[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-183":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Shao Song",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1558349,2024,"Chapter 183: A Minister, as if Suddenly Grasping the Truth","shao-song-chapter-183",183,"\u003Cp>It is said that Han Shu, having turned back from Yangzhou with his family, had hoped to display the attitude of their Plum Blossom Han clan sharing the nation's fortunes and misfortunes, thereby securing a good start with the Zhao sovereign, who had not been particularly prominent in the past but whose throne was now exceptionally stable... After all, the Zhao sovereign himself was the source of political power, and with the Two Sages taken north, the Zhao sovereign now had no close agnatic relatives south of the Yellow River except for a great-great-aunt in her seventies or eighties. Thus, in terms of affinal kinship, it seemed that this bunch of maternal cousins were the closest relatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among these maternal cousins, there was no doubt that the Plum Blossom Han clan had the most legitimate pedigree and the greatest prestige.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, such sincere intentions had been met with such a setback over a baffling matter—one could only say that the imperial family was truly cold-hearted. Fortunately, this sovereign habitually spoke fierce words but often raised high only to set down lightly. After the other party knelt, he gave a shout and drove the man out... Judging by his demeanor, it seemed less about genuine suspicion and more about using the man as a pretext to show favor and win over a general.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such behavior no longer surprised those around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But regardless, Han Shu was hastily summoned, given a scolding, and then hastily driven out. The Zhao sovereign, as if nothing had happened, proceeded to start the feast... Once everyone was seated, besides the Zhao sovereign as host, only Yue Fei and Mo Qixie were guests, with Lin Jingmo, Yang Yizhong, Liu Yan, and Lan Gui as attendants—a mere seven or eight people casually seated in the pavilion. The table held only seven or eight dishes, both meat and vegetable, of which three meat dishes were indeed all rabbit meat, showing that what the sovereign had said in the court that day might not be false.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such an arrangement was far from proper etiquette, but after the court had experienced the Jingkang Incident, fled from Nanjing to the Huai River, then transferred to Nanyang, and finally returned to the overgrown Dongjingcheng, there was no point in fussing over rules.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who should have gotten used to it already had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once everyone was seated, Yue Fei was the first to appear somewhat awkward... Although this man was more mature in handling affairs than anyone else, he was still a living person, and his inherently sensitive nature had not changed... Then, among the four attendants, Little Scholar Lin and Liu Yan were always taciturn, Lan Gui—whether feigned or genuine—looked terrified and utterly unfit to be an attendant, and Yang Yizhong, usually adept at flattery, had become somewhat sensitive toward these military commanders after taking charge of the Imperial City Bureau and gaining the power to transmit secret letters to the commanders. Thus, the atmosphere was difficult to liven up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, there was Mo Qixie. Having entered officialdom in middle age, he had mingled in both court and the wider world. To borrow a phrase from Grand Scholar Su, he could \"keep company with the Jade Emperor above and with beggars in Suzhou below.\" Starting with tales from his western travels, he gradually stirred the mood at the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Qu Duan has a treasure horse?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu was slightly startled. \"Four hundred li in a day?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's right,\" Mo Qixie replied calmly with a smile. \"Let Your Majesty know, this horse is famous throughout the Guanzhong region. I have also seen it with my own eyes along the way—it is truly a divine steed. Its size is fully twice that of an ordinary nag. When fully armored, it looks like a monster, no wonder it's called Iron Elephant. Not only is its endurance extraordinary, but its sprint is also extremely fast. I've heard that such divine steeds are one in ten thousand, obtained only by luck... When Qu Da was pinned down in prison by the Wu brothers and thought he was about to die, he still remembered to entrust this horse to Wu Lin. But fortunately, Your Majesty, in your benevolence, spared his life for his merit in maintaining order, allowing him to ride it all the way to Dongjingcheng.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu seemed lost in thought, and Mo Qixie immediately fell silent with a smile. The table was momentarily quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pengju, do you have any good horses?\" After a pause, Zhao Jiu suddenly spoke, directly addressing Yue Fei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Pengju was caught off guard and quickly rose to bow with cupped hands: \"In reply to Your Majesty, I have two good horses. Though they cannot compare to the miraculous Iron Elephant, they are already fine steeds sufficient for my use.