Six-year-old Huang Zongxi hid behind a pillar on the ear porch near the gate, watching the situation in front of his house.

In the limited life memories of this little child, whether it is Yuyao's hometown or this Songjiang Mansion City, not to mention the women next to him, even if his grandmother and mother have never had Miss Zheng's expression at this moment when they talk to their father.

Huang Zongxi felt that Miss Zheng's serious direct gaze and tightly knit brows when she spoke were not like a woman, but like a gentleman from her school.

He then shifted his body towards the door again, trying to hear what Miss Zheng was arguing with her father.

He was going back to report back to his mother. His mother likes Miss Zheng and works hard for what she is going to do with Miss Zheng, and he has seen it in his eyes and in his heart all these days.

"Master Huang, you can not give Mobao, you can not count our Shoukuan Academy as a part of social studies, but you promised Grandma Huang to teach, how can you regret it now?"

At this moment, Huang Zunsu faced Zheng Haizhu, who had a low voice but a clear anger, and stood coldly with his sleeves back.

He had just come down from the mansion, and he was still wearing a blue official robe, standing in front of the mansion like this, confronting the maids of the Han Mansion, which was indeed a bit eye-catching.

But Huang Zunsu didn't plan to invite her into the house to talk.

Indeed, this girl had shared her hardships in the bandits' house, and if she had not hesitated with the chisel, she would have died by the sword.

She is also in addition to chivalry and kindness, quite a bit of ability, she went to Yingtianfu for more than half a month, she has been like those generals who attack the city and pull out the house, and rent the courtyard of the school.

However, the gentleman is righteous, and the villain is profitable, if this girl is in the area between the gentleman and the villain, opportunistic, and has the heart of clinging to the eunuch, he Huang Zunsu will stay away.

Not only should he stay away, but he should also avoid his wife from associating with her.

The door of the Huang Mansion was unwilling to open to her again.

Huang Zunsu then said bluntly: "Miss Zheng, as soon as I returned to Songjiang, I heard that Shanghai County had a fate. If it weren't for the girl going to Gonggong Liu to talk to her, this eucalyptus would not have ended so quickly. ”

On the way here, Zheng Haizhu guessed that Huang Zunsu suddenly attacked himself as soon as he came back from a business trip, because he heard that he had befriended a eunuch.

At this time, there were still four or five years before the Apocalypse, and the famous nine-thousand-year-old Wei Zhongxian was still about to count the charcoal, and the eunuch party had not yet been formed in the court, but the hostility and even impeachment of the imperial historians and local officials in the provinces against the mining tax eunuchs and the weaving admiral eunuchs with the Heavenly Constitution in their mouths had been surging.

Huang Zunsu, the well-established Donglin School, this Ming civil official who regards himself as a righteous man and a gentleman, no matter how mature his political wisdom will be in the future, most of the eunuchs are rejected at present.

At this moment, when I heard his sarcasm, it was indeed so.

Zheng Haizhu then stared at Huang Zunsu frankly: "Yes, by chance, the two sons of the Zhang family in Shanyin that I met were the old masters of the nuns who were wronged in the fierce eucalyptus, and it happened that Gonggong Liu from the Suzhou Weaving and Dyeing Bureau came to visit the weaving workshop of my Han Mansion, so I asked Gonggong Liu to ask about this." ”

"Miss Zheng, in the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty, how many officials are in office, when will it be the turn of the internal officials to indiscriminately involve in the lawsuit?"

Zheng Haizhu said calmly: "Yes, Master Huang, you are the pusher, but you happened to go to Yingtianfu." When the county magistrate of Shanghai County was interrogated, I also stood under the hall and listened, and the county lord was extremely contemptuous of the nun, and if I listened with my brain, it was hard to believe that he would judge impartially. ”

Huang Zunsu said coldly: "You can wait for me to come back, the court prisoners are not so quick to ask for beheading, where can you wait?" ”

