Volume 5 Chapter 24 Gloomy
On the second day, in the afternoon, the spring sunshine was bright and dazzling. Zhao Jiu, who had changed into slightly lighter clothes, had his lunch and was pacing in the back garden.
At this moment, looking from the back garden where the Zhao family lived, one could clearly see a huge spherical object that was completely different from the surrounding landscape swaying between the southern palaces. It was a hot air balloon that was towed back from Guoqiao Town by several large carts last night. It was restarted early this morning, but this time it was fixed on all sides with thick ropes and tied firmly to the corridor in front of Xuande Building... Every time it was weak and shaky, someone would climb up the ladder to add some charcoal to maintain its "ascending" posture.
In this situation, the grand occasion at Xuande Tower is self-evident. In fact, even from such a distance, in the back garden, one can seem to hear what is happening there from afar.
In fact, logically speaking, or according to the original plan, Emperor Zhao should have popularized the concept of temperature to those court officials who could understand or not understand it in the Xuande Building after the experiment yesterday... This is a systematic result that has been brewing since the previous article on the three-state changes of matter in Lu Ben's tabloid.
The so-called zero for ice and one hundred for boiled water established a new unit of measurement, and even left a foreshadowing for combining it with Mara's previous concept of air pressure in his hemisphere... It can be recorded in the history of science and technology no matter where it is placed.
Moreover, this is the first time that Zhao Jiu decided to publish the results of his original studies under his own name, which is of great significance.
But after the gift-giving incident yesterday, the official was in no mood to explain it himself, and just asked Lu Benzhong, a jack of all trades, to take charge of promoting the matter.
As for Zhao Jiu, who had something on his mind, he was now dressed in casual clothes, wandering in a secluded place in the harem with only a few guards... Unknowingly, he crossed the fish pond, turned out of the northwest corner gate, entered Yanfu Palace, and did not go through the martial arts training of target shooting in the morning. Instead, he unknowingly climbed up to Xinggang, the commanding height of the harem, and then stood beside the thatched pavilion on the top of the mountain with his hands behind his back, looking around.
But his mind was undoubtedly still on what happened yesterday.
Let’s say that there are many possibilities for what happened yesterday, and it is destined to be a Rashomon with no definite answer:
To put it simply, it was most likely a clumsy attempt by Concubine Pan after she secretly established the crown prince, but she encountered a simple betrayal by a flatterer who was too clever for his own good. Cai Mao probably smelled something and knew the huge advantages of the eldest prince Yuan Zuo and Wu, so after using Pan to reach him, the official, he kicked Pan away and chose to take the risk and turn to speculation.
If one thinks about the matter in a complicated way, it could be that Cai Mao is a clever move, using this method to provoke the official, to sow discord, in order to make Zhao Jiu feel that he is against his eldest son's popularity.
Of course, according to Zhao Jiu, the former is more likely the case.
Because if it was the latter, then Cai Mao should be considered a high-level person, but what could such a high-level person get by doing this? As a person of such a high level, didn't he know that Concubine Pan's son De Zuo still had little chance?
What's more, a baby in swaddling clothes is when the father-son relationship is the most innocent, so how great can the effect of alienation be?
In addition, it can be seen from Lu Benzhong's attitude that Cai Mao himself is probably not a high-end person... There are really not many people who can make Lu Benzhong look down on them in person.
Of course, there is another possibility, which is even less likely... that is, this 'original and long reign' was simply the idea of Concubine Pan herself, or she knew the principle of flattery from the beginning, or at least she knew about this 'original and long reign', and neither she nor Cai Mao betrayed the other.
However, not to mention how low this possibility is, even if it really happened, there might be someone instigating it. If this is the case, Zhao Jiu will only feel more guilty, because he knows very well that he has an unshirkable responsibility for what happened to Concubine Pan today.
It was his indulgence and indifference that caused Princess Pan to be so confused politically.
Besides, compared to Concubine Wu, he felt an extra layer of slight shame towards Concubine Pan.
"Officials..."
A voice woke Zhao Jiu from his thoughts. When he turned around, it was Yang Yizhong.
"What's the matter?" Zhao Jiu turned around and answered seriously.
Yang Yizhong glanced at the imperial guards on both sides and said nothing.
