General Constitution of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 145 Six Dynasties Gold Powder Land

Going southward down the river, Yangzhou is a clear demarcation point on the Grand Canal. When the tank boats pass through Yangzhou, the wheat fields on both sides of the river will become paddy fields.

The only thing they have in common is that along the way, not much wasteland can be seen anymore.

All the places where food can be grown have been stuffed with crops.

This is what Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to see in his dreams.

It is also the last afterglow before the sunset of the dynasty.

In the north of Yangzhou, you can occasionally see a few small forests.

After passing Yangzhou, there are only some trees around the bitter tomb in the field.

What capitalism sprouts, what commodity economy.

Every word is so high-sounding, but it is actually the blood and tears of generations of landless tenant farmers who have struggled for 400 years and more than [-] generations in order to survive.

Along the way, Ning Jue didn't meet many common people, and when he crossed the post along the river, there were also Zhu Xizhong's trilogy.

"Brother Ning Xian, it's a good thing you followed me, right? Normally, the officials who came down from the capital obediently disembarked when they arrived in Nantong Prefecture, but if you follow me, we will take the boat directly, turn from the canal all the way to Jinling Sanshan Gate, and we will stop until the end."

Ning Jue glanced at Zhu Xizhong contemptuously.

When people disembark in Nantong, it is to collect an extra contribution through Nantong.

Are you still here, ababa?

But Ning Jue soon became too lazy to talk to Zhu Xizhong.

As soon as you pass Shuixiguan, you will see fourteen restaurants with high foundations and double eaves on the banks of the Qinhuai River.

Rao Zhu Xizhong was also rare to be quiet.

"After all, it is the sixteenth floor of the Guochao built by Emperor Gao. It is more than a star and a half stronger than the capital."

"Brother Ning Xian, you know that it is said that the Taizu built this building to attract the world's heroes, and they were filled with official prostitutes. For a while, all the scholars in the world wanted to be my Ming Dynasty."

Ning Jue was startled when he heard this.

"This seems to be different from Emperor Gao's ancestral precepts."

"That's right, that's how many scholars were deceived into going on the right path."

Seeing Zhu Xizhong's intoxicated appearance, the corners of Ning Jue's mouth twitched involuntarily.

Isn't this the earliest pig killing dish?

As the tank boat docked, Zhu Xizhong also clicked his tongue and said, "It's not going to happen now. The imperial court is short of money after the Tumubao. The fourteenth of the sixteenth floors have been sold one after another. Now they are all the property of the wealthy merchants in the south of the Yangtze River. The imperial court only has re-translations and guests on the second floor to entertain the tribute envoys."

On the pier, teams of men with their shoulders shiny from the sun, carried sandbags in and out, with nothing in their eyes but no trace of gold powder.

Only then did Ning Jue understand why Jiangnan in the late Ming Dynasty was a kind of deformed prosperity.

The more intense the land annexation outside Jinling City, the more tenant farmers will lose their land in the city, and the more manpower will enter the city to serve dignitaries as slaves and handmaidens. The more extravagant and extravagant the banks of the Qinhuai River will be.

The result is that the people in the south of the Yangtze River have been beaten and stripped for a hundred years in vain.

This is not their Jinling.

Jinling and Chang'an are full of shadows, and Jiming Temple and Xiangji Temple are layered on top of each other.

"This is not Jinling, it is clearly Chang'an." Ning Jue sighed softly.

"Crackling!"

Before Ning Jue finished speaking, there was a burst of firecrackers on the pier.

"Zhu Zhenqing! I haven't seen you for many years, but you are so strong now."

It was only then that the people on the boat realized that the pier was already full of people waiting, with various flags everywhere, and many people in official uniforms were waiting eagerly.

"Duke Wei?"

Xu Pengju was nearly fifty years old this year, but he was still as dissolute as he was when he was young, and he didn't care about losing his job in Nanjing's defense at all.

