Daming: Mixed in Dangzhi County, Beiping

It wasn't until Guo An left that Zhu Di slowly opened his eyes.

Zhu Gaochi took a careful look and found that his father's eyes were filled with helplessness.

Unable to bear it, he called out, "Dad?"

"What's the matter?"

Zhu Di snorted coldly.

Zhu Gaochi said with some reluctance: "Dad, when the sweet potatoes are taken back, do you really want to give the teacher ten stones?"

Zhu Di's face was full of irritation, "Can you agree with Duke Dingguo on food?"

Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but look helpless.

"Dad, it seems that the teacher has never taken the initiative to ask you for anything!"

"yes……"

Zhu Di sighed slightly, then his face was full of hatred, "Why is this thief Guo so greedy!"

Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but smile.

Zhu Di added: "Guo Qing sent people overseas to find those sweet potatoes from the barbarians. It was Guo Qing who taught those people to cultivate and plant them..."

"For such a great contribution, I haven't thought about what to reward Guo Qing... Now, Guo Qing has taken the initiative to ask for sweet potatoes. If I don't give it, wouldn't I be denying the merit and neglecting the meritorious officials? Maybe Guo Qing will still return the favor. They will be behind my back and say something wrong about me!"

"Father..."

Zhu Gaochi was just about to say a few words of flattery when he realized something was wrong and hurriedly changed his tune.

"Father is a wise man! However, the teacher is loyal to his father and will not dare to do such a treasonous act!"

"okay!"

Zhu Di was a little tired and leaned back slowly, "Guo Qing and I have known each other for more than ten years. How can we not know what his temper is?"

"Since Guo Qing asked for it, let's give it to him!"

"Father Emperor Shengming!"

Zhu Gaochi said respectfully again.

Zhu Di couldn't help but glance at Zhu Gaochi and said angrily: "Don't try to imitate Guo Qing in everything!"

Zhu Gaochi suddenly smiled with ridicule.

……

Dingguo Gongfu.

After Guo An entered the house, he washed up and went straight to the back house.

As autumn enters, the bellies of Liu Baiwei and Yue Lan are getting bigger and bigger.

Now, I lie on a soft chair every day, and my whole day is spent lying down.

"The master is back!"

Seeing Guo An, Liu Baiwei and Yuelan's originally sleepy expressions suddenly became energetic.

"Ok!"

Guo An nodded slightly, and then asked: "Have you two met the target today?"

Liu Baiwei replied as if asking for credit: "Don't worry, sir, I and Yuelan have been walking in the back garden for a quarter of an hour!"

"Very good!"

Guo An was very satisfied, "When the sweet potatoes from Jiangjun Mountain are harvested, I will definitely get some for you so you can have a good taste!"

"Thank you, sir!"

Liu Baiwei and Yuelan were overjoyed.

Then, Liu Baiwei remembered something, frowned, and said worriedly: "Sir, those sweet potatoes are of great use to the Ming Dynasty, and His Majesty also values ​​them very much. Can I come, sir?"

"Don't worry, sister!"

Guo An looked confident, "We will definitely give it to the girl!"

Liu Baiwei said worriedly: "Master, please don't force me!"

"We will not act recklessly..."

Before Guo An finished speaking, he saw Liu Baiwei frowning and hugging her stomach with both hands, looking a little painful.

"Ouch..."

"Sister, what's wrong?"

Liu Baiwei didn't reply, but kept holding her belly. After a while, her expression gradually improved, "Master, don't worry, it's the kid in your belly who is not honest!"

Guo An couldn't help but said harshly: "This guy dares to bully our girl before he comes out. After he comes out, we will definitely beat him up to vent her anger!"

Liu Baiwei glared at Guo An angrily, "When will the master even vent his anger on an unborn child?"

"Who made him so dishonest!"

Guo An snorted lightly and then said: "Sister, it's almost time for this guy to come out.

To be on the safe side, we will send someone to the medical school and ask two female doctors to come to the house. They can be there at any time! "

Liu Baiwei said in surprise: "Master, there is still more than a month until I give birth!"

"That's not much!"

Guo An smiled slightly.

Liu Baiwei nodded and said: "In that case, then let the master arrange it!"

"Um……"

Half an hour later.

Guo Ang hurriedly walked to the medical hall!

at the same time.

A group of imperial guards also came out of the palace and headed towards Jiangjun Mountain outside the city.

All the officials in the capital were in panic again.

When they heard that these guards were going to the Jiangjun Mountain test field, all the officials breathed a sigh of relief.

……

A secret message went from the north to the south and entered the palace.

