Chapter 11, Twenty-seven moments in the four years of Chongzhen (11)
The eleventh moment: the fear of the newborn tiger
November of the fourth year of Chongzhen, Hangzhou, beside the Grand Canal, Gongchen Bridge Wharf
"...Two young masters, our ship has arrived in Hangzhou!"
Following the boatman's shout, Fang Yizhi, a young and well-known Fushe scholar from Tongcheng, Anhui Province, exhaled a breath of air, jumped off the passenger ship, and then stood side by side on the trestle of Gongchenqiao Pier with his friend Yu Guozhen who came with him on this trip. , silently looking at this famous and strange city:
At a glance from Gongchenqiao Pier, there is a constant flow of cars, horses and pedestrians everywhere. The bustling streets make it hard to believe that this is the end of the Ming Dynasty, which is about to fall. Although it is winter now, the weather is very clear. The warm sunshine slants down from the clear blue sky, casting the shadows of the row of houses on the left onto the spacious road paved with bluestones and onto the sedan chair. , on donkeys and pedestrians on foot. The shops on both sides of the street are one after another. Since cars were not invented, the streets in ancient cities were generally narrow. According to modern standards, the widest "streets" are just wider "alleys", with a width of only five meters. Only six meters. Barely enough to run two cars. However, the ground is paved with stone slabs and is fairly neat. In addition to the shops, there are many vendors along the street taking up most of the street. The shop signs on both sides are still extending to the center of the street, which looks densely packed and especially crowded. Merchants from all over were selling goods and bargaining with customers. The wealthy gentry and Confucian scholars from all over the country talked loudly in the tea house with exquisite lanterns hung in front of the door and various bamboos, wood and flowers. The teahouse was packed and business was booming; the restaurant was bustling with people and music, and the wind was filled with all kinds of charming and charming smiles, and the alluring aroma of exquisite wine and food...
——Before we even reach the legendary poetic and romantic West Lake, the bustling street scene in Hangzhou already makes people forget to leave.
Although news about "building captives" and "rogue bandits" have appeared in people's ears more and more, many people know that today's provinces in the world are suffering from disasters year after year. News is everywhere. Even the terrible news of "eating one's son and eating it", which was not often heard in the past, is often heard... There are bad news of famines, defeats, extra factions, and civil commotions everywhere. The country's situation seems to be becoming more and more chaotic day by day. Even in Jiangnan, which has always been considered prosperous, the price of rice once rose to three taels of silver per stone. Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the price of rice in Jiangnan has never risen so high. However, all these ominous omens did not seem to cast much shadow on the colorful world of singing and dancing swallows in the beautiful Jiangnan. Those terrible and tragic news from far away seemed to be just a topic of conversation for all the "Jiangnan romantic talents" who knew everything about poetry, literature, wine and chess.
However, some disturbing shadows have gradually appeared here - the number of homeless beggars on the streets has increased significantly, and there is a trend of increasing them. In the winter of the past few years, the city has been picking up many more corpses "fallen on the road" than in previous years. There were so many refugees fleeing from all over the country, and a large number of destitute refugees sold into slavery crowded the market outside the city. So much so that the price of population plummeted. In the brothels and restaurants, many wealthy gentry families with foreign accents appeared. The famine, turmoil, and war in the north at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the unprecedented defeat on the Liaodong front line, the She'an Rebellion sweeping the southwest, and the numerous uprisings and rebellions that emerged one after another made the war more chaotic. The gentry in the region left their hometowns one after another and moved in groups to the south of the Yangtze River, where the social order was relatively stable. They came to "escape the hustle and bustle" in this gentle countryside and gold-selling caves. Most of them brought with them a large family of servants and numerous gold and silver treasures, bought houses and land in cities south of the Yangtze River, and continued to live a decadent life, thus creating a kind of abnormal prosperity...
Just as the two stood at Gongchen Bridge Pier, looking around and chatting a few words from time to time, Ding Fangsi, the eldest attendant brought by Fang Yizhi, finally found a middle-aged man who came to greet his master. This man smiled brightly and claimed to be the steward of Zhang Dai's house, and he had been ordered to come to greet the two distinguished guests.
——In Hangzhou in the late Ming Dynasty, Zhang Dai was a famous figure. He is originally from Shaoxing, but has lived in Hangzhou for a long time and is considered half a Hangzhou native. His family has been officials for generations. His great ancestor went to Yunnan to serve as deputy envoy, and his great ancestor went to the Hanlin Academy to study. My grandfather went to Guangxi to discuss matters. His father had been the right chief historian of Prince Lu's palace, and he was from a well-known Jin gentry family in Shaoxing. In the late Ming Dynasty, the Zhang family in Shaoxing was not only a prestigious official family, but also a scholarly family with a high level of cultural literacy. Generations of ancestors and grandchildren were good at poetry and writing, and had extensive knowledge of opera, antiques, epigraphy, calligraphy and painting. Very profound knowledge.
