Song Chu: Dad, if you don't work hard, how can I just lie down and relax?

Chapter 17 Bickering

At this point, Zhao Kuangyin was already on the verge of taking the throne, and whether he did so willingly or not, it was no longer up to him.

He himself knew this, but he was still conflicted. Historically, before the Chenqiao Mutiny, he sighed and lamented all day long, filled with anxiety and insecurity. His sister couldn't stand it anymore and gave him a good scolding.

It roughly means that men either do things or they don't, and if you sit at home all day like a woman sighing and complaining, I can't stand you.

A scolding woke Zhao Kuangyin up, which solidified his resolve.

Or perhaps he already had this idea, but just needed to reaffirm it when the time came.

Right now, he was completely confused. Wang Lu himself didn't know how he had ended up playing such a role. After listening to his profound remarks, Zhao Kuangyin's expression improved considerably, and he looked thoughtful.

After a while, Zhao Kuangyin suddenly burst into laughter and said, "You little brat, you speak quite eloquently. Well, at least we're happy to hear it. Since you and your son both believe we are the chosen one, why do you still bother making bricks and tiles for Han Dengyan to win over the army's hearts?"

As he spoke, he looked at Wang Jun.

Wang Jun looked at Wang Lu.

Wang Lu: "Just answer it then."

"You should explain it; I'm afraid I won't do a good job."

"Didn't we practice this phrase at home?"

"Practice doesn't necessarily mean you can say you're good at it."

Zhao Kuangyin: "…………"

Wang Lu rolled his eyes at him, smiled, and gritted his teeth as he explained to Zhao Kuangyin, "My father always told me stories like Liu Yan being able to be a corrector at seven and Yang Jiong being able to be a proofreader at ten."

He even told me to take them as role models, always thinking that I, as his son, should enter officialdom at a young age to earn money to support him, showing no responsibility as a father at all.

Wang Jun then asked, "Who is Liu Yan, and who is Yang Jiong? Son, you know your father is a Taoist practitioner, but I'm good for nothing and only know how to tinker with these strange and frivolous skills."

"Who are these people? I don't recognize them. If you're so capable, why don't you show them to Grand Commandant Zhao? He is the ruler of the world; this is such a good opportunity, why don't you demonstrate your skills?"

Zhao Kuangyin scratched his head and said, "Yes, I don't know who Liu Yan and Yang Jiong are either."

Zhao Kuangyi: "Brother, you should read more history books. Liu Yan and Yang Jiong were both important ministers in the Tang Dynasty. They entered officialdom very early. Liu Yan was recognized as a child prodigy at the age of seven, and at the age of eight, he was directly appointed as a corrector in the Secretariat by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang."

Yang Jiong was one of the Four Great Poets of the Early Tang Dynasty, and also a child prodigy who passed the imperial examination and was appointed as a proofreader at the age of ten. Wang Xiaolang, on the other hand, is seeking an official position.

Wang Lu hurriedly said, "I can't accept it, I can't accept it. I am actually quite dull-witted. All of this was taught to me by my father. If Grand Commandant Zhao really wants to usher in a peaceful and prosperous era and wants to grant an official position to a child like me, that would be too frivolous."

"Eight years old and already an official? Ah~, so there really are child prodigies in this world. But young Master Wang is indeed a child prodigy."

Wang Lu quickly replied, "Yes, but it's just for show and doesn't really matter. Actually, my father's so-called Taoist skills are his real abilities, but he refuses to teach them to me. Grand Commandant, besides making bricks and tiles, my father knows a lot more."

Zhao Kuangyin nodded repeatedly: "Indeed, recently, following the Taoist priest's method, we have been promoting the new hemp-making technique in the army. It has indeed enabled the hemp cloth to be drawn into threads, making the weaving soft and fast."

"If you don't mind, Daoist Master, how about I appoint you as the Junior Assistant Director of the Arsenal after I become Emperor?"

Wang Lu quickly interrupted, saying, "Grand Commandant, my father's ambitions lie elsewhere. You don't know, my father has always harbored a dream of becoming a military general; conquering battlefields is his true desire."

"Rather than being a junior magistrate, let my father become a military officer and give him a chance."

"Oh?" Zhao Kuangyin asked Wang Jun, "Is that really so? Daoist priest, you aspire to join the army?"

Wang Jun's expression was strange. He turned to look at Wang Lu, who glared at him. Helpless, Wang Lu could only nod and hum in agreement.

"Master, are you perhaps also skilled in military strategy and tactics?"

Wang Jun frankly stated, "I can't say I'm an expert; I can only say I know absolutely nothing about it."

"That Taoist priest, could it be that he possesses martial prowess, or even Taoist magic, and is capable of taking on a hundred men in battle?"

"It can't be called martial prowess; it's more accurate to say he's completely powerless."

Zhao Kuangyin was taken aback, then burst into laughter, shaking his head and saying, "You two, father and son, are truly amusing, making fun of our family directly."

The father and son quickly bowed their heads and apologized.

"Very well, we can talk about those things when we're truly in power. I've only come today to see you all and ask you a few more questions."

It seems that when that day truly comes, Han Tong won't stop us? Neither of you intend to help him make things difficult for me?

