Chapter 367

After three days of rising pork prices, the West Lake Political Inquiry Assembly officially began.

And because Hangzhou was anciently called Wulin, and the current Son of Heaven was the Jianyan Emperor, this assembly had already earned a nickname during the three-day Dongpo pork price surge: the Jianyan Wulin Assembly.

But whatever it was called, it didn't stop West Lake from being packed with people; scholars and commoners alike turned out with such enthusiasm that even the instigator, His Majesty Zhao, was somewhat astonished.

In truth, the reason for this phenomenon was simple to the point of being self-evident: although the south had produced an unbroken line of top-tier scholars, those were merely individual achievements, and it didn't change the fact that the south as a whole had always been a political lowland, with southerners naturally at a political disadvantage by region.

Similar to this was the Shu region, while the two Huai regions, separated by a single river, enjoyed a much higher political status.

This situation had been obvious since the founding of the Great Song; at that time, the conquered south was from the start a region the rulers naturally distrusted. After the Jingkang Incident, when the Jianyan Emperor initiated the trend of political inquiry and substantially deviated imperial power, the real authority of the Grand Councilors and the Six Ministries and Nine Courts greatly increased, the political status of members of the Public Pavilion and Secret Pavilion gradually established itself, and the Imperial Academy's political inquiries had become a major state affair. Yet the south, being far from the capital, still couldn't connect with these matters, creating a strong sense of political alienation and political hunger.

At the same time, precisely because of the Jingkang Incident, both the two river regions were lost, and the Central Plains, Guansxi, and Jingdong were all damaged. The south's importance within the state had increased by default, and the state also needed to launch a northern expedition, which required even more financial and material support from the south.

Under these circumstances, contradictions naturally emerged.

And this contradiction was precisely the basic background against which the southern scholar-official group gradually merged with disgruntled Neo-Confucians and idle, retired officials... As everyone understood it, His Majesty Zhao's journey south was meant to resolve this contradiction.

The so-called Political Consultation Assembly, as it currently appeared, was undoubtedly a good method modeled on the precedent of the Imperial Academy's political inquiries to resolve contradictions—at the very least, the form was correct. The opposition was also a minority; most people's intentions were still loyal to the court and His Majesty. If Jiangnan was shaken up and the establishment faction united, the situation would still be promising.

Incidentally, perhaps because of Jiangnan's "Little Spring" in October, after a light early-winter rain, the temperature didn't drop but instead felt pleasantly warm. At such a time, with the assembly officially convened, the enthusiasm of the crowd by West Lake was naturally heightened.

On the first day, many submitted collective memorials, and these collective memorials were interestingly often divided by region. Typically, a respected elder or famous scholar from a prefecture or county would take the lead, and the memorials were written in a single, floridly literary essay. But upon careful examination of the content, they were mostly clichés or even largely identical things.

The first item was always a request for His Majesty Zhao to draw close to virtuous ministers and keep away from petty men. The next was always to "cultivate virtue to bear all things," always to "honor frugality and reject extravagance," always to "broaden the avenues of remonstrance," always to "treat the people well," always to "be fraternal and respectful between brothers"...

These were, of course, very correct suggestions. But whenever His Majesty Zhao earnestly asked them face-to-face who the virtuous ministers and petty men were, they often performed terribly... At least half or more were intimidated; after handing over their documents in person, they would sway unsteadily before His Majesty Zhao and the three Grand Councilors, and when they opened their mouths, they stuttered and choked. As for the other half, the respectable ones who could maintain their composure and answer questions, they mostly named a few ministers with good reputations and then began to evade the topic.

What a joke!

Although the south harbored resentment toward several incumbent Grand Councilors over tax increases, when asked to name petty men in front of Lü Yihao, they truly didn't dare. The reputation of Grand Councilor Lü for "holding no grudges overnight" was far more deeply impressed upon the southeastern scholars and people than upon the central government!

Even speaking ill of the Chief Councilor and the Privy Councilor from a distance—was that acceptable?

Speaking ill of a Minister wasn't acceptable either! Hadn't they seen that Vice Minister who spoke ill of a Minister was directly killed by His Majesty Zhao?

Better not to speak at all.

As for "honoring frugality and rejecting extravagance," when His Majesty Zhao pressed them for details, they hemmed and hawed. They probably thought the story of His Majesty digging a fish pond in Dongjing was too bizarre, and since they hadn't seen it, it might not be true. But to say so to his face would be awkward.

As for the half-worn crimson robe His Majesty wore, that was even harder to comment on.

When it came to "lenient punishments and benevolent rule," His Majesty Zhao then asked them what specific revisions to the "Criminal Code" were inadequate. They didn't even know that after the Yaoshan incident, to appease the people, the "Criminal Code" had already been substantially revised in the direction of leniency.

Much of the rest was similar. Reading the essays, they were probably beautifully written. But when asked for specifics, they could barely produce a few decent sentences.

However, even for such memorials, His Majesty Zhao mostly just smiled. Then he would have two Hanlin Academicians, who clearly looked wealthy and noble, come forward to formally and respectfully accept the documents according to protocol. At the same time, he would personally leave his seat to offer the submitter a seat, indicating that this leader should be "available for consultation" during the subsequent political inquiry process.

Additionally, those whose essays were exceptionally good, or whose responses were relatively decent, were generally asked if they had any official scholarly credentials. If not, they would naturally be granted the title of "same background as a presented scholar" on the spot. If the person they recommended was a retired figure in Jiangnan, a "Red Heart Rider" would be dispatched to summon him, inviting him to come and present his views in person.

At first, among the three accompanying Grand Councilors, Lü Yihao was very dissatisfied with this kind of thing. He felt such procedures were meaningless. And although Li Gang didn't oppose it, his lack of opposition was only because his own political rise had originated from the Imperial Academy students' protest at the palace gate, so he couldn't directly object. In reality, he held a very low opinion of these middle-aged, already decayed scholar-officials, believing it would be better to directly summon some young people and well-known scholars for consultation.

But soon, as this form of memorial, which was more formalistic than substantive, became a trend, both Li and Lü immediately realized the true significance of His Majesty Zhao's actions—the significance lay in the political inquiry itself.

These scholar-officials below were not some conspiracy group. Looking at their mode of submitting group memorials, it was clear they organized by region. In this era, they couldn't even form connections across regional boundaries. The memorials they submitted were mostly "mud-slinging," obviously a compromise of comprehensive positions within their regions—nonsense. Moreover, since they were all Confucian scholar-officials, it was unlikely that taxes caused them any real economic pressure. So where did all that resentment come from?

At this point, His Majesty Zhao's arrival in Hangzhou, showing them an attitude and granting them a certain political status, was itself enough to achieve the goal of winning them over and easing the atmosphere of opposition.

Therefore, even this obviously formalistic political inquiry achieved unprecedented success... Many people had never seen the emperor in their lives and couldn't pass the imperial examinations. This time, representing a prefecture or a military command, leading a group of fellow townsmen to meet His Majesty Zhao and present opinions in person—even if they couldn't speak fluently—they were still accepted from a formal standpoint and treated with courtesy. This was probably the pinnacle of their lives.

And since they had reached the pinnacle of their lives by borrowing the shoulders of His Majesty Zhao, the Son of Heaven, they naturally changed their stance and became standard establishment figures. Turning around, if anyone spoke ill of His Majesty in their presence, they would indignantly argue. If anyone said a certain court policy was flawed, they would earnestly explain the court's difficulties and defend the court's grand strategy.

By the second day, even local prefectures and counties that hadn't prepared for this initially had hastily gathered, elected famous scholars, and written memorials overnight to carry out this strategy on behalf of their localities... to complete this very meaningful task.

Thus, for two consecutive days, His Majesty Zhao and the three Grand Councilors had almost finished meeting with the "proposal delegations" from the two Zhe circuits, most of Jiangnan East circuit, Fujian circuit, and a small part of the two Huai circuits. They had quite satisfied the vanity of a considerable portion of the scholar-officials, and the sound of praise and glorification within Hangzhou city gradually became pronounced.

It seemed that a grand assembly of unity would conclude victoriously.

However, that was as far as it went.

Starting from the afternoon of the second day, some proper memorials began to appear one after another, and many people who truly wanted to discuss practical issues also emerged.

For example, the previously mentioned Jiangyin scholars Su Bai and Li Tao led a group of young scholars from Changzhou to submit a separate memorial, writing over a dozen items, all of which were specific measures.

