There was a sudden strong wind and cloud over the Bohai Sea, with waves and rain gradually approaching.
At this moment, Zhao Guanjia, who was sitting in the pavilion attached to the octagonal well of the Dalonggong Temple, was stunned for a moment. Then he continued to eat the milk cake while looking at the sea in the distance.
After a while, the wind blew up the waves, the clouds pressed down the rain, and the sea was indeed stormy. Zhao Jiu stood in the pavilion and saw from afar that the surrounding fishing boats were hastily returning to the island, but before they reached the shore, there were already surging white waves and heavy rain, which made people worried.
However, anyone with a bit of common sense knows that no matter how worried they are, no one can decide the safety and whereabouts of the fishing boats. It is just like the great tide of the times that has passed or is about to end, and countless people have been ups and downs with the times, unable to control themselves.
However, the war is over, a new era is about to come, and some things will eventually be settled.
The mountains and seas remain the same as they were thousands of years ago, and traces of the Qin Emperor, Wei Emperor, Wu Emperor, and Tang Emperor are still vivid in our minds. However, as nations rise and fall and times change, some things seem to remain unchanged, yet they seem to have already become completely different.
While I was thinking, huge waves had already rolled up, looking like a mountain… The island is naturally above the sea level, and although the Dalonggong Temple is at the foot of the southeast mountain, this famous octagonal well is in a lower position because of the need to draw water. Therefore, this place does not look stable, but rather faces the waves and wind.
As Zhao Guanjia stood beside the octagonal well, the speed at which the milk cake in his hand decreased gradually slowed down until it stopped.
Besides, when Zhao Jiu came to Chrysanthemum Island, he had the idea of ​​visiting "Jie Shi" on the way. Of course, he thought of the poem "A Changed World". He was aware that he had reversed the situation between Song and Jin, and had made some achievements after ten years of hard work, so he couldn't help but feel excited.
However, he passed the Jieshi Mountain, climbed Qinhuangdao, and looked at the Jieshi in the sea, but he never spoke.
The reason is self-evident. It was early summer to midsummer at that time, the sky was bright, and the sea and mountains were calm. Where did the 'bleak autumn wind blow again' come from out of nowhere, and where did the 'heavy rain falls on quiet swallows' come from?
Moreover, Zhao Jiu had not yet received the news of the death of Qin Hui and his wife, Wanyan Wuben, Wanyan Hela, Wanyan Xiyin and others, so he was somewhat lacking in confidence in ending the war completely, and was indeed a little timid.
Add the two together and there are no words in the end.
But then again, today, it is only a dozen days away from autumn, and the Jin Dynasty has been completely "destroyed", the Jurchens have surrendered, Goryeo and Mongolia are in fear, the northern border has been pacified, and a new order has begun to take shape. The mood and situation are naturally different.
Even, with the wind rising and the clouds surging, and the white waves flowing, he almost saw the exact same scene as in the poem, and was led to have some completely similar state of mind.
At this moment, in this situation, Zhao Jiu really wanted to hold the milk cake and sigh - this is a different world!
However, even though his heart was about to burst out, he still didn't read it out loud. It was as if there was a thin film in his heart, which made him lack the composure and sense of responsibility.
"Officials."
Liu Yan certainly didn't know what was going on in the Emperor Zhao's heart. He just watched the wind and waves grow stronger and the rain get heavier, and he stepped forward to break the agitation as per his duty. "It's too humid here, why don't we go back to the high ground to rest for a while...even if it's to enjoy the scenery, the view there is better."
"No need to do that." Zhao Jiu shook his head disapprovingly, and placed the plate on the stone tablet beside the octagonal well. He dusted his hands, then turned around and looked at his two confidants: "In fact, I just got a wonderful poem."
Speaking of this, Liu Yan naturally stopped talking, but Lu Benzhong immediately bowed his hands to greet him... When it comes to poetry, he is very confident... After all, what is professionalism?
"The poems written by officials must be wonderful." No matter what, let me start with a flattery.
