To The Land of Nevernight

In the 27th year of Kaiping, the fourth day of the twelfth lunar month.

On both sides of Zhengyangmen Street, there are a dazzling array of shops and buildings of various colors.Going west along the street, when you can see the shadow of the Grand Canal in the distance, you can see the four-story building of Qianlilou, the No. [-] restaurant in Shengjing.And half a mile to the north of Qianlilou is a two-story restaurant.

The original name of this restaurant is "Zhaohui Building", which is taken from the predecessors "the morning sun is overcast and the evening is cloudy, and the weather is myriad".It's a pity that just like its name, it is true that the sun shines in the morning and the shade in the evening. Zhaohui Building was still famous in Shengjing more than ten years ago, but now it has long since declined.

Two months ago, the Zhaohui Building was taken down. Today, in the twelfth lunar month of winter, I saw a group of lion dancers beating gongs and drums in front of the building.

Zhengyangmen Street straddles the east and west of Shengjing and is the most prosperous commercial street.The bustling scene of the lion dance team soon attracted batch after batch of onlookers.Suddenly, a middle-aged man in a colorful costume came out from behind the lion dance team. He was holding a large earthen pot, and with a light tap, a snow-white rabbit jumped out of the pot.

"it is good!"

The people watched and cheered.

Tang Shen and shopkeeper Lu stood aside, watching from a distance.

Shopkeeper Lu couldn't help laughing and said: "Little boss, why did you come up with so many tricks? If you open another restaurant, at most you can invite a lion dance team. Why did you even invite jugglers, monkeys, and other tricks?" Acrobatic."

Tang Shen asked back: "Look at those common people, are they not happy?"

Before shopkeeper Lu could answer, Tang Juan immediately said, "I'm happy, I feel novel!"

Shopkeeper Lu said helplessly: "This cost us a lot of money, isn't it novel?"

After the lion dance team and trick artisans were all finished, Tang Shen stood in the distance and did not pass by. He said to shopkeeper Lu and Yao San, "Go and cut the ribbon."

Shopkeeper Lu hesitated and said, "Little Boss, are you not going?"

It is not impossible for Tang Shen to cut the ribbon and unveil the signboard himself. Anyway, it is not uncommon for officials in this dynasty to engage in business.But after thinking about it, he still said, "I'll pick up my master and brother. Don Juan, you can go too."

Tang Juan nodded happily, and came to the front of the restaurant together with shopkeeper Lu and Yao San.The three of them took the ribbons and balls from the "lion" of the lion dance team and cut the ribbons together.Then Tang Juan pulled the red ribbon on the signboard, and with a light pull, the red cloth was torn off from the plaque, revealing three elegant and beautiful characters——

"Xiaxia Building"

The onlookers in Shengjing were all amazed when they saw that the owner of Xixialou was a beautiful little girl.The previous lion dance team and tricks have attracted many guests, and now guests have entered Xixia Tower.Xixia Building is not like Qianli Building, which has four floors. It has only two floors, and the number of guests it can accommodate is limited.

But when I heard that the guests hadn't left after it was full, Xiaoer said, "Guest officer, do you want to wait in the teahouse beside me for a while?"

A young scholar asked in surprise, "Tea seat?"

Xiao Er: "Yes, guest officer, please come with me."

After entering the teahouse, everything suddenly became clear.

Storytelling team, tea and snacks, everything is available.People in Shengjing have never seen such a restaurant that spends so much money. Before the guests order, they first serve tea, snacks, and listen to books for free.

The scholar didn't believe it: "Is there such a good thing? I'm afraid you don't charge for your tea and snacks."

Xiao Er: "How can it be! You can rest assured and wait."

No money, free food and drink, and storytelling, who would not be happy about this, and not long after, even the teahouse in Xixialou was full of people waiting.

Tang Shen received Fu Wei soon, and he personally brought Fu Wei to the private room on the second floor.

The two ordered pots and some more dishes.When the beef, mutton, vegetables, melons and fruits were all served, Wang Qin finally arrived.

Wang Qin was still wearing an official robe, and smiled when he entered the door: "It's late."

