Hai Shou hurriedly walked along the Qinhuai River, looking at the shops lined up beside him, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
"The beautiful land in the south of the Yangtze River, the imperial state of Jinling, winding with green water, and rising from the Zhulou" has been the rich and prosperous ancient city of Jinling since ancient times. It was fully developed as the imperial capital of the Ming Dynasty in Hongwu for more than 30 years in the Ming Dynasty, and it reached its peak at this time.
On both sides of the Qinhuai River from the east water head to Xishui Pass, famous families have gathered and literati have gathered since the Six Dynasties. During this period of peace and prosperity, business elites from all over the country gathered. In the row upon row of shops, the shelves are full of dazzling things, and the doors are crowded with customers of all kinds, with a constant flow of people coming and going.
It’s a bit hot in summer, so many shops set up stalls outside their doors, offering food, clothing and entertainment. Shopkeepers, waiters, customers, and pedestrians just crowded on the street, making it crowded and lively. It was Hai Shou's first time here, and he felt dazzled and overwhelmed. "Lao Zhengxing", "Liubiju", "Ma Xiangxing", "Han Fuxing", "Baoqing Silver Tower"... Hai Shou couldn't help but admire the prosperity of the Celestial Dynasty. Unknowingly, he was sweating on his forehead and looking at each of these with his eyes. The sign looks sour.
After passing through Wuyi Lane, Madao Street, and then Wende Bridge, finally, a big signboard with the word "Shen" came into view. Hai Shou looked at it carefully and saw gold letters on a black background, "Korean ginseng is genuine" written in small letters at the bottom of the sign, here it is.
Hai Shou stepped into the store. It had a small facade with rows of shelves on the front and left, neatly placing boxes of Korean ginseng. They are all black painted boxes, with bright red satin spread inside the box, and ginseng lying on the satin surface, which is high-end and rich. There was a low cabinet at the door with a large square box containing some ginseng and ginseng foam, which was used to provide relief to poor families when they needed ginseng urgently but could not afford ginseng. The owner is very thoughtful.
There were two customers buying ginseng in the store. The owner was a middle-aged man of medium height. He was busy checking out two boxes and could not take care of Hai Shou. He just shouted: "Sir, please wait a moment."
Hai Shou nodded, pretending to look at the ginseng, and walked from the left shelf to the front, and then from the front back to the left, going back and forth several times, and finally the two customers left.
The shopkeeper lowered his head and was still cleaning up. Hai Shou couldn't help but asked, "I'm looking for a ninety-year-old ginseng that costs nine taels and nine cents. Is there any in the treasure number?"
The shop owner was startled, then raised his head and looked at Hai Shou carefully. He had a big face, high cheekbones and small eyes like his own, and he belonged to the same clan. The shop owner tried his best to remain calm and said: "You use the sky to describe the lotus," but his voice was trembling; Hai Shou hurriedly said: "I use the lotus to represent the color!" The two of them met the code, and they were so excited that they almost hugged each other.
Li Fangyuan has been at this contact point in the capital for many years. It is not specifically set up for Lotus, but Li Fangyuan knows the importance of China to North Korea. The main task of this point is to inquire about news about China and report to Seoul in a timely manner. But these two codes were specially reserved for Lotus. After a year and a half, they were finally used.
The shop owner turned around and shouted: "Young man! Come out!", and a waiter hurried to the shop. The shopkeeper said loudly to Hai Shou again: "The ginseng your guest requested is inside, please come in and take a look." After saying this, he led Hai Shou into the inner hall.
The inner hall behind the shop is even smaller, with a simple table and two chairs, and boxes of goods stacked along the wall.
The shopkeeper smiled apologetically at Hai Shou, poured a cup of tea for Hai Shou, and asked impatiently: "Are you Mr. Hai next to the princess?"
Unexpectedly, Hai Shou knew his last name and quickly replied: "Yes. Just call me Hai Shou."
The shopkeeper smiled and said: "Okay, Brother Hai, I'm not polite to you. My name is Li Tianqi, and I'm Lord Jing'an's subordinate. I'd known you were coming to Beijing, so I guess it's okay since you didn't come. It's best."
Hai Shou's face darkened: "Yes, everything is fine."
Li Tianqi asked: "What brings you here today?"
