A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 359 Winning Over and Showing Goodwill

Song Xuan's words left Zhao Zhen momentarily dazed.

Have the soldiers of the Song Dynasty become so useless?
Zhao Zhen originally thought that selecting personal guards was just a gimmick and did not intend to hold a real grand event.

但是听到宋煊的话，他心里又有了几分的抉择。

"Twelfth Brother, if I really select my personal guards as scheduled, won't the Empress Dowager think that I'm cultivating trusted confidants in the military to seize power?"

面对赵祯的询问，宋煊愣了一下，随即开口道：

"Does Sixth Brother want to hear the truth or a lie?"

“自是真话。”

"The Empress Dowager doesn't take us seriously. Even if the Emperor personally selects eight hundred guards, the Empress Dowager doesn't care. She will turn most of these eight hundred people into her own people."

Song Xuan's words made Zhao Zhen feel somewhat frustrated.

Now everything is in the hands of the Empress Dowager, and Zhao Zhen has no choice but to accept it.

太后与幼帝之间的矛盾是不可避免的。

宋朝又不是汉朝那种皇后也参与政治的二元治理。

Children from ordinary families also go through a rebellious phase at the age of seventeen, sometimes talking back to their parents, let alone emperors.

但是赵祯硬生生的忍住了，什么委屈都往自己的肚子里吞。

自从得知大娘娘不是自己亲生母亲后，赵祯就已经泰然处之被大娘娘针对，只是在夜里梦醒的时候，还是会忍不住委屈。

After Emperor Zhezong assumed personal rule, he directly sent the officials employed by Empress Gao to Lingnan to enjoy freshly picked lychees. As for the officials favored by Empress Liu, Zhao Zhen simply demoted them as usual and did not pursue the matter further.

"We have no money, no foundation, and even if we cultivate some confidants, they are all under someone else's nose."

宋煊此言一出口，又让赵祯十分的难受：

"Anyway, the Emperor has no intention of imitating the Xuanwu Gate Incident of the Tang Dynasty."

赵祯猛的看向宋煊，险些坐不稳，要出溜下去。

他是畅想过兵变的事，但是一想到李世民杀兄逼父，继承皇位，导致大唐后面的皇帝继位，纷纷效仿。

赵祯又默默拒绝了这个方案，他做不出来这种事。

恭俭仁恕，出于天性，当真不是白评价的。

宋煊瞧赵祯这副反应，就知道他干不出来这种事，真干得出来，也不会是宋仁宗了。

“方才不过相戏尔，六哥儿何故惊诧？”

赵祯叹了口气：

"Twelfth Brother, this is not funny."

“那就别抱怨了，现在六哥儿有什么想法也得憋着，不如好好锻炼身体，争取活的时间长一点，将来方能执政时间更长，一展胸中～报复。”

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Zhao Zhen felt somewhat aggrieved.

He couldn't do what Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, did, nor was he forced into that situation.

Therefore, there was no way to refute what Song Xuan said.

这个决断，他下不了。

宋煊也不再纠结这件事，看来皇帝是受刺激受的还不够严重呢。

Perhaps Liu E's actions will further undermine Zhao Zhen's sense of security in the future, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to continue to tolerate it.

宋煊站起身来，溜达了两圈：

“姓林的若是来了，回头六哥儿你还要去屏风后面回避一下。”

"Ok."

Zhao Zhen simply stopped thinking about those things and buried himself in his documents.

Madam Lin did indeed receive a message from Liu Congde that Lin Kun could not come out unscathed.

She didn't say anything in rebuttal.

若是能让林坤吃点苦头，自己到了大娘娘那里用点苦肉计，兴许还能挽回一些印象分。

因为林夫人觉得自己现在在大娘娘那里的地位不保。

She almost lost out to those androgynous eunuchs.

Those damned eunuchs conspired to badmouth her in front of the Empress Dowager.

