Although the Ming Dynasty has opened the sea ban, but as an important channel to communicate the north and south, there are still many ships on the Grand Canal. Especially when it is close to the city of Nanjing, there is a lot of merchant ships on the waterway.

Although the pomp and circumstance were much smaller than when they went to Shandong to serve as governors, and there were only a few dozen accompanying guards, his identity was still here, so when a few official ships played the flag, even the most congested waterways could be unimpeded.

In this way, the waterway of several hundred miles became much easier, and it took less than seven or eight days for the boat to dock at the Nanjing wharf. The people from the Wei State Mansion, who had already received the news, were also waiting here, and as soon as they saw that the official ship with the banner was stopped, a group of people greeted them under the leadership of Xu Zhang, the chief steward.

After Lu Zhen came to the shore through the springboard, Xu Zhang bent down and bowed deeply: "The little Xu Zhang came to greet Lord Qincha on the order of the second son." Due to the funeral at home, the second son was unable to leave the house to greet him, and he hoped that the adults would forgive him. ”

Seeing this, Lu Zhen hurriedly stepped forward to help: "Steward Xu doesn't have to be like this, this official knows the difficulties of the second son, how can he blame it." Such a thing happened in the Wei State Mansion, but he still asked you to come here to wait, it should be because the official felt sorry for it. ”

"The big ones are serious, but the little ones don't dare to be serious."

After the two of them exchanged polite words, Lu Zhen got into a rather magnificent carriage that had been prepared earlier, and went to the city under the escort of everyone in the Guogong Mansion. And his escort attachés followed him left and right, which was considered to protect his safety.

After walking for a while, the carriage came to the towering and majestic city of Nanjing, Lu Zhen lifted the curtain and took a closer look, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart, this Nanjing is worthy of being called the city of dragons and tigers, just this stretches out, the city wall with a circumference of 100 miles is far more majestic and open than the city of Beijing.

In fact, as the former capital of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Taizu spent a lot of effort to build this city, and the number of people used alone amounted to 280,000, and the materials and silver money consumed were innumerable. And the process of building the city of Nanjing is also quite long, from the 26th year of the Yuan Dynasty to the 26th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, spanning two dynasties, it is full of 27 years.

And it is this city wall, which has been standing in place since it was built, has not changed much for hundreds of years, even if there have been several changes of dynasties during this period, even if there has been a terrible massacre, but it still stands silently......

When Lu Zhen was still looking up at the thick city wall, the carriage had slowly passed through the city gate hole several feet deep, and really entered the city of Nanjing.

Speaking of which, as early as more than ten years ago, Lu Zhen came to Nanjing with Xu Chengzong. However, at that time, he was rushing to Hangzhou to take up his post, and he did not really enter the city. Now that he is really in this thousand-year-old city, his feeling is even more profound.

When this Nanjing city is seen from the outside, it gives people a simple and solemn sense of solemnity, but when you really enter the city, you can clearly feel the heavy fireworks, and the whole city is also extraordinarily fresh and colorful.

The streets inside the city gate are full of pedestrians, with all kinds of goods placed in front of the shops along the streets, and small stalls set up on the spot, with a dazzling array of goods, and the small traders shout a few times from time to time to solicit business. Being in it made Lu Zhen only feel lively and interesting, but not irritable.

Obviously, under the governance of Wei Guogong's family, the city of Nanjing appeared to be exceptionally open and wealthy. In comparison, Beijing City makes people feel a sense of strict rules and a little depressing.

The only thing that makes people feel a little discordant is the team of officers and soldiers who patrol the sentry from time to time. However, as long as you think about it, now is the sensitive day of the death of the Duke of Wei, and you can accept it calmly.

Along the way, Lu Zhen had a preliminary understanding of the city of Nanjing, and also had a deeper impression of the role of the Duke of Wei in this place. It is no wonder that the old Xu family has been able to guard Nanjing since Zhu Di moved the capital, and they are indeed very good at governing the place.

But then, he had a somewhat strange idea, but I don't know if in the future, after the second son of the Xu family who looked a little out of the way will be the master, will this Nanjing City still be the same as before?

This problem was quickly dispelled when he met Xu Chengzong in person again. When Lu Zhen and the others came to the Wei State Mansion, they saw that Xu Chengzong, who was dressed in white, had led the people in the mansion to wait there, and when he got out of the car, Xu Ergongzi only hesitated slightly, and then stepped forward solemnly and bowed to him: "Minister Xu Chengzong has seen Lord Qincha." "Look at his serious appearance, how can there be a little bit of the smiling and unscrupulous appearance that has ever flown off.

Lu Zhen was also obviously stunned, and then stepped forward to pick up the other party: "Young Master Xu is exempt, please lead the way into the main hall, and the official can also read out His Majesty's will." It was only then that he thought that he and Xu Chengzong had not met for nearly ten years, and the original gentleman was now over the age of standing, so it was naturally impossible for him to be as young and frivolous as before.

