***
After Zhenfei went down to the court, he sat in a sedan chair out of Daqin Gate, crossed Xihu Bridge and Dazhong Bridge, and then headed west along Taipingli Street to the Qinhuai River. This area is one of the most prosperous areas in Nanjing.
There are rows of cornices and brackets on both sides of the street, and there are many shops. Each shop has a flower stand on the door, with flowers from all seasons on it. Various tassels hang down from the flower stand. Next to it is the shop's signboard, fluttering in the wind. The store has a dazzling array of products and is bustling with people.
If it comes at night, the streets will not become deserted, but will become more prosperous. Corner lanterns were lit up in restaurants, brothels, and teahouses on both sides. There were thousands of them on each street, shining like daylight. The lights swayed on the river together, and there were also the gentle singing boats passing by, which was desolate and euphemistic. Touching.
The girls living in the river houses on both sides, wearing light gauze clothes and jasmine hairpins on their heads, rolled up the Xiang curtains and listened quietly against the railings. So when the drums of the lantern boat sound, the curtains and windows on both sides are opened, and the ambergris burned in the river house, heavy and fast, and the fragrant mist spurt out together, blending with the moonlight smoke and light in the river, looking like the immortals of Langyuan and the fairies of Yaogong.
It has been two years since the Qin Dynasty established Nanjing as its capital. In just two years, Nanjing has become more prosperous;
In addition to products from all over the country, including the Great Wall, there are also a large number of overseas products that enrich the market and make people dizzy.
Lu Zhenfei looked at the street scene through the sedan curtain. What impressed him most was the spirit of the people on the street. That feeling of confidence and optimism hung on everyone's face.
There are almost no beggars on the neat streets, and every door is cleanly cleaned. Even the old woman, holding a staff and smiling on her face, was selling pearls along the street.
The roads are always crowded with BMWs and fancy cars. Officials, ladies, and daughters of wealthy families. Under the influence of the ladies in the palace, more and more people are leaving their boudoir and returning from an outing in the city. The bun is decorated with fresh flowers, which makes the peach blossom look like a human face.
Only those who have experienced the war understand better that such a prosperous and prosperous age is hard-won, and only then do they know how to cherish it. As the Second Assistant to the Cabinet, Lu Zhenfei hopes to do his best to make this prosperity continue for a long time.
After crossing the Huaiqing Bridge and entering Dazhong Street, a pungent smell came. Lu Zhenfei couldn't help but frown, and the sedan stopped at this time.
"Why did you stop?" Lu Zhenfei asked through the sedan curtain.
The bearer of the sedan chair quickly replied: "Go back to the pavilion, Mr. The road is being built ahead, so I'm afraid we won't be able to pass."
Lu Zhenfei opened the curtain and looked around, only to see dozens of people busy in Dazhong Street. Steam was rising from a large iron frame on the roadside. The pungent smell he just smelled came from there.
Carts of gravel were brought in by horse-drawn carriages and spread on the ground. Folks led horse-drawn stone grinders to repeatedly crush the gravel until it was flat. Then a layer of gravel mixed with asphalt is laid on top and rolled several times to make the road surface smooth.
Asphalt, this is asphalt.
Although Lu Zhenfei still doesn't know how effective it will be. But it seems that the road is at least much smoother than the stone road, and it looks comfortable.
As a deputy cabinet minister, he also knew that asphalt was shipped from Sichuan. It is being transported to Nanjing continuously along the Yangtze River waterway.
The high efficiency of various yamen in Da Qin can be reflected from this point. Asphalt was discovered not long ago. Nanjing is actually paving asphalt roads in the city. Of course, this is also due to the speed of the Yangtze River waterway.
"Turn around and take Dongyuan West Street."
"Yes, Mr. Ge."
The sedan turned around and headed east, from Dongyuan West Street to Wuyi Lane. The Korean Government House was not far from the entrance of Wuyi Lane.
A poet of the Tang Dynasty once expressed this emotion: There are wild grasses and flowers beside the Suzaku Bridge, the sunset is setting at the entrance of Wuyi Alley, and the swallows in front of the Wang Xietang in the old days fly into the homes of ordinary people.
If the poet came back, I'm afraid he would have another emotion.
The wealth and splendor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty has once again reappeared in Wuyi Lane. In fact, since the early Ming Dynasty, those who could live in Wuyi Alley were no longer ordinary people. After the founding of the Qin Dynasty, it was still dark and the rich and powerful gathered in Wuyi Alley.
The feeling of a Korean government residence is not only elegant but also simple.
Although he was the abbot of the country and the minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Yang Tinglin never received any property from anyone, nor did he participate in business. All household expenses depended on his personal salary and the rent of the family's 300 acres of land.
When the Empress went home to visit her relatives, she saw that her parents lived so simply, so she gave some of the savings she had saved from daily expenses to her mother. However, when Yang Tinglin found out about it, he became furious with his wife. The Empress felt Feeling aggrieved, he returned to the palace in tears. There have been rumors about this for a long time.
