A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 342 You evil cultivator!

The Chen brothers could only annoy Song Xuan through trivial matters at work.

Although Song Xuan was only a minor seventh-rank county magistrate, he was an official in the capital.

There were three forms of appointment for officials in the Song Dynasty.

The most important officials were appointed by the emperor himself, a process known as "special appointment by imperial decree".

This category includes important positions ranging from prime minister to county magistrate in the capital.

The remaining large number of mid- to low-ranking officials were appointed by the Ministry of Personnel, a process known as "appointment by the Ministry of Personnel".

The Ministry of Personnel currently lacks the authority to transfer Song Xuan.

……

Song Xuan continued eating at Fanlou Restaurant, and Zhang Qi jokingly said:
"My dear nephew, don't you have any thoughts about taking a concubine?"

"If you were to spread the word, countless families would rush to send their daughters to your bedside."

"It was your father-in-law who stopped you."

“Sigh.” Cao Liyong waved his hand and said, “My son-in-law would never do something like favoring a concubine over his wife, so I approve of him taking a concubine.”

Zhang Qi's second son did such a thing, even conspiring with a maid to kill his own wife, and was executed in the marketplace.

Su Qingrou breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, and even felt a hint of anticipation.

If only I could escape this brothel and become the concubine of the top scholar of the Song Dynasty.

They can finally have a stable life in the future.

Otherwise, you never know when you'll be drained of your value, auctioned off for your virginity, and become someone else's plaything.

Most of the women in this building will never be able to reform themselves.

Song Xuan chuckled twice:

"Do you all know the story of Zou Ji advising King Qi to accept advice?"

Yan Shu stroked his beard and laughed, "Hahaha, what's there to not know?"

"I understand. So, Song Twelve, you want to emulate the sages of the past?"

Song Xuan nodded: "That's right, I intend to follow the example of the ancients and take the initiative to take a concubine!"

"what?"

Song Xuan made that turn.

Even the intelligent Yan Shu never expected that he would imitate the sages in this way!

Xia Song, however, couldn't help but slap the table and burst into laughter.

The top scholar of the Song Dynasty was truly a remarkable person!
Cao Liyong had heard of this story before. Wasn't that like someone who would stab someone in the face and then receive a reward?
What does this have to do with me taking a concubine?
Fan Zhongyan couldn't help but chuckle, his lips twitching uncontrollably.

Zhang Qi and Cao Liyong exchanged bewildered glances. "We two don't really understand the kind of humor these scholars have."

I should participate in these kinds of gatherings less often in the future.

Just as they were secretly laughing and looking completely bewildered, a eunuch came up and asked for Zhang Qi.

"This humble servant greets Attendant-in-Ordinary Cao and Attendant-in-Ordinary Zhang."

The young eunuch bowed very politely and said:
"Eunuch Yang urgently needs a horse, and I hope the two Attendants can do him a favor."

The Song Dynasty stipulated that its officials could not use horses raised by the state, which was a manifestation of its emphasis on military equipment.

Because the Song Dynasty was truly short of warhorses.

If all officials use public horses for private purposes, the already scarce strategic resources of the court will become even scarcer.

How is it possible?

Rules are rigid, but people are flexible.

Even though the Privy Council was in charge of warhorses, what's wrong with the eunuchs around Empress Liu wanting a few good horses?

How can you refuse?
Xia Song lowered his eyelids; he himself disagreed and quietly awaited their answer.

Yan Shu arrived some time earlier than Xia Song, and was already used to such things.

Those eunuchs, they were all the kind of people who would rather suffer a loss than not gain an advantage.

Living in the palace and having all been castrated, it's quite normal for their minds to become twisted.

He had studied with the crown prince in his early years and served Emperor Zhenzong, so he had seen many people like him.

There are plenty of good people among them, but it's like finding gold in the trash.

Yan Shu didn't have a good impression of this group, but he wouldn't show his disgust on his face.

"Hahaha."

Zhang Qi stroked his beard and laughed loudly:
"What's so difficult about that? Bring me pen and ink."

The young eunuch smiled obsequiously upon hearing this.

This isn't the first time anyone has been here, but the necessary procedures still need to be followed.

Cao Yongli didn't respond. If it were before, he would have given him a good scolding, and might even have called Yang Huaimin over to give him a good beating.

Since he took Song Xuan's advice to be a nice guy, he's stopped getting involved in these things.

Do whatever you want.

After Zhang Qi finished writing, he handed the note directly to the young eunuch and even rewarded him with a cup of wine.

