After the palanquin left the palace gates, Qin Hui pulled back the curtains and looked at the shops and pedestrians on both sides of the street.
It was August, and the beautiful autumn scenery of the capital made his expression somewhat unsightly. It was currently the time for the martial scholar examination in the capital. Although the martial scholar examination had never been taken seriously, it was also a time when the imperial court was very wary of the north. Coupled with the 'enlistment edict' to the north, as well as the recent public opinion flattering them, the status of martial artists in the capital of Bianliang had risen considerably. A few people carrying swords walked along the streets, looking high-spirited and energetic.
Qin Hui was born of a scholarly background, so he should have been unhappy with the rise of the status of martial artists. But for some reason, after looking at these figures for a while, the gloominess on his face dissipated quite a bit. Then he put down the curtains and leaned back in the palanquin.
He was actually very tired.
This was because he knew that the various things that had happened in the throne room this morning had already spread. If he guessed correctly, there should be someone waiting for him at home.
On the way back to the mansion, the housekeeper came to report that Master Luo was already waiting in the hall. As Qin Hui entered, he had the housekeeper summon him to the study.
The Master Luo mentioned by the housekeeper was called Luo Jinyan. He was Qin Hui's disciple and currently held a position in the imperial censorate. Even minor officials had official positions, but because Qin Hui and Luo Jinyan were as close as father and son — Qin Hui had said more than once that if he had a daughter, he would marry her to Luo Jinyan — the housekeeper called him Master Luo.
After returning to the study, a young man came in from outside the courtyard in a short while. Luo Jinyan was only in his twenties, but he was handsome, tall, and capable. Although his current official position wasn't high, he had helped Qin Hui a lot in many matters. This time, when Tan Zhen's' enlistment edict 'was issued, the number of' bandits and soldiers' in the north rapidly increased. The imperial court wasn't a fool, and they were very strict with this matter. Not only were there officials sent out to monitor the matter, but Qin Hui had also privately sent out many people to follow up on this matter.
Luo Jinyan was one of the people he had sent out, and could be said to be the most important person. In two months, Luo Jinyan had gathered a large amount of evidence of favoritism and bending the law. It was a shocking sight, and the core of the evidence pointed directly at several bigwigs in the court. With the fall of Liao, the Jin Kingdom had entered a period of dormancy. However, the pressure on the Jin Kingdom had begun to increase. Qin Hui and the others knew that this was their last chance to fortify their defense line. Even though Qin Hui had been mentally prepared, he was still furious when he saw the evidence. He cursed the corrupt, treacherous, and mediocre people for harming the country.
However, the implications of the entire situation were too great. He pondered for several days at home, his lips blistered. On this day, when he submitted the memorial to impeach the officials, he was still unable to produce all the key evidence.
All the evidence that had been submitted had been meticulously arranged. It could be considered a major case in the Imperial Censorate. However, when the news spread, there were still some people who could see through it. Putting aside bigwigs like Qin Siyuan, Luo Jinyan knew better than anyone else. Although there were many people involved this time, the evidence had been cleverly cut off from the center. When the case was pursued to a certain extent, it would definitely be closed, and it would be difficult to proceed any further. Even if the remaining evidence was produced, it would be difficult to continue the case. In other words, because the logical chain of the evidence that had been produced before had been disrupted, the core evidence had been cleverly evaporated and lost its meaning.
Only Qin Hui could have accomplished such a feat. He truly understood human nature far too well. This slash of his saber would shock and awe the others, but it was just enough to step on the line. Perhaps Tan Zhen, Tong Guan, and the others would even be grateful to him.
But it was obvious that Luo Jinyan was not satisfied.
"Teacher …"
"Don't be in such a hurry. Sit first." When Luo Jinyan entered, Qin Hui waved his hand.
"Teacher, I … I don't want to sit." Luo Jinyan shook his head. He had probably been thinking for a long time. At this moment, he gritted his teeth and said, "What, what are you doing …"
"What am I doing …" Qin Hui tapped his fingers on the desk. "Are you questioning me?"
"I … I don't dare, but …"
"But you can't help it!" Qin Hui glanced at him. From Luo Jinyan's side, he saw that the righteous teacher in front of him had bloodshot eyes, cracked lips, and a fierce look in his eyes. He froze, not knowing what to say.
