Chapter 368: Fencing

"Beyond the hills there are hills, beyond the towers there are towers; When will the singing and dancing on West Lake cease?

The warm breeze makes the visitors drunk, They mistake Hangzhou for Bianzhou."

Now, because of the existence of West Lake, the layout of Hangzhou city has always been different from other places. For example, the city is long and narrow, and there is an open space south of the main western gate, Yongjin Gate, which should be outside the city. In other places, it would never be as prosperous as inside the city. But in reality, because this place is next to West Lake, with a distant view of Su Causeway and Leifeng Pagoda, and is also the sluice gate and dock where the moat connects to West Lake, it has always been crowded with taverns and merchants, making it even more bustling than inside the city.

And now, in the winter of the eighth year of Jianyan, the Zhao Song Emperor of Bianzhou, on his southern tour, was captivated by the beautiful scenery of West Lake. He took up long-term residence in the old Wu-Yue palace on Fenghuang Mountain, southwest of the city and southeast of West Lake, making this place the political center of the entire southern empire. This made the area outside Yongjin Gate even more prosperous.

Not to mention anything else, just among the 'Consultants' who came and went, planning to establish the local Public Council system, eight out of ten were old wealthy families from Jiangnan with deep pockets. A casual tip from them was enough to give the common folk an extra bit of income.

Moreover, besides these people, there were also officials and messengers from all over the country constantly coming and going, as well as the several thousand Imperial Tiger Guards who had suddenly appeared around Fenghuang Mountain. All of them needed to spend money, which was enough to elevate the prosperity outside Yongjin Gate to another level.

So, back to the poem at the beginning. It is said to have been composed by some unknown poet. Because he himself could not enter the Public Council, he inscribed it on a tavern outside Yongjin Gate, using it to mock those 'Consultants' who thought that just by entering the Public Council and having a political status, they had officially become officials.

That's right, this is a sour poem, jealous of the 'Consultants'. And it was actually seen by the Emperor's own eyes the day after the Wulin Conference ended, when he was seeing off Li Gang, Duke Li, on his return home, and then stopped by this tavern to watch the sunset over Leifeng Pagoda!

Because of this, this tavern, which is said to have a history of fifty or sixty years, was renamed 'Tower Beyond Tower' just yesterday, and its business immediately jumped to number one on West Lake... I don't know how many idle scholars and poets specifically come in the afternoon to climb this Tower Beyond Tower, imitating the Emperor in watching that damned sunset over Leifeng Pagoda.

It really is a damned sunset over Leifeng Pagoda. You need to know that ever since the Leifeng Pagoda was destroyed by both the government and the rebels during Fang La's uprising more than ten years ago, the entire pagoda has been dilapidated, with none of its former glory. Only someone with such strange aesthetic taste as the Emperor would specifically point at a broken pagoda and say it is worthy of being a scenic spot of West Lake.

Enough of this idle talk. This afternoon, the weather was clear. It should have been another day for the Tower Beyond Tower to be packed, but not many distinguished guests came up. Instead, at the very site of the scenery itself, which is not a viewing spot, under the Leifeng Pagoda, now renamed Xizhao Mountain, there was a crowd of people. It turned out that this afternoon, whether they were 'Consultants' or other scholars and wealthy patrons seeking official careers, they all flocked here to observe the ceremony... Imperial Secretary Lu Benzhong, acting on imperial orders, was here to erect a stele recording the grand occasion of the Jianyan Wulin Conference.

"Indeed, it's time to erect a stele."

Watching Lu Benzhong speaking from afar under the Leifeng Pagoda, two elderly scholars who couldn't squeeze through had to clasp their hands and chat on the outskirts of Xizhao Mountain. "The Emperor's words made Duke Li request to return home to preserve his long-term reputation, and also made Zhang Jiucheng develop the intention to be a vanguard for the king, turning to enter officialdom in Tokyo. Just these two people alone are worth erecting a stele to make a definitive judgment."

"This is also because they met a wise ruler. Only then could Li Boji have such a good outcome, and Zhang Jiucheng such a good opportunity," the person beside him sighed in response. "A commoner, at forty without confusion, could leap from a commoner to Vice Minister and be placed in the Secret Pavilion. Before the Jianyan era, where could such a thing be seen?"

