After returning home, Zhang Fei reluctantly spent some time talking to Cao Dongdong and the others and sent them away. They just wanted to get some information and then go to Baifan Building to show off.

It goes without saying that everyone in Beijing must be talking about this topic today. So whoever has the first-hand information will be the most popular one.

As participants, Zhang Fei and Xu Zhiqian had already passed the excitement and only felt a little tired. Xu Zhiqian went back to rest directly.

It was already night, and under the candlelight, a long shadow was swaying in the hall.

"Um, ma'am...ma'am?"

"Ah?" Gao Wenyin stopped immediately, turned her head to look at Zhang Fei, and asked nervously: "Husband, what did you say?"

"Uh..." Zhang Fei blinked: "I just want to ask, Madam, why are you walking around? It's a bit dazzling." He muttered in his heart, you don't even look in the mirror, don't you know how attractive your figure is? If you really make me angry, I will send Shi Tingxiu in first, force you to surrender, and then get him out.

Hmm... this is a really good plan. Oh... why can't I do such a despicable thing?

"I..." Gao Wenyin blushed and said, "Husband, how long do you think we will have to wait for the verdict?" As a woman from the county, her understanding of a lawsuit should be that the verdict should be made on the same day.

Now that the verdict had not been made, she was even more anxious and restless. Just then, Xu Zun and Xu Zhiqian entered the room.

...

...

Xu Zhiqian looked particularly bright and charming after changing back into her daughter's clothes.

"My benefactor!" Gao Wenyin quickly bowed and opened her mouth, but she didn't dare to say anything. Xu Zun smiled and said, "I know what Madam Zhang wants to say, but the result may take several days, so you don't need to be too anxious."

"A few days?" Gao Wenyin asked anxiously. Xu Zhiqian smiled and said, "Madam Zhang, please rest assured. Your husband is very capable and nothing will happen to him."

"Thank you for the compliment!" Zhang Fei came over and gave Xu Zhiqian a praising look, and said, "My benefactor, Madam Xu, please take a seat." Gao Wenyin was also very sensible and hurriedly said, "I'll ask Xiaotao to prepare some refreshments." Zhang Fei nodded.

After Gao Wenyin left, Zhang Fei asked Xu Zun again: "My benefactor, what is the situation in the court now?"

"What else can we do?" Xu Zun smiled bitterly: "It's a huge quarrel! But Wang Jiefu has helped you share a lot of criticism. They have been arguing from lawsuits to reforms, and from reforms to the laws of our ancestors. Everyone has lost their voice. You see, I only come back after dark. I don't think it will be easy to get a result." Zhang Fei asked: "I wonder what the Grand Secretary Sima has to say about this?" Xu Zun was slightly stunned: "Sima Junshi seems to still hope that everyone will pay more attention to this lawsuit. He doesn't seem to say much about Wang Anshi's new law." At this point, he paused,

"Although you performed very well in court, you must not get carried away. This matter is really uncertain. Even the ministers who support Wang Jiefu's reforms are still very opposed to the ancestral laws you mentioned." Zhang Fei smiled confidently and said, "Don't worry, my benefactor. Maybe I won't win, but I will definitely not lose." Xu Zhiqian asked, "Why is that?" Xu Zun also said, "Although I can see that Sima Junshi is secretly supporting you, at least he didn't trip you up, but the affairs of the court are not as simple as you think. The real game is never in the court." After all, it is still a game of power.

Zhang Fei said: "I don't really understand the complicated things in the court, but I can guess what one person is thinking."

"Who is it?" Xu Zun asked. Xu Zhiqian suddenly said, "Is it the emperor?" Zhang Fei smiled and said, "Smart!" Xu Zun suddenly realized.

"Yes! The emperor definitely supports what you say. Good! Good! In fact, your statement seems to be helpful to Wang Jiefu and Sima Junshi, but the real beneficiary is the emperor." The ancestral laws have the greatest constraints on whom.

Of course it's the emperor! Who else could it be? It has nothing to do with Zhang Fei. Today's ancestral law is a pocket law that firmly binds the emperor.

If the ancestral laws were made into regulations and specific, the emperor would certainly have greater freedom.

Because the emperor can formulate specific policies based on the specific laws of his ancestors to avoid others using the laws of his ancestors as excuses.

The emperor didn't know whether this violated the laws of his ancestors. The ministers had the final say.

Shenzong was an ambitious emperor who wanted to break free from his shackles. The ancestral law defined by Zhang Fei was very consistent with his philosophy, so it was no wonder that the emperor would support Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei said with a smile: "If I use the law of our ancestors to sue someone, but it is not good for the government, how can I succeed?" Xu Zun smiled and nodded.

"You are really a far-sighted boy!" He has always admired Zhang Fei for this, as he has strategies that are not in line with his age.

