A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 255 We are the Imperial Party!
Pang Ji saw that others had been fooled and had gone through with it.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Since those above want to cover up the truth for Song Twelve, the news must not leak out of the Ministry of Rites.

In fact, Pang Ji's deliberate concealment meant that he had already concluded that Song Twelve was responsible for the incident.

According to Pang Ji's limited understanding of Song Xuan, he had never been afraid of powerful figures since his student days.

Now that you're in Tokyo, will your personality change so easily?

At least Pang Ji believed that Song Xuan would change his behavior before entering officialdom and experiencing the extreme malice of others.

If this young man truly wins the top prize and enters the imperial court, he will likely cause many people a headache.

Song Xuan and the others left the Ministry of Rites together.

Everyone's identity was verified before they paid the registration fee.

This caused a significant amount of time to be wasted here.

The Ministry of Rites not only had to verify the recommendation letter from the prefecture or state government, but also the family register (ancestral records) to prevent fraudulent registration.

Moreover, Song Xuan and Zhang Fangping were required to protect each other.

The kind where if one person cheats, everyone else is implicated.

After all, many test takers will try to find loopholes, and the more people who help each other out, the better to prevent such things from happening.

However, the Ministry of Rites did not scrutinize people from other prefectures as strictly; it mainly targeted candidates from Kaifeng Prefecture.

Because it is easy to pass the immigration test, a series of cases of "impersonating" someone else's citizenship have emerged, and this path can be continuously followed.

"I figured the group meeting and the ceremony to pay homage to the master would be too complicated, so I was too lazy to attend."

Song Xuan spoke directly as soon as he stepped out of the Ministry of Rites.

"Is this appropriate?"

Zhang Fangping muttered something under his breath.

After all, it was an audience with the Emperor!
Even if everyone stands at the front, the officials cannot see everyone.

But no matter what, it was an audience with the Emperor!
When officials traveled, the common people would rush to see them.

“That’s inappropriate,” Bao Zheng refused outright.
"You, Song Twelve, are extremely likely to pass the imperial examination with flying colors. If it is revealed that you did not participate in these two events, it will give people a handle to attack you."

Thinking of passing the imperial examination with flying colors, Song Xuan nodded again.

Once you come to Tokyo, there's no freedom left.

"In particular, the Ministry of Rites just emphasized the timing of participation."

Song Xuan laughed and said, "I only remember that he said the provincial examination would be held from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and the papers would be handed in and the candidates would leave from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and the examination would last for three days."

"Twelfth Brother, don't leave any leverage over such a trivial matter."

Wang Tai also chimed in with a word of advice:
"The waters in Tokyo are too deep; you never know who might have their eyes on you."

"Twelfth Brother, it will take some effort, but we can just follow behind from the outside. There will be many people who want to be in front."

Even Han Qi, who is usually quiet, spoke up and offered a word of advice.

"Let's go, let's go back and have a meal, get ourselves in a good state, and then go take the exam."

The group then followed Song Xuan back home.

"It has to be you."

Song Xuan couldn't help but praise, "Even the food at Sun Yang's restaurant can't compare."

Jiao Ming chuckled twice but didn't say anything more.

However, Wang Bao and others who had dined with Song Xuan these past few days had indeed praised him highly.

I had previously thought that the food in Tokyo must be extremely delicious, but even Sun Yang's main restaurant was like this.

Presumably, Fanlou is nothing special.

Time flies by in the blink of an eye.

Early that morning, everyone dressed in their school uniforms and headed to the meeting point.

After leaving the street, more and more students headed towards the same destination.

Many idlers also followed along to watch the spectacle.

Emperor Zhao Zhen attached great importance to this event, getting up very early and wearing a magnificent imperial robe.

This is also because Empress Liu E liked to wear imperial attire and made a big deal out of the details of her dresses on many occasions.

Moreover, women have a remarkable talent for wanting more glamorous clothes.

Therefore, most of the officials in the Ministry of Rites made improvements according to Liu E's requirements.

In addition to continuing the trend of the late Tang and Five Dynasties, the imperial robe system became even more ornate.

On the contrary, after Emperor Renzong of Song took personal control of the government, he was an emperor who disliked extravagance.

There have been numerous discussions and reforms regarding the simplification of the imperial robes, but these have repeatedly failed in practice.

Emperor Renzong of Song did not expect that reforming clothing would be so difficult, so he could only temporarily propose to change the particularly outrageous aspects.

