A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 239 How can the emperor, a man of such high status, always be spying on other people's lives?

The matter was instructed by Song Xuan.

Wang Bao, this newly appointed ally, naturally had to do his best.

He used his brute strength to finally push the person out.

Then Wang Bao used his body to block the doorway, preventing anyone from coming in to spy.

Wang Gui, meanwhile, was protecting the window, pushing against the mulberry tree with both hands, his veins bulging. The force of so many people crowding in was truly unbearable.

Song Xuan quickly put on his clothes:
"Yesterday, the students of Taishi Academy felt they had lost face and wanted to get revenge?"

Yu Zhouxun was somewhat at a loss for words:
"Twelfth Brother, you've misunderstood. They all admire you and want to make friends with you."

"Does anyone ever try to make friends by hiding someone under the covers?"

"The local students are so rude!"

After Song Xuan put on his shoes, he made Wang Bao squeeze out a path so he could go to the toilet to urinate.

I was woken up early this morning by the urge to pee.

The students of Taishi Academy are truly enthusiastic!

After all, poems that are rare to find in a century still have a significant market value in their eyes.

This might be their closest chance to get close to Song Xuan!

If Song Xuan leaves Taishi Academy.

Most of them may never encounter them again in their lifetime.

Because it's very difficult for our lives to overlap afterward.

So, amidst the surging crowd, Wang Bao forcefully pushed his way out, with Song Xuan following behind him.

It took Song Xuan a full fifteen minutes to break through the crowd.

He called for Wang Bao to come with him, not wanting to be stuck in the toilet.

Even in the toilet, many students squatting on the toilet greeted Song Xuan warmly.

They were saying things like Song Twelve also came to urinate himself.

Listen to what the hell he's saying!

Who doesn't pee by themselves?

Song Xuan didn't know how to respond to this kind of person who was just trying to make conversation, so he could only nod and agree.

He really couldn't stand the heat.

After all, such frankness, coupled with the stench and flies, is really not a good place to chat.

After Song Xuan left the restroom, the students of Taishi Academy immediately surrounded him.

He asked many wildly imaginative questions.

Song Xuan answered a few questions, but all he could hear was a buzzing sound, which was very noisy.

These people are way too enthusiastic; he can't quite handle it.

Moreover, the crowd gathered around, and the heat made it even more uncomfortable.

So Song Xuan immediately left and went to stay at an inn outside.

"If only I had been the one who said 'one song for each person' last night."

Lu Lejian looked on with great envy at Song Xuan, who was being fawned over and had fled in disarray.

After all, they were both at Yingtian Academy, and even though Song Xuan wrote a timeless poem, he didn't receive this kind of acclaim.

Why am I not the main character?

Why don't you just say that you wrote those three poems?

Wang Tai rolled his eyes and couldn't help but complain.

Song Twelve is now popular in Luoyang, and that's all thanks to his own abilities.

"I do think so!"

Lu Lejian let out a long, drawn-out sigh:
"Even if I'm just a supporting character like Mei Yaochen, that's fine!"

It won't work in a hundred years.

Thirty years is actually a very good number.

At least when others talk about Song Xuan, he can be included as a supporting character.

Don't assume that Mei Yaochen's rare appearance in the last thirty years was due to suppression by Song Xuan.

In the eyes of others, Song Xuan was in a class of his own, with Mei Yaochen, who was previously unknown, just below him.

Furthermore, Song Xuan said that Mei Yaochen's poems would likely remain unsurpassed for the next two hundred years.

There was also Song Xuan's public commentary on Fu Bi.

Now, who in the entire city of Luoyang doesn't know Mei Yaochen and Fu Bi?

Both of them were nobody before!
This is also what Lü Lejian envies.

Even if it can't compare to Song Xuan's poetry, it still holds a title for ten or twenty years, so it can still serve as a decorative item.

Unfortunately, there was no room left for him on Song Xuan's lap.

"What's the point of saying so much? You haven't even gotten past Qian Weiyan yet, so don't even think about these things anymore."

Wang Tai chuckled.
“Mei Yaochen’s poems are the likes of which are only seen once every thirty years. What you’re writing is just a waste of paper. Is there any comparison?”

Wang Tai's merciless criticism completely broke Lü Lejian's defenses.

"Am I destined to be someone else's stepping stone for the rest of my life?"

"Oh, how could that be!"

