[History of the Song Dynasty Palace] [36] [Author: Xu Muxi]

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter Thirty-Six: A Suspected Monster, a Hero's Birth Banquet, Elders and Heroes Return Home.
It is said that Emperor Taizu, after returning to his palace from the Mingde Tower, ascended his throne and summoned Li Yu for an audience. Li Yu obeyed the summons and entered hastily, prostrating himself on the ground. Emperor Taizu comforted him, bestowing upon him crowns, belts, utensils, coins, saddles, horses, and other gifts. He also conferred upon Li Yu's wife, Lady Zhou, the title of Lady of Zheng, and granted official positions to his sons and brothers. All officials were appointed according to their abilities and given ranks accordingly. Li Yu and the others thanked the Emperor and withdrew.
In Jiangnan, since Li Bian usurped the throne of Wu, claiming descent from the Tang imperial family, King Wu Ke, he named his state Tang. His son, Jing, succeeded him. During the reign of Emperor Shizong of Zhou, he relinquished the imperial title and called himself ruler. The throne passed to Li Yu, who reigned for nineteen years before being destroyed by the Song Dynasty. In total, the dynasty lasted for forty-eight years, spanning three generations.
Initially, Emperor Taizu ordered Cao Bin to lead an army south to invade, and during their meeting, he instructed him, "After pacifying Jiangnan, I will appoint you as prime minister." Pan Mei and others, upon hearing this, all congratulated Cao Bin in advance! Cao Bin laughed and said, "This campaign was accomplished thanks to the wisdom of the emperor and the strength of the people. Although I am the commander-in-chief, I was fortunate to succeed, how dare I ask for rewards! Moreover, the position of prime minister is of the highest rank, how can I presume to claim such an undeserved position?" Pan Mei and the others all said, "The emperor does not speak lightly. Now that Jiangnan is pacified, he will surely bestow a title upon you." Cao Bin smiled again and said, "Taiyuan has not yet been conquered, how can I hastily appoint you to the important position of prime minister?" Pan Mei and the others still did not believe Cao Bin's words. After the capture of prisoners was completed, they drank and discussed the awarding of merits. Emperor Taizu said to Cao Bin, "I said the other day that I should appoint you as prime minister, but since the Northern Han has not yet been pacified, I will have to wait a little longer." Cao Bin bowed his head and thanked him humbly. Pan Mei and the others, who were standing by, saw that Emperor Taizu did not grant Cao Bin the position of prime minister, and they couldn't help but smile at him.
Just then, Emperor Taizu turned around and glanced at him, and asked, "Why are you smiling at Cao Bin?" Pan Mei could not hide the truth and had to tell him the truth. Emperor Taizu couldn't help but laugh as well, and then bestowed upon Cao Bin 500,000 coins. Cao Bin bowed in thanks and withdrew, saying to his generals, "Why must one become a high-ranking official? A good official only gains more money." Not long after, he was appointed Privy Councilor, and Pan Meijia was promoted to Commissioner of the Northern Court of the Xuanhui Palace. At that time, Jiangzhou was not yet pacified, and Cao Han moved his troops to conquer it. Hu Ze, the commander of Jiangzhou, led his troops to resist. Han besieged the city for five months before finally capturing it, then entered Jiangzhou, killed Hu Ze, and unleashed his troops to massacre the inhabitants, leaving no civilians alive. The looted gold and silk amounted to hundreds of millions, which were transported to Bianjing (Kaifeng) in over a hundred large ships.
Emperor Taizu rewarded Han for his achievements, promoting him to Military Commissioner of Guizhou and appointing him Prefect of Yingzhou. Qian Chu, the King of Wuyue, sent an envoy to pay tribute after the Song court pacified Jiangnan. Emperor Taizu personally instructed the envoy, "Your commander has achieved great merit in conquering Changzhou. You may temporarily come to court to meet me and ease my longing. I will then send you back. God above, I will not break my promise." The envoy received the decree and returned to inform Qian Chu. Knowing he couldn't refuse, Qian Chu had no choice but to pack his bags and head to Bianjing.
