"Okay, let's also report to the barracks first, and I'll come back to you tomorrow to confirm the departure date."

"Okay, thank you Fang Qianhu."

In the alley, as the neighbors left, Fang Zheng also said goodbye to Jianghuai.

The two parted after a few pleasantries, and watched Fang Zheng and them walk out of the alley before Jiang Huai went home and closed the courtyard door.

He turned around, looked at his home, which had not changed much from six years ago, and took a deep breath.

"Alright, alright, it's time to eat!"

In the kitchen, Jin Hua's voice came out, and Jiang Dari and Jiang Hu also came to the stone table outside with the dishes and put them down.

A plate of Nanjing roast chicken from Longchuan, plus a plate of red meat stew and a bowl of cabbage and tofu soup, this is the homecoming banquet that Jinhua prepared for Jianghuai.

Jiang Huai stepped forward to take a hand, and took the initiative to sit down after adding rice for his parents and younger brother.

Maybe the battle he came back today was too big, so Jiang Dari and they were a little restrained.

Seeing this restraint, Jiang Huai took the initiative to speak: "Jiang Hu is thirteen years old and can go to middle school. ”

"I didn't get good grades." Jiang Hu was a little embarrassed, he had been living in the shadow of Jianghuai all these years, although the teacher and his parents did not say it, but the neighbors and classmates always said that he was not as good as his brother.

"It's not that bad, it's okay to be ranked twelve or thirteen in the class."

Seeing that the youngest son said this, Jiang Dari hurriedly explained, and Jiang Huai nodded when he heard this:

"It doesn't matter, the middle schools in Kunming have already started recruiting students, and the conditions are not as harsh as the four middle schools in Jiangning, Shangyuan, Wanping and Daxing."

"Does it make a difference?" Jiang Dari was curious, and at the same time said, "Tell me what the capital is like." ”

"Yes, yes, what is the capital like?" Jiang Hu also became curious.

Seeing that they were all curious, Jiang Huai also talked about the capital he knew, and at the same time told him all about his experience in the past six years.

The family listened to his words, and gradually immersed themselves, starting from the meal and hearing the end, and then hearing the main hall from the outside, if it wasn't for Jiang Huai to go to Gao Guan, maybe he could talk about his five-year experience for a few days and nights.

"By the way, why did Gao Guan come back?"

Jiang Huai asked about his best friend, and Jiang Dari and the three of them looked at each other when they heard this, and then lowered their voices and said:

"After you go to Nanjing, he will go to Longchuan County to be a clerk, and then Huang Jingling, the man from Longchuan County, knows that he married the little lady of the Qi family......"

Jiang Dayi's voice made Jiang Huai's mind think of a familiar face, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

It's always beautiful when love first opens, not to mention that the two can't be together because of the world.

At his age, there were people who matched him very early, including many high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen, but Jianghuai refused them all.

He doesn't know why he refuses, maybe he can't see some results, he will not forget it, and he is unwilling to come out.

Now he suddenly heard the news about that person, and as far as his father's words were concerned, Huang Jing and her were obviously married, which made Jiang Huai feel a lot lower, but on the surface he still said kindly: "Remember, what's wrong?" ”

Maybe Jiang Huai covered it up well enough, or Jiang Dari was relatively sluggish, in short, Jiang Dari didn't notice that his son was wrong, so he continued:

"After the Huang Jing was promoted, he was exempted from his own crime, and then took his family to Jiangxi to be an official, but he heard that the Huang Jing was corrupt and disobeyed the new policy of the imperial court, and then he was convicted and sent to Beizhou......"

"By the way, where is this North Continent, do you know?"

Jiang Dayi's words were like a heavy hammer, smashing heavily into Jiang Huai's brain, making his brain blank......

"Beizhou I know, overseas, tens of thousands of miles away from us...... By the way, the little lady of the Qi family was also assigned to Beizhou? ”

"No, she was sent back to the town, but his yard was also raided, and his father Qi Jingzong received a lot of cultivated land and mansions given by the Yellow Scripture, and he was convicted of being assigned to Barbarian Mo."

"Now she lives in the courtyard of Lane 6 of Bodhi Lane in the east of the town, alone with a daughter, and has not yet cultivated the land, so she can only rely on weaving cloth every day, which is really ......."

