Daming Yinghua

Chapter 33 A Cup of Green Tea

When leaving Daishan Island, Zheng Haizhu took the initiative to ask Yan Siqi to ask for this kimono and bring it with her, waiting for today's moment.

She wants to try Han Ximeng's accumulation of cognition and judgment, and further understand the level of her first master in this world.

Zheng Haizhu studied Han Ximeng's complexion, and pretended to be surprised: "Ah, miss recognizes this kind of clothes? Why do you think it looks strange? It turned out to be Japanese pirates?"

Han Ximeng glanced at her and comforted her: "Why are you nervous? Those who wear this kind of clothes may not necessarily be Japanese, let alone Japanese pirates. In fact, except for the Japanese in the north at the time of Emperor Hongwu, it was real Japanese. Later, when Emperor Jiajing There are many leaders of the Japanese rebellion here, they were originally maritime merchants, and they are the people of Ming Dynasty like us."

Han Ximeng unfolded the kimono calmly, and while admiring the "Eba" embroidery on it, he spoke in a slow tone.

"Azhu, you are from Fujian, and you have some origins, which are not as clear as the people in Songjiang and Ningbo.

During the time of Hongzhi and Zhengde, the Ming Dynasty and the Wa Kingdom maintained a tribute business, and there were reconnaissance ships and Ming Ming ships every year.Later, not long after Emperor Jiajing ascended the throne, a major incident occurred in Ningbo Shibosi. Two big merchants from the Japanese kingdom fought because they bribed the eunuch Ryan of Shibosi, which brought disaster to the people of Ningbo.In a rage, the imperial court stopped the investigation and cooperation with the Japanese country.

Just at that time, the country of Wa discovered silver mines, and was about to ask me to buy a lot of goods from the dynasty, and Huizhou merchants from our Ming Dynasty had always been walking in southern Zhili and the coast of Zhejiang.

If maritime merchants fail to do so, they become pirates.There are also those honest fishermen on the seashore, who originally relied on fishing for their livelihood. With the ban on the sea, they lost their way of life and could only become pirates. "

Zheng Haizhu listened to what Han Ximeng said, which was indeed different from the superficial interpretation of the Japanese invasion in later generations, and it was very similar to the writings of some professional historians.

Then she inquired and said: "So, what Miss means is that the Japanese rebellion doesn't mean that the Japanese came to plunder our coastal people by boat just like the Huns robbed the people in the Central Plains before?"

Han Ximeng looked up at her: "Some pirates from Japanese islands burned, killed and looted without conscience. But there are more Japanese ship fleets. Even if the sailors are Japanese, the shipowners are merchants from Anhui, Zhejiang, and Fujian. For example, that The great pirate Wang Zhi is from Huizhou.

They are staring at the silver of the Japanese country, but the imperial court does not do business for Kaihai, so they will naturally cause trouble along the coast, without any rules.Fortunately, after Emperor Jiajing, Emperor Longqing opened the gate, and there were Frangji people in Haojing (referring to Macau) to do business.

The pirates of my Ming Dynasty have returned to maritime merchants, and the people are finally at peace.Over the years, I have heard from my second uncle that although the Wa Kingdom cannot directly trade with me, Da Ming, but by turning a corner and dealing with Franji people, they can still buy Daming goods with a lot of money. "

Zheng Haizhu curled his lips, pretending to be helpless and said: "Isn't that just letting Franji make a profit for nothing? Just open a shipping company in our Songjiang Prefecture, and let the Japanese send a bright ship to deliver the money, and the goods will be transported away. Wouldn't it be better to be rich?"

Han Ximeng chuckled and said, "You think it's so simple. In my Ming Dynasty, it's not just a group of merchants from Huizhou, nor is it only two prefectures of Songjiang and Ningbo that are close to the outer sea. On the side of Macao, Fujian Yuegang, and even in the capital, from ministers to eunuchs, husbands have been poached of the meat in the bowl, don't you want to fight with your life?"

When Zheng Haizhu heard this, he already had a rough idea of ​​his attitude towards Han Ximeng.

This is indeed a well-informed lady, and the many vulgar ladies in Songjiang are far behind.

Zheng Haizhu then stepped forward and stroked the "Eu" on the kimono, and said in a speculative tone: "If the lady said this, I would guess that this family did not cross the sea secretly to sell goods."

Han Ximeng smiled and said, "Perhaps, don't worry about it, just come back. Ah Zhu, I'm especially interested in this dress because of the embroidery on it. Look, this is Tang Song, the Japanese embroidery method." , is a trocar technique, deep and complex, like a painting rendered with ink and water. I was thinking about how to express the light and shade of mountains and rocks during embroidery. Today I saw the Tang Song on this Japanese clothing, which was very inspiring."

Facing the blockbuster "Painted Feather", Han Ximeng talked eloquently, and sometimes sincerely said "I didn't expect the embroidery of the Japanese country to be so perfect".

Zheng Haizhu listened carefully, and sometimes added some suggestions from the perspective of his familiar "Zhangrong" technique.

