Chapter 131 Arguing for a long time but in vain
Seeing that Ji Renshou and Zhang Chang were about to argue again, Chen Biao did not continue to persuade them, but sat on the chair and listened to them continue arguing.
Yan Qian and Zhu Wenzhen sat on Chen Biao's left and right, holding the box, with the knife across their legs, secretly memorizing the appearance of those who supported Zhang Chang.
In their eyes, these people were potential enemies of Chen Biao.
Chen Biao also looked curiously at the group of people who wanted to make him kneel in the mud in the rain.
He thought he was popular, but he didn't expect that nearly half of the people present were yelling at him to go out in the rain.
Some were simply persuaded by Zhang Chang, not deliberately targeting Chen Biao. They believed that sacrifices should be performed with utmost sincerity, and that a little suffering was par for the course. Not only Chen Biao, but they would also kneel in the mud with him, praying to the heavens.
Not to mention this era, but also future generations. Some people will be hard on themselves, praying for God's mercy, and then wait for death if God doesn't show mercy. Some people will tear down the statues of gods that don't work and give up on themselves. Some people will be self-reliant and independent.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the doctrine of the Mandate of Heaven was little more than a scapegoat. Several Western Han emperors were known to have their prime ministers sacrificed to heaven after disasters were sent by heaven, a high-risk position. This theory, used by rulers and ministers to negotiate a war, was surprisingly taken seriously by some later scholars, who believed they could truly change the climate through willpower.
While Chen Biao was watching the debate with great interest, others were also watching him silently.
Especially those who said that Chen Biao should kneel in the rain, after Chen Biao listened, their voices became lower and lower, and they felt a little guilty.
If Chen Biao argued with them, perhaps they would get more and more angry. But Chen Biao just watched them quarreling silently. They looked at Chen Biao's young face, thought about his achievements, and pondered the power behind him, and became a little panicked.
If Chen Biao gets sick or even gets into trouble because of their advice, wouldn't all of them be buried with him?
Look at the two generals beside Chen Biao, their eyes look like they want to kill someone.
As Chen Biao watched with great interest, the discussion among the civil officials present gradually shifted away from the original situation of confrontation.
Those who supported Ji Renshou still insisted on carrying out the original sacrificial ceremony. Why mobilize so many people when a shed could be erected to solve the problem?
Those who supported Zhang Chang gradually softened their attitudes .
Some said that it was the season of continuous autumn rains, and that waiting here would only delay matters, so they should write to the Ming Wang for his decision. Some insisted on offering sacrifices, but said they would only pray to the heavens and perform one more ceremony so they could continue with their original plan without waiting. Still others insisted on waiting, but asked Chen Biao to lead a group to Haozhou first, leaving some to wait...
In short, the number of people who insisted on letting Chen Biao go out in the rain gradually disappeared. When Zhang Chang mentioned letting Chen Biao go out in the rain again, the people around him would still persuade him.
"Young Master Chen is so young, how can he be exposed to the rain every day? If something goes wrong during the sacrifice, not to mention how I will explain it to General Chen and the Lord, it would also be unlucky."
"That's right, Lord Zhang. I know you value etiquette, but it depends on the situation. Throughout the dynasties, no one ever allowed a young prince to be exposed to the rain during sacrifices. And Young Master Chen isn't even a prince yet. If word gets out, wouldn't outsiders accuse you of deliberately tormenting your meritorious officials?"
"Why don't we try Master Chen's method first? If we can light the paper, we can proceed with the original plan. If not, we can perform another sacrifice and pray to the heavens. We can't just wait and see if the rain doesn't stop. There has never been a precedent for a grand sacrifice being stopped because of rain."
"That's true. The autumn rains may continue for more than a month. Although they may stop for a few days along the way, those days may not necessarily be auspicious."
The civil officials discussed their opinions one after another and gradually reached a consensus.
Zhang Chang was unable to handle the situation alone and gradually shut up.
He wanted to target Chen Biao, but he couldn't let others see that he was targeting Chen Biao. The Yuan emperor had retreated to Shangdu, and in order to help the emperor recapture the Central Plains, he had to be more cautious, endure humiliation, and not let others see his disloyalty.
So Zhang Chang had no choice but to agree with his colleagues and agreed to give it a try first. If it didn't work, he would add another sacrifice.
Zhang Chang consoled himself, thinking that paper wouldn't catch fire in the rain. He thought that embarrassing Zhu Yuanzhang and wasting the money on a sacrificial offering would be a burden for him.
Zhang Chang's plot against Chen Biao failed, so he put the matter aside. He now began to think about how to use the fact that the yellow paper Zhu Yuanzhang had made himself could not be burned during the sacrifice to undermine the legitimacy of Zhu Yuanzhang's ascension to the throne.
As for the fact that the yellow paper didn't catch fire because of the rain, those who heard the news didn't know. Even if someone tried to explain it, the ignorant people would rather believe the alarmist rumors.
Ji Renshou breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that opinions were gradually becoming unified and no one was suggesting that Chen Biao go out in the rain.
He was not only worried about Biao'er, but also worried about his colleagues. His colleagues didn't know that Chen Biao was the prince. If Chen Biao got caught in the rain and got into trouble, everyone here would probably be killed by the enraged lord.
"Biao'er, just do as you say." Ji Renshou wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "First, let's try to see if we can light the yellow paper in the rain."
Chen Biao smiled and said, "Okay. Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Ji."
Ji Renshou shook his head and said with concern: "Go and rest quickly. You are in the period of growth, so you can't overwork yourself."
Chen Biao nodded obediently and copied it. Yan Qian and Zhu Wenzheng behind him ignored the group of civil officials and followed Chen Biao out with their boxes.
