Lakes of all sizes in Wujiang County are densely packed with small rivers, like ropes, and towns and villages are distributed between lakes and rivers.

Due to sufficient water and heat, fertile land, and the development of agricultural technology, the grain output in Jiangnan region continued to increase since the Song Dynasty, and one mu of land could produce as much as four or five stones of grain. "Suhu is ripe, and the world is full" began in the Song Dynasty.

The convenient transportation and developed economy have made the Wujiang area a place where dragons and tigers have been hidden since ancient times, and countless invisible wealthy people are hiding in small towns between lakes.

The Zhu family, the richest man in Pingjiang Prefecture, lives in Shengze Town, a small town in the southmost part of Wujiang County.

Shengze Town is similar in size to Mudu Town, but the handicraft industry here is more developed. There are more than 300 handicraft workshops for weaving brocade and cloth in the town and tens of thousands of looms.

In the northeast corner of Shengze Town, the Zhu Mansion is a giant house covering an area of ​​more than 400 acres. It lives with the three Zhu brothers and their descendants. Together with the servants and maids, at least four or five hundred people live in the entire giant house.

Of course, the Zhu Mansion also has its own special dock. There are more than a dozen exquisite and luxurious pleasure boats docked on the dock all year round. This is the special boat of the owner of the Zhu family. Just like a car, you can board the boat at any time and travel to all parts of the world through a well-connected water system.

The next afternoon, Fanning's boat arrived in Shengze Town and slowly sailed towards the Zhu family's special dock.

"Little official, are you sure you have a good relationship with the Zhu family?"

The boatman was a little worried. All boaters knew that the docks of wealthy families were managed by dedicated people, and people were generally not allowed to dock easily, and the docks of the Zhu family were even more strict.

"No problem, just stop."

The boatman doubtfully drove the boat into the dock's waterway and slowly moved closer to the dock.

Just then, a small boat sailed across from the other side, as if he wanted to rush to the dock in front of Fanning's boat, but he was still a step slower, and Fanning's bow was already on the dock.

The ship behind had to slow down urgently, and the strong inertia caused the two ships to collide together. The ship shook violently. Fanning quickly squatted down before barely stabilizing his body.

"Be careful, little official!" someone shouted behind him.

Fanning looked back and saw a 14 or 15-year-old boy fell on the A-list in a boat behind him in a mess, facing up, as if a piece of oily skin was wiped off by the side of the boat.

He got up in pain, looked up and stared at Fanning in annoyance.

At this time, several people on the shore hurried over. The one running in front was the dock manager, and behind him was a young boy in brocade robe, almost sixteen or seventeen years old.

The dock manager was angry and anxious, and opened his mouth and scolded Fanning's boatman: "Where are you from? How can you stop randomly!"

The boatman bowed and apologized repeatedly. Fan Ning saw that there was no special sign at the stop of the boat. He felt a little unhappy. The Zhu family has always been humble and polite in Mudu Town, but why did he become a little rude and rude in Wujiang?

However, thinking that the other party was just a dock manager, although his attitude was not good, it did not represent the Zhu family.

In fact, Fanning could also guess why the manager was anxious. His owner was probably waiting for the ship behind. Unexpectedly, his boat was docking first. He felt that he could not explain to his owner, so he acted a little angry.

Fan Ning's eyes turned to the boy on the shore, and saw that he was of medium shape, wearing a yellow and black brocade robe, a jade belt, and a small golden crown on his head. He looked very handsome, and he seemed to be a child of the Zhu family.

Fan Ning heard from Zhu Pei that she had many uncles and brothers, with 40 or 50, and more than twenty sisters. She was a large family, but not every Zhu family had a good education, and she didn't like some Zhu family's children.

Fan Ning walked forward and bowed to the young man in brocade clothes on the shore and said, "I am coming from Wu County and I'm here to visit Master Zhu!"

The young man in brocade ignored Fan Ning and said to the ship behind him: "You get on this pleasure boat, Brother Liu, you go ashore from the pleasure boat!"

The boat leaned on the pleasure boat. The boy on the boat held the boatman's hand and went up the pleasure boat directly from the pleasure boat. When he walked past the pleasure boat, he glared at Fanning fiercely.

Fan Ning suddenly felt that this young man looked familiar, and seemed to have seen him somewhere. He lowered his head and thought about it, but couldn't remember it all at once.

"Brother Liu, congratulations to the high school boy on the trial." The boy on the shore welcomed the guests enthusiastically.

Fan Ning suddenly knew who this boy was. Liu Ran, the boy ranked second in the exam. When he was queuing up for the exam, he had seen him. He was being recognized at the time. No wonder he looked familiar with him.

This is how I passed the Boy Exam. Everyone has heard of the famous name for a long time, but I have never seen myself.

