A few days later, all the affairs were arranged, and the ship just arrived at the junction of the canal and Henan, and the fleet was still led by King Kangping's men, along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal all the way south to the Jiangnan Palace, while Zhu Shiyang and others led dozens of guards to explore the people's situation through Henan.

Zhu Shiyang originally thought that this group of people was all strong, and they only rode horses all the way and stayed in hotels along the way, but Lu Wenyuan said that the land was exposed to the wind and sun, and the hard work was unspeakable, and it was a temporary idea, and there were many variables, so he transferred a few carriages to accompany him.

Although the carriage is not as spacious and comfortable as the cabin, there are still beds and seats for living, which can be used to rest in the shade when tired, and it is much better than riding a horse at a reasonable price. Zhu Shiyang only said that he was thoughtful, and led a team of people to the road immediately.

The group traveled and stopped along the way, hungry to eat, tired to stay in the hotel, sunrise and sunset, after a few days of busyness, they gradually adapted to the days of land searching.

Zhu Shiyang was full of physical strength on weekdays, and he was greedy for freshness all the way, so he didn't feel how hard it was, and everyone didn't complain when they saw the emperor, and their morale was also boosted, and after a few days, they arrived at Zhangde Mansion in Henan.

Zhangde Mansion was originally the city where Lu Wenyuan intercepted the rebels last year, and now he came all the way, looking at the familiar scenery along the way but a little different from the old times, Lu Wenyuan felt a special feeling in his heart, sighed, and talked about the old things with Zhu Shiji. Zhu Shiyang listened on the sidelines, and also had some interest in this Zhangde City.

It was noon when they entered the city, because the sun was in the middle of the day, and the heat was a little harsher than that at noon, Zhu Shiyang and his party were anxious and thirsty, but they thought that the prefect's yamen was near, so they did not stop halfway, but only urged the horses all the way to the gate of the official office.

The front of the prefect's yamen was a little deserted at this time, and it was past the hour of office, and everyone went to eat during their lunch break. Zhu Shiyang and others reported their names, only saying that the old man had come to visit, and they wanted the official guarding the door to inform the prefect.

Zhu Shiyang thought that he had a group of so many people, even the official could see that the head was not small, even if the prefect of Zhangde did not think of it in advance, at this time he should have guessed that he was here in micro service, and came out to greet him in person, but who knew that after waiting for a long time, the person who took over did not wait, but saw that the official turned back alone, and politely waved to everyone and said: "Don't be impatient, the prefect is trying an important case in the public court, and it is inconvenient to pick up guests at this time. ”

Zhu Shiyang was thirsty and hot, and his heart was not depressed, so he had to follow the official into the government first.

The back hall of the yamen is quite quiet, but the furnishings are a little too simple, the guest chairs in the hall are already mottled with vermilion lacquer, and they will make a creaking sound when they sit on it, and the furniture around them is even more scarce, so empty that you can hear the sound of the trial coming from the public hall in front of you.

The servant who brought them in served tea, but only one for each person. Zhu Shiyang opened the lid of the cup and took a sip, and after many years of pampering and pampering, he immediately realized that the tea was old over the years. If it was left in the past, he would definitely cure the master for the crime of inconsiderate hospitality, but now the tip of his tongue is thirsty, and he is burning inside, Zhu Shiyang is the most picky, and he can't take care of it anymore, he drinks the tea in one go, but he still doesn't quench his thirst, and he wants the errand to add another cup, but how can there be a figure? In the entire hall, except for himself, King Kangping, Lu Wenyuan and a few accompanying guards, there is not even a single person who is waiting.

Zhu Shiyang shouted a few times "Someone is coming" but no one came, so angry that he put the teacup on the table, and even the cup body rolled out of the cup base, and turned around a few times on the table before it stopped.

Zhu Shiji smiled bitterly and put the teacup back on the cup base, pushed it to Zhu Shiyang's hand, and asked, "Brother Huang, what's the matter, I'm so angry." ”

Zhu Shiyang frowned, and when he saw that there were no outsiders, he lowered his voice with hatred: "This prefect's yamen is not very considerate in its hospitality, and there is not even a person to change the tea, I am still thirsty! Not to mention that I am the son of heaven, I am an ordinary visitor, and I should not be so neglected!"

