Chapter 129 Fusu: Oh no, Sima Guang is rushing in...
If Yan Shu and Su Xun were standing here, they might be able to answer this question, albeit with some difficulty.
After all, their son, right behind the young crown prince, broke the record for the top three child prodigies in the Song Dynasty. This also earned the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Qingli era the name "List of Child Prodigies".
But where are the three people in the Chuigong Hall now?
Let's not even mention Fu Bi and Ouyang Xiu; neither of their sons amounted to anything. Fan Zhongyan did have an eldest son who had already entered officialdom, but when people mentioned Fan Chunren, the most common impression was still, "Oh, oh, oh, that's the one who graduated in the same year as the Crown Prince."
Who can I complain to about this?
Faced with the official's blatant display of his son's power, they exchanged helpless glances, truly at a loss for what to do.
Forget it, let's look on the bright side. Having such an outstanding Crown Prince, and with the father and son getting along well without suspicion or discord, is a blessing for them as subjects and for the Song Dynasty.
Fan Zhongyan took a deep breath to calm himself: "So, Your Majesty, is there any new good news from Yunzhou?"
"Take a look at this first."
The official handed the items on the table to Fan Zhongyan, indicating that the three of them should pass them around for review. They stared intently at the title on the paper: "Seeking Knowledge"? Why was it different from the usual publication? The paper also felt rougher to the touch.
Upon closer inspection of the contents, it became clear: "It turns out that His Highness the Crown Prince has also published a newspaper in Yunzhou."
The three men perked up and immediately began reading through the report, issue by issue. After reading it all, they immediately concluded: "It is likely that the contents of this report were not written by His Highness himself."
The Emperor suppressed a laugh: "Do you gentlemen also think so?"
What else? It's too obvious.
If His Highness himself were in charge, how could every single piece be filled with praise? He would never tolerate such a thing. Considering the intelligence from Su Shi's trip to Yunzhou a few days ago, it seems self-evident who was behind it.
A smile appeared on Fan Zhongyan's face: "But what His Highness the Crown Prince has done deserves the praise of 'bright sun and clear sky' in the Seeking Knowledge Gazette. As his teacher, I personally believe that the words in the gazette are even insufficient, and cannot compare to His Highness's hard work day and night to clean up the bureaucracy and seek the well-being of the people."
"If I were to write about Your Highness... I'm afraid Your Highness would be so ashamed after reading it that you would refuse to acknowledge me as your teacher."
The official laughed heartily.
Believe it or not, it's actually quite possible.
Despite the freezing cold of the north, His Highness the Crown Prince braved the snow and traveled through the night, traversing every county in Yunzhou. Wherever he went, he confiscated property from local tyrants, distributed land, built coal mines, and reformed the criminal justice system. He brought order to the nearly paralyzed government offices of Yunzhou's counties.
It also built up the hopes of the people of Yunzhou for the Song Dynasty.
Thinking of this, Fu Bi couldn't help but exclaim, "Your Highness not only has a life-saving grace for the people of Yunzhou, but also a great grace for the Song Dynasty officials who later served in Yunzhou!"
Everyone agreed: "Absolutely, absolutely."
Alright, now the pressure is on Ouyang Xiu.
Suddenly, Ouyang Xiu found himself stared at by Fusu's father, teacher, and patron, and a bead of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "Wait, you've used up all the easy words, so what am I supposed to say?"
Ouyang Xiu closed his eyes briefly: "I believe that although Your Highness is a modest and unassuming person who dislikes excessive praise, he is able to restrain his own preferences for the sake of the people and allow Su Shi to take charge and win over the hearts of the people. This is a sign of Your Majesty's wisdom."
The Emperor paused for a moment: Wait, even I hadn't thought of this angle before.
My dear subject, you flatter me!
I summoned several ministers to the Chuigong Hall precisely to hear this.
A knowing smile appeared on his refined face. These three ministers were indeed his trusted advisors; every word they uttered resonated with him. More importantly, their praise was genuine, not mere flattery or empty words.
"If Su'er heard what his mentors said, he might really hide in Yunzhou and refuse to come back, devoting himself to being their righteous judge. But this is not a long-term solution. The court must come up with a plan regarding the Yunzhou matter."
