I'll steal Gao Qiu's life and lead the Song Dynasty to prosperity.

Inside the Chongzheng Hall.

Today's court assembly is nearing its end. Most of the important matters have been discussed, and a few officials are stepping forward to report on some trivial official business. Their voices are buzzing, making people feel drowsy.

Zhao Tingzhi stood at the back of the civil officials' line, his eyes lowered, pondering how many parts of the autumn examination regulations still needed to be revised.

His mood has been more stable lately than it was a few days ago.

The son was doing well at the Imperial Academy, and there were no further disturbances at the Prince Duan's residence. Although they knew that Cai Jing might not be willing to accept this, at least for now, things were calm.

In the midst of this routine and dull atmosphere, Wang Zudao, the Left Censor, suddenly stepped out from the queue, holding a memorial in his hand.

Old Deng is up to his old tricks again today.

He walked solemnly to the steps, bowed, and raised his voice higher than usual.

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present!"

Zhao Xu, who was on the throne, was somewhat distracted. Hearing the sound, he looked up, but his face remained expressionless.

"speak."

"Your Majesty, I have heard this and am here to report!" Wang Zudao straightened his back, raised the memorial above his head, and his voice echoed in the now-silent hall.

"I have recently heard that Zhao Mingcheng, a student of the Imperial Academy, uses the pretext of 'assisting Prince Duan in organizing books and paintings' to enter and leave the Prince's residence, lingering there all day. However, his behavior is truly unacceptable!"

A slight commotion arose in the hall.

The last time Wang Zudao impeached someone, he mentioned "students at the Imperial Academy" but did not specify who they were. This time, however, he directly named them by name.

Many eyes instantly turned to Zhao Tingzhi, who was standing at the back.

Zhao Tingzhi stiffened, abruptly raised his head, looked at Wang Zudao's back, and his fingers suddenly clenched in his sleeve.

Wang Zudao seemed oblivious to the gazes behind him and continued speaking loudly.

"This young man, though ostensibly an assistant, is actually a corrupt and deceitful individual! In the back garden of the Prince's residence, he has concocted a crude new game called 'football,' gathering dozens of people who run around noisily, shouting and grabbing, completely lacking in decorum! His Highness Prince Duan, with his benevolence and magnanimity, has been deceived by him, becoming addicted to it, thus neglecting his studies and abandoning his proper duties!"

Then, his tone changed to "heartbroken".

"Your Majesty! The Prince is a member of the Imperial Family, a model for the imperial clan. He should be devoted to the study of the classics, cultivating his virtue and serving as a role model for all scholars. Yet now he has been misled by a frivolous student with his strange skills and tricks, engaging in such improper behavior. If this continues, it will not only damage Your Highness's reputation, but also betray the Empress Dowager's benevolent teachings and His Majesty's earnest expectations, thus corrupting the moral character of our imperial clan!"

Wang Zudao finally knelt down with a thud and held the memorial high.

"Your Majesty, I humbly beseech you to investigate thoroughly! Severely punish these sycophants, and reprimand the Prince's Palace to rectify the atmosphere and uphold the order of the court!"

His words were powerful and resounding.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone understood that this was directly aimed at Zhao Mingcheng, and even subtly pointed to Prince Duan.

The charges were extremely serious—"Guiding the Prince," "Indulging in play," "Abandoning his duties," and "Corrupting the royal family."

Cai Jing and Cai Bian stood with their eyes downcast, one at the front of the line and the other in the middle, their faces solemn, as if they too were worried about the "political climate" of the court.

Zeng Bu frowned slightly, glanced at Wang Zudao, and then quickly glanced at the emperor on the throne.

Zhang Dun remained expressionless, his fingers twirling slightly inside his sleeve, lost in thought.

Zhao Tingzhi was furious. He had reached his limit with Wang Zudao, that damned bastard. If he didn't speak up, Wang Zudao would really think he was a pushover.

At that moment, he felt a surge of heat rush to his head, and his ears were ringing.

These days, Zhao Tingzhi's suppressed anger, grievances, lingering fear, and the rage of a father being publicly humiliated by his son erupted like a volcano.

Zhao Tingzhi stepped out of the queue almost without thinking, his official robe billowing in the wind because of his hasty movement.

"This is to inform Your Majesty!"

Zhao Tingzhi's voice trembled slightly with extreme anger, yet it was exceptionally clear and firm.

