A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 341 Breaking the Bad Habit of Eating Staple Foods

A woman who can become the most beautiful courtesan in Fanlou is not only beautiful, but also has some skill.

Everyone looked over.

Courtesan Su Qingrou styled her hair in the currently most fashionable concentric bun.

A gold-threaded crown and a shimmering pearl hairpin adorned her hair.

The gold hairpin, shaped like a moth flying into a flower, moves gracefully when the wearer moves.

The forehead is adorned with a plum blossom decoration, which is a five-petaled flower cut from gold foil and pasted on the forehead.

She even used a sandalwood blush for her face makeup.

There's also exquisite tear makeup.

She wore a silk skirt embroidered with gold butterflies and flowers, with a gold-embroidered gauze shawl over it, revealing a lotus-colored bodice with a subtle pattern of mandarin ducks playing in the water, adorned with pearls.

All right.

Upon seeing this, Song Xuan withdrew his gaze. What was there to see in a budding lotus?

She couldn't even fill out the strapless top.

Not very interesting.

But the other prostitutes were truly dazzled.

This is the courtesan's outfit and makeup.

Even if they worked hard for a month without rest, they still couldn't afford it.

"We've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Su Huakui."

Zhang Qi smiled and said, "Come and keep our top scholar Song company."

Su Qingrou was well-trained in interpersonal skills. She was talking to Zhang Shizhong, but she didn't come over immediately.

I'd like to make a fool of myself and play a tune to liven things up for everyone.

It's a tug-of-war.

If a guest comes, you have to do whatever they say.

Can a courtesan still be a courtesan?

If she doesn't maintain a certain air, she'll soon become meaningless to these powerful and influential people.

Then Su Qingrou would lose her value as someone to be promoted.

Yi Ge was the prostitute who paid the most attention to Song Xuan.

She keenly noticed that the top scholar in the Song Dynasty didn't seem to be very interested in the courtesan.

Everyone else was listening attentively to Su Huakui's music, but only Song Zhuangyuan asked her to serve him food.

Cao, however, stopped clapping his hands:

“Even if I am your father-in-law and a good son-in-law, you don’t need to sit so formally.”

As Song Xuan ate his beef, he gestured to the prostitute beside him to bring the entire plate of beef to him.

"There's nothing to see here. You'd better perform a magic trick for me on the spot; that would earn you my applause."

"vulgar."

Upon hearing his son-in-law's words, Cao Liyong lowered his voice and said:
"This is Fanlou, magic tricks are something you see in the entertainment district."

"Isn't Fanlou just a larger version of a brothel?"

"Hey."

Cao Liyong truly had no idea how to inspire Song Xuan.

Is this a place for ordinary people to enter?

But there are always requirements.

“Father-in-law, don’t be silly. If you’re going to sell yourself, you’re going to sell yourself. I’m not willing to do things like price gouging or tax evasion.”

"You're being very rude."

Cao Yongli felt that he was a really boring son-in-law.

"As the top scholar, how could you not feel a sense of accomplishment after conquering the most beautiful courtesan?"

"Do I need her to prove my achievements?"

Upon hearing Song Xuan's question, Cao Yongli immediately shut up.

indeed.

Forget about being a courtesan; being able to clink glasses and drink with her own son-in-law was already an immense stroke of luck for her.

Cao then grinned:
"I had thought things through too simply."

Song Xuan asked Yi Ge to disassemble the crystal pork knuckle for him.

Yi Ge was extremely excited as he dismantled it.

It turns out that not everyone likes the courtesan.

Not only did Yi Ge, who was serving Song Xuan, notice it, but Su Qingrou, the courtesan who was also playing the pipa, also saw Song Xuan's actions.

However, as the top courtesan, she was extremely dedicated to her work.

Everyone who met her gaze felt as if the most beautiful courtesan was looking directly into their eyes.

Su Qingrou smiled, but wondered in her heart, "Does this Scholar Song not like listening to music?"

"it is good."

When the song ended, Zhang Qi led the applause and rewarded the performer with a jade pendant.

Su Qingrou thanked her softly, then continued:

"I noticed that Scholar Song didn't applaud. Does he not like the piece I'm playing?"

Everyone at the table looked at Song Xuan, only to see him eating a crystal pork knuckle and saying:
"The Song of the Pipa is meaningless; let's listen to the song 'Ambush from Ten Sides' instead."

"Ambush from all sides?"

Zhang Qi was also somewhat surprised: "I've never heard this piece of music before!"

Courtesan Su Qingrou stood frozen in place.

