[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-213":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},1558379,2024,"Chapter 213: Many Small Problems","shao-song-chapter-213",213,"\u003Cp>Before the New Year, the Court of State Ceremonies published a new official gazette listing all the \"patriotic and loyal gentlemen\" who had purchased so-called national bonds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be fair, Moqi Xie had somewhat overestimated the Zhao Emperor; Zhao Jiu had not spoken bluntly at court earlier not out of any concern, but because he lacked confidence in the matter. Later, when he found the bonds sold well, he cast all decorum aside and exposed the list.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a doubt, once the gazette was copied and taken away by civil and military officials, military governors, and envoys everywhere, this matter would become known to all under heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, there was no need to wait for the whole realm to know—before the gazette had even been sent out, the capital city of Dongjing was already in an uproar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several censors and many other officials in the capital believed that the Emperor's actions compromised the dignity of the court and the imperial father. Even if there was an urgent need, and even considering the principle of Zigong redeeming captives, it should have been these men making voluntary contributions, with the Emperor granting them appropriate rewards now and in the future, rather than drawing up written agreements like private loans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another viewpoint, represented by Hu Quan, a newly minted jinshi who had just joined the Bureau of Military Affairs, was equally vehement. They argued that the Emperor's actions were tantamount to publicly revealing the court's financial situation, which might expose vulnerabilities to both internal and external malefactors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as various memorials swarmed into the Chongwen Institute, before they could be forwarded to the imperial presence, they encountered an open edict from the Zhao Emperor—stating that the nation was still at war, all matters should be simplified, and empty formalities were inappropriate. Therefore, there would be no grand court ceremonies for the year's end or New Year's Day. Moreover, from that day forward, except for essential military officers on duty, all offices inside and outside Dongjing were officially on holiday until after the New Year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This rendered all those memorials futile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, everyone knew what kind of men the current Emperor and his chief minister were. With six or seven days without court sessions, this matter would likely be glossed over, as there were plenty of pressing military and state affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, however, more open edicts came from the palace. One straightforward decree stated that the next day, the 26th of the twelfth lunar month, the Emperor would personally leave the palace to inspect the Imperial Academy, saying he wished to console the students who were staying in the capital for the New Year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the news spread, some naturally thought of propriety and didn't dwell on it, but others saw it as a rare opportunity to offer remonstrance at the Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, is printing the gazette still very difficult?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That morning, upon entering the Imperial Academy, several hundred students and young officials had already gathered in the front courtyard before the hall dedicated to Confucius, with armored soldiers also arrayed. But the Zhao Emperor, having reached the courtyard gate, was still discussing other matters with the ministers accompanying him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To inform Your Majesty, it is not impossible, but there is no need at present, and the court should not spend its revenues on this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the accompanying ministers, the most qualified to answer this question was, of course, Zhai Ruwen, the Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies in charge of the matter. However, it was Chen Gui, the Privy Councilor accompanying as Prefect of Kaifeng, who stepped in first, because Chen Gui most enjoyed answering such technical questions. \"Your servant still recalls that when in Nanyang, Your Majesty asked about movable-type printing, and also about Shen Kuo and Bi Sheng. Your servant has now investigated and confirmed that movable type does exist, as Shen Mengxi recorded clearly, and your servant also believes it feasible... But feasible does not mean appropriate, because your servant has inquired carefully with merchants, and they all say movable type is still prone to errors and the print quality is poor. Both the populace and officials still mostly use woodblock printing. As for the gazette, according to Your Majesty's previous instructions, it is to be published every six days, corresponding to the system of holding court discussions at the Hall of Literary Virtue every three days. The time is tight—how could woodblock printing keep up?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Chen Xianggong speaks correctly,\" Zhai Ruwen, the Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, who was following behind, took the opportunity to chime in. \"Moreover, Your Majesty has assigned the gazette exclusively to the Court of State Ceremonies and established many regulations. How dare your servants not do their utmost? Fortunately, only the key offices within Dongjing city and the various envoys and military governors need official transcripts. The Court of State Ceremonies has enough personnel to handle it properly, without needing to resort to printing methods.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu shook his head slightly, as if about to say something, but seeing that the main courtyard of the Imperial Academy lay just ahead, he set aside these thoughts and stepped up through the entrance. The many accompanying high ministers also fell silent, held their heads high, and followed the Emperor inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once inside the courtyard, seeing the leading Emperor in his crimson robe, stiff-winged hat, and gold belt, followed by over a dozen high officials in purple and crimson, with additional armored warriors pouring in, the colors of purple, crimson, and metal all gleaming in the sunlight, the courtyard first erupted in noise, then fell into solemn silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Emperor and his high ministers took their positions on the steps before the main hall, the several hundred people, led by Chen Gongfu, the Director of the Imperial Academy, bowed with clasped hands. Then everyone sat down in the seats that had been arranged in the courtyard, as previously requested by the palace... Under the Three Hall System, Imperial Academy students were reserve officials, so the rites of ruler and subject applied. With both sides seated, it was like ruler and subject facing each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the steps where Zhao Jiu's seat was located, behind him was the hall with the wooden statue of Master Kong. Zhao Jiu didn't mind much anyway—he had already held court in Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries, and had convened court discussions before Daoist patriarchs and Buddhas. It was only fitting to add the Imperial Academy hall and Master Kong's wooden statue to the list; it could be considered an achievement of sorts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All of you, gentlemen, are the pillars of the court.