Chapter 114: Debate
June 19th
Shen Kuo was still waiting for Yong'er to stop being so willful, but Yong'er refused to come down from the roof. It seemed that it would be too late to go back in time for the city gates to close. He was not lacking in wit, but he had no way to deal with Yong'er. If it was Xiaoping's chatterbox, he could barely handle it, but for Yong'er, who was dull and silent, he had no way to deal with it. If he wanted to use force to drag her away, the first problem would not be the gentleness of a scholar, but how to get on the roof? He still didn't quite understand - how did Yong'er climb up?
"If you don't come down soon, it will be dark." He coaxed.
"It's already dark, you nerd, and you still haven't figured it out? Are you suffering from a mental disorder?" Yong'er said, holding her chin with her hands.
"I have no obstacles, I just look too closely. I say, if you don't come down, the city gate will be closed."
"Wouldn't it be better if it was closed?"
Yong'er spoke in a rambling manner.
"Oh, right..." Shen Kuo suddenly realized that the eagle on the scaffold in the yard was gone, "Where's your Old Six?"
"The abbot of the temple said: This is a quiet place, you can't keep such a vicious bird that eats raw meat. I will let it go in the morning to catch some rats and ants. Maybe it can find my sister, which is better than starving to death here. If it can go to my sister, that's good too. If I have shaved my head, how can I keep it? I have never seen a nun holding a hawk in the market."
"What nun? What kind of nun are you?"
"I don't want to be a nun, and you don't care about me."
Just when they were at a loss for words, they heard an eagle's cry overhead. They both looked up and saw that it was Old Six who had returned. Yong'er was sharp-eyed and saw that there was a strip of cloth wrapped around the eagle's claws.
"Look, it found its sister and left a message."
"What?"
Shen Kuo had poor eyesight and could only hear the eagle's cry but could not see clearly what was happening.
Lao Liu landed on the scaffolding in the yard. Yong'er supported herself with one hand on the eaves and jumped down. There was no sound when she landed. Shen Kuo was simply stunned. He then remembered that if she didn't have such skills, how could she have played tricks on him in the second-floor attic of Lao Ya Lane? She must have stepped on the branches of the peach tree to enter her house, and the donkey below also recognized her. It would be difficult for someone else without such a light skill to enter and escape so neatly.
Shen Kuo went to the scaffold first, and was anxious to untie the cloth strips from the eagle's feet, but Lao Liu stretched out his head and bit it. He quickly pulled his hand back, apparently he was not familiar with it yet.
It doesn't matter if Yong'er goes to solve that note.
"Look, we haven't fed it much these days, and it's become thin and hungry." Yong'er said with concern.
“Can you see where it came from?”
“Flying from the northwest.”
Yong'er uncovered the strip of cloth, and there were only a few words scribbled on it:
The leader wants to destroy the Heavenly Book of Yuqing Palace... Quickly find Boss Pei's account book for the year of Guisi and the month of Bingchen... Take good care of Yong'er for the rest of your life, please...
It was obviously written in a hurry, as if there was something urgent, and he was in a hurry to let Lao Liu take it away, so he rolled up the cloth strip before the ink dried. Some words were blurred, so the three paragraphs were incoherent, and only the last sentence had a clear meaning. In addition, the cloth strip seemed to be torn from clothes, which shows how tight he was at the time.
"Boss Pei's account book?" Shen Kuo didn't know what he was referring to, but he would find out if he went back and took a look.
He realized that Yong'er had finally come down. He grabbed Yong'er's wrist and said, "Go quickly."
Lao Liu saw that the man in front of him was not careful and was flapping his wings to attack, so Shen Kuo quickly let go.
Na Yong'er was still a little hesitant: "If I confront Mr. Yan, how can my sister get back together with Mr. Yan Qi in the future?"
"Reconcile? I personally went to the farm where they eloped and hid, and the young man even built a tomb for your sister. How can we reconcile with such a heartless person? If I lie, let Lao Liu peck my eyes out."
