So Xu Xian took Xin Qiji across the river by boat and arrived at Yangzhou City along the waterway to meet the Crown Prince Zhao Shen who was inspecting the city.
Yangzhou, from the Sui and Tang Dynasties to the Northern Song Dynasty, has always been the gateway to the south of the Yangtze River and a place where merchants gathered. It has always been known as the first city in the south of the Yangtze River.
However, during the Southern Song Dynasty, due to the annual wars with the Jin Kingdom, Yangzhou completely lost its former glory as a commercial capital in the south of the Yangtze River and became a simple military and strategic town.
Even after twenty years of peace negotiations between the Song and Jin Dynasties, Yangzhou has never returned to its former prosperity.
"My old friend bids farewell to the Yellow Crane Tower in the west, and fireworks descend on Yangzhou in March!"
"How can there be any smell of fireworks in Yangzhou today?"
Xu Xian took Xin Qiji off the ship and entered Yangzhou City. When he saw the depressing scene in the city, he couldn't help but think of a poem.
"Yuan Jia hastily sealed the wolf as a bastard, and won a hasty visit to the north. In the forty-two years, I still remember the war in Yangzhou. Who can ask: Lian Po is old, can he still make a living?"
Xin Qiji could not help but compose a poem.
"Brother Xin, why do you make such pessimistic remarks?"
Xu Xian couldn't understand when he heard that Xin Qiji actually pronounced this word at this time.
"Prime Minister Xu, I am not pessimistic. I just made this word inadvertently. I just hope that our Song Dynasty's resistance to the Jin Dynasty can learn the lessons of Liu Yilong, the emperor of Liu Song Dynasty, and drive out the Tartars like Huo Qubing once did, and return the mountains and rivers of the Central Plains to us! "
Xin Qiji and Xu Xian explained.
"So that's it. It seems that I, Xu Xian, am not as knowledgeable as you, Brother Xin!"
After Xu Xian heard Xin Qiji's personal explanation, he suddenly realized the meaning of Xin Qiji's famous saying.
"Prime Minister Xu, how can I, Xin Qiji, compare with your talent?"
"I may have made some achievements in literature and ink!"
"Actually, I really want to be like Li Taibai, who can kill Tartars with a sword, kill one person in ten steps, and leave no trace behind for thousands of miles!"
The young Xin Qiji was naturally full of ambitions.
"When the matter is over, go and hide in Buddha's robes, hiding your body and name!"
"However, although Li Taibai is a fairy in poetry, he has never made any achievements in the court and was repeatedly demoted. Perhaps it was because he was born at the wrong time!"
"I think what you do in the future, Brother Xin, will never be worse than Li Taibai!"
Xu Xian couldn't help but praise Xin Qiji.
"How can I compare to Li Taibai?"
"I think back then, Li Taibai asked Emperor Xuanzong's favored eunuch Gao Lishi to carry his shoes for him!"
"Now that the great concubine Qin Hui has died a long time ago, can I still ask him to carry my shoes in the future?"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Xin Qiji laughed as he spoke.
"At that time, Li Taibai met the old and fatuous Tang Xuanzong. If he had met Tang Xuanzong twenty years earlier, why would the officialdom have such amnesia?"
"Brother Xin, although you are young now, you are astonishingly talented and knowledgeable, and you have a heart to serve the country. What's more, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who is in charge of the government today is the Mingjun Holy Master!"
"That's why I dare to say that your future achievements will never be lower than Li Taibai's!"
Xu Xian naturally wanted to encourage Xin Qiji to achieve something beyond fame.
"Although the Crown Prince is wise now, but...!"
"Ha ha!"
"Could it be that this young soldier is the person you want to recommend to me, Prime Minister Xu?"
Suddenly a burst of laughter interrupted Xin Qiji's words.
"Exactly!"
"Brother Xin, why don't you quickly pay your respects to His Highness the Crown Prince?"
