Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 573: Court and Country
Yang Yuan walked into the Chrysanthemum Courtyard, stood in the middle of the courtyard, and called out, "Beier!"

After waiting for a while, he walked into the room.

Belle came out upon hearing the voice.

She was wearing a milky white tulle nightgown with loose sleeves, a tight waist, and plump hips...

With blonde hair, blue eyes and delicate skin, she looks like an ice princess.

These are the more Western-style pajamas that Belle and her friends made for themselves after they opened a tailor shop.

It's just that materials such as linen and wool are replaced with silk, making it appear lighter, softer and smoother.

The pleated neckline and cuffs, which have a lace effect, are embellished with tiny pearls, making them sparkle.

But that brilliance was nothing compared to the light shining from behind her, which outlined the curves of her body through her thin silk nightgown.

Yang Yuan was stunned for a moment, and his eyes suddenly showed some burning heat...

Such a scene is truly amazing. Even someone who has experienced the vicissitudes of life like Yang Yuan can't help but admire it.

Although the Western-style pajamas of this era are also very tight and do not have designs that expose breasts and legs, this kind of design that is both revealing and concealing is more attractive...

Why did she come out in such a state? Maybe it’s because all the people living in the back house of Nianhua Cottage are women, but Belle didn’t realize it.

Thinking about this, Yang Yuan smiled generously and said, "Belle hasn't gone to bed yet, right?"

"No, Belle is doing the task that the gentleman assigned to me, and she is almost done. Please come in, sir."

Emmanuelle Belle welcomed him into the room with a smile as beautiful as a flower. A beautiful lady with blonde hair, blue eyes, a high nose and deep eyes, full of exotic charm, wearing a Western-style silk nightgown, walked gracefully in front of her.

Yang Yuan felt like he had walked into the bedroom of a European hostess in a castle.

Emmanuel invited Yang Yuan into the study.

There was a book spread out on the desk, with ground ink next to it and a brush placed on the pen holder.

She wasn't lying, she was writing something.

There is a tea tray next to it.

Emmanuelle Belle took an empty cup and poured a cup of tea for Yang Yuan.

Yang Yuan had already sat down behind the desk and picked up the book.

After just a quick glance at two pages, Yang Yuan's eyebrows were already raised in appreciation.

After he returned from the Jin Kingdom, he met Belle and told her a request in detail: Yang Yuan wanted her to help Wuda Youzhuzhu to create a new shamanistic doctrine and rules, as well as a plan for the development of preaching.

Yang Yuan asked Belle to combine the methods and concepts of the sect she believed in, which could unite people, strengthen organizations, and enhance unity, with the characteristics of the doctrines that could be inherited and developed by shamanism, to construct a new theory that could be used by Yang Yuan and was in line with the actual situation of the Jin Kingdom.

For Belle, it was not difficult to understand and analyze shamanism. In addition to Yang Yuan's introduction to her, there were also wizards and shaman-like beings in the tribal regimes of the West.

She could understand what those shamans and witches who performed shaman dances described by Yang Yuan were like, what kind of power and status they had in the tribe, and how they exerted their influence.

So it was no difficulty for Belle to optimize and transform them.

She brought the tea to Yang Yuan, who took it and drank it while flipping through the doctrines that Belle had written for this new shamanism.

Belle stood aside, her pair of bright sapphire eyes sometimes falling on the paper, sometimes moving to Yang Yuan's face.

Her eyes flickered from time to time, as if trying to figure out Yang Yuan's attitude towards what she wrote, but it also seemed... like she was spying on a prey.

"good, very good!"

Yang Yuan didn't have time to look at it carefully at the moment, but after a quick glance, he felt that it completely met his needs.

He closed the book, looked up and said something appreciatively.

Only when he raised his head did he realize that Belle was too close to him, so when he raised his eyes, he could only see two snow-capped mountains, and the delicate chin and a cone-like nose between the two mountains.

At the same time, a faint fragrance that I just became aware of is permeating my heart.

Belle seemed to realize that she was too close, so she took a step back, revealing her delicate face with clear lines yet softness.

Yang Yuan said, "When the merchant ship comes back, I will ask someone to take it aboard and bring it to Shangjing next time and give it to Wu Dayou."

