When there were three drums, the market was quiet, Wuling and Wang Dazhui were carrying a lantern to light the way, there was already a thin layer of snow on the ground, Zhang Yuan accompanied Wang Fengsu and Xie Jiulu The two missionaries walked and talked, Mu Zhenzhen followed behind Zhang Yuan, and it was dark all around, but in the light of the lantern, the tiny snowflakes fell into the light like moths to the fire-

Wang Fengsu's gratitude to Zhang Yuan is self-evident, but he was inexplicably arrested and detained for two days, suffered humiliation, of course, he was indignant, and complained to Zhang Yuan all the way, Zhang Yuan did not blindly speak to him, and solemnly advised Wang Fengsu to return to Matteo Ricci's missionary path, to respect the customs and habits of the people of the Ming Dynasty, not to be radical, not to be too public, and to be tolerant of Buddhists......

Wang Fengsu was silent, and said for a while: "The contemptible people know the good intentions of Zhang Gongzi very well, but the Holy Church of God is not a cult that no one needs to spread secretly, and the contemptible people have never forced the people of Nanjing to believe in religion, they are all spread openly and honestly, and the church is obvious to all to treat the people of the church and help the poor, even if the ordinary people who are not the people of the Holy Sect have difficulty finding the despicable people, the contemptible people are doing their best to help, and the contemptible people really don't understand why Shen Shilang hates the Holy Religion and the despicable people so much!" ”

Zhang Yuanxin said: "If you don't understand, it means that you have been in vain in Daming for so many years." Asked: "Then why has Ligong always been cautious in his mission?" ”

Wang Fengsu said: "When Li Gong first came to the Ming Dynasty to preach, he should have been cautious, but now that thirty years have passed, the times are different, and it seems that there is no need to be too cautious. ”

Zhang Yuan shook his head secretly, this Wang Fengsu was imprisoned for two days and didn't take a lesson, and said: "I heard that Duke Li's last words talked about preaching in Daming, I don't know what he said? ”

Xie Jiulu, who had been silent, said: "Li Gong said, 'I left you in front of an open door, and if you pass through this door, you will be greatly rewarded, but the way is full of dangers and hardships.'" ”

Zhang Yuan secretly praised: "Matteo Ricci's wisdom is really rare, he is well versed in the national conditions of the Ming Dynasty, and has a clear understanding of the huge differences between Chinese and Western civilizations, while the successors of Long Huamin and Wang Fengsu are far inferior." ”

Wang Fengsu didn't speak again, because the weather was cold, several people walked very fast, from the inner garrison palace yamen to the three miles of the Zhimaying wharf, it didn't take a moment to arrive, the night was deep, Zhang Dai, Huang Zunsu and everyone had already slept, only Zhang Yuan's Jinnige on the boat and the people surnamed Sun were still waiting for news around the stove, seeing Wang Fengsu and Xie Jiulu coming back, Jinnige was overjoyed, and hurriedly jumped ashore to ask what happened?

Wang Fengsu looked depressed and said: "It's all up to Zhang Gongzi to save him, Ming said, oh no, I asked Zhang Gongzi to come to Zhengyangmen Church early in the morning." ”

Zhang Yuan said politely: "President Wang also knows that I am in a hurry, so I really can't stay longer, and I have so many friends in the same company, I will visit my senior brother Xu Zixian in Tianjin Wei this time." ”

Wang Fengsu smiled: "Very good, Zhang Gongzi can talk to Brother Paul." ”

"Brother Paul?" Zhang Yuan was stunned for a moment, and then realized that "Paul" was Xu Guangqi's Christian name after being baptized by Catholicism, which sounded very weird.

Jinnige said: "Zhang Gongzi, I want to take Zhang Gongzi's ship into Beijing, I don't know if it's possible?" Seeing Zhang Yuan groaning slightly, he said: "I am quite proficient in astronomical calendars, and I also have an understanding of musket manufacturing. The 40-year-old priest knew that Zhang Yuan valued knowledge and liked muskets, so he quickly introduced himself to his professional strengths.

