A reception feast ended with a slightly awkward and eerie atmosphere. Subsequently, Gao Qianzhong and other officials respectfully helped Lu Jin, who was already shaking, out of the restaurant, and sent him into the carriage, and took him all the way to the Qincha Xingyuan, which had been prepared for him a long time ago, and was also the future governor yamen.

This is a large garden house with seven or eight courtyards and an area of ten acres, and only Lu Jin, the imperial court minister and governor of Shandong, is qualified to live in it and no one dares to say anything.

Not only is the garden large enough, but the scenery is also quite good, even on this autumn night, you can still enjoy all the beautiful scenery in it. In addition, as a famous spring city in the world, although it is impossible to build a house in a place like Baotu Spring, there are still several living springs in this garden, and there is even a hot spring, which is just right for Governor Lu to take a bath after arriving to remove the alcohol and fatigue on his body.

After instructing the servants who had stayed in the garden to serve Lord Futai, and after saying a few words to Lu Jin, who was already too drunk to open his eyes, Gao Duzhong returned to the outside and asked the other officials to come again tomorrow morning to ask for peace, and then dispersed.

But what these people didn't know was that as soon as they were put into the room, and there were their own people on the left and right, Lu Jin, who was originally dazed, suddenly opened his eyes, and he was only slightly drunk. In fact, he knew that he had always controlled the amount of alcohol he had, and with some means, no one dared to stare at him, so most of the wine was poured into his sleeve. But even so, he didn't have much alcohol and still looked drunk, so he naturally deceived these local officials.

Han Wutong, who has been following him closely since he became a waiter, has long been surprised by this, and when he opened his eyes, he quickly handed a towel soaked in hot water and wrung out to Lu Jin, and said with a smile: "Master, you are really a good means, looking at the appearance of those adults, you have completely concealed them." ”

"I have to do this, otherwise I may be deceived by them." After Lu Zhen picked up a towel and wiped his face and hands, he loosened his official uniform under Han Wutong's service. It is said that there is no happiness that people cannot enjoy, and after only a few months, he has become accustomed to being served by someone to put on and take off his clothes.

After replacing the official uniform with soaked sleeves into a light robe, Lu Zhen asked, "Is Lord Yang already in this garden?" ”

"Lord Yang, and some other adults have all been settled in the garden in front of them, but the master wants to meet him?" Han Wutong hurriedly replied. As Lu Jin's personal entourage, of course, he not only knows how to serve people, but also has to understand the mind of his master, and prepare and understand it in advance.

"If he hasn't rested, ask him to come and talk. In addition, when the word goes out, it is said that I am not strong enough to drink, and I will not see anyone tomorrow. Lu Zhen said, picking up the strong tea on the table and drinking the wine.

Before half of the tea was drunk, Yang Zhen's tall figure appeared in front of the door. Although he was not a sociable envoy, he did not attend today's banquet. And with his status as a brocade guard for thousands of households, the local officials did not dare to force it, so at this time, he looked full of energy.

"Yang Qianhu is here, please sit down and talk." When Lu Jin saw him, he hurriedly greeted him with a smile.

Yang Zhen entered the room as he said, sat down in the lower position steadily, and then said: "In the future, I will be a subordinate of Lord Futai, so call me by my name." ”

"Okay, then I'm welcome." Lu Zhen smiled, and indeed called his official position a little raw, so he said kindly: "Brother Yang, have you eaten?" ”

Hearing this title, even though Yang Zhen's temperament has always been a little cold and calm, he didn't feel a slight change of color at this time. Although the difference between himself and Lu Jin is not too big in terms of status, and Jinyiwei is a feared existence for everyone, few people will call themselves so affectionately, not to mention this celebrity who is still the Son of Heaven and his boss. But he is not a hypocritical person, since Lu Zhen called this out of sincerity, he did not refuse, and reluctantly smiled and said: "Thank you for your concern, I have already eaten." There is a cook in this garden. ”

"I'm afraid it's not just cooks, right?" Lu Zhen followed pointedly.

"Yes, there are more than 100 servants, all of whom are arranged by the local government." This sentence made the meaning of what they wanted to say clear, and it was obvious that they were surrounded by people's eyes and ears.

Lu Zhen nodded knowingly: "Then it depends on the skills of Brother Yang and your sons." "In terms of surveillance and probing ability, who in this world can be more powerful than Jinyiwei?

"The lower officials must do their best." Yang Zhen nodded hurriedly in response.

"There is another thing, the water in Shandong is really not shallow, and they are obviously not very willing to follow me to open the sea, and there must be a reason behind this. As the saying goes, knowing oneself and knowing that the other is invincible, everything depends on Jinyiwei. There should also be a Jinyi Wei Thousand Households here, I wonder where Brother Yang might let them be used by me? ”

"It shouldn't be a problem." With the current embarrassing situation of Jinyiwei, they must be eager to rely on the big tree of Lu Jin. It's obviously a piece of cake to just let them look up something in the shadows.