But in the end, Qin Hui did not use words like "You don't understand my methods" to pressure him. After a moment, he took a deep breath and said, "Do you know … No, do you know how many people are involved this time, and how big the situation is …"
"Disciple naturally knows," Luo Jinyan said. Luo Jin said, "But teacher also said that with the savagery of the barbarians in the north of Yanmen Pass, once the war in the north stops, there is a high possibility that they will attack us. This is already our last chance. Even if we have to die for it, we cannot let this last chance slip away. Teacher, you have said these words before …"
"Of course I have! Of course I know! " Qin Hui hammered the table twice. Although he had been a little angry when he was young, he had been able to control his emotions now, especially after reaching his current status. But at this moment, he was still as angry as a lion.
"Of course I know the people of the north! They eat raw meat and drink blood like wolves and tigers! They respect the strong and worship brute force. To gain their respect, you have to be strong! But look at what we have done all these years! Scheming and operating in the dark! This is Qin Siyuan, muddle-headed to the extreme! And Li Gang! He does not have enough skills, and only knows how to shout slogans. He is upright, but who can he deal with in the imperial court! Why did you make him the Left Premier? Tong Daofu! Picking on the tall among the short, what kind of war did he fight?! He agreed to join forces with the Jurchen, but because of a small matter in Hangzhou, he dragged it out for a year. Two hundred thousand soldiers can't even defeat ten thousand! How will the Jurchen look at you?! "
He took a deep breath. "After the matter is done, it is time to report, put down the burden, and run away. This is the name behind the coffin! What Yan Yun Six Prefectures, 60 million strings of coins! Sixty million strings of coins! They dragged it out and bought it! What can the Jurchen do? Sixty million strings of coins to buy six prefectures, and they first kidnapped all the valuable things and people in the six prefectures … How dare they make such a deal! But what can you do? Behind them is Grand Preceptor Cai, an official of half the imperial court, and half the merchants! "
"They are all the same, all looked down upon. And Zhang Jue … What Office of Secret Investigations, you can't just recruit them! Over and over again, it is chilling. Such an opponent, if it were you … Haha. "Qin Hui laughed mockingly." If you were the Jurchen, would you not fight them? You definitely have to fight them. The court officials can't see such a thing, and they are still trying their luck … "
"But …" Qin Hui sat down on a chair. "But … Jinyan, if I think it is possible after thinking it over, I will definitely expose it. But I can't do it. I can't do it even if I die here. I am not afraid of death, but what can I do if I die … "
Luo Jinyan stiffened his neck. "If I die … at least I can be like that Qian Xiwen …"
"Qian Xiwen's death will wake the people up! If I die from touching a pillar, people will only laugh at me! "Qin Hui slammed the table." Because the people are muddle-headed and mediocre, they will listen to whatever the outside world says! And the officials in the golden hall are all shrewd people! If you touch a pillar and die, they will only say you are crazy and stupid! If you want to challenge them, they will first pour dirty water on you and kill you! I'll kill you after splashing your stink! When that time comes, the officials and the people will all curse you! Do you think that everything is fair and just? Ridiculous, how many people have lived their whole lives, only to be scolded as corrupt and treacherous officials after their deaths! "
"But … we can't just do nothing …"
"We can't." Qin Hui restrained his anger and leaned back in his chair. "Wanyan Agu has been beaten to death. Jinyan, do you know what the biggest impact of Wanyan Agu's death is? The biggest impact is that His Majesty can relax. His Majesty can breathe a sigh of relief and have less trouble. Reporting to His Majesty … it doesn't matter if he is worried, because he is more willing to hear about peaceful matters. If you report to him, he will take it seriously at first. But when Tan Zhen comes out, and then Tong Daofu comes out, and then Grand Preceptor Cai comes out one by one, including so many clans and officials in the north, who do you think he will believe? "
Luo Jinyan thought for a moment. "At the very least, Prime Minister Li and Prime Minister Qin will speak up for us …"
"That is a factional struggle!" Qin Hui's eyes widened. "I am not afraid of factional struggles, but to start one at this time … Jinyan, do you know what this means? A messy defensive line will at least have a defensive line. Once a factional struggle breaks out, the court will be filled with internal strife, and the Enlightened Lady will head south. We won't even have our final defense. "
"Jinyan, think about it. Jinghan's four years, five years, six years, seven years … the Prime Ministers in the court changed frequently. They changed every half a year, all the way until the Northern Expedition, when Prime Minister Li came to power, and then Qin Siyuan was appointed. This continued for the past few years. In these two years, there have been many petitions against them in the court. I have suppressed them as much as I can, and erased as much as I can. Some people say that I am trying to smooth things over, but who knows that I have done my best to maintain order and prevent a major factional struggle?"