Lao Liu tilted his head to look at Shen Kuo, then retracted his head, as if to verify Shen Kuo's oath.
"Okay, I'll go with you."
"Okay, okay! Quick, quick, quick!"
The two mounted their horses and rushed to the city together. Shen Kuo thought about the information sent by Xiao Ping all the way. He didn't know how she was doing now. The note said that Maitreya wanted to destroy the Heavenly Book. There were signs of this. From the picture of the transformation of hell in Gyeongbokgung Palace to the stone dragon ascending on the Chengtian Xiangfu Gate, they were all paving the way for something. The Song Dynasty might have come to power in an unjust way, but since Emperor Zhenzong, the destiny has been tied to this Heavenly Book. Therefore, if someone wants to destroy the Song Dynasty, they must first destroy this Heavenly Book. The Heavenly Book is now in the Yuqing Zhaoying Palace in the northwest. Lao Liu's coming from the northwest is also a confirmation. However, there is at least a battalion of imperial guards guarding outside the Yuqing Palace, so it should be difficult to start.
"It seems that Xiao Ping hasn't been exposed yet? She is somewhere in the northwest direction?"
There were drum sounds in the distance, it was time to close the city gates.
The first quarter of the hour of Hai.
Bao Zheng was reading by candlelight in the lobby of the Military Head Office, with no expression on his face. There was a screen beside him, and the monk Huailiang was sitting there waiting. Huailiang could choose to retreat to the second hall or even leave the Military Head Office and not participate in this eavesdropping, but he knew that this was Bao Zheng's deliberate arrangement. Even if Bao Zheng didn't say it explicitly, with Huailiang's intelligence, he knew very well that he wanted to use his identity as a remnant of the Maitreya Sect to appear at the critical moment and have a fight with Wen Yanbo. Wen Yanbo was a great scholar of the time and a good debater in the court, so he was Bao Zheng's trump card.
For him, this matter was tantamount to redemption, but he was not sure what would happen. He knew that this was a conspiracy spanning two dynasties and nearly thirty years, and the things in it were not so easy to explain.
Someone outside came to report that two sedan chairs had arrived at the corner gate. One of them was Mr. Wen, and the person in the other sedan chair had not gotten out.
Lao Bao decided to go and meet him in person. Behind the screen, Huailiang thought about how to help Lao Bao. He had seen Wen Yanbo and knew that this person looked gentle and elegant, even a little casual and confused, but it was all an illusion. In fact, he should be a person who knows how to hide his shortcomings and has a city. The monk felt that if he was seen hiding here, it would be inappropriate, so he walked out and moved the brightest oil lamp by the table to the nearest place. Then he hid behind the screen again. He knew that when spying at night, you should look at the light from the dark, and you will never see the dark from the light, so this is the only way to be safe.
Lao Bao led two people in. The monk looked through the gap in the screen and saw that the first one was Wen Yanbo, and the second one had white hair and beard. He actually recognized him. He had seen him in the palace more than ten years ago. It was Yan Shu.
Yan Shu was leaning on a cane and looked so old that he could hardly walk. It was Lao Bao who personally supported him as he walked in. Lao Bao did not ask anyone else to support him, and it seemed that he had dismissed all the strangers in the yard.
The three of them entered the hall without saying a word, and each found a corner to sit down. Without saying a word, Wen Yanbo looked around and glanced at the screen a few times, but did not look closely.
After a while, someone came in to offer tea. Then Bao Zheng raised his hand and called the tea-deliverer to him: "You step aside first, don't enter the yard without being summoned."
The servant left quickly. Now there were only four people left in the hall.
The scene was silent for a long time. No one seemed to be willing to start a conversation. There was not even the usual greetings in the officialdom. It was obvious that everyone had something to hide.
It was Bao Zheng who decided to break the silence, so he stood up and bowed to each of the two guests.
"Prime Minister Yan Shu is here in person today, so he must have something important to teach me?"
