In the second year of Xingqing of the Song Dynasty, spring was warm and flowers were blooming, Jiangnan East Road, Jinling City.
The enrollment of the second phase of the Jinling Martial Arts Hall is on schedule. Compared with the rush of the first phase, the enrollment of the second phase is much more orderly and leisurely.
Due to the good publicity in the newspapers, the local officials had plenty of time, and the first batch of Zhu Yu was in front, unlike the first batch of students who were mostly noble children, the number of common people in the second batch increased significantly.
At the gate of Jinling Martial Arts Hall, Zhang Yaozu, the failed candidate, reluctantly looked at the teaching field and school building inside the iron gate, turned his head, sighed, shook his head and walked back.
How come you didn't pass the exam?
Until now, Zhang Yaozu is still a little confused.
In the thirteenth year of Jiading, there were frequent wars in Shandong. Their parents had no choice but to take their brothers and sisters south, and they moved around south of Yangzhou in the Song Dynasty. Now five years later, his father died of illness due to overwork, leaving him, his mother and two younger siblings to depend on each other.
The Zhang family studied farming and passed down the family. Although they wandered all the way, they never gave up reading and writing. Coupled with the good marksmanship passed down from his father, Zhang Yaozu was considered to be both civil and military although he did not take the imperial examination.
Who knows, he still lost the election!
I don’t know how to face my mother when I return to Yangzhou?
When I came to take the exam at Jinling Martial Arts Hall, I still had to scrape together money and borrow money. How will you repay so much money after you go back? How should the family's life continue?
Are you still going to work as a coolie on the dock in Yangzhou?
Why didn't I pass the exam? Is it because I am not strong enough, or because I have a Shandong accent?
Before applying for the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall, he was extremely enthusiastic. Now that he has failed and returned to the cold reality, he has to experience the warmth and coldness of human relationships again.
Zhang Yaozu's heart was filled with frustration.
A carriage stopped on the street, just in front of Zhang Yaozu who was hunched forward. The curtain of the sedan immediately opened, and the fair and cold face of a young man in his twenties was revealed.
"Hey, you are quite good, do you want to find something to do?"
"A high official is looking for me?"
Zhang Yaozu looked at the carriage in surprise. The young man was dressed in rich clothes and had an extraordinary bearing. The guards around the carriage were all fierce and brave, carrying knives and swords. At first glance, they were not ordinary people.
"I think you are quite tall and have some strength. Do you want to be a servant in my house?"
The young man spoke coldly and looked Zhang Yaozu up and down.
"Servant? Dare I ask which family the official belongs to? How much is his monthly salary?"
Zhang Yaozu's heart moved and he asked immediately.
Judging from his appearance, this young man is no ordinary person. Working as his servant might earn him a lot of money. Wait until next spring, and you can continue to take the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall exam, killing two birds with one stone.
"Don't worry, your salary is indispensable. If you are willing, just keep up!"
After the young man finished speaking, he lowered the sedan curtain and the carriage continued to move forward.
Zhang Yaozu hesitated slightly and ran to keep up.
He is a poor and rough man, what do others want from him?
The carriage left the east city gate and headed northeast, apparently heading straight for Zhongshan Mountain.
Zhang Yaozu ran and followed him all the way. Since he had practiced martial arts since he was a child and worked hard for a long time, he could keep up.
As the carriage moved forward, the number of pedestrians on the official road gradually became less and less. Zhang Yaozu was suspicious and asked a guard beside the carriage.
"Brother, may I ask where our mansion is?"
This young man's mansion seems to be built on a mountain?
Could it be said that this is really a simple and powerful family?
"Why are you asking so many questions? You'll find out when you get there!"
The guard said coldly and ran forward without squinting or panting.
Zhang Yaozu took a look at the running guards. They were all dark and tough, with strong steps, and even their running postures were exactly the same.
Zhang Yaozu looked at the surroundings. The valley was undulating, and it seemed that he had reached the middle of the mountain. Not far away, a house next to the post road was clearly visible. There was a post every three steps and a sentry every five steps at the door. They were all fierce men with guns and weapons. .
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the house, and the words "Banshan Garden" were clearly visible on the plaque on the Zhumen Gate. The young man got off the carriage and walked straight to the house.
"Forgive me, sir, but I still have urgent matters at home, so I won't go."
Zhang Yaozu smiled apologetically, clasped his fists in salute, then turned around and left.
Banshan Garden, which was the residence of Prime Minister Wang Anshi at that time, is seven miles east of Jinling City and seven miles away from Zhongshan Peak. It is exactly halfway, hence the name "Banshan". Wang Anshi lived here for 20 years and was buried here after his death.
He had been here a few months ago, and it had long been abandoned and deserted. There are so many strong men wielding knives and guns, all of them menacing, they can't be bandits gathering in the mountains and forests, right?
When it's time to cut it off, it's better to get out of the body as soon as possible.
"Zhang Yaozu, don't you want to enter the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall?"
Zhang Yaozu was startled by the young man's cold words, stopped, turned around, and widened his eyes.
How does he know his name? How did he know that he wanted to enter the Jinling Martial Arts Hall?
"Don't look at it. This is a branch of the Jinling Martial Arts Hall. If you want to make contributions, just come in with me."
After the young man finished speaking, he turned around and stepped into the door.
Zhang Yaozu was greatly shocked, he no longer hesitated, ran forward, and kept up.
