Chapter 463: Come every year after entering the capital [Bowing in thanks! Bowing again! Debt

In Jinming Pool,

On the top floor of the large dragon boat,

Minister Shen had already stood by the railing, smiling and watching Xu Zaijing, who was walking towards the small dragon boat on the deck below.

Minister Wang, a high-ranking Great Zhou official with seniority comparable to him, stood by the railing beside Minister Shen and whispered: "Brother Shen, you are truly amazing to be able to invite the youngest son of the Marquis Yongyi family!"

Turning his head to look at Minister Wang, Minister Shen smiled: "This was not invited by me, the juniors had already discussed it! People are looking at the Zheng family's face and fulfilling the friendship with my Rui Ge'er."

"Hahaha!"

Minister Wang stroked his beard and laughed, then continued: "So that's how it is!"

During the time of speaking,

Huge oars extended from both sides of the large dragon boat,

And under the rowing of the oars and the dragging of dozens of small boats in the pool, the large dragon boat began to move slowly.

Minister Shen glanced at the Emperor sitting on the dragon chair and said: "Now that His Majesty has a grand plan in his heart, it is not a bad thing for our civil and military officials to live in harmony!"

"Only by twisting into a rope and working in one direction can we deal with the strong enemy in the north!"

Minister Wang nodded in approval: "Although Brother Shen has not been in the capital for long, his thoughts are much more far-reaching than the lower official! In this way, I also have a count in my heart for the marriage of my dog son."

"Minister Wang is too modest! Whoa, the small dragon boat where the Xu family boy is rowing is quite decent."

Listening to Minister Shen's words, Minister Wang also looked over there.

Small dragon boat in the pool,

There were thick cables decorated with colored threads tied to the stern of the small dragon boat,

Although there were oars on both sides of the large dragon boat, when approaching the Linshui Palace, it was reversed and didn't need to turn direction,

But there were two floors of buildings above such a large dragon boat, and there must be heavy objects in the cabin for the stability of the hull.

And the bottom of this large dragon boat had dozens of table-sized ingot-shaped iron ingots as ballast stones.

So the cable at the stern of the small dragon boat being dragged was pulled tight.

At this time, Xu Zaijing had already used a shoulder strap to bundle his sleeves, holding the oar in his hand and sitting at the stern of the small dragon boat near the helmsman, rowing hard.

"Dong dong bang!"

The drummer in front was beating rhythmically,

The rhythm of rowing on this small dragon boat, including Xu Zaijing, fifty people, was consistent with the drum sound.

"Fifth Young Master, you can use more force!"

The helmsman who was getting on in years behind Xu Zaijing shouted.

Hearing this, Xu Zaijing rowed even harder.

The old helmsman felt the change in the "power" of the small dragon boat and adjusted the rudder handle in his hand, keeping the small dragon boat moving in the forward direction.

This old helmsman came from the water army of the Huyan family, and steering was a skill he had eaten for decades, and his skills were very superb. After adapting for a while, he adjusted the rhythm of steering.

Very quickly,

The large dragon boat left the shore and stopped in the pool.

"Retrieve the cable!"

A shout came from the large dragon boat,

The cable at the stern of the small dragon boat was untied and retrieved.

Dozens of small dragon boats gradually moved away, heading to the starting point of the dragon boat race.

At this time, the atmosphere was still relaxed. Xu Zaijing was rowing while talking to Zheng Xiao, Gu Tingye, and the Li family Taotie and Li Chi Mei brothers who were doing the same action in front of him.

"Jing Ge'er, did you see that thief bird today?"

Gu Tingye turned his head and shouted against the spring breeze in the pool.

"Didn't come!"

"Wasn't he very fierce yesterday! Why did he become a tortoise today!"

Gu Tingye finished speaking and rowed hard, as if the person who chased him yesterday was under his oar.

"Second Young Master, don't waste your strength like this, save it so you don't run out of strength later!"

Zheng Xiao shouted on the side.

