A small river boat docked at the Xinheguan wharf, and Sun Lin got off the boat to contact the soldiers guarding the pass. X Shouxuan took Leng Ying, Wang Shize and Lin Chuyong to sit in the cabin and wait. The affairs of Yangzhou have been completed, and he came to Nanjing in an orderly manner to go to Zeng Ying's appointment.

Sun Lin came forward, and soon, the banknote Guan Yicheng, who belonged to the household department, waved his hand and let him go.

In the Ming Dynasty, there were two main wharves in Nanjing, one was Shangxinguan and the other was Longjiang Pass, which was later commonly known as Shangguan and Xiaguan. Shou Xiang originally wanted to enter Nanjing from Xiaguan and pay homage to his predecessors. Xiaguan is home to the famous Dragon Bay, the former home port and shipyard of Zheng He's Xingcha fleet.

Sun Lin tactfully objected to this. The Longjiang River is closed outside the Yifeng Gate, there are two waterways of the Qinhuai River and the Jinchuan River leading into the city, plus there is a river bay that is convenient for boats, and the boats radiate here, making the Longjiang River a key point of land and water. Although trade is shrinking and there are fewer merchant ships, most of the ministers of civil and military affairs of the imperial court have been able to get on and off official ships. The war is tense, and the civil and military generals from the north and south of the river frequently come and go to Xiaguan, and they may encounter some unnecessary troubles when they go in order.

Try to keep a low profile, this is still the advice of the order to Yang Wencong. Originally, Yang Wencong wanted to handle the affairs of foreign Yi coming to the court, and there were many preferential conditions for tributary trade. In China's tributary trade, many of the times in history were overseas merchants who made up a letter of state, pretended to be a monarch to pay tribute, and left with a boatload of high gifts.

The Ming Dynasty was more shrewd in this regard, but Shou Xiang was a genuine Yangyi head, and as long as Shou Xiang went to meet Hongguang to perform a scene, he could get a lot of additional benefits. But Shou Xiang refused, and he didn't even want to see Ma Shiying. I don't know how Yang Wencong explained it to Ma Shiying, Shoufu only mentioned it once and didn't ask for it again.

Yang Wencong and Ma Shiying have the best relationship, and they are both contemporary painters. Within the Guizhou Party, even if Yang Wencong dared to directly refute some of Ma Shiying's policies, Lao Ma smiled and accepted criticism, of course, he would not implement it.

Shangxinguan Wharf is located in the middle of the river between Jiangxinzhou and Nanjing, with Jiangxinzhou shielding, and boats are moored here to avoid wind and waves. Keeping the curtains of the official hall open, there are not many ships at the wharf. Shangxinguan is the main import gateway for civil commodities in Nanjing, such as wood, grain, vegetables and pigs. Well, there are a lot of civilian boats carrying pigs into the city. The largest metropolis in the south, there is a large consumption of pork. Seeing the pigs, Shou Zhi felt very relieved. In Nanyang, a very important criterion for judging whether he is a friend or not is whether he eats pork or not.

Zhu Yuanzhang, Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, opened three new rivers along the Yangtze River in the ancient Bailuzhou area in the west of the city to increase the channel of the Qinhuai River into the river. After passing the Hubu Pass, the small river boat goes all the way up to the West Gate of Nanjing Shui. According to the same handling of the household department, Sun Lin took out the waist card of the town's standing soldiers to prepare the yamen, and the officers and soldiers guarding the door were only allowed to go.

Shou Xian's smile was a little playful, "Your Yang Bingxian's brand is so easy to use." ”

Sun Linxiang explained, "Originally, it would not have been so smooth to enter Nanjing, but after Ma Shoufu cleaned up the nobles and eunuchs, it is much more convenient now." ”

The defense of the Ming Dynasty was originally the Nanjing garrison system, and the nobles and eunuchs jointly held the military power of the capital. Nanjing's nobles are not rubber stamps anymore, they have a lot of power.

If you rank the lower limit of the bureaucrats of the Ming Dynasty, the honors and nobles will be far ahead of the eunuchs and Donglin, and there are more civil and military generals and eunuchs who are martyred, and there are not as many martyrs as the women of Qinhuaihe. In the final stage, the Son of Chongzhen was extremely disappointed in the civil and military generals, and appointed many nobles, but the result was even worse. The most shameless group in China for 2,000 years was the hereditary aristocracy.

After crossing to the south, Shi Kefa and Ma Shiying joined forces, and Shi Kefa first contacted Han Zanzhou, the eunuch of the Nanjing garrison, kicked Liu Kongzhao and other nobles aside, abolished the garrison of the capital, recovered the military power of the Nanjing Guard, and reorganized it into the three major battalions directly under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War. Then, Ma Shiying took action to clear the forces of Han Zanzhou and Lu Jiude in the Yongwei Battalion, and now the military power in Nanjing is controlled by Shi and Ma, and the cooperation can be called tacit.

