Outside Lin'an City, by the West Lake, on the official road in front of Fengle Tower.
The harsh winter has not yet passed, and the warm sun shines on the body, lazily, and there is a sense of thin spring clothes of youth. Some beautiful men and women who love beauty have already put on colorful brocade clothes and wandered on the West Lake.
"The warm breeze makes tourists drunk, and they think Hangzhou is Bianzhou. These dandies are already excited just after the Lantern Festival, and they can't wait to come to visit spring!"
A thin and muscular scholar in his twenties, of medium build, was carrying a baggage. He looked at the singing and laughter coming from the West Lake and shook his head in disdain.
His washed white gown and old boots on his feet all showed that he was a humble scholar.
The young scholar's name is Yu Jie, whose ancestral home is Qichun County, Qizhou, Huainan West Road. After the Song Dynasty moved south, his ancestors took their families to live in various places, and later returned to Qizhou to settle down.
Although Yu Jie's family was poor, he was talented and intelligent. He once studied at Bailudong Academy in Jiangxi, one of the four major academies. Now he is studying at Lin'an City Imperial College and sacrificed his life to study for an imperial college.
"Brother Yu, what a coincidence!"
On the official road, a scholar walked over. He was neatly dressed, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, full of heroism. He smiled and saluted Yu Jie.
"Brother Du Xian, I didn't expect you to arrive first!"
Yu Jie cupped her hands in salute and was also happy.
This man's name was Du Shu, he was also a student of Taixue, and he and Yu Jie were good friends of Taixue. His father, Du Gao, served as county magistrate in Jiangshan County, Quzhou Prefecture on the Liangzhe East Road. Yu Jie and Du Shu have been classmates for two years. They have similar interests and have a close friendship.
"Brother Yu, although the festival has passed, the fun has not diminished. Let's go in and have a drink."
Du Shu pulled Yu Jie and was about to walk to Fengle Building.
"Forget it, just make do outside. How much money do you have?"
Yu Jie was startled and quickly shook her head in refusal.
One meal at Fengle House would be his expenses for half a year. Even Du Shu, a son of an official, did not have the financial resources.
"Brother Yu, I'm treating you, and I don't want you to pay for it. What are you afraid of?"
Du Shu couldn't help but pull Yu Jie inside.
The cold winter is gone, and it is rare to see spring, bright scenery, and bright sunshine. We must not let go of our wonderful youth.
"As promised, it's your treat. However, when I become successful, I will definitely invite you to come every day!"
Yu Jie is very honest and does not forget to exaggerate.
"Okay, I'll remember it. When you become famous, you have to treat me every day."
Du Shu laughed. This classmate has great ambitions. Although he is now in decline, he has a bright mouth and never loses to others in terms of momentum.
"Brother, I see you are very happy. Is there something good that happened to you? Have you been discharged?"
Yu Jie suddenly became curious when she noticed that Du Shu's face was red and his mood was high. He seemed different from the past.
There are always some unexpected surprises when a new emperor ascends the throne.
"Brother Yu has a good eye. But it's not me who has been promoted, but my father who has been promoted."
Du Shu was young and straightforward. He couldn't hide what was in his heart and spoke out immediately.
"Uncle Du has been promoted, congratulations!"
Yu Jie nodded, feeling excited.
"Uncle Du is a great talent, but it's a pity that he is frustrated. Is this really a good time?"
He looked at Du Shu and tentatively said:
"Is my uncle promoted to the county magistrate of Jiangshan, or does he have another high position?"
Du Shu's father, Du Gao, served as the county magistrate of Jiangshan County. He wanted to go to the next level and become the county magistrate.
"According to my father, he will be appointed as the prefect of Yangzhou and the deputy envoy of Huaidong system, replacing Zhao Fan, the former prefect of Yangzhou who was demoted. Now, my father has gone to Beijing to meet the emperor."
The joy on Du Shu's face could not be hidden.
