In the first year of Jingkang in the Song Dynasty, outside the city of Bianliang in Tokyo, countless imperial guards surrounded by a group of carriages and horses slowly drove into the city. Wherever they went, the people along the way looked complicated, with awe, contempt, shame and expectation. The emperor of the Song Dynasty and the Emperor of Taoism Zhao Ji.

When the Jin army went south last year, Zhao Ji was panicked and upset after receiving the news, and was out of a coma and fell to the bed. The ministers hurriedly received medicine and first aid. After Huizong woke up, he asked for paper and pen and wrote, "The crown prince can ascend the throne, and the leader Daojun will retreat to Longde Palace."

After the crown prince Zhao Heng ascended the throne, Zhao Ji couldn't wait to take Cai You and several eunuchs in the first month, hurriedly fled from Tokyo in the name of "burning incense", ran to Bozhou, and then fled from Bozhou to Zhenjiang to avoid disaster. Tong Guan and the commander-in-chief of the hall, Gao Qiu, led the Shengjie Army and the Imperial Guards to catch up with Huizong in Sizhou. Cai Jing also led his family to Gongzhou in the name of "accomplices", and threw Zhao Heng and the millions of people in Bianliang to the Jin army.

The people were furious when they heard the news. The officials and civilians of the government and the people exposed the crimes of Cai Jing and Tong Guan's group. The students of the Imperial College Chen Dong and others wrote letters, saying that Cai Jing, Wang Fu, Tong Guan, Liang Shicheng, Li Yan and Zhu Jie were six thieves. In order to appease the officials and civilians, Zhao Heng had to issue an order to kill the six people, either to be executed, to be executed, or to exil, but he had no choice but to the escaped Zhao Ji.

After the execution of the six thieves, the people from all over Tokyo were excited. In addition, only Wanyan Zongwang's Jin Eastern Army participated in the besiege of Kaifeng. Wanyan Zonghan (that is, Nian Han in the Romance) Jin Western Army was not only tripped in Taiyuan, but also refused Wanyan Zongwang's deployment to block the Western Army, and even Zhong Shidao led 100,000 Western Army to Kaifeng successfully.

After being repelled by the Western Army while sieging the city, Wanyan Zongwang felt that he could not capture Bianliang City with his troops. So he accepted Zhao Heng's request for peace and brought Zhao Heng's large amount of gold, silver and treasures to compensate Zhao Heng and Zhao Shu, who acted as hostages, to the north. The first siege of Kaifeng was lifted.

Unfortunately, Zhao Heng refused the plan of Zhong Shidao's half-crossing attack because of fear, and ordered the troops not to pursue them. He also rejected Zhong Shidao's plan to station on both sides of the Yellow River under the pretext of "wasteing money and food" to prevent the Jin army from crossing the river again. This was so angry that the only remaining famous general in the Song Dynasty almost did not recover. Later, Li Gangwai, who was in charge of the battle, transferred to Hebei and Hedong Xuanfu Envoy to Jiangxi, laying the groundwork for the second defeat of Kaifeng's siege.

However, Zhao Ji did not know that the Jin army would go south again. He now only thought that he could return to the prosperous Bianliang City to enjoy wealth and glory. Of course, the only thing that made him feel a little regretful was that the emperor's throne had been given to Zhao Heng, and his confidants were cleaned up. In the future, he might have to continue cultivating immortals in Longde Palace and asking questions, writing and painting.

Not long after returning to the palace, Zhao Ji began to think about seeking immortality and asking, but Lin Lingsu, a guest from the Golden Gate, has been dead for many years. Now, where can I find a strange man with real talent and knowledge?

Although Zhao Ji has abdicated now, many people are willing to satisfy this small request. Even Zhao Heng, as long as the Taoist Emperor does not want to return to the throne, he is willing to satisfy anything he does. So a single man was released from the palace and searched for strange people with extraordinary skills everywhere.

There are countless strange people and strange things in Bianliang City. Not long after, someone actually found one. Someone recommended an old man who was looking for a strange person for Zhao Ji. The old man was dressed in rags and had no body, but he had a mysterious ability. He could tell fortunes and was very accurate. After trying it, the eunuch was so happy that he immediately took the old man into the palace to see Zhao Ji.

According to the eunuch's idea, he should first take a bath for the old man to remove the odor on his body, and then change into clean clothes before he could go to see the Taoist Emperor Zhao Ji. However, the old man refused to obey, and the eunuch did not dare to force him. He had to report to Zhao Ji truthfully. After hearing the news, Zhao Ji said, "It's very people and extraordinary things. Please invite him in quickly."

Then the old man entered Longde Palace, and he couldn't help frowning. The smell on the old man was so bad. However, when he thought of the various magical legends passed back by the eunuch, Zhao Ji forced himself to endure the unhappiness in his heart and asked about his future.

Zhao Ji has now lost the throne, and what he cares about now is seeking immortals and asking for the truth. If he can live forever or become an immortal, then this little thing is still tolerated. According to legend, all kinds of gods and immortals like to use various embarrassing methods to test those who are determined to seek immortals. If they can pass the test, they will embark on the golden path of practicing Taoism and becoming immortals. However, if they despise them because of the strange behavior of immortals, then they will miss this once-in-a-lifetime immortal fate.

Zhao Ji has heard a lot of stories like this before, so he regards the old man's ragged dress and the odor on his body as a test of an immortal. Maybe the fate of an immortal is right in front of him, and Zhao Ji is waiting for what methods the old man will use next.

This old man was indeed a bit extraordinary. If ordinary people entered the palace, they would have been frightened and fearless, and did not dare to make any moves. However, he seemed to have entered the neighbor's house, looking at the decoration of the Longde Palace and the appearance of the people in the palace openly, sometimes frowned and sometimes sighed, as if he had seen through their future. So Zhao Ji was more and more looking forward to it. Perhaps the one he met this time was really a talented alien.

After seeing the eunuch and palace maid in Longde Palace, the old man finally moved his gaze to Zhao Ji. As soon as he saw Zhao Ji's face, his mouth couldn't help but tremble, and his eyes showed endless pity. His right hand, like a chicken claw, trembled deep into his arms, and took out half a piece of dry and hard cake with black stains on it.

The old man handed the half of the cake to Zhao Ji, and a vague voice came out, "I'll give this half of the cake to you. You can hide it closely. If you want to eat such good things again in the future, it will be difficult."

Zhao Ji's face suddenly showed an unhappy look. I am rich all over the world. What kind of rare and odor I have never eaten? How could I care about your half-broken cake? Let the eunuch check it and make sure it was indeed a plain grain cake. Zhao Ji drove the old man away in disappointment.
Chapter completed!