Little Cardamom - Chapter 54

Returning from the bamboo forest to the house, Ming Tan was a little absent-minded, occasionally glanced at Jiang Xu, but hesitated to speak.

Jiang Xu thought she was frightened by the snake, so he didn’t think much, just sipped the porridge and read the mansion newspaper delivered early in the morning.

In the end, Ming Tan couldn’t bear it anymore, and asked sideways: “Have you ever heard of Lingmiao Temple, Husband?”

Lingmiao Temple?

Jiang Xu paused for a moment, then continued to drink the porridge, without even raising his eyes, he just asked calmly, “Didn’t you pray for blessings there after you divorced the Duke Ling’s mansion?”

“Ah, yes…”

Ming Tan buried her head and supported her forehead, closed her eyes and wished she could slap herself twice, how could she forget about the divorce.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.” Ming Tan hurriedly changed the subject, and put a piece of shortbread for him, “Husband, try this, Su Xin specially went to pick fresh flower petals to bake this morning.”

Jiang Xu picked it up without further questioning.

Ming Tan secretly heaved a sigh of relief, she didn’t want to talk to her husband about the old calendar of divorce, and it wasn’t a good thing that Guangzong Yaozu would make her look good.

Seeing that Lingmiao Temple can’t bring up the topic anymore, Ming Tan didn’t know how to ask again, so he could only comfort himself, just now, the husband answered the words just like half a minute, and it has nothing to do with her chanting in the temple, maybe she was talking in her sleep , or maybe she said it by accident but she doesn’t remember it herself.

Jiang Xu flipped through the mansion newspaper, glanced at Ming Tan who was still resting his forehead in frustration, and the corners of his lips raised unconsciously.

Today Emperor Chengkang summoned Jiang Xu to have an audience. Before going out, Jiang Xu gave the secret guard an order: “Take people to the bamboo forest and kill all the snakes.” He said it calmly.

“Yes, this subordinate takes orders.”

The secret guard took the order happily, but when he turned around, he thought blankly: Killing the snake, it would be more enjoyable than letting him kill people.

There are many snakes and insects in midsummer. Even if the bamboo forest is cleared, there are many plants and trees in the Yongchun Garden, and there are many snakes from other places. How to clean it?

Qingping Hall is empty and quiet, with aloes curling up.

Cheng Kangdi and Jiang Xu sat at the chess table and played chess.

As an emperor, Emperor Chengkang naturally knows everything. In terms of chess, he doesn’t need Jiang Xu to release water, and he can evenly share with him.

At this moment, Emperor Chengkang talked about political affairs with Jiang Xu while he was sitting down: “Yesterday, Yu Bozhong, the ship envoy of Lingzhou City, handed over the note, saying that the supervisor Zhou Baoping was violent with prostitutes and indulged too much. He died violently at home five days ago.”

Jiang Xu’s eyes fell on the chess board, and he listened quietly.

Emperor Chengkang continued on his own: “Lingzhou’s city ship tax has been reduced year after year, but there are more and more people coming and going. I just sent Zhou Baoping to find out the truth, and it was folded in less than half a year. It seems that this Lingzhou Zhou, it’s really impossible to pour water into it, and it’s impossible to insert a knife.”

Jiang Xu still didn’t make a sound.

Cheng Kangdi babbled on for a while, seeing that Jiang Xu didn’t say a word, he couldn’t help knocking on the table: “What do you think?”

“What do you think of the right minister?” Jiang Xu asked back.

“The right minister thinks that Lingzhou is the last piece of land of the Su family. It is not easy to take over from generation to generation. It needs a long-term plan.” After Cheng Kangdi patiently repeated, he couldn’t help complaining, “It’s all nonsense.”

“The Right Prime Minister is right. The Empress Dowager’s lineage has deep roots. The biggest reliance now is Lingzhou Maritime Trade. Rabbits will bite people when they are in a hurry. If they move too much, I am afraid that the gain will outweigh the loss.”

“I don’t know, but this bone is difficult to chew, so I won’t chew it? Lingzhou’s maritime trade is becoming more and more prosperous. What’s the matter with his family planning to be king here, you give me some ideas.”

