Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

After Zhu Ming visited various states and counties in Nanyang, he received a reply from Ge Shengzhong on his way back south.

After reading the letter, Ju Ming asked: "How do you think he will reply?"

Shi Yuangong flattered him and said, "Since the Generalissimo wrote the letter personally and treated him with courtesy, Governor Ge should naturally burst into tears of gratitude and bow before him!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Zhu Ming couldn't stop laughing and couldn't help but said: "Old Shi, you are not honest at all. Your skills have not improved much, but you have become more and more proficient in flattering others. Are you going to be that flattering minister in the future?"

"It's just telling the truth, not flattering your Majesty." Shi Yuangong refused to admit it.

Ju Ming put away his smile: "I wrote to him to ask him how to govern the people, and he actually wrote back and taught me how to govern the people. It's a pity that most of the words are clichés, there is really nothing new, and they are far less attractive than his lyrics."

For example, when it comes to making the country rich and its people strong, Ge Shengzhong's idea is that everyone should settle down in his or her own right. The powerful will not take away the interests of the people, the government will not take the interests of the powerful, and the central government will not take the interests of the localities.

He said that in the Song Dynasty now, the interests of the people were usurped by the powerful, the interests of the powerful were usurped by the government, and the interests of the localities were usurped by the central government. All the benefits of the world were concentrated in one person, Huizong of the Song Dynasty. Such oppression at all levels resulted in everyone from the central government to the local governments, from the powerful to the common people, being impoverished and unable to stabilize.

He believed that the Yuanfeng Constitution should be restored to ensure the legitimate interests of all classes and local officials. In this way, the world will be in great order.

In terms of business, Ge Shengzhong believes that market management should be strengthened, but attention should be paid to protecting the interests of businessmen. Today's Song Dynasty seems to strictly control business, but in fact it doesn't care at all and only knows how to tax merchants.

Shi Yuangong took it and read it carefully and said, "Everything makes sense, why is the Grand Marshal still not satisfied?"

Ju Ming said: "Perhaps this is the first written conversation. His words are too general. Any other person can make some sense. What I want is his concrete experience in governing the people after more than 20 years of service as an official." practice."

Shi Yuangong smiled and said: "He answered like this because he was comparing himself to his prime minister and formulating a general strategy for the country. But the marshal's request was to regard him as a civil affairs official. When the marshal replied, he must not be too explicit. , otherwise he will feel that he is being underestimated.”

"That's right, you can't ask for too much, and you can't ask for too low." Zhu Ming nodded.

Ge Shengzhong's greatest political achievement was the continued revision of "Taichang Yinge Li". The previous chief author of this book was Ouyang Xiu.

This gentleman is knowledgeable, cares about people's livelihood, is familiar with history, and is familiar with policies and changes of the past century. Ask him to formulate a general strategy for the country, and Ge Shengzhong can talk about it for a whole day, but he is actually not very good at specific governance.

Because the starting point of Ge Shengzhong's official career was too high, he spent most of his time as a noble official, either in charge of the Imperial College and Imperial College, or working in the Ministry of Rites and compiling books for the court.

Specifically, as a political officer, he only served as a magistrate for two years before joining the army, that is, as a magistrate. He was also demoted to serve as the magistrate of Xiuning County for several years, and the rest is the current magistrate of Ruzhou.

When Ju Ming stayed in Dengzhou, he wrote a reply to Ge Shengzhong, which was sent to Ruzhou in the middle of winter.

…

"What did Mr. Zhu say?" Ge Lifang asked.

Ge Shengzhong smiled and said, "See for yourself."

After reading the letter, Ge Li-fang was delighted and said: "Mr. Zhu adopted his father's words and accepted advice with an open mind. My father can continue to reply to the letter and write more of his own ideas for governing the country."

"I'm afraid there's no chance." Ge Shengzhong took out another letter.

This letter was sent from Tokyo by the great writer Chen Yuyi, saying that the eunuch Li Yan was angry and openly clamored to remove Ge Shengzhong from his position as editor-in-chief.

Chen Yuyi is still not well-known now. He will have to go through the humiliation of Jingkang to really become famous. Fortunately for the country, the poet was unfortunate. Under the baptism of endless pain, Chen Yuyi left a large number of masterpieces handed down from generation to generation. He can be called the first lyricist and poet in the early Southern Song Dynasty.

It was precisely because of Ge Shengzhong's recommendation that Chen Yuyi came to Beijing to serve as Tai Xuezheng. Now he has been promoted to Fu Baolang, in charge of various seals and letters of the outer dynasty.

Ge Lifang said: "Simply go south and go straight to Mr. Zhu!"

"Let's wait and see." Ge Shengzhong still had a glimmer of hope for the emperor.

Soon, hope was dashed.

A few years ago, Ge Shengzhong was demoted to the magistrate of Ruzhou because of his opposition to Huashi Gang.

Now, because of his opposition to the Xicheng Institute, Ge Shengzhong was demoted to the deputy envoy of Huzhou Tuanlian.

Even Chen Yuyi was implicated. Fu Baolang, who was in charge of the imperial seal, was directly demoted to Chen Liu as the wine tax supervisor.

Looking at the relegation document sent from the capital, Ge Shengzhong shook his head and smiled bitterly: "It's really difficult for the court to do something now. I didn't even do anything serious, I just opposed the remnant people in the fields in Xicheng, even the governor. Can’t go down anymore.”

"What are you still hesitating about, father?" Ge Li Fang asked anxiously.

Ge Shengzhong said: "First I wrote a letter of thanks to the court, resigned from the Huzhou regiment training position, and said that I would go back to my hometown to live in seclusion. We can't let that faint king know that my father and son have defected to Hanzhong, so as not to hurt the tribesmen in Danyang."

