On the morning of the next day, Guo Zhongjun changed into a six-grade military attache uniform, took Zhu Daolin's name and rushed to the Yamen of the Ministry of War to report, which immediately caused a sensation in the Yamen of the Ministry of War.

Guo Zhongjun said very politely: "General Zhu occasionally felt cold at sea and was recuperating in bed. ”

The military department Shangshu and the two squires did not return to the early dynasty, and they were still discussing state affairs with the emperor in the court, and the highest rank of officials at all levels in the yamen was only four grades, no matter what kind of noble and military rank, anyway, no one was bigger than Zhu Daolin.

Although Zhu Daolin was supposed to come to report in person, no one dared to speak out of accountability if Zhu Daolin did not come, because Zhu Daolin, who had deep pockets, never asked for the Liangjing Military Department, and he paid out of his own pocket for training tens of thousands of troops, and never asked for a penny from the Liangjing Military Department, but successively sent more than 200 cannons to the emperor.

There is also the most important reason that Zhu Daolin's position as the commander of Baoshanwei and the title of General Sanpin Zhaoyi were all appointed by the emperor beyond the military department, and he was made difficult by the courtiers and the military department before and after, so it is strange that Zhu Daolin does not hold a grudge.

Moreover, Zhu Daolin is directly under the jurisdiction of the Governor's Office of the Five Armies of the Southern Capital, and in addition to personnel appointments, there is no need for the Bird and Beijing Military Department in other aspects, so it is understandable that Zhu Daolin, who has a tough personality, does not report to the Military Department.

Even if the officials of the Ministry of War hate Zhu Daolin to death, they dare not openly oppose him, and many officials also privately speculate: Who of their three top bosses offended Zhu Daolin?

Zhu Daolin was indeed in bed to recuperate, but it was not an occasional cold, he learned from Zhao Huaizhong, who left early in the morning, that the emperor might not be able to find time to summon him in three or two days, so after sending someone to the military department to report, he simply slept well, recuperated, and slept until three o'clock in the afternoon before getting up and meditating cross-legged, and only after Guo Zhongjun and other guards had rested did he order the two maids standing on the side to prepare dinner.

The two maids just left. Zhu Daolin took out the 20 pieces of gemstone jewelry in the gold steel ring and the "Territory Map of the Ming Empire" folded and rolled up in a leather tube, and put all of them into the empty wardrobe by the wall, and then came to the front hall to meet with the four guards and Yang Junwu, the shopkeeper of the Beijing Bofu Money Village who had been waiting for a long time, and tasted the very characteristic Beijing mutton hot pot together.

Three glasses of wine were served, and a large bowl of fragrant mutton soup boiled into a milky white was drunk. Zhu Daolin and all the guards were sweating and shouting comfortably.

Yang Junwu laughed, picked up the wine bottle and was about to refill a glass for Zhu Daolin, when he heard dense footsteps in the courtyard, and when he looked back, it was Zhao Huaizhong and a young eunuch wearing a six-rank inner attendant uniform hurriedly arrived, and two brocade wrestlers and two little fathers-in-law followed behind them.

Zhao Huaizhong walked a few steps to Zhu Daolin, who stood up and saluted: "Wash and change clothes immediately, long live Lord will summon you!" Let's get to know first, this is the master of ceremonies, Cheng He's father-in-law, and like our family, he is Master Cao's apprentice. ”

Zhu Daolin looked at Father-in-law He who looked at him with a smile. felt that he seemed to be less than 30 years old, but he had an arrogance and reserve that was far superior to that of ordinary eunuchs in the inner court, and he did not dare to slack off at the moment, and immediately stepped forward to greet him politely.

The shrewd Guo Zhongjun had already taken out a few silver tickets, quietly bypassed them and quietly stuffed them into the hands of the four attendants, and then returned to the original place and waited solemnly.

Gonggong He saw Guo Zhongjun's demeanor in his eyes, smiled and said cordially: "It's all a family, no need to be polite." Hehe! General Zhu should clean up quickly, the car is outside. Can't let Banzai wait for a long time. ”

"Thank you, father-in-law!"

Zhu Daolin thanked him again, entered the bedroom and quickly took off his civilian clothes and changed into a red official robe, Guo Zhongjun followed up to help, while tidying up the official robe and tying the jade belt for Zhu Daolin, while asking in a low voice what should he do?

Zhu Daolin didn't know what to do, so he had to tell him to wait and ask Zhao Huaizhong quietly. It is estimated that there is a little father-in-law who specially arranges a few of them.

Out of the courtyard, Gonggong He warmly invited Zhu Daolin to ride in the same car, and Zhao Huaizhong sent Zhu Daolin to the four-wheeled carriage with the Yellow Dragon tassel pennant, and told Zhu Daolin not to worry, he and Guo Zhongjun took two carriages loaded with valuable tributes in the back.

The three carriages, escorted by more than a dozen knights in brocade, soon came to the Donghuamen bridgehead. Turning around and heading south, he walked along the moat, passing through the empty noon gate without pause, and continued in the direction of Xihua Gate.