"No, definitely not. If... if my father-in-law truly harbors rebellious intentions, I, I will definitely try to persuade him."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin couldn't help but chuckle: "Disloyal intentions? Ha, you two are truly amusing. Well then, I've troubled you today, I'll be leaving now."

Wang Jun and Wang Lu quickly got up to see him off.

"Please don't bother seeing me off."

That's what they said, but Wang Jun and Wang Lu still saw the two brothers off at the gate of Tongjifang. Only after they were far away did the father and son turn around and glare at each other: "What are you doing?" x2

"You son of a bitch, speak to me properly, you unfilial son!"

"Father, why did you have to push me out today? Which of Zhao Kuangyin's questions was one that you really couldn't answer?"

I've already explained the history of the early Song Dynasty over the weekend, including the causes and consequences of the emperor's ascension to the throne, and the background analysis. Can't I explain it clearly to you? This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your own political acumen, so why are you pushing me out here?

"I'm only twelve years old. What use is it to push me out here? If my son and I want to get promoted and go home, don't we have to rely on you? Why are you pushing me out here?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Jun curled his lip and said, "Come on, I know you too well. You just want to get something for nothing. You rely on me for everything, and you don't want to put in any effort yourself."

"I'm twelve years old this year, how can I work hard? Chai Rong has already abolished the system of selecting child prodigies. Even if it hadn't been abolished, even if someone was a true child prodigy, at most they would only be given a nominal position like a proofreader, and that would still be a civil servant position."

"Father, how many times have I told you? Civil officials in the Taizu era could never reach the first rank. Pushing me up won't help."

"Liar! You're just lying to your father. Do you think I don't understand history and are easy to fool?"

"What did I lie to you about?"

"Hmph, I've already inquired. In the Later Zhou court, there's a man named Zhao Kuangzan, a child prodigy who entered officialdom at the age of seven. What kind of civil official? He's now the military governor of Baoxin Army, only two or three years older than Zhao Kuangyin. A military governor, a second-rank official."

According to you, if he were to die now, even from illness or old age, he could still be posthumously granted the rank of First Rank Official? Aren't you knowledgeable about history? Tell me, what official position did this person hold in the Northern Song Dynasty?

"Yes... Duke of Wei."

"Ha! Duke of Wei, good heavens! When I first heard of this man, I thought he was some kind of relative of Zhao Kuangyin. Luckily, I asked around a bit, or I would have been fooled by you!"

"How could someone pass the imperial examination for child prodigies at the age of seven? Passing the exam didn't prevent him from becoming a military officer; he's already a military governor now."

"What does this prove? It proves that you little brat are just shirking your responsibilities. He can do it, but you can't? He entered officialdom at the age of seven, and you're already twelve. When it comes to child prodigies, how can you possibly lose to someone else?"

Why is it that I, a first-rank official, bear the entire burden of returning home after time-traveling, am the sole person responsible? You also have to become a military general, and follow the path of Zhao Kuangzan. Don't even think about lying down; I know you well enough to know you're lazy, incredibly lazy.

Wang Lu: "Dad, didn't you ask around a bit? His grandfather was Zhao Dejun, who was known as the Prince of Beiping during the Five Dynasties period. His mother was Princess Xingping, the daughter of Li Siyuan. His father, Zhao Yanshou, was the Privy Councilor of the Later Tang Dynasty!"

His prodigy status, which led him to become a military governor, wasn't earned through hard work, it was born that way! Are you also a Privy Councilor? Why don't you become a Privy Councilor first?

Wang Jun was taken aback, but still stubbornly said, "I don't care. Anyway, this is a precedent. I just learned that there was such a thing as the 'Prodigy Examination' in ancient society. Whether it's useful or not, you have to pass the exam. You can't rely on me alone to get a first-rank official position."

As he spoke, Wang Jun was still somewhat annoyed: "Zhao Kuangyin wanted me to be the Junior Assistant Director of the Ordnance Bureau. What a great job! Do you think I don't know? It's a fourth-rank official position!"

"Your father could become a fourth-rank official, that's a meteoric rise! You insist on stopping me, insisting I'm some kind of military man. Bah! You want me to take up a sword and go to the battlefield to kill people instead of using all my math and science knowledge?"

"How dare you say that? We agreed that you would be a first-rank official and could only be a military general. Do you even want to go back? You keep saying that you know nothing about military strategy and that you are too weak to even kill a chicken. Didn't we agree on this before? You've chickened out again."

"You little brat, how dare you talk to your own father like that?"

"Even your own father has to be reasonable."

"What were you holding in your hand just now? Did you go play with your sister Ling's dolls again? How can you be so shameless? She's your stepmother. What are you trying to do by playing with her dolls all day? She's not that much older than you, you know?"

"You even know that my stepmother isn't much older than me? No, I'm mentally old enough to be her father. What else can she do? Play with the kids? Is she playing with the kids too?"

For the sake of family harmony, I have to let her feel a sense of accomplishment in coaxing the child. How could I possibly have designs on a fourteen-year-old stepmother? Dad, you're so despicable!"

"I'm disgusting, but you're always pretending to be young and playing with dolls with your stepmother, and you call me disgusting? I think you're the disgusting one."

"You're disgusting"

"You're disgusting."

"You're the disgusting one! You old geezer marrying a sixteen-year-old girl, you're disgusting!"

The father and son bickered and teased each other as they walked back, the setting sun casting long shadows.