Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

Zhong Yuan had no expression on his face, and he still maintained the action of just picking up the teacup to drink water.

——It must be an auditory hallucination.

After Lu Ci walked a few steps, he didn't hear the footsteps of Zhong Yuan following him, so he stopped, turned his head, raised his eyebrows and said mockingly: "You don't even want to show your face, let me deal with it all by myself Bar?"

Zhong Yuan: "..."

Only then did he believe that he was not dreaming just now.

"You," Zhong Yuan pointed at himself in disbelief, and then looked at Lu Ci with a distorted expression, "You want to help me, intercede with your parents?"

"It's not an intercession," Lu Ci said slowly, ignoring Zhong Yuan's relieved expression of "as expected" after hearing his words, and said with a smile: "It is to clarify the pros and cons at the same time, and help you clean up this mess by the way. "

Zhong Yuan's eyelids twitched, and he said uncomfortably: "They beat me at most, and scold me for ten days and a half months, so you don't have to worry about it."

Lu Ci smiled slightly, and said straight to the point: "Cure the symptoms, not the root cause."

Although it has been delayed for more than half a month, if you hurry up, you will still have time to reach the capital before the end of the twelfth lunar month.

If he stood by and watched, Zhong Yuan would not only be beaten and scolded, but also packed up and shipped to the capital in a hurry.

Zhong Yuan obviously underestimated Zhong's father and Zhong's mother's determination to see their son become a dragon, but Lu Ci was very clear about this.

"Whether it's the symptoms or the root cause, it's good to have a cure." Zhong Yuan's face twitched, pretending to be a dead pig who is not afraid of boiling water, and complained: "What else can I do? When I was young, they only listened to you If you don’t, whatever I say, it’s like farting to them.”

"Vulgar words," Lu Ci deliberately said 'tsk': "Don't even think about it, the reason why they are willing to listen to me is not because I am the only one who has a way against you?"

Pity the parents of the world.

Zhong Yuan was taken aback.

Without waiting for him to think about it, Lu Ci had already picked out a few souvenirs and put them on, walked a few steps outside, and urged casually, "If you don't follow up, I will change my mind and let them send you back to school again."

Hearing Lu Ci's overtones, Zhong Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

This fox means...

Now without Lu Ci's urging, he walked faster than anyone else.

When Lu Ci took Zhong Yuan and knocked on the door of the room next door, Mother Zhong who was washing clothes in the courtyard rushed to open the door.

Seeing the people standing at the door, one was the only son Zhong Yuan who looked shy and evasive, and was supposed to be on his way to the capital, and the other was a handsome man with a face like a crown and eyebrows like a poem...

"Hello, Aunt Zhong." Lu Ci smiled and explained to the bewildered Aunt Zhong who obviously didn't recognize who he was immediately, and at the same time offered his hand: "I just came back, and I really wanted to say hello to you. I came here uninvited, I hope you don't think I'm bothering you in a hurry."

The corner of Zhong Yuan's mouth twitched.

What kind of 'really worried' is this?

If he hadn't squatted on someone at that time, causing Lu Ci to change his mind temporarily for some reason, otherwise Lu Ci would have gone back to the room to rest.

I used to see Lu Huhu's ability to talk people and talk nonsense when he sees people before, but now that he speaks nonsense with a sincere look, Zhong Yuan is more and more sure that he is not suitable for any official career at all. .

If the officialdom is full of characters like Lu Huhu, with my pitiful heart, I'm afraid I'm not worthy of being someone's shoe.

Mother Zhong's eyes widened and she exclaimed, "Ouch!"

In fact, she had vague guesses, but after three years of separation, Lu Ci was at the age of growing up, not only his appearance had changed a lot, but also his aura was completely different from before, which made her not sure.

"What's the trouble, you still remember me, I'm too happy!" Zhong's mother was so happy that she instantly forgot her own son who was foolishly standing beside her, and welcomed Lu Ci into the room very affectionately "It's just that you didn't say anything in advance. You didn't have time to prepare any good things in the room. You sit down first. I'll send you a letter to Uncle Zhong, asking him to bring it right away!"

Lu Ci declined, "Why bother Uncle Zhong, I'll take a look first—"

"I want it!" Mother Zhong said involuntarily: "It's rare for you to come back for such a trip. When can't he do the job? It's no big deal to miss half a day. Hey, why didn't you hear about your return today?" What about your mother?"

"She doesn't know the exact date." Lu Ci said obediently: "I don't want her to worry about it too much and delay her own affairs, so I didn't make it clear."

"You!" Zhong's mother sighed: "Your mother is struggling not to remarry, and she wants to raise you alone. Although you have suffered a lot, but you are so hardworking and considerate of her, she is really good. It's worth it!"