She knew the story of "Ambush from Ten Sides," but she had never heard of this piece of music.

"If you don't know how, play the Lanling King's Battle Song."

As Cao Yong listened to Song Xuan's music, he raised his eyebrows, because he didn't recognize the piece either.

Zhang Qi shrugged, saying he'd never even heard of it.

Do you have this piece of music?

"some."

Xia Song explained to the group that it was compiled for Gao Changgong, a famous general of the Northern Qi Dynasty who was skilled in both literature and military affairs.

It was included in the court repertoire during the Sui Dynasty, but during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, it was deemed unorthodox and its performance was banned by imperial decree. It seems to have been lost to history.

“Nephew, why don’t you choose one that hasn’t been lost?”

Zhang Qi wanted to exonerate the courtesan.

"This humble servant truly does not know how." The courtesan Su Qingrou no longer needed her makeup; she was genuinely about to cry.

"Lost in the art?"

Song Xuan spat out the small bone in his mouth: "Then let's play the Qin King's Battle Song."

"I wouldn't know either."

The courtesan Su Qingrou's tears really flowed down her cheeks.

Song Xuan raised his head and glanced at Xia Song, saying:
"Privy Councilor Xia, don't tell me this has also been lost?"

"Ahem." Xia Song coughed.
"This piece was indeed lost in the late Tang Dynasty."

"Hey." Song Xuan wiped his hands:
"I really thought that Fanlou was so luxurious that it must have a lot of variety, but even listening to music there wasn't very appealing."

"Hahaha."

Zhang Qi chuckled a few times:

“We have only arrived a little early. If my nephew does not wish to listen to music, we can have Huo Sijiu, the most eloquent man in the capital, tell a story from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”

"I wrote it myself, and he doesn't even know the rest of the story. Why did he make me listen to his story?"

Song Xuan chuckled: "There's no need for that."

"That makes sense." Xia Song also smiled.
"It seems that after Shierlang became the magistrate of Kaifeng, he really didn't have much time to continue writing."

"Let's talk about it after we're done with this busy period."

Song Xuan asked Yi Ge to continue serving him food:

"The flooding of the Yellow River is truly a sword hanging over my head, and I cannot afford to be distracted."

"Let's not talk about these upsetting things now that we're here. It's not even certain whether the flood will come."

Zhang Qi chuckled twice: "However, it was still very inspiring that my nephew cursed Chen Yaozuo to the point of spitting blood in the main hall today."

He then called over Su Qingrou, the courtesan with tears streaming down her face, and poured wine for Song Xuan.

"Scholar Song, please have a drink."

"Put it down, I'll drink it later."

Su Qingrou was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, because she was always sought after by men in Fanlou.

Now that the man she had been longing for had arrived, he didn't seem to care about her at all, which Su Qingrou found unacceptable.

However, he maintained his professional attitude and did not dare to show any displeasure, though he felt wronged.

The other prostitutes, seeing Su Qingrou being treated this way, felt no pity, but rather schadenfreude.

So even the most beautiful courtesan is no match for the top scholar of the Song Dynasty!
“Hey.” Zhang Qi naturally stepped in to smooth things over: “Since my nephew doesn’t want to drink right now, then pour me a drink.”

The courtesan Su Qingrou, gentle and delicate, went over to pour wine for Zhang Qi.

Song Xuan did indeed smell a fragrance from the tent; he had heard that it was a formula developed by Li Yu, the emperor of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

After all, his wife also treasured this fragrance, and it was extremely expensive.

Song Xuan watched Zhang Qi interact with the courtesan, and then he noticed that her skirt was tied with a copper coin with the shape of auspicious ingots, and that she had gold and silver accessories hanging from her waist.

Copper coins?

The people of Wuyou Cave?
Song Xuan confessed through the owner of Taoran Inn.

The members of the Worry-Free Cave organization all wear copper coins as a signal.

Many people do not know each other.

Song Xuan noticed that it was still a Xiangfu Yuanbao ingot, which meant that Su Qingrou's seniority was quite high!

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Wuyou Cave has abducted so many children, and the best girls are meant to be sold to brothels to make money, right?

Fanlou certainly had a large number of prostitutes, catering to the pleasures of the powerful and wealthy merchants.

It is perfectly normal for these people to come from Wuyou Cave.

Cao Liyong clinked glasses with Song Xuan:
“Good son-in-law, why are you scrutinizing her? She’s a courtesan, not a prisoner under your jurisdiction.”

Song Xuan smiled broadly:
"I've never seen a courtesan with tears in her eyes before, but I'll just take a look for something new."

