The Reborn Duke of Ming Dynasty

The three boats have already docked, and Zhao Xiande was the first to get off the boat. He was anxiously looking for his wife and children among the crowd who came to watch. Because there were so many people who came to the official website, it took Zhao Xiande a long time to look at the official website. Seeing his wife and son whom he cared about, Mrs. Li and her son had seen their husband a long time ago, but there were too many people who came to watch. Although they came in a carriage, Liujiagang had already been surrounded by people. In addition, there was room to be made for the officials to welcome Zhao Xiande, so it was even more crowded. Li's mother and son didn't want to squeeze too far forward, but the mood of looking forward to their husband and father made them watch the approaching boat anxiously. .

Zhao Xiande, who hadn't returned home for more than half a year, was very excited to see his wife and children, and hurriedly asked his subordinates to bring the mother and son over. After more than half a year, the family reunited couldn't help complaining about their lovesickness. Fortunately, Li Although Shi is a woman, she has some general knowledge. Knowing that her husband has a big family and business, there are many things to attend to, and there are many officials waiting for him, so she no longer pesters her husband. Anyway, Zhao Xiande is already gone now. When I go home, I have plenty of time to spend with my family. They have been waiting for more than half a year, so they don't care about this moment.

Zhao Xiande also knew the importance, he straightened his clothes and saluted the local officials in Taicang first, but after this salute, Zhao Xiande discovered the problem, how did these officials become so... How should I put it, they became so upright and honest, In the past, these officials always squeezed their own money as if they were never satisfied. Although this is just a drop in the bucket for Zhao Xiande today, it also made him feel unhappy, but today, Zhao Xiande saw a different scene. When he was on the boat, he prepared a lot of red envelopes for gifts, including gold, silver, and precious jewels, but just now when he secretly gave the red envelopes to these officials, they secretly pushed the red envelopes back. Zhao Xiande was puzzled at first, But what followed was panic. His panic was not unreasonable. After all, since ancient times, the status of businessmen in China has been extremely low. Fenghou wanted to hit him hard, but what worried him most was not money, but whether he would hurt his family.

But immediately, Zhao Xiande no longer panicked, because he was going to visit those officials from all over the south of the Yangtze River, including prefects and guarding eunuchs. As soon as he arrived in front of those people, they told him that an imperial envoy from the imperial court had come. Minister, it happens to be here on behalf of the emperor when he is on a tour south of the Yangtze River, and he is also here to welcome him back this time.

When Zhao Xiande first heard it, he was really surprised. He really didn't expect that there would be an imperial envoy to greet him. Although in Europe, Zhao Xiande had seen many princes and nobles, and those people brought them exquisite gifts because of Zhao Xiande. Luxurious enjoyment, plus Europeans don't discriminate against businessmen, but respect their adventurous spirit, so Zhao Xiande was quite at ease when he was in Europe. There was a sense of awe, now hearing that the imperial envoy came to welcome him, Zhao Xiande was naturally very awed in his heart.

It's just that while being in awe, Zhao Xiande didn't care about it. From the behavior of those officials just now, he had vaguely guessed what Zhang Fan was doing here. I'm not optimistic about this matter, because if this imperial envoy can't wipe out all these corrupt officials, when he leaves in the future, these people will definitely come to exploit him even more. If Zhang Fan can really wipe out these corrupt officials, he will always If someone came to be an official, wouldn't it be the same if they continued to exploit them at that time?

But Zhao Xiande just thought about these things in his heart and suppressed them, he didn't take them to heart, he didn't count on them, he just hoped to get rich safely.

Arriving in front of Zhang Fan, Zhao Xiande didn't have time to see what Zhang Fan looked like, so he went down: "Craftsman Zhao Xiande, returned from the ocean, and Lord Lao Qin condescended to come to greet him in person. I really feel ashamed in my heart. Thank you, Sir."

Zhang Fan didn't stop him. After all, he is an imperial envoy of the imperial court, and he is traveling on behalf of the emperor. It is normal to be defeated by Zhao Xiande. He waited for Zhao Xiande to finish speaking, and then said: "Get up."

