I studied in modern times

Chapter 1037 You reap what you sow
The fifth day of the fourth month of the third year of the Yuan You era (1000).

In Jinming Pond, hundreds of flowers bloom, butterflies flutter, fish swim, and pavilions and towers are decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, creating a joyous and festive scene.

The cheers of tens of thousands of gentry, nobles, merchants, and common people resounded like a tsunami, echoing throughout Jinming Pond and reaching for dozens of miles.

This is because the current emperor, the legendary ruler who was as benevolent as Emperor Wen of Han, as magnanimous as Emperor Renzong, as heroic as Emperor Taizong of Tang, and indeed resembled Emperor Taizong of Tang, appeared on the pavilion platform of the Water Heart Hall in Jinming Pond.

Tens of thousands of gentry, commoners, merchants and businessmen were able to behold the emperor's face and see his holy countenance.

Since the founding of the Song Dynasty more than 150 years ago.

The common people had very few opportunities to behold the emperor's portrait and see his face.

And most of them were established around the time the country was founded.

The last time the people of Bianjing were able to pay homage to the emperor was probably when Zhenmiao was established as the crown prince and the imperial carriage entered the palace from the ancestral temple.

Those familiar with the history of the dynasty might even remember the story behind that incident:
When the elders saw the crown prince, since there had been no crown prince since the end of the Tang Dynasty, they all shouted: "He is the true ruler of the country!"

As a result, Emperor Taizong in the palace lost his temper: "Do the people only know about the Crown Prince, but not about me?"

It was only after Kou Zhun entered the palace and pleaded with Emperor Taizong that he calmed down.

At that time, only three years remained until Emperor Taizong's death.

Since the Zhen Temple incident, the elders of Bianjing have not seen the Emperor's face for a long time.

I am overjoyed to see you today.

"May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings!"

"Your Majesty, ten thousand years!"

Cheers resounded continuously throughout Jinming Pond.

Zhao Xu smiled and waved to the crowd. At that moment, a scene he had seen in modern times flashed through his mind—three generations of generals standing on the reviewing stand, waving to the crowd.

At that moment, Zhao Xu had only one thought in his mind: If he can do it, why can't I?

He immediately dismissed the idea.

Because the era he lived in no longer allowed for people who were arrogant and domineering.

But now, he has returned to the Middle Ages.

This long-cherished wish has finally been fulfilled!
At this moment, Zhao Xu listened to the thunderous cheers of the crowd and the wave-like worship of the people.

He murmured softly, "I shall be the blazing sun!"

"It shines upon all things, its virtue extends to all living beings, its grace reaches across the land, and its power spreads to the five continents and four oceans!"

In modern times, three generations of generals, three generations of suns, have traversed the Enga Peninsula, bringing tears to the eyes of the peninsula's inhabitants wherever they go, their emotions overwhelming them.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, there were also Zhao Cui and his son Zhao Dun, who were known as the "Sun of Winter" and the "Sun of Summer"!
This sun, a modern general could do, and the Zhao clan of the Spring and Autumn period could do.

He, Zhao Xu of the Great Song Dynasty, could do it too!

So he waved again to the people on the shore, his smile growing even brighter.

Behind Zhao Xu, the high-ranking officials, relatives of the imperial family, meritorious generals, and envoys from Liao and Xia, who were accompanying him, were filled with mixed thoughts upon seeing this scene.

Zhao Xu, accompanied by his officials, toured the outer platform of the Shuixin Palace, inspecting all four directions.

Wherever he went, he would wave to the people, which would then elicit even louder and more enthusiastic cheers.

After circling the palace once, Zhao Xu led his officials back to the Shuixin Palace, surrounded by imperial guards, and sat down on the throne specially made for him to watch the competition.

"My lords, please be seated!" Zhao Xu instructed softly after sitting down.

Tong Guan immediately stepped forward and loudly proclaimed: "By imperial decree: all ministers, elders, members of the imperial clan, meritorious officials, and generals shall be granted seats!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Led by Left Chancellor Lü Gongzhu and Right Chancellor Pu Zongmeng, the civil officials lined up in two rows and bowed to express their gratitude.

The military officers, led by Yan Da, the commander of the Palace Guard, Miao Shou, the deputy commander, Liu Changzuo, the commander of the Imperial Guard's cavalry and infantry, and Di Yong, the first commander of the Imperial Guard, lined up in four rows and bowed twice to express their gratitude.

The imperial relatives and nobles, led by Zhao Zongsheng, the military governor of Anhua and the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan, and Cao Yi, the Prince of Xingyang, were divided into two groups and bowed deeply.

The Liao envoy Yelü Ju and the Western Xia envoy Tian Huairong also bowed and expressed their gratitude.