Among them, the suggestion to gather southeastern seagoing ships, land the "Imperial Camp's Hundred Thousand Troops" at Cangzhou, and directly strike Yanyun was, of course, typical bookish nonsense... Sending the Imperial Camp's hundred thousand troops to that place would mean losing logistics and being surrounded and annihilated. A "leapfrog" tactic couldn't jump that far. Moreover, the southeast was already very exhausted; forcibly requisitioning ships might turn maritime merchants into pirates.

However, the method of establishing local public pavilions in various places, like the Three Hall System, to transmit opinions layer by layer and broaden the avenues of remonstrance, coincidentally matched the terms that Zhao Jiu had discussed with the Grand Councilors before his arrival.

Therefore, His Majesty Zhao immediately granted the two men the title of "same background as a presented scholar" and appointed them as Secretarial Gentlemen, ordering them to join forces with those local scholar-official leaders "available for consultation" to begin organizing this matter from the southeast.

This incident further ignited the enthusiasm by West Lake.

But just as everyone was preparing to continue speaking enthusiastically, an imperial decree was issued that evening: His Majesty had been receiving scholar-officials for two consecutive days, while merchants, monks, Daoists, and commoners from the marketplace and farms had had no opportunity for an audience. Therefore, on the third and fourth days, His Majesty would suspend audiences with scholar-officials and instead receive those people... Political inquiries would resume on the fifth day.

This decree was open and aboveboard, and difficult to oppose.

However, the retired Grand Councilor Xu Jingheng expressed some concern. He feared that leaving only one more day for the scholar-officials, with two days of idle time in between, combined with His Majesty Zhao's amiable attitude, might allow some scholar-officials with genuine grievances to complete the final step of their networking and create a real stir on the last day.

Grand Councilor Xu's concerns were certainly not unreasonable, but Li, Lü, and His Majesty Zhao seemed completely unconcerned, so there was nothing to be done.

Setting aside Grand Councilor Xu's worries for the moment, over the next two days, it was the turn of monks, Daoists, merchants, and ordinary people to participate in this Wulin Assembly. Their mode of participation was completely different from that of the scholar-officials... Monks, Daoists, and merchants mostly came to spend money and seek imperial protection, following the precedent set in Yangzhou. And His Majesty Zhao was happy to sell offices and titles, with clear prices for clear transactions.

Whether it was the five great Chan monasteries of the southeast, Fujian maritime merchants, or those who owned kilns or handled silk transport—whether they practiced "Huàtóu Chán" or "Bìkǒu Chán," whether they traded with the South Seas or wanted to go to Japan—as long as they paid, everything was negotiable.

Incidentally, these wealthy merchants, monks, and Daoists who came to speak also became figures "available for consultation," ready to be incorporated into the local public pavilion system and become glorious members of the establishment.

As for the ordinary people who came for an audience, to be honest, their numbers were extremely sparse compared to the scholar-officials, wealthy merchants, monks, and Daoists. And they mostly came to appeal directly to the emperor... people divorcing, people disputing property, people who felt their family member had suffered an injustice, and even someone who came to secretly report the presence of a "Vegetarian Demon Cult" somewhere!

His Majesty Zhao's handling of these matters was even simpler: he forwarded them all to the relevant authorities... the legendary "relevant departments."

The only exception was the report about the Vegetarian Demon Cult, which was entrenched in Xiaoshan, just across the Qiantang River. No one, from top to bottom, dared to be negligent. The Imperial Guard Commander Liu Yan personally led five hundred Imperial Red Heart Riders, crossed the river overnight, and galloped lightly to Xiaoshan. By the morning of the second day, he had brought back the cult's leader along with several dozen core members back to Hangzhou.

This day was the last day of October, and also the last day of the Jianyan Wulin Assembly.

Everyone knew that today would be turbulent... not because of the Vegetarian Demon Cult affair, but because, as Xu Jingheng had previously worried, the two days of idle time, combined with familiarity with the assembly's operation, and His Majesty Zhao's ultimate display of a "wise ruler's demeanor," had finally emboldened these scholar-officials to complete their final, cross-regional networking, centered on political stances.

And this networking was practically semi-public. Those Jiangnan famous scholars occupied various taverns, cited classics and precedents, and jointly nominated representatives. Who would submit a memorial on behalf of whom—there was no need for Yang Yizhong to investigate; they themselves shouted it so loudly that even the carp at the bottom of West Lake knew.

Sure enough, in the morning, not long after, His Majesty Zhao soon received a very interesting memorial.

"A general amnesty?"

On the open ground south of West Lake, at the foot of Fenghuang Mountain, His Majesty Zhao, in his half-worn crimson robe, sat with his back to the mountain and facing the lake. The Commissioner Lü Yihao, as an incumbent Grand Councilor, sat directly to his left at a low table. Li Gang and Xu Jingheng led the left and right sides respectively. Hundreds of scholar-officials, wealthy merchants, monks, and Daoists "available for consultation" were arranged on the left and right, seated in descending order along the slightly undulating mountain slope. Additionally, behind His Majesty were several close ministers, and several hundred fully armored Imperial Guards stood in a forest-like formation, solemnly arrayed on the periphery. The lines were clearly drawn, and the scene was quite imposing.

"Indeed, a general amnesty."

Despite being well-prepared, the middle-aged scholar who had come to present his views in person couldn't help but feel nervous. Recalling how he had loudly mocked those scholars who couldn't speak in the imperial presence back at the tavern, he felt even more embarrassed and ashamed... Of course, this man was bold after all. After a brief pause to compose himself, he steadied his stance and stated his proposal. "Your Majesty, I, a commoner, believe that seven years have passed since the Jingkang Incident. The rights and wrongs, merits and demerits of the past have long since become unrecognizable. Now, as the state prepares for a northern expedition, why not prioritize benevolence and forgiveness, grant a general amnesty to the realm, and thereby manifest clarity and enlightenment?"

"The merits and demerits of Jingkang... but haven't I granted amnesties before?" Zhao Jiu asked, feigning bewilderment. "The rebel armies in the Central Plains were all pardoned after a year of military farming, and were granted abandoned farmland in the Central Plains for local settlement... This was a policy implemented by Grand Councilor Xu."

Xu Jingheng nodded slightly, stroked his beard, and furrowed his brow, causing the middle-aged scholar to panic momentarily, but soon the man gritted his teeth and replied: "To answer Your Majesty, what I, a commoner, refer to is not the rebel army that caused chaos during the Jingkang era!"

"Then you mean those who surrendered to the Jin?" Zhao Jiu sighed in response. "I swore an oath on Mount Bagong that I would never coexist with such people... there can be no pardon!"

The man hesitated for a moment, then continued with cupped hands: "Since the Jingkang era, it is not only those who surrendered to the Jin who have been punished..."

Zhao Jiu pressed sternly: "In that case, why do you not speak plainly about who these people are?"

"Senior ministers like Ye Mengde and Huang Qianshan, imperial relatives like Your Majesty's brothers... I, a commoner, believe they could all be pardoned, to demonstrate Your Majesty's benevolence and forgiveness." The man finally bowed his head and spoke the truth.

"Then should we also pardon Zhang Bangchang and the Retired Emperor Yuansheng, who is right outside the west of the city?" The several chancellors all frowned in unison without speaking, and Zhao Jiu finally slapped the table with a sneer, which startled the hundred or so scholar-officials, wealthy merchants, monks, and laymen seated there 'for consultation'.

One could only say that this sovereign was indeed somewhat like the rumors suggested... frivolous and not like a ruler!

"Zhang Bangchang did surrender to the Jin, so naturally he cannot be pardoned..." The man quickly explained. "As for the Retired Emperor Yuansheng, he is already being cared for at the Dongxiao Palace, so pardon is not the issue. But if Your Majesty could allow the Retired Emperor Daojun and the Retired Emperor Yuansheng to return to Dongjing, the world would surely praise Your Majesty's filial piety and brotherly love..."

"You claim to be from Chuzhou, so you are a fellow townsman of Ye Mengde." Zhao Jiu suddenly interrupted the other. "And I have heard a little that you are known for your poetry and once studied under Ye Mengde's tutelage..."

The middle-aged scholar was stunned for a moment, then quickly bowed to explain: "I, a commoner, acted entirely out of public spirit."

