Жан Чунь

Глава 39

Broken kisses

Before even entering the city gates of Jiangning, Wang Anshi saw several people waiting by the roadside. Upon seeing the carriage approaching, they immediately stood up and waved to welcome him. Wang Anshi looked closely and recognized one of the couples as Qiu Niang and her husband, whom he had once saved, and the other elderly couple as Pang Di's parents.

He hurriedly called Wang Pang and Pang Di to get out of the carriage and talk to them. Qiu Niang and her husband, grateful for his kindness, had specially come out of the city to welcome Wang Anshi, which naturally moved him deeply. Pang, his in-law, had even come all the way from Hangzhou to do so, which touched him even more. Another in-law, Wu Chong, to avoid suspicion, not only did he and his son not come to see them off when they left the capital, but he even forbade Wang Yu from saying goodbye to his parents and siblings. Comparing the different actions of his two in-laws, Wang Anshi knew the true feelings of both sides. He said to Pang Gong, "Anshi is now just a man who has been exiled, yet I have troubled my in-laws to come all the way to welcome me personally. I am truly ashamed."

Pang Gong laughed and said, "Jie Fu himself said that we are in-laws. We are in-laws when you are prime minister, we are in-laws when you are prefect, and we are still in-laws even if you resign from all your official positions and return to being commoners. This affection will not change with your official rank."

Madam Pang, who was standing to the side, was both saddened and happy to be reunited with her daughter after a long separation. She cried for a while, and after finally stopping her tears, she pulled her daughter to look at her closely. She was shocked and said, "When I last saw you, you were radiant and plump. How come you have become so thin and haggard now?"

Wang Anshi sighed inwardly upon hearing this, feeling even more apologetic and utterly ashamed to face his daughter-in-law's parents. Pang Di covered up her feelings by replying, "You look a bit haggard because of the bumpy journey and lack of rest. It's nothing serious; you'll feel better after a few days of rest after settling in."

After settling into the prefect's residence in the city, everyone gathered for a meal filled with a somber atmosphere rather than the joy of reunion. Two days later, Pang Gong and his wife bid farewell and returned home. As usual, Wang Pang and Pang Di went out of the city to see them off. However, Pang's wife recalled her son-in-law's attitude towards her daughter over the past two days and felt that it was not as intimate as before, which made her very suspicious.

A few months later, after autumn arrived, Pang Di's dowry maid, Lüxiu, returned to Hangzhou to visit her family. Madam Pang inquired in detail about her daughter's recent situation. Lüxiu hesitated and said that it was not good. Madam Pang hurriedly asked if it was because her husband was not treating her well. Lüxiu hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "Miss and husband have been separated for a long time."

Lady Pang, deeply concerned for her daughter, was extremely worried upon hearing this and could neither eat nor sleep. The next day, she and her husband went to Jiangning again to visit their daughter. That evening, she privately called her daughter to them and inquired in detail about Wang Pang and her situation.

Pang Di forced a smile and said it was her overthinking, refusing to tell the truth. Finally, Madam Pang had no choice but to ask her why she and Wang Pang had separated, pressing her for details. Pang Di didn't know how to answer and could only cover her face and silently wipe away her tears.

Seeing the couple rushing in with anxious expressions, Wang Anshi guessed it was about his son and daughter-in-law. He stood outside the window, listening vaguely for a while, before finally letting out a long sigh and entering. With tears in his eyes, he bowed deeply to Pang Gong and his wife, saying, "I am ashamed before my in-laws. I was unaware of my son's hidden illness and took it upon myself to propose marriage to your daughter. As a result, they have been married for so long without consummating their marriage, ruining your daughter's life. Even death cannot atone for this sin."

Pang Gong was taken aback at first, then hurriedly took Wang Anshi's arm with both hands, but did not know how to answer. Meanwhile, Madam Pang hugged her daughter and wept bitterly.

Wang Anshi continued, "Now that I have been demoted and left the capital, and Pang'er has also resigned from his official post to live a simple life, our lives are even more difficult than before. I dare not let Adi suffer by staying by Pang'er's side..."

Pang Di sensed something was wrong with him, so she interrupted Xuanran and asked, "Does Father-in-law want to divorce his daughter-in-law again?"

