A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 309 Can't you earn money while standing up?

Regarding Mu Xiu's decision to teach at Yingtian Academy.

Qin Ying reacted strongly.

He had painstakingly broken Mu Xiu's resolve with some underhanded tactics, but now that he had laid his cards on the table, it had become Mu Xiu's motivation to persevere.

Who should be on it?

Anyone can break down!

Reforms throughout history have always affected existing interest groups.

Especially things like redistribution.

Even though the Song Dynasty has now entered a critical phase, it will not easily change course.

Qin Ying and his group were all influenced by the Xikun style of examinations and accumulated a wealth of examination experience that can benefit future generations.

The current policies are so drastic that a complete overhaul is needed; the old methods are no longer effective.

Which of these vested interests in these halls of power wouldn't be furious?
The competition for the right to speak, especially within the Confucian tradition, will be even more intense.

Don't assume that intellectuals won't kill each other.

Their debate over the orthodox path.

It's always been bloody.

In Song Xuan's observations, he discovered that contemporary Song Dynasty Confucian scholars believed...

They reached a new height in the best traditions of Confucianism.

It surpassed the achievements of the Han and Tang dynasties.

Because they have opened up new horizons, explored new depths, introduced new connotations, and proposed new ways of explanation.

Although all of these are new only relative to the larger framework of Confucian tradition.

However, this does not prevent the contemporary Neo-Confucianism of the Song Dynasty from exhibiting a significant diversity, manifesting in several different trends.

This was a basic consensus among all Confucian scholars within the Song Dynasty at that time.

They were all committed to the mission of a moral society, which is the ultimate goal of the government.

However, they advocate different ways to achieve this ideal.

Among the different schools of thought, a debate has already emerged over which school's "interpretation" should be accepted as orthodox!

Dissension began.

Naturally, these people need to be suppressed in official circles.

No matter how much the people called for reform, it was difficult to influence the upper echelons of the Song Dynasty.

Unless there is a "rebellion"!
You, a troublemaker, are the one who has "united front value"!
If reform is desired, it can only be carried out from the top down if the upper echelons of officialdom support this theory.

It's understandable that Qin Ying and his conservative group would suppress Mu Xiu.

Because they know that as long as these "reformers" are not in high positions, they cannot issue any policies, and therefore cannot have any impact.

Just like Mu Xiu himself, who spent more than 20 years of energy and money, he still didn't achieve much.

At this moment, Song Xuan brought up the fact that Mu Xiu was about to teach at Yingtian Academy to test Qin Ying.

Song Xuan noticed his subconscious annoyance and realized he wasn't lying.

Even in an enlightenment movement like the "Classical Chinese Movement," these conservatives have begun to resort to underhanded tactics.

It is conceivable how many people would oppose Fan Zhongyan's Qingli New Policies and Wang Anshi's reforms, and how much more intense the factional strife would ensue.

Fan Zhongyan's ten-thousand-word memorial can be seen as a test of reform.

Despite the large splashes, everyone was just watching the spectacle.

I don't think that Fan Zhongyan, a minor official, could have accomplished something as grand as reforming the Song Dynasty.

Especially now that Empress Dowager Liu is in charge, she is not a "reformer" at all, but a true conservative among conservatives.

How many people still mention Fan Zhongyan's ten-thousand-word memorial today?

Once the excitement is over, it's over.

Faced with Qin Ying's anger and embarrassment, Mu Xiu smiled.

So they were afraid that I would promote the classical Chinese literature of Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan!

Song Xuan's suggestion is absolutely brilliant!
Since I cannot achieve great things in officialdom, Yingtian Academy has already become the number one academy in the world, and the number of students who pass the imperial examinations in the future will surely be even greater.

Then I will go and promote the classical Chinese texts of Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan to them. If they become high-ranking officials in the future, they will certainly continue to promote them, which will eventually change the current mainstream Confucian thought.

The more my opponent forbids me from doing something, the more I'll do it!
Mu Xiu simply picked up his teacup and smiled:
"Thank you for the suggestion, Scholar Song. Otherwise, I would still be trapped in this officialdom."

Song Shou also picked up his teacup. He knew that Fan Zhongyan had been looking for excellent teachers for Yingtian Academy, and he didn't expect that Song Xuan was also promoting this matter.

It seems that the master and apprentice had communicated beforehand.

