I studied in modern times

Chapter 116 Wenfu Banquet (1)

After more than a month, Sima Guang re-entered Bianjing.

This time, there was no such thing as being surrounded and chased by Bianjing people like last time.

People are busy with their own lives.

Just like those Taiping carts that are pulled by several horses on the most spacious road in Bianjing City, carrying thousands of kilograms of goods, and walking slowly.

On the imperial street, Sima Guang met the envoy sent by the two palaces to comfort him.

But the envoy was obviously much more indifferent than last time, and he just offered his condolences politely, before saying goodbye in a hurry.

When we arrived at the official residence, we settled down.

The people who visited the department told him the time to enter the palace and pass the gate: April Bingwu (23), in the morning, at three o'clock in the morning, Yanhe Hall is next to the hall.

Same as last time, on the third day after entering Beijing.

However, Sima Guang could feel the slight alienation from Tongjian Division—last time, the officials of Tongjian Division could only wish to offer him up as a Bodhisattva.

This time, it was more routine.

However, Sima Guang ignored these.

During the Xining and Yuanfeng eras, did he receive less cold stares and overt and covert oppression?
However, Emperor Daxing has always respected him.

This time when he came to Beijing, even if the two palaces did not want to see him, Sima Guang would not hesitate.

Because the young master is only eight years old, it is the age to learn the words and deeds of a saint and feel the demeanor of a gentleman.

He wants to tell the young master what is a gentleman and what is a minister in front of the young master.

So, Sima Guang immediately sent someone to deliver posts to the elders' mansions.

He wants to visit them one by one.

First of all, the first person to call is naturally the Grand Master Wen Yanbo Wen who has been worshiped as an important military affairs of Pingzhang.

……

at dusk.

Wen Yanbo's residence in Shouchangfang.

Wen Jifu tiptoed to the side of the old father who was drowsy to the sound of the singer singing.

"My lord..." He knelt down.

"Ok?"

"Fan Chunfu just came to the door and sent Sima Gong a greeting card..."

Wen Yanbo opened his eyes, looked at Wen Jifu, stretched out his hand and said, "Sima Twelve remembers begging me now?"

Wen Jifu handed the greeting card to Wen Yanbo, and said, "I heard that the two palaces in the palace seem not very satisfied with Sima Gong..."

"It's the Son of Heaven who still respects Sima Gong... He must say: This father left me as a teacher and protector!"

Wen Yanbo squinted his eyes: "This is what Wen Yiqing and Ru said..."

"Yes!" Wen Jifu didn't dare to hide anything from his old father.

Wen Yiqing is currently the one with the highest official position among the scholars of the Wen family, and it is also Wen Yanbo's special arrangement.

A few days ago, he used Wen Yanbo to pay homage to Pingzhang's important military and state affairs, and changed his official position from the deputy envoy of the supply library and the coordinator of Hemen, to the deputy envoy of Wensi, and still concurrently served as the coordinator of Hemen.

All of a sudden, he jumped five levels in the sequence of ambassadors.

This is because the court's grace was originally intended to benefit Wen Yiqing and transfer it from military capital to literary capital.

But Wen Yanbo resolutely refused.

Therefore, a special reward!
Of course, Wen Yiqing's part-time messenger, who is a co-ordinator, has never actually been on a job for a day.

Every day, he only needs to go to the Imperial City's Communications Department to make an appointment, and he can arrange the rest of the time freely.

This is because his father is Wen Yanbo, so he wants to avoid suspicion.

But it is precisely because of this that Wen Yiqing can know some things about the big family.

"Hmph!!" Wen Yanbo snorted twice, did not speak, took the greeting card from Wen Jifu, glanced at it, and said, "This Sima Twelve is still so ignorant of current affairs..."

"Father……"

"Let's get ready..." Wen Yanbo said in a lonely voice, "We'll have a banquet at home tonight for Sima Twelve!"

"Yes!" Wen Jifu retreated respectfully, preparing to arrange related banquets.

