The outskirts of Beijing, Xishan.

After more than a year of transformation, Xishan is no longer the desolate stone mountain it used to be.

When the armory and the workshop were first established, there were only three or four thousand people, including craftsmen, people, workers and their families.

At the beginning, most of the people who were gathered were people who had lost their land, who had no rice to survive the winter, and they all wanted to do this errand first and save some money to buy some land.

But this idea only existed in this group of people for three months, and on the first day of the completion of the houses built for the people, craftsmen, and workers, Liu Hongjian announced the division of houses by household.

The house is not big, but it is enough for a few people in the family to shelter from the wind and rain, and the craftsmen, workers, and handymen who work in the armory and various workshops are all in charge of eating, living and handing out silver.

In addition, Liu Hong's reputation in the imperial court, and the rumors that there is a royal shadow here, these people have even more broken up their plans to continue farming.

So much so that later, as soon as the Xishan Workshop expanded to recruit workers, the people who came to answer the call from all over the world could drain the water around the Xishan Workshop, and in the past two years, 50,000 or 60,000 people have gathered around the small Xishan.

Later, when Wutang and the College of Engineering settled in Xishan one after another, Liu Hong gradually felt that it was inconvenient to get water, so he directly ordered the people to dig a hole in the Wuding River.

The river passes between the lecture hall and the Institute of Engineering, all the way south around the workshops in Xishan, and flows into the lower reaches of the Wuding River again.

A flat bridge was built with reinforced concrete between the lecture hall and the engineering college, and some flowers and plants were planted by craftsmen by the river, which was like a paradise for a while.

There are more people, and there are naturally more things needed, and it is always inconvenient to buy food, clothing, and use from the capital, so small merchants and hawkers with a sense of business come one after another.

On the opposite side of Yiying's houses, rows of merchants were slowly built, and all the facades of the merchants were the same, all of which were two-story commercial houses made of red bricks.

Merchants who want to rent a storefront to do business only need to go to the center of the shop to find the strict housekeeper of Liu Kongzhao's family.

Liu Hongjian finally lived a lazy life of making a fortune by collecting rent.

As the day approached, a horse-drawn carriage drove into the small town of Xishan.

Wang Yuangu lifted the curtain of the carriage and stared at the bustling town outside the window, and received inns, wine shops, cloth villages, and grain shops on both sides.

The road is paved with cement, smooth and spacious, and there are almost no bumps in the carriage on the road.

I have long heard that the king of Anguo County is doing a lot of work in Xishan, and now it seems that it is really true, Wang Yuangu said secretly in his heart.

He had visited Xishan once a few years ago, when it was just a wasteland with little crops, and now when he came back, there was still a half-desolate scene.

The carriage passed through the residential area, and then passed through various workshops of all sizes, and finally came to the foot of Xishan Mountain.

"Who's in the car? Why are you here? Can it be compatible? A group of soldiers on duty stopped Wang Yuangu's carriage, and a small flag officer stepped out of it and asked at the carriage.

"Old man Wang Yuangu, I came to Xishan to see the king of Anguo County, old man...... There is no conformity. Wang Yuangu said in a deep voice.

Seeing that this little flag official was arrogant, Wang Yuangu frowned, where did he receive such a reprimand as a servant of the court, but he did not have a seizure.

"No compromise? Then where did you come from, go back! The little flag officer said coldly.

Although seeing that this old man was dressed in silk, he was definitely not an idle person, but there were many people who wanted to go up the mountain to visit the king of Anguo every day, and none of them had some net worth.

"Bold! Do you know who's in the car? Wang Yuangu hadn't had a seizure yet, but his coachman couldn't help it.

The adults of his family are dignified three-grade masters, and they follow Wang Yuangu out on weekdays, who is not polite to give three points, where would he have thought that a small flag official in Xishan would dare to be so presumptuous.

"Huh? It's pretty horizontal! Do you know who lives on this mountain? "This little flag officer dared to question a horseman when he saw it, and he was not angry but happy, and he was a thief in Shandong dialect.

"Wang Hu, step aside! This little brother, the old man is the left servant of the criminal department, Wang Yuangu, this time he came to meet the king of Anguo County is really an important matter to discuss, and in a hurry and has no time to do Kanhe, this is the old man's seal, and I hope that the little brother will be accommodating. ”

Wang Yuangu took out his seal letter from his waist and handed it to the little flag official in a kind tone.

The news that Emperor Chongzhen lived in Xishan Villa was not announced to the world, so that many people only knew that there was a prince.

Maybe his groom Wang Hu didn't know, but he knew that Chongzhen lived here, even if the investigation was strict, it would not be too much.

"Wait a minute, I'll verify it." This little flag officer doesn't even know the words, how can he know what is written on the seal.

I had no choice but to go to the rear station to consult the Qianhu Official, and before leaving, I didn't forget to tell my subordinates that no one was allowed to go up the mountain until he returned.

After a while, the little flag officer who verified the authenticity waved his hand and let him go, and Wang Yuangu had to go up the mountain.

Looking at Wang Yuangu's stumbling back, this little flag official was puzzled, and said in his heart What is the matter today, just now there was a servant of the Ministry of Officials, and now he is a waiter of the Criminal Department.

Don't these officials have to work today?

Although the West Mountain is not high, there are at least four or five hundred steps, and there is no carriage, Wang Yuangu sighed, and had to climb with the support of Wang Hu.

After walking for a while and resting for a while, he was tired and sweating, and was interrogated several times by several sergeants along the way, and Wang Yuangu finally saw the courtyard group on the top of the West Mountain.

The antique buildings are scattered, it is the autumn scene, a few people go out to sweep the fallen leaves, and from time to time a few maids carry objects into the walk.

It's really a paradise! Wang Yuangu glanced around and said in his heart.

After passing through several courtyards and asking again, Wang Yuangu finally found the residence of the king of Anguo County in the west of the annex.

It's just that before Wang Yuangu'er entered, he saw an acquaintance - Zhang Tianlu, the servant of the ministry.

"Zhang Tianlu, why are you here!" Wang Yuangu thought that he was wrong with his old eyes, so he blinked his eyes before saying.

"Who am I, isn't this the king? Why, if you come, won't I come? The enemy was very red when he met, and Zhang Tianlu's tone was not very friendly.

"Humph!" Wang Yuangu snorted coldly and didn't say much, raised his feet and walked towards the courtyard gate.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to get in, the prince and his old man haven't gotten up yet!" Zhang Tianlu said to Wang Yuangu's back angrily.

The heart said that Lao Tzu has been waiting here for a long time, and if he can go in, he will go in early, where is the use of waiting for you here, this old thing.

It's just that Wang Yuangu is willing to believe it, it's almost time, how can anyone sleep until this time?

It wasn't until he ate the closed door soup of the guards at the gate of the courtyard that Wang Yuangu came back stupidly, but saw Zhang Tianlu sitting on a stone platform at the door and looking at him with a slight smile.

"Lord Wang, let's talk first?" Zhang Tianlu said with a gloating look.