Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 649 Good Luck Today
The yellow silk umbrella slowly moved to the main gate tower of Zongyang Palace.

Although the emperor had not yet appeared, the people around them knew that the emperor had arrived when they saw the yellow silk umbrella and immediately became agitated.

The most important parts of this former residence granted by Qin Hui that were renovated were the palace walls and gates.

After all, the houses in this mansion, including the main buildings on the central axis, are extremely tall and magnificent.

In order to curry favor with Qin Hui, Zhang Cheng, the prefect of Lin'an, designed the palace almost according to the specifications of a palace.

So it is very easy to transform this place into a palace.

Considering that after it is converted into "Zongyang Palace", it will become the place where the royal family holds some large-scale events, the palace walls and palace gate towers here are all added on or rebuilt, and fully meet the standards of the main gate of the palace.

The emperor had already climbed up to the city wall at this time, but he had not yet gone forward to hold the palace wall and look down. Instead, he was resting in the city wall.

Those who served the emperor were naturally important officials in the court.

Fortunately, the titles of the Song Dynasty royal family have been reduced from generation to generation, and many of them were abducted during the Jingkang Incident. There are really not many royal relatives now.

Otherwise, this city gate tower would not be able to accommodate the people who are qualified to stay inside.

As for the lower-ranking officials, they were waiting on the city wall.

At this time, no one restricted their movements, but in order to facilitate the officials to return to their seats quickly when the emperor came out, most of the officials chatted and laughed with other officials nearby, and rarely moved too far away from their positions.

However, Pan Hengjiu from the Ministry of Personnel, Bin Zhong from the Honglu Temple, Lei Yingxing from the Ministry of War, Ye Yizhang from the Privy Council, Direct Academician Lü Zhuwei, Ye Quan and several others left their positions, walked to the palace wall and looked into the distance.

Zongyang Palace is on the left of the Imperial Road, and on the right are Taipingfang and Zhongwazi.

Behind Taipingfang and Zhongwazi are Houshi Street and Qingshi Lane.

Looking up, the imperial road separated by the imperial guards was an empty and smooth road, and behind it was a sea of ​​people, very lively.

Master Lu and Master Ye looked at each other, and their forced calmness finally broke down in front of people they were familiar with.

They were nervous and scared.

Initially, they took sides and formed a group for their career prospects or because of their different political views.

However, as they take sides and participate in many events, the labels of their factions become increasingly distinct.

Later on, it no longer mattered what their original intentions were. They could no longer get rid of the labels on themselves and could only gather into one party.

At this time, Tang Shangzheng's cousin, Lingnan Yanshen, a former wealthy and powerful man, got acquainted with them again.

Yan Shen bought a mansion and often invited them to banquets, exchanged gifts, and sang poems...

After they learned of Yan Shen's true identity, they had no other choice but to follow Yan Shen.

Because of their interactions, the poems, songs, articles and letters they left in Yan Shen's hands have tied them and Yan Shen together.

Now they are standing on this palace tower. If they succeed today, they will be very successful and have a bright future.

Today's failure...

Since the restoration of the "Imperial Song Criminal Code", it has become a luxury to go into exile on the Qiongya Island.

Today is October 15th, the Lower Yuan Festival, which marks the transition between autumn and winter, cold and warm, old and new, sorrow and joy, life and death, the end and the beginning...

The feeling of having one foot in heaven and one foot in hell made their hearts beat especially fast.

Master Lu felt that his heartbeat had never been this fast on the night he entered the bridal chamber when he was seventeen years old...

……

In Suzhou City, Zhang Shuning, the imperial envoy, assistant minister of the Ministry of War, and acting governor of Lianghuai, was pacing restlessly in his headquarters.

He knew what day it was today, but he didn't know whether anything could be accomplished in Lin'an.

Because of this, he was much more worried than the people who were present at the scene.

His mission was simple, which was to firmly control the more than 100,000 troops in Lianghuai, maintain neutrality, and not act rashly.

The "day-changing plan" makes sense to the lower levels, but it is full of loopholes to the upper levels.

But that is not important. Throughout history, many major events were carried out under high-sounding slogans and under the banner of uprightness, which was nothing more than giving the world and future generations a reasonable sense of decency.

How many people above us are there who don't know the whole truth? But the truth is not important to these people.