"It's just something I came across by chance." Zhao Jiu smiled and shook his head with his hands behind his back. In the distance, the wind and waves were already rolling, and the rain and fog were all over the sky. "But what I came across by chance today is indeed wonderful... As for poetry, first of all, it depends on the person and the event. The one who wrote it is the emperor, and the one who wrote about major events, has some advantages; secondly, it depends on the rhetoric and allusions. If the writing is appropriate and can recall and echo, it will be a higher level; thirdly, it depends on whether there are similar ideas and similar words and sentences in the predecessors. If you can be the first to discuss it, it will be another level."
"Your Majesty, what you said is absolutely right." Lu Benzhong was a great poet, so he understood immediately after hearing what he said, and even without being asked, he could still give a complete explanation. "It's just like the poem by that Wan... that Young Master Zhao Liang this morning, which was full of domineering spirit and quite impressive, but because of his ridiculous identity and the purpose of his trip, the poem seemed to be inferior. But if the emperor recited it in person, at this time when Yanyun has returned and the Northern Expedition has won a great victory, it would be several levels higher. I think the 'wonderful' thoughts of the emperor at this time must be in line with the time, the scene, the people, and the situation, and it has literary talent and allusions, and the intention is lofty."
"good."
Zhao Jiu showed no shame.
Lu Benzhong thought about it, and then he was too lazy to continue to build up the atmosphere, and directly bowed: "I'm sorry, I would like to hear your 'wonderful'."
"Juren (Lü's Chinese name)."
Zhao Jiu looked at the heavy rain and waves outside the pavilion. Instead of reciting the poem, he suddenly returned to the business he had been doing at the beginning. "How long do you think the Northern Frontier will be at peace after this decree?"
"Of course it will take thousands of years." Lu Benzhong replied casually, but soon, after being away from the official for almost a year, he recalled his character and laughed at himself. "I'm not kidding... Three to five hundred years should be enough, right?"
"You're still kidding." Zhao Jiu also replied with a smile. "Two to three hundred years at most. In fact, even one or two hundred years is difficult."
Lü Benzhong was not stupid, and he immediately realized what the other party was referring to. But just as he was about to comfort him, Liu Yan beside him could no longer bear it and said, "Since this is the case, why don't you flatten the northern border and solve the problem once and for all?"
"How can it be solved once and for all? If that's the case, I'm afraid we can only have peace for 50 years at most."
Lü Benzhong was not afraid of the Liaoyang County King who had just abolished the country with a single word, but soon, as Zhao Jiu's eyes swept over him, this eldest son of Lü smiled bitterly at Liu Yan. "This is not what I said, but what my father said when he was traveling north through Tokyo... After my father received a message from Xu Xianggong (Xu Jingheng) from the southeast, he discussed it with Zhao Xianggong face to face. It seems that the three of you have the same idea, that if the northern border uses force, it will inevitably exhaust the country's blood and energy, and it is not worth it... It is most appropriate for the government to check and balance at this time."
Liu Yan fell silent immediately... Not to mention him, even if Han Shizhong and Yue Fei came together, they would not be qualified to comment on the political consensus between Emperor Zhao and several ministers.
Moreover, it is indeed difficult for these people to negotiate matters concerning money, food and logistics.
On the other side, Zhao Jiu listened to the sound of rain that almost merged with the sound of waves, and laughed again: "In fact, we can't be so self-deprecating... Having is better than nothing, doing is better than doing nothing... I didn't do this just for the sake of stability for one day. If it works well, and some things are deeply rooted in people's hearts, even if the dynasty changes again in a hundred or two hundred years, I think there will still be some restrictions in the Northern Frontier, right?"
Lu Benzhong wanted to say a few flattering words on the topic of national destiny, but since he already knew the official's character, he didn't know where to start and could only respond randomly.
Liu Yan still found it hard to accept it for a moment: "What the emperor and Lu Neizhi said before, is actually referring to the fate of our dynasty? This hardship will only last for two or three hundred years?"
"This is already a lot." Zhao Jiu answered frankly. "Now the court is unanimous. Before, they only compared me to Emperor Guangwu, but later they exaggerated and pushed me to Emperor Tang... But even Emperor Guangwu founded the Later Han Dynasty less than two hundred years ago, and Emperor Taizong founded the Tang Dynasty only two hundred and seventy or eighty years ago... Even if our dynasty establishes a new dynasty, we are not qualified to surpass them, not to mention that many places in the south have inherited the century-old illness."