When Zhao Xiande heard Zhang Fan's voice, he was already a little surprised. He thought that most of the imperial envoys were old men over half a hundred years old, and even if they were not, they were middle-aged people, but when he heard Zhang Fan's voice, it was He felt that the imperial envoy in front of him was very young, and when he stood up and looked, he was even more surprised. The Zhang Fan in front of him was just a young, handsome, and young man in his prime. Who is the descendant of a prince or noble, and his determination to thoroughly investigate corrupt officials is greatly discounted in his heart.

Zhang Fan was also very surprised when he looked at Zhao Xiande in front of him, but it was mainly because of Zhao Xiande's clothes.

This Zhao Xiande was still wearing an ordinary blue cloth robe, but Zhang Fan could see the lace edge exposed through the neckline and cuffs, and he immediately knew that he was wearing a European-style shirt. Zhang Fan couldn't help but look at him. Wanting to laugh, the other officials on the side also noticed what Zhao Xiande was wearing, but they had never seen what a shirt was. They just thought it was weird and didn't find it funny. However, Zhang Fan, who had seen him before, burst into laughter when he saw him dressed like this. However, he really wanted to laugh out loud, but he wanted to take into account his current image, so his whole face became distorted.

Zhao Xiande didn't know the reason, but Zhang Fan saw his increasingly puzzled face, and hurriedly said: "Tea..."

Originally, Yingyue should have been responsible for this matter, but now the little girl is only looking at the treasure ship she has never seen in surprise, plus she hates Luo Linger who has been lingering around Zhang Fan, so she can't help but stay away. She didn't notice Zhang Fan's words, but Luo Ling'er, who stayed by Zhang Fan's side all the time, had a delicate heart. She was intimidated by Liu Shan, and was worried that she couldn't get close to Zhang Fan. When the opportunity came, she immediately acted. He poured a cup of tea for Zhang Fan swiftly and elegantly and brought it to him.

Zhang Fan hurriedly took it and drank it in a big gulp, and then suppressed the urge to laugh out loud. He then gave Luo Linger a thankful glance. His eyes turned red with lustful gratitude, but Zhang Fan didn't see it, and Liu Shan, who was on the side, was already happy when he saw it. Situation, could not help but grow more resentful.

Zhang Fan didn't know this, he turned around and said to Zhao Xiande: "You must have been tired when you came back today, it's already noon, you must have dinner, and there are too many people here, so it's not a place to talk, I have a lot of things to ask you, I will send someone to pick you up in the afternoon, "

"Yes, the grass people are waiting for you," Zhao Xiande said.

Zhang Fan left immediately. After all, his status was there, and he went to eat with a commoner, especially a merchant. If this matter got out, it would definitely attract criticism from others.

Zhang Fan and the others did not plan to live here for a long time, so they only stayed temporarily in the county government office in Taicang. Zhang Fan who just came back found Yingyue pouted by his side all the time, as if she had suffered a lot. Aggrieved, Zhang Fan just wanted to go to ask for clarification, but Yingyue hid far away, as if she didn't want to get close to Zhang Fan. Zhang Fan didn't know the reason at first, but looked at Luo Linger, who was always by his side, Immediately, he understood the reason, but he couldn't drive Luo Ling'er away for no reason, so he could only smile helplessly in his heart.

Until Shen Shi, Zhang Fan estimated the time and sent someone to summon Zhao Xiande. He did have a lot of things to ask him.

When Liang Chao came back to return to his life, his face was quite weird. Zhang Fan was still a little puzzled at first, because Liang Chao was usually very stable, but now he had such an expression, but then he understood why, Zhao Xiande didn't come here by himself. , there were two figures following behind him, Zhang Fan saw, okay, a man and a woman, wearing cumbersome and elegant dresses, but his face was sweating all the time, he looked about 30 years old; and the woman The one wearing a long dress with a corseted waist and a leaky chest. The skirt is still a European-style round skirt, but it looks very young and beautiful. Ever blond.

