Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

evening.

The back hall of the county government office.

A sumptuous table of food and wine, emitting an alluring aroma under candlelight, boasted a dazzling array of chicken, duck, fish, seasonal vegetables, and exquisite dim sum. Yet, the large table was empty. Zhang Jingwei sat alone at the head table, his fingers tapping unconsciously as he gazed upon the table laden with delicacies, his face filled with helplessness and a touch of loneliness.

Huangfu Changshui had barely taken two bites of his meal when he was "kidnapped" by the generals of the garrison camp. With the Northern Marquis here, how could those former comrades, now subordinates, not seize the opportunity to have a good drink? In his father-in-law's own words, "Those bastards in the barracks are quicker than wolves to the scent of alcohol! I have to go, or I'll chill the hearts of the soldiers!"

Huangfu Ling was "detained" by Sun Yaolang for a more detailed review.

As for Qian Ming, Mu Tou, Liang Dahai and other trusted servants, they were sent out by Zhang Jingwei to perform various post-disaster and guard tasks, leaving them unable to spare time.

"Alas..." Zhang Jingwei sighed deeply, waved his hand at the table full of dishes that were gradually losing their heat, and said to the waiting maid with a dull look, "Remove it, it's all cold."

Just as the maid was about to step forward, the back door creaked open. A figure dressed in white, elegant yet unrestrained, strolled in leisurely, carrying the cool night air. It was Gao Jiong.

"Oh, Master Zhang, are you going to clear the table?" Gao Jiong wore his usual, slightly cynical smile. He glanced at the table full of food and wine and said, "This looks delicious, it would be a shame to clear it. We have to clear it anyway, so why not... offer me a drink?"

Zhang Jingwei's eyes lit up, his tired expression easing slightly. He quickly signaled to the maid to bring more bowls, chopsticks, and wine glasses. "Zhao Xuan! Come and sit down! I thought you had already left the city. Why... didn't you show up in court today to help me? If you were here, how would Yuan Liang dare to be so arrogant?"

Gao Jiong lifted his robe and sat down. He took the wine glass filled by Zhang Jingwei himself, but did not drink it immediately. Instead, he said seriously: "Brother Jingwei, it's not that I don't want to, but I really can't. I am a disciple of Prime Minister Zhao. And Shi Chongshan, although he is on the edge, is still a relative of Prime Minister Shi within the five generations. If I stand in the hall openly to help you today, in the eyes of those who have ulterior motives, it means that Prime Minister Zhao and his faction are openly interfering in local affairs and targeting the Shi clan. There are already undercurrents in the court. How can we do such things that give others a handle and give people a reason to talk? If we are not careful, it will affect the whole body and implicate the Prime Minister." His tone was calm, but it revealed the caution and helplessness of the ups and downs in officialdom.

Zhang Jingwei was silent for a moment after hearing this. He raised his glass, clinked it with Gao Jiong's, and drank it all in one gulp, his eyes filled with gratitude. "I see... I was not thoughtful enough. However, Zhao Xuan, you played a huge role in breaking this situation! If you hadn't recognized Yuan Liang's identity early on, secretly planned it, and invited my father-in-law to act in this scene in time... Alas, I really don't know how to thank you."

Gao Jiong also drank the wine in his cup and smiled carefreely: "Thank you? Brother Jingwei, you are too kind. You have given me a fortune and allowed me to manage such a large army for you. I have no worries about food and clothing, and I have a promising future. This trust and this inheritance are already a great favor. If I, Gao Jiong, still have the nerve to take anything from you, I would be truly shameless."

"What you said..." Zhang Jingwei shook his head. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, with a hint of drunkenness and sincerity. "Hey! I've got it! Zhaoxuan, let's become sworn brothers! From now on, we'll be brothers with different surnames! We'll share happiness and hardships together! How do you think?"

Gao Jiong was startled for a moment, then burst into laughter. His laughter was hearty but carried a subtle alienation: "Hahahahaha! Brother Jingwei, why do we need those vulgar rituals of incense, candles, paper horses, and blood oaths to strengthen our friendship?" He restrained his smile, his eyes becoming deep and serious. "You are my boss, and I am your manager. You have entrusted your life and half of your wealth to me. This is a great trust. I, Gao Jiong, will do my utmost to live up to your trust. This kind of loyalty has long surpassed the friendship of sworn brothers. Becoming sworn brothers? That seems a bit strange." He raised his glass, "Jing, a toast to the boss, I wish Brother Jingwei a bright future and a peaceful family!"

Zhang Jingwei looked at Gao Jiong's clear and resolute eyes, feeling moved, but also knowing that he had made up his mind. He stopped pushing and clinked his glass with Gao Jiong: "Okay! Zhaoxuan, with your words, I have no regrets in my life! Cheers!"

