From a son-in-law to a favorite of the empress

"What? A rejection?"

Annan Hou frowned, wondering: "When did that old man Shen Qiaoshan become so bold that he dared to reject you? Didn't you tell me that I sent you?"

The old man sighed and smiled bitterly: "I told you, but Shen Qiaoshan still didn't see me. He just asked the housekeeper to pass on the message that he was not feeling well and refused to see guests."

Annan Hou snorted: "This old man is really tired of living. Let Kong Li call on the scholars to take fifty soldiers to see Shen Qiaoshan tomorrow morning. Shan, I don't believe he dares not to see me. "

The old man wiped the sweat from his forehead and whispered: "My Lord, Kong Li didn't see me either."

"What?"

Annan Hou glared and said: "He is just a little kid, how dare he not see you?"

The old man said: "He only said one word - get out."

"How dare you!"

Annan Hou stood up and shouted: "Take people immediately! Go immediately!"

A moment later, the old man set off with fifty soldiers and headed for Shen Mansion.

This time it really worked. The door of Shen Mansion opened, and the housekeeper took the old man all the way in.

"Ke Rong, I haven't seen you for many years. I sigh a lot."

Shen Qiaoshan said while lying on the armchair, reading a book.

The old man smiled faintly and said, "I remember the last time we met was in Shenjing eight years ago, during the autumn killing season. You and I talked about the holy way in the forest. How happy it was."

Shen Qiaoshan said coldly, "But Ke Rong has now joined the thief and wants to do that treasonous thing!"

"Du Qi! You are also a person who reads the books of sages. You also know what loyalty to the emperor means. How dare you go against the will of heaven now? Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning!"

Du Qi, whose name is Ke Rong, was a juren in the previous dynasty. He failed the palace examination many times and then became a county magistrate. He resigned and returned home during the great famine. He was from Ningbo Prefecture.

Shen Qiaoshan had many contacts with him, but he had been missing for nearly eight years.

If he hadn't appeared now, Shen Qiaoshan would have thought he was dead.

"What is rebellion? What is non-rebellion?"

Du Qi sighed deeply and said solemnly: "Mr. Qiaoshan, you are a pampered person, you don't know what the current Jin Dynasty looks like!"

"Eight years ago, I returned to Lin'an Prefecture from Shenjing. In my interest, I went all the way from Henan to Huguang and Jiangxi."

"Wherever I passed, I saw not the splendid mountains and rivers, but the purgatory on earth!"

He pointed outside and said loudly: "Go out and see what kind of life the people are living. A locust plague has displaced millions of people and turned them into hungry ghosts, begging for food everywhere. The bark and grass within a thousand miles have been eaten clean, and those who have no choice but to eat Guanyin soil. Their stomachs are round but they are as thin as firewood."

"Eating children and piles of bones, this is the current Jin Dynasty!"

Shen Qiaoshan's forehead was bulging with veins, and he clenched his fists and said: "This is the reason for your rebellion ? This should be your reason to help the country and serve the court!"

"Wrong! All wrong!"

Du Qi shouted: "From the moment I returned to Lin'an Prefecture eight years ago, I had decided to follow the thieves. The world should not be like this. The Great Jin Dynasty has been in power for 400 years. The emperor is incompetent and the royal family is arrogant and licentious. The world should be changed!"

"That witch is just a bitch. With some political tricks, she can ascend to the throne and dominate the world. The Great Jin Dynasty has long been rotten. If the court does not collapse soon, the people will continue to suffer."

"Only by changing the world and sweeping away this dirty court can the people have a way to survive."

"You said treason, yes, I am indeed a traitor!"

"But I rebelled against the corrupt Great Jin and am loyal to the people."

Shen Qiaoshan's face turned red and white. He wanted to refute, but he couldn't find the words.

He was really not good at debate.

So he could only sigh in silence and said with emotion: "I have been to the capital, and I have traveled around the world and studied in all directions. I know what this world is like."

