King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 438 They are all honest people

"Not so fast... It is said that the burial must last for 49 to [-] days, which is a good day for burial!"

"Yeah!" Zhu Jinghong nodded. He actually didn't care when Jia Zhen was buried.

Seeing that he was absent-minded, Baochai asked with a dissatisfied look on his face: "So... will we send someone there? When will we send someone there?"

After serious thought, Zhu Jinghong replied: "Let's do this... let your brother go to Ningguo Mansion to express condolences on behalf of the palace!"

"Let him go?" Baochai hesitated.

"Well...just let him go!" Zhu Jinghong replied calmly.

Baochai thought for a while and roughly understood what Zhu Jinghong meant, and then said no more.

Just when Ying'er came to report that dinner had been prepared, Zhu Jinghong and his wife went to have dinner.

Sending Xue Pan to express condolences showed that the palace still cared about the Jia family.

But there is a "reluctant" meaning in it, which is to express Zhu Jinghong's dissatisfaction with Jia Zhen to the outside world. It is more about the princess trying to bridge the relationship between the palace and the Jia family.

The advantage of this is that the prince can explain it to him, and Prince Rui's palace will also feel that Zhu Jinghong is still biased towards him.

As for the Jia family's attitude and opinions, it doesn't matter from beginning to end.

Baochai could figure out the twists and turns, but Xue Pan, who had received the message, didn't, but he knew that it had to be done.

"Mom... I went there on the third day of junior high school, and I have to go there again. I always feel a little strange!" Xue Pan expressed dissatisfaction.

Aunt Xue replied: "Last time it was our Xue family who went to pay homage, this time you represent the palace!"

"It's not all my sons who will go!"

"Tomorrow when you go to Jia's house, you must do what your father-in-law taught you just now. You can't make any mistakes!"

Seeing Xue Pan's casual expression, Aunt Xue said extremely seriously: "I often hear from sister You that His Highness Prince Xiang is very dissatisfied with you. This time he entrusts you with such important matters, and you must handle it well!"

"My son understands!" Xue Pan replied solemnly.

Time soon came to the next day, and Xue Pan took people to Jia's house.

Because now he has serious errands and has to cooperate with Liu Xiang in business, Xue Pan is extremely busy and rarely goes to Jia's house to see people.

This was the second time he went to Jia's house since he went to express his condolences on the third day of the lunar new year.

After arriving at Ningguo Mansion, they learned that King Xiang sent someone to pay their respects, and everyone in Ningguo Mansion came out to welcome him.

I thought it was the chief historian of Prince Xiang's palace who came, but when I came out and found out that it was Xue Pan, everyone in the Jia family was somewhat disappointed.

But they also understood that it was better for someone to come than not to come at all, so they welcomed Xue Pan in.

Knowing that he had an important responsibility, Xue Pan behaved himself throughout the process, paid his respects in accordance with the etiquette system, and then refused to stay and walked out of Ningguo Mansion.

However, not far after leaving Ningguo Mansion, this guy bumped into Baoyu who was returning from school, so he immediately rode up to chat.

Immediately afterwards, he saw an old acquaintance, and the situation was awkward for a moment.

"It turns out to be Brother Feng, why are you in the capital too?" Xue Pan took the initiative.

"Do you know each other?" Baoyu was deeply surprised.

"We know you!" Feng Yuan said calmly.

After experiencing so many things, he has seen through many things. Now that he saw Xue Pan, his heart felt calm.

In fact, Feng Yuan couldn't say he hated Xue Pan. After all, if he hadn't complained to the Jinling Inspectorate, his life would have been in Yingtian Mansion Prison.

"So you know each other, so I don't need to introduce you!" Baoyu said with a smile.

"Brother Bao, Brother Feng...it's rare to get together today, let's go out for a drink!" Xue Pan extended the invitation.

"I still want to discuss knowledge with Brother Feng..."

Before Baoyu could finish speaking, Xue Pan interrupted: "We can talk about knowledge anytime, but it's not easy for us to get together!"

"In a few days, I will go back to Jinling. I don't know how long it will take to see me again!"

"Brother Xue is going back to Jinling?"

