People in the Song Dynasty were lawless

Chapter 285: The rear garden undergoes a sudden change, luring the snake out of its hole

In late June, the entire Bianliang was shrouded in mist and rain.

It rained for seven or eight days. Although it was not heavy rain, just moderate rain or light rain, it also made the water in the Bian River rise a bit.

The Bianhe River naturally has more than this throughput, but recently the lower reaches are widening the river channel, building dams to block water, building diversion canals, and irrigating farmland, so the water level has risen a bit.

In the rolling river water, yellow sand surges up and down. As a tributary of the Yellow River, the Bianhe River obviously also carries a large amount of sediment, making it turbid.

The people of Kaifeng have long been accustomed to all this. The only good news is that since the Zhiyuan cleared away evil forces such as Wuyou Cave and Guifan Tower underground, the successor Kaifeng Mansion has been working on the reconstruction of the sewers.

Today's sewer system is much wider than before after spending a lot of money to hire the people at the bottom of Bianliang and some Xiang troops to repair it. Basically, it is difficult for ordinary floods to completely submerge the city.

The only consequence is that the imperial court has been carrying out large-scale construction projects in recent years, and the continuous spending has led to an increasingly empty state treasury, making even the size of the 26th birthday party for Empress Cao much smaller.

The banquet was held in the back garden.

The queen usually lives in Kunning Hall, and you can reach the back garden through the back door.

Worried that the poisonous buildings in the palace would harm the health of the royal family, Zhao Zhen built several more wooden palaces on the west side of the Silkworm Palace in the Houyuan.

After the regular meetings were transferred from Houyuan to Chongzheng Hall, he took the royal family to live here.

This time, no heavy metals such as cinnabar, mercury, and lead were used to prevent insects, so it should be much safer.

Because it was raining lightly outside and Zhao Jun was cutting down the royal family's expenses, there was no big or special event, just an ordinary family banquet in Yichenminglou next to Qincan Palace.

There were three tables in the building. In addition to Zhao Zhen and his wife, Zhao Jun and his wife, there were also the former Master Yu, and the current Concubine Yu and Zhao Xin.

Then there are the many prime ministers of the Constitutional Yuan, plus Zhao Zhen's uncle Li Yonghe and Cao Cong, Cao Xiu, Cao Ren and other Cao family members.

"The national treasury's expenditures have been quite large recently. If this continues, there may be a fiscal deficit as soon as next year. Should we introduce some new policies to ease the fiscal deficit?"

The banquet in the building had not yet started, and before Zhao Zhen and Zhao Jun arrived, everyone had already arrived, chatting in groups.

Song Shou said to Yan Shu next to him: "In the morning, Xia Song sent over the expenses for the first half of this year. In addition to the original military expenditures, construction expenditures have also been greatly increased. There are disasters in the local area and disaster relief is required. The national treasury's It’s not a good situation.”

"Well, there is no other way. Hanlong also said that this is a period of labor pains. Most of the original national treasury balance came from selling state-owned assets. This method will definitely not last long, but the official family has quite a lot of internal funds."

Yan Shu touched his chin beard and came up with Zhao Zhen's idea.

The money for the treasury came from the sale of state-owned assets such as tea mountains, salt fields, and mines. The money for Zhao Zhen's internal funds mainly came from the collection of corrupt officials by Zhao Jun in his early days.

In the Song Dynasty, unlike the Ming Dynasty, the treasury and internal funds were not clearly separated. It was common for the emperor to allocate funds from internal funds to the treasury.

For example, in the second year of Jingyou's reign, there was a severe drought in Huainan. Zhao Zhen transferred 200,000 silk from internal funds to the treasury to help Huainan deduct taxes, thus exempting Huainan from taxes.

Therefore, if the national treasury is gone, you can indeed ask Zhao Zhen to allocate internal funds.

"The report from Jingdong Road was also sent in today. The situation in the army is worrying. There has been a long-standing phenomenon of soldiers at the bottom being beaten, withheld military pay, transferred to labor service by their superiors, and even killed. The situation is even more serious than the situation in Gyeonggi Road."

On the other side, Cai Qi and Jiang Tang were also talking.

Jiang Tang sighed: "This is the court's dereliction of duty and failed to do these tasks well. Fortunately, the Imperial Academy attaches great importance to this matter, and it must be rectified vigorously this time. The shortcomings have lasted for too long. No wonder the army of the Song Dynasty was so miserable later. hit."

"The phenomenon is still too common, and it is not easy to solve it within a period of time. I am afraid that during this period, I will have to work overtime to handle all the affairs of the army."

Next to him, Wang Zeng made a conversation.

At the table on the right, Sheng Du and Zhang Shixun were also talking.

They were talking about the tax situation this year.

Agricultural taxes have been reduced for two years from the second year of Qingli to now. People's livelihood in the country has recovered well. The imperial court has also been purchasing grain to maintain the price of grain at more than 200 yuan per stone.

