Three miles away from Chongwen Gate, there is a Datong Bridge. The Ningbo Prefecture Civil Information Bureau has an express shop beside the Datong Bridge. In the past, Shang Zhou Zuo's letters to his family were sent through this express shop. Shang Zhou Zuo was an honest official.
Zhang Yuan never used the convenience of government post for personal matters, so he was not good at sending letters by post. On the afternoon of the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhang Yuan took the letters after sending Jing Lan and Jing Hui sisters back to the courtyard.
He asked a servant of the Shang family to take him out of Chongwenmen and to the express shop beside Datong Bridge. He handed over the letter and paid the money, and chatted with the shopkeeper for a long time. As expected, the Civil Information Bureau was well-informed. After Shengmei Company cooperated with the Civil Information Bureau
The matter has actually reached the ears of the shopkeeper in Beijing——
Zhang Yuan did not reveal his identity, but just chatted and inquired. He learned that Shengmei Company and the Civil Information Bureau had negotiated the terms of cooperation. From now on, all the goods of Shengmei Company would be transported by the Civil Information Bureau. The shopkeeper also said: "It is said that
The Shengmei Company will open a store in the capital next year. The reason why the company is expanding so rapidly is because it has the Shanyin Zhang family, a wealthy gentry in the south of the Yangtze River, as its backer."
Zhang Yuan asked with a smile: "Your bureau also has stores all over the country. Who is your backer?"
The shopkeeper of the express delivery shop said with a smile: "Of course there is a backer, otherwise there would be no way to connect the north and the south." As for who the backer is, the shopkeeper keeps it secret.
Zhang Yuan smiled, didn't ask any questions, said goodbye, walked out of the shop, and took a carriage back to the inner city.
The sky had darkened, the snow on both sides of the road looked dimly white, and the carriage was even darker. Mu Zhenzhen, who was sitting next to Zhang Yuan, asked: "Master, when will this letter be delivered to Shanyin?"
Zhang Yuandao: "Now that the canal is frozen, we have to go overland in two months."
Mu Zhenzhen smiled and said: "The young lady is about to have a baby after receiving the letter. The young master——"
"Yes, the delivery is supposed to be in March or April next year, but I can't be with her."
Zhang Yuan frowned. In ancient times when there were no caesarean sections, childbirth was a disaster for women, especially women who married early. It was more dangerous to give birth to a child at the age of sixteen or seven, so Zhang Yuan told Shang Danran to take more walks when he was leaving.
Everything used must be clean. Scissors and the like must be boiled in boiling water before they can be used, and the best doctors and nurses must be hired——
Mu Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yuan's face and comforted him: "Young master, please relax, my wife is taking care of you. Miss Ruoxi will also return to Shanyin in early March, so you can rest assured."
Zhang Yuan said "hmm" and thought that he would be twenty years old after the Chinese New Year. He was also in good health on weekdays and should be able to give birth safely. Looking at the dusk outside the car window, he said: "Family affairs, state affairs, world affairs, I have to worry about everything."
."
Mu Zhenzhen's lips moved, wanting to say something, but she blushed and did not say anything.
Returning to the courtyard house in the East Fourth Archway. It was already dark. The old disciple submitted two more greetings. One was from Quanzhou Hong Chengchou. The other was signed by Yousheng Huang Ting. When he saw Huang Ting’s post, he
Zhang Yuan's face showed joy and he said to Mu Zhenzhen: "Do you really remember that Huang Xiucai who studied with Mr. Qidong at Dashan Temple? He is from Jiujiang. He has also arrived in the capital. It seems that he passed high school in the Jiangxi Provincial Examination this year. Very good. He also
I live in the Huitong Hall and will go see him tomorrow."
During dinner, little Jinghui didn't come out to eat. The maid Fanghua said that Miss Jinghui fell asleep and seemed to have a low fever. Zhang Yuan said "Oh," "It's all my fault. I forgot that she was just sick. She is here today."
There is a cold wind blowing over the Paozi River——"
Seeing Zhang Yuan's guilty look, Shang Zhouzuo said, "Xiao Hui is playful, let her learn a lesson."
While she was talking, Xiao Jinghui's face turned red. Mrs. Fu asked her if her headache hurt. Xiao Jinghui shook her head and said it didn't hurt at all. Mrs. Fu touched her cheek and it felt a little warm. Xiao Jinghui said she didn't have any fever, just
She just got out of bed and felt a little hot. Fu Shi smiled and said nothing more. She knew in her heart that Xiao Hui was afraid that her father would get sick after going out to play once and would not let her go out to play again, so she insisted.