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without looking at the wooden statue behind him, Zhao Jiu sat down and began speaking directly in the sunlight, his voice slow and clear. \"I have come here today for two reasons. First, as the year draws to a close, many of you are far from home, and I have come specially to offer my regards. Second, the Imperial Academy is where the court nurtures talent, but due to the system, you must pass examinations to become officials. I, too, am occupied with military and state affairs, making it very difficult to meet with you ordinarily, let alone engage in memorials and dialogue... Therefore, today, let us, ruler and subjects, speak freely. If any of you have opinions or doubts, please raise your hand to signal. I will call on some of you at random. Unless your words are treasonous or involve military secrets, I will do my best to listen and respond in person... until sunset.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A stir ran through both the platform and the audience. The dozen or so accompanying high ministers were also taken aback, but after the initial stir, the crowd below was thoroughly invigorated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let us begin!\" As the noise subsided, Zhao Jiu forcibly suppressed his habitual wooden expression from court sessions and allowed a slight smile to appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, despite the excitement, many students were instead somewhat flustered. They wanted to raise their hands but were afraid, and moreover, they didn't know what to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, however, among those seated below, one man stepped forward without hesitation and raised his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this man, Zhao Jiu let out a rare, genuine laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It turned out to be Chen Gongfu, the Director of the Imperial Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be fair, counting from the day he crawled out of the well, Zhao Jiu had been the Son of Heaven for over two years. Although his authority had grown daily and his involvement in military and political affairs had increased, at the beginning, he had been a complete blind man, deaf man, and idiot—knowing neither the Song dynasty's systems nor how to appoint people or handle affairs. He had simply clung to historically famous generals like Han Shizhong and Zhang Jun as best he could, and tried his utmost to promote capable confidants such as Zhang Jun, Zhao Ding, Lin Jingmo, and Hu Yin, while doing his best to coordinate the selection of chief ministers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, for a considerable period, even up to the present, most of the court's routine affairs were still handled by the chief ministers. The Emperor neither had the ability nor the desire to intervene personally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This led to a situation where, aside from a few confidants and those he frequently interacted with, he only knew the names of many ministers, and sometimes even had to study up on their names beforehand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this truly wasn't his fault... Take Chen Gongfu, the Director of the Imperial Academy, for example. Logically, this position, in charge of national education, was extremely important. And under the Three Hall System, which had not been explicitly abolished, it was a critical post directly tied to the court's talent selection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, don't forget that before this summer, when the Zhao Emperor and Lu Xianggong had their conversation and decided to hold a special imperial examination, the Imperial Academy had been essentially abandoned. How idle would Zhao Jiu have had to be to care about the name and background of the person in this position?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, Chen Gongfu had indeed been appointed to this sinecure during the Huai River period. When Zhao Jiu met him a few times in Nanyang, he had treated him as just another face in the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only yesterday had he learned the man's name and a few scraps of background information from the all-knowing Commander Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Chen Gongfu had left a good impression on Zhao Jiu... When the students were momentarily flustered, he had taken the initiative to raise his hand, showing a bit of a teacher's demeanor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, if he hadn't known better, the Zhao Emperor might have thought the man was a plant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Chen Qing, please speak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu would naturally give Director Chen this face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty.\" Chen Gongfu rose and bowed with clasped hands. \"Your servant presumes. Your Majesty's actions today seem to emulate the ancient practice of the Spring and Autumn period's village schools, where the people discussed governance. This is a sage-like act, seemingly more in line with the sages' intent than the usual classics mat... Although your servant is a court-appointed official, I too wish to participate. I only hope Your Majesty will permit it, and not treat this as a formal memorial, but merely as a discussion within the school.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu naturally had no idea what the Spring and Autumn village school discussion of governance was, but that didn't prevent him from understanding that the man was providing a lofty Confucian precedent. He appreciated him even more and immediately spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Naturally. Chen Qing, speak frankly without reservation. Do not concern yourself with my position.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty.\" Upon hearing this, Chen Gongfu suddenly became solemn. \"Your servant dares to ask: why is the Imperial Academy still dominated by the New Learning of Prince Wang of Shu? The New Learning only discusses utility, and Prince Wang of Shu openly called Feng Dao, who served 'four surnames and eight rulers' during the Five Dynasties, 'the best at avoiding calamity to preserve himself.' Does this kind of rhetoric not cause the court's civil and military officials to fail to encourage each other in integrity and loyalty, and cause the high ministers and grandees to lose the way of a subject who is loyal to the state? Is this in accord with the great cause of resisting the Jin?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhao Emperor's expression did not change; he nodded slightly... But to be honest, he was completely stumped from the very first question. This fellow was quite clueless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Thanks to the seventy-fifth patron, classmate Weimang 0930! My first reaction to this name was that it was an old reader of Korean entertainment fiction...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then we come to the much-anticipated sacrifice segment. Today's main course is Wu Hui Di Xiao Long's \"Demon Arrival,\" a historical conquest novel. At two million words, it's already hitting its stride, the perfect time to harvest a wave. And it's imaginable that for a newcomer in the historical genre to achieve this result, uh...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then there's July's \"Han Que\"... I cautiously suspect his next book set in the Eastern Han should be the end of Han and the Three Kingdoms... I'm inexplicably looking forward to it. When the time comes, I'll go to his book every day and criticize him.\u003C\u002Fp>",2224,"2026-06-06T07:46:04.529Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","c364ebf7406a2bc2bab43e1b1701b8ea5008d0414fab718c681948d47af46fd2","shao-song-chapter-214","shao-song-chapter-212",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]