The floating islands that surround the coral reef are full of lush palm and betel nut trees, the crystal clear bottom of the sea is as blue as a wash, and the white sand is soft and comfortable to step on.

The island is completely like a village in Fujian architectural style, every household has a roof, there is a stone lion in front of the door, there is a wind lion on the house, a Tang-style archway is splendid, the lion painting is very dazzling, and in the spacious and bright school, the children are reciting the poetry aloud, and a group of people are building the Confucius Temple with a golden roof.

The incense mist of the Mazu temple on the opposite side is shrouded, and businessmen from Guangdong, Fujian and other places have to come to put on a pillar of incense before leaving, praying for Mazu to bless peace.

Mao Jie, the head of the Ministry of Rites, wore an ordinary gauze robe, and came to the village alone, as early as ten years ago, he was ordered to come here, and then came every other year, witnessing the whole process of the village from scratch, from desolation to prosperity, is very familiar with everything here.

In the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu, Emperor Taizu gave 36 surnames to the boatmen in Ryukyu Fujian in order to facilitate the exchange of tribute envoys. Mao Jie still remembers the lively scene when he crossed the sea for the first time and was ceremoniously received by the three kings.

At that time, the thirty-six surnames included a variety of talents with a skill, bringing advanced civilization to the Ryukyus, so that almost overnight, the Ryukyus developed from the backward slave era to the feudal era, so these Han people became a special ethnic group respected by the local people, enjoying all the courtesies of the aristocratic class, and most of them were entrusted with important tasks, among which the Shen family, which can be called the family of the sea, and the Xiang family, which is a scholarly family for generations, have been awarded high-ranking officials and Houlu.

In the courtyard of the Xiang family's house. Fourteen-year-old Xiang Ying looked curiously at the handsome young man in the study, she didn't know why her father would give up her study to this strange young man, and he respected him very much.

Yin Huan, the eldest lady of the Yin family, who was also fourteen years old next to her, also looked very curious and asked, "Who is he?" ”

"I don't know, it's probably the official eunuch son from his hometown." Xiang Ying guessed.

Yin Huan sighed: "When I moved here at the age of four, the mountains and rivers of my hometown have been blurred, and I don't know when I will be lucky enough to return to my homeland." ”

"What's there to think about." Wu Ying, a young master of the martial arts family dressed in samurai clothes, looked disapproving, and looked at the slim Yin Huan with admiration, "In my hometown, I am just an ordinary person, but in Ryukyu, I am a Chinese family that everyone admires." Wait for Ying'er and my sister-in-law to marry Shizi in the next year. Huan'er, if you marry me, then the three of us will become relatives of the king, and in the future, there will be thirty-six surnames working together to assist the prince, and sooner or later we will be able to dominate Ryukyu. Is it better to be a nobleman here than a commoner in Daming? ”

Xiang Ying frowned slightly when she heard this. Contrast the prosperous red dust of the Central Plains. Although the Ryukyus are beautiful, they are too backward and desolate, and the total population is not as good as that of a prefecture in their hometown of Fujian, so what fun is there for a girl who is looking forward to a happy life? And I don't speak the language of most of the locals. The customs and habits are not very different, if it is not for the Han people living together, I really don't know how to spend my life.

In particular, the natives of each island are like savages, and still live a life of nitpicking and drinking blood, the most important Ryukyu is not peaceful, before the canonization of the Ming Dynasty, the three kingdoms fought endlessly, and after the canonization, they often fought for water and other battles, and the islands were also killed and killed, and were often invaded by the Japanese pirates, Korean pirates and Han pirates, as well as Taiwanese tribal fishermen, which is why Ryukyu was eager to submit to the Ming Dynasty, and must ask for the most powerful backer to protect themselves.

Yin Huan also said unhappily: "I know that the Tao is fighting and killing all day long, a few years ago, the prince and Wang Yingzu conspired to attack the king of Nanshan, aren't there enough innocent people who died?" ”

Wu Ying hurriedly said: "Don't say it, this is a matter between men, don't ask about you and other women." ”

Yin Huan pursed his lips and said to Xiang Ying: "Judging by his bearing, he is a scholar, why don't you go over and ask for advice?" ”

Without waiting for Xiang Ying to speak, Wu Ying said unhappily: "Men and women don't kiss, don't go." ”

Xiang Ying sank his face and said, "This is my house, and that son is my family's honored guest, so what's the harm in asking the guests to learn?" ”

Wu Ying said: "Who knows who he is? Maybe it's a thief wanted by the government, or an exiled criminal from North Korea, or a private businessman with a copper smell, in short, who will run overseas as a son of a serious family? ”

"Yes." Xiang Ying couldn't help but agree with Wu Ying's opinion, he had seen everyone since he was a child, except for the officials sent by the imperial court, he had never seen a real scholar.

