Chapter 25 Chapter 159 Breaking Through Iron Shoes

This is an old house with arched windows, and unknown green plants are placed in front of the windows, with small white flowers blooming, exuding a faint fragrance.There are many white gauze curtains hanging from the roof in the house, which are formed into a circle by a round bamboo support in mid-air, so that the gauze curtains hang down to the floor in a cylindrical shape. Some of the gauze curtains were closed, and the fabric was so thick that the people inside could not be seen at all, only a three-legged stool was placed outside the curtain, which should be for the guests to step on when they came out, and some gauze curtains were still open. It can be seen that there is a waist-high round and heavy bath barrel with a hooped iron edge inside, and two or three layers of thick towels are placed on the edge of the wooden barrel.

Xia Xun has been in this era for a long time, and his living conditions have always been good. He is used to bathing alone, and asking him to sit in a pool with many people is really uncomfortable. There was a bathtub right after entering the door, and the interpreter Jiang Xu chose that bathtub, while Xia Xun was brought to the end until the servant boy indicated that he was the bathtub in front of him. Xia Xun took a look and saw that there was a row of hooks on the wall. Knowing that they were for hanging clothes, he took off his clothes and hung them on the wall one by one. During this period, several big men came in with water, and filled the wooden barrel with water. When the water temperature was improved, he nodded to him and retreated again.

Xia Xun stepped into the wooden barrel with his foot stirrups. Half of the wooden barrel was equipped with a seat on the edge. Xia Xun turned around and unbuttoned the gauze curtain, let it close, then sat in the tub, resting his head on the edge of the barrel, I relaxed my body and quietly felt the heat penetrating into my skin. After a while, a servant boy from the bath room came gently, opened the gauze curtain and asked something in a low voice. Xia Xun didn't know what he was talking about, but he expected to ask what he needed, so he shook his head, then The servant boy left. Sure enough, the page boy came to ask him if he needed something to eat. Many people here like to drink some red wine or eat a plate of food when they take a bath.

Xia Xun likes to be alone when he takes a bath. He usually has to think about many things. Only at this time can he completely relax and let his body and mind take a rest. Occasionally, there would be a few soft conversations. Xia Xun's hearing is very good, and he can hear clearly, but he doesn't understand a word of French, so he just ignores it. Suddenly, a few whispers slipped in. His ears, that's Chinese! He was a little surprised when he heard Chinese in this place: Could it be that some crew members on his own ship also came here to take a bath? For this reason, Xia Xun deliberately listened to a few words, but the more he listened, the more suspicious he felt.

I only heard a somewhat neutral voice and said in a low voice: I heard that many oriental people came to the pier, so I went to have a look. The voice of the question was a little hoarse: Oriental?Where did it come from? They came by boat, there were more than 600 people, judging from their clothes, they should be a little worried, so they approached them specially to listen to what they had to say Hoarse voice said: how? The neutral voice that answered trembled a little. It felt weird. I didn’t know whether it was excitement or fear: they, they, me, and I heard them. They spoke Chinese, with an accent from the Jiangnan area.

What?Is it King Yan? The hoarse voice suddenly increased, as if he also realized that he had surprised others, the voice stopped abruptly, and the two fell silent suddenly. Xia Xun's closed eyes have been opened, and the eyes are shining brightly. His heart is beating fast, and a name that is about to come out is on his lips, but he can't believe it: is that person possible?he will be here impossible!impossible!This is impossible!Where did they come from, how could Daming's ship come here, it's impossible! The hoarse voice was a little incoherent, and the neutral voice hurriedly comforted: Sir, sir!Don't worry, I think, they may not be here for you!

The hoarse voice trembled and said: If not, how could they appear here?I have already hid in the sky, how could they appear here! As he spoke, his voice raised again, trembling nervously. Someone in the bathroom was already dissatisfied, and he protested with a heavy cough. The voices of the two people lowered again, this time they were whispering in a very low voice, and the speed of speech was so fast that Xia Xun could only vaguely hear some words clearly. After a while, Xia Xun, who was listening attentively, heard the sound of splashing water. He straightened up, leaned close to the opening of the gauze curtain, opened a little gap with his fingers, and looked out gently.

A bathtub in front of him, the gauze curtain has been lifted, a white-faced and beardless old man helped a man out of the bucket, the man stepped on the wooden bench, the old man leaned over and took a pair of wooden mops, and put them on for him feet, helped him down, and then went to the wall to get clothes. From Xia Xun's position, he couldn't see his face clearly. He had his back on Xia Xun's side, and Xia Xun could only see half of his back and his slightly profiled figure.The height seems to be about the same, but this person is bloated, with a big belly, and his hair is gray. Just looking at his back, he should be at least fifty years old. Could it be him?