After finishing speaking, she arranged Lu Ci to sit down in the main hall in a daze, and quickly poured a cup of tea: "Just sit here and wait for a while. Wait!"

Lu Ci looked "helplessly" at the back of her rushing to send messages, and then looked at Zhong Yuan, who had been completely ignored by her since the first meeting, and whose face was as black as the bottom of a pot at the moment, the corners of his lips were slightly raised, which was extremely natural Said: "You sit too."

Zhong Yuan sat down aggrievedly, with acid in his heart, he said firmly: "You are definitely their real son, absolutely!"

Lu Ci shook his head amusedly: "You must have seen your father beat your son with a stick, but have you ever seen your father beat his neighbor's man with a stick?"

Whether Zhong Yuan believed it or not, the sweaty Father Zhong was soon brought back by the rosy-skinned Mother Zhong.

"Hey, it's really Lu Lang!" Father Zhong said in amazement, "The appearance and stature are really different!"

Lu Ci smiled and said, "Uncle Zhong is still as tough as ever!"

Father Zhong laughed and said, "Old, old!"

Seeing his shapeless appearance, Zhong's mother couldn't help poking Zhong's father with her elbow.

After she was excited, she also came back to her senses.

Lu Ci is an excellent person. Even though he has made a fortune, he still misses the friendship he had with his neighbors when he was in his infancy.

But they shouldn't be so careless, so they have to pay attention to the difference in identity.

Father Zhong took the elbow, but he didn't take it seriously, and went to the cellar, brought out a jar of 'Zhuangyuanhong', and said with a smile: "This is the best in the city when you won three yuan in a row. In that restaurant, the Zhuangyuanhong was sent to your mother! It’s just that she didn’t drink, and you couldn’t come back, so I put it all here. It’s just right now, let—”

Speaking of this, Father Zhong, whose eyes had already passed countless times over the invisible Zhong Yuan who was sitting beside him, finally realized that there was another person present, and was stunned: "Da Lang?!"

Zhong Yuan nodded stiffly: "Father, mother."

Father Zhong's face suddenly changed, and his attitude also changed: "You bastard, why are you here?!"

Mother Zhong was also taken aback, and blurted out, "How did you come in?"

Zhong Yuan has a face.

——Of course he came in with Lu Fox.

When Zhong's father angrily and suspiciously pulled out the truth from the hesitant Zhong Yuan, knowing that his only son was daring, he became a deserter who ran away from the battle, and kept everyone in the dark, he was so angry that he wanted to pull out a stick on the spot. Beat this unrepentant bastard.

Zhong Yuan had expected this, but it didn't matter, instead he realized that his wife just went back to her mother's house to visit relatives, and she was not present at this time.

Otherwise, if tears and sticks are used together, he really can't bear it.

After Lu Ci'an saw this quietly, he knew it was the right time, so he decisively stopped the person: "Uncle Zhong wait a moment."

The angry Father Zhong paused, and then forced a smile and said: "Lu Lang, I made you laugh. It's just that you have seen his virtue. I have to teach him a lesson today. I can only entertain you tomorrow. , do you think so?"

"I have always regarded Uncle Zhong as a real uncle. Why do you need to entertain your nephew when he visits his uncle's house?" Lu Ci shook his head and asked softly, "I don't know why Uncle Zhong is so angry?"

"It goes without saying!" When Father Zhong mentioned Zhong Yuan's actions, he was furious: "If it weren't for Lu Lang's help, he would have been a bastard who didn't study well when he was young. He is a little older now. , Seeing that he was sensible, and finally got to know him, the family almost sent him to the boat, but he played with everyone for a mere play of ball and ball! I saw him in the past, although he was addicted to kicking, but Anyway, it’s only like this in my spare time, I’ll put up with it, but for that little bit of fun I don’t even want to go on the right way, how can I not be angry?!”

Zhong Yuan stiffened his neck when he heard this, and wanted to argue with him, but was stopped by Lu Ci calmly: "Uncle Zhong's words are wrong."

Although Lu Ci can be regarded as half of his nephew and nephew, there is a huge difference between the two in terms of ability and status. Father Zhong, who understands this very well, can't wait to teach Zhong Yuan a lesson. Hold back: "Why did Lu Lang say that?"

He added: "I know you have always been close to him, so don't try to help him out of your feelings."

Lu Ci shook his head with a smile: "If Brother Zhong is really messing around, and his future is at stake, even if he wants to sever ties with me, I will definitely stand up and stop him. How could he indulge him for the sake of past affection? Uncle Zhong calmed down and listened to me."

Uncle Zhong glared at Zhong Yuan fiercely, took a deep breath, put the stick aside temporarily, and pretended to listen respectfully: "Nephew, please speak."