Moreover, Zhang Dai is not the kind of cold and arrogant academic scholar, but he behaves in a very free and easy manner. He said, "When I was young, I was a dandy, and I loved prosperity very much. I love the monastery, the beautiful maids, the sex, and the fresh clothes. What a nice view Food, good horses, good lanterns, good fireworks, good pear orchards, good publicity, good antiques, good flowers and birds." It can be said that the luxurious and hedonistic habits of the dandy children are combined with the decadent and cynical style of the celebrities and scholars in the late Ming Dynasty. He is easy to make friends on weekdays, and has extensive contacts in Jiangnan. At the same time, he can be regarded as a member of the Donglin Fushe family, and he naturally has some friendship with Fang Yizhi, a famous figure in Tongcheng. Fang Yizhi came to Hangzhou this time because he received a warm invitation from Zhang Dai when the Fushe scholars gathered in Nanjing last time. Before Fang Yizhi brought his new friend Yu Guozhen to Hangzhou, he sent someone to inform Zhang Dai of the shipping date in advance, so starting from three days ago, the steward had been waiting at the dock every day.
Closer to home, according to the manager of the Zhang Mansion, his master had already held a banquet at Ziming Tower in Hangzhou to welcome the two distinguished guests. The steward originally planned to use his family's sedan chair to welcome the distinguished guests. But Zhang Dai said that because of Mi Zhi's (Fang Yizhi's nickname) temperament, he might prefer some new things, so he ordered him to go to the newly opened car dealership and call two "Australian cars" over. I don't know if they are suitable. My thoughts from our two distinguished guests...
Fang Yizhi curiously followed the steward's hand and saw two men in short coats, each pulling a strange black-topped carriage, smiling obsequiously at him. The leading man, who seemed to be smarter, lowered his eyebrows and said submissively: "...This is the first time for these two young masters to come to Hangzhou, right? Young Chen Er, his name is Zhang Ba, our STO train is fast and stable. Know all the major places in Hangzhou, whether you are doing business or having fun, we guarantee your satisfaction! ”
This awning cart was nothing like the carriage or cart that Fang Yizhi had seen before, but more like an armchair covered with a cloth and mounted on wheels. There were two long handles in the front for the driver to pull, and the backrest There are a few bamboo bones here, which seem to be able to hold up a car hood.
"...Tsk, tsk, it really opened my eyes. Is this the rickshaw invented by the Australian Shorthair?" Fang Yizhi secretly guessed, followed the driver's instructions and got on the rickshaw, and then narrowed his eyes with satisfaction. , "...well, it is indeed more comfortable to sit on than a sedan chair!"
Seeing that Yu Guozhen, who had come with him, also got on another "Wupeng Car", the manager of the Zhang Mansion straightened his back, turned around and arrogantly ordered the two cart drivers, "... go to the purple car in Qinghefang." Minglou, any beautiful Nanyang scenery along the way will be shown to these two distinguished guests!”
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※
Fang Yizhi's visit to Hangzhou this time actually had nothing important to do. It was purely for entertainment and eye-opening.
As a Fushe scholar with extensive contacts and many friends, Fang Yizhi was considered a rare "well-informed person" in the late Ming Dynasty. He was involved in everything from political disputes in the court to anecdotes in the countryside, and was interested in them. Enran (to put it nicely, means he cares about the world, to put it worse, he is born to gossip), he can be called a kind of person like "everyone in the world". During scholar gatherings in recent years, Fang Yizhi often heard several Lingnan scholars talk about the various "Australian sceneries" brought to Guangzhou by "Kun people" in the past two years, and he couldn't help but feel curious and yearning for them. Especially when he heard about the heavenly enjoyments in Guangzhou's "Ziming Tower", he was even more envious - in the latest volume of "Kun Shi Zhi Lu" purchased by Fang Yizhi, the following is said: Vivid description:
"...The Kun people came from the sea and took merchants as their main business. When they first settled in Lingao, they traded with the villagers. They collected a lot of grain, rice, cloth, copper, iron, fuel, charcoal and other items, and sold glass and various overseas treasures. The Gaikun people also Know that food is the world He also sent his real brother Guo Yi, who pretended to be a Cantonese, to wear Chinese clothes and trade in Guangzhou. He set up a business called "Zichengji" and sold Australian treasures. Thousands of gold, huge profit Ten thousand years later, he was as rich as the country... Yi was a wealthy businessman and his luxurious life was not enough, so he took his concubine Pei Lixiu, who was originally a famous Australian prostitute and came to China from Guo Yi. purple The furnishings in the Ming Tower are splendid and the best in Guangdong and Guangdong. Yu You Zeng Ziming, who was in Dongguan at that time, visited the Ziming Tower and told his servants that there are many small pavilions in the building, which are called "private rooms". Each pavilion has its own name. The carvings and decorations are also different according to their names and colors. There are also cunning children and prostitutes, exotic delicacies from overseas, and fine wines and fruits. Once you enter the building, you will be dazzled by the five colors, and you will be dazzled and confused. have The bathhouse is particularly amazing. There is a pool in it, the walls are all made of porcelain, and there is a fountain in the middle, with beautiful waves and broken jade, and the spring water is not exhausted, and the water in the pool never overflows. Always warm, spring water It has its own fragrance, and the whole body is fragrant and lingers for three days. It is called "Dixiang Soup". The wealthy merchants in Guangdong are in love with it. Even if they spend a lot of money, they can't get it. It takes ten days. before, in advance As promised, Guo Yi became rich in Guangdong and Guangdong. Although Yi was rich, he did not know how to restrain himself, but the wealth and fame of the Kun people spread throughout the country. Later, the king's war against Kun was really a disaster..."
