A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 330 Struggle
"Mountains of knives and seas of fire?"

Song Xuan shook his head:
"It's not that serious."

Regardless, the fact that Song Xuan personally carried Guo Xin's body back gave many yamen runners and constables a sense of motivation.

Outsiders may not know, but those who have experienced it certainly understand that Guo Xin was courting death by ignoring advice.

If we had followed the official's advice and conducted a thorough investigation, we might have been able to avoid casualties.

But that's just how protective Song is of his subordinates; he's willing to give his men a respectable reputation.

How could one not follow such a superior?

That's how you treat the living, but sometimes even the dead will speak up for you.

That's how people's hearts come together.

Song Xuan didn't seem to have any particular feelings about it:

"However, they are in the dark, while we are in the light. The priority now is for you to find clues and destroy their den of thieves. We cannot let Guo Xin die in vain."

"Yes."

Song Xuan looked around at the faces staring at him:
“From today onwards, brothers, you must be careful. These scoundrels are very troublesome.”

Ban Feng and others indicated that they understood.

Song Xuan told everyone to go and rest first, as he anticipated that they would be busy in the future.

Especially for such a serious case, he planned to report it to the Kaifeng Prefecture and the Ministry of Justice, requesting reinforcements, or at least some transfer of troops from the local militia.

Where is Qian Gansan?

"My subordinate is here."

"Take your men and register all the stolen goods."

"Yes."

Song Xuan then had County Magistrate Zhou record the merits and the rewards given to everyone.

They will be distributed together when the subsidies are issued.

After the county magistrate Zhou finished recording it, it was given to Song Xuan for review.

Zheng Wenhuan quickly stepped forward:
“My lord, I went to investigate outside the city. Wu Xuyao ​​paid taxes outside the city, but not inside the city.”

"Okay, thank you for your hard work."

Song Xuan nodded:
"This case is almost closed, but it has uncovered a much bigger murder case. Clerk Zheng will be very busy from now on."

"These are all things that I, your humble servant, should do."

Seeing that Song Xuan had finished his official duties, Shi Yuansun finally had some breathing room.

He quickly stepped forward and said:

“Scholar Song, I truly know nothing about the Taoran Inn.”

"However, the deed is done, and it was my Shi family's poor judgment in judging people."

"In that case, why not ask Scholar Song to confiscate this place?"

"With such a big incident, it will probably be very difficult to rent it out again in the future. I hope that Scholar Song can help me with this."

In Tokyo, where land is incredibly valuable, even if someone had died there, the inn could still be sold.

Song Xuan understood that he wanted to "repay a favor" as a way of expressing his gratitude.

Let's discuss this later.

"Alright," Shi Yuansun quickly said.

"If there is anything you need my help with in the future, please don't hesitate to ask, Scholar Song."

Song Xuan did not refuse his kindness and nodded slightly:

"After you go back, Brother Shi, you still need to take care of your own businesses."

"To avoid becoming a den of thieves for others, and then having a lot to say but not being able to explain yourself clearly."

"Yes, yes, Scholar Song is very thoughtful. I will go back and investigate this matter thoroughly."

“Those thieves love families like the Shi family, where the owners are hands-off. If there are any similar situations in the future, Brother Shi, please let me know in advance.”

"Good good."

Shi Yuansun did not linger any longer and took his leave.

When he left the county government office, he was still greeted by a sea of ​​people.

This matter is being discussed by many people.

There have been instances of magistrates and prefects of Kaifeng targeting Wuyou Cave.

But most of them ended hastily.

Who knows how long Song Zhuangyuan's actions regarding Wuyou Cave will last?

However, this is the first time I've seen someone offer a reward like this.

I just don't know if anyone would be bold enough to make this kind of money.

The people of Wuyou Cave dare not kill officials.

Don't you dare kill us informants?
"Perhaps it's all bark and no bite."

"really."

The onlookers started discussing again: "It's not like there haven't been previous actions targeting Wuyou Cave."

"But every year so many children and women are still taken away and never heard from again."

"Yes."

"This top scholar's father-in-law is Cao Shizhong, so perhaps he is different."

"What can Attendant Cao do?"

"If his father-in-law were the prime minister, perhaps he could fully support him."

"He's just a military officer; how much say can he possibly have?"

