Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 227 The Emperor is Incompetent! And that's why things have come to this!
Tong Guan looked at Su Wu, whose face was still filled with indignation, and said, "Ziqing, what kind of behavior is this...?"

Su Wu also stated frankly: "The Chancellor knows me well. I have always kept the word righteous in my heart. Whether for public or private reasons, now that this matter has begun, there is no turning back. The campaign against Liao must not fail. Once we start the war, we must ensure that there are no mistakes!"

Tong Guan looked at Su Wu in front of him and said helplessly, "You, you, you should know how difficult it is for me!"

"Prime Minister, this has nothing to do with difficulty. Think about it, if we lose the campaign against Liao, that will be truly difficult. If we win, we will achieve great merit and return victorious. What difficulty is there in this world? Now, Prime Minister, even if it's a gamble, we should take it. Why worry about what happens before and after death? In this life, your fame, fortune, and place in history are all in this one gamble. Where is there any way out?"

Su Wu spoke earnestly, saying that he could persuade Tong Guan or force him to submit. Wang Fu was still young and might have a way out, but Tong Guan was over sixty years old, had no relatives or family, and had no reason to have so many concerns.

Could it be that Cai Jing's power is truly so terrifying?

After hearing Su Wu's words, Tong Guan pondered for a moment and then said, "I thought I was all alone and nearing my end, but I'm still thinking of you all. You all have a long life ahead of you, so leave me a way out. This way out isn't for myself, it's for you..."

The cowardice of the Song Dynasty stemmed from various aspects, one of which was the infighting within the officialdom. These infighting tactics were quite ruthless. In fact, compared to other dynasties, the Song Dynasty's officialdom was the most harmonious.

This amiable attitude, to some extent, leads to a lack of ruthlessness in politics, which is inevitably a certain mentality among all officials; there are never many who are truly ruthless.

This applies both domestically and internationally.

In politics, whether it is national politics or domestic politics, this is actually a kind of naiveté. Many of the Song Dynasty's defeats were due to this naiveté.

The officials and scholar-officials were generally naive, and so was the emperor.

To put it another way, it's about civilization, but can civilization put food on the table? When everyone is barbaric, if you're civilized, then you're just a dish on the table.

It is also said that the emperor, according to Confucianism, is required to be benevolent, righteous, humble and open-minded towards all things, and pure in virtue.

But when trouble comes, the emperor is required to have great responsibility, great perseverance, great methods, and great decisiveness!
This is a paradox, a paradox of human nature.

Su Wu had a question in his mind: What kind of leader, what kind of emperor, is more beneficial to the interests of the country and the nation?

Is he a kind and righteous person?
Or is he a resolute, decisive, and resourceful person?
At this moment, Su Wu deeply understood that it was not anyone's fault, not any one person's fault, but everything was wrong.

At this point, still hoping for harmony and a win-win situation will only lead to no one being happy in the end...

What could Su Wu say?
Su Wu replied succinctly, “Prime Minister, it’s not that I don’t heed your advice, but this matter concerns the fate of the nation and the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Only by winning can I speak of the future; if I lose, I will have no future at all! If I win, my future will be bright, and what can those like Cai Jing do to me? If I lose, I will be nothing more than a fish on a chopping block, and even if I want a peaceful life, I will have to beg for charity. This is not what I desire!”

How could Tong Guan not understand Su Wu's words? At this moment, Su Wu seemed to have no way out but to forge ahead and win to the very end.

Was Su Wu's argument unreasonable? Actually, it was reasonable.

But what was Tong Guan thinking? He also considered defeat. After all, the war against the Liao Kingdom cannot be compared to a war against bandits. What kind of escape route did he leave for himself?
It is a way out after defeat, a way to retain power and wealth even in defeat, and a chance to regroup and fight again.