"But I have also seen the Holy King!"

Shen Qiaoshan looked at Du Qi and said excitedly: "Ke Rong! I have seen the Holy King. At that time, I was a guest at Qu Gong's mansion and saw him off."

"She talked about the world with Qu Gong. She is clearly a wise king and a virtuous emperor. She is definitely not a foolish king!"

"It's just that the Great Jin has accumulated a lot of problems, which led to the current situation. turmoil, how can we scholars not serve the court and share the worries of the holy monarch, but instead join the thieves to rebel and rebel against Tiangang? "

Du Qi waved his hand and said: "Mr. Qiaoshan! Annan Hou is only a third-class military marquis, and he is also a demoted person. How can he have such a situation in just eight years? "

"It's just because of the time. The court has lost the people's hearts. Do you know the latest information in Jiangxi? The two Jiang armies swept through the counties of Jiangxi, and the people welcomed the king's army with food and drink! This is the people's heart. "

Shen Qiaoshan opened his mouth, his face was pale, and he couldn't speak.

He turned around and looked at the calligraphy hanging on the wall behind him.

That isHis masterpiece, he had never written such a divine word, just because his heart was surging that day, and the saints possessed him.

"Establish a mind for heaven and earth! Establish a life for the people! Inherit the unique knowledge of the past saints! Create peace for all generations!"

These four holy words have been echoing in his heart.

But at this moment, he didn't know how to bring up these four sentences.

Thinking of this, he clasped his fists and said: "Ke Rong, you and I have been friends for many years. I have my persistence and you have your ambitions. I don't want to embarrass you."

"If you really want to ask me to come out of retirement, come back tomorrow afternoon and debate with this person."

"If you can convince him, I, Shen Qiaoshan, am willing to serve you!"

Du Qi was very happy. If he could get the help of Qiaoshan Gong, he could at least win the hearts of most of the scholars, and then use the influence of the scholars to promote the king's teacher, which would be of great benefit.

So he immediately clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, Mr. Qiaoshan, for your understanding!"

Speaking of this, he had another doubt: "Who is the 'this person' you are talking about?"

Shen Qiaoshan sighed and said, "A junior who has no respect for his elders, an arrogant young man, this calligraphy is what he said."

Du Qi laughed in his heart, how could a junior convince an old man?

He looked up at the calligraphy on the wall, but was suddenly stunned.

The words were as strong and powerful as if they were carved by knives and axes, and the style was proud, and the content...

Establish a heart for heaven and earth! Establish a life for the people!

Inherit the unique knowledge of the past saints! Create peace for the world!

Every word was like a thunder, exploding in his heart.

Du Kerong suddenly felt a pain in his heart, and took several steps back before he could stand firm. His face was pale, and he said in shock: "How can a junior say this!"

Shen Qiaoshan sighed: "Kerong, would you like to discuss this with me tomorrow afternoon?"

Du Kerong said: "Of course I would like to!"

After seeing Du Qi off, Shen Qiaoshan slumped in his chair, but his mind was full of what Du Qi had just said.

To be honest, Shen Qiaoshan was shaken, and he didn't know which side to help.

Where in this world should we go!

"Xuan Tong, Xuan Tong."

A middle-aged man came in with his voice and bowed, "Father, what do you want me for?"

Shen Qiaoshan panted and said, "Go to Yun'an Tea House and buy seven taels of green tea for me."

The middle-aged man was puzzled and said, "Father, there are still many top-quality Longjing teas at home, why do you need to buy such inferior tea?"

Shen Qiaoshan said angrily, "Go if I tell you to! Remember, it's seven taels!"

"Yes!"

The middle-aged man hurriedly left the room.

Shen Qiaoshan wiped the sweat from his forehead. He also met the shopkeeper of Yun'an Tea House a few days ago and learned that the other party was a secret agent of Jinyiwei.

He also said that if he needed help, he could buy seven taels of green tea.

Everything depends on tomorrow.