On the fifth day of the seventh month of the fifth year of Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty (1632), Zhu Youzhen left Jingnan to tour, and the focus of the southern tour was Jiangnan, Zhejiang, Huguang, Guangdong, these major tax-paying provinces, especially Jiangnan Province and Zhejiang Province. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

Zhu Youzhen knew that the implementation of the new policy would inevitably harm the interests of merchants in the south, especially the collection of industrial and commercial taxes, but to what extent the merchants in the south resisted it, he wanted to see for himself.

Because the government soldiers were gradually disbanded, and the army of Ma Shilong, the chief soldier of the Third Customs, had already completed the reorganization of the Beijing Division, Ma Shilong's 32nd Army, Zuo Fu's 33rd Army, and He Kegang's 34th Army went to the south as early as the end of May.

Ma Shilong went all the way to Nanjing along the cement avenue from Beijing to Nanjing, Zuo Fu followed the sea road and landed in Hangzhou Bay, and He Kegang followed the cement avenue from Beijing to Guangzhou, passing through Hebei and Henan, and rushed directly to Wuchang.

In this way, before Zhu Youzhen's southern tour, Jiangnan Province, Zhejiang Province, and Huguang Province, the three major tax-paying provinces, were already under the direct management of the Beijing Division.

Zhu Youzhen's entourage was only 100 people, in addition to the 20 top guards led by Fu Xiaojian, the head of the guard, and 80 personal soldiers led by Wang Mujiu.

These one hundred and one people all rode high-headed horses, starting from Beijing, along Tianjin, Hejian, Jinan, Xuzhou, Fengyang, Chuzhou, crossing the river from Pukou Wharf, and coming to Nanjing City.

There are very few cavalry in the south, and the formation of more than 100 good horses is too terrifying, so Zhu Youzhen asked Wang Mujiu to take 80 personal soldiers and all the war horses to the military camp for a temporary stay, but do not expose the goal of this trip.

Fu Xiaojian and the twenty guards were on foot, only following Zhu Youzhen's side.

Nanjing City as the capital of the Ming Dynasty, there are a total of four city walls, the innermost is the palace city, commonly known as the Forbidden City, surrounded by the imperial river, outside the palace city, is the imperial city that guards the palace city, Nanjing six departments are basically in the imperial city, but now it has been abolished by Zhu Youzhen.

The periphery of the imperial city is the capital city, and it is also the city of Yingtianfu, the circumference of the city wall can reach seventy miles, this is the largest city in the Ming Dynasty, more than the Beijing city of the current Beijing division.

In the periphery of the capital, there is also the outer Guo City, the circumference reaches 120 li, a total of 18 city gates, here is not only the arch guard of the capital, but also the place where residential areas and commercial areas are concentrated.

Zhu Youzhen entered the city from the Jiangdong Gate in the west of the city in the early morning, and entered the capital from the Sanshan Gate along the Jiangdongmen Street, West Street, and Sanshanmen Outer Street.

Here is a royal garden, also known as "West Garden", "three mountains and half fall into the blue sky, two water in the white heron continent", but today the sun is shining, as the first of the 48 views of Jinling, "Mo Chou smoke and rain", Zhu Youzhen did not have the opportunity to appreciate.

Youshi Street, Steep Gate Bridge, Nanshi Building, Sanshan Street, Dazhong Street, Qiwang Street, and Taipingli are the same almost straight broad streets, which divide and rule Yingtianfu and Jiangning County, with Yingtianfu in the north and Jiangning County in the south.

Zhu Youzhen turned right from Sanshan Street, turned to Dagongfang and Huashi Street in Nanshi, which belonged to the jurisdiction of Jiangning County, but it was the widest street in the capital and the most prosperous business district, the famous Qinhuai River crossed the Jubaomen, separating this area from Jubaoshan.

The group stopped in front of the "Sanyuan Restaurant".

Fu Xiaojian whispered to Zhu Youzhen: "Master, it's noon now, do you want to eat first?" ”

Zhu Youzhen looked up at the restaurant and saw that there were already a lot of people who came to eat, so he said: "Let's eat here, don't disturb the local people." ”

"Yes, listen to the master's orders," Fu Xiaojian replied, turned to a guard beside him and said, "Go, find a private room on the second floor." ”

"No, just eat in the hall!" Zhu Youzhen said in a low voice, "The hall is lively, why should we wrap ourselves?" ”

Fu Xiaojian suddenly had a bitter face, "Master, there are many people in the hall, I'm afraid it's not safe, so I'm still ......"

Zhu Youzhen chuckled and said, "Little Jian, have you forgotten our original intention of coming here?" ”

"Ah...... But ...... "Fu Xiaojian doesn't care about the private interview of Weifu, he is the commander of the guards, once Zhu Youjian has a problem with his safety, he will have to bear all the responsibility."

"Xiaojian, if we can't go deep into the people, then we might as well stay in the capital and stay in the palace," Zhu Youzhen understood Fu Xiaojian's distress, "That's it, when we are seated, you call two guards, the four of us are at the same table, which can be regarded as strengthening the defense, and the rest of the people, let's open another table!" ”

"Master, how can a slave sit at the same table with him? The minions are still standing! "Although Fu Xiaojian knows that Zhu Youzhen's martial arts are unfathomable, Zhu Youzhen is the emperor, and if he needs to do it himself, it will be a dereliction of duty on the guards.

"How can there be so many rules when you go out?" Zhu Youzhen waved his hand, "Go ahead, I'm afraid there will be no seats when it's late." ”

"Yes, ......" Fu Xiaojian wanted to say something more, but he saw that Zhu Youzhen's attitude was very resolute, so he had to ask people to book a seat first, and at the same time let others be prepared to protect Zhu Youzhen.

