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Chapter 69 Overture of Donglin Conference

(PS: The second update is delivered, please continue to ask for tickets and recommendations.)
Although Young Master Zhang dislikes most of the Donglin Party members, Young Master Zhang has to admit that the influence of the Donglin Party and Donglin Academy in Jiangnan is indeed enormous. All the three religions and nine streams of the school gathered in Wuxi upon hearing the news, even a genius scientist like Bo Jue and the future great pirate Zheng Zhilong who had just debuted, and there were even more famous and awesome figures.It is precisely because of this that Young Master Zhang admires his wise decision to go deep into the den of thieves and go to Wuxi to participate in the Donglin Conference—if Qian Qianyi and his group are allowed to slander and attack Young Master Zhang at the Donglin Conference, then Zhang Da The young master's bad reputation is naturally even worse, once Wei Zhongxian falls from power in the future, young master Zhang will not be able to keep his head no matter what.

After finishing the meal with Bo Jue, it was almost two o'clock. Bo Jue, who chatted very speculatively with Young Master Zhang, originally wanted to invite Young Master Zhang to the inn where he was staying to have a night chat with him, but Young Master Zhang smiled. He refused, but only asked about the location of Bo Jue's inn, and then said goodbye to Bo Jue, and led Lu Wanling, Xiao Chuan and others back to the Guanning inn where he stayed.On the way, Young Master Zhang called Chen Jianhuang to him again, and whispered in his ear: "Go and contact Dongchang's team in Wuxi, let them keep an eye on Zheng Yiguan's gang of pirates just now, don't disturb them, just check Just go to their whereabouts and whereabouts."

"Obey." Chen Jianhuang understood, agreed and left in a hurry.Not long after Chen Jianhuang left, it suddenly rained heavily. Young Master Zhang and his party, who didn't bring rain gear, didn't dare to neglect, and hurried back to the inn. When he hurried back to his room to change clothes, Young Master Zhang found that the light in Zhang Qing's room next to his was still on, so he said outside the door, "Master Zhang, I'm back, you should go to bed early."

"Stop!" Zhang Qing's angry voice came from the room, Zhang Qing screamed: "Stop for me, you left me at the inn and just came back now, what do you mean? Do you think I'm annoying you? ? You wait, come in after I change my clothes, I have something to ask you. "

"Ah!" Young Master Zhang sneezed, rubbed his nose and said, "Young Master Zhang, then you can change, and I will change clothes too, and I will come to see you later." After that, Young Master Zhang ignored Zhang Qing's angry words Yelling, went straight back to the room to change clothes.After a while, Young Master Zhang changed his clothes and went out of the room again, only to see that Zhang Qing, who had also changed his clothes, was already guarding the door with a murderous look, followed by his servants, all of them seemed to have just changed clothes.Young Master Zhang couldn't help laughing and said: "Mr. Zhang, you still have the nerve to say that I threw you in the inn. Didn't you go out to play? Look, everyone got wet, right?"

"It's because we were hungry when you couldn't come back." Zhang Qing defended with a blushing face, and then growled in a low voice: "Stop talking nonsense, come into my room, I have something to ask you!"

"Okay." For the sake of Zhang Weixian and Zhang Qingyun, Young Master Zhang was too lazy to argue with Zhang Qing, so he just agreed with a smile, and strode into Zhang Qing's room.But as soon as he entered the room, Young Master Zhang noticed a complex and strange fragrance rushing towards his face, mixed with a familiar fragrance, Young Master Zhang couldn't help but asked casually: "Have you smoked incense? Why is it so fragrant?" What kind of incense is there for a big man to live in an inn, like a woman."

"I want you to take care of it." Zhang Qing said angrily.However, Young Master Zhang quickly found the source of the familiar aroma - on the table in Zhang Qing's room, there were several deliciously roasted sweet potatoes that were still steaming!As if struck by lightning, Young Master Zhang rushed forward and grabbed the sweet potato, his voice trembling with excitement, he asked Zhang Qing, "Where did you get this thing?"

"I bought it on the street." Zhang Qing replied casually, and said triumphantly: "Do you know what it is? It's called sweet potato. It was brought back to Daming from Lusong Kingdom by Fujianese Chen Zhenlong in the 21st year of Wanli (1593). I heard that the red-haired devils in Luzon did not allow merchants to transport sweet potatoes out of the country, and Chen Zhenlong hid the seeds of sweet potatoes in a rope before bringing them back."

"How do you know such details?" Young Master Zhang asked excitedly.Zhang Qing originally wanted to brag, but seeing Young Master Zhang's eager look, he said truthfully: "The man who sells sweet potatoes told me that he brought some sweet potatoes from Fujian and wanted to promote them at the Donglin Conference. , let the people in Jiangnan grow this kind of sweet potato. But no one in Jiangnan has seen these things, and no one dares to plant them. In a fit of anger, he sells roasted sweet potatoes on the street, so that people in Jiangnan can taste them before planting them. I smell the fragrance , I bought some, the taste was not bad, almost as sweet as honey, so I bought some more for supper." After that, Zhang Qing added very stingily, "However, don't even try to eat it. If you want to eat, buy it yourself."

