Zhao Zhen, who had once again worked hard at trying to father a son yesterday, lazily yawned. He slouched sideways in the seat of honor, listlessly popping a piece of dried fruit offered in tribute by Wang Yan's Teachings into his mouth, then taking a sip of the health-preserving tea Wang Yan's Teachings had prescribed after remotely consulting with him about his physical condition.
He sat in the Government Affairs Hall, watching the ministers who governed the realm on his behalf quarrel.
It had been a long time since the court had been this lively, he thought...
The Government Affairs Hall truly was bustling now. Pick any one of them out at random, and he would be famous for generations. It could almost be called the strongest lineup of Zhao Zhen's reign.
The chancellor was Wen Yanbo, the vice chancellor Fu Bi, the Military Affairs Commissioner Han Qi, and the deputy Military Affairs Commissioner was Di Qing, who had just been promoted after more than two years of idleness. Zhang Fangping was Commissioner of the Three Departments, Fan Zhongyan his deputy. There was Bao Zheng, acting prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture; Ouyang Xiu of the Hanlin Academy; and Wang Anshi, whose official career had gone smoothly thanks to the flutter of Wang Yan's Teachings's little wings, and who had been transferred to the Government Affairs Hall as a clerk.
There were also several assistant councilors and other second-ranking officials, such as Zeng Gongliang and Wang Yaochen. Everyone qualified to be here was here.
Though they were far fewer in number than at a grand court assembly, the intensity of their argument surpassed anything such an assembly could offer. Aside from those seated around them and the attendants serving tea and water—and apart from the silent Di Qing—every single person seated in