A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 344 Giving You a Chance to Make Money
After Song Xuan finished speaking, he sat back down under the umbrella.

Waiting for the prisoners' reaction.

The opportunity has been presented.

Whether or not one can do it depends entirely on personal choice.

Don't think that it's indispensable to us!
Even in Tokyo, people would beg to be hired to work for them if they received such treatment.

If you don't accept a favor offered to you, then that's your problem.

Qin Ying, the prefectural magistrate of Kaifeng, sat among the crowd, pondering the risks of Song Xuan's actions.

Is he really not afraid that these prisoners will escape?
Or is it that they have too much money to handle and want to give away their hard-earned silver to these prisoners?
Qin Ying couldn't understand, so he stood up again:

"Magistrate Song, I have a question."

"speak."

"With so many prisoners being sent out to work, a lot of supervisors will be needed. If anyone escapes, it will be your responsibility as the county magistrate."

Hearing Qin Ying's reminder, Song Xuan nodded and said:
“That’s right, so I’ve asked the Imperial Guards to patrol here.”

"It'll be convenient for you to work, and you won't be handcuffed or shackled. If you run away, so be it. As long as you're still in Tokyo, there will be plenty of opportunities to catch you."

"No collective punishment?" Qin Ying felt that a system of collective punishment was still necessary.

"I have never liked to punish those who follow the rules for the mistakes of others, so I only reward those who follow the rules."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Qin Ying was momentarily speechless.

All he could say was that Song Xuan was bold.

Song Xuan believed in trusting those he employed, and his goal was to clear the silt and reduce the impact of the flood.

He wasn't trying to set a trap for law enforcement.

While many criminals were working hard to meet deadlines and earn rewards, they also had to keep an eye on others, and in the end, fearing the system of collective punishment, they all ran away.

Song Xuan's explanation delighted the prisoners below.

To be honest, Song Xuan's conditions were far too generous.

They felt that the generous offers were a way of bribing them.

But what can be bribed about a bunch of prisoners?
Song Xuan had no intention of helping Zhao Zhen lead eight hundred men to attack, or of having "Gao Shilian" release prisoners and distribute weapons as a reserve force.

The criminal Zhu Guan stood up:
"Sir Song, if I discover anyone trying to escape, what will be the reward for capturing him?"

"I will reward you with a pot of Snowflake wine and give you a proper reduction in your sentence."

"Snowflake Wine?"

"Is it Fanlou's Snowflake Wine?"

"Not bad," Song Xuan said, waving his fan.
"If you don't believe me, you can ask the constables and yamen runners around here."

"Today I'm bringing back all the wine stored at Fanlou, so that I can reward each of them with a pot of Snowflake Wine during the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"If any of you are capable of catching someone trying to escape, you can certainly snatch a pot of Snowflake Wine from the mouths of the Kaifeng County officials."

Zhu Guan chuckled a few times, looked around, and licked his lips. He didn't have the money to buy it himself, but being able to drink it with this reward was too easy.

Song Xuan extended his hand again and said:
"However, a person who is fleeing must make the appearance of fleeing and run fifty steps to be considered to have fled."

"Otherwise, if you bunch of scum try to put on a show to trick me into giving you drinks, I'll give you a beating first, especially those who ran away. You can choose whether to eat insects in Lingnan or crabs on Shamen Island."

After Song Xuan said this, no one dared to laugh out loud.

Lingnan is a place with a lot of miasma; going there is almost certain death, and even a bite from an insect won't save you.

As for Shamen Island, located in Dengzhou, Shandong, it is even more terrifying.

After Emperor Taizu of Song, criminals were exiled here.

They all understood the threat posed by Shamen Island; it was nothing short of a living hell.

Actually, the mortality rate wasn't too high; it was only about six out of every hundred people who survived.

The main problem is that the island has both prisoners and islanders, but the farmland only produces a small amount of food.

There are indeed a great many criminals. In order to maintain the survival of Shamen Island, the prison guards will hold a chicken-eating contest once the population exceeds a certain number.

It's not just about playing PUBG; the warden also takes the lead in torturing and killing criminals for his own amusement.

Since I'm bored anyway, I might as well find some fun.

Gu Dasao in Water Margin was a prominent figure in the underworld of Dengzhou. Whoever she married became the local tyrant of Dengzhou.

Her marriage to her husband, Sun Xin, an outsider from Hainan Island, was also based on their own interests and demands.

So when Song Xuan mentioned those two place names, the prisoners stopped making a fuss.

