Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

"Clouds move and rain pours, goods and flows form, the Ming Dynasty ends and begins, and six people are formed. At that time, they ride on six dragons to control the sky... The first common people come out, and all nations are in peace."

The Xie Ke family stood up and said: "The name of the country 'Da Ming' should have nothing to do with Manichaeism. It comes from the legend of Qian Gua in the "Book of Changes". It's just that the planners and marshals were ingenious and chose the country name from the scriptures. It's really surprising." One cannot guess their thoughts.”

Huan Guo sighed: "The marshal has a lot of ideas. He focuses on reform. He made it very clear that day. I just don't know how violent he has become. It's better not to blindly implement new laws like he did back then. Now the country is in a state of ruins. Kong, all the people can no longer afford a major reform."

"It's a pile of pots and jars, it's okay if they break." Zhai Ruwen said suddenly.

Hearing what he said, several famous scholars present looked worried, fearing that Zhai Ruwen, as a cabinet minister, would also support Ju Ming's sudden change.

Zhai Ruwen was by no means a purely academic bureaucrat. He was a Jinshi at the age of 22. Because the party struggle was too fierce at that time, he directly chose to go home and live in seclusion for ten years. The reason was that his parents were in poor health and needed to be taken care of.

Later, he was recruited by Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty to join the Bureau of Etiquette. He soon offended powerful officials and was demoted to collect taxes. Just after he was recalled to give lectures to the prince, Cai Dang reported that he had been friends with Su Shi and Huang Tingjian, so he was demoted to the local governor for more than ten years.

Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Liang Shicheng... were offended by Zhai Ruwenquan. Every time they were promoted with outstanding political achievements, they were quickly demoted to other places to be governors.

Every time he visits a place, he must first pay a private visit incognito, carefully observe the people's sentiments, and have a very clear understanding of the local situation.

Zhai Ruwen said to Huan Guo: "In the first month of the spring of the first year of the king's reign, the duke is the country. If you study the Spring and Autumn Period carefully, you will certainly know how to interpret this sentence. Zhu Jinglue not only wants to be in the Yuan Dynasty, but also to open the Yuan Dynasty in the name of the country. The name of the country is 'Da Ming' It’s actually pretty good.”

"Da Ming" means "sun", and also generally refers to the sun, moon and king.

The "Ming Dynasty", that is, the "Dynasty of the Holy Ming", is the laudatory name given to this dynasty by literati. Literati of all dynasties, if they praised their own dynasty, they could express it as "Ming Dynasty".

Li Bangyan didn't care about this and said to everyone: "Now that the manager and the marshal have decided, we, the ministers, should go and do it. Not only must the matter be done, but we must also do it beautifully, and we must not let the world's scholars criticize us. No one can say that this country's name is bad! Prime Minister Zhai is a great Confucian, and you are also famous Confucians. You can find more reasons in the classics."

This kind of proposition composition is too simple for a great Confucian.

Huan Guo said: "The great Ming Dynasty, King Wen has a bright virtue, so God has appointed King Wu again."

This remark was a stroke of genius. Zhai Ruwen clapped his hands and exclaimed: "Kang Hou has a great talent, but I am not as good as him!"

Huan Guo's sentence comes from "Mao Shi", which is an interpretation of "The Book of Songs, Daya, King Wen's Story, Ming Dynasty". The whole poem expounds the justice of King Wu in defeating Zhou and reflects the virtue of King Wen, thereby establishing the legal authority of King Wen and King Wu.

It just so happens that King Wen can be used to target Zhu Guoxiang, King Wu can be used to target Zhu Ming, and King Zhou of Shang can be used to target Song Huizong.

The name of this poem is "Da Ming". Why can't it be used as the name of the country? What's more, the Ming Dynasty also coincides with the legend of Qian Gua.

Li Bangyan also clapped his hands and said: "Confucius said, I follow the Zhou Dynasty. The governor and the Prime Minister took the name of the country Ming Dynasty. This is to directly pursue the two kings of civil and military affairs. We and other ministers should assist us with all our hearts to achieve great achievements!"

