golden scales

"Why do you think the Crown Prince hasn't entered the city yet?"

"I heard that the army is being mobilized, and the officials in the city who defected to the enemy will be liquidated."

"What about us ordinary people? Do we want to punish Daming after we have done harm to the Tartars?"

"The common people are probably fine. Didn't the Shuntian Mansion issue a notice to appease the people, saying that they want to commend the loyal people and comfort the refugees. Those who wear hair are called loyal people, and we who are forced to shave their heads are called refugees." An old man said in a low voice.

"I don't know if this is true or not..."

"Why not true? Although it bears the emperor's seal, it is actually Taiwei Xingjun's decree."

"The Bai family who sells medicinal materials in Dongzhimen, the old man is over 90, and he said he was going to see his ancestors with his hair on. He slept in a coffin in the cellar and didn't come out all day. Didn't there be a fourth-rank official in the past two days? Are you going to see him with money? It has been spread all over the neighbors." A sharp and high-pitched voice explained, with the appearance of a loyal Ming Dynasty.

"Golden teapot, you don't mix any water, just talk there, my father has been waiting for a long time!" Someone shouted dissatisfied.

The doctor of tea, who was called the golden teapot, ran over in short steps, made up his smile, and mixed water, but was still thinking about the entry of the crown prince's army into the city.He listened to these old tea drinkers for a while, and silently counted the teas sold early this morning in his heart, secretly thinking that it was time for the world to be stable.

When Man Qing was there, there were tea customers in twos and threes, and only old customers who were used to drinking tea would come.If you can sell ten bowls of tea in one morning, it is considered a big profit.After the Qing Dynasty left, more and more people came to drink tea. Forty or fifty bowls could be easily sold in a morning, and the number of customers increased day by day.

"Actually, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can't come back now. Didn't you see the stone plaque of 'Great Qing Gate' hanging behind Zhengyang Gate? It has to be re-engraved." Some folk analysts said: "It can't be Let the crown prince come back through the door of the Qing Dynasty."

"Hey, what a coincidence! It happened that my uncle was a stonemason. One day, he was detained by the Tartars in the inner city, saying that he wanted to carve a plaque, and it happened to be carved with the words 'Great Qing Gate'. Listen to my uncle, the Tartars I don’t pay much attention to it, just turn over the stone plaque of Daming Gate and use it.” There was an idle voice like telling a story, spreading folk news.

The others laughed, saying that this really ruined a good stone, and that these Tartars were deliberately trying to make people uncomfortable, and the topic spread out in a short while.

The golden teapot carried the teapot and wandered among the tea guests, with a flattering smile on his face, but he silently remembered these words in his heart.Until noon, when the tea customer either ordered a meal or went home to eat, he could finally go to the backyard to rest for an hour with this big teapot.The golden teapot returned to her small broken room, pulled out a box from under the bed, and opened it gently, revealing the bottles and jars inside.

After skillfully blending, the golden teapot wrote down the three things he heard from yesterday afternoon to this morning with the ink he had blended.When he finished writing the first two items, he hesitated for a moment, and wrote that the stone plaque of Daqing Gate was engraved by turning over the stone plaque of Daming Gate.After the three things were written, the golden teapot was carefully sealed in an envelope, and found a chance to hide it under the bluestone pedal at the back door of the teahouse.

The golden teapot is very curious about who is taking away the information every day, and he has also seen it secretly.However, that person was very vigilant, as long as the golden teapot was hiding and peeking, he would never show up to get information.And at the end of the month, the golden teapot was deducted a tael of silver monthly money, and was warned once.

Five taels of silver!This really hurt the golden teapot, and I never thought about it again.

Speaking of which, it would be good for the Crown Prince to enter the city sooner, so that he can confidently get rid of the fate of carrying a pot with water, use his savings over the years, buy a house, and do some small business...Of course, if Jinlin Society is willing to ask him to I am also happy to sell them the news.

These people are trustworthy, and they will not be too harsh on the news, even if someone's wife steals someone, they are willing to pay money.To cooperate with them, as long as you keep your mouth and eyes, and don't talk or look, it's still very comfortable.

I'm afraid this is also the voice of the outsiders of every Golden Scale Society.

……

While the people all over the world were staring at the emperor's throne in Beijing, Chongzhen slowly returned to Beijing at a speed of fifty miles a day.It's not that he doesn't want to go back sooner, but under the influence of Confucian classics, the emperor himself always has a sense of guilt that he has done everything for himself.