Wang Tai shook his head again, seeing the hopeful look on Lü Lejian's face:

"You're not even a stepping stone."

"your dad!"

Wang Tai pointed at Lü Lejian:

“My father was granted the honor of being enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.”

This forced Lü Lejian to swallow back what she wanted to say.

I won't stoop to your level.

Lu Lejian flicked his sleeves and left.

Wang Tai glanced at Bao Zheng, who had been watching the whole thing unfold:

"Brother Bao, why do you always enjoy watching plays?"

"Watching a show is great."

Bao Zheng put his hands behind his back and said, "Many times, only by standing from the perspective of an observer can one see the logic behind many things."

Wang Tai always felt that Bao Zheng was a very profound person.

Perhaps because he had been a widower for a long time, he always viewed things differently from other people.

His tone often revealed pessimism.

Wang Tai didn't say anything more, but just smiled and said:

"I think Twelfth Brother has always been calm and composed, but today's incident has really made him anxious."

"Hahaha."

Zhang Fangping couldn't help but laugh and said, "You were woken up by the urge to pee, and you're even more anxious than him."

Wang Tai grunted; he hadn't felt Chen Bo's presence for quite some time.

Bao Zheng and the others laughed happily.

After all, it's really "embarrassing" to be surrounded by people when you need to urinate!
Everyone couldn't see Song Xuan, but Fu Bi, a local scholar, was there.

So everyone went to talk to Fu Bi.

Such hospitality was almost overwhelming for Fu Bi, who was always extremely respectful to everyone.

Everyone's being way too enthusiastic!

They wanted to know how they discovered the Eight Scenic Spots of Luoyang.

Many problems.

Fu Bi had no idea what they were thinking.

He's not the type to refuse people.

He naturally became Song Xuan's substitute for meals, answering everyone's questions here.

"I don't know that."

"I'm not too sure about that either."

"Ah, I still need to ask Twelfth Brother."

Despite being questioned by the crowd, Fu Bi maintained basic politeness.

Not in a hurry at all.

But seeing Fu Bi's seemingly clueless and overly polite demeanor, everyone could only fume in silence.

I thought you, Fu Bi, the collaborator, had a close relationship with Song Twelve, but it turns out you're very enthusiastic, yet you know nothing about anything.

"Good guy."

Lying on the inn's bed, Song Xuan couldn't help but complain:

"Now I finally understand what it means to kill Wei Jie with a look."

"Twelfth Brother, what do you mean by that?"

Wang Gui was somewhat puzzled; how could a person be allowed to be judged to death?
"literal meaning."

Song Xuan leaned against the bed, pondering:

"Once that case is solved, let's go straight back to Songcheng. We can't stay here anymore."

"Hey hey hey."

Wang Gui smiled first:
"Who told you, Twelfth Brother, to write three poems that are one in a hundred years?"

"Oh no, our horse is still tied up at the academy."

Wang Bao said somewhat anxiously:
"Or I could go and bring it here and let it go hungry for a while, but that would only make its condition worse."

Because such fine horses require nurturing and careful handling.

Whether you feed it concentrated feed, groom it, or expose it to direct sunlight, you must ensure it is not exposed to strong sunlight.

"Hmm, there seem to be quite a lot of people here. Go get the horses later and get some breakfast first."

"it is good."

After Wang Bao agreed, he went out to buy some breakfast for Song Xuan.

Since Wang Bao himself was a big eater, he went out to buy food.

However, Wang Bao's imposing figure was spotted at a glance by his fellow villager, Xu Xianchun.

He wasn't in a hurry to greet him, but instead first checked where Song Xuan was, so he could find an opportunity to talk about his own affairs.

Song Xuan is hiding in the inn today, showing no sign of going back.

Wang Gui had already gone back to pack his things, while Wang Bao went to fetch the horse. The two worked together to avoid being seen by others.

dong dong dong.

"Enter."

Song Xuan had just finished practicing a set of Taizu Changquan (a style of Chinese martial arts) and was sitting there waiting to sweat it out.

thump.

After entering the room, Xu Xianchun knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Song Xuan before speaking:
"I beg you, Twelve, to accept me as your disciple."

Song Xuan was already like a frightened bird today.

After all, you can't be too harsh on crazy fans; you have to beat them up to feel better.

Song Xuan had no choice but to avoid it, since he wasn't going to stay in Luoyang any longer anyway.

There's no need to complicate things.

