On New Year's Eve, Bianjing City set off a huge fireworks show. Tonight, Yudao Street, Maxing Street and Bianhe Street became a sea of joy. Nowadays, families don’t pay much attention to the New Year’s Eve dinner. Of course, every family also has a good meal on this night. After the meal, everyone can’t wait to rush to the street to watch various lively scenes.
Various acrobatic troupes and circus troupes attach great importance to these festivals. They would rather spend a few days celebrating the New Year to earn this money. Rich families invite them to perform at their homes or perform on the streets, and the rewards they get are much larger than in the past.
There are also many small merchants and vendors selling various snacks, toys, and fresh gadgets at this age. This is equivalent to a large-scale rally. Millions of Bianjing residents put down what they are doing on this day. Enjoy the joyful atmosphere of this moment in the ocean of joy.
Liangjiazhuang is still some distance away from the urban area of Bianjing. There is no smog in this era. After a heavy snowfall, the world seems to have been purified without a trace of dust. Open the door, the pure sky has extremely high visibility, and you can see the beautiful fireworks blooming over Bianjing City at a glance.
Everyone gathered in Zhuangzi. After eating hot pot for several days, no one felt angry or bored at all. In this era, people can only eat enough meat and not eat too much, because few people are born to eat it every day. Meaty.
Liang Chuan looked at the fireworks in the sky and thought that Qingyuan would also set off fireworks this year, but Ling Hu was accepted by him. The fireworks produced by the gunpowder department were still not that beautiful.
If all these people were like Ling Hu and used their passion for making fireworks to make gunpowder, the world would already belong to the Song family.
Ling Hu was also unlucky. He was born at the wrong time, so he could only talk about the treacherous minister every day.
At night, the streets of Bianjing become the most lively time of the year. The streets are packed with people. Not only do people not resent such crowding, but in the eyes of residents, this is called liveliness and the atmosphere of the festival.
The emperor rejoiced with the people, and Luan Jia moved outside the gate of Daqing. Looking at the lively scene in the streets and the city, he lamented the efforts of several generations of the Song Dynasty, and finally managed the country so that the country and the people could live and work in peace and contentment. The weather this year was extremely cold, so Zhao Zhen actually asked his inner government to send firewood to the people who lacked food and clothing in the city.
That day he rode a horse to the west gate and almost froze to death on the way. When he came back, he realized that the outside world was so hot when there was no charcoal fire. He felt pity, and there was still a little charcoal in reserve. Instead of It is better to keep it and distribute it to save the people from hunger and cold.
Zhao Zhen's benevolent act was praised by the people in the city. For this reason, the people even created an idiom of "giving help in times of need" to praise Zhao Zhen's benevolence.
Empress Dowager Liu, who was born in the city, loved festivals like this the most. She and Zhao Zhen went to the Daqing Gate to watch the gongs and drums in the city, and accepted the congratulations from civil and military officials.
"The official Ai family has something to discuss with you!"
"Mother, please speak."
Zhao Zhen replied respectfully.
"On the first day of the new year, I wanted to go to the Ancestral Temple to worship the late emperor. Now that the world is peaceful and the weather is good, thanks to the late emperor's shadow, I am thinking of the love between husband and wife for many years and the time when I and the late emperor were close together, and I want to go and worship."
Baiguan watched the fireworks show and listened to Queen Mother Liu's words without taking it seriously. The old Queen Mother had been a widow for some years and it was understandable that she missed her husband, but there was no need to talk about this kind of thing during this big festival.
"The love between the Queen Mother and the late Emperor is as strong as the ocean and stronger than gold. This is the best thing."
As soon as Empress Dowager Liu heard Zhao Zhen's promise, she immediately walked down the slope with a smile and said: "It's just that I was lucky enough to wear the emperor's dragon robe once in the past. When the late emperor was still there, he often praised the Ai family for their unique style in wearing dragon robes. The Guo Kingdom did not let their men be so beautiful. I just want to wear the dragon robe and go to the Ancestral Temple again to comfort the late emperor’s spirit in heaven!”
What! Queen Mother Liu actually wants to wear a dragon robe!
What does it mean? Everyone knows Sima Zhao’s heart! Many people in the court are spreading rumors that the current official family is not the biological flesh and blood of Empress Dowager Liu, but that her biological mother is someone else. It's just that no one dared to gossip about this matter in front of the officials. Empress Dowager Liu's power was too huge. Offending the old empress would be tantamount to seeking death for her longevity.
Now the old queen wants to wear a dragon robe. What does she want to do? Is the Queen Mother tired of being a queen and wants to become emperor directly? Although today's Empress Liu has the talents of Lu Wu in the past, she is not as evil as Lu Wu. However, once a woman comes to power, a series of political consequences are tantamount to a volcanic eruption. Even the Song Dynasty will no longer have peace, and the security of the official family will be affected. This old woman What on earth does the Queen Mother want to do!
The firelight of the fireworks reflected on the beautiful but somewhat old-fashioned face of Queen Mother Liu. At this time, Zhao Zhen looked a little scary. His mother had already been in power behind the curtain, and now she had to wear a dragon robe, so why not Can you give her your throne? How about waiting for her to take over a hundred years later?
All the officials suppressed the turmoil in their hearts. No one dared to speak nonsense at this juncture. If they said anything to Empress Dowager Liu, they would offend the official family, and if they spoke to the official family, they would offend Empress Dowager Liu. The struggle for power cannot be solved with two strikes. Yes, it's going to bleed off your head.
