To The Land of Nevernight

On August [-], the Imperial Forest Army escorted Zhang Feng and his party back to Beijing to await trial.

Starting from Cizhou, after walking about two-thirds of the distance, they embarked on the newly built official road.Zhang Feng and others were imprisoned in the car with iron chains on their hands, surrounded by golden wheat fields.Xu Linghou, the left servant of the household department, rode his horse to the side of the prison cart, and said to Zhang Feng: "Master Zhang, look, this is the official road built by you greedy for ink. You have been an official for more than [-] years, and the old man and you are on the same list of Jinshi. What are you doing!"

There is a knife beside Lizi.

Zhang Feng was unkempt, looking at the sky, as if he could no longer listen to Xu Linghou's words.

Three days later, the Imperial Forest Army returned to Beijing, and more than ten officials including Zhang Feng were thrown into the prison of Dali Temple.On the same day, Wang Qin personally sent the account book to the front of the hall. After seeing this, the emperor was furious and ordered Dali Temple to interrogate Zhang Feng and other criminal officials carefully, intending to find out the real culprit behind it.

At this time, Yuan Mu, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, who was transferred to Youzhou to build official roads, also returned to Beijing.He sat in the room of the Qinzheng Hall of Zhongshu Province, took out a can of high-quality Biluochun, and asked the two servants of the Ministry of Industry to taste it together.In the main room, the three highest-ranking officials of the Ministry of Industry sat around the table, and Yuan Mu poured tea himself. He took a sip and breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's really good tea! In life, life is always getting worse day by day. If you can taste more of this kind of good tea, don't waste it."

Li Yude, the left servant of the Ministry of Industry, held the teacup and looked at Yuan Mu blankly.Beside him, Xie Cheng, the right servant of the Ministry of Industry, bowed his head silently and said nothing.

Two days later, Su Wenyun, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, led the officers and soldiers to flatten the yamen of the Ministry of Industry, and arrested Xie Cheng, the right servant of the Ministry of Industry.

All were shocked.

In the early morning of the next day, Yuan Mu, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, was greatly astonished. He immediately stepped forward and pleaded guilty to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, there is something wrong with my minister's rule, and I let my subordinates commit such crimes of corruption and perversion of the law! Stabbing the state's officialdom is a great event for the people and a great cause of the ages. The Jinghe River was rained heavily, the bridge collapsed, and nearly a hundred craftsmen died in the torrent The minister is guilty, and the minister's crime cannot be pardoned, please punish him!"

In the Zichen Palace, only officials of the fourth rank and above can participate in the early court.After Yuan Mu finished speaking, Li Yude, the left servant of the Ministry of Industry, and several doctors of the Ministry of Industry stepped forward and said: "The officials of the Ministry of Industry are all suspected of negligence, please come down!"

Sitting on the throne, Zhao Fu quietly looked at these officials from the Ministry of Industry who were pleading guilty. After a long time, he smiled lightly and said to Zuo Xiang Ji Wengji: "Ji Qing, what do you think I should do."

Ji Wengji stepped forward and said: "The right servant of the Ministry of Industry, Xie Cheng, was greedy for ink and amassing money, causing the Jinghe Guanqiao to be washed away by heavy rain, killing and injuring nearly a hundred people. This is an unforgivable crime. However, Mr. Yuan is in Youzhou, with more energy than energy. Fatigue, although the management is not strict, it is also an unintentional mistake."

Zhao Fu nodded: "Ji Qing is right. Yuan Qing, you cultivated the official way in Youzhou for me, and I should reward you. But if I reward you, why should I face the spirits of nearly a hundred craftsmen and officials in heaven. In this way, the merits and demerits will be offset, do you think it is good?"

Yuan Mu held up the jade wat: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your gift."

"What a gift!" The next moment, Zhao Fu changed the subject, snorted coldly, and smashed on the floor tiles of Zichen Hall, making the officials hold their breath.Zhao Fu sneered a few times, and said: "The incident of Jinghe will be counted as your merits and demerits. Then Yuan Mu, tell me, where were you when Xie Cheng corrupted the law in the snow disaster in the south three years ago!"

Yuan Mu complained in his heart, knowing that he could not escape this hurdle.