Upon hearing Emperor Renzong mention serious state affairs, Fan Zhongyan and the others immediately became serious and listened attentively. After listening, they exchanged glances.
"Your Majesty, may I ask how General Di's recovery of Yunzhou is progressing?" Fan Zhongyan asked.
"According to the latest military report, all seventeen counties are under our control, and the villages under our jurisdiction have been thoroughly ravaged by the Song army, who have sent them food and clothing as relief."
"Then His Highness the Crown Prince..."
The official waved the "Seeking Knowledge" newspaper in his hand: "Su'er has already visited five counties and six villages. He entrusted the remaining half of the county towns to Di Qing, and he plans to visit the other half, which is said to have coal mines, himself. The letter was sent back two days ago, and by today, he has probably visited another county."
The group exchanged glances, their eyes filled with excitement: This was a wonderful thing!
With hundreds of elite soldiers by his side, His Highness had a strong support system for everything he did, allowing him to thoroughly crack down on organized crime and win over the hearts of the people. The Song Dynasty officials he sent not only faced less resistance but also inherited the local people's goodwill towards His Highness.
It could be said that, apart from the colder weather, being a county magistrate in Yunzhou was even easier than being a county magistrate within the Song Dynasty. One only needed to follow the established rules to receive a good evaluation.
Fu Bi paused for a moment: "I remember Your Highness once said that 'the Song Dynasty's bloated bureaucracy and accumulated problems still rely on the Sixteen Prefectures.'"
The official's brow twitched: "Does Fu Qing mean to transfer some officials with no real power to Yunzhou?"
From the Song Dynasty onwards, the imperial examination system was greatly promoted, with hundreds of successful candidates entering the court every three years. The emperor would also frequently hold special examinations for various reasons. However, the court did not have enough positions to provide. As a result, under the overlapping structure of officials in various regions and prefectures, countless people held official positions but had no real duties, receiving salaries but doing nothing.
Their salaries were also a major expense for the imperial court.
Historically, Su Shi was once demoted to the position of "Deputy Military Commissioner of Huangzhou," a typical example of holding an official position without real power. Even though Su Shi's salary was pitifully small, it still accumulated and strained the imperial treasury.
But there was no other way; this was one of the costs of the Northern Song Dynasty's efforts to win over scholars and literati through high taxes on peace.
But now, Yunzhou is in dire need of reconstruction, and the large number of vacant positions have become a new destination for these people.
Fan Zhongyan frowned and said bluntly, "No."
“Yunzhou has been separated from the Central Plains for a long time. Although Your Highness has built up a good reputation in advance, the situation in each county is complicated and cannot be handled by someone who has not entered officialdom. Only a virtuous and capable person can be appointed as the county magistrate.”
"Could it be that we should transfer one of the Song Dynasty's own excellent county magistrates there? What will happen to the people in that county? The replacement may not be as good as the predecessor."
"That makes sense; rashly mobilizing troops would inevitably cause chaos."
“Moreover, there is another problem,” Ouyang Xiu interjected during the argument.
"Only Your Highness, the Emperor, and we know what Yunzhou is like. In the eyes of others, it is a harsh and barbaric place, not a good place to go. If they are rashly transferred there, they may become alienated from the court and not take good care of the local people."
"...That's true. I forgot to consider that before."
Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi, and Ouyang Xiu took turns analyzing the pros and cons of the transfer. Finally, they all looked to the Emperor to see what he would decide.
The emperor, however, also fell into deep thought.
He stroked his beard and pondered, "What you all say makes sense. However, I think it is unnecessary to inform others about the current situation in Yunzhou."
He smiled and said, "If they knew about Su'er's contributions, those who would be willing to go to Yunzhou would be people who seek no merit but only to avoid mistakes, blindly following the old ways and living a muddled life. That would be a waste of Su'er's good intentions."
"On the contrary, those who are aware of the harshness and cold of Yunzhou but yearn for it and are willing to make a difference are the ones who deserve to be entrusted with important responsibilities."
Upon hearing this, the group responded with an understanding "Oh".
Entrapment, huh? We're familiar with that.
"However, I still need to ask Su'er for his opinion on the specifics of how to proceed. After all, he went to Yunzhou in person, so his words are the most valuable."
Fan Zhongyan: "..."
Fu Bi: "..."
