Chapter 950 The canary in the cage, does the emperor know the suffering of the people?
Zhao Ji sent eunuchs from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to announce his appearance, which was somewhat beyond Xiao Tang's expectation. After all, the romantic emperor had never been interested in war. Xiao Tang had always had fun with Zhao Ji during his previous expeditions back to the capital. Suddenly he thought of it, and then he sent someone to call him.
It seems that this time he was originally sent to the Western Border Court as the deputy envoy to supervise the army, but he led several troops to win great achievements one after another, and also interfered in ruining Tong Guan's good deeds... No matter what happened in Bianjing, The reaction of the officials and powerful officials in the court gradually began to change.
Since it was the emperor's summons, Xiao Tang had to say goodbye to the generals present for the time being. He also ordered Shi Xiu, Yan Qing, Xu Guanzhong and other close brothers to bring Liu Fa to the capital to settle down, and then followed the eunuch sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to go straight to Tokyo. He left for the inner palace and imperial city of Bianliang.
The capital of the Song Dynasty was still prosperous, but Xiao Tang had also noticed the numerous large and small ships on the waterway flowing through Bianjing. Although the weather was still cold, there were countless civilian laborers whose clothes were already soaked with smelly sweat, busy on the docks and ships. .
It was not just what Xiao Tang saw before his eyes. There was an endless stream of ships carrying granite boulders on the Bianhe River, Huimin River, Guangji River and Jinshui River that flowed through Bianjing. , civilians gathered together, and several streets leading to the northeastern corner of Bianjing Palace were congested. Some city officials yelled and scolded, ordering many migrant workers to carry granite boulders like herding pigs and sheep. Bianjing City was originally full of flowers. Inside, the scene Xiao Tang looked at was enveloped by a very depressing atmosphere.
Xiao Tang suddenly realized that in the past two years, he had been ordered to suppress Fuhedong and went to Bianting to fight fiercely with the Xia army. He had not returned to Bianjing for a long time, but Zhao Ji had already issued orders and started to fight in Bianjing. Great construction work was carried out in the palace city to build Genyue Shoushan Mountain (originally named Longevity Mountain).
Construction started in the seventh year of Zhenghe in the Song Dynasty. It is said that Genyue will be completed in the fourth year of Xuanhe. Although Genyue can be regarded as a master of landscape gardening, the mountains face each other east and west, and the front and rear are continuous. The right water, the back stream and the ridges beside it are continuous and full, swallowing the mountains and embracing the valleys... In the garden, rare flowers and trees are planted, rare birds and animals are raised, and pavilions and pavilions are constructed. The luxurious scenery is naturally world-class. Unparalleled. However, Zhao Ji wanted to build Genyue, which "encapsulates the beauty of the world and hides the ancient and modern wonders". He wanted to have a view of a Taoist cave and paradise, so he wanted to build a mountain in Bianliang City. The labor and labor would cost the country how much money. Silver costs millions of laborers to work, and no matter how many people have lost their livelihoods, it is natural to imagine such negative consequences.
Originally, the officials of the Song Dynasty were thrifty and scrupulous, but when it was passed down to this generation, Zhao Ji, an unscrupulous descendant who wanted to destroy the family fortunes of all previous emperors, was born. The war between Song and Xia was already a waste of people and money, and the construction of Genyue was still going on. Gang will still harm the people of all the military states in the south of the Yangtze River for several years... Even though the Xia Kingdom had to surrender to the palace because it lost the dangerous land of Hengshan Mountain, the world is still in chaos, with thieves and bandits everywhere, and the rebel forces will still rise up. Good people in all lands Still have to be oppressed by the government in peacetime, and be devastated by military disasters in wartime... Even if the iron-blooded soldiers of the Song Dynasty died to protect the country, it was just to protect Zhao Ji's country and country, and let this guy continue to cause harm at will ?
Xiao Tang's mood became worse and worse. He drove his horse forward, looking solemnly at the laborers who were working hard under the scoldings of the subordinates. The eunuch behind him raised his sleeves to cover his mouth and nose. There was a look of disgust on his face, as if he was dissatisfied with the dirty legs of those cheap-skinned and low-boned mud legs around him. The servants raised their heads in a dull manner, and looked at the Bianjing dignitaries who passed by not far away with their dull eyes. When the nobles looked over, Xiao Tang could clearly see that most of the servants had no trace of anger on their faces. Some of them swallowed their anger under the shouts of the arrogant subordinates, but they dared to get angry but did not dare to speak. He used his bruised body to support wooden poles and push them with carts, using up all his strength to carry the heavy flowers and stones that were several feet high...