Zhang Yuan said with a smile: "Okay, Priest Jin can come here and set off with me before noon." ”

Wang Fengsu and Jinnige borrowed the lantern from Wuling and went back to Zhengyangmen Church, Zhang Yuan looked at the little light and walked away, and said in his heart: "If Wang Fengsu can't eat a trench and grow a wisdom this time, it will be inevitable for Catholicism to suffer setbacks in Daming. He also thought, "It's better to be too aggressive and flamboyant, or to suffer some setbacks." ”

"Young master, hurry up and get on the boat, bake the fire for a while and go to sleep." Rifle greeted at the bow of the boat.

Zhang Yuan asked Wang Da Hammer to get on the boat, and ordered Laifu to put away the wooden box with a flintlock pistol, and not to move without permission, Mu Zhenzhen and Wu Ling followed him to the Youlan Pavilion, the old courtyard was more than four miles away from here, at this time the snow had stopped, and the three of them stepped on the thin snow to rush to the side of the banknote street, walked through the banknote street, and came to the old courtyard in Quzhong, although there were few pedestrians in this prosperous place of fireworks at this time, but the river house on the left, the courtyard on the right, you can hear the sheng song flute pipe from time to time, and in the cold air, there is a faint aroma of rouge and alcohol-

Walking in front of the Xiangzhen Pavilion covered by plum bamboo, the bluestone road was slippery with thin snow, Zhang Yuan walked in a hurry and slipped and fell, Mu Zhenzhen beside him was quick and reached out to hold it, but he slipped together, Zhang Yuan sat on the ground and said with a smile: "I have also been affected by Zhenzhen." ”

The two of them got up and looked at each other, but fortunately, the bluestone pavement was relatively clean, and there was only a wet mark on the buttocks.

Youlan Pavilion is facing the courtyard wall of the old Dean Street, but the gate is in a remote place, the knock on the door in the quiet night is empty and loud, and there is the shout of Wuling: "Uncle Yao, Uncle Yao, it's us." ”

After a while, the door opened, and Uncle Yao greeted him with a lantern, and said with a smile: "Aunt Wei has only been resting for a short time, and she has been waiting for Zhang Xianggong." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "There is something delayed, and I am busy until now." ”

A middle-aged woman was wearing a long jacket while walking, and came over to give a salute: "Zhang Xianggong, the little woman will take Zhang Xianggong in." ”

Uncle Yao introduced to Zhang Yuan: "This is the Cheap Neilin Clan. "Uncle Yao also has a wife.

Wuling stayed here and slept in the same bed with Xue Tong, Zhang Yuan and Mu Zhenzhen followed Yao's wife Xue Shi around dozens of poles to cultivate bamboo, walked through Changxuan, the front hall, and came to the Qu Courtyard where Wang Wei lived, the door was closed, and the fragrance of Hanlan was revealed, Zhang Yuan of Youlan Pavilion came once last year, but only tasted tea in the front hall, and had not been to this Qu Courtyard, Yao's wife Lin knocked on the door for a while, and only then did a servant woman answer the door, looked Zhang Yuan up and down, and asked Lin: "Is this Shanyin Zhang Gongzi?" ”

Yao's wife Lin said with a smile: "Then there will be a mistake, didn't Aunt Wei wait until the three drums, what she was waiting for was this Zhang Gongzi, Xue Ma, hurry up and take Zhang Gongzi in, it's cold this night." ”

The servant woman led Zhang Yuan and Mu Zhenzhen into the courtyard, but saw that there were hundreds of pots of orchids in the courtyard, and she couldn't see clearly at night, only smelling the faint fragrance, and when she entered the small building, the stairs rang, and the little maid Huixiang came down in the dark with her jacket, and yawned: "Why did Zhang Xianggong come, my aunt has fallen asleep." ”

Zhang Yuan smiled: "Sorry, sorry, I'm sorry to disturb me." ”

"I haven't slept yet."

At the corner of the stairs, Wang Wei wore a jacket, holding a porcelain lamp in her left hand, windproof in her right hand, and her waist and limbs, walking down step by step, the yellow lamp shone on her white face, and the lead was washed, bright and moving.