Therefore, Tong Guan spoke earnestly: "Ziqing, you are young and always rush headlong into things, just like you have always been. But life is never smooth sailing. Everything requires a foolproof plan! Take Cai Jing, for example. He was reinstated several times, and each time he left himself a chance to rise again... If you really insist on going your own way and fail, you will never have such an opportunity again. This is the way of navigating the ups and downs of officialdom..."

Both of their points had merit, but their views were irreconcilable.

In other words, it could be Tong Guan, Cai Jing, Wang Fu, or even the emperor.

They are all subconsciously capable of accepting failure once...

When people experience many failures, and witness many failures, they inevitably start to dwell on those failures...

The Song Dynasty suffered far more defeats than triumphs, from the donkey cart war god to Haoshuichuan...

It's like a person who has had too many failures; he's not really that confident, let alone ambitious. This reflects the mindset of the Song Dynasty from top to bottom.

Su Wu finally understood that Tong Guan was thinking about what would happen after defeat, how to end the defeat...

Just like Tong Guan in the past, when he was supervising the army in the Northwest, defeats were common, and each time he had to think about how to end it...

Su Wu, on the other hand, was only thinking about how to win!

What could Su Wu say? Could he pat his chest and say he would definitely not lose? He could pat his chest, but it wouldn't really mean much.

This is because the Song Dynasty, even now, has a deep-seated lack of confidence in its military capabilities.

This lack of self-confidence persisted throughout the more than three hundred years of the Song Dynasty.

From its very inception, this dynasty never developed such confidence in its external military capabilities.

This dynasty has a problem with its genes!

Only now did Su Wu realize this and understand.

Su Wu knew he couldn't persuade Tong Guan. Tong Guan wasn't unaware of the benefits of victory, but he was determined to plan his escape route in case of failure.

Tong Guan definitely needed a certain degree of "harmony" in the imperial court; without this harmony, there would be no way out in the event of failure.

At this moment, Su Wu felt very sad. For the first time, he felt powerless. He felt that he was alone and different from everyone else.

But he still had to do it, because he couldn't afford to fail; he had no way out.

In Xu Tongguan's eyes, General Liu and General Wu were nothing more than military officers under the Privy Council.

Soldiers inevitably die on the battlefield, and Tong Guan had witnessed far too many soldiers die.

But Su Wu was different. Whether it was General Wu, General Lu, or even every soldier in Dongping Prefecture, they represented his life and fortune. He led them into battle not to suffer defeat, not to be chased and slaughtered by the Liao cavalry...

Even if Su Wu knew that he had a way out, and that even if he was defeated, Tong Guan would still protect him.

But deep down, he had no way out...

Su Wu looked at Tong Guan, bowed slightly, and slowly said, "Prime Minister, my soldiers and I are one. If we are defeated this time, I will die on the battlefield rather than risk my life alone. Therefore, I am not thinking about defeat..."

"No one wants to fail. Even military strategy says that in war, one should first consider defeat before considering victory. You and I must first establish an invincible position so that we can last long!" Tong Guan said.

Su Wu continued, "The Grand Chancellor understands my intentions. If I lead the men of Jingdong into battle and we are defeated, I will commit suicide on the battlefield. Just like today, with Li Gang entering the capital, Daming Prefecture will certainly not remain under Cai Jing's control. This is the key to victory or defeat!"

Tong Guan had already stood up, pacing back and forth, even circling around Su Wu, and then said, "How can you be so unreasonable? Life is full of ups and downs, so unpredictable... You are still young, how can you not withstand the ups and downs of life? Some people endure humiliation, some people endure hardship and bide their time. Those who achieve great things are not concerned with trivial matters. It is also said that one general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand soldiers. As long as you ultimately succeed, what do the dead matter?"

It seems that no one is wrong.

But Su Wu knew he was right. If he couldn't persuade Tong Guan, then he would force him!

How to force it?
Su Wu bowed respectfully and said, "Prime Minister, let's stop here for today. I will go back and think it over carefully."

