"This is merely an article, and the excellence of the Great Scholar Su goes far beyond just articles." The Emperor seemed to be completely blocked by Chancellor Xu, really just sitting there discussing literature and romance, which was a good sign. "People always speak of Tang poetry and Song lyrics. Li Bai of the Tang Dynasty and Su Shi of the Song Dynasty were both like immortals. Even if it's just poetry, the Great Scholar Su is enough to be unparalleled in this dynasty. Besides that, there's painting and calligraphy. Among Su, Huang, Mi, and Cai, We studied Su and Huang... Throughout the ages, there have been many wise rulers and famous ministers, only a few who established virtue and rendered service. But that ultimately doesn't hinder the Great Scholar Su from establishing his words. How many years has it been since Scholar Su passed away? Yet the name Su Dongpo is likely enough to be immortal, right?"

The crowd naturally sighed in admiration.

"Bring it here." Zhao Jiu also sighed for a while, and seeing the atmosphere was good, he waved his hand to indicate.

Amidst the surprise of the crowd, Feng Yi respectfully held an object over, which was a scroll of calligraphy and painting. As Feng Yi and Yang Yizhong carefully unfurled the scroll, the crowd stirred even more with a sentence from Zhao, the Emperor: "Distinguished Chancellors, please come and see. This is the authentic work of Scholar Dongpo, *The First Ode to the Red Cliff*..."

The crowd could no longer restrain themselves. Even Xu Jingheng couldn't stand still and hurried forward to look, simply sighing in admiration. After the four chancellors looked for only a moment, several academicians and ministers became impatient, wishing they could immediately drive the four down and see for themselves.

However, Zhao Jiu seemed to not notice these people's postures at all, but suddenly asked a nonsensical question: "Is Ma Xingzu better?"

The crowd was baffled, but they saw the Adjutant Feng Yi instructing a nearby eunuch to carefully take the authentic work of *The First Ode to the Red Cliff*. Then he personally ran towards a small slope in the distance. After a while, he came back with several people from the distance. The person leading them was a famous court painter who had only recently arrived in Nanyang, the so-called Little Ma, Ma Xingzu. Everyone was shocked.

"How's the painting going?" Zhao Jiu asked with a smile from afar.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have not failed in my mission." Ma Xingzu came forward and bowed, his tone slightly excited. "It's roughly completed, just waiting to be mounted."

As he spoke, several more eunuchs carefully carried a long table to the front. On top was a long scroll of painting, the ink not yet completely dry... The ministers and workers on the riverbank couldn't help but stomp their feet. How could they not know that the Emperor had tricked them, having Ma Xingzu paint their clumsy appearances of eating fish!

In fact, this was because they didn't understand Zhao, the Emperor's, good intentions. At this time, the sun was setting in the west, and the light was shining from the west, illuminating the riverbank cleanly. With good lighting, everything looked good. Ma Xingzu was sitting to the west, facing east, to create this painting, which was perfect timing.

Of course, Zhao Jiu wouldn't care if he painted someone ugly... He hurried to look at the painting, first seeing that his own posture was still neat and prominent, and then he felt relieved and began to seriously appreciate it... However, Zhao Jiu didn't see anything good or bad after looking for a long time, just feeling it was quite flavorful, especially the misty Bai River, with a lot of blank space in the distance, which contrasted interestingly with the tiny figures on the riverbank in various postures.

While the others were uneasy, Zhao, the Emperor, looked for who knows how long. Then, he suddenly picked up a brush on the table and directly wrote a passage in the blank space at the corner of the painting, using the Su-style calligraphy that his body was accustomed to.

It read: "The river flows with sound, the broken banks are a thousand feet high; the mountains are tall, the moon is small, the water recedes, and the rocks appear. How many days and months have passed, and the rivers and mountains are no longer recognizable."

The four chancellors around him watched quietly, each silent.

After the Emperor finished writing, he called for another person: "Su Dan, is it?"