It's better to work honestly and get some good food and drink; then you can get paid and have your sentence reduced.

Whether to risk everything and escape on an empty stomach is a decision that needs careful consideration.

Song Xuan gestured to County Magistrate Zhou, who was standing nearby, to ask again if anyone wanted to withdraw.

If you want to quit halfway through, you can't just quit whenever you want.

After being questioned three times, some people suggested giving up and were then taken away by the jailers.

Not everyone is willing to make a living through manual labor.

County Magistrate Zhou then began reading out names according to the groups of people.

Whether they are satisfied or not, whether they are all strong or not.

Song Xuan wouldn't concern himself with such specific details, letting the prisoners choose their own leader.

Whether they rely on force or elections, they can decide their fate.

The leader, acting as the overseer, was also responsible for assigning tasks to the prisoners below him and supervising their progress.

Once everyone knew who was in their team, the prison was reorganized, and at least for the time being, they ate and lived together, separated from those on death row and exile.

Even after being taken back to prison, the group couldn't help but gossip about it.

Leaving aside the mutton, they were already very much looking forward to tomorrow's meat.

After all, this kind of work is much better than staying in prison.

The group of about a hundred people was divided into twelve groups.

Song Xuan wiped the sweat from his brow, and several guild leaders quickly stood up to greet him.

"sit."

Song Xuan gave an order to have some cold tea served.

The guild leaders were all very cautious.

Song Xuan, the local tyrant, was known for collecting taxes. They were from the butcher guild, the fattening guild, and the carriage and horse guild.

There is also the Four Offices Guild, which is equivalent to the guild for weddings, funerals, and various banquets. It provides everything from tables and chairs to writing invitations, and finally cooking, lighting fires, serving tea, and so on.

In the Song Dynasty, whether officials or ordinary people, those with money were willing to hold banquets.

There are many opportunities to make money in this guild.

Song Xuan did not call the guild of the street sweepers and garbage collectors, who were also considered part of the beggars' gang.

Today, four people were summoned to the county government office, but no one knows why.

Make sure it's not about collecting back taxes.

And definitely don't use "Ke Pei" (a play on words, implying a mismatch between two sets of items).

This is outside of the two taxes.

When the government forces you to buy something, or compels you to sell it at a discounted price, it is called a forced purchase/sale.

It is a type of exorbitant tax.

Just like repairing the Yellow River was a heavy burden for the people along the river during the Northern Song Dynasty.

In addition to performing corvée labor, they also had to pay for the firewood and straw used to repair and block the Yellow River.

For example, in the first year of the Tiansheng era, in order to plug the breach in the Yellow River, the imperial court ordered all households in the capital region to hand over bundles of straw, totaling tens of millions of bundles.

Of course, the imperial court provided financial assistance.

The people who were bought by the authorities had no grass to buy, so they had to go to the market to purchase it.

If everyone wants to buy it, the price will naturally go up.

However, the money given by the imperial court was based on the price before the price of grass increased.

People who wanted to buy bundles of straw to hand over had to pay for the straw themselves.

This was an unbearable burden for the lower-class households in the countryside, who were classified as fourth or fifth class.

Therefore, Empress Liu, using Emperor Zhao Zhen's name, exempted these people from taxes and purchases as a policy to benefit the people.

The reason why the Northern Song Dynasty used bundles of grass to block the mouth of the Yellow River was because it employed the technique of shoveling.

This technology was already in use during the Warring States period and was further promoted during the Northern Song Dynasty.

Since the founding of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Yellow River had been breaching its banks year after year. The management of the Yellow River entered a vicious cycle of breaching, blocking the breaches, reinforcing the dikes, and breaching again, until the dynasty collapsed and the Yellow River problem was finally solved.

The people on both sides of the Yellow River are suffering terribly.

The imperial court's levies were no joke; they could bankrupt you in no time, forcing you to sell your land to pay exorbitant taxes.

There's nothing we can do about it; the people living along the river have to endure it.

Otherwise, if the Yellow River were to strike you, your fields would be ruined.

If the blockage is repaired and the land is blocked, we might be able to rent the land back and continue living. That would be much better than becoming a vagrant or being incorporated into the local militia.

"Please don't be nervous, I just want to understand the situation in various industries."

"Does your butcher shop have any scoundrels who cheat customers out of weight at the market?"

"I wouldn't dare."

“I know I wouldn’t dare do it openly.” Song Xuan tapped the table.

