A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 348 Is Song Xuan a blond-haired guy?

According to Song Xuan's own understanding of the Song Dynasty court, executions were usually carried out in the autumn.

Even so, the emperor still had to go through three procedures to ask those below him if they were truly guilty of heinous crimes and deserved to be killed.

Is there any possibility that the sentence will be overturned and the offender exiled?

This was done to demonstrate the emperor's compassion for the lives of ordinary people.

"I don't know why it's so fast either. Perhaps Prime Minister Lü wants to cut things off quickly and minimize the impact on Chen Yaozuo."

Zhang Fangping was, after all, the emperor's secretary, so he was quick to learn some news.

"Tsk." Song Xuan sighed softly, "Prime Minister Lü is really protective of his own people."

Zhang Fangping could not deny it; otherwise, Lü Yijian would not have had so many people in the court.

"He has talked to me."

Zhang Fangping smiled and said, "Prime Minister Lü really thinks highly of me and wants to bring me into his camp."

"Oh?"

Song Xuan thought this was perfectly normal.

After all, the two of them got along quite well, and Zhang Fangping even wrote Lü Yijian's epitaph.

If the relationship wasn't good, how could they possibly write such a thing, let alone have the family approve of burying it together?

"But I don't want to get on his side."

Zhang Fangping said without any politeness:
"Just by looking at the Chen brothers' actions, you can tell that Prime Minister Lü accepts all kinds of people. In the future, with all sorts of people mixed together, he will inevitably be implicated."

Song Xuan raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

"Moreover, Prime Minister Lü and others are all part of the Empress Dowager's faction. We are the Emperor's protégés, and the opportunity to make our mark will come when the Emperor takes control of the government in the future."

Zhang Fangping asked with a smile in his eyes, "Twelfth Brother, do you think my line of thinking is correct?"

"Hahaha." Song Xuan laughed a few times:
"They're nothing but a bunch of old, decrepit insects. Their selfishness has grown too strong. How can we govern the Song Dynasty well if we follow them?"

"I think so."

Zhang Fangping was unwilling to associate with these old men, let alone the fact that the students of Yingtian Academy dominated the rankings in the fifth year of Tiansheng.

Although everyone's career has just begun, he believes that given time, most of them will grow up and become the backbone of the Song Dynasty.

By then, Lü Yijian and the others should have been quite old.

In particular, the recent events in Kaifeng made Zhang Fangping realize that many officials were just sitting idly in their positions and did nothing of substance.

Once the ink had dried, Song Xuan began to put the letter back into the envelope, sealing it and stamping it with clay.

Only then were the letters sorted out.

Zhang Fangping watched Song Xuan do this, but he didn't try to learn it himself, finding it too troublesome.

Although I don’t understand, I respect it.

He didn't want outsiders to know what he wrote in the letters, especially since accidents could happen during long journeys.

"By the way, Twelfth Brother, are you going to watch polo today?"

"Playing polo?"

Song Xuan knew that many people played Cuju (ancient Chinese football), which could be played anywhere, even by one person. The number of players gradually increased, and each player had a different way of playing. Usually, the game would stop when there were ten players.

There are more than forty different brands of cuju (ancient Chinese football) sold in Tokyo alone.

The guide to buying premium sports balls has even been turned into a catchy rhyme to help you make your selection.

In the Song Dynasty, Cuju (ancient Chinese football) was not played by blowing air with the mouth, but by using an air pump.

A single cuju ball weighs about the same as the official ball used in the Brazil World Cup.

Legend has it that a painting depicting Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, playing football with his generals was made and is still treasured in the palace; outsiders generally have no chance to see it.

Playing polo is not something that ordinary people can afford.

This was something only royalty and nobles could afford to play, and Emperor Taizong of Song was particularly fond of playing polo with his ministers.

Of the nine emperors of the Northern Song Dynasty, only Emperor Zhenzong, Emperor Yingzong, and Emperor Zhezong disliked this sport. The latter two emperors had shorter lifespans and were not in good health, so they could not engage in such a strenuous activity.

Emperor Huizong of Song's greatest contribution to polo was organizing a highly skilled women's polo team in the imperial court, and he also organized women's polo matches for the public to watch during festivals.

This greatly expanded the influence and audience base of polo in the Song Dynasty.

It's now a sport for only a minority.

"Where to look?"

