I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 158 Zhao Yu's Assassination Attempt
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Li Gang and Yuwen Huangzhong marched westward.

When they arrived in Luoyang, the western capital, they met Zhao Ding, a scholar from Wenxi County, Jiezhou.

Zhao Ding lost his father when he was four years old. Under the education of his mother, Madam Fan, he became well-versed in the classics and history, and had lofty aspirations. He was concerned about the world and had an extraordinary temperament. In his speech, he already possessed the potential to become an outstanding politician.

Li Gang and Yuwen Huangzhong hit it off with Zhao Ding immediately and had a very pleasant conversation. The three of them then decided to go to Bianliang City, the capital of Tokyo, to participate in this year's imperial examination.

When the three arrived at Chenqiao Post Station, they learned that Emperor Zhao Yu had specially decreed that all unused post stations should be opened to candidates traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations, so that they could rest there.

Since its founding, the Zhao Song Dynasty had always been very active in foreign relations, with many envoys from various countries visiting the Zhao Song Dynasty frequently.

In receiving these envoys, the Zhao Song Dynasty generally implemented a system of one envoy per country.

For example, Liao envoys were received at Duting Post Station; Western Xia envoys were generally received at Duting West Post Station or Laiyuan Post Station; Goryeo envoys were received at Tongwen Hall in the outer city; envoys from Nanfan, Jiaozhou, Xifan, Dashi, and Kucha were all received at Huaiyuan Post Station; while envoys from Tubo and Dangxiang were received at Libinyuan.

—The Song Dynasty arranged for its envoys to stay in one guesthouse per country, which reflected both respect for the customs of the guests and the need for security and confidentiality.

As for the post station located in Chenqiao Post Station on the northern outskirts of Bianliang City in Tokyo, it was called "Banjing Post Station".

Chenqiaoyi is the small town where Zhao Kuangyin was crowned emperor, about forty miles from the capital.

The idiom "ban jing" (班荆) originates from the *Zuo Zhuan* (左传). During the Spring and Autumn Period, Wu Ju (吴子胥's grandfather), a high-ranking official of the State of Chu, was a close friend of Sheng Zi (声子), a high-ranking official of the State of Cai. Later, due to his father-in-law's offense, Wu Ju fled to the State of Zheng, intending to seek refuge in the State of Jin. Outside the capital of Zheng, he unexpectedly met Sheng Zi. The two then broke off some thorns by the roadside, spread them on the ground, sat facing each other, and ate and talked. "Ban jing" later became a metaphor for friends meeting without regard to formalities, sitting together and freely expressing their friendship.

Although Banjing Inn was located in the suburbs, its buildings, accommodations, and service were almost identical to those of other inns in the capital. They were all decorated with green tiles, carved beams, painted rafters, pavilions, and terraces, which were a feast for the eyes.

Emperor Zhao Yu's decision to open such a place to candidates traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations demonstrates his respect for and consideration for talented individuals.

In Zhao Ding's words, "This is truly a benevolent act by a wise ruler, which fully demonstrates His Majesty's thirst for talent!"

Upon entering Banjing Hall, Li Gang and his companions discovered that the hall was laid out in a well-organized manner, with shady trees and fragrant flowers, resembling a secluded paradise far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world.

They were led to a quiet and elegant guest room, furnished simply yet tastefully, with a meticulously manicured garden view outside the window, which was a delight to behold.

Also sharing a room with them were Li Guang, a student of the Imperial Academy, and Qiu Yu, a scholar from Qingzhou who had come to greet them.

The five men sat facing each other, sipping tea and discussing their aspirations for the imperial examinations. They were all full of vigor and ambition, determined to display their talents and serve the country in the examinations.

As night fell, the Banjing Hall was brightly lit. Scholars from all over the country sat in twos and threes or alone in the dim light. They recited in hushed tones or talked loudly. The air was filled with a strong cultural atmosphere, political ambitions and boundless aspirations for the future.

