My father Zhao Kuangyin

On the 20th, the Emperor issued another edict through the Central Secretariat.

Unlike the previous edicts that appointed officials to fill vacancies in the Secretariat, this time more than 500 officials from various departments were dismissed.

Those guilty of serious crimes were executed directly, while those guilty of minor crimes were dismissed from their posts, conscripted into corvée labor, and sent to other prefectures to reclaim wasteland and cultivate the land, contributing to the construction of the Song Dynasty.

Heaven bears witness that this was Prime Minister Zhao's powerful counterattack.

Several days later, the trend of the Prime Minister's residence collapsing and its followers scattering was contained, but there were signs of a resurgence.

On the other hand, Prefect Zhao, who was riding high on the political scene, began to become cautious and dared not cause any more trouble.

This greatly surprised Wang Pu, the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince.

He had initially wavered, fearing that his family would be implicated in the political struggle and fall into ruin along with Zhao Dezhao. But now that the situation had reversed, he became very enthusiastic again, allowing Zhao Dezhao to call upon Yue Gong.

"Having served by Your Majesty's side for over ten years, I, an old man, am still not as knowledgeable of Your Majesty's intentions as the Second Prince."

At the celebratory private banquet at the Grand Tutor's mansion, Wang Pu looked at Zhao Dezhao, then turned to Zhao Pu with a wry smile.

Zhao Dezhao, still knowing how to be humble, replied solemnly, "Those involved are often blinded by their own interests. Although my father intended to dismiss you, sir, due to the impeachment of treacherous people, you must still be cautious in the future, especially when it comes to matters of corruption."

This advice was actually somewhat disrespectful, but Zhao Pu paid no heed. He wanted to retain his position as prime minister, or even sole prime minister. To put it dramatically, he didn't even need his children...

Removing Zhao Guangyi from his post is tantamount to seizing power, and seizing power is no different from falling from grace. If Zhao Guangyi were to take the throne, how could his entire family escape unscathed?

As for Ma Shi's family being spared, it was because the emperor took care of them. But when the emperor passed away and his son was incompetent to succeed him, then the sky would have fallen.

"Qi Wu, your son is twenty-two and has no children yet. We should not delay any longer."

"I understand, but we must wait until the storm has passed, the betrothal is settled, and an auspicious day should be chosen for the ceremony."

Even after saying that, Old Man Wang was still somewhat reluctant to part with his only daughter.

Of course, compared to the previous situation of being mismatched in social status, the current situation is one of worry.

The position of Vice Chancellor is not enough to solidify the foundation. To take a big step forward, one must request a title, whether it be a one-character king or a two-character prince. Establishing a government and hiring staff is a major event.

Zhao Guangyi was not in a hurry, because Kaifeng Prefecture was a prefecture, and its official residences were more numerous than those of a royal palace.

Times have changed. The officials of Kaifeng Prefecture were punished, though not as severely as those of the Central Secretariat, but they were still not spared from being dealt with drastically, resulting in a lose-lose situation.

In general, Zhao Guangyi and Zhao Pu were roughly equal in strength, each suffering significant damage to their fundamental vitality.

Besides the two high-ranking officials, Old Wang and Old Zhao, there was also Mi Jifeng, who was with Zhao Dezhao, and Wang Pu's eldest son, Wang Yisun, Wang Xiangxian.

Mi Jifeng goes without saying, but Wang Yisun, his brother-in-law, needs some discussion.

The current Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Finance is a sixth-rank official with a nominal salary, but he does not participate in official duties. In fact, Wang Yisun is also an idle person.

However, leisure is relative. Wang Puping was always reading and loved learning, which is an old tradition left by the children of high-ranking families throughout history.

Zhao Dezhao had personally visited the Prince's study, but that was only a corner of the "heavenly palace." Legend has it that Wang Pu had a collection of ten thousand volumes of books, and his son Yisun was just as studious as his father, reading them all.

Judging from the room full of scrolls that day, the former is genuine, and the latter is most likely genuine as well.

Why?

This was because Wang Yisun was sitting next to him; he was gentle and refined, with a strong scholarly air, and liked to quote classical texts when he spoke.

"Is Ah Lang not good at drinking?"

"Wine is the best of all medicines. Drinking it in moderation will not harm your health; on the contrary, it will nourish it," Wang Yisun said with a faint smile.