"Zhang Yaozu, 20 years old, is from Linyi, Shandong Province. He only has his mother, brother and sister left in his family. He has lived in Yangzhou for a long time and his life is in embarrassment."
In a room in the house, the young man read Zhang Yaozu's information carefully and whispered.
"Zhang Yaozu, you are both civil and military and have a flexible mind. It's not that you didn't pass the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall, it's because the imperial court needs you to do top-secret things and you have other important uses. Are you willing?"
The young man looked at the confused Zhang Yaozu and briefly introduced himself.
"I won't hide it from you. My name is Zhou Ping, and I am in charge of the Anti-Corruption Department of the Song Dynasty. From now on, whatever you do, you will report to me alone."
This Zhang Yaozu is alert enough to be able to detect the inappropriateness of "Banshan Garden" and does not follow blindly. He is a good piece of material.
"You are today..."
Zhang Yaozu looked at Zhou Ping in surprise, and his words stopped abruptly.
The anti-corruption department has a well-known name, and everyone knows that its chief executive is the uncle of the current dynasty. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be the young man in front of me.
Zhang Yaozu felt a little proud. It turned out that he had already been admitted to the Jinling Martial Arts School!
"That's right! The emperor asked me to preside over the Anti-Corruption Department. One of the secret tasks is to establish the Song Dynasty Intelligence Department to select talents for the country, remove the impurities and filth of the court, and share the emperor's worries."
Zhou Ping made no secret and told the truth.
Zhao Hong once told him about the role of intelligence. An important piece of information can be worth thousands of troops, and the emperor also values intelligence matters.
Now that all matters in the Anti-Corruption Department are on track, and Xu Liang is in charge of the overall situation, he can focus on the Intelligence Department. Not only can it be deployed overseas, but it can also control military movements and public opinion in the government and the public for the emperor.
The Imperial City Department has been abolished, so let the Intelligence Department under the Anti-Corruption Department take charge of the overall situation.
"Ms. Zhou, can I go to the Jinling Martial Arts Hall? I don't want to go to the Intelligence Department."
Zhang Yaozu was cautious and observed his words.
"Absolutely not!"
Zhou Ping looked at Zhang Yaozu with cold eyes.
"Zhang Yaozu, to tell you the truth, after entering the Banshan Garden, it is no longer possible to go to the Jinling Martial Arts Hall. Just train with peace of mind and worry about the country. However, I want to hear the reason why you don't want to stay."
"Xiangong Zhou, I'm telling you the truth. I want to teach martial arts, fight with iron horses, and fight on the battlefield. I don't want to hang out among the people, observing official affairs and private affairs. I'm afraid that I can't do those trivial things well."
Zhang Yaozu couldn't help but reported everything.
Zhang Yaozu, he just wanted to make great achievements and honor his ancestors. He asked himself that he didn't have much interest in being a government bastard who made trouble for the people all day long.
"Zhang Yaozu, I underestimated you."
Zhou Ping nodded appreciatively, with a hint of appreciation in his eyes.
"Going into battle to kill the enemy is to serve the country, and lurking to obtain local intelligence is also to make meritorious deeds. The two goals are the same. As for private secret service, you underestimated the Intelligence Department. What's more, after entering the gate of Banshan Garden, you are already a big official. Soldiers of the Song Dynasty. Soldiers take obedience to orders as their bounden duty and there is no such thing as bargaining."
"Mr. Zhou, why me? What should I do?"
Zhou Ping's words made Zhang Yaozu blush and asked quickly.
It seemed that he was going to work in enemy territory, not to check public opinion as he imagined.
Besides, not everyone who enters the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall will go to the battlefield, as there are still so many late-stage personnel. They come, the security. In this case, he could only accept the current reality.
"Zhang Yaozu, you have good skills and a flexible mind. More importantly, you can speak Shandong dialect. You should also be lucky that you can speak Shandong dialect yourself. Otherwise, how could you have been lurking in the north? You have to know , there are many students in Jinling Martial Arts Hall who are better skilled and more flexible than you."
Zhou Ping's words made Zhang Yaozu silent for a moment, and then he continued to ask:
"Mr. Zhou, how long will it take for me to lurk in the north? What will happen to my family?"
Lurking, needless to say, means going to the north to hide incognito and wait for opportunities.
I don’t know, is it the Kingdom of Jin or the Land of Two Rivers under Tatar control?
"I don't know how long it will take. When the Song Dynasty King's Northern Expedition to Yanyun is completed, your mission will be over. As for your family, you don't have to worry. Your family's living expenses will be paid for by the imperial court."
Zhou Ping made no secret and told everything.
The imperial court will bear all living expenses for the whole family!
Zhang Yaozu nodded, feeling much more at ease.
During the Northern Expedition to Yanyun, needless to say, he was going to lurk in Lianghe.
"Mr. Zhou, it's a deal. I agree."
The dignified uncle of Song Dynasty seemed to have no need to lie to himself.
As long as the family no longer endures hunger and hardship, it doesn't seem to matter what he does.
Seeing Zhang Yaozu's reaction, Zhou Ping nodded and stood up.
"Okay! Zhang Yaozu, from now on, you will be a member of the Intelligence Department of the Song Dynasty and a soldier of the Song Dynasty. Remember this!"
At the Jinling Martial Arts Hall, he had already observed Zhang Yaozu and learned about his family background. His experience of going through hardships and his indomitable character were also the main reasons why he chose Zhang Yaozu.
