end song

Chapter 107 Yan Martin
In the fourth year of Xingchang in the Song Dynasty, July [-].

It was almost five o'clock, and the sky was still gray.

Before the start of the court meeting, the waiting period is called "waiting leaks", and some "dai leaking courtyards" of different levels were built outside the palace city to serve as resting places for officials.

At this time, Ma Tianji was catching up on sleep in the waiting room.

General officials are in the hall, dozing against the wall or sitting on a chair, he is different, he has a separate room in the waiting courtyard.

Not long ago, Ma Tianji was transferred from Guangnan East Road to return to the court, and was promoted to be the minister of the Ministry of Rites.

Standing beside Ma Ming personally, guarding a candle on the table.

When the candles were burned out, it was time for Ma Tianji to leave for the court meeting, and it was not too late.

However, today, there was still a small portion of the candle, and Ma Tianji had already opened his eyes.

Ma Ming said: "Ah Lang is awake? But it's too noisy outside?"

"Xiao Mei for a while." Ma Tianji said: "What are you talking about outside? It seems that I heard someone calling my name?"

"A few small officials were discussing in the courtyard, and they called Shiro from Sun Shaoqing's family in Taichang Temple...he has the same name as Alang."

"Really?" Ma Tianji asked casually, "Has he changed? What's his name now?"

Ma Ming hesitated slightly, and said: "It's not that it changed, but it was beaten to death in April this year."

"died?"

"Yes, the villain just heard the talk outside." Ma Ming said: "Sun Silang was beaten to death in the Fenglian Building because he was jealous of a prostitute. The corner prostitute is actually Tang An'an, she has become more and more famous recently, she crowned Lin'an, and the news gradually spread."

Ma Tianji seemed to be distracted, and murmured: "It's called 'Sun Tianji'? I seem to have heard of him somewhere..."

"Alang was joking." Ma Ming said, "I've heard it before, after all, it's a taboo to honor Alang's name."

"No." Ma Tianji squinted his eyes, and suddenly said: "The man who killed Sun Tianji was named 'Li Xia', right?"

"A Lang hadn't returned to court at that time, how could he know about this case?"

"It's not because of this case." Ma Tianji mused with his eyes deep in thought, "Where did I hear the name Li Xia..."

Finally, he remembered.

"Huaiyou, Luzhou... The letter Yuan Jie sent to Ding Gong is because of this letter... Li Xia... Nie Zhongyou... Heh, some young people."

At this point, the timing candle went out.

Ma Tianji stood up, straightened his clothes, and went to the palace gate in a sedan chair.

Something is also on my mind.

Last year, Ding Gong exiled Dong Huai, the right minister, and Cheng Yuanfeng won the position of right minister.It seems that Cheng Yuanfeng will soon be caught again...

No, we should bring down Prime Minister Zuo Xie Fangshu first, this matter should have been done in July last year, but unfortunately there is less chance...

Just arrived in front of the palace gate, only to see a noisy front.

Ma Tianji raised the sedan chair curtain and asked, "What happened?"

"Ah Lang, wait a moment." Ma Ming responded and went to inquire.

Ma Tianji waited for a while, and saw that the commotion in front of the palace gate intensified.

There are not many steps left here, he got off the sedan chair and walked forward.

Along the way, officials in various crimson robes gathered in small groups and chatted endlessly.

"Who is so bold?"

"I don't know, how dare you write on the palace gate, it's too crazy."

"That means 'Tingkang,' doesn't it?"

Ma Tianji frowned. He naturally knew that "eaves horse" refers to the wind chimes hanging under the eaves, also known as iron horses, which jingle when the wind blows.

But these four words gave him a bad premonition...

Another official said: "I don't know who this 'Yan Martin' refers to?"

"Shh, don't talk too much."

"Ma Shilang is here, make way..."

Ma Tianji walked slowly to the palace gate and looked up.

I saw eight shocking big characters written on the vermilion gate.

"Yan Martin, the country is about to perish!"

……

Ma Tianji didn't seem to notice the whispers around him. He was absent-minded for a long time, and finally came back to his senses.

Yan, Ma, Ding, Dang, who the four characters refer to, no one knows better than him.

Yan refers to Concubine Yan Gui; Ma refers to his horse Tianji; Ding refers to Dinggong Ding Daquan; Dang, also known as "Da Dang" because the eunuch used a pendant to decorate his hat, refers to the eunuch Dong Songchen.

"Yan Martin, the country is about to perish..."

Ma Tianji murmured in a low voice, fury and murderous intent flashed across his eyes, and he quickly restrained himself.

He glanced at the officials around him, and some people surrounded him, expressing indignation and impassioned gestures; others sneered at him, gloating at his misfortune, and sneering at him.

Ma Tianji was quite self-cultivated and didn't say anything in public.

In the end, he still had a calm smile on his face.

"Boom! Boom! Boom..."

The sound of drums came from the direction of the vertical arch hall.

Many people are already late for today's court meeting.

