Across the Water Margin: Officials of Ximen

Page 268

Zongze also stood up and said, "Zichong, if you want to see your father earlier, you can follow me to the magistrate's office. After your father Ma Zheng enters the city, he must first go to the magistrate's office to report to Wang Zhifu about his mission. You wait outside the magistrate's yamen, and you will see your father soon. As a teacher, I will go to the magistrate's yamen, and Yu Hou, who wants to come to Wang Zhifu, should also come."

Before Zong Ze finished speaking, Marquis Yu from the magistrate's yamen came to the door and told Zong Ze that Wang Zhifu had an invitation.

Ximen Qing naturally understood what was going on.He remembered that the alliance between Song and Jin at sea began when Ma Zheng crossed the sea to visit Jin.Ma Zheng is back today, so the envoys from the Kingdom of Jin must have arrived in Dengzhou.

Chapter 4 Seventeen

Ximen Qing has been making a lot of publicity in the past few days. He brought people to live in Mao Taigong's manor, claiming that he has obtained the title deed of the manor and the surrounding large area of ​​land, and has become the new owner of this land.

Ximenzhong and Ximenping, according to Ximenqing's distribution, publicized in a high-profile manner inside and outside Dengzhou that the new owner of the manor was Ximenqing, the hero of Yanggu County, Yunzhou, who killed the traitor Sun Li, and at the same time recruited people everywhere.Soon, Ximen Qing became the most talked about person in the streets and alleys of Dengzhou City.

"Have you heard that the manor of Mr. Mao outside the city has a new owner?"

"Brother, are you deceiving me? Who in Dengzhou City doesn't know that the manor is a haunted house, haunted by ghosts, who dares to take over the manor after being so brave?"

"Isn't it! I heard that there were not many people left in the village who were killed by Sun Tixia. There were many ghosts wandering in the village at night, and the remaining living people were scared and moved away. ! Is there really someone who is not afraid of death? Is it a stunned man from other places?"

"You are so open-minded, how dare you still call 'Sun Tijutsu'? Sun~Sun Li turned his back on the court and was caught and beheaded by the court. Did you have a month-long head hanging outside the east gate?" See? Beware of misfortune coming out of your mouth!"

"What's wrong with my name being 'Sun Tijutsu'? How could the man in the yamen bite my bird?"

"This fellow is an idiot, and I will not be as knowledgeable as him. Brother, what kind of character is the new owner of Grandpa Mao's manor?"

"Hehehe~ I'm afraid you'll be shocked if you say it. The new owner of Zhuangzi is the Ximen official who killed Sun Li, Sun Xin, Mrs. Gu, Xie Zhen, and Xie Bao who are rebels!"

"The invincible Sun Tihat in my Dengzhou was killed by some high-ranking official? Doesn't he have three heads, six arms, and two feet in length?"

"Hahaha~ Are you talking about the statues in the temple? Let me tell you, the official Ximen is a handsome white-faced gentleman! He passed by our village that day and saw us Several women in the village are red-faced, how handsome is that official Ximen?"

"Brother, like you said, the person who killed Sun Li and the others was actually a white-faced gentleman? I wondered if he was an immortal in the sky? But it's no wonder he is not afraid of the ghosts in Taigong Mao's village!"

"You idiot, let me explain to you. Think about it, who killed Grandpa Mao and the people in that village? Did the Ximen official avenge them? The lonely soul of Mancun Can wild ghosts be grateful to the high official Ximen? Even if it is a ghost, it will not harm its benefactor. Let me tell you, no one can take over the manor, so the high official Ximen needs to live in it to be able to suppress it evil!"

"Brother is right. Then Zhuangzi must belong to some high-ranking official."

"I heard that the official is recruiting tenants! The official is a benevolent person, and he has already let the wind out that as long as the tenants and tenants of the original village are willing to go back, the land rent will be exempted for three years! Or they are related to the villagers who were killed. Therefore, those who are willing to seek refuge will be free of land rent for one year! That’s not raw land, it’s all good land where seeds can be planted to grow crops! I’m thinking about waiting a few more days, and if it’s really not haunted, I’ll go Vote for the official Ximen."

"Brother is right, so why would a senior official from the West Gate kill Sun Li? Who else in Dengzhou would dare to oppose him? It is said that it is good to enjoy the shade under a big tree, so you can't go wrong if you vote for such an official. It’s really not haunted anymore, I will go to vote for him with my brother!”

"The two brothers are thinking like this? Then I will go with you to have a look!"

……

Ximenqing settled in Mao Taigong's manor with great fanfare, attracting the attention of the people in Dengzhou. He was right in the middle of Wang Shizhong, the prefect of Dengzhou, and was in the arms of Zongze and Bingma, who ruled over Mazheng.

