Chapter 34: Brother Su, It’s Your Turn!

The home was no longer safe; with someone like Su Shi, anyone in the official residence could easily be turned into a secret informant. When discussing confidential matters, it was necessary to find a quiet and secluded place. Calling Guang Xiao along, the three prepared to set out. Suddenly, Su Mai, caught and struggling, cried out pitifully, his little hand stretching out from the door as he shouted, “Uncle, save me!”

God loves the world, but uncles fear being beaten—take care of yourself.

They stepped outside and headed westward, their destination the Jinming Pond. Meetings held on this boat could hardly be overheard, after all—history had taught them well.

In the summer of June, the moisture from the earth in Bianjing rose into the air, hanging heavy and wavering. Whether young men or beautiful maidens, under the scorching sun, all had to bow their heads and put on an obedient facade.

At Jinming Pond, there were few visitors. During Emperor Renzong’s reign, the pond had often been opened to the public for leisure, but after his passing, this benevolent practice vanished. Now, the vast lake was reserved solely for the royal family and high-ranking nobles.

They hailed a boat, set the boatman ashore, and Guang Xiao began rowing, the small vessel drifting toward the center of the lake. Seeing no one nearby, Su Shi finally felt at ease and was about to speak, but thought better of it and lowered his voice.

“Chang’an, we’re brothers. There are some things you just can’t keep from me, can you?”

“That’s crossing the line. Our bond is one of life and death. If you ever get the urge to imitate Li Bai and jump into the river, I’d risk everything to pull you out.”

Emotional blackmail wouldn’t work, so Su Shi shifted tactics.

“You’re a renowned figure in Bianjing, praised as a gentleman. Shouldn’t we lay out all the conspiracies and schemes openly?”

“There really are none. I’ve always acted with integrity—no underhanded dealings.”

Su Shi thought to himself, if it weren’t for his poor swimming skills, he might just overturn this boat. This little brother was unyielding; prying a word from him was truly difficult.

Alright, if you won’t speak, then I won’t ask.

Pride swelling within him, Su Shi contented himself with admiring the scenery and reciting a couple of Tang poems praising the lotus flowers. Li Chang’an, meanwhile, was unhurried, slipping off his shoes and scooping water from the lake to wash his feet.

Guang Xiao rowed with a chuckle, thinking his young master had quite the spoilsport attitude—no wonder he could become the rival of the greatest man of their time.

They drifted further from shore, with no other boats in sight.

“Long Face, do you remember the Li Chang’an from back then, here on Jinming Pond?”

Su Shi seemed lost in thought. It was during Emperor Yingzong’s reign, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, when the royal family held their dragon boat races. As the imperial scholar appointed to compose the victory tribute, Su Shi was responsible for awarding the winning teams.

Li Chang’an had formed his own dragon boat team, but the boat was unlike any other—long, slender, and polished until it glistened like a mirror. Positioned at the bow, he beat the drum, and the rowers moved in perfect unison, quickly pulling far ahead of the second-place team.

Su Shi had watched curiously that day, wanting to learn the secret of their victory to include in a poem. Li Chang’an had simply said, “It’s science—the science of the principles of all things.”

That meeting had completely captivated Su Shi. Of a hundred questions he had then, only a few had become clear over the years. Whether he would ever understand them all depended on how long he lived.

What was he asking now? Had he suddenly taken a fancy to dragon boat racing here?

“At the time, I was full of youthful ambition, believing that by my own efforts I could open the gates of science, steer the great Song dynasty’s ship around, and restore an era of flourishing and diversity…”

Ah, Su Shi recalled. Back then, Li Chang’an had spent five hundred guan on that dragon boat to promote science to the world.

Ha! Unfortunately, no one appreciated it. Only the officials, hearing how much he had spent, had awarded an extra two hundred guan to the champion’s prize.

“Later, when I met you, we examined the caliber of Song’s elites and made a wager—you remember that, right?”

Su Shi’s mind was sharp; while most children began to retain memories at six or seven, he had memories from age three, a prodigy among prodigies. Now grown, he was called a genius.

What was that wager again?

It was the claim that the minds of Song people were broken. Once someone studied the Four Books and Five Classics, it was like a curse that prevented independent thought.

Their evaluation of talent had stirred up bloody turmoil. Indeed, for over a year, no one had broken through the haze to grasp the laws of nature.

Whether then or now, he had to admit Li Chang’an’s view was correct.

“Now, it’s your turn to save the world!”

Su Shi turned to look at Li Chang’an in confusion. Why bring this up again?

“The Song dynasty was born with inherent flaws. The military generals promoted Zhao Kuangyin to lead the army and seize the realm from orphans and widows. After founding the nation, they waged war north and south but never fully eliminated their foes, resulting in a central government controlling the land with half the taxes going to the military. Wang Anshi once said that destiny was no cause for fear, but the Zhao family’s legacy was at risk of extinction.”

Startled, Su Shi glanced around nervously. Could anyone casually utter the revered founder’s name like that?

“Wang Anshi’s reforms amounted to squeezing money from wealthy households and nobles. The officials acted harshly, scraping the poor once more. The court offended everyone, and then the Zhao family’s mandate would truly be in jeopardy. I’ve said it before: the weak Song dynasty was the best era since it dared not oppress the people excessively.

“But unfortunately, Wang Jiefu, who carried thirty years of public expectation, would, if successful, doom Song to stagnation.

“So you must stop him!”

“Here we go again,” Su Shi flicked his sleeve, half turning away. “The court has its ministers—the literary chancellor, the military commander Junshi, the teacher Ouyang Yongshu, and if worse comes to worst, Zeng Gong, Zhao Ting, Chen...”

“Worthless! This is a battle for reputation, and they have no standing against Wang Anshi. But the outcome depends on wisdom, courage, and the willingness to bear the consequences of reform. Brother Su, only you and I can even attempt this!”

Speaking of reputation, Wang Anshi was truly a mountain—on the scale of Mount Wangwu or Mount Taihang. After thirty years of building influence, all the southern aristocratic agents combined could not match him.

Compared to the brilliant moonlight, the praise for Junshi and Ouyang Yongshu was generous.

A living saint forged by six states’ efforts, daring at forty to stake his reputation on the Four Books and Five Classics, regarded as a leader of new learning by southern scholars—no one could rival him.

“You?” Su Shi pointed at Li Chang’an, then at himself. “Me?”

“The two of us?”

Seeing the greatest man in the realm doubt himself was oddly pleasing.

“Ha ha ha! Long Face, are you confident or just arrogant? Of course, it’s not just us two. Defeating a god requires many forces.

“Centralizing power under the sovereign is the foundation of his support. That is where we must strike.

“The military families, aristocrats, nobles, common people, and provincial officials will all become your allies.

“You will be the leader of this new faction, the vanguard resisting Wang’s reforms.”

Su Shi felt overwhelmed, struggling to catch his breath.

If the people’s hearts were lost, so be it. If the civil and military factions split, let them. If the north and south disagreed, so what…

He was a sage in the making but had no desire to be a savior of the world.