Chapter 47 Helper
A few days later, Jiedushi Xu Tongren sent an invitation, saying that he was staying in Quanzhou and invited him to Yixu.
Zhao Yan finally felt relieved. Although he couldn't be completely sure that Xu Tongren would stand on his side, he came after all.
He changed out of his usual long gown and took out a gold-threaded leather robe that he hadn't worn for a long time.
She also put on a precious jade hairpin, and looked completely like she was in the capital.
It was not advisable to travel with a large group on this trip, so he changed to Jiaozi and went alone.
When they arrived at Xu Tongren's residence, the gatekeeper was surprised to see him in such a state and learned that he was still the governor.
The servant in the mansion ran quickly, and after a while Xu Tongren came to the door in person.
Zhao Yan did not refuse, bowed and followed him in.
As soon as they sat down, the servants served water and tea respectfully. Xu Tongren took a sip of the tea and said, "Master Zhao has been here for half a year. Are you used to it?"
Zhao Yan replied respectfully, "I felt a little uncomfortable at first, but now I feel that this is a place of great feng shui, with outstanding people and beautiful scenery."
Xu Tongren smiled and stroked his beard. "It seems that Lord Zhao has adapted very well. Lord Zhao, please know that I haven't read the letter you sent." He then continued to explain, "I came here today to discuss another matter with you, Lord Zhao."
He turned around and said, "Someone come here."
A servant came in from outside, holding a hollow lacquer-carved box. The box seemed to be made of rosewood, with auspicious cloud patterns painted on it and some pine wood patterns, making it look very valuable.
Xu Tongren opened the box and displayed the contents. "Master Zhao, please take a look."
Zhao Yan saw it as a piece of calligraphy. The dark craftsmanship and delicate carvings showed that it came from the Li family.
As for why he knew it, it was all thanks to his father, the Left Prime Minister.
My father, as an official, strives to avoid mistakes and be well-mannered. Many people give him gifts these days, but he usually only accepts calligraphy.
First, an official should not be too aloof, and second, my father is also a fan of calligraphy.
This piece among them is considered the best among calligraphy works, and it was made by Li Mo.
Seeing him take a closer look, Xu Tongren smiled and said, "During the Southern Tang Dynasty, the founders of Hui ink, Xi Chao and his son Xi Tinggui, fled south from the Yishui River in Hebei to Shezhou to avoid the rebellion of the feudal lords, and resumed their ink business."
"Later, because his calligraphy was appreciated by the Southern Tang emperor, he granted him the surname Li. Xi Mo was therefore called Li Mo. For a time, there was a saying that 'a thousand gold coins are easy to come by, but Li Mo is hard to find.'"
"Someone gave this to me before, but Lord Zhao knows I don't like cultural relics. When it comes to gentlemanly character, I'm definitely not as good as Lord Zhao. I heard your father loved this thing, and after much thought, I decided that giving it to your father would be the only way to preserve its value."
Zhao Yan was certain his father would appreciate it. Most people collected calligraphy for personal enjoyment, not to compete with each other. Xu Tongren must have given this to show his affection, but he was afraid he would refuse, so he chose something that would be undeniable.
He also understood the gesture and gladly accepted it. "Then Zhao Yan will thank Lord Xu on behalf of my father."
Seeing that he accepted it calmly, Xu Tongren also smiled and said, "It is a blessing for your father to use this item."
Afterwards, the two chatted for a while about local specialties, and Xu Tongren casually said, "I heard that Lord Zhao is investigating a bridge silver case, and this case is also related to Jiangzhou Mu in Fuzhou."
"The governor of Jiangzhou invited me to a tea tasting a few days ago, saying that Lord Zhao might have some misunderstandings about him."
Seeing that he had directly addressed the matter, Zhao Yan no longer concealed the truth and said, "This humble official's actions are indeed due to his discovery of other officials secretly amassing wealth from bridges and government works in previous years. Before coming here, this humble official also examined the relevant files and would not dare to falsely accuse Lord Jiang."