Hai Shou hesitated and said: "The princess asked me to come here to tell the king two things. One is that the crown prince of Goryeo, Wang Shi, has sneaked into the Central Plains, and the other is that the emperor of China has agreed to send an envoy to Japan."
Li Tianqi muttered: "Okay, I will report these two things to the prince. The prince also gave me the opportunity to tell the princess that the prince recently went to Japan as an envoy and met General Ashikaga Yoshimitsu."
Hai Shou couldn't help but get excited: "Your majesty is so brave! What's the result?"
Li Tianqi said: "We have negotiated the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan and the opening of Miura trade. The king also persuaded General Ashikaga Yoshimitsu to send an envoy to China, hoping that China could establish diplomatic relations with Japan and the three parties would work together to deal with Japanese pirates."
Hai Shou gave a thumbs up: "Your Majesty is amazing! I will bring this news to the princess and ask her to make a decision."
Li Tianqi also gave a thumbs up: "The princess is amazing, she can persuade the heaven to send envoys!" He looked up and sighed: "The princess is a weak woman, but her courage is stronger than that of many men!" Hai Shou looked gloomy and lowered his head in silence. .
Li Tianqi noticed that Hai Shou looked wrong and asked, "Hai Shou, what happened?"
Hai Shou shook his head, his eyes a little red.
Li Tianqi stood up in a hurry and asked: "Did something happen to the princess?"
Hai Shou raised his head hesitantly: "The princess ordered me not to say anything."
Li Tianqi patted Hai Shou on the shoulder: "Hai Shou, are you confused? What kind of person is the prince? If something happens to the princess, the prince will definitely find a way. How can you not tell her?"
Hai Shou remembered the figure of Li Fangyuan waiting on the official road outside Seoul that day, and the figure in black clothes and white horse was still vivid in his mind. He couldn't help but nodded: "Yes, please tell the king, brother Li, that the princess is in trouble!"
Li Tianqi was so anxious that he wanted to punch his fist: "You mean, what's going on?"
Hai Shou's eyes were filled with tears: "When the princess was serving Taizu, the medicine bowl was poisoned. It was originally a death penalty. Taizu ordered her to recite sutras in the Shenggan Pagoda of Tianxi Temple. Zhien and I accompany her every day. But, the princess is in too much pain." I choked up when I said this.
Li Tianqi stood stunned for a long time: "When did this happen? Why didn't you come earlier?"
Hai Shou said: "What happened at the beginning of May, I arrived at Tianxi Temple at the end of May. The princess just told me yesterday that I can contact the Maharaja here."
Seeing that Hai Shou's eyes were dark and his cheeks were sunken, Li Tianqi comforted him: "Brother Hai has worked hard these days. I will report it to the Lord immediately. The Lord will definitely have a solution."
Hai Shou stood up and said: "Thank you, Brother Li. We are all at Tianxi Temple. If Brother Li has anything urgent, please come to the temple to find me."
****************
In the summer, Tianxi Temple is covered with shade and cool breeze. The Shenggan Tower is covered with green grass, with wild flowers of various colors in between, and green leaves sprouting from the gaps between the bricks.
A group of crows were resting on the tower. Hai Shou's footsteps passed by in a hurry. The crows sounded familiar and tilted their heads to look at it without moving.
According to Taizu's order, Lianhua chanted sutras in the bottom hall of Shenggan Tower. Of course, he was not allowed to leave the tower, and outsiders were not allowed to enter the tower. Xuanxin sent people to clean it up and made a small bed against the tower wall in the hall. The wooden gate was about to fall down when pulled, so it was replaced with a stronger wooden door. It's just that the Shenggan Tower itself is old and dilapidated, but it cannot be improved by Xuanxin.
Zhien came from the palace every morning, and Zhien handed over Lotus's toiletries, water, food, clothes and clothing at the wooden door. Hai Shou refused to live in the palace. Although Zhu Yunwen sent guards to guard the temple in shifts, Hai Shou still begged Xuan Xin to build a small wooden shed beside the tower and guard it day and night.
Zhu Yunwen agreed when he saw it. After all, the temple was old and big, and Lianhua could call Haishou by making such a sound, which made him feel more at ease. Xuanxin was impressed by Haishou's loyalty, and everything he needed in the wooden shed was delivered in time. Monks were often sent to patrol so that Hai Shou could close his eyes and rest for a while.