Zhu Shiji said with a smile: "The prefect's yamen is originally an office place, not a restaurant and teahouse, and it is common to be inconsiderate. If the royal brother doesn't dislike it, the courtier brother still has half a cup of tea here, so let's make do with it first. ”

Zhu Shiyang leaned over and looked at Zhu Shiji's cup, and saw that there was really half a cup of tea left, so he didn't want to take it and drink it. He and Zhu Shiji have been mixed up since childhood, and it is common for one person to eat a piece of dim sum one by one, and they are not very respectful and humble on weekdays, but Zhu Shiyang is more angry than before when he eats half a cup of tea, just because he is a son of heaven, and he just drinks the tea left over by others, and he is also willing to use the old tea that he usually disdains to use to wash his feet. Zhu Shiyang didn't expect that he would fall to this, so angry that he smashed the empty teacup in his hand with a clang.

Zhu Shiji and Lu Wenyuan didn't dare to say anything when they saw him like this. The three of them have been waiting in the hall, and I don't know how long it has been, even the Jinyi guard who is standing on the side is a little breathless, but the sound of the trial in the public hall in front of them is still ringing unhurriedly.

Zhu Shiyang and the others had rushed all the way here after breakfast, and they didn't feel it when they were basking in the sun, but now that their thirst was quenched, and the summer heat on their bodies had faded, they felt that the hunger in their stomachs had invaded like maggots attached to ants. Zhu Shiyang was even more angry, clenched his hand in his sleeve and clenched it, turned back and asked the Jinyi guard beside him: "What time is it?"

The brocade guard walked outside the hall and looked at the sky, then came back and said, "Back to the emperor, it's about time to pass." ”

Zhu Shiyang's face immediately changed. You see, when they arrived at this official office, it was the time when the sun was at its strongest in the middle of the day, so they had been waiting in the hall for nearly an hour. Zhu Shiyang is the Son of Heaven, and he has always only waited for others to wait for him, so how could he have waited for others with dignity? Besides, he has been waiting for a long time.

Zhu Shiyang was angry, ordered two brocade guards, and was about to find the front court to question the rebellious Zhangde prefect, but was persuaded by Zhu Shiji and Lu Wenyuan again and again. When the three of them were in a mess in the hall, an official in a four-grade official uniform lifted his coat and entered the hall, thinking that it was the prefect of Zhangde.

The prefect of Zhangde was actually quite confused, and when he was trying the case in the public court, he heard a report from the government officials that there was a group of people from outside the government, and they didn't look like ordinary people. The prefect of Zhangde secretly wondered in his heart, but he had always been more than solemn as an official, public first and then private, and he thought that the person who came claimed to be an old man, so he dealt with official affairs first. Now when I walked into the hall to take a look, I saw that it was three sons in brocade, two of whom really knew it, it was Lord Lu and Prince Kangping who fought the enemy together for disaster relief, but the other didn't know much.

The prefect of Zhangde was wondering, but he saw that the man's eyebrows were a little similar to King Kangping, and he stared at himself with a gloomy face, and his body faintly exuded a momentum of not being angry and arrogant, so he sighed in his heart, immediately understood, knelt down in fear and said: "Weichen Xia Kang saw that he was late, and I hope that the emperor will forgive him." Long live the emperor, long live, the prince is a thousand years old, a thousand years old, and Lord Shoufu ......"

Zhu Shiyang was full of anger and was about to vent, and interrupted him with a cold snort: "Rebel, you still know that I am the emperor!

Xia Kangrao was solemn and couldn't help but be shocked by Tianwei, so frightened that he fell to the ground and kowtowed repeatedly: "The emperor forgives the sin, and the micro-minister deserves death." ”

Lu Wenyuan and Zhu Shiji knew who he was, and they couldn't bear to see him like this, so one went to help him up, and the other persuaded Zhu Shiyang: "Brother Huang is angry, Brother Huang was out of the palace this time, and he came here temporarily, it is reasonable for Lord Xia to be caught off guard and be inconsiderate, so Brother Huang will spare Lord Xia." Lu Wenyuan also persuaded on the side.

