Zhu Qizhen did not go to Mobei, but with the help of Zhang Fu's cover, he headed south via the Grand Canal towards Huai'an Prefecture.
Prince Jing'an was sent to Annan as an envoy, accompanied by many escorts and officials from the Ministry of Rites. The target was too big, so Zhu Qizhen took Fan Zhong, Yuan Bin and Beilin with him, changed into casual clothes, and hired a small boat alone.
Behind the boat, there were also Jin Yiwei in disguise, who also hired a boat to follow secretly.
Seeing that it was getting late, the boatman did not dare to sail at night, so he moved closer to the shore.
Zhu Qizhen stood on the bow of the boat and asked: "Shipman, where are we? How far is it from Huai'an Prefecture?"
The old boatman who punted the boat said: "If we go back to the young master, we will reach Suqian County in front of us. In three days, we can reach Huai'an."
Zhu Qizhen asked again: "I heard that the Yellow River burst its banks, but I wonder if the disaster in Suqian was serious?"
"Suqian is not that heavy, but going east of Huai'an Prefecture is miserable!"
"The common people...are suffering!"
Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but shook his head and sighed. The war in the north had just subsided, and floods broke out in the Central Plains. There were also the White Lotus Sect with evil intentions, and Japanese pirates who carried out sneak attacks from time to time. Natural disasters and man-made disasters, what a bad luck!
At this moment, he felt that the burden on him was getting heavier and heavier. If the people could not live in peace, the emperor would be nothing.
Bei Lin stood behind Zhu Qizhen and said: "Emperor... what Brother Huang said is that when things prosper, the people suffer, and when they die, the people suffer. Since ancient times, the people in the world have been the most difficult."
The old boatman said cheerfully: "I think some of them are scholars. The people must be suffering, but this year it is very different."
"Oh?" Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but ask, "What's the difference?"
"To build the river embankments this year is not to collect corvees, but to do work."
Beilin asked: "Aren't work and corvee the same thing?"
"The difference is huge!"
The old boatman shook his head and said: "You are paid for work, ten bucks a day and two meals a day!"
Since ancient times, in addition to paying taxes, people have also had to perform labor services. To put it bluntly, they have worked for the court for free.
Before Yu Qian left the capital, Zhu Qizhen specifically told him that he could not let the people work for nothing, and then with a wave of his hand, he allocated an additional one million taels of silver as the cost of repairing the river.
He didn't expect that his seemingly ordinary move would cause an uproar.
When Yu Qian arrived at Huai'an Mansion, the first thing he did was to issue a new recruitment notice and repay the labor wages of the previous 60,000 people.
The local people went crazy. It was the first time in their lives that the imperial court paid them wages, so they immediately signed up enthusiastically, and the team to repair the river suddenly expanded to 100,000.
Beilin also just learned about this, so she asked jokingly: "Old man, why don't you go to such a good thing?"
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The old boatman still said with a smile: "No, I'm old, I can't do the hard work anymore!"
After docking, Yuan Bin took out a piece of silver and said to the old boatman: "Tomorrow we will set off at 10 o'clock."
"Don't worry, I'm waiting on the boat, you guys go slowly!"
The four of them went ashore. Zhu Qizhen was thinking about river management and was not in the mood to hang around.
"Yuan Bin, where is the nearest inn?"
Yuan Bin had already made inquiries and immediately said: "It's less than two miles ahead."
This place is close to the Grand Canal, and the inn was built next to the river. It was mainly prepared for officials who sailed on the canal.
Zhu Qizhen nodded and said: "Then let's not go to the city and go to the inn to stay for one night."
Bei Lin said: "When I went to the inn... wouldn't my identity be exposed?"
Zhu Qizhen looked him up and down and said, "Don't you have a seal and documents with you? Just use yours, and then you will say that we are your servants."
When leaving Beijing, Beilin brought documents with her. Qin Tianjian was responsible for astronomy and geography, so it made sense to come to Huai'an Mansion to help manage the river.
After making up their mind, the group of people came to the inn. The inn chief saw Beilin's documents and seal and hurriedly let them in.
The process went very smoothly, but Belin was not used to it.
This is the first time that the emperor has worked as a follower for him. When he walks in front, he always feels a chill behind him.
Yi Cheng arranged guest rooms for several people and prepared a table of dinner.
This meal is not that sumptuous. There are only four dishes, two meat and two vegetarian. It is ordinary.
Zhu Qizhen didn't care. He just wanted to fill his stomach when he was out. After a day's sailing, he was already hungry, so he picked up the bowl and started cooking.
