“I trust you the most,” An Jiu said.
Though pleased to hear this, Chu Dingjiang knew it was impossible. “I look too similar to Hua Rongtian. If I show my face in Bianjing, it will cause unnecessary trouble. Disguises and fake beards won’t work either. The truth will eventually come out.”
The emperor had many capable people around him. It was impossible to fool them with such clumsy methods.
“I know too much about the palace coup, and I even had a hand in pushing it forward. The emperor won’t let me go.”
“He needs you now. Why would he rush to silence you?” An Jiu knew the Song Dynasty urgently needed talented people. How could the emperor waste such a valuable asset?
Chu Dingjiang explained, “The current situation seems promising, but the emperor has just managed to weaken the Hua family’s influence. How could he allow another power to rise?”
The Song Dynasty had many prominent families, but none as powerful as the Hua family, which supported half the country. The new emperor paid a hefty price to weaken them. Imagine the consequences of suddenly removing several load-bearing pillars from a house. He needed to replace them with his trusted people, who must be independent without powerful family backing.
Chu Dingjiang fit this criteria, but he had controlled part of the Konghe Army. Even if he disbanded them, the emperor would believe he could recall them.
Based on this alone, the emperor couldn’t trust him enough to use him in an important role.
“I do have a suitable candidate,” Chu Dingjiang said.
An Jiu didn’t know many court officials. After much thought, she couldn’t think of anyone suitable. “Who?”
“Wu Lingyuan.”
“Him?” An Jiu had a strong impression of this man – a blind scholar living in poverty, maintaining a rarely visited wonton stand, yet remarkably carefree.
Chu Dingjiang explained, “Hua Rongjian had someone cure his blindness and pulled strings to let him take the imperial examination. He ranked third.”
Without someone’s recommendation, Wu Lingyuan should have taken the prefectural exam first. Hua Rongjian originally wanted him to test the waters, and then retake the exam after passing the prefectural one. Unexpectedly, Wu Lingyuan proved himself capable. After recovering his sight, he only studied sporadically for a few months but still passed! He then performed excellently in the palace examination and was appointed by the emperor as the third-ranked scholar.
Wu Lingyuan wanted to test his abilities, so he gave it his all. Having been blind for years without the opportunity to study, even he didn’t expect to rank so high.
However, this wasn’t entirely good news for him. Skipping the prefectural exam couldn’t be hidden from others. Everyone knew he had powerful backing, inevitably raising doubts about the authenticity of his rank. This would make him a target and leave an indelible stain on his official career.
He would have chances to prove his abilities in the future, but the key was whether he’d get those opportunities!
After explaining the details to An Jiu, Chu Dingjiang continued, “This matter has reached the emperor. If investigated further, it might expose Hua Rongjian’s involvement, which would be even more fatal for Wu Lingyuan.”
Hua Rongjian held no official position. How could he open such a backdoor? Was he connected to the Hua family? Were other officials also forming cliques with the Hua family? Such suspicions were inevitable.
Chu Dingjiang said, “The best solution is to overshadow this issue with something bigger. If he requests to be sent to a county under Hejian Prefecture, the emperor should agree.”
Hejian Prefecture was on the Liao-Song border, constantly plagued by war. In the past decade alone, the Liao had killed two prefectural magistrates, let alone county magistrates. Everyone avoided it if possible.
An Jiu thought that place was indeed suitable for development! Due to the need to respond to Liao raids, the entire Hebei Circuit had more militia than other regions.
“It sounds good, but is Wu Lingyuan willing to risk his life?” An Jiu asked.
“He’ll be willing to go. Fortune favors the bold. If he can keep a country safe now, he’ll be a hero. He’ll have many concerns, such as his chances of success and whether it’s worth the risk,” Chu Dingjiang took out a jade token and handed it to her. “I can recall the disbanded Konghe Army. If you take these people to assist him, he’ll surely go!”
An Jiu didn’t take it. She knew those people only trusted and respected Chu Dingjiang; others couldn’t control them. “I don’t want this. I want you to come with me.”
If she were to take over, she’d need to win them over herself, not rely on Chu Dingjiang’s token to borrow authority.
“Alright,” Chu Dingjiang agreed. “These people all come from the Konghe Institute. None are from the four great families. They grew up amidst killing and should share common ideals with you.”
No wonder Chu Dingjiang was so familiar with the Konghe Institute! An Jiu suspected, “You and Cheng Changying are in cahoots, aren’t you?”
Chu Dingjiang flicked her forehead. “He has helped me a lot. Sometimes when he encounters talented individuals, he passes their information to me, and I secretly cultivate them for my use.”
An Jiu nodded, then remembered Wu Lingyuan and worried, “What are Hua Rongjian’s intentions in cultivating Wu Lingyuan so wholeheartedly?”
Since learning that Hua Rongjian secretly controlled the bounty list, An Jiu understood he was no longer the carefree young master of the past. She didn’t believe Hua Rongjian’s efforts to help Wu Lingyuan were purely out of loyalty.