A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 281 Who in the world doesn’t recognize you?

Tao Hong smiled and said, "Let's talk about returning home in glory someday."

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan nodded:
"Once we make a name for ourselves in Tokyo, we'll make sure no one dares to look down on us."

Back then, everyone fled Tokyo in a sorry state.

I wonder how many of those who committed evil deeds in Wuyou Cave are still alive after more than ten years.

After all, flooding in Tokyo is a frequent occurrence.

"Not bad."

Jiao Ming rubbed his hands together excitedly:
"The ingredients are all ready. Let's go back and have a barbecue. We can finally drink to our hearts' content today to celebrate our young master winning the top scholar title."

"Hehehe, let's go, let's go."

Without wasting words, Song Xuan jumped onto the donkey cart, lifted the curtain, and chatted with the two of them with a grin.

“Someone in Tokyo was brewing bootlegging, but I didn’t buy any.”

Jiao Ming mentioned, "I ordered it from Sun's shop in Zhengyang."

Song Xuan nodded. Private liquor is cheaper, and the quality isn't bad either.

Starting with Zhao Kuangyin, the government implemented unified management of wine and yeast.

In the fifth year of the Chunhua reign of Emperor Taizong of Song, the imperial court issued an edict to "collect wine taxes from all over the country".

It was not until the fourth year of the Jingde reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song that the monopoly system was fully implemented.

Under the system of monopolizing wine, "official shops" and "foot shops" emerged.

"Official shop" refers to a shop with the right to brew wine, while "foot shop" does not have the right to brew wine and all the wine sold is wholesale from "official shop".

This is no different from a tobacco monopoly.

Generally, patents are implemented and sales areas are strictly controlled, prohibiting cross-border sales.

Anyone who illegally brews or sells yeast within the forbidden area will be punished.

Many rural wineries could brew their own wine, but they had to pay annual taxes to the government. The wine that Wu Song drank on Jingyang Ridge was brewed by rural wineries.

However, many things cannot be completely eliminated simply by the imperial court issuing a decree.

Especially in industries with "excessive profits".

This is also why, under Shi Yuansun's control of the imperial wine, some of his subordinates stole wine or deliberately falsified accounts.

Through the wine monopoly system, the government obtained a large amount of tax revenue, making wine tax an important source of fiscal income in the Song Dynasty and holding a very important position in the national treasury.

During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, the revenue from wine tax alone accounted for one-sixth of the national treasury. In the later period, as other revenues declined, they accounted for one-fifth of the national treasury.

Previously, brewing five jin of wine privately would result in execution, later increased to fifteen jin, and then Emperor Zhenzong changed the death penalty to exile.

There's a saying from the Song Dynasty: "To get an official position, commit murder and arson and then accept amnesty; to get rich, rush to the imperial court to sell wine and vinegar."

"We'd better avoid these bootlegging dealers," Tao Hong said leisurely.
"Young master may not understand, but these people are not only after money, they will also kill."

"Especially when a brewing den is accidentally discovered, in order to keep the secret, they will hunt down and kill the person who knows about it. This is what Qu Ze told me during a casual chat."

The penalties for bootlegging are severe, so only the most daring people would dare to do it.

Song Xuan nodded slightly: "Who cares about them? They're a group that has absolutely nothing to do with us."

"Indeed." Tao Hong smiled. "Given your reputation for passing the imperial examinations three times in a row, you'll surely become a respectable but idle official."

"If they put me in some Imperial Academy or Secretariat, that would be a real problem. I'd have to take the Academy exams, which would be so annoying."

Song Xuan had just heard his father-in-law briefly mention a few high-ranking officials on the way, but it was rather uninteresting.

Managing books, national history, astronomy and calendar, and sacrificial inscriptions, etc.

I've already won three consecutive championships, do you think I'd still be allowed to be a librarian?
Song Xuan didn't voice his thoughts: "There's not much to manage about the books in the Song Dynasty. They've been through the chaos of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, so most of the work involves sorting, storing, compiling, and proofreading, which is really boring."

"Young master, you can talk to the official about it. He's still young, so maybe he'll listen to what you have to say."

"By the way, what official position did you say would be suitable for me?"

"Magistrate of Kaifeng County"

Hearing Tao Hong's words, Song Xuan fell silent. Being a county magistrate wasn't bad; it was a seventh-rank official position.

This is the "Red Land," which belongs to the highest level.

An ordinary county magistrate would be either an eighth-rank official or a regular eighth-rank official.