"That makes sense."

The onlookers were envious of the price offered by Song Xuan, but most of them were just watching and enjoying the spectacle.

It would be very difficult to convince them that Song Xuan was capable of establishing the Worry-Free Cave.

After Qi Lecheng saw Shi Yuansun off, he returned and reported:
"My lord, the people outside have not dispersed."

"Don't worry about him. You stay here and watch over it. When the coffin shop brings the coffin over, you can take over the fire."

"When Guo Xin's family is leaving, take the grandfather and grandson to the back room. I have something to tell them."

"Yes."

Qi Lecheng responded.

“County Magistrate Zhou, come with me.”

"Here."

The group arrived at the back room where Song Xuan usually stayed, and Wang Bao went over to make tea.

Song Xuan sat down in a chair and rested with his eyes closed for a while. He needed to sort out his next move.

County Magistrate Zhou didn't know why Song Xuan had summoned him, but with such a big incident happening in the county government, there had to be some kind of response.

In the end, Zhou Derong couldn't help but speak first:
“My lord, there are no outsiders here. I have been serving in Kaifeng County for nearly twenty years, and I still want to share my opinion on Wuyou Cave.”

"speak."

Song Xuan kept his eyes closed.

"Since I took office, have I kept you all silent and dared not utter a single word?"

"No, I know that you are kind-hearted, young and ambitious, and eager to make a name for yourself."

County Magistrate Zhou sighed; he himself had a stain on his record.

Song Xuan only gave him a warning and did not pursue the matter further.

Furthermore, Song Xuan's willingness to condescend to help his son review the article was a kindness he would never forget.

"My lord, you are new to this place and do not know the depths of the capital."

"The reason why Wuyou Cave has been able to run rampant for so many years is not because the government is incompetent, but because its roots are deeply entrenched."

“From the officials in charge of the Three Departments to the soldiers in the local militia, and even the people in our county government, you don’t know which one of them has a connection to Wuyou Cave.”

Song Xuan then opened his eyes: "You mean there are their spies in the county government office too?"

County Magistrate Zhou nodded. He didn't know who the people from Wuyou Cave were, but there must be some.

Previous county magistrates have investigated this before.

"That's right, you're right. The power of Wuyou Cave is growing stronger and stronger. They don't even respect the imperial family anymore. How could they not send spies to the government?"

“Every year so many refugees come here to beg for a living. It’s much easier for them to recruit people than for the government.”

County Magistrate Zhou could tell that Song Xuan understood the underlying principles, which made him even more confused about why Song Xuan was doing this.

"If Your Excellency were to exterminate the Worry-Free Cave, victory would mean offending all those who share the spoils of the court; defeat would mean admitting guilt for the oppressive policies and upheaval."
"If you focus on education and taxation, you can be steadily promoted after three years of examinations."

"You are right."

County Magistrate Zhou's face lit up with joy.

Song Xuan's fingers tapped lightly on the table:

"If I hadn't run into it, I would have turned a blind eye. Why bother with so many things?"

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Magistrate Zhou understood that there was a hidden meaning in them.

"But that thief was blind to my own good, and I just happened to run into him. What's more, someone died, and I even raided one of his hideouts and made off with a lot of money. Do you think this matter can be left unresolved?"

"Yes, sir, no one wants to get involved in this kind of thing."

Magistrate Zhou continued to advise:

"But the dead are gone, and it is difficult for the living. I am also deeply saddened by the death of Guo Xin."

"However, his family has already received compensation. If the investigation continues, I'm afraid more brothers will lose their lives."

“In the past, Zhao Qi, the head constable of Kaifeng County, investigated the case of the abduction of children in Wuyou Cave. As a result, his entire family was burned to death, and the case remains unsolved to this day.”

"What!" Song Xuan straightened up: "Such a terrible thing actually happened?"

"Yes."

County Magistrate Zhou, still shaken, said:
"How much does a constable earn in a month? Why risk your life like that?"

Song Xuan glanced at him: "Yes, does this constable still have a family?"

"None of them escaped."

Song Xuan remained silent upon hearing this, and County Magistrate Zhou then continued:

"Since you took office, you should know the proverb 'If the people don't report it, the officials won't investigate.' Most of the merchants who are harmed are from other places, and the local people have long been used to it."

