It's early morning in March in Yangchun. The air in Jiangnan is fresh and the sun is shining warmly. At the Bailuzhou Pier in the west of Jinling City, ships gathered. Ships filled with cargo were spitting out black smoke and leaving one after another. Military flags were flying on some ships. There were eagerly escorted officers and soldiers on the deck, and there were faint cannons. It looked like they were transporting military supplies. supplies. Some ships kept docking, and the goods on them were transported to Bailuzhou, or to all directions in Jinling City.
After landing on the shore, from the riverside to the west gate of Jinling City, there are many shops along the wide road. People are coming and going on the sidewalk. The cries of vendors are everywhere, and there are all kinds of Chinese and foreign people. The carriages and horses coming and going on the road are dazzling.
At this moment, Zhen Zhidao, the head of the Lanzhou Arms Manufacturing Department, standing on the dock by the river, felt like this.
After years of separation, after returning from the backward western frontier, Jinling City was changing rapidly, and its prosperity even surpassed that of Lin'an City. He was a little stunned for a moment, thinking that he had gone to the wrong place.
"Masashido!"
A four-wheeled carriage arrived and stopped, and two women in official uniforms got out of the carriage. One of them excitedly waved his arms to Zhenzhidao, and the other one was smiling, with the spring breeze blowing on his face.
"Xuan Yuehua! Shi Huiyu! Why are you here?"
Zhenzhidao was so excited that he walked over.
"I learned from Xu Sheng that you were going back to Jinling for business, so I came to pick you up with Shi Huiyu."
Xuan Yuehua said with a smile, and Shi Huiyu also nodded.
"Shi Huiyu, your father's matter is over, you still have to look forward."
Zhenzhidao looked at the two of them, laughed, and changed the topic.
"I am here to wish you both a bright future and great success!"
Zhenzhidao picked up the box and was about to move forward, but was stopped by the two men.
"Don't worry! There is another person who should be arriving soon!"
"Who is it?"
Zhenzhidao asked subconsciously, and a thunderous voice sounded from behind.
"Honestly, it's really you! I miss you so much!"
Before Zhenzhidao could react, he was already hugged by someone so tightly that he almost couldn't breathe.
"I was wondering on the boat just now, didn't your kid give birth in the northwest, why did he come to Jinling? Your kid is much stronger than before!"
Wei Jinyu let go of Zhen Zhidao, punched him in the chest, then hugged him tightly, patted Zhen Zhidao on the back, and shouted:
"You kid, you miss me so much!"
Zhen Zhidao burst into tears and patted Wei Jinyu on the back, speechless for a moment.
Xuan Yuehua and Shi Huiyu's eyes turned red when they saw the two embracing each other.
They are all descendants of Lin'an, both students of the first phase of the Jinling Martial Arts Hall, and have served in the military. Although they are now in different walks of life, the most important thing is that the friendship is still there.
"Come on, find a place, let's get together!"
Wei Jinyu looked at Xuan Yuehua and the two, wiped away his tears, and said loudly.
In Jinling City, on the south bank of Tianjin Bridge, in an elegant room of a wine shop, Wei Jinyu and four others were sitting around.
"Zhenzhidao, is this the same wine shop where we had a fight?"
Wei Jinyu saw from the window that across the river was the Jinling Lecture Hall, and everything seemed familiar.
"Yes, it's that wine shop! Thinking about it, it seems like it happened yesterday."
Zhenzhidao nodded and said with emotion.
During the Dragon Boat Festival in the first year of Xingqing, the two of them, Tian Yi and Li Tang, and a group of four were besieged by local ruffians.
"Are Instructor Li and Master Tian here? Why don't you call them up and get together?"
Zhenzhidao suddenly became excited.
He and Wei Jinyu both came to Jinling for business, and they happened to get together with Li Tangtianyi. Otherwise, you will miss this opportunity.
"Instructor Li and Xu Sheng practice musketry and artillery every day, so I'm afraid they have no time to spare. As for the landowner, he is even busier. The supply of firearms for the entire East Road and Middle Road army is on his shoulders. It's not easy."
Seeing Wei Jinyu's gloomy face, Shi Huiyu said cautiously.
"Then Sisi must have time. If we call her out tonight, we can't let Wei come back, and her sister won't come to see her, right?"
