A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 288 Returning home in glory
That's how it is.

"Then I understand!"

Yang Wenguang looked at his mother with suspicion in his eyes.

Did the top scholar Song really mean that?

Yang Wenguang was also present when Song Xuan and Zhe Jixuan were explaining.

He felt that Song Xuan's plan went beyond that.

There are many other commendable aspects.

Is it all summed up in just one sentence?

After Zhe Jixuan finished talking about the spies, he burst into laughter. He finally understood what he had to do.

As long as I scout out the route in the early stages, will there be no reason for me not to have a chance to use my skills when the Song Dynasty and the Western Xia go to war in the future?

Although this task takes a long time, it is still a great achievement.

Madam Yang smiled and encouraged him a few more times before Zhe Jixuan went out to use the restroom.

Just as Yang Wenguang was about to say something, Old Madam Yang waved her hand:

"No need to say more. Ji Xuan is too young to understand the scholar's profound plans. Just let him do one thing. His brain can't handle so many things at the same time."

Yang Wenguang promptly shut his mouth.

My mother is right.

My older cousin is truly brave but reckless; I spent a long time explaining it to him on the way.

He wouldn't listen.

I can't understand the reasoning behind this.

Madam Yang, however, said very seriously:
"This Song scholar really came up with a good idea. If Ji Xuan is dismissed from his post and then goes into business, Li Deming of Xixia might secretly try to win him over."

Hearing his elderly mother's words, Yang Wenguang raised an eyebrow:
“Mother, I originally thought that this top scholar’s ​​writing of Romance of the Three Kingdoms was nothing more than theoretical talk, but after listening to his plans today, I realize that he is quite interested in military affairs.”

"I just don't know if these words came from the mouth of Privy Councilor Cao?"

Madam Yang came from the Chai family.

Because of her husband Yang Yanzhao's merits, she was granted the title of Lady, and thus also held an "official rank".

Women with official titles could enter the palace to talk to the Empress Dowager, wear their official robes to beat drums or file complaints, and the officials would not treat them like ordinary women, simply sending a minor official to dismiss them.

"In my opinion, it doesn't seem to be the idea of ​​Privy Councilor Cao."

"Ok?"

Yang Wenguang felt puzzled.

After all, when it comes to military strategy, Cao Cao utilized his military skills during marches and battles.

Song Xuan wasn't even born yet.

Cao Li's experience far surpasses that of Song Xuan.

"What does Mother mean by that?"

“Your father said that Cao Shumi made him too proud. Although he was courageous, he was not very good at strategy in matters of national importance.”

Upon hearing that it was his own father's evaluation, Yang Wenguang immediately believed it.

It seems that Song Xuan, the son-in-law Cao seized, really does have some skills.

It's not just about reading.

Yang Wenguang also harbored great ambitions and wanted to restore the glory of his ancestors.

Unfortunately, I never had any opportunities, let alone any recognition from my superiors.

Even the elite members of the Shi family, who were part of the Imperial Guard, were dutifully on guard duty. Even if they were to be sent out, it wouldn't be the case for a border general's family like his.

After listening to her son's praise of Song Xuan, Old Madam Yang finally sighed:
"Such a talented person, I wonder if he will be implicated by his father-in-law."

Hearing his mother's words, Yang Wenguang originally wanted to get to know Song Xuan better, but now he hesitated.

After all, his father had passed away more than ten years ago and had been stationed on the frontier for many years.

The Yang family did not have much influence in the capital city.

The three brothers are all on guard duty at the palace.

"However, these are not matters for our Yang family to worry about."

Old Madam Yang looked at her son and said:
"Song Zhuangyuan has a bright future ahead of him. If he comes to power and reforms the military system, things will be very different for you brothers. You will not only become like your father, but you will even be good enough to be like Ma Zhijie."

Military officers did not hold a high position in the Song Dynasty and were not respected.

This trend began with Emperor Taizu of Song.

I can give you more money, but as for social status and public esteem, don't even think about trying to be like a civil official.

In his later years, Emperor Taizong of Song taught his son that even if the country had no external threats, it would inevitably face internal troubles.

What are external threats?

The Liao dynasty fought desperately but couldn't break in, just as I couldn't reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun even if I wanted to. We were stuck in this stalemate.

But internal troubles are looming ahead!

Before we knew it, the throne of our Zhao family was seized by those military generals with power.

Emperor Zhenzong kept this firmly in mind, especially in foreign wars, where General Wang Chao held onto his troops and acted arrogantly, refusing to obey the emperor's orders.

