From north to south along the Grand Canal, even if the distance is the same, the time required varies from person to person.

Because of the different terrain, many hub places need to cross locks and use people to pull boats, so the total length of time spent depends on social status and the size of the fleet.

For an ordinary person like Lin Daguanren, it takes about a month to take a boat from Yangzhou to Beijing.

However, just after leaving Yangzhou City, I didn't walk much before I arrived in Gaoyou Prefecture in the north, and Lin Daguan's boat stopped.

Obviously, he can continue to hurry, but Lin Daguan must spend the night in Gaoyou Prefecture.

At this time, it was not dark, and Lin Daguan looked at the shore and fell into deep thought.

The right protector Zhang Wu was incomprehensible, and asked his brother Zhang Wen: "The Jingshi Martial Arts Department is about to go, but he is not in a hurry to sit in the hall, and he sits here in a daze for no reason, what do you think?" ”

Zhang Wen, the left protector, sighed: "According to my understanding of the museum, eighty percent of them wanted to publish a poem, but they didn't find a good excuse, so they held back. ”

Zhang Wu said again: "What excuse do you need to write poetry? Can't you close your eyes and write? ”

Zhang Wen whispered: "You thing that hasn't grown! If it is written and there is no circulation, isn't it written in vain? ”

Then the two waited for Lin Daguan's orders, but until the evening, Lin Tailai still didn't have any clue.

So Lin Tailai had no choice but to take his men ashore to eat, and now that he has plenty of money, Lin Tailai will naturally not treat himself badly.

Nowadays, the commodity economy along the canal is relatively developed, but wherever the wharf is prosperous, there must be restaurants and restaurants.

Lin Tailai and his party were sitting in the lobby, waiting for a meal, when the conversation of a table next to them attracted Lin Tailai's attention.

Someone said: "When I came from the north and passed by Huai'an Mansion, I saw a lot of officials patrolling the waterways, and I don't know what happened." ”

Another person said: "I have some connections in the government over there, and I heard that the official has been ordered to secretly look for a man who is taller than ordinary people and likes to wear Confucian shirts. ”

Hearing this, Lin Daguan frowned slightly, listening to this news, it seems that someone in Huai'an Mansion has bad intentions towards him?

"Isn't it Governor Yang?" Next to him, Zhang Wen said in a low voice.

It's really not impossible, after all, Huai'an Mansion is the residence of the governor of Fengyang and the governor of Hecao, and it is easy to make some small conspiracies and small actions.

After thinking about it, Lin Daguan ordered: "Stop in Gaoyou Prefecture for one more day, and tomorrow you will go and prepare some things, and hire some people to send me north." ”

And the next day they went and went to their own businesses as they were commanded.

Another day later, the overwhelming sound of suona suddenly remembered on the Gaoyou wharf, and the people nearby thought that some bigwig official ship was passing by.

However, he saw two huge banners hanging on a large boat on the shore, one of which read, "Nanzhili Xie Yuan Lin Tailai went to Beijing to take the exam", and the other wrote "Swear to win Wu Kui and show the glory of the world."

There is also a cloth sign erected, which reads "Why do officials need to come to me, no one in the world knows you".

It's all easy to understand, and anyone who knows a little bit of words can understand it.

Gaoyou is so close to Yangzhou City, and he has heard of Lin Jieyuan, a man of the hour, and immediately many people gathered on the shore to watch the excitement.

Then I saw a strong man in a long robe, coming out of the water post on the shore.

After standing under the outer wall for a while, he had an extra pen in his hand, and he wrote on the outer wall of the inn.

Everyone watched it, only to see that this was the first quatrain, which read:

"In the cold rain, Qin Post berthed at night, and the water in Nanhu Lake rose for a long time.

The romance does not see Qin Huaihai, and the world has been lonely for five hundred years. ”

Qin Huaihai refers to Qin Shaoyou, a literary tycoon in the Song Dynasty, who is a Gaoyou person.

Five hundred years of loneliness in the world is the most subtle eye.

It not only has the meaning of remembering the ancients Qin Shaoyou five hundred years ago, but also contains a sense of heroism in today's world five hundred years later.

So this is a good poem that can only be published in Gaoyou, no wonder Lin Daguan hesitated.

After finishing the inscription poem outside the post station, Lin Daguan threw down his pen, boarded the big boat, arched his hand to the crowd on the shore, and shouted: "Lin Mou is going!" ”

Immediately, under the encouragement of seven or eight suona hands, Lin Tailai's big boat slowly sailed north.

The suona hands have all collected the silver, and they want to advocate all the way through Huai'an Mansion.

If there is a nickname for Yangzhou City today, then Huai'an's nickname is "Little Yangzhou".

It is also a prosperous place, and there are many salt merchants, which are very similar to Yangzhou in all aspects. However, it is mainly based on Huaibei salt industry, and the scale is much smaller than Yangzhou.