The young eunuch quickly thanked him, took the note, and left happily.

Fan Zhongyan's eyes were full of confusion:
“Minister Zhang, this is probably against the rules.”

"That's definitely against the rules."

Zhang Qi readily admitted it, then picked up his chopsticks and said:

"But there's no real loss. Warhorses left unridden in the stables tend to get fat easily. It's only by taking them out for a walk from time to time that their condition can be maintained."

"But."

Fan Zhongyan felt that Zhang Qi's argument was somewhat flawed.

"But eunuchs shouldn't be allowed to borrow horses at will. If people in the palace follow suit, then the officials below will too."

"Then all these warhorses that we finally acquired are useless?"

Fan Zhongyan disagreed with Zhang Qi using state affairs to curry favor for himself, and even offered such a superficial excuse.

Xia Song also wanted to ask, but Fan Zhongyan beat him to it, so he shut up.

"It's alright, we won't approve the requests from civil officials to borrow horses."

As soon as Zhang Qi spoke...

Song Xuan couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Even Fan Zhongyan was speechless.

Zhang Qi's words are tantamount to saying that in the eyes of us military generals, civil officials are not as important as those spineless men!

Seeing Fan Zhongyan's bewildered expression, Cao Liyong stroked his beard and said:
"I was just joking, Dean Fan, please don't take offense."

"Hahaha."

Zhang Qi said nonchalantly:
"If Dean Fan also wants to borrow it for a ride, that's no problem at all."

"Back then, when Song Zhuangyuan and his group of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) paraded through the streets on horseback, it was all thanks to the approval of my Privy Council."

Fan Zhongyan had certainly experienced being paraded through the streets on horseback, though he hadn't paid much attention to it before.

But a country has its laws, and a family has its rules.

How could the two highest-ranking military officers of the Song Dynasty appear so indifferent to the precious warhorses of the imperial court?

In the event of war, many of the Imperial Guards in Tokyo would have to be sent to the frontier to provide support.

Otherwise, relying solely on the border troops would likely make it difficult to achieve greater results.

"But the Privy Councilor, who is in charge of military affairs, should be as prudent as Guo Ziyi; now his actions are like those of a street vendor. How can he command the respect of the border generals?"

Fan Zhongyan knew they both wanted to burp and laugh it off:
"If Zhang Huaimin is granted this today, Luo Chongxun will be granted it tomorrow, and Yan Wenying the day after. The eunuchs are gradually taking control of the military. Do they want to replicate the Later Tang dynasty?"

Zhang Qi was merely drinking and paid no attention to Fan Zhongyan's words. If Yan Shu hadn't pulled Fan Zhongyan along, he wouldn't have been able to attend this drinking party.

Even Song Xuan's rank is higher than that of his former dean.

"If the Khitan envoy hears that the Privy Council can freely lend horses to eunuchs, wouldn't he be disrespecting our imperial authority?"

When Song Xuan heard Fan Zhongyan elevate the discussion to the image of other countries, he was not particularly moved.

At least from the perspective of the Liao people, they had the strength to invade the Song Dynasty.

Otherwise, the Song Dynasty wouldn't have obediently sent annual tribute.

The exchange of envoys between the two countries facilitated communication, but it also served as a process of assessment and probing.

Otherwise, the Liao envoys would come to Tokyo every time.

Many civil officials couldn't handle their arrogant and domineering nature, so they had to ask Cao Liyong to step in and intimidate them.

So what if the Khitans looked down on the Song people?
The Song Dynasty no longer has the strength to fight back, not to mention that Shaanxi and other areas will continue to suffer from the harassment of the Western Xia.

Clearly, Cao Yong did not care about what Fan Zhongyan said.

"Warhorses are the backbone of soldiers."

"Our brave soldiers shed blood on the frontier but are not allowed to ride horses, while eunuchs in the inner palace ride armored horses. This is likely to demoralize the entire army!"

Only after Fan Zhongyan said this did Cao Liyong speak:
"Dean Fan, there is no war in our Great Song Dynasty now. With so few warhorses, if we really went to the battlefield, we would not be able to afford to lose any of them in a single battle."

"These people riding those armored horses, in my son-in-law's words, are just for showing off; they're not very useful. How long can they keep up this act?"

The Song Dynasty lacked good horses, so good horses were naturally in high demand.

Liu Congde riding in a horse-drawn carriage is like having a cool sports car in Tokyo, isn't it?
It's all about saving face.

If there were too many horses in the Song Dynasty, they would no longer be scarce.

