The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

The [-] imperial guards carefully selected by Zhang Yaozuo and Han Jiang secretly assembled in Yuezhou in the northwest of Mingzhou a few days ago. The reason why they did not enter Mingzhou was because they were afraid of arousing Su Jin's suspicion. When they are still rushing to Mingzhou one after another, there must be a lot of Su Jin's eyeliner in Mingzhou city, and Su Jin must not be noticed.

On the night of the 26th, Zhang Yaozuo received a report that Su Jin and his party had arrived in Mingzhou City. The 28th was the birthday of Mrs. Su's mother and wife, and everyone who wanted to come also arrived within these two days.

Wait patiently for another day. In the middle of the night on the 27th, Zhang Yaozuo and Han Jiang issued an order to send soldiers to Mingzhou. Ten thousand forbidden troops rushed to Mingzhou City overnight. All the roads were cut off, and overnight, Mingzhou became a besieged city; many people who came from a long distance and were still on the road to participate in the birthday and annual meeting of Su Ji were stopped outside.

Han Jiang was careful, and after taking people to check the salutes and accompanying personnel of these Su Ji personnel who came from afar, Han Jiang discovered a very serious problem. It's soft, it doesn't look like someone who came to the annual meeting or a birthday celebration, but rather like someone fleeing a disaster.

Han Jiang hurriedly reported the news to Zhang Yaozuo, and the two of them worked together for a long time and came to a common conclusion.

"Su Jin's nose is really sharp. This is to lead someone to escape. We did it secretly enough, but he still noticed it." Zhang Yaozuo said.

"It's not necessarily our fault, the emperor may have leaked the news, my lord, what should we do now?"

"There's nothing to do. Mingzhou has been surrounded. Where can they go? Could it be that they grow wings and grow fat? Tomorrow the army will march into Mingzhou, and it will be over after killing them. Don't worry."

"But... Mingzhou is a seaport. Doesn't Su Jin have an ocean-going fleet? Will he escape by boat?"

"Well... that's a problem, but seeing how these people are still arriving one after another, Su Jin is definitely not ready to run away from the sea, we have time; besides, what can they do even if they go to the sea Could it be that he went to be a sea bandit? What if he fled to the Fan country? These Fan countries have contacts with my Song Dynasty, and they were photographed by my Da Song Tianwei. Who will take him in! Speaking of these Fan countries and my Song Dynasty Su Jin’s friendship is all thanks to Su Jin, but it’s a pity that he’s gone, since he’s nothing, these foreign countries won’t be at odds with Da Song because of him, it’s called being in a cocoon.”

Han Jiang still worried: "The lower officials think it's better to be careful. The emperor means to capture Su Jin's family, young and old, and his party members in Mingzhou. If he really escapes to the sea, he will not go out. Fan, finding an uninhabited deserted island to hide is also a troublesome matter, the emperor is worried and may blame us."

Zhang Yaozuo said: "Then what do you say?"

Han Jiang said: "Hangzhou has deployed [-] navy troops and [-] warships. I will order them to rush to the sea to the east of Mingzhou immediately. If Su Jin escapes from the sea, I can intercept him and shoot him at sea. Shen, it's over once and for all, it's easier to settle the matter later, just say that the ship was wrecked in a storm."

Zhang Yaozuo nodded and said, "That's fine, you can arrange this matter, I hope there will be no such result."

Han Jiang said, "Why is that?"

Zhang Yaozuo chuckled, and leaned into Han Jiang's ear and said, "Su Jin is a rich man in the Song Dynasty. I dare say that if he escapes, the gold, silver and jewels he will carry will not fit in a big ship. If he sinks on the bottom of the sea, we will be penniless." The money is no longer available; moreover, his wives and concubines are all extremely beautiful, compared with the concubines in this government's mansion, it is a world of difference, and it would be a pity to feed sea fish."

Han Jiang said in amazement: "Does your lord dare to accept Luo Sujin's wife and concubine into the house?"

Zhang Yaozuo smiled lightly and said: "I dare not collect Luo, but it's okay to taste the taste and then slaughter it afterwards. Don't worry, Brother Han, you have your share. I know that you, Brother Han, think highly of yourself, but you haven't seen it. You won’t be able to move when you see the top quality Su Jin collects.”

Han Jiang was speechless, but he was not interested in Su Jin's property and beautiful wives and concubines. Xu Jingxiu is full of bellies, but he is no better than a reckless person who was born in a businessman. He has long regarded Su Jin as his enemy. Now that the elites of the middle and older generations are gradually getting old, he is the most likely among the new generation to become the prime minister. The candidate for the executive position, at this time, only Su Jin is the stumbling block in front of him, so he spared no effort to slander Su Jin with Zhang Yaozuo, and provoke the relationship between Zhao Zhen and Su Jin.

