The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

That night, Xu Wei really sent someone to invite Su Jin to the banquet. The banquet was held in a restaurant named Yueyuelou on the side street to the north of the government office. There are seven or eight restaurants, and most of them are ordinary restaurants. Because of the lack of ingredients, the prices are also scary. Although there are 10,000+ soldiers and civilians in the city, the really rich don’t go to these ordinary restaurants to eat, and how can ordinary people have money to go? Eating restaurants, so few can sustain the business.

However, this Yueyue Building is different. Su Jin was a little surprised when he entered this imposing restaurant. Although the layout and furnishings inside are not as exquisite as the luxury restaurants in the bustling city, they are also decorated with carved beams and jade pillars with red lights and green steps. , quite elegant and exquisite; it has to be said that it is a miracle that there is such a luxurious restaurant in the dilapidated city of Weizhou.

The people standing at the door to welcome Su Jin led Su Jin up the stairs, one floor after another, and went straight up to the fifth floor, and came to a hall at the highest point, where a sumptuous banquet had already been placed. Several handsome maidservants stood aside holding wine jugs.

Su Jin said in surprise: "The most luxurious restaurant in Bianliang City has only four floors, but this building is five floors high, which is really surprising."

Xu Wei chuckled and said: "That's not true, Mr. Fu Zun knows the reason why this restaurant is called Zhaiyue Tower this time, right? I am in the northwest, the closest to the sky at night, the moon is full of stars, and it seems like I can reach out to the restaurant in this building." Lanyue, isn't it Zhaiyue Building?"

Su Jin looked up and saw that today is July [-]th, and it really is a round of jade rabbits hanging above his head, like a big golden disc, as if he could touch it. This place is already a plateau, and the air is pure and thin, making the whole moon even more delicate. After all, it feels quite weird.

"Sure enough, you can grasp the moon with your hands. This name is very famous. The ancients said, "The dangerous building is a hundred feet high, and the stars can be picked up with your hands. Don't dare to speak loudly, for fear of frightening the people in the sky." In the future, when we drink and talk, we will have to bite our ears face to face, so we must not startle the lucid dream of Fairy Moon Palace. Hehe...!"

"Okay, Mr. Fu Zun is worthy of being the number one scholar in the current department. His eloquence is eloquent and his words are humorous. See how he can speak so wittyly without real talent and learning. I admire you." Xu Wei took a pat on the horse without losing the opportunity, and all the officials also echoed , amazed.

The crowd, the stars and the moon generally regard Su Jin as the seat of honor, and when Su Jin sits down, everyone sits down separately.

Su Jin looked at the delicious food on the table, and pretended to blame: "It's really unreasonable for you to spend so much money. If you want to, why come here to hold a banquet? The food in this restaurant is probably very expensive."

Xu Wei said with a smile: "Your Majesty, what did you say? It's the blessing of my colleagues to come to Weizhou. There has never been a champion who came to the Northwest to be an official. You are the first one. How can we not?" Treat your lord well."

Su Jin smiled and said: "It seems that I, Su Jin, have no skills. As the number one scholar, I went to the northwest to be an official, but anyone who has the ability stayed in the capital or went to the prosperous southern state to become an official. Hey, think about it." It's also very depressing."

Xu Wei didn't expect Su Jin to be misunderstood by his own words, and his flattery was not accurate enough. It seemed that he was indeed suspected of satirizing Su Jin's lack of connections. The position of the fourth-rank magistrate, the master of the government is the fourth-rank magistrate as soon as he becomes an official. How many people are envied? Besides, although our Weizhou is a small city, it is a strategic place. The emperor sent an adult to guard it. It means valuing it, and adults should be happy."

Su Jin nodded and said: "As expected, it is indeed a bit special to hear what you said. It seems that the emperor treats me well."

Everyone hurriedly laughed and echoed: "That's not true, the emperor has a lot of respect for the Lord."

Xu Wei stretched out his hand to beckon the serving maid to come forward to pour wine. Su Jin pointed to the two empty seats beside him and asked, "Is anyone else coming? Why are there two empty seats?"

Xu Wei blinked his eyes and said mysteriously: "My lord, these two positions are reserved for General Ge Huaimin, the commander of the military and horse deployment in Weizhou, and Li Zhihe, the supervising army of Jingyuan Road. They came late. When the meeting comes, the adults will punish them for drinking."

Su Jin smiled and said: "How can I make it, the two adults are busy with military affairs, and it is their responsibility to be late."

Xu Wei said with a smile: "It is usually military affairs, but today is not military affairs. I heard that Lord Fu Zun is here to appreciate the honor tonight. He said that he is going to get some good food for him, but I don't know why he hasn't arrived yet."