Xue Pan replied: "Yes...most of the errands given by the emperor and Prince Xiang's Mansion can only be done in Jinling!"

"Okay... let's go drink!"

After agreeing, Baoyu looked at Feng Yuan and asked, "Brother Feng... what do you think?"

Everyone in Jinling knew that the Xue family had a princess, and of course Feng Yuan also knew about it, so he couldn't refuse Xue Pan's invitation.

"Then I'll bother Brother Xue!" Feng Yuan replied.

Xue Pan smiled and said: "You and I don't know each other since we have never fought each other. Since you are willing to accept my love today, I can also apologize to you..."

"We don't know each other without fighting? Apologize? There is a story between you two!"

"Come on, tell me!" Baoyu became curious.

The three of them went to the banquet, and at this moment, outside the gate of Prince Xiang's Mansion, a group of people came to attend the appointment.

It was Ye Hemingen who came, and with him came a dozen guards, all of whom were armed.

When they arrived at the gate of Prince Xiang's Mansion, they were stopped and everyone had to dismount obediently.

The flag officer on duty at the door asked Ye Hemingen's identity, then turned around and entered the door to report to his superiors.

A few breaths later, a commander-in-chief came out and said to Ye Hemingen: "You are only allowed to bring two followers into the house, and you are not allowed to bring a knife!"

After listening to what his translator said, Ye Hemingen replied: "Okay!"

This is called having a clear mind, knowing that this is not a place for him to run wild, so Ye Hemingen simply agreed.

"Please!" The team leader and flag officer stepped aside.

Although Ye Hemingen knew a little Ming Dynasty Mandarin, in order to ensure absolutely smooth communication, he still brought a translator with him.

As for the remaining spot, he brought along the deputy envoy for this trip. As for the bodyguards, he didn't bring any of them.

A group of three people entered the gate, and there were already eunuchs waiting inside. When they arrived, they acted as guides.

At present, the Ming Dynasty, as the suzerain state, is the center of everything in the world. The nobles of various vassals, vassal states, tribes, alliances and chieftains all know the customs and customs of the Ming Dynasty to some extent.

Ye Hemingen knew that normally the reception would be in the main hall. To put it simply, just enter the gate and walk straight in.

But the eunuch who led the way took them east, which made Ye Hemingen extremely puzzled.

But he didn't know that to the east of the palace was the school grounds, where Zhu Jinghong was shooting arrows at the moment.

So when he entered the school grounds, he saw a young man, surrounded by guards, aiming his bow and arrow into the distance.

But where is the target?Ye Hemingen looked carefully, but found nothing.

He never imagined that the target Zhu Jinghong was aiming at was the orange on the pole at the other end of the school field.

If you don’t understand, just ask. Ye Hemingen asked his question, which was relayed by the translator to the eunuch leading the way.

Upon hearing the question, the young eunuch smiled contemptuously, then pointed into the distance and said, "If you see that orange, that's the target!"

After hearing what the translator said, Ye Hemingen muttered unconsciously: "How could this be a hit?"

Ye Hemingen knew that Zhu Jinghong was powerful, but he still didn't believe that he had such ability.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, the whizzing arrow flew out, hitting the yellow orange and bringing it to the ground.

"This……"

Ye Hemingen was surprised, and Zhu Jinghong's goal was achieved. He shot this arrow to show this person.

"Please!" The eunuch who led the way continued forward.

When Ye Hemingen approached, Zhu Jinghong also turned around and handed the bow to the guard Baihu on the side.

"Meet His Highness Prince Xiang!"

Even if Ye He Ming'en's father came, he would have to bow to Zhu Jinghong obediently, and as the young master of Ye He's tribe, he himself was no exception.

"No courtesy!" Zhu Jinghong said with a smile.

After Ye Hemingen stood up, Zhu Jinghong winked at the guard next to him, and the latter immediately took a bow.

Taking the bow and handing it to Ye He Ming'en, Zhu Jinghong said with a smile: "I have heard for a long time that Ye He's tribe is excellent in riding and shooting. Everyone on horseback is a good warrior. Can you let me see it today?"

Demonstrating riding and shooting, Ye Hemingen will certainly not have stage fright.

