The green mountains are faintly drifting, and the grass in the south of the Yangtze River has not withered. On the moonlit night of the twenty-four bridges, where can the jade man teaches to play the flute?

Yangzhou City is an ancient city that has been passed down by many poets. In ancient times, there have been three-part moonlit nights in the world. Two-part rogues are praises of Yangzhou and Yangzhou under the fireworks in March. Although Yangzhou City is still prosperous, it is a bit bleak in the prosperity.

"Hui Yu, how many years have you not returned to your hometown?" The Twenty-Four Bridge, also known as the Twenty-Four Bridge, is a scene in Yangzhou described in the previous poem. At dusk, the setting sun was as bloody as blood. Two men in ordinary green robes walked slowly on the bridge. One of them was a little older, named Xiao Yongzao. This man was once the doctor of the Ministry of Rites, the imperial envoy, the prefect of Shuntian, the patrol of Guangdong, the Left Commander and the Minister of War. However, because he was seized from the party struggle last year, he has only been appointed as the minister of scattered ranks. He looked up at the setting sun in the west and asked.

"Since the emperor's eastern tour in the 41st year, I have been following the emperor's decree and followed the capital to the Shangshang Study Room. In the 42nd year, the emperor was awarded the same Jinshi as an editor of the Hanlin Academy, and later became the editor of the Wuying Palace. It has been more than seven years since he returned to his hometown." The younger man named Cha Shenxing, who was a teacher. When he was young, he taught his son in the Mingzhu Mansion of Quanxiang. Later, he was guilty of improper speech and expelled back to his hometown. He was not promoted until the 32nd year of Kangxi. After being recommended by Grand Secretary Chen Tingjing in the 41st year, he was attracted by Kangxi and became famous.

These two people just arrived in Yangzhou City yesterday. Their purpose of coming to Yangzhou is not to visit, but Yangzhou is just a place to settle down. Their real destination is Jiangning in Jiangnan, which is now Nanjing.

Under the will of Kangxi, Ma Qi and others decided to send people to Zhu Yicheng, Yuan Qi and Zhu Jiancai for negotiations. Among them, Zhu Yicheng from Jiangning was the top priority. After careful selection, it was finally determined that Xiao Yongzao and Cha Shenxing were the main and deputy envoys to travel. It has to be said that Ma Qi took great pains to choose them to go to Jiangning.

Xiao Yongzao was in the Ministry of Rites for many years and served as the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture. He was in charge of Guangdong. He was appointed as the Left Commander and the Minister of War. Although he has been deprived of his official position, he is still a minister of scattered ranks. He has been an official for many years, has rich experience and is more conscious of military affairs. In addition, he has no real position now, so he will not attract attention when traveling. He is the best candidate.

As for Cha Shenxing, this person was originally from Haining. He was famous for his poetry in his early years and was very famous in the local area. As the deputy envoy, he was able to narrow the relationship between Jiangnan thieves as a Zhejiang native, and, secondly, this person could also help Xiao Yongzao as a close minister of Kangxi.

"After crossing the river, Huiyu may find an opportunity to go back to his hometown to see it."

Cha Shenxing shook his head and said, "I won't consider it for the time being when I return home. I am really nervous about how to do this trip. I feel like I have no success in the south. I don't know what."

"Do your best and leave your destiny." Xiao Yongzao also sighed. Both of them knew the purpose of this trip, but they were not sure whether they could do it. However, since Kangxi had decided, he would go as a slave and a minister, no matter how difficult it was.

Cha Shenxing nodded silently, and the two of them stopped talking. After slowly crossing the bridge, they each got on the sedan chair and left.

On the second day, after receiving the information, after the Qing army communicated with Jiangnan, the other party had agreed to cross the river and board the river boat. Xiao Yongzao and Cha Shenxing boarded the boat from Yangzhou, and then went up the Yangtze River to Nanjing. When the ship sailed out of Yangzhou and entered the Yangtze River, the Ming Navy, who had been waiting, came up to meet him. First, the Ming Navy sent two warships to escort him and went upstream.

Now the section of the Yangtze River has been controlled by the Ming Navy. You can see Ming Navy warships cruising on the river all the way. Standing on the deck and looking at the warships and the armed cannons on the warships, Xiao Yongzao and Cha Shenxing couldn't help but be deeply worried. Before they headed south, they had heard that the thief navy was strong, but they imagined that it was far less real than what they saw with their own eyes.

It is said that this is only a small part of the thief navy. The thief navy is stronger in Nanjing, Chongming, Ningbo, Taizhou, and Taiwan. In addition, it also has nearly a thousand sea trade merchant ships. Compared with these, the Qing Dynasty navy could not be provided at all. In this case, even if Jiangbei has sufficient troops, it would be extremely difficult to fight across the south of the Yangtze River.

Along the way, both of them secretly observed the situation of the Ming army navy, and the more they went to Nanjing, the more shocked they were. When they arrived at Nanjing City in two days, they saw nearly a hundred warships moored on the pier, they were even more shocked.

More than two months have passed since the Battle of Nanjing. If it weren't for the nearby city walls, some of the fireworks traces of war and the color differences that were repaired later, Nanjing City seems to be as prosperous as before. No! Perhaps it is even more prosperous.