"Your intention in proposing this policy was probably to plead for Ye Mengde, and I know that Ye Mengde's punishment back then was unclear, and many outsiders felt he was wronged." Zhao Jiu looked down at the documents on the table, shook his head slightly, and his tone remained calm. One might have thought he was talking to himself, but fortunately it was so quiet by West Lake at the foot of Mount Fenghuang that everyone pricked up their ears and barely caught the meaning. "But since you are pleading for Ye Mengde, why drag in someone like Huang Qianshan? Do you really think that the more people you drag in, the more selfless you appear? Or do you think that by dragging in more people, you can use the principle of benevolence and forgiveness to force me to yield?"

"I, a commoner, dare not."

"Whether you dare or not, some people truly cannot be pardoned... Take Huang Qianshan, for example. Although he did not actually surrender to the Jin like Zhang Bangchang, he did abandon territory and conspired with eunuchs to isolate the court from the outside. It would be simple for me to pardon him, for he is now nothing but an old, frail scholar... But if I pardoned him, how could I face Li Gang, Li Xianggong, who was a pro-war advocate back then but was driven out of court by Huang Qianshan?" As he spoke, the sovereign pointed casually.

The middle-aged scholar glanced at Li Gang and finally lost his composure, beginning to panic. As for Li Gang himself, he just sighed at the sight and said nothing.

"Not only Li Xianggong, but how could I face Lu Haowen, Lu Xianggong, who rescued me from the Mingdao Palace back then, Zhang Jun, Zhang Xianggong, and the two Commanders Yang Yizhong and Liu Yan, who stand here and performed meritorious service in protecting me at that time?" Zhao Jiu looked up and continued pointing behind him, causing Yang and Liu to quickly bow and rattle their armor in salute.

The scholar grew even more flustered and hastened to apologize: "I, a commoner, am ignorant..."

"And my brothers..." Zhao Jiu ignored him, looked around, and raised his voice slightly as if to explain. "Pardoning them is certainly possible—why not? But the court has just issued a reform plan for the imperial clan to save expenses. If we pardon them now and restore their princely titles, what happens to the court's laws and regulations? Won't the more distant branches of the imperial clan accuse me of favoritism and claim the court is targeting them?"

The scholar had already bowed his head and dared not lift it.

But Zhao Jiu still did not stop, continuing to express his feelings before the many southeastern scholar-officials and prominent figures: "As for the Two Sages... do you think bringing them back to Dongjing would be a good thing? If you ride fast now and ask the Yuansheng Emperor whether he dares to return to Dongjing with me, what do you think he would say? You say you're just pleading for Ye Mengde—why make such a big fuss?"

The scholar could barely stand any longer.

"Enough. Although you were muddled, your intention was still commendable. The state is about to launch a northern expedition, so a slight amnesty is appropriate to show unity and reconciliation. Let the Inner Secretariat draft an edict: pardon Ye Mengde and let him return to his hometown in Chuzhou to write his poems."

With the sovereign's calm words, the student of Ye Mengde, who had thought he had instead harmed his teacher, felt a sudden reversal of fortune. Overwhelmed by joy after great sorrow, he quickly kowtowed in gratitude.

Xu Jingheng, who had remained silent all along, suddenly rose and bowed to thank the sovereign on behalf of Ye Mengde, proclaiming the sovereign's sage virtue. This immediately drew imitation from countless 'consultants', as well as sneers from the other two chancellors on the spot.

Those below did not know, but how could these two not understand?

Back then, Ye Mengde had been punished because, as soon as the court had settled in Nanyang, he could not wait to stir up the old and new factional strife and raise the banner of the old faction. At that time, his actions had been supported by Lu Haowen and Xu Jingheng. In the end, to maintain court stability, the sovereign had let Lu Haowen and Xu Jingheng off lightly while punishing Ye Mengde heavily—essentially killing the chicken to scare the monkey and making Ye Mengde take the fall for Lu and Xu.

That being the case, with Ye Mengde pardoned today, Xu Xianggong was naturally relieved.

Seeing this, Zhao Jiu shook his head again and decided to make things clear: "He is pardoned, but I must make one thing clear to you all... Ye Mengde was punished back then because he was impatient and wanted to stir up old and new factional strife. I pardon him today to reduce internal friction and eliminate resentment before the northern expedition, not because I acknowledge he was wronged... When he returns, tell him to behave himself. As for Huang Qianshan, don't even mention him!"

Ye Mengde's student, having gone through great ups and downs and finally obtained a result for his teacher, was already overjoyed. How could he care about any of that? He just kept kowtowing in thanks, then hurriedly left to wait for the Hanlin Academician to draft the edict, easily casting aside thoughts of the Two Sages, imperial relatives, and Huang Qianshan.

Regardless, Ye Mengde's student's first attempt to touch on sensitive practical issues had actually worked, which greatly encouraged those who came after.

Next, several more people stepped forward, and many of them also achieved 'results'.

For example, someone pointed out to the sovereign's face that he should not have contracted state debt to maternal relatives, which smacked of private favoritism.

Another pointed out that the sovereign claimed to be fond of learning but did not regularly hold lectures, casting doubt on the sincerity of his love for study.

Besides this, someone accused the sovereign of not restoring the official historians for a long time; someone publicly impeached certain temples and monasteries for beginning to coerce people into taking green seedling loans, which would surely become a terrible evil policy; someone accused the sovereign of writing novels carelessly, causing political chaos to the point where ministers had to read novels to guess the sovereign's intentions; someone also accused the sovereign of insufficient secrecy measures, allowing the Jurchens to start trying to build hot air balloons; and there were plenty of people who hoped the sovereign would uphold Confucian filial piety and brotherly love and allow the Two Sages to return to the capital.

Even more, one person came forward saying the sovereign should take the Retired Emperor Daojun as a warning and absolutely not study Daoism, only to be followed immediately by someone pointing at a group of bald-headed men who had donated money and accusing the sovereign of favoring Buddhism, scaring a large number of 'consultant' monks!

To all this, Zhao Jiu played the role of the sage ruler to the fullest. To everyone who came to scold him, he basically 'nodded in agreement and said he would change', and immediately encouraged them, offered them seats, and added them to the ranks of 'consultants'.

As for any accusations involving specific matters or people, he would immediately order an investigation, putting on the right posture first. Only on major state policies did he never compromise... of course, no one directly touched on major state policies either.

The only one who came close to touching on major policy was a scholar from Xuancheng in Jiangdong. This man publicly pointed out that the Honorary Chancellor Yuwen Xuzhong, the Pivot Chancellor Zhang Jun, and the former treacherous Chancellor Cai Jing were all connected by marriage; that Zhao Ding, Zhang Jun, and Hu Yin had old friendships; and that Liu Ziyu, Hu Yin, Lin Jingmo, and even Li Gang, who was present, were all registered natives of Fujian. He claimed that while they professed to endure for the state, they were actually colluding and suspected of forming a faction, and that they should all be dismissed!

When these words were spoken, those in the know understood he was seeking fame. The sovereign still smiled in response, first criticizing him, but then still offered him a seat as a consultant.

His attitude was truly excellent.

Of course, as more and more remonstrances and memorials appeared, several close ministers gradually detected the sovereign's growing anxiety and impatience... He seemed to be forcibly restraining himself, waiting for something to appear.

In public, everyone had their own interpretations, but none spoke up.

Finally, as afternoon arrived, the appearance of a name made the entire gathering perk up, including the sovereign and the three chancellors, who all renewed their energy.

Shao Chengzhang, the eunuch in charge of announcements, called out clearly: Zhang Jiucheng, a commoner scholar from Hangzhou Prefecture, requests an audience to submit a memorial on state affairs.

Zhang Jiucheng, courtesy name Wugou, was from Yanguan County in Hangzhou, about forty years old this year. He was widely recognized as a model among the common scholars of the southeast. Even before the sovereign came to the southeast, he had heard of this man's name, and after arriving, he heard of him repeatedly. Even Lü Yihao had directly recommended this man to the sovereign, saying that although he studied under Yang Shi of the Luoxue school, his personal virtue and learning were both outstanding, and he was definitely a talent fit for the highest ministerial posts.

When this Wulin Society gathering began, the man, enjoying home-field advantage, lingered around West Lake. Although scholars of the Daoist learning tradition constantly surrounded him and letters never ceased, he never came to submit a memorial, clearly hesitating and preparing. When everyone started calling on friends and allies two days earlier, this man suddenly disappeared. At that time, everyone concluded that either, like other famous Daoist scholars, he had given up on the idea of offering advice, or he was preparing something earth-shattering to display his 'unyielding spirit' to the sovereign.

One could say he was the center of attention.