Just like the nobles of the Liao Dynasty liked to ride camels.

When Cao Liyong said this, none of the others said anything.

This is indeed an issue that needs to be considered.

The emperor is growing up every day.

How long can the Empress Dowager continue her regency?

Zhang Qi understood this principle well, so he wouldn't make things difficult for people arbitrarily, lest he be held accountable when the emperor came to power.

He recommended that his son also accompany him in his studies, but he did not compete with Yan Shu and others.

Emperor Zhenzong also wanted his children to study Confucian classics more, and he was content to have good students accompany them.

He knew all too well what kind of wretched people he and his entourage were before he became emperor!

Seeing Song Xuan's indifferent expression, Yan Shu spoke up:

"This matter is indeed inappropriate, but there is no way to stop it in time. I know that Twelfth Brother is quick-witted. Could you give me a suggestion?"

Although Cao Liyong admired Yan Shu, he was also unhappy that Yan Shu was always encouraging his good son-in-law behind his back.

This old guy really knows how to protect himself.

Yan Shu asked Song Xuan for advice because Fan Zhongyan was present.

He's run into this situation today, and it might just lead to another impeachment in the imperial court.

Wouldn't that be like playing with fire?
Yan Shu knew that Fan Zhongyan was too forceful in the matter of the Yellow River project, which made the Empress Dowager very dissatisfied with him.

The courtesan Su Qingrou, who was serving nearby, also glanced over and saw Song Xuan waving his hand and saying:

What can I do?

Song Xuan picked up the beef rib and said, "I really don't understand the rules of the Privy Council."

Xia Song didn't know if Song Xuan genuinely hadn't thought of coming out, or if he was just making excuses.

But Zhang Qi spoke up:

"You all get out of here. We'll call you back in later."

"Yes."

So all the prostitutes left the private room, and Zhang Qi waved his hand gently in response to Su Qingrou's questioning gaze.

Regardless of whether Song Xuan has a good idea or not, this whole thing has to be cleared up.

With so many people talking, who knows what problems might arise?

After everyone left, Zhang Qi said with a smile, "Nephew, do you have an idea now?"

"Hahaha." Song Xuan chuckled a few times: "What a coincidence, I just thought of a terrible idea."

"A terrible idea?" Zhang Qi smiled and said, "Alright, then we should definitely listen to it."

Fan Zhongyan also looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"The Privy Council, which handles crucial affairs, is so unpredictable; how can this be acceptable?"

"Therefore, whether civil or military officials request warhorses, the Privy Council should not refuse to grant them, nor should it grant them after just one request. It should wait until they have requested several times before granting them."

Song Xuan put down the beef bone in his hand:

"But when the eunuchs come to apply for horses, Uncle Zhang can still approve them directly, just like he did today."

After Song Xuan finished speaking, Zhang Qi, Fan Zhongyan, and others did not understand.

Only Yan Shu smiled, thinking, "What a terrible idea!"
This kid is really good at protecting his teacher.

Xia Song took a sip of wine and slowly put it down. He hadn't yet figured out Song Xuan's intention in doing this.

Is it simply a matter of letting angry civil officials attack the Privy Council?
"Row."

Cao Liyong didn't ask why, and just agreed, figuring that his son-in-law wouldn't cheat him anyway.

Zhang Qi didn't ask any more questions, but nodded in agreement.

Fan Zhongyan frowned slightly, still unable to understand the core of Song Xuan's suggestion.

By this time, everyone had almost finished eating and left the table.

Courtesan Su Qingrou and others saw them off.

Song Xuan stood by the counter: "Shopkeeper, I've finished eating."

Manager Qian kept wiping the sweat from his face:
"As long as you eat well, my lord, as long as you eat well, my lord, that's all that matters."

"What else do you want to say?"

Hearing Song Xuan's probing questions, Manager Qian looked to Zhang Qi for help.

"Twelfth Brother, give me some face, scaring him won't work."

“I’m not bluffing.” Song Xuan pointed to the notice posted on the door: “However, I’ll give Uncle Zhang some face today.”

Song Xuan had Ban Feng and a few others carry over several jars of Fanlou's signature Snowflake liquor:

"You don't have any objections to putting it on the Privy Council's accounts, do you?"

"Oh, how could I dare!"

"If you like it, sir, you can move it all away, so what?"

Manager Qian quickly asked the waiter to help move the wine.

"I bought it, I didn't steal it, just keep track of it."

"Hey, hey, hey." Manager Qian hurriedly started recording the accounts at the Privy Council.

In any case, all government offices in the Song Dynasty had entertainment expenses.

