Dawn of the Empire

Chapter 33

Chapter 8 Floating Clouds hangs empty name "Without rules, we can't make a square. Since our Neo Confucianism Society takes it as our mission to help the community, how can we let loose spirits. Joining or retiring from the society is such a big event, and it's not a tea house. How can we come as soon as we say it? Just leave?"

In the process of discussing the charter of the Neo-Confucianism Society, Zhang Bing was quite dissatisfied with Deng Su, who was in charge of "Yue Lizhai", who said that "friends of the same way, free to come and go". The place is not an official office, so how can it restrict the direction of the same people? The rule of not being allowed to leave the society at will is too arbitrary. Zi said, gentlemen have different ways and do not conspire with each other. According to Brother Zhang, people with different opinions cannot ask to leave, which is a big violation The way of a master."

Zhang Bingdao: "If you only study Confucian classics, it is indeed as good as Brother Deng said. However, the purpose of this society is to help the country. If someone in the future relies on the strength of our society to occupy a high position, but abandons the purpose of this society and quits the society to seek glory, How can I deal with the "traitor"?" He looked at Deng Su with burning eyes, as if he was the one who wanted to do such a thing.

Deng Su was a little embarrassed by his run-on, and replied loudly: "Naturally, it is to gather the strength of the gentlemen in the world to attack. But what does it have to do with ordinary scholars quitting the society? Everyone has his own ambitions, so why should Brother Zhang make things difficult for others. Furthermore, If there is such a regulation that you can't quit the society at will, wouldn't it make the scholars who are interested in the Tao fearful and stay away from it?"

Zhang Bing replied coldly: "If you don't have a firm heart towards the Tao, you don't need to be a person with both ends of the head. It is true that there are so few gentlemen in the world and so many villains."

Seeing that the two were fighting with red faces, Chen Dong, He Fang and others who were watching the battle hurriedly smoothed things over.Zhao Xingde pondered and said: "The two dear friends are all reasonable. In my opinion, the so-called gentleman observes propriety, while the villain fears punishment. If not, when he resigns from the society, his character will be assessed by Yuelizhai. Scholars who have committed crimes and violated the saints will be expelled from the society by reporting their bad deeds to scholars. If they ask to leave the society due to their different hearts, they will be removed and notified to the members of the society to avoid misunderstanding. If you betray our company and take refuge in "treacherous" sycophants and those who harm the country and the people, then our company will gather the power of the gentlemen of the world to attack them. What do you think of this proposal?"

When Deng Su and Zhang Bing heard that he proposed an "operable" plan, they all thought about its pros and cons carefully, and there was no quarrel for a while.After Chen Dong thought for a while, he agreed: "Yuanzhi's discussion is very good." He paused, and then said: "It's just that it seems inappropriate for Yueli Zhai to evaluate his conduct. I suggest that students from each Zhai should recommend two people , these 24 people evaluate each person's morality every year, and they are divided into upper and upper, upper middle, upper and lower, middle and upper, middle and middle, middle and lower, lower and upper, lower and middle, and lower and lower, a total of nine grades. The lower Those who are of the third rank will be notified to the scholars to expose their bad deeds, and then they will be expelled from the society.

As soon as Chen Dong made this suggestion, Zhang Bing immediately said: "That's great! In this way, our Neo Confucianism Society will not be a place to hide filth." Zhao Xingde also nodded in agreement, and he thought that there were not many bad deeds that could be exposed.At this moment, other scholars can't be guilty of making objections.Quite a few people who were usually indiscreet could not help complaining secretly. If they had known that the Neo-Confucian Society still had this rule, they would not have come to participate.The few who are usually very strict with themselves are a little complacent. At this time, the prestige of literati has a great relationship with their official career. If they use the name of Neo Confucianism Society to proclaim their reputation, it will definitely have excellent results.

Not surprisingly, all the scholars unanimously agreed on the method of evaluating the nine grades, and because Zhao Xingde was one of the proponents, and he was a Zhongliang queen, he naturally became the evaluator. Meng Yuan felt that his father had a bad reputation among scholars, so he offered not to be the evaluator. In addition, there were disagreements among the rest of the houses, and finally seventeen evaluators were selected. Conduct is judged by other appraisers, and then approved by the scholars of Benzhai, and supervised by all the scholars of Lishe.

Meng Yuan immediately patted Zhao Xingde on the shoulder and said: "In my opinion, Brother Zhao is the top grade." Although he likes to be lively and make friends, he is not really interested in the government. I hope that under Zhao Xingde's care, he can withdraw with dignity.

