A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 362 Don't listen to his cryptic remarks

"Eunuch Yang, I just like making friends."

Song Xuan withdrew his hand:

"It's hot outside, and you came all the way here to let me know. I'll treat you to a cold drink. Are you going to refuse?"

"I don't dare, I absolutely don't dare."

Yang Huaimin held the gold leaf in his hand and wholeheartedly agreed with Song Xuan's words.

A single gold leaf is not much to him.

But that depends on who sent it!
Based on Yang Huaimin's understanding of Song Xuan, he should be unaware of the rule that Song Xuan would not give face to his superior Chen Yaozuo in public and would offer him tea money.

Yang Huaimin had also inquired about Song Xuan's hometown and learned that Song, the top scholar, was a timely rain in Songcheng. He never cared whether someone was rich or poor when making friends, and was even willing to give them money.

I finally got to see it today.

Why were you so reserved before?
If I had known this earlier, I would have formed an alliance with Scholar Song sooner.

"Many of these bald monks own houses and wives in Tokyo, and more than one at that. Who would believe they have no money!"

"good."

Hearing this, Yang Huaimin felt very uncomfortable.

Those bald monks didn't suffer much hardship or pain.

On the contrary, they were all fat and bloated; it was already an act of imperial grace not to kill them.

Song Xuan had already tied her to the war machine under Liu E's name, and she was willing to take the blame. How could she let go of such a good opportunity to bribe the Imperial Guards?
Especially now that Zhao Zhen is growing up, many people have taken a liking to him, and Song Xuan has taken care of things without her spending a single penny.

How could Liu E not see this as Song Xuan's "pledge of allegiance"?
"If Scholar Song encounters any difficulties, be sure to inform me, and I will explain everything to the Empress Dowager."

"No problem. Once I've thought of a way, I'll definitely inform Eunuch Yang first if I need any help."

Yang Huaimin nodded repeatedly.

Song Xuan didn't say anything more and saw him to the door.

Yang Huaimin walked away with a smile on his face, his mouth still open.

Song Xuan watched his departing figure. It wouldn't be bad to have someone by the Empress's side to pass on the news.

It's mutually beneficial for everyone.

It's just doing things for a small amount of money.

After Yang Huaimin left, Yu Gao reported that Fanlou had sent too many fines, and the cellar was still not enough.

Song Xuan thought for a moment and then instructed, "Why dig any tunnels? Let's just hide our wealth among the people."

"what?"

"The Mid-Autumn Festival benefits will be distributed to everyone in advance. You should immediately compile a list. The basic amount for each person is five strings of cash, with additional subsidies based on their usual contributions. I will personally arrange the benefits for those on the list who are in charge of the treasury."

"Finally, we divided up the Snowflake wine and immediately purchased a batch of gourds to hold the wine, which could also be hung on our waists to hold water."

Yu Gao truly hadn't expected Song Xuan to have such a method, and immediately cupped his hands in greeting:

"Here."

"Oh, by the way, let's also buy a batch of rice and store it in the warehouse. When the Empress Dowager celebrates her birthday, we can distribute it to everyone in the county government."

Faced with Song Xuan's generous welfare arrangements, Yu Gao was so surprised that he didn't know what to say.

"Yes, my subordinate will do it now."

"correct."

Song Xuan then remembered something else: "Put Guo En's name first and give the mother and son twenty strings of cash."

The county government paid for Guo Xin's funeral expenses and also gave him an additional pension.

Upon hearing Song Xuan's instructions, Yu Gao paused for a moment, then bowed again.

"My subordinate understands."

After giving his instructions, Song Xuan went back and wrote something, and also reminded Sang Yi to be careful.

The policies recently implemented in Kaifeng County have proven effective.

This effectively curbed the income of the criminal gang in Wuyoudong.

They are highly likely to come to the county government office to get money.

"Don't worry, sir. With me here, I will make sure these thieves never return."

"Yes, I believe you have the ability."

Song Xuan handed him the booklet:
"This is a subsidy for you people who guard the treasury. You always have your heads on the line and are constantly tempted by money."

"I've heard that some warehouse managers' trick is to smuggle silver ingots out by stuffing them into their chrysanthemums."

Sang Yi responded with an "oh".

He has one key to the warehouse basement, and Song Xuan has one too.

Entry is only permitted if both locks are opened simultaneously.

Sang Yi had never heard of such a method of hiding money before.

He took it and glanced at it, and was quite surprised:
"My lord, this money is a bit too much, far too much."

"It's alright, just consider it a reward for everyone's good character of not being greedy for money and stealing, and for passing the test."

"Besides, this kind of job is no different from going to jail. It's normal to give more money as a reward. Just say that you applied to me for the benefits you got for everyone."

"Huh?" Sang Yi shook her head repeatedly:
"How can this be done?"

“That’s how it is. I won’t be here to fight the bandits with you tonight, so just listen to me, so that they won’t disobey you if something really happens.”

