All day long, you're busy with those so-called 'experiments', writing and drawing things that are incomprehensible even to yourself, and the poetry is all set aside.

Actually, if it were just like this, it might be bearable.

Li Gefei had always been very lenient with Xiaoli, without particularly strict family teachings or constraints.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed her to go drinking in taverns or gambling in casinos.

Therefore, if Xiaoli simply liked some new and peculiar things, Li Gefei might not even get angry.

But the problem is...

What Xiaoli is involved in right now is not just a simple interest.

Thinking of this, Li Gefei once again looked complicatedly at his daughter and waved to her:

"Qingzhao, come with me."

Xiaoli pursed her lips and obediently followed.

Here we go again, being lectured.

After taking Xiaoli to a corner of the academy, Li Gefei dismissed the servants and asked:

"Qingzhao, are you going to the Commandery Prince's Mansion tomorrow?"

Xiaoli nodded affirmatively, a hint of anticipation in her eyes:

"Of course, we're learning about acceleration tomorrow."

Li Gefei's eyes flashed with a trace of worry and he asked:

"Qingzhao, do you know the current situation in the capital?"

Then, without waiting for Xiaoli to reply, he accelerated his speech:

"The Empress Dowager is unconscious, the situation is critical, and there are even rumors that she might not last a month.

Right now, the Emperor is poised to strike. Once the Empress Dowager passes, the Emperor will swiftly wipe out the remnants.

After the remnants, the next step, the next step is..."

Li Gefei quickly glanced around and lowered his voice, saying slowly:

"To clean up Prince Jian!"

After saying this, Li Gefei closely watched his daughter, observing her expression.

Indeed.

What he worries about is not other issues, but.....

Prince Jian!

In the past few days, Xiaoli and Prince Jian often went to the Su Mansion together and occasionally went out to discuss issues.

They seemed close, inseparable.

If Empress Dowager Xiang's health were untroubled, it would be fine. With such a prominent figure as a restrainer, Emperor Huizong couldn't act against Xiaozhao.

But once Empress Dowager Xiang passes, a large number of followers will swiftly flock to Emperor Huizong.

Presumably in three to five months.

The overt obstacles will be completely eliminated.

By then, the Emperor's next target will be none other than Prince Jian alone!

And if Prince Jian collapses, there may be people who will unjustly implicate Xiaoli, throwing dirty water onto Li Gefei.

Looking back through three thousand years of history.

When it comes to disputes over the imperial throne, which case can end well?

Facing her serious-looking father, Xiaoli couldn't help but argue:

"But... but Prince Jian and I are just attending classes together..."

Li Gefei glanced at his daughter, knowing that Xiaoli was not lying.

In the past few days, he had also briefly understood the so-called 'science', which indeed had its unique and attractive aspects.

Yet...

He took a deep breath and shook his head, saying:

"Indeed, perhaps you really are just seeking knowledge.

But what Prince Jian involves is the stability of the imperial throne, and will His Majesty listen to your explanation?

Go to the taverns and see, among those who used to be merry with Prince Jian, who isn't avoiding him now?

As the saying goes, 'better wrongfully kill than let go unpunished,' who would listen to your argument in such matters?"

Xiaoli was silent.

Father and daughter thus stood in silence for a moment, then Li Gefei, as if making a decision, said:

"Qingzhao, you should stop going to the Su Mansion in the future..."

"That is absolutely impossible!"

Xiaoli instinctively retorted, interrupting her father, then thought for a moment and continued:

"Sir, if Qingzhao recalls correctly, in the First Year of Shao Sheng, Zhang Dun was in power and summoned you as a censor for drafting compilations of Yuanyou ministers' memorials.

You refused to take office, and therefore were offended, thus exiled as Guangxin Army Assistant Governor, correct?"

Li Gefei was silent for a moment and slowly nodded:

"That's true."

Xiaoli continued:

"That year, Qingzhao was ten years old, do you remember what Qingzhao said outside Suicheng?"

Li Gefei nodded again.

Xiaoli, seeing this, saluted her father:

"Back then, you expressed your ambition with 'Li Sao', saying 'Even though I might face death nine times, I will not regret it.'

Righteousness is the essence of trust.

Father, you were willing to die for your belief, so why are you stopping Qingzhao now?

Even if Qingzhao is implicated by Prince Jian, at most she'll have to cut her hair and go to prison; no matter what, it won't be a crime punishable by death.

Could it be that over a few years, my father has changed so much, no longer seeking reason or truth, and only blindly pursuing the way of the monarch and his ministers?"

