Chapter 38 Chapter 8 Chinese New Year Feast

The Rebellion of Xiaoqiang, Part Two, Chapter Eight, Chinese New Year Feast In the 24th year of Dayong Wuwei, Jiaxu, the emperor issued an edict ordering His Majesty An Dai to offer sacrifices to the Taimiao, and to be worshiped by all officials in the Wenhua Hall. King Yong was afraid. In February of the same year, King Yong wrote a letter, asking for Fan Youzhou, The emperor did not allow it, so he ordered his son to guard Youzhou.King Yong told him that he was sick and exempted from court, and the emperor promised him. —— "Yongshi·Taizong Benji" In the first year of Tongtai in the Southern Chu Dynasty, Jiaxu, Marquis of Zhenyuan Lu led a hundred officials to embrace the third son of the king, Long, as the lord of the country, and Yao respected the lord of the country, Jia, as the overlord, changed Yuan Tongtai, respected the concubine as the queen mother, and listened to the government behind the curtain. The new lord ascended the throne, issued an imperial edict to Jin to enshrine the letter as Zhenyuan Bo, sent an envoy to Dayong, paid tribute and proclaimed himself a minister.

——"The History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties Biography of King Chu Min" In the midst of praises and singing, New Year's Day is here, and this day is really busy. First, the court, all the officials first went to the Taiji Hall to pay homage to Yong Emperor Li Yuan, and then went to the East Palace Wenhua Hall to pay homage to the prince. Although the prince was in the imperial city He has his own mansion, but the East Palace, which symbolizes the authority of the crown prince, has not been able to move in. It was not until this year because of the support of various parties that Li An officially entered the East Palace and secured his position as the reserve.When King Yong, as the head of all the officials, went to the East Palace to pay homage to the crown prince, and when he kowtowed three times and kowtowed nine times, in the eyes of the people of the world, Li An was already a veritable crown prince.Seeing Yong Wang Li Zhi, who had always made himself ashamed, kowtow in front of him, Li An felt great joy in his heart.

Afterwards, Li An completed the grand ceremony of offering sacrifices to the Taimiao on behalf of the emperor. At this moment, Li An was completely intoxicated in the joy of the world's surrender. In comparison, Yongwang Li Zhi's expression is unavoidably a bit indifferent, and his status as a monarch and minister is established, so it's no wonder he is like this. No one thought that Li Zhi could only praise Jiang Zhe's strategy at this time. He could see that Li An was already in high spirits. Well, the joy that completely overwhelmed him made him almost make a mistake several times, so as long as the plan is right, he can make the prince irreversible. It is easy to say, but it is really courageous to be able to devise such a bold strategy Ah, until now, Li Zhi didn't know Jiang Zhe's specific plan, and he didn't even know Jiang Zhe's intention.I just feel that Jiang Zhe's plan is like an interlocking net, and Li An is the butterfly gradually falling into the net.

After offering sacrifices to the Ancestral Temple, Li Yuan delivered a decree to hold a banquet in the Ganlu Hall, and the officials attended the banquet. I followed King Yong to the table, and King Yong was naturally busy exchanging cups with the officials. Shi Yu and I sat in the corner, He whispered for me to guide the important people in the court. Shi Yu said in a low voice: "The chief civil officer is Prime Minister Zhongshu Ling Wei Guan. He is the emperor's arm. Back then, the emperor and King Yong were both fighting abroad, and the prince supervised the country in the court, but the actual government affairs depended entirely on him. He is the one who presides, he is deeply scheming and knows how to be a king, so he has been in the center for many years, and his honor has not faded. However, he has grown older in recent years, and the competition for the reserve in the court is very chaotic, so he is wise and protects himself. He doesn't express much opinions, but as far as we know, he is more inclined to the prince, because after all, he has worked with the prince for many years, but this person will not really get involved in the dispute. If we succeed, he will not have any objections, Your Highness It means that it is enough to stabilize him, but he cannot be used as a help. The official in the fifth seat below him is Zheng Xia, a servant. Killing King Kang to punish the crime of assassinating his mother, this person confronted him face to face, saying that although His Highness King Kang's assassination of the noble concubine was inappropriate, it was also to avenge his biological mother, and there was no reason to punish him regardless of whether the revenge should be avenged or not , if he is guilty, it is not infidelity, because Concubine Ji is not the aunt's mother, and the emperor also apologized to King Kang, so he sent King Kang outside to become a vassal. I am afraid that this person will fight against us in the future, but His Highness said that if he can be righteous Persuade him, then this person is a rare famous minister."

