kvmb Chapter 224 "Straightforward Advice" Yuan Dan: Seeking Fame by Being Straightforward Makes
Chapter 224 "Straightforward Advice" Yuan Dan: Seeking Fame by Being Straightforward Makes
The morning light shines through the carved window lattices of the Taiji Hall, weaving a golden net on the blue brick floor.
Song Jing stood at the head of the civil officials, holding a jade tablet in his hand. The crane emblem on his black official robe seemed to flutter as if about to take flight in the light and shadow.
"Your Majesty!" The Vice Minister of Revenue suddenly stepped forward, his voice like tearing silk, "I wish to impeach Song Tong for his conspiracy to frame others!" His python-patterned robe sleeves moved without wind.
Suddenly, a series of crisp, tinkling sounds came from behind the jade curtain, like a playful pebble hitting a calm lake, breaking the tranquility with a "thud." Gao Lishi, holding the yellow silk edict in both hands, carefully stepped out, looking exactly like an acrobat dancing on eggs.
As a result, before Song Jing could react, the imperial edict, like a disobedient child, slipped open at one corner, revealing the familiar flying-white script. Looking at the familiar strokes, Song Jing's mind instantly replayed the scene of the secret report he had witnessed in the Hall of State Affairs yesterday: in a private residence in Pingkang Ward, Sanlang Zi'an wore a mocking smile, opposite him stood a short, masked official from the Imperial Observatory.
Sanlang Zian curled his lip and said disdainfully, "That guy Song Jing is always nagging like an old father. He only knows how to gain a reputation by being upright. He's more of a headache than those impeachment memorials from the Censorate. He's practically the king of 'nagging'!"
The voice of Xiao Si behind the mask seemed to drift in from outer space: "Lord Song is a rare kind of straightforwardness. Indeed, I admit that sometimes being too serious and worrying too much is a 'flaw.' Such a person pursues perfection to the extreme, has a sensitive personality like a firecracker that will explode at the slightest touch, and speaks as directly as a bomb! No wonder Wang Maozhong is afraid of no one but Lord Song, haha!"
"Sigh, I know he's straightforward, but he spends all his time dwelling on the messy past and worrying about those 'big troubles' that haven't even materialized yet. He lives such a serious life, as if life is a 'super exam' where he can't afford to make a mistake. We, who have traveled back and forth through time, have long seen through this. Why bother?"
Xiao Si: "Yes, being serious is Song Daren's 'straightforward' label that he can't change. Sometimes he's an excessive perfectionist, but your team really can't do without him."
Sanlang Zian: "I even suspect that he lacked love when he was young, which is why he worries so much. He was already incredibly talented in poetry and prose at the age of seven. He could recite the 'Ode to the Bird Catcher' after reading it only once, and he passed the imperial examination at the age of seventeen! So, besides having a tough personality, he is also particularly concerned about what others think of him behind his back. Many people say that he is a 'reputation-obsessed' person who sells his integrity for personal gain!!"
Xiao Si: "But, as a senior national administrator, he is as upright as a straight telephone pole. Didn't you give him a pair of gold chopsticks?"
"Yeah, he doesn't even understand what it means. He just wants to do things perfectly, to have everything under his control, and to follow the steps like a wound-up clock!"
"Lord Song is naturally full of energy and won't wear himself out. On the contrary, you have as many worries as the stars in the sky and are as anxious as a new recruit going to the battlefield. What's wrong? Haven't you gotten used to the role of Sanlang Zian yet?"
"Sigh, alright, I'll change my mindset. It's just that now, every time I go to court, he speaks, and just seeing him gives me a headache, but I can't live without him..."
"Of course, what leader doesn't like a subordinate who speaks frankly, especially one who's a 'professional at taking a loss'..."
"Can I stop using Li Linfu from now on?"
"No, no, no, history is like an old relic with a pre-programmed schedule; it can't be changed. You'll know what the despair of 'no one to use' means when the time comes. Everyone's life trajectory is different, just like the stars in the sky each have their own orbit. But have you noticed that no matter how you travel through these timelines, there's a common point?"
What do they have in common?
"Impermanence! Just like you never know whether you'll slip on a banana peel or find a gold ingot in the next second. So, relax, complete your task, and on the path of life, you have to accept all sorts of strange things!"
"I think there must be some changes in our parallel universe."
Xiao Si pulled out his special tablet: "Hmm, as long as the main plot remains unchanged and we maintain a state of 'non-action,' there's plenty of room for improvement in other areas! Look, Lord Song's previous performance was ridiculously high!"
What kind of mystical term is "anterior cingulate cortex"?
"It's not metaphysics, it's that his cerebral cortex is too active, and he likes to take things too seriously! So people think he's slow-witted and inflexible."
"Because being too active makes you inflexible? Is it an anatomical concept? Is it hopeless??"
"Haha, yeah, there's a way to cure it. When you have time, invite him for a run. Exercise can produce amazing neurotransmitters that can calm down his 'super active' anterior cingulate cortex, like pouring water on a raging little flame. Or you could give him a cat and let him play with it; maybe that will cure his 'straightforwardness'."
"I will immediately bestow upon him the imperial cat. If he can avoid getting caught up in those endless 'righteous alliances,' then I will thank God and the little rhinoceros!"
The next day, Song Jing went to the palace to request an audience, saying he wanted to discuss the matter of Li Yong and Zheng Mian. Upon hearing this, Sanlang Zian's head buzzed, and he suddenly remembered what Xiao Si had said the day before.
“Minister Song, let’s not stand here and talk dryly. How about we take a walk and chat?” Sanlang Zi’an had a mysterious smile on his face, and his eyes were gleaming with a mischievous light.