Hai Shou walked to the couch and saw a tall figure standing at the wooden door. He looked at it and hurriedly stepped forward to salute: "Hai Shou has met Cao Guogong."
At the door was Li Jinglong, majestic in his brocade robe and silver crown. When he saw Hai Shou, he nodded slightly: "No need to be polite."
Lianhua raised her head and asked Li Jinglong: "Brother, how long will it take to go to Kaifeng this time?"
Li Jinglong said: "Go quickly, it will take ten or twenty days. When we get to Kaifeng, it is difficult to estimate. It will take two or three months to go back and forth."
Lianhua didn't want to ask too much, so she smiled and said, "Brother, have a good trip."
Unexpectedly, Li Jinglong was not shy and said bluntly: "Your Majesty has sent Brother Wei an important task this time. Does Xianmei know that Brother Wei is going to capture Zhou Wang Zhu?"
Lotus couldn't help but open her eyes.
Li Jinglong was really surprised when he saw Lian Hua, and couldn't help but feel a little proud: "The second son of King Zhou, King Zhu Youyi of Runan, reported that King Zhou had rebelled. The evidence was presented to His Majesty, and it was conclusive. Your Majesty personally ordered my brother to go to Kaifeng to transfer King Zhou to Yunnan." . After a pause, he said: "Your Majesty trusts me so much that I am so frightened." If there is any regret in his words, he is really happy about it.
After Lianhua committed the crime, Li Jinglong did not shy away and visited Lianhua as often as before. Firstly, he knew Zhu Yunwen's thoughts well. Secondly, this sister was granted the imperial title by Taizu. Thirdly, Li Jinglong was not a powerful person: he grew up in the Duke's palace, and his life path was at home and the court. At most, he would go out to the city to train soldiers, which was natural. The children of the noble prince have no experience in the world and do not know the innocence of hardship.
Lianhua smiled and encouraged: "Brother, I will succeed immediately."
While he was talking, the thin voice of the young eunuch Agui announced: "Your Majesty has arrived!" Before the ceremony ended, Zhu Yunwen's figure had already appeared.
Li Jinglong realized what was going on and said with a smile: "I'm going back as a brother. I'll come back to visit Xianmei after I come back from Kaifeng."
Lianhua said quickly: "Brother, it's easy to go."
Zhu Yunwen said a few words to Li Jinglong and came to the wooden door. Since Lotus arrived at Tianxi Temple, Zhu Yunwen came here every day, mostly in the evening after going to court to deal with state affairs. Sometimes it was almost dark when he came. But the two of them could only meet at the door.
Zhu Yunwen asked with a smile: "What are you doing?"
Lianhua smiled: "Didn't you see? My brother was here and talked for a while."
Zhu Yunwen stretched out his hand and pinched Lotus's clothes: "Isn't it cold to wear one?" Lotus's sinful body was in mourning again. The silk brocade clothes before could no longer be used, and she had to wear raw linen mourning clothes. The queen was very considerate and arranged for them to be handed over to Zhien, and also told her to tell her if she needed anything; the Duke of Cao also sent a lot of them. The long hair is tied up with raw linen and combed into a mourning bun. It looks neat and clean despite being bleak.
But there was no sunlight inside the tower, and it was empty and cold. The bluestone floor was smooth and damp, and it was much cooler than outside in broad daylight. Zhu Yunwen had entered the pagoda, so he asked this question.
Lian Hua shook her head slightly and saw beads of sweat on Zhu Yunwen's forehead. She thought he was in a hurry just now. She took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and pressed it on his forehead. She raised her head and raised her hand with a gentle gesture.
Zhu Yunwen couldn't help but raise his hand and put it on hers, staring at Lianhua's face. Lianhua blushed but did not struggle.
Zhu Yunwen held the catkin in his hand, rubbed it gently on his face, and sighed: "I miss you so much!" Listening to his ambiguous words, Lianhua looked up at Zhu Yunwen's affectionate eyes and said mischievously: "Your Majesty might as well appoint another talented person. Ah, lady."
Zhu Yunwen reached out and knocked Lianhua on the head: "Nonsense!" He hugged Lianhua tightly with his arms and whispered in her ear: "I don't want anyone except you."