Lu Zhenfei respected people who were honest in their official duties, did not rely on power, and were strict with themselves.
After receiving the report from his servants, Yang Tinglin came out of the mansion. The two of them bowed to each other at the foot of the steps and exchanged greetings with smiles.
"Lu took the liberty to come and disturb me. I hope Yang Shangshu will forgive me."
"I don't know what kind of wind brought Mr. Lu Ge to his humble abode today."
"The house of Yang Shangshu is indeed worthy of the word 'humble house'. I admire Shangshu Yang for his high moral character and integrity!"
"Lu Ge's old words are serious, please come in quickly."
The two of them entered the flower hall, where the maid served tea. In addition to a few calligraphy and paintings on the wall, there was also a black lacquered pear wood screen, two potted pine trees, and several scenes on an antique shelf. German porcelain vase, and some thread-bound books. There is also a copper incense burner, with green smoke curling up from the burner.
Such simple furnishings are not worthy of a house in the city. If you don't know the inside story, it would be hard to believe that this is the residence of the Minister of Civil Affairs and the current emperor of the country.
Lu Zhenfei first chatted about poetry, and after the atmosphere became harmonious, he slowly changed the topic and said tentatively: "Throughout the past dynasties, it has been a common practice that the army is not allowed to control finances. After the middle of the Tang Dynasty, the external emphasis was placed on the internal affairs and the internal affairs were neglected. Jiedushi was also in charge of finance, which was caused by the An-Shi Rebellion, and the prosperous Tang Dynasty was in a state of decline, which makes people sigh with emotion when thinking about it. "
"What Mr. Lu Ge said is absolutely true." Yang Tinglin echoed in a soft voice, but in his heart he was guessing Lu Zhenfei's intention.
"As the head of the state, Yang Shangshu has been in charge of the civil service over the years. He has selected talents, strictly tested their merits, and promoted and demoted in a measured manner. Everyone in the court admires Yang Shangshu. Yang Shangshu is truly worthy of being the pillar of the country."
Lu Zhenfei punched in the east and kicked in the west, Yang Tinglin gently stroked his long beard and said with a smile: "Old Lu Ge, I'm so grateful. I'm just eating the emperor's salary. I dare not say that I have done anything to the imperial court because of my loyalty to the emperor." . On the other hand, Mr. Lu Ge is a man of great virtue and good governance, and he can truly be called the pillar of the country because he helps His Majesty solve problems."
"Yang Shangshu, thank you for the award, thank you for the award. Although I don't go to the corpse to eat, I don't dare to express my merit. I just reluctantly made up for the omissions of Your Majesty."
Lu Zhenfei saw that Yang Tinglin didn't answer the conversation and just avoided the important and ignored the trivial. This was not the way to go, so he had to say: "Yang Shangshu, as we eat the emperor's salary, we should be loyal to the emperor. Today's Qin Dynasty seems to be prosperous, but in the It seems to me that I am quite worried."
"Don't speak secretly in front of people. If Lu Ge always has something to say, you might as well speak it out."
"Your Majesty is in the prime of life and has a strong desire to pioneer and enterprising. This is a good thing. However, His Majesty is busy with many things and has many government affairs, so there are always some oversights. We, as ministers, will give you direct advice and support you in person;
Your Majesty is eager to make progress, and now it seems that Da Qin has shown signs of emphasizing external importance and neglecting internal affairs. Nowadays, Liaodong, Xuanda, Hexi, and Yunnan all have heavy troops stationed in the country. The country is thousands of miles away. Except for the more than 100,000 troops stationed in Nanjing by the Chinese Army Governor's Office, there are very few troops stationed in various places. This is a hidden worry.
In addition, what is even more worrying is the Royal Navy. Now tens of thousands of soldiers and horses are overseas, and the court has no idea of its behavior. Its ships are powerful and its guns are powerful, and it now has huge financial resources. There may not be anything in the short term. problem, but if things go on like this, the consequences will be unpredictable. "
Yang Tinglin stopped stroking his beard. Lu Zhenfei's words made sense.
The navy is far away overseas, and the court does not know what it has done. It has strong military capabilities, and it can get a steady supply of goods from the sea, so it is difficult for the court to restrict it.
In the early Ming Dynasty's voyage to the West, why did Emperor Yongle use his eunuchs to lead the army? It was not because he was worried about losing his tail, but because he was independent overseas.
"What Mr. Lu Ge said is true. I wonder if Mr. Lu Ge has any good ideas?"
"I am deeply concerned about this, but Yang Shangshu must also be aware of your majesty's pioneering spirit. I have the intention to speak out, but I am afraid that your majesty will not be able to hear it for a while."
Yang Tinglin knew that Lu Zhenfei wanted to make himself, the head of the country, stand out.
****************
ps: Please vote for the third update. I will post another update tonight. Please vote for the monthly ticket!
.(To be continued...)
...