Song Xiu

Chapter 18: The Clash Between Zhao Pu and Wei Renpu (Please continue reading!)

Zhao Pu already knew that persuading Wei Renpu to become Zhao Dexiu's teacher would not be an easy task.

Fortunately, thanks to Zhao Kuangyin's reminder last night, Zhao Pu had a deep understanding of Wei Renpu, and he had his own plans for today's invitation.

Zhao Pu did not respond to Wei Renpu's unfriendly words.

Under Wei Renpu's watchful gaze, Zhao Pu's eyes burned with intensity as he countered with a question:
"Your Majesty is exceptionally talented. I firmly believe that with Your Majesty's magnanimity and ability, your achievements will be no less than those of Emperor Shizong in his time."

But does the Duke of Wei believe that the empire, after decades of chaos and disorder, can be completely restored by Your Majesty's generation?

Zhao Pu's rhetorical question made Wei Renpu fall into deep thought.

Zhao Pu was a wise man, and so was Wei Renpu.

Wei Renpu couldn't help but think of the many names that had wielded immense power and influence over the decades:

"Zhu Wen, Li Cunxu, Li Siyuan, Liu Zhiyuan, Guo Wei, Chai Rong."

Regardless of their personal character, at least in terms of ability, they can all be described as "heroes".

The chaos of the Five Dynasties continued unabated, not because there were no heroes in the world.

Which dynasty that was able to occupy the Central Plains and gain the reputation of being the legitimate successor did not have the strength to unify the world?
Unfortunately, most of the successors of these heroes were incompetent, weak, and foolish.

"Therefore, when it was at its peak, all the wise men in the world eagerly awaited the arrival of a golden age; but when it fell, all the wise men in the world were filled with resentment and anger at its lack of resistance!"

The mere thought of this sentence fills every wise man in the world who yearns for the reunification of the land with unspeakable bitterness.

"The young man outside the palace who displeased Duke Wei is His Majesty's eldest son."

Lord Wei was well-versed in all the classics, so he naturally knew what the phrase "eldest son of the royal family" meant.

The eldest prince had indeed lured and captured the Duke of Wei, but given the Duke of Wei's intelligence, the fact that the eldest prince could do this was enough to prove that the eldest prince was exceptionally gifted.

A child may be exceptional, but an adult may not necessarily be outstanding.

If the eldest prince is to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the nation in the future, he urgently needs a national expert as his teacher.

The country had been in chaos and disarray for decades, all because the successors of the central dynasties were incompetent and remained corrupt.

Pu loves reading history books. Whenever he reads about the prosperous times of the Han and Tang dynasties, when all nations paid tribute to China, he often sighs with regret.

I feel both sigh and resentment!

Pu believed that Wei Gong must have felt the same anxiety and resentment as Pu.

Today, Lord Wei has the opportunity to appease the resentment in the hearts of all the wise men in the world!
Doesn't Lord Wei want to?
We urge Duke Wei to consider the well-being of the people, set aside any personal grudges, and, like the renowned minister Xuan Cheng Gong of the Zhenguan era in the Tang Dynasty, guide the people towards a peaceful and prosperous reign!

After delivering this moving speech, Zhao Pu rose from his seat and bowed deeply to Wei Renpu: "On behalf of His Majesty and the people of the world, I would like to express my gratitude to Lord Wei!"

Every word Zhao Pu spoke struck Wei Renpu's heart like a morning bell and an evening drum.

Wei Renpu's lament over the chaos in the world was no less than anyone else's.

How could Wei Renpu, who had the world at heart, not be moved by Zhao Pu's words?

Before Zhao Pu could finish bowing, Wei Renpu quickly stood up, took Zhao Pu's hand, and pulled him back to the table.

"Why must Zeping do this? Why must he do this!"

How could I, an old man, act rashly and disregard the common people because of a minor grudge? Zhao Dexiu certainly has commendable qualities; I will teach him.”

After hearing Wei Renpu's promise, Zhao Pu gradually calmed down.

The thought of completing the task assigned by Zhao Kuangyin filled Zhao Pu with joy.

In fact, from Wei Renpu's behavior just now, Zhao Pu had already sensed that Wei Renpu was not as absolutely resistant to teaching Zhao Dexiu as he appeared on the surface.

Since there was a possibility of persuasion, Zhao Pu was confident that he could convince Wei Renpu in the same way he had persuaded Zhao Kuangyin to launch a coup.

Unexpectedly, just when Zhao Pu thought he had succeeded, Wei Renpu pondered for a moment and said:
"Today, I will give it a try, as Ze Ping has advised me."

"But before the eldest prince formally becomes my disciple, I have three more conditions."

Upon hearing Wei Renpu's words, Zhao Pu's eyes unconsciously welled up with tears again.

