As autumn turns to winter, the weather gets colder day by day. By October, the weather in Beijing has actually dropped sharply, and people have already put on their winter clothes.
After hosting a full-moon banquet for his son Zhang Chi in a low-key manner, Zhang Yanling couldn't stay any longer. Xu Gao had been in Nanjing for nearly a month and a half, and he had already sent someone to send a letter back saying that he had discussed several shapes of large ships and was waiting for the Marquis to leave.
Decide.
Although several drawings were sent with the letter, this kind of thing cannot be accomplished by just looking at the drawings. It requires on-the-spot inquiry and research.
So Zhang Yanling decided to leave for Nanjing.
When I told my wife and concubines at home, Xu Wanyi was the first to refuse.
"We've only been here for a few days, and we're leaving Beijing again? Nanjing is so far away, and it's winter again. I'm going here to celebrate the Chinese New Year and I won't be able to come back."
Zhang Yanling felt a debt in her heart, so she had no choice but to treat it with emotion and reason. Xu Wanyi, who had served her for several days in a row, was obedient in bed. However, although she was as gentle as a kitten in bed, she got out of bed and talked about going to Nanjing.
Xu Wanyi immediately turned against her.
Zhang Yanling had no choice but to secretly ask Tan Ruqing to persuade Xu Wanyi.
Tan Ruqing said: "Don't talk about the princess, I don't agree with it either. You are currently focused on shipbuilding and maritime trade. We should not hold you back when doing big things. But you are gone for several months at a time, and you are busy all year round."
What's the matter if your clothes don't stick to you? The princes and princes stay in the capital every day, but you are the only one like this."
Zhang Yanling was annoyed and said angrily: "What are these words? How come you have become so unreasonable?"
Tan Ruqing stared at Zhang Yanling for a long time, and said softly: "The princess said the other day that Zhang Yi could speak and asked him to call him daddy, but he just didn't. Because you have spent too little time with him. Everyone in this mansion, including
The cooks under Ma Quanhuang’s fourth kitchen, he
Everyone is willing to call, but not you. The princess said that she is worried that your father and son are separated. She needs you to spend more time with him. We think so too. Don’t end up being so busy outside that your son at home won’t recognize you.
It’s up to you. We people don’t have anything to do with it.”
After Zhang Yanling heard this, his heart suddenly softened. Indeed, Zhang Yi seemed to be in a rebellious phase recently, and the little things were running all over the floor, but seeing Zhang Yanling not kissing her, she felt a little scared. She always had to ask him to call him daddy.
Just force him to do it.
It seems that Xu Wanyi is not dragging him back, but that his attention is not at home. Recently, he has done some earth-shattering things outside, but his family has ignored them.
"Ruqing, you also know me. I can't be idle. Besides, what I do is not bad. What do you want me to do? This time is the biggest thing I have ever done in my life. Are you afraid?
I don’t understand, this is
There are many more things than putting down the rebellion and killing Liu Jin. This is a major event that affects the Ming Dynasty and all future generations. I should do it wholeheartedly. It is extremely important not only to me but also to the people of the world. Do you understand?
"
Tan Ruqing was a little dazed. She never asked Zhang Yanling when he was working outside. Her focus was on medicine shops and medical clinics, and on treating patients.
Tan Ruqing knew that Zhang Yanling wanted to engage in sea trade, but she didn't ask too much. After all, she didn't understand these things and didn't like to talk too much. Unexpectedly, Zhang Yanling said this matter was so...
of importance.
"Husband, this matter is so important, so of course it has to be done. How about I help you persuade the princess." Tan Ruqing sighed and said.
Zhang Yanling waved her hand, put down her legs on the kang, and asked in a deep voice: "Ruqing, you haven't gone to your grandmother's grave for several years to burn paper. Since you married me, you have been busy with the medical office.
, I can’t go to Nanjing even during the holidays.”
Tan Ruqing was stunned, nodded slightly and said: "Yes, Ruqing is unfilial. He hasn't visited his grandmother's grave in several years. He hasn't kowtowed to her."
Zhang Yanling said: "That's it. Let's go to Nanjing with our family this time. On the one hand, the whole family is still together, so the princess will not object. On the other hand, I should also go to Mrs. Tan.