Xu Zhiqian asked, "But what I arranged before was to force the court to find out the real murderer. If the emperor supports you, will you win the lawsuit directly?" Xu Zun waved his hand and said, "Absolutely not. If Zhang San is directly judged as the winner, the court will lose face and the ministers will not agree. The emperor may support Zhang San's statement after this case." Zhang Fei smiled and said, "Then let them argue for a while. After they all get what they want, we will throw Feng Qi, Daniu, and Long Wu to Kaifeng Prefecture and let them handle it themselves." He knew that this lawsuit still needed to ferment because someone needed to get something from it.

…Not long after Xu Zun returned home, Wang Anshi also went home in a carriage. Anyway, the old man always had to finish his last shift before leaving.

"Master, this is going better than we thought!" Lu Huiqing said excitedly. Wang Anshi smiled and said, "What do you mean?" Lu Huiqing said, "If the laws of our ancestors are policies to prevent corruption, then the current corrupt policies should be corrected immediately. Doesn't this provide a reason for reform? The key is that this is also extremely beneficial to Your Majesty, so Your Majesty will definitely agree to it." You must know that in history, Wang Anshi's reforms first denied the laws of his ancestors, which also made him criticized by Confucian scholars and even affected his historical status. Now that Zhang Fei has done this, the laws of his ancestors absolutely support his reforms.

This was something he had not thought of before. In court, he was very excited, no matter what others thought, he regarded himself as the winner.

The key is that this really benefits the emperor, and his reform also needs the emperor's support. At this moment, it is really wonderful.

Wang Anshi stroked his beard and laughed, "Yes! Boy Zhang San, you really didn't disappoint me." Lu Huiqing nodded and said, "To be honest with you, my teacher, I was a little worried about that boy before. Now it seems that he is indeed on your side." Wang Anshi nodded and said, "Such a talent can't be let go!" Then he said to Lu Huiqing, "By the way! You have to quickly formulate the conscription law and the equalization law. I believe the time will come soon." Lu Huiqing nodded and said, "My teacher, please rest assured. I will never let you down." ..... How happy Wang Anshi was, how frustrated the conservatives were.

This result was unacceptable to them. How could the fight turn out like this? Looking back, it was like a nightmare.

Tang Mansion.

"That guy is clearly on Wang Jiefu's side. Look at Wang Jiefu's excitement. He is clearly well prepared." Lu Hui was so angry that he paced back and forth in the hall, saying indignantly: "Wang Jiefu really overestimates his own abilities. If the taxes of those rich people are so easy to collect, why would it be Wang Jiefu's turn to collect them? If the taxes cannot be collected, the officials will not be able to do their job, and the people will have to be forced to pay. This is simply his wishful thinking and fantasy." Tang Jie glanced at Sima Guang and said, "Junshi! I I also think Xian Ke's words make sense. Since ancient times, it has been easy for the court to increase taxes, but difficult to reduce them. Wang Jiefu said that he was thinking about the poor, but in the end he was also raising taxes in various ways. Once the tax goes up, it will be even more difficult to reduce it. Xian Ke was right before. Why has the current corvée law become like this? Isn't it also forcing the upper-class households to serve? He is fighting poison with poison, and the consequences will only be more serious. "Sima Guang frowned and said, "What do you think of the ancestral law mentioned by Zhang Fei?" The two of them changed their expressions.

Tang Jie whispered, "I don't deny that Zhang San's words make sense, and this is also the original intention of Taizu and Taizong, but if the ancestral law is summarized into this one, what reason can we use to persuade the emperor?" Lu Hui said, "Why did Zhang San say that? Can't Junshi see it? He hopes to use the ancestral law to provide Wang Jiefu with a reason to reform." Sima Guang asked again, "Do you think the policy mentioned by Wang Anshi before is a good policy or a bad policy?"

"It must be a bad policy!" Lu Hui said firmly. Wang Anshi had not said much before, but after hearing what he said today, he was even more determined to oppose Wang Anshi's reform.

Sima Guang nodded and said, "Then does the ancestral law support or oppose his reform?" Lu Hui was stunned and said, "What do you mean?" Sima Guang sighed, "At present, it seems that the government has made up its mind. I think it is impossible to stop Wang Jiefu. Public opinion also hopes that the court can make changes. In this case, why not let Wang Jiefu have a try? If it is a good policy, we will admit our mistakes to him, but if it is a bad policy, we must never let him do whatever he wants." Lu Hui exclaimed, "The ghost of the New Deal of Qingli is still lingering. You are also aware of the divided situation of the court at that time. It was so terrible. If you are not careful, there will be no recovery. If the country is messed up by Wang Jiefu, are you sure you can restore it?" Sima Guang glanced at him, "I am thinking about this issue now."...The palace!

It was late at night. Zhao Xu stood in front of his desk, splashing ink.

"Your Majesty, it is already three o'clock in the morning. It is time to rest." The eunuch who was holding the lamp reminded him quietly. Zhao Xu said nothing and wrote for a while before putting down his pen.

But under his pen, there was a book, and on the first page of the book, there was a passage of words with wet ink. It was the imperial edict of Emperor Taizong.

Zhao Xu looked at it for a long time, then shook his head and said, "It doesn't look solemn enough to put it up there." He then said to the eunuch holding the lamp, "Give me the copy of Song Dynasty Criminal Code."