Lu Zhen smiled with satisfaction: "Then we have to rely on Brother Yang next." As for me, I'll test them for the time being to see where their bottom line is, and how many of them can be of use to me. The opening of the sea in Shandong this time is related to my plan for the Ming Dynasty for a hundred years, and the burden on you and me is really not light. ”

"Xia Guan understands, I must take your head as a leader and do my best!" Although Yang Zhen didn't understand the meaning of Lu Zhen's words, he still said with a straight face. This is not only because he had received Hu Hui's advice before setting off from the capital, but also because he could see that Lu Zhen really wanted to do something practical for the world and the court.

Seeing that he answered so briskly, Lu Jin's heart was even more happy, so he simply ordered what he had planned to do later: "There is another point, Qufu is also a place for people to stare at, I am afraid that this difficulty is not in Jinan, but in the Kong clan in Qufu." ”

Hearing this order, Rao is Yang Zhen was determined, and he didn't feel that his eyebrows jumped, revealing a strange look. Although he is not a scholar, he also knows what the Confucian family means in the Ming literary circle. And Lu Jin, a civil official from a scholar's background, actually hit the idea on the Kong family, and his boldness was really beyond his expectations.

But soon, he calmed down again, nodded lightly and said, "Xiaguan knows." I'll get this done. ”

After saying these instructions, Lu Zhen sent Yang Zhen out of the house, and then stretched hard. The journey was already tiring, coupled with the fact that he had to deal with those local officials after entering the city, and drank a lot of wine, so he naturally felt tired at this time.

At this time, Han Wutong, who was outside, hurried in, helped Lu Zhen press his shoulder, and said at the same time: "Master, I heard that there is a hot spring in this garden, and it is the best way to go to drink to relieve fatigue, why not go take a bath now?" ”

"Oh? Is there such a good place to go? "Lu Zhen really hadn't heard that there were hot springs here in Jinan before, and sure enough, this is not something that ordinary people can enjoy. Then he stood up: "In that case, let's go and freshen up, anyway, this garden will be mine for a while in the future, and it will be a waste not to use it." ”

So, Governor Lu led the way down to the hot spring bath in the southwest corner of the garden with several servants in the garden with lanterns. To be honest, it has been almost thirty years before and after the crossing, and Lu Zhen has never tried to take a bath in a hot spring, which is quite a yearning for this, so as soon as he arrived at the ground, he pushed open the door and walked straight in.

Then, he was stunned at the door.

Because as far as the eye could see, it was all white and greasy, and five or six girls with delicate appearances and cardamom were all stripped off and waiting in only a small belly pocket. As soon as they saw someone breaking in, they were stunned for a moment, and then Xu guessed his identity, and they all bowed down and greeted each other coquettishly.

This room was already a little stuffy, and Lu Zhen was a little drunk, and now he bumped into such a spectacular scene, which suddenly made him feel a burst of blood, and he almost had a nosebleed. Fortunately, he was not a beginner in love, although the scene was not small, he quickly calmed down, and immediately asked with a straight face: "Who are you?" Why is it here? ”

One of them, a delicate, petite but material-looking woman, hurriedly replied in a coquettish voice: "Lord Hui, the slave maid is from this Yayuyuan, and she is specially here to wait for the adults to bathe and sleep. ”

"Yes, my lord, please let a few slaves and maids loosen your clothes." Several women seemed to see Lu Jin's embarrassment, so they became bolder, as if they wanted to get up and step forward.

When Lu Jin saw it, he hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Slow down." This official has always been used to bathing alone, so he doesn't need you. Get out of here, all of you. ”

"But ......"

"Nothing! Get out! Looking at the young women in front of him who only had a piece of cloth to cover their bodies, Lu Zhen found that he had reacted a little, and naturally it was impossible to keep them here, so he immediately said coldly.

These women were only people in the garden, so they naturally did not dare to oppose the future master and the governor of Shandong, so they had to bow and retreat after being a little aggrieved.

But just when they arrived at the door and wanted to go out, Lu Zhen suddenly said, "Slow." ”

"What else do you have to say?" The girls were suddenly happy again, it seems that the adults were just posturing just now, and they are not hard-hearted after all.

Unexpectedly, Lu Zhen just pointed his hand to the side: "Put on your clothes, lest you go out and freeze." ”

"Yes, thank you, sir......" After several women glanced at Lu Zhen with both gratitude and loss, they put on their clothes with complicated expressions, and then silently withdrew from the bath room.