Ouyang Xiu: "..."
Oh, we misjudged you! Turns out our analysis just now didn't count. Alright! We were wrong. We thought Your Majesty was just casually showing off your son in the background to discuss state affairs. Turns out, showing off your son was the main purpose this time!
——
"How should we arrange the officials in Yunzhou?" Upon receiving the Emperor's reply, Fusu was stunned: "What's going on? Is it moving at 800x speed?"
He traveled tirelessly, confiscating land from local tyrants, distributing it to farmers, and building mines wherever he went. His mind was filled with the words "insufficient manpower." In his letters, he hoped that the Song Dynasty would send more helpers. Neither he nor Su Shi could be in two places at once.
The government has already begun discussing how to select officials.
It seems so. General Di's work is basically done, winter is almost over, and Yunzhou will soon be starting a new round of spring plowing. The government office should have a proper and responsible official to guide agriculture and sericulture, instead of some randomly generated "just and upright official."
After all, ancient society was an agricultural society, and nothing was more important than farming.
So, his days in Yunzhou are already numbered? Fusu counted the days on his fingers. Recalling all the things that had happened in the past, he was truly reluctant to leave.
However, it's time to put the screws on Yunzhou properly and keep it running smoothly.
As for the matter of the emperor seeking his opinion… Fusu wrote in his letter: How to select officials willing to come to Yunzhou? It's very simple, an examination! Anyone willing can apply, and the best will be selected. The examination questions will be set by myself.
The people selected are guaranteed to be reliable in terms of ability and experience.
As Fusu was writing, he looked up and asked, "Zizhan, would you be willing to stay in Yunzhou as a county magistrate?"
"Why are you suddenly asking this? You don't want to? What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, just asking a question."
"Oh, but I'd rather stay in the north and edit the newspaper. Because here, there's no Lord Sima to manage it," Su Shi said with a grin.
It seems he is truly afraid of Sima Guang.
"Oh, right." Fusu suddenly remembered something: "Did you send the manuscript of the 'Seeking Knowledge Daily' back to the headquarters of the Song Dynasty?" "No."
Fusu quickly added a sentence to the letter: Your Majesty, I have another favor to ask of you! Please do not tell Sima Guang about the fact that Su Shi and I are widely distributing the "Seeking Knowledge" newspaper in Yunzhou!
Otherwise, he will definitely find out that we not only acted first and reported later, but we didn't even report to him, and he will hold us accountable!
After writing the letter, Fusu sent it back and immediately went to his last destination. On one hand, he dealt with the local tyrants, and on the other hand, he went up the mountain and down to the countryside to investigate the local coal mines.
His hundreds of elite soldiers were all skilled workers in building factories and making honeycomb briquettes. Wherever they went, they would first dig up yellow clay. This clay was invaluable for both building factories and mixing coal dust.
It's foreseeable that once these hundreds of people return to the Song Dynasty, their status will rise dramatically. Having mastered the core technology, they'll be highly sought-after commodities across the land. They'll no longer need to serve as imperial guards, risking their lives, but will instead have a stable livelihood.
When the group of people talked privately, they all praised the Crown Prince for his kindness and secretly rejoiced that they were in good physical condition and had been selected by General Di to be among the people protecting the prince.
As their technology became more refined and advanced, their efficiency also increased significantly. Production doubled from two thousand honeycomb briquettes per day. At this rate, the output of just a dozen or so mines in Yunzhou, producing tens of thousands of honeycomb briquettes daily, was sufficient to meet the needs of the entire Bianjing (Kaifeng).
The Song Dynasty itself was not lacking in mines. For example, Dengzhou, Di Qing's hometown, was later part of Shanxi and was rich in mineral resources. He told Fusu that after returning to the Song Dynasty, he would definitely petition the emperor to build mines in his hometown to benefit the livelihoods of the local people.
Given that the Song Dynasty had its own domestic production, Yunzhou had a surplus of honeycomb briquettes. In order to prevent future price wars and price gouging, Fusu wisely transferred some of the produced briquettes to the remaining fifteen prefectures further north and to the territory of Western Xia.
Well, given that the Liao and Song dynasties and the Song and Xia dynasties are currently in a state of hostility, this behavior can also be called "smuggling".