She knew that her father had a lot of dealings with merchants at sea, and in recent years, the somewhat powerful family has been actively developing the fleet, and wants to rely on the unique tributary status and geographical conditions of the Ryukyus to carry out trade with Korea, Siam and other countries.

Moreover, the Ryukyu sea ships can be under the banner of the Ming Dynasty, which can be unimpeded throughout the ocean, and all parties want to get the goods produced in the Ming Dynasty, so as long as they pay some property to the local strongmen, most pirates do not dare to rob, of course, the fleet is generally more than four or five ships, and they are not afraid of the general small group of pirates.

Yin Huan said with great interest: "If you go and ask, will you know the way?" Anyway, he's a Han Chinese, so it's good to ask some interesting stories about Middle-earth. ”

At this time, Wu Ying suddenly saw a few friends coming and greeted him. Here, Yin Huan had already walked into the study, and said with a smile: "The slave family has seen the son." ”

The young man turned around and said with a smile: "Xu has seen Miss." ”

"Childe is from the Central Plains?" Yin Huan looked expectant, and pulled Xiang Ying, who was a little embarrassed, "We want to inquire about the recent customs of our hometown, I wonder if Gongzi can tell me?" ”

Xiang Ying plucked up the courage and asked, "Dare to ask where Gongzi is from?" ”

Before the young man could speak, Wu Ying, who rushed over, shouted excitedly: "It's nothing more than Fujian people like you and me, what is there to inquire about." Li Yu and Wu Yun are back from the capital, wouldn't it be better for us to ask them what they have seen and heard in the capital. ”

Xiang Ying and Yin Huan's eyes lit up at the same time, and Yin Huan explained to the young man with a smile: "Li Yu is a great talent here for us, and he will enter the country to study in the next year." Brother Wu Yun is the eldest brother of our generation, and he was hired by the King of Nanshan as the doctor of Zijin. ”

The young man smiled and looked over, and saw two young men with good temperament coming towards him, the one with a polite and fair complexion should be the talented Li Yu, and the dark-skinned and tall one was probably Wu Yun.

The two sides saluted each other, Wu Yun glanced at the young man with some vigilance, and asked, "Who are you?" Why did you come to the Ryukyus? ”

The young man thought for a while and said, "Xu is from Liaodong and came to sell some goods. ”

As soon as these words came out, Xiang Ying and Yin Huan, who had high hopes for him, were greatly disappointed, and Wu Ying sneered: "It is actually a Liao person from a foreign land. It seems that Brother Xu must be good at martial arts. If you want Liaodong to be in chaos, you can only let people eat if you don't have the power to protect yourself. ”

The young man said with a smile: "Now it is different from the past, all ethnic groups have surrendered, and Liaodong is still very safe. ”

"I have the opportunity to ask Brother Xu for advice again." Wu Ying, who was lacking in interest, turned to Wu Yun and asked, "Big brother, tell me about what you have seen in Jinling." By the way, have you seen the Holy One? ”

"Where can I see the saint?" Wu Yun smiled and shook his head. Said smugly: "I met with many ministers such as the waiter of the Ministry of Rites." After seeing the well-known Qinhuai River and Wuyi Lane of Gongyuan, it is worth the trip in short. ”

When the young people listened to Wu Yun talk about what they had seen in the capital with relish, Yin Huan asked, "Who is the most famous in Jinling today?" ”

Wu Yun said: "Naturally, it is Lord Xu Haoxu, who is the hero of the Jingjing. In his twenties, he assisted the saint to ascend the throne as the emperor, and he was the first person to be meritorious, and he was already famous all over the world at a young age. ”

Yin Huan seemed to have a good impression of the young man, because he was wearing a scribe's shirt, and asked with a smile: "You are also surnamed Xu, did you pass the exam?" ”

The young man said: "I have passed the examination. ”

Yin Huan said with a smile: "That's not easy, being able to be admitted to Liaodong as a child shows that he is a talented person." ”

