Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

This wave of political struggle seems to have great momentum, but the result is that the thunder is loud and the rain is small.

In the blink of an eye, everything was calm.

Everyone has understood that the emperor really wanted to beat Li Hanzhang and weaken the power of the prime minister.

But that's it, it will be over after a slight weakening, and no more fighting is allowed.

At least don't fight in front of the emperor, it doesn't matter if you do it in private.

Many non-cliqued officials in Beijing visited Chen Dong one after another after the dissolution of the dynasty.

Chen Dong thanked the guests directly behind closed doors.

A few days later, there was a meeting in front of the emperor.

Li Guang, the censor of Zuodu, who was about to turn seventy, took the censor report compiled from several provinces and said: "In provinces where militiamen, veterans (retired soldiers) and immigrants are recruited, there are more or less cases where officials take the opportunity to exploit the people. Officials in some prefectures and counties colluded with each other to blatantly collect exemption money; in some prefectures and counties, subordinate officials worked in secret and colluded with or forced the chief security officer to extort the common people. "

Ju Ming nodded and said: "This is normal. It is strange that everyone is honest and honest."

Li Guang asked: "At this time, the imperial court is conquering Dali. If several provinces conduct a thorough investigation together, it will definitely affect the recruitment of personnel and materials. I would like to ask the officials to indicate the extent of the investigation."

Ju Ming said: "For those who blatantly levy exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, including exemption money, all the officials involved will be exiled to the Dali. For those who just took the opportunity to extort the people and did not collect money in the name of the government, just arrest a few typical exiled Dali."

"According to the order." Li Guang accepted the order.

Ju Ming asked again: "Where is Changpingcang? Nothing happened?"

Li Guang said: "No abnormalities have been found yet."

Zhang Jun, Shangshu of the Ministry of Revenue, said: "The relevant provincial chief envoys and capital commanders sent telegrams, saying that all the money and grain have been fully mobilized, and shipments have already started in two provinces."

There must be officials who corrupted Chang Pingcang, but the court suddenly needed to adjust grains, and the officials involved quickly found ways to make up for it.

As long as it was made up, the censor didn't bother to care.

After all, there are not many patrol censors, and local officials need to cooperate with the investigation. There is no need to make trouble because of this.

Of course, if the food shortage cannot be made up, don't blame the censor for being ruthless!

Ju Ming asked again: "Where are the various armies?"

Zhang Guangdao said: "The main soldiers of several armies have been assembled, and the auxiliary troops composed of veterans and militiamen have also been assembled. But because this time, most of the civilians accompanying the army will stay in Yunnan and Guizhou. Immigrants need to be recruited from several provinces, so they will have to wait a while.”

"We in the capital don't know what the situation is on the front line," Ju Ming said. "Send a telegram to the front line generals and ask them to wait for the weather to cool down and choose a good time to set off."

"yes!"

After another discussion, the meeting ended.

Zhang Boring quickened his pace to catch up with Zhang Guang and said, "It's cool today, why not find a place to have a drink."

"Military affairs are busy, let's wait for another day." Zhang Guangdao declined.

The smile on Zhang Boring's face did not change: "That's okay, let's drink another day."

Zhang Guangda strode out of the main hall and got into the public carriage in the imperial city.

Zhang Bor sighed.

He really had no intention of messing with Zhang Guangdao this time, it was just some of his crooked henchmen who were causing trouble.

With Zhang Guangdao's qualifications and achievements, how could he have carried it out so easily if he had not committed the crime of rebellion?

Zhang Boring was not only the civil servant leader of the "Shandong faction", but also the backstage supporter of many military generals. He represents all military personnel in the cabinet and participates in politics, and it is in the best interest to have a good relationship with Zhang Guangdao.

"I'll make an appointment another day." Li Bao came over at some unknown time.

Zhang Bor said angrily: "It's even worse if you come forward. The Huainan General Soldier is your old department, the Huainan Commander is his old department, and your old department united with the civilian officials to bring down his old department!"

