With the influx of people from all directions, and Xiao Yi's control here, Jiangling has become more prosperous and lively than in previous years.
Although the city has become lively, some supporting facilities and resources cannot be significantly improved immediately. Especially the high-quality living environment, which is related to the overall layout planning and defense arrangements of the city, is extremely difficult to change.
Therefore, many people who came to Jiangling from Jiankang had to live in the city, mixed with the people in the city. The messy living environment was naturally not as good and livable as the old houses in Jiankang. This was why many people from Jiankang were eager to return to Jiankang. One of the reasons.
It is located in the backyard of a temple in the west of Jiangling City. There are vines climbing on the walls of the courtyard, which makes it look a bit messy and deserted. However, the house is still neat and tidy, but the mottled paint-colored pillars also reveal a bit of dilapidation. Several slaves in the courtyard are working Sweeping, but no matter how neat the cleaning is, it has nothing to do with style.
"May I ask if Zhang Hou lives here?"
A young man in rich clothes came here surrounded by several slaves and shouted towards the yard.
After hearing the sound, the servants in the courtyard quickly put down their tools and hurried to the courtyard gate to ask who was coming. After receiving the name card from the young man, they hurriedly entered the room to report.
Not long after, a middle-aged man in plain clothes walked out of the room, holding a name card, nodding to the young man and saying: "It turns out that Liu Lang is here to visit. His humble home is not suitable for entertaining guests. It is really rude to my old friend." Got it!"
The young man is Liu Guangde, Liu Zhilin's son, and the middle-aged man is Zhang Xi, the son of his uncle Zhang Zan, who was previously killed by Liang Wang Xiao Jin.
Liu Guangde bowed to Zhang Xichang, and then said with a smile: "The younger generation just returned from Mianbei and found out that Zhang Hou has also come to Jiangling. He went to visit his old residence a few days ago but failed to see him. After visiting old friends, he found out that Zhang Hou was staying at the Buddha in Yaya. Ju, I am late to meet you, please forgive me, Marquis Zhang!"
Liu Guangde's uncle, Liu Zhilin, and Zhang Xi's father, Zhang Zan, once worked together in the East Palace. They were both famous scholars with profound academic knowledge and elegant collections, so they had a good relationship. Zhang Zan also bought a house in Jiangling and settled here for several years in the past year, and Liu Guangde also So he got to know his people.
After Zhang Xi heard this, a trace of gloom and loneliness flashed in his eyes, and he immediately sighed: "I no longer own my hometown. I am living here after the disaster. I did not intend for Liu Lang to visit and not see me."
"Everything in the world is impermanent, and the kindness in my family is also... Well, so I saw Zhang Hou today, and my heart is turbulent again, and I can't calm down!"
After Liu Guangde heard this, he also sighed. He briefly recalled the past story of his uncle being poisoned by the emperor's envoys, and through similar encounters, he got closer to Zhang Xi.
Zhang Xi's father, Zhang Zan, was killed by Xiao Qi, the king of Liang, because he instigated Xiao Yi to attack Xiao Yu, the king of Hedong, and plotted against Xiangyang with Xiao Yi's support. However, shortly after Zhang Zan's death, Xiao Yi ordered his family to be searched. He confiscated more than 20,000 volumes of books and numerous treasures in his collection, including the Zhang family's home in Jiangling.
So after Zhang Xi came to Gangneung, he was homeless and had to live in this dilapidated temple.
After the two exchanged pleasantries, Zhang Xi invited Liu Guangde to enter the room. After Liu Guangde entered the room, he looked around and found that the room was more dilapidated than what he saw outside, and there were many holes along the side room.
It is blocked by a bamboo screen. Through this bamboo screen, you can see the cloth skirts and wooden hairpins in the room, and the women spinning under the window.
Liu Guangde hurriedly looked away, knelt down to the woman and said, "I am paying homage to Her Royal Highness the Princess. I came in without being summoned. Please forgive me for my sin!"
The Zhang family has been intermarried with the Xiaoliang royal family for generations, and Zhang Xi also married Princess Haiyan, the daughter of Emperor Jianwen Xiao Gang, who was the woman spinning indoors. Xiao Gang was killed by Hou Jing long ago, and the Nanliang Emperor also replaced him.
The princess and the consort naturally became angry.
Zhang Xi's current desolation is probably related to this level of in-law relationship. At least he did not receive special care from the emperor in life, which is similar to other Jiankang Shiliu who lived in Jiangling and struggled to make a living.
The Zhang couple fell from nobility to poverty in a day. It can be seen that the princess has become somewhat skilled in spinning and has gradually become accustomed to this kind of life. However, when she saw Liu Guangde worshiping so respectfully, the couple fell into ashes.
The memory became vivid again, and I couldn't help but feel sad, and I couldn't help but shed tears.
Liu Guangde felt ashamed and embarrassed when he saw that the couple's sadness had been aroused. He carefully and slowly exited, and then waved his hand to summon the slave to whisper. He did not enter the room to see the sad and embarrassed couple.
, just standing in this courtyard waiting.
Not long after, Liu Guangde's domestic slaves pulled several carts, which were filled with various exquisite daily utensils, and there were more than ten male and female slaves. Under Liu Guangde's command, these slaves loaded the carts with
All the utensils were unloaded, and after asking Zhang Xi for instructions, they were moved into the room and decorated.
It took half an hour for the room to be re-decorated. Although it was still a slightly dilapidated monk's house, there were exquisite lacquerware, gorgeous colored satin, screens and tables of various shapes and various
All kinds of furniture also cover up the shabby and dilapidated atmosphere.