Then they each took their assigned seats in advance.

At this moment, Liang Congzheng, the head of the Inner Palace Attendants Bureau and the official in charge of the Jinming Pond, entered the palace and pleaded: "Your Majesty, the auspicious time has arrived. We beg Your Majesty to issue a decree and grant permission to compete for the championship!"

Zhao Xu nodded: "Agreed!"

Thus, the most prestigious sporting and recreational event on Earth today: the annual Jinmingchi Championship officially began!
Sitting upright on his throne, Zhao Xu could see everything happening on Jinming Pond most directly and clearly.

At the western end of Jinming Pond lies the former camp of the Shenwei Shuihu Army, built in the past to fight against the Southern Tang Dynasty.

One after another, the colorful boats and small dragon boats were lined up in formation.

Countless competitors, acrobats, and water ghost warriors are already waiting in the wings.

With a command, the four lead boats, piloted by the soldiers, slowly moved forward and gradually accelerated.

The decorated boats, however, carried not soldiers vying for the championship.

Instead, they were all sorts of people dressed in various ways, some wearing lion and leopard masks, others carrying knives, waving halberds, or holding large flags.

It's somewhat similar to a cosplay performance at a modern anime convention.

The difference is that cosplayers are on a stage, while they are on a decorated boat.

On either side of these four colorful boats, there are two music boats following closely behind.

The ship carried musicians from the Dai-nei Sen-so Music Club.

They were all young and beautiful musicians, each holding an instrument and playing music exclusively for the royal family.

For a moment, the sounds of string and wind instruments played softly on Jinming Pond.

Following behind the colorful boats and music boats was a ship adorned with colorful canopies.

At the bow of the boat stood a court actress in theatrical costume, perched on a bamboo pole.

This female artist stands tall on a bamboo pole at the bow of the boat.

As the boat moved forward, slowly, with intonation and a certain tone, the four-six parallel prose specially written by the Ministry of Rites and the Inner Palace Secretariat for this year's competition at Jinming Pond was recited aloud.

The text largely praises the beauty of the Yuan You era and sings the praises of the ancestors, while also briefly introducing the process of today's bidding event to the audience.

In the Song Dynasty, this type of performer was called "Canjunse".

Their status lies somewhere between that of a modern host and a stage announcer.

The speech concluded with the concluding remarks of the enlistment party.

She stepped onto the bamboo poles and returned to the colorful canopy in the boat. Then, with a light leap, she landed steadily on the canopy.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Xu couldn't help but clap his hands in praise: "Excellent!"

"The military advisor will be rewarded with fifty strings of silver coins and five bolts of cotton cloth!"

This skill and ability truly deserve praise!
Tong Guan immediately accepted the order.

Soon, people rowed small boats out of the Water Heart Palace and approached the decorated boat where the military advisor was located, to deliver the imperial decree of favor.

The people on the decorated boat immediately cheered and jumped for joy.

The soldiers, dressed in colorful robes, stood facing the Water Heart Hall, bowing their heads in gratitude.

The artists on and off the stage were also excited and eager to try.

So, very quickly, the doors under the canopy opened and closed one after another.

Whenever the portal opens, little puppet figures emerge from it, striking various poses.

When the doors are closed, the little figures, manipulated by the puppeteers in the studio, will perform various actions.

They might cup their hands, bow, or perform a crossed-hands salute.

But this is just the beginning.

On the decorated boat, a performer dressed in white and a child dressed in green stepped out.

A performer in white, holding a fishing rod, came to the bow of the boat, while a boy carrying a small pole went to the stern.

The boy held up the oar and gently paddled across the water.

A magical thing happened—the decorated boat actually began to circle the water, propelled by the boy's rowing.

Not only the common people on the shore, but also the Liao and Xia envoys sitting in the hall were all dumbfounded and then stared in disbelief.

That wasn't all; the white-clad performer fishing at the bow of the boat also began his performance.

He kept lifting the rod, and one after another, he caught live little fish.

But strangely enough, his fishing line never went into the water.

But every time I lifted the rod, I caught a fish.

Moreover, they are all small fish.

Every time he catches a fish, he gets up, removes the small fish from the hook, and then shows it to those around him.

They are real live fish!
The fish are still jumping around.

"Incredible skill! Incredible skill!" Yelü Ju and Tian Huairong watched, not daring to blink, constantly praising and exclaiming in amazement.

no way!
Where had they ever seen such a skill before?
Hearing the exclamations of the Liao and Xia envoys, Zhao Xu was overjoyed: "Tong Guan!"

"The performers on the puppet boat will each receive 20 strings of cash and a bolt of cotton cloth. The performers in white and the boy will each receive 50 strings of cash!"