Bei Er showed a slight surprise, opened her eyes wide and said: "Didn't the master say that he wanted Bei Er to go over and help Miss Zhuzhu to establish a new shaman?"

"That's what I thought."

Yang Yuan hesitated for a moment and said, "However, thinking about it carefully, this plan is not well thought out. Now that you have written it in sufficient detail, Zhuzhu is a very wise witch. She should know what to do after reading it."

Belle blinked and asked, "Belle doesn't quite understand what you mean by 'inconsiderate'?"

Yang Yuan sighed, looked at Bei'er and said, "Because you are so beautiful."

Belle's beautiful eyebrows curved slightly.

Yang Yuan said: "In today's world, in most places, a woman who only has beauty will hardly have the power to protect herself."

Belle, however, narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled, feeling extremely happy.

She had her own interpretation of what Yang Yuan said. She only knew that Yang Yuan was praising her beauty and cherishing her very much.

Belle thought for a moment and asked, "That witch, is she pretty?"

Yang Yuan said: "She is beautiful. She has a kind of... wild beauty. However, you have to know that she is a witch of a powerful tribe. She has the ability to protect herself. But you are different. I am worried that once you go there, she will not be able to guarantee your safety..."

Belle was filled with joy, and lowered her head slightly, saying, "If this matter is very important to you, sir, Belle is willing to take the risk."

Yang Yuan immediately shook his head: "I don't want to take the risk."

Belle's snow-white cheeks were slightly stained with rouge: "So, Belle is more important to you than this matter, right?"

Yang Yuan suddenly realized something. It was not easy. Since going to Shanyin, is Belle finally going to let go of the reserve of a female knight and the persistence of a devout believer?

Yang Yuan chuckled and nodded, "Yes, in my heart, you are very important!"

Bei Er bit her cherry-red lips and said to Yang Yuan, "So, Bei Er wants... to have even more powerful strength."

She shrunk down like a white cloud. "The Zhelong Kungfu that Master taught to Belle is a very magical Kungfu. I know that if I want to practice it to the extreme, I still need..."

Bei'er stretched out her hand, blushing, raised her eyes, looked at Yang Yuan, and whispered: "Practice the last step."

"Belle..."

Although Yang Yuan had realized something, he was somewhat surprised by her initiative and boldness.

Belle lowered her eyes and bowed her head, as if submitting to her idea.

Her shoulders, like a knight receiving a sword, were reverently accepting the pressure of the sword, and were raised respectfully and actively.

In her hands, she gently and tenderly held up the scepter that she had longed for, like a queen who had just been crowned.

Belle tried to recall some embarrassing things that her sisters had talked about in private, which she only half understood, and figured out what actions she could take. Then she bowed her head and...

The last step of this exercise is really hard to practice.

She didn't know when, but Belle, with confused eyes and slightly swollen lips, had already laid down on the scriptures she had written, her hands firmly grasping the edge of the table.

She had a pair of long, round legs, so she had no difficulty lying on the table.

Suddenly, her beautiful brows furrowed, and one of her soft hands let go of the edge of the table and grasped the cross necklace hanging around her neck.

Oh my God!

Forgive me, forgive me, redeem me...

As the sturdy desk screamed, Belle also kept shouting in her heart.

Some doctrines that once puzzled her now suddenly became clear to her.

Suffering is a blessing, the Lord never deceives me!

Blessed are those who endure suffering. After going through suffering, I received the crown of life, which is the happiness promised to me by the Lord...

Belle, who was gradually reaping the rewards of her hardships and feeling as if she were floating in the air, chanted like this in her heart.

At some point, the messy study was reduced to a mess.

Yang Yuan and Bei'er have moved to her bedroom.

I don’t know how much time had passed, but the messy bedroom finally became quiet.

Yang Yuan was lying on the couch, embracing the bright moon and ice and snow in her arms; she was so white.

A ball of pink and crystal light is in my arms.

Belle closed her eyes slightly, a smile on her lips, her face lightly stained with a layer of red after the rain.

This Frank girl indeed had an exotic charm that was completely different from the delicate and graceful Middle-earth women, and had a unique kind of romance.

Moreover, she has a good tolerance.