After discussing the constitution of the Neo-Confucian Society, the scholars invited them to Jinming Pool outside Xishuimen to watch the dragon boat race of the Imperial Army in Beijing.Chen Dong and the others had already sent their servants and hired idlers to Jinming Pool to occupy a place where Yangliu Yiyi watched the scenery. Brocade mattresses were laid out, and plum red boxes of various colors were filled with sugar yuanzi, crystal horns, For sweets such as lychee cream, plum ginger, and apricot slices, Pan Lou also prepared wild duck meat, dripping crystal kueh, winter moon pan rabbit spinach, fried scallops, brain meat, etc., together with freshly brewed plum wine, apricot The wine was delivered in fine silverware.

The viewing area occupied by the Tai students is a hill next to Jinming Pool. Looking down from a high position, they can see banquets of officials, businessmen and gentry all over the Jinming Pool, surrounded by servants and maidservants everywhere.The bustling Bianjing people formed lively circles around the jugglers, watching swallowing iron swords, playing with puppets, spitting out five-colored water, spinning clay balls, Zaju, story books, qinxiaodgudi, Shangdaoshan, Various tricks such as playing monkeys, in addition to fortune-telling, crossword guessing, and medicine sellers roam around, making the Jinming Pool very lively.More ordinary people, three or five people found a big tree, and sat on the ground facing the water of Jinming Pool, with a bamboo basket of various snacks in the middle, and some stood on tiptoes by the Jinming Pool, facing the Linshui Temple on the opposite bank look away.

The Linshui Palace, which used to be empty in the past, is even more grand now, with countless banners covering the sky and the sun, and the soldiers of the forbidden army in front of the palace are dressed in bright red brocade robes, their hats and hairpins are blooming flowers, and their knives and guns are unsheathed. , reflecting in the sunlight.The cavalry stationed horses and the infantry lined up neatly beside the hall.In the Linshui Palace, the imperial utensils such as the yellow umbrella cover and the golden chair are impressively visible, which shows that His Majesty Zhao You is here to participate in the Dragon Boat Festival celebration. , white jade fruit plate, peacock tail feather fan, jade handle dust whisk and other imperial objects, although it was broad daylight, there were two hundred palace people carrying red gauze lanterns and glazed palace lanterns around the periphery.

There is a large open space next to the Linshui Hall. Before the dragon boat race officially started, the soldiers of the imperial army put out various tricks and juggles into Xianguan's house. Bamboo poles, some somersaults, some naked sumo wrestling, some wrestling with rattan swords, and some breathing fireworks. Because they were deliberately prepared, they were a hundred times more exciting than the juggling that the people on the opposite side of Jinmingchi watched. There were hundreds of musicians from the palace club next to them. It is really a carnival with orchestral silk and bamboo.

On the left hand of Song Emperor Zhao You is the chief minister, on the right hand is the prince's clan, and behind him are the beauties and princesses of the harem.Zhao You looked out, and saw that all the officials outside the Linshui Hall were crowned with court uniforms. Outside the ranks of the officials, the palace minister specially selected tall and powerful warriors to guard the palace, which set off the surrounding Liao Kingdom, Xia Kingdom, Envoys from Dali, Chenla, Sanfuqi, Koryo, and Dongying were all very respectful.

"I don't know how many jugglers there are in the 80 imperial troops of the Great Song Dynasty?" Yelu Dashi said softly, his voice was only audible to himself and Li Ruobing, the newly transferred back to Beijing.

"How many of the so-called leather warriors in your country were donated to eminent monks in Buddhist temples?" Li Ruobing replied tit for tat. It was a joke in Song Dynasty.

Zhao You's eyesight was very good, and when he saw Yelu Dashi, the envoy of the Liao Kingdom, who dared to look up, he couldn't help snorting softly, remembering what the Deputy Prime Minister Zhao Zhifu mentioned, provoking and supporting the Jurchen vassals in the northern part of the Liao Kingdom' It is worth a try to harass Liaoyang.

Yu Hou Tongguan, the capital of the infantry of the guards and pro-army, came to report that all the participating armies were ready. Zhao You signaled that the dragon boat race could begin. Sliding off the starting line, there are 24 big men on each dragon boat, naked to the waist. Under the paddling, the dragon boat seems to be speeding on the water.

"Come on! Hurry up! Hurry up! Hurry up!" Iron Cavalry Military Academy Captain Han Shizhong was shirtless, showing a tattoo of a white-fronted tiger all over his body, beating the drums vigorously, but his own voice was louder than the drums. When he wanted to fight, there were veins popping up on his short and thick neck. The cavalry elite soldiers selected by him did not dare to neglect. After a while, they were all sweating, but they did not dare to relax their arms at all. With Han Shizhong's drumbeat, the frequency of paddling On the contrary, it is getting faster and faster, the splash it brings is getting bigger and bigger, and the cheers of the crowd watching the battle on both sides of the strait are getting stronger and stronger.