"No way! I remember the Chen brothers who framed the young master became the prefect of Kaifeng, his direct superiors. Isn't this just asking for trouble?"

Listening to Jiao Ming's words, Tao Hong felt that he shouldn't look at it that way.

"how?"

Tao Hong then recounted all the information he knew in one go.

He remembered that a man named Fan Min was appointed magistrate of Kaifeng County. He was not only summoned by Emperor Zhao Kuangyin, but also highly regarded by Zhao Guangyi, the prefect of Kaifeng.

This practice was then implemented.

Kaifeng County was an attached county of Tokyo (the capital), and could directly participate in the government affairs of the capital. It was often dispatched by the emperor and the central government, and could even attend some court meetings.

In matters concerning the security of the capital region and the people's livelihood, they had the right to submit memorials to the emperor independently, and those appointed were mostly the emperor's confidants or future high-ranking officials.

Although the Prefect of Kaifeng was in direct control, if the young master used the Emperor as a shield, he wouldn't dare say a word.

Of course, if we were doing business in Tokyo, then the local officials would be more powerful than the county magistrates.

Song Xuan listened to Tao Hong's analysis and found it reasonable.

"Alright, I'll think about it some more, ask my father-in-law later, and then find another opportunity to talk to the Emperor."

"I'll do whatever you say, young master. Anyway, if you're an official in Tokyo, you won't have any real power. You'll just be a lowly official and won't be able to take the initiative to attack the Chen brothers."

Tao Hong chuckled and said, "I don't believe that all the Chen brothers act this way. He will restrain his family members and in-laws. When they fall into the young master's hands, he will make them pay."

"Ok!"

Song Xuan nodded repeatedly: "That's right, this is exactly what I wanted. Responding passively is not my style."

"Hahaha."

The three of them hurried home, all smiles.

this point in time.

The candidates who participated in the palace examination were gradually released.

What happened during today's palace examination will truly be something they will remember for the rest of their lives.

Before it started, many people thought that Song Xuan would definitely not do well on the exam because of such a big incident.

Some people naturally became cynical.

Serves you right for being so arrogant.

Were you being targeted?
Especially on the eve of the exam, Song Xuan, such a strong and powerful competitor, was no longer available.

Wouldn't that give me a great chance to win the top score?
Or the chances of passing the imperial examination have increased significantly.

As a result, Song Xuan re-established his unshakeable status as the top scholar in less than three quarters of an hour.

This has led to the shattering of the resolve of many test takers!

Even after the exam ended, they were still in a daze, with no clue how to solve the policy question.

However, there are also students like Wang Yaochen who finished their exams early and are ahead of the pack.

Then they were all engulfed in a vast ocean of people.

What happened in the palace examination today was even more exciting than two people fighting to determine the top scholar.

Many students were stopped to answer questions from the people of Tokyo.

Everyone is asking whether it is true that Song Xuan was poisoned by Hanlin Academician Chen Yaozi.

There are also examples like Song Xuan finishing the questions in less than a quarter of an hour.

Wen Yanbo's ears were filled with noise; the people of Tokyo really loved to join in the fun.

Unfortunately, I'm not the main character.

He never thought about becoming the top scholar in the imperial examination; as long as he could pass the examination and become a Jinshi, that would be an excellent way out.

Wen Yanbo said he was too far away to know and asked the people behind him.

Han Qi and Zhang Fangping spotted Wang Bao standing on a donkey cart amidst the crowded throng.

The features are so obvious!
"They're there."

Han Qi called out to Lü Lejian and the others.

After finally squeezing through, I heard Xu Xianchun say with a smile on his face:

"Twelfth Brother and the others have already gone back. They're probably preparing ingredients. They won't sleep until they're drunk tonight."

After all, he was following a top scholar from the Song Dynasty, so he had a promising future. He understood that.

"Good good."

Fan Xiang quickly agreed, since he didn't feel too much pressure anyway.

Moreover, inspired by Song Xuan today, he felt that he had a chance to pass the imperial examination with flying colors.

As long as you pass the imperial examination with flying colors, you'll have a life of wealth and luxury.

The room full of copper coins truly motivated him to be extremely ambitious.

Fan Xiang never wanted to live a life of poverty again.

As long as I pass the imperial examination, I, Fan Xiang, am determined to become the son-in-law of the Shi family, and no one can stop me.

The others asked each other how their exams went, but Zhu Yu remained silent.

"Don't worry, with Brother Zhu's abilities, he'll definitely make the list!"

