In the second year of Xingqing in the Great Song Dynasty, the spring flowers bloomed, Jiangnan East Road, Jinling City.

The enrollment of the second phase of Jinling Jiangwutang was carried out as scheduled, and compared with the rush of the first phase, the enrollment of the second phase was orderly and much calmer.

Due to the propaganda in the newspapers, the local government has plenty of time, and the first phase of Zhu Yu is in front, so that unlike the first batch of students, most of the children of the nobles are nobles, and the number of commoner children in the second phase has increased significantly.

At the gate of the Jinling Lecture Hall, the unsuccessful candidate Zhang Yaozu reluctantly looked at the teaching field and the school house in the iron gate, turned his head, sighed, shook his head and walked in the direction of going back.

Why didn't you get in?

Until now, Zhang Yaozu is still a little confused.

In the thirteenth year of Jiading, there were frequent wars in Shandong, and their parents had to take their brothers and sisters to the south and wander south of Yangzhou in the Great Song Dynasty. Now, five years later, his father died of illness due to overwork, leaving him and his mother and two younger siblings to depend on each other.

The Zhang family studied and cultivated the heirloom, and although they wandered all the way, they never abandoned reading and writing. Coupled with his father's good marksmanship, although Zhang Yaozu did not have a scholar in the imperial examination, he could be regarded as both civil and military.

Who knows, he still lost the election!

I don't know how to face my mother when I return to Yangzhou?

came to Jinling to lecture on martial arts, or to borrow from east to west. After I go back, how can I pay back so much money? How can the family's life continue?

Do you still go to work as a coolie on the dock in Yangzhou?

Why didn't I get in? Is it because of my lack of strength, or because I have a Shandong accent?

Before applying for the Jinling Lecture Martial Arts Hall, he was full of pride. Now that the success is dying, and when I return to the cold reality, I have to taste the warmth and coldness of human affection again.

Zhang Yaozu's heart was full of frustration.

A carriage stopped on the street, just in front of Zhang Yaozu, who was bored forward. The sedan curtain opened immediately, and the white and cold face of a young man in his twenties was revealed.

"Hey, you're a good guy, do you want to find something to do?"

"The big officials are looking for me?"

Zhang Yaozu looked at the carriage in surprise, the young man was dressed in brocade clothes, his bearing was extraordinary, and the guards around the carriage were all fierce and brave, carrying swords and swords, and they were not ordinary people at first glance.

"I see that you are a good man and have some strength, do you want to go to my house to be a housekeeper?"

The young man opened his mouth coldly and looked Zhang Yaozu up and down.

"Family? Dare to ask the big official who is in which house? How much is the monthly salary? ”

Zhang Yaozu's heart moved, and he immediately asked.

Looking at the posture, this young man is not an ordinary person, and he may earn a lot of money as a housekeeper. Wait until next spring, you can continue to take the Jinling lecture martial arts hall, killing two birds with one stone.

"Don't worry, you're going to have to pay for it. If you want to, just follow along! ”

After the young man finished speaking, he lowered the sedan curtain, and the carriage continued forward.

Zhang Yaozu hesitated slightly and ran to keep up.

He is a rough man who is poor and white, what do others want from him?

The carriage left the East City Gate and headed all the way to the northeast, apparently heading straight for Zhongshan.

Zhang Yaozu ran all the way to follow, because he had practiced martial arts since he was a child and had been doing physical work for a long time, he could keep up.

The carriage moved all the way, and the pedestrians on the official road gradually became scarce. Zhang Yaozu was suspicious and asked a guard next to the carriage.

"Brother, where is our house?"

This young man's mansion seems to have been built on a mountain?

Could it be that this is really a simple family of the powerful?

"Why do you ask so much? You'll know when you arrive! ”

The guard said coldly, running forward, not squinting, and not out of breath.

Zhang Yaozu took a look at the running guards, all of them were dark and strong, their steps were vigorous, and even their running posture was exactly the same.

Zhang Yaozu looked at the surrounding environment, the valley was undulating, it seemed that it had reached the middle of the mountain, not far away, a house next to the post road was impressive, three steps and one post at the door, five steps and one sentry, and they were all fierce men with guns.

The carriage stopped at the gate of the house, and the words "Mid-Levels Garden" on the plaque of Zhumen were impressively visible. The young man got out of the carriage and went straight to the house.

"Forgive me, big officials, there are still urgent matters in the villain's house, so I still don't go."

Zhang Yaozu smiled with a smile on his face, clasped his fists and saluted, and then turned around and left.

Banshan Garden, this is the residence of the prime minister Wang Anshi, seven miles away from the east of Jinling City, seven miles away from Zhongshan Peak, just halfway, because it is named "Banshan". Wang Anshi lived here for 20 years and was buried here after his death.

He had been here a few months ago, and it had long since been abandoned and deserted. There are so many strong men wielding knives and guns, all of them are fierce and vicious, they can't be bandits gathering in the mountains and forests, right?

When it is broken, it is better to withdraw as soon as possible.

"Zhang Yaozu, don't you want to enter the Jinling Martial Arts Hall?"

The young man said coldly, Zhang Yaozu was shocked, stopped, turned his head, and his eyes widened.

How does he know his name? How did he know that he wanted to enter the Jinling Lecture Hall?

"Don't look at it. This is the branch hall of Jinling Lecture Hall, if you want to make a contribution, come in with me. ”

After the young man finished speaking, he turned and stepped into the door.

Zhang Yaozu's heart was shocked, and he no longer hesitated, ran forward, and followed closely.

"Zhang Yaozu, 20 years old, from Linyi, Shandong, only his mother, younger brothers and sisters are left in the family, living in Yangzhou for a long time, and his life is embarrassing."