After shouting, Zheng Xiao looked at Gu Tingye who was no longer using force randomly, and looked back at Xu Zaijing: "Fifth Young Master, you also don't be impulsive! No matter what, that guy is the Emperor's personal guard attendant, you can't easily take his life!"

"I know the pros and cons!"

Xu Zaijing nodded at Zheng Xiao with a smile.

The small dragon boat slowly stopped at the starting point, and people were busy setting up their family flags and inserting them on the small dragon boat.

"Gu Er Young Master, I heard your horse ran very fast yesterday!"

"We are inviting that Zhang family boy to play polo outside the city tomorrow, do you want to go?"

Young masters of noble families in the capital on a small dragon boat beside them shouted with a giggle.

Gu Tingye turned his head and replied: "Han Fifth Young Master? This young master has no time to play polo with a sissy!"

"Who did you say is a sissy!?" Han Chengyun shouted.

"No time? Gu Er Young Master, you wouldn't be afraid to go, would you?"

Listening to the voice, Gu Tingye glared over: "Lu Zhang Zhang Sanlang, what does it have to do with you? What are you, a kidney-deficient person, meddling for?"

"I'm teaming up with Han Fifth Brother tomorrow! How does it have nothing to do with me? Kidney-deficient? Who the fuck is kidney-deficient!"

Gu Tingye glared at Lu Zhang Zhang Sanlang, who had been at odds with him since childhood, and had a flash of inspiration, saying: "Good, then I will team up with Jing Ge'er and wait for you at the polo field tomorrow!"

"Good, it's a deal!"

Han Fifth Young Master and Lu Zhang Zhang Sanlang, these two disciples of the Duke mansion, looked at each other with a successful scheme.

They knew about yesterday's matter, and they couldn't wait to see Xu Zaijing beat people on the polo field tomorrow, preferably kill someone! That way, they could let this guy Xu Zaijing go to jail!

Waiting for the markers in the distance to be inserted,

A water army officer appeared on the large dragon boat holding a flag.

"Enter the water!"

Xu Zaijing and the others put their oars into the pool water one after another.

On the shore,

In the best position where the Xu family tent was located in previous years, it was now full of female relatives of the Zheng family.

Watching the large dragon boat stop in the pool and the small dragon boat untie the cable,

The noble ladies and noble girls in the tents looked towards the pool one after another.

In the Zheng family tent,

The Zheng First Madam looked at Zheng Ni, who was surrounded by Gu Tingyi, Chai Zhengzheng, Rong Feiyan, and other noble girls in the capital, with a trace of a smile in her eyes.

"When we got married, we didn't have these gimmicks!"

The Duchess of England looked at the girls and said with a smile.

"Madam is right! But it can't be helped that the meaning of the jade carving in Jinming Pool is good!"

The Zheng First Madam replied softly.

"Look at An Jie'er of the Xu Marquis family, and the Tao family girl who married into your family, those marriages are all happy and blissful, and An Jie'er even gave birth to a son in one go!"

Thinking of the big belly of the wife of the fourth son Zhang Fangling, the Duchess of England's smile deepened.

On the other side, the Chai Madam said somewhat worriedly:

"Speaking of which, those boys rushed onto that small dragon boat all at once, and they haven't practiced together! I don't know if they can grab that jade carving."

The Zheng First Madam waved the handkerchief in her hand and said: "Shen family Rui Ge'er is physically weak, and he is also on that boat at this time! I am happy in my heart that he has such a wish! Whether he can win the prize depends on fate!"

"It's started, it's starting!"

Zhang family Fifth Da Niangzi pointed to the large dragon boat in the distance and shouted.

"Let's go out and see!"

As she spoke, the noble girls surrounded Zheng Ni and walked out.

Subsequently,

The water army officer in front of the large dragon boat in the distance waved the flag in his hand forcefully,

The drum sounds in Jinming Pool rang out noisily in an instant.

At first,

The small dragon boat hanging the "Shen" flag was not in the front,

But after rowing out about ten zhang,

Every time the rowers on this Shen family dragon boat used force to row, the dragon boat would jump forward a large distance.

Just four or five breaths,

The Shen family dragon boat stood out from the crowd,

And the advantage was constantly expanding.