"But the Governor of Jiangzhou has been in office longer than me. Quanzhou has long been infiltrated by his influence. I am of the same rank as him. If I want to investigate him, I will definitely need the help of Lord Xu."
"Therefore, I would like to ask Lord Xu to serve as a supervisor and to join the trial. Afterwards, the case will be heard by the emperor."
Xu Tongren pondered for a moment.
In fact, compared to Zhao Yan, he was more familiar with Jiang Huaxiang and knew some of his activities. However, he also took advantage of Jiang Huaxiang.
As an official, one must weigh the pros and cons.
He sent the gift today just to test who gave Zhao Yan the order.
Fuzhou and Quanzhou are not the starting points for high-ranking officials, so sometimes it takes a long time for the above ideas to reach his ears.
But Zhao Yan is different. He has a father who is the left prime minister and is a hot figure in the capital. Everything he does must be more far-sighted than others.
Since Zhao Yan came to see him, he pretended that Zhao Yan didn't ask about the things he received, and he was only interested in Jiang Huaxiang.
Xu Tongren said in a deep voice, "I understand what Lord Zhao means, but Lord, do you know that the Governor of Jiangzhou is not only a governor, but also the brother of Princess Changping?"
Zhao Yan understood and said, "He is just the brother of Princess Changping. How can he be greater than Your Majesty?"
Xu Tongren was shocked. Did Zhao Yan mean that His Majesty wanted to thoroughly investigate the matter? He was just trying to please His Majesty. What he said about reporting to the emperor was just a procedure?
Yes, the Left Prime Minister has always been a supporter of the emperor, and Zhao Yan must have done this under the instructions of the Left Prime Minister.
He asked, "I heard that after you left, the Ministry of Works is also investigating the funding issues for construction projects over the years. I wonder who's leading this?"
Zhao Yan replied, "The six ministries are subordinate to Your Majesty, so it was naturally Your Majesty who started it."
Xu Tongren was certain, "Yes, who in this world could be greater than Your Majesty? However, after Lord Zhao left the Ministry of Works, he probably didn't know how aggressively the officials in the Ministry of Justice tried to curry favor with the Empress Dowager. It was their repeated petitions that brought Lord Zhao here."
Zhao Yan didn't show any resentment or dissatisfaction when he heard this. Instead, he said calmly, "The Empress Dowager's faction is currently at its peak, but Your Excellency, do you remember that during the reign of Emperor Wu, Empress Dowager Dou suppressed his reforms for a time. However, after Emperor Wu reached adulthood and gained more influence, Empress Dowager Dou finally gave up her power, and Emperor Wu eventually took power himself."
"Your Majesty is now twenty-five years old. It is time for you to show your abilities."
Xu Tongren's pupils shrank. His Majesty is already twenty-five years old. The Queen Mother does not want to control the government forever. Those who support the Queen Mother's party, such as the Princess Changping's family, will naturally be defeated.
Jiang Huaxiang will naturally be investigated and punished.
After figuring this out, he was naturally delighted. Although Zhao Yan in front of him did not yet have the power to shake the tree, he would definitely be a supporter of the emperor like the left prime minister in the future.
If I surrender now, I will become a supporter of the monarchy in the future.
Not only will he gain the favor of the Left Prime Minister, but he will also be looked at differently by the Emperor.
Although Xu Tongren was a military governor, he came from a humble background.
The sad journey is not something that these people from noble families can understand.
Fuzhou is not a big city, but if he could have the opportunity to serve as an official in the capital, it would be his dream come true.
Now there is such an opportunity, he needs to seize it.
Xu Tongren straightened his thoughts and said, "I understand your meaning, sir. Jiang Huaxiang has been oppressing the people for decades, and he has also encouraged his nephew to act like a decaying tooth, corrupting Quanzhou Prefecture completely. This is unjust and intolerable. I regret that I had no one to rely on before and succumbed to their tyranny. Now that you have warned me and given me a chance to mend my ways, I will fully cooperate."
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