Song Xuan asked Sang Yi to take the booklet and tell them the good news.

Ultimately, the goal is to help him win over people's hearts.

After all, a fortress is most easily breached from the inside.

Song Xuan had no idea what the informants Wuyou Cave had planted in the county government office, nor did he see anyone hanging copper coins.

Presumably, those who enter government departments would not display such a characteristic.

To avoid being discovered by the other members of the Worry-Free Cave and thus being exposed.

Sang Yi hesitated at the door for a moment before pushing it open and stammering out what Song Xuan had said.

This drew cheers and shouts of gratitude from the crowd, who repeatedly expressed their thanks to Sang Yi.

Sang Yi is capable, but she still has some shortcomings in interpersonal skills.

Now, for the sake of everyone's well-being, he is "arguing his case" in front of the big boss, praising the brothers' hard work. You can imagine how stuttering he is when he speaks, but he hasn't given up yet.

The news that Mid-Autumn Festival benefits would be distributed early spread quickly.

Everyone wore a smile, and people were sent to the post stations and patrol offices to give advance notice and let them prepare.

They will be distributed according to the roster at that time.

This can also be considered a way to prevent people from receiving salaries without working.

The news of Song Xuan's clever outwitting of the senior monk also spread.

Chen Yaozuo, the prefect of Kaifeng who was recuperating at home, heard his son Chen Xianggu's words and took a sip of tea:
“Song Twelve is a talented man, but unfortunately he cannot be used by me.”

"Father, you've been so angry with him that even Wang Xie was sentenced by him, and the court immediately approved his public execution. And you're still praising Song Xuan?"

Chen Yaozuo just felt it was a pity.

Han Qi went out to enjoy himself, leaving Song Xuan in Tokyo to oppose him.

The course of events was almost entirely beyond his control.

The Chen family was extremely prosperous in the capital city of Kaifeng. One of them was a Hanlin Academician, and the other was the Prefect of Kaifeng. It was a sure thing that they would become prime ministers in the future.

Unexpectedly, Han Qi was unwilling, and even his classmate and friend were helping him.

These young people are really greenhorns, fearless and audacious.

Chen Yaozuo felt that he was too old and no longer had the ambition to stand up for his friends in a fit of anger.

He did admire Song Xuan, but given how things have developed, the possibility of the two sides shaking hands and making peace is almost nonexistent.

"Father, I heard someone claim to have spent five hundred taels of gold to assassinate Song Xuan. Some say it was our family who did it. Could it be my third uncle?"

"impossible."

Chen Yaozuo knew his third brother well; although he acted impulsively, he would never do something so thoughtless.

"Although there have been conflicts between me and Song Xuan, they have only resulted in enmity and will never escalate to a blood feud."

Chen Yaozuo glanced at his son:
“Both he and I are scholar-officials. If this matter gets out of hand, the Chen family will also be targeted in the same way in the future.”

"You guys better not think about things from above, or you'll face endless troubles."

Chen Xianggu had not entered officialdom and was young and impulsive. He nodded slightly in response to his father's reminder.

"But the better Song Xuan does, the more he'll target our family."

Chen Yaozuo glanced at his son, thinking that doing a good job didn't necessarily mean getting promoted quickly.

With so many things Song Xuan has done, it will be very easy for him to be targeted when a list of names is drawn up in the future.

Moreover, he could never submit to the Empress Dowager. Being a county magistrate was already extremely embarrassing, and even the Empress Dowager couldn't control him.

How could someone like that rise to a high position in such a short time?
A capable person like Song Xuan needs to have his character thoroughly tempered before he can be promoted to a central government position.

Therefore, Chen Yaozuo did not care at all about what Song Xuan would do in the future. At least he was confident that he could reach the position of prime minister before Song Xuan.

At that time, Song Xuan was still honing his skills outside and didn't even have the chance to come back.

“There’s no such thing as a rumor without a reason in this city of Tokyo.”

Chen Yaozuo stood up and took a few steps:

"Song Xuan is taking too big a step, too scattered. He wants to get fat in one bite, which will inevitably infringe on the interests of many people."

"The rumors of his assassination might be a further warning. If he stops now, he might be safe and sound."

"If he doesn't know what's good for him, someone will definitely target him."

“It is precisely at times like these that the Chen family must not get involved.”

"Especially you, when you're out socializing with others, you must never keep mentioning Song Twelve's faults, lest you be taken advantage of."

"Who knows what kind of scheme they have behind their approach to you?"

"Dad, I'm not that stupid," Chen Xianggu defended himself.

"Yes, but you're not that smart either."

Chen Xianggu was speechless.

Chen Yaozuo sighed.

Now he finally understands what it means to have a son like Sun Quan.

Ultimately, it's because my son is inferior to others in some aspects.

Moreover, relying solely on studying, even if you catch up quickly enough, you still won't be able to keep up.

Thinking of this, Chen Yaozuo couldn't help but sigh again.

