The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

The room was eerily quiet; you could hear every breath.

Su Shi and Shen Kuo dared not even breathe loudly.

They had followed Jiang Lin for so long, witnessing his composure in strategizing, his languid ease in toying with his opponents, and his indifference in the face of formidable enemies, but they had never seen him like this before.

It wasn't the fury of a volcanic eruption, but a deathly stillness, like the most terrifying calm in the depths of the ocean before a storm. This calm was more chilling than any roar or howl.

"Headmaster... this... is this true?" Su Shi asked with difficulty, breaking the suffocating silence.

Although he didn't know Zhao Lingjun's true identity before, everyone in the academy had long regarded this clever and lively "junior brother" as one of their own.

Now that he heard she was to be sent to Western Xia for a political marriage, a surge of anger rose in Su's usually unrestrained heart.

"A marriage alliance?" Even Shen Kuo, a tech geek, frowned. He didn't understand politics very well, but his basic understanding told him that this was definitely not a good thing.

"Why? Didn't the princess take all the evidence of Zhao Liben's crimes back with her? Why is the Emperor still doing this?"

Jiang Lin slowly put down the letter in his hand. A shard of broken porcelain cut his finger, drawing out beads of bright red blood, but he seemed oblivious.

"Why?" Jiang Lin's lips curled into a cold smile, devoid of any warmth.

"Because in the eyes of those important figures, the value of a princess is sometimes less than a few years of peace on the border."

"Moreover, Zhao Liben's case involves too many people. There must be someone in the court who wants to take this opportunity to muddy the waters and send away the princess, the most crucial witness, so that there will be no way to verify the truth."

He stood up and paced back and forth in the room, each step feeling like a blow to everyone's hearts.

"What a clever tactic to shift the blame eastward, what a clever escape! They're putting pressure on me, and they're putting pressure on the officials as well."

Jiang Lin's thoughts were racing.

The fact that Zhao Lingjun was placed under house arrest indicates that her situation in the palace was precarious.

Although the emperor doted on her, he was first and foremost the emperor, and only secondly the father.

Faced with pressure from the entire pro-peace faction of ministers and the official letter from Western Xia, he would inevitably find himself in a dilemma.

Meanwhile, those high-ranking officials implicated by Zhao Liben must be jumping up and down, desperately trying to smear Jiang Lin and Zhao Lingjun, labeling them as "demons" and "liars," and claiming that the account book was forged.

Once Zhao Lingjun is sent to Western Xia, he'll be gone and his mouth will be shut, making the case an unsolved mystery. They'll have plenty of ways to suppress the matter then, or even turn around and accuse him.

"They're courting death." Jiang Lin stopped in his tracks, a cold glint in his eyes.

What he hates most is when others harm his people.

Zhao Lingjun was his student, someone he had personally promised to protect. Now, someone wanted to use her as a bargaining chip in a political deal, sending her to a dangerous place.

This has already touched Jiang Lin's sore spot.

"Zizhan." Jiang Lin's voice returned to its usual tone, but the icy coldness was penetrating to the bone.

"Yes...yes! Headmaster, please give your orders!" Su Shi replied quickly, startled.

"Make preparations immediately. I need the best horses, the kind that can travel a thousand miles a day, four of them. Prepare enough dry rations and water for ten days. Also, exchange all our money for gold leaves, so they are easy to carry."

"Headmaster, what are you going to do..." Su Shi asked tentatively.

"Return to the capital," Jiang Lin said decisively. "Immediately, right now!"

Upon hearing this, Su Shi also became excited: "Headmaster, then I'll go with you! Although I'm not very talented, I can still write a few articles. When we get to the capital, I'll definitely give that spineless gang leader a good dressing down!"

"I'll go too!" Shen Kuo stepped forward. "I... I can help look at the map and calculate the route, ensuring we get to the capital as quickly as possible! And, I might even be able to use some of my chemistry knowledge."

Jiang Lin glanced at them and shook his head.

"Zizhan, you can't go."

"Why?" Su Shi asked anxiously.

"Your current identity is too sensitive," Jiang Lin explained. "You are the newly appointed top scholar, a 'victim' and a 'witness' to this incident. If you return to Beijing now, you'll attract too much attention and become a target for those people. Your battlefield is not here."

He paused, then looked at Su Shi, his eyes sharpening: "Your mission is to remain in Daming Prefecture. Zhao Liben is gone, but his influence lingers. I need you to join forces with Chen Xiang and completely turn Daming Prefecture upside down!"

"Dig out every single official and gentry connected to Zhao Liben, leave no one alive! I want to show those who want to cause trouble in the capital that their roots have been uprooted!"

Su Shi was stunned. He hadn't expected Jiang Lin to entrust him with such a heavy responsibility. This was no longer simply about writing articles to criticize people; it meant he was to personally participate in a massive political purge.

"Headmaster...I..."

"You can do it." Jiang Lin's tone left no room for doubt. "You, Su Zizhan, are not just a scholar who can write poetry and prose. You possess a noble and righteous spirit."

"Now is the time for you to use your righteous spirit to cleanse the world. Remember, sometimes, when dealing with evil people, you have to be even more ruthless than them."

Su Shi looked into Jiang Lin's eyes, which were filled with trust and expectation. His heart was ignited, and an unprecedented surge of pride welled up within him.

"Yes, Headmaster! I obey!" Su Shi bowed deeply.

Jiang Lin nodded, then looked at Shen Kuo: "Cunzhong, come with me. We might encounter some trouble on the way, and your little gadgets might come in handy."

"Okay!" Shen Kuo nodded excitedly.

Half an hour later, at the city gate of Daming Prefecture.

Four swift and magnificent horses were ready. Jiang Lin and Shen Kuo changed into a set of practical clothing for easy movement.

Jiang Lin mounted his horse, glanced at the city behind him that had just weathered a storm, and then at Su Shi and Qian Duoduo in front of him.

"Zizhan, remember what I said. Daming Prefecture is now in your hands."

"Don't worry, Headmaster!"

Jiang Lin said no more, suddenly spurred his horse and gave a low shout: "Giddy up!"

Three swift horses shot out of the city gate like arrows, kicking up a cloud of dust, and sped away towards the capital.

Su Shi stood at the city gate, watching the departing figure, motionless for a long time. He knew that an even greater storm was about to unfold in the capital, a thousand miles away.

And he will ignite the first spark of that storm here.