As merchants brought more and more supplies, except for rice and wheat, the purchase of goods was also restricted, and the rest of the goods were released a few days before the Lantern Festival.

The whole city is visibly rejuvenated.

"It's worthy of the imperial capital, it's really extraordinary." The old white man sat on the carriage and admired it all the way through the open curtain.

Bai Chongwen said worriedly: "It's windy outside, let's put down the curtain." ”

"Don't get in the way," the old white man was quite free and easy, "I don't have much time, it's a little more to take a look." I'm back in Tokyo, and there's definitely no next time, just don't die here. ”

Bai Chongwen wanted to speak and stopped, but after all, he didn't persuade again.

The street scene slowly passed by, and the old white man muttered: "It's a pity, I dared to gamble and fight when I was young, but I didn't meet the real dragon, and now I can only touch my son's light." In this life, one depends on life, the other depends on luck, and the rest depends on ability. ”

"The second brother and the third brother are both lucky and capable." Bai Chongwen said.

The old white man shook his head and said: "Your second brother's eyelids are too shallow, and he is at ease with intrigue within a ya, and he is not a problem in managing the clerks' documents and account books, but it is difficult for him to be in charge, let alone call for wind and rain in the temple." Your third brother is too ambitious, and it seems that he has made progress in the past few years, and how far he can go depends on the future creation. ”

Bai Chongwen slandered in his heart: You will talk on paper when you are old, and your eyelids are not as good as the second brother.

Neither of them knew the road, and the carriage traveled to the Duting Station in a daze.

It used to be a place to receive envoys from the Liao Kingdom, and now it is temporarily used as Shi Yuangong's intelligence office. As soon as they inquired in the past, someone immediately led the way and led the two of them straight north.

The official who led the way was also responsible for introducing: "On the west side of this street, there is the Yamen of Kaifeng Mansion and the Imperial Historical Observatory, and now the Imperial Historical Observatory has been renamed the Inspectorate. On the east side of this street is the Xijing Ling Palace, where the old Song Emperor's spiritual seat was moved out, the south side was to be demolished and sold to merchants to make shops, and the north side was temporarily used for officials who did not bring their families to live. To the north of Jingling Palace is the Yuan Temple, the statue of the Zoroastrian god was split to make firewood, and the monk's house is temporarily used for some officials in the East Palace to live. ”

The old white member felt too shabby: "Even if you don't give the mansion, the officials of the East Palace can't live in the temple, right?" ”

The guide explained with a smile: "The temple is close to the East Palace, go out to the north of the crossroads, and walk along Gaotou Street for a while to the Donghua Gate." Although the temple was abolished, the Zoroastrian novices inside had nowhere to go, just to do some miscellaneous work for the officials. ”

The old white man felt strange: "Between a bunch of official offices and the imperial city, why is there a temple?" ”

The guide said: "In the early years, there were Persian nobles who led their troops to Kaifeng. The nobleman's family gave a house outside the imperial city and built a temple on the spot. The nobles were placed in the north of the city and lived in the Wazi area in the north of the state, where there was also a temple, which was later demolished in an unknown year. There are so many people in the city of Tokyo that it is difficult to recognize the intermarriage of several generations. ”

"I see." The old white man's knowledge has risen sharply.

The guide officer said along the way: "In the early years, there was an Indian prince who came to Tokyo, heard about the subtlety of Buddhism, and has been placing orders in Taiping Xingguo Temple. The Indian prince also brought Buddha treasures, and hundreds of people came to listen to the lectures every time they gathered to give lectures. The Indian mung bean, which has spread in the past few decades, is the bean seed brought by the Indian prince. ”

The old white man nodded and said: "I know that the big mung beans have been planted at home, and the taste is not as good as the local mung beans, but unexpectedly it was brought by a prince." ”

The leading officer said: "The temple is not big, and there are many officials living in it, and there is no spare place. The old gentleman can go to Taiping Xingguo Temple to live temporarily, although it has also been abolished, but the monks' houses are still there. The monks who did not have a degree stayed in the temple after returning to the vulgar and received visitors from all over the world. The monk's house is simple and quiet, and the fasting meal is meat and vegetarian, which is especially suitable for the elderly to relax. ”

"Then go and live in the monk's house in the Taiping Xingguo Temple," the old white man said to his son, "Your grandmother believes in Buddhism, but I will help her live." ”

After a short walk, it has reached the temple.

Knowing that it was Bai Erlang's father and brother visiting, Menzi warmly welcomed them in.

Bai Chongwu did have limited ability, and when he was in Sichuan, he could also assist in the transportation of money and grain in the army, and when he arrived in Xiangyang, he changed to a full-time secretary in the army.

Now he has broken away from the military system and completely turned into Zhu Ming's East Palace official.

The ranks have gone up, but the actual power has decreased.

But it's better to be noble!

"Why don't you even have a sprinkler woman?" The old white staff is quite disgusted.

Bai Erlang's wife and children are still in Xiangyang, and now he is alone in Tokyo as an official. The back house of the temple where he lived was the residence of the exiled Persian nobles, and was divided into dormitories for several Eastern Palace officials, and the servants were all mixed-race Zoroastrian monks.

It was almost dark in the evening, and the Bai family father and son had finished eating, and Bai Chongwu came back from work in the East Palace.

Knowing the arrival of his father and brother, Bai Chongwu was very happy and pulled other East Palace officials to make introductions.

After some pleasantries and small talk, outsiders left one after another.