“Alas…” Wang Anshi sighed without answering, and only said to Pang Gongxu, “Since you’ve come all this time, why don’t you take Adi back to Hangzhou? Whether it’s a short visit or a long stay, or even if she marries someone else, we won’t have a single complaint. We will certainly treat her like a daughter and prepare a generous dowry for her…”

"No!" Pang Di and her father objected at the same time. Then Pang Di covered her tears and said, "Didn't I say last time? Since I married Wang Pang, I have decided to be his wife for life. I have no regrets about this."

Wang Anshi shook his head and said, "This concerns your lifelong happiness, so you must not act impulsively. Besides, this matter has been a huge blow to Pang'er. He is in a bad mood and is deliberately mistreating you, causing you to be so depressed and haggard. How can people feel at ease if this continues?"

Madam Pang was shocked to hear this and asked her daughter, "Is Pang'er deliberately treating you badly?" Overwhelmed with heartache, tears streamed down her face as she advised Pang Di, "If that's the case, then you should go home with your parents. Whether or not you remarry is another matter for now. You should rest at your parents' home for a while and make other plans when you feel better."

Wang Anshi nodded and said, "Madam Pang is right. Adi, you should go back to your parents' home for a few days and think it over carefully before deciding whether to remarry."

Looking at her mother's sorrowful yet expectant eyes, Pang Di felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She couldn't bear to disappoint her and wanted to agree to let her come home for a short stay. However, Wang Pang's image kept coming to mind, and she couldn't help but hesitate, finding it difficult to make a decision.

At this moment, her father said to her gently, "Di'er, go back to your room and rest first, and think about whether you want to come home with us tomorrow. As for what happens after that, I will discuss it with Jie Fu."

Pang Di nodded, tears welling in his eyes, and got up to leave.

As I passed by Wang Pang's house, I faintly heard the sound of clapping coming from inside. I stopped to listen carefully and found that he was tapping the cups on the table with his chopsticks, reciting a poem called "Qian Qiu Sui Yin" in a clear voice: "The cold sound of the pestle in the secluded pavilion, the lonely city's painted horn, a whole autumn sound enters the vast expanse. Swallows return from the sea to the east, geese fly south to land on the sandbar. The wind of Chu Terrace, the moon of Geng Tower, are just like yesterday. Helplessly bound by fame and fortune! Helplessly delayed by other feelings! It's a pity that romance is always wasted! Back then, I left words on the Huabiao pillar in vain, but now I have broken my promise to Qin Tower. When the dream ends and the wine is drunk, I think about it."

Pang Di felt a pang of sadness. Since arriving in Jiangning, Wang Pang had maintained his distance from her, always wearing a cold expression, rarely showing any emotion. She hadn't expected him to recite this poem alone in the quiet of the night. The entire poem contained no words of sorrow, yet a deep sadness, mingled with the rich autumnal atmosphere, filled the air. Pang Di silently pondered the lines: "Helplessly bound by fame and fortune! Helplessly delayed by love! Alas, romance is always wasted! I once left words on the Huabiao pillar, now I've missed my rendezvous at the Qinlou..." Overwhelmed with emotion and pity, she couldn't contain herself and pushed open the door to go inside.

He finished singing and fell asleep at his desk. On the table sat a pot of leftover wine and a solitary cup.

Pang Di walked up to him, reached out and stroked his face, which was not even flushed by the wine, her eyes filled with sorrow.

He slowly raised his head, and through the hazy light in his eyes, he saw that it was her. He smiled sadly and said, "A single wrong thought has ruined your life. You regret it now."

She forced a smile, trying to suppress the lump in her throat, before saying, "Why are you saying such things? You must be drunk."

He bowed slightly, rubbed his forehead, and said, "I want to get drunk, and only when I'm drunk can I say what I want to say."

“Drunkenness is bad for your health. If you have to drink this much before you can speak, then I’d rather you say nothing at all.” Pang Di pushed away the wine pot and cups in front of him, still smiling, and said, “You regret what you did? But I don’t regret it. I’m willing to be burdened by you.”

He remained silent, gazing at her with undisguised tenderness in his eyes.

