"Pfft—"
After listening to Zhang Shaoyou's words, Cai Tao finally understood his father's pain. He spat out a mouthful of bright red blood and then fell backward, his body slumping to the ground.
"Scholar! Scholar!"
The household servants around him were completely panicked.
"Someone, escort Scholar Cai inside. As for those few audacious dogs, throw them directly into the Kaifeng Prefecture prison. As for the rest of the dogs, go back to the Cai family and tell Prime Minister Cai that his fourth son is likely not coming home tonight!"
With a cold snort, Zhang Shaoyou lightly waved his sleeves.
He himself had never expected that there would be such an easy gain in this world!
He had originally been troubled about how to get Cai Tao out of the Cai residence, given that the matter involved him.
But he never imagined that this fellow would not only deliver himself to his doorstep but also bring him such a huge surprise!
What does it mean to give someone leverage?
What does it mean to tie oneself up?
What does it mean to suffer the consequences of one's own actions?
Cai Tao had perfectly demonstrated the meaning of these three phrases for him today!
"Lord Zhang is mighty!"
"Lord Zhang is a just official!"
...
Seeing the Kaifeng Prefecture constables drag Cai Tao into the Kaifeng Prefecture, along with those fiercest-looking Cai family servants who were also thrown into prison, the onlookers among the common folk erupted in cheers.
Listening to the sincere praise from the citizens, Zhang Shaoyou felt a sense of elation.
However, as he smugly surveyed the crowd, his gaze inadvertently fell upon a figure wearing a bamboo hat on the balcony of a tavern opposite the Kaifeng Prefecture.
"My good people, today's matter has been judged by this official in accordance with the law. If any of you have any grievances, this official awaits you here at any time!"
After cupping his hands towards the tavern opposite, Zhang Shaoyou cleared his throat again and added loudly to the assembled citizens before turning back into the Kaifeng Prefecture.
He had gained both substance and prestige today!
Not only had he vented his anger, but he had also shown off his capabilities to Han Mo. Recalling the scene, even he couldn't help but want to applaud himself.
"I originally thought this Lord Zhang was a spineless fellow, but I never expected him to have such a strong side!"
"Indeed, it's hard to believe that there are still such incorruptible and upright officials in the current bureaucracy. It seems heaven has not abandoned our Great Song!"
"I say, the two of you should stop talking. That's Cai Jing's son. I suspect it won't be long before he's released the same way he was arrested!"
...
"Young Master, will this fellow get out?"
Listening to the chatter of the scholars nearby, Gao Shun couldn't help but lower his voice and ask quietly.
"Get out? He will get out, of course, but it's likely that by the time he leaves the Kaifeng Prefecture, the sky over Bianliang will have completely changed..."
Seeing Gao Shun's inquisitive expression, Han Mo chuckled and poured himself a cup of wine.
Originally, Han Mo had only intended to start with Cai Tao, to create an opening through him to completely isolate Cai Jing.
After all, Cai Jing's deafness and poor eyesight were not secrets in Bianliang.
Without Cai Tao, many things would be difficult for him to manage.
Cai Tao, who appeared unremarkable and was considered nothing more than a prodigal son, possessing neither outstanding talent nor extraordinary skills, seemed to be nothing but a troublemaker.
However, without this fellow, Cai Jing would truly have no one left to trust completely!
As the Prime Minister of the Great Song Empire, holding a position second only to the emperor, his status was indeed revered, but the daily official duties he had to handle were also extremely complex!
Cai Jing did not dare to fully trust the backbone of the Cai faction, let alone the strategists employed by the Cai family!
Aside from Cai Tao, his other sons were either not around or their positions were unsuitable. There was truly no one among them who could accompany him to the office to handle state affairs or represent him in addressing the emperor.
The charges Han Mo had concocted for Cai Tao were already enough to damn him eternally. Now, he had added the charge of murder himself. This time, even Han Mo didn't know how to describe Cai Tao...
——————
"Where did these memorials come from? Do even such matters need to be brought to me?"
Looking at the large stack of memorials suddenly appearing on his desk, Zhao Ji felt a headache after merely flipping through a few.
Rubbing his temples with displeasure, he looked at Liang Shicheng again.
"Replying to Your Majesty, Prime Minister Fan has been unwell for the past few days and has not yet recovered. Prime Minister Cai vomited blood yesterday. All the physicians in the city have visited the Cai residence, and even the imperial physicians have no better solution, saying he can only be recuperated for now. Prime Minister Zhang..."
Liang Shicheng paused here. After all, Zhang Bangchang was truly difficult to describe. To put it bluntly, that old fellow was the type who only wanted to gain benefits and never suffer any losses!
He had perfectly mastered the principle of "more doing means more mistakes, less doing means fewer mistakes, no doing means no mistakes!"
If he were just a mid-to-low-level official, such behavior would be acceptable. In normal times, no one would notice him slacking off. But at this moment, with all the memorials from the entire court piled on his desk, the only way he could shift the blame was to pass it on to the Emperor...
"Prime Minister vomited blood, does that mean his son..."
Zhao Ji trailed off, realizing mid-sentence that he shouldn't have said that.
After all, it was Cai Jing, not his son, who was the Prime Minister. Even though Cai Tao handled most of the daily memorials according to Cai Jing's wishes, one could not openly say such a thing...
Fortunately, Liang Shicheng was serving by his side; otherwise, there would likely have been more tongue-wagging.
Feeling annoyed, Zhao Ji could only feign seriousness and bury himself in the memorials before him.
Hearing the Emperor speak incorrectly, Liang Shicheng lowered his head, pretending he hadn't heard it.
"Cough—"
Just as Liang Shicheng was about to play ostrich, a faint cough was heard from outside the hall. Liang Shicheng followed the sound of the cough and saw a young eunuch lurking outside, beckoning him...
"Have you no manners? Don't you know where this is?"
Glancing furtively at Zhao Ji and seeing that the Emperor's attention was not on him, Liang Shicheng slowly retreated outside the hall and lowered his voice to reprimand the young eunuch.
"Godfather, something big has happened! Young Master Cai has killed someone in front of the Kaifeng Prefecture, and he's been arrested and taken to Kaifeng Prefecture now!"
"What did you say?"