At this point, it's necessary to briefly recount the history of the founding of the Wuyue Kingdom. Qian Chu's grandfather was named Qian Liu. His family had lived in Lin'an County for generations. On the eve of Qian Liu's birth, his father, Qian Kuan, had just returned from elsewhere when a neighbor greeted him, saying, "Behind our house, we hear the sound of many horses and armor; we don't know why." Qian Kuan rushed home, only to find his wife had already given birth, and a red glow filled the room, lingering for a long time. He considered it a monster and wanted to throw the child into a well. His mother, upon learning this, strongly objected. Mother and son were arguing when a neighboring woman heard the noise, came over to investigate, and, upon hearing the story, quickly told Qian Kuan, "This child will surely be exceptionally wealthy and noble in the future. The red glow is an auspicious sign, not a monster; you should not doubt it." Hearing the neighbor's words, Qian Kuan finally agreed to keep the child at home. Because she was left to grow up by her parents and a neighboring old woman, she was named Po Liu, and her name also originated from this.
When Qian Po Liu grew up, she possessed extraordinary strength, able to draw a strong bow. Initially, she was a salt thief; during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang, when Huang Chao rebelled, she rallied the people to quell the Wu-Yue rebellion and changed her name to Liu. During the Tang Dynasty, she was enfeoffed as the King of Yue, and later as the King of Wu, her fame spreading far and wide, even reaching the Khitans. During the Tianfu era of the Later Jin Dynasty, a Khitan envoy once heard his supervising official, Li Yong, ask, "Is it true that the King of Wuyue doesn't sleep every night?" Li Yong replied, "How does your country know that the King of Wuyue doesn't sleep every night?" The envoy answered, "The Prince Master of Mount Wutai once said that the King of Wuyue was born from a dragon that never sleeps, therefore we know that he doesn't sleep every night." After Qian Liu was enfeoffed as a king, people were assigned to take turns guarding the palace at night. One night, an old woman named Minli was on duty as a guard. Suddenly, she saw a huge lizard walk up to a silver vat, buzzing up the vat to drink the oil. When the oil in the vat was all gone, the lizard suddenly disappeared. The old woman Minli was very puzzled but dared not tell anyone about it. The next day, however, Qian Liu said, "Last night I dreamt I went to the front hall and saw Granny Minli diligently supervising the night watch, drinking heavily and becoming extremely full. When I woke up, it was already dawn." Granny Minli, upon hearing Qian Liu's words, realized that the lizard she had seen that night was actually Qian Liu's spirit leaving his body. She then told Qian Liu about seeing the lizard buzzing with oil while supervising the night watch. Qian Liu listened, but smiled without saying a word. Later generations wrote about the Wu-Yue Palace: "The night light surges above the well, the distant lands whisper of the sleepless dragon; the white-haired palace maids know the truth, the green-clad maid speaks of the deep, sweet night."
After being enfeoffed as king, Qian Liu was known for his respect for scholars and his recruitment of heroes; he once built a tall hall in the palace called the "Hall of Holding Hair," taking the meaning of the Duke of Zhou spitting out his food to hold his hair, to express his sincerity in seeking talent; he was also deeply skilled in physiognomy. A person's wisdom or folly, good or evil, need not be seen in person; a mere glance at their portrait is enough to discern their talent. Therefore, Qian Liu employed twenty or thirty renowned painters, known as the "Luan Shou Xiaowei" (Phoenix Hand Captains). Whenever a scholar migrated from the north, he would have his portrait drawn by these painters. Qian Liu personally reviewed all the portraits, selecting those with refined manners and auspicious appearances for employment. A local man named Hu Yue crossed the Yangtze River southwards. A painter drew his portrait, which was then presented to the palace. Upon seeing the portrait, Qian Liu exclaimed, "This man's face has a silvery sheen; he is truly extraordinary!" He immediately summoned Hu Yue, bestowed upon him an official rank, and placed great trust in him. Hu Yue later became renowned in his time. Thus, during Qian Liu's reign, the Wu and Yue regions were teeming with talent, a testament to his ability to attract capable individuals. Later generations even wrote official poems praising this event: "The high-ranking officials frequently grasp his hair, the faces of those they admire have a silvery sheen; the painting captains depicted his phoenix hands, not just ordinary passersby."