Jiang Dari sighed a few times, and Jin Hua also said: "Look at her is too pitiful now, sometimes I will bring some vegetables and bits of rice to her, but life is not good." ”

"......" Listening to his parents' words, Jiang Huai was silent for a long time, and he wanted to go to the other party now and see the other party's life, but when he thought of going to the other party at this time, he would inevitably be gossiped about, so he suppressed his thoughts and couldn't help asking: "What's going on with Gaoguan?" ”

"He's been implicated, but it's not implicated." Jiang Hu and Gao Guan have a closer relationship, and when Jiang Huai is away, Gao Guan occasionally comes back from Longchuan County and will bring him candy to eat, so the relationship between the two is very good.

"What do you mean?" Jiang Huai was puzzled, but Jiang Dari explained:

"Liu Zhixian in Longchuan was exiled for corruption, and Gao Guan also participated in the distribution of spoils, so he was dismissed, and several nearby counties knew that he had been corrupt, so no one was even willing to hire him as an account office, and his natural life was worse, so he could only come back to farm."

"Our family's current field is planted by their husband and wife, and they only receive 20% of the rent every year, but Gaoguan's child insists on giving 40%."

Jiang Dari sighed a few times, obviously he didn't expect that he would watch the children who grew up live like this.

I have to say that the changes in Xijiang Town are indeed too great, and all kinds of changes make Jianghuai feel in a trance.

After a short time he got up and went to the stable in the backyard, fetched his purse, and then went back to the main hall and sat down and opened it:

"This money is funded by a friend of mine in Nanjing City, even if I borrow it temporarily, Daddy, you take it, and our family will go to another yard."

Jiang Huai took out five copper coins with a denomination of 100 wen from his leather bag, which means that there are 500 pieces here.

"This, this, this...... You ...... money."

Jiang Dari and the three of them were so frightened by the sudden 500 yuan that they stood up one after another, and they couldn't say a complete sentence for a long time.

"Don't worry, I will return it to him in the future, and the urgent need at the moment is to solve the urgent needs of the family first."

Jianghuai knew very well that after the construction of the official road was stopped, his parents could only go to Longchuan to work as a casual worker, and the money they could save every year was not much, maybe there was no money now.

If the five hundred yuan is handed over to them, he can feel much more at ease, and as for the rest of the money, he still has a use.

"Can this be returned?"

Jiang Dari didn't want to take advantage of others, but Jiang Huai shook his head, and then said with a smile: "Don't worry, my son won't do anything that violates the law and discipline, let alone be a corrupt official." ”

"Besides, only if you are stable in the rear, can I be a good official in the front."

"Okay, then you say so, we'll take it." Hearing Jiang Huai say this, Jiang Dari couldn't continue to shirk.

In fact, in the past six years, many people have indeed heard about Jianghuai's affairs and came to the door to give gifts to Jiang Dari, but Jiang Dari stuck to the bottom line and refused.

He was a serf, and he didn't want to be humiliated for the second time in his life, in case his son was found to be corrupt and the whole family was exiled because of his own problems, then Jiang Dari couldn't save the situation even if he gritted his teeth.

Therefore, even though his family was not wealthy, he did not receive a penny in gifts.

Now with these 500 yuan, according to the days of him and his daughter-in-law, it is estimated that it will not be spent in 30 years.

Thinking of this, the two laughed, and did not ask Jiang Huai if he had any money to spend, after all, they also saw the situation that there was still a few hangs of money in the leather bag just now.

"I estimate that I will go to Kunming to take the township test in June, and I will just send Jiang Hu to Yunnan Middle School when the time comes."

Jiang Huai explained, but Jiang Hu said: "Brother, why don't you move to Kunming directly, I'll go to Kunming alone, I'm afraid I'm not used to it." ”

"Middle schools are all living on campus, not to mention that going to Kunming is not now, I will come back to Longchuan as an official after the imperial examination."

Jiang Huai explained, and at the same time, he also thought of Wang Xuan asking himself a few days ago if it was the matter of Longchuan Zhixian.

Now it seems that Wang Xuan wants to let himself take over the position of the magistrate of Longchuan.

"Okay, I'll go to Gaoguanjia to see him, and ask him how things are characterized."

Jiang Huai got up and went to his room with his leather bag, although he hadn't come back for six years, the place was still cleaned, and the bedding and everything was laid out in front of Jiang Hu.

"Brother, I'll go with you."

After Jiang Huai put down his things and walked out of the room, Jiang Hu next to him shouted impatiently.

"Okay, let's go together."

Jiang Huai nodded, and then walked out of the house with Jiang Hu.

