Chapter 269: The Honest Outsider

Chapter 269: The Honest Outsider

I miscalculated. I wanted to quietly increase my fame and get into the circle, but who could have thought that the level of this group of scholars was so stable? At least many times before, only these twenty people were qualified to enter.

I don’t know who the unlucky guy is who was pushed down by me.

Zhao Yushu coughed twice, stood up, and bowed to Chen Yuanwai: "I am Bai Jintang, a native of Dongdu, and I just arrived in Chang'an not long ago. I have heard that you are a wise man, so I am very ashamed to bother you."

Mr. Chen stroked his beard and said, "Haha, you are all talented people. Drinking and admiring the moon is not a bother. My nephew Bai said that he was very ambitious. Sit down!"

After Zhao Yushu sat down, Chen Yuanwai looked around and said, "In the past, I loved to talk about romance and delicacies, but the late emperor just passed away, so it is not appropriate for us to talk about these things today."

A group of scholars echoed.

"Why don't we talk about the world today?"

Zhao Yushu immediately sat up straight, as there was indeed someone behind this old man.

"There have been so many major events in the world recently. I wonder which one you would like to talk about?" A scholar sitting at the top bowed and asked.

"Yes, the world has been in turmoil recently, but I think the most important thing is for Your Majesty to borrow the Liao army to go south to quell the rebellion!"

Here it comes. Is this old man the prince's man or someone who opposes the prince? We will know next by looking at the tone he sets.

And if the other person is the prince's man, if you want to get close to the prince, you have to express your opinions in accordance with his words, so that you can be introduced to the prince as quickly as possible, even if it's just to show your face.

Zhao Yushu believed that this kind of occasion was not limited to the Chen Mansion. Similar scenes should be played out in many places throughout Chang'an. This was the control of discourse power and the guidance of public opinion.

"I think this is a gross mistake." A scholar stood up and said, "The Liao people are brutal. If we lead the army south, let alone whether we can put down the Red Lotus Rebellion, how will it end if we linger?"

"Brother Zhang, what you said is wrong. If we have 10,000 soldiers and horses, they will need 30,000 civilians to supply them with food and drink every day. If the Liao people have ulterior motives and their food and grass are cut off, they will collapse without a fight." Another scholar stood up.

The arguments of the two people soon attracted a group of supporters, and the two sides exchanged opinions back and forth like in a debate, which was very lively.

However, Zhao Yushu did not speak, but observed Chen Yuanwai with his peripheral vision. The other party had not revealed his attitude yet.

Old fox.

"Nephew Bai, why don't you say anything?" Unexpectedly, Mr. Chen actually called out the name directly.

The other scholars immediately fell silent and looked towards him.

Zhao Yushu sighed: "I have not figured out some things yet, so I dare not speak rashly."

"Speak out and let's discuss it together."

Zhao Yushu was helpless: "Even if the Liao army runs out of food, is it difficult to collect food locally?"

A scholar immediately stood up and said with a smile: "Brother Bai, you don't know that the four counties in the south of the Yangtze River have suffered disasters for years. Now all the grain is either in the hands of the traitor Honglian or in the treasuries of various states. Maybe the people still have a little, but it is definitely not enough to support the needs of the army."

Zhao Yushu nodded and said, "Yesterday I happened to read the latest court report, which mentioned the disaster victims in the south. There were a few words that shocked me deeply."

Zhao Yushu glanced at the crowd and said, "There is a great famine, and people are eating each other."

The scholar who had just stood up was dumbfounded.

Everyone might take a look at things like the imperial reports, but what they read are the new imperial decrees, important events in the court, and changes in the war situation between the North and the South.

Who would pay attention to the memorials about refugees?

What do they have to do with us?

But the weight of these few words really stunned this group of scholars. No matter how prosperous and peaceful Chang'an was, the words "cannibalism" would only appear in the most corrupt moments of the past dynasties.

Zhao Yushu smiled bitterly: "I am starving. I don't think the Liao people are more humane than the people of the Tang Dynasty."

After saying that, he bowed and sat down.

The whole place was silent for a long time, and finally Chen Yuanwai broke the silence: "Nephew Bai, what you mean is that you don't support the Liao army's march south?"

"I don't know much about military affairs, so I don't dare to raise any opinions on the decisions of the officials in the court. I just think that we are still fighting with the Liao Kingdom, and now we think that the Liao Kingdom will really lend us troops to help quell the rebellion. Is this reasonable?"

The scene was a little awkward for a while.

Even a fool knows that the imperial court must have offered enormous benefits in order to borrow troops from the Liao Kingdom. The price of this benefit is so heavy that it may take the Central Plains five or even ten years to eliminate it. But there are some things that everyone should know, and it would be a bit embarrassing if you say it out loud.

As expected of someone from another place, he is ignorant.

Many scholars immediately came to a conclusion about Zhao Yushu.

Only Mr. Chen stroked his beard, with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Zhao Yushu glanced at Chen Yuanwai from the corner of his eye, taking in his entire expression, and the corners of his own mouth curled up slightly, imperceptibly.

Honest, kind, an outsider, wanting to make a name for himself in Chang'an, isn't this the perfect victim? If I don't use myself as a gun at this time, how can I be worthy of these old foxes who have been practicing for so many years?

After Zhao Yushu's interruption, those who opposed borrowing troops gained the upper hand. Moreover, with the pride of the Tang people, no matter how fierce the Red Lotus Sect was, it was their own business. It was not the first time that someone had rebelled. And borrowing troops from the enemy to quell the rebellion was something that no one could accept from the bottom of their hearts. But the late emperor had set the tone and the new emperor had no objection, so everyone had no choice but to move forward. Now those scholars who supported borrowing troops were just trying to please their superiors.

A large-scale unregulated debate lasted for more than an hour. Zhao Yushu couldn't help but admire the physique of these scholars. He drank a whole pot of wine, while the ones who argued the most didn't even drink a drop of water. They were truly born to do this.

By the end of the banquet, no one wanted to chat with this overly straightforward outsider. After everyone filed out of the Chen Mansion, Mr. Chen called the old woman who was in charge of checking people outside during the day.

"What do you think of Bai Jintang, sir?"

The old woman thought for a moment and said, "You have great ambitions, but you are a little young and lack stability."

Mr. Chen smiled and nodded: "This is the kind of person we need, sir. If Bai Jintang comes again next time, just let him pass as a token of your appreciation."

The old woman nodded, bowed and stepped back.

Mr. Chen thought for a moment, picked up a pen, took out a notebook, and wrote Bai Jintang's name on it. There were already more than ten names in this notebook.

Zhao Yushu believed that he had performed well today. If everything went well, after one or two more times, Mr. Chen would invite him to have a private chat.

Unfortunately, this old fox did not reveal his position today and has been watching coldly. If he was on the prince's side, it would be fine. If not, then even if he succeeds in getting close to the prince, he will only be a cannon fodder, and the difficulty of saving the teacher will increase sharply.

Do you want to try another one?

As soon as this idea came to mind, it was rejected by Zhao Yushu. Nowadays, people pay great attention to the master-disciple relationship. If you marry Mr. Chen and then turn around and try other families, others will think you are an erratic person.

Just stick to it until the end, the teacher should be able to hold on.

hope everything is fine.