After the Treaty of Chanyuan, Emperor Zhenzong realized that things that couldn't be resolved militarily could be resolved with money.

There is no need to spend money on defense and military construction.

Given the emperor's words and actions, the officials naturally looked down on the military generals from the bottom of their hearts.

This is just a nobody from out of town, Zhe Jixuan, who dares to come to Tokyo to seek connections. Who would want to pay attention to him?

Such was the prevailing social atmosphere in the Song Dynasty.

When Wang Qinruo was prime minister, he was enjoying great favor.

In front of the emperor, he directly berated Ma Zhijie, the deputy privy councilor, making him look terrible.

Even if both father and son were famous generals and loved reading, they were still military generals who were looked down upon.

Especially before the Battle of Chanyuan, Wang Chao held considerable military power, but Ma Zhijie took the initiative to force Wang Chao to leave without an excuse.

Ma Zhijie also repeatedly insulted Wang Qinruo, and was eventually sent away to a post outside the capital.

Madam Yang mentioned Ma Zhijie because after the peace treaty was negotiated, the court painted a rosy picture of peace and neglected military preparedness. Ma Zhijie repeatedly called on the troops not to forget the war effort on various occasions, but he was largely ignored by the ruling group and did nothing at all.

Yang Wenguang also sighed:
“Mother, even if the top scholar Song does not despise our status as military officers, it may be ten or twenty years before he comes to power.”

Ma's grandson, like him, also stood guard in the palace.

There's no need to worry.

Old Madam Yang admonished her son:

"Opportunities will always come. Before that, you must hone your skills. When the opportunity arrives, you must seize it firmly and never let go."

Yang Wenguang nodded heavily, then sighed:
“Mother, my Yang family has been enemies with the Liao Kingdom for generations. I fear that there will be no more war between the Song and Liao in the future.”

Since there was no war between the Song and Liao dynasties, the families of the border generals had no value in uniting the people.

"Since Scholar Song has set his sights on Western Xia, in my opinion, the ruler of Western Xia, Li Deming, is ambitious and will surely declare himself emperor. At that time, he will wage war in the northwest. You should hone your skills and wait for the right opportunity."

After listening to his mother's words, Yang Wenguang agreed that war was bound to happen between the Song and Xia families, and even between the Liao and Xia families.

That time might also have been an opportunity for the Yang family.

……

Song Xuan and his brother-in-law drove Cao Liyong back to the mansion.

After drinking the hangover soup, Cao Li leaned back on the bed:

"That foolish boy from the Zhe family came to you to plead for him?"

Song Xuan nodded:
"I didn't reject him."

"Ok?"

Cao Liyong had assumed that Song Xuan would be able to tell that the kid wasn't very bright.

"Why?"

Song Xuan sat in the chair: "He's not cut out to be a commander, nor can he be a good prefect. I've pointed him in a direction, and I hope he can make it."

Cao Li immediately became interested:
"What approach do you have? Let me hear it."

"But I wanted to tell my father-in-law, because to do this, we still need the emperor's secret approval."

Cao Liyong listened to the path that Song Xuan pointed out to Zhe Jixuan, and found that both the motive and the excuse were plausible.

Anyway, everyone knew that Zhe Jixuan had been dismissed from his post.

He gave up on himself and went into business to make some money, and was even won over by the Western Xia people.

Both sides were Tanguts, but they served different people.

Moreover, the Zhe family enjoyed special privileges during the Northern Song Dynasty.

Cao Liyong felt that even the Liao Dynasty, which occupied the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, could not make money in the border markets.

On the contrary, hundreds or thousands of the annual tributes were returned to the Song Dynasty.

The Western Xia, located in the northwest, was more dependent on resources from the Central Plains.

"Not only can we do business with the Ganzhou Uyghurs, but we can also make some contact with the Gusiluo, who have a long-standing feud with the Western Xia."

Cao shook his head slightly:

"Now, both Gusiluo and the Emperor are puppets. All the power is in Li Lizun's hands. The court has long since discovered that both of them have lost their strength and can no longer become a border threat to the Song Dynasty."

"Therefore, starting from the first year of the Tiansheng era, the government allowed them to pay tribute once a year, but they were given a total of fifty bolts of cloth and fifty catties of tea per month to settle the matter."

The current Gusiluo has not yet escaped one powerful minister after another and become the King of Qingtang!

Song Xuan, however, knew some of the opportunities available to this King of Qing Tang. Limited by external circumstances, he could be described as a late bloomer, and he had always adhered to the principle of allying with Song against Xia.