Such a novel, luxurious, fragrant and wonderful gold-selling cave naturally aroused great interest in Fang Yizhi, who has always been very curious. It's a pity that Guangzhou and Tongcheng are separated by half of China. The distance is too far. Nowadays, the world is unstable and the roads are not peaceful. Even in the south, it is not very peaceful, so Fang Yizhi has never been able to make the trip. However, I heard that a "Ziminglou" branch was also opened in Hangzhou this year, so I thought about going there to have a look - although the Hangzhou branch is definitely not as good as the Guangzhou main store, I am afraid it will be difficult to see the "Australian famous prostitute" Pei Lixiu. What a peerless elegance, but you can also appreciate the kind of sensual entertainment that is different from China, and even enjoy the taste of the legendary "Australian Secret Show"
However, Fang Yizhi had heard someone say before that the "Ziming Tower" owned by "Australian Kunren" implements a "membership system". Without the recommendation of other members, even if you have money, you may not be able to get in. So when he met Zhang Dai from Hangzhou at a party, he mentioned the matter intentionally or unintentionally... Sure enough, just as Fang Yizhi expected, Zhang Dai, who was familiar with him, immediately enthusiastically invited him to come to Hangzhou for recreation when he had time. Fang Yizhi took advantage of the situation and agreed half-heartedly. He went home and packed his luggage, and then came to Hangzhou to open a meat restaurant with his new friend Yu Guozhen, the "Wuwei Cub" from Xiang'an County, Wuwei Prefecture, Anhui Province.
In general, after leaving Gongchenqiao Pier, Fang Yizhi carefully observed his surroundings and found that the ground along the way was fairly flat, and there was very little smelly feces and garbage. Riding on this rickshaw goes very fast and is not bumpy at all. In addition, I met quite a lot of wealthy businessmen from the gentry who rode Australian rickshaws like me along the way. It seems that this has become one of the latest fashions in Hangzhou.
After walking for a while, the streets began to become crowded with pedestrians and cars again, and the driver pulling the cart in front enthusiastically introduced him to Yizhi: "...This young master, in front of you is Qinghefang. The last one is Qinghefang. It's a bustling place, with everything you need to eat, play, and use. This year, businessmen from Guangdong came and opened a "Nanyang Street" that specializes in selling all kinds of Australian and overseas foreign goods. Master, if this is your first time in Hangzhou, you will be surprised. Don’t miss it!”
Sure enough, after passing an archway, there were suddenly more vendors on the street. Along the way, Fang Yizhi first heard a half-grown man carrying a large square box selling: "Cigarette Macao Osmanthus Candy!", and another. A few little dolls were chasing the car with a stack of printed paper, shouting: "CIF CIF, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Manila, today's latest CIF price!" After a while, I heard someone holding a handle on his chest. of square box The wretched man was shouting: "Lao Australian movie, La Australian movie, the latest Australian movie ***! The romantic affair of Tokyo and Bianliang in the Song Dynasty!" Then there were the waiters from the restaurant who were also shouting: "The new authentic one is out Australian food! Xihong Fried persimmon eggs, stir-fried broccoli, fried French fries dipped in tomato sauce, and grilled golden corn! "Big meat buns, big meat buns, white skin and lots of meat, every bite is full of oil!" br>
As for the street vendors pushing carts and shop fronts, it is even more dizzying. All kinds of products are dazzling on the shelves. Some even set up stalls in front of the stores to sell goods: "Australian takoyaki", "Australian Sushi", "Dakun Candy", "Nanyang Dried Fruit", "Taiwan Betel Nut", "Nanyang Department Store", "Australian Miracle Drug Sulfa Monopoly", "Lingao Rice Noodles", "Lanzhou Ramen", "Australian Yo-Yo" ”, “Western eggs "Roll", "Australian Spicy Hot Pot"... there are all of them. It is really a rare gathering place of rare and exotic goods from all over the world. Fang Yizhi only felt that his eyes could no longer see enough, thinking that he had entered the legendary Ying. In Zhouhai City, everything looked new and novel, and he wanted to buy one of them all - not to mention other things, just the various foods and snacks sold at the roadside stalls, there were many that he had never seen before, and he only felt the aroma It was tangy to the nose, causing Fang Yizhi to swallow his saliva from time to time.
So, while Fang Yizhi asked the rickshaw driver to stop, he quickly called to Chang Sui Fang Si, who had been following the rickshaw, and asked him to buy some rare snacks for himself to try. Unexpectedly, before he finished speaking, the coachman interrupted his conversation: "...this young master! Excuse me, you are the eldest young master going to Ziming Tower. That is not accessible to ordinary people. Why should the young master care about this? Street bargains only. The foreign goods you want, not to mention food and entertainment, I haven't heard that Zi Ming Lou can't get them, just bulk goods. Zizhenji has an unusual relationship with various maritime merchants, so I can help you find a way. Easily."
Upon hearing this, Fang Yizhi suddenly became interested: "...Oh? How powerful is this Ziming Tower?"
"...Back to the young master, although this Ziming Building is called a building, it actually covers an area of several acres. The entire alley is owned by Ziji. I heard that there is a complete range of food, drink and entertainment, and it is the best in the world. The sales of gold cave. You are either rich or noble. What kind of membership system is there? You have to be recommended by others before you can enter. Young Master, you are full of heaven and handsome, and you are a wealthy person at first glance. This Ziming Tower is just like it was set up for the young master. "
Hearing the coachman flattering him so much, Fang Yizhi couldn't help but feel a little happy: "...Haha, could it be that you still know how to read faces?"