"I want to protect Prime Minister Li and Prime Minister Qin. Even if they don't do well, at least someone will do it. Who understands my painstaking efforts? Did you see how much importance the court attached to this martial arts examination before the news of Wanyan Agu's death came? Because it accompanied the enlistment decree! But as soon as the news of his death came, the court began to clamp down on martial arts practitioners again. The prefectural magistrate of Kaifeng, Wang Shiyong, submitted a memorial saying that martial arts practitioners have recently disrupted the security of the capital region! They have studied literature for so many years, but at a time like this, they are still afraid that the military will suppress them. What a bunch of … nonsense! "
"There are ways to do things, especially in the court …" Qin Hui sighed. "What really decides this matter is His Majesty's mood. When His Majesty is worried, the world will be worried. When His Majesty is not worried, the world will not be able to worry. I will think of a way to make His Majesty worry. This is the way to do things, and this is the way to do things in the court. Sooner or later, you will have to enter the Golden Palace. When the time comes, you will understand how difficult it is to accomplish something … That is all I have to say. Think about it carefully, and you may leave. "
"But …" Luo Jinyan hesitated and struggled for a long time. Qin Hui had already ordered him to leave and had begun to close his eyes to rest. Finally, the young man left the room.
The room was quiet. After a while, someone came in from outside. It was Qin Hui's wife, Madam Wang. She came in with a bowl of soup. When she saw that her husband was resting with his eyes closed, she put down the bowl and massaged his back and head. Qin Hui opened his eyes and held her hand.
"I heard that Jinyan came, so he left?" Madam Wang asked softly.
"He … Ai, he left …" Qin Hui answered dryly and tiredly. He looked towards the door, where the sunlight was piercing through …
Luo Jinyan walked out of the courtyard and out of Qin Manor. When he returned home, his wife came to greet him. "You went to see Master. How is Master?"
Qin Hui regarded Luo Jinyan as his nephew. Because of this, Luo Jinyan's wife saw Qin Hui many times. Sometimes, she would go to Qin Manor, and other times, Qin Hui would personally visit. Luo Jinyan's wife, Yu Yan, was also very respectful towards her husband's righteous master.
When he heard his wife's question, Luo Jinyan's eyes flashed with Qin Hui's bloodshot eyes and cracked lips. In the end, he smiled and said, "Master's body is fine. He asked about you and the child."
"Master just loves to worry."
Yu Yan smiled. She saw that her Husband seemed to be in low spirits, so she assumed that he had encountered some trouble at work. She wanted to say a few interesting words to ease his mood, but then she heard the sound of a baby crying behind her. She hurriedly ran over.
The two of them had been married for several years, and their relationship was very deep. However, it wasn't until February of this year that Yu Yan gave birth to a boy. This was also their first child. Luo Jinyan walked into the courtyard in the back. His wife was holding their six-month-old child. She was sitting by the railing under the eaves, breastfeeding the child. The sunlight sprinkled down on the two of them like golden powder. Luo Jinyan walked to a chair on the other side of the courtyard and sat down. He was more than ten feet away, quietly watching this scene. Yu Yan rolled her eyes at her Husband, then smiled and quietly sat there until she finished breastfeeding the child. The child stopped crying and fell into a deep sleep, satisfied. She also gently rocked the swaddling clothes and sat there without leaving.
She knew that her husband, who was sitting across from her, liked to watch this scene.
