A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 335 Superior Strength
Song Xuan has arrived at the Cao family's residence.

Both the father-in-law and son-in-law are masters of skipping work.

Anyway, the Song Dynasty officialdom didn't strictly check attendance.

Therefore, he arrived earlier than all the invited people.

Such hot weather.

Cao Yongli did not offer any special treatment.

He took Song Xuan's advice and set up a small barbecue in the back garden, which was even more pleasant with some cold drinks.

In order to help Song Xuan as much as possible, Cao Yong learned how to grill skewers on the side.

Song Xuan, feeling somewhat bored, tried to find a topic to talk about:

"Father-in-law, which imperial guard unit is the most powerful in the capital city of Tokyo?"

"That goes without saying." Cao Liyong flipped the skewers.

"Of course, it is the four wings of the Heavenly Martial Guard (two wings on each side), which are the core elite of the Palace Guard, forming a three-headed system with the Cavalry Guard and the Infantry Guard."

Because of his military achievements, Di Qing was promoted to Commander of the Four Armies of the Heavenly Martial Guard.

"is it?"

Song Xuan flipped through the lamb skewers:

“I’ve heard that corruption in the Imperial Guard is very serious; it’s quite normal for soldiers not to know their generals and for generals not to know their soldiers.”

"Who told you that?"

Cao Liyong had great confidence in the Song army.

Song Xuan thought to himself, "You are the highest-ranking officer, and you're not even in the army. How could you possibly know as much as someone like Wang Gui who has firsthand experience?"

"That's just alarmist."

Cao Liyong did not believe that something so serious could happen, especially not under the emperor's nose.

When he was fighting in the north and south, the Imperial Guards were still very capable fighters.

“I think at least 30% of them are receiving salaries without working. Their training is lax. During the long time that the Empress Dowager has been in power, they have mostly served as a ceremonial guard and have not received any training at all.”

"It is quite normal that the arrow cannot penetrate the hole and the horse cannot run fast."

"The Imperial Guards today are probably not as strong as the border troops in the Northwest, and they are unwilling to accept that Zhe Jixuan has come to the capital and looks down on the Imperial Guards."

"This is a rumor!"

Cao Liyong believed that no matter how many people were idle in the Imperial Guards, their combat effectiveness was still top-notch.

However, he hadn't seen much of the training process.

Song Xuan stopped arguing, if only there were more people like that.

How could newly recruited imperial guards like Di Qing and Wang Gui possibly have the chance to perform for the emperor?
That really requires selection.

To avoid revealing the truth and angering the emperor.

Cao was flipping the skewers when he suddenly realized what was going on.

He felt that his son-in-law wouldn't make baseless accusations or deliberately belittle the Imperial Guards.

There was no conflict of interest between them; they must have discovered something and were trying to warn each other.

"Where did you hear the news?"

"It's just what's being said on the street; rumors are flying everywhere these days."

"Did it come from the street?" Cao Liyong raised an eyebrow.

Song Xuan began to skillfully brush on the sauce:

"Many people are spreading rumors that my claim of eradicating Wuyou Cave was a hoax, and that I was using this incident to make money and pay off your high-interest loans, but that's the truth."

"what?"

Cao Yong put down the meat skewers in his hand:

"what happened?"

"That's just how it is, you don't need to worry about it."

Hearing his son-in-law's nonchalant remarks, Cao Liyong's eyes were filled with anger:
"Who leaked the information?"

"This means that the loan sharks you borrowed also have shares in Wuyou Cave. Otherwise, how would they know?"

Song Xuan's words left Cao Liyong speechless.

He truly hadn't expected the power of the Worry-Free Cave to be so immense.

They've all come to the ground openly to do business with these high-ranking officials of the Song Dynasty.

"Straight bitch!"

Cao cursed angrily.

"I was thinking of hurrying up and paying back this money, but I never expected that they were colluding with Wuyou Cave. What's the point of me paying it back now!"

Song Xuan placed the pre-baked food on a plate to the side:
"Father-in-law, you might as well lend me more."

"Ok?"

Cao Liyong's eyes were full of incomprehension.

"What do you mean?"

“If you owe them a few hundred, a thousand, or even tens of thousands of strings of cash, they will take advantage of you. But if you borrow a few hundred thousand or a million strings of cash, they will have to serve you carefully.”

Song Xuan tasted the lamb skewers to check the saltiness:

“In this way, you are the creditor and they are the debtors, fearing that something might happen to you and you won’t be able to pay back the money.”