It was not until he had finished thinking about the kimono that Zheng Haizhu took out a few paper tubes from another bundle, which were the Japanese Ukiyo-e that Yan Siqi begged for.

She spread out the paintings on the table, and said to Han Ximeng: "Miss, I saw these landscape paintings at that house, so I asked the kind housekeeper for some."

Han Ximeng was familiar with Danqing, and when he saw the brushstrokes and coloring style, he was sure: "This is not a paint from the Jiangnan area, and the painting style is quite different from ours. It should be a Japanese painting. But..."

Han Ximeng picked up the Ukiyo-e, thoughtfully said: "I heard from my second uncle that the Franji people on the Haojing Macau side, and the Hong Maofan (referring to the Dutch) who have crossed the sea to grab business in the past few years, I really like Japanese paintings. By the way, our missionaries from Songjiang Prefecture even came to ask if we could weave paintings on Songjiang cloth."

Zheng Haizhu pondered: "The loom needs to weave landscape pictures or ladies' flower-and-bird paintings. Whether it is Japanese paintings or our paintings, the silk reeling machine is fine, but it is very time-consuming and expensive. Songjiang cloth is popular for its large quantity and benefits. , the current looms can only weave mountain-shaped, rhombic, and flying patterns. Why don't we try embroidery."

At the end of the day, Han Ximeng finally got tired, yawned and said, "Okay, let's think about it slowly, let's take a rest today."

Zheng Haizhu returned to her hut, lay on the couch, listened to the humming of autumn insects outside the window, and recalled the harvest of these days.

She knows that in real history, the next 300 years will be the 300 years in which Chinese civilization will fall off a cliff.

If it is said that the sea ban of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty was only a contraction of the tribute survey and cooperation trade, then the closed-door rule of the nomadic people in the north after the change of dynasty, as well as cultural enslavement and castration, really destroyed the vitality of this land.

When Europe completed the Renaissance Movement, and when the age of great navigation came around the world, Ming Dynasty China, which mastered the extremely advanced shipbuilding and ocean shipping technology, originally held a good card, but unfortunately, internal and external troubles followed one after another, and it was lost. The great era is not even as good as Japan.

Zheng Haizhu stared at the Mount Fuji, plum groves, and ocean waves on the ukiyo-e, thinking that in a few generations, the West would be deeply influenced by Japanese aesthetics. With the opening of the World Expo, Japanese ukiyo-e prints almost swept across Europe, and Van Gogh was deeply influenced by the Japanese painter Ge Influenced by Hokusai.

Van Gogh... Holland... Hongmaofan, Franjiren... Ukiyo-e, Yu-e, embroidered silk fabrics, Songjiang cloth... Haojing, Macau, Yuegang, Penghu Islands...

Countless concepts and images of people, maps, and goods poured into Zheng Haizhu's mind one after another, circling like mountain wind and sea waves.

Come step by step, every day you die, the merits will not be donated.

……

Early the next morning, Han Ximeng took Zheng Haizhu to see his uncle and aunt.

The second master Han Zhongwen and the second grandmother Qian Shi were quite happy when they heard the reason for sending cotton cloth to the soldiers.

Han Zhongwen even let go of his majestic appearance as the head of the family, and said to his wife with a smile: "Ximeng has been under your lap for so long, and he is becoming more and more like you. He thinks about things very well."

Mrs. Qian couldn't help saying that our niece was talented and intelligent, and happily assigned Lao Peng, the housekeeper of the Han family, to discuss the matter with Zheng Haizhu.

The two hurried to the cloth workshop and called the staff in the workshop to count the bundles.

Nearly a hundred bolts of rhombic thick cloth, together with small-width Yexie cloth and socks, were loaded into several bullock carts, and the application time had passed.

Zheng Haizhu wiped the sweat off his face, turned around and saw a graceful girl standing at the door.

It was Han Ximeng's cousin, Han Xiying, the only daughter of Sanfang.

Lao Peng looked behind Han Xiying, but there was no shadow of her mother Yang, so he was surprised and apologized: "Why did the third lady come to the workshop at this hour? Oh, it's a mess here today."

Han Xiying's oval face was powdered, her eyes were like crescent moons, and her star pupils were shining brightly. She said softly, "Today, the school teacher said he was sick, so I went to play at the Jiaoyuan Poetry Club. When I came back, I passed by the cloth workshop. You guys are going to Wenzhe Academy? It’s just right, I’ll go with you to see the excitement.”

"This..." Lao Peng showed embarrassment, "Miss San, all the people living in the academy are soldiers and rough-haired Qiu Ba, how can you go in with a girl's house... No, the second master and the second mistress, and the three Grandma, you have to beat me."

Han Xiying's eyes turned, and she looked at Zheng Haizhu: "With Ah Zhu here, what are you afraid of? Isn't she the savior of Jin Yiwei? I will follow Ah Zhu, and those military masters will definitely be polite to me."