"His Royal Highness Prince Xiang is the best in the world in riding and shooting. The crude skills of foreign ministers can only be said to be embarrassing!"

Having said that, Ye Hemingen took the bow and walked towards the horse he had brought.

After touching the horse's back and legs, Ye Hemingen looked in the direction of the stables, and his eyes suddenly felt bright.

"Your Highness, this horse is not good... I want to change to that one!" Looking at the direction Ye Hemingen pointed, the two guards Baihu and the guards present all laughed.

Ye Hemingen didn't know the reason, but his eyes were firm. If he wanted to ride, he would ride the best horse.

"Bring Heifeng here!" Zhu Jinghong said calmly.

This horse was a gift from Shui Rong, and was now renamed "Black Wind" by Zhu Jinghong.

"Yes!"

Heifeng's personality was explosive, and the guards did not dare to approach him casually. Except for Zhu Jinghong, only two horse herders could approach him.

Soon the horse was brought, and it was just a close contact, and Ye Hemingen was not calm anymore.

Having been around horses since he was young, he knew that this was definitely a fierce horse and it was not easy to subdue it.

"Young Master, don't show off!" The accompanying deputy also realized the problem and immediately warned him.

However, Ye Hemingen wanted to be ashamed. He had already spoken out loud before, which forced him not to back down easily.

Yes, you can retreat, but you cannot retreat easily.

Moving forward steadily, Ye Hemingen took over the reins, and Black Wind snorted irritably.

"Hey..."

Ye Heming'en wanted to force himself forward, but Black Wind directly raised his strong hoof and pushed Ye Heming'en far away, almost even dropping the bow in his hand.

The guards present laughed even louder, and Zhu Jinghong had already sat on the chair, taking the tea handed by Yu Hai and watching quietly.

I saw Ye Hemingen put his bow on his back, and then leaned towards Heifeng again.

Seeing the right opportunity, Ye Hemingen pulled the saddle and stepped on the stirrups, and suddenly exerted force to get on the horse's back...

Unexpectedly, Hei Feng jumped up and threw Ye Hemingen out. Fortunately, he landed on his butt.

"Young Master, are you okay?" The deputy immediately approached.

If Ye Hemingen was good at anything, they would be guilty.

However, these had nothing to do with the guards. Everyone was still smiling happily at this moment, and they stopped only when Zhu Jinghong snorted coldly.

"Take Hei Feng back!"

"Yes!"

After giving this order, Zhu Jinghong stood up and walked towards Ye Hemingen, and asked with a smile: "Is it okay with you?"

"No... no problem!" Ye Hemingen was embarrassed.

I originally wanted to show my face, but now my butt is exposed, which is very disgraceful no matter how you say it.

"Change a horse!" Zhu Jinghong said again.

But Ye Hemingen stood up straight, bowed solemnly to Zhu Jinghong, and then held the bow in both hands and handed it forward.

"His Royal Highness is unparalleled in the world in riding and shooting. The foreign minister is truly convinced. How dare you continue to do whatever you want to do?"

Now Ye Hemingen was really convinced, so he gave up the idea of ​​fighting for his life.

Taking the bow, Zhu Jinghong calmly replied: "It's just rumors. The world is so big... there are countless people who can defeat me, and we don't know!"

"Forget it... I'm here to talk to you today. Sit here!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Ye Hemingen breathed a sigh of relief.

There were coffee tables and chairs on one side of the school grounds, and the two of them quickly took their seats.

Ye Hemingen also did not expect to be entertained here, but it was indeed a unique feeling.His Royal Highness Prince Xiang is indeed not an ordinary person, but I don’t know the purpose of inviting me here today... Ye Hemingen thought.

"I'm afraid it's not easy to come here. What scenery did you see on the way?"

In order to liven up the atmosphere, Zhu Jinghong first talked about some irrelevant things, and Ye Hemingen answered them one by one.

From what I saw on the road, to the customs of various Jurchen tribes, to the hardships in the far north...

Ye Hemingen said a lot of things, which really enriched Zhu Jinghong's knowledge.

"Since Ye He's tribe is in such difficulty, why do they still take the initiative to invite troops to march west to fight?" Zhu Jinghong asked the question at the right time.