"Yes, yes, think it over carefully. You must think it over carefully. I rely on you the most right now, so I would never harm you. Just listen to me, and I guarantee your future will be bright... I have been navigating the political landscape for decades, and I have not wasted my time to get to where I am today..."

Tong Guan spoke earnestly as always.

Su Wu nodded, cupped his hands in greeting, and left.

To reiterate, it wasn't just one person's fault; everything was wrong. Tong Guan's decades of ups and downs were all mistakes!

Go outside, mount your horse, and go!
First, they went to the Wang family. Su Wu arrived very quickly. The servant ran to announce his arrival, and Su Wu didn't even wait at the gatehouse. He just walked straight in, and no one on either side really stopped him. Many people remembered that this gentleman had been drinking at the mansion not long ago, and he was indeed a distinguished guest.

Wang Zhongshan hadn't even finished tidying his clothes when he came to greet them in the main hall.

As Su Wu bowed, Wang Zhongshan laughed repeatedly: "Why have you come to the capital again? And in such a hurry? There must be something important, there must be something important. Scholar, please speak freely, please sit down!"

Su Wu nodded and sat down: "Where is Master Qin Xue?"

"Oh, looking for him? No problem!" Wang Zhongshan turned around and shouted, "Someone, quickly go and call my son-in-law. It's an important matter, whether he's at home or has some duties at the Imperial Academy, put everything aside and come here immediately!"

A servant boy ran off on his own.

Only then did Wang Zhongshan ask again, "It's not that it's inconvenient for the scholar to say, is it?"

Su Wu nodded. There was nothing inconvenient about it. He had come here to make a big fuss. Wang Zhongshan was a prominent figure in the literati. It would be best if he was willing to help, but it wouldn't matter if he wasn't.

Ultimately, Su Wu's fate will fall into the hands of one person, and this person will not be Qin Hui, but will have to go through Qin Hui.

Su Wu spoke slowly, and Wang Zhongshan, filled with righteous indignation, exclaimed, "With such a court, the country is doomed! Scholar Su, I will certainly help you!"

Su Wu knew that these words could not be fully believed, but he still cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Prime Minister Wang."

Wang Zhongshan was a shrewd person. As such, he would never be the one to stick his neck out and actually help Su Wu to fight Cai Jing. But being shrewd is not useless. At least, when everyone is kicking someone when they're down, he'll definitely be one of them.

Before long, Qin Hui rushed in, and as soon as he entered, he hurriedly asked, "Father-in-law, what is the matter that you are in such a hurry?"

"Please sit down!" Wang Zhongshan repeatedly gestured, and Qin Hui sat down as well, exchanging a few more pleasantries with Su Wu.

After a few pleasantries, Su Wu spoke again: "There is a student at the Imperial Academy named Chen Dong, also known as Qin Xuezheng. I would like to see him. Please introduce me..."

Qin Hui was taken aback at first, then continued, "The scholar said it was him, he..."

"How is he?" Su Wu asked.

"He is indeed an upright person. Many people in the Imperial Academy dislike him and avoid him like the plague, but there are also some people who are genuinely willing to associate with him. If a scholar wants to see him, he is just a lowly Imperial Academy student. I don't know what use he is?"

Qin Hui then asked.

Su Wu had his own purpose. He wanted to see Chen Dong because of a famous historical figure named Chen Dong who once submitted a memorial to the throne. Chen Dong and his ilk were the most passionate and indignant young people in the Song Dynasty at that time.

Chen Dong's courage made him the only person in the Song Dynasty who dared to openly petition for the execution of traitors to the country. Those who were to be executed included Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Wang Fu, Liang Shicheng, and Li Yan.

Since he has such courage, how could Su Wu not seek him out?
Why look for him? To create a stir. The current situation needs to be blown out of proportion, the bigger the better, so that everyone knows about it, and it's a huge uproar.

If you can't find anyone to cause trouble in the imperial court, then go find someone outside the court.

