No war in the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 37 Fighting Back
After hearing this, the doorman rushed into the mansion. After a while, the side door of Zhang's mansion opened, and a middle-aged man who looked like a manager came out in person to welcome Su Ze and two guards from the Imperial City Bureau into the mansion.

The steward brought Su Ze all the way into the depths of the mansion. Zhang Yaozuo's house was really big. It was no wonder that everyone was pursuing fame and fortune, as they could live in such a big house in the land-scarce city of Bianjing.

Li Dutou and Shou Juntou lowered their heads even lower. What they regretted most now was asking Su Ze for help. If they really offended Zhang Yaozuo, they would be dead.

Although the name of the Imperial City Bureau is intimidating, it is only the entire organization of the Imperial City Bureau.

Zhang Yaozuo was the uncle of Zhang Xiuyuan, the most favored person in the palace. He was also a Jinshi civil official and in charge of Dengwen Drum Court, one of the censors. How could he be offended by two small envoys of the Imperial City?

Thinking further, if the demon book case is really related to Zhang Xiuyuan, then it is also a family affair of the government. Once it is exposed, won’t the two of them be dead?

Captain Li had already seen that the case of the demonic book was very complicated, so complicated that even he and the thin military leader could not get to the bottom of it.

Thinking of this, he regretted it even more. If he had known earlier, he would have found a reason to close the case. At worst, he would be exiled from Bian Jing, which was better than following Su Ze to his death.

Su Ze didn't know what the two were thinking. He came all the way to Zhang Yaozuo's study, and the steward said to him:
"Lord Su, please."

Su Ze stepped into the study. Li Dutou and Shou Juntou gritted their teeth and followed him into the study.

Today is the day for officials to have a day off. Zhang Yaozuo in the study is not wearing an official robe, but a light-colored silk scholar's shirt.

He was holding a book in his hand. He waited until Su Ze entered the study before putting down the book and looking at Su Ze.

Su Ze also looked at Zhang Yaozuo.

Zhang Daocheng said that his family and Zhang Yaozuo were somewhat related, and the two did have some similarities.

It’s just that Zhang Yaozuo has very thin lips and his face looks very mean.

In Su Ze's opinion, Zhang Yaozuo is indeed a very mean person.

In this era where family patriarchy is valued, if a brother dies early but the other party refuses to adopt his orphaned daughter, although this is not against the law, it is morally wrong.

After Zhang Xiuyuan became successful, Zhang Yaozuo was still able to get close to this orphan whom he refused to take in when she was young. Such shamelessness was beyond the reach of Su Ze.

But from this we can see that Zhang Yaozuo is a man who is only interested in fame, wealth and power.

But it’s better this way. If you are not someone who pursues fame and fortune, you won’t fall into the trap.

Zhang Yaozuo was also looking at Su Ze.

In fact, he had heard of Su Ze's name a long time ago. Su Ze's words "Worry about the world before you worry about yourself, and be happy about the world after you are happy about yourself" had spread among the circle of important officials in the court through Ouyang Xiu's big mouth.

His niece Zhang Xiuyuan also sent a message saying that Su Ze was actually Zhang Daocheng's future son-in-law, so he could be considered a member of his own party.

Originally Zhang Yaozuo was very happy.

Although he was a Jinshi, Zhang Yaozuo's official career was not smooth before Zhang Xiuyuan came into favor.

Of course, he knew why he was promoted, and because of this, he was looked down upon by ministers in the court. His several promotions were blocked by important officials in the court. For example, this time the emperor wanted to promote him to be the prosecutor of Kaifeng Prefecture and in charge of prefectural affairs, but because of the opposition of the Political Affairs Hall, it has been delayed until today.

The Zhang family was not large, and apart from himself, a Jinshi, they had almost no power in the court, so a distant relative like Zhang Daocheng could become an imperial merchant.

Originally, Zhang Yaozuo was very optimistic about Su Ze. If he could pass the imperial examination, he would not hesitate to promote him.