"Haha, I'm too lazy to fight with you." Young Master Zhang stuffed the roasted sweet potatoes back to Zhang Qing, and said with a smile: "But I can warn you, if you eat too much of this stuff, you will fart, so eat more if you like it." Zhang Qing's face turned red again, and she almost wanted to smash that piece of roasted sweet potato on Young Master Zhang's face!Young Master Zhang held Zhang Qing's hand again and said, "Young Master Zhang, I have something to ask of you. You must take me to meet the man who sells roasted sweet potatoes tomorrow morning."

"Let go of me, I'll take you there." Zhang Qing blushed and broke away from Young Master Zhang's hand, then pointed to the chair beside the table angrily and said, "Sit down for me, I have something to ask you." Young Master Zhang He agreed with a smile, and sat down on the chair with a big face, while Zhang Qing sat opposite to Young Master Zhang through the candle.It was only at this moment that Young Master Zhang really saw Zhang Qing's appearance clearly. He had a very delicate face, with big eyes and small mouth, just like a girl, but the candle was too dim to see clearly. The young master couldn't help but blurted out and asked: "Master Zhang, you and your sister Zhang Qingyun look very similar, right? If so, it would be a pity."

"Why are you asking this? What's the pity?" Zhang Qing froze for a moment.Young Master Zhang said with a sinister smile: "If you and your sister look very similar, then needless to say, your sister is definitely a beautiful woman. Although I haven't married a wife yet, it's a pity that my surname is Zhang, and your sister is also surnamed Zhang, so I am doomed to have no hope...." Before the young master Zhang finished speaking, the roasted sweet potato in Zhang Qing's hand had already been thrown towards his face. Just kidding, everyone's surname is Zhang, it's a family."

"Go to hell, you dare to plot against my sister? When I return to the capital, I will definitely complain to my sister and my father!" Zhang Qing hummed with a blushing face.Young Master Zhang said with a smile: "I said I was joking, why should I be so serious? Besides, I actually have a sweetheart. Even if your sister's surname is not Zhang, I will not pursue her."

"Sweetheart?" Zhang Qing was taken aback again, lowered his head and asked in a low voice: "Xiong Tingbi's daughter, Xiong Hu?"

"How do you know her?" Young Master Zhang was also taken aback.Zhang Qing turned his face and snorted, "For her sake, you tried every means to rescue Xiong Tingbi from the death row, who doesn't know that?" Young Master Zhang was even more surprised, saying that I knew about my relationship with Xiong Hu in the capital Not many people?When Young Master Zhang was about to ask again, Zhang Qing quickly changed the subject and asked: "Speaking of business, let me ask you, you are ordered to go to Jiangnan to raise funds for disaster relief. When you arrive in Jiangnan, why don't you put up a few notices for the local officials to collect donations?" Don’t you want to raise funds like yours, wait until the 50 taels of silver are raised, and you still have to wait until the year of the monkey? Have you put your mind on business?”

"Who said I didn't focus on business?" Young Master Zhang was also afraid that Zhang Qing was sent by Zhang Weixian to monitor him, so he explained: "I came to Wuxi to participate in the Donglin Conference to better raise funds for disaster relief. .”

"The purpose of participating in the Donglin Conference is to raise funds for disaster relief? Is it to travel around the mountains or seek death?" Zhang Qing said angrily: "Go to the street to inquire, what are those Donglin students on the street scolding you for?" Greedy, lustful, shameless, despicable, indecent, obscene, insidious, cruel, vicious—it is simply the most dirty official in the world who is not enough to be angry with the common people! If you go to the street and shout that you are Zhang Haogu, At least nine out of ten people want to jump out and tear you to pieces! If you dare to attend the Donglin Conference, I’m afraid you will be drowned by the saliva and spit of those scholars in the south of the Yangtze River before you enter the Donglin Academy. Already!"

"The most dirty official in the world? Am I that good?" Young Master Zhang laughed again.But seeing Zhang Qing's angry eyes wide open, Young Master Zhang still explained: "Mr. Zhang, I know that you have good intentions, but don't worry, the evaluation of me by Donglin students has long been known to me. As expected. After all, I offended quite a few members of the Donglin Party in the capital, and even caused many of them to go to prison. It is no longer the Donglin Party."