Belle, sleepy, snuggled in Yang Yuan's arms, and thought drowsily, I will burn the indulgence after daybreak and the master leaves.

What if... Mr. wants it again tomorrow morning?
If you burn it now, you will waste one more.

……

This night was a happy one for Yang Yuan, but a painful one for Han Qianchen.

He was one of the first batch of more than 700 redundant officials to be laid off.

After receiving the order to clean up redundant officials, the Privy Council retrieved the roster of all officials who received monthly salaries and checked them one by one.

Only then did they discover to their amazement that there was such a magical position in the Privy Council - the position of the Chief Justice.

So, Han Qianchen was laid off with honor.

His family has been officials for several generations, and he plans to pass this position to his son in the future, and pass it down from generation to generation.

Han Qianchen felt very depressed.

After being laid off, Han Qianchen stayed indoors for several days. Only then did Wang Changsheng know that he had been laid off.

Wang Changsheng felt that this kind of thing didn't matter at all. What did it matter whether he held such a useless position or not?

With Han Qianchen's abilities, if he and he can run the craftsmanship business together under the "Tongzhou Club" in the future, are we afraid that we won't be able to make a fortune?
Hearing that Han Qianchen was very depressed about this, Wang Changsheng, who didn't take it seriously, went to find him and went to the pharmacist Luo Chengan together. The three old friends had a drink. Under the guidance of the two, Han Qianchen finally let go of his worries and was sent home drunk by Wang Changsheng.

"Dad, Dad, where are you going?"

Han Guang, his son, was walking around in the yard, holding a compass and learning feng shui from his father. When he saw his father coming back, he hurried over to him and said, "Mother... Mother has returned to her parents' home."

Han Qianchen burped and said drunkenly, "Why are you in such a hurry to go back to your mother's house? Doesn't your mother go back to her mother's house often?"

Han Guang said with a sad face: "This time it's different, mother went back to her parents' home and will never come back again."

Han Guang took out a piece of paper from his bosom, handed it to his father, and said, "Here, take a look, this is the 'divorce letter' that mother left behind."

Han Qianchen was shocked and hurried back to the main room, turned on the light and looked in the light.

This is a "divorce letter" left by Han Qianchen's fierce wife. As long as Han Qianchen signs and seals it, it will take effect immediately.

In ancient times, a husband's power to divorce his wife was greater than a woman's power to divorce her husband.

However, there are also "three no-divorce" conditions for men to divorce their wives. As long as a woman meets the "three no-divorce" conditions, her husband cannot divorce her.

Before the Song Dynasty, women had great power to divorce their husbands. They could divorce them if they were not satisfied with them, without any reason.

After the Tang Dynasty and starting from the Song Dynasty, there were more restrictions, and a woman had to meet certain conditions before she could divorce her husband.

For example, the husband has committed a crime and is sentenced to prison, the husband’s close relatives have violated his rights (including attempted rape), the husband has not returned home for three years, and the husband is unable to support his wife…

Han Qianchen's fierce wife used this as the reason for the divorce: her husband couldn't afford to support her.

After reading it, Han Qianchen stamped his feet and cursed: "Shameless! Shameless! Although Han's salary is not high, it is more than enough to support the family.

That shrew would often take my Han family's money to give to your uncles for household expenses, leaving our family penniless.

She still has the nerve to say that I, Han, can’t afford to support her? I’ll go and argue with her!”

"Father, don't go!"

Han Guang quickly stopped Han Qianchen and said with a sad face: "Mother said, she said, she said... If father still wants to save face, then sign the divorce agreement and we can part ways in peace. If father doesn't sign..."

Han Qianchen glared and said, "So what if you don't sign?"

Han Guang said, "Mother said that if father doesn't sign, she will come back every day to make trouble, so that the Han family will have no peace every day."

"She dares!"

Han Guang said woodenly: "Mom said that she would bring five uncles and all the cousins ​​together..."

Han Qianchen sat down on the chair with his eyes wide open.

He knew very well what kind of people his relatives were. If those scoundrels were to come and cause trouble, the Han family would never have peace.

Wang Changsheng flew into a rage when he heard this: "Why don't you sign for such a piece of shit? Are you going to keep her for the New Year? Sign! If you don't sign, I will look down on you!"