"...To tell you what I'm saying, I welcome and send you off every day. I see a lot of merchants and dignitaries, big and small. Naturally, I have to be discerning..."
Before he finished speaking, he saw a cigarette stall in front of him being overturned by a group of people. Golden tobacco and packs of cigarettes were scattered on the ground. The leader, a woman with a girl's bun, pointed at the stall with her arms akimbo and shouted: "...Smash them all! Smash them all! If you dare to take Wen Dengxiang's name, I don't want to live anymore!"
The stall owner was also a lazy person. Even though he was knocked to the ground with blood on his face, he still looked at the woman with a sneer: "...Shopkeeper Wang is so majestic. This Hangzhou is not your Dengzhou Guard. Why bother with such majesty? Why are you waiting for me to sell a few packs of counterfeit cigarettes? Is your Wen Dengxiang business a small business? A ship of holy cigarettes was just unloaded at the dock yesterday? Come on, if you have the ability to do what you did in Linqing, do it again in Hangzhou!" Halfway through, his voice suddenly became louder, "... Dear young and old men, I have traveled around for dozens of years with Leopard. It’s the first time I’ve seen that Australian scene! Twelve people hanging like lanterns at the door of the government office! It’s so spectacular! Shopkeeper Wang, don’t you think so?”
Hearing what the cigarette seller Yu Baozi said, the pedestrians and traders watching around burst into laughter for a moment. The woman was also choked by these words and could not speak. First she blushed and hesitated for a moment, then stamped her feet bitterly, turned around and walked away with the group of thugs.
Fang Yizhi saw this and asked curiously: "...Who is that woman? Why do you ruin someone's business in broad daylight? What is the reason for this?"
"... Let me tell you, this woman is the female shopkeeper of Mr. Chen Xin and Mr. Chen in Dengzhou Town. Her name is Wang Erya. She manages Wen Dengxiang business for Mr. Chen. She has always been an arrogant and domineering boss. Along the way, The entire Grand Canal runs from south to Bei, it’s not just once or twice that she leads people to destroy stores and ruin things, everyone calls her a dominatrix in private. But the local yamen know that Mr. Chen of Dengzhou has won many battles and is favored by the saints, and no one dares to do so. No problem," the coachman replied.
Fang Yizhi naturally knew about Wen Dengxiang - the paper cigarettes produced in Dengzhou Town are said to have the effect of strengthening and nourishing ejaculation. Fang Yizhi had smoked it before, and it felt very choking, with the smell of alcohol and alcohol. Although the flavor of spices is stronger than the bitter, spicy and smoking dry pipes, I still don’t have a good impression of this smoke. However, there are still many ordinary people who like to smoke Wendenxiang. They seem to like this taste, which can be regarded as Everyone is fine.
The coachman continued: "... Yu Baozi is a green-skinned scoundrel who often engages in deception and deception. This time he got a batch of counterfeit Wendenxiang from nowhere, so he grabbed a stall and sold it openly. This Shopkeeper Wang originally She has an extremely aggressive temperament and is used to running rampant in Shandong. Now she happened to be discussing business in Hangzhou and ran into Yu Baozi selling fake Wendeng incense in front of her. It would be weird if she didn't come and destroy the stall! ”
"...Oh, that's it, but what happened to what Yu Baozi said about twelve people hanging at the yamen gate?" Fang Yizhi continued to ask.
"...That's a good question, young master. This is the biggest anecdote in Hangzhou since the beginning of autumn this year. I heard that there was an unsolved case in Linqing, Shandong last winter. The owner of Dongyue Tobacco Factory and A colleague in Linqing Prefecture was wiped out by gangsters overnight, and the cigarette factory and warehouse were burned to the ground. After that, the murderer was never caught, but the Wendeng Cigarette Factory was built directly on the old factory in Dongyue, and it was still called Dongyue Factory. It is said that the shopkeeper Wang Erya was responsible for it. Hehe, the whole family was not involved in the murder. She wants to steal someone else’s brand name and property, this woman is so cruel!”
Seeing the young master's interest, the coachman started chatting non-stop, "...What's even more strange is that in the autumn of this year, one day when the Hangzhou prefecture's Yamen opened the door, he saw twelve people hanged at the door. The young man took a look at it, and his legs were weak with fear. There was also a line of blood written on the ground, Linqing destroyed the family, and the injustice was over. The officials were also frightened to death, and quickly ordered an investigation. This investigation was impossible. The people hanging there were all the most famous gangsters and bandit leaders in Shandong, and the heads of several of them had been tortured three years before Chongzhen. The commander-in-chief took it to the court to report his merits! Later, the matter went nowhere, and most likely it was fooled again.
However, all the old and young men in Hangzhou said privately that in the final analysis, this case is probably because the only cigarette on the market in Hangzhou was Wendengxiang, which took up all the business. However, this spring, the purple cigarettes of Nanyang Australians I remember that a company started to open a shop in Hangzhou to sell cigarettes. The Australian cigarettes were called "Holy Boat". They were rolled more finely and had a long lasting power when smoked. They were more suitable for the taste of us southerners. They immediately took away most of Wen Dengxiang's business. This angered Wang Erya, who was managing the Wen Dengxiang business for Mr. Chen, so he wanted to wipe out the whole family of Zi Ji and his Australians just like they did in Linqing last year. Unexpectedly, the gang of thieves sent by her were not very good at their skills. Instead, they all fell into the hands of the other party and made a fool of themselves.
