Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

New Year.

The two east-west telegraph lines were officially opened and incorporated into the administrative system.

The first telegram and government order Hu Quan received was the promotion of his official rank.

The Ming court once again adjusted local administrative settings——

First, Jiangning was established as Nanjing, and Ming Dynasty temporarily became a three-capital system.

That is, Luoyang in Xijing, Kaifeng in Tokyo, and Jiangning in Nanjing.

Taiping Prefecture (Dangtu, Wuhu, Fanchang) and Runzhou (Dantu, Danyang, Jintan) were integrated into Jiangning Prefecture. These places were separated from Zhejiang and all changed to Nanjing territory directly under the central government.

The reason is simply that Jiangnan is too wealthy, and Zhejiang Province is too large, which is not conducive to the imperial court's control there.

Second, publish a list of super-grade houses.

For example, the prefects of Denglai Prefecture in Shandong, Suzhou Prefecture in Zhejiang, Jiujiang Prefecture in Jiangxi, and Yangzhou Prefecture in Huainan were promoted from the fourth rank to the third rank.

The appointment of these prefects must be discussed by the cabinet and then approved by the emperor. Zhibi Province participates in politics.

Third, publish a list of super-quality counties.

For example, the county magistrates of Fushun County in Sichuan (well salt), Fuliang County in Jiangxi (porcelain tea), Guiyang County in Hunan (silver mines), and Jianning County in Fujian (gold and silver) were promoted from the seventh rank to the sixth rank.

The appointment of these county magistrates must be checked by the Minister of Civil Affairs and approved by the cabinet.

Fourth, publish a list of special towns.

For example, Banqiao Town, Anfeng Town, Jingdezhen, Foshan Town, Xuanhua Town, Lujiao Town... Due to developed industry or commerce, the tax revenue of a small town is often comparable to that of several or even a dozen poor counties.

Such towns are governed by town mayors.

The mayor of the town is an official of the eighth rank, and the deputy mayor is an official of the ninth rank.

Daming Township created by Zhu Guoxiang, as well as Shangbai Village and Xiabai Village were all merged into Daming Town. It is also considered a waterway wharf. Although the tax revenue is far lower than that of Jingdezhen, it is still the land of Longxing and has produced a large number of civil servants and military officers, so it is also included in the list of special towns.

The main purpose of the above four administrative adjustment plans is to strengthen the central government's control over local governments.

Zhejiang Province suffered the most serious losses. The large area around Nanjing was placed under the direct jurisdiction of the central government and tax revenue dropped sharply.

In addition, the Supervisory Office also set up a branch in Nanjing, with a censor from Zuoqiandu as the chief officer, to strengthen the supervision of officials in the southern region.

…

After reading the more than 800-word telegram document, Hu Quan couldn't help but sigh: "The imperial court is very generous. Especially the establishment of Nanjing. From now on, Jiangnan will be safe. The Zhejiang Governor will probably cry without tears. From now on, You have to do things carefully.”

As long as an official is not stupid, he can see what the court wants to do.

Zhejiang Province's territory is too large and taxes are too high, which has always been feared by the cabinet ministers. Now it has finally been severely cut off.

Huainan Province is also too large. This time, the levels of two prefectures have been upgraded. The power to appoint prefects has been transferred to the cabinet, and the emperor's personal approval is required.

"Prefect, Minister Zheng will leave tomorrow."

"You just have to leave after a few days?"

"Hey, he is anxious to return to Beijing to receive his merit."

"Let's go deliver them tomorrow."

"Ren Day" is the seventh day of the first lunar month. It is a festival that originated in the Han Dynasty.

According to legend, after the creation of the world, six animals were born on the first six days, and humans were born on the seventh day. Therefore, this is a festival for humans.

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, no execution is allowed, not even the knife.

Even when women were doing needlework, they had to hide their scissors and not touch them until the eighth day of the lunar month before taking them out.

On this day, people are the biggest, and all monsters and monsters have to stand aside!

