Across the Water Margin: Officials of Ximen

Page 289

Not long after Ximenqing and others arrived, the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the sky in Huining City, the capital of the Dajin Kingdom, began under the auspices of the Prime Minister Wanyan Sagai.At this time, the life of the Jurchens was still very frugal, so the ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven was also very simple compared with that of the Song Dynasty.

I saw Wanyan Aguda, the lord of the Kingdom of Jin, and Wanyan Wuqimai, the crown prince, Wang Banjilie, lifting a large wooden boat-shaped plate painted red and filled with sacrifices of various colors to a three-foot-high wooden frame with their own hands. .A shaman chanted a mantra and danced around the sacrifice three times before stepping aside.Then, under the leadership of Wanyan Aguda, the clan members of the Wanyan family worshiped the sky together in front of the wooden frame.

People from all tribes in Wanyan by the polo field all bowed down with the clan and nobles, Ximen Qing and others went to do as the Romans did, and also bowed to God.Of course, what Ximen Qing muttered in his stomach was of course that he wanted God to bless him to be invincible when he met the Buddha and the Buddha, and when he met the God and the God.As for Alan beside her, looking at her pious expression, could it be that she is praying to her Tengger to bless her and her followers to return to the prairie safely?

After the sacrifice to heaven, two rows of willow branches were planted beside the polo field, and a piece of bark was peeled off a few inches above the ground to be used as an arrow target. The willow shooting competition is about to begin.Wanyan Aguda, Wanyan Sagai, and Wanyan Wu Qimai will serve as referees for this competition, and they will no longer shoot willows.The clan nobles of the Wanyan tribe entered the polo field on horseback with bows and arrows on their backs, holding scarves of different colors in their hands.

Next to Ximen Qing, there were Jurchen warriors arranged for him by Wanyan Nian, introducing to him one by one the clan nobles who entered the arena according to their rank.Except for the clans guarding other cities, such as the Wanyan Yinshuke brothers who could not return to the capital, all the other Wanyan clan nobles who stayed in Huining City were present.

Among these aristocrats, there are Wanyan Ao Duhe, Wanyan Aguda's brothers, Wanyan Yanmu, Wanyan Wudubu, Wanyan Talan, Wanyan Wuye, etc., and there are also Wanyan Aguda's nephews, such as Wanyan. Yan Sagai's son Wanyan Nian did not drink, Wanyan Wu Yashu's three sons Wanyan Moulianghu, Wanyan Tongqiao Zhuo and Wanyan Kuma Ke, Wanyan Aguda's sons Wanyan Shenguo, Wanyan Wulibu, Wanyan Yan Wuben's brothers, Wanyan Yehe's three sons Wanyan Alubu, Wanyan Gulan and Wanyan Yegunai, Wanyan Gushen, Wanyan God Tuyan, Wanyan Wulugu, Wanyan Yan Hu Shigai and other clan descendants.

Ximen Qing was overwhelmed by the crowd of noble children of the Wanyan family, and he didn't fully remember it.And these are just some members of the Wanyan family who stayed behind in the capital.

Looking at the lively Jurchen men on the polo field, Ximen Qing thought to himself: It is not Wanyan Aguda who keeps creating miracles and leading the rise of the Jurchens!It's this group of Wanyanbu aristocratic elites who are full of vigor and ambition.

The reason why the Jurchens have stepped onto the center of the historical stage in this era is because God gave them a group of warriors who are good at fighting.Think about how the Liao and Song kingdoms, which have been gradually decaying, can withstand the hurricane blowing from Liaodong?

After all the members of Wanyan's family entered the arena, Ximen Qing followed them into the polo field on horseback as a guest invited by Wanyan, and Ma Kuo also came to Ximen Qing's side.

After the two entered the arena, the warriors from other Jurchen tribes in the capital followed Ximen Qing and entered the arena, and the willow shooting competition finally sounded the drums.

Chapter 455 Shocking the Audience

Following Wanyan Aguda's order, the drums of war were beaten on the side of the polo field to cheer for everyone, and the Jurchen nobles entered the arena one by one to show off their skills.

Ximen Qing and Ma Kuo rode together and waited on the sidelines, watching carefully the riding and shooting skills of the generals of the Wanyan clan.

As each contestant took turns to go into battle, the generals of the Wanyan tribe's clan gradually separated themselves.

