Cricket fighting originated in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty. By the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, it had become an extremely popular game for everyone from the nobles to the scoundrels in the market. It is said that in Shandong and other high-quality cricket-producing areas, every household will be in the fields as soon as autumn comes.
Catch crickets in front of and behind the house, and raise them carefully after catching them. Cricket dealers will come to collect the crickets at regular intervals. Both parties make comments. Of course, low-grade goods are not wanted. Medium-grade goods can be sold for several tens of dollars, and high-grade goods can be sold for several tens of dollars.
The goods can be sold for hundreds of dollars, and if they are at the insect king level, they can even be sold for thousands of dollars.
The money that the common people get in exchange for crickets is often higher than the harvest of a year's hard work, so they are naturally satisfied and grateful to the dealers. Little do they know that when they sell it to the capital, Suzhou and Hangzhou, the profit is ten times or ten times that of the best.
It’s not uncommon for goods to make profits thousands of times.
When the crickets brought to the capital from other places have become familiar with the environment and are energetic, the players' carnival begins. Especially in the capital city, which has the most wealthy people, the most idle people, and the most gamblers in the world, every August and September,
The gambling doors are wide open, and the whole city is like crazy. In the streets and alleys, there are thousands of fighting arenas at the same time, and fierce fighting is going on.
For this reason, the imperial censors and officials went to the emperor several times and requested that gambling games such as cricket fighting be banned. Playing with things not only made people lose their morale, but also brought the harm of gambling. Zhu Di did not take it seriously. He knew that people's gambling instinct is in their bones.
, instead of strictly controlling it and forcing it to go underground, causing the court to lose tax revenue, it is better to acquiesce and collect taxes from the ground... This is actually the same idea as his father's idea of opening a government-run brothel by the Qinhuai River.
The emperor didn't care, and the princes and nobles had no scruples at all, so they naturally started to play. Big players like King Zhao, Duke Dingguo, and Marquis Yongkang even set up a fighting arena directly in their residences, starting day and night, taking the throne and ending the game.
, turning cricket fighting into a business.
What Wang Xian and Zhu Zhanji were going to was King Zhao's Qingliang villa at the foot of Qingliang Mountain in the west corner of the capital. Of course, at this time of year, this villa was called another name - Qiukui Arena.
As the carriage drove to the front of the house, Wang Xian saw cars and sedans parked outside the gate, "Are these all coming to fight insects?"
"Otherwise, what's the reason?" Zhu Zhanji said with low interest.
"It looks like you are either rich or noble." Wang Xian exclaimed like a country bumpkin. The carriages in this era were on the same level as the BMWs in later generations. If you can ride in a sedan, it would be a Rolls-Royce...
"Of course." Zhu Zhanji said: "You can't get in if you're not rich or noble." As he spoke, his carriage drove straight into the mansion. The sedan bearers and coachmen waiting outside looked sideways and asked in low voices.
Which nobleman is it... You can't get into King Zhao's house just by having money.
When the carriage stopped, several young men in colorful clothes came out to greet Zhu Zhanji who got off the carriage. They smiled and said, "I'm looking forward to the stars, looking forward to the moon, and finally your highness is here." "Yes, today I can finally see the red carpet."
The demeanor of a great general"
Zhu Zhanji's expression suddenly froze, and he forced a smile and said, "I just came to take a look today."
Several young people were stunned, and then suddenly said: "That's right. Only when you know yourself and the enemy can you fight a hundred battles without danger."
Zhu Zhanji's face was so hot that he couldn't tell due to his dark skin.
"Who is this?" Looking at Wang Xian who was following him, everyone asked with a smile.
"My buddy, Wang Xian." Zhu Zhanji pulled Wang Xian over and introduced them to him. They are all the sons of princes. The leader of them is Zhu Yong, Duke of Chengguo... His father is the famous Jingnan hero Zhu Yong.
Neng, Yongle died of illness in the fourth year of the Southern Expedition, and Zhu Yong took the title. He is only over 20 years old now.
Wang Xian couldn't help but secretly lamented that people are really incomparable. He is the Duke of the country when he is less than twenty years old, but he is already twenty, and he still has no rank or class.
"Scare, it turns out you are Wang Xian," but Zhu Neng and others were also very interested in him, patting him on the shoulder and saying, "Master Yao's disciple is really famous."
These bastards talk nice, but use hard force with their hands. Even though Wang Xian beats his muscles and bones every day, the pain still makes him gasp in pain, but he still manages to smile.
Zhu Zhanji blocked the hands of several people and said with a smile: "They are like this. They have to show off their strengths when they meet. They don't play with weak scholars."
Wang Xianqiang smiled and said: "Fortunately, I can't be good at martial arts."
The young masters burst out laughing: "That's the best, just like us." After saying that, they ignored Wang Xian and followed the grandson towards Qiukuitang. The so-called Qiukuitang is the main arena of the five-couplet hall.
There are more than a dozen low-legged sandalwood square tables, with three chairs beside each table. The hosts of the two main fighting parties sit across from each other, with the arbitration seat in the middle. The periphery is surrounded by spectators and gamblers.
Because crickets are only as big as your little finger, and they are fighting in a cricket basin. It is impossible to see them clearly from a distance. Therefore, no matter whether you are a prince or a nobleman or a scoundrel in the city, when you look at them, your heads are next to each other, shoulders are rubbing shoulders, and your faces are
It was stained with spit particles, but I was still enjoying it. I was so intoxicated that I forgot about the etiquette and dignity.
