"Xiao Gao, who did you see?"

A woman's voice came from a yellow rosewood carriage, her voice was not clear, it seemed to be a little hoarse, but there was another kind of coquettish charm.

The sixteen or seventeen-year-old waiter looked forward and replied, "The little one saw that there was a person on the canal boat who seemed to be Zhang Gongzi from Shaoxing Mansion in Jiangnan, and that Zhang Gongzi who had a good relationship with Zhong Gong. ”

"I know this person—"

A young man's sharp voice suddenly sounded in the luxurious carriage, speaking quickly, "His name is Zhang Yuanzi Jiezi, a native of Shanyin, a talented eight buckets, a rich scholar and a loyal minister, by the way, he can still listen to what he remembers, and he is extremely smart." ”

"Brother said it well." The woman in the same car with the young man smiled and said, "These four-character words were taught to you by Gonggong Zhong, and your knowledge has grown." ”

"The slave maid also heard Eunuch Zhong talk about this Zhang Yuan, a genius in Jiangnan, who is the first in every scientific examination, and he is also a righteous person."

The self-proclaimed slave was a servant in his forties, wearing a crown of hair on his head, wearing a dark silk sling, with a long narrow face, a pointed nose, slightly sunken cheeks, a somewhat sickly pale, and a red horse under his crotch, following the side of this luxurious carriage.

"Wei Dynasty, you go and call him, I want to see this Zhang Yuan." The young man in the carriage commanded.

"It's not good." Wei Chao, an internal official riding a jujube red horse, couldn't help but hesitate, and lowered his voice and said: "We are secretly out of the palace, how can we let outsiders know, and Gonggong Zhong is not here, what do we have to say to this Gongzi Zhang!" ”

"No, I just want to see what Zhang Zhongchen in Jiangnan looks like, whether he has a red face and a long beard like the prince of Yi Bo Yuntianguan." The boy is very Ren's surname.

The woman in the carriage asked the little chamberlain: "Xiao Gao, have you seen clearly, is it that Zhang Gongzi, don't recognize people indiscriminately." ”

Xiao Gao affirmed: "The little one will not admit his mistake, that fallen girl with blue eyes also followed Zhang Gongzi, how can she not admit her mistake." ”

The woman told the young man: "Brother, promise me, let's call that Zhang Gongzi over, you stay in the car and don't make a sound, just look at it secretly, do you hear?" ”

"Okay, I'm not talking." The boy agreed.

Wei Chao had no choice but to instruct: "Brother Wei, you and Xiao Gao go and ask Zhang Gongzi to come over and let Brother Er, don't mention that Brother is here, just say that Gonggong Zhong's colleagues want to see him." ”

A chamberlain who was a few years older than Wei Chao agreed, and walked to the dock with Xiao Gao.

……

Approaching the end of the year, the Chaoyangmen Canal Wharf is getting busier and busier, all kinds of barges and plywood boats are crowded on the riverside, and the carriages, ox carts, sedan chairs, donkeys, camels, merchants, travelers, porters, and tooth wharves come and go, chaotic and noisy, and the cold air is mixed with the smell that is not found in the winter in the south of the Yangtze River -

The warm winter sun is obliquely shining, Zhang Yuan and his party of six boats are moored under the Chaoyangmen wharf, there is a group of coachmen, sedan chair drivers, porters hugging up to enthusiastically ask the guests where to go, they are familiar with the inside and outside of the capital, from the Paozi River in the east city to the Haidian in the west city, from the Manjing in the north city to the Lugou Bridge in the south city, there is no place they don't know, you can send the guests quickly and safely, if the guests want to stay in the hotel, then they can also recommend a clean and spacious, fair price inn......

"Is it a boat from Shaoxing Mansion, has my young master Huzi arrived?"

A middle-aged servant stretched his neck and shouted in the middle of a group of porters, and another tall servant on the side saw Zhang Dai at the bow of the boat, and shouted happily: "Young Master Zongzi, Young Master Zongzi, the villain can be Liang." He waved vigorously.