Yan Shu stood up tremblingly, bowed, but hesitated to speak.
Wen Yanbo, who was standing next to him, spoke first: "I know I can't help you much these days, so I haven't come here. I wonder how the case in the palace is going?"
"Reporting to Prime Minister Wen, there are some clues."
"Some clues?"
"Well, I just talked to Cun Zhong. He has seen through some of the tricks. Although the Maitreya Sect has a new leader and a different style, its writings are still nothing more than deceiving people. It is still trying to win the hearts of the people in our Song Dynasty."
"Sure enough, it's still the human heart."
Yan Shu on the other side finally spoke.
"Did Prime Minister Yan Shu say 'as expected'?" Old Bao pretended to be doubtful.
"I am here today to get straight to the point," said Yan Shu.
“How do I get straight to the point?”
"In fact, Mr. Wen and I also had an insider in that sect, but he was killed by the bandits recently. We have no news of him anymore."
"Oh? Gentlemen, you two actually have such foresight and there is actually an accomplice within the enemy?" Lao Bao looked surprised.
"Bao Longtu, there's no need to be surprised. Haha..." Wen Yanbo sneered. He could see that Bao Zheng was pretending to be surprised.
"Why didn't you say it earlier?"
"Why didn't you say it earlier?" Yan Shu stroked his white beard, "How can I say it earlier now?"
"When it happens, tell us about it," Bao Zheng said.
"The story begins thirty years ago," Yan Shu said.
Wen Yanbo stood up and walked to the screen, looking behind it. He probably thought that this decoration was not usually there. But the light was so bright nearby that he couldn't see through the screen.
Over there, Yan Shu, who was taking advantage of his seniority, continued to tell his story.
"Does Bao Xiren know that a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall, and a wise man does not fall into an overturned nest?"
When the old man said not to stand on the dangerous wall, Wen Yanbo was still looking at the screen. Bao Zheng was a little nervous. According to etiquette, he should not go around the screen to take a look, but if he really went around and saw the monk, it would make Bao Zheng a little embarrassed.
"Student, I would like to hear more details."
"In the past, Emperor Taijia was ignorant and cruel. He did not follow Tang's laws and was corrupt. Yi Yin banished him to Tong Palace. Yi Yin took over the administration of the country and met with the princes. Emperor Taijia lived in Tong Palace for three years, regretted and blamed himself. Yi Yin then welcomed Emperor Taijia and gave him the government. Emperor Taijia cultivated virtue, and the princes all returned to Yin, and the people were able to live in peace."
"Is this the old story of the Shang Dynasty recorded by Taishigong?"
"Based on Bao Longtu's opinion, is Yi Yin a great sage or a great traitor?"
"In my opinion, he is a very loyal and wise man. However, I am a dull student and don't know what this has to do with the dangerous wall."
"Haha, is our Song Dynasty in danger of being like Taijia's chaotic rule? If so, is it as dangerous as a dangerous wall?"
"It seems not."
"Although I have different political views from Fan Xiwen, I respect his theory in "Yueyang Tower Inscription" that he worries about the world before he worries about himself. He didn't see the dangerous wall because he didn't have the foresight to worry about the world before he worried about it. People like Yi Yin and Huo Guang all had the foresight to see the dangerous wall." Yan Shu said.
"In my opinion, every dynasty has its own Taijia crisis, but wise ministers as decisive as Yi Yin and Huo Guang are rare." Wen Yanbo spoke suddenly. He finally stopped studying the screen and came back to sing the same tune.
"Does the Minister of Literature have any good ideas?"
"On language: Great virtues do not exceed the ordinary, and small virtues are acceptable. As the saying goes, a gentleman has things he should do and things he should not do. If he does not violate the great virtues, he will not be bound by the small virtues."
Wen Yanbo probably thought the old man was taking too long to get to the point, so he decided to be more explicit.
"oh?"
"Even the emperor is unclear sometimes. If he is unclear, what can we do?"