"Then why do you still come to Wuxi? To seek scolding or beating?" Zhang Qing gave Young Master Zhang a gouged look.It is rare for Young Master Zhang to put on a serious face, and said in a deep voice: "Wrong, it is because of Donglin students that I have to come! Donglin Academy is the number one academy in the world, and it has a huge influence among the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River. Every move of this academy Every word and word can influence the direction of public opinion in Jiangnan! If I don’t come in person, then no one will speak for me at the Donglin Conference, and Qian Qianyi’s group will also wantonly spread rumors and attacks on me. Slander my motives for raising funds for disaster relief. At that time, I will not only raise funds for disaster relief in the south of the Yangtze River, but even if I walk on the street, everyone will shout and beat me like a mouse crossing the street! Therefore, I will not only participate in the Donglin Conference this time , and I have to use the honor of the imperial envoy to speak at the Donglin Conference to defend myself and prevent Qian Qianyi and his gang from easily succeeding."

"Are you still going to speak at the Donglin Conference?" Zhang Qing's face turned pale like a girl, and said in a low voice, "Aren't you afraid that the gang of Donglin Academy will kill you? Also, you defend yourself , will they listen to you?"

"Don't worry, most of the people in Donglin Academy are wealthy people, and they won't be so bold as to openly attack me in Donglin Academy!" Young Master Zhang said with confidence, "One more thing, don't show me with a point. I think that the people in Donglin Academy are all hypocrites like Qian Qianyi and Guang Shiheng, really villains! Among them, there are also many great heroes who really love the country and the people. If I am reasonable, they can still I listened to it. So I don’t ask the students and gentry at the Donglin Conference to convince me, as long as some think that what I say is reasonable, support my fundraising and disaster relief, and at the same time fight against the Donglin school who slandered and insulted me. If people fight, then my errands will be much easier to do.”

Speaking of this, Young Master Zhang couldn't help but regained his usual playful smile, and said with a smile: "Besides, you don't know my mouth? Dead people can make me talk alive, and birds on trees can be coaxed down by me. When it comes to the Donglin Congress, if the Donglin Party scholars and literati argue with me, then they are asking for trouble."

"You're so smooth-tongued, do you still have the nerve to brag?" Zhang Qing turned his face away again, and snorted, "Since you're so confident, then do as you please. And..."

"What else?" Young Master Zhang asked.Zhang Qing hesitated for a moment, and replied with a blushing face, "Also, you don't usually put on that hippie smile. When you look serious, you look much better than the hippie smile."

"Looks good when I have a serious expression?" Young Master Zhang asked a little puzzled: "Why do I have to keep a straight face all day? You are not beautiful, so in order to please you, I have to put on a straight face and pretend to be a doorkeeper every day? Could it be that you like it?" Broken sleeves and divided peaches?"

"Huh!" Another roasted sweet potato flew over, Zhang Qing blushed and said angrily, "Go back to your room! I'm not as good as Long Yang, I'm going to sleep, get out!"

"I'm not as good as Long Yang." Eldest Young Master Zhang agreed with a smile, and then suggested: "Brother Zhang, why don't we just sleep in the same bed tonight? When we are away from home, we can sleep in the same room and take pictures of each other...Okay, okay , I’ll go back to my room to rest, don’t take the sword, okay? But you have to remember, tomorrow you will take me to meet the man who sells sweet potatoes.”

He escaped from Zhang Qing's room with a scramble, and the door at the back was closed immediately with a slam. Young Master Zhang smiled, but Chen Jianhuang, who was covered in rain, got out from there, cupped his fists to salute Young Master Zhang, and said in a low voice: "My lord, I have already found out the whereabouts of Zheng Yiguan and his gang, and sent someone to keep an eye on their every move."

"Very good, as expected of the [-]th Taibao of Jinyiwei." Young Master Zhang nodded, and ordered in a low voice: "After you figure out the price Qian Qianyi offered Zheng Yiguan, report it to me immediately, and then arrange an opportunity for me. Meet with Zheng Yiguan for a secret talk. Alright, you should go back and change your clothes to rest, and remember to ask the waiter to make you a bowl of ginger soup, so you don’t catch a cold.”

…………

In the early morning of the next day, Young Master Zhang got up early to look for Zhang Qing, and asked him to lead the way to the merchant who sold sweet potatoes, but Zhang Qing came out of the room after a full half an hour, and led the way with a straight face. I don't want to walk side by side with Young Master Zhang.When I went to the most prosperous Town God's Temple in Wuxi, there was a middle-aged man sitting on the side of the street, guarding several large baskets full of sweet potatoes and selling them, "Sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes, delicious and easy-to-grow sweet potatoes! Sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes, Chen Zhenlong The big sweet potato brought back from Luzon! It is delicious and easy to grow, and it can be grown in dry and mountainous areas. You will regret it if you don’t buy it.”

It's a pity that although the middle-aged man worked hard as a peddler, the notoriously conservative small-scale peasant economy and society were very slow to accept new things from the outside world, and almost no ordinary people who passed by looked at him.But our Young Master Zhang rushed forward as if he had found a treasure, and asked the middle-aged man, "How much is a catty of sweet potatoes? Are there any corn, potatoes, pumpkins, tomatoes and peanuts?"