"Who says it isn't so?" the previous person also sighed. "It's just a pity that Zhang Jiucheng's opportunity is ultimately unique. Among those in the Public Council who obtained rank and assignment, there are only a dozen or so like Su Bai and Li Tao. And if this local Public Council is established, the specific regulations, what ranks it will have, and what assignments it can give are still somewhat vague... Could it be, as that wandering poet's satirical poem suggests, purely an empty title, to be directly abolished once the Emperor returns to Bianzhou?"

"Not necessarily," a middle-aged scholar in his forties, who had been listening carefully to their discussion, suddenly interjected. This man spoke with a local accent, appearing to be from the Liangzhe region, and oddly enough, he was wearing a sword. "The Emperor's southern tour this time, clearing Li Boji's name and promoting Zhang Jiucheng, were just casual acts. The key was to promote the major policies of 'no additional taxes' and 'apportioning the head tax into the land tax'. If these two methods can be achieved, then the grievances of the Jiangnan people will be resolved, many of the filthy and unbearable matters below can be cleansed a bit, and the great task of pacifying Jiangnan before the Northern Expedition will be considered accomplished..."

"But what does that have to do with the powers and responsibilities of the Public Council?" the previous person was still puzzled.

"Of course it does," the middle-aged swordsman smiled on the spot. "To implement this major policy, especially apportioning the head tax into the land tax, the fundamental point is to shift the money that poor commoners originally paid onto the wealthy and powerful local influential households... And to suppress these influential households, according to the established practice of our dynasty, we must rely on the power of the scholar-officials, pulling the scholars to suppress these influential households. Besides this, although the Emperor and Prime Minister Lu have always been tough, even proclaiming they would dispatch the Imperial Camp army south, neither the Emperor nor Prime Minister Lu wants to actually force those influential households into rebellion. So they inevitably have to win some over... As for how to win them over, it still comes back to that saying: everything has a beginning. Just look at the original purpose of establishing this Public Council and you'll understand."

"I understand," before the two could respond, another middle-aged scholar who had been silent all along suddenly spoke up and joined in. And then, he too was wearing a sword... In the southeast region, and in the Great Song Dynasty, encountering two sword-wielding scholars at once was quite astonishing. "My brother means that although the Emperor is the Son of Heaven, possessing all within the four seas, unless forced to a corner, he doesn't want to directly use force to suppress people. He still wants to follow the rules as much as possible... So this Public Council must be a permanent establishment, and it will definitely have some real deliberative powers and channels to reach the Emperor. It might even have some specific assignments exclusively delegated to it."

"Exactly!" The third scholar, seeing that the other party understood the matter and was also a swordsman like himself, was overjoyed.

"If that's the case, we should use some means. Towards those below, we should stabilize Jiangnan and not cause trouble for the court, to avoid brewing disaster. Towards those above, we should admonish the Emperor, advising him not to actually send a large army south... If another ten thousand or even tens of thousands of Imperial Camp troops come to the southeast, that would truly be a case of 'ten thousand horses all silent'!" The fourth scholar, seeing the discussion was on the right track, quickly stepped forward, holding his sword, and then cupped his hands in greeting. "May I ask my brother's name? Why don't we submit a joint memorial?"

"Hold on, you two. Why..." The two who had started the conversation were even more confused. They looked at each other, feeling they couldn't keep up with the thoughts of the two who had joined later. Yet the conclusions the others had reached made them intensely curious. "This joint memorial, and..."

"This matter is simple," the first swordsman who had interjected said with a casual smile, offering a brief explanation. "It's nothing. Do you two worthy brothers still remember when the Emperor went up to the Tower Beyond Tower for a drink? The Emperor came in person, and he could have not paid, but the accompanying Attendant Shao still paid the bill. That was the more proper behavior... And now, the Emperor wants the local wealthy and powerful to pay for the poor. So he inevitably has to use power and rank to win the hearts of the scholar-officials to suppress the wealthy, and also give the wealthy a bit of a way out, so they don't overreact... And this Public Council is where the Emperor pays the bill."

The first two were suddenly enlightened and overjoyed... So the Public Council was where the Emperor used rank to do business with people like them. With this explanation, they naturally understood.

