A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 231 A Broken Family

County Magistrate Zhou knew that his brother-in-law was not very bright.

It's one thing for him to show off his power in Guancheng on ordinary days, because he can protect himself.

But the name Song Wennuan just now was obviously a fake name.

Not to mention the imposing aura that person exuded, which clearly indicated he didn't come from a small town.

"Xianchun, do you know who they are?"

"I do not know."

Xu Xianchun was still reeling from Song Xuan's kick.

"You do not know?"

County Magistrate Zhou was clearly speechless.

I offended someone without even figuring out their identity.

County Magistrate Zhou was speechless for a moment:
"I think the accent of that student named Song Wenwen sounds like he's from Nanjing."

"Prefect Yan of Yingtian Prefecture has recently received excellent reviews and achieved outstanding results. His work on education and the policy of not picking up lost items on the road has been distributed to all county offices for everyone to learn from."

"I suspect that the one named Song Wennuan, also known as Twelve Lang, is most likely Song Xuan."

"Song Xuan?"

Xu Xianchun stared wide-eyed, not knowing who it was.

Looking at his brother-in-law's extremely "clear and foolish" eyes, County Magistrate Zhou sighed inwardly.

My own younger brother.

My own younger brother!

Can't be angry!

"As far as I know, Song Twelve studied at Yingtian Academy and was also a student of Fan Zhongyan."

"You don't need to ask who Fan Zhongyan is. You just need to know that Fan Zhongyan was also praised by the court for repairing the seawall."

"Song Xuan was Fan Zhongyan's beloved disciple and was also someone valued by Prefect Yan. He must have achieved remarkable results in the provincial examination in Yingtian Prefecture, which is why he went to Xijing to study and make a name for himself."

"Didn't you enjoy listening to people tell stories from Song Shier's Journey to the West in the entertainment district?"

"How come you have absolutely no recollection of this name?"

"what!"

Xu Xianchun was momentarily stunned.

He loves Sun Wukong the most, so his weapon is a cudgel.

In this way, both the cudgel and the broadsword are in accordance with the laws of the Song Dynasty, leaving no room for criticism.

"Brother-in-law, I usually only listen to who tells the story well. I really don't know who wrote Journey to the West."

Upon hearing his brother-in-law's simple and honest answer, County Magistrate Zhou sighed once again.

Fortunately, there is no war in the Song Dynasty at present.

If he were to join the Imperial Guard in the future, and a sudden war broke out, he would easily be sold out and have to help count the money.

Fighting a war requires more than just bravery; it also requires intelligence.

The news about the reinstatement of the martial arts examination has been circulating. I wonder when County Magistrate Zhou will be appointed. I'll have my brother-in-law participate when he does.

Perhaps he can still make a name for himself.

It wouldn't be so bad that I'd be a common soldier pushed to my death.

"Okay, then let me explain it to you more clearly."

County Commandant Zhou patted him on the shoulder:

"I can't afford to offend the academy that Song Twelve attends, nor can I afford to offend Prefect Yan Shu, who selected Song Twelve for the provincial examination. Song Twelve is incredibly powerful. How can I possibly fight against him?"

Do you understand what I mean?

"I understand, I understand perfectly!"

"So what if my brother-in-law is a low-ranking official?"

County Magistrate Zhou is already quite red-hot!
Xu Xianchun nodded repeatedly, then, unwilling to give up, said:

“Brother-in-law, but I really want to learn his skills. If I can learn that kicking technique, I will not only be invincible in Guancheng in the future.”

"Ah."

"hehe."

People do laugh when they are extremely speechless.

How can you be so arrogant as to think you can defeat anyone in Dongguan?

If I, your brother-in-law, am transferred, do you think you'll still be able to swagger around here?

County Magistrate Zhou, who had raised his hand to slap Xu Xianchun, ultimately gently patted his shoulder and said earnestly:
"He's a scholar, why should he teach you martial arts?"

"Yes."

Xu Xianchun realized he was stumped by the question.

For a moment, I stood there, stunned, not knowing what to do.

County Magistrate Zhou sighed again. He really didn't know how to comfort himself when he encountered such a brainless brother-in-law.

"Think it over carefully first, and don't go looking for trouble again."

County Magistrate Zhou left with a long sigh.

These days, connections matter when you're trying to make a living.

It depends on your connections!

Why do those students travel abroad for study?
Besides broadening one's horizons, it's even more important to build connections in times of difficulty, so that these connections can be useful in the future.