林夫人自顾不暇，被刘娥敲打后，当真是没有多少心思去对付宋煊了。

否则自己一旦在大娘娘那里失了宠，怕是百万贯家财都保不住的。

毕竟林夫人先前与刘从德、张耆三人是有利益纠葛，但是赚钱的事被刘从德给发现了。

那这份情谊就算是断了差不多，只能维持表面上的体面。

Since Liu Congde didn't complain to the Empress Dowager, Madam Lin considered it a sign of gratitude for his help.

她方能沉下心来再与那些太监们争宠。

如今林夫人环顾四周，身边也没有了盟友。

Upon receiving Liu Congde's message, she immediately went to the Kaifeng County Government Office.

就算今日在宋煊这里吃了亏，咱们来日方长，不一定什么时候就把场子找回来了呢。

在下马车之前，林夫人特意照了照镜子，让自己的面容收敛一些，尽量不要让宋煊看出来自己的不满，免得被他故意针对。

Qi Lecheng quickly reported that someone from the Lin family had arrived.

宋煊让他把人给请进来。

顺便让赵祯去屏风后面待着。

Madam Lin, adorned with gold and jade, walked confidently along the road inside the county government office.

虽然在大娘娘面前是个仆人，在宫里叫她一声林娘子她不挑你的理。

But what should you call her in front of outsiders?
She is the real "Empress".

At this moment, Madam Lin's aura was certainly no less than that of the others.

在县衙忙碌的吏员之后，瞧着这位富贵夫人，不知道是谁家的？

林夫人跟在齐乐成后面走，其实她心里是有些不满意的。

自己都这样低头了，宋煊还不主动出门迎接。

This is incredibly disrespectful of me!
As she entered through the doorway, Madam Lin saw Song Xuan sitting in a chair reviewing the accounts. Seeing him look up, she smiled and said:

“林夫人来了，坐。”

When Madam Lin saw Song Xuan smile like that, her heart tightened.

不得不承认，在年轻俊俏的少年郎面前，她也是失了神。

但林夫人很快就屏住心神，知道自己是来做什么的。

“Scholar Song, the affairs of Fanlou have always been under the control of my husband, Lin Kun. I am by the side of the Empress Dowager day and night and have no time to attend to these matters. I hope Scholar Song can do me a favor.”

"Can you please help me?"

宋煊倒是也没有咄咄逼人，而是伸手倒了杯凉茶推到林容面前：
“Madam Lin, as the saying goes, a country has its laws and a family has its rules. I, Song Twelve, am not one to enjoy fighting. Lin Kun has indeed committed a crime.”

林夫人接过凉茶，放在自己身边，并没有喝一口。

"Lin Kun confessed, but I hope that a fine of copper coins can be substituted. I also hope that Scholar Song will not let him leave the capital city."

"Not far from Tokyo."

宋煊轻微颔首：“想必林夫人也是提前找人了解过偷税的罪过，毕竟是要徒刑的。”

"To show our sincerity, my Lin family is not only willing to pay the taxes we owe, but also to pay the fine. We hope that Scholar Song will consider our sincerity and not impose such a heavy sentence."

Lady Lin did not want to stay outside the palace for too long, so she wanted to finish the matter quickly and return to the palace immediately.

要不然那几个死太监，不知道要怎么安排呢。

Although Song Xuan didn't know why Madam Lin was in such a hurry for a result, he guessed that she must have encountered some difficulties.

Since the emperor himself wasn't determined to get rid of your mother, and had no intention of meeting at Xuanwu Gate, Song Xuan wouldn't risk offending Madam Lin.

After all, he couldn't kill her right now.

However, Song Xuan did not think that she could simply ignore the fact that she had hired someone to commit murder.

"Mrs. Lin, do you think we have some deep-seated grudge?"

听到宋煊如此询问，林容眼睛微微眯了一下，很快就摇摇头：

"No."

"Since there is no such thing, then I have no intention of deliberately targeting the Lin family."

Song Xuan leaned back in his chair:
“林夫人，我针对的是樊楼不交税的公事，所以你方才说的那些话，让我很难赞同。”

“若是林坤早早的配合官府，把事情给办了，何至于到今天这步呢？”

“那欠缴的税钱，对于樊楼而言九牛一毛，可偏偏就是要强撑到底。”

“林坤走到今日这步，完全是他咎由自取。”

"Yes."