Li Gang and his four companions also participated, exchanging their political views and opinions on current affairs with various talented individuals.

During this period, there were also disputes and even arguments between the old and new parties.

However, after Zhao Yu ascended the throne, he consistently guided the new and old parties to conduct exchanges of views and policy discussions in a peaceful and rational manner within the framework of the rule of law and rules, taking the interests of the country and the people as the starting point. Anyone who went to extremes, disregarded right and wrong, ignored national interests, and focused solely on party struggles, was eliminated and never employed again.

Furthermore, this imperial examination emphasized both new learning and Confucianism, to the point that neither the most extreme members of the New Party nor the most extreme members of the Old Party could pass. This forced them to either change their thinking and study the other party's classics or even embrace the other party's teachings, or they could only give up their official careers and remain unfulfilled and idle.

In this political environment, the conflict between the new and old parties among the new generation of officials has eased considerably, and it can even be said that the conflict between the two parties has begun to disintegrate, or at least the two sides have temporarily put aside their conflicts.

The next morning, the five of them walked out of Banjing Hall together, facing the rising sun, and embarked on the final leg of their journey to Bianliang City, the capital of Tokyo.

What I saw along the way, I will skip over.

It is said that when the five arrived in Bianliang, the capital of Tokyo, it was already dark.

This happened to be the Lantern Festival.

The city of Bianliang (Kaifeng) was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and the main roads of the capital were packed with people singing and dancing, creating a scene of peace, prosperity and happiness.

The Lantern Festival, held annually, was a major event in Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Eastern Capital. The emperor would ascend the Xuande Tower to celebrate with the people.

As early as June of the first year of Chunhua reign of Emperor Taizong of Song, the Zhao Song court ordered the cessation of the Zhongyuan and Xiayuan lantern festivals and to concentrate efforts on organizing the Shangyuan lantern festival.

As a result, the Lantern Festival became larger in scale and was held for five consecutive days.

The "Five Nights of Lanterns on the Lantern Festival" had long been a custom of the Song Dynasty, and the Lantern Festival had become one of the iconic grand festivals of Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Song Dynasty.

This has greatly promoted the development of the Lantern Festival.

Every year during the Lantern Festival, the streets and alleys of Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Eastern Capital, are adorned with lanterns and decorations. The lantern market on the Imperial Street stretches for dozens of miles. Citizens flock to the streets and gather in the square in front of Xuande Tower, creating a bustling and lively atmosphere.

This scene so moved that even Wang Anshi could not contain his excitement and described it in a poem: "Carriages and horses bustle about in broad daylight, and the lights of ten thousand homes warm the spring breeze."

During the reign of Emperor Zhao Yu, this style should have been carried forward. For example, Emperor Huizong of the past should have followed his example and made the Lantern Festival even more magnificent and spectacular, with an unprecedented grandeur.

Surprisingly, Zhao Yu reduced the budget for the lantern festival to one-tenth of what it had been during the reigns of Emperor Shenzong and Emperor Zhao Xu.

During the reigns of Emperor Shenzong and Zhao Xu, the construction of the lantern festival sheds often began in October and was not completed until the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, costing tens of thousands of coins worth of silk and paper. After the Lantern Festival, these items were bestowed by the emperor upon the eunuchs, who were then allowed to exchange them for money.

During Zhao Yu's reign, the budget for lantern festivals was cut by 90%, so these items were no longer given to eunuchs as rewards. Instead, they were refurbished and reused. At the same time, the frames no longer needed to be rebuilt several months in advance at great expense and manpower. Instead, the mountain sheds used the previous year were repaired half a month in advance and reused. Only those that were completely rotten and unusable were remade.

In short, Emperor Zhao Yu's reign was characterized by a tendency to cut corners on these superficial formalities.

The resulting lantern festival will certainly not be comparable to the past, let alone the lantern festivals during the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song.