"Hahaha."

Cao Liyong laughed loudly, took a sip of wine, and said:
"Everyone says you're a living Tai Sui, but I don't believe it."

"Today, I've come to believe it to some extent."

"Standing Tai Sui?"

Song Xuan leaned back in his chair, swirling the wine in his glass: "This name isn't imposing enough. How about 'Living Yama'?"

Whether it was the people at the table or the prostitutes serving them, everyone held their breath and dared not even make a sound.

Fan Zhongyan glanced at Song Xuan: "Twelfth Brother, what do you mean by this?"

"If everyone in Tokyo fears me, there will probably be fewer crimes."

Song Xuan continued picking up food with his chopsticks:

“In the capital city of Tokyo, a nice guy is not suited to be an official. There are too many criminals, and many people do not take the laws of the Song Dynasty seriously.”

"If I don't enforce the law strictly, how can I ensure that law-abiding citizens can continue to live peacefully?"

"The ones who are hurt the most right now are the law-abiding citizens. Those who break the law are profiting and are proudly proclaiming it. In the future, more and more people will break the law."

"Today I berated Chen Yaozuo, the Prefect of Kaifeng, in the main hall. I'm only being rational by not beating him up."

"Therefore, I'm determined to kill Wang Xie, and no one can stop me!"

Yan Shu finally understood the underlying reason why Song Xuan personally intervened to tear Chen Yaozu apart, showing him no mercy whatsoever.

Tokyo has long had a population of over a million, but many people cannot afford to live there and are forced to survive in the mud.

"Well said!"

Zhang Qi immediately slammed his hand on the table in excitement:
“Evil people should be killed. My nephew is so dedicated to the country and the people. It is a waste of his talents to be a county magistrate in Kaifeng. He should be the prefect of Kaifeng.”

Xia Song didn't say anything, just smiled, following the training process for civil officials in the Song Dynasty.

People like Song Xuan need to have several grassroots work experiences before they can be transferred back to the capital to become the Prefect of Kaifeng.

Who becomes a prefect right after taking office?

How can he get promoted in the future?

"Queen Su, quickly offer a toast to Scholar Song."

Su Qingrou obediently carried the wine to Song Xuan's side, adopting a very humble posture.

"I hope Scholar Song will not blame me. I will definitely find someone to learn the songs you mentioned."

"The reason for this is not you."

After Song Xuan determined her identity, he smiled and said:
"In truth, I have high expectations for Fanlou. After all, it is the most famous restaurant in the world in the Song Dynasty. Even the Khitans have heard of it and are proud to come here."

"I thought I could hear something special while listening to music, but I never imagined that even with Fanlou's resources, it would still be impossible."

With Song Xuan's explanation, Su Qingrou understood.

It turns out that Master Song wasn't targeting himself, but rather "Fanlou".

Then it'll be fine.

"Although I cannot listen to the music, I am willing to perform a dance online for you, my lord, called Green Waist."

"Green Waist?"

Upon hearing Song Xuan's question, Su Qingrou replied, "It is the dance from the painting 'The Night Banquet of Han Xizai'."

Han Xizai was a minister of Li Yu, the last ruler of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and was also from the north.

Li Yu, upon ascending the throne, was extremely suspicious and poisoned many ministers in the north.

In order to avoid Li Yu's suspicion, Han Xizai deliberately indulged in sensual pleasures, and the Night Banquet painting was created under such circumstances.

The courtesan Su Qingrou downed her wine in one gulp, set it aside, and went straight to a small performance stage.

She put her hands behind her back, sleeves apart, and began to dance the Green Waist dance.

It must be said that the courtesan is quite capable when it comes to her business.

After the dance ended, everyone applauded.

Wang Bao, who was sitting downstairs, immediately asked for three plates of stewed beef, intending to eat two plates by himself.

County Lieutenant Ban Feng quickly grabbed Wang Bao's arm: "Brother, the master said we can't go too far, what are you doing?"

"Yes, that's right." Wang Baoxian asked the waiter to bring some heartier dishes to whet his appetite.
“What you said is not enough, my lord. I have a big appetite to begin with, so eating two plates of stewed beef to open up my appetite is not excessive at all.”

Ban Feng looked at Wang Bao in disbelief: "This stewed beef is the most expensive dish in Fanlou, isn't that excessive?"

"You don't understand, sir. Don't be so unreasonable. You can get full by eating beef and mutton. You don't need to eat rice or anything like that."

"Huh?" Ban Feng didn't know what to say.