Just then, a chilly autumn wind swept in from outside the door. Pang Di noticed that the door hadn't been closed, so he went over to close it.

"Are you leaving?" Wang Pang asked from behind her. Pang Di turned around and saw that he looked flustered.

She smiled gently and said, "I'm not leaving." Then she closed the door.

He felt relieved. He sat up straight, smiled, and gestured to her with his sleeve, displaying a relaxed demeanor that she was familiar with but had long missed.

“Di,” he said softly, “come, let me kiss you.”

It was as if she had returned to the past, as if nothing had happened, the flowers were in full bloom and the moon was bright, and she was still receiving his affection. She obediently sat down next to him. He put one arm around her waist and held her hand with the other, and after more than a year, his lips were once again pressed against her face.

He kissed her forehead. The instant his lips touched her skin, four tears welled up in their eyes at the same time, but they ignored them, letting the drops slide down their cheeks and disappear onto their clothes.

After gently kissing her forehead, he seemed to hesitate for a moment before stopping. Pang Di then tilted her head back and lightly pecked his lips, and he returned the kiss in the same way. And so, they carefully and gently kissed each other's foreheads, lips, cheeks, chins, ears, and all the skin on their necks, occasionally tasting the faint salty and bitter flavor of tears.

Their skin was equally cold, and tears kept flowing. They left behind a trail of cool, light, and broken kisses, which were precious to them.

(to be continued)

Note: This poem, "Qianqiu Sui Yin," is generally attributed to Wang Anshi. However, I believe the lines "Helplessly delayed by other affairs! Alas, all my romantic pursuits have been wasted! In the past, I vainly left words on the Huabiao pillar, but now they have ruined my promise to the Qinlou," subtly allude to a romantic affair. Wang Anshi was already old at the time, and he was devoted to his wife, maintaining a good marital relationship. Why would he say "now they have ruined my promise to the Qinlou"? This interpretation seems more in line with Wang Pang's own feelings. The "Qinlou promise" also echoes the line "My dreams linger around the Qinlou" in his later poem, "Yan'er Mei." Many of Wang Anshi's memorials to the emperor were written by Wang Pang, so it's not impossible that later generations confused their poems. Therefore, I dare to suggest that Wang Pang sing this poem.

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Return to Beijing

The next morning, Pang Di knelt before her parents and said, "Your daughter and Wang Pang are now husband and wife, and we cherish each other dearly. We will walk hand in hand for the rest of our lives. It must be a promise from a previous life that I have chosen him. He is my husband, and this will not change because of his health condition. Now he and your father have encountered setbacks in their business, and they are both in low spirits. I cannot abandon him and return home at this time. Please understand, Father and Mother. I will go to Hangzhou with him to visit you after he has recovered."

Madam Pang, tears streaming down her face, stroked her and asked, "Foolish child, have you thought this through?"

Pang Di nodded firmly.

"Good child!" Pang Gong's eyes were filled with tears, but he still tried his best to maintain a smiling expression: "I was just about to tell you that Jie Fu's family is in a difficult situation right now. Anyone with a conscience should not abandon their husband at this time, especially since you are my carefully raised daughter. Now that you have married into the Wang family, you must strictly adhere to the virtues of a wife and remain faithful to your husband until the end. You must never do anything that would damage the reputation of the Wang family, which is admired by the world. You stay and take good care of Pang'er, and also take good care of yourself. Your father and I will go back now, so you don't need to worry too much."

Pang Di agreed to all of them. Madam Pang couldn't help but hug her and weep bitterly again before reluctantly leaving Jiangning with her husband to return to Hangzhou.

Although Pang Gong instructed his daughter to remain in the royal family, uphold traditional virtues, and remain faithful to her husband until the end, the pity and guilt that welled up in his heart whenever he thought of her current situation caused him unbearable pain. He never imagined that the marriage he had chosen for his beloved daughter to prevent her from marrying into the perilous royal family would bring her such suffering, inevitably leading to a tragic end for her marriage and life. He had caused all of this himself, and he simply could not forgive himself. Yet, his sense of morality and responsibility, which he valued more than life itself, made it impossible for him to correct this mistake. Therefore, he was helpless and powerless, and all he could do was watch his daughter continue to live a miserable life trapped in that marriage.