Ji Renshou suddenly had an idea.
This group of people quarreled for a long time, but only the civil officials were involved. All the generals, including Zhu Wenzheng, the highest-ranking official in the team, did not participate.
Not only did they not say a word, those people didn't even come to the meeting tent.
The chief priest was Chen Biao, and his deputy was Zhu Wenzheng. The generals all obeyed Chen Biao and Zhu Wenzheng. Perhaps their quarrels were completely meaningless.
"Mr. Ji, why are you staying here?" someone asked with concern.
Ji Renshou shook his head and said, "I just suddenly remembered that the one who presided over this sacrifice was Biao'er."
The man was puzzled: "Yeah, what's wrong?"
Ji Renshou smiled bitterly: "So no matter how much we argue, it will be Biao'er who makes the final decision; instead of us arguing out a conclusion and letting Biao'er do what we say."
The civil officials who had not yet left the room were all stunned.
Zhang Chang frowned: "A yellow-mouthed kid..."
Ji Renshou put away his smile and interrupted coldly, "Officials rank one's rank based on one's position, not age. Rather, it's precisely because Chen Biao is so young, yet has achieved such remarkable military success, is respected by the officers and soldiers, and is valued by the lord, that we should obey his orders."
Ji Renshou walked out of the tent without an umbrella.
The other civil officials were stunned for a moment, then rushed out of the tent.
Outside the tent, the soldiers had already cut wood on the spot and built a sacrificial site.
The simple grave mound has been covered by a huge curtain. Some soldiers carefully light honeycomb coal on the ground, and then crush it after the coal is burned out.
They repeated this process until the muddy mountain soil was dried and the coal slag was paved into a road.
"Where did the coal come from?" Zhang Chang rushed out and asked in surprise.
A general laughed and said, "The young military advisor had anticipated the autumn rain, so he specially loaded two ships with coal as a backup. He placed the coal under the paper and held up a cloth curtain to block the rain. Even the heaviest rain wouldn't affect the sacrifice."
Another general said, "We'll burn honeycomb coal to dry the ground, and then pave the ground with coal slag. The young military advisor said that although it's a bit extravagant, it's worth the expense to successfully hold the sacrifice and bring back the coffin of our lord's ancestors."
Zhang Chang's voice trembled, perhaps because of the autumn wind. "Why didn't he tell us?"
The general was puzzled: "Why should I tell you?"
Ji Renshou said calmly, "The Lord only gave us responsibility for the rituals and regulations of the sacrificial ceremony. The selection of the sacrificial time, the construction of the venue, the composition of the personnel... these were all agreed upon by Zhu Wenzheng and Biao'er. We have no authority in this matter. It's only because Biao'er respects us that he came here to listen to our quarrel and seek our opinions."
He turned around and looked at everyone.
It was getting dark and he couldn't see his colleagues' expressions.
"Okay, let's all go back and rest." After Ji Renshou said this, he left first.
The other civil officials and clerks stood in front of the meeting tent for a while and then dispersed.
Zhang Chang stayed until the end.
He quietly watched the soldiers in front of him working hard, his mind a little dazed.
He might have caught a cold. He shivered, hunched over slightly, and walked towards his tent with slow, deep steps and shallow steps.
When Ji Renshou arrived at the tent, Chen Biao personally brought him ginger soup and hot water.
"Huh? They actually want me to kneel in the rain for days! I'm shocked!" Chen Biao complained as he helped Ji Renshou wipe his hair while he was taking a bath. "I originally just came to inform them what to do next, but who knew they would actually discuss it among themselves and make me kneel in the rain for a few more days?!"
Ji Renshou had been feeling a bit awkward, but when he saw Chen Biao nonchalantly coming over to deliver the gift while complaining and acting like a spoiled child, his embarrassment turned into a dilemma: "It's not them, it's you. I'm involved too. Alas, you're still too young. Even I forgot you were the one in charge."
Chen Biao continued to complain: "Is it my fault that I'm young? I don't want to be involved in so many things at such a young age. It's all my dad's fault!"
Ji Renshou was stunned for a moment and almost thought that Chen Biao knew his identity.
He asked tentatively, "Why do you blame your father?"
Chen Biao said confidently, "As a subject, the lord assigned me a task. How could the lord be wrong? So it's all my father's fault!"
Ji Renshou still didn't understand: "Why?"
Chen Biao said, "It's not my fault, nor is it the Lord's fault. So the fault is Dad's. Who makes him my dad?"
Ji Renshou thought about it in circles for a long time, and then he almost laughed so hard that his mouth splashed with tears: "Okay, it's all your father's fault. He showed you off everywhere and didn't hide you well."
After Ji Renshou finished his bath and changed his clothes, he took the ginger soup that Chen Biao brought and drank it in one gulp. Then he said, "Zhang Chang was the one who instigated you to go out in the rain. He already regards you as an enemy. You can't stay here any longer."
Chen Biao nodded. "Once he has completed the task assigned by the lord, the lord will make his own arrangements. The lord is keeping him, as he is playing the long game to catch a bigger fish."
Chen Biao hesitated for a moment, but still said truthfully: " Mr. , you should know that a servant of my family betrayed me a while ago."
Ji Renshou's face rarely showed a gloomy expression: "I know."
Chen Biao said, "Although Uncle Yang found out that it was Zhang Shicheng's men who did it..."
Chen Biao sneered and said, "The long-ago incident involving Hu Sanshe, and every subsequent incident involving the wealthy gentry of Yingtian, all the clues we've uncovered point to Zhang Shicheng. But Zhang Shicheng is just a salt merchant. He's naturally skilled in battle, but only someone in the court who's accustomed to intrigue and conspiracy could pull off such a scheme."