"Buy it and leave it, buy it and leave it! Now it's [-] yuan a piece, [-] yuan a piece!" Zhao Bo, a local gangster in Kaifeng Mansion, loudly yelled his gambling coupons. Therefore, a gambling coupon ranges from ten to thirty pennies according to the winning results in previous years. If he wins, he will pay one hundred pennies. The Wing Water Army was half ahead of the ship, so naturally there were more people buying the Tiger Wing Water Army, so the price rose accordingly to [-] yuan, and when Zhao Bo also estimated that the Tiger Wing Water Army would win, he would no longer sell the coupons up.

However, the final result made Zhao Bo very satisfied. A dragon boat of the iron cavalry army led by the school lieutenant Han Shizhong came from behind, surpassed the tiger wing navy, and took the lead in breaking the silk ribbon that fell across the water. The center 'swings' the circle.

Han Shizhong proudly tore off the red scarf around his neck, and commanded all the soldiers to shout loudly: "May my emperor live long, long live, long live!" The guards of the imperial squad next to him echoed in unison, their voices were earth-shattering, Zhao Youlong was overjoyed, and along with the guards of this dragon boat race, Du Yuhou Tongguan shouted: "Look and see!"

Hundreds of palace people threw the heavy ten copper coins tied with red silk flowers into the water of Jinming Pool, which attracted all the soldiers to jump off the dragon boat to salvage the reward money. Resting on the dragon boat, some strings of money hung around their necks were still salvaged in the water, and some soldiers even fought with each other underwater, which caused the concubines and princesses in the Linshui Palace to giggle coquettishly. These deep palace grievances It's rare for a woman to see such a strong and strong man. At this moment, taking the opportunity of rewarding, she threw all kinds of money prepared in advance into the water, and looked at those strong and strong men who only wore a pair of calf trousers with a blushing face. Drill back and forth in the water.

On the other side of the Jinming Pool, there are a group of women who are watching the soldiers of the dragon boat race intently. Many Bianjing scoundrels with vicious faces are staring at the ordinary people who deliberately approach them. These women are the famous prostitutes and singers in Bianjing city.

"Hongyu, isn't that brawny military officer who got it right your best friend?" One of the gorgeously made-up women teased the other.The girl named Hongyu bit her lower lip with her bright teeth, looking at the red officer swimming up and down in the Jinming Pool like a dragon and a tiger, her face flushed, "Unexpectedly, he is so strong." She thought, looking at the rogue youngsters around her, a trace of melancholy floated between her brows.

Han Shizhong seemed to be desperate for money, and he kept fishing for money. There were more than a dozen strings of copper coins and small gold and silver ingots hanging around his neck, which weighed almost dozens of catties. On the dragon boat, with a smile on his face, he raised his arms and shouted: "Long live, long live, long live!"

Seeing that there were such brave men in the Song army, even Yelu Dashi, the Liao envoy with a disdainful expression on his face, praised, "I have seen heroes from all over the north and south, and this is a real hero!" The face of the Han general Guo Baoyi behind him' When Se' moved, I was quite dissatisfied.Yelu Dashi noticed the expression on his hands, but he only smiled slightly and didn't say anything.

Emperor Zhao You liked such a simple and straightforward general the most, and liked his courage, so he ordered to reward him with another two hundred bolts of silk, and then turned around and told Tong Guan, who was in charge of the dragon boat race, that such a brave general must be treated well, Tong Guan Wei Wei nodded yes.

"Your Majesty, since the navy is available, please build a large ship to go to sea, visit overseas countries, and attract envoys from all countries to come to the court." Prime Minister Cai Jing took the opportunity to push the boat along the river, Liao and Xia almost tacitly grasped the western countries to come to pay tribute In the early years of this dynasty, Tubo, Khotan, Shule, Gaochang, Heiyi Dashi and other countries that had come to the dynasty had even been destroyed by the Xia Kingdom.Nowadays, the vassals who come to Bianjing to pay tribute are much inferior to those of the previous dynasty, and most of them come by sea.

The infantry commander of the bodyguards' pro-army, Marquis Yu Tongguan, and Cai Jing had a tacit understanding, and when they heard the words, they knelt down and said: "What Cai Xiang said is true, I am willing to lead the boat to the sea, and spread the country's prestige in all directions!"

Tong Guan thinks that he has made great contributions to supporting the current emperor, and he is always despised by the people in the Qingliu when he holds such an important position as the guard and infantry. The disaster of the eunuch in the army caused many people to call Tong Guan "the eunuch" behind his back. Because of this, Tong Guan's expectation of making extraordinary achievements is extremely urgent.Leading a sea-going ship to bring envoys from distant countries to the DPRK is precisely such a major event, and there is no room for opposition from others.I heard from those envoys who traveled by sea that there are countless countries overseas who are greedy for the prosperity of China. As long as they understand the reason and lure them with benefits, they can reproduce the prosperous scene of the tribute from foreign envoys.