Han Qianchen was provoked by him. He couldn't afford to lose face in front of his old friend, so he slammed the table and said angrily: "I'll sign, bring me the pen and ink."

Han Qianchen quickly signed his name, drew his seal, and threw the "divorce letter" to his son, saying bitterly: "Tomorrow, you go to the government to report it."

At that time, if a man wanted to divorce his wife or husband, or if a concubine wanted to be betrothed or divorced, or even if he wanted to buy another house instead of living with his first wife, he had to report it to the government and state the reasons, and the record would be kept by the government.

Han Guang picked up the "divorce letter" with a bitter face, and felt a little relieved in his heart.

With a mother like him, not only the father suffers greatly, but the son is also in great pain.

But his father was a coward and dared not speak out in front of his mother even though he was angry. He was a son and he couldn’t even “dare to be angry”, so what could he do?

Now, I feel relaxed.

Han Qianchen was still panting with anger after signing the "divorce agreement".

"Ok?"

Han Qianchen suddenly felt that the chair was a little uncomfortable, he looked down and asked in surprise: "Where is the cushion?"

Han Guang said bitterly, "As soon as father and Uncle Wang left today, several uncles and cousins ​​came and pulled two carts, and took away everything that could be moved from the house. Even the writing brush that father had just signed was left for his son."

Han Qianchen was furious and slammed the table, saying, "Asshole! Asshole! She..."

"Wow!"

The table collapsed, and Han Guang was unable to stop it, so he said, "The tables and chairs in the main room have been moved out. This set is the one that has been broken and not repaired yet, and my son moved it here to use temporarily. Father, be careful, the chairs will collapse if you are not careful."

Han Qianchen looked around with drunken eyes and realized that the only set of guest tables and chairs left in the main room was the one he was currently using. He hadn't noticed it just now.

Han Qianchen got angry and said, "Give me back the divorce agreement. I don't want a divorce. I'm going to ask her to return the family property."

"Come on, just take it. As long as we can get rid of this unscrupulous woman, what else can we do?"

Wang Changsheng said unhappily: "You are not incompetent, just follow me and I will make you rich.

Also, you don't have anyone to serve you, right? Tomorrow I will send you two concubines.

Hey! They are all 16, 17 or 18-year-old Japanese girls, aren't they better than that fierce woman in your house? Really!"

Upon hearing this, Han Qianchen immediately asked his son, "How many sets of bedding did your mother leave behind for your father?"

Han Guang said bitterly: "Only a set of tattered thin quilts are left."

Wang Changsheng rolled his eyes and said, "Beds, huh? I'll give you three sets. Tell me what else you need, and I'll give it to you."

At this point, Wang Changsheng was both angry and amused: "What the hell is this? I'm giving away a concubine, how can it be like marrying off a daughter? I even have to bring a dowry!"

……

What happened to the Han family is just a microcosm of the many small people affected by the great changes.

Whether it is a blessing or a curse depends on one’s own opinion.

In the court, the dispute among the three judges continued.

The Dali Temple found another precedent to criticize the Censorate.

It is said that during the reign of Emperor Shenzong of Song Dynasty, there was an official named Zhang Zhongxuan who served as the prefect of Jinzhou.

This person was corrupt, bribed, and bent the law for personal gain. According to the "Imperial Song Criminal Code", he should be sentenced to death.

However, the judge cited an old precedent that had pardoned other officials and sentenced him to exile in Hainan; the additional punishment was tattooing on his face and three or five beatings with a big stick.

Emperor Shenzong felt that the sentence was too light and asked all officials to judge. However, Minister Su Song was the first to write a letter, arguing that the sentence was too heavy.

Song Shenzong's actions backfired and he could not withstand the pressure from the officials, so he had to take a step back and declared that he would not punish the emperor.

As a result, all officials thought that tattooing was inappropriate. How could officials be treated the same as robbers and thieves? This made the court seem too unbecoming.

Finally, this person’s sentence was changed to “exempt from beating and tattooing, but exiled overseas”.

However, according to the Song Dynasty Criminal Code: "Any supervisor who accepts bribes and perverts the law shall be punished with a 100-foot cane, one additional pound for each pound, and a 15-pound cane for each pound."