After all, the Ma Zheng crossed the sea to contact the Jin people in secret, and it was related to the secrets of the court. The officials in Dengzhou did not want the new envoy of the Kingdom of Jin in the post to attract attention.Undoubtedly, Ximenqing's troubles helped the officials of Dengzhou.The prefect Wang Shizhong also admired Ximen Qing.

However, Wang Zhifu is currently receiving Jin Guo envoys Li Shanqing, Xiao Sanduo, and Bo Da.There is really no time to meet the long-known official Ximen Qing.

Li Shanqing and his three brought their letters of credence and gifts and followed Ma Zheng across the sea to Dengzhou in the Song Dynasty. Because of the tiredness of the boat, the magistrate Wang Shizhong left them to rest in the posthouse for several days, and they were warmly entertained every day.

Like the court, officials in Dengzhou also have their own opinions on the matter of uniting the Jin Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty.The magistrate Wang Shizhong belonged to the kind of officials who figured out the holy will and supported the strategy of uniting the Jin Dynasty and defeating the Liao Dynasty.Even Ma Zheng's mission was recommended by Wang Shizhong to the imperial court.

Wang Shizhong was so enthusiastic about the envoys of the Kingdom of Jin, not only because he was doing things for the court loyally, but also because he had his own plans.He is fighting for his son's next chance to go to the Kingdom of Jin, and wants him to make contributions in the Song-Jin Huimeng.

Those who have the same plan as the magistrate Wang Shizhong also have soldiers and horses governing horse administration.Now that Ma Zheng has gone north to meet Wanyan Aguda, the ruler of the Kingdom of Jin, it can be said that he has already taken a slight advantage.In the past few days, he is also telling his son Ma Kuo what he has seen and heard, asking him to actively participate in this joint Jin campaign against the Liao Dynasty, so as to gain fame from it.

Although Tongpan Zongze was opposed to the alliance with gold in his heart, as the deputy of the magistrate Wang Shizhong, he was still able to do his duty faithfully and tried his best to receive the three envoys of the Kingdom of Jin.It's just that, in the dead of night, Zong Tongpan was scribbling alone, expressing his opposition to the alliance to the emperor.

Although Ximen Qing was also very interested in the envoy from the Kingdom of Jin, he knew that this was not the time for him to intervene, so naturally he didn't go to the magistrate's yamen and the post office to join in the fun.

While tidying up the original Mao Taigong's manor, Ximenqing recruited tenants and tenants everywhere, and at the same time asked Ma Kuo for help. He selected two reliable and familiar Japanese businessmen for Ximenping, and asked them to take Ximenping across the sea and return to Japan.

Ma Kuo's father, Ma Zheng, is in charge of the army in Dengzhou. How can businessmen from various countries who come and go to Dengzhou not curry favor?Therefore, Ma Kuo is very respectable among these businessmen, and everyone should respect him three points.After Ximen Qing made the request, he completely handed it over to Ma Kuo to make arrangements for himself.Because he believed in Ma Kuo's vision, he must recommend someone who is reliable.

At the same time, Ximenqing also asked Ma Kuo to take him to visit and get acquainted with Hu Yanqing, the commander of the Dengzhou Ping Navy.

That Hu Yanqing is a descendant of Hu Yanzan, the founding general of the Northern Song Dynasty.It is said that he and the "Double Whip" Hu Yanzhuo of Runing County are still cousins.

Hu Yanqing is not only good at martial arts, but also proficient in the language of Khitan and Jurchen, so this time he was also sent by the imperial court to cross the sea and go north with Ma Zheng to the Kingdom of Jin.

What's even more rare is that Hu Yanqing is the general of the water army in Dengzhou, and he is proficient in water warfare.

Ximenqing wants to take root in this Dengzhou, whether it is building his own ship to go abroad for business, or building his own navy in the future, he needs real naval personnel.

Ximenqing knew that the fishermen of Liangshanbo and Dongpinghu would not be able to do much at sea, so he went to get acquainted with Hu Yanqing.

Chapter 4 Wrestling Contest

In Dengzhou City, whether it is the magistrate Wang Shizhong, Tongpan Zongze, Bingma Jinju Mazheng, or Ximenqing, Ma Kuo, Hu Yanqing and others, they are all busy with their own affairs.

A few days later, Li Shanqing, Sandu, and Boda, the envoys of the Kingdom of Jin, rested and rested in the Dengzhou post, and then set foot on the road with the letter of credence and gifts such as Beizhu, raw gold, sable leather, ginseng, and pine nuts. The road to the capital.