"But a country like Goryeo has been around for more than 200 years..." Liu Yan still found it hard to accept. "And it doesn't seem to be collapsing on its own."
"Goryeo may be able to come back for another two hundred years." Zhao Jiu said disapprovingly. "It's a small country with few people, living in a remote corner, and it just needs to serve the big country next door... It's not like the Song Dynasty, which is too big."
After all, Liu Yan had passed the imperial examination and was an imperial scholar. He understood the situation, but when everything was settled, he couldn't help feeling sad and unable to accept what Emperor Zhao and his ministers said in unison.
"Officials."
Liu Yan's face was bitter. "Is there really no order and law for everything in this world?"
"Of course."
Zhao Jiu glanced at this confidant, still not taking it seriously. "If we look at the continuity of China, since the Three Dynasties, there have been three or four thousand years, including the Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Three Kingdoms, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties, and up to now... As for the Zhao and Song dynasties... Who knows if I will have another son who is rich and prosperous as soon as I close my eyes?"
Liu Yan was speechless for a moment, and Lu Benzhong had something on his mind and didn't dare to say much.
"As for a family or a surname, if they want to continue for a long time, there are actually ways to do it." Zhao Jiu seemed to be trying to comfort the other party and continued. "But first, it depends on whether the original school can flourish, second, it depends on whether the descendants can understand the current situation, and third, it depends on luck... But in the end, it has nothing to do with you and me. You and I do this kind of thing, even if it turns into dust in a few decades, it can affect the rise and fall of the general trend for a hundred years, which is already worthy of the world, the mountains and seas, up and down... Why think too much?"
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. I am just being too picky." Liu Yan quickly bowed.
Zhao Jiu nodded slightly, then looked at another silent minister amid the roar of the waves: "Juren, what are you thinking about? Do you think I am joking about the original school?"
"No, no." Lu Benzhong waved his hand quickly. "If the principles of heaven and earth are useless, then what's the point of those ancient saints living? I just thought of something else..."
"Remember Feng Hengyuda?"
Zhao Jiu sneered for a moment. "Is it my poem?"
"Of course it's the poem written by the emperor." Lu Benzhong replied earnestly.
"That poem is indeed wonderful, but I still haven't done anything yet, and I always feel guilty." Zhao Jiu was too lazy to care, just put his hands behind his back and looked at the waves. "Therefore, just to be able to recite this poem calmly, I have to do one thing..."
Lu Benzhong's face became paler and paler.
Although the northern border was cleared for thousands of miles, there was a heavy storm at sea, forcing Emperor Zhao to stay at sea for a while. At the same time, the Central Plains where Tokyo City was located had clear skies for several days.
On the first day of late June, everything was peaceful.
In the morning, the gates of Tokyo City were opened early, livestock, vegetables and fruits still entered from Nanxun Gate, and bulk goods still arrived early along the Bian River. The whole city then gradually woke up in the moisture and sunshine.
It is obvious that while maintaining its usual tranquility and bustle, this city is also thriving.
There is no doubt that this was the result of the great victory in the north and the demise of the Jin Dynasty. The country was stable and people were looking forward to the future, so it was natural.
In fact, several months had already passed since the news of the great victory in the north came. During these months, many details of the war were reported, and the people of Bianliang went from initial doubts to gradual acceptance and shock, and then to this point, they had somewhat calmed down. Although there were many bizarre details about the war in the north, the content in the court bulletins was also detailed, and the topic on the streets was always about the north, but in fact, the heat had gradually subsided.
While officials were considering the government's political intentions and the political threats from Yanjing, ordinary people needed three meals a day and daily necessities.
But at the same time, perhaps because I did not participate, did not witness it with my own eyes, and the shadow of ten years ago is still there, the whole city still has a feeling of not being satisfied, not being transparent, not being relieved... So, I still can't help but talk about it.
This is a situation that seems contradictory, but is actually natural.
Xincaomen is theoretically the east gate of Dongjing City. Entering from Xincaomen and heading west, you can pass by Xuande Tower along the south wall of the palace and finally leave from Wanshengmen in the west.