The two drank several cups in a row, and the atmosphere gradually became warmer. After three rounds of drinks, Gao Jiong put down his glass and his expression became serious: "Brother Jingwei, I will really leave early tomorrow morning."

Zhang Jingwei was a little reluctant: "It's not like I won't come back. Military affairs still need you to take charge. When the affairs in the capital are over, just come back early."

"My purpose in coming to the capital this time isn't just to take the imperial examination." Gao Jiong's voice deepened with a hint of solemnity. "The imperial court has reported that the School of Mind... they've secretly passed on the art of iron smelting to the people! They've also been spreading their rebellious doctrines extensively across the country, misleading the people and sparking civil unrest in several areas! The central government is furious and has issued strict orders to arrest those who illegally manufacture weapons and armor. Reliable intelligence reports indicate that a core disciple of the School of Mind has infiltrated the ranks of the candidates heading to the capital for the imperial examination! My mission is to apprehend him... before he reaches the capital and causes further repercussions!"

"Xinxue..." Zhang Jingwei's smile froze instantly, his eyes becoming complex and sharp. He was silent for a moment, then put down his wine glass and leaned forward slightly. His voice was extremely low, yet unusually clear and serious: "Zhaoxuan, have you... read any treatises on Xinxue?"

Gao Jiong frowned slightly, as if he hadn't expected Zhang Jingwei to ask this out of the blue. But he still answered frankly, "I've read some. However, I only wanted to confirm whether the content was indeed the heresy and evil doctrines that the imperial court had expressly prohibited."

"Then what do you think..." Zhang Jingwei's eyes locked on Gao Jiong, "Are they... wrong?"

"Jingwei!" Gao Jiong's expression suddenly changed, and his voice was filled with a stern warning, "Be careful with your words! The School of Mind is a rebel faction designated by the imperial court! Their teachings are misleading, destabilizing the foundation of the nation, and they are secretly teaching forbidden techniques, inciting civil unrest!"

"So, you think..." Zhang Jingwei's voice suddenly rose, a hint of suppressed excitement. "Mr. Dongguo of Jinzhou is a rebel? He's a good friend of yours. Besides... the Dongguo clan in the Hedong area was slaughtered by the imperial court as 'Xinxue rebels'... They were rebels who deserved to be killed too?! And now, when those Dongguo orphans you've taken in and sheltered in your house grow up, how are you going to tell them that their parents and relatives were so-called 'rebels', slaughtered by the very court you served?"

"Enough! Jingwei!" Gao Jiong stood up suddenly, his face livid, and slammed his wine glass down on the table, spilling the wine everywhere! His chest heaved, his eyes filled with anger and deep pain. "Stop talking! Don't mention this matter again!"

Zhang Jingwei also stood up, staring directly at Gao Jiong without backing down, his voice filled with sorrowful questioning: "Zhao Xuan! We have to admit it! Every reform and innovation in the past dynasties has been accompanied by bloodshed. But the court has continued like this, using prohibitions and killings to silence the people and deal with those who raise questions! Who suffers? The people of the world! Think about it! Salt prices and salt taxes used to be ridiculously high. Ordinary people worked hard for a year, but in the end they couldn't afford a few pounds of refined salt! But what happened after Xinxue introduced simpler and cheaper salt-making methods to the people? Now, from street vendors to old farmers in the fields, who doesn't have a jar of salt on their stove? This, I think, is a good thing! It benefits the people!"

"Good news?" Gao Jiong laughed in anger, his voice icy. "Have you ever calculated how much the court will lose in salt tax this year? Millions of taels of silver! The army needs food and wages! The victims need relief! The river works need money! The court needs expenses! If the treasury is empty, surrounded by powerful enemies, the country will be in ruins! This is the real disaster! This is a catastrophic disaster! You only see the salt pot on the stove, but have you seen the soldiers on the border mutiny due to lack of wages? Have you seen the victims exchanging their own children for food?!"

"Nonsense!" Zhang Jingwei interrupted bluntly, his emotions rising. "The treasury isn't empty. Last year, when Hebei was invaded, the life-saving food for hundreds of thousands of refugees has been paid by my army up to this day! Before my father-in-law, Huangfu Changshui, became the commander-in-chief of Yunzhou, when was the salary of his soldiers ever paid in full and on time?! There's something fundamentally wrong with the Celestial Empire's system! The court isn't concerned with solving problems, it's only concerned with solving those who raise them! Isn't that nonsense?! Isn't this the biggest source of trouble?!"

