Zhengmeng Academy is located on Waima Street in the southwest of Kaifeng City, not far from Daxiangguo Temple.
That day Yao Sui and Yan Fu got up early, changed into clean clothes, and went to Zhengmeng Academy.
Along the way, Yan Fu looked around and realized that the scene in Kaifeng City he saw this time seemed a little different from usual.
When I look at it, I feel that since King Monan set up the Imperial Palace in Kaifeng, the city of Kaifeng has gradually regained some of its prosperity.
But after listening to the lyrics yesterday and looking at it today, what I saw was... abuse and cruelty.
More than a hundred years ago, Song general Du Chong crossed the Yellow River to stop the Jin army; twenty-four years ago, the Jin army crossed the Yellow River to defend Bianjing, but only half of the Mongolian army had arrived; twenty-two years ago, the Song army entered Luoyang in a peaceful battle.
, the Mongolian army opened up the Yellow River at Cunjindian to irrigate the Song army.
During the Song, Jin and Mongolian dynasties, whoever came and who went, they all had to cross the Yellow River embankment.
The millions and tens of millions of people drowned under the river have long since turned into withered bones without a trace.
There is no way to describe the lowliness of human life. The ruined roofs and walls of Kaifeng City are still silently talking about the rise and fall.
Yan Fu's eyes suddenly turned red.
"Prosperity means the people suffer; death means the people suffer." Yao Sui also had the same idea and hummed again.
The two looked at each other, and Yan Fu asked: "What kind of person is he? He can actually utter such warning words, which are astonishing and enlightening."
"Zijing will see him soon. I made an appointment with him to meet again at Zhengmeng Academy today."
After walking a few more steps, Yan Fu suddenly said: "Duanfu, I plan not to write poetry from now on."
Yao Sui was stunned.
Yan Fu studied under the famous Confucian Kang Ye, and entered Dongping Academy in Shandong when he was young. Dongping Tai recruited students for the school examination, and asked Yuan Hao to comment on their essays. Yan Fu was the leader, and from then on he was known as "the best in Dongping". He was in the weakest year.
He was able to write such fine lines as "A group of talented people can use Chu, and a scholar can only say goodbye to Yan", but now he has decided not to write poetry anymore?
Yao Sui opened his mouth, wanting to persuade Yan Fu, but he didn't know what to say...
Arriving at the gate of Zhengmeng Academy, Yao Sui suddenly raised his hand and waved, showing joy.
"Zijing, look, that's Zhang Yanghao!"
Li Xia had already heard from Lin Zi that no one followed the two boring scholars along the way, so he showed up openly.
The three of them met and exchanged a few words.
"Does Yanghao have a nickname?"
"Can not remember."
"How come you don't remember it? It must be that it hasn't been crowned or given a title yet?"
"yes."
"Why don't I ask Zhao Jinglue or Mr. Lu Zhai to give you a letter?"
Li Xia said: "I don't dare to take it. I still want to study in Zhengmeng Academy first, and then I can get my Biaozi after I finish my studies."
"That's fine." Yao Sui said, "Leave the matter of admission to me, you can rest assured."
Li Xia asked: "Yesterday, when I mentioned this matter, Brother Yao took care of it. It seems that he has a close relationship with Zhengmeng College?"
"To be honest, Zhengmeng College was founded by my uncle." Yao Sui said, "I didn't want to say anything about this, lest people misunderstand that I am boasting."
"Won't."
Yao Sui then cupped his hands and said: "My uncle's name is 'Shu', his courtesy name is Gongmao and his name is Xuezhai."
After hearing this, Li Xia's face remained calm.
This made Yao Suiwei a little embarrassed.
Li Xia said: "Sorry, I really don't know the current affairs."
Yan Fu opened his mouth and said: "Yao Gong of Xuezhai is a master of Neo-Confucianism today. He was known as 'Wang Zuolue' when he was young. He once visited Wokuotai Khan in Bei and was one of the earliest scholar-bureaucrats in Mobei. He once served in Yanjing Xingtai,
Because he couldn't bear to see the princes vying for bribes from the Mongols, he lived in seclusion in Mount Sumen and taught Neo-Confucianism.
The King of Monan conducted a survey of the Central Plains and recruited Duke Yao. Duke Yao first entered the shogunate of the Monan King and served as the tutor of the crown prince of the Monan King. He wrote thousands of letters and advocated "ruling the Han land with Han law." So far, good governance has been established in the Central Plains.
During the expedition against Dali, Duke Yao also talked about how Song Taizu sent Cao Bin to conquer the Southern Tang Dynasty without killing anyone, and the city would not be easy to destroy. King Monan then said, "If Cao Bin doesn't kill you, I can do it!" Split the silk into a flag, and
Write an order to 'stop the killing', so that the people can be fully protected."
After hearing this, Li Xia realized that Yao Shu was a close minister of Kublai Khan, and his status was probably quite high.