Zhao Fan, the former magistrate of Yangzhou, and Zhao Kui, the governor of Yangzhou, were dismissed by the emperor. The new Jiangnan East Road governor Wang Gang had some friendship with his father and recommended his father to the emperor to be appointed to Yangzhou. Unexpectedly, the trip actually happened.
"Yangzhou Magistrate! Huaidong system and deputy envoy! Uncle Du?"
Yu Jie was so shocked that her eyes almost fell out.
From a small inland county magistrate, he suddenly became a frontier official. This is really pie in the sky... all the hard work comes with joy!
"Okay, okay! The big roc rises with the wind in one day and soars up to ninety thousand miles. It is indeed a new dynasty and a new atmosphere! Today's people are thirsty for talents, and they are indeed a generation of sage kings!"
Yu Jie sighed repeatedly. He suddenly smiled and patted Du Shu on the shoulder.
"No wonder you want to invite me. I want to eat freely today, but I still get a month's salary from the governor of Yangzhou!"
"To be honest, brother Yu, the imperial decree has not yet come down, and there is no final conclusion. It is too early to say this. However, you can eat freely today, brother, I have enough control!"
Du Shu was bold and patted his chest.
"What a fuss! With Uncle Du's talent, if he can't fill the vacancy of Yangzhou Magistrate, no one in the world can be qualified! The emperor has just ascended the throne, and it is the time to appoint people. Uncle Du does his duty, so that I can follow suit in the future. Just put your heart back in your stomach. Come in!"
Yu Jie pointed at Du Shu and laughed:
"Don't worry, dear brother! Your invitation today will not be in vain. I bet you that Uncle Du will take office safely. Otherwise, I will invite you back twice!"
"Brother Yu, I can lend you some good words!"
Du Shu was also excited, and the two of them walked into the restaurant hand in hand.
"Brother Xian, have you noticed that Fengle Building seems a lot deserted?"
The two came in and sat down. Yu Jie looked around and said curiously.
The New Year's Eve Festival has just passed, and those slutty men and women should have all come out to let loose. On normal days, Fengle Building would already be bustling with people.
Now that I think about it, there seem to be far fewer promiscuous men and promiscuous women playing on the West Lake, and they are also much deserted.
"It seems to be much quieter. Even the chirping of birds and crickets is gone. It's much cleaner!"
Du Shu laughed heartlessly.
"It really is!"
Yu Jie looked around and felt a little surprised.
"Brother Yu, it's nothing. Maybe it's some new policy from the court, but it's not a bad thing after all."
Du Shu's unintentional words were immediately picked up by the waiter who served tea.
"Old official, you are right. The imperial court has promulgated a series of new laws and regulations, strictly prohibiting bird fighting, cricket fighting, and foot binding. Even tea fighting is prohibited! If this continues, the restaurant's business will collapse! "
The waiter shook his head and complained. Yu Jie and Du Shu both opened their eyes wide.
It turned out to be a law promulgated by the imperial court. No wonder the restaurant became much quieter, with no birds chirping or crickets chirping.
"Man, the court prohibits bird and cricket fighting. This doesn't seem to have much to do with your restaurant business."
Du Shu thought for a moment and asked curiously.
Fighting birds and crickets are usually held in fixed places and are rarely placed in restaurants. It seems to have no impact on the restaurant business.
"Two high-ranking officials, it seems that you really don't know something. The imperial court also issued a decree to build the Jinling Lecture Hall and the Jinling University Hall in Jinling. The Jinling Lecture Hall has the emperor as its principal and recruits more than a thousand students. As for the Jinling University Hall, it is for training future officials, and most of the children of Lin'an City's rich and powerful have been driven in. Do you think the restaurant's business will be good?"
The waiter's complaint made both Yu Jie and Du Shu open their eyes wide.
"Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall, more than a thousand people, officials...the emperor is the principal..."
Yu Jie's heart was beating wildly, the hand holding the tea cup was shaking, and some tea spilled out.
Such a big thing has happened in Lin'an City, and he is still immersed in history. How stupid is he!