After all, he came up and tugged on Zheng Haizhu's sleeve, with a begging tone in his voice: "Sister Azhu, my eldest sister said that the Jinyiwei is really good-looking, just like Ling Zisheng in the Kun class."

Zheng Haizhu thought about it, and replied: "That's it, not as good-looking as Ling Zisheng, nor as good-looking as the second young master of the Gu family."

Han Xiying was startled, her face turned cold, and the two watery eyes were about to freeze.

Zheng Haizhu suddenly changed the subject, and half-seriously and half-jokingly said: "Miss San is addicted to drama, so let's go and see it together. I'm serving Miss San. It's a big deal, and I'll deduct three months' wages."

Han Xiying immediately smiled sweetly: "It's still Sister Azhu who is cool and looks like a man. Since you can sneak away to Suzhou with my eldest sister and take me around Songjiang City, it doesn't matter."

Zheng Haizhu thought, it's okay, just drink a few sips of green tea.

Just take a look, third miss, what kind of taste is your cup today, sweet and greasy jasmine green tea?Or sour lemon green tea? .

As the housekeeper of the mansion, Lao Peng is naturally well-versed in human feelings. Knowing that Zheng Haizhu's status in the mansion is rapidly rising, he no longer objects. .

……

Today's Songjiang locals all know that Gu's mansion, with its official background, is a veritable family of good deeds.

Gu's mansion has two large courtyards in the city, one is the luxurious and beautiful house "Luxiang Garden" that he lives in, and the other is for the children from poor families in Huating, Shanghai, and Qingpu counties to come to study or participate in the competition. The Wenzhe Academy where he lived during the Songjiang Mansion Examination.

Around the beginning of autumn, the transplanting of double-cropping rice had just been completed, and because there were a large number of cotton fields in the Songjiang area, the cotton flowering period was just between summer and Bailu, so many children from poor families were still busy with farm work at home and had not yet returned to the city.

The huge academy, with dozens of bedrooms, is more than enough to accommodate Ma Xianglin's team of less than a hundred people.

When the Han family brought the cloth in, the soldiers were wiping the weapons under the eaves of the corridor.

Under the golden rays of the setting sun, Han Xiying's eyes were brighter than white blades, and she immediately caught Gu Shouqian, her brother-in-law-to-be who was dressed in green and facing the wind.

"Second Young Master Gu!"

There was a soft call like a yellow warbler.

Gu Shouqian, who was listening to a Sichuan soldier explaining the power of the white spear to pierce the armor, turned his head, was slightly taken aback, and then bowed and said, "Hey, why is the third lady here?"

Zheng Haizhu walked up holding a few feet of leaf reed, and interrupted in a calm and upright manner: "Miss San, the person talking to Lao Peng over there is the god-like Lord Jin Yiwei you want to see, General Ma."

Han Xiying felt sullen in her heart, but her face was naive and naive. She glanced at her and said lightly, "Oh, it's just like A Zhu said, an ordinary person."

Zheng Haizhu pursed her lips and smiled, but spat firmly in her heart.

Extra green tea!

The intuition of the melon eaters is often keen, especially the modern melon eaters like Zheng Haizhu who have traveled to the back houses of the ancients.

Zheng Haizhu had long felt that Han Ximeng, a cousin, was much more cunning than her own mother, who had the words "I am a grieving woman" shining brightly on her forehead.

It's just that, after all, she is only fifteen or sixteen years old, and it is not difficult for Zheng Haizhu to guess what is going on in her stomach for a young girl who is just in love.

Sure enough, Han Xiying ordered the personal maid to take out a piece of light brown peach blossom paper from her schoolbag.

"Second Brother Gu, this is the word I wrote for Kunqiang with my sisters at the Poetry Club today. I heard that Brother Gu wrote a good word, please help us to see it."

Gu Shouqian said "Oh", took the paper and looked at it for a moment, then said calmly, "It's well filled."

"But I always feel that I can change it again." Han Xiying frowned slightly, and asked with a deliberate look, "Second brother, tell me, this sentence'Across the spring river, the clear water stains the window, Mu Shaoguang, and the red apricot peep "Wall", should it be changed to "Across the spring river, clear water bathes the window, bathes in the light, red apricot leans against the wall"?"

Gu Shouqian could count the number of times he met his fiancee, Han Ximeng, during festivals like the Lantern Festival and Dragon Boat Festival. At most, they stayed at the stage where they could not recognize the wrong face. At this moment, they really had no interest in pointing out her style of writing.

But after all, she is the future sister-in-law, so Gu Shouqian didn't want to show a lack of interest, so he could only perfunctoryly say: "Everyone has their own advantages, it depends on how the singer sings."

Zheng Haizhu covered her face with a cloth head and held back her laughter. Just when she felt so embarrassed that she could dig out three rooms and two living rooms with her toes on the ground, she heard an old voice behind her calling: "Ah Qian, whose family is this?" Qianjin?"

Zheng Haizhu and Han Xiying turned their heads at the same time, but saw a little maid standing behind her supporting an old woman.

(End of this chapter)