Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Ma Kuo, who was already fifty years old, was sent on an envoy again to see if he could see Yelu Dashi for the last time.

Several young officials from Honglu Temple served him with great respect. Their task is to see more and learn more. From now on, they will be responsible for the diplomacy of the Western Regions. They cannot let Ma expand even when he is seventy or eighty years old and still travel far away.

The person responsible for leading the army to protect them was Xiao Zhongxuan, a surrendered general of the Jin Kingdom, who was almost fifty years old.

After Xiao Zhongxuan surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, in addition to bringing his troops to surrender, he also presented an important message: the imperial seal was in the Sanggan River!

But it was said that when the Jin army broke through Liao Zhongjing, Emperor Tianzuo fled to Yuanyangbo Palace in a hurry. Before his buttocks were even hot, the Jin soldiers came after him again, and Emperor Tianzuo quickly fled to Datong.

While crossing the Sanggan River, a group of treasures accidentally fell into the water, including the national seal that said "Ordered by heaven, you will live forever".

Since the pursuers could arrive at any time, Emperor Tian Zuo did not dare to stay and did not send anyone to salvage it.

The Xiao Zhongxuan brothers were with Emperor Tianzuo at that time.

They provided information after paying the money, and Wanyan Zonghan even sent people to fish it out. However, some of the lost treasures were recovered from the same batch, but the traditional jade seal was still missing.

The Kingdom of Jin was destroyed, and the news was brought back.

Zhu Guoxiang said to the ministers: "I have taken the Zen throne. You can ask the new king."

Finally, when Ju Ming returned to Beijing, he said to the officials: "Wanyan Zonghan has been fishing for several years, but he has caught nothing, so there is no need to waste people's energy anymore."

Although the emperor said so, the ministers did not dare not to take it!

The cabinet secretly instructed the prefect of Datong to dredge the Sanggan River and fish out the national seal at the bottom of the river.

In the past three years, the Sanggan River has been completely dredged, but the shadow of the Chuanguo Seal has still not been seen.

In recent years, the Datong government has given up, but the people are still keen on treasure hunting.

Especially in summer when drought occurs, water levels drop and rivers dry up and become shallow. Many farmers take their children to fetch water for irrigation. When they pass by a dry river bed, they let the little ones dig up mud.

From time to time, people found treasures, most of which were lost by Emperor Tian Zuo.

The more treasures appear, the more people they attract. Even if you can't find the Imperial Seal, you can still make a fortune by finding other treasures!

…

Ma Kuo and Xiao Zhongxuan set off from Luoyang to Xiliao with national gifts.

By the Sanggan River, a group of libertines were hunting for treasure.

Local farmers only come to look for it occasionally in their spare time or when the river dries up. The libertines regard this as a profession and have been hunting for treasures for seven or eight years.

Wang Chongdu's ancestors were from the Wang family in Taiyuan. A few generations ago, they served as high officials in the Liao Kingdom, and some of their clansmen paid money to become minor officials.

The Ming Dynasty regained Datong without too much difficulty. It just divided the clans and divided their fields.

Wang Chongdu also studied for several years, but he was not good at school and failed to pass the Ming Dynasty scholar examination. Hearing that there was a national seal in Sangqian River, he took a group of friends and went to the location where the treasure was dropped whenever he could.

From the place where the treasure was found, we searched downstream for more than ten miles in a few years.

Two years ago, they found a golden Buddha.

The entire body of the Buddha statue is made of pure gold and is more than a foot tall. The prefect of Datong came forward to purchase it and quickly sent it to Luoyang. Xiao Zhongxuan identified it as the daily enshrinement of Xiao Duolilan, Queen of the Liao Dynasty.

The pure gold Buddha statue, which is more than a foot tall, made Wang Chongdu and his friends a lot of money!

They became more active, diving into the river every three days.

"Brother Wang, it's better not to look for him."

Gao Wenbao lay shirtless on the shore, covered in water, panting from exhaustion and said: "Since we found the Buddha statue, we haven't caught anything for two years."

Wang Chongdu smiled and said: "How can I say I didn't catch it? Isn't there more than ten copper coins and a bronze mirror?"

Li Bin, who was standing next to him, said: "Those copper coins and bronze mirrors were all rotten. I don't know which dynasty they were from. I happily sent them to be polished. The craftsmen who polished the mirrors despised them and said they were just scrap copper and iron."

"Look again, look again." Wang Chongdu still laughed.

Gao Wenbao said depressedly: "Han Sanlang and the others have not looked for it this year, so why are we still trying to find it? First, the government dredged the river, and then tens of thousands of people searched for treasure. The twenty-mile river upstream and downstream has been plowed countless times. Don't talk about treasures. Even the chamber pots from the bottom of the river have been fished out.”

