Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 2710 The Capital (68)

Chongwenmen in the capital used to be called Wenmingmen, also known as "Hademen".Because the word "Hade" is indecent, most literati use the homonym "Haidai".After the Jingnan Incident, Yongle Emperor Zhu Di moved the capital to Beiping, rebuilt the city, expanded the south city wall outwards, and still built the Civilization Gate, which became the hub of boats, vehicles, and merchants. Zhengtong rebuilt the Wengcheng four years later, and officially changed its name to Chongwenmen.However, the people in the capital still call it Hademen.

In the 31st year of Jiajing, in order to strengthen the defense of the capital, Luocheng was built in the south of the capital.Chongwenmen has since become the gate of the inner city.The newly built Luocheng has a vast area, and there were still patches of countryside until the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Chongwenmen is connected to the canal in the south, and goes to Tianjin in the east, and the tribute and daily necessities above all enter through it.It itself is under the protection of Luocheng, so the markets around Guanxiang are particularly prosperous.

The water of the moat is clear, there are bridges on the river, there are painted boats in the middle of the river, and trees and flowers are planted on both sides of the river.The green willows are facing the wind, and the red flowers are inviting the moon, which is very beautiful.In the Ming Dynasty, it was even a holy place for sightseeing.Leaving the city from Chongwenmen, there is a dirt road not far from the moat. There is no official name, but it is named after the place, called Chongwenmenwai Street.It was the "Flower City" of the capital in the Ming Dynasty.Flowers transported from Lugou Bridge and Caoqiao, as well as all kinds of "xiangsheng flowers" produced in the capital itself: paper flowers, silk flowers, velvet flowers, and grass flowers... also compete here.

Hua'er Market falls on the fourth day of every month. When Xiaoqian came to Chongwenmen, it was not in the market, and the streets were still bustling and bustling.Farmers in the southern suburbs and Luocheng send their own vegetables and fruits, chickens and ducks, and fish, shrimp and aquatic products from everywhere to sell here every day——Although this is also in the city, the tax card is set in Chongwenmen, Selling goods here, merchants and farmers pay less tax.

Xiaoqian was not the first time to come back to the capital. Like Min Zhanlian, he was born in the rivers and lakes.He was arrested and imprisoned in the Sun Umbrella Project, and after suffering a bit in prison, he was recruited by the Foreign Intelligence Service and became a member of the special service team.He is a native of Hejian Prefecture in Northern Zhili. He worked as a servant in the capital when he was young, so he is very familiar with the people in the capital.He was born with a baby face and looked very tender. Everyone called him "Little Qian", but he was actually in his forties.

He set off from Zhangjiawan early in the morning, posing as a servant of a wealthy family who went out to do errands, and hired a healthy mule for the journey.The sixty-mile journey was completed in one day, and we entered Nancheng in the evening.Quietly lodging in an inn on Chongwenmenwai Street.

Early the next morning, Xiaoqian changed his attire, pretended to be a merchant from out of town, and went to Juchunyuan Teahouse.

Chongwenmen is not only the customs office, but also the main entrance and exit. Inns, restaurants, teahouses, foot shops, carriages and horses are lined up on both sides of the street.

He arrived at the bridge outside the moat, and instead of crossing the bridge to enter the city, he walked eastward, and within a few miles, he saw a Taoist temple, the Taiping Palace, but the folks commonly called it the Pantao Palace.The surrounding scenery here is beautiful, and it is a tourist attraction in the capital.It's officially mid-winter now, and there are not many tourists, so it feels a bit deserted.The Juchunyuan Teahouse next to Guanqiantu Road is still buzzing with people.

Originally, there were not too few teahouses on this street, but this one was the largest.The shopkeeper of the teahouse is also surnamed Qian. Outside Chongwen Gate is a well-known "Voldelia", who is familiar with both black and white.

The teahouse is a courtyard with two entrances. There is a tall door frame on the side of the road, with a guise hanging, and a row of green wooden signs underneath, with various famous teas written in ink, such as West Lake Longjing, Maojian before the rain, sparrow clouds ...But most people in the capital don't pay much attention to drinking tea, and these famous teas are just for chatting.

There is a reed mat shed here, with more than a dozen scattered tables and stools, and two stoves are built on one side, one of which has staff baking sesame seed cakes all the time, and two large copper kettles on the other, steaming.Whenever the water boils, there is a whistle, which can be heard all over the street.

After the open-air seating, the front hall is located in the three main halls. The tables and chairs are more elegant than the outside, and they are all for people with a little status.As for the back hall, it is the site of literati, dignitaries and dignitaries, and ordinary people will not go there.

Although it is the middle of winter and the cold wind is fierce, there are still people sitting in the scattered seats - most of them are migrant workers or passing vendors. They sit here to take a break from the heat of the stove, drink a bowl of hot tea, and have a biscuit It doesn't cost much to feed your hunger.Fill your stomach and go on to make a living.

Xiaoqian walked through the reed mat shed, went up the steps and raised the thick cotton curtain, a hot air mixed with the smell of sweat, incense, meat, tea...all kinds of smells rushed towards his face.Immediately after, there was a hustle and bustle, pouring into his ears like a tide.

As soon as he entered the house, a guy greeted him:

"Sir, sir! Is this the first time you have come to Juchun Garden? How many of you..."