林夫人面对宋煊的质问，只能不断的点头。

In reality, both sides knew she was lying.

但是只要这层窗户纸不捅破了，那就还有回旋的余地。

赵祯思考着林夫人如此痛快的认罪，想要快速解决这件事，应该是大娘娘那里发了话。

This made her afraid to continue being so assertive.

果然，还是大娘娘会收买人心。

Twelfth Brother is right.

Zhao Zhen thought to himself, if Madam Lin really offered a reward of five hundred taels of gold to assassinate his twelfth brother, and the Empress Dowager found out and stopped it, how could his twelfth brother not develop a good impression of the Empress Dowager?
大娘娘连心向皇帝的臣子都要收买，怪不得十二哥说就算组建亲卫士卒，也会大部分都被大娘娘给收买了。

"If Scholar Song is not satisfied, it would be better to give him several dozen lashes and spare his life."

After Madam Lin finished speaking, she began to weep secretly.

希望能够影响到宋煊。

宋煊却是不吃这一套：“既然林夫人想要从轻处罚，还是快些把欠税以及罚款送来，再说其他。”

“钱带来了。”

Madam Lin pointed outside:

“马车以及牛车都拉了许多铜钱和银铤，刘张两家会把钱送来，若是不够，我们明日再来送，樊楼已经不归我林家所有了。”

这些钱是他们两家买的份子钱。

“我宋煊也不是不讲道理，不喜欢给人改过自新机会之人，那请林夫人先回去吧，待到我们清点完钱财，会对林坤从轻判罚的。”

“既然如此，多谢宋状元了。”

林夫人得到自己想要的答案，便急匆匆的离开了。

宋煊让王保去通知于高，带着人让马车以及牛车都赶进来清点钱款入库。

于高颇为懵逼的瞧着一牛车的钱，他感觉在开封县这么多年，都没有见过如此富裕的账目。

开封县哪一年的赋税提前收全过？
一个个狗大户，要么就拖着不交，要么就想法子避税。

但自从宋知县来了，开封县的天就变了。

For some reason, these people suddenly became more agreeable. Not only did they make up for the debts from the past three years, but they also became polite to the people from the county government.

宋煊正在与赵祯说着话，绝不能放过姓林的。

A woman like this, who is now subservient and humble, is only doing so for future revenge.

"The most poisonous heart is that of a woman."

"Twelfth brother is right."

赵祯通过对郭皇后的观察，是真的觉得先贤总结的最毒妇人心这句话没错。

"Madam Lin's quick admission of her mistake must have come from the Empress Dowager."

Song Xuan stood up and strolled around twice: "It seems that the Empress Dowager has eyes and ears, and she was informed of the news from Tokyo in a timely manner."

Struggle?

目前没有丝毫胜算，首先是赵祯没有李二的心气。

When someone holds military power, that's it.

What's the point of fighting then? The most important thing is to secretly accumulate your own strength.

赵祯是清楚自己身边有大娘娘的耳目，而且还不止一个。

郭皇后设置耳目的手段，在大娘娘面前，那也太小儿科了。

While Song Xuan was pondering, Qi Lecheng quickly walked over again:

“大官人，有一个自称叫杨怀敏的想要见您，我看他像是宫里来的。”

“杨怀敏，老熟人了，请他进来。”

"Yes."

宋煊让赵祯回到屏风后，不要出声。

大娘娘身边的宦官来了，不知道他有什么目的。

杨怀敏身着便服，今日没有很猖狂的骑着带甲的战马出门装逼。

他进了院子，瞧着一帮吏员在那里数钱，也不知道手脚干净不干净，宋煊就这么的放心？
Yang Huaimin had known Song Xuan for a long time; he had gone to investigate the case when Dou Chou died in Nanjing.

At that time, he felt that Song Xuan was an extraordinary young man, and if he were to enter the palace, he would definitely be a promising talent.

After all, becoming a eunuch in the palace is a path to wealth and status for many people.

