On the morning of the second day, the carriage continued to move, and the houses and shops gradually increased, and the road was listed in the town of Xingfu, and where there was a bridge, there was a market, and the people were densely populated, and the pedestrians, cars and horses were endless.

At noon, they came to the north of Nanjing City, at a glance the city tower is not majestic, the door hole is written "Yao Fang" two big characters, Liu Minyou jumped off the carriage to look at both sides, the left and right city walls are just a piece of bricks, behind are earthen embankments, Chen Xin was a little disappointed and said: "This is Jinling?" ”

Chen Tingdong said calmly: "This is Nanjing Waiguo, except for the city gate, there is only an earthen embankment, a total of 120 miles outside the Guo, 40 miles of the earthen embankment, a total of 18 gates, Ying Tianfu City is still ahead." ”

Liu Minyou and Zhou Laifu both looked at him dissatisfied, this person deliberately waited for everyone to be unclear every time, and then came out to explain, making them all like dirt buns, especially since he was still Liu Minyou's subordinate, and he was not humble at all after speaking in front of Liu Minyou. Both of them no longer gave Chen Tingdong a chance at the moment, and they didn't speak, only Chen Xin still talked to Chen Tingdong from time to time.

When they were queuing, an old farmer picking oranges next to him heard their conversation and asked on the side: "How many sons are from the North?" ”

Chen Xin turned his head to look at him, the old farmer's short clothes with waist cloth were very neatly cared for, and he replied politely: "Exactly, I have heard the prosperity of Jiangnan for a long time and traveled here." ”

The old farmer smiled and said: "Reading thousands of books, how can it be like traveling thousands of miles, since the son has arrived in Yingtianfu, he will definitely go to see the forty scenes of Jinling, so that this trip is not in vain." ”

Lian Xin was a little surprised, an old farmer could say such a thing, and asked with a smile: "So, I must go and take a look, the old man has written a chapter, has he also read a book?" ”

The old farmer shook his head and said: "The little old man knows some words, but he has never read a book, but he is a son who is gentle, and he is either rich or expensive." ”

He said this, it was their turn to enter the city gate, he happily took out the orange from the pick, and sent one to Chen Xin and others, Liu Minyou hurriedly thanked him, and took out the copper plate, the old man shook his hand, took the pick and entered the city, and did not forget to turn around and shout after the doorway: "Forty scenes of Jinling, the son can go to the bookstore to buy Jinling Tuyong, which is clearer than the little old man." ”

Liu Minyou shook his head and put the copper coin back, Chen Xin pointed to the back of the old man, and asked Chen Tingdong: "I'm afraid this old farmer is not a real farmer." ”

Chen Tingdong said: "General, it's really a farmer, every family in Jiangnan has cotton mulberry, business is prosperous, most of them have to trade with people, there are many literate people, this old man is near Yingtian, the officials have seen a lot, they have seen a lot, and they are not afraid of anything, and they have a calmness." ”

Song Wenxian also smiled: "There are many such people at the foot of the imperial city, saying that there are many people in the Beijing Division, and the road meets an old woman, and the sedan chair man asked her to give way, but she refuted it, saying that I am determined by the system, the woman is in the road, but the official sedan chair is not allowed, and the ministry is speechless. ”

Chen Xin laughed, "It's interesting to be so popular." ”

While a few people were talking, the carriage entered the Yaofang Gate and continued to move south. They have now entered the outer Guo, here has been quite prosperous, the carriages and horses are flowing, the sedan chair carriage is exquisitely decorated, some of the sedan chair panes are even made of ivory, the women who travel along the street are laughing loudly, and the style of Shandong and other places is very different.

The people were also richly dressed. According to Chen Tingdong's explanation, it is divided into water red, golden red, lychee red, oriental color, and other sky blue, jade color, light blue, and goose yellow are very bright, showing that the dyeing of the Ming Dynasty has a very high level. Not only are the colors bright, but there are also more styles of women's clothes, not only long clothes, but also men's clothes with tops and bottoms, and most of these women's clothes are left-handed, which is completely different from the north.

The avenue goes south for a while, and then turns to the west in the Jiang Temple, Chen Tingdong tells Chen Xin, the Ming Xiaoling Tomb is on the hill east of the Jiang Temple, and the west is where the three divisions are located, namely the Dali Temple, the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the Criminal Department, all three departments are next to the Xuanwu Lake outside the city of Yingtianfu.