However, the above has nothing to do with Lin Daguan for the time being, and Lin Daguan has no intention of staying in Huai'an Mansion, Governor Yang's base camp.

He just blew and blow, played cloth tricks, and crossed the border from Huai'an Mansion very publicly.

Those river officials who were secretly looking for "a strong man in Confucian shirts" could only watch when they saw this.

Some intrigues are completely useless once exposed to the sun.

Even if a Xie Yuan is a martial artist, he can't be intercepted at will when he enters Beijing to take the exam.

After that, he went out of Nanzhili, passed through Shandong, and then entered Beizhili.

With Lin Daguan's habit of publishing works in sets, he originally wanted to leave poems in various places along the canal, and then compile a book of poems.

However, time is really limited, and I have delayed a lot of work in Yangzhou City before, and I have no time to work hard along the canal.

Therefore, Lin Daguan still focused on the exam, hurried to the road, did not show off coquettishly, and arrived at the Zhangjiawan Wharf in Tongzhou, which is very close to the capital, in late March.

This is the northern "terminus" of the Grand Canal, and most people have to get off the boat when they arrive here, and then go to the capital by land.

Lin Daguan, who went to Beijing to take the exam, was qualified to stay in the post station.

As a hub for entering Beijing, there are too many people coming and going, and the conditions of the post station are just like that, and it is common for several groups of people to make do with living in a courtyard.

As a Lin official, he could only be arranged to the worst inverted room.

There is no way to do this, I really can't complain, who let Lin Daguan not even be an official.

Lin Tailai was standing at the door of the house, and after the left protector Zhang Wen came back from shopping outside, he shouted to Lin Tailai: "Sit down!" I just heard the news of the top student outside, do you know who it is? ”

Zhang Wen said that the champion of today's science is, of course, referring to the just-concluded liberal arts competition, normal people default to liberal arts when it comes to the imperial examination, and generally can't think of martial arts.

Of course, Lin Tailai knew who the champion of Wanli was in the fourteenth year, but he did not rule out the butterfly effect, and the original champion of history changed, so he asked: "Who is it?" Could it be that I know you? ”

Zhang Wen replied: "It's Tang literature Tang Xianggong of Songjiang!" ”

Lin Tailai didn't react yet, but Zhang Wu was surprised first: "Isn't that the defeat of our subordinates sitting in the hall?" At that time, the three of them went up together, and they were all defeated by the pavilion! ”

A year ago, Wang Laomeng held a literary conference in Suzhou, and at the Qiu Zhiyuan Elegant Collection, Tang Wenwen, Dong Qichang, and Chen Jiru fought Lin Tailai together, which was the battle of Lin Tailai's fame, no wonder Zhang Wu was impressed.

"Even this person can win the top prize?" Zhang Wu asked incredulously.

He couldn't help but recall the desolate and funny figure who didn't dare to compare the text, but deliberately made a move, and was put down by a trick in the hall.

"When you enter the capital, sit in the hall and win him again, won't you immediately become famous in Beijing?" Zhang Wu finally said.

"Poof!" Suddenly, from the west wing of the courtyard, there was a laugh that could not help but laugh, "What a big breath for a slave!" ”

Lin Daguan raised his eyes, but saw that the other party was a fifth-grade official. Of course, in a place like the left side of the capital, it is not uncommon for a five-rank official to be a no-brainer.

However, Lin Tailai still asked: "Lin Sheng in Xiasu, if you want to go to the capital to go to Shen Xiang, dare to ask who your Excellency is?" ”

When the official heard this, he immediately took a few steps forward and introduced himself: "Xu Zhenming, who is on the right side of the lower river, has been ordered to go to Jingdong to reclaim paddy fields. ”

Not only his name, but also his own errand took the initiative to introduce.

Who doesn't want to have one more channel for Shousuke to know about themselves?

If you have to register when you live in the post station, Lin Sheng's identity should not be fake.

Moreover, a Suzhou "Lin Sheng" can actually live in the official post station, maybe it was really arranged by Shen Shoufu.

Lin Daguan's heart suddenly turned out to be a small historical celebrity.

But now that celebrities have seen a lot, they can no longer cause waves in the hearts of Lin Daguan's people.

This Xu Zhenming's father is Xu Jiusi, who is not a big official but is also a famous minister, and is often regarded as a "model of loving the people and clean government".

Xu Jiujing, the protagonist in the very classic "Xu Jiujing's Promotion to Official" in Quyi, is the prototype of Xu Jiusi.

Xu Zhenming himself was a pragmatic official, an engineering water conservancy expert in the late Ming Dynasty, and he also experimented with cultivating paddy fields in the north.