When only his family was left, the old white man couldn't help but complain: "I don't give a house, I don't have a maid, and I go home late, and I don't do as well as when I was in the county office." ”

Bai Chongwu said with a smile: "Your Majesty has sent someone to Luoyang to check the situation of the palace there, and anyone with a discerning eye knows that the capital will definitely be moved." What is the purpose of giving a house in Tokyo? If you want to give it, wait for the mansion in Luoyang. During this time, I was busy with official business, except for breakfast, I ate in the East Palace, and only went back here to sleep. ”

The old white man suddenly became interested: "The food in the palace is a treasure of the mountains...... Forget it, with Zhu Xianggong's simplicity, he must not eat as well as that faint gentleman. ”

"Food control and purchase are restricted, and the palace is not rich," Bai Chongwu said, "Prince Langjun's meals are no different from when he was in Xiangyang." I usually eat with us, and eat while doing things. Don't look at me as an official of the East Palace, but I often have contacts with the Generalissimo's Mansion, and I have been in contact with the Ministry of Household Affairs for a while. For specific matters, don't ask about it, it's inconvenient to say. ”

"Official secrets, I know, you can do things with your heart," the old white man asked, "How many officials are now?" ”

Bai Chongwu looked proud: "The grade is not high, it is only the sixth grade, and the prince is less than Zhan Shi." But the actual officials of the East Palace are the largest. Except for the Generalissimo's Mansion, all the other official documents entering and leaving the East Palace must be personally responsible for me. The prince asked me to choose by myself, if I chose to be released, at least one governor would do it, and said that I would be promoted all the way to the top if my political performance was qualified. ”

"How can it be compared to the East Palace official? You should stay in the East Palace! The old white man said.

"That's what I think." Bai Chongwu said with a smile.

After chatting for a long time that night, Bai Chongwu sent his father and brother to Taiping Xingguo Temple and chose a few fine houses to settle down temporarily.

Don't feel too shabby, the fine house of Taiping Xingguo Temple used to be used to receive foreign guests and dignitaries.

The monks who were forced to return to the laity were all top-notch reception staff!

Waiting for his good father to go to bed, Bai Chongwen followed his younger brother to visit the temple at night with candles: "Second brother, you and your third brother are both beautiful officials, and I also want to get an official to do, can you say a few kind words in front of the prince?" ”

Bai Chongwu couldn't help but roll his eyes: "Let's wait until you find out what is going on in the village one day." ”

Bai Chongwen said angrily: "Don't look down on me, I take care of the industries at home in an orderly manner." I now have a high prestige in the countryside, and if there is any dispute in the four miles and eight townships, I am also asked to coordinate and deal with it. ”

Bai Chongwu said: "That's because they know that you are a tendon, and it is fairer to coordinate disputes." But as an official, it's not enough to just talk about fairness and reasoning. It's not easy for my father to come to Tokyo, so you can accompany him on a good tour, both inside and outside the city. The industry of your hometown will be handed over to you from now on. Your sons can't go to school, so let them have grandchildren as soon as possible. ”

"What does it mean to have grandchildren early?" Bai Chongwen said angrily, "I can still have sons, give birth to a few more, there will always be one who can be a big official!" ”

"It's okay, let's have more children." Bai Chongwu said.

Bai Chongwen said: "Bai Er hasn't read for a few days, he is not the same as an official?" ”

Bai Chongwu said: "Bai Sheng has been studying all these years, at least he can understand the official documents. He is now a close attendant of the prince, with a lively mind and a cautious life, and he is no longer the country ruffian he was back then. You really can't do his position, and many people can't do it. ”

"What's so hard about being a guard?" Bai Chongwen said disdainfully.

Bai Chongwu said with a smile: "Inside and out, civil and military generals, Bai Er has to deal with them all." It can't be too close, it's not too far, you can't talk nonsense, and you can't not not talk. There are some things that the prince can't say clearly, and Bai Er still has to observe the words and pass on the words at the right time. The twists and turns in this are to explain to you that you don't know what to do when you encounter something. But Bai Er, who is a family, has not made a mistake so far. Do you know how hard it is? ”

Bai Chongwen was dumbfounded.

Bai Chongwu said: "The prince's most trusted military attache is not Zhang Guangdao or Li Bao, nor Zhang Bo or Yang Zhi, but the Bai Er you look down on!" That guy is about to become a sperm, and he has been with the prince for more than ten years, but he hasn't learned much about other skills, but he has become a roundworm in the prince's stomach. Sometimes the prince said a few words casually, and I couldn't figure it out for a few days, so I just had to ask Bai Er to know. ”

Bai Chongwen also gave up his thoughts of seeking officials, and said unspeakably: "I heard that there are many down-and-out ministers in Tokyo, can you find a woman of noble birth, and I want to marry her family as a concubine." The best woman in the clan is a widow, regardless of whether she is beautiful or not, she is not old, and I value that identity. ”

"Get out!"

Bai Chongwu scolded.

"If you don't help, forget it, what are you scolding me for?" Bai Chongwen muttered.

Bai Chongwu said angrily: "In Luoyang, Tokyo, sect girls are everywhere, you can find it yourself." What do you think about all day long? ”

It's really everywhere, and some of them have even been concubines for a long time, and they don't even have the qualifications to be included in the genealogy.

Bai Chongwen didn't have any other thoughts, he just wanted to accept a noble girl from the former dynasty as a concubine, and after returning to his hometown, he could show off to others, which was already the most face-saving thing he felt.

(Some people say that the title treatment is too low, in addition to the crazy grace of the descendants, the father and son of the Zhu family learned from the Song Dynasty.) Don't think that there is only that little bit of food and honor, and the knight must receive an idle official position, and he can also receive a salary according to the official rank. The wife is also sure to give the commandment, and the decree also has a salary. The first knighthood will also give them a house and land, which are also their source of livelihood and can be passed on to their children and grandchildren. ）

(End of chapter)