The gatekeeper, Old Dou, went to the latrine. When he came back, he discovered that his raincoat was already hanging in the room. The raincoat was dripping wet, and there were even some mud and tree branches stuck to it. There was a puddle of water on the ground, and there were still water droplets dripping down from the raincoat.
Old Dou couldn't help but curse, "Kuang Sier, this son of a b * tch!" After that, he took off his raincoat resentfully and went to wash it.
Provincial Governor Zhang's dinner was simple but sumptuous. There were two pieces of flatbread stuffed with alfalfa and eggs, a bowl of delicious noodles with coriander (coriander) and soup, a plate of fried bean sprouts, and a plate of fresh fish slices. This was his dinner for today.
Of course, there was also good wine. Old Zhang would drink a cup of Jiannan Braising Spring every night. He didn't drink too much, and he would drink a cup every night. This was just to activate his blood vessels and not because he was addicted to alcohol.
"Ah Lang!"
The supervisor called out and hurriedly walked in. The rules of the Zhang Residence were very strict. Adhering to the teachings of the Sage, 'Don't speak while eating', only this personal supervisor would dare to come in and disturb Zhang Jianzhi when he was eating. And if the supervisor came in at this time, he would definitely have something important to report.
The supervisor knelt down in front of Zhang Jianzhi and leaned forward, saying in a low voice, "Sima Buyi is dead!"
Zhang Jianzhi took a sip of wine and raised his white brows, asking, "He killed him?"
"Yes!"
"Hehe …"
Zhang Jianzhi laughed, "Good! Good! This person doesn't respect the laws and doesn't abide by the rules. As long as he feels that it is right, he will do it, not caring what methods he uses. This young man is worthy of being a comrade! "
Zhang Jianzhi raised his neck and drank the remaining wine in the cup in one gulp. He stroked his beard and passed the wine cup to the steward. He said happily, "Make an exception tonight and pour another cup for this old man!"
…
Early in the morning, Yang Fan felt that the fire poison had been purged a little more. His eyes felt more relaxed. Other than feeling pain when he moved his eyes too much, he didn't have any problems seeing things normally. Yang Fan was very happy. After taking a walk in the courtyard, he heard voices coming from the Gu siblings' room. Knowing that they had woken up, he walked towards their room.
The day before yesterday, he and Zhang Jianzhi bombarded Huang Jingrong one after another and finally overturned Huang Jingrong's decision. However, it was already late at that time, so Luo Shudao only sent someone to the Qiong Sea yesterday to order the people of Liuhe to return home.
Because Gu Huan had been injured by the lime, he had to stay in the Provincial Governor's Manor to recuperate, so the Gu siblings were not sent back that day. However, Yang Fan had already asked Luo Shudao to send a messenger to inform their parents of the whereabouts of the Gu siblings. As soon as Gu Huan saw Yang Fan, he greeted him happily, "Uncle Yang, my eyes have recovered. Are your eyes better too?"
Gu Yuan quietly followed behind his brother and shyly called out to Uncle Yang before whispering, "Uncle Yang, can we go home today?"
Yang Fan was just feeling that they had woken up especially early today. When he saw the passionate gazes of the siblings, he remembered that he had promised them yesterday that he would send someone to send them home today. Yang Fan smiled, "Don't worry, the people from the Provincial Governor's Manor have just woken up. After breakfast, I will ask Zhang Gong to send someone to send you back."
Before he finished speaking, Zhang Jianzhi's deep and clear voice came from behind him, "Haha, I was just thinking of coming to check on Yuanfang's condition. It seems that Yuanfang's eyes have recovered!"
"Good morning, Zhang Gong!"
When Yang Fan heard the voice, he hurriedly turned his head and saluted. Gu Yuan also sensibly pulled his brother to salute this official. Zhang Jianzhi nodded his head and said, "The morning air is fresh and refreshing. Let's take a walk in the courtyard. Breakfast will be ready in a while."
The few of them walked out of the room. As they were going to return to their parents' side today, the Gu siblings were exceptionally happy. Yesterday, they weren't in the mood to play, and today, their interest was piqued by the curved bridge in the Provincial Governor's Manor. Thus, they ran over to the bridge to look at the swimming fishes.
Yang Fan walked beside Zhang Jianzhi as they strolled by the pond. Looking at the siblings on the bridge, Zhang Jianzhi smiled and said, "Yuanfang is exceptionally concerned about these two children!"
Yang Fan glanced at the Gu siblings and said emotionally, "When I was young, I had an elder sister who doted on me dearly. Seeing them reminds me of my deceased elder sister. Now that I'm able to take care of them, I guess it's also a way to cherish the memory of my elder sister."
Zhang Jianzhi said, "Yuanfang traveled a long distance to Jiannan to save the people from their plight. You are warm-hearted and concerned about the world. This old man admires you greatly. "
Yang Fan smiled and said, "Zhang Gong is overpraising me. Actually, I don't think too much about what I'm doing. All I want is for my peace of mind."