Cao's eyes lit up: "You can do that?"

Why can't we do it this way?

Song Xuan handed a string of coins to his bewildered father-in-law:
"Just borrow more money from them. They've already sold your information. They've done such shameless things. What else do you have to worry about?"

"Anyway, it's all ill-gotten gains. In a while, I'll have your men wipe them all out."

"If we can't catch the rats down below, can't we catch these shops up above that are trying to launder their money?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Yong couldn't help but smile. That was indeed the truth!
It has to be the son-in-law who has the ideas.

"Okay, okay, I know what to do."

"You don't know."

Cao Li turned to look at his son-in-law: "What's so difficult about borrowing money?"

"Borrowing money is a complex skill, especially when it comes to taking out loans."

"Oh?" Cao Liyong immediately became interested.

The father-in-law and son-in-law were talking about small loans when they heard a servant report that Commander Li Zhaoliang had arrived.

Li Zhaoliang arrived with a powerful stride:

"I have met Attendant-in-Ordinary Cao."

“Huizhi, come here, this is my son-in-law Song Xuan.”

"Yes, I've met you before." Li Zhaoliang said with a smile.
"I drank wine on the day of Song Zhuangyuan's wedding, and Zhang Tanhua also drank wine at my house."

He didn't know why Cao Li invited him, but seeing Song Xuan there, he understood some things.

Not to mention Song Xuan's reputation, how could the other military families not envy Xiao Cao?

With Song Xuan's support, the younger Cao family has now subtly surpassed the older Cao family.

Now no one said that the Cao family was no good anymore.

If you're so capable, you could also find a son-in-law who can pass all three imperial examinations in a row!
"Commander Li."

Song Xuan smiled and handed over the lamb skewers: "Try them, they're freshly grilled."

"Thank you."

Li Zhaoliang didn't hold back either.

It smelled really good, and his eyes lit up when he tasted it.

"I've never had such delicious lamb skewers before!"

"Hahaha." Cao Li invited Li Zhaoliang to sit down:

"When I first tasted this flavor, I was amazed by its heavenly quality."

"Oh, it was roasted by the top scholar Song?"

Li Zhaoliang then realized that it was just the two of them, father-in-law and son-in-law, present, without even a servant attending to them.

"My son had a sweet tooth when he was young, so he got used to cooking for himself and studied some flavors."

"Good good."

Li Zhaoliang was overjoyed and said:

"I am truly fortunate to be able to eat mutton roasted by the top scholar who passed the imperial examinations three times in a row."

"Commander Li, if you like to eat, please have more later."

Song Xuan poured him a glass of cold drink and prepared it on the side.

Li Zhaoliang was extremely satisfied.

He was willing to help Song Xuan as long as it wasn't about rebellion.

Before long, Chang Hetai and Pan Chengjin also arrived.

It can be said that many of the imperial relatives of the Song Dynasty were involved in this situation.

Cao Liyong then gave a detailed explanation, and Song Xuan answered each question in turn.

He didn't directly mention Song Xuan's matter, but instead asked:

"There's something that's been on my mind for a long time."

"Now that you've come, you must answer carefully."

Li Zhaoliang and the others responded in unison.

Are there many soldiers in the Imperial Guards of the capital who are receiving salaries without working?

Li Zhaoliang swallowed a mouthful of mutton, then drank a sip of cold soup, and looked at the other two.

"That's possible."

Pan Chengjin is Pan Mei's grandson, and he readily acknowledged it:

"The Tokyo four-box is very serious."

"I know that the Xiang Army is not the Imperial Guard."

With Cao Liyong speaking up, and Pan Chengjin being the first to admit it, Chang Hetai also nodded in agreement:

"Even though I don't receive a salary without working, I can't prevent my subordinates from doing so."

“I can’t guarantee that such things won’t happen, but I will deal with each case as it is discovered.”

Li Zhaoliang had been employed by the imperial court since childhood, and his family was also related to the imperial family, so they were never short of money.

Moreover, he was strict with himself, not just loafing around, and his rule was quite strict.

Cao Liyong glanced at Song Xuan:
"Has the training been neglected?"

"hey-hey."

Pan Cheng smiled and ate his lamb skewers without saying a word.

His local troops were mainly responsible for maintaining order and were not capable of fighting battles.

train?

Who's training?

Li Zhaoliang nodded slightly: "I do train often, about once every ten days."

"I'll stay for a month."

Chang Hetai was in the outer city, and he wasn't particularly diligent.