Li Gefei was taken aback.

Speaking of the court in the late Northern Song, one must mention a certain group of people:

The Yuanyou Faction.

The Yuanyou Faction, also called the Yuan You Party.

Their roots must be traced back to Wang Anshi's reforms.

The right and wrong of Wang Anshi's reforms are quite complex, widely discussed even in later generations, let alone in the Northern Song back then.

Therefore, during the reform process, naturally, there were many supporters as well as many opponents.

The political faction supporting the reforms was called the "Yuanfeng Faction" by contemporaries.

The faction opposing the reforms was known as the "Yuanyou Faction."

And Li Gefei was a standard member of the Yuanyou Faction.

1094.

Zhang Dun imposed cruel punishments and exile on the Yuanyou Faction members, ordering Li Gefei to be summoned to tally these affairs.

Li Gefei resolutely refused, and thus was sentenced to exile.

At the time, in a letter to a friend, Li Gefei also quoted the idiom of being unrepentant despite facing death multiple times, expressing his determination to die for his principles.

This exile lasted for more than a year, nearly two years, before he was summoned back as Chief Proofreader, returning to his official career.

In fact.

According to the historical trajectory.

In about two years, the court would again suppress former ministers of the Yuanyou, and Li Gefei would again be dismissed for being listed in the "Yuanyou Faction."

Therefore, Xiaoli's refutation truly left Li Gefei speechless:

Even if Xiaoli were truly implicated because of her association with Xiaozhao, at most it would mean Li Gefei being demoted or dismissed, and Xiaoli imprisoned, cutting off ties with relatives.

Surely, it would be quite miserable, but it wouldn't take their lives.

After all, the six traitors haven't yet controlled the court, and there are still some good ministers holding significant power.

And the things Li Gefei insisted on back then, while it's an exaggeration to say it would wipe out nine generations, quite a few were executed under the label of 'party traitor.'

You must know.

Back then, Xiaoli was only ten years old, just a sapling among saplings.

Naive and ignorant, knowing nothing.

If what Li Gefei did back then were truly convicted, Xiaoli would indeed be innocent.

Therefore, upon hearing Xiaoli's words, Li Gefei fell silent, and fragments of memory gradually surfaced in his mind:

The year he was exiled to Xishui Suicheng, it coincided with a winter blizzard, the world vast and pale.

He held Xiaoli, leaning on each other in the cold winds.

Aside from the annoyance of the exile, his heart was filled with guilt towards his daughter.

Yet, just as he sighed over how he had caused his daughter suffering, secretly shedding tears.

Eighty-year-old Xiaoli pressed tightly to his chest, saying to him in a tender yet firm voice:

"Father, Qingzhao has no resentment....."

Thinking of this.

Li Gefei couldn't help but close his eyes.

Yes.

Compared to the factional strife that was a matter of life and death back then, the issue between Xiaoli and Xiaozhao is nothing.

If truly pursued, at most it's a matter of being demoted again.

Though these years of climbing through officialdom have been somewhat exhausting, losing the official hat would certainly be distressing.

But compared to family bonds, that official hat is far lighter.

Never mind.

If Xiaoli really encounters trouble, I'll bear it together.....

When Li Gefei opened his eyes again, clarity had returned to his gaze.

After a moment of contemplation, he said:

"Never mind, Qingzhao, if you wish to attend the lectures, go ahead freely.

But I have one request; under the current premise, you must not advance further with Prince Jian. Do you understand?"

The meaning of Old Li's words was actually very straightforward:

If it's just fellow student courtesy, then even if it becomes a matter of scrutiny, it can still be settled; at worst, your father loses his official hat and returns to the fields.

But if it turns from fellow student courtesy to something intimate, then the whole family's lives could be in danger.

Xiaoli was caught off guard by her father's sudden sternness, but considering Old Li had already compromised a lot, she obediently replied:

"Qingzhao understands."

Then Old Li pondered for a moment and continued:

"By the way, I have an old friend who is currently the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, a person of integrity and impartiality.

This person has a son named Zhao Mingcheng, highly cultured, with beautiful writings. I will introduce you to talk tomorrow, discussing poetry; how does that sound?"

"Highly cultured?"

Upon hearing this, Xiaoli glanced at her father lightly and asked in reply:

"Does he know how to calculate dynamic friction? Can he adjust the magnification of eyepiece and objective lens? Does he know how many forces act on an object placed on an inclined plane?"

Li Gefei: "?????"

...

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