Xiaoqian said unhurriedly: "Find a quiet seat, a pot of incense sticks and two cups. Then make two sesame seed cakes." After speaking, he threw out a bunch of copper coins.

There are all kinds of people in the teahouse, so the waiters have the most vicious eyes, and they already know what they are after looking up and down.With a yell, he was led to a single table in a corner near the back door.

Xiaoqian took a glance, and the three rooms in the front hall were already filled with more than half of the people.Those who come to teahouses to drink tea are mostly ulterior motives.Some chat here to pass the time, and some come to discuss business, some talk about things, stretch fiber, protect the media, do teeth, buy and sell tickets... There are also many people who discuss life in the teahouse every day in this teahouse. People, fortune tellers, fruit sellers, shaves and haircuts, singing singers... all kinds of things, weird and bizarre.

He filled the two teacups with tea, slowly sipped the incense slices and ate the sesame seed cakes.Quietly observing the tea guests in and out of the hall.The teahouse is a place where people come and go, fish and dragons are mixed together.The geographical location of Juchun Garden is also doomed that most of the guests here are passers-by.Especially in these three front halls, it is the place where the Eight Immortals tables are set up to entertain the sixteen parties. His unfamiliar face will not attract the attention of others.

Not long after, a driver in a felt hat and a sheepskin jacket came over, bowed slightly to him, and asked with a strong Shandong accent: "Is this the old customer who came to hire a car yesterday?" Is it?"

Xiaoqian nodded slightly, and said, "You are the clerk of the car dealer? I don't have long legs, so I need to be familiar with the local roads."

"Yes, that's right, my name is Weiyuan." The driver bowed, "The capital is one prefecture and two counties, and the surrounding counties are familiar with the roads."

"Just wait for me for a while, and go over after I drink tea."

The coachman said: "The small car is outside, and the blue cloth car cover is hung with three copper coins and red ropes." Then he backed out.

Xiaoqian was not in a hurry to leave, and sat for a while.Seeing the opening of the door curtain, a middle-aged strong man came in, wearing a blue satin and fox fur felt hat with six-in-one warm ears, a green cloth straight embroidered, a cotton robe, a black satin belt, and a pair of felt boots.A "phase" dress.

As soon as he entered, the clerk raised his voice, "Master Qin is here!"

Before the words were finished, there was a commotion in the store, and people of all colors who were seated in the seats all got up and came over to say hello.The third master Qin just made a salute to return the salute, but he didn't agree with each other, and a pair of vulture eyes quickly passed over the people in the front hall.Then he walked slowly in four directions and sat down at the empty table in the middle.

All the tables in the teahouse are big and small Eight Immortals tables, only this one is rectangular.Facing the main hall gate.No matter how many tea guests come and go, no one ever sits down at the table.Xiaoqian knew that this was a "horse head table".Only the local "big master" can sit.

The guy immediately brought a pot of tea and two plates of candied fruit.

Third Master Qin took a sip of tea and wiped the short beard around his lips.Someone here already said hello.Xiaoqian knew that this third master Qin was the local snake in Luocheng, and the people from the rivers and lakes who had just arrived here had to visit the pier in order to "do business".

While he was perfunctory, he asked the waiter at the side: "Why is Liu Xiaozhu missing?"

"If you go back to the master, he hasn't come to the shop for two days," the waiter said. "Several masters have looked for him, even the family members have come here to look for him. He probably got drunk in a local prostitute's kiln somewhere."

"It's outrageous." Qin Sanye said, "It's a good job, but I'm barely a human being, and I don't cherish it. I really can't afford it!"

He thought for a moment, and said: "If he doesn't come today, tomorrow you will find Old Taoist Wu for me."

"Little one understands!" The clerk agreed, and just as he turned around to leave, Xiaoqian had come to the Matou table with a tea bowl, and said with a smile on his face, "Boss, please tea!" Hold the bottom of the bowl, bend the thumb and index finger of the left hand, and stretch the other three fingers straight to the tip of the right elbow.

"Boss invites tea."

Third Master Qin seemed to be a stranger, and he knew that he was a "colleague" from outside.This is a routine obeisance to the pier, and immediately Dao also picked up the tea bowl, made a modest respect, and asked:

"Dare to ask your surname, who is He Hongxi?"

"Don't dare, my surname is Qian, and I'm doing a small business. Now I'm working as a pot guy in Zhangjiawan, Tongzhou, and I have to go to Luocheng to do some business from time to time. I'm new here, and I have to ask the third master to take care of me."

Third Master Qin raised his eyebrows slightly, and said: "I shouldn't stop you from getting rich, but the weather is bad recently, with strong wind and rain. You can take care of yourself."

"Yes, thank you for your lesson, Third Master." Xiaoqian was very respectful.

"This is a carved plum from the south of the Yangtze River. It is very rare. Try one."

"Thank you, third master." Xiaoqian ate a carved plum, and said in a low voice: "There is something I want to ask third master the next day. I don't know if it is convenient for third master?"

"You just come here to find me. If you're not here, ask the buddy."

"Thank you, Mr. Third!" Xiaoqian took a few steps back respectfully, then turned around and left the teahouse.

Qin Sanye watched his back leave, and didn't pay much attention to it-there are people from the rivers and lakes visiting the pier every day, not to mention that he does business in Tongzhou, which is sixty or seventy miles away, and there is really no big business to do here in Luocheng , it will not disturb the fast-moving policemen of Shuntian Mansion.

(End of this chapter)