It is not without harm for Shi and Ma to do this. Nanjing's nobles have been hereditary from the founding of the country to the present, and their power is deep-rooted. Although they were deprived of power by Shi and Ma, they still have a lot of mouthpieces, and if they can't fight Shi Ma, they will be scolded. Shi Kefa is not bad, but Ma Shiying was sprayed miserably.

In fact, the high-level of Donglin, such as Qian Qianyi and Ma Shiying, reached an understanding, and Ma Shiying also appointed many Jiangnan scholars within his ability. Those who scolded Ma Shiying were more second-rate ruffians.

Sun Lin complained of resentment all the way to Shou Xu, and the boat passed through the west gate of the water and entered the city of Nanjing.

Shou Xuan has his own understanding of the problem that Sun Lin said. Ma Shiying is actually facing a problem that Nanming has no solution to, there are more monks and less porridge. Daming's country is getting smaller and smaller, and the cake that can be shared is also getting smaller, and he can't satisfy most people's politics and economy** will definitely be scolded. In fact, money and territory are the fundamental reasons for Nanming's continuous infighting, and they have nothing to do with nationality, morality, and conduct.

The three dynasties of Hongguang, Longwu and Yongli, no matter who was in power, inherited the orthodox name of the Ming Dynasty, but also carried heavy political baggage. There is no money, no territory, no ability to unite people, and there is constant division and infighting. The Manchus, on the other hand, were constantly expanding, satisfying the thirst for official positions and territory of most bureaucrats and generals.

The forces that the Southern Ming Dynasty held on to for the longest time were the two groups that received the least political baggage, Zheng Chenggong, who was born as a bandit, and Li Dingguo, Sun Kewang of the Southwest, who was born in the peasant army. Shou Xian felt that this was very referential, and before the power expanded to a certain extent, the intervention in the situation on the mainland should always be based on money and territory as the core purpose, and the political legacy from the Ming Dynasty must not be rashly accepted.

Shou Xuan lifted the bamboo curtain at the hatch and walked to the bow of the boat, Lin Chuyong held a Japanese knife, not leaving an inch.

Jiangnan fireworks in March is the most beautiful season of the year. After the West Gate of Shui, it is the inner Qinhuai, which is commonly known as the ten-mile Qinhuai. The willows on both sides of the river are still in place, the pavilions and pavilions, the prince Qi Wan, and the first even clouds.

Ever since he entered the city, he felt that the atmosphere inside and outside the city walls was very different, and the further he went, the more obvious it became. The river house on both sides of the river is carved and painted, the silk barrier of the window, and a beaded curtain. The sound of silk music, the sound is in the ears, and there are warblers singing and dancing everywhere.

Leng Ying muttered: "The land of Jinling Metropolis, the beautiful hometown of Nanqu. ”

Shou Xuan quipped: "Gongding also swam through these ten miles of Qin Huai? ”

Leng Ying was a little surprised, "Jinling's well-dressed cultural relics are flourishing in the south of the Yangtze River, and the literary style is in the sea, and his subordinates have been here." ”

Shou Xian smiled, the northern scholar, no better than his peers in the south of the Yangtze River, he was still a little unnatural when it came to the land of fireworks.

It was already evening, and it was the most lively moment of the Qinhuai River. On the river, the boat is painted with palm lights, and the fire dragon meanders. Above the ferry, there is an endless stream of ferrymen. The nobles of the kings and grandsons, the children of black clothes, the guests of the lake and the sea, the high rollers and beauties sit in the painting boat, and they play the.

"This is the Qinhuai Lightship?" Shou Xiang has long heard of the grand scene of the Qinhuai lightship.

"Exactly," Sun Lin said, "if the lord of the country is interested, I will summon two painting boats to come and entertain you." ”

"No, I have something to do today." Shou Zhi looked at the lightship in front of him playfully, and the scene in front of him reminded him of Dongguan. The lightship started earlier, and it was the second half of the meal in Dongguan that year, and in the third game, the Qinhuai lightship even solved the meal.

Sun Lin listened to Shou Ling's refusal, and invited again: "Lord, it's getting late today, it's better to do things tomorrow." ”

Sun Lin's attitude reminded Shou Xuan of some past events when he talked about the project. Yang Wencong should have confessed to Sun Lin, and he wanted to entertain the orderly party.