Jiang Xu looked at Heizi who was surrounded by corners and was difficult to stand out from. He lowered his eyes and suddenly landed a child not far from him.

“What your Majesty wants is to control the sea trade. Since Lingzhou is difficult to attack, why not open another port and gradually plan it.”

Cheng Kangdi paused.

Before Daxian lost sixteen prefectures in the northern land, after three dynasties, the remaining five prefectures were still in his hands and had not been taken back. It was Jiang Xu who led the army for many years in conquests before taking back the four prefectures of Xi, Li, Yu, and Dong from the northern barbarians.

The troubles from the north continued, and the intrusions from the southern barbarians did not stop. When it comes to opening the port, several dynasties have been cautious.

It’s not that Emperor Chengkang never thought about opening the port again, but the opening of the port cannot be accomplished overnight. If it cannot be opened, the courtiers can debate repeatedly for more than a month.

He thought for a long time, and suddenly asked: “If you open another port, where do you think is the best place?”

“Quanzhou, Tonggang.”

“Tonggang?”

When Jiang Xufu mentioned such a small place, Emperor Chengkang didn’t remember where it was for a moment, and it took a long while to outline its geographical location in his mind.

Thinking of something, he suddenly put down the chess game and called for someone to come over with a map.

Quanzhou and Lingzhou are separated by two states, and they can communicate with major countries such as Moyi, Boni, Jiaozhi, and Chenla. geographic conditions.

Moreover, the whole prefecture is adjacent to Yuzhou, and the western region of Yu is a fortress for communication with the Western Regions. There are Xizhi, Pangshan and other Wang counties in the Zhou Dynasty. If Tonggang can be re-opened in the whole prefecture, the transportation between Yuzhou will be more convenient.

The most important thing is that the far north of Quanzhou is also far away from the southern barbarians. If the port is opened here, there is no need to worry about the alliance of pirates and barbarians.

It’s just, “The whole prefecture is not prosperous, and the Tonggang you mentioned is just a small sea town in the prefecture. It has been poor for a long time, and it is incomparable with Lingzhou.” basic condition.

“A blank sheet of paper is easier to write on.”

That’s right.

Cheng Kangdi nodded.

“Let me think about this matter again.” Emperor Chengkang clicked on the map, “Even if the port is opened, it will be difficult to get a piece of the pie from Lingzhou in the short term, so this Lingzhou… No matter what, at least people have to get in, Bobuy No matter what, this extraction has to be handed over to me.”

He sighed again: “Zhou Baoping is loyal and quick-witted. He has been in Lingzhou for nearly half a year. He suffered this time. Presumably he got something. I have to send someone to find out how he died.”

Jiang Xu was noncommittal.

He thought for a while and asked, “Ah Xu, who do you think is suitable?”

Jiang Xu didn’t answer, just raised his eyes and met him.

“It’s not necessary for you to go.” Cheng Kangdi subconsciously denied, “I see, let Shu Jingran go, so that he can experience it. He is the son of the right minister, and the Su family will not act rashly.”

“There is nothing left and right, I will go with him and go to Tonggang by the way.”

“That’s fine, it’s up to you.” Cheng Kangdi didn’t struggle too much.

After discussing the business, Emperor Chengkang chatted with Jiang Xu again, but Jiang Xu never had any interest in chatting with him, so he wanted to get up and leave soon.

When he got up, Emperor Chengkang noticed that he was wearing a sachet on his waist, and suddenly felt a little strange: “When did you wear the sachet?”

When he was young, he liked to walk with Jiang Xu, his cousin. Perhaps both of them were facing the same predicament, so he always treated Jiang Xu in a special way.

But Jiang Xu never gave him a good face since he was a child. On a certain Dragon Boat Festival, he gave Jiang Xu an insect repellent sachet embroidered by a maid. Jiang Xu didn’t appreciate it, and said to him with a swollen face: ” A gentleman does not admire boudoir playthings.”

Jiang Xu did what he said, and if he didn’t wear it, he hadn’t worn it for more than ten years.