Qian Liu not only possessed a keen eye for talent but was also inherently frugal. Despite holding the throne, he avoided luxurious living and his bedroom was remarkably simple. Even though his cloth curtains were torn, he couldn't bear to throw them away. His queen consort then commissioned a blue silk curtain to replace it. Qian Liu frowned and said, "As the ruler of a nation, how dare I indulge myself excessively and invite criticism from the people? Moreover, even if I set an example of frugality, I fear it might be seen as extravagance. A single curtain, though small, could encourage a life of luxury. It should be stored away to reward those who have rendered meritorious service." His queen consort politely requested it repeatedly, but he remained unmoved. In the palace, he did not sleep with concubines at night, always fearing he would oversleep and forget the dawn. Therefore, he never slept peacefully, using a round log as a pillow. Its smooth surface made it easy for the log to tilt, and if he fell into a deep sleep, the pillow would tilt on its own, startling him awake – a condition known as a "startled pillow." Fearing that he might become lazy or overworked, even with a startled pillow, he was not easily awakened. Therefore, he made gold pellets, and every night someone would launch them outside the walls. Each time a pellet was launched, the guards on duty would hold a gold button and shout loudly, waking them even from a deep sleep. During his leisure time from attending to state affairs, he would retreat to a room to practice calligraphy or paint bamboo to pass the time. However, if there was any official business, he would immediately abandon these activities, never allowing them to interfere with his duties. The only servants in the palace were eunuchs and elderly women; young palace women were never employed. The prohibition against keeping entertainers was strictly enforced, and this was proclaimed throughout the palace and beyond, ensuring compliance.
His son, Yuan Guan, was over thirty years old and had not yet had a child, nor dared he take a concubine. Yuan Guan's wife, Lady Ma, was deeply worried about having no sons and often urged him to take concubines so that he could have sons to carry on the family line. Although Yuan Guan was tempted, he dared not take concubines without Qian Liu's strict laws and permission. One day, Lady Ma went to the palace for an audience and took the opportunity to ask him. Qian Liu still refused! Fortunately, the Queen Consort, also concerned about the succession, persuaded him from the side. Only then did Qian Liu allow Yuan Guan to take concubines and did not forbid it.
Lady Ma was pleased with her request and left, and then arranged for Yuan Guan to have many concubines. Later, Lady Fu gave birth to Hong Zun and Hong Zong; Lady Xu gave birth to Hong Zuo; Lady Wu gave birth to Hong Chu; and the concubines gave birth to Hong Zan, Hong Yi, Hong Wo, Hong Yang, and Hong Xin. Lady Ma personally raised them all as her own children, and often placed silver deer in front of the tent, calling the children to sit on them for play. When Qian Liu saw that Yuan Guan had taken a concubine and fathered sons, he also admired Ma's virtue, often praising her, saying, "Our family's ancestral rites have a head, all thanks to your efforts!" Qian Liu was quite pleased to have grandchildren! Normally, there were no night banquets in the palace, but on New Year's Eve, he set out a pepper platter, lit painted candles, and summoned his children and grandchildren to sit in order for a family feast. He ordered his grandchildren to play the erhu (a two-stringed bowed instrument), enjoying the pleasures of family life. After three rounds of wine, he ordered the banquet to be ended, saying, "Let no one call my drinking a long night." Later generations, reading this part of history, also composed a palace poem praising Qian Liu's diligence and frugality: "Startled by the sound of a pillow falling, I hear the sound of a nightly pill; year after year, I feel no cold in my simple bed; tonight, with pepper platter and painted candles, I call upon the erhu to play again and again."
Another palace poem praises Ma for enabling Yuan Guan to have many concubines and father many sons, and for raising them personally as her own. His virtue was almost unparalleled, truly worthy of being emulated. His poem reads: "The grace of the elm tree extends to the pottery, the jade sheep of the state carries the dream of the bear; what is the palace noisy all day long, silver deer flock to watch the playful infants.