Our Hangzhou and Dengzhou guards are thousands of miles apart. No matter how domineering Mr. Chen is, he does not dare to mobilize soldiers from the Wendeng camp to suppress them, so we can only suffer the fate of being dumb. For this reason, many young and old men in Hangzhou City privately praised the company for a job well done. From that day on, no one dared to offend the Australian business houses. The Australian business is getting bigger and bigger, and more and more people are eating from the Australian business. In just one year, there is Nanyang Street in Qinghefang..."
"...I see." After hearing such a tragic and strange case, Fang Yizhi couldn't help but sigh: "...They kill people and break up their families just for the sake of promotion. Such domineering warriors are still regarded as the pillars of the country! What a loss of morals and human heart. It’s not ancient.” At the same time, I admired the Australians even more.
"...Hey, as the saying goes, there are no fathers and sons in the business world! The world has always done anything to fight for fame and fortune. As long as the word 'profit' is involved, even close relatives will fight against each other. Not to mention the business world. My opponent, brother Mi, don’t be too narrow-minded when looking at things!”
Yu Guozhen, who came with him, was somewhat disapproving of Fang Yizhi's exclamation. Fang Yizhi couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed when he thought of his friend's experience - as far as Fang Yizhi knew, although Yu Guozhen was knowledgeable and knowledgeable, He has extraordinary insights into current affairs, but his life has been very bumpy: first, his parents died when he was young. Although he had a lot of inheritance, he became a fat man in the eyes of the uncles of the Yu family. He was almost killed several times by his relatives who colluded with bandits to seek wealth. . Thanks to his youth and bravery, he gathered a team of strong and capable servants and managed to escape death after a series of bloody battles.
Later, relying on a certain secret technique of cultivating river oysters to obtain pearls, Yu Guozhen finally revitalized his family business by selling pearls. Unfortunately, this also attracted the red eyes and covetousness of all kinds of demons and monsters, who dealt with him openly and secretly. The intrigues and intrigues almost never stop. Even the Yu clan, which has benefited a lot from this, is also full of rebellious people. Even the Yu clan leader's position seems to have some problems, causing Yu Guozhen a very headache.
The two were silent for a while, and were about to go on the road again when they saw a man with Western-colored eyes in black robes, holding a cross and swaggering through the market, still muttering something in stiff Chinese, and there were several believers behind him. echoed. Fang Yizhi couldn't help frowning and listening, and vaguely recognized the words: "...God loves everyone...Whether you believe it or not, now is the last moment as the Bible says...God's final judgment...war, famine, rebellion, etc." There are disasters... All these things are God's warnings and instruments of judgment... Root According to the Bible, war will become a prophecy, and now the final war is coming... It is not the end of the body when the body dies. At the final judgment, those who do not have names in the book of life will be thrown into the eternal fire. …Believe in Jesus and wait for His coming…Don’t miss the Kingdom of Heaven…”
Hearing this verse, Fang Yizhi was already a little unable to hold back, "...How can this be unreasonable? How is this barbarian religion that threatens ignorant people any different from the White Lotus rebels?"
Having said that, Fang Yizhi, who is well-informed, actually knows that since Western Catholicism was introduced to China, there have been quite a few fresh "Westernization" scholar-bureaucrats in various places in the south of the Yangtze River who have joined the religion, or at least followed that religion. Western missionaries came and went to inquire about some overseas anecdotes as a pastime. Moreover, the Christian church in China at this time was mainly based on the upper-level route in missionary work. At present, a group of believers who have begun to take shape among the scholar-bureaucrats in the Ming Dynasty has been formed, reaching up to the imperial court elders Xu Guangqi and Denglai Governor Sun Yuanhua and other powerful officials went down to many local wealthy people and gentry in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong, and their influence could be described as intricate. Unless these Christians raise a flag of rebellion, no one will easily become an enemy of this group.
On the other hand, the insightful people in the imperial court have also seen that although Catholicism has obtained the protection of missionary work in China by taking the upper-level route, it has also made Christianity in China become "highbrow" and there are many religious believers. As a family of gentry, there are few poor believers. It is not as "down-to-earth" as the "grassroots" White Lotus Sect and Wenxiang Sect. Naturally, it is impossible to incite ignorant people to cause chaos, and there is no obvious harm to the court.
In a previous conversation with Yu Guozhen, Fang Yizhi also raised the above question and came to the same conclusion - in the Ming Dynasty, there were fires and smoke coming from all directions, and at this moment when the White Lotus and Wenxiang believers were dancing around with demons, the mere Catholic Church The spread of it is simply not worth caring about. But seeing these lustful people openly preaching about the end of the world on the streets, he couldn't help but have a vague premonition that "the country is about to perish, and monsters will be born."
However, at this moment, just outside the field of vision of Fang Yizhi and Yu Guozhen, there were several muscular men with fake buns and dark skin, staring at the overturned fake cigarette stall, and there were people watching " The wretched men who "pulled Australian movies" all had gloomy faces and furrowed brows.
"...Captain, it seems that there are forces established by time travelers in this time and space, and there are more than one! Our Far East Company has an opponent!"
A young man came close to the ear of a middle-aged man who seemed to be the leader and whispered, "...I heard that the group of guys claiming to be Australians set up a stronghold in Ziminglou, Hangzhou. If they are Chinese, they are pretending to be Australians." It’s okay to say that, but if it’s really Australian... then it’s going to be big trouble!”
