On July 20 of the second year of Shengxi, Bianjing East Gate.

The water vapor brought by the Yellow River and the six canals is blown away by the breeze of the midsummer morning, which is the most comfortable time in the hot summer. The dolls of hundreds of thousands of families in Tokyo Prefecture are sleeping soundly at this time, and the people who have already begun to run for their livelihood are light-hearted, just afraid of disturbing their children's dreams.

The Yellow River is like a thick arm, stretching far away. The rising sun is held up by this mother river, and the newborn little sun can't wait to jump into the sky, where the water and the sky meet, and the Yellow River constantly changes between dark yellow and golden yellow.

I don't know if the Yellow River dyed the Yellow River yellow, or whether the Chaoyang dyed the Yellow River golden red, but the two are always separated. Chaoyang finally broke free from the arm of the Yellow River Mother, and completely jumped up from the junction of water and sky, and it was dawn.

The crowing of chickens and dogs in the countryside, in the towns, in the bustling city of Bianjing, street vendors, porters, errand soldiers...... The sprawling city has entered another busy day. The thousands of cargo ships that entered Bianjing at night had already traveled hundreds of miles, and they had to return in the evening, bringing with them a large amount of grain and vegetables, tea, salt, ginger vinegar, and goods in short supply.

Bianjing, with a population of more than one million, has to swallow a huge amount of materials every day, and if it were not for the six canals leading directly to Jianghuai, Jianghan and Jingdong, it is really hard to imagine how such a giant city would survive.

Li Gang, Yu Yunwen, Wang Boyan, Huang Qianshan and other prime ministers of the political hall rarely got together outside the court meeting, and they greeted Zhao Ding, who returned to the prime minister, at the official boat ferry. Looking at the busy servants, shopkeepers, porters, and slender men on the canal, several scholars who rarely came to such a place twisted their beards and squinted.

The citizens of Bianjing work hard for their livelihood, although they are very tired, they can be half full, and they can also pull a few pieces of cloth for their families during the New Year's holidays. When the market is good, you can also eat two meals of meat and drink two taels of wine.

Li Gang and other scholars who have climbed to the top of their lives are very happy, and the Qi family governs the country and the world, and only the world is waiting for them to do it. As for the Qi family? The scholars who are admitted to the Jinshi don't have to think about money, and they, the prime ministers, need to consider these mundane things? And governing the country? Although natural disasters have continued in the past few years, the annual income has not decreased much.

Flat world? Ahem, this matter is indeed embarrassing, the Liao State and the Western Xia still occupy a lot of the "traditional" land of the Central Plains Dynasty, and the resulting national defense confusion makes every visionary scholar indignant. However, the Western Xia and the Liao Kingdom were only strong for a while, and now they are gradually declining, especially the Western Xia.

The scholars and doctors of the Great Zhou are proud enough. Looking at all the known countries, is there a country whose people live better than the people of the Great Zhou? In the Great Zhou, half of the people had surplus food at home, and many elderly people could live to the age of 60. The government officials are exploiting, and the gentry are also annexing land, but there are still van armies to accommodate the displaced people, and there are big cities like Bianjing to accommodate the population, doesn't this explain the problem?

If you don't believe it, look at Western Xia, it's been more than a hundred years, the population of my clan hasn't increased much, where did you go with so many children? The Han people of Liao are struggling to survive, and the life of the small landlords is not as good as that of the slender man on the Bianjing Canal. As for the Uighurs in Dali and the northwest, apart from those wealthy families, big families and Tusi, how many of them lived like individuals?

The Jin state established by the Jurchens? I heard that the north and east of Liao have been reduced to hell on earth, and millions of people have died; The Mongol tribes investigated by the Imperial City Division? They fought against each other, and they struggled with snow, drought, and wind. The Li Dynasty of South Vietnam? It's just a small kingdom, and let's wait until they defeat Siam to the west; The islands of the South Seas? A group of unclothed savages, several kings who came to the Great Zhou did not want to go home in vain.

Wang Boyan exhaled lightly, all barbarians outside the Great Zhou Dynasty are barbarians, this is all the work of our scholars and doctors, if the martial artists at the end of the Tang Dynasty are still there, the Great Zhou will also become a barbarian country, right? It's just that Wang Boyan and even Li Gang don't think about who created the prosperity of the Great Zhou, and without scholars, would it be better or worse to be governed by people from other classes?

