"Huh?"

Li Xiao was slightly stunned, and then arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty, the minister has received the grace of God, please give instructions from Your Majesty." ”

In fact, I already vaguely knew what was going on in my heart.

Since Zhu Yuanzhang has realized the great drawbacks of the imperial examination, and has believed in his own statement of the dispute between the world, it is impossible for him to be indifferent with his character.

There is a high probability that this is the matter of the new imperial examination.

However, the matter of the imperial examination is so important that it cannot be easily changed, and as soon as he heard the word privilege, Li Xiao knew that Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to let himself try the new imperial examination method in the special zone.

Sure enough.

Zhu Yuanzhang beckoned, called Li Xiao to him, and said:

"Li Xiao, since you kid has spent the disadvantages of the imperial examination, you want to pat your ass and ignore it? That's not good, you still have to tie the bell to the bell, let's give you the privilege, go back to Beiping and think about it yourself, you are now the prince of the country, and the little magistrate does not match your identity, promote you to the prefect of Beiping, and give you the privilege of studying the new imperial examination method in Beiping Mansion. ”

Li Xiaoxin said that he had guessed correctly, and arched his hand: "Thank you for Your Majesty's trust, the minister will definitely do his best." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Do you need the imperial court to allocate silver?" ”

As soon as he heard this, Li Xiao obviously felt that the corners of Zhu Di's mouth, who was standing on the side, twitched, he didn't have enough money to fight, and now he still had to do this

Li Xiao smiled slightly and said: "Your Majesty trusts you so much, you have already given privileges, if you want to allocate silver, the court will definitely oppose it." Don't let my father-in-law be embarrassed, Beiping will bear it himself. ”

Sure enough, it's my good son-in-law. Zhu Di thought to himself.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly: "Okay, we almost understand what you want to do, the mountain you collected in Beiping is probably very useful, it should be the same thing as snowflake white salt, right?" ”

Li Xiao shook his head with a smile and said, "It's more important than snowflakes and white salt, it's a good thing that allows everyone in the world to have enough to eat." ”

When the words fell, everyone's eyes lit up.

Zhu Gaochi asked excitedly: "But it's a good thing like that sweet potato?" ”

Li Xiao smiled: "What's more. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang said excitedly: "Come and listen, what is that?" ”

"Rongchen sells a pass."

Li Xiao arched his hand: "When this thing comes out, Your Majesty will definitely know." ”

"You kid, you're a good eater."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly, "Okay, then let's wait." ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Xiao arched his hand: "If there is nothing else, the minister will retire." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang bowed slightly.

At this time, Li Xiao was just about to leave, and saw Zhu Gaosui in a flying fish suit hurriedly entering the hall, and then whispered something to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face turned gloomy, and he explained some things.

"Good guy, the third child, you are really good at spies"

Li Xiao said a word in his heart, but he didn't ask more, and planned to leave.

Seeing this, Zhu Gaosui came over again, "Second brother, brother-in-law, I haven't seen you for a long time, my brother misses you, my brother will be the east in the afternoon, please eat, it's in Yueyanglou Restaurant, remember to wait for me."

Zhu Gaoxu rolled his eyes and ignored it.

Li Xiao smiled and patted Zhu Gaosui's shoulder: "Okay, we're going to leave soon, we're going to get together." ”

After the explanation, they went their separate ways.

Leaving the palace, on the way back,

On both sides of the street, all kinds of shops are dazzling, fabrics, pottery, rouge gouache. There are also stall owners who shout hoarsely, attracting customers passing by. The restaurant tea shop is even more noisy, bustling and noisy, and the shops are soliciting customers at the door.

Compared with this lively scene, Zhu Gaoxu was very silent.

He lost his former liveliness, and walked staring at the ground all the time, sullen.

"Gao Xu, why do you feel unhappy?"

Li Xiao said.