When Xu Xian saw that Crown Prince Zhao Shen actually came to greet him in person, he quickly reminded Xin Qiji.
"The last general, Xin Qiji, pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
So Xin Qiji quickly saluted Zhao Shen.
"No need to be polite, no need to be polite!"
"Did I hear that you are from Shandong?"
Zhao Shen asked.
"Yes!"
"A certain general is coming from Shandong!"
Xin Qiji quickly replied.
"How have you Shandong people been living under Tatar rule these years?"
Zhao Shen asked again.
"In fact, the Tatars have not made it too difficult for us Han people who had not had time to escape in recent years, but we can never forget the shame of Jingkang and our identity as Song people!"
Xin Qiji answered truthfully.
"That's it!"
"It seems that the Jin people will do whatever it takes to enslave our Song Dynasty!"
"Xu Qing, I wonder how your inspection went?"
After Zhao Shen asked Xin Qiji what he was saying, he turned his attention to Xu Xian.
"I just visited Yanziji and met Brother Xin. Seeing how talented he is, I came here to introduce you to Your Highness!"
Xu Xian responded.
"Oh, that's how it is!"
"I inspected Yangzhou City today. The city defense here is strong and the morale is high. I am very pleased!"
"So I am planning to return to Jiankang now!"
"If anything happens to Qing Xu, please send someone to report to me at any time. I will leave first!"
After Zhao Shen finished speaking, he hurriedly left with the people.
What does Zhao Shen mean?
I thought it heard my arrival, Xu Xian, and came to pick me up?
It turned out that it was just leaving here by boat, and happened to meet me passing by!
Even Zhao Shen ignored my recommendation of Xin Qiji. Could it be that he didn't want to give Xu Xian face to me?
Xu Xian couldn't help feeling a little unhappy at this time.
"Prime Minister Xu, what's wrong with you?"
Xin Qiji saw that something seemed wrong on Xu Xian's expression and asked quickly.
"I'm fine!"
"fine!"
"His Royal Highness just now must have something urgent to return to Jiankang!"
"Today you will go on a tour with me. When you return to Jiankang tomorrow, I will introduce you to His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Xu Xian could only panic for Zhao Shen for the time being. After all, he was still not sure what happened to Zhao Shen just now.
"Okay, then I'll give you some help, Prime Minister!"
Xin Qiji looked grateful to Xu Xian at this time.
So Xu Xian took Xin Qiji to visit the area near Yangzhou and returned to Jiankang by boat late at night.
Early the next morning, Xu Xian came to see Zhao Shen first.
"Xu Qing, why are you here so early today?"
Zhao Shen was walking in Jiankang Palace at this time. When he saw Xu Xian arriving, he asked.
"Of course it's because of the anti-gold thing!"
Xu Xian responded.
"Could it be that Prime Minister Xu has a new plan?"
Zhao Shen asked again.
"Yes, but it's just the five suggestions put forward by the soldier Xin Qiji yesterday!"
"I wonder if Your Highness would like to hear it?"
Of course Xu Xian wanted to test Zhao Shen's attitude first.
"Isn't it necessary?"
"What good strategy can a little soldier have?"
"What's more, it's a person from the Tatar territory. What if it is a masterpiece sent by the Tatars?"
Zhao Shen responded directly.
I asked why yesterday I felt that Zhao Shen didn't like Xin Qiji very much. It turns out that Zhao Shen suspected that Xin Qiji was a spy sent by the Tatars.
It turns out that Zhao Shen misunderstood Xin Qiji.
In this case, of course I have to explain it to Xin Qiji first.
"Your Highness, although Xin Qiji is from Tatar territory, he is still Han Chinese and a citizen of the Song Dynasty!"
"Since I am a citizen of the Song Dynasty, of course it is impossible for me to become a fine work of the Jin Dynasty!"
Xu Xian explained to Xin Qiji. This chapter has been completed!