Furthermore, the decorations, such as jade tassels, phoenixes, dragon scale brocade, purple cloud and white crane brocade, rhinoceros horn bottles, amber bottles, seven treasures, jade hooks with tassels, and belts with four gods, are not based on any ritualistic basis.

In addition, the excessive use of gold thread dragons, jeweled cloud patterns, and pearl embellishments was reduced, and the gold thread and ribbons were made thinner and less dense.

The aim is to reduce the overall excessive ornamentation of the crown and robes.

However, during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song, he made several suggestions for reform, but the relevant departments did not take them seriously, as they felt that the emperor's clothes should be magnificent.

This explains why Emperor Renzong of Song was kind-hearted and didn't hold grudges against them.

If it were any other emperor, he would have sent you fishing in Danzhou long ago.

This matter was not changed until the Yuanfeng Reform.

Zhao Zhen, who was attending the ceremony, was very happy.

He wondered if this could be considered his first reunion with his twelfth brother.
However, Lu Daozong said that his twelfth brother's policy proposal was not outstanding, which made Zhao Zhen somewhat worried.

However, when the emperor made his grand entrance, he completely disappointed Zhao Zhen.

The entire square was packed with students.

He was standing so high and far away that he couldn't see the people below at all.

Even if the students in the first row were looking up, they could barely make out each other's faces.

These people aren't Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations); only Jinshi are qualified to get close enough to observe the emperor's face.

After all, we are all disciples of the emperor.

How could one not recognize the "face" of the Emperor, one's teacher?
The candidates were not guaranteed to pass the imperial examinations, and the emperor's safety was the most important issue to be ensured.

The students, densely packed together, bowed in unison.

Paying respects to the Emperor.

Zhao Zhen then gave up his intention to search for the person.

He merely observed these students, wondering how many talented individuals would be able to enter his household.

Although Zhao Zhen admired Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, he felt that no matter what he did, he could not compare to Emperor Taizong.

If I can fulfill my ancestors' wishes and recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun in this lifetime, that would be my greatest achievement!
Standing in the crowd, even with his excellent eyesight, Song Xuan could only spot a short, young man wearing a gaudy dragon robe.

I couldn't clearly see Emperor Zhao Zhen's face.

Is Liu E's aesthetic just about piling things up?

Song Xuan then gave up observing.

When I pass the imperial examination with top honors, won't the Emperor of Song publicly toast me?
At that time, we will be able to see clearly what Zhao Zhen looks like.

Compared to Song Xuan's composure, the other candidates were indeed very excited.

The emperor, oh.

The simple idea of ​​learning both literary and martial arts to serve the emperor still occupied the minds of 99% of those present.

As for officials standing up for the people, the probability of that is not high.

If nothing unexpected happens, this young emperor before me is the one who will bestow wealth and honor upon me.

It is not only personal wealth, but also the wealth of the family.

If it weren't for the repeated reminders from the Ministry of Rites officials and the soldiers standing guard around them, they probably would have already started shouting.

They hoped to make a deep impression on the emperor.

Song Xuan did catch a glimpse of Di Qing among the Imperial Guards.

This kid certainly has a good face; he looks like a future person from the Song Dynasty. He's even standing guard in a place like this.

When it was finally the emperor's turn to speak, Zhao Zhen said a few words according to the script, but then he mustered up his courage:

"I have observed that so many scholars have come to participate in the provincial examinations, and with the reform of the imperial examination system taking place, many candidates will inevitably be disadvantaged. Starting this year, I have decided that the number of successful candidates in the imperial examinations shall not exceed five hundred, and the number of candidates in all other examinations shall not exceed one thousand."

The emperor had just spoken.

Not only were the candidates stunned, but even the officials were stunned.

After all, that line wasn't in the script!
Wang Zeng was somewhat surprised.

Because he knew that the problem of redundant officials existed in the Song Dynasty, and that it would become increasingly serious if things continued this way.

In the early Song Dynasty, there were only about a thousand officials, and even during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, the number did not exceed ten thousand.

However, a few years after Emperor Renzong of Song expanded the number of officials in the fifth year of the Tiansheng era, the number of officials doubled. After Zhang Yuan rebelled against Song and surrendered to Xia, the palace examination became a mere formality, and no one was dismissed.

The number of officials in the Song Dynasty skyrocketed to nearly 50,000.

It was more than three times the number of officials during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang.

However, the territory of the Song Dynasty was not as large as that of the Tang Dynasty, and the problem of redundant officials was extremely serious during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song.