"Hey, the closer I get to leave, the more I can't be happy in my heart, my father, my mother, and the third child are all in the capital. You see that the third child is wearing a flying fish suit today, and he looks arrogant, which makes people look uncomfortable. ”

Zhu Gaoxu felt that his sense of existence was getting lower and lower.

In the past, his father liked him the most, but now the eldest brother helps his father do things, and the third brother Zhu Gaosui also helps the saint do things, and he can't help but feel a little bit of a gap in his heart.

"I thought you were talking about something, don't worry, you will also be reused."

Li Xiao smiled and comforted him.

"I'm going back to Beiping, what can I reuse?"

Zhu Gaoxu shook his head and said, "Brother-in-law, you don't have to comfort me, I'm fine." ”

Li Xiao explained with a smile: "Do you think, does my father want to collect military expenses and fight the Northern Yuan?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded: "Yes, what does it have to do with me?" ”

Li Xiao said: "Of course it matters, do you think my father is going to pass through the Northern Yuan, where is he passing by?" ”

"Passing by."

Zhu Gaoxu suddenly realized: "I want to pass through Beiping"

Li Xiao smiled: "Isn't this right, my father said that he would go to Beiping in person, will he not need you??" You are now the king of Han, those generals in Beiping, Zhang Yu, Zhang Wu, Zhu Neng and other powerful generals are all under your control, and you can make great contributions at that time! ”

"Yes, brother-in-law!"

After Zhu Gaoxu figured it out, his face immediately turned cloudy, and he laughed and said: "When I return to Beiping this time, I will definitely train my troops well to welcome the arrival of my father!" ”

Li Xiao said a few words, and Zhu Gaoxu was very happy.

The two walked and came to a prosperous place, Li Xiao pointed and said: "Isn't this the Yueyang Restaurant that the third child said, and there is a pear orchard next to it, so we just watched the play here today, and we happened to eat in this restaurant at night." ”

"Good! It's a good idea, I haven't seen a play for a long time. ”

Zhu Gaoxu immediately agreed, and pulled Li Xiao into the pear orchard in front of him, which was not bad.

"Guest officer, please inside."

The guy knew at a glance that the two of them were either rich or expensive, and immediately led them towards the courtyard.

The courtyard inside is very large, the ground is paved with flat floor tiles, and a large platform has been built in front of it, on which there are operas singing.

On the loose stage under the stage, many spectators sat and watched the play with melon seeds, and from time to time, they heard the people below applauding.

Li Xiao and the two were led to the private room on the second floor, not only quiet, but also served by someone, Li Xiao was the east, ordered a pot of good tea, some melons and fruits, and the two leaned on the chair to watch the play.

Those who can come to a pear orchard of this scale to watch a play are all people with some net worth.

Especially sitting in a private room, you will get more than a dozen taels of silver a day.

At this time, the actors on the stage performed "Peach Blossom Fan", which tells the love story between the famous Tang Dynasty general Qin Shubao and the Liu family.

Zhu Gaoxu was bored to watch, knocking on the melon seeds, and almost fell asleep.

Seeing this, Li Xiao beckoned, "Can you change it?" ”

The guy who was serving on the side immediately bowed over and said with a happy brow: "This master, you have to add silver to choose a play, what kind of play do you choose?" ”

Li Xiao looked at Zhu Gaoxu and said, "Second brother, you order." ”

Zhu Gaoxu came to his senses, crossed his legs and said: "That must be the overlord farewell concubine, arrange it quickly." ”

Li Xiao smiled helplessly, this Zhu Gaoxu really likes Xiang Yu, and he has to listen to the overlord Farewell Concubine when he listens to a play.

When I heard that these two masters didn't even mention the price, they looked like the rich masters, and the guy said: "Okay, two masters, right now the overlord Farewell Concubine is ranked fifth, do you think you want to insert it in front, you have to add silver." ”

"Plug in."

