The eunuch Meng Ji and his entourage traveled lightly and simply, and it should be faster to ride back and forth to Annan. However, Meng Ji and others may stay in Annan to learn about the current situation in the area before returning to Beijing.

So he consulted the sailors of Tsushima Island, but instead sent the report back to Kyoto first.

The eunuch Zhou Quan, the military general Wan Liang and others who went north, conquered the Zong clan of Wakou and Tsushima, and everything went relatively smoothly. Zhu Wenwu had already begun to build a fortress on Tsushima Island, and more than 500 army divisions occupied and defended that place.

In the recital, Wan Liang stated that there was not much land available for cultivation in the vicinity of Tsushima Port; The cultivated land in other parts of the island is relatively scattered and scattered in the valley, which is inconvenient for farming. Therefore, the 500 households stationed on Tsushima Island could not get enough food on the spot for a long time.

Two approaches are suggested in the cantata. The first is the ship of the Naval Division, which regularly transports grain supplies from the Korean State; The second is to abolish some of the officers and troops who have landed on the island.

Zhu Gaoxu quickly decided to issue an edict to the Korean state, ordering them to send ships to Tsushima Island to transport grain to Tsushima in the near future. At present, Japan's reaction is not clear, and Zhu Gaoxu decided to first garrison Tsushima Island, rely on the advantages of fortresses and naval divisions to gain a firm foothold, and wait for a while.

The north and south roads are long and long, and the imperial court sent people to do something casually, and a few months passed......

According to the season, the midsummer has passed, but the turn of summer and autumn in Beijing seems to be even hotter. The heat comes up from the ground, and only when the wind blows it away at night, you can feel a little coolness of autumn.

Zhu Gaoxu hasn't left Beijing for a long time, but he still occasionally walks out of the palace. This morning, he left the palace.

Yanque Lake is located in the outer city area between Taipingmen and Chaoyangmen, which used to be very large and was the largest lake near Jingshi; However, because the imperial palace was built during the Hongwu period, a large area of water was filled, and now it has shrunk by half.

There is a spacious courtyard villa on the shore of the lake on the west bank, and when Zhu Gaoxu came here today, he saw that it had just been renovated.

The person who accompanied Zhu Gaoxu was Ma Enhui. The two of them walked along the stone path into a small bamboo forest, which would have seemed more quiet if it weren't for the slow-moving brocade guards and eunuchs that could be seen from time to time.

"There are some new bamboos planted outside, and it's still small, but next year, the bamboo forest will be even denser." Zhu Gaoxu said casually.

Ma Enhui said: "There is a kind of winding path and elegance. ”

Zhu Gaoxu smiled and continued to walk forward for a while. As soon as the two of them walked out of the bamboo forest, they turned their heads to look to the left, and Ma Enhui showed a surprised expression on his face, and he couldn't help but let out a light sigh.

As soon as they came out of the bamboo forest, their vision suddenly became very wide. The sun is shining in the east, hanging over the vast Yanque Lake; Even if there is a wall in the distance, it does not completely block the open view of Yanque Lake. Outside the wall is Yanque Lake, and inside there is an artificial lake, which is sparkling when the wind blows.

At first glance, it seems that this scene is not in the castle of Kyoto, but in the middle of the fields. The huge Yanque Lake makes the world appear empty and vast.

A quaint courtyard is on the shore of an artificial lake, with a wooden fence in front of it and an attic inside.

Ma Enhui watched the scenery and stopped for a while.

Zhu Gaoxu took a look at her slightly powdered white face and asked, "What do you think of this place?" ”

Ma Enhui nodded without hesitation and said: "It's like a seclusion, but this house is in the Jingshi City." The people who built this house were by no means ordinary people. ”

"Of course, it turned out to be the property of the royal family. That's the Jianwen period, don't you know? Zhu Gaoxu asked.

Ma Enhui shook her head.

Zhu Gaoxu said indifferently: "Enhui thinks the place is good, then it's good." ”

Ma Enhui asked softly, "What does the Holy One mean?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "This is something for you." ”

"Ahh Ma Enhui's expression was very subtle, with unexpected surprises and confusion. In an instant, Zhu Gaoxu seemed to feel it, and she had mixed feelings.

Zhu Gaoxu then took out a stack of papers from his arms and handed them to Ma Enhui, who was located at the back: "These are the title deeds, there is this courtyard, as well as several manors and fields in the Zhili area, as well as some shops. It's all yours from now on. ”

"The concubine is single, she doesn't need so many things, and the saint doesn't have to be like this." Ma Enhui's voice was a little strange.

After Zhu Gaoxu stopped, he saw that she was surprised and a little overwhelmed. He stuffed the paper into Ma Enhui's hand, "Take it, it's not to ascend the throne, you need to refuse it three times." ”

When Ma Enhui heard this, she couldn't help but laugh "sneer", she immediately held back her laughter and said: "The concubine is indeed not polite, a woman, it is useless to take so much property." ”

"It's better than sending someone under the fence to be free." Zhu Gaoxu said.

"Freedom?" Ma Enhui repeated puzzled.

Zhu Gaoxu also repeated, looking at her with encouraging eyes: "Freedom." ”

After a while, Ma Enhui was a little worried and said, "These lands should all be owned by the royal family, and the saint will give them to others, won't the ministers admonish them?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "I first used the royal property to the 'Western Shipping Yard' in exchange for part of the shares of the merchant gang, and then Shen Xu transferred it to 'Mrs. Wang', that is, Enhui you." The minister can't control such a thing. ”

Ma Enhui nodded thoughtfully.

