It is only more than 40 kilometers from Wenshang County to Jining, and it can be reached in half a day by horse. However, this time the team brought more than 30 two-wheeled wagons, loaded with a total of 2 tons of grain. The team set off in the morning and finally arrived in Jining at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

Although Jining is only a county seat, there is a canal passing through it, so it is no less prosperous than Yanzhou Capital. The city wall is about six meters high, five miles from east to west, seven miles from north to south, and has a population of about 400,000 people.

Jining, which should have been full of pedestrians and business travelers, had a somewhat depressed atmosphere at this time, and from a long distance, he saw many people gathered near the West City Gate. On both sides of the official road, many people sat on the ground, many men, women and children. Some of the people built a straw hut, and some put some straw under their bodies and lay in the open air at night. All of them are yellow and thin, and they are described as withered, but they seem to be in a relatively stable mood at the moment.

Zhu Houzhao's team came over and attracted the attention of many people. There was no cover on the wagons, and as soon as the people saw the sacks, they knew that they contained grain, and many people gathered to cry and beg. Zhu Houzhao sent someone to tell them to go to the wharf in the south of the city immediately, and there was a big event to announce.

Although Zhu Houzhao did not reveal his identity, he had so much food in his team, and if he didn't believe it, he had to believe it.

The crowd gradually dispersed, no longer disturbing Zhu Houzhao's team, and then walked around Jining City to the south of the city. Zhu Houzhao and others also approached the city wall, at this time there were many officials standing on the city wall, one by one fully armed, who had originally observed the people, but now turned to observe Zhu Houzhao and others.

The city gate was closed, Zhu Houzhao asked people to call the door, and he led the team to wait outside the moat. It seems that the Jining government has also been very nervous recently, and when they saw a person in the past, they didn't open the door, but asked the person to put the document token of the identity certificate into the basket that was fished, which was very cautious.

In a few moments, the gates opened. Walking in the front were the magistrate in official uniforms, the chief bookkeeper and others, followed by 2 or 3 ten people. Zhu Houzhao rode his horse forward in small steps, and after a while, he crossed the drawbridge and came to the city gate. The magistrate and the others knelt down respectfully and said, "Weichen knocks on His Royal Highness the Prince, His Royal Highness Chitose Chitose Chitose." ”

Zhu Hou took a look at the horse, glanced at the magistrate, and said calmly, "Get up." Are you the county governor of Jining? "The magistrate is probably less than 50, he is not tall, his appearance is okay, and he is quite dignified in an official uniform. The magistrate bowed his head and said, "Back to His Royal Highness, Weichen is Lu Qingyi, the magistrate of Jining, I don't know that His Royal Highness is driving, and he has missed the distance, and I hope His Highness will forgive his sins." ”

Zhu Houzhao said slowly, "Okay, let's talk about the current situation in Jining." Lu Qingyi frowned and said, "Since the beginning of June, people from the vicinity have come one after another and gathered at the wharf in the south of the city. Due to the large number of people, although there are King Lu and good merchant Shi Mi relief, but now it is also a little weak. Zhu Houzhao asked, "What about the Jining granary, is there any rice?" Lu Qingyi bowed his hand and asked, "Weichen has opened the granary, and now the Jining County Treasury is empty." Weichen made an assertion and hoped that the prince would forgive his sins. Zhu Houzhao nodded, "It's good." How much grain is produced in Jining County? Lu Qingyi said slowly, "After the summer grain, the county treasury has a total of 3,210 stones, and now all of them have been issued. In the middle of last month, Weichen had sent an official letter to the prefect, asking for some food, and the prefect was waiting for the imperial court's approval. ”

Zhu Houzhao frowned, and then said, "Advanced City." ”

It is now July 11, and it has been more than one month since the first people gathered in Jining. Fortunately, someone sent rice relief, otherwise it wouldn't have been able to support it now. Although there is no big mess in Jining, Linqing and the first-tier county towns in Texas are not necessarily. Zhu Houzhao and others were also anxious, so they directly led the team through the county seat and came to the south of the city.

The pier in the south of the city is about a kilometer away from the city wall, and as far as the eye can see, it is densely packed with people. It stands to reason that so many people gathered together should be full of people, but when Zhu Houzhao and the others got closer, they found that it was very quiet here.

Out of the city gate, the magistrate ordered the gate to be closed again, and the magistrate Lu Qingyi came out with Zhu Houzhao and others. In the open space on both sides of the suspension bridge, about 30 cauldrons were erected, and the pots were steaming. Someone brought rice porridge and handed it to the people waiting in line.

These soup kitcheners should all be very powerful people, about 200 or so family members with sticks to maintain order on the scene. Although he was holding a stick, it was more of a deterrent, and he didn't hit anyone, but he spoke in a bit of an impulsive tone. But the people don't care, some just eat, what else do they want.

Originally, Zhu Houzhao and others came out with a grain truck, and the people didn't pay much attention to it, thinking that these good and big families came to deliver rice, but when they saw Lu Qingyi wearing an official uniform next to him, they greeted him with a smile from afar, and Lu Qingyi smiled and nodded in greeting. Zhu Houzhao and they felt a little surprised, it seems that this Luzhi County is very popular with the people.