Zhu Shiyang was slightly relieved at this time, and was led by the Xia Governor's Mansion to the guest room behind the official office.

The three of them had lunch in the room, and it was time for Zhu Shiyang to take a nap. Zhu Shiji and Lu Wenyuan waited for him to lie down, and then went together to count and tidy up the luggage of the accompanying carriages and horses, and everything was already twilight. Zhu Shiji and Lu Wenyuan were tired, but they saw Zhu Shiyang dressed neatly and came by himself, followed by Xia Zhifu with a bitter face, obviously reprimanded by him in private. When he arrived, he smiled and said, "I had a good night's sleep, I haven't slept so deeply for a long time." It's not too late now, and it's not time for dinner, why don't you go for a walk on the street with Brother Xian and Aiqing?"

Zhu Shiji and Lu Wenyuan saw that he was in good spirits, obviously recovering his energy, and he couldn't bear the loneliness, so they looked at each other and smiled bitterly, and each bent over and followed behind.

Zhu Shiyang and his entourage walked on the street, only to see that although more than half a year had passed since the uprising of the displaced people, there was still a devastation as far as the eye could see. The streets were full of unclothed, filthy and unruly old and poor people, some squatting under the pillars of the shops on the street, and some sitting in front of the dilapidated doors of their homes, their eyes confused and empty.

The original paved bluestone pavement on the street has been cracked by the trampling of soldiers' chariots and horses and the exposure to the drought of the past year, and the large pieces are still firmly embedded in the ground, but the small pieces have disappeared, and have probably been broken into powder and scattered with the wind. As a result, the ground was potholed, making it difficult to walk, but whenever a cart or horse passed by, the floating earth scattered in all directions.

The shops on both sides of the street have reopened, but they are scattered and not thriving, and there are more deserted houses with tattered and peeling window paper, and the slightly open doors can be glimpsed that the ground is covered with hay, and homeless beggars stay in them. The streets and alleys are full of trees that have died due to drought, and the old trees that used to shade the neighbors are now only a scorched black trunk, but they still stand stubbornly, silently questioning the sky, and occasionally one or two crows fall on them, and they let out a terrible wail in this confused darkness.

Zhu Shiyang didn't take a closer look when he first entered the city, but now it seems that he is only shocked, and his slightly better mood disappeared immediately, pointing around and asking Xia Kangdao: "How did you become the prefect? The stone slabs on the street are all broken like this, and I don't know how to repair them, and the trees on the street are dead and no one has moved and replanted? With my salary all day long, is everything so careless?"

Xia Kang was wearing an official uniform, bowed his head on the side and said, "The emperor has taught me that everything is the negligence of the ministers. But now that all the victims in Zhangde City have not been fully settled, there is really no spare money in the government office, and there is no extra manpower to take care of these trivial matters. ”

Zhu Shiyang was already a little prejudiced against him because he was not driving, but now seeing that he not only did not accept his criticism, but wanted to argue with strong words, he was even more depressed, and he didn't bother to talk too much nonsense with him, so he frowned and walked to the front by himself.

Zhangde City was not a big place, and within half an hour of a few people going out on the street, the city gate was already close in front of them. There are two gates in Zhangde City, north and south, and the city gate here is the place where Lu Wenyuan and Zhu Shiji confronted the rebels at the beginning.

Who knew that the two of you said a few words, but I saw that Zhu Shiyang's dragon eyebrows were furrowed more and more tightly, just because of this, although there was a round of sunset slowly sinking among the undulating mountains in the distance, this majestic scenery was destroyed by a group of noisy and busy people under the root of the outer wall of the city, this group of people were in rags, digging an extremely deep and wide trench along the root of the city wall.

Henan is located in the Central Plains, which is arid and hot than other places, and now the soil is more loose because of the drought of last year, and it is so dug and chiseled, and the smoke and dust raised can really be said to cover the sky and the sun, which is comparable to the desert outside the Saiwai. Zhu Shiyang grabbed his sleeve and fanned it in front of his eyes, and said in disgust: "What are these people doing?"