"That's right!" Wen Yanbo stopped him: "Send an invitation for the old man to go to Zhang An Tao's house... Please Zhang Andao come to the house for a while tonight..."

Wen Jifu was stunned.

Zhang Fangping?
That's a veteran of the four dynasties just like his father!
However, the elder and his father have not seen each other for many years because of some old grudges. Even if they met face to face, they were still at odds with each other and often blamed each other.

"Go! Go!" Wen Yanbo urged, waving his hands, "Remember to tell Zhang Andao... Sima Twelve is here!"

"Wei!" Although Wen Jifu couldn't figure out why, he still retreated respectfully.

Looking at Wen Jifu's appearance, Wen Yanbo shook his head: "Idiot! Idiot!"

He has fully understood that this silly son really has no political understanding.

If things go on like this, the Wen family might become the next Yan family.

Therefore, we must plan ahead.

……

Zhang Fangping didn't have a mansion in Bianjing—he couldn't afford one.

Therefore, after he entered Beijing this time, he rented a house from Zuoxiangdian Housework.

The monthly rent is [-] Guan!

This is also because he is the elder of the four dynasties, and the court's grace reduced most of the rent.

Don't joke!
Living in Bianjing is not easy!
Even for the prime minister, it is not easy to buy a house in Bianjing that belongs to him and fits his status.

Most people are renting houses, and they are renting public housing from the government.

Like Zhang Fangping, a veteran who brought a large family of more than 30 people to Beijing had to hire dozens of servants in Bianjing City.

We have to greet and send off, there is enough space to hold banquets, dances and dances.

The house cannot be too small.

So like the house he is renting now, with dozens of front and back wing rooms, and complete yards and gardens, the monthly rent of [-] yuan is really cheap!
Except for a veteran of the four dynasties like him, ordinary officials would have to pay at least [-] guan for a month if they wanted to rent!
Therefore, most of the officials live in shabby places in Bianjing.

When Ouyang Xiu rented a place in Bianjing, it often leaked rain, so he wrote many poems to comfort himself.

When Zhang Fangping received Wen Yanbo's invitation, he was also very surprised.

"How did Mr. Wen Kuan remember that I invited the old man to the house?" He asked his son Zhang Shu.

"I don't know..." Zhang Shu was also very surprised. Since he and his father came to Beijing, when did Wen Yanbo see them in his eyes?
Especially after Wen Yanbo came to pay homage to Pingzhang's military affairs, even if he met him on the road, he would just salute him from afar.

"My son listened to Wen Zhou Han's words, Mr. Sima is here tonight..."

"There is no good banquet!" Zhang Fangping took the invitation, thought about the recent events, and almost understood: "Hmph! This old man Wen Kuan wants to use this old man as a raft again!"

He opened the invitation, glanced at the text inside, and shook his head.

But he was also a little helpless.

This kind of thing, you can't say it, Wen Yanbo sent his son to invite him, and the news is not good. Others will say that Zhang Fangping is disregarding the overall situation because of old grievances.

You can go ahead, when you arrive at Wen's house, you will inevitably be used by Wen Yanbo again.

Unexpectedly, he had to cooperate obediently.

Otherwise, if Sima Junshi really came to Yuqian and said something that the two palaces didn't like, he would be sent to Chenzhou by the two palaces.

So, who will depose Wang Anshi's new law?
After thinking about it, Zhang Fangping said to Zhang Shu, "Go and invite Zizhan..."

"Tonight, the old man will take Zizhan to this Hongmen banquet!"

"I want to see, Mr. Wen Kuan, what exactly does he want to do?!"

As he said that, Zhang Fangping looked in the direction of the imperial palace.

Recent events are very unusual!
Sima Guang suddenly didn't know what happened, so he wrote about his relatives in the letter.

This time the hornet's nest was stabbed, and the Gao family and the Xiang family jumped up.

Even the Cao family and the Yang family were secretly making sarcastic remarks.

All around Liang Gong, there were people who were secretly speaking ill of Sima Guang.