Smuggling was risky, but honeycomb briquettes had such high calorific value that their price soared, so there were always people willing to take the risk. Some people would grab a carrying pole, cross a barren mountain, and enter the territory of the Liao Kingdom.
In less than a day, they sold all the honeycomb briquettes in the carrying pole, enough to support the whole family for several days.
As a result, this sales route became bustling with people coming and going in an endless stream.
Upon hearing the report, Fusu couldn't help but touch his face: "Sigh, he really does have a knack for smuggling. Horses are smuggled. Cotton is smuggled. Even honeycomb briquettes are being smuggled."
No, it can't be called smuggling. Why make yourself sound so bad? It should be called economic means of control.
But Fusu overlooked one thing.
All economic and commercial activities inevitably lead to cultural exchange. This was true of the Silk Road during the Han Dynasty, and it is also true of the trading of honeycomb briquettes today.
"I've never seen such durable stone mortar before. Where did it come from?"
"Did the little nobleman teach us that?"
"Little Nobleman?"
"He's not just a minor benefactor, he's a great upright official! Let me tell you, this great upright official not only taught us how to make honeycomb briquettes, but also drove away all the hooligans and scoundrels in our village! Otherwise, how would we have dared to cross the mountain? We would have been robbed!"
"Wait a minute, I'm confused. Is the person you're talking about small or big?"
"...Anyway, it's just really amazing!"
Similar conversations occurred almost daily along the border between Yunzhou and the Liao Kingdom. The rumors grew increasingly exaggerated. Gradually, news of a "great benefactor from heaven" in Yunzhou spread to Weizhou, Yingzhou, Shuozhou, Wuzhou, and other places.
"Wherever there is coal burning, people freely discuss the blue sky"—this is exactly the case.
Some scholars even began to discuss whether this noble person was real or not. Since he was brought in along with honeycomb briquettes, it meant that the time was very recent, so he must be a real person, right? Honeycomb briquettes are a product of Yunzhou, and considering the facts, could he be some official of the Song Dynasty?
It's terrifying to think about! It's terrifying to think about!
Fusu never imagined that, unseen by him, the plan he had once jokingly mentioned with Di Qing to "buy off state by state until all of them are recovered" would actually have a good start.
He is now truly making preparations for his return to Bianjing.
"Are we really going back?" Su Shi tilted his head. "I feel like there are still so many things I haven't done."
"There are always things to do, and Yunzhou is so big that I can't manage it all by myself. I can't let the people of Yunzhou get used to seeing me every day and only recognize me, which would make it difficult for the officials who come after me."
Even so, Fusu glanced out the window at the bare branches against the backdrop of the sky. In Bianjing, the winter trees still offered glimpses of yellow and green. But in Yunzhou, only large swaths of bare branches remained.
He'd spent half the winter here, getting used to it all along. Now that he had to leave, how could he bear to part with it?
But Yunzhou was just the beginning, not the end. Fusu convinced himself: only by properly arranging things in Yunzhou could he set an example for the subsequent recovery work.
Therefore, he had to return to Bianjing to personally oversee the selection of suitable officials.
On Fusu's return journey, the weather grew colder day by day. This was not because the climate was worsening; on the contrary, it was due to the melting snow absorbing heat, a sign that spring was approaching.
He passed the fork in the road leading to Wu Family Village and even stopped there for a moment. The eunuch asked him if he wanted to go and take a look, and just as Fusu was about to agree, Su Shi's smiling gaze flew over.
Fusu felt a jolt, the words "clay statue" instantly flashing into his mind. Was he really going to have to face his own statue?
Fusu was caught in a violent struggle.
"My little benefactor, my benefactor—"
A familiar figure came running down the small hill. Before he could see who it was, Fusu guessed the person's identity from the affectionate calls he often heard.
He was immediately dumbfounded: "What, it's you? Old Wu? You haven't been camping out here every day, have you?"
Old Wu chuckled, his wrinkles instantly forming a chrysanthemum shape: "Yes! I've been looking forward to seeing you again, so I've been waiting right there, you see."
He pointed into the distance and said, "The first time I saw you was when you were squatting on that earthen slope."
It was a bitterly cold morning. Determined to meet the important person, he went out every morning to wait. And he actually did meet him. At the time, he was puzzled; shouldn't the important person General Di spoke of be more ferocious and menacing? Why was it a baby?