The students of the Imperial Academy were the emperor's protégés, young and vigorous, with passionate hearts, and easy to mobilize. Among the upright officials, those who considered themselves gentlemen, Chen Dong was able to command a large following with a single call.

What is Su Wu's reputation now? If we explain the whole story to Chen Dong, how could Chen Dong not be filled with righteous indignation?
At that time, the students of the Imperial Academy will block the Zuoye Gate and the Donghua Gate, and they will kneel on the ground and shout.

Would those soldiers dare to beat up the imperial students? And what could Cai Jing do about these imperial students in front of him?

Let's see how this matter ends.
Su Wu only listened to Qin Hui's words: "Please, Your Excellency, introduce me as soon as possible. Time is of the essence, and the matter is urgent. As for the rest, please ask Minister Wang to speak with Your Excellency later..."

Qin Hui glanced at Wang Zhongshan, who was also puzzled. What was the point of Su Wu going through all this trouble to find a student from the Imperial Academy?
Although he didn't understand, it was a minor matter, so Wang Zhongshan nodded.

Qin Hui then stood up: "Then Scholar Su, please come with me to the Imperial Academy!"

Su Wu nodded, and without waiting, immediately went out.

As Qin Hui went to the Imperial Academy, Su Wu did not enter. Instead, he waited at a teahouse not far from the gate. He had come prepared and brought many things with him.

Before long, a tall, thin young man in his twenties walked into the teahouse. He was dressed in a scholar's robe, with a ruddy complexion and white teeth. He entered the teahouse with a puzzled look on his face and asked, "May I ask where Scholar Su is sitting?"

A servant led him to a private room. Chen Dong entered and saw only Su Wu inside. He bowed and said, "Greetings, Scholar Su."

Su Wu nodded: "Please sit down."

Chen Dong was also a little nervous. He sat down and said, "Scholar Su's literary and military talents are renowned. It is an honor to meet you today. May I ask what brings you here, Scholar Su?"

But then Su Wu took out a stack of things and said, "Take a look at this first..."

With trepidation, Chen Dong slowly began to examine the document. It contained a copy of Li Gang's memorial and the account book that Suo Chao had found. Puzzled, Chen Dong began to look, his brow furrowing with increasing displeasure. Finally, after reading a few pages, Chen Dong looked up and asked, "Scholar Su, what is this…?"

Su Wu spoke directly: "Li Gang, you should know this."

Chen Dong nodded: "I know, I know. Censor Li is a paragon of integrity among officials who speak out against wrongdoing, a role model for us all. He was punished for speaking out and was demoted to a distant place. I heard before that he was reinstated and put to use. So this is where he is being used..."

Su Wu nodded: "Because of this incident, he was arrested by Liang Shijie's men in Daming Prefecture. I protected him out of the city, but we were chased by the soldiers of Daming Prefecture in the middle of the night. Now, I have protected him into the capital, and he will soon be going to court to meet the emperor."

Chen Dong flicked his sleeves, his face contorted with rage: "Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! In broad daylight, such shady dealings still exist! The darkness of officialdom is unimaginable! Even Imperial Censor Li, who is so dedicated to the country and the public good, is living in constant fear. Corrupt officials are in power! Corrupt officials are in power!"

This wasn't the first time Chen Dong had shouted out against the corrupt officials in power. He often did so at the Imperial Academy, which inevitably caused many people to avoid him like the plague.

Inevitably, a group of upright individuals also gathered around Chen Dong.

Chen Dong comes from a family of "five generations of Confucian scholars," meaning that for five generations, they were all Confucian scholars, some even making a living by teaching. His family was not wealthy, and was even somewhat poor, but they were Confucian scholars for five generations, and each generation was happy with it, which shows his integrity.

Historically, Chen Dong submitted a memorial to the throne, but he was later purged. A large number of students from the Imperial Academy, and even the mobilized common people, were arrested and imprisoned, with the intention of being beheaded.

This demonstrates Chen Dong's capabilities.

