A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 340 His moral bottom line is quite low, luckily mine is too.
Empress Dowager Liu E had witnessed infighting among the scholar-officials before.

But today, she truly saw an example of someone's aggressive words, so offensive that they made her want to vomit blood.

Empress Liu ordered the imperial physician to treat Chen Yaozuo.

Song Xuan, however, squatted down to take Chen Yaozuo's pulse.

Chen Yaozi glared at him angrily: "What else do you want to do?"

"Don't get so agitated, he won't die."

"You don't need to tell me." Chen Yaozi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Pity."

"You!" Chen Yaozi's eyes widened in fury.

Song Xuan stood up.

He even thought he could cosplay the story of Prime Minister Zhuge Liang scolding Wang Lang to death.

As expected, my skills were still insufficient.

At this moment, Lü Yijian also came over to inquire about Chen Yaozuo's health.

As for Song Xuan taking his pulse, he trusted Song Xuan's judgment.

After all, he could tell just by looking at his own daughter's body.

However, Chen Yaozuo was indeed in the wrong in this matter, yet he still wanted to forcefully reverse the situation.

After all this commotion, and even being scolded by Song Xuan to the point of vomiting blood today, it only serves to enhance Song Xuan's reputation.

From now on, it seems the people of Dongjing (Kaifeng) will no longer recognize Chen Yaozuo, the Prefect of Kaifeng, but will instead recognize Song Xuan, the Magistrate of Kaifeng County.

Such a sensational event could not be kept secret.

Who among those present was easy to deal with?
There are quite a few people in the Lü family who have formed a faction, but more than half of them are not on our side. Why should we hide it for you?

The imperial court was in complete chaos.

Cao Yongli also jogged over, grabbed Song Xuan's arm, and pulled him to stand in his own group:
"Stay away from that old man. What if he has some serious illness? He can't blame you for it."

After giving his instructions, Cao Liyong added with a smile:

"That felt great, truly great!"

"That old dog might be plotting something against you behind your back."

"He was verbally abused to the point of vomiting blood today, he deserved it, it's karma!"

Zhang Qi had to take Song Xuan seriously; he was young, but had quite a temper.

This kid will definitely not suffer any losses, whether in the imperial court or outside.

He doesn't have the bad habits of those scholars who follow the rules and regulations. I really don't know how he was raised with such a temperament.

Cao really struck gold with him.

Zhang Qi gently pounded Song Xuan's chest to encourage him, only to find that the flesh was still quite firm.

Such a man made him even more envious of Cao Yongli for finding such a good son-in-law.

If all else fails, go home and try your best to have another daughter.

Otherwise, how could they ever pass the imperial examination with just their good-for-nothing sons?
Song Xuan nodded:
"My father-in-law is right, I didn't lay a hand on him."

"Hahaha, if you make a move, he's definitely going to die."

With Song Xuan making such a public appearance, Cao Li felt radiant.

When Yan Shu saw Song Xuan standing over, he didn't say anything because there were many people around.

It was Deputy Privy Councilor Xia Song who spoke up:

"Scholar Song is indeed eloquent."

“Privy Councilor Xia, I simply stated the facts. Even he himself couldn’t bear it, which shows that he knows how unreasonable he is. He could only pretend to vomit blood and faint.”

Xia Song listened to Song Xuan's words and tried hard to keep his smile in check.

No wonder Song Xuan wanted to take Chen Yaozuo's pulse just now.

It turned out she was testing whether he was truly dizzy or faking it.

That kid is really unforgiving when he's in the right.

Yan Shu quietly tugged at Song Xuan's sleeve, signaling him to keep quiet.

With this sudden turn of events, the court assembly could no longer proceed.

Yan Shu felt that Song Xuan had Cao Yong's help, which was why Chen Yaozuo was so terrified.

Is it possible to casually utter such a serious accusation as bullying orphans and widows in the imperial court?
Whoever gets detained will be in a state of panic for a while.

Yan Shu looked at Cao Liyong, who was gloating.

Who says military generals aren't cunning?

They are the ones who know best what the royal family is seriously wary of.

Who doesn't know how the Song Dynasty came to be?

They've just humiliated the orphaned mother and her children of the Great Zhou Dynasty!
Could this kind of hat be worn in the Song Dynasty?
That's absolutely impossible.

Look at the consequences of Ding Wei's attempt to bully orphans and widows and seize control of the government.

Now that my forces have been wiped out, I'm eating bugs in Danzhou.