Wu Ying snorted coldly: "It's just a child, Li Yu will still be a prisoner in the coming year, I ask for a son, and he will definitely be recommended to go to the country's prison, which is equivalent to lifting people." ”

Yin Huan ignored Wu Ying, who was unashamed, and looked at the young man's handsome face with a smile, not knowing what he was thinking. Wu Yun frowned and asked, "Since Brother Xu is a scholar, why did he come to Ryukyu thousands of miles away?" Oh, the imperial fleet has come recently, you must have grown as you came out? ”

"Not bad." The young man said, "Quietly thinking about it, I followed." ”

Xiang Ying said to Li Yu, who had been holding a fan and smiling silently: "Don't be bored, you can also talk about what you have seen and heard during the journey." ”

Li Yuwen said politely: "I have benefited a lot from going to Beijing, where can I make it clear for a while?" Today's weather is fine, why not write according to the current situation? ”

Wu Ying hurriedly said: "Although I can't chant poetry, I can make propositions, so I'll use the scenery here to connect the sentences." ”

Xiang Ying asked, "Seven words or five words?" ”

Yin Huanjing said to himself: "I happen to have five words to start with, so let's say five words." "At that moment, a group of young people sat in the study and recited poems, while the young people stared into the distance and silently thought about their thoughts, and did not join in.

Wu Ying deliberately tried to ask the young man to take the next sentence, and the young man shook his head and said: "I am shallow in my learning, and I can't do it." ”

"It turned out to be nothing more than Er'er." Wu Ying's expression was teasing, and he smiled at Yin Huan, who was greatly disappointed: "What kind of reader, you can't even make the simplest couplet." ”

Yin Huan said disappointedly: "You are too humble, it's just a couplet between friends, why hide it." ”

Li Yu stood up and said unhappily: "Pretending to be a person from Shilin, I disdain to sit in the same room with such a person." ”

Wu Yun said with some suspicion: "Who are you?" If it is a merchant or the like who wears silk, it is already out of court, and it should be punished according to the law. ”

Xiang Ying hurriedly said: "He is a distinguished guest invited by his father, forget it, let's go and chant poetry elsewhere." ”

At this time, Mao Jie and Xiang Jia's head hurriedly walked towards Nanshan, several young people quickly stood up, and Wu Yun said respectfully: "I've seen Master Mao." ”

"Hmm." Mao Jie, who strode over, nodded casually, stopped and bowed to the young man meticulously, and said softly with a very respectful expression: "Xiaguan has seen Gongzi." ”

"Ahh Xiang Ying and Yin Huan were immediately surprised, and before they could come back to their senses, Xiang Nanshan said in a deep voice: "You are all going out, and no one is allowed to enter the study to disturb without the consent of the prince in the future." ”

Wu Yun was shocked in his heart, and secretly said as he walked, where is he sacred? Even the head of the household department saw him, and he was in order, you must know that Lord Mao this time is a messenger representing the saint, why is it like a mouse seeing a cat?

Not to mention the speculation about the identity of the youth that these young people are talking about, everyone is curious. In the study, Mao Jie said: "Report to the son, this time the lower official came to canonize the late Shannan Wang Congdi as the king, does the son want to see him?" The lower official ordered someone to prepare the duke's honor guard and invite the king of Shannan to come and pay a visit. ”

"No need." Xu Hao said coldly: "Your Ministry of Rites listens to the wind is the rain, and you listen to the words of the family without verification, can you know that Wang Yingzu is a usurper?" ”

Mao Jie said cautiously: "This is the internal affairs of the Ryukyu Kingdom, since Wang Yingzu sent tribute and was obedient to me, he can be crowned king according to the custom." ”

Xu Hao sneered: "It's not that easy, the first emperor personally persuaded the three kings of the Ryukyus to coexist peacefully, it's only been a few years?" The prince of Zhongshan dared to collude with Wang Yingzu to attack the king of Nanshan, forced the king of Nanshan to flee to North Korea, harbored evil intentions to usurp the throne, concealed the truth and dared to enter Beijing to ask for canonization, it is really a villain who reverses black and white, and I can sit idly by as the suzerain? How can you win the trust of the world in the future? ”

Xiang Nanshan beat the drum in his heart, I don't know what this mysterious son is going to do? And Mao Jie was also stunned: "What does that son mean?" (To be continued......)