Yao Sui said: "I was orphaned when I was three years old. My uncle raised me single-handedly."
To show his closeness, Yan Fu said with a smile: "It was also Yao Gong who found a good match for Duan Fu. Duan Fu's father-in-law is Yang Gong, who was originally the official envoy to Luoyang."
"Luoyang?" Li Xia suddenly caught a place name that he cared about.
"Yes, Yanghao doesn't even know about Mr. Yao, so he doesn't know that the Yao family is a famous family in Luoyang."
Yao Sui said modestly: "You can't be called a famous family."
"I wonder when Duke Yao entered the shogunate of Monan King?"
"It seems like five or six years ago."
"May I ask where Mr. Yao is now? Can I go and pay him a visit?"
"My uncle went to Kaiping with King Monan at the beginning of the year..."
The three of them said this and walked all the way into Zhengmeng Academy.
Li Xia started to think about it slightly.
Luoyang...five or six years ago...Zhengmeng Academy...How did the spy Zhao Xin survive when he was left in Luoyang? How did he deliver the news? Where is he now?
After completing the enrollment matters and Yao Sui and Yan Fu left, Li Xia changed into Confucian clothes and wandered around Zhengmeng Academy, chatting with the handymen...
"A handyman from the academy? One of them is missing."
"oh?"
"His surname is Wu, with the word 'Gui' in his name, so everyone calls him 'Lao Gui'. He is a sweeper, and he came earlier than the villain. It seems that he was there when the academy first opened, and he has been missing for three or two months.
I don’t know, young man, you can ask that young man.”
"..."
"Lao Gui? I wonder why Xiao Langjun is asking about this rough guy?"
Li Xia said: "I am interested in criminal matters and like to investigate cases. I heard that he is missing?"
"Yes. Lao Gui is in his forties or fifties. He has a big scar on his face. He doesn't talk much. He just sits there and plays the flute after sweeping the floor every day. He knows a piece of music and plays it well."
"Does he have a family?"
"If you don't have one, how can you have a family? After a while, I saved up money just to visit the brothels, and it took a long time to go there."
Li Xia asked again: "When did he disappear?"
"Let me think about it... April 6th? It rained heavily that night. I asked him why he went out in such a heavy rain. He said he wanted to go to the brothel."
"Which kiln are you visiting?"
The boy from the academy was also somewhat elegant, and responded: "The lower-class people are not like young men, and cannot go to brothels. What they often go to are the leather and butcher shops in the outer city."
"Which one?"
"It's called Leather Shop, not far from Huiji River Gate..."
At the same time, Shen Kai led his horse into Kaifeng City.
It's funny to say that he has never seen up close what the Li Xia who is being hunted looks like, so he brought a few people with him.
Zhou Nan and Lin Xu got along with "Yang Shen" in Bozhou; Yin Jun had a chat with "Ma Zhiyuan" outside Chenzhou.
Unable to let Sister Zhang identify Li Xia, Shen Kai took these three scholars, whether they were "Yang Shen" or "Ma Zhiyuan", to capture the Song Dynasty man in detail.
A group of people walked from the city gate to Jinglue Mansion.
suddenly.
"Zijing, Duanfu, is that you?! Goodbye in Sumenshan, we haven't seen each other for a long time."
"Brother Yuanjiang, Brother An Dao! Why are you here in Kaifeng?"
"Something happened, what about you?"
"We came from Mount Sumen and were going to Chang'an to visit Mr. Lu Zhai, so we passed by Kaifeng. Today we happened to go to Jinglue Mansion to meet Shi Jia Erlang..."
Shen Kai was a little impatient and felt that these scholars were really troublesome.
But the literary world in the north is so big, these scholars are all familiar with each other, and they all come from the counselors of the Monan King's shogunate, so it is inevitable to have a few words when they meet.
Especially when he heard the words "Shijia Erlang", Shen Kai didn't dare to say anything.
Shi Tianze, the strategic envoy of Henan Province, was a general and prime minister. In terms of strength, qualifications, connections, and status, he was still above Zhang Rou.
"We are also going to Jinglue Mansion..."
"If you two brothers are free in the evening, can you come to the banquet? Erlang is hosting a banquet today and invites a talented person."
"evening?"
Zhou Nan and Lin Xu hesitated and glanced at Shen Kai.
Yao Sui started talking to himself.
"The thing is like this. Yesterday I met a young man named Zhang Yanghao at the Liangyuan Poetry Club. This man is handsome and talented, and can be said to be unparalleled..."
Shen Kai, Zhou Nan, Lin Xu, and Yin Jun looked at each other.
These words sound so familiar...
"Where is he?!"
"What?"
"Where is Zhang Yanghao?!"
"Zhengmeng Academy..."
"Zhengmeng Academy! Go to Zhengmeng Academy quickly!"