Liu Minyou remembered what the old man said about the forty scenes of Jinling, and asked Chen Tingdong again, Chen Tingdong said with some disdain: "A few gentlemen have nothing to do with vassal elegance, a broken mountain can also be called a scene, Wuyi Lane is just an ordinary person, they add a Wuyi sunset, in the end, the hell look at the alley or the sunset." He said and pointed to the west, "The Xuanwu Lake over there is also one of the forty scenes, the Xuanwu Lake is just a pool of water, and there is a Taiping embankment next to it, they named it Pingdi Guanhu, and it is also a scene, showing off the romance, but that's it." ”

Liu Min turned his head stupidly, if everyone thinks like Chen Tingdong, how can there be a scenic spot in the world. Chen Xin leaned into his ear and said: "It is estimated that it is the same as our tourism industry at that time, making a gimmick is a scene, and you have to make up dozens or a good number." ”

Liu Minyou replied: "If I have time, I still want to go and see it, and I don't bother to ask Chen Tingdong, what is it to buy a copy by myself, what is Jinling?" ”

"Jinling Tuyong."

The group walked through the Taiping Embankment, and finally came to the Taiping Gate in the north of Nanjing, and saw this magnificent city that was once the largest in the world.

The city wall of Nanjing capital is expanded in the early Ming Dynasty, the city circumference is about 60 miles, the battlements are 17,000, there are more than 200 nests on the city wall, 13 city gates are set up, people call the "Shen Ce Jin" Yifeng Gate, Huaiyuan is cool to the stone city, the three mountains are connected to Ji, Hongwu Chaoyang is peaceful. "According to Beijing's six departments and nine qing, there is also a set of teams, which is called Nanzhili. In addition, with the benefits of the Yangtze River and the canal, it is not only the political center of the south of the Yangtze River, but also one of the economic centers.

A group of people got off the carriage at the Taiping Gate, paid the first money, the Taiping Gate was magnificent, and finally met the shape of Nanjing in the minds of everyone After entering the Taiping Gate, Chen Xin planned to go to the address left by Zuo Changhao to see, and asked the location of Zhongzheng Street, Chen Tingdong was not clear, there were countless streets and alleys in Nanjing, he couldn't figure it out, he only knew the general layout, like Wanping and Daxing in Beijing, Nanjing City was also divided into two counties, Jiangning County and Shangyuan County, Jiangning County to the south of Taipingqiao, Shangyuan County to the north, the location of the two counties was in the south of the city, The general residential and commercial areas are concentrated here. To the north of the Bell and Drum Tower are the barracks and school grounds of each guard, and to the east is the imperial city, and the five military mansions and the six departments are in the south of the imperial city.

Song Wenxian inquired about the nearby store pù and knew that Zhongzheng Street was in Shangyuan County, and they were in Beicheng at this time, and they had to walk a while to arrive.

Taiping Gate is between Longguang Mountain and Fufu Mountain, not far from the south is the Imperial City, where can not be crossed, so everyone along the avenue to the west of the Fufu Mountain, through the small school field and the West Eighteen Guards, through the Pearl Bridge to the Guozijian, along the way the river is continuous, everywhere the small bridge flowing water, from the north of the country of the guards are to see with relish.

They went south to the new pontoon bridge at the south gate of Guozijian, and as soon as they stepped on the bridge deck, a red figure came from the opposite side. Chen Xin thought it was a woman before, but after a closer look, a man tied his hair with a red ribbon, smeared grease on his lips, put white powder on his face, and added a little red rouge leather with a red sachet with a jade pendant hanging on the belt, and wore a red robe with a python picture embroidered on the hem, and a red undershirt on the outside.

Chen Xin smiled in a low voice at Liu Minyou: "I wear underwear outside, but this person is still fair-eyed, better than the demon fat man in Jizhou." ”

Liu Min had seen the fat man in Jizhou, and he was not too surprised, and the guards behind him were completely dumbfounded and whispered to the man, the stupid monk opened his mouth wide, and his eyes kept following the man, and when the man passed by, he asked blankly: "Are you a man or a woman?" ”

The man glanced at the stupid monk and said, "Tu Baozi!" "Shake your head and leave.

The stupid monk was stunned for a moment, then turned to Nie Hong and asked, "Captain Nie, he scolded me, can I beat him?" ”

Before Nie Hong could answer, Liu Minyou came over and knocked on his head and scolded: "You ask people whether they are men or women, he doesn't scold you for scolding anyone, we are here to do things, who asked you to beat people indiscriminately, now don't talk nonsense." ”

The stupid monk touched his head, muttered a few words in a low voice, and looked back at the man from time to time with indignation.

Chen Tingdong snorted at the back of the man in the demon suit with a look of disgust.

Song Wenxian smiled at Chen Xin and said: "When Taizu was in power, the crown and clothing were all customized, and the length and style of the materials used for the clothes and hats of the farmers and industrialists, Lehu, and untouchables were all clear, otherwise they would all be criminalized, even the officials used umbrellas and sedan chairs. ”

"So people don't take themselves too seriously." Liu Minyou shook his head and said in a low voice, "Zhu Yuanzhang is certainly eloquent and strategic, but he thinks that he is omnipotent, so he thinks too highly of himself, and even takes care of wearing clothes and hats. ”

Song Wenxian heard him call Zhu Yuanzhang's name, and was about to persuade him, but when he saw Chen Xin listening indifferently, he swallowed back the words of persuasion, but fortunately, Liu Minyou spoke quietly and was not heard by Chen Tingdong, a fan of Taizu.