Zheng Haizhu shook her head resolutely: "I can't wait." Human life is at stake, and once the clues are caught, they must be quickly traced, detected, interrogated, and confessed. The county has the power but it doesn't look like it can be used well, Liu Gonggong has more power, and he is willing to use it to solve doubts, why can't we grass people ask him? Facts have proved that under his inquiry, the real murderer was caught in a string, and the county orders and commissioners of Shanghai County also followed from beginning to end, and Gonggong Liu did not let them stand aside. Hurry up to the right and finally solve the doubts, are these eight words so unbearable in the eyes of Master Huang? ”

"Kan, Kan!" Huang Zunsu was choked by Zheng Haizhu for a while, so he only sneered, "Miss Zheng is really useful, and she also gave Gonggong Liu a play, and she wants to sing in the streets and alleys." ”

Zheng Haizhu-for-tat: "Who in the countryside has a son, and he still has to sing the Three Heavens Club on stage." Gonggong Liu saved his life, can't the bitter master thank him? The eldest son of the Zhang family writes a drama book better than Tang Xianzu, and his family is rich, why can't he invite a troupe to sing this eucalyptus? Oh yes, I also helped a lot, so their brother also thanked me and gave us a lot of money. I am relieved and happy to have this money, because I can use it to let the poor children learn some skills. Master Huang, from the beginning to the end of the whole matter, the only reason I can think of that makes you angry is because Gonggong Liu is an internal official. So, you're just not doing things right. ”

"You!"

Huang Zunsu found out for the first time that this girl was so sharp-tongued and indiscriminate, and he didn't want to be accompanied anymore, so he was about to enter the door with his sleeves, but he saw a small figure, from far to near.

It turned out to be the daughter of the owner of the tofu shop in Xiangkou, Xiaoru, who was about the same age as Huang Zongxi.

Xiao Ru held a piece of rice paper more carefully than holding tofu, staring at the dense handwriting on it, so she walked to the door of Huang's house before looking up.

The children of the poor have long been in charge, and Xiaoru has not been able to walk for a long time, so she helps her parents take care of the tofu stall, she has a cheerful temperament and does not care about adults, not to mention the old man Huang who has always been kind to his family.

Xiao Ru then bowed respectfully to Huang Zunsu, and said softly: "Master Huang is healthy." ”

Huang Zunsu was still fighting with Zheng Haizhu a moment ago, but in the face of the cute little neighbor, his expression did not relax so quickly, and his tone was already pleasant: "Xiaoru, Zong Xi is in the house, you go to him." ”

Xiao Ru smiled sweetly: "If you go back to the master, I came to find grandma, this is the words that grandma asked me to write, and the paper and pen and ink are also rewarded by grandma." ”

Huang Zunsu was stunned for a moment, and looked at the rice paper and ink with a little confusion.

"Daddy."

Huang Zongxi walked out of the courtyard quickly, first saluted Zheng Haizhu, and then explained to his father: "Mother often asks the girls in the neighborhood to come to the house these days, she lays paper and grinds, and teaches them to write. ”

When the little child said this, he stopped and looked at Zheng Haizhu again, hesitated slightly, and finally mustered up the courage to continue: "Mother was very happy when she thought of going to Miss Zheng's academy to teach, so she said that she would take advantage of the fact that the door had not yet opened, and she would prepare first and try to teach a few calligraphy lessons to Xiaoru and them, so as not to teach Miss Zheng when the time comes, teach and teach badly......

When Zheng Haizhu heard this, his heart was sour, and the fighting spirit that he had just debated with Huang Zunsu suddenly turned into a lament that filled his chest.

Even if this Huang Zunsu in front of him dares to expose the fraud in the scientific field, dares to face the green-skinned thugs and even bandits who do evil, is a clear stream figure stamped by the official history and wild history, and the seven gentlemen during the Apocalypse, what about it?

In this era, even in a family like Huang Zunsu, which has been regarded as decent etiquette and loving husband and wife, Yao's wife, who has received a superior education even when she was in the boudoir, still lives under the shroud of her husband's power.

Zheng Haizhu has no interest in continuing to stay at the gate of the Huang Mansion, although she will not give up the Yao family like this, but it is not that she has to complete the enlightenment of Huang Zunsu right away at this moment.