It's perfectly normal for them to have a meal together at Fanlou.

Ban Feng and the others were overjoyed.

It turns out that the official didn't want us to drink because he planned to take all the wine back with him.

Wang Bao carried both jars on his back all by himself.

As Song Xuan and his entourage emerged from Fanlou, the constables and yamen runners, supporting their bellies, slowly moved forward, carrying wine jars.

They ate all the food they were going to eat tonight.

It's not like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden; there wasn't even a chance to pack everything up, the main point was not to waste a single item.

This is probably the first time that Fanlou has faced the "Clean Plate Campaign".

Manager Qian thoughtfully arranged for his assistant to escort the wine jars to the Kaifeng County Government Office in a donkey cart.

Zhang Qi stood at the door, watching Song Xuan leave, and smiled at Cao Liyong:
"You all go back first, I need to give them some instructions."

"Row."

This was the first time Cao Liyong had learned that Zhang Qi had a share in Fanlou.

Cao Liyong returned to his office with the two deputy privy councilors.

Fan Zhongyan, on the other hand, rode in a donkey cart with Song Xuan back home.

He didn't quite understand what was so bad about Song Xuan's terrible idea.
The group wasn't in a hurry and leisurely returned to the county government office.

Ban Feng quickly instructed Qi Lecheng to have people move the wine from Fanlou inside.

Upon hearing that it was Snowflake Wine from Fanlou, everyone rushed forward to help carry it.

Then someone asked, "Did you go to Fanlou for dinner?"

The answer was positive, which immediately made many people slap their thighs in delight.

Why didn't I accompany the high official when he entered the palace?

Ban Feng laughed heartily. In fact, he hadn't expected to have the chance to eat at Fanlou. Anyway, he was just taking advantage of the Privy Council's hospitality expenses.

Qian Gansan came to inquire how to store these Snowflake wines.

"When the Mid-Autumn Festival comes, give everyone in the county government a pot of this and let them take it home to try."

Hearing Song Xuan's reply, Qian Gansan couldn't believe he would receive such treatment.

At least this year, every jar of Snowflake liquor consumed at Fanlou is one less available.

Because it is brewed with snow water, it has a refreshing taste and is often described as having a cooling effect.

It's safe to say that it can definitely fetch a high price in the sweltering summer.

Is the high official just going to casually bestow rewards upon everyone?

As Song Xuan led Fan Zhongyan to the inner hall, Qian Gansan stopped and then went to announce the good news with a smile.

The crowd was still gathered around this group, talking about Fanlou.

Upon hearing such explosive news, they couldn't help but start discussing it.

They were really fed this huge pancake; they couldn't quite handle it.

Not to mention the yamen runners who accompanied Song Xuan on his trip, who were still boasting about the luxury of Fanlou.

Even though they didn't go upstairs, there are still quite a few performances on the first floor.

Although I was so busy eating that I didn't see much, it didn't stop me from bragging and describing it to these people who had never been inside.

"County Commandant Ban, I heard that the esteemed official scolded Chen Yaozuo, the Prefect of Kaifeng, until he vomited blood in the main hall today. Is this true?"

"I wouldn't dare to talk nonsense."

Ban Feng, who had been feeling sleepy from eating too much, immediately snapped awake upon hearing this:

"Where did you hear that?"

"I heard it from someone while I was eating out at noon, but I don't know if it's true or not."

Ban Feng thought for a moment: "Don't spread such rumors. Would a high-ranking official do something like publicly insulting his superior?"

Everyone looked at him; after all, this wasn't the first time Song Xuan had scolded Chen Yaozuo.

"What I mean is, the esteemed official is eloquent and persuasive, and his debate with Prefect Chen was so intense that he vomited blood. He was not insulting him. You all understand that."

"Oh, so it's true!"

It's just a different way of saying it; it's true.

The group started talking again, since they had never actually seen an official named Song Da Guanren before.

"We absolutely cannot let the master be transferred away; we've only just started to enjoy a better life."

Someone in the crowd said this, and then fell silent, followed by even more impossibilities.

No matter how you look at it, your own master is always right, being a top scholar and a detective.

Such remarks include phrases like "Your father-in-law is Cao Shizhong" or similar expressions.

The more they talked, the more confident they became.

A look of doubt appeared in Zhong Wuliu's eyes:
"Does that mean Wang Xie is doomed, and even the Prefect of Kaifeng can't stop him?"

"Correct."

County Lieutenant Ban Feng patted Zhong Wuliu and others on the shoulder: "You're right, kid."