But when he saw it was Xu Xianchun, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"You chased me all the way from your hometown to here?"

"Yes."

Xu Xianchun crawled forward a few steps on his knees:
"I admire Shierlang's skills and want to learn martial arts so that I can join the army and serve the court."

"I hope you can give me a chance, Twelfth Brother!"

Seeing Xu Xianchun's sincere expression, Song Xuan said nonchalantly:
"Get up. I can take you in, but I don't need to teach you this."

Xu Xianchun suddenly thought he had misheard, and when he heard that Song Xuan was unwilling to teach him, he froze on the spot.

"If Twelve Lang doesn't teach me, what else can I do?"

"Let Wang Gui teach you."

Song Xuan pointed at himself:
"My skills rely heavily on talent, you know?"

talent?

Xu Xianchun was still somewhat indignant:
"I am also invincible in Guancheng."

"Then can you be invincible throughout Henan?"

Song Xuan asked this casually.

This immediately made Xu Xianchun stop making such boastful claims.

"Well, you're all grown up now, and there's nothing left for you to practice as a child. Why don't you learn some military tactics from Wang Gui? You might find them useful in the future."

"I don't really know how I got this talent. It's innate, you understand?"

Speaking of things that are innate.

Hsu Hsien-chun was truly speechless.

After all, he can casually compose three poems that are rare to find in a century, something that others can't even dream of matching.

However, beneath his refined appearance lies exceptional skill, a fact that remains largely unknown.

Xu Xianchun could only resign himself to his fate and said:
"Not even a chance?"

"Wang Gui often spars with me. If you can master his skills, you two can work together to deal with me."

"what?"

Xu Xianchun had nothing to say.

He could sense how strong Song Xuan was from that kick, but he didn't expect him to be this strong!

"Come and sit."

Song Xuan poured him a cup of tea:

"A man's knees are worth their weight in gold; from now on, never kneel down casually when faced with difficulties."

"Hey."

Xu Xianchun was somewhat excited.

Because he really didn't expect that he would be accepted by Song Xuan so easily.

He had already relieved himself beforehand and planned to kneel here and continue to torment Song Xuan.

Song Xuan's quick agreement made Xu Xianchun feel as if it were a dream.

He sat half-reclined on the chair, still feeling somewhat uneasy.

Because happiness came so suddenly, he felt like he was dreaming.

The last time he was in his hometown, Song Xuan didn't budge an inch.

Now that he has left his hometown, Xu Xianchun never expected things to go so smoothly for him!
When Wang Gui and Wang Bao returned from their business, they saw Xu Xianchun, this sycophant, raised an eyebrow, but didn't say much.

Whether or not someone is accepted is entirely up to Song Xuan.

He guessed that if Xu Xianchun knelt down in public here, it would definitely cause a sensation.

The tails that had been so hard to shake off all came right after them.

If everyone follows suit, how will Brother Twelve get things done?
"Twelfth Brother, everything is taken care of."

"Ah."

Song Xuan responded first, then pointed at Xu Xianchun and said:

“Bingzhi, he will follow you from now on. Give him a good talking to.”

"it is good."

Wang Gui immediately agreed, and Xu Xianchun quickly stood up and bowed to Wang Gui.

He then bowed to his fellow villager, Wang Bao.

Wang Bao ignored him and simply turned his head away.

Song Xuan did not intend to force any kind of unity.

Before long, the two of them went to join the Imperial Guard.

Xu Xianchun told him to go back to his hometown and practice more before making any decisions.

The commotion caused by the crowd's fawning over Song Xuan was exactly what Liu Ye, the prefect of Henan, had anticipated.

Because the Song Dynasty had not seen a "scholar" who caused a sensation for a long time.

Looking back, it's rare to find someone like Song Xuan among the top scorers in history.

This child will surely lead the literati of the Song Dynasty and become a master of Confucianism and Taoism!

Liu Ye is confident in this.

After all, he had witnessed Song Xuan's talent firsthand.

He could effortlessly compose poems that others longed for, and he wrote them with disdain, as if they were written with utter contempt.

From childhood to adulthood, how many beautiful lines of poetry did the Song Dynasty lose?
Now Liu Ye finally believes it.

Even Liu Yong, who was very skilled at writing lyrics, felt at a loss for words when he saw Song Xuan's poems and lyrics, especially in his own field.

Thinking about this, Liu Ye couldn't help but sigh deeply. Indeed, there's no comparison between people.

