The second day after Su Jin left the capital, it was the day when Ouyang Xiu wrote the unlucky "Theory of Friends", and until Zhao Zhen's emergency meeting that night, Su Jin left the capital for only more than ten hours.

Qinzhou's affairs are actually not as urgent as Su Jin said, as a road envoy, he doesn't need to touch the most basic government affairs, most things are just moving his mouth and taking ideas, plus he has a female dependent, so Su Jinyi walked very slowly, when Bao Zheng's messenger caught up with Su Jin's team two days later, they had just walked to Mengzhou, and they hadn't even entered the territory of Shaanzhou, the southernmost part of the Yanyan Road.

Su Jin only read a few lines of Bao Zheng's letter and said in shock: "How is it possible? ”

Everyone didn't know why, Wang Chao and the others hurriedly asked what was going on, Su Jin quickly read the letter, and muttered: "This is too stupid, how did Ouyang Xiu become so stupid?" Isn't this asking for your own death? ”

Su Jin told everyone about the letter, and everyone didn't understand why Ouyang Zhongcheng caused big trouble when he wrote an article, and Su Jin didn't have time to explain to them, but he just ordered the dynasty Ma Han to escort the female dependents back to Qinzhou, and he took Zhao Hu Zhang Long and more than ten horsemen to turn the horse's head back to the capital.

Two hours later, on the official road in the southeast of Mengzhou, he met a letter sent by Fan Zhongyan, the content of which was actually imploring him to say a few kind words in front of the emperor and send Ouyang Xiu lightly.

Su Jin didn't feel strange at all, there were so many important ministers in the court, they could think of themselves first and ask themselves to help, this was a kind of recognition of themselves, but then again, they had no one to ask for, ask Yan Shu? Yan Shu will inevitably clear up this matter, he is too late to hide, at most he will lightly excuse a few words, begging Du Yan? Du Yan wanted them to die, how could he come to help them exonerate; And the others, if they are either Du Yan's henchmen who oppose the New Deal, or those who support the New Deal, some are wall-riding factions who are wise and self-protective, and more are officials who have no influence in front of Zhao Zhen, and whether they plead for mercy or not will not affect the result at all.

And he originally didn't have much influence on this matter, but fortunately, he still had some capital to talk to Zhao Zhen, just the fact that he got a war horse from Western Xia was enough for Zhao Zhen to think about his face, not to mention that Su Jin had another killer feature.

In just one day, Su Jin and others quickly returned to Bianliang City, and in these three days, there was a big criticism and discussion inside and outside the court.

Du Yan even led the officials who generally opposed the New Deal to weep blood, demanding that the traitorous party be severely punished, so as to warn the officials and show the world; Jia Siyuan, the waiter of the Criminal Department, even in the name of violating the ancestral teachings and forming a party and attempting rebellion, demanded that Fan Zhongyan and others be dismissed from their posts and sent to prison for strict investigation and punishment in accordance with the law of the Song Dynasty.

Speaking from his heart, Zhao Zhen didn't want to put Fan Zhongyan and others directly in prison because of this matter, but the attitude of Fan Zhongyan and others made him very annoyed, and these guys came to resign the next day, but the reason for the resignation was not that Zhao Zhen wanted them to admit to forming a party, but that they were limited enough to take on heavy responsibilities, and asked to resign and retire.

This attitude disappointed Zhao Zhen, which means that he criticized them for engaging in a small group with great fanfare, but a few of them did not admit it, but resigned and coerced each other, in the eyes of outsiders, it was a sign of innocence, and after several guidance to no avail, Zhao Zhen was disappointed, and gradually moved the intention of severe punishment.

And Du Yan and others also seized the opportunity to continue to fan the flames, constantly entangled with the party and demanded severe punishment, Zhao Zhen was even more hot-headed, and privately said that he would severely punish Fan Zhongyan and others; In just three days, the situation of Fan Zhongyan and the others, who were originally infinitely beautiful, was already precarious, and they were only missing Zhao Zhen's holy decree to be sent to the eighteenth layer of hell.

When Su Jin returned to the capital, he first went to Bao Zheng's mansion to learn about the situation in the past few days, and when he heard the rumors that Zhao Zhen was going to severely punish Fan Zhongyan and others, Su Jin was really a little surprised; A nameless fire rose in his heart, Zhao Zhen was still far from Mingjun, this matter had a lot to do with him, but now he was on the line to severely punish Fan Zhongyan and others, which was really inauthentic.

That night, Su Jin entered the palace to see the driver, Zhao Zhen was surprised by Su Jin's return at first, even if he understood Su Jin's intention, Su Jin and these people have a very close relationship, before in the capital, Su Jin and Fubi Ouyang Xiu fought hotly, and later went to the northwest, and Han Qi Ouyang Xiu joined forces to fight side by side, naturally it was also very affectionate.

Zhao Zhen was slightly unhappy, he had already decided to punish the ministers of the New Deal, so as to get rid of the dilemma of his own decision-making mistakes, so even if Su Jin intervened in this matter, Zhao Zhen planned to let Su Jin hit a nail and go back.