As soon as they walked out of the alley, many people walking after dinner on the street greeted them warmly, not to mention Jiang Huai, even Jiang Hu whispered: "Their enthusiasm is a little scary." ”

"Hurry up." Jiang Huai sighed in his heart, but he still had to smile on his face.

When he encountered the kind of cheeky person who came up to say hello, he could only deal with a few words, and then pulled Jiang Hu to walk quickly towards Gao Guanjia.

When they came to Gao Guan's house, Gao Guan had just returned home and washed the mud on his feet at the back door.

"Gaoguan!"

"Jiang... Jiang Shengren"

Gao Guan was frightened by Jiang Huai's sudden shouting, he obviously didn't expect that a big man like Jiang Huai would come to find him, and he couldn't help but be a little happy in addition to being frightened.

"I've heard about you, let's go in and talk."

The sentence "Jiang Shengren" made Jiang Huai a little uncomfortable, but he quickly corrected his mentality and wanted to ask the truth of the matter.

When Gao Guan heard this, he immediately invited the two of them into the house, and after entering the house, Jiang Huai saw Gao Guan's wife.

"This is my insider, it's the white clothes that Longchuan knows, just call her Yuzhu."

Gao Guan introduced his wife, and Jiang Huai didn't look carefully, just smiled and nodded: "My name is Jiang Huai, and my words are clear." ”

"Jiang Shengren is a good ......"

Yuzhu has fair skin and a graceful posture, which is very in line with Jianghuai's impression of a woman in white (Dai).

Although she looks beautiful, she can return to her hometown with Gaoguan to farm, which shows her feelings for Gaoguan.

"Alright, tell me about you first."

After the introduction, Jianghuai asked about Gaoguan, and Gaoguan also explained.

His temperament is relatively straight, and he is not used to the Qingliu style that likes to play with his mouth, and it just so happens that most of the officials in Longchuan County are mainly the heirs of the group of people who were assigned to the original school, and they do not change their faction, so many things in Longchuan County have been delayed by their efficiency.

In such a situation, the county government can only send the errand to Gao Guan, after all, Gao Guan is very efficient in everything he does.

However, it was this high efficiency that hurt him, and there were some things that he couldn't go to the countryside to verify, so he didn't know that some fields were greedy by the grain chiefs and lieutenants who went to the countryside.

With the implementation of the new policy in Yunnan, many of the documents that passed through his hands were found to be problematic, so he was implicated and deposed.

"I'm sure you won't be corrupt, but you really didn't take anything?"

Jianghuai was afraid of stimulating Gaoguan, so he used the word "take".

Gao Guan has long been smoothed out by farming, so he has no temper, but he said helplessly:

"Sometimes they can't finish their work and let me help, after I finish it, they will bring me some wine and meat or something, but the amount is not much, in line with the fact that I am a colleague, I didn't think much about it and accepted it, thinking that I would return it in the future."

"At that time, those officials in Jingcha also said that my matter was big or small, I thought it would be small, but I didn't want to be deposed directly, and my reputation was also stinky, and now even my father and mother can go out to work, but I can't......"

Gao Guan lowered his head, obviously crushed by life.

"It's not your fault, you were only eighteen or nineteen at the time, how could you play with those guys in their twenties."

After getting the reason for Gao Guan's deposition, Jiang Huai breathed a sigh of relief, and then continued to ask: "How much is the gap in the booklet?" ”

"It's not much, more than three hundred stone grains, but this is why I don't have a long time, if it is a little longer, it is estimated that it will accumulate more, and maybe it will be diverted......"

Gao Guan could only have fun in the bitterness, and Jiang Huai also nodded after hearing this: "It's really not much, you are mainly planted on Jingcha this time." ”

"Jingcha is the most severe, there is never anything big or small, it is estimated that after your matter is discussed, the punishment will be increased in the end."

"It's okay, I'm going to go to the imperial examination later, and I'll go back to Longchuan after the imperial examination, when the time comes, you go to recruit officials, I will recruit you, and you use your actions to wash your reputation."

Jiang Huai's voice fell, Gao Guan immediately nodded, he didn't think that Jiang Huai was talking big, after all, today's Jiang Huai's style, I don't know, I thought it was the prefect who took office.

"Stay with me and eat."

Gao Guan wanted to invite Jiang Huai to dinner, otherwise he would not be able to fall from the stone in his heart.

"We've eaten ......"

"Okay, Jiang Hu, you accompany Yuzhu to buy meat and wine."