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Two?\" Zhao Jiu raised an eyebrow. \"Is there anything extraordinary about them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In reply to Your Majesty.\" Yue Fei hesitated, clearly thinking for a moment before answering seriously. \"One of these horses I obtained back in Hebei, and the other I found during the recent pacification of Jiangning, matching the temperament of the first... Both have similar natures—they appear unremarkable but have astonishing appetites, consuming several pecks of beans and a hu of spring water daily... Yet if the beans are not washed clean, or the water is not fresh and flowing, they would rather die than eat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of those present were fools; many smiled at this, and even the Zhao sovereign laughed: \"So it seems, as the saying goes, 'The incorruptible do not accept handouts, and the righteous do not drink from the Thief's Spring'—good horses also refuse foul things?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am not making grand claims or deceiving with false words; my two horses are truly like this,\" Yue Fei immediately added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I believe you. Continue, Pengju.\" Zhao Jiu nodded slowly and gestured for Yue Fei to sit down, clearly unconcerned. The others also nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, good horses being picky eaters certainly existed, but Yue Fei specifically chose this to describe his two fine horses was undoubtedly a self-analogy after the court incident, to proclaim his own integrity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes... Actually, that's not all,\" Yue Fei continued. \"The key is that the abilities of these two horses are not immediately apparent. On the day I followed the command of Loyal and Martial Lord Zong, I rode one of them leading five hundred scouts to reinforce Sishui Pass, and I felt it deeply... At the start of the march, armored and armed, I rode this horse for thirty or forty li, no faster than the warhorses of the other scout riders beside me, like an ordinary warhorse;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But by noon, after a forced march of nearly a hundred li, the other warhorses in the army were all panting incessantly, forced to stop and rest. The horse beneath me, on the other hand, became even more spirited, even neighing and whinnying, running faster and faster;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the afternoon, marching again for another hundred li, we reached Sishui Pass at night. By then, all the army's warhorses were exhausted beyond endurance, yet the horse beneath me did not sweat or pant heavily... I believe this is a first-class fine steed, because it endures great burdens without taking improperly, and has strength in abundance without seeking to show off—this is what is called a horse for long distances!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Truly fine horses!\" Zhao Jiu listened quietly, then clapped and laughed, but turned to his close ministers. \"Actually, I also have a horse... the Liaodong horse that Pingfu gave me, still kept in this palace. You should all remember it, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yan, Yang Yizhong, Lan Gui, and even Little Scholar Lin all nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, Liu Yan looked somewhat embarrassed: \"The horse I gave Your Majesty is not as good as these two horses of Grand Commandant Yue, let alone Iron Elephant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu did not confirm or deny this, but directly said with a smile: \"My horse is big, but it doesn't eat as much daily as Pengju's two horses, nor is it too picky—it can even eat wild grass in the palace. When ridden, it accelerates extremely fast, covering thirty or forty li far faster than other horses. But after a hundred li, it becomes no different from an ordinary warhorse, sweating profusely and breathing heavily... Pengju, do you think this is a good horse or a bad one?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei was slightly stunned, then seemed somewhat flustered... This wasn't what he had expected, was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others at the table, however, were long accustomed to this sovereign's habits and found nothing strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless, Yue Fei was not a man accustomed to lying, so he braced himself to answer: \"I believe it should not be considered a fine steed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By principle, it is indeed not a fine steed,\" Zhao Jiu admitted frankly. \"Compared to Pengju's two long-distance horses, it falls far short. But in my private opinion, it is still a good horse... After all, how common are divine steeds like Iron Elephant in this world? Are long-distance talents often seen? This Liaodong horse, which runs a bit faster than ordinary horses at the start, is already a good horse!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone's hearts stirred, and the Zhao sovereign continued speaking without pause:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides, the Central Plains lack horses. From Nanjing to the Huai River and then to Nanyang, I didn't have many horses by my side. At that time, it was the best horse Pingfu and the others could find for me. I rode it when I dealt with Fan Qiong, fled by night to Nanyang, and on that day at Changshe city, I rode it across the river straight into Pengju's formation... Pengju!