Small courtyard, in the gazebo.

Ning Yue sat in front of the stone table, slender jade fingers holding chess pieces, playing chess leisurely.

The teapot beside him was boiling water on a charcoal fire, gurgling and smoking.

"The Jingzhou alchemy case is now fermenting more violently in Kyoto, you shot 50,000 black water troops in a rage that day, and you were criticized by many literati, including the Confucian Confucian who criticized you for being like a jackal and without Confucian benevolence, and was echoed by many people." Ning Yue chatted with a cold expression.

"Jingzhou officials use the people to refine the people of the Kong family, but those people have no sound at all, as long as I do something, they will stare at me and criticize, those people of the Kong family are really disgusting." Jiang Leng smiled as he put the chess pieces back into the bamboo strips.

Originally, he wanted to play another game of backgammon with Ning Yue, and he was ashamed of it - the reason why he was so confident to win was because he found a forbidden hand in backgammon in the Kaiqiao Wen Palace last night.

As a result, Ning Yue didn't want to play backgammon with him, so she only played Go with him.

Jiang Han has nine tricks for Go - he doesn't know anything, and he feels that it is not interesting after a while.

Looking at Jiang Han's action of collecting chess, Ning Yue smiled and said, "You should learn Go, if you want to learn, I can teach you." ”

"Let's talk about it!" Jiang Han's interest is lacking, if a serious person plays Go, it is better to fight beast chess.

Young Master Jiang's chess skills are limited to backgammon, beast fighting, and flying chess.

Ning Yue slowly put away the chess pieces on the chessboard, and said leisurely: "I think you still don't know what happened at today's court meeting, and today's ministers have different voices about the Jingzhou alchemy case. ”

"Oh, what different sounds?" Although Jiang Han is a lieutenant of the horse, he is not qualified to go to the court, and the things at the court meeting can only wait for the eldest brother to come home and tell him, or they can learn from Qin Fen and Ji Que - of course they are not qualified to go to the court, but they can hear it from the mouths of Zhao Guogong and Yan Guogong.

Ning Yue should have eyeliner in the court, so she knew what happened at the court meeting so quickly...... Jiang Han thought to himself.

"At today's court meeting, the princes were originally arguing about the disposal of you, but Zhang Hua, the Governor of the Left Governor, suddenly proposed a method, that is, to change the Jingzhou alchemy case to malaria, in order to eliminate the impact of this case on Daxia Sheji, neither to criticize Xue Mubai, nor to punish you, although some military generals opposed it, but most of the civil officials agreed with this matter on the grounds of stabilizing the society."

Ning Yue smiled, and her smile was very sarcastic: "After all, in the eyes of those in power, the lives of the people are far less important than the stability of the society, if the Jingzhou alchemy case and the slaughter case are exposed, the face of the imperial court will be greatly damaged, after all, the Duke of Kui Guo is the great hero of the founding of Great Xia, and a Great Xia hero has done such a brutal and unkind thing, I am afraid that the people will have a crisis of confidence in the imperial court, resulting in social instability." ”

Jiang Han's face sank, and he said in a deep voice: "I am afraid that the exposure of this matter will affect the majesty of the imperial court, so I will cover up this matter, but can I block the mouths of the surviving people in Jingzhou City?" ”

Ning Yue picked up the teapot, brewed two cups of tea, picked up a cup and blew off the tea foam, drank it lightly, and said: "My father was silent, and he dispersed without making a decision, but I believe that it is not far from a decision." In the eyes of those in power in the imperial court, the right and wrong of things are not so important, but the stability of the overall situation is important. ”

Jiang Leng said in a cold voice: "For the sake of the stability of the overall situation, can you ignore the facts and bury the truth?" Those people who were brutally tortured by dog officials had to sacrifice for the sake of the so-called overall situation? Can't even get justice? ”

"Yes, change the bloody case in Jingzhou to malaria, and change it to natural and man-made disasters, so that the people will not lose trust in the imperial court, and the situation will remain stable, right? Does it matter what is right or wrong? ”

Jiang Han suddenly felt that this practice was very familiar, if there was something that might cause a crisis of confidence in the imperial court, then no matter whether it was right or wrong, the imperial court would try its best to cover it up, and he would not hesitate to sacrifice a small number of people.

"What will Your Majesty do?" Jiang Han asked.

Ning Yue looked at Jiang Han and said, "For those in power, the stability of the empire is the most important. Why not sacrifice a small number of people to maintain stability in the Empire? Why are the Chinese courtiers silent, because they all see the drawbacks exposed by this matter, and this drawbacks will damage more interests. ”

Jiang Han smiled, there are many kinds of laughter, this kind of laughter is a sneer.

"This matter has made such a big fuss, how does the imperial court want to hide it? Did the court cover it up? Don't forget, the people of Jingzhou City have all gone through this bloody case, how many people have lost their wives and children because of the alchemy case, and how can they stop these people? Jiang Han's face was full of coldness.