The Song Dynasty could not defeat the arrogant Li Yuanhao. He won several great victories, which led most of the Uyghurs and Tibetans who had previously been subordinate to Li Yuanhao to gather under his banner.

"Then let's take this opportunity to send Zhe Jixuan to help Gusiluo and give him some support from the Song Dynasty."

"A puppet."

Cao Li shook his head slightly and said, "If he could succeed, he would have killed Li Lizun and established himself as emperor long ago."

In his view, the foreigners were barbaric and lived by primitive means. If they had any tricks up their sleeves, they would have used them long ago. How come they had accomplished nothing by the time they were nearly thirty?
Those Tangut and Tibetan people were physically strong in the northwest, but they were prone to dying as they got older.

None of them live long.

Song Xuan chuckled twice:

"My father-in-law is only giving us more cloth and tea. I suspect that the salaries the Song Dynasty gives them won't even reach Gusiluo's hands. We should give him some sponsorship through the caravan so that he can buy off his subordinates and help him succeed!"

Cao's monthly salary was practically a steal compared to that of the Tibetan chieftain.

So when Song Xuan suggested it, it didn't seem like a big expense.

If Gusiluo were to successfully assume power, he would have more strength to restrain Western Xia in the future.

It is unlikely that relying solely on the Ganzhou Uyghurs will be sufficient to withstand the Western Xia army for long.

"Should this be discussed with His Majesty alone, or with the Empress Dowager?"

Song Xuan chuckled: "Of course it's to be told to His Majesty alone. Do you think Empress Dowager Liu would bother with such a trivial matter?"

Cao nodded again.

After all, Empress Dowager Liu was not one to follow the rules.

To be honest, I don't think much of her.

However, she is now the Empress Dowager, a woman of noble status.

Empress Dowager Liu particularly liked to issue decrees directly from the palace to decide political affairs.

This refers to a decision made without consultation or discussion between the ministers of the two offices, and is usually called an "internal decree".

This practice of rewarding and punishing officials based solely on personal likes and dislikes, regardless of merit or demerit, is most likely to undermine official discipline and lead to increasing political corruption.

Cao Liyong knew very well that even the Prime Minister Wang Zeng, who always claimed to be "fair," disapproved of Liu E's actions.

There was no good solution at the moment.

Cao Li acknowledged that Liu E was shrewd, capable, and politically astute, but she simply loved power and had no political goals or ambitions for the Song Dynasty.

He once wanted to emulate Wu Zetian.

Cao Liyong wanted to see when those civil officials would have the means to get the Empress Dowager to return power to the Emperor.

They all acted so respectable and dignified in their daily lives, yet they couldn't do anything about the Empress Dowager's unbridled behavior.

"Alright, I will find an opportunity to discuss this with the Emperor."

After Cao finished discussing the important matter, he took the initiative to speak again:

"The Shi family has spent so much money on the wedding, I, Lao Cao, can't afford it, but don't worry, I will never let you suffer any injustice."

"Oh, father-in-law," Song Xuan quickly said.

"You know, I am quite wealthy."

"You absolutely must not borrow money from loan sharks just to hold a wedding in Tokyo."

"How can it be!"

Cao actually had this idea.

After all, the Shi family's lavish wedding had provoked him.

Even the Three-Tailed Lord can receive such treatment.

Does that mean that a scholar who has achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations is not worthy of the title?

“We, father-in-law and son-in-law, have known each other since we were humble beginnings, and we don’t need money to strengthen our relationship.”

Song Xuan was aware of the Song Dynasty's custom of lavish dowries.

In many cases, the problem for people in the Song Dynasty wasn't that they couldn't afford to marry, but rather that they couldn't afford to be married off!
Su Shi's younger brother, Su Zhe, sold a good piece of land he had purchased in Xinxiang, Henan, to raise "9,400 strings of cash" for his daughter's dowry. In his diary, he called this "breaking up the family to marry off the daughter."

Nine thousand four hundred strings of cash is equivalent to nine thousand four hundred strings of cash, which is less than eight million today.

Even if people's living standards have improved, how many families can afford a dowry of eight million?
Besides, Su Zhe had four daughters.

The practice of lavish dowries was particularly prevalent in the Jiangnan region.

In the Southern Song Dynasty, a woman named Zheng Qingyi got married. Her dowry included 500 acres of land, 30 shops, and 100,000 strings of copper coins—these items would be worth hundreds of millions of yuan today!