Li Xiao smiled: "Do you think we look like people who are short of money? Plug directly into the front. ”

The man bowed down and said: "Twenty taels for the play, this master has inserted three scenes, and one will add twenty taels, a total of eighty taels of silver." ”

Li Xiao threw out a silver ticket of one hundred taels and said arrogantly: "The rest is rewarded, go and arrange it." ”

"Thank you, the two masters will be rich and rich, and their fortune will be like a mountain."

The fellow was overjoyed, said an auspicious word, took the silver and went to work.

Li Xiaoxin said, there are really many ways to make money in this pear orchard, and it is not expensive to listen to it, but this is expensive if you like it, if you want to cut in line, you have to add money.

But it can make the second child happy, this bit of silver is nothing, Li Xiao is not a person who worries about silver now.

After a while, the guy came up and explained: "I'm sorry this master, I went to the front for you, but there is a master over there, and he spent another twenty taels of silver to insert it in front of you, and I should let the little one send you fifty taels of silver, saying that I want you to let you let go." ”

As he spoke, the man put fifty taels of silver on the table.

The guy bowed down again and kindly reminded: "That master is a frequent visitor to our place, there are people on it, or the two of you still accept the money, wait a little longer."

Because there are rules for cutting in line, there are inevitably people fighting in this pear orchard.

Guys generally act at the opportunistic, depending on which side of the status is noble, and carefully mediate.

And the regular visitor often came, and the guy probably learned that there was a backer from the servant.

The Ministry of Officials is the department with the greatest authority of the six ministries, and the servants of the Ministry are already Tianguan'er when they are in the capital, so the guys are inclined to his side.

However, after hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu was a little unhappy.

He's not been in a good mood lately, and someone else pretends to be in front of him?

Zhu Gaoxu directly threw the fifty taels of silver tickets to the ground, "What about the one who asks for food?" ”

After speaking, he slapped a hundred taels on the table and said, "Send him this one hundred taels and let him get out." ”

"This"

Dude feels a little bit tough

On this occasion, everyone pays attention to face.

I'm going to do it today

Zhu Gaoxu scolded: "If you want to go, you can go!" ”

The fellow couldn't afford to provoke anyone, so he picked up the silver taels on the ground, picked up a hundred taels of silver, and went to the other room.

In the room over there, there sat a few fat-headed and big-eared businessmen.

The merchant at the head was obviously the biggest, and next to him was a Miaoman woman with a convex and backward figure, leaning against her to feed the grapes.

"You say. Will this iron ore tax increase be successful? ”

Several businessmen were discussing business, one of them said.

When they entered Beijing this time, they brought a large amount of money out, and in addition to contacting those who had their own inherent relationships, they also had to contact and buy some other officials.

After all, once the tax is raised, the loss of silver is huge, of course, for them, less profit is a loss.

"Don't worry, I've met a lot of officials in the capital over the years, and everyone has sold me face. The left attendant of the Ministry of Justice, Wang Xian, changed the court this time, and the one who was promoted from the lord Bo was indispensable to the help of our Wang family, can he sit still and ignore it, every year there is a share. Haha, let's not talk about this. ”

The businessman at the head laughed, looking like a big brother.

"Brother Wang is still powerful, and we will rely on Brother Wang a lot in the future."

"Yes, Brother Wang, those small mines in our family. It took a lot of money to get up, but I can't do this. ”

"Come, let's replace wine with tea and toast Brother Wang."

Several other businessmen picked up their teacups one after another, flattering, so that the businessman surnamed Wang had enough face.

The beautiful woman on the side said coquettishly: "Brother Wang is a character who calls for wind and rain in the capital."

Those businessmen responded one after another: "That's it, Brother Wang said something, who dares not to listen to it in the capital?" ”

"Haha, I don't dare to say that."

The businessman surnamed Wang said modestly: "But in the capital, there is nothing that my Wang can't do."

meanwhile

Above the roof of this room.

A man is watching all this.

"Very good, those officials and businessmen in the DPRK and China will make a note for you."

