Emperor Renzong of the Great Song Dynasty

Zhao Yiyi sat in front of the window of Yuchen Palace, flipping through the manuscripts of several articles written by Yan Gong.

Yan Shu took advantage of the winter to gather around, and couldn't hand in the next manuscript in a short time.Several articles were co-authored by him and a disciple, and they were delivered to the printing factory a few days ago, and now the first batch of sample books have come out.

Zhao Yiyi flipped through the sample booklet.

The handwriting is clear, the paper is neither thin nor thick, and the size is moderate when held in the hand. It is a very suitable series of general astronomy books, recording the trajectories of most stars.

When Qingbei University resumes classes in the spring, Yan Shu will be asked to add an astronomy class to the students, using Xiangshu as the teaching material.

While keeping your feet on the ground, don’t forget to look up at the starry sky.

Maybe the next Copernicus Galileo will be cultivated.

Zhao Xu was lying in the cradle on one side, spitting bubbles and playing with himself in extreme boredom.

Zhao Yiyi squeezed her chubby hand and shook it: "Girl, look, the journey of the two of us is the sea of ​​stars."

Zhao Xu responded with a burst of wailing.

Zhao Yiyi shouted helplessly: "Come on, the princess is crying again!"

He didn't like having outsiders around when he was working, and Liu En went out to maintain his news network throughout Bianliang City. A wet nurse came in a hurry and skillfully reached into the swaddling baby: "Excuse me, the princess, it's time to change her diaper."

Zhao Yiyi got up: "You change yours, I will go out for a walk."

The nurse blessed her body, picked up Zhao Xu, and went behind the screen to wipe her body and change her diaper.Zhao Yiyi paced outside the hall and stood under the porch, breathing in the clear and sweet fresh air.

Kou Zhun and Di Qing estimated that they would be able to go back from Xixia after the beginning of spring. Bao Zheng didn’t know what was going on in Yingtian Mansion. Although the King of Xiangyang was an expert in rebellion, according to Liu E, his rank was not high. Still holding the golden mace of the Eight Sage Kings, there shouldn't be any major problems...

Jiang Ping has already reinforced the river embankments of Bianliang with cement, and the cement output left by the factory can supply river embankment repairs all over the country.In fact, cement is also strangely heavy, and it is not convenient to transport it from Bianliang. It is better to open factories in various places, which can increase production and reduce transportation costs.

As the output increases, there is no need to dig and search. After the embankments in various places are repaired, the excess cement will be used to pave the road.If you want to get rich and build roads first, the road in Bianliang must be paved with cement first, otherwise the loess road will be full of mud pits even if it rains, and who can bear the wind and dust...

But Jiang Ping only has one, and he has to stay in Bianliang to help him look after the factory. Who to send to build a factory in other places is a big problem.

The family is big and the business is big, but there is not enough manpower...

While thinking wildly, there was a sound from the eaves, and Liu En jumped down.

Zhao Yiyi looked up at him, and found that he was carrying a long box on his back, and his face was not very good.

"What's wrong? Something happened to Kou Zhun?"

Zhao Yiyi asked a little nervously.

The only one who can make Liu En look bad is Kou Zhun, who is still vaguely threatening the imperial power until now.

Liu En shook his head: "No."

Zhao Yiyi asked: "Then why are you crying?"

Liu Endao took off the box on his body and handed it to Zhao Yiyi: "The news came from Yingtian that the King of Xiangyang is dead. This is the golden mace of the Eight Sage Kings. Bao Zheng sent someone to send it back."

"died?"

Zhao Yiyi took the golden mace and said in surprise, "Bao Zheng beat him to death?"

He lent the golden mace to Bao Zheng to use, just to intimidate Zhao Jue, but not to actually hit people!

Zhao Yiyi took out the golden mace and weighed it in his hand.

It was solid, pure gold, and heavy. Bao Zheng had such a strong hand that he really wanted to hit someone with a swing... The more Zhao Yiyi thought about it, the more he felt that it was possible.

No matter what Zhao Jue said, he was his own uncle, who was plotting or not. Bao Zheng beat him to death, which was also a troublesome matter.

He had to think of a perfect plan to save Bao Zheng.

Liu En paused: "This matter has nothing to do with Bao Yushi."

Zhao Yiyi said: "Oh."

It wasn't Bao Zheng who killed him.

Make him worry for nothing.