"Do you think Song Twelve's tactic of using secret agents will be effective?"

Sima Chi had already seen the official there either sighing or pacing back and forth.

Whether from the perspective of his official position or his personal life, he hoped that no one would die unjustly!

"The prefect may simply remain seated in his office and await further news."

Sima Chi stroked his beard and laughed, "How about we play a game of chess to clear our heads?"

"Alright."

Liu Ye then played Go with Sima Chi.

"Tell me, why is it that Song Twelve is so outstanding, while our sons, despite our careful upbringing, are not as good as him?"

"I don't know about that either."

Sima Chi doesn't think our two sons are the same.

My son is a child prodigy.

"I've heard that Song Xuan's good friend Zhang Fangping has a photographic memory."

"oops."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ye sighed.

indeed.

Excellent people are always attracted to each other.

The two played two rounds, with Sima Chi winning by two or three points each time.

After the third round, someone suddenly returned to report.

"My elderly parents," the spy reported, bowing.

"I pretended to be a merchant to spread the news that the young monk had been sentenced to death, and I did hear some of the news."

"There was also an eyewitness. The perpetrator, the stolen goods, and the murder weapon have all been apprehended and brought back."

Sima Chi was overjoyed upon hearing this. Sure enough, as the news spread, people lowered their guard, and some even came forward to defend the wronged.

Sima Chi turned to look at Liu Ye, only to see Liu Ye deep in thought, placing a piece on the chessboard before turning his head and saying:
"I already knew. Now, let's begin the proceedings. I will personally conduct the interrogation."

"Yes."

After the spy withdrew, Sima Chi quickly offered a flattering remark:
"The prefect's actions are reminiscent of Xie An's, and are truly admirable."

"A petty thief, if I investigate thoroughly, where can he possibly escape to?"

"Prefect Liu is brilliant."

"Haha, go and call Song Xuan to listen in."

After putting on a brief show for his subordinates, Liu Ye immediately went to his room to change.

As for Song Xuan, let him see how I solve cases so he can learn from me in the future.

Anyway, Liu Ye solved the case; Song Xuan only offered a suggestion.

This is extremely important!
Moreover, Liu Ye has no intention of giving up this credit.

Under pressure from the authorities, the thief quickly confessed to the entire incident.

At first, he spied on the bride just like Yuan Shao, but as he grew bolder, he took the initiative to talk to the beautiful woman.

The beautiful woman was initially flustered, but the young man was eloquent and unlike her dull husband, he always made her laugh.

Over time, they naturally came together.

As time went by, the two, deeply in love, decided to elope.

But on the way home that night, the woman changed her mind, feeling that he was good for nothing and that if she followed him, she would definitely just be wasting her life and never have a good life.

Then I have to go home.

The murderer felt she had betrayed him, so he killed her and threw her into a dry well.

Without distinguishing right from wrong, those people wrongly accused the young monk of being the murderer.

After his initial elation, the murderer felt completely at ease, never imagining that he would be seen by someone.

With the murderer's confession, the truth of the matter has finally come to light!
Liu Ye, the prefect of Henan Prefecture, immediately used his authority as prefect to change the verdict and summoned the local magistrate, the victim, and the villagers.

Anyway, quite a few people witnessed the officials arresting people today.

This would also clear the young monk's name.

When the victim and the villagers caught the young monk, they beat him mercilessly.

Song Xuan glanced at the murderer; he was indeed quite good-looking.

Plus young.

She certainly had many advantages over her husband.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so easily swayed into eloping with his gold and silver treasures in the middle of the night.

Unfortunately, the timing of their realization was rather unfortunate.

However, Song Xuan only remarked that everyone must bear the consequences of their choices. *Slap*

"Quit."

The real culprit has been apprehended, and the victim stood there stunned, never imagining that his home had already been burgled.

That night was premeditated, not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

As for the young monk Qisong, who was wrongly accused, he sat in meditation for a long time without saying a word.

He has finally been exonerated.

Perhaps because he had just been through the gates of hell, his state of mind was completely different from before.

Liu Ye walked down and looked at the various people, feeling quite satisfied.

The truth is revealed.

The real murderer will pay with his life.

Even those who are wrongly accused can be given a new lease on life.

The aggrieved party understood what had happened; whether he could accept it was up to him.

Anyway, there aren't any psychologists in the Song Dynasty. If all else fails, go get your fortune told; maybe that will resolve your hesitation.