Fan Xiang patted his chest:

"I, who came in last place, haven't given up hope yet, so why are you already disappointed?"

Zhu Yu smiled helplessly, thanked him for his blessing, and then sighed softly.

Wang Bao stood on the donkey cart and shouted:
"Who is Wu Yu? It's Twelve Lang who invited him!"

Wu Yu heard his name called in the crowd, looked up and saw a tall, strong man shouting.

Wang Bao didn't dare call out Song Xuan's name, otherwise who knows how many people would come over.

Wu Yu, of course, couldn't forget Song Xuan's invitation in the examination hall, so he strolled over.

"I am."

"boarding."

Wang Bao then pulled him up and, with difficulty, drove the donkey cart through the crowd back home.

In short, this was the first time everyone had successfully participated in the imperial examination.

As for the exam results, we'll keep track of them later.

The mountain that has been weighing on our heads for the past few years has finally been removed. How can we not celebrate properly?
yard.

Three barbecue grills and a pile of firewood were stacked up in the yard.

The campfire provides light and warmth; it's multifunctional.

You can even roast a few pieces of pine wood to grill meat skewers.

In the Song Dynasty, mutton was the most expensive meat at the time.

"Twelfth brother."

Han Qi went in first and saw Song Xuan grilling lamb skewers.

There were also Zhang Yuan and others nearby who hadn't taken the exam.

"You're back. Take a rest, go to the bathroom. If you eat and drink too much later and get drunk and wet your pants, no one will care!"

"Hahaha."

The group burst into laughter.

Anyway, I'm happy after the exam.

Zhang Yuan had actually gone to watch the excitement. He wanted to leave a letter for Ruan Yi, but Hu Yuan said she would wait for him to come together.

Ouyang Xiu, fearing that Ye Guyan and the other two might not know, stayed at home to wait.

After all, the place they lived in was truly haunted, and no one in the neighborhood wanted to associate with them.

Han Qi quickly sat down:
"Twelfth Brother, are you alright?"

"What could possibly be wrong with me?" Song Xuan's hands continued to fiddle with the skewers.

"Don't forget I know medicine. Can't you even smell this?"

"I was just going with the flow."

Han Qi's face lit up with joy upon hearing this:

"That's good, that's good. Luckily I stuck to my own opinion and didn't agree to him. The Chen family's family values ​​have really deteriorated; they can do something like this."

Zhang Fangping also smiled and said, "I told Han Liulang about this in the side hall, but he didn't believe in Twelfth Brother's abilities."

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan smiled and said, "But it didn't affect your performance, did it?"

"No impact, absolutely no impact."

Zhang Fangping immediately stood aside and vividly told Song Xuan about how people like Wang Yaochen and Lü Lejian were trying to challenge his twelfth brother's position as the top scholar.

After reading Song Xuan's policy essay, they all sat there questioning their existence.

Even if they had three more hours, they still couldn't write an article like that.

Zhang Fangping also said that he deliberately deceived them, claiming that Twelfth Brother studied day and night to help rebuild their self-confidence.

"Okay!"

Lü Lejian indeed shouted:
“I doubted what you said was possible from the start. How could Twelfth Brother like to suffer for himself? He loves to enjoy himself.”

"Unfortunately, I was so impressed by Twelfth Brother's strategy that I actually believed what you said."

"Hahaha."

Zhang Fangping couldn't help but burst into triumphant laughter:
"The fact that you're only realizing this now shows that you have no idea of ​​Twelfth Brother's abilities and still think you have a chance to be the top scholar!"

When Zhang Fangping exposed Lü Lejian's thoughts, his expression immediately turned extremely awkward, and the words that came out of his mouth became:
"You, me, him, that!"

Finally, with a flick of his wrist, he roared in a fit of impotent rage:

"I'm not, I didn't!"

"Twelfth Brother, he's slandering me!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

Song Xuan distributed the lamb skewers in his hand:

"Among us scholars, who doesn't aspire to be number one!"

"What's there to be embarrassed about?"

Lu Lejian took the lamb skewers, and, touched by Song Xuan's magnanimity, let out a soft sigh.

Not everyone is confident.

Who wouldn't want to be that dark horse?
Secretly overthrow everyone behind the scenes, then stand out from the crowd and earn respect from others.
Wu Yu watched them joking around. It was his first time attending a gathering of Song Xuan's friends, and he was still a little shy.

He actually visited Yingtian Academy, but only to see his younger brother, Wu Jing.

They didn't stay long.