"Jingwei!" Gao Jiong shouted sternly, and the last trace of friendship in his eyes was replaced by cold officialdom. "That's enough! I am an imperial envoy of the court! I am carrying the emperor's orders! I will pretend that I have never heard what you said tonight! In the future, please don't mention it again! Goodbye!" He no longer looked at Zhang Jingwei, suddenly flicked his sleeves, turned around and strode towards the back door, his figure resolutely disappearing into the night.

"You...ah..." Zhang Jingwei stared at the empty back door, his anger and helplessness turning into a long sigh. He slumped back in his chair, looking at the messy table, feeling bored and upset.

At that moment, a simple-minded head popped out from the kitchen doorway. It was Jia Dayong. He cautiously observed Zhang Jingwei's grim expression and asked in a muffled voice, "Young Master...you...why did you and the head shopkeeper start arguing? They were so loud...I could hear them from the kitchen."

Zhang Jingwei rubbed his swollen temples and forced a smile, not wanting to worry the fool: "No quarrel, fool. I just... drank some wine and remembered some... unhappy things."

Jia Dayong scratched his head, walked over with a plate of freshly heated snacks, placed it on the table, and said seriously, "Master, you should drink happily. My mother said that if you drink alone, it will harm your body, even more than doing heavy work!"

Zhang Jingwei looked at Jia Dayong's simple yet concerned eyes, and after listening to his simple reasoning, the pent-up anger in his heart inexplicably dissipated a little. He smiled and said, "Such nonsense. You and Uncle Eleven will go to the garrison camp later to pick up my father-in-law. Every time he goes to the barracks, he is always drunk."

Jia Dayong nodded immediately: "Yes, Master! The Marquis is really welcome!"

"Oh?" Zhang Jingwei was curious. "How do you know he's popular?"

"My brother is the only educated person in our village," Jia Dayong said with a proud smile. "Every time there's a banquet in the village, so many people come to toast him! He always comes home drunk, and my mother feels bad for him but also scolds him. I think that since the Marquis is such a high-ranking official, he must be more popular than my brother, and there will be more people toasting him, so it's common for him to get drunk!"

Zhang Jingwei was amused by Jia Dayong's simple analogy and laughed heartily: "Haha, that's right! That's right! Dayong, you're quite smart sometimes!"

Jia Dayong rubbed his hands in embarrassment. "Now I'm working for the young master in the county government office, and the threshold of our house is about to be trampled by the matchmaker! My parents are so happy!"

"Haha, good!" Zhang Jingwei felt much better. He looked at the table full of untouched exquisite dishes, then at Jia Dayong, and an idea came to his mind. "Foolish boy, you'll always follow me from now on! Just like Qian Ming and Mu Tou, you're my trusted family. When I find you a wife in the future, you can also follow me with your family like Qian Ming did! I, Zhang Jingwei, will never mistreat those who truly treat me well!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Dayong was stunned at first, but then a huge surprise came over him! He knelt down with a plop, his voice trembling with excitement: "Master! That goes without saying! Being able to follow you, Master, Dayong... I have already brought honor to my family! My parents are so proud when they walk around the village! If... If I can really help you with something in the future, I... I will die without regrets!" He spoke with such sincerity that his eyes were red.

"You've forgotten the rules again!" Zhang Jingwei feigned anger, but his eyes were filled with warmth. "In my house, you must not kneel unless I tell you to! A man's knees are worth gold, remember?"

"Yes! Yes! Young Master! I'll remember it!" Jia Dayong quickly got up, smiled naively, and nodded vigorously.

"Come!" Zhang Jingwei swept away the previous haze, picked up the wine pot again, poured a glass for himself and Jia Dayong, and pointed at the table full of dishes, "Have a few drinks with me! It would be a shame to remove so many delicious dishes! Just think of it as a midnight snack!" He waved to the maids standing nearby, "Don't stand there, you've been busy all day and tired. Come here and eat together! Share these delicious dishes, don't waste them!"

The maids were surprised at first, but then they all showed happy smiles on their faces and thanked him one after another: "Thank you for the reward, sir!" They gathered around cautiously.

Jia Dayong also sat down happily and picked up the wine glass like Zhang Jingwei. Although his movements were clumsy, they were full of sincerity.

Suddenly, the back hall was bustling with activity. Zhang Jingwei and Jia Dayong clinked glasses, while the maids chatted and laughed quietly as they shared the dishes. The heavy haze of previous political disputes and ideological clashes seemed to be quietly dispelled by the atmosphere of everyday life and the warm affection between master and servant. The flickering candlelight illuminated Zhang Jingwei's slightly tired yet relaxed face, and Jia Dayong's simple, contented smile.