At the same time, Zhao Pu's body once again showed signs of lifting off his seat.

Unfortunately, Wei Renpu would never give Zhao Pu a second chance.

Having anticipated this, Wei Renpu reached out and tightly grasped Zhao Pu's sleeve, saying firmly, "I have reached the age of knowing my destiny, and I am not afraid of life or death."

Wei Renpu's implication was clear: if Zhao Pu didn't agree to his three conditions, he would rather die than teach him. Seeing that Wei Renpu had said this, Zhao Pu could only sigh and straighten his posture.

If anyone else had said that, Zhao Pu would probably have scoffed. But Wei Renpu, who had intended to raise an army in rebellion a few days ago, said he was not afraid of death, which certainly gave him a convincing reason to do so.

"Lord Wei, please continue."

Both are wise men, but Zhao Pu had the upper hand earlier; now it's Wei Renpu's turn.

Seeing that Zhao Pu was willing to listen, Wei Renpu immediately said, "The relationship between master and disciple is second only to that between ruler and subject, father and son."

I do not yet know the character of the eldest prince, and the success of a single scheme cannot fully prove his talent.

I will observe him for a month first. If he is indeed a gem, then I will formally become his disciple.

If not, don't blame me for resigning one day.

In ancient times, the relationship between master and disciple was very close, especially given Zhao Dexiu's special status.

Wei Renpu knew that once he and Zhao Dexiu became master and apprentice by exchanging formalities, his personal honor and the rise and fall of his family would all depend on Zhao Dexiu.

I'm not afraid of Wei Renpu dying.

If Zhao Dexiu were to ascend the throne in the future, but were to become as incompetent and tyrannical as his predecessors, no matter how harshly he would be condemned by posterity, he, as his teacher, would not escape it.

It's truly terrifying to be remembered with infamy for eternity.

As soon as Wei Renpu finished speaking, Zhao Pu knew what Wei Renpu was worried about.

Wei Renpu's concerns were entirely reasonable, and given that Wei Renpu himself had set a deadline, Zhao Pu really had no reason to refuse.

As Zhao Pu nodded in agreement, he could only silently wish Zhao Dexiu well in his heart. He had originally thought of solving Zhao Dexiu's problem once and for all, but he never expected that, after all the twists and turns, whether he could truly win the heart of this talented man would ultimately depend on Zhao Dexiu himself.

"The eldest prince's teaching method is different from that of others."

Since I have chosen to tutor the eldest son of the emperor, in order to avoid rumors, I no longer intend to hold any important positions in the court.

Therefore, I hope that in the future, Zeping will be able to bring me the affairs of the world.

After hearing Wei Renpu's second condition, Zhao Pu pondered for a moment and then agreed.

Teaching Zhao Dexiu about worldly affairs is the only way to help him grow into a better person. The fact that Wei Renpu brought this up shows that he has begun to truly care about Zhao Dexiu.

Seeing that Zhao Pu had already agreed to two of his conditions, Wei Renpu no longer hesitated about the third condition he had in mind.

"For the sake of easier observation and to be able to wholeheartedly teach the eldest prince in the future, I request to reside in the inner palace as an outsider."

When Wei Renpu put forward his third condition, Zhao Pu looked troubled.

The inner palace was where the emperor's family resided; for an official from outside the palace to reside there was an overstepping of boundaries.

Noticing Zhao Pu's hesitation, Wei Renpu remarked:

"How much longer can this old man, who is already fifty, live?"
If I do not have His Majesty by my side to guide me every day, I fear I will fail His Majesty's trust in the future.

This was yet another plausible explanation.

Zhao Pu did not hesitate for long, because he thought of Zhao Kuangyin's expectations for Zhao Dexiu.

Gritting his teeth, Zhao Pu agreed to Wei Renpu's third condition on behalf of Zhao Kuangyin.

Seeing Zhao Pu's sincerity, Wei Renpu finally smiled.

The already boiled tea was slowly poured into Zhao Pu's cup by Wei Renpu.

Looking at the fragrant tea in the cup, Zhao Pu couldn't help but lift the cup and take a small sip.

As the aroma of the tea entered his mouth, Zhao Pu, feeling relaxed, sighed softly, "It's truly not easy to get a sip of Lord Wei's fragrant tea today!"

Today's confrontation between him and Wei Renpu can be described as evenly matched.

But then he thought about it again and couldn't help but worry about Zhao Dexiu: "The eldest prince is probably going to have a tough time in the future."

Zhao Pu knew that given Zhao Guangyi's political acumen, it was impossible for him to be completely unaware of Zhao Dexiu's apprenticeship to Wei Renpu.

Hopefully, the eldest prince will grow up quickly.

　Please continue reading, I will work hard to develop the plot.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)