Great Imperial Merchant

The imperial capital in early April was full of flowers.

All kinds of flowers bloom in early spring, bringing warm colors to the city.

A group of ten carriages drove in from the Suzaku Gate of the Imperial Capital, and headed all the way to the Chariot and Horse Station of the Imperial Capital.

In addition to the Governor of Quzhou County, there were four tea merchants and three wine merchants who went to Beijing together.Except for tea and wine, the rest of the daily necessities, rice, oil, salt, etc. are all in the charge of the palace people, and they are purchased directly near the imperial capital.

The gold and silver porcelain and objects for imperial use are the responsibility of the palace manufacturing office, which specializes in producing objects for the royal family.

Daliang has always favored tea and wine, specially let the imperial merchants come to Beijing to compete, and let the Tian family enjoy the best things in the world.The cloth is assigned to the Huai'an family every year, so every year at the end of the year, the two heads of the family will go to Beijing to present this year's new cloth, and the decision is made by the top.

This time when they went to Beijing, Cheng Weizhe and Yang Zhongyuan came together, and both of Xia's family were also there, sitting in the carriage behind them.

"Brother Xia is here, we won't be blinded when we enter the palace." Cheng Weizhe entered the guest room of Che Ma Yi, and finally heaved a sigh of relief.

Yang Zhongyuan gave him a funny look, raised his eyebrows and said, "Feelings, I've been here for nothing for more than ten years."

Cheng Weizhe was stunned for a moment, then came back to his senses immediately, and couldn't help laughing: "Look at me, I forgot about this."

In fact, when they were at home, Yang Zhongyuan hardly mentioned anything about the past, Cheng Weizhe was considerate of him, and kept pretending that he didn't remember.So now that he suddenly returned to the Imperial Capital, he didn't react for a while, but unexpectedly, Yang Zhongyuan looked normal and joked with him.

Thinking about it, Yang Zhongyuan still has some nostalgia for this place.

After the two of them washed up, they counted the tea cakes and loose tea they had brought this time before resting together.

When both of them were lying down, Yang Zhongyuan suddenly said: "Actually, I kind of miss my friends in the palace at that time."

Cheng Weizhe didn't understand the rules in the palace, but he also knew that the people must not wander around after entering the palace. After hearing his words, he couldn't help worrying: "I heard from the governor that after entering the palace, you must follow the palace people in a proper manner. Don't go where you can't enter. You..."

Cheng Weizhe's meaning is very clear, Yang Zhongyuan is an ordinary citizen when he leaves the palace, he can't go to many places in the palace, maybe he can't see his old friends.

In the dark, Yang Zhongyuan couldn't see the expression on his face, but he also knew that he was worried about himself, so he couldn't help but smiled and said: "Well, on the day of the tea fight, the emperor and the emperor will definitely be there, and there will be many people waiting by their side. I might see a few then."

He said this as if it was common for the people around the emperor to be friends, but Cheng Weizhe didn't ask him, just said: "Yes, we will ask the governor when the day comes, maybe he knows some people in the palace .”

Yang Zhongyuan smiled and did not speak again.

A county magistrate is only a ninth-rank official, and even he, the former head of the imperial dining room, is also a ninth-rank official, let alone a third-rank official in Beijing.

Don't talk about the governor, even if you pass the judgment, push the official or experience, you may not be able to see the holy superior, let alone someone in the palace.

No matter how diligent Emperor Rui Mu Chen is in governing and caring for the people, with such a big beam and so many officials, if he goes to the school in person every time, he will be exhausted and can't finish it. Therefore, most of the reports on returning to Beijing in three to five years are left and right. It will be executed together with the Ministry of Officials.

Only the color of navy blue can be seen by the emperor.

In the Liang palace system, only a very small number of courtiers can obey crimson purple.Only those who are first-class courtiers, such as the first-rank ministers, the first-rank six ministers, the dean of the Imperial Academy, the emperor's grand master, the first-rank generals protecting the country, and the first-rank town army generals, can serve purple.And the next ones, from the third grade up to the four grades of the second grade, wear navy blue, with only differences in the tuanhua and the sleeve edge.

Therefore, only from the third rank up can it be regarded as entering the dragon's eye.

Although Cheng Weizhe has never been an official for a day, he has read poetry and books since he was a child. He is a well-known young genius in Danluo. He was promoted to high school at a young age, not because of his background, but because of his real ability.

Although he doesn't understand the officialdom, he knows what he should know.

As an old man who has been in the palace for 14 years, Yang Zhongyuan also knows it well. What's more, he has seen more and understands more deeply than Cheng Weizhe.

But neither of them talked about this topic with each other. Daliang established the country for more than [-] years and overthrew the old calendar of the previous dynasty. Even merchants were not rejected by the world, but highly respected.

This does not mean emphasizing commerce and suppressing agriculture, but that people who rely on their own abilities to live are treated equally. Only those who do not engage in production and feel sorry for themselves are called inferior.

Therefore, these merchants who came to Beijing to fight for the title of imperial merchants would not be discriminated against in the palace.Yang Zhongyuan knew this, he could know a thing or two from the meals served in the imperial dining room at this time of year, but he had never seen that scene in the front hall after all.

The two fell asleep just like that.

In the next three days, the palace sent two Dagong people out to meet with a few merchants first, just to explain the rules of meeting the saint, so that they would not behave too flustered when meeting the saint.Mu Chen has always been very serious in front of outsiders, but his temper can be called good. It is not unreasonable for this young emperor to be regarded as a wise emperor by the people within a few years of taking office.

So the two people from the big palace didn't speak so seriously, and their attitudes were quite polite and kind. After explaining everything, they didn't need their entertainment, so they went back to the palace early.

