Zhang Yaofang is old enough and has been a staff member for many years, so he no longer has any stupid bookishness.
He understood that merchants had no money and could not afford to go early. Zheng Haizhu went out of her way to send a gift to the Zhang family. Not just because brothers Zhang Dai and Zhang Yanke paid for her kindergarten, she must also want to make friends with members of the royal family.
Fortunately, I met Zhu Yipai by chance.
Since His Highness has spoken, he, the Chief of the Palace, can lead people inside.
So, after inviting Zheng Haizhu and the others to have a cup of hot tea in his check-in room, Zhang Yaofang took the initiative and offered to take them to Cunxin Hall to see how the thirty or forty Shanyin lanterns were hung in the post.
Cunxin Hall is not the inner palace and harem, and foreign ministers of the palace can enter.
Zhang Yaofang came to the door and pointed to a peacock lantern with net flowers in Xu San's hand, saying that this was a distinguished guest from the south of the Yangtze River to deliver the lantern, and that His Highness had already seen it.
The guards checked Zhang Yaofang's waistband, carefully searched Wu Bond and Xu San, and then released them.
After a thousand wears but no flattery, Zheng Haizhu immediately complimented him: "Uncle Zhang is really unimpeded in the palace."
Zhang Yaofang did not pretend to be humble in front of the juniors: "Haha, in addition to the political affairs in the palace in the south, King Lu often calls me to discuss the doctors' health care methods in detail, and sometimes I try some medical prescriptions. I am really more diligent when I come to the north."
Zheng Hai smiled: "That's great. This junior is still thinking that our "Haoming Trading Company" will open a shop by the canal in Jining, mainly selling medicinal materials. At that time, you must come often to ask Uncle Zhang for advice. "
Zhang Yaofang's face was filled with kindness and kindness: "I am busy with official duties. I will introduce you to a few students later to help in the store."
Zheng Haizhu thought to himself, I understand, I will arrange for your disciples and former officials to come and collect the money.
What's the problem with this? Those who join the group with money or connections must have chicken drumsticks in their lunch boxes, and try to arrange for them to appear in the subtitles.
"Xu San," Zheng Haizhu turned around and warned, "after returning to Hangzhou, prepare a batch of the best Zhejiang Bawei and present it to Uncle Zhang Zhangyan."
Zhebawei are eight kinds of medicinal materials grown in Zhejiang including Hangzhou Baiju, Atractylodes, and Fritillaria. Since the Han Dynasty, Xinglin masters have often mentioned them in their medical classics.
Zhang Yaofang smiled and said "Okay".
Zhang Yaofang was never awarded Jinshi. Because his younger brother Zhang Lianfang devoted himself to collecting antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and had good relations with officials in the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Beijing, Zhang Yaofang, who only had a reputation as a civil servant, was promoted to serve as a subordinate officer in Prince Lu's Mansion.
Zhang Changshi, who has the talent of a Shaoxing master, was clever and clever when he was young. Now he also likes smart children who are savvy and understand each other's meaning at the first listen.
So he met Zheng Haizhu today. After a few rounds, he had a good impression of this self-combing girl who was praised by her son and nephew.
When I arrived in front of De Cunxin Hall, I saw many small firemen sent by the inner court, arranging silk flowers and tying colorful silk.
Zhang Yaofang called a steward and led Xu San to try hanging the peacock lanterns. He pointed to the Cunxin Hall and said to Zheng Haizhu and Wu Bangdang: "At that time, King Lu, the princess, all the princes, and the prefect of Yanzhou will be sitting there. In the inner hall, all the officials from our first division and eight offices will have a banquet under the corridor outside the hall. You two can sit together with me and watch the lights and the fireworks. The Lu Mansion fireworks are unique in Shandong."
…
After leaving King Delu's city, Zheng Haizhu told Xu San: "Follow what Zhang Changshi and Xiao Huozhe said, go to the servant shop at the west end of Yu Street and hire three or four people, and hang up our lanterns at the Cunxin Hall tomorrow. Then we will go to the Cunxin Hall tomorrow. If you hire someone expensive, it must be run by a relative of the palace, and only people from there can work in the palace."
Xu San responded and left.
Wu Bangde and Zheng Haizhu walked a few steps side by side, and suddenly said: "If Yanzhou really has coal, don't you want Zhang Changshi to intervene?"
Zheng Haizhu stopped and asked him with great interest: "How did you tell?"
Wu Bond said: "I just asked Xu San secretly, and he said he didn't know that Haoming Trading Company was going to open a medicinal material store in Jining. Your promise to Zhang Changshi was a temporary one. With your temperament, you will not and dare not make it long-term." Shi eats hollow glutinous rice balls, and yesterday you told me that you wanted to recruit him to start a mine, but today, when you asked him about the scenery of Yanzhou, you didn't mention the coal mine. So I guess you changed your mind halfway and took a fancy to others. Afraid that Zhang Changshi wouldn't get a share of the soup and would be resentful of you if you actually made it, so he put the medicinal materials in the store.
Give him the benefits of your son first, and it will be considered as a reward for his nephew to take care of your kindergarten in Songjiang.