This is Qi Biaojia's father Qi Chengjiao and Zhang Dai's second uncle Zhang Lianfang sent to pick up the servant of the boat, the letter made an appointment to get off the boat at the Chaoyangmen Canal Wharf, Qi's family servant and Zhang Lianfang's servant Neng Liang has been waiting on this wharf since the fifth day of December, every morning to come, go back at night, have been waiting for twenty days, this Neng Liang is Nengzhu's sibling brother -

Xu Guangqi took Jinnige and rushed directly to the Catholic church in the east corner of Xuanwu Gate to see Pang Di'e and Long Huamin, Chen said that there were stakes and cons, and asked the two priests Pang and Long to immediately revise the book and admonish Wang Fengsu and others in Nanjing to be cautious in their missionaries, and to live in a simple place in the near future, so as not to cause trouble-

Zhang Dai invited Zhang Yuan to go with him to his second uncle Zhang Lianfang, Zhang Yuan said: "I want to go to see my brother-in-law Shang Zhou Zuo, and I will come to see Uncle Baosheng again tomorrow." Shang Zhouzuo said in the letter that he wanted Zhang Yuan to live with him after he arrived in Beijing.

Qi Biaojia went to his father Qi Chengyi's official office, and those who had no relatives and friends to vote for went to the provincial hall, the north and south hall was near the six yamen, which was a building for the officials of the provinces to go to Beijing for business and the people who went to the examination to live, there was room and board, and the people met in front of the household yamen when they met in the Ming Dynasty, and then wrote to the emperor to implore the emperor to issue an edict as soon as possible to exempt the six counties of Shandong from taxes and provide relief to the victims-

Qingmo Mountain people took the little wife Dong milk tea to Zhang Yuan's resignation, thanking Zhang Yuan for saving his life, there will be a time to repay, Zhang Yuan gave Qingmo Mountain people five taels of silver a few days earlier, and then said: "Qingmo Mountain people, you are looking for an inn to live in the area of the East Fourth Archway, my brother-in-law's residence is in the southwest of the Daci Yanfu Palace in the East Fourth Archway, you find a good place to come and inform me, I will look for you in the future, if you have any difficulties in Beijing, just come to me, hometown people, don't see outside." ”

The people of Qingmo Mountain agreed again and again, and went with Dong Milk Tea.

Zhang Yuan called two carriages, stood on the shore and watched Wang Dazhui and Laifu get on the car while carrying the luggage on the ship, and the two palace attendants squeezed over, and the young chamberlain forked his hand and said: "Zhang Gongzi, Zhang Gongzi, Xiao Xiaogao." ”

Zhang Yuan turned his head and saw that this was the godson of the eunuch Zhong Benhua, Gao Qiqian, who had seen it in Nanjing last year, but had not seen him for a year, and had grown a lot taller like Wuling, and said happily: "Hello little Gao father-in-law, is it out of the city on business, this father-in-law is?" Looking at the tall waiter next to Xiao Gao, this waiter is about forty-five or six years old, with a slightly dark complexion, a high nose and a wide mouth, and two thick black birthday eyebrows, the whole person looks dignified, because the two long birthday eyebrows look very kind, and at this time he has bowed down to give a salute and said: "Wei Jinzhong has seen Zhang Gongzi, Zhang Gongzi is famous, and Zhang Gongzi is also famous in the palace." "The tone is very enthusiastic -

"Wei Jinzhong!"

Zhang Yuan only felt that his scalp exploded slightly, he never thought that he would meet Wei Zhongxian as soon as he arrived in the capital, Wei Zhongxian's name was Li Jinzhong when he first entered the palace, and now his surname has been restored to Wei Jinzhong, it seems that he is still just a low-level chamberlain, who would have thought that a few years later, this person would be able to cover the sky with one hand and set off a cruel party dispute?