Ning Yue sighed softly and said, "In my opinion, after my father nods, the next step for the imperial court will be to publish a newspaper to clarify that this matter is a rumor, and then promise some people to seal it, coerce the general trend, and completely turn this matter into a rumor." ”

"Maybe someone will question it for a short time, but after a few months, the voice of doubt will decrease, and after half a year, most people will shake their heads and laugh at the mention of it, thinking that it is just a rumor. A year later, no one remembered it anymore. I only think of the innocent people who have experienced the loss of their wives and children, but what can those people do? ”

Jiang Han was silent for a long time.

Ning Yue said in a low voice: "This matter is no longer something you can change, in the rolling torrent, a person can't stop it, and even if he just wants to resist, he will be crushed by the torrent." ”

Jiang Han understood that Ning Yue was reminding himself that the imperial court would choose to cover up this matter in the end, if his delusions were exposed, he would become the enemy of most people in the court, and at that time, no matter whether he was right or wrong, he would be treated as an obstacle to the overall situation.

Even if it's a father, he may not be able to protect himself.

Because at that time, all the princes of the court and the central government will be his enemies.

Jiang Han let out a long breath.

In fact, what does all this have to do with you?

Wouldn't it be better that way?

You don't have to be held accountable, and you don't have to lose your title.

How can you stop the surging trend by yourself?

Anyway, Xue Mubai is dead, and the Blackwater Army has been destroyed, is it still important to seek justice?

It's just that thinking of the people in Jingzhou who saw him off, Jiang Han felt so heavy in his heart.

How desperate would they be if they found that black and white had been reversed and criminals had become heroes?

……

……

As Ning Yue expected, this incident did not last long, and at the next day's court meeting, there were more and more ministers who agreed to cover up this matter, and even those who insisted on seeking justice for the people at the beginning were also shaken.

Xue Mubai is dead, the Black Water Army was also shot by Jiang Han, and the revenge of the people of Jingzhou has also been avenged.

If we insist on seeking justice for the people, apart from destabilizing the situation, what are the benefits of social instability?

Don't forget that the Southern Barbarians and Northern Demons are all eyeing each other, and they may invade the territory of Great Xia at any time, and at this time such a thing is exposed, I am afraid that the situation in the imperial court, which has been stable for many years, will be turbulent from now on.

On the contrary, if malaria is used to define this matter, although the people of Jingzhou will complain, there will be no crisis of confidence in the imperial court, and if it is handled properly, the matter can be quickly calmed down.

After all, no matter how heavy the people are, can they be more than the face of the imperial court, and can they be more than the country?

As more officials waver, even a small number of people feel that justice should be done for the people, but it will not help.

At the court meeting, Emperor Xia Qi was silent for a long time, but still made a decision: "Cover up the Jingzhou case, block the information, recover the newspapers that have been published, and publish the newspaper by the "Daxia Daily" to refute the rumors!" ”

The emperor's will was sent to the "Daxia Daily", and the editor-in-chief Chu Jing was silent for a long time, and the literati told him that he should not tamper with the matter, but the patriotic thoughts of the loyal monarch told him that the emperor's order was the most important.

Heaven and earth are the king's teacher, and the king's status is only ranked after heaven and earth.

Beside him, the Confucian official Zuo Qi said in a low voice: "Chu Daru, do you really want to write an article like this and publish it in the newspaper?" ”

Zuo Qi was originally a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, but after the creation of the "Daxia Daily", he was transferred here as an editor.

The matter in Jingzhou is in an uproar, and Zuo Qi naturally knows what the inside story of this case is, but now the will of the imperial court is for them to distort the facts and cover up the truth.

Chu Jingzhi sighed: "The king wants his ministers to die, and the ministers have to die, sacrificing his life for righteousness, loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness, and loyalty comes first." ”

Zuo Qi bowed his head silently, he knew the meaning of Chu Jingzhi's words, that is, to compile this newspaper according to His Majesty's wishes.

Confucianism is people-oriented, but since Confucius, the idea of loyalty to the monarch has risen to an extremely high height.

Even the great Confucians are imprisoned by this kind of thinking.

This is not the limitation of people, but the limitation of the times.

At the same time that the "Daxia Daily" was preparing to write an article to refute the rumors, Guozijian's Zhou sacrificial wine was also summoned by the emperor.

After playing a game of chess with Emperor Xia Qi in the imperial study, and after drinking tea for a while, Zhou Hongyan walked out of the imperial study, returned to Guozijian, called Cheng Wanli, and said in a deep voice: "Wanli, write an announcement for the teacher." ”

"Teacher, what do you want to write?" Cheng Wanli said with great interest.

The teacher has always disliked his ugly handwriting, but he didn't expect to ask him to write today, and it seems that his recent performance has made the teacher very satisfied.