While they were talking, a few more friends came ashore. They lay there for a while and then started making noises about breaking up.

That night, everyone had a dinner.

Wang Chongdu still insisted, leaving only Gao Wenbao and Li Bin to accompany him.

In the past, their treasure hunting team had more than twenty people, but now there are only three people left.

Wang Chongdu took two friends and continued to search downstream. They were more than thirty miles away from the spot where Emperor Tianzuo dropped his treasure.

Gao Wenbao complained as he walked: "The jade seal is so heavy. No matter how fast the river flows, how can it be carried out for more than thirty miles? Besides, there are people here who have come here, and the government has dredged the river. It is impossible. There are treasures.”

"Don't talk nonsense. We'll look for it for another half a year," Wang Chongdu said. "If we can't find it, we won't do it."

Li Bin said: "During the Chinese New Year, my brother brought back a copy of "Arabian Nights" from the south. There were many treasure hunting stories in it. I heard that overseas countries are full of treasures. Instead of searching blindly in the Sanggan River, we , it is better to take a boat and go to sea to find foreign treasures.”

Gao Wenbao smiled and said: "I also borrowed your book "Arabian Nights" to read. The treasure hunting stories are all made up. Have you ever seen the sea? Have you ever been on a sea ship? Although the three of us brothers are also familiar with water, But swimming in the sea is different from swimming in the river.”

"What's the difference? It's all water!"

Li Bin said: "In the past few years of treasure hunting, my water skills have gotten better and better. I can already hold my breath underwater for half a quarter of an hour."

Wang Chongdu joked: "If we find the imperial seal, the officials will definitely give us a title. At that time, we will go to the south, get a sea ship, hire some boatmen and sailors, and go to sea to hunt for treasures in foreign countries. Maybe How can I meet an immortal overseas like the Supreme Emperor?"

"This is a good idea," Li Bin said. "Ever since I read "Arabian Nights", I have wanted to see the sea, and then travel around overseas countries. Maybe I can marry a foreign princess as my consort."

Gao Wenbao asked: "Your engagement is void, why don't you find another one?"

Li Bin said angrily: "You have the nerve to ask! I followed you down the river to fish for treasures when I was fourteen, and I didn't do any other serious things. Although treasure hunting can also be rewarding, in the eyes of others, we are all idle wanderers. son."

Wang Chongdu comforted him and said, "I haven't gotten married yet. When I find the imperial seal, why worry about not marrying a good woman?"

The three of them changed locations and dived and explored nearby for several days.

Nothing was found.

Another day, Wang Chongdu carefully observed the water patterns and found a backwater nest next to a huge rock.

He plunged into the water and felt that the backwater was quite deep. He emerged from the water without daring to continue diving: "Throw down the rope, and you guys will hold the rope and guard the boulder."

Li Bin threw down the rope and sat on the boulder to chat with Gao Wenbao.

Wang Chongdu tied a rope around his waist, picked up a stone and dived down.

The suction force below is quite strong, there are whirlpools of water, and aquatic plants are shaking at the bottom of the water.

Wang Chongdu couldn't see clearly, so he simply closed his eyes and touched blindly.

After a few minutes, he could no longer hold his breath, so he quickly pulled the rope, and the two friends worked together to pull him up.

Li Bin asked: "How?"

"No." Wang Chongdu gasped.

After resting for a while, Wang Chongdu dived again.

After repeating it five or six times, the rope was pulled again, and the two friends pulled him up again.

But Wang Chongdu emerged from the water, holding something in his arms, and shouted excitedly: "It feels like a box. Even if it's not the national seal, it must be a royal treasure of the Liao Kingdom!"

"Get ashore quickly!"

Gao Wenbao and Li Bin were overjoyed when they heard this.

The outside of the box is tied with yellow silk cloth. It has been soaked in water for twenty years, and the silk cloth has decayed and changed color. If you pull it, it will break.

Wang Chongdu washed the box with water, but it turned out to be an exquisite lacquerware.

The box has no lock and opens as soon as you open it.

The lacquer box was lined with silk, and there was another item in the box, which was also wrapped in silk.

Li Bin took out his dagger and cut open the rotten silk fabric, and a jade seal suddenly appeared in his sight.

The three of them were all stunned, feeling nothing but silence, as if they could hear their own heartbeats.

After a long time, Gao Wenbao swallowed his saliva and said, "How could such a big jade seal float more than thirty miles away?"

