[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-282":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},1558448,2024,"Chapter 282","shao-song-chapter-282",282,"\u003Cp>\"His Majesty requests that Director Chen submit a memorandum detailing the points the gentlemen in the Secret Pavilion wish to raise, which he will review alongside the memorials sent from the Imperial Academy,\" Lan Gui, the Chief Eunuch of the Palace Domestic Service, announced, bowing his head to those assembled in the Secret Pavilion. \"Furthermore, he asks that you all remain calm and patient, and return to your work and studies early, alongside the gentlemen of the Imperial Academy... Do not cause trouble for the Councillors, and do not disrupt order. There are many weighty matters of state, both north and south of the Great River, at the central court and in the provinces, that must be handled with diligence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant understands.\" Chen Gui gave a slight nod, then asked with a serious expression, \"May I ask, Chief Eunuch Lan, is this His Majesty's only message?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is.\" Lan Gui nodded immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Chen Gui simply nodded in return and said no more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Zhao Ding who, unable to contain himself, interjected: \"Chief Eunuch Lan, may I ask where His Majesty is at this moment, and what he is doing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To be honest with you, Lord Zhao, when the commotion arose here, His Majesty was in the stone pavilion by the fish pond, making maps...\" Lan Gui replied without a moment's hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Making maps?\" Zhao Ding was stunned for several breaths before asking in bewilderment. \"What maps?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The *Yu Ji Tu* (Map of Yu's Traces) and the *Hua Yi Tu* (Map of China and the Barbarians),\" Lan Gui explained earnestly. \"His Majesty has been working on these two maps for the past few days...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are those the two famous maps by Pei Xiu and Jia Dan?\" Zhao Ding was stunned again before reacting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was not his fault; the news from His Majesty truly gave one a sense of being in a different era. In fact, not only Zhao Ding, but almost everyone else in the Secret Pavilion also wore a somewhat dazed expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be known that the *Yu Ji Tu* was a geographical map emphasizing waterways and mountain ranges, while the *Hua Yi Tu* focused on administrative divisions. The former was created by Pei Xiu of the Western Jin, the latter by Jia Dan of the Tang Dynasty. They were the recognized standard geographical maps of the era, falling into that category of highly specialized, esoteric knowledge that made civil officials wince at the mere mention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lan Gui replied sincerely. \"This matter actually began before the Jingkang Incident. At that time, the Retired Emperor Daojun issued an edict, ordering people to recreate the *Yu Ji* and *Hua Yi* maps based on the old maps of Pei and Jia. They were to be stored in the Secret Pavilion, then carved in stone and placed in the Forest of Steles in Chang'an, as well as in the Mingdao Palace, Dongxiao Palace, and other places...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the words 'stored in the Secret Pavilion', everyone couldn't help but look around at the empty space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As it turned out, by the time of the great Jingkang upheaval, these two maps were already completed, and the stone carvings were ninety-nine percent finished, only lacking the inscriptions on the back of the steles. However, precisely because of this, when the Jin people demanded the contents of the Secret Pavilion, these two maps, being already carved in stone, escaped disaster...\" Lan Gui continued unhurriedly. \"A few days ago, His Majesty heard that you gentlemen were holding daily meetings in the Secret Pavilion and inquired about related books and items. It was then that he discovered two stone steles in a corner of the Yanfu Palace. He had them brought out and placed outside the stone pavilion for examination. But for some reason, upon seeing them, His Majesty said that while the maps were extremely detailed in some places, they were too distorted in the Jingdong and Liaodong regions. The Yellow River's upper reaches near the Western Xia were also somewhat off, and the areas of Guangxi and Nanyue were downright absurd. He also said that the deliberate enlargement of the Chang'an, Luoyang, and Dongjing axis was laughable. He then decided to personally correct and supplement them... However, for some unknown reason, the more he corrected, the more errors he found. He has now been meticulously working on them for four or five days.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people in the Secret Pavilion looked at each other again, unsure of what to say... What could they say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't that they couldn't say anything; on the contrary, there was much to say. After all, at this sensitive moment, anything His Majesty did would invite speculation. The *Yu Ji Tu* and *Hua Yi Tu* could certainly be interpreted in many ways, such as the completeness of the Nine Provinces or the unity of the realm. His Majesty's inquiry into the Secret Pavilion's collection also revealed something, at the very least showing that he was thoroughly familiar with it. And the 'distortions' in Jingdong and Liaodong could be read in countless ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, most people didn't believe His Majesty had the ability to correct these two maps at all. Instead, they were convinced