"The Taoran Inn is owned by the Shi family, and the other dens may be owned by people in the palace. If we touch them, we are disrespecting the palace."

"Tokyo has a population of over one million, but that population is only enough to support a small number of people."

County Magistrate Zhou looked at Song Xuan and said, "You understand the reasoning behind this. As long as it's not them who are dying, everyone is still willing to watch the show from the sidelines."

"Once tonight is over, Tokyo will still be Tokyo tomorrow."

“I was quite moved by Magistrate Zhou’s heartfelt words.”

Song Xuan's hand continued to tap the table unconsciously.

"The proclamation has already been issued. Am I supposed to slap myself three times and apologize to a bunch of petty scoundrels?"

“There’s no need for that,” Magistrate Zhou waved his hands repeatedly.

"Even if you receive a tip, sir, just pay the money. We can afford it now. We just don't need to do any follow-up work."

No one could say a word.

Have you ever been threatened?

Upon hearing Song Xuan's question, Magistrate Zhou first sighed:
"They might not dare to kill officials, but they could kill the people around you."

“One of my former concubines was kidnapped by them, and they demanded a ransom of one thousand strings of cash. I didn’t have that much money, and the next day I received a severed hand.”

County Magistrate Zhou lowered his voice again and said, "Actually, there are also three things that are not to be killed in Wuyou Cave."

"Oh?" Song Xuan nodded repeatedly:
"Tell me about the rules they set."

"The first rule is not to kill officials, the second is not to kill candidates for the imperial examinations, and the third is not to kill imperial relatives."

"If you just turn a blind eye, they might even offer you gifts."

"My lord, as everyone knows, there are dens of thieves in the capital, teeming with them like ants, and no official can control them!"

Song Xuan gestured for Wang Bao to pour tea, and, taking advantage of the rising mist, glanced at County Magistrate Zhou.

This person is in cahoots with Wuyou Cave.

He worked in the Kaifeng County government for almost twenty years. Who knows how much he had connections with which forces!

"County Magistrate Zhou."

"The subordinate is here."

Song Xuan pushed the teacup towards him:

"Can I trust you?"

"If Your Excellency can trust me, it would truly be a blessing earned over many lifetimes."

County Magistrate Zhou did not understand the meaning behind Song Xuan's words, but he still chose to flatter him first.

"Do you have connections?"

County Magistrate Zhou took the teacup, gently blew on it, and looked up at Song Xuan:

"What kind of connections are you referring to, sir?"

"You know the connections."

Magistrate Zhou put down his teacup, a smile appearing on his round face:
"I do know a few people who might be able to help you find a way."

Song Xuan laughed twice:

"You know I'm not short of money."

"Yes Yes Yes."

This was the first time Magistrate Zhou had ever seen an official who would throw away so much money without putting any into his own pocket.

It's perfectly normal to use this money for personal enjoyment, even if it's just for dining and drinking.

But Song Xuan did not. Since he took office, he has not held a single "reception" for the public.

On the contrary, if they had a little money, they would give rewards to their subordinates.

As long as he doesn't rebel, plenty of people are willing to follow him.

"so."

"So what the high official wants is political achievements," County Magistrate Zhou interjected.
"Only in this way can the great official's abilities be demonstrated."

"Hahaha." Song Xuan pointed at him and then laughed:

“County Magistrate Zhou understands me, but…”

County Magistrate Zhou smiled at first, then heard Song Xuan say "no more than two words".

What I said before was not Shangguan's true thought.

However, the last thing he asked to do was to do it.

So County Magistrate Zhou perked up, wanting to hear what Song Xuan's real purpose was.

This will make communication easier.

We're all here to make a living; there's no need to fight to the death.

The Worry-Free Cave, where people make a living underground in Kaifeng, cannot harm someone of their level.

"However, it is only natural to pay back debts and to pay for murder with one's life."

“What you say makes sense, sir.”

Song Xuan lowered his hand that was pointing at Magistrate Zhou:
"It doesn't matter if this matter is resolved amicably."

"I want Xiaofeng to kneel before me, in front of Guo Xin's spirit tablet, and I will cut him down as a sacrifice to Guo Xin. If Wuyou Cave can agree to this condition, then I will pretend that this matter never happened."