"You are delusional!"

Qin Ying said angrily.

Song Xuan smiled and clicked his tongue twice:

"How about Judge Qin also goes to teach at Yingtian Academy?"

Qin Ying: ? ? ?
Mu Xiu: ? ? ?
Song Shou: ? ? ?
……

Zhang Zhibai returned to the palace with the results and reported them to Wang Zeng and others.

After hearing the whole story, Lü Yijian knew that there was no way to save Qin Ying.

The only thing they could do was to tamper with his sentence and give him a lighter one.

Moreover, there is a fine tradition in officialdom of sacrificing pawns to save the king.

Qin Ying, who wanted to blend in with the world, would naturally understand this unspoken rule.

Wang Zeng narrowed his eyes. Now that the Emperor was ill, he immediately went to Liu E to try and get things done.

However, after seeing this, Liu E immediately resorted to delaying tactics.

How can we investigate Chen Yaozuo, the Prefect of Kaifeng, who has not yet returned?

After all, Chen Yaozuo, as the first person to be wrongly convicted, bears direct responsibility for this.

Although Empress Liu wanted to give the Chen brothers a warning, she did not want to replace Chen Yaozuo.

The position of Prefect of Kaifeng was no ordinary one.

If she were controlled by people other than Lü Yijian who supported the Empress Dowager's rule, Liu E would not sleep soundly at night.

Wang Zeng hurriedly offered further advice.

However, Liu E was determined to wait for Chen Yaozuo to return from his inspection before making any plans.

Having no other option, Wang Zeng returned in a huff.

Liu E sent someone to investigate how she could have been captured so quickly.
These events, happening one after another, made Liu E feel that someone wanted to weaken her power.

First, Liu Congde solved one problem only to create another. Then, through Mu Xiu, a minor military advisor, he convicted the magistrate and even implicated Chen Yaozuo, the prefect.

How could she feel at ease with all of this?

The emperor's feigned illness was also a silent protest against the verdict he received at the grand court assembly.

Liu E felt increasingly agitated.

If only the emperor could stay young forever!
Wang Zeng had no choice but to go to the "sick" emperor again. Even though the Empress Dowager was in power, everyone still had to listen to the emperor's edicts.

Zhao Zhen lay in bed, heartbroken, silently reflecting on his sacrifices over the years and the disdain in the eyes of the Empress Dowager.

He originally thought it was because the Empress Dowager was strict with him, but now, thanks to Song Xuan's "guided revelation," he understands.

That wasn't a strict requirement at all; she never had any strict requirements for her ex-husband's son.

The two are not related by blood, yet they protect each other in every way!

This left Zhao Zhen with an indescribable sense of grievance.

When Zhao Zhen heard Wang Zeng's account, he did not become angry; instead, he calmly gave the following instructions:

"I had already told Magistrate Song that he could act expediently when handling cases."

“Lord Wang, since the Empress Dowager does not agree, let’s first detain Qin Ying in the Kaifeng County jail. You know better than me what to do next.”

Wang Zeng bowed to indicate that he understood and would not disturb the emperor's rest.

However, after Wang Zeng went out, he found that the emperor seemed to be acting differently than before.

Wang Zeng couldn't figure out exactly what was different.

However, he was certain that the Emperor harbored resentment towards Liu Congde for the numerous "evil deeds" he had committed, despite the Empress Dowager's lavish treatment of him.

If left unattended, over time, those below will imitate this behavior, ultimately harming the Zhao Song dynasty, not the Liu Song dynasty.

The government certainly does not want to see such a scene.

As prime minister, Wang Zeng didn't have time to think too much and left directly, leaving Zhang Zhibai to handle the matter according to procedure.

Lü Yijian was summoned by Liu E to inquire about the specifics of the matter.

In any case, Lü Yijian should not sit idly by.

Everyone knows that Qin Ying, no matter how much he talks, is still one of your people, Lü Yijian.

Zhang Zhibai quickly returned with the emperor's edict, announcing that Qin Ying would be temporarily imprisoned in the county jail, and that all the case files would be submitted to the Ministry of Justice for a final determination of his guilt.

Qin Ying glanced at Song Xuan. The Emperor really "favors" Song Xuan!

They had already told him to act expediently, otherwise Song Xuan wouldn't be so fearless.