"Commander Chang".

Song Xuan chuckled softly:
"Are your men accurate archers?"

"To be honest, Scholar Song, there are very few skilled archers in the army. Most of them use volley fire to disrupt the enemy's formation."

Chang Hetai, who is quite chubby, was eating lamb skewers with both hands.

Even Song Xuan's grilling wasn't enough, so he grilled some himself.

"That's it."

Song Xuan thought for a moment, then put down the skewer in his hand:
"Actually, I asked my father-in-law to help me arrange this meeting today."

"I have some things I'd like to discuss with the commanders. It's entirely my personal request, and it's fine if they don't agree."

"Hahaha," Chang Hetai laughed loudly.
“Even the top scholar Song did not look down on us military officers. If you have anything to say, just say it. I, Old Chang, will be the first to help.”

"After all, not everyone has the honor of eating lamb skewers personally grilled by the top scholar."

Despite being a scoundrel in his official duties, Chang Hetai is actually quite meticulous in his dealings with people.

They quickly lifted the other two up.

"Wuyou Cave killed my men."

Song Xuan looked at the three of them and said, "That's why I'm going to get my revenge."

"This is official business."

Li Zhaoliang heard about this; he had heard the gossip on his way here.

There are just too many people in Tokyo who enjoy watching the excitement, and the population density is also very high.

"Scholar Song, please tell me, how do you intend to retaliate?"

"Yes, this Worry-Free Cave is not easy to deal with. If our people go underground, we will suffer even greater losses."

"Can each of you draw two hundred elite soldiers from your respective armies?"

"Hahaha."

Chang Hetai burst into laughter again:
"Scholar Song underestimates us too much. Even if it's the local militia, it's no problem for us to gather a thousand strong young men."

The other two agreed, feeling that Song Xuan's appetite was too small.

I thought Song Xuan wanted them to mobilize their entire army, but that would indeed be difficult.

Without orders, mobilizing troops without authorization will lead to serious consequences.

"The quality of an army is more important than its quantity."

Song Xuan waved his hand and said:

"I have never approved of using a large army to invade a country. If the food and logistics cannot keep up, it will drag us down to death."

"I never imagined that the top scholar of the Song Dynasty was also knowledgeable in military strategy," Li Zhaoliang said with a smile.

"The Romance of the Three Kingdoms was written by the top scholar of the Song Dynasty."

Chang Hetai poured himself some cold milk:
"I even suspect that the strategies and military tactics described in this story were actually used by the top scholar Song in actual battles."

"Ah, I forgot about that." Li Zhaoliang also became interested:

"Where did the top scholar Song learn his skills?"

"Read history books."

Hearing Song Xuan's answer, Li Zhaoliang felt incredulous.

Because even those with family traditions of learning sometimes don't understand strategy very well.

Cao Liyong waved his hand:

“These things are not important. Let’s hear what my son-in-law has to say first.”

"Yeah."

Song Xuan extended his hand and said:

"Each of you command two hundred elite soldiers to help me strike at the forces of Wuyou Cave. I will give these soldiers extra subsidies."

What is a subsidy?

“It’s just money.”

"No need." Chang Hetai waved his hand.
"How can we expect the top scholar, Song, to pay for his own work when he is serving the imperial court?"

"I'm not paying for it." Song Xuan took a few skewers of lamb and looked at the three of them with a smile.

"Then who will pay?"

Chang Hetai subconsciously looked at his former superior, Cao Liyong.

After all, his former boss had taken out high-interest loans to pay for his wedding.

"Whoever has money, pays."

Hearing Song Xuan's words, the three of them became even more confused.

Li Zhaoliang asked proactively, "I hope Scholar Song can enlighten us: who has the money and is willing to contribute funds to eradicate Wuyou Cave?"

"Worry-Free Cave is rich."

Li Zhaoliang thought Song Xuan was talking nonsense, since he hadn't even had a drink today.

"What does it matter to us if Wuyou Cave is rich?"

Song Xuan snapped his fingers:
“I ransacked one of his small strongholds and found 220 taels of gold, and the rest of the jewelry was worth about 30,000 strings of cash. All of this money was ill-gotten gains.”

"Why should we let them hold onto it?"

"Correct."

Chang Hetai nodded repeatedly:
"What Scholar Song said makes sense. Ill-gotten gains should be held in the hands of righteous people like us."

Song Xuan chuckled:
"Think about it, everyone. The Worry-Free Cave has been rampant for so many years. How many strongholds must it have on the ground?"