That's right, in fact, the emperor sent three of his confidants to Youzhou, Cizhou and Ningzhou this time, not to investigate the officials who corrupted the official roads for building silver, but to investigate which one was responsible for the snow disaster in the south three years ago. Senior officials of the Ministry of Industry are greedy for ink!

Three years ago, there was a once-in-a-century snowfall in the south of the Yangtze River, and tens of thousands of people froze to death.The imperial court allocated funds for disaster relief, but it was a drop in the bucket.In the winter of that year, the land in the south was full of poor people in poor clothes.In the spring of the next year, the heavy snow melted, and the bones buried under the white snow were exposed.Local officials reported the number of dead and missing to the court, and the court was shocked.

In the spring of the following year, Zhao Fu came to the Temple of Heaven in person, prayed for the people, and wrote an edict of sin.

And a few months ago, Zhao Fu ordered Tang Shen to take Su Wenyun to the Imperial Academy to search for books, in order to investigate this ink corruption case.

Yes, the snow disaster that year was not only a natural disaster, but also a man-made disaster.It wasn't just nearly a hundred craftsmen who died that time, but tens of thousands of Liming people!

Su Wenyun secretly investigated the case. He found some clues and secretly arrested several local officials.He suppressed the matter and did not report it to the imperial court, so that the black hand behind the scenes never found out.He conducted strict inspections, tortured those corrupt officials, and finally found out that the high-ranking officials involved in the snowstorm corruption case must be senior officials of the Ministry of Industry, and at least third-rank officials.

There are only three officials above the third rank in the Ministry of Industry, the Minister of the Ministry of Industry Yuan Mu, the left servant Li Yude and the right servant Xie Cheng.

Zhao Fu sent his confidantes Wang Qin, Su Wenyun and Song Xun to the north in order to find out who among them was the real mastermind behind the scenes.The collapse of the Jinghe Bridge was just a coincidence, and Su Wenyun's official luck was so good that it is outrageous. His arrest not only captured Xie Cheng, but also doubled his credit.

The hundreds of dead souls who died under the icy Jinghe River formed a corpse ladder for Su Wenyun to go straight up!

In Zichen Palace, Zhao Fu angrily scolded Xie Cheng and all the officials.Xie Cheng is now in prison, Zhao Fu didn't scold him, so the one he scolded the most was Yuan Mu, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry.

Yuan Mu knelt down with a plop, and pleaded guilty to Zhao Fu: "Your Majesty is not strict in governing, and your crimes are unforgivable! Your Majesty, please remove your official position and punish your crimes. I have no face to face Your Majesty, and no face to face the people!"

In the Zichen Palace, a scene of a virtuous minister pleading guilty was immediately staged.

Zhao Fu first scolded Yuan Mu in a cold voice, but Yuan Mu actually burst into tears, weeping bitterly. For the refugees who died in the snow disaster in the south three years ago, and for the people who died under the Jinghe River today, he scolded himself for being ignorant of people. .

After doing this, Zhao Fu said: "Okay, okay, Yuan Qing can't be blamed for this matter."

Yuan Muxuan wanted to cry: "Your Majesty!"

"Punish you with six months' salary, and go to Youzhou. If you don't repair the official road, you are not allowed to return to the Ministry of Industry!"

"The minister is punished!"

After a great show of Jun Ming and Chen Zhong, Yuan Mu stood up and returned to the group of officials.

After the punishment was over, it was time to reward. The eunuch Ji Fu stepped forward and read out the oracle: "I am under the command of Haotian. Su Wenyun, the young minister of Dali Temple, is alert, able to distinguish good talents, and has extraordinary courage. Today Promoted to the right servant of the third-rank Ministry of Industry, and concurrently served as the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, starting today."

Su Wenyun walked out from the ranks of Dali Temple officials and said loudly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, Long En."

Ji Fu went on to say: "My servant, I am ordered by Haotian's family. The Minister of the Household Department, Wang Qin, is loyal, kind, talented, and alert. Today, I will give you 50 liang of white gold and [-] pieces of brocade and silk."

Wang Qin said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, Long En."

"Under the door, I am ordered by Haotian..."

