Chapter 232 Wang Anshi Returns to Beijing
I have to say that Zhao Zongshi was quite smart and he quickly found Lu Sen's "mistake".
In fact, this is not a mistake, but just a child's specious reasoning.
Lu Sen smiled and said, "It is true that true love is hard to buy with a fortune, but there are still some things that are equal to true love, or even more important."
"Please teach me, brother-in-law."
Lu Sen smiled and said, "For example, you like a woman very much, but if you marry her, it will bring disaster to your whole family. Someone will take the lives of your whole family in exchange for her life. What do you think?"
Zhao Zongshi was stunned.
"It's actually a very simple truth." Lu Sen explained, "Everything in the world has a price. Things are exchanged for things, feelings are exchanged for feelings. To put it simply, if I treat your sister badly, even if she likes me, she will become indifferent to me after being ignored for a long time."
Zhao Zongshi understood what Lu Sen meant: "Brother-in-law means that business is business, and sincerity is sincerity. Is this what everything in the world means?"
Although it's a bit subtle, this is pretty much what Lu Sen meant.
"Study hard." Lu Sen patted Zhao Zongshi on the head and left.
When he walked out of the room, he saw Zhao Bilian standing outside.
She seemed to hear Lu Sen's footsteps, and immediately turned around and saw Lu Sen smiling.
"Did you hear everything?" Lu Sen walked in front of her and continued to walk slowly forward.
Zhao Bilian followed Lu Sen and said with a smile: "I heard everything. The master doesn't like to say sweet words in front of us three sisters, but this sentence of true love for true love sounds sweeter to me than any other sweet words."
She thought for a moment, then continued with a smile: "It's sweeter than the honey we have at home."
Lu Sen smiled helplessly, said nothing, and continued walking forward.
In fact, he felt a little guilty. After all, he came from the monogamous world of the future, and he was naturally not confident enough about marrying three wives.
Fortunately, Zhao Bilian and the others didn't seem to care about it.
Lu Sen returned to the cave and rested for a few days, then took the time to go to the Izumo Taoist Temple in Japan. One reason was to let the two Japanese priestesses go home to visit their relatives, and the other was to get some more silver from there and bring it back to Hangzhou.
It’s true that it’s a very happy thing to enjoy a silver mine all by yourself.
As long as you dig it out and melt it, it is yours.
He gave the silver to the Prince of Runan, and before he returned to Hangzhou, Master Pang came to him.
"Sunxu, it's not easy to find you." Master Pang drank the good tea of the Ru'nan County Prince's house and looked at Lu Sen with a twisted expression: "You come to the Ru'nan County Prince's place every day. They are both concubines. Is Bilian better than our Mei'er?"
The Prince of Runan, who was making tea nearby, smiled lightly, somewhat complacently but not too obvious and not annoying.
Lu Sen felt that there was no way to respond to this.
He looked at Master Pang's face that seemed a little jealous, and he could only say seriously: "We treat everyone equally. The reason why I don't want to go over is mainly because the personnel there are a bit complicated. Once you sit down, it's hard to get out."
When Master Pang heard this, he felt very conflicted.
According to his personal opinion, or his opinion at the time , Lu Sen was very impolite to speak so directly.
But Lu Sen is a cultivator, so it seems reasonable for him to speak so directly.
"Since my grandson-in-law doesn't like me, an old man, I'll just speak quickly to avoid being annoying by being long-winded." Master Pang snorted.
Lu Sen had no choice but to say, "After a month or two, I will bring Mei'er back and pay my respects to you personally with gifts, okay?"
"That's more like it." Master Pang is actually becoming more and more like an old naughty boy. He seems to have seen through the world and no longer cares about other people's opinions. "I came here this time to ask Sen'er. You should know that Prime Minister Han died of illness in Qiongzhou."
Lu Sen nodded.
Of course I know that he is personally very happy about this matter.
Master Pang sighed, "Prime Minister Han has many followers. They privately believe that it is because of you and Bao Zheng that Prime Minister Han suffered this disaster. The court lost a talented person."
"So they want to deal with me?" Lu Sen felt a little funny in his heart.
Either Lu Sen is bragging or the literati of the Northern Song Dynasty want to harm people?
They can only harm good people and have no way to deal with bad people.
And it just so happens that Lu Sen is not a good person in the traditional sense.
People in the Northern Song Dynasty were more or less influenced by Confucianism and had ideas of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, so they were easily manipulated.
For example, Di Qing.
But Lu Sen didn't... If you make him angry, not to mention killing a few civil officials, he would dare to chop all the way from Donghua Gate to the court.