Wang Bao immediately glared at him: "Have you been with the Master for longer, or have I been with Twelfth Brother for longer?"

"Of course it's you, brother."

"Why waste time on such nonsense!"

Wang Bao immediately pointed to the menu and said:
"Bring both of these columns to me. No one is allowed to eat any staple food later."

"Anyway, it's on the Privy Council's books, so what's there to be afraid of?"

Hearing Wang Bao's words, none of the yamen runners dared to speak.

Zhong Wuliu couldn't help but ask, "Brother Wang, will this work?"

"Just now, the high-ranking official said that Privy Councilor Zhang was hosting a dinner party, so if you don't want the ears anymore, just throw them away."

Wang Bao didn't know many words, and he didn't recognize many of the characters on the menu, but that didn't stop him from ordering.

None of them dared to order food earlier, but now, hearing Wang Bao's arrogant order, even the county magistrate Ban Feng was intimidated by his imposing manner and dared not refute him.

The waiter had never seen anything like this before, and looked at the disheveled Manager Qian.

Manager Qian was busy wiping his sweat and told the waiter to hurry up and do his work, asking how much the meal could possibly cost.

What we need to be careful about is that the top scholar Song might overturn the table after finishing his meal.

He had just received news that Song Xuan had verbally abused Chen Yaozuo, the Prefect of Kaifeng, to the point of vomiting blood in the main hall today, and that Song Xuan had escaped unscathed.

He had never encountered such a situation before.

Who could possibly mess with this local tyrant?

The waiter immediately agreed and went straight to the kitchen window, telling the chef to make both of these dishes and also to make three servings of stewed beef.

Even though Fanlou had many dealings with powerful and wealthy people, the chefs had never seen anyone order a whole page of food without any selection.

The chef is holding two cleavers:

"Are you trying to make fun of me?"

"How could I dare? You'd better do a good job, or they might come and flip the table."

Upon hearing this, the chef dared not stab the thorn anymore.

Ordering so extravagantly, and even daring to make threats.

They don't even respect Fanlou.

Without a doubt, the power behind this person must be considerable, far beyond what a cook like him could afford to offend.

Downstairs, people are enjoying a hearty meal, while upstairs, they are drinking and watching the courtesan dance.

The courtesan Su Qingrou put in a great deal of effort during the dance.

Song Xuan now understood why people called her "gentle"—it's like she has no bones.

This kind of girl is too thin; with a little effort, she might just knock someone's eyes out.

"it is good."

Zhang Qi raised his wine cup, took two sips, and said:

“Nephew, we have long known of your poetic talent in the three capitals of the East, but since you entered the capital, we have never heard of a single masterpiece.”

"Now that we have such delicious food and wine, and a beautiful woman by our side, why not compose a poem to add to the merriment?"

"Yeah."

Even Yan Shu seemed encouraged, and even took the initiative to bring up the old story that Song Xuan was his mentor.

Previously, Song Xuan had not shown much talent in poetry, which Yan Shu himself was actually somewhat concerned about.

After all, he had thought of the words for a long time and wanted to show off in front of his friends, but Song Xuan said them in an instant and handled them perfectly.

Anyone would be completely baffled if this happened to them.

Yan Shu couldn't understand why Song Xuan's answer was so perfect, even after thinking about it for ten days and ten nights!
After getting to know Song Xuan better, Yan Shu realized that he shouldn't easily show his inferiority in front of Song Xuan, this "master" of poetry.

That's a natural talent; who can compare to him?
Writing a poem is as simple as breathing.

Song Xuan put down his wine glass and let out a burp:
"Uncle Zhang, give me the truth, do you have a share in this Fanlou restaurant?"

"Hahaha."

Zhang Qi had a prostitute wipe the wine stains off his beard, then nodded and said:
"You discovered this."

Even Xia Song looked at Zhang Qi with some surprise.

Fanlou is the most profitable business in Tokyo, how could he possibly have a share?
Song Xuan speculated that since Fanlou had given Liu Congde a share, it must have given Zhang Qi a share as well.

Their positions in the court are now extremely secure due to the presence of Empress Liu E.

A large number of people want to curry favor with them.

"Uncle Zhang, I've been having a lot of worries lately."

Song Xuan chuckled twice: "I'll make some preparations when I have some free time in the future and come to Fanlou for a meal and drinks."

"Good boy."

Zhang Qi did not blame him; on the contrary, he felt that Song Xuan thought the stakes were too low and not worth writing a poem for.

"Is it because Fanlou didn't pay its outstanding taxes by the deadline that they don't want to continue?"

