In February of the first year of Xingqing, Jiankang Mansion, Jinling City, Tianjin Bridge.
Tianjin Bridge, as the name suggests, was the ferry crossing where the emperor passed. Because the north of the bridge was the original palace of the Six Dynasties, it was called this.
In the south of Tianjin Bridge, Yu Street faces north and south. There are many shops and restaurants along the street, and there is an endless stream of pedestrians.
In Zhuangyuanfang, a restaurant facing the street, on the big table by the window on the first floor, Zhang Zhengsi and Wang Gui, the Imperial Army officers from Lin'an City, sat around the table and talked while eating.
"Third brother, the prosperity of Jinling City is no worse than that of Lin'an City!"
Gao Hu swallowed a piece of meat pie, picked up the tea cup, and drank it down.
"There is a large-scale mobilization of the imperial guards in front of the palace. More than half of the imperial guards have gone to other places. Add in the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall and the Jinling University Hall. Think about it, how many people are missing in Lin'an City. Of course it is not as good as before!"
Fang Hai said slowly, eating slowly.
Everyone did not drink. This was Zhang Zhengsi's personal confession, and everyone was accustomed to it. After being a member of the forbidden army for several months, after some training, everyone became more presentable and well-behaved.
Of course, a man relies on his clothes and a horse relies on his saddle. Everyone now wore imperial armor and wide robes with large sleeves. They were all fierce and powerful, adding a bit of elegance. Who would have thought that a year ago, these seven people were still rogue idlers in Lin'an City, and there was no tomorrow for them.
Who can explain the fate of life clearly?
"In my opinion, Lin'an City is full of wooden houses. There are too many people and the houses are too dense. Now there are a lot less people, which is a good thing. If there is a fire, it will be easier to control. I hope Jinling City is not like this."
When he mentioned the dense housing in Lin'an City, Wang Gui shook his head.
There have been many fires in Lin'an City, and each time they were shocking, extremely destructive and difficult to control.
Everyone nodded in agreement and agreed with Wang Gui's argument.
"Third brother, I see that the young people walking around on the street, carrying knives and guns, have different accents. I'm afraid these people are all here to take the Jinling Martial Arts Examination!"
Du Er looked out the window and said with interest.
Zhang Zhengsi smiled slightly and nodded, but did not say a word.
The emperor founded the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall and announced it to the world. The ambitious young people from all walks of life in the Song Dynasty probably did not want to miss it.
It’s no wonder that young people from all over the country are flocking to Jinling City to try their luck.
"I didn't think what the emperor said before, but now I found out after entering this restaurant that those who can come in to eat and drink are either rich or noble. Those ordinary people, not many people come in. No wonder the emperor wants to implement the New Deal, just to control these bad guys. of!"
Wang Gui suddenly let out a sigh.
While working as a guard in Yujin Garden, Wang Gui often heard interesting anecdotes about the emperor, and Wang Gui was also infected.
"Ordinary people don't have enough to eat. How can they have the money to come in to eat and drink? Even if they come in, they will be kicked out by these guys who look down on others!"
Du San picked up the tea cup angrily, his fingers trembling slightly.
Many people don't even have land and can only work as sharecroppers. Those powerful officials have so much land that they can't finish their cultivation, but it is left uncultivated. How can it be unreasonable for them to do this!
"It wasn't because you were brave enough to fight Du Yanei that your second brother took you to flee to Lin'an City. If it weren't for the third brother's care, both you and Du Er would have starved to death in the winter! After entering the martial arts hall , but you have to be honest and don’t cause trouble again!”
Wang Gui's eyes widened and he unceremoniously lifted Du San's shorts.
Du San's face was red and his ears were red, and he was sullen and silent. Fang Hai quickly changed the topic.
"Everything is fine now. The emperor has exempted the people from excessive taxes and miscellaneous taxes, and he also wants to punish these corrupt officials. Only by arresting these guys can the world be at peace and the people can have enough to eat!"
"Wang Gui is right. Today is different from the past. Everything has passed."
Du Er glanced at his younger brother, then turned to Zhang Zhengsi, again respectfully.
"Third brother, I heard that the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall has an exam. Do you think we can go in?"
Zhang Zhengsi had saved his brother's life, and now he was helping his brother to succeed. He could not repay this kindness.