Father-in-law He in the car smiled at Zhu Daolin, who was quite nervous: "General Zhu is the first time to come to the capital, right?" ”

Zhu Daolin wanted to say that it had happened twice after a few hundred years, but in the end he replied politely: "Yes! I entered the city before dawn, slept until the evening before I got up to fill my stomach, just drank a cup of warm soju and couldn't pick up chopsticks, and Grandpa He arrived, so I still don't know what the capital looks like. ”

Gonggong He laughed: "General Zhu is really the same as what our family heard before, he is a wonderful person!" Ha ha! ”

"Please also ask your father-in-law to teach, what do you need to pay attention to when entering the palace?"

Zhu Daolin asked humbly, he guessed that the father-in-law in front of him had already received benefits from Zhao Huaizhong, so he asked whatever he had and was unceremonious.

He Gonggong said with a smile: "Someone else must have taught you, there is no need for our family to be verbose, only one thing you have to remember, after entering the imperial study, Long Live Lord does not ask you not to squeak, kneel honestly, Long Live Lord can only answer when you ask you, don't learn from those ministers, the big truth will come to talk endlessly, Long Live Lord doesn't say anything on his mouth, his heart is greasy!" ”

When the carriage came to Xihuamen, it had to dismount and walk, and Guo Zhongjun and other guards and entourages could only wait in the carriage.

Zhao Huaizhong and several little fathers-in-law held four exquisite wooden boxes containing gems and jewelry, and followed carefully with leather cylinders containing maps, all the way through the Yingwu Hall and crossed the Hongqiao, and traveled hundreds of meters to the north through two access controls, and then turned into the east side of the Cining Palace Lane and walked dozens of meters, and finally came to the west gate of the Yangxin Palace, where the eunuch Wang Chengen and the eunuch Cao Huachun had been waiting for a long time.

Cao Huachun looked Zhu Daolin up and down with a smile on his face, and saw that Zhu Daolin was going to greet him as a junior, so he immediately stepped forward to hold Zhu Daolin's hands:

"I can't help it, General Zhu is a dignified third-grade military attache of the imperial court, and General Zhaoyi is given by the imperial court, how dare our family accept this great gift? It's a blessing to see you today, hehe! ”

Where did Zhu Daolin dare to hold up in front of the two high-ranking eunuchs, and hurriedly took half a step back and hugged his fists again: "After the end of school, Zhu Daolin will visit Gonggong Cao and Gonggong Wang, and I implore the two seniors to take care of them!" ”

Cao Huachun happily accepted a salute at this time, Wang Chengen saw that Zhu Daolin was so humble, and his appearance was dignified and heroic, he couldn't help but show a smile, stepped forward to meet Zhu Daolin, pointed to Zhu Daolin's side, and asked kindly: "What kind of treasure is in such a long leather tube?" ”

"A map of the territory dedicated to the emperor." Zhu Daolin replied.

Zhao Huaizhong added: "What a big map of the Ming Dynasty, as wide as one zhang and five zhang, nearly two zhang high, mountains, rivers, seas and islands, all kinds of things, breathtaking!" ”

Cao Huachun and Wang Chengen were stunned, and Cao Huachun asked first: "This is a major event related to Jiangshan Sheji!" It's just that such a confidential territory map, how did it appear in the hands of the virtuous nephew? ”

Zhu Daolin hesitated slightly: "Senior, I heard that the missionary Matteo Ricci has been staying in the palace?" ”

Cao Huachun immediately knew what Zhu Daolin was referring to, nodded and informed: "Yes, Matteo Ricci is now working in Qin Tianjian, during the Apocalypse, he presented the "Complete Map of Mountains and Seas", and then continued to modify and add, and last autumn, finally completed the more vast "Kanyu Wanguo Quantu", and now it is never shown in the palace, but the Ming Dynasty and the opposition all know that Matteo Ricci is in the Wanli Gengchen period, from the faraway Taixi voyage of 90,000 miles, nine deaths and a lifetime to come to my Ming Dynasty, the virtuous nephew specially asked him if this person has a deep meaning? ”

Zhu Daolin calmly replied: "As far as I know, go around the world and return to the original point, the total mileage is only a little more than 80,000 miles, Matteo Ricci is from Lisbon, the Portuguese capital of Taixi, by boat, according to the mileage, the distance from Lisbon to the South China Sea of Daming is 20,000 miles, even if he goes all the way around, it is only 50,000 miles by sea, how can he come to 90,000 miles?" ”

Cao Huachun, Wang Chengen, and Zhao Huaizhong were all taken aback, this is a glorious deed that Matteo Ricci often talks about, and for so many years, the Ming Dynasty and the opposition have believed it, if Zhu Daolin's words are true, it means that Matteo Ricci has committed the crime of bullying the king.

Wang Chengen and Cao Huachun whispered a few words, and immediately turned around and returned to the Heart Cultivation Palace, Cao Huachun didn't say much, and directly asked Zhu Daolin to walk with him to the gate of the Heart Cultivation Palace, and then stopped and whispered, Zhu Daolin nodded frequently, and slowly knelt in front of the threshold, waiting for the emperor's summons while slandering. (To be continued.) )