"Uncle Zhang, don't say that. If I were to write a couple of sentimental poems that would embarrass Fan Lou, that's not necessarily true."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Zhang Qi fell silent.

He knew about the Eight Immortals Restaurant, and only by actively cooperating with his main business could he earn Song Xuan's favor.

As for Fanlou, who has always maintained its own integrity, it's possible that Song Xuan will drag it out to make an example of it!
"Nephew, please give me another half day."

Zhang Qi had a smile on his face:
"Tomorrow morning, I will definitely have Fanlou send the tax owed to the Kaifeng County Government."

"As an elder, I know I should cooperate with my nephew's work."

Song Xuan picked up his wine cup again: "Uncle Zhang really knows how to take care of his nephew. That house is really comfortable to live in."

"Hahaha."

Zhang Qi also raised his glass, though he too had his own selfish motives.

Song Xuan went to other restaurants but never came to Fanlou.

Although Fanlou was bustling enough without his presence, what restaurant shareholder would complain about business not being booming enough? Baxianlou's turnover had been steadily increasing.

Even if Song Xuan's poem about the Eight Immortals isn't a classic, it's still quite fitting for the occasion.

Other restaurants couldn't even get a piece of the hype.

If Song Xuan could write one or two poems for the courtesan of Fanlou, the value would be far greater than that of Liu Yong.

After all, Liu Sanbian didn't have the money to come to Fanlou to enjoy himself.

Song Xuan asked Yi Yi to take him to the toilet.

"Are there many young ladies in Fanlou?"

"many."

Yi Ge was quite excited, and he almost wanted to hold Song Xuan to urinate.

"Are you under a lot of pressure to survive?"

“Big Brother, if you’re consistently not chosen by customers, you’ll be dealt with.”

"deal with?"

Seeing the fear on Yi Ge's face, Song Xuan asked, "Where should we take it?"

"I know nothing about leaving Fanlou."

Even if Yi-ge knew, he wouldn't dare tell Song Xuan.

Otherwise, you'll be the one who suffers.

Song Xuan didn't press further: "How did you get here?"

"I came here voluntarily."

"Oh."

Song Xuan went into the restroom and told her to wait outside.

Yi Ge stood outside the door with her head down, somewhat afraid of Song Xuan's question.

Ordinary guests wouldn't ask any questions.

At most, they'll ask if you've ever considered leaving the profession.

Of course, women with a fuller figure like her are not frequently requested by customers, but they will be asked about their potential for reformation.

After all, the guests might not be able to afford the cost of the other young ladies reforming themselves.

Song Xuan is different!

He was the local official in Kaifeng County, and also the legendary "Living God of the Land".

They had known about Fanlou's tax arrears for a long time.

They even made a bet on whether this top scholar could collect taxes from Fanlou.

Everyone had gambled money.

Just now, she heard Zhang Shizhong say that the top scholar Song had cursed the prefect of Kaifeng to the point of vomiting blood in the main hall, in front of the Empress Dowager and all the officials.

Such behavior truly makes one a local tyrant.

Does that mean I'm going to lose money?

After Song Xuan came out, he didn't go back, but went to the first floor to take a look.

Even though County Lieutenant Ban Feng wanted to maintain appearances, he kept saying that this was Fanlou, a high-class occasion.

"How did you end up looking like beggars?"

“Everyone who comes in is a respectable person.”

"Zhong Wuliu, you fucking put the plate down for me!"

Hearing Ban Feng's helpless roar, Song Xuan couldn't help but laugh a few times.

Ban Feng felt like he was eating with a bunch of pigs.

Having finally made it to Fanlou once in his life, Ban Feng was prepared to cherish the memory for a lifetime.

Unfortunately, I'm surrounded by incompetent teammates.

All the beautiful memories have been ruined.

"My lord."

Zhong Wuliu stopped drinking from the plate and quickly wiped his mouth.

Everyone was chewing heartily when they saw Song Xuan arrive, and they quickly stood up.

"Sit down, eat and drink as you please."

Ban Feng gave up his seat and invited Song Xuan to sit down.

Song Xuan glanced at the table and couldn't tell what the food was.

It seems to mean "smooth and shiny".

He then glanced at Wang Bao, who was still eating beef, and asked, "What did you order?"

“My lord, I ordered the entire page.” Wang Bao swallowed the beef with difficulty: “I definitely didn’t order any wine or rice.”

"After we finish eating, let's get some cold soup for the brothers to smooth out the gaps."

"Yes."