He endured the daily torment in his heart, and this pain quickly eroded his already meager health. He fell ill again and passed away three months later at Liaoxiao Manor.

However, after that kiss that night, Pang Di and Wang Pang's relationship improved considerably. Wang Pang no longer resisted her care as before, and she began to prepare medicine for him daily, read with him, and occasionally he would accept her suggestion to comb his hair. When he was in a better mood, he would smile at her, gently call her name, or go on outings with her on sunny days. However, he still avoided any intimate contact with her, rarely kissing her anymore, and even when he did, it was only a light touch on her forehead; he almost never held her hand or hugged her. The nightly duets of the xiao and qin were no longer played; since the qin was broken, they had tacitly agreed not to play any musical instruments anymore. On several moonlit nights, although they were in the same room, the mood was different from before. Usually, he seemed engrossed in his book, while she gazed blankly at the moon, occasionally turning back sadly to trim the lamp wick for him.

They still slept in separate rooms. One day, as if suddenly remembering this, Madam Wang said to them, "Now that Pang'er's health has improved a lot, and I see that you two are getting along well, why don't you move back to Pang'er's room?"

Pang Di remained silent. Wang Pang's expression darkened, and he also turned away without answering. It was Wang Anshi who came to their rescue, saying, "The imperial physician told me last time that Pang'er's constitution is still weak and he needs to be well cared for. It would be better for the couple to sleep in separate rooms for the next year or two."

Madam Wang said with dissatisfaction, "But if this continues, when will we ever be able to hold our grandson?"

Wang Pang coughed violently at just the right moment, and Madam Wang quickly got up to take care of him, so the matter was dropped and not mentioned again.

In mid-August of the seventh year of the Xining era, Wang Anguo, destitute and seriously ill, arrived in Jiangning and knocked on the door of his brother Wang Anshi's residence.

His appearance shocked everyone. He was usually arrogant and stubborn, always going against his brother, so his family disliked him. But seeing his miserable state, they couldn't help but feel pity for him. Wang Anshi, with tears in his eyes, stayed by his bedside and asked him repeatedly what had happened.

Wang Anguo, his eyes half-open and clouded by illness, slowly said, "I have repeatedly advised you, elder brother, to stay away from that treacherous person, Lü Huiqing, but you wouldn't listen. Now that he has harmed me like this, it's bad enough, but what worries me is that the next person he'll target is you, elder brother!"

After Wang Anshi was dismissed as prime minister, Zhao Xu accepted his advice and appointed Han Jiang and Lü Huiqing to govern together. Lü Huiqing was eloquent and persuasive, and adept at reading people's expressions. Seeing that Zhao Xu often looked at the manuscript of "New Interpretations of the Three Classics" on his desk and sighed after Wang Anshi and his son left, he knew that Zhao Xu's abolition of the new laws was not out of necessity but out of resentment. So one day, he joined forces with Deng Wan to persuade Zhao Xu, saying, "Your Majesty has worked tirelessly for years, neglecting sleep and meals, to achieve this excellent policy. The new laws have made the whole country feel the emperor's grace. Now, just because of the words of a madman, the new laws are almost completely abolished. Is this not a pity?" The two took turns persuading him, their voices trembling with tears. Zhao Xu was finally moved, especially since he had originally hoped to reinstate the new laws. Therefore, he issued an edict to reinstate the new laws as before, except for abolishing the field survey law. Han Jiang, the Chancellor, was grateful for Wang Anshi's recommendation and vigorously promoted the new laws, just as Wang Anshi had done during his time. He was very proactive, so people gave him and Lü Huiqing nicknames respectively: Han Jiang was called "the Dharma-transmitting monk" and Lü Huiqing was called "the Dharma-protecting benevolent deity".