"The old man invited, can't wait for tomorrow." Shou Xuan glanced at Wang Shize, Zeng Ying was still waiting for him, "Brother Kexian, if you have something, it's okay to go." ”

Sun Lin's reaction was a little uncomfortable, and Leng Ying smiled and helped him out of the siege, "Brother Kexian has been tired of immigrating recently. You may not have been to Jinling for a long time, so you might as well take advantage of today to visit Miss Xia Ruifang. ”

It turned out that this was the case, and Shou Xuan understood, "Gongding, you go with Brother Kexian, and you will be responsible for the expenses." ”

"Subordinates obey orders," Leng Ying looked at Sun Lin with a grin, "Brother Kexian, take me on a tour of the Qinhuai River today." ”

"This ......, okay", Sun Lin also smiled, when he was young, he was also a heroic and willful person, a person who drank and sang, otherwise he would not be able to get along with Yang Wencong.

"Let's go, let's go," Leng Ying grabbed his arm, let the boat dock, and walked up to the dock in a few steps, disappearing into the flow of people on the shore.

When the two of them made such a fuss, Wang Shi's frowning brows also relaxed, "Sun Kexian has such a red face as Lady Ge Rui, which is also a blessing in life." ”

A beautiful love story is always a folk story, and it sounds like Sun Lin is a person with a story in Qinhuai.

Shou Xu asked curiously, "Does Boss Wang know Qin Huai Bayan?" ”

"Who told the lord of the country that Qin Huai has Bayan?" Wang Shi was a little surprised, "I often come to Jinling City to do business, there are twenty or thirty talented women in Nanqu, they are friends with handkerchiefs, and there has never been a saying of Bayan." ”

Wang Shi came to talk about the past of Jinling City.

Jinling Nanqu famous women, Yang Wencong won four of them, Zhu Yuye, Fang Zhisheng, Ma Wanrong, Li Tuona, among which Ma Wanrong is the most famous.

Ma Wanrong knows music and music, and is musically promoted as a unique Nanqu. When Ma Wanrong was in Nanqu, she hated falling fireworks by mistake all day long, until she met Yang Wencong. Yang Wencong is a rich and handsome son of an official eunuch, and when he was young, he also specialized in painting orchids in order to pick up girls. Orchids are the favorite of Nanqu women, and some people may be more geniuses and learn everything. Yang Wencong traveled thousands of miles, and his ability to play the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting was bright, and then embellished with the adventures in the Southwest National War, which fascinated the girls of Nanqu.

Sun Lin, Sun Kexian, a native of Tongcheng. People gather by like, and Sun Lin and Yang Wencong got acquainted in Nanqu. Sun Lin's conditions are worse, he does not have such a hard officialdom background as Yang Wencong, he is short and concise, and he is not as slender as Yang Wencong. But Sun Lin, like Yang Wencong, is conceited and talented.

Wencai hasn't been taught yet, and martial arts have been seen. Sun Lin once practiced archery in Jinshan Fort, and Shou Xuan saw that he had opened a hard bow with one stone and five buckets, and he could shoot the bow left and right, at least in Jiangnan, which was a rare ability. Sun Lin is not as affectionate as Yang Wencong, and now he only guards Ge Rui alone.

Wang Shi talked about the two of them and was amazed. Both official career and beautiful concubine, at least so far, Yang and Sun are enviable successful people, and their experience in Nanqu is also widely spread as a good story.

The boat docked amid Wang Shize's story. Sun Lin arranged a place to live, but Shou Xian didn't go first, and went directly to visit Zeng Ying.

Abandoning the ship and landing on the shore, Lin Chuyong took two personal guards, and Shou Xu and Wang Shi, a total of five people, walked into the alleys of Nanjing City.

Nanjing's pavement is paved with stone slabs and stones, and in the words of Portuguese missionaries, Nanjing is much cleaner than Beijing, one of the cleanest cities in the world.

Beijing's roads are unpaved, the sky is full of yellow sand, and the dust is choking. There are many livestock on the streets, and the ground is full of horse manure. The poor sanitary environment caused the plague epidemic in Beijing at the end of the Ming Dynasty, which was also one of the reasons for the destruction of the Ming Dynasty. Nanjing is much better in this regard, more boats are used for travel, there is less trouble in cleaning up horse manure, and it is more livable than Beijing.

A few people walked around the alley, confronting young men and women who walked from time to time. Perhaps they had never been to a big city with so many people, and the crowd made the guards nervous, and they grabbed their swords.

The destination is a secluded courtyard. Wang Shi went first to report that there was only one entrance to the orderly courtyard, and in the middle should be Zeng Ying's residence, and there were still people living in the wings on both sides.

Wang Shi helped the old man to descend to greet him, and saluted first, "Mr. Zeng." ”

Zeng Ying's laughter was still so tough, and he looked Shou Xuan up and down a few times, "You should shave your beard when you wear this dress." ”

In order not to be noticeable, he changed into a set of jade dark clothes today,