marquis of jingan

Chapter 1486: The Young Man's Chance Encounter

Chapter 1486: The Young Man's Chance Encounter

In a blink of an eye, another month or two passed, and it was the first month of the thirty-first year of Hongde.

Jiankang.

No, it should be Nanjing.

Jiankang still has six government offices, but there is no longer a Secretariat.

Zhao Changping stayed in Nanjing as prime minister to command all the Nanjing tribes, but because the political center moved north, to put it bluntly, he, the prime minister of Nanjing, was just a governor-general or governor-general of Southern Zhili.

And now, in the residence of Prime Minister Zhao, the Fourth Prince, dressed in a blue cotton robe, bowed in a formal manner and said, "Old Prime Minister."

Zhao Changping's ears were not working very well at this moment, but he still heard what the fourth prince said. He stood up silently to return the greeting, and then said, "Your Highness, you are welcome."

The Fourth Prince bowed his head and said respectfully, "Old Prime Minister, I am grateful for your help. The land survey in Nanzhili has basically been completed. Please give me your instructions on what to do next."

"Next?"

Zhao Changping took off the reading glasses he had used for several years, put them aside, looked at the Fourth Prince sitting in his study, shook his head slightly and said, "Your Highness, there is no next step."

"This Nanzhili was originally the capital of our Dachen. In addition, the original Ministry of Revenue is still in Nanjing, so you can carry out the land survey. Even so, Your Highness is in danger. Going further south, you will go to Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi and other provinces to survey the land..."

“It is very difficult.”

Zhao Xianggong reminded: "Your Highness, do you know Shen Yi?"

"Of course I know that."

The Fourth Prince said quickly: "Marquis Shen is so powerful that he is known to the world. Who doesn't know that..."

"Your Highness only knows that Shen Ziheng led the Northern Expedition and swept across Zhulizhen, becoming famous all over the world, but you may not know that he was ordered to go to the southeast to run the Maritime Customs Office in his early years."

"The five maritime customs offices in the southeast were all established by Shen Yi. At that time, he was also ordered to suppress the Japanese invaders. He had an anti-Japanese army of 5,000 people under his command."

"even so."

Prime Minister Zhao shook his head slightly and said, "Even so, Shen Yi, who carried the imperial order, only managed the Maritime Customs Office in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. When he arrived in Guangdong, he had to make some compromises with local forces."

"Your Highness, do you have 5,000 soldiers now?"

Li Jian quickly shook his head.

He was a little anxious and looked at Zhao Changping: "Old Prime Minister, this is an assignment from my father. I can't just manage one province and then go back in disgrace..."

"Your Highness can go to Fujian and try again."

Mr. Zhao smiled softly and said, "If you really can't do it, just get sick in Fuzhou and return to Beijing to report."

The Fourth Prince was still a little unwilling in his heart, but he did not dare to disobey Zhao Changping in person. He just lowered his head and asked, "Old Prime Minister, if Nanzhili is further south, it should be Zhejiang and Jiangxi. Why do you want me to go directly to Fujian?"

"Your Highness will know in a moment."

Zhao Changping lowered his head to drink tea and said softly, "Your Highness, please wait in my study for a moment."

"Yes."

About a cup of tea later, there was a knock on the door of the Zhao family's study and the servant outside shouted.

"Master, Master Shen is here."

"Ah."

Prime Minister Zhao said, "Please come in."

Soon, a young man about fifteen years old carefully pushed the door open and walked in. After entering the study, he first looked up at Zhao Changping, then without saying a word, he knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "I am Shen Ji, the nephew, and I pay my respects to my great-grandmaster."

Zhao Changping stood up from his seat, walked to the young man, held out his hand to help him up, looked him up and down, gestured with his hand to indicate his height, and said with a smile: "I remember when your family first moved to Yanjing, you were only this tall, just running back. In the blink of an eye, you will also grow up."

As he spoke, he glanced at Shen Ji again, and suddenly said with emotion: "When your father first arrived in Jiankang, he was about your age."

Shen Ji lowered his head slightly and said nothing.

Zhao Changping pulled his sleeve, pointed at another young man in the study, and said with a smile: "I think Sanlang has met this guy before, right?"

Only then did Shen Ji realize that there was someone else in the study. He turned his head and recognized him immediately.

When Li Jian was harassing Shen Sangsang in Yanjing, he often went to Shen's house. Sometimes when he couldn't see Shen Sangsang, he would drag Shen Ji to play.