However, since bulk goods all went through the Bian Canal, officials and livestock generally went through Nanxun Gate, and there was an Yichun Garden outside Chaoyang Gate further south that had been converted into a horse racecourse, the palace expenses could never be increased, so both the New Cao Gate and the Inner City Cao Gate were more like vassals of the Inner City Maxing Street commercial district.
Nowadays, most of the people passing by here every day are "drivers" from the villages in the east of the city. They own fields and are farmers, but they do not delay pushing their carts into the city early every day during the slack season, take over the small flags and then deliver takeout on Ma Xing Street... This is a better place in the east of the city than in the west.
"What happened up ahead? Fatty Ma, go ask."
Zhao Luobo, the fourth shopkeeper of Fanlou, is certainly not a delivery man, but his family also lives outside the east gate, so he gets up early every morning to collect some fresh fruits and vegetables and fish balls in the east of the city, exclusively for Fanlou... There are not many things, but they are fresh. He can borrow them from the delivery drivers in Fanlou and still have some change left. Today is no exception, but at this moment, he arrived at Xincaomen on a mule, but was surprised to find that the road seemed blocked today.
Ma Pang was a takeaway driver at Fanlou, and a younger generation of Zhao Luobo's neighbor. Upon hearing this, he immediately went forward to inquire, but after a moment, he hurried back and told the whole story:
"Uncle Zhao... the gate is open, but there are barricades and notices posted on it. The gatekeeper is also shouting that there is military business at Xincao Gate today and it will not be accessible before noon. We should take a detour..."
"Get into the fucking military."
Zhao Luobo was furious. "I walked up to him and told him to take a detour... The world is peaceful, the Jurchen emperor has fled from Yanjing and died, where is the military mission? How can the Jurchens come again from thousands of miles away?"
Ma Pang and a group of Fanlou drivers just remained silent.
After Zhao Luobo finished scolding, he looked back at his own convoy behind him. He was helpless, so he carefully counted out a hundred coins from his pocket and handed them to Ma Pang: "Isn't your relative in our village working as a manager here? Go and ask... Tell them that they are waiting to cook in the building, and they also need to provide for the gentlemen. With so many people, it will take more than half an hour to go around Chaoyang Gate."
Fat Ma nodded repeatedly and immediately stepped forward to take the money. However, when he turned around, he couldn't help but curl his lips, thinking that Uncle Luobo was too stingy... For such a serious matter, what's the use of a hundred coins?
Are you still using the same methods as when you were rich, powerful and prosperous?
Sure enough, Fatty Ma took a hundred coins and went around the city, only to ask the family, and then ran back with the money in his pocket without showing a penny:
"Let Uncle Zhao know... As soon as I took out the money, the captain guarding the gate found out. He said that Fanlou was nothing before military affairs! The fourth shopkeeper was nothing again! The money was gone, and I got kicked for nothing... They only let us enter from the Chaoyang Gate in the south. A moment later means a moment of delay. Fanlou has no food for lunch, it's all we deserve!"
Zhao Luobo, who was riding on the mule, had a pale face. It was obvious that he was afraid of delaying things, but at the same time he was reluctant to give up the hundred coins. After a long while, he gritted his teeth and said, "Did you steal the money? You don't allow familiar faces to enter the house for a hundred coins? This didn't happen during the Xuanhe period!"
Ma Pang just shook his head and smiled bitterly, which made the other drivers and Li Fu laugh too.
The people from Fanlou gave them face, but the people from the other regular stores nearby didn't even bother to give them face, and directly mocked them: "Uncle Radish, the Emperor Jianyan is in power now, and he hates the things that happened during the Xuanhe period the most... Why don't you tell us about the time when you were growing radishes in the east of the city 20 years ago? At that time, there was even General Gao who bought radishes from your family!"
Zhao Luobo felt more and more embarrassed and distressed, but he had no choice but to order the convoy to turn to Chaoyang Gate.
But at this moment, the shopkeeper of Fanlou, who was sitting on the mule, turned around and was surprised to find that as the morning fog dissipated, smoke and dust had already billowed on the eastern road, as if a large army was approaching.
This made him, who had experienced the Jingkang escape and returned again, feel uneasy, and he immediately made up his mind:
"Let's go, let's go through Chaoyang Gate. Don't run into the army."