“These days, it’s not easy for ordinary people in Tokyo to get meat. Go back and tell the butchers in the guild not to cheat on the weight or threaten others with knives.”

"If anyone complains to me again, even if it's a small matter, I will punish them."

Upon hearing this, the head of the meat trade association immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

It is true that there is no wind without waves.

Those bastards never stop.

"Don't worry, my lord, I will give them a good scolding when I get back."

"Alright, prepare a thousand catties of fresh pork for me tomorrow and deliver it to the county government office before 5:15 AM, is that alright?"

Upon hearing Song Xuan's question, the meat merchant guild leader immediately patted his chest and said yes, absolutely yes.

"If Your Excellency feels that a thousand catties is not enough, two thousand catties will also be acceptable."

The daily meat supply in Tokyo City is tens of thousands of kilograms, of which pork accounts for about one-fifth.

People don't like to eat pork, and Su Dongpo didn't create Dongpo pork.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, when mutton was in short supply, the upper class began to eat pork in various ways.

"No need. Just bring me a thousand catties of sow meat, not too strong in flavor. Two butchers with good meat-cutting skills will suffice."

Song Xuan tossed him a stick:
"The work is done, come and collect your pay."

"Get the money?"

The head of the butcher shop quickly declined, saying, "It's just a thousand catties of meat. It would be vulgar for you to talk about money, sir."

He gently put the stick back, his face full of fawning.

Song Xuan pushed the stick back to him:
"I have collected a lot of back taxes, and I can use the money to hire people to dredge the ditches to prevent the city of Tokyo from being flooded when the flood comes."

"Just keep the money. It's not a one-off deal. Are you trying to bribe me?"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."

The butcher quickly gripped the skewer tightly in his hand:

"If you need any more meat, please feel free to give the order."

"Mm." Song Xuan nodded.
"You don't need to be nervous. When I do things, money is money and people are people. You will not be shortchanged by a single penny."

"If any of my men have embezzled, come to me for justice."

"Yes Yes Yes."

Several people quickly responded, mainly because the name "Standing Earth Tai Sui" was too frightening.

Not to mention the story of Song Xuan cursing Chen Yaozuo, the prefect of Kaifeng, to the point of vomiting blood, which spread quite widely.

That was in the main hall, in front of the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and all the civil and military officials.

Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, these people who have made a living in the capital city of Bianjing for generations have never seen a person named Song Xuan.

Song Xuan then looked at the head of the carriage and horse guild beside him:
"I need to hire twelve mule carts. They should arrive at the county office by Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow. They don't need to be too fancy, just enough to carry people and goods. Should the payment be made daily or every five days?"

"How long will it take, sir?"

"At most a month, it all depends on the working hours."

"No problem." The head of the carriage and horse guild understood that Song Xuan was throwing money around, and he quickly patted his chest:

"My lord, I will try my best to keep all twelve of these people in the same place to avoid any problems."

"Not bad." Song Xuan tossed him a stick:
“If my county government needs to hire people, five people must act as guarantors. If any of the people from Wuyou Cave manage to sneak in using your connections, I will hold them accountable.”

"Don't worry, sir. My carriage company has no members from the Worry-Free Cave. They would never do such a thing; they reek of animals every day."

"I absolutely do not have any meat products."

The presidents quickly made their assurances.

Song Xuan waved his hand: "I don't care whether there are people from Wuyou Cave or not. As long as they live their lives well and don't cause trouble, I won't bother with them."

"I have also learned about the people in Wuyou Cave. Most of them are upper-class people who are very wealthy and have plenty of money, while most of them are struggling to make ends meet."

The head of the meat trade was truly surprised that Song Xuan would think this way. How could he be so understanding?
Worry-Free Cave has a notorious reputation for committing many evil deeds.

But most people don't have the right to share in the money obtained through wrongdoing.

Only if most people don't starve, occasionally make a little money, and easily spend it all, can they be willing to work for Wuyou Cave.

Song Xuan then looked at the fattening plants: "I know that silt can be used as fertilizer. Do you collect the silt that the government has cleared out?"

"Yes, sir, we charge based on the number of carts, but the price isn't very high."

Song Xuan nodded and said:
"From a business perspective, even if you accept the goods now, there are still risks involved in composting."

"Thank you for your understanding, sir."

"Hmm." Song Xuan then looked at the president of the Four Offices Association:
"How many chefs do you think are needed to cook meals for 500 people?"

Five hundred people?

"Why does Your Excellency use so much?"

