Xianxia version of Water Margin

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Zhao Mingcheng felt that he had married Li Qingzhao, which was really unlucky for eight lifetimes.

Li Qingzhao was talented, worthy of praise, and precious.

Li Qingzhao was born in a famous family, had an absurdly high IQ, and had a talent for writing lyrics. Even if she was drunk, she could write famous lines for all ages.

In addition to her high IQ, Li Qingzhao looked fresh and refined, beautiful and moving.

It can be said that Li Qingzhao had talent, beauty, and background.

But this kind of woman is definitely not something that ordinary people can handle.

Although Zhao Mingcheng was handsome and rich, he was also a big shot in the literary circle, and he was once the son of the prime minister. He was a top second-generation rich man and a top second-generation official, and he also had some talents.

Perhaps it was because of this that Zhao Mingcheng dared to marry Li Qingzhao.

But not long after the marriage, Zhao Mingcheng found that his own talent was not even one-tenth of Li Qingzhao's, and the pressure was too great!

Zhao Mingcheng's heart was like a lake surface brushed by drizzle, with ripples, which was not only a sigh of helplessness for his choice, but also a deep respect for his wife's endless talent.

He often sat alone in the study in the dead of night, flipping through the manuscripts of poems left by Li Qingzhao in the flickering candlelight. Every line of words seemed to jump with lively notes, hitting the deepest part of his soul.

He smiled bitterly. This was not marrying a wife, but clearly inviting a fairy with great talent to descend to the mortal world and spend his life with him.

Zhao Mingcheng tried to make friends with literature, and to explore the mysteries of literature with Li Qingzhao in the hall of poetry.

However, whenever he racked his brains and spent all his efforts to complete a work that he thought was good, Li Qingzhao could always easily point out the shortcomings with her keen and profound insight, and even improvised, leaving behind a masterpiece that made him feel ashamed.

This feeling not only frustrated him, but also inspired his inner fighting spirit of not being content with mediocrity.

Zhao Mingcheng also tried to write lyrics with Li Qingzhao, but found that the words he racked his brains to think of always seemed so bland in front of her.

He felt like a clumsy apprentice, trying to keep up with the master's pace, but always unable to do so.

This pressure came not only from the gap in literary talent, but also from his deep anxiety and inferiority.

He knew that he married not only a beautiful and intelligent woman, but also a literary genius.

He was afraid that he could not match her and was afraid of being eclipsed by her light.

However, Li Qingzhao never despised or laughed at him. She always treated him with encouragement and support, as if she saw through his inner struggle.

But it was this kind of considerate care that made Zhao Mingcheng feel more inadequate.

Zhao Mingcheng began to study hard behind closed doors, trying to narrow the gap between him and Li Qingzhao through hard work.

He studied ancient books, polished his words and even asked many predecessors for advice.

However, every time he felt that he had made some progress, he felt that he was far behind Li Qingzhao.

This struggle and pursuit became the main theme of Zhao Mingcheng's married life, which made him feel extremely painful and made him choose to escape from Li Qingzhao.

Therefore, Zhao Mingcheng did not dare to touch Li Qingzhao, and often went out, sometimes not going home for several years.

Later, Cai Jing fell, and the conservative officials of the Zhao Song Dynasty were able to return to the court.

Zhao Mingcheng also became the governor of Laizhou.

Zhao Mingcheng left Li Qingzhao at home without hesitation, and he took several concubines to take office.

Not long after, Zhao Mingcheng heard that his family was robbed by Liangshan heroes, and Li Qingzhao was also robbed by Jiang Hongfei.

In this regard, Zhao Mingcheng was angry, but actually a little relieved.

Zhao Mingcheng felt that this might be the best result for him and Li Qingzhao.

Zhao Mingcheng swore at that time that he must wipe out the Liangshan Marsh, and expressed his longing for Li Qingzhao to everyone he met.

Slowly, Zhao Mingcheng thought that the matter was over.

