I'll steal Gao Qiu's life and lead the Song Dynasty to prosperity.

There are no windows in the Tongwen Guan.

At least, it wasn't in the rooms where people were imprisoned.

The walls of Tongwen Hall are made of whole pieces of blue bricks.

The gaps were sealed tightly with a mixture of rice paste and lime, so that not even a breeze could get in.

The ground was paved with stone slabs, which were always damp and slippery when stepped on. I didn't know if it was blood or something else.

There was a wooden bucket in the corner, which served as a place for urination and defecation, and the smell was a mixture of mold and blood.

Wen Jifu's legs went weak when he was brought in.

He is in his fifties and has lived a life of luxury for many years. His belly is slightly protruding and his skin is fair.

But right now his face was pale, his lips were trembling, he was trying to say something, and his teeth were chattering.

The jailer who brought him was a dark-faced man who didn't say a word, but simply pushed him to the center of the room.

The door slammed shut behind him with a loud bang, making Wen Jifu's heart tremble.

An oil lamp was lit inside the room, its flame only the size of a bean, barely illuminating an outline.

A person sat in the lamplight, dressed in a blue official uniform, with fair skin and refined features, looking like a scholar.

"Is the visitor Wen Jifu?"

The man spoke, his voice gentle.

Wen Jifu grasped at a straw.

"Yes, it was me... no, it was a guilty official. My lord, this is a misunderstanding, a huge misunderstanding! That letter... that letter was drunken ramblings, it doesn't count!"

"Sit down and talk," the man said, pointing to the low stool opposite him.

Wen Jifu sat down cautiously; the stool was icy cold, and he felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

"My name is Li Chang, and I work at the Tongwen Guan (School for Learning)."

The man smiled, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

"Mr. Wen, don't be afraid. Here, we value honesty. We say what we mean and what we say. Once we've made things clear, there's nothing to worry about."

As he spoke, he took out a letter from under the table, a copy of the letter Wen Jifu had written to Xing Shu years ago, and gently pushed it over.

"Did you write this letter?"

Wen Jifu broke out in a sweat after just one glance.

"It was...it was the guilty official's fault for being confused! I had a few too many drinks that year, and feeling resentful, I wrote down a few random lines; it was absolutely not my intention! Your Honor, please see the truth!"

"Resentful?" Li Chang raised an eyebrow. "Resentful about what? Is it dissatisfaction with the Emperor, or dissatisfaction with Empress Dowager Xuanren?"

"I wouldn't dare! Absolutely not!" Wen Jifu waved his hands repeatedly. "This sinner is dissatisfied with...discontent with the times, but has absolutely no intention of disrespecting the imperial family!"

Li Chang nodded, no longer pressing the matter of the letter, and changed the subject.

"I heard that in the spring of the seventh year of the Yuan You era, you frequently visited Liu Zhi's residence?"

Wen Jifu was taken aback: "Lord Liu... is a relative by marriage of a convicted official, and they often visit each other."

"What did you talk about?"

"It's nothing more than... poetry, court affairs, and casual conversation."

"The political situation?" Li Chang caught the word. "What political situation were you talking about? Did you discuss... the Emperor is young, the Empress Dowager is old, and what would happen if something were to happen to him in the future?"

Wen Jifu's face turned pale.

"No...we haven't talked about this!"

"We haven't discussed this?" Li Chang took out another sheet of paper from his sleeve. "But has anyone testified that on March 17th of that year, in Liu Zhi's study, you personally said, 'The current emperor is too young and unfit for the great responsibility. After the Empress Dowager passes away, a virtuous successor must be chosen.' Did you say these words?"

"Slander! This is a slander!" Wen Jifu stood up, his voice shrill. "Who said that? Let him come and confront us!"

Li Chang was not annoyed and slowly put down his teacup.

"Mr. Wen, please calm down. The rules of Tongwen Academy are to ask questions first, then confront each other. Please sit down, and we can talk slowly."

His tone remained gentle, but Wen Jifu felt a chill creep up from the soles of his feet.