"We can't let people go hungry." Song Xuan waved his hand dismissively.
"This could be a long-term job."

"In reply to your question, sir, we will need about ten cooks, as well as some other staff."

"No complicated dishes, just steamed rice and stewed dishes."

He nodded in response to Song Xuan's words.
"In that case, six cooks are more than enough, and with a few helpers to add firewood, they can keep things in order."

"Okay, transfer it to me at the same time tomorrow, and only cook two meals a day, morning and evening."

"no problem."

Song Xuan tossed him a stick:
"Go to the household registration office and find Qian Gansan to sign the contract and collect the deposit."

The four of them were once again astonished by Song Xuan's actions.

Is he serious?

When has the government ever paid them in advance when they asked them to do work?
All of them were cash on delivery, and the purchases were at low prices. They had to pay out of their own pockets to meet the government's demands.

This is the first time Song Xuan has ever given them a deposit.

"Get lost, I still have other guests to attend to."

"Yes."

The four men went to the yamen (government office), found Qian Gansan, signed the contract, pressed their fingerprints, and received a heavy amount of copper coins. After leaving the yamen, they really didn't know what to say.

Something really strange happened today.

"Alas, Master Song is too disdainful to take advantage of us."

"We can't lose face in this matter and let the master look down on the heroes of Dongjing City."

"You don't need to tell me, just don't skimp on the weight of the pork."

"Hey."

Soy sauce vendors, rice vendors, salt vendors, firewood vendors, and so on.

A completely new experience of being both an official and a businessman was circulating among these guild leaders.

Tokyo has far more than 360 trades.

Because the guilds in the Song Dynasty were not government-run organizations serving the government, but were spontaneously formed by the people, they had many functions such as facilitating the circulation of goods, monopolizing wholesale markets, dealing with government extortions, and maintaining relationships among peers.

The most important of these was to gather together to deal with the government's exorbitant taxes and levies.

The rest is about making money.

Now, thanks to Song Xuan's actions, instead of receiving the government's exorbitant taxes, they can even make money from the government.

My lord, this is giving everyone a chance to make money from the government!
How could it not be a completely new experience?

The next day, the prisoners were escorted out of the county government gate by jailers and constables, and they saw butchers pushing carts carrying pork and other meats coming straight to them.

People passed each other by.

"Fresh pork?"

Zhu Guan glanced at it in the light:
"It seems that Master Song did not lie to us."

Because some people withdrew, it was impossible to form teams of ten, so the elderly and infirm were added to the teams.

"Pork is just so-so, I don't like it, it's not as good as lamb."

"Hehehe, I'm definitely going to eat the mutton."

Zhao Jin chuckled:
"Who knows who will end up in it? If you're so capable, go and try it yourself, and give me a chance to taste Snowflake Wine."

"I bother."

Although they had already discussed it yesterday, seeing so much fresh pork being put in gave them some motivation.

It turns out that Master Song really wasn't lying.

Don't worry about whether pork tastes good or not, as long as there's meat, that's enough.

"Prefect Qin, how much tax do you think Master Song collected that he dares to spend it like this?"

Qin Ying, who was in the same group, actually didn't understand Song Xuan's purpose yesterday.

There was absolutely no question of trying to please the prisoners.

What's the point of trying to please these scumbags?
After much thought, Qin Ying could only conclude that Song Xuan was cleaning up Liu Congde's mess.

After all, Liu Congde was in charge of the Yellow River repair project, and the result was terrible.

Inside the prison, the guards talked about extorting money from Liu Congde, but he didn't dare utter a single word.

It is said that he was beaten up by Master Song, so scared that he wet his pants, and obediently became the first to deliver Liu Lou's overdue taxes.

Does this mean that Song Xuan has sided with the Empress Dowager?
Qin Ying didn't understand why Song Xuan would still oppose Chen Yaozuo, the Prefect of Kaifeng.

"If Fanlou also comes to pay taxes, then the others will probably come to pay as well. Then Magistrate Song will have the money to dredge the silt and even dredge the Bian River channel."

Hearing Qin Ying's words, Zhao Jin nodded: "Pork is fine, it's better than nothing."

Deep down, everyone dislikes eating this cheap meat because it tastes bad.

The butcher separated the meat from the bones as Song Xuan requested.

At that time, there was no such thing as selling spare ribs separately; they were sold together with other items.

Ordinary people are unwilling to buy bones.

Fatty pork is my favorite, the most cost-effective, and buying it is a steal.