The Song Dynasty spared no effort in its national policy to guard against the arrogance of military men.

They know all too well the extent of the royal family's concerns; don't think that just because you're a civil official, you can escape this label.

Ding Wei's example is right before our eyes.

Empress Guo's father, Guo Yungong, stood in the court and witnessed all of this, letting out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he did not listen to his daughter's suggestion to deliberately target this top scholar, Song.

The fate of the Chen family is right here.

That top scholar really didn't take the exam for nothing.

The sheer power of her verbal attacks is evident.

Guo Yungong even considered having his family's shop pay taxes to Song Xuan after returning home.

You must never be the monkey that gets scared off by the flock of chickens after the expiration date.

Empress Liu immediately announced her resignation from court.

Wang Zeng held the memorial written by Song Xuan in his hand, but was in no hurry to hand it over.

He wanted to see what other tricks Chen Yaozuo had up his sleeve.

Cao used this opportunity to take Song Xuan directly to his office for a casual chat.

Fan Zhongyan wanted to speak with Song Xuan, but Yan Shu pulled him away as well.

This place is a mess; it's not a place to talk at all.

Zhao Zhen also wanted to speak with Song Xuan, but he had no choice but to follow the Empress Dowager.

After the Yuanfeng reforms, the Privy Council was moved from inside the palace to outside.

The two prefectures, east and west, are only a few hundred steps apart.

At that time, the Privy Council only had four rooms and a small number of people.

This also reflects the initial stage where the emperor directly controlled military power, until later when its status shifted from being the emperor's private domain to a state institution.

Cao Liyong directly instructed his attendants to make tea.

Ice had already been prepared in the room, and it felt exceptionally cool upon entering.

With so many people gathered in the main hall, how could it not be hot?

Cao Li took off his official hat and tore open his clothes, wanting to cool off.

Most others were like this, but only Fan Zhongyan was not.

He's used to hardship.

After everyone was seated, Cao Yong took a palm-leaf fan and quickly began to fan himself.

"What exactly is going on in Tokyo now?"

Cao Liyong waved his fan and looked at Song Xuan:

"Son-in-law, why are you so busy as the magistrate of Kaifeng?"

"Is someone deliberately trying to trip you up behind your back?"

Song Xuan leaned back in his chair:
"I don't know, but the cases just suddenly came all at once, but they're not really a big deal."

Others who heard Song Xuan say this thought he was bragging, but Yan Shu believed him.

For some reason, this kid has a passion for studying the laws of the Song Dynasty, and he helped me a lot in solving cases when we were in Yingtian Prefecture.

Yan Shu always felt that Song Xuan had made a great contribution to his good reputation in Yingtian Prefecture.

At least in Songcheng, the capital city, with Song Xuan's help, it was no exaggeration to say that people didn't pick up lost items on the road and didn't lock their doors at night.

Tokyo is now overpopulated, leading to a surge in various unforeseen events.

In the past, officials would not investigate unless the people complained. But since Song Xuan took office, the people of Dongjing City suddenly understood the law.

They're quick to file lawsuits against the authorities.

Yan Shu couldn't tell for a moment whether someone was targeting Song Xuan, or whether his reputation was so great that the people were truly wronged.

"To resolve five cases in half a day is indeed a remarkable ability; Scholar Song, there is no need to be so modest."

Xia Song, fanning himself, offered a word of encouragement; he too had honed his skills at the grassroots level for many years.

For a novice county magistrate like Song Xuan to be able to judge a case so clearly and thoroughly is truly a rare talent.

It was because he had done this job that Xia Song understood how rare it was for Song Xuan to be a county magistrate.

Not to mention that Song Xuan dealt with such a large population of the Red County right from the start!

Within Tokyo, countless people were watching his position, hoping he would make a mistake.

But Song Xuan didn't feel that way at all.

This is what really interests Xia Song.

Rumor has it that during the imperial examination, Song Xuan was murdered and washed his face with ice water several times.

After forcibly waking himself up, he was able to calm himself down and write the essay that won him the top score in the imperial examination.

Throughout history, only the most ruthless person could accomplish this.

"Actually, I'm not afraid of solving cases."

Song Xuan took the fan and fanned himself: "The truth is, solving the case is quite difficult."

Xia Song deeply agreed.

He felt that Song Xuan, the top scholar, was truly hardworking.

Instead of relying on a hollow reputation to slack off every day and delegate everything to subordinates.

