Volume 3 Chapter 31: Store Discussion
As we enter July, it would be a lie to say that there are no new stories, because we are still in a time of chaos and war.
However, from July to August, the court dealt with many major and minor incidents, and it was also a fact that most of them were overshadowed by the special imperial examination... After all, this round of imperial examinations was by no means comparable to the previous hasty appointment of officials in Nanyang.
Firstly, this was the first imperial examination after returning to the old capital, and it had enormous political significance. If everything went smoothly and the court managed to hold on to Tokyo in the following 'autumn', then even if the Song Dynasty was still at a disadvantage, still under serious military threat, and still faced the reality of widespread territorial loss, the situation could be more or less called 'stable'.
Secondly, since the war that year actually came to an end as early as the first month of the year, even the Central Plains had time to carry out some spring plowing and replanting. In addition, the military rebellion in the southeast was quelled and a great victory was won in Jingdong. Therefore, although it cannot be said that the political and economic order in various places has been greatly restored, the at least the flow of people and traffic has undoubtedly recovered to a certain extent.
In addition, with the compromise and compromise of Emperor Zhao and Prime Minister Lu, this time the imperial examinations were held, including the formal examinations for state students and imperial students; outstanding civil servants were appointed to the palace; wealthy families who bought out the refugees in Hebei were granted the status of state students and imperial students; and even military children who met certain conditions were allowed to participate in the imperial examinations...
In a word, this round of scientific expedition is of extremely large scale.
Of course, this was also an inevitable requirement after the Jing Kang Incident, when almost all the officials in the Central Plains were gone.
In addition, the return of the government to the old capital was undoubtedly a strong moral and political stimulus for the literati in Jiangnan and Bashu who had previously been idle or on the sidelines. Therefore, the opening of the imperial examination and the revival of Tokyo made many people who had already achieved fame give up their original hesitation and take advantage of the opportunity to return.
Of course, it is hard to say how many of them came for the sake of opportunity and how many returned for the sake of justice.
But no matter what, with this scientific expedition, and the autumn harvest this year which has gradually started from the south to the north, and the gathering of supplies, the Tokyo city, which had been in ruins for three or four years, has regained some of its cultural and prosperous state, which inevitably makes some people temporarily forget about the "after autumn", relax a little, and even feel intoxicated.
However, in August, with the completion of the classification of the "righteous men" who redeemed the refugees in Hebei and the completion of the examination for the provincial students to enter the Imperial College, as the final deadline for the imperial examination was approaching, some news suddenly came from the west, which shocked the court. However, because the matter was too clear and could not be covered up, the incident quickly spread to the streets and attracted discussion from countless students.
As for the students of the Imperial College, especially those who have just finished their examinations and are about to take the palace examination, who can control their mouths?
The official or the gentlemen?
If Emperor Zhao and several of the gentlemen were really going, they would be afraid to speak even louder, for fear that Emperor Zhao and the gentlemen would not be able to hear them.
In short, this incident soon became the focus of Tokyo city, especially within the Suzaku Gate in the inner city and south of the Xiangguo Temple, where the former Imperial College and Imperial Academy were centered. In the surrounding restaurants, small shops, and even street stalls, one could hear the incident being discussed repeatedly.
Among them, there were several restaurants on a cross street just south of Xiangguo Temple. Logically speaking, the Xiangguo Temple across the street was producing all kinds of military equipment day and night, making constant noise, and soldiers in armor often came and went to block the road, so the business here should not be good. But in fact, because there were rumors that the emperor often came to the surrounding areas in disguise to inspect, these restaurants were doing a booming business, especially with more students.
"Zizhi, Binfu, you two came from Shuzhong, can you tell the whole story?"
At the table facing the street in the store, there was a man with a loud voice named Hu Quan, who was from Jiangxi. Because of his direct and fierce personality, his old age (28 years old), his extensive knowledge and memory, and his outstanding literary talent, he was the so-called big brother in the small groups of Taixue students commonly seen in Tokyo.
Therefore, when several people gathered together today, this person was the first to roll up his sleeves and start eating without waiting for the dishes to be served.
As for the so-called Zizhi, his real name was Chao Gongwu, a man of about twenty-five or twenty-six. Hearing this, he just smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Bangheng (Hu Quan), my family is originally from Jeju. We moved to Shuzhong to avoid disaster at the end of the Jingkang period. We have only been there for two years. I don't even know many of the important figures in Shuzhong. You ask me this, isn't it like asking a blind man for advice?"