" The jade sheep mentioned in the poem refers to the time when Qian Liu gave birth to Yuan Guan. A foreign monk first presented a jade sheep, saying, "If the king obtains this, he will give birth to a noble son." Qian Liu thanked him and accepted it, and thus Yuan Guan was born in the year of Dingwei, which perfectly matched the foreign monk's omen of the jade sheep. Therefore, the palace poem mentions this event.
Qian Liu, concerned about the devastating tides and turbulent waves in Hangzhou, which were causing endless suffering to the people and their fields, decided to build a sea dike to protect against the tides. Construction began on a set date, but the fierce, raging tides prevented the dike from being completed, resulting in repeated destruction. He then wrote a petition to Heaven, prayed at the Xushan Temple, and placed a poem at the sea gate: "Tell the Dragon King and the Water Palace, lend me the Qiantang River to build the Qiancheng (city of money)." After the poem was placed, construction resumed, only to be destroyed again by the surging tides. Qian Liu angrily said, "The Tide God has a spirit; he should care for the lives of all the people in the prefecture. I built the dike to protect the people, not for personal gain, yet he repeatedly destroys my project; such a Tide God, I shall shoot him as punishment." Therefore, he gathered bamboo from Shanyang to make three thousand arrows, feathered with egret feathers and adorned with cinnabar pearls, and forged arrowheads from hot iron. The arrows were then complete.
The ground was covered with reeds, and arrows were placed in six locations. Then, fasting and bathing were performed, and offerings were laid out, each offering corresponding to a direction: blue for the east (90 zhang), red for the south (30 zhang), white for the west (70 zhang), black for the north (80 zhang), and yellow for the center (20 zhang). Six portions each of venison, pancakes, seasonal fruits, clear wine, dried dates, fragrant grass, and pure water were arranged on an incense table. At midnight on a Ding day, the offering was personally made, with three rounds of wine served, and a sincere prayer was offered: "Six Ding Gods, Jade Maiden Yin Goddess, with sixty million palace soldiers, I, with these crimson arrows, shoot down the dragons and destroy the monsters, quench the thirst of the sea and dry up the abyss, and prevent the thousands of spirits and ghosts from interfering. I only wish that the Gods would assist me, so that my merits may be fulfilled soon!" After
the prayer, the incense table and offerings were removed, and the emperor rode back to the palace, alone in a quiet room, focusing his mind and spirit, conserving his energy to prepare for the next day's battle against the raging tide. The next day, at the crack of dawn, he rose, washed and dressed, changed into his formal attire, donned a ceremonial crown, wore an ochre-yellow robe embroidered with dragons and gold, an inner blue lion-patterned armor, a jade belt at his waist, and pink-soled black satin boots. His face shone with a silvery radiance, his unwavering loyalty shining through history. He was escorted out by his attendants and guards. His civil and military officials were already assembled and had paid their respects. The order to depart was given, and at that moment, cannons roared and drums and horns sounded. Qian Liu, standing before the steps, mounted his swift and battle-hardened white steed, preceded by his entourage and followed by his officials, a majestic and spirited procession heading towards the Qiantang River.
The people of Hangzhou already knew that their king, whose sea dikes had been repeatedly destroyed by the tides, had yesterday offered sacrifices to the gods of heaven and earth, declaring war on the tide god and pleading for the people's lives. This trip was to take advantage of the early tide to shoot at the tide god. Upon seeing the procession, the people cheered thunderously, shaking heaven and earth. When Qian Liu rode up, they all raised their hands to their foreheads and said, "Our king is going to great lengths to shoot at the tide god for our sake! Let's go and cheer him on!" With this shout, countless people had already gathered, following Qian Liu's horse as he galloped out to cheer him on. Qian Liu was delighted to see the people so united! He hurried to the Qiantang River, stopped his horse, dismounted, and ordered three thousand specially made red-feathered arrows to be brought over. Five hundred strong crossbowmen, each armed with a powerful bow, were already selected and waited on the bank. Qian Liu ordered each crossbowman to take six arrows, line up in a row, and aim at the river. They were to act immediately upon hearing the gong at the sound of the morning tide, without delay. The five hundred crossbowmen, obeying the order, lined up neatly, waiting for the tide to arrive before firing. In a short while, the morning tide began, its sound faintly like that of a thousand horses galloping towards the river. In the blink of an eye, a silver mountain appeared as if it were collapsing, sweeping straight into the Qiantang River. The river water, stirred by the tide, shot wildly in all directions like featherless arrows, the sound several times louder than thunder in the sky.