“That’s normal,” Yan Shu also spoke up for Song Xuan: “There are too few witnesses and too little evidence.”

"For example, in the bathroom murder case, I had absolutely no clues."

"We're collecting clues about Wuyou Cave, but nobody dares to make money from it."

These words caused everyone to fall silent for a moment.

Zhang Qi sighed:

"The Worry-Free Cave has been rampant for so many years. Even if the imperial court sends troops, it cannot completely eradicate them. Among the common people, they fear the people even more than the government."

"Yes."

Song Xuan smiled, somewhat speechless:

"From my observation, only two types of people in Tokyo live a happy life."

"What two kinds of people?" Cao Yongli was curious about what his son-in-law had observed.

“One is the powerful and wealthy, the other is a villain, and the rest of the people, and even many officials, live very hard lives.”

Cao Liyong and others did not feel deeply about Song Xuan's words, but Fan Zhongyan truly agreed with what his student said.

"I can't help but ask, what are the reasons for this situation in the capital?"

No one answered Song Xuan's question.

Or they may have an idea but don't want to share it.

Fan Zhongyan, however, spoke up:

"There are too many idlers in Tokyo. Many people want to survive, so they either become servants of the powerful and wealthy or join gangs, bullying the weak and fearing the strong to make a living."

While there are many opportunities for law-abiding citizens, making money is extremely difficult.

Even a waiter has to be apprenticed to a master from a young age.

Then, after three years as an apprentice, several tables of customers would come in one after another, and it would depend on whether you could remember the customers' orders.

You then give the kitchen a complete description so they can prepare it, and finally you deliver it intact to each table.

Because many people are illiterate, even if there is a menu hanging in the lobby, many people will not look at it and will rely entirely on the waiter's recommendations and their own intellect.

A good waiter earns more per month than the cook.

Even the county magistrate's monthly salary couldn't compare to that of a good waiter.

However, all the tracks were too competitive. In the capital of the Song Dynasty, most people were ordinary people, and it was very difficult to save money.

Those guilds were openly banding together for mutual support, while the underground forces were also trying to prevent ordinary people from paying less protection money.

In short, Tokyo has a large population, but not enough jobs to provide.

A large number of unemployed people have no choice but to rely on the underworld to survive, except to attach themselves to the powerful and wealthy.

Song Xuan snapped his fingers:
"Dean Fan and I think about the same thing, so I want to recruit the people hiding in Wuyou Cave, give them a chance to live, and hire them to clean the ditches."

"Clean the ditches?"

Fan Zhongyan nodded, saying that it would be acceptable if the government hired ordinary people.

Generally, this kind of work is assigned, and the government hires the labor force of the common people.

"You want to take them to work?"

Yan Shu felt that Song Xuan's idea was somewhat like theoretical warfare.

Leaving aside the matter of arresting people, especially since such a task could be entirely handled by the local militia.

"What's going on with the 'grasping' method?"

Song Xuan gestured with his hand: "Since it's hiring, of course it costs money, but it won't cost much anyway."

Where did you get the money?

"It's the tax money I collected!"

"Taxes?" Fan Zhongyan raised an eyebrow:
"It's not time to collect summer taxes yet, and besides, if the Yellow River floods this year, the surrounding farmland will hardly be spared."

“I’m collecting taxes they haven’t paid before.”

Song Xuan chuckled:
"Now that Kaifeng County has so much money that it can't spend it all, it's natural to do some projects that benefit the people."

"So much money you don't know what to do with it?" Xia Song looked at Song Xuan and said:
"Do those legitimate businesses that owe taxes really agree to pay your back taxes?"

"hey-hey."

Song Xuan smiled but didn't explain further.

Fan Zhongyan has been preoccupied with Liu Congde's embezzlement of Yellow River project funds and has not paid attention to anything else.

Now that he heard that Song Xuan had made money, he was quite impressed.

Only Yan Shu sighed softly. Song Xuan's behavior was like reaching into someone else's bowl and scooping it out openly.

Who wouldn't hold a grudge against him?
The hardest thing to do in the world is to take other people's money and put it into your own pocket.

However, Yan Shu always admired Song Xuan for his bold and decisive nature.

Yan Shu could understand. If Song Xuan had been timid and hesitant, he might not have survived to this day in that family environment.

Zhang Qi stroked his beard and said:
"Dredging the ditches is a major undertaking, and the flooding of the Yellow River and the resulting inundation of Tokyo is also a troublesome matter."

"If you don't have enough manpower, the Privy Council can still use the local troops to help you."

