Chapter 536 537【Qiongyou】


    Qianlong immediately ordered someone to bring a blunderbuss and set up a target in front of the palace.


    "Ji Xiaolan, you are asking for trouble. I am an imperial guard, and I have also played with firearms." He Shen said proudly.


    Qianlong was also somewhat proud. He has also been playing with firearms since he was a child and is quite accomplished in this area.


    "Your Majesty, you come first~" Qianlong raised the blunderbuss, took aim, and hit the target with a bang. But it''s a little off target.


    ?But even so, He Shen still cheered loudly, "Okay, Long Live Lord, his bullets are perfect and he hits every target."


    "Okay, my dear, it''s your turn." Qianlong said very proudly. He hit the target with one shot, which was quite impressive.


    He Shen took the blunderbuss, aimed at the target, and fired.


    The lead shot flew out and also hit the target, but it missed even more than Qianlong''s.


    “Okay, the fight with Aiqing was not bad.” Qianlong clapped his hands and smiled.


    "Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty. I was born as a guard in the palace. Although I am now a senior minister, I have never forgotten my roots. I still continue to practice bows, swords, stones, horses, arrows, firearms, etc." He Shen boasted.


    "Okay, okay." Qianlong saw that he had not forgotten his roots despite his wealth, and praised with a smile, "Ji Xiaolan, it''s your turn."


    “Ji Xiaolan, do you know how to shoot? Do you need me to teach you?” He Shen said with a smile.


    Xiang Nan pretended to ask him for advice, then raised the blunderbuss, and the shot hit the target.


    “…” Qianlong and He Shen were dumbfounded.


    Who would have thought that Xiang Nan, a civil servant, could be so good at playing guns? !


    "Your Majesty, I actually hit the bull''s-eye. It seems that God has the right to let us go south." Xiang Nan said with a smile.


    Qianlong and Heshen had no choice but to nod.


    As a civil servant, Xiang Nan should have never played with a shotgun, but he shot so accurately. There is no other explanation other than God''s will.


    Since God’s will allowed them to go south, they had no choice but to go south.


    …


    Xiang Nan immediately left the Forbidden City and walked south with Qianlong and Heshen.


    ??And just as they were setting off, people sent by Shang Rong, the governor of Zhili, also hurriedly followed them.


    …


    After leaving Yongding Gate, Xiang Nan and others did not take the official road, but walked along the country road.


    First of all, there are people coming and going on the official roads, and if the secrets are revealed, the emperor may be put in danger; secondly, there are many people and things on the official roads, and if anything happens, the trip may be delayed.


    So Xiang Nan did not take the official road, but took the small road, took a shortcut, and headed for Quyang.


    After walking like this for more than an hour, Qianlong could no longer walk.


    “Lao Ji, He Er~” He took off his coat and sat directly on the grass by the roadside.


    As soon as Heshen saw it, he quickly came over and said, "Sir, are you tired?"


    “I’m tired.” Qianlong panted, “Old Ji, can we hire a car?”


    "Car, car..." He Shen looked around and saw farmland all around. Not to mention cars, there were not many people around. It was really a pipe dream to hire a car.


    "Third Master, we have only walked less than forty miles, and you are starting to cry out that you are tired." Xiang Nan said speechlessly, "When you sent me to exile in the Western Regions, I had to walk hundreds of miles a day. Walking slowly Yes, the officer was still scolding me."


    "Old Ji, you''re wrong. Why do you keep mentioning your exile? Are you remembering the emperor''s grudge?" He Shen scolded, "Aren''t you afraid that the emperor will give you little shoes to wear after you return to Beijing?"


    "Afraid! But no matter how scared we are, we still have to leave." Xiang Nan insisted, "Although there are no officers holding water and fire sticks, I do have the royal fan in my hand given by the emperor..." Xiang Nan raised his hand A fan cover, inside the cover is a fan, but it is not the emperor''s royal fan, but a paper fan he bought casually from the street.


    "Okay, okay, okay, you''re awesome!" When Heshen saw it, he was worried about being beaten, so he quickly backed away and said, "Third Master, let''s go, I''ll help you!"


    Qianlong had no choice but to stand up and walk forward with the help of He Shen.


    "Tell me, why did you give him this fan in the first place? If you had given it to me, I would be able to beat him now..." He Shen complained as he walked.


    "That''s right, why didn''t I give it to you?" Qianlong also regretted, "But you didn''t say anything at the time."


    "Oh, Third Master, how can I be as bad as him?" Heshen said to Xiang Nan in front of Qianlong.


    “Well, I have a good comparison. As for ordinary people, they have to dig their own holes and bury them themselves!” Qianlong said depressedly.


    “Appropriate, too appropriate.” He Shen lost no time in flattering.


    "Okay, stop praising me." Qianlong said angrily, "Old Ji, I''m hungry!"


    “Come to the front to eat when you’re hungry.” Xiang Nan waved his hand.


    …


    We came to a farmhouse all the way.


    Xiang Nan knocked on the firewood door and asked, "Is anyone home?"


    ?Seven people emerged from the low thatched house, four adults and three children. They were all dressed in patches and did not look very wealthy.


    "Hello, fellow countryman, we are passing by. I passed by you and wanted to excuse myself to drink some water." Xiang Nan smiled and said, "Also, if your family has food, let''s buy some. You see, we have money~"


    ?As he spoke, he took out a few copper coins.


    When the farmer saw it, he quickly scooped up water with a ladle and brought some black cornstarch.


    "Third Emperor, please drink first." Xiang Nan handed the water ladle to Qianlong and said.


    Qianlong walked all the way and was already tired and thirsty. He couldn''t wait to take a big sip, and then vomited it all out.


    "What kind of water is this? Why is it so astringent?" He stuck out his tongue and said, this water made his tongue numb.


    "Is it astringent? Let me try it." He Shen also took a bite and spit it out.


    “Our village only has one well with bitter water. We don’t have money to build a well with sweet water, so we have to make do with drinking water.” The fellow explained.


    “Fellow, how much does it cost to dig a well? I see your village is not small. If each household pays for it, isn’t it enough to dig a well?” Xiang Nan asked.


    "It costs ten taels of silver to dig a well. There are many people in our village, but in recent years, we have paid too much money, and no one is rich." The fellow frowned and said, "This year, I just say that I will build a well for the emperor." Yuanzi, we just donated ten cents per head."


    Heshen''s face suddenly fell.


    "Huh?!" Qianlong was shocked when he heard this, "The emperor is repairing the garden, how much do you pay?"


    "We don''t know, but the landowner asked us to hand it over. If we don''t hand it over, we will rob it. Two of my chickens were robbed." The fellow said with resentment on his face, "His emperor has such a big Forbidden City to live in, and he still wants to Gardens are being built everywhere. Our family of seven only lives in this thatched house, and we don’t have the money to build another one.”


    Qianlong was quite embarrassed when he heard this.


    "Don''t be angry, fellow, our emperor is still wise, but those corrupt officials are too shameless." Xiang Nan said with a smile, "Here, I''ll give you the money, we''ve got these few cornbreads. Third Master, let''s go."


    Qianlong nodded, he had no shame in staying any longer.


    (End of this chapter)