Compared to the long wait at the camp down the mountain, Zhao Jiu only spent the time it takes to burn an incense stick to meet the fleeing officials from the Jingdong circuits... Of course, he also recited a poem, but he got the background of the poem wrong.

Leaving the small hilltop fort, Zhao Jiu returned directly to his imperial tent, but he didn't rest immediately. Or rather, this night was destined to be sleepless for many.

"Is His Majesty waiting for Han Shizhong?"

After a series of events, Chancellor Lü Haowen had apparently given up trying to influence the Emperor. However, this didn't stop him from returning to his wooden hut next to the small fort after comforting the Jingdong officials. There, he shared a few drinks with his close friends, partly to celebrate the small victory that day, partly to calm the nerves of the Jingdong officials, and partly to chat about life, privately lamenting the current situation.

"Certainly."

Sitting to Lü Haowen's immediate left was the young Censor-in-chief Zhang Jun. Although holding a high position, he had still taken the initiative to pour wine for the senior officials present, showing his respect. Now, having just sat down, he answered without hesitation, "I just asked Hu Mingzhong (Hu Yin), and he said that the Emperor left word for the imperial kitchen to prepare a meal for Han Shizhong as soon as he lands. He will be taken to eat a hot meal before being summoned to the tent."

"Such favor is truly rare," Lü Haowen sighed.

Of course, it's rare!

The junior scholar Lin thought to himself, but Zhang Deyuan was more concerned with showing off his status in front of the Emperor to the new colleagues. Otherwise, how could he know the happenings at the imperial tent so clearly?! And Chancellor Lü, your weak words will push these newly arrived colleagues towards Zhang Deyuan, won't it?

Where is the dignity of the Chancellor?

"It seems His Majesty intends to truly change the practice of valuing the literary over the martial..." After a pause, Lü Haowen shook his head, expressing a hint of dissatisfaction. "It's a pity about Zhao Defu (Zhao Mingcheng). After this incident, he's afraid he will become a laughingstock known throughout the world. Yet, he doesn't dare to refute it. I called him over just now, but he covered his face and left. I wonder what he will say to Layman Yi'an when he returns to his lodgings?"

Hearing this, the seven or eight people present shook their heads in sympathy.

The junior scholar Lin, sitting at the edge of the table, also shook his head in sympathy... With a large group of officials and their families from the Jingdong circuits arriving at Mount Bagong, other places might be alright, but the small fort on the summit had no secrets anymore. What happened in the main hall of the small fort just now spread almost instantly throughout the entire fort, even the newly arrived junior scholar Lin knew about it. As civil officials, they seemed to have no choice but to share the same feelings.

However...

"Chancellor Lü."

Just as everyone was shaking their heads and lamenting the changing times, one of them suddenly spoke seriously. It was Liu Hongdao, the former Prefect of Qingzhou and current Pacification Commissioner of Jiangxi, who was to depart early the next morning. "Zhao Defu's matter is indeed regrettable, but there is nothing wrong with Han Shizhong's treatment. You must know that even if 'Rascal Han the Fifth' is usually a rogue, he is now His Majesty's and the court's true reliance. His Majesty calls him his backbone, and it is a fitting description. Without him today, how could we be here enjoying a drink in peace? Therefore, although His Majesty's actions tonight may be slightly harsh, on the whole, I believe there is nothing wrong with how he treated either Han Shizhong or Zhang Yongzhen."

Lü Haowen sighed helplessly, took a small sip of wine, and reluctantly nodded. "That's what I meant. Although His Majesty often makes impulsive actions and says impulsive words, he can always silence the world with the phrase 'the nation is in peril, and the war has not ended,' followed by 'resistance against the Jin is paramount.'"

What silenced Liu Hongdao wasn't 'resistance against the Jin'!

The junior scholar Lin thought to himself, realizing the truth. What silenced Liu Hongdao was clearly the title of Pacification Commissioner of Jiangnan West Circuit. In these times of war, this position was clearly a promotion, perhaps even more important than his own position as a scholar of the Jade Hall... Therefore, no matter how unconventional His Majesty's words in the small fort's hall were, Liu Hongdao would defend them. Otherwise, what would become of his position as Pacification Commissioner?

In fact, it wasn't just Liu Hongdao... The junior scholar Lin thought further... With Han Shizhong's arrival today, blocking Jin Wushu across the Heng River, and the imminent military threat gone, the chances of victory had increased. He wondered how many people would abandon their previous hesitations and wholeheartedly support His Majesty, like Zhang Jun Zhang Deyuan, who was faintly replacing Chancellor Lü as the leader of the civil officials here...

"If we put it that way, Chancellor Lü truly doesn't need to worry too much."

As expected, while the junior scholar Lin was still lost in thought, Censor-in-chief Zhang Jun quickly smiled and offered comfort. "Please consider, Chancellor Lü, that it is wartime now, so we need to temporarily abandon the ancestral rules. In the future, when the world is stable, these systems will return, won't they? And in these times, are the literati truly without a place to use their talents? In my humble opinion, with Chancellor Lü's experience this time, when the day comes to recover the Two Rivers, Chancellor Lü's name will be more prominent in the historical records than Zhuge Liang, taking up more space than those peace-loving chancellors of the past."

Lü Haowen shook his head even more vigorously. "Even if I could become a Zhuge Liang, that would be Chancellor Li and you. I said before, you are all young and can still do things, but I am already old and decaying. When this war is over, and the country can turn from danger to safety, I will immediately resign."

Hearing these words, everyone repeatedly tried to dissuade him, but they all sneered inwardly.

In fact, it wasn't just the junior scholar Lin; almost everyone thought of a possibility... You see, although this Emperor is still young, he has already shown considerable ambition. So, which kind of Chancellor does this Emperor prefer, Li Gang Li Xianggong or Lü Haowen Lü Xianggong?

You see, Chancellor Lü has high qualifications, a noble family, and world-renowned scholarship. The key is that he has a good temper. Although his mind is full of inappropriate thoughts, he only dares to drunkenly tug at the Emperor's sleeve and say a few nonsense words. He doesn't dare to say anything excessive to the Emperor's face. Where can the Great Song Dynasty find such an obedient Chancellor in over a hundred years?

Oh, it's not like there aren't any. There's Wang Gui Wang Xianggong, the treasured official of the Shenzong reign! His name as the 'Three Yeses Chancellor' has been passed down to this day!

But speaking of the Shenzong reign, the junior scholar Lin suddenly remembered a rumor from before, saying that someone had suggested in Shunchang Prefecture (now Fuyang) that the nation's troubles were due to Wang Anshi's reforms. This unexpectedly angered the Emperor, who personally criticized that person severely. It could be seen that the Emperor, like Emperor Shenzong, also liked to make changes.

In short, Chancellor Lü's future is likely to be very good! Otherwise, why would everyone be trying to cozy up to a useless person like you? Even Zhang Jun doesn't dare to easily break away from you and establish his own banner?

In this way, everyone made a fuss, and as the outside became noisy, saying that Commander Han had arrived on the mountain, the feast finally shifted from the small details of the imperial court to the war situation... Everyone had drunk a few cups of wine at this time, and they all felt relieved, and then had to admit that 'Rascal Han the Fifth' Han Commander had really saved everyone's life!

Of course, they also couldn't help but feel sour and continued to complain, criticizing the Emperor for deliberately concealing military information, saying that if they had known His Majesty had such preparations earlier, why would they have been so worried before, and so on...