Hu Quan didn't care when he heard this, and he just pouted his lips again: "Binfu, what do you say? Your family is a famous family in Shu for hundreds of years, and Zhang Caosi (Zhang Jun)'s family is also a famous family in Shu for hundreds of years. There must be some connections. What's more, your father should be under the command of Zhang Caosi now, so he should have some opinions, right?"
The man named Binfu was only in his early twenties this year, and was clearly the youngest of the group. After a moment's thought, he shook his head and said, "To be honest, Brother Bangheng, if you asked me to guess, I could always do it, but..."
"Then let's make a guess." Hu Quan interrupted before he finished speaking. "We are thousands of miles apart. Do you have to see it with your own eyes before you can tell me?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room burst into laughter, and even many scholars and students at the surrounding tables pricked up their ears... After all, he was a famous family in Shu, and his father seemed to be a subordinate of Zhang Jun, so he might be the person involved.
"If I were to guess, based on what I have seen in Shu, Zhang Caosi (Zhang Jun) is capable of doing such a thing." The youngest son of a famous family in Shu immediately responded with a serious look. "But this may not be his sole effort."
"How?" Hu Quan couldn't wait.
"First, although Zhang Caosi (Zhang Jun) is in charge of the transportation of the five routes, he is only a transport envoy, not a military governor, so this matter must be approved by Yuwen Xianggong, otherwise it would be a clear violation of the rules and disorder." The young man said frankly. "Second, Wang Xie is the most senior general in Guanxi after Qu Da left, and he is related to the military affairs of Guanxi. Now that Wang Jinglüe has replaced the former general of Shaanxi, I am afraid that if ... Therefore, if Wang Xie is to be dealt with, it seems that Hu Jinglüe has more responsibilities, and at least Hu Jinglüe should be informed."
When they heard Hu Yin's appearance, the two people who were waiting for their meals in the corner of the restaurant, one old and one young, who looked like father and son and both dressed as scholars, almost all raised their heads and expressed a little concern.
"Yunwen, are you trying to say that this was done by the three great officials of Guanxi, who were deliberately trying to kill Wang Xie, and Zhang Caosi was just the one who did it?" The food started to be served, and Hu Quan was still pouring wine, but he still spoke without caring about anything. "Besides, since it was done by the three great officials, it is possible that the emperor already had the details. Even judging from the previous behavior of our emperor, it is possible that it was his instruction. It's just that we don't know, and we are telling it as news?"
The young man named Yunwen, whose courtesy name was Binfu, was naturally Yu Yunwen, a descendant of a famous family in Shu and the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, Yu Shinan. Hearing this, he said nothing more, but after a slight hesitation, he nodded slightly... which meant he acknowledged what Hu Quan had said.
Not only that, many people around were also thinking about it, except for the older of the two people in the corner who shook his head slightly.
By the way, the so-called recent event that caused a stir was nothing else but the dispute between generals and ministers in Guanxi that had reappeared. Moreover, compared with the incident in which Qu Duan detained the governor Wang Shu and whipped the chief censor, this time it was even more excessive. Zhang Jun, the transport envoy of the five routes of Bashu, suddenly took action and directly killed Wang Xie, the highest-ranking military official in Guanxi!
The course of events was very simple and clear... Previously, Song Jiang's remnant Shi Dalang proclaimed himself emperor and plotted rebellion in Xingyuan Prefecture (Hanzhong) and attacked the city of Xingyuan Prefecture. However, because there was already an envoy like Yuwen Xuzhong in Guanxi, the court did not interfere too much.
Therefore, it was almost a matter of course that Wang Xie, the governor of Fengxiang Prefecture, as the closest and the chief military official in Guanxi who was far superior to other generals, was immediately appointed as the commander-in-chief and sent to Hanzhong to take charge of the military operations to suppress the rebellion.
However, this fellow had been suppressing the rebellion in Hanzhong for several months, and the war with the Pseudo-Qi in Jingdong in the east had been fought and ended, but he was still suppressing the rebellion... What's more, last month, in July, he actually let Shi Dalang sneak out of the mountain ditch in Hanzhong!
No one knows whether it was a surprise attack on Ziwu Valley or an intentional attack on Qishan, but Shi Dalang suddenly appeared in the west of Chang'an, ready to attack Chang'an.
Then something even more absurd happened. Shi Dalang, who had been unable to be defeated despite the combined efforts of Fengxiang Prefecture, Xingyuan Prefecture, Xihe Road, and the four routes of reinforcement from Bashu, and even the assistance of Xin Xingzong, the defender of Wuguan and the commander of the Imperial Camp, was destroyed in one battle by the reinforcements from Jingyuan Road hastily dispatched by Hu Yin, and his head and body were separated.