In the courtyard of the house, in the room, the young man carefully read Zhang Yaozu's information and spoke softly.

"Zhang Yaozu, you are both civil and military, and your mind is flexible. It's not that you didn't get admitted to the Jinling Lecture Martial Arts Hall, it's because the imperial court needs you to do top-secret things, and you have other important uses. Would you like to? ”

The young man looked at the ignorant Zhang Yaozu and briefly introduced himself.

"I won't hide it from you, my name is Zhou Ping, and I am in charge of the Anti-Corruption Department of the Great Song Dynasty. From now on, what you have done is to report to me alone. ”

This Zhang Yaozu is alert enough, can detect the inappropriateness of the "Mid-Levels Garden", and does not blindly obey, which is a good material.

"You are the ...... of today"

Zhang Yaozu looked at Zhou Ping in surprise, and his words came to an abrupt end.

The name of the Anti-Corruption Department is like thunder, and its chief is the uncle of the dynasty, which is well known to everyone. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be the young man in front of him.

Zhang Yaozu was a little proud in his heart. It turned out that he had been admitted to the Jinling Lecture Martial Arts Hall!

"Not bad! The Son of Heaven asked me to preside over the Anti-Corruption Division, and one of the secret matters was to set up the Great Song Dynasty Intelligence Department to select talents for the country, remove filth for the imperial court, and share the worries of the Son of Heaven. ”

Zhou Ping made no secret of it and told the truth.

Zhao Hong once told him about the role of intelligence, an important piece of information can be worth thousands of troops, and the emperor also attaches great importance to intelligence.

Now that the various matters of the Anti-Corruption Department have been on the right track, and Xu Liang is in charge of the overall situation, he can focus on the Intelligence Department, which can not only be deployed abroad, but also control the movement of the army for the emperor and the public opinion of the government and the opposition.

The Imperial City Division has been abolished, so let the Intelligence Department under the Anti-Corruption Department take charge of the overall situation.

"Zhou Xianggong, can the villain go to Jinling to lecture on martial arts? The villain did not want to go to the Intelligence Division. ”

Zhang Yaozu was cautious and observed his words.

"Absolutely not!"

Zhou Ping looked at Zhang Yaozu with a cold gaze.

"Zhang Yaozu, to tell you the truth, after entering the Mid-Levels Garden, it is impossible to go to Jinling Lecture Hall. You can train in peace and share your worries for the country. I'd like to hear why you don't want to stay, though. ”

"Zhou Xianggong, I don't hide it. The villain wants to go to the martial arts hall, Jin Ge Iron Horse, and fight on the battlefield. Instead of mixing with the people, serving official affairs and civil affairs. Those trivial things, villains are afraid that they will not be able to do well. ”

Zhang Yaozu couldn't help it, and reported it to 1510.

Zhang Yaozu, he just wants to make meritorious contributions and glorify his ancestors. As a dog leg of the government, looking for trouble from the common people all day long, he asked himself that he was not much interested.

"Zhang Yaozu, I underestimate you."

Zhou Ping nodded appreciatively, with a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

"To go into battle to kill the enemy is to serve the country, and to lurk to obtain local intelligence is also to make meritorious contributions, and the purpose of the two is the same. As for the civil affairs, you underestimate the Intelligence Department. What's more, when you enter the gate of the Mid-Levels Garden, you are already a soldier of the Great Song Dynasty. Soldiers regard obedience to orders as their duty, and there is no such thing as bargaining. ”

"Zhou Xianggong, why me? What am I going to do? ”

Zhou Ping's words made Zhang Yaozu's face red, and he hurriedly asked.

It seems that he is going to the enemy territory to do things, not to check public opinion as he imagined.

Besides, when you enter the Jinling Lecture Hall, you don't necessarily have to go to the battlefield, and there are so many people in the later stage. If it comes, it will be safe. That being the case, he had no choice but to accept the current reality.

"Zhang Yaozu, you have good skills, a flexible mind, and more importantly, you can speak Shandong's dialect. You should also be glad that you can speak the Shanfang dialect yourself, otherwise if you go to the north to lurk, how can you have your share? You must know that in the Jinling Lecture Martial Arts Hall, there are not a few students who are better than you and have flexible minds. ”

Zhou Ping's words made Zhang Yaozu silent for a moment, and then continued to ask:

"Zhou Xianggong, how long will it take for me to go to the north to lurk? What about my family? ”

Lurking, needless to say, is to go to the north incognito, waiting for an opportunity.

I don't know, is it the Kingdom of Jin or the Land of Two Rivers under the control of Tatar?

"I don't know how long it will take, when the Great Song Dynasty Emperor goes north to Yanyun, it will be the end of your mission. As for your family, you don't have to worry. Your family's living expenses are paid for by the imperial court. ”

Zhou Ping made no secret of it, and told it all.

The family is covered by the living expenses of the imperial court!

Zhang Yaozu nodded, feeling much more at ease.

Northern Expedition Yanyun, needless to say, he is going to lurk in Lianghe.

"Zhou Xianggong, a word is a certainty. I agreed. ”

Uncle Song, it seems that there is no need to lie to himself.

As long as the family is no longer hungry and hard, it doesn't seem to matter what he does.

Zhang Yaozu's reaction was in his eyes, and Zhou Ping nodded and stood up.

"Good! Zhang Yaozu, from now on, you will be a member of the Intelligence Department of the Great Song Dynasty, and you will also be a soldier of the Great Song Dynasty. Remember! ”

In Jinling Jiangwutang, he had already observed Zhang Yaozu and learned about his family background. The experience of hardships and indomitable character are also the main reasons why he chose Zhang Yaozu.