Chapter 9: Cai Que's Ambition

A child's sleep is something all adults envy.

Zhao Xu slept until dawn. When he opened his eyes, he saw Gu PoPo squatting by his bed.

"Has the Prince woken up?" Gu PoPo asked softly.

Zhao Xu nodded.

Gu PoPo then led the palace maids to help Zhao Xu dress.

While Zhao Xu was dressing, Gu PoPo said, "Just now, someone from De Fei Pavilion reported that at the third watch of the night, the princess had a high fever and fainted. Fortunately, Doctor Qian was staying at the Imperial Medical Office last night and promptly came to the palace to treat the princess, resolving the crisis!"

Zhao Xu exhaled a breath of relief after hearing this.

Then, he turned his head to look in a certain direction.

The direction of Kai Bao Temple.

"Where is Feng Jing?" Zhao Xu asked.

"Feng Jing went to the imperial kitchen... He should be back soon!" Gu PoPo replied.

"Oh!" Zhao Xu nodded and began to wash up with the help of the palace maids.

He had just finished washing up when Feng Jing hurriedly returned.

"Your Highness!" Feng Jing bowed upon seeing Zhao Xu, who had already finished washing up.

"What's the matter, so flustered?" Zhao Xu asked calmly.

"Your Highness, I heard from the imperial kitchen that at the fourth watch of the night, Kai Bao Temple caught fire. It is said that the fire was very intense. By dawn, it was finally extinguished by the Kaifeng Prefecture, but most of the examination hall was burned to the ground!"

"Understood!" Zhao Xu nodded calmly.

But in his heart, he sighed, "What is meant to happen will happen!"

The events of his previous life were unfolding again, following their original course.

However, this time, Zhao Xu managed to save his own sister.

That innocent and adorable little girl who loved to wear colorful clothes.

Zhao Xu thus confirmed the current date.

February 17, 1085 (Xinsi).

There were twelve days left until he was appointed as the crown prince, and seventeen days until his father's death.

"It seems fate is guiding me!" Zhao Xu sighed in his heart.

In his previous life, he was forced to grow up after the fire at Kai Bao Temple and the death of his fifth sister, and had to face the world alone at the tender age of eight.

This shaped his personality in his previous life.

Silent, resolute, sensitive, and suspicious.

But now, at the age of eight, he had the mature soul of a man who had full control over power and human nature.

He was no longer afraid.

On the contrary, he was eager to try.

He wanted to overcome the nightmares of his childhood.

To overturn the fears that once kept him awake at night.

Not just within the imperial city.

But also outside it.

Just like now, he had already overcome his first fear: the pain of losing his sister!

By getting closer to Empress Xiang and using her power, he easily accomplished what he could not do now.

Feng Jing swallowed hard and cautiously said, "I heard that the two lecturers at Zishan Hall may have perished in the fire!"

Zhao Xu listened in silence, looking at Feng Jing, then sighed, "What can be done?"

...

Kai Bao Temple, located north of the Wuzhang River and south of the imperial city, was a royal temple of the Song Dynasty and a scenic spot in Bianjing.

At this moment, countless firefighters were coming and going in Kai Bao Temple.

Soldiers from the Palace Guard and the Kaifeng Prefecture had already carried out the bodies found in the fire debris and placed them in the courtyard in front of the examination hall.

In the courtyard, numerous cool umbrellas stood, silently testifying to the high status of their owners.

"Chengyi Lang Zhai Man, Fengyi Lang Chen Fangzhi, and Xuande Lang Ma Ximeng have all been confirmed to have perished in the fire..."

Li Ding, the Minister of Revenue responsible for overseeing the provincial examination, reported the severe losses from the fire to the chancellors of the Two Councils and Three Provinces with trepidation.

During the Yuanfeng Reforms, the old official ranks were replaced by new ones.

The former honorary ranks became official positions.

The ranks that determined salary and position became the "parasitic ranks."

According to the Yuanfeng parasitic rank system, the ranks of court officials started from Tongzhi Lang and above, while the ranks of capital officials ranged from Chengwu Lang to Xuande Lang, divided into five levels.

Now, two court officials and one capital official, who had reached the pinnacle of the capital ranks and was waiting for a promotion, had been burned to death here.

There were no more than 2,800 civil and military officials in the entire Song Dynasty.

Three of them died today!

This was a major event.

As the chief examiner, Li Ding knew he could not escape responsibility.

Moreover, the identities of the three people who died in the fire were particularly sensitive!

Zhai Man's position was: Professor of the Han and Ji Princes' Palaces and Lecturer at the Muxin Residence!

Everyone who saw this position felt their scalp tingle.

These were the teachers of the imperial clan!

But this was not the main issue.

The key was the other two.

They had the same position: Acting Lecturer at Zishan Hall!

Unfortunately, all three had the same background—they were staunch supporters of the new laws and students of Wang Anshi!

They were also carefully selected by the emperor to educate the imperial clan and the princes!

Today, they all died here!

This was a disaster!

Li Ding, the chief examiner, and Sun Jue, the Deputy Secretary of the Secretariat, who had assigned these three to assist in the examination, looked at each other in dismay.