After Lü Huiqing assumed the position of Vice Chancellor, he displayed remarkable skill and decisiveness. Knowing that Zhao Hao's earlier advice to Zhao Xu had mentioned Zeng Bu's report about the previous year's revenue and expenditure being lower than during the Zhiping era and the widespread public discontent caused by the Market Exchange Bureau, which deeply displeased Zhao Xu, Lü Huiqing used various charges to demote Zeng Bu, a former key assistant to Wang Anshi and the Commissioner of the Three Departments, to the position of Prefect of Raozhou. He further accused Zeng Bu of "obstructing the Market Exchange Bureau," "failing to notice officials instructing merchants to embellish their reports," "discarding the 960,000 taels of silver from the Imperial Treasury during the Zhiping era (which should have been deducted from the revenue), and "intentionally making the court's expenditures higher than before, leading to financial shortages and insufficient revenue, thus submitting a false report." He also accused Zeng Bu of "fabricating the story of the Market Exchange Bureau's excessive monthly interest payments" and other offenses.

Zheng Xia, the minor official who had brought down Chancellor Wang Anshi with his "Refugee Map," was also disgusted by Lü Huiqing's actions. Naively believing his previous methods would work again and the emperor would accept his opinions and suggestions in the same way, he picked up his brush again and worked day and night on a scroll titled "The Deeds of Upright Gentlemen and Corrupt Scoundrels." The scroll depicted virtuous Tang Dynasty chancellors Wei Zheng, Yao Chong, and Song Jing, as well as treacherous chancellors Li Linfu and Lu Qi, among others. Their appearances were accurately portrayed according to the prominent officials of the time, allowing viewers to easily identify and match them to their counterparts. For example, Feng Jing was compared to Wei Zheng, Wu Chong to Yao Chong, Han Jiang to Song Jing, Lü Huiqing to Li Linfu, and Zhang Dun to Lu Qi. Essentially, the "virtuous chancellors" were all officials of the old party, while the "treacherous chancellors" were leaders of the new party. This time, Zheng Xia did not approach Prince Qi again, but openly presented the painting and memorial to the emperor through the Secretariat-Chancellery. The memorial stated: "Anshi was misled to this point by Huiqing, and now he is again trying to defend him by recounting his past mistakes, no longer considering the interests of the dynasty. In the past, during the Tianbao Rebellion of the Tang Dynasty, Guozhong had already been executed, but the Imperial Concubine Yang was not killed, and people believed that the root of the rebellion still existed. How is today's situation any different from this..."

The target was Lü Huiqing, who said that Wang Anshi had been misled by him in the past. During the An Lushan Rebellion, when Emperor Xuanzong of Tang killed Yang Guozhong at the request of the imperial guards but did not kill Yang Guifei, people disagreed and believed that the traitor was still alive. Now the situation was the same as before. Lü Huiqing's clique of treacherous people would surely become a great threat. The emperor was asked to dismiss Lü Huiqing and appoint Feng Jing as prime minister.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Xu was furious upon seeing this. Zheng Xia's intention was not merely to remove Lü Huiqing from power, but to clearly oppose the restoration and implementation of the new laws. More seriously, he actually compared Wang Anshi to Yang Guozhong and Lü Huiqing to Yang Guifei. In doing so, wouldn't Zhao Xu himself become the incompetent and misruled Emperor Xuanzong of Tang?

Lu Huiqing, of course, would not ignore his anger, and seized the opportunity to submit a memorial in court, accusing Zheng Xia of "slandering the government," "insinuating against the emperor," and "harboring treacherous intentions," requesting His Majesty to punish him severely. Zhao Xu then ordered Zheng Xia to be dismissed from his post as supervisor of the Anshang Gate and exiled to Yingzhou.

This presented Lü Huiqing with another opportune moment to eliminate his political opponents. He continued to accuse Zheng Xia of having a close relationship with Feng Jing and Wang Anguo, and that the creation of "Illustrations of the Careers of Upright Gentlemen and Corrupt Scoundrels" was likely at their behest. He argued that they should be investigated for their collusion with Zheng Xia. Consequently, Zhao Xu dismissed Feng Jing from his position as Vice Chancellor and demoted him to Prefect of Haozhou, while dismissing Wang Anguo from his positions as Assistant Compiler and Proofreader of the Imperial Library, sending him back to his hometown.

