Oh my god, isn’t this the shipping king!

"What's your name, sir?" Chen Ge bowed, feeling that the other party had an extraordinary bearing.

The young scholar quickly returned the greeting, saying, "My surname is Cai Jing, courtesy name Yuanchang, and this is my younger brother, Cai Bian, courtesy name Yuandu. We just arrived in the capital a few years ago, planning to study at the Imperial Academy."

"You, what's your name?" Chen Ge asked tremblingly. Is this the prime minister who will rise and fall in the future, the treacherous minister Cai Jing?

"My name is Cai Jing!" Cai Jing repeated, not understanding what was going on.

Cai Jing and Cai Bian are historical figures that cannot be avoided in the late Northern Song Dynasty. Although they are brothers and belong to the New Party, their political positions are very different. One serves the people and the other serves himself.

Cai Bian was an honest official, diligent in his work and devoted to his people, a reputation known even to the Liao people. In 1071, he was appointed Chief Clerk of Jiangyin County. Local landlords like Gu Xinyuan, taking advantage of the lean season, lent grain to the people at interest rates exceeding double the original amount. If the people failed to repay on time, they would be forced to sell their land, wives, and children.

PS: This is much more cruel than nine out and thirteen back.

Cai Bian sympathized with the suffering of the common people and vigorously implemented Wang Anshi's Qingmiao Law. He decisively opened the granaries to lend grain to alleviate the people's urgent needs, curbed the arrogance of the rich who took advantage of the situation to loot, and preserved the people's assets. As a result, Wang Anshi valued him and invited him to be his son-in-law. From then on, Cai Bian remained a staunch supporter of Wang Anshi.

It’s better not to mention Cai Jing. In a nutshell, he was Song Huizong’s number one bootlicker and the chief of the six thieves of the Northern Song Dynasty!

"Ahem, Zizheng, Zizheng." Wang Rong coughed to remind Chen Ge when he saw that he didn't respond.

Chen Ge came back to his senses, suppressed his unnecessary thoughts, and explained the reason for his daze with a smile: "My father often travels around for business. One year, he passed by Huixin Academy in your place and heard that there were a pair of child prodigies there. They had a photographic memory and could recite enlightenment books like "Three Character Classic" and "Thousand Character Classic" by heart. They knew classics like "Four Books" and "Five Classics" by heart. They had also read through historical records, local chronicles, miscellaneous essays of various schools of thought, and even the national code..."

"You have a photographic memory. I used to envy you for this talent, but I didn't expect to run into you today. When we're done here, let's find a place to have a couple of drinks and chat."

So that's it! Cai Jing and Cai Bian quickly said modestly that they didn't deserve it. It was just the flattery and praise from others. There was no such thing as a photographic memory. They just used the time others used for playing to read a few more times.