Why did people in the Song Dynasty give such a large dowry when their daughters got married?

The first purpose is to supplement the family income so that my daughter's life after marriage can be more comfortable.

Women have certain property rights, and the bride's dowry is at her disposal after marriage.

In addition, there is another more important reason for a generous dowry: the more dowry a daughter brings, the higher her status will be in her husband's family after marriage.

There's also the story of two prime ministers staging a real man's duel to win the heart of a wealthy widow.

Cao laughed a few times but didn't respond.

How could he possibly get his son-in-law to pay for it!
We can't afford to lose face like this.

Song Xuan began to speak:

"I'll use my own people as the chef. I trust his cooking skills. I just need to allocate manpower for him. I don't need any fancy restaurants like Fanlou. When I went back to my hometown to hold my wedding, I also hired a chef from Qinglou to cook the banquet. It didn't cost much."

"As for guests, my father-in-law can host a banquet in Tokyo. When I return to Songcheng to hold the wedding, I will still need to invite many old acquaintances. Most of them are country folk and江湖人士 (jianghu figures), and it will be difficult for them to get together with officials."

Cao Liyong understood that they would hold one event at Song Xuan's house first, and then another in Dongjing City.

Are you going back to your hometown, Ningling County?

"No, this is my home in Songcheng."

Song Xuan smiled and said, "I will talk to my grandfather."

"Can they agree?"

"Now that the Song family has produced only one top scholar who has achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations, how could he possibly disagree?"

Song Xuan chuckled: "People say that in the first thirty years, people observe how fathers respect their sons, and in the next thirty years, they observe how sons respect their fathers."

“My father couldn’t give me a normal life and I was looked down upon by many people. Now he’s counting on me. How could he dare to go against my wishes?”

"That old gambling addict wants to act like a father in front of me? Does he even have the right?"

"At worst, we can break his legs and keep him at home. Are we going to let him starve to death?"

"hiss."

Cao Li sat up straight and looked at Song Xuan:

"Makes sense!"

Song Xuan smiled and said, "Okay, I'll go home tomorrow to make some preparations, and then we'll discuss the specific details of the wedding procession."

"it is good."

Cao Yongli felt that his son-in-law was truly capable and would not suffer any losses in the officialdom in the future!
After leaving Cao's residence, Song Xuan went straight to Zhang Qi's house.

Everyone was packing their things, preparing to return to Songcheng together.

They would attend Song Xuan's wedding no matter what.

After attending the event, they will also attend Han Qi's wedding, and finally go home for a few days before going their separate ways.

If anything comes up in the future, we'll have to communicate by letter.

"I didn't expect the imperial examinations to end so quickly."

Lü Lejian sighed softly:
"To be honest, I'm really reluctant to part with it."

"You're not going to part with it, my foot!" Wang Tai scoffed.
“Your cousin is the current prime minister. You’d better wait to be promoted on the spot. If you don’t have enough seniority, how will you be promoted?”

"Don't talk nonsense."

After Lü Lejian angrily rebuked Wang Tai, she couldn't help but laugh herself.

The saying "It's easier to get an official position if you have connections in the court" applies here.

Otherwise, how could the Lu family members have worked so hard to pass the imperial examinations and enter officialdom? Wouldn't it have been easy to rely on their ancestors' favor?

He mainly got his position through patronage and had no way to be promoted quickly.

The number of Lu family members holding official positions in the Song Dynasty would then be cut off.

How can we still "pass on our skills and knowledge"?
Wang Tai was the only one of his three brothers to enter officialdom through the imperial examination.

His future prospects will definitely be much better than his two older brothers.

Song Xuan was writing a letter to the side, paying no attention to their conversation.

Nowadays, people are no longer solely focused on preparing for exams; they naturally want to showcase their connections.

After all, becoming an official through the imperial examination was only the first step.

If you want to climb higher, there are still many hurdles ahead.

Didn't you see that our Dean Fan Zhongyan is so old, yet with such outstanding political achievements, and still only holds a minor official position?

Zhang Fangping looked at the night sky outside; it wasn't so cold in April anymore.

"Twelfth Brother, do you think I should marry the daughter of a military general?"

After Zhang Fangping finished speaking, even Song Xuan stopped writing and looked at him carefully:
"what do you think?"

“When you and Fan Xiang went out today, several military families came to me and even openly offered me prices.”

