In October, the messenger from the capital went to Jinling and returned to the north, and the winter in the south of the Yangtze River deepened. A fine white snow, coldly shrouded the mighty mountains and rivers, depicting a vast and peaceful picture between heaven and earth.

On the Grand Canal, a beautiful boat swam into the picture scroll in the afternoon and slowly arrived at the Dongguan ferry in Yangzhou. The passengers in the building ship were none other than Ning Ru, the official of Nanjing, who was heading to the capital. There are also beautiful concubines, old servants, and long-term entourage.

Nowadays, shipping is thriving. Every day, there is an endless stream of ships from Lingnan, Quanzhou, Huating and other ports to Tianjin. Not to mention the ships that traveled to and from Goryeo, Dongyeong and other places. The thousand-year-old prosperity of the Grand Canal is gradually fading.

Shen Changji, the prefect of Yangzhou, took several officials in Yangzhou Mansion and more than a dozen entourages and waited on the Dongguan wharf. Light snow fluttered, covering more than a dozen umbrella covers.

In addition to the Shen Governor's Mansion, the governor of Huaiyang, who was stationed in Yangzhou, did not come to greet him.

At this time, the situation in the court has changed! Qi Zhongtang, who had been in power for more than nine years, died of illness and took Zeng Dashen as the ruling assistant. Xiao Pi and Yin Peng are supplemented. At this time, Mr. Longjiang entered Beijing because of the accident of the Jiangnan Textile Factory inquired by the Son of Heaven. Textile mills have had a number of work-related injuries in recent years. People in officialdom are not optimistic about his career.

After the tall boat arrived at the wharf, Shen Changji greeted Mr. Longjiang and went all the way to the post house.

The reception banquet is set up in the small building in the east of the post house. Here you can overlook the beautiful scenery in the east of Yangzhou City: the river city is one color. The gardens of Yangzhou salt merchants are famous all over the world. The post house outside Yangzhou City is also first-class and exquisite. Lovely view.

During the Yongxing period, the university scholar Qi Chi presided over the reform of the salt law, and changed the outline salt law of the general commercial system to the ticket salt law. On the banks of western Chu, the price of salt fell sharply, and the people cheered loudly. The glory of Yangzhou salt merchants is gone!

Most of the salt merchants in Yangzhou were Hui merchants. After the change of the salt law, the declining Hui merchants transferred their capital to the financial, industrial, and cultural industries dominated by Jia Huan in Jiangnan, and were able to retain their vitality. It was not like the end of the Qing Dynasty in Jia Huanyuan's time and space: family property was confiscated, houses and gardens were confiscated, and family descendants were displaced.

At this time, Yangzhou gardens still maintain the decency and glory of the past, which is an example. Of course, Yangzhou is no longer the cultural center of Jiangnan, and Huizhou merchants are not involved in the issuance of banknotes. This is precisely the decline of its power.

Snowflakes are sprinkled flying, covered with rockeries, strange stones, and pine forests. There is a charcoal basin lit in the small building, which is as warm as spring.

The servants brought wine and food and quietly retreated from the small building. Shen Changji, as Mr. Longjiang's protégé, accompanied him to eat a few glasses of wine, and said slowly with hesitation: "The teacher is going to Jingshi..., be careful of the climate of Jingshi." ”

Mr. Longjiang was nearly sixty years old at the time, and when he heard this, he smiled slightly, sipped rice wine, and said indifferently: "Changji, you have a heart." ”

Everyone in the world thinks that the center of power is in Beijing. But is that really the case? Not really. The center of power is in Jinling: Jia Huan.

A generation of famous people is due to illness. For a long time, the stable balance of power in the Yongxing Dynasty was broken. The forces of all parties in Beijing are ready to move, and the dark tide is surging. However, Qi Zhongtang also wanted to stabilize the transition. Jia Ziyu wants the political situation to be stable, and the Son of Heaven wants peace in the court. He went to Beijing to take over as the secretary of the ministry.

…

…

In winter, the sky is fine. The northwest suburbs of the capital, Daming Palace.

Changchun Immortal Hall.

In the magnificent royal palace, Ning Xi, the son of Yongxing, was alone in the house. The winter morning sun filtered in through the clean glass window and fell on the white jade floor. With the quiet atmosphere that is unique to winter.