Luo Jinyan sat very straight, his legs slightly spread apart. His fingers were gently pinched between his legs, making him look like a reserved student. He looked at his wife and child, his eyes sometimes blurred and sometimes clear. Occasionally, he would subconsciously smile at his wife. After a long time, the autumn wind seemed to have stopped. He raised his head and looked at the sky. He remembered his master's words about touching the pillar and dying. He remembered killing people and destroying their hearts. In the end, he still stood up.
He entered his room, took a few things, wrapped them into a package, and walked out.
"I'm going out for a while. I might be back a bit late."
"Okay, I'll wait for you to eat."
His wife said.
*****
Hebei West Road, Xiang Prefecture, Tangyin County.
Yue Fei and Yue Pengju sat on a stool next to the mud hut, looking at the two children in the courtyard. One of them was a girl with sparse hair tied into a pigtail. She was no more than three or four years old. She was running around the courtyard with a stick in her hand. Next to her was a boy of about two years old. He wore open-crotch pants and walked behind her, occasionally falling to the ground.
The two children were his adopted daughter and eldest son. The adopted daughter's name was Yue Yinping. She was a baby girl he had picked up and adopted three years ago. The eldest son, Yue Yun, was still a month or two years old.
At this time, his wife and mother were also in the mud hut. For the time being, they were his family.
During this year, due to the death of his father, Yue He, who had originally served under Xin Xingzong, had no choice but to return home. Although he had always fought bravely under Xin Xingzong's command and had been promoted to the rank of Duyu Marquis, after returning home, he had returned to his original state.
At this time, he was thinking about an order he had received yesterday. The order had come very abruptly. It was about the bandits near Xiang Prefecture. Originally, because of the enlistment edict, all the bandits in the north had been busy recruiting people. In some areas, there was chaos, but public security had improved. But in the order sent yesterday, it was written that the bandits near Xiang Prefecture were serious. The bandits led by Tao Jun refused to accept the king's orders and had seriously disrupted public security in Xiang Prefecture. Because Xiang Prefecture currently did not have enough troops, the expedient measure of seduction was to restore Yue Fei as the governor of Xiang Prefecture. He was to temporarily command the prefectural army of Xiang Prefecture. He could even recruit some people and wait until the bandits were eliminated before making further plans.
The matter was extremely strange.
Although there were many titles to recruit bandits nowadays, this was a real position. Moreover, the matter of seduction had always been serious — mainly because it was somewhat troublesome. Generally speaking, if this had happened to someone else, Yue Fei would have thought that the person must have used a lot of connections to become an official. Such connections would not be easy to maintain, but he was certain that he had not used any.
On the other hand, even if it was someone else who spoke up for him, there would sometimes be consequences, such as being criticized for being unfilial. This made him a little worried. From a certain point of view, if they really wanted to deal with some bandits, the nearby troops and generals would have many better options than seizing the love and reviving a lowly officer with no background. Who would want him to be revived?
And the most important thing was what would happen to his family if he really went to command the army. His father was dead, and if he went out, the only son in the family would be little Yue Yun, who was only two years old. With a young daughter, a weak wife, and a widowed mother, how would he live?
He had spent many days in the army intermittently. He had participated in the attack on Hangzhou, the extermination of Fang La, and the extermination of Wang Qing. At the same time, he had also encountered many internal problems in the army. He was young and highly skilled in martial arts, but he felt that it was very troublesome to be hindered by the various forces within the army. After returning home, he also reflected on such matters. Therefore, he was a little hesitant about whether to accept this task or not.
Had the bandits nearby really reached such a level?
*****
Walking out of the barracks, Qin Shaoqian went to a nearby town and met Ning Yi in an inn.
"Brother Ning, the matter that you asked me to do, this elder brother has already helped you. Tell me, how do you want to thank me? "
"Second Brother, you flatter me. I don't dare to tell you. It's just a request, a request." Ning Yi laughed. "What do you want to thank me for? Just tell me."
"You are the God of Fortune. My brothers and I will go to the Bamboo Shop for a meal, and that will be enough. I'll put the money on your account. " Qin Shaoqian laughed and patted Ning Yi on the shoulder. He didn't ask Ning Yi to accompany him to treat. It seemed that he just wanted to satisfy his desire for good food. For people at his level, it was not a request or a thank you. "I heard about what you did in Lu Liang. But this Yue Pengju, why did you find him after so long? "
"It's nothing. He's talented, so I want him to get up early." Ning Yi smiled.