"The high-ranking official argued with Chen Yaozuo, the Prefect of Kaifeng, until he vomited blood in front of the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and all the civil and military officials."

"Who would dare to stand up for Wang Xie?"

"Hahaha." Everyone burst into laughter again.

"Let's go, let's go to the jail and have a talk. That kid was really arrogant yesterday when I heard that the people from the Kaifeng government came."

"Hey, all of you, stop right there."

Ban Feng quickly said, "This news must not be leaked to anyone!"

"Why?"

"The master wants Wang Xie to be executed in a public spectacle, his body displayed in the marketplace to intimidate the many criminals in the capital." "If he couldn't withstand the pressure and committed suicide, wouldn't that ruin the master's plan?"

This statement drew nods of agreement from the crowd; it made perfect sense.

Since the high official has done this, there must be a deeper meaning behind it, so no one should try to undermine him.

……

Song Xuan invited Fan Zhongyan in and had him sit down to one side.

Fan Zhongyan was already used to Song Xuan's bold and unrestrained manner.

Without his investment, Yingtian Academy might not have been able to expand its scale.

Fan Zhongyan's only worry was that Song Xuan had spoiled these yamen runners and constables, making them too demanding. He feared that they wouldn't have an easy time after he left office.

"What exactly was the purpose of that terrible idea you just mentioned at the banquet?"

"No intention."

Song Xuan poured tea for Fan Zhongyan:

"I just want them to fight like dogs."

"really?"

Fan Zhongyan took the tea; he couldn't believe Song Xuan would make such a foolish move.

"Don't hide it from me, let me know what's going on."

Song Xuan took a sip of herbal tea: "It's nothing. I just think you will definitely impeach me for this matter."

Fan Zhongyan did not hide his intentions and nodded immediately: "That is indeed my plan."

"I hope you will submit a memorial impeaching this matter after some time has passed."

"Why?"

"I can't help but ask, does Dean Fan want to resolve this matter, or does he want to use it to make a name for himself?"

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Fan Zhongyan's first reaction was not anger, but rather self-reflection.

What could possibly make one's students think that they are gaining fame by doing these things?

"Of course, we want to resolve this matter."

"Since Dean Fan wants to resolve this matter, then my method is quite good."

"What's so good about it?"

Song Xuan tapped the table with his finger:

"My terrible idea is to escalate personal conflicts into group conflicts. In that case, the civil and military officials who are obstructed will turn on the eunuchs who violate the law."

"After all, your official account carries little weight these days, and you can't make a splash in this matter on your own."

"If we unite with others to solve this problem together, even if the Empress Dowager is unhappy in the end, she will be able to restrain the behavior of the eunuchs around her."

"Even if those civil and military officials did not receive the benefit of riding horses privately, they could still see that the eunuchs, who originally had the right to ride horses privately, were also restricted. How could they not feel that this was also a victory?"

“In this way, you win, I win, he wins, everyone wins, I believe that most people, except for the eunuchs, would be willing to accept this result.”

Fan Zhongyan pondered for a long time.

Song Xuan's terrible idea was effective, though.

But the only problem is that it's too easy to incite partisan strife.

Moreover, after this incident, having tasted the benefits, no one can predict when the next factional struggle will end.

Fan Zhongyan held his teacup, remaining silent the entire time.

Is the already chaotic court about to descend into even greater chaos?
Since Kou Zhun and Ding Wei were successively demoted, the Song Dynasty court had not experienced factional strife for a long time.

Many people are lying low, waiting for an opportunity.

After all, the Emperor has not yet assumed personal rule, and the Empress Dowager is in complete control, so many people have automatically become part of her faction.

Now Song Xuan wants to reignite the factional strife and make them fight each other.

Fan Zhongyan had no idea what Song Xuan was thinking.
It wasn't that Fan Zhongyan was overthinking things; he believed that his disciple truly had the intellect to manipulate the court's factional struggles.

Even if he didn't personally participate, if his ideas were implemented by "high-ranking officials," it was no different from if he had done it himself.

Song Xuan knew that his teacher understood his subtext.

He wanted to take advantage of the chaos to test the waters, hoping to incite infighting within the Empress Dowager's faction.

In any case, they don't care when the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun will be recovered, nor do they care about the situation on the northwestern border.

Instead of letting them do nothing all day, we should find them something to do.

Perhaps this will result in some cleaning.

When a seat becomes available, someone can naturally move up.

Lu Yijian's network of influence was inevitably damaged.