The eunuchs and palace ladies were waiting outside the door. Ning Xi's thoughts drifted. His mother came to Daming Palace when she was alive and lived here.

Mr. Qi. The imperial career that had been quiet for nearly nine years was broken. The current country is not a single place in the Central Plains, with Lake Belga in the north, Khorasan in the west, Nanyang Islands in the south, and Dongying and other islands in the east. Thousands of sails are racing on the sea, and the news brought back is changing with each passing day.

Even though he has been the emperor for many years, he still does not have enough confidence in how to properly and qualify the handling of world affairs.

Therefore, after the political arrangements such as Zaifu and the minister were settled, he still wrote to Mr. Jiangnan, hoping that Mr. could return to the capital to help him.

While Ning Xi was pondering, Yuan Qi, the chief eunuch, walked in quietly and reported in a low voice: "Long live, the eldest princess has arrived." ”

There is only one eldest princess of the Yongxing Dynasty: the daughter of King Wu, Ning Xiao, the princess of Yongqing who is in charge of the Shaofu. She has the trust of the Son of Heaven. There are quite echoes in the DPRK and China.

Ning Xiao came from outside the hall later. The personal maids Zi'er and Wan'er stayed at the door of the palace. She was twenty-nine years old, wearing a light white palace dress, and her figure was slender. Coming slowly, the temperament is quiet and bright.

Allure.

Ning Xi smiled, "Sister Xiao...", made a gesture to avoid Ning Xiao's etiquette, and said eagerly: "But Mr.'s reply has arrived?" ”

He and his husband's private messages never go through official channels. The communication between Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty and Wang Xijue was that the private message was leaked. Moreover, the meaning of the words in Mr.'s letter can only be interpreted thoroughly by Sister Xiao.

Ning Xiao smiled lightly, took out the letter from Jinling from Jia Huan's sleeve pocket, and handed it to Ning Xi, "Your Majesty will take a look first." ”

"Hmm." Ning Xi happily accepted the letter and read it attentively. After half a ring, it was hard to hide the disappointment.

In the letter, Mr. Duntun taught him and encouraged him to do his best. Don't be afraid of making mistakes in governing the country, the important thing is to be able to change it, and be good!

Ning Xi put away the letter and sighed: "Alas...! Sister Xiao, Mr. is a master of the literary world, she loves the beautiful scenery of the south of the Yangtze River, but she doesn't love the scenery of the northern country! ”

In the sixth year of Yongxing, Grandmaster Fang, the leader of the literary world of the Great Zhou, died. Confession: Wencheng. Jia Huan inherited the mantle of Grandmaster Fang (Grandmaster Fang is the seat teacher of Jia Huan's township test) and is the new leader of the literary world of the National Dynasty! Mathematics, physics, chemistry, etc., were vigorously promoted in newspapers.

Ning Xiao smiled gently, "The beautiful scenery can't be seen through for a while, and the fate of heaven has a part of the painting." ”

She also wants Jia Huan to come to Beijing. But now is not the time. It was not that Jia Huan promised in front of hundreds of officials that he would never enter the Yongxing Dynasty, but because of political factors. Now is the time for the Son of Heaven to take power!

By the end of November, various political arrangements had been implemented. This is the end of an era. At the same time, it is also the beginning of a new era.

…

…

At the end of November, it was cold in Beijing. Lin Si, a graduate of the sixth phase of Jiangwutang, was assigned to Zhengyangmen as an errand in a thousand households, and it has been several months.

In the evening, a group of colleagues chatted in the earroom at the city gate about the interesting story in the newspaper: the great war between Tsarist Russia and the Ottomans and France had resumed.

...

...

In the wax moon season, Jinling City is full of festive atmosphere. Spring Festival couplets and New Year's paintings can be seen everywhere on the streets.

In Zhaowen Garden, Jia Huan was in front of the window of the study, looking at a few green bamboos behind the study, and groaning.

Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps behind him. Jia Huan woke up from his contemplation and smiled when he saw Sister Bao coming in.

Baochai wears an elegant aqua white cotton jacket with neat bangs on her forehead. Gracefully said softly: "Is the husband still thinking about going to the capital?" ”

Jia Huan shook her head with a smile, letting her relax, "Sister, I'm not going." ”