Fu Wei often didn't go to the Hanlin Academy, and stayed at home all day playing with birds and planting flowers, and he had a lot of free time every day.Hearing this, he said to his little disciple: "Jing Ze, look at your senior brother, let your teacher wait here for half an hour, and you want to send him away because you say 'I'm late'?"

Tang Shen said in his heart, it has not been 10 minutes since you entered Xixia Building.But he said: "Brother is busy with affairs, so it's late."

Wang Qin took his seat, poured tea for himself with a flick of his sleeves, and said in a relaxed tone, "Half an hour?" As he spoke, his eyes lightly glanced at Fu Wei.

Fu Wei raised his voice guiltily: "Yes, it's half an hour. Zifeng, have you thought about how to compensate the teacher and your younger brother for the half an hour?"

Wang Qin: "How about my treat for today's meal?"

Tang Shen hurriedly said: "Brother, I am the one who invites you and sir today, how can I ask you to pay the bill."

But Fu Wei pressed Tang Shen: "Hey, what do you know, you don't know what kind of official your brother is?"

Tang Shen was taken aback: "Shangshu of the Household Department?"

Fu Wei laughed, and pointed at Wang Qin with his chopsticks: "The richest official in the world is your brother!"

These words contain too much information, Tang Shen muttered to himself, but didn't say anything.

The dishes are ready, but the water in the hot pot is not heated yet.Fu Wei drank too much tea, it was convenient to go out, only Tang Shen and Wang Qin were left in the private room.

"Don't listen to Mr. nonsense."

Tang Shen raised his head, and saw Wang Qin holding the tea lid with one hand, while gently brushing off the fine residue on the tea soup.

Wang Qin: "Junior brother has a different career in Gusu Mansion..."

Tang Shen: "Brother?" Why did you say this all of a sudden?

Wang Qin smiled and said, "Brother is in Jinling Mansion, and he also has a different career."

Tang Shen: "..."

Is this explaining that your money does not come from corruption and breaking the law, but from legitimate channels!

Not long after, Fu Wei came back, and the water in the copper pot was heated up.Fu Wei picked up a thin slice of mutton, put it into the water lightly, rinsed it slightly, and the meat changed color.Take it out of the water, dip it in the sauce dish, and put it in your mouth. "Fresh and tender, it's really wonderful! The ancients used rabbit meat more to eat this Boxia offering, but I didn't expect to use mutton to be even more delicious!"

Tang Shen smiled and said, "Sir, try this shabu-shabu beef again." As he spoke, he shaved a chopstick of beef and put it into Fu Wei's bowl.

Fu Wei winked at him: "Beef, did you get it from the Liao people?"

Tang Shen coughed twice.

Wang Qin boiled the beef by himself, and cooked another piece of mutton.He watched Tang Shen help Fu Wei cook meat non-stop, and when he put it here, he looked a little more desolate.Master Shangshu whispered self-deprecatingly: "Am I a loner?" As soon as the words fell, Tang Shen picked up a chopstick of mutton and put it into Wang Qin's bowl.

Wang Qin was slightly stunned and raised his head.

Tang Shen smiled obediently and said, "It was made with serving chopsticks, brother, don't worry." It was very clean, without my saliva.

Wang Qin hooked the corners of his lips.

The three teachers and students ate a pot of steaming Boxia offering.Wang Qin had to go to the Yamen on business in the afternoon, so he left first.Tang Shen and Fu Wei ate for another half an hour.Fu Wei was very satisfied, and when he was about to leave, he heard the story told by the storyteller in the teahouse, and he listened to it for half an hour before leaving.

In the evening, Yao Bo, Wang Xiao, Mei Shengze... Tang Shen's colleagues, classmates and friends also came to Xixia Tower one by one.

Mei Shengze ate a mouthful of hot-boiled mutton, and was so shocked that he wrote a poem on the spot: "Hide the haze carefully, and the entrance turns into surprise."

When the group of fellow students and Jinshi left, Tang Shen called over to shopkeeper Lu: "Do you know how to promote our Xixia Tower from tomorrow, how to advertise?"

Shopkeeper Lu was surprised at first: "Advertising?"

Before Tang Shen could speak, Tang Juan said, "I know this, it's just an advertisement, my brother told me about it."