Zhang Fangping chuckled a few times: "Although I have seen a lot of Twelfth Brother's gold, I am still extremely surprised by the amount they mentioned. If I were to marry into their family, I could live a life of wealth and luxury in the future."

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan put down his pen and pointed at Zhang Fangping:
"I bet you're only pretending to covet their money; you're just jealous of how we hold young ladies' breasts at night, and what you really want is to sleep with them!"

"Hahaha."

Lu Lejian slapped his thigh and laughed wildly.

Bao Zheng also planned to attend his classmate's wedding and then go home to get married.

He specifically requested the government to assign him to a post in the neighboring county, which was closer to his home.

Hearing Song Xuan's "vulgar" words, even the dark-faced man was speechless.

Twelve Lang looks very serious, but the things he says are anything but serious.

Zhang Fangping's face immediately turned red:
"I don't!"

"Twelfth Brother, please don't frame me."

Zhu Yu watched from the side, a smile playing on her lips.

Such lively days are probably gone forever.

During the Qin and Han dynasties, women generally had to get married by the age of thirteen. If they were still unmarried by the age of fifteen, they would be taxed twice as much.

If a woman remains unmarried, she will be taxed until she turns thirty. After that age, the government will no longer care, as they consider her to have no reproductive value.

The term "Xu Niang Ban Lao" (许娘半老) is calculated from the age of thirty.

The Tang Dynasty was around the same age, but it did not double the taxes as stipulated.

However, the Song Dynasty's practice of lavish dowries led to women marrying at an older age.

Because scholars had to take the imperial examinations, they married at an average age of around twenty-four.

People like them who get married at such a young age are still a minority.

"Who is Twelfth Brother writing to?"

"Su Sanlang."

Song Xuan looked at Han Qi with a grin:

"Tell him the good news that I passed the imperial examinations in three rounds, and that I also got married."

"If you serve as an official in Tokyo in the future, and if you travel to study again, you will have someone in Tokyo to rely on." "Su Xun."

Zhang Fangping nodded, having a deep impression of the young man.

That kid is incredibly bold!
Song Xuan not only wrote to Su Xun, but also wrote a letter to Fu Bi.

the next day.

Song Xuan and the others then packed up their things.

They drove the donkey cart directly out of the city.

When I first came to Tokyo, it was freezing cold, but now it's springtime and flowers are in bloom.

Song Xuan stood on the dock, watching them drive the donkeys and horses onto the boat.

Wang Gui naturally wanted to follow.

He planned to join the Imperial Guard after attending Song Xuan's wedding.

Lü Lejian was filled with emotion:

"I don't know when I'll be able to come back after leaving Tokyo this time."

"Yes."

The taciturn Han Qi stood on the dock:

"Twelfth Brother, go easy on them. I also want to deal with the Chen brothers."

Bao Zheng glanced at Han Qi; in truth, he was very reluctant to see this kind of "factional strife."

But everyone hopes that others are saints so that they can judge them by the standards of saints.

If he does not conform to the words and deeds of the sage, he will be severely criticized and slandered.

That's unrealistic.

So Bao Zheng remained silent.

From now on, we are no longer ordinary citizens, and we must be more careful with our words and actions.

"As a county magistrate of Kaifeng, I'm subject to their control. I'd be grateful if I didn't get bullied every day."

Lü Lejian, however, did not think so.

Everyone else started as a local grassroots official, and if they wanted to achieve more, they definitely had to get promoted.

The promotion of officials in the Song Dynasty was actually traceable.

As long as you are law-abiding and do your job step by step, you will have the opportunity to be promoted through "testing".

"Performance evaluation" refers to a performance appraisal system where anyone holding a position in the government can apply for a promotion after a certain period of time.

It was found that his qualifications were in line with the promotion requirements, and he did not need to have any special performance in his position; he could be promoted gradually.

But could someone like Song Xuan, who achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations and was also favored by the emperor, be anyone else?

Before Lü Lejian could speak, she heard Song Xuan chuckle:
"How could I dare to retaliate against them?"

"The only way to make them stop is to deal with their moves as they come, get promoted as soon as possible, and be able to stand on equal footing with them."

With these words as a foundation, Lü Lejian remained silent, knowing his cousin's stance.

"Twelfth Brother, don't worry so much about their revenge."

He lowered his voice and said:

“You’ve offended more than just the Chen brothers in Tokyo; you should also be wary of the others.”

Hearing Lü Lejian's words, Song Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly:
"Okay, wait until I return to Tokyo and get properly sorted out."

Lu Lejian didn't say much, because his cousin Lu Yijian didn't tell him everything either.

