The first year of Jianwen, the third day of the third month of March.

The third day of the third month of March is the Shangsi Festival, it is the season of outing and stepping into spring, and it is also the season when wanderers and businessmen travel far away, generally at this time, next to the long pavilion outside Beiping City, there will be many scholars who go out of the city to drink and write poems, as well as some relatives who travel far away, friends and family members break willow branches to say goodbye. But today, outside the long pavilion is surrounded by a team of elite knights, in the pavilion sat two young people, one was fat, with a fair face, it was Zhu Gaochi, the son of King Yan, and sitting opposite was his younger brother, Zhu Gaoxu, the king of Gaoyang County.

Zhu Gaoxu is tall, with ape arms and a bee waist, and there is a military atmosphere between his demeanor. The two brothers were talking cordially, and finally Zhu Gaochi stood up and said: "Second brother, I went to visit Uncle Daiwang for my brother, I'm afraid it will take two months to come back, my father is not in good health, and now I am bedridden, you have to take good care of your father and mother." ”

"Well, I know, it's still colder than we have here, and the eldest brother is weak, so you have to be very careful."

"Well, I know for my brother, thank you second brother." When Zhu Gaochi heard his younger brother say this, his body trembled, and he forced a smile.

......

Because of the farewell, there are many vendors outside the long pavilion, there are those who sell sugar gourds, hats, rouge gouache, and even a tea shop more than ten zhang away from the long pavilion, providing tea to pedestrians.

Perhaps the Mongolian guards outside the pavilion were too scary, and there were not many people in the tea shop, only seven or eight people. There were two people sitting on the stool on the side, the man was holding a folding fan in his hand, wearing a scholar's scarf on his head, with a delicate face, and he was smiling at the pretty woman opposite, and the woman opposite frequently covered her mouth, "giggling" and laughing, but the afterglow of the two of them occasionally swept in the direction of the pavilion.

After the two brothers said goodbye, Zhu Gaochi got into the carriage, and Zhu Gaochu glared at the leading guard and said, "Halu, be careful all the way, if something happens to the eldest brother, you will die." ”

"Yes, don't worry, the little one will definitely protect the safety of the prince." The tall Haru bowed his head to receive the order, and his body even trembled slightly.

Looking at Zhu Gaochi's carriage, Zhu Gaochu shook his head and patted his horse and drove towards Beiping City.

A group of men and women who were laughing also stood up, got into the carriage on the side of the road, and asked the coachman to drive the carriage towards the city. Behind them, a twenty-eight-year-old girl also got up and left with her family.

Beiping Division.

The Yamen of the Beiping Dusi was on the west side of the Yanwang Mansion, close to Chang'an Avenue, and Song Zhong was discussing military affairs with his fellow acquaintance Xie Gui. Xie Gui is sixty-two years old this year, a veteran who followed Zhu Yuanzhang to raise troops, and is said to be the fortieth grandson of Xie An of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Under the forty-five-year-old Song Zhong, Xie Gui did not have a trace of reluctance, perhaps because he looked down on fame and fortune.

The discussion between the two has come to an end, Xie Gui said: "The adult's plan is very detailed, the last general understands, if the adult has no other instructions, the last general will arrange it." ”

"Well, the general has worked hard."

Xie Gui got up, hesitated for a moment, and said, "My lord, do you know why the emperor did this?" ”

"......" Song Zhong hesitated for a moment and said, "The emperor is a benevolent king, and this move is just in case." ”

"Well, the Admiral understands."

Song Zhong looked at Xie Gui's back, thought about it, beckoned his guard, lowered his head and whispered a few words, and the guard said yes and went out.

After a while, the guard came back and said in a low voice: "The Jinyi guard is stationed in Beiping Qianhu Lu Qianhao is asking to see outside. ”

"Oh, Qianhao is here, let him in." Song Zhong hurriedly said, and added another sentence at the end: "Let him come in directly through the back door in the future, and don't attract anyone's attention." ”

"Yes, sir."

After a while, a middle-aged man in his thirties came in at the door, his appearance was not amazing, his eyes were scattered, and he seemed to be careless. When he saw Song Zhong, he quickly knelt down and said, "Subordinate Lu Qianhao see the commander." ”

Song Zhong had a smile on his face, but he didn't get up, and said, "Qianhao, you get up, I'm not your boss anymore, so there's no need to be so formal." ”

"No, in Qianhao's heart, the adult will always be Qianhao's boss, and the adult is transferred, and the imperial court has not appointed the commander of the Jinyi Guard, so it should still be left to the adult."

"Hehe, don't talk about this, come today, do you have something?"

Lu Qianhao stood up, clasped his fists and said: "My lord, today, Zhu Gaochi, the son of King Yan, under the escort of five hundred Mongolian cavalry, went to Datong to visit the acting king. ”

"Oh, to visit the king?" Song Zhong pondered for a moment and said, "I heard that the acting king once went to Taiyuan to visit the king of Jin, is that so?" ”

"Yes, this subordinate has also heard about it, and Han Qianhu from Taiyuan once passed the news."

"Have you sent someone to follow the prince of Yan Wang?"

"No, Jinyiwei can't just cross the line."