No pain, no fever——
Xiao Jinghui ate some food and then went back to her room. Mrs. Fu asked someone to cook some medicine and went over to tell her to take it. There was still one dose of the medicine from the day before yesterday that was not finished. Xiao Jinghui said at first that she was not sick and refused to take it.
After taking medicine, she later begged her mother not to tell her father that she was sick, which made Mrs. Fu angry and funny: "You don't have to be afraid of getting sick just to go out and play, right?"
Xiao Jinghui's front teeth leaked and he said: "Mother, please don't blame Uncle Zhang. It's all Xiao Hui's misbehavior and the cold wind."
Mrs. Fu smiled and said: "Stop saying a few words and drink the medicine quickly."
Xiao Jinghui obediently drank a bowl of bitter and numbing medicinal soup. She sweated on her forehead and felt a little nauseous. She held it back. When Zhang Yuan came to visit her, she had already fallen asleep. Mrs. Fu said: "It doesn't matter.
, as long as you can sweat."
Zhang Yuan went to his brother-in-law Shang Zhouzuo's study to sit for a while and talked about his master Qian Qianyi and Dingyou's departure from the capital. Shang Zhouzuo said: "I only heard about it today. Qian Hanlin was promoted to the concubine of Zuo Chunfang a few months ago.
, if I am in Beijing, I will definitely become an examiner next spring."
Zhang Yuan asked: "I wonder if Chunwei has decided on the examiner?"
Zhou Zuo of Shang Dynasty said: "It has not been determined yet. According to the past practice, all the candidates are cabinet bachelors, and the Minister of Rites is the examiner." He added: "You don't have to worry about Dong Xuanzai and Yao Zongwen, just concentrate on preparing for the examination."
Zhang Yuandao: "Brother is right." He asked: "Brother, does he know where Yang Wenru, the newly appointed household chief, lives? He is my house master and I want to see him."
Zhou Zuo of Shang Dynasty said: "Is this Yang Lian and Yang Wenru? He ranked first in the list of honest officials at the beginning of the year. He is outspoken and outspoken. Today, he used the disaster in Shandong to denounce the evils of the times. His words are fierce. I am not as good as him - he should live at Daming Gate.
area."
Zhang Yuan returned to the bedroom, composed a 500-word eight-part essay on the Spring and Autumn Period, and read for a while. It was already the end of the year, and Mu Zhenzhen came in with hot water to help him wash up, undress and go to bed.
, Mu Zhenzhen knelt on the bed and folded the robes that she and the young master had taken off and put them aside. The toned and plump long legs and round buttocks wrapped in cotton trousers were extremely tempting. Zhang Yuan couldn't put it down, so Mu Zhenzhen bit him.
He turned around and said, "Master, I want to ask you something -"
Zhang Yuan continued to caress and said, "Well, what's the matter?"
Mu Zhenzhen murmured: "Master, I have served you for so long, why, how, why can't you get pregnant?" When he said the last few words, his face turned red, his face was buried on the mattress, and he raised his round and plump buttocks.
, like an ostrich with its head buried in the sand——
Zhang Yuan laughed. This question must have troubled Mu Zhenzhen for a long time. Today, when talking about Dan Ran giving birth to a baby, Mu Zhenzhen finally couldn't help asking, and said: "You are only seventeen years old, although you look like you have grown up."
. But it’s better to have children later, as it’s good for both mother and baby.”
Mu Zhenzhen didn't dare to raise his head. He put his nose against the quilt and asked in a muffled voice: "Is it because my servant is too young to give birth? Then Xi Zhang's Green Plum is only one year older than my servant, and she has already given birth -"
Zhang Yuan smiled, leaned over and said something in Mu Zhenzhen's ear. Mu Zhenzhen tilted his head and opened his eyes wide, first surprised, then shy, his eyes were watery, but the young master had taken off his underwear.
, she became happy after some caressing, and Mu Zhen was really excited tonight. Later, she asked the young master to face her, hooked her hands around his neck, and gasped sharply. Seeing the young master working hard on herself, she felt that the young master was extremely hard and erect.
When she wanted to pull away as usual, she hugged the young master's neck and held on, her two long legs tightly intertwined around the young master's waist and hips, and pressed down——
Zhang Yuan couldn't escape, couldn't bear it anymore, and burst out.