The ordinary people in the halls are content with mediocrity, but those high-ranking officials with a sense of morality are always motivated to make decisions based on the weighed interests.

If the official dies suddenly.

If, King Jin committed suicide out of fear of punishment.

If, just after falling out with the Jin people, the Western Xia would sharpen their knives again.

If the more than 100,000 troops in Lianghuai, which are so close, have an unclear stance, and half of the three yamen imperial guards have been withdrawn.

If, at this time, a group of ministers in the court support the emergence of a crown prince with the most legitimate succession, and the eldest son of the current emperor is only thirteen years old, then who will own the country?
Many court officials should make a wise choice.

However, if the emperor was only killed without the subsequent series of conditions being created, it would be of no use.

However, with this series of conditions, it would be of no use if the emperor could not be killed.

Minister Zhang had already arrived in Lianghuai. After Li Xianzhong and Shao Hongyuan returned to Beijing to be awarded medals, he became the de facto person in charge of military power.

Now, it depends on whether Lin'an can go smoothly.

Today, the dragon is in conflict and the north is in disaster.

The God of Joy is due south, the God of Wealth is due south, and the God of Fortune is northwest.

It is suitable for meeting friends, praying, planting, burying and offering sacrifices.

Avoid building a stove, taking office, consecrating a house, praying for a child, and putting up a beam.

Minister Zhang, who had always respected ghosts and gods and kept his distance from them, was so extremely uneasy at this moment that he could only seek comfort from metaphysics.

The God of Joy is in the due south, which means there will be a big happy event in the south today.

Good for blessing, planting, burial...

Burying the old and replacing it with the new, this is also planting a new seedling for the Song Dynasty!

That’s right, today is a good day for me!
Minister Zhang analyzed the auspicious days and his anxious mood eased a little.

……

Mr. Qu Da hurried towards Chongxin Gate.

At this time, the emperor had arrived at Zongyang Palace. When the news reached the Chongxin Gate, the reviewing team, which had been waiting for a long time, immediately took action and marched into the city in formation. The auspicious time was calculated based on the time when they appeared in front of the main gate of Zongyang Palace.

Yang Yuan had already brought a group of wounded and veteran soldiers, and walked from Chongxin Gate to Zongyang Palace many times according to their speed, and calculated the exact time.

Therefore, at the estimated time, Yang Yuan gave an order, the dragon flag fluttered, Shao Hongyuan rode his horse and brandished his sword, and the army began to march into the city.

Walking in the front was the mighty and majestic imperial guards.

This team of theirs had never participated in the war in Lianghuai before, so each of them was wearing bright armor and looked very heroic.

The cavalrymen wore bright armor, had neatly-made saddles, and carried swords and shields.

He held a long lacquered spear with a red tassel in his hand, the silver steel tip of the spear flashing with cold light, his momentum was as shocking as mountains collapsing.

The red tassels of the infantrymen's helmets fluttered in the wind, the long spears and large shields in their hands were arranged in an orderly manner like a forest, and their footsteps were sonorous and slow like a forest of trees.

After them came the eight thousand elite soldiers who had just participated in the Battle of Lingbi.

Many of them were still wounded, but they had just experienced such a great battle, and each of them had taken several lives on their hands. That kind of awe-inspiring murderous aura was something that many of the imperial guards in the front army did not possess.

It is invisible to the naked eye, but everyone who sees this team can clearly feel that it is like a wisp of smoke rising into the sky, with great momentum.

Next is the veterans team.

In order not to disturb the people, this old army team was composed of veterans invited from Lin'an and areas within a day's journey from Lin'an.

The way many of them look now really doesn't seem to have anything to do with being a soldier.

Gray-haired, wrinkled, pot-bellied, staggering...

Their body shapes were all different, of different heights, weights and bodies, so that the discolored military uniforms they wore no longer fit them well.

As soon as they saw such a team, the people watching burst into laughter.

However, the laughter soon died down.

Those veterans, no matter what their body shape or age, even if their bodies have been issued military uniforms and the fat has been stretched out to highlight their features, they all hold their heads high and have solemn expressions.

Even though some people on the roadside were laughing loudly, their eyes did not move away at all. Instead, they held tightly their old friends, the swords and guns that had accompanied them in battle, and walked forward with firm steps.