Hearing Song Xuan's question, Zhang Fangping smiled:
"Yang Chongxun's daughter invited me to watch them play polo. I had never played before, so I agreed, but I didn't want to go alone."

Song Xuan countered, "Is Yang Chongxun's daughter beautiful?"

"She's alright, but she's rather feisty. She said she'd organize a group of women from military families to have fun together. I was too lazy to go drinking every day, so I just agreed. It'll be a good opportunity to see them all."

Zhang Fangping seemed tired whenever this matter was mentioned:
"I find attending banquets quite tedious. At first, it's novel, but after a while, I feel dizzy."

"I don't want to remember those women's faces and information, but I can't forget them anyway, so it's pointless."

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan stood up, took the letter, and called to the old servant, asking him to deliver the letter to the post station when it was cool.

"Then let's go together later. I'll bring my wife with me. Maybe she can give you some pointers on which families the young ladies in the audience belong to."

"Very good."

Zhang Fangping did not refuse.

Just as the two were preparing, Zhao Zhen stood at the door and came looking for Song Xuan.

He plans to further study the matter of levying taxes on monks.

After Zhao Zhen entered, he saw Song Xuan and Zhang Fangping preparing to leave.

"What are you going to do?"

"Sixth Brother, we want to go watch polo."

Just as Zhang Fangping was about to bow, Song Xuan stopped him. Hearing Song Xuan address the Emperor as "Sixth Brother" made Zhang Fangping feel utterly bewildered.

How did their relationship become so close?

Cao Qingyao had never met the emperor before, so she stood aside without bowing.

"Playing polo? Great! Let's go!"

Zhao Zhen immediately became interested. His father was not interested in this kind of sport, but Zhao Zhen was very interested.

I just never had the chance.

So everyone got on the donkey cart.

Compared to Song Xuan's donkey cart, Zhao Zhen's donkey cart was significantly larger, and it wasn't crowded even with four people in it.

"Why does Twelfth Brother want to go watch polo?"

Song Xuan pointed to Zhang Fangping standing to the side:
"Of course, it's thanks to a young lady who invited Zhang Dalang to see it; my husband and I got free tickets."

"Oh?"

Zhao Zhen's eyes immediately lit up with a searching look.

Zhang Fangping knew that Song Xuan didn't want to reveal the official's identity in order to ensure the official's safety.

So he steeled himself and whispered:

"So that Sixth Brother knows, the main purpose is to arrange a blind date."

"Understand."

Zhao Zhen was aware of Zhang Fangping's story as a bachelor.

Military families in Tokyo were eager to marry their daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and even other female relatives to Zhang Fangping.

"Has Zhang Dalang still not found a wife he likes?"

Upon hearing the official's personal inquiry, Zhang Fangping shook his head to indicate that he had not yet.

Although he saw many girls, he had a good memory and didn't forget any of them.

However, in Zhang Fangping's view, this was all useless information, and he didn't want to memorize it, but he did anyway.

"Not yet, but I feel that these young women are too scheming. Many of them have eyes that light up when they see me."

Zhang Fangping scratched his temple, somewhat embarrassed: "It's like I'm the young lady here."

"Hahaha."

The three of them burst into laughter when they heard Zhang Fangping's sarcastic remarks.

Zhao Zhen offered an explanation:
"They are all from military families, and they are all very fierce and shrewish."

He recalled Empress Guo's behavior and sighed softly.
“Zhang Dalang should be careful in choosing a wife. You are still young, so you don’t have to choose only from military families. In fact, the young ladies from civil officials’ families may be more gentle and refined.”

Even though the emperor was younger than Zhang Fangping, as an emperor, Zhao Zhen had the right to say such things.

Zhang Fangping nodded slightly:
"Sixth Brother is right. I have just become an official and do not want to focus my energy on matters of love and family."

The conversation between Zhao Zhen and Zhang Fangping puzzled Cao Qingyao.

Who is this young man?
She spoke in such an old-fashioned manner, and her husband didn't refute her at all, which was very strange!
"There's no need to be so carried away."

Song Xuan gently patted his wife's hand:
"When choosing a wife, you should choose one who is pleasing to your eye, so that even if you get angry in the future, you can comfort yourself that you chose her."

Cao Qing glared at Song Xuan, trying hard not to let her lips curl up, lest she lose her composure in front of outsiders.

"Haha, this is exactly what I need to learn from Brother Twelve."

Zhang Fangping smiled; he thought so too.