Immediately, the four of them exchanged names. The first two were just ordinary useless scholars who had never had a chance in half a lifetime, so they were nothing special. But the third man turned out to be from the famous Lu family of Yuezhou, named Lu Shi. The fourth was a bit more ordinary, just a down-and-out scholar from Wuzhou, named Chen Yi.

After exchanging names, they naturally recommended Mr. Lu as their leader, preparing to submit a memorial to express their determination to the Emperor, and also see if they could gain some profit from the Emperor's business... However, just as they were about to discuss the details, they heard a commotion from the area under the dilapidated Leifeng Pagoda where the stele was being erected. It took them a while to find out what was happening.

It turned out that after Imperial Secretary Lu Benzhong came forward to erect the stele commemorating the previous Jianyan Wulin Conference, he directly announced a matter. He said that the Emperor had decided to stay in Jiangnan until the major policy of apportioning the head tax into the land tax was successful before returning to the capital. He intended to use the temporary imperial residence as a base to temporarily establish a 'Residence Gazette'. He, Scholar Lu, was to be the editor, and he wanted the 'Consultants' in the Public Council who understood the Original Learning, loved the country, and were loyal to His Majesty—the three-good scholars—to help him with this assignment... Jiangnan had been yearning for a gazette for who knows how many years. As soon as these words were spoken, some scholars with loose manners couldn't help but disregard propriety and recommend themselves on the spot, which then triggered a commotion.

Being so far away, the four of them could only watch helplessly. However, none of them were particularly talented in literary grace, and Lu Benzhong's action clearly confirmed their previous guess: the Emperor was indeed planning to make a certain political buyout of the southeastern scholars and wealthy households.

So, the four of them looked at each other, and instead became more determined to seize this opportunity to ascend Fenghuang Mountain. They then turned back, preparing to return to their lodgings for a brief discussion... Among them, Chen Yi, whose family had fallen into decline, was renting a spare room from a farmer in the countryside outside the city. He was then invited by Lu Shi to stay at his separate villa. Gradually, they learned of each other's similar hardships and setbacks. Moreover, since the other was also a rare scholar who practiced martial arts, they discussed current affairs, fenced, and read together, quickly becoming close. This needs no further mention.

Two or three days later, after Lu Shi had wielded his brush and barely managed to compose a memorial, which he had his nephew check for typos, it was formally submitted.

When the document arrived at Fenghuang Mountain, because it was entirely about the matter of apportioning the head tax into the land tax, it was naturally classified by Ren Baozhong and sent to the Emperor.

After the Zhao Emperor finished reading it, he was indeed somewhat moved. The next day, when Lu Yihao and Xu Jingheng came to Fenghuang Mountain for their routine report, he brought up the matter:

"If I understand correctly, the gist of this document is that the southeastern scholars will do their best to cooperate with the major policy, and they hope I will not send the Imperial Camp army south. What do you two Prime Ministers think?"

"Your subject believes this statement is pertinent. For now, the scholars and wealthy households of Jiangnan are still somewhat sensible," Xu Jingheng was the first to express his opinion after reading the document. "Even the current land survey targeting temples and monasteries is going relatively smoothly. It may not be necessary to dispatch the Imperial Camp army south to garrison Jinling..."

Let me add a note here: whether it is apportioning the head tax into the land tax or the policy of no additional taxes, the prerequisite is to carry out a unified household registration and a large-scale land survey. Household registration is a unified clean-up and preparation of population records, and the land survey is a land inspection. These are necessary prerequisites for any large-scale tax reform.

After the Zhao Emperor made his decision at the Wulin Conference, and Li Gang had put everything down and completely retired to his hometown, the two Prime Ministers, Lu Yihao and Xu Jingheng, took the lead in carrying out a comprehensive household registration and a partial land survey starting with temples and monasteries.

"Temples are temples," back to the present, in the Fenghuang Mountain temporary palace filled with the cries of crows, Lu Yihao naturally disagreed with Xu Jingheng. "As for temples, the saying goes, 'The monk may run away, but the temple cannot.' The Daoist sect has always been considered imperial property, easily manipulated. And the Buddhist monks, with their shaved heads, are easily identifiable and cannot hide. Even if they are dissatisfied, they will at most be cunning and deceitful. How would they dare to truly oppose the government? But after the temples, we will start a large-scale comprehensive land survey beginning with the Liangzhe region. This action is no different from directly snatching food from the mouths of those influential households (wealthy and powerful). If a disaster occurs then, with only three thousand troops at Fenghuang Mountain, who dares to take responsibility for the unforeseen consequences?"