"Recently, people in Tokyo have been spreading rumors that heavy rains will flood the city."

"Nephew, did you make plans in advance?"

Song Xuan waved his fan and laughed:

“The measurements and boundaries had already been taken in advance. If it weren’t for the Wuyou Cave incident, I planned to use the prisoners in the prison to do this kind of thing.”

"Prisoner?"

Yan Shu stopped waving his fan:
Why would you want to use them?

“Just locking up prisoners won’t make them repent. I plan to carry out labor reform education for them. Otherwise, just eating for free won’t help.”

"If they do a good job, they will be paid. This way, when they get out, they will have some money to live on and reduce the probability of repeating crimes."

Song Xuan replied with utmost sincerity:

"Many people lack opportunities to work and earn money. I provide them with some work, which is equivalent to the imperial court giving the soldiers of the Xiang Army a chance to eat. It's just that prisoners don't have many opportunities to work and earn money."

Yan Shu thought for a moment, then shook his head and said:

"Twelve, if this weren't Tokyo, no one would stop you from doing this so boldly."

"But this is Tokyo, so we need to be cautious in everything we do."

"I wonder how many people are watching your every move, trying to trip you up behind your back."

"good."

Cao Liyong also agreed with Yan Shu's words.

Because he always believed that Yan Shu was an extremely intelligent person who also knew how to protect himself.

She thought her son-in-law was good in every way, but his only flaw was that he acted somewhat lawlessly because of his youth.

Don't give face to anyone!
"Moreover, if other parts of the world follow suit, there will likely be even more chaos."

Hearing the advice of several people, Song Xuan waved his fan and pressed it down:
"As you all have heard, oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet oranges, but those grown north of the Huai River are bitter oranges."

"I, Song Shier, have no need to explain my actions to others."

"I don't live by other people's opinions. As long as I, Song Xuan, don't violate the laws of the Great Song Dynasty."

"I'll do whatever I want!"

As soon as Song Xuan said this, Cao Liyong's eyes lit up.

He truly is a good son-in-law; his words are truly inspiring.

"Why bother explaining to others!"

Cao felt incredibly proud and knew he had to write it down so he could show off to others later.

What's the point of life if you can't show off?
Yan Shu, however, felt that Song Xuan had lowered his standards too much.

He could have easily followed the path of a great Confucian scholar or even a sage.

Not a single word violates the laws of the Song Dynasty.

As for morality, there were very few constraints on Song Xuan.

Because of their high level of political involvement, the scholar-official class in the Northern Song Dynasty was subject to considerable moral constraints.

Drinking and making merry, even exchanging concubines, are all romantic and interesting things, and have no necessary relationship with morality.

Because it's popular!

Fan Zhongyan had taught Song Xuan, and he knew that Song Xuan was just like that, so he wasn't surprised.

Moreover, Song Xuan's tendency to stand up for the underdog was even more radical than his own as a teacher. Fan Zhongyan used to only think about protecting Song Xuan and his students.

Unfortunately, Song Xuan has been at the forefront just as many times as he, as the teacher, has been.

Xia Song smiled, thinking that Song Xuan was a person of true character.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have mingled with the military officers without feeling uncomfortable.

After all, in the eyes of the scholar-officials, what morality could a warrior possibly have?
Upon closer examination, only Cao Bin is somewhat similar to other military generals; the rest are best left unmentioned.

Most importantly, Xia Song also greatly appreciated Song Xuan's remarks.

After all, he was a person who was "talented but lacked virtue".

After his death, Emperor Renzong of Song wanted to give him the posthumous title of Wenzheng.

After all, this was the highest posthumous title for a scholar at the time, but Sima Guang and others relentlessly criticized Xia Song, saying he was unworthy of it.

The most important posthumous title, Wenzheng, was proposed by Sima Guang, meaning "unparalleled."

"What a convenient excuse to not need to explain to others."

Zhang Qi stood up and walked to Song Xuan:
"Good lad, do what you want to do. Such youthful spirit, we have all been worn down by the world."

"Just in terms of ambition, we old men can't compare to you."

A woman in her thirties is considered past her prime.

A man can refer to himself as "old man" at the age of thirty-five.

After all, their average lifespan is not long, and only a minority live to be seventy or eighty.

Su Shi was in his prime when he was demoted due to the Wutai Poetry Case. At the age of thirty-seven, he suddenly felt the youthful exuberance of an old man.