This goes without saying the clerks and temporary workers who did the work for the officials.

The Song Dynasty had money from both commercial activities and the imperial court, but it was facing a severe financial crisis.

All the taxes collected by the imperial court were used to pay officials and the army, leaving no savings whatsoever.

Much of the money doesn't end up in the hands of grassroots staff.

If any natural disaster, man-made calamity, or war occurs, there simply won't be enough money to do anything.

Even if Fan Zhongyan wanted to reform, the bureaucratic group only cared about their own interests.

Xia Song actively recommended Fan Zhongyan, which led to Fan Zhongyan being given an important position. However, with the Qingli Reforms, Xia Song directly framed Fu Bi and forced Fan Zhongyan to resign.

As a result, the reform was effectively killed before it even began.

Emperor Zhao Zhen appeared extremely excited after giving his orders.

With the Empress Dowager not by his side, the ministers also stood far away.

The eyes of thousands of candidates below were all fixed on him.

Listening to the cheers of the candidates below, Zhao Zhen felt the authority of the emperor for the first time!

This would not only increase the chances of his twelfth brother passing the imperial examination, but also potentially win over hundreds more loyal reserve officials.

Those veteran test takers below have participated in such activities before.

Zhao Zhen said this in order to "expand enrollment" and make more people feel grateful.

After all, the undergraduate program used to be the most difficult.

Competition has become more intense.

Only one or two hundred people could pass the imperial examination each time.

Now that Zhao Zhen has suddenly increased their quota by half, the students are overjoyed and cheer for His Majesty's wisdom.

Song Xuan never expected that Emperor Renzong's order to expand the number of recruits would be issued in the fifth year of the Tiansheng era.

He was also somewhat bewildered.

But most of his classmates were cheering.

Everyone had a huge smile on their face.

People come to participate in the imperial examinations, and some are even unwilling to rely on their family's influence to become officials through unofficial means, all because they want to pass the imperial examinations and become Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examinations).

The government suddenly gave them even more hope!

How can I avoid getting excited?
Wang Tai, standing next to Song Xuan, roared even louder, saying that the Emperor was really taking good care of them.

Lü Lejian was so happy that he shook his head and swayed his body.

The emperor was pleased, and so were the candidates who had come to take the exam.

However, Wang Zeng, the prime minister, was not very happy.

But the emperor has already spoken.

No matter how unwilling he was, as prime minister, he couldn't refute it in public.

Otherwise, where would the emperor's authority be?
Wang Zeng thought to himself, "If this continues, within ten years, there will be more and more officials in the Song Dynasty. Where will there be room to accommodate so many officials?"
Does this mean we really need to go to war to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and relieve the excessive pressure on officials?

But where would the imperial court find so much money to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun?
Even though the Liao emperor led an army of 500,000 to personally conquer the Western Xia, and was utterly defeated, the Song army at present was not confident that it could gain a foothold in the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun.

Headache.

Wang Zeng usually respected the emperor very much, but the emperor in front of him, whether on a whim or after a long-term plan, suddenly presented him with a difficult problem.

Standing beside Wang Zeng, the shrewd and calculating Lü Yijian naturally sensed Wang Zeng's helplessness.

Now that Wang Qinyan is recuperating in Nanjing, the decision-making power for many matters has fallen to Wang Zeng.

In fact, Lü Yijian felt that he could also shoulder the burden that was on Wang Qinruo's shoulders.

However, we still need to lie low for now and wait for the right opportunity.

Wang Zeng did not make any wrong policies.

Now that the emperor has launched a sudden attack, they can only clean up the mess.

But no one cared about what these high-ranking officials thought; the thousands of candidates below were only thinking about getting out of prison as soon as possible and joining the ranks of officials.

As for expanding enrollment, that's a cause for great celebration.

After today's event, those who can afford it will naturally have a drink to celebrate, while those who can't will run around the streets for a bit to release their excitement.

If the government offers such generous benefits, then if you still fail the exam, it's entirely your own fault, and you can't blame anyone else.

"Twelfth Brother, I'm afraid many candidates will have to work incredibly hard to pass the exam this time?"

Zhang Fangping believed that as long as he passed the provincial examination, his chances of becoming an official would greatly increase.

As for the so-called 1,000 places for various subjects, although there are many, not many people are willing to take the exam.

Only those who pass the imperial examinations can rise through the ranks quickly, and if they perform well, they have a very high chance of becoming prime minister in the future.

