The morning breeze by the river is like a loach, always burrowing through the gaps in your neck and clothes to your chest and back.
The sweaty man who was carrying the goods on the dock couldn't help but shudder.
Fortunately, it has been sunny in Xunyang City for several days in a row. Just after morning, the pale yellow sunshine in the morning fell on the faces of everyone at the ferry and warmed them up, dispelling some of the chill.
It's good weather again today.
This is the largest pier in Xunyang City, and it is bustling and busy before dawn.
Those carrying grain and cargo, traveling from all directions, landing for business, ships from all over Lingnan and Jiangnan docked and sailed away again.
In just one morning, I don’t know how many people and goods were handled.
It's bustling with business and business.
As the most prosperous ferry crossing in Jiangzhou, known as "the most popular place in the world", Xunyang Ferry is full of vitality.
In the morning when everything was full of vitality, a private boat carrying the flag of Nanlong Ouyang arrived at the ferry and gradually docked.
This ship did not attract much attention. At most, a few keen people saw the flag and came to the city. Mr. Chang Shi, who had recently taken office but rarely appeared in the city, also had the surname Ouyang, but there was not much association.
.
The sun-soaked hull collided with the ancient bricks of the pier, causing a small splash of water.
Before the ladder for disembarking could be lowered, a young man in blue uniforms and a sword emerged from the crowd of people picking up passengers at the pier.
He took the lead and jumped aboard the ship, which was traveling thousands of miles away.
"Mrs. Zhen, Miss Ye, I'll take care of your luggage. You guys just rest."
"Yeah." This was the woman's lazy and beautiful voice.
"Brother Yan, thank you for your hard work." It was a girlish voice that was somewhat ethereal.
"Hey, madam, Miss Ye is welcome."
With a "bang", the ladder fell to the ground and was lowered steadily.
A plump woman in her early thirties, Shi Shiran, walked off the boat with a group of maids of various beauties, Shi Shiran.
The beautiful woman wore a rose-red slow-beam skirt to prevent the floor-length skirt from getting knotted around her calves.
Her red lips are slightly thick, and there is a light mole on the corner of her lips, which is just the right finishing touch. Her temperament is dignified, but there is a hint of coolness.
She has a pair of bright red phoenix eyes that are looking around. The corners of her eyes are turned up, and she is quite stern. At first glance, she is not an easy woman to get along with.
Behind and on either side of the cold and charming woman in the skirt were an exotic girl with silver hair and blue eyes, and a Silla maid with low eyebrows and a slender waist.
The girl with silver hair and blue eyes also wore a rose-red skirt of a similar color. She stood closer to the woman in the cool skirt and followed her obediently.
It was Zhen Shuyuan, Ye Weila, Banxi and other family members who came from Nanlong.
Yan Liulang followed several girls, helped carry their luggage, and enthusiastically pointed the way: "Go there."
Zhen Shuyuan, who came from Nanlongxiang County, looked at the dock scene with some curiosity and said without looking back:
"Captain Yan doesn't have to worry about the luggage. There is also a son on board. I have brought some young men from Nanlong to help Tanlang."
"That's okay. Madam, Miss Ye, come with me. The motorcade is waiting outside the pier. The Ming Dynasty has recently established some rules at Xunyang Ferry. Passenger carriages and the like are not allowed inside, as it is prone to congestion..."
Yan Liulang walked at the front, leading the way for Zhen Shuyuan and Ye Weilai, looking back from time to time and introducing them with a smile.
Unlike the waiting maids who were looking around with their eyes full of novelties, Ye Weilai followed her with a calm face the whole time after getting off the boat, seemingly uninterested in the lively scene around her.
At a certain moment, Ye Weilai couldn't help but ask: "Brother Yan, who is Tanlangli?"
Yan Liulang turned around:
"The Ming Mansion is nearby. Today, I am dealing with important matters at the Transportation Department at the dock. I am a bit busy and cannot come. I am on vacation today and will come to pick you up."
"Oh." Ye Weilai's face looked unsurprised.