In fact, Qin Ying was quite tempted by Song Xuan's suggestion, and he really considered going to teach at Yingtian Academy.

Only in this way can we prevent so many outstanding students from calling Mu Xiu "Master" and being influenced by his ideas, thus driving even greater reforms in the future!

After Qin Ying was imprisoned, Mu Xiu asked impatiently:

"Scholar Song, why did you suggest that Qin Ying also teach at the academy?"

"With such a despicable character, how can he teach and educate people? He will surely corrupt a generation."

Song Xuan then poured tea for Vice Chancellor Zhang Zhibai:
"What's the matter?"

“Military Advisor Mu, you can go there and have a competition. If there’s no Qin Ying to compare it to, how can you show the excellence of Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan’s classical prose?”

"The students in the academy are focused on passing the imperial examinations and have no time to discern too many things."

"Why not feed them the shit first? Once they feel nauseous, they'll realize that Mu Canjun's place is a gold mine, and they'll naturally flock to learn from you."

"puff."

Zhang Zhibai spat out all the tea in his mouth and kept coughing.

Could such vulgar language be uttered by a top scholar of the Song Dynasty?
They're even more brute than those brutes!

Song Xuan smiled but didn't offer any further explanation.

His advice to Qin Ying wasn't meant to exonerate him; who knew what Liu E might do given her temperament?

Zhang Zhibai's actions resulted in Liu E showing excessive favoritism.

Previously, Song Xuan had been joking and teasing, but now he was emphasizing the theory that "politics that does not consider human feelings is short-lived."

Since Qin Ying is definitely not allowed to serve as an official in Kaifeng Prefecture, let him go to the academy to make a name for himself. Competition between the two sides will allow them to exert more effort.

After being patted on the back by Song Shou, Zhang Zhibai paused for a moment before speaking:

"The top scholar should be more careful with his words in the future."

Song Xuan laughed twice:

"Master Zhang, I was just using an analogy."

"It's best not to use this kind of metaphor; it's inappropriate."

Zhang Zhibai sighed.

He couldn't understand the newly appointed scholars of today.

In the past, newly appointed scholars who passed the imperial examinations would never marry into military families.
One is the unprecedented Three-Yuan Prime Minister, and the other is the unparalleled Three-Tail Prime Minister.

It can be said that the military group "sweeped" the top and bottom of the list of Jinshi graduates in the fifth year of the Tiansheng era.

How many people envy that?
I heard that even Zhang Fangping, the third-ranked scholar, would go to the homes of those military officers for meals after he finished his duties.

It's basically about going to meet other people's girls, saying you want to find someone who catches your eye.

Zhang Fangping was overwhelmed by all the choices.

This was something that had never happened before in the Song Dynasty.

The third-ranking scholar.

Who wouldn't covet such a high-ranking son-in-law?

The key point is that Zhang Fangping also has extraordinary talent, which may be passed on to his offspring.

Unfortunately, many civil officials were unwilling to swallow their pride and compete with a group of military men.

They're too worthy to be called warriors!
It lowered his own value for no reason!

They could only curse him a few times behind his back.

As a result, Zhang Fangping did not incur the resentment of the Wufu family.

Instead, they patiently waited for Zhang Fangping to make his final decision.

In their view, if their daughter were chosen by the third-ranked scholar, it would be something they could boast about for the rest of their lives!

Not only did I gain a son-in-law who was ranked third in the imperial examinations, but you could even say that none of your daughters are as beautiful as my daughter.

With Song Xuan's promotion, everyone agreed that the third-ranked scholar was quite handsome.

“Scholar Song, you should be more careful about your words and actions in the future, and don’t learn to say inappropriate things from your father-in-law.”

Although Zhang Zhibai and Cao Liyong had known each other for a long time, they were both civil officials.

They're ultimately on the same side.

"There are no outsiders in this room. If others were to overhear, an imperial censor would impeach you."

After listening to Zhang Zhibai's reminder, Song Xuan nodded:

“Master Zhang, I reckon Qin Ying won’t be exiled to Lingnan, and even that merchant who made the false accusation might not be convicted.”

The Empress Dowager's attitude speaks volumes.

"If this trend is not correct, more people will follow suit in the future."

Mu Xiu said this, but he was helpless.

If there really were a way, he wouldn't still be such a low-ranking official at almost fifty years old, with a grade even half a rank lower than Song Xuan.

