Daming Yinghua

Chapter 126 Little Highness Zhu Yipai
Near noon the next day, a group of people entered Yanzhou Fucheng.

From the canal, all the way is to live on the boat, there is no need to stay in the post.

At this time, Zheng Haizhu took out the small survey he had begged from Mr. Liu of the Suzhou Weaving Bureau, and took everyone straight to the official post in Yanzhou.

With survey and cooperation in hand, you don't need to spend money to stay in a state hotel.

But Zheng Haizhu only cared about safety, and didn't want to waste the accommodation and food expenses, so as soon as he entered the door, he paid the postmaster five taels of silver according to the standards of other mid-to-high-end hotels, and asked for a few of the most ordinary rooms.

The postmaster has been in office for many years, and has received countless family members of officials who live and live for free in the imperial court. This is the first time he has encountered someone who offered money, so he couldn't help but feel strange.

Seeing those unfurled, but unparalleled, gorgeous lanterns again, and knowing that they came to celebrate the princess's birthday, they immediately opened up the chatterbox.

"Everyone, the current king of Lu is a virtuous king. The people of Yanzhou are looking forward to the long life of the king and the princess."

Zheng Haizhu nodded and said, "We saw a porridge shed outside the city gate, and we found out that it belongs to the Wangfu."

The postmaster said: "No, Yanzhou's government office has no money. These years, natural disasters have continued, and there have been rumors of Xiangjiao. Outsiders think that Yanzhou is located on the main road of the canal, and it should be richer than Suzhou and Hangzhou. In fact, the government office is really out of money. No money. Fortunately, I met this generation of King Lu, who is a good man of the ninth generation. If you go southeast of the city, you can see a big bridge on the Si River. , It cost 30 taels of silver. With that bridge, no matter how much water is sent during the flood season for two months, people and businesses will not be hindered."

Prince Lumi of the Ming Dynasty spent ten thousand shi every year, which is equivalent to more than 1 taels of silver at the current price of rice, plus silk, satin, tea, and horse materials. This bridge took almost ten years of Lu Wang's salary.

Yes, the current King of Lu, Zhu Shouhong, is very good.

Although in essence, the money was handed over to the treasury by the people from all over the country, not to mention that the grain produced on the prince’s own land does not have to pay taxes, but Zhu Shouhong’s ability to feed back to the local people in terms of basic necessities of life is already counted as thousands of vassal mudslides in the old Zhu family. There's a clear stream in here.

Zheng Haizhu then said to the postmaster: "Okay, let's go and see the Sihe Bridge."

He asked again: "By the way, the Confucian mansion is in Qufu, but the hometown of Mencius is in Zoucheng? Is it far from Fucheng?"

The postmaster waved his hand: "It's not far, it's just ten miles east of the Sishui River. When you see a charcoal mountain, you'll be there. That hill is specially used to supply charcoal for Lu Wangfu."

Zheng Haizhu suddenly felt delighted.

Great, the layout of Yanzhou in the Ming Dynasty is really different from that of later generations, the Lu Palace is so close to Zoucheng.

Zheng Haizhu asked about Zoucheng, of course not out of nostalgia for visiting the former residence of Mencius, but because, as a later generation, she knew with certainty that Zoucheng had coal mines!
Mencius and other elders said that everyone can be Yao and Shun.

Zheng Haizhu said to himself that Yao and Shun had to find the mine first.

……

After a hasty lunch, Zheng Haizhu sent two intelligence agents, Mu Zaohua and Li Daniu, to take a cart and go to Chaitan Mountain in Zoucheng to explore the road.

She herself, together with Wu Bangde and Xu San, went to meet Zhang Dai's father, Zhang Yaofang, the governor of Lu Wangfu.

After all, Prince Lu's mansion is at the level of a prince, and the palace facing north and south is also quite magnificent.

The colors of the halls and pavilions are all the same vermilion and green as the emperor's palace, even the auspicious clouds on the pillars and eaves are the same, except that what climbs on them is not a dragon, but a panchi without two horns, to show One level lower than the emperor.

The south gate of Wangfu is facing the wide imperial street, overlooking the south gate of Yanzhou Mansion.

On both sides of the Royal Street, like the Royal Road of Kaifeng Mansion in the Song Dynasty, there are river ponds dug, weeping willows are planted all over the river, and Han Ou is planted in the water.

In this late autumn season when red sales are hot and green is hidden, countless silk flowers are tied on both sides of the imperial street because it coincides with Princess Lu's birthday.

Below the Bell and Drum Tower at the end of Yujie Street, several large sheds have been set up, and giant lanterns made of colorful silk can be vaguely seen.

Someone was on duty in front of the shed, Wu Bangde went up to inquire, and said that these headlights were to be displayed to the members of the palace and distinguished guests on the day of the birthday banquet with fireworks.

Zheng Haizhu couldn't help but think of Zhang Dai in history. In the "Tao An Dream Memory" left to future generations, there is a special article about the fireworks and lanterns he saw when he came to visit his father in Lu Wang Mansion, which was like a dream. .

As the administrative office of the palace, the Changshi Division opened a side door separately from the east side of the city wall in the palace to facilitate the entry and exit of people doing business or visiting.

Zheng Haizhu showed the gate guards Zhang Dai asked his father Zhang Yaofang to write a stamped letterhead, one of the gate guards immediately went to report, and after a while, he led a middle-aged man in a blue official uniform to come.

The middle-aged man had a handsome face and long beard, and his air was clear and diluted. He cupped his hands and said with a smile: "My friends, please go to the officer's room to talk."

Zhang Yaofang, as an elder, and as the chief historian of the palace, came out to greet her in person, Zheng Haizhu was not surprised.