“Now, Lü Huiqing has become the Emperor’s most favored man, with all the officials vying to curry favor and following his lead. He is ambitious and has long coveted the position of Chancellor. He doesn’t care about Han Jiang. I imagine his biggest worry now is that the Emperor will recall you, elder brother, to the position of Chancellor. Therefore, he will surely use every trick in the book to prevent the Emperor from carrying out this plan. Elder brother, you must be on guard!” These were Wang Anguo’s last words to Wang Anshi. On August 17th of the seventh year of the Xining era, he died of illness at Wang Anshi’s residence in Jiangning, ending his unfulfilled life at the age of forty-seven.

Lü Huiqing's arrogance deeply displeased Han Jiang, the Chancellor. As Chancellor, Han Jiang should theoretically have Lü Huiqing as his deputy, but this was far from the truth. Lü Huiqing frequently interfered in Han Jiang's affairs, making decisions arbitrarily and delegating tasks typically handled by the Vice Chancellor to Han Jiang, completely overstepping his bounds. He even openly argued with Han Jiang. Comparing the two, Han Jiang increasingly missed Wang Anshi, who had recommended him. Seeing Lü Huiqing deliberately emphasizing and exaggerating Wang Anshi's faults to Emperor Zhao Xu, he knew Lü Huiqing feared Zhao Xu would reinstate the former Chancellor. Therefore, Han Jiang was determined to find a way to persuade the Emperor to recall Wang Anshi. He knew very well that Lü Huiqing's arrogance was growing daily, and only the ability, decisiveness, and equally resolute style of Wang Anshi and his son could now subdue him.

One day, when Zhao Xu enthusiastically mentioned the brilliance of the "New Interpretation of the Three Classics" to him, Han Jiang sighed and said, "It is a pity that this book was not completed before Prime Minister Wang resigned and left. No matter how good the 'New Interpretation' is, it is only a few volumes of fragments."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xu was immediately saddened and couldn't help but deeply miss Wang Anshi, who had fought alongside him for many years after being transferred to Jiangning.

Han Jiang immediately advised, “I feel that my abilities are limited, and I fear that continuing to hold the position of Chancellor would disappoint Your Majesty. Although Minister Hui is capable, he is not steady enough in his actions and likes to show off his achievements and be arrogant. He is far inferior to Chancellor Wang. Now that the crisis of ‘heavenly change’ has passed, no one will gossip about it anymore. Your Majesty should recall Chancellor Wang to help you implement good policies and continue to revise the ‘New Interpretation of the Three Classics.’ This would be of great benefit to the country, the people, and future generations.”

Zhao Xu's eyes lit up with joy, and he nodded, saying, "I also wanted to recall him. It is rare that you are willing to give up the position of prime minister without considering personal fame or gain. With such magnanimity, how could I refuse your request?"

Zhao Xu quickly dispatched an envoy to Jiangning to summon Wang Anshi back to the capital to resume his position as chancellor. Wang Anshi did not refuse and immediately took his family to Bianjing via the shortest route, arriving seven days later. On the day of Guiyou in the second month of the eighth year of the Xining era, more than nine months after being dismissed from his post as chancellor, Wang Anshi, the Grand Academician of the Guanwen Hall, Minister of Personnel, and Prefect of Jiangning, was reinstated as a chancellor.

Pilgrimage

For several nights in a row, Wang Anshi and Wang Pang spent their time in the study of the Prime Minister's residence reviewing the political documents of the past few months and the memorials submitted by officials from various regions. They discovered that many of the memorials opposed the "hand-based system" implemented during Lü Huiqing's administration.

The "Shoushi Law" was another "new law" implemented by Lü Huiqing in October of the seventh year of the Xining era, based on the suggestion of his younger brother, Lü Heqing, the county magistrate of Quyang. It required that all land, houses, goods, and livestock owned by the people be valued and reported to the government, with taxes levied accordingly. Concealing property was punishable, while reporting was rewarded. It primarily targeted the "five classes of farmers with meager and inaccurate property records," meaning an increase in taxes for impoverished rural households. These farmers, already impoverished after a drought, could not tolerate such exploitation. Numerous memorials from various regions reflected public resentment. Su Shi, who had been transferred from Hangzhou to Mizhou, also wrote an indignant letter, "A Memorial to Prime Minister Han on the Shoushi Law Regarding Disaster Relief," expressing his concerns and dissatisfaction with the "Shoushi Law" and publicly refusing to implement it in Mizhou.