"You should still thank Twelve, if it weren't for him, you would all have been kept in the dark."

Everyone thanked them again.

The victims, in particular, seemed to have lost all will to live.

He would rather believe that the monk had run away with her than believe that his wife had already been having an affair with someone else.

Qi Song chanted Buddhist prayers to Song Xuan again, which was probably a blessing.

Song Xuan didn't seem to care much either.

"Prefect Liu, to be honest, this case is closed, and I'm going back to my hometown."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Liu Ye was taken aback at first:
"How could it be so fast?"

Because he kept wondering if Song Xuan would care about this case.

As it turned out, Song Xuan didn't care about such empty fame at all.

This really caught Liu Ye off guard.

In particular, there was the idea of ​​making a fortune from the war, as mentioned by Song Xuan and Sima Chi.

It is still in the planning stage and has not yet been implemented.

If any problems arise along the way, Liu Ye won't even have a chance to talk to someone.

Therefore, he did not want Song Xuan to leave Luoyang at this time.

Liu Ye also confirmed that Song Xuan played a significant role in helping Yan Shu handle affairs in Yingtian Prefecture.

Otherwise, Yan Shu's political achievements would not have been so impressive, earning him such a reward from the imperial court.

Such a talented man, Liu Ye was reluctant to see Song Xuan leave so soon, but then he heard:
"The local students in Luoyang were too enthusiastic; I really couldn't handle it."

"While you're at it, I'll make a trip to Tokyo and have the city's veterinarian take a good look at that warhorse."

Liu Ye knew about Sima Guang's horse.

The veterinarians in Luoyang were mostly helpless.

However, Tokyo City had a population of over a million, and there were quite a few skilled physicians who could treat llamas.

"I will try my best to find a good veterinarian," Liu Ye said, still trying to persuade him to stay.

"Actually, I was going to Tokyo this time because I had already made plans with someone."

Liu Ye did not try to persuade him to stay again.

They only held one banquet.

Is Song Xuan already unable to handle this?

When he becomes famous in Tokyo, the crowds he attracts will likely be even more frenzied than those in Luoyang.

Liu Ye has indeed lived in Tokyo.

They prefer to hold banquets there, where princes and ministers are always present!
"You're leaving already?"

Qian Weiyan also listened in on this strange case!

"Yes. Thank you for your hospitality, Magistrate Qian. I will certainly speak to Lord Yan about it when I get back."

"Hey."

Qian Weiyan finally heard what he wanted to hear, and all his efforts to make Song Xuan famous were worthwhile.

In addition, he really lived up to expectations and didn't let Qian Weiyan's group's performance be humiliated for nothing.

"Since you have your plans, I won't keep you any longer. I just wish you the best of luck in the provincial examination tomorrow, and it would be even better if you could achieve the triple crown."

Qian Weiyan laughed after saying that.

Because he felt that even though Song Xuan had this talent, the poems he wrote were not in the Xikun style.

Therefore, they did not have an advantage in the imperial examinations.

He won the top three prizes in a row.

Throughout history, how many people have achieved such accomplishments?

"Thank you very much, Mr. Qian," Song Xuan said without any hesitation.
"I appreciate your kind words."

"Hahaha." Qian Weiyan continued to laugh:

"I'm waiting for your good news."

Liu Ye glanced at Qian Weiyan.

Sometimes he couldn't tell whether Qian Weiyan was genuinely stupid or just pretending!

……

Luoyang and Kaifeng are not far apart by waterway.

Therefore, Zhao Zhen soon received information about Song Xuan's actions in Luoyang.

He was stopped on the road and ended up getting beaten up.

It's truly laughable that Director Zhou from Guancheng even wanted to become Song Xuan's apprentice.

Zhao Zhen turned to the next page, and upon arriving in Luoyang, he spent his time playing, eating, and having fun.

They even took the time to debate a couple of things, which made none of the students at Taishi Academy dare to accept the challenge.

"It's interesting."

Emperor Zhao Zhen had become accustomed to checking Song Xuan's actions after handling state affairs to relax.

Because he greatly envied Song Xuan's freedom.

You could say it "gave me freedom".

However, Zhao Zhen carried the responsibility of governing the three capitals and eighteen circuits of the Song Dynasty on his shoulders, and could not act impulsively in everything.

After he could no longer choose the women he liked, Zhao Zhen began to think about accumulating his own power.

