The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

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Early the next morning, Su Jin went to the academy to bid farewell. The news that Su Jin was leaving the academy to go to Beijing had already spread in the academy, but the reason given by Su Jin and the academy chairs was that the emperor summoned Su Jin for the sake of Taizu's dream. Inquiring about the matter, this reason is quite appropriate, after all such a big thing happened, it is impossible for the emperor not to express anything.

The academy was closed for half a day to bid farewell to Su Jin. Qi Shunbin and Fang Zimo led all the students to the long pavilion ten miles outside the west gate.

Bao Zheng also brought a group of people from the government office to see off Yan Shu, Fu Bi and the others. Comparing the two, the number of people on Su Jin's side was several times that of the one who sent off the third envoy, so he couldn't help but smile; Yes, it seems that he is quite comfortable in the academy.

After drinking three cups of farewell wine, Fang Zimo came forward and handed Su Jin a small cloth package, patted Su Jin on the shoulder and said: "I have been a teacher for 30 years, and I have met as many students as crucian carp crossing the river, like you This kind of person is rare, don't give you the painstaking efforts of the old man for decades today, you go to the mountains and the waters, and gradually understand the difficulties of the world, the old man has nothing to help you, but the old man's spare time The manuscript of the book is delivered to you, and it may be helpful to you."

Su Jin turned over and bowed down to take the package with both hands. When he touched it, it turned out to be a stack of manuscripts.

"The old man has something else to say, I hope you can learn from it."

"Master, please advise."

"It doesn't hurt to be tactful and exquisite in life, but if you are an official and a student, you must be honest and don't be impetuous. It's like copying "Xueer" five hundred times on a daily basis. You think the old man can't see that it's not your handwriting. Is it? Be careful."

Su Jin blushed, and even said yes: "Remember the teacher's teachings, and the students will always remember them in their hearts."

Fang Zimo nodded and said: "I don't ask you to keep it in your heart all the time, but self-cultivation is everywhere, so you can do it yourself."

Fang Zimo patted Su Jin on the shoulder, sighed and turned to go back. Su Jin looked at his thin back, walking alone, and sighed in his heart. This Fang Zimo seemed to be a mystery. He had been together for several months without touching him. Get to know him.

When he was in a daze, his arm was pulled by someone. When he looked back, it turned out to be Wu Hengxin, who had red eyes, sniffed his nose like a woman, and said, "Lao Liu, you are gone, who am I going to be with from now on?" What a mess." <Heaven is back, we still have to play Cuju together, and hold the autumn festival together; besides, several brothers and virtuous brothers are here, speaking of which, I envy you, I am alone this time , but boring. "<God, are you back? That's great."

Su Jin raised his head and counted the days: "Three or four months after the next year, I should be able to come back at that time. Unless the emperor keeps me in the capital and pays him a good price, I will definitely come back."

Yan Shu, Bao Zheng and the others rolled their eyes. This guy thought beautifully, and he said that he was the prime minister. These people didn't get into the two houses until they were five or sixty years old. Is it a jelly bean to be a prime minister?Give one to whoever you want.

Su Jin turned to Wang Anshi, Wei Songhe, Lu Dakui, Cheng Liangmu and others one by one to say goodbye, and the guards who opened the way yelled, and the convoy moved slowly, heading west along the mudstone official road to Bianliang.

Su Jin turned around on horseback and looked back, waving his hands again and again, only to hear Wang Anshi's voice in the autumn wind, and chanted:

Returning to bed is not complacent, and going out has nothing to cast.

I searched for the water in the corner of the city alone, and sent my son to travel far away.

The sad wind in the barren forest blows the camel's fur miserably.

Holding hands and laughing together, Gu Zhan Zhonghe Zhou.

Everyone is happy, but we are sad.

The intestines and stomach circle Zhongshan, and the body remains empty.

Is it not that there is also a demand for reading poetry and books?

Once wrapped in a green shirt, you will regret everything you do.

It's not enough to help the time, but it's ashamed of the old man.

If you are going to Kyoto today, the car must rest in Bianzhou.

Send a message to Jinghua Guest, don't forget old friends.

……

The straight-line distance from Yingtianfu to the capital city is actually not far away. Calculated by the distance of later generations, the straight-line distance is only [-] miles, but this was in the Song Dynasty. It would be convenient to go from Ningling to Bianliang City via Minquan The way, the road is not much different.

It's a pity that this generation has mountainous roads, saline-alkaline and sandstorms, and a large area where the Hui people gather. Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, although these areas have long been under the jurisdiction, in terms of living habits and psychological perception Intellectually, the Han people always have a bit of contempt and awe towards these Huihui.

In order to avoid unnecessary troubles, the construction of the official road deliberately avoided the above-mentioned areas. The limitation of manpower and material resources determined that the official road could not move forward in a straight line in the mountains, and the psychological repulsion avoided the return and gathering. In this way, the official road could have been connected in a straight line, but now it goes west to south and then north, forming a winding dipper shape. The distance between the two places has doubled and expanded to nearly a thousand miles away.

