"Husband, what's the point of discussing these matters now, when it has come to this?"
Tong Guan sneered again.
"If that's the case, then the two of you wait here for a moment. This old man will be back shortly!"
After saying this, Cai Jing looked as if he had aged ten years, his body even swaying as he walked.
Watching his retreating back, even Tong Guan felt a strange sense of unease.
However, he soon cast such inexplicable feelings aside. Having navigated the treacherous currents of officialdom for so many years, he was already accustomed to it.
Meanwhile, in the study of the Cai mansion, Cai Jing, holding a jade brush, was in a state of mixed emotions.
The emperor's sudden move had completely disrupted his plans.
The position of Grand Governor of Daming had not yet been secured, and he was about to be dismissed from court, yet the emperor was now forcing him to submit his final letter of resignation.
With matters having reached this point, it was easy to imagine that once this resignation was submitted, the emperor would readily approve it with a wave of his hand.
In the political arena, while there were indeed many upright and loyal individuals, the vast majority were those who followed the prevailing winds.
If he had followed the usual procedures and slowly worked through the process, perhaps those people would have still shown him some respect.
Considering the possibility of his eventual comeback, especially since he was known for creating miracles.
Retiring at sixty was essentially an ironclad rule in the Song dynasty's officialdom.
Generally, all chancellors at that age would either be concerned about their reputation or their vested interests.
They would invariably make arrangements in advance and then retire peacefully.
However, he alone had repeatedly broken records while holding the position of chancellor.
He was the only chancellor in the entire history of the Song dynasty to have ascended to the position of chancellor three times.
Who could guarantee that he wouldn't have a fourth opportunity to become chancellor?
But now, things were different. The emperor's current demeanor was clearly announcing to all the officials that the relationship between the emperor and Cai Jing had completely deteriorated.
Although Cai Jing was not yet dead, his political career had essentially come to an end.
Everyone understood that Cai Jing's era was over, and whose era would succeed it was now quite clear.
"Father, you cannot write this letter of resignation!"
Just as Cai Jing was about to put pen to paper, Cai Xiao grabbed his wrist and said through gritted teeth.
"Cannot write? Is this a matter of whether I want to write it or not? Haven't you understood yet? This is clearly the Emperor's will!"
As Cai Jing spoke, two lines of tears welled up in his cloudy eyes.
"You are the current chancellor; how can you admit defeat so easily? As long as you don't write the resignation, do you think the Emperor will personally come to demand it! As for those two outside, who knows what their true intentions are? In recent years, haven't there been enough instances of Liang Shicheng forging imperial edicts?"
Cai Xiao had originally been very close to Cai You. However, after seeing Cai You personally visit today, Cai Xiao's perception of him immediately changed.
It was only then that he realized that what he and his brother truly desired were completely different things.
He wanted to prove to his father that his choices were the correct ones.
But Cai You's objective was entirely different; he wanted to completely seize all power from his father!
Even to the point of harming his own father for this purpose.
After all, this was the Song dynasty. If he himself did not wish it, even the emperor's request could be directly refused.
"If I step down now, I might still leave some legacy for you. If I persist further..."
Cai Jing could not finish his sentence here, but Cai Xiao, like a gambler who had lost everything, was in no mood to listen to him.
"It is all my fault, Father. I should not have allowed you to enter officialdom in the first place. If you all had stayed in our hometown to study, perhaps now our Cai family would be united in brotherhood..."
Looking at his son's stubbornness, Cai Jing closed his eyes in despair.
A father knew his son best. He knew perfectly well what kind of people his sons were.
Without his protection, given their personalities, trouble would likely befall them before long.
Years of worldly experience had allowed him to see through all the complexities of life.
A prominent family enjoying wealth and prestige could be wiped out, with all its members executed, within a few days. He had not only witnessed many such events over the years but had also orchestrated many of them.
As he grew older, he increasingly feared the concept of karma...
——————
"Your subject, Cai Jing, has been favored by Your Majesty, and in my declining years, I have held the position of chancellor..."
Upon seeing the letter of resignation presented by Cai You, Zhao Ji finally let out a long sigh of relief.
"You probably haven't been home these past few days either, have you?"
Having obtained what he desired, Zhao Ji smiled and placed the memorial on a table beside him.
"Replying to Your Majesty, I have indeed not..."
Zhao Ji used the word "home," not "mansion."
Given Cai You's intelligence, he naturally understood. Zhao Ji was referring to Cai Jing's grand residence in Bianliang City, not his own private residence.
"Tomorrow evening is the Qionglin Banquet. Recalling those days, I, your sovereign, and your father..."
As Zhao Ji spoke, he even felt a pang of sadness.
It could be said that the fifteen years Cai Jing served as chancellor were the most carefree fifteen years of his life.
Without Cai Jing assisting him in managing state affairs, accumulating wealth, and devising various schemes, given his own conduct over the years, he would likely have been incessantly criticized by the court ministers.
While this might be considered a joke in other dynasties, it was a genuine reality in the Song dynasty.
Protected by the stone tablet left by the founding emperor, the civil officials of the Song dynasty were not ordinary people who feared death. Not only did they submit memorials criticizing the emperor, but there were even instances where they directly berated the emperor.
Back then, when Emperor Yingzong had just ascended the throne and showed disrespect to Empress Dowager Cao, the widow of Emperor Renzong, the chancellor Bi Fu had directly rushed forward with his court tablet.
If Yingzong had not reacted quickly and admitted his mistake on the spot, he would likely have faced a severe beating.
Therefore, if there were no affection between the two, even Zhao Ji himself would not have believed it.
Previously, their shared interests had overshadowed such considerations, but now, after receiving this letter of resignation, Zhao Ji truly felt a trace of reluctance.
"Your Majesty..."
Seeing Zhao Ji lost in thought, Cai You said softly.
"When you return, tell your father that tomorrow morning, I will visit his residence to see him. And in the evening, he shall accompany me to the Qionglin Banquet to observe the newly appointed scholars!"
"Yes!"