It is said that the only people who actually participated in the battle were the 5,000 troops led by Wu Jie, the military commander of Jingyuan Road.
Wang Xie had an explanation for this. What he meant was that Shi Dalang's elite troops had been wiped out in Hanzhong by his General Wang, and Shi Dalang who fled to Chang'an was just an empty shell, so the credit and hard work still belonged to him. Wu Dujian certainly also had credit, but it was a bit of a trick... You know what, this statement does make sense. At least the logic is very smooth and difficult to refute.
Therefore, Zhang Jun, the transport envoy of the five routes of Bashu, who was previously stationed in Lizhou (Guangyuan and Jiameng areas) near Xingyuan Prefecture, sent a letter at that time, saying that he would personally bring a large amount of money and supplies to Xingyuan Prefecture to comfort the troops, and asked Wang Xie to wait for him before returning to Fengxiang Prefecture.
And the following drama was almost exactly the same as what Emperor Zhao had done in Yanling that day... Zhang Jun rode lightly into Hanzhong and entered the military camp. He first found Liu Qi, the governor of Xihe Road and Longyou, who was considered his subordinate. Then he asked Liu Qi to connect and gather the commanders of various troops. Only then did he enter the city of Xingyuan Prefecture openly to meet Wang Xie.
By this time, Zhang Jun had actually gained control of all the troops in Hanzhong.
However, Zhang Deyuan was a cultured man after all, and no matter how much he imitated, he would not lose face like a certain person. He first had dinner with Wang Xie, and while eating he was still talking about entertaining the troops. Halfway through the meal he got up to go to the toilet, and when he came back, Wang Xie was already dead.
It is said that even Liu Qi had the style of a Confucian general and did not do the killing himself. He just ordered the soldiers to tie him up and then suffocate him to death with a wet linen cloth on the mat without spilling a drop of blood.
Speaking of which, although there were the cases of Liu Guangshi, Ding Jin, Fan Qiong, and even Du Chong as the basis for this kind of thing, and although one can imagine with closed eyes that Wang Xie would definitely end up dying in the same way as Liu Guangshi, after all, those were the bad things done by the Emperor Zhao in the name of the emperor, and everyone has been accustomed to the misbehavior of the Emperor Zhao Song for many years.
This time, Zhang Jun, a mere transport envoy, did such a thing, which inevitably made the people of Tokyo City, which had been immersed in the cultural and elegant atmosphere, feel horrified for a moment.
Not to mention the special geographical environment of Shu. After Zhang Jun killed Wang Xie and took over the military power as the transport envoy, it would be a big deal if someone burned down the plank road.
It is no wonder, then, that the Censorate and the Imperial College students submitted impeachment memorials one after another, and that the students of the Imperial College were discussing the matter.
“It’s no wonder, actually!”
Everyone ate a lot of dishes at the table, forced the young Yu Yunwen to drink two glasses of wine, and talked about their expectations for the upcoming palace examination. The atmosphere gradually became better, but the loud-mouthed Hu Quan suddenly stopped drinking and sighed.
"No wonder what's going on?" Chao Gongwu put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth and asked... There is no need for supporting roles when young people communicate with each other, because everyone can't help but talk about their personalities.
"No wonder this incident caused such turmoil." Hu Quan sighed. "I just figured out the reason... Have you ever calculated how many years the Song and Jin have been at war?"
"Do we need to calculate this?" Someone at the table answered casually. "Jing Kang was one and a half years, Jian Yan was two and a half years, exactly four years!"
"That's right. The two countries have been at war on all fronts for four years."
Hu Quan shook his head. "In the past four years, the Jin people have come every autumn, from Hebei to the Central Plains, and the people have suffered. Zizhi's family went from Jeju to Bashu, and then returned this time. They must have seen a lot, so I won't talk about it. Even when I saw the local bandits and thieves rise and fall in Jiangxi, plus the ruined towns I saw along the way to the capital, I feel that this world is worthy of being called a chaotic world."
"really."
Yu Yunwen recalled the internal turmoil in Bashu after the Jingkang Incident, and what he saw and heard during his trip down the Yangtze River to Jingxiang and from Jingxiang to here. He was filled with emotion...especially those almost empty cities, which really shocked him at the age of only twenty.