In the city of Denglai Province, various National Day products are sold starting from the second day of the first lunar month.

Because on the seventh day of the lunar month, it’s time to hold various celebrations.

After coming out of the hotel, the Koreans saw many small humans cut out of paper suddenly appearing on the street stalls.

Wang Gou couldn't help but ask: "What are those paper figures used for?"

Zheng Zhichang explained: "Two days later is Human Day, and these paper figures are called 'Ren Sheng'. They can be worn on the head or posted on doors and windows on the seventh day of the lunar month, which can drive away evil spirits throughout the year."

Wang Gou said: "Goryeo also has a festival, but there is no paper figurine custom. Can we buy some to wear on our heads?"

"Of course." Zheng Zhichang smiled.

When Hu Quan came to see him off with his subordinate officials, these guys had already bought a bunch of people.

They first took a sea boat to the estuary of Jishui and went straight to Jinan Fucheng along Jishui. A grand celebration is being held here, and rich people in the countryside are organizing temple fairs, which are no less lively than those of the Spring and Autumn Society.

Zheng Zhichang and those Koreans were invited to climb Qianfo Mountain.

Zheng Zhichang said: "There are two climbing days in China, one is Human Day and the other is Double Ninth Festival. Although we are in a hurry to go to Luoyang, we have to delay today. The bad luck in the next year will be dispelled."

Accompanied by local officials, they took donkey and horse vehicles to Qianfo Mountain in the southern suburbs.

Even the carriages are covered with paper figures.

People celebrating can be seen everywhere along the way, and there is a market at the foot of Qianfo Mountain. Looking around, you can see that they are all densely packed with heads, and they are heads wearing paper figures.

All kinds of food and entertainment are everywhere in the market.

Wang Gou even saw some farmers wearing patched clothes and going out with their families to visit the temple fair. The human-shaped ornaments on their heads are made of straw.

Farmers who are usually thrifty are also willing to buy snacks for their children.

The cheapest is salty popcorn.

The price of salt is extremely cheap in the coastal areas of Shandong, and corn is also a cheap grain, so the favorite of poor children - salty popcorn was born.

Just spend one or two cents, and the children will eat for half a day.

Or simply make it at home, and even the two cents can be saved.

In the crowded crowd, a group of naughty children chased and played, and occasionally bumped into adults who were going to the temple fair. But no one scolded them, but the parents of the naughty children chased and shouted for fear that their children would be abducted.

"Good!"

A burst of cheers came, but it was the temple fair stage that was performing.

It was too crowded here, so the officials did not stop.

After they got off the car, they started climbing the mountain. On the mountain road along the way, they could still see young girls and young wives.

Occasionally, various small stalls were set up on the gentle slopes.

Those who sold flowers, water, wine, and paper people... Most of the stall owners were nearby farmers who wanted to make some money during the festival.

The sale of privately brewed liquor is illegal, but officials in Jinan Prefecture turned a blind eye when climbing the mountain. No one would be unhappy on such a festival.

Even when the officials were about to reach the top, they took out money to buy some wine.

The many temples in Qianfo Mountain were reorganized into a Thousand Buddha Temple by the government. Buddhism naturally followed the local customs. The monks celebrated the Human Day Festival together, wearing paper ornaments on their bald or short-haired heads - they looked similar to the paper crowns attached to birthday cakes.

The Human Day Festival also incorporates Buddhist elements.

That is, after the soul is reincarnated, it becomes a human form in the mother's belly on this day.

Zheng Zhichang climbed to the top of the mountain panting and said to the Koreans: "Wearing a human crown on your head, climbing high and looking far, the evil spirits and bad luck will dissipate, and you will have good luck in the next year."

The Koreans were very excited and walked back and forth.

It seemed that by celebrating the festival with the people of the Ming Dynasty, they really became the people of the Ming Dynasty.

Outside the Thousand Buddha Temple, people would spread cloth as a blanket and put a lot of food and drinks on it. People sat on the ground, playing the game of guessing and throwing pots, and some scholars were there reciting poems and writing couplets.