The butcher finely sliced ​​the meat and chopped the bones into pieces.

This is what they're supposed to do. If you dare not do it properly, I'll make you chop it into minced meat and torture you.

The four staff members have already set up the large pot and are just waiting for firewood to be lit. They are currently washing the old rice.

Once the old rice in the warehouse has been used up, the rice merchants will deliver new rice.

Qian Gansan instructed his men to count and check whether the firewood pile was dry. Once confirmed, he would pay the bill on the spot and have them sign the papers.

The butchers also took their money and left.

Guo En got up early to practice martial arts in the backyard.

I couldn't sleep at all while listening to the sound of those butchers chopping bones.

Seeing the crowds coming and going, I found it interesting and went to watch the spectacle.

Then Sang Yi, who was passing by and using the restroom, hit him with a small stone as a lesson to teach him to practice martial arts properly.

Only in this way can we live up to the expectations of the high-ranking official who trained us.

Moreover, if one slacks off in martial arts training and can't catch up, one will lose one's life on the battlefield.

Guo En diligently practiced martial arts.

Tao Hong arrived at the county government office early. Today he was going to instruct several cooks on how to make boiled pork, so he had to arrive early so that the young master wouldn't be unable to eat it.

After all, nowadays pork is inevitably fed with excrement, and not all of them are castrated from a young age.

That's why it was rejected by the upper class, and the smell was so strong that even the lower class couldn't stand it.

When Su Shi made Dongpo pork, he also used a slow-cooking method and used many seasonings to suppress the fishy smell.

It wasn't until the late Ming Dynasty that castration techniques were promoted in Fujian and other places, and the muttony smell of boars was significantly reduced.

Tao Hong told the cook to put the food in cold water. Although he didn't understand, he did as instructed and then blanched it.

Many of them don't know how to do this step, and then simmer it over low heat.

Tao Hong then led the people from the household to go with him to purchase spices.

Song Xuan was also known for being late and leaving early. After arranging for many people, he ate breakfast before arriving at the county government office.

Watching the group of people busy at work in the backyard, I was quite satisfied with the butcher; as expected, he hadn't produced any meat with an overpowering smell.

As long as it's edible, it's fine.

Song Xuan strolled around for a while and then ran into Zhao Zhen, who had a lot to say.

Zhao Zhen noticed Song Xuan sitting in the shade of a tree, lost in thought, and then walked over to him.

"Sixth Brother, what brings you here today?"

"Twelfth Brother, I am a puppet now anyway, how can I not have time?"

After learning that his mother had fabricated the story, Zhao Zhen quickly realized that he was a puppet emperor.

Instead of crying, she tried to figure out how to deal with it.

Song Xuan hadn't expected Zhao Zhen to accept it so quickly; indeed, it is through experience that one can learn and grow rapidly.

"Hahaha." Song Xuan asked Wang Bao to bring over a few stools: "I won't say much more to comfort you."

Zhao Zhen sat on a stool, looking at the large pots in the courtyard:

Are you cooking meat?

“Not bad.” Song Xuan explained his current actions to Zhao Zhen.

By spending a small amount of money on dredging, we can both reduce the damage caused by floods and give these prisoners a chance to reform.

Thirdly, he wanted to first undertake a small project to establish credibility by setting an example.

Only by cultivating this mindset can we inspire more people to trust us if we undertake the Yellow River restoration project in the future.

Zhao Zhen was even more impressed by Song Xuan's idea of ​​achieving multiple goals at once.

They not only considered immediate interests, but also long-term interests.

"Twelfth Brother, you really are a genius."

"Hahaha." Song Xuan laughed:

"Having some stewed pork ribs and boiled meat with me today might cheer you up."

"pork?"

Emperor Zhao Zhen had never eaten pork. Anything considered "cheap meat" was not considered worthy of being served at formal occasions, except for the use of pig's head in ancestral worship.

"Can I eat it?"

"Why can't we eat it? If the common people can eat it, then the emperor can certainly eat it too."

Song Xuan did not intend to reprimand Zhao Zhen:
"After all, they are all your subjects. Many people have to save up money and endure the pain if they want to eat pork. It's not something they can eat whenever they want."

"But I have heard that the Great Song Dynasty is prosperous and its people live in peace and contentment."

Song Xuan glanced at him and could tell that Zhao Zhen genuinely didn't understand.

"If you, as the emperor, don't even have much money in your personal treasury, how much money could a commoner without family support possibly have?"

