Prime Minister

Chapter 429 Taiping Prime Minister
Zhang Yue's journey to the west was escorted by Zhe Jiming, who was originally from the Duyanyuan.

There is another companion on this trip that is Huang Haoyi.

Huang Haoyi had no hope of failing the imperial examination, and he had no intention of seeking an official career. He also heard that Zhang Yue's intermediary supervisor recruited all his students from the imperial academy.

So Huang Haoyi hugged Zhang Yue's thigh, and decided to find an errand in Jiaoyin.

Anyway, they are both classmates and fellow villagers for several years. Knowing that Huang Haoyi has something that he can't support the wall, Zhang Yue still takes Huang Haoyi by his side to hone it and see if he can be the leader in the future.

Along the way, more than a dozen riders traveled along the official road, and when they arrived at the post station, they used post rolls to eat and change horses. For Zhang Yue, since he was on a business trip, the sooner he could do things quickly, the better. Make friends.

It means riding horses during the day and sleeping at the post at night.

After arriving in Luoyang, Huang Haoyi looked at the pedestrians on the official road full of novelty.

Huang Haoyi and Zhang Yue rode together and said: "I have heard about Xijing for a long time. When the ancestor of Yizu established the capital in Xijing, he gave up because of the opposition of civil and military officials. Some courtiers said that Kaifeng's water transportation is convenient, and there is no shortage of supplies. If Staying in Luoyang, who would want to starve with the officials? But there seems to have been plans to move the capital to Xijing afterwards."

Zhang Yuedao: "It is true that Emperor Zhenzong went to Luoyang twice, intending to move the capital here. Fan Wenzheng also proposed to move the capital here. He once said that in times of peace and prosperity, the capital can be moved to Luoyang. I think this is very insightful. .”

"However, I heard that Xijing is now a place where many princes and ministers retire. It is adjacent to Bianjing, so you will know if there is any trouble in the court."

Huang Haoyi said: "Yes, although Bianjing is good, it is at the foot of the emperor after all. Xijing has the honor of accompanying the capital, which is prosperous and not inferior to Bianjing. In the past, Ouyang Gong, Qian Gong, Mei Gong and others lived here, drinking and composing poems every day. Taiwan, it's really lively."

Zhang Yue took a look at Huang Haoyi and said, "You came to Luoyang not to watch the people in clothes, but to go to Mazhangtai!"

Huang Haoyi laughed and said: "I heard that prostitutes in Luoyang like to have small feet, and you also know that my wife has big feet. It's a pity. Sanlang heard that you are being tightly controlled by your sister-in-law at home..."

Zhang Yue said: "We still have business to do, don't go to the place of fireworks and willow lanes to delay the business."

Huang Haoyi sighed: "Understood, in fact, my Fireworks and Willow Lane has no other meaning. I once asked someone to find out that Yulian is now in Xijing..."

Zhang Yue was stunned and said: "Yulian...you still miss her now? I also said that after you got married..."

Huang Haoyi sighed: "How can I forget, after all, Yulian is the first woman I met in my life. I have been thinking about how she is doing all these years. Even though I know that she has never put me in her heart for a moment, But I also miss her from the bottom of my heart.”

Zhang Yue said with contempt on his face: "Shiro, let me tell you, your behavior is what I call 'dog licking'."

"Lick the dog?" Huang Haoyi sighed when he heard the words.

Soon Zhang Yue arrived in Luoyang, Xijing.

The first thing Zhang Yue did when he arrived in Luoyang was to meet his relatives.

There are many wealthy families in Luoyang, such as the Liu family and the Ning family. After Emperor Taizong pacified the Northern Han Dynasty, he moved many Northern Han official families to Luoyang.And Zhang Yue's mother-in-law Li's natal family is in Luoyang, which is also the place where the Li family in Longxi settled.

Shi Qiniang's grandfather, Li You, once knew the Jiangning Mansion by admonishing the doctor.

Li Jue, the great-grandfather, once served as the gatekeeper Wai Lang.