"His Royal Highness is a real person, and the foreign minister will tell the truth..."

Ye Hemingen said this first, and this was indeed his intuitive feeling.

And it is indeed not easy to make people feel this.

Zhu Jinghong is able to do this thanks to his years of acting as a straightforward person, to the point where he has turned this state into instinct.

"Life in the tribe is really difficult now. Many livestock died in the winter last year. Last year, the severe cold hit again. Not only the livestock but also many people froze to death..."

"Nowadays, there is a lack of food and clothing everywhere in the clan. Not to mention raising warriors, even people can no longer survive..."

"So we thought that we could send troops to fight for the Ming Dynasty. Firstly, we can reduce food consumption. Secondly, we can earn some rewards. Thirdly, we can share some of the spoils..."

Ye Hemingen talked a lot, but none of it was related to "loyalty to the emperor and serving the country", which made Zhu Jinghong have to sigh that he is also an honest person.

"Is it really difficult for Ye Hebu to reach this level?" Zhu Jinghong asked in disbelief.

"It's difficult, it's difficult... Every day, people and livestock starve to death and freeze to death. The foreign minister's heart is bleeding..."

Yehebe is a place in the far north. In winter, the temperature is tens of degrees below zero. It is indeed normal to have a difficult life.

"I also hope that Your Highness can speak kindly to the foreign ministers, and please allow His Majesty the Emperor to grant my request. I would like to thank Your Highness on behalf of the people of the Ye He tribe!"

Speaking of the tragedy of the tribe, this resolute man in his 30s actually started to cry a little at this moment.

Zhu Jinghong stepped forward to help him up, and then said: "Please get up quickly... I will explain the reason to the Holy Emperor for you!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Ye Hemingen kowtowed again.

Next, the two of them chatted for a while, but mainly it was Ye Hemingen who was talking.

This guy explained the situation of Ye He's tribe in detail, and only then did Zhu Jinghong understand what suffering was.

In comparison, the tenants of the Ming Dynasty all lived a good life, and it was a miracle that Ye He's tribe was still alive.

After the conversation here, Zhu Jinghong invited Ye Hemingen to lunch.

During this period, the two of them had a good chat and drank several bottles of wine. Ye Hemingen was particularly touched by Zhu Jinghong's hospitality. He really said everything that should be said and should not be said.

In the end, the two of them had their own fun, and Ye Hemingen said goodbye and left, and invited Zhu Jinghong to visit Ye Hebu if he had the opportunity in the future.

After Ye Hemingen left, Zhu Jinghong also lay on the bed. He was a little dizzy after drinking too much wine, so he planned to take a nap first.

"Meet the princess!"

Hearing the sound outside, Zhu Jinghong knew that Baochai was coming, but he still didn't move at all while lying on the bed.

When he came to the bed and sat down, smelling the strong smell of alcohol on the bed, Baochai complained: "Drinking is harmful to the body. Why are you drinking so much?"

"I'm so happy!" Zhu Jinghong replied as he opened his eyes.

"I have something to tell you..."

"What's the matter?"

"Do you really want to take out 10 taels of silver at once?" Baochai asked.

Although the palace treasury was rich, Baochai felt extremely painful when he took out so much money at once.

In addition to feeling sorry for the money, she was more worried, fearing that all the money would eventually be lost. After all, Liu Xiang had never done business before.

"Give it to him!" Zhu Jinghong stared at Baochai and said.

"Do you trust that Liu Xiang so much?"

"Ok!"

Baochai asked again: "What if you look at him by mistake?"

She was thinking about Zhu Jinghong. Losing 10 taels of silver from the palace would severely damage her vitality.

Zhu Jinghong replied: "When doing big things, you can't look forward and backward. What's more, you just lost money, not your life!"

"It's only 10 taels..."

Although Baochai is smart, she is still far behind in terms of structure and ambition.

"You put it lightly, how hard is it to earn 10 taels!" Baochai said angrily.

Zhu Jinghong immediately said: "Without courage, there is no output. Only high risks can bring high returns!"

Sighing, Baochai said: "Now that you have made up your mind, I will go back and use the seal right away!"

(End of this chapter)