Updated: 2012-10-11

After chatting about a few words of tea, Xie Jun did not mention the topic of the account again, and said: "I learned that the teacher was going to Yangzhou, my subordinates made some preparations and prepared a yard in the north of the city. When Mr. comes to Yangzhou, he doesn't have to bother with his daily life. There is a wonderful thing here. Just take a boat straight along the Beicheng River and you can go to Baoyang Lake (Shrimp West Lake). The salt merchants and giants on the Grand Canal of Beijing and Hangzhou, and many talented men and beautiful women live here, and they continue to build pavilions and gardens. Now the scenery is beautiful and literary style is full of people, which is indeed a good place in Yangzhou."

"The matter here has been handed over. I have to go to Nanjing to meet Shangfeng. I won't live in Yangzhou for a long time. You don't have to be so troublesome." Zhang Ning said deliberately and unlucky. But he did not express his willingness to refuse. Now the relationship between the upper and lower classes is not familiar with each other. He dare not ask for money directly, but his intentions in terms of food, clothing, housing and transportation are not a big problem.

At the same time, he was also planning to meet Wu Yong, a doctor of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites, and gifts must be lacked. Although he had just taken office, he had to express his favors within the scope permitted by the bad rules. He could only pay the money out of his own pocket. Fortunately, he received nearly 100 taels of favors before leaving Beijing. Wu Yong paid for the favors at his own pocket, and the expenses of living and transportation here were burdened by his subordinates. After the two-fold funding was broken, he could still support it.

Because Xie Jun took the initiative to take care of food and accommodation, Zhang Ning's tone eased a lot: "This time I'm here to meet two people, and Heng U (Xie Jun's name is a word called "Xie Jun") is one, and there is also a messenger Zhan Zhuli. Where are the others?"

Since Mr. Xie began to compromise, Zhang Ning didn't want to always speak with a provocative attitude, and he showed closeness in his words. Everyone is doing errands in the same institution, and compromise and cooperation should be the theme.

Xie Jun said: "I didn't expect that Mr. will come to hand over official duties so quickly. Zhan Zhuli hasn't shown up recently. This person likes to drink, and maybe he is drunk and dreaming about death."

Zhang Ning frowned slightly, but said, "It's good for people who can drink to go social together."

Xie Jun smiled and said, "He just likes to drink, he has to drink three times a day, but unfortunately he doesn't have enough alcohol. He will pour it if he doesn't have three bowls. He is drunk like a pig."

After drinking and making trouble, Zhang Ning felt that this unmasked messenger and assistant was not very reliable. He had to say, "That's all, I'll see him again when I come back from Nanjing."

"Originally, the subordinates should have fulfilled their friendship as landlords and found a few famous scholars from Yangzhou to accompany them to welcome the teacher, but..." Xie Jun said with some regret.

Zhang Ning hurriedly said, "No need, your relationship is not to be revealed in front of outsiders. We are doing the right thing, so we can save as long as we can. Today is like this, because there is nothing to arrange for now, and we will talk about everything when I meet up from Nanjing."

Xie Jun said: "It's a waste to hold a banquet according to the teacher's wishes. I still need to welcome you. My subordinates asked someone to make a few side dishes, a pot of thin wine, and I'll give you a clear look."

"That's good, don't have too many dishes, and you'll see the whole table." Zhang Ning nodded, and dinner was just around the corner, so a few side dishes must not be too bad. He was more calm when he was eating and drinking.

They talked about some specific matters about the personnel in the tea room. When the time was almost over, Xie Jun took Zhang Ning to the garden behind. There were not many people coming and going, but the scenery was good. With a small artificial lake as the center, there were rockery, stone bridges, pavilions, houses, flowers, plants and trees. The scene was like a garden.

While passing through the corridor and talking, Xie Jun pointed to the garden and said, "The people in Biyuan usually live in this garden, but it is not specially for us to live in. Some elegant people with status want to gather friends and treat guests. They pay for money, but the environment also requires it. You have to drink and taste tea and have a little scenery, haha."

"Just drink alcohol and tea?" Zhang Ning asked with a casual tone.

Xie Jun was stunned: "Since the sir asked, we can't hide it from you. Of course, it's not just about drinking and tasting, but how much money can you earn? Besides, those talented men are happy here, but how can they enjoy the poems that are just a little bit clear? In fact, whether it is a scholar in Confucianism or a salt dandy, there are three things that are not free, and the way to play is different."

Zhang Ning asked with great interest: "What are the three?"

Xie Jun looked obscenely smiling: "It's nothing more than voice, color, and gambling. When you have money, you will change your ways and never leave your roots."

Zhang Ning said: "The Ming Dynasty couldn't help but silence, but it banned gambling. You always use it to break the law. When we report the accounts, wouldn't we have to make a false statement?"

"No one has investigated. The prefectures and prefectures never touch our Biyuan. No matter when the official officers chased the gambling houses in the streets and alleys, the Biyuan has always been indifferent." Xie Jun said bluntly, "Maybe some officials who have just come down don't understand, but the small officials and officials on Yangzhou vaguely know some of our background. Besides, these things are constantly banned. Many salt merchants, silk merchants, medicinal merchants, and many of them are involved in this. They only allow them to make money. Why can't we get a share of the pie?"

Zhang Ning said seriously: "After all, we are doing things for the court and need self-discipline. However, it is not a bad thing to reduce some funds for Hubutang. It is not easy for Hubutang to ask the Ministry of Revenue to ask the Ministry of Revenue for funds, because they have a lot of complaints if the Ministry of Revenue cannot get the detailed account."

