Ten days later, one afternoon, Raozhou Mansion, Jiangxi.

The territory of King Ming here, the location is close to Poyang Lake, passing through Nankang Mansion in the north, and you can go directly to Lengjiang after passing through the important town of Hukou. The fish and rice in the jurisdiction are abundant, and the fertile land is not only a million hectares, but also produces copper, iron, coal, silver, etc. It is worth mentioning that the production of blue and white porcelain in Jingdezhen, Raozhou Prefecture, is also a major source of finance and taxation in Raozhou Prefecture.

However, since King Ming was appointed as the vassal king of Raozhou, not only did he not pay tribute to taxes and taxes, but the imperial court also had to pay a lot of grain and silver every year. Therefore, although the imperial court also set up three departments and offices here, these official positions were never welcomed.

I heard that an official had offended King Ming, but the next morning he was found with his head gone. So the later officials had to deal with the Ming Wang, and they also pretended to be confused about the affairs in the jurisdiction, and they found another place after a year or two.

On this day, a two-masted wooden warship sailed from Poyang Lake, and docked after arriving in Poyang County. The first to come down from the boat was a woman in Tsing Yi, covered with veil.

The moment she went ashore, she looked back at the water village on the edge of the lake, and a huge dock not far away, and her heart was full of mixed feelings.

This ship was carrying Princess Jing and her party. Since Weihaiwei boarded the ship into the sea, they rode the north wind to the south, entered the Lengjiang River, and traveled west for a period of time, and now finally arrived at the fiefdom of King Ming. It took about 20 days for the boat to go ashore without stopping.

Su Wensheng walked aside, spread the folding fan in his hand, and said with a spring breeze on his face: "Princess, when you go ashore, you don't have to wear that veil anymore." ”

"Do you need to worry about the princess?" Princess Jing replied coldly: "Hurry up and order to go down and ask Shu Lao to get off the boat." We must rush to the Ming Palace. ”

"Yes." Su Wensheng was taken aback, but he didn't feel uncomfortable.

Since he saw Princess Jing for the first time, although he has never seen the true face of Lushan, he has been shocked. On weekdays, there is always something to talk to, showing her true nature, but Princess Jing doesn't eat this set, and she has never given a good face. If it weren't for watching him work diligently, his father would be a salt transport envoy in Guangdong, so he probably wouldn't even bother to talk.

After a while, Shu Lao had already disembarked.

He looked at the busy scene by the lake, and bowed slightly: "Well, yes, the old man is getting old, and he can still show his strength, and he has no regrets in this life." ”

Princess Jing stepped forward and saluted, saying, "Old Shu, my father has been cultivating Raozhou for decades, so he has such a scene. Just wait for your artillery to show its might, and my father will have no scruples. ”

"The court has no way, and the old man has been imprisoned for 20 years, only because the "Artifact Spectrum" is listed as an anti-book. Now that the old man's family is gone, what if I do the opposite. ”

"With your defection, my father is like a tiger with wings, and great things can be expected."

An officer dressed in Mingguang armor led dozens of people towards the port, and when he saw Princess Jing, he fell to his knees and said, "The unknown princess has arrived, and it is too late to greet her." ”

"Are the carriages ready?"

"It's all ready, just waiting for the princess's order."

"Not bad." Princess Jing turned to Shu Lao and said, "Please Shu Lao work hard for half a day, and you can go to King Ming's Mansion today, and my father is looking forward to it." ”

"Then lead the way."

…………

When the sun was set, Princess Jing's convoy finally arrived at the Ming Palace.

This is a mountain villa, a bit like a city, the back is against the mountain, and the entrance is two ponds, taking the meaning of the mountain and the water. The gate is a magnificent gatehouse, and a huge plaque on it has three big characters of "Ming Wangfu" written in cursive; On both sides of the gatehouse, a nearly five-meter-high wall extends to encompass the entire villa. The surrounding mountains are high and densely forested, coupled with the rising fog, it seems that the clouds and mountains are covered with fog and unfathomable.

King Ming had already received the report and knew of the arrival of Shu Lao, and at this moment he was leading His Royal Highness the Prince and many people to greet him at the gate of the city.

After Princess Jing got out of the carriage, she knelt on the ground first: "Father, the child is fortunate not to be dishonored." ”

"Not bad." King Ming nodded and walked straight towards Shu Lao.

After Shu Lao got out of the car, he saw a man wearing a yellow robe and a gold crown walking towards him, about fifty years old, with a fair complexion, a wide court, and a look in his eyes, and said in his heart that this was Zhao An, the king of Ming. So he knelt on the ground, clenched his fists and said: "King Meng Ming rescued him, and Lao Er Shulian came thousands of miles to thank him." ”

King Ming knew that Shu Lian cared about his face and refused to say anything about defection, so he stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Twenty years ago, the king of the great name of the Heavenly Machineman already knew, but the mountain is high and the road is far away, and he can only see it today." If you don't dislike it, this king is willing to treat each other with the courtesy of a countryman, how about Shu Lao live with me for a long time? ”

"Thank you, King Ming!" Shu Lianbai fell to the ground.

Zhao An helped Shu Lian up with both hands, and then pulled the prince who was standing on one side to him and said, "This is the dog Zhao Ping." ”

Shu Lian immediately wanted to bow to the ground. King Ming stopped him, and at the same time scolded His Royal Highness the Prince who was pestle on the side: "I haven't seen Shu Lao yet." ”

The prince Zhao Ping was a little reluctant, and said that he was the son of the world, and a bad old man also wanted him to worship. However, he couldn't resist his father, so he had to bow slightly.