Song Xuan glanced around at the rather excited constables and yamen runners:

"Brothers, if we're still not full, let's order another page. Anyway, the bill is on the Privy Council's tab, and my father-in-law and the others can't even afford to eat all that."

"My lord, is this appropriate?"

Zhong Wuliu cautiously inquired about it, after all, it was the Privy Council's account!
Ordinary people wouldn't dare to hang themselves on their heads.

According to the system of the Song Dynasty, the higher the rank, the higher the salary, and the higher the official entertainment expenses of the government office.

"What's inappropriate?"

Song Xuan looked at the messy table: "Do you still think what I said was just nonsense?"

"No, I wouldn't dare."

Song Xuan stood up and instructed, "Eat well, don't try to save me money. Who knows when it will be your turn to eat at Fanlou next time."

"Hey, hey."

"Thank you, sir."

Song Xuan patted Ban Feng on the shoulder:

"Order whatever you like to eat separately; you can't compete with them for it."

"Thank you, sir."

Ban Feng thanked him repeatedly, and then Yi Ge led him back.

Wang Bao, while eating beef, said:
"Look at you two acting so coy, making the master come down personally to check if you've eaten well. You're really embarrassing the master."

"Oh no, this isn't it."

"It was my fault for not believing Brother Wang's words. I will punish myself with three games later."

The story of Song Xuan cursing Chen Yaozuo, the Prefect of Kaifeng, to the point of vomiting blood in the main hall while Song Xuan and others were eating at Fanlou had already spread widely.

It started as a rumor circulating among officials who witnessed it, but Tokyo had no shortage of idlers.

Such explosive news is something everyone is eager to hear.

The leaked versions are also quite varied.

But they all have one thing in common: the Earthly Tai Sui is not to be trifled with.

Upon hearing this, Xiaofeng stood at the window facing the street, his face full of worry: "Brother, I don't understand."

"What don't you understand?"

"How could Song Xuan be so bold? I have never seen such a person before."

"You saw it today, didn't you?"

Cang Lin leaned back in the recliner:
"You know what, this thing invented by Song Zhuangyuan is really comfortable to lie on."

There were no reclining chairs in the Song Dynasty, but he found out who made them for Song Xuan and ordered one for himself.

The craftsman only dared to sell secretly, not daring to offend Song Xuan by selling openly.

Xiaofeng sighed: "I think my plan to steal tax money from the Kaifeng County government is probably going to fall through."

"Song Xuan has already begun to instruct the people of Wuyou Cave to dredge the ditches."

"Let him greet us if he wants to." Cang Lin lay on the recliner, fanning himself with a palm leaf fan. "You're just young and inexperienced."

"Song Xuan ordered the people in the cave to dredge the ditches. How many days' worth of food can he provide for them?"

“The ditches will eventually be cleared, and when there’s no more work, they will naturally come back.”

"Could it be that Scholar Song can support them for the rest of their lives?"

"A dog can't change its habit of eating poop."

Xiaofeng felt that Canglin's first few sentences made a lot of sense, but the last sentence made him feel very uncomfortable.

Fortunately, I was watching the commotion on the street the whole time and no one saw me.

Cang Lin felt that Wuyou Cave never lacked people to join, and only a small number of people were able to completely leave.

How many of them have the opportunity to be "human"?
"Brother, Song Xuan has even extended his reach to Xiangfu County. The magistrate of Xiangfu County is a good-for-nothing, so he bowed his head. It's a pity that he's the brother-in-law of the current prime minister, Lü Yijian."

"Do you think officials would tell us, the rats in the gutter, what decisions they make?"

Cang Lin waved his fan and said:
"Anyway, the strategist has already made his move, so let's just wait and see."

He said with a grin:

"The strategist said he has five ways to kill Song Xuan, so you don't need to worry about it."

"Anyway, this local tyrant is someone we two brothers can't afford to offend."

"Brother, I'm just upset about the money!"

Xiaofeng turned his head and couldn't help but speak:

"Such bright yellow gold, just gone like that, what a tragedy!"

Cang Lin, lying on the recliner, opened one eye halfway: "Significant losses?"

"To be honest, my brother doesn't have a single penny to his name right now."

Xiaofeng's face showed a wronged expression:
"It's not easy to save up any money to begin with."

"With the current tight security, there's nothing new to see at an auction."

"That's true, let's just bear with it for now."

Cang Lin didn't care and remained lying on the chair, since his little treasure trove hadn't been lost.

Xiao Feng could only slump into the chair, the Standing Tyrant didn't even put the Prefect of Kaifeng in his eyes.