After all, Song Xuan is no longer a member of the Lü faction, and there is even a great possibility that he could weaken the Lü faction's power.

The ship left the dock and headed towards Songcheng.

Ruan Yi came to Song Xuan's residence to say goodbye, but heard from the servants that Young Master Song had already returned to his hometown to prepare for his wedding.

He nodded, and then made an appointment with Hu Yuan and Shi Jie to also go to Songcheng.

Ruan Yi planned to attend Song Xuan's wedding, so he wouldn't attend the one in Dongjing City and would return directly to his hometown.

After all, the cost of living in Tokyo is too high.

Hu Yuan went to the academy to study, while Shi Jie returned to the academy to prepare for the examinations in the eighth year of the Tiansheng era.

In fact, after the Qionglin Banquet, many students and successful candidates would leave Tokyo.

It's just that Song Xuan and the others had to attend Fan Xiang's wedding, which is why they were a few days late.

The boats sailed downstream and arrived at Songcheng in two days.

As for the customs offices along the way and the canal wharves, they did not make things difficult for them.

Whose student is smuggling three donkeys and a horse?
Another question led to Songcheng.

Without a doubt, the destination was Yingtian Academy.

The news that the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) dominated the list of successful candidates in Tokyo was even heard by many boatmen on the Grand Canal.

As for the checkpoints that charge taxes, they've become completely numb to it.

Moreover, there are many people who simply top up their cards without paying.

Song Xuan stepped onto the dock of Song City again, where a group of brothers from the latrine-collecting team had somehow acquired drums and cymbals.

The sounds of people banging on the shore created a lively atmosphere.

"Twelve Lang is back."

"The top scholar is back!"

The crowd immediately swarmed around him.

Zhen Guannan wore a fawning smile:

"The news that Shierlang has won the top three honors in the past few days has already spread throughout the streets and alleys of Songcheng."

"Yes."

Manager Lei also stretched out his chubby hands:

"I really never expected Twelve to achieve such success!"

Song Xuan looked at everyone and said:
"I'm getting married in a few days, you're all welcome to come."

Manager Lei froze in mid-air, his outstretched hand still in his hand. He had already planned to marry his daughter to Song Xuan.

Is it too late?

He had long known that the Tokyo elites were extremely obsessed with finding husbands through the official channels.

However, Manager Lei felt that Song Xuan was no ordinary person, so how could he easily agree to someone else's request?
Ji Hao laughed loudly: "Good, good, good! We can attend Twelfth Brother's wedding too. We must take a good two days to freshen up."

"Hahaha." Song Xuan looked at Ji Hao and said:
"Those with families should bring their families along, so that everyone can show their face."

"Good good."

Ji Hao smiled; his wife was pregnant.

"Twelfth Brother," Wang Xiuyong said with a smile, "you're finally back."

Wang Xiuyong was ill and did not participate in the provincial examination.

"Where is Doctor Wang?" Song Xuan patted him on the shoulder. "I'll have to go and invite him myself later."

“My father went to Tokyo and we don’t know when he will be back.”

Wang Xiuyong mentioned it briefly, and Song Xuan raised an eyebrow; he hadn't heard of it.

However, with a population of one million in Tokyo, it's perfectly normal for one person to slip in.

A crowd of people, accompanied by gongs and drums, escorted Song Xuan home.

The journey was bustling and lively, as everyone was announcing the return of the top scholar.

The whole city was in an uproar.

Although Song Xuan had already become a celebrity in Songcheng thanks to his reputation as the Timely Rain.

Everyone knows him.

But this time Song Xuan is the top scholar who has won the three highest honors in the imperial examinations. Can his previous status be compared with his current status?
Moreover, many students who failed the imperial examinations also came to Yingtian Academy for further study.

When the news reached the academy, a large number of students flocked to the streets to see what was happening.

The last time Songcheng was in such a frenzy was when Emperor Zhenzong of Song came to the place where his ancestors had prospered to pay homage.

People flocked to the streets to see the emperor, just like they were watching monkeys.

After all, many people never get to see the emperor in their entire lives.

The last time the Song brothers came to Songcheng, it wasn't on such a large scale.

This prompted Li Di, the prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, and Song Qi, the magistrate of Songcheng County, to go out and look at Song Xuan riding a tall horse.

He wasn't satisfied even after dominating the streets of Tokyo.

Even after returning to Songcheng, they still had to participate in a street parade, truly something unprecedented and unparalleled.