未曾想人家被当朝翰林学士算计后，根本就不知道害怕怎么写，如今连中三元，那更是前途无量啊！

“杨太监，今日如何得空来我这里了？”

杨怀敏见宋煊站在门口迎接，心中有些喜悦。

“今日出宫办差，正好路过，向宋状元讨杯茶喝喝。”

"Come on, come on."

Song Xuan pointed to Madam Lin's teacup beside him: "It's just been poured as iced tea."

"Haha, Scholar Song is so kind."

杨怀敏坐下一饮而尽，又让宋煊给他添上。

Song Xuan could smell a very strong fragrance, which was probably used to mask the smell of urine.

毕竟在皇太后面前当差，有些事还是要注意的。

"Counting money outside?"

“林坤被我抓了，林夫人前来缴纳欠款。”

"Oh?"

杨怀敏故作不知道的询问：“还望宋状元给我讲一讲这林夫人的丈夫是怎么被抓的。”

Song Xuan didn't hide anything and directly said that Fanlou owed taxes. The Kaifeng County government had issued notices several times to demand payment, but they ignored them and even dared to falsify account books.

"A turnover of 100,000 strings of cash a year?"

杨怀敏尖鸭嗓子冷哼道：

"In the entire capital city of Tokyo, who doesn't know that Fanlou's annual turnover exceeds one million strings of cash? They're really treating the top scholar of the Song Dynasty like a three-year-old child. They must be dealt with!"

“对，办他。”

Song Xuan echoed in agreement.

"I wonder what Scholar Song intends to do about Lin Kun?"

Yang Huaimin looked expectant.

"What should we do?" Song Xuan picked up his teacup. "I wonder what Eunuch Yang thinks?"

“哈哈哈。”杨怀敏依旧尖着嗓子大笑，兰花指指了指宋煊：
"Scholar Song is truly joking. I am but a eunuch; how dare I interfere in court affairs?"

Song Xuan didn't believe such nonsense at all. These eunuchs surrounding Liu E were deeply involved in the politics of the Song Dynasty.

作为皇太后的代言人，可没少跟大宋臣子接触。

“主要是林坤的夫人是大娘娘的身边人。”宋煊喝了口茶水，轻轻摇晃一下：
"I don't want to embarrass the Empress Dowager too much."

"Scholar Song, rest assured, Your Majesty has always upheld justice."

Yang Huaimin smiled:

“当初宋状元秉公执法在大殿上当着文武百官的面，把开封府尹陈尧佐骂吐血晕了过去，大娘娘对宋状元一直都欣赏的很。”

Song Xuan didn't believe a word Yang Huaimin said.

Empress Liu would never act according to the laws of the Song Dynasty.

她都能把自己颁布的条例，直接无视，当成废纸用。

说什么赞同自己秉公执法，当真是笑话。

"Oh, is that so?"

That's how it is.

Song Xuan put down his teacup and leaned forward slightly:

“杨太监，我本想着把林坤判罚徒两千里的。”

Yang Huaimin's eyes lit up; this punishment was great.

"But Madam Lin just pleaded with me here, saying that the Empress Dowager said it's better to avoid trouble and not to pursue the matter relentlessly, and that we should at least save some face."

听了宋煊的话，杨怀敏微微眯着眼睛，判断这话的真假。

He felt it didn't seem like what the eldest aunt had said, but rather that old woman Lin Rong, who was using her position to bully the top scholar Song.

“宋状元，勿要轻信呐。”

Yang Huaimin said with a solemn expression, "Unless Scholar Song heard the Empress Dowager say these words herself, do not believe them."

“实不相瞒，我对林容也是有所了解的。”

“他们家里人仗着她在大娘娘身边侍奉，可谓是嚣张跋扈，直接把樊楼的经营从别人哪里抢来的。”

“原来是这样！”宋煊语气有些加重的道：“那可就别怪我了。”

Yang Huaimin suppressed the urge to laugh, after all, Song Xuan was extremely righteous and indignant, or to put it bluntly, impulsive.

大宋律法维护的就是权贵，为那些百姓伸张正义有什么用呢？
Having spent so long in the palace, Yang Huaimin had long since come to understand a principle.

