Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Wu Tingfu, the magistrate of Xixiang County, arrived in the evening of the same day, bringing with him a group of county officials.

As for the prefect of Hanzhong, it is estimated that he will not arrive until noon tomorrow.

Yangzhou was demoted to Yang County in the early Ming Dynasty, and all three counties under its jurisdiction were merged into Hanzhong Prefecture. In recent years, some officials have proposed to restore Yangzhou. Firstly, this is the land of Longxing and should be established as a state. Secondly, it is to continue cutting the Hanzhong Basin.

After the division, Yangzhou was set as a Zhili Prefecture under Shaanxi Province to prevent someone from separatizing Hanzhong one day.

In the early morning of the next day, Zhu Guoxiang, accompanied by the Xixiang County Magistrate and Daming Town Supervisor, took his family, friends and followers to Heifeng Village.

There are paddy fields along the river, but the rice has been harvested, the field water has been drained, and the winter rapeseed seedlings have grown knee-deep.

"In the past 20 years or so, the number of paddy fields along the river leading from the town to Longji Mountain has increased by more than 40 acres," said Town Supervisor Shi Jizhi. The water trucks have brought water to the fields, and the dry fields have turned into paddy fields.”

They can barely be considered terraced fields, but they are not comparable to real terraced fields. Such sloping paddy fields near rivers are very common in the south.

Zhu Guoxiang was confused and said: "What is Longji Mountain?"

The county magistrate Wu Tingfu explained: "Longji Mountain is the mountain where the former Heifeng Village was located. A Feng Shui magician observed that the mountains in this area are shaped like a dragon, and the Heifeng Village was where the Dragon's Back was. The mountains on the other side of Shangbai Village are It looks like a fierce tiger, and when combined with this side, it has the potential of a tiger sitting on a dragon's side."

Bai Dalang also joked: "In fact, there has been this saying for more than a hundred years. My ancestors thought that Feng Shui was good, so they chose to cultivate and multiply in Shangbai Village. The dragon and tiger energy here was probably born for your two majesties."

Tian Zhifang said: "The sorcerers who passed by here said that although the tigers are on the dragon's plate here, the dragons are trapped in the shallows and the tigers are trapped in the flat sun. In the early years, His Majesty dug weirs, opened canals, and built water trucks in Longji Mountain, which was to divert water into the shallows. Water. Planting corn in the middle of the mountain in Shangbai Village. The corn is higher than the wheat and can absorb the wind and gather the wind. This pattern of tigers and dragons suddenly comes to life. "

Zhu Guoxiang smiled, did not participate in the discussion, and was too lazy to refute anything.

The people of Daming Town, and even Xixiang County and Hanzhong Prefecture probably firmly believe in this statement.

There are even some quick-thinking people who are sure that the Supreme Emperor must be proficient in Feng Shui.

They secretly made up various stories about how the two majesties received advice from overseas immortals and came straight from the southeast coast to Hanzhong. Passing through Daming Town, I discovered the pattern of a tiger sitting on a dragon's plate, so I lived in seclusion here and quietly opened up the stagnant Feng Shui.

The giant Ganoderma lucidum presented to Hunjun back then was formed by the energy of dragon and tiger.

Even Xue Daoguang was invited to join in and help the two majesties clear up the Feng Shui of Longji Mountain.

Some villagers who moved from the foot of Heifeng Mountain to Hanzhong claimed that they got up to defecate one night and saw a red light coming from the direction of Heifeng Village. It turned out that the sky was dyed red in the middle of the night, and red clouds gathered in groups, which finally dispersed at dawn.

This tidbit was quickly quoted and re-created in various ways.

Some people say that those red lights and red clouds are from the Supreme Emperor refining the elixir at night, and when the elixir is completed, a lot of red elixir energy escapes.

Some people also say that it was the Feng Shui of Longji Mountain that was opened up, and the immortals descended from heaven and earth to talk to the Supreme Emperor.

Anyway, there are all kinds of explanations.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "Last time Bai Sheng was ordered to come back, he said that the buildings on the mountain were abandoned and dilapidated?"

Tian Zhifang explained: "It's inconvenient to go up and down the mountain. No one has lived on the mountain for more than 20 years. We don't dare to open houses randomly for fear of ruining the feng shui of the mountain."

Bai Dalang said: "Successive officials from the prefecture, county and town have repeatedly petitioned to build Taoist temples on Longji Mountain. But the court has never approved it, and the officials and people here dare not build it randomly. During this period, a Taoist priest wandered here and ran to The Taoist priest who was practicing in a hut on Longji Mountain was beaten away with hoes and poles. The Taoist must have evil intentions and wanted to steal the dragon energy on Longji Mountain. "

Shi Jizhi said: "The top of the mountain is now a restricted area. No one is allowed to go up the mountain to collect firewood and hunt..."

"That's unreasonable!"

Zhu Guoxiang finally spoke up and scolded: "Even if there is dragon energy in the mountains, how much can the common people steal it? Lift the ban immediately and don't stop the common people from woodworking, gathering and hunting!"

Shi Jizhi was so frightened that he quickly said yes.