"Why didn't he go back to his hometown of Ningling County, but instead went back to Songcheng first?"

Li Di couldn't understand why this kind of thing required going back to one's hometown, but Ningling County was upstream of Songcheng.

“Song Shier started working independently at the age of eight and did not have a close relationship with his family.”

Hearing Song Qi's explanation, Li Di's face showed even more disbelief:

"If it weren't for his family background, would he have taken the imperial examination like Yan Shu?"

That is to follow the path of a child prodigy.

"I suppose so."

Li Di finally understood why Yan Shu thought highly of Song Xuan; it turned out they were kindred spirits!
"The difference in talent between people can sometimes be quite significant."

Song Qi glanced at Li Di.

It must be admitted that Songcheng is a place with some unique features.

He could be considered a "top scholar" (Zhuangyuan), while Li Di was an even older top scholar.

Now Song Xuan has achieved the highest honors in all three categories.

A place where several top scholars take turns serving is truly a place of outstanding people and abundant resources.

No wonder it is the birthplace of the Song Dynasty emperors!

"Returning home in glory."

Li Di couldn't help but sigh, realizing that he himself hadn't been as imposing as Song Xuan was back then.

"It truly is a triumphant return home."

Song Qi and his brother had also experienced this, but the number of people organized by the government was not as large as it is now.

Song Xuan's connections in Song City extended even to beggars.

How could it not be lively?

When they returned to the Twelve Bookstores, the road was already packed with people and impossible to pass.

The food stalls run by Gao Zunfu and his colleagues from the Imperial City Guard were packed with customers.

"I knew that Twelfth Prince had passed the imperial examination in three consecutive rounds, but I still can't quite believe it when I see this scene before me."

What shocked Gao Zunfu the most was that the Emperor had a discerning eye for talent!

Before being sent to reinforce Song Xuan, he hadn't even passed the preliminary examination.

Almost instantly, Song Xuan achieved the highest honors in all three categories, becoming the youngest top scholar in the history of the Song Dynasty.

Even if the emperor wanted to appoint him in the palace examination, he still had to rely on his own abilities to pass the provincial and prefectural examinations.

"Then haven't we witnessed his winning the triple crown in the imperial examinations?"

The Imperial City Guard's colleagues couldn't help but sigh:
"We're really lucky."

"Of course, you can make money and enjoy the excitement at the same time."

"Hahaha."

At this moment, Qian Shishi was holding her daughter and standing by the window, opening a crack to look down.

At this time, she dared not show her face.

But I was extremely excited.

However, Song Xuan could not be seen at all in the crowd.

Seeing her daughter reach out to open the window to join the fun, she picked her up and carried her back to sit in front of the chair.

She could only appear openly after he got married.

Song Xuan greeted the enthusiastic crowd at the entrance, expressing his gratitude to the villagers.

Song Xuan did not publicly announce that he was inviting most of these strangers to a banquet.

To avoid any confusion.

He's going to arrange a nice meal for him.

Finally, amidst cheers from the crowd, Song Xuan returned upstairs, leaving Han Qi, Zhang Fangping, and others to help him out.

After all, their rankings are not low; they are all second or third place finishers, just with lower profiles.

This is a good opportunity for people to get to know each other.

"Twelve Lang."

Qian Shishi stood up, holding her child, and looked at Song Xuan with teary eyes.

Song Xuan closed the door and laughed a few times:

"Come here, let your husband hug you."

Qian Shishi held the child and leaned on Song Xuan's shoulder.

Song Xuan held her in one arm and played with the child with the other.

Sisi had become somewhat unfamiliar with Song Xuan.

Children this age don't remember people very well.

"I knew you would be the top scorer in the exam."

Qian Shishi wiped away her tears:
"Actually, I wanted to go down and greet you, but I was afraid of causing you trouble."

"Hehehe, you're so clever after all."

Song Xuan also knew that he was now the center of attention, and that everyone was probably watching him.

If it's not something that needs to be revealed, then it's best not to talk about it.

Moreover, Gu Ziming is already dead, and Madam Gu is now a widow.

I cannot, for both moral and legal reasons, let her continue to live a life of widowhood.

And how can I possibly raise my own daughter?

The two chatted intimately for a while, and then, while the child was asleep, they had a good time together.

Qian Shishi knew in her heart that such happy days would not come for a long time to come.

So she was very proactive, asking for more and more.

Fortunately, Song Xuan was young, and during the break, he fed his baby who woke up at night.

During this period in the capital, I had to deal with both exams and other people.