那就是自己只需要对权力的来源负责，至于下面的人是死是活，关自己屁事。

“我不打算判林坤徒两千里了。”

Song Xuan's words made Yang Huaimin's eyes light up. It would be best to get him sentenced to death, so that it would be easier to bring that bitch Lin Rong down with her.

"I wonder what Scholar Song's plans are?"

“我准备判决林坤在本地劳作。”

"What do you mean?" Yang Huaimin didn't understand.

"That means doing hard labor, even cleaning up the mud."

Song Xuan stood up and strolled around for a few steps:
“林夫人毕竟在大娘娘身边侍奉，我纵然把林坤判决两千里，用不着两千里，出了东京城，他身上的枷锁就得卸下来。”

"Perhaps it won't even go two thousand miles. It's not impossible for it to stop in Chenliu County or somewhere else."

“What the top scholar Song said is absolutely right.”

Yang Huaimin agreed, saying that such a thing was not impossible, and perhaps the Empress Dowager would turn a blind eye.

"So I decided to sentence Lin Kun like this, which satisfies Madam Lin's request for a lenient sentence and also makes Lin Kun perform hard labor under my nose, killing two birds with one stone."

“宋状元可太会做人做事了。”

杨怀敏脸上大喜，又是一阵哈哈大笑。

"It's just to warn everyone, and to avoid embarrassing the Empress Dowager."

宋煊又重新坐下：“杨太监觉得我这个判决可否合理？” “合理，太合理了。”

Yang Huaimin repeatedly praised, "A talent like Song Zhuangyuan will surely shine brightly in the imperial court in the future."

“不过是为官家效命，为官一任，造福一方。”

宋煊指了指自己：“要不然我这个状元不是白考了吗？”

Yang Huaimin nodded repeatedly. He had achieved his goal. He just wanted to hear the verdict on Lin Kun, and it would be even better if it could influence Song Xuan's verdict.

现在用不着自己影响，宋煊就做到了自己满意的判罚。

Song Xuan was certain that infighting had begun among those around the Empress Dowager, vying for favor.

杨怀敏的目的就在这里。

But then another message came, this time to Song Xuan's surprise:

"I wonder if Scholar Song has any intention of taking a concubine?"

"Concubinage?"

宋煊的手指微微敲着桌面，等着杨怀敏的下句。

"To be honest, I have a distant niece who has just turned thirteen. While she may not be the most beautiful woman, she is certainly capable enough to serve the top scholar Song by washing his feet."

"A distant relative who's thirteen?"

宋煊很快就恢复神情：
"Eunuch Yang, to be honest, a woman of this age may not even have her period yet."

“而且一旦过早嫁人，寿数减少，同时生育子女也十分危险，一尸两命实在是常有的事。”

“哦，竟是这样？”

Yang Huaimin didn't doubt Song Xuan; he genuinely lacked the knowledge in that area.

After all, the person in front of you is the youngest top scholar in the history of the Song Dynasty. He has read more books than you have eaten salt.

In the Song Dynasty, a top scholar who achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations was viewed with special admiration.

人家知道点你不知道的东西，那可太正常了。

杨怀敏当然是希望能与宋煊搞好关系，联姻这是首要选择。

那些文臣武将不愿意自己的女儿侄女之类的给宋煊当小妾。

可杨怀敏愿意啊！

自己什么身份，能把侄女送到宋煊床上，那就算事自己有本事。

"It's a pity, I wonder how long I'll have to raise my niece?"

“如今大宋百姓生活大部分能安稳生活，只要不遇到天灾人祸，一般十七八岁就差不多了。”

如今官方规定成亲，一般都是十三四岁，要不然杨怀敏也不会提。

Having heard Song Xuan's answer, Yang Huaimin spoke again:

"Song Zhuangyuan and his wife are truly in love, and have never thought about taking a concubine."

"What Eunuch Yang said is absolutely right. There's no rush in this matter."

宋煊给自己倒杯茶：
"After all, I might become an official in another place in the future, with so many people in my family to take care of. My body can handle it, but they can't."

"Moreover, my father-in-law also said that he doesn't actually care about taking concubines."