In fact, as soon as Shao Chengzhang announced his name, not only was he the center of attention, but the entire gathering stirred with excitement. The sovereign also rarely smiled and showed anticipation... He too was very curious to see what this southeastern idol and celebrity scholar Zhang Wugou—of whom it was said 'if you don't know Chen Jinnan, you can't call yourself a hero'—was really made of.

A moment later, a middle-aged Confucian scholar wearing a soft turban, a plain long robe, and a jade pendant was seen walking along West Lake. When he reached directly in front of Mount Fenghuang, he turned around. Before he even arrived before the sovereign, his calm demeanor and upright posture already drew countless 'consultants' to raise their heads and look, eager to see what this Mr. Wugou looked like.

But among them, the monk Dahui, observing this scene from afar and stealing a glance at the expectant sovereign seated there, sighed inwardly and muttered a little rhyme in the commotion.

It went:

"Strike the stone man's head, discuss real matters in the sun.

Don't treat it as Chan meditation, don't treat it as Daoist practice."

After reciting it, Dahui felt it wasn't bad, chanted it twice more in his belly, and prepared to copy it down when he returned.

But just as Dahui finished memorizing his new creation, Zhang Jiucheng arrived before the sovereign and was about to bow and pay his respects... At that very moment, a huge flock of crows suddenly burst out from Mount Fenghuang behind the sovereign, cawing noisily, like a self-sounding dark cloud flying and crying over everyone's heads. This made everyone's expression change abruptly, yet none knew what to say.

Everyone in Hangzhou knew that there were many crows on Mount Fenghuang.

Even the sovereign knew this, because this was the site of the old Wu-Yue Palace, where he himself was staying. This was also why the Wulin Society gathering was being held by West Lake... It wasn't that the sovereign was trying to be cultured; it was simply that this place was right outside his door.

Having stayed here for several days, he naturally knew there were many crows here—so many that he heard crows cawing every midnight and couldn't sleep.

But knowing was one thing; having this happen now, at this kind of occasion, inevitably made everyone suspicious. Especially when the crows flew over, then quickly scattered over West Lake—most flew away in groups, but a few actually turned back toward Mount Fenghuang, cawing without stopping.

"It's nothing. Consider it accompaniment."

After waiting for a while, with the crows' cawing continuing intermittently, Zhao Jiu couldn't be bothered and simply smiled at Zhang Jiucheng. "Zhang Qing, please speak."

"I am a commoner, ashamed." Zhang Jiucheng came to his senses, realizing he had been somewhat undignified, and quickly bowed in salute. "A commoner inquires after Your Majesty's health."

"I am well." As another loud crow sounded, Zhao Jiu also grew serious. "Zhang Qing, have you come to instruct me in anything?"

"I am a commoner, ashamed. Before presenting my memorial, I dare to ask Your Majesty one question."

"Speak."

"When Your Majesty inquires about governance today, with what attitude do you regard these remonstrances and memorials?" This Zhang Jiucheng was indeed extraordinary from the start, not the same sort of flashy goods as those 'reserve consultants' beside him.

And Zhao Jiu nodded slightly, responding earnestly: "Not only today's inquiry into governance, but this entire southern tour, I have only sincerity to offer."

Zhang Jiucheng nodded slightly, then continued standing before the throne, holding his documents and pressing on: "I, a commoner, also believe that His Majesty's southern tour, from its original intent to this Wulin Assembly, is all an attitude of sincerity... Under the gaze of ten thousand eyes, known to all, this cannot be faked."

Zhao Jiu felt a slight pride.

"But I, a commoner, dare to ask His Majesty: You are sincere to others outside, sincere in the southern tour, sincere at the Wulin Assembly—but are you also always sincere in the Eastern Capital? Sincere when you return to the inner palace? Sincere in private dealings, whether with consorts or close ministers?" Zhang Jiucheng pressed on.

Hearing this, Zhao Jiu's expression finally shifted slightly, but he hesitated for a moment, as if recalling something.

After waiting a while, seeing that His Majesty could not speak directly, this Zhang Wugou raised his head and interrupted: "His Majesty's hesitation shows that you cannot claim sincerity."

Zhao Jiu gave a light laugh, shook his head, then nodded in response from his seat: "Zhang Qing speaks truly. My hesitation just now was already insincerity... Moreover, I truly cannot achieve self-discipline in solitude, nor can I be sincere to everyone."

The two met, and in their first exchange, Zhang Wugou had seized the advantage. But the victorious Master Wugou showed no joy; instead, he grew even more respectful, bending down to present his documents with both hands.

A Secretariat Drafter, Yu Yunwen, stepped forward to receive them, then turned to present them before the throne.

Once the documents arrived, Zhao Jiu opened them on the table before him, glanced only at the opening format, then closed them directly and spoke earnestly to the man below:

"Zhang Wugou, I have long admired your reputation. Back in the Eastern Capital, Chief Councilor Zhao Ding mentioned your name, saying you were a talent fit for a councilor; in Hangzhou, Military Governor Lu Xiang also told me you were a talent fit for a councilor; not only that, although Privy Councilor Zhang Jun did not mention you, he said there was a Monk Dahui in the southeast, a perceptive and obedient man, who might be more useful than the abbot of Shaolin Temple if I wanted to deal with temples and monasteries in the south. When I came to the southeast, I asked around and learned that you and that Monk Dahui were close friends, so I had even higher expectations of you..."

At this point, Zhao Jiu and Zhang Jiucheng almost simultaneously glanced at Monk Dahui, who was sitting among the row of shaven heads, practicing silent meditation, causing the latter's heart to pound with fear... At this moment, the great monk only felt that His Majesty was too deep in scheming. Since he knew he was connected to Privy Councilor Zhang's household and that he was so close to Zhang Jiucheng, yet he had never come to ask him about anything, nor had he revealed a hint of it, merely pretending to force him to hand over an extra two hundred piculs of new rice.

Why must it come to this?

And amid his panic, he also worried for his friend Zhang Jiucheng, fearing that this Zhang Wugou might be exposed for what he truly was at the Wulin Assembly today by this deeply skilled His Majesty.

"Of course, I also know you are a disciple of Yang Shi, and I understand the difficulty of your position, so I did not seek you out directly. Now that we meet, I will not read your documents. Whatever words or thoughts you have, let us use these two words—'sincerity'—as our foundation and speak clearly face to face." Zhao Jiu gave the monk only a brief glance before turning back, having no idea how much drama was playing out in that monk's mind.

On the other side, Zhang Jiucheng, hearing this, was somewhat moved. He set aside Monk Dahui and bowed respectfully to His Majesty: "If His Majesty is so sincere, I, a commoner, would be ashamed if I did not speak directly."

"Speak!" Zhao Jiu waved his hand.

"The great matter I wish to speak of is this: Although the Jingkang Disaster shook the realm, I ask Your Majesty not to be overly anxious. In my view, although the Jin are fierce, they cannot last long; and although China is temporarily beset, it will surely revive!" Zhang Jiucheng straightened up and declared boldly.

Zhao Jiu's expression did not change; he remained calm and composed, merely nodding slightly: "I know what you want to say, but in my view, this is only half right... The half that is right is that the Jurchens were like beasts emerging from the forest. Once they obtained the fertile lands of the Two Rivers, their wildness will wear away, and they will decay and degenerate rapidly. It is indeed hard for them to last long. And although China suffered the Jingkang Incident, the overall situation remains, and the regions have not yet reached a point where they cannot be sustained. So there is no problem in regaining momentum... But I also believe that everything depends on human effort. If the Jurchens have the resolve to transform themselves, they may well emulate the Liao and endure long in the north. And if China relies on Heaven's mandate descending on its own, without uniting the realm's strength and striving, then revival is just empty talk."

Zhang Jiucheng was silent for a moment, then finally spoke the two most crucial words: "But it can be slowed."

"It cannot be slowed!" Zhao Jiu shook his head, his expression suddenly turning extremely stern. "If we slow down, perhaps the Jin's national power will decline further, but I do not believe China can stand alone, maintain morale without decline through prolonged peace, and not decay along with the Jin... What use would there be in having more troops in Jingkang?"

"Your Majesty, I say the Jin cannot last long because, though a state may be large, belligerence leads to its ruin; though an army may be strong, forgetting its customs leads to danger!" As the discussion deepened, His Majesty became utterly serious. The three councilors below, along with the close ministers and the nearby 'reserve consultants,' had long since become solemn. Yet Zhang Jiucheng remained unmoved, standing there, his tone calm, continuing to debate with His Majesty without pause. "Your Majesty only takes the Jingkang disaster as a warning for our own state—should you not also guard against repeating the Jin's mistakes in reverse?"