Who knows which inconspicuous sapling will grow into a big tree in the blink of an eye?

Taking the imperial examinations was fraught with uncertainty!

Who knows, his essay might catch the examiner's eye and he could become the top scholar!

Study abroad is something that naturally requires some experience!

The reason why Yan Shu and Fan Zhongyan sent Song Xuan away to study was...

Because Song Xuan was already in an "invincible" state in Yingtian Prefecture.

Previous top scholars, such as Han Qi, wanted to compete with him.

He still needs to show his talent in next year's provincial examination and compete with Song Xuan.

Similarly, other places also produce top scholars and other outstanding students.

If Song Xuan goes out for a stroll, takes a look around, and meets people, it will prevent him from becoming arrogant and complacent, and from becoming a frog in a well.

As for fame, that's just a side effect.

Yan Shu and Fan Zhongyan did not think that it would be difficult for Song Xuan to become famous throughout the world.

Most importantly, Song Xuan did not underestimate the ambitions of the people, which allowed him to devote all his energy to the imperial examinations and ultimately achieve the goal of passing all three levels of the examinations!

County Magistrate Zhou left in a very polite manner.

He didn't put on any airs of officialdom whatsoever.

Even when Song Twelve said a few sarcastic remarks, he silently endured them.

Wang Bao gradually stopped chewing, realizing that he might really be clinging to a powerful figure.

"Twelfth Brother, will County Magistrate Zhou make things difficult for us behind our backs again?"

Yu Zhouxun was still a little nervous.

This was the first time he had ever received so much money.

Even if they split the medical expenses equally with Wang Gongshou, they would still have enough for living expenses.

Moreover, the fact that the local forces took the initiative to back down made him hesitant to believe it!
"Don't worry." Wang Gui put down the bone in his hand. "So what if he's a county magistrate?"

"Hey."

Song Xuan patted Wang Gui's arm: "Be careful what you say, we're still outside."

Wang Gui immediately shut up.

Yu Zhouxun didn't say anything more.

These days, money is one aspect of traveling.

But if you don't have any connections, you won't even be able to keep your travel expenses.

This is the case with him and Wang Gongshou.

Unlike Song Xuan and his men, who beat up all the county officials who blocked their way.

Not only did they get to eat and drink for free, but they also managed to get them to pay compensation voluntarily.

Where else can you find such an opportunity?

"Twelfth Brother, let's split this money equally."

Yu Zhouxun placed the money bag on the table, and even Wang Gongshou felt that handling so much money was too much for him.

If Song Xuan hadn't mentioned the term "medical expenses," he really wouldn't have wanted it.

Song Xuan didn't stand on ceremony; he opened his purse and took out some copper coins.

“This is the medical expense that we paid for beating them, and the rest is the medical expense that they paid for beating you two. It’s fair and reasonable.”

"what?"

Yu Zhouxun was somewhat surprised by Song Xuan's way of dividing things.

He'd already be lucky to get a quarter of it.

Without Song Xuan, not only would the stolen money not be recovered, but how could there have been any unexpected wealth?
However, Song Xuan's extravagant behavior immediately made Wang Bao realize his mistake.

If he doesn't care about money, then he certainly doesn't care how much I eat either.
If I could really follow him, would I never have to go hungry again, freeload here, and suffer people's contempt?
Wang Bao immediately put down the chewed bone in his hand and knelt down before Song Xuan:
"I, Wang Bao, am willing to follow you to the death, and I hope that you will ensure that I have enough to eat every day."

Song Xuan glanced at the big guy who was freeloading, and thought for a moment:
Is there no one else in your household?

"Only a leaky, dilapidated house remained, with no valuables."

Song Xuan did not refuse, but simply said:

"When it gets cooler, let my brother see what you're capable of."

"it is good."

Wang Bao immediately said, "Then I need to eat some more to replenish my strength."

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan helped Wang Bao up:

"Keep eating, just eat until you're full."

"Thank you, sir."

Wang Bao was extremely excited and continued to eat while still sitting in his chair.

Song Xuan took out some copper coins from his money bag and placed them in front of Wang Bao, then asked Wang Gui to give him some money as well.

"Pack yourself up and visit anyone who needs to be visited. If you leave, you don't know when you'll be able to return to your hometown."

Wang Bao was taken aback, then nodded emphatically.