This is exactly what Su Wu values; no one but Chen Dong is qualified for this task.

Su Wu said, “I am not familiar with Li Gang, but this matter is right before my eyes. How can I ignore it? How can I really watch him live in constant danger, or even die a violent death? Now, no one in the court dares to defy that treacherous official. This time, with Li Gang entering the court, it is impossible for him to back down. But how can Li Gang, with only one mouth, possibly out-argue the countless mouths of that treacherous henchman? In the end, I fear the consequences for Li Gang will be unimaginable…”

Chen Dong frowned and asked, "Sir, you summoned me here for this very reason?"

Su Wu nodded: "That's the matter. No one in the court dares to speak out, and is there anyone outside the court who dares to speak out? I asked many people, and someone said that Chen Dong of the Imperial Academy is the most upright and incorruptible, and has repeatedly spoken out against treacherous officials, which makes him unpopular. That's why I came to find you!"

Chen Dong replied, "I have also heard that you, Scholar, are a brave and fearless man, and also possess great literary talent. I greatly admire you. Now that you have come to see me, how could I be cowardly? I have also heard you say, 'If it benefits the country, I will risk my life; how could I avoid it because of personal gain or loss?' These words resonate with our hearts. Please give your instructions, Scholar! Now that we have encountered this matter and heard you speak like this, we must let those treacherous officials in the court know that in broad daylight, no one can cover up the truth!"

"If it benefits the nation, I will risk my life; how could I avoid it because of personal fortune or misfortune?" Su Wu said this, but he almost forgot he had said it. Unexpectedly, this saying has actually spread far and wide.

Su Wu looked at Chen Dong and said, "We need people! On the day of the court assembly, we must have people outside the palace gates waving flags and shouting for Imperial Censor Li. Whether they are students or commoners, the more the better! We must shout until the court can hear us, until the emperor can hear us!"

Chen Dong nodded seriously: "In this matter, we will only judge by the student's methods. He is determined to eliminate the traitor. Does such a villain really think he can cover up the truth? We gentlemen should fight him to the death!"

Cai Jing was in power for nearly twenty years, and his protégés and former officials were scattered throughout the country; countless things happened...

The people dared not speak out in anger, and the emperor could not hear them either. Little did he know that such a person would emerge from among the emperor's disciples.

Su Wu bowed respectfully and said, "I entrust my life and fortune to Imperial Censor Li!"

Chen Dong rose and bowed deeply: "Scholars hold high positions and are willing to give up their futures for the sake of the country and its people. What is it worth for a mere student like me? If this succeeds, it will teach those wicked people to restrain themselves and be more cautious in their future actions! In this way, we will not have failed the teachings of the sages!"

Su Wu nodded: "Keep these things for yourself, so that you can show them to everyone and gain their trust. I'm leaving now, and I still need to find people to help me!"

"Scholar, please accept my bow!" Chen Dong bowed deeply.

Su Wu nodded and went out of the teahouse, where Qin Hui was waiting. When he saw Su Wu come out, he smiled and asked, "Scholar Su, is everything settled?"

Qin Hui was still unaware of what had happened until this point.

Su Wu nodded: "All done, Qin Xuezheng has worked hard!"

"It's nothing, Scholar Su..." Qin Hui seemed to be about to say something.

Su Wu, however, mounted his horse again, clearly anxious. He interrupted Qin Hui, saying, "The matter is urgent and of great importance. I cannot say more at this moment. Master, we shall meet again another day!"

Su Wu rode away, leaving Qin Hui still completely bewildered.

Su Wu was simply too lazy to talk to Qin Hui. In Su Wu's eyes, he was nothing more than a tool.

Being able to serve as a tool was one of the few blessings Qin Hui had in his life.

Qin Hui then went to find Chen Dong, who had just left. Chen Dong also rushed off, only giving Qin Hui a quick bow before hurrying off, his anxiety even greater than that of Su Wu…

It was also because his workload was enormous, mobilizing people around him, his classmates, and even spreading the word about this matter throughout Bianjing City, and even mobilizing some ordinary people.

