Smuggling Daming

On a bustling street on the north side of the Yongjiang River in Ningbo Port, Zhou Zhong led Wu Shan and a few others to enjoy the scenery on both sides of the street while walking.This is the residential area of ​​the port. There are all kinds of shops on both sides of the street. Pedestrians go in and out of those shops from time to time to buy the goods they need for their homes. Occasionally, some children will play and run past. It adds a bit of innocence and vitality to the bustling streets.

This bustling street is called Yongjiang North Street because it is close to the Yongjiang River and on the north side of the river. As the name suggests, there is also a Yongjiang South Street opposite the Yongjiang River. These two streets are the most prosperous streets in Ningbo Port. Not only is it full of shops, but also most of the residents of Ningbo Port live in the small alleys on both sides of the street.

Zhou Zhong led his people along Yongjiang North Street to the west, and stopped when they came to a small alley named Sanqing Lane. Then Wu Shan asked a small peddler selling scissors at the entrance of the alley. It was only then that they were finally sure that this was the place they were looking for.

"Sanqing Lane, the name is weird, why does it sound like the name of a Taoist temple?" Zhou Zhong looked at the name of the alley engraved at the entrance of the alley, and couldn't help talking to himself.The Chinese New Year is coming soon, today is the twentieth of the twelfth lunar month, which happens to be the tenth day, and the Ming court allows officials to rest on the tenth day of the month before and after the Chinese New Year, so Zhou Zhong is rarely required to go to work today.

Speaking of it, Ming Dynasty was the most harsh dynasty to officials. This is mainly because Zhu Yuanzhang was born in a poor family and hated officials in his bones. However, he had to stop at officials to govern the world, so he formulated a series of harsh conditions for officials. .For example, not only the salary was the lowest in all dynasties, but also the ten-day rest system in the Tang and Song Dynasties was abolished. It can be said that except for holidays such as the New Year and the Winter Solstice, officials have to go to work all year round.

However, no matter how harsh the system is, it can't stop the officials from coercion, and since Zhu Yuanzhang's death, the pressure on officials has been relaxed immediately. For example, in terms of vacations, not only the number of days of holidays has increased a lot.Moreover, in the month before and after the Chinese New Year, the imperial court also restored the ten-day rest system, and it was much more convenient to ask for leave than before.

Although Zhou Zhong has been in Ningbo for a long time, he didn't plan to celebrate the New Year in Ningbo, but planned to take a boat to Shuangyu Port the day before the New Year, after all, it was his home.Jinxuan and Zhuan'er were also waiting for him at home.But in this way, he was a little calm during the ten-day rest, so in the end he simply didn't stay at the place where he lived, and called Wu Shan and a few others to go out to visit friends.

"My lord, Mr. Tang lives in this Sanqing Alley. It is said that this alley used to be a Taoist temple. It just fell down and became such a small alley in the end. The name of the Taoist temple also became Lane Name." Hearing Zhou Zhong's words, Wu Shan smiled and said, "Don't look at him as tall and thick, but in fact he is as careful as a hair. Whenever Zhou Zhong goes anywhere, as long as he has time, he will inquire about the local people in advance." Condition.In order to avoid any surprises.

"So that's it!" Zhou Zhong couldn't help but laugh when he heard this, he remembered the original history.After Tang Bohu escaped from King Ning, he lamented that the world was unpredictable and his will was extremely depressed, so he took the title of "Liu Ru Jushi" for himself. It is said that it came from the Diamond Sutra of Buddhism, and Tang Bohu really liked Buddhism. , but I didn't expect him, a Buddhist, to live in a Taoist temple, which is really interesting.

When he met Tang Bohu for the first time in Shibosi, Zhou Zhong already had the intention of visiting each other, but at that time both of them were on business and the occasion was not right, so Zhou Zhong just asked Tang Bohu's residence and planned to change it. However, the Shibohu was busy taking over the taxation of Ningbo Port, and Tang Bohu was a newcomer in the officialdom. He had a lot to learn, and he didn't even take a break for the previous ten days. Zhou Zhong didn't know that Tang Bohu was at home until today. , so I came to visit.

The alley of Sanqing Alley is very narrow, and only five adult men can walk side by side. Zhou Zhong and the others entered the alley one after another, and soon came to a family in the innermost part of the alley. At that moment, Wu Shan knocked on the door. Very awake in the alley.

"Who is it?" A clear female voice asked from inside the door, followed by footsteps coming towards the door.

"Next week, Zhong is Mr. Tang's colleague in the officialdom. He is here to visit today!" Zhou Zhong replied personally. He knew that when Tang Bohu came to Ningbo to take office, he specially rushed to Suzhou to take care of his wife, Shen Jiuniang, and daughter Taosheng. Received Ningbo, and now their family of three lives here.

Hearing Zhou Zhong's answer, the woman inside seemed to pause for a moment, then immediately quickened her pace and rushed to the door to open it. When she saw Zhou Zhong, she immediately bowed and said, "Mr. Tang Shen pays homage to the admiral!"