This last remark was clearly a reminder to Xu Jingheng that he was just a retired official rehired, while he, Lu Yihao, was the legitimate Prime Minister of the Southeast.

In response, Prime Minister Xu hesitated for a moment, did not directly answer Lu Yihao, but instead cupped his hands towards the Zhao Emperor and spoke:

"Your Majesty, it is true that since ancient times, wealthy and powerful households have easily caused trouble, and it is also true that in the present age, one cannot forget military preparedness. However, the Liangzhe and Jiangdong (Jiangnan East Circuit) regions have always been prosperous, with a majority of scholars. Moreover, there are many cities and few rural areas. Your Majesty and Prime Minister Lu are directly overseeing this place, making it deeply influenced by imperial civilization... This memorial is evidence of that... So, to say that conducting a land survey in Liangzhe would lead to rebellion, Your subject believes that is somewhat overly worried."

"Prime Minister Xu means..." Zhao Jiu, who could clearly see that these two Prime Ministers had never seen eye to eye, interjected before Lu Yihao could retort. "We can have the northern troops make preparations, but delay their deployment? Or station them further away, such as in Yangzhou or the Huai River region, and not cross the river for now?"

"That is precisely Your subject's intention," Xu Jingheng said earnestly, cupping his hands. "Your Majesty, if this matter can be accomplished without resorting to military force and causing chaos, it will also be a comfort to the people of Jiangnan. It will allow the authority of the central government to take root a little more in Jiangnan. Otherwise, even if we suppress it with military force, I fear it will be like the Fang La Rebellion, creating a rift between the southeast and the state... During the Fang La Rebellion, the Western Army suppressed the revolt, but the harm they caused was greater than Fang La's, to the point where the people of the southeast turned pale at the mention of government troops. Later, Prime Minister Li Gang triggered a military mutiny in the southeast that took a long time to quell, further deepening the southeast's aversion to military affairs. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, Your subject believes we should not send a large army to Liangzhe."

Zhao Jiu said nothing, directly looking at Lu Yihao. He was clearly somewhat persuaded by Xu Jingheng, but still wanted to show respect for Lu Yihao's position.

In that brief moment, the two Prime Ministers had already sparred.

Lu Yihao wanted to emphasize that he was the legitimate Prime Minister, while the other was just a rehired retiree. But he didn't expect that precisely because Prime Minister Xu was a rehired retiree, he simply couldn't be bothered with Prime Minister Lu. This left Lu Yihao, who didn't want to hold a grudge overnight, at a loss, and he had completely fallen into a disadvantage.

Of course, Lu Yihao was ultimately a man of action. After a moment of silence, he slowly nodded and, amidst the cawing of crows, gave his verdict: "Your Majesty, I am not very worried about Liangzhe and Jiangdong (Jiangnan East Circuit) either. Because in these places, the number of scholars far exceeds the number of influential households. Even the influential households are often steeped in literary culture. As the saying goes, 'Scholars rebelling, three years without success,' so there's no need to fear them. But what about the Lianghuai, Jiangxi, and Fujian Circuits? Some of these places have fierce local customs, and some are rife with heretical cults and shamanistic practices. Who knows if trouble might arise? Therefore, Your subject believes that Your Majesty should at least have over ten thousand Imperial Camp troops stationed north of the Yangtze River, with boats prepared and all contingencies accounted for... And it must be the Imperial Camp Forward Army, which has the best military discipline."

"Let it be so. Issue a formal edict: let Wang Gui, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Camp Forward Army, lead ten thousand troops to station in Wuwei Army. They have marched north through this area before, so they are familiar with the locality," Zhao Jiu immediately made the decision. "Prime Minister Lu, please take the trouble to ensure that the local authorities in Wuwei Army behave themselves. Do not let a repeat of the Qianzhou pacification incident occur, where the Imperial Camp troops were not allowed to stay and were denied supplies."

"Your subject understands," Lu Yihao immediately bowed slightly.