"Hey."

Zhao Zhen sighed heavily; he was truly poor as an emperor.

Liu Congde offered to donate 100,000 strings of cash in one go in court, even though he didn't have 100,000 strings of cash in his own private treasury.

It's true what they say, comparing yourself to others is infuriating!

“Twelfth Brother, I also want more money, so that we don’t always have to divert funds from the national treasury. The Empress Dowager rewards those around her and ministers at the drop of a hat.”

Emperor Zhao Zhen was truly distressed about the royal family's money, as it was all hard-earned money from the people.

"I'm afraid I'll be penniless in another two or three years."

"I'll think of a business opportunity and then I'll help you make money."

Song Xuan didn't care, but this was the first time he had ever seen an emperor plead poverty.

Liu E has almost emptied the little treasury her father left her.

"That's settled then. I only have less than 50,000 strings of cash in my treasury."

"Hey, we can't use that much cost."

Song Xuan smiled and said, "I'll use my father-in-law's name to set up a shop. That way, we can avoid the people from Wuyou Cave coming to collect protection money. With official connections, they won't dare to mess with us."

"That's a good idea." Zhao Zhen quickly asked what kind of business it was.

"I'm planning to make high-end products," Song Xuan said, gesturing with his fingers.

“I plan to sell this tiny perfume for 9.9 strings of cash, and the rarer pieces for 99 strings of cash.”

"perfume?"

Zhao Zhen had heard of incense making, but as the number one incense in the Song Dynasty, Dragon's Birthday Incense cost around one hundred strings of cash per tael.

What kind of perfume can sell for such a high price?
"really?"

"Really?" Song Xuan snapped his fingers.

"My secret to making money has always been to take money from whoever has money."

Emperor Zhao Zhen expressed his doubts about this.

He knew all about Song Xuan's business dealings in Nanjing; he made money off everyone, even beggars.

Who doesn't know that even beggars can win the lottery?

"There are too many poor people in Tokyo, but relatively speaking, there are also quite a few rich people."

Song Xuan chuckled a few times: "I'll take you to make a fortune off these people when the time comes."

Zhao Zhen nodded repeatedly, trusting that his twelfth brother would succeed.

"By the way, Twelfth Brother, Liu Congde pushed you out in the main hall yesterday."

Zhao Zhen was worried that Liu Congde was sent by the Empress Dowager to get close to Song Xuan.

"I gave him a good talking-to."

Song Xuan told Zhao Zhen how he had fooled Liu Congde, which made Zhao Zhen very happy.

He knew that his twelfth brother would not abandon him.

Just like back then, in that dark underground.

Song Xuan gave this example, and Zhao Zhen finally understood the saying, "Make money from whoever has money."

"Twelfth Brother, I feel like my driving skills have improved recently. I'll show you how to drive another day."

"Row."

Song Xuan nodded:
"I need to keep an eye on the dredging project these next few days to prevent any unforeseen events. I'll come to Yuqing Palace to see you when I have time later."

"it is good."

Zhao Zhen was very excited. Ever since he felt that he was no longer bound by shackles, he felt very free and his mood had improved a lot.

Moreover, the Empress Dowager seemed quite pleased to see herself in this state.

Although she said she shouldn't be playful, Zhao Zhen believed she was extremely happy inside.

As she grew older, she became unwilling to relinquish power.

"Twelfth Brother, you've used these prisoners, what are you going to do with them in the end?"

"We'll see." Song Xuan hadn't decided yet either.
“Those with potential will be thrown into the Imperial Guard. Perhaps they can make a name for themselves in the future. As for those who want to make money, the dredging of the Bian River and the repair of the Yellow River are both major projects. We can use them to continue working then.”

Aren't you worried they'll escape?

"I actually hope someone can escape, so I can make an example of them and give them that pot of Snow Wine as a reward, to let them see if I, the Master Song, keep my word."

Zhao Zhen felt that he could learn many tips on dealing with "subjects" from talking with Song Xuan.

This is much more accessible and easier to understand than the lectures given by tutors and attendants.

They wouldn't say those things; they would only talk about Confucian classics and the like, and that we should learn from the sages of the past.

But Twelfth Brother said, "Where in the world are there so many saints?"
They were all packaged.

The words and deeds of sages are also interpreted and modified according to the needs of their disciples and followers.

That was not what the sage originally meant.

This caused Zhao Zhen to have great doubts about the words of sages.

