Daming: At the beginning, recognize Zhu Yuanzhang as grandfather!

Chapter 99 Meet the Uncles and Nephews!

Yingtian City.

The past few days have been extremely lively, with dancing pavilions and singing stages, dignitaries, wealthy merchants, and literati can be seen everywhere.

All because the Longevity Day is coming up.

Longevity Day, this is a grand festival, during which slaughtering is prohibited, criminal names are ignored for a few days before and after, and the whole country is on holiday for three days, and the common people also take the opportunity to rest.

The artisans of the capital used colorful paintings and cloth to decorate the main streets in colorful ways, singing and dancing everywhere.

Even eunuchs and maids of low status in the palace can wear their favorite clothes instead of blue and purple.

It can be said that the government and the opposition enjoy the same joy.

The Forbidden City, in the inner garden.

It was also rare for Zhu Yuanzhang to rest for a few days, because all the officials also knew that the old man's birthday was coming, so they stopped making random reports. Even if there were important matters, they would wait until after the festival.

Concubine Guo Hui supported the old man and walked slowly, followed by a group of palace servants.

"Your Majesty, slow down!"

When going up the steps, Concubine Guo Hui reminded her softly.

"Hey! Do you think we are really old and blind?"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said: "We have fought for most of our lives, and we are not too old to walk, so don't help!"

Concubine Guo Hui smiled and said, "Yes, yes, brother-in-law is the best!"

Although she said so, Concubine Guo Hui still didn't let go.

The old man also followed her, his nose moved suddenly, and he said, "Concubine Hui, what's the smell on you now? It seems like we've never smelled it before!"

Concubine Guo Hui's face suddenly turned red, and she said coquettishly: "Isn't this the perfume that Xiongying's child gave me? Last night, my concubine had nothing to do, so I tried to spray some on my body, how about it?"

"Well, it smells so good! It's much better than those powders!"

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows, and said with a smile: "That brat knows how to fiddle with these things to please women. If he really sells them, will he fascinate all the men in the world?"

Concubine Guo Hui smiled coquettishly: "Then brother-in-law is now obsessed with concubines?"

If someone made fun of her like this, maybe Zhu Yuanzhang would think she was bewitching the king's heart, and maybe he would just pull her out and chop her up.

But Concubine Guo Hui said it was different.

The two have gone through ups and downs for most of their lives, and Concubine Guo Hui has been by Zhu Yuanzhang's side since she was very young.

At that time, Marshal Guo had just left, and the Guo Tianxu brothers were not good people, so Ma Xiuying took Concubine Guo Hui over and lived with her and his wife.

Later, with the help of her sister Ma Xiuying, Concubine Guo Hui married her most admired brother-in-law.

That year, she was only 15 years old.

When she first got married, she didn't know anything, she called her brother-in-law every day, and made a lot of jokes.

And the title of brother-in-law did not change until Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne.

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at the well-maintained, charming and fragrant woman in front of him, and couldn't help but feel in a trance.

"Brother-in-law, why don't you go to my place to rest tonight?"

Concubine Guo Hui looked at Zhu Yuanzhang tenderly.

"Ah."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, then remembered something, and said, "The last time I asked you to help our eldest grandson find a wife, how did it go?"

Concubine Guo Hui replied with a smile: "The concubine has fallen in love with a girl, I don't know what your Majesty thinks?"

"Tell me now."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hands and urged.

"Your Majesty, you have seen that child before. She is the third daughter of the Xu family, Xu Miaojin. She is good-looking, and like her sister, she is chaste and demure, with excellent talents and virtues." It's also suitable, according to my concubine, it couldn't be more suitable."

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes slightly.

"That's a good idea. Xu Da's eldest daughter married the fourth child. We heard that she took care of the family well for the fourth child. If the third daughter is also like the eldest daughter, she is really a good candidate!"

Xu Da's eldest daughter, known as Nv Zhusheng, Ming history and all official historical materials did not mention the name of this Nv Zhusheng, not even unofficial history, but her younger sister left a name in history, that is Xu Miaojin.

The female students are quite good. After marrying Zhu Di, the king of Yan, she also became a good helper of the king of Yan. She treated people very well and was deeply loved by Zhu Yuanzhang and Queen Ma.

So when the old man heard that Xu Miaojin was like her sister, he couldn't help but be moved.

Concubine Guo Hui hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's just..."

"Just what? Is there anything else you can't tell us directly?"

"It's just that the concubine visited Xu's residence last time. The three brothers of the Xu family said that they can't make the decision. It depends on whether the girl Xu Miaojin is willing or not."