Ma Tianji straightened his sleeves, entered the palace, and met the right admonishment doctor, the Duanming Palace bachelor, and the signing of the Privy Council... Ding Daquan.

Ding Daquan was 65 years old at the time. He had a strange appearance when he was born, and his face was blue, which made people shudder.

Today, Uncle Xie Fang is the prime minister on the left, and Cheng Yuanfeng is the prime minister on the right.But what can be counted as "prime minister" is not only the left and right ministers, but also the ranking in the Privy Council. The prime minister also serves as the Privy Council envoy, and two or three deputy envoys.

After Ding Daquan overthrew the right minister Dong Huai, he signed a letter to the Privy Council, and he has been included in the list of prime ministers, and his status is quite high.

For example, Jia Sidao served as an advisor to political affairs, and was called a deputy prime minister.

Ding Daquan's status was higher than that of Deputy Prime Minister Jia Sidao.

Perhaps it can also be understood literally, Ding Daquan can "sign the book", Jia Sidao can only "know" or "know together".

Moreover, the official system in the Song Dynasty was redundant and chaotic, and if the official trust was added, Ding Daquan's power and authority would not be inferior to that of the left and right ministers.

Uncle Xie Fang and Cheng Yuanfeng hadn't arrived yet, Ding Daquan seemed to be the head of civil servants.

"Mr. Ding."

Ma Tianji was afraid that the long wings on the official hat would hit Ding Daquan, so he turned his head and approached Ding Daquan, and said in a low voice, "Today's inscription..."

"Yan Martin, you 'horse' dare to be in front of me."

Ma Tianji was taken aback, looking at Ding Daquan's blue face, he felt creepy.

Ding Daquan smiled and went to the front of the line without waiting for his answer.

Ma Tianji looked at it, thinking that it was fine if Uncle Xie Fang and Cheng Yuanfeng came late, but Jia Sidao dared to come later than Ding Gong.

……

Outside the palace gate.

The servant named "Guihepu" ran to the side of the sedan chair and said in a low voice, "Ah Lang, they have all entered the palace... Sure enough, they didn't attack on the spot."

No one in the sedan chair answered.

Guihepu waited and waited, and when he heard the sound of the drums getting more urgent, he couldn't help but lift the curtain of the sedan chair, and said, "Ah Lang, I'm afraid it's too late to go to court."

Jia Sidao was holding a pottery pot and looked fascinated, and said: "I'm not the only one who is late, what are you afraid of?"

"However, Prime Minister Ding Shu has already entered."

"That's why he couldn't hold his breath today."

Jia Sidao then got up and got off the sedan chair, and handed the clay pot in his hand to Guihepu.

"You take it."

"Yes."

Guihepu looked down and saw a small cricket in the jar.

"Ah Lang, it's only a little small."

"You don't understand." Jia Sidao patted the crimson robe, and said casually: "Danqing is born with red teeth, and his head is numb, his neck is broad and his wings are exquisite. When he is reborn, his belly is as white as snow, and he has won all the skills of autumn insects solo."

Guihepu watched Jia Sidao enter the palace, looked at the clay pot again, and murmured.

"Cyan... It seems that when the fight started, between Prime Minister Zuo and Prime Minister Ding Shu, Alang was betting that Ding Shu would win..."

~~
As Guihepu thought, that night, Jia Sidao met many people again, and the things they talked about were indeed related to the "Yan Martin, the country is about to perish".

"Uncle Fang Xie, Ding Daquan, the battle of phases is indeed on the verge of imminent, and the situation in the court will definitely change..."

"Zhao Kui and Lu Wende's memorial will be handed over soon..."

"In addition, according to reliable sources, the Mongolian army has already attacked Shu..."

"Uncle Xie Fang wants Yu Hui to lead the army, while Cheng Yuanfeng pays attention to Zhang Shi. The Privy Council should come up with a proposal as soon as possible..."

After listening to one piece of news, Jia Sidao pondered for a while, and finally just waved his hand, and waved all his confidants away.

He turned to the yard where the crickets were kept, his eyes slipped through the clay pots, carefully observing each cricket.

Guihepu couldn't help asking: "Why is Alang not in a hurry for such a big event?"

"What's the rush?" Jia Sidao said leisurely: "Be quiet and then be at peace, be at ease and then be able to worry, and then be able to gain after thinking."

"But Ah Lang is not in a hurry, the other lords are all making moves..."

"Have you found out about the matter in the north?"

"Still investigating... This matter is really strange. How could they know about Li Xia? They also blocked our news."

"It's not strange." Jia Sidao said casually: "It can only mean that Li Xia is still alive and has returned with information. It's like a cricket jumping into a chicken coop, how can the chicken not peck?"

"Yes." Guihepu said: "There are too many chickens in the cage."

"Then let's see which chicken can peck it." Jia Sidao straightened up and said, "Invincible, this cricket is a masterpiece."

"Yes, the villain will definitely find this cricket."

Jia Sidao nodded, kicked a pebble into the pond, and murmured: "One stone stirs up thousands of waves..."

(End of this chapter)