"My father is worried that the military budget has not been found."

"I will extort money from you."

Zhu Gaosui took a small brush, licked it on his tongue, dipped it in ink, and wrote all the words just now in the notebook.

Zhu Gaosui's memory is excellent, and he can almost write it down quickly after listening to it.

Those are all unique skills that he practiced with Li Xiao and Zhu Gaoxu when he was traveling to Jiangnan.

"Huh"

Zhu Gaosui was suddenly stunned, and found that in a room opposite, the second brother and brother-in-law were eating melon seeds, talking and laughing.

"I can see you when I come out to do errands."

"Oh, I envy you."

Zhu Gaosui cast an envious look and said in his heart:

"The second brother can fight, he is born with divine power, his brother-in-law has a gully in his heart, and there are ten thousand ways to govern the country, and his father's love for them is indescribable. I'm the only one who is pitiful, my father doesn't hurt, my mother doesn't love me, I can only do these things for my father, so that he can see my existence"

This is the true thought in Zhu Gaosui's heart.

He would never have thought that Zhu Gaoxu was still envious of him just now.

really responded to that sentence, when you envy others for having money, others may also envy your ease and freedom, the people inside the wall want to come out, and the people outside the wall want to go in

Retracting his thoughts, Zhu Gaosui put his eyes on the bottom of the room and continued to listen.

Then.

A guy came over and said apologetically: "Lord Wang, I'm really sorry, those two masters didn't accept it, and said."

The businessman surnamed Wang suddenly felt that he couldn't get over his face, and there were so many people around him who had just flattered him for his great powers, so he couldn't get over this face.

He said coldly, "What did you say? ”

The man said, "I said that I would give you a hundred taels and let him cut the line first." ”

Hearing this, the businessman surnamed Wang's face darkened, and he was hesitating whether to give in.

After all, businessmen are doing things outside, and they pay attention to being kind and making money, and they must not offend people if they have nothing to do.

One of the merchants on the side said, "Otherwise, let's take a step back, it's just a little longer, wait." ”

It's just that the young woman next to her said coquettishly: "Brother Wang. People just want to hear the story of the West Chamber. You are not a supernatural power, this little request will not fail to satisfy the slave family."

Hearing this, the merchant surnamed Wang frowned.

The woman leaned on his shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Brother Wang. Please, the slave family wants to see it now, I just waited for a big man, and now I have to wait again, I've been waiting for a long time."

In an instant, the eldest brother was a little upset.

He had already waited for a general just now, and now he is waiting?

Wait and wait, do you want this face?

The merchant surnamed Wang looked at the guy and said, "What are the origins of those two people?" ”

The guy shook his head and analyzed: "It should be a rich kid, and he is very broad." ”

The businessman surnamed Wang arrived: "How old are you?" ”

The guy said: "One is eighteen, and the other should only look like fifteen or sixteen." ”

Hearing this, the merchant surnamed Wang sneered with disdain and said, "Leave him alone, just give me the West Chamber, and I'll fill it with five hundred taels." ”

The meaning of the full pressure is that the cap of 500 taels is directly issued, and others cannot cut in line.

After speaking, he slapped the silver ticket directly on the table.

"This" guy hesitated.

At this time, the shopkeeper also came, and when he saw that it was a businessman surnamed Wang, he said with a smile: "Go and do it, the prince doesn't inquire about anyone, and who doesn't give face in the capital?" ”

"Yes, shopkeeper." The man took the silver ticket and went back to make arrangements.

The shopkeeper also watched the dishes, and after knowing about this matter, he secretly looked at Li Xiao's room and found that it was two young men, estimating which rich family they were, and waiting for a gift to apologize, this matter is over.

And the people in this room, the background is very large, plus they are frequent customers, and the shopkeeper must be inclined to this side.

"Lord Wang, you can watch the play with peace of mind, if you need anything, let me know."

The shopkeeper of the pear orchard said hello and bowed out.