Tang Shen scolded with a smile: "As far as you know, you haven't gone home yet, what are you doing here?"

Tang Juan: "The first day Xixia Building opened, I will go back after closing time. Brother, you didn't go back either."

Tang Shen ignored her and asked Shopkeeper Lu again.

Shopkeeper Lu thought over and over again, and said: "Our family is the only restaurant in Shengjing that only serves as a pilgrimage ceremony. It is obvious that people in Shengjing like the restaurant model of Gusu Mansion."

Tang Shen reminded: "More than that, Shengjing's market is much bigger than Gusu's!"

Shopkeeper Lu was about to speak, when Tang Juan pondered over and over again, and suddenly said: "Moving guests and poets gather here."

Tang Shen and shopkeeper Lu turned their heads together and looked at the 13-year-old girl.

Don Juan was taken aback by their gazes, and she said cautiously: "I just thought that this restaurant was originally called Zhaohuilou. The accountant Lin taught me this article, the sun shines in the morning and the evening is cloudy, and the weather is myriad... Move guests and poets, gather more Here it is. Today, the No. [-] Scholar, No. [-], and Tanhua are all having dinner at our Xixia Building. Isn’t this just a guest of honor. Um, did I say something wrong?”

Shopkeeper Lu suddenly realized: "I understand, little boss, I will do it tomorrow."

Tang Shen nodded, then glanced at Tang Juan, and said helplessly, "Go home!"

The two siblings went home together.

On the second day, rumors came out from nowhere that the newly opened Xixia Building on Zhengyangmen West Street was the favorite place for scholars in Shengjing.All of a sudden, literati love to go to Xixia Tower.Ordinary people who want to get bookish also like to go to Xixialou.

Shopkeeper Lu directly inscribed the poem written by the imperial scholar Mei Shengze, framed it, and hung it in the center of the restaurant.For this reason, Tang Shen also gave Mei Shengze a jug of wine.

Now it's the cold winter season, and the business of Xixia Building is getting more and more prosperous, and it is famous in the whole Shengjing.

At the end of the twelfth lunar month, the New Year is approaching.

It was the turn of Yao Bang and Tang Shen to be on errands that day.

The two have been on duty for two months, and now they are doing a job of recording the emperor's daily life very smoothly.As the emperor's close friends, the two would occasionally get Zhao Fu's attention.

On this day, it was the middle of winter, and there was snow in the sky.Zhao Fu was originally handling government affairs in the Chui Gong Palace, and a concubine in the harem came to report her illness, so Zhao Fu left to visit the harem.Tang Shen and Yao Ji waited quietly at the gate of the palace. After an hour, Zhao Fu came out from the gate of the palace.

Ji Fu lowered his waist, and carefully covered Zhao Fu with an umbrella to cover the snowflakes falling from the sky.

Zhao Fu went out of the palace gate, only to see Tang Shen and Yao Tong's heads were covered with snow.Zhao Fu was taken aback for a moment, and then said, "Have you been waiting here all this time?"

Tang Shen and Yao Tong said yes.

Zhao Fu pointed at Tang Shen's hair jokingly, and said to Ji Fu: "Look, Yao Qing is fine, he is over forty, not young anymore, and has gray hair on his head. It's just that Tang Qing originally had black hair , but now he has become an octogenarian." After saying this, Zhao Fu asked two eunuchs to come up and hold umbrellas for Yao Bo and Tang Shen.

Tang Shen raised his head and quietly glanced at Zhao Fu.

Back in the Chuigong Hall, Zhao Fu asked Tang Shen and Yao Ju to change their clothes first.

When the two came back, Zhao Fu took a vermilion pen to write comments on the notebook, and slowly put down the pen.He raised his head, sat on the throne, and said in a soft and elegant voice, "Qi Ji, how long has it been since you came to Zhen's side?"

The questioning machine was written by Yao Tong, Zhao Fu suddenly called Yao Tong, Yao Tong was flattered, and immediately stood up and said: "I have been the living lord for two months."

Zhao Fu seemed to have just remembered: "Yes, it's been two months. Jing Ze and Wenji came together, so it's been two months?"

Tang Shen stood up, bowed and saluted: "Yes."