"Dude, these are sweet potatoes, not sweet potatoes." The middle-aged man who hadn't opened the shop since morning lazily raised his head, and replied weakly: "As for corn, potatoes, etc., what are they...? "Speaking of this, the middle-aged man suddenly widened his eyes, wanted to scream but quickly covered his mouth, tried to calm down, and then asked in a low voice to Young Master Zhang: "Zhang Tanhua, why are you? Why are you here? This is Wuxi?"

"You know me?" Young Master Zhang was also taken aback.The middle-aged man pulled Young Master Zhang to sit behind the sweet potato basket, clasped his fists and replied in a low voice, "Tanhuagong, I am your classmate. During the examination in February this year, I will take the exam with you. You will take the same exam. I won Tanhua, and I failed the ranking. But when the Imperial College came to announce the good news at the Liansheng Inn where you lived, I saw your face, so I remembered you. But Tanhuagong, you are too courageous, and now Wuxi is everywhere It’s the voice scolding you, if you let them know that you’ve come to Wuxi, maybe there will be some accidents?”

"Ah, that's the way it is. It's okay, don't worry, you seem to be the only one here who knows me, Brother Nian." Young Master Zhang smiled and said, "It's really unexpected that I will meet Brother Nian again here, and you, Brother Nian, too. Are you here to participate in the Donglin Conference?"

"Tanhuagong misunderstood, I didn't come to participate in the Donglin Conference - those nerds who are obsessed with reading sage books, know the taste but don't know the source, and I am not interested in discussing what it is with them." The middle-aged man shook his head decisively. , and explained: "That's how it is. Before the Yichou Branch exam, I have been traveling around to study. Once I went to Fujian and saw the local people planting sweet potatoes. The yield is high and drought-resistant. It is also very easy to grow, so I brought some seeds. I went back to my hometown in Jiangxi to plant, and found that sweet potatoes can be cultivated in Jiangxi as well, so I thought about promoting this good product to the whole country. Later, I participated in the third examination in Yichouke, and I failed again. I let my younger brother go home to serve my mother, and I went to Fujian to sell sweet potatoes, and I wanted to bring this kind of thing to the south of the Yangtze River, let the people in the south of the Yangtze River plant it first, and as long as they taste the sweetness, they can gradually spread it to the whole country.”

"Another buried talent." Young Master Zhang sighed, and asked again: "Brother Nian, did you deliberately transport these sweet potatoes to Wuxi first, do you want to let the rich and landlords of Donglin Academy take a look first?" Sweet potatoes, let them try planting?"

"Mr. Tanhua really knows the lesson. The students of Donglin Academy are all rich or noble. If they can take the lead in planting sweet potatoes, then it will be much easier for me to promote it in the south of the Yangtze River." The middle-aged man nodded and sighed: "Unfortunately, those people not only know the taste but not the origin, but also are pedantic. I took these sweet potatoes to Donglin Academy, and they were kicked out by the courtyard guard before they entered. He also called me a bumpkin and muddy legs. I came here to set up a stall in a fit of anger, and wanted to let the people of Wuxi see what sweet potatoes are like. As long as one person is tempted to plant them, I will not waste my trip."

"Brother Nian, your hard work is not in vain. Someone has already attracted you." Young Master Zhang patted the middle-aged man on the shoulder and said with a smile, "How many sweet potatoes do you have? I bought them all! My family has tens of thousands of acres of land in Linqing, Shandong. , no matter how many sweet potatoes you have, I will plant them in Linqing, Shandong. My family has taken the lead, are you afraid that the people in Shandong will not follow suit?"

"Really? Tanhuagong, are you joking?" the middle-aged man asked excitedly.Young Master Zhang grinned, and replied: "Of course I'm not joking. Stop roasting sweet potatoes, come with me. If you roast one more sweet potato now, my family will lose half a cent of land."

"Okay!" The middle-aged man was very cheerful, jumped up and kicked over the charcoal basin of roasted sweet potatoes, stood up and said, "Tanhuagong, I brought a boat full of sweet potatoes this time, and the boat stopped at the canal. On the pier. Please go this way, and I will show you."

"Okay, thank you for your hard work, Brother Nian." Young Master Zhang agreed wholeheartedly, and then asked, "By the way, did you forget to ask Brother Nian's last name?" After reporting his name, the Tang Bohu erotic painting fan in Young Master Zhang's hand immediately fell to the ground, and he cried out, "What? You are...?!"

Want to know who the potato seller is?Please see the next chapter "Donglin Conference".Of course, smart friends must have already guessed it-hint: the person who is hated by Jiannu is also the person whose books are burned by Jiannu in China.

(End of this chapter)