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant is here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These days, as Dongjingcheng grows livelier, many people have been gossiping about me. Some say I am too austere, making things difficult for those below; some say my handling of affairs is chaotic and disorderly; others say my rewards and punishments are unfair... But in truth, several chief ministers and close ministers have long understood my intentions. They know that everything I do, undertake, and say is fundamentally aimed at resisting the Jin. And that is indeed the case.\" The Zhao sovereign sat in the pavilion, speaking slowly. \"Because I believe that amidst the chaos of the realm, the suffering of the people, and the rights and wrongs at home and abroad, the worst is the trampling of the millions of people in the Two Rivers by the Jin. So, at root, the primary concern is still the engagement of the Song army in battle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty has been put in a difficult position.\" Before Yue Fei could speak, Mo Qixie couldn't help interjecting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu smiled wryly and continued slowly: \"Therefore, when I handle court affairs and personnel, I still look at whether it benefits the resistance against the Jin and whether it contributes to that cause. And looking at the overall situation now, it is still the Jin that is strong and the Song that is weak, the Jin on the offensive and the Song on the defensive. So, whether it's Iron Elephant, a long-distance fine steed, my inferior horse, or even a market mule or donkey—if it can be used to resist the Jin, then in my private heart, it is a fine steed! Otherwise, even if it were a golden elephant or a silver elephant, it deserves to be stewed and eaten!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Yue Fei finally rose solemnly and bowed again with cupped hands: \"Your Majesty's imperial breadth of vision far surpasses what your servant could imagine!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jingmo and the others dared not be remiss; they each rose solemnly and followed suit in bowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone, sit down. This is just idle talk at the table, a chance for us sovereign and ministers to speak our minds,\" the Zhao sovereign said, waving his hand with a rare look of satisfaction after receiving Yue Pengju's praise. \"But if Scholar Lin has the time, after the meal, you might polish this conversation between Pengju and me into a short essay and post it in front of Xuande Tower and on the gates of the Department of State Affairs... so that those who were uneasy after today's court session don't stir up some big news.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant obeys the decree!\" Little Scholar Lin immediately responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone sat down again. By now, the sun was increasingly westward, taking on the hue of dusk. They no longer spoke of Iron Elephant, and the atmosphere improved considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, just as their conversation was becoming more congenial and they had begun to drink a moderate amount of wine, reaching a comfortable state, Feng Yi, the eunuch in charge of the Yanfu Palace who had earlier escorted Han Shu out, suddenly arrived. He stood before the pavilion and solemnly reported an unexpected matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"An envoy from Goryeo?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu, who was just picking up a rabbit leg, turned back in astonishment. \"Now that's interesting... How did he get here? Could he be a fake?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The envoy came in plain clothes, heading straight for the Department of State Affairs. It is indeed suspicious, but an elderly official in the department recognized the envoy—it is the same Goryeo envoy who came to Dongjing in the past—so it cannot be a fake,\" Feng Yi replied methodically and seriously. \"And since it is already evening, all the chancellors and ministers are absent. Only Liu Canjun, the Deputy Commissioner of the Privy Council, is on duty. He has sent word to notify the chancellors while also reporting to the palace. I happened to run into him on my way back from Xuande Tower... Canjun Liu requests Your Majesty's instructions on how to handle this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's there to handle?\" Zhao Jiu continued to bring the rabbit leg to his plate before calmly instructing. \"Just tell Liu Ziyu to probe the Goryeo envoy a bit—ask if they can help us resist the Jin. If they can, even with just one soldier or one horse, I am willing to make another Maritime Alliance! If not, send him away directly. I won't see him!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The setting sun had appeared. The table was silent. Feng Yi was stunned for a moment, then could only nod and leave.\u003C\u002Fp>",2371,"2026-06-06T07:45:46.639Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","1a29a3ea7c833df5d1f77167298d4c2f160691415ab25dc67a4849cecc8f0e08","shao-song-chapter-184","shao-song-chapter-182",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]