Seeing the tense atmosphere, Zhao Jiu instead laughed: "I will not continue this argument with you, Qing. If we go on, it will only end with you speaking of the burdens of Jiangnan and me speaking of the people of the Two Rivers weeping for the imperial army... There is no conclusion to be reached... Why don't you speak directly: what exactly do you mean by 'slowing down'? How specifically should it be slowed?"

"First, I ask that the monthly levy be abolished, that the surtaxes in the southeast and the additional levies in Jingxiang be rescinded, so that the people of the southeast may catch their breath." Zhang Jiucheng showed no politeness. "Just now, as I passed by West Lake, I heard that some followers of the Vegetable-Eating Demon Sect in Xiaoshan had been arrested for forming a society. I also ask Your Majesty to consider that they are all poor and helpless people, and to show them some leniency, dealing with them lightly... Lu Yihao has been harsh and severe in the southeast. Since Your Majesty is on a southern tour, you should correct this."

When these two passages were spoken, the scene fell silent again, with only the crows crying. Li Gang and Xu Jingheng instinctively looked at Lu Yihao, who was sitting closest to His Majesty. To their surprise, the man showed no anger at all, merely sitting upright and proper, which they found quite remarkable.

"And then?" His Majesty pressed on without pause. "Without the monthly levy, how will the Imperial Camp troops be maintained?"

"This is precisely what I am about to say next. After Yaoshan, the Jin's weariness with war has become very clear. There is no need to maintain so many troops. They can be somewhat reduced, and the Imperial Camp can be cleaned up accordingly, removing corrupt generals and arrogant officers." Zhang Jiucheng responded immediately. "To reorganize."

"Who are the corrupt generals, and who are the arrogant officers?" Amid the cawing of crows, His Majesty did not pause either.

"Han Shizhong, Qu Duan, Zhang Jun, Zhang Rong." Master Wugou did not hesitate for a moment. "Qu Duan is arrogant, Zhang Jun is corrupt and base, Zhang Rong was originally a bandit, and Han Shizhong is not as corrupt as Zhang Jun nor as arrogant as Qu Duan, but he is greedy for wealth, fond of women, arrogant, and frivolous—possessing all five vices. Remove these old, virtueless generals, reestablish the Imperial Camp, and in the future, one man can stand against ten."

"Perhaps!" Unlike the 'reserve consultants' around him, who were already terrified, His Majesty was not angered. "After cleaning up the Imperial Camp, what then?"

"You should also dismiss incompetent and virtueless petty men, and select those of both talent and virtue to assist the Son of Heaven."

"Who is incompetent, and who is virtueless?"

"The incompetent include Privy Councilor Zhang Jun; the virtueless include Minister of Works Hu Yin, and the indecisive Military Governor of Guanzhong, Yuwen Xuzhong, and the harsh and exploitative Military Governor of the Southeast, Lu Yihao—none of them are fit to serve as councilors!"

Monk Dahui had already secretly broken his vow of silence for the day; he began to silently recite Buddhist scriptures... Not for his old friend, but for himself, ready to leap out at any moment and risk his life to save his old friend.

However, upon hearing this, aside from Lu Yihao's cold snort, no one spoke much. His Majesty merely grinned, his voice slightly louder than the crows: "And where are those with talent and virtue? Your teacher, Yang Shi, who stood in the snow at Cheng's gate, is he?"

Zhang Jiucheng hesitated.

But this very hesitation allowed His Majesty to seize a flaw: "Master Wugou is not sincere enough either!"

Zhang Jiucheng bowed his head in response: "My teacher's virtue is sufficient, and his learning in the classics is unmatched. But I dare not say he is skilled in practical affairs..."

"Then where are those with both talent and virtue... Do you count?" Zhao Jiu maintained a good demeanor... For some reason, he showed great tolerance toward this Zhang Jiucheng, which amazed the few close ministers behind him.

"I... my talent and virtue are both insufficient." Zhang Jiucheng still gritted his teeth and persisted. "But men like Councilor Lü Haowen and Councilor Xu Jingheng are both men of talent and virtue. Councilor Zhao Ding, though somewhat weak in serving the sovereign, ultimately has virtue and can accomplish things. Even among the generals, there are men like Li Yanxian and Yue Fei, whose virtue clearly surpasses their peers. This shows that if Your Majesty opens the path of learning and broadly accepts talent, men of both talent and virtue will always appear."

Before Zhang Jiucheng had even finished speaking, the praised Xu Jingheng's face turned ugly, even uglier than the criticized Lu Yihao beside him. And Li Gang, who was not mentioned, looked even worse than the two of them combined... As the former standard-bearer of the war party, he had been confirmed as incompetent in policy, military strategy, and finance, to the point that this outspoken southeastern scholar did not even deign to mention him—perhaps that was even more humiliating than being named.

And while the three councilors were each lost in their own thoughts, His Majesty smiled, his voice drifting as if talking to himself: "Open the path of learning..."

"Yes!" Zhang Jiucheng gritted his teeth and responded, about to launch into this nearly hopeless topic. "I believe... the Yuan School is ultimately top-heavy and has lost the root of Confucianism. It is not as pure and upright as the Dao School..."

However, just as Master Wugou below had begun his words, unexpectedly, His Majesty above suddenly stood up. Then, clasping his hands behind his back, he stepped around the table in front of him. Standing before the councilors and beside Zhang Wugou, he pointed with one hand at the clear winter sky reflected by West Lake and began to recite loudly, directly forcing Zhang Jiucheng to fall silent.

It was:

"The vitality of the land depends on wind and thunder; the silence of ten thousand horses is truly lamentable.

I urge the Heavenly Lord to rouse himself again, and send down talents of all kinds without restraint!"

The poem was majestic in spirit, the voice passionate and resonant, perfectly fitting the occasion. The surrounding 'reserve consultants' were stunned, and even the close minister Lü Benzhong showed a dazed expression... One could only say that His Majesty's impromptu recitation in response to Zhang Jiucheng's memorial had truly confirmed his reputation as a master of poetry.

And this was what Monk Dahui called 'inner strength'... Something that could not be learned.

Enough digression. After reciting the poem with its rhythmic cadences, His Majesty looked up and let out a long breath, then turned his head to face the interrupted Master Wugou beside him: "Is this what you meant, Zhang Qing?"

Zhang Jiucheng was also visibly dazed. Or rather, standing right beside His Majesty, as the primary audience for this poem, he was the most shaken. He slowly came back to his senses and could only manage to respond: "Yes, this is what I meant."

"I also mean this, but your meaning and my meaning are not the same." Zhao Jiu clasped his hands behind his back and sighed.

Zhang Jiucheng did not know how to respond... His Majesty's words were almost harder to understand than Monk Dahui's doggerel.

However, His Majesty was not a professional riddler, and he immediately gave the answer:

"Regarding the 'silence of ten thousand horses,' you probably feel that the court's policies do not suit your wishes, the development of your school does not suit your wishes, and the virtue of the ruling councilors and commanding generals does not suit your wishes. So you wish for sages of virtue and conduct to emerge in droves, to restore order and return to peace... But I feel that, given this broken and tattered situation, the court has done quite well to find these people and accomplish these things—they have even done their utmost. Yet the realm remains divided, and the tasks of a sovereign are endless. At this point, I would be endlessly grateful if even one useful person were willing to step forward!"

At this point, without waiting for a response, Zhao Jiu clasped his hands behind his back and turned around behind the other man, letting out a sigh: "Master Wugou, have you heard the difference between us?"

"A commoner is ashamed." Zhang Jiucheng did not turn his head, but directly bowed with his hands clasped to the side. "Your Majesty's meaning is roughly that your subject has high aims but low abilities—no matter how well he speaks, it is not enough to shake those who actually do things."

"Correct." Zhao Jiu's expression dimmed somewhat. "Before I saw you, I thought you were a renowned scholar of the realm, the hope of the southeastern gentry, and would surely have lofty discourse... but your words today have disappointed me somewhat."

"A commoner's talents are limited; this is where a commoner should be ashamed." Zhang Jiucheng clasped his hands again. "But what a commoner has said are all words from the heart... and I do not think that because I am incapable, I should sit idly by while those without virtue occupy high halls."