Getting closer, Zhu Houwei found that in the middle of the soup kitchen, there was a woman who was giving porridge. Although she was dressed in men's clothes, she knew it was a woman at first glance. It's not very old, it's just 14 or 5 years old. She is not tall, about 1.5 meters old, her eyes are big and round, the corners of her eyes are slightly upturned, revealing a smile, a small nose, a delicate mouth, and the net towel on her head is a little crooked, she doesn't care, there are beads of sweat on her forehead and sideburns, she wipes her hands very boldly, and still smiles and says something to a lady who takes porridge, and the aunt also nods with a smile.

At this time, Zhu Houzhao asked people to set up a few tables in front of him, turning them into simple high platforms, and then went to the table with a few people from the county. Because it is a lot higher, it slowly attracted the attention of the people. When Lu Zhixian got on the table, there were more people looking at this side.

After Zhu Houzhao stood on the stage, he began to take off his clothes, that is, the armor outside. Then the regular clothes inside were revealed. The regular clothes are round-necked robes, bright red (red) color, with large sleeves, and the shape is the same as the round neck of the regular clothes worn by the emperor. On the chest, back and left and right shoulders are decorated with four dragons, so it is called "Gon Dragon Robe", the two sides of the robe are slit, and there are double swings.

Wearing black leather boots under his feet, after taking off the scarf, he brought the Yishan crown that Zhu Houwei passed from below, and the whole person looked solemn and magnificent. I have to say that many film and television works of later generations are brain-opening for the costumes of the emperors, princes and others of the Ming Dynasty. If you want to really see the prince's costume that conforms to historical facts, you have to watch a Korean costume TV series. Their king was canonized by the Ming Dynasty, although his status was equivalent to that of the county king of the Ming Dynasty, but he could wear the prince's clothes in terms of clothing. Lee's Joseon has been imitating the dressing of the Ming Dynasty, whether it is court clothes, regular clothes, or even folk costumes, prototypes can be found in the Ming Dynasty, and most of them are even identical. It was only after the Qing Dynasty that they began to slowly change. However, when it came to the last king, the images left on the photos, the clothes still did not take off the shadow of the Ming Dynasty. Another point is that the Wing Shan Crown, no matter who wears it, is black, made of Wusha net, which looks generous, solemn, and very light to wear. Is there a golden one? Of course there is, but it is not for the living, it is generally the emperor's funeral goods.

The crowd fell silent. Zhu Houwei and Ma Sanniang did not stand on the stage, Ma Sanniang glanced at Zhu Houzhao on the stage, and then lowered her head and said to Zhu Houwei with a smile, "Why are you not as mature and stable as your brother, you are really still a little baby." Zhu Houwei glanced at her and reprimanded in a low voice, "Don't talk, I'm doing business here." Sure enough, Ma Sanniang stopped talking, but the smile on her face couldn't be hidden.

At this time, Guo Chengzhi shouted loudly, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived." When the people saw Zhu Houzhao's clothes, and then saw Lu Zhixian standing behind them, they knew that it was really the prince who was coming, so all the people in the black pressure knelt down. Zhu Houwei's eyes swept and found that the woman who was serving porridge just now did not kneel, because it was too far away, he couldn't see the expression on her face clearly.

The people fell to their knees and shouted, "Knock on the prince." Just four words, the voice is endless, some say fast, some say slowly.

Guo Chengzhi's voice is more majestic, although it is very loud, but it is impossible for these tens of thousands of people to hear. It is estimated that even if it is a professional Liu Jin, Liu Gonggong can't do it when he comes. Due to poor health and severe seasickness, Gonggong Liu was separated from Zhu Houzhao from Texas, and it is estimated that he is now rushing to Dengzhou.

Zhu Houzhao said in a slightly louder voice than usual: "Now that Shandong Huangzhuang is short of people, the main palace (living in the East Palace of the Prince) has come to recruit people. When you arrive in Huangzhuang, as long as you bear hardships and stand hard work, you can support your family with 2 taels of silver in January. After Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, Guo Chengzhi repeated loudly, after all, as the crown prince, it is not appropriate to shout in public.

The people below immediately perked up after hearing this, they had also heard of the reputation of Huangzhuang, and they could live a life sweeter than honey when they entered, but they didn't expect that good things would fall on their heads now. The people in the distance anxiously asked what the people in front of them had said, and when they understood, they couldn't help but be overjoyed, and many of them cried directly.

Zhu Houzhao went on to say, "A total of 3,000 households will be recruited this time, and the rest can wait until the road construction team of the World Chamber of Commerce will recruit, which is also 2 taels of silver a month." There may be rewards in the future. ”

As soon as the words fell, the nearest people became a little anxious. A total of 3,000 households will be recruited, but no matter how bad at math is, people know that there are far more people here. In a hurry, it was a little chaotic, and they knelt forward one after another, shouting in their mouths, "His Royal Highness the Prince, recruit the villain, the villain can do any work, and promise not to be lazy." "Recruit the grass people, there are 8 people in the grass people's family to raise, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will recruit the grass people."

Guo Chengzhi shouted, "Silence." The soldiers of the land and water battalion behind them took a few steps forward and took their muskets from behind their backs, but they did not aim their guns at the people. Fire guns are not a new thing in Daming, even if you haven't seen them, you have heard of them. Seeing that the soldier had the firearm in his hand, he immediately knelt quietly in place at this time. A few closer to the table retreated.

Guo Chengzhi loudly repeated what Zhu Houzhao said just now, and this time more people heard it. However, at this moment, a few people in the distance had a riot, and some of them stood up and shouted something, Zhu Houzhao and the others were too far away, but they couldn't hear clearly, and the scene was a little chaotic.