The entire Song Dynasty has undergone earth-shaking changes, but it has not changed the liveliness of Bianliang at this time. The sky is still full of fireworks and the lanterns are like daylight.
This year's Jinchi Royal Banquet, the foreign countries that came to congratulate were very different from the past. Only Korea, Japan and a few small countries in Nanyang were left.
The territory of the Song Dynasty expanded nearly three times, and naturally there were many fewer vassals. Almost all civil and military officials went to Jinchi, except Yang Lin.
He still stayed home because he was sick, so he could avoid contact with officials, and Zhaode Square was very lively.
A family banquet was held in the lobby, with dozens of small tables arranged in a row. This year Yang Tong did not come back at all, but asked someone to bring back some overseas specialties, so Yang Lin sat at the top.
Yang Lin has also sent people to learn that the island country where Yang Tong is located is probably Ryukyu.
Nowadays, Ryukyu Island is very lively, with several forces going back and forth on conquests. Yang Tong has a close relationship with several big Japanese nobles, and he is very happy to stir up troubles among them.
Yang Lin felt a little nostalgic, but also a little thankful that there were still these places for their brothers to make trouble.
If this group of people were in the Song Dynasty, they would have to be rich people. That would be worse than killing them.
Just as he was thinking about it, Yang Tianren came up with a few little brothers to propose a toast. Except for Yang Tianyi who was being held by the wet nurse, the others stood respectfully below.
On behalf of them, Yang Tianren stepped forward and said: "My sons wish my father a healthy new year and good luck to the east."
Yang Tianle and Yang Tianning had the best relationship, and they stayed close to him. Yang Lin took the wine glass with a smile and drank three sips in a row.
It was Yang Tianle's turn to step forward. He smiled and said, "Le'er wishes dad all the best and good luck."
Yang Lin touched his head and said: "Le'er has grown a lot these years outside, and now you are like a member of our Yang family. Next year I will send you to your grandfather, and you will be a man when you come back."
Yang Tianle nodded and looked back at Yang Tianning, who gave him an encouraging look.
After Yang Lin finished speaking, he waved his hand, and Yun Niang and Jin'er behind him smiled and brought up the lucky bags one by one.
Yang Lin handed one to each of his five brothers, then took one and hung it on Yang Tianyi's swaddling clothes.
Zheng Yunyao also smiled and waved, and her four maidservants brought several lucky bags and distributed them to several children.
Yang Tianren and others bowed and said in unison: "Thank you, Mother."
Seeing that the New Year's greetings were almost here, the dishes began to be served, all of which were the Yang's house's regular dishes. The family was having a good time, and the maids and women in the inner courtyard were also having wine in the room nearby.
This year, he spent most of his time traveling around, but he stayed in Bianliang for less than half a year. Yang Lin also enjoyed this feeling very much.
The banquet was in full swing, and several concubines took turns coming forward to propose a toast to Yang Lin.
Yang Lin also had his own gifts and made some jokes. When he met someone as unruly and bold as Su Miaolian, he couldn't help but glare at her.
After everyone dispersed, Yang Lin went to sleep in his room. When he woke up, it was already three o'clock in the morning.
I touched the bedside and found it was empty. I drank too much last night and I didn’t know who was sleeping next to it. It was the New Year’s Eve and I must have gotten up to dress up.
Yun Niang took several maids with her, and after helping him wash his face and mouth, she said softly: "Da Lang, the Jiuling Taoist Priest of Yanqing Temple is here."
"Oh? Senior brother is here?"
Yang Lin quickly got dressed and walked to the family temple in Zhaodefang, where Hong Jiuling was chatting with Taoist Mei here.
Yang Lin came over with a smile and said: "Senior brother, when you come here early in the morning, you didn't send someone to inform you in advance so that I could welcome you."
"Junior brother, you don't have to be polite. I came here this time to ask, in previous years, junior brother went to the Qitian Ceremony. Is it the same this year?"
Yang Lin sat down on a futon and said with a smile: "I'm busy with secular affairs here. I'm afraid I won't be able to spare time this year, so I'll just send someone there from my senior brother."
Hong Jiuling was stunned for a moment, then randomly moved the whisk and said, "Then let Zhiyuan go."
He didn't want to get involved too deeply in this kind of court affairs. Today's Yanqing view has reached its peak.
If you interfere too much in political affairs, it will be a recipe for disaster. The old Taoist priest has lived for so long and has a very clear view.
In the Central Plains, no one involved in religion and politics would end well, unlike many barbarians in the west.
Those people believed in the divine right of kings, but in the Central Plains dynasty, the king was a god.
The old Taoist priest knew how Junior Brother Chiyang reached his current position step by step, and Yanqing Temple also put in a lot of effort behind it.
Ever since Yangzhou Jieyuan came to Beijing and hosted a banquet for the three of him at Changle Tower, he has been rising steadily every year, and every step he takes is a step up the ladder to heaven.
As long as he gains power, the prosperity of Taoism is inevitable, and the glory of Yanqing Temple will not be extinguished.
Yang Lin nodded. It was not suitable for him to go to such a grand ceremony. It was just a means to fight for power. Now that the power is in his hands, he is too lazy to make the limelight.
If you have this time, you might as well spend time with your family at home.
As for Zhao Si, he had to be much busier. He had to choose a few generals to go to Nanyuan to shoot and play together for a day, and then give them a banquet.
This year's Spring Festival coincides with the beginning of spring again, and there will be a spring beating ceremony. Kaifeng Mansion will drive a cow into the palace, which is called a spring cow. Zhao Si uses a whip to whip the cow, which is called spring beating, which means that you have to work hard in the new year.
Have a good harvest.
Even in the Song Dynasty, which valued commerce, the foundation of society was agriculture, and agriculture was the foundation of the current Central Plains dynasty.
No matter which dynasty, they attach great importance to farming, and it is easy to talk about anything after they have enough food.
Yang Lin kept several Taoist priests in Yanqing Temple for a while, then they got up and left, and Yang Lin personally sent them outside the house.
He stretched out his hand and Lu Qian stepped forward and said, "Young Master?"
"Immediately call Bai Shizhong, Cai Jing, Gao Bing, Zhang Shuye, Chao Li, and Xu Zhichang to come see me."
In the new year and the new atmosphere, before Zhongshu's work started, several senior officials were called to Zhaodefang.
Bai Shizhong, with his team of prime ministers, had just entered the flower hall of Zhaodefang and saw Cai Jing who had arrived inside.
For a moment, everyone felt that the matter was not simple, and Yang Shaozai was afraid that something big was going to be announced.
By the time everyone left, it was already dusk, and the highest-ranking officials of the Song Dynasty had not come out of Zhaode Square for the whole day.
Not long after, an edict was issued, which was shocking.
In the fourth year of Xuanhe's reign, the Song Dynasty established four more capitals besides Bianliang.
Tokyo Bianliang was changed to Zhongdu Bianliang, and the other four capitals were Chang'an in Xijing, Jiangning in Tokyo, Yanzhou in Beijing, and Guangzhou in Nanjing.
Bianliang, after the founding of the Song Dynasty, had its only status and resources, and it finally began to be divided.
Yang Lin took the first step to move the capital. After the Di report was issued, everyone in the four capitals jumped for joy and began gearing up to prepare for expansion.