"Since you two Prime Ministers are here, is there anything else you wish to remind me about regarding the policy of apportioning the head tax into the land tax?" Zhao Jiu thought for a moment and then continued to ask.

"Yes," Xu Jingheng said seriously. "Your subject wishes to ask Your Majesty: since the Tang Dynasty, the 'Zu Yong Diao' system has been the established precedent. In this system, the labor service tax was paid in silk. The silk, together with the grain from the land tax, constituted the output of small households where men tilled and women wove, allowing the system to be sustained. But after apportioning the head tax into the land tax, the silk that commoners no longer have to pay will be transferred to the influential households. But where will the influential households get so much silk? If they don't have silk themselves, whether they buy it or simply pay in cash, there will inevitably be concerns about a shortage of silver and copper. Moreover, from the perspective of unifying the system and preventing corrupt clerks from harassing the people, even for ordinary small households, after the policies of 'no additional taxes' and 'apportioning the head tax into the land tax', the collection of silk should also be abolished, switching to collecting cash and grain. But switching to cash and grain is equivalent to forcing the people to sell their silk. At that time, they will be price-squeezed by influential households and wealthy merchants again. What should be done about this?"

As Zhao Jiu listened to his account, another term instinctively came to his mind: the 'Single Whip Method'.

It can only be said that, since ancient times, those important reforms have been historical inevitabilities... However, the current problem is that the Great Song Dynasty suffers from a shortage of precious metals to an unprecedented degree. Relying solely on the precious metal trade from Japan, a few shiploads, is a drop in the bucket.

Not to mention, Xu Jingheng's final reminder was also correct... Any act that forces ordinary people to participate in abnormal trade will only result in them being exploited an extra time for nothing.

So, for now, this 'Single Whip Method' only exists as a thought in my mind. If I were to actually implement it, it would truly be seeking my own doom.

However, having been the Son of Heaven for seven or eight years, Zhao Jiu was no novice. After a moment's thought, he gritted his teeth and responded: "I don't have a perfect solution for this matter either, but I have two principles... By 'principles', I mean fundamental propositions that are as unshakable as the basic laws of phenomena in the Original Learning. First, no matter what, we must not invert the priorities, turning a benevolent policy meant to lighten the burden on the common people into a tyrannical one. At worst, we can just pass the trouble on to the influential households. Because no matter how troublesome the influential households are, they won't suffer losses. In comparison, for the poor and small households, if it really doesn't work, we can continue to collect silk. Second, no matter what, the major policies of 'no additional taxes' and 'apportioning the head tax into the land tax' must be implemented. We cannot let the matter be hindered by these derivative troubles, creating a situation where the old faction attacks the new law."

Xu Jingheng quickly smiled and responded: "Your Majesty is overthinking. Your subject has no such intention..."

"It's not necessarily necessary to unify the conversion to silver and copper. We can set a fixed law, making grain, silk, and cash equivalent," at this moment, Lu Yihao suddenly interjected coldly. "One bolt of cloth is two strings of cash, which is also about two dan of new rice! At least in Liangzhe, no one can say this price is unfair! And if cash, grain, and silk can be interchanged, then the shortage of silver and copper won't be a major problem."

Zhao Jiu and Xu Jingheng were both startled, then reacted differently.

The former was overjoyed, while the latter sighed and immediately shook his head.

"Every year during tax collection, the Fiscal Commissions of each circuit will come forward and, based on the average prices of cash, grain, and silk from the previous year, make adjustments and announce a fair price," Zhao Jiu quickly explained to Xu Jingheng. "If a disaster occurs, this standard pricing will be abandoned, disaster areas will be demarcated, and special measures will be taken... To be honest with Prime Minister Xu, when I was in Tokyo, Minister Lin had already discussed this matter with me. It was about unifying measurements and calculating national income. But the country is still at war, so it's not good to implement it hastily. However, if we can first achieve the interchangeability of the three main items—cash, silk, and grain—it will be considered a great step forward."

"I'm not saying it's bad or that it won't work." Xu Jingheng, seeing that His Majesty had misunderstood, quickly explained. "What I just meant was that this strategy should be kept as a backup. I even thought about allowing the people to purchase government bonds with grain and silk from now until the end of the war... After all, grain can be used as military provisions, and silk can be used as military funds. The soldiers won't complain either, and we can in turn use the credibility of the bonds to stabilize the price of grain and silk..."