"Howling Wind?"

County Magistrate Zhou picked up his teacup and took a small sip: "Does Your Excellency know who Xiaofeng is?"

"The manager of Taoran Inn has already introduced himself to me, so you don't need to say anything more."

Song Xuan tapped the table:
"I have only one request; let's not discuss anything else."

"I understand, I understand."

The teacup in the hand of County Magistrate Zhou Fangxia; the head of Wuyou Cave usually changes people but not his title.

This new Xiaofeng is only three years old and is a young man.

I wonder if the master of Wuyou Cave will be willing to make the difficult decision.

"Wang Bao, call Zheng Wenhuan here. I have something to tell him."

"Yes."

Song Xuan gestured for Magistrate Zhou to leave.

Zhou Derong quickly stood up, bowed to Song Xuan, and then turned and left.

Song Xuan watched Zhou Derong's retreating figure with a calm expression.

Zhou Derong stepped out the door, secretly glanced back at Song Xuan, and seeing that his expression had not changed, he breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went out.

Song Xuan put down his teacup; the struggle had only just begun.

"My lord."

After the registrar Zheng Wenhuan entered, he immediately bowed.

"sit."

"Yes."

Zheng Wenhuan had half his buttocks resting on the chair. He was now beginning to suspect that Song Xuan was suppressing his anger.

"Do not be nervous."

Song Xuan smiled broadly, as if the cold wind had dissipated:

"I called you here because I have something to do."

"Please give your orders, my lord, and I will do my utmost to fulfill them."

"I wouldn't call it devoting yourself to the utmost; it's just a matter of investigating every inn and hotel in Tokyo, registering them all. Can you do that?"

Zheng Wenhuan asked tentatively:

"Sir, does this include Xiangfu County?"

"Of course, Tokyo City has two provinces. Does that mean Wuyou Cave will also be divided into two parts?"

Song Xuan instructed Wang Bao to pour Zheng Wenhuan a cup of fresh tea.

"Can you do this?"

"I can do it, but I'm afraid the magistrate of Xiangfu County might have objections."

"If he has any objections, let him come to me."

"Yes."

Since Song Xuan had said so, Zheng Wenhuan quickly agreed.

It seems the official is going to conduct a full investigation.

He did all the work of the Prefect of Kaifeng.

"Then go to Anjun, the head of the etiquette department, and order tables and chairs according to the number of children who will be enrolling."

"To prepare for the future private school."

"clear."

Zheng Wenhuan left with his mission.

Song Xuan knew that confronting Wuyou Cave was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

From now on, all children should come to school so that they don't get taken away without even realizing it.

As the weather grew hotter, Song Xuan fanned himself with a fan.

Guo Xin's family, led by Qi Lecheng, came to see Song Xuan.

"My lord."

"Sit, sit, sit."

Guo's mother knelt down directly before Song Xuan:

“I have found out everything. My son did not obey the master’s orders, which is why he suffered this misfortune.”

“My lord has shown no resentment and treated us, grandfather and grandson, so well. I have no way to repay you but to have my grandson, Guo En, serve you by your side at all times.” “Get up quickly.”

Song Xuan helped Guo's mother up and sat her down in a chair, then asked Guo En to sit down as well.

He personally poured tea for the two of them:

“Aunt Guo, there’s no need to say such things. When they work for me, I just hope they can all make money safely. I’m heartbroken that this happened.”

"You don't need to worry about your retirement. Even if I leave office in a few years, I can arrange for you to live comfortably in Tokyo. As for your grandson Guo En, he will probably be able to establish himself in the next few years."

Guo's mother kept saying words of gratitude.

Song Xuan looked at Guo En and asked, "Have you ever been to school?"

"No."

Guo En was still somewhat reserved in front of Song Xuan: "All the money in the house was used to treat my mother's illness, but the money is gone, and she is gone too."

"Go back and read some books first, and see if you have the talent."

Song Xuan sized up Guo En: "I see you're tall and strong, so you must be quite powerful."

Guo En's face was still wet with tears as he nodded.
“My father taught me some martial arts. He said that there was no future in it, so I should follow him and work as a constable. At least I could fill my stomach and get a wife.”

"Okay." Song Xuan nodded.