"This commoner has seen Your Majesty!" Su Shi's eldest grandson quickly stepped forward and knelt on the ground.

"Rise, today you are the guest of honor." Zhao Jiu smiled softly and sighed, then pointed to the table with his finger. "You gifted Us *The First Ode to the Red Cliff*. We are endlessly grateful, but We have nothing to repay you with, so We can only give you this painting, *A Suburban Outing on the Bai River*, and write *The Second Ode to the Red Cliff* as a return gift."

Su Dan was uneasy, seemingly not knowing the Emperor's intentions.

Lu Haowen really couldn't watch any longer, so he quickly reminded him: "Quickly thank the Emperor for his grace. With this painting, this calligraphy, and the Emperor's discussion of the Eight Great Masters today, are you still worried that the Great Scholar Su cannot be rehabilitated?"

Su Dan suddenly understood, and knelt down again, tears streaming down his face.

Seeing this, Zhao Jiu sighed and turned his head to force a smile: "Chancellor Lu, We won't give you a note today, but issue an imperial decree to abolish all bans on the Yuanyou partisans!"

"Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness." Hearing this, Lu Haowen actually prostrated himself and kowtowed to express his gratitude, and surprisingly, no one expressed any dissent around him. On the contrary, Ye Mengde and the others also imitated him, paying their respects with grand bows.

Zhao Jiu didn't panic, but easily helped Lu Haowen up... He knew that Chancellor Lu's ancestors were also on the Yuanyou partisan stele.

However, after helping up his own Prime Minister and carrying the painting to the front of the Su brothers, Zhao, the Emperor, shook his head and smiled again: "We still don't understand. My Prime Minister is a Yuanyou partisan, and the ban on the Yuanyou partisans is nominally but not truly abolished. Why are you still pressing so hard?"

"Your Majesty!" Seeing that Lu Haowen was satisfied and still unwilling to say more, Xu Jingheng hesitated again and again, and finally seriously cupped his hands in salute. "In the court, the words right and wrong are of great importance. If the name is not correct, then words will not be heeded..."

Zhao Jiu forced another smile: "What We fear is this... Chancellor Xu, must you distinguish between right and wrong? If according to your meaning, the Yuanyou partisans are unbanned, shouldn't the Yuanfeng partisans be banned again? If that's the case, Li Gang, Prime Minister Li's, own father, and Zong Ze, Prime Minister Zong, were both promoted by Lü Huiqing. Should they be expelled together?"

Xu Jingheng's face was ugly, and he could only bow again: "Your subject has absolutely no such intention. As long as Your Majesty can posthumously honor the Yuanyou partisans and clarify the right and wrong, whatever happens to the Yuanfeng partisans, let bygones be bygones."

Lu Haowen was beside him. After hesitating for a moment, he also cupped his hands in salute: "Your subject believes that what Chancellor Xu said is extremely correct."

Zhao Jiu almost stopped smiling, but still barely managed to keep smiling: "Two Chancellors, We fished for you today, and We painted for you, and We even borrowed the Great Scholar Su to write on it. Can't We exchange it for you to be muddle-headed once? The country is in such danger. Why can't you two Chancellors step back a little?"

Lu Haowen and Xu Jingheng looked at each other, but neither spoke.

At this time, Zhang Jun, under the tree next to him, taking advantage of his still lingering drunkenness, suddenly spoke out: "Your Majesty, they are not seeking courtly strife, but academic strife. The Luoyang School and the New School are irreconcilable... Back then, during the Jingkang Incident, the country was in extreme danger. They still wanted Emperor Yuansheng (Emperor Qinzong of Song) to lift the ban on the Yuanyou partisans, provoking conflict. Now that the Jin people have retreated slightly, how can they not take the opportunity to ask Your Majesty to establish the Luoyang School as the prominent school and dismiss the New School as heresy? In Your subject's view, the two Chancellors are already respectful enough to Your Majesty. Because during the Jingkang Incident, even a peaceful person like Chancellor Lu wouldn't let Emperor Yuansheng eat for these matters. Today, even Chancellor Xu can tolerate Your Majesty eating and writing. Hasn't he already stepped back a lot?"