Let’s kowtow. The winter solstice is in November, so we can go there and repair the old lady’s grave in time. Let’s do our best to fulfill our filial piety.”
Tan Ruqing said happily: "Really? Are you really willing to take us with you?"
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "It's not like I'm going to fight. I'm going to Longjiang Shipyard to discuss ship manufacturing. This trip is very leisurely, and it doesn't matter if I bring my family with me."
Tan Ruqing said: "That's good, but what should we do here? I have to keep an eye on the affairs of the medical center and pharmacy. Otherwise, no one will care."
Zhang Yanling smiled and took her hand, squeezed it and said: "Don't worry, who can't do anything in this world without us? Are all the people we hired to take care of things useless? Drug production has become a process, and it's just the last step that needs your hand.
, that’s also to keep it a secret. At worst, we’ll work harder when we come back. Otherwise, we can just let Xiaozhu stay.”
Tan Ruqing said angrily: "You are heartless. Xiaozhu is my sister. She has been working as a cow and horse for the past few years and is more tired than me. I have to take her with me when I go to Nanjing."
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "Then just take her with you. I don't treat her as an outsider. She has really worked hard in the past few years. In the future, I will find a good family for her to marry, and we will give her a more dowry, and she will be in a good position."
Yes."
Tan Ruqing glared at Zhang Yanling and said: "Xiao Zhu is the best helper around me. We have grown up together. Although we are master and servant, we are actually like sisters. She is married, and I am too busy with many things.
Besides, I haven’t hid anything from Xiaozhu. She knows the process of making first-aid powder and the method of making cooling oil. Are you willing to let her go? Then she said she would leak the secret. You must blame me."
Zhang Yanling smiled bitterly and said: "What should we do? You shouldn't allow her to get married, right? Xiaozhu is eighteen, right? She's already past the age of marriage. You won't be so cruel and let her follow you all her life."
Tan Ruqing looked at Zhang Yanling and said, "I'm not that vicious. Husband, if this is not the case, you should take Xiaozhu away. It will be an advantage for you."
Zhang Yanling was startled, and hurriedly waved her hands and said: "No, no, no, I have no such idea, you don't need to test me. Xiaozhu and I are innocent. When I come to your place, I will behave myself as a maid in your room."
Tan Ruqing laughed out loud and said angrily: "Who tested you? I have been thinking about this for a long time. Xiaozhu has been with me since he was a child, and he is honest and reliable. There was something between you and me at the beginning, Xiaozhu said
She regretted telling the lie very much. If you don’t blame her, she is also very grateful. She has worked diligently in the past few years and has become
It's to repay you. I also asked her about finding her a husband, but she refused. She said she would follow me for the rest of her life. I think, anyway, I regard her as a sister, and you just take her in to fill the house.
Just give her a title. If I really want to marry her to someone else, I really won't be able to bear it, so it will be an advantage for you."
How could Zhang Yanling be mentally prepared? She and the maids at home were all innocent and had no ill thoughts towards them. Xiaozhu was a person close to Tan Ruqing, so she did not dare to have any thoughts.
At this moment, when I heard Tan Ruqing say this, he was still serious, and I couldn't accept it for a while.
"Let's talk about this later. Now is not the time to talk about this. You can tell them tomorrow and go to Nanjing together. Everyone should also take a rest. Go to Nanjing's Qinhuai River, Zhongshan Stone City, the Old Palace and so on.
There are many places to visit in the ancient capital of Jinling. It is better to go to avoid the cold and have fun. The winter in Beijing is also difficult, so it is enough to go to Nanjing and stay until coming back next spring." Zhang Yanling said.
Tan Ruqing nodded and said, "I'll go tell the princess and the others tomorrow."
The news spread quickly throughout the mansion the next morning. Xu Wanyi agreed as soon as she heard it. She had not left the capital for a long time. When she was a boudoir, she would go out for fun every year.
So everyone in the Zhang family got busy. On the one hand, they purchased and packed various items. After going to Nanjing to live for several months, the food and clothing costs of commonly used things may not be used, so naturally they had to pack them all and take them away. Not only
These, along with the maids, wet nurses, cooks and grooms at home, were all taken away because they still needed to serve when they arrived in Nanjing.