"hiss."

Pan Cheng gasped; he really hadn't thought of that.

Compared to the other two, his troops could move around the city of Tokyo more easily.

If he could plunder more ill-gotten gains, he would gain more prestige in the army.

A good idea indeed.

"The one I raided was just a small outpost."

Song Xuan snorted and laughed:
"I've heard that Wuyou Cave has four hall masters. If even a small fry has so much money, how could the strongholds of those hall masters be lacking in wealth?"

"In this way, the three of you can use it as a routine training exercise or as a reward."

"By establishing the Worry-Free Cave, we can benefit the country and its people, and also find a way for our subordinates to make money."

"We have enough money in our own coffers, so we can stand tall."

"Hahaha."

Chang Hetai placed the freshly grilled meat skewers aside, not in a hurry to eat them.

"I'm tempted by what I hear, but is two hundred men really enough for Scholar Song?"

He stretched out his hand: "I'm willing to contribute 500 men. The more soldiers I contribute, the more I earn."

Cao Liyong stroked his beard and said:
"The Worry-Free Cave has been running rampant for so many years. I bet their leaders are already rolling in gold and silver, even more extravagant than us!"

Li Zhaoliang nodded.

Such ill-gotten gains can be found in just one small outpost.

These families, with generations of military officers and relatives of the emperor, could not do as well as the business in Wuyou Cave in the city.

“I have enough elite troops under my command,” Li Zhaoliang echoed. “Let’s send out a thousand men first.”

"Hahaha." Song Xuan couldn't help but burst into laughter twice:

"Uncles, I'll say it again: it's not about the quantity of soldiers, but their quality. If there are too many men, the money will be hard to distribute."

"They're just a bunch of thugs who rely on their familiarity with the underground tunnels. What kind of resistance could they possibly offer against the army?"

"They want to continue their evil deeds on the ground. Even two hundred soldiers of my Great Song army cannot besiege a single bandit stronghold."

"Then I'll assume that the commanders sent out the old, weak, sick, and disabled to deliberately fob me off."

"Hahaha."

Chang Hetai waved his hands repeatedly:
"Absolutely impossible. I wonder when Scholar Song will need it?"

"I will carefully select them when I get back tomorrow. I must gather an elite force of two hundred men."

"Two will do. Each will be divided into two teams of one hundred people, and I can arrange them in rotation."

"That's no problem."

Chang Hetai patted his chest repeatedly to assure him.

A captain's troops number around one hundred.

"Once the time is right and we find out where the treasure is hidden in the underground passage, I will ask my uncles to send more troops."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Li Zhaoliang nodded repeatedly:

“Alright, I will carefully select from the army tomorrow. I certainly cannot lose face in front of Scholar Song.”

"Hahaha."

Several people burst into laughter and celebrated with cold drinks.

Pan Cheng was chewing on an ice cube:

“Scholar Song, I can select the elite soldiers from the two capitals in the city, but I am more suitable to cooperate with you than either of them.”

"Although most of my subordinates are just freeloaders, it's still convenient for them to move around in Tokyo."

Why do you choose the far-fetched path instead of the one closer to home?

Song Xuan added ice cubes to his own cup as well:
“I interrogated the people of the Worry-Free Cave overnight. They had very little knowledge of each other about who had been sent to live on the surface.”

"But he is certain that there are people from Wuyou Cave infiltrated into my Kaifeng County government, prefectural government, and even the local militia as informants."

"Ah, this."

Pan Cheng frowned slightly; indeed, that was a possibility.

The Xiangjun (Xiangjun) was not a good unit.

It's just welfare.

To improve his life, he made his subordinates work for him.

Even Pan Cheng, as a contractor, would find ways to secure projects and take a cut.

Compared to receiving a salary without working, this is the real problem.

"Since Wuyou Cave dares to send people to the surface to operate openly, how can they do so without properly managing their household registration?"

Li Zhaoliang nodded:

"Therefore, he would definitely place people in the county government."

"As for the local militia, they will also tip off the enemy."

"To avoid the possibility of being suddenly executed by the government, which would cause them heavy losses, General Pan still needs to carefully distinguish the selected personnel."

"good."

Song Xuan picked up the ice-cold beverage:
"That's why I used Yang Chongxun's men as a cover for patrolling, while your elite troops are the real killing move."

Pan Cheng nodded:

"I will carefully examine the case this time and will certainly not jeopardize Scholar Song's important matter."