There was light snow falling in the sky. Ge Shengzhong took his wife, children, concubines and servants, sealed his official seal and left Ruzhou City silently.

I don’t know how the news got out, but nearly a thousand people came to see this confused prefect who drank and wrote poems all day and didn’t care about anything.

The eyes of the common people are sharp. Yingchang Mansion next door has been harmed by Xicheng, making it difficult for the people to live.

In Ruzhou, because of the obstruction of Ge Shengzhong, the land covered by Xicheng was very slow, and only part of the countryside was exploited. If Ge Shengzhong leaves, Ruzhou will definitely be miserable next year.

"Prefect, please stay here!"

A big landowner from the outskirts of the city, with a fortune, actually knelt down in the snow.

Big landowners will definitely not be bankrupted by Xicheng, but once they are targeted by Xicheng, all taxes related to land will be doubled!

Common people knelt down one after another, and most of them were landlords, and many businessmen were also there, because they were the best informed, but the real common people did not know that Ge Shengzhong was leaving.

Ge Shengzhong personally helped a few people up and sighed: "I'm really ashamed. I have been in charge of Ruzhou for several years, and I have been eating nothing every day and ignoring the common affairs, but you are so kind to persuade me to stay. The court has already made other appointments, so this matter is difficult to do. Turn around, just hope that the next governor of the state can... That's all, we will go our separate ways."

Before the Ru River froze, Ge Shengzhong boarded the boat and sailed away, leaving behind a place full of crying people.

The big landowners were just feeling sad, but the small landowners were really crying. They were very likely to be forced to lose their families.

When the boat arrived in Xiangcheng County, Ge Shengzhong asked his servant to continue taking the boat back to his hometown, so as to report a message to his clan members in his hometown. He himself took his wife and children, abandoned the ship and took the land route to Xiangyang, and then followed the Zhu family and his son.

If officials who care about the people dare to confront those traitors, they will be demoted one after another.

Chen Yuyi, who was implicated by Ge Shengzhong, also sadly left Tokyo and went to Chenliu to collect wine taxes.

Historically, Chen Yuyi served as deputy prime minister under Zhao Gou. Because Zhao Gou was unwilling to make the Northern Expedition, Chen Yuyi was so angry that he resigned from his position as deputy prime minister and refused to hold office again until he died of illness.

The new magistrate of Ruzhou was named Xie Kui. He later died fighting against the Jin. He also took the initiative to lead troops northward and died fighting the Jin soldiers.

No matter how courageous he is, he can't stop the eunuch Kuotian, otherwise he will end up like Ge Shengzhong.

Ruzhou is expected to be filled with refugees again next year.

…

Ju Ming has returned to Xiangyang, and he still doesn't know that the governor of Ruzhou has been replaced.

Returning to the Generalissimo's Mansion, he slept in Zhang Jinping's room that night. The next day he went to see Li Shishi and also called Pei Chang'e.

Master Li was overjoyed and quickly prepared food and drinks. Among the several wives and concubines, she was considered the least favored.

Pei Chang'e is also very happy because she is too young and will only turn sixteen next year. Ju Ming has never touched her. I often feel sad and think that I lack charm and can only stay alone in an empty house for the rest of my life.

But Zhu Ming came with Chinese cabbage in his arms. As soon as he entered the yard, he said: "Let the cook cook it some other time to taste it. This is different from ordinary Chinese cabbage and cabbage. It is the result of my father's cultivation for several years. It is already enough to make a meal." , although the packaging is not tight yet, the output has increased a lot, and someone was specially sent from Hanzhong."

Master Li took the two cabbages and held them in his arms, feeling dumbfounded.

A famous courtesan in the capital, who could be considered a talented woman, became a good concubine. The first gift she received from her husband was cabbage.

Master Li was embarrassed for a few seconds and then said: "Since the vegetables are cultivated by the boss, they must be extraordinary. I think they taste very good."

"You will know after eating it. It has a sweet taste," Ju Ming said. "This product can benefit all people. Not only does it have a high yield, it can be stored in the cellar for a long time in winter."

"Sister, let me carry you in." Pei Chang'e is also very discerning. She doesn't know how to please Ju Ming, so she can only try to please Li Shishi, otherwise she won't even have anyone to talk to.

When the three of them arrived at the house, the charcoal fire had been burning for a long time.

Master Li dismissed the maid and added charcoal to cook the wine himself, while Pei Chang'e sat down obediently.

Of course, Ju Ming came over on business: "I don't watch many miscellaneous operas. Is Master good at this?"

Li Shishi replied: "I used to sing more elegant tunes, not even slang tunes. I have never performed a variety show myself. If my husband wants to listen to a variety show, he can raise a troupe at home."

"I want the soldiers to watch a show," Zhu Ming explained. "On this northern tour, I saw that there is no entertainment in the army. I don't want to keep prostitutes for the soldiers, so I plan to let them have a variety show to watch. Not only can It can also cultivate military morale by entertaining time, and use acrobatics to subtly let the soldiers know what loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness are, and why they should be close to the people and treat them well."

"This is a major military and national event." Li Shishi immediately put away his other thoughts, "Although I have never sung a variety of operas, I have seen many opera troupes. Your husband can invite several opera troupes to come, and I will personally assess them and select the two best ones. Entertain the sergeant."

Ju Ming said: "I would like to ask which gentleman today is the one who writes the most popular dramas among the people at the bottom. Don't be too elegant. The more people at the bottom like it, the better. Even though I am far away in Tokyo, I can write this drama Invite people.”

Li Shishi smiled and said: "Your Majesty knows this person, he is Li Bangyan, the right minister of the Song Dynasty. The whole of Tokyo belongs to his drama, which is most loved by the common people."

"Uh..." Zhu Ming was speechless for a moment.