If Zhu Cihong went directly to Beijing, he would not be unhappy, and was even very happy that the choice was with Zhu Cihong and not with him.As long as he is not allowed to make decisions, no matter what happens in the future, he feels acceptable.To put it simply, Chongzhen is still unwilling to take responsibility and lacks the character of taking responsibility.

Now that his son was waiting for him in Tianjin, and the people all over the country looked up at him, Chongzhen had no choice but to bite the bullet and return to Beijing. Accepting the honor his son brought him was also the only chance to wash away his shame.

The accompanying officials were all very happy, and wished they could go to Tianjin by boat.However, the sea still has incomparable power to them, especially in 17 when Beijing officials fled abroad, a shipwreck occurred in Tianjin, sinking more than [-] ships, and countless dead, which made them even more terrified.

Today's land roads are smooth and safe. After the chaos, the people of the Northland feel at ease and just want to have enough to eat.The administrative officials stationed in the East Palace may not be as talented as the officials before the national change, and the clerks in some counties can't even read all the words, but their work efficiency is much higher than that of the previous officials.

Li Yuzhi had been the Minister of the Ministry of Officials for many years, and when he was about to retire, he finally joined the chief assistant.When everyone thought he was a nominal chief assistant, he opened his cloudy eyes and saw the world clearly.

"In the past 2000 years, officials have only righteousness and no program. People have to meet a good official, and they are lucky for three years. When they encounter corrupt officials, they will be unlucky for three years. Now that the East Palace is gifted by God, how will it be an official and what will it do? , What is the assessment, clearly stated, even those who are talented, with a little teaching, can follow the scriptures, compare them one by one, and make people's livelihood safe." Li Yuzhi dictated slowly, and asked his students to write down.

After the age of 80, Li Yuzhi's eyes became more and more cherished, and his letters were written by students and grandchildren on weekdays.This letter was sent to old friends in Nanjing, asking them to recommend those with ordinary qualifications to take the female Dingke, and to be selected as officials instead of squeezing the single-plank bridge of the imperial examination.

Compared with the competitive examination of the imperial examination, which takes three to 400 people from all over the world, the education level examination and various vocational examinations are simple and human.It is no longer a entanglement of selecting the best from the best, but using one's ability according to one's ability, which undoubtedly provides a way for the vast majority of people who have studied but have not studied well to become officials.

Seeing that people who once looked down upon have become magistrates and participated in politics, who can not be jealous?Is Jinshi the most admired person in Ming Dynasty?

No!It's an official!

The reason why Jinshi is valued is because the promotion channel for Jinshi officers is smoother, and they can directly reach the dream of an extremely high-ranking minister.If the way the Tian family selects scholars is biased towards Guozijian and female Dingke, then the subjects that receive attention will naturally turn to supervisors.

Zhu Cihong couldn't say such words too bluntly, otherwise he would be fighting against all Jinshi and those who had the confidence to take the Jinshi exam.On the contrary, if Li Yuzhi, a detached veteran of the four dynasties, said it, it would seem objective and fair, and there is a faint meaning of instructing future generations.What's more, he has a lot of connections with Donglin, and the southeast scholars who are the most opposed to the female Dingke dare not speak nonsense.

Now it is catching up with the restoration of Shenjing, and there are rumors that the imperial court will open Enke.Regardless of whether this news is true or not, it has triggered many scholars from the south of the Yangtze River to go to the north.Newspapers in the south of the Yangtze River also advocated that Shandong and other places were under the rule of Antai, which was indeed a trend of great prosperity after the chaos.Although scholars in the Ming Dynasty had the habit of talking loudly, seeking truth from facts was the basic bottom line. They all hoped to see for themselves whether the "rule of tigers and wolves" was true.

"Now that I'm in Tianjin, the signs of a chaotic and doomsday have really faded away, and it seems that there will be a chaotic world." On the official road, three four-wheeled carriages that can be called luxurious are driving slowly.In the last car sat two noblemen, about fifty years old, but with a hint of stubbornness in their appearance, they were obviously not in the officialdom.

After the man finished speaking, he suddenly sighed again and said, "Da Ming's strength is not exhausted, but my Zhang family may not be able to have a century-old family again."

"Why is the elder brother so pessimistic? The world is established, and there will always be a time when my family can rise again." The other person laughed and said, "Come and drink!" He took the jug from the front panel, poured himself a drink, and laughed: "With these four-wheeled vehicles, it's much easier to travel."