Mu Zhenzhen gasped and said: "Master, in four days, my servant will be eighteen years old."
Zhang Yuan couldn't help laughing and laughed for a while. Fang said: "Really, you still have this trick. Is this a small coiling dragon stick?"
Mu Zhenzhen also chuckled.
…
The next morning, Zhang Yuan was about to go to Dalongfu Temple. Qi Biaojia came here first from the Yamen of the Ministry of War. Zhang Yuan asked him to ask his father Qi Chengshun yesterday about the current situation of Yansui General Jun. See if there is Mu Jing.
Qi Biaojia inquired about the news about Yan Yan, and came excitedly early in the morning, mainly because he wanted to see his fiancée. Also coming with Qi Biaojia was Huang Ting, a Juren from Jiujiang who had submitted his invitation yesterday. Huang Ting and Qi Biaojia were both
Liu Zongzhou’s husband——
Zhang Yuan was chatting with Huang Ting when he heard Qi Biaojia say: "Brother Jiezi, my father checked the records of the officers recently sent by the Yansui General Army. There is Mu Jingyan who has been promoted to the general banner of a hundred households in the Yan'an Guards."
Mu Zhenzhen was next to Zhang Yuan, so happy that she almost jumped up. After her father appointed Xiaoqi, Mu Zhenzhen learned about the Ming army structure from Zhang Yuan. She knew that a Xiaoqi was in charge of ten to twelve sergeants.
One general flag is in charge of five small flags. Dad has been promoted, and the general flag has been raised!
Zhang Yuan was also very happy. Uncle Mu went to Yan'an Guards with Du Song last June and was promoted from an ordinary sergeant to a general flag in more than a year. It can be seen that Uncle Mu worked very hard and his martial arts came in handy. The junior officers only talked about
As long as you are strong in martial arts, it is not difficult to achieve military merit, raise a small flag, a general flag or even a hundred households. There are more factors that need to be considered for promotion to higher military positions——
Zhang Yuan, Huang Ting, and Qi Biaojia walked to the Dalongfu Temple two miles away. They waited for a while outside the Sutra Collection Hall. Huang Zunsu, Wang Binglin, Wen Zhenmeng and others arrived. There was a young man who looked unfamiliar to him.
He stepped forward and bowed to him: "Zhang, the leader of the society, lives in Hong Chengchou, Quanzhou. His courtesy name is Yanyan. I have heard about the name of the leader of the society for a long time, and I am eager to see him——"
Zhang Yuan hurriedly returned the greeting and said: "Brother Hong, Brother Lao Hong made two empty trips, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He looked at this Hong Chengchou for a few times. He had a long face, thick eyebrows, dignified appearance, and a dignified appearance.
Hong Chengchou said: "Zhang Shenzhen, your company's spirit of 'every man is responsible for the rise and fall of the country' has greatly inspired me. I also want to join the Hanshe. I ask Zhang Sheji for permission."
Of course Hong Chengchou was a talented person. Zhang Yuan had no reason to refuse and said with a smile: "Welcome, Brother Hong, you might as well attend the gathering of our Han Society to give lectures first. The Han Society has an open atmosphere and allows weird talk and weird theories."
Hong Chengchou said happily: "I am just about to listen to the speeches of the talented people of the Han Society."
The abbot of the West Temple, Monk Xufan, came out and welcomed the group of disciples into the temple. They walked past the white stone railing and came to the Xiangfeng Hall on the south side. The back hall of the Xiangfeng Hall is five or six feet wide and can accommodate more than a hundred people.
Sitting on the floor, this is where tomorrow Han Society's lectures will be held. Zhang Yuan asked Monk Xu Fan to prepare dozens of futons. Monk Xu Fan agreed. Zhang Yuan thanked Monk Xu Fan and went out to the main hall with everyone else. Suddenly he saw two people.
One of the waiters held a stick, and the other held Ruyi, and led out a short, dry old monk. The old monk gestured with a short wooden stick and walked quickly. He gave Ni Yuanlu who was walking in front a stick from the beginning and shouted: "Since the world is so dirty,
Why are you so reluctant to leave!"
Ni Yuanlu screamed in pain, covered her forehead and stepped aside, and when she touched it, there was blood.
The little old monk's eyes flickered. When he saw Zhang Yuan, he felt that this man needed to give him a stick. He swung his stick and stepped forward. Zhang Yuan hurriedly said: "Don't use the stick to give him a shout, and don't miss the chance. I hope the old monk will be compassionate and enlighten you."