Zhao Fu smiled and said, "Qi Ji is from Shengjing, and has seen such heavy snow before. Jing Ze, you seem to be from Jiangnan?"

Tang Shen tightened his fingers and said calmly, "I am from Gusu."

"Has there ever been such a heavy snow in Gusu?"

Tang Shen: "It was rare in previous years, only the snow disaster in the south a few years ago, I have seen such a heavy snow once."

Hearing this, Zhao Fu revealed a look of reminiscence: "The snow disaster in the south a few years ago...ah, it was that year. The scenery was still young at that time."

"The minister was 13 years old."

After Zhao Fu asked a few more questions, he stopped asking Tang Shen, but asked about Yao Tong's previous experience on the frontier battlefield.Yao Ji gave up writing and joined the army 20 years ago, and went to the battlefield.Zhao Fu has always paid special attention to Yao Tong, because there are few generals like him among Jinshi.

On this day, Tang Shen and Yao Tong returned home, but after a while, eunuchs came to Zhuangyuan Mansion and Tanhua Mansion to deliver things.

Zhao Fu gave each of them a fox fur jacket, and many desserts for the imperial court.Both Tang Shen and Yao San have been to Luohe Town and dealt with the Liao people.Especially Yao San, who is familiar with many Liao merchants.The Liao Kingdom is rich in sable fur coats. Yao San touched the fox fur coat given by Zhao Fu and exclaimed: "Little Master, this coat is bright in color, and it is rare in Liao Kingdom, but it is the best material." ah!"

Tang Shen stroked the fox-fur jacket silently, closed his eyes, and sighed softly.

Putting the fox-fur coat into the suitcase, Tang Shen entered the study and studied the ink.In the study room, with the flickering candlelight, Tang Shen thought for a long time, dipped a pen in some ink, unfolded a notebook, and wrote seriously.On the second day, he sent this notebook up, and three days later, Li Shu and Tang Shen were on errands together, Zhao Fu left Tang Shen alone.

Li Shu glanced at Tang Shen in surprise, then bowed and left.

Under the leadership of Ji Fu, Tang Shen entered Dengxiantai.

There are 99 candlesticks lit in Dengxiantai, which are divided into three layers and four sides, surrounding Zhao Fu.In front of Zhao Fu was a row of bronze candlesticks.Nine everlasting lamps were burning in this candlestick.Zhao Fu was wearing a white Taoist robe and sat in it.He didn't wear a dragon crown on his head, but stuck it randomly with hairpins.A few locks of white hair fell on his shoulders, and he didn't look like an emperor sitting in the world at all, but like a Taoist priest detached from the world.

Li Shu said that, apart from the ministers of Zhongshu Province, only Li Jingde, Marshal of Zhengxi, Wang Zifeng, Minister of the Household Department, and Su Wenyun, Shaoqing of Dali Temple, could enter Dengxiantai.Tang Shen thought to himself, and he didn't know whether those people he mentioned entered often, or only entered once.

But all in all, Tang Shen came in today.

Zhao Fu sat in the middle of the candlestick, as quiet as an immortal, as if he hadn't even breathed.

After a long time, he let out a light breath, opened his eyes, and said to Tang Shen: "Jing Ze, what did you see when you saw me today?"

It is said that a companion is like a tiger, and even Ji Fu was a little confused when he said this.

Zhao Fu was the strangest when he was cultivating immortals, with a weird temper and elusive.Sometimes I laugh out loud, sometimes I fly into a fit of rage.Several eunuchs and Taoist boys died in Dengxiantai.Zhao Fu can pretend to be a wise emperor outside, but as soon as he reaches the Immortal Terrace, he no longer regards himself as an emperor, but more like an immortal.

Ji Fu didn't know how to answer, and neither did Tang Shen.

But he only panicked for a moment, then calmed down.The ability of photographic memory makes many Taoist classics appear in his mind instantly, from "Book of Changes", "Zhuangzi", to "Tao Te Ching" and "Huainanzi".Tang Shen bowed his hands and saluted, with a clear and elegant voice: "Being virtuous is not virtuous, because there is virtuousness. To be virtuous is not to lose virtue, because there is no virtuousness. I look at your majesty, beyond the world, see it but never see it, and see it but seem to see it. "

Zhao Fu laughed out loud.