"Oh! Your arm is broken."

The boy in brocade clothes on the shore found that Liu Ran's arm was scratched with a large piece of skin and blood beads emerged. He immediately said anxiously: "Go into the mansion and bandage it."

"I'm fine!"

Liu Ran turned around and glared at Fan Ning, and snorted with dissatisfaction, "I'm afraid that I will suffer a little loss, who are they!"

Fan Ning was stunned. Is this Liu Ran, the second place in the boy list?

Fan Ning wanted to apologize to him and get to know each other again, but he didn't expect that Liu Ran would speak so badly. Who was robbing the way?

Fan Ning bowed lightly and said, "Brother Liu is so humble!"

"You" Liu Ran was so angry that she couldn't speak for a long time.

"Is this Shaolang a guest of my Zhu family?"

The young man in brocade looked up and down at Fanning. Although he did not speak ill of his harsh words, his tone was no longer very polite.

Fan Ning nodded slightly, "Fan Ning in Xiawu County, I'm here to visit Master Zhu!"

"You are Fanning!"

Liu Ran's eyes suddenly became astonished, and his face slowly swelled into pig liver. After a while, he bowed unwillingly and said, "You should know in Liu Ran!"

Fan Ning smiled slightly, "I have heard of Daming for a long time, but this is the first time I have seen Brother Liu today. Brother Liu's arm doesn't matter!"

Although Liu Ran was dissatisfied with Fan Ning, he couldn't do it in this situation, especially when the other party was the first place in the boy's test, he had to swallow his dissatisfaction and forcefully smiled.

"It's okay for me. It's common for ships to collide in the river. I was embarrassed just now."

Fan Ning smiled and turned his eyes to the young man in brocade, "You are also Zhu Pei's brother!"

Fan Ning suddenly mentioned Zhu Pei. Both of them looked very good, and a hint of jealousy flashed in Liu Ran's eyes.

The young man in brocade smiled and said, "Zhu An, is Zhu Pei's fifth brother. You should be here to find my eldest grandfather! It's probably your first time here. In fact, you should go closer to the North Courtyard gate from the front pier, why don't I take you there!"

"Then thank you Brother Zhu."

"You don't have to be polite, please come with me."

Zhu An led Fanning up the steps and walked around the east, while Liu Ran followed slowly. He secretly glanced at Fanning from time to time, and the gaze in his eyes was very complicated.

"What are Brother Liu's plans to review next?" Fan Ning found a common topic and asked Liu Ran with a smile.

"I haven't figured it out yet. Maybe I have to go to Beijing early, where is Brother Fan?"

"I may go to Beijing tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."

"You went to Beijing so early?" Liu Ran's eyes suddenly became a little alert.

"Go to Beijing to see the world!"

Fanning smiled and said, "It will always be good for you to contact more people with high knowledge."

"That's the same." Liu Ran laughed embarrassedly.

"Fan Ning, where are you going to the capital? " Zhu An asked with a smile in front of him.

"I haven't thought about it yet, I should be staying in the inn!"

"Or what if you live in our Zhu family's house in the capital?" Zhu An continued to ask tentatively.

Fan Ning shook his head, "Thank you, Brother Zhu, for your kindness, but no need. It's not only me who can go to Beijing, but also two friends, so staying in the inn is more convenient."

"That's the same, the inn is a little more free."

Zhu An smiled, but exchanged glances with Liu Ran without showing any expression.

After a moment, they came to a gate. Zhu An said to the gatekeeper, then turned around and smiled at Fan Ning: "This is the North Courtyard Gate. Grandfather lives here in his room. Just go in with the gatekeeper."

"Brother Zhu won't go in?" Fan Ning asked in confusion.

Zhu An smiled and shook his head, "I want to go to the east courtyard gate. My grandfather's room entered through the west courtyard gate. Although the three palaces have doors connected, they are usually locked and are not convenient."

Only then did Fan Ning realize that the three brothers of the Zhu family were in different courtyards. This Zhu An should be the grandson of Zhu Pei's second grandfather Zhu Yuanjun.

"Thank you, Brother Zhu! Brother Liu, let's see you back!" Fan Ning smiled and bowed and followed the doorman into the mansion.

Seeing Fan Ning disappearing, Zhu An said lightly to Liu Ran: "You don't have to be too nervous, Xiaoqiniang won't fall in love with him."

Liu Ran was silent for a moment and said, "I still want to enter Beijing early!"

"Whatever you want!"

Zhu An glanced at him and said earnestly: "If you go to Beijing, you should focus on preparing for the imperial examination. I want to remind you that only by passing the Jinshi will you have the opportunity to marry Xiaoqiniang in the future. The rest are fake, and it will be useless for my grandfather to like you."
Chapter completed!