"Stealing love from others will cause trouble in the future …" Qin Shaoqian thought for a moment. Although his face was full of beard and looked quite rough, he was actually a shrewd person. He inherited part of Qin Siyuan's brain. "I know that he rushed into your house to help you in Jiangning. But I always feel that it's a little strange for you to admire someone like him. It's better to let me take him as my subordinate, or you can recruit him yourself …"
"A sword's edge is sharpened by sharpening." Ning Yi lowered his head and smiled. He also blinked his eyes. There was something uncertain in his eyes, but he finally said, "How can there be a truly powerful person who always needs help and care? Second Brother also didn't rely on Prime Minister Qin's care to accumulate to this point. I think Yue Fei is not an ordinary person. It's better to give him a piece of sky and let him fly by himself. Maybe in the future, he will surprise us. "
"I did receive some care, but I didn't work all by myself." Qin Shaoqian curled his lips, but then said, "Okay, I got it. Try to let him fly by himself, but … I will remember to keep an eye on him. If anything happens, I can still help. Hey, Yue Fei, Yue Pengju, what a good name … Let's not talk about this. When are you leaving this time? "
"I'll drink with Second Brother tonight. I'll leave tomorrow morning. It's time to go back."
"I know! I miss my sister-in-law! "Qin Shaoqian snapped his fingers.
Ning Yi also smiled. "I have a lot of things to do when I go back."
"I understand. Don't explain." Qin Shaoqian waved his hand heroically. "Tonight, I'll hold a banquet in the best place, with the best wine and the best girls … I won't get drunk! I won't go back! "
*****
Night fell on Bianliang City. On the brightly lit and bustling main street, Luo Jinyan turned out from the middle and entered the small path home. When he was about to reach the door of his house, he saw the mansion's open door. A few carriages were parked at the door, and there stood some people he was usually familiar with, but he wasn't so familiar with them now.
He stood there for a moment, and even he didn't know what kind of thoughts flashed through his mind. But in the end, he still walked over there. After passing the guard at the door, he heard voices and laughter in the living room. He walked closer to the light and then to the darkness. Not far away, under the eaves, that middle-aged teacher was holding a child and playing with him softly. His wife, Yu Yan, stood beside him. When he was less than ten feet away, Luo Jinyan stopped and saw the package in the hands of a servant not far away.
"Jinyan, Teacher is here," Yu Yan said softly.
Luo Jinyan cupped his hands. "Teacher … Yan, take the child inside."
"There's no need. There's no need to take him inside." Qin Hui was playing with the infant in the swaddling clothes, looking rather happy. At this moment, he smiled and tapped the child's cheek. "Jinyan, you know that your teacher's wife and I have never had a child. I see you as my own, and I have always treated your child as my own … Do you think that I have always treated you with sincerity and sincerity?"
"Teacher, what are you saying …" As if sensing that the atmosphere was not right, Yu Yan smiled.
Luo Jinyan cupped his hands and bowed. "Teacher has always treated Jinyan well. I mean it. "
Qin Hui looked at the child. "I have always said that Jinyan, you are still too young and too reckless. What happened today was a moment of impulse. Do you … know your mistake? "
Luo Jinyan stood there and quietly looked at his teacher. After a while, he said, "This disciple did not do anything wrong. This disciple … has thought it through very clearly."
Qin Hui stopped playing with the child and raised his head to look at him. After a while, he shook his head.
