Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

This year Song Huizong started to make crazy moves, even the princesses were changed to emperor concubines, saying that he wanted to restore the Zhou Dynasty's royal concubine etiquette system.

Therefore, the tenth daughter of Song Renzong and the eldest princess of Yong Kingdom was renamed Ling De Jingxing eldest princess.

This Ling De Diji is also accomplished in history. She is one of the longest-lived princesses in ancient China. During the Jingkang Incident, the Jin soldiers abducted all the eldest daughters of Kaifeng, including babies over one year old. The only exception was the Princess Ling De, who lived to be eighty-seven years old!

Blizzards have been falling for several days, and even the maids in Duke Kang's mansion went to help clear the snow.

Qian Jingzhen, the prince-in-law and Duke of Kang Guo, was holding a tea cup in his hand and said with some difficulty: "Jiang Wei, the son-in-law of Mr. Tao Shan (Lu You's grandfather, Lu Dian), lost his wife a few days ago. Mr. Lu acted as a matchmaker and asked to marry the nine members of our family." mother."

Ling De Diji frowned and said, "Since Jiang Wei is Mr. Tao Shan's son-in-law, he must be quite young this year, right?"

Qian Jingzhen said: "He's not old either, he's only in his thirties."

"Bang!"

Ling De Diji slammed the table and said angrily: "Jiuniang is the daughter of the dignified Princess Wen'an, and she is marrying a junior official in her thirties as a second marriage? How dare they dare to speak!"

Qian Jingzhen said: "Cai Jing is so powerful that no one can control him..."

"I don't care about this," Ling De Diji flatly refused, "You have many concubines and concubines. If you want to have a marriage, just marry any concubine."

Qian Jingzhen hesitated to speak, but finally did not dare to speak again.

This Jiang Wei was born as a Tai student and had the same Jinshi education. He was sent to Jinyun County as a magistrate. A few years ago, he was transferred back to the capital to serve as a court official.

With such a status, he dared to ask to marry the princess, of course there were other reasons.

He was the beloved disciple and son-in-law of the late Assistant Prime Minister Lu Dian, and he was quite talented. The Qian, Tang, and Lu families have been married for generations. The Lu family acts as a matchmaker for their son-in-law and asks to marry the daughter of the Qian family in order to continue to consolidate the in-law relationship and at the same time expand the influence of their own faction.

It is true that Qian Jingzhen had many concubines, but the one who was most suitable for his age was only thirteen years old. It seems that we have to wait a few more years - Song Huizong was a political veteran. In history, Qian Jingzhen married off concubines. If Jiang Wei is given a new lease of life, Jiang Wei's career will be completely over. Jiang Wei had been promoted to Taichang Shaoqing, but was changed to Zongzheng Shaoqing by Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. Jiang Wei was so frightened that he quickly requested to be transferred to the provincial magistrate.

Ling De Diji said: "Since you are already the consort and have been granted the title of Duke of Kang, do you still think about greater wealth? It would be better for the Lu family and the Tang family to have less contact. They have long since lost power."

"My lady is right." Qian Jingzhen didn't want to argue.

The prince-in-law in the early Song Dynasty could best serve as a military governor. After Renzong, he could only serve as an observation envoy (Jiedushi). They are both Jiedushi, but their powers are completely different.

And Qian Jingzhen is a rare prince-in-law with real power!

When Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty ascended the throne, he seized power frantically. Qian Jingzhen's Jiedushi was sacked and renamed Shaoshi and Kang Guogong. He seems to be extremely noble, but in fact he has no power at all. He can only drink tea and walk birds in Kaifeng city every day.

Having tasted the delicious taste of power, how could he be willing to let it go?

Today's official family has no hope. These ministers who have lost power, as well as officials who are dissatisfied with Cai Jing, are quietly forming gangs and want to place bets on the prince.

The prince is thirteen years old this year. If he is taught well, he can still achieve success.

Most emperors of the Song Dynasty were short-lived. Song Huizong, who was in his early thirties, had no idea how many more years he could live.

The couple was feeling upset when suddenly the eldest son Qian Chen came to say hello: "My dear, meet your father and mother!"