"Then how did he die?"

Liu Endao: "It is said that he was assassinated between the beds by an assassin. He pierced his brain with a silver hairpin and died on the spot."

Zhao Yiyi smiled: "Then this must have nothing to do with Bao Zheng."

Bao Zheng had always been aboveboard, even if he sent assassins to kill, he would be a quack like Pai Zhanzhao, fighting with real knives and guns, and things like silver hairpins piercing the brain were absolutely impossible.

"Did the assassin catch it?"

Liu En shook his head: "The king of Xiangyang acted absurdly. He hung out with women day and night, and no one dared to disturb him. When he found out, his body was cold, and the assassin had long since disappeared. Those who disappeared with the assassin, and A dancer who spent the spring night with the King of Xiangyang. Someone saw the dancer go back to the room by herself, and never came out again. It is very likely that the dancer is an assassin."

Zhao Yiyi nodded: "I guess so."

If the dancer disappeared in Zhao Jue's room, she might have been taken away by an assassin.He went back to the room by himself and never came out again, so he could only assassinate Zhao Jue first, then swaggered back to the room to pack his luggage, and then left Xiangyang Palace.

He touched his neck: "Fortunately, I always spend the night by myself."

It is difficult to defend against house thieves by day and night, and if the person who shares the same bed is determined to put himself to death, Zhao Yiyi really can't think of how to save this life.

It's still the same as it is now, taking care of the children in Yuchen Palace, separated from the queen by half a harem, and letting Liu En guard by the bed when sleeping is safe.

Zhao Yiyi didn't know what the other emperors thought. Anyway, he was weak and didn't want to drink three thousand ladles. If he couldn't keep it clean, these delicate beauties would pull out the silver hairpins from their heads and plunge them into his head.

As for spreading branches and leaves, he has 666 gods as his heirs, and the other children don't matter.

It saves too many children, each of whom is ambitious and difficult to manage.

Who doesn't love beauty, but Zhao Jue's bloody lessons learned before him, Zhao Yiyi decided to be a wise king who doesn't love beauty.

For as long as Kou Yaoniang lives as a queen, he will not accept concubines for a day, anyway, there is a queen in the middle palace.

If Kou Yaoniang died earlier than him, then he would not be able to marry another woman—the empress and my young husband and wife are deeply in love, and the man has passed away, so I really can't bear to marry another bride.

How perfect is it to hold the reputation of devotion by yourself, and wear the hat of jealousy to Kou Yaoniang.

Liu Endao: "Right now, King Xiangyang's body is still in Yingtian. Zongzheng Temple is not sure whether to bury him right away, or wait until two years later to bury him with the next batch of clans. King Wei's branch, There are two old county kings, and it will be within the past two years. These two are also in Yingtian, and it will be more convenient to transport them together at that time."

Zhao Yiyi said: "This...he is a prince after all..."

In the Song Dynasty, the clan did not need to prepare their own cemetery, and was buried near the imperial mausoleum, and the household department paid for the funeral.

But the clan has a large population, and it seems a bit troublesome to transport one person to the imperial mausoleum for burial alone. Therefore, after the clan dies, they often stop at home or in temples for a period of time, and those who have a bleak end like the Empress Taizu and Song can also stop at relatives’ homes. , Wait until a group is gathered or some heavyweight clan has died, then they will be transported to the imperial mausoleum by Zongzheng Temple for unified burial.

This "period of time" depends on the situation, sometimes it is one or two years, sometimes it is six or seven years, or even nine or ten years is also possible.

A noble clan like Zhao Jue usually doesn't have to wait for such a long time.After their death, they are often buried immediately, and even other clans can also get a share of the glory.

Transporting one coffin is also transporting, transporting ten or eight coffins is also transporting.When the prince was buried, the side clan followed him in a hearse, which was also where the relationship between relatives was.

But Zhao Jue's situation is a bit special.

One is that the treasury is not very well-off at present.

Last year's floods lost so much tax revenue, and part of it was used for disaster relief and dam repairs in various places.Duke Lai is fighting in the west, can you not pay the military expenses?

The burial of the clan is carried out by the state's finances, not the emperor's private treasury.Zhao Jue has such an identity, if he is not given a grand burial, it will appear how unfilial the emperor is.However, if you want to hold a grand funeral for him, the money you need to spend is immeasurable.In all fairness, the household department does not want to allocate this sum to Zongzheng Temple at this time.

