It was the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month in the twenty-eighth year of Tiansheng, and there were five days before New Year’s Eve.
At this time, the imperial court had already had a holiday. The Song Dynasty was different from other dynasties. Other dynasties usually took holidays after New Year's Eve, but the Song Dynasty generally started their annual holidays as early as the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month.
Except for the Bianjing Mansion Yamen and the Five City Military and Horse Division that patrolled the city, which needed to be maintained, the other Yamen in the Song Dynasty were sealed and closed.
But just by such a coincidence, the ship transporting Ding Nie finally came along the Bianhe River today.
No one was alerted when they entered the city, and the secret guards quietly brought the people into the palace.
When Zhao Jun saw this "old friend" in the imperial garden, it was already approaching noon.
Zhao Jun simply asked someone to take Ding Nie to the Spring Breeze Pavilion in Taihe Pond.
Here, the imperial dining room prepared a table of good meals and sent them over.
Zhao Jun himself took Wang Huai'en to the Spring Breeze Pavilion first.
It’s freezing cold in Taihe Lake in winter.
In the summer, the pond was full of lotus flowers. At this time, only a few dead branches and leaves were left standing.
The water surface is already frozen.
Zhao Jun and Wang Huaien sat quietly at the Spring Breeze Pavilion in the center of the lake. Occasionally, a cold wind blew by, and the biting cold air suddenly brought the chill.
However, steam has already risen in the Spring Breeze Pavilion, dissipating the oncoming chill.
Four stoves were placed around, burning and emitting heat.
On the stone table in the middle of the Chunfeng Pavilion, hot water was boiling on a charcoal stove. On the table next to it was a set of the best mutton fat and field jade tea sets.
At this moment, Zhao Jun was slowly picking up the jade pot and pouring tea into one of the jade cups.
In an instant, smoke rose and the aroma of tea filled the air.
The aroma of tea is refreshing and adds a sense of warmth.
"Well, this tea is good. What's its name?"
Zhao Jun took a sip of tea. The taste was mellow and sweet. Zhao Jun nodded with satisfaction, and then asked about the name of the tea.
Wang Huai'en, who was waiting next to him, immediately replied: "Your Majesty, this is Enshi Yulu, a famous tea in northern Hunan that was recovered by Feiyun Trading Company in northern Hunan. If your Majesty likes it, I will order them to send more to the palace every year. "
Taking another sip, Zhao Jun nodded with satisfaction and said calmly: "Not bad, let them send more to the palace."
"promise!"
Wang Huaien quickly agreed.
"Oh, by the way, where are Ding Nie and the others?"
Zhao Jun put down the tea cup and asked again.
Wang Huai'en looked at the sky and then replied: "I entered the palace half an hour ago. Logically speaking, it should be here soon. How about? My servant will hurry up again?"
But at this moment, Zhao Jun raised his eyes and glanced at the passage connecting Chunfeng Pavilion to the shore, then shook his head and said lightly:
"No need, people are already here."
It turned out that at the end of the passage, a big Han general was already escorting Ding Nie, who was in a state of embarrassment, walking towards this side.
Seeing the target coming, Zhao Jun immediately told Wang Huaien: "Wang Banban."
Wang Huaien immediately replied: "Your Majesty, my servant is here!"
"Light the fire!"
"promise!"
Wang Huaien responded and immediately ordered the palace attendants to light the wood piled on one side of the passage. He also specially placed a circle of wind-blocking bricks around the wood.
After the tinder was ignited, a raging fire broke out on the ice.
At this moment, two Han generals had escorted Ding Nie to the Spring Breeze Pavilion in the center of Taihe Pond.
Looking at Ding Nie, who used to be richly dressed in fine clothes, now he was only wearing a thin inner garment. His whole body was dirty and messy, as if it hadn't been cleaned for a long time, and it still exuded a strange smell. However, Zhao Jun just sat calmly. Looking at him from his position, he said calmly:
"Lieutenant Ding, long time no see."