Xiao Yongzao and Cha Shenxing have been to Nanjing many times before, and it was called Jiangning at that time. This place is not unfamiliar with this place, but now Nanjing is not only more prosperous than before, but also has some indescribable new atmosphere. When they entered the city, they originally thought that the army was not solemn. On the contrary, they were well organized everywhere, and the vendors and people were passing by were more crowded than before. They did not see any sadness on the faces of those people. Instead, many people smiled.

After entering the city, it became more lively. In addition to seeing three or five teams of Ming troops patrolling the city, Nanjing is still a big city with flowers, which surprised Xiao Yongzao and Cha Shenxing.

When they entered the city, they had a special person to help them and placed them with their entourage in a house near the former Liangjiang Governor's Office. When they arrived, they told them some matters that needed to be informed in the city, and required that they must report in advance. The Ming army sent a dedicated person to supervise and accompany them. The rest were not excessive, which made Xiao Yongzao and Cha Shenxing, who were already facing harshness and difficulties, feel much more at ease.

"This southern thief doesn't look simple." After entering the yard and after the Ming army's accompanying staff left, Xiao Yongzao couldn't help but sigh.

Cha Shenxing nodded silently. Judging from the boat sailing on the Yangtze River to entering the city, the southern thieves are indeed not simple. Xiao Yongzao and Cha Shenxing are both knowledgeable people, and it is impossible to see the changes in Nanjing City, especially in just over two months after the war, the entire Nanjing returned to its former vitality, and it seems that there is even more. If you don’t have some ability, you can’t do it at all.

"It is said that Ningbo is very lively now. The Southern thieves have occupied Ningbo since last year. It has been more than a year now. I don't know what Ningbo looks like." Cha Shenxing thought for a while.

Xiao Yongzao thought carefully, but did not speak. Cha Shenxing said again: "When I entered the city, I heard that the Southern Thief had already performed the imperial examination. It seemed that the imperial examination was just recently. If the Southern Thief completed the imperial examination this time, it would definitely become a major concern for the Qing Dynasty in the future."

Xiao Yongzao's face looked extremely ugly. He knew very well what the imperial examination meant. If the imperial examination was really made by Zhu Yicheng, the foundation of the southern thief would have been even worse. Before coming, he only thought that Zhu Yicheng was a lucky or lucky rebel, but after arriving in Nanjing, he realized that it was not what he thought.

What you see along the way, including what you hear, is this aura that ordinary thieves can make? The other party clearly has ambitions and has the aura of swallowing up the world. Such an enemy is really terrible. More importantly, Zhu Yicheng now has most of the Jiangnan province, a province in Zhejiang, and a territory like Taiwan. When they continue to accumulate, they will move north to the north. How can the Qing Dynasty handle itself?

"Hateful! Hateful!" Xiao Yongzao gritted his teeth and cursed, not knowing whether he was scolding the officials who saw the Southern thieves not exterminated as soon as possible, or scolding Zhu Yicheng?

Unfortunately, the court is now full of fire and cannot draw too much force to deal with Zhu Yicheng. Moreover, after Zhu Yicheng occupied Jiangnan, the Yangtze River was in danger, and he must be wary of the southern thieves taking advantage of the situation to attack Jiangbei. In addition, there are two troops of Yuan Qi and Zhu Jiancai that also made the Qing army lose one's attention, which is also the main purpose of sending them south.

In Xiao Yongzao's opinion, now he can only make the Southern thieves proud for a while. When the court is ready, he must destroy this Liao first to calm the world.

When Xiao Yongzao and Cha Shenxing entered the city, Zhu Yicheng was listening to the report of the imperial examination. After preliminary preparations and publicity, the first imperial examination in the Ming court was finally held. The significance of this imperial examination is extremely important, and it is also the main measure to truly determine the orthodox of the imperial and Ming dynasties. Compared with the formal national imperial examination, due to the regional factors, this imperial examination is relatively simple. In addition, the three additional examinations have been held together. In recent days, there have been many candidates coming to Nanjing, which has been very satisfied with Zhu Yicheng, who has been paying attention to this matter.

"Mr. Liao, you are the main exam for the exam this time. I wonder if there are any other problems that I need help to solve?"

Liao Huanzhi smiled and shook his head. He was extremely satisfied with Liao Huanzhi when he was the chief examiner of the imperial examination. You should know that he was just a juren back then, even a Jinshi. Now he is not only a minister, but also presided over the first imperial examination. This is a great honor.

In order to do the imperial examination well and ensure that everything is foolproof, Liao Huanzhi even asked Zhu Yicheng to serve as his deputy. He Xianzu's civil affairs are not good, but he is a good player in doing these things, and he is even more enthusiastic than Liao Huanzhi.

"Mr. Wu doesn't know what additions are here?" Zhu Yicheng turned to Wu Sidao. Wu Sidao had no objection to the ordinary imperial examination, Liao Huanzhi had arranged the best arrangements, but it was recommended to mention a few words to the newly opened three subjects. After hearing this, everyone nodded repeatedly.
Chapter completed!