Second, Zhao Jue's death was not very glorious.

Being assassinated between the beds by a dancing girl is even more embarrassing than the sound of the candle shadow back then.Now that he is buried, it is inevitable that some people will discuss how the prince died, and when the time comes, the emperor will lose all face?It's better to pretend that nothing happened for the time being, and wait two years to be buried with other clans, so that it won't be so conspicuous.

The third is the attitude of the emperor.

Anyone with a discerning eye knows that King Xiangyang has some ideas about the throne.The emperor sent a stern censor to Yingtianfu to investigate the disaster relief case, and he probably had some thoughts about Xiangyang King.At such a juncture, the King of Xiangyang died, and he died so disgracefully. The water in it was deep, and the Ministry of Households did not dare to let it flow, and Zongzheng Temple did not want to let it flow.

Zhao Yiyi sighed: "The King of Xiangyang is my uncle. Now that the country is in turmoil, the uncle must not want to cause trouble for the country because of his own affairs. Let's ask Yingtian's Zongzheng Temple to stop him. In the palace, the offerings of food and daily life are the same as before. After two years of peace, I will make up for the funeral for the emperor."

Liu Endao: "This saves money."

Zhao Yiyi asked again: "The king of Xiangyang is dead, what happened to Bao Zheng?"

He sent Bao Zheng to Yingtian, in order to let Bao Zheng grab the tail of King Xiangyang, and then recall him to the capital and imprison him to prevent him from rebelling.Now that the King of Xiangyang is dead, there is no need for Bao Zheng to stay in Yingtian.After tidying up the situation, we can return to Beijing.

Liu Endao: "Bao Yushi said that there are still some details that have not been clarified, and he will stay in Yingtian for a while. It's just that someone sent the golden mace back and asked me to return it to the Palace of the Eight Sages."

Zhao Yiyi waved his golden mace, and said with a smile, "I've already borrowed it, so how can I return it so easily?"

The Eighth Wise King still wants to get back his golden mace?

next life.

Zhao Yiyi went back to the room with the golden mace. Zhao Xu had already been coaxed by the nanny, and was sitting on his little bed playing with a hydrangea.

Zhao Yiyi handed her the golden mace: "Come on, your uncle's magic weapon, let's see if you can pick it up. If you can pick it up, I'll give it to you."

Liu En said with a smile: "How can I take it up?"

Seeing that the golden mace was shining, Zhao Xu immediately put down the hydrangea in his hand and reached for the golden mace.

Zhao Yiyi handed the end of the golden mace to her, but he didn't dare to let go. He just let Zhao Xu play in his arms. The real weight was still in Zhao Yiyi's hands.

"Look, it's not bad."

Zhao Yiyi held the golden mace in one hand, and touched Zhao Xu's fetal hair with the other: "When you grow up, I will give you this golden mace."

Zhao Xu couldn't speak yet, and after babbling while holding the golden mace, he suddenly opened his mouth and gnawed on it.

Zhao Yiyi hurriedly opened her mouth: "How dirty! I don't know how many people have touched it, and you haven't washed it, so you dare to eat it?"

Zhao Xu just had a good time, and was a little unhappy that he had snatched the golden mace away. He yelled "ahhh", and reached out to snatch the golden mace back.

Zhao Yiyi rolled his eyes: "Whatever you grab, it's yours. Wait, I'll ask someone to wash it for you."

Called Gong'e to come in: "Take some warm water and fragrant soap, wash this thing and bring it back to the princess."

Liu En picked Zhao Xu up and rocked her to coax her.Zhao Xu immediately forgot about the golden mace and grabbed Liu En by the collar to climb over his head.

Following her movements, Liu En suddenly smiled and said, "Eight Wise Kings were wronged too. After all, the golden mace was useless, and it was in our hands for nothing."

Zhao Yiyi raised his eyebrows: "Why, Bao Zheng didn't use this golden mace?"

Liu En supported Zhao Xu, not to let her fall: "It's useless. Zhan Zhao brought the golden mace to Yingtian with his front foot, and Bao Zheng took the golden mace with his back foot to find Zhao Jue at the Prince's Mansion in Xiangyang. already dead."

Zhao Yiyi frowned: "The timing of his death is ingenious. It almost makes people think that he committed suicide in fear of crime."

