Chapter 68

At night, Zhang Jie and Chen Wenyun went to the Jinxiu Pavilion restaurant in Yuncheng County for a banquet.

This Jinxiu Pavilion was the largest, most famous, and most luxurious restaurant in Yuncheng County.

It is said that the head chef of Jinxiu Pavilion once worked at the Fan Tower in Bianliang.

Zhang Jie guessed that there was a high possibility of exaggeration in this,

after all, the Fan Tower was a world-famous large restaurant,

and even the Great Song officials had visited the Fan Tower in disguise many times.

It is rumored that the romantic Prince Duan once had a secret meeting with the famous courtesan Li Shishi at the Fan Tower.

The head chef of this Jinxiu Pavilion might have worked at the Fan Tower, but he probably wasn't the head chef there;

he likely just studied for a while and mastered a few recipes.

However, Tokyo Bianliang was the most prosperous city in the Great Song, and even including the Great Liao, Western Xia, and Dali,

it was naturally like 21st-century Paris, leading fashion.

Everything in Tokyo was sought after by people, so the business of this Jinxiu Pavilion was naturally not bad.

Even though it was already night, people were coming and going in an endless stream.

The guests coming and going were all dressed in gold and jade, wearing silk and satin,

clearly all wealthy families from Yuncheng County and the surrounding areas.

There were both pot-bellied squires and young masters holding folding fans, pretending to be romantic.

"Behind the vermilion gates, meat and wine go to waste, while on the road, there are frozen corpses!"

Looking at this scene, Zhang Jie thought of the refugees who had increased along the way to Yuncheng County and couldn't help but sigh.

All people are born equal, but some are always more equal than others.

All people are born free, but some are always freer than others.

"The Great Song is sick."

Zhang Jie concluded this while looking up at the starry sky.

"Provincial Graduate Chen, Top Graduate Zhang, the Magistrate is waiting for you upstairs."

As Zhang Jie and the others gradually approached Jinxiu Pavilion,

the sharp-eyed Head Constable Hu had already spotted them.

Seeing Zhang Jie was a bit absent-minded, Chen Wenyun stepped forward.

He cupped his hands to Head Constable Hu, who had changed into casual clothes:

"Please lead the way, Head Constable Hu."

"Please follow me, both of you."

Head Constable Hu turned and walked toward Jinxiu Pavilion.

Zhang Jie thought for a while and suppressed certain thoughts in his heart:

"The burden of the Great Song world is still too heavy; I cannot shoulder it yet."

Even if he had become a martial artist with the help of other Zhang Jies, so what?

Even if he went to Bianliang now and killed Emperor Huizong of Song, another emperor would take the throne.

If he killed one treacherous chancellor, Cai Jing, other treacherous officials would take their place.

Not to mention that he couldn't conquer the world alone right now, even if he did, so what?

He alone could not govern the world well.

The only way was to silently accumulate strength, cultivate a group of knowledgeable people, and then replace them.

Zhang Jie, having collected his thoughts, followed the leading Head Constable Hu to a private room on the third floor of the restaurant.

Knock, knock.

Head Constable Hu gently knocked on the door of the private room.

Creak.

The door of the private room opened.

Head Constable Hu entered the private room first and reported loudly:

"Reporting to the Magistrate, Provincial Graduate Chen and Top Graduate Zhang have arrived."

"Good, you may go down first."

In the private room, a middle-aged man sitting in the main seat, with a refined face, though dressed in casual clothes,

was full of majesty, clearly having been in a high position for a long time.

"Yes."

Head Constable Hu took the order and left.

Zhang Jie and his companion behind him also came into the middle-aged man's view.

"Haha, virtuous brother Chen, I trust you have been well; going to Jinan this time, you will soar to the sky."

The middle-aged man stood up and said to Chen Wenyun quite familiarly.

"Not at all, not at all. It's all thanks to the Magistrate's blessing.

Without your governance, how could there be political harmony in my Yuncheng County?

And how could there be my stable life?"

Chen Wenyun, who was well-versed in human relationships, replied with a smile.

This middle-aged man was clearly the parent official of the hundreds of thousands of people in Yuncheng County,

the Magistrate of Yuncheng County, Shi Wenbin.

Zhang Jie knew that Chen Wenyun's words were not flattery.

Compared to other corrupt officials, Shi Wenbin was upright as an official,

handled affairs clearly, always had a heart of compassion, and often had thoughts of benevolence.

and he discovered that the two had miraculously merged into one!

Lei Heng and others patrolled at night, using red leaves as patrol credentials.

In handling cases on a daily basis, he was also always able to distinguish right from wrong.

It can be said that the prosperity of Yuncheng County today is largely due to Shi Wenbin, the Magistrate.

However, in the case of Song Jiang killing Yan Poxi, because of his close relationship with Song Jiang,

he also showed a side of bending the law for personal gain, which is also the complexity of his character.

But overall, Shi Wenbin was an official who could still maintain integrity in the dark officialdom,

and was an upright official, a rare good official in the Great Song imperial court.

"This must be Zhang Jie, the nephew who passed the provincial examination as the top graduate, right?"

After greeting Chen Wenyun, Shi Wenbin's gaze focused on Zhang Jie.

"What a handsome youth!"

Shi Wenbin marveled in his heart.