At that time, Song Xuan and his friends happened to be traveling to Luoyang for further studies, so they didn't have a chance to meet.

"Brother Wu, thank you for today's help."

Wu Yu was given a handful of lamb skewers. He immediately smelled the aroma and was about to answer a question.

Unfortunately, I hadn't eaten much all day, and my body instinctively swallowed, making me feel a little embarrassed.

"Let's satisfy our cravings first."

Hearing Song Xuan offer him a way out, Wu Yu didn't stand on ceremony; he was truly starving.

He had originally planned to go straight back to the house his father rented, but then he received an invitation, and at that moment he didn't have time to inform them.

His father, Wu Shiwen, is currently the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and also holds the position of Minister of the Imperial Household, a third-rank official with a salary but not involved in the management of the court.

After the Yuanfeng reforms, the Guangluqing (Minister of Ceremonies) held real power, but his rank was lowered.

Wu Shiwen was able to be promoted so quickly mainly because he was appreciated by his fellow townsman Yang Yi.

Wu Yu's father was the one who truly broke through the family's poverty with his bare fists and rose through the ranks.

With a family of excellent traditions, Wu Yu is an even stronger individual.

Ultimately, Wu Shiwen's treatment in his old age and his funeral arrangements were all thanks to his son Wu Yu's posthumous title of Grand Tutor, which also made his deceased grandfather and great-grandfather prominent.

"I've also read Twelfth Brother's policy essay."

After Wu Yu finished off several skewers, he took the wine bowl that Song Xuan handed him:

"It's very well written, and I wasn't familiar with many of the cases."

"I've heard that Twelfth Brother has practically worn out more than one copy of the Song Dynasty's legal code?"

Song Xuan did indeed enjoy reading the laws of the Song Dynasty.

The main reason is that I want to skirt the edge of the law and do some "gray market" activities, so I always have to be careful.

Especially since he didn't hold any official position back then.

If the government says they're going to take you down, they can!

"These are just a few past events, not worth mentioning."

Wu Yu raised his wine glass and said:
"Then let me wish my twelfth brother success in passing the imperial examinations in all three categories. This is the highest honor for us scholars, but it is a height that I have never reached in my life."

"It's just luck!" Song Xuan also raised his wine bowl: "Let's drink together."

Wu Yu, however, did not believe in luck; he was simply being modest.

If he hadn't seen Song Xuan's exam paper with his own eyes, he would indeed have been somewhat unconvinced.

After all, during the entire Song Dynasty, only Wu Yu and Su Shi achieved the third-class (first and second class) grades in the imperial examinations.

At this moment, Wu Yu's ambition was stirred by Song Xuan, and he wanted to participate in the imperial examination to prove himself.

Even officials can participate in this exam.

"Me too, me too!"

The crowd swarmed around him, determined to get Song Xuan drunk.

It's fine if he does well on the exam; no one has a chance to compete with him.

But now if we each offer him a bowl of wine, I don't believe he can hold his liquor better than us!
Later, Ouyang Xiu and others also joined the team battle.

Song Xuan and his friends were having a great time here.

However, the news spread rapidly in Tokyo.

After all, this kind of thing can't be hidden even if you want to, and it's being spread freely anyway.

Rumors continue to circulate widely, with various versions circulating.

However, the real culprit behind the scenes points directly to Chen Yaozuo, the current Prefect of Kaifeng.

In addition, the former prefect of Kaifeng, Chen Yaozi, acted in accordance with the laws of the Song Dynasty, which also offended many people.

These people can't retaliate, but they can still embellish and smear the two brothers.

Especially since the younger brother became the Prefect of Kaifeng, it wasn't enough, so the older brother was also made to take the position.

Wouldn't that mean the official position was privately granted by the Chen family?
Are they plotting a rebellion?
Furthermore, Song Xuan was named the top scholar in court, becoming the youngest person in the history of the Song Dynasty to achieve the "Triple Crown" (winning the top scholar title in all three categories).

Almost immediately after the news broke, it spread throughout Tokyo, a city of one million people.

The immense popularity, coupled with the poisoning and "official infighting," naturally sparked countless discussions.

Song Xuan's name became an overnight sensation in Tokyo.

People used to boast that he was famous throughout the three capitals, but that was really just praise from some scholars.

Although there are many scholars in Tokyo, they are still a minority among the masses.

But this time, Song Xuan's name was really shouted out loud.

The Song Dynasty already valued scholars highly, not to mention the explosive news that Song Xuan had achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations.

People can say whatever they want, and Song Xuan can't control that.