Zhao Jiu came to his senses and waved his hand. The people around him immediately left the top of the mountain and moved down a few dozen steps.
"As I said before, I am guilty..." Once the others left, Yang Yizhong bowed his head in embarrassment. "It was my negligence."
Zhao Jiu sighed, and surprisingly did not forgive the other party, but just replied with a sigh: "I am more guilty."
Although the two people's words seem incomprehensible, there is actually a reason for them.
It turned out that before this incident, the connection between Concubine Pan and Cai Mao was not so secretive, and Yang Yizhong and his Imperial City Division were definitely aware of it.
But the problem is that Yang Yizhong did not take this matter seriously at all, and did not report it in detail. Although Zhao Jiu learned some rough related information, he did not react much.
how so?
The reason is very simple. Don't forget that when Zhao Jiu was in Nanyang and in the early stage of returning to Tokyo, Concubine Pan lived in Yangzhou for a while and served Empress Dowager Yuanyou. It was not until the royal heir was frightened to death that she returned to Tokyo after requesting permission many times... In other words, Concubine Pan and her family should have had a deep interest relationship with Empress Dowager Yuanyou and this last group of dignitaries who fled to Yangzhou. It would be abnormal if they had no relationship and did not contact them after they returned.
Therefore, before the Lantern Festival, Empress Dowager Yuanyou arrived in Tokyo, followed by the last batch of former dignitaries. It was expected and even semi-public that Concubine Pan and her family had contact with these people... Yang Yizhong knew about this, but did not care at all. He just reported it in general, which was his usual response.
In fact, Zhao Jiu himself actually sensed a possible political risk in this general report, and he was mentally prepared, but he still chose to ignore it, or even indulged himself... After all, he always thought it was just a matter of getting a red silk robe, but he never expected that there was an ancient seal that really touched his emotions.
"How does this matter have anything to do with the government?"
Yang Yizhong felt something was wrong and quickly reiterated his responsibility. "It was my failure to see the details clearly, which led to such an omission. In fact, it was very obvious that Madam Cai Mao, Feng Jing's daughter and the imperial concubine had met at the imperial concubine's house. As for the emperor, he has been busy with the flying lamp these days..."
"Is that what they call outside?" Zhao Jiu interrupted.
"yes."
" Nothing new at all." Zhao Jiu sneered, but then became sad. "You don't need to say more about this matter. It is indeed my responsibility... Zhengfu, there are some things I can't tell outsiders, because if I tell them, even they themselves may not understand."
Yang Yizhong stood there in a daze. The words that were about to continue his report came to his throat but he swallowed them back. He relaxed because he suddenly realized that the government was not discussing how to deal with the matter, but wanted to find someone to talk to.
"I know what's going on now. It's because I indulged her time and time again. If I had been more severe before, or publicly warned those people, how could we have the current situation?"
Zhao Jiu turned around with his hands behind his back and paced slowly back and forth under the apricot tree next to the thatched pavilion.
"But this kind of thing may seem like pampering and indulgence, but in fact it is more of a cold attitude. Someone with a keen eye may be able to sense the meaning behind it, and may even think that I am trying to 'defeat Duan Yuyan'!"
Yang Yizhong didn't say anything, but nodded slightly... because that's what he thought.
"However..." Zhao Jiu did not look at Yang Yizhong, nor did he notice the other party's nod, but continued to sigh. "They only think that I am cold and indifferent, but they don't know that I do this because I really think it is good for Concubine Pan... Zhengfu, do you know that compared to the current situation, what I fear more from the bottom of my heart is that Concubine Pan and Concubine Wu will become the kind of virtuous concubines and queens like Empress Cao, Empress Gao, and Empress Xiang! This fear is both political and personal."
Yang Yizhong felt a little stunned for a moment, but this surprise immediately disappeared, and was replaced by an emotion that was absurd but natural.
This official has a fundamentally different view on some things from the general public.
"In fact, I have thought about pulling them over to the other side, but the problem is that they all think that the puppet-like result is the right one. Even if it conflicts with their nature, they still vaguely regard those puppets as their role models and goals... because everyone has told them so since they were young."
