Ouyang Xiu had yet to open his mouth to defend himself, but Fan Zhongyan's heart was like a mirror, he knew that Zhao Zhen's purpose in summoning the ministers tonight was to refute this article, and the tone had already been set, if Ouyang Xiu argued again, things would be out of control.

At this moment, Fan Zhongyan, Han Qi and others suddenly became disheartened, especially the few people who went to Qinzhou to ask Su Jin to co-preside over the new political reform, and at this time, they couldn't help but think of what Su Jin said that day.

At the beginning, Su Jin said: "In order to change the law and bring down the people who oppose the change of the law, this move seems to be suspected of the same party and disagreement, although several adults are above board, it is completely for the sake of the Great Song Dynasty, but there are definitely people who will make a fuss about this matter, and the emperor will inevitably not be affected." ”

At that time, I thought it was Su Jin's prevarication, but now it seems that Su Jin's original words were good words, and today's incident is not so much that Ouyang Xiu's friend theory caused trouble, but that someone secretly made trouble, forcing Ouyang Xiu to write this article indignantly.

Ouyang Xiu was also confused, and when he wrote this article, he admitted that there were friends in the court, and that Wang Gongchen, Qian Mingyi and others had played the truth, and the meaning of arguing for the friends in the article would become a death certificate for the party.

"Lord Ouyang, don't say it." Fan Zhongyan said softly: "The emperor is right, in this matter, perhaps...... Maybe I'm wrong. ”

Ouyang Xiu sighed, he had to close his mouth, he regretted it, he shouldn't have stepped on the ship of the New Deal in the first place, let alone wrote this article in a moment, let alone overestimate the emperor's trust and determination, he thought that he had almost figured out the emperor's thoughts, but at this moment he found that the emperor's thoughts were like the sea, and he actually didn't grasp the emperor's intentions at all.

Zhao Zhen said quietly: "Ouyang Xiu, what is the purpose for you to write this article on the party, and who instructed you, this matter must be made clear. And you know the danger, but you defend it, there must be a motive in it, I hope you can be frank, after you go back, write a note to explain the matter clearly. ”

Ouyang Xiu kowtowed and said, "The minister obeys the order!" ”

Zhao Zhen's eyes moved to the ministers, and said coldly: "In view of today's matter, you Aiqing also want to talk about your views, starting from today, for three consecutive days, he will not discuss anything, only talk about the affairs of friends, and he will not be clear, this matter must have a result, otherwise how can he talk about other things." ”

The ministers said: "The ministers obey the order!" ”

Zhao Zhen stood up, sighed with relief and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please go back, I'm tired too, let's see you tomorrow morning." ”

After everyone sent Zhao Zhen's tired figure disappearing into the side hall, they quietly withdrew.

Ouyang Xiu was weak, if it weren't for Han Qi Fubi pulling him up, he wouldn't even be able to stand up.

The ministers dispersed, Fan Zhongyan, Han Qi, Fu Bi, Ouyang Xiu and others fell last, out of the main hall, the cold wind outside was blowing, blowing so that the four of them shivered, raised their eyes to the sky, the last quarter moon fell in the western sky, emitting a weak clear light, although the night wind was cold, but the hearts of the four of them were colder than the north wind of this cold night, and they were already frozen.

After tonight, the fate of the four people will take a sharp turn for the worse, and in the near future, there will be a snowflake of attack on Zhao Zhen's desk, and the official position will naturally not be guaranteed, and half of the new policy will be implemented, and even their lives will be worried.

Although the emperor did not say who the friends were tonight and how to deal with the friends of the DPRK and China, everyone who had a heart understood in their hearts that this was just Zhao Zhen's usual means, and he didn't want to lose his face and ruthless reputation, he needed to listen to the opinions of the ministers and act with the help of the hands of the courtiers who jumped out.

The four of them moved out of the palace silently, Fan Zhongyan, Han Qi, and Fubi didn't say anything to blame Ouyang Xiu for being reckless, in fact, they were together every day, they were de facto friends, Ouyang Xiu just told the truth, Ouyang Xiu was too naïve, and he actually wrote articles to defend these people.

The four of them came out of the palace, found a tavern that was open all night, ordered a few side dishes, and warmed two pots of wine to sit around to relieve their worries.

