Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Zhu Ming inquired about the situation carefully and found out that the governor of Kaifeng was messing around. He was a little dissatisfied with Sheng Zhang.

He didn't know what the other party was doing, so he had to comfort him for a while and asked the Li family to stay at the inn first.

The next day, Ju Ming paid a visit to Duke Kang's mansion and presented him with black tea, a stove and briquettes.

Duke Kang Guo and Prince Consort Qian Jingzhen accompanied their wives to burn incense at Xiangguo Temple. The young prince Qian Chen was responsible for receiving Ju Ming.

After talking about the Li family's affairs, Ju Ming asked: "This Li Jihui (Li Wei's concubine) has no other relatives to support him? He allowed himself to be humiliated by the governor of Kaifeng."

Qian Chen smiled and said, "He has relatives. Li Jihui's second brother happens to be my third brother-in-law."

Ju Ming: "..."

Qian Chen introduced: "Li Zhang, the eldest brother of the consort Li Wei, commanded envoys in front of the palace and gave posthumous gifts to the Taiwei. Li Zhang liked to collect books during his lifetime, and all his money was used to buy books. After his death, he had no money to pay for funerals, so he asked the court to borrow books. Three thousand strings."

"The second brother Li Xun was promoted to the magistrate of Xiangzhou, and the family moved to Xiangzhou to settle down."

"The third brother, the fourth brother, the fifth brother, the seventh brother, and the eighth brother are all guards of the inner palace. The descendants of these people are now just officers of the Imperial Guard."

"Li Wei and the princess had no children. From his eldest brother Li Zhang, he adopted an heir, who was renamed Li Sihui. Li Sihui also had no children. He died young in his prime and became the governor of Rongzhou. He adopted another son and renamed him Li Chenghui. They are my three sons. Brother-in-law. My third brother-in-law also died young, leaving only one daughter who married into a branch of the royal family."

"The Li Jihui who is crying to you is the concubine of the consort. He was given the status of heir by Emperor Zhezong and inherited the mansion of the princess and the consort. He once served in the Nei Lv Mansion and was a fourth-grade military attaché."

Ju Ming combed through the information carefully and roughly understood what was going on.

The old man Li Jihui came crying. His uncle's family had declined, and he could not even pay for funeral expenses after his death. His descendants could only live by selling off his massive collection of books.

The second uncle's family moved to Xiangzhou, and they may have stopped contacting him long ago.

The remaining uncles and uncles are just ordinary palace guards, and their descendants can only be officers of the imperial army. Their lives are really miserable.

As for Li Jihui himself, he once served as an official in the imperial government. However, Nei Lingfu is an official in the East Palace, and Song Huizong established the crown prince not long ago, which shows that he was an official in the East Palace a long time ago and has nothing to do with Song Huizong.

The emperors and courtiers have changed several times in one dynasty. How can there be any favor left?

Ju Ming asked: "How is Li Jihui's conduct?"

Qian Chen said: "It's quite unbearable. I occupy such a large mansion. I would rather leave most of it vacant than take in my dilapidated cousin. This man has no ability and makes a living by selling his father's calligraphy, paintings and collection of books."

Qian Chen's words were somewhat filled with personal grudges.

Li Jihui's identity as heir was obtained after the death of Qian Chen's third brother-in-law. At that time, he and his third sister were in a very unhappy situation - fighting over the house worth hundreds of thousands of dollars!

Qian Chen smiled and said: "Since the official family has given me a house, I will accept it if I succeed. No one will speak for Li Jihui. If his relatives hear the news, they will probably just gloat."

"I understand," Zhu Ming cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, young master, for clearing up the confusion."

The two chatted for a while, no longer talking about this matter, and turned to poetry and articles.

It was almost noon when the prince consort and the princess went home to pay homage to the Buddha.

"Junior Ju Ming, pay homage to Duke Kang and pay homage to Emperor Lingde!" Ju Ming bowed solemnly.