The person who can open a pear orchard in the prosperous place of the capital naturally has some background, and he thinks that today's matter is not a big deal.

The businessman who was called the prince nodded slightly, feeling that all aspects of his face had been taken care of, and his mood was extremely refreshing.

At this time, the actors on the stage finished singing a peach blossom fan, and the actors came to the stage one after another.

Zhu Gaoxu in the room suddenly became energetic.

Finally waited for his favorite overlord Farewell Concubine.

Zhu Gaoxu was born with divine power, so he claimed to be the reincarnation of Xiang Yu, and the weapon he used was also a halberd, so you can see how crazy Xiang Yu is.

"It's coming, it's coming."

Zhu Gaoxu sat up a little straighter, ready to listen to the play.

changed a batch of dramas on the stage and began to sing the story of the West Chamber.

As the tone came, Zhu Gaoxu's brows furrowed slightly, and he was a little puzzled: "No, isn't this the tone of Farewell My Concubine?" ”

After speaking, he looked at Li Xiao.

Li Xiao shrugged his shoulders and said, "You ask me, who do I ask, it's the first time I've accompanied you to listen to a play, and I've never heard of it at all." ”

So, Zhu Gaoxu beckoned to the person next to him: "Come here." ”

A guy walked over, "Master, what do you command?" ”

The shopkeeper of the pear orchard replaced the serving man with another man.

The guy said, "Master, this is. The Legend of the West Chamber. ”

"The Legend of the West Chamber?"

Zhu Gaoxu frowned and said, "What about the overlord farewell concubine?" ”

Seeing Zhu Gaoxu's fierce appearance, the guy was frightened, and quickly explained: "Master, that's the case, our pear orchard has a rule, if the guest directly pays five hundred taels of silver to fill it, it can be directly arranged at the front, and the people in the back can't spend silver to cut the line." Generally speaking, if you spend five hundred taels of silver, there will be no one to fight."

"So, you didn't say it?"

Zhu Gaoxu stood up suddenly, he was a prince, in a theater garden, he was actually pressed by someone, and he felt that his face was completely empty.

He scolded: "Is it because this king can't afford to pay five hundred taels of silver?" Yes?? ”

Li Xiao was also a little displeased, and he didn't inform him in advance, don't I want to lose face to my Yongle Gong?

"Call your shopkeeper!!"

Li Xiao scolded, it's useless to find these guys, just look for the shopkeeper.

"Yes, yes, I'll go."

The guy felt that this matter could not be handled, so he immediately withdrew.

Soon, the shopkeeper of Liyuan bowed down and walked in, accompanied by a smile and said: "Two, I'm really sorry, we are a small business, we can't afford to mess with this side, and we can't afford to mess with that, so we can only let your two generals take a look." ”

Zhu Gaoxu slapped the table directly and scolded: "Change it immediately!" Also, call the person who stole the table with me! ”

The shopkeeper's face was suddenly a little ugly, and he straightened his face and said: "This son, don't be too rampant, you can't afford to offend the people in that room over there." Be a man and leave a line, and see each other in the future. Today's order, our pear orchard is free, do you think it's good? ”

The shopkeeper saw that the two were young, and he thought that it was probably the son of a rich family, and he didn't care too much, while the other one was a big businessman with a head and a face, and many officials in the court were familiar with each other, so he said so.

First with some threats, then with a step.

When ordinary people encounter this situation, they are soft.

But Zhu Gaoxu was not convinced by this softness.

"Damn, there are still people I can't afford to offend!"

"If you can't see it, then don't even look at it."

After that, Zhu Gaoxu directly lifted the table, and suddenly the porcelain tea ware fell to the ground, and some of them fell downstairs and smashed into the heads of passers-by below.

Such a big movement suddenly made the entire pear garden quiet, and the actors stopped acting one after another, and the individual guests in the various rooms and below looked towards Zhu Gaoxu.