Zhao An wanted to reprimand, but when he saw that the surrounding guests were watching, he put on a smiling face and said, "Shu Lao has been tired all the way, and after a little repair, he will go to eat the wind feast." ”

"Little Lao'er thanked you first."

When even a servant led Shu Lian to the residence to change clothes and wash his face. King Ming and others also returned home.

After everyone dispersed, Princess Jing led more than 20 maids back to the mansion. Looking at the familiar but somewhat cold boudoir, she slowly took off the white veil underneath, revealing a beautiful face. It's just that if you look closely, you will find another scar on her face, and at first glance I thought it was a chrysanthemum.

Princess Jing sat in front of the dressing table, gently caressing the scar, and was silent for a long time.

A waitress stepped forward and asked, "Princess, the prince has prepared a dinner, Yan'er will serve you to freshen up first." ”

"That's a man's business, what am I going to do with a woman?"

"Princess, when the time comes, the prince will ...... I'm afraid I'm going to blame you again. ”

"I stayed in the capital for two years, and when I came back this time, he didn't even say a word of hard work, and he only had his straw bale son in his heart."

The maid who called herself Yan'er didn't dare to answer when she heard this, and went out to prepare the fragrant soup for the princess's bath.

Princess Jing took off the golden hairpin and other things on her head one by one, and the green silk was immediately spread out. She picked up an ivory comb on the dressing table and combed it gently, and before she knew it, two lines of tears came out of her beautiful eyes.

Yan'er led the two servants in, and after preparing all the things for bathing, she said softly: "Princess, please change your clothes and bathe, today's fragrant soup uses your favorite moon flowers." ”

"Well, you all stand down."

"Yes! Yan'er waited outside the door for orders. ”

Princess Jing gently wiped away her tears, untied the light veil of the Luo skirt on her body, and sank her fair and graceful body into the wooden barrel sprinkled with moon flowers, as if to absorb the fatigue and bitterness of her whole body.

After a long time, she poked her cheeks out of the water, and she had changed her solemn expression again, but she was saying to herself in her heart: Qian Jin is immortal, and she should be the enemy of this princess. ”

…………

Tonight, the Ming Wang's Mansion is brightly lit, and the reception banquet will be held in the Zhaoxian Hall.

Shu Lian changed into a dark green brocade robe, freshened up again, and looked radiant under the light.

King Ming is naturally in the first place. Shu Lian sat on the left side, and the prince sat on the side. There were also two strategists at the same table, namely Zhu Tong and Li Zhi, who looked like they were in their forties, and they were both plain and unremarkable.

Zhao An introduced two strategists to Shu Lao. After a few people exchanged pleasantries, Zhao An raised his glass first and said: "Today, Old Shu is here, and this king has divine help." Come, you all drink three cups with me to wash the dust for Shu Lao. ”

"To the king! Respect for the elderly! ”

After everyone drank it, King Ming took chopsticks and put some delicacies from the mountains and seas into Shu Lao's bowl. Shu Lian was not polite, and ate it in a big gulp. Twenty years in prison, he eats rancid rice every day, and now that the delicacies of the mountains and seas are in front of him, he naturally wants to feast, and at the same time wants to see if King Ming is really a corporal Lixian.

The prince Zhao Ping watched from the sidelines, and his face was gloomy and he didn't speak.

After eating for three minutes, Shu Lianqi said, "Why don't you see Her Royal Highness the Princess?" Along the way, Princess Jing took care of her many times, and Lao Er wanted to take this opportunity to thank her. ”

King Ming hesitated for a moment and said with a smile: "The princess is tired and has fallen asleep today." Thank you tomorrow is not too late! ”

"I see. We'll talk about that tomorrow. Shu Lian's eyes flickered, and he seemed to know a little more about King Ming's family. He poured himself a glass of wine, got up and saluted: "Little Lao'er escaped the sea of suffering this time, thanks to King Ming." Today, I will use this banquet to toast you, and in the future, I will sell you this bone of the little old man. ”

"But I don't know how many pounds and taels of bones you have?" Zhu Tong next to him said with a smile.

"Huh...... Since King Ming dared to invite me to come, he naturally understood the old man's ability. Take the cannon as an example, if the old man says that he is second, no one dares to say that he is first. Shu Lian drank the wine to himself.

King Ming nodded and said with a smile: "A few years ago, when Xu Baolu, the first assistant of the dynasty, captured a batch of red-clothed cannons of strange people, I don't know if Shu Lao may have imitated them?" ”

"The cannon?" Shu Lian pondered for a while and asked, "Is there a physical object of this cannon?" ”

"That's nature. Xu Baolu captured a total of eighteen artillery pieces that time, which he wanted to sacrifice to Emperor Renwu, but he blew one up during the test firing, and now they are all transported to Liaodong to defend the city. This king has many twists and turns, and he has a door in his hand. ”

"Since there is a physical object, the old man can make it." Shu Lian said confidently.

"Good. This is what the king is waiting for is your words. From now on, Shu Lao will be my first strategist, and the silver grain is enough, so I just need to imitate the red-clothed cannon as soon as possible. ”

"Well said...... Say. ”

Zhu Tong and Li Zhi saw that Shu Lian was appreciated by King Ming, although they were unwilling, but looking at King Ming's face, both of them came to toast. King Ming gently stroked his palm, and the sound of silk and bamboo sounded at that moment, and more than a dozen young and beautiful courtesans came.

The atmosphere at the banquet also began to liven up.