Zhao Zhen did not want to get involved in this topic. Although he was the emperor, he had no say in matters of marriage.

Especially when it comes to women who have caught his eye.

This incident will forever remain a pain in his heart.

When will I be able to be as carefree as my twelfth brother?

Song Xuan picked up a palm-leaf fan from inside the car and started fanning himself.

Despite the ice inside the car to cool it down, it still felt stuffy and hot.

"Twelfth Brother, there's a drought in the area around the capital. I wonder if there will still be floods?"

Emperor Zhao Zhen was residing in Yuqing Palace and was also reviewing memorials:
"Not only is the capital region suffering from drought, but Cizhou is also experiencing an insect infestation that eats mulberry leaves."

"The Empress Dowager has arranged for me and others to go to Kaibao Temple at Yuqing Zhaoying Palace to pray for rain. She has also ordered the execution of death row inmates in the capital region as soon as possible to perform the rain-making ritual."

Song Xuan and Zhang Fangping exchanged a glance.

So that's why Wang Xie was executed so quickly!

It's unclear whether Lü Yijian and others were behind it.

"Twelfth Brother, I also heard that you sent prisoners to clean the ditches in order to prevent floods from sweeping through Tokyo. But now it's unbearably hot everywhere, and even the Bian River has dropped."

Zhao Zhen paused for a moment before asking, "Will this rain come?"

"Generally speaking, there is a high probability of flooding after a severe drought."

Song Xuan fanned himself and said, "Because natural disasters never come alone, but rather come in pairs."

"It's common for one act to end and another to begin."

"Sixth Brother, even the mighty Han and Tang dynasties couldn't withstand years of floods and droughts."

Zhao Zhen nodded: "So, there's no need to pray for rain at all?"

"If rain can be summoned by humans, how could there not be a way to achieve immortality in the world?"

Song Xuan chuckled: "Does Your Majesty actually believe in so-called gods?"

In his later years, Emperor Renzong would personally pray for rain during a severe drought, without using an umbrella, thus exposing himself to the scorching sun.

Not to mention that on New Year's Eve, when the snow continued to fall, he prayed to heaven barefoot in the palace, without even covering himself with a blanket.

Of course, it was also because Zhao Zhen was honest and straightforward. This kind of thing was just an act, how could he really keep acting without knowing how to rest?

If one does things like this in old age, how can one expect to be healthy?

He'll be finished by the time he's fifty-three.

He didn't even live as long as his indulgent father.

This is not just a disaster, but more of a political theory.

The concept of "interaction between heaven and man, and warnings from calamities" has become deeply ingrained in people's minds.

It could even be said to be the ideological cornerstone of emperors' rule over the world.

Political deficiencies and the suffering of the people were all meant to be reported to the emperor, who would then use natural disasters as a warning.

The emperor must be filled with reverence and express his repentance through concrete actions.

The basic principle was to avoid the main hall, eat less, further expand channels for free speech, and most importantly, issue an edict of self-reproach.

Emperor Zhao Zhen did indeed issue an edict of self-reproach in an attempt to pray for rain.

Compared to the hypocritical political performances of others, Zhao Zhen truly empathized with the people, did not cheat or shirk responsibility, and did not care at all whether his body could withstand the strain.

Even though this move cannot change the actual losses suffered by the people, it will at least provide some psychological comfort to those affected by the disaster.

In fact, some "civil officials" were also manipulating things behind the scenes. They used the political interpretation of disaster information to remonstrate with the emperor, thereby achieving their own political goals.

Zhao Zhen was well "disciplined" from a young age, both by Empress Liu and the ministers who taught him.

Zhao Zhen's "respect, frugality, benevolence, and forgiveness" were not innate.

He received a good Confucian education at the age of six and has never stopped learning.

Zhao Zhen developed his nature of "fearing changes in the heavens" and loving the people through subtle influence.

"Doesn't Twelfth Brother believe it?"

Zhao Zhen felt that Song Xuan's Journey to the West was so wonderfully written, and that it involved becoming an immortal or a Buddha, so how could he not believe in the existence of gods?
Upon hearing Zhao Zhen's question, Song Xuan smiled nonchalantly:
"Actually, I used to believe in it too. When I had no food, I prayed countless times that God would have mercy on me."

"After I learned that my father was a gambling addict, I prayed to the gods for protection countless times."

"But I found that it didn't work at all."

Song Xuan stopped waving his fan:
"The only person who can control your life is yourself. Gods are useless. So when I abandoned God, my life got better and better. What does it have to do with God?"