"really."

Song Xuan nodded slightly, then clicked his tongue in amazement:

"At least among those of us who passed the imperial examination this year, which one of us wouldn't remember His Majesty's kindness?"

Yes, it's operational.

Grace comes from above.

If this matter had been issued through the normal channels of the imperial court, many students would have subconsciously assumed that it was Empress Dowager Liu's intention.

However, when Zhao Zhen said it in public, it was no longer Empress Dowager Liu's intention.

However, Song Xuan did not say the second half of the sentence.

Although Zhao Zhen was kind-hearted, he was at least passable in terms of imperial strategy.

Even future candidates will remember the emperor's goodness.

After all, although the emperor had agreed to the reform of the imperial examination system, everyone in the world knew that Empress Dowager Liu was now in power.

The emperor was only in charge of affixing seals; he had no decision-making power.

Song Xuan looked at Zhao Zhen again, who was dressed in a luxurious imperial robe. Did he want to "seize power" starting today?
Not a single word of information had been leaked before.

Cao Liyong had also shared some news with Song Xuan about the discussions among the court's prime ministers, revealing that there was no intention to expand recruitment at all, and that they were even worried about the issue of "redundant officials."

This move seems to have been conceived by the emperor on a whim.

"No matter what, it's a good thing for us."

Although Song Xuan's goal was to become the top scholar, he was also happy to meet more familiar classmates who had also succeeded in their studies.

This will give them more support in the imperial court in the future!
Amid cheers from the students, Zhao Zhen quickly withdrew.

Next up is the program of paying homage to Confucius.

Many students were still excited, even after the event ended.

But when they went outside, they saw someone posting a game about who would win the top prize.

Having gone through so many imperial examinations, games like predicting who will become the top scholar or the best candidate have become quite sophisticated.

"Brother Twelve!"

Ouyang Xiu was at the end of the list. He met the person with the highest probability of winning the imperial examination, Song Xuan.

It can be said that the students from Yingtian Prefecture were all strong contenders for the top scholar title.

Such as Han Qi, Zhao Gai, Wang Yaochen, Zhang Fangping, etc.

The names of the top scholars in the other prefectures were also printed on the paper.

However, the most popular students were these few from Yingtian Prefecture.

After all, the top scholars of the previous Song Dynasty both came from Yingtian Prefecture.

If another top scholar is produced this year, Yingtian Academy will surely become famous once again.

Ouyang Xiu, a future literary giant and leading figure in the literary world, is currently unknown. Even with Emperor Zhao Zhen's lenient approach to selecting officials, he could not even pass the provincial examination.

However, at this moment, Ouyang Xiu had just received the emperor's "promise" and was very excited.

Who is Song Xuan?

"I've never heard of that. Who compiled this list? I think I might even pass the imperial examination with top honors."

"Haha, stop fooling around."

"You don't know this? Most of the people on the list are unmarried people who still managed to pass the imperial examinations and become top scholars. They naturally put their names up early to attract others to 'find a husband' under the list."

The students' discussions naturally reached Ouyang Xiu's ears.

He had heard Song Xuan say that everyone was fortunate to have caught up with this reform of the imperial examination system. In the past, the selection of officials was based on poetry and prose, but now it was based on policy essays.

He was under pressure no matter what. After the messenger delivered some collected policy essay questions that day, he was never seen again.

According to the servant, Twelfth Brother had been doing practice questions at home to prepare for the provincial examination. Ye Guyan and the others were not idle either, and immediately started working on their own.

"Hey, the imperial examination has been reformed this year. No matter how famous Song Twelve is in the three capitals and how well he writes poetry, he won't have much of an advantage in the imperial examination."

"I think if he can pass the provincial exam, it will be a stroke of good luck."

"Yes."

Although Song Hao also doubted whether Song Xuan would pass the exam, he still stepped forward:
"You don't even know him, yet you know he won't pass the exam. You should worry more about whether you can pass the provincial exam yourself."

"That's still better than you!"

Such debates are not uncommon.

After all, anyone could get first place before the exam results are released.

No one is always number one.

Ouyang Xiu ignored those people and instead carefully examined the list, which included several addresses in addition to the names.

He didn't understand what it meant, so he asked the other candidates around him.

"What do Boyaxuan, Qianjinfang, and Jubaopen mean?"

"Of course, it's the name of the gambling den."

Ouyang Xiu understood; he knew that gambling dens were not run by ordinary people.