He sat down again, his hands and feet were ice cold.

Li Cong began to ask questions, asking very detailed questions.

Between the seventh and eighth years of the Yuan You era, around the time Empress Dowager Xuanren fell seriously ill, who came and went at Liu Zhi's residence, what were they saying, did anyone send messages from the palace, and what was Zhang Shiliang doing during that period...?

One question after another, like a net, tightening ever tighter.

Wen Jifu initially gritted his teeth and stubbornly insisted that he "didn't remember" or "couldn't recall".

But Li Cong was in no hurry; he just kept asking those questions over and over again.

The questioning went on for longer and longer, and the oil lamp in the room needed to be refilled twice.

After an unknown amount of time, the door opened.

A dark-faced jailer brought in a bowl of water and placed it in front of Wen Jifu.

Wen Jifu was extremely thirsty, so he picked up the bowl and drank. The water was warm and had a strange taste.

After he finished drinking, he felt a little dizzy and his eyelids felt heavy.

Li Chang's voice drifted over, sometimes near, sometimes far.

"Mr. Wen, just tell me, and we can leave. Staying in this place for too long will harm your health."

Wen Jifu opened his mouth, as if to say, "There's nothing to say."

But the words that were on the tip of my tongue turned out to be...

"I'll talk... I'll talk..."

He began to speak.

At first, he held back a bit, but later he spoke faster and in more detail.

What did Liu Zhi say? What did Liang Tao say? And who else participated in the discussion?

It poured out like beans, with a whooshing sound.

Li Chang wrote down his words with lightning speed, not missing a single one.

One page is filled, then another page is turned over.

When the oil lamp was refilled for the third time, Wen Jifu was already slumped on the stool, his eyes unfocused, and he was still muttering something.

Li Chang put down his pen, picked up the stack of confessions, and blew on the ink.

"Sign it." He pushed the confession and inkpad in front of Wen Jifu.

Wen Jifu blankly stretched out his finger, dipped it in ink, and pressed his fingerprint at the end of each page.

My fingers were shaking so badly that the marks I made were crooked and uneven.

Li Chang put away the confession and stood up.

"Take Mr. Wen to rest."

The jailer came in and dragged Wen Jifu away.

Wen Jifu's legs were so weak he could barely stand and he was practically dragged out.

In the next room, Zhang Shiliang's interrogation was also taking place at the same time.

Different methods, but the same result.

A few days later, confessions poured out like snowflakes. Liu Zhi, Liang Tao, Wang Yansou, Zhu Guangting…

The names and the series of "conspiracies" are shocking.

……

When the confession was delivered to Chongzheng Hall, Zhao Xu read it all night.

He didn't speak, he just watched.

After reading it, he placed the thick stack of confessions on the table and gently ran his fingers across the paper.

Then an imperial edict was issued: Liu Zhi, Liang Tao, and their associates were to be immediately dismissed from their posts and escorted to the Censorate for trial.

The edict was drafted by Cai Jing and was strongly worded, accusing these people of "forming cliques for personal gain, coveting the imperial throne, and undermining the foundation of the nation."

At the same time, the impeachment memorial from the Censorate also arrived.

It wasn't just one, but seven or eight, from different censors and remonstrating officials, all impeaching the same person—Privy Councilor Zeng Bu.

The memorial was beautifully written, full of allusions and elegant prose.

The central message is clear: Zeng Bu, as the Privy Councilor, outwardly complied with the new policies but inwardly opposed them, and harbored pity for the old party. He repeatedly "opposed the excessive implication of others" in court discussions, but in reality, he was "protecting the rebellious party and undermining the foundation of the country."

Even more extreme, some say that Zeng Bu was "ambitious," wanting to establish himself in the New Party while also being reluctant to give up the reputation of the Old Party.

Cai Bian read and revised all these memorials; some were even written by his disciples at his behest.

When Zeng Bu saw these memorials, he was processing military reports at the Privy Council.

He is over sixty years old this year, and most of his hair has turned white, but his back is straight and his eyes are still sharp.