Everyone started, but after only a few steps, someone from the Xincao Gate suddenly shouted on the city gate tower: "People from Ma Xing Street, you really can't get through Chaoyang Gate at this time... Minister Zhang has ordered to open the barricades and let the drivers going to Ma Xing Street get in first!"
Manager Zhao was confused and naturally couldn't take another detour, but there was a traffic jam ahead and the army was approaching behind him, so he couldn't help but panic. He could only shout repeatedly, asking Fan Lou's car to follow him closely and not to leave the team without permission.
In the distance, the army was approaching, and as they neared the solid road in front of the gate, the smoke and dust gradually faded, making it even more obvious how large the army was and how powerful it was.
Manager Zhao, who was used to being afraid of the army, became even more panicked. He just pushed forward and finally entered the Xincao Gate before the army arrived. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to scold:
"Don't be greedy to look at the army. You'll break eggs and drop carrots. Let's walk along the street... Walk slowly, look while walking... Don't do either..."
The drivers were about to respond when they found that Zhao Luobo suddenly froze in place, then looked at the city gate of Xincaomen in astonishment.
"Yes, it's the Jurchens..."
Zhao Luobo stared at the city gate, his face turned pale, his teeth chattering, and he uttered something unbelievable.
Ma Pang and others looked back together, and indeed saw the appearance of the soldiers in the middle of the queue coming behind them - some wore fur hats in the middle of summer, and some did not have hats, but had typical rat tails... either a single tail, or two tails on both sides... This is a typical Jurchen hairstyle.
In addition, many people were wearing tattered leather armor, holding messy flags, carrying bows and empty quivers.
But no matter what, there is no doubt that this is the Jurchens.
In fact, it was not just Zhao Luobo and Ma Pang who were all there, but the entire Xin Cao Sect that suddenly fell into a complete and strange silence.
Most people had no idea what was going on. The few who were smart, including those on the city gate who knew the situation, were all very surprised and fell into an eerie silence along with the rest of the people.
"It's the Jurchens! The Jurchens are attacking again!"
In the silence, Zhao Luobo suddenly roared, then urged the mule under him to run forward along the street like crazy.
It was just past morning, and the streets were wide but not crowded, so the mule carried its master into the city without stepping on anyone.
A group of drivers and porters, all young men, only looked in the direction where Zhao Luobo was fleeing madly, but most of them turned back to look behind them... Over there, more and more Jurchens poured out from the doorway, but on both sides of the Jurchens there were also several rows of imperial camp soldiers, all of them wearing armor and holding sharp weapons, strictly supervising and accompanying them.
The scene was unmistakable; these were prisoners of war—soldiers from the imperial camp were escorting them.
According to the court bulletin, after the Battle of Huolu, the total number of prisoners of war reached 70,000 to 80,000, of which the so-called Jurchens, Bohais, Khitans, etc., numbered no less than 40,000. It is likely that tens of thousands of Jurchen and Real Tartar captives were paraded through the streets.
"Manager Han."
Just as most people stopped to look at the doorway, the fat horse touched the string of one hundred coins in his arms, sighed on the spot, and turned to a familiar shopkeeper on the side. "Please lend me your mule. I'll go chase Uncle Luobo to avoid any trouble... I'll feed you some hay in the afternoon and bring it to you."
"good……"
"Ride my mule. My mule is strong."
Just as Han responded, a slightly fat shopkeeper next to him got off the mule and handed the reins to Ma Pang. "Be careful with your words... Don't laugh at him. He experienced the Jingkang disaster and his family was destroyed... Those of us who are older are actually afraid... I almost wanted to run away just now."
Ma Pang responded, got on the mule and went in pursuit.
Since the morning, as always, the noise in Tokyo City has been getting louder and louder throughout the morning. According to common sense, this noise will reach its peak before noon and then fluctuate. But today, the noise in the city seems to have no end, but has been surging and rising, like a huge wave, with no end.
And everyone gradually found out - because of the siege ten years ago, the emperor had issued a special decree, ordering Jingsai Prince Yang Yi Zhong to return south ahead of schedule, gather the prisoners of war, and collect the spoils to parade through the streets for public display.
The only thing is that it might rain tomorrow, so I had no choice but to do it in advance.