Even if Emperor Taizong of Song had strict requirements on this matter, those who gambled in the capital would be arrested by the Kaifeng Prefecture, and those who violated the law would be beheaded; those who knew about gambling but did not report it would be punished the same as those who gambled.

Even starting with Emperor Shinzong, there were many gambling dens in Tokyo.

Not to mention the gambling dens in other towns and villages, which were ubiquitous.

Before Chao Gai visited them, the three Ruan brothers ran out of gambling money and stole their mother's jewelry to gamble.

After stealing the birthday gifts, Bai Sheng, the White-Day Rat, immediately plunged into the gambling den, attracting attention with his actions.

Song Jiang hosted a banquet for people, and Li Kui borrowed money to gamble.

Shi En was a government official, and he also owned about a hundred inns, twenty or thirty gambling dens, and exchange shops (places for exchanging gold, silver, and copper coins).

However, during the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song, when an imperial edict was issued requiring the removal of gambling lists from the capital and other gambling establishments, gambling became rampant in the Song Dynasty due to the substantial profits and protection from officials. Who cared about the emperor's decree? Even with the laws of the Song Dynasty, it was useless.

This is why so many students bring money to gamble, and gambling dens also want a piece of the pie.

The seeded players from each state on the list were all carefully selected by them; they obtained the list from the Ministry of Rites early in the morning for analysis.

This is just an appetizer; the real excitement in the entire capital city will come when the gamble for the top scholar begins.

Normally, a contestant like Song Xuan would never have been ranked first on the list.

However, the imperial court suddenly changed the rules of the imperial examination, and Song Xuan became famous throughout the three capitals for his excellent poetry and prose.

There is a very high probability that Song Xuan will not actually pass the provincial examination with top honors.

At this point, they conspired to put Song Xuan's name first, just for the purpose of catching people.

They can earn more money by attracting more people to buy Song Xuanneng's ticket to the imperial examination.

It's all a routine.

In addition, some candidates were willing to act as shills in order to make money.

As Song Xuan and his entourage strolled out of the palace square, they overheard people discussing who had a chance to become the top scholar in the imperial examinations.

"Twelfth brother."

Ouyang Xiu noticed that Song Xuan was a head and a half taller than the others, and quickly waved his hand.

"Ouyang Xiu".

Song Xuan waved his hand and took a few steps forward.

I didn't see you at all.

"There were too many people, and I arrived a bit late, so I just stood at the back, but I had already come out long ago."

Ouyang Xiu smiled as he spoke to Song Xuan, then nodded to the people around him, presumably all of whom were Song Xuan's classmates from Yingtian Academy.

He truly never studied at the academy, nor did he have the money to support him.

After walking for a while, the crowd finally dispersed.

Ouyang Xiu then began to describe what he had seen on the list outside.

"It seems that everyone in Tokyo thinks that Twelfth Brother is capable of passing the imperial examination with top honors."

Lü Lejian's tone was tinged with bitterness.

The closer he was to Song Xuan, the more he realized how outstanding Song Twelve was.
All eyes were on him.

Among these classmates, Wang Tai's father was honored with a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and his own father served as prime minister three times.

Even though his father had many sons, he was still the son of a prime minister!
Even if you're not universally praised, you're still someone who can be boasted about.

But things don't always go as Lü Lejian imagined. Dude, you're really driving a Porsche, it's a bit much!
However, the imperial examination was relatively fair in the Song Dynasty. Even if you were the son of a prime minister, you still had to rely on your grades to pass the imperial examination.

Just practice cooking more!

"Money-grabbing scheme."

Song Xuan snorted and laughed:
"The gambling dens in Tokyo all thought I might not pass the provincial exam, so they set up high-profile schemes to attract more people to join."

"what?"

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Lü Lejian, who was still feeling sour, was also dumbfounded: "I don't understand."

“Anyone who dares to open a gambling den in Tokyo must have very strong connections,” Wang Tai added.

"Where did they get the information that Twelfth Brother wouldn't pass the exam?"

"Who knows?"

Song Xuan believed that after arriving in Tokyo, he had been behaving himself, only visiting the Cao family once and not going out much.

However, he could also figure out the reason: those people were making judgments based on past experience.

The message Song Xuan was sending to the outside world was that he was extremely skilled in poetry and could produce a masterpiece that was rarely seen in a century.

Policy essays are certainly not as good as poems and prose.