He didn't even look at Wang Zudao, but faced the throne directly, bowed, and raised his voice.

"I also wish to impeach, impeach Wang Zudao, the Left Censor!"

A collective gasp of surprise erupted from the hall, which could no longer be suppressed.

Zhao Xu sat on the throne, leaning slightly forward, looking at the two people who had suddenly confronted each other below. His young face was expressionless, but his eyes were deep.

"Minister Zhao," Zhao Xu began, his voice calm, "what matter do you wish to impeach Minister Wang for?"

Zhao Tingzhi straightened up, turned around, and finally looked directly at Wang Zudao, who was still kneeling there.

His eyes were red, his chest heaving, but his words came faster and harsher with each sentence.

"Your Majesty, I impeach Wang Zudao for three major crimes! First, he used personal grudges and resentment to settle scores and frame innocent people! Second, he presumptuously judged princes, spoke frivolously, disrespected the imperial family, and failed in the proper conduct of a subject! Third, he was instructed by others to use this as an excuse to disrupt the court; his intentions are despicable!"

"You...you're spouting nonsense!" Wang Zudao suddenly raised his head, his face flushed, pointing at Zhao Tingzhi, his finger trembling.

"Am I making baseless accusations?"

Zhao Tingzhi interrupted him sharply, taking a step forward, his gaze like a knife.

"Wang Zudao! You just impeached my son, using the words 'rumors,' 'unacceptable,' 'guiding,' and 'bewitching'! Let me ask you, did my son enter and leave the Prince Duan's residence with the Empress Dowager's benevolent decree? Did he receive the Emperor's tacit permission? Did he obtain permission from the Imperial Academy and the National University? It's all in black and white, the regulations are all there! With your single phrase 'using a false pretense,' where do you place the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and the laws of the court? Are you questioning the imperial family, or questioning the national system?!"

These words were equally harsh, directly labeling the speaker as "questioning the imperial family."

Wang Zudao's face turned pale.

"I...I didn't mean that! I meant that their behavior was improper..."

"Secondly!" Zhao Tingzhi gave Wang Zudao no chance to catch his breath, raising his voice even higher. He used the same eloquence he had when he fought against the old party. Today, he was going to risk everything for his son.

"His Highness Prince Duan is exceptionally intelligent, learned, and accomplished in both literature and martial arts—this is common knowledge! His Highness enjoys arts and literature, and occasionally plays football with like-minded people to improve his health—what's wrong with that? You, as a subject, presumptuously speculate about the Prince's behavior, readily labeling him as 'indulging' or 'wasting his time,' your words are frivolous and utterly disrespectful! Is this how you should act as a subject? Is this the duty of a remonstrating official?!"

"You...you're just making excuses! Football is noisy and crude; how can this be appropriate for a prince?" Wang Zudao retorted, his momentum already weakened by three points.

"Thirdly!" Zhao Tingzhi's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a chilling aura, as he stared at Wang Zudao and spoke each word clearly.

"Wang Zudao, you speak so eloquently and selflessly today. But dare you, in front of the Emperor and all your colleagues, reveal what your true motives are?"

Wang Zudao's pupils contracted.

"What selfish motives could I possibly have! Zhao Tingzhi! Don't spout nonsense!"

"No selfish motives?" Zhao Tingzhi sneered, his smile full of mockery and anger.

"Then let me ask you, is your son Wang Yuan in the same Imperial Academy as my son Mingcheng? Last month, in the Imperial Academy's private examination, did my son come out on top? And what rank did your son Wang Yuan achieve?"

Wang Zudao was struck dumb, his face turning from red to green, then from green to white in an instant. His lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word.

"Don't dare to say it? Then I'll say it for you!"

Zhao Tingzhi surveyed the officials in the hall, his voice clear and loud, ensuring everyone could hear him.

"Your son passed the private examination last month with a score of B-level! That's not all; during the examination hall, your son clashed with my son for some reason, behaving inappropriately, and was reprimanded on the spot by the supervising official, which was recorded! This matter is documented in the Imperial Academy's records and is by no means a fabrication!"

A chorus of suppressed gasps and whispers filled the hall.

Many people's gazes toward Wang Zudao changed instantly, becoming filled with understanding and disdain.

So it turns out that his own son couldn't beat someone else's son in the exam and even lost face in the exam hall, so the father came here to settle a personal score.