Lotus buried her head in Zhu Yunzhen's chest, her eyes couldn't help but be filled with mist. Is God giving this husband to me a constant compensation for all the hardships and tribulations I have endured
Zhu Yunwen thought of something and said: "The emperor's grandfather agreed to send an envoy to Japan last time. He was not busy a while ago, so he asked the Ministry of Rites to prepare it today. It just needs some effort to arrange the buildings and ships."
There were tears in Lianhua's eyes, she said "Yes" and remained motionless in Zhu Yunwen's arms.
Zhu Yunwen continued: "I have done a great thing today." He stroked Lianhua's back and said, "When Taizu was in Japan, the punishments were too harsh and the prisons were full of prisoners. I asked the three divisions to work separately. The revised laws can be retried one by one, and about 30% of the prisoners can be released, and the punishments of the rest can be reduced."
Seeing Lian Hua looking up at him, Zhu Yunwen smiled slightly and said, "I felt so uncomfortable when I saw you in the clan's mansion last time. We all share the same sentiment. These prisoners also have families and relatives. They have made some minor mistakes, so just be careful. No need to spend many years in jail." After a pause, he added: "When I succeeded to the throne, the edict said, 'It is always appropriate to be tolerant and fierce, and to launch a reform policy.' It was not just words."
Lianhu said softly: "Good causes will lead to good results. Your husband's good deeds will be rewarded with good things."
Zhu Yunwen hugged the lotus tightly again: "It doesn't matter anything else. Whenever you come back to me, it will be the greatest good reward."
The sky was getting dark, and the crows on the tower were circling around the tower. Their croaking calls frightened away the roosting bats, and many dragonflies were flying around at low altitude.
Lianhua raised her head and urged: "Go back and come back tomorrow."
Zhu Yunwen was reluctant to leave and found something to say: "By the way, you are about to meet an acquaintance."
Lianhua felt a little nervous. Hai Shou just went to the Korean ginseng shop today, could it be? He forced himself to calmly ask: "Oh?"
Zhu Yunwen didn't pay attention: "Do you remember Uncle Yan? He was memorialized and wanted to go to Beijing to visit the mausoleum. I agreed."
"Remember" Uncle Yan? When Lianhua heard such questions, she felt sad in her heart. How could I forget one day? How can we forget his tall figure standing tall on his green horse outside the city of Peiping in heavy snowfall
Lotus shook her head.
Zhu Yun smiled and said: "You fool, I brought you to Peking!" He hugged Lotus again lovingly: "Okay, if you don't remember, don't remember, it doesn't matter. Just remember your husband."
Lianhua couldn't help but laugh when she heard him talking about his paintings: "Go back, it's getting dark and the temple should be closed."
When Zhu Yunwen heard what she said, he had no choice but to let go of his hand, but he was unwilling to give in. He held Lianhua's face and kissed her hard before saying, "Then I'm leaving. Do you want to bring anything with me tomorrow?"
Lianhua smiled and said, "Can you bring me the "Ouyang Wenzhong Collection" in Wenyuan Pavilion? Zhien can't handle this." Ever since she went to Zuiweng Pavilion, Lianhua liked Ouyang Xiu's articles very much.
Zhu Yunwen's heart trembled after hearing this, and he looked at Lianhua with a profound look.
Lianhua blushed, knowing that he was recalling the time when the two of them read European poetry together in Wenyuan Pavilion, and quickly pushed him: "Go!" Seeing that she understood, Zhu Yunwen smiled and blinked, looking back three times. gone.
Lotus closed the wooden door and lit the candle. It was already very cold in the tower at this time. Waves of cold air came out from the ground and the surrounding walls. Lotus shivered and put on a cotton coat.
The statues of the Eighteen Arhats beside the wall flickered on and off in the weak candlelight. Lianhua had been accustomed to seeing Buddha statues since she was a child, so she didn't think anything of it. On the small table with a fallen side, there are several Buddhist scriptures, which were sent by Xuan Xin from the Buddhist scriptures pavilion. There is also a glazed pagoda, which stands quietly next to the Buddhist scriptures, but was retrieved by Zhu Yunwen.
Lotus looked at the glazed tower, its color was lighter than before. Thinking of Hui Guang saying that the tribulation will not end until it becomes transparent, is it possible that there are still difficulties ahead
Among the lanterns and buildings, eighteen Arhats open their eyes and look at the lotus, either angry or kind. Is all this due to fate