When approaching the bamboo pole hanging the peony jade carving at the finish line, they actually slid over.

Shen Herui at the bow of the boat reached out with some disbelief and gently took the jade carving into his hand.

Shen Herui's movements were gentle, but the old helmsman at the stern of the boat was panting heavily and wiping the sweat from his forehead, looking at Xu Zaijing in front of him with some incredulity.

The old helmsman had steered for many years, and he had never encountered a situation like today.

Fortunately, he adapted to the "surging power" of a certain new rower on the boat when dragging the large dragon boat and going to the starting point just now,

Plus his accumulation of decades of rich steering experience, otherwise this small dragon boat would have mostly deviated from the direction today.

At this time,

Xu Zaijing withdrew his oar, looked at the old helmsman who was steering easily with a smile, and cupped his hands: "Old man's skills are superb!"

The old helmsman had a smile on his face: "Fifth Young Master is also."

"Haha!"

Xu Zaijing cupped his hands with a smile.

As he spoke,

The small dragon boat sailed towards the shore of Jinming Pool.

On the shore,

Zheng Ni was surrounded by noble girls and stood behind the Zheng First Madam, watching the small dragon boat approaching in Jinming Pool.

Zheng Ni looked at the person standing at the bow of the boat, who looked much thinner than during the Lantern Festival last year.

The small dragon boat docked,

Shen Herui walked to the front of the Zheng First Madam with the jade carving and talked, just like the people who won the prize before.

Zheng Ni looked at Shen Herui,

Gu Tingyi was looking at his second brother Gu Tingye,

Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan looked at the young man in brocade clothes who was standing on the boat and tying the shoulder strap.

Because there was another round later,

After sending the jade carving, Shen Herui returned to the small dragon boat and sailed to the starting point.

On the shore,

In the crowd,

Chai Zhengzheng held Chai Madam's arm and walked towards the tent.

Watching the noisy surroundings with no one paying attention,

Chai Madam whispered to Chai Zhengzheng: "Looking at Jing Ge'er's lively appearance, he definitely wasn't injured!"

Chai Zhengzheng nodded.

"This Zhang family boy's personality is also too strange..."

As she spoke, Chai Madam shook her head.

Entering the Zheng family tent,

Chai Zhengzheng and Gu Tingyi and several others went to Zheng Ni's side and appreciated this first-class good thing in Jinming Pool.

"It looks a bit different from the one in Anmei sister's room!"

Zhang family Fifth Da Niangzi said while looking at the jade carving in Zheng Ni's hand.

Rong Feiyan replied with envy in her eyes:

"I heard this is a new style by the Li family master craftsman! If it were the same every year, it wouldn't be interesting!"

As she spoke, Rong Feiyan looked at the peony jade carving handed over by Zheng Ni and hurriedly waved her hand to indicate that she didn't need to hold it to look.

After another burst of gongs and drums,

The second dragon boat race ended.

The two dragon boats that won the prize sailed to under the large dragon boat, and Shen Herui and another person got on the large dragon boat.

When Xu Zaijing prepared to take Qi Heng onto the dragon boat and go to the Ao House side to fish with Liang Liu Lang and Qiao Jiulang, a small eunuch walked to the side of the boat.

After bowing slightly to Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye, and others, he smiled: "Fifth Young Master, His Highness said he invites you to go over and talk."

Gu Tingye looked somewhat disappointed: "Alas, Fifth Young Master, I might not be able to compete with you in fishing skills today."

Qi Heng, who was on the dragon boat, also nodded repeatedly, with a somewhat disappointed look on his face: "I think Liang Liu Lang will be even more regretful."

Xu Zaijing, who had self-knowledge, looked at the two and waved his hand: "Go, go, go! You two can even say this! Taotie, Li Chi Mei, you two accompany them, don't lose our prestige!"

The Li brothers cupped their hands with a smile.

Xu Zaijing went directly onto the large dragon boat.

The small dragon boat sailed towards the shore on the side of the Ao House,

Gu Tingye sat in the small dragon boat without rowing, just talking to the Li brothers, asking about the battle formation in Bai Gao.