"Could it be Fa Yi Yin Huo Guang?" Bao Zheng asked.
"That's not necessary. Since Dong Zhongshu, there has been a common practice between the monarch and his subjects. The monarch and his subjects use the will of heaven to judge whether the government is moral or not. Good governance will bring auspicious signs, while bad governance will bring evil. Therefore, the monarch and his subjects use the will of heaven to judge the gains and losses of government administration. They each have their own opinions and advance and retreat. They don't have to be as rigid as Yi Huo."
"We seem to have discussed these before?" Lao Bao said.
"However, things are unpredictable. Who would have thought..."
"However!" Yan Shu raised his voice and interrupted Wen Yanbo. "However, the late emperor was so smart that he pretended to be the will of heaven and rejected the court officials with the will of heaven, which broke the usual practice of discussing politics since Mr. Dong. What should we do about this?"
"What should I do?"
"Even if great virtue does not exceed the limit, small virtue can enter." Wen Yanbo continued.
Wen Yanbo and Yan Shu were talking in circles, but what they meant was that when faced with major issues and when the emperor broke the default rules, it was actually legitimate for ministers to act in a way that was expedient.
Bao Zheng certainly knew what they were asking for. Since the Han Dynasty, the checks and balances between the monarch and his ministers have always relied on a theory of destiny. That is, when the emperor loses his virtue, the ministers rely on various disasters to scare the emperor so that politics does not deviate too far from the right track. Anyway, every year there are many large and small disasters such as hail and river bank breaches. Generally speaking, the right to interpret destiny lies in the hands of public opinion led by court officials, so checks and balances always exist. However, during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, Emperor Zhenzong used a trick of sending down the book from heaven to grab the right to interpret destiny into his own hands. This trick broke the tacit understanding and balance between the monarch and his ministers for a thousand years.
Bao Zheng guessed that after they had laid out so much, they were about to get down to business.
"Not losing the big principles, not making any losses in the small ones? What Mr. Yan wants to talk about is the incident of the hat monster that happened thirty years ago?" Lao Bao said with a smile.
"Hahaha. When I wanted to come, Minister Wen also stopped me, fearing that it would take too long and the matter would be complicated, so it would be hard to explain in detail. I said that Bao Longtu was a smart and discerning person. That's right, thirty years ago, when the late emperor received the Heavenly Book, it was the time to weigh the major issues."
"So there's a hat monster?"
"Those words may have alarmed the emperor, but they also swept away the filthy and decadent atmosphere in the court, and no one dared to play tricks anymore. As for me, I am already in my twilight years, and I dare to admit the incident and say this: I am an old man, and I have not lost my integrity."
"...but it's a bit deceiving."
"What is deceiving the emperor? Is the emperor ignorant of the truth? The emperor knows. It's just that the emperor pretended to be the will of heaven, and we pretended to be gods. The emperor is magnanimous and naturally knows what's going on, but he can only reflect on himself and won't say it out loud. It can be said that Taijia cultivated virtue and the Yin Dynasty lasted for a long time. Although I am a little self-willed, I can also compare myself to Yi Yin."
"The former emperor was indeed magnanimous, but he got it right! He got it right! Therefore, a gentleman can be deceived by his methods."
"Bao Longtu, why bother with trivial details?" Wen Yanbo said.
"Mr. Yan has not been out of the house for a long time. Are you here today not just to talk about the trivial things that happened thirty years ago?"
"Of course. Now, the guest star has left the Star Gate, which is another strange phenomenon. Do you know how this matter will end?" Yan Shu asked.
"I asked Yang Chunguan of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. He told me that the guest star has been dimming in the past few days. According to the astronomical records of past dynasties, it looks like it will disappear soon."
"So, we have to make emergency decisions. Otherwise, we will lose this guest star and end up with nothing."
"Follow the authority? How do you explain this?"
"Bao Longtu, what do you think of Yang Chunguan from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?"