"And in troubled times, if Yunwen's guess is true, with the approval of the envoys, it would not be a big deal for the court officials to kill a military general who had harmed the country. Is it more serious than the Jingkang Incident? Right now, all systems, people, and things should be focused on resisting the Jin army. However, people's minds are settled, and there are always people who don't want to think about the Jingkang Incident, or the two emperors who were imprisoned in the north and humiliated, and even more unwilling to think about the fall of the two rivers and the slaughter of millions of people. They just think that the government seems to have some ability now, guarding the Yellow River and returning to the old capital, so they want to shrink their heads and enjoy a temporary peace in Tokyo. As a result, Zhang Caosi in the west acted like this, which easily opened the scar and seemed a little inappropriate. This is the fundamental reason for such a commotion this time..." Hu Quan continued to talk unscrupulously, but he also opened the scar in public, so that several tables of scholars and students in the restaurant were embarrassed and silent.
Hu Quan ignored them and continued to expose their scars: "But have these people ever thought that after this special examination, as long as the weather turns cold, there is no telling if the Jin army will move? I don't know, when the siege of Tokyo comes again, after this special examination, how many people will follow the example of Liu Yu and Hong Ya of the pseudo-Qi and easily follow the enemy?"
The situation became increasingly awkward, but the people sitting at the same table had been together for a long time and knew the temperament of this talented man from Jiangxi very well, so they did not dare to try to persuade him and just shook their heads.
Yu Yunwen was the youngest among the group, and he was also very talented and good-natured. He was usually taken care of by everyone, so he spoke out at the right time:
"Brother Bangheng, rest assured. I was just guessing. Even if there are one or two bad people in the court, it doesn't matter. The officials and ministers know it. Apart from other things, the Daxiangguo Temple is working day and night. The trenches on all sides of Tokyo City are deep, the walls are reinforced, and the Bian River is being cleared and deepened. It is obvious that the central government has no intention of slacking off. "
Hu Quan nodded immediately, but then shook his head slightly: "It is this theory, and it is not this theory... It is now, but what about the future? I am afraid that the official is young, and he has only been revitalized for two years and has been deceived by others. It is not like he has never been deceived before..."
As soon as these words were spoken, even though the autumn heat had not yet dissipated, the restaurant inevitably became chilly for a moment.
By the way, the scholars and students around had already heard the general background of the people at this table. It was obvious that they were a group of young and particularly war-oriented students.
Of course, groups like the Imperial College students are naturally in favor of war, and the current government does not allow peace talks at all. So if one wants to become an official, one can only advocate war. So, not to mention ordinary Imperial College students, even those extraordinary Imperial College students who came to the capital by redeeming refugees from Hebei are all in favor of war.
So the problem is not here, but that this loud-mouthed student from Jiangxi Province, who was discussing the past affairs of the government in public, was somewhat suspicious of "criticizing the emperor". The so-called past affairs of the government, combined with the words "student" and "criticizing the emperor", made people think of Chen Dong who died unjustly.
I can only say that this person is so frank, he must be really brave, and he is the Lord of war for sure!
In fact, after these words were spoken, not only did the surrounding scholars and students fall silent for a moment, but even the people at the same table did not dare to speak. Only Yu Yunwen, who was not sure if he was young, remained calm and continued the discussion as usual:
"I still think that Brother Bangheng is over-worrying. The emperor ascended the throne hastily as a prince, and he had no calculations or plans at the beginning, so he was temporarily deceived by Huang Qianshan and Kang Lu... After all the things that happened later, it seemed that he had made up his mind, and he has hardly wavered in the past two years."
"I still have doubts." Hu Quan shook his head calmly. "I am worried about the emperor and some people... However, if I am to the emperor, since I am here to take the exam, if I am accepted, I will naturally do my duty as a minister and give honest advice at all times. However, some people do not mean to do so, but they are pedantic and harm the country. They can manipulate the classics and confuse the people. I can't help but worry that I will be incompetent in the future and will just sit back and watch the emperor be confused by them."
The people present heaved a sigh of relief.
Chao Gongwu also took the opportunity to ask: "Brother Bangheng, what did you encounter or hear?"
"That's right," Hu Quan, who picked up his chopsticks, suddenly laughed. "Do you remember? When I first came to Beijing, because I was about the same age and was from the south, many people in the Imperial College saw that I had a wide range of friends and guessed that I was the younger brother of Hu Jinglie..."
Everyone at the table laughed.
But amid the laughter, one of them suddenly seemed to be thinking: "Speaking of which, I heard recently that Hu Jinglie's father and brother also came to Tokyo together, and they were summoned by the government as soon as they arrived in Beijing. Brother Bangheng, are you referring to this? But Hu Jinglie's father is a world-famous Taoist scholar, and his brother, who is the same age as Brother Bangheng, is also quite famous. Is there something wrong with that?"
"Of course not!" Hu Quan said sternly. "I learned from Liu Zihui what Hu Jinglue's father Hu Anguo said to the emperor, and I think it's ridiculous!"