After rewarding all the supervisory missions that went to the assassination state to investigate the case this time, Zhao Fu announced the disbandment of the court, and all the officials left one after another.

Tang Shen is working in the palace today, and he is the living man in charge of recording the daily life today.After Zhao Fu returned to Chuigong Hall, he left with Zhao Fu.Along the way, he and the other two housekeepers followed Zhao Fu from a distance, keeping their heads down and not saying a word.Tang Shen didn't ask why he was the only one who didn't get rewards among the officials who went to assassinate this time.

When he arrived at the Chuigong Hall, Zhao Fu flipped through the papers piled up on the table and joked, "Ji Fu, look at these papers, I feel dizzy every day. I am old and my eyes are dim. I can’t see so many folds anymore.”

Ji Fu immediately laughed and said: "The official family is as blessed as the heavens, and the longevity is as long as the heavens, and they will never grow old."

Zhao Fu scolded with a smile: "With your mouth, you can say such things that are neither human nor ghost." Then he looked at the living officers sitting on the left and right sides, and said to Tang Shen: "Jing Ze, what do you think?"

Tang Shen immediately stood up, bowed and said: "Your Majesty works hard day and night, the people live in peace, and you are mighty and mighty, so how can you be an old man?"

Zhao Fu smiled, flipped through a book, and put it aside casually.

"Jing Ze also learned how to speak eunuchs."

Ji Fu sensed that Zhao Fu was in a good mood and knew some inside information.He rolled his eyes and whispered: "Your Majesty despises slaves."

Zhao Fu laughed loudly: "You have been wronged."

Ji Fu made a look of being aggrieved and afraid to speak.

After laughing, Zhao Fu looked at Tang Shen, and said earnestly, "Did Jing Ze ever blame me for rewarding the officials today, but you were missed."

Tang Shen: "I dare not, it is my honor to relieve your Majesty's worries."

"That can't treat you badly." As he said that, Zhao Fu cast a look at Ji Fu, and Ji Fu immediately stepped forward and read the oracle aloud: "My servant, I am ordered by Haotian, the living man Tang Shen is quick-witted and can speak eloquently Fine, won my heart. Now I am promoted to the fourth rank Zhongshu Sheren, and I will take office immediately."

Although Tang Shen had expected it long ago, he was still taken aback when he actually heard this decree.With mixed feelings in his heart, he recalled all kinds of past events he had experienced in the past year. Finally, he raised his head and looked at Zhao Fu with a bewildered and surprised expression.Tang Shen choked his voice and said, "Your Majesty..."

Zhao Fu smiled and said: "Jing Ze, why didn't you accept the order, but you don't want this reward?"

Tang Shen immediately saluted and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"

After Tang Shen received the order, he returned to the sitting man's seat again.Zhao Fu said to him: "Letting Jing Ze go to the Qinzheng Palace is also my selfish intention. Look at the notes written by these local officials, saying 'Lingnan loquat is very familiar, and I miss you very much', such a trivial matter. Tell me what to do! There is also this, full of rhetoric, I feel dizzy, but in the end it is just to wish me a happy birthday in two months. If Jing Ze goes to Qinzheng Hall to review the papers for me, he will definitely be able to Understand what I mean, and tell me the meaning of the notebook concisely."

After Zhao Fu said that, Tang Shen couldn't sit still, he stood up again: "I will definitely live up to the holy order."

Zhao Fu looked at Tang Shen, and suddenly said, "I can't bear Jing Ze!"

As soon as the words fell to the ground, both Ji Fu and the other two living people in the Chui Gong Hall all looked at Tang Shen enviously.

Zhao Fu's words were half sincere and half false.On the one hand, he Shen is one of the few hard-working young officials among the young party officials, and he has been with him for a year, and he can often get his mind.In addition, he is also Wang Qin's younger brother, and Wang Qin is Zhao Fu's confidant, so Tang Shen is also in the limelight, and he is considered to be in Zhao Fu's eyes.So he said it sincerely.

On the other hand, just because Tang Shen is outstanding among the young officials, he wants to win Tang Shen's heart and let him be loyal to him wholeheartedly.

Sure enough, Tang Shen was grateful and said, "I am willing to do my best for His Majesty, until after I die!"