Shen Ji was about to salute when he saw Li Jian, who was already smiling. He stepped forward, took Shen Ji's hand, and said with a smile, "Why did Sanlang come to the south as well?"

Shen Ji quickly lowered his head and said, "Fourth Prince."

"I went back to visit my mother's family with my mother. We spent the New Year in Jiangdu. I just left Jiangdu and am going south to Fuzhou. My father told me to visit my great-grandmaster when I get to the south, so I came here..."

He glanced at the Fourth Prince with a strange look on his face: "Why is Your Highness here with Master Uncle?"

"I came to the South on business."

Li Jian's face was already full of smiles: "This is my first time on an errand, and I don't understand many things, so naturally I have to come here to ask the old prime minister for advice."

At this moment, Zhao Changping had returned to his seat and sat down. He looked at the two young men, was stunned for a moment, and then asked, "Sanlang, is your father doing well in the north?"

"Yes."

Shen Ji quickly bowed and said, "Father has been working in the capital since the capital was moved. Everything is fine now."

"Ah."

Zhao Changping smiled and said, "It's rare that he can be patient and sit in class for a few years."

After asking about Shen Yi's situation, Zhao Changping asked again: "Where's your mother? Didn't she come with you?"

Shen Ji quickly bowed and said, "My dear uncle, my mother has also arrived in Nanjing, but it is not convenient for her to come, so I only let my nephew come."

After all, Ye Chan was only a concubine. It would not be appropriate for her to take the initiative to visit the prime minister's family without an invitation from the Zhao family.

"Come over tomorrow and have a family dinner together at home."

Shen Ji lowered his head and responded.

Mr. Zhao thought for a moment and then asked, "When will you and your son leave for Fuzhou?"

"Mother misses home so much, we will rest in Nanjing for a few days and then leave."

"Ah."

Zhao Changping looked at Shen Ji and said with a smile: "Sanlang grew up in the Shen family, but he looks less arrogant and more gentle than Dalang. It's really rare."

Shen Ji smiled and said, "In front of your great-grandmaster, even if I am here, I have to be respectful."

"No, it's still different."

Zhao Changping smiled and said, "Although your elder brother is respectful in front of me, he can't change his monkey-like personality. You should be much calmer."

The old prime minister stroked his beard, thought for a while, and commented: "You two brothers' personalities combined are very similar to your father. He is impetuous when doing things, but calm enough when encountering problems."

The Fourth Prince, who was standing by, touched Shen Ji's shoulder and said with a smile, "Sanlang, I'm also going south, how about we go to Fuzhou together?"

"what?"

Shen Ji first looked up at Zhao Changping, and after thinking for a while, he said, "Your Highness, I just followed my mother to the south, and I still need to ask my mother about this matter."

"This is simple."

Li Jian smiled and said, "I'll go with you to visit Aunt Shen later."

Shen Ji frowned slightly and looked up at Mr. Zhao.

The old prime minister waved to him and Shen Ji stepped forward immediately.

Zhao Changping patted his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "We are just traveling together. It won't be a problem."

"Yes."

Shen Ji then lowered his head and said, "Then I will go back first and let my mother know."

"You go ahead."

After the old prime minister waved his hand, Shen Ji saluted the two of them in turn and then walked out.

After he left, Zhao Changping stroked his beard and shook his head, saying, "Ziheng's ability to teach his sons is much better than mine. Both of my sons are not ordinary people."

The Fourth Prince was still in the study, with a smile on his face, and said, "Old Prime Minister, can we follow Sanlang Shen south to get things done in Fujian?"

"It can't be done."

Zhao Changping shook his head and said, "But I can guarantee that Your Highness is safe. The mother's family of the third son of the Shen family is in Fuzhou..."

"The power is quite significant."

Li Jianxi said: "Thank you for your advice, old prime minister."

"Your Highness, you don't have to thank me."

Zhao Changping said softly: "I can guess what your Highness is thinking. I hope that your Highness is sincere in getting close to the Shen family now."

"otherwise…"

The old prime minister smiled and said, "Shen Ziheng's eyes are very vicious."

Li Jian lowered his head quickly: "Old Prime Minister, please understand. I have absolutely no bad intentions towards the Shen family."

Zhao Changping said "hmm" and continued, "Your Highness, do you still remember what you promised me?"

"remember."

The Fourth Prince lowered his head with a serious expression.

"As long as I have the opportunity, I will definitely complete the survey of all the land in the country in my lifetime!"

(End of this chapter)