Zhu Youzhen smiled secretly, Lang Lang Qiankun, there are so many bad people there, and this is still to face the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who is full of food and dares to rebel?

After a while, the guard who had just gone in came back, "Master, the seats are booked, and there are two dining tables next to each other." ”

"After entering, don't scare the people," Zhu Youzhen was still a little uneasy, "Don't be too restrained, let others see the clues." ”

Twenty people did it at the sympathy table not far from the gate, and Fu Xiaojian was next to Zhu Youzhen, once there was a disturbance, he would protect Zhu Youzhen.

Although Zhu Youzhen was wearing a coarse cloth coat and looked like a businessman, there were too many people in the group and they were neatly dressed, which still attracted a lot of attention.

Fortunately, the hall is full of ordinary people, and everyone cares about their own food, as long as Zhu Youzhen doesn't snatch their food, they won't provoke Zhu Youzhen.

However, these are all ordinary citizens, and what they are most concerned about is not the new deal, but their belly, Zhu Youzhen hurriedly picked up two bowls of white rice and left the restaurant.

"Your Majesty, if you want to understand the people's attitude towards the new policy from the public, maybe the tea shop is better." Fu Xiaojian approached Zhu Youzhen and said in a low voice.

Zhu Youzhen asked casually: "Xiaojian, why do you say that?" ”

"Eating in the hall, everyone is to eat their stomachs, and they have to give up their seats after eating," Fu Xiaojian thought for a while and continued: "Drinking tea is different, it can be regarded as tasting tea, and people who drink tea have time, so there are naturally more topics." ”

"Oh!" Zhu Youzhen comes from later generations, usually in order to start a business, the pace of life is too fast, unless it is for public relations, contracts, it is impossible to taste tea in the tea room, although I have heard of the small towns in developed countries, and still retain the classical leisure, but in the Central Dynasty, this tea culture has disappeared.

"Your Majesty......" Fu Xiaojian asked hesitantly.

"Okay, Xiaojian, let's go to the tea shop," Zhu Youzhen said with a smile, "It's not bad to be able to calm down and evaluate the people's tea in the tea shop!" ”

The group continued to walk forward, and found a tea shop called "Tianya" on Nanmen Street.

The tea shop is facing Nanmen Street, and the shop is quite wide Downstairs is a huge public tea hall, Zhu Youzhen counted it, there are about twenty-eight tea tables, these tea tables are obviously prepared for ordinary tea customers, but the business is good, almost full.

On the second floor are divided private rooms, and the tea should be better, probably for high-end tea guests, or as a place for business activities.

Zhu Youzhen said to Xiao Jian: "Xiao Jian, the two of us will go in for tea later, and the rest of the people, let them wander around the neighborhood for a while!" ”

Fu Xiaojian was anxious, and he argued in a low voice: "Master, that's not good, in case ......"

Zhu Youzhen didn't care, he chuckled and said, "How can there be so many whatevers?" ”

If it were in the future, Zhu Youzhen would still be worried about car accidents and floods, especially terrorist attacks, but in the Ming Dynasty, the power of the imperial power is too great, if it is not really impossible to survive, and there are core figures to lead, who will not get along with the emperor?

"Master, how many people do you want to stay? The rest of the people are nearby! Fu Xiaojian was still not at ease, his brows had already wrinkled into the first quarter moon, and he almost begged Zhu Youjian.

"Xiaojian, don't worry," Zhu Youzhen beckoned to Fu Xiaojian, "Only when the two of us are together, we are more like businessmen from Jingshi, and the rest of the guards, let them lurk on all sides!" ”

"Yes, sir!" Fu Xiaojian immediately arranged for the guards to lurk around the tea shop, and as long as there was any wind and grass, these guards would immediately rush into the tea shop.

Fu Xiaojian accompanied Zhu You into the tea shop, Xiao Er was enthusiastic, "Two guest officers, please inside," looked back and found that there was no vacancy in the house, "I'm sorry, guest officer, there is no tea table in the hall, do you two go to the private room upstairs, or are you willing to squeeze downstairs?" ”

Fu Xiaojian wanted to stay in the private room on the second floor, but Zhu Youzhen replied: "Then squeeze it!" ”

Xiao Er smiled all over his face: "Two guest officers, please here, there are only two people on the tea table here, it's very empty!" ”

Zhu Youzhen sat down at a tea table with only two guests, Fu Xiaojian was next to Zhu Youzhen, and he said to Xiao Er, who was about to leave: "Xiao Er, serve tea, serve good tea." ”

The original two tea guests on the tea table were whispering something, the arrival of Zhu Youzhen and Fu Xiaojian obviously disturbed them, and the older tea guest said in a low voice: "If you want to drink good tea, you have to go to the private room on the second floor, there is no good tea here!" ”

Another tea guest gently shook the porcelain cup in his hand and said, "Now it's not as good as last year, they are all businessmen, and I'm afraid they can't afford the tea money in the private room, let alone businessmen from other places." ”

Fu Xiaojian was furious, "You ......"

Zhu Youzhen stepped on Fu Xiaojian from under the table, signaled him not to say more, and then turned to the two original tea guests and said, "How did you two know about me...... Is it really an out-of-town businessman? ”

"Haha, it's hard to guess?" The older tea guest laughed, as if he had heard the story of the Arabian Nights, "What are you dressed in this dress and with a foreign accent, not a foreign businessman?" ”