Zhen Shuyuan was not surprised at all when her nephew was so close and did not come to pick her up. She turned around and said to the villagers who were following behind her cautiously:
"It's better to be busy. Tanlang has just taken office, and his superiors and subordinates are all looking at him. He must set an example. Being an official is not about being arrogant. You have to be neither arrogant nor impetuous... My Tanlang is really awesome."
The pride in his tone could not be concealed.
The villagers who came to seek refuge kept saying yes and praising someone, and the cold-looking woman in the skirt raised her chin.
Yan Liulang, who was walking at the front, couldn't help laughing.
Madam's character and tone... are still familiar.
Soon, everyone squeezed out of the port and boarded the carriage under the shade of a row of trees. The maids and servants loaded their luggage into the carriage, and Yan Liulang also helped.
As we all know, women always have a lot of luggage. Unlike Ouyang Rong who took office alone and checked in with his bags, Zhen brought a dozen large boxes from Nanlong.
Yan Liulang helped carry it, and he was busy without any complaints.
Zhen Shuyuan was accustomed to this and got on the carriage at the front early; Ye Weilai stayed under the carriage, passing water and towels, and behaved politely.
After finishing cleaning up, Yan Liulang called to the driver, and the convoy slowly left the bustling Xunyang Ferry.
"Where are you going, Master Yan..." the leading groom asked for directions in a respectful tone.
Yan Liulang wiped his forehead with his sleeves and reported the address: "Huaiye Lane..."
"Master Yan?" Zhen Shuyuan was slightly curious and asked casually: "What is Liu Lang doing in Jiangzhou?"
Yan Liulang scratched his head: "Justice joins the army."
"Justice joining the army?" Zhen Shuyuan turned around and asked: "Well, what is this for?" She sounded confused:
"You no longer want to be the chief of the police? I remember that you did a good job in Longcheng. If you stay in Longcheng for a few more years, you can become a full-time official and replace your father's county captain. You have not been promoted to a scholar. You can be a ninth-level officer at a young age.
The county captain is pretty good."
Zhen Shuyuan gave some experience and suggestions.
"I still won't do it." Yan Liulang shook his head: "I talked with my father, and he didn't stop me and agreed with me to follow the Ming Mansion. Now I will go wherever the Ming Mansion goes."
Zhen Shuyuan sounded regretful: "It would be a pity to cut off the family's connections..."
"Lady..."
A certain silver-haired girl who silently browsed many books in her master's collection while worshiping her ancestors in Nanlong whispered:
"Jiangzhou's judicial officer is an official of the lower eighth rank. Well, he is responsible for law enforcement and prison management, supervising and arresting thieves, and investigating bribery."
Ye Weila picked it up at his fingertips and recited it fluently.
Zhen Shuyuan: "..."
Faced with the wide-eyed and slanting gaze of the woman in the skirt, Yan Liulang was a little embarrassed and grinned:
"Previously, with the help of Xianxiang's Dongfeng, the Ming Dynasty arranged for me to be promoted to Longcheng County Lieutenant. I originally thought about it and transferred it to the state...
"Unexpectedly, the Ming government personally recommended me to serve as a judicial officer and join the army... Well, madam, now all the police officers in Xunyang City are under my control, and I can be regarded as the chief police officer."
Under the provincial governors such as Jiangzhou Governor and Changshi, there are six Cao Caosi: Judges, Gong, Cang, Hu, Bing, Judi, and Shi.
There are six officers who join the army, corresponding to the six ministries of the imperial court.
Everyone couldn't help but look sideways at the young man in blue uniform and sword.
An eighth-grade official had just been carrying their luggage...
Zhen Shuyuan coughed and looked Yan Liulang up and down. The beautiful woman nodded seriously:
"Rokuro is quite promising. I am indeed right... I must help Tanlang properly in the future, so that I can cultivate him in vain."
"Yes, madam." Yan Liulang nodded vigorously.
At this moment, the motorcade suddenly stopped. Yan Liulang subconsciously held the handle of the knife in his hand and opened the curtain. Before questioning the driver, his eyes were attracted by the scene in front of him.
