In mid-July, just after the beginning of autumn, a pattering of autumn rain relieved the scorching summer heat, and the temperature became much cooler.

On the outskirts of Kaifeng, the vast farmland is green and yellow, and farmers are busy in the fields preparing for the upcoming summer grain harvest.

Kaifeng Prefecture also sent officials to inspect farmland water conservancy to ensure the summer grain harvest.

Zhu Xiu and Chai Rong arrived at Kaifeng City under the protection of more than twenty soldiers.

Looking up, the newly built city wall is more than ten feet higher than the old city. The newly compacted earthen wall and stone bricks exude a new earth atmosphere, the brand new plaque hangs high, and the large gilded characters reflect the light in the sun.

When Guo Wei returned to Kaifeng from Yanzhou, the first thing he did was to recruit civilians to build Kaifeng Luocheng, with the old city as the center and expansion in all directions. The new city was more than ten miles away from the old city.

This huge project required 55,000 men and took only more than 20 days.

Guo Wei raised the people for more than a year, the imperial rule was stable, and the national treasury was full. Two major events, the eastern expedition to Yanzhou to pacify Murong Yanchao, and the construction of Luocheng in Kaifeng, were completed in succession. The imperial court did not have much burden, and it did not delay the summer grain supply of the entire Henan region.

Good harvest.

This is not only a reflection of the strong national power of the Zhou Dynasty, but also proof of the efficient and orderly operation of the court and its strong execution ability.

The city tower is towering, and the huge Luocheng looks like a large construction site. The people are working enthusiastically, and there is a clanging sound everywhere.

Compared with Jiangning City, which has a slow pace and has been quiet for many years, Kaifeng is less leisurely and leisurely, less iron-blooded, but more energetic and energetic.

After checking the imperial pass, Zhu Xiu and Chai Rong were able to enter Luocheng smoothly.

The ancient city is far away from each other. As far as the eye can see, at the end of the line of sight, only the eaves and corners of the old towers can be seen.

Zhu Xiu and Chai Rong rode horses side by side, walking on the flattened and compacted central axis avenue. They looked around like two rural villagers visiting Beijing for the first time, with eyes full of novelty.

In Luocheng, the criss-crossing streets and lanes have been neatly planned, and the construction of many Taoist temples, Buddhist temples, government offices, military camps, private residences, and commercial buildings has begun.

In half a year, the whole Luocheng will look completely different.

"I haven't been back to Kaifeng for a year and a half, and the changes have been so drastic!" Chai Rong sighed melancholy, his tone a bit bitter.

Zhu Xiu echoed: "I left Beijing a year ago and went south to Jiangning. This Luocheng still existed only in the official manuscripts. When I came back a year later, I was already in this majestic capital city.

I will revolutionize the past and create new things in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and create a prosperous foundation that reaches far beyond the Han and Tang Dynasties, starting from this Kaifeng New City!"

Chai Rong was silent for a moment, looked around, and murmured: "I hope there will be a place for me in this grand blueprint."

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "Brother, I should be the writer and outline the magnificent rivers and mountains of my great Zhou Dynasty!"

Chai Rong took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the reins, and his eyes became deep and firm.

Several fast horses rushed out from the Zicheng corridor in the distance and ran straight towards Zhu Xiu and his party.

Hu Guangyue said in surprise: "Master Hou, look, it's Lao Ma and the others!"

Zhu Xiu stretched his neck and looked around, and sure enough he saw several familiar faces.

Ma Qing, Chen An, take a closer look, there are Bi Zhenhai and Guan Tieshi who they haven't seen for a long time!

"Haha!~Master Hou, I'm back!~"

Zhu Xiu grinned and couldn't help waving his hands excitedly.

"Xuxu~"

After several horses neighing, several men of different shapes and appearances got off their horses, knelt down on one knee with fists clasped, and shouted in unison:

"I'm waiting to meet you, the lord! I'm going to meet you, lord!"

Chai Rong straddled his horse and smiled and nodded without saying a word. These were Zhu Xiu's old subordinates, and he would not overwhelm them.