“Your physique is too good for being a yamen runner. From now on, follow me to learn to read and practice martial arts. I will send you to the Imperial Guard. Perhaps you can bring glory to your ancestors in the future.”

"Thank you very much, sir," Guo En said.

"My lord, may I go out and buy a coffin for my son?"

"Don't worry about this, I've already arranged for someone to take care of it."

Song Xuan pointed outside: "When the coffin arrives, I will have the county coroner help clean the body and dress Guo Xin in new clothes."

Upon hearing this, Guo's mother burst into tears again.

The mourning hall was temporarily set up in the county government hall, which can be considered as a death in the line of duty.

Song Xuan asked them to wait a while, and he sat down to write a memorial, one to Chen Yaozuo of Kaifeng Prefecture, and the other to the imperial court.

Just as Song Xuan was writing the letter, Wang Shu wanted to discuss the details of his son-in-law's murder case with Song Xuan, but he didn't expect this to happen, so he quickly asked about it.

Wang Shu walked into the back hall and saw the grandfather and grandson wiping away tears, while Song Xuan was writing a memorial to the throne.

"Magistrate Song, are you busy?"

"Wang Zhongcheng".

Song Xuan looked up at him, then continued writing his memorial: "Is there any new discovery?"

"A new discovery."

Wang Shu walked over quickly:
"I couldn't wait, so I went to the Imperial Observatory in person. Yan Su told me that the days of death were dominated by yin energy, which was suitable for secrecy, killing, or worshipping yin spirits."

"Therefore, I suspect that the murderer is skilled in divination."

Yan Su?

Song Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly. He had read about this person's deeds in the official gazette and that he had even received an official reward.

This year, he restored the compass cart and the drum cart.

One was for determining direction, and the other was for recording travel distance. By the Song Dynasty, the manufacturing method had been lost.

Yan Su was skilled in mechanical engineering. Based on simple historical records, he redesigned and restored the original.

As for Europe's discovery and application of this principle, it was not until the nineteenth century.

"Has Magistrate Song thought of something?"

Hearing Wang Shu's question, Song Xuan shook his head:
"All I know is that the popular fortune telling on the street involves the use of the Six Lines divination method. If the murderer chose such a day, then he must be a disillusioned scholar who is well-versed in the Book of Changes, who has been dismissed from the management of the Imperial Observatory, and a heretical sorcerer among the common people."

Wang Shu nodded repeatedly:

“Yan Su told me that the Book of Changes uses the principles of Yin and Yang, and that villains use Yin days to carry out their deeds. I don’t quite understand this.”

Didn't he explain it to you?

Song Xuan was somewhat surprised.

"He didn't quite understand the killer's intentions either, and could only guess that he was aiming for immortality."

Wang Shu sighed:

“The fortune teller on the street might also be a suspect, but Yan Su said that the murderer dared to spread the word, so he must be at a critical moment, and he might commit the crime again on the next unlucky day.”

"Unlikely."

Song Xuan immediately shook his head: "Your guess is wrong."

"how?"

Wang Shu looked puzzled.

"Since he chose this day, if it involves curses or alchemy, it must have a specific purpose."

Song Xuan put down the brush in his hand:
"Since it has a specific function, this ritual will need 49 days or 81 days to verify whether it will be successful."

"Based on his pattern of killing, he may be preparing a 360-day event: one year to gather herbs, two years to nurture the fire, and three years to conceive the elixir."

"With such a long period of time, if he fails again and wants to hunt down a new target, the people of Tokyo may have already forgotten about the bathroom murder and can start again."

Wang Shu was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe that the murderer hadn't shown up for so long.

"What kind of human heart can burn for three hundred and sixty days?"

"Who knows?" Song Xuan was at a loss when it came to this kind of murderer.
"I'm just an ordinary person who wrote Journey to the West. What do I know about alchemy? All of the above is just my guess."

"Just guessing?"

Wang Shu braced himself on the table, looking down at Song Xuan with disbelief in his eyes:

"Could it be that the murderer won't go out and make his move until the fire in his alchemy furnace goes out?!"

“Lord Wang, based on past cases, this is indeed the case. Most of the other murderers were copycats.”

Wang Shu really wanted to give Song Xuan a desktop cleanup, but he held back.