"The most important thing is to wait until my wife gives birth to a legitimate son before we talk about anything else."

大宋官员一般都是带着家小去各地为官的。

夫妻两地分居的例子非常少。

Even someone like Su Shi, who was repeatedly demoted, still took his family with him when he went to take up his post.

“宋状元当真是会心疼人的。”

Yang Huaimin felt that his niece wouldn't suffer any loss by following Song Xuan.

妾的地位十分的卑微，面临非人待遇实属正常。

若是妾生育子女可转为婢，七年后婢可恢复自由身。

Slavery was rare in the Song Dynasty because everyone was employed by employers.

Even concubines were subject to contracts.

"Sigh, we're all from humble backgrounds."

宋煊一句话，便拉近了杨怀敏与他的距离。

平民若不是走投无路，谁愿意把孩子送进宫当阉人呢？
Even though the Song Dynasty had a minimum subsistence allowance system called "Xiangjun," there were still people who couldn't receive it.

杨怀敏感动之余，又露个消息：
“Scholar Song, I have heard something, and it is not that I want to sow discord.”

宋煊点点头，他说这话的意思就是想要挑拨离间。

"Rumors have spread in Tokyo that someone offered five hundred taels of gold to kill you. The real culprit behind this may not be the Chen brothers, but Madam Lin. Scholar Song, you must be careful in the future."

"what?"

宋煊装作不知道，站起身来：

"How could they be so vicious!"

“最毒妇人心啊，宋状元。”

"Just now she was crying her eyes out here, saying we had no grudges against each other. I never imagined she would do something so heinous."

宋煊重重的拍了下桌子：“此事定然不能如此善罢甘休。”

"Scholar Song, please calm down. We still need to thoroughly investigate the evidence."

Yang Huaimin also gritted his teeth and said:

“只要宋状元找到证据，小人就算是拼了命，也要把证据递到大娘娘面前。”

"it is good."

宋煊也是一脸配合的道：
“此事我绝不会善罢甘休的。”

Yang Huaimin gave a location, saying that if there was any news, someone could be sent there to make contact; his brother's family lived there.

"Walk slowly."

宋煊站在门口，目送杨怀敏远去。

赵祯从屏风里走出来，他确信大娘娘身边的人都不是一条心，相互算计。

But that's normal. If everyone around you were of one mind, then it would be Liu E who couldn't sleep.

“十二哥，他来这里是什么目的？”

“挑拨离间外加联络关系。”

Song Xuan gave the answer directly, and Zhao Zhen nodded.

Sure enough, they all realized that Twelfth Brother was shrewd and capable, and they all wanted to get in touch with him.

"This Yang Huaimin is no good person either!"

Song Xuan stood with his hands behind his back:

"Sixth Brother, many of these eunuchs have been castrated and their minds are twisted. You must be careful to guard against them in the future."

What does "psychological distortion" mean?

“就是不正常的意思，不要拿正常人的思维去揣摩他们的意图。”

宋煊又回去躺下，今日可太忙碌了。

“十二哥，明天咱们什么时候去看那个智畅大和尚，三日之期就要到了。”

“吃完午饭再说，饿的他时间长点。”

Song Xuan closed his eyes and lay back down.

Pan Cheng gathered only five hundred soldiers, had them all put on armor, and hung up their bowstrings before following him out of the city.

When his subordinates inquired, he said he was ordered to investigate the smuggling activities at Wuyou Cave, and that they would wait for the smugglers to come to him.

待到天色渐黑。

潘承仅才带着这帮人缓慢行军，奔着没命社的老巢而去。

After all, walking in armor can be quite tiring.

到了目的地还要休息一会，他安排人在这里拦截，又不是所有人都有盔甲穿，这也能方便最后这群无甲的士卒进行追击。

林泉带着二百两黄金，如约到了没命社的地盘，深呼一口气，这件事就此打住。

If Madam Lin's mind had changed so quickly, I should have known better and delayed things a few more days, instead of rushing things, so that no complications would have arisen.

But what's done is done, and there's no going back.

"You came?"

无毛大虫马六瞧着林泉带着一个箱子。

It was so hot that Lin Quan was exhausted from carrying the gold, which weighed over 30 kilograms.