After reading the memorial, he gently put the paper down and said to the official beside him.

"Prepare the sedan chair, I am going to the palace."

Zeng Bu wrote a self-defense statement, which was sincere and earnest, saying that he was "loyal to the country and had no other intentions".

Those words "opposing the implication of others" were made out of consideration for "the stability of the court and the peace of mind," and were by no means intended to protect the rebels. After finishing writing, he personally carried it to the palace.

When the eunuch from Chongzheng Hall came out, his tone was respectful, but his words were cold.

"His Majesty is currently discussing matters. I will forward Minister Zeng's memorial to him. His Majesty has said that he is tired from handling official documents lately and requests that Minister Zeng return to his residence to rest and not to exert himself."

No need to exert yourself.

Zeng Bu stood outside the palace gate for a long time before turning around and walking down the steps.

On the way back to the mansion, he kept his eyes closed.

Many things were running through my mind.

Cai Jing's fair face, Cai Bian's cold eyes, and the Emperor's gaze upon him.

The emperor relied less on him and scrutinized and suspected him more.

"The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease..." Zeng Bu sighed softly.

……

Zhao Tingzhi's situation wasn't much better.

He was checking diplomatic regulations at the Ministry of Rites when he received the order to suspend him from his post.

The eunuch delivering the decree spoke in a calm tone, as if he were discussing an ordinary official matter. After listening, Zhao Tingzhi was stunned for a moment before kneeling down to receive the decree.

The decree was simple: Zhao Tingzhi, a drafter in the Imperial Secretariat, was suspended from his post and ordered to return to his residence to await investigation.

There was no reason given, nor was a deadline mentioned.

Zhao Tingzhi returned to his residence in a daze, and before he could even sit down, there was a knock on the door.

It wasn't a normal knock; it was slapping and banging, making the door knocker rattle loudly.

The old butler opened the door, but it was pushed open as soon as it was cracked open.

A troop of Imperial Guard soldiers surged in, led by a young officer in military uniform with a sword at his waist and no expression on his face.

"By imperial decree, search the Zhao residence." The officer flashed his badge, his voice stern.

Zhao Tingzhi came out of the main hall with a pale face.

"Search? Search what? What crime have I committed?"

"I was merely following orders," the officer said, bowing slightly, his tone still firm.

"Please, Lord Zhao, do me a favor and do not obstruct me."

Having said that, the leader waved his hand.

The soldiers dispersed and went in different directions.

The study, bedroom, storeroom, and even the kitchen and woodshed were all included.

They ransacked the place, overturned beds and removed tiles, their movements were rough, and the sounds of objects being knocked over echoed everywhere.

Zhao Tingzhi stood in the courtyard, watching the soldiers come and go.

He watched as his treasured books were carelessly thrown on the ground, and as his wife's dowry was opened and searched.

He watched as his wife, Guo, and the servants of the household stood trembling to the side, not daring to utter a sound.

humiliation.

For a scholar-official who cherished his reputation, this was an absolute and blatant humiliation.

Without evidence or charges, they just barged in and ransacked the place like a ransacking house, leaving him no basic dignity whatsoever.

This was to tell him, and to all the court officials: Zhao Tingzhi had lost power.

The search lasted for more than an hour.

Finally, the officer returned with nothing in his hands.

"Zhao Sheren is well; no contraband has been found."

Zhao Tingzhi gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words.

Thank you for your trouble.

The officer led his soldiers away.

The gates closed, and the courtyard was a mess.

Zhao Tingzhi stood there, looking at the mess on the ground, and suddenly felt all his strength drain away.

He swayed, and his wife, Guo, quickly supported him.

"My lord..."

"Close...close the door," Zhao Tingzhi said, his voice hoarse.

"The doors are closed to visitors. No one will be seen."

After regaining his balance, Zhao Tingzhi immediately returned to his study and wrote a letter to Zhao Mingcheng, who was at the Imperial Academy.

......

News of the search of the Zhao family reached the Imperial Academy the following morning.