"That is precisely the point." Zhao Jiu spoke clearly. "You are a direct disciple of the Luo School within the Dao School, and the Luo School is the very orthodoxy I personally rejected back then. You have grievances, dissatisfaction with personnel matters, and even wish to 'open up the path of learning'—all of that is normal. And as for the tax increases in the south, you, as the leader of the scholarly circles in Hangzhou, the premier city of the south, are naturally dissatisfied with the court's and the state's grand strategy, with the ruling councilors, and even with me, the Son of Heaven... that is how those outside office are, by nature... Even your talk of men of talent and virtue, I do not mock, because you are ultimately an honest man—you did not claim that your teacher Yang Shi was a talent fit for a councilor. But you still disappoint me greatly, because no matter what, you should not stand here empty-mouthed, treating men like Han Shizhong and Zhang Jun as if they were mortal enemies, and then thinking to drive them out, even if they do indeed have so many faults."

"If a person truly has shortcomings, they should be criticized, and if that person is also an important minister of state, they should step down to correct the record, so as not to betray the realm." Zhang Jiucheng was still unafraid.

"The first half of that is correct, but the second half... I do not agree." Zhao Jiu's voice grew deeper and more serious. "Because these flawed men are already the best and most suitable councilors and military commanders I can find."

"A commoner cannot understand!" Zhang Jiucheng finally became agitated. "How can men without virtue hold high office?"

This shout from Zhang Jiucheng stirred a trace of pity in many of the discerning, especially Xu Jingheng, who felt a kind of sympathetic resonance.

To be fair, Xu Jingheng truly understood Zhang Jiucheng's state at this moment... If this Emperor were a brutal man who could not be reasoned with, Master Wugou would not be this agitated; if this Emperor were a coward who fled at the sight of the Jurchens, he still would not be this agitated; if this Emperor were one who surrendered outright, he would probably have been disheartened long ago and wouldn't even have come... But this Emperor was clearly someone who had actually turned the situation around, someone who was willing to learn from past mistakes, and who was even willing to set aside his dignity to genuinely discuss issues. He could even clearly understand what one meant to express—yet on the most core issue, he had a fundamental disagreement that was almost a complete divergence in worldview and values.

This made it truly hard to accept.

Returning to Zhang Jiucheng, the situation was even more pronounced.

A Confucian scholar, forty years old, with such excellent learning and such well-cultivated self-discipline, yet he had never taken office, instead choosing to study the then-rejected Dao School... Why? Was it not because the most golden period of his life coincided with the time when the Retired Emperor and Cai Jing and his ilk had thrown the court into chaos, even driving the Jiangnan region to ruin for the sake of the Flower and Stone Network?

Under such circumstances, it was perfectly normal for southeastern scholars with a certain moral purity to be unwilling to come forward.

Moreover, because they were unwilling to take office, these Confucians, who were originally of high moral character, gradually came to value learning and virtue above all else, seeing them as something they could eternally pursue and find meaning in life... And now, this Emperor Zhao clearly understood his meaning, yet insisted on defending those of vile moral character—naturally, that was more painful than killing him!

"Minister Zhang has misunderstood my meaning again." Zhao Jiu shook his head repeatedly. "I am not saying we should defend those without virtue, but rather that even though these men have all kinds of faults, they can still be considered men of virtue!"

Zhang Jiucheng was stunned for a moment, then asked after a long pause: "Like Hu Yin's unfilial conduct? Like Zhang Jun's greed and baseness? Like Zhang Rong's treason? Like Han Shizhong's complete depravity? They are still men of virtue? And not just Your Majesty shielding them?"

"Indeed!"

"Is Your Majesty trying to engage in sophistry?" Zhang Jiucheng immediately became wary.

"Sophistry or not depends on whether it can convince or compel the people of the realm." Zhao Jiu finally turned back from behind Zhang Wugou to his own desk, where he stood solemnly with his hands clasped behind his back, looking around. "I once heard someone say something that deeply resonated with me... that is, 'All matters under heaven have their beginning'... Zhang Wugou, do you recognize this man?"

Zhao Jiu was of course not asking Zhang Jiucheng whether he recognized that Gou Long Ruyuan, but instead directly pointed a finger at a man beside himself. Zhang Jiucheng followed the direction of the Emperor Zhao's finger and immediately saw Li Gang, Li Boji, sitting upright there, and was momentarily speechless.

Not only him, but with this gesture from the Emperor Zhao, the vast majority of those present tensed up, because a councilor had been brought into play... Even a plucked councilor was still a councilor... The relationship between the Son of Heaven and a memorialist was still a pure one, but once a councilor was added, it became the most troublesome triangular relationship in the Song officialdom.

Of course, Li Gang was also startled by the sudden finger-pointing, but after only a moment of surprise, this former Grand Councilor put on a stern face and continued to sit like a wooden puppet... At this moment, it was exactly like that moment.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this is the former Grand Councilor Li Gang, Li Boji." Zhang Jiucheng bowed his head seriously in response.

"Do you know the grievances between him and me?" Zhao Jiu pressed calmly.

At these words, many of those present grew even more alarmed, thinking that the Emperor Zhao was not going to use Li Gang to deal with Zhang Jiucheng, but rather use Zhang Jiucheng to deal with Li Gang... As for the party concerned, Li Boji merely gave the Emperor Zhao a deep look, then continued to sit upright and motionless, as if he hadn't heard.

"Although a commoner does not know the specific details, I have heard some things." Zhang Jiucheng was indeed an honest gentleman; since the Son of Heaven had asked, he clasped his hands and answered regardless of the consequences. "When Your Majesty ascended the throne, you appointed Li Boji as councilor, and after only seventy-seven days, he was dismissed... At that time, the impeachers accused him of two great crimes: one, that his reputation exceeded his actual ability; two, that he had the authority to overshadow his sovereign... Now, Privy Councilor Zhang Jun and Imperial Secretary Fan Zongyin both have clear impeachment memorials, which a commoner can recite from memory, and Grand Councilor Lü Haowen also made similar suggestions to have Li Xianggong removed."

Upon hearing this, among the group of close officials standing behind, except for Zong Ying, who looked at Fan Zongyin in astonishment, not a single person showed any extra expression or movement... However, their lack of reaction was only because they were seasoned close officials with high professional standards; inwardly, every single one of them was exactly like Zong Ying—they instantly realized, no wonder that scoundrel Fan Xueshi had jumped out to speak like that back in Taipingzhou!

Yet, hearing this as well, Li Gang still sat upright... whether it was because he had a clear conscience or had long been prepared.

"And then?" While the parties mentioned were each harboring their own thoughts, the Emperor Zhao continued to press calmly.

"Then Your Majesty executed Chen Dong, dismissed Li Xianggong, appointed Huang Qianshan, abandoned the arrangements in the Two Rivers, and prepared to move south to Yangzhou... But unexpectedly, when you reached Mingdao Palace midway, you ultimately decided to do your utmost, so you dismissed Huang Qianshan, executed Kang Lü, recalled Li Xianggong, and caused some disturbances in the process... After all that back-and-forth, Your Majesty faced the enemy on the Huai River, entrusting the southeast, the Empress Dowager, the Imperial Consort, and the imperial heir to Li Xianggong... However, once Li Xianggong arrived in the southeast, he could neither quell military unrest, nor protect the imperial heir, nor supply financial resources... In the end, he was found guilty, removed from the councilor position, and reassigned to a prefecture." Zhang Jiucheng narrated unhurriedly, striving to be impartial.

"Correct." Zhao Jiu nodded slowly. "Your account is roughly correct, but you missed one point... That is, after Li Xianggong was reinstated as councilor, he still treated me like a child. During court discussions, I could hardly speak, and along the way, he showed no financial or military strategy... At that time, the civil and military officials in the temporary court all wondered why I had recalled him again! I said nothing on the surface, but in my heart, I was also extremely resentful of him! So much so that during this southern inspection tour of mine, many old ministers still remember this matter and have submitted private memorials to me, discussing old affairs and impeaching Li Xianggong for several great crimes! Zhang Wugou, I ask you—do you consider Li Xianggong to be the kind of councilor with both talent and virtue that you speak of? Can I deal with him?"

At this point, Lü Yihao and Xu Jingheng could no longer sit still. Only Li Gang remained as calm as water, sitting upright and silent, as if listening to the crows crying behind him on Phoenix Mountain, making one suspect that he was prepared to risk his life to defend his honor once publicly humiliated.

Of course, most of the 'consultants' were not so dramatic... They were just thinking that there had long been private talk among the people that this southern inspection tour of the Emperor would finally see Li Gang dealt with, and now it was about to happen.