Zhu Xizhong pulled Ning Jue forward.

"Wei Gong, this is our dead brother, Ning Bing from the Metropolitan Procuratorate... Now it is Qian Xian."

When Xu Pengju heard the words, his eyes lit up, he pushed Zhu Xizhong away, stepped forward and took Ning Jue's hand, as if he saw a baby.

Ning Jue immediately became vigilant.

There seems to be something wrong with this guy's eyes.

"Wei Gong, please respect yourself."

"Ning Qianxian's great name, I have really admired him for a long time. To be honest, Zhu Xizhong is also honored by Ning Qianxian today. All colleagues in Jinling are here to pick you up."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Pengju stepped back.

Expose the officials behind him.

"I pay my respects to Ning Qianxian!"

As soon as the words were finished, the big and small officials behind Xu Pengju knelt down.

Those who knew that Ning Jue was the imperial censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, but those who didn't know thought it was Yan Shifan who had gone south.

Xu Pengju was still pulling Zhu Xizhong aside and chatting endlessly.

"Zhenqing, I didn't know until I got to the pier. So many people came to pick up your brother. In the future, our brother will be covered by someone in Jinling, haha."

Ning Jue, who was visited by all the officials, was also shocked in place.

This is no pick-up!

This is clearly a demonstration!

"I came here just for the fame, I don't want you all to be fans of Qian Xian."

All the officials laughed and got up before Ning Jue could speak.

The last civil servant in a seventh-rank official uniform stepped forward and cupped his hands: "Qian Xian, Mr. Gu, the Ministry of Rites, will hold a banquet at the Heming Tower tonight to clean up the dust for Qian Xian. At that time, all the princes of the six departments will be assembled. Please also invite Qian Xian to move to the Heming Tower."

When Zhu Xizhong heard this, his eyes lit up.

"Brother, what a blessing, this Heming Tower..." Zhu Xizhong was already swallowing his saliva as he spoke.

Before Zhu Xizhong could finish speaking, Ning Jue's expression turned down.

"Colleagues, I'm sorry. Ning is just a junior, and I can't afford it. Right now, I still have to go to the Metropolitan Procuratorate to experience the delivery."

Then Ning Jue turned around again and bowed to Zhu Xizhong.

"Thanks for taking care of me all the way, now that I have arrived in Nandu, please do as you please."

After finishing speaking, Ning Jue immediately left Zhu Xizhong where he was, and strode away from the pier.

Even if you go, it's just a waste of time.

It's nothing more than courtesy first and soldiers later.

Why bother?
Do it directly!

"Zhenqing, you brother, you are a little polite, are you reliable?"

"Brother Ning Xian is like this, with a knife mouth and a bean curd heart. When he beat the Tartars earlier, he was desperate to kill us. If something happens, it will be true."

"You still dare to hit the Tartars?"

"That's right, there are only a few thieves who can be identified at the fingertips. Do you think it is the credit that His Majesty forced us to wear?"

The two dukes chatted one after another and boarded their carriage.

On the Heming Tower not far away, three decent-looking middle-aged men with floating blue beards were sitting in the private room on the top floor in plain clothes.

"Are we sending someone to ask Ning Ke to end it?"

The man in the middle smiled and said nothing, while the other laughed.

"A few days ago, Gu Butang from the Ministry of Rites set up a banquet at my Heming Tower. Anyway, Ning Ke will never come, so we might as well borrow flowers to offer a Buddha. If he comes, if we go down again, Gu Huiyan can still throw us out? If he doesn't come, Yining Ke will end up with his nature, and it's Gu Huiyan who hates him. What does it have to do with us?"

This person is Zou Wang, the owner of Heming Tower.

Having said so.

The three of them laughed out loud.

"Mr. Lu is a great talent, Ruan admires him."

Lu Huai just put down the chopsticks in his hand and said with a smile: "I really don't know what Xu Ge always thinks. After staying in the cabinet for a long time, why is he just like those gentry, shouting and killing every now and then."

