"Indeed, you've hit the nail on the head. But I'd like to know, for whom do you intend to be a dog, as you say?"
Looking at Cai Jing's smiling face, Han Mo picked up his wine cup again.
"To learn skills in literature and martial arts, and then sell them to the emperor. Hasn't it always been this way, since ancient times? What about the emperor and the literati ruling the world together – in the end, isn't it all just a watchdog?"
After hearing Cai Jing's words, Han Mo finally revealed a smile of relief.
After all this talk, the root cause was here!
Now, he finally understood why Cai Jing, born into a noble family, had ultimately abandoned even a shred of the integrity expected of a scholar and official.
If one is already a dog, what integrity is there to speak of?
As long as the emperor is pleased, one will naturally have good food and drink, and enjoy wealth and prosperity. What is the price of a scholar's integrity per pound?
"Do you have any more questions?"
Casually yawning, Cai Jing then looked at Han Mo again.
"There's truly nothing more to say. Now, only one last matter remains!"
With this matter settled, the slight guilt Han Mo had felt about scheming against Cai Ding had long since vanished.
Those who walk different paths cannot plan together. Moreover, at this critical juncture, even if he were to take advantage of the elder, he could not afford to hesitate.
"You wish for me to resign and retire?"
Trembling, Cai Jing reached out to pour himself a cup of tea before speaking again.
"No, someone like you, Sir, how dare I allow you to retire?"
Looking into Cai Jing's cloudy eyes, Han Mo spoke with his chest puffed out.
"You, what do you intend to do?"
Hearing Han Mo's words, a sharp glint flashed in Cai Jing's cloudy eyes.
Tidying his robes, Han Mo put down his wine cup again, reached into his sleeve, and produced a purple jade bottle, placing it directly before Cai Jing.
"Nothing more, for the sake of the common people. Han Mo presumes to ask, Sir, to return to heaven!"
"What did you say?"
Cai Jing's pupils constricted, and his expression instantly turned serious.
"Han Mo presumes to ask, Sir, to return to heaven!"
Although Han Mo's voice was not loud, in the confined cabin, even though Cai Jing's hearing was not good, he heard it clearly at this moment!
After staring at each other for a long time, Cai Jing suddenly exhaled a long sigh of turbid air.
"I have seen all your plans. Are you not afraid that I will fight you to the death?"
Although Cai Jing was old and frail, the killing intent emanating from his eyes at this moment still sent a chill down Han Mo's spine.
Years as a prime minister were not easily dismissed!
Moreover, at this moment, it was his life that was being demanded!
Cai Jing himself had not expected that the condition Han Mo proposed tonight was for him to die directly!
"As I said, Sir is a wise man. If you were to take your own life, I, Han Mo, swear by the ancestors that no matter what happens in the future, as long as I, Han Mo, draw breath, I will ensure that the Cai family's bloodline continues uninterrupted!"
Meeting Cai Jing's murderous gaze, Han Mo spoke calmly as if nothing had happened.
"Hahahaha, what makes you think you have the ability to extinguish my Cai family's lineage? After all, I have had decades of master-servant relationship with the Emperor! Even if I cannot ensure my descendants' prosperity and safety, I should still be able to protect their lives, right?"
Upon hearing Han Mo's words, Cai Jing's face was filled with a cold sneer.
"Sir speaks the truth. In ordinary times, this would indeed be no problem. However, Sir has forgotten two common sayings!"
"Two common sayings?"
"Indeed. It is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality! And another saying: People die for wealth, birds die for food."
After hearing Han Mo's two phrases, Cai Jing fell silent again.
"Time is almost up. Sir, listen. On this Imperial Street, at this very moment, eight hundred imperial students have taken to the streets. More than half the people of Bianliang are already discussing the Hebei affair. And at this moment, the palace gates are closed. How many people do you think will take to the streets tonight, sitting before the imperial palace to petition?"
Han Mo spoke while pushing open the cabin door and pointing in the direction of the Imperial Street.
Listening to the noisy clamor emanating from the Imperial Street, a drop of cold sweat finally appeared on Cai Jing's forehead.
With his decades of cultivated composure, he could no longer suppress the fear in his heart at this moment...
"Aren't you afraid that I, this old man, will report all your actions tonight to the Emperor?"
After taking a deep breath, Cai Jing finally spoke again.
"Sir, your era has ended. Do you truly believe this world can accommodate another Cai Jing? Among your sons, Cai You is probably the most capable, right? Do you truly believe he has the ability to uphold the Cai family's legacy? For the Hebei affair, one Tong Guan is not enough! The wronged soul of Liu Fa is currently lingering above the imperial steps!"
"You want to avenge Liu Fa?"
Cai Jing suddenly stood up. Although his vision blurred, he still forced himself to stand as upright as possible.
The matter of Liu Fa was probably the biggest stain on Tong Guan's life!
Feigning defeat for victory!
Despite having suffered a defeat, under his and his faction's arrangements, it was forcefully promoted as a great victory. All accusations of losing territory and disgracing the nation were pushed onto Liu Fa, while he himself rose rapidly through the ranks to become Grand Marshal and Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs!
Once this fig leaf was ripped away, not only would Tong Guan face dire consequences, but everyone involved in the matter at court would also suffer greatly!
Even Emperor Song Huizong himself would be nailed into the annals of history, facing questions from future generations.
"Hahahaha, Sir, do you truly believe that if you don't speak of something, no one will know? People can deceive themselves, but they cannot deceive heaven!"
"Did you think you could conceal this matter? You can block the questioning of the officials in the court, you can dismiss everyone who raises questions, but can you kill all the people in this world?"
"When you were doing this, did you ever consider that you were undermining the foundations of the Great Song? Liu Fa was loyal to the nation. Even when Tong Guan put him to death, he died without regret or complaint for his country. If even after his death he cannot receive a just verdict, who in this world would dare to serve the court?"
"Wang Fu deserved to die! Tong Guan deserved to die! Sir, do you not deserve to die? Can you not hear the wails of tens of thousands of wronged souls outside Tong'an City? Should this hatred and vengeance not be repaid?"
As Han Mo's voice fell, a gust of cold wind blew, causing the large tallow candles hanging from the cabin ceiling to flicker and finally extinguish, plunging the entire cabin into darkness.
Listening to the whistling wind in his ears, Cai Jing suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
"Sir, all of this must eventually be accounted for. Heaven's will is a cycle, and what goes around comes around!"