"My good boy, come sit down and talk." Ling De Diji immediately turned from anger to joy.

Qian Chen sat down and took out a letter and a few pieces of paper.

His father was dismissed from the post of Jiedushi, and as a consolation, Qian Chen was appointed as an observation post (Jiedushi). This thing is illusory. The Song Dynasty lost its real power and eventually became a false position awarded to military attachés.

"Father and mother, please take a look." Qian Chen took out the pieces of paper and handed them over to the maid.

There are eight poems copied on the paper!

Qian Jingzhen, the consort, was a scholar himself and was quite talented when he was young. After reading only three poems, he couldn't help but ask: "Which talented person wrote this?"

Qian Chen said: "My uncle taught me about Lizhou Road, where there are a group of eight or so scholars."

Ling De Diji also liked poetry. She exchanged readings with her consort, read the poem "The Sapphire Case" again and again, and praised: "What a talented person!"

In the Song Dynasty, scholar was not only an honorific title for scholars, but also for Jinshi.

Jinshi is a scholar, and a scholar is a Jinshi. It originated from the Xiucai Department in the Tang Dynasty.

Qian Jingzhen asked: "How old is this person? Has he ever passed the examination?"

Qian Chen quickly handed over Lu Tixue's letter.

Qian Jingzhen finished reading the private letter and said happily: "He is only fifteen years old, and he is a genius. I will recommend him to the Imperial Academy and ask the chief minister to make him the princess!"

The prince-in-law was so happy that he wanted to recruit Ju Ming as his son-in-law.

Ling De Diji also loved talents very much, but she stopped him and said: "Although this man is talented, his status is low. When he enters the Imperial College and is promoted to the inner residence of the Imperial College, it will not be too late to bring up the matter of marriage."

"It will be too late by then. With such a talented person, I don't know how many people are rushing to recruit a son-in-law!" Qian Jingzhen was a little impatient. He was forming a clique and eagerly hoped for new blood to join.

Ling De Diji shook her head and said: "There is no rush. If you rush to betroth to the princess before you become an Imperial College student, wouldn't it mean that our daughter cannot get married?"

Qian Jingzhen was a little unhappy. He always felt that his wife was too short-sighted and acted too much like a princess.

Another half month passed.

The more than eight feet of snow gradually melted away, the weather cleared up, and I was finally able to go out normally.

Following Lu Tixue's recommendation, the consort Qian Jingzhen also wrote a letter of recommendation.

The two recommendation letters were like a mud cow entering the sea, making no waves at all.

Taixue was Cai Jing's stronghold. The more eager the Lu and Qian families were to recommend him, the more pressure the Ministry of Rites and Taixue had to suppress.

Qian Jingzhen had no choice but to spread Ju Ming's eight poems first.

As the Chinese New Year approaches, Taixue is on holiday.

Chen Dong, who had just entered Taixue for half a year, packed his luggage and prepared to go home.

He was from Danyang and came from a humble family. He only had a few hundred acres of land and his ancestors had not had any high-ranking officials for two or three generations. Logically speaking, it would be difficult for him to enter Imperial College. But his family is awesome, it is the Danyang Chen family, a branch of the Yimen Chen family!

If a talented person emerges from Xiaozong, the Danyang Chen family will definitely support him.

"Brother Shaoyang, there is a party today, why not leave tomorrow." Roommate Zhang Chao said.

Chen Dong said: "If it hadn't been for heavy snow and road closures, I would have gone home a month ago."

Zhang Chao said: "Sun Zhongyi will also come to the banquet today."

"But Mr. Dongpo's beloved disciple Sun Zhongyi?" Chen Dong suddenly became interested.

Zhang Chao smiled and said, "It's him."

Sun Zhongyi's real name was Sun Zhan, and he became Su Shi's disciple at the age of five. He has lived in Kaifeng for a long time and is famous for his poetic talent. Next year, he will pass the Ci subject (a kind of Enke, specializing in poetry and Fu). Later, he served as a censor, but was demoted to the magistrate because of petitions from imperial students.

And the initiator of that student petition was none other than Chen Dong!

Chen Dong and Zhang Chao went to Zhen'anfang to attend the meeting together.