Zhao Fu showed a satisfied smile.

In the evening, the emperor entered Xiantai to practice immortality, half an hour later.Su Wenyun, the right servant of the Ministry of Industry and the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, entered the palace and had an audience with the emperor.

Tang Shen and Su Wenyun met in front of the hall gate of Dengxiantai. The eunuch went in to inform Su Wenyun. Su Wenyun stood at the door, looking at Tang Shen two by two.

Su Wenyun said with a smile: "I heard that Mr. Tang was promoted to the fourth grade Zhongshusheren this morning. I really congratulate you."

Tang Shen saluted and said: "Thank you, Lord Su. The lower officials also congratulate Lord Su, who has been promoted to the right servant of the third-rank Ministry of Industry."

Su Wenyun's beautiful eyes stared at Tang Shen for a long time, and he said, "I've been thinking about one thing since I came back from Cizhou. Master Tang, if someone broke into the posthouse that night and killed you I hacked to death in the house. Tell me, who is going to bring our bodies back to Beijing to claim merit?"

Tang Shen: "Master Su shouldn't care about things that never happened."

Su Wenyun stared at Tang Shen for a long time, and said: "Master Tang will go to Qinzheng Hall to take up his post tomorrow, and I will wait for you in Qinzheng Hall."

After a while, Su Wenyun entered Dengxiantai.

Climbing to the Immortal Terrace, Qin Tianjian Supervisor Li Xiaoren was holding a jade bowl, dipped the water in the bowl with a bamboo leaf, and sprinkled it lightly on Zhao Fu's body.Zhao Fu, the emperor of the Song Dynasty, was wearing a Taoist robe, sitting in the center of the Tai Chi Eight Trigrams Formation, closing his eyes and cultivating immortality.

When Su Wenyun arrived, he didn't speak, just waited beside him.

After a quarter of an hour, Zhao Fu opened his eyes and said, "Go down first."

Li Xiaoren didn't react at first, but after a few seconds, he understood what Zhao Fu meant, and immediately withdrew from the Xiantai.

Zhao Fu raised his eyes to look at Su Wenyun, his expression was indifferent, like a celestial being without feelings or desires.He opened his mouth to speak, and his voice echoed in the immortal platform: "When did Fei Ran come?"

Su Wenyun: "Only stood for a quarter of an hour."

Zhao Fu still sat cross-legged and asked, "What's the matter?"

Su Wenyun replied: "In the case of ink corruption in the southern snow disaster three years ago, only Xie Cheng can be found. If it goes up, if it is not gone, it is hidden too well, and it is impossible to catch the horse's feet. I am incompetent, please forgive me." crime."

Zhao Fu nodded slightly, as if thinking about something.

"The snow disaster has spread widely. The court allocated 200 million taels for disaster relief. Just a thank you is not enough." Zhao Fu said with emotion, but he did not go on, but said meaningfully: "I remember that year However, Gusu Mansion was not hit by the snow disaster. It really is a good place with outstanding people, and Tang Qing is from Gusu."

Su Wenyun naturally understood what the emperor meant. It stands to reason that he should be throwing stones at Tang Shen at this time, but he first licked the corners of his lips, and then said: "Although Mr. Tang once studied under Mr. Liang Songliang, the governor of Gusu Prefecture, your Majesty, after After Mr. Liang hanged himself, in just one month, he went north to join a famous teacher and disassociated himself from Mr. Liang. He acted decisively, and I feel ashamed."

On the surface, these words say that he is not as good as Tang Shen, but in fact, he is saying that Tang Shen is a fool, he will switch to the teacher's school as soon as the teacher dies, and Liang Song has a spirit underground.

Zhao Fu looked up at Su Wenyun.

Su Wenyun twitched the corners of his lips, making no secret of his disdain for Tang Shen.

Zhao Fu said: "He who understands the current affairs is a hero, and there is indeed something wrong with this matter, but he is still young."

Su Wenyun restrained his expression and did not answer.

Zhao Fu waved his hand: "Go down."

"Yes."

After Su Wenyun left Dengxiantai, as soon as he left the palace gate, he looked at Tang Shen with a bright and arrogant smile: "Master Tang, you owe me a big favor. From now on, I will use you as a target in Cizhou That cancels out."