Today's wines, such as Wuyunjiang, are mostly made from grains, rather than the high-precision baijiu of later generations.

Qi Bo said: "Since ancient times, sages have made decoctions and fermented wines as a precaution. In ancient times, decoctions were made but not consumed. In the medieval period, morality declined and evil influences frequently appeared, so consuming them was perfectly safe..."

While Wang Yisun was raising his glass and talking animatedly, Zhao Dezhao only half understood what he was hearing. Not daring to analyze the specific issues, he gave a few ambiguous responses.

"Everything goes wrong when taken to excess. It is only natural for Alang to advise the Emperor."

Wang Pu glanced at his eldest son, who was talking boastfully, with a cold look. But when he turned to look at Zhao Dezhao, his expression changed swiftly, and he smiled.

"His Majesty is busy with many affairs of state, and it is inevitable that he will overlook private matters. Your Highness, you may consult the Empress."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao gave a bitter smile.

He could easily understand Wang Pu's unspoken meaning: this wasn't urging him to get married, but rather a reminder to himself to visit the Song family more often.

In fact, Zhao Dezhao has not been idle. He had no interest in vying for the throne in the past, but now he is too ambitious, which makes him seem quite scheming to outsiders.

Knowing she was incapable of controlling the situation, Song's heart remained with her fourth son.

"You are not a fish, how can you know the fish's joy?" Wang Yisun interjected, "If you, my lord, are not sincere, how can you know whether His Highness, like the Emperor, will change his mind?"

Zhao Dezhao chuckled dryly, without refuting, and finished the wine in his cup.

Sincerity? How much more sincerity is needed?

If we continue to be sincere, won't we eventually have to be completely honest with each other?

How can a son be close to his mother when he is older than her?

Besides, the Song family's status wasn't high either. The Song family's prominence was earned through their father's hard work and battles.

As for trying to win over Song Wo, forget about it.

When two parties contend, they can only do so through diplomacy, not through force.

If Zhao Pu and Zhao Guangyi dared to win over the generals of the Imperial Guard, they would be ousted from their posts by Emperor Taizu in no time.

Zhao Dezhao didn't say these bullshit things to his face, partly to save face for his brother-in-law. The man didn't do any business, but devoted himself to studying the classics. He was older than Zhao Dezhao, but his mind was truly restless.

It was mostly due to his family education. In the past, Wang Pu wanted to "retire from the business." Otherwise, not to mention being a chancellor alongside Zhao Pu, it wouldn't have been difficult for him to become a vice chancellor or minister.

Now, she probably wants to arrange for her eldest son to live by her side so that the two families can be more closely bound together.

Losing a daughter and then giving away a son?

As Zhao Dezhao drifted into reverie, his curiosity about the mysterious and unseen Grand Tutor Wang grew ever stronger.

Food safety is of paramount importance. We must verify the quality of each item, even the most exquisite ones. What if it really weighs a fortune?

"My lady, look, the eldest son saw it and made way for me."

The maidservant pointed out from the corridor, acting as a cover sentry for the brother and sister.

"I heard from my grandfather that he was a heavy drinker and repeatedly advised the emperor to quit drinking." Wang Zhaoyun leaned against the wall, glanced around, and said with a light laugh, "He doesn't know what he's doing, and his character is unknown in private. This boy must have some big plans."

The maidservant involuntarily glanced at the ravine, then looked back at the stone wall beneath her feet, pursed her lips, and was speechless.

She doesn't know what kind of character he is, but his schemes are certainly grand.

Of course, what she was thinking about was the position of Crown Prince.

Are you drunk?

"This servant doesn't know... but it seems she's blushing."

Wang Zhaoyun looked around again and murmured.

"His face is as round as a cartwheel, truly a reflection of his father's."

"My lady, don't underestimate her. I heard my master and master say that such a full face is often the mark of an emperor, indicating that she is destined for greatness."

"Dragon... more like a jiao (a type of dragon)."

While the master and servant whispered and spied like thieves, Zhao Dezhao, unable to hold his liquor, disregarded his brother-in-law's reserve, put his large hand around Wang Yisun's shoulder, and laughed.

"A golden carp is no ordinary fish; it will transform into a dragon once it encounters wind and clouds. Xiangxian, just watch and see; the sun will rise again..."