Liu Endao: "It doesn't make sense. He is the emperor's uncle. Even if he rebels, he will be banned at most, and the matter has not been revealed yet, and there is still a turning point. Why commit suicide?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "So he was killed by others, not suicide. Tell me, who is going to kill him?"

Zhao Jue is a prince, living in the Xiangyang Palace guarded by layers of guards.Even with Liu En's skills, it would take a lot of effort to kill him.

So the person who killed him took advantage of his weakness - being a womanizer, arranged for him a dancer to be his killer, and took his life between the beds.

It is not easy to arrange a dancing girl on the bed of King Xiangyang.Moreover, the timing of King Xiangyang's death was too coincidental, just before Bao Zheng came to the door with the golden mace.No early step, no late step.

The timing of his death must have been calculated.

But how did the person who plotted against him know that the King of Xiangyang would definitely summon this dancer that day?

Did the dancing girl try her best to seduce King Xiangyang that night?

The king of Xiangyang is a nobleman of Tianhuang, and there are countless beauties around him.

What if he just doesn't take the bait?

Or was he just not interested that day and didn't want to invite anyone?

A beauty alone is not enough to ensure that King Xiangyang will summon him that night.

It is necessary to use some strategies against the King of Xiangyang himself.

What happened that night that the King of Xiangyang insisted on summoning this girl?

Zhao Yiyi slowly said: "Being able to arrange the dancing girl into the palace means that he has been preparing for King Xiangyang's side for a long time. This person must have been in Yingtian Mansion for many years, and he has quite a powerful position."

Liu Endao: "If he intends to let the King of Xiangyang die just before meeting Bao Zheng, then he must make sure that Bao Zheng will come to see the King of Xiangyang the next day. And he must also make sure that the King of Xiangyang summoned him the night before. That dancing girl."

"If he can influence the King of Xiangyang's bed, he must know the King of Xiangyang very well. Moreover, he must have met the King of Xiangyang the night before, so that he can use the means to call the dancing girl to the King of Xiangyang."

"The reason why Bao Zheng was unable to meet the King of Xiangyang before was because the imperial decree was stolen. Only the people around Bao Zheng and the person who stole his imperial decree knew about the stolen imperial decree. Yes. The time required to go back and forth to Bianliang in Yingtian is fixed. As long as he is sure that Bao Zheng’s imperial edict has been stolen, he can know when the new imperial edict will come. It's west."

Zhao Yiyi and Liu En looked at each other, and said in unison: "You only need to know who the King of Xiangyang met the night before yesterday, and you will know who killed him!"

Zhao Yiyi smiled: "Tell me, can Bao Zheng understand the things that the two of us can understand?"

Liu Endao: "Bao Zheng is Wenqu Xingjun who came down to earth, these things must not be hidden from him."

That's right, after all, Bao Zheng's intelligence is at full value of [-].

Zhao Yiyi said: "He must stay in Yingtian for a while, presumably to find out who killed King Xiangyang."

It doesn't matter who killed King Xiangyang, anyway, Zhao Yiyi doesn't care about this uncle who wants to compete with him for the throne.He would also like to thank this person for doing the dirty work for him.

But why the king of Xiangyang was killed at this time, this matter is very important.

Bao Zheng was about to confront the King of Xiangyang with a golden mace, and the purpose of killing him at this time was very subtle.

Is it to preserve the reputation of King Xiangyang, or to cover up some secret?

If it's the former, Zhao Yiyi doesn't have to worry about it.If the latter, then what secret is worth sacrificing a prince to keep?

Zhao Yiyi twirled his fingers: "Do you have a list of officials at all levels in Yingtian Mansion?"

Liu Endao: "It can be written."

Zhao Yiyi pointed to his own desk by the window: "Go and write."

Liu En wrote a list under the window, including the names of officials such as prefects, general judges, and transshipment envoys.

Zhao Yiyi drew up a pen and crossed out the general judgment.

Tongsan is under the control of transfer envoys, and where there are transfer envoys, Tongsan is basically a little transparent.

"Fortune Envoy Huo Fang, Prefect Pei Yuan..."

He read out these names one by one, kept them firmly in his heart, and handed the paper back to Liu En: "Burn it."

Liu En fetched a match and lit it, and the paper was instantly engulfed in orange flames.

Zhao Yiyi asked: "Among these people, who has the best rank in the imperial examination?"