Ji Fu didn't know a few words, and didn't know what Tang Shen meant, but seeing Zhao Fu's happy face, he murmured in his heart: I didn't expect that Mr. Tang would be more flattering than him!Today you can meet the expert.

Zhao Fu said: "Go down first."

Ji Fu was slightly surprised, but saluted: "Yes."

The gate was closed, and there were only two Xiaodao boys guarding the ever-burning lamp, Zhao Fu and Tang Shen left in the immortal platform.

Zhao Fu sat cross-legged in meditation, looking at Tang Shen: "Jing Ze, have you been to Liao Kingdom?"

Tang Shen immediately saluted and said, "I have never been there before."

"Oh, then what's the meaning of that notebook you wrote?"

Tang Shen explained: "I have never been to the Liao Kingdom, but I have been to Luohe Town. Your Majesty does not know that this Luohe Town is a small town on the border between the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty. It is located in the east of the northern part of the Song Dynasty. The northern towns in the west have conflicts with Liaoduo. But to the east, there are more trade exchanges."

Zhao Fu nodded.

Tang Shen continued: "I once went to Luohe Town with my family, met one or two Liao merchants, and met some Liao people on the street. These Liao people are friendly with our Song people on the surface, but their eyes are higher than the top. , vulgar words and deeds, no respect in words and deeds, never put us Song people in the eyes! This is the case with the small and small Liao merchants, and how the Liao court treats me Song, this can be seen. So the minister is not talented, Let Your Majesty know, those Liao people are wolves and beasts, they should not be underestimated!"

Zhao Fu looked past Tang Shen and looked at the nine ever-burning lamps behind him.

Tang Shen kept his head down all the time, not daring to make a sound, even gradually holding his breath.

Zhao Fu said: "I understand. You go down."

Tang Shen backed away while saluting.He didn't straighten his waist until he got out of the palace gate of Dengxiantai.He first saluted Ji Fu, the eunuch who was guarding the door, Ji Fu was flattered and said: "Master Tang is flattering our family." He said so, but there was no panic on his face, instead he took it for granted.

Tang Shen left Dengxiantai and left the palace to go home.

The next day, officials from the Ministry of Officials came to the Yamen of Zhongshu Province and found Tang Shen who was reading the "Notes on Living" in the period of the first emperor.The official of the official department took out the imperial decree, and all the living men and living room people in the room knelt down on the ground.The officials of the Ministry of Officials read aloud: "I am under the command of Haotian. Tang Shen, a living servant of Zhongshu Province, is elegant and modest. He respects the court and keeps himself in a small room. This is the first month of the 28th year of Kaiping."

At the same time, the official from the Ministry of Officials came up with another imperial decree: "Under the door, I am ordered by Haotian's relatives, and Xu Sijingmin, the secretary of the Zhongshu Province, is personally respected, and he is good and elegant. Today, he is promoted to the fourth-rank Ministry of Industry Yu Department Langzhong, I will take up my post today, and I am here. The 28th year of Kaiping, the first month."

Everyone was shocked, Tang Shen and Xu Sixian received the imperial edict.

After the officials from the Ministry of Officials left, everyone congratulated Xu Si and Tang Shen on their promotion.Xu Si smiled wryly and said, "Thank you, colleagues."

Promoted from the fifth-rank living lang to the fourth-rank gongbu lang, Xu Si was promoted on the surface, but since then he has left the center of imperial power, and he can no longer face the saint frequently!There are usually two results of living lang and siju sheren. One is to be directly promoted from qijulang to a Zhongshu official, such as Zhongshu sheren, so that you can often face the saint.The other is to stay away from the center of imperial power completely.

Xu Si's future may not stop at a fourth-rank doctor, but it will be difficult to enter the Zhongshu Province again.He is now entering the Shangshu Province from the Zhongshu Province. Unless he becomes a Shangshu in the future, he will never be able to enter the Zhongshu Province, the center of power.

Everyone congratulated Tang Shen again.

Tang Shen looked surprised, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, colleagues."

Xu Si looked at Tang Shen with a trace of jealousy and envy.