Chen Xin sighed with some emotion: "Women wear men's clothes, men wear women's clothes, and the scenery in the south of the Yangtze River is really different." ”

Song Wenxian joked: "What the man wore was the so-called demon costume, but it is not only now, Tang Yin, who was excellent in poetry and painting, once wore women's clothes to meet guests, and there were even scholars who rode deer in the downtown and swaggered through the city." ”

"Deer riding?"

"Yes, it's a real deer, and there are a lot of strange people in the south of the Yangtze River."

Liu Minyou looked back at Chen Tingdong behind him, and whispered to the two of them: "The one in the back is the same, selling his wealth, going all the way to King Qin, there is nothing left, and he doesn't ask the court for a reward." ”

Song Wenxian said with a smile: "Who said no, ordinary people don't run far when they hear that the Tartar is coming, he sends it to the door." ”

Chen Xin smiled silently, Jiangnan scenery, indeed different mouths They continued to go south, inquired all the way, and finally found Zhongzheng Street, this street is just next to the county office of Shangyuan County, there are two or three miles long, the street is full of pedestrians, and the wooden shops on both sides are lined up, Zuo Changhao only told them that the store is called Fuxing Goods, and the two had to look for it all the way.

Walking to the middle section, I finally saw this store, which is a three-story store, with the words Fuxing Goods Store written on the door, and the cloth on the outside reads "East, West, North and South goods are readily available." "It's very straightforward.

Chen Xin left the seven guards outside the door, and took Liu Minyou and others in, Chen Xin looked inside, sugar, tea, tobacco, brocade were all available, classified on different shelves, and each grid had the name of the goods written on a note, and said to Zhou Laifu and Liu Minyou: "Let's also learn from their layout, and Laifu will take a look at the details." ”

The shopkeeper saw that they were well dressed, and came up and asked enthusiastically, "Childe, do you want to buy some candy?" ”

Chen Xin went directly: "We are from the north, and we made a special trip to visit Brother Zuo, I don't know if he is or not."

The shopkeeper put away his smile, looked at them carefully, made a gesture of invitation, and let a few people to a small room in the back, and then asked, "When did the sons know that Brother Zuo?" ”

"In May this year, Zuo Changhao was entrusted by an adult to come to the north to see Zai Xia and inform him here, is it presumptuous to come down?"

The shopkeeper obviously knew about Zuo Changhao's northward trip, and after he listened, he calculated the time a little, his face softened, and he bowed: "I see, the villain knows, but he went to another place with my master, but he is coming back soon, and he dares to ask the son to come again in two days." ”

Liu Minyou interjected: "I don't know where they went, I don't dare to wait for a long time, can you tell me, I'll wait to find it myself." ”

The shopkeeper shook his head in embarrassment and said: "It's not that the villain deliberately does this, the villain really doesn't know, my master has a pair of heads that are very powerful, and he has always been very careful, his whereabouts villain doesn't know at all, even if he is in Yingtianfu, he doesn't live here, every time Zuo Changhao comes to ask something, only to learn that he has come here." ”

Chen Xin nodded, needless to say, that opponent is Zheng Yiguan, he must be helpless against Xu Xinsu on his face, according to his character, I am afraid it is not once or twice to make a black hand against Xu Xinsu.

He estimated that the shopkeeper really didn't know, even if he knew, he couldn't go to other places to find someone, so he was afraid that it would be more difficult, so he immediately said to the shopkeeper: "Thank you so much, when Brother Zuo comes back, I will tell him that his friend Wendeng has come, and when I arrange a place to live, I will send someone to tell my brother." ”

The shopkeeper immediately said: "You don't need to find a place to live, Zuo Changhao explained, there are people from Wendeng, and the accommodation is from our store, if you don't dislike it, you will go with the villain, and it will be by the river of Huaiqing Bridge not far from here." ”

Chen Xin thought for a moment and replied: "In this way, there will be a shopkeeper Lao." ”

The shopkeeper immediately went out, looked at Chen Xin's entourage, they were a total of thirteen people, the shopkeeper did not have the slightest expression of surprise, led everyone to the east for a while, arrived at an inn, called the innkeeper to book a room, Chen Xin lived alone, he pushed open the window, outside the window is a place where two rivers will flow, the bank is planted with weeping willows, as far as the eye can see, green as smoke, some carved beams and painted boats are slowly going south in the river, many women beat their clothes on the laundry stone on the opposite river, throwing out strings of water droplets.

Chen Xin suddenly felt relaxed, and at this time, Xiao Er came in to deliver the toilet, and Chen Xin asked, "Little brother, what is the name of this river outside?" ”

"Childe, this is the Qinhuai River." (To be continued.)