I looked at Wei Guan, he was plain-looking, with star frost on his temples, and what was rare was his graceful demeanor, as expected he had the air of commanding all officials.That Zheng Xia had big ears and cold eyes, but in his thirties, his every move carried a faint majesty.Just by looking at these two people, all the officials in Southern Chu were compared. It is only natural that Dayong became the overlord of the Central Plains. Shi Yu said again: "The one next to the crown prince is the crown prince Shao Fu Lu Jingzhong. Although he looks plain, he is very proficient in literary codes, so he became the young master. But this man looks honest and treacherous. We have suffered a lot from the crown prince's number one adviser."

I looked at Lu Jingzhong, this man is currently my biggest enemy, he looks ordinary, but his complexion is a little too fair, his eyes are always half-closed, he seems to be sleepy, I am looking at him , Lu Jingzhong seemed to be a little aware of it, his eyes were one, cold like lightning, looking at me, I quickly lowered my head, and felt the cold and stern gaze flashing past me. Shi Yu smiled back, Lu Jingzhong saw that it was Shi Yu, seemed relieved, raised his glass to respect each other from a distance, Shi Yu smiled slightly, and also raised his glass.Both of them drank in one gulp.

When Lu Jingzhong looked away, I said softly: "This person is really extraordinary, thank you Brother Shi for saving me." Shi Yu said lightly: "He and I are considered old rivals, so he won't pay attention to you. Look, the one who toasted to His Majesty is Wei Guogong Cheng Shu. This person once saved the life of the Emperor, and his military strategy is normal. , but he is a blessed general, if he wins every battle, he will win a big victory, if he loses, he can always retreat with his whole army, and he has a personality that values ​​money and righteousness, and loves to make friends. King Yong, but the person closest to him is Cheng Shu. If he wants to do something, he doesn’t need a document from the Ministry of War, but only a letter. I’m afraid no one will buy it. I don't think much of it, but he is very popular and the emperor favors him, so the crown prince has nothing to do with him. This man is also loyal to the emperor, and it may not be possible to ask him to help His Highness, but if His Highness ascends to the throne, he must be optimistic. "

I looked at the general who looked lazy and behaved a bit rudely, but his whole body was full of affinity. Although he had reached the age of knowing his destiny, he had black beard and hair, and there was no trace of fatigue in his expression. Seeing him toast, Li Yuan raised his hand with a smile. The cup, the joy between the monarch and his ministers, is really not an ordinary person. Shi Yu said again: "There are actually four major factions in our Dayong military now, and the 450,000 troops under His Royal Highness King Yong are the most powerful. Many famous generals in the current military are under His Highness, but now basically They were all guarding outside, so you didn't see them. In addition, King Qi's 200,000 troops and King Kang's 100,000 troops are not as good as King Yong's soldiers, but they are still elite. Another big faction is the Qincheng faction. Fuyuan general Qin Yi and Wei Guogong Chengshu jointly control 150,000 forbidden troops and 200,000 frontier troops. In other words, they are the most trusted generals of the emperor, and they are the emperor's amulets to suppress the princes. Now the three princes, King Kang has no Competing for power, King Qi and His Royal Highness are incompatible, with Qin Cheng and his 350,000 army, the emperor can be as stable as Mount Tai."

I looked at General Qin, the leader of the generals, with a gentle and handsome appearance, gray beard and hair, like a literati and Confucian scholar, but I saw him hale and hearty, chatting and laughing, and I knew he was a hero. No wonder he was the most important general of Emperor Yong. At this time Shi Yu said: "Suiyun, look, although that man is not well-known, you have to remember that he is Qin Wuqi, the Minister of Zhongshu. In nine years, six out of ten of His Majesty's imperial edicts were written by him, and remember, Princess Qi Qin Zheng is his eldest daughter."

I felt a chill in my heart, looked at that gentle Confucian scholar, and said calmly: "Could it be that this person is related to Fengyi Sect." Shi Yu said with a smile, "Suiyun is really shrewd. It is said that when he was young, he had received great kindness from the master of Fengyi Sect, so he has always been grateful to repay it." I kept this person in my heart, and then said lightly: "I have met all the people I want to meet, so this trip is worthwhile, brother Shi, after a while, after the banquet is over, I will take a step first. Have a good rest, how about you?"