"Master Huang, Gu Gong, the leader of your Donglin faction, has written that everything in the country and family affairs and the world are concerned. If state affairs fall into factional struggles, and family affairs become freedom of imprisonment, will the world not be in ruins? This kind of care is really very sad. Leave. ”

……

The early winter in Jiangnan is humid and cold.

A few days later, in the morning, at the beginning of the morning, Huang Zunsu, who had finished breakfast at home, put on his official robe and soap boots, put on a black gauze hat, and was about to go out when his wife Yao called him.

"Songjiang is more windy than our Yuyao, and the lord is wearing a robe."

"Oh, yes, new?" Huang Zunsu asked in a harmonious voice, observing his wife's expression.

Yao lowered his head slightly, his eyes were on the tie at the placket of the robe, and he only replied with a "um" without waves.

Under the ear porch, Huang Zongxi, who was about to go to the school, also put on the new robe brought by the next person, and praised happily: "It's so warm." ”

The nanny holding the baby Huang Zongyan, of course, also saw that the master and the grandmother were not quite right in the past two days, they should have quarreled and entered the cold war again, but they didn't know the specific reason. The two hats that grandma is still meeting are better material, and they are Fujian chapter velvet sent by Miss Zheng. ”

The nanny finished happily, but saw that from the old man to the grandmother, and then to the six-year-old young master, they were all silent, and the atmosphere in the courtyard was quiet for an instant.

After a moment of silence, Yao said in a low voice: "I bought it with money, if the master feels that it should be, I will buy it from another family." ”

Huang Zunsu lowered his eyes and looked at the tip of his wife's nose, the corners of his mouth curved, and he said in a suppressed voice: "If you say that you are angry, things are good, and your craftsmanship is better." ”

After that, he tightened his robe, walked a few steps outside, and suddenly turned back to Yao and said, "The yamen will send out some charcoal in a few days, and you don't have to be too economical in raising the brazier during the day." You teach the dolls to learn calligraphy, and it's not good to freeze the bad people. ”

After taking a few more steps, he added: "It doesn't hurt to take a few more female babies, there is enough space at home." Or teach them how to settle accounts. ”

Yao was still staring at the withered begonias in the courtyard, and spit out one word: "Okay." ”

……

When he arrived at the yamen of the state capital, Huang Zunsu unexpectedly found that the prefect Zhuang Yumin arrived earlier than himself, and had obviously dealt with official business for a while, and was calling the general judge and a few subordinates to prepare to go out.

"Yo, Brother Huang, the imperial court sent you to Yingtianfu to manage the yellow book, that work is tiring to think about, you just came back, you can rest for a few days and then come back to the value."

Huang Zun Su threw up his hand: "How dare you slack off if you eat Lu." ”

"Oh, hehe, my brother is diligent, diligent," Governor Zhuang didn't mind that his sincere compassion was returned by this subordinate Hao, and said to the general judgment beside him, "Then today, why don't you stay in the mansion to guard the house and protect the courtyard, and let Huang Tuiguan go to the riverside with the mansion to have a look." ”

The general judgment responded, told the subordinates a few words, and turned around and went back to the duty room.

Huang Zunsu's expression became more and more serious: "Ming Mansion, is it that the Wusong River is blocked by mud again and obstructs the official crossing?" ”

Governor Zhuang glanced at him and teased: "Lao Huang, look at your bitter gourd face, no wonder you think about bitter things all day long." Rest assured, the waterways of the Wusong River have been quite peaceful recently, but our Songjiang Mansion may be able to get a great creation, and you will know when you go to see it. ”

Everyone went out of the mansion and got into a carriage and ran around for a while before arriving at an official ferry port on the Wusong River.

But I saw that dozens of men over thirty years old had gathered here, dressed in cloth and trousers, but most of them had bright eyes, sophisticated expressions, and a capable atmosphere.

Huang Zunsu recognized a few of these familiar faces and asked Governor Zhuang: "These are all Chiefs?" ”

After the prefect Zhuang nodded, and said, "I have to let them call people to work", his eyes lit up, he looked at a few small boats moored into the dock, and instructed the officials and officials who came with him: "You, and the masters who came back from the investigation, assign them to the captains, see how to send people and work, calculate it clearly today, keep a clear record, and then report to the government." ”

The subordinates received the order and began to shout and do things.