This is still in Kaifeng Prefecture; it would be even lower outside.

"Don't say such complaints anymore."

Zhang Zhibai stroked his beard:

“Bo Chang, since you plan to go to Yingtian Academy to teach and educate people, take your elderly mother with you when this matter is settled.”

"The situation in Tokyo is becoming increasingly complicated, and leaving here is a good option."

"You have a fiery temper and you never know when you'll offend someone. The officialdom is really not a place for you to continue."

Because Zhang Zhibai knew that Mu Xiu was truly capable.

His study of the Book of Changes was under the tutelage of the great Confucian scholar Zhong Fang.

Many people came to visit Zhong Fang to learn from him, but few gained his approval.

"clear."

Mu Xiu was still willing to listen to what his old boss had to say.

He actually felt that after experiencing this incident today, he had already restrained his temper considerably, like a stray dog.

Only when Song Xuan stood up for him did he regain some of his volatile temper when confronting Qin Ying.

Furthermore, with Song Xuan's suggestion, he went to the academy to promote his ideas, which was also something he wanted to pursue throughout his life.

Mu Xiu never got married in his entire life.

Now that his only remaining family member is his elderly mother who needs care, Mu Xiu is thinking of reviving the classical Chinese texts of Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan, so that Confucianism in the Song Dynasty can reach a higher level.

"Scholar Song, I hope you will be careful with your words and actions in the future."

Zhang Zhibai stood up and sighed again:
"There are countless people in the court who are jealous of you and even want to suppress you."

"Besides, you're a hot-tempered person, so you should control your temper. Cao Shizhong can't protect you all the time."

Zhang Zhibai was also aware that the Emperor valued Song Xuan highly.

But now the Emperor's words have no weight, so how can he protect Song Xuan?
A true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm; to lie low for the time being is the best course of action.

Song Xuan stood up and saw them out.

For several days.

Song Xuan was reviewing the account books submitted by the household registration office.

There are many businesses that are in short supply, even Fanlou owes taxes.

County Magistrate Zhou Derong and Qian Gansan, the head of the household affairs office, were both eagerly watching Song Xuan's next move.

Because they were certain that even if Song Xuan intervened, he would not be able to recover the owed commercial taxes.

Otherwise, the debts wouldn't have accumulated from one administration to the next.

Who would dare to collect taxes at Fanlou?

Even the Prefect of Kaifeng wouldn't dare to do this!

Regarding the outstanding debts from previous years, Song Xuan is researching how to incentivize his subordinates to collect them and has proposed a profit-sharing system.

In any case, being able to recover it is a huge step forward.

There was no money for the role anyway.

Just as Song Xuan was studying the outstanding receivables, news of the Yellow River project and that nursery rhyme began to slowly spread throughout Tokyo.

"When the Yellow River runs clear, a sage will appear; when the curtain is rolled up, a true dragon will emerge."

A scrutinizing look appeared in Liu E's eyes.

Now it is Tiansheng.

However, the Yellow River never cleared, so no sage would emerge.

Even the Heavenly Saint will not appear!
But when the curtain was rolled up and the dragon appeared, Liu E was very concerned.

Isn't what they're saying just to make her return power?

"Who is it?"

Liu E was unusually angry.

This means someone wants to overthrow her rule.

This nursery rhyme immediately stepped on Liu E's tail.

She became even more convinced that these rumors, which came crashing down on her, were not directed at Liu Congde at all.

It was Xiang Zhuang's sword dance, his true intention being Liu Bang!
They're all here for her.

Mrs. Lin, standing to the side, didn't dare to breathe loudly.

The Empress Dowager has not been angry for a long time.

Despite being favored, she still saw herself as a servant.

If she fails to solve her master's problems, countless others will take her place.

That's how cruel it is.

After losing her temper, Liu E began to ponder in her mind who exactly wanted to overthrow her rule.

The first suspect is the current government.

However, based on Liu E's understanding of Zhao Zhen, she knew he didn't have the courage or the resolve to do such a thing.

That means someone is using the emperor's name to stir up trouble in secret!
The second suspect was Wang Zeng, the current prime minister of the Song Dynasty.

This person is cunning and resourceful enough to do such a thing.

Moreover, he has never submitted to me.

