Chapter 126: The Magnificent Steed

"Alright, alright. I do not blame you. You may return now."

Shen Shi had not come to solicit an official post; he was already an official from Zhejiang, currently on a specific assignment. The Ministry of Personnel handled business with impressive speed and efficiency. In less than a quarter of an hour, everything was settled. Of that time, ten minutes were spent filling out the paperwork, and the remaining five were occupied by the officials seeing him out.

"Why go to such lengths? Truly, why?"

The youngest of the three officials looked puzzled. They were, after all, officials of the capital; by rank, they stood three levels above a local magistrate.

"You, oh you. Once this mission is over, you and I may well be reassigned to the provinces. It is wise to cultivate good relations," the elder replied, his voice heavy with the wisdom of experience.

"Really? That is wonderful! To govern a region for the Emperor is the aspiration of our kind!"

The youth was full of vigor and the naive idealism born of books. He actually believed that after being saddled with such a heavy burden, he might still be sent to govern a region for the Son of Heaven.

He should be thankful he was a scholar. The Great Song did not execute its literati.

The posthumous title bestowed upon Zhao Zhen was "Renzong"—the only emperor in Chinese history to receive such an honor. Not long ago, a scholar in Sichuan had presented a poem to the Governor of Chengdu, containing the lines: "Burn the plank roads, break the sword of the mountain pass; Chengdu is a world unto itself." The Governor was so terrified he broke into a cold sweat. Was this not blatant incitement to rebellion? It was an act of treason, a capital offense. The Governor seized the scholar and sent him under guard to the capital, requesting the court to pass judgment. Throughout history, scholars suspected of inciting rebellion faced the penalty of death. Yet, Emperor Renzong of Song took it in stride, remarking matter-of-factly, "This is just an old scholar eager for office, writing a poem to vent his frustrations. If he wants to serve, let us satisfy him." As a result, not only was the scholar spared, but he was also appointed as a Military Advisor to the Household.

As the saying goes, subordinates follow the example of their superiors. With such an emperor on the throne, it was truly a blessing for China. According to historical records, in 1063 AD, a good man passed away. When the news spread, the capital of Kaifeng became a city of mourning: ragged beggars wept, refined scholars wept, street vendors wept, and even innocent children wept. The next day, the smoke from paper money burned to bid the Emperor farewell filled the sky, blotting out the sun. When the news reached the enemy states, the Emperor of Liao was also shocked, weeping bitterly and declaring he would build a cenotaph to express his grief. Who was he? He was Emperor Renzong, Zhao Zhen, the fourth emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty—the idol of the Qianlong Emperor, who prided himself on being superior to all others. Of all the emperors in history, Qianlong most admired three: his grandfather Kangxi, Emperor Taizong of Tang, and Emperor Renzong of Song.

Song Renzong was "naturally benevolent and filial," kind and generous to others. He ascended the throne at the age of thirteen. Initially, the Empress Dowager Liu E held court from behind a curtain, but upon her death in the second year of the Mingdao era (1033 AD), he began his personal rule. During his decades on the throne, he treated his subordinates with leniency and allowed the people to rest and prosper, bringing the Song Dynasty to its peak. Renzong was skilled at identifying and employing talent; his reign saw a surge of famous ministers, national stability, economic prosperity, and great advancements in science, technology, and culture.

In Chinese history, he was the first emperor honored with the title "Renzong." Because he created an era of great prosperity, he was considered the "most successful emperor." His era was hailed as "the golden age for scholars." Of the "Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song," excluding Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan of the Tang, the other six were active during Renzong's reign. Three of China's Four Great Inventions—movable type printing, gunpowder, and the compass—all emerged during his time. From the commoners to his enemies, no one could bear to see him die. To reach such a level as an emperor was to be a model for all monarchs. That he could receive such praise was precisely because the single character "Ren"—benevolence—defined him.

With such a leader at the top, the elder official could not help but perform a small act of kindness, adding, "He is on an official mission. To be kind to others is, in the end, to be kind to oneself."

This was the wisdom he had gained from his career.

As a seasoned veteran, he should not have said this while they were all under the same cloud of suspicion. After all, the "goodwill" to go around was limited; sharing it among three people diluted its effect. Yet, he said it nonetheless.

"My lord, my lord! Is it our turn yet?"

As soon as the three appeared, those waiting to solicit posts swarmed them, cutting off his words.

"Do not rush, do not rush. Everyone, one at a time. It is already quite late, and the offices will be closing soon. You had best return early tomorrow!"

Once the crowd swarmed him, he reverted to his bureaucratic, business-like demeanor.

What else could he do?

Even if they had the authority to appoint officials—which they did not—they could not possibly handle so many people.

Moreover, once the Western Xia threat had passed, the positions in Northern Zhejiang had already been snatched up by the high-ranking ministers and lords. There was no chance for them to distribute anything. They were merely the ones left to carry the blame.

Elsewhere.

"See? In Tokyo, there is nothing that I, Young Master Cao, cannot accomplish."

Once they were out of the Ministry of Personnel, Cao Jinhua began to boast.

Truth be told, whether it was due to her long-term cross-dressing or the environment in which she was raised, she preferred to project a dominant image.

This was likely a common trait among the people of the capital: "If there’s a problem, just say the word."

"Leave it to me."

"Oh, you’re talking about that? I know all about it; let me tell you..."

In short, there was nothing they didn't know, from astronomical phenomena to geography, and especially the private conversations between high-ranking officials and their concubines.

Cao Jinhua grew up in such an environment, so she spoke with ease.

Having said that, she felt a twinge of regret and unease, explaining, "But do not misunderstand. I would never bully others by flaunting my status. I am not one of those fops who parade about the streets. For someone like me, everything at home is already arranged—the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, and study. And, of course, the imperial examinations. There will certainly be imperial examinations..."

"Haha," Shen Shi chuckled.

Her? Cao Jinhua taking the imperial examinations? It wasn't that she couldn't, but her words just now clearly weren't her own; they were something she had heard somewhere else.

As for Shen Shi's laughter, it was not mockery, but a gesture of goodwill.

"Well then, Young Master Cao, having helped me so much, how shall I repay you?" Shen Shi smiled, choosing to believe her words.

"Hmm..." she pondered.

Her family was the residence of the Empress's brother; her sister was the Empress, and her brother was the richest man in the land. What could she possibly want? For a moment, she couldn't think of anything.

As for the commode, that had been a fleeting curiosity. Once she had seen it and tried it, the novelty faded, and it was just a commode.

"A horse. You have horses. Teach me how to ride!"

Looking around, aside from Shen Shi himself, the most striking things there were those tall, magnificent horses.

When these horses first came into Shen Shi's possession, they were not nearly so imposing. However, they had been well-fed, and they had occasionally consumed a bit of spiritual energy—a force that naturally accelerated physical evolution.

Even if their original owners were to find them now, they would gasp at their current, majestic stature.