Zhao Jiu was momentarily stunned: "Such an excellent strategy, why didn't you, Xu Xianggong, bring it up directly earlier?"

"Because this kind of measure treats the symptoms, not the root cause. At best, it's a temporary backup strategy." Xu Jingheng replied seriously. "Please think about it, Your Majesty. If this strategy is used for a long time, and eventually a Cai Jing comes to power, or a Zhu Mian becomes a Grand Coordinator, who knows to what lengths they might go in exploiting the localities with such pricing authority? And with the vastness of our Great Song, a unified national price would be unfair to many places. So ultimately, we need smooth circulation of silver and currency, allowing silk and grain to flow naturally among the people."

Zhao Jiu nodded in sudden understanding. He first looked at Lu Yihao, then at Xu Jingheng, and then gave a wry smile: "So, Xu Xianggong, you were already prepared. You just wanted to remind me that debts must eventually be repaid?"

Xu Jingheng bowed slightly: "I am merely doing my duty as a subject... I have no intention of reproaching Your Majesty, the court, or Lu Xianggong."

Zhao Jiu laughed again.

But Lu Yihao suddenly spoke up: "Your Majesty, since you have made up your mind and have a backup strategy, you should go ahead and act! Matters after the Northern Expedition can be discussed after the Northern Expedition. This whole affair was initiated for the sake of the Northern Expedition!"

"I was just about to borrow from Lu Xianggong's stern and decisive nature!" Zhao Jiu perked up, then thought of another matter. "Since we're doing this, shouldn't we give the four petitioners some official posts, as a gesture?"

Using political power to buy off the scholar-officials and powerful households to reduce resistance to tax reform was a self-evident matter for the Emperor and the chief councilors. Moreover, although Lu Yihao was harsh with his colleagues and subordinates, he was somewhat more considerate towards His Majesty. He immediately nodded in agreement:

"I know the backgrounds of these four men. Lu Shi is from Yuezhou, the son of a chief councilor. He started from the county level, serving as County Magistrate, Vice Prefect, and even as Commissioner of Tea and Salt for the Capital Region. He also held Chenliu during the Jingkang Incident. He has sufficient practical experience... I think we can be generous and give him a post as Vice Prefect, letting him personally go and survey the fields. As for Chen Yi, although his father was just a local magnate who couldn't study well, he ultimately died in the Jingkang Incident in the posture of a loyalist. He can be considered a son of a meritorious official. We can give his father a posthumous recognition and then appoint him as a County Magistrate. He will surely be grateful to the court. As for the other two, they are muddled fellows. Just let them follow Academician Lu and help run the newspaper..."

Zhao Jiu nodded slightly, but couldn't help being curious: "From the documents, Lu Shi and Chen Yi at least seem like sensible men. And you, Lu Xianggong, say they are sons of a chief councilor and a meritorious official. Why then did they end up seeking opportunities in the public hall?"

Lu Yihao turned his head to look at Xu Jingheng and remained silent.

Xu Jingheng, who had gained the upper hand this time, felt uncomfortable under the gaze and immediately asked back: "What do you mean by that, Lu Xianggong?"

"Let me inform you, Xu Xianggong." Lu Yihao gave a slight bow. "The reason Lu Shi ended up in such a state is precisely because of the actions of you, Xu Xianggong, and Lu Xianggong (Lu Haowen)..."

Xu Jingheng was momentarily bewildered.

Lu Yihao didn't keep him in suspense and directly bowed again, saying: "Lu Shi was transferred from the southeast and once served under Zhu Mian, one of the Six Traitors. When the Jingkang Incident arose, the Retired Emperor and the Sage Emperor ascended the throne. Lu Xianggong and you, Xu Xianggong, were suddenly appointed. You deeply hated the Six Traitors and the New Faction. While striving to resist the Jin, you also carried out a witch hunt in the court, identifying Lu Shi, who had just held off the Jin forces, as a member of the traitorous clique. You struck him off in one stroke and expelled him from the court... Poor fellow, who would dare to seek a future after being personally struck off by the ruling councilors? Especially in the years that followed, as Lu Xianggong and you, Xu Xianggong, grew more and more powerful, he had no choice but to abandon his official career in his thirties or forties. He has been idle for seven or eight years, spending his days at home, they say, only practicing swordsmanship for pleasure. He even forces his several nephews—the eldest over ten, the youngest not yet ten—who are all called child prodigies, to practice swordsmanship at home all day."