"Ah Lang, be careful what you say...be careful what you say."

Although Wang Yisun was impressed by the poem's boldness, he was even more worried that the poem would reach the ears of the officials and cause controversy.

After a moment, Zhao Dezhao calmed down and said, "A dragon's son is a dragon, so why would I be afraid of my father hearing this?"

"That being said, Ah Lang is ultimately a subject..."

In fact, Zhao Dezhao also wanted to imitate Emperor Gaozu of Han, but he was at a loss for words, so he borrowed half of a poem from a fictional story.

Zhao Pu stroked his beard and sighed, "Only when young men have spirit do they know that youth is still alive."

If one has to be evasive and lacks any courage in saying these things, how can one be considered a ruler?

Even that failed scholar, the mighty general, wrote that heroic poem in his dejected state, and later stormed into Chang'an, usurped the throne, and nearly destroyed the Tang Dynasty.

Wang Pu was also pondering the matter, but because it was an overstepping of his bounds, he dared not make comments as outrageous as Zhao Pu.

It is evident that Zhao Xianggong's reformation and humility were only temporary. In the past, even if he was not on equal footing with the emperor, they at least respected each other and each had their own merits.

After several rounds of drinks, as the banquet was about to end, Zhao Dezhao was already somewhat unsteady on his feet when he was about to return home. Fortunately, he was still conscious and could still walk.

Upon seeing this, Wang Yisun, the mastermind behind the scheme, immediately helped him up, saying, "Young master, you're drunk. Why don't you sleep in the mansion?"

"Thank you, Brother Xiangxian, but I dare not trouble you any further..."

"Then have a bowl of hangover soup, rest a bit, and then go."

After repeated dissuasion, Zhao Dezhao reluctantly retreated.

As he had expected, his brother-in-law soon disappeared, and it was a maid who brought him the sour soup.

Putting aside her beautiful appearance, her demeanor was completely different from that of a servant, and her heart was even more magnanimous.

"Brother, it's time for your soup."

Zhao Dezhao paused, somewhat unable to bear it.

Although he is indeed a big shot in the current league, isn't that a bit of a jinx to his husbands?

"I'll do it myself."

"My lord is a guest; how could I not know proper etiquette?"

The fragrance of orchids wafted in on the night breeze, and upon hearing the words "this humble servant," a surge of righteous energy rose up. Zhao Dezhao immediately sat up straight, displaying the demeanor of a true gentleman.

It is common knowledge that even a virtuous person cannot guard against a petty person; it is unclear whether this is mockery or provocation.

The flowing silk robe that reached her chest was particularly striking at this moment, like a woman holding a pipa, half-concealing her face, outlining her fair and delicate figure.

The body of the car is graceful, with slender sections like willow branches, while the shafts and rear axle are plump and just the right amount.

(The shaft is the part that pulls the cart. The yoke is the rear of the large cart.)

Zhao Dezhao kept his eyes straight ahead, focusing only on the bowl.

Once the soup had been thoroughly stirred with a spoon until not a drop remained, Grand Tutor Wang took out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped his lips.

"My wife, let me do it..."

"Don't move."

Wang Zhaoyun seemed to have obsessive-compulsive disorder; she had to scrub with furrowed brows, and only felt better after she could no longer bear the stains.

She blinked her bright yet dignified phoenix eyes, reverting to her previous submissive demeanor.

Seeing this stark contrast between the two people, Zhao Dezhao couldn't help but smile.

"I have remained chaste to this day, a man of upright character, so why should my wife doubt me?"

It should be noted that jade was originally used to describe men, referring to their appearance and virtue.

For example, Xie Hui, a minister of the Liu Song dynasty, had a appearance as white as jade, and was praised by Emperor Gaozu of Song as "a jade man".

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhaoyun was taken aback, thinking to herself, "Is this going against the Heavenly Gang?"

"My lord is drunk. I am but a humble servant..."

"When did I say you weren't a maid?"

The room remained silent for a long while. Finally, Wang Zhaoyun couldn't bear it any longer. Her cheeks flushed red, and she hurriedly put down the soup bowl and gracefully left.

Seeing this, Zhao Dezhao was not in a hurry. He rubbed his forehead, washed his face with water, and then bid farewell to Old Man Wang in an orderly manner before heading home.

…………