Zheng Haizhu was very satisfied after hearing his speculation.
When he was dealing with people, Wu Bondang could be so attentive and thoughtful, which meant that he was at work and not fishing for money at work.
Very good, I just like partners with a saturated workload.
Zheng Haizhu then stared at Wu Bond and asked with a smile: "Who else do you think I have chosen?"
"That little highness."
"Yes, you have thicker thighs, why don't you hug them."
Wu Bondang's lips twitched. As an ancient man, this was the first time he heard this slang that modern people are accustomed to, and he felt that it was too vulgar to say it from a woman's mouth.
Zheng Haizhu continued: "Have you noticed that His Highness doesn't look like a carefree prince who only knows how to walk dogs and fight cocks? He even wants to save money on the lanterns for his birthday party. You heard that he is a formal worker. The words he spoke also revolved around one word: money. People say that when you are not a rich man, you don’t know how valuable firewood and rice are. In the eyes of many rich and wealthy men, there is no difference between a thousand taels of silver and ten taels of silver."
Wu Bondang nodded: "Well, there is money in his eyes, which means that he wants to be a master, or that he wants to do something."
But then he mused: "But, your majestic prince's legitimate son, your little highness who is favored by the current prince, even if you are very kind to you, and if you really find the mine, you can just mine it yourself, why are you tied to us? At most, you are the only one." When you ask him to buy coal, his manager will give you a few copper coins per catty."
Zheng Haizhu said seriously: "He needs people to start a mine, and I can just get them this time."
"how do I say this?"
"The kings of the past dynasties were based on agriculture and disliked mining and doing business because they were afraid that the strong laborers would no longer farm the land. Once mining started in Yanzhou and the clan hired a large number of farmers, they would be reported to the capital by the censor of Shandong. And the refugees There are many people from the Wenxiang Cult in China who dare not hire them. So Bond, where do you think we can get hundreds or even thousands of safe miners for His Highness?"
Wu Bang Bang stared at Zheng Haizhu.
He liked guessing her thoughts because it was a bit difficult, but not very difficult.
Her ideas, like formations, have a routine. They are neither romantic nor rigid, nor restrictive nor crazy. If you follow the routine, you can see the guidance signs.
Wu Bangde then rubbed his hands in the wind, took a breath to warm them up, and suddenly said clearly: "Do you want to go to Mao Wenlong of Liaodong to recruit Liao people to Lu Fan?"
Zheng Haizhu patted Wu Bondang on the shoulder: "A confidant."
…
The next day, Xu San went to the palace to hang lanterns, while Zheng Haizhu inquired with the postmaster and called Wu Bondang to visit the major private posts in Yanzhou City, especially the guild halls of various business gangs, to see how these places were heated.
Their hard work paid off, and they ran down the road for most of the day. Behind a large inn beside the Si River in the southeast of Fucheng, the two of them saw cinders and obvious ruts.
After waiting for a while, a man came out and swept away the cinders with a broom.
Wu Bondang stepped forward and cupped his hands: "Little brother, may I ask, where can I buy coal?"
The waiter stared at the two of them warily: "What are you doing?"
Wu Bondang scratched his head: "We just moved from Shuntian Mansion. Our home used to burn coal, but we didn't expect that we couldn't buy coal here."
While he was talking, Zheng Haizhu smiled and gave the waiter a dime.
After receiving the "consulting fee", the clerk's face immediately turned gloomy. He looked at the backyard door behind him and saw no one else around, then he said politely: "Our boss is from Boshan and knows how to burn coal. I'm looking for someone from my hometown this year." When the coal miners came over, they found seedlings in Chaitan Mountain. Because Chaitan Mountain is where Prince Lu sent people to cut firewood and burn charcoal, and my family dug some secretly."
Wu Bondang pretended to frown and said, "It's so troublesome, let's just buy firewood."
Zheng Haizhu pretended that she thought her husband was worthless and rolled her eyes at him. She still took the waiter and asked her enthusiastically: "Little brother, I will pay you more money and you will take us to the place where there is coal in Chaitan Mountain. How about that?"
The waiter waved his hands repeatedly: "Hey, I can't do it, you can go on your own."
Meet Zheng Haizhu Noodles Again
Slightly, his eyes turned from the sleeve where he put the money to the inn compound behind him. Somehow, he was a little afraid that the woman would change her face and start shouting. She hurriedly said with a smile: "Sister, brother, it's actually not difficult to find. You are here. In Chaitan Mountain, you will see a river on the south slope. Walk upstream and pass by gravel stalls and blue rocks. On the east side of the forest, there are several rocks. Look for the black ink-like potholes. Use a magnetic stick to explore them. Most of them are there. Exploring."
Zheng Haizhu didn't know what "counting stones" or "magnetic stick" meant. She only felt Wu Bondang, who was also listening attentively, gently tugging on her sleeve. She guessed that Mr. Wu, who had experienced the Xishan Coal Mine in the capital, should understand quite well.
Zheng Haizhu's face relaxed: "Okay, thank you little brother."