"I am coming."

林泉把箱子费力的抬起来，也不废话：

"I've brought the money. I hope that the hairless worm can keep his word, keep the secret, and not let this kind of thing happen again where the matter is not finished and the information is leaked."

“哼，我的嘴比你的嘴要严。”

无毛大虫马六让人把黄金拿过来，他要挨个检查。

Lin Quan felt that once this matter was settled, he could finally enjoy the hidden gold in peace.

如此挣钱的机会，当真是不多见呐。

These families who suddenly became rich valued money highly, but sometimes they had to spend a lot of money to settle disputes.

即使这些大事出来之前，用点小钱就能平复，可偏偏就不愿意花小钱。

这一点，林泉也不理解。

待到无毛大虫马六检查过后，慢悠悠的道：“姓林的，下个月我还要二百两黄金。”

"you."

Lin Quan was about to sit up when he was held down by the members of the No-Life Society.

"Don't be ungrateful, or I'll kill you."

林泉立马就老实了。

He still has so much gold he hasn't had time to spend and enjoy it; he absolutely cannot die here.

Ma Liu, the hairless giant, didn't want to do this, but his brothers who had been sent out to inquire reported back.

林家已经退出对樊楼的经营，如今樊楼姓赵了。

而且林夫人还专门去开封县衙找宋煊求情，听说连钱都拉过去了，用于偿还欠款和罚款。

What does this mean?
说明林家认怂了，大娘娘都不为她撑腰。

How can you not seize such a sure-fire way to make money that has been delivered to your doorstep?

How could you go back on your word?

Lin Quan asked, somewhat exasperated.

"Go back on your word?"

The hairless giant worm Ma Liu chuckled:
"Who told you to break the agreement first? You promised two thousand taels, but now you only have twelve hundred taels in your hands."

"Who went back on their word first?"

“谁让你们提前走漏了消息？”

林泉也觉得十分冤枉，他当即开口道：“是不是给你们两千两，就能继续杀宋煊啊？”

“你又反悔了？”无毛大虫马六眼里露出异色。

What exactly is going on with these individuals?

说杀又不杀，不杀又要杀。

Isn't this just a joke to tease them?
"What, so your No Life Society never intended to take the job in the first place and deliberately leaked the information?"

"fart!"

无毛大虫马六被猜中了心思，一下子就红温让他住嘴。

Double-crossing, isn't that a common occurrence?

凭什么污蔑别人的清白？

Lin Quan, however, spoke up:

“我再给你八百两，你就说花费一万两杀了宋煊，兴许会有人相信。”

"late."

Ma Liu completely ignored the conversation: "We're talking about our business now, it has nothing to do with Song Xuan."

"It has nothing to do with it?"

While the two were arguing in their room, targeted eliminations had already begun outside.

首先是放哨的被弓弩射杀，紧接着潘承仅大手一挥，让着甲的突破顶在前头。

没命社虽然也做了哨兵，但是在城外横贯了，谁敢轻易去惹他们。

Therefore, they had very few countermeasures against the sudden attack by officers and soldiers.

直到有人刚拉完屎，瞧见官兵闯进来了，下意识的大叫一声：“有官兵。”

然后迎接他的是一支弓弩。

随着他的叫嚷，终于惊动了房间内的没毛大虫马六，他慌忙把黄金扔进箱子里，直接跑路。

根本就不顾其他。

He has some connections with the military, so at least they won't launch a surprise attack on him.

除非是林泉带来，想要杀人灭口的。

wrong.

“连这个接头人都得被一起杀死，才能保守秘密。”

没毛大虫马六钻进地道往前走的时候，才灵光乍现。

最毒妇人心当真是没有说错。

人家才不会受这种威胁。

"You just wait, you surnamed Lin."

没毛大虫拖着金子在地道里艰难的爬行。

林泉也被吓懵了，想要跟着逃跑，却被人一脚给踹翻倒地，疼的他起不来。

Song Jun barged into the room, saw Lin Quan hiding under the table, dragged him out, and questioned him with a knife, asking where their boss, Meimingshe, had gone.

