Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Tokyo, Gendake.

Two monks stood in front of a big stone.

The short-haired monk's name was Lu Zhishen. He put one hand on his waist and pointed at the stone with the other: "Is this piece of rotten stone being granted a title?"

The long-haired monk named Wu Song said with a smile: "I don't know if I will be given a stone salary by the court if I become a marquis."

"No matter how big it is, if it falls into the hands of the Sa family, it will be smashed to pieces," Lu Zhishen waved his hand and ordered, "Smash it!"

More than twenty soldiers came forward with iron drills and hammers to break down the huge stone brought from the southeast.

Not only were the stones in Genyue smashed, but the pavilions and pavilions were also demolished.

Larger rocks are used as stone bullets or falling rocks, and the broken ones are thrown directly on the spot.

Good wood is used to make catapults, and less good wood is used to make rolling logs. It is of no use. It is chopped and made into firewood. Nowadays, it is very expensive in Tokyo.

Not only was Genyue demolished, but the residences of Cai Jing, Tong Guan and others were also demolished beyond recognition by Kaifeng soldiers and civilians. Even the part of Yanfu Palace located in the outer city, where Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty loved to live, has been demolished, and tents were set up on the ruins to serve as temporary military camps. Several main halls were also preserved and used as military camps.

Outside Genyue, people are queuing up to buy freshly chopped firewood to take home for cooking.

Even the middle and low-level officials in Tokyo need to have their servants line up. Only those with rank four or above can have soldiers deliver firewood directly to their houses.

If you really can't buy it, you can only demolish your own house!

Even Fan Lou has stopped operating. The rich and powerful are rich, but due to grain control, they cannot make wine, and all kinds of high-end ingredients have been exhausted.

Twice a day, morning and evening, special personnel collect corpses from the streets and alleys.

Most of the original beggars have died, and new beggars keep appearing. The price of rice has risen to the point where even low-level officials cannot afford it.

A black market appeared in remote streets, selling meat of unknown origin, and the price was even cheaper than rice and wheat.

"Brother, it's already cold in autumn. We don't have enough firewood now. I don't know how many people will freeze to death when winter comes," Wu Jialiang said in a low voice, "The city of Tokyo will definitely not be able to be defended. Marshal Zhu doesn't even need to attack by force. If it takes another month, the city will be destroyed." Chaos. It's a good thing that King Qin is not among the army. He brought more than 10,000 troops into the city, but he didn't bring much food. He also consumed the firewood in Philadelphia. He just came to make a living!"

Song Jiang muttered: "If you still have food, don't tell me. If you are hungry, you will be over. If you don't give us food at all, we will cause trouble and run away, and the brothers will join hands with Marshal Zhu."

"That's the truth." Wu Jialiang quickly agreed.

他们对张叔夜又爱又怕，爱是因为张叔夜赏罚分明，对招安的贼寇并不过分歧视，怕自然是每次造反都被张叔夜胖揍。

“Buzz buzz~~~~”

More than a dozen military camps sounded the call to return to the camp one after another, and then some cavalry rushed over and shouted to the soldiers who were demolishing Genyue: "Each of you return to camp, and you are not allowed to move around at will. Anyone who violates the order will be dealt with according to the military law!"

Song Jiang reacted instantly: "Something happened, let brothers be prepared at all times!"

Near a military camp in the southeast of the city, General Fan Qiong personally led his troops to kill him. The soldiers under his command were all young men from Tokyo recruited by Li Gang.

But it was Sun Lie, a thief from Jinan who accepted the invitation, who followed Zhang Shuye to the capital to serve the king. He was starving because his money and food were withheld, and he set up an army to plunder the people in nearby Xiangfang. A Tokyo soldier's family was robbed, and he immediately returned to the camp to call for an explanation from his friends.

The dispute between the Tokyo soldiers and the Jinan soldiers started with only a dozen people fighting, but it soon developed into a fight with thousands of people.

"Everyone put down their weapons!"

Fan Qiong shouted.

No one listened to him at all. The fighting continued and more than one life was lost.