However, his current strength is still weak.

Many officials reported directly to Emperor Zhao Zhen, but all feedback came from Empress Dowager Liu.

Through such a long period of observation, Zhao Zhen also realized that among those in the central government, some were the Empress Dowager's people, and some supported him.

"Ok?"

Just as Zhao Zhen was envying Song Xuan's freedom, he immediately saw Song Xuan write three poems in one go in response to Liu Ye's questioning of him in Henan Prefecture.

Zhao Zhen carefully examined it several times.

They had no idea that Song Xuan had previously hit the target in the pitch-pot game.

"Let the grand celebrations fade away, and all become dust beneath Mount Beiman."

"Even if it were the ruler, he would not answer; even if it were the subject, he would not answer!"

Zhao Zhen felt a chill run down his spine.

Because he felt that Twelfth Brother's level was too high.

It was as if they had seen through the illusions of the world.

What kind of mood must one be in to write such a poem?
"Could it really be true, as they say, that sleeping a night in the graves of Beiman Mountain is what causes so many feelings?"

Whether it's for kings and generals, for fame and fortune, or even for officials, it's about upholding one's principles.

Song Xuan had his own ideas.

He sees things so clearly at such a young age.

Zhao Zhen felt that Song Xuan was truly extraordinary!
He stood up and wandered around the room a few times.

I don't know how to evaluate it for a moment.

Because the meaning revealed in these three poems is by no means so simple.

Many people try to analyze a person by looking at their poems and lyrics.

Most importantly, Song Xuan said he was just writing casually and didn't intend to write down all the poems that came to mind.

"Qian Weiyan is right. Twelfth Brother is really wasting his talent without even realizing it."

After being deeply moved, Zhao Zhen immediately felt that he had gained something.

When my twelfth brother truly lives up to expectations and becomes the top scholar in the imperial examination, we must not let him leave Tokyo easily.

Many things need to be discussed with him.

Zhao Zhen had already made up his mind.

Because of his mother, Zhao Zhen genuinely hoped that Song Xuan would stand on his side.

However, he wasn't entirely confident at the moment.

Especially when his mother was around, Zhao Zhen could not break the ice with Song Xuan.

Throughout the entire palace, the Empress Dowager's spies were everywhere.

They didn't even need the Empress Dowager to specially cultivate them; as long as someone wanted to climb the social ladder, they would take the initiative to seek refuge with her and inform her of what they had seen.

Zhao Zhen's "surveillance" of Song Xuan also had a pretext.

I love reading Song Xuan's books because I want to see how he writes such masterpieces.

In short, there is a legitimate and plausible reason.

"Does Twelfth Brother still remember me?"

Zhao Zhen did not speak his mind; so many years had passed since they last met.

If Song Xuan hadn't casually mentioned the story of the Monkey King, Zhao Zhen wouldn't have known that Song Wenwen was Song Xuan.

This is why Zhao Zhen paid so much attention to Song Xuan.

After paying attention, Zhao Zhen discovered that Song Xuan truly had great potential; no wonder he was the one who brought him out of Wuyou Cave.

Now that Song Xuan's reputation has spread, Zhao Zhen is somewhat envious.

Being an emperor inevitably comes with some degree of lack of freedom in life.

After Zhao Zhen stood still, he returned to the table, carefully collected the reports, opened a locked box, put the reports inside, and locked it again.

Even if someone with ulterior motives discovered this, Zhao Zhen did not want to admit it.

How can the emperor, a man of great stature, constantly pry into the lives of others?

He has to keep this secret for the rest of his life!

……

Song Xuan simply sent someone to summon Fu Bi, and then bid him farewell.

Fu Bi looked at Song Xuan standing on the dock and couldn't help but smile:
"Twelfth Brother, you've really put me through a lot these past few days."

"Hey, what's so terrible about that?"

Song Xuan said nonchalantly, "Besides, you, Fu Bi, are truly talented and not the kind of person who can't stand being questioned."

Fu Bi burst into laughter; he was actually quite happy.

After all, who wouldn't be excited about such a meteoric rise from obscurity to fame in Luoyang?
"It is thanks to Twelve Lang's words that I, Fu Bi, have achieved my current reputation."

"Brother Fu, don't worry about it. Anyway, even without my words, Song Twelve, your name, Fu Bi, would have spread in Luoyang sooner or later. I'm just speeding it up."