A rare day of indulgence.

Song Xuan threw himself into it completely.

The next day, Qian Shishi was still asleep, but her daughter was awake.

Song Xuan carried his daughter and started walking around the room, helping her pee and changing her diapers.

It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky that Han Qi knocked on the door to ask if we were going to Yingtian Academy to pay a visit to the master.

Everyone was dressed neatly.

Song Xuan responded, went downstairs to wash up, changed into his personal clothes, and headed straight for the academy.

Zhang Fangping looked at Song Xuan with some suspicion.

He was certain that his twelfth brother had been having an affair with that young woman.

I just don't understand why Twelfth Brother isn't tired?
He had heard people say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but it's always quite tiring.

But Zhang Fangping couldn't ask in front of everyone.

After all, there are some things that Han Qi and the others are unaware of.

Zhang Fangping felt even more embarrassed when asked this privately.

So, not long after, several students who had completed their studies returned to Yingtian Academy.

As soon as they entered, a security guard who worked there approached them.

After all, he knew Song Xuan very well; he was able to work here entirely because of Song Xuan's connections.

"So it's Shierlang who's back."

"Haha, you go ahead with your business, we're going to visit the Master."

"Good good."

As gatekeepers, they have received many students who have come to study abroad in recent days.

When Song Xuan and the others arrived at the office, Dean Fan had already been transferred.

The current dean is Zhang Shide, a former top scholar.

"Let me see who's here?"

Zhang Shide had a smile on his face:
"The top three scholars (first, second, and third place) have all gathered together; it's truly a rare sight in the world."

"Haha, Master Zhang always knows how to make fun of us."

Song Xuan sat down first: "Is Master Zhang feeling any better?"

"After all, the responsibility of Yingtian Academy now rests on your shoulders."

"Quickly take my pulse and check it."

Everyone knows that Zhang Shide is in poor health.

Otherwise, after passing the imperial examination with top honors, he wouldn't have stayed in the academy; instead, he would have pursued a career in politics.

"I've been very tired lately. More and more students are coming to study, and the academy can't keep up with the demand. The number of financial institutions I'm supporting is also increasing."

Zhang Shide sighed: "Not just anyone can be a dean."

“Then I’ll give Master Zhang a suggestion.”

Song Xuan withdrew his hand. Master Zhang didn't have any major problems; it was just his old ailment.

"You're such a clever kid, tell me about it."

“When they come to apply for money in the future, Master Zhang only needs to write the word ‘read’, and the rest can be left to others.”

Zhang Shide knew all too well how hard it was to earn the money to run the academy, so how could he not carefully oversee the process?

"Don't talk nonsense."

Zhang Shide then questioned Bao Zheng and others, and they also had some impression of him.

He was clearly taken aback when he learned that Zhu Yu had not passed the exam.
"Oh, what a pity for that child."

Zhu Yu went home yesterday and did not come to the academy to study hard today.

"However, Fan Xiang's success in the examination of the Three-Tailed Lord was truly a great surprise to me."

Zhang Shide stroked his beard, revealing age spots on his face.

Fan Xiang's grades weren't great, but he was also incredibly lucky.

"There are already three people ahead of you who have achieved the triple crown in the imperial examinations, but you are a policy essay candidate, so it is not as easy for you to achieve this as for them."

Zhang Shide had a smile on his face:

"But I still have to say that it's rare to catch a three-tailed fox even in a thousand years. You've been outdone in the imperial examinations."

Several people burst into laughter.

The joke of the last place team surpassing the first place team was truly hilarious for Zhang Fangping and others in Bengbu.

Fortunately, Fan Xiang wasn't here, otherwise he wouldn't have dared to openly say such things to brag.

"Master Zhang, you'd better take good care of yourself. I'm getting married in a few days."

Song Xuan chuckled a few times: "I'll need the Master to help me make a scene then."

"Easy to say."

Zhang Shide was also extremely happy about this.

"By the way, is Xiwen doing well in Tokyo?"

Zhang Shide still had some concerns about Fan Zhongyan:

"Xiwen is too straightforward, and the waters of Tokyo are too deep."

"Given his character, he would be more easily manipulated if he were to serve as an official in the capital."

Song Xuan and the others couldn't answer either, they could only say it was fine.

"Twelve-year-old Lang, Zhang Da-lang, you both serve as officials in the capital city of Tokyo."

"In the future, we should continue to advise Fan Xiwen to stop being so impulsive and impeaching whoever he can find!"

(End of this chapter)