The reason is, it’s just that different times have changed.

Three years ago, Chao Gongwu's family moved from their hometown in Jeju to Shuzhong to avoid the war. At that time, the whole army naturally supported the imperial court's use of troops to recover lost territory and stabilize the situation. But after Yaoshan, the situation stabilized, and the Chao family moved back to their ancestral land. Naturally, the clan lost their support for the imperial court's use of troops. Not only that, the elders of Chao Gongwu's family also gradually complained about the imperial court's policy because the abandoned fields of their family were used as military settlements by the front army of the imperial camp, and they were not even allowed to redeem them.

All these things affected him directly or indirectly, so much so that after the Baima Shaoxing Rebellion, the relatively young Chao Gongwu directly expressed his dissatisfaction in letters to several good friends, which then attracted some criticism... His current cautious attitude, on the one hand, is because he has gradually begun to study hard, and on the other hand, it is because he has realized that Emperor Zhao’s determination cannot be violated, the court’s policies are irreversible, and the political atmosphere among his classmates has already been formed, so he has no choice but to hide and retreat.

However, in the eyes of Hu Quan, who had noticed the change in Chao Gongwu early on, this was not a problem.

You know, even the 'Three Ministers of the Imperial College in Jingkang', Zhao Ding, Zhang Jun and Hu Yin, who had a life-and-death friendship, had already parted ways long ago and had different political views. How could it be possible that this group of Imperial College classmates in the third year of Jianyan were always as close as a family?

Not to mention Chao Gongwu, who went against the overall situation and fell behind, even though he and Yu Yunwen were so close now, they might become rivals in the future.

Hu Quan was mentally prepared for this.

"Speaking of Mr. Zhao and Mr. Zhao, I remember a joke." As he was speaking, another classmate spoke up at the right time. "As everyone knows, although the two governments of the East and West are harmonious in major matters, they often have conflicts over minor matters. Although it cannot be called a party struggle, it is suspected of division. When discussing privately, no one knows how to call the two parties... If we say Zhao Party or Zhang Party, it is an offense to the national surname; if we say East Party or West Party, as the government has made large-scale adjustments to the internal and external affairs, there are some contradictions in the situation... But a few days ago, a new saying suddenly appeared in the Imperial College, and I think it is very appropriate."

"What do you mean?" Except for Xiao Yu, the third place winner who was the son of Zhang Jun's former official, everyone else looked curious.

"They used the Wood Party and the Water Party!"

"How did this come about?" Even Hu Quan was surprised for a moment.

Yu Yunwen was the first to realize it, but he didn't laugh.

"Nothing special. Prime Minister Zhao has several children, all named after famous rivers in Hedong. Young Master Zhao is named Zhao Fen, and the eldest lady of the Zhao family is named Zhao Mi." The classmate answered without hesitation. "And Prime Minister Zhang just had a son a few days ago, named Zhang Zai. Now everyone knows that Prime Minister Zhang is from a famous family in Shu, and the next generation of his family will all have the character for wood as their surname..."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter, and even Yu Yunwen couldn't help but smile secretly.

However, amid the laughter, the last person finally arrived, and it turned out to be the real target person of this gathering - Mei Li, a direct servant, who was attending such a gathering of peers in the capital for the first time.

"My fellow students, I am so ashamed!" Mei Sheren entered the box and bowed his hands repeatedly to apologize. "I was planning to come here early after leaving office, but when I was about to leave, the emperor suddenly summoned me and asked me many questions in front of the harem pavilion. I just left the palace and changed my clothes and hurried over here."

Since it was the emperor's summons, everyone naturally had nothing to say. They just quickly asked Mei Sheren to sit down, and then asked the waiters to serve the food. A prostitute came in on her own initiative, and was given some money by the crowd and asked to leave... They were real political rising stars who could enter the core circle. How could they not know the emperor's mentality? Why would they offend the emperor for such a thing?

When the banquet started, everyone was polite at first and talked about some gossip about the Imperial College and the palace examinations in the past. But after three rounds of drinks, as officials in Beijing, all of whom were the so-called promising class, they couldn't help but exchange political information.

In fact, this is the fundamental reason for such gatherings.

"General Zhang came to the capital with the emperor and personally went to the West Palace to meet with Prime Minister Zhang Shu. He said that he actually knew about Zhang Zongyan's affairs, but he didn't expect that the guy would be so bold and send out so many troops!" Yu Yunwen said casually, saying a piece of information that could not be hidden from anyone, which was considered an appetizer.

Everyone showed no hesitation, except Chao Gongwu, who was slightly stunned when he heard it, but ultimately said nothing.

"So, Zhang Zongyan's life is saved?" someone asked curiously.

"Of course!" Xiao Yu Tanhua answered frankly. "After the report was submitted to the Western Prefecture, the emperor directly issued an order to demote him to a captain and to serve in the army..."

"This must have been agreed upon face to face between the emperor and General Zhang." Hu Quan also drew the conclusion.

"Will the Grand Secretary of Justice be happy?" Everyone nodded, and another person interrupted curiously. "He has been in Beijing for ten days. He arrested the Grand Justice and the concubine's uncle in court, and quickly sentenced Yang Zheng to death. He also sent a letter to Guanxi, questioning the generals in Guanxi, forcing dozens of generals under Wu Jiedu to write a letter to defend themselves and ask the court to deal with them. He was in the limelight for a while, and he won face for the court officials... Is he going to let Zhang Taiwei off this time?"

"Grand Minister of Justice (Ma Shen)," Hu Quan raised his glass and drank it all, sneering before Yu Yunwen could. "Grand Minister of Justice seems to be doing well these days, but how is he doing in private? Everyone in the capital thinks that he drove the emperor away as soon as he entered the capital... He drove the emperor away with the minister, which caused tension in the court and resentment inside and outside the court... In the past two months, the emperor was away, and Grand Minister of Justice was the most difficult in the capital. All his postures were just to hold on! If he keeps making trouble, he will really make enemies inside and outside the court, and even Lu Xianggong and Li Xianggong in the southeast will write to question him!"

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It’s even more exciting later!