Fang Yingwu took a boat out of Suzhou Fucheng, entered the canal to the west, then turned north, and spent the night at Xushuguan, one of the eight major passes.
It's late spring, the season when grain is transported from the south to the north. You can see a large number of fully loaded grain ships in the canal, which slows down the traffic speed a lot.
In the early years of the dynasty, the grain chief system was established. The grain chiefs of various regions were responsible for transporting grain from their own grain areas to the capital. At first, it was okay, it was not far from Jiangnan to Nanjing, but since the Yongle period, the capital moved to the north, a distance of two to three hundred miles.
It became two to three thousand miles away, and the grain chiefs in Jiangnan were completely miserable. Because of this, there were many people who broke their families.
During the reign of Emperor Xuanzongzhang, the system was changed, and water storage warehouses were set up along the canal. The grain chief only had to transport grain to designated water storage warehouses, such as Guazhou warehouse.
The main force in transporting grain from the south to the north became sergeants. Emperor Xuanzong issued an edict to appoint Yangzhou Guards and Fengyang Guards to be responsible for transporting grain to the capital. As a result, a pattern of the Northern Army guarding the border and the Southern Army carrying water was formed.
Fang Yingwu cautiously suspected that these two military households carried out water transportation in an organized manner all year round, which may be the earliest origin of the Qinggang in the future.
Without further ado, Fang Yingwu continued his journey the next day and headed northwest to Changzhou Prefecture, which is also a prosperous place. Generally speaking, when talking about Jiangnan, one is Suzhou Prefecture, two is Su Song, and three is Su Songchang.
At this time, Changzhou Prefecture was not as simple as Changzhou City later, but also included Wuxi City, which was separated.
Changzhou Prefecture has the qualifications to be called together with Suzhou and Songjiang, so its economic strength cannot be underestimated. At this time, Suzhou Prefecture accounts for 10% of the world's finance and taxation, about more than two million dan; Songjiang Prefecture accounts for about half of Suzhou Prefecture, which is one
More than one million shi; and Changzhou Prefecture is exactly half of Songjiang Prefecture, 500,000 to 600,000 shi.
It seems inconspicuous when placed next to Suzhou and Songjiang, but five to six hundred thousand shi is already the highest amount in the country.
The ship passed through Wuxi County and arrived at Wujin County, the capital city of Changzhou. Seeing that it was almost dusk, Fang Yingwu ordered the boatman to dock and rest outside the south water gate of the capital city.
Wang Ying, who was watching outside, got into the cabin, and the other party reported: "It's so lively on the shore outside."
Fang Yingwu looked through the porthole to the distant shore, and sure enough he saw three sedans parked on the shore. In addition to the sedan bearers, there were about ten or twenty people gathered together. They looked like servants, and one of them
The officials wearing silk hats and green robes are really eye-catching.
Obviously this is a group of people from the local government. Of course, this alone cannot be called lively. The key is that there are five or six suona players standing on the shore, playing hard. The fluent tunes linger over the pier, and they will be blown away.
The atmosphere was very festive.
Although Sister Lan studied a lot but went out less, she was puzzled and asked her husband innocently: "Whose wife has come to the dock?"
Fang Yingwu laughed loudly, "This is not a wife-in-law. There must be a high-ranking official passing through, so the local officials went to the pier to welcome her."
He impromptuly plagiarized a small order and said sarcastically: "Trumpet, suona, the music is small, the tune is loud. The official ships are coming and going in a mess, and it's all up to you to raise your voice. The army is worried after hearing it, and the people are afraid, where will they go?"
How can we tell what is true and what is false? What you see will overthrow this house and hurt that house, but the water will blow away and the geese will fly away!"
I could only hear Sister Lan purse her lips and laugh, and kept saying that Mr. Daofu had such a naughty mouth.
Fang Yingwu analyzed: "It's not that I'm being naughty, that's what the world is saying. However, it seems that they are not welcoming a big shot this time. Otherwise, all the government officials must have gone to battle, and there wouldn't be only one waiting there.