Chen Dong had never done this before, but strangely, he did it with remarkable ease. He seemed to have a plan in mind, as if he was born knowing what to do first, what to do next, and how to do it...

Qin Hui became even more curious and went to the Imperial Academy, following along to see and listen. After seeing it several times, he was greatly alarmed and hurriedly returned to the Wang family.

Only after meeting Wang Zhongshan and hearing his words did he learn the truth of the matter, and he also explained the matter of the Imperial Academy to Wang Zhongshan.

Only then did Wang Zhongshan realize that Su Wu had such a plan, and he asked Qin Hui, "Can he... pull this off?"

Qin Hui thought to himself, he was actually very clever, and slowly said, "If Xu really can do it, then Chen Dong will truly have a hundred followers in the Imperial Academy!"

Wang Zhongshan asked in confusion, "Didn't you say that many people dislike him and avoid Chen Dong like the plague? How come he can command such a large following?"

Qin Hui replied, "While many people avoid him like the plague, many others gather around him..."

"Oh, so that's the reason. Scholar Su, you have quite the methods and the audacity to plan such an action. There will be quite a struggle before the Emperor's arrival!" Wang Zhongshan said, making his attitude clear; he naturally wouldn't interfere further.

But it was Qin Hui who asked, "Father-in-law, shouldn't we do something?"

"What should we do? Can we afford to offend them?" Wang Zhongshan shook his head.

"I think I can lend a hand..." Qin Hui suddenly said.

"Whom are you helping? Scholar Su?"

"Yes, Father-in-law, listen to me. If things really escalate to the point that Scholar Su has planned, it will surely shake the court and the people, shock the Emperor, and Liang Shijie will certainly not have a good outcome. At that time, the Qingliu faction will likely achieve a great victory. With such a great victory, I'm afraid that the Qingliu people will truly unite and launch attacks in all directions..."

Qin Hui analyzed the situation...

"Are you trying to curry favor with those 'pure' types?" Wang Zhongshan asked.

Qin Hui nodded: "Indeed, after this incident, those people shouldn't bother us in the future..."

“You really think a lot. Is Cai Jing someone you can easily get along with?” Wang Zhongshan asked again.

“Father-in-law, after this, Cai Jing will surely be in a terrible predicament. Our family, our family still has some reputation, doesn’t it? We have some influence everywhere. Cai Jing hates Su Wu and is fighting with Tong Guan and Wang Fu, how can he care about us? Besides, our family doesn’t have any important officials in the court. Even my son-in-law is just a minor tutor at the Imperial Academy. If we gain fame this time, our reputation will be greater than the sky…”

Qin Hui truly understood the pros and cons, the gains and losses.

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhongshan seemed to be truly pondering, and then said, "In that case... whether it's Chancellor Tong Shu or Su Wu, it's a great favor... and even Wang Fu..."

The only information gap was that old foxes like Wang Zhongshan and Qin Hui actually believed that Tong Guan and Wang Fu were behind the scenes instructing this matter, while Su Wu was running around in the spotlight.

Wang Zhongshan simply asked, "Then tell me, how do you do it?"

"It's not difficult. I'll go back to the Imperial Academy to do it. As for my father-in-law, he can also submit a memorial. The wording doesn't need to be too direct, but it wouldn't hurt to say a few words in favor of Li Gang, whether openly or secretly... If we contact a couple more people and ask about the opinions of some old acquaintances, it would be fine to get a few more memorials..."

Qin Hui felt that this might truly be an opportunity. If he didn't seize it, when would he ever be able to curry favor with Tong Guan and Wang Fu? Moreover, there was Liang Shicheng behind him.

"Alright, let's go with this plan!" Wang Zhongshan nodded. He wouldn't be the first to stick his neck out, but he would still be on the right side. He wouldn't really offend anyone. He could secretly get Qin Hui to help him out at the Imperial Academy. If it didn't work out, it wouldn't matter. If it did work out, he could take credit for it.

