Zhu Yunwen calmed down and said with a smile: "Why did Master Cheng say this? If this word gets out, won't the few of us lose our heads? ”

Cheng Fu laughed and said: "This is Ryukyu, not the Ming Dynasty, it's okay to talk about it." I had met Emperor Taizu Gao in the fifteenth year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty to the Jingshi Dynasty, when the crown prince Zhu Biao was still there, and the grandson Zhu Yunwen was also on the side, I saw that his head shape was very similar to yours, and he was called Banbian Yue, so there was this joke. ”

After hearing this, Zhu Yunwen secretly let out a sigh of relief and said, "I see." The poor monk and Emperor Jianwen's head shape are somewhat similar, which can be regarded as a blessing. ”

Cheng Fu said with a smile: "That Emperor Jianwen is not blessed by the master, it is said that he died by self-immolation when the northern soldiers entered the city, and the master is still alive." ”

Zhu Yunwen clasped his hands together, lowered his head, covered the tears in his eyes, and recited the Buddha's name: "Amitabha, may Emperor Jianwen ascend to Bliss as soon as possible." ”

Cheng Fu looked around at the crowd: "I don't know what your plans are in the future, whether to live here for a long time, or to avoid it for a while." ”

Zhang Shixing said: "We are just temporarily living in Guibaodi, and when the situation in Daming is stable, we will go back." This time, I'll go back and explore the way. ”

Cheng Fu nodded and said, "Since that's the case, it's inconvenient for me to stay." If you want to live here for a long time, or if you want to become a naturalized Ryukyus, I would like to welcome you on behalf of King Nakayama. Brother Zhang's boat money, I will send someone to hand it over to Hosokawa Goro tomorrow morning, and the other fifty taels of broken silver is my personal heart, please Brother Zhang must accept it. ”

After saying that, he waved his hand, and Lin Bo immediately stepped forward, took out a small cloth bag, and handed it to Zhang Shixing.

Zhang Shixing was just about to get up and excuse himself, but Cheng Fu held his hand and said, "Brother Zhang, if you recognize me as a friend, you will accept it." ”

With that, he got up and took his leave. Everyone also stood up to send them off.

After Cheng Fu left, Zhang Shixing poured out the silver in the cloth bag, took a few small ones himself, and then put the silver back in his pocket, handed it to Huang Zhan, and said, "Senior brother, you can take these silver first, as you and the master and disciples use here." ”

After arriving in the Ryukyus, at the suggestion of Zhu Yunwen, Huang Zhan, Zhang Shixing, and Wang Shu were his apprentices, and they were ranked in order of age. Huang Zhan is pseudonym Huang Guan, Zhang Shixing alias Zhang Si, and Wang Shu alias Wang Zhi.

Huang Zhan excused himself and said: "This is Mr. Cheng's use for road expenses, and I can't accept it." ”

Zhang Shixing said: "Mr. Cheng has already paid for the boat, and I don't have any expenses to take care of the food on the ship, so I can't use it much." However, if you live here, there are many places to exchange favors and use money, so you don't have to excuse yourself. ”

Zhu Yunwen saw it, sighed and said, "As a teacher, I only learned about the difficulties of the people today. Huang Guan, you just take it. ”

Huang Zhan arched his hand and said, "Obey." ”

At noon the next day, Zhang Shixing simply packed up his salute, put on his baggage, and came to the dock of Naha Port, where Hosokawa Goro was already waiting, and smiled at Zhang Shixing: "Brother Zhang, I can't see that your face is really big, even Cheng Changshi came to help you, he has paid for the boat, you can get on the boat with peace of mind." ”

Zhang Shixing stepped on the gangplank and walked on the boat, Hosokawa Goro still arranged him in the front cabin, and temporarily separated a cabin with wooden planks, only allowing one person, Zhang Shixing did not care, and when he entered the cabin, he meditated cross-legged and practiced internal strength.