All scholars who have raised similar questions have been branded as madmen, stupid people, madmen, and evil demons, and Wang Anshi only touched the edge a little, and he ended up depressed. But the scholars and doctors are right, and the saints of Confucius can kill Shaozheng Mao, why can't we and other scholars who have made a life for the people clear the heresy, and keep them to slander the saints?

The three oared warships of the canal navy opened the way, and the square-headed sea boat that Zhao Ding Xianggong was riding, which is commonly known as the lucky boat, slowly approached the shore. The sailors on board tied long ropes to the stones and threw them, and several slender men skillfully pulled the ship towards the shore. There was hardly any sound, the fortune boat came to a steady stop, and the little officials of the city department were busy sweating profusely, beckoning a few porters to support the planks. Then the little officer stooped down and withdrew, an occasion in which he was not in a position to participate.

Zhao Ding is over fifty years old, his hair is gray, but his eyes are getting sharper and sharper. Wearing a simple gauze hat on his head, and wearing a simple scholar's robe, he looked very energetic, and his physical weakness was well concealed. The Penal Lands are brutal for the elderly, especially in the coastal regions.

The half-foot-long beard was delicately trimmed, but the wrinkles on Zhao Ding's face could not be concealed. One by one, they saluted the officials who came to greet them, and when it was Wang Boyan and Huang Qianshan's turn, Zhao Ding also greeted them with a smile. After all, the scholar group has its own rules, and since people come to greet them because of the rules, Zhao Ding has to salute according to the rules.

The court officials above the third rank need to be polite one by one, and the officials of the six departments above the fifth grade also need to encourage one or two, as for the county order and others who came from nearby, Zhao Ding also arched his hand from afar. An old county magistrate finally saw his idol and fainted with excitement.

At night, the Zhao Mansion was brightly lit, and half of the most famous official prostitutes in Bianjing City were summoned. Hundreds of officials and gentry gathered in the Zhao Mansion, and the gifts filled the two gatehouses, and the emperor only laughed when he learned of the Zhao family's grand occasion tonight.

The guests and hosts dispersed happily, Wang Boyan and others left in a carriage, and Li Gang and Yu Yunwen and others went and returned.

Huang Qianshan was in Wang Boyan's carriage, and when he saw that Wang Boyan's face couldn't see joy or anger, he didn't have anything to say, "Li Xiang's body seems to be a little bad?" ”

Wang Boyan lifted the curtain and looked at the street outside, it was curfew at this time, and there were few pedestrians on the royal street. "Zhao Xiang has been working hard for Da Zhou for more than 20 years, and it is normal that he can't bear it." Then, I don't know what came to mind, I sighed, and then closed my eyes and rested.

Zhao Ding's study has been cleaned, but after all, it has not been popular for several years, and it will be a little uncomfortable when you just enter.

"Those people in the Imperial City Division are becoming more and more disagreeable, and such an important errand is only used in a few words, I really don't know what to do." Zhao Ding looked at the secret letter of the Imperial City Division brought by Li Gang and was a little angry.

Li Gang laughed twice, nodded and said: "The Imperial City Division only listens to the direct orders of the official family, and the political hall can only talk to Chief Li of Ouchi about any information they want, which is indeed inconvenient." However, the people of the Imperial City Division did not move, and no one dared to violate the taboo to do such an investigation. ”

Yu Yunwen was also relieved: "As long as the Imperial City Division sends someone, we can send someone over, in the final analysis, to show our attitude to the official family." Liu Chengdong's background is still good from merchants, scholars and local farmers, but fortunately, Liu Chengdong has no major problems. ”

"Mingyuezhuang, cold-proof clothing, ironware...... Bright Moon Collection...... Workshops everywhere, Li Xiang is Liu Chengdong's son-in-law? No wonder...... Taking the initiative to drive away some of the villagers, the local gentry benefited a lot, alas, this group of cheap cysts. Zhao Ding read all the information about Li Xiang and Liu Chengdong, and then put his mind at ease.