If it weren't for Song Xu, he probably would have died alongside Xu Xianchun, who had won first place in the martial arts examination, in the battle against Western Xia. At this moment, Xu Xianchun was still sitting on the side of the street, lost in thought.

The white-clad servants around them didn't dare to breathe.

They were afraid of offending this gentleman.

Even the county constable couldn't handle it; it seems we've run into a brick wall today.

Damn it, what a waste of all that extra money I earned over the years!

After finishing his meal, Wang Bao went home to pack some things, and then went to the county government office to sell his small house. He offered to sell it cheaply, as long as he was offered a price.

Having made the decision, he vowed not to return to his hometown until he made a name for himself.

Yu Zhouxun and Wang Gongchen naturally didn't let Song Xuan spend any more money; it was alright for the two of them to stay in the same room.

After the two finished counting the money, they added some loose silver, which amounted to a total of thirteen strings of cash.

The rice I buy with a fixed amount of money is enough to feed a family of four for a month.

After they split the food in half, Yu Zhouxun wouldn't have to worry about food for at least a year.

However, Wang Gongshou had to be careful with his money, because he had three younger siblings who were still hungry.

"Brother Yu, what do you think of Twelfth Brother's character?"

Yu Zhouxun blurted out:

"He was extremely generous and heroic, which is why he was able to write characters like those in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, all of whom were full of heroic spirit."

His talent goes without saying.

His previous works have all proven his talent.

As for passing the provincial examination with top honors, Song Xuan did not tell anyone.

We've been eating and, with all that's happened, haven't had a chance to talk things over properly yet.

"Yes."

Wang Gongshou nodded slightly, as did Song Xuan.

"I admire him quite a bit just for his act of punishing the strong and helping the weak."

Although Wang Gongshou was young, he had seen a lot of the ups and downs of life.

He could sense that Song Xuan did not discriminate against them, the two poor students, but instead offered them some support within his means.

This method of distributing the money is quite considerate of them.

"If I had Twelfth Brother's skills, I probably wouldn't have had to become an official and wouldn't have suffered such injustice!"

Yu Zhouxun first nodded, then shook his head:

“Our situation is absolutely incomparable to that of Twelve Lang; we can’t even get enough to eat every day.”

"Like Wang Bao, who sometimes goes hungry and sometimes full, and who is poor in literature but rich in martial arts, how can he have the strength to train his body and bones?"

Wang Gongshou nodded silently; that made sense.

So all I can do is envy them!
"Don't worry, Gongshou, your article is so well written."

"It is the right thing to do to take the provincial examination as soon as possible next year. Perhaps you can pass all the tests and become a Jinshi directly."

Hearing this, Wang Gongshou just smiled, feeling that his current strength was not enough.

If he could stay at Xijing Academy and study without spending much money, he would have a better chance of passing the imperial examinations on his first try.

It's just difficult!

He has been troubled by financial problems ever since his father passed away.

Song Xuan first took a shower and rested for a while. Only when the weather was no longer so hot that he would sweat easily did he go to the backyard.

Wang Gui and Wang Bao had been chatting there for some time.

Upon seeing Song Xuan emerge, the two stood up.

"Have you done any activities yet?"

“Twelfth Brother, he’s already done a bit of work out of there. I think he’s really tough.”

Wang Gui said with a grin:
"We'll have to equip him with a more advanced weapon later. Once he's in full armor, tearing a hole in the battlefield won't be a problem."

Song Xuan nodded. It would be difficult for the Song Dynasty to find a good horse that could carry Wang Bao.

However, wearing the infantry armor shouldn't be a big problem, it just needs to be custom-made.

With his size, he would be a magnet for arrows if he stood on the battlefield.

Without proper protection, he would have been shot dead.

Wang Bao was strong and physically robust, and he swung his fist directly at Wang Gui.

Although Wang Gui was quite strong, he still tentatively took a punch just to be on the safe side.

Then he discovered that some people's talents were truly unmatched by ordinary people.

Wang Gui immediately changed his strategy and began to move around more flexibly.

Song Xuan observed that Wang Bao had no method whatsoever and was acting entirely on instinct.

But even in this backyard terrain, without weapons or equipment, no matter how Wang Gui tried to fight, he was still beaten so badly that he was swaying from side to side, like a dog being led around.

After Wang Bao gets tired, then knock him down.

Now that Wang Bao has eaten his fill, Song Xuan figured that given the current intensity, it would take at least half an hour of walking around before he could knock him out.
Song Xuan leaned against a pillar, observing Wang Bao's strength.

