It was the rainy season of Qingming again, and it was very hard to rush on the road, so Wu Shigong arranged for a group of people to find an inn early that day and prepare to rest for a day.

However, after dinner, Wu Shigong saw Tao Xin hiding in the corner with his head bowed and didn't know what he was doing, so he quietly walked behind Tao Xin. When I looked around, it turned out that Tao Xin was intently ordering a stack of food stamps.

"What are you doing with so many food stamps?" Wu Shigong suddenly became curious.

Suddenly, hearing someone behind him asking, Tao Xin hurriedly tried to stuff those food stamps into his arms, and the whole action seemed to be doing something bad.

"What are you doing? What are you doing sneaking around? As soon as Wu Shigong saw Tao Xin's rough appearance, he immediately straightened his face and said, "Could it be that I, the master, will rob you of your food stamps?" ”

"Hey, hey! Master! Tao Xin saw that it was Wu Shigong behind him, and he smirked and touched the back of his head.

"Stop giggling. I ask you, what are you doing with so many food stamps? ”

"Master!" Tausin hurriedly replied, "I secretly hid these food stamps. My military pay has always been given to my mother. My mother said that she would save it for me to beg her daughter-in-law. ”

"Hey!" Wu Shigong was amused by Tao Xin's answer. How could he have such a stupid apprentice? Who cares what money you hide? So Wu Shigong asked angrily: "I'm asking why you went to Nanjing with so many food stamps?" ”

Unexpectedly, Tao Xin's face turned red all of a sudden, and he twisted. After hesitating for a long time, he finally replied, "Master! The apprentice heard that there were a lot of southern goods in Nanjing City, and wanted to buy something for Xiaojie. Last time I went to Beijing and forgot to buy something, my mother scolded me when I got home. ”

Wu Shigong immediately scolded in his heart. Unexpectedly, Tao instigated her son to seduce his daughter. However, when she thought that every time she returned home with her own soldiers, Xiao Jie always used the excuse of welcoming herself to make eye contact with Tao Xin. So I can only sigh in my heart that girls are outgoing.

However, Wu Shigong suddenly thought of a question, so he asked Tao Xindao: "Then did you bring any silver?" You can't buy anything in Nanjing with food stamps. ”

"Really? Master? Tao Xin immediately became anxious, "But in Runing and Guide, we can buy things with the food stamps of our Runing Army!" Weishenme can not be bought in Nanjing? The apprentice didn't bring any money this time! Master, what should I do? The apprentices have all agreed with Xiaojie! ”

Wu Shigong's eyes widened immediately, he didn't expect Tao Xin and Xiaojie to establish a connection under their noses, the potential of young boys and girls in early love is indeed endless!

There was no way, Wu Shigong said angrily: "If you want to buy something, I'll lend you the silver first." Don't cry and mourn! After finishing speaking, Wu Shigong almost wanted to suck his mouth. What a shit! He even lent money to Tao Xin, so that he could soak his daughter smoothly.

However, after listening to Wu Shigong's words, Tao Xin immediately smiled. But after thinking about it for a while, he still said to Wu Shigong with some concern: "The master is going to borrow silver this time." It's not good for you to take your money. ”

But Wu Shigong was a little relieved in his heart to be Tao Xin's sensible, but he didn't expect his next words to show his tail again: "But the master opened it was Chrysostom." You won't be a liar. ”

Wu Shigong immediately gave Tao Xin a violent shudder, and scolded with a smile: "No matter how poor the master is. and there is no shortage of the few taels of silver that lent you. ”

Wu Shigong was not worried about the smooth outcome of the trip. He knew that as long as he gave up his face, the noble families of Nanjing City would not lack these silvers. No matter what, every noble family is always able to pull relatives.

…………

Twenty days later.

It has been more than half a month since Wu Shigong arrived in Nanjing. Visited more than a dozen nobles. With Xue Lian's letter of help from Xue Mansion, those nobles still met with him. But when it comes to borrowing money, there is no follow-up.

Generally, it is to send a disciple to entertain Wu Shigong for a feast, and Cheng Yi who is polite will also offer one or two hundred taels of silver. It's all about sending the caller. When he arrived at Zuihou, Wu Shigong was also ruthless. What is cheeky and not cheeky, as long as you dare to send it, Wu Shigong will dare to accept it. Anyway, I am also one of the nobles, so if you want to lose face, let's lose face together.

Wu Shigong wanted to leave a few times. But after all, the foundation of the Runing Army is reluctant, maybe he will meet a kind-hearted nobleman? Although Wu Shigong knew that the hope was very slim, Wu Shigong still held back his anger and impatience, and prepared to return to Runing after visiting all the nobles. At least I've worked hard!

On this day, Wu Shigong was going to rest for a day in the inn where he was staying, and then he visited the remaining nobles as quickly as possible, and then left the sad place of Nanjing City as soon as possible.

Worried and sleepy, Wu Shigong was in a daze in his room, when he suddenly woke him up with a few knocks on the door. Tao Xin said outside the house: "Master! Hurry up, there's a horse boy coming to visit you. ”

Wu Shigong didn't know that what he had done in Nanjing City these days had become a laughing stock in the noble circle. Of course, Wu Shigong's "glorious deeds" also reached the ears of Xu Hongji, the Duke of Wei, the leader of Nanjing's nobles, so Xu Hongji, the Duke of Wei, called his son Xu Wenjue over.