"That's that's it." Xie Jun smiled, "It's still the adults in Beijing who can talk."

When you arrive at a pavilion called "Plum Pavilion", you should be at the place. When you go upstairs, Zhang Ning found that the window was hollowed out, called a borrowed window. The advantage is that you can enjoy the wintersweet by the lake well, but there is no glass cover at this time, and it is a bit chilly when the wind blows in winter. More than a dozen dishes have been placed on the round table, and a few pots of wine are warmed on the mud stove next to it. The room is decorated cleanly and elegantly, and can enjoy the plum blossoms quietly. It is indeed a good place to eat.

Miao Ge, the girl I had seen in the tea room before, also came. She didn't come with Zhang Ning and others. She had a smile like spring, her fingers with a wine pot were as white as peeling onions, and her wine pouring was gentle and elegant. Such a person came to serve, which made people's appetite suddenly increase.

Xie Jun smiled and looked at Zhang Ning's gaze and said, "Just talking about those three things just now, our Miao Ge is also famous in Yangzhou City. Most people outside don't have to see each other if they have money. Come on, Miao Ge pours wine for Mr. Zhang."

Oh, is still a famous prostitute? But Zhang Ning has never heard of it. It is probably a real meaning. Zhang Ning smiled and said, "In this way, it is a blessing to drink the wine poured by Miss Miao Ge." Anyway, it was a show-off. Fortunately, Luo Yaoniang was not in Yangzhou, otherwise how could she have a baby go to the house to remove the tiles?

"Sir, I will take the liberty to give you a glass first." Miao Ge said softly, without any pretentiousness, and covered his little mouth with his red sleeves to drink a glass of wine.

Zhang Ning was not in a position to refuse, so he drank all the wine she poured and praised: "Miao Ge speaks nicely, and this wine is also good."

"Thank you for your love," the woman held a tribute slightly and said with a proper shyness, "This wine is called Daughter Hong. It has been buried underground for eighteen years, and now it has been unearthed for the adults to taste."

What this said... Zhang Ning was also twitched. Should he taste wine or taste people?

He kept calm and turned around and smiled at Xie Jun, "Miao Ge does have some cultivation level of female history."

"She is from Miaojiang, southwest. She was carefully selected by her ex-girlfriend." Xie Jun said, "The current reputation is not very good. When the four talents of Suzhou and Hangzhou come from Hangzhou in the beginning of spring, we will hold a poetry meeting in Biyuan and let the talents write poems to enlighten her. Their value will be very different."

Zhang Ning nodded in praise and said, "Hengyu is indeed good at business."

Xie Jun picked up the wine glass: "Where is it, it's just a common method."

Sure enough, wine is a good thing. After two glasses of wine, it seems that they are closer to each other. The two talked loudly about the beautiful girl next to them, but in Xie Jun's eyes, this girl was just a valuable commodity. Zhang Ning deliberately observed her expression and found that she was not unhappy at all... Maybe people themselves are commodities, and it seems valuable to others. What's even more sad is that they want to be used without any value.

The atmosphere was just right, and a middle-aged man in his forties came up. When Zhang Ning looked back, he bowed and said, "I have met Lord Zhang."

Xie Jun said: "Shopkeeper Gu is here and comes to accompany him. I can't drink enough. I am afraid that I can't accompany my husband to enjoy the fun alone."

"The villain came late to see the wedding and punished himself for three cups." Manager Gu's speech was quite stiff. He came up and poured wine into the wine pot and drank three big cups. In an instant, his eyes turned a little red, and it seemed that his alcohol tolerance was not good.

Thinking that this accountant shopkeeper also belongs to the accounting category, from a certain perspective, Zhang Ning and him were still in the same way, he felt a little relaxed. He knew that even if this shopkeeper Gu was doing fake accounts, he would take risks at both ends and share at least one role. It was not easy anyway. Zhang Ning said, "Good alcohol, since that's the case, Hengyong and I don't care about it anymore. If you drink three cups, I will accompany you with one."

"You have been apologized by me, please use it slowly and say goodbye." Manager Gu bowed, turned around and left.

"Hey..." Xie Jun looked ugly and said hurriedly, "This person has a weird personality, but he is reliable in his work. He doesn't care about villains and doesn't need to be as knowledgeable as him."

Zhang Ning nodded: "It's okay, I'm not a person who cares about it."

Although the arrival of the shopkeeper Gu affected the happy atmosphere, Zhang Ning did not make any further investigations.

After dinner, Xie Jun wanted to take him to the house prepared in the north of the city again. Zhang Ning was not drunk and naturally accepted his kindness because he was drunk. It was not much to stay in the inn at the moment, but it was a bit unusual for him to live in the inn. Since Biyuan had to bear food and accommodation, he accepted it calmly. There should be horses in the house, so he would not have to pay for his own expenses when traveling. He had to go from Yangzhou to Nanjing without the official documents issued by Yangzhou Prefecture to get a horse at the inn.

They used a carriage to take Zhang Ning back to their residence, and there was a young woman with her side, probably the girl from Biyuan. Miao Ge was a little provocative at the dinner table, but Xie Jun didn't need to let her come. Miao Ge was a woman who could be kept for a good price, and there was no need for her own people to waste money like this.

Zhang Ning also refused the girl who came here. If the new arrival was free and the prostitute was useless, the impact would be bad, and he would lose his identity.

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