The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

When the next day was dark, the palace sent a servant to guide, bringing the badge for entering the palace, and teaching Su Jin, who was still sleepy, some etiquette and precautions for entering the palace in advance.

Su Jin listened to the servant's drake talking for a long time, but didn't figure out what to do. The servant finally wiped the froth from his mouth and said, "Do you remember? But even if you don't remember It doesn't matter at all, it's the first time you enter the hall, it's okay if you lack etiquette, and the emperor won't blame you for it."

Su Jin took a long breath and said in his heart: "If you said this earlier, wouldn't it be over? After tossing around for a long time, you finally said that it's not a big deal if you don't show proper etiquette. The work ahead is all in vain."

After rewarding the servant and sending him back, Xiao Sui'er and the others began to tidy up Su Jin's clothes and groom her. This was the first time she was officially on the court, so naturally she couldn't be careless.

At a quarter of an hour, Su Jin took Chao Ma and Han into the carriage. The route was known. After crossing the Desheng Bridge and going northwest along the Bianshui River, until they got on the Royal Road and then turned to the north, it was the Imperial Palace.

In the misty morning mist, Bianliang City is waking up, and the people who catch the early market on the street start their busy day with baskets and baskets in their hands amidst the crowing of cocks; Go to major cities.

On both sides of the street, the red lanterns in front of the brothel songfang are still lit, and occasionally a young man with blue lips and blue eyes, who has been partying all night, rushes along the street corner with his sleeves drawn, his neck open and his mouth open.

Su Jin sat in the carriage and watched all this, his thoughts surging.

If it weren't for all of this being so real, I would almost have thought I was in a dream. Since I came to this world, I have experienced countless hardships. Today, I can finally officially enter the palace hall and face the current emperor and the influential figures of this era. , I have to say, this matter quite excited him.

Although it was not the first time the emperor met him, this time was definitely different. At the beginning, he didn't understand anything, so he was taken to meet Zhao Zhen when he didn't know anything, and he took over the job when he didn't understand, it was a kind of newborn calf The feeling of not being afraid of tigers.

The older the rivers and lakes, the less courageous they become. Only when lives disappeared in front of him did Su Jin truly realize the horror of power. Today, the people he will meet today are undoubtedly the highest forces with the power of life and death in their hands. They are like It's like the big and small bosses in the online games I play in later generations, which makes people fear and look forward to it.

"Master, we're here!" Wang Chao, who was sitting on the shaft of the car, raised his head.

Su Jin was stunned, put away his thousands of thoughts, opened the curtain and got out of the car, looked up, and saw a majestic and tall city gate in front of him, which was Yidemen, the gate of the imperial city.

Outside the Yide Gate, everyone got off their horses and cars and walked. Su Jin still remembered the words of the servant. Under the guidance of the gate guards, Chao Mahan and Xiao Zhuzi parked their carriages at the parking place on the side of the Yide Gate. It was crowded with all kinds of luxury cars, gorgeous sedan chairs and tall horses.

As soon as Xiao Zhuzi stopped driving the dark and ordinary carriage, the servants and grooms who were waiting for his lord to retreat immediately rolled their eyes and cursed.

Feeling the contempt of these people, Ma Han raised his fist as big as a sand bowl and shook it. With one punch, a black steed beside him staggered and neighed endlessly. All the followers saw his fierce and domineering behavior. Mo Yang, quickly withdrew his sneering gaze and turned his head away.

The coachman to which the black horse belonged looked at his small arms and legs, and then at Chao Mahan's thick arms and thighs, and wisely chose to admit that he was unlucky.Without saying a word, he hurriedly drove the carriage away, and stopped far away, cursing continuously in his mouth.

The driver of the carriage on the other side also hurriedly drove the carriage away, and found a corner to squeeze in and stop; instead, Su Jin's carriage occupied a large area of ​​the originally crowded parking place, making it look like the prime minister, privy secretary, third envoy and others The car drives in general, has a separate area for use, and is full of style.

Su Jin has already shown his token and stepped into the imperial city. A road leads straight to the north. In the morning light, another city gate can be seen in the distance at the end of the imperial road. There is a guard standing every ten steps on both sides of the imperial road, with piercing eyes. , for a moment.

Su Jin was a little confused and didn't know where to go. Footsteps sounded behind him, and an official in scarlet clothes was walking in through the Yide Gate. No need to ask, it must be an official who came to court.

Su Jin hurriedly stepped forward to salute and said, "My lord, do you dare to ask where he is going to court?"

The official was about fifty years old, with a round face and eagle eyes, and his upper and lower jaws were covered by a thick black beard. He couldn't see where his mouth was, but he made a voice and said, "Today, the Holy One, you are also here to participate in the morning court. Is it?"

Su Jin nodded and said: "Exactly, thank you for your guidance, sir, whether you can reach it by following the imperial road."

The official looked Su Jin up and down, looked at his nondescript official uniform, frowned and said: "Since this lord has come to the court early, he doesn't know where the emperor's royal pole is. It's really strange; forgive me for my poor eyesight, why haven't I seen you?"

Su Jin smiled and cupped his hands and said, "This is the first time I'm going to court, so my lord is naturally surprised."

The official said: "Oh, that's no wonder, but pardon the old man's ignorance, what kind of official position are you wearing in official uniform, it confuses the old man."