Liu En melted the paper ashes with water and poured them into the spittoon: "The transfer envoy Huo Fang. He was the second place in the eighth year of Dazhong Xiangfu."

In the eighth year of Dazhong Xiangfu, at this time Liu E had given birth to the prince, was named queen, and interfered in political affairs.

The transfer envoy is also the highest-ranking official in Ying Tianfu, and he controls the money, food, soldiers and horses along the way.

The King of Xiangyang wants to be powerful in Yingtian, so he will definitely win over this envoy.

Isn't that a coincidence?

Zhao Yiyi said: "Let's go, let's go to Fengchen Palace to find the Queen Mother."

Since he told Liu E about replacing the civet cat with the prince, Liu E's illness has gradually recovered under his instruction.

In the past, I had to stay in bed for twelve hours a day, but now I can at least take advantage of the daylight to bask in the sun on the porch.

When Zhao Yiyi arrived at Fengchen Palace, Liu E was leaning on a side of the beauty table, with her eyes closed, basking in the sun while listening to Gong E who was sitting beside her reading.

Zhao Yiyi listened attentively, and it turned out to be a part of Mulian's rescue of his mother.

Legend has it that the mother of Mulian committed a lot of sins and fell into the realm of hungry ghosts after her death.Mu Lian couldn't bear to see his mother struggling in the realm of hungry ghosts, so he organized the Ullambana Basin on July [-]th to save her from her sins.

Zhao Yiyi raised his voice and said, "Mother, my son has come to see you."

Liu E opened his eyes and said with a smile, "The emperor is here."

Gong'e, who was studying for her, was about to stand up and salute, Zhao Yiyi said: "No busy, keep reading."

Gong'e then sat back to her original position, and read in a soft and low tone: "...Mulian yelled loudly. She wailed and wept. She returned to the Buddha. This is the case. The Buddha said. Your mother's sins are deeply rooted. It is not your strength alone. ..."

Zhao Yiyi said: "The king of Xiangyang is dead, does the queen mother know?"

Liu E's eyes widened slightly: "Dead?"

Zhao Yiyi nodded: "He died just before the imperial envoy Bao Zheng came to question the King of Xiangyang."

Liu E slowly leaned back on the couch: "He died, really..."

"The world is really unpredictable, mother." Zhao Yiyi said: "A few days ago, I discussed with my mother to recall the emperor's uncle back to the capital, so that everyone can be reunited. Who knows that there will be unexpected events, and it will happen so suddenly. Flesh and blood are close relatives, and Yin and Yang will be separated forever."

Liu E said slowly, "Yes... who would have thought of that."

Ask again: "How did you die?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "I was killed by a dancer between the beds."

Liu E nodded: "It's a well-deserved death."

Zhao Yiyi said: "Dazhong Xiangfu ranked first and third in the eighth year, does the queen mother still remember?"

Liu E glanced at him: "I am always forgetful, and I have forgotten all the tools of the number one scholar. I only remember the second place in the list that year. It seems that the surname is Huo Mingfang, and now it seems to have made a fortune."

Zhao Yiyi nodded: "This person is in Yingtian Mansion."

Liu E said: "In Yingtian Mansion, if you don't keep it neat, you're the King of Xiangyang's henchmen."

Zhao Yiyi said: "How much does the queen mother know about this person?"

Liu E said: "I only remember that he is a good talent for governing the country. Back then, Wang Dan chose him as the second place, and he had high hopes for him. I didn't expect to go astray and become the Xiangyang king's party. It was a waste of Wang Xianggong's efforts." Some cultivation."

Zhao Yiyi said: "It's a pity for me too. First and second place, the future is boundless, why is it like this. It's just that he is a minion for a tiger, assisting the King of Xiangyang to do something wrong. I can't spare his life."

Liu E's fingers trembled slightly: "It's good that the emperor has an idea."

Zhao Yiyi sighed: "After the King of Xiangyang incident, the officials of Yingtian Mansion had to change their blood from top to bottom. It would be too much for so many officials to make up for it at once. This year is not the year of imperial examinations. I want to open Enke. Take talented people from all over the world and enter my nest."

Liu E nodded: "That's great."

Zhao Yiyi said: "Then I won't disturb the queen mother."

Standing up and leaving Fengchen Palace, Liu E looked after her.

Turning a corner, Liu En said: "It's unmistakable, the queen mother must have hooked up with Huo Fang."