Master Pang shook his head: "They don't dare to deal with you. After all, Sen'er, you are already a half-immortal, not an ordinary person. Not to mention the magical powers you have shown before, just the floating fairy ship you made recently has illuminated the entire night of Hangzhou Prefecture. This matter has been spread very well in our Bianjing. Only idiots would go against someone like you."
Lu Sen understood: "Oh, they want to deal with Bao Zheng."
"Yes." Master Pang nodded.
Unlike Lu Sen, although Bao Zheng is extremely famous, he is still a human being after all.
Even with the protection of the black cat spirit beast provided by Lu Sen, he is still a human being.
When Bao Zheng used the black cat spirit beast to investigate cases, he demonstrated his combined skills more than once or twice. Many martial artists said that Bao Zheng was probably at the level of a first-rate master.
Not the top notch kind.
So it is not difficult to deal with Bao Zheng.
Besides, Bao Zheng is no longer the prefect of Kaifeng and the Privy Councilor, and has no power. Whether in politics or in the underworld, there are ways to deal with Bao Zheng.
Lu Sen snorted, "Han Xiang's followers didn't dare to go to the north and fight with the two neighbors, but they were quite ruthless to their own people."
"Yes, they are just a bunch of useless people who can only stir up trouble." Master Pang waved his sleeves.
"What you mean is that you want me to protect Bao Zheng for a period of time?" Lu Sen asked.
Master Pang nodded: "That's right. Now that Prime Minister Han is gone and Bao Zheng has been demoted to Gui County, there aren't many people in the court who can make decisions and do things. I estimate that in about half a year, we will find a way to invite Bao Zheng back."
Lu Sen grinned: "Aren't you afraid that he will bring up the issue of land annexation again?"
There is a hint of irony in these words.
It was not directed at Grand Tutor Pang or Prince of Runan, but at all the civil and military officials in the entire court.
Master Pang was stunned for a moment, then sighed and said, "In this world, there are always times when one cannot decide for oneself."
He has a large family to manage and support.
The Prince of Runan didn't care too much.
He has a very good relationship with his son-in-law Lu Sen. Not to mention Lu Sen scolding him, he would not mind even if Lu Sen took away most of his family property. As long as he was left with some property to make a living, he would be fine.
Why do you trust Lu Sen so much?
Because he felt that since Lu Sen wanted to push his son to the position, there must be a way to solve the issue of land annexation.
Moreover, the Prince of Runan felt that if it was really because of the land annexation that prevented his son from sitting on the throne for a long time, then what would it matter if the government was changed? Or if his family’s land was divided up!
He doesn't rely on those pieces of land to make a living.
Seeing Master Pang’s slightly depressed expression, Lu Sen didn’t say anything else.
After all, due to the limitations of the times and the fact that their own class was originally in power, it was normal that Master Pang did not want to mention land annexation.
Lu Sen thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll find some time to open a dojo in Guilin Prefecture."
"Opening a dojo?"
This time, the two elders were stunned.
Under normal circumstances, when a Taoist says he wants to open a Taoist temple, it means he wants to establish a sect and teach many disciples.
Lu Sen said: "To prepare for a rainy day, I myself want to take in a few more disciples."
Master Pang and Prince of Runan stopped drinking tea, leaned forward and looked at Lu Sen eagerly.
Especially Master Pang, he asked anxiously: "Can we let the children of our two families come here to learn something?"
"It's not difficult to learn something, but the difficulty lies in..." Lu Sen thought for a while and said, "The difficulty lies in whether there is a destiny with immortals. If there is no destiny with immortals, I will not teach you."
Master Pang stroked his beard and nodded vigorously: "It should be so, it should be so. As long as you are willing to give it a chance, it will be fine."
In fact, Lu Sen's decision to open a dojo was not a whim. The reason was very simple: Kunkun and Yaoyao were about to "graduate".
In the game system, as long as the apprentice reaches a certain level of strength, he can be forced to become a master.
In fact, Kunkun and Yaoyao's progress in learning martial arts is much faster than that of Lu Sen's three wives.
Although her strength is not as strong as Jinhua and Bilian.
In about half a year, when both of them have completed their apprenticeship, Lu Sen will be able to activate the sect system.
At that time, not only will more system recipes be available, but other system functions will also appear.
For example...systematic practice methods.
This is the biggest problem for Lu Sen's improvement in strength. Although he can learn Taiyi Hunyuan Gong, it is a Taoist practice after all, and does not match Lu Sen, a "game character".
Only by learning the system's own skills can he achieve twice the result with half the effort.
Of course, he will not neglect Taiyi Hunyuan Gong either.
After chatting with the two old men at the Prince of Runan's Mansion for a while, Lu Sen returned to Hangzhou City.
Then...he met Wang Anshi.
In fact, it was Wang Anshi who found the Bitian Pavilion.
