big song poppi

Chapter 664 Chapter 0661 [Blessing in disguise]

Dali Temple.

Compared with the prisons in Jingzhao Prefecture and Wucheng Bingmasi, the Dali Temple prison not only had a better environment but also had fewer prisoners.

After all, the prisoners who could be detained here were either officials or rebel leaders.

But no matter how good the environment is, it is still a prison.

On both sides of the quiet and dim corridor are prison cells.

In the deepest cell, a thin middle-aged man sat cross-legged on a simple wooden bed.

The cell was very simple. Apart from a wooden bed, there was only a toilet in the corner.

The faint smell of feces and urine mixed with the damp smell of mold filled the cell.

On the wall opposite the prison door, there was an iron window as big as a human head. The midday sun penetrated the narrow iron window, shooting in a beam of light, and falling on the middle-aged man.

Because the iron window is too small and the angle is too large, you can only enjoy the sunlight for half an hour at noon every day.

For a prisoner who has been detained in a large prison for a long time, this is a rare daily enjoyment.

Only when he basks in the sun can he feel alive.

As time went by, the beam of light gradually tilted and eventually disappeared completely.

"Tap tap tap~"

At this moment, a series of footsteps sounded in the deathly silent prison.

The footsteps came closer and closer, and finally stopped in front of the cell.

The sculpture-like middle-aged man trembled slightly and slowly raised his head. What came into view was a pair of white-soled deerskin boots with simple patterns outlined in gold thread, which looked like a tiger or a real dragon.

Further up, there is a white Confucian robe and a heroic face.

"...Your Majesty...Your Majesty."

Zhang Jun's lips moved a few times and he uttered two words with difficulty.

Not speaking for a long time almost made him lose his ability to speak.

The sound was hoarse and dry, like the friction of rusty iron.

Han Zhen looked at him quietly. Compared to when they met last year, Zhang Jun had lost a lot of weight, with sunken cheeks, prominent cheekbones, deep eye sockets, and a messy beard, making him look like a devil.

Opioid addiction is harder to break than you think.

Eating raw opium is obviously not comparable to smoking it. It causes greater harm to the body and the withdrawal reaction is more serious.

This is also why most of the Fujian officials who were controlled by opium died on the way to the capital.

He did not die from abuse by the escorting soldiers, but from withdrawal symptoms.

Han Zhen asked, "What happened?"

"I am fine now."

Zhang Jun stood up slowly. His frail body seemed like it could be blown down by a gust of wind, but he exuded a tenacious temperament and his bloodshot eyes were like a hungry wolf.

After overcoming his opium addiction, he has been completely transformed.

Countless days and nights, wandering between life and death, enduring pain and loneliness alone, made his mind extremely strong.

"You are allowed to rest for three days. Report to the military headquarters after three days."

After saying that, Han Zhen turned and left.

Pfft!
Zhang Jun knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times respectfully.

When he stood up again, a red mark appeared on his forehead.

After His Majesty left, the jailer of the Dali Temple immediately opened the cell door and presented a package with a smile.

The package contained a brand new military officer's uniform and a stack of silver coins.

After taking off his prisoner uniform, Zhang Jun, with the help of the jailer, washed off the dirt on his face with clean water, trimmed his messy beard, and changed into official uniform.

Soon, he transformed from a prisoner into a high-ranking official in the court.

"Thank you."

He took out a fifty-string green banknote and threw it on the ground.

The jailer knew his identity, so he was quite caring towards him on weekdays.

"Thank you General for the reward!"

The jailer's eyes lit up and he hurriedly bowed to express his gratitude.

After Zhang Jun's figure disappeared, he happily picked up the green money on the ground.

The good thing about being a jailer in Dali Temple is that you can make a lot of extra money.

Walking out of the prison, the fresh air made Zhang Jun feel refreshed. He breathed in the air greedily and bathed in the sunshine, feeling as if he was reborn.

While walking on the street, Zhang Jun suddenly stopped and sat down in front of a small stall on the roadside.

"A bowl of soup noodles with extra toppings."

He originally wanted to go to Fanlou, take a good bath, and then have a good meal.

But the aroma from the soup and noodle stall was too tempting.

The food in the Dali Temple Prison was only slightly better than that in Jingzhao Prefecture and Wucheng Bingmasi. There was less sand in the vegetable porridge and wheat rice, and two more pickles, that was all.

The stall owner smiled and replied, "Okay, please wait a moment, sir."

Zhang Jun was wearing official uniform, so he recognized him at a glance.

The people of Tokyo City have all seen the world, and are no longer surprised to see officials eating at street stalls; they just act a little more attentive.

In a short while, a large bowl of soup noodles was served, covered with a thick layer of toppings that had popped out.

Zhang Jun picked up the chopsticks and didn't care about the soup. He took a mouthful of toppings and a mouthful of noodles and ate voraciously.