They were all willing to befriend Song Xuan, whose future was limitless. Not to mention, there were benefits to this as well.

As the meal was drawing to a close, Pan Chengjin picked up the cold drink again and said:

"Scholar Song, I have a favor to ask, and I hope you can give me some advice."

"Commander Pan, please speak."

“My son Pan Su doesn’t want to be a court official; to put it bluntly, he wants to pursue a civil service career.”

Pan Chengjin looked embarrassed.

"I wonder if Scholar Song could offer me some advice?"

Song Xuan thought for a moment:
"Let me think about this."

"Alright, alright, there's no rush."

Pan Chengjin had a smile on his face:
"The main problem is that this kid wants to pursue a career as a civil servant, and I really can't do anything about it."

Even if he is Pan Mei's grandson, it doesn't matter.

"It doesn't matter."

Song Xuan didn't care about these social interactions, since they were all introduced by his father-in-law.

We were all originally one group; it's just that we've inherited the benefits.

It would be perfectly normal for Cao to provide Song Xuan with some official resources.

Everyone was satisfied with the barbecue, and the guests and hosts went home happily.

Cao Liyong and Song Xuan were drinking tea in the hall:
"Do you really have a way to deal with the Pan family's problem?"

"Yes, I have."

Cao Yong was thinking of finding a civil official to recommend him, but he didn't know if that recommendation would be influential enough.

Song Xuan took a sip of tea and rinsed his mouth.

"I had an idea of ​​how to do it right away, but if I said it out loud, it would inevitably make Commander Pan suspicious."

"It would be better to let things settle down and reflect, so that he can feel that I have put a lot of thought into it, and that he will be more convinced."

"Go, go, go."

Cao Liyong had a smile on his face:
"If I, as a good son-in-law, know what's going on, then it's fine."

Today, in front of his three old subordinates, Song Xuan really earned him a lot of face.

Because Song Xuan did not allow Cao Yong to swallow his pride and force these three people to help.

Instead, it uses shared interests as a bond to motivate everyone to do this.

How could Cao Liyong not be overjoyed?

Li Zhaoliang also subtly inquired about Zhang Fangping's feelings towards his daughter, niece, and nephew.

Song Xuan, of course, could not answer for Zhang Fangping. Anyone else would have been dizzy and disoriented after seeing so many women in such a short time.

But Zhang Fangping was different; he had a photographic memory.

Therefore, Song Xuan assured Li Zhaoliang that it was something that ordinary people could not do.

Zhang Fangping could definitely remember every single woman in every household, categorizing them into different types.

Li Zhaoliang and others marveled at this.

I have never seen such an extraordinary person in my entire life.

If he could become their son-in-law, he would be no less than the Three-Yuan Master or the Three-Tail Master.

While they were chatting and laughing happily here, the atmosphere elsewhere was not so pleasant.

Chen Gu, the magistrate of Xiangfu County, was complaining to his brother-in-law, Lü Yijian, about Song Xuan's overreaching influence.

Chen Yaozuo, the prefect of Kaifeng, listened attentively.

He understood that Chen Gu had developed a sense of crisis.

That's why he was so angry about Song Xuan's investigation of the Worry-Free Cave.

What's there to be angry about?

"what?"

Chen Gu didn't immediately understand.

Lü Yijian looked at his brother-in-law:
"I'm asking you, what's there to be angry about when Song Xuan is investigating his case?"

"me?"

Chen Gu's chest was still bulging with anger:

"He came to investigate the case without prior notice, clearly showing he didn't take me seriously."

Lu Yijian sighed softly.

He discovered that the web he had woven over the years was not so satisfactory after all.

Not everyone is suited to navigating the officialdom.

Lu Yijian's greatest fear was that his family members would be fools.

In this way, they are at a disadvantage in the struggle.

They will not only fail to be your help, but will also constantly distract you and drain your limited energy.

Lü Yijian felt that he was getting old and didn't have as much energy as before.

He didn't want to be distracted by analyzing things for everyone anymore.

"Xi Yuan, you should tell him."

Chen Yaozuo looked at Chen Gu, stroked his beard, and said:
"Are you the protector behind the Worry-Free Cave?"

"How is that possible!"

Chen Gu looked at his boss with a puzzled expression.

Chen Yaozuo knew that Chen Gu had a bad temper.

The officials in Xiangfu County who had been dismissed by him went to the prefectural government office to seek connections.