"Not teaching is the father's fault, not teaching is the teacher's laziness. I am both your teacher and your father, so I should tell you where you have gone wrong. Tell me, why didn't you take these things to Qin Siyuan? "
"Prime Minister Qin's methods are swift and fierce. Jinyan, like teacher, is afraid that it will develop into a factional struggle. Moreover, I have never had much interaction with Prime Minister Qin. I went to find Yan Daozhang. Because he is usually honest and upright, this disciple only wanted to hand these things over to the golden palace hall. After that, I will bear all the consequences. Even if I die, this disciple has already thought of the consequences. "
"You have already thought of the consequences …" Qin Hui repeated. His voice was not loud, but his gaze was stern. "Do you know, if you hand these things over to Qin Siyuan, you will still have something to do? Yan Zheng and Yan Daozhang may seem like sanctimonious people, but they have Grand Preceptor Cai's people behind them. If you hand these things over to him, he will hold you back, and the things will come back. The struggle in the imperial court is a matter of life and death. You have made two big mistakes. First, you do not understand the enemy, and second, you are soft-hearted! If you commit either of these two mistakes, you will not be able to redeem yourself even if you die a hundred times … You have a way of doing things, but you are still too young. How can you take over my position? Do you … know your mistakes? "
"This disciple … knows his mistakes." Luo Jinyan looked at Qin Hui. "However, Master has also made a mistake."
"It is taboo for a son to speak of his father's mistakes. You should not have spoken of my mistakes."
"Master's mistake is that he was forced to do so."
"…" Qin Hui stared at him sternly.
"All these years, Master has done many things that he was forced to do. Master understands the logic of the human heart too well. Whatever it is, he will do it in small ways, but when it comes to big things, he will be forced to do so. When a person enters the bureaucracy, he will find that it is full of corruption. He will refuse silver that he can refuse, but when he is forced to accept it, he will accept it. First, he will accept one tael, then ten taels, then a hundred taels. He has no choice but to accept money, he has no choice but to break the law, he has no choice but to neglect his duties, he has no choice but to turn a blind eye … "
As Luo Jinyan spoke, Qin Hui also began to speak. "No matter how beautiful the logic is, there must still be a way to do things. An incorruptible official who refuses to accept even a tael of silver may be able to be an incorruptible official, but can he do anything for the people? Can a person who doesn't know how to cater to the bureaucracy do something practical for the people? This is the reality of the world. It is not something that a junior like you can do as you please …"
"Day after day, day after day, when you have no choice but to do things. In fact, there is nothing that can be done without paying a price! There is nothing in the world that can be changed without bleeding! Master, wake up. Which one of the most treacherous and greedy people in the world was determined to be a bad person from a young age? Which one of them didn't say that they had no choice but to do so? Master, you are the Deputy Minister of the Imperial Censor, the head of all the Imperial Censors. You are here to speak. The matters of the world should be done by the people of the world. Moreover, I have a good heart. You always say that even if I die, there will be no results. Disciple is willing to give it a try. Perhaps there will be results! "
"If the people of the world swarmed together, it would be strange if anything could be done well! Master has said that the truth has nothing to do with reason … Jinyan, Master has said that you are still young. It doesn't matter if you don't understand these things. You just need to give yourself time to see it. Although Grand Tutor Cai knows about these things, if you admit your mistake, Master is willing to protect you … "
"Disciple is willing to give it a try. I only ask that Master give this disciple this opportunity …"
Luo Jinyan knelt on the ground and began to kowtow. Qin Hui took a deep breath. "You have no chance — your matter has been exposed —"
He suddenly waved his hand, and a piece of paper flew out from his sleeve. In the courtyard, the child began to cry. Luo Jinyan was still kowtowing. His wife was also kowtowing beside him. "Master, disciple is willing to give it a try. You have said that this is the last chance …"
"You can't give it a try! Do you think you can stop just because you say so?! If you go up, a group of people will die with you! Half the people of the country will die with you! Take him down! "
Someone came up from behind with a chain and directly took Luo Jinyan. Luo Jinyan was pulled up from the ground. He shouted, "Master! Wake up! Master, even if I die, I will tell everyone about this … "
"You won't be able to see anyone …"
The child was still crying for a while in this inconspicuous courtyard in Bianliang City. There was a commotion for a while, and then it calmed down.
In this city of millions of people, it was as if nothing had happened.
Qin Hui returned home, held his wife's hand, and sat quietly for a while.
*****
Tangyin.
His wife and mother were packing their belongings in the room. Yue Fei stood on the path outside the courtyard, looking at the silhouette in the window.
Then he looked to the other side of the night.
The moonlight was bright, illuminating the undulating foothills in front of him. It was as if silver light was sprinkling down from the sky.
Eight thousand miles of road, clouds and moonlight.
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