The tone was thus set. There were great Confucian scholars who used the Book of Songs and the Book of Changes to explain the classics.

Moreover, in the founding edict, Song Huizong's violent levies and expropriations were emphasized, and Song Huizong was compared with King Zhou of Shang. The Zhu family and his son were established as civil and military kings, and the country's name of Ming Dynasty seemed so appropriate.

The matter was agreed upon and everyone dispersed.

The Xie Ke family called Huan Guo into the carriage, and after walking half a street, they warned: "Kang Hou, don't get too close to Li Bangyan. There are too many people giving gifts outside his house. How can such behavior be tolerated in the founding of the country?" Your Majesty?"

"Indeed." Huan Guo nodded.

There are many teachers in Huan State. I learn a little bit here and a little bit there, and then I spend more than ten years mastering it.

Among various teachers, Xie Liangzuo and Huan Guo were both teachers and friends, and Xie Ke's family was Xie Liangzuo's nephew.

The Xie Ke family suggested: "You have to find an opportunity to openly fall out with Li Bangyan. The bigger the dispute, the better. This matter cannot be rushed. It must wait until the ascension ceremony is completed."

Huan Guo said: "I understand, I really don't like this person either."

After sending the cash-strapped Huan Guo home, the Xieke family took a carriage back home.

As soon as I entered the house, I heard from my son Xie Ji that his cousin Zhao Mingcheng had come to seek refuge.

The Xie Ke family was overjoyed and immediately went to the guest house. As soon as they entered the yard, they heard a series of coughs.

"Hail brother!"

Li Qingzhao bowed and saluted, while Zhao Mingcheng was lying on the hospital bed.

"Sister, there is no need to be polite," the Xie Ke family returned the greeting. Seeing Zhao Mingcheng's pale face, he hurriedly asked, "What's wrong with Defu?"

Zhao Mingcheng forced out a smile: "The root cause of the illness that occurred when I fled, I often resorted to drinking to drown my sorrows in recent years. When I came to Beijing this time, I encountered snow and caught wind and cold on the way, and the condition became more serious. It's okay. I'll wait until spring. It will definitely heal.”

The Xie Ke family blamed: "Since the root cause of the disease is already there, we should not have traveled in the snow in the middle of winter without taking our own health seriously."

"That guy Wang bullies people too much. I really don't want to live under someone else's roof anymore." Zhao Mingcheng said angrily.

Li Qingzhao explained: "My husband and I stayed at my cousin Wang's house. Because we ran out of money, we asked him for loans many times. We thought we could use some treasures to pay off the debt, but my cousin actually asked for "Zhao's Miraculous Notes". This is The stickers are not treasures and can only be exchanged for the lives of my husband and me. In anger, my husband sold some antique calligraphy and paintings at a low price to pay off his debts, dragging his sick body and braving the snow to leave Shandong. "

"Such a villain deserves to die!"

The Xie Ke family was filled with indignation and comforted them: "You guys, please stay here and don't mention any money. When Defu recovers from his illness, I will recommend him to be an official. With Defu's knowledge and talent, no matter how poor he is, he can be admitted to the Hanlin Academy." Study literature and history.”

"Thank you for taking me in, brother...cough cough cough!" Zhao Mingcheng said and coughed again.

The Xie Ke family asked their son: "Have you called a doctor?"

Xie Ji replied: "I have invited Mr. Yang Ji (Yang Jie) through some connections, and the servant is preparing the medicine."

"Then it must be fine," Xie Ke's family comforted the couple. "This old Yang Ji once cured Zhao Ji's stubborn illness and appointed him as the magistrate of the state. Now he is Zhu Jinglue's imperial doctor, and many doctors in the army have received him. Guidance, it is usually difficult to ask him to see a doctor in person. With Yang Ji's treatment, the disease will be cured."

Li Qingzhao said worriedly: "Mr. Yang said that my husband is weak and should not drink anymore. But I really can't persuade him. Not only does he drink, but he is always drunk..."

Zhao Mingcheng smiled and said: "It's okay, just a few drinks."