Seeing this scene, the stall owner was a little stunned.

The way he ate was no less than that of refugees fleeing famine. His face was haggard and he exuded a faint foul odor all over his body.

If the other person had not been wearing a brand new official robe, he would have thought he was a beggar.

"My dear, eat slowly, don't burn yourself."

The stall owner attentively brought a bowl of cold water.

"one more bowl."

Zhang Jun slurped the soup and said in a muffled voice.

The stall owner then realized that the soup noodles in the bowl had been completely empty without him noticing.

"Hey, okay!"

The stall owner came to his senses, muttered to himself, and continued to cook the soup noodles.

Just then, the sound of gongs and drums was heard.

Zhang Jun picked up the bowl and sipped the noodle soup. He turned around and saw a wedding procession coming from the end of the street.

The wedding procession was grand, with two strong men each carrying a bag, and they kept grabbing copper coins and throwing them to the people watching on both sides.

The people immediately rushed to grab the items, and regardless of whether they managed to grab them or not, they would all smile and congratulate.

The team soon came in front of Zhang Jun. The groom was riding on a tall horse, wearing a red robe, with a peony flower as big as a bowl pinned to his ear, covering most of his face.

Zhang Jun took a quick glance and felt that the man looked familiar.

The wedding procession was so huge that it stretched for three miles.

While waiting for the soup and noodles, Zhang Jun asked casually, "Whose wedding is so grand?"

"My husband, don't you know?"

The stall owner was surprised, then suddenly realized, "My husband must have come to Beijing to report on his work. The one getting married today is Commander Liu."

Liu Dushuai?
Oh, the youngest son of Liu Zhongwu, fought with the enemy on the battlefield when the rebellion was suppressed in Shandong a few years ago.

The stall owner boasted, "Although General Liu is only a fourth-rank military officer, he is a loyal official who rose from humble beginnings with the emperor and fought his way up from Shandong. His marriage with Miss Fang was also chosen by His Majesty, and the emperor favors him. Moreover, General Liu's uncle is now the prime minister, so how can the ceremony be small?"

Zhang Jun nodded but said nothing.

In the past, he would have been envious, but at this moment he felt very calm.

He is a warrior, he achieves fame and honor through horse riding and wealth through sword fighting. What's the point of envy?

……

Zhang Jun was a capable person, but he was previously unruly and arrogant. After what happened to Fang Qifo and the hardships he went through in prison, he turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Han Zhen planned to send him to Hehuang and manage Longyou together with Yang Yi Zhong to prepare for the future attack on Western Xia.

The Silk Road has been disconnected for too long. It's time to reopen it.

Li Qianshun saw all his actions, but he could do nothing except feel anxious.

The game between countries has always been an open and aboveboard conspiracy.

There is no conspiracy or intrigue as imagined. What is being competed is economy, population, military and technology. As for diplomacy, it is just an extension of these.

When Western Xia faced the State of Qi, all of the above were crushed.

In terms of population, the permanent population in Bianjing city alone was almost half of the population of Western Xia.

In terms of military affairs, leaving aside firearms and artillery, who wouldn’t be afraid of the reputation of the Qingzhou Iron Cavalry?
As for economy, agriculture, technology, etc., there is no need to mention it.

In this situation, what can Li Qianshun do?
If he had any other choice, he would not use any tactics to sow discord against Gao Qingyi.

Even though Qi State has not taken any action yet, Western Xia has been completely locked down. Relying only on that barren land and a population of several million, no matter how Li Qianshun struggles, he cannot make any waves.

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In fact, if Li Yuanhao had not rushed into Guanzhong that year, Xixia was destined to survive only in the cracks.

In the past, with the support of the Liao Kingdom, the country had the best of both worlds. Whenever there was a crisis, the country would ask for help from the Liao Kingdom. That’s how the country could survive until now.

After the Jin Dynasty conquered the Liao Dynasty, it immediately became a vassal and paid tribute to the Jin Dynasty.

But things are different now. The Jin Kingdom has lost the Xijing Road and the Shangjing Road and is isolated in a corner. Yelu Dashi Ni Bodhisattva can hardly save himself when crossing the river, and no one can help Xixia anymore.

However, Western Xia had to face the Qi State, which was several times stronger than the Zhao and Song Dynasties, alone. This pressure, like a mountain, weighed heavily on the hearts of everyone in the Western Xia court.

Overt conspiracy has been unsolvable since ancient times. Either the Qi army is defeated on the battlefield in a fair and square manner. Only in this way can Western Xia have a chance of survival.

After leaving the Dali Temple, Han Zhen wandered around the city for a while.

Liu Chang reminded quietly: "Your Majesty, the wedding banquet is about to begin."

"Well, let's go."

Han Zhen nodded, mounted his horse and headed towards Liu Qi's residence.

