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Yang Zaixing captured Fang Qifo alive.

As soon as Cai still went south, he won the first battle and made a great achievement.

Before he could say anything, Cai still immediately wrote a chapter to report the victory to the imperial court.

After the good news was written, Cai still immediately sent someone to expedite six hundred miles and sent it to Bianliang City, Tokyo - because Cai was still too fast to go south and the speed of this great achievement was too fast, resulting in Xuanfu Si still not going south in the Daimyo's Mansion, so Cai Ying's good news could only be sent to Bianliang City, Tokyo.

Xiuzhou is only more than 1,800 miles away from Bianliang City in Tokyo.

Three days later, on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, the messenger arrived at Bianliang Castle in Tokyo.

The illuminated night of the Shangyuan Festival was once the most beautiful night in the city of Tokyo.

At this time of year, thousands of lanterns on the royal street form a mountain of lights. Flower lanterns and fireworks, golden and green, splendid and splendid. Singing and dancing, thaumaturgical abilities, wonderful. Tourists are weaving, gathering in the royal street to watch; The music is noisy, and the lights are endless within a hundred miles.

But this year, compared with previous years, it is much more deserted, the original hanging in front of the Jinglongmen Baolu Palace, those golden beads and glazed lanterns, such as the green feather flying immortals, have not been hung this year.

It can be seen how much impact Fangla gathered millions of people to cut off the economic lifeline of the Northern Song Dynasty in the southeast and cut off the economic lifeline of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Actually-

The Fangla Rebellion was one of the reasons for the desertion of Bianliang City in Tokyo, but it was not the only one.

Just a few days ago, Deng Xunwu, a member of the Privy Council, died of illness.

Although Zhao Ji didn't like Deng Xunwu, a stubborn old man, he even wanted to remove this stubborn old man countless times.

But Deng Xunwu, an old minister of the Three Dynasties, is really dead, especially at this juncture of internal and external troubles, which can't help but make Zhao Ji feel uneasy!

Blessings are incomparable, and disasters are not singular.

God seems to think that the tips for Zhao Ji are not enough.

Several large apricot trees on the apricot hills of Yanfu Palace are blooming sparsely and sporadically this year.

This has never happened before.

The concubines and concubines in the palace were chattering in private, saying that this was not a good sign.

Really!

At noon the day before yesterday, a solar eclipse suddenly occurred over Tokyo, and the white sun gradually turned blue and black, and the center of the sun seemed to be a piece of gold that had been melted, and the golden solution was constantly boiling and surging, and the solution was lush and green, as if a vast water wave was spinning.

That eclipse lasted until late afternoon, when the sky returned to normal.

The ancients called this phenomenon "the sun has a look", which means disaster and suffering.

Zhao Ji, who was already worried about the Fangla uprising, was cast a shadow on his heart because of this solar eclipse - in the eyes of the ancients, a solar eclipse appeared in the sky, which meant that the emperor's actions were inappropriate, which was a warning from God to the emperor.

Zhao Ji hurriedly promulgated the "Edict of Guilt": "The people are not virtuous, and the government is uneven, so that the world is chaotic and thieves are in turmoil." I look up to the light of the three lights, and I can't cure the masses below, and I am too much. I am willing to be virtuous and upright, and speak outright, so that Kuang I can't catch it. ”

Zhao Ji hopes that the "edict of self-sin" will be used to eliminate the doubts and uneasiness in people's hearts.

However, a misfortune still befell Zhao Ji.

One night a few days ago, one of Zhao Ji's favorite concubines (that is, Concubine An) suddenly had a fever and shivered.

Zhao Ji urgently summoned the imperial doctor to inspect, and the imperial doctor prescribed treatment according to the symptoms of typhoid fever, but the condition not only did not decrease, but worsened.

The hospital immediately organized a consultation with the imperial doctor, but all means were exhausted and there was still no cure.

Seeing that Concubine An was depressed and her diet was wasted, Zhao Ji was anxious but helpless.

Yesterday morning, Zhao Ji was discussing with Wang Hao in the Chongzheng Palace, and suddenly the news came that Concubine An was critically ill.

Zhao Ji hurriedly came to Huining Palace, only to see Concubine An lying quietly on the bed with her eyes closed, her face pale and her breathing weak.

Zhao Ji walked to the side of the bed and gently held Concubine An's hand.

Concubine An's face suddenly became rosy, she slowly opened her eyes and smiled: "The official family is here?" ”

Zhao Ji nodded.