"It's better to quit drinking," the Xie Ke family advised.

Zhao Mingcheng changed the subject: "After I entered the city, I heard that Zhu Jinglue would ascend the throne in the spring. This time I arrived in Beijing, it happened to be such a grand event. After becoming emperor and enthroning, it is time to grant amnesty to the world and recruit talents, right?"

"As it should be," the Xie Ke family said, "you and your wife, your elders have all joined the Party Monument, and you can't even live in the capital. Now that all the hardships have finally come to an end, you can live in the capital in a comfortable way, and you can work as an official with glory. "

Zhao Mingcheng sighed: "Oh, it would have been better if Mr. Zhu had started the army ten years earlier. I am already a corrupt person."

The descendants of those officials on the party monument are probably the most happy to see the Zhu family establish a new dynasty. Otherwise, they would have to live in their place of origin for the rest of their lives and would not be qualified to serve as officials in the imperial examination.

Li Qingzhao asked curiously: "Brother, have you seen the general and the marshal?"

The Xie Ke family glanced outside, and Xie Ji immediately went to guard the door.

The Xie Ke family whispered: "I've seen it. Zhu Jinglue is very tolerant and kind to everyone he talks to. Even if he is not the emperor, he is still a personable elder. Marshal Zhu is very energetic and has his own opinions. He doesn't like to listen to lies. It is really difficult to deal with it. Many officials in the old Song Dynasty had their homes confiscated and were exiled. I heard that they were all done by Marshal Zhu."

"It seems that Zhu Jinglue is a benevolent king, and Marshal Zhu is a wise king." Zhao Mingcheng said.

When the Xie Ke family introduced the situation in Tokyo to Zhao Mingcheng and Li Qingzhao, Qin Hui was visiting Li Bangyan's home.

This guy has been busy with the Xicheng Office recently. He even arranged for people to measure the land in the snow, and has already allocated more than 50,000 acres of land.

It's been snowing so hard recently that it's really difficult to work, so I came here to keep in touch.

Yesterday he went to Zhai Ruwen's house, and today he went to Li Bangyan's house. He was fawning over the two cabinet ministers.

Seeing that the alley at the side door of Li's house was already full of gift-giving teams, Qin Hui was shocked, then turned around and left.

After returning home, Wang asked: "Why are you back so early?"

Qin Hui told what he had just seen, shook his head repeatedly and said: "Li Bangyan may not die well. Marshal Zhu is not Zhao Ji. How can he allow his ministers to cultivate party members? Even if he does not form a party himself, so many people will give him gifts, and he will be impeached and form a party!" "

Wang said with a smile: "The new emperor is about to ascend the throne, and he will definitely appoint a lot of officials. Who wouldn't rush to curry favor and take advantage of this opportunity to find an official position? I'm afraid the palaces of several cabinet ministers are packed with people giving gifts. It’s just that Li Bangyan has been in Tokyo for a long time and everyone knows him best, so his family has the most people giving gifts.”

"My lady is right," Qin Hui nodded. "The gifts still have to be given. We will wait until after the enthronement ceremony. Don't let Li Bangyan be jealous of you."

Wang said mysteriously: "I heard a piece of news that the wife of Meng Zhao, the Minister of Rites, once became a female disciple of Zhu Jinglue. When Zhu Jinglue was in Hanzhong, this lady also assisted in office work. I heard that at Meng Shangshu's house, It’s his wife who makes the decision.”

Qin Hui thought: "This is a good way."

Mrs. Wang was quite excited: "You have an old relationship with Marshal Zhu, and you have accepted the errand of Xicheng Office. As long as the land is properly allocated, it will be greatly used in the coming year. Together with the two ministers Li Bangyan and Zhai Ruwen, I secretly communicated with Meng Shangshu Make good friends with his wife, and from now on you will be able to firmly establish a foothold in the new dynasty. It will only be a matter of time before you join the cabinet and pay homage to the prime minister!"

Qin Hui smiled and said: "If I worship the prime minister, my wife will also be of the same rank!"