That pious look seemed to be more childish than the hair on his lips. The new recruits who had never been to the battlefield seemed to be even more...

More youthful?
The laughter gradually died down, and the expressions of the onlookers gradually became solemn.

First came the new soldiers in bright uniforms, then the soldiers with torn uniforms, and then the old soldiers with gray hair...

Their three phalanxes seemed to have completed the life journey of a soldier.

Many literati look down on military men. After a career as a civil official, their final destination is to retire and return to their hometown, where they can enjoy a leisurely life among the mountains and forests and play with their grandchildren. But what about military men?

Everything you have was earned by them at the cost of their lives, so why do you despise warriors?
When the veterans' team marched forward, Yang Yuan signaled to Li Xianzhong, straightened his ceremonial sword, and rode his horse to catch up with the team.

He wore a ceremonial sword with a tiger skin sheath inlaid with gold and jade, and was very exquisite.

However, the blade is actually made of wood and gilded with silver.

At this moment, Yang Yuan was actually dressed as a civil official, not wearing armor as Li Fengniang had expected.

If Yang Yuan was in military uniform at this moment, it would irritate some people's fragile nerves.

And Yang Yuan's attire as a civil official met their expectations.

Yang Yuan did not insist on wearing military uniform. He wanted to establish the image of Song Dynasty soldiers. It did not necessarily mean to praise one and demote the other, or to suppress the momentum of civil officials.

The conflict between civil and military will inevitably lead to great trouble.

His purpose was to make the civil officials aware of the great contributions of the military men to the country, to respect and understand them, and to regard their glory as their own glory, rather than to confront each other sharply.

Li Xianzhong was in charge of the last captive surrender team. He nodded to Yang Yuan and solemnly watched Yang Yuan marching with the old army team. Then he drew his sword, pointed forward, and shouted in a deep voice: "Start, go!"

The team escorting the captured Jin soldiers followed the old army and slowly walked towards the Chongxin Gate.

When Mr. Qu Da hurried to Chongxin Gate, the mighty and majestic imperial guards had already entered the city.

The city gate was controlled by soldiers on guard and no one was allowed to enter or exit. Mr. Qu Da couldn't even squeeze to the city gate.

However, the vanguard had already entered the city, which meant that Yang Yuan would be here soon, so Mr. Qu Da had someone put him down and waited by the roadside.

"Yang Yuan! Yang Yuan!"

Suddenly seeing a big red robe among the military uniforms, Qu Jianlei immediately jumped up and shouted loudly.

Even amid the cheers of the onlookers, the storyteller's voice seemed unusually loud, even though it was a little hoarse due to nervousness.

Yang Yuan heard the shouting, turned his head, and quickly found Mr. Qu in the crowd.

Mr. Qu Da jumped up and down, holding up the hem of his robe, his face full of nervousness.

At this time, as the commander-in-chief of the military parade, Yang Yuan should not leave the team to chat with anyone on the side of the road.

However, Mr. Qu Da is also a soldier, so he should not be ignorant of the rules.

Moreover, he looked very anxious. Although it was already the beginning of winter, big beads of sweat were rolling down his forehead.

If it wasn't an extremely urgent matter, Mr. Qu would definitely not do this.

Yang Yuan's heart moved, and without caring about other people's expressions or the impeachment of the disciplinary officer afterwards, he turned his horse and rushed to the side of the road.

Yang Yuan pointed at the soldiers standing guard to isolate the onlookers and said in a deep voice: "Let him come over!"

Then, Yang Yuan jumped off the horse nimbly.

"Yang Yuan, I just received a message..."

Mr. Qu Da staggered over from between several imperial guards who had made way for him, grabbed Yang Yuan, and whispered a few words to him.

The famous prostitute Shui Fu disguised herself as a man, pretending to be a newly selected imperial guard, and sneaked into the palace to serve as garrison?

Yang Yuan's eyes narrowed, he turned around quickly, put his hand on the saddle, and landed lightly on it.

This handsome pose would have won applause even if it was performed by a military general, let alone a young civil servant in a red robe.

The people watching all around immediately cheered loudly.

Yang Yuan solemnly ordered the deputy general beside him: "You come to guard the formation, and continue forward."

After saying this, Yang Yuan straightened the ceremonial sword at his waist, turned his horse's head, and galloped forward.

(End of this chapter)