"This..." A cold wind blew by, but Zhao Zhen felt a chill down his spine. His mind went blank and he didn't know what to say. He looked helplessly at the civil and military officials, who all lowered themselves in unison. He didn't dare to meet Zhao Zhen's eyes with his head.
The Gonggun princes and the ministers were completely silent at this moment, and no one dared to raise their heads and say no to such unsubordinate and unkingly behavior.
With Lu Yijian gone, the officials were naturally led by Ding Wei, the political advisor. If he didn't speak, who among the other officials would dare to say no? Speaking at this time is based on seniority. You don't just say what you want. If you say it, no one will take leadership responsibility for you.
Looking around at a loss, Zhao Zhen was like a helpless child in the wind. At this time, he was bullied by others, but there was no help.
Angry and helpless, as the emperor, Zhao Zhen never imagined that he would be forced into the palace by his mother to such an extent.
Empress Dowager Liu's smile made people shudder. In her opinion, petty officials were always submissive and obedient. She was already the most noble person in the world, so what's wrong with wearing a dragon robe in front of the world? Didn’t he issue an edict to force him to abdicate?
At this crisis-ridden moment, Zhao Zhen suddenly saw a man behind the officials holding his chest high and looking at him with firm and confident eyes.
Fan Zhongyan, the school manager of Mi Pavilion!
Fan Zhongyan stood up and bowed: "Your Majesty, how is Empress Wu of Tang?"
Asking such an abrupt question at such an untimely occasion, Fan Zhongyan's courage won the recognition of both loyalists and treacherous factions in the Manchu Dynasty. He was a man who was not afraid of death.
Empress Dowager Liu's ambitions and ideas can be understood with one's own feet. At this time, Fan Zhongyan compared her to Wu Zetian in front of everyone.
Who is Wu Zetian? That was the first woman who dared to call herself emperor.
Now Empress Dowager Liu wants to be the second Empress Wu!
When Zhao Zhen saw that the whole court was not all in favor of Empress Dowager Liu, and that there were still supporters of his own, it was like a light of hope was lit in the darkness. He grabbed this life-saving straw and said: "The sinner of the Tang Dynasty, What a danger to the country!"
The two of them sang and drank like they were acting, turning the happy smile on Empress Dowager Liu's face into a livid face.
Fan Zhongyan completely ignored the feelings of Empress Dowager Liu and said loudly: "The dragon robe is a symbol of the emperor. The emperor has the way to serve his relatives, but he does not have the etiquette of being a minister. The Queen Mother has the way of being a minister, but there is no reason to overstep. The officials and the For hundreds of officials to pay homage to the Queen Mother is already damaging to the majesty of the Emperor, but the Son of Heaven is also the son of man, and filial piety is more important to human relations. The Queen Mother is a minister, but there is absolutely no saying that she wears a dragon robe to pay homage to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. This move will place the majesty of the Emperor among the officials. ? Where to put family and national rites!"
The words were like a slap in the face of Queen Mother Liu, which directly tore off the mask of hypocrisy of Queen Mother Liu. Queen Mother Liu's facial features were now distorted, and she wished she could eat Fan Zhongyan alive.
This lowly official is so courageous. He dares to humiliate himself like this relying on the official's favor!
None of the censors dared to fart or squeak. They were simply frightened when they heard Fan Zhongyan's words. If it weren't for the Song ancestral system that had no precedent of not killing literati, Fan Zhongyan would have asked people to carry him out now.
"What kind of status do you have to dare to talk nonsense here? You yourself would say that this is our family matter. I, the Zhao family's family matter, need you as an outsider to make noise? Come on, get kicked out!"
Xia Shouen's mood was complicated. He was Zhao Zhen's personal attendant, but he also obeyed the orders of Empress Dowager Liu, otherwise he would have to remove his armor at the order of Empress Dowager Liu.
"Master Fan, please."
Just when Fan Zhongyan was still arguing, suddenly a fast horse galloped towards Daqing Gate like thunder!
"Northwest Emergency Report!"
An urgent report came from the northwest border on New Year's Eve, and everyone's heart skipped a beat. No border general would dare to risk the trouble of the leader to ruin the New Year's elegance for an ordinary trivial matter.
The Li family in the northwest must have taken advantage of the Han family's Chinese New Year to start another war!
But there is also an advantage. With this shouting, no one is paying attention to whether to wear a dragon robe or not. They are all waiting for the urgent report with solemn expressions.
The courier, who was dusty and with a mouth full of blisters, brought the urgent report to the Daqing Gate Tower. He walked to Privy Councilor Qian Weiyin and handed the urgent report to Qian Weiyin.
Qian Weiyin's pupils shrank suddenly after reading the emergency report, but he suppressed his composure and reported to Guanjiahui: "Your Majesty, Li Yuanhao, the leader of the Li family in the northwest, proclaimed himself emperor and led an army of 100,000 to annihilate him at Sanchuankou outside Yanzhou City. Liu Ping, Shi Yuan, and Sun's two troops lost more than 10,000 people on foot, cavalry, and cages, and the city of Yanzhou is in danger!"
The second enemy of the Song Dynasty finally appeared. If Mrs. Liu wanted to claim the throne, everyone would just keep silent and express their opinions. However, a bunch of people from the Li family dared to pretend to be the emperor. Who in the Song Dynasty could bear it!