Today, he is the number one performer in the Song Dynasty's acrobatic world! This comes as the Emperor's decree of reward is once again bestowed.

The atmosphere at Jinming Pond instantly became lively.

The jugglers participating in the performance were all excited, secretly rubbing their hands together, and putting themselves into their best performance in order to win the emperor's reward, or even to win the favor of being given a name by the emperor.

Yes!

For these vaudeville performers, winning favors is certainly important.

But winning the emperor's favor and receiving a name that could be passed down to their descendants was their lifelong pursuit.

Because having a name means that one can perform for the Zhao Emperor generation after generation.

Performers like Zhang Yiduo, Shen Quanyan, Song Shouxiang, and Yin Shi'an have been performing for over a century or at least a decade, with their skills passed down through generations. They are renowned both within and outside the capital and are indispensable invited performers for the weddings and funerals of wealthy families.

Their standard of living and wealth were comparable to those of the most wealthy people in Beijing.

They are Li Shishi and Xu Poxi from the world of acrobatics.

While Li Shishi and Xu Poxi were the property of the entertainment district, the stage names bestowed by the emperor could be passed down to their descendants.

As a result, the performance that followed became even more spectacular.

Those who watched were overwhelmed with excitement, exclaiming in amazement and feeling exhilarated.

Even Zhao Xu watched with great interest.

Even though he had seen many acrobatic arts that did not exist in the Song Dynasty in modern times.

However, the acrobats of the Song Dynasty possessed creativity and superb skills that even modern artists lack.

One after another, colorful boats and painted boats set sail.

They performed one magic trick after another, eliciting gasps of amazement, admiration, and even applause.

Someone was standing between the painted boats, stepping on bamboo poles, jumping onto a swing, and then swinging onto the opposite painted boat, landing steadily—and the key point is, he was still stepping on the bamboo poles!

Some people carried cuju (ancient Chinese football) on the boats, passing and kicking them around as if they were on flat ground.

If we only consider passing and ball-handling skills, the modern Chinese national football team is probably not even as good as their toes.

The most spectacular performances were by the artists sent by the Left and Right Patrol Offices of Kaifeng Prefecture.

They set up swings on the boat, and then one by one, the performers lined up to jump onto the swings.

When the swing reaches its highest point, the performer leaps off the swing, somersaults in mid-air, and lands in the water with a posture almost like that of a modern diver.

The most amazing thing is that all the artists were connected seamlessly, with one entering the water while another was already sitting on the swing.

The entire performance was incredibly smooth!
Moreover, the boat continued to move forward at a constant speed during the performance!

Truly deserving of the title of the best in the world!
Zhao Xu couldn't help but applaud and praise, "I had long heard of the famous water swing in Kaifeng Prefecture, and seeing it today, it is truly amazing!"

"reward!"

"He was given a hundred strings of cash and ten bolts of cotton cloth!"

As a result, the performances at Jinming Pond became even more spectacular.

When the final performance came, all the decorated boats and painted boats that had appeared earlier gathered in the wide waters of Jinming Pond.

Then, it unfolds in sequence.

For a time, hundreds of boats were filled with music and entertainment, each playing gongs and drums, with banners waving and each displaying its own unique style.

The performers, each with their own unique skills, presented a spectacular show.

This drew gasps of amazement from the people on the shore, and even more praise from those inside the Water Heart Palace.

But Zhao Xu knew that this was just the beginning.

It was merely a performance by folk or semi-official artists.

Next, comes the highlight!
This is a performance by a professional troupe from the Song Dynasty government, with official positions and where fathers, sons, grandfathers, and grandsons all make a living from this!
as predicted.

As the drums sounded, twenty dragon boats set off from the north side.

Each dragon boat carried dozens of soldiers dressed in scarlet uniforms.

Each boat was decorated with gongs, drums, and flags, and a military officer stood at the bow of each boat, waving military flags and directing the troops.

With their appearance, the competition for the championship in the third year of the Yuan You era officially began!
"Everyone, this is the Tiger Wing Army!" Tong Guan's voice came from beside them.

Zhao Xu hummed in agreement, sat up straight, and began to appreciate the professional performance from this medieval era.

It must be said that the Imperial Guards in the capital of the Great Song Dynasty were not good at fighting, but they were truly proficient in every other profession!

The Tiger Wings fleet on Jinming Pond right before his eyes fully proved this point.

Then you can see the soldiers on the dragon boat beating drums and rowing with all their might, pushing forward.

Behind them, more than ten tiger-headed boats sailed forward on the waves.

Each boat had a person in brocade standing on its bow. The sailors on the boats all wore short blue clothes and long headscarves. Their rowing movements were uniform, and they even rowed to the beat of drums.

As a result, they quickly caught up with the dragon boat in front.