"Humph!"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly when he heard the words: "Being able to marry our eldest grandson is a blessing she has cultivated in eight lifetimes. If she doesn't want to, then she is blind, and there is nothing to regret!"

Concubine Guo Hui said with a smile: "Your Majesty, I didn't say I don't want to!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Well, come tomorrow, you can find an excuse to bring the girl from the Xu family into the palace, and let us guard it."

Concubine Guo Hui smiled and said, "Your Majesty, haven't you seen that baby before?"

"Hey, how long ago was that!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said, "This time we are choosing a wife for our eldest grandson. How can we rest assured if we don't check it out ourselves?"

"The concubine knows!" Concubine Guo Hui replied with a smile.

While chatting, the old couple went to Concubine Guo Hui's bedroom.

At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang's new personal eunuch Liu Bao hurried over and reported respectfully: "Your Majesty, there has just been news that the kings of Qin, Jin, and Yan, the kings of the three princes, have entered the palace. Yingtian City is here, and the other princes' teams are almost here."

"Ah."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, and said: "When the vassal kings from all walks of life come to Beijing, the Ministry of Rites arranges officials to pick them up, so that they don't rush into the palace, they are exhausted all the way, and find a place to rest in the city by themselves, waiting for our words .”

Although the palace is large, there are no residences for the princes.

The last time King Qi returned to Beijing, it was Honglu Temple who made arrangements, but this time there were more than a dozen vassal kings from all walks of life, each with their own team, Honglu Temple couldn't make arrangements at all.

So Zhu Yuanzhang asked all the vassals to find their own residences in Yingtian City.

Most of these vassal princes have their own mansions in the capital, even if they don't, a majestic prince can't be unable to find a residence, right?
"Observe the decree, this servant is going to spread the word!"

Liu Bao respectfully accepted the order, then bowed and retreated.

"Our son is back, our sons are all back!" Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile, the wrinkles on his face melted away.

Concubine Guo Hui smiled and said, "If you like it, Your Majesty, why don't you let them come back every Longevity Day?"

"How about that?"

Zhu Yuanzhang glared: "Concubine Hui, do you know how much it will cost them to come back? Besides, the local governments along the way have to entertain this and that. It is the common people who are suffering!"

"We can't let the common people suffer for our own pleasure, understand?"

"The concubine has been taught!" Concubine Guo Hui replied respectfully.

"Okay, let's not talk about this, go, go to your place!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was in a good mood and strode forward. Concubine Guo Hui hummed and hurriedly followed...

……

In Yingtian City.

Yan Wang Zhu Di's team moved into Yan Wang's mansion in the capital, Yan Wang Mansion.

"Your Highness, do you want to see someone?"

Yao Guangxiao clasped his hands together, stood behind Zhu Di, and spoke quietly.

"Who?"

"Zhu Xiongying, no, he is still Huang Xiongying now."

After hearing Yao Guangxiao's words, Zhu Di narrowed his eyes slightly.

"If Your Highness doesn't go to see him last time, I'm afraid that after a few days, His Highness will perform the ceremony of a monarch and minister when he sees him."

Yao Guangxiao's voice continued to resound faintly...

……

Chase Street.

This is a street next to the imperial city, the street is wide and straight, and it is one of the busiest streets in Yingtian City.

The ground is bluestone pavement, and on both sides are about three storeys of business houses with signboards and guises.

Because it is during the Wanshou Festival, it is even more lively here.

There is an endless stream of pedestrians, there are ordinary people, there are scholars and officials, there are high-ranking officials and nobles, and there are traffickers and pawns.

Zhu Xiongying's restaurant is among them.

In the past few days, his wine can be said to be in short supply, and he sells as much as he has.

And these days, he also launched something new.

watermelon.

Watermelon is an alien species to China. The reason why it is called watermelon is because it was introduced to China from the Western Regions.

As early as very early, watermelon has become a popular summer fruit, and there are many proverbs related to watermelon, such as eating watermelon in summer, no need to catch medicine, wearing a fur coat in the morning and wearing gauze at noon, eating watermelon with a stove in your arms, etc. Wait.

No one knows when watermelons were introduced to China.

However, watermelon is a popular summer fruit in China. The flesh is sweet and can cool down the heat; the seeds contain oil and can be used as a recreational food;

The reason why Zhu Xiongying put the watermelons out was because Xiaobao couldn't finish the watermelons he had grown in the greenhouse.

Rather than letting it rot, take it out and sell it.

However, watermelon is not a product of this season, and it is also expensive, so it does not sell well.