Lu Ci smiled and said: "First of all, my uncle regards the play of playing ball balls as a game that is not on the table. There is something wrong with it. It is recorded in the earliest books such as "Warring States Policy", and Cuju has been popular since the Warring States period. It is not intended as a sensational play, but related to military training. Ban Gu’s "Hanshu Yiwenzhi" also has "Cuju 25", known as "Thirteen Military Skills", and it is also listed in the category of military books... "

As long as Lu Ci didn't open his mouth, he would quote the scriptures as soon as he spoke, in a clear manner, and quickly calmed down the Zhong family's parents who had never read what he said.

If Cuju is really related to the martial arts practice of military strategists, and Lu Ci also said that the Taizu of the dynasty also liked Cuju very much. If he ordered someone to draw the "Cuju Picture" in which the emperor and his ministers played together, then they have always held a contemptuous attitude. After letting others know, wouldn't there be right and wrong?

Father Zhong considered for a moment, and still cast his inquiring gaze on Zhong Yuan who might have read the series of books mentioned by Lu Ci in the end.

Really?

Zhong Yuan nodded solemnly.

—he remembers shit.

The author has something to say: Notes:

Chinese ancient books call playing football "cuju", or "cuju", "kickju", which means kicking the ball.This is related to ancient martial arts training.According to "Warring States Policy" and other books, football activities were popular during the Warring States Period.In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Taigong, the father of Han Gaozu Liu Bang, was a football fan in Fengyi, Pei County.After Liu Bang became emperor, he also built "Xinfeng City" in the style of Fengyi in Chang'an, the capital city, with football facilities in it for his father and fans to play games.

The Han Dynasty used football to train troops, and the school field in the palace was the football field, which was called "Jucheng".Liu Bang himself is also a football fan.Ban Gu's "Hanshu? Yiwenzhi" includes "Cuju 25", which is called "Thirteen Military Skills", which is listed in the category of military books, which shows the close relationship between football and military training.Although this book is lost, it shows that playing football in the Han Dynasty was not only very common, but also that there was a monograph summarizing the skills of playing football."Ju Chengming" written by Li You in the Eastern Han Dynasty describes the team's organizational system and refereeing rules.

Generally speaking, from pre-Qin to Li-Tang, football was more focused on military training, so the two armies faced each other fiercely, with a lot of exercise, which was good for soldiers' health and martial arts, and was valued and advocated by the emperors.

However, in the Tang and Song Dynasties, football activities have undergone great evolution and development.In the football match of the Tang Dynasty, there was a goal (that is, two bamboo poles and wooden posts were erected at each end of the football, and a net was added to it).Song inherited the Tang system, but there were improvements.In the Song Dynasty football game, two teams attack a goal. The goal is not on the ground, but two wooden poles about three feet high are erected in the middle of the field. "Merry Eyes".During the competition, specific music is also played.Generally speaking, football activities in the Tang and Song Dynasties were still confrontation games, but due to the rise of polo in the Tang Dynasty, which was more meaningful for military training, football developed in the direction of entertainment games, especially the football performances in the Song Dynasty.

Brother Zhao Kuangyin, Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, was also a fan of football. There is a "Cuju Picture" that vividly depicts the lively scene of monarchs and ministers playing football in the Song Dynasty.Various grand gatherings or major festivals held by the Song Dynasty have performances of playing football or football skills.The Song court set up "Cuju Enshrining" (the court's full-time football team), which was divided into three levels: "Baotou", "Cibutou" and a group of players.Football activities have both confrontation games and exhibition games.Song Huizong Zhao Ji is a fan and a football master.In the Song Dynasty, there were two big bureaucrats who were favored by their good football skills.One is the Gao Taiwei (Gao Qiu) described in "Water Margin".According to the records of Song people, Gao Qiu was originally Su Dongpo's book boy, and was later given to Wang Jinqing.Wang Jinqing had contacts with Zhao Ji.Once Wang Jinqing sent Gao Qiu to send something to Duan Wang Zhao Ji, who was not yet the emperor at that time. When Duan Wang was playing football in the garden, Gao Qiu watched from the sidelines, showing disapproval. It looks like you can also play football?" Gao Qiu said, "A little bit." Duan Wang asked Gao Qiu to play against him, and sure enough, he was proficient in footwork and extraordinary skills, so Gao Qiu was favored and stayed with him to "worship".Later, King Duan ascended the throne and became emperor (that is, Huizong), and Gao Qiu was promoted to the high position of envoy.Some players who played football also came to ask Huizong to be an official. Huizong said, "Do you have Gao Qi's good feet?" , Self-named "Li Langzi", from official to prime minister, people call him "The Prodigal Son".Cuju has become a fashionable stepping stone and a ladder for promotion for some people.Although this is absurd, it also shows the fashion of football. ("Cultural History of the Song Dynasty")