Zhu Gaoxu pointed directly to the elegant seat in the center, and just now he seemed to see the guy running over there, and there was a high probability that those people were stepping on him.

"A few fat people over there, come here!"

Zhu Gaoxu pointed in the direction of the elegant seat and shouted.

Suddenly, all eyes looked at the fat men.

The sharp-eyed ones are recognized.

"Isn't that the second shopkeeper of the Jiangxi Wang family?"

"My God, these two young people are so bold that even the Wang family dares to offend."

"I guess I came to the capital from other places, right? The Jiangxi royal family has a lot of power in the capital, and ordinary people can't afford to mess with it, even some big officials can't afford to offend it."

"Yes, I heard that last time there was a young man's woman who was robbed, and the young man wanted to take revenge, but the next day the person disappeared. If you don't see anyone alive or dead, you can't see the corpse, and the family is considered a bit powerful, but they don't dare to report to the official at all."

"Hey, it seems to be the woman on the second floor, you see the woman next to the second shopkeeper of the Wang family"

"Is that the woman who was robbed? No wonder, who is not tempted"

"It's so beautiful, that big body, that bewitching, if you let me sleep, I'm willing to live ten years less."

"Be quiet, let the second master of the Wang family hear it, be careful that your life is not guaranteed"

"Well, poor two young men, I guess they're going to die."

Those spectators were discussing, obviously knowing the origin of the second shopkeeper of the Wang family.

The Wang family is a big family, there are many big businessmen in the family, and there are many court officials who are carried up by the Wang family, there are many industries, the family is big, and ordinary people can't afford to offend.

Obviously, they think that Li Xiao and Zhu Gaoxu are going to suffer today.

As Zhu Gaoxu's shouting and scolding passed, the subordinates of the second shopkeeper of the Wang family in the room over there moved.

The black-clothed family scolded loudly: "Presumptuous! Dare to talk to our family master like this, it's just tired of being crooked. ”

The merchant surnamed Wang was also angry, and he gave the young man a face today.

I didn't expect to dare to be rampant now, some of them are shameless, since they are tired and crooked, let him know how many pounds and taels he has.

"Let's go and teach me a lesson."

The businessman surnamed Wang came together, and suddenly more than a dozen families followed behind him vigorously, and more than a dozen families accompanying the fellow businessmen also followed, and there were almost fifty or sixty people in the black press.

These big businessmen, when they go out on weekdays, they all take their families with them, and to put it bluntly, they are thugs who have been trained in martial arts.

The group was imposing and walked towards Li Xiaoya's room.

The more onlookers there were, they were all waiting to see a good show and watch the excitement.

At this time, Zhu Gaosui, who was watching the play on the roof, smiled and said in his heart:

"Great, second brother, it's you, you troublemaker, you are indispensable everywhere. Zhengchou has no reason to arrest these big businessmen, and when the fight starts, there is just a reason. If you dare to do something with the emperor's relatives and relatives, it is a big crime, and you can completely knock them out."

Zhu Gaosui was overjoyed, immediately touched the roof from the roof, and began to summon his subordinates, and when the next fight started, he immediately took the Jinyi guard to take people directly, and let those big families take money to solve it

At this time.

The second shopkeeper of the Wang family came over with a group of people, and smiled disdainfully: "Do you know who I am, I am..."

"Fuck off, I don't care who you are!" Before the fat man finished speaking, Zhu Gaoxu slapped him over.

There was a crisp snap.

The audience was stunned.

The whole pear orchard was instantly quiet.

"You dare to hit me."

A red mark appeared on the face of the second shopkeeper of the Wang family, who was in his forties and was slapped in public by a half-sized man, and was immediately furious.

"Shoot him to death! Dead Lao Tzu is responsible! ”

He felt a great shame and immediately called for someone to do it.

When dozens of family members saw that their master was beaten, they were vicious and vicious, and they drew their sticks one after another.

He beckoned to Zhu Gaoxu

(End of chapter)