The first day was calm, but the next afternoon the sky changed abruptly, with dark clouds rolling in the sky and a roaring wind at sea, and the gale began to blow from the southeast, then to the northwest, and finally to a strong northeasterly wind. At this time, the sea changed color abruptly, from the original blue to black as ink, and from the black sea, huge waves rose into the sky. Rows of snow-white spray fluttered on the summit of the waves, like the teeth and claws of giant beasts, threatening to swallow them up these weak and helpless ships.

It was too late, but it was too late, and a huge wave struck, overturning a ship on the spot, and the people on board disappeared into the waves before they could scream.

Zhang Shixing hugged the mast tightly on the boat, the huge waves crashed on his body, like a whip, he gritted his teeth and held back, secretly praying for a smooth trip.

The wind blew for a day and a night, and finally stopped, and the sea returned to its former gentle beauty, the waves were as flat as a mirror, and the sea and sky were the same color, straight like a fairyland.

At noon on the third day, they finally arrived at Dinghai, and the trip went well, losing only one ship.

Zhang Shixing saw the power and moodiness of the sea, and finally understood Shen Daocheng's worried words, and Hosokawa Goro's helplessness to be greedy for money.

Three Japanese ships sailed up the Yongjiang River to the Sanjiangkou Wharf outside Ningbo, where they anchored, and the personnel of the mission disembarked to go through the inspection and other customs clearance procedures, and the crew members also disembarked one after another to hang out.

Zhang Shixing was about to get off the boat, but Hosokawa Goro grabbed him and said: "It's really inappropriate for you to dress up and get off the boat, we are Japanese, you are a Ming person at a glance, the government will come to inquire, then we can't tell." Well, if you want to get off the ship, you have to dress up like us Japanese. Otherwise, you will stay on the ship honestly, or you will harm others and yourself. ”

Zhang Shixing said angrily: "In our Ming land, it is strange to dress up as you Japanese." ”

Hosokawa Goro said: "I guess Brother Zhang should be the person wanted by your Ming court, so he hid in Ryukyu for refuge, if you get off the ship like this and are wanted by your Ming government, I don't admit to knowing you, and you are not allowed to get on our ship again, and you want to go back to Ryukyu to find a way yourself." ”

Zhang Shixing had no choice but to comply.

Hosokawa Goro found a sailor to shave his head for a month, and then changed him into a Japanese kimono and put on clogs, which really looked like a Japanese samurai. Hosokawa Goro also taught him a few words of Japanese before letting him get off the ship.

Zhang Shixing swayed off the boat in clogs, came to the shore, and walked into the Tianfei Temple, wanting to find out about the events of the day.

He stepped into the second gate and came to the top of the main hall, only to see people coming and going, burning incense and prostrating many people, as usual, long since disappeared the trace of that day.

The temple Zhu had also been replaced, and he stepped forward and asked in stiff Chinese, "May I ask Master, where is the original Master Chen?" ”

The temple Zhu looked up at him, saw that it was a Japanese, and asked, "Do you have anything to do with him?" ”

Zhang Shixing said on the spot: "I borrowed some money from him and wanted to return it to him." ”

The temple Zhu stretched out his hand and said, "He has returned to the countryside, you give me the money, and I will hand it over to him for you." ”

Zhang Shixing shook his head and said, "No, if I don't see him in person, I won't pay back." You Ming people all look the same, I can't tell the difference. ”

The temple said angrily: "You are quite cunning. It turns out that the temple wishes Chen Afu is dead, you go and burn some paper money for him to settle the account. ”

Zhang Shixing was surprised: "How did he die?" "It seems that there was a very violent fight in the Tianfei Temple that night, and even the temple Zhu was killed.

"I don't know how he died." It was his head that hit the stone pillar, and his brain burst and died. Oh, you see the blood is still stained on the stone pillar. ”

With that, he pointed with his hand.

Zhang Shi walked to the stone pillar, leaned over to look, and sure enough, he found a red blood stain on the dragon's claws.

