Outside the Xinzheng Gate, in an open space not far from Qionglin Garden, Du Zhongxiao was wearing a public uniform and standing with Wang Kai, who was dressed in military uniform. Behind them were more than a hundred musketeers.

Early in the morning, there were attendants who came to announce the decree, and this afternoon they demonstrated their guns, and the courtiers came to watch. However, who came was not clear, and the two were a little confused. Fortunately, Han Jiang, the official of Kaifeng Prefecture, brought the box army to help tidy up the venue and make various arrangements.

Seeing that the sun was overhead, the weather was hot, and the city gate was still quiet, Du Zhongxiao and Wang Kai couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

Han Jiang approached and said: "At this time, it has just dispersed and the morning is still early, let's go over there to rest and drink two teas." I have arranged for someone to come and report to us when the saint leaves the palace. The soldiers over there are ready, and they will rest for a while. ”

Du Zhongxiao was taken aback: "What, could it be that the emperor will come today?" ”

Han Jiang said: "That's not for sure. The Privy Council announced that it was about the Holy Rite, but it was not mentioned in the Holy Decree, so it was prepared. ”

Du Zhongxiao and Wang Kai glanced at each other, not knowing why they suddenly came out like this. It was the right thing to show the guns to the ministers of the court, but it should be after the king. Now the order is completely out of order, and instead of entering the city, I have to demonstrate the weapon first.

In the capital hall, Jia Changchao had an angry look on his face, and said to Xia Zhu: "Hundreds of officials go out of the city to watch the army, such a big event, how can the cardinal government not discuss with Zhongshu and play it on its own?" Now that the holy decree has been issued, the yamen are in a mess, how can this be! ”

Xia Zhu lowered his eyelids and said lightly: "Hedong Road report, soon after the Khitan will use troops, Linfu Road and the Volcano Army are the places where both sides use troops." Not to mention, Tanglong Town is on the north bank of the Yellow River, adjacent to the southwest of the Khitan. Wang Junma and Du Zhijun had to rush back before the Khitan army left, and time could not wait. Zhongshu has been dragging them out and not allowing them to enter the palace, so they have to do other things first. ”

Jia Changchao was full of anger, and he couldn't do anything to Xia Zhu, so he was so angry that he walked around the capital hall.

Chen Zhizhong said: "The Privy Council invites the saint to watch the ceremony, but there is no news yet, and I don't know if the saint will go up or go." When to leave, it depends on the movement in the palace. It's not early, but we're going to arrange it early. Whoever leaves the city and who stays behind must be determined as early as possible. ”

Jia Changchao said impatiently: "Chen Xianggong and Ding participated in politics and went out of the city, and I and the others kept the Chinese book. Other yamen, let them report quickly! ”

Chen Zhizhong said that he had discussed with several people who participated in politics how to distribute the people of several important yamen.

Xia Zhu said: "The Privy Council Wang Taiwei and the senior deputy envoy will stay behind, and I will go out of the city with the deputy envoy Pang, so let's prepare early." ”

Jia Changchao and Xia Zhu looked at each other and hated each other, and today's meeting between the two governments was hasty, and they went back to make arrangements. It is said that hundreds of officials go out of the city, but in fact, they are just sent some representatives from each yamen, and there are still people in the yamen who want to stay behind to deal with daily government affairs. Jia Changchao was disgusted by this matter, and there were not many officials sent out by the Zhongshu system.

The emperor would not leave the palace easily, but there was no clear refusal, and everyone had to wait. It wasn't until after noon that Zhang Weiji sent someone to inform the two mansions, and he went out of the city instead of the emperor, and set off an hour later, and the matter was settled.

Outside the Xinzheng Gate, Du Zhongxiao looked at the list of people who went out of the city to watch the ceremony in an emergency, and only felt a pain in his brain. Among so many people, he only knew one Xia Zhu, and the other officials had heard the name, but they didn't know what it looked like.