刘娥直接把锅放在了王曾头上，越想越气！

He was also present at the grand court assembly, which further convinced me.

刘娥微微眯着眼睛，坐在椅子上想着反制王曾的办法。

If Liu E were to remove Wang Zeng from the central government or dismiss him from his position as prime minister, she would find it very difficult to do so.

What leverage does Wang Zeng have over you?
Unless they die, these prime ministers, according to custom, will resign to the emperor, which is considered the idea that "a new emperor brings a new court."

However, in such cases, the successor usually rejects the proposal.

Wang Zeng continued to handle government affairs, completely unaware that he was being watched by Empress Liu. He hadn't heard much of the "rumors" circulating among the people.

The rumors circulating in Tokyo were not limited to this nursery rhyme; there was also the story of the Liu family embezzling funds from the Yellow River project.

This year, if there is heavy rain, Tokyo will definitely be flooded.

This matter has sparked a great deal of discussion, as many people have had enough of this suffering.

But in the Liu family, who dares to discuss this openly?
Even cursing has to be done secretly, with a guilty conscience checking to see if anyone can hear.

Who doesn't know that the Liu family was the most powerful maternal relatives in the Song Dynasty?

Whether they were members of the imperial family or prime ministers, they all had to give way.

Even women whom the emperor desired to choose as empresses could become Liu Congde's concubines.

This boastful record alone was enough to make most people in the court keep quiet about it, let alone the common people.

Inside the Kaifeng County government office, Song Xuan pushed a piece of paper over:
"Could you help me find out who the real owners of these shops are?"

Li Junyou was surprised that Song Xuan asked him to do something for him so quickly, and he accepted it with some excitement.

The first one is the famous Fanlou.

Then Sun Yang is the main shop.

All seventy-two official stores within Kaifeng County, as well as numerous general stores, incense and medicine shops, inns, and even rental properties, are included.

After reading it, Li Junyou looked puzzled.

"My lord, what does this mean?"

"Paying back debts is a matter of course, isn't it?"

Hearing Song Xuan's question, Li Junyou nodded, then he realized what was going on:
"Does Your Excellency intend to collect taxes from these people?"

"good."

Li Junyou turned around and saw the door close before lowering his voice:
“Brother-in-law, there are no outsiders here. If you need money, just tell me. I’ll steal five thousand strings of cash from home for you to spend. My grandfather will definitely not find out. If it’s not enough, I’ll think of another way.”

"Is it really necessary to take such a big risk to collect taxes from these people?"

"From the very beginning, the commercial taxes in Tokyo have never been fully collected. Who would give away their hard-earned money?"

"Your life is your own, but the taxes belong to the imperial court. You, Song Zhuangyuan, have a bright future ahead of you. Don't ruin it because of something like this."

"The waters in Tokyo are too deep!"

Listening to Li Junyou's earnest words, and hearing him mention several thousand yuan so readily, one can imagine that his grandfather must have embezzled quite a bit.

Five thousand strings of cash was an annual salary that even the prime minister of the current dynasty could not achieve.

"Thanks, I don't need the money."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Li Junyou's eyes widened immediately.

If others want to collect taxes, they all try to embezzle money for their own families.

Some were handed over, some were kept in personal pockets, and some were placed in the public account for bribery purposes.

This is the correct way to collect taxes.

"Liu Congde embezzled funds from the Yellow River project; Tokyo will definitely be flooded this year when it rains."

"I need a lot of money to build a second dike and dredge the drainage ditches, and to prepare for flooding so that the people of Kaifeng County can avoid becoming fish and turtles."

"The imperial court can't give you this money, so you've set your sights on taxation!"

Li Junyou understood that the imperial court was also strapped for cash every year, and repairing the Yellow River was a huge project.

If the court truly had the funds, it should have attempted to repair the river long ago, regardless of success or failure.

It won't be like being elbowed by the Yellow River every year.

"Oh, my dear brother-in-law!"

Li Junyou was at a loss for words. The Kaifeng County government was pitifully poor, and its official funds were even scarcer.

He knows all this.

After all, the Kaifeng Prefecture is above them.

Good things are taken by the Kaifeng Prefectural Government, while bad things are left to the Kaifeng County Government.

Otherwise, County Lieutenant Ban Feng and his men wouldn't have felt so relaxed after Song Xuan led them to cause a scene at the Kaifeng government office.

