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In the first month of the seventh year of Xiande in the Later Zhou Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, the commander of the palace guards, staged a mutiny at Chenqiao Post Station. The Song Dynasty was established at the beginning of the dynasty, and the reign title was changed to Jianlong, with Kaifeng as the capital.
Several years later, Zhao Kuangyin, a member of the imperial clan, ascended the throne, later known as Emperor Taizong of Song. In the fourth year of the Taiping Xingguo era, Emperor Taizong led troops to Yanyun, capturing Yizhou and Zhuozhou, and reaching as far as the Gaoliang River.
"The mournful wind howls beyond the Great Wall, the Jiaohe River is frozen solid. The vast sea is filled with waves, the Yinshan Mountains are covered in snow for a thousand miles. The garrison returns with fires on the perilous peaks, the layered mountains inspire lofty integrity. The banners flutter leisurely, the horses water their way out of the Great Wall."
This is Emperor Taizong of Tang's poem "Drinking Horse at the Great Wall Cave," which can be used to describe the heroic spirit of the Song family at that time.
At this time, during the rise of the Song Dynasty, four powerful figures and five wise men shone brightly in the court, subtly creating a trend of mutual restraint and support. Some of them were nobles, and some were not, but the influence of these nine individuals on the imperial family and on the Song Dynasty was beyond anyone's comprehension.
Four powers
They are Ze Ning, the third son of Prince Qin and commander of the palace guards; Shang Xuan, the eldest son of Prince Yan and commander of the imperial cavalry; Liu Yin, the music official in charge of singing, dancing and music in the palace; and Tong Wei, the master of the wind.
Five Saints
It is Yu Xiu, the Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate; Sheng Xiang, the son of Zhao Jin, the current Prime Minister; Qi Yang, the Imperial Physician of the Imperial Medical Academy; Rong Yin, the Privy Councilor; and the ancient ghost descending from the altar.
Chapter One: Spring Robes Accustomed to the Dust of the Capital
The capital of the Great Song Dynasty, Bianliang (Kaifeng).
The Imperial Palace.
Xuande Tower was the center of the Song Dynasty imperial palace and also the center of Bianjing (Kaifeng). To the south of Xuande Tower was the Imperial Street, about two hundred paces wide, with imperial corridors on both sides. The central Imperial Road was the main road, where people and horses were not allowed to walk.
In front of Xuande Tower, the left south corridor faces the left side gate, and the right corridor of the Secretariat faces the right side gate. To the east are the two government offices, and to the west is the Ministry of Personnel. Walking south along the Imperial Street, the Jingling East Palace is on the left, and the West Palace is on the right.
Heading south from the west corridor of the inner palace, past the West Palace are the Capital Secretariat and the Hundred-Mixed Pharmacy, all the way to Junyi Bridge Street. West of Junyi Bridge is Kaifeng Prefecture.
Three hundred steps down from Kaifeng Prefecture is the East Corner Tower, and beyond the East Corner Tower is the Baolu Gate.
Behind the Baolu Gate lies the famous Prime Minister's Residence, the home of Zhao Pu, a veteran minister who helped found the Song Dynasty.
A man dressed in dark blue slowly walked to the front of the Prime Minister's residence. People say that the residence of gods is in heaven and the home of prime ministers is on earth. I wonder how prosperous and luxurious this Zhao residence is now, filled with gold and jade.
His dark blue clothes had faded from washing, but were still neat and clean. His hands were empty, with only a small bundle hanging on his back.
After glancing around in front of the mansion a few times, he stepped up the stairs and picked up his ring to knock on the door.
The door creaked open, and a servant poked his head out. "May I ask who you are looking for, sir?"
“Manager Bi,” the man in blue said.
"Steward Bi? Ah, young master, you must be Qiu Han? Please come in, please come in." The servant slapped his forehead. "Steward Bi and the master have gone out and are not here at the moment. Only the young master is in the mansion. Do you remember Young Master Bi? We used to play together when we were little."
The man in the blue shirt nodded. "It's been more than ten years since I last saw you. I'm afraid you wouldn't recognize me if you saw me."
"No, no, our young master is just like he was when he was a child. He's still causing trouble and making a ruckus all the time, which annoys the master." The servant laughed. "It's good now that young master Bi is back. There's someone to keep an eye on him, so he won't be doing anything all day long that leaves us servants confused."
The man in blue smiled faintly, "Qiu Han's memory of what your young master looks like is already hazy. Y
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