Tang Shen frowned.

Su Wenyun didn't say much, and walked away.

On the way to the Immortal Terrace, Zhao Fu fondled two translucent night pearls, circled them in his palms and played with them.He looked at the ground thoughtfully, and said, "I remember, Tang Shen is seventeen this year."

There were only Zhao Fu and Ji Fu in the immortal platform. When he said this suddenly, Ji Fu waited for a while and realized that Zhao Fu was still waiting for his reply, so he replied: "Returning to Your Majesty, Mr. Tang is a 16-year-old high school student. It happened at the beginning of last year. I remember, it was Tan Hua Lang you personally ordered."

Zhao Fu: "Oh yes, that's right, I almost forgot. I like his articles very much, and I still remember the birthday congratulatory article he wrote for me last year. It was really colorful."

Ji Fu said with a smile: "Master Tang is so talented and promising at a young age, this slave is so envious that his eyes are red."

"Haha, you old bastard."

After a moment of silence in the hall, Zhao Fu said in a long tone, "In terms of flattery and welcome, he has done a better job than Zifeng."

Ji Fu was taken aback for a moment, not daring to speak.

Zhao Fuchang sighed: "I like him like this."

To Mingjun, a courtier who is obsequious and flattering is a villain or a traitor, but Zhao Fu likes it, and Zhao Fu likes it very much.

"Su Feiran hates him, but Wang Zifeng likes him." Zhao Fu said with emotion, "How come there is such a good Tang Jingze in the world, who happens to be caught between these two people. In this way, I like him even more."

No matter how smart Ji Fu was, he was still just an eunuch. He couldn't understand Zhao Fu's meaning, so he could only laugh apologetically.

Naturally, how could an eunuch understand the power of the emperor.

In the court hall, the respected and powerful ministers are old and stand on their own.Even if it was Zhao Fu, if he wanted to move them, he would have a headache and hurt his muscles and bones.As for the young faction, Wang Qin and Su Wenyun are the leading figures. With Zhao Fu's deliberate support in the past few years, they have gradually gained the momentum to fight against the veterans.

Among them, Wang Qin and Su Wenyun couldn't get along.

If there is a chessboard placed on the Zichen Hall at this moment, everyone can see that all the officials are chess, and the emperor holds the son, separating the two banks, the Chu River and the Han border, which are clearly separated and blend with each other.All the wind and rain in the hall could not be concealed from Zhao Fu's already cloudy eyes.Even 100 years later, he will still be the wisest emperor in the Song Dynasty, and he will be praised by future generations for a lifetime.

He will be immortal, and he will be the most wise emperor.

Zhao Fu showed an unpredictable smile, closed his eyes, and continued to cultivate immortality.

That night, officials from the Ministry of Rites sent the new official robes to Tanhua Mansion.Tang Shen put on a new official robe, and Tang Juan circled around his brother happily several times.Gradually, she was no longer so excited, she curled her lips and said: "It's obviously the clothes of a fourth-rank official, brother, it doesn't seem to be different from what you used to wear."

Tang Shen cast a glance at his younger sister: "In the third year of Kaiping, Song and Liao were fighting endlessly. At that time, the Minister of the Ministry of Households, and now the current Right Minister Wang Quan Wang, made a petition to simplify all the official costumes and reduce the expenditure of the national treasury. .See this cuff."

Don Juan leaned over and took a closer look: "What's the matter with the cuffs?"

"This is silver thread! Silver thread that can only be used by fourth-rank officials!"

Don Juan: "..."

Who can see it!

Tang Shen was promoted, and the whole family was overjoyed. The most important thing was that from now on, Tang Shen could wake up two quarters of an hour late.

The living officials are the earliest officials among the hundred officials, and they must rush to the palace before other officials enter the palace.Tang Shen hasn't had a good night's sleep for a year since becoming a living officer.Even if he wasn't on duty, he still had to get up and rush to the palace to wait for his orders.

In addition, Tang Shen has just taken office, although he is a member of the fourth rank Zhongshushe, and he is going to the early court.But on the first day of taking office, he does not have to go to the morning court, as long as he goes to Qinzheng Hall to take office after the morning court.