Wanyan Yanduhe, Wanyan Nianbudao, Wanyan Moulanghu, Wanyan Wulibu, Wanyan Gulan and Wanyan Yuangunai were the most outstanding archers, and all of them were broken with one arrow. He tied the willow branches with his handkerchief, and asked the cooperating warriors to pick up the willow branches that did not fall to the ground.

Wanyan Jiemu, Wanyan Talan, Wanyan Kuke, Wanyan Wulugu and others were slightly inferior. Although they all shot off the willow branches from the point where the bark was peeled off, they probably shot fast. It's a pity that even after a few steps, or a little late shooting, the companion galloping ahead couldn't catch the broken willow branch.

The rest of the clan nobles such as Wanyan Wudubu, Wanyan Wuye, Wanyan Tongqiao Zhuo, Wanyan Shenguo, Wanyan Wuben and Wanyan Gushen all cut off the willow branches, but the fractures were not peeled off. Regrettably, all the green branches of the bark were sentenced to lose.

Behind Ximen Qing, Alan, who was disguised as a man, saw it, and couldn't help worrying about Ximen Qing, so she quietly asked Jiao Ting, who was protecting her, whether her master, Ximen Qing, could win the game?

Jiao Ting smiled and replied to her: "You don't know how powerful brother Ximen Qing is, he is omnipotent in the eyes of my brothers. Let's watch brother Ximen Qing shoot willows with peace of mind!"

While the two were talking, Ximen Qing and Ma Kuo made an agreement and rode into the polo field together.

The Jurchens in Huining, the capital of the Kingdom of Jin, now all know that a businessman from the Kingdom of Song, Ximen Qing, exchanged the best wine and books in the world for horses produced in the Kingdom of Jin.I heard that this businessman will also participate in the willow shooting competition, competing with my Jurchen warriors. Many Jurchen tribes in the capital are full of curiosity, wanting to see what kind of skills this Song man has.

When Ximen Qing entered the arena, everyone from Wanyan Aguda, the lord of the Kingdom of Jin, to all the ministries all turned their attention to him.Behind Wanyan Aguda, a group of Jurchen aristocratic women stared wide-eyed, wanting to see if this good-looking big white fish has real skills, whether it is fancy or not?

The cheers and drums from the sidelines continued to cheer for the people of Song Dynasty. Ximen Qing and Ma Kuo looked at each other and rushed out at the same time.

Ma Kuo speeded up his horse and whipped his horse, and gradually opened the distance from Ximen Qing behind him. Seeing the sound of horseshoes, Ma Kuo rushed to the side of the polo field after a while, and the willow branch with the red silk scarf brought by Ximen Qing was right in front of him.

It's time to shoot!Everyone in the audience looked up at Ximen Qing.

At this time, Ximen Qing was more than [-] horses behind the horse, but everyone saw that he only cared about riding the horse and did not bend the bow or take the arrow.

"Ah!"

"what?"

"Ok?"

Many people in the field gave out different exclamations and doubts, because they all saw that it was too late for Ximen Qing to shoot again at this time, and Ma Kuo must have already rushed through the willow branches, and it was impossible to catch the broken willow branches again.Even if Ximen Qing hit the shot at this time, it was barely a second.

Is that man from Song Dynasty really a silver-like wax gun head?What a pity for a good skin!

When Wanyan Aguda and the others met, they also cast doubtful eyes on Wanyan Nianbudou who had recommended Ximenqing to participate in the Willow Shooting Conference.

Wan Yanjian didn't drink, but he was still watching Ximen Qing intently on the field.He had seen Ximen Qing's demeanor shooting deer the day before yesterday, so he didn't believe that Ximen Qing's skills stopped here.

Under the surprised eyes, Ma Kuo had already rode his horse to the end of the polo field, and Ximen Qing had already rushed past his willow branches.The two didn't stop there, but galloped wildly, circled the polo field, and returned to the starting point one after the other.

"Oh? This businessman from the Song Dynasty is interesting! He is really a brave man!" Wanyan Aguda saw it, stood up from his seat, and stared intently.

The Jurchen generals on the sidelines also saw the clue, and all stared at Ximen Qing without blinking, waiting for his arrow.

It turned out that Ximen Qing hadn't raised the speed of getting off the horse when he rode out. The difficulty of shooting willows was not high, and he didn't show the skills he learned from Zhou Tong.Therefore, he discussed with Ma Kuo and chose not to publish.

