The Ming Dynasty: Starting with taking Old Zhu on a journey to the future

After the waiter left.

Lan Chen then asked, "Brother, we've never met before, yet you're being so generous. What's your motive?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan picked his teeth.

Then he wiped his oily hands on his clothes.

This behavior doesn't seem like that of a nobleman; it's more like that of a nouveau riche landlord.

"I forgot to ask your name."

"What's your name?"

Lan Chen responded: "Lan Chen."

"Brother Lan Chen, why would you ask that? I simply couldn't stand that waiter's attitude, so I intervened and helped him out!"

"Why not?"

That's actually not a problem.

Deliberately helping oneself is either for personal gain or because one is truly a person of strong emotions.

However, he himself was a fallen nobleman.

There is basically no profit to be made.

Second-generation nobles who haven't experienced the realities of life can indeed possess this inexplicable sense of justice.

"This matter is not a big deal."

"However, I still thank Brother Chen Yuan for his help."

Although this is not a big deal.

Even if Chen Yuan doesn't help, he'll just be looked down upon; he won't lose anything.

However, the proper thanks should still be expressed.

"You're welcome, but I noticed you didn't eat much earlier."

"Are you disgusted by my saliva?"

Lan Chen coughed lightly.

"No, I've already had breakfast. I'm just strolling around, so I'm not hungry."

Saliva is one thing, grabbing with your hands is another.

Although Chen Yuan is very easygoing, no one knows the secret behind his hands that are used to grab vegetables.

In the previous second.

Have you ever picked your butt?

The food itself may not cause any harm, but the emotional damage is still damage.

"It's my fault for not taking good care of you."

"Brother Lan Chen, please forgive me. To express my apology, I'll treat you to drinks and entertainment tonight."

"how?"

Drinking with women means drinking with female companions.

When someone gets drunk, it's often more than just drinking.

During the Hongwu reign, brothels were officially established and not illegal.

There are a total of sixteen buildings.

The purpose of its establishment was simple: Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to emulate the women's pavilion established by Guan Zhong during the Spring and Autumn Period.

Generate revenue for the national treasury through legitimate business.

They mainly made money from wealthy merchants, since these people had a lot of money and nowhere to spend it.

The translation and guest rooms also serve as reception areas for foreign guests.

At the same time, officials of the imperial court were prohibited from entering.

This practice did indeed contribute to the economic prosperity of the capital.

However, it also reflects Zhu Yuanzhang's sense of division.

They want an honest and clean officialdom, yet they are willing to use such dirty means to enrich the national treasury.

National affairs all boil down to money.

Money can solve all problems.

"I heard that several beautiful courtesans have recently arrived at Cuiqiao Tower, and they are quite alluring."

The woman on the sixteenth floor has three different backgrounds.

Female relatives of officials who have been convicted of crimes, members of the Yuan Dynasty's entertainment register, as well as poverty and buying and selling.

We are currently in the midst of the Lan Yu case, and it is estimated that this newcomer...

She was probably also a female relative of a convicted official.

It is unclear who exactly it is.

If he cannot exonerate his father, the women in his family will most likely be sent to the brothel.

"No need, I heard that the expenses on the sixteenth floor are quite high."

The sixteenth floor was used as a den of iniquity.

The expenses involved are beyond the reach of most people.

The top courtesan, I heard, costs 300 taels a night.

Three hundred taels is enough for a person to live on for most of their life.

"What are you afraid of? Anyway, I'm paying for it, why worry about these things?"

"If you don't agree, you're disrespecting me."

"It's settled then, see you tonight at Jiangdongmen Street."

He finished speaking without waiting for Lan Chen's reply.

Chen Yuan then left directly.

They didn't give them a chance to refuse at all.

Lan Chen pondered for a moment.

Something felt off. Why was Chen Yuan being so generous to someone he had just met?

They must have some ulterior motive, but I can't figure out what it is.

Just as Lan Chen got up, preparing to leave the restaurant, he suddenly caught a glimpse of himself in the bronze mirror.

He stepped forward.

Looking at his perfect jawline and handsome face.

Could it be that Chen Yuan has taken a liking to me?

This is the only explanation.

Otherwise, I really can't understand why Chen Yuan would treat me so well for no reason.

That's it.

Tonight we should know whether Chen Yuan is a true brother or just someone who values ​​his "brothers".

……

After Lan Chen left the restaurant.

A guard walked to the door of a private room.

"Your Highness, Chen Yuan says that everything has been taken care of."

Then, a voice came from inside the house.

"I understand, you may leave."

Inside the private room, Zhu Gaoxu stood by the window.

Looking down at Chen Yuan and Lan Chen.

His brows were furrowed.

"This is Lan Chen? He looks so frail, I could crush him with one hand."

Zhu Jihuang nodded: "Don't worry, there won't be any mistakes."

"Tonight, the fate of Jiangdongmen Street rests on your shoulders."

As he spoke, Zhu Jihuang took two cups of tea and walked to Zhu Gaoxu's side.

Then he handed one of the cups of tea to Zhu Gaoxu.

Upon seeing the tea being offered to him, Zhu Gaoxu immediately knocked it over.

"Want to have tea at a restaurant?"

Zhu Jihuang smiled and said, "Drunkenness leads to trouble. Once this matter is settled, I'll drink with you to your heart's content."

"We won't leave until we're completely drunk, that's no problem at all."

Zhu Gaoxu gave a soft snort.

Anyway, he doesn't drink tea.

"Is this person you found reliable? Won't it expose our identities?"

Zhu Jihuang slowly walked to the window, looked down at Chen Yuan, and gently swirled the tea in his hand.

He chuckled and said, "Don't worry, cousin. This man is just a poor commoner. He doesn't know who I am."

Zhu Gaoxu frowned.

"He doesn't know your identity? How can he do things for you?"

Zhu Jihuang narrowed his eyes: "Give him some money to get close to Lan Chen, and then, under the pretense of inviting him to drink and carousing, send him to Jiangdongmen Street."

"I thought I would have to try several different approaches before I could succeed, but to my surprise, I succeeded on the first try."

"It seems that Lan Chen is also a lecherous man."

Zhu Gaoxu frowned as he listened to Zhu Jihuang's plan.

It's all so convoluted and troublesome.

If it weren't for the fear of revealing my identity and causing repercussions for my father...

Otherwise, there would be no need for all this trouble.

"Is there anything else?"

Zhu Jihuang shook his head: "That's all."

Seeing this, Zhu Gaoxu took down the sword pouch hanging to the side, pushed open the door, and left the restaurant.

Zhu Jihuang stood by the window.

The tea in my hand had already gone cold from the wind.

He took a sip, and a bitter taste spread in his mouth.

Looking at the slightly greenish-yellow tea, Zhu Jihuang murmured, "It's really bitter."

After saying that, he threw it on the ground.

It broke along with the teacup.

The plan has been set up; now all we need to do is wait for Zhu Gaoxu's good news.

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Jihuang left the private room to pay the bill.

The waiter immediately stepped forward and quickly calculated on his abacus: "Sir, your total bill is two taels."

Zhu Jihuang was just about to pay the bill when he suddenly realized... it seemed that all the money had been given to Chen Yuan.

He is, after all, only a county prince, not a vassal king.

His salary and savings were naturally not much.

To implement this plan, he gave all his savings, a total of one hundred taels of silver, to Chen Yuan.

I am currently penniless.

Zhu Jihuang coughed lightly: "Ahem, hang up the tent."

The waiter's smile slowly faded, and his eyes gradually sharpened.