Zhenzhi said with a smile without knowing what was going on.
"Honestly, you don't know that Sisi and Tian Yi have broken up."
Wei Jinyu made no secret of it, picked up the wine glass, and smiled broadly.
"Today I would like to borrow flowers to offer to the Buddha. First, I wish Shi Huiyu and Xuan Yuehua good fortune, and then I wish all of us to meet again. Come and drink this cup to the full!"
"Cheers to the reunion and to the Jinling Martial Arts Hall!"
Zhenzhidao reacted quickly and immediately picked up the wine glass.
Tian Yi and Wei Sisi separated. Needless to say, Wei Sisi must have done something to cause problems in the couple's relationship.
"Cheers to the reunion and to the Jinling Martial Arts Hall!"
The four people’s wine glasses clinked together.
"Shi Huiyu, what does your health department do?"
Wei Jinyu looked at Shi Huiyu and started the topic.
"I don't know either. I won't know until I meet His Majesty in person. However, His Majesty mentioned to Xuan Yuehua that he wanted to get some new medicines and build hospitals and health institutions in various areas of the Song Dynasty. He said that he would make the people more affordable and prevent diseases. Disease spreads.”
"His Majesty is always generous and amazing!"
Zhen Zhidao looked at Wei Jinyu, touched his glass with him, and asked with a smile:
"Old Wei, are you still a drill sergeant in the Jinghu Border Army?"
"No! These days the Heavenly Army is very busy with mobilization and drills, especially the newly arrived artillery. They have to re-train the gunners. They are so busy that they don't even have time to sleep! This time the army is going on the Northern Expedition. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers will probably have to leave their names. Qingshi!"
Wei Jinyu said with emotion.
Zhen Zhidao picked up the wine glass, looked at Wei Jinyu, and reminded him sincerely.
"Old Wei, no matter how busy you are, you still have to get married and have children. You are already thirty, are you always alone like this? Your parents are looking forward to your getting married as soon as possible, so that they can also have grandchildren!"
"How can it be that easy? If you can't find the right one, it's better to be alone. Shi Huiyu, don't you think so?"
"Wei Jinyu, let's have a drink!"
Shi Huiyu picked up the wine glass, touched it with Wei Jinyu, and both drank it in one gulp.
Zhenzhidao secretly regretted it. I only noticed that Wei Jinyu was single, but I didn't expect that Shi Huiyu was also the same.
"Shi Huiyu, Your Majesty is busy with everything, and there is no one around to take care of you. You might as well think about it. You are already 26, and you can't do this anymore."
After leaving the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall, Xuan Yuehua's address to Zhao Hong immediately changed, from "principal" to "your majesty."
"Didn't I say that there is a foreign woman beside His Majesty? I heard that she stays in the martial arts hall all day long. Isn't it His Majesty's new favorite?"
Wei Jinyu suddenly interrupted, with unspeakable sarcasm in his words.
"Old Wei, don't listen to people's nonsense. I know about this matter, but it involves court secrets, so I can't explain it clearly. In short, your Majesty has nothing to do with that woman, so don't believe those rumors."
Xuan Yuehua regarded Zhao Hong as a god and immediately spoke up to defend his emperor and principal.
"Even so, there are many concubines in the emperor's palace. Shi Huiyu, you can't just give in!"
Wei Jinyu seemed to be a little worried about the emperor's harem affairs.
"Old Wei, what's wrong with you? Do you still want Shi Huiyu to never marry? Your Majesty is the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, and there are only five concubines in the palace. Is this also debauchery?"
Zhen Zhidao smiled brightly and said to Shi Huiyu:
"Shi Huiyu, Your Majesty is a Holy Emperor. I agree with you entering the palace. Don't listen to Old Wei's nonsense."
Shi Huiyu's face turned red and she said nothing.
Wei Jinyu also stopped talking. After so many years, she has become much calmer.
"There are some things that you may not know. I think it's better to let you know, especially Shi Huiyu."
Xuan Yuehua couldn't help but speak to clear Zhao Hong's name.