Zhang Fangping deeply resonated with what Song Xuan said.

He had prayed to heaven before; who hasn't asked a god to save them from dire straits?

Zhao Zhen also faced similar situations, whether it was the departure of his father, the illness of his sister, or even his prayers for his mother to treat him better.

Even though he was the supreme ruler, the gods never favored him.

Emperor Zhao Zhen actually agreed with Song Xuan's words.

However, given his political status as the emperor, it was difficult for him to agree with the call to arms.

"Sixth Brother, Confucian classics are worthless. Don't get trapped by them. As a certain type of person, you can use Confucianism, but you must never be used by Confucianism."

Song Xuan retorted without any politeness, "Are Dong Zhongshu and the others truly virtuous gentlemen?"

"Are their interpretations of the sage's words correct?"

"What if the sage's original intention in saying these words was not what they interpreted it to be?"

Song Xuan's words were like a huge explosion to Zhao Zhen, leaving him momentarily dizzy.

He never expected that Song Xuan, who was well-versed in Confucian classics and was able to achieve the highest honors in the imperial examinations in the shortest time, would disregard the words of the sages!
Compared to Zhao Zhen's bewilderment, Zhang Fangping was much more accepting.

Because what Song Xuan said was indeed reasonable, the original meaning of the sage's words may have been altered.

Otherwise, why would scholars fight tooth and nail over the right to annotate the classics?

Isn't it just using the words of sages to clarify one's own intentions and thus achieve political goals?

Zhao Zhen looked puzzled; this was quite different from the education he had received since childhood.

However, Song Xuan still holds a certain degree of authority in this regard.

Just from those four sentences he uttered at Yingtian Academy, countless students flocked to the academy to study.

Even contemporary Confucian scholars praised Song Xuan highly.

"really?"

Upon hearing Zhao Zhen's question, Song Xuan slowly fanned himself with his fan:

"Sixth Brother can send people to search for the works of Han and Tang Confucian scholars, and they will find that their ideas are somewhat different from those of Song Confucian scholars today."

"There is also Dong Zhongshu's saying that the people should be subjugated to elevate the ruler, and the ruler should be subjugated to elevate Heaven. This is not the original intention of Confucius's envoys to treat their ministers with propriety. In fact, it is just an excuse for Emperor Wu to reduce the power of the vassal states."

"If Sixth Brother doesn't understand the examples from long ago, I might as well put it more seriously."

"Whether the auspicious political events of the Empress Dowager ruling from behind the curtain and the late Emperor's Heavenly Book Movement are true or false, I'm sure Sixth Brother knows the answer in his heart."

Zhao Zhen glanced at Song Xuan, unwilling to mention his father's shortcomings.

The Song Dynasty was quite wealthy during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, and the Xianping era saw the accumulation of some wealth.

However, his extensive campaigns involving celestial books and auspicious omens were simply too expensive.

Yuqing Palace is even more luxurious than Epang Palace. Just tell me how much money was spent on this one item alone.
In addition, Empress Liu also frequently bestowed generous rewards, so by the time Emperor Zhao Zhen took over the imperial treasury, there wasn't much money left.

"Sixth Brother likes Confucianism so much. After he finishes studying it, he will use Confucianism, not be used by it."

Song Xuan stopped fanning himself: "After all, it's better to have no books than to believe everything in them."

"Been taught a lesson."

Zhao Zhen originally thought that Song Xuan should be a staunch supporter of Confucianism, but he never expected that Song Xuan did not believe the words in the books at all.

Conversely, you should also stop believing in yourself.

"I only learned today that Confucius executed Shaozhengmao."

Zhao Zhen then cautioned Song Xuan, "Twelfth Brother, you should not spread such remarks in front of outsiders in the future, otherwise it will be detrimental to you."

"Hahaha." Song Xuan pointed to the three people inside the donkey cart:

"Besides you, there are some things I won't even tell Dean Fan. He's too serious."

The three people inside the carriage found Song Xuan's words both amusing and gratifying.

The donkey cart slowly arrived at the polo field.

Zhang Fangping got out of the car first, and Song Xuan got out of the car and helped his wife down.

Zhao Zhen, sitting at the very back, was naturally the last to leave.

With a red ribbon tied around her forehead, Yang Xiaoniangzi looked quite dashing, and she was waiting at the door early in the morning.