Ouyang Xiu was somewhat confused: "Twelfth Brother, what do you mean by using you to set a trap?"

"First of all, in their perception, I am good at poetry and prose, but not so good at policy essays. Therefore, they think I have a high chance of not being able to pass the imperial examination. So they loudly proclaimed that I could pass the imperial examination."

"As long as enough people buy, their gambling dens have a very high probability of making money."

Song Xuan looked at the group and smiled, "I do have some experience in making money."

"I see."

Ouyang Xiu nodded slightly; this trip to Tokyo had truly given him a great shock.

It turns out that money is needed everywhere.

Whatever you want to do, you have to connect it with money.

"Isn't Twelfth Brother going to make a clarification?"

"Ha, am I crazy?" Song Xuan said with a grin.

"I can't even guarantee whether I'll pass the imperial examination with top honors, so what's the point of clarifying anything?"

"Too."

Ouyang Xiu pointed to a few people, and unexpectedly, Han Qi and Zhang Fangping were there as well. They also had a chance to become the top scholar in the imperial examination.

"Hahaha."

Zhang Fangping waved his hand dismissively:

"I'm just joining in the fun, though I don't even rank high enough at Yingtian Academy."

Fan Xiang glanced at Zhang Fangping.

How come you've started talking like that after spending so much time with Twelfth Brother?
If you can't even rank in Yingtian Prefecture, how am I supposed to take the exam if I'm at the bottom of the list?

Han Qi also shook his head: "It would be a great blessing to pass the imperial examination. As for becoming the top scholar in the provincial examination or the top scholar in the imperial examination, I don't even want to think about it."

"Alright, let's go back and have dinner together."

Ouyang Xiu was hugged by Song Xuan:
"Let me show you my brother's cooking; it's just as good as Sun Yang's."

"Twelfth Brother, don't try to fool me!"

Ouyang Xiu couldn't afford to eat at Sun Yang's restaurant, which was comparable to Fanlou.

Anyway, he understood that this was Song Xuan's way of inviting him to go, since the exam was tomorrow.

"Haha, go try it."

"Row."

Ouyang Xiu, however, was not intimidated.

He knew that the people around Song Xuan were all quite outstanding, and he himself happened to be just as good.

We were all young people who had traveled a long way to Tokyo to take the exam.

Even if we both pass the imperial examination with flying colors, we may not always be able to meet up again.

Most of them would be sent to various places to serve as officials.

Few of the successful candidates in the imperial examinations were able to remain in the capital city of Tokyo.

In other words, Song Xiang was valued by Empress Dowager Liu, and the court had already assigned him to a post outside the capital.

He was promoted to Dali Ping Shi and Tongpan of Xiangzhou.

However, Song Xiang was favored by Empress Dowager Liu.

He was promoted to Crown Prince's Assistant and Director of the Imperial History Office, a position he was not promoted to through the usual channels.

The vacancy appointed by the imperial court was unsuitable, so under the intervention of Empress Liu, Song Xiang remained in the capital city of Bianjing (Kaifeng) to serve as an official.

Even Wang Zeng, who had previously achieved the highest honors in all three imperial examinations, did not receive this kind of treatment.

Song Xuan felt that the information gathered by the gambling den was incomplete, because they didn't even know that Wang Yaochen had already passed the provincial examination.

His goal is to become the top scholar, and you're still speculating here that he might become the top scholar in the provincial examination?
Wang Yaochen did not participate in the provincial examinations.

The imperial examinations weren't like the CET-4 or CET-6 exams, where people would take the exams again even if they had already passed, just to get a better score or because they were bored.

Song Xuan guessed that this provincial examination was just a warm-up, and he wanted to use a large-scale news campaign to influence the people of Dongjing City first.

When it came time to participate in the palace examination, they would then collect money from most of the participants at a fixed time.

Each imperial examination was a night of celebration for many successful candidates.

However, after so many years of development of the imperial examination system in the Song Dynasty, and starting with Emperor Zhenzong, the emperors' methods were not ruthless enough.

This led to the emergence of many ways to make money around the imperial examination system.

This kind of gambling is the most risk-free business!

Ouyang Xiu's life used to be quite difficult.

At this moment, while eating the meal prepared by the Song brothers at the dinner table, he was extremely surprised:
"Delicious, it's really delicious."

"Then you shouldn't eat too much," Song Xuan said with a smile.

"We still have exams tomorrow, so let's eat normally. We'll have a big feast after the provincial exams are over."