It's probably because a man with chicken feathers as an arrow has arrived, and the place has to deal with it."
While they were talking, the boat had already docked, far away from the crowds at the Yamen over there, so as not to cause trouble.
Two attendants, Wang Ying and Fang Yingshi, quickly moved their luggage. Sister Lan was carrying the soft package, and Fang Yingwu got off the boat first.
He wanted to find a local to inquire about the residences of nearby shops. As he was looking around, he unexpectedly caught a glimpse of the green-robed official trotting towards him.
When he got closer, Fang Yingwu could clearly see the pattern on his chest. He was a genuine fifth-grade man, which was not a low level.
Fang Yingwu quickly realized that in Fucheng, Changzhou Prefecture, there should be only the second highest official in the government office, Tong Zhi, with the official title of the fifth rank. Could this person be the Tong Zhi of Changzhou Prefecture?
The official who was suspected of being a Tongzhi quickly came to Fang Yingwu and said, "I am Deng Tao, a Tongzhi of Changzhou Prefecture. May I ask if this is Mr. Fang from Chun'an?"
Fang Yingwu was very surprised. Could it be that he had already gained such a reputation that in this strange place from the future, someone would recognize him and take the initiative to get to know him? And he was also a dignified fifth-grade official.
With a little vanity, Fang Yingwu bowed his hands and replied: "I am Fang Yingwu, a student member of Chun'an County. I wonder what Deng Sima does for you?"
Deng Tao and Deng Tongzhi's face suddenly bloomed like spring thunder, full of smiles, "It is indeed Mr. Fang! I have been waiting here for a long time, and I came here to greet you today. After all, I have been waiting. Everything in my Changzhou Mansion is ready
Okay, Mr. Fang, please rest assured!"
Fang Yingwu was astonished. How could he imagine that the three sedan chairs on the pier, the suona player, and the team of ten or twenty people were all prepared to welcome him?
When I saw it on the boat, I made some sarcasm about it. Could it be that all the sarcasm was on me? It’s true that I’m sure I’ll miss it if I say too much.
However, irony is irony, but when it happened to him, Fang Yingwu was a little flattered, and tried his best to refuse: "How can I be worthy of Deng Sima Yuan Ying of my humble body? This is very inappropriate, please turn around, Sima.
I can't stand it anymore."
Deng Tongzhi flattered a little and said: "Young Master Fang is serious! Wang Futai's majestic power in the south of the Yangtze River is someone we have always admired. Now that Young Master Fang is here, I should treat him well. You don't have to be polite, Young Master Fang. Come quickly."
Please hurry up!"
Deng Tongzhi first mentioned Wang Shu and then Fang Yingwu, but did not name the relationship between Wang Shu and Fang Yingwu. This is because it is really difficult to say anything clearly now.
This is also his cleverness. If he directly tells his grandfather or something like that, he may cause dissatisfaction. Not everyone likes personal matters to be mentioned casually.
Fang Yingwu finally realized that this was not because of his great reputation, but because of Mr. Wang Shu's great dignity! Although Wang Shu was based in Suzhou Prefecture and his key work was carried out around Su Song, his full official title was "Nanjing Right Deputy Capital"
"Imperial envoy, governor of the Ten Prefectures of Su Song", Changzhou is also included in the Ten Prefectures of Jiangnan.
And he himself was probably treated as Wang Shu's future grandson by well-informed people, and he was a grandson whom he valued very much, not to mention that he had a shuji father.
But what left Fang Yingwu speechless was that Deng Tongzhi was too flattering. No matter what, he was only a student, only sixteen years old in terms of age, and even worse in terms of seniority.
Mr. Deng is a dignified official of the fifth rank. He personally went to the dock to greet him. This kind of behavior is a bit self-deprecating! It is equivalent to putting a young man like himself in the position of a superior or a division commander. This is not something ordinary people can do!
Fang Yingwu couldn't help but secretly sigh, the same rice can support hundreds of people, and indeed there are all kinds of birds in the officialdom.