Xu Jingheng was dumbfounded, yet he could not refute it... because he had definitely done this wretched thing, and it was precisely this wretched deed that, under the values of the Jianyan new court, was a political stain he and Lu Haowen could never wash away for the rest of their lives.

From the Jingkang period to the early Jianyan period, these two could never escape the rut of factional strife. Especially he, Xu Jingheng, who had withdrawn early, thinking he could just wave his sleeves and leave without taking a single cloud, only to find that he was not as good as Lu Haowen, who picked up his original studies and gradually became half a sage. Not only that, but today he was still dragged back to do the 'implementation of the New Policies' that he had always feared and resisted... Of course, Lu Yihao probably never knew in his life that his failure to enter the central government and take charge was entirely the result of someone's 'heartfelt advice'.

Fate is truly strange.

"As for Chen Yi's father..." While Xu Xianggong's mind was wandering somewhere, Lu Yihao, who was feeling slightly more comfortable, continued to clasp his hands and sigh amidst the cawing of crows. "It has nothing to do with you, Xu Xianggong, but rather has some connection with Your Majesty..."

This time it was Zhao Jiu's turn to be stunned.

"His father was also unlucky. When the nation was in trouble, since his family was both a powerful household and half-scholar, he simply donated his family fortune to join the army. When he reached Dongjing, he had no foresight and ended up joining Liu Yanqing, where he met his end..." Lu Yihao sighed, a rare display of emotion. "After Liu Yanqing died, and then Liu Guangshi died, the court, when later calculating merits for meritorious officials, had to be somewhat circumspect."

Zhao Jiu was momentarily embarrassed and didn't know what to say.

"However, using Lu Shi is one thing, but his elder brother Lu Zai cannot be used." Lu Xianggong continued to remind him.

"Oh?" His Majesty quickly responded.

"During the Jingkang Incident, Lu Zai was appointed as Vice Fiscal Commissioner of Jingxi... but he dared not go. If we were to use him, I wouldn't know how to explain it to Liu Ji, Liu Xianggong." Lu Yihao smiled, though it was unclear what he was smiling about.

Zhao Jiu nodded repeatedly, readily accepting the advice.

PS: Thanks to the big shot Liuliqin for the three patronages, to the big shot Wuya_13 for the patronage, to the big shot Yelu Chongge for the patronage, to the big shot Yanbanxigua for the patronage, to the big shot Yiyuhudiye for the patronage, to the big shot Mingyubaba for the patronage, to the big shot timothyj for the patronage, to the big shot Nalanqianxue for the patronage, and to the other four hundred big shots for their tips... Wishing everyone an early Happy New Year.

PS: Regarding the previous chapter, let me elaborate on a few points.

First, the relationship between the Great Wise Monk and Zhang Jun. The Great Wise Monk's revered master was Master Keqin. Master Keqin was from Sichuan, a fellow townsman of Zhang Jun. Zhang Jun's mother was a devout Buddhist and had a very good relationship with Master Keqin. Not only that, but Master Keqin left Sichuan for Dongjing at almost the same time Zhang Jun left Sichuan for Dongjing. Then, after the Jingkang Incident, both in the book and in history, Master Keqin returned to Sichuan when Zhang Jun was in charge of Sichuan.

Therefore, Zhang Jun's personal relationship with the Great Wise Monk was actually deeper and more significant than his relationship with Zhao Ding and Hu Yin. It was a kind of strange family friendship in a certain sense.

By the way, Master Keqin pioneered the 'literary Chan' style. The Great Wise Monk's lineage of keeping diaries and writing gathas was learned from his master.

Next, the remarks of the Unstained Master, Zhang Jiucheng, are basically the views he publicly left behind in history. They are not a false persona I created.

Also, regarding the crows on Mount Fenghuang, some readers have already mentioned it in the chapter comments... Historically, during this period, Mount Fenghuang was filled with crows flying everywhere, the kind that couldn't be driven away.

It's not some fabricated imagery.