On the other hand, everyone made arrangements for the matters at hand. Arrangements were made for Tan Ruqing's medical clinic and pharmacy and Youtang's arsenal at Xishan Wild Dog Ridge to ensure that normal production would not be affected.
There are also people in charge of these places, and they are actually working diligently. There should be no major problems after a few months.
In addition, Xu Wanyi immediately ordered Ma Quan to go to Nanjing first and find a large shared house to rent first. This would prevent the whole family from living in an inn after arriving in a mess with no place to stay.
Xu Wanyi told Ma Quan that if he couldn't rent a good house, he might as well just buy one. Zhang Yanling rolled his eyes after hearing this. The two princesses, Xu Wanyi and Zhu Qingyi, were both used to being wealthy and spending a lot of money.
Buying a house is like buying a bun. If ordinary people heard this, they would grit their teeth in anger.
Zhang Yanling went to the palace to say goodbye to the emperor and the Queen Mother. After hearing that Zhang Yanling said that her family was going to Nanjing, the Queen Mother Zhang warned her to be careful on the road, and sent a letter saying so. Zhu Houzhao was also very envious, as he had not been out of Beijing for a long time.
Zhang Yanling promised him that next spring, she would accompany him to go out for a tour. There was only one thing, anywhere except the border town.
Zhang Yanling went to bid farewell to Ding Guogong Xu Guangzuo and his son, Zhang Lun and others. Everyone knew that he was going to the shipbuilding factory in Nanjing to build ships, but there was nothing to stop him. But he actually wanted to take his family to live in Nanjing, which made Xu Guangzuo
The couple complained for a while. Why did they say that the child was so young and the journey was bumpy? What's so good about Nanjing? Why not just stay in the capital?
Zhang Yanling told them that their daughter could not wait to leave, and the complaints from the parents-in-law stopped abruptly.
Zhu Lin was the most honest person. After learning about this incident, he immediately wrote a letter to his father, Cheng Guo Gong Zhu Fu, in Nanjing. He asked Zhu Fu, the governor of the Nanjing Chinese Army Governor's Office, to pay more attention to Zhang Yanling and do everything he could to receive Zhang Yanling.
The whole family was busy for three days. On the morning of October 9th, Zhang Yanling got up to wash up, change clothes and get ready to go. In the yard, he heard people neighing and horses neighing outside, and it was very lively.
When I walked out of the courtyard gate, I saw only a dozen horse-drawn carriages, packed full of take-out goods, piled up like a hill. Dozens of carts were lined up in the alley, extending to the street outside.
Zhang Yanling took one look and was speechless.
"Why do you bring tables, chairs and benches with you? We are not moving?" Zhang Yanling asked.
"I'm afraid that the tables and chairs in my house in Nanjing won't be useful. I like to sit on our huanghuali chairs. My back hurts when I sit on other chairs," Xu Wanyi said.
"Does it also come with a big bed?"
"I can't sleep well after changing the bed. It's not like you don't know that I am the bed maker."
"Then what are these slag bucket incense burners used for?"
"They are all things I often use. I keep them with me. I don't get used to them anymore."
"Then is it necessary to bring so many clothes and bedding? There are also these, which are snacks, dried fruits and other food. What are you bringing with you? And these, pens, inks, papers and inkstones? You think Nanjing is a remote place. Can’t you buy anything?”
"You are really a person who is deliberately looking for trouble, aren't you? I'll take it with you, so what? Do you want to quarrel? Mother-in-law, you look like a girl." Xu Wanyi finally got impatient and said with her hands on her hips.
Zhang Yanling raised her hands in surrender, secretly blaming herself for talking too much.
Amid the roars of laughter from all the wives, concubines, and servants, everyone boarded the vehicle and set off. Zhang Yanling was riding on a horse, and 500 cavalry guards from the Municipal Shipping Department were surrounding him. The vehicle set off slowly, and the team stretched for several miles, attracting the attention of the people on the street.
What they knew was that the Protector was out with his family, but those who didn’t know thought that the Protector’s house had been ransacked.