Zhu Gaoxu said again: "In the future, the profits of the Shen Xu clan's maritime trade gang, in addition to paying taxes to the city, will also have to be shared with the royal family. This is a very reasonable request, and the trade routes opened up by the Ming officials and soldiers for the merchants have paid a huge cost.

Like a transport route that is being opened recently, from Yunnan to the Red River and then to the port of Songtai (Hai Phong city) into the sea; Our local government offices and official shops along the road cost a lot of money. However, this is also a mutually beneficial event, and the imperial court can also better control the Annan Kingdom, and can transport Yunnan's minerals and water out of the southwest region. ”

Ma Enhui said softly: "The saint is eloquent and generous. ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "The property of the royal family originally had your share. Besides, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be where I am now. ”

Ma Enhui hurriedly said: "It's all the things of the Zhu family, and it has nothing to do with the concubine body anyway." ”

The two walked slowly for a while, Ma Enhui's plain white dress was very long, and the subtle sound of "rustling" on the stone slab was also clearly audible.

After a while, she couldn't help but ask, "Why did the Holy Lord treat me so well, just because I helped you unintentionally?" ”

"You don't have to think so, it's all something outside of your body." Zhu Gaoxu said, "I didn't give you anything." You don't want to go back to the palace, and the honor of the royal family is not yours; For now, you deserve it. ”

Ma Enhui said softly: "Being able to get this heart is more important than anything else." ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "I don't have a heart, for women, I am just a public instrument." ”

Ma Enhui looked at Zhu Gaoxu, and lowered her head in contemplation.

Zhu Gaoxu said: "If I have a heart, wouldn't I want to be divided? And if you give your heart to you, or spoil any one alone, then where will the queen and those concubines guard me in the palace? ”

Ma Enhui said quietly: "The concubine understands. ”

She was distracted for a while, and her expression suddenly changed again, and her face was a little pale: "The concubine can't forgive herself." ”

"Why?" Zhu Gaoxu asked.

Ma Enhui did not answer.

After being silent for a while, she said to herself: "If the ladies of the court were like saints and could see through them, maybe there would not be so many life-and-death battles in the palace." ”

Zhu Gaoxu immediately said: "There will still be, when the old and violent emperor is in power, it is not the same?" The women fought over other things, and the harem at that time was like officialdom. ”

Ma Enhui smiled bitterly: "It seems to be exactly what the saint said." ”

Zhu Gaoxu pointed to the attic in the small courtyard: "Let's go up and take a look, we can see the farther surface of Yanque Lake when we climb up." ”

So the two of them went into the courtyard, climbed the wooden staircase to the attic, and stood behind the wooden railing to enjoy the view. With a breeze in the air, Ma Enhui looked at the distant view of the lake, gently closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and a pleasant smile appeared on her face.

At this time, she retracted her gaze, turned her head to look up at Zhu Gaoxu's face, and suddenly asked, "What if...... The Holy One can only choose one person as a companion, who do you choose? ”

Zhu Gaoxu was stunned for a moment, and suddenly realized that women's questions are sometimes really difficult to answer.

He pondered for a while, and said: "I was born as a vassal king, except for the queen, the women around me are all chosen by myself, of course they are all satisfied; The queen means the queen mother, but the first time I saw her, I was also very happy. If you can only be accompanied by one person, whoever you meet first should be fine. ”

Ma Enhui glanced at the empty corridor behind the railing and said softly, "Is there me among them?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded immediately.

After he replied with a gesture, he thought about the reason. At first, he was sympathetic, and he thought that her appearance and face were good, but then he was full of grievances and somehow began to worry about her. And that time Ma Enhui desperately wanted to kill herself, Zhu Gaoxu accidentally tore her clothes when she rescued her, although the atmosphere was not right at that moment, he was immediately attracted to her body. Thinking about it to this day, his heart is also impetuous.

Ma Enhui stood silently after hearing this, and after not knowing how long, she said again: "I've been standing here for a long time, and the wind is still a little cold." ”

After hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu stretched out his arm and gently hugged her, letting her soft chest rest on him. His nose could also smell the scent of some botanical spice in her hair.

Ma Enhui did not resist, and after a while, she turned her head and took the initiative to put it on Zhu Gaoxu's shoulder: "I feel that I am very guilty now. ”

"We're all guilty." Zhu Gaoxu said, "Someone said before that living is a sin (Chen Xianzhen). I also feel that no one is completely holy, including those noble Confucians, and good generals who have achieved ten thousand bones and withered bones, all enjoy the people's fat and people's anointing. ”

She muttered, "The concubine body is not as big as the saint's heart, but even in the square inch, the concubine body has betrayed almost everyone. ”

Zhu Gaoxu said kindly: "Forced by the situation, you are just going with the flow." ”

Ma Enhui shook his head, and Zhu Gaoxu felt the silk material on his shoulders warm for a while, as if he had just been wet with tears.

She suddenly broke free from Zhu Gaoxu's arms and said, "Thank you for the grace of the saint, let the concubine have a place to stay, and the saint will go back, don't worry too much about the concubine." ”