As it turns out, the baby was actually a golden baby.
Old Wu chuckled and scratched the back of his head: He thought he could still see the benefactor, but the villagers laughed at him for being delusional, saying that the benefactor could not possibly come again. It would be more practical to worship the statue more often, offer incense to the benefactor, and wish him a long and healthy life.
He refused to believe in superstition and continued to wait in the same spot every day. And wouldn't you know it, fate smiled upon him and he actually got to speak with a benefactor. When he went back and told the villagers, they were all incredibly envious!
"Oh, right, by the way, little nobleman, speaking of your statue in the village..."
A barely perceptible twist flashed across Fusu's face, but he quickly regained his composure: "Hey Lao Wu, don't your family members have any complaints about you coming here every day and not doing any work?"
"Oh, this!" Old Wu said with a hint of pride, seemingly oblivious to the change of topic. "Isn't there a coal yard in the village? My wife works half a day and that's enough to feed our whole family. She wanted me to come out and wait, saying that if we waited for you, our esteemed guest, the whole family would be proud!"
Fusu was both amused and exasperated.
He stood on tiptoe and patted Old Wu's shoulder, which was neither tall nor broad: "Now you've finally got what you've been waiting for, and your whole family can be happy. But I'm leaving Yunzhou soon, so you don't have to wait here anymore. Go and work at the honeycomb briquette factory."
Old Wu was the first villager in Yunzhou whose name he remembered. Seeing him one last time before leaving was a way of making the journey complete.
"Oh." Old Wu's eyes reddened instantly. He waved his hand reluctantly, "I'll listen to you, my esteemed friend. I'll work hard at the factory from now on. When I miss you, I'll visit you at the ancestral hall."
Fusu was utterly exasperated, so much so that he laughed: What's going on? You're having a grudge against the ancestral hall, aren't you?
He shook his head, showing no intention of interfering, and left with only one sentence: "There's really no need to thank me. No matter how happy you are, it's what you deserve. If you want to thank someone, thank yourselves."
That's why Fusu was allergic to ancestral halls. He always felt that he shouldn't be molded into a statue and enshrined in a shrine. It made him feel like he had stolen something.
However, he genuinely loved the people who built the ancestral hall for him.
——
When Fusu returned to Bianjing, the sky was overcast. It was clear that the temperature in Bianjing was two or three degrees higher than in Yunzhou Village. If the clouds were to condense into raindrops, it wouldn't be snow, but rather a continuous, damp downpour.
As far as the eye could see, the rolling hills were covered in greenery. Even though he'd seen this scenery for eight years, it evoked a long-lost feeling in him.
He first escorted Su Shi back to his residence.
When His Highness the Crown Prince arrived, Su Xun naturally had to go out of the mansion to greet him. With a solemn face, he said a series of words of thanks to Fusu, and then, in front of him, he grabbed the evasive Su Shi with one arm and pulled him up, making the former cry out in pain.
Fusu immediately understood: Oh wow!
So Su Shi went to Yunzhou without his father's knowledge. He deserves a beating, absolutely deserves a beating.
He gave Su Shi a "you deserve it" smile, which made the latter indignant.
But soon, Fusu noticed another gaze upon him. He looked in that direction and saw a strange girl who bore a striking resemblance to Su Shi.
The moment their eyes met, the girl clearly looked away. After a couple of breaths, their gazes met again, her eyes filled with obvious gratitude and curiosity.
Fusu was taken aback, then suddenly realized: Oh, this is Su Shi's older sister, the one he wrote a letter to ask Miaowu to help.
I'll ask her how she is later.
His friend's tragic state made Fusu feel exceptionally relieved. Humming a little tune, he planned to return to the palace and rest for a few days. There was no furious father in the palace, only the Emperor and Empress eagerly awaiting his return, ready to welcome him back with a feast.
But what was that saying again?
Everyone has their own trials to overcome.
"Your Highness, regarding the matter of the 'Seeking Knowledge Report,' why did you act first and report later—no, why did you know about it but fail to report it?"
A sinister, resentful voice rang out in front of him.
Fusu looked up and his heart skipped a beat.
Oh no, it's Sima Guang!
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Author's Note: [Sprinkling flowers]
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