It turned out that their motorcade was too long, and there happened to be a huge and gorgeous motorcade approaching in front of them. The two motorcades met at the corner and immediately blocked the road.
Zhen Shuyuan glanced at the wealthy and prosperous posture of the opposite team, looked hesitant, turned around and ordered: "Let's make some concessions."
Yan Liulang nodded and directed the convoy.
But who would have thought that someone in the motorcade ahead seemed to be sizing them up. Immediately, a dark-skinned Kunlun slave ran up to Zhen Shuyuan's carriage and asked something in a low voice. Zhen Shuyuan didn't hear clearly, but immediately heard Yan Liulang outside.
He cherished his words like gold and replied: "The female family members of a long history..."
Kunlun Nu immediately ran back, and after a while, the gorgeous and wealthy motorcade in front of him took the lead in moving.
Take the initiative to get out of the way.
Yan Liulang was not polite, waved his hand for the motorcade to move forward, and drove past the Huagui motorcade.
As he passed by, his face was calm, and he cupped his fists and raised his hands.
Zhen Shuyuan, who was in the carriage, saw with sharp eyes that in the carriage at the front of the convoy on the opposite side, there seemed to be a lady wearing silk silk sitting upright. The lady's face could not be seen, and she could only see a little finger wearing a ring that opened half of the carriage.
The curtain revealed half of his face, his bright red lips curled up, as if he was smiling slightly in the direction of Zhen Shuyuan.
She also quickly returned a friendly smile.
After a while, the Kunlun slave who delivered the message came after him again. He bowed his head and respectfully handed over a gilded name card with both hands:
"My eldest wife has admired Lord Changshi for a long time...I beg your family to accept it..."
Today, the judicial officer, who was dressed in regular clothes and wearing a simple knife, glanced at the surname "Pei" on the name card, reached out to take it, and handed it to Zhen Shuyuan and Ye Weilai in the carriage.
The two girls looked at the name card.
Zhen Shuyuan looked hesitant, and Ye Weilai shook his head at her.
Yan Liulang seemed to notice the concerns of the two girls and said softly:
"Madam, you can accept it. It's not a gift, just a note. I want to build a good relationship and get to know the Ming family. It won't affect the Ming family.
"Oh, Mingfu's behavior in the past half month... Now there are many people in Xunyang City who want to get to know Mingfu and make him familiar. They are offering invitations and banquets in various ways every day."
Yan Liulang laughed. It had been nearly half a month since he came to Jiangzhou with the Ming Dynasty to take office.
In addition to the day he took office, Ke Mingfu went to Xunyang Tower to attend a banquet to wash away the wind and dust, and showed his face in front of people from all walks of life in Jiangzhou.
At other times, the Ming government received almost no entertainment and devoted itself to state affairs as soon as he took office.
After passing the luxurious motorcade, Zhen Shuyuan touched the high-end name card inside the carriage and couldn't help but clicked her tongue.
She opened the car curtain and glanced at the sparkling water of the river in the distance. The early sun was dazzling and thousands of sails were crossing in an endless stream.
What a prosperous Xunyang City.
"Liu Lang, has Tan Lang been promoted to a very high position this time?" Zhen Shuyuan's tone was a bit reserved.
"It's not bad, Jiangzhou Governor... excluding the nobles such as King Xunyang who have honored this place, he is the second most senior official in the state.
"Although he does not have the military power like a governor and cannot mobilize the soldiers of the Zhechong Prefecture, the Changshi is also known as the 'half-thorn'. The Ming Prefecture directly leads the Six Caosi Division and has jurisdiction over civil affairs such as trade, prisons and litigation..."
Yan Liulang just clicked on it and didn't say much.
But the sound of Zhen Shuyuan's breathing could still be heard from the carriage behind her, and then her joyful tone could be heard:
"Tan Lang is really promising!"
The female relatives were all happy when they learned that the only breadwinner of the family was not only safe and healthy, but also prosperous and had a high status.