In front of the restaurant, there was a random pile of watermelons, and no one cared about it. Almost everyone came to the restaurant for the wine.

Just when the Guo brothers were about to ignore them, a middle-aged man in Chinese clothes came to the door with a monk.

It was Zhu Di and Monk Daoyan.

Looking at the watermelons on the stand, both of them showed curiosity, because of course they knew about watermelons, but watermelons shouldn't appear in this season.

After all, most watermelons ripen in June and July, and now it’s late October. Where do you get watermelons?

Dao Yan gave Zhu Di a wink.

Zhu Di understood, stepped forward to pat the watermelon, and asked, "How do you sell this melon?"

"Two dollars a catty!" Guo Zhen replied casually.

"Ah--"

Zhu Di was startled when he heard the words, and couldn't help but chuckled, "Is the melon rind made of gold, or the melon seeds are made of gold particles, which are so expensive?"

Guo Zhen didn't care so much, she sneered, and said: "Look, where are there still melons now? These are all melons that my boss spent a lot of money on. You think it's expensive, and I think it's too expensive!"

"Oh?"

Zhu Di raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "Then can you ask your boss to come out for a while, I want to buy melons."

Guo Zhen thought for a while and replied, "Okay."

After all, His Highness ordered these melons to be sold, and now a buyer finally came to the door, and His Highness happened to be in the shop.

After a moment.

Zhu Xiongying came out, looked at the middle-aged man and the monk, and asked without thinking too much, "Buy melons?"

Although Zhu Di was mentally prepared, he couldn't help being startled when he saw Zhu Xiongying, and stared at Zhu Xiongying.

picture!
Take a closer look, it does look like it!
However, Zhu Di quickly stabilized his mind and said with a smile, "Choose one for me!"

"to make!"

Zhu Xiongying responded, then turned around and picked out a watermelon, and put it in front of Zhu Di: "How about this one?"

Unexpectedly, Zhu Di smiled playfully and said, "Is this melon ripe?"

Zhu Xiongying laughed when he heard the words: "Since I sell it, can I sell you raw melon eggs?"

Zhu Di's face sank all of a sudden, and he said, "I ask you, is this melon ripe?"

As soon as Zhu Xiongying heard this, he immediately took another look at the middle-aged man and the black-robed monk in front of him, and said in a deep voice: "You are deliberately finding fault, aren't you? In a word, do you want it?"

Zhu Di laughed, and said, "If this melon is ripe, I will definitely want it! What if it is not ripe?"

Zhu Di came here to find fault, and it was weird to see watermelons in this season, so Zhu Di didn't believe that the watermelons in this season were really ripe.

After all, the weather turns cold after autumn, so it's no wonder that watermelons are ripe!

But Zhu Xiongying also smiled, and said: "If it's not familiar, I'll eat it raw and eat the melon rind, is that okay?"

"Row!"

Zhu Di nodded, and he and Monk Daoyan glanced at each other, with smiles flashing in the eyes of both of them.

Zhu Xiongying saw it in his eyes and knew that the two people had bad intentions, so the corner of his mouth slightly curled up, and said: "If it is ripe, you can eat it raw and eat the melon rind, is that okay?"

Hearing this, Zhu Di couldn't help frowning.

Monk Daoyan stood up at this time and said with a smile, "Okay!"

He just secretly checked the melon pedicle, apparently it was picked just now. It is impossible for watermelon to be ripe in autumn and winter when it has become cooler.

Otherwise, there will be no such thing as being fatter than spring rain and bitterer than autumn frost.

Zhu Xiongying's expression darkened, and he said, "Remember what you said!"

The voice fell.

Zhu Xiongying picked up the knife at the side, saw a flash of cold light, and split open the watermelon on the desk.

With the hand raised and the knife dropped, the melon is cut in half.

Zhu Di and Dao Yan stared at the split melon with wide-eyed eyes, as if they had been slapped in the face, and they were stunned as if roots had taken root under their feet.

The flesh of the melon is bright red, so it is ripe!

Zhu Di and Dao Yan were dumbfounded.

They originally wanted to meet Zhu Xiongying, but when they saw the watermelons in front of the shop, they couldn't help but want to use this to make trouble, attract Zhu Xiongying, and embarrass him.

Unexpectedly, it was me who was embarrassed in the end!

And they are also puzzled, how can there be ripe melons in this season?
This……

Very abnormal!
Just in a daze, Zhu Xiongying retracted the knife and said with a smile: "The melon is ripe, eat it raw!"

(End of this chapter)