"...Travelers in modern Australia? No way! Didn't the locals who saw them say that those 'Australians' are not white?"
"...This is not easy to say! In modern Australia, there are many Chinese citizens, as well as many Korean and Japanese immigrants, and the number of yellow people is not small. But even the Chinese in Australia may still say a little bit Chinese. But their positioning is probably... Hey, it’s hard to say whether they see themselves as Chinese! Captain, do you think we should go to Ziming Tower to explore again?”
"...Don't be too troublesome! Xiao Li! Xiao Zhang! Don't forget, our mission to sneak into Jiangnan this time is to purchase food! There are still tens of thousands of refugees on Jeju Island waiting for food! Now that we have contacted the food Shang, we should transport the grain back as quickly as possible and don’t cause any more trouble!”
The captain snorted coldly, interrupted the argument between the two young men, and at the same time stuffed the "Gu Shi Lu" he had just purchased into the bag behind his back, "... Regarding other time-travel forces, we can collect them through public channels. We have collected almost all the information we have received. I have secretly photographed the things we saw on the streets and in shops with a digital camera. The rest will be done by the company’s senior management when we return to Vladivostok. Decide!”
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※
In short, after the group of Christians from Hangzhou passed by, the two rickshaws continued to crawl among the crowds for a while, and finally arrived in front of the Ziming Tower in Hangzhou. After sending the coachman away, Fang Yizhi looked up and saw that the facade of Ziming Tower was ordinary. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary three-story building, but the courtyard walls on both sides extended far away, with only windows. The shiny glass on the front shows the uniqueness of this facade.
Just when Fang Yizhi and Yu Guozhen were looking at the Ziming Tower, Zhang Dai and Zhang Xianggong, who were hosting guests at the Ziming Tower this time, had also been notified by the servants and greeted him with a spring breeze. After coming, he first exchanged greetings with Fang Yizhi, and then met Yu Guozhen under the introduction of Fang Yizhi. They complimented each other, and then Zhang Dai sighed with regret, "...My dear brother, this is Unfortunately, I came back a few days late! The hostess here, Pei Lixiu, had been staying in Hangzhou this autumn, making friends with wealthy people from all over the world, and held many poetry parties and cocktail parties. She looked really suave and gorgeous. Qun Fang, it makes people think... It was only yesterday that I just set off to return to Guangdong. It’s a pity that my dear brother only arrived today!”
Hearing that Pei Lixiu, the "famous Australian prostitute" whom she had admired for so long, happened to pass by him, Fang Yizhi couldn't help but feel a little depressed, but he quickly cheered up again and smiled casually, "...That's right. so-called, We are destined to meet each other thousands of miles away, but we cannot meet each other face to face. There are always things in this world that cannot be forced. Since you are not destined to meet the beautiful woman this time, just focus on seeing the famous places of Ziming Tower!”
——What he didn’t notice was that Yu Guozhen, who was originally reserved, actually breathed a sigh of relief after learning that Pei Lixiu was not there...
After chatting for a few words, the three of them walked side by side into Ziming Tower. Upon entering the door was a marble screen, which was polished very smoothly. The natural marble patterns on it looked like landscape paintings, which gave it a unique flavor.
"...This screen is quite generous. It's a whole piece of marble as big as a tabletop. I don't know how it was embedded." Fang Yizhi thought to himself.
Next, the outer room of Ziming Building is a very common hall, but the fine mahogany furniture is very valuable at first glance. However, there are no stools in the guest seats, only a few soft couch-like cloth-covered chairs. , Fang Yizhi sat down while waiting to apply for a "membership card" For a moment, the elastic and soft touch was indeed much more comfortable than those armchairs at home. I didn’t know what kind of material could be so elastic. Fang Yizhi estimated that this was probably the sofa chair mentioned by those Lingnan scholars. , indeed has its unusual features.
Although it seemed mysterious to Fang Yizhi at first, the procedure for applying for a so-called "membership card" at Ziminglou was actually not complicated. After Zhang Dai, a senior big customer, personally recommended him as a guarantee, Fang Yizhihe Yu Guozhen and the other two left their own greetings and signatures, and then two gold and silver cards were handed out at the counter, with their names and five big food numbers engraved on them.
"...Master Fang, your membership card has been processed, and the card number is 9526. And this Master Yu, your membership card number is 9527..." The clerk who handled the membership card smiled and handed the card to Fang Yizhihe Yu Guozhen. The clerk was wearing a tight-fitting navy blue jacket with narrow sleeves and a short lapel. He was wearing navy blue straight pants. He had a pair of well-polished shoes on his feet. The material looked like leather, but the style was something Fang Yizhi had never seen before. . Wearing a snow-white shirt under the coat, the collar and cuffs were starched to a stiff texture. A blue belt was tied in the middle of the collar, and a small shiny sign hung on the chest with several big numbers written on it. The whole outfit doesn't look Chinese at all, but it does look energetic and exotic.
"...If you two young masters are here to relax, you might as well ask the younger one to show you around. The younger one is waiter No. 63. If the two young masters have any requirements, I will try my best to satisfy them." He handed over the membership card. After that, the clerk continued to be attentive.
"...No need, I brought these two here, just let me continue to take them with you and take a look. You can go back!"