Song Xuan was already overwhelmed with problems, so this matter can't be blamed on him.

Wang Shu understood the principle that good people shouldn't be pointed at with guns.

"Since it's just a guess, then I'll have people keep watch on every cloudy day."

Wang Shu suppressed his anger and said, "I won't bother Magistrate Song any longer while he's handling the case."

Actually, he harbored more resentment towards himself!

The fact that his son-in-law suffered such a misfortune, and that even catching the murderer seemed so far away, truly distressed him.

"Minister Wang, please wait."

Song Xuan stood up and called out, "Wait a minute."

Wang Shu turned his head stiffly:

"What else?"

"Actually, there's another possibility I haven't mentioned."

"what?"

Wang Shu obediently turned around; he was still willing to trust Song Xuan's judgment.

"Although he may be able to refine pills and have things like 360 ​​days, he will be vulnerable to external interference."

"His Eight Trigrams Furnace might not stay put, and it's highly likely it will be blown away like Sun Wukong."

"What do you mean by saying this?"

"External force!" Song Xuan pointed outside and said:
"The Yellow River project is a pile of garbage. If it rains heavily again this year, Tokyo will be flooded, and it might be even worse than last year."

"Based on this, it can be inferred that the place where the murderer refined pills was likely destroyed by the river. If the fire in the furnace went out, wouldn't all his pills be ruined?"

"If it's ruined, does that mean we need to collect new materials again?"

"hiss."

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Wang Shu became serious for a moment: "What you said makes sense."

"But he hasn't had one in all these years."

"There was one instance, in the third year of the Tianxi reign, two people died. That year, there was a great flood."

Song Xuan walked over and said, "Moreover, according to my observations, the Yellow River's flooding of Kaifeng will only get bigger and more intense in the future."

"If the Yellow River's water conservancy had not been repaired, perhaps the Liao Kingdom would not have needed to invade the south. In thirty to fifty years, the Yellow River would have been able to submerge Kaifeng, just like the ancient cities beneath Kaifeng today."

Wang Shu had read Song Xuan's policy proposal on repairing the Yellow River, and he knew that Song Xuan had considerable insights into the Yellow River.

"But the location he chose in advance wasn't affected?"

"That would be even better."

"Even better?" Wang Shu looked puzzled, unable to follow Song Xuan's train of thought.

"When the flood comes, how many places in Kaifeng will remain uninundated?"

Song Xuan fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan:
"We can take this opportunity to investigate these areas, which will be enough to narrow down the scope."

"I see."

A look of satisfaction appeared in Wang Shu's eyes: "That's a good deduction."

"You must take care of yourself, Wang Zhongcheng. You'll be quite busy after this heavy rain."

"Yeah."

Wang Shu then bowed to Song Xuan and said, "I was being presumptuous just now. My tone was inappropriate, and I have wronged Magistrate Song. Please forgive me."

"It's a trivial matter, nothing to worry about."

Song Xuan stood with his hands behind his back:

"Besides, solving cases is my duty as a county magistrate. Even if Li Yuan is not your son-in-law but an ordinary citizen, if I encounter him, I will naturally seek justice for him."

Wang Shu pursed his lips, said no more words of thanks, and left directly; Song Xuan was busy enough.

Guo En's eyes lit up as he listened to Song Xuan's words and actions.

Coroner Yin Ze processed Guo Xin's body, sighing incessantly.

What are the advantages of being impatient?
He ended up losing his own life.

"But your life has been worthwhile. The top scholar who passed the imperial examination in three consecutive examinations is carrying your body. It's truly a stroke of good luck."

Yin Ze dressed Guo Xin up and put him in new clothes before placing him in the coffin and adding ice.

At this rate, it won't be long before things start to go awry.

Tomorrow we'll go outside the city to choose a burial site and bury him there.

All the money came from the county government, including the feng shui master, who was essentially working for the county government for free.

He has to do this kind of thing.

Song Xuan returned home with his entourage, and only then did he realize that perhaps it was really the hot weather, as he always seemed so tired.

"Twelfth Brother, if I die in the future, could you please carry my body for me?"

Xu Xianchun asked with a grin as he rode his donkey.

"You?" Song Xuan glanced at him: "You look like a coward, not like someone who will die young."

