these all armor commanders?"
Magistrate Zhuang nodded and said, "We have to ask them to call people to do the work." His eyes brightened, he looked at several small boats moored in the dock, and ordered the subordinate officials who followed him: "You guys, come back with the survey team." My masters, please allocate the divisions to the commanders to see how to dispatch people and work. Calculate and record clearly today, and then report to the government."
The subordinates got the order and started shouting to do things.
Magistrate Zhuang then turned around and explained the whole story to Huang Zunsu in detail: "Old Huang, those craftsmen who know hydrology just came from Hangzhou a few days ago. The Wusong River has been prone to siltation since the previous dynasty, and the place where it enters the sea may become stagnant in a few years. There is a mud pond. This is a big hidden danger. The flood discharge is not smooth. The first one to suffer is our Songjiang River. Let’s just do this and see if we can report to the court and see if the front section of the Wusong River can be redirected to pass through Taicang Prefecture and flow from Liuhe River to the Yangtze River. As for our various waterways in Songjiang Prefecture, they are widened and widened, and water is diverted to flow into the riverbeds in the north and south of Huangpu, and finally lead directly to the East China Sea."
Huang Zunsu listened attentively and quickly understood the water conservancy and drainage aspect, but his eyebrows furrowed even tighter.
"Futai, I have three things that I don't understand. First, building water has been like fighting since ancient times. It costs the most money. This project is very laborious. Which state government should ask the Ministry of Industry for money? Second, why is Hangzhou invited? The craftsmen of the mansion? Thirdly, if the water from the upper reaches of the Wusong River can be diverted to the Liuhe River, why do we need to open another waterway in the upper and lower Huangpu into the sea?"
Magistrate Zhuang wrapped his robe tightly in the river breeze, pouted and breathed hot air into his hands. After Huang Zunsu finished the question in one breath, he raised his head and showed his signature Maitreya smile, pointing behind Huang Zunsu: "Let's go, I'll let you go." Miss Zheng will help you answer your questions."
Huang Zunsu was stunned, turned around and saw Zheng Haizhong and about ten men and women also appearing on the riverside, seemingly inspecting the place where they were digging a pit to set up a stove.
Hearing Magistrate Zhuang's call, Zheng Haizhu walked over quickly.
"I've seen Zhuangfutai, and I've seen Mr. Huang." Zheng Haizhu saluted calmly, his calm eyes not avoiding Huang Zunsu, as if the aggressive argument three days ago had never happened.
Magistrate Zhuang said to Huang Zunsu: "When Mr. Han heard that the river was to be built and opened up, he donated three thousand taels of silver to the Yamen without saying a word. He also asked Miss Zheng to find some shops in the market to take care of the food and drink of the migrant workers. I am here now. Xunxiang, Lao Huang, although you are in charge of the Sentence and Litigation Prison, you are very familiar with water conservancy and flood disasters on weekdays. If you are not as capable as you, you will have to work harder, so I will leave this place to you temporarily."
Then he turned to Zheng Haizhu, without any official accent, and said in a pleasant manner: "Miss Zheng, Huang Tuiguan has been back for a few days and he still doesn't know the whole story. Please talk to him. Hey, hey, it's really cold by the river. I'm old. Come on, let’s go over there and have a bowl of ginger soup.”
Huang Zunsu was choked by the biting cold river wind and couldn't help but cough. However, this did not affect his keen observation that Miss Zheng was looking at his wind robe.
Huang Zunsu simply said with a calm attitude of praise: "My wife sewed it with the cotton sold in your shop, it is very good."
Zheng Haizhu pursed his lips imperceptibly and started talking about business: "Master Huang's hometown is in Yuyao. You should know how glorious the maritime trade of the Ming Dynasty was. My wife is from Fujian and has known since she was a child that after Emperor Longqing switched the power, The ships sold by Yuegang public merchants also competed with thousands of sails. However, after arriving in Songjiang Prefecture to make a living, I felt that this is the big wharf. If it can be managed well, it will not be inferior to Yuegang and Macau. "
Huang Zunsu said coldly: "Why did you say that?"
Zheng Haizhu said: "Because of two points, one is that Mr. Xu Ge during the Jiajing period advocated a sea ban, and the other is that Songjiang was repeatedly invaded by Japanese pirates."
