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

There are 365 white jade steps outside the Zichen Palace.

For ordinary people, this is a stairway to heaven, every step a glory; but for Su Shi at this moment, it is more like a "treadmill" that makes his legs tremble. With each step, he can hear his heart pounding wildly against his ribs, as if it might jump out at any moment.

Having just passed the imperial examination with top honors yesterday and spent the night indulging in the "bewitching potion" of the powerful and wealthy, my mind wasn't fully clear yet when I was dragged out of bed early this morning. After washing my face, changing my clothes, and being scented, I was stuffed into this brand-new green robe like a puppet, and then I ran all the way to the palace.

"Scholar Su, keep your steps steady, don't sway."

The eunuch leading the way was a fair-skinned, beardless middle-aged man holding a whisk. He smiled and whispered, "His Majesty is waiting for you in a side hall of Chongzheng Hall. It's a private audience, so there's no need to be as formal as at a grand court assembly, but don't be too presumptuous either. His Majesty's mood is quite complicated today."

Su Shi took a deep breath, forcibly pressed down on his wildly beating heart, his palms were covered in cold sweat.

His mind replayed his teacher's words of advice before his departure:

"Zizhan, when you meet the emperor, never act like a slave. Just think of yourself as a wealthy landowner whose house is a mess and who desperately needs a professional steward. If you are neither humble nor arrogant, he will think you are capable; if you are a groveler, he will look down on you. This is called—the highest level of flattery."

"Landlord...landlord..."

Su Shi silently repeated this outrageous metaphor to himself twice, and his tension inexplicably dissipated considerably. The Master's thought process was always so unique and precise.

……

Side hall of Chongzheng Hall.

Instead of the suffocating solemnity of the main hall, this place exudes a strong scholarly atmosphere.

The sandalwood table was piled high with memorials to the emperor, and the Boshan incense burner in the corner emitted wisps of sandalwood incense. Several charcoal braziers used for heating were burning brightly, occasionally sputtering a spark or two.

Emperor Renzong of Song, Zhao Zhen, was dressed in loose casual clothes and was not wearing his heavy crown. He was holding the scroll that he had circled countless times with cinnabar in his hand. Hearing footsteps, he slowly raised his head.

What eyes they were!

His eyes were bloodshot, his eye bags were heavy, and he looked extremely tired, but the moment he saw Su Shi, he shone with the light of a hungry wolf seeing fresh meat.

"This humble subject... Su Shi, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Just as Su Shi was about to perform the full kneeling ceremony, before his knees even touched the ground, Zhao Zhen waved his hand.

"No need."

Zhao Zhen's voice was as gentle as a neighbor's uncle, completely lacking the airs of an emperor. "Please take a seat. Today there are no rulers and subjects here, only examiners and candidates. I have some things I want to hear from you."

A young eunuch brought over a brocade stool. Su Shi thanked the emperor and sat down, his bottom barely touching the edge of the chair, his back ramrod straight like a javelin.

"Su Qing."

Zhao Zhen raised the scroll in his hand and got straight to the point, "I read your policy essay at least ten times last night. Especially the sections on 'Market Affairs' and 'Military Strategy,' they were written so beautifully, they practically poured out all the bitterness in my heart that I wanted to say but couldn't."

"but……"

Zhao Zhen abruptly changed the subject, his previously gentle gaze instantly turning sharp as a knife, piercing Su Shi's eyes:

"A well-written article doesn't guarantee good results. The officialdom of the Song Dynasty is a cesspool, a quagmire. Those officials shout 'Long live the Emperor!' to your face, but stab you in the back. If your plan is actually implemented, what will you do when lower-level officials outwardly comply but inwardly resist, and powerful and influential families unite to resist?"

"I want to hear the truth, not nonsense like 'I am willing to fight to the death' to fool me."

The air inside the hall froze instantly.

This is a question that could cost you your life.

