Late Tang

(Thanks to Wu Jian Sao Feng and Super Super Fast Runner for their support!)

The warm wind blowing through Bianqu in May makes people intoxicated.

The wealthy people who had left Song City a few days ago all returned one after another, and in the blink of an eye, Song Zhou returned to its former prosperity and bustle.Especially today, the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of May is one of the most lively days of the year for Songcheng.

Every year on the fifth day of May, the Dragon Boat Festival, Songcheng, a metropolis along the Bianqu Canal and also the shipbuilding center of Bianqu on the canal, will be quite lively on this day every year, and the most grand dragon boat race will be held.This is not only a non-governmental activity, but the government also gives strong support every year.Every year, there are hundreds of dragon boat races in Songzhou, and the rewards are even more generous.

Originally, this year was attacked by grass thieves, and many wealthy households fled Songzhou before.But now, although the grass thieves occupied the four counties of Songzhou, they were defeated by the Zhen [***] in the end, killing countless people and capturing them alive.For a while, the Dragon Boat Festival will be held as scheduled.

Moreover, Zhang Rui, the governor of Songzhou, intends to use this event to sweep away the previous atmosphere of panic. He wants to use this Dragon Boat Festival race to publicize the victory of Yucheng and win people's hearts again.For this reason, not only will the dragon boat race continue to be held this year, but it will also be the largest Dragon Boat Race in Songzhou in the past century.

For this race, Songzhou specially drew out a large amount of reward money, and those rich families and official families in Songcheng also donated a lot of money. The local clans in many places also sent their own dragon boat teams to come.In order to be more grand, Zhang Rui even beat Li Jing himself, and asked Zhen [***] to participate in this race.

On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, in the morning, the town [***] will hold a grand military parade by the river outside the city, and later, there will be a competition in the arena initiated by the town [***], regardless of the town [***] Soldiers or Songzhou people, regardless of their status, can participate. The final 72th, 36nd, [-]th, [-]th, [-]th, top three, and the leader will also receive a generous reward. [***] Those who have made an exception can also be included in the army and awarded military positions according to their rankings.

In addition to the military parade and martial arts competition, in the afternoon, there will be the most exciting traditional dragon boat race, with equally rich rewards. In addition, there will be polo competitions, cuju competitions, sumo competitions, archery competitions and other activities on the day.In addition, throughout the day, there will be a huge market starting in the morning, and there will be a night market and a lantern festival in the evening.

As early as three days ago, this lively Dragon Boat Festival celebration plan had spread throughout the eight counties below Songzhou, and even the surrounding counties of Chenzhou, Bianzhou, Caozhou, Haozhou, Xuzhou, and Yanzhou. Come on, countless businessmen, dignitaries, traffickers and pawns came.

This lively Dragon Boat Festival not only attracted a large number of nobles, eunuchs and scholars, but also countless merchants and peddlers, and even a large number of actresses, dancers, and Kabuki nearby came by horse and boat.At the same time, it also attracted a large number of thieves, robbers, swindlers, etc., and even many hungry refugees flocked here. .

Since last night, the vicinity of Songcheng has been full of people coming and going. By the time of the [***] military parade this morning, the entire Songcheng was already crowded with people. According to the report Zhang Rui received from the officials below, Song The number of people in the city is now several times higher than that of the Dragon Boat Festival in previous years. According to preliminary statistics, Songcheng has gathered no less than 30 people from at least eight directions.If Zhen [***] and their grassroots captives are added, Songzhou has gathered no less than 40 people, and the rest are rubbing shoulders and crowding each other.

In particular, the large number of hungry people coming from all sides far exceeded the expectations of Zhang Rui and others, which made them very nervous for a while, for fear of any accidents.Fortunately, Li Jing was willing to come forward, sent the town [***] to maintain order, and mobilized a horse of grain to set up a hundred porridge sheds outside Songzhou City, and finally appeased these refugees.

Zhang Hui'er also knew that today would be very lively. Last night, she spent a long time in front of her mother before finally getting her to agree to take her to watch the race outside the city today.In the past, every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, Song City was empty for thousands of people. Even noble ladies, women and servants would get permission to go to watch this rare grand event.But this year Zhang Rui is unwilling to let his daughter go out again. Firstly, his daughter is getting older, secondly, it is very chaotic outside this year, and thirdly, he is worried that his daughter will meet Li Jing again.

But in the end, he still couldn't resist his daughter's acting like a baby, Zhang Hui got A Niang to help, and Zhang Rui finally agreed.

Zhang Hui didn't have a chance to see the military parade in the morning, and Zhang Rui didn't agree with her to watch it.But she sent Lu Ya to go there, and according to Lu Ya's report, the military parade in the morning was very lively and grand, twenty thousand towns [***] had changed into neat and clean military robes, their armors were also polished, and the ranks were neat Incomparable.

After finally having lunch, Zhang Hui, Lu Ya, and Mrs. Aniangwang rode in a carriage together, under the guard of the servants of Zhang's family, and headed for the martial arts tournament on the bank of Bianqu outside the city.

The curtain of the carriage has two layers, the outer layer is a gauze curtain, and the inner pearl curtain is extremely fine and precious.Sitting in the carriage, he could see the outside through the bead curtain and gauze curtain.People outside could not see what was going on in the carriage.