Lu Haowen and Xu Jingheng both felt a chill in their hearts.

And the Emperor did indeed sneer: "Is that so?"

"Your subject has no intention of neglecting state affairs." Xu Jingheng, preempting Lu Haowen, took off his soft hat and said solemnly. "Your Majesty, Your subject believes that only by determining right and wrong can state affairs be properly managed... As for the Censor-in-Chief impeaching Your subject for forcing Your Majesty too much, Your subject is willing to follow precedent and request to resign to prove my innocence!"

"Zhang Que is about to die," Zhao Jiu suddenly said. "Today We dismissed the court meeting early for this matter, and We also summoned you here for this... What do you think We have softened like this for today? Isn't it just to ask you to endure each other for the sake of the country and maintain the stability of the court?"

Liu Ziyu, still suffering from a headache, barely glanced at Zhang Jun, who already regretted his impulsive words due to his drunkenness. As for Lu Haowen and Xu Jingheng... Chancellor Lu was fine, but Xu Jingheng, who had an almost life-and-death relationship with Zhang Que, suddenly looked up.

"Isn't it that you must have Us give a statement?" Zhao Jiu forced a smile and said. "We will give it to you today... Just now, Minister Ye asked Us why We ranked Wang Shu (Wang Anshi) before Ouyang Xiu. Because with Our own personal admiration, Wang Shu is truly the number one person in this dynasty!"

Lu Haowen also raised his head.

"We are not talking about scholarship, but about governing and being a prime minister. The Great Scholar Su established words, while Chancellor Wang established merit and established words." Zhao Jiu continued to smile. "If it weren't for the repeated actions of the old party, the long-standing problem with Western Xia would have been resolved long ago. Where would today's disaster come from? As for the thieves like Cai Jing, pretending to be the new party, on the surface they are implementing the new policies, but in reality they are harming the people and plundering. Such people will harm others even in the old party. What does that have to do with Wang Shu? Although We are young, We can distinguish the roots of right and wrong... Therefore, We will say it directly today. We can pardon and employ the old party, but if you want Us to belittle the new party and respect the old party to determine what is right and wrong, We will definitely not comply!"

Lu Haowen closed his eyes and sighed, Xu Jingheng was full of incomprehension.

"Your Majesty!"

At this time, someone who had not spoken for a long time suddenly raised his voice to remind him. "Your Majesty! You were established by the Empress Dowager Yuanyou!"

Hearing these words, who knows how many people took a collective breath, and then said in unison in their hearts – finally, someone has said these words!

You know, if it weren't for these words, Zhao, the Emperor's, confidants would have jumped out to beat up Chancellor Xu long ago. How could they have allowed the situation to deteriorate to this point?

"Finally, someone has said these words." Zhao, the Emperor, was not angry when he heard Ye Mengde's words. "We know what you are thinking! Even though We banished the person who proposed removing Wang Anshi's princely title to Lingnan when We were wandering about, you still followed one after another... Isn't it because you feel that We were established by Empress Dowager Yuanyou, and Empress Dowager Yuanyou was established by Empress Dowager Xuanren (Empress Gao Tao Tao)? Therefore, you feel that We will eventually understand that if We cannot inherit the legacy and respect the old party, then We are being rebellious, and We are not worthy to be the ruler of the country... Is that so?"

"Your subject has absolutely no such intention." Ye Mengde gave a desperate blow, but did not reap the expected results. He was already flustered, and now that he heard the Emperor's heavy words, he quickly took off his soft hat and bowed in response.

"What do you mean 'absolutely no such intention'?" Zhao Jiu smiled again when he heard the words. "Chancellor Lu and Chancellor Xu are just not giving Us face today, but Minister Ye has torn off Our face. How can you say you have no such intention?"