Walking back to the road, Wu Bondang told Zheng Haizhu that counting stones is a layer of flaky rock formations. A magnetic stick is a stick with magnetite tied to one end. Pulse finders in the suburbs of Beijing use it to find coal exposed on the surface. Seedling.
"Sure enough, it's almost as you estimated," Wu Bangde said, "The coal in Yanzhou is in Chaitan Mountain. Because it is the forbidden garden of Prince Lu's palace, Yanzhou City is not too cold, and the fuel for people to make fires and cook is not expensive, so the coal here, It has never been mined like Boshan.”
Zheng Haizhu was also very happy: "When Zaohua and Daniu come back from exploring the road, we will go there in person."
It was still early at this time, the sun was only slightly westward, and there was still some warmth. The clear blue sky reflects beautifully in the Sishui River.
The two of them saw a long bridge on the river in the distance, as white as a cross in the sky, and a row of beautiful arched bridge piers dyed golden by the sunlight, which was very spectacular.
Zheng Haizhu said: "That should be the Surabaya Bridge that the inn steward mentioned. Let's go and see the achievements of the wise king of Lu Fan."
When we arrived at the bridge, we saw a large stele erected next to the stone lion, with the four words "Changhong of the State of Lu" engraved on it.
Looking closely at the bridge body, the bluestone slabs are wide and thick, the fifteen holes are beautifully curved and meticulously polished, and the vaults are extremely high from the river. The stone pillars of each bridge pier are uniform in shape, as strong and solid as the foundation of a century-old tree.
Zheng Haizhu walked onto the bridge and clicked his tongue: "No wonder it took several years to repair and cost three hundred thousand taels of silver."
Wu Bondang also patted the railings on the bridge and said, "I never expected that the first prince of the Lu clan would be so ignorant and immoral and harm the people, and that subsequent generations would be filled with sages."
Zheng Haizhu sighed softly: "Don't say that the same person has different thoughts after a period of time."
After she said this emotion, she suddenly remembered something, looked at Wu Bond and said, "What do you think of Mu Zaohua?"
Wu Bangde's face was calm: "He is a man of talent, as good as a man. You are right, the intelligence agent should recruit some women."
Zheng Haizhu pursed his lips meaningfully.
Wu Bond's eyes flashed: "What's wrong? Do you think I reprimanded her too harshly that day when she showed compassion to save the refugee mother and son on the way?"
Zheng Haizhu shook his head: "It's up to you how to discipline your subordinates. But let me tell you straight, this girl seems to be attracted to you, Director Wu."
Wu Bondang frowned and sneered for a moment: "You have read too many playbooks."
Zheng Haizhu put away the joking expression on her face and said seriously: "If you don't believe me now, that's okay. If time passes and you get along day and night and develop a relationship, I can arrange for her to go to a trading company."
Wu Bond was slightly startled.
Zheng Haizhu added: "What I mean is that I don't want the work of the Intelligence Bureau to delay you from falling in love with a good girl. Even if you have to go into battle and fight desperately, you still have to have a family, right?"
A hint of sarcasm appeared on Wu Bond's face: "Miss Zheng, Mr. Zheng's family, I have been living with you day and night since I left Zhenjiang. Do you think we are in love with each other? If we talk about getting married, why don't you get married and become a self-combing girl?"
Zheng Haizhu was choked for a moment.
She was a little annoyed in her heart, annoyed that Wu Bondang had taken advantage of her good intentions, and annoyed that she still had the matchmaking instinct of a mother-in-law after all, which seemed to offend her friends.
Soon, she caught a hint of unfamiliar sadness in Wu Bondang's eyes.
Zheng Haizhu realized that there was a reason for Wu Bang Bang's sudden aggressive remarks.
She guessed that the fiancée Wu Bond had mentioned before was related to him.
His feelings were by no means as shallow and traceless as he described at the time.
Seeing Zheng Haizhu's bewildered look, Wu Bang Bang regretted his sharp words, so he looked away, looking at the surging river, and sighed heavily after a moment.
"Azhu, I don't want to start a family because I have already met the best woman."
Zheng Haizhu said softly: "I'm sorry."
Wu Bondang waved his hand: "Go back."
The two walked in silence for a while, and suddenly they heard the cry of a child from behind, mixed with the shouts and curses of adults.
They looked back and saw a man and a woman walking over the bridge.
The woman holds a child in her hands.
The child cried heartbrokenly.
Zheng Haizhu and Wu Bondang couldn't help but slow down.
As the family approached and passed each other, they could see clearly. The man was in his twenties, with a hooked nose and a lump of flesh on his cheekbones. The woman holding the baby was a fat woman, who must be over forty, with a bun. The white hair is obvious.
The doll in her hand is a girl in her early one year old with pigtails.
Girls talk early, and so did this one, mumbling "Ke Gui, Ke Gui" while crying.
The fat woman raised her face and said, "Weeping, crying!"
Zheng Haizhu suddenly became suspicious.
She traveled from Fujian to the south of the Yangtze River and passed through Jiangxi. She understood that "Kegui" means "go home" or "go home".
And what the woman said was clearly the Shandong dialect.
