Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 826 The Origin of Sanshanju
The second floor of Sanshanju,

It seemed a bit lively. In the inner hall, many guests sat together, gossiping about their families. Those who had business dealings talked about business topics. Of course, there were also many students who talked a lot.
From downstairs, waiters kept coming up with food, and the aroma of food wafted in. The whole second floor was filled with the simple and unpretentious atmosphere of everyday life. Elder Lu actually had such a side to him. After Zhang Jinyu sat down, he watched carefully!
at this time,

The waiter, led by the waiters, first served a pot of good tea, warmed a pot of good wine, and brought three cold dishes to the table.
The placement of the dishes is also very interesting. Traditionally, dishes are placed at different corners of the table, but here, the three dishes are placed side by side. The key is that these three dishes are actually three plates of pickles. How can the pickles be served first?

I have never seen such a thing before.
Zhang Jinyu became interested and asked;

"Lord, you just said that a mountain is not a mountain, and soil and rocks cannot be used to make dishes. Then, can these be considered dishes? The origin of Sanshanju is not because of these, right?"

Afraid that Lu Wenshan didn't understand, Zhang Jinyu pointed to the three plates of "pickles" placed side by side, with a smile on her face.

Lu Wenshan was not in a hurry. He slowly lifted up a chair and sat down steadily. Then he personally picked up the teapot and poured tea into Luo Yunhou's and his own tea bowls.

"Your Majesty is right. When Sanshanju first started, it was not called Sanshanju, but the Pickled Vegetable Shop. They sold these three plates of pickled vegetables. Pickled vegetables are also vegetables. Come and try them."

Lu Wenshan handed over a pair of chopsticks. Zhang Jinyu's mouth twitched and he reached out to take it. Could it be that this is a common problem among older people? Pickles are also vegetables. There is nothing wrong with what he said.
Pickles are very useful. Most soldiers in the army eat pickles with dry food and drink some thin soup. He picked up the chopsticks, took a bite of the dish and put it in his mouth.

After taking a few bites, I quickly picked up the tea bowl and drank it. It was indeed a pickle. In one word, salty!

"Lord, it's just a pickle. No matter how you change it, it's still just salty. Sanshanju, aren't you just kidding me?"

"Haha, the Marquis is still quick to speak. Sanshanju is called Sanshanju because it was originally opened by three people. Each of them could only make one of the three pickles. In order not to undermine each other, they decided to cooperate and win together. That's how the current Sanshanju came into being. Although it's a bit shabby, it has made a lot of money over the years."

Lu Wenshan laughed again, but there was something behind his words. It couldn't be said too clearly that if they joined together, both would benefit, but if they separated, both would suffer. I don't know what cooperation Lu Ge Lao was talking about.

Zhang Jinyu put down his chopsticks and glanced around calmly. There were not many people. No one came to the surrounding tables. It was obvious that this was instructed by Lord Lu. In this case, Lord Lu must be behind Sanshanju.

Safety is safety, cooperation is a matter, but after thinking about it, I don't think there is any reason for me to cooperate with him.

"What the elder said is that it is better to share happiness with others than to enjoy it alone. If one person enjoys it alone, he will be envied. Only by making money together can it last long. Sanshanju should also have this idea, but I don't understand. Sanshanju can form a partnership because they have been working together for a long time. But some people want to cooperate. How can he cooperate?"

This can be regarded as pushing the problem back. One is a civil servant and the other is a nobleman. They are naturally opposed to each other. Even if they want to cooperate, they cannot. After all, there are eyes of all sizes watching them in their respective teams. It is even possible that there are spies from the Imperial City Bureau or other people in this position.

"Your Majesty, you asked a good question. It was not allowed in the past, but it is allowed now. I heard that Your Majesty has also had students. For civil servants, new students need the Ministry of Personnel to sign documents before they can become officials. Although they have only passed the provincial examination, as long as they become officials, it is a normal procedure. I didn't want to talk to Your Majesty, but unfortunately, the eldest son of the Li family actually reported a list. There are quite a few vacancies for county magistrates in Jiangnan. I took a look and found it interesting."

Lu Wenshan narrowed his eyes and checked the memorials sent to the ministry this morning. Among them was the list of alternate county magistrates in Jiangnan, and the name of the new top candidate was prominently listed. It was obviously not a last-minute idea. It could only mean that Young Master Li or the Prime Minister had contacted Marquis Luo Yun or even Nan Zixian. As for what they talked about, he knew it very well.

Zhang Jinyu was shocked. What a guy, they are all smart. Li Chaosheng came to him in the morning, and the old man knew about it in the afternoon. It seems that Mr. Li submitted the memorial first and said it later. His sincerity is also acceptable. As for Lord Lu, he can just ask him.