Beilin served her carefully. Zhu Qizhen took the rice into his mouth and said, "You guys eat too, why are you so polite?"
"You eat first, Wei Chen... I'm not hungry..."
Zhu Qizhen said impatiently: "You are the commander now, and I am the follower. What will it look like if you let others see you like this?"
Beilin had no choice but to pick up the bowl and take a small bite of rice.
"Hey, that's right, come and eat!"
Zhu Qizhen simply picked up a bite of food for him. At this time, the door curtain was lifted, and Yi Cheng came in with a basin of soup.
Bei Lin was at a loss while holding the bowl. Zhu Qizhen had an idea and said: "Sir, you should eat more vegetables!"
"Oh, good, good!"
Beilin had no choice but to agree casually, and Yi Cheng put the soup on the table without thinking too much.
Maybe he saw that these people were less arrogant and more approachable, so he said: "It's really rare for a high-ranking official like you to go out with only three people!"
Bei Lin smiled and replied: "Qin Tianjian's rank is not high, so he is not a high official."
"You are from the capital, you are a senior official. Okay, the dishes are ready. You guys eat slowly, and I will bring hot water to your house later!"
At this time, Zhu Qizhen had finished his meal and went to serve the soup, only to find that there was a lot of meat in the soup, as well as meatballs, several kinds of vegetables and vermicelli, which looked very high-quality.
"Your soup is good!"
He just said it casually, but he didn't expect that Yi Cheng turned around and answered: "You said it, this soup was originally prepared for the previous guest, but he didn't eat coriander, so he sent it back.
Here it is for you."
Zhu Qizhen was stunned for a moment and then asked: "So, there is another high-ranking official in front of you?"
The inn is the official guest house of the imperial court. It provides food and lodging for officials passing by for free, but there is one thing: there are level requirements for the level of hospitality.
What kind of officials and what kind of meals are prepared are all clearly defined.
The size of the soup in front of Zhu Qizhen was obviously more than one level higher than those four dishes.
"Look at what you said, I am the nephew of a bachelor of the current cabinet. This year I won the imperial examination again. My future is limitless!"
Zhu Qizhen asked doubtfully: "You mean, this person is not a court official?"
"Isn't it a matter of time before someone wants to be an official? Okay, you guys can eat first, and the younger one can go to the front to entertain you."
"Wait a minute!"
However, Zhu Qizhen slowly put down the spoon in his hand and said: "There are four cabinet bachelors in the current dynasty. I wonder whose nephew the judge you are talking about is?"
Yi Cheng chuckled and said, "My surname is Gao!"
After saying that, he turned around and went out, but the room became deserted.
Zhu Qizhen's face was ashen, and Beilin and others looked at each other, not knowing what to say.
In fact, this kind of thing is also common. Although the post station only accepts officials coming and going, after all, he is Gao Zhu's nephew and a civil servant. If he becomes a Jinshi in the next year, he will be an Imperial Academy member immediately.
Even if you fail the exam, it's not a big problem to become a county magistrate just because of Gao Bo's connections. If you train outside for a few years and find a way to be promoted back to Beijing, your future career will be smooth sailing.
What's wrong with such a person?
Zhu Qizhen didn't think so. Rules are rules. If someone breaks the rules, there will be a second and third one...
At that time, the court documents will become a piece of waste paper and can be discarded at will.
"Beilene, go and see what's going on?"
Beilin's face was tangled and she said: "He's just an autumn wind lover. Your Majesty, don't want to meet such a person. You have to be on the road tomorrow!"
It's not that he's afraid. When he was in the Fengtian Palace, he faced veterans from the five dynasties who dared to ride on them and beat them up. What's there to be afraid of for a small official?
I'm just worried that my whereabouts will be exposed. There are no soldiers accompanying the emperor. If he is targeted by someone with bad intentions, the consequences will be disastrous.
Yuan Bin also advised: "What Mr. Bei said makes sense. Your Majesty, let's not worry about it. Business is important!"
"No, I can't swallow this breath. How can a small person with no merit or reward be better off than I am?"
Zhu Qizhen pointed to the pot of soup and said with a face full of sorrow and anger: "Look, there is so much meat in this pot of soup alone, which is more than the four dishes we have. It is really unreasonable!"
Beilin scratched her head and said: "If the emperor is not used to eating, I will go out and buy some wine and meat now..."
"No need!"
Zhu Qizhen waved his hand and said: "You go to the front now. Since the food has been eaten, it is not cost-effective to rush people now. Ask Yi Cheng how much the food and wine cost and let him pay!"