Su Jin scratched her head in embarrassment and said, "This... I am just a temporary errand. The emperor authorized this set of blue official robes. The grade, I don't know what grade it is."

The official was taken aback, his eyes flickered, and he said lightly: "Could it be that you are that Su Jin, the food envoy Su Jin?"

Su Jin raised his big finger and said: "Your Excellency really has good eyesight, and it is Su Jin who is next to me. Dare to ask Your Excellency Gao's name."

The official laughed out loud, his eyes full of sarcasm, and said with a smile: "Who am I? It turns out to be the special envoy of food affairs who is famous in the Song Dynasty; as for the old man, the old man is unknown; but since the special envoy... ...Haha... My lord is envoy to inquire, how can I not tell you the truth, my surname is Pang, and I have a single name..."

Su Jin was shocked. It turned out that this old guy was Yan Biyun's nominal "father-in-law" Pang Ji. Didn't he hit the muzzle of a gun?

Before Su Jin could react, Pang Ji had already laughed and cupped his hands and said, "It was because of Special Envoy Su that I rushed all the way back to the capital to discuss matters. I didn't expect to meet Special Envoy Su first. The envoy has invited me, the old man will take a step first, see you in the hall."

After finishing speaking, he strode past Su Jin and went straight to Taiji Gate, laughing endlessly, but he didn't even look at Su Jin again.

Su Jin came back to his senses, smiled wryly, and walked forward behind Pang Ji, thinking to himself: Look at this man's behavior, he is indeed a proud and arrogant guy, and his words are not very friendly to him. Did he already know about it?Listening to what he said, he came here from the Northwest to attend the court meeting, and he was talking about his own affairs. Could it be that today is a banquet for a grand family?

Su Jin was a little worried. He had just entered the imperial city and met someone he didn't want to see. Hearing words that made him worry, he had only just started, and the court meeting would be even more difficult.

"Go to your Mahler Gobi, whoever you love! Trying to scare the young master, there is no way." Su Jin shook his head and said to himself: "Soldiers come to cover the water and soil, and the young master is not a fuel-efficient lamp, so I know today This level is not easy to pass, and it is not easy to pass, the young master will fight to the death with you."

……

On the high steps in front of the Daqing Hall, all the officials gathered around and whispered. Seeing Su Jin strutting up the steps, all the officials stopped talking and looked at Su Jin with curious eyes.

Su Jin dressed like an old fried dough stick and smiled and bowed his hands. Some officials nodded, some bowed their hands in return, and some ignored them indifferently.

Su Jin recognized several officials who were drinking at the same table last night. Cai Long was in his eyes.

Fu Bi walked out from the crowd, took Su Jin's hand and pulled it aside, and said with a smile, "Brother Su Xian, did you come here smoothly?"

Su Jin smiled and said: "Fortunately, it's too early in the morning. In the middle of the night, a servant came to toss me up and taught me the rules for a long time, making my head still dizzy."

Fu Bi said: "That's because you drank alcohol last night, not because you got up early. The emperor doesn't think it's too early, but you think it's too early."

Su Jin laughed and said: "That's right, why are the big guys blowing the cold wind outside and not going into the hall, what about Lord Sansi? Why didn't you see him?"

Fu Bi rolled his eyes and said, "Do you think the main hall is a place to rest your feet and take shelter from the wind? How can you go in casually without a call from the servants? My father-in-law is waiting in the court room with Du Shumi and other ministers. The servant Huang Gonggong has just gone to invite you." Yes, it's coming soon."

Su Jin stuck out her tongue and said, "What a grand gesture."

Fu Bi smiled and said, "That's natural. A first-rank official naturally has the manners of a first-rank official, which is naturally different from other officials."

Su Jin nodded and said: "Brother Yiri Fu will also be treated like this."

Fu Bi hurriedly looked around, and said in a low voice: "My dear brother, don't talk nonsense, teach people to listen, I can't argue with a hundred words, and then I don't have that ability."

Su Jin smiled and said, "Soldiers who don't want to be generals are not good soldiers. How dare you say you haven't thought about it?"

Fu Bi blushed, and was about to speak, when he heard the officials around him move one after another, bowing their hands respectfully and bowing down the steps. Looking at the bottom of the steps, a group of people surrounded by seven or eight officials climbed up the steps. The three Su Jins walking in the front all knew each other, the handsome and serious Lu Yijian with white beard in the middle, the black and fat Du Yan on the left, and the short and fat man on the right was the third envoy Yan Shu.

Others such as Zhang Dexiang, Chen Zhizhong, Ouyang Xiu and others walked slowly behind them, not daring to overtake them.

Yan Shu swept his eyes lightly, took a look at Su Jin, and walked past expressionlessly; on the contrary, Ouyang Xiu was beaming, and smiled silently at Su Jin; There was a stagnant scar; could it be that Xiao Biesheng got newlywed last night and fell to the ground due to excessive excitement?

All the officials respectfully welcomed the three high-ranking officials to the outside of the hall. Several servants slowly pushed the door of the hall open, and an elderly servant walked out of the hall door with a whisk in his hand and sang loudly: "The time has come, please My lord, go to the palace to discuss matters at the court...!"

All the officials cleaned up their clothes and flicked their clothes and dust, and filed into the hall according to the established order, quietly standing on both sides of the hall.

Su Jin followed behind everyone, stepped across the high threshold, and entered the Tai Chi Hall.