Wu Tingfu quickly flattered him: "Your Majesty's benevolent administration and love for the people are just like those of Yao and Shun in his time. This is the blessing of the world."

There was another big waterwheel here, and Zhu Guoxiang came to the waterwheel he built.

All the parts of the wooden waterwheel have been replaced.

Even the wood of the main structure has been replaced, because in order to rush the work, the materials used were not of the highest quality, and they began to decay more than ten years ago.

Zhu Guoxiang walked over and reached out to touch her. The scene from that year was still vivid in his mind.

As the saying goes, things have changed and people have changed, but so have things. After replacing parts, this waterwheel has become more sturdy and durable. It is no longer the one built by Zhu Guoxiang himself.

Zhu Guoxiang left the waterwheel, turned around and walked towards Heifeng Mountain.

No, it is now Longji Mountain, and even the name of the mountain has been changed.

Halfway up the mountainside, there are lush tung oil trees, which were planted by Zhu Guoxiang himself with the villagers. The refined tung oil can be sold for money, and was also used to make rattan armor at the beginning of the war!

When we reach a dangerous point, only one or two people can pass through at the same time.

The entourage was afraid that something might happen, so they asked the guards to help the Emperor, Queen, and Concubines pass slowly.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "This place is easy to defend but difficult to attack. When the emperor led people to attack the mountain to suppress the bandits, they were blocked here by the bandits. It was Zhang Guangdao who rushed around the back mountain and captured the Black Wind Village in one fell swoop."

The accompanying officials and civilians praised the bravery of Emperor Zhu and Prince Zhang.

Zhu Guoxiang stopped and rested from time to time while walking on the mountain road.

After passing the tung oil forest area, it was set as a restricted area by the government. For a long time, there was no firewood collection by the people, and the vegetation became more lush, and even the mountain road was covered with thorns and weeds.

The guards were well prepared, holding hatchets to clear the way in front, and beating the grass with sticks to disperse snakes and insects.

Finally, they arrived at the Black Wind Village on the top of the mountain.

What came into view was also a field of thorns and grass, and vines were climbing all over the houses, and even the roofs were covered with grass. There was also a house that collapsed, and even the beams were gone. It was estimated that it was stolen by the people down the mountain.

The officials looked very unhappy. Someone actually stole the beams of the emperor?

Zhu Guoxiang said with a smile: "If the people want to take away the useful things here, they can take them all."

Shen Yourong had also lived here for a few years, and she was also full of emotion at this moment. She walked to the side of the collapsed house and said: "Shi Biao and his mother used to live here. The ditch on the side of the house was blocked by weeds and debris. The water flowing down the eaves could not be drained smoothly, and it overflowed and soaked the corners of the wall and collapsed."

Zhu Guoxiang sighed: "Shi Biao died two years ago."

Before Shi Biao died, he was the commander of the Kaifeng Imperial Army, equivalent to the commander-in-chief of the Tokyo Military Region, and the absolute powerful confidant of Emperor Zhu.

Now that position is taken over by Gu San.

"This area used to be a dam, right? It was compacted and there was not much grass growing." A young guard officer said.

Zhu Guoxiang smiled and said: "Your father trained in this dam. He couldn't even tell the difference between his left and right feet, and he always forgot the flag. I don't know how many military sticks he got."

The young guard officer laughed and then felt a little sad.

His father was an ordinary soldier from Daming Village. After conquering Hanzhong, he became a captain. Because of his poor qualifications, he has always been a captain, but he was gradually transferred from the captain of ordinary troops to the captain of Zhu Ming's personal army.

He was finally sent out as a general of 100 men, but he was killed in the battle of Mingjin Hebei.

The young guard officer walked to the center of the dam, kicking the sporadic plantain, as if imagining how his late father trained.

Shen Yourong walked to a big house and was stopped by the guards from entering, fearing that the dangerous house would suddenly collapse.

She looked through the half-open door at the empty hall and said to Li Qingzhao and other concubines: "On the winter solstice that year, we gathered in this room to eat hot pot. My husband and the emperor personally sliced ​​the mutton, and we women picked and washed vegetables together. It snowed heavily, colder than the winter now..."

Over the past ten years, the climate has been warming up.

"Let's go."

After Shen Yourong took the concubines and children for a walk, Zhu Guoxiang turned around and prepared to go down the mountain. He said to the town supervisor Shi Jizhi: "Tear down all the useful wood and move it down the mountain. Let the nearby people take it. Most of the beams and pillars are good materials, left by the bandits back then."

Shi Jizhi hurriedly agreed.

It was past noon when they went down the mountain. Halfway up the mountain, they ran into the prefect of Hanzhong who came hurriedly, and even the magistrates of Yang County and Zhenfu County came, as well as some gentry and celebrities from various counties.

Among them were some old acquaintances of Zhu Guoxiang. Before the Zhu family started the rebellion, they had invited Dean Zhu to guide farming.

There was an old gentry who was 80 years old, but he still ran over in person, and after getting off the boat, he let his grandson carry him up the mountain.

After reminiscing about the past, Zhu Guoxiang became happier and happier.

