Zhang Fei didn't have any particularly good friends here except Xu Zhiqian. He also had a good impression of Wang Ye. The key was that the other party was a complete fan of him. In addition, he was in a good mood today, so he drank happily.
It’s a pity that Wang Ye didn’t sit there for long because he had something to do and left first.
Go out through the back door.
Xu Zhiqian also saw him off in person.
"... ... Your Senior Brother Wang is gone?"
"Um."
Xu Zhiqian nodded, and looking at Zhang Fei, whose face was flushed, she felt tired and could not help but remind him: "You should drink less to avoid delays."
Why are there so many delays? Zhang Fei said unhappily, "Don't worry, I'm not you. I won't have sex after drinking."
Xu Zhiqian glared angrily: "When did I get drunk and lose my temper? I haven't settled the score with you yet for what happened just now."
"just kidding."
Zhang Fei also realized that he had said the wrong thing, and suddenly his eyes turned, "Don't be angry first, I have two good news to tell you today, otherwise I wouldn't dare to make this joke."
Xu Zhiqian snorted: "What good news?"
Zhang Fei took out a contract and handed it over.
Xu Zhiqian was angry, so she took it and looked at it. She couldn't help but look happy, "We succeeded!"
This is really good news for her.
What great news!
Zhang Fei nodded and said, "Yes, I am now the head of Fan's Bookstore. To me, that decree is just a piece of waste paper."
Xu Zhiqian was overjoyed and said, "If they knew, they would be so angry that they couldn't sleep. But let's not make it public for now. When you seek justice for others and beat the drum for reporting, you can give them a surprise."
"Great minds think alike. I even gave Fan Li some special instructions, asking him to keep quiet for now."
Zhang Fei chuckled, suddenly took out a contract and handed it to Xu Zhiqian.
"What is this?"
Xu Zhiqian took it and looked at it, then asked in surprise, "You want me to join the Fan Family Bookstore with you?"
Zhang Fei nodded and smiled: "Our cooperation is so successful, why don't we continue."
Xu Zhiqian said arrogantly: "Don't you think I'm meddling in your affairs?"
"You're complaining now!" Zhang Fei laughed, and seeing Xu Zhiqian glaring at him, he hurriedly said, "But we spies are always meddling in other people's business. If we want to be the one in everything, we'll end up in jail for life.
That is why I hope that Madam Xu will join the bookstore. In this way, Madam Xu can write lawsuits for the poor herself. I will then set up a position in the bookstore to write lawsuits and fight cases for the poor for free."
Xu Zhiqian was very excited and glanced at Zhang Fei, "Then what are you doing?"
Zhang Fei sighed: "Of course I make money for you to squander. If you don't have money, why should you help those poor people fight lawsuits for free?"
Xu Zhiqian rolled her eyes and said, "You just want me to gain a good reputation for the bookstore, you say it so nicely."
"Ahem...how did you know?"
"Didn't you do the same thing in the Li Si case?"
"Well... since you like it, let's just take what we need."
“I didn’t refuse!”
Xu Zhiqian looked at the contract, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise. Yes, why have I never thought of writing a petition myself to help those people get justice
Suddenly, she looked at Zhang Fei again, "Wait a minute! You don't want to stay in the bookstore forever, do you?"
Zhang Fei was stunned. "Why not?"
Xu Zhiqian asked, "Have you forgotten that Uncle Wang once said he would recommend you to be an official?"
Zhang Fei frowned and asked, "Do you think I should serve as an official in the court?"
Xu Zhiqian blinked and said, "That depends on what you are pursuing."
“What am I pursuing?”
Zhang Fei fell into deep thought. When he first arrived in the Northern Song Dynasty, he wanted to save Fang Yun. After saving Fang Yun, he hoped to gain a foothold in Bian Jing without having to rely on others. Later, he sought to gain the right to litigate. Now he has achieved all of this, and the more he thought about it, the more empty he felt in his heart.
After a while, he suddenly looked up at Xu Zhiqian and said, "Give me some advice."
Xu Zhiqian looked at Zhang Fei in surprise.
Zhang Fei said: "It is never a bad thing to listen to one more person's advice, even if it is an enemy."
Xu Zhiqian rolled her eyes at him and pondered for a moment, "For you, wealth is not difficult to obtain. You can obtain it even if you don't become an official. Therefore, I think you should pursue greater goals like Uncle Wang and the others."
At this point, she glanced at Zhang Fei and said, "Do you still remember that night when you said that helping the rich avoid lawsuits would prevent them from oppressing the people?"
Zhang Fei nodded slightly.
Xu Zhiqian said: "I don't agree with this. I want to tell you that if you really want to help more people, there is no other way but to become an official."
Ever since Song Shenzong first came here and intended to have Zhang Fei serve as an official in the court, she had wanted to tell Zhang Fei this truth, but she could not reveal Song Shenzong's identity. Now that Wang Anshi had also said it, she could say so.
Zhang Fei was surprised and asked, "So you think so highly of me?"
Xu Zhiqian rolled her eyes slightly, "If you don't have the ability, how can I supervise you, for fear that you will go astray and waste your abilities."
"You think too highly of me... Alas... I worry about the worries of others before I enjoy the happiness of others." Zhang Fei sighed, "This road is very difficult!"