With so many unpleasant things to deal with, Liu E's energy must have been even more depleted, and how much spirit could she possibly have left?

Fan Zhongyan took a small sip of tea: "Even if I object, I don't have the power to end it, right?"

"You've achieved your goal, that's good, right?"

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Fan Zhongyan was indeed speechless and wanted to laugh.

My disciple is outstanding in every way.

However, the tactics he used always made Fan Zhongyan feel that Song Xuan did not come from the prestigious Yingtian Academy.

He is a "heretical practitioner"!
But this heretical cultivator actually has a logical core.

This truly baffled Fan Zhongyan.

You know the consequences.

"Dean, we can't do things that only benefit us without suffering any losses." Song Xuan leaned back in his chair.

"It's rare to find someone who can have both fish and bear's paw in this world."

"I've found that sometimes you are my teacher."

Fan Zhongyan said with a hint of helplessness, "How can someone so young acquire so many profound insights?"

"How could a boy like you, who didn't study properly in the private school, possibly have more knowledge than me?"

Song Xuan pointed to his head:

"I am constantly receiving information; as the saying goes, a scholar can know the affairs of the world without leaving his home."

"Many seemingly disorganized pieces of knowledge were crammed into my head; I was passively receiving them."

Fan Zhongyan stroked his beard and said, "Alright, alright, that's enough. I know you're a genius."

"A genius?" Song Xuan chuckled, his playful side awakened.

"Genius is merely the threshold to my understanding."

Fan Zhongyan just smiled and remained silent. He had indeed heard Song Xuan, a fellow Jinshi (successful candidate in the imperial examination), say these words.

That was also his student, Zhang Fangping.

In Fan Zhongyan's view, he was even more of a genius.

Unfortunately, he still couldn't surpass Song Xuan in the exam, and in terms of interpersonal skills and handling various situations, he currently doesn't even have one-tenth of Song Xuan's abilities.

"My lord."

Qi Lecheng stood at the door, knocked on the open door, and then reported:

"Prefect Liu came with his wife."

"what?"

Song Xuan looked doubtful: "My relationship with him isn't that close."

Fan Zhongyan also felt that Liu Congde had gone a bit too far. How could he bring his wife to someone else's house and enter their home?

Even if this is an office space, you shouldn't bring your wife here unless you're seeking justice.

In the entire Song Dynasty, who would dare to wrong him?
The moment the thought crossed Fan Zhongyan's mind, his eyes involuntarily turned to his disciple.

Song Xuan waved his hand: "Bring him in. Tell the brothers to give him some face; he's brought his wife!"

"Don't worry, sir, we brothers know what we're doing."

Qi Lecheng smiled, turned around and left.

Actually, after this God of Wealth arrived, many yamen runners gathered around, but when they saw Liu Congde and his wife get off the carriage and bow, they scattered in a panic.

Liu Congde had a nightmare that night and couldn't sleep at all.

This morning at court, I ate melon again.

He was summoned by the Empress Dowager, so suddenly without any prior discussion.

Liu Congde dared not speak of what happened in his dream, but only said things like he hoped to share the burdens of the Empress Dowager.

After being praised by the Empress Dowager, Liu Congde took his wife to the Yejingtai Temple of the Great Xiangguo Temple to draw lots, where they ate a vegetarian meal and rested for a while.

At this moment, Liu Congde walked into the courtyard and saw Song Xuan politely come out to greet him, which immediately made him feel honored.

Looking at Liu Congde's heavy eye bags and dark circles, Song Xuan couldn't tell for a moment whether he was really suffering from insomnia or had overindulged in sex.

Since I didn't have a chance to take his pulse, it's hard to make a judgment.

"Could it be Prefect Liu and his wife who have come?"

"Hahaha."

Liu Congde quickened his pace and had his wife pay her respects to Song Xuan.

"Please come in, my teacher and I were just discussing some things."

"Oh I got it."

Liu Congde didn't pay much attention. When he entered the room, he saw that it was Fan Zhongyan, who had impeached him the most.

I almost forgot they were master and apprentice.

In front of his wife, Liu Congde simply nodded and then sat down to the side.

"Scholar Song, are you busy?"

"There's not much to do. The issues that needed to be resolved have been mostly resolved. I've submitted Wang Xie's incriminating evidence directly to the Ministry of Justice. The Prefect of Kaifeng is ill and unable to review it in the short term."

"Yes, yes, that Wang Xie committed heinous crimes and almost wiped out the entire Qi family."

After Liu Congde finished speaking, he took out a fortune stick from his sleeve: "Please help me analyze this, Scholar Song."