Wang Zudao felt all the blood rush to his face, filled with shame and indignation, and pointed at Zhao Tingzhi.

"You...you're slandering me! It was just an unintentional mistake by a junior..."

"An unintentional mistake?" Zhao Tingzhi took a step closer, almost poking Wang Zudao's nose.

"What a convenient excuse for 'unintentional mistake'! Then what is it that you are doing today, disregarding all decorum, making baseless accusations, and framing my son? Is it because your son couldn't outperform my son that you feel ashamed and resentful?"

"Is it because your son embarrassed himself at the Imperial Academy that you want to drag other people's sons down with you and make them embarrass themselves?!" Wang Zu said, "I used to think you were just narrow-minded, but today I realize how despicable and utterly despicable you are!"

"Zhao Tingzhi! How dare you! You have failed to properly educate your son, allowing him to mislead the emperor and curry favor with a prince, and yet you dare to roar in the court and turn around and bite the hand that feeds you!"

Wang Zudao was so angered by the insults that he completely lost his composure and began to speak recklessly.

Neither Cai Jing nor Cai Bian stood up for Wang Zudao; what they wanted to see was the Emperor's reaction. Wang Zudao's loss in the argument was unimportant; the Emperor's reaction was what mattered.

Zeng Bu and Zhang Dun also did not stop it; they remained neutral and watched from the sidelines.

"I've failed as a parent? At least my son topped the exam with honor! At least he wasn't reprimanded by the examiners in the exam hall!"

Zhao Tingzhi refused to back down, his voice hoarse with excitement.

"My son is currying favor with the prince? That's because the prince has a high opinion of him and the Empress Dowager has bestowed a grace upon him! Unlike some people, who are incompetent themselves and whose sons are equally useless, all they do is hide in the shadows, stir up trouble, and use underhanded methods!"

"Wang Zudao, let me tell you, I, Zhao Ting, was wronged before and was reflecting on my mistakes in seclusion! But that doesn't mean my Zhao family is easy to bully! It doesn't mean my son can let you despicable people throw dirty water on him and pin dirt on him!"

Arguments among civil officials were a well-known tradition in the Song Dynasty court.

For example, Fan Zhongyan and Lü Yijian argued, Wang Anshi and Sima Guang argued, and Sima Guang and Su Shi argued. The insults were much fiercer than they are today, and some even came to blows.

The two argued more and more fiercely in front of the emperor, their spittle almost splashing onto each other's faces.

One accused the official of "framing someone with malicious intent," while the other accused him of being a "sycophant," completely lacking the decorum expected of high-ranking officials.

The officials in the hall stared in disbelief, and their whispers grew louder and louder.

Cai Jing frowned almost imperceptibly.

He never expected Zhao Tingzhi's reaction to be so intense and so reckless.

This was completely different from the situation he had envisioned, where Zhao Tingzhi would swallow his anger and passively take the beating.

This shifted the focus to Wang Zudao's personal grudge, significantly diminishing the effectiveness of the solution.

Zhang Dun, who had been silent all along, finally made a move.

He took a step forward, without raising his voice, but his imposing presence instantly drowned out the noise in the hall.

"That's enough!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it was like a muffled thunderclap, exploding in everyone's ears.

Zhao Tingzhi and Wang Zudao were both startled, and the argument stopped abruptly.

Zhang Dun didn't even look at them. He turned to the throne, cupped his hands, and spoke in a calm and even voice.

"The Chongzheng Hall is an important place for discussing state affairs, and is reserved for the Emperor. What kind of decorum is this, with the two of you arguing so noisily?"

Zhao Xu hadn't said a word since the argument started; he just watched coldly.

Upon seeing Zhang Dun appear, he nodded slightly, his face expressionless, but the impatience and annoyance in his eyes were quite evident.

Zhang Dun then turned to the side, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Tingzhi, whose face was flushed and who was panting heavily, and then over Wang Zudao, whose face was ashen and who was trembling all over, and said indifferently.

"The affairs of Prince Duan's residence are matters of the imperial family. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager will make their own decisions. Zhao Mingcheng is merely a student of the Imperial Academy, and his conduct is subject to the supervision of the Imperial College and the National Academy. Why bring these trivial games and pastimes into the court, only to cause trouble and waste time?"

Zhang Dun looked at Zhao Xu one last time, his tone becoming more serious.