Zhang Yuan stepped forward to take the porcelain lamp and said, "I just rescued the two missionaries, so it's too late." ”

Up to the second floor, the little maid Huixiang pulled Mu Zhenzhen to her small room to rest, Zhang Yuan entered Wang Wei's bedroom, this bedroom layout is similar to Wang Wei's furnishings in Hangzhou Shengmei Cloth Village, simple and elegant, Zhang Yuan said: "Originally, it was late at night, and I was going to rest on the boat, but I said that I was going to go to the teaching department with you in the morning, so I came in the middle of the night at the third watch, and I slipped on the road, which is a thin punishment for urgency." ”

Wang Wei smiled, turned behind Zhang Yuan, saw the wet mark on the back placket, and asked, "Did the fall hurt?" ”

The footsteps sounded, and the servant woman named Xue Ma came up with a basin of hot water, which Wang Wei had asked Xue Ma to prepare before, Zhang Yuan washed his face, burned his feet and went to bed, and said: "This quilt is still hot, it's so pleasant." ”

Wang Wei hugged Zhang Yuan's waist, touched Zhang Yuan's back buttocks, pressed it, and asked, "Will it hurt, Xianggong?" ”

Zhang Yuan said: "It's not so delicate. He also reached out to caress Wang Wei's white round and straight buttocks-

Wang Wei twisted his waist and hips slightly, smiled coquettishly and didn't let Zhang Yuan move, and said: "It's past the right time, Xianggong is tired of running around for a day, rest early, rest early." Whispered softly, I didn't hear Zhang Yuan's answer, but I heard a slight snoring, when I opened my eyes, Zhang Yuan fell asleep, I couldn't help but laugh, and said in my heart: "Xianggong is really sleepy, he fell asleep so soon, Xianggong wants to accompany me for a while, and then he is about to leave for the north, so he is busy until the third watch, and it is still snowing to rush over." ”

Thinking like this, Wang Wei's heart was so soft that he couldn't do it, tears filled his eyes, and he was afraid that the tears would drop onto Zhang Yuan's arm, so he didn't dare to move, and after a while, he felt that the tears were gone, and he gently leaned over and kissed Zhang Yuan on the lips, smiling, and thought: "This is the strange man that Wang Wei has entrusted for life, I like it very much, I really can't bear him to leave-" Half nestled in Zhang Yuan's arms, and fell asleep unconsciously.

……

Zhang Yuan's sleep quality has always been very good, although he slept very late last night, he still woke up when the sky was twilight, full of energy, looked down and saw that Wang Wei in his arms was still sleeping soundly, there was a slight sound in his throat, the fine eyelashes covered the eyelids, and the two delicate eyebrows like green feathers were not messy, and it was said that the eyebrows would be scattered, which can be seen to be nonsense-

It's cold outside, the breath is foggy, the warmth in the quilt makes people nostalgic, Zhang Yuan also lies in bed, and gently caresses Wang's slightly soft waist through a layer of fine cotton clothes, feeling the warmth and delicacy of this girl's skin, hearing a slight voice on the corridor, Mu Zhenzhen and Hui Xiang have already gotten up, Mu Zhenzhen always gets up early-

Wang Wei's eyelashes fanned a few times, like tired butterfly wings, her beautiful eyes seemed to be open and closed, extremely coquettish, Zhang Yuan couldn't help but gently shake her crisp breasts, and said with a low smile: "Begonia Spring has not slept enough." ”

Wang shrunk slightly and smiled: "Xianggong woke up so early. Lying on his stomach, he looked up through the gauze tent to see the morning light penetrating through the willow lattice window lattice, and said: "Reflecting the snow, it looks so bright, it is estimated that it is the middle of the day, it is still very early, when will the Xianggong go to the Jiaofang Division?" ”

Zhang Yuan said: "I have to go to Eunuch Xing first, if it weren't for Eunuch Xing, I wouldn't be able to save those two missionaries, and I couldn't invite Teacher Jiao to come forward, Shen Shilang of the Ministry of Rites just shirked it." ”