"That's right, do it if you want to. Besides, dredging the ditches is a practical thing to do for the people. Let's see who dares to impeach you!" Cao Liyong laughed heartily.

"Dad supports you. If anyone impeaches you, I'll beat them up."

Song Xuan smiled gently:
"Father-in-law, please step back for now. I also know a little about martial arts."

"Hahaha."

Everyone burst into laughter.

No one thought that Song Xuan would resort to violence in the main hall.

There's absolutely no chance of that happening. Just take it as a joke between a father-in-law and son-in-law.

Zhang Qi then spoke again: "Nephew, how do you think I have treated you?"

"Uncle Zhang treats me no differently than my father-in-law."

"Hahaha."

Zhang Qi was very satisfied with Song Xuan's words. Even if they were false, they still sounded extremely comforting.

This is emotional intelligence.

"I have a good-for-nothing son. How about you help me train him?"

"Huh?" A strange look appeared in Song Xuan's eyes:
"Uncle Zhang isn't joking?"

"No. My third son, Zhang Liyi, is somewhat useless."

Zhang Qi sighed softly:

“He felt that he could make a name for himself in the army by learning some martial arts, so he thought he might as well follow you to Tokyo to gain experience.”

"After all, clearing the ditches also requires someone to watch over the prisoners while they work."

Zhang Liyi's grandson was Zhang Shuye, who quelled the Song Jiang uprising.

"Uncle Zhang's thinking is very comprehensive. I'm short-handed right now."

Song Xuan smiled and gave Zhang Qi this face.

"Hahaha."

Zhang Qi immediately burst into laughter: "I'd love to chat with my nephew."

When it comes to social circles, who can resist them?

Song Xuan had his own circle at Yingtian Academy, but he also had his own circles within the capital city of Tokyo.

"Let's go to Fanlou for a meal."

Seeing that Song Xuan had agreed, Zhang Qi immediately took charge, since it was almost time for dinner anyway.

No one objected.

So everyone followed Zhang Qi to the banquet, which was quite normal for officials in the Song Dynasty.

The Privy Council also has a fixed "entertainment allowance"!

Do not eat white do not eat.

Song Xuan instructed Wang Bao to inform County Lieutenant Ban Feng and others to accompany him to Fanlou.

Upon arriving at the entrance of Fanlou, a servant will come to help "park the car".

This building, also known as Baifanlou, was the most famous restaurant in Tokyo.

Its level of luxury can be described as the most extravagant place under the emperor's feet.

Song Xuan looked up again and saw five buildings standing side by side, connected by a flying bridge.

If they come to arrest someone, it will be quite difficult; we'll have to send people to guard the heads of all five bridges.

A forked stick made of interlocking black and red wooden strips stands in front of the Fanlou gate.

Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, only officials of the third rank or above were qualified to use this.

But Fanlou used it so casually, and no one questioned it.

However, it's not erected to block customers, but rather to remind you to dismount and get out of your sedan chair, where there are people to serve you, similar to a valet parking service counter.

The main gate was decorated with colorful silks, fresh flowers, and gold leaf.

A red gauze gardenia lantern stands in front of the door, symbolizing that this place is a "place of romance".

Song Xuan was surprised that someone could use gold leaf in the densely populated city of Tokyo without fear of it being secretly stolen. They seemed extremely confident.

When the official arrived, the waiter hurriedly went to invite the manager.

Two tall, elegantly dressed greeters at the entrance welcomed guests to Fanlou.

Manager Qian of Fanlou Restaurant came out to greet them with a smile on his face.
"I was unaware of the presence of Attendant-in-Ordinary Zhang; I am truly guilty."

"It's alright, this was just a spur-of-the-moment decision. We'll arrange a table for you as usual."

Zhang Qi didn't care at all; his attitude towards these people wasn't exactly friendly.

There's just one shopkeeper on each side.

Someone of Zhang Qi's status wants to eat at Fanlou.

They would definitely send a servant first to inform them so they could prepare to welcome them.

Manager Qian greeted Zhang Qi and the others as they entered, then smiled and said to Ban Feng:
"County Commandant Ban, my shop is currently experiencing cash flow problems. I hope you can grant me a few more days."

Song Xuan stopped and stared at Manager Qian:
"You mean you don't have money to pay taxes?"

"So it is Scholar Song here. I was blind and I hope you will not take offense."

Manager Qian quickly bowed and said:

"Fanlou is indeed run by scoundrels, but when it comes to spending money and paying taxes, scoundrels can't make the decisions."