"Such trivial matters are of Your Majesty's own discretion. At present, the situation on the northwest border is not yet settled, and the grain transport in the southeast is fraught with difficulties. These are the important matters of the nation. I believe that we should prioritize national affairs and not be overly concerned about minor disturbances."

This was a very tactful statement. It gave the emperor a way out, implied that the matter was insignificant, and warned both sides against letting personal matters interfere with public affairs.

Zhao Xu remained silent for a moment.

He was really annoyed.

He understood Wang Zudao's intentions.

Although Zhao Tingzhi's scolding was satisfying, it was indeed improper.

More importantly, Zhao Xu felt from the bottom of his heart that this matter was becoming more and more boring.

The eleventh brother likes to try new tricks, and Zhao Mingcheng accompanies him. Is this matter worth impeaching repeatedly, or even bringing it up in court?

The last impeachment was one thing, but this time they've brought up some old exam scandal. It's never going to end.

Moreover, he had met Zhao Mingcheng twice, and Zhao Xu knew Zhao Mingcheng much better than Wang Zudao. Zhao Xu really didn't want to get involved in this matter anymore.

"What you say, Lord Zhang, is quite right," Zhao Xu finally spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of weariness and indifference.

"I am aware of the matter concerning the Prince Duan's residence."

He looked at Wang Zudao, who was still kneeling, and spoke in a calm tone, which sent a chill down Wang Zudao's spine.

"It is the duty of the Wang Qing to report matters based on hearsay. However…," he paused.

"This is baseless speculation, an excessive implication, and inappropriate language, which is not befitting a censor. There is no need to discuss this matter further."

The phrase "no need for further discussion" summed up the nature of the impeachment—it was rejected outright.

Wang Zudao swayed.

The two Cais lowered their heads in unison.

They realized that the government intended to handle the matter quietly.

Another meaning of "cooling off" is that if there are any more matters concerning Prince Duan and Zhao Mingcheng, they should not be brought up in court again.

Zhao Xu then looked at Zhao Tingzhi, who was still indignant, and softened his tone, but still warned him.

"I know that Minister Zhao loves his son dearly, but in the court, one must be careful with one's words and actions and take into account the overall situation."

"Your subject... obeys the decree." Zhao Tingzhi took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent emotions, and bowed in response.

On the surface, the emperor was punishing both sides equally, but in reality, he won.

Wang Zudao's memorial was dismissed by the emperor with a casual "No need to discuss it further," and his son's troubles were temporarily resolved.

"This matter ends here. No one is allowed to discuss it again." Zhao Xu stood up, no longer looking at the crowd below.

"Dismiss the court."

"Dismiss the court—" the eunuch announced in a drawn-out voice.

The officials bowed and respectfully saw the emperor off.

Only after the imperial carriage disappeared behind the screen did the atmosphere in the hall relax slightly, and the buzzing of discussions could no longer be suppressed.

Wang Zudao was almost supported to stand up. His face was ashen, and he dared not look anyone in the eye. He kept his head down and followed Cai Bian quickly out of the main hall.

Zhao Tingzhi stood there, watching Wang Zudao's disheveled figure. He felt that most of the anger in his chest had been released, but what followed was a feeling of exhaustion and a trace of lingering fear.

Old Zhao is really going all out today.

Many colleagues came over, some patting him on the shoulder, others whispering a few words.

"Zhao Sheren is truly awe-inspiring today..."

"Zhao Sheren has the same flair as Wang Anshi in his prime..."

His colleagues' eyes held a complex mix of emotions: concern, admiration, and distance.

After this incident, everyone knew that Zhao Tingzhi had completely broken ties with Cai Jing.

As Zhang Dun walked past Zhao Tingzhi, he paused slightly, glanced at him, sighed softly, his eyes filled with disappointment, and left without saying anything.

Zeng Bu was the last to leave.

As Zeng Bu passed by Zhao Tingzhi, he did not stop, but left behind a very low whisper that drifted into Zhao Tingzhi's ears:

"Zhengfu (Zhao Tingzhi's courtesy name), your courage is nothing but a reckless act; you should think carefully about what you're doing."

Zhao Tingzhi was startled and stood still until everyone in the main hall had left, leaving only a few eunuchs cleaning. Only then did he slowly turn around and walk out of Chongzheng Hall.