Song Zhenzong Zhao Heng stretched his waist lazily and changed directions; He rested his palms on the pillow, his head rested, his body bent into a large prawn, and his eyes stared at the window blankly.

The window is open, and the smoke breeze shines through the bamboo forest banana bushes outside the curtain, blowing through the face, which has brought a bit of coolness.

The summer cicada squeaked and chirped non-stop, and the monotonous and boring call made Zhao Heng a little annoyed.

The sun was already setting in the west, and the sun was shining on the pots of blooming roses in the corners of the house; The bright red flowers looked bright and dazzling, and Zhao Heng rubbed his head on the palm of his hand a few times, and the pillow under the palm pressed out a pit.

Zhao Heng glanced at the pit on the pillow with the peripheral vision of his eyes, and several nameless fires rose in his heart; couldn't help but mutter: "What a good Kou Laoxi dares to harbor Khitan spies, the widow can't spare you now!" ”

When Zhao Heng was in Yishu Garden and meditating on the ups and downs of his 6 years on the throne, Wang Qinruo, the governor of the political affairs, came in to report; said that his family found that the spy lurking in Kou Zhun's mansion in the Liao State was still a woman, and hoped that Zhao Heng would remove Kou Zhun as the prime minister.

Wang Qinruo didn't mean to be drunk, but he said that he had a nose and eyes, Zhao Heng was a little unconvinced, and he had to believe it.

Wang Qinruo is Zhao Heng's confidant, and although Kou Zhun is the prime minister, Zhao Heng does not appreciate it; This is not only because Kou Zhun is like a drunkard who does not leave the wine gourd on his waist all day long, but also because of the tendon character of the Guanzhong people, who love to find fault with others; For him, the emperor is also a nephew, and the lantern is still the same.

Kou Zhun was strongly recommended by Bi Shi'an to be the prime minister, if it weren't for Bi Shi'an's recommendation; The post of prime minister has long been Wang Qinruo's.

The extraordinary relationship between Song Zhenzong and Wang Qinruo dates back to the second year of his knowledge of Kaifeng Mansion.

The second year of Zhidao (996 AD) was the last two years before the death of Song Taizong, and the 28-year-old Zhao Hengzhi Kaifeng Mansion; However, all 17 counties under Kaifeng Prefecture have suffered from severe drought.

At that time, Song Zhenzong wanted to make some achievements, and saw that the weather was drought, and the people were difficult; He was merciful and exempted all the fields of these 17 counties and reported to Song Taizong.

Soon after, however, he was sued that the drought below was not so severe; To dispense with talent is to simply buy people's hearts.

Song Taizong was originally a suspicious person, and it was unacceptable to lose power while alive; After receiving the report, he attached great importance to it and immediately sent people down to investigate.

Song Taizong had nine sons, so Zhao Heng knew that Kaifeng Mansion was the designated candidate for the crown prince; But if Zhao Heng has a transgressive behavior, it is very normal to be empty, before Zhao Heng; His two elder brothers were abolished and sent back to their hometown.

Zhao Hengcheng received Song Taizong's inspection delegation with trepidation, and the inspection team went to various counties to understand the situation; An official said impassionedly: "The disaster situation in our counties is much more serious than that reported by Kaifeng Prefecture, and Kaifeng Prefecture's reduction or exemption of land taxes for these counties is far from enough!" ”

After listening to the direct account of the generous officials, the inspection team returned to the palace to report to Song Taizong: The disaster situation in several counties under Kaifeng Prefecture is really serious, and Zhao Heng's exemption from taxes is completely for the sake of the imperial court and stabilizing people's hearts.

Song Taizong believed in Zhao Heng, and Zhao Heng was very grateful for the generosity of this official; So that he passed a level without danger.

This official is Wang Qinruo, and Wang Qinruo's speculative vision is very unique and absolutely believed by Zhao Heng.

After Zhao Heng became the emperor, he did not forget Wang Qinruo, and transferred him to the headquarters of the capital as the judge of the third division.

Wang Qinruo had a colleague named Wu Bingu, who once said to Wang Qinruo: Farmers everywhere have delayed a large number of unpaid field taxes, some of which have been delayed for more than ten years or even decades; Year after year, the people have no ability to repay at all, but because there are grassroots officials on the account, they go down every year to urge them; And taking the opportunity to blackmail has become a major social problem.

The speaker has no intention, but Wang Qin has the heart if the listener has the heart; Immediately arrange for his subordinates to make clear statistics on this aspect and preemptively hand over such a report to Song Zhenzong that Wu Bingu intended to submit.

Song Zhenzong read the report and urgently summoned Wang Qinruo to discuss, and then ordered: All the arrears of the field taxes in the distant years will be exempted, and those who are arrested and put in prison for arrears will be released.

Song Zhenzong also personally interrogated people who were imprisoned for owing money, and released more than 2,600 people after seven consecutive days; In addition, it was ordered to reduce the number of people serving in forced labor by 190,000, resume the review of death sentences, and release a large number of palace maids. The common people praised Song Zhenzong one after another, so his impression of Wang Qinruo was even better......

Song Zhenzong suspected that Wang Qinruo's statement asked the eunuch to go to the Prime Minister's Mansion on Monday to summon Kou Zhun into the palace.

As soon as Zhao Heng's words came out, he remembered that Kou Zhun was sick and took leave, Wang Qinruo took the opportunity to say: "Kou Laoxi, that is pretending to be sick, and the Khitans immediately hit Bianjing, and he received a report from the front line, but he did not play the Shengshang; This is evidence of the Khitan spies! ”

Zhao Heng was originally a soft-eared person, and when he saw Wang Qinruo, he said a scorpion tiger; This made the eunuch go on Monday, and told Kou Zhun to let people carry him into the palace if he couldn't walk.

Wang Qinruo and Zhou Zhou both left, and Zhao Heng suddenly felt tired; Lie down on the bed in the warm pavilion of Yishu Garden.

There is no doubt that Yishu Garden was built by Zhao Heng for his concubine Liu E.

When Zhao Heng was 18 years old, he fell in love with Liu E, a street performer, Liu E was born in Sichuan, and his father was an officer who made a history of assassination because of his military exploits; But as soon as Liu E was born, her father died on the battlefield.

Thorn Shi's father didn't leave much money to the family, so his mother had to take Liu E, who was still a baby, to live in her mother's house.

The life under the fence is not easy, but fortunately, Liu E still has the opportunity to read and write; And learn to beat the drum (tao) - the small drum with flexible ears on both sides has a handle, and when the handle is shaken, the two ears beat the drum on both sides; Commonly known as rattle.

As soon as Liu E was thirteen years old, she married a young man named Gong Mei; Gong Mei was a silversmith, and he had a market and business in a big city; Therefore, I took Liu E to Kaifeng, the capital, and the little couple lived a good life in Kaifeng; Gong Mei made silver ornaments and Liu E hit the mole and made money together.

In the process of expanding her business, Gong Mei got acquainted with Zhang Qi, a servant in Zhao Yuankan's (Zhao Heng) mansion, and the handsome young Zhao Heng heard that Liu E was a talented and beautiful woman in Shudi; All of a sudden, I was excited......