Today is Liu Qi's wedding day. Even if this guy does something stupid, he has to go and sit for a while no matter what.

……

Liu Qi's mansion in the capital was a reward from Han Zhen, and its previous owner was Bai Shizhong.

Although it is not as good as the mansions of the old noble families of Pan, Cao, Gao, Guo, and Cai Jing and others, it is also the best.

The mansion is only three streets away from Fanlou. It has four entrances and exits, pavilions, towers, rockery and waterside pavilions. There is also a large artificial lake in the north courtyard, which is planted with lotus flowers.

At this time, the Liu Mansion was decorated with lights and was extremely lively.

There were so many officials coming to congratulate that the courtyard was filled with people.

Xie Ding was his mother's uncle and the chief minister of the cabinet, so he naturally sat in the main seat to entertain the guests.

The ones who could accompany him were naturally the ministers and presidents of various ministries and agencies.

Chang Yukun walked into the lobby, bowed with a smile on his face and said, "Brother Shouqi, I am a little late. Please forgive me."

"Bojong is so polite."

Xie Ding stood up and walked over to him, pulling him to sit down.

"Where's the groom?"

Chang Yukun looked around.

Xie Ding replied: "That bastard went to entertain his colleagues in the military."

When talking about Liu Qi, a hint of anger flashed in his eyes.

It's really that what this nephew did was so shameless that he brought shame upon him.

That day in the government office, in front of all his colleagues, Fang Wuyong grabbed his sleeve and demanded an explanation. He was so embarrassed that he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

Even if Xie Ding is shameless, the Fuyang Xie family still needs him!

Chang Yukun was the second assistant minister of the cabinet. He naturally witnessed the whole thing that happened that day. He couldn't help but comfort him, "Young people should be full of vigor and vitality, wearing fine clothes and riding horses. If they are like us old guys, how can we still be called young people?"

"Haha, what Prime Minister Chang said is absolutely right."

This remark made everyone laugh. Who hasn't done some ridiculous things when they were young?

While everyone was talking and laughing, the butler walked quickly into the lobby and whispered something in Xie Ding's ear.

Xie Ding's face changed and he quickly stood up.

Seeing this, Zhao Ting on the side asked curiously: "Xie Xiang, what happened?"

Xie Ding explained: "His Majesty is coming, I will go to greet him."

"Go together, go together."

Hearing this, everyone stood up one after another.

When I left the lobby, I saw Han Zhen greeting officials in the courtyard.

"I have met His Majesty."

Xie Ding and others bowed and saluted.

Han Zhen waved his hand to stop everyone from bowing: "Today is Uncle Xin's big day, no need to be polite."

"Your Majesty, please come in."

Xie Ding said this and welcomed Han Zhen into the lobby.

Now that His Majesty has arrived, the main seat should naturally belong to His Majesty.

After a round of toasts, Xie Ding and others played the game of flying flowers.

These people are all well-educated and can recite poems and songs fluently. When they are in a good mood, they can even compose poems on the spot.

Even Shi Wenhui was a juren. Although he failed the imperial examinations several times, he had great talent in poetry.

After drinking a few glasses, Han Zhen found an excuse to leave.

The military headquarters was arranged in a side hall, and the games played by these warriors were much more appealing to both the elite and the masses, such as tossing pots.

This banquet game originated in the Western Zhou Dynasty and is still popular today.

"His Majesty!"

Seeing Han Zhen, all the generals stood up.

"sit."

Han Zhen gave an order, and then said to the groom: "Now that you are married, you should be more stable from now on."

"I saved it."

Liu Qi replied with a wry smile.

Han Zhen took off a small seal from his waist and threw it over: "Today is your wedding day. I came here in a hurry and didn't prepare any gifts. This is for you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Liu Qi was overjoyed when he caught the small seal steadily.

This small seal is bright red all over with an oily luster. It is carved from the finest chicken blood stone. It was the seal that Han Zhen carried with him when he was the county magistrate in Shandong.

Now that he is the emperor and has the six seals of the emperor, this seal has naturally become a decoration, but it is of great significance.

Huang Kai's eyes were envied and his mouth was almost watering with envy.

Although Yao Pingzhong and his gang of surrendered generals did not understand, it was after all taken off from His Majesty's waist and was obviously a close-fitting item, so they were all very envious.

Tsk!
There's nothing we can do. It's because they are the ones who followed the dragon and joined the gang before the rebellion started.

After drinking a few cups with the generals, Han Zhen got up and left.

When he is here, others can't let go.

The status is different now and it will never be the same as before.

Even when Xiao Chong, Gu Song and others were drinking with him, they were not as casual as before, but rather a little restrained.

Although they hid it well, Han Zhen could still feel it.

It is absolutely true that those in power are lonely.

After being emperor for several years, Han Zhen has gradually learned to get used to loneliness.

(End of this chapter)