Upon reading these memorials, Wang Anshi could not contain himself and slammed his fist on the table, angrily exclaiming, "Outrageous! Taxing the poor by including their household goods, mules, horses, pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, and ducks—how dare such a harsh tax that exploits the people be called a new law?"

Wang Pang echoed, "Lu Huiqing's perverse actions have completely distorted the purpose of our reforms. The reforms are primarily aimed at enriching the people, and then strengthening the nation through that enrichment. However, his eagerness to amass wealth while disregarding the actual livelihood of the people by forcibly levying such exorbitant taxes is a direct violation of the original intention of the reforms. Even more serious is that his regulations of punishing those who conceal their crimes and rewarding those who expose them have led to mutual suspicion among the people, neighborly distrust, and a decline in social morality. The people are greatly dissatisfied with the new laws, which has hampered the implementation of laws such as the Green Sprouts Act, the Labor Service Act, the Market Regulation Act, and the Baojia System. How can this continue? Father should find a way to strip him of his official position and abolish these laws."

However, Wang Anshi hesitated: "Although Huiqing's actions during my time as prime minister were very erratic and attracted much criticism, he has made many contributions to the reform cause after all, and I cannot easily dismiss or demote him."

Wang Pang frowned and was about to speak again when Wen'er peeked in from outside the door and asked with a smile, "Are Father and Brother talking about Lü Huiqing?"

Wang Anshi scolded her, saying, "We are discussing important national affairs. You are a young woman and don't need to ask so many questions. Go back to your room and study."

Wen'er walked in without paying any attention, raising her eyebrows and saying, "It just so happens that I also know something important about Lü Huiqing's national affairs. Would you like to know, Father?"

Wang Anshi and his son exchanged a glance, both feeling puzzled, and then ordered her to speak quickly.

"Today, Consort Zhu sent her trusted eunuch to tell me," Wen'er lowered her voice, adopting an as serious expression as possible, "The day before the Emperor issued the decree summoning Father back to the capital, Lü Huiqing had a late-night audience with the Emperor, presenting him with a thick stack of memorials, mostly attacking Father's oversights during his previous tenure. These were memorials that Father had previously kept from the Emperor. Lü Huiqing himself also listed Father's faults in a very long document..."

Zhao Xu accepted Han Jiang's suggestion to recall Wang Anshi to the capital. He immediately informed Lü Huiqing of this news, expecting him to be delighted to be working with his mentor again. However, Lü Huiqing was taken aback, offered a forced smile and then took his leave. Upon returning home, Lü Huiqing immediately compiled a list of Wang Anshi's past mistakes in governance. Under the pretext of "improving the administrative procedures of the Eastern Palace," he went to the palace late at night to request an audience with the emperor, urging Zhao Xu to rescind his order and not recall Wang Anshi.

Zhao Xu was indeed displeased when he first saw these memorials, but after pondering for a moment, he smiled and said, "Thank you for your frankness. I will read these memorials carefully and remind Anshi of them one by one after he returns to the capital, so that he can correct his mistakes if he has any and encourage himself if he does not."

Lu Huiqing was greatly disappointed and left dejectedly.

That evening, Zhu Xichan was attending to Wang Anshi in the Funing Palace and witnessed the entire scene. Therefore, after Wang Anshi and his family returned to the capital, she sent someone to tell Wen'er about it.

Wang Anshi was utterly shocked: this was his trusted protégé and capable assistant of many years! The thrill of being at the pinnacle of power and the rapidly expanding desires of those who had just assumed power in just a few months had caused him to lose all basic morality and conscience, committing such an ungrateful act against the teacher who had painstakingly nurtured him. The world is ever-changing and unpredictable, and the human heart is even more unfathomable; someone who was once so obedient to you can, in the blink of an eye, hide their kind smile and reveal their fangs.

Wang Pang sneered, "So Uncle Anguo was right. Lü Huiqing is indeed a treacherous person. After killing Uncle, he turned his attention to Father."