At present, starting from Xincao Gate in the east of the city, tens of thousands of Jurchen, Khitan and Bohai captives, under the strict guard of imperial guards who were no less in number than themselves, were holding their tattered flags, wearing muddy leather armor, carrying bows without strings, scabbards without blades, and quivers without arrows, and then walking with their heads down through the east-west street in the middle of Tokyo City.
At the beginning, the reaction of the people in the city when they encountered this team was no different from the scene inside the city gate. A few were panicked and hysterical, but most were silent, worried and timid.
But as more and more captives entered the city and more and more clear messages came, the people along the way began to cheer, to shout, to drop their preparations for the day, and like their own children, they went up to the buildings and into the streets, shouting and screaming, spreading the news everywhere.
Before they reached the inner city, some people had already begun to try to attack the team and tried to bite and beat the prisoners, but they were stopped by the soldiers on both sides - the emperor had ordered that after today, these prisoners of war would be handed over to Western Liao one by one.
At the same time, the captives went from being numb at the beginning to fear, trembling, panic-stricken, and terrified.
They never thought that one day they would be afraid of these unarmed people.
As the captive group entered the inner city, more and more people heard the news and rushed along the Imperial Street. The scene became more chaotic and agitated. The soldiers in the imperial camp were almost unable to stop them, and there were even group conflicts between the people and the soldiers.
But soon, with an order from Prince Jingsai who presided over the ceremony, the soldiers regained order and respect... They began to take out the gold, silver, bronze and iron medals that had been prepared in advance, representing the enemy officers, and held them high on both sides of the street, one for every few people.
At the same time, the captives were required to throw away their flags, scabbards, quivers, and bows along the street, and even had to take off their tattered leather armor and stuffy leather hats, and walk out of the west gate naked.
This caused the entire scene to fall into a kind of manic cheering.
On both sides of the street, all the rooftops of the buildings were occupied. This was not only to provide a good view of the prisoners, but also to make it easier for the soldiers on both sides to throw stones and debris at the shirtless Jurchen prisoners.
When the team arrived at Xuande Tower, which was facing the Imperial Street, the high ground on both sides of the street had been occupied. At this time, someone suddenly started to throw coins... No one knew why. Maybe they had run out of miscellaneous items, so they threw money, or maybe some wealthy people followed the custom of the soldiers in the prosperous and prosperous years and gave money to the soldiers holding the signs as a "reward"... But it didn't matter, because soon, things got out of control and everyone rushed to throw everything around them at the soldiers in the Imperial Camp.
Coins, hairpins, jewelry, silk, headscarves, even radishes and live chickens and ducks...the number one scholar outside Donghuamen may not be so glamorous.
Amid the deafening waves, Ma Pang found Zhao Luobo. At that time, the latter had just thrown away the saddle from his mule. Then, with nothing left, he sat slumped on the messy ground behind the crowd, leaning against the mule without saddle, like a madman, crying and laughing.
But after Ma Pang slowly walked over and sat down with the other person, Zhao Luobo stopped smiling, and just hugged this acquaintance and cried bitterly. His crying was earth-shaking and he didn't stop for a moment. His crying was like a heavy rain that soaked the entire Central Plains.
At the end of summer in the tenth year of Jianyan, Zhao Jiu, who was completely unaware of the scenes in Tokyo, began to turn back south after personally seeing off a group of people including Yue Fei, Zhao Liangbi, Jin Bushi, Hebule, Tuoli, Yelu Yudu, Minamoto no Tameyoshi, and Taira no Kiyomori.
When he passed through Yanjing on the way, he greeted Lu Yihao who was completely unable to get up. Then, according to the other party's wishes, he left Hu Yin in Yanjing to guard it, and took Han Shizhong and other senior civil and military officials with him to continue heading south.
In late July, Emperor Zhao crossed the Yellow River and arrived in Shaoxing.
Then, without waiting for the ministers in Tokyo to greet him, an imperial decree was issued, requiring all the civil and military officials in Tokyo, as well as the civil and military officials in their respective fields, and all the dignitaries in the surrounding areas who could make it, to accompany him to pay homage to the Taoist ancestor's main court in Bozhou.
And finally, on another autumn day filled with rustling autumn wind, under the warm setting sun, Zhao Jiu returned to Mingdao Palace, which he had been avoiding for the past ten years.