Moreover, what Jiang Xu said made him feel very guilty. He didn’t wear a sachet for more than ten years. If he wanted to wear it, he tied it behind his elbow and hid it in his sleeve.

Strangely today, this “boudoir plaything” probably has legs, and it climbed up the waist of His Royal Highness King Dingbei by itself.

Cheng Kangdi glanced at him with a half-smile.

He didn’t bother to explain, turned around and left with his hands behind his back.

Emperor Chengkang looked at his back and was so excited that he suddenly called the palace servants and asked: “Which concubine made a sachet, show it to me.”

The palace people should be, busy to get the sachet sent by a talented person, muttering in their hearts, when it was delivered from the palace the day before yesterday, didn’t His Majesty say: “What kind of sachet to embroider, just stay in the palace and keep yourself safe, there is nothing much to do.” Copy a few scriptures and calm down.” Turning around, he scolded him, “This new talent doesn’t understand the rules, and you don’t understand the rules either? When did I wear a sachet? Send me everything!”

The emperor’s mind is really unpredictable.

On the other side, on the way back to the Spring Star Pavilion, Jiang Xu ran into Concubine Lan.

Seeing him, Concubine Lan stopped walking and said: “I have seen His Royal Highness King Dingbei.”

Jiang Xu nodded slightly, this road only leads to the Spring Star Pavilion, he asked: “Are you looking for the princess?”

Concubine Lan kept a distance from him, lowered her eyebrows, and said “yes”: “I heard that the princess ate too much ice lychees a few days ago, and she had a stomachache. I have always felt guilty in my body and mind. The basket of ice lychees was given by me. .Today I want to bring some good tea to make amends for the princess.”

“It’s her own gluttony, and it has nothing to do with you.”

gluttony.

It was the first time I heard him describe a woman with such emotional words.

As she approached the pavilion, Concubine Lan pursed her lips, she didn’t know what to think of, and said suddenly: “Since I met Your Highness here, please ask Your Highness to pass these teas to Wang Fei on my behalf.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a woman shouted from the pavilion ahead—

“what-!”

“princess!”

“Miss!”

Hearing the sound, Jiang Xu looked not far away, suddenly tapped his toes, and Yi Ying left the ground.

These screams came from the swing outside the Spring Star Pavilion.

Ming Tan sat on the swing and was pushed by the maidservants. She wanted to enjoy the wind and see the boundless scenery of Yongchun Garden from a high place. Who wanted to push it for a while, and she suddenly saw the figures of Jiang Xu and Lan Fei with sharp eyes. .

She wasn’t sure if she had misread it, and urged the maid: “Push it higher, push it higher.”

“Miss, it can’t be any higher, it’s dangerous.” Su Xin said worriedly.

“It’s okay, just go higher.”

Ming Tan finally saw clearly.

It was really Jiang Xu and Lan Fei.

How could the two of them walk together? Look… It seems that a group is coming to the Spring Star Pavilion.

Although Jiang Xu had already explained the relationship between the two, Concubine Lan was also the woman who almost had a marriage contract with him, she was as calm as an orchid in an empty valley, and she was still a talented person whom he had personally praised.

A thought subconsciously flashed in Ming Tan’s head, no, she can’t lose if she stands with Lan Fei!

So she hurriedly said: “Su Xin, shake the pear tree quickly, and you, push the swing higher.”

She imagined that the pear blossoms were raining, she was flying on the swing, her clothes were fluttering, coupled with the girl’s brisk and joyful laughter, um, very good, it has the charm of a fairy descending to earth.

Ming Tan was still brewing a laugh, and when the swing fell to a low place, he let go of his hand, trying to tidy up his messy hair and front skirt.

Unexpectedly, when she let go, the swing was pushed to the highest point in an instant, and her other hand was out of control, half of her body was thrown out, and then the whole body was thrown out, unexpectedly flying out at the highest point !

At that moment, Ming Tan’s mind went blank, her heartbeat seemed to stop, and there was a sudden sound of wind in her ears. She couldn’t think of anything, she just followed her instinct and closed her eyes and screamed: “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”