Li Jue's father, Li Chengnai, was the first landscape painter at the end of the Five Dynasties.Empress Dowager Cao liked Li Cheng's paintings very much, so she ordered people to buy many of them and brought them to the palace for collection, but she didn't know the authenticity, so she invited Li to the palace to inquire, and finally she picked out four authentic paintings from the paintings.

Li You has two sons, Li Chen and Li Xun.Li Chen was the prime minister of Dali Temple, and Li Xun was the judge of Dali Temple. They were both Yin officials but did not become officials.

When Zhang Yue arrived in Xijing, he went to call on Li Chen and Li Xun, and presented the gift from Li Shi. These two people are now ordinary people. Knowing that Zhang Yue came to visit Gu, they were very respectful and warmly entertained Zhang Yue.

Li Chen has the style of a great-grandfather, and also likes calligraphy and painting. He also specially asked Zhang Yue to leave a book for his collection.

After visiting Li Xun and Li Chen, Zhang Yue immediately went to visit Wen Yanbo.

Wen Yanbo served in Luoyang several times. In the third year of Jiayou's reign, he retired from the position of prime minister and took the post of Xijing stay-bearer. He settled in Congshanfang, Luoyang. When Wen Yanbo's stepmother passed away, he went back to Luoyang to mourn.

After the new king ascended the throne, he successively summoned Fu Bi and Wen Yanbo who were in Xijing back to Beijing.However, Wen Yanbo did not go to Bianjing because the funeral period was not over.

However, after Fu Bi left, Wen Yanbo became the de facto big boss in Luoyang, and he was the only one who looked up to him. Officials from Henan Mansion or going to Shaanxi Road to take office had to pay a visit to Wen Yanbo Mansion when they passed through Luoyang.

There is a good saying, the leader does not remember who has congratulated him, but he must remember who has not congratulated him.

Of course, if you don’t go to the meeting, Wen Xianggong is a highly respected old man and will not care about you cautiously, but if this matter is known to his old officials of the same year, he may not let you go.

Therefore, Zhang Yue is definitely going to visit Wen Yanbo's mansion, not to mention that he and the Wen family are still relatives by marriage. When he was an official, he was also favored by Wen Xianggong and his old man.

What's more, Wen Yanbo's 58th birthday is coming soon, and his mother-in-law also has a generous gift.

Zhang Yue immediately went to the East Garden where Wen Yanbo was.

He and Huang Haoyi rode their horses through the streets of Xijing, but saw that this place is indeed a different scene from Bianjing, and the characters and clothing customs are different from Bianjing.

Bianjing is noisy and bustling, full of the atmosphere of the market, and the streets and alleys are also very cramped, but it is another scene when you walk to the streets of Xijing. Everything in the streets and alleys here is in good order, and few shops are opened along the street, so there is less blah blah blah. It is full of ears, and both sides of the street are gardens of prominent officials and wealthy families. The bamboo and exotic flowers in the courtyard are over the wall to show the charm to passers-by. As for the street gardens, most of them pass through water, and flowing water can be seen everywhere.

Moreover, the pedestrians are very leisurely and calm, wearing the toga and sleeves of the Han and Tang Dynasties. Even the scholar-bureaucrats on the road are not horse-drawn carts, but ox carts and donkey carts. Holding a wooden stick, shouting, whipping and so on.

Scholars and officials here travel slowly, like taking a walk, and even when driving, they rarely see the urging of the emperor.

Looking at this scene, Zhang Yue thought to himself, what a rich and leisurely place in Luozhong, it is not for nothing that senior officials of the Song Dynasty would like to settle in Luoyang after retirement.

There are not only many high-ranking officials and dignitaries here, but also a strong cultural atmosphere. After traveling around the world, the great Confucian Shao Yong finally settled in Luoyang and said, "The Tao is here."

When Zhang Yue arrived at the mansion, he first revealed his identity.

Menzi heard that Zhang Yue was in charge of seducing the prison, but Xin Dao himself had never heard of the prison.

But then Zhang Yue presented the family letter from the Wu family and Mr. Wen Liulang, and the sect became serious. When he learned that Zhang Yue was the number one scholar, he immediately changed his face and went inside to report to him.