The chancellors were now recalling the Zhao Shiju Treason Case of 1075!

That case shook the entire country.

No one knew how many people were involved!

It included civil and military officials, imperial physicians, and the Astronomical Bureau...

In the end, not only the current prime minister but even Sima Guang, who was writing books in a cellar in Luoyang, was implicated.

But the cause was merely a commoner reporting a former local official for "intending to rebel."

The local officials, lacking evidence, dismissed the case.

But when it was reported to the emperor, he sent people to investigate...

It turned out that the imperial clan member Zhao Shiju was involved, with solid evidence!

These people had even prepared the necessary prophecies.

It was a clear case of treason!

The investigation expanded, and more and more people were implicated under torture.

The emperor eventually stopped the investigation himself.

Otherwise, no one knew how many more people would have been implicated.

Now, the fire at Kai Bao Temple had burned to death three lecturers personally selected by the emperor to educate the imperial clan and the princes.

If this had happened last year,

The entire Bianjing would have been turned upside down!

But now...

Although the emperor was seriously ill,

The two lecturers who died were supported by the Prince of Yan'an!

The Prince of Yan'an was young, but he would grow up.

If this incident did not have a reasonable explanation,

It could become a pit that would ruin the future of everyone's descendants!

"What should we do?" Everyone looked at the chancellors of the Three Provinces, who were at the center of the group.

But these high-ranking officials remained silent.

No one offered comfort or made a statement.

They just looked at the bodies being carried out.

Their brows furrowed, and their expressions were uncertain.

After a long time, a hoarse and deep voice said, "This matter should not be reported to the emperor for now!"

Everyone looked over.

The speaker was the Right Chancellor, Cai Que.

He said firmly and seriously, "Now, the emperor is ill and has not yet recovered to preside over the court. Anyone who dares to disturb the emperor's peace with trivial matters is a traitor and a criminal!"

"Left Chancellor..." Cai Que turned to the Left Chancellor, Wang Gui, who was at the center of the group, and asked, "Do you agree?"

The Left Chancellor, who was already 64 years old, his plump face twitched, but he could only nod. "The Right Chancellor is right!"

The emperor was suffering from a stroke!

The doctors advised against any agitation or worry.

Even if the sky fell, any matter that could stimulate the emperor's condition could not be mentioned.

Otherwise, everyone would become criminals!

In the annals of history, they would be condemned by all!

"Then..." Li Ding's brows furrowed in worry. "This..."

"Deceiving the emperor is a grave crime!" He hung his head.

In the Song Dynasty, in Bianjing, nothing could be hidden.

Even the emperor in the inner palace could not hide information.

How could the ministers outside the imperial city hide information?

Especially such a major event?

Was it a death wish?

If the censors discovered that these ministers had dared to deceive the emperor,

Their impeachment memorials would flood the Silver Platform Office.

"This is not deceiving the emperor!" Cai Que looked at everyone and said slowly, "This is being loyal to the emperor!"

"Moreover, we are not hiding it!"

"We will report it to the two palaces and let them decide!"

"Whether to report it to the emperor will be decided by the two palaces!"

Last night, Cai Que received a small newspaper from his son, Cai Wei.

A secret news item from the palace caught Cai Que's attention.

The Prince of Yan'an was copying Buddhist scriptures for the emperor, praying for his father's recovery, and for the longevity of his grandmother, mother, and concubine.

When Cai Que saw this news, he had some ideas.

But at the time, he lacked a clear plan.

Now, Cai Que knew what he should do!

He remembered the task the emperor entrusted to him during their last meeting.

He also remembered the empress's instructions that his mother, Ming, brought back from the palace.

All these events were now connected by the fire at the examination hall.

Han Qi had served three emperors and supported two.

Cai Que, Cai Chizheng, could also do the same.

Supporting two emperors and assisting a young prince!

What a great achievement!

In the future, the Cai family of Quanzhou might not be inferior to the Han family of Xiangzhou!

...

Note: In the Northern Song Dynasty, the Ministry of Rites Examination Hall was long located in Kai Bao Temple. The fire at Kai Bao Temple in 1085 forced the imperial examination to be held a second time.

Note 2: The cool umbrella, also known as the green silk umbrella, was a symbol of status granted to high-ranking officials in the Northern Song Dynasty.

Note 3: In the Han Dynasty, the Imperial Censorate was filled with many cypress trees, where thousands of crows roosted year-round. Thus, the Imperial Censorate was historically known as the "Crow Platform," and the censors were called "crows."

Note 4: "Left Chancellor" is a respectful term for the Left Chancellor. Note that Wang Gui called Cai Que "Right Chancellor," which had a slight connotation of disrespect. Normally, he should have called him "Right Chancellor."

Note 5: Cai Wei is also known as Cai Mao, who later changed his name.

Note 6: The number of capital and court officials in the Northern Song Dynasty remained around 2,800 from the Qingli to the Yuanfeng periods, increasing to about 3,000 after the Yuanyou period. Data source: "Economic Yearbook of the Northern Song Dynasty during the Xining and Yuanfeng Periods."

(End of Chapter)