Beilin had no choice but to follow the instructions and go to the front room.
Zhu Qizhen was still sulking. Looking at the fragrant soup, he couldn't help but serve himself a bowl.
"It would be a shame not to drink such a good soup..."
However, before he could finish drinking, he heard the sound of ping-pang-pang-pang in front, and immediately after, Yi Cheng ran in in a hurry.
"You three, go ahead and take a look. Your adult is fighting with your nephew from Gao Ge!"
Zhu Qizhen was drinking soup. He couldn't help but be stunned. He asked you to collect the bill. Why did you start a fight?
Even though Beilin is usually polite and weak, when she gets angry, she really dares to take action!
He quickly got up and took Fan Zhong and Yuan Bin to the private room in front. He saw Beilin and a young man struggling with each other. The food on the table was scattered everywhere. There were two women huddled in the corner. It looked like,
It turned out to be a wine company!
Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but be shocked. In the official guest house of Ming Dynasty... there is a wine accompanying service?
That Young Master Gao had many servants with him. These people didn't seem to want to talk about martial arts. When they saw their master being beaten, they all stepped forward to help. Fan Zhong and Yuan Bin stepped forward and punched each other with their fists. They only had time to meet each other.
, everyone lay down.
After the two men dealt with the servants, they went to catch Mr. Gao on the ground, but were stopped by Zhu Qizhen.
"If someone challenges you one-on-one, let's not take action yet."
The tall young man drank wine and looked a little drunk. Beilin turned over and sat on him, raised her fists and hit him, shouting: "I want you to pull me, I want you to pull me!"
The Yi Cheng behind him was sweating profusely and said: "Three of you, go and pull your adults away. If the fight continues, someone will be killed!"
Zhu Qizhen was not in a hurry, but asked: "How should we deal with beating an official of the imperial court according to Ming law?"
Yi Cheng was stunned for a moment and said: "Mr. Gao is just a civil servant, not an official of the imperial court."
"I'm talking about this guy beating up my family!"
Zhu Qizhen said angrily: "You only have Mr. Gao in your eyes. Is he your father?"
Yi Cheng was immediately speechless, his face full of helplessness.
Of course he knew that Mr. Gao had no official position, but the other party was the deputy supervisor of Qintian Prison. Although his rank was not high, he was still a capital official.
But the problem is, the backstage of the Gao family is a dignified cabinet bachelor. Is this comparable?
I am just a little postmaster, I can’t afford to offend both sides, what should I do...
"I can't control this matter. I'll go ask the county magistrate!"
At this point, he had no choice but to go to the city overnight to report to the county magistrate.
The postmen all ran away, and the remaining postmen did not dare to act rashly, so they had to wait and see from a distance.
Finally, Mr. Gao on the ground was beaten until he fainted, and Beilin got off him panting, still shouting: "Who are you, you dare to pull me?"
Zhu Qizhen laughed and asked: "You were asked to collect the bill, why did you beat someone like this?"
"Your Majesty...how dared to pull down an official of the imperial court in broad daylight, a man who takes advantage of others' power, bah!"
Zhu Qizhen looked at Mr. Gao on the ground with a bruised nose and swollen face, and blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, and was very satisfied.
After being beaten and smashed, the bad energy that had been blocked in my heart seemed to be relieved all of a sudden.
He knelt down and said to a servant on the ground: "Let me tell you, young master, tomorrow I will pay the bill for the food and drinks, the money for the restaurant, and the smashed tables, chairs, benches, plates and bowls!"
After saying that, he was about to leave, but he heard the servant struggling and said: "Don't leave, my young master is the nephew of the senior minister in the cabinet. You...just wait, this matter is not over!"
Beilin couldn't get angry, so she stepped forward and kicked him, and said angrily: "Hitting him today is considered a light thing. I will report it to the Holy One later and I will punish his uncle for his lax discipline!"
The servant immediately held his stomach and curled up, his face full of pain and speechless.
Others did not dare to say anything. Zhu Qizhen stood up and called Beilin and others back to the guest room.
"What happened? Why did the fight suddenly start?"
Bei Lin said: "I followed the emperor's instructions and went to reason with them, saying that this is the housekeeper's inn. For the sake of Lord Gao, I will make an exception tonight to entertain them, but you have to settle the bill. As a result,
This man stood up, grabbed me, and asked me which onion I was?"
"Then you started fighting with him?"
"That's for sure..."
Beilin seemed to realize her problem, so she lowered her head and said, "I am wrong, please punish me!"
Zhu Qizhen was happy instead: "What crime did the Qing family have?"