Zhang Zongzi glanced at his cousin who didn't know how to feel sad, and then turned his gaze to the outside of the car again.After the four-wheeled carriage appeared in Jiangnan, it was immediately loved by wealthy and powerful families.Not because of its high quality, but because it represents a kind of status.In the late Ming Dynasty, although there were no people fighting for wealth like Shi Chong and Wang Kai, comparisons between them were unavoidable.

Now that I bought a four-wheeled carriage, if I can't take it out for a stroll, wouldn't it be the dark pearl of Jin Yi Ye Xing?But who in their right mind would endure violent jolts, smash their teeth and swallow it?So, of course, they did what the Crown Prince would have liked them to do.

build roads.

Among the squires in the Ming Dynasty, there were not many real fish and meat villages.The mainstream is still to benefit the hometown, and one day when the prestige is enough, he will be carried into the Xiangxian Temple and admired by generations.The main projects here are free warehouses, free schools, bridge repairs, and road paving.Generally speaking, free warehouses are a game for real rich families, while smaller gentry like free learning.Let the children of the family enjoy the benefits, and if there is one who wins the exam, the whole family will be able to flourish.

Building bridges and paving roads is a public project. Not only wealthy households, but even households with food and clothing will participate.

However, the road needed for a four-wheeled carriage is not an ordinary dirt road. It must have a foundation and a hardened road surface.Because this kind of "highway" is also an official assessment, officials from all over the country heard that someone is willing to contribute, so they are naturally willing to provide technical requirements.Moreover, regardless of the increase in cost, it seems to be biting and not letting go.

This can be regarded as the highest limit that Jiangnan officials can do when they are fighting with each other.As for the construction of water conservancy, measuring the acres of land, clarifying the household registration... these things are really too difficult for them.

The Zhang family was a wealthy family in Shaoxing Prefecture. Zhang Zongzi’s great-great-grandfather was taboo to buy watches, and he was an official in Yunnan as the deputy envoy of the inspector, and in Gansu as the imperial servant. Zhan Shifu Zuo Yude.Grandfather Zhang Rulin, a Jinshi in the 23rd year of Wanli, went to Guangxi to participate in the council.His father, Zhang Yaofang, was born in the deputy list, and is the right long history of Lu Wangfu.

If such a family goes out without a four-wheeled carriage, they will definitely be laughed at.Moreover, Zhang's extravagance and prosperity are among the best in Zhejiang.Nowadays, four-wheeled carriages are not only worth thousands of gold, but also in short supply. Mrs. Zhang can easily pull out three carriages, which shows how rich she is!

Not only that, in order to travel unimpeded in the city.The Zhang family also invested in the renovation of the roads in the entire Shanyin and Kuaiji counties, all in accordance with the regulations of the East Palace, without any tricks.And because Shaoxing is a city of water, there are many bridges in the city, and some bridges are too narrow for horse-drawn carriages to pass.

Before and after this, Zhang rarely said that he spent no less than tens of thousands of taels of silver, but as far as his family status was concerned, it did not hurt his bones at all.

"Zongzi, judging from this road, the officials in the south are far inferior to those Dingke officials in the north." The old naughty boy who had a sip of wine increased his interest, and he didn't know how to hide his words: "After passing Shandong, the roads It is straight and flat. We should really take a boat in Hangzhou, take the sea to Shandong, and then transfer to the carriage."

"How can a nobleman brave the turmoil at sea? Finally, he has come over, but it is really troublesome to replace the car beam." Zhang Zongzi pouted forward.

The beams of the carriage couldn't stand the bumps, and two of them were broken. It was really troublesome to find the parts, and it took a long time to buy them in Nanjing.Each one cost nearly 200 taels of silver, but Zhang Zongzi didn't feel the slightest heartache.

"If you take the sea route, you won't be able to see the changes in people's livelihood along the way." Zhang Zongzi said again.

The cousin next to him was about to speak when he felt that the carriage slowed down and stopped, and he couldn't help knocking on the trap in front of him.

The driver in front pulled the trap open and said, "Master, the car in front has stopped, it seems that someone is blocking the way."

Zhang Zongzi glanced out against the cold glass, and suddenly jumped up, about to open the door and get out of the car.

The coachman was also taken aback, jumped out of the car and opened the door for Zongzi Zhang.

Zongzi Zhang pulled his brother and said, "Get out of the car quickly, it is King Lu Qiansui who is here."