Lin Quan pointed to the back hall, and the group continued forward.

可是跟着把手后门的士卒碰上，都没有瞧见这帮人跑到哪里去了？

难道趁着夜色翻墙走了？

潘承仅抓住几个边角料以及在房间内的“主要案犯”。

What kind of nobody could be able to stay alone at the headquarters of the No Life Society?
果然，这里也没有让潘承仅失望。

He found the Lin family's mark on Lin Quan.

难不成这没命社是林家指使的？
“给我搜，就算是飞天遁地，也得留下痕迹。”

随着潘承仅的命令，倒是搜到了不少金银珠宝，钱财地契之类的。

但是没命社的没毛大虫马六根本就没有什么踪影。

Pan Cheng believed that people couldn't just disappear without a reason; they must either be hiding somewhere or have escaped from somewhere.

本想着一次成全功，未曾想都谨慎到这个地步，还是让没命社的骨干跑了。

"Okay."

潘承仅跳下地道口望向黑漆漆的洞：
“这帮死耗子当真是够会挖洞的，把无忧洞的保命手段都学了去。”

“将军，已经审问清楚了。”

Pan Cheng listened to the report and learned that the main culprit was named Lin Quan, but he was not a core member of the Wuming Society.

The other people arrested also identified themselves.

Pan Chengjin was a little puzzled. What was he doing here?

"If you won't say what you're here for, then what are you here for?"

潘承仅哼笑一声：“那便是林家与没命社相互勾结。”

Lin Quan simply shook his head, saying that he was not a member of the Lin family, that he had been kidnapped, and that a ransom was demanded.

The negotiations failed, otherwise I wouldn't have been kicked and unable to walk, becoming a scapegoat here.

Pan Chengjin didn't have time to deal with him right now; after hearing these words, he simply ordered his men to tie them all up.

We'll send them to the Kaifeng County government office tomorrow; the top scholar Song is short of people to do the work there.

现在最主要的是打包这些金银珠宝，待到天亮之后，再进行封赏。

This matter cannot be completely resolved yet. Be vigilant to prevent the No-Life Society from gathering its forces for a surprise attack.

潘承仅还是有着一定的治军能力的，要不然曹利用手底下都是草包，那也不像话啊。

“大哥，我们的院子全都被官军给占了，远远瞧着像是在把咱们的金银珠宝给搬出来了。”

其余两人都很着急。

The No-Life Society is not a large-scale organization.

但是他们的身家性命以及老婆孩子可都在那里共同生活呢。

Now it's all gone.

The hairless giant Ma Liu patted the heavy box weighing about thirty pounds next to him:
“不必担忧，至少咱们短时间内衣食无忧，暂且改名换姓，仔细打听打听是怎么回事？”

"As long as the three of us brothers are alive, the No Life Society will never disband."

Encouraged by the hairless giant Ma Liu, the other two did indeed begin to cheer up.

In any case, people like them are not suited for a stable life.

Ma Liu, the hairless tiger, could only console himself that the soldiers hadn't discovered his private treasure vault, and that his years of accumulation wouldn't be destroyed in an instant.

He couldn't understand why the authorities would suddenly launch an attack.

但是瞧着林泉那手足无措，也想要逃离的心思，给了没毛大虫马六一个新的思考方式。

“林家杀人灭口。”

马六很是干净思索的得到了这个思路：

"We not only need to keep it a secret, but we also need to make it public and find a way to get it to Song Xuan's ears."

"Brother, but we're thieves, and Song Xuan is an official. What if they arrest us as soon as we show our faces?"

马六一下子就偃旗息鼓了。

他身份的问题他是没法解决，想要借刀杀人也不是很好的机会。

"Brother, we can't just let this go. Our savings of many years have been destroyed in an instant."

虽然人是逃出来了，但是藏钱的地方不知道被官府搜出来没有，想要看又没那个胆子。

Ma Liu calmly looked at his two brothers who had escaped with him:

“现在回去只能死路一条，我们还有得救，绝不能退缩，心中那一口气没了，今后做什么事都提不起劲来。”