When she saw Zhang Fangping coming over, she immediately ran a few steps to greet him, her face beaming with smiles.

At the same time, I saw Song Xuan with his wife.

Which of these daughters of military families didn't envy Cao Liyong's daughter?
However, it was precisely because of Song Xuan that they had the opportunity to win over Zhang Fangping, the third-ranked scholar, to become their husband.

Yang Xiaoniangzi remembered Song Xuan's face; when they paraded through the streets, everyone stared at him and threw him sachets and handkerchiefs.

Unfortunately, the top scholar Song entrusted many of his belongings to the imperial guard (Di Qing) who led his horse, which was quite disappointing.

Di Qing was eighteen years old that year, and he stood like a lackey.

None of these daughters of military families were interested in him, even though Di Qing was a handsome young man.

Yang Xiaoniangzi greeted him, seemingly unconcerned about the young man hiding behind Song Xuan. Why was he hiding like that?
That man is not magnanimous at all.

Yang Xiaoniangzi led a few people inside and guided them to the VIP seating area.

Not only are there sunshades, but there are also ice blocks that can emit cold air to cool down the area.

"In a little while, I will lead our team to play polo against another women's team."

Yang Xiaoniangzi introduced the members of her own team, but did not introduce the members of the other team.

There are designated venues for playing polo in Tokyo, and performances are usually held for free for the public during the Lantern Festival.

The rest of the time was spent in the entertainment venues of the powerful and wealthy.

It wasn't until the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song that polo finally spread to the general public, and specialized polo clubs emerged, offering polo services while riding horses.

Emperor Xiaozong of the Northern and Southern Song dynasties was the most fond of playing ball. He was so obsessed with it that he played it rain or shine and even organized games for his son, Crown Prince Guangzong, to play with him.

The ministers were very worried about their safety, because polo was extremely intense and the horses were difficult to control, and as a result, the emperor's eye was injured.

Emperor Xiaozong of Song not only enjoyed playing polo himself, but also encouraged military camps across the country to participate. Lu You, who was serving at the time, responded to the call and participated in polo, later writing poems to reminisce about it.

"Okay."

Zhang Fangping responded with a smile.

Yang Xiaoniangzi didn't say anything more, but went down to prepare.

This wasn't the first time Zhao Zhen had watched it; in fact, a ball-playing ceremony was held every March in front of the Daming Hall.

He wants to play the game himself.

Twenty-four flags were erected outside the stadium. Each goal scored earned a point, and the person who earned a point would exchange it for a red flag.

According to the rules, the emperor scores the first goal, and then all the players race off on horseback to compete.

The team that scores 12 goals first wins.

"I've never seen a woman play ball before."

Zhao Zhen sighed.

Cao Qingyao explained, "Women usually don't let others watch when they play polo. I used to play polo too."

"I see."

Cao Qingyao then pointed it out to Song Xuan:
"Ms. Yang led a group of women from military families in the capital, dressed in purple, while those dressed in scarlet were mostly women from border military families, and Ms. Yang was also the leader of them."

"Yang Liulang's youngest daughter?"

"That's right, her name is Yang Jinhua, and she has a very fiery temper."

Cao Qingyao then introduced Song Xuan to the young ladies from various families; she used to be involved in this circle herself.

Song Xuan nodded as he listened; this was only a part of it.

Everyone has their own circle.

Both teams rode horses, and Song Xuan glanced at them but found none of them to be slow-moving horses; they were all quite good.

Yang Xiaoniangzi and Yang Jinhua Xiaoniangzi, the two Yangs, are locked in battle.

Whoever hits the ball first must shoot the arrow first.

The arrows have been removed.

It's like a kicking frame for a football game; all they have to do is shoot the arrows into the circle.

Best of three.

Brush brush.

Yang Jinhua fired three arrows in quick succession, and all of them pierced through.

Ultimately, it was her superior skill that led to Yang Xiaoniangzi being struck by an arrow.

Zhang Fangping quickly tugged at Song Xuan: "Twelfth Brother, you're a good archer. What do you think of the young lady's skill, since she hit the target with all three arrows?"

"It can be described as exquisite."

Song Xuan commented:
"And they wear arm guards on their wrists to prevent them from being scratched by the bowstring. I guess they've been training since they were little, and their fingers have calluses."

Zhang Fangping nodded slightly:
"So it seems that Miss Yang's arm strength is lacking. Facing Miss Yang's attacks, I'm afraid she wouldn't be a match for him even in polo."