that his words were more of an oblique criticism... But the problem was that the Secret Pavilion had nearly descended into a coup d'état, making such matters seem trivial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key point was that His Majesty had ultimately expressed his desire for the unrest not to affect the operation of the government, which was somewhat reassuring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, as Lan Gui rambled on about the trivialities of the two maps, Lu Haowen, Zhao Ding, Zhang Jun, and others personally escorted Chief Eunuch Lan and Chen Gui downstairs, and they easily calmed the previously boiling atmosphere below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Chen Gui, clutching his boot, gave a slight bow and returned directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Subsequently, the Imperial Academy students, having received the edict and submitted their memorials, also dispersed. A riot was thus quelled without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this superficial smoothness could not conceal the undercurrents... The sudden petition, launched simultaneously by the Secret Pavilion and the Xuande Tower, coupled with Chen Gui's public political declaration, had already created a de facto political uprising. The fact that His Majesty later sent someone to pacify them could not negate its immense political significance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suffice it to say, after this incident, the strength of the pro-war faction within the bureaucratic scholar-official class was clearly demonstrated. Moreover, they had formed a tacit alignment with His Majesty at the very top, causing many to feel anxious about the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving others aside for now, that evening, Councillor Zhao Ding returned home. After much thought, he grew restless, unable to maintain his prime ministerial composure... However, he soon received an invitation that was somewhat unexpected yet entirely logical, and he immediately changed into plain clothes and went out in the twilight to keep the appointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simply put, Privy Councilor Zhang Jun had, for once, invited his old friend Zhao Ding to his residence for a talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It should be noted that Zhao Ding, Zhang Jun, and Hu Yin, who was currently in Guanzhong, had formed a bond of shared hardship during the Jingkang Incident, when they had fled to the Imperial Academy to escape the chaos. They had then glimpsed an opportunity during the crisis of His Majesty falling into a well at the Mingdao Palace, subsequently catching His Majesty's eye and rising to prominence one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, by now, all three had reached the pinnacle of officialdom, yet it was difficult to recapture the frankness and intimacy of their past, when they would share a single plate of ginger and fermented beans... In fact, according to popular gossip, Zhao and Zhang had long been locked in a struggle for supremacy, an irreconcilable conflict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that was somewhat absurd. At most, they were opponents, a far cry from the factional strife that preceded the Jingkang Incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to be fair, this situation was not necessarily a case of being able to share hardship but not prosperity. To a large extent, the three had seized a heavenly opportunity and, upon reaching this position, found it difficult to continue being open with each other... Because at this level, who didn't have their own group of followers? Who didn't have their own political views? Who didn't harbor the ambition to leave their name in history?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And how could there be no differences in opinion and conduct between people? When disagreements or structural conflicts arose, whose opinion would prevail?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, regardless, this peace negotiation crisis had once again brought the two men together in a common cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you think of today's events, Brother Yuanzhen?\" Given their long-standing friendship, there was no need for excessive pleasantries when meeting privately. Zhang Jun set out some cold tea under the grapevine in his courtyard, dismissed the servants, and got straight to the point. \"What is His Majesty's true intention?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have been pondering this as well,\" Zhao Ding said, shedding his daytime prime ministerial demeanor in front of Zhang Jun. He was panting, clearly agitated. \"Today's affair was definitely not orchestrated by His Majesty. It was most likely a spontaneous coalition among those people themselves, perhaps with some encouragement from Wang Shu, Chen Gongfu, Hu Anguo, and their ilk...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Actually, I bear some responsibility for allowing it to happen,\" Zhang Jun interjected, being quite honest. \"Although I did not participate, I turned a blind eye.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As I said, the crux of today's matter is not the matter itself. Even if you had some hand in instigating it, it is irrelevant to our current discussion,\" Zhao Ding shook his head repeatedly. \"The crux of today is that, although the pro-war faction among the capital's bureaucrats and scholars is a minority, it has smoldered until now and erupted into a blaze that threatens to burn the entire camp. And in the military, especially among the troops prepared around Dongjing, most are from the Two Rivers region. It defies logic that they would remain so docile while such a commotion occurred here. What Hu Shijiang raised today is already too late. Unless...