"Since it's impossible, you know perfectly well that Song Xuan sent people to investigate clues about Wuyou Cave."

"You even openly sent people to forcibly arrest them and interrogate them in the county government hall."

"If that registrar really goes to appeal to the emperor, do you think that with my help and Lord Lü's help, you can protect your position from the Empress Dowager?"

Chen Gu remained silent.

Because he couldn't say for sure either.

"No, Your Majesty."

"You still remember there is an empress dowager."

Chen Yaozuo pointed outside:

"Don't you know that Liu Congde was beaten up by Song Xuan, and he still had to obediently send over the debt?"

"know."

Chen Gu knew this but couldn't understand it, which is why he became increasingly irritable.

Because his attempt to replicate Song Xuan's method of collecting debts was simply not going to work.

"I know you're still being foolish!"

Chen Yaozuo said without any politeness:
"Who is Song Xuan?"

"Even the most favored relative of the current emperor can get away with being beaten."

"This is something that even the current Prime Minister Wang Xianggong couldn't do to punish Liu Congde, yet Song Xuan managed to do it."

Do you still think you have a chance to suppress Song Xuan?

Chen Gu was dumbfounded; he truly had no idea what had happened in the imperial court.

"To put it bluntly, even before he became the top scholar in the imperial examination, he dared to look down on me, the Prefect of Kaifeng."

Chen Yaozuo looked at Chen Gu and said, enunciating each word clearly, "Do you think you, as a county magistrate, can control him?"

"this."

Lü Yijian then spoke:

"Heavenly Scripture, the situation in the court is becoming increasingly complicated, and sometimes I don't understand it either."

“However, what Xi Yuan said makes sense. Since you are in this position, even if you can’t surpass Song Xuan.”

"But you can cooperate with him. At least you can't resist the task of eradicating Wuyou Cave. On the contrary, you should actively show yourself."

"I have to cooperate with him?" Chen Gu stood up angrily.

"In this way, I can earn more credit for you in this matter in the future."

"When Prefect Chen writes his reasons for your performance evaluation, he can even outshine Song Xuan. Do you understand?"

Chen Gu hadn't quite understood at first, but after hearing Lü Yijian's plan, he finally got it.

He slowly sat down again:

"Brother, it was my oversight."

Chen Gu quickly admitted his mistake: "Thank you, Prefect Chen. I will definitely cooperate with Song Xuan in solving the case."

Lu Yijian nodded. He had worried a lot about the promotions of his relatives.

"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, you will be in charge of this matter."

Chen Yaozu nodded, "That's true."

Such a heinous case occurred in Kaifeng Prefecture, and Song Xuan, as a county magistrate, was indeed not qualified to take charge.

Lü Yijian then carefully instructed:

"There are many things I don't need to tell you."

"I understand. Song Xuan gets all the dirty, tiring, and hard work. Isn't he very capable?"

Chen Yaozu stroked his beard and said:
"I don't believe he can completely wipe out Wuyou Cave. What's written on the merit list then will be entirely up to me."

Upon hearing this, Chen Gu's face lit up with even greater joy.

Worry-Free Cave is inhabited by underground rats, making it truly impossible to find a way to deal with them.

Song Xuan's high-profile investigation will surely invite retaliation from Wuyou Cave.

He charged ahead while he reaped the credit.

How could Chen Gu not be happy?
"Don't go too far."

Lu Yijian looked at the two who had profited:
"You must put your heart into this matter, especially in front of the people, and you must surpass Song Xuan's performance."

"Even just saying it is enough. We can use public opinion to silence Song Xuan."

Lü Yijian's tactic was extremely common.

Anyway, you're the only one in the whole team who isn't one of us.

The tricky tasks will be assigned to you, but when it comes to sharing the credit, you can be last in line.

Not leaving you behind is already a great consideration.

"Thank you for your advice, brother. I will definitely explain everything to everyone when I go on duty tomorrow, and I will also post the reward notice."

“That’s right. Don’t try to fight back when things happen.” Lu Yijian said with satisfaction, “Try to go with the flow and gain more benefits for yourself. That’s the way of being an official.”

If there were outsiders present, Lü Yijian would never have spoken so bluntly.

The Lu family's current success is entirely due to their meticulous management.

Otherwise, how could so many of the Lü family's relatives and friends hold official positions in the court?

Chen Gu received the double care from Lü Yijian and Chen Yaozuo, and after they left, he was so happy he almost jumped for joy.