Lu Sen was surprised when he heard that Wang Anshi appeared, and then he went to Bitian Pavilion to meet him.
In the backyard of Bitian Pavilion, in a pavilion shaded by willow trees, Lu Sen and Wang Anshi sat opposite each other.
Lu Sen looked at Wang Anshi, whose face was now dark and even a little thin. He was no longer the suave and talented man he was more than a year ago.
It looks a bit like an old farmer in the countryside.
Wang Anshi was also looking at Lu Sen, and then he smiled and said, "It's been a year since I last saw you, and Master Lu still looks the same, still as awe-inspiring as always."
"Prefect Wang has changed a lot." Lu Sen sighed, "The vanity is gone, and it seems that there is a gully in his heart."
Hearing this, Wang Anshi was stunned for a moment, then he sighed and said, "In a place as poisonous as Qiongzhou, it's hard to survive, let alone be extravagant."
Lu Sen narrowed his eyes and asked, "Wang Junshou will be able to return to the capital so soon?"
Lu Sen felt a little unhappy. The original intention of sending Wang Anshi to Qiongzhou was to punish him. But it has only been more than a year and they are sending him back. Has the purpose of punishment been achieved?
Wang Anshi drank some water, looked at the surrounding scenery, and said, "I was going to stay for a few years, but Han Xiangren left."
Lu Sen raised his eyebrows.
"I must bring his ashes back to Beijing." Wang Anshi thought of Han Qi and felt inexplicably depressed. "Besides, there are not many people in the court who can do things now. I estimate that Privy Councilor Bao will be able to return to Beijing in half a year."
Indeed...now the entire court affairs are supported by a few people such as Pang Taishi, Ouyang Xiu, Yan Shu, etc., which is quite difficult.
When Zhao Zhen was still in power, he could also sense that political affairs were being handled improperly, and at that time had the Eight Wise Kings, Sima Guang and others to help.
As a result, these people are either gone or no longer in the court, and the talents who can replace them have not appeared or have not grown up.
So now Wang Anshi, a young man who was capable of doing things, was recruited back.
After all, it was Bao Zheng who brought Wang Anshi to Qiongzhou. Now that Bao Zheng himself was exiled, naturally no one would stop Wang Anshi from returning to Beijing.
Lu Sen raised his glass and said with a smile: "Congratulations to County Magistrate Wang on his return to the capital for his appointment."
"Thank you." Wang Anshi picked up the cup and clinked it with Lu Sen's, then drank the honey water in one gulp, and then said: "I thought a lot in Qiongzhou, especially in the few days after Han Xiang left. I also thought clearly why Master Lu hated me before. In the past, I had too smooth a journey, always thinking that I was superior to others, and was too arrogant. When we first arrived in Qiongzhou, my wife and I were infected with malaria. If it weren't for the honey that Lu Yang sent when we were in the capital, I estimate that my husband and I would have died. In comparison, Han Xiang was not so lucky. He endured for more than a month, in great pain, and his death was worthless. He was no different from the mud feet I despised before. A bundle of firewood, a fire, and a handful of ashes, he also had unfinished ambitions. I put my own situation on him and felt fear."
Lu Sen was a little surprised, and then asked curiously: "Then what?"
"I'm scared. I find that I don't take life and death as light as I thought I would. I don't have the clear mind as I thought I would. I'm just an ordinary person in essence." Wang Anshi looked ashamed. "I'm the same as all ordinary people in this world. There's no difference. I just know a few more words."
Lu Sen was very surprised. Has Wang Anshi become enlightened?
If the other party's words are not hypocritical, then this should be it.
Actually, it’s normal to think about it. After all, Wang Anshi is a true genius.
He believed that others could understand the truth only after experiencing hardships, and he would be able to understand it with just a little difficulty.
"I even thought that if it weren't for the honey sent by Lu Yangshi, my wife and I would have died of malaria like Han Xiang. Then my son would be all alone in Qiongzhou, with no one to rely on. What would happen?"
Speaking of this, Wang Anshi's hands seemed to tremble slightly.
He was really scared. His son was only six years old. If he lost his parents at such a young age, there would be no one to take care of him. He would then be kicked out of the house, wandering outside, bullied by others, without food to eat and warm clothes to wear... Just thinking about this made him feel heartbroken.
Lu Sen looked into Wang Anshi's eyes. In those dark and bright pupils, there was only unspeakable regret and fear.
Then he smiled, very happy: "Congratulations, County Magistrate Wang."
"Thank you, Master Lu." Wang Anshi returned the greeting by bowing his hands. "I came here this time because I wanted to thank Master Lu for waking me up, and I also wanted to talk to Master Lu about the strategy of land annexation for the Song Dynasty."