But after learning that Su Ze was involved in the Imperial College scandal, Zhang Yaozuo decisively backed off again.

Of course, he knew the ability of Prime Minister Lu Yijian, who had controlled the Government Affairs Hall for many years and had survived many political storms.

In the third year of Jingyou, Fan Zhongyan submitted the "Chart of Officials" to impeach the emperor, and was immediately exiled from Bian Jing by Lu Yijian.

Zheng Jian's investigation into Feng Shiyuan's case implicated Lü Yijian's two sons, yet the old villain remained unharmed and firmly in his position as Prime Minister. No upright gentleman or capable official could defeat Prime Minister Lü, let alone a relative of his own who was already tainted by corruption.
At this time, Zhang Yaozuo's mind was full of questions. How did Su Ze know that the evil book case was related to him?
In order to prevent the emperor from appointing Zhao Shu, a thirteenth-ranked soldier raised by the queen, as the crown prince, Zhang Yaozuo fabricated a magic book to remind the emperor that he could not trust his non-biological son.

He did this in secret and didn't leave any evidence. How did Su Ze track him down?

What evidence does he have?
Zhang Yaozuo was not afraid that Su Ze would report him, and the government would not investigate the matter further.

But if Su Ze revealed that he was the mastermind behind the evil book, he would be in trouble. He would be beaten by both Lu Yijian's conservatives and Fan Zhongyan's reformists at the same time.

To manipulate someone politically, you often don't need evidence, you just need others to think you did it.

Su Ze looked at Zhang Yaozuo and said:
"Zhang Dengwen, I can help you impeach Lü Yijian."

"what?"

The voice came from Li Dutou who was standing behind Su Ze.

The thin military leader next to him turned green in the face.

Wait, aren’t you here to solve the case of the demon book?
How did it become an impeachment of the prime minister?
Captain Li wished he could disappear immediately. How could he listen to such words?

Zhang Yaozuo was surprised for a moment, then looked at Su Ze.

After Renzong ascended the throne, he continued to strengthen the power of the censors.

It was very normal for the censors from the Censorate and the Court of Remonstration to impeach the prime minister of the time. It could even be said to be a daily routine for the censors.

Dengwen Drum Court is also considered as the censor system, and Zhang Yaozuo has seen many censors who speak wildly.

If a prime minister is not impeached dozens of times a year, can he still be considered a prime minister?

But Su Ze's next sentence was even more shocking.

"I can get Lu Yijian out of office."

Zhang Yaozuo said, "You are just a commoner, how dare you say such outrageous things that you can force the prime minister to step down?"

Su Ze said again:
"Mr. Zhang, the person who is most supportive of the Thirteenth Regiment becoming the Crown Prince is Lü Yijian."

"If the throne has been decided, and Zhang Xiuyuan is favored by the emperor, what about you?"

"Lü Yijian will definitely banish Mr. Zhang from the capital."

Zhang Yaozuo's face finally changed. This was also the reason why he fabricated the evil book. Once the crown prince was decided, Lu Yijian would definitely eliminate the opposition forces from the foreign court. As a relative of Zhang Xiuyuan, he would definitely bear the brunt.

What’s even more terrifying is that how could the queen’s adopted son be nice to her?

I'm afraid that I'll have to move to other states for the rest of my life, and maybe I'll spend the rest of my life on the road taking up my post, and the state or county where I work will be farther and farther away from Bianliang.

Su Ze said again:
"I don't need Mr. Zhang to intervene in this matter. I just need Mr. Zhang to help me with a few things."

Zhang Yaozuo looked at Su Ze and asked:
"How sure are you?"

"Ninety percent, man proposes, God disposes. There is no perfect solution in the world."

Zhang Yaozuo said:
"What a saying! 'Man proposes, God disposes!' In that case, I'll grant you this favor!"

Li Dutou and Shou Juntou, who were standing behind the study, were completely numb at this time.

(End of this chapter)