Yu Yunwen breathed a sigh of relief, he had received Liu Chengdong's life-saving grace back then. This time, he worked hard for Liu Chengdong, firstly, to select good generals, and secondly, to return favors. "The Liu family can be regarded as a general, but unfortunately the people are withering, and the previous Cai Xiang is for his son...... Ahem, in short, Liu Chengdong is still quite knowledgeable, and this time he took the initiative to give the bottom of the workshop to the gentry and wealthy businessmen of Xunyang Mansion and Shiyan Prefecture, which can be regarded as avoiding suspicion. ”

Li Gang admired Liu Chengdong's ability to lead the troops, so he took over the conversation, "Don't eat alone, and put Mingyueji under the nose of the Xiang Army, Liu Chengdong is a rule-abiding person." It's just greedy for money......"

"It doesn't matter if a martial artist is greedy for money, the most important thing is to be obedient, obey the rules, and be able to fight. As long as he serves the dynasty, he will naturally be able to seal his wife and son, and the heroes of the Great Zhou are not inferior to him. When Zhao Ding heard the news of Liu Chengdong's greed for money, he felt a lot more relieved. Then he picked up Wang Jue's "Pinyin Knowledge" and began to refute, "This bluestone old man actually came up with a set of knowledge, and he also sent it to the old man." Look at the Li Xiang he received, he only cares about strange tricks and tricks, or strange things......"

Li Gang and Yu Yunwen didn't dare to take it, but they were a little slanderous in their hearts. The two of you have been fighting for decades, aren't you tired?

Zhao Ding and Wang Qi were the twin stars of the Great Zhou Dynasty thirty years ago, and they were once good friends. However, the good times did not last long, Zhao Ding entered the official career, but Wang Jue broke through the obstacle after the debate with Lu Yiming in Dali, and then devoted himself to learning. Twenty years have passed, Zhao Ding has become a ruler, and Wang Qi is also famous all over the world and founded his own school.

In short, Wang has always emphasized that learning should be mastered by more people, and some positive changes should be made to this end. Zhao Ding has always emphasized the importance of "Confucian orthodoxy", and the two gradually began an academic dispute. There is a good saying, then there is no right or wrong, but academics are right and wrong.

Zhao Ding thinks that his knowledge is not inferior to Wang Jue, and he constantly argues with Wang Jue in his busy spare time, but how can he be the opponent of Wang Jue who lectures everywhere. Zhao Ding was annoyed, so he wanted to recommend Wang Qi to enter the court as an official, so that he could also taste the hard work of having no time to do learning. However, Wang Jue went directly to the emperor, and the emperor happily gave Wang Jue the qualification to act cheaply, and became a beautiful conversation.

Lu Yiming, who had a shocking debate with Wang Jue, had crossed the river to Tengchong Mansion to attend the funeral of Princess Dali.

Dali country, Tengchong Mansion, full of filial piety. The usually lively city of Tengchong was silent, and the king's pro-army took control of the streets. The princess of Dali is under martial law in the whole city.

The old king Duan Qirui was blank and sat on the ground; The little princess Duan Lintian's eyes were red and swollen, and she hugged her mother's bed and didn't let go; Lu Yiming and other important ministers who came in a hurry knelt on the ground, most of them regretted from the bottom of their hearts.

Du Chenyi's heart was very lively, but his face showed extreme sadness and said: "Your Majesty, please mourn, Your Majesty still needs to make an idea about the queen's posthumous affairs." ”

Lu Yiming has always been very unaccustomed to this dead eunuch, but at this time he had to echo it, and several important ministers who rushed over also persuaded him.

The funeral of Queen Dali was extremely glorious, and the civil and military gentry and people from all over the country spontaneously mourned for the queen, and even Duan Liangjie and Duan Linlie, who were constantly in friction, temporarily stopped fighting. The queen was a quiet and frugal person, and she lowered the cost of the harem several times, and countless orphans, old and weak, who were favored by her. The recently deceased queen has won the love of almost everyone, and Toast is no exception.

After the funeral, Lu Yiming did not plan to return to Dali City, where the situation was beyond human control. Duan Qirui, who was bedridden, handed over the territory west of the river to him to govern, and let the little princess Duan Lintian listen to the government.