Yan Liulang thought for a while, but decided not to mention the Ming Dynasty's refusal to serve as a censor in the capital. Of course, he also did not mention the current relationship between the Ming Dynasty and the "kind and kind" Governor Wang...
During the past half month, Ming Mansion went out early and came back late, methodically familiarizing himself with Changshi affairs. Between Huaiye Lane House and Jiangzhou Mansion Yamen, there were almost two points and one line, very regular, and his work and rest were the same as when he was in Longcheng County.
In addition, the Ming Palace did not even go to the newly established Prince Xunyang Palace.
There is no apparent intersection.
Yan Liulang recalled Mingfu's instructions a few days ago.
When you take office by air, don't rush to do three things. First, "do less and see more".
Half an hour later, the motorcade arrived at a quiet street near the water and stopped slowly in front of a mansion with a low-key house number.
Yan Liulang introduced: "Madam, this is Huaiye Lane, one of the oldest residential streets in Xunyang City."
Zhen Shuyuan, Ye Weila and other women looked around curiously.
"This house originally belonged to the Xie family of Chen County. When Mr. Xie, the mentor of the Ming Dynasty, settled in Jiangzhou, he learned that the Ming Dynasty was coming to Jiangzhou and invited the Ming Dynasty to come and stay.
"The Ming Dynasty originally wanted to rent a house temporarily and buy a mansion when you come, madam, but it's hard to live up to the good intentions of Mr. Xie and Miss Xie and live here temporarily.
"By the way, Miss Xie has something to do at Prince Xunyang's Mansion today and will come back to visit Madam in the evening."
"It's okay, it's okay. I think this house is very nice. Why are you so polite? When Tanlang comes back later, I will enlighten him. He is really stupid."
Zhen Shuyuan said happily: "By the way, how are Tan Lang and Huan Huan... doing lately?"
Yan Liulang coughed, didn't say much, got out of the car and helped everyone unload their luggage and take them into the house.
Then he reminded some matters, and seeing that nothing happened, he said goodbye and left.
Before Ouyang Rong came back, Zhen Shuyuan and Banxi happily led the slaves and tidied up the mansion.
Ye Weilai left the team alone and walked towards the back of the house.
She discovered that there was a large bamboo forest in the back house.
This Huaiye Lane mansion, decorated according to the taste of the Xie family of Chen County, looks simple and low-key from the outside, but there is something special inside.
The bamboo leaves are sparse, but the proud bamboos are tall and straight.
Ye Weilai vaguely saw a bamboo courtyard hut in the bamboo forest. There was a green waterwheel and empty swings in the courtyard.
Ye Weilai licked her silver hair beside her ears with her little finger and walked towards the bamboo forest courtyard, as if she was very sure that someone had chosen this house to live in.
A few moments later, in the room in the bamboo courtyard, in front of a bamboo basket containing a man's undershirt, a girl who had "gone home" was wearing white socks and barefoot, kneeling on her knees.
Her waist-length silver-white hair hangs down on the carpet.
She stared at Ouyang Rong's familiar underwear and was stunned for a while. At a certain moment, the silver-haired girl suddenly buried her head, the tip of her fair nose touched the clothes in the basket, and she sniffed quietly like a cat with a pair of blue eyes.
The familiar smell of men's sweat.
After a while, Ye Weilai smiled happily, picked up the bamboo basket, sang a little song, and walked into the courtyard.
The girl squatted by the well, lowered her head to do the laundry, her face focused...
Zhen Shuyuan, Ye Weilai and other women who arrived at Longcheng spent the whole day tidying up the mansion.
As evening fell, Shi Youyou, a young man who had been fishing for a long time, returned to his mansion. As soon as he walked in, a crowd of warblers came to meet him.
After half a year, we reunited again.
After thinking about it, I decided not to write a summary chapter and asked for leave. I will keep updating and write two chapters for daily transition. Xiaorong slowly lays the groundwork and everyone will read slowly. The pace may be a little slow, but if everyone wants to read it more comfortably, they should be able to do it.