Not long after, a middle-aged man who resembled Wen Jifu stepped out, and the other man cupped his hands and said to Zhang Yue: "It turns out that the in-laws are here, and we are far away to welcome you!"

Zhang Yue said that he didn't dare to take it seriously, the other party told himself that his name was Wen Gongzu, the eldest son of Wen Yanbo, who was once the judge of Fengxiang Mansion.

Zhang Yue bowed to the other party, Wen Gongzu immediately asked Zhang Yue to enter and said along the way: "My father is at the mansion, he should have come out to greet him in person, but a few days ago he suffered from foot disease and it is difficult for him to walk, please go and meet him."

Zhang Yue said: "I have admired Wen Lu Gong's name for a long time, and I have long wanted to come to Xijing to pay my respects. It is a blessing to be able to meet you now."

Wen Gongzu smiled and said: "The in-laws have met each other. Among all the daughters-in-law, the one my parents often praise is Liulang's daughter-in-law..."

Zhang Yue and Wen Gongzu talked while walking.

Talking to people, getting closer, and watching people's faces are all things that the second generation of officials are good at, and soon the two were talking and laughing.

Zhang Yue and Wen Gongzu were even more shocked when they walked for a while, there is such a big garden.

From Wen Gongzu's mouth, I learned that the garden where Wen Yanbo lived was called the East Garden, and it actually covered hundreds of acres of land.

In particular, a water area in the mansion occupies an extremely large area.

Wen Gongzu asked Zhang Yue to board the boat and go boating in the pool, but seeing the vast water surface and the mist, it seemed to be walking in the rivers and lakes.There are two large islands in the center of the pool, each of which has a courtyard that can accommodate dozens of people.

Zhang Yue said in his heart, this is too good to enjoy.

Passing this island, Zhang Yue and Wen Gongzu landed.Zhang Yue thought that he was going to meet Wen Yanbo, but he went west for another mile, and only then did he see the two halls that were larger than those in the island.

I heard that Wen Gongzu introduced a hall called Xiangfu and a hall called medicine garden.

This East Garden was originally a medicine garden, but it was remodeled after being bought by Wen Yanbo.

After Wen Gongzu finished speaking, he smiled and said: "Master Shao once said that since ancient times, there are many gaps in other cities. It may not be easy to build such a garden in Bianjing, that is, Xijing, where all the princes and princes go east. It is so big in the daytime. In the garden, there are often idlers who come here to invite friends and companions, and never ask about the owner's house."

"My father also forbids visitors to come and enjoy it, and even invites them to drink and have fun with them."

Zhang Yue gave a thumbs up and said, "It's really Prime Minister Taiping!"

Wen Gongzu laughed.

Zhang Yue followed Wen Gongzu to the medicine garden hall and walked to the backyard, where he saw countless exotic flowers and herbs. In the courtyard there were not only lush bamboo forests, but also ancient pine trees.

Even opened up half of the farmland, Wen Gongzu smiled and explained to Zhang Yue: "After my father resigned as Prime Minister, he was free, so he did some crop work."

In the end, Zhang Yue was led to a pavilion and saw an old man in good spirits.

Zhang Yue knew that the other party was Wen Yanbo, so he called on him immediately.

Wen Yanbo smiled gently and said nothing, but stretched out his hand to signal Zhang Yue to sit beside him.After Zhang Yue sat down according to his words, he didn't dare to take the initiative to speak, and only waited for Wen Yanbo to speak.

Unexpectedly, Wen Yanbo sat there without saying a word.

Zhang Yue didn't know what Wen Yanbo was up to, so he had to sit there and wait, but he saw that orchids were planted all over the pavilion, in full bloom.

Zhang Yue sat like this for a long time, and suddenly Wen Yanbo said with a smile: "Xiang Lai!"

I just felt the cool wind blowing, and the fragrance of orchids in the courtyard filled the surroundings. Zhang Yue had never smelled such a refreshing fragrance, so he couldn't help saying: "This fragrance is really good!"

But Wen Yanbo smiled slightly when he heard the words, and calmly said: "Any fragrance that smells is not good, we have to wait for it to come because of the wind!"

(End of this chapter)