"And I happen to be a so-called official. Even if I just stand there, I will be a whirlpool. Every time I move, I will involve thousands of people, and I will end up making things worse..."
"So, later on, I found that the more I tried to pull them out, the easier it was to push them over, to the position of 'virtuous concubine and wise queen'... The most obvious example was Concubine Wu. I actually liked her liveliness in Nanyang, but once she returned to Tokyo, her father, who was a smart man, brought his family to her, and she immediately became a puppet. The more opportunities she was given, the faster she became 'virtuous'." At this point, Zhao Jiu shook his head and smiled bitterly. "In Nanyang, when she was tired from work, she would secretly complain, and even wiped tears at night. After arriving in Tokyo, she never complained to me... Learning from the past, I was somewhat in a dilemma when it came to Concubine Pan... It was also my selfish desire."
Yang Yizhong had no idea how to respond.
"Of course." At this point, Zhao Jiu finally stopped and stood still with his back to Yang Yi, but his tone became increasingly gloomy. "No matter how much I say, my mind is not in the harem at all... Throughout the year time, I write half a chapter of "Water Margin" and make a flying magic lamp... When and where have I really invested energy and feelings in the two of them? Xiao Wu has gradually become a virtuous concubine, and Concubine Pan has become what she is today. In fact, it is because I have not been responsible for them and regarded them as tools."
"The government is busy with state affairs...some things cannot be helped for the sake of the overall situation." Yang Yizhong finally found a way to interrupt.
However, he himself realized that he should not have interrupted this topic, even if there was room for it, and it would be a mistake to interrupt.
However, it was the first time that Yang Zhengfu saw Emperor Zhao in such a low mood, and he really couldn't allow himself not to react.
Emperor Zhao still turned his back and shook his head, "In fact, I should have realized it earlier... I am not the only one who has encountered such a thing. For example, recently, Emperor Renzong and his concubines were similar. The result of becoming a clay figurine like Empress Cao and the relationship between husband and wife being like a play is certainly tragic, but Concubine Zhang died so early, is it a good result?"
“Not to the point of…” Yang Yizhong was startled and responded hastily, but soon he realized that he really shouldn’t speak again this time.
Just like that, the king and his minister were silent at the same time. The thatched pavilion was quiet for a long time. For a while, only the spring breeze swayed the branches of the apricot tree that had just turned green, bringing a slight movement.
After an unknown amount of time, Zhao Jiu finally calmed down and looked back: "At this point, there is no point in saying more. Since some things have come out, we have to deal with them... Please, Zhengfu, go and muddy the waters and catch all these people in one fell swoop!" At this point, Zhao Jiu suddenly became serious, and his voice returned to its usual high and bright tone. "The country will get a windfall, villains like Cai Mao will be punished, and Concubine Pan will also get a formal and serious warning! Do you understand what I mean?"
Yang Yizhong nodded immediately, "I have already got a clue. I just went back last night when a smart person saw an opportunity. The former Taichang Temple Secretary Wang Shuzhan found me and said that these people from Yangzhou wanted to interfere in the matter of establishing the crown prince. He heard some rumors... It seems that Cai Mao and others are preparing to unite and ask for the establishment of the eldest son to flatter the Wu family... He is willing to get a list and make things happen!"
"Everyone in this group of people is smart... Only Concubine Pan is stupid!" Zhao Jiu frowned. "Tell Uncle Wang Zhan that I am reasonable. Once the matter is done, I have a good assignment for him... Let him transfer to the public cabinet first and become the president of the shipping company... If he can do this assignment smoothly before the Northern Expedition, it may not be impossible to make him a minister in the future and give him a position in the secret cabinet."
"Yes!" Yang Yizhong bowed his head in response.
Then, the emperor and his minister were silent again. After a moment, Yang Zhengfu carefully took the initiative to say goodbye.
Zhao Jiu watched the other party leave Xinggang and stand under the apricot tree beside the thatched pavilion with his hands behind his back, but his expression couldn't help but become gloomy again - as the person he trusted the most, he could say many things in front of Yang Yizhong that he couldn't say in front of other people, and show many feelings that he couldn't show in front of other people, but there were some words, some things, and some emotions that he couldn't fully express even in front of this person.