"Slave Ma San comes to see the young master!"

Ma Qing sobbed and howled, rolled off his horse, limped and rushed to Zhu Xiu, fell to his knees with a plop and was about to kowtow.

"Old horse! Get up!"

Zhu Xiu hurriedly supported him, looked him over, patted his shoulder and said with a smile: "Old Ma, I haven't seen you for more than a year. Why are you so much shorter? You even have a hunchback?"

Ma Qing wiped away tears and sobbed while grinning and said: "My slave is old and his legs and feet are disabled. As he walks, his back becomes hunched. He cannot compare with his master's splendor and heroic spirit...

"

"Haha~ You are getting better and better at talking. It seems that Kaifeng has gained a lot of experience in the past few years!" Zhu Xiu laughed.

Ma Qing rolled up his sleeves, hunched over and laughed, his grin revealing a mouth full of missing teeth.

His voice was hoarse and unpleasant, as if there was sand in his throat.

If the black turban worn on his head were taken off, a head full of scars and sparse hair would be revealed. The terrifying look would probably scare a child to tears.

Chen An rushed to Chanzhou after the New Year to report the news. He had already met Zhu Xiu, bowed and silently stepped aside.

What Zhu Xiu didn't expect was that Bi Zhenhai and Guan Tieshi would be in Kaifeng.

"When did you two come?"

Bi Zhenhai clasped his fists and said, "Reporting to the Marquis, my subordinates and General Guan followed General Shi into the capital."

Zhu Xiu looked at Guan Tieshi and said with a smile: "Old Shi is now the general of Zuowei. I guess you have been promoted as well?"

Guan Tieshi said a little shyly: "The official transferred the general to serve as the Zhongwu Jiedu Envoy of Xuzhou, and a certain person was also awarded the post of the Horse Infantry Commander's Military Envoy."

"Oh? Congratulations!" Zhu Xiu was a little surprised, "I guess it must be Lao Shi who couldn't sit still and asked for help from officials?"

Guan Tieshi's dark face showed a smile: "Yes, the general came to Kaifeng. The first few months were fine. He visited with old acquaintances to chat, walked around the capital, drank tea, listened to music and played chess, and lived a leisurely life.

But as soon as the freshness wore off, the general became restless. He idled around and had nothing to do every day. He ran out to gamble when he was drunk. After losing all, he got into fights in the street. He was sued several times by the imperial censor.

..

The officials also scolded him several times. Later, seeing that the general couldn't sit still, he asked him to be transferred to Xuzhou, saying that he would take office after the Mid-Autumn Festival..."

Zhu Xiu burst into laughter. Shi Kuangwei, an old man, was still so dishonest after coming to Kaifeng.

Having stayed in Jingzhou for a long time, he has a loose temperament and a rough style, and he will definitely not be able to stand the many rules and regulations in the capital.

Zhu Xiu glanced at Bi Zhenhai and said apologetically: "Now that the salt factory has been nationalized and assigned to the supervision and administration of the Jingzhao Salt and Iron City, the salt sales business in Zhenhai Camp can no longer continue. Before, you were not in the Changyi Army, but under the Ministry of War

There is no preparation with the Privy Council, and it is not even considered as a miscellaneous army... Otherwise, with your merits, you can be a general with little effort."

Bi Zhenhai clasped his fists and said: "Thanks to the Lord Hou, he thought highly of a certain person and was willing to take a certain person and a group of brothers to serve under his command. A certain person swore an oath that he would follow the master marquis in his life and serve him loyally to the death, even to the death!"

It doesn't matter whether you can be an official or not, as long as you can serve under the Marquis, I am willing to be a pawn!"

Zhu Xiu patted his thick shoulder heavily: "I have my own considerations regarding your arrangements. How many people are there in Zhenhai camp now?"

"Before leaving Jingzhou, my subordinates followed the instructions of the Marquis and informed the brothers of the pros and cons. More than 200 people chose to leave the Zhenhai camp and stay in Jingzhou, either join the Zhangyi Army, or return to their hometowns.