Zhang Jianzhi shook his head and said, "This old man isn't overpraising you. His Majesty ordered you to escort the princess to Chang 'an, but you disobeyed the emperor's orders and rushed here just to reduce the suffering of the innocent. How many people in the world are capable of such a feat? To travel a long distance alone without fear of danger, how many people in the world are capable of such a feat? "
Yang Fan smiled faintly without saying a word. Zhang Jianzhi glanced at the siblings on the bridge and saw them playing with the fishes in the water. Thinking that they were here to feed them, the fishes in the water surged out of the water. Some of the larger fishes even leaped into the air, splashing water all over their faces. The crisp laughter of the siblings could be heard from afar.
Zhang Jianzhi sighed and said, "It's fortunate that Yuanfang came in time. This is the fortune of the siblings and the people of Feng Province. However, how many people in the world will suffer the same fate? The Imperial Censor's cavalry is everywhere, how many people can Yuan Fang save? "
Yang Fan sighed and said, "In this world, there's always a need to ask for something. What should I ask for? In my opinion, it's enough to ask for peace of mind! What is peace of mind? In fact, there's no need to limit how much you can do. It's enough as long as you do your best. "
"Well said!"
Zhang Jianzhi clapped his hands and praised, "A real man should worry about the world, the country, the people, and the times. For the sake of righteousness, even if you know it's impossible, you will still do it! However, if you do your best to save more people and relieve more suffering, will Yuanfang be willing to do it with this old man? "
When Zhang Jianzhi said this, his face full of age spots became unusually serious. His pair of old eyes looked at Yang Fan with a burning gaze, so bright that no one dared to look at him directly. Yang Fan was startled. Looking at Zhang Jianzhi's old and determined face, his expression also became solemn. He said in a serious tone, "What does Master Zhang want to teach me?"
Zhang Jianzhi said, "Yesterday, Huang Jingrong left Feng Province for Yao Province because you foiled his plot. What are your plans, Yuanfang?"
Yang Fan was shocked and cried out, "What? Huang Jingrong has already left. This is bad! Why did Master Zhang only tell me now? Nephew must rush over immediately. "
Zhang Jianzhi said, "What can I do even if Yuanfang rushes over? Just like in Feng Province, using imperial edict against imperial edict to stop him from killing people? If he went somewhere else, what would Yuan Fang do? Wait for you to rush over and collect the corpses of those people who died in vain? Even if you can keep an eye on Huang Jingrong and prevent him from killing anyone, how are you going to stop those ruthless officials who are running amok in Dian, Qian, Guangxi, and Min? "
Yang Fan looked at Zhang Jianzhi with a strange expression. He vaguely sensed something. The anxious expression on his face gradually calmed down. He cupped his fists and asked, "I wonder what Master Zhang's brilliant plan is?"
Zhang Jianzhi said, "This old man has a plan. Not only can we get rid of Huang Jingrong, this ruthless official, we can also startle the world with our actions, so that the ruthless officials in other provinces will not dare to act blindly without thinking. We can also use this opportunity to eradicate them in one fell swoop. However, this plan is very dangerous. Is Yuanfang willing to face the national calamity with this old man for the sake of millions of common people?"
Yang Fan said, "What is the plan?"
Zhang Jianzhi was not vague. He spoke frankly and confidently, leaving Yang Fan dumbstruck.
Yang Fan came from Nanyang. His initial goal in entering Luoyang was to find his enemies hidden in the government. In his heart, he had never regarded imperial power seriously, nor did he revere it. He was very indifferent to the concept of the law.
But when he gradually understood the power of the secular world and realized how laughable his dream of sweeping the world with one sword was, he began to try to solve problems within the boundaries of power. Over time, he became accustomed to doing things within the boundaries of order. Yesterday's murder in Fish Market broke the shackles in his heart, but it only made him pick up his dream of being a wanderer again.
From now on, he would use the methods of the government to solve problems that could only be solved through the methods of the government. He would no longer be bound by the rules of the government for matters that could be easily solved through violence. But in his heart, there was still a clear distinction between the two. How could two opposing sides possibly fuse together?
But never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that Zhang Jianzhi, a seventy-year-old old man who had been working in the government for his entire life, would have such a bold idea. To think that such an extreme and risky idea would come from a seventy-year-old old man who had been working in the government for his entire life! If he hadn't heard it from him personally, Yang Fan wouldn't have believed it at all.
Zhang Jianzhi's voice carried a hint of killing intent, "Rather than trying to solve the problem, why don't we find the root of the problem and end it once and for all?"
The reason why Zhang Jianzhi dared to reveal his plan to Yang Fan was because he had complete trust in Yang Fan. He believed that even if Yang Fan didn't approve of his actions, he wouldn't betray him.
If Yang Fan had gone against the ruthless officials of the Imperial Censorate, there were plenty of loyal officials in the royal court who could have done the same. However, going against the imperial edict and rushing to Jiannan in advance was a feat that required great courage. Thus, how could such a loyal official report Yang Fan to the Imperial Court?
