Tanhualang

At the beginning of July, Shen Jing went to Jiangsu to investigate the floods in the south of the Yangtze River with Zhuo Dajiang, the servant of the household department, Zhou Yunzhi, the principal, and Xia Zeji, a member of the household department.

The south of the Yangtze River is the granary of the world, and sixty-seven out of ten of the grain taxes in the world come from the south of the Yangtze River.

However, in recent years, there have been frequent floods.First, Songjiang Prefecture was flooded four years ago, tens of thousands of people were affected, and half of the grain harvest was lost that year; then Chongming and Jiading counties in Suzhou Prefecture were flooded two years ago;

Floods are so frequent, it is inevitable that some people in the DPRK and China will make use of the problem.In fact, the Holy Majesty has long been thinking about water control, but he has been hesitant to take action because he has been guarding against the premeditated chaos of the King of Han.

Now that the rebellion of the King of Han has been settled, and the north is also temporarily stable, it is a good time to control the water.

Shen Jing and others set off from the capital, first settled in Suzhou, and then used Suzhou as a base to go to Songjiang, Jiaxing, and Huzhou respectively to inspect the surrounding Taihu Lake, Wusong River, Huangpu and other major rivers and rivers. Draw graphics and record water and soil conditions; visit local officials, gentry, and common people, and listen to suggestions on water control methods.

It is the hottest time of the year in the south of the Yangtze River, so there is no need to elaborate on how hard it is; just running around on the road is not easy.

Shen Jing is originally from Suzhou, and he is very familiar with the rivers and sea dams here, so after arriving in Suzhou, he is basically responsible for the board and lodging, travel, carriages, and contacts with various government offices. .

He was careful and thoughtful in doing things, and he worked tirelessly; in addition, he had traveled far with Zhao Heng, so he had rich experience in these matters, so he arranged everything naturally.

After staying in the south of the Yangtze River for three months, Zhuo Dajiang, Zhou Yunzhi, and Xia Zeji all spoke highly of Shen Jing.

At the end of September, the inspection work was finally over, and they began to sort out materials and draft memorials. Shen Jing was born in the Imperial Academy and was proficient in documents, so he was naturally the main force.

At the beginning of October, the draft of the memorial was basically formed, and the group was ready to return to Beijing.

By the time we arrived in the capital, it was already mid-October.

On the day they entered Beijing, the weather happened to be bad, with a desolate and cold autumn rain falling.Shen Jing was always afraid of the cold, and when the carriage reached the outskirts of Beijing, she couldn't bear it any longer, so she found out a jacket in her bag, and put it on.

Seeing this, Zhou Yunzhi, who was also in the carriage, asked enviously, "Do you have any thick clothes? Can you bring me one too?"

Shen Jing picked up the bag, pulled out another cloak, and handed it to him with a smile: "It's not too thick, you can just wear it."

"Okay! This is enough. I'm not as afraid of the cold as you are." Zhou Yunzhi gratefully took it and wrapped it around his body. After sitting for a while, he suddenly lowered his head and smelled it, then raised his head and smiled at Shen Jing, "Yo, it's quite fragrant. ? Did your sister use aromatherapy?"

Shen Jing lowered her head and smelled the jacket on her body, and there was indeed a faint fragrance of jasmine, she couldn't help laughing: "Probably so."

"Women are careful." Zhou Yun said with emotion, "Look at my clothes, they are all washed by servants. I have never had these scents. Sometimes the sweat stains on them can't be washed off. I have no choice but to make do with them. gone."

After speaking, he joked to Shen Jing: "It's also fortunate that you don't have any wives and concubines in your family. Otherwise, if you go back wearing such fragrant clothes, you won't overturn the vinegar vat?"

Shen Jing replied with a smile: "Isn't that just right? Make a pot of dumplings, just dip them in and eat them."

Talking and laughing, the carriage entered the capital.

A group of people went back to the yamen to reply to their orders, and Zhuo Dajiang personally reported the draft of the memorial to Ding Min, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, for review.That night, Ding Min brought people from the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Household Affairs, and the Imperial Academy to cleanse the group of people.

Shen Jing is not considered very strong if he is not in good health. He was already exhausted after the journey, and he managed to survive the entertainment that night. He asked the superiors of the Imperial Academy for a two-day leave, and said goodbye to everyone early. Stuck on the hot kang at home, fell into a drowsy sleep.

This sleep lasted until the evening of the next day, when Xiao Meng called him up to eat.

Xiao Meng brought him some side dishes, and said with a smile: "His Royal Highness Prince Yu came here at noon. Seeing that the master was asleep, he left again without asking me to disturb you."

Shen Jing knew it, reluctantly ate a bowl of hot porridge, then got up and walked towards the bed in a drowsy state: "If Your Highness comes again, please take care of me...I have to sleep for a while."

He slept again until after noon the next day before he regained his energy and got up from the bed yawning.

The weather outside is still bad, with sporadic light rain.Shen Jing came out of the bedroom, saw the quiet in the yard, called Xiao Meng, but did not hear a response, but saw Xiao You hurried out of the study, saw Shen Jing, laughed softly: "Is this finally waking up? "

Before Shen Jing could reply, she said again: "Your Highness has been waiting for you all afternoon. I just had dinner and fell asleep while reading a book in the study."