Qian Liu, seeing this, gave the order to fire. With a gong, the five hundred crossbowmen simultaneously fired at the raging tide. Strangely enough, after each firing five arrows, the mountain-like raging tide receded, and suddenly the waters calmed, and all sounds ceased. Seeing the tide had receded, the people cried out in unison, "Good news from the Lord! The tide has receded, and we can now enjoy peace and tranquility forever!" Their cheers were like thunder. Later generations wrote a palace poem praising Qian Liu's shooting of the tide: "Fragrant lemongrass and dried dates accompany clear wine, the water palace's poem praises his domineering talent, at midnight the six Ding rushed to the sea, the monarch personally shot the tide back."
Qian Liu saw that the crossbowmen had each shot only five red-feathered arrows, and the tide had receded completely. He was overjoyed! He immediately ordered the shooting to stop, surveyed the foundation of the seawall, and had Qian Liu direct the construction, using stone. In just a few months, the seawall was completed. He also built two sluice gates, Longshan and Zhejiang, to prevent the river tide from entering the river, and opened gates for waiting for the tide to facilitate travel, which pleased the people. With the
seawall completed, Qian Liu thought of his humble origins as a salt smuggler in his youth, and how he had now ascended to the throne and become extremely wealthy. As the ancients said, "When one is noble, not returning to one's hometown is like wearing brocade at night." Since I left Lin'an during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang to fight against Huang Chao, several decades have passed. My ancestral tombs have long been neglected. Now that the affairs of the state have been largely stabilized, it is only right that I return to my hometown to visit the tombs, comfort my relatives and friends, and extend my blessings to my community, so as not to have failed in my life's work. Having made up my mind, I issued an edict renaming my hometown, Lin'an County, as Lin'an Yijin Army, and chose an auspicious day to depart for Lin'an to inspect
the tombs. On the day of departure, banners filled the sky, halberds gleamed in the sun, and the sounds of drums and strings reverberated through the valleys. Qian Liu, with a yellow canopy, rode a white dragon steed, with pairs of white dragon and phoenix banners, golden gourds and silver axes, as well as red gauze lanterns, golden incense burners, and other ceremonial items held in front of him. Those carrying the ceremonial items were all newly selected young men, dressed in brocade robes and flowered hats, very handsome. Behind them followed six hundred water rhinoceros soldiers to protect the royal carriage. It turned out that this Water Rhinoceros Army was a elite force personally trained by Qian Liu. Each soldier was a strong, tall man, skilled in martial arts, archery, and horsemanship, and also an expert in swimming. No matter how turbulent the rivers or seas, they could remain submerged for days. They were truly capable of slaying tigers and leopards on land and cutting down dragons in the water, displaying extraordinary bravery.
Relying on this Water Rhinoceros Army, Qian Liu was invincible on both land and water, which enabled him to establish the Wu and Yue kingdoms and transform his homeland into a state. At this time, he was returning to his hometown to visit his ancestors' graves, not to go to war. He only selected six men as his guards and headed straight for Lin'an.
The magistrate of Lin'an County, having already received the imperial decree from the King of Wuyue to pay respects at the tombs, had meticulously restored the Qian family ancestral tombs to their former glory. Even the places where Qian Liu had fished and played in his childhood were adorned with brocade. Even the trees and stones that Qian Liu had once rested and touched were decorated with red and colorful ornaments to show his welcome. The old salt-selling shoulder poles were also unearthed by the villagers and displayed in brocade as a grand spectacle.