Of course, if Yang Fan was unwilling to participate and he still wanted to proceed, then he would be playing with fire. It was very likely that the situation would develop to a point where he could not control it. In that case, he was very likely to give up his plan. If he gave up on his plan, he wouldn't have to worry about Yang Fan reporting him. As long as he denied the matter, Yang Fan's words wouldn't be able to do anything to him.
However, just because Zhang Jianzhi trusted Yang Fan's character didn't mean that he could work together with Yang Fan. After all, Zhang Jianzhi still had to know whether Yang Fan was a 'law-abiding' person or not.
Zhang Jianzhi had been an official for many years, and he had seen many upright officials who were bound by the rules and had no choice but to do things that went against their conscience. Yang Fan's decision to go against the imperial edict was courageous, but it couldn't be considered as' law-abiding '. After all, one only needed to possess fearless courage to go against the imperial edict. While there weren't many officials who dared to go against the imperial edict, they weren't the only ones. Thus, Zhang Jianzhi set up another trap to test Yang Fan.
Sima Buyi was killed by the 'Wanderer', and Zhang Jianzhi was relieved. Yang Fan was someone he could take as a comrade!
What he wanted to do, he needed to have the world in his heart, to be righteous, to have great courage, and even more so to achieve his goal, he needed to be unscrupulous and unscrupulous.
Zhang Jianzhi's plan was simple: Make use of the rebellious tribes of the southwest and Huang Jingrong's insatiable greed to incite conflict between them and force the barbarians to rebel. It would be best if they could kill Huang Jingrong, but if they couldn't, the royal court wouldn't let them off either.
No matter how isolated the provinces were from the news, the news of the rebellion would spread at the fastest speed. Most of the places where the exiled people were sent to were remote and inhabited by the minority tribes. Once the news spread, the officials of the various provinces would greatly reduce the possibility of cooperating with the Imperial Censorate in order to prevent the same thing from happening in their own territories.
The officials of the Imperial Censorate would also refrain from taking action for fear of harming the innocent. In order to avoid repeating Huang Jingrong's mistake, they wouldn't dare to recklessly slaughter the exiled people. With this one move, they could destroy the cruel officials and protect the people. However, the Imperial Censorate had come to this place to investigate the matter of a rebellion. If there really was a rebellion, it was very likely that the Emperor would have a false impression that "The Imperial Censorate will report the truth!"
Thus, this matter was like playing with fire. If it wasn't handled properly, it could backfire on itself.
In this case, there were two things that had to be done. First, the Emperor had to obtain the memorial to expose the crimes of the cruel officials before the Barbarians rebelled. This was to lay a foreshadowing. If the Barbarians really rebelled, the Emperor wouldn't completely believe the Imperial Censorate's words.
Second, they had to quickly quell the rebellion. They had to control the situation before the royal court sent an army to encircle and suppress them. When the Barbarian leaders' memorial arrived at the royal court and compared it with the previous officials' memorial to impeach the Imperial Censorate, the Imperial Censorate's crimes would be confirmed. They would be eradicated in one fell swoop and would never be able to rise again.
Zhang Jianzhi's plan could not be said to be not vicious.
This was also the reason why he needed Yang Fan to participate in it. Once the war started, to quickly quell it, he needed someone who could represent the royal court to appear in time to negotiate with the leaders of the rebellious tribes. He needed to appease them in time and lock them up before they caused an even greater disaster.
Zhang Jianzhi, this old man, had probably been working at the grassroots level for too long. He had been squatting in one position for dozens of years. Moreover, this position was pitifully small. It wasn't easy for him to get the opportunity to directly enter the central government, but within two years, he was demoted to the capital. This kind of experience was really too special. It was inevitable that he would develop an extreme personality.
Thus, although Zhang Jianzhi was over seventy years old, he was far from the calm and steadiness that other people in their seventies should have. On the surface, he gave his colleagues and others the impression that he was' calm and steady '. But deep down, he was an adventurer, a great adventurer. It was just that his adventurous spirit was not reflected in the conquest of the natural world, but in the officialdom.
For the first eighty years of his life, no one had heard of him, and he could compete with the legendary Jiang Ziya. But in the last two years of his life, he had only been the Prime Minister for three months, and his name had already gone down in history. He was one of the famous Prime Ministers of the Tang dynasty, along with the conscientious Fang and Du, who had ruled the country for their entire lives. He had only been the Prime Minister for a little less than half a year, and he had become a prince like Guo Ziyi and Zheng Chenggong, who had fought for their entire lives and made unparalleled contributions to the country. There had only been one such person since ancient times. Even the male protagonists of those YY novels could not compare to him.
Such a fantastical life naturally did not follow the normal path.
When Yang Fan heard his plan, he only felt a wave of fear. Cold air whooshed from the back of his head. This old man was really too bold. He could actually think of such a terrifying plan! Using rebellion as a game? He was practically starting a revolution in the southwest!
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