Ding Nie, who had been dragged all the way, raised his head when he heard the sound and saw Zhao Jun's face in front of him. His eyes that were originally dull suddenly ignited with raging anger and he began to struggle.
"Zhao Jun, kid! I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you, and it's all you! It's all you who caused me to end up like this today, I'm going to kill you!"
Ding Nie struggled desperately, but the food that had only been provided to him for many days to prevent him from starving to death left him with no strength to break away from the two strong generals.
Zhao Jun just watched him struggling there quietly without saying a word until Ding Nie gradually lost his strength and could no longer shout.
Then he waved his hand and said: "Let him go."
The two Han generals suddenly looked at each other, wondering whether they should let this dangerous prisoner go in front of His Majesty.
However, at this time, Zhao Jun raised his head and stared at them coldly, saying word by word: "I said, let him go!"
The two of them did not dare to hesitate anymore and immediately released their hands controlling Ding Nie and resigned.
Ding Nie, who had no strength left, collapsed on the ground, his eyes still staring fiercely at Zhao Jun in front of him, but he had no strength to curse anymore.
Zhao Jun glanced at him and then said:
"Tired of scolding? Then get up and have a cup of tea. Don't waste the best gifts and jade dew."
After that, without waiting for Wang Huaien to take action, he personally picked up the jade pot and poured a full cup of tea into the teacup, and then pushed it to the opposite side of the table.
Ding Nie gritted his teeth and used the last strength of his body to get up. He reluctantly sat on the stone bench and picked up the tea. He ignored the boiling water and drank it in one gulp. His eyes were still staring at Zhao Jun fiercely.
The tea was poured into his throat, which warmed his dry throat, and he was finally able to make a sound again.
"Zhao Jun, what on earth do you want to do?!"
Ding Nie asked coldly.
Zhao Jun, however, remained calm, reaching out to grab the empty tea cup from his hand and filling it up again, then pushed it back and said calmly:
"What do I want to do? Haha, I don't want to do anything.
Captain Ding, how many years has it been since we last saw each other? "
Ding Nie couldn't figure out what Zhao Jun meant, but after recalling it he replied:
"It has been more than five years since you got married and returned to the fiefdom in October of the 23rd year of Tiansheng."
"More than five years!"
Zhao Jun's eyes were full of memories and his tone was full of emotion.
"Five years ago, I was just a local vassal king. I couldn't even return to the capital without a decree, but you, Ding Nie, were a powerful Taiwei of the Song Dynasty. The head of the military attache controlled most of the military power of the Song Dynasty. You were so majestic!
Even I, at that time, my war horse was snatched away by you, and you only received a painless punishment in the end.
What kind of person was the Taiwei back then?
However, five years later, I became the emperor, and Taiwei Ding became my prisoner.
People and things are also different.
Time has passed, the world has changed, and the unexpected things in the world are really confusing, are you right? Captain Ding? "
Listening to Zhao Jun's words, Ding Nie gritted his teeth and snorted:
"Zhao Jun, if you want to kill me, just do it directly. Don't humiliate me here with your words!"
Zhao Jun slowly turned the tea cup in his hand without looking at Ding Nie, as if saying to himself:
"How could I be humiliating Taiwei Ding?
How powerful Taiwei Ding is. He colluded with the Xiongnu and broke through the internal barriers. He made everyone unstoppable along the way and even broke through our imperial capital of Bianjing.
The Ding family is really powerful. They single-handedly destroyed most of the Song Dynasty. Who dares not to admit the power of the Ding family! "
"Zhao Jun, what do you mean?"
Perhaps because he had some strength after drinking two cups of tea, Ding Nie slapped the table and stood up, looked angrily at Zhao Jun and asked.
Zhao Jun took a leisurely sip of the fragrant tea in the cup, leaned back, and fell on the specially brought armchair and said calmly:
"What can I mean? I'm just helping Taiwei to recall Ding Taiwei's great achievements."
"You..." (End of Chapter)