Liu Zihui was the younger brother of Liu Ziwu, the Chief Secretary of the Privy Council, so his words were naturally credible. Hu Quan was a prominent figure in the Imperial College, and Liu Zihui, who was of similar age, also had some contacts with him, so it was normal for him to tell him some political secrets.
As a result, the store became quiet again. Many people pricked up their ears to listen, but the father and son in the corner turned a deaf ear and just lowered their heads to eat as usual.
"What do you mean?" Chao Gongwu was the first one who couldn't hold back.
"The emperor asked him how to deal with the current situation... What he said was to defend Tokyo, promote loyal officials, select talents, and put military affairs first, which could be regarded as the opinions of famous Taoist scholars; persuading the emperor to personally worship the imperial tomb, hold more imperial lectures, and guard against officials forming factions, which could also be regarded as meaningful... But at the end, this man actually urged the emperor to cultivate his qi!" Hu Quan finally showed sarcasm. "The emperor asked him what qi is and what is the use of qi? He said that qi is the Tao, and cultivating qi is cultivating the Tao. The victory or defeat of a war, the strength of an army, and the courage of a general are all directly related to the qi cultivated by the emperor. If the emperor cultivates a strong qi, then his orders will be spread throughout the world, the barbarians will submit, and the four seas will be stable... It's simply ridiculous!"
At this point, Hu Quan was gradually becoming angry, but the people present were obviously a little cautious about the "qi" mentioned by the famous Taoist scholars, and it seemed that some people actually believed it, which made Hu Bangheng completely furious.
He slammed the chopsticks in his hand onto the table and shouted angrily, shocking everyone in the restaurant. "It's so ridiculous that Liu Zihui actually thinks that this kind of energy is useful... If the emperor is surrounded by such useless people who advise him to cultivate energy in the future, and he really cultivates energy, let alone recovering the two rivers, I'm afraid Tokyo will be lost again!"
These words finally startled the two people in the corner and made them look up together. But after a moment, with the old man first, they all lowered their heads and slowly ate their meal.
"It's really ridiculous." The youngest Yu Yunwen also blushed. "The courage of a general depends on whether the government can reward or punish properly; the strength of the army depends on whether the military equipment, food, and money are sufficient, and whether the soldiers are properly trained; as for the victory or defeat of the army, it depends on observing the will of heaven and doing one's best... If you really have the skills to cultivate your energy, you might as well go to the river bank to help dredge the Bian River! No wonder Hu Jinglue has been with the government for a long time, but he is recognized by the world as not knowing how to fight. It would be strange if he knew how to fight with such a father who taught him since childhood!"
"I have made up my mind." Hu Quan saw that except for Yu Yunwen, the others were hesitant, so he suddenly stood up and looked around. "I will face the emperor in the palace examination in three days. I will risk my future and speak my mind to set the record straight!"
The people around were stunned for a moment, but no one dared to persuade them.
"Me too..." Yu Yunwen probably responded excitedly because he had a few drinks and was too young.
"You don't have to do that." Hu Quan said sternly. "Yunwen, I think I have good judgment of people. I have long seen that although you are young, you are a man with great ambitions, unlike me who are mostly good at writing and talking... If I can become a censor in this life, you will be a prime minister... Therefore, I will do it myself in three days, and you should cultivate yourself and concentrate on your official career, waiting for the future... You must know that the country is in danger, and the officials are concerned about the people of the world. Since you and I have the heart to save the world, how can we give up the position beside the official to those pedantic people who are harming the country in vain?"
After these words were spoken, no student dared to remain neutral anymore. They all stood up to offer their condolences. Even the couple who looked like father and son in the corner finally looked up in shock, having been out of control for a long time.
Just like that, a group of energetic students spent half a day having a meal and finally dispersed, but no one knew where they went to hang out next. At this time, the father and son in the corner who had finally finished their meal finally spoke for the first time.
The younger one, Hu Hong, Hu Yin's cousin and adopted brother, spoke carefully: "Dad, should we go to the Bianhe River embankment and hire a woman who can cook?"
The older one was Hu Anguo, Hu Yin's adoptive father and uncle, who was also a so-called "pedantic person who harms the country" who was raised in an official family. He shook his head again and said, "The country is in trouble, and the people on the river are also suffering... The government doesn't believe my theory, and several ministers also say that my theory is absurd. I wanted to return home to teach, but the war after the autumn is unclear, and I can't abandon my king and father lightly, so I stayed and accepted the position in the library... At this time, my father and I are powerless and can't help the country. We can just make do with it. Why waste manpower?"
Hu Hong wanted to say something but hesitated, and could only bow his head.