"Minister Ye misspoke for a moment..." Lu Haowen pleaded with difficulty.

"Let Minister Ye go out and govern Yangzhou." Zhao Jiu said nonchalantly. "Let the prefect of Yangzhou, Lü Yihao, come here to be the Minister of Public Works... When Minister Ye arrives in Yangzhou, he may as well ask the Empress Dowager in person, can We be deposed if We don't respect the old party?"

Ye Mengde's face was pale, and he could no longer stand, but could only prostrate himself and kowtow. Lu Haowen could only imitate Xu Jingheng beside him, taking off his soft hat as a gesture.

And Zhao, the Emperor, continued to speak: "What do you think is the reason why We respect Wang Shu? Why can't We bring out the old party?! Isn't it because We want to resist the Jin?! According to your meaning, respecting Sima Guang and Su Shi... Are you respecting Sima Guang for returning the territory of Western Xia, or respecting Su Shi's 'servant of Wei Qing'?"

"Your Majesty," Xu Jingheng's face also turned pale, but he was the last person on the riverbank to make an effort. "The Great Scholar Su was not mocking Wei Qing, he was mocking those who were fortunate enough to advance at that time."

"We know!" Zhao Jiu scoffed. "And We believe that with the Great Scholar Su's benevolence, if he could see the Shame of Jingkang with his own eyes and live a little longer, he might become a military official and open up the borders in the Hehuang region! But didn't he not see the Shame of Jingkang? Can't he live again? If We greatly respect Su Shi and posthumously grant him the title of Grand Tutor or something, when Han Shizhong and those people see 'servant of Wei Qing', will they think that Your Majesty is calling them his confidants on the surface, but in reality, he sees them as servants?! Chancellor Xu, how many times do you want Us to say it? Today, the most important thing in the world is to resist the Jin... We don't want those who obey Us to prosper and those who oppose Us to perish, but only want those who obey Us to rise and those who oppose Us to yield. But you can't even do that!"

"We did see that the Jin people had retreated slightly before taking the opportunity to discuss this matter. We have absolutely no evil intentions..." Xu Jingheng was already weak. "The old party and the Luoyang School are not so foolish as to deliberately ignore military preparedness or belittle military strategy."

"You certainly have no evil intentions and are not foolish, but you are just accustomed to it," Zhao Jiu said with a smile. "We will teach you one more thing... In the first year of Jingkang, the Jin people went south for the first time and withdrew their troops in February. The two emperors in the court then started a dispute, and as a result, the Jin people came again in August. In the second year, the Jin people captured the two emperors in April, and We ascended the throne in Nanjing in June. Huang Qian'shan and Li Gang started another dispute, and as a result, the Jin people went south for the third time in October. Now it is the second year of Jianyan. The Jingdong, Jingxi, and Guanzhong regions have all collapsed. The Jin people also retreated in April... We only ask all of you Chancellors, Academicians, and Ministers, when do you think they will come this year? What are you hoping to achieve by making trouble at this time?"

Lu Haowen, Xu Jingheng, and others all felt a tightness in their chests.

"We will say it directly today. You are not allowed to resign, not allowed to leave your posts without cause, not allowed to claim illness without permission, and not allowed to retire without permission, and you are no longer allowed to discuss the disputes between the old and new parties..." Zhao Jiu rarely put on a straight face. "This is because the country is in a difficult situation, and the Jin and Song are still at war. Who knows, the Jin people may go south in two months. And We have gone to great lengths today and were finally forced to say these unpleasant words. If anyone causes trouble at this time, in Our eyes, they will be betraying the country like Liu Guangshi. If anyone is not convinced, please go find Ye Dayin and ask him to jointly ask the Empress Dowager to depose Us. Then you can freely exercise your skills. That's all!"