He's currently drinking behind closed doors.

But that doesn't stop bystanders from enjoying the show.

Chen Yaozuo was not as principled as his younger brother Chen Yaozi, otherwise he would not have joined Lü Yijian's school.

Moreover, Lü Yijian felt that Chen Yaozuo was more worthy of being groomed to become prime minister than his younger brother.

The eunuch Shi Zhicong, who was almost made a scapegoat by Chen Yaozi, sat in his room in a daze, secretly vowing to make Chen Yaozi pay the price!

Now the two brothers are caught in a storm of "public opinion," and Lü Yijian has no choice but to intervene.

He only then learned of what had happened in the palace that day. Empress Guo's personal eunuch, Yan Wenying, had actually been in contact with Lü Yijian long before.

However, as their contact deepened, what happened in the palace today left Yan Wenying terrified.

If Empress Guo continues to cause trouble like this, it will be even less likely that she will give birth to a crown prince.

Even if he didn't jump ship, Yan Wenying wanted to find a way out for himself as soon as possible.

When Lü Yijian learned of Song Xuan's actions, he was even more shocked.

After all, Song Xuan could say something like "depose the empress," which shows that he has no fear in his eyes.

This guy acts too flamboyantly and is not a suitable teammate.

Because Lü Yijian felt that even if he had such thoughts, he shouldn't be the one to charge ahead!

It's normal practice to send someone to the front lines.

Only in this way can one be in a position where one can advance or retreat as needed.

Even if uncontrollable accidents occur, they can quickly cut off the supply and maintain their own strength, so that they will have the opportunity to bring their teammates up in the future.

Lü Yijian intended to build a team centered around himself. People like Song Xuan, once in office, would certainly not obediently follow orders.

He has too many ideas.

That won't work.

A team can have many mouths, but only one person can actually make the decisions.

In Lü Yijian's view, although Song Xuan was a genius, he was still not mature enough in politics!
Empress Guo was not alone.

She came from a family of military generals, who often intermarried and formed a close-knit group.

Although Cao Liyong also got involved through marriage, his connections were not as deep as those of the others.

of course.

Lü Yijian also did not think that the current emperor would value Song Xuan highly.

Can the empress be changed so easily?

The Empress Dowager personally selected them; how dare you, someone who hasn't even become an official, propose to abolish them?
At the very least, the matter of deposing or establishing an empress should never be mentioned while the Empress Dowager is still alive.

Song Xuan was truly blinded by the immense joy of winning the triple crown.

They've become incredibly arrogant and ignorant.

Lü Yijian was determined to save his own people, the Chen brothers, as soon as possible.

He then summoned both of them to his study to discuss their next course of action.

"You did this?"

In response to Lü Yijian's question, and knowing that there were no outsiders present, Chen Yaozi nodded.

Lü Yijian sighed softly:
"Too radical!"

"You're being way too radical!"

"If it's done without anyone noticing, that's fine."

"And yet, someone discovered it beforehand; this was handled incredibly carelessly!"

After being reprimanded by Lü Yijian, Chen Yaozi's expression was not good either.

After all, he didn't want any accidents to happen.

"I never expected that the eunuch would set it on fire ahead of time."

Chen Yaozi felt that he had done everything perfectly, and even after making the arrangements, he did not go there.

Moreover, his original plan was to have Song Xuan discover the broken inkstone and paper.

This would make him realize the problem and lower his guard.

The real killer move was the incense that worked secretly and unnoticed.

Judging solely from the outcome, things did not develop according to his plan at all.

If this matter succeeds...

That would successfully thwart Song Xuan's chance to become the top scholar, ensuring he wouldn't be able to act so arrogantly in the future.

But in the end, they lost.

He was puzzled.

Listening to Chen Yaozi's complete plan, Lü Yijian sighed softly:
"It looks like he's set you up in a trap within a trap."

"what?"

Chen Yaozi's face was filled with disbelief.

He was confident that if his method succeeded, no one would notice.

Song Xuan was so excited about becoming the top scholar that he couldn't sleep all night, so it was perfectly normal for him to fall asleep in the examination hall.

“My cousin and Song Twelve were classmates. He said that Song Twelve knows a little about medicine, so he could smell the incense you put out!”

"Ok?"

Chen Yaozi's eyes were filled with disbelief.

"Does he know medicine?"

Chen Yaozuo also found it hard to believe.

Because Song Xuan was good at studying, how could he have so much time to learn medicine?