Fan Qiong became even more angry: "The cavalry rushes over. If there is resistance, they will be killed without mercy!"

More than a hundred cavalrymen gathered on the street at this moment and began to charge with horn blowing.

The troublemaking soldiers who couldn't dodge were rushed by the cavalry and ran away. Fan Qiong roared: "Arrest them all!"

These cavalrymen were all native to Kaifeng. When they were arresting people, they deliberately let them go when they heard the Tokyo accent, and swarmed them when they heard the Jinan accent.

Such differential treatment made Shandong soldiers even more angry.

"It's too bullying, Second Brother Sun, let's rebel!" General Zhang Hao shouted.

Sun Lie held the gun barrel and said: "Rebellion in the city is seeking death. Let the brothers pick up the guy and guard the camp first."

Sun Lie's security force, a total of more than two thousand people, was arranged in the garden mansion. The houses of Wang Fu and Liang Shicheng were turned into their barracks, and many pavilions and pavilions were demolished and burned with firewood.

At this moment, they all took up their weapons, relied on the walls of the house to defend themselves, and fought against Fan Qiong's counter-rebellion troops.

Seeing that Sun Lie dared to resist with arms, Fan Qiong suddenly felt that things were getting serious.

Even if the two thousand or so people in front of him can be wiped out, if Zhang Shuye leads more than 30,000 Shandong soldiers, will the remaining troops follow him and cause chaos?

"Hurry and invite Privy Zhang!" Fan Qiong was so anxious that he was sweating all over.

Zhang Shuye was already on the way, riding a horse and galloping over, and immediately asked: "Why is it such a big deal?"

Fan Qiong said: "Sun Lie's troops looted the people first, and then fought with the enemy's weapons. I led the troops to suppress them. The Tokyo soldiers were restrained obediently, but Sun Lie's soldiers resisted stubbornly!"

Zhang Shuye didn't believe that Sun Lie would rebel, because even if he wanted to rebel, he would just rush out of the city or set fire to cause chaos in the middle of the night.

How could one be so stupid as to be cornered in the barracks?

Zhang Shuye got off his horse, asked the besieging troops to retreat, and walked to the gate alone: ​​"I am Zhang Shuye, open the door quickly!"

These recruits were respectful and afraid of Zhang Shuye, so they opened half the door and let him in.

Sun Lie also brought the officers over, knelt down and complained: "Ms. Zhang has to make the decision for us!"

Zhang Shuye asked: "What happened?"

Sun Lie said in detail: "Since Fan Qiong took over the defense of Tokyo, he dispersed more than 30,000 Shandong soldiers and placed them in various places in the east, west, north and south. It is obvious that he does not believe us Shandong people. In the past half a month, the food supply has been getting worse and worse. The less we give, the people will starve to death. The army is surrounded in the city, and I admit that there is not enough food. But the Tokyo soldiers next door receive more food than us. Why do you come all the way to serve the king? Shandong people They deserve to starve to death, but people in Tokyo have food to eat?”

"I already know about this, put down your weapons quickly!" Zhang Shuye scolded.

Sun Lie continued to speak: "When the Shandong soldiers fought with the Tokyo soldiers, Fan Qiong himself was from Tokyo, so he left the Tokyo soldiers alone, but pursued me, the Shandong soldiers, fiercely! He is the commander-in-chief of Tokyo, and I will put down my weapons now. , I will be dealt with by him when I turn around. I can trust Xianggong Zhang, but I can’t trust him, Fan Qiong!"

Zhang Shuye's head suddenly felt as big as a bucket: "You guys wait here, I will go to the palace to see the saint."

Zhang Shu went out at night and gave Fan Qiong a few words, then rushed to the palace without stopping.

On the way, I saw a large number of scholars swarming towards the south gate of the imperial city.

Just when Zhang Shuye arrived at Donghua Gate, he heard the loud beating of drums on South Street.

The Tai students were knocking on the drums, and several drums were beating at the same time!

Fortunately, the students said that after the news spread, tens of thousands of people came one after another, blocking South Street.

The people's anger came from having no food to eat and no firewood to burn.