The sapphire blue gauze curtain dyed the outside world blue. Outside the city wall, on the bank of the Bianqu, eighteen arenas have been set up. To the north, there is also a high stand with an excellent view. The tents were set up one after another, and they were divided into small private rooms and stands.

On both sides of the stand, tens of thousands of people came to watch. The competition has not started yet, but the place is already full of people who came early.

Outside the eighteen martial arts arenas, they were surrounded by gauze tents.In the venue surrounded by gauze tents, there are already countless heroes who have signed up and are making preparations.Zhang Hui looked at the magnificent scene with brilliant eyes, shining armor, tall horses, the enthusiastic shouts of the people, and colorful flags fluttering in the wind.

"This is even better than what is described in the lyrics!" When Zhang Hui and Wang Shi were led by several servants to the tent arranged for the Zhang family in the stands, she couldn't help sighing softly.Today's Zhang Hui also spent a long time seriously dressing up. He was wearing a fiery red pomegranate skirt and a large-sleeved shirt with the same gunpowder. The whole person looked like a fiery pomegranate in full bloom in May. Flowers, bright and moving.

Suddenly there was a loud cheer in the arena, and through the tulle in front of the tent, she was excited to see Li Jing riding out on the horse.

Li Jing was the undisputed focus of the entire audience. He was wearing a set of yellow unicorn armor, a jade sword, and a dazzling gold woven gold cloak. The war horse is more than one foot tall and the five-foot-high golden BMW.

Behind him are six times younger than Li Jing.These six people, Zhang Hui knew right away, they were the six disciples of Li Jing, the six yamen of Zhenguo that are now rumored everywhere in Songzhou.The six yamen of Zhenguo also attracted a lot of attention from the audience. They were all wearing golden armor, but this set of golden armor on them was slightly inferior to that of Li Jing.According to the father on the side, Li Jing's set was bestowed by the emperor. The real golden armor is not gilded or lacquered, but made entirely of gold.

"Gold is so soft, how can a armor made of gold go to the battlefield?" Zhang Hui was a little disbelieving.

Zhang Rui laughed, "Of course the golden battle armor can't be worn on a war horse. It's actually a general's uniform. The gold armor and the silk armor are the same, and they are not worn on the battlefield. For example, when Emperor Taizong put down Wang Shichong and returned to Chang'an, What I wear is a set of golden armor. Such armor is usually rewarded by the emperor, and 100 people dare not make it privately."

"The six yamen of the town state still have a set of golden armours, and all the golden armours and victories in the town [***] are all golden armours!" Zhang Hui was a little disbelieving.

"You know quite a lot, you girl." Zhang Rui was in a good mood today, and patiently explained to her daughter, "The golden armor in Liuya Nei is not made of pure gold, they are gilded armor, and they won the victory of the Czech army. The golden armor is just painted with a layer of gold paint on the outside."

Li Jing led six disciples to enter the arena, and then many Zhen [***] times also entered the arena one after another. They will all be the referees of today's martial arts competition.After all, today's victors can get a rare opportunity to directly enter the town [***] and be promoted to an officer.

The generals of the [***] town entered the referee's seat after showing a circle on the field, and then Li Jing announced that the warriors who had passed the registration and audition began to draw lots to compete.

There are many people who signed up for the martial arts competition. After a round of auditions yesterday, thousands of people still passed the auditions.Some of these people are soldiers from the town [***], some are soldiers from Songzhou, and some are the sons of eunuchs and merchants, and even the sons of nearby landlords, and even ordinary merchants and pawns. refuse.But if you want to be on stage, at least you have to be able to grasp and lift a stone lock of [-] catties, and walk fifty steps with a weight of [-] catties.

When Lu Ya saw that many of them were Songzhou officials and the children of those wealthy families, she couldn't help but exclaimed.There are also many people he doesn't know. Sometimes when he meets some famous children of rich families, Zhang Rui will introduce a few words beside him.

The three sworn brothers Zhu Wen, Zhu Zhen, and Zhu Cun are also among the warriors who have passed the audition, although Zhu Wen has already become the commander and has a hundred brothers under him.But right now, the Xuanfeng Army has just recruited [-] new soldiers and horses, and the fifth battalion of the Xuanfeng Army is about to be expanded into ten battalions.Although I dare not expect to become a battalion commander all at once, but if I can become a battalion coach, or lead a commander, or a battalion Sima, I still look forward to it.

Zhang Hui recognized Zhu Wen in the crowd, and found that he was the boy who had been looking at her stupidly outside the gate of the mountain temple in the suburbs. Unexpectedly, he also came to participate in this competition, and he was already dressed in town. ***]'s shirt.

Seeing Zhang Hui's gaze, Lu Ya pretended to be curious and asked, "Master, who is that person?"

Zhang Rui took a look and said with a smile: "This man has been very lucky recently. He is originally from Dangshan County. Last time he signed up to join the army, he was quite courageous. He was appreciated by Li Zhenguo and promoted to the leader of the team. In the battle of Yucheng, I heard that Li He made a great contribution, but he also violated discipline, and he could have been promoted to a deputy commander, but in the end he was only promoted to a commander."

It turned out to be a fellow from Dangshan, Zhang Hui glanced at Zhu Wen, at first he just thought he was a fool, but unexpectedly he was so powerful, he was appreciated by him, and Zhu Wen's name was immediately remembered in his heart. (To be continued.)