The people of the world do not have high demands, and they will not easily risk their lives to rise up. As long as they can find a way to survive, it is normal for most people to live a submissive life under the abuses of abusive officials and evil officials. However, Zhao Ji is becoming more and more unscrupulous, and even those powerful and treacherous officials are We want to push the people of the Song Dynasty to death and rebellion...
Xiao Tang sighed in his heart, and he also knew that he was able to have such a good fortune in the officialdom and the court today because the emperor liked the repertoire he had recomposed, lingering in the Jinfeng Yulu Tower, and now doing what he does in Bianliang, Tokyo. Liu Yingyan, the chief courtier, said all the good things to Zhao Ji for him. To put it bluntly, he was also the beneficiary of the romantic emperor's nepotism. However, Xiao Tang never believed that the situation in various places became more volatile under the rule of the Song Dynasty. "Cong", the emperor is still a very wise man and other nonsense. Xiao Tang also knew very well that he had supported many people in the green forest. Sooner or later, no matter what method, the whole world would eventually know it. Even if he could do it in the golden When the army invaded the south, he tried to turn the tide, but when the court learned of the major events he had planned that were close to rebellion, would he still be loyal to the court and repay Emperor Fang's favor?
Damn it, I have no intention of praising a foolish king all the time.
No matter how long I have to serve as an important minister in the court, what I need to plan and think about in the future is not only to resist the southern invasion of the Jin Kingdom that is now taking advantage of the situation. I also need to find a home for my close brothers who share the righteousness with me, and even give them a home. It involves the common people all over the world... The reason why the Jurchen tribes were able to occupy half of the Central Plains was because Xiao Qiang was the cause of the disaster. It was Zhao Ji who committed the evil on his own. Instead, countless people of the Song Dynasty were also in dire straits... .
With thoughts in his mind, Xiao Tang had already entered the palace gate of the inner city of Bianjing with the eunuch from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. After learning that Zhao Ji was still having fun in Yanfu Palace as usual, Xiao Tang walked straight along the path inside the imperial palace. Walk to Yanbok Palace.
It was just that Xiao Tang had just entered the Lize Gate to the west of Yanfu Palace. When the eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was about to turn a corner, he suddenly noticed a cloud of fragrant wind rushing towards his arms. Xiao Tang had already smelled it. Noticing the faint fragrance of the woman, he frowned slightly and immediately jumped back, barely avoiding the frizzy girl in front of him and bumping into him.
"Oh! Why is it you again?"
"Roufu, how many times have I told you that your daughter's family needs to be more stable. How can it be inappropriate to run wild in the palace?"
Xiao Tang first heard someone yelling coquettishly, and then heard a complaint sounding like a bird's voice, and then he knew that he had bumped into Emperor Maode and Emperor Roufu in the palace, who were the descendants of Zhao Ji. He immediately took two steps back, bowed forward and saluted, and said, "I, Xiao Tang, have met two empresses."
There was another exclamation, Xiao Tang's lowered eyes glanced at the bright pink Luo Shang in front of him, and there was another group of light yellow palace skirts trailing to the ground, and a pair of delicate boot tips were faintly exposed. The tip of Jin Lian's boots took a few steps back slightly, and soon the palace skirt was covering it, and another faint voice came: "General Xiao, please get down quickly."
When Xiao Tang straightened up and looked forward, he saw that Emperor Maode, whom he had not seen for a long time, seemed to have grown a lot taller. Her hair was covered with flowing black hair, her pretty face with picturesque eyebrows was more upright, and her expression and temperament were not only more refined. She is somewhat reserved, and her slim appearance also has a mature charm. Next to Emperor Maode, the hands on her waist are crossed, and her little face is bulging into a bun. Although the pretty face still has a hint of She is quite childish, but she has grown into a young girl who looks like a lotus.
Although there was a beautiful and fragrant pair in front of him, Xiao Tang also knew that it would be better not to get mixed up with the sisters under Zhao Ji. Besides, he was in a depressed mood now, so he wanted to Xiang Maode Emperor and Roufu Emperor.
After seeing the ceremony, he just stood aside with his head bowed and remained silent.
Originally, Emperor Maode was overjoyed for no reason when she learned that Xiao Tang had returned safely from the side court and was going to the palace to meet her father today. Now she met Emperor Maode by chance in Yanfu Palace and was planning to find a way to talk to Emperor Maode.
Ji Que saw that Xiao Tang's face was silent. She was startled and forgot all the words she had planned for a while, and she didn't know what to say.