Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 177: Shandong Hero
After entering midsummer, the city of Beijing suddenly became restless.

On the street, the sun slanted down without reservation, burning the pedestrians so much that they hurried their steps, fearing that if they stayed even half a step longer they would get tanned.

Fans, watermelons and mats for heatstroke prevention became in short supply.

The peddlers on the street, wearing only a short coarse cloth jacket, sweated profusely.

The noisy shouting, mixed with the increasingly rapid chirping of cicadas, made people's heads buzz.

Women also put aside their conservativeness and started wearing small blouses with wide sleeves and exposed wrists.

Midsummer is here!

At this moment, if there is nothing important.

These old Beijingers and businessmen traveling to the north would all look for a teahouse.

Stay quietly for half a day.

Wait until the sun gets a little smaller before going about your own business.

Just after noon that day, a man, waving a folding fan, slowly walked into the Chunlai Teahouse on Fugui Street.

He was about forty years old, tall, with a fair face, and a pair of big, dark and sharp eyes under a pair of sparse eyebrows.

He was wearing a sky-blue round-necked robe made of hemp cloth and a popular Chengzi scarf on his head.

The gold-dust folding fan in his hand waved with every step, and his attire made him look like a scholar.

The man's name was Song Ming.

He was born into a wealthy family in Linqing, Shandong.

When his father was 35 years old, he had a son in middle age and immediately regarded Song Ming as the hope for the family's revival.

As for Song Ming, I am afraid of dropping him if I hold him in my hand, and afraid of melting him if I hold him in my mouth.

Song Ming started his education at the age of four and lived up to his father's expectations.

He showed his extraordinary intelligence on the spot. From then on, Father Song was certain that the prosperity of his family and his career path all depended on his youngest son who had just started to learn.

So he spent a lot of money to hire another famous teacher.

Unfortunately, the good times didn't last long. When Song Ming was eight years old, his wild nature suddenly emerged. He played tricks on his teachers, skipped classes, ran wildly in the fields, and robbed bird nests with the country kids.
He played everything a child could play.

When he was a little older, he looked for famous teachers everywhere, learning a set of boxing here and a set of stick techniques there.

Others like romance, but he prefers to wield swords and sticks.

Others like to get high scores in the imperial examinations, but he prefers to wander around the world.

In short, he doesn't like what ordinary people like.

In addition, Song Ming was brave, fond of chivalry, and quite loyal.

No matter what his friends from the martial arts world said when they were in trouble, as long as they came to his house, he would keep them for a few days and then give them money for their journey when they left.

Acting in this way really has some of the style of Song Jiang, the timely rain.

After entering the teahouse, Song Ming only took a quick glance at the first floor, and then went straight to the private room on the second floor.

Because it was noon, the sun was so hot that it could peel off a person's skin, so the teahouse was naturally full of guests. After sitting down in the private room, the waiter brought cakes and tea, and then left the room with a smile.

Song dusted himself off, walked to the window, opened it and looked out.

But in the western part of the city, a row of exquisite and neatly arranged high-rise buildings stand in an orderly manner.

The building was about five stories high and formed a square on all four sides. There was a small window in each room.

When he first came to the capital, he was a little surprised.

This official is really generous. He actually built such a house for the people to live in.

But later he realized the business opportunity here. There are many benefits to building a five-story building.

First: Beijing has limited land, but there are many people and merchants pouring into Beijing. In order to settle down in Beijing, they are naturally willing to pay for houses. Second: The people of Beijing also benefit. After all, this change can turn the old and dilapidated house into a new house and earn money. Who would not want it?

Third: Since ordinary people have extra money, these vendors’ business will be much better.

Song Ming naturally knew who the owner of the reconstruction of the west city was, and he came to the capital today specifically to use this person's connection.

After waiting for about two pots of tea, Song Ming suddenly heard footsteps outside the door.

He hurriedly got up to greet her, opened the door and took a look.

The man was tall, with a sharp face and a bloody smell.

Song Ming was shocked and sighed: What a hot-blooded leader of the Jinyiwei! Just looking at his appearance, you can tell that he has killed quite a few people.

Thinking of this, Song Ming became more respectful to the visitor.

He put on a smile, clasped his fists towards the visitor, and then said, "I am Song Ming, nice to meet Han Zhenfu."

The person who came was none other than Han San.

Han San nodded slightly and asked Song Ming to sit down.

The two were not very familiar with each other, but this man followed Hao Ren's path and promised to pay himself eight hundred taels of silver just to meet Zhang Yunxiu.

He thought that it would be a waste not to take the silver, so he decided to test the waters first.

As soon as the two of them sat down, without waiting for Han San to speak, Song Ming directly took out a small brocade box about five inches square from his arms.

Han San took it and opened it to take a look.

Inside was a jade bracelet that was completely emerald green and exquisitely crafted.

"How can I feel embarrassed about this?" Han San closed the box and pretended to push it towards Song Ming.

Song Ming used his palm to block it, and pushed it back towards Han San again, waving his hand and saying, "It's just a small token of my appreciation. Han Zhenfu is very busy, and I am very grateful that you can take time out of your busy schedule to come and have a meeting with me."

"This is just a small gift between friends. Han Zhenfu doesn't need to take it too seriously."

Han San accepted the gift box with a smile, and his tone became much more friendly: "Brother Song, can we call you this?"

"It's our honor." Song Ming agreed with a smile.

After a brief conversation, the two began to call each other brothers, like brothers who met again after a long separation.

Without any unnecessary words, Han San went straight to the point and said, "I wonder what the matter is that Brother Song wants to talk to our young master about?"

"It's nothing, I just admire you and want to meet you." Song Ming took a sip of tea and laughed, "I'm not like you, brother Han, who has been in the center for a long time and is very powerful."

"Don't be fooled by how decent we appear to be in front of outsiders. If we are really caught by the government, even our bones won't weigh more than four pounds."

Han San sneered secretly in his heart.

He knew Song Ming's background very well. He was a wealthy businessman in Linqing City and had many friends in the underworld.

There were many desperate criminals among them, and even he, a Jinyiwei pacifier, did not dare to offend them easily.

Would such a person be afraid of the government?
Han San slapped the wooden table and pretended to be angry and said, "Brother Song, if you say that, it's meaningless. Everyone knows the name of Timely Rain. Even if you don't come to me, there are other ways to see the young master."

"I treat you as a brother, and you're still hiding things from me?"

After saying that, Han San stood up and was about to leave.

Song Ming grabbed his sleeve and apologized with a smile: "Don't be angry, brother Han. Don't be angry. Actually, this is not a big deal. We just want to get some salt primer with the young master."

"Is that all?" Han San asked back.

"That's it!" Song Ming said firmly.

"Then just wait."

(End of this chapter)