"Damn it, who knows about this kind of thing?"

Li Baobao cursed: "I haven't met Li Jiang for several years. The last time we met, he came back to Beijing to report on his work and brought some local specialties to visit. Besides, there was no corruption in my old ministry, but his old ministry preyed on the common people. , who can be blamed for this?”

Zhang Boring said in a low voice: "He suspects that we have joined forces with some officials to cross him with Prime Minister Li."

"It may be good for you to destroy him, but what good is it for me?" Li Bao said, "One day I will carry a wine bottle, barefoot and shirtless, and go to his house. I will stand outside the front door and call him to drink. If he doesn't open the door, he will Break up with me. If he opens the door, we will still be good brothers. Let him choose one. Don't be coy about such a simple matter. You are making it too complicated. ”

Zhang Bor thought: "Is this possible? Otherwise, let's ask Yang Zhi to come forward. Yang Zhi has a good relationship with everyone, and no matter who he is, he must give face."

Li Bao smiled and said, "Then I'll go call the door with Yang Zhi."

The two of them chatted and laughed as they boarded the carriage. Shi Yuangong and Yang Zhi walked over.

Shi Yuangong and Yang Zhi lived the most transparently and had already entered a state of lying down. If there is official work, he will take care of it. If there is no official work, he will go home to rest. When encountering disputes, he will often avoid them and be too lazy to fight for anything.

Of course, with their style, promotion in the old department would be slower.

Even some old departments have changed their affiliations.

"I'm ready to retire." Shi Yuangong said suddenly.

Yang Zhi asked: "How many more years can you work?"

Shi Yuangong said: "As I get older, it is best to retire safely, which can also pave the way for future generations."

Shi Yuangong was already in his sixties. He joined Ju Ming in his thirties and followed Ju Ming to Jinzhou before getting married. Now the eldest son is in his early twenties. After graduating from Imperial College, he went to the military academy. After graduating from the military academy, he directly joined the imperial army. He is currently serving as the captain of the palace guard squad under Bai Sheng.

The sooner Shi Yuangong retires, the faster his son will rise.

His second son also graduated from the military academy, but his third son was a good scholar, and his grades in the Imperial College were above average. With this score, there is no problem in graduating from Taixue University. If you switch to the imperial examination, you have a high chance of winning the Jinshi.

I think of him as a down-and-out scholar who was forced into desperation and even taught evil things.

Now not only has he been promoted to an official position, but his three sons also have a bright future, and his daughter has also married into a good family.

Why pursue progress?

Just retire and enjoy your old age. He already has four grandchildren. It would be so comfortable and comfortable to treat them with joy.

Yang Zhi muttered: "I won't quit if I work for another two years. I just don't know what I can do when I retire and go home."

Shi Yuangong smiled and said: "There are many things that can be done. You and I both have some savings, and we can still get rewards when we retire. After retirement, we can also receive half salary and full salary. When the time comes, we will first repair the ancestral house and ancestral tombs, and buy some Shops and properties will be used to help good children in the neighborhood study.”

Yang Zhi curled his lips: "I came from a poor family in Kaifeng City, so where can I find my ancestral home and ancestral graves?"

"Then you can spread your own business and buy property to become the founder of the Yang family in Kaifeng," Shi Yuangong said. "In a few hundred years, there may be thousands of descendants to worship you. The genealogy says that the ancestor of the Yang family is taboo. How is it, Mr. Zhi?”

Yang Zhi felt happy when he heard this: "I have to get this, I have to get this, even after I die I can receive incense and eat cold pork!"

…

Zhenyuan County.

This is Anyi County in the former Song Dynasty. When you hear this name, there are many barbarians. It was abandoned as a village when the Ming Dynasty was founded.

With the continuous exile of prisoners and the absorption of semi-Chinese barbarians, it finally looks like a county town now.

Unfortunately, there is still no decent city wall.

There is only a stone castle surrounded by mountains and rivers, and outside the castle are the streets of the county town, which has a bit of a Japanese castle town feel.