They are all very high-level, and they don't mention Sima Guang a word, but they always remind Liang Gong of some things Sima Guang has done.

Originally, there was such a storm.

As an important matter of Pingzhang's military and state affairs, and a veteran of the four dynasties respected by the emperor, Wen Yanbo should immediately enter the palace to explain and resolve the grievances between the two palaces.

But Wen Yanbo did nothing.

All this is so unusual!
……

When Zhang Shu found Su Shi.

He's already drunk.

"Zizhan...Zizhan..."

Su Shi looked at the person in front of him with drunken eyes, and waved his hands unsteadily in salute: "It's brother..."

"But something?"

Zhang Shu looked at Su Shi's appearance, shook his head and sighed: "Siren is gone, Zizhan can't go on like this!"

After Su Shi entered Beijing, he was fine at first, and he could chat with him with great interest every day.

But something went wrong after a few days.

He began to drink away his sorrows, began to look towards the direction of Yingzhou all day long, sighed, and even told Zhang Shu that he would resign and go to Wang Shen's grave in Yingzhou to visit the grave of his old friend.

It took Zhang Shu a lot of effort to persuade Su Shi to come down.

Su Shi shook his head and said, "Jin Qing died because of me..."

"The fault was not to save me... He would not have been demoted to Yingzhou. If he hadn't been demoted to Yingzhou, the eldest son of Princess Yue and Jinqing would not have died. If Jinqing and Princess Yue had a son ...The Son of Heaven is benevolent, so I won't blame you..."

Zhang Shu had no choice but to not talk about this topic with Su Shi, and said to him: "Zizhan, my father ordered me to tell Zizhan that Master Wen is hosting a banquet tonight, and Sima Xianggong is also at the banquet..."

"Sima Xianggong?!" When Su Shi heard the name, most of the wine became sober: "Is Sima Xianggong here?"

"Also, Xuan Hui must bring me to attend!"

Su Shi already knew that he was rehabilitated on the recommendation of Sima Guang.

For such a great kindness, he must thank him face to face!

What's more, Sima Guang is still a figure he has always admired and admired, and he is also the only scholar-bureaucrat who Su Shi always believes can save the current situation!

Relegation to Huangzhou for five years allowed Su Shi to have close contact with the lowest-level farmers.

Especially when Su Shi reclaimed [-] acres of wasteland in Huangzhou by himself, and grew vegetables for himself.

He gradually understood the reasons and motives of Wang Anshi's reform.

In particular, the immunity law and the farmland water conservancy law are no longer demons in Su Shi's heart, but as long as they are slightly modified, they can still be regarded as good laws for saving the world!
He couldn't wait to tell those years, his feelings, and his thoughts to those he trusted, who could change the world.

Sima Guang was the one identified by Su Shi.

Seeing Su Shi's excited look, Zhang Shu hurriedly said: "My father just wants to invite Zizhan to Wenfu to attend together!"

Su Shi suddenly became happy like a child.

　Note: Historical facts, Wen Yiqing has been transferred to literature.

　　Note 2: Bianjing City has two types of house rental models: private rent and government rent. The government rent is cheaper and the service of private rent is better.

　　Among them, the official house also has a special management organization: the house affairs of the left and right side stores, which are managed by three court officials, two Beijing officials and inner ministers.

　　Generally, the normal monthly rent for a house is about 400-500 Wen, pay attention to one room.

　　According to the statistics of Xining in the past ten years, there are about 15000 official houses and public houses in Bianjing, and about 180 large mansions.

　　Ouyang Xiu wrote several poems complaining about the rain leaking in the rented house.

　　Note 3: Su Shi’s title of Su Dongpo is because he reclaimed [-] acres of wasteland on a barren hill facing east in Huangzhou, so he called himself Dongpo Jushi.

　　It was also because of this experience that Su Shi began to understand the hardships of the peasants at the bottom, and began to sympathize with them.

　　Then in the Yuanyou era, he became someone who was not loved by the new party and hated by the old party.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)