Those who can detect this through smell must possess exceptional medical skills.

Otherwise, how could a beginner distinguish them?
That's my guess.

Lü Yijian didn't care whether the Chen brothers believed him or not:

"You'd better believe that kid is definitely not someone to be trifled with, much less someone who will just sit and wait to die."

The Chen brothers fell silent immediately.

“Back then, Dou Chou was a Hanlin scholar, while Song Xuan was just a student who had just entered Yingtian Academy and didn’t even have an official title, yet he dared to set a trap to force Dou Yuanbin to commit suicide.”

"This later involved the assassination of Gu Ziming, a student of Dou Yuanbin and the prefectural magistrate of Yingtian Prefecture. All of Dou's descendants were serving corvée labor in Hebei!"

Chen Yaozuo immediately remembered.

He truly hadn't expected that these two cases would have such a deep connection with Song Xuan.

Upon closer reflection, it was all orchestrated by Song Xuan.

This immediately sent a chill down Chen Yaozi's spine.

This young man is so shrewd and calculating.

They're really tough to deal with!
Furthermore, Song Xuan's actions in the mansion that day, as well as his pronouncements in the street, were all geared towards his own advantage.

He, the Prefect of Yingtian, failed to forcibly take his son-in-law and then wantonly humiliated the students. He said it was as bad as it could be!
In this way, public opinion was manipulated by him.

Chen Yaozuo raised his head and looked at Lü Yijian, saying:
"What Prime Minister Lü said makes sense. It was my brother's carelessness in this matter."

"Second brother?"

Chen Yaozi felt that his second brother didn't say that when he was at home, and that his brother agreed with his actions.

"It's good that you know."

Lü Yijian stroked his beard and stood up:

“Song Xuan passed the imperial examination with top honors in all three categories at a young age, so he must be very proud and arrogant.”

"What kind of young person would be if they weren't full of youthful vigor?"

Chen Yaozi couldn't understand why Prime Minister Lü was praising Song Xuan.

"Young and ambitious, he naturally longed to achieve some political success."

"Let me think, which official in Tokyo can achieve anything?"

Lü Yijian pointed at Chen Yaozuo:

"They must be officials under the prefect."

Chen Yaozuo's eyes lit up immediately.

If Song Xuan were placed in my Kaifeng Prefecture, I would have plenty of ways to deal with him in the future.

Chen Yaozi also stood up, quite excited:

"Prime Minister Lü's considerations are more comprehensive. He can include positions such as Prefect, Judge, Investigator, and even Registrar."

"The sub-prefect is not suitable."

Chen Yaozuo refused outright: "This official position is too high, and he is responsible for supervising me, the acting prefect. He can be directly accountable to the imperial court, and he can even bypass me."

"Not bad." Lü Yijian nodded.
"I reckon Song Xuan is quite adept at handling criminal law and legal matters, as evidenced by his policy essays. This would allow him to demonstrate his abilities, so this official position wouldn't be suitable for him."

"If the magistrate is in charge of household registration and taxes, then the entire city of Tokyo has never been able to fully understand these two things over the years."

Chen Yaozuo nodded. This is difficult.

Moreover, he was directly under the jurisdiction of the prefect, and a Jinshi who had passed the imperial examination with top honors in all three levels was qualified for this position.

"Actually, the best position would be the Military Advisor, and Song Xuan should be given that role."

Lü Yijian thought this position was good, as it involved handling civil litigation and overseeing the power of various officials in Kaifeng Prefecture.

This way.

The many officials under Cao would not be of the same mind as Song Xuan.

Meanwhile, his direct superiors were trying to put pressure on him.

I guarantee he won't be able to achieve anything significant in the next two or three years.

In officialdom, it's incredibly difficult to get things done alone.

That would directly interrupt Song Xuan's meteoric rise in officialdom, which was destined for success in the imperial examinations!
Moreover, the Song Dynasty had gone through so many imperial examinations, producing dozens of top scholars, but not everyone could become prime minister.

"Very well, then we will arrange it according to Prime Minister Lü's words."

"None of you should interfere in this matter."

Lü Yijian stroked his beard and said:
"And even if Song Xuan does take this position, you should not target him."

"Why?"

Chen Yaozuo didn't understand.

Since we've gone to the trouble of placing Song Xuan in this position, why not give him a good beating?

How can we repay Prime Minister Lü's kindness?
"Song Xuan has offended the Guo family; there's no need for you to intervene!"

"The Guo family?"

Chen Yaozi couldn't figure out which Guo family it was for a moment.