What else could it be?

That former overbearing councilor had offended everyone he could, from sovereign to minister. Now, whether it was the Son of Heaven, the current ruling councilors, or even the two military commanders with the best recognized moral character, all had clear grievances against him. Even the southeastern gentry and commoners were dissatisfied with him because he could not control the army or quell military unrest.

Moreover, there was the unavoidable issue of the imperial heir.

"Of course not." Zhang Jiucheng did not hesitate. "Treating Your Majesty like a child might have been out of impartiality, but Li Gang, as councilor in a time of chaos, could not set financial strategy or quell military unrest—he was clearly incompetent and guilty! As for a minister losing the imperial heir, Your Majesty's natural feelings are beyond reproach... However..."

"However, I will ultimately not punish Li Xianggong, nor should I punish Li Xianggong." The Emperor Zhao nodded slowly, his tone calm, suddenly reversing the situation. "Because everything has its beginning, and my beginning, the state's beginning, all lie with Li Xianggong... The clear records of history are there. They will not destroy his achievements, his virtue, or his talent just because Li Xianggong had a bad temper or was incompetent in military and financial strategy! This is something I myself cannot do, nor will I allow others to do it."

The crowd stared in astonishment. Li Gang shifted his eyes slightly, gave the Emperor Zhao a deep look, and then sat upright and motionless again.

"Zhang Wugou, I ask you once more—raise your perspective and tell me, in the annals of history, what kind of man is Li Xianggong?" Zhao Jiu suddenly raised his voice.

Zhang Jiucheng opened his mouth to speak but found himself at a loss... He hesitated not because he lacked sincerity, but because this erudite Master Wugou suddenly realized that he truly lacked the ability to evaluate Li Gang from a certain height... For years, he had been immersed in studying subtle meanings and profound principles, but had never thought about concrete issues from this angle.

"Let me tell you what kind of man he is." Zhao Jiu tilted his head slightly, speaking in a tone that was hard to tell whether it was arrogance or something else, his words clear and distinct. "Li Xianggong is a famous minister in the resistance against the Jin, a hero of China, a model of his time! This judgment, even after ten thousand generations, cannot be altered!"

The hall was silent for about a few breaths, then erupted. Even Li Gang himself could not help but sway slightly under the indescribably complex gazes of Lü Yihao and Xu Jingheng across from him.

And the Emperor Zhao's proclamation, with hands clasped behind his back, continued: "During the Jingkang era, the Jin iron cavalry swept through the Two Rivers, driving straight to the capital. The Retired Emperor abandoned the state and fled. At that time, China was on the verge of collapse. After the Retired Emperor and the Yuansheng Emperor succeeded the throne, within just one year, twenty-six men successively ascended to the position of councilor to assist the realm... Among these men, there were those who knelt and surrendered, those who advocated peace and ceded territory, those who advocated war, and even those like the dead Cai Mao, who neither fought nor negotiated, only fled... But regardless, the Jingkang Disaster has already proven that those who advocated surrender and peace forged a colossal mistake with all the iron of the nine provinces! The state's century-long continuity was severed in one stroke by the wrong blade we ourselves forged... What I call 'I cut myself, I killed myself' is roughly this kind of pitiable, laughable, and lamentable affair! And the mistake of those men is precisely that the rise and fall of an entire nation has proven the correctness of Li Xianggong and his ilk! As things stand now, I can clearly tell the southeastern gentry and commoners here, or simply tell the people of the realm, that during the Jingkang years, Li Xianggong, who almost single-handedly fought to the end against those who were ruining the state, is the hope of the realm, a hero of China, a model of his time! Even if dynasties change and histories are rewritten, this evaluation cannot be shaken!"

Having finished laying out his definitive view of Li Gang in one breath, Zhao Jiu's tone did not slacken in the slightest. Instead, he looked around with an air of superiority, while speaking as if addressing Zhang Jiucheng:

"Minister Zhang, I ask you... Those you speak of as having both talent and virtue, or those with mixed talent and virtue, such as Lü Haowen, Xu Xianggong behind me, Zhao Xianggong in Dongjing, your teacher Yang Shi, Liu Dazhong, and even me, and you, and the hundreds of southeastern worthies present... What were they doing when Li Xianggong stepped forward against the tide? Were these men truly more talented and virtuous than him?"

The hundreds of 'consultant' worthies, including Xu Xianggong behind him, were all silent. Zhang Jiucheng tried to apologize amidst the crowing, but found himself timid for the first time... because he had realized that the Emperor Zhao's evaluation of Li Gang on this occasion would likely soon become Li Gang's final verdict, entering the annals of history, and he himself would probably serve as some kind of foil.

The more he said, the greater the possibility of becoming that foil.

"Let me be clear: this evaluation has absolutely nothing to do with whether he himself understood military affairs or financial strategy, whether some of his ideas back then were naive, or even whether his use of Chen Dong and those Imperial Academy students to besiege the palace was suspect of treason!" Zhao Jiu spoke sternly, his hands clasped behind his back, his words flowing without pause. "Because at that time, from top to bottom, the entire realm lacked integrity. Li Xianggong rose to prominence bearing the hopes of the people. He was simply following the mandate of heaven, simply the embodiment of that spirit that the state had nurtured in its scholar-officials for a hundred years, manifesting at the right time."

"Of course... there must be a 'of course,'" Zhao Jiu laughed to himself before continuing. "Li Gong ultimately lacked military and financial strategy, but that is not his fault, because he was brought in precisely to let the scholars hold up that spirit. His mandate from heaven was that very thing, and scholars are supposed to run out of steam after holding up that spirit... That is why he is a model of his time, not a lasting pillar of the state... No matter under heaven can be accomplished by relying solely on scholars! So, Minister Zhang, do you know who succeeded Li Xianggong as models of their time and pillars of the state?"

Zhang Jiucheng's face was pale. He had already thought of the answer and understood why the Emperor Zhao had suddenly left the original topic and started with Li Gang.

"Who, after Li Gang, stepped forward one by one to become the models of the realm and the pillars of the state?" Zhao Jiu's tone rose higher and higher, as if he had never spoken with such intensity and conviction in his life.

"It was Zong Ze, Zong Zhongwu, who muddled through half his life, whose reputation in officialdom was rotten to the core, who only reached a prefectural position when he was nearly seventy, and then, carrying the blame and burden, lying on a donkey cart, went to recover Dongjing!

"It was Li Yanxian, a frontier strongman who, after impeaching Li Gang for not understanding military affairs, had to change his name and flee, yet still donated his family wealth to resist the Jin, suffered a crushing defeat, and then gathered troops from scratch to recover Shanzhou!

"It was the Zhai brothers, local strongmen whose hometown was plundered clean, whose Luo School masters all fled their villages, yet who, even after their families were destroyed, were determined to fight the Jin to the end!

"It was Han Shizhong, a Western Army ruffian who had always behaved disgracefully and was indeed completely depraved, yet who had fought almost every enemy of the entire Song Empire, and in every engagement, threw himself into the fray without regard for his own safety!

"It was Zhang Rong, a bandit by origin who only wanted to protect his hometown, and was perhaps even forced into action—the chieftain of the Liangshanpo bandits!

"It was Ma Kuo, the 'petty pro-Jin man' who, after being imprisoned out of spite and released by his Jurchen old friends, still ran to the Taihang Mountains to resist the Jin!

"It was Yue Fei, the former commander of the forward army, of humble birth, who had experienced almost the entire Song-Jin War, witnessed almost every most brutal battle, yet still understood the hardships of the Jiangnan commoners and the difficulties of farming, to the point where he wouldn't even eat a single chicken!"

"Who are these people? They are the marginal officials you scholar-officials look down on, the lawless local strongmen and landlords, the thoroughly rotten riffraff, the fishermen and tenant farmers who only want to scrape by... But it is precisely these people who, while you sit idly in the south, sipping tea and discussing Zen all day, have stepped forward one by one! They have exerted themselves for China, no less than Li, Xu, Zhao, Zhang, the two Lus, and other chief ministers... When you point at the stains on their bodies and call them immoral, then who is moral? Are you the gaggle of geese sitting by West Lake, watching me speak?!"

At this point, the Zhao Lord's tone suddenly lost control, frightening the 'consultants' around him into a panic. They wanted to rise and beg forgiveness, yet dared not move.

"You say I am too hasty! Don't you think I want to slow down? But can I, a mere emperor, make the decisions for all matters under heaven? Before these people I just mentioned, I am nothing but a floating duckweed! I am pulled from the front and pushed from behind! Everyone must bear burdens! I am the emperor, so I bear even more!