Wang Weixiu frowned slightly: "Didn't the prime minister offend Shen Shilang, and the ancestral hall and the sect department are all in charge of the Ministry of Rites." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "I thought about it, so we went early in the morning, and when Shen Yu came back to his senses, we were done." Asked: "How much does it cost to leave the country?" ”

Wang Wei said: "There is no rule for this, but it is just necessary to deal with those officials, as little as forty or fifty taels, and as many as one or two hundred taels - Xianggong, I have two hundred taels of silver savings here, Xianggong take it." ”

Zhang Yuan smiled: "How can this be reasonable. Stretched out his hand and slapped Wang Wei's round buttocks, the feeling was really wonderful, if it wasn't for the fact that the time was a little tight, he decided to come to a fire across the mountain, so he had to sit up and say: "Get up quickly, follow me to the inner garrison mansion." ”

……

Chen Shizheng, Zhang Yuan and Wang Wei took a car to the Yamen of the Inner Garrison Mansion, and Liu Gaoya, a hundred households in Dongchang, was already waiting in front of the door, and said with a smile: "My father-in-law is waiting inside." ”

Xing Long saw that Zhang Yuan came to visit him with the old courtyard oiran, and said with a smile: "The name of the talented man, the romantic story, by the way, is this one of the two oirans that Xiao Zhong said last year that he would fund for you, the miscellaneous family has met once, but I can't remember, good, very good, a good student serves Zhang Gongzi, and you can enjoy the glory and wealth." The last few words were said to Wang Wei, and Wang Wei only said yes.

Eunuch Xing ordered the wine to be arranged, and Zhang Yuan said: "I have to go to the ancestral hall to teach the department in my later life——"

Eunuch Xing said: "Where do you need Zhang Gongzi to go in person, the miscellaneous family asked people to call the head of the ancestral hall and the head of the teaching workshop, Cao Guan, and here they will do the matter of honoring the favor and leaving the country, and Zhang Gongzi can only drink." ”

When he can show his power, Eunuch Xing will not let it go, not only to show favor to Zhang Yuan, but also to set up his own score-

Nanjing's six yamen are not far from the yamen of the inner garrison house, only two or three miles away, about half an hour later, the ancestral hall under the Ministry of Rites is the head of the six products and the eight products Cao Guan in charge of the teaching department hurriedly came, about Wang Wei's case deed was also brought, the on-site office, the efficiency is first-class, it does not take a moment, the departure procedures are completed, and a penny of silver is confiscated.

Zhang Yuan invited the head of the ancestral hall and the priest Cao Guan to sit down and have a drink together, and Eunuch Xing followed Zhang Yuan's meaning and said, "Don't be restrained, let's have a drink together." ”

The head of the ancestral hall sat down, and the Cao official didn't dare to sit, so he stood and drank a glass, praising Gonggong Xing's wine.

Eunuch Xing said lightly: "This is the palace imperial wine Taixi Bai." ”

The head of the ancestral hall is still reserved, and the priest Cao Guan is already amazed and honored.

After sitting for a while, the two subordinate officials of the Ministry of Rites said goodbye and returned to the Yamen, and met Shen Yu, the waiter in front of the hall of the Ministry of Rites, Shen Yu came to the hall early in the morning and ordered the officials to inform the soldiers and horses to patrol the imperial history of the city, and the two missionaries should be strictly guarded, and they should not be released easily, Shen Yu was worried that Zhang Yuan would entrust the sacrificial wine or who would go directly to release Wang Fengsu, Zhang Yuan was not a small person-

Soon, the messenger replied, saying that the two missionaries had been taken away by the Dongchang Liu Baihu of the Inner Garrison Mansion last night, and that the results of the interrogation had been replied to the Soldiers and Horses Division early in the morning, saying that the two muskets were brought by Zhang Yuantuo, a person from Shanyin, and that Wang Fengsu had gathered a crowd to rebel and had no substantiated evidence, and had been released—

Shen Yu was shocked and angry, he didn't expect Zhang Yuan to instruct the hundred households in Dongchang to release people, and he also took away the prisoners from the Terracotta Division overnight and released them, Shen Yu forgot what he said to Jiao Taishi yesterday, so he was about to send someone to question Liu Gaoya, when he met the head of the ancestral hall and the sect secretary came back, and with the smell of alcohol, he immediately asked where did the two come from?