Just when Zhao Mingcheng was about to help his beloved concubine take the throne, Jiang Hongfei started a rebellion and seized Shandong and Hebei in one fell swoop.

Zhao Mingcheng was convicted by the Zhao Song court and lost his official position because he did not actively resist and was determined to escape, losing the land under his rule.

After that, Jiang Hongfei led the Liangshan army to sweep across the north and established the Yuan Empire.

And Li Qingzhao followed Jiang Hongfei and became Jiang Hongfei's concubine.

What made Zhao Mingcheng even more angry was that Li Qingzhao went to Jiang Hongfei and changed her image of not being able to lay eggs in his place. She gave birth to Jiang Hongfei's children one after another. In more than ten years, she gave birth to six children.

In addition, although Zhao Mingcheng had many concubines, he still did not have a child.

Who wouldn't know that Zhao Mingcheng and Li Qingzhao had no children, who was the problem?

Zhao Mingcheng became a laughing stock and was ridiculed by the whole world.

What Zhao Mingcheng didn't expect was that Jiang Hongfei swept the world and became the emperor of the great unification.

This world became Jiang Hongfei's.

Li Qingzhao climbed up the high branch.

But Jiang Hongfei didn't take Li Qingzhao back to the palace to hide her, so that Li Qingzhao could continue to be active in the poetry world.

In recent years, Li Qingzhao has produced many good poems and has become more and more famous in the literary world of the Yuan Empire.

And the better Li Qingzhao is, the worse Zhao Mingcheng is.

What made Zhao Mingcheng even more frustrated was that after Jiang Hongfei completed the great unification, he used a large number of officials from the Zhao Song Dynasty.

It can be said that as long as the officials of the Zhao Song Dynasty who had some ability were used by Jiang Hongfei, who was expanding his territory and carrying out reforms.

There are many people who are not as good as Zhao Mingcheng.

However, Zhao Mingcheng never had the opportunity to serve as an official.

How could Zhao Mingcheng not see that the reason why he was so unsuccessful was all because of Li Qingzhao, the evil spirit?

In fact, Zhao Mingcheng also knew that he was so unsuccessful not only because he was Li Qingzhao's ex-husband.

It was also because the performance of the conservative forces in the late Zhao Song Dynasty was lamentable.

Facing the surging Yuan iron cavalry, they not only failed to unite to resist the enemy, but were deeply mired in internal strife, with foolish strategies and missed opportunities.

Jiang Hongfei once bluntly pointed out the disadvantages of the conservatives in the Zhao Song Dynasty, saying that they were good at internal strife but helpless against external invasions.

With the decline and dispersion of the conservative leaders of the Zhao Song Dynasty, although the middle and lower-level officials found a place in the Yuan Dynasty court, it was difficult to restore the glory of the past. They were also cleverly arranged by Jiang Hongfei and scattered in various departments, making it difficult to achieve success.

At the same time, the outstanding reformists of the former Zhao Song Dynasty, such as Li Gang and Tang Ke, emerged under the favor of Jiang Hongfei. They either wanted revenge or accidentally formed a suppressive trend, further weakening the remaining power of the conservatives.

So far, the conservatives of the Zhao Song Dynasty have almost disappeared in the long river of history.

What is even more tragic is that the Zhao Song Dynasty has become a thing of the past, and the Yuan Empire has replaced it.

At this time of the replacement of the old officials of the new dynasty, even the reformist officials appreciated by Jiang Hongfei had to restrain their edge and act cautiously.

Because they knew that the real right to speak were those important officials of the Yuan Dynasty who fought side by side with Jiang Hongfei and ruled the world together.

In such a power structure, all the old Zhao Song officials, whether conservative or reformist, had to be cautious in their words and deeds in order to protect themselves.

The collapse of the conservative forces of the Zhao Song Dynasty made Zhao Mingcheng almost unable to get help from political forces.

In addition, the Yuan Empire, due to the absorption of officials from Zhao Song, Liao, Goryeo, Japan, and even Tian Hu, Wang Qing, and Fang La, the phenomenon of redundant officials quietly emerged.