But Zhang Dai waved away the clerk, and then he personally took Fang Yizhi and Yu Guozhen inside. Turning around a screen wall, his eyes suddenly opened up, and a large garden came into view. In the middle of the garden, there was a Baroque-style white marble The fountain is spraying water, and the bushes in the garden are still green and trimmed to a square shape. They are completely inconsistent with the pattern of traditional gardens, but they are a bit like the construction method of Thai Western churches.
Entering again, there is another wider hall. There is an indoor pool in the center of the hall, with pebbles laid in the pool to raise goldfish. There is a landscape rockery as tall as one person in the middle of the pool. Bamboo pipes are used to divert water to create the shape of a waterfall. Coupled with the huge crystal glass chandelier on the ceiling, and the various huge mirrors and glass windows around it, Fang Yizhi was dazzled by it all, and couldn't help but admire it.
Zhang Dai pointed to the price list hanging on the wall of the hall and the plaques on the small doors around it, and introduced that this is the "fragrance bathing place" of Ziming Tower, which has a large bathing pool that can accommodate dozens of people. , there are also exquisite and luxurious ones The "Dixiang Tang" single room provides petal baths, bubble baths, milk baths, herbal baths and many other enjoyments... Fang Yizhi listened with fascination, but Yu Guozhen muttered to himself: Isn't this the stuff in modern bathing cities?
Then, Zhang Dai took them to see the most spectacular large bathing place. They saw a large oval bathing pool sunk into the ground, with wide steps set around it. Bathers can easily enter and exit the bath along the steps. There are several animal head sculptures installed in the four corners of the bath, and they spit water into the pool from their mouths. Both the inside and outside of the bathhouse are covered with tiles, and there is a mosaic mural of "West Lake Scenery" on the wall. Next to it, there is a steam bath and a massage room... Of course, in the massage room, there are probably heterosexual massages that are popular with the public. content.
However, the water has not yet been discharged in the large bathhouse, and there are no guests. There are only a few maids cleaning the floor with mops... Fang Yizhi squinted his eyes and casually looked at the maid closest to him. Unexpectedly, this I couldn't move my eyes away: I saw this woman wearing a blue and white dress, her chest was held up by the skirt, two round balls of agar swayed when she walked, the neckline was very low, and there was a piece of white skin on her chest. Exposed to the outside, people don’t know where to put their eyes. The skirt below the waist is extremely short. The hem of the skirt only covers more than three inches above the knees. Between the shiny white stockings on the feet, there are still a few inches of white and tender thighs exposed. Although it is natural, it is instantly exposed. It ignited the fire in Fang Yizhi's heart.
Seeing Fang Yizhi staring straight at the maid, Zhang Dai immediately spoke to his ear knowingly and whispered: "...This maid is wearing a blue maid uniform. She only cares about serving, not serving. If Mi Zhi is really interested, so I asked them to arrange some bunny girls for me to enjoy with my brother in the evening.”
"...Okay, okay, okay!" After saying three good words in a row, Fang Yizhi smiled and showed an expression that every man would understand.
It's just that it's still morning after all, not to mention it's too early to sleep in the flowers and willows. Even the bathhouses haven't opened yet - the boiler has just been completed for routine maintenance, and hot water hasn't been boiled yet. So after wandering around, Fang Yizhi only used the new Australian toilet once. But even the white porcelain toilet and the soft toilet paper scented with spices gave him a more intuitive impression of the luxury of Australians.
Just as he put on his clothes again, carefully rubbed the toilet bowl in the bathroom, opened the top cover, looked at the structure inside, and finally walked out with unsatisfied feelings, he suddenly heard a singing voice coming from somewhere next door. : "I suddenly heard the sound of golden drums and horns..." It sounded like Kun Opera but different, so he asked Zhang Dai: "...Brother Zongzi (Zhang Dai's cousin), who is singing this? And who is singing this?" What track? ”
"...Oh, this is the personal disciple of Mr. Mei Lanfang, the famous Australian Pingju opera master. He is performing on the stage at the Ziminglou Grand Theater. Mr. Mei Lanfang is a master from Australia. When he comes to Hangzhou to perform this autumn, it will be a great time. It is so famous in Jiangnan that even dignitaries rarely listen to it. It is a pity that it The gentleman also went back to Lingnan with Miss Pei Lixiu yesterday, leaving only a few of his apprentices to support the scene at Ziming Tower, but at least he got 60-70% of Mei Lanfang's true biography... As far as I know, The play performed today should be led by Mu Guiying.”
Zhang Dai smiled faintly and said, "...it's still more than half an hour before lunch. Brother Wei has specially invited a lot of guests to welcome you two. They haven't all arrived yet, so it's not convenient to start the banquet at the moment. There is some leisure time on the left and right, and the secret is Dear brother, would you like to go over and listen to a song first, and then talk about some tea and fruit?”
This immediately scratched Fang Yizhi's itch. Although the Fang family in Tongcheng, where he was born, is considered a popular place, Tongcheng, Anhui is, after all, located in a remote countryside, and various entertainment activities are not as exciting as those in big cities. This Pingju opera sounds melodious. It's tactful, the soundtrack is rich, and it's really interesting.