Watching his brother-in-law leave, Lü Yijian said to Chen Yaozuo:

"Oh dear, my brother-in-law is so old, yet he's still so impulsive. I'm afraid he won't be able to shoulder any heavy responsibilities in the future!"

In Lü Yijian's view, he could only try to appease him to prevent him from doing anything else that would catch him off guard.

Chen Yaozuo nodded, without offering much comment on his brother-in-law:

"Prime Minister Lü, I did go to Taoran Inn. The scene was truly horrific. The bodies haven't been dug out yet."

Lü Yijian sighed, stood up, and paced around the eight-immortal table twice.

"Tokyo is a chaotic city with a population of over a million. People die every single day!"

"I think this is just the tip of the iceberg."

Chen Yaozuo remained silent.

The number of victims, which everyone talks about lightly, is actually quite significant once you actually go to the scene.

"The tip of the iceberg?"

Chen Yaozu shook his head: "How could the capital have become like this?"

Lü Yijian did not answer, probably because he did not know the reason either.

If Song Xuan hadn't exposed this, everyone would still be playing music and dancing, but now everyone is annoyed by it.

He served as prime minister for so many years, and yet such a major case occurred right under his nose.

Doesn't that mean they didn't play any role at all in the position of prime minister?

How can this be done!
It weighs less than four ounces without being weighed, but it can easily weigh a thousand pounds without being weighed.

Regardless of whether they approve of Song Xuan or not, they are all going to support Song Xuan in fighting against the forces of Wuyou Cave.

Once Song Xuan has achieved something, when it comes to rewarding his merits later...

They have their own set of standards for rewarding merit.

……

The fact that the forces of Wuyou Cave are moving around really makes it seem like they have power.

Many people came to Kaifeng County early this morning to seek redress.

Before Song Xuan could even dismount, protected by the yamen runners, many people tried to rush over to tell their grievances.

County Commandant Ban Feng shouted, his shield slammed down, and he shoved the man away.

Who knows if there are any troublemakers mixed in there, trying to assassinate Master Song?

Thus, escorted by a group of yamen runners, Song Xuan entered the county yamen.

Song Xuan wasn't too fond of their dramatic, tearful behavior, but he still ordered his men to collect all their petitions.

He sat in the back hall, and Qi Lecheng hurriedly reported:

"My lord, perhaps someone deliberately stirred up this group of people to come."

"Judging from their petitions, most of them belong to the Kaifeng Prefectural Government!"

"Ok?"

Song Xuan looked at Qi Lecheng: "How did you figure that out?"

"So that the esteemed official may know that there are unspoken rules in submitting petitions to the Kaifeng government office."

Qi Lecheng's extended finger follows three unspoken rules:
"First, we don't accept cases without paying the express delivery fee; second, we don't accept cases without an intermediary's introduction; and third, we have this lawsuit."

"A legal document?" Song Xuan was genuinely unfamiliar with these intricacies.

"Yes, the money paid for filing a case with ordinary mulberry paper is less, and you have to wait at least 30 days before the case is heard. The money paid for Xuan paper is more, so the case is heard in about three days."

"If those wealthy merchants were willing to spend a lot of money to make multiple petitions with gold leaf, then the case could be tried immediately."

"It's really rare to see someone like you, sir, who immediately starts investigating cases when they come across them."

"Hehe, hehe."

Song Xuan chuckled speechlessly; he had underestimated the government's methods of making money.

"Does that mean there are different classes in prisons?"

"You can't hide it from the esteemed official."

Song Xuan nodded, glancing at the petition beside him:

"Alright, arrange these five cases in this order and let them in."

"Yes."

Song Xuan took a sip of cold tea and calmed himself down before leading his men into the hall.

At this time, the area outside the main hall was filled with many people.

Some cases don't require privacy; as long as you apply, you can come in to observe the officials judging cases. Otherwise, how could the reputation of an upright and just official spread?
This is all standard practice.

Xiao Feng, the master of Wuyou Cave, mingled among the crowd, wanting to see what Song Xuan was capable of.

See if these cases can give you a headache and put some pressure on you.

At that point, Master Song would have no time to investigate the Worry-Free Cave.

That was exactly what Xiaofeng was planning. He liked investigating cases, so he'd let him investigate to his heart's content.

Amid the murmurs of the people, Song Xuan sat upright in the center.

Xiao Feng had to admit that Song Xuan had a good-looking face, making it easy for people to believe him.

Snapped.

The gavel banged.

"mighty."

With a single tap of the fire-and-water stick, the chatter of the onlookers immediately ceased.