"Hahaha." Xu Xianchun laughed loudly, "That's great!"

Wang Bao glanced at him but didn't reply.

In any case, we must be more careful from now on, lest Twelfth Brother be ambushed.

The reason Wang Bao didn't ask was because he had already decided that if any danger approached, he would surely die before Song Xuan.

As for Xu Xianchun, that scoundrel, Wang Bao didn't even bother to guess who he was.

Song Xuan rode his tall horse, looking at the dense crowd of pedestrians around him, as well as the yamen runners led by Ban Feng to escort him.

The main target of our struggle from now on will be the forces of Wuyou Cave.

Song Xuan reined in the horses and addressed the group of constables:

"No need to come early tomorrow. Just have breakfast and arrive around 9:00 AM. Then we can go to the Privy Council to collect some shields."

"Yes."

Song Xuan waved his hand, and Ban Feng led his men to retreat.

Wang Bao went up and knocked on the door. The old servant opened it and hurriedly said, "My lord, your father-in-law has arrived. He is talking with his wife in the hall."

"Oh, you've come at just the right time."

Song Xuan handed him the reins, saying, "It's just as convenient that I don't have to visit him again tonight."

The three people entered the courtyard and went to rest.

"father in law."

Cao Liyong glanced at Song Xuan and told his daughter to go back to her room to rest for a while, as he had something to say to Song Xuan.

Cao Qingyao called Song Xuan "My Lord" and then obediently went back.

"sit."

Cao Liyong looked at Song Xuan's appearance and said, "I've heard about what happened on the street."

Song Xuan nodded slightly: "It seems that nothing like this has ever happened in Tokyo before."

"really."

Cao Yong stroked his beard and said, "Never before has a thug dared to openly declare that he wants to kill an official."

"I know you're a skilled young man, but don't take it lightly."

"These desperados don't care about the laws of the Song Dynasty. If pushed too far, they really dare to take out their knives."

"You know how Gu Ziming died."

Hearing Cao Liyong's reminder, Song Xuan nodded slightly: "I know."

"It's good that you know." Cao Liyong sighed.

"You're still young. Just get by with your job. It's not like the government is in power anymore. What good is it if you do a great job?"

"I know you've forced Liu Congde to bow his head, but what good does that do?"

"If the Empress Dowager doesn't want to deal with it, she simply won't. What can you do about it?"

"Shouldn't Wang Zeng and the others just have to endure it?"

"I'm not here to dampen your enthusiasm."

Cao Liyong looked at Song Xuan and said earnestly:
"Seize the opportunity when it is right, and don't waste your patience on such trivial matters."

“Father-in-law, I understand everything you’re saying.”

Song Xuan chuckled twice: "Since you know I'm in danger, could you send some men to serve me?"

"Are you crazy, or am I crazy?"

Cao was so startled he almost launched himself into the air.
"Do I have the authority to mobilize the army?"

"The emperor's edict, the eunuchs around him, the tiger tally, and the accompanying ministers are all indispensable. Do you think I can just take a tiger tally and go to the military camp to mobilize troops?"

"If it were that simple, there would have been all sorts of rebellions long ago. Would the Song Dynasty still be the Song Dynasty then?"

"Could you then issue me some weapons?"

Song Xuan, settling for second best, said:
"I'm about to be murdered, so I need to wear inner armor, plus some standard shields, and crossbows for self-defense, all that stuff?"

Cao Liyong fell into thought; apart from the inner armor, the rest were easy to find.

"This matter should not be handled by me. You should go to Yuqing Palace tomorrow to pay your respects to the Emperor and ask him to issue the order."

"It's not appropriate for me to get involved."

Song Xuan nodded: "In that case, I will go to see the Emperor tomorrow and ask him if he would like to ask for help. Surely he doesn't want his personally selected top scholar of the Song Dynasty to die an unnatural death?"

"Pah, pah, pah, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Cao Li pointed at Song Xuan with a gloomy expression:

"Watch your mouth from now on. Don't say such nonsense. You'll be a father someday, so be more mature."

"Okay, just give me some weapons."

Song Xuan then lowered his voice and asked, "Father-in-law, do you have any debts outside?"

"That's not true," Cao Liyong immediately retorted. "Who told you that?"