"Li Gang flashed by and can naturally sit idly in Jiangnan, and I can wave him off with a flick of my sleeve. But what about Chen Dong, whom Huang Qianshan executed? If I do not quickly launch the Northern Expedition, how can I face Chen Dong?! How can I face Zong Zhongwu, who worked himself to death in Dongjing? How can I face Li Yanxian, who held firm in Shanzhou for seven years without moving? How can I explain myself to Yue Fei, Zhang Rong, and Ma Kuo? Even behind me today, there is Lu Yihao, who bears the grievances of millions in the southeast for me. If I do not quickly launch the Northern Expedition, how can I be worthy of him? And if I do not quickly launch the Northern Expedition, how can I face the millions in the Two Rivers? You say I am too fast and wrong the Jiangnan gentry and commoners. As I see it, if I do not quickly launch the Northern Expedition and delay instead, that would truly wrong the Jiangnan gentry and commoners! It would wrong the countless silent, utterly poor people from north, south, east, and west!

"Those people are not like you. You can come before me and say what should be fast or slow. They cannot even speak!"

The Zhao Lord's anger erupted, and his intemperate remarks continued. Li Gang, who had been maintaining his persona, had already completely lost his composure when the name Chen Dong—which made him somewhat dazed—appeared, to the point where his gaze wandered. Zong Ying stood there, tears streaming down his face at some unknown moment. Even Lu Yihao, whose dark face was no less stern than Li Gang's, was finally startled and changed color when the Zhao Lord spoke of him.

"As for Chancellor Xu, have you ever thought about why he didn't speak up for you?" Zhao Jiu turned back, panting. Seeing that one chancellor still maintained his dignity, he broke the man's composure with a single light remark. "Because even he must think of Chancellor Zhang Que, who died of illness on the road!"

Having made Xu Jingheng lose his composure, Zhao Jiu couldn't be bothered to pay him any more attention and turned instead to look at Zhang Jiucheng.

As the saying goes, 'a wild punch can beat an old master,' and also, 'a gentleman can be taken advantage of by what is proper'... At this point, Mr. Wugou, who was experiencing the Zhao Lord's capricious temper for the first time, had never imagined things would come to this. He had already been pushed into a state of utter panic by the Zhao Lord, who showed no kingly demeanor. Now, meeting the other's gaze, he even tried to look away.

However, Zhao Jiu had no intention of letting him off. He stepped forward a few paces, directly grasped the man's shoulder, and spoke earnestly: "You want sincerity. Today, I have been sincere with you... but it's not enough yet. Minister Zhang, let's go back to the beginning. I said I was somewhat disappointed in you. But in truth, Minister Zhang, you are still the most gentlemanly Confucian scholar I have seen in these five days, and the most rewarding inquiry in this five-day assembly... Do you know why?"

Zhang Jiucheng shrank back for a moment: "A commoner... a commoner does not know."

"Very simple." Zhao Jiu patted both of the man's shoulders with his hands but shook his own head. "I had long prepared some plans for Jiangnan's taxes and levies. But after waiting here for five days, I have seen at most some knowledgeable middle-class households, and not a single farmer or weaver... This was actually expected... But what truly angers me is that among these hundreds of scholar-officials, monks, Daoists, and wealthy merchants around me, who should have spoken for these people, not a single one specifically mentioned the heavy burden of taxes on the lowest levels that I care most about. Fortunately, there is still a conscientious scholar like you, willing to tell me plainly that the common people's burden is heavy and taxes must be reduced... And you also know that the Vegetarian Demon Sect consists of poor people, and you advised me to deal with them leniently... For this alone, you can be considered a model for this region in these five days!"

Having said this, Zhao Jiu turned around and looked at Lu Yihao.

Lu Yihao understood. He composed his previously flustered expression, stood up, and spoke coldly before the imperial desk: "His Majesty knows that the poll tax and corvée silk taxes in Jiangnan are extremely heavy, to the point where the people kill infants as a custom, cremate and water-bury as a custom, and abandon fields and flee property as a custom. Therefore, he has issued a special decree: from this day forward, for every adult in the realm, the tax shall never be increased... For every prefecture and county, the poll tax and corvée silk taxes, no matter how the population grows, shall never be increased again. Only the old precedents shall be followed, allowing the people to nurture and multiply!"

After hearing this, among the 'consultants' below who had just been scolded, the dull ones had no idea what it meant, while the clever ones instantly digested the information but dared not step forward... For instance, the monk Dahui, seeing his old friend finally get a reversal, also abandoned any thought of rescuing him and only wanted to continue cultivating the 'silent Zen.'

However, while these people said nothing, someone else couldn't stop talking.

"Besides fixing the poll tax and corvée silk, there is also the 'merging the poll tax into the land tax,' which must be implemented together." Zhao Jiu stood by the side of the desk, listened quietly to the other finish, and then added almost casually.

Lu Yihao was momentarily stunned and, for once, earnestly lowered his voice to consult: "Your Majesty... wasn't it agreed that we would first implement 'never increase the tax' to pacify the people of the southeast, and then implement 'merging the poll tax into the land tax' after the Northern Expedition?"

"No need." Zhao Jiu shook his head repeatedly. "After this unrestrained outburst, I have come to understand clearly: everything has a beginning, and everyone has a beginning. Where is my beginning? Is it with these hundreds of scholars, wealthy gentry, monks, and Daoists here today, or with the millions of common people, of whom only one person seriously spoke in this five-day assembly? Fortunately, since ancient times, our dynasty has had officials and gentry paying taxes together, and no one dares not to pay taxes, which saves a lot of trouble..."

"But..."

"I will stay here at Phoenix Mountain. I will also order Yue Fei to send ten thousand troops from the Imperial Guard Forward Army to garrison Jinling. Then I will watch with my own eyes from here as this matter spreads layer by layer from the Two Zhe circuits. I will see who can truly form a reactionary clique against me!" Zhao Jiu looked coldly and spoke sternly. "The vast Central Plains and Guanzhong have already been recovered. Even if the entire southeast rebels, I can take it back! And Chancellor Xu, who is used to handling such matters in the Central Plains, will assist you!"

Xu Jingheng quickly rose. Lu Yihao hesitated for a moment but finally nodded. He then turned and coldly announced loudly to the assembly: after 'never increase the tax in a prosperous era,' there would also be 'merging the poll tax into the land tax.'

'Merging the poll tax into the land tax,' as the name implies, means transferring the population tax into the land tax, making the landlords bear the social burdens they should bear, thereby further relieving the burden on the lower classes.

This was clearly a move to strike at the landlord class.

But to be honest, both Lu Yihao and Zhao Jiu had overestimated these 'consultants.' They listened blankly for a while. The dull ones still didn't understand what was happening, and the clever ones understood but dared not speak.

However, the monk Dahui now had no burden. He was a wandering monk from Dongjing; what did merging the poll tax into the land tax have to do with him? Besides, his old friend Zhang Wugou was still standing awkwardly on the platform, so he felt a desire to rescue him.

Yet, just as the monk stood up, ready to recite a smooth rhyme praising the Zhao Lord's benevolent governance, he didn't expect the Zhao Lord to turn his head, catch sight of him rising, and immediately realize what was happening. He then directly raised his voice to remind Lu Yihao:

"Don't forget, monks are exempt from the one-time poll tax... Regardless of anything else, first make the monks pay the poll tax again, then investigate their landholdings! Merging the poll tax into the land tax starts with the four hundred and eighty temples of the southeast!"

Lu Yihao nodded again and even glanced at the monk who had stood up.

Poor Dahui, with his sharp ears, didn't know how to explain things to the abbot of Jingshan Temple upon his return. Scared half to death by Lu Yihao's dark face, he honestly swallowed his smooth rhyme, sat back down, and continued cultivating his silent Zen.

And so, as the sky darkened, no matter how unpleasant things were, there had to be an end.

Finally, the Zhao Lord issued a special decree: naming Zhang Jiucheng the top respondent in the audience, granting him a Presented Scholar degree, specially appointing him as Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, to depart immediately for Dongjing and participate in official business. Once the decree was issued, the Zhao Lord directly turned back to the Phoenix Mountain temporary palace. But unexpectedly, as soon as he moved, a cloud of crows returned from the north with the setting sun, then covered the sky and earth, scattering into Phoenix Mountain. Then, amidst the twilight covering the mountain, the cawing continued without cease.