"I recently purchased 10,000 catties of yeast from the imperial court, but I don't have enough balance to pay for it right now."

Fanlou sells at least 50,000 jin of wine a year, not including the jin sold to other wine shops that are not qualified to brew wine.

"I don't care about your opinions." Song Xuan flicked his sleeve. "So, Liu Congde didn't come?"

"I'm coming."

Manager Qian was startled, but continued to smile.

It turns out that the man in front of me was sent by the man in front of me to collect the debt.

Fanlou's business is booming; who would believe they're broke?
This is the CBD of the Great Song Dynasty; according to the conversion, the average meal cost is 5,000 yuan per person.

A must-visit spot for top celebrities during the Song Dynasty.

Everyone considers it an honor to have visited Fanlou.

Fanlou pays around 100,000 strings of cash in wine tax every year.

"Fanlou has been hoping that Scholar Song would come, but unfortunately he has been busy with official duties. He has finally found some free time today, and I will certainly do my best to entertain him well."

Manager Qian immediately changed the subject; he didn't want to offend Song Xuan.

"Fine, I'll start scolding the cook after I put down my chopsticks."

Song Xuan pointed to the group of yamen runners following behind him:

"Prepare two tables for them, and put the bill on the Privy Council. Today, my Uncle Zhang is treating."

Manager Qian didn't dare to say anything more and quickly called for someone to invite the yamen runners in.

Ban Feng stood at the door in disbelief:
"Is Your Excellency truly going to treat us to a meal at Fanlou?"

Wang Bao barged in without any hesitation:

"Why are you dawdling over a meal? Haven't you heard it's something that's hanging over Zhang Shizhong's head?"

Although he was not short of money, he had never eaten at the No. 1 Restaurant in the hearts of the people of the Song Dynasty.

This is Fanlou!
Which Song dynasty person wouldn't look forward to dining here?
Before Ban Feng could even take a step, he was overwhelmed by the constables behind him, who simply walked past him and barged in.

Normally, everyone can only drool with envy from the outside, but now that they have the opportunity, why should they hold back anymore!
This might be the only time in my life I'll have the chance to eat at Fanlou.

Anyone who's being coy is an idiot.

Following a high-ranking official truly brings wealth and prestige; one can even afford to visit Fanlou.

"You all need to show some backbone!"

After finishing his angry rant, Ban Feng leaped into Fanlou, fearing he would lose face.

Then he heard many constables making meaningless exclamations.

It was noon, so there weren't many people. But the night view was absolutely stunning.

County Lieutenant Ban Feng also joined this effort, always feeling like he didn't have enough eyes to see everything.

Song Xuan glanced back and gave a word of advice:
"No one is allowed to drink alcohol while on duty. This is a treat from Attendant Zhang, so don't order too much food."

"Yes."

Wang Bao quickly patted his chest and said:
"Don't worry, Twelfth Brother. I'll take charge of supervising them. I understand everything."

After giving his instructions, Song Xuan followed him up to the third floor.

Standing here, you can overlook the interior of the Northern Song Dynasty imperial palace.

At that time, Fanlou did not yet have a rule prohibiting guests from climbing to high places to look out and spy on the imperial palace.

Providing food and drink was Fanlou's most basic business, and there were also many other services that attracted scholars.

Manager Qian hurriedly sent someone to inform them again that Magistrate Song was about to collect the debt.

First Liu Congde provided the assist, and today Zhang Qi is also providing it.

It can be concluded that Song Xuan is one of the Empress Dowager's men.

Who would dare to offend him so easily?

The waiter hurriedly served the distinguished guests, inviting them to take their seats, and then, as if performing a comedy routine, recited the names of the dishes.

No matter what dishes Zhang Qi ordered, he could remember them.

And so, an ice basin was placed nearby to cool down the distinguished guests.

In fact, this was Fan Zhongyan's first time visiting Fanlou, as his family background and salary simply couldn't afford to spend money there.

Although my old classmates and friends had made a promise to get together at Fanlou.

Unfortunately, we are now separated by distance, and who knows when we will meet again?
Fan Zhongyan looked around at Fanlou and could only say that it lived up to its reputation; it was truly luxurious.

If a heavy rain were to flood Tokyo, it might not even submerge the first floor.

The steps of Fanlou are much higher than the street level.

The person serving the food skillfully stacked plates of appetizers on his arm and placed them steadily on the round table.

Song Xuan listened as Zhang Qi ordered several main dishes.