"Good good."

Ouyang Xiu did not have the same problem as Shi Jie.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Ouyang Xiu took a good look at where Song Xuan was staying.

"Brother Twelfth is truly generous. I think it's very convenient to get to the examination hall from here."

Ouyang Xiu's eyes showed envy. He was living in a house with two fellow villagers, and the worst part was that the house was haunted.

"Hey, money is a bastard. I earn more and spend more, and I refuse to compromise myself."

Song Xuan poured Ouyang Xiu a cup of tea: "Even if you spend all your money, it will come back again."

"Hahaha."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Of all those present, none could match Song Xuan's mentality; they had to admit that.

Even if someone's family is wealthy, they wouldn't dare spend money like Song Xuan.

Actually, Song Xuan's residence in this courtyard was entirely paid for by his future father-in-law; he only needed to bring his people over.

Ouyang Xiu took his leave and went back. He also needed to prepare himself properly. He went to bed early tonight so that he wouldn't wake up early tomorrow due to nervousness and be exhausted.

When Song Xuan had some free time, the old servant took him to the Cao residence.

Cao Liyong didn't stand on ceremony and asked directly:
"I think someone deliberately put you in first place to lure people into gambling. It's possible that someone did it intentionally. What do you think?"

Are there many people willing to buy my products?

"There should be quite a few."

Cao Li sent someone to inquire about the matter before seeking out Song Xuan for advice.

"Then you should buy it too."

"Should I buy it too?"

Cao Liyong looked at Song Xuan with a surprised expression. It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that the imperial examination has been reformed. Even if Yan Shu said you have the potential to pass all three levels of the imperial examination with top honors.

But it's not the same as the imperial examination system of the past in terms of emphasis.

Song Xuan picked up his teacup and blew on it: "Not bad, you should buy it too, be bold and follow suit."

"Are you so sure?"

Cao lowered his voice, not believing that Song Xuan could get the questions in advance.

The people who create these exam questions are completely "controlled" from the very beginning, making it difficult for them to communicate with the outside world.

"It's a package, bro."

"What?"

Song Xuan chuckled twice and then said nothing more.

Cao Li listened to Song Xuan's nonchalant words:
"You're not joking again?"

"Although I'd like to keep a low profile," Song Xuan chuckled.
"But given my current abilities, I can't afford to keep a low profile."

"Since they're going to such lengths to promote me, I'll grant their wish and actually pass the imperial examination."

Cao Liyong was stunned for a moment, then pointed at Song Xuan:

"Straight bitch!"

"You little rascal, you're so wicked! I love it!"

"Tomorrow I will send someone to the gambling den to buy your winning ticket."

Song Xuan nodded:
"They wouldn't dare not pay on time, would they?"

"cant."

Cao Liyong waved his hand:

"The people in Tokyo who want to keep the gambling den running have better credit than most people."

"After all, this kind of thing can't be discussed openly."

Song Xuan spoke again:

"Last year, my people bought my ticket for winning the imperial examination in Songcheng, but the gambling den wouldn't exchange it."

"Then I burned down that gambling den. I heard it was because of connections in Tokyo, and in the end, nothing came of it."

Cao Liyong truly had no idea that Song Xuan had been involved in such a matter.

But when you think of Song Xuan, who is known as the "timely rain" in Song City...

You can't just throw money around without having some tricks up your sleeve.

"Is this really going to be left unresolved?"

Cao Liyong hadn't expected the person who ran the gambling den to be so good-natured.

“Father-in-law, no matter what, I’ve done a pretty good job running Songcheng.”

"Local officials, from clerks and yamen runners to jailers, all benefit from my favor. Furthermore, Prefect Yan is on my side, so most cases can be resolved once they reach Magistrate Zhang."

"In addition, I have subdued all the hooligans in Songcheng and led them onto the right path, so that they can become respectable people from now on."

Song Xuan looked at Cao Liyong and smiled: "I've done a pretty good job as a local hero, haven't I?"

Cao was dumbfounded; he realized he knew quite little about his future son-in-law.

"I am so silly!"

"real."

At first, Cao Yong only thought that Song Xuan was bold and resourceful.

In addition, he also has a considerable talent for studying.

In this way, they become rare talents.

Such a person would be particularly suitable to be one's son-in-law, and would be extremely beneficial to the Cao family in the future.

I never imagined that Song Xuan would be able to run his business so smoothly in the local area.