Xu Hongji, the Duke of Wei, instructed: "Today I heard that the son of a prince came to Nanjing, first as the abandoned son of the Marquis of Wu, and then as the son-in-law of the Marquis of Xue, and then he was expelled from the capital as a local military attaché, and he was destitute. This time, I went to all over Nanjing to make a cheeky face, and his condition was very pitiful. You are looking for a chance to entertain one or two of them, and give them gifts out of Nanjing, so that they can lose their dignity in Nanjing. Also remember, let it appreciate the prosperity of Nanjing. If you have any expenses, go to the account and pay for them. ”

Xu Wenjue, the prince of Wei, was overjoyed when he heard it. In fact, among the noble groups of the Ming Dynasty, two factions were also formed in the north and south. The people of Beijing City thought that they were close to the emperor and were easy to gain the emperor's trust, so they felt that they were superior to Nanjing City; And the people of Nanjing City think that they are richer than Beijing City in the land of Jiangnan, so they also look down on Beijing City. This is somewhat similar to the modern Beijingers and Shanghainese.

Although the two parties intermarry frequently and even have a large number of cooperative businesses, they also have the mentality of comparing with each other. Therefore, the prince Xu Wenjue knew that Xu Hongji, the Duke of Wei, asked him to come forward and let Wu Shigong appreciate the luxurious and lascivious nightlife of the nobles in Nanjing, and it was best to let Wu Shigong pass the news back, so as to open the eyes of the nobles in Beijing.

And as an upper-class noble family, the tutor of the Duke of Wei is also very strict. Therefore, the fireworks Willow Lane venue and the monthly routine, as the prince of the world, Xu Wenjue has also been strictly controlled on weekdays, and he can't go out often to be chic.

And this time, you can actually be ordered to pick up girls, isn't that pie in the sky? So the prince Xu Wenjue immediately took action, first determined a number of fox friends and dog friends to accompany him, and then chartered the Meilou on Banknote Street for one night, invited famous prostitutes and so-and-so to accompany him, and set a number of girls to accompany him at night.

Of course, Xu Wenjue himself chose Gu Hengbo, the head of Meilou, to accompany him. But Wu Shigong's arrangement is a little tricky. The famous prostitutes arranged are of high grade, and the marginalized noble children like Wu Shigong do not have this identity at all; But the arrangement is low, and it can't have the effect of opening the eyes of the capital. After hesitating again and again, and with the funding of a wronged boss, Xu Wenjue, the son of Zuihou, still decided to choose a famous prostitute for Wu Shigong, Liu Ruyi.

By the way, a gossip, Liu Ru was also a member of the Donglin Party who was also resigned and returned home at that time, the leader of the Jiangnan literary circle, and Qian Qianyi, an old man in his fifties, who was crazy about pursuing it. However, judging from the turbulent heart, Qian Qianyi is no different from Zhao Ming.

In addition to the two thousand taels of silver that Gu Hengbo and Liu Ru accompanied each other, the rest of the expenses totaled 1,800 taels of silver. Although the cost is also a bit large, it is not something that the Wei Mansion cannot bear. Although silver is important, it is even more important to win glory for the nobles of Nanjing.

The prince Xu Wenjue is not a loser, and there is a big man who is willing to take the initiative to bear the two thousand taels of silver that Gu Hengbo and Liu Ru are. And that wronged boss is Ma Shouxin, the son of Ma who came to Wu Shigong today.

Ma Shouxin is a native of Songjiang Mansion, and his Ma family is a first-class wealthy man in Jiangnan. His father's industries spanned all walks of life in Jiangnan and became one of Jiangnan's leading large trusts.

Ma Shouxin is the second son of the family, and as the brother of the internal inheritance, he assisted in the business by Ma Shouxin's father's side, and Ma Shouxin went to Nanjing to become a male public relations man who befriended the children of the noble officials and eunuchs. However, this division of labor among family members was not uncommon in the Ming Dynasty, such as the Lu family, a salt merchant in Yangzhou, mentioned above.

With a large amount of public relations expenses from his father, Ma Shouxin immediately became a very popular figure among the "princelings" in Nanjing. And heard that this time Xu Wenjue, the prince of Wei Guogong, took the lead to win glory for the nobles of Nanjing, of course, Ma Shouxin also came to join in the fun, so he also provided two thousand taels of activity funds to join in.

But Ma Shouxin is the son of a businessman after all, although Xungui's son thinks about his money bag, but he will not be on an equal footing with him, so today, when Xu Wenjue arranges everything, Ma Shouxin will do the errand invitation.

Of course, Wu Shigong didn't know this, and he welcomed Ma Shouxin in very politely. When he heard that Xu Wenjue, the leader of the "princelings" in Nanjing, personally invited him and wanted to arrange himself in such a high-end entertainment venue, Wu Shigong suddenly had a feeling of pie falling from the sky.

Due to the big difference in identity, Wu Shigong only went to the Wei Mansion to vote for a letter of worship when he arrived in Nanjing City, and only a senior steward was sent to the Wei Mansion to accompany Wu Shigong and say a few words, and then there was no follow-up on the Wei State Mansion. Therefore, Wu Shigong did not have any hope for Wei Guogong at all.

But I never thought that now the prince of Wei would suddenly invite himself, it would be a turning point! (To be continued......)