Zhao Mingcheng was listening to a doctor lecture on the Spring and Autumn Annals in the lecture hall.

The cicadas chirped incessantly outside the window, and the room was stuffy and hot. Some people were dozing off, while others were secretly fanning themselves.

He sat upright, his pen never stopping, taking notes on the profound meaning in the doctor's words.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside the lecture hall.

There were whispers, footsteps, and suppressed gasps. The professor frowned, stopped explaining, and looked towards the door.

The door was pushed open a crack, and a student peeked in, whispering a few words to the doctor.

The doctor's expression changed, his gaze swept across the hall, lingered on Zhao Mingcheng for a moment, and then quickly looked away.

"That's all for today, everyone can leave now." With that, the professor put away his book and hurried away.

The lecture hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted in a loud "boom".

The students whispered among themselves, their eyes glancing intentionally or unintentionally toward Zhao Mingcheng.

"Have you heard? Zhao Sheren has been suspended from his post!"

"Not only were they suspended from their duties, but the Zhao family mansion was also searched!"

"My God...this is going to be a disaster!"

"Shh, keep your voice down, Zhao Mingcheng is still here..."

Zhao Mingcheng tightened his grip on the pen, his knuckles turning white.

His father had already mentioned these things in his letter, and told him to be patient and not to take any unnecessary actions at this time, so as not to give others any reason to criticize him.

Zhao Tingzhi didn't say anything else to himself, but both father and son knew who was behind it.

"That old pig-dog Cai Jing can't stay still for even a day."

Zhao Mingcheng cursed inwardly as he slowly tidied up the books, carefully putting the pens back into the pen holder one by one, his movements slow and steady.

He got up and walked out. Wherever he went, the crowd automatically parted to make way for him, as if trying to avoid him.

Some people lowered their heads, pretending not to see him;

Some people had complicated expressions, as if they wanted to say something but hesitated;

There were also people, like Wang Yuan in the back row.

The way he looked at Zhao Mingcheng was so intense it was almost as if he were saying: See, what goes around comes around.

His good friend Li Jiong did not avoid suspicion.

He caught up from behind, grabbed Zhao Mingcheng's arm, and whispered, "Brother Mingcheng..."

Zhao Mingcheng stopped and looked at him.

Li Jiong's face showed genuine worry.

"Brother Mingcheng, you...you mustn't be anxious. Perhaps it's a misunderstanding. I'll go back and ask my uncle, maybe..."

"No need, Brother Li," Zhao Mingcheng interrupted him, his voice calm. "Your uncle has his own stance, there's no need to make things difficult for him. I know what I'm doing."

He patted Li Jiong's hand, pulled his arm back, and continued walking towards his own dormitory.

Zhao Mingcheng stood tall and steady, but only he knew that every step felt like walking on a knife's edge.

After returning to the dormitory and closing the door.

The room was quiet, but the cicadas chirping outside the window were particularly jarring. Zhao Mingcheng sat down at his desk, spread out paper, ground ink, and picked up his brush.

He replied: "Greetings, Father. I have received your message, please do not worry. Everything at the Imperial Academy is proceeding as usual. I will be careful in my words and actions and concentrate on my studies. I hope you will take care of yourself and wait patiently for the clouds to part."

After finishing writing, he sealed it and called Ah Fu, who was waiting for the letter outside the dormitory.

"Afu, take this letter home and tell your husband that I'm fine and there's no need to worry."

Afu's eyes reddened: "My lord..."

"Go ahead, I'm fine here." Zhao Mingcheng patted Afu on the shoulder.

Afu is gone.

He was left alone in the room again.

The father's suspension and the search of the mansion were not the end, but the beginning.

Cai Jing's fire is not only meant to burn down the old party, but also to expose the "dissidents" within the new party.

Zeng Bu was impeached, and his father was implicated. What's next? Who else will be affected?

Zhao Mingcheng closed his eyes, his mind racing.

"Thump" ~

Outside the window, the bell of the Imperial Academy suddenly rang.

Zhao Mingcheng opened his eyes again.