Qian Jingzhen smiled and said, "Success, please take a seat."

Ling De Diji originally looked down on Ju Ming's background, but when she saw him young and handsome, she suddenly felt a little fond of him: "Can success ever get married?"

Ju Ming said: "Never."

Ling De Diji said: "I still have a daughter under my knees, who is not yet underage. She can make a marriage contract first."

Zhu Ming declined politely: "Juniors dare not make the decision on marriage matters. They must ask my father for instructions first."

Qian Jingzhen blinked wildly at his wife. He only had a concubine and was still unmarried. He might offend someone by proposing marriage randomly.

Ju Ming immediately changed the subject, took out the black tea and said, "This junior has been in Tokyo for a long time, and he should have paid a visit long ago. But he is short of money and can't bring out any gifts. It just so happens that my father brought tea this time."

Qian Jingzhen smiled and said: "Yangzhou is rich in good tea, I think it will be a good product."

Ju Ming said: "This tea is made by my father. It is different from ordinary tea. Can you let the slave boil water and let me demonstrate it?"

Ling Dediji had nothing to do all day, and she liked such strange things, so she immediately asked her servants to bring in stoves and charcoal.

Several tea cups were placed, and after the water boiled, Ju Ming began to make tea.

"Loose tea?" De Diji was a little disappointed.

Ju Ming smiled and said: "It's different from loose tea. Is there any sugar in the Duke's tea?"

"The officials gave some rewards." Qian Jingzhen asked someone to bring sugar.

Ju Ming said while adding sugar: "You can drink it with or without sugar. If you add sugar, you can also add some boiled goat milk."

After the tea leaves were brewed, Qian Jingzhen tasted it and said, "The soup is bright red in color and crystal clear. I have never seen this before."

The water temperature was slightly cool, Qian Jingzhen took a sip, and there was no sugar: "The taste is soft and delicate, sweet and mellow, without any astringency. The fragrance is fresh and not dull. This... must be the best tea, but It’s also very different from Tuan Cha.”

Ling Dediji drank the sweetened version and said with a smile: "Good tea!"

Qian Chen also took a sip and couldn't help but ask: "Where can I buy this tea?"

Ju Ming said: "This tea has not yet been put on the market. My father brought some to Beijing and planned to give it to the officials. Each of the chamberlains and imperial guards who returned to Beijing had ten kilograms in their hands. You can buy it from them. In addition, there is also a tea in Yangzhou. Green tea is grown and made by my father.”

Qian Jingzhen praised: "Your Majesty must be the master of tea. No wonder he is favored by the officials."

Ju Ming added: "After the black tea is presented to the officials, the production will be greatly increased."

Dean Zhu has a cautious personality, taking one step at a time and looking at three steps, and black tea is the key.

If Song Huizong likes this thing, he will definitely order the establishment of an imperial tea garden in Yangzhou, and Zhu Guoxiang can take the opportunity to return to preside over the tea service, and escape from Tokyo to live happily ever after.

Black tea has become tribute tea, which will definitely disturb the place.

But if it is left to Zhu Guoxiang, the level of harassment can be controlled, and everyone can even make money together, and can also take the opportunity to expand the power of the Zhu family.

When the time comes, Zhu Guoxiang asks to step down. Why don't the latecomers exploit him like crazy?

Comparing the two, Dean Zhu is simply unmatched in benevolence and righteousness.

At that time, when the Zhu family's father and son ascended the mountain and shouted, tens of thousands of people would follow him. Even Yangzhou landowners may follow in the rebellion, and the first target of attack is Caosixingya (the tribute tea management agency).

Zhu Guoxiang wrote all these plans in his letters in pinyin.

Ju Ming rode back and when he arrived at the door of his house, he saw Li Jihui.

This little old man was pitiful and groveled to greet me.

However, Ju Ming had no sympathy for him because he learned a lot of inside information from Qian Chen.