In the face of Gao Guan's invitation, Jiang Hu wanted to say that he had eaten, but he didn't want Jiang Huai to take out two hundred copper coins from his arms and beckon him to buy something.

Jiang Hu didn't think much about it, took the two hundred wen and followed Yuzhu to buy something.

Gao Guan was very familiar with Jiang Huai, so when Jiang Hu and the others left, he immediately said, "You want to ask about the Huang Qi clan, right?" ”

Huang Qi's three simple words made Jianghuai feel melancholy.

Gao Guan took this opportunity to remind Jianghuai that the former little lady of the Qi family had become married, and she had not yet reconciled with Huang Jing.

"It's about caring and caring for ......"

Jiang Huai couldn't even convince himself of this, Gao Guan could only sigh when he heard this: "She's ......"

He told what happened to the little lady of the Qi family, if she wasn't pregnant at the time, maybe she would have been sent to Beizhou to open up the wasteland.

Because she was pregnant and escaped the fleet assigned to Beizhou, she was sent back to her hometown, although she had a yard to live in, but there was no arable land to cultivate, so she could only help people weave cloth in exchange for money.

Although she could be heard scolding the prodigal every time, there were still many gossips in the town.

For example, there are countless words about her hooking up with men in order to survive until now.

Jiang Huai felt uncomfortable listening to these words, and raised his hand to signal Gao Guan not to say anything.

"You keep half of this money and wait for me to come back, and you help me transfer the remaining half to her, after all, she is a childhood sweetheart, and it is unbearable to encounter such a thing."

Jiang Huai found a bunch of reasons for himself, and at the same time took out the remaining half of the hanging money from his arms.

Gao Guan took a look, only to find that they were all copper coins with a denomination of 100 Wen, and there were at least five or six hundred pieces.

"This, this, this...... That's too much, at least fifty or sixty. ”

Gao Guan had seen so much money except when he was a clerk, and he really hadn't seen it at other times, and his hands couldn't help but tremble.

With this half of the money, he would have to grow for at least ten years without eating or drinking to save it.

"Take it, and it's not for you alone."

Jiang Huai shook his head and explained: "Talk to me about the cows, ghosts, snakes and gods you encountered as a Xu official these days, if nothing else, I should come to Longchuan County to serve." ”

"If there is still this group of people messing around in the yamen in the future, you can help me identify them."

patting Gao Guan on the shoulder, Jiang Huai chatted with him about the past.

It was not until late at night that Jiang Huai returned home with the support of Jiang Hu.

At the same time, a majestic city thousands of miles away from Xijiang Town also ushered in its prince after a night.

"His Royal Highness Chitose, Chitose, Chitose......"

The singing of the mountains and the tsunami came, and tens of thousands of soldiers in Beijing lined up in front of the Daming Gate to sing, and the one who was welcomed by them was Zhu Gaoxu, who spent more than two months visiting Hebei.

Zhu Gaoxu took Zhu Zhanqi and more than 100 cavalry including Yishaha, Li Lost, and Li Cha to arrive outside the Daming Gate.

On the upper floor of Daming Gate, Zhu Di condescendingly came to welcome Zhu Gaoxu, and on the left and right were the civil and military officials such as the Six Ministries and Six Prefectures who went north early and arrived.

Riding a horse into the city of Beijing, this is also the first time Zhu Gaoxu has seen the real scene of the city of Beijing that he designed.

Zhu Gaoxu, who knew the future, widened the city gates and raised the city walls in the design of the city of Beijing.

Historically, Daming Gate has three city gates and three Yongdao, and the same is true in Zhu Gaoxu's design, but the three Yongdao are five zhang high in the middle, four zhang wide, three zhang eight feet high on both sides, and three zhang and three feet wide.

This is true not only of Daming Gate, but also of the rest of the city gates.

The city needed to be built because Zhu was not sure if war would break out in Beijing in the future, and by the current standards of the city walls, even some conventional artillery during the First World War would be difficult to break, so it would protect the people of Beijing for a long time.

As for the reason why the city gate was built so wide, it was for the sake of future driveways.

Many people in later generations lamented the demolition of the ancient city, and Zhu Gaoxu was also one of them.

The ancient city hinders the development of the city, Zhu Gaoxu affirms, but if the ancient city can be preserved, there is no doubt that it can leave a culture that belongs to China.

Zhu Gaoxu did not know how many years the city would face traffic problems, but he could guarantee that the gates would be large enough for trams and cars, and at that time, the walls would inevitably become "antiques".