"He Ning Ke finally came to the south of the Yangtze River. The arrest of corrupt officials is also the arrest of the strict party. What does it have to do with us? Let them bite the strict party first, and we will do it when they are tired."

"The name belongs to him, Ning Kezhong. In the future, if he defeats the Yan Party, let's rehabilitate Ning Kezhong. Isn't that all there is for him?"

The two people around said yes again and again.

Lu Huai was also not humble, after all Ruan Bi and Zou Wang were just Jiangnan merchants.
-
Ning Jue walked out of the pier quickly.

Before he had gone far, a servant in a green coat and a small cap came over.

"Dare to ask, but Ning Qianxian?"

Seeing this man's attire, Ning Jue subconsciously said, "Go back and tell your master that I haven't lost anything."

"Ah? What does Qian Xian mean?"

"Aren't you here to give me something?"

The servant came back to his senses and said repeatedly: "You can give it away, you can give it away, you can see what you lost, and I will pick up the small ones for you."

"If you have something to say, just say it, why stop me?"

"Our master prepared a banquet at the Heming Tower, and invited Ning Qianxian to enjoy it. Tonight..."

Although Ning Jue was angry, he still suppressed the anger in his heart and asked, "Who is your master?"

"My master is Bo Gubutang, Grand Zong of Nandu."

After hearing this name, Ning Jue immediately said angrily: "Does he think I'm the kind of person who does one thing to the face and another to the other side?"

"Go back and tell Gu Kexue, even if he asks me ten or eight times, I won't go to Heminglou!"

Ning Jue flicked his sleeves and walked in the direction of the manager.

Only the servant looked at Ning Jue's back with a bewildered expression and murmured in a low voice:

"Why ten times and eight times? My master didn't send anyone else."

Although he had never been to Jinling, the Jinling of the Ming Dynasty was almost carved out of the same mold as the capital, and the roads were similar. Ning Jue found the location of the Metropolitan Procuratorate by feeling.

It is also not far outside the Forbidden City, but there is no emperor living in this Forbidden City.

Just before entering the Metropolitan Procuratorate, Ning Jue kept an eye out and walked into a tea shed. After ordering a bowl of tea, Ning Jue asked casually.

"Shopkeeper, I heard that there is Gu Butang in Nandu..." Having said that, Ning Jue lowered his voice, "How is this official Gu Butang?"

Ning Jue was afraid of causing trouble to the shopkeeper, but unexpectedly the shopkeeper didn't take it seriously.

"Are you asking Gu Shangshu? If you insist on asking, the tea in the shop will not be refunded."

Ning Jue said doubtfully, "Even if the shopkeeper says it, I won't refund it."

"This Gu Butang, is this Shangshu that is offered to the emperor by refining the urine of virgin boys and girls. It is called the Shangshu of Refining Urine. Does anyone in Jinling City know about it?"

After finishing speaking, Ning Jue fell silent looking at the light yellow tea soup in front of him.

"Store, pay the bill."

"Hey, guest officer, don't you want to drink this tea?"

"Ah."

Ning Jue walked into the Experience Department of the Metropolitan Procuratorate bitterly and bitterly.

As soon as the clerk of the experience department saw the person, he knew that this was the arrival of the new imperial censor.

Hurry up and say hello.

"Xianxian has seen Qian Xian, and the paperwork for delivery has already been prepared, but does Qian Xian have any errands to order?"

Ning Jue sat in front of the desk with a dark face, wrote a memorial at the speed of light, and threw it to the clerk.

"This playbook has been framed, and it will be delivered to the capital urgently within eight hundred miles."

"Here."

The scribe stepped forward suspiciously, and then deeply realized the charm of words.

Although there was only one sentence in the playbook, the scribe could still clearly feel Ning Jue's hatred and earnestness.

"Your Majesty! The urine of boys and girls is also urine, I really can't eat it!"

(End of this chapter)