It's just that they are currently unable to make ends meet. They are talking about whether they should increase the customs tariff from the original 10% to the 15% during Zhao Kuangyin's time. In this way, there will be an additional 10 million yuan per year. Maritime trade tax.

While everyone was talking in twos and threes, Wang Shouzhong came in and shouted.

"Your Majesty is here! The Queen is here! The Concubine is here!"

Zhao Zhen and his wife were the first to go up the stairs to the second floor, followed by Concubine Yu, who was holding the second son of the emperor, and Zhao Jun and his wife.

"See your majesty, see your empress!"

Everyone quickly bowed their hands and saluted.

"Without courtesy, all ministers, please take a seat."

Zhao Zhen walked towards his table from the stairs and pressed his hands down, indicating for them to sit down.

Everyone then returned to their seats and sat down.

The three tables were arranged in a triangle shape, with Zhao Zhen, Zhao Jun, their husband, their children, and Concubine Yu sitting at the main table.

The rest of the people sat on both sides.

Zhao Zhen looked around with a smile and said: "Today is a family banquet to celebrate the Queen's birthday. Let's not talk about state affairs, but family matters."

He had just heard the prime ministers talking outside the door. Although it was good to talk about state affairs all the time, which proved that they were indeed handling state affairs, it was a birthday banquet after all, so it was better to talk about something else.

As he spoke, he looked at Zhao Jun and said, "Hanlong, I heard that you specially prepared a birthday gift for the queen?"

"It's not a good gift, just a birthday cake."

Zhao Jun said with a smile.

Birthday cake is not difficult to make, just milk, eggs, and flour.

When he was in college, he worked in a pastry shop. Although he was a waiter and not a pastry chef, he learned a little bit about the basic processes.

"Oh?"

When Zhao Zhen heard about the rumored birthday cake, he was surprised and said: "Hanlong still has this skill, why didn't he make it for me before?"

"."

Zhao Jun rolled his eyes.

I'm thinking about my previous attitude towards you. Don't you have any doubts in your mind?

How much effort did you have to put in at the beginning before you were willing to let go of your power?

Do you deserve to eat the cake I made for you if you act like this?

However, thinking that the relationship between him and Zhao Zhen's grandparents had greatly improved in the past two years, Zhao Jun found an excuse and said: "Isn't it busy before? There were things to deal with everywhere. Now the country is on the right track, and I can have a little leisure time." Let’s do something else.”

Zhao Zhen did not doubt that he was there, and said with a smile: "Then bring it up quickly and let me have a taste."

"Old Wang, serve!"

Zhao Jun waved to Wang Shouzhong.

The food in the palace was strictly controlled. Although he brought things in from outside the palace, they had to be reviewed by Wang Shouzhong, which naturally prevented people from poisoning.

The food has actually been prepared a long time ago. The royal chef in the palace not only has to be monitored while cooking, but also has to taste it first by himself and the people in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

After it is cooked, it must be guarded by someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If it is confirmed that it is not poisonous and fatal, it can be heated before serving.

Therefore, ancient emperors were quite pitiful sometimes. In order to prevent being poisoned, they often had to eat cold dishes. No wonder Puyi said in his autobiography that when he was emperor, he never even tasted hot food.

The food was served quickly.

It was almost too cold, so Zhao Jun made three large cakes, and there was cream, which was made of gelatin boiled from pig skin, plus milk and sugar. It was very simple.

A piece of the three cakes had been cut, and there was still a little cream on the corner of Wang Shouzhong's mouth that had not been wiped clean. As Zhao Zhen's loyal servant, he was naturally the first to donate and taste the cake to see if there was any poison.

"It's really cake."

Zhao Zhen stretched out his head and saw that although the birthday cake was roughly made, it was exactly the same as what he saw in the movie. He couldn't help but happily picked up a piece of cream on it with chopsticks and put it into his mouth.

Immediately, the sweet smell of soft oil surged up, making him feel comfortable all over.

"Queen, dear concubine, please try it."

He praised it full of praise: "It's very sweet and delicious."

"Father, I want to eat, I want to eat."

Three-year-old Zhao Xin shouted.

"Okay, Father, I'll give you a piece."

Zhao Zhen smiled and picked up a piece for him with chopsticks. Compared with Zhao Fang, the eldest son who was trained by the emperor, he preferred the second son Zhao Xin to Zhao Xin, who was strict.

Zhao Fang next to him glanced enviously, and Zhao Jun whispered something into Cao Miaoxin's ear. Cao Miaoxin took a chopstick and handed it to his nephew: "Come on, Fang'er, you can eat too."

Zhao Fang secretly glanced at Queen Cao, saw Queen Cao nodded slightly in approval, then picked up the chopsticks and ate the cake in the bowl.

The royal family's family banquet was not very warm, and there were some miscellaneous rules. For example, the emperor's eldest daughter Zhao Qinghan and her mother Zhang Meiren were not allowed to come.

But it was only for a while.