The team of Yan Shu and the others strolled at a slow speed, and Su Jin was drowsy on the horse. Seeing that at this speed, it was already a miracle that he could walk seventy or eighty miles in a day. to reach.

The servants of the Su family were very excited. Xiaosui'er and Huanniang, as females, it is not surprising that they would spend their entire lives in Luzhou. Now they have not only come to Yingtian Mansion with their young master, but also have to go to The excitement of Bianliang City, which is as prosperous as a dream, made them ecstatic; the two lifted the curtains of the car to point out the scenery along the way, whispered, and never closed their mouths.

Dynasty, Ma, Han, Zhao Hu, and Zhang Long, these four foodies have seen some things in the world, but it is the first time to go back to the capital, and it is the first time in their life that they are assigned a horse to ride. ,High spirits.

The hardest one was Xiao Zhuzi, who was still driving the mule cart pulled by Xiaoqing, and followed the team sparsely to eat ashes, casting jealous eyes at the four big foodies from time to time.

Su Jin was dazed and listless, Fu Bi, who was riding beside him, saw his boredom, and said with a smile, "My dear brother, are you bored?"

Su Jin opened his mouth and said, "Fortunately, the autumn sun is warm and the mountains and rivers are magnificent, which is quite interesting."

Fu Bi saw that his words were insincere, and said with a smile, "You will get used to it after a while. We spend more than half of our time as court officials on the road, so we can't bear such a little bit of loneliness, so don't mention anything."

Su Jin looked at the stone road with potholes and ruts as deep as knees and said, "This is fucking official way. Fortunately, in addition to two legs these days, there are four legs, or two wheels. Even if you cross over by yourself Even bringing a Rolls-Royce, I am afraid that it can only be used as a decoration, and it is difficult to move an inch on such a road; no wonder Fu Bi said that most of the time is spent on the road, so it is strange that such a road can speed up.

Seeing that Su Jin didn't speak, Fu Bi teased him and said, "What's the matter? Are you thinking? Tell me and listen."

Su Jin was stimulated by him and suddenly remembered something, so he asked softly: "That day, I heard from Lord Yan that the governor Tang Jie was killed by a strongman on the road? Is there such a thing?"

Fu Bi looked around, probed his head and said in a low voice: "Indeed, at the Niutou post thirty li away from here, all the dozen or so soldiers escorted were killed."

Su Jin frowned and said, "Then how many people should participate to kill more than a dozen people in one fell swoop? Who did it? Are there any clues to follow?"

Fu Bi said: "All the horses and belongings were taken away, leaving only a dozen naked corpses. It seems that it was robbery, and it must have been done by the strong people nearby."

Su Jin was surprised and said, "Are there strong people around the official road?"

Fu Bi said: "This is the crux of the problem. This area is very peaceful. There are guards along the official road near the state capital. These strong men don't know where they came from. This is very suspicious."

Su Jin rolled his eyes and said, "Is there even a question? Of course someone pretended to be a bandit, and the purpose was to kill Tang Jie."

Fu Bi smiled and said: "I know I can't hide it from you, but you don't want to make it public. If your lord has said it, just say it was a strongman who robbed money and killed someone conveniently."

After a little thought, Su Jin understood that pretending to be confused might confuse Zhao Zongdan, needless to say, it was to cooperate with Bao Zheng's next move. As for what kind of move, that's unknown; In order to trap King Teng, find out where the bandits are, wipe out these bandits, and then come back to deal with Zhao Zongdan.

Now it is easy to take Zhao Zongdan, but if you take him without direct evidence, the Holy Majesty will definitely not be satisfied. I am afraid that the emperor wants to kill him without letting the world talk about it, so there must be ironclad evidence to wipe out the bandit's lair The confession of the captured bandit leader will be the noose around Zhao Zongdan's neck. Tang Jie is dead, and these evidences are even more important.

Su Jin once thought that if he killed Zhao Zongdan with one knife, he would also use a plan to blame the bandits, but he quickly denied his idea, that was the most stupid way; Whether it is credible or not, everyone believes it. Once Zhao Zongdan dies, the private soldiers and bandits he raised will definitely cause chaos everywhere. When the Northwest confronts each other, and the family rebellion, the situation will be messed up. How could so many soldiers be transferred to quell the rebellion, and if the rebellion is quelled, it will inevitably ruin the Quartet, which is obviously the next best thing to do.

"My dear brother, cheer up and rush to the inn before sunset. Someone is waiting for you." Fu Bi laughed.

Su Jin asked in surprise, "Who?"

"Who else? Did you see her off today? I left early, and she's waiting for us at the inn ahead."

Su Jin was shocked and said: "This... this road is where bandits come out. Isn't this dangerous? It's amazing." After saying that, he whipped his horse and ran forward.

Seeing this, Fu Bi hurriedly waved and shouted: "Don't worry, don't worry, listen to me, I haven't finished yet."

(Note: I have modified Wang Anshi's poem, which is quite different from the original, but it is just for the plot, according to the emperor.)