As the saying goes, he's got both the legitimate and criminal worlds under his control, so how could he not act like a tyrant in Songcheng?
Even if he burned down the gambling den, or even if he actually killed someone, someone would take the blame for him.

How much was a human life worth in the Song Dynasty?
Having held a high position for many years, Cao Li naturally understood this principle.

"You've never killed anyone, have you?"

Cao Liyong looked at Song Xuan very seriously.

Song Xuan smiled without saying a word: "I'm not some bloodthirsty demon. I've always preferred to make money peacefully."

"Hey, really."

Cao Liyong chuckled:
"I thought you were so capable that you must have taken three or five lives."

"If I really want to make a name for myself in the Northwest in the future, I won't be afraid of bloodshed."

Cao Liyong then said with a solemn expression:
"I have fought in many battles over the years and have seen many tragic deaths on the battlefield. After leaving the battlefield, I have seen even more soldiers who died tragically because they were wounded and could not be healed."

“I know you’re not just saying this casually, so you should be prepared.”

"Ah."

Cao Liyong picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then smiled:
"The imperial edict issued by the Emperor in the square today was entirely impromptu. After returning, Wang Zeng and others actually started arguing with the Emperor."

Song Xuan nodded, confirming his suspicions.

This matter was not discussed and resolved by the prime ministers, nor was it approved by Empress Liu.

Zhao Zhen did it directly, which was a procedural error.

Wang Zeng and others believed that Zhao Zhen was too young and would certainly greatly limit his imperial power.

"So how did you do it?"

"Of course I unconditionally side with the government!"

Cao Liyong became extremely excited at this point:

"You don't need to teach me this. So many people are besieging the Emperor, and he is talking about it in public. He must have been thinking about it for a long time."

"The emperor has finally grown up and dares to take his own steps."

"As an old minister, I am very gratified!"

Cao Li did not want Empress Liu, nor did he like prime ministers such as Wang Zeng.

Despite following Song Xuan's advice, he served as a nice man in the court for several years.

In order to solidify his position as Privy Councilor, Zhang Qi was promoted by Empress Liu.

However, Cao Liyong was never someone who was content to be a law-abiding citizen or wanted to play the role of a nice guy.

Therefore, Zhao Zhen's actions did not make Cao Yong furious like the others, but rather very excited.

The emperor finally had the intention of taking power for himself.

That would be great.

Song Xuan nodded in agreement. There was a group of "regent ministers" in the court, and an empress dowager in the harem who ruled as regent.

The emperor of today is nothing more than a puppet machine that stamps documents.

It's difficult for him to do anything he wants.

But today, once he spoke, neither the regents nor the empress dowager could change the situation; they could only vent their frustrations to the emperor.

"We are the Imperialists!"

Cao subconsciously glanced at Song Xuan.

Looking across the entire Song Dynasty, who wasn't a member of the Emperor's faction?

and many more!

Cao suddenly realized something.

"That's right, we are the Imperial Party!"

Cao immediately echoed his son-in-law's words, but a hint of worry appeared on his face:

"However, I think Empress Dowager Liu is in good health and has a strong desire for power. Back when she was not yet Empress, the late Emperor would bring her and Consort Yang with him when handling state affairs."

Song Xuan then put forward another point of view:
"Back then, the Northern Party, led by Kou Zhun, was too powerful. Emperor Zhenzong's decision to bring two Southern women to handle state affairs was also a signal to the Southerners."

"what?"

Cao was so shocked he almost stood up.

He considered himself to be on the same side as Kou Zhun.

In reality, when Kou Zhun advised Emperor Zhenzong to prepare to take action, he did not inform Cao Liyong.

Cao Liyong was clearly arrogant.

Moreover, he did not think that Emperor Zhenzong would have this meaning when he was handling state affairs with two women!
Cao Liyong only knew that it was difficult for southerners to be given important positions in the court, and Kou Zhun also mostly used northerners when employing people. This was a rule left over from the reigns of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, and they looked down on southerners from places like the Southern Tang.

Regional discrimination was an unspoken rule established by the emperor and his civil and military officials early in the history of the Song Dynasty.

It wasn't until Emperor Zhenzong wanted to strengthen imperial power that he began to employ southerners on a large scale.

This applies to both the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai and the movement to spread celestial scriptures.

Cao Li paused for a moment, then became certain that he had never said such a thing to Song Xuan.

He asked uncertainly:

"Twelfth Brother, how did you learn of such a secret of the court?"

(End of this chapter)