Unlike the heroes in Water Margin who would order two catties of beef as soon as they arrived.

Fanlou has a lot of beef dishes.

After all, cattle were protected by law in the Song Dynasty.

It is a luxury item.

The price is high.

Even the Sun Yang Zhengdian restaurant that Song Xuan had visited.

There are very few dishes that feature beef.

Most of them are signature dishes made with mutton.

Fanlou is truly unique.

Song Xuan took the menu, ordered a crystal pork knuckle, and then handed it to his teacher Fan Zhongyan beside him.

Fan Zhongyan ordered a type of noodle soup, which is said to have originated from the Khitan people and is roughly similar to the modern-day Snow Skin Noodles.

The food had just been ordered, and hundreds of heavily made-up prostitutes, some plump and some thin, were waiting in rows outside the private room.

They were free to choose among Song Xuan and the others inside the private room.

Zhang Qi didn't even look at it, and waved his hand, saying:

"Change to another batch."

There's nothing else to it, but generally, the ones placed at the front are usually not very attractive.

Song Xuan blinked and looked at Cao Liyong beside him.

This wasn't Cao's first time here; he was looking at the prostitutes, preparing to pick one that caught his eye.

Then, catching a glimpse of Song Xuan's gaze, Cao Liyong coughed lightly:
"Son-in-law, they are responsible for pouring you drinks and keeping you company, to create a lively atmosphere."

"Oh I got it."

Song Xuan remained so calm.

Cao Liyong was both pleased and felt that he needed to broaden his son-in-law's horizons.

How can a real man have only one woman by his side?
Although Song Xuan's woman was her own daughter, Cao Yong absolutely could not allow her daughter to bear the label of "jealous woman," so she forbade her husband from taking a concubine.

For a family to prosper, it must have many branches and offspring.

As long as her daughter gives birth to Song Xuan's eldest son, her status will be secure, not to mention that she will have her father backing her up.

"You pick two."

Cao gave his son-in-law some advice: "Let's go out for drinks, father and son, openly and honestly, without any inhibitions."

Zhang Qi then spoke up, saying, "Today, the top scholar Song is here. He asked your courtesans to sit with him. I will just pick two."

Upon hearing that he was the top scholar of the Song Dynasty, the group of prostitutes immediately mustered their courage and said:
"Could it be that the local tyrant, the magistrate of Kaifeng, has arrived?"

"Yes, Not Bad."

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, many prostitutes became excited, eager to be chosen.

If it were the talented scholar, Song Zhuangyuan, who could casually utter a few lines of poetry...

One's net worth will surely skyrocket.

No one wanted to let this opportunity slip by, so they became even more restless, eager to stay.

As soon as Zhang Qi gave the order, someone went to inform the courtesan.

The courtesan of Fanlou was no ordinary woman; she was proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Just meeting her through a curtain cost ten strings of cash.

Some officials' monthly salary was no more than fifteen strings of cash, which wasn't even worth as much as a prostitute saying a few words to them.

Su Nianrou, the most beautiful courtesan of Fanlou, was lying lazily on a couch, fanning herself with a round fan, familiarizing herself with the lyrics and music that needed to be sung in response.

Suddenly the door was pushed open.

The maidservant quickly said, "Young lady, we have something to do."

Su Nianrou sighed, "What time is it? Another job coming up?"

"This time is different," the maid said excitedly. "It's Scholar Song who has arrived."

"The top scholar Song has arrived?" Su Nianrou stopped waving her fan. "Which top scholar Song?"

"That's the same Song Zhuangyuan who achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations."

"But there are two."

"Oh, it's that famous writer who penned the poem 'Prelude to Water Melody'!" the maid said with a grin.
"But Zhang Shizhong brought her here, specifically requesting that the young lady accompany him."

Upon hearing this, Su Nianrou immediately stiffened and stood up:
"Hurry up and do my makeup."

Fanlou most hopes that literati and scholars will come here to spend money, and preferably leave behind some poems.

Nowadays, many courtesans in Fanlou sing the poems of Liu Sanbian.

Although he left Tokyo, his legend lives on.

After Liu Sanbian left Tokyo, the Yu Lin Ling he wrote for his lover, a prostitute, caused her value to skyrocket, and her business became exceptionally good.

There was no other way; everyone wanted to conduct a thorough investigation into the tax evasion sites that Liu Sanbian had praised.

This is the influencer effect.