"Empress Guo".

"Oh?"

Chen Yaozi was overjoyed.

He had heard of Empress Guo's unusually domineering behavior in the palace.

"That Song Xuan is really young and impetuous!"

"Hahaha."

Lu Yijian glanced at him and pointed at him helplessly.

"This matter should not be publicized."

Lü Yijian sighed and said:
"I believe Empress Guo will not tolerate this and will definitely have a word with his family."

"Good good."

Chen Yaozi clapped his hands and laughed:

"In that case, let's watch the show first."

"Ah."

Chen Yaozuo also strongly agreed.

The two brothers didn't think Lü Yijian's information was unreliable; they just waited to watch the show.

With someone helping me deal with Song Xuan, I'll have to fan the flames and make them fight to the death.

Since the Guo family, being a military family, bullied Song Xuan, Cao Yong would certainly not stand idly by.

When their military clique turns against each other, that'll be quite a spectacle.

Song Xuan could drink, but with so many people taking turns drinking, he was starting to feel the strain.

Zhu Yu said she couldn't drink alcohol, but she was perfectly sober.

He didn't have much strength, so he just made sure these people wouldn't choke to death, since he had servants to look after them anyway.

He returned to his room, looked at the nearly burnt-out candle, lay down on the bed, and felt no sleepiness whatsoever.

This wasn't the first time Cao Liyong had written to Song Xuan; he was quite familiar with the channels.

Therefore, the letter that Song Xuan sent was delivered to his home very quickly.

Xiao Zhihong was both surprised and delighted when he saw Song Xuan's letter, because Tao Hong had written a letter before saying that the young master had passed the imperial examination with top honors.

When I took the provincial examination in Tokyo, I was overtaken by students from Yingtian Academy; nine out of ten of them were top scorers.

Although Yingtian Academy did not publicize it, some busybodies still managed to spread the news back.

Xiao Zhihong shouted, "Young Master has written back!"

He didn't open the letter, but went upstairs and knocked on the door first.

After all, she is now the matriarch of the family, Qian Shishi.

Qian Shishi asked her maid to open the door; she was changing her daughter's diaper.

"Madam, the young master has written back; perhaps it's the good news that he has passed the imperial examination with top honors."

"what?"

Qian Shishi, carrying her daughter, walked out from behind the screen and said with some surprise, "According to the calculations, the palace examination just ended. How come the results are out so quickly?"

She handed her daughter Sisi to the maid, took the letter, tore it open, and read it carefully.

"Twelfth Prince has indeed become the top scholar, and he was personally selected by the Emperor on the spot. As for the announcement of names at Donghua Gate, it will take a few more days."

"Hahaha."

Xiao Zhihong laughed loudly, gesturing wildly and even trying to tease the young master's daughter.

"Very well, I will now spread this good news."

"No rush, it's enough for us family to know, after all, there hasn't been an official document from the government yet."

Qian Shishi also had a smile on her face:
"Twelfth Brother said to wait for the government to send a message, and then we should prepare more reward money."

"Good good."

Xiao Zhihong quickly asked, "I will do whatever Madam says. Is there anything else you need, Young Master?"

"he."

Qian Shishi chuckled: "He was chosen as a husband by those who passed the imperial examination."

"what?"

The maid was taken aback.

Xiao Zhihong grunted, wondering if the young master had written this letter to him and that he shouldn't have told the madam.

"Ah for what?"

Qian Shishi handed the letter to Xiao Zhihong:

"Twelfth Prince achieved the highest honors in all three categories, making him the youngest top scholar in the history of the Song Dynasty."

"Does he really intend to marry me as his legal wife? That would be of no benefit to his career."

"We've already discussed this before."

The little maid stuck out her tongue.

She didn't know how the lady ended up with Song Xuan.

However, Song Twelve is truly talented, wealthy, and now powerful.

She could only admire the lady's discernment; wherever she went, she was treated as the lady, while she remained a maid.

Xiao Zhihong quickly finished reading Song Xuan's letter.

The gist is that it's about sharing some good news.

Then, when the government sends word, I'll update five chapters of Romance of the Three Kingdoms in a rush, and then take the opportunity to sell it all.

He believes that more and more people will buy it.

Sales of 3-star and 7-star lotteries will also pick up then.

After he finished his business in the capital, he returned to Yijin for a trip before taking up his official post.

Perhaps I will serve as an official in Tokyo. It's a capital city, and living there won't be easy. I'll need more money, so I should take this opportunity to make as much money as possible.