He was extremely supportive of Song Xuan.

Shangguan was willing to give money, and he would take responsibility for things instead of pushing his underlings out. No matter how you look at it, you feel extremely lucky.

What can I say?

Li Junyou picked up the paper and carefully examined the name on it:

"Otherwise, let's pick on the weakest one first, and then we'll figure out what to do with the others."

"Please help me investigate their backgrounds first."

Song Xuan poured tea for Li Junyou: "I'll consider the rest myself first. It's good to know yourself and your enemy."

"Row."

After Li Junyou left, he went directly to his grandfather for advice.

Li Shiheng is a master at making money; since the founding of the Song Dynasty, no one has been able to outdo him.

Hearing his grandson's words, Li Shiheng frowned slightly:
"This nephew-in-law is quite ambitious."

"Grandpa, I think what he's doing is too dangerous and will be detrimental to his future career!"

"really."

Li Shiheng put down the list in his hand:

"Why don't you check his background first? Maybe once you see it, he'll give up his idea."

"If he still wants to collect taxes, I'll teach you a method, and you can tell him that later."

"it is good."

Li Junyou also wanted to help Song Xuan, after all, they were close relatives.

Without keeping Song Xuan waiting any longer, Li Junyou went to see him first with a batch of shop backgrounds.

Song Xuan looked at these relatives of the emperor.

They were either from military families or relatives of civil officials.

In short, without connections, it's wishful thinking to try and build a successful business in Tokyo.

Even if you scale up your business, someone will come to "buy" it!
If you don't agree, you can forget about ever hanging around Tokyo again.

In more serious cases, it wouldn't be a problem if your entire family's corpse were in the Bian River.

Song Xuan clicked his tongue in amazement: "No wonder these shopkeepers are all so fearless."

"Brother-in-law, even though Tokyo City has a population of one million, how many people are registered in your Kaifeng County's roster?"

"Most of them are unregistered, so you can't collect taxes from them at all."

"If they want to find someone to sabotage you, even the Kaifeng Prefecture can't find out."

Li Junyou wasn't trying to scare Song Xuan.

Don't think that "killing officials" doesn't happen; it's just that most people are unwilling to go that far.

Moreover, they generally don't use any very "violent" methods.

It's not impossible for them to poison you, make you fall into the water, or even cause you to have an accident.

When the time comes, the people investigating the case will be their people, and the truth will be buried.

"My grandfather said that officials should learn to blend in with the world."

Li Junyou was genuinely worried that Song Xuan, being young and impetuous, would insist on taking this path of making enemies of everyone.

In which year has Kaifeng not been flooded?

There's no need for me to deal with these troublesome matters just because I've become the magistrate of Kaifeng County.

Why put yourself in a helpless and isolated situation when you'll end up with everyone in the court as your enemy?

"In officialdom, a sedan chair needs many people to carry it; one person alone cannot accomplish anything."

"good."

Song Xuan pointed with his hand:
"My cousin reminded me that I will first report this matter to the Prime Minister and ask him to make a decision. Then he will issue an order, and I will just follow the order. In particular, the Three Commissioners will also come to urge me."

Li Junyou's lips twitched slightly. His cousin-in-law really had a good idea. He directly put Prime Minister Wang Zeng and the Three Ministers in front of him to take the blame.

"The imperial court issued the order to collect the outstanding payments at the beginning of the year. At that time, it was the former magistrate who accepted it. Now I have taken over his mess. I not only have to collect the summer taxes, but also chase after the outstanding payments from before."

Song Xuan put away the feedback paper:
"I will find an opportunity to talk to the people behind them and get their cooperation in my work."

Li Junyou had to admit that Song Xuan was quite shrewd.

However, he couldn't keep the method his grandfather had taught him from Song Xuan.

“Brother-in-law, I’ve also asked my grandfather about this.”

"Oh, what did Grandpa say?"

"Grandpa said that if you want to collect taxes, this is not a way to make money at all."

"If you want to manage the Yellow River, you must first get these wealthy gentry to contribute money, and then get the common people to contribute money. Only when they contribute will the common people be willing to contribute."

"Once the money is in hand, the money of the wealthy and powerful will be returned in full, and you will keep a portion of the money of the common people. The rest will be used to manage the Yellow River. At most, some of the money you keep will be used as public funds."