However, on the other hand, thanks to the solid foundation laid by the previous dynasty, even though Zhao Yu was so frugal, he was still able to set up lanterns around the imperial city, including the Donghua Gate, the left and right side gates, the east and west corner towers, the main avenues of the city gates, and the major palaces, temples, and monasteries. The lanterns were also set up all over the battlements of the imperial city.

In any case, people from outside can't tell the difference at all.

People like Yuwen Huangzhong and Zhao Ding, who had never been to the capital before, were amazed by the prosperity of Bianliang (Kaifeng) and the excitement of the Lantern Festival.

To Li Gang's surprise, Bianliang City not only had wooden bicycles, but also a new type of human-powered vehicle.

These rickshaws have a beautiful, sturdy, and rustic wooden frame. A tall black canopy provides shade and shelter from the rain. The seat is thick and soft, covered with a blue cloth cushion, and the backrest is slightly reclined, making it very comfortable. The two wooden wheels are worn smooth, and some are even covered with animal hair felt. The driver stands beside the handlebars, his hands resting on them; the brass bells on the handlebars occasionally tinkle in the wind, attracting the attention of passersby.

Li Gang asked Li Guang, "What is this vehicle?" "This is a rickshaw, also made by Consort Ma," Li Guang replied. "However, no one can explain why it is called a rickshaw."

Hearing that the rickshaw was also invented by Ma Xiaojiao, Li Gang didn't ask any more questions. After all, Ma Xiaojiao had already created far too many things that could change the lives of people in this era.

Li Gang and the others didn't ask, but Li Guang took the initiative to mention some of Ma Xiaojiao's inventions that were unique to Bianliang (Kaifeng) in Tokyo (or rather, hadn't yet spread), such as solar water heaters, solar cookers, telescopes, megaphones, and homemade telephones that could transmit clearly, far, and even two-way, etc...

This made Li Gang and others admire Ma Xiaojiao's inventive abilities even more.

As they ventured deeper into Bianliang, Li Gang and his companions were awestruck by its prosperity. The city was ablaze with buildings, brightly lit, bustling with carriages and people—a truly magnificent scene.

Li Guang said to Li Gang and the others, "His Majesty will ascend Xuande Tower tonight to celebrate with the people. Would you like to go and watch?"

Yuwen Huangzhong said, "How can we miss such a prosperous era?"

Qiu Yu didn't like joining in the fun, so he said, "I'll go to the Gaosheng Inn on Panlou Street to book rooms for you and the others so we can stay. You guys go have fun."

Li Gang and the others are all gentlemen; why would they force someone to do something against their will?
So they handed over their attendants, horses, wooden bicycles, and gifts to Qiu Yu, and then each of them hailed a rickshaw to go to Xuande Tower.

Located opposite the Xuande Tower of the Imperial Palace, the Aoshan Pavilion was the tallest, most luxurious, and most magnificent of all the pavilions. It was decorated with colorful lanterns, had a terrace, and featured various performances by the imperial music academy, making it the most bustling and lively place on the night of the Lantern Festival.

Li Gang and others arrived at this place and waited with the crowd for Zhao Yu to go up to Xuande Tower to watch the lanterns.

While waiting for Zhao Yu to ascend the tower, Li Gang and others heard that Zhao Yu had reduced the budget for the lantern festival to one-tenth. Many ignorant people complained that if it weren't for this, this year's lantern festival would certainly not be so inferior to that of the previous dynasty.

Li Gang and others remarked with emotion: "Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has advocated frugality and reduced taxes and levies, which is truly a blessing for the people."

Zhao Ding nodded in agreement: "This is a sign of a prosperous era. We will certainly do our utmost to assist Your Majesty and create a great cause together."

Just as Li Gang and the others were immersed in praising Zhao Yu's wise actions, a grand musical performance suddenly came from Xuande Tower.

The crowd fell silent instantly, all craning their necks in anticipation.

Zhao Yu, dressed in magnificent robes and surrounded by a retinue of attendants, slowly ascended the Xuande Tower. He smiled and waved to the people below.