When Qian Liu arrived in Lin'an, in addition to all the civil and military officials, local people, and Qian's relatives who came out ten miles to welcome the king, an elderly woman over ninety years old, carrying a jug of water and glutinous rice dumplings and leaning on a dove branch, waited for him on the road. The road clearing servants had been instructed by Qian Liu that Lin'an was a remote and isolated place, inhabited by the elderly, women, and children, all of whom were neighbors and relatives. They were free to observe and admire from the sidelines, but were not allowed to use their power to oppress anyone. Therefore, no one dared to drive away the elderly woman, who was frail and old, as she waited by the roadside. They only secretly resented this old monster for being so ignorant and defiant, still daring to show herself in such a declining state. However, just as everyone was murmuring and disliking the old woman, King Qian Liu of Wuyue arrived. He immediately noticed the old woman standing there to greet him, hurriedly dismounted, and respectfully kowtowed by the roadside, saying, "Qian Liu has returned home, but has not yet paid his respects at the mansion. I am deeply troubled that you have come to greet me." Seeing Qian Liu kneeling on the ground, the old woman did not rush to help him up. Instead, she patted his back, calling him by his childhood nickname, saying, "Qian Po Liu, I am delighted that you have grown up to be so brave and invincible, achieving such great things and returning home in glory. I am also very happy." "How delightful!" The old woman chattered for a while before helping Qian Liu up. She handed him the jug of wine and zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) she had brought, saying, "I heard you were returning today, so I had my daughters-in-law prepare these fresh things. Please have some to show my welcome." Qian Liu quickly and respectfully accepted them, ate a zongzi, drank some wine, and bowed again in thanks, saying, "I respectfully accept Madam's reward. I will pay my respects at the ancestral graves and then visit Madam's residence to express my gratitude!" Hearing this, the old woman leaned on her cane and happily departed, her steps unsteady. Qian Liu remained standing respectfully until the old woman was far away before he dared to mount his horse and head to the camp to rest.
You might wonder who this old woman was, that she dared to address the King of Wuyue by his childhood name and brazenly accept Qian Zun's obeisance. And Qian Liu treated her with such respect, as if she were an elder—doesn't this seem utterly perplexing? Don't be puzzled! Remember when Qian Liu was born, the room was filled with a red glow that lingered for a long time, and the neighbors heard the sound of a horse behind the house, informing his father, Qian Kuan. Qian Kuan, an uneducated villager, was terrified by this strange omen. He suspected Qian Liu was a monster who would bring great misfortune when he grew up, and resolved to drown him in the well in front of the house to prevent future trouble. Qian Liu's grandmother, unwilling to let her grandson drown, repeatedly tried to stop him. The mother and son argued, disturbing the neighboring old woman. She came over, inquired about the situation, and also advised Qian Kuan against drowning the child, saying that the sound of a divination stick and the room filled with red light were omens of wealth and nobility; this child, when he grew up, would surely be no ordinary person, so how could he be drowned? Qian Kuan listened to the old woman's words and thus did not drown Qian Liu, hence the name Po Liu (meaning "old woman who keeps the baby"). Later, Qian Liu quelled Huang Chao's rebellion, pacified Wu and Yue, and was enfeoffed as King of Wu. Grateful for the old woman's life-saving grace, he wanted to bring her into the palace to support her and repay her kindness. The old woman declined, saying, "I rescued the King of Wu and Yue unintentionally; how can I ask him to support me without having done a good deed?" She firmly refused. People repeatedly invited her, but the old woman still refused, so she had to return to Hangzhou to explain the situation. Qian Liu held the old woman in even higher esteem, and secretly allocated a hundred acres of land to her son to provide her with proper care. When Qian Liu returned to his hometown to sweep the tombs, the old woman, now ninety years old, was still very healthy and personally greeted him by the roadside. How could Qian Liu not treat his savior with the utmost respect, as if she were an elder?
But enough of that. After resting for a day at his headquarters, Qian Liu, traveling lightly and simply, went to his ancestral tombs the next day to offer sacrifices. By then, Qian Liu's ancestral tombs were magnificent, with towering pillars, lush trees, and complete ceremonial halls and offering rooms. Having seen everything, Qian Liu was overjoyed and lingered there for a while, seemingly reluctant to leave, until evening before finally ordering his carriage to return home.