And this pair of old friends who haven't seen each other for many years can't talk about goodbye at this moment because of their respective identities, so they can only handle all their official affairs according to the rules first.

A large group of people gathered around Lu Zhen and Xu Chengzong to the main hall where there were still white flags and tablets, and Xu Xianzong's coffin and tablet were placed. Looking at the furnishings here, Lu Zhen was not busy reading out the will, but picked up the incense stick in front of the offering table, lit it, and bowed to Xu Xianzong's body three times.

Seeing this, Xu Chengzong, who was a family member, and other people from the Wei Mansion who wore linen and filial piety hurriedly stepped forward to answer the salute. After a long time of busy salutes, Lu Zhen said a few words of mourning and change, and only then did he take over the holy decree that had been prepared from the hands of the people around him, and opened it and said: "There is a will, Xu Chengzong listens to the will!" ”

"Minister Xu Chengzong listens to the order." With a promise, the people of the Wei State Mansion who came down from him all knelt on the ground with a hula la.

After they put on a posture of listening respectfully to the holy decree, Lu Zhen had enough dantian qi and slowly read this long edict from the beginning: "Fengtian carries the emperor, and the edict says: The state-owned minister Xu has made many meritorious deeds since Taizu started the army......"

This edict first affirmed the Xu family's merits to the imperial court, and then lamented Xu Xianzong's untimely death, and even added a lot of words such as whining and mourning, just like a memorial to the other party. It wasn't until the end that Lu Jin's eyes fell on Xu Chengzong: "...... Now Xianzong has passed away and has no heirs, but the Duke of Wei has never been broken, and he immediately canonized Xu Chengzong, the second son of the Xu family, as the Duke of Wei. I hope that he can inherit the will of his father and brother, be loyal to the country, and abide by the way of his ministers...... Chin this. ”

After reading it for more than a quarter of an hour, Lu Zhen read all the thousands of words of the edict, and after the Xu family and the others thanked the saint again, he hurriedly stepped forward and helped Xu Chengzong up, and then bent down to salute: "Minister Lu Zhen pays a visit to the Duke of Wei." "From this moment on, he is already the new Duke of Wei, and his status is naturally far above that of him, the squire of the military department.

The corners of Xu Chengzong's mouth curled slightly, and he hurriedly helped Lu Jin: "Brother Lu, you and I don't need to talk too much red tape between us." Although our identities are different now, our friendship will not change because of this. You say yes, right? ”

"Grandpa Xu...... What you're saying is. Originally, Lu Zhen planned to continue to call him his grandfather, but after seeing that Xu Chengzong was a little unhappy, he quickly changed his words. In this way, the other party was a little happier.

Subsequently, Lu Zhen offered incense to Xu Xianzong again in his personal name, and then at the invitation of Xu Chengzong, he went to the small hall on the side to serve tea and talk.

After a little greeting, they talked about what they had encountered in the past few years. After listening to Lu Zhen talk about the former, Xu Chengzong was amazed: "I can't imagine that Brother Lu, you have done so many great things in just a few years, and now you are more expensive than an important minister of the court, which is really enviable." ”

"It's just a fluke." Lu Zhen said modestly.

"You're too humble. If it were me, I wouldn't have the courage to open the sea ban under pressure from the top and bottom of the court. Not only did you do it, but you did it well, and that's enough to be admired. In fact, I have heard a lot of great things you have done in Shandong in Nanjing, such as the Doukong family, the pirates, and even the border army that has always been domineering have been deflated in your hands, as long as you think about it, you feel happy. Xu Chengzong couldn't help but sigh again.

Lu Zhen smiled and said a few words modestly, and then asked the other party: "I don't know what Brother Xu has done all these years?" ”

"I can't compare to you. I don't have any ambitions, and because of this identity, it's very difficult to do something. Especially in recent years, my brother has been seriously ill and bedridden, and many big and small things have to be taken care of by me, who is my younger brother, and I have not been able to leave Nanjing for many years. As he spoke, he sighed softly, as if he missed the days when he was free.

When Lu Zhen heard this, he was in awe: "It turns out that the prosperous and stable Nanjing is the credit of Brother Xu, but it is disrespectful." It seems that you do have a talent for governance, but you didn't have the opportunity before, if you can enter the court as an official, it will be really a blessing in the world. ”

When Xu Chengzong heard this, he smiled again. Then, he asked, "Since you think I have some talents, why don't you stay by my side and help me?" There is really a shortage of people like you who dare to think and dare to do it. ”

"This ......" Lu Jin's face suddenly showed embarrassment: "I'm a courtier, and I really can't do this ......."

"Haha, look at what you said, I'm just a joke. You are now a soldier in the military department, how can my small Wei Mansion tolerate it? Xu Chengzong said with a smile.

Lu Zhen also laughed. It's just that there is a different feeling in his heart, as if what the other party just said is not a joke as he said, but really moved such a mind......

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