"I don't know what the elder means?"

"Haha, Lord Marquis, don't get me wrong. You can cooperate with the Li family, and you can also cooperate with me. Since Mr. Li recommended the first place, I will give it to the second place. I will also reserve a position for the county magistrate of Wuzhong County in Suzhou. Although his rank is not high enough, he will naturally be promoted after working for two or three years and making achievements."

Lu Wenshan looked for a quiet place. Since the Li family had arranged one, he could not object. However, it was still easy to arrange another one. As for the third one, his rank was too low, so the various departments in the capital could choose one at will.
Zhang Jinyu was stunned, thinking in his heart, if that's the case, there are about a dozen large counties in Jiangnan alone, so two can be arranged. If it's the same for Lord Nan, Mr. Li and Old Man Lu have invested a lot of money.
"May I ask, Sir, what are the arrangements on Lord Nan's side? How does the Sir want to cooperate?"

"The Marquis is indeed cautious. In the memorial this morning, the Li family not only recommended the Marquis's students, but also the students of Lord Nan. Xu Dong, the first in the Imperial Examination, was appointed as the magistrate of Yongning County in Jinling. I am also in the same situation as the Marquis. Suzhou also lacks a magistrate of Danyang County. I will arrange for them together. What is the purpose? It is simple. At the critical moment, we will protect the governor Zhuang."

Lu Wenshan did not hide anything and openly said why he wanted to protect the governor Zhuang. This was also something Lu Wenshan had thought about carefully. Lu Wenshan had known what happened in Jiangnan for a long time. Since Eunuch Yang went south, he knew that Zhuang Shouzhi could not stop him. Even with the power of the East Palace, it would not work. When the policy of converting farmland to mulberry trees was implemented, there would be officials who would turn against him. At that time, the governor would be in danger.

If Zhuang Shouzhi is really replaced, it will cause instability in Jiangnan, and the hearts of the Southern Party in the court will be uneasy. How can they still compete in the court? After all, the Prime Minister is still strong at old age!
Only Zhang Jinyu thought that this matter was so simple. He had been to Jiangnan before. As the saying goes, a prefect can earn 100,000 silver taels in three years. This refers to the prefect of Jiangnan. Even if it is a county magistrate, he can earn 30,000 silver taels in three years. If they are in such a hurry to select officials, it is obvious that something has gone wrong.
As for what? It was nothing more than converting fields into mulberry trees, planting mulberry trees in Jiangnan. It was thanks to the Prime Minister that he could think of it. He had not figured out what was going on, but it must be profitable. If his people went there to take up the post, he would not be able to hide anything from him. He would have a plan to deal with it. After all, most of the things needed outside the Great Wall came from Jiangnan.

"Sir, are you kidding me, a few small county magistrates can protect the governor?"

"My Lord, think I am joking. Who can joke with his head? I have been to Jiangnan before. The court is in chaos now, and the local forces are uneven. Who can know sometimes? If it is useful, please remember your promise. If it is not useful, how about giving up?"

Lu Wenshan's eyes flashed, and he stared at Luo Yunhou.
Zhang Jinyu smiled, raised his head, and spoke slowly.
"As long as you are not treasoning, colluding with the enemy, or treason, I will agree to some minor matters. However, if you are trying to set a trap for me, then don't blame me for being ruthless, Lord."

It is both a promise and a warning. As the saying goes, there are gains and losses. In the end, who can guess everything?
"That won't happen, don't worry, sir. They will write to you when something happens. As for the arrangement of the third class, sir, you can select and transfer people from various departments in the capital at will. I will issue the document today, and I can set off to take up the post tomorrow."

So fast,
Zhang Jinyu was stunned. Could it be that something happened in Jiangnan? Then he thought of Jia Lan. The Imperial College was good. So he shook his head.

"Since you have devoted yourself to this, how can you be greedy? Jia Lan is doing well in the Imperial College and does not need any arrangements. Since there are changes in Jiangnan, it would be good for him to take up the post as soon as possible."

At this point, the two of them reached a consensus. At this time, the waiter, who happened to be leading a few waiters, hurriedly brought the dishes to the second floor and brought up the dishes ordered by Lord Lu one by one and arranged them.
"Master, all the dishes you requested are here. If you need anything, you can always call me."

"Okay, let's go."

"Yes, sir."

Lu Wenshan waved his hand, and the waiter hurriedly took the man away, not daring to linger. After the man left, Lu Ge Lao pointed to a plate of braised pork elbows on the table and invited him in.

"Come, my lord, and try the cooking here."

"Okay, please, sir!"