Everyone's face was filled with joy, and laughter and joy were heard everywhere.

In this year in history, Yue Fei had died unjustly. At this time, Yue Fei's house was confiscated by Zhao Gou and converted into the Imperial Academy and Imperial College.

And Shandong was also legally assigned to the Jin Kingdom because of the "Shaoxing Peace Agreement".

Shandong was made miserable by the Jin people, and the uprisings were repeatedly extinguished and started. In that time and space, the people of Jinan had a hard time, so how could they have the energy to celebrate the Human Day Festival?

One is a picture scroll of the end of the world.

The other is a scene of prosperity.

Wang Yi whispered to his brother: "Fortunately, we surrendered to the Ming Dynasty. Just look at the farmers celebrating the festival and you will know that Goryeo will definitely not win. Goryeo farmers are hungry and weak. Ming farmers are well fed and much stronger. If they are all recruited as soldiers, even if we don't look at the quality of weapons, the difference between the two countries will be obvious."

Wang Gou asked: "Are my Goryeo farmers hungry?"

Wang Yi sneered: "Brother has been imprisoned by treacherous officials for a long time, how can he know what is happening outside the palace? I was persecuted by treacherous officials and exiled to Lingnan (south of Wenqingniaoling) for nine years. Compared with Ming farmers, Goryeo farmers are like beggars!"

The two brothers walked and talked, but heard scholars talking beside them.

The scholars brought their families to the mountain, spread cloth on the ground and were eating and drinking tossing pots.

"You all know that a new telegraph office has been established in Jinan City, and it was officially opened a few days ago on New Year's Day."

"How could you not know about such a big thing? The iron frame erected along the pagoda in the Thousand Buddha Temple is said to be a telegraph antenna."

"Isn't it a copper frame?"

"I heard it's iron."

"What are you talking about? Is the telegraph office an office?"

"The telegraph office is responsible for sending and receiving telegrams."

"What is a telegraph?"

"A magic tool that can transmit sound over thousands of miles! I heard that when the emperor was young, he traveled overseas. He met an immortal and was granted three volumes of heavenly books. One of the volumes contained the method of transmitting sound over a thousand miles. Originally, this kind of magic must be practiced for many years before it can be used. But the emperor combined physics and magic to create a telegraph that ordinary people can use. "

"What a mess! A gentleman does not talk about strange things, you are still scholars in vain."

"Really, why would I lie to you? The telegraph office is located next to the governor's office. I have a cousin who works as a senior official in the governor's office. If he works hard for a few more years, he will have the hope of becoming a ninth-rank official. Telegraph When the office was established, my cousin brought his subordinates to help the telegraph office clean up the house.

"What did your cousin find out?"

"As long as there is a telegraph, there will be no need to ride horses or boats to travel day and night for urgent documents of 800 or 600 miles. Just use the telegraph to send messages, and it will take only a quarter of an hour from Jinan to Luoyang. Isn't this a thousand-mile message?"

"It's just a rumor."

"What do you want me to believe? I heard that the three provincial offices and the chief and deputy officials of the government office all have a secret book passed down by the emperor. Telegraph offices and telegraph offices in various places The chief officers of the newspaper office are all disciples of the emperor. They know how to use the telegraph, a magical instrument, and with the magic secrets in the hands of the officials, they can convey messages thousands of miles away. "

"Brother Bo Yu did not say anything nonsense, but he still did not explain it clearly. Why should the antenna be erected on the pagoda? Because the Buddhist Dharma is vast here, and all evil cannot invade. The official documents from Luoyang, with the help of the imperial energy and Taoism, and then connected with the Buddha's power here, can truly achieve a thousand miles of sound transmission. "

"..."

Brothers Wang Gou and Wang Qi were stunned.

Imperial energy, Taoism, Buddha's power, three volumes of heavenly books, a thousand miles of sound transmission... What is this all about?

Could it be that the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty really knows some magical arts?