Shi Yu said with a secretive expression: "I'm afraid you won't be able to take a break, since the second year of junior high school has been a good show?" I was slightly taken aback and looked at Shi Yu.He laughed and said: "The emperor is in a good mood this year. After the luncheon, he ordered a martial arts performance outside the Zhuque Gate. All officials of the fourth grade or above in Dayong or the children of aristocratic families, and all young people under the age of 30 can sign up to participate in the martial arts performance. To win, His Majesty will reward you heavily. It is said that there are three kinds of contests. The first is horse racing, the second is archery, and the third is fist and sword competition. How could you not go and see the grand occasion." I smiled and said: "So there is such a good thing, I really want to go and see, but unfortunately I am not good at riding and archery martial arts, so there is no possibility of participating?" Shi Yu smiled and said: "This matter has been spread for a long time. It seems that you are not listening to the outside world. This time, officials of all sizes in the court and the people of Chang'an have already started a gambling game, and the roster of registration has long been available. We all know that General Cheng, even Duke Wei, is the most fair man. Of course, several major casinos in Chang'an have opened gambling games." I smiled wryly and said, "Although I can bet, I'm not proficient in martial arts, riding and shooting, and I'm also very unfamiliar with those who compete in the field." Shi Yu smiled and said, "What are you afraid of? If you think about the understanding of these contestants, I'm afraid that if Prince Yong's Mansion takes the second place and doesn't dare to take the first place, you won't have to pay. This time there are three people who are the most popular candidates." One is Wei Ying, the fourth son of Wei Xiang, who is now a doctor of the Ministry of Officials. It is said that he will be promoted to the Minister of the Ministry of Officials this year. Although he is a civil servant, he is good at equestrianism. The possibility is the greatest; one is Qin Qing, the second son of General Fuyuan. He is known as the most beautiful man in Chang'an, has the beauty of Pan An and Song Yu, and is very strong in martial arts. Now he is the second-rank bodyguard with a knife in the Imperial Palace, the deputy chief of the palace, and the emperor's favorite bodyguard. It is said that this person's martial arts are profound and unpredictable. He is the number one expert among the young bodyguards in Ouchi, and his teacher is unknown." I said lightly: "There are indeed many great Yongjie." Seeing that I was a little displeased, Shi Yu stopped his mouth for no reason. After thinking about it, he knew that I must have thought of Wen Tian Wu Xi of Nan Chu, but he knew that he couldn't tell the truth, so he just changed the subject and introduced me to some other officials. . While we were whispering, a warning came from the side. I looked up and saw that His Royal Highness King Qi was walking over with a young official. Shi Yu and I stood up quickly. Li Xian walked in front of the two of us and said: " The ministers are having a feast, and they are toasting each other now, why are the two of you talking in secret here?" Shi Yu calmly said: "Your Highness, Jiang Sima came to Dayong for the first time, and he didn't know much about the affairs of the court, so I would like to introduce him briefly, and we are lowly and small, how dare we act presumptuously, Lord Wei, this is Jiang Zhe Jiang Suiyun, the new Sima of Tiance Commander's Mansion, Suiyun, Wei Ying, Mr. Wei is the number one scholar of Xin Weike in the 21st year of Dayong, and he is currently a doctor of the official department." I took the courtesy calmly, and saw that Wei Ying was about twenty-five or sixteen years old, similar to me. He was handsome in appearance, elegant in complexion, and had an air of refinement in his demeanor, even though he was a son of a wealthy family , is young and distinguished, but does not show a trace of arrogance, which makes people feel good at first sight. Wei Ying originally heard from the King of Qi that Jiang Zhe and Jiang Suiyun had surrendered to Dayong, and now he is also in the Palace of Ganlu, so he was curious and asked the King of Qi to introduce him. He was naturally ecstatic when he won the first prize three years ago, but he often heard People say that if you talk about the beauty of articles, you can count the people in the south of the Yangtze River, and the most outstanding among them is Jiang Zhe, the champion of Ding Maoke in the 16th year of Xiande in Southern Chu (the 17th year of Wuwei in Dayong). "Feelings under the Moon" is famous all over the world. A song "Broken" forced the death of the king of Shu. He has long been hailed as the number one talented man in Southern Chu. It was only after the attack on Shu that he seemed to be ill, and his poems gradually became rare outside. Wei Ying once wrote After transcribing the poems and articles that he could collect, he often couldn't put it down. When he saw Jiang Zhe today, Wei Ying felt that his reputation was well-deserved. Although this young man who was a year or two older than himself was a little thin and not as handsome as himself, his calmness The calm, gentle and indifferent temperament gave Wei Ying a feeling of sympathy for each other. Wei Ying stepped forward to salute and said: "I have heard for a long time that brother Jiang's talent is the most outstanding in the contemporary era. How lucky I am to see him today. I am a latecomer to Wei Ying and have