The head of the ancestral hall explained the matter to Shen Shilang, Shen Yu blushed his face, returned to the public hall without saying a word, looked at the "Shen Yuan Yi Shu" written on the desk, hesitated for a moment, or decided to submit it, just wait for the approval of the imperial court, he will justifiably arrest the missionaries and parishioners, in order to clean up the atmosphere of the southern capital, the duty of the Ministry of Rites is to promote morality and etiquette and carry out rectification.

……

This night**Wushan, upside down, Wang Wei is charming and enchanting, flattering in every way, Zhang Yuan is persevering, tireless, the two are about to stay away, lingering, the bed is like a sifting chaff, being turned over the red waves, until exhausted, Fang crosses his neck and sleeps -

On the fourth day of the winter month, early in the morning, in the Youlan Pavilion, on the pillow, the black feather starling called clearly: "Wei Gu is looking for meson, Wei Gu is looking for meson-"

Zhang Yuan looked down, the girl in his arms had bright and intoxicating eyes, Zhang Yuan said: "This bird seems to be lazy and simplified, last year it was called 'Aunt Wei, you are looking for meson'." ”

Wang Wei smiled "Gege": "The starling has forgotten to call it that, it was the child who came back to teach it again." ”

Zhang Yuan felt the girl's bewitching body squeezing him, and said: "Jie Zi is pressed under Wei Gu, why do you have to look for it, isn't this riding a donkey to find a donkey, uh-" He laughed out loud.

Wang Wei laughed even more, and after laughing, he noticed that Zhang Yuan was very restless, and his face was red and said: "I want to find it, Xiuwei wants to find Jie Zi for a lifetime, and I am afraid of losing it." Leaned into Zhang Yuan's ear and said, "Xiuwei has to ride a ride." Then he rode on his legs and galloped......

After the two of them prepared water and bathed, it was already the end of the hour, Zhang Dai paced over from the Xiangzhen Hall in the next courtyard, his eyes were a little black, Zhang Yuan thought that the eldest brother was a little overindulgent, but Zhang Dai said that Li Xueyi's stomach hurt all night, and he couldn't untie his clothes and took care of him all night, Wang Wei listened to the laughter, and quietly told Zhang Yuan that Li Xueyi had menstrual cramps, and he had to hurt a few times a month, especially at night-

At this time, Li Xueyi and Li Coer sisters came over, Li Xueyi said that it was a night of abdominal pain, but now it looks better than Zhang Dai, and the kind of weak Chu Chu style is very pitiful, last year's thirteen and this year's fourteenth Li Ko'er is soft, only slightly shorter than her sister Li Xueyi, the front hair covers the forehead, the eyebrows are picturesque, and the two sisters are here to see Zhang Dai off, and immediately sent Zhang Dai and Zhang Yuan to Wuding Bridge together with Wang Wei.

The separation was imminent, Wang Wei tried hard to make herself smile, Zhang Yuan told her to speak, she just nodded vigorously, her throat was already a little choked, but Li Xueyi was smiling and smiling, and whispered a few words with Zhang Dai, Zhang Dai, who was tired, suddenly perked up and became radiant.

Zhang Yuan and the eldest brother got on the Simingwa boat, the boatman untied the cable, and the white canopy boat left the Wuding Bridge, and will join the boat of Fan Wenruo and others at the port of Zhimaying, and go out of the Yangtze River estuary to Zhenjiang——

Zhang Dai stood at the bow of the boat and kept waving to the Li Xueyi sisters, Zhang Yuan only quietly looked at Wang Wei on the side of the bridge, raised his hand and did not put it down, Wang Wei seemed to be in tears, standing next to Wang Wei was Xue Tong holding a birdcage, the black feather starling was calling "Wei Gu looking for meson", the boat went down the river, far away, and could not be heard.

(To be continued)