The transfer of two officials of the fourth and fifth ranks, in the court hall, was just a slight wave of water, and did not cause any splashes at all.However, in the 28th year of Kaiping, just after the new year, Emperor Zhao Fu announced the imperial decree, deciding to build another official road and a canal from Shengjing to the north!

This incident shocked the court officials in an uproar.

Xu Linghou, the left servant of the household department, stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, it has been 18 years since the peace treaty was signed between Song and Liao in the tenth year of Kaiping. However, in the past [-] years, natural disasters have continued. Regardless of distance, there are three There was a snowstorm in the south a year ago, and there was a severe drought in Henan last year. The treasury is not abundant, so your majesty should think twice about building official roads and canals!"

Xie Cheng, the right servant of the Ministry of Industry, waved his sleeves and said: "The two countries have avoided war for eighteen years. Throughout the ages, natural disasters have never stopped. Since there are no man-made disasters, but only natural disasters, why is the treasury not rich? Xu Shilang means Yes, when His Majesty was in power, there were more natural disasters than before?"

Wang Qin was originally listening calmly, but when he heard this, he raised his eyes slightly and glanced at Xie Cheng.

Xu Linghou's face turned red: "Your Majesty has absolutely no intention of doing so! It's just a matter of officialdom. Since ancient times, the construction of canals has always cost the people and money. I hope that Your Majesty will slow down the deadline, and it cannot be completed overnight."

Xie Cheng said: "I think that the Grand Canal in the previous dynasty started from Shengjing in the north and went to Qiantang in the south, and it was already connected to the south. Another canal was built to connect to the north. Since then, the north and the south have been connected and blessed for thousands of years!"

For a while, the ministers spoke one after another.

Zhao Fu sat on the throne, and when the ministers finished their quarrel and had no energy to speak, he looked at Yuan Mu, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, and asked, "What do you think Yuan Qing wants?"

Yuan Mu took a step forward, saluted and said: "The matter of connecting the north will be beneficial through the ages. I think it is a great good."

Zhao Fu looked at Wang Qin again: "What does Zifeng think?"

Wang Qin stepped out of the queue of officials, saluted and said: "In ancient times, Emperor Yangdi connected the south, benefiting a hundred generations. Your Majesty connected the north and the south, which is a great event through the ages. However, Emperor Yangdi built a canal to connect the south, because there are many rivers in the south, and there are The rain waters it every year. In the north of the Song Dynasty, there are few rivers and droughts. I think that the canal can be alleviated. It is better to abandon the canal and rebuild three official roads to connect the east, west, and north."

The officials of the household department immediately said: "I think this is the case."

Yuan Mu looked at the way Wang Qin looked down at the ground, and thought to himself that you are impeccable in your words, but you just want to pay less money.He scolded Wang Zifeng in his heart, but Yuan Mu also knew that building a canal to the north would be a waste of money and people, so he also said, "I think that's why."

Zhao Fu said: "Then, as Zifeng said, let's disperse."

When the court was over, Yuan Mu blocked Wang Qin on the palace road.Lord Wang smiled slightly, and Lord Yuan said speechlessly, "Can't we really build the canal?"

Wang Qin: "If the Ministry of Households can afford it, then your Ministry of Industry can afford it?"

Yuan Mu was speechless.

The Ministry of Industry really can't build a grand canal to the north!

At this time, the chief eunuch Ji Fu came over.He saluted first, and then said to Wang Qin: "My lord, Your Majesty has summoned you."

Wang Qin followed Ji Fu to the Chui Gong Hall.

After meeting, Zhao Fu seemed to be in a good mood, and said with a smile, "Zifeng already knew?"

Wang Qin looked around.Today's servant is Li Shu, and the servant is Guo Hui.Both of them are Zhao Fu's confidantes.Zhao Fu summoned Wang Qin to whisper something, but both of them pretended they didn't see it, and they didn't record it in "Liu Zi Zhu".

Wang Qin was puzzled and said, "I don't know what your Majesty said."

Probably in a really good mood, Zhao Fu stepped down from the throne, looked around Wang Qin for a while, and then said: "You really don't know! Then you two, brothers and sisters, have a good understanding."