After rowing for a while, when they were about to reach the shore, Qi Heng, who was sitting on the side, pointed to the side of the Ao House and said:

"Second Uncle, look quickly!"

Gu Tingye looked up and smiled: "The female official beside Liang Han is quite beautiful! And he's touching her little hand, thief bird!"

"Second Uncle, don't you find that female official familiar?"

"Hiss! Heng Ge'er, now that you mention it, it really is familiar! It seems like last year when I went to the side of the Ao House with Liang Han..."

The small dragon boat approached quickly,

Liang Han also let go of the female official beside him early.

Watching everyone getting off the small dragon boat, Liang Han blinked: "Where is my Jing Ge'er?"

On the large dragon boat,

Xu Zaijing and Zhao Fang stood by the railing,

The small eunuchs and female officials were all standing not far away,

Listening to the question Zhao Fang whispered,

Xu Zaijing looked around, coughed lightly, leaned to Zhao Fang's ear, and muttered a few words.

Zhao Fang turned his head to look at Xu Zaijing: "Jing Ge'er, that is to say, he has already chickened out?"

Xu Zaijing nodded: "If he really dared to answer, he would still be a man! Now it seems he is just a person who is fierce in appearance but weak in reality!"

"Then if he came today, Jing Ge'er, you would really take heavy action!"

"If people don't offend me, I don't offend people! How he treated me yesterday, I will treat him the same, how can it be said to be heavy action!"

Zhao Fang looked at Xu Zaijing and hesitated: "I heard from the Great Eunuch beside Father that the Zhang family will live in the house where the Imperial City guards live in the future, and they will not easily leave the palace."

Xu Zaijing cupped his hands at Zhao Fang: "Thank you, Your Highness."

Zhao Fang smiled: "Jing Ge'er, so many Western Army soldiers came back yesterday, let's do the same as before..."

Xu Zaijing was stunned: "Your Highness, this matter still needs His Majesty's consent!"

Zhao Fang sighed.

Sheng family tent,

The position was the same as last year,

But there were many more people in the tent than last year.

Listening to the drum sounds of the dragon boat race in Jinming Pool and the cheers after winning the prize,

Wang Ruofu glanced at the First Madam Li, who had a face full of surprise, and raised her tea cup with a smile and quite proudly: "Sister-in-law, drink tea!"

"Alas, alas!"

First Madam Li turned sideways to hold the tea cup, looked out sideways, and sighed: "I heard in Youyang that the opening of Jinming Pool in Bianjing in the third month is a great spectacle. Seeing it today, it really lives up to its reputation!"

Wang Ruofu smiled: "Alas, I come to see it every year after entering the capital, and I get annoyed after seeing it too much!"

First Madam Li thought of the noble people of Bianjing with pearls and jade in the tents along the shore, accompanied by a smile, lowered her head and took a sip of tea.

Wang Ruofu put down the tea cup: "Speaking of which, I went to that large dragon boat with my husband last year!"

"Ah? Yo!"

First Madam Li was full of surprise, then leaned forward and said: "Isn't it said that His Majesty is on that large dragon boat!"

"Yes, I saw His Majesty and the Empress at that time!"

Listening to the conversation in the tent,

Shulan and Pinlan, who were watching the scenery at the tent door, looked at the three Lan of the second room with the same surprise.

Rulan nodded,

Minglan whispered: "It's true."

Seeing Mo Lan looked outside sideways, secretly rolled her eyes, and while her lips were whispering, it was vaguely saying "What's so great about it."

Then, not knowing what she saw, Seeing Mo Lan's face changed into a smile, and she bowed to not far away.

This action caused Rulan to turn her head and look over, and she also hurriedly bowed: "Little Duke! Second Uncle!"

Qi Heng nodded with a smile, Gu Tingye waved his hand with a smile: "I'm looking for your brother to go fishing together!"

As he spoke, he walked towards Changbai, Changwu, and Changfeng of the Sheng family who were on the shore.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 464 =====