Xiao Gao introduced: "This Father-in-law Wei and Gonggong Zhong are deacons in Ciqing Palace together, and Father-in-law Wei is also on an errand in the Jiazi library-"

The emotions of surprise were instantly controlled, and Zhang Yuan arched his hand and said, "Father-in-law Wei is good." ”

"Zhang Gongzi." Xiao Gao pointed at the pine forest: "There is another Duke Wei over there who also wants to meet with Zhang Gongzi-" and explained: "There are two Duke Wei in Ciqing Palace, this is Da Wei, and the other over there is Xiao Wei, both of whom are friends of Duke Zhong, and Father-in-law Xiao Wei is the young eunuch of Ciqing Palace. ”

Zhang Yuanxin said: "Where is there still a Wei Gonggong?" ”

Zhang Yuan knew the rank of the eunuchs of the Ming Palace, and after being castrated into the palace, he could only do the chores of guarding the door, carrying water, chopping wood, and running errands. Generally will be in charge of a prison treasurer, which shows how difficult it is to be honored as a eunuch, Xiao Gao deliberately pointed out that Xiao Wei's father-in-law is a young eunuch, to remind Zhang Yuan not to slack off, the little Wei father-in-law from the fourth grade is much more powerful than the seven-grade errand big Wei father-in-law in front of him-

It's not a bad thing to know more internal officials, Zhang Yuan walked with Xiao Gao and Li Jinzhong to the luxurious carriage, with Mu Zhenzhen and Wu Ling following behind.

The young eunuch Wei Chao had already dismounted, took a few steps up, and saluted with a smile: "Shanyin Zhang Gongzi, long admired the great name, long admired the great name, the deacon of the Cining Palace of the miscellaneous family Wei Dynasty - what is Zhang Gongzi doing in Beijing?" Ah, is Zhang Gongzi already a lifter, congratulations-"

Wu Ling, who was on the side, heard that the young master only said that he was lifting people, and couldn't help but interject: "The good father-in-law learned that my young master is the first Xie Yuan in the Zhejiang Township Examination. Seeing that the young master glanced at him, he smiled and took a half step back.

Wei Dynasty and Wei Jinzhong were in awe, and Wei Chao said in a loud voice: "It's amazing, it's amazing, that Zhang Gongzi will definitely go to high school next spring, and the young Jinshi has a bright future." ”

Zhang Yuan returned the courtesy, humility, greetings, and said in his heart: "I know this Wei Dynasty that Wei Zhongxian is the first person to step on the climb, and now Wei Zhongxian calls him a brother, and he will die in the hands of Wei Zhongxian in a few years." ”

Zhang Yuan was about to ask Wei Chao about the current situation of Eunuch Zhong, when a burst of laughter suddenly sounded in the luxurious carriage beside him, it was the kind of happy and crazy laughter of the young man, laughing non-stop, and the curtains in the wooden lattices of the delicate windows were shaking-

"What is this?" Zhang Yuan pointed at the carriage and looked at Wei Chao with his eyes.

Wei Chao was a little embarrassed, and he didn't know how to explain to Zhang Yuan, but he looked at Wei Jinzhong, Wei Jinzhong smiled: "It's rare for a child to come out once, happy, haha." The words changed: "If Gonggong Zhong knew that Zhang Gongzi would be overjoyed when he arrived in Beijing, he would definitely find a chance to meet Zhang Gongzi, and Zhang Gongzi would have a place to stay in Beijing?" ”

The young man in the carriage was still laughing, and heard a woman reproaching softly, the young man's laughter did not stop, and suddenly "brushed" a sound, the curtain and the window lattices were pushed to the side, Zhang Yuan saw the woman's complexion in the carriage, even though he had always been calm, and Wang Wei raised the vision of the sea, but at first glance I saw this woman was also amazed, this woman was about twenty-six or seven years old, the palace was dressed up, green yarn hair care, jade hairpin obliquely, wearing a purple edge Xun jacket, round neck and narrow sleeves, embroidered with folded branches and small sunflowers, and the dress was extremely gorgeous, But the brightness of the dress does not hide its beauty at all, the forehead is smooth and broad, the eyebrows are thin and long, the eyebrows fly obliquely into the sideburns, the tips of the eyes are obliquely raised, like the shape of Danfeng eyes, but the Danfeng eyes are narrow and long, this woman's beautiful eyes are big and clear, because the car window was suddenly pushed open, the woman was a little surprised, turned her head sideways, twisted her body, opened her eyes wide, and met Zhang Yuan's gaze, the snow-white face suddenly flushed with a touch of rouge, and gently picked up a handful of young people who were crooked on her, red lips pursed, and said: "Sit upright." He glanced at Zhang Yuan outside the window again, and didn't close the window immediately-