Li Bin analyzed: "The box. This lacquer box is extremely exquisite, and the cover is very tight. Not much water can get in for a while. The jade seal is hidden inside, just like a person sitting on a boat. At that time, it seemed to have fallen into the water. , In fact, it didn’t sink to the bottom at all, but floated downstream between the water surface and the river bottom until more water filled the box, and then it gradually sank to the bottom.”

Wang Chongdu said: "Immediately go to Fucheng and pretend that nothing happened all the way. After entering the city, I will take out the jade seal on the street. I want to make a fuss all over the city to prevent the government from taking the credit for finding the jade seal!"

"Second brother is right!"

The three of them packed the jade seal and lacquer box and returned to the city dejectedly.

I met acquaintances along the way, and they all said they had found nothing, and claimed that they would no longer hunt for treasures in the future.

In the evening, they stayed outside the city.

In the early morning of the next day, when the city gate was open and the people were gathering together, Wang Chongdu suddenly shouted at the city gate: "We have found the imperial seal. Go and notify the prefect!"

The gatekeepers who were guarding the city were stunned when they heard this. Wang Chongdu shouted several times before the gatekeepers finally reacted.

The people waiting to enter the city also became agitated and squeezed in to watch the excitement.

One of the guards rushed into the city to report, while the remaining guards were responsible for maintaining order and protecting Wang Chongdu and the others.

The three men continued to shout:

"I am Wang Chongdu, and it is said that we found the national seal."

"I am Li Bin. You all remember this name. I, Li Silang, will also honor my ancestors!"

"My name is Gao Wenbao. Don't call me a libertine from now on!"

Not long after, officials from both the prefectural and county levels arrived one after another, and the three of them were escorted into the city by guards. The two sides met more than a hundred steps away from the government office.

"Who found the imperial seal?" asked the prefect Yao Changji.

"Wang Chongdu is here!"

"Li Bin is here..."

From Zhezong of the Song Dynasty to Huizong of the Song Dynasty, there were several events involving the passing of national seals in the former Song Dynasty, in which Zhang Dun and Cai Jing were even involved.

They are all true. There are several "genuine" jade seals passed down from the Northern Song Dynasty...

Anyway, some people offered treasures and kept them as auspicious signs. Cai Jing even personally appraised a real seal.

However, the Emperor of Ming Dynasty was not auspicious, so local officials had to make careful appraisals, otherwise they might be criticized if they presented them to others.

More than a dozen officials gathered around, and some used glasses as magnifying glasses.

After the prefect Yao Changji carefully wiped it, he used ink pad to press it on the white paper.

Holding up the jade seal, eight big characters were printed on the paper: If you are ordered by heaven, you will live forever.

The font is Yuniao Seal.

The magistrate of Yunzhong County questioned: "This jade seal is not missing a corner. I heard that the Chuanguo Seal was missing a corner and was filled with gold. Could it be that the Liao Kingdom did not get the Chuanguo Seal back then and carved it with jade itself? Is it fake?"

The prefect Yao Changji was the first Jinshi of the Ming Dynasty. He originally had no knowledge of the Imperial Seal.

But since the imperial seal disappeared in his own jurisdiction, Yao Changji would naturally pay attention to it.

Not only him, but all the previous prefects of Datong in the Ming Dynasty were very concerned about the imperial seal, and collected a lot of official and unofficial historical materials.

Yao Changji observed it repeatedly with a magnifying glass and said:

"The Heshi Bi was used to make the imperial seal, which is a legend that is difficult to distinguish true from false. According to historical records, the imperial seal of Qin Shihuang was carved with Lantian white jade. I don't know much about jade, so I don't know if it is Lantian white jade. But the shape is correct, it is a tiger button."

"There is a crack here on the corner of the tiger. It was thrown on the steps of the palace by Queen Ping when Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty."

"There is a line of small characters on the side of the seal shoulder: The Great Wei received the Han imperial treasure. This line of small characters was engraved by the craftsmen of Wei Wendi Cao Pi."

Yao Changji looked around at everyone and said firmly: "It should be the imperial seal without a doubt!"

In fact, Yao Changji didn't say something. During the hundreds of years of the Three Kingdoms, the Jin Dynasty, and the Southern and Northern Dynasties, many copies of the imperial seal were copied.

If it was fished out from the Sanggan River, it can only prove that the seal in front of us is the imperial seal used by the Tang Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty. It cannot be proved that it was passed down from Qin Shihuang, because it may be a copy of the Southern and Northern Dynasties. It is also possible that the Liao Dynasty forged it.

Of course, since the imperial seal has appeared, it must have originated from Qin Shihuang.

It is not the same!