In the letter she asked Zhang Dai to write to her father, she mentioned her friendship with Liu Shimin from the Weaving Bureau.

This is not a bragging remark of "I know Eunuch Liu, and Eunuch Liu doesn't know me", so why not mention it.

On necessary occasions, contacts should be exposed, directly and boldly trying to knock on the door of the public office, instead of cautiously visiting private houses.

The public office can obtain more information.

After entering Wangcheng, Zhang Yaofang said some greetings such as whether the journey was going well or not while walking. Zheng Haizhu answered respectfully, and then took the initiative to introduce Wu Bangde and Xu San as shopkeepers and buddies who took care of his business.

I don't want to, as soon as I walked past the value room with the sign of "Gongzhengsuo", a person hurriedly appeared inside, almost bumping into Zheng Haizhu head-on.

Soon an official came out and said in a voice: "General Zhen Guo, don't worry, don't worry, the lower official has the courage to persuade you. After these few days, it will not be too late to remonstrate."

Zheng Haizhu looked at the man intently. He was about the same age as Lu Xiangsheng, with upright facial features and a graceful and blessed appearance, but his face was full of anger, like an angry Persian cat.

The son of the prince attacked the king of the county, and the son of the prince of the county attacked the general of the town.

Zheng Haizhu thought, so, this young man is also a member of Lu Fan's clan?
While he was thinking about it, the man said coldly to the official from Gongzheng Office: "What? My Zhu Yipai is also surnamed Zhu, so I can't take care of the silverfish in my Zhu family's rivers and mountains? Why do we have to wait a few days before we talk about it?" ? I want to talk to His Highness right now."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and saw that Zheng Haizhu was a woman, then looked at Wu Bangde and Xu San, frowned and asked Zhang Yaofang: "Chang Shi, who are they?"

Zhang Yaofang did not expect Zhu Yipai to appear in the Yamen today.

Zhu Yipai is the nephew of Zhu Shouhong, king of Lu today, and the eldest son of Zhu Shouyong, king of Taixing County.

King Lu was almost in his forties, but he had no children, so he doted on this nephew very much.

Although Zhu Yipai is the son of the county king, from the concubines and eunuchs in the palace to officials at all levels in the government office, they all call Zhu Yipai "Little Highness" on weekdays.

The hall official of the Gongzheng Office was newly appointed, and he still called him "General Zhenguo" sternly, while Zhang Yaofang, who had been in the Lu Fan for a long time, had already said in a warm tone: "Your Highness, this is Miss Zheng. Works for Mr. Liu, who weaves in Suzhou. This time he came north for business, so Quan Zi asked her to bring some lanterns from his hometown to celebrate the princess' birthday."

When Zhu Yipai heard the words "Suzhou weaving", the frost on his face dissipated a lot, and he asked Zhang Yaofang lightly: "Isn't it one of the subjects purchased by the palace?"

Zhang Yaofang smiled and said, "How could it be, it was presented by the dog."

Zhu Yipai nodded, and said bluntly: "Hey, Lao Zhang, wouldn't it be nice if your son would have delivered it earlier, so you don't have to buy those lamps in front of the Bell and Drum Tower, and you can save a lot of money."

Zhang Yaofang waved his hands again and again: "Your Majesty, I'm going to be an official. In our small place in the shade of the mountain, the lanterns we made can only be hung in the porches to add some joy. How can they be compared with those big lanterns in front of the Bell and Drum Tower."

Zhu Yipai said: "Oh, that's it. Then, I'll go and see how the headlights are tied. If I want lanterns in the future, I will come from Taixing Palace to offer. There are so many silks and silks from the imperial court in the library. I don't believe that I can tie them. Beautiful headlights."

He paused, and then said to Zheng Haizhu and the others: "You have come from afar, and you are both Zhang Changshi's guests and our Lu Manor's guests, so come back and have a banquet with Chang Shi."

Zheng Haizhu hurriedly squatted down for a blessing: "Thank you, Your Highness."

Zhu Yipai let out a "hmm" in his nose, and didn't say much to everyone, and walked away.

The Changshi Division and the Gongzheng Office are two yamen, and there are outsiders here at the moment, so it is inconvenient for Zhang Yaofang to ask more questions, so she just bid farewell to that office.

But from Zhu Yipai's words of "silverfish", Zhang Yaofang could guess that this little highness, who was different from most of the vassals, was angry about which clan asked Lu's government for money to start construction.

Zhang Yaofang saw Zheng Haizhu's face looking searching, so he said meaningfully: "Your Highness's father, King Taixing, is also a virtuous king praised by the scholars of Yanzhou. There are many disasters in Ludi this year, and King Taixing will donate Tianhu Lake after asking Long Live More than a dozen charity sales were exchanged for food to help the victims. Your Highness is very much like his father, and is worried about the country's expenditure."

Zheng Haizhu pursed his lips lightly: "It's really a great blessing for me to have such an exemplary suzerain like the Lu Mansion."

Zhu Yipai in history became the penultimate king of Lu in the Ming Dynasty after the death of his uncle and father.

When the Qing army invaded Yanzhou, Zhu Yipai hanged himself in the palace.

Zhu Yipai is a vassal king who has not even recorded three lines of characters in the history books. He did not expect the real person to have such a personality.

Zheng Haizhu raised his eyes and looked at the dazzling glazed tiles on the top of the palaces in front of him.

Zhang Yaofang pointed to the tallest one: "That is the Chengyun Hall, the main hall of the palace. The banquet in three days' time will be held in front of the Cunxin Hall behind the Chengyun Hall."

(End of this chapter)