When Lin Tailai heard that the other party was going to handle the errand of cultivating paddy fields in Jingdong, his heart moved, and he deliberately asked: "Can you also plant paddy fields in Beidi?" ”

Xu Zhenming was full of confidence and replied proudly: "Of course you can!" If the promotion of paddy fields in the north is successful, it can save half of the Jiangnan Cao Yun! ”

To tell the truth, being able to cultivate a large number of paddy fields in the north is certainly a great thing for the benefit of the country and the people.

However, not all things that benefit the country and the people will necessarily be carried out.

Looking at Xu Zhenming, who patted his chest and said, "Half of the fortune in Jiangnan can be saved", Lin Daguan somehow remembered the promise of "five years of Pingliao".

A good thing is a good thing, but it is also necessary to pay attention to the method, Lin Tailai sighed, touched his conscience and persuaded: "There are some things that can be done and not said, Lord Xu encourages you!" ”

Xu Zhenming was surprised and said, "What does this mean? ”

Lin Tailai persuaded again: "For example, don't say it first, it's too public." ”

Xu Zhenming disagreed: "If you don't make it clear first, how can you move people's hearts and let the world realize the benefits?" ”

Lin Tailai was a little helpless, this Xu Zhenming was like a technical expert who didn't understand people's feelings.

Daming needs such talents, but such talents are easy to be buried by reality.

So he persuaded again and again: "If you spread this, I am afraid that it will shock and frighten the northern gentry, and then rise up and oppose it!"

They will only think that half of the Jiangnan Caoyun saved will be taxed to the north!

Therefore, although the cultivation of paddy fields in the north is good governance, do not rush to achieve results, and do not talk about it in a big way.

After all, this is a matter of vital importance, and people's hearts are the most complicated thing.

That's why I say that there are things that can't be said, and the less noticeable the better. ”

But Xu Zhenming did not listen to persuasion and retorted: "Looking ahead and looking backwards, it will not be possible." ”

So Lin Daguan did not persuade him: "I dare to conclude that if you act as aggressively as Your Excellency, the reclamation of paddy fields will inevitably fail." ”

Xu Zhenming's face changed slightly: "I originally thought that I was a fellow practitioner."

Lin Daguan intensified his efforts and said: "And I dare to break off, and I will definitely fail next year!" ”

Xu Zhenming immediately became angry because these words sounded like a curse.

Even if it fails, it's okay to hold on for three or five years, right? How can it fail directly next year? Who to look down on?

Lin Tailai took the opportunity to say again: "If Lord Xu doesn't believe it, make a bet with Zaixia." ”

Xu Zhenming was already very dissatisfied, and sneered: "What kind of gambling am I playing with you?" ”

Lin Daguan hurriedly said: "If Lord Xu can continue next year, I will admit defeat and promise to put your performance on Shen Shoufu's desk."

If you fail next year and can't continue to cultivate paddy fields, promise to help me do one thing, which is also farmland water conservancy, and it won't make you embarrassed! ”

"It's a deal!" Xu Zhenming said without hesitation.

Lin Daguan also responded: "Then I will wait for the good news from Lord Xu, and to tell you the truth, I hope I lose this bet." ”

When he returned to the house, Zhang Wen asked, "Do you want to recruit this person?" ”

Lin Tailai only replied: "If this person can't be used by the country, then it's a waste, it's better to use it to help me do things." ”

Zhang Wu came up and said: "I really can't see what this person is good at, what do you like about him in the museum?" ”

Zhang Wen shouted: "Don't you know that sitting in the hall is good at meeting each other!" ”

After a night without saying a word, Lin Tailai and his party set off for the capital the next day and arrived at the end of the journey.

First entered the outer city of the Jiajing Dynasty, that is, the southern city, from the Dongbian Gate, and then entered the inner city from the Chongwen Gate.

Everyone who knows a little bit about history knows that although the grade of Chongwenmen tax customs is very low, it is a big fat shortage.

However, Lin Daguan did not bring the goods, and he was a lifter, so he did not suffer any trouble in Chongwenmen.

The gate of the city is so big, unless it is a big man who hugs the front and back, and someone opens the way, otherwise everyone has to follow the crowd into the city.

Lin Daguan, who had just arrived in the capital, definitely did not have any privileges, and just after the crowd squeezed out of the swarthy city gate hole, Lin Daguan hurriedly took a few breaths of fresh air.

Before he was far from the entrance of the city gate, suddenly there was the sound of horses' hooves behind him, followed by the sound of shouts and screams.

Lin Tailai and his entourage looked back and vaguely saw a few people coming from the doorway.

Zhang Wu was stunned and said, "Are the magnates of the Beijing division so arrogant? It's even more excessive than sitting in Suzhou!

When we sat in Suzhou, we didn't have a busy city! ”

Zhang Wen added: "The main reason is that there are fewer people who ride horses in the museum, and most of them take boats, so there is no opportunity to ride horses in the city." ”

When the group was talking, they saw a tall horse rushing straight towards Lin Tailai.

(End of chapter)