Immediately, Cheng Wanli came to the case, laid out the rice paper, and held the pen in hand.

Zhou Hongyan said: "A rumor-refuting announcement, the Jingzhou case is not the rumored alchemy case, but the cause of malaria from the sky. The massacre of the city by Guogong is really a rumor. ”

Cheng Wanli raised his head, with a dazed look on his face: "Teacher, what are you talking about?" ”

"The Jingzhou case is not the rumored alchemy case, but the result of malaria from the sky? Is the slaughter of the city a rumor? ”

"Teacher, what are you talking about? I've been to Jingzhou and Guo County, and that's not a rumor at all! ”

For the first time, this honest man questioned the teacher's words.

Zhou Hongyan said coldly: "The court needs it to be a rumor, it is a rumor." ”

Cheng Wanli opened his mouth, and the brush fell off from his hand and smashed on the rice paper.

"Rumors? Could it be that the death of the people of Jingzhou City is also a rumor? Could it be that the alchemy land where the people are imprisoned underground in Guo County is also a rumor? ”

"Teacher, we are the eunuchs of the country! What we say will affect a large part of the Confucian students in the world, and even if we distort the facts, is there still right and wrong in the world? ”

Zhou Hongyan sighed and said, "The Guozijian is His Majesty's Guozijian first, and then the Confucian Guozijian. For the sake of social stability, the rights and wrongs of some things do not matter. ”

Cheng Wanli was silent.

……

The mountain behind the Taixue Academy.

Zhong Fujun stood on the top of the mountain, overlooking the scene below the mountain, and sighed softly: "After all, did you choose to bury the Jingzhou case in order to stabilize the society?" ”

This ending, Zhongli guessed.

Let Jiang Han go to Jingzhou to investigate the case, it is his layout, and it is also his layout to take the opportunity to force Xue Mubai to appear.

The only thing that went wrong in the process was that Xue Mubai's slaughter of the city was beyond his expectations.

And the final result seems to be in Zhongli's guess.

"Jiang Han, can you change this result?"

Zhong Fujun looked at the bottom of the mountain, looking in the direction of Kyoto, his eyes were far away.

The idea of serving the country with loyalty to the monarch was limited to the scholars of Great Xia, and almost all the scholars were imprisoned by this thought.

The only one who hasn't been imprisoned is probably only one person.

Jiang Han in Zhong Fujun's eyes is not a person who is loyal to the king, but a person who is loyal to the people.

If anyone can change this matter, perhaps only Jiang Han, who is not imprisoned by thought.

However, this matter is still too difficult.

After all, in the eyes of the imperial court, nothing is as important as the stability of the society.

And if you want to change this, you have to change the court, change the opinion of the person.

……

Suddenly, there was another way of saying it.

That is, there is no slaughter of the city in the Jingzhou case, and there is no so-called alchemy, in fact, the reason why so many people died in Jingzhou was because of malaria.

Summer hurts the heat, and autumn will be sick and malaria.

In this world, every time malaria appears, it will inevitably kill countless people.

The appearance of this statement instantly aroused many people's doubts.

"Nonsense! Obviously, it is the Jingzhou officials who use the people to refine the pill, what malaria is a rumor! ”

"That's nonsense! A few days ago, "Daxia Daily" also said that there was an alchemy case in Jingzhou, who is talking nonsense here? ”

But there are some who believe it.

"What alchemy case is too nonsense, use your brains to think about it, how could that kind of thing happen in Great Xia? It's obviously caused by malaria. ”

"The credibility of malaria is high, and as far as I know, malaria has occurred in many places in the south."

Just when there was endless debate in the market about this matter, the imperial court was about to issue an announcement to refute the rumors, which was jointly issued by the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Households, and the Imperial Medical Department.

The Ministry of Industry is in charge of various national projects, craftsmen, tuntian, water conservancy, transportation and other government decrees.

The household department is in charge of the country's land, taxation, household registration, military quarters, and so on.

The Tai Medical Department is in charge of medical administration.

It's all authority.

After the officials of the three departments got together to deliberate, they decided to issue an announcement together to declare the matter.

The three authoritative departments made a statement together, and the people could not help but believe it.

After that, he cooperated with the "Daxia Daily" to announce the matter to the people of Daxia.

In order to quickly reduce the impact, after drawing up the official document, the Ministry of Industry Shangshu took the announcement and went to the east gate, the most lively place in Kyoto, to prepare to post a notice to clarify the matter of Jingzhou.

At the same time, in the office of "Daxia Daily", Chu Jingzhi looked at the newspaper in his hand and was silent for a long time.

He knew that this newspaper had distorted the facts, and once it was printed and distributed throughout the country, it would cover up the bloody case in Jingzhou and cover up the crimes of Xue Mubai and Jingzhou officials!

Perhaps no one will know the true situation of the Jingzhou bloodshed in the future.