Lord Song was stunned for a moment, as if he had been frozen in place. After a brief pause, he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, both of them are talented, but their personalities are too extreme. They love to fight to the death. If we give them important positions, it might cause a huge mess."
Zi'an thought to herself, "Competitive? High self-esteem? She's probably too eager to prove her abilities and worth, which is why she's clashing with Song Jing, this true Buddha!"
"Come on, come on, I'll teach you a trick. Next time you feel like you're being too blunt, come find me, 'Little Step-by-Step.'" Sanlang Zian narrowed his eyes, deliberately keeping him in suspense, thinking to himself, "Let's see if I don't change your stubborn and straightforward nature this time."
"Little Steps? What's that?" Song Jing looked puzzled, his brows furrowed like a twisted rope. He muttered this unfamiliar term, wondering to himself, "What exactly is His Majesty up to?"
When Sanlang Zian saw that he had followed him out, he was overjoyed. "Hehe, I've successfully diverted his attention." Like a cat that had stolen cream, he ran out quickly, as fast as the wind.
Song Jing hurriedly followed behind like a flustered little follower, looking exactly like a little eunuch rushing to grab a red envelope.
As Sanlang Zian ran, he casually asked, "Li Yong is from Wuhan, right? His father, Li Shan, was an amazing calligrapher, wasn't he?"
Panting, Song Jing struggled to keep up with the Emperor's pace and replied, "Oh, yes. Li Yong, born into the Jiangxia Li clan, is indeed learned and talented, and became famous at a young age. He rose through the ranks from a proofreader to Left Remonstrance Official, Vice Minister of Revenue, and Palace Attendant Censor."
Sanlang Zian sighed inwardly: Li Yong was on good terms with Chancellor Li Shizhi, but he was later framed by Li Linfu and died unjustly. It's a pity, but he was already seventy years old. However, this matter cannot be mentioned, otherwise history will be in chaos…
On the surface, Sanlang Zian continued, "Li Yong's calligraphy has a very unique style. It 'captures the spirit of Wang Xizhi but lacks the structure.' He is skilled in calligraphy and his reputation for running script and cursive script is widespread. He initially studied Wang Xizhi's calligraphy, and after learning it, he was able to create his own style, with a completely new brushstroke."
Suddenly, Sanlang Zian seemed to remember something amusing: No wonder Xiao Si wanted to learn calligraphy from Li Yong before, and even told me that Li Yong's calligraphy initially followed Wang Xizhi, but later, after "growing up," he broke away from the styles of the two Wangs and formed his own school.
His characters are slender on the left and tilted on the right, and his strokes are as powerful and graceful as a strongman's, which is exciting to look at!
His surviving works include the "Lushan Temple Stele" and the "Stele of General Li Sixun"... Oh dear, there are too many names, I can hardly remember them all...
On the path in the Imperial Garden, one could see Sanlang Zian walking slowly with his hands behind his back, and Song Jing following closely behind, crouching low.
"Your Majesty, it would be a waste not to use talent! But these two are too fond of going to extremes in their debates, creating a chaotic mess..."
Upon hearing this, Sanlang Zian was upset, but he didn't say anything, and continued running while adjusting his breathing.
"Your Majesty, in your opinion, how should these two be dealt with?"
Sanlang Zian said, "Well, then let's send them to Chongqing and Yichang. Let them gain experience there, and that will save them from arguing in front of me all the time."
Song Jing paused slightly, a hint of doubt flashing across his face, and asked cautiously, "Chongqing Yichang? Your Majesty, are you referring to that?"
Sanlang Zian then realized what was happening, waved his hand, and explained with a slight smile, "Oh, look how confused I am. It's Yuzhou and Xiazhou. Let them serve as officials there. By the way, do you like the imperial cat I bestowed upon you?"
Upon hearing this, Song Jing's heart skipped a beat, but he could only force an awkward smile and said, "I am delighted to see the imperial cat. Its fur is glossy and its posture is elegant. Looking at it every day brings me joy." Song Jing was inwardly distressed. This imperial cat was very delicate and shed a lot. It was a gift from the Emperor, and he had no idea what the Emperor's intentions were…
Sanlang Zian watched all this as he ran, secretly pleased. "Hey, it seems this trick worked. Song Jing isn't so blunt anymore." Suddenly, as if discovering a new continent, he squatted down, his fingers deftly weaving through the weeds, and in the blink of an eye, he had created a straw bow.
Zi'an held up the crooked "Imperial Gift": "I hereby appoint you as the Director of the Cat Supervisor, and from this day forward you will enjoy an additional second-rank salary—but..." Her tone shifted, and she secretly hooked her fingertip around the hem of Song Jing's official robe, "Meet me at the East Gate of Taiji Palace tomorrow morning at 3:45 AM. You must run ten laps with me before you can receive the decree."
As Song Jing was pondering this strange promotion, he suddenly saw Yuan Dan dart out from behind a pillar like a nimble tabby cat, scattering the Xuan paper in his arms all over the ground.
"Your subject compiles the 'Complete Guide to Cat Breeding' as ordered by the imperial decree," Yuan Dan wiped the sweat from his forehead. Yuan Dan's family descended from the Tuoba clan, and they regretted that the Northern Wei Dynasty lacked a chronicle, so they wrote the 'Wei Dian' in thirty chapters.
Sanlang Zian suddenly covered his nose and took three steps back. "Go to the Imperial Wardrobe and get ten catties of osmanthus sachets!"
Yuan Dan had long anticipated being "directly remonstrated with," so he had no choice but to go slowly.
Song Jing suddenly noticed the drafts scattered at the Emperor's feet—it was none other than the "Attendance Sheet for Officials' Morning Runs," and even more frighteningly, his own name was circled three times in vermilion...