"No wonder it's so deserted! All the rich and powerful people in Lin'an City have gone to Jinling. Your restaurant business is going to be worse than before!"
Du Shu reacted from the shock and snorted coldly, feeling a little gloating about his misfortune.
Fengle Tower is so famous and expensive that he, the county magistrate, can only visit it a few times a year, let alone ordinary people.
"However, apart from those dandy men, there are also so many officials, and there are so many forbidden troops, so your restaurant business won't be so deserted, right?"
Du Shu rolled his eyes and asked again.
"Officials, you really don't know anything!"
A guest at the next table picked up the conversation.
"Half of the Forbidden Army around Lin'an City has been sent to the border. In addition to the screened out old, weak, sick and disabled, and the vacant positions, the number of Forbidden Army around Lin'an City is now less than 40%. The emperor went to Jiangnan East Road to implement it Many merchants got wind of the New Deal and went to Jinling one after another. This is not a good sign!"
After the guest finished speaking, his companion continued:
"I heard that the emperor advocates frugality and strictly prohibits extravagance and excessive eating and drinking. The ladies in the palace all wear coarse clothes. The imperial court has also established an anti-corruption department to investigate corruption. You said that those corrupt officials dare to come out and show off in the market. ?"
The words of the two guests made Yu Jie and Du Shu stay speechless for a long time.
In less than two months, the imperial court has undergone such great changes.
The Jinling Martial Arts School and the Naval Academy were the three main priorities of the new official's appointment. The new emperor was going to flex his muscles and improve his military preparedness.
Jiangnan East Road implements a new policy, what kind of new policy? is that true?
"This new emperor is not allowed to be called an official. He brings the "Sword of Song Dynasty" to the court and removes those big headscarves. He is really a powerful emperor!"
Some guests shook their heads, and the topic turned to Zhao Hong again.
"That's not the case! I heard that the emperor punched, kicked, slashed and stabbed those scoundrels Shi Miyuan until their blood flowed all over the ground, and beat Shi Miyuan until he was half dead. This new emperor is very powerful!"
The guest's eyes were full of surprise and envy.
"Shi Miyuan, this thief, has brought disaster to the country and the people. He has made people angry and miserable, and now he has finally received his retribution. He deserves it!"
Another customer scolded him fiercely.
Yu Jie and Du Shu both had swaying hearts. The new emperor is wise and brave, full of courage, which is amazing.
"The new emperor was still too soft-hearted and did not kill all the historians and uproot them. And Zhao Guicheng, the heir of King Yi, was so delusional that he was not a good thing! In the end, he became a prince and went to Ningguo County to fiefdom. I really can't figure it out. !”
"If you ask me, the worst thing is that Queen Mother Yang. She is full of bad intentions, colludes with Shi Miyuan, and ends up doing nothing!"
"Keep your voice down! If an official hears it, he'll have to walk around without food!"
"What are you afraid of? Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, can Shi Miyuan change the world? In a few days, this old thief will be beheaded!"
There was a burst of noise among everyone talking, and then several officials walked in, including female officials. They climbed up the stairs and entered the pavilion, wandered around for a while, looked at everyone carefully, gave instructions to the waiter, and then turned around and left.
"What are these soap officials doing?"
Du Shu asked curiously.
"What else can you do? Investigate cockfights, cricket fights, and tea fights. Anyone who gambles will be arrested. Those female officials specialize in investigating women's foot-binding, and the fines are huge! After repeated investigations, no one can let the business go. Done?"
The waiter muttered angrily.
Du Shu and Yu Jie looked at each other and smiled.
This move of the New Deal seems to be really disturbing to the people. But the malaise in Lin'an City needs to be rectified. Arrogance, extravagance and depression are not what Qingming politics should be like.
"I hope this is not just a show, a superficial taste."
Du Shu shook his head and said with emotion.
The court of the Song Dynasty was full of chaos, and any strange thing could happen. I hope that the new emperor’s new policy can be sustained.