"Zhu Xunxuan's letter?"

Looking at the letter in front of him, a trace of doubt flashed in Zhu Di's eyes.

However, I still opened it and looked at it.

Seeing this, Zhu Di's expression narrowed slightly.

"The prince Zhu Xunxuan risked his life to report to Your Majesty that his father was violent and often killed people for no reason... The Bronze Hammer Demon King...

He only dotes on his side concubine, Mrs. Xu, hates his mother-in-law and his direct descendants, and often beats and scolds..."

After reading it, Zhu Di became furious.

"What a great acting king, who refuses to change despite repeated admonitions and is cruel and unethical. Even if we cut off the bodyguards in the house, you still dare to kill people like this. What you did is inhumane!

I don’t believe it. As my elder brother, the Emperor of Ming Dynasty has no control over you! "

Below, Yi Shihu trembled and said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, please calm down and don't let your anger break your body!"

"Humph!"

Zhu Di let out a long sigh, picked up the letter again, took a look at it, and said: "Summon the prince, Duke Wei, Duke Ding, Duke Cao, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Personnel!"

"The slaves obey the orders!"

Yi Shiha hurriedly ran out in small steps.

soon.

One by one, the eunuchs hurried out of the palace.

"Your Majesty summoned me?"

In Duke Ding's mansion, Guo Anzheng was bored in the three-thirds of the cornfield in the back garden, searching one by one for any caterpillars on the corn stalks and leaves.

Hearing Guo Ang's words, a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes.

However, he quickly walked out, put on his python robe, and followed the eunuch to the palace.

At the gate of the palace, Guo An had just gotten off the carriage, and his expression was startled again.

From the two carriages on the side, Li Jinglong and Xu Huizu, who were also wearing python robes, actually got off.

"Wei Guogong, Cao Guogong?"

"Dong Guo?"

The three of them were startled, and then their faces became solemn.

They greeted each other and went to the palace.

On the way, Xu Huizu asked casually: "I heard that sweet potatoes have been planted in the experimental field outside Dingguogong City?"

Li Jinglong also quickly looked at Guo An.

"Exactly!"

Guo An nodded slightly.

Xu Huizu asked again: "So, Duke Dingguo knows how much sweet potatoes can be harvested?"

Guo An frowned slightly and shook his head slowly.

"I disappoint Duke Wei. This is my first time planting sweet potatoes! I don't know how much I can harvest!"

"I see!"

Xu Huizu nodded slightly and did not continue to ask any more questions.

On the side, a trace of disappointment flashed in Li Jinglong's eyes.

However, he didn't say much.

soon.

The three of them followed the eunuch and came to Fengtian Hall.

Seeing several people standing in Fengtian Hall, Guo An's eyes flashed with surprise again.

Especially, after seeing Zhu Di's livid face, he couldn't help but wonder, could it be that Wang Zhen's side had really discovered some extremely corrupt officials?

However, thinking in his mind, Guo An still followed Xu Huizu and Li Jinglong in saluting.

"I have met with Your Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Three beloved ladies, no need to be polite!"

Without waiting for Guo An and others to ask questions, Zhu Di said directly: "The Crown Prince of Datong has sent a letter asking us for help!"

"Asking for help on behalf of the prince?"

Guo An, Li Jinglong and others couldn't help but look shocked.

Xu Huizu, on the other hand, looked worried.

"May I ask Your Majesty, why does the Prince ask for help?"

Zhu Di looked at Xu Huizu and said with an incomprehensible expression: "Wei Guogong, you have been to Datong before. Have you ever heard of the name Bronze Hammer Demon King?"

"Acting King?"

Xu Huizu looked strange.

"I didn't expect that you heard it too!"

Zhu Di chuckled, but there was no expression on his face, which was so cold that it chilled his heart.

"We didn't expect that even after we cut off his bodyguard, he would still be so cruel and ruthless. He would kill people at every turn. He would only dote on his side concubine, Mrs. Xu. He would also frequently beat and scold the main concubine, Mrs. Xu, the prince, and others..."

"Why is the acting king still like this?"

Xu Huizu frowned. On the side, Guo An, Li Jinglong and others looked strange.

really.

Zhu Di then looked at Guo An and said, "Guo Qing, how do you think I should respond to King Dai's cruel behavior?"

Guo Andao: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, this is a royal matter, I am a humble minister..."

"This is also a state matter!"

Without waiting for Guo An to refuse, Zhu Di said directly: "The acting king stationed in Datong is the Ming Dynasty's king. If the acting king changes, something will happen to our Ming Dynasty!"