The prefect of Zhangde stepped forward and replied: "Back to the emperor, these people were sent by the lower officials to build a moat here. ”

Zhu Shiyang was puzzled: "What kind of moat to build? Why didn't I receive a letter from the Ministry of Industry for such a big project?"

Xia Kang clenched his fists and replied: "Back to the emperor, the ministers have not had time to inform the Ministry of Industry about this matter, but the craftsmen who built the moat are all young and middle-aged homeless people in this city, and there is no need for the Ministry of Industry to ......."

Before Xia Kang finished speaking, he was interrupted by Zhu Shiyang: "Ridiculous! The homeless people have suffered from natural disasters and are weak, how can they be conscripted into labor service?"

Xia Kang saw that anger had appeared on his face, and he hurriedly knelt down and said, "Please listen to the emperor's explanation." Seeing that they were idle and starving all day long, even if they begged for money, they couldn't get much, so they thought that they could still produce some labor together, build a moat, and then the government would pay them every day, so that they could not only make the best use of things, but also solve the problem of resettlement of these homeless people, which was really a double win. Lu Wenyuan and Zhu Shiji listened and also helped on the side.

Zhu Shiyang snorted disdainfully, hating him for making his own opinion, so he still opened his mouth to say: "Only after the uprising of the displaced people has passed, do you think of repairing the moat? ”

Xia Kang knelt on the ground and had to say yes. Zhu Shiji said with a wry smile on the side: "The imperial brother said that Lord Xia was an afterthought, and he really wronged Lord Xia, when Lord Xia was still a staff member of the prefect of Zhangde, he had advised the prefect at that time to build a moat. It's a pity that the former prefect of Zhangde was mediocre and incompetent, and he didn't take the advice of Lord Xia, so it has been delayed until today. ”

Zhu Shiyang glanced at Xia Kang, who was kneeling at his feet, and wondered, "How can King Kangping know so clearly?"

Zhu Shiji said with a smile: "Brother Huang doesn't know, this Lord Xia was originally a staff member of the former Zhangde Prefect, and the former Zhangde Prefect was in his position, and when the displaced people broke out in an uprising, they fled and abandoned the city. Later, the former prefect was arrested and beheaded by the imperial court, and Lord Xia was appointed as the new prefect of Zhangde because of his outstanding performance in times of crisis. ”

Zhu Shiyang heard this and wondered: "So, he is not from the imperial examination?" said, and glanced at Xia Kang in surprise.

Xia Kang knelt down and replied calmly: "Back to the emperor, yes." Weichen is shallow in learning, his qualifications are dull, and he has not been able to pass the Jinshi, so he became the staff of the former Zhangde prefect, and then Lord Menglu valued it, and recommended Weichen in the court, and won an opportunity for Weichen to enter the official school for further study, so that Weichen was able to do things while studying for the exam. The kindness of the emperor and Lord Lu must be remembered by Weichen and never forgotten. ”

Zhu Shiyang looked at him for a long time, and laughed meaninglessly, but said to Zhu Shiji: "King Kangping, listen, just now you said so many good things for him in front of me, but in the end, he was only grateful to me and Lu Wenyuan, and it was really chilling to listen to." ”

Zhu Shiji knew that he didn't see Xia Kang going well, so he refused to put down the shelf and say something good, and said with a smile: "There's nothing to be afraid of, Lord Xia went to school and entered the office, and the younger brother didn't do anything, just idle talk." Lord Lu exerted full strength, and it can be said that he pulled Lord Xia up with one hand. Lord Xia should do his best for the appreciation of Lord Lu and the emperor, right, Lord Xia?"

Xia Kang didn't dare to raise his head, so he had to vaguely agree. When Zhu Shiyang saw him like this, he only said that he was not big or small, and he was still complaining to Lu Wenyuan when he walked on the road: "Lu Wenyuan, it is said that I should not doubt your vision, but I really don't like this Xia Kang." You promoted him so vigorously at the beginning, it must have been because he was unusual and reusable, but you see that this Zhangde Mansion is now governed by him, and it is full of smoke and miasma, full of devastation, how can there be anything satisfying?"

