Qing Jialu

The good news of Du Huan's high school champion was naturally rushed to Hangzhou.After hearing this, the parents and wife in their hometown were as surprised as Du Huan and couldn't believe it.Master Du grabbed the messenger and asked a few words, "Did you send the wrong letter?"

But here in the capital, Du Huan finally recovered from his dementia after riding a horse to praise officials.The first thing he wanted to do after winning the number one prize was to share the good news with Mu Jin. Unfortunately, the young couple just separated. Du Huan was in the capital, and his heart had already flown back to Hangzhou.

It's a pity that he wanted to go back, but he didn't have time to go back.After the Ceremony of Chuanlu, the Ministry of Rites gave a banquet immediately after.Then I have to go to the Guozijian to pay homage to the Confucian Temple, to inscribe names and erect monuments, and to appoint officials from the court... After all the affairs are over, it is already the end of April.

At this time, Du Huan had become the editor of the Imperial Academy, from the sixth rank.

There are few chores in the Hanlin Academy, and it is the most leisurely place.Du Huan really wanted to take time off and go home to see his wife who was expecting childbirth.But he is a newcomer since he was a sixth-rank official, how could the people above let him go?Therefore, his plan to go home was in vain, and he had to stay in the capital to waste his time.

A few days later, Shen Jia asked Du Huan to gather in his mansion.In order to avoid suspicion, Shen Jia never met him.After finally finishing the exam, they can sit down in a fair manner, have a meal and talk about the old days, and no one else will make irresponsible remarks.

After all, now they are not only relatives, but also the relationship between teacher and disciple, which can be said to be more intimate.

"Zi Chuan, it feels good to be the No. [-] scholar." Shen Jia asked with a smile.

"Don't mention it, I'm dizzy. I felt like I was floating in the sky before, but now I just landed on the ground." Du Huan actually had no idea in his heart, and he asked, "Why did your majesty choose me as the champion? ?"

"Because His Majesty wants to lift the sea ban, and because you are the one who speaks deeply about the benefits of opening the sea." Shen Jia saw his doubts and gave Du Huan a reassurance, "Zi Chuan, your The name of champion is worthy of the name, so you can rest assured."

Only then did Du Huan feel relieved, and he said with a naive smile, "I never dreamed that I would be the champion."

Shen Jia also smiled and said: "Zi Chuan, I think you have a lot of ideas about opening the sea. You said in your article that opening the sea has the benefits of eliminating pirates, reassuring the people, solid defense, and increasing taxes. So the cabinet is also thinking about this recently. Do you have any ideas about setting up a city ship department in coastal areas?"

Du Huan did not expect that the words in his article could shake the centuries-old sea ban.He hurriedly said: "I don't dare to make random suggestions on important national affairs. I have heard these from my business friends. They really expect the imperial court to lift the ban and do business with foreign countries."

"I really want to meet your friends for a while." Shen Jia asked curiously, "Where are they doing business?"

"Probably in Zhangzhou and Quanzhou, Fujian Province. They often move around, and I don't know where they are now. If my brother wants to meet, I will write to their family, but I don't know when they will see the letter and when they will be able to arrive in Beijing. .”

Seeing this, Shen Jia said: "Opening the sea cannot be decided in a short while, so there is no need to rush."

Du Huan nodded, suddenly remembered something, and asked again: "By the way, brother, aren't you from Fujian? Maybe you can go home to visit your relatives and make inspection tours."

"I don't have any relatives." Shen Jia sighed, "Besides, the cabinet affairs are busy, so I'm afraid I won't be able to take time off."

"I'm sorry, big brother, for causing you sadness." Du Huan hastily apologized.

Shen Jia waved her hand and said: "It's okay, it's over long ago. But you, you can go home to visit your relatives, and Mu Jin is still pregnant."

"I really want to, but the Imperial Academy won't let people go." Du Huan got a headache when he mentioned this matter, "Besides, I'm a newcomer, so I really shouldn't take a long vacation."

In the officialdom, Shen Jia can understand this better than Du Huan.He thought for a while and said, "But there is a way, which can allow you to visit relatives and let me go on inspection."

After hearing this, Du Huan's heart skipped a beat. Is there such a good thing?He originally thought that he would have to wait until after Mu Jin gave birth, or even after confinement, before Mu Jin could take the child and return to Beijing to reunite with him.

That's true, it will take another few months.It took almost a year for the couple to see each other.

"Brother, what is the best way?" Du Huan asked eagerly.

"Don't worry, don't worry." Shen Jia secretly smiled inwardly, but said in a pretentious manner, "This matter has to be discussed with His Majesty, and it can only be settled after he agrees."

After Shen Jia agreed to Du Huan, she returned to the palace and mentioned the matter to Xiao Yi.

"Du Huan was worried about Mu Jin and wanted to go back to Hangzhou to have a look. But the Imperial Academy wouldn't let him go, and Du Huan couldn't help it."

Hearing Du Huan's problem, Xiao Yi waved his hand casually, "What's the problem? I ordered him to go back to his hometown to visit his relatives."

"That's too eye-catching. He is the number one scholar, and he is still close to me. I don't know how many people are staring at him. Now he is on a long vacation. Isn't he looking for people to impeach him?"

Xiao Yi thought so too, he looked at Shen Jia, said with a half smile but not a smile: "Changqing, I never thought you would learn the ways of the world, and finally understand the tricks in the officialdom."