"Master Imperial Envoy," Zhao Xiande first bowed to Zhang Fan, and then said, "These two are from Portugal in Europe, they are the envoys of Franz that we Ming people often say, and they are sent by their emperor Philip II. , this is Richard Sosa, a diplomat sent by the Portuguese emperor, this is Baron Joanna Oliveira, who is now serving as a member of the Portuguese army, this... lieutenant, they are theirs The emperor sent here,"

Zhang Fan was not surprised. After all, he had met too many foreigners in his previous life, but the people around Zhang Fan were different. They had seen Huren before, but this was the first time they had seen such a "Huren". , I couldn't help but be very curious, but they can still see that Richard Souza, but they can't get used to that Joanna Oliveira, which is really true for their aesthetic standards It's too ugly, and when Zhao Xiande introduced this woman as a baron, and she was still working in a girls' high school, everyone felt even more incredible, but Yingyue and Luo Ling'er had a good impression of Joanna, after all, she was in their hearts Zhong can be regarded as doing something to increase a woman's momentum. Isn't there something about Mulan joining the army in Gu?

"Welcome to come to our country from a long distance. My name is Zhang Fan, and I am the imperial envoy of our emperor." Zhang Fan stood up very solemnly and saluted the two in Europe, even when he was thinking of Joanna. , Zhang Fan also kissed his hands, which surprised the two people who knew the etiquette and Zhao Xiande. They didn't know why Zhang Fan knew this etiquette, but everyone around Zhang Fan felt that Zhang Fan was too aggressive, especially It was the two daughters Yingyue and Luo Linger, both of whom blushed slightly, while Liu Shan who was at the side suddenly became happy, thinking in his heart: "I can't believe that Zhang Fan is so lustful at such a young age, that he is so lecherous in front of the first time meeting." The hand of the woman's relatives." Immediately, he looked at Luo Ling'er, and then at Joanna, who looked like a girl without salt in his eyes, and he couldn't help feeling relieved.

Zhang Fan didn't speak Portuguese, but he didn't worry, since Zhao Xiande brought these two people here, he must have been prepared. Sure enough, Zhao Xiande spoke to the two people in words that the Han people present couldn't understand. When people heard that Zhang Fan had become an earl at such a young age, and that he was now an imperial envoy of the Ming Emperor, his face immediately showed a surprised expression, and then the two of them immediately saluted Zhang Fan respectfully, saying something in their mouths. In their minds, there is only one possibility for Zhang Fan to enjoy such a high position at such a young age, and that is to have an extremely prominent family background, and Europeans respect nobles, especially family nobles.

Zhao Xiande immediately translated: "My lord, they really didn't expect to meet such an honorable noble earl when they first arrived in Daming. They extend their most sincere greetings to you,"

"No need," Zhang Fan said very politely, and he asked them to sit down, and the free maid in the county government office immediately brought tea, and the two of them looked at the woman who was watching the water delivery, all wearing clothes made of extremely well-cut silk At that time, faintly felt even more admiration for this originally mysterious oriental country.

And when they drank the tea brought by the maids, it was completely different from the middling tea brought by Zhao Xiande, the fragrance of the first-class tea immediately filled their appetites, and they couldn't help admiring them even more. The society has formed the habit of drinking tea, and so are these two people, but they can only taste ordinary tea here, and the price is extremely expensive, but the two don't blame Zhao Xiande for not using the best tea. It was shipped because those tea leaves are already extremely expensive in today's Europe, and now that the two of them drank such top-quality tea, they fantasized about the price of the tea leaves in their minds.

Zhang Fan naturally didn't know what they were thinking, so he immediately asked, "I don't know what you two are doing here."

The two listened to Zhao Xiande's translation and whispered to each other for a while, using a language that Zhao Xiande had never heard of, Zhao Xiande couldn't help showing helplessness when he looked at Zhang Fan, and shook his head.

However, Zhang Fan was very happy when he heard it. The two people spoke English. Zhang Fan passed the English test of Band [-], and his actual level even reached Band [-]. Moreover, most of the English taught in China is authentic London English. Although the accent is slightly different from the English spoken hundreds of years ago, it still does not trouble Zhang Fan.

Zhang Fan only listened to the two discussing whether to tell him about something. Joanna wanted to ask Zhang Fan about something, but Richard disagreed. Although the two of them did not say what it was, Zhang Fan But I can guess some. After all, the [-]th century was the era of great development of world navigation and the rise of the colonial era. Zhang Fan could vaguely guess what they were talking about.