Xu Bingzhe, the governor of Kaifeng, collected women and gave them to the Jin people. Since the impact was not widespread and food could barely be purchased at the time, the people of Tokyo chose to endure it with anger.

Nowadays, even if there is money, there is no food to buy.

Food must first be supplied to the powerful, and the army must also be fed. Officials and wealthy businessmen are all running for connections to obtain food. How much can they leave for ordinary people?

"Eradicate Bai Shizhong and welcome back Mr. Li (Li Gang)!"

Li Bangyan's confidants mingled among the crowd and started shouting slogans. More and more people started shouting. It was chaotic at first, but gradually the shouts became louder and more orderly.

The trouble caused by Sun Lie's troops in Jinan was an unexpected incident.

However, it was Shi Yuangong and Li Bangyan who secretly planned the event, as well as the participation of the common people.

Shi Yuangong could not see the emperor, and it was difficult to carry out diplomatic work, so he simply engaged in espionage activities.

Li Bangyan was betrayed by Bai Shizhong, saying that he had defected to Ju Ming a long time ago. Fortunately, the Song Dynasty treated civil servants preferentially, and because there was insufficient evidence, Li Bangyan refused to plead guilty, so he was released after only a few days in prison.

The more Li Bangyan thought about it, the angrier he became. Since the imperial court was destroying his job, of course he would rise up and cause trouble.

When Zhang Shuye was brought to the emperor, there was already a quarrel.

Bai Shizhong first complained and slapped Li Gang with a hat, and then said: "Those scholars who knocked on the door and caused chaos among the people must have been secretly instigated by Li Gang. Li Gang was resentful after he resigned as prime minister, so he instigated the scholars and people to cause rebellion, shaking the people's hearts so that the Zhu thieves could attack. city!"

He Su immediately retorted: "How many people can Li Gang mobilize? With so many people knocking on the door, it must be because they don't have enough food and clothing. If they don't have food, they will naturally make trouble. If it is not properly dealt with as soon as possible, hundreds of thousands of hungry people in Tokyo may besiege the imperial city. !”

These words frightened Zhao Huan so much that he quickly asked: "Is there anything He Aiqing can do?"

He Su said: "Since your Majesty joined forces with the Jin to suppress the thieves, he also sent people to ask the Taiyuan and Zhongshan guards to abandon the city. With such sincerity, the Jin people should reciprocate the favor. They should negotiate with the Jin people and let them release the captured Song officials. Don't do it again. Block grain from Shandong, Hebei, and Hedong from being transported to Tokyo."

"This is all for later, how should we deal with the current situation?" Zhao Huan asked.

He Su said: "The major grain dealers are ordered not to sell grain if they have it, let alone to sell it at exorbitant prices. But if there is any disobedience, their homes will be confiscated and they will be held accountable. They will not show any favoritism. Then set up several grain sales stations in the city and sell some of the military grain. If you want to sell it to the common people, first lure away the common people who are knocking on the gate."

Qin Hui interjected: "If there is grain shipped from Shandong, Hebei, and Hedong, the Jin people will definitely intercept it for their own use. How can they leave a few grains for Tokyo?"

Geng Nanzhong said: "Song and Jin have formed an alliance and are no longer enemies. Food can definitely be brought in."

Zhang Shuye sneered: "If the Jin people intercepted the grain and grass, how should Geng Taizai apologize? The Minister of Household Affairs was also recommended by Geng Taizai. This person deducted military rations and forced the Jinan soldiers to fight for food! Fan Qiong was also Geng Taizai. We are appointed to guard against Shandong soldiers as well as thieves. If we have food, we will give it to the Tokyo soldiers first. Do we really think that Qin Wang’s soldiers are not human beings? If this continues, without the Zhu thieves to attack, all Qin Wang’s armies will rebel!"

Zhong Shizhong said: "Although my soldiers can still be restrained, the soldiers are also full of resentment. We can no longer let General Fan Qiong take charge of Tokyo's defense."

He Su looked around and suddenly took the opportunity to kneel down: "Please remove Geng Nanzhong and Bai Shizhong, otherwise the morale of the military and the people will be difficult to calm down!"