Su Wu was unaware of the unexpected turn of events that had occurred with the Wang family. At that moment, he was leading Li Gang to the home of Chen Guan, a censor.

Li Gang is now riding in a carriage. Su Wu, with his men, is riding alongside him.

He knew that there were countless spies on the streets of Bianjing, and that the moment Li Gang entered the capital, there was a great deal of unease and suspicion.

Su Wu kept fastening his sword at his waist, glancing left and right, asking himself, "With this valiant army here, who dares to move?"

Upon arriving at Chen Guan's home, they had another detailed conversation.

The time was short, but the old scholar Chen Guan, having heard the whole story, said indignantly, "This time, I will fight them to the death!"

"Thank you so much, Lord Chen!" Li Gang was deeply moved.

Chen Guan looked at the two young men in front of him and said with tears in his eyes, "You two are very good. You have served in the court for decades, and today, it is said that the entire court is shrouded in darkness. But seeing you is like seeing the light again!"

Chen Guan has indeed been feeling very frustrated lately. He is being ostracized at work, and some people are even bullying him. Some people are even saying that he will be demoted and sent out of the capital soon.

All of this happened at this very moment.

This country is doomed because of these kinds of things and these kinds of people.

Even honest people get pushed to their limits!

Without Su Wu, these honest people, even when pushed to the brink, would have no choice but to leave the capital and watch the world crumble, ultimately dying in despair.

Li Gang also had tears in his eyes. He was living in constant fear, his life hanging by a thread. How could Chen Guan's words not move him? He simply said, "For the sake of my country, I would die without regret. I will never forget the teachings of the sage!"

"Alas..." Chen Guan sighed, glanced around, and slowly uttered another word: "The Emperor... the Emperor..."

Su Wu, seemingly out of nowhere, replied, "What does the old gentleman say about the Emperor?"

With his hair and beard completely white, Chen Guan smiled bitterly: "The emperor is incompetent! That's why things have come to this!"

Upon hearing these words, Su Wu had only one thought: the Confucian spirit truly still lingered, albeit a little, though not much...

But Li Gang said, "Old Prime Minister, the Emperor is virtuous and good, so he is not incompetent."

Chen Guan smiled wryly, waved his hand, and said nothing more than, "Go, I will be present at the court assembly!"

Li Gang bowed and took his leave, and Su Wu also bowed in return.

As the two went outside, Li Gang asked, "How is the matter at the Imperial Academy progressing, Scholar?"

"It will surely produce remarkable results!" Su Wu said calmly.

Li Gang seemed unconvinced as well, only glancing northwards but seeing nothing. He slowly said, "I don't know when I'll see Minister Chen again... Minister Chen treated me like a teacher and a father..."

Li Gang felt uneasy, as he was not very optimistic about the outcome of this matter.

Su Wu did not answer, but he admired Li Gang. He already felt that things were not very optimistic, but Li Gang never thought of backing down, which was admirable.

Li Gang sighed to himself, "Roaring in the court, roaring before the emperor, what a pathetic subject I am..."

Su Wu remained silent.

But then Li Gang suddenly asked, "Scholar Su, is the Emperor truly incompetent?"

Su Wu replied, "Old Master Chen's words were just casual remarks; there's no need to take them seriously..."

"Alas... Why do you say such a thing, Elder Chen?" This question lingered in Li Gang's mind. When he heard this sentence just now, it had been churning in his heart. This was also the first time in Li Gang's life that he had ever heard such a sentence from a person.

"Perhaps... it's because Elder Chen has had a bad time in the capital these past years, and is frustrated and unfulfilled, hence his words of complaint," Su Wu replied.

"I hope so..." Li Gang's eyes were lifeless. He passed an alleyway and looked north. The alley stretched far north, long enough to see the red walls of the imperial city several meters high.

(End of this chapter)