In addition, the imperial examinations in recent years have injected more local new-generation officials into the Yuan Empire.

This has made the competition for official positions more intense.

It is worth mentioning that Jiang Hongfei's compilation of the "Hongwu Encyclopedia" has a deep meaning behind it - worrying that if the redundant scholars are not properly placed, there may be trouble, so he set up positions to restrain their minds and seek stability first.

What is particularly critical is that Zhao Mingcheng's abandonment of the city in the past has ruined his reputation.

Jiang Hongfei has always valued loyal and brave people, and secondly those who know the times, but Zhao Mingcheng has lost both, so he is naturally not favored.

Against this background, Zhao Mingcheng's official career is full of thorns, and it is as difficult as climbing to the sky to gain a place in the Yuan Dynasty court.

In fact, Zhao Mingcheng has tried his best to visit old friends, but still has not seen a glimmer of hope in his official career. This is undoubtedly a profound portrayal of the cruel reality.

Not long ago, Zhao Mingcheng brought a generous gift to the official residence of his old friend Sun Di, hoping that this old friend who is now serving as a recorder in the Yuan Empire can give him some advice.

Recorder, although a sixth-rank official, is at the core of imperial power. They follow the emperor closely and record every word and every action of the emperor. Their importance is self-evident. From court orders to rituals and laws, from climate change to the increase and decrease of household registration, Recorder knows everything, and is closely connected with the author, and his influence cannot be underestimated.

And Sun Di, who has been appreciated by Su Shi since childhood, as the backbone of the conservatives, has a deep friendship with Zhao Mingcheng and his ex-wife Li Qingzhao.

Zhao Mingcheng was full of expectations, hoping that Sun Di could use his influence to recommend himself to the powerful Jiang Hongfei and seek an official position.

However, what he did not expect was that Sun Di not only did not agree, but returned all the gifts, leaving only a meaningful sentence "Brother Defu, why do you have to give up the near and seek the far".

Zhao Mingcheng was puzzled and asked about his meaning, but only got Sun Di's silence.

It was not that Sun Di was indifferent, but as a recorder, he knew the importance of keeping his mouth shut. Being in the vortex of power, the slightest carelessness would lead to disaster. Therefore, he cherished the starting point of his career that he had finally obtained, and dared not slack off.

On the way back, Zhao Mingcheng repeatedly chewed on the four words "give up the near and seek the far", but he could not understand it.

The lights at home were dim, and he was still tossing and turning, wondering if there was an undiscovered force around him that could help him find a place in the Yuan Empire.

However, after a lot of hard thinking, he was still confused, as if all hopes were out of reach.

Zhao Mingcheng had no choice but to drink every day because of his bad luck in love and career, and he was about to be ruined.

At this moment, a servant suddenly ran in and said to Zhao Mingcheng: "Sir, the emperor sent an eunuch to convey his order, asking you to go to the palace to see the emperor immediately!"

Zhao Mingcheng was overjoyed when he heard this. He had no time to find out why Jiang Hongfei was so anxious to summon him. He just hurriedly tidied his clothes, followed the attendant, and walked into the deep palace gate.

On the way, Zhao Mingcheng calmly gave the attendant an oriental pearl, trying to find out the real purpose of this trip from him.

However, the attendant looked confused and said that he didn't know the reason, but only knew that it was an emergency summons.

This sudden summons made Zhao Mingcheng's mood like a roller coaster, full of expectations and uneasy.

Led by his attendants, Zhao Mingcheng passed through layers of palaces and finally came to the solemn Yuhua Pavilion.

This pavilion is located behind the Xuanhe Palace and is an important place for the royal family.

When he arrived, he saw that the hall was brightly lit, and important officials such as Prime Minister Wang Lun, Chen Ke, Li Gang, Chai Jin, as well as the six ministers, the prefect Qiu Xun and other important officials of Yuan Dadu had gathered together.