Zhao Jiu fell silent just now, his mood was so gloomy. On the one hand, he felt ashamed towards Pan and Wu, and felt sad that he could not stop these two people from being swallowed up step by step by the so-called feudal ethics, and being assimilated by things like the virtuous concubine and the queen, that is, gradually becoming the so-called fish eyes... On the other hand, wasn't it because he drew inferences from one instance and thought of himself?
Has Zhao Jiu been swallowed up by this era?
Have you been assimilated by this official identity?
If so, during this process, did he feel willing or accepting like the two women?
Is it worth it?
It seems worth it because of the overall situation of the world.
Zhao Jiu stood there for the whole afternoon and finally went back, hiding the sadness and shame of the day deep in his heart.
He became the official who controlled everything again.
The next day, Cai Mao was promoted to Hanlin scholar, and Ma Shen, the Minister of Justice, was assigned to inspect the spring plowing in the west of Beijing.
Three days later, as more and more people attached themselves to Cai Mao, rumors began to spread and Concubine Pan began to become visibly panicked and at a loss.
Fortunately, Emperor Zhao stayed in Concubine Pan's palace almost every day, which made the latter somewhat comforted.
Ten days later, in late January, the weather was getting warmer. Emperor Zhao, who spent his days shooting arrows, listening to intelligence and writing articles on original studies, saw that Concubine Pan was in great emotional fluctuations. Not wanting to delay, he simply used the weather as an excuse and impatiently asked Yang Yi Zhong to start the movement.
It can only be said that with Cai Mao's promotion and the government's ambiguous attitude, whether intentional or not, as well as the so-called establishment of the eldest son as the heir, the small group advocating the establishment of the eldest son of the emperor had become very strong...and these people were caught in a net by the imperial guards after a Cuju match. There were more than seventy people and more than fifty families, and eighty percent of them were old people who had returned from Yangzhou. They were all imprisoned on charges of alienating the royal family and plotting against the government. They were immediately tried by the Kaifeng Prefecture, and Cai Mao was executed immediately, and the rest were all exiled and their property was confiscated.
In total, he earned more than two million strings of cash.
Among them, documents worth hundreds of thousands of strings of national debt were still returned to women and children as usual.
After this case, Empress Dowager Yuanyou was terrified and almost wanted to resign her title. Unexpectedly, Emperor Zhao came early with Concubine Pan to pay her respects, and invited the other two empress dowagers, Prime Minister Lu Haowen, and four ministers to come. When the three empress dowagers and five ministers arrived, Emperor Zhao showed the jade seal he had obtained that day on the spot, explaining the whole story, saying that it had nothing to do with the empress dowager, but that it was the villain Cai Mao who used the prince to seek profit and power, and Concubine Pan was stupid enough to be used by him.
The emperor spoke so frankly, and the other two empresses dowagers also persuaded her, and only then did Empress Dowager Yuanyou feel a little relieved.
Then, the official took the iron mace and smashed the jade seal in public. Regardless of the surprise of the three empresses dowagers and five ministers, he shook hands with the pale Concubine Pan in person and told her that everything was fine and that she would never let Mingdao Palace down in her life, otherwise she would refuse the seal.
After a short pause, just as Concubine Pan was shedding tears, Zhao Jiufu asked the three empress dowagers for permission on the spot, and asked Prime Minister Lu Haowen to convey the message, stripping Concubine Pan of her title of noble concubine and demoting her to virtuous concubine.
The five ministers left, embellished the news and announced it, causing the court and the public to rejoice, all praising the emperor for his wisdom and for bringing harmony to the harem and stability to the country.
It is hard to say what the relationship is between the harmony in the harem and the stability of the world, but the fact is that before the unstable factors in the harem were exposed, the whole world already had a vague sense of stability and prosperity... This does not seem to have changed because of such an incident. After the Minister of Justice Ma Shen returned to the court and realized that he had been sent away, he just had a tantrum, and there was no substantial chaos.
In the spring of the eighth year of Jianyan, the country was peaceful and stable, and the overall situation was in sight. It seemed that only two or three years would pass, and the court would have accumulated enough wealth and military supplies to launch a large-scale northern expedition and achieve unprecedented success... at least that was the case on the surface.