Du Er felt uneasy, and everyone looked at Zhang Zhengsi together.
These people are more than brave, but they are always lacking in literacy. The Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall is going to take an assessment, and I don’t know if I can pass it.
"It's enough to be able to read and write. You're not taking part in the imperial examination, so don't worry. Your Majesty asked the army to recommend 200 people, and we brothers were all specially appointed by His Majesty. When the time came for the assessment, the examiners saw that they were the Forbidden Army, and then they saw that they were just a few of us. , I understand in my heart.”
Zhang Zhengsi looked at everyone and said seriously:
"You all have a vicious look, and you are not a good person at first glance. What are you afraid of? This is a martial arts hall, and it is not about who is handsome or who has a fair face. The emperor's golden words, what are you afraid of!"
Everyone was startled, and then burst into laughter.
The emperor will never forget Conglong's merits, and he will have a say if he is given the opportunity.
"That's right, it doesn't matter even if you fail the exam. At worst, you can follow Zhou Guojiu and Xu Daguan to catch corrupt officials. That's not a bad job!"
Gao Hu laughed happily.
"That's right! Uncle Zhou Guo and Daguan Xu are our own people too!"
"No matter what, brothers will have something to eat!"
Everyone nodded, and everyone was smiling.
"Let me remind you, don't get carried away. Don't think that you are a hero and take credit for yourself. That would be bad. Don't think about it. If it weren't for the emperor and third brother, what would we still be doing? Would we have everything we have today?"
Wang Gui reminded everyone seriously.
Immediately, everyone at the table fell silent.
"Brother Gui, don't worry, I know everything about my brothers and I won't let Third Brother bother!"
Du San immediately intervened and changed the topic.
"Third brother, I heard that the Jinling Martial Arts Hall is recruiting female students. Do you know about this?"
Female students!
Du San's words made everyone's eyes focus on Zhang Zhengsi.
"That's what happened. Because of this, His Majesty was very dissatisfied with Minister Wei, saying that he was an old man and didn't know how to adapt!"
Zhang Zhengsi lowered his voice and said.
Zhao Hong set out from Lin'an City and headed north to Jinling. He and Tian Yi followed him closely. Zhao Hong allowed the martial arts hall to recruit female students, and he knew about it earlier than everyone else.
"Old Antique doesn't know that before long, his two precious children will enter the martial arts hall!"
Du San was mysterious, with a look of gloating on his face.
That day Wei Sisi told him to "meet in Jinling". Later, he saw that Wei Sisi often went to Yujin Garden and went to Jinling Martial Arts Hall to recruit women. Everything was taken for granted.
Zhang Zhengsi was stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly.
That Wei Sisi was so close to Tian Yi and often came to practice horseback riding and archery. She must have wanted to enter the martial arts hall.
As for Wei Liaoweng's son Wei Jinyu, he was a well-known dandy in Lin'an City. It was beyond Zhang Zhengsi's expectation that he could apply for the martial arts hall.
"The martial arts hall recruits women. Your Majesty is really different!"
Wang Gui said it sincerely, whether it was a compliment or a criticism.
"His Majesty abolished the status of official prostitutes and allowed women to apply for the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall. He also enacted the anti-corruption law on Jiangnan East Road. They are all closely linked and have profound meaning!"
Fang Hai turned the tea cup in his hand, and there was something in his words.
"Your Majesty is a holy master of the generation, a courteous and virtuous corporal, who loves the people as his son. It is not easy for officials and prostitutes to be in dire straits. His Majesty is good at governance. However, your Majesty is far-sighted and sees every step he takes. How can we guess his thoughts?"
Mentioning Zhao Hong, Zhang Zhengsi couldn't help but feel in awe.
Some people are like this, which can make people admire them involuntarily, and they are willing to go through fire and water for them without hesitation.
This is the case with today's Emperor Zhao Hong of the Song Dynasty.
"The emperor had just ascended the throne. In just three months, he abolished the status of official prostitutes, banned cockfighting and cricket footbinding, established an anti-corruption department, established the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall and the Naval Academy, and implemented the New Deal on Jiangnan East Road. All these and other drastic measures Abolition of bad government can be regarded as the work of a generation of holy masters."