"I?"

Song Xuan took the slip of paper with some disbelief.

Liu Congde listened in the temple, but he remembered things like the Dragon King coming to find him, and that if it rained heavily, he shouldn't go out.

After Liu Congde woke up, he remembered the story of Wei Zheng beheading the Dragon King of the Jing River in Song Xuan's Journey to the West.

In addition, it involves a pilgrimage to the West and Mahayana Buddhism.

Song Xuan's research in this area might even surpass that of the Great Xiangguo Temple.

Journey to the West is so interesting, could it have been written by Song Xuan out of thin air?
At least Song Xuan's words were understandable to me.

Therefore, with this in mind, Liu Congde came to Song Xuan's door, wanting to ask him to interpret the divination slip.

"Did you go to pray for a child?"

Song Xuan watched as he took his wife away.

Infertility is caused by a variety of factors, and it's not something that can be cured by just anyone.

“I have a son.” Liu Congde said, both amused and exasperated.

"Oh, I'd like another one."

"No."

Even Liu Congde's wife seemed somewhat embarrassed when faced with the question of having a child.

She noticed that Song Xuan looked even more handsome and imposing in his official robes, appearing much stronger than her husband, who was rather thin.

On that day at Jinming Pond, she saw the person following the emperor, who was said to be the top scholar in the imperial examination, and she stole a few glances at him.

Today I finally met him in person.

It turns out that everyone said the top scholar of the Song Dynasty looked just like a person from the Song Dynasty, and that was no exaggeration.

Liu Congde said somewhat embarrassedly:
"Scholar Song, please take a look at me."

"What do you think?" Song Xuan asked, holding the divination slip.

"If you don't tell me what you're asking for, how can I try to help you understand?"

"That's right, that's right, oh dear, it's me."

"You had nightmares last night and couldn't sleep well?"

Liu Congde's eyes lit up immediately: "Yes, you could even tell that?"

Song Xuan rolled his eyes, speechless.

"The hexagram Feng (abundance) of Thunder and Fire, line 93: Abundance is plentiful, foam is seen at midday. The right arm is broken, and blood is drawn in lawsuits."

"Yes, that's what they say."

Song Xuan placed the skewer on the table, then reached out and pinched his thumb, truly practicing the technique, even forming hand seals.

Liu Congde's eyes lit up even more; it turned out he really did understand.

No wonder he was able to write Journey to the West and even get Zhuge Liang to borrow the east wind at the Battle of Red Cliffs!

Liu Congde's wife was also taken aback by Song Xuan's hand seal movements, her mouth agape.

This is incredible.

Even the top scholar knows this!

Fan Zhongyan saw that Liu Congde and his wife had been fooled, but he did not expose them.

We'll have to see what kind of excuse Song Xuan has in mind.

In Fan Zhongyan's view, this was also a means of "heretical cultivation".

Liu Congde obediently handed over 100,000 strings of cash in the main hall today; it's possible that Song Xuan laid the groundwork beforehand.

This is something I've been asking Liu Congde to return the embezzled funds, but I haven't been able to do.

Unfortunately, it was his own disciple who used unorthodox cultivation methods to achieve this.

Therefore, Fan Zhongyan became even more interested and wanted to learn the methods of this heretical cultivator himself.

After all, in a group of three, there is bound to be one who can teach me.

"There are still watermarks on your divination stick. I'm afraid it might be related to something involving water."

"Looking at this 'Pei,' it refers to a flood, the right arm suggests betrayal by accomplices, and bloodshed indicates imprisonment. It doesn't seem like a very auspicious sign."

Liu Congde's eyes showed surprise; he certainly hadn't expected this solution.

After Song Xuan finished speaking, he stared at Liu Congde:
"It seems the Yellow River project funding isn't just your problem; someone's trying to sell you out."

"Ah?" Liu Congde's face turned serious:

"I just returned 100,000 strings of cash today! 100,000 strings of cash!"

How much money will I get in total?

"How could they turn against us?"

Song Xuan spread his hands and said, "Since ancient times, unequal distribution of spoils has been a major inducing factor for infighting. When everyone is working together to make money, who wants to take the smaller share?"

"Not to mention even close brothers, you still need to keep clear accounts, right, Dean Fan?"

"Correct."

Fan Zhongyan was cooperating with Song Xuan.

He also realized that they genuinely wanted Liu Congde and his group to fight like dogs.

“What the top scholar Song said makes sense.”

Liu Congde nodded in agreement. He hadn't mentioned returning the 100,000 strings of cash beforehand.