met Mr." My expression moved slightly, I didn't expect that the prime minister was as humble as his appearance, so I returned the courtesy again: "People who are alive, dare not be a gift from Lord Wei. Since the Lord is the number one scholar in Dayong, his talents and learning are naturally extraordinary. If there is a chance, Zhe Ask an adult for advice." Wei Ying said happily: "If brother Jiang is willing to teach you, Wei Ying will be very grateful. If you have time in the future, you should pay a visit to Ying." Li Xianke was impatient to hear the mutual humility of you and me here. He originally wanted to look down on literati. If Wei Ying came over, he would inevitably mock Jiang Zhe a few words. Unexpectedly, the two hit it off. This is not good, he thought Sensitive, immediately called out: "Qin Qing, come here." A young general came over at the sound. I looked carefully. This young general looked similar to Qin Yi, except that he had broad shoulders, long legs, and a handsome figure. He was not like his father's Confucian style. He seemed very familiar with King Qi. He smiled and said, "What is your Highness looking for from me?" King Qi pointed at me and said, "This is Jiang Zhe and Jiang Suiyun who forced the King of Shu to death. Didn't you say you want to see and see?" Qin Qing glanced at me, a hint of sarcasm flashed in his eyes, and suddenly said loudly: "In the past, Mr. Jiang forced the king of Shu to death with a song, but he didn't expect that he would bow his knees and surrender today, right?" His voice was very loud, Let Ganlu Palace suddenly fell silent, and all eyes focused on it. Both Shi Yu and Wei Ying's expressions changed, but under the watchful eyes of everyone, they couldn't say anything to help, but I looked calm and said loudly: "The king of Shu lost his country and lost his country, so it is right to die for each other. The King of Shu knows his shame, and this is the story. The Lord of Southern Chu is His Majesty’s beloved son-in-law, and he is as kind as a father and son. I have never heard of a father punishing and a son committing suicide. Besides, as a minister, he was reprimanded for repeated faithful words. Qu Yuan has been the only one who would die for the king and his country since ancient times. Not to mention that the king of Southern Chu is still alive, even the king is dead. King Huai of Chu took the humiliation of the emperor, and the Festival of Ministers was not my doing. Besides, if my lord is King Huai, wouldn't the general regard your majesty as King Hui of Qin, and Qin II died. I don't know the general's hope. How many generations has Dayong passed down?" Hearing my words, Qin Qing's face turned ashen, Wei Ying's face was filled with amazement, Shi Yu lowered his head and smiled secretly, but Li Xian's eyes were full of jealousy and envy.Our side froze, but someone applauded loudly. Everyone looked up in response to the reputation, but saw Li Yuan applauding and applauding, they were immediately relieved, King Yong was beside the emperor, and said with a smile: "Qin Qing, you have suffered a loss, father, this is Jiang Zhe, the number one talent in Southern Chu. , Jiang Zhe, why don't you come to pay your respects to His Majesty." I stepped forward to salute calmly, neither humble nor overbearing, Li Yuan smiled and said: "Okay, I have heard about your talent and name for a long time, and I like it very much that you can turn your back on the dark and turn to the bright, and I heard from King Yong that you are not in good health and are always bedridden." , if it wasn't so, I would still like you to go to Zhongshu Province to be a sacrificial servant and draft an imperial edict on my behalf." I said lightly: "Your physique was very weak when I was young, and I was sick again when I was in the army. an honor." Li Yuan was even more happy, and said: "Okay, this is also a good story, don't be discouraged by General Qin's words, do things well, I, Dayong, will never treat the sages from all directions badly." Thanks again.Li Yuan waved me to leave, and King Yong followed suit.King Yong pulled me to Qin Qing's side, and said: "General Qin, Jiang Sima, you are both young heroes, don't let each other have quarrels, let this king be the master, and you two reconcile." Qin Qing was originally blushing, but when he saw King Yong's persuasion, he took the opportunity to step down and apologized to me, and I also responded politely. At this time, someone behind me smiled and said: "Okay, I finally let me see that Brother Qin is subdued." We turned our heads to look, but it was a handsome young man in brocade clothes. This young man was only twenty-two or three years old. In person, it looks like a jade statue.The man laughed before saying anything, and said: "What a talented man from Southern Chu, I, Xiahou Yuanfeng, really admire him." After saying that, he stepped forward to give a deep salute, and I returned the salute neither humble nor overbearing, smiling without saying a word. At this time, almost all the eyes of the audience were focused. King Yong, King Qi, Wei Ying, Qin Qing, and Xiahou Yuanfeng were all figures who could attract everyone's attention. All the light is concentrated here.What attracted the attention of those ministers was that Jiang Zhe, who stood beside these great Yongjunjies, had neither a prominent identity nor an outstanding appearance, nor did he have a compelling imposing demeanor, but miraculously left a deep impression in their hearts. The deep traces are an existence like green mountains and green waters. No matter how strong the light of other people is, they can't hide the calmness and elegance of the clear spring in the forest.