Fang Hai also looked solemn and sighed sincerely.
"Fang Hai is right! Just like the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall, there is a cavalry department, an infantry department, an artillery department, a navy department, a medical department, etc. Just talk about the artillery department, those artillery, one by one. It’s mounted on the boat and looks majestic. My mouth is watering all the way!”
Gao Guoshou said excitedly, beaming with joy.
The artillery was transported from Shaoxing to Lin'an and then to Jinling, all by water. Except for Zhang Zhengsi, everyone is a follower.
"Guoshou, you have been practicing artillery in Yujin Park. It seems that you are going to apply for the artillery department!"
Du Er laughed.
"I listen to Third Brother. Brothers together are better than anything else!"
Gao Guoshou was categorical and unambiguous.
"Yes, we all listen to Third Brother!"
Fang Hai also smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Brothers, listen to me."
Everyone spoke one after another, and Zhang Zhengsi pressed his hands slightly to keep the brothers quiet.
"What Wang Gui said just now is right. Our brothers are here today and can enter the Jinling Martial Arts Hall, all because of the emperor's grace. Brothers should cherish it and never take it for granted, let alone be arrogant. The emperor can ascend the throne because of his strategizing. , we worked it out ourselves, we are just taking advantage of His Majesty’s help. Do you understand?”
Everyone nodded. The emperor had already prepared a plan to kill everyone in the Forbidden Palace. I wasn't following the right person. I was still cheating and abducting him in Lin'an City. He might have been jailed or died on the streets.
"Brothers, many people can't even dream of such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. His Majesty thinks highly of us, Corporal Courtesy, and we have to do our best to repay His Majesty's kindness. This is the foundation of life. Brothers don't study much. In the Jinling Martial Arts Hall, you must seize the opportunity, learn more and practice more. As for which subject to study, it is entirely up to the brothers' volition. Anyway, it is all about making achievements, so you can apply for any subject!"
Zhang Zhengsi looked at the brothers and said seriously:
"Brothers, you can choose what you want to sign up for. Don't worry about me. But let me declare in advance that I want to sign up for the Infantry Division. No reason, because in the end it is the infantry that resolves the battle."
Zhang Zhengsi told Wang Gui frankly and everyone immediately became active.
"Third brother, brothers, I like artillery, and I will sign up for the artillery department!"
Gao Guoshou said embarrassedly. He liked to practice artillery, and it was good to practice artillery in Yujin Park, so he decided to apply for the artillery department.
"Very good! China Life goes to the artillery section. Fang Hai, Du San, where are you?"
Zhang Zhengsi glanced at Fang Hai and Du San.
"Third brother, I want to apply for the Navy Department!"
"Third brother, like Fang Hai, I also want to go to the Navy Department!"
Fang Hai and Du Sansan said one after another.
"Third brother, I'm going to the cavalry department!"
"Third brother, I will follow Brother Gui, and I will also go to the cavalry department!"
Gao Hu and Wang Gui immediately became good at martial arts, and as expected they would apply for the cavalry department.
"Third brother, it seems that you and I are the only ones who share the same interests and end up alone in the infantry department."
Du Er laughed.
Zhang Zhengsi smiled and said:
"When you get to the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall, you can no longer call Du Er and Du San, and ask for your own name. Du Er is Du Hui, and Yu Yu has a good heart. Even though he died nine times, he still has no regrets. Du San is Du Xian , worry about the world first, dare to be the first for the world. Brothers, please remember."
"Remember! Third brother!"
"Third brother, never forget it!"
The Du brothers nodded repeatedly, and Du Er's eyes became moist.
"Okay! It will get better in the future! It's getting better now!"
Zhang Zhengsi patted Du Er's shoulder and said warmly.
People at the bottom don’t deserve names, and they don’t have the confidence to shout. Now that all the hardships have come to an end, I feel upright and upright when I call it out.
After eating and drinking, Zhang Zhengsi and others left, chatting and laughing, and went straight to the Jinling Lecture Hall.
The young scholar at the next table who was disguised as a man quickly stood up. She had heard clearly what Zhang Zhengsi and others said just now. She paid the bills quickly, looked around carefully, and kept up with Zhang Zhengsi and others from a distance.