Thus, on Jinming Pond, dragon boats and tiger-head boats advanced side by side, with soldiers in scarlet robes and performers in blue robes passing each other and taking turns, their formations neat and orderly.

Thus, in the eyes of the audience, the tiger-head boat and the dragon boat are like two troupes of dancers performing the same dance.

They complement each other, are neat and orderly, and are clearly scattered.

Seeing this, Zhao Xu clapped his hands in praise, while inwardly smiling bitterly: "If you had put the same effort into studying these acrobatics and magic tricks into practicing martial arts and training troops... you wouldn't have collapsed and scattered at the first touch..."

only……

Zhao Xu suddenly remembered something—the Imperial Guards in the capital did not suddenly become as corrupt as they were during the Jingkang era.

He lowered his head: "That's true!"

"It takes more than one cold day for the ice to freeze three feet deep!"

"Indeed, it was my ancestors who wronged you, which is why you are now giving up!"

When Yuan Hao rebelled against the Song Dynasty, the Song imperial guards went to war.

The Imperial Guard suffered three consecutive defeats at Sanchuankou, Haoshuichuan, and Dingchuanzhai.

In Bianjing, every household wore white mourning clothes, and every imperial guard wore mourning attire.

At that time, countless soldiers died on the battlefield, fighting to the death without retreating.

In particular, the Imperial Guards led by Liu Ping were surrounded at Sanchuankou and fought bravely without retreating, but their allies watched Liu Ping being surrounded and did not come to his rescue.

Ultimately, the entire army was wiped out, Liu Ping was captured, and died in Western Xia.

However, afterwards, the court listened to the words of Huang Deyong, a treacherous man who watched Liu Ping perish, and assumed that Liu Ping had surrendered with his army. As a result, the court sent troops to surround Liu Ping's house, and all his descendants were imprisoned.

Later, although he was exonerated, it greatly damaged the morale of the army!

Because the imperial court only exonerated Liu Ping, but did not reward the majority of the imperial guards who died with Liu Ping!

Not to mention, when the Imperial Guards went on campaign, many soldiers found that their bowstrings were rotten, their crossbows could not be pulled, their armor plates could not withstand the penetration of the Tangut people's light bows, and their swords shattered with a single cut...

Nevertheless, they rarely showed fear or scattered on the battlefield.

Like Liu Ping, many others fought the bandits for days after being surrounded, beheading countless enemies. Even when they ran out of ammunition and food, they continued to fight the bandits.

For example, Wang Gui, a general of the Imperial Guards, once wielded a pair of iron maces at Haoshuichuan and smashed the heads of more than a hundred Tanguts. In the end, even the iron maces broke.

He almost broke through the Western Xia's encirclement and rescued Ren Fu, who was surrounded.

Unfortunately, he was ultimately just a mortal.

Unable to defy fate, he was ultimately killed by an arrow to the eye socket, suffering dozens of wounds all over his body. Unable to fight any longer, he could only lead his army to retreat and died in the army that night.

There was also Guo Zun, a fierce general under Liu Ping, who, almost like Zhao Zilong, charged in and out of the Western Xia's camp seven times at Sanchuankou, eventually dying from exhaustion.

So what did these valiant Imperial Guards receive in return?

After the defeat, the imperial court only provided relief to the middle and upper-ranking generals and officers. The relief and rewards for the lower-ranking soldiers were often not timely, and many families lost their able-bodied men and income overnight.

To support their families, women had to work as door-openers, daughters were "voluntarily" sold to others as goddaughters, and many sons begged on the streets.

Zhao Xu could understand the thoughts of Emperor Renmiao and the imperial court at the time—if so many people died, the national treasury would definitely not be able to afford to compensate and reward them all!
Therefore, slow appreciation and gentle caressing, or even finding excuses not to appreciate or caress them, became their choice.

They might even have hoped that the widows and children of the Imperial Guards who died in battle would be naturally eliminated.

In this way, the imperial court can save money!

Little did they know that this severely damaged the morale of the Imperial Guards.

This caused it to completely degenerate into a mess, ultimately becoming what it is today—I can be obedient, but I won't work my life away!

After all, honest people may be easy to bully, but they are not stupid!

Just like in modern times, if a judge says, "You didn't hit him, so why did you help him up?", who would dare to help an elderly person?

Similarly, the Imperial Guard soldiers, upon witnessing their fathers, grandfathers, and predecessors who fought to the death for their country but met tragic ends, were deeply saddened.

Only a fool would continue to serve the Zhao Emperor!

After all, the Emperor only gives them a few strings of cash a month!

Is it worth it?
Therefore, it is reasonable that during the Jingkang Incident, several thousand imperial guards were routed by a dozen or so Jin soldiers.

This is called "you reap what you sow"!

(End of this chapter)