Shen Jing nodded, and invited Xiao You to the west wing room: "Come in to warm up. Try the good tea I brought from Jiangnan."

The two went into the West Wing and sat down. Shen Jing made tea herself. While drinking tea, she chatted with Xiao You about the investigation of water control in the south of the Yangtze River.

After chatting for a while, Xiao You got up and walked to the door, took a closer look at a cloak hanging behind the door, turned her head and smiled at Shen Jing: "This dress is not bad. It's so delicately embroidered, it's not like It's a handicraft in an ordinary shop."

He lowered his head and smelled it, then raised his head and smiled at Shen Jing: "Still smelling jasmine fragrance? Shen Jing, you are so courageous, aren't you afraid that His Highness will think too much after seeing it?"

Shen Jing smiled and said: "I walk upright and stand upright, why should I be afraid?"

"Okay." As Xiao You said, he lifted the cloak and made a gesture to go out, "Then I'll show it to His Highness."

Shen Jing stopped him with a smile: "Stop making trouble. I have something to ask for your help about this matter. Listen to me first."

After speaking, he explained the whole story to Xiaoyou.

It turned out that Shen Jing ran into an old man when he was in Huzhou on this trip to the south: it was his father's old friend, Cao Xiaoyu, the only daughter of Cao Jianchun, the head of the Jianchun Opera Troupe.

Cao Xiaoyu is five years older than Shen Jing. Shen Jing recognized Cao Jianchun as her adoptive father back then, so she always called her sister.Cao Xiaoyu was married at the age of 17 to an ordinary family in Hangzhou.

Speaking of which, Cao Xiaoyu's fate is really not good.Just a few years after the marriage, the father passed away; three years after the marriage, a daughter was born, but because of a congenital disease, she died when she was two years old; At the age of five, Cao Xiaoyu's husband passed away again.

There is no one in her husband's family, only orphans and widowed mothers. In order to treat her husband's illness, the house and fields in the family are almost sold.After the husband passed away, he could only take his son to Huzhou to join his distant relatives, and made a living by doing needlework and servants.

Cao Jianchun had saved Shen Jing's life back then, so why would Shen Jing ignore Cao Xiaoyu's situation?Dang even took her back to the old house in Suzhou and asked her to help tidy up the house, but in fact he took in their mother and son.

"Sister Xiaoyu is ingenious, she made this cloak for me." Shen Jing sighed, "The last time we met in Suzhou, I asked someone to go to Hangzhou to inquire about her situation, but I didn't find any news. I didn't expect to go to Huzhou .Fortunately, I met her this time, so I realized that she has suffered so much."

Xiaoyou nodded after listening: "You goddamn sister, your life is indeed bad. What do you want me to do for you? Just say it."

"Suzhou is too far away, I'm afraid I can't take care of things." Shen Jing said, "I will sell two farms in Suzhou when I go back this time, thinking about buying a small house in the capital and taking their mother and son over. , it’s easy to take care of things. It doesn’t need to be big, just enough.”

After hearing this, Xiao You was not as straightforward as in the past. He just looked at Shen Jing and smiled: "This is easy. But just wait a moment. Maybe you don't need to buy a new one."

Shen Jing didn't know what he meant, and was about to ask carefully, when the door rang, it was Zhao Heng who pushed the door in: "What are you talking about, so lively?"

Before Shen Jing could answer, Xiao You laughed first and said, "It is said that Shen Jing brought good tea from Jiangnan. I am going to find Xiao Meng to ask for two jars to try."

Then he went out with a smile and closed the door behind him.

Zhao Heng watched Xiaoyou go out, then turned his eyes back, walked up to Shen Jing and looked at it carefully: "Why are you so thin?"

Shen Jing smiled and said: "When I was in the south of the Yangtze River, it was hot and it was a bit bitter summer. I haven't seen you these days, how is your Highness doing?"

Zhao Heng held him tightly in his arms with open arms, and said in a low voice, "What's the matter? You can't see Jun Xi, thinking like crazy."

Shen Jing listened, and then sighed softly: "...I also miss Your Highness very much."

Zhao Heng lowered his head and leaned on his shoulder, and asked softly in his ear, "How much do you think?"

Before Shen Jing could reply, there was a thunderous roar in his stomach.

Shen Jing: "..."

Zhao Heng raised his head with a smile: "Thinking of what I think, is there thunder in your stomach?"

Shen Jing: "..."

"It is said that you are full of drinking water, I'm afraid this is not accurate." Zhao Heng smiled, pulled Shen Jing and walked out, "You have slept for a long time, I am afraid that your stomach will be empty sooner. Go eat first."

Xiao Meng quickly prepared another meal.

Shen Jing hadn't eaten for three or two days, and was already starving.But he didn't dare to eat too much, he only drank two bowls of hot porridge and ate a few side dishes.After the meal, he chatted with Zhao Heng about what he had seen and heard about Jiangnan, and gave Zhao Heng the new books and chess records specially bought from Jiangnan for his review.