Crossing the long road, Zhu Gaoxu turned over and dismounted, and touched the red donkey with his hand.

The red donkey did not appear to be tired, and apparently as it had thought, he was not old, even young.

At the same time, Zhu Di and the others on the upper floor of the city gate walked down the road and came to the back of the Daming Gate to welcome him.

"Did you build this gate so wide in preparation for cars and trams in the future?"

Approaching Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Di inquired about Zhu Gaoxu's design of the Beijing City Gate.

After all, he had seen many models in Taixue, and although he thought many of them were a bit unrealistic, he wrote them all down.

"Exactly, but that was a long time later."

Zhu Gaoxu chuckled, he didn't think that the two of them would be able to see trams and automobiles in their lifetimes, and even Zhu Zhanyan was choked enough.

But a wide gate is better than a small one.

At least as far as the main gate of Daming Gate is concerned, there is no problem with four carriages walking side by side.

"Okay, the prince has just arrived, let him go and rest."

Zhu Di seemed to have a lot to say to Zhu Gaoxu, so he deliberately dismissed the ministers, took him and Zhu Zhanqi's hands and walked on the big wheel.

The breathing wheel was activated, and he set off towards the Forbidden City.

Sitting in the carriage, Zhu Di asked Zhu Zhanqi many things along the way, and then set his eyes on Zhu Gaoxu.

"I heard that the survey of other railways has begun, and my suggestion is to build the Northeast Railway first, and break it down into two sections, such as ......"

Zhu Di said that he wanted to build a road from Beijing east to the confluence of the Songhua River and the Nuwen River (Nenjiang), that is, southwest of Zhaozhou, in the north of Songyuan City in later generations.

Then build a railway from Hechengwei to directly cross the northern mountains of Harawen Mountain, and go straight to Hailaer City.

In order to convince Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Di sent Tang Qi to run away early, and the railway started from the east of Beijing, passed through Yongping Mansion, Liaoxi Mansion, Guangning Mansion, Liaoyang Mansion, Shenyang Mansion, Hanzhou Mansion, Changchun Mansion, and finally arrived at Zhaozhou Mansion.

During the period, except for the need to cross the Liao River by boat, the whole process is not too difficult, and the roads are all flat places.

As for the other one, that is the railway that starts from Hechengwei, passes through Zhenyuwei, and arrives at Hailaer City.

The two railways, together with the Anwen River waterway, were completely enough for the Ming Dynasty to control the Mobei region, and there were people along the way.

As for the mileage, the former is more than 2,000 miles and the latter is 760 miles, totaling 2,820 miles, and the cost is about 9 million miles.

Although it is very expensive, if the construction is successful, it will indeed be of great help to the Ming Dynasty to control Mobei.

In order to convince Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Di even confessed that he had discovered several open-pit deposits on several northern expeditions.

"Dad, even if your railway is built, I'm afraid it will have to go in ten years, are you sure you want to build it now?"

Zhu Gaoxu was ready to deceive Zhu Di, after all, the old man didn't know how long he could live.

"I'm fifty-six now, and although I may not be able to live to that time after building this railway, I at least have a hope."

Zhu Di paints cakes all the year round, it is impossible to be fooled by Zhu Gaoxu, he said his thoughts, and then said: "Second brother, you kneel down first." ”

"Huh?" Although he was speechless, Zhu Gaoxu still knelt down, after all, the old man was his father.

Seeing Zhu Gaoxu kneeling down, Zhu Di said with a sad face:

"This time in Jiangxi and Zhejiang, my father will definitely be written about it in the future, so you should be pitiful and poor Dad, build this railway, and count it as my father begging you."

"......" Listening to Zhu Di's words, Zhu Gaoxu looked down at his kneeling knee.

"If you want to repair it, I also support it, but if there is no money in the middle, then the Northeast Railway must be stopped, and the Liangjing Railway must not be stopped."

Zhu Gaoxu knelt down to wake up Zhu Di, and Zhu Di immediately put on a smile when he heard this: "Of course...... Daddy knows more than you do. ”

"Come on, come on, get up first, your legs and feet are not good after kneeling for a long time."

Zhu Di helped Zhu Gaoxu up, how to see how satisfied he was, and stroked his beard happily.

To his delight, Da Tan also escorted them into the magnificent Forbidden City in Beijing.

Not surprisingly, for hundreds of years to come, this place will be the center of the Central Plains Dynasty and even the world......

(End of chapter)