You see, that's fine. But if anyone dares to shout again after the gavel falls, they will be thrown out.

How could a mere commoner like you dare disrespect the authority of the government?
Song Xuan, holding the complaint, briefly explained:
"Liu Ming said that he found a blue cloth bundle containing twenty taels of silver when he went to the toilet at night."

"He originally intended to keep it for himself, but his mother, Liu, earnestly persuaded him to wait where he was."

"After waiting for a long time, the owner, Tian Rui, returned and said that Liu Ming had pocketed the money from selling the cloth in his package, which contained fifty taels of silver. Is that true?"

Liu Ming's face turned slightly red:

“My lord Rong Bing, I found this item last night. It was indeed only twenty taels. I did want to keep it for myself, but my mother’s words made me go back and wait all night.”

"Bullshit!" Tian Rui shouted, holding up his business transaction contract.

"Your Honor, the Upright Official, are truly wise and just!"

"This poor scoundrel cheated me out of thirty taels of silver. This is the settlement document. I hope that you, sir, can help me."

The yamen runner handed over the document, which Song Xuan glanced at. It was quite new; it had been bought and sold three days ago.

Liu's mother, Liu, spoke tremblingly:

“My lord, my son has studied the classics diligently since childhood, and he would never deceive me.”

“When I learned that he wanted to keep it for himself, I slapped him and told him to wait for the owner.”

"But he turned around and accused me. I hope that you, sir, can clear my son's name."

Song Xuan nodded, and then Liu Ming's neighbors came up to testify.

He thought Liu Ming's words made sense; otherwise, he wouldn't have foolishly gone back with the broken silver and waited all night.

Since you've chosen to default on the money, then default on everything.

Being a little lazy, and then giving back a little on your own initiative, really shows how much studying has made you stupid.

Song Xuan slammed his gavel down: "Silence!"

Everyone stopped arguing.

"I've weighed it, and this amount probably isn't even twenty taels."

"Impossible." Liu Ming's eyes were filled with disbelief: "The student didn't take it."

"Whether or not you take it is not up to you; let the victim weigh it."

Song Xuan told Tian Rui to weigh the silver himself to see how much it was.

"My lord, you only have fifteen taels."

Tian Rui pointed at Liu Ming and roared:
"Well, you actually stole five taels of silver from me. You've wasted all your education. I already weighed it."

"Give it back to me right now."

"I didn't take it!"

Liu Ming gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to shed tears.

"You stole it! You stole it!"

“You stole five taels of silver from me, give it back to me.”

Tian Rui was extremely angry; he already had very little money, and now it had been stolen.

He couldn't suppress his anger in the slightest.

They even went so far as to physically search people.

Song Xuan observed the words and actions of the owner, Tian Rui.

He was furious that he had lost thirty taels but not these five.

Snapped.

"mighty."

The bailiffs struck the ground again.

Tian Rui didn't dare to say anything more, his face full of anger as he glared fiercely at Liu Ming.

Liu's mother, Liu, also had tears in her eyes. She felt that Song Xuan was the top scholar of the Song Dynasty and would never make such a muddled judgment.

But it was his own son's fault for being so foolish, and for a moment he was bewitched.

"The matter is now clear."

Everyone looked at Song Xuan, eager to hear his judgment.

Song Xuan took out the loose silver coins from his hand and placed them on the table:

“Since Tian Rui said he lost fifty taels of silver, and there are only twenty taels of loose silver here, then it means that the money Liu Ming picked up did not belong to Tian Rui.”

"Therefore, Tian Rui's claims about the amount of silver, the package, and the source are all inconsistent with the actual goods. According to the law, this silver is not his loss!"

"Liu Ming returned the lost money, and his mother, Liu, raised him well. The twenty taels should be returned to his mother to show filial piety!"

"We'll find Tian Rui's money elsewhere."

"what?"

Song Xuan's words caused both the plaintiff and the defendant to lose their composure.

"My lord, this is my money!"

"My twenty taels."

"mine."

Tian Rui even tried to step forward to snatch it, but was stopped by the yamen runners.

The crowd below was in an uproar; no one had expected this outcome.

Liu Ming was completely stunned and didn't know what to say for a moment.

"What do you mean, 'your' or 'his'?"

Song Xuan personally packed the bundle and gestured for the bailiffs to hand it over to Liu Ming:

"Tian Rui, remember this: you lost fifty taels, not twenty taels."

(End of this chapter)