Concubine An moved slightly, holding Zhao Ji's hand hard, with affection, tears welling up: "The concubine was born in a humble background, and now she has to meet the grace of the saint, her wish is enough, although she has no regrets in death!" ”

Zhao Ji also cried silently.

"Although the concubine is buried in the nine springs, her soul does not leave the official family, and she hopes that the official family will always think about the living beings in the world, and focus on the temple and the society. The concubine couldn't bear to leave, but the fate was here, and the official family should take care of the Holy Communion, and don't miss it too much......"

Concubine An was still unsatisfied, but her voice stopped abruptly.

Zhao Ji hugged Concubine An's body and sobbed.

Empress Zheng and the concubines stood next to her and burst into tears.

Concubine An left like this, leaving Zhao Ji with three sons and one daughter.

Empress Zheng organized and arranged for the harem concubines to come to mourn, and the atmosphere was sad and sad.

Only Concubine Cui looked left and right, and she didn't seem to be sad.

Zhao Ji was angry in his eyes, and he even suspected that Concubine Cui had killed Concubine An by trickery, so he demoted Concubine Cui to a concubine and sent her to the cold palace.

All in all, at the beginning of this year, there was a lot of bad news.

In such an environment, how could the Northern Song Dynasty court still hold a grand Shangyuan Festival night like in previous years?

At this time, Cai still sent a person to deliver good news to Bianliang City, Tokyo.

Zhao Ji, who was mourning Concubine An, heard that Cai was still fighting a big victory in Xiuzhou, and the sadness in his heart was immediately swept away, and he hurriedly ran to the Vertical Arch Hall to find out.

Actually-

What really worried Zhao Ji was not the death of Deng Xunwu and Concubine An.

The Northern Song Dynasty had a population of more than 100 million, what kind of courtiers and beauties did Zhao Ji want?

What really worried Zhao Ji was the Fangla Rebellion, which gathered millions of people to occupy the economic lifeline of the Northern Song Dynasty.

This is the existence that has the potential to overthrow the rule of their old Zhao family, and this is the most fatal.

Therefore, on the sixth day of the first lunar month, Zhao Ji came to the city gate in a light car and personally saw off Tong Guan.

At that time, Zhao Ji even clasped Tong Guan's hand and said: "Tong Aiqing, all the affairs of the southeast will be handed over to you, and when you have to do so, you can issue an order in my name." ”

The meaning of Zhao Ji's words at that time was very clear, which was equivalent to granting Tong Guan imperial power.

It can be seen how much Zhao Ji attaches importance to the Fangla uprising.

It can be said that in the days when he knew that Fang La had gathered millions of people to rebel, Zhao Ji had almost lost sleep and was haggard - Fang La's riot disrupted his strategic deployment of sending troops to the Northern Expedition to recover Yanjing, and also destroyed his good mood, making him think countless times: "How can it be so good, the Great Song Dynasty suddenly rebelled?" ”

It is no exaggeration to say that Zhao Ji has been spending time in anxiety recently......

Zhao Ji even endured his pursuit of art, took the initiative to revoke the Suzhou and Hangzhou Construction Bureaus and suspend the operation of Huashigang, deposed the official positions of Zhu Mian's father and son, and suspended the construction of Genyue, in a vain attempt to relax the fighting spirit of the righteous army, and then achieve the final victory in the southeast war.

Therefore, knowing that Cai still won the first battle and fought a big victory, Zhao Ji immediately couldn't wait to come to the Vertical Arch Palace, and then hurriedly said to Gao Yu, who brought him good news: "Quickly show me the good news sent by Cai Yi Aiqing!" ”

Gao Yu immediately picked up the good news sent by Cai still with both hands and trotted it to Zhao Ji.

Zhao Ji took the good news and looked at it, "...... The minister arrived in Xiuzhou in the early morning of the tenth day of the first month, and heard that the locals said that the marshal of the rebel South Road, Fang Qifo, was leading 70,000 bandit troops to attack Xiuzhou City, and the situation was critical, and the minister immediately sent his generals Yang Zaixing to lead two battalions of horse troops to Xiuzhou City for reinforcements, and then at the suggestion of Liu Qi, the acting commander of the Xingde Army, the minister sent his generals Wang De and Yang Yizhong to lead the army to Xiuzhou City for reinforcements, around noon, the 5,000 troops sent by the minister met with the 70,000 rebels who were attacking Xiuzhou City, and won a battle. Later, with the assistance of Chen Yu Chen and Xiuzhou soldiers, all the 70,000 rebels were annihilated, and the Marshal Fang Qifo of the South Road was captured alive, and in this battle, our Jinwu army killed more than 6,800 rebels, wounded more than 17,300 rebels, captured more than 20,000 rebels, and captured thousands of horses and tens of thousands of soldiers......