After all, Zhao Ji failed to make meritorious service and was reinstated, but he was no longer guilty and had become the chief civil servant of Anyi County.

Since this guy escaped and remarried, he has given birth to four children one after another.

He must not be able to give birth now. He has lived for more than sixty years.

A speedboat arrived, and the messenger went straight to the county government office, took out an official document and said to the county magistrate: "Vacate the open space in the suburbs as soon as possible. The vanguard army will arrive in half a month, and we will build military camps and grain stations there!"

The task fell on Zhao Ji.

Although he could arrange for officials to handle it, he was afraid that something would go wrong in military and state affairs, so he personally led people to the suburbs.

The land had been selected long ago and some granaries were even built.

However, there are still villagers nearby and they have to move away temporarily.

Zhao Ji is very prestigious here. He showed up in person to say hello, and the armor commanders began to prepare.

Most of the villagers here are prisoners and their relatives.

The earliest batch of unmarried prisoners married barbarian women here, and their children were almost grown.

Although they formed a protective armor and received soldiers' armor, they really didn't fight much.

The nearby barbarians had long been semi-Chinese. Under the leadership of criminals who were eager to make atonement for their crimes, Han Chinese and barbarians worked together to open up wasteland and colonize.

The imperial court transported grain, cattle, farm tools and seeds, and barbarians who were willing to naturalize also had a share. They also persuaded agricultural officials to come over for guidance. After the harvest of corn and sweet potatoes, a large number of barbarians took the initiative to register and settle with the government.

In less than half a month, the vanguard army arrived in Zhenyuan County.

The commander of the army was Ye Tie, who was originally one of the leaders of the Fujian Peasant Army. He caused the small southeast court to defect to the Ming Dynasty.

"It's really good. Not only has the granary been built, but the military camp has also been built to look good." Ye Tie nodded in approval after his inspection.

In such a small county, there is only a county magistrate, but no chief registrar or county magistrate.

Therefore, although Zhao Ji is an official, he is actually the second-in-command in Zhenyuan County.

Regular officials like him must register with the Ministry of Personnel.

Zhao Ji followed behind the county magistrate and accompanied Ye Tie everywhere, constantly answering specific questions and making Ye Tie nod his head.

An emperor in the late Song Dynasty and a rebel in the late Song Dynasty had a very pleasant exchange.

Ye Tie was quite surprised: "Mr., have you been a soldier before?"

Zhao Ji replied: "I used to be a native of the Central Plains. In the former Song Dynasty, the unruly emperor made thieves everywhere in the Central Plains. I had no way to become an official, and my home was ransacked by thieves. All my relatives were separated, so I had to follow the refugees south."

"That foolish king from the former Song Dynasty was indeed a bastard. I was forced to rebel by him!" Ye Tie said sympathetically.

Zhao Ji cursed in his heart and continued without changing his expression: "Later, Prince Li led his troops to attack the south of the Yangtze River. The old man took the opportunity to persuade a group of bandits and conquered a government with righteousness. Then he surrendered to the country and became an official of the Ming Dynasty."

Ye Tie liked it more and more: "I also rebelled and joined the current imperial court! No wonder you know how to build a military camp. You were originally a leader of the rebel army. Why did you come to Zhenyuan County to become an old official?"

"well!"

Zhao Ji sighed and said: "I took the civilian husband to build the military camp, but I learned it when the imperial court was conquering Prime Minister Zhong. At that time, I was an official in the county seat at the forefront of the Eastern Route Army. Later, I was promoted due to meritorious service, and I couldn't help but be a little greedy... I can't help but be greedy... Not much, he was exiled here."

Ye Tie said: "The old man's experience is much more bizarre than mine. I have two days of rest before leaving, and there will be a steady stream of military rations arriving. There are still many places where I need to trouble the old man."

"They are all loyal to the emperor and serve the country, no need to say any troublesome words." Zhao Ji looked like a loyal minister.