The entertainment industry here is developed, with not only brothels and brothels, but also many tiles open to the public.

After the heavy snow cleared, it became even more lively. Kaifeng citizens who had been waiting for a long time came out in droves to spend the night.

In the countryside of Xixiang County, Shen Yourong picked tea for the Bai family and earned more than 20 cash a day. He already felt that he had received a high salary.

In Kaifeng, twenty cents a day can only meet survival needs, just enough to eat. Even women can earn thirty or forty cash a day doing sewing, starching, and washing. If they don't earn this much, they will starve to death!

Chen Dong took a taxi, which is low-carbon and environmentally friendly.

They arrived at a large brothel and were quickly invited to the inner courtyard.

The people attending the banquet today are all talented people. Many of them have already come and are having tea and chatting there.

Chen Dong sat down at the table and found that several acquaintances were all classmates of Taixue. He immediately bowed and said hello.

A group of young talents were chatting lively.

As they chatted, they began to praise the prosperous times, saying that the official family was a saint of the world, and that Cai Xianggong was a wise prime minister through the ages, expanding the scope of the Imperial Academy and benefiting thousands of scholars.

"boom!"

Chen Dong slammed the table and shouted angrily: "Old thief Cai Jing, a traitor who deceives the world and steals his reputation!"

The whole place was dead silent, and everyone was shocked.

Zhang Chao said quickly: "Brother Shaoyang, be careful what you say." He then smiled and smoothed things over, "Haha, Shaoyang is drunk, don't worry about it."

It would be strange if he didn't care. The scholars were too frightened to talk about it anymore, and instead they talked about poetry and poetry.

Not long after, Qian Chen and Sun Zhen came in hand in hand, and everyone stood up to pay their respects.

"Everyone, please sit down." Qian Chen, as the eldest son of the consort and the initiator of today's banquet, said with a smile, "Today's banquet for you all, there are two things. One is that there is a singer in this building, named Master Li. He has an excellent appearance and is proficient in music; secondly, I have recently obtained a few poems, and I dare not keep them to myself, but should share them with you."

"Pop!"

Qian Chen gave two high-fives.

There was a singer walking around with her maid inside the curtain, but only human figures could be seen.

The singer sat down and played the piano alone, while the band began to accompany her. Just listen to a sweet song: "The east wind blows thousands of flowers and trees at night. Even more, the stars are falling like rain. BMW carvings are full of fragrance. The phoenix flute is moving, the jade pot is spinning, and fish and dragons are dancing all night. Moths are snowing in willows. Golden strands. Laughter filled with dark fragrance. The crowd searched for him thousands of times. Suddenly looking back, that person was there, in the dimly lit place."

Chen Dongru heard the fairy music, closed his eyes and listened carefully.

When the song was played, everyone clapped their hands and praised: "Good lyrics, good singing voice, good piano skills!"

"It's embarrassing."

The singer said something, and the curtain was opened by the waiter.

Due to his low status, Chen Dong was only a student outside the imperial college. He was far away from the singer and could not see his appearance clearly.

But just looking at his body posture and every move he makes makes you feel like a spring breeze.

Master Li moved lightly and took a seat with a smile. Only then did Chen Dong see more clearly that she was indeed a beautiful woman.

Qian Chen said with a smile: "This song "The Blue Jade Case·Yuan Xiang" was written by a scholar from Xixiang County on Lizhou Road. His surname is Zhu Mingming and his courtesy name is Chenggong. What do you think?"

A scholar praised: "It is a masterpiece of poetry, but it is a pity in life that I could not see Zhu Chenggong with my own eyes!"

Qian Chen added: "This man has a thorough understanding of the Three Classics, and is impressed by Lizhou Tixue. He is also good at both civil and military affairs. He was recruited by the magistrate of Xixiang and served as the chief archer of Xixiang. He led troops to defeat the rebels several times, and even killed them. The chief secretary of Xixiang who recruited peace and rebellion."

"There are such people," Chen Dong slapped his thigh fiercely, "I wish I could ask him for advice in person!"

Amid everyone's admiration, Li Shishi drank a few drinks with them, then went to play the piano and sing: "This second poem was also written by Zhu Chenggong."