The Dengzhou government sent a general and school to lead [-] officers and troops to escort the envoy of the Kingdom of Jin along the way. The prefect Wang Shizhong asked his son Zhong Yilang Wang Gui to accompany the envoy of the Kingdom of Jin. Ma Zheng also asked Ma Kuo, who had only been home for a few days, to follow the envoy The delegation went to Tokyo Bianliang together.

When Ximenqing learned that Ma Kuo was going to Bianliang, Tokyo with the envoys of the Kingdom of Jin, he knew that his brother Ma Kuo had finally started to step onto the stage of Song-Jin diplomacy.For future plans, Ximenqing decided to go with Ma Kuo and return to Yanggu County on the way.

After explaining to Ximen Zhong and Ximen Ping, Ximen Qing took Jiao Ting and some twenty guards and followed Ma Kuo's team all the way west.

At this time, thieves and thieves abounded all over the world, and when the family members of officials from all over the country wanted to travel far away, they often traveled with the officers and soldiers.In addition, since Ximen Qing defeated Liang Shanbo and captured the "sick Yuchi" Sun Li, his reputation in Dengzhou has spread far and wide.With Ximen Qing accompanying them, if the officers and soldiers really encountered robbers, they might still have to count on him to show off their might.Therefore, Wang Gui and other generals in the army had no objection to Ximen Qing's travel.

Since they are walking together all the way, of course they will interact with each other.On the first day after leaving Dengzhou, Li Shanqing, Sandu, and Boda, envoys of the Kingdom of Jin, met Ximenqing immediately.

Ximen Qing hadn't learned the Jurchen language at this time, and couldn't understand what the Jurchens were saying, so he could only ask Ma Kuo to act as his interpreter.

Among the envoys of the Kingdom of Jin, most of them were mature Jurchens from Hosuguan Road in Liaodong. They could speak some Khitan language, but they could not speak Chinese.Boda is the birth Jurchen of the Jin Kingdom Huli diversion, and can only speak the Jurchen language.Only Li Shanqing is from Bohai and can speak Jurchen and Chinese.

Therefore, through the translations of Ma Kuo and Li Shanqing, Ximen Qing was able to communicate with the two strong Jurchens Sandu and Boda.

When the envoy of the Kingdom of Jin asked about Ximen Qing's identity, Ma Kuo introduced Li Shanqing and the three of them according to the Jurchens' customs, telling them that Ximen Qing was a local hero in Shandong Province of the Song Dynasty, a hero, and had thousands of elite soldiers under him.

Although the Jurchen at this time has established a country, it has not yet shaken off the nature of tribal alliances.Most of the Jurchens are very simple, and the most admired are heroes.After listening to Ma Kuo's introduction, Sandu and Boda were both in awe of Ximen Qing.According to the two of them, if a person like Ximen Qing was in their Jurchen tribe, he could be regarded as the minister who leads a tribe, that is, the Bo Jin of the Jurchen.There are thousands of elite soldiers under Ximenqing's command, and he can take up the post of Meng'an in the Kingdom of Jin.

Ximen Qingxin said that Ma Kuo was indeed a smart person. After his ingenious introduction, the envoys of the Kingdom of Jin valued him even more, which was beneficial for him to make friends with these three envoys of the Kingdom of Jin.Forget it, let's write down the credit of Ma Kuo, and it will be rewarded in the future.

……

Ximen Qing and his party rode westward for a day and left Dengzhou. When night fell, they set up camp in Laizhou.

Because the envoys of the Kingdom of Jin like to eat roasted sheep, Wang Gui commanded the soldiers to slaughter a few sheep and roast them, and together with Ma Kuo, Ximen Qing, Jiao Ting and several officers, accompanied the three envoys of the Kingdom of Jin to drink and eat sheep.

For the Jurchens, it was normal to eat and sleep in the open. As long as there was wine and meat, they could rest and make friends anywhere.After everyone had a few glasses of wine, Zhen Boda, the daughter from Huli Gailu, Jin State, became interested and wanted to exercise her muscles.

Boda, who was eight feet tall and as strong as an ox, stood up, offered a bowl of wine to everyone, and then murmured a few words.

Everyone looked at Ma Kuo and Li Shanqing, wondering what Bo Da meant.Li Shanqing smiled at the crowd and said that Bo Da wanted to wrestle with the generals of the Song Dynasty to help the wine.

After hearing this, everyone looked at Ma Kuo again.Ma Kuo also smiled, and told everyone that the envoys of the Kingdom of Jin did not have any malicious intentions, but that they were naturally fond of fighting.You might as well choose someone to wrestle with the envoy Boda to satisfy the preferences of the distinguished guests.