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unless His Majesty had already made arrangements and given instructions, I can think of no other explanation,\" Zhang Jun continued. \"And today, His Majesty only sent Lan Gui to easily quell this uprising. Coupled with his words in the stone pavilion that day, it shows that His Majesty has made up his mind and is determined to act... Brother Yuanzhen, to be honest with you, I am at my wit's end!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who isn't at their wit's end?!\" Zhao Ding shook his head repeatedly, then picked up the cold tea and gulped it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Yuanzhen, I advocate for war, you advocate for defense; I am younger, you are older; I control the Privy Council, you manage the affairs of the realm; I aspire to the Northern Expedition and the fame of Zhuge Liang, you aspire to assist in a restoration and achieve the career of Wang Dao... But today, we must be like Wu and Yue sharing a boat,\" Zhang Jun let out a long breath, then became serious. \"We are now in my private residence, with not a single servant left. Who will speak first, you or me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will speak first,\" Zhao Ding said, setting down his teacup heavily and gritting his teeth. \"And I will say something treasonous... His Majesty must never kill his father and brother!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Correct! His Majesty must never kill his father and brother... That is fundamental! And a great worry in my heart!\" Zhang Jun nodded emphatically, then grew fearful. \"But what if it happens? I have thought it over. Han Shizhong, Zhang Jun, Li Yanxian, Yue Fei, and Wu Jie are all relatively reliable. But what about the three units under Qu Duan, Zhang Rong, and Li Qiong? Qu Duan is disobedient. Zhang Rong was a water bandit, driven to rebellion by the Retired Emperor Daojun. Li Qiong's unit, including the Eight-Character Army he leads, consists mostly of Hebei refugees who bear a deep, bone-deep hatred for the Jin... What if His Majesty truly does it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do what is humanly possible and leave the rest to Heaven's will,\" Zhao Ding said, somewhat dejectedly. \"If it comes to the worst, we must bear the infamy ourselves. We cannot let His Majesty bear this reputation. Since ancient times, there has never been a wise ruler who killed his father. Even Emperor Taizong of Tang only killed his brother who was vying for the throne; his father was merely imprisoned...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If it comes to the worst, that is the only option. But if we bear it, will the world believe it?\" Zhang Jun also grew dejected. \"It might be better to let the Jin people in the north deal with them...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Preposterous!\" Zhao Ding immediately rebuked him. \"Not to mention whether we could fool the world and the annals of history. His Majesty is far too intelligent not to understand the consequences. Even if he harbors a deep hatred for the Two Sages, he may not necessarily do this... If we truly do this, we will only make things worse. If His Majesty loses the people's support as a result and the realm becomes unstable, then the Northern Expedition will be postponed indefinitely, and we will be eternal sinners.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jun shook his head incessantly: \"Then we must make some preparations. Otherwise, if something urgent happens, it will be too late for regrets.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let the Retired Emperor Daojun return and go to the Mingdao Palace! Let the Yuansheng Emperor go to the Dongxiao Palace!\" Zhao Ding said through gritted teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about the two Empresses Dowager?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Send them to Yangzhou!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the imperial clan? They are all His Majesty's own brothers, sons, and nephews...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If they cannot protect their father and elder brother, strip them of their Prince and Duke titles and send them all to the Dongxiao Palace!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Dongxiao Palace is in Jiangnan, separated from Yangzhou only by the river. The three Empresses Dowager, the Yuansheng Emperor, and the various imperial clansmen would all be in the southeast...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then let Empress Dowager Zheng go to the Mingdao Palace, and keep Empress Dowager Wei in Dongjing...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, the two of them went back and forth, gritting their teeth and settling on many treasonous plans. But in the end, they were merely preparatory words spoken aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Setting aside the extreme notion of patricide, I rather think His Majesty intends to make the peace negotiations fail,\" Zhao Ding said, taking a long time to calm his heartbeat after those outrageous statements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Liu Yu?\" Zhang Jun blurted out, as if he had already thought of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is the most obvious point,\" Zhao Ding replied seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed,\" Zhang Jun said with emotion. \"His Majesty emphasized the unconditional return of the Two Sages first, and then using the five commanderies of Jingdong as the main condition for peace talks. This in itself is clearly a delaying tactic. Then he sat back and watched the peace talks escalate, probably wanting to alert Liu Yu himself, prompting him to attack... If that happens, the peace talks will naturally fail. His Majesty can maintain his posture of advocating for the Northern Expedition while also giving the peace faction an explanation... How about we also cooperate with His Majesty to delay things a bit?