CH 43

When Zhu Yijun saw Zhao Su, he had wanted to jump on him but with Zhang Juzheng in the way，he didn’t forget his manners and upbringing and just reluctantly held himself back but his longing gaze was on Zhao Su the whole time.

With someone as formidable as Zhang Juzheng present, the little kid felt immense pressure, so he had been looking forward to Zhao Su coming to placate him.

Zhao Su thought it was very funny, in reality, in front of Gao Gong and Chen Yiqin, Zhu Yijun had never ever been that well behaved, it was just that Zhang Juzheng hadn’t been there for that long, so Zhu Yijun was unsure of what his character was like, neither he did dare to be too brazen in front of him. It was important to know that in this era, one had to respect one’s teacher. Once your teacher, always your teacher1. Even Emperors were no exception to this rule, even the famously unruly Zhengde Emperor back then treated his teacher with the utmost love and respect. 

Zhang Juzheng didn’t notice what Zhu Yijun was doing, he was thinking how to tell Zhao Su: “Shao Yong, I just heard something from teacher.” Zhao Su had an ominous feeling in his gut.

“There was an urgent report from the border, Liaoyang was attacked. Yang Zhao, the Commanding General of Liaodong2 personally led the attack but was killed in ambush, your teacher went out to help Yang da-ren,” Zhang Juzheng paused for a moment，“……and was also killed in battle.”

Zhao Su was stunned.

He suddenly thought back to six or seven years ago and the first time that he had met Dai Gongwang. 

That man that had stood between the County Magistrate and the Zhao Clan Leader, that extraordinary man.

You want to study, why?

Are you willing to be my student?

At that time, he would never have thought that the decision he made that day would change his entire destiny.

According to Zhao Su’s background, he had long developed his own views on the world and life but it was Dai Gongwang who made him see everything that this place had that the future materialistic world he was from did not.

The strength of character and moral integrity of a scholar.

This kind of person, how could he have suddenly died?

Zhao Su came back to his senses, his first thought was disbelief.

Zhang Juzheng looked at him with sympathy: “Restrain your grief, accept fate3.”

Zhao Su clenched his fists.

There is no way to prove that it was linked to him but he can’t get away with it, can he?

That a general who had been stationed at the border for so long could lose his way in the nick of time and not be questioned about it afterwards simply begs the question.

“Shao Yong, in one’s lifetime, there are many things that are bound to occur against one’s will. My teacher and I are both very much aggrieved about what has happened to your teacher. But we can only say – while the green hills last, there’ll be wood to burn6.” Zhang Juzheng reverted back to his usual elegant flair. He was afraid that Zhao Su would do something impulsive, like rattle the snake and spoil his teacher’s long term plan.

Zhao Su naturally understood what he meant. He was enraged, but in the end, he was not really an impulsive teenager at all.

Although Yan Shifan was not in the Capital now and Yan Song was also being treated coldly by the Emperor, but even a starving camel was bigger than a horse7. The Yan family and their faction members covered the entire imperial court; it couldn’t be taken down completely for a while. With Zhao Su’s current status, it was easier for the Yan faction to destroy him than squashing an ant.

“It’s a good thing that he died for his country.” Zhu Yijun said seriously. As he had grown by leaps and bounds from the time he first met Zhao Su two years ago, he could now understand many things he did not understand before.

When the Yan faction was in power, Secretary Xu attitude’s was ambiguous and dubious. In many matters, he either did not ask questions and let Yan Song and his son take charge, or he went with the flow and did not try to stand out from the crowd. But this time, he flagged up his own ideas and viewpoint for the first time, and even if it was the same old story, it was very much like a new official who had just taken up post and threw out his idea with passion.

Most importantly, combined with the earlier resignation of Yan Song, it was evident to see that this was clearly a move made against the Yan Faction, and those who were closely attached to this faction.

Whilst some people were frightened, others were naturally happy.

Those who had been suppressed and persecuted by the Yan faction for years were all clapping their hands and eyes wide open to see who would be the first to fall.

No one expected that the day after the decree was sent out, another memorial impeaching an official was submitted.

Only, the impeachment was directed at Xu Jie’s students from an early time.