Su Jin understands that one of these two men is the commander of the military and horse deployment in Weizhou, and the other is the military supervisor of the entire Jingyuan Road sent by the imperial military department. The former holds the military power of [-] soldiers and horses in Weizhou, and the latter It is the supervising army of nearly [-] soldiers and horses on the entire Jingyuan Road. When Wang Yan was a road envoy, these two people were under Wang Yan's command. He is the most powerful official on Jingyuan Road, bigger than himself.

Before the two of them arrived, the banquet could not start for the time being. Xu Wei taught others to urge him, while chatting with Su Jin in various ways. Will you be unhappy if you neglect the two of you?

Naturally, Su Jin didn't show it at all, just chatted and laughed happily with everyone, without showing any hint of impatience.

Half an hour passed, and the officials were all in a hurry, but Su Jin was still chatting and drinking tea with great interest, without asking why Ge Huaimin hadn't arrived, why Li Zhi and his lord hadn't arrived, and when the banquet would start.

Xu Wei pleaded guilty and pretended to get up to go to the toilet, quietly went down the stairs to the door of a private room on the fourth floor, knocked lightly on the door, and someone inside asked, "Who is it?"

Xu Wei said in a low voice: "My lords, this is the lower official Xu Wei."

"come in."

Xu Wei pushed the door open and entered. There was a fat person and a thin person lying sideways on the bed, and a woman beside them was helping to beat their legs and rub their shoulders. These two people were fascinated and almost fell asleep.

"Hello, two adults." Xu Wei said.

"Hmm... Did that kid jump in a hurry?" The fat man asked in a shrill voice.

This person is Li Zhihe, the supervisor of Jingyuan Road. The supervisors of this dynasty are all eunuchs sent from the palace. They have a military post in the military department and are sent to various places to act as the emperor's eyes and ears. Of course, Li Zhihe is also a subordinate who has no such An eunuch with a big gun, so he speaks like a man or a woman.

"Well, that's not true. The officer doesn't seem to be in a hurry at all."

"Oh? This kid can hold his breath. He is not angry when we neglect him so much." Li Zhihe was a little surprised.

Ge Huaimin, with a thin black face and big hands and feet, half-opened his eyes and said, "What's so strange about this? How dare he show it if he is angry? In this Weizhou city, what is Zhizhou? Without us helping him defend the city, I'm afraid It's because he can't stand it for a day, and he might be caught by the bandits and be taken prisoner."

Li Zhihe smiled and said: "Although that is the case, he always knows the state and manages government affairs, and has the right to guard the city and dispatch troops. Although he has no affiliation with us, he is always a senior member of the party, so he can hold his breath like this. Seems like a character."

Ge Huaimin waved his hand and said: "A 17-year-old baby, half a child who has just been weaned, what kind of city can he have, Wang Lushi was always polite to me when he was here, what is he, a kid who smells like milk?"

Xu Wei smiled and said: "What the two adults said is true, but it's enough to hang out for so long. I think the two adults should go out and show their faces. After all, he will still be the magistrate of Weizhou in the future. If he is too stiff, he will not be easy to get along with. We still have to win him over, it will be troublesome if our business is targeted by him."

"He dares! Does he have ten lives? If he does, as long as I ruin my affairs, I will dare to kill him ten times..." Ge Huaimin sat up suddenly, scaring the woman next to him who pinched his feet. Huarong paled.

Li Zhihe hurriedly said: "Old Ge, don't be irritable when you are in peace. It is better not to have conflicts if you can avoid conflicts. It is reasonable to make money with harmony. We are in peace with the West Thieves so far. It seems that this battle may be very fast. I won't fight any more, now I'm making more money, and in the future the two adults will go back to Beijing and take another high-level job. If you have money in hand, you can also clear up the relationship; you don't know the situation, who is bored and rich right now? If this Su Jin is sensible, we will take him to share, if not, it will not be too late to make a fuss."

Xu Wei quickly echoed, "That's right, Mr. Li's words are from the bottom of his heart, and they really make sense."

Ge Huaimin rolled his eyes, waved his hands and said impatiently: "Okay, okay, I'm on the bandit boat of you two anyway, it's up to you, let's go meet that kid, but today I want to invite him Eat something delicious, if he doesn't eat it, he won't give me face, then I will give him a good look."

Li Zhihe laughed and said: "You can do what you say, and it's good to give this kid a blow."

The three of them left the room, Xu Wei went up first, Ge Huaimin ordered the soldiers beside him to carry a large iron cage covered with black cloth, and followed Li Zhihe upstairs.