"Everyone will be satisfied with this approach!"

"Even the money of the wealthy and powerful, if you are bold enough, you can return only a portion to them and keep the rest for yourself."

Seeing that Song Xuan remained silent, Li Junyou added another point:

"How you use the money in your pocket to repair the Yellow River is entirely up to you."

Song Xuan was somewhat surprised to hear about the experiences of the previous generation of corrupt officials.

Because he discovered that the civil officials of the Song Dynasty were quite tough.

There was no so-called 30/70 split among the people.

You can even snag a large sum of money from wealthy gentry.

He truly deserves to be called a civil official of the Song Dynasty!

Be brave.

Having gone through the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the powerful gentry of the Song Dynasty did not form sufficient local power.

It's still too few, after all.

People like Song Xuan, once they retire from officialdom, will also become part of the local gentry.

Song Xuan shook his head:
"Repairing the Yellow River is a matter for the imperial court, and besides, how much money do ordinary people have?"

"Even if I make money, I never make money off poor people."

"hiss."

Li Junyou really wanted to say, "You're talking nonsense!"

Do you really think I don't know what kind of business you're in at Songcheng?

It's presented as a bookstore, but in reality, the real profit comes from the so-called three-star and five-star lottery.

Those who buy a lot are still poor.

Otherwise, with a bet of two coins to one string of cash in the Samsung lottery, which rich person would be willing to buy tickets for fun?

Now that we're in Tokyo, you, Song Xuan, look down on the poor man's money.

They wanted to get money from people with powerful connections.

Are your teeth really that good?

In today's Song Dynasty, the emperor who appoints you as the top scholar no longer has the final say!
"Brother-in-law, I have something to say, please don't take it personally."

Li Junyou had spent his childhood in Tokyo, where he had seen a great deal, from the streets to the homes of high-ranking officials.

Especially in the government, he had seen far more officials of all ranks than Song Xuan.

In other words, not many people in the city are as well-versed in the ways of the common people as Song Xuan, and he doesn't know much about them, but not everyone can fool him.

"I'd like to hear the details." Song Xuan picked up his teacup and blew on it. "Actually, I'm quite the type of person who listens to advice."

"It's good to listen to advice."

Li Junyou said with great composure:
"In the eyes of the common people, you are the county magistrate, but in the eyes of these people, you are just a beggar on your knees. They only want to pay taxes to you because of the connections you have."

"Or perhaps you, the top scholar who passed all three levels of the imperial examination, do have some prestige."

"But none of that matters. Making money, you know, there's no shame in doing business."

“I used to be just an ordinary person, so it was okay if my business was a bit shabby.”

Song Xuan then put down his teacup:
"But now that I'm an official, the way they treat me is shameful, fucking shameful!"

Li Junyou looked Song Xuan up and down again:
"So, Master Song, do you want to stand tall, or do you want to make money?"

He was a little confused about Song Xuan's actions.

"I want to earn money while standing tall!"

"what?"

He wants everything? There's no such thing as a free lunch.
Li Junyou was taught by his grandfather from a young age that there is no perfect solution in the world.

In doing things, you have to give up something in order to gain something.

There are very few ways to have the best of both worlds!

For us ordinary people, being beautiful is already a huge achievement, so we should never be too greedy!

A corrupt official in the imperial court shared his personal experience to teach his eldest grandson not to be greedy.

Where does this make sense?

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Li Junyou not only shook his head but also waved his hands repeatedly:

"I can't make it, I really can't make it!"

Song Xuan pushed his official seal in front of him: "Can this make money?"

"If you can earn it, you have to kneel down and learn to blend in with the world!"

Li Junyou chuckled: "Grandpa told me that young people shouldn't be too eager for quick success and instant benefits."

"Can this make money?"

Song Xuan placed a heavy two-and-a-half-pound Hunyuan Hammer on the table.

Seeing this scene, Li Junyou was terrified, and even his smile vanished.
"You're not still thinking of getting my uncle involved in this, are you?"

In Li Junyou's view, Song Xuan's drawing of a weapon meant he wanted to resort to violence.

How is it any different from rebelling if we use force to collect taxes in Tokyo?
Let's all just die together.

None of the Song, Cao, or Li families can escape; they are all guilty of crimes punishable by the extermination of nine generations of their families.