Xiaofeng was highly skeptical of the strategist's five methods, fearing they would all fail miserably.

……

Chen Yaozuo lay at home, despite the fact that the imperial physician had already examined him and prescribed some medicine.

Lu Yijian and the others sat aside, waiting for him to wake up.

"Cough cough cough."

Chen Yaozuo opened his eyes and coughed a few times.

Everyone quickly got up and went to visit him.

"Xi Yuan, you're awake."

Lu Yijian sat on the edge of the bed and held Chen Yaozuo's hand:

"Just wake up."

Chen Yaozuo snorted twice: "I might as well die, then I can at least avoid being bullied."

"Hey."

Lu Yijian sighed again: "I advised you about this a long time ago."

As the saying goes, it's better to resolve conflicts than to let them fester.

"You and Song Xuan had no prior grudges, so wasn't the Chen family at fault for forcibly taking Han Qi as their son-in-law?"

“Song Xuan stood up for justice, that’s why you hold a grudge against him.”

"Then your brother did something even more outrageous during the palace examination. Did you really think that just because the Empress Dowager covered for you, he wouldn't know?"

When Lü Yijian got to this point, he was extremely angry.

Chen Yaozi did it on his own without telling anyone beforehand, which exacerbated the conflict between the two sides.

Now that it's a fight to the death, Song Xuan is showing no mercy at all; this is simply his normal counterattack.

Chen Yaozi remained silent. He had indeed acted impulsively and ended up losing more than he gained.

"Since the Empress Dowager can help you cover it up, Zhang Qi and Liu Congde are even closer to her than we are. Won't they leak this to Song Xuan?"

Lü Yijian knew that the group of people had been getting closer recently.

This led him to suspect that it was hard to believe that the Empress Dowager hadn't been behind it.

Otherwise, why would Liu Congde have paid off Song Xuan's tax arrears so readily, and why would he have said those things in the court?
The Chen brothers did not respond.

Lu Yijian knew that saying these things now would be of no use; he had already decided to favor Song Xuan.

However, Song Xuan was indeed a person with his own ideas.

His cousin has now gone to serve as an official in another place, and there is no one to help him gather intelligence about Song Xuan's surroundings.

Song Xuan himself was often busy at the Kaifeng County government office, and many of the news that Lü Yijian knew was not firsthand.

This kid's way of doing things is something I can't fathom.

Even in the main hall, he hadn't considered the consequences at all!

Lu Yijian had a vague feeling that Song Xuan seemed completely unconcerned about the consequences.

Despite Chen Yaozuo's shameless claims, he maintained basic decorum and did not take action.

Chen Yaozuo sighed again: "What's done is done, and I must repay the Wang family's kindness no matter what."

"Xi Yuan, have you ever thought about this?"

"what?"

"By doing this, you will only push the Wang family into the abyss."

Lu Yijian stroked his beard and sighed:
“Song Xuan will never bend the law for personal gain. Unless you can persuade the Empress Dowager, there is absolutely no room for negotiation.”

"Why should he do you, Chen Yaozuo, a favor, when your brother almost ruined his future?"

"It's virtually impossible for you to reconcile with him in this matter while maintaining a high-handed attitude."

Chen Yaozuo had also heard about this when he informed Lü Yijian last night.

But no matter what, he was determined to save the Wang family.

Therefore, it can only be considered as informing Lü Yijian, not as discussing the matter.

Chen Yaozi stood silently to the side; that was indeed what he was thinking at the time.

The Chen family's power is not something that a mere member of the council can insult.

Who would have thought it would develop to this point?

"Yes."

At this moment, Chen Yaozuo's face also showed signs of defeat:

"It was because I overestimated myself and underestimated Song Xuan that this happened today."

"I regret not heeding the Prime Minister's advice!"

Lu Yijian knew perfectly well that such words were useless, but he still had to offer comfort.

"Take care of your health first. In the current situation, health is of utmost importance; otherwise, how can you secure your position as prime minister in the future?"

Lü Yijian gently patted the back of his hand:

"The daily affairs that the prime minister has to deal with are much more difficult than those of the prefect of Kaifeng."

Upon hearing the title of prime minister, Chen Yaozuo immediately felt much better.

"But with this incident, I'm afraid..."

"It doesn't matter."

Lü Yijian gave another round of encouragement:
"As long as you get well, the situation in Tokyo won't change."

Chen Yaozi came out to see him off.

Lu Yijian looked at him and said, "You have always had a short temper. I hope you will not act impulsively in the future."