That is, when the two were discussing upstairs,
The post station ten miles outside the city,

The place was already overcrowded. Ordinary officials had been driven out of several large courtyards, and the convoys of several princes had occupied the space. Several princes in the capital had heard the news and were rushing back non-stop.

Zhou Yewen, the prince of Song, who was jolted in the carriage, endured the hardship. He just woke up in the Jiaofangsi when he was called by his personal servant, saying that the convoy had arrived. As soon as the news came out, the three princes hurriedly changed their clothes and got up. Without washing, they hurriedly got on the carriage and rushed to the post station. Also traveling with them were Zhou Yunfu, the prince of Chen, and Zhao Minghao, the prince of Wu. The three of them sat together with grim expressions.

Zhou Yewen took the water bag and drank a mouthful of water to relieve the pressure. He felt much better. He turned to Gui Jiucheng, the confidant next to the driver, and asked:
"What's going on? Why is the convoy arriving in Beijing early?"

"My Lord, according to the agreed time, the teams from the various palaces should have entered the capital three days later. However, today, the teams from the West Palace and the South Palace arrived earlier, and the two young princes entered the capital first. The master said that he was afraid that they would be exposed, so he asked me to ask the three princes to go back."

Gui Jiucheng, the guard of Prince Song's Palace, did not dare to neglect the request and replied immediately. Zhou Yunfu, the prince of Chen, was incredulous. The Western Prince had rarely been in contact with the vassal kings within the Great Wall, so why was he so active this time?

"Brother Yewen, the West Palace family came so actively, I feel something is wrong. And the South Palace family also joined in the fun. I wonder if they have any connection."

Just after they finished speaking, the three of them suddenly looked at each other. Since the two kings were here, the four kings and eight dukes were one. Could it be that the four princes had contacted each other in advance? Thinking of this, the three of them suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. As the saying goes, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. This,

"My two brothers, we need to discuss this matter with the princes of Zheng and Han. After all, we are the royal palace in the interior. If the four kings of different surnames unite, what we do will be nothing but a pipe dream. What I am more afraid of is that the current emperor will take action. Otherwise, how could it be so coincidental?"

After hearing this, the faces of the two brothers changed drastically. Yes, it was too coincidental. In fact, if you want to know whether the four kings have any contact, you just need to look at the convoy of tributes to see if there is any movement from the four kings. If so, no one would believe that there is no contact.

"Brother Fu, Brother Hao, this matter will become clear when the time comes. I guess that since the tribute convoys of the Western King and the Southern King have already arrived, the Northern King and the Eastern King will not be left behind. Although the two kings have lost their fiefdoms and military power in the capital, you should know that their two palaces have many old followers and are not harmed. Moreover, they have plenty of money. Maybe they will prepare a birthday banquet for the retired emperor in advance."

Zhou Yewen smiled bitterly. It was said that the princes had no shortage of money, but compared with the East Palace and the North Palace, that was a far cry. There were trade routes throughout the south of the Yangtze River and the north. If it weren't for Marquis Luo Yun who came to share a piece of the pie, there would be no place to see the caravans of other people.

"Brother is right. Although the birthday banquet of the retired emperor is still a month away, the four princes saw that we had come early and followed suit. I misunderstood. I just feel that the capital is confusing now, and the strategy we have set will not change."

Zhou Lianghao originally wanted to take the opportunity to gather the numbers and come to the capital to eat, drink and have fun. His father Zhou Desheng had the same idea. The so-called destiny was fake. It would be great to guard his own fiefdom and eat, drink and have fun all his life. Coincidentally, the birthday banquet of the retired emperor was coming soon. Although they came a little early, no one could say anything because they were filial.
But the other princes had already moved, and the Wu Palace could not be left behind, so my father assigned me to follow the tribute convoy and go north to the capital, one reason being to follow the trend. The other reason was to prepare gifts for the emperor's birthday banquet. In the past, they also made tributes on behalf of my father, and the princes were not allowed to return to the capital. Now it has been ten years, and if they don't come back, I'm afraid they will never come back!

Unfortunately, it now seems that some of them were taken for granted.

Chen Wang's son Zhou Yunfu, with a cold face, clenched his fist and said coldly;

"Humph, the birthday banquet of the retired emperor, who knows when it will be held? They said it was not discussed so many days in advance! We have come to this point, even if something unexpected happens, we have to go on. Although the four kings are powerful, it is only in the past. The West Palace seems to be invincible, but many governors in the northwest are watching it. It dares not even build a dam for the corridor entering the pass, and it is bluffing. Not to mention the South Palace. The Lang family has to guard against the three kingdoms in the south at all times, and most of the troops are at the border. The remaining North Palace and East Palace don't even have a fiefdom. It's a dream to think that they will be as powerful as before."