When Zhou Zhong saw the beautiful woman who opened the door, he couldn't help being a little surprised. When he heard the other party's claim, he immediately realized that this woman was Tang Bohu's wife Shen Jiuniang. The strange woman who dared to hate, Tang Bohu was able to recover from the shock of the fraud case in the examination room and the departure of his wife, almost all depended on this woman in front of him.

Thinking of this, Zhou Zhong couldn't help showing a kind of respect to Shen Jiuniang, and immediately returned a salute and said, "It turns out that it is Mrs. Tang, and Zhou is visiting Mr. Tang in a private capacity today, so you don't need to call him an admiral." Just mention it, madam, just call me by my name."

"Mr. Zhou, you are being polite. Mr. Xiang is just taking a portrait of the little girl. Please follow me to the living room and wait!" Shen Jiuniang is also a delicate person, and she immediately understands Zhou Zhong's words. Of course, she dare not call Zhou Zhong by his name directly, so It is commensurate with the son.

Hearing that Tang Bohu was painting, Zhou Zhong said with great interest at the moment: "I have heard that Mr. Tang is both excellent in poetry and painting. I didn't expect to meet him painting today. I don't know if Zhou can come in and have a look, but Mrs. Tang don't worry. We just watch and don't talk, and we will definitely not disturb Mr. Tang!"

Hearing that Zhou Zhong wanted to watch her husband paint, Shen Jiuniang thought for a while and finally nodded and said: "That's it, Mr. Zhou, please come with me, Mr. Zhou and my daughter are in the study!"

Although the courtyard where Tang Bohu lived was not big, it was very delicate and well cleaned. In the open space in front of the right wing room there were a few bamboos and Chinese roses. Although it was winter, the climate in Ningbo was warm, so Still alive and well.It can be seen that Shen Jiuniang is a woman who is very good at housekeeping. It is a great blessing for Tang Bohu to meet her.

The so-called study room is actually the compartment on the west side of the main room. Zhou Zhong followed Shen Jiuniang into the study room, and immediately saw Tang Bohu in casual clothes standing behind the desk, concentrating on painting. The little girl with braids is sitting on a chair and playing with a wooden pony, she looks extremely cute and cute.

Tang Bohu was extremely attentive when he was painting, and he didn't notice that there were a few more people in the study. The little girl saw Zhou Zhong and the others, but she came in with her mother when Zhou Zhong came in, so she didn't make any noise. Zhou Zhong saw how cute the little girl was , reminded him of Duo'er at home, so he deliberately winked at the little girl, causing her to "giggle" and laugh.

Zhou Zhong was afraid of disturbing Tang Bohu's painting, so he went around the desk lightly, stretched his neck to watch, and found that a lively and lovely little girl had appeared on the good drawing paper on the table, and he was about to finish the job .Later generations Tang Bohu is most famous for his paintings of ladies. Although he only paints a little girl now, he still has the same features, showing the demeanor of a generation of masters.

In fact, Zhou Zhong didn't know how to paint, and even his appreciation level of paintings was very low. The reason why he came forward to appreciate Tang Bohu's paintings in such a hurry was nothing more than curiosity. I have seen Tang Bohu paint with my own eyes.

Tang Bohu focused on painting, and the speed of painting was extremely fast. After a while, he added the last few strokes of the little girl on the painting, and the result made the little girl on the painting seem to come alive all of a sudden. It is exactly the same as the little girl playing with the wooden horse in front of the table.

"Good painting, I've heard that Mr. Tang's painting skills are unparalleled, and I saw him today is really extraordinary!" Zhou Zhong watched Tang Bohu finally write the inscription and postscript for the painting, and then he finally spoke in admiration. In fact, he didn't know painting at all, but since this The picture is from Tang Bohu's hand, so it must be the same.

As soon as Zhou Zhong opened his mouth, Tang Bohu was taken aback. When he turned around, he realized that there were a few more people in the room, and the leader was Zhou Zhong. : "Subordinate Tang Yin sees the admiral!"

Seeing that Tang Bohu was so polite, Zhou Zhong laughed and said, "Your Majesty Tang is too polite. Mr. Zhou has already told Mrs. Tang that this time Mr. Zhou is visiting in a private capacity. Don’t mention those titles, and Mr. Tang and Jiayue are old friends, so Mr. Tang is still the elder of Mr. Zhou, so according to the etiquette, Mr. Zhou should salute Mr. Tang!”

As soon as Zhou Zhong's words fell, Shen Jiuniang suddenly laughed, and then said: "Mr. Zhou keeps saying that he doesn't mention the official title, but why does he address Mr. Xiang as an adult?"

"Huh?" Zhou Zhong was taken aback when he heard this. He was too busy talking about others, but he forgot himself. He is in his 30s, so Zhou Zhong didn't know what to call him for a while?

Tang Bohu is also a free and easy person. Hearing the conversation between Zhou Zhong and his wife, he immediately smiled and said: "Since the admiral said so, I don't think it's better than this. Tang, like Jiuniang, called him Mr. Zhou, and he also called him Mr. Zhou." Don’t worry about my friendship with Brother Wang, let’s talk about our own, and adults can just call me by my name!” (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations, monthly tickets, your support , is my greatest motivation.)