After becoming an official, Tang Shen slept soundly for the first time.

In the early morning, he put on his official robe, entered the palace and came to the Hall of Qinzheng.

Tang Shen had been to Qinzheng Hall several times before.The Qinzheng Hall is the only yamen established in the palace, and the Song Dynasty specially allocated a place for the officials of the Zhongshu Province to work.Therefore, Qinzheng Palace is also called Zhongshu Yamen.But not every official affiliated with Zhongshu Province will work in the Hall of Qinzheng.

In the past, Tang Shen was the living man, and logically speaking, he was also an official of the Zhongshu Province, but the Zhongshu Yamen where the living man was located was outside the palace, not in the Qinzheng Hall.

Simply put, Qinzheng Hall has three areas.One is the main room of the four ministers. The four ministers naturally refer to the left minister Ji Wengji, the right minister Wang Quan, the left minister Chen Linghai and the right minister Xu Wei.The second is the main room where the six ministers work.There are three rooms in total, one shared by two Shangshu.The six ministers did not work in the Palace of Qinzheng every day, they often went to the six yamen outside the palace to do business.

Behind these few rooms is the place where other officials of the Zhongshu Province work.

The third-rank Zhongshu officials share two rooms, while Tang Shen and other fourth-rank officials share one room.

Therefore, in Zhongshu Province, only officials of the fourth grade or above can enter the Palace of Qinzheng to do business.

Tang Shen came to the Hall of Qinzheng early, he didn't ask others to wait, but waited in the hall before the morning court.After the court was over, the officials returned to the Hall of Qinzheng one after another.The three Zhongshu Sheren who were of the same rank as Tang Shen were stunned when they saw Tang Shen, then they cupped their hands and said, "Congratulations, Mr. Tang, we will be colleagues from now on."

Tang Shen smiled and said, "Thank you, Lord Ji, Lord Liu, and Lord Lin."

Ji Miao from Zhongshushe said with a smile: "The last time I saw Mr. Tang was three months ago. At that time, I was doing business with Wang Xianggong, and I happened to meet Mr. Tang. After a quick glance, I didn't expect to become colleagues with Mr. Tang today." .”

Another member of Zhongshushe said: "Master Tang is only seventeen this year, he is really young and promising."

After the four of them were courteous, Ji Miao said: "In our Qinzheng Palace, I am doing things for Ji Xianggong, Mr. Liu is doing things for Wang Xianggong, and Mr. Lin is doing things for Chen Xianggong. In this way, when Mr. Tang comes, he should be doing things for Mr. Tang. Xu Xianggong is on business. Now that the morning court has just come, Xu Xianggong is busy with official business. I think it will be a while before someone comes to find Mr. Tang."

As expected by Ji Miao, after half an hour, an official came to the hall and called Tang Shen, saying that it was Xu Xianggong, the prime minister of the right, who had summoned him.

Tang Shen tidied up his official robes and followed the official messenger to the main room where Xu Wu was.

Xu Wu was reading a booklet, and when he saw Tang Shen coming, he nodded slightly to Tang Shen.Tang Shen didn't say a word, and obediently stood behind Xu Wei.

After Xu Wu finished reading the excerpt, he sighed and handed the excerpt to Tang Shen: "Look at it."

Tang Shen took it with both hands respectfully, opened it and read it.

At the beginning, he was very calm.After seeing half of it, Tang Shen was stunned.He thought for a while, then turned around and started from the first word, and read the notebook carefully.

Tang Shen: "..."

Tang Shen said: "Your officer has finished reading."

Xu Wu took a sip of tea: "How about it."

"...Master Yinliu of Cangzhou Mansion, with gorgeous diction and outstanding talent, I am invincible."

To put it simply, there is too much nonsense that makes people dizzy.

Xu Wei smiled helplessly. "This is what you have to do. The local officials' notebooks are all sent to me. After I have read them, I will write a summary and send them to His Majesty's desk. Mr. Tang used to be a housekeeper. You should know how many papers His Majesty has to review every day."

"The officer knows."

Xu Wei sighed, "It's not easy, Your Majesty!"

For the first time, Tang Shen felt sincere sympathy for the emperor Zhao Fu.