Zhao Heng took it, and suddenly remembered: "Gu still owes you a birthday present."

As he spoke, he looked at the sky outside and it was still early, so he stood up and said, "It's better to hit the sun than to choose a day. I'll take you to see it today."

As he spoke, he raised Shen Jing and wanted to go outside.

When they arrived in the yard, Xiao You saw that the two were about to go out, so he hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Where are we going? I'll call Wei Zheng to prepare the carriage."

Hearing this, Zhao Heng stopped and thought for a while, then waved his hands and said, "I'll take Shen Jing to see the birthday gift prepared for him, and come as soon as I go."

Xiao You laughed and said: "Then I won't go with His Highness, let's prepare for the reception banquet at night with Xiao Meng here."

Shen Jing was confused, so he and Zhao Heng left the yard, walked south along the short street for more than a quarter of an hour, and arrived at a secluded alley.

Entering the alley and walking all the way to the end, I saw a black-painted courtyard gate, connected to a high wall of black bricks, and half of the wall was hung with some radishes; in late autumn, the leaves were already a little yellow.

Zhao Heng looked back at Shen Jing, smiled and stepped forward to knock on the door, and someone came to open the door after Shaoqing, and when he saw Zhao Heng, he hurriedly saluted and said hello: "I have seen Your Highness."

Zhao Heng nodded, went straight into the yard, and turned back to call Shen Jing: "Come in."

Shen Jing followed with some hesitation. When he entered the door, he saw a shadow wall made of black bricks, plastered into a white wall. When he walked around the screen wall, he saw a square courtyard. A row of houses is also Wuwa white walls, which has a Jiangnan flavor.

Zhao Heng dragged Shen Jing through the row of houses and went to the backyard.

The backyard was not too big, and it was square, with a clump of green bamboo planted on one side and a few trees on the other side.In mid-October, the weather outside was already considered cold. Shen Jing followed Zhao Heng into the west chamber, but immediately felt warmth rushing towards her face.Looking at the furnishings in the room, the desks, chairs and desks are not gorgeous, but they are all simple and unique. At first glance, they have been carefully selected and furnished.

Zhao Heng pointed to the rows of bookshelves in the room and said with a smile: "The east and west rooms are all warm pavilions. There are three rooms in a row. The outside is a simple study room. The inside is a bedroom. There is still one room, you can arrange it as you like."

After finishing talking, he walked up to Shen Jing, bowed his head and asked, "The table and chair furnishings, flowers, plants and brick walls here are all arranged by me myself. Take a look, do you like it?"

Shen Jing already understood what he meant, and was about to decline, but after a moment of hesitation, she raised her head and smiled at Zhao Heng: "Your Highness gave it to me, and there is nothing I don't like. There are no corners and nooks here, and I don't want to say anything anymore. .”

Zhao Heng thought that Shen Jing would definitely refuse, and was thinking about how to persuade him, but when he saw him bluntly saying that he liked it with joy, he didn't know what to say for a while: "It's just as long as you like it...there is always someone taking care of it, if you like it, you can move in anytime. That's it."

Shen Jing stretched out her hand to hold Zhao Heng's hand, looked up at him for a long time, cupped his hand and touched it to her lips, then pressed her face to Zhao Heng's palm, and sighed in a low voice: "Didn't your Highness ask me how much I miss? Three months in the south of the Yangtze River, thousands of miles away from His Highness, it is impossible to sleep peacefully every night. Once back in the capital, I feel that His Highness is close at hand, so I finally feel that I can sleep peacefully."

Hearing his confession, Zhao Heng held Shen Jing's back with his palms together, kissed him tenderly on his lips with his face down, then leaned into his ear and whispered: "...Why am I not? Missing you thinking about the night Can't sleep at night."

The two embraced each other and stared at each other for a long time, Shen Jing only felt tenderness overflowing in his chest, he raised his hand to hook Zhao Heng's neck, and brought a pair of bright red thin lips together, with moist eyes half drooping, he licked lightly on Zhao Heng's lips, He tentatively licked the corner of his lips with the tip of his tongue.

He has always been introverted, and he is not good at these intimate matters, but this hesitant and timid look, on the contrary, arouses Zhao Heng's enthusiasm, cups his quiet cheeks, and kisses him deeply and eagerly.

The two embraced and kissed each other for a long time, and gradually their love became irresistible.It was getting dark outside, and in the quiet room, there was only breathing that was thick and sometimes light.Zhao Heng hugged Shen Jing and clung to himself, his chest rose and fell, his eyes were reddish, and his breath was messy: "Miao'an... Miao'an, I want you..."

Shen Jing's face was flushed, and after hearing Zhao Heng's words, her cheeks turned even redder as if bleeding, but she didn't know how to say a word.

Zhao Heng raised his chin, his eyes were deep and affectionate, and he wanted to press him for an answer: "I want you...do you want to?"

Shen Jing's eyes were like water, and his face was like peach blossoms. He looked at Zhao Heng for a long time, lowered his eyes and replied in a low voice: "What Your Highness wants...as long as Shen Jing has everything, I will obey."