"A rare man of the time. He was able to discern the direction of the stars, verify the calendar, and adjust the farming seasons. He was instrumental to the country and the people."
"This is wrong." Yan Shu shook his head, and Wen Yanbo beside him also sighed.
"Teacher, please teach me?"
"All the officials in the Imperial Astronomical Bureau are flatterers. Every time the stars change, they interpret it as a good omen and force it to respond to the will of heaven. If there were auspicious signs every day, how could the king lose his virtue? If the king does not lose his virtue, what is the use of the officials?"
Lao Bao had to admit that Yan Shu was indeed a master of debate and could make crooked ideas straight.
"Yan Gong's opinion is profound. If the monarch has no faults, then there is no need to accept advice. This is not a blessing for the country, but a sign of its demise," said Wen Yanbo.
"What does that have to do with the guest star disappearing?"
"Haha. When this guest star first appeared, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory said it was a good omen. Now Gyeongbokgung Palace is haunted, and the stone dragon on the Chengtian Xiangfu Gate has collapsed. Everything is a bad omen. Even if the report from the Imperial Astronomical Observatory is not true, he should be convicted and dismissed from office."
"Yang Chunguan is only a fourth-rank official, so what if he is dismissed?" Bao Zheng asked. He keenly felt that these two old men could not have come just to eliminate Yang Wei De. They must have a bigger plan.
"I heard that this matter also involves the warrior who stole the high position and had a tattoo on his cheek?" Yan Shu said.
Huai Liang was shocked behind the screen. He realized that the person Yan Shu wanted to deal with was Di Qing.
"Is that Lord Di that Lord Yan is talking about?"
"If not him, then who else?" Wen Yanbo took over the conversation. "Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, the emphasis has been on civil officials over military officials. I have never heard of a military officer serving as a Privy Councilor."
"I am getting more confused. This is clearly a false accusation by the Maitreya sect against Di Gong."
"However, as long as Bao Longtu does not expose the truth for the time being and lets the fallacy spread, the government will naturally dismiss Di Qing due to his suspicion. You must know that he occupied the Daxiangguo Temple, and every time he went to court, he would have a cavalry team to clear the way and parade through the city. Many gentry and high officials in Bianliang City, and many important officials of the current and previous dynasties, have long been dissatisfied with him. Now is the perfect time to use the Maitreya religion to get rid of him."
"Using the hands of thieves to eliminate the pillars of the country, can this be considered a moral integrity?" Bao Zheng raised his voice.
The monk stood up from behind the screen. He wanted to come out and join the debate. He had already realized that Lao Bao was at a disadvantage. His opponent was really shameless and abused the right to interpret the major and minor details. The so-called not being particular about minor details simply means having no bottom line, while being faithful to the major details is like nothing. But he thought again and felt that he was just a monk and that going out would not be of much importance. So he decided to act on his own, so he went out from the back door, went around to the front door and walked out. He happened to meet Xu Chong rushing in. Xu Chong still had a white cloth wrapped around his hand, and seemed to be injured.
They were both startled when they saw each other.
"Master, how did you get out? Can you autopsy the body? Did you find that thing?"
"I found it, but I have something important to do right now. Don't go in. Go and borrow a good horse for me. Let's go to Daxiangguo Temple together."
"What are you going there for?"
"Go and invite Di Qing."
"Invite him? It's almost midnight now, and Di Gong must have gone to bed early. If we disturb him, we might be beaten out by his servants."
"Nothing. I've been working at the night market in front of Xiangguo Temple. I know that his back sores flare up at this time every night. Sometimes he screams like a pig being slaughtered, and people outside can hear him. If I go, he will get better and naturally won't be angry."
"Oh? That's what you said."
"If his servants want to beat me to death, they should beat me first."
Xu Chong had no idea what the monk was doing, but it was not the time to ask, so he quickly borrowed a horse from someone else and rode towards Daxiangguo Temple with the monk. Fortunately, the road was not very far.