The money Zhang Zhongxuan embezzled was more than 15 horses. If he had been in the reign of Emperor Taizu, Emperor Taizong, or even Emperor Zhenzong, he would have been killed.

However, by the time of Emperor Shenzong of Song, it was already the rule that "officials convicted of corruption and sentenced to death shall not be subject to additional punishment" and it was "a permanent rule."

Why did officials think the sentence was too heavy? Because during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song…

Yes, it’s Renzong again.

At that time, there was an official in the Southern Court of Xuanhui, named Guo Chengyou, who not only "stole gold, silver and other valuables", but also arbitrarily sentenced soldiers and civilians to death, killing many people.

In addition, he was also guilty of crimes such as "withholding grain supplies without authorization, approving documents, and not sending soldiers back to garrison", "borrowing weapons from the Imperial Academy, and carrying flags and guns when going out", etc.

In other words, this person is corrupt, abuses public resources for personal gain, and oversteps his authority, and has many lives on his hands.

The person in charge of trying the case at that time was Bao Zheng. Bao Zheng was sharpening his knife and ready to kill someone. As a result, the case was brought to the court and the emperor made the decision.

Emperor Renzong sentenced him to "dismissal from the post of Envoy of the Southern Court of Xuanhui, Chief Administrator of Xuzhou, and transfer him to the post of Governor of Baojing Army and Governor of Xuzhou". In other words, he was finally demoted to become Governor of a smaller state - Xuzhou.

Compared with this person's treatment, the corrupt official Zhang Zhongxuan was certainly sentenced too heavily, and his cry of injustice seems reasonable.

The Lin'an tabloid published Dali Shi's debate word for word, causing an uproar in the court and the country.

Because during this period of time, the brothels in Lin'an have been constantly telling the common people through storytelling, dramas and songs that things were not like this before!

This is not the ancestral system!
It was not like this during the time of Taizu, Taizong, or Zhenzong.

How can this be considered an ancestral rule?
The main group that Lin'an tabloids targeted was of a higher level than the main group of people who watched operas and listened to stories in brothels.

But they had never heard of many things in the Lin'an tabloids, but now they know.

As a result, the people of Lin'an were angry, and the students of the Imperial Academy and the Imperial College were angry.

On February 2, the fire was lit.

A large number of students suddenly gathered together and poured out of the Imperial Academy.

The officials of the Imperial Academy who had hurried out to catch up stood at the gate of the Imperial Academy in surprise, looking at the students rushing away.

The martial arts were in a state of excitement. The martial arts candidates, wearing short shirts with arrow sleeves inside and long Confucian robes outside, also rushed to the streets and quickly joined the students of the Imperial College.

Then, they rushed to the Imperial College together and broke into the Confucius Temple.

Starting from the time of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, the imperial court established a separate Confucius Temple within the Imperial College.

Students from the Imperial Academy and the Military Academy, together with the students from the Imperial Academy who were already waiting there, rushed into the Confucius Temple and carried out eleven statues in total, including Confucius and the ten philosophers of this era who were entitled to be enshrined in the Confucius Temple: Yan Zi, Min Ziqian, Ran Boyu, Zhonggong, Zai Wo, Zigong, Ran You, Zilu, Ziyou and Zixia.

The academic officials of the Imperial College rushed over and shouted to stop them, but before they could shout twice, a group of martial arts candidates rushed over, covered their mouths, clamped their arms, and took them aside.

Afterwards, the eleven statues were carried by students from the three highest universities in Lin'an and rushed to the streets, shouting the slogan "Establish a mind for heaven and earth, and establish a destiny for the people."

Soon, a large number of people responded and followed them.

Fan Jiang did not go on duty today. He changed into his Confucian robe early in the morning, waited outside the Imperial College, and followed the team.

When the team walked onto the Imperial Street, Mr. Fan lifted the hem of his robe and rushed into the group of students who were writing letters to express their opinions.

He raised his fist as big as a bowl and shouted loudly in the rich Guanzhong dialect: "The red sun is rising, its path is bright. The river flows out of the underground stream, pouring into the ocean..."

A torrent of water surged towards the Lizheng Gate of the Great Song Imperial Palace...

(End of this chapter)