Li Junyou hurriedly stepped forward and grasped Song Xuan's hand that was holding the short hammer:
"Brother-in-law, everything can be discussed. There's no need to resort to violence."

“My uncle doesn’t have any military power, so he can’t help you at all.”

"No, even if he has military power, he can't help you. This is a serious taboo!"

This involves not making money, but treason.

He couldn't help but be nervous!
Song Xuan waved his left hand, indicating that he didn't need to be nervous:

"When it comes to fighting, I only use my own bailiffs. I can't even mobilize the local militia, so how could I possibly mobilize the imperial guards?"

"A yamen runner?"

Li Junyou was finally relieved. With just a few constables in Kaifeng County, they couldn't even wipe out the No-Life Society outside the city, let alone these powerful and influential people.

Song Xuan's idea of ​​using them as helpers is simply wishful thinking.

"Then I advise you to think it over carefully. These people may not be reliable."

Song Xuan pointed to the short hammer and the official seal:
"What I mean is, if we add this to this, can we earn money while standing up?"

Li Junyou stood up, circled Song Xuan a few times as if trying to get to know him again, and then sighed softly:
"I can't say."

"Because I really don't understand you anymore."

"If not for money, then what are you after?"

"for what?"

Song Xuan also stood up, pointed to himself, and said:

"I, Song Twelve, have come to serve as the magistrate of Kaifeng County for only three reasons!"

"What three things?"

Song Xuan stretched out his finger:

"Fairness, fairness, and fucking fairness!"

Li Junyou immediately froze on the spot.

After a few breaths, he began to laugh out loud.

Because it was the funniest joke he had ever heard.

fair?

Did anyone use this term during the Song Dynasty?

Our cousins ​​live a life of luxury. Not to mention ordinary people, can the officials and yamen runners outside have such a life?

Even if they did have some, it was obtained by exploiting and oppressing the people.

Life is inherently unfair.

Li Junyou didn't dare to give an example. Look at the officials; they were born to be officials.

Look at those relatives; their ancestors conquered the world, so they deserve preferential treatment.

Look at us, weren't we all educated in small towns by our grandfathers or fathers, which gave us the opportunity to benefit our descendants and become officials?

But that's all.

They will be replaced generation after generation by other scholars who passed the same exams.

fair?

To Li Junyou, it was a huge joke.

Song Xuan chuckled a few times and picked up the small iron hammer:

"Actually, I don't believe in these kinds of things, but there are some things I just want to do."

"Yes."

Li Junyou nodded repeatedly:
"You, Song, have achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations three times in a row. You are a rare genius in the world. How could you get so fixated on such a trivial matter?"

"Since you don't want to tell me the truth, I don't care."

"But let me put it this way: collecting overdue taxes is truly a thankless and laborious task."

"If you run into a wall, think about the method your grandfather asked me to convey to you."

“We are family. I even hope that you will rise to the top and become the prime minister of the Song Dynasty, so that I, your older brother, can be helped out.”

We would never harm you!

Li Junyou wanted to gather a group of interest-based "gangs" with Song Xuan at the core.

Only when everyone in the court helps each other can wealth and prosperity last.

The Lü family operated in this way, but the Li family certainly didn't produce as many Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) as the Lü family.

Song Xuan became their first choice.

Everyone wanted to follow in the footsteps of Wang Zeng, who had achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, and fight against the Lü family. However, Wang Zeng had no children and could not take care of everyone's offspring.

After all, people always grow old.

Offspring are truly important for a national leader, and for the continuation of a family line.

Otherwise, people won't have much confidence to stick with you, their "lord," to the very end!

Even after Liu Bei had offspring, his group was still able to stabilize and even continue to expand. This was not only due to his succession of sons, but also because of his own children.

If A Dou can grow up smoothly, that will be the greatest help he can give Liu Bei.

Song Xuan weighed the iron hammer in his hand:
“Cousin, I know you are a smart man. I really want to do this. As long as it succeeds and I gain political achievements, I can climb the ranks faster.”

"Only then can you be better promoted. You don't want to be seventy or eighty years old and about to be buried before you can wear that purple robe, do you?"

Faced with Song Xuan's sudden promise, Li Junyou's breathing quickened for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure, simply bowed slightly, and turned to leave.

But a voice came from outside the door: "If there is any new information, I will come again."

(End of this chapter)