"It's okay, General Ben has the emperor's will, you immediately send someone to follow the past, focus on seeing who the prince has seen, where he has met, and what he has talked about, the more detailed the better."

"Yes, sir."

"By the way, is there any news from Yanwang Mansion lately?"

"This," Lu Qianhao leaned closer and said in a low voice: "I heard that King Yan has been in poor health recently, and he has been relapsed by the old illness of the king of Gaoyang County, and he is recuperating in bed." ”

"Huh?" Song Zhong immediately sat up straight: "How do you know about this?" How did General Ben not know? ”

"This, it's just rumors, it hasn't been confirmed yet, and I'm not sure about it."

Song Zhong stood up, paced around a few times, and said: "Qianhao, you have to confirm the truth of this news as soon as possible, and in addition, when the people of Yanwangfu go out in the future, even if they leave Beiping, they must follow, and General Ben will give you authorization." ”

"Obedience."

Sending Lu Qianhao away, Song Zhong couldn't help but ponder, King Yan was sick at this time, is it true that it's okay, if it's fake, it means that he has a plan, and he has to be careful. He remembered the emperor's advice, and there was a trace of vigilance in his heart.

Lu Qianhao returned to Qianhu and called his right-hand man, the man who was drinking tea in the tea shop, called Lin Dongfang. After Lin Dongfang entered the door, he knelt down on one knee: "My lord, what are your orders to summon Dongfang to come?" ”

"Dongfang, you are the best at keeping an eye on my subordinates, this Qianhu ordered you to lead twenty subordinates to set off immediately to Datong to monitor the envoys of the kings who went to visit the king, especially the prince of Yan. Do you understand? ”

"Humble duty understands."

"Well, go ahead, thank you for your hard work."

"It's not hard, I'm willing to serve the adults."

About three days later, Song Zhong knew that King Yan was indeed sick, but there was no need for Lu Qianhao to verify it, because King Yan's Mansion had already notified Ru Chang, Song Zhong, Xie Gui and others of Beiping that there was no need to go to see the prince, and the prince was unwell.

But everyone still went to the palace to wait, although they didn't see King Yan, but the etiquette was fulfilled, Song Zhong had a little more heart, he and Xie Gui went in separately, to ensure that there were people in the Yamen of the Dusi Division, and the reason used was naturally that he was busy with official business.

A few days later, Jinyiwei came to report that Zhu Gaoxu, the king of Gaoyang County, led five hundred Mongolian cavalry out, and it was said that there was a thousand-year-old ginseng in Kaiping City, and the king of Gaoyang County wanted to buy it for the treatment of King Yan. Lu Qianhao sent people to follow, but couldn't keep up, the cavalry of the king of Gaoyang County was too fast, and quickly went out of the Xifeng Pass, and went north along the Luan River.

In Beiping City, in addition to Jinyiwei, there is also a group of people who are also paying attention to every move of Yanwangfu.

Three miles to the east of Qingshou Temple, there is an alley, the entrance of the alley is a tall poplar tree, from the poplar tree to the second house, there is a family. It is said that her hometown is from Shandong, and she came to Beiping to do business, but recently Miss Liu, who was in charge, bought dozens of spinning machines, opened a spinning workshop, and hired dozens of women. After a few months, the operation was well organized, and it was also well-known in Beiping City.

At this time, Miss Liu was listening to the report of the maid Lan Xiang, Lan Xiang took the account book and said: "Miss, now our workshop has hired thirty-two women, each of whom can produce about five catties of yarn per day, and can produce nearly five thousand catties of yarn per month. ”

Miss Liu was a little surprised: "There are so many, I'll take a look," she took the account book, looked at it for a while, and said: "Lan Xiang, you have worked hard, you have been tired in the past few months!" ”

"It's okay, Miss, I'm not tired, in fact, Lan Xiang has been quite happy these past few months."

"Why?"

"You don't have to fight and kill, you can help so many people, and when you see those working aunts and aunts receiving their wages, Lan Xiang feels that everything is worth it."

"Yes, you don't have to fight and kill, you can help people, alas!" When the young lady said this, she sighed softly, changed the topic, and said, "Do you understand the math booklet that came with the randomizer?" ”

Lan Xiang pursed her lips and smiled, took out a beautifully decorated booklet from her arms, and said: "I roughly understand, although it was sent after the new emperor changed the yuan, but I heard that some businessmen have already started to use it, but Lan Xiang is a little stupid and can't understand it." ”

The young lady took out an identical booklet from the shelf in the study and said, "Lan Xiang, I roughly understand, let me tell you about it, and you will use this number to keep accounts in the future." ”

"yes, okay." The two little heads leaned together, and the young lady explained while calculating, and Lan Xiang frowned sometimes, sometimes nodded, and sometimes suddenly realized......

When the master and servant were discussing math problems, Amber walked in from outside and said, "Miss, Peng Ziyun is here, wait outside." ”

"Who? Peng Ziyun? The young lady immediately stood up, her face like frost: "How did he know that we lived here?" ”

"I don't know, but I suspect it might have something to do with the young helmsman."

Miss Liu sneered: "My senior brother, alas, forget it, Amber, you ask Peng Ziyun to wait in the living room, and I will go over in a while." ”