Upon seeing this, the people cheered and shouted "Long live the Emperor!" wave after wave, deafeningly loud.

Zheng Xiansu followed closely behind Zhao Yu, her demeanor dignified, her phoenix coronet and wedding gown gleaming in the lamplight.

After the two stood still, the variety show in the square in front of the building officially began. The acrobats tumbled and leaped in the air with agile movements; the lion dance team was lifelike, drawing cheers from the crowd; and the young woman's graceful dance with her long sleeves was captivating.

Li Gang and the others were caught up in the lively scene before them, and joined in singing, dancing, laughing, and playing.

A short while later, a commotion suddenly broke out in the crowd.

Li Gang turned around and saw a sudden scene unfolding in the crowd a dozen meters away, leaving all the pedestrians no time to react.

The square was already packed with people, and all sorts of noise filled the air. Many people were holding lanterns and celebrating, while the yellow dragon in the distance danced over to the sound of gongs and drums.

Under such circumstances, ordinary sounds would normally be difficult to attract attention.

However, the sound that suddenly rang out was not noisy, but rather shrill.

That was a bloodcurdling scream, the cry of a dying man that tore through the air.

As Li Gang turned around, what he saw was a cold metallic glint peeking out from among countless lanterns, flashing across the sky in an instant, blood splattering high above the heads of passersby with screams, and a severed arm shooting into the air.

A chaotic cacophony of voices, people who understood the situation and those who didn't, people who had reacted and those who hadn't, were all mixed together in that moment.

"Ah ah--"

Ding ding ding~ Ding——

Shouts, screams, and sounds of fighting rippled outwards, as if countless people with red headbands were indiscriminately killing and creating chaos while charging towards Xuande Tower.

Before Li Gang and the others could figure out what was going on, they were pushed by the crowd and scattered to both sides like a tide.

Just a dozen meters away from Li Gang and his men, the shouts of battle grew louder and louder, and more and more blood spurted out. Then, countless people, shouting, rushed to within two hundred paces of Xuande Tower.

Shouts exploded in the night. A dozen meters away, the sounds of fighting rose up in quick succession. Someone screamed "Ah—" The atmosphere was intense and murderous, like two armies clashing on a battlefield. The lanterns hanging over there were already numerous, making the sky above the street look like a spider web. Every now and then, a lantern would explode, or a whole rope would fall down with a lantern attached. People on the ground were cleaved and sent flying, some with severed hands or feet. They clutched their wounds and screamed in agony. Some were even decapitated.

People trampled each other, and the number of deaths and injuries was countless.

According to regulations, when the emperor viewed the lanterns from the tower, the prefect of Kaifeng was required to arrange guards below the tower to ensure the emperor's safety.

For some reason, there seemed to be no guards stationed downstairs at Xuande Tower today.

At this moment, Zhao Yu only had a few hundred imperial guards and archers around him who could fight. The others were either Zhao Yu's concubines, palace maids, or eunuchs, all of whom were non-combatants.

Furthermore, at this very moment, Zhao Yu and his concubines were sitting in Xuande Tower. Outside the window, there were thousands of lights and bustling crowds. Through the heavy curtains, the people below could not possibly see that Zhao Yu was in Xuande Tower.

However, these assassins seemed certain that Zhao Yu was on Xuande Tower. They slaughtered civilians and created chaos as they marched straight toward Xuande Tower.

Upon seeing this, Huang Jingchen became very anxious and advised Zhao Yu, "Your Majesty, please retreat to the palace immediately."

Liang Shicheng, Li Yan, Yang Jian, and others also advised Zhao Yu to quickly retreat to the palace.

Even Zheng Xiansu gripped Zhao Yu's arm tightly, unusually tense.

As for Zhao Yu's concubines and palace maids, they were in even worse shape; they huddled together, trembling with fear.

Just then, someone contradicted the others, saying, "Your Majesty, you must not act rashly..."

……

(End of this chapter)