The next day, he ordered Zhang Shujin to prepare a large tent and a large feast of beef and wine for the villagers. All men and women over eighty years old were served in gold goblets, and those over one hundred years old in jade goblets. At that time, there were more than ten people with gray hair using jade goblets. Qian Liu himself rose, took the goblet, and sang a homecoming song to entertain the guests. The song went: "Returning home on the third festival, adorned in brocade robes, a jade-adorned four-horse chariot from Wu and Yue returns, banners fluttering on the road to Lin'an.
The blue sky is bright, the sun shines brightly, elders from near and far come to accompany us, family and relatives from home rarely meet, the Dipper shines brightly, Heaven is not deceiving."
After singing, he personally poured wine for the elders and urged them to drink. After urging them to drink, Qian Liu saw that the elders did not understand his song and their enthusiasm was somewhat dampened. Therefore, he poured wine again and sang a Wu song: "You see how happy I am! The people of Wu call me 'I,' there is a special feeling, they call this feeling 'sleeping,' forever in my heart."
Before Qian Liu finished singing, the men and women at the banquet all joined in loudly, clapping and cheering. The music resonated
throughout the room, and everyone was overjoyed! Qian Liu then ordered a large cup of wine to be served, and they drank merrily until late into the night before dispersing. At that time, the officials of Lin'an, seeing Qian Liu's return as a triumphant homecoming, adorned every place with brocade, hence Lin'an was known as the "Ten Brocades," a story that became a popular tale. What were these ten brocades?
1. Brocade Camp; 2. Brocade Mountain; 3. Brocade South Village; 4. Brocade North Village; 5. Brocade Creek; 6. Brocade Bridge; 7. Brocade View; 8. Brocade Archway; 9. Brocade Archway; 10. Brocade General Tree. Of these ten brocades, only the Brocade General Tree was named after Qian Liu when he was a young man, when he had nowhere to hide during a heavy rain and had to take shelter under the tree. The tree seemed to possess a spirit; as soon as Qian Liu entered its shade, its branches intertwined, forming a giant canopy that cleverly sheltered him, allowing him to conceal himself and keep his clothes dry. Therefore, upon returning home, he specially named this tree the "General's Tree." The other nine locations were also places where Qian Liu had fished and played in his childhood. The officials of Lin'an adorned these places with brocade when Qian Liu returned home to sweep his tombs, hence the name "Ten Brocades." Later generations also wrote a palace poem praising this: "The old man and woman, supporting the dove, recognize the true king; illuminating, the Ten Brocades of Lin'an are displayed. Jade cups and golden goblets, drunken dance; Wu throats loudly proclaim the return home."
Qian Liu drank merrily with his fellow villagers for three days before finally departing for Hangzhou. The elders saw him off for dozens of miles before bidding him a reluctant farewell.
Qian Liu returned home, but less than two months later, the Queen Consort again set off for Lin'an. It turns out that the Queen Consort of the King of Wuyue was also a native of Lin'an. Every year, she would return to Lin'an to visit her mother's family and sweep her ancestral graves during the Qingming Festival. After returning, she would tour Lin'an, reluctant to leave, often saying, "Hangzhou and Lin'an are not far apart, and it is not possible to travel back and forth frequently. However, Your Highness advocates frugality and fears that the journey would cause the laborers to incur expenses, so you can only visit your hometown once a year. This longing is truly unbearable, and I cannot bear to leave. This time, since Your Highness has already visited Lin'an, you intended for me not to come. But the scenery of my hometown and my grandfather's graves are unforgettable. Therefore, I pleaded repeatedly and was finally granted permission. Now that I am here, I must stay for a few more days." The Queen Consort stayed in Lin'an for several weeks, still reluctant to leave, when suddenly she received a letter from Qian Liu urging her to return. Whether the Queen Consort returned after receiving the letter remains to be seen.

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[History of the Song Dynasty Palace] [36] [Author: Xu Muxi]

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