As for Zhang Yaozuo, Han Jiang didn't pay much attention to him at all. This is an idiot, and it won't make a difference at all. Han Jiang has absolute confidence to clean up this idiot after finishing Su Jin, and he is just using him at present.

On November 28th of the second year of Song Zhihe, the Su family villa by the harbor in Mingzhou Prefecture was very lively. A huge colorful shed was set up on the grass and beach in front of the villa, and hundreds of sets of tables and chairs were placed. There, you can go to the banquet and enjoy the sea view. Thousands of burning incense cakes are placed in the corners of the tables and chairs. In the winter of Mingzhou, the weather is not too cold. , under the open air, but also warm and harmonious.

The officials who came to pay homage to the birthday took their seats one after another, sighing in their hearts that only Su Jin could come up with such a method, which is rich in ostentation and unique ingenuity.

At si o'clock in the morning, the gongs and drums sounded, and the rituals and music were wrinkled. Mrs. Wang, who was dressed in red blessing clothes, walked out of the villa with the support of the daughters-in-law of the Su family, and accepted the congratulations from everyone with a smile on her face. She was wearing a bright red robe, and thanked him like a bridegroom. All the daughters of the Su family were also wearing red brocade long jackets. All of them looked like spring breeze, and they were as beautiful as peaches and plums. The maids and servants shuttled around, and all the shopkeepers and clerks of Su Ji also wore uniform red uniforms to serve them. Obviously this was a collective agreement of the Su family, and what they wanted was the red lips.

After the one-hour birthday greeting and answering ceremony was over, Mrs. Wang smiled and told Su Jin to entertain everyone well, and then went back to the house surrounded by all the girls.

Su Jin bowed his hands in thanks, and ordered the banquet to be opened, and all kinds of vegetables and flowing water were presented for the banquet. The delicacies of mountains and seas, delicacies and delicacies were dazzling, and many dishes that many people had never even seen before were put on the table one by one.

Su Jin sat in the chair, picked up the wine glass in his hand, walked slowly to a small open space in the middle of the banquet, coughed a few times, and the scene suddenly fell silent. Everyone knew that Su Jin had something to say.

"My lords, my relatives and friends, all the shopkeepers of Su Ji, old and young, thank you all for coming from afar to attend my mother's [-]th birthday banquet. Su Jinjing wishes you a glass of water and wine. After drinking, Su Jin has something to say to you all. .”

Su Jin raised his neck and drank it down in one gulp, lit the bottom of the glass in all directions, and put down the wine glass; everyone raised their glasses one after another and drank the wine in the glass.

"15 years ago, Su Jin was the son of an ordinary businessman in Luzhou. He was recommended by Mr. Bao to enter Yingtian Academy to study and take the exam. Later, Yan Sansi took a fancy to some of his talents and recommended me to handle food affairs. With the blessing of the emperor and some small personal luck, it can be regarded as fulfilling the mission; later, he became an official through the imperial examination, and became an official in the northwest, until the Pingxia extermination of the Liao Dynasty. I also participated in it and witnessed it. The process of our great Song Dynasty from the oppression of the northern barbarians to the unification of the northern land, now our great Song Dynasty is flourishing, dominating the world, all nations come to court, hundreds of countries co-exist. If you go to the state, you must be honored as a guest of honor, this is the proof that the strength of the country is the trust of the people."

"Master Su has contributed a lot. Without Master Su, there would be no Great Song Dynasty today."

"That's right, Mr. Su has dedicated himself to the Great Song Dynasty, and he is the number one contributor in terms of military, government and finance."

"Master Su is a talent from the heavens. My Da Song was favored by the heavens, so Master Su was born out of nowhere, which made my Da Song what it is today."

"..."

Everyone shouted and cupped their hands to pay respects to Su Jin.

Su Jin smiled and waved his hands and said: "I said this not to ask you to sing praises for me, but to look back on all the emotions of the past when we parted."

Everyone was stunned and didn't understand what Su Jin meant when he said parting, but some people vaguely understood something.

"Everyone, I took the opportunity of my mother's [-]th birthday today to come here with you. I have decided to resign from my position and go back to the sea. I would like to take this opportunity to say a word to all of you who have supported, supported, and taken care of Su Jin." Parting is precious, after this banquet, we will never see each other, but the poem says: Bosom friends in the sea are like neighbors in the world; whether we see or not, I, Su Jin, will remember you all." Su Jin hugged her hands, deeply With a deep bow to the ground, tears welled up in his eyes.