Thinking of his hoarse and completely unfamiliar voice, Xia Xun couldn't help shaking his head. But if it wasn't for him, who else could have such a conversation? That white-faced, beardless, flabby old man, why should he respect him so much?Stepping off the footstool, there are slippers just one step away. To actually ask someone to squat down and put them on one by one. With such a grand pomp, who else is there except for an emperor who is already used to this kind of service? Xia Xun squinted and stared at the man, who was dressed by the old man and hurried outside. Xia Xun immediately jumped out of the water and swept to the window, so that with the gauze in front, even if the two turned their heads, , I can't see him standing here.Xia Xun hurriedly grabbed the towel to dry himself, and then quickly put on his clothes.

When he came to Marseille, he had completely forgotten the task Zhu Di had given him, but he never expected that he would encounter such a scene here by accident.Could that person be Emperor Jianwen Zhu Yunqi?If it was him, should he be taken back and handed over to Zhu Di for secret execution, or executed on the spot and brought his body back? Xia Xun didn't even have time to think about this. He just wanted to catch up and determine the identity of this person.Xia Xun hurriedly dressed and walked to the front lobby. Dake was sitting on the bench waiting for guests in the lobby. When he saw him coming out, he couldn't help standing up in surprise and asked: Sir, why are you washing so fast?

Xia Xun didn't have time to pay attention to him, and hurried out of the door, looked around, the streets were extremely messy, the alleys were winding, and the figures of the two people could no longer be seen. At this time, Dake took his hat, coat and walking stick and chased them out. , Xia Xun asked anxiously: "Just now two orientals came out from inside, did you see that?" Dake said blankly: I see, do you know them, sir? Xia Xun said: You know this place well, take me to find them quickly! Dake immediately turned back and asked the doorman. Xia Xun slapped his forehead, and he was really confused. The square was in chaos. The two doormen were standing there, and the two Orientals had just left. They naturally knew where they were going. which direction.Dake asked the doorman a few words, then said to Xia Xun: "Sir, go this way!" The two rushed down the alley in a hurry, rushed to the end of the alley, looked around, and saw the two people on the road on the right hand side walking forward among many pedestrians, Xia Xun immediately said: "Follow them!" Duck asked: Sir, are you not calling your entourage? Xia Xun said: Don't worry about him, he can't find me, he will go back to the pier. From a distance, I saw the old man walking all the way with the gray-haired fat man. Some people walking on the road saw them and raised their hats to greet them. It seems that they should live nearby. Get to know many people around you. Duck followed Xia Xun at a trot, and said out of breath: I asked the doorman just now, and he said that the person who just left was Mr. Libery and his servants. Don't worry, we know his name. Always find him. The two people followed the two people through two streets, and when they turned into an alley, they disappeared. Duck asked the children playing in the alley, and then he knew Li Baili Mr.'s residence.It wasn't a very big courtyard, but it was very tidy. Judging from the living conditions of the house, it should be considered as a medium-sized family here. Xia Xun patted Dak on the shoulder and said in a deep voice, "You wait for me here!"After speaking, without waiting for an answer, he walked forward alone. The courtyard door was ajar and was not plugged in. It could be seen that the two people were in a hurry. Xia Xun pushed lightly and walked into the courtyard. quiet. Xia Xun walked slowly along the road in the middle of the lawn. When he reached the door, he stopped. After a moment of silence, he gently pulled the door knocker and slowly opened the door. In the room, the fat middle-aged man with gray hair was talking hurriedly in French with a maroon French woman in her thirties, while the old man hurriedly packed her things. Suddenly, the back door opened, and two children, one big and one small, ran in from the back yard. The older one was a girl, and the younger one was a boy. The girl was seven or eight years old, and the little boy was only four or five years old. so cute. Daddy! They affectionately called the fat middle-aged man, and they used Chinese with a Fengyang accent. My dear! The middle-aged man knelt down, hugged his son and daughter, and said: Daddy will take you to the countryside for a few days to play, okay? Why go to the countryside? It's so dirty. Last time we went to the countryside, I stepped on a foot of cow dung. I don't want to go. Good girl, be obedient, take your younger brother to get your things first, we will leave in a while, don't worry, we will be back soon He patted his daughter on the shoulder to comfort her, and when he spoke, he turned his face, and Xia Xun saw his appearance immediately.Although his hair is pale, his cheeks are plump, and there are two obvious bags under his eyes, but from his facial contours, he can still vaguely see some of his old look!It really is him!Emperor Jianwen of Ming Dynasty Zhu Yunwen! Under the shadow of the corner, Xia Xun slowly flashed out, and asked softly: "This time, the emperor, isn't he going to abandon his family?"