The short old monk put away his short staff and looked Zhang Yuan up and down before approaching. Suddenly he took off his monk's hat and shouted: "You have realized it, right?" He hit Zhang Yuan's chest with his head and almost knocked Zhang Yuan down——
All the disciples were at a loss. They didn't understand why the old monk was so crazy. He was beating people with sticks and hitting them with his bald head. However, they saw the monk Xufan next to him saying happily: "That's good, that's good. Zhang Tanyue has great wisdom."
Master, I only drink sticks when I'm free, and rarely bump into others. If Zhang Tanqi sees through the world of mortals in the future, he can come to this temple to become a monk."
Zhang Yuan rubbed his chest and said to himself: "Fortunately, it was a cold day and my clothes were thick, otherwise I would have suffered internal injuries after being hit by the old monk." He said to the old monk Heshi: "Thank you, Master, for your enlightenment. If Zhang Yuan wants to do this in the future,
If you become a monk, you must come to your temple."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh. They were afraid that the old monk would hit someone again. They hurried out of Dalongfu Temple. Then they saw the blood bag on Ni Yuanlu's forehead that was swollen like a goose. They quickly found a medical shop to buy abrasion medicine. Zhou Menong laughed and said
: "Brother Ruyu must have been in high school this time, and he played so clearly and vividly."
Ni Yuanlu laughed when she thought about it, and thought to herself: "This old monk seems to have some knowledge, and he doesn't recognize me. How could he know that I have mysophobia?"
Everyone agreed to give lectures at Dalongfu Temple at the end of the day tomorrow and then dispersed. When Wen Zhenmeng heard that Zhang Yuan was going to visit Yang Lian, the room master, he said: "Master Yang lives in the Huitong Hall, and I saw him yesterday.
"
Zhang Yuan followed Wen Zhenmeng and others to the Huitong Hall. Yang Lian did not bring his family to Beijing. There were only two servants in the residence. They said that the master was on duty in the palace and would not come back until evening. Zhang Yuan went to the Hanlin Academy to see his senior brother Xu Guangqi.
, Sun Yuanhua was also at Xu Guangqi's residence, Zhang Yuan had lunch with Senior Brother Xu, and invited Senior Brother Xu to go to Dalongfu Temple tomorrow to give lectures to the people of the Han Society, Xu Guangqi happily agreed.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Wen Zhenmeng came over and told Zhang Yuan that Yang Lian was out of the palace. Zhang Yuan hurriedly picked up the gift box and went to see Teacher Yang. Yang Lian was very happy. When they met, he praised Zhang Yuan's joint donation to relieve the disaster and said that the emperor
Today, an edict was issued to exempt the six counties of Shandong from taxes for one year, and to send the imperial censor to Shandong to provide relief to the victims. This has a lot to do with the joint petition by Zhang Yuan and others. Public opinion cannot be violated——
Zhang Yuan thought: "It's not that public opinion cannot be violated, it should be Eunuch Zhong who contributed to it."
The teacher and student talked happily. Yang Lian stayed with Zhang Yuan for dinner, and sent a servant to hire a carriage to take Zhang Yuan back to Dongsi Archway.
…
On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, there was a lecture in the Xiangfeng Hall of Dalongfu Temple. In addition to all the thirty-five people from the Han Society, there were also more than twenty people who came here because of their reputation. In the morning, Xu Guangqi gave a lecture on eight-legged grammar. Xu Guangqi except
In addition to being proficient in Western learning, everyone is also familiar with eight-legged essays. We ate lunch with the monks in the temple. In the afternoon, Zhang Yuan, Wen Zhenmeng, Huang Zunsu and others took turns giving lectures. Everyone in attendance felt that they had benefited greatly, and the day was not wasted.
, we will meet again on the third day of the first lunar month of the new year to give a lecture.
…
On New Year's Eve, the wind was very strong and howling. Zhang Yuan and his brother-in-law's family stayed in the hall to watch the New Year's Eve. Zhang Yuan recited "Aesop's Fables" to Jing Lan and Jing Hui sisters. Little Jing Hui's illness was already cured——
The north wind whistled outside the hall, and the hall was warm and cozy. The last days of the forty-three years of Wanli passed quietly, and the new year arrived.
————————————————————
The fifth volume will start tomorrow. The title of the volume has not been decided yet, but Xiaodao firmly believes that this is a wonderful volume. It is a volume that Xiaodao challenges himself. I ask for your support and encouragement from book friends. (To be continued.