If the answer is "I am willing to fight to the death," then he is a hothead, passionate but incapable of shouldering great responsibilities, since the dead cannot reform; if the answer is "to proceed slowly," then he is a wedge, safe but lacking in vigor, and the Song Dynasty cannot afford to wait for "slowly."

Su Shi took a deep breath, and the "Execution Chapter" from the golden brocade pouch came to mind. He knew that his teacher had long anticipated this step.

"His Majesty."

Su Shi straightened his back, his eyes clear, even carrying a hint of youthful sharpness, his voice echoing in the side hall:

"In my opinion, the laws themselves are not wrong; the problem lies in people's hearts. If we want to implement new laws, we must first establish 'rules'."

"Oh? What are the rules?" Emperor Renzong leaned forward slightly, intrigued.

"Reform Supervisory Commissioner"

Su Shi uttered a term that seemed remarkably ahead of its time: "Your Majesty should establish a dedicated agency, not subordinate to the Secretariat or the Censorate, but solely responsible to Your Majesty. Wielding the Imperial Sword, it will be solely responsible for monitoring the progress of the new laws."

"Anyone who dares to outwardly comply but inwardly defy will have their hat removed; anyone who dares to profit from it will be thrown into prison."

"The implementation of the new law is like scraping the bone to remove poison; it will inevitably hurt. If one is afraid of pain, then this illness cannot be cured. There must be a sharp, undisturbed knife to puncture this abscess for His Majesty and let the poisonous blood flow!"

"Only when a knife is held to one's throat can reason be made."

Zhao Zhen's eyes lit up as he listened, and he tapped his fingers on the table repeatedly, making a "tap-tap" sound.

This is exactly what he lacks most!

He wanted to reform, but he was always met with passive resistance from layers of bureaucracy, like punching cotton – he had the strength but couldn't exert it. Su Shi's approach of "vertical management and single-line responsibility" hit him right where it hurts!

"Good! That's bold!"

Zhao Zhen couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, slapping his thigh sharply, "Truly worthy of being the top scholar! This is the spirit that young people should have!"

He stared at Su Shi, his eyes holding a hint of probing, yet also a hint of expectation:

"But the position of 'Inspector' requires immense perseverance. Su Qing, do you think you are up to the task?"

Su Shi's heart skipped a beat.

If I agree to this, I'll be putting myself in a very dangerous position! As the saying goes, great achievements can overshadow one's master, and great talent can attract jealousy. He's still too inexperienced to shoulder this responsibility. If I agree now, I'll probably be beaten to a pulp tomorrow.

He quickly shook his head, his face showing an extremely sincere, even somewhat fearful, expression (actually, he was trying to shift the blame):

"Your Majesty, I am a novice with little experience. If I were to wield this sword, I fear I would be drowned in the spittle of the court officials before I could even strike anyone."

"and……"

Su Shi paused for a moment, then finally steered the conversation toward the person he had long wanted to talk about and who he had to talk about.

"The essence of this plan was not actually created by me. I only learned a little bit of the basics. The person who can truly make this game work is someone else."

Zhao Zhen raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance, and asked, "Oh? Who is that?"

Su Shi stood up, straightened his clothes, bowed deeply to the south, and his voice was filled with boundless reverence:

"My esteemed teacher is Jiang Lin of Runzhou."

"This strategy of 'enriching the country and strengthening the military' is nothing more than the notes you took during your lectures."

A brief and eerie silence fell over the main hall.

Zhao Zhen stroked his chin, his initially excited eyes gradually turning resentful, like a young wife abandoned by a heartless man.

"Jiang Lin...it's Jiang Lin again."

Zhao Zhen sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness, anticipation, and a hint of gritted teeth:

"I summoned him before, but he said he was ill. Later, I wrote to him, and he agreed, but it's been half a year now, and I haven't seen him at all. I sent people to inquire, and I heard that he's alive and kicking in Runzhou, even researching something... pig farming?"

Zhao Zhen suddenly raised his head and stared intently at Su Shi:

"Su Qing, tell me the truth. As your teacher, do you look down on me, the emperor?"