Chapter 2 The first chapter went to Luoyang

In the fourth year of Chuigong (688), King Langya, the governor of Bozhou, raised troops to oppose Empress Wu's power, and Li Zhen, the governor of Yuzhou, raised troops to respond. To invite military exploits.Zhang Guangbi had nothing to say, but he held a grudge, and even played Di Renjie's rude words later.Di Renjie was demoted to Luoyang Sima. The sky is getting darker, and the cold wind sweeps across the street, urging pedestrians to rush home. The shops on both sides have also opened their shop boards early. It has just passed the New Year, and it is only the ninth day of the new year. Everyone is still immersed in the atmosphere of the New Year. inside.

The town is next to the official road, and Luoyang is only two or three days' journey west from here.In the past, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty re-selected and built Luoyang City in the east of the Zhou Dynasty City and 8 miles west of the Han and Wei Ancient City. Through it, and with Luoyang as the center, the Grand Canal was dug, making it the center of water transportation in the world.At the time of Emperor Gaozong, Luoyang was designated as the eastern capital of the Great Tang Dynasty because the Queen of Heaven favored Luoyang. The emperor and queen led all the officials to spend more time in Luoyang than in Chang'an, the capital city. Wei Wang Wu Chengsi also offered white stones, saying that they were picked up from Luoshui and descended from the sky. The sacred stone is engraved with the characters "Holy Mother comes, Yongchang Emperor", so the Queen of Heaven went to Luoshui to worship in person, named "Yongchang Luoshui", and built a Ming hall on the foundation of Luoyang Qianyuan Hall to banquet hundreds of officials. Luoyang is already the political and economic center of the Tang Dynasty, and its prosperity has long surpassed that of Chang'an, the Western capital.This small town is very busy with businessmen and merchants on weekdays. Today, because of the New Year's Eve, there are very few pedestrians on the street, and there are no carriages and horses in front of the inn at the intersection, only a few branches with no leaves slanting from the side. Stretching out, it seems to be attracting guests.

The sound of horseshoes knocking on the pavement was unhurried, and it was very clear. In the half-worn carriage, the driver asked: "Sir, do you want to go another way, or have dinner first?" The curtain, I saw that he was slightly fat and had an amiable face. It was Di Renjie: "Yuan Fang, Di Chun, let's stay here today. The weather is very cold. You should also go to the house to warm up quickly and find some warm clothes." It’s time to eat hot food.” While talking, she got out of the car, Li Yuanfang nodded in agreement, and got off the horse, and the three of them put on their luggage and went into the inn. do not mention.

After dinner, Di Chun lit the lamp and busily tidied things up again. Xiao Er had already lit charcoal in the brazier, and the room was filled with warmth when he was young. Di Renjie gently opened a window to let the The fresh air from outside came in. The room was on the second floor of the inn, and it was completely dark outside the house at this time. Looking out over the tiles of the courtyard wall, because the side of the back street, there were no lights outside the courtyard, the sky seemed extraordinarily clear, and the moonlight shone in the courtyard. To the voices of other rooms and the sound of the waiter bringing hot water in and out of the kitchen.Di Renjie looked up at the starry sky for a while, then turned around and saw that Di Chun had packed up and was still in the house with Li Yuanfang. to rest.Di Renjie felt emotional in his heart, and said: "After driving for a day, you all should rest earlier." After a pause, he apologized slightly: "If it wasn't for being demoted this time, there would be no need to rush on the road just after the new year " Li Yuanfang said with a smile: "I was born in the army in a lowly position, and it's not the same to follow the adults." Di Chun also said: "The master should rest earlier. In my opinion, it's better, not like being a governor. , worrying day and night."

Di Renjie laughed and said: "You, if you are an official, you don't worry about the common people, so why should you be an official? You will be free when you go home." Di Chun said: "I know the master's temper, I'm just talking about it." Li Yuanfang also laughed. For a while, Di Chun picked up the teapot and went out to ask for some tea, while Di Renjie read the letter under the lamp. The letter was written by Yushi Zhongcheng Wei Yuanzhong himself. After describing the old friendship, he couldn't help mentioning the situation in the court. The importance of Wu Chengsi was dispelled under the persuasion of the ministers.

Di Renjie was troubled by reading it, put down the letter, and asked casually: "Yuan Fang, since we left, how many days have we not received a report from the court?" Li Yuanfang nodded yes. Di Renjie got up and walked to the window, looked at the starry sky, and said to himself: "'Yinghuo guards the heart', I am afraid that there will be another change in the court." Li Yuanfang was puzzled, Di Chun came in with the tea, just happened to listen, poured the tea and handed it to Di Renjie and Li Yuanfang, and asked: "Master, what are you talking about, why can't I understand? "

"Oh, the 'Yinghuo Shouxin' I'm talking about is a kind of astronomical anomaly. All dynasties have used astronomical phenomena as a warning to the fortunes of the country and the royal family. In our dynasty, it is forbidden to study astronomy privately. No wonder you don't understand , I only know a little bit about it," Di Renjie stroked his beard and said: "The Mars in the sky is also called 'Yinghuo', and 'Xin' refers to the middle one of the three stars in the Qinglong Heart in the twenty-eight mansions. It is conspicuous red, which is very eye-catching in the sky. When these two stars are moving close together in the sky, if Mars is going direct, that is, passing near the antares from west to east, it is called Yinghuo in the heart, which is okay; However, if Mars gradually slows down when it passes through the heart, and then turns retrograde from east to west, and then returns to direct motion, as if it lingers near the heart, it is called "Shou", that is, "Yinghuo Shouxin" .”

As Di Renjie spoke, he pointed to the sky and gestured with his hands: "As for the three stars in the heart, the big star in the center represents the emperor, and the front and back stars refer to the prince and the concubine. If the sparks linger, it is very ominous." , the son of heaven, the king will have no heir; offend the prince, the prince will not be able to replace; offend the bastard, the bastard will not be good for the bastard' is a great omen." Li Yuanfang heard this, thoughtful, and asked: "Your Excellency, you mean that there will be such a vision in the sky recently, and something serious will happen?"

Di Renjie shook his head and said: "This 'Yinghuo Shouxin' does not refer to an overnight event, the whole phenomenon will last for many days, not to mention the stars in the sky, only with the naked eye, there are many things we can't understand Yes, there are also many far-fetched words in the historical records about "Yinghuo committing crimes." Di Chun said in a daze, "Since that's the case, what worries does the master have?" Di Renjie sighed: "What I'm worried about is that someone will take advantage of this and cause trouble. In the second year of Suihe, Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty, there was a record of "Yinghuo Shouxin". Arriving at the celestial phenomenon of "Ying Huo Shou Xin", he suggested to blame the minister. Emperor Cheng of Han believed in this kind of astrology and did not understand astronomy, so he asked the prime minister Zhai Fang to enter his post and return to his hometown. In February, Zhai Fangjin committed suicide, and in March, Emperor Cheng also Died. The record here is very brief, but if you think about it carefully, how many political battles are behind it." Di Renjie looked at Li Yuanfang with a worried look in his eyes, and said slowly: "I hope I am worrying unnecessarily."

For a moment, the three people in the room were silent, looking at each other speechlessly.