Lu Haowen and Xu Jingheng looked at each other, put on their soft hats in shame, while Ye Mengde collapsed completely.

"Your Majesty, Your subject requests that Ye Mengde be punished for his reckless talk of deposition and be exiled to Lingao, Qiongzhou," Hu Yin, who had been silent all along, suddenly stepped forward to impeach him.

Hearing these words, Lu, Xu, Wang, Yuwen, plus the Censor-in-Chief Zhang Jun, and many other ministers, all reacted and almost jumped up from the embankment together to express their agreement.

Zhao Jiu looked at Hu Yin, then looked at the rare consensus among the ministers, and suddenly smiled: "Then let's do it that way!"

Hearing this, Ye Mengde felt completely relieved and couldn't help but be grateful to Hu Yin... If it weren't for Hu Yin, his only way out would be to jump into the Bai River and commit suicide tonight. But going to Lingao, who knows, he might come back someday.

The sky was getting dark, and everyone dispersed with their own thoughts.

Not to mention what those ministers were thinking, Zhao, the Emperor, rarely didn't ride a horse, but returned to the city by carriage with Madam Wu. On the way, Madam Wu, seeing the Emperor frowning tightly, wanted to comfort him, but didn't want to touch on political affairs. After thinking about it, she suddenly leaned on his shoulder and asked with a smile:

"Your Majesty, you said before that if the Great Scholar Su could see today and then live again, he might go to the Hehuang region to open up the borders?"

"That's right."

"Then if Your Majesty were Emperor Shenzong, how would you arrange for the Great Scholar Su?" Madam Wu asked curiously. "Would you also have him open up the borders in the Hehuang region?"

"Of course not." Zhao Jiu, who was thinking about things, blurted out. "Instead, We would banish him a few years earlier... As the saying goes, 'talent is hated by fortune', if he hadn't been banished for half his life, how could he have written such good articles and poems? As for letting him open up the borders, he might die on the battlefield."

Madam Wu was stunned for a moment.

"Stop the carriage."

Zhao, the Emperor, didn't say much more to Madam Wu, but suddenly gave the order. After the carriage stopped in the middle of the road, he got out directly and had people open the scroll of *The First Ode to the Red Cliff*.

Madam Wu understood and immediately helped hold the lamp. Feng Yi also quickly stepped forward and offered ink and brushes.

Zhao Jiu took the ink and brushes and, by the light of the lamp, directly wrote a passage on the back of *The First Ode to the Red Cliff*.

"Give it to Chancellor Xu behind Us and let him reward the family of Chancellor Zhang Que for Us." After Zhao Jiu finished writing the passage, he threw the brush to the ground and only instructed Feng Yi before getting back into the carriage.

Feng Yi didn't dare to be negligent. He carefully held the precious scroll and came to Chancellor Xu's carriage, which was not far behind the Emperor's carriage, and explained the situation.

Xu Jingheng was full of worries, but when he heard about this matter, he cheered up slightly, got out of the carriage himself to receive it, and thanked the Emperor for Zhang Que.

The carriages of Lu, Wang, Yuwen, and Zhang Jun were all close by. When they heard that the Emperor had bestowed *The First Ode to the Red Cliff* to Zhang Que, and that there was an inscription, they also hurried over and each held a lamp to see what the Emperor had written.

However, the few of them looked at it one by one and then fell silent one by one. Not only that, but after the Emperor's carriage had gone far, countless Academicians, Ministers, and Attendants came to look at it in turn, and most of them were silent as well.

It turned out that these few lines of small characters were clear, written in the Su-style that the Emperor had learned, but the content was from Wang Shu's (Wang Anshi's) famous work, *Record of a Visit to Mount Baochan*, which was the subject of much debate today.

As the saying goes:

"However, if one has the ability to reach it, one may be criticized by others, but one will regret it oneself. If one has exhausted one's ambition but cannot reach it, one can have no regrets. Who can criticize it?"

ps: Good night everyone... I did my best.