What's more, Zhao Jun has no way to interfere in the internal affairs of the royal family. He can only give advice to Zhao Zhen. As for how to educate the children, that is another matter.

However, Queen Cao's teachings were quite strict, and she planned to let the children worship under Zhao Jun after a while, when Zhao Jun was almost busy with state affairs, so that it would be easier for them to grow up in the future.

After the banquet started, everyone concentrated on the food, occasionally whispering to each other, and the banquet was full of rustling sounds.

And just when the family dinner was being held.

At this moment, about ten people of the imperial army came outside Yingyang Gate.

The guards guarding Yingyang Gate were puzzled and scolded: "What are you doing here? Don't you know that His Majesty is having a banquet in Guanjia Hall?"

Yang Huaimin, deputy governor of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, stepped forward and took out the palace card and said: "Your Majesty asked me to wait for a change of defense."

"Yes!"

The gatekeepers didn't think much about it, so they lined up and left.

As soon as they left, Yang Huaimin waved behind him.

In an instant, more than a hundred forbidden troops emerged from the right side of the palace road in the direction of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Some of these people looked nervous, some had serious faces, and some were trembling, as if they were making up their minds.

But what remains unchanged is that everyone is armed.

"go!"

The leaders Yang Huaimin, Deng Baoji, Yan Xiu, Guo Kui, Wang Sheng, Sun Li and others immediately rushed into the rear garden.

There were many soldiers in the back garden, but he had already figured out their patrol tracks, so he shuttled among the hills, woods, and ponds in the back garden without anyone noticing, and he had already approached the outside of Guanjia Hall in the distance.

"kill!"

When Yang Huaimin and others saw that there were only twenty or thirty guards outside the Guanjia Hall, they rushed over without hesitation.

There's no point in hiding it now.

Because there is an open field outside Guanjia Palace, they will definitely be discovered as long as they pass through the woods, so it is better to start charging directly.

As expected, the guards outside Guanjia Hall noticed them. Everyone was stunned for a moment. When they saw that there were many people on the other side, they started to flee in all directions, shouting and making noises.

"Hahahahahaha."

Seeing this, Yang Huaimin was overjoyed, and then ran all the way outside the Guanjia Hall and kicked open the door.

Unexpectedly, the hall was empty.

"what happened?"

"On the second floor."

"Let's go up."

Yang Huaimin, Deng Baoji and others immediately picked up their weapons and went upstairs.

But the second floor was also empty.

"Why is there no one?"

Now Yang Huaimin and the others panicked.

Deng Baoji shouted: "Maybe it's in Qinsi Palace, go there and have a look."

"go!"

Everyone immediately went downstairs.

"What's going on outside?"

At Chenming Tower, everyone was puzzled when they heard the noise outside.

Zhao Jun and Zhao Zhen looked at each other. Zhao Zhen's eyes showed horror, while Zhao Jun's face was calm.

Things turned out exactly as he expected.

"Someone must have rebelled."

Zhao Jun took a mouthful of rice and said calmly.

After he said this, Queen Cao and Cao Miaoxin jumped up from their seats like a cat's tail that had been stepped on.

Then the two of them almost pulled out the knife from the waist of the guard next to them in the same movement.

One pulled Zhao Fang and protected Zhao Zhen. The other one pulled Zhao Tan and protected Zhao Jun.

"Officials, follow me and my concubines."

"Husband, let's go! Go downstairs!"

Their situations were different. Queen Cao wanted to stay at the stairs.

Because she didn't know how many enemies were coming, she could only occupy the favorable terrain and wait until reinforcements arrived.

Cao Miaoxin wanted to run out with Zhao Jun.

The others were frightened and at a loss, and Concubine Yu was even more disfigured.

Only Fan Zhongyan and others immediately walked to the railing on the second floor to see what was going on outside.

But at this time, Zhao Zhen and Zhao Jun were actually quite calm. Zhao Zhen patted Queen Cao's hand and said, "Don't worry, Queen, Han Long has arrangements."

Zhao Jun put down his bowls and chopsticks and calmly said: "This defense against thieves for a thousand days is still somewhat useful. I didn't expect that I could really hang someone out this time."

As he spoke, he stood up, walked to the railing, and looked out.

I saw more than a hundred rebels outside, huffing and puffing towards the Qincan Palace.

Someone saw someone on the railing on the second floor of Chenming Tower looking at them, and shouted: "They are over there, kill them!"

"Kill!"

The rebels headed here without hesitation.

"Hanlong, did you expect this?"

At this time, everyone gathered at the railing. Seeing the rebels coming, only Fan Zhongyan remained calm.

"Ah."

Zhao Jun nodded, then took out the whistle in his arms and blew it loudly: "Dudududududu!"

"Kill!!!"

The main gate of Qincan Palace and the doors of several nearby buildings suddenly opened.

Even the door of Chenming Tower was opened.

In an instant, countless guards were hidden in the building, and they rushed over like a tide.

　Don't think there's anything wrong with the plot, it's something recorded in official history.

　　

　

(End of this chapter)