Furthermore, Song Xuan said that those people taught you to learn the words of sages and do the deeds of sages, but none of them could do it. Instead, he asked you, a future emperor who would be busy with countless affairs of state, to do it. It was simply a fantasy.

Don't let them discipline you into being too weak.

If you need to reinterpret the words of the sages, wait until I have the ability to do so, and I will help you annotate the Six Classics.

No one had ever spoken such "treasonous" words to Zhao Zhen.

However, Zhao Zhen listened and thought about it carefully.

He confirmed that Song Xuan was right.

Even great Confucian scholars like Sun Shi and Liu Yun had their own shortcomings and could not be considered saints.

Why should I be the sage?
It's impossible.

If the emperor does something out of line, his ministers will use it to "discipline" him.

Zhao Zhen had firsthand experience with this.

The words of the sage became their means of helping the Empress Dowager restrict the Emperor.

"That's a good idea," Zhao Zhen exclaimed.
"Twelfth Brother is truly adept at handling matters."

"Alright, you don't have to keep praising me."

Song Xuan held up one finger and laughed:
"Sixth Brother, I call this 'practice makes perfect'."

"When you take charge of the government in the future, you will be able to figure out many principles by handling more matters yourself, which will be more solid than observing my methods."

"Practice makes perfect?"

Zhao Zhen pondered these words.

After Tao Hong returned, he prepared the seasoning packets according to the recipe and threw them into the pot one by one.

He wasn't in a hurry to prepare lunch; he'd make some spare ribs later.

These pork pieces, with both fat and lean meat, are for the workers.

The cook was puzzled and wanted to ask, but Tao Hong refused, saying it was a secret recipe and they would have to fish it all out later.

Zhao Zhen then noticed a young boy practicing martial arts diligently nearby and asked him what was going on.

Song Xuan told him about Guo Xin and the plan to set up a private school.

Zhao Zhen nodded. This was a very simple way to win people's hearts, but among so many county magistrates in the Song Dynasty, no one would actually take the lead in doing such a thing.

The fact that they even spoke up for you and sent you to the county school is already an immense favor.

"Twelfth Brother, do you mean to train some medical students?"

“That’s right. I heard from my father-in-law that not many soldiers died on the battlefield, but many more died from wounds sustained on the battlefield.”

Song Xuan pointed to the distance:
"When war breaks out in the Northwest and other places, if military doctors can treat them in time, these survivors will become veterans and provide more assistance on the battlefield."

"The most important thing is confidence. Even if you are injured, you will have someone to help you instead of abandoning you. Only then can you be willing to risk your life."

Zhao Zhen did not understand the soldiers' confidence in Song Xuan's words. He had always accepted the idea of ​​letting the soldiers fight with their lives on the line, but he was to be wary of the generals.

After all, Emperor Taizu rose to power by bullying orphans and widows.

Cao Liyong then said that Chen Yaozuo had bullied the orphan and widow, which was clearly adding fuel to the fire, and Chen Yaozuo couldn't handle it.

"What Twelfth Brother said makes sense."

"Even if it's not used in warfare, it can still save the lives of the people of the Song Dynasty."

"Otherwise, it would take too long for a person to grow from childhood to old age, and the decrease in population would be a great loss to the court's tax revenue."

Zhao Zhen nodded again.

Furthermore, given that he was currently dealing with the situation of his younger sister being treated, he was even more convinced of Song Xuan's words when other people in the community fell ill and could not find a suitable doctor to treat them.

After cooking for a long time, Tao Hong personally took out all the spice packets and placed them in a basket.

Although the cooks didn't know what was inside, they were certain it was spices.

They thought Song Xuan had gone mad!

How could such precious spices be given to these prisoners?
This amount of food and meat is not enough to feed the prisoners alone, but also to feed the guards and patrolling imperial guards.

In addition, there were the clerks working in the courtyard.

Because the pork smelled really good after the spices were added.

"Young master, the boiled meat and rice are ready."

Upon hearing Tao Hong's report, Song Xuan immediately instructed Yu Gao and others to move these items onto the carriages of the carriage company and head to their assigned work locations.

Song Xuan also took Zhao Zhen along to join in the fun.

There's a lot to learn about dividing meat.

Zhu Guan went from feeling nauseous and uncomfortable at the beginning to being indifferent now.

After all, the silt smelled really strong, and there were dead bodies there.

It's not just about people.

But even this was directly loaded onto a truck and dumped outside the city for composting.

As long as no one reports it to the authorities, no one will die.