The emperor personally hosted a banquet and set up a buffet in Daming Town. The dining table was even set up on the town street and the dock.

The next day, we went to Shangxiabai Village again.

Shen Yourong saw her old house from afar, and tears flowed out in an instant.

Mrs. Yan had passed away long ago, and died in the palace of the King in Hunan. Bai Qi still observed mourning for three months at that time.

The old house and land here were divided into several parts and given to the villagers who had a good relationship. The house was occupied by the son of a village neighbor who got married and separated from the family. At this time, it had been cleaned up, and the family moved out temporarily, waiting for Zhu Guoxiang and Shen Yourong to come back.

Zhu Guoxiang smiled and said, "When we got married, there was not enough space, so we also set up wine in the courtyards of each family. Today, we will set up a three-day buffet and invite the people from the nearby villages to come and have a drink!"

"Very good." Shen Yourong also smiled.

The other concubines were somewhat envious of this, because they did not have such a deep relationship with the emperor.

Shen Yourong suddenly missed her son very much, and planned to call Bai Qi and his wife and children back to see him after returning to Beijing.

Zhu Guoxiang asked Bai Dalang: "Where is your father buried?"

Bai Dalang said: "Buried next to my grandmother's grave, my mother's remains were also picked up and buried with my father."

Zhu Guoxiang said: "I will go to pay homage to your grandmother, and the emperor also asked me to pay homage on my behalf."

"Thank you, Your Majesties, for still caring about me." Bai Dalang was quite moved and couldn't help squeezing out a few tears.

Zhu Guoxiang took Shen Yourong around the village, stopped to talk to everyone he met, and looked like a wanderer returning home.

He would tease the children from time to time and ask them who the elders in their families were.

Actually, these were all arranged by the government and Bai Dalang. Pretend that the whole village lives normally, and arrange those who had a good relationship with Zhu Guoxiang in the past to be on the roadside, and let the children and grandchildren of the families whose elders have died come forward.

Try to create a comfortable atmosphere for the emperor.

The entire village had long been sealed off by the guards. Even at the following buffet, when the villagers from Xiabai Village next door came to drink, they would be carefully searched one by one to see if they were carrying weapons.

Another day, Zhu Guoxiang suddenly had an idea and asked when the market in Baishi Town would be held.

Bai Dalang couldn't say that Baishi Town had declined, and it was squeezed out by Daming Town. Most of the merchants stopped in Daming Town, and the surrounding people also went to Daming Town for the market. Baishi Town between Shangxiabai Village had long been deserted.

However, the town streets were still there, the shops were still there, and the docks were still there, but the scale of business and population had sharply decreased.

Bai Dalang said the date of the market, and turned around to discuss with the eunuchs, guards, and officials.

That afternoon, Baishi Town and Xiabai Village were in chaos, and the shops in the town were renovated overnight.

On the day of the market, the emperor and the empress went there excitedly, and everything seemed to have returned to the way it was in the past.

At that time, Zhu Guoxiang and his son sold their brushes and finally had some money, so Shen Yourong accompanied them to Baishi Town to buy daily necessities.

"How do you sell this chicken?" Zhu Guoxiang asked.

The old woman selling chickens was a little flustered. She opened her mouth but couldn't say anything. After a long time, she finally uttered: "No money, I'm honoring the emperor."

Zhu Guoxiang didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and sighed secretly in his heart, pretending that nothing had happened and continued to go to the market.

He personally bought some paper money and incense, intending to take them to the graves of Bai Dalang's grandmother and parents to worship.

When leaving Baishi Town, Zhu Guoxiang whispered to the eunuch: "Xiao Zhong, you stay here and ask. Tell the officials not to embarrass the old woman, and compensate the shops and people at the market today."

"Your Majesty is merciful, I will do it now." The eunuch retreated silently.

That evening, a speedboat came, and the official hurried to see the prefect with a telegram.

The prefect took the telegram to see the eunuch again.

The three-day banquet was over. Zhu Guoxiang and several of his close old wives squeezed into their old house. The rest lived in the Bai family and other villagers' homes, and only gathered together for dinner.

They were having dinner at this time.

The eunuch quietly handed the telegram to Zhu Guoxiang.

Zhu Guoxiang opened it and saw that the telegram had only five words: Cornucopia is dead.

The life span of a horse is generally between 30 and 35 years old, and the known world record is 62 years old.

Cornucopia lived for 41 years.

"Alas." Zhu Guoxiang put down the telegram and silently picked up some food for Shen Yourong.

...

East of Luoyang, a far-out horse farm.

Zhu Ming looked at the remains of Cornucopia in silence.

He dispersed all the entourage and sat cross-legged beside the horse's corpse, holding the sword he brought from the time travel.

Zhang Guangdao, Li Bao, Zhang Tong, Bai Sheng and others stood far away at the other end of the horse farm. Especially Bai Sheng, he knew the emperor's feelings for the horse.

The distant mountains are dark blue, and the setting sun is blood-red.

Winter is coming soon, and next year will be spring again.

Everything seems to be over.

But a new era has just begun.

(The full text is over.)

(There are also a few chapters of postscript.)