Prince Chen's analysis hit the nail on the head, and before Zhou Lianghao could react, Zhou Yewen slapped his thigh and said "good".
"Okay, well said. We all know that the birthday banquet is an excuse. Who would believe in coincidence? Besides, things are not the same as before. The prestige of the four princes and eight dukes has long since vanished. Apart from the border troops, the remaining princes are just struggling to hold on. How can they be afraid of them? Since everyone is here, there is no need to meet each other. Tomorrow, get ready and enter the capital quickly."

This was also what Zhou Yewen could think of. Since the convoys of various royal palaces within the Great Wall had already arrived, there was no need to wait any longer. They could rest for a night and then go to the capital together tomorrow to let the world see it.

"Okay, I'll listen to Brother Yewen."

The remaining two nodded heavily.

At this time, at the post station outside the city, Zhou Zhengbai, the prince of Prince Zheng, and Zhou Wenshan, the prince of Prince Han, had returned to the post station early, and Mr. Fan and Mr. Xu had also followed them back.

Inside the post station, wheels were rolling and horses were neighing. Several separate courtyards had been booked by various royal palaces. Each carriage was filled to the brim and loaded with heavy items. Although no one knew what they were, they must be worth a lot of money.

The bluestone road was left with messy tracks from the wheels of the carriages, and the moss in the corners was slightly mottled. Although it was cleaned, it was just a hasty job done by the people at the post station.

On the second floor of the attic of the post station, the foreign officials who came and went from all over the country had been driven out. On the entire second floor, only two groups of people gathered together, and a table of wine and banquet was set up near the window.
At this time, the Prince of Zheng and the Prince of Han were already sitting in their seats, calm and composed, without any sign of anxiety, and each of them was accompanied by two gentlemen from the royal palace.

As soon as the dishes were placed on the table, voices began to utter;
"Man proposes, God disposes. I didn't expect that at a critical moment, four kings of different surnames would come to join in the fun. Brother, you can also make mistakes sometimes."

Next to Fan Wenhai sat Xu Liangcai, the military advisor of the Prince of Han's Palace. He had a bold look on his face and was wearing tattered clothes. He was holding a wine jug in his hand and was pouring wine into Fan Wenhai's cup. Even as he was doing so, he did not forget to make some sarcastic remarks.

The other two princes kept silent and listened attentively. They thought the situation was a sure thing, but unexpectedly, it changed in just two days.

Only Fan Wenhai smiled slightly, picked up the wine cup, tasted it slowly, and praised;

"Good wine, top-grade Jiangnan girl's red wine. How can such a small post station have such good wine? Even in the palace, it is rare."

Everyone at the table was stunned. Fan Wenhai's answer was irrelevant. A wine glass of water, even if it was good wine, the palace still lacked this. The two princes were confused. What did this mean? Only Xu Liangcai, who was pouring the wine, was thoughtful. He also filled his own wine glass, picked it up and smelled it. Indeed, it had a faint aroma of wine, mellow. He also lowered his head and took a sip, slowly tasting it. It was a rare fine wine, but this wine came in a strange way.

"Brother is worthy of being a senior brother. How can such a girl's red wine come from such a small post station? It is still a rare and high-quality wine. It seems that it was left for us by Prince Zhongshun. A few days ago, it was said that Prince Zhongshun came here to change the people of the post station. It is said that there are people watching inside and outside. This wine may be specially left for us. The Xiwang Palace family is very powerful, hahaha."

After a burst of laughter, Xu Liangcai's face turned gloomy. This time, he heard that the West Palace family had as many as 1,500 cavalry guards, and the Southern Palace's Lang family had even dispatched a rattan armored army. With the same number of people, they must be here with ill intentions.
Because the guards accompanying each palace of the princes within the Great Wall are no more than 1,200 people, it seems that the four princes have received some news.

"Junior brother is still so perceptive. What he said is correct. The post station has been organized by King Zhongshun earlier. His people are everywhere. Now the convoys of the various royal palaces in the inner pass have arrived. The convoys of the four kings of different surnames are expected to arrive early tomorrow morning. So there is no time to hesitate and enter the capital today. There is no time to lose."

"What? So soon? Didn't we agree to leave early tomorrow morning?"

Xu Liangcai's face changed, but he didn't know why Fan Wenhai picked up the wine cup and drank it all.

"Wait until tomorrow. It's already so late. We still have to get involved with the Jia family. At noon, news came from Ningguo Mansion that Jia Jing will awaken his spirit tomorrow."

(End of this chapter)