The young man's eyebrows are also slender and long, his appearance is delicate, he looks like he is in his teens, his eyes were originally slippery, and when he saw Zhang Yuan looking at him, his eyes instantly looked dull, pretending to be stupid-

Zhang Yuan's mind flashed: "Is this the emperor's eldest grandson Zhu Youxiao and the nurse Keyinyue?" He bowed respectfully, said nothing, and stopped looking out the window.

Wei Chao hurriedly came over and pushed the window up from the outside, but the curtain inside could not be pulled up, and the beautiful woman in the car watched Zhang Yuan and Wei Chao talk through the lattice window, and after a while, Wei Chao stepped on the horse, and a group of attendants surrounded the carriage and returned to the city, and the woman covered the curtain and whispered to the young man: "What did I tell you before, let you not make a sound——"

The young man's eyes came alive again, and he argued: "Mama told me not to speak, not to make a sound, but I didn't say a word." ”

The beautiful woman dressed in this palace couldn't help laughing, shook her head and said, "What kind of body are you, you are-", stopped talking, and asked again: "Brother thinks this Zhang Gongzi is good, I think it's very polite." ”

The young man said: "No red face, no long beard, not majestic, he is a white-faced scholar." ”

The beautiful woman smiled: "I was originally a scholar, did I hear it, the township test Xie Yuan, I am really very talented." ”

Wei Chaoxin, who was riding a horse and following the side of the carriage, said: "Zhong Benhua's befriended Zhang Yuan looks like a character, Siyuan Lianjie, not simple, Zhong Benhua resigned from Hangzhou Weaving Eunuch last year and returned to Beijing, he could have gone to the Bell and Drum Division to serve as a palm seal eunuch, but he took the initiative to ask to come to Ciqing Palace to teach his brother to read and write, and the people in the palace laughed at him for 'burning a cold stove'. ”

Thinking of this, Wei Chao smiled, thinking that the young master was still a trembling prince, and if it was his brother's turn to ascend the throne, it would have to wait until the Year of the Monkey and the month of the horse, and the brother and Zhong Benhua were not close, and the brother and Lao Wei were the most compatible, and-

Wei Chao frowned slightly, and didn't think about it anymore.

……

Zhang Yuan looked at the group of chamberlains hugging the carriage and walking away, and the pedestrians on the road were not surprised to see this group of chamberlains, but just gave way slightly, presumably there were a lot of eunuchs in the capital, and they could often be seen, so it was not unusual, who knew that the carriage was sitting in the current emperor's eldest grandson.

Zhang Yuanxin said: "That young man must be the emperor's eldest grandson Zhu Youxiao, Zhu Youxiao was born in the thirty-third year of Wanli, and he is eleven years old this year, which is in line with the age of this young man. ”

The beauty of the woman in the carriage impressed Zhang Yuan deeply, and Zhang Yuan had a strange feeling: this woman does not look like a Han woman, her complexion is a bit like Mu Zhenzhen, like the ice and snow in the north, but Shi Zaike's family is from Dingxing County, Baoding Prefecture, Hebei Province, Baoding is still in the southwest of Yanjing, not bordering Mongolia and Jurchen, how can this Hakka family look like an alien charm?

- Zhang Yuan knows in his heart that as long as Zhu Youxiao ascends the throne, this beautiful woman will become the most powerful woman in the palace, this seems to be difficult to change, because Zhu Youxiao depends on her, what Zhang Yuan wants to change is that Wei Zhongxian and the Hakka family are embarrassed, and the Hakka family alone cannot make waves, how to start this, Wei Zhongxian, the Hakka family and the future emperor Zhu Youxiao, met together on the first day he entered Beijing, although it was only a hurry, but the surnames of the three people can still figure out some, Wei Zhongxian is sleek, Hakka is frivolous, As for the young Zhu Youxiao, although he kept laughing, his dull eyes at that moment were obviously depressed......