At this time, after running around the polo field for a long time, the horses of Ximen Qing and Ma Kuo had already run out of speed, and the eight horseshoes flew into the air at the same time, as if they were flying.Ximen Qing clamped the horse's belly with his legs, stood up halfway, drew a strong bow, and mounted an iron arrow, aiming at the willow branches in front of him.

Just when the head of Ma Kuo's horse was about to pass over the branch, an arrow shot from behind him like lightning, and hit the willow branch where the bark was stripped off, breaking the willow branch in two and flying away. go out.

Ma Kuo was worthy of being a martial artist, and he was nimble on the horse. He leaned down, stretched out his ape arm, and suddenly and firmly grabbed the falling willow branch, and lifted it above his head.

"Okay!" Accompanied by the sound of drums, there was a burst of cheers and applause from the audience, all of which were sincerely sent to the two young men from the Song Dynasty.

"There are such capable people in the Song Kingdom!" Wanyan Aguda said to Wanyan Wu Qimai and Wanyan Sagai who were beside him.

"Yes, this boy can be called a master archer!" Wanyan Sagai also sighed.

"Hehehe~ It's such a wonderful riding and shooting, I, Wu Qimai, is so excited!" Wanyan Wu Qimai laughed eagerly.

"Fourth brother, I didn't prepare a big bear for you today when offering sacrifices to the sky and shooting willows! Besides, I didn't warn you as a brother. Now that the Kingdom of Jin has just established, as the crown prince, you should put state affairs first. Capturing bears and tying tigers is a joke!" Wanyan Aguda saw through Wanyan Wu's intention of begging for money, and gave him a blank look.

"Brother taught you a lesson." Wanyan Wu Qimai was discouraged, and sat back on the chair again.

Wanyan Agu beat this brother Wanyan Wu Qimai with great power. His favorite thing to do when he was young was to wrestle with bears, and he would become the final winner.Like Wanyan Yinshuke, he belongs to the abnormally strong Jurchen warrior.

Before raising troops against the Liao Dynasty, Wanyan Wu Qimai once accompanied his elder brother Wanyan Aguda to meet the Khitan Emperor Tianzuo.After Emperor Tianzuo got drunk, he forced Wanyan Aguda to dance for himself.

At that time, Wanyan Aguda rejected Emperor Tianzuo's unreasonable request out of self-esteem, and desperately fought to the death with the angry Khitan Emperor.

At the critical moment, Wanyan Wu Qimai jumped out to ease the atmosphere, and performed an unarmed human-bear fight for Emperor Tianzuo, which won the favor of Emperor Tianzuo, and only then did Wanyan Aguda escape safely and return to the tribe.

Regarding Wanyan Wu Qimai, after he proclaimed himself emperor and destroyed the Great Song Dynasty, there is still a legend among the people of the Song Dynasty, saying that Jin Taizong Wu Qimai looks exactly the same as Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin. Revenge on the descendants of Song Taizong who murdered him.

Such rumors are completely shameless obscenities of the defeated.

Of course, the current Wanyan Wu Qimai doesn't know that he will be tied up with Song Taizu in the future.He just deeply regrets that he can no longer wrestle with bears after reaching a high position.

Chapter 456 Princess Jin Guochang

When Ximen Qing and Ma Kuo left the field, they were greeted with bursts of cheers.Alan beside Jiao Ting blushed with excitement, his eyes sparkled, thinking in his heart that if the master followed him back to the grassland, he would definitely become a famous hero.

Seeing a foreigner from the Song Dynasty win applause from all the halls, he was annoyed by the other Jurchen warriors who hadn't played yet.

The people of the Song Dynasty are showing off their riding and archery skills here. Could it be that they are deceiving me that there are no real archers in the various Jurchen ministries?

With the intention of competing with Ximenqing, the warriors from the Tang Kuo tribe, Pei Man tribe, Tudan tribe, Pucha tribe and other tribes who stayed in the capital went off the field one by one to shoot willows.However, when they also urged the horses to the top speed like Ximen Qing, the arrows in their hands lost their aim, either hitting the green bark of the willow branches, or failing to shoot them all, and they were defeated one by one.

Among the warriors of the various tribes, only Wulin Maoshi Tuhei, the head of the Wulinguo tribe, was able to hit the arrow at the speed of Ximenqing, showing his superb riding and shooting skills to everyone, and also saved some of the warriors from all tribes. face.