Lu Wenyuan said with a smile: "The emperor is wrong, today's Zhangde City is much better than last year, but the emperor has no comparison, so I can't see it." Besides, it doesn't say in "The Gentleman's Villain" that the gentleman is upright, never pretends, and occasionally makes mistakes, which is easy to be discovered, so the gentleman always has one kind or another little problem. And the villain is good at disguising and not leaking, so he always looks flawless. Lord Xia has poor governance, the emperor can point it out, and he will try his best to change it, which is better than being obedient and clever in the open, but hiding dirt in the secret. ”

Zhu Shiyang also felt some truth when he heard it, but he still sneered and said, "You are willing to speak for him." But if I want to see it, I'm afraid that I have changed my route and come here this time, so that he has no time to prepare, and if he knows my whereabouts in advance, I don't know what will happen. As he spoke, he glanced at Lu Wenyuan and said, "You are really strange, I think it's good, you think it's bad, I think it's bad, but you praise it, sometimes I can't understand you." After that, he sighed again and again. Lu Wenyuan saw him like this, so he didn't say anything, so he had to secretly hang his head and smile bitterly.

The group returned to the mansion, and after dinner, they went back to their rooms to rest. Lu Wenyuan was not worried about Zhu Shiyang's safety, so he went to the wing where the brocade guards were resting, checked their night shifts, and told them a few words one by one. Walking on the road, when I passed the stable, I could hear that the horses inside were not very peaceful, so I went in the dark to check.

These horses are all Zhu Shiyang and others who have to ride during the day, and they can't get out of the pool, Lu Wenyuan looked at it carefully, and found that the reins of the two horses were entangled together, and they couldn't break away no matter how they struggled, and the two horses were so anxious that they made a clattering sound, which made the surrounding horses unsafe.

Lu Wenyuan didn't dare to be careless, and hurriedly stepped forward to comfort the horse, and at the same time moved to untie the reins that were wrapped together, who knew that it took a few clicks, but he heard someone in the dark opposite the stable whispering: "Lord Lu, Lord Lu." ”

Lu Wenyuan was crowded in the middle of a group of chaotic horses, and when he looked up suspiciously, he found that there was really a figure hidden in the dark, and he looked like the prefect of Zhangde, and when he saw that he looked up, he beckoned to himself.

Lu Wenyuan's heart was even more puzzled, and he hurriedly settled the two horses and went towards Xia Kang.

Xia Kang was hidden in the dark, not wearing an official uniform, only a dark civilian robe, and even the look on his face was a little dark and mysterious. Lu Wenyuan usually sees his stern and impartial side, how could he ever see him so sneaky, and hurriedly asked: "Lord Xia, what are you ......?"

Xia Kang waved his hand to silence him, pulled him closer, and said in a low voice: "Lord Lu, do you remember the dozen or so people who mixed in with the ranks to incite the homeless people to rebel during the uprising of the displaced people last year?"

How could Lu Wenyuan not remember that the dozen or so people were strong and ruddy-faced, and they were very conspicuous among the thin and ragged homeless people, constantly shouting rebel slogans, and even openly contradicting themselves, and almost inciting emotions and anger to attack the city several times, which was obviously planted in the team by people with ulterior motives. Lu Wenyuan had gradually left this matter behind due to the complexity of government affairs, but now that he suddenly recalled it, he felt more and more frightened, and hurriedly said: "Remember." At the beginning, after I led people to arrest these dozen people, I tried them several times but no result came out, and then I was busy relocating the displaced people, so I handed over this interrogation to you. ”

Xia Kang nodded and said: "I came to find the adult for this matter, after the dozen or so people were handed over to me, a few of them committed suicide in prison, and the remaining few were almost assassinated by thieves, I transferred them and interrogated them a few times, and those people were recruited happily, but at that time, the adult had already returned to the court, so I didn't wait for the opportunity to report to the adult until today." ”

Lu Wenyuan said: "Why don't you write a secret message and send it to the cabinet?"

Xia Kang said: "Xiaguan naturally knows, but ......" Before he finished speaking, he heard a sudden chaotic sound of footsteps in the distance, followed by a choking dragon groan with a knife drawn out of its sheath. 166 Reading Network