Li Jihui first fought for the real estate with his brother's widow, and the lawsuit went all the way to Song Zhezong. He doesn't have many children and grandchildren, only a dozen or so including his wives and concubines. How can he live in a house worth hundreds of thousands of dollars? However, when his cousin, who was in decline, asked to live in his house, he refused to give him a penny and even asked his servants to drive him out.

Of course, occupying other people's houses is really detrimental to reputation, and Ju Ming will definitely not do it.

"Old sir, I have inquired clearly," Ju Ming dismounted and said, "Your house was indeed given to my father by the official family. How can a gentleman dominate other people's houses when he is standing in the world? I will go to the palace tomorrow to ask the saint The officials take back their orders!"

Li Jihui was startled: "Don't... don't alarm the officials. I am willing to give up the house. I just want some money to buy it. When the late emperor gave the house to him, it cost 300,000 yuan to build it. When I sell it to you, I only charge 100,000 yuan." Through."

Spend 100,000 yuan to buy a house?

What nonsense.

Ju Ming said: "My family is poor and I can't even afford ten thousand guan, not to mention one hundred thousand guan. Old sir, don't worry. When I come to the palace to meet the saint, I will definitely ask the officials to take back my life."

"Eighty thousand dollars!" Li Jihui began to lower the price.

He absolutely did not dare to ask for that house again, because the emperor had already issued an edict, and with Song Huizong's face-hungry character, he would definitely not be able to take advantage of it when the time came.

Even if the emperor doesn't say anything, Shengzhang, who is responsible for handling this matter, will put his family in a dilemma of life and death.

Li Jihui did not dare to offend the emperor, nor did he dare to offend Sheng Zhang, but he dared to come to Ju Ming to cry. Because Ju Ming has a very good reputation, he is polite, incorruptible, and neither greedy nor possessive.

To put it bluntly, bully the weak and fear the strong!

"Old gentleman, don't ask for money," Zhu Ming pulled Li Jihui and left. "Let's go into the palace now. I will definitely help the old gentleman get the house back!"

Li Jihui was scared to death: "No, no need to go...just give me 50,000 guan."

Ju Ming sighed: "I really have no money. If I had money, could I still share a house with my friends?"

Li Jihui said: "The officials will definitely reward your father. We can't afford 50,000 yuan now. We can wait another two years. Just write a deed to buy the house on credit."

Ju Ming pretended to think for a moment: "How about this? Since the official gave the house to me, my father and son can't resist it. But it is the old man's house, and there is no reason to take it by force. It cost 300,000 yuan to build the house, and it must be spacious. , it was more than enough to accommodate two families. So we divided the house into two, with my father and son living on one side, and the old gentleman living on the other. As for the house deed, I rewrote a new one and gave it to the old gentleman privately. My father and son are living in the old gentleman’s house. Home."

Can I still get the house deed back?

Li Jihui was so excited that he was trembling all over, and at the same time he felt scared. If this news spread, would it anger the officials?

Ju Ming said: "If you give it privately, the official family has nothing to do with it."

Li Jihui still couldn't resist the temptation, and said with tears of gratitude: "I have lived half my life, and now I know that there are really benevolent and righteous people in the world!"

Ju Ming did this just to support his hopes.

What did he come to Tokyo for?

Can you make money selling briquettes? Or is it to get a mansion worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for nothing?

neither!

The first is to accumulate connections, the second is to accumulate popularity, and the third is to obtain official resources.

He had no interest in that mansion, and he didn't even dream of rebels. He could give up a city or a place, so what were a few shabby houses?

But you must move in and live in a sojourn manner.

If you spread it secretly and deliberately, it will be a good talk all over the world, and it will be written into the history books!

This kind of reputation seems useless, but it can attract a lot of talents when the army is raised in the future. Even hostile forces would admire him and his son for being able to pull off a lot of cool moves.

No matter how bad it is, you will sympathize with them and think that the father and son were forced to rebel.