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That may be so, but this plan is too shallow... Think about it, we guessed it as soon as we heard it. Even Censor-in-Chief Li warned His Majesty on the spot not to take the low road,\" Zhao Ding cautioned. \"I don't think this kind of behavior is like His Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But His Majesty didn't agree to Censor Li's proposal either.\" Zhang Jun still held to his own view. \"Clearly, His Majesty at the very least harbors a mind to go along with circumstances.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's true enough.\" Zhao Ding also frowned and nodded, but then suddenly recalled something. \"But judging by Wulinda Zanmo's attitude, the Jin side doesn't seem to take it seriously either?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perhaps they're just used to being arrogant?\" Zhang Jun also furrowed his brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Never mind them. For now, looking at His Majesty's intent, the most extreme possibility is that he wants to wait for the Two Sages to return south, then kill his father and brother; the most casual is that he wants to lure Liu Yu into attacking first... But I think His Majesty is neither so selfish as to abandon the greater situation for personal vengeance, nor so hopeful as to rely on such underhanded tricks.\" Zhao Ding sighed softly. \"It's more likely somewhere in the middle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And what is 'in the middle'?\" Zhang Jun shook his head repeatedly. \"He clearly has the strength to decide with one word, yet he agreed to peace talks, then secretly informed the army, and asked the five of us whether we'd go up Mount Bagong with him... What exactly does His Majesty want to do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So even you can't fathom His Majesty's mind sometimes?\" Zhao Ding suddenly couldn't help but sneer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Zhang Jun laughed as well: \"Brother Yuanzhen, you think too much... If I told you that since the Mingdao Palace days, I've never truly grasped His Majesty's intent, would you believe me or not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jun was widely recognized as His Majesty's foremost confidant, and everyone knew he had risen from the Mingdao Palace days precisely by reading His Majesty's mind, becoming a Privy Councilor at barely over thirty. Thus, such words now inevitably seemed insincere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet interestingly, as Zhang Jun's greatest political rival, Chief Councilor Zhao Ding was silent for a moment, then nodded heavily: \"I believe it... because I too have never understood His Majesty's intent! Even when His Majesty tells me himself, I still find it hard to believe, and I always feel there's something His Majesty can't fully express.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the Yellow River, unlike Huainan, there was no rainy season—the early summer rains that made everything moldy came and went quickly. Now the stars shone brilliantly. The two men talked for a while, but when it came to His Majesty's intent, they both fell silent. They simply sat under the grape trellis, through the layers of grape leaves, gazing at the starlight above, each lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Majesty's burden is too heavy, too hard.\" After a long pause, Zhang Jun, who had been staring at the starlight, suddenly spoke again. \"No one knows him, no one understands him—the country broken, his family destroyed, life hanging by a thread, the court full of corrupt officials and old customs, bandits and traitors everywhere, and the Jin pressing down from outside.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's why you and I fear that His Majesty might, just might...\" Zhao Ding also looked up at the starry river as he replied. \"People like Li Guang mean well, they have public spirit, but they can't help seeking fame. Once their blood is up, they ignore everything, just wanting to stand out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And where are you any better, Brother Yuanzhen? You and Liu Dazhong, Hu Shijiang, and the like—if we speak carefully, you're all capable and honest officials, but you can't help wanting to walk the old path, always thinking of that 'abundance and prosperity.' Chen Kangbo's words today smashed you lot to pieces.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ding wanted to retort that Zhang Jun and people like Lu Zhi were rash and incompetent, dragging His Majesty down even more, but in the end he was more cultivated than Zhang Jun. He simply skipped over this point and sighed inwardly as he gazed at the Milky Way:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So what exactly does His Majesty seek?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother, we fight north and south, endure all this hardship—what exactly are we seeking?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the same Milky Way, thousands of li away, in the wilds of Qianzhou at the southernmost end of Jiangxi Circuit, Zhang Xian, who had stopped by the roadside to rest and was staring at the countless stars above, suddenly spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To go home!\" Yue Fei withdrew his gaze from the sky, turned his head, and answered crisply. \"But we must go back with dignity, taking everyone with us! We're heading south now, but we're actually still heading north!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Xian nodded heavily without a word.\u003C\u002Fp>",3379,"2026-06-06T07:46:04.529Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","ec5c7db7994d80a351bc6f4fbc6f23930dc68d66915db90b67db0b3d511c0a9f","shao-song-chapter-283","shao-song-chapter-281",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]