Fu Bi also bowed slightly and said:

"Then we'll meet again."

"Well, you'll have the chance to study in Nanjing sometime," Song Xuan replied. "Who knows, we might even run into each other again."

"it is good."

Fu Bi watched as Song Xuan stepped onto the ship.

Both sides waved goodbye and watched as the ship left the dock.

Since everyone is young, the emotions about parting are not so strong.

Yu Zhouxun and Wang Gongshou were also present, but Song Xuan did not ask them to spend any more money to go.

Anyway, chartering a boat is enough.

"Twelfth Brother, are we still staying in Tokyo?"

"I'll stop here. I'll go directly after I participate in the Spring Examination. If you want to go home, just let me know, and you can stay."

Song Xuan stood on the side of the boat, watching Fu Bi stand there, motionless for a long time.

The two of them discussed it for a while and decided to send the letter first, and then find someone to take it home when they arrived at the Tokyo dock.

Since the destination has changed, I still need to inform my family.

The city of Luoyang was getting smaller and smaller. Smelling the fishy smell of the water and listening to the boatmen's chants, Song Xuan suddenly felt that the sun had risen again.

"Twelfth Brother, are we really not going to stay in Tokyo? Should we go find a veterinarian instead?"

Wang Gui pointed to the warhorses placed on the boat.

"There are veterinarians in Songcheng too. If all else fails, let Doctor Wang take a look."

"what?"

Wang Gui was at a loss for words.

But then he thought, since Doctor Wang's medical skills are unparalleled, treating warhorses is simply not the right fit!

Just kidding.

Song Xuan was too lazy to stay in Tokyo, especially not to openly visit Cao Yongli, as there were too many people around.

It would be easy for Cao to ruin his reputation as a nice guy.

In addition, Song Xuan himself was going to the capital for the imperial examination, and he didn't want his relationship with Cao Yongli to be exposed too early.

Song Xuan and Liu Ye were just making excuses and platitudes, and he believed they understood what he meant.

When Yu Zhouxun and Wang Gongshou arrived, the place was packed with people, and they suffered greatly.

That's when he couldn't resist getting off the boat for a walk and ran into Song Xuan.

Upon returning, Song Xuan chartered a boat.

They strolled around the boat at their leisure, even taking the time to admire the scenery and passersby on both banks.

The setting sun shines over the sails of the ship.

Song Xuan sat at the bow of the boat, still casting a borrowed fishing rod, not caring whether he could catch anything or not; his main concern was his mood.

Wang Gui didn't care; he was already used to Song Xuan's actions.

It's not about catching fish, it's about the atmosphere.

However, Wang Bao and Xu Xianchun, two fellow villagers, were somewhat confused.

However, Wang Bao really looked down on Xu Xianchun. Although the two were from the same hometown, they never spoke to each other.

They sat on opposite sides, not sitting next to each other.

Yu Zhouxun was reading a book, and Wang Gongshou, not wanting to miss the opportunity to enter Yingtian Academy, was also reading and reviewing his lessons.

He especially wanted to visit the academy on this trip.

After all, Song Xuan was such an outstanding student, and Yingtian Academy was quite famous.

Now, Dean Fan Zhongyan has also brought in a lot of funds to help impoverished students.

Wang Gongshou was even a little anxious, wondering what would happen if he failed the exam.
What a great opportunity!

The ship sailed at a considerable pace, continuing its journey even through the night.

Anyway, there won't be any reefs or large waves on this waterway.

After having fresh fish soup again.

The ship finally arrived in Songcheng.

Song Xuan stepped onto the ramp and leaped down, unable to resist throwing a few punches:

"I'm finally back!"

Wang Gui led his warhorse off the boat, first letting it run around a couple of times to get some water, but did not let it continue to graze, lest it suffer from acclimatization issues.

"Twelfth Brother, all the money has been settled."

Song Xuan glanced at the boatman, smiled, and asked if he had given him a tip.
Wang Bao nodded.

Actually, he was a little reluctant to part with it.

But the money came from Song Xuan.

The group slowly entered the city.

After entering the city, Yu Zhouxun found that many people seemed to know Song Xuan.
Everyone should greet him first when they meet.

Is it really necessary to go to such lengths just to test someone's academic achievement?

After all, he had seen top scholars before.

Many ordinary people don't even know the name of the top scholar in the imperial examination.

Especially in Tokyo, your name, the top scholar, might not be known to everyone.