The two hurriedly got out of the car, walked towards a slightly overweight middle-aged man, and hurriedly saluted: "If you have any orders from Qiantui, just ask the servants to summon you. How can you do it yourself?" Because Zhang Zongzi's father Because of this, Zongzi Zhang has a very good relationship with King Lu.When King Lu took refuge in Shaoxing, he also visited Zhang's other courtyard to play and play, but he didn't see him.

"You two come with me." Lu Wang's expression was tangled, he stopped after taking two steps and turned around: "Don't be too presumptuous."

Zhang Zongzi was surprised by this, so he had to follow a few steps, and when he looked up, he saw a tall and mighty man, wearing a brown cloak, with the iron armor faintly exposed inside, he was obviously a general with a high status in the army.The general didn't dismount when he saw King Lu, which surprised Zhang Zongzi and didn't know what to call him for a while.

The general saw Zongzi Zhang, but he was not arrogant, turned over and cupped his hands: "Your Excellency is Zongzi Zhang Dai, Shaoxing?"

Zhang Dai hastily replied, "It's the late birth. Dare I ask the general your name."

"Please come forward." The general did not declare his family background, but asked Zhang Dai to follow King Lu to the front.

"This is my cousin Zhang E and Zhang Yanke. I wonder if you are being rude?" Zhang Dai hurriedly asked when the general stopped his cousin.

The general glanced at Zhang E and said, "It's okay, let's go together."

The four of them walked side by side, and a circle of elite soldiers soon surrounded them.Their steps were consistent, they stepped on the ground with a sound, and they coughed without whispering, which really opened Zhang Dai's eyes.

When I got to the side of the hill, I saw a pavilion with two people in it.Standing and sitting, they are all wearing blue cotton robes, like ordinary scholars coming out to swim.However, the pavilion is surrounded by secret whistles all around and even on the top, it is really scary to show a person's face inadvertently.

At this point, Zhang Dai naturally knew the identity of the owner of the room, so he didn't dare to be careless, and he was about to kneel down before going forward.

"Mr. Die'an, you don't need to be too polite, just sit down and eat meat." Zhu Cihong waved his hand far away, telling him to come forward.

Although Zhang Dai was exempted from kneeling and prostrating, he did not dare to sit in front of the crown prince so carelessly, bowed to the end, and did not dare to address him indiscriminately.

"You are welcome, you are the grandson of heaven, and I am also the grandson of heaven, enough to sit opposite each other." Zhu Cilang said with a smile.

Hearing this, Zhang Dai was so frightened that his hairs stood on end, and he had to kneel if he didn't kneel.He has four names: Tao An commemorates his mother Tao Shi; Die An is a self-proclaimed romantic, quite frivolous; Tian Sun is to commemorate his great-grandfather Tian Fu; Appear.

The emperor is the son of heaven, isn't Zhu Cihong the grandson of the emperor?

"It's no fun if you kneel down like this." Zhu Cihong fiddled with the barbecue, took a meat skewer and handed it to the young man standing beside him.

The young man glanced at Zhang Dai, put it in his mouth with a smile, and signaled Zhang Dai not to be restrained.

Zhang Dai was originally a wealthy and dissolute man, so he didn't know how to be restrained.It's just that people are attracted by the secular world after all, how can they hold on when they see the face of "the grandson of heaven"?Even Zhang E, who is known for his exuberance, is now like an eggplant that has been beaten by frost, with his head drooping.

"I have read your articles, and I especially like the kind of unscrupulous bullying of men and women, so I stopped and waited for you." Zhu Cihong said with a smile: "If you treat me like this, I have no choice but to go back early. "

Zhang Dai got up quickly, stepped forward and saluted again: "Bad works are degrading to respect, I am really frightened."

"The great antiques of China, the great kiln wares of Yongle, and the Pagoda of Repayment... This kind of sound of gold and stone is rare in my dynasty." Zhu Cihong handed him the meat skewers and smiled slightly.

Zhang Dai finally felt relieved, took the meat skewers and ate them.

"You're back in Tianjin, are you going to Beijing?" Zhu Cihong didn't care about King Lu and Zhang E beside him, and only talked to Zhang Dai.

"Zhang is not talented, this time he came to Beijing with His Royal Highness King Lu to increase his knowledge." Zhang Dai said.

Zhu Cilang looked at Lu Fan and smiled: "Is Lu Fan already here?"

King Lu Zhu Yihai was startled, hesitated, and asked after a long time, "Why did Your Highness say that?" (To be continued.)