Only then did Governor Zhuang turn his head and explain the reason to Huang Zunsu: "Lao Huang, those craftsmen who understand hydrology just came from Hangzhou Mansion a few days ago. The Wusong River has been prone to siltation since the previous dynasty, and the place where it enters the sea is afraid that it will become a mud pond in a few years. This is a big hidden danger, the flood discharge is not smooth, and the first disaster is our Songjiang. Let's just do this, see if the court can reroute the section in front of the Wusong River, pass through Taicang Prefecture, and lead from the Liuhe River to the Yangtze River. And the various waterways in Songjiang Prefecture are widened and widened, and the water is diverted, flowing into the riverbed of the north and south of Huangpu, and finally leading directly to the East China Sea. ”

Huang Zunsu listened intently, and he quickly understood the water conservancy canal, but his eyebrows were locked tighter.

"Futai, the lower officials have three points of confusion, one is that since ancient times, repairing water is like a war, which is the most expensive, this project hurts the muscles and bones, which state capital will ask the Ministry of Industry for silver? Second, why did you invite craftsmen from Hangzhou? Third, if the water from the upper reaches of the Wusong River can be diverted to the Liuhe River, why should we open another waterway into the sea in Upper and Lower Huangpu? ”

Governor Zhuang wrapped his robe tightly in the river breeze, pouted and poured hot air into his hand, and when Huang Zunsu finished the question in one go, he raised his head to reveal his trademark Maitreya smile, and pointed behind Huang Zunsu: "Go, let Miss Zheng explain your doubts." ”

Huang Zunsu was stunned for a moment, turned around to look, and saw Zheng Haizhong with more than a dozen men and women also appearing by the river, as if they were inspecting the place where the pit was dug and the stove was built.

Hearing the call of Governor Zhuang, Zheng Haizhu walked over quickly.

"I've seen Zhuangfutai, I've seen Master Huang." Zheng Haizhu saluted calmly, and his peaceful gaze did not hide from Huang Zunsu, as if the aggressive argument three days ago had not happened.

Governor Zhuang said to Huang Zunsu: "Master Han heard that the river was going to be repaired and the river was opened, so without saying a word, he donated 3,000 taels of silver to the yamen, and asked Miss Zheng to find a few shops from the market to manage the food and drink of the migrant workers. I'm thinking about it now, Lao Huang, although you are in charge of criminal lawsuits and prisons, you have a lot of knowledge about water conservancy and floods on weekdays, and you can't work as much as you, so I will hand it over to you for the time being. ”

Then he turned to Zheng Haizhu again, and said with a completely unofficial tone and a pleasant face: "Miss Zheng, Huang Tuiguan has been back for a few days, and I still don't know the reason for this matter, you can talk to him." Hey, hey, it's so cold by the river, the old man is old, go there and drink a bowl of ginger soup. ”

Huang Zunsu was choked by the biting cold Jiang Feng, and he couldn't help coughing, but this did not affect his keen ability to catch that Miss Zheng was looking at his wind robe.

Huang Zunsu simply put on a calm and praised bearing and said: "Neiko is sewn with the cotton cloth sold in your shop, which is very good." ”

Zheng Haizhu pursed his lips imperceptibly, and opened his mouth to get down to business: "Master Huang's hometown is in Yuyao, and you should know how brilliant my Ming Dynasty's exploration and sea trade used to be. The little woman came from Fujian, and she knew since she was a child that after Emperor Longqing switched on, the sea ships of the Yuegang merchants were also competing with thousands of sails. However, after arriving in Songjiang Mansion to ask for a living, the little woman felt that this was the big wharf, and if it could be managed well, it would not be under Yuegang and Macau. ”

Huang Zunsu said coldly: "Why do you say this? ”

Zheng Haizhu said: "Because of two points, one is that Xu Ge Lao advocated a sea ban during the time of Jiajing Ye, and the other is that Songjiang has been repeatedly invaded by Japanese invaders. ”