He wanted to give the Empress Dowager a surprise, and indeed, it turned out just as he expected.

However, he was not the only one who embezzled funds from the Yellow River project.

What will other people think of my actions?

Do they have the courage to do that?
The more Liu Congde thought about it, the more he felt that Song Xuan's words made sense.

"Scholar Song, what do you think I should do?"

Liu Congde sighed again and said:

"I can't sleep at night. Those drowned people keep chasing me, chasing me to the ends of the earth."

“Even if I hide in the house and lock the door, they can still break in through the cracks in the windows and doors, grab my neck, and I can’t breathe.”

"I hope Scholar Song can save me."

Song Xuan looked around and took out the copper coin that belonged to the innkeeper of Taoran Inn.

"These are copper coins from the time of the late emperor. The late emperor also held a certain position in the underworld. Prefect Liu may wish to hold this while sleeping at night and wear it on his waist during the day."

Liu Congde took the copper coin, and it was clear that it had been handled for a long time.

"Thank you very much, Scholar Song. I am deeply grateful."

Liu Congde fiddled with the copper coin: "Is this all you need?"

"I'm not entirely sure either," Song Xuan said, leaning back in his chair. "It all depends on how much the late emperor is willing to do to protect you."

For a moment, Liu Congde didn't know how to get the late emperor to take better care of him.

"I hope that Scholar Song can teach my husband once."

Liu Congde's wife, Liu Wangshi, spoke up.

"Since it was your wife who entrusted this to me," Song Xuan thought for a moment:

“I heard that Prefect Liu is a Buddhist, and since he is a Buddhist, he must understand cause and effect.”

"clear."

Liu Congde quickly replied, "I will certainly do my best in the matter of rebuilding the Yellow River project."

"Not only that, if the Yellow River overflows this year, there will definitely be a great flood that will inundate the city of Tokyo."

Song Xuan spoke calmly:

"When it comes to cleaning up the mud and collecting the bodies, Prefect Liu, don't be stingy with the money. After all, if something goes wrong, everyone will blame you."

“I will definitely contribute money and do good deeds. I also donated some incense money to the Daxiangguo Temple today.”

"Alright." Song Xuan nodded.

"If Prefect Liu had the time to visit the orphanage and do a good deed, he might feel more at ease. Asking someone else to do a good deed is never as meritorious as doing it yourself."

“Scholar Song’s words have truly enlightened me. My husband and I will definitely do this in the future.”

"I have nothing more to say right now, so let's leave it at that."

"Good good."

Liu Congde stood up to thank him, and then left with his wife.

Back in the carriage, Liu Congde was still tense: "Madam, do you think what Song Xuan said makes sense?"

"That makes sense, of course it makes sense!"

Liu Wangshi wiped the sweat from her brow: "Song Zhuangyuan is handsome, well-read, and even knows how to perform incantations and hand seals. How could his words be unreliable?"

"Yes Yes Yes."

Liu Congde nodded repeatedly.

Only after everyone had gone far away did Fan Zhongyan burst into laughter.

He didn't believe that claim at all.

It seems that Song Xuan heard plenty of this kind of talk when he took Fan Xiang and the others to temples and Taoist monasteries to study by candlelight.

Fan Zhongyan became increasingly convinced of the story of Mencius' mother moving three times to find the right environment for her son.

Fan Zhongyan didn't know how to describe the expressions on Liu Congde and his wife's faces.

It seemed as if Song Xuan was an "enlightened immortal" in their eyes.

If I hadn't known Song Xuan's background, I probably would have been fooled by his smooth-talking words and actions.

In Fan Zhongyan's view, Song Xuan was fully qualified to interpret the divination slips at the Yejingtai of the Daxiangguo Temple.

Buddhist temples in the Song Dynasty had a belief in "karma mirrors," which were said to be able to reflect one's evil deeds in past lives.

"Hahaha."

Fan Zhongyan managed to stop laughing, then imitated making hand seals and burst into laughter again.

"you you."

Fan Zhongyan sat in his chair and wiped away the tears that streamed down his face:
"Good disciple, tell me quickly, how did you manage to hold back your laughter just now?"

Song Xuan said in a serious tone, "Dean Fan, I've heard that people are only the least afraid of hardship and fatigue when they're doing bad things!"

"Hahaha, another fallacy."

Fan Zhongyan slapped the table and burst into laughter:

"Song Twelve, you really are a heretical cultivator disguised as a member of the orthodox Confucian school of Yingtian Academy!"

(End of this chapter)