Reading and reading, the big stone in Zhao Ji's heart finally slowly let go, his depression for many days was swept away, and he said as he walked: "Five thousand is better than seventy thousand, that fifty thousand can win seven hundred thousand, and one hundred thousand can win one hundred and forty thousand, then even if Fang Lana's traitor can grow to two million, the 150,000 army sent by me can easily exterminate it!" ”

Gao Yu said with a smile: "Official, the account is not calculated like this, after all, not everyone is as capable as Cai Ying, but according to the combat power that Fang La's rebels are currently showing, it should not be difficult to exterminate." ”

Zhao Ji smiled and said: "Yes, not everyone is as capable as Cai Ying, Cai is still my champion." ”

Seeing Zhao Jilong's face and great joy, Gao Yu took the opportunity to say: "The official family, this first victory can be described as extremely crucial, the official family has been busy with Concubine An's funeral for the past two days, and may not have noticed that the Shangyuan Festival has arrived." ”

The grandest festival of the Northern Song Dynasty was the Shangyuan Festival, which is also known as the Lantern Festival.

There is a reason why the Northern Song Dynasty attached so much importance to the Lantern Festival:

First of all, it is because of the attention of the royal family of the Northern Song Dynasty - Zhao Kuangyin took the lead in ordering the extension of the time of the Shangyuan Festival (from the fourteenth to the eighteenth day of the first month, a total of five days). Zhao Guangyi is also known as "Duxi Shangyuan". Later, the royal family of the Song Dynasty, on the day of the Shangyuan Festival, would go to the Xuande Gate of the imperial city to watch the lanterns and enjoy with the people. Zhao Ji also has a song "Full Court Fang, Huanyu Qingyi", which will be "Lantern Festival Tour", and the city is full of "Luo Qi colorful". In the cheers, the candle dragon shines, and the algae is peaceful in spring. The grand scene is vividly described.

Another reason is that the Song Dynasty is known as the "eve of modern times", its economic activity and prosperity, and the Renaissance after the industrial revolution before the Western European difference similar, the Song Dynasty city development, the city in the "wall collapsed", into the citizen era, the residents in the city began to have a developed night life, and the Lantern Festival, in fact, is very in line with the needs of urban residents.

Therefore, the people of the Song Dynasty like to celebrate the Lantern Festival very much, not only the Lantern Festival lantern viewing in Bianliang City, the capital of Tokyo, is very magnificent, all the cities in the country, in the first month of the fourteenth to the eighteenth of the first month, these five nights, are also full of lanterns, the whole people carnival.

After Gao Yu reminded him like this, Zhao Ji remembered that it was Shangyuan Festival, and he asked: "What day is the first month of the first month today?" ”

Gao Yu replied: "The fourteenth day of the first month." ”

Zhao Ji was surprised: "It's fourteen, why doesn't anyone ......?"

Speaking of which, Zhao Ji already understood why no one was preparing for the festival, not because of the Fang La uprising, because of the solar eclipse, because of the sudden death of Deng Xunwu and Concubine An, because of the recent bad luck of the Northern Song Dynasty, everyone was living in worry, so they had no intention of celebrating the festival.

Gao Yu saw that Zhao Ji understood, and said: "That's why the minister said that this great victory came too timely, he can boost the morale of our Great Song Dynasty, which has been extremely low, and the official family can also use this great victory as an excuse to order the people to hold the Shangyuan Festival to give the people confidence." ”

When Zhao Ji heard this, he said: "Yes, we can't let the people think that my Great Song Dynasty is no longer in the past, but let the people know that the rule of my Great Song Dynasty will definitely last for generations!" ”

Zhao Ji immediately sent an order: "Spread the victory on the front line, follow the Ministry of Rites, immediately operate the Shangyuan Festival, and tell Cai Yi how big it can be done, and I want to have fun with the people tonight!" ”

Gao Yu patted his ass and said: "The official family is Shengming! ”

Deliberately hesitating for a moment, Gao Yu said again: "Official, Cai is still at this critical moment to make such a great contribution, and he can't help but reward him." ”

……