Such tacit understanding has become commonplace for everyone.

As the mule cart arrived, Yu Gao began to call the prisoners over to wash their hands before taking bowls and chopsticks to eat.

Rice is plentiful, but there's only one bowl of meat; you can get some meat broth to drink.

Zhu Guan was the first to step forward and wash his hands as required.

However, the smell on his body was still very strong. Yu Gao held his breath and personally chopped meat for him, continuing to repeat what he had just said.

"My goodness, is this really pork?"

Zhu Guan carried a bowl of meat to the other side of the mule cart and put it down: "This smells so good."

"It smells delicious," the cook exclaimed immediately.

"The master himself also wants to eat, but he adds spices to every pot. The cost of the spices alone is more expensive than the cost of the pork. You guys really made a profit."

"I see."

Zhu Guan was overjoyed. Even the high-ranking official Song had eaten, so what was there to worry about?

He took a bite and found that the boiled pork was indeed cooked but not mushy, fatty but not greasy, and tasted excellent.

"That's right, that's right."

Yu Gao then instructed, "Each person can take a small dish of minced garlic and soy sauce to dip their food in."

Qin Ying was also hungry, but he still maintained the dignity of a scholar.

He dipped the meat in the garlic and soy sauce sauce, and the bite was truly delicious.

Even Fanlou's can't compare.

"Is this really pork?"

Hearing Qin Ying's question, Yu Gao's hands continued moving:
"In reply to Judge Qin, it is indeed pork. The master added expensive spices to suppress the taste so that the brothers could eat better. This secret recipe is not something that ordinary people can obtain."

"No wonder it's so delicious!" Zhu Guan exclaimed. "It's a pity I can only eat one bowl."

"You can eat three bowls of rice with one bowl of meat."

Yu Gao continued scooping up meat: "After all, even good food gets greasy if you eat too much of it."

After all the prisoners had boarded, Yu Gao called the guards to come and get their meals.

"If you don't have enough meat, you can come and get more."

They are prisoners, and they are already being treated very well.

But the yamen runners were their own people, so they could eat as much as they wanted.

Ren Fu led the Imperial Guards on patrol. He already knew it was pork, as he had already patrolled the area earlier.

At this point, he was only forbidding Song Xuan from eating it to save face.

Ren Fu, who was the late emperor's personal bodyguard, is now considered a low-ranking military officer, holding the honorary titles of seventh rank and prefectural governor, which means he receives an extra salary.

Because the ranks of military officers in the Song Dynasty were generally not high, a seventh-rank military officer was considered a mid-level military officer.

Ren Fu also died in the Battle of Haoshuichuan. He was hit by more than ten arrows and fought to the death. He was stabbed in the left cheek by a spear and his throat was cut off.

They were divided and surrounded. Only Zhu Guan led more than a thousand men to retreat to civilian houses. Ren Fu's son, Ren Huailiang, who was also in Zhu Guan's army, was also killed in battle. They were five miles apart and did not know about Ren Fu's defeat.

Ren Fu walked over with a knife slung over his shoulder, his nose twitching unconsciously.

"Wait, why isn't there the foul smell I expected?"

Ren Fu strode forward, glanced at the meat in other people's bowls, and immediately picked up a piece and threw it into his mouth.

"Hey, it's not that I'm stingy." Zhu Guan immediately stood up: "How dare you, you tattooed soldier, steal my meat?"

"good to eat."

Ren Fu indeed ignored Zhu Guan and went straight over:

"Give me a bowl too."

Yu Gao naturally dared not neglect him and served him a bowl.

Ren Fu generously returned two pieces of meat to Zhu Guan:
“I always repay what I borrow. If you dare call me a tattooed soldier again, I’ll drag you into the Imperial Guard and tattoo you.”

Zhu Guan snorted disdainfully and said:
"You think you can just tell me, a convict, can become a member of the Imperial Guard? What are you bragging about?"

"Oh dear, how can you, a convict, not believe me?"

"Heh." Zhu Guan chewed the meat fiercely, then asked Yu Gao to scoop a spoonful of meat broth to soak rice in.

As Ren Fu ate the meat, seeing Zhu Guan's behavior, he quickly followed suit, sighing:

"This pork is so delicious, it's a taste I've never had before in my life."

After taking a sip of the broth, Zhu Guan said without any hesitation:
"If you were truly capable, why would you have been relegated to patrolling the streets?"

"Hey, you really know how to rub salt in the wound!"

(End of this chapter)