Presumably due to frequent hunger, although he is large, his steps are still somewhat unsteady.

Especially over a long period of time, endurance is not very good.

"Alright, alright."

Song Xuan quickly waved to them, signaling them to stop.

"Everyone, take a break."

Wang Gui was also exhausted, his forehead covered in sweat. He leaned against a pillar, panting.
"This won't do. Without weapons, there's no way to easily take him down. If he gets close enough to grab or strangle us, we might die."

Wang Bao was also leaning against a pillar, panting heavily. It was rare for him to move like this on a normal day.

After all, the more you move around, the more likely you are to get hungry.

Having had enough food today, and wanting to impress Song Xuan, he trained hard.

Now he's panting like a dead dog.

Song Xuan walked over and asked Wang Bao to extend his hand so he could take his pulse.

"You're a bit deficient in qi and blood."

Song Xuan then thought for a moment:
"From now on, I'll eat three meals a day as long as I'm full, and focus on getting my body back in shape."

Three meals a day?

Wang Bao hadn't expected Song Xuan to be skilled in medicine; he had only grasped the key words.

Three meals a day, as long as I'm full, that's fine.

This was something he had always dreamed of.

It's a pity that I've longed for it so much all my life, but I can't have it.

Even though they hadn't known each other for long, Wang Bao was certain that Song Xuan was not the kind of petty person who said one thing and did another.

I finally have a way to make a living!

Mother, you can rest in peace now.

Wang Bao couldn't help but cry. He didn't know how to express his joy, so he could only kneel down before Song Xuan:
“Twelfth Brother, I, Wang Bao, am selling my life to you from now on. I will do whatever you ask me to do, even murder and arson.”

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan couldn't help but laugh twice, and quickly helped Wang Bao up:

"Your life is your own; it's of no use to me. You should keep it as a useful part of your life."

Wang Bao nodded repeatedly. Where could he find such a master?
Wang Gui also came over: "You can put your mind at ease. If you want to take the blame for your twelfth brother's murder and arson, you're at the very back of the list."

"What do you mean?"

Wang Bao was somewhat puzzled. Could it be that so many people had sold their lives to Song Twelve?

"Get in line."

"Bingzhi, take him to the public bathhouse for a bath. The water in the inn isn't enough for him."

"okay."

Wang Gui then took Wang Bao and left directly.

Song Xuan stood there and sighed softly.

Although the Song Dynasty is now wealthy, it is only wealthy on the surface.

Many people are still struggling to make ends meet.

With Wang Bao's physique, his family really couldn't afford to support him if they didn't have some money.

One guan of rice is enough for a family of four to eat for a month, but Wang Bao can eat it by himself for a month, so he's being frugal.

Why is Twelfth Brother sighing?

Yu Zhouxun, standing on the second floor, had already seen the two people sparring below.

Song Xuan raised his head and smiled: "I lament the hardships of the people's lives."

Yu Zhouxun came down from upstairs and stood to one side:
"Could it be that when Twelfth Brother was in Songcheng, he didn't see how difficult life was for ordinary people?"

"Of course I saw it."

Song Xuan watched as the sunlight fell on the quilt, releasing a rich, pleasant aroma:

"I just didn't expect things to get so difficult here. After all, we've managed to occupy the canal."

Yu Zhouxun lives in Tokyo.

Of course, I understand that apart from a few elites in Tokyo who live extremely carefree lives, most ordinary people live like pigs and dogs.

He himself is one.

How can one not be deeply moved?
"Is Twelfth Brother's family well-off?"

"So-so. A gambling father, a remarried mother, an overzealous older brother who left home, a gambling addict older brother, and a stepmother and younger sister."

"what?"

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Yu Zhouxun was completely shocked.

He had assumed that Song Xuan must have come from an official family, but he never expected that he was also from a commoner background.

Moreover, this broken family sounds even more tragic than his own, who became an orphan at a young age.

At least Yu Zhouxun didn't have to deal with complicated interpersonal relationships, nor did he have any creditors threatening him. He even had the help of his own clan and was not humiliated by others.

Unlike Song Xuan, whose every inquiry about his family is full of flaws and complaints.

"Twelfth Brother." Yu Zhouxun decided to change the subject:
What was your ranking in the provincial examination in Yingtian Prefecture?

"Top scholar in the provincial examination".

Yu Zhouxun's eyes almost popped out of their sockets:

"what?"

(End of this chapter)