"That's not how it works. Polo is a team sport. Even if you have strong individual skills, you can't win if you don't know how to cooperate."

Zhao Zhen gave Zhang Fangping an explanation, and then the sound of gongs rang out.

The match was indeed very intense. After the kickoff at halftime, both sides charged forward on horseback, while drums and music played on the sidelines, creating a magnificent atmosphere.

Dust billowed on the field as the horse galloped past, while the ball's momentum soared forward through the air.

The ball is like a star, the staff like the moon, and the swift horse rushes straight towards the goal (the goal).

Moreover, polo requires a lot of skill in striking the ball.

Even though Zhang Fangping judged Yang Xiaoniangzi's technique to be lacking, she still managed to execute high-difficulty moves such as back-to-the-basket shots, backward shots, downward shots, and left-right shots.

She didn't have the skills, otherwise she wouldn't have invited Zhang Fangping to watch her match.

"There are many young ladies from military families in the capital, and they tend to stick together more closely."

Cao Qingyao whispered to Song Xuan, "So their daily training is very intense. Compared to learning needlework, everyone prefers to play polo."

"On the contrary, the young ladies from the families of border generals like Yang Jinhua are not numerous in Tokyo, and their families are not very willing to let them come to training all the time."

"That's why my ball skills are not as good as theirs."

Song Xuan nodded; he had to admit that there were circles everywhere.

Even if everyone is of equal status, they will still be further divided into different circles.

They eliminate unqualified individuals in order to achieve a sense of superiority.

Facts have proved that it is true.

Yang Xiaoniangzi and her team's teamwork was far superior to that of Yang Jinhua's team as a whole.

Even if Yang Jinhua steals the ball and kicks off first, they will still catch up and score first.

For a time, the game was lively and exciting with players going back and forth.

Red flags were also being distributed continuously.

Just as a person's clothes are soaked with sweat, a warhorse is also sweating profusely.

In the end, Yang Xiaoniangzi's team won the first round with a score of twelve to nine.

Zhao Zhen also shouted excitedly, expressing that he thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's just that the weather is too hot.

Everyone was sweating profusely.

After the young women finished their performance, they went back to their rooms to wipe their sweat and change their clothes.

After all, everyone was afraid that their own sweat would offend Zhang Tanhua.

Yang Jinhua, as part of the losing team, was not present, nor did they know that Zhang Fangping would come to watch.

So they all sat in the shade to review and summarize what they had learned, and how to improve things.

Zhang Fangping stopped staying with Song Xuan in the stands and went down to chat with Yang Jinhua and others while the winning team went to wipe their sweat and change clothes.

Song Xuan sat in a chair, waving his fan: "Playing polo is pretty good, but unfortunately I can't play it."

Zhao Zhen laughed heartily: "With your physique, it's a pity you don't play polo, Twelfth Brother. You can learn!"

"I'm not very good at riding horses."

Song Xuan shook his head:
“From childhood, I practiced riding donkeys as if they were horses. It wasn’t until I went to Luoyang that I got a sick horse from Sima Guang. Fortunately, my father-in-law found an old veterinarian in the army, and he was cured.”

Emperor Zhao Zhen could understand; even slow horses were hard to buy.

Not to mention the excellent warhorses.

Therefore, riding a donkey is a substitute.

The royal family rode donkeys because they were stable.

"When the army is inspected in a while, Twelfth Brother can go along too. He can ride horses to his heart's content and get a feel for the feeling of charging into the cavalry."

"That's daring."

Song Xuan's eyes lit up: "When the time comes, the Emperor will give me eight hundred cavalrymen so I can have some fun."

"Eight hundred cavalrymen?" Zhao Zhen raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but burst into laughter:

"Could it be that Twelfth Brother is also going to stage a heroic feat of 800 elite warriors charging across the river and 100,000 Wu soldiers losing their courage?"

"Haha, eight hundred it is."

Song Xuan patted his chest and said, "What's so difficult about that!"

Zhao Zhen smiled and pointed at Song Xuan, thinking he was joking.

Who can take historical fiction as fact?

Zhao Zhen had heard from the person who taught him that the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the Records of the Three Kingdoms differed in many ways, and that most of it was fictional and not true.

Listening to their conversation, Cao Qingyao felt that the person in front of her seemed to be an official!
But since the Emperor isn't in the palace handling state affairs, why is he watching polo? Is there nothing important he can do?
However, Cao Qingyao did not ask rashly, since her husband had not introduced her.