Chen Yaozi pursed his lips and remained silent, then heard, "I'm informing you."

“If you hadn’t caused such a big mess back then, your second brother wouldn’t have suffered this misfortune today.”

"Don't look for the cause in others; this is a chain reaction that you caused."

Lu Yijian looked at Chen Yaozi seriously and said, "If you want Song Xuan's revenge to be even more intense, then keep making trouble."

"I can't swallow this insult."

Hearing Chen Yaozuo clench his fists, Lü Yijian just stared at him without saying a word.

"Prime Minister Lü, what's going on?"

"Let's see if you can swallow this insult," Lü Yijian said, rolling his eyes.
"Do you want to kill him?"

"Or do you want to become the next Ding Wei and drag your Chen family down with you?"

"How could I be that scoundrel Ding Wei?"

"Hmph." Lü Yijian pointed at Chen Yaozi without any politeness and said, "Go back and look in the mirror, you're becoming more and more like him."

After finishing his speech, Lü Yijian turned and left, giving Chen Yaozi no chance to argue.

After a while, Chen Yaozi went back to see his second brother.

"What's wrong? You were criticized by Prime Minister Lü, and you're not satisfied?"

"Second brother, you noticed it too?"

Chen Yaozi hurriedly ran to the side and looked at his face in the bronze mirror.

"I'm afraid we'll have to swallow this loss for now."

Chen Yaozuo lay on the bed and sighed softly:

“Song Xuan is really too difficult to deal with. Even though I am his superior, I can’t find any loopholes. Instead, I was outmaneuvered by him.”

Chen Yaozuo finally realized that Wang Xie must have exposed his relationship with him in court.

That's why Song Xuan gave him a heavy sentence, and Song Xuan seized the opportunity to pretend he didn't care and handed the case file over to the Kaifeng government office.

They led themselves step by step into the trap.

The insults he hurled in the main hall were probably pre-planned, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to deliver them so fluently.

Chen Yaozi was his second elder brother's predecessor and had extensive experience in governing. He sat down:

"It's far too easy for you, a prefect, to punish the county magistrate."

"The first problem is the lack of effort in collecting taxes. Although Liu Congde is leading the way, Fan Lou and others may not necessarily listen to Song Xuan and may refuse to pay if they want."

Chen Yaozuo sighed softly:

"What happened in the main hall today must have spread throughout the capital. Those in charge of Fanlou are shrewd people; how could they possibly continue to provoke Song Xuan?"

"I heard that the bailiffs in the Kaifeng government office actually call Song Xuan 'the Earthly God,' which shows how high his reputation is!"

Chen Yaozi chuckled and said, "Since he's so good at this kind of 'rushing for money' thing, then Second Brother, you can find fault with him over trivial matters."

"What trivial matter are you picking a fight over?"

"Then the format of the case file is wrong, and the accounts are not calculated correctly."

“Make them recalculate, revise, and redo the work. We also need to check previous case files, regardless of whether they were handled by Song Xuan or not, just to find fault.”

"If he dares to come to you for an explanation, just say that he was improper in his visit and disrespectful to his superiors."

Chen Yaozuo pondered for a while; these things were indeed tedious.
"But it's not necessarily the case that Song Xuan will handle things personally."

"Anyway, if we can turn Kaifeng County into chaos, then we've achieved our goal."

"Whenever things get busy, mistakes are bound to happen. When that happens, we can call Song Xuan to the Kaifeng government office and give him a good scolding. Second brother can then get his revenge."

Chen Yaozi's theory is highly practical.

There's nothing wrong on the surface, but I'm going to nitpick over some trivial things to demonstrate my authority as the boss.

Anyway, as your subordinate, you have to put up with it!

Chen Yaozuo accepted his younger brother's advice: "Okay, once I'm better, I'll try doing it this way first."

"That's right." Chen Yaozi comforted him again: "Brother, I'm afraid there's no hope for Wang Xie."

"I know."

With a sorrowful expression on his face, Chen Yaozuo said, "In the end, I still failed to live up to my father's last words."

"Second brother, this is not your fault. It's just that Wang Xie was too arrogant. Why would he brew private wine?"

"It wouldn't be difficult for us to find a shop where he can brew wine openly and legally, but he insists on doing it!"

“He killed four people, so I really don’t agree with saving him.”

Chen Yaozi walked over from beside the bronze mirror.

"I know."

Chen Yaozuo understood everything, but because of his father's dying wish, he still wanted to give it a try.

It just didn't work out in the end.

"It's all fate and destiny; there's nothing I can do about it."

(End of this chapter)