Even if Song Xuan was praised in Luoyang, most of them were scholars. How could ordinary people know Song Twelve?
Wang Gongshou was also greatly puzzled.

Xu Xianchun was completely dumbfounded.

He could understand the adoration those scholars had for Song Xuan, because Song Xuan, the twelfth prince, had written three poems that were rare to find in a century.

But how could the people of Songcheng be so enthusiastic towards Song Xuan?

The key point is that Song Xuan would also chat with pedestrians and even vendors from time to time, and would even give him some of his snacks to try.

Song Xuan didn't stand on ceremony either.

The four newcomers to Songcheng were all puzzled as to why Song Xuan, who had only passed the local provincial examination and was somewhat famous, could receive such treatment.

"Twelfth brother."

Ji Hao, who was wandering around, saw Song Xuan arrive and hurriedly came to greet him, deliberately stopping three steps away.

Even so, his scent still wafted over.

Hsu Hsien-chun immediately felt like gagging.

Even Yu Zhouxun and Wang Gongshou held their breath and took a step back in unison.

Did he just climb out of the cesspool?

What surprised Wang Bao was that Song Xuan had been extremely disgusted with the toilets at Taishi Academy.

Now, smelling this repulsive odor, Song Xuan didn't push away but instead stepped forward, laughing twice as he walked up:
"Since you have some free time today, have you taken your wife for a stroll?"

Ji Hao was extremely grateful to Song Xuan.

Song Xuan not only personally attended his wedding and arranged a job for his wife, but also promoted him to squad leader.

"I have the day off tomorrow, and I was thinking of taking her out for a walk."

"Twelfth Brother, there's no need for you to come forward. I still smell quite strong."

"I didn't shower on the ship either, and the smell only got worse along the way, but there was nothing to complain about."

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Ji Hao smiled:

"The weather is still quite hot, and she has little appetite. She said she was tired, and I thought maybe she was feeling stuffy."

"Ok?"

Song Xuan nodded immediately: "Bring your wife to my shop tomorrow, and I'll take her pulse and give her a check-up."

"No need, I'm probably not sick, it's just hot."

"Hey, I told you to bring him along, maybe it's a good thing."

Ji Hao watched Song Xuan leave with a smile, and for a moment he couldn't think of anything good that might have happened.

Since following Song Xuan, he has always felt that he has been living a good life!

This job of shoveling latrines isn't something anyone can do!
However, listening to Twelve-Lang's advice should be fine.

Ji Hao decided to go home tonight and get a good wash, and then go with his wife tomorrow.

Wang Gongshou, being young, asked in a low voice, "Was that the person who saved Twelfth Brother?"

Otherwise, why would Twelfth Brother have done that, and even asked him to bring his wife to Twelfth Brother's shop?

"I do not know."

Although Yu Zhouxun is old, he has never seen a program like this before.

He thought he had seen all the good qualities in Song Xuan, but he never expected that there would be such a "show" when he returned to his hometown!
This truly moved him deeply.

Xu Xianchun followed behind, momentarily bewildered.

Song Xuan boasted that he was the leader of the three scourges of Lema Town. What kind of little Zhou Chu are you, Xu Xianchun? You have absolutely no strength.

But Xu Xianchun noticed that many people were not "afraid" of Song Xuan. Could this be the treatment given to the head of the three evils?
Even when Xu Xianchun was in his hometown, he knew that he was feared by others.

That's why he could so recklessly tease scholars.

Because he wasn't good at studying, but his family was pressuring him to study.

Unable to resist his family, he vented his anger on the other scholars.

With questions in their minds, the group followed Song Xuan.

The people on this street are more enthusiastic than those in Luoyang, but thankfully everyone knows their limits.

"Twelve Lang is back."

The first to discover Song Xuan's return were, of course, the secret agents of the Imperial City Guard who were greeting guests.

I thought he would be gone to Luoyang for a while, but his business has declined recently.

Unexpectedly, Song Xuan returned so quickly.

This shout startled the drowsy Gao Zunfu, who abruptly stood up:

"I felt like I heard magpies chirping early this morning. Turns out, the God of Wealth has returned!"

After Gao Zunfu finished speaking, he grinned.

Song Xuan then waved his hand at the group of Imperial City Guards, telling them not to get so agitated.

He San, who was busy in the shop, shouted:
"Twelve Lang is back."

(End of this chapter)