Xiao Zhihong returned the letter to his wife. He knew that it would cost a lot of money for people in Tokyo to live a normal life.

Even after Xiao Zhihong went out and closed the door, the joy on his face remained undiminished.

When He San and the others asked what had happened, Xiao Zhihong just smiled and said that the young master thought he had done well in the exam and might be able to become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

As a result, He San said that Young Master Song was too modest. He must be a literary star descended to earth and will surely become the top scholar!
Xiao Zhihong burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Qian Shishi, on the second floor, looked at the letter Song Xuan had written once again; of course, some of it was addressed to her.

In short, it was just an expression of longing.

Qian Shishi carefully put the letter away, then cheerfully went to tease her daughter, asking her to learn to call him "Dad" so she could give Shierlang a surprise later.

The messenger first delivered the letter to Song Xuan's home before continuing his journey towards Yingtian Academy.

As the dean, Fan Zhongyan would also give classes from time to time.

At this moment, he was answering questions from students and some visiting scholars after class.

Those students who failed the provincial examinations didn't even bother to look for the list of successful candidates in the capital city.

One reason is the high cost of living; people don't have enough money to stay long enough.

Another person, unwilling to give up the imperial examinations, naturally sought to study at a prestigious school under renowned teachers, hoping to pass the exams and become an official as soon as possible.

Fan Zhongyan had just finished answering the questions and returned to his office with his textbook.

Zhang Shide, who was standing nearby, said, "You have a letter; it was written by Song Twelve."

"Oh?" Fan Zhongyan held up his fingers and counted: "They've finished the palace examination."

"I thought this kid would wait until the results were released before writing to you."

Hearing Zhang Shide's joke, Fan Zhongyan smiled. The students did well in the exam, and they, as teachers, naturally felt proud and happy.

Fan Zhongyan opened Song Xuan's letter and read it carefully. Immediately, his brows furrowed.

I never imagined that two brothers who were once top scholars in the imperial examinations would do such a despicable thing!
Fortunately, Song Xuan was lucky enough to see through their conspiracy and was immediately appointed the top scholar by the emperor.

In this light, Song Xuan turned misfortune into blessing, directly achieving the highest accomplishment for a scholar by passing the imperial examinations in three consecutive years!

He can be said to be the first student from Yingtian Academy to truly achieve the "Triple Crown" (passing all three levels of the imperial examinations with top honors).

At the end of the letter, Song Xuan wanted to ask Fan Zhongyan how he should deal with the intrigues and power struggles in officialdom.

Snapped.

"unacceptable."

Fan Zhongyan slapped the table, placed Song Xuan's letter on it, and stood up, pacing back and forth.

He despised official corruption and collusion to frame loyal officials.

Anyone with eyes could see that it was done by Hanlin Academician Chen Yaozi, but he simply denied it and was let off the hook.

Such persecution of students, especially during the imperial examination, is nothing short of damaging the foundation of the nation.
Does this mean that the selection of officials only focuses on family background and ignores true talent, thus following the old path of the Tang Dynasty?
Fan Zhongyan believed that the Tang Dynasty was indeed powerful, possessing the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, and even the Tangut people in the northwest had to submit to the Tang Dynasty.

When Fan Zhongyan was studying and taking the imperial examinations, he did not study these matters in depth. However, after he became an official, he discovered many problems.

However, everyone turned a blind eye; once they became officials, they were willing to indulge in pleasure amidst singing and dancing.

As for problems such as heavy taxes, displacement of people, lax border defenses, and lack of training for soldiers, they were simply left unattended.

It could erupt at any time, and then peasant uprisings would break out all over the Song Dynasty. Caught between internal and external forces, the Song Dynasty might not have fared as well as the Tang Dynasty.

Fan Zhongyan had long wanted to write a memorial to the court, but Yan Shu had been suppressing it.

Now that Yan Shu has been transferred, Fan Zhongyan can no longer suppress his inner desires.

Song Xuan's letter further ignited this point.

"what happened?"

Seeing Fan Zhongyan so angry, Zhang Shide, who was standing to the side, chuckled and said:
"Did that brat Song Twelve cause some huge trouble in Tokyo, and somehow manage to expose your name, Fan Xiwen?"

After Zhang Shide finished speaking, he laughed at himself. He said that watching Journey to the West in his spare time was quite interesting.

Fan Zhongyan, with his hands behind his back, said helplessly:
"Oh, stop teasing me. Master Zhang, please take a good look at this letter."

(End of this chapter)