That means it really is an official, and even officials don't want to reveal their identities.

Cao Qingyao decided that no matter what, she should still be careful with her words and actions.

To avoid jeopardizing one's own official's future.

Cao Qingyao knew that some women couldn't keep their mouths shut and would say anything.

"Okay, okay, I'll arrange it for you then."

Song Xuan nodded repeatedly: "Then I need to wear armor, otherwise it won't look impressive."

Zhao Zhen also wanted to see Song Xuan in his armor, so he readily agreed.

According to the ideology of the Song Dynasty scholar-officials, even if they went to the battlefield to command battles, they generally would not wear armor.

After all, they mostly direct operations remotely and don't go to the front lines themselves.

While strategies can be formulated early on, the actual execution on the front lines depends on the generals' performance.

The cavalry's armor wasn't heavy; it was the infantry's armor that was truly heavy.

Cao Qingyao also wanted to see what her husband looked like in armor.

Song Xuan touched his face and then said:

"I'll have to wear a ferocious mask then, otherwise I won't be able to show my fierce expression."

Zhao Zhen looked at Song Xuan's imposing appearance, but his face was not at all frightening.

He nodded repeatedly as he listened to Song Xuan's arrangements:
"That's how it should be. When we take off our masks, we'll definitely surprise them."

While the two were chatting, Yang Chongxun's daughter, Yang Xiaoniangzi, had already quickly walked to the stands.

"Hey, where is Zhang Tanhua?"

Cao Qingyao pointed to the audience: "I thought you were all in the audience, but he went down to talk."

Yang Xiaoniangzi looked down and saw Zhang Fangping and Yang Jinhua talking in the shade.

She was a little dissatisfied.

I sweated so much, changed into new clothes, and tried my best to get someone to do my makeup quickly, and this is the result?

Those smelly out-of-town women beat them to it.

Wouldn't it be like throwing all your flirting at a blind man, wasting all your effort?

Yang Xiaoniangzi stood there, calming herself down for a while, and then noticed that Zhang Fangping was laughing.

He suddenly realized that Zhang Tanhua was not anyone to him, and he had not expressed any opinion.

How can I control my youngest daughter's temper?

If he finds out, we'll definitely be out of luck.

Thank goodness.

So, Yang Xiaoniangzi calmed herself down and prepared to join in again.

Song Xuan clicked his tongue twice; he had seen the changing expressions on Yang Xiaoniangzi's face.

Indeed, when it comes to acting, both men and women will act in order to conceal their true intentions.

Zhao Zhen was still fantasizing about a small-scale military review, imagining Song Xuan appearing at that time.

I hope others don't discover this beforehand, as it's too noisy.

"None of these young ladies are easy to deal with!"

Hearing Song Xuan's comments, Cao Qingyao took Song Xuan's arm:
"My lord, you should watch your words. Do you really think these people are half as lucky as I am?"

"Yeah."

Although Song Xuan has not officially taken a concubine yet, the emotional value provided by his wife is quite substantial.

As expected, the words of the ancient sage Zou Ji were true.

Since Yang Xiaoniangzi joined the group, Zhang Fangping has been struggling to keep up, mainly because he finds it hard to accept the competition among the women.

He had never encountered anything like this before, so much so that all he wanted to do was escape as quickly as possible, yet he was forced to stay here and listen to them talk.

Zhao Zhen sat in a chair, fanning himself:
"Twelfth Brother, I was planning to discuss with you in detail the matter of levying taxes on Buddhist sects. I'm still not very confident and don't know what suitable reason to come up with."

"It's easy to find a reason."

Song Xuan waved his fan:

"First, find a suitable sentence from the words of the sages and use it for your own purposes. This is what is called the right to interpret the classics. If Sixth Brother does more of this in the future, he will demystify the words of the Confucian sages."

"These things are merely a means for us to seek fame and fortune, and a means for the imperial power to win people over."

Zhao Zhen truly hadn't expected Song Xuan to be so blunt.

He simply pursed his lips and did not refute.

Because Zhao Zhen believed that Song Xuan's words made sense.

To put it bluntly, the policy was to suppress all other schools of thought and exclusively honor Confucianism.

It was because they could serve Emperor Wu of Han and modify the emperor's will that they were chosen by the imperial power.