"Young master, let's go, the coachman is impatient." Wu Ling came over and urged.

Zhang Yuan left Laifu and the boatman couple to guard the ship, Wang Dazhui, Wuling and Mu Zhenzhen followed him to the East Fourth Archway to find the residence of his brother-in-law Shang Zhou Zuo, the coachman drove from the stone bridge over the moat, into Chaoyangmen, Chaoyangmen is one of the nine gates of the inner city of Yanjing, before Zhang Yuan and their ship passed through the Guangqu Gate of the outer city, the city wall of the outer city is not as tall as the inner city wall, the city wall of Chaoyangmen is as high as eight zhang, the bottom thickness is seven zhang, the city tower is even more majestic, there are enemy platforms, female walls, it looks solid, but a city if the hearts of the people are scattered, It's useless to have an iron wall-

Zhang Yuan didn't take the car, he wanted to take a walk to see this Yanjing City, the streets of Yanjing City are wide, straight to and from, and the buildings on both sides are also tall and magnificent, but they are not as exquisite as the pavilions and pavilions in the south of the Yangtze River, the snow on the streets is clean, and the cars, horses and pedestrians are endless, at this time it is already dusk, and the twilight of the capital of the Ming Empire is about to shroud down-

Chaoyang Gate is less than two miles away from the east gate of the East Fourth Archway, two carriages pass under the wooden archway of the four-pillar three-room type, go to the Daci Yanfu Palace, the houses on both sides are cramped, there is almost no vacant land, the streets and alleys are not as clean as the street that passed before, Zhang Yuan got on the car at this time, and traveled more than half a mile of the road, the Daci Yanfu Palace with red walls and black tiles is on the south side of the road, the Daci Yanfu Palace is the palace of Taoism, worship the three gods of heaven, earth and water, commonly known as the Sanguan Temple, it is said that the hexagram is signed, the incense is quite prosperous, Zhang Yuan's carriage goes around to the southwest of the Sanguan Temple, According to Zhang Yuan's instructions, the coachman asked passers-by where the Shang Yushi of the Metropolitan Procuratorate lived? I asked three people in succession, and when I asked, the coachman drove the carriage to the front of the Shang Imperial History House, which was a courtyard house, sitting in the north and facing south, and the golden pillar gate, this kind of door was not luxurious, but it also showed that the owner was an official eunuch with good rank-

The vermilion lacquer gate was closed, Wuling went to knock on the door, and an old servant opened the door and saw it, and said in surprise: "Is it Aunt Zhang from Shaoxing, please come in, please come in, the lord has been waiting for a long time, and the lord has not come back from the yamen today." While turning his head and telling a certain servant woman to hurry in and report, he said that Aunt Zhang had arrived.

Zhang Yuan entered the golden pillar gate, this is the front yard, the front yard is shallow in depth, but two zhang, rectangular, the right side is a small entrance hall, there is a wing room on the left side, a few steps west from the entrance hall is the main entrance, Zhang Yuan has not yet walked to the front door, a servant woman ran out first, happy said: "It's really Aunt Zhang, Mrs., Mrs., it's really Aunt Zhang." "This servant woman was the one who entered Beijing three years ago with Mrs. Fu of Shang, and she knew Zhang Yuan-

Zhang Yuan smiled at the servant woman, walked quickly to the gate, and saw his sister-in-law Fu Shi walking towards the gate under the support of several servant women, the girl who followed Fu Shi was Shang Jinglan, I haven't seen her for three years, and in a few days, the thirteen-year-old Shang Jinglan has grown a lot taller, a little slim girl, but, what about Xiao Jinghui, why didn't Xiao Jinghui rush out?

Zhang Yuan still clearly remembers the first time he went to the door of the Huiji Shang clan that winter, and when the wooden bone wall door opened, a group of people greeted him, and the one who rushed to the front was the six-year-old Xiao Jinghui, and the maid Fanghua wanted to hold her and prevent her from running so fast, but she was dragged by such a small person as her and stumbled-

What happened to Xiao Jinghui?

(To be continued)