Zhao Mingcheng dared not speak out, and just found a place at the end to stand quietly.

After the prime ministers finished their reports one by one, the six ministers also came forward to report their affairs, followed by local officials such as Qiu Xuan.

Time passed quietly until night fell, and Jiang Hongfei signaled to prepare the imperial meal and have dinner with the ministers.

After the meal, the ministers continued to report until the end of the night.

When everyone in the hall had left, only Zhao Mingcheng was left, he hurried forward, knelt on the ground respectfully, and shouted loudly: "The commoner Zhao Mingcheng pays homage to Your Majesty.", and raised his butt high.

Looking at Zhao Mingcheng kneeling in the hall, Jiang Hongfei was actually quite fed up.

As an emperor with great power, Jiang Hongfei had long been accustomed to treating women all over the world as playthings. Whether it was the royal daughters of the Liao Dynasty, Zhao Song, Goryeo, Japan, or even the royal daughters of the Jin Dynasty and Western Xia, as long as he took a fancy to them, they would not escape his hands.

In his eyes, these women were just accessories of victory, and there was no need to consider their original husbands or emotions.

But facing Zhao Mingcheng, Jiang Hongfei couldn't help but feel a different emotion.

Jiang Hongfei really felt like stealing someone's wife.

This is not to say that Jiang Hongfei has any moral guilt.

Jiang Hongfei is really not such a gentleman.

Besides, Jiang Hongfei can also comfort himself by saying that Zhao Mingcheng was originally a minister of the Zhao Song Dynasty and his enemy, and his wife can also be his trophy.

But somehow, Jiang Hongfei couldn't help but feel a little disgusted when he saw Zhao Mingcheng, especially when Jiang Hongfei remembered that it was because Li Qingzhao asked him to reward Zhao Mingcheng with a half-official position as compensation that he sent someone to call Zhao Mingcheng.

In fact, Jiang Hongfei had also considered completely eliminating Zhao Mingcheng as a hidden danger.

But on second thought, the previous example of Zhao Huan's reputation being damaged by privately killing important officials was still in front of him, and Jiang Hongfei had to think twice before acting.

In the end, Jiang Hongfei decided to give Zhao Mingcheng a chance, which was also a way to comfort Li Qingzhao.

So Jiang Hongfei said to Zhao Mingcheng: "He Beidou, the Tongpan of Kaohsiung in Liuqiu, has been severely punished by me for corruption and abuse of power. You take over this position and must govern this place for me."

Liuqiu has developed rapidly in recent years due to the prosperity of maritime trade and has become an important town in Jiang Hongfei's eyes.

Although He Beidou was only a Tongpan, he took advantage of his position to make a lot of money and the amount of corruption was astonishing.

This shows how well Liuqiu has developed now.

Moreover, although Zhao Mingcheng was a fifth-rank prefect in the Zhao Song Dynasty, he is now only a sixth-rank Tongpan in the Yuan Empire, which seems to have dropped one level.

But the account is not calculated in this way.

The Zhao Song Dynasty was destroyed, so the officials of the Zhao Song Dynasty have become worthless.

Don't you see that many first- and second-rank officials of the Zhao Song Dynasty are only fifth- and sixth-rank officials in the Yuan Empire now?

Even so, their official positions were mostly empty positions without real power.

Therefore, Zhao Mingcheng only dropped one level and got a real power Tongpan, which was like a pie in the sky for Zhao Mingcheng.

Zhao Mingcheng kowtowed to express his gratitude: "Zhao Mingcheng, your humble servant, thank you for your grace!"

Seeing this, Jiang Hongfei motioned Zhao Mingcheng to stand up, and then encouraged him a few words before letting him go.

After leaving Yuhua Pavilion, Zhao Mingcheng swept away all the previous haze, and he felt that he was alive all of a sudden.

Even at this moment, Zhao Mingcheng felt that he was a man again.

As for being cheated by Jiang Hongfei?

A real man, after having power, why worry about not having a wife? ! ! !

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