Ouyang Xiu took a sip of the spirits in the toast, and said in a dumb voice: "Brother Xiwen, Brother Zhigui, Brother Yanguo, I, Ouyang Cultivation, was careless, and I affected the three adults. But today's matter, I, Ouyang Xiu, decided to bear it with all my might, and I went to the emperor to ask for guilt, and the three adults must not admit that the matter of friends is too much. ”

Fan Zhongyan smiled bitterly: "Uncle Yong, you are still too naïve, how can you take this matter alone, the emperor's article refuting you is not only aimed at you, but at all of us." In the final analysis, the emperor is suspicious of us, in fact, even if there is no article from you, sooner or later such a thing will happen; You don't have to blame yourself, I have nothing to feel guilty about, the only regret is that this new deal is about to be abandoned halfway. ”

Fu Bi sighed: "I really let Su Jin say it, the difficulty of the new deal, it is difficult to go to the sky, I thought that the emperor had made up his mind, but now it seems that everything is in vain." ”

Han Qi said: "How can we deal with it now?" Do you need to confess your heart to the emperor again? Even if we are suspected of forming a party, we have never acted to harm the government, will the emperor ignore this? ”

Fan Zhongyan shook his head and said: "Now we don't have to do anything, the more we dissect it, the more it will turn black, everything will change and wait for the holy will ruling, tomorrow morning, I will resign from my official position, stay in Beijing and wait for the fall, and we must not say anything about this matter again; The old man is also tired, but I hope that God's mercy can make the old man return to the countryside, and he will be grateful to be a fisherman from now on. ”

Han Qi hurriedly said, "How can Fan Gong think like this? Don't you want the New Deal? Isn't it indisputable to bear the name of a friend? With such an unclear resignation, people will say that we are afraid of crime and run away. ”

Fan Zhongyan patted Han Qi on the shoulder and said, "Han Shuai, why don't you look down on these, at your age, do you still care about your reputation for work?" But if you want to be worthy of your heart, and you are worthy of heaven and earth, this is enough, but Lord Ouyang and Lord Fu are young and strong, which is quite a pity, but Lord Fu is Yan Xiang's son-in-law, and it is impossible for the emperor not to take care of Yan Xiang's face, and Lord Ouyang and Su Jin have a very good relationship, Su Jin may contribute to this matter, I think Lord Ouyang should immediately send someone to inform Su Jin of the whole story, and ask him for help. ”

Han Qi was dumbfounded: "Ask him? This kid is not authentic, what do you ask him to do? ”

Fan Zhongyan shook his head and said: "Han Shuai Mo is prejudiced against him, at this time we should admire his vision, when you went to Qinzhou, he also advised the new policy to be slowly figured out, at that time, I was deaf to the wind, I thought that the emperor would support, everyone should work together, this matter should be promising, but in fact, our judgment is wrong, Su Jin refused to come out to preside over the new policy, and persuaded me to wait, he has done what he should do, but we are a little bent on going our own way." ”

Everyone was speechless, what Fan Zhongyan said was the truth, Su Jin had predicted that there would be great resistance, since the implementation of the new policy, all kinds of slander and slander have not stopped, and many people have died unexpectedly, all of this is manipulated by someone behind the scenes, and the emperor finally as Su Jin said, can not withstand the impeachment and framing of the day, and began to doubt everyone, and now that things have reached such a point, it cannot but be said that he and others failed to see this clearly.

Ouyang Xiu said: "I don't want to beg him, these few times he came back to the capital, we were very rude to him, and I never invited him to a banquet, but every time he came back, he brought some northwest specialties to our house, Lord Han also threw his gift on the street, and humiliated him very much, how could I have the face to beg him at this time." ”

Fan Zhongyan said: "I came to beg him, if he is a person with a little chicken belly, then when we see the wrong person, besides, I will be humiliated and unreasonable first, even if he is cold, it will be flattened, but it is nothing." ”

Fu Bi said softly: "Su Jindang is not this kind of person, I also offended him, but this time he was framed for rebellion, he didn't do his best to clear my name, I am also ashamed to say it, I didn't have time to thank him, sometimes I wonder, have we all become a little unreasonable?" After the promulgation of the New Deal, I often seemed to be unfamiliar with the people around me, and now it seems that I am more like myself than others. ”

The four of you have a glass of me, and the wine is even more sorrowful, and they have been drunk until dawn, all of them are drunk and smoked, and then they are helped into the car by their respective servants and go back to the house.

Fan Zhongyan returned to the mansion and did not fall asleep, but immediately wrote a letter by himself and ordered someone to send it to Su Jin in Qinzhou, but what he didn't know was that before he wrote this letter, there was a person's letter that was already on the way to Qinzhou, and it was Bao Zheng's letter.