“I, Cao Liyong, am a high-ranking official, and also a Privy Councilor. I hold more than one or two official positions, and I can’t even spend all my monthly salary.”

"You actually suspect that I owe money outside? That's utterly absurd!"

Song Xuan just smiled and remained silent.

Cao Liyong knew his son-in-law was intelligent, and there were some things he couldn't hide from him:
"Don't be deceived by outsiders."

"The food at home is so bad, yet you say you're not short of money."

Song Xuan leaned back in his chair and said seriously:
"I can sense this without anyone else telling me, let alone someone telling me."

Cao Liyong knew he couldn't hide it from him no matter what, so he nodded and said:

"I do owe some debts, but you don't need to worry. Since I dared to borrow, I can naturally pay it back."

“Those loan sharks are not fools; they know who can pay back the money and who can’t.”

Song Xuan fiddled with the teacup in his hand: "I have a way to make quick money for a while, do you want to hear it?"

"You said."

Cao Li immediately perked up. If Song Xuan could bring his Five Star Lottery business to Tokyo, he would surely make a lot of money.

When the Cao family opens a few shops, the money will come rolling in.

"Father-in-law, do you have any trustworthy subordinates?"

Cao immediately became wary: "Speak your mind directly, this is a very serious issue."

"Although I am the Privy Councilor, none of the Deputy Privy Councilors below me are my people. They are all here to check and balance me, or even replace me."

“Zhang Qi was the one who was supposed to replace me. It was only because of your idea for the Northwest that the Empress Dowager dared not replace me easily, so I became the Privy Councilor alongside Zhang Qi.”

Can I rebel?

"Emperor Taizu did not intend to rebel; rather, it was the Chenqiao Mutiny that led to his being given the yellow robe."

Song Xuan nodded. As expected, the top spokesperson of the Song Dynasty's military group was extremely sensitive to such matters.

Even if it's your own son-in-law, you still have to keep a close eye on him.

"You paraded your subordinate's corpse through the streets today, witnessed by so many people. And you still say you weren't trying to win people's hearts?"

Cao Li pointed at Song Xuan with extreme rudeness and said:
"This kind of thing must never happen again. Even if the emperor treats you very well, you cannot do something so taboo."

"Especially since you plan to go to the Northwest to make a name for yourself in the future, you will inevitably come into contact with the army. You must not let the army listen to only you and not the court."

"Otherwise, no matter how good the Emperor is to you, it is still something that cannot be tolerated."

"If there really is someone so audacious as to think you, Song Xuan, are cold and offer you a coat, could you handle that?"

In the Song Dynasty, military generals were always feared by the emperor, while the civil officials were happy to use imperial power to suppress the military generals.

"I don't want this dress at all."

Song Xuan gestured to Cao Liyong to remain calm:
"Father-in-law, I just want to find a few of your old subordinates and make a fortune with them."

"They'll remember your kindness and give you some gifts. When you have more money, you can pay off the loan sharks."

"Of course, if you don't want to pay back the loan sharks, I'll take the opportunity to eliminate them."

“Treat them as thieves from Wuyou Cave, and we’ll make sure to burn their ledgers and get a large amount of gold and silver.”

Cao Li scrutinized Song Xuan for a long while, and finally sighed:
"I've been tricked! How could you be so heartless?"

"They dared to lend me money at exorbitant interest rates, so they must have considered the consequences if I didn't repay it. Do you think the power behind them is any less than that?"

"They're just people around the Empress Dowager, after all."

Song Xuan lowered his voice and said, "How many more years can they keep this up?"

"you shut up."

Cao Yong tried to cover Song Xuan's mouth to stop him from saying anything.

"Although I have this thought, you can't say it out loud."

"If the Empress Dowager were gone, they would be more than happy if I didn't have to pay back their money, so that I would be the one to do them a favor."

Cao glanced around the hall to make sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Also, try to avoid saying things that make people nervous. I've broken out in a sweat several times in just a short while, all because you scared me."

Song Xuan laughed twice:

"We're not going to rebel, so why should we care?"

"Walls have ears, so we must cultivate the habit of being careful with our words and actions."

Cao Li used his own experience as a military general to warn Song Xuan:

"By the way, what's this about the method for making money you mentioned earlier?"

(End of this chapter)