In the past year, he has met quite a few officials. Whether it is Wang Zhixian, Zhu Zhifu, or Wang Shu, although they have different personalities and levels, they all have the bottom line of a scholar's sense of shame. But this Deng Tongzhi,
Flattery is a complete disregard of moral integrity.
Fang Yingwu asked again in confusion: "How did Deng Sima know that I was going to come here?" Although Suzhou Prefecture and Changzhou Prefecture are neighboring places, the news cannot spread so quickly.
Deng Tongzhi accompanied him and said with a smile: "The Hushu Pass in Suzhou is located in the same year as the next one. Whenever a noble person goes north, he will quickly send a message and tell the characteristics. In this way, I will take note of it and pay attention to it along the way."
Fang Yingwu laughed bitterly when he heard this. Deng Tongzhi was really a talented person, and he went to great lengths to please him.
Going north along the canal from Suzhou Prefecture, you must pass through Xushuguan for inspection, and then go to Changzhou Prefecture. If Changzhou Prefecture has arranged an informant at Xushuguan, it will naturally know the journey and characteristics of the nobles passing through, and will not let go if there is a mistake.
Pass.
When Fang Yingwu was thinking about what he had learned, Deng Tongzhi warmly invited him again and said, "This is not the place to talk. Mr. Fang, please get on the sedan chair and go into the city hall to have tea and talk in detail."
Fang Yingwu looked at the line of servants and the three large sedan chairs, and shook his head repeatedly. This was too arrogant. He was just a scholar now, and he still wanted to gain a good reputation.
If word of this reaches Wang Shu's ears, it will be bad. Who knows if the old man will get mad and mobilize the army to drive hundreds of miles to capture him and return him to Suzhou Mansion and severely punish him.
But Deng Tongzhi's character was shameless, but he was really flattering himself. If he didn't appreciate it at all, it would be too blunt and unkind.
Fang Yingwu thought for a moment and then replied: "There is no need to go into the city. I just need to trouble Deng Sima to find a few clean houses in Shuiyi nearby, so that I can wait for my party to move in."
Originally, the inn building was owned by the state, and he could not live there casually as a private person. But since there was a place to entertain him, he would just accept some favors and live in an inn outside the city. This would also prevent him from showing off.
The publicity of the city.
Deng Tongzhi repeatedly invited Fang Yingwu to enter the city, but Fang Yingwu refused. He had no choice but to walk with Fang Yingwu in the car towards the water station not far from the dock.
After that, Deng Tongzhi hosted a banquet in the inn to entertain Mr. Fang. During the conversation, Fang Yingwu gradually understood Deng Tongzhi's situation.
It turns out that the governor of Changzhou Prefecture has just resigned, and a new one has not yet been dispatched. Deng Tongzhi is temporarily acting as the magistrate of the government office. But he not only wants to be the acting governor, but also wants to become a regular official, so he has to lose face and build relationships with all parties at all costs.
Although Fang Yingwu was young, he knew that at this time he could only pretend to be confused, so he kept silent about Wang Shu and did not give Deng Tongzhi a chance to get involved in this aspect.
Deng Tongzhi was a little disappointed, but still refused to give in. When he was thinking of a way out, he saw a servant running into the hall and whispering a few words to Deng Tongzhi.
But he saw that Deng Tongzhi's body was violently shaken, and his face was almost deformed. He was stunned for a moment, and then hurriedly handed over his hands to the other party. He didn't even bother to say anything, and ran out like a beast being chased.
He looks like he has no regard for the image of a fifth-grade official.
Fang Yingwu was extremely curious, what could have frightened Deng Tongzhi into being like this? He winked at Wang Ying, who quickly stepped forward and grabbed the handyman who came to report the news, and asked: "You adults are so rude. What exactly is this for?"
The handyman looked at Fang Yingwu and replied: "Eunuch Wang from the West Factory is here!" (To be continued. Please search Piao Tian Literature, the novel is better and updated faster!)