He didn't feel very amazed when he first saw Zhang Jie, but as his attention focused on Zhang Jie,

he felt more and more that Zhang Jie had an indescribable charm.

Especially Zhang Jie's warm, glowing eyes, like ink jade, left a deep impression on him.

The gentleman like jade that Confucius spoke of is probably just like this.

"Greetings, Magistrate."

Zhang Jie responded with a respectful bow, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Haha, virtuous brother Chen, virtuous nephew Zhang, please take your seats."

Shi Wenbin, in a great mood, invited Zhang Jie and his companion to take their seats.

At this moment, Zhang Jie's gaze had already been drawn to a black-faced man who was short and dark, and although his appearance was simple,

he still displayed an extraordinary demeanor.

"May I ask the Magistrate, who is this?"

Zhang Jie, who already had a guess in his heart, asked.

"Haha, I was just about to introduce him to you, nephew; this is the Song Yasi of our Yuncheng County,

Song Jiang, Song Gongming." Shi Wenbin introduced him to Zhang Jie with a smile.

"Sure enough, with such a distinctive appearance, plus being able to attend the Magistrate's private banquet,

it must be that Heavenly Star of Courage, Song Jiang, Song Gongming."

Zhang Jie understood in his heart.

However, Zhang Jie found that Song Jiang was not as described by the old master Shi:

"Eyes like a phoenix, eyebrows like a silkworm. Ears hanging with pearls, eyes bright like lacquer.

Lips square and mouth straight, beard and chin light; forehead broad and top flat, skin and flesh full.

When sitting, he looks like a tiger; when moving, he looks like a wolf.

At thirty, he has the capacity to save ten thousand people;

six feet tall, harboring the ambition to sweep across the four seas."

He was just a middle-aged man with a black face and a short stature.

If there was anything special, it was that Song Jiang was quite approachable in every gesture.

"Zhang Jie greets Song Yasi Song."

Zhang Jie slandered in his heart, but his face showed nothing unusual.

Facing Zhang Jie's etiquette, Song Jiang was somewhat flattered.

He was merely a small official without even a rank,

while Zhang Jie was a top graduate with a bright future, who would inevitably enter the imperial court and govern a region.

The gap between the two was like that between a chicken or duck on the ground and a phoenix in the sky.

Song Jiang hurriedly cupped his hands in return: "Song Gongming greets Top Graduate Zhang."

Zhang Jie and Song Jiang, one curious and the other intending to flatter,

for a time, the two with completely different worldviews actually talked happily.

Shi Wenbin, seeing the scene of Zhang Jie and Song Jiang talking happily,

couldn't help but stroke his beard and smile; it was not in vain that he specifically brought Song Jiang along.

In terms of official position and status, the Assistant Magistrate and the County Commandant in the county office were both above Song Jiang, the Song Yasi.

But Song Jiang could get along well with everyone in the county office; he was truly a rare talent.

He had long heard of Song Jiang's reputation as the "Protector of Righteousness," "Timely Rain," and "Filial and Righteous Black Third Brother."

This time, when inviting Zhang Jie and his companion to the banquet, he specifically brought Song Jiang along,

just to use Song Jiang as a lubricant to deepen his friendship with Zhang Jie.

He didn't care much about Chen Wenyun; he was just a provincial graduate who only made it to the middle of the pack after thirty.

Even if he passed the metropolitan examination in the future, he would only be at the same starting line as him.

He, Shi Wenbin, was a genuine third-rank metropolitan graduate!

But as for Zhang Jie, he had to pay attention.

Zhang Jie was too young; as the saying goes, better to provoke a white-haired old man than to bully a poor youth.

Being young meant Zhang Jie had infinite possibilities.

As far as he knew, the various ministers and above in the six ministries of the imperial court

were very willing to recruit young talents like Zhang Jie as sons-in-law.

Who knows, Zhang Jie might leap up in a few years and become his direct superior.

"Haha, since everyone has arrived, let's start the banquet."

Shi Wenbin ordered the owner of Jinxiu Pavilion, who was standing by.

"I will go and do it immediately."

The owner of Jinxiu Pavilion, who had been waiting on the side, took the order.

Zhang Jie was not surprised that the owner of Jinxiu Pavilion was so respectful.

Although Shi Wenbin was only a seventh-rank Magistrate,

located at the low end of the official hierarchy in the entire Great Song officialdom,

he was a genuine local lord within a hundred miles of Yuncheng County,

and while saying he had the power of life and death was a bit much, manipulating a mere merchant was easy.

If he offended Shi Wenbin, he had ten or even nine ways to make Jinxiu Pavilion unable to continue.

And even if Song Jiang's unranked Song Yasi position were placed in the 21st century, it would be a significant official,

at least equivalent to a modern county government office staff member or county secretarial personnel.

Before long, the shrewd and capable waiters of Jinxiu Pavilion served the dishes with nimble hands and feet.

Shi Wenbin raised his wine cup and invited:

"Come, everyone, drink up."

"Drink up."

Chen Wenyun and Song Jiang both raised their wine cups.

"Drink up."

Since he came to the banquet, Zhang Jie would not disrespect Shi Wenbin, so he also raised his wine cup.

With Song Jiang as a lubricant, Shi Wenbin,

Chen Wenyun, and others were also well-versed in human relationships; it was a banquet where both host and guests were happy.