There are less than 300 people who are willing to follow their subordinates to Kaifeng, and now they are all settled in suburban manors in the name of tenants." Bi Zhenhai replied.

Ma Qingdao: "The year before last, my subordinates were ordered by the Marquis to raise funds to purchase land and farms inside and outside the capital. Now they have purchased more than a dozen houses, large and small, and more than 2,000 acres of land.

The Zhenhaiying brothers are now housed in several large farms outside the city.

The old lady and Dalangjun’s family also live in the Zhu family’s mansion on Tianshui Lane.”

Zhu Xiu rubbed her chin and gave Ma Qing an approving look.

There are more than a dozen houses in Kaifeng city and more than 2,000 acres of land outside the city. These are all his family properties, Lord Zhu.

Five years ago in Cangzhou, he was still a poor and homeless refugee.

Nowadays, he has been promoted to an official position and his family has a fortune of tens of millions. He is considered the most famous person in the Zhou Dynasty.

Chai Rong laughed and said, "What a great Zhu Xiu! You actually bought a large piece of land and a house in Kaifeng city early, and you have a huge fortune! Looking at the government and the public, you are the richest among all the officials!"

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "I made my brother laugh. You also know that I don't have any big ambitions. I just want to be comfortable and enjoy myself. I took advantage of the turmoil in Kaifeng to make a small fortune. Please keep it a secret for me and never let the officials know."

....”

Chai Rong said jokingly: "The imperial court spent a lot of money to build Luocheng. Shouldn't you, a wealthy man from Kaifeng, also express your gratitude?"

Zhu Xiu patted his chest and said, "Tomorrow, in the name of the trading house, I will call on merchants to donate money to the court!"

"That's pretty much it. I will ask your father for credit for this matter." Chai Rong suppressed his laughter and nodded.

Zhu Xiugong cupped his hands and secretly glanced at Ma Qing.

It wasn't that Chai Rong took the opportunity to extort money, but he just reminded him to take a sum of money as a filial piety before the emperor found out that he was taking advantage of the chaos to make money, so as to stop Uncle Guo from talking.

Even if Chai Rong didn't say anything about it, Zhu Xiu would still do it.

After the Guangzhengdian Incident, land prices in Kaifeng plummeted, the government and the public were in turmoil, and people in the city were panicked.

After Guo Wei launched his army in Yedu, a large number of houses in Kaifeng were sold off, and those who could afford it fled the city long before Yedu's troops marched south.

No one knows whether Kaifeng City will become a battlefield and turn into ruins.

Zhu Xiu asked Ma Qing to take the opportunity to purchase a large number of houses because he expected that the new court would not deny the old accounts of the previous government in order to stabilize people's hearts.

This can be regarded as a gain from the Zhou Dynasty, and it is appropriate to use some money to show filial piety.

"Is my mother okay? And Shi Xiangwen, how is Madam Lingyan doing?"

Zhu Xiu asked Ma Qing and others again.

Ma Qing and others looked at each other and said hesitantly: "The old lady's condition is stable for the time being. Although her body is weak, she is in good spirits.

Shi Dalang and Lady Lingyan..."

Ma Qing stopped talking, coughed dryly and winked at Guan Tieshi: "Let General Guan do the talking..."

After Ma Qing finished speaking, he shrank and stopped talking, which made Guan Tieshi stare in anger.

"What's going on?" Zhu Xiu frowned.

Guan Tieshi gritted his teeth and said: "General Shi listened to some rumors and misunderstood you. Recently, you'd better hide away and don't let him bump into you..."

Bi Zhenhai smiled bitterly and said: "General Shi has a lot of grievances. Lord Marquis should be more careful."

Ma Qing said nervously: "I was just worried that General Shi would find out about Mr. Hou's entry into the city, so we came here in advance to report it."

Zhu Xiuhu Tu said: "What misunderstanding can Lao Shi have about me? We haven't seen each other for more than two years. He must miss me very much!"

Just when Chen An was about to say something, he heard a loud shout coming from the left door of Mingde Gate:
Chapter completed!