"I don't want to understand, but I am forced to understand." Shen Jia sighed, "So, for Du Huan and for me, I would like to ask you for an imperial decree."

Xiao Yi raised his eyebrows, "What imperial decree?"

Shen Jia stood up and said seriously: "I implore Your Majesty, let me and Du Hanlin go south to Fujian and make an inspection, so as to determine the location where the Shibo Division will be set up."

"Oh..." Xiao Yi understood, "Going from Beijing, I happened to pass by Hangzhou, how many days will I stay for Du Huan and Mu Jin to meet?"

"Hehe, yes." Shen Jia pleaded on Du Huan's behalf, "You should pity their little couple. They haven't been separated for so long since they got married. Could it be true that they were not allowed to leave until September when they gave birth?" Meet?"

Xiao Yi is not the queen mother, so naturally he can't do such a thing as letting the young couple see each other once a year.He nodded in agreement, "Du Huan can leave, but it will take at least a few months for you to go to Fujian."

"Performance inspections do take time, as short as one or two months, as long as four or five months." Shen Jia glanced at Xiao Yi, and suddenly smiled, "Aren't you reluctant to part with me?"

Xiao Yi was guessed, and glared at Shen Jia, "I reunited Du Huan and Mu Jin, but made myself suffer from parting, what's the matter?"

"How about..." Shen Jia hesitated, "You and me, together?"

"That's a good idea." Xiao Yi had been waiting for Shen Jia to speak, and he immediately agreed, "I agree."

Shen Jia suddenly felt why this scene seemed familiar, as if Xiao Yi had to go with him just like that when he went to Tong County for an inspection.

Who would have thought that the same pit could fall into it twice?Moreover, this time it was Shen Jia who jumped in on her own initiative.

The emperor's plan to leave Beijing for a few months was no joke.Although the emperor often did not go to court for several months in the past two years, the officials were used to it and would not doubt anything.But before they leave, they have to make sufficient preparations and settle the rear.

This time, apart from Shen Jia and Du Huan, Dr. Fan and Mu Mian were accompanying him.Kapok hadn't seen her sister for a long time, and just as she was thinking about it, Xiao Yi took her to Hangzhou with her.And Dr. Fan, as His Majesty's imperial physician, needs to prepare some tonics for His Majesty on weekdays, so he must follow him all the time.

As for Eunuch Chen and Cao Suyuan, commander of Jinyiwei, they stayed in Beijing.And Wei Hanming, the commander of Jinyiwei, led a team of elite Jinyiwei to secretly protect His Majesty and others.

When the preparations are almost done, Xiao Yi has to meet someone before leaving so that he can leave Beijing with peace of mind.

Shen Jia knew who Xiao Yi wanted to see without guessing, so he brought Xiao Yi to that strange little courtyard again.

"Your Majesty and Master Shen are here, welcome." This time, John opened the door to greet them personally, and he said with a smile, "I guess His Majesty will come here again in the near future, and will stay at home waiting for your arrival."

"Can you tell fortunes?" Shen Jiaqi asked, "How do you know that we will come again?"

You know, he and Xiao Yi haven't been here for a long, long time.

John waved his hands and said with a smile: "It's not that I will count my fate, but I heard the wind outside. I heard that Your Majesty personally asked a question about the sea ban. I guess your Majesty is planning to open the sea?"

Xiao Yi saw that John was straightforward, so he didn't have to hide it, and said straight to the point: "I do have the idea of ​​lifting the sea ban, but I have no idea how to implement it."

"Your Majesty is here to hear my advice?" John asked.

"Exactly." Xiao Yi admitted, pretending to be humbly asking for advice.

John has been wandering abroad for many years. He has not only been to Daliang, but also to many other places. He must have seen a lot.When Xiao Yi asked him this question, it touched John's heart.

"Your Majesty is a good question. I have a lot to say about this aspect." John asked His Majesty and Shen Jia to sit down in the restaurant, "Why don't we have afternoon tea and chat."

"Afternoon...tea?" Shen Jia had never heard of it before, and asked curiously, "What is afternoon tea?"

"Mr. Shen Ge will know after a taste. Today, I invite His Majesty and Mr. Ge to drink some tea that Daliang does not have, and some snacks that I made myself." John said, and called Xiao Tong to go to the kitchen to get food and drinks of.

Not long after, the rare food brought by the boy was different from the cups they usually drink tea in, and the dim sum looked different from the ones they had seen before.So under John's guidance, they tasted Western-style refreshments.

The pleasant afternoon tea time began. Shen Jia and Xiao Yi drank strange black tea, ate delicious desserts, and listened to John talk about some of his insights and opinions on Kaihai.

The afternoon passed quickly, and Shen Jia and Xiao Yi listened to John's words, which was better than ten years of reading.Before leaving, Shen Jia had the cheek to ask for the book translated by John.Many of the books John brought had not yet been translated, and he only gave Shen Jia "Elements of Geometry".

At that time, none of them expected that this book would be spread, opening a window for Chinese people to know the outside world, and thus come into contact with the so-called "Western learning".

The author says:

Note: "Original Geometry" is the earliest Western scientific book translated and published in China. It opened a window for the intellectuals of the Ming Dynasty to know and understand "Western learning". It contains a summary and introduction of the foundations of European mathematics and geometry.