If he didn't know the situation in the Song Dynasty, he might still have some fighting spirit, but because he knew the situation in the Song Dynasty, it seemed that this road would be a dead end no matter which way he went.
Xu Zhiqian said: "But if you are determined to do this, then you will feel happy."
"How do you know?"
"That's how my dad is!"
"How can I compare with my benefactor?"
Zhang Fei smiled bitterly.
It's not that he hadn't thought about becoming an official. He would definitely choose to be an official in the Song Dynasty. First, it would be rich; second, it would be safe; he wouldn't be killed at any time. But this was different from the ambitions of Wang Anshi and others.
His ideas have not yet been fully integrated into the contemporary world. He still maintains the mindset of striving and making money, and has no concept of the world in his mind.
These two words are too heavy.
He had no idea for a moment, and suddenly asked Xu Zhiqian: "Why don't you ask me what the second good news is?"
Xu Zhiqian was stunned for a moment, then raised the contract in her hand, "Isn't this the second good news?"
Zhang Fei smiled and said, "Taking a small reward to help the poor fight a lawsuit for free, is this also good news?"
Xu Zhiqian asked again: "What is the second good news?"
Zhang Fei chuckled and said, "I've asked Chen Maoqian to help me find a house. If I have time, I'll go take a look. If there's no problem, I'll move out right away."
Xu Zhiqian was stunned for a moment, "You... you want to move away?"
"yes!"
Zhang Fei nodded, "Don't you really want me to move away?"
"I... ."
Seeing Zhang Fei looking at her curiously, Xu Zhiqian blinked and suddenly turned her pretty face away: "I really hope you move out, but seeing you so happy, I... I am not happy."
"I knew it!" Zhang Fei clapped his hands excitedly and laughed: "It is precisely because I know you will be unhappy about this that I am so happy. Haha... ..!"
"You are deliberately making me angry again."
"I won't be angry for many days. I'm going back to my room and sleep."
Zhang Fei ran away.
"This guy is really abominable. He wants to make me angry before leaving."
Xu Zhiqian stomped her feet fiercely.
Suddenly, I heard singing not far away, "The back is real, the person is fake, there is no obsession. A hundred years ago, you were not you, and I was not me. The sorrow is real, the tears are fake, there is no cause and effect, a hundred years later, there is no you, and there is no me."
"It's the same song again, and it's sung so badly..." Xu Zhiqian muttered to herself, then picked up the contract in her hand and took a look at it, her eyes full of longing...
... ...
Three o'clock in the morning.
Hanlin Academy!
Under the dim candlelight, an old man was sitting by a small stove, working intently and forgetting to eat and sleep.
Suddenly, a chilly night wind rushed into the room, the faint candlelight flickered violently, and a long shadow shone into the room.
The old man protected the candle flame with one hand, looked back, and saw a young man entering the room. The old man immediately stood up.
"No need to be so polite, sir."
This young man was none other than Emperor Shenzong of Song.
And this old man was none other than Wang Anshi.
Song Shenzong suddenly looked at the seat opposite Wang Anshi and found it empty. He was quite surprised and asked, "Isn't Sima Xueshi here to accompany you tonight?"
Wang Anshi laughed and said, "I just had a few arguments with him, and he went home."
Very proud.
Song Shenzong smiled and asked, "What are you looking at, sir?"
Wang Anshi hurriedly said, "I am reviewing the account books of the store and the house."
Song Shenzong asked: "Is there any problem?"
Wang Anshi sighed, "There are many problems, but everyone knows that the store and house affairs are colluding with private agents to rent and sell the court's public housing as private houses and make profits from it."
Song Shenzong nodded slightly and asked, "I wonder how you plan to deal with this, sir?"
Wang Anshi sighed heavily, "We must make changes, but as for whether to hold them accountable, I have reservations about this."
Song Shenzong asked curiously, "Sir, you have always hated evil, why are you showing them leniency today?"
Wang Anshi said: "Because this is tacitly approved by the court."
Song Shenzong nodded slightly and asked again: "I wonder how you think we should change it?"
Wang Anshi said: "I have no clue yet."
Song Shenzong hesitated for a moment and said, "I do have a plan, but I wonder if it will work?"
Wang Anshi hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, what good plan do you have?"
Song Shenzong said: "Based on qualifications, public housing should be rented to hardworking and kind people, not to lazy people or someone's relatives. People should be qualified to apply based on their tax payment and military service."
Wang Anshi's eyes lit up and he said, "Your Majesty, this is a brilliant plan!"
Song Shenzong smiled and said, "I was also instructed by an expert."
Wang Anshi asked, "Master? Do I know you?"
Song Shenzong smiled but did not answer. Instead, he asked, "Do you agree with the suggestion of the Grand Secretary Sima?"
Wang Anshi was stunned for a moment and asked, "Your Majesty, are you asking about building a house?"
Song Shenzong nodded.
Wang Anshi pondered for a moment and sighed, "Although I have my own opinion, I do not deny that what Sima Junshi said is also for the benefit of the people, which is not a bad idea."
He had already decided not to argue with Sima Guang about this matter. After all, it did not involve his core demands.
Song Shenzong was pleased and said: "I also plan to allocate some more land to build public rental housing. On the one hand, it can help the people, and on the other hand, it can also warn the rich that the court does not want housing prices to rise."
"Your Majesty is wise."