The existence of powerful clans from the Jin Dynasty to their downfall in the Sui and Tang Dynasties demonstrates that such a system could not last.

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the rise of military leaders often led to numerous troubles.

In order to preserve the Zhao Song dynasty, the founding emperor of the Song dynasty naturally had to support another group to serve him.

Zhao Zhen nodded: "I will go back and search carefully."

"Second," Song Xuan said, extending his finger again.

"Your Majesty can go to the Imperial Observatory and have them find a reason to say that a star has fallen or a flood is coming, and ask them to donate money so that the court can handle it."

"The Imperial Observatory?"

This was the first time Zhao Zhen had realized from Song Xuan that celestial phenomena could be used to his advantage.

Based on his past experience, whenever any celestial phenomenon occurred, he, as the emperor, would be instructed on what to do and how to act.

"Third." Song Xuan held up another finger:
"Sixth Brother can pretend that it was the late Emperor who appeared to him in a dream, saying that the construction of Yuqing Zhaoying Palace cost too much money, so if some of the incense offerings could be taken from the people and used for the people, he would be much more at ease in the afterlife."

Zhao Zhen's bottom suddenly bounced up from the chair.

Is it something that can be done casually, like the late emperor appearing in a dream?
"Twelfth Brother, this idea is a bit too absurd!"

"absurd?"

Song Xuan continued fanning himself:
"The late emperor must have told Sixth Brother the truth about the Heavenly Book Movement, so Sixth Brother doesn't need to worry about it."

"If the late emperor were truly alive today, and knew of your actions, he would surely give you a thumbs up and praise you."

Zhao Zhen's heart was pounding.

In fact, every time he was with Song Xuan, he felt that he was being pulled off the right path until he ended up on the wrong path.

This feeling both fascinated and worried him.

After all, Zhao Zhen had been disciplined for so many years, and Song Xuan's appearance was like a rebellious young man leading him down the path of evil cultivation.

For the time being, Zhao Zhen was unable to fully accept that he had "fallen into the abyss of evil".

Cao Qingyao also felt that Song Xuan's words were a bit excessive.

Is it something we can just tell the officials?
If the Empress Dowager finds out, she will definitely scold you.

Fortunately, there were no outsiders present, and even the personal eunuchs who served Zhao Zhen were required to stay nearby.

At this point, the entire venue had been booked by Yang Xiaoniangzi.

Apart from these few audience members, there were no outsiders at all.

With Song Xuan and his wife protecting the emperor, there shouldn't be any major problems.

"Twelfth Brother, isn't this inappropriate?"

“What’s inappropriate about it?” Song Xuan glanced at Zhao Zhen.
"Does Sixth Brother actually read Han Feizi in his spare time?"

"Ahem." Zhao Zhen looked embarrassed.

"I haven't been watching them lately, and even if I have, they don't explain things clearly. Jia Changchao, on the other hand, explained things quite thoroughly, but he was transferred away."

"As expected of the most outstanding student recommended by the great Confucian scholar Sun Shi, his lectures are so simple and easy to understand."

Zhao Zhen sighed again, expressing his appreciation for Jia Changchao's abilities.

Song Xuan raised an eyebrow.

This is not the same as the truth he heard.

It turned out to be the case.

It seems that Wang Zeng, Lü Yijian, and others did not want the emperor to be corrupted by "Han Feizi's thought" too early.

The Empress Dowager ruled from behind the curtain, and many matters were handled by the prime ministers.

Actually, they also enjoyed the process.

"How about this."

Song Xuan watched as the audience continued their heated discussion about tactics:

“I had an agreement with Jia Changchao that the county government would set up a private school in a few days, and he would come to teach the students.”

"Sixth Brother can ask him if he doesn't understand something."

"Huh?" Zhao Zhen expressed his confusion.

"Isn't he very busy? He doesn't even have time to teach me, yet he has time to give introductory lessons to the children at the county government office?"

Song Xuan could only offer an explanation to Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen raised his eyebrows; he never liked to think of others negatively.

However, the emperor clearly expressed his approval of the person who had given him the lectures, yet the person was still transferred under some pretext.

Zhao Zhen didn't know whether Jia Changchao's transfer was the idea of ​​the prime ministers or the Empress Dowager.
"There's something fishy about this, but I'm too lazy to investigate it further."

Zhao Zhen sighed softly:
"However, following my twelfth brother's advice, I felt much better after leaving the palace."

(End of this chapter)