Guo An's expression changed, he sighed softly, and asked: "May I ask, Your Majesty, how do you feel about acting as the crown prince?"

Zhu Di said: "He wants to borrow troops from me and wants to go to sea to attack overseas barbarian countries!"

"Go to sea?"

Guo An was stunned, "Your Majesty, this...according to your previous decree, all the vassal kings of the Ming Dynasty can go to sea if they want to!"

Zhu Di asked: "Guo Qing thinks that what he begs for on behalf of the prince is feasible?"

Guo An shook his head again and again, "Your Majesty, although the Crown Prince is begging, he knows what King Dai means!"

Zhu Di asked again: "What does Guo Qing think I should do with the king?"

"This……"

Guo An's expression couldn't help but change again, and he said hurriedly:

"Your Majesty, although I am the Duke of the country, I can only study some objects and do not understand these things!

However, I would like to abide by His Majesty's will. If His Majesty wants to deal with the King in this way, I will fully support it! "

Zhu Di looked at the Minister of Rites on the side, "Minister of Rites, King Dai is cruel and unruly, refuses to change despite repeated admonitions, and disobeys my will. How do you think we should deal with him?"

Hearing this, Zheng Yi, the Minister of Rites, looked bitter.

Guo An could refuse this matter by claiming that he didn't understand anything.

However, he is the Minister of Rites and is in charge of all the rites in the world!

"Reporting to Your Majesty, on behalf of the king, he disobeyed the imperial edict and committed a heinous crime. The whole family should be executed!

However, the king is the Ming Dynasty vassal king and his Majesty's brother. The ministers think that they can handle it as appropriate, deprive him of the royal title, depose him as a commoner, and imprison him in the palace!

As for his throne, it can be succeeded by the crown prince! "

Zhu Di looked at Jian Yi, the official minister, and asked, "What do the officials think?"

Jian Yi looked solemn and said, "Your Majesty, I am here to support you. However, for the Crown Prince to sue his father as a son, this is a great crime of unfilial piety, and I think he is not qualified to inherit the title of Prince Dai!"

Xu Huizu's expression changed and he said in a deep voice: "The king on behalf of the king has no moral principles. The prince on behalf of the king has no choice but to seek self-protection from your majesty. This is the great duke!"

Zhu Di looked around and ignored Li Jinglong, who had been silent. Instead, he looked at Prince Zhu Gaochi.

"What do you think the prince should do with the acting king?"

Zhu Gaochi took a deep breath, cupped his hands and said, "Back to my father, I think what Zheng Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites said is very reasonable!"

"In that case..."

Zhu Di pondered for a moment and looked at Xu Huizu and Zheng Yi, the Minister of Rites.

"Then according to what Zheng Qing's family said, he deprived himself of the title of king, deposed him as a commoner, and imprisoned him in the palace.

As for the palace of Prince Dai, it will be in charge of Prince Zhu Xunxuan first!

It's up to you two to announce the decree on this matter, and by the way, investigate the situation in the Prince's Palace! "

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Guo An and Li Jinglong quickly flattered.

The expressions of Xu Huizu and Zheng Yi, the Minister of Rites, changed slightly.

Why did Your Majesty make a decision so quickly?

After just asking around, there was no suggestion from the court, so they decided to cut off the title of a vassal king?

Zhu Di asked quietly: "Do Duke Wei and Zheng Aiqing have any questions?"

"The minister obeys the order!"

Xu Huizu responded quickly.

Zheng Yi, the Minister of Rites, smiled bitterly in his heart and bowed slightly.

"The minister obeys the order!"

"Very good!"

……

After leaving the palace, Guo An said goodbye to Xu Huizu and Li Jinglong, then got on the carriage and headed home.

But, we haven’t gone very far yet.

The carriage was stopped.

Guo An stuck his head out and looked at the smiling face outside, with a trace of surprise in his eyes.

"Brother Li, what is this?"

Li Jinglong smiled and said, "Brother Guo, let's find out about the sweet potato thing!"

With that said, he got directly into the carriage.

Guo An helplessly ordered Xu Yong in front, and the carriage started moving again!

Li Jinglong asked directly: "Brother Guo, how many acres of sweet potatoes have been planted?"

"Nine Acres!"

Guo An said.

"Nine acres?"

Li Jinglong's eyes lit up and he asked again: "In this case, wouldn't it be possible to produce seventy or eighty shi of sweet potatoes?"

"it should be OK!"

Guo An nodded slightly.