So, he followed Zhang Dai into another hall. The front half of the hall was a large stage with a height of half a person, and underneath were the Eight Immortals tables, which were decorated in an antique style. Many people were already sitting in the hall, listening with gusto. After finding a seat near the front and sitting down, Fang Yizhi also began to enjoy the Ping Opera attentively. I saw a tall and straight man on the stage, with fair complexion, a peach-blossom face, and spring eyes. He was wearing a bright red and gold armor, carrying four Mu-character flags, holding a bright silver gun, and was singing on the stage. Here... This Pingju opera, whether it is literary or martial arts, singing or music, is very suitable for Fang Yizhi's appetite, which makes him more and more enthusiastic. Mesmerized.
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※
At the same time, Yu Guozhen, who came with him, paid no attention to opera. He just watched the various living beings around him with cold eyes, watching these wealthy and idle people who had no worries about food and clothing, enjoying their happiness to the fullest, just like flowers blooming on brocade. , the fire cooks the oil. Their eyes only see the deep courtyard, the bustling street scene, the antiques on the red sandalwood shelves, the maids with charming eyes, the most gorgeous clothes and cars, the graceful singing and dancing in the pear garden, the lively gongs and drums, and the fireworks in the deep blue. Blooming in the night sky... But they don't know that the barbarians from the north are crashing into the Great Wall of the empire. They don't know that behind a laid-off postman is gathering a silent, hungry, and hateful army. Little did they know that the desolate winter of this ancient civilization had already arrived. Little do they know that the world they are familiar with is disintegrating, and the terrifying Doomsday Judgment is coming. The pillars of heaven are about to break, the four dimensions are about to split, and soon they will end up in a "white and clean earth"...
Of course, after so many time travelers have entered this world, the future historical development path may be different!
He smiled self-deprecatingly, took out several things from his arms, and placed them on his palms one by one to examine them: a pack of "Wen Deng Xiang" from Dengzhou, a pack of "Holy Ship Cigarettes" from Qiongzhou, and a small glass mirror with a plastic shell. , a box of sewing needles that are obviously made of modern craftsmanship... I couldn't help thinking for a while.
As a very ambitious time-traveler, Yu Guozhen has been struggling and fighting since he came to the countryside of Xiang'an County, Wuwei Prefecture, Anhui Province in this tragic era - first training his servants and killing decisively, and after a series of fights, he finally He successfully sent all the relatives in the Yu clan who coveted his property to see God; and then relied on the freshwater pearl cultivation technology of later generations to earn the first pot of gold to make a fortune.
Then, relying on the small armed force he had trained, Yu Guozhen repeatedly fought against bandits and bandits from all walks of life, accumulated war experience, and finally won every step of the way, thus earning the name of the heroic "Inaction Young Tiger". At the same time, he used the novel knowledge of "Gewu" and "Western Learning" as bait to establish a relationship with Fang Yizhi, a famous scholar in Tongcheng, and then infiltrated the "Fushe", a group with great influence in Jiangnan in the late Ming Dynasty.
However, just as Yu Guozhen was consolidating his foundation step by step, expanding his strength, and gearing up to revitalize China's destiny, various social messages obtained through the resumption of society gave him a hard blow. The ambitions and ambitions he was full of disappeared almost instantly - he was obviously not the only time traveler who appeared in this world, and they were all obviously much more powerful than him, a rich country man.
——He knew about the heroic legend of Huang Shi leading the Changsheng Army to sweep through Liaodong and kill the slave chiefs in the past. He also heard about the success stories of Chen Xin’s Dengzhou Army in the north. He also heard about the "Australian Kun people". "All kinds of anecdotes on Hainan Island...Both Huangshi and Chen Xin have an elite and powerful army that is invincible in this era, and have a reputation for being invincible and brave. The "Australians" from Hainan Island came to this world with an entire large cargo ship full of industrial equipment, but what Yu Guozhen brought with him only had a head and a pair of hands...
For a moment, Yu Guozhen couldn't help but feel discouraged, feeling as if he had become a redundant person.
Obviously, no matter how fortune develops next, the Ming Empire in this era no longer needs little people like him to save it. No matter which way of travel finally gains power, it will be far better to adopt the socialist or capitalist system to govern the country than the Manchus entering the customs.
All in all, the bright future of this country and this nation seems to have been determined, and Yu Guozhen no longer needs to risk his life to save it... But in this case, what should I do? Destiny allowed me to travel to this time and space, and for what purpose?
Thinking of this, Yu Guozhen couldn't help but feel melancholy, but he didn't dare to recognize any of the time-travelers, lest the other person would have the kind of narrow-minded Long Aotian character. He firmly believed that "the biggest enemy of one group of time-travelers is another group of time-travelers." "... This kind of worry makes Yu Guozhen more frightened and panicked, but he is helpless... Do you really want to be like Zhang Dai, who regards life as a big excitement and enjoys the prosperity until the last moment?
Yu Guozhen obviously does not approve of such a heartless attitude towards life, but if he wants to be proactive, he doesn't know how to start...
With my meager foundation in Wuwei, Anhui, how can I compete with those time-travelers who have been famous for a long time or are powerful?
Could it be that I could only drift with the tide in this turbulent world and watch other travelers flourish and criticize Fang Qiu?
——Yu Guozhen, who discovered that he was not the protagonist on the stage of the times, fell into deep depression and confusion.
However, although Yu Guozhen claims to be a sober bystander, what he really sees is actually only a small corner of this vast world. Moreover, the changes brought to the world by the time travellers are not only bright and progressive, but also bloody. A scene with darkness...