These two people Yang Zhongyuan didn't know each other, presumably they used to be from Xiaogong and were promoted recently.

On the fourth day, they were greeted early in the morning, and all of them changed into the neatest clothes, ready to enter the palace to face the saint.

At this time, it is only dimly lit outside, and it is estimated that the morning court has just started, and if they are called in at this moment, there must be someone in charge inside who will give them instructions to familiarize them with the tea and wine vessels in the palace.Wait until the Holy Majesty and the King go up and down, and deal with state affairs first, and then you can meet them.

A group of more than a dozen people got into the carriage, all looking a little cautious.

This time they rode in the palace's large carriage, which can seat six to eight people. Although it is spacious, it is not as comfortable as their own carriage. However, the merchants are in a more disturbed mood, so naturally no one cares about it.

Only Yang Zhongyuan seemed a little dazed in the bumping of the carriage.

He touched the body of the carriage and couldn't help sighing.

Sixteen years ago, he rode a carriage exactly like this one and came all the way to Imperial Capital.

In a blink of an eye, sixteen years passed in a blink of an eye, and when he entered the palace this time, his mood was completely different.

This time, he was actually a little excited and eager, excited to see his old acquaintance again, and eager to become an imperial merchant.

There are two Chariot and Horse Stations in the Imperial Capital, one is near the South Gate, and the other is beside the Yong'an Palace. They originally came to the palace to meet the saints, so naturally they lived in this one.

All of them have been inspected many times along the way, from entering the capital to entering the palace gate, it is completely over.

Because they were a little nervous, even the merchants who had entered the palace many times held their breaths, and none of them looked out, only Yang Zhongyuan, who seemed to be very indifferent, lifted the curtain of the car and looked out.

They were heading northeast all the way, and the scenery on both sides passed by quickly. Yang Zhongyuan had hardly been out of the inner palace, and he was not familiar with the palace here.But he knew that they were going to the outer palace Liren Palace this time.This palace is not big, but the building is quite magnificent, which not only reflects the extreme splendor of the girders, but also does not appear extravagant, on the contrary, it allows others to feel the majesty of the royal family.

This is a place dedicated to meeting guests.

Tea fights and banquets are held here every year. Once, when Yang Zhongyuan first became the manager, he came here to arrange a lunch.

The carriage drove steadily all the way to the destination, and stopped after a while. None of the merchants in the carriage dared to make a move, and they all waited quietly.

Sure enough, after a while, a soft voice came from outside: "Bosses, please get out of the car."

The voice was a little familiar, and it seemed that he didn't hear it often. After thinking about it, Yang Zhongyuan followed Cheng Weizhe and got out of the carriage.

At this moment, the sun was already shining brightly in the sky, and the glazed tiles shining on it were all red gold.

Outside the carriage, a beautiful young man in his twenties was looking at them and smiling. Although he was wearing a gray palace attire, it was hard to hide his outstanding appearance.However, he who was originally calm and composed, was stunned when he saw Yang Zhongyuan.

"Brother Yang..." only the palace man called softly.

The merchants who got off the carriage ahead were all led by the servants to Liren Palace, only Xia Junran, who was walking at the back, turned around and looked at them thoughtfully.

Cheng Weizhe knew that they were old acquaintances as soon as he heard it, so he quickly walked a few steps to stand in front of them, so as not to let others see what happened to Yang Zhongyuan.

Yang Zhongyuan was about to get off the carriage, when he heard his call, he couldn't help being stunned.

But in a short while, he showed a gentle smile to the palace maid, then stretched out his index finger, and gently pressed it to his lips.

What Yang Zhongyuan meant was to tell him to keep silent.The palace man knew that he was reckless at this moment, he quickly suppressed his expression, and quietly followed them into Liren Palace.

Although Liren Palace is the smallest palace in the Outer Palace, when you walk up to it, you will still be shocked by its magnificence.

The palace wall outside Liren Palace is also bright red, as if it has just been renovated.

The palace man walked to the gate of the palace, smiled and nodded with everyone: "Bosses, the younger one is Zhang Xiangrong, the steward of Jinliang Palace. It's still early. After you go in with the younger ones, there will be the chief steward of Jinliang Palace waiting inside." The boss of Beidi has already gone in, please be careful in your words and deeds, and act quietly."

After he finished speaking, he suppressed the smile on his face, and led a few of them calmly into Liren Palace through a side door.

The stewards of Jinliang Palace are the able-bodied people around the emperor, not to mention that the stewards belong to the ninth rank, and to ordinary people like them, they are considered officials after all.

Even though he was just a palace man, the merchants were all polite, and no one dared to say anything bad.

In fact, Cheng Weizhe was also nervous at first, but seeing Yang Zhongyuan's calm face, he also calmed down.As a result, these two merchants who participated in the tea fight for the first time were the most indifferent among them, as if seeing these things in the palace, these people were nothing.

A group of more than ten people silently followed Zhang Xiangrong into the side hall of Liren Palace. As soon as they entered, they saw more than a dozen people sitting in the same room, and beside the head of the seat, stood a tall and thin man in his prime.

His face was like the cold snow in winter, without any extra expression.

Although many merchants saw him every year, they were still a little afraid of him. Therefore, the merchants in Quzhou sat in the position pointed by Zhang Xiangrong honestly, appearing very taciturn.

The man remained expressionless until he saw Yang Zhongyuan, and there were ripples in his usually calm eyes.

But his expression changed so quickly at that moment that no one else noticed it. Only Yang Zhongyuan looked at him seriously and compared his mouth.

He said, "Brother Nian, please stay safe."