"What you don't know is that your Majesty only has three concubines in the palace now. Empress Zhou is in charge of the harem, Concubine Shu is taking care of all the princes and princesses, and Concubine Jia is pregnant with Liujia. Therefore, Your Majesty is alone in charge of the Northern Expedition in Jinling, and No concubines follow.”
Xuan Yuehua whispered, everyone was surprised, and Wei Jinyu blurted out.
"What about the other two concubines? Are they not in the palace?"
Shi Huiyu and Zhen Zhidao also stared at Xuan Yuehua.
"Because Concubine Li Xian wanted to restore Xixia, she was estranged from His Majesty. She had reconciled with the Emperor and left the palace without taking the prince and princess with her. Yang Guiyi was addicted to drinking and gambling. She did not return to the palace for several months and was separated from His Majesty. Someone Some say she went to Africa, and some say she fell into the water drunk and died. There are various stories, but I don’t know whether they are true or false.”
Xuan Yuehua told the secrets of the palace that she had obtained from her husband, and did not forget to give instructions.
"These are all palace secrets, you can't tell them outside!"
In fact, the emperor and the two concubines parted ways, and many ministers knew about it. She was just being cautious.
"Yang Yi... Gui Yi, it's true that he fell into the water and died while drunk. Is the news... accurate?"
Wei Jinyu asked in a trembling voice, his eyes heartbreaking.
"I don't know if this is true or not. However, Yang Guiyi owed a lot of wine debts in Lin'an, and no one could repay them. The empress helped her pay them off a few months ago."
Xuan Yuehua said softly, and Zhen Zhidao patted Wei Jinyu's shoulder, which was meaningful.
"Old Wei, I also know something about Yang Guiyi. My father, Wei Gong and other court ministers have repeatedly asked Your Majesty to depose Yang Guiyi, but I didn't expect that the end would be "harmony". Your Majesty is extremely benevolent to Yang Guiyi, so just look away. Some."
His father, Zhen Dexiu, had told him some things about Yang Yi in letters, but he just didn't expect that the emperor and Yang Yi would end in such a way, which was beyond his expectation.
"Wei Jinyu, you know the best about emotional matters. Speaking of which, when you return to Jinling, do you want to pick up the firearms and baggage from the Weapons Manufacturing Department?"
Shi Huiyu comforted the lost Wei Jinyu.
"Yes, Old Wei, I will stay for about five or six days. After completing the official documents, I will go to Daye Iron Works, collect supplies and return to the northwest. Nowadays, the northwest frontier army is mobilizing, and everyone is for the Northern Expedition to restore the Central Plains. The military morale is high!"
Zhenzhidao said loudly, sighing secretly in his heart.
Wei Jinyu is still unmarried in his thirties, but it seems that he still can't forget Yang Yi.
"I'm about the same. Go to the weapons manufacturing department to pick up the firearms, and then you have to rush back immediately. The Northern Expedition is imminent, and those gunners and grenadiers must practice well. Don't be careless and miss the important event of the Northern Expedition!"
Wei Jinyu returned to normal, nodded and said.
With the great cause of the Northern Expedition and the restoration of the Central Plains, everyone in the army was scrambling to take the lead. He, the artillery commander, couldn't wait any longer.
"If the Northern Expedition succeeds, I will first go to Tokyo City to see if the palaces of the motherland still have carved railings and jade inlays?"
Shi Huiyu's eyes lit up and she spoke passionately.
"I also want to take a look at the Great Wall. Look at it. Are there scars from swords and arrows?"
After Xuan Yuehua finished speaking loudly, he sang passionately:
"Open your eyes
Watch carefully
The one who would like to be a captive recognizes himself
Because of timidity and tolerance
………”
Wei Jinyu, the three of them all put down their wine glasses and started singing along.
"...
Get out of the way of blood and wave your hands.
Committed to national rejuvenation
How can we let our country be trampled upon again?
Everyone takes up the mission
The Great Wall will never fall
………”
"Come on, cheers! Forget those unhappy things, cheers to our reunion! Cheers to the success of the Northern Expedition!"
The four of them finished singing, all of them impassioned. Wei Jinyu blushed and raised the wine glass in his hand, impassioned.
"Brothers, cheers to our reunion! Cheers to the success of the Northern Expedition!"
"cheers!"
The wine glasses in the hands of the four people clinked together, and the wine splashed everywhere.