Handing over the list to Wang Kai and Han Jiang, Du Zhongxiao said: "Since I entered the department, I have served in the local government, I don't know the etiquette of the imperial court, and you are still presiding over today's affairs." I'll go over there and arrange a drill for the soldiers, and if there's anything going on, just let me know. ”

Han Jiang listened, pulled Du Zhongxiao aside, and whispered: "Today, many ministers of the DPRK and China are here, it is rare to have such an opportunity to show their faces in front of them, which will be of infinite benefit in the future." Just stay with me, and I'll let you know what's going on. ”

Du Zhongxiao knew that Han Jiang was doing it for his own good, so he nodded and thanked him. Since Jinshi's roll call, it was the first time he had seen this kind of scene, and Du Zhongxiao was worried and a little stage frightened. When Jinshi took the roll call, everyone was an ordinary person before, and they didn't know what etiquette was, and everything was messy. According to the people of this era, it is more difficult to get the new science and technology scholars to be neat and orderly during the roll call than to let a group of camels come. Now he is an official of the imperial court, and everything is in order on this occasion, and if he is not careful, he will become a laughing stock in the mouths of others.

This is the difference between being an official in a local area and being an official in the capital, and I have never seen the world. Many officials who came today can decide Du Zhongxiao's promotion with a sentence on weekdays, which is not generally comparable.

When Du Zhongxiao and others were busy, more than 100 riders with distinct armor left Xinzheng Gate and came to the place to watch the ceremony.

It turned out that the Privy Council was the Privy Council Chengzhi Ning, who was sent by Zhang Weiji and Xia Zhu to help arrange it. The soldier Ning Rendu has been committed to the decree for many years, is very familiar with the affairs of the Privy Council, and is mature and steady, and is deeply trusted.

After seeing it, the soldier Ning said: "Captain Xia attaches great importance to this hundred officials' observation of the cannon, and he must not be sloppy in the slightest. Take me to see the layout, audition for a round, and if there is anything inappropriate, change it immediately. ”

Du Zhongxiao and Wang Kai said yes, and walked around the field with the soldier Ning, and said in front of the musketeer: "When watching the soldiers, the gunner over there will fire a round of guns, and he has to give an order, and the guns here will fire a round of guns." The power of the artillery is amazing, but the accuracy is not very good, because there is an earthen wall over there, and the cannon shoots at the earthen wall. As for the musket, the projectile was too small to hit the earthen wall, so it had to be empty. ”

Seeing Wang Kai stop, the warrior Ning glared and said, "Send a round of cannons, a round of guns, and that's it?" Can't the musket break up the earthen wall, and can't it shoot into the wooden man? In the school field of the military camp in the city, I don't know how many wooden and straw people who practice archery, and they borrow some. ”

Wang Kai and Du Zhongxiao glanced at each other and said: "The cannon is better than the power, one cannon goes down, the power is amazing, take a look at it and naturally know." ”

The soldier Ning said earnestly: "Military horses, the military exercises in the capital are different from the battle formations, so they should be lively!" After a round, the military exercise was completed in an instant, so what did the ministers who came to watch the ceremony think? Needless to say, you are at my disposal. ”

After speaking, he instructed his relatives to go to the nearby military camp to borrow wooden people, at least dozens of them. There are military camps everywhere in Kaifeng City, and there are tens of thousands of garrisons, and these things are not difficult to borrow. Look at the shabby musketeers here, and let them borrow again.

Someone was sent, and the soldier Ning said to Wang Kai: "Military horses, hundreds of officials have not come to watch the ceremony from time to time, and there is still some time, you let the soldiers perform a round to watch." ”

Wang Kai discussed with Du Zhongxiao and said to the soldier Ning: "The sound of guns and cannons is terrifying, and the promise is far away." ”

Soldier Ning laughed: "I was born in the army, what kind of noise is afraid of scary!" You just let the soldiers play the soldiers, I have my own plans after watching it! ”

Wang Kai agreed, and asked the warrior to restrain his men and leave the range of the musket. Standing in front of the musketeers, Wang Kai took a deep breath, pulled out his knife, and shouted: "Fire!" ”

As soon as the voice fell, a muffled sound was heard, and the air was filled with the smell of gunsmoke. Soldier Ning saw a few black shadows from the muzzle of the cannon, shooting straight towards the earthen wall in the distance. When I turned my head, I saw that the earthen wall was dusty, and there were already several big gaps.

Wang Kai waved his knife again and shouted: "Shoot!" ”

With a burst of gunshots, the black smoke became thicker, and the warrior Ning opened his eyes wide, but he couldn't see where the projectile was emitted.