Zhao Zhen, as always, met Su Jin in the Chongzheng Palace, which is also Su Jin's unique treatment when he entered the palace, as soon as Su Jin entered the door, Zhao Zhen asked with a smile: "Su Aiqing went and returned, and he returned in a hurry after only three days from Beijing, but it was very hard." ”

Su Jin said with a smile: "What's the point of working hard for the emperor." ”

Zhao Zhen said with a smile: "A few more Su Jin, I will sit back and relax, anyway, something happened in the northwest, I want you to return to the capital in such a hurry to see me." ”

Su Jin knew that Zhao Zhen was pretending to be confused, and said quietly: "There is indeed something in the northwest, but what Weichen wants to talk about today is the matter of the court, and he wants to talk to the emperor about it." ”

Zhao Zhen said: "As expected, I am another lobbyist, I have met with a lot of lobbyists in the past few days, Yan Xiang came earlier, Bao Zheng met last night, and today it is your turn again." ”

Su Jin said: "Oh? What did they say? ”

Zhao Zhen said: "It's just to excuse some people, what else can I say." ”

Su Jin said: "What did the emperor say?" ”

Zhao Zhen said: "I naturally told them that everything should be done according to the law, and I will not wronged good people, nor will I tolerate traitors." ”

Su Jin smiled: "Does the emperor think that I am also here to exonerate them today?" ”

Zhao Zhen said: "Isn't it? I remind you, don't get involved, so far, those few still refuse to admit their mistakes, I don't think they will admit their mistakes, I want to teach them a lesson, if you plead, I will give you an answer in accordance with the law, and will not be tolerated. ”

Su Jin said: "Your Majesty, you have misunderstood, I am not here to ask the Emperor to forgive them. ”

Zhao Zhen said: "You're not pleading? ”

Su Jin said: "Not only did I intercede for them, but I also asked the emperor to punish them severely." ”

Zhao Zhen was confused, frowned and looked at Su Jindao: "What the hell are you doing." ”

Su Jin Zhengse said: "The minister didn't make a ghost, the minister did come to ask the emperor to punish them severely." Your Majesty, I heard that the Criminal Department charged them with forming a party for personal gain, intending to rebel, and violating the precepts of the emperor, right? ”

Zhao Zhen couldn't turn his head for a while, and hesitated: "That's what I said, but I ......"

Su Jin said: "Your Majesty, don't hesitate, what are you hesitating about such a great rebel?" Hurriedly ordered the four of them to be beheaded and showed to the world, so that all the subjects of the world would know the consequences of Fan Zhongyan, Han Qi and several other treacherous people making waves in the court, and warn those who are spoiled. ”

Zhao Zhen was stunned and said, "How could you make such a suggestion?" As far as I know, you have a good relationship with them. ”

Su Jin said: "Friendship is friendship, I still have to do the righteous killing of relatives, I am in a hurry to come to the audience, I am afraid that the emperor's ears will be soft, and I can't help others to ask for forgiveness for them, and as far as the ministers know, they still have many crimes that are not known, and the ministers want to expose them together." ”

Zhao Zhen couldn't believe his ears, Su Jin originally came to fall into the well, this was really unexpected by Zhao Zhen, he had the impression that Su Jin didn't seem to be this kind of person, he deliberately entered the palace today, it was actually to expose the crimes of Fan Zhongyan and others, looking at his appearance doesn't look like a fake, could it be that Su Jin really has any evidence of these people's crimes?

"You...... Tell me about it. ”

Su Jin's expression became angry and said: "The minister has wanted to expose these people for a long time, but he has never had a chance, and now that their conspiracy has been exposed, the minister naturally can't keep silent anymore; The first crime of Han Fan and the others was to be cowardly and afraid of death, and they lost their great Song Junwei. ”

Zhao Zhen frowned and said, "How do you say this?" ”

Su Jindao: "The facts are clear, the Western Thieves rebelled against the Song Dynasty and stood on their own, and my Great Song Dynasty ordered a crusade against the Western Thieves, and Fan Zhongyan and Han Qi, who were the leading generals in the Northwest, were timid and cowardly, and did not dare to wave the army to the north. The minister even thought that they were deliberately delaying and were suspected of collaborating with the Western Thieves, otherwise why did they deliberately lose two major battles and lose tens of thousands of our army? ”

Zhao Zhen smiled dumbly and said, "Su Jin, you're joking with me." ”

Su Jin Zhengse said: "The minister is not joking, the second crime they exposed by the minister is to sell their reputation to buy people's hearts." ”

Zhao Zhen said: "Stop, stop, why does it sound like you're talking back." ”

Su Jin ignored it and continued: "According to the minister's understanding, during Han Qi and Fan Zhongyan's stay in the northwest, he used the family property of Yulu as military funds to fill the military expenses, ate and lived with the soldiers, deliberately disguised himself as sharing weal and woe with the soldiers, and deliberately wore tattered clothes. I heard that the soldiers returned from the battle, they deliberately wept bitterly and knelt down to meet the dead soldiers, and personally wrote a letter with silver money to order someone to send the corpse back to their hometown. During their time in the northwest, they used this method to deceive the local people, so that the people made songs for them, saying that 'there is a Han in the army, and the heart of the Western Xia is cold.'" There was a fan in the army, and the Western Xia was shocked when he heard it. This is a clear proof that they are selling their fame and buying people's hearts.

Zhao Zhen's heart moved, and he looked at Su Jin's excited face and was silent.