He hurriedly asked the temple blessing, "Were there any other dead or injured that day?" ”

The temple Zhu looked him up and down, and said impatiently: "Who are you, why are you asking in such detail?" ”

Zhang Shixing hurriedly took out a small piece of broken silver from his arms, stuffed it into Miaozhu's hand, and said with a smile: "Master, it's a little meaning, it's not a respect, please drink tea." ”

The temple Zhu put the silver in his arms, and then turned his anger into joy and said: "Good to say, easy to say." I heard that two old men died that day, and they fought each other to death. ”

Zhang Shixing sank his heart down, after all, the ancestor lost his life to cover them, and when tears were about to gush out, he turned his back, pretended to be incensed, wiped his tears with the wide sleeves of his kimono, turned around, and continued to ask: "Are there any other casualties?" ”

Na Miaozhu thought for a while and said: "No, it's just that two women were taken away by the government, and I heard that they were a mother and daughter." ”

The temple Zhu stared at him for a while and said, "What is the relationship between the mother and daughter and you, could it be that your old friend?" ”

Zhang Shixing's face turned red and he said, "No, I'm just curious to ask." Where were they taken, was it Ningbo Mansion? ”

Na Miaozhu thought for a while and said, "I heard that the mother and daughter are traitors and dependents, and they should be escorted to the Jingshi Sect Division." ”

When Zhang Shixing heard this, he was like a thunderbolt. The Sect Division has always imprisoned the female relatives of criminal officials, and it is called the Sect Division, but it is actually a government-run brothel, and the convicts who enter it are often tortured to the point that life is worse than death.

As soon as he thought of the picture of Song Sanniang and Wu being humiliated, he was heartbroken and blamed himself, Song Zhong was martyred, but his dependents were reduced to this point, what is the reason. What's more, these two people, one is his fiancée and the other is his mother-in-law, he can't stay for a moment, he has to rush to Beijing immediately to rescue their mother and son.

Zhang Shixing returned to the boat, changed back to the dress of the Ming people, wore a six-in-one hat, covered the head of the Yue Dynasty, and secretly got off the boat.

Hosokawa Goro and others had to go through the inquest procedures in Ningbo Prefecture, and the most important thing was to trade here, and it would take at least a month before they could go north to Beijing.

He was so anxious that he couldn't wait any longer, so he hired a small boat with all the money on his body, went north against the East Zhejiang Canal, and rushed to Beijing overnight.

On the road hurried slowly, or walked for five or six days, this day finally came to the Beijing Division, it was late, he came to the Qinhuai River on the bank of the Jiaofang Division, here is still people coming and going, shoulder to shoulder, lively, completely forgot the fire in the Forbidden City a few months ago, and tens of thousands of heads to the ground, no matter what mountains and rivers he changed hands, the change of dynasties, the life of the common people is like this day by day, thousands of years have been like this.

Zhang Shixing entered the courtyard of the teaching workshop and looked for Song Sanniang everywhere, only to see that the upstairs and downstairs were all greased and powdered, and the woman with open breasts and breasts scratched her head and gestured to the guests to solicit business.

His eyes widened, and he carefully identified them one by one, and from time to time a woman came over to grab him and said, "Uncle, come and play." ”

He broke free from the women and searched for them all the way to the backyard, where he saw a familiar figure in a secluded corner throwing up in the corner.

He stepped forward quickly, hurriedly grabbed the woman's hand and said, "Sanniang, you have suffered, come with me." ”

The woman raised her head, and under the light, although her face was smeared with thick fat powder, she could still see that she had a delicate face, and it was his fiancée, Song Zhong's daughter Song Sanniang.

Song Sanniang saw that it was Zhang Shixing, she was stunned for a long time, pinched herself, and finally realized that this was not a dream, so she threw herself into Zhang Shixing's arms, beat his chest hard, and cried loudly, tears wetting the clothes on his chest.

Zhang Shixing also hugged her thin body tightly, and tears couldn't stop flowing.

After a while, Zhang Shixing picked up Song Sanniang and walked out, saying, "Go, Sanniang, I'll take you out of here." ”

Song Sanniang followed him for a few steps, and suddenly said firmly: "Brother Xing, I can't go with you." ”