At this time, the hall was crowded, and almost every table was crowded with people, but the table in the middle covered with yellow silk was empty. Several people told Zhu Zhanji that the champion of this table was Zhao
His Royal Highness's Golden Winged King has won eighteen games in a row. Many masters who do not believe in evil, both inside and outside the capital, have been defeated. Now no one dares to challenge them.
"I'm one of those people who doesn't believe in evil. I felt that this year's purple-robed marshal was also a victorious master. So I had a gambling battle with King Zhao and agreed that whoever lost would close my fighting arena. The result was that
As soon as he came out, the purple-robed marshal was bitten to a bare bone..." Zhu Yong said with a sad face: "I live here every day, just hoping that someone will avenge me." He is really sad, start a season
In the fighting arena, just by sitting on the bank and pumping water, there are at least three to fifty thousand taels of silver, which is enough for the daily expenses of the government of other countries.
"Yes, so are we..." Several noble gentlemen cried one after another. They realized that they were all defeated by King Zhao's men. They lost at least ten thousand taels of silver. They were anxious and fuming to get back their losses. And His Highness Taisun was one of them.
The hope of Zhu Zhanji - the insects raised by Zhu Zhanji last year were also invincible in the capital. It was not until the end of autumn, when he was old and frail, that he was defeated by Zhu Gaosui's insects. However, everyone felt that the insects of His Highness Taisun
They had fought too much before, and they were already at the end of their game. If they were at their peak, it would not be certain who would win or lose. So everyone is full of expectations for their showdown this year. Zhu Yong and others all know Zhu Zhanji and Zhao Wang
I made a bet and guessed that he would come today, so I waited here early in the morning.
At this time, the gamblers also saw Zhu Zhanji and came to greet him one after another. They all said the following words: "Last year, your highness was defeated. I think you will be able to reach a higher level this year. Whether you can defeat the Golden Winged King depends on your highness."
Yes
Zhu Zhanji wanted to say that my red-robed general was eaten by a chicken, but he was a man who wanted to save face. He couldn't express this situation. He couldn't help but feel like his face was burning, and he wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl in. At this time, Zhu Zhanji
Yong saw the clues and asked in a low voice: "Don't you have confidence, Your Highness?"
"How could it be possible?" Zhu Zhanji laughed loudly while trying to hide it: "I must be the winner..."
Before he finished speaking, he heard a "well said". Dressed in a decent black robe, a jade belt around his waist, and holding an ivory folding fan, His Highness King Zhao appeared in the hall surrounded by a group of servants. Wang Xian had already heard this.
It is said that the emperor's three sons, the eldest is like Buddha, the second is like father, and the third is like mother. Now look at Zhao Wang Gao Sui, his eyebrows are similar to Xu Miaojin, he is already a rare handsome man.
"Third uncle." Zhu Zhanji arched his fist.
"Good nephew, no courtesy." Zhu Gaosui said with a smile: "You asked my third uncle to wait. I thought you were going to break the appointment. After listening to what you just said, I am completely relieved."
"Haha..." Zhu Zhanji smiled and said, "How can my nephew be a person who doesn't keep his word?"
"That's right, Your Majesty, if you break the appointment, wouldn't it make people laugh?" Zhu Gaosui said with a smile: "My bug can end at any time. It's better to choose a day than to hit it, let's just today?"
"I'm afraid it won't work today." Zhu Yong said for Zhu Zhanji: "His Royal Highness Taisun did not bring his red-robed general.
"What?" Zhu Gaosui opened the folding fan elegantly, shook it gently and teased: "Is the sentimental nephew here to spy on military affairs?"
"I just came to take a look," Zhu Zhanji said halfway, feeling a little soft, so he said firmly: "I stopped by to make an appointment with my third uncle."
"You can decide the date as you wish." Zhu Gaosui said magnanimously: "Save people from saying that I bully the juniors."
"Then let's do it the day after tomorrow. The day after tomorrow will be the time," Zhu Zhanji said.
Wang Xianxin said, okay, let’s take a total of three days off. You can delay it as long as you can...
"No problem." Zhu Gaosui agreed and said magnanimously: "Since my nephew is here to see me, I can't let you go in vain." He said to a gambler in his thirties: "Since it's too late today.
Sun Bubi, cousin, you don’t have to wait for tomorrow."
The person who was called cousin was Xu Jingchang, Duke of Dingguo, and his father was Xu Zengshou, the younger brother of Queen Xu. Xu Zengshou had been informing Zhu Di at that time. On the day when Jinling City was destroyed, Emperor Jianwen killed him on the Golden Palace. Zhu Di caressed his body after entering the city.
Da Lai was posthumously granted the title of hereditary Duke Dingguo, and was succeeded by his eldest son Xu Jingchang. This Duke of Dingguo, at such a young age, had reached the peak of heterogeneous surnames in the Ming Dynasty. What else could he pursue? Just play in a different way.
.
There was a place in his house before, but like Zhu Yong, he was shut down by Zhu Gaosui's Golden Winged King. However, he was not convinced and searched everywhere for crickets that could take revenge. This time he spent a sky-high price of 10,000 taels of silver to get a cricket from Shandong.
After buying an insect king, he happily came to seek revenge from Zhu Gaosui.
It is said that the cricket that Duke Ding brought for revenge must be extremely strong, but Zhu Gaosui dared to agree to his challenge before the battle with Zhu Zhanji. He obviously had full confidence in the Golden Winged King.
Xu Jingchang nodded solemnly, knowing that he could not back down, because insects follow human nature, and if the master is not confident and the insects are listless, there is no possibility of winning.