"Liu Lang, how can this be... It's really shameful! Wealth and poverty are all made by one's own creation, but the princess, the noble Shu of the clan, has experienced all the sufferings in the world with me. I am really ashamed that the emperor has entrusted me to receive this grace in my life. Thank you very much."
Liu Lang, thank you..."
Seeing the behavior of Liu's slaves, Zhang Xi pulled Liu Guangde's sleeves and thanked him repeatedly with a shy and grateful expression. However, he looked at the male and female servants and said: "As for these slaves, please ask Liu Lang to lead them back."
, It’s not that I arrogantly reject Liu Lang’s kindness, it’s just that Jiangling’s salary is so meager that it’s difficult to support him!”
After Liu Guangde heard this, he couldn't help but cursed secretly, but thinking about the purpose of his trip, he suppressed his displeasure, looked at Zhang Xi and said with a smile: "Who doesn't have hardships in life? If you can endure it, Yang Chunnuan
Today, Marquis Zhang is a scholar from a well-known family and a relative of the imperial family. I am sending some common things here to make friends with you. I also ask Marquis Zhang not to blame me for being presumptuous. These few materials are not worth mentioning. As for these slaves, it is their honor to serve the nobles.
, As for their food and clothing, I will naturally provide them with them, so there is no need to worry about them!"
After Zhang Xi heard this, he immediately smiled again. Although he only knew Liu Guangde before and had no deep friendship with him, after Liu Guangde gave him some gifts, he suddenly became a close friend and took Liu Guangde with him.
He wants to enter the house and drink heavily.
Naturally, Liu Guangde would not refuse this, so he entered the room with Zhang Xi again, asked his servants to serve him the sumptuous food and wine that had been prepared, and started drinking with Zhang Xi.
As they chatted with each other, the topic turned to the currently lively issue of whether to move the capital. Zhang Xi naturally supported this with both hands. The days he had lived in Jiangling were too miserable.
Although Emperor Xiao Yi gave him a sinecure as a servant when he first came to Jiangling, he did not give him anything else. He even searched his family's belongings and never mentioned returning them. This pair of people who were already well-fed and well-clothed
For the noble prince, it is really difficult. And the situation of the old acquaintances around him is not much better than that of him. Even Jiangling's old friends who have a family business dare not go too far because of his status as a has-been prince-in-law.
Make contact.
Liu Guangde listened to Zhang Xi's complaint and couldn't help but ask: "I heard that Jiankang has been destroyed by the rebel army for a long time, and it was also affected by the details of the king's division. Even the Huangyuan Taicheng was in dilapidated condition. Even if we return, how can all the families live in peace?"
A good strategy?"
"There's always something. At least you can ask for a foreign post and live in the county!"
The children of the aristocratic family grew up in fine clothes and had no idea how to make a living. Sometimes their family fell into decline and they had no food to eat, so they asked to be transferred to other places and plundered them for a few years before returning to Jiankang to enjoy their lives. After hearing Liu Guangde's question,
Zhang Xi replied matter-of-factly.
"But now many prefectures and counties are in ruins. Even the Sanwu land that was said to be prosperous in the past is now in ruins. What's more, powerful martial sects are entrenched among the prefectures and counties, and they are unruly and unruly. There are countless people who abuse their superiors. I'm afraid
This is not a good plan!"
Liu Guangde said with emotion, and when he saw Zhang Xi's face became sad again, he smiled and said: "Zhang Hou, does he know why I have been traveling to and from Mianbei frequently in recent years? Even if there is a lot of profit in it, this matter is nothing.
It’s a secret, but it’s just that Zhang Houxi came to the west not long ago and I haven’t heard anything about it yet.”
Then he detailed the profits of the traders to and from Mianbei, and said in a seductive tone: "Marquis Zhang is a noble man, so naturally he cannot start a humble career, but he only needs to go to Mianbei to visit General Li.
His appreciation immediately enabled the slaves to earn huge profits from the two places, which is a hundred times better than returning to the remaining land of Jiankang!"
"But, my father was injured in Xiangyang, and Li Boshan is a close friend of King Yueyang. Is he willing to see me and reward me?"
Zhang Xi was naturally very moved after hearing Liu Guangde's description, but thinking of his father's past, he still hesitated to ask.
"So by whose hands Zhang Xiangong died, Marquis Zhang still doesn't know? His deeds during his lifetime may have been hidden, but everything that happened after his death is visible to everyone. Why did Marquis Zhang end up like this? Was he also forced to go to Xiangyang?"
Liu Guangde saw that he wanted to eat but was afraid of being bitten, so he felt that he had found the right person this time, so he stepped up his lobbying efforts.
Zhang Xi looked at the gorgeous decorations in the room, and then at Liu Guangde, who looked sincere. After some hesitation, he finally nodded heavily and said: "I want to ask the Holy Spirit to go to Xiangyang to visit my late father's clothes. At that time, please ask Liu Lang to guide you."
I will secretly cross the Han River to pay homage to General Li. If it succeeds, I will never forget Liu Lang’s kindness!"
Seeing that his goal was achieved, Liu Guangde nodded his head in agreement. Although Zhang Xi was in a state of desolation at the moment, when it came to reputation and connections, he was much better than him. If he could introduce Zhang Xi to Mianbei and be used by General Li, he could use it.
This connected more Jiankang dynasties and exerted a deeper influence on the Jiangling Dynasty.