"hiss……"

Li Jinglong opened his mouth wide, and after a while, he said excitedly: "Brother Guo, how long does it take for sweet potatoes to mature?"

"Usually three or four months!"

Guo An thought for a while and then said: "However, it has already entered autumn and when the weather turns cooler, the growth of sweet potatoes may be affected to some extent and may be delayed by a month or two?"

"so long?"

Li Jinglong was a little disappointed.

"If you want to harvest those sweet potatoes outside the city, wouldn't it be next spring?"

"almost!"

Guo An nodded lightly.

"Oh, so delicious..."

Li Jinglong sighed with a miserable look on his face and didn't speak for a long time.

After entering Duke Dingguo's residence, Li Jinglong's expression improved a little.

"Brother Guo, if you can really harvest so many sweet potatoes, Your Majesty will definitely give you some sweet potatoes!"

"hope so!"

Guo An curled his lips, "Sweet potato is so important to Ming Dynasty, and the old man Bao Zhao is watching closely!"

"..."

Li Jinglong couldn't help but sighed again.

Afterwards, only Guo An and Li Jinglong were left in the entire main hall.

Li Jinglong raised his head, looked around, and then asked in a low voice: "Brother Guo, your Majesty is a little unusual today!"

"Yes!"

Guo An nodded subconsciously, and then his whole body froze!

"Brother Li, is this why you came here today?"

"no no!"

Li Jinglong shook his head hastily, "I'm just worried about the sweet potatoes!"

"Too!"

Guo An nodded in agreement, "We have become the Duke of the country and have rich descendants. We should enjoy our glory and wealth for now!"

"That's right, that's right!"

Li Jinglong laughed loudly, "Brother Guo, we have opened two bathhouses in Peiping, as well as more than 20 large and small in Liaodong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan and other places!

In the capital, we should also open three or four stores, right? "

Guo An was surprised, "Brother Li has already opened so many bathhouses?"

"Exactly!"

Li Jinglong said: "The bathhouse is such a wonderful product, and its business is much better than that of the red boat on the Qinhuai River.

After our bathhouse is opened, we will buy dozens of women from the red boat and put them upstairs in the bathhouse to keep the daily income!

By the end of the year, our bathhouse boys will be able to give Brother Guo at least 200,000 taels of silver! "

...What a genius. This kind of business model only appeared in later generations!

Guo An was stunned when he heard this, "I didn't expect that Brother Li is also a wizard in business!"

"Hahaha……"

Li Jinglong suddenly laughed heartily.

Guo An added: "However, Brother Li, those women in the bathhouse must not be forced!"

Li Jinglong said: "Brother Guo, don't worry. We will provide food and shelter for those women. They will be given at least ten taels of silver every month, and they will be able to come and go freely... As long as you spread the word, there will be a lot of women who want them." Come in!"

"That's good!"

Guo An is relieved now!

Li Jinglong asked again tentatively: "However, before, because of the existence of that generation of kings, we did not open a bathhouse in Datong City.

Now, Your Majesty wants to reduce the title of King Dai. Can you open one or two restaurants in Datong City? "

Guo An glanced at Li Jinglong and nodded slightly.

"Can!"

Li Jinglong asked curiously: "In a few years, will that generation of kings be restored to title by His Majesty?"

"The Daiwang and other Saiwangs are the Mongols who defended the north of the Ming Dynasty for the Ming Dynasty.

However, the Tatars have all surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, and as for the Navarrese..."

Guo An smiled disdainfully, "In another two years, when our Ming Dynasty is richer and the Shenji Camp is stronger... Our Ming Dynasty only needs to send 50,000 troops and recruit 50,000 Tatars. We should be able to defeat the Oara people." The Tatars are even more miserable!”

"In this way, those Sai Kings will be gone..."

Li Jinglong was shocked.

"Yes!"

Guo An nodded slowly, "Moreover, in the past few years, the major vassal kings of the Ming Dynasty have been doing evil in their own vassals and oppressing the people!

There are more and more of these illegal things! "

"Shock?"

Li Jinglong was shocked again.

"Yes!"

Guo An nodded slowly.

"In this case, we don't have anything to worry about!"

Li Jinglong felt relaxed, "We must make our bathhouses open in every state in the Ming Dynasty!"

Yours, yours, without mine, cannot be counted as me...

Guo An suddenly felt a strong sense of shame.

A dignified Duke of the Ming Dynasty actually cared so much about the bathhouse...

If this matter is recorded in history books, it will be passed down to future generations!

Guo An, Duke of Dingguo, is the founder of Bathhouse!

What a shame!

...(End of chapter)