As Liu Sanbian became obsessed with the imperial examinations, his poems were sung less, and currently no one has replaced him in this niche.

However, Song Xuan's "Shuidiao Getou" was exceptionally popular.

After Zhang Qi finished making his selection, he had the group of prostitutes serve him.

He didn't believe that Fanlou would miss such a good opportunity to have the most beautiful courtesan personally serve Song Xuan.

Although the prostitutes were serving the man in front of them, their eyes kept glancing at Song Xuan.

In particular, the plump woman chosen by Song Xuan, who poured wine for him, made the other prostitutes extremely envious and jealous.

Why did Master Song choose her?
Although there were hundreds of prostitutes of all shapes and sizes in Yanhuan, most of them were quite young, appearing as if they had not yet fully developed.

Prostitutes who are around 22 or 23 years old are generally in the late stages of their careers.

Many girls were raised until they were fifteen or sixteen years old, at which point they were expected to start serving customers.

This is still the kindness of a madam.

Song Xuan really had no interest in such a flat-chested figure.

Yi Ge truly never expected to be chosen by the top scholar Song, and for a moment he stood aside carefully serving him.

If the top scholar of the Song Dynasty had taken pity on me and recited a couple of lines of poetry, I might have become famous.

But she only dared to think about such things in her heart.

Zhang Qi watched Song Xuan pick up food, glanced at the woman playing music beside him, and smiled:

"Nephew, is this truly your first time visiting Fanlou?"

"No."

Song Xuan put down his chopsticks:
"I came here once when I wasn't famous, but these shows weren't available then."

"Hahaha."

Zhang Qi immediately burst into laughter:
"That's true. You can't watch these shows up here if you're just sitting downstairs."

Just like Wang Bao and others on the first floor, they certainly couldn't see such programs.

They can just eat and watch the dancing.

Song Xuan glanced at the prostitutes around him. He figured that after so many years, these prostitutes must have changed many times over, and there weren't that many old faces left.

Although it was Fan Zhongyan's first time, he adapted very quickly.

Nothing much will happen, it's just drinking, these are minor matters.

"Old Cao, don't always mistreat your son-in-law. Bring him here for a stroll whenever you have time."

Cao Liyong picked up his wine glass without saying a word; he didn't have the money to bring his son-in-law to visit Fanlou.

I haven't found a suitable opportunity to take out another loan yet; I'm just waiting for the other party to come to me.

"I'm not particularly interested in Fanlou."

Song Xuan pointed to the pot of wine and said, "Although I am not short of money, the cost of food and wine at Fanlou is not something that ordinary people can afford."

"Furthermore, now that I am the magistrate of Kaifeng, I do not want to see the rich feasting while the poor freeze to death on the streets."

Fan Zhongyan expressed his strong agreement.

"Good ambition."

Zhang Qi didn't care about such words at all.

He has achieved what he has today through tremendous effort.

Moreover, Zhang Qi's life motto was that one should live each day to the fullest.

Otherwise, what's the point of coming to Fanlou when you're seventy or eighty years old, with weak teeth and difficulty urinating?
That would be boring.

I endured this hardship for over a decade when I was young, and now that it's time to reap the rewards, how can I not seize the opportunity to enjoy myself?

Xia Song also put down his wine glass:

"Don't be fooled by Song Zhuangyuan's reckless actions; he still harbored a heart for the well-being of the people and the world, otherwise he wouldn't have such sentiments."

Song Xuan picked up his chopsticks; he simply felt the world was too fragmented.

Many people are constantly on the go just to get a decent meal, without getting any rest.

But some people live a life of wealth that is beyond your imagination.

Even the most limited imagination is that Fanlou is just a place where you can eat the finest mutton.

Even the difference in treatment between the first and third floors can inspire a lot of longing.

It's truly a den of iniquity.

Yan Shu glanced at Song Xuan, and he understood the meaning behind Song Xuan's words: Tokyo should not be like this.

He even changed the social atmosphere in Nanjing.

However, even if he were to become the Prefect of Kaifeng, he would have no chance to change the prevailing social atmosphere in the capital.

Yan Shu always felt that the students taught by Fan Zhongyan always had a certain idealism about them.

This is very disadvantageous in officialdom.

Unless they can all successfully ascend to the position of prime minister, all they can do is sigh with pity, which is of no use.

The waiter had a smile on his face:

"Gentlemen, the most beautiful courtesan of my Fanlou has arrived. Would you like her to come in and play a tune now?"

(End of this chapter)