The three Chen brothers were all so outstanding, yet none of their children or grandchildren were capable of shouldering the responsibility of leading the Chen family.

Will the Chen family still be as prosperous as it was in the Song Dynasty after the two brothers have passed away?
This is also the underlying reason why he insisted on making Han Qi his son-in-law.

The family's children and grandchildren were truly disappointing, so they had no choice but to find a capable son-in-law from outside the family to prevent the family's power from gradually declining.

Although most aristocratic families had been eliminated long ago, many scholars still held positions in the Song Dynasty.

However, the scholar-officials before them spared no effort in cultivating their own offspring and building close relationships through marriage.

Chen Yaozu judged that if this continued, it would become increasingly difficult for the offspring of ordinary people to gain a foothold in the imperial court.

The chances of a prime minister's son becoming prime minister are the highest.

……

Song Xuan had no good solution to the problem of the Great Xiangguo Temple refusing to continue providing loans, so he could only invoke the laws of the Great Song Dynasty.

Even though many people don't know what the Song Dynasty law covers, and generally don't need to use the law, it's still there.

It depends on whether you know how to use it.

So Ban Feng took the summons from Kaifeng County and invited the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple to the county government office.

Zhao Zhen arrived at the Kaifeng County Government Office early in the morning, full of energy. He practiced martial arts as usual and handled government affairs there.

At the same time, I noticed that Mid-Autumn Festival benefits were being given to the subordinate units of Kaifeng County.

This truly broadened Zhao Zhen's horizons.

Money is such a wonderful thing.

Unfortunately, he had no money in his own treasury and no way to win over the Imperial Guards. He could only hope that the business of Fanlou would improve so that he would have a chance to share the profits.

In this way, I can be considered to have some confidence.

Brother Twelve's saying, "Money gives men courage," is absolutely true.

Meanwhile, the money was being counted and prepared for distribution outside the hall.

County Magistrate Zhou personally led people to distribute Runxue Snow Wine, making sure that each pot was filled to the brim.

If the pot is only half full, that is absolutely unacceptable.

All the officials and yamen runners in Kaifeng County were overjoyed and eager to get started.

Song Xuan first went to the Privy Council and brought back the compiled account books.

Before he even stepped through the gate, Qi Lecheng rushed over to greet him and helped Song Xuan lead his horse.

"My lord, your cousin has already arrived quite early."

"Ah."

Song Xuan responded.

He knew that Zhao Zhen was eager to handle government affairs.

Unfortunately, he couldn't fully utilize his abilities in the palace, so he could only indulge in his passion in his small county government office.

After Song Xuan entered the gate, the surrounding officials and yamen runners greeted him with great courtesy.

Song Xuan nodded slightly, but did not respond with much enthusiasm.

These officials also thought it was perfectly normal.

Even if a high-ranking official gives them a hard time, they still have to reflect on what they did wrong.

After all, the official truly valued their past relationship; Guo Xin died in the line of duty, and the Mid-Autumn Festival rewards included his son, Guo En.

Where else in the entire Song Dynasty could you find such treatment?

Even if the official is ruthless in his actions, those are all virtues, not vices!
"My lord."

County Magistrate Zhou hurriedly stepped forward and bowed: "The money is being counted, and the Snowflake wine is being bottled."

"Ah."

Song Xuan responded, watching them pack the items, and joked:

"Don't sneak a drink while you're working."

"We wouldn't dare, we wouldn't dare."

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan had a smile on his face:
"In short, we've provided some benefits for the brothers. There will be more when it's the Empress's birthday and the New Year."

Looking at the big pancake they were about to eat, and the pancake that was about to appear, everyone thought that what Song Xuan said sounded even better than an imperial edict.

Putting aside the money, just the fact that a top scholar would say he wants to be your brother is enough to make you proud. Who could refuse that?

"Thank you very much, sir." Magistrate Zhou, after all, had been immersed in officialdom for many years.

"We have served in the county government for many years, and only since the arrival of the esteemed official have we been able to eat a few bites of meat and drink this Snow Wine."

"Yeah yeah."

A torrent of words of gratitude poured out from everyone.

Song Xuan waved his hand, saying he was tired of listening, and went straight to the back room.

Zhao Zhen looked up and said, "Twelfth Brother, you've given out a lot of money."

"My buddy's got money, oh wait, I mean the county government's got money."

Song Xuan sat in the chair: "How can you make someone pull the millstone all day without giving them enough to eat?"

"Good heavens, this payout is more than the Imperial Guards' monthly salary."

Zhao Zhen couldn't help but complain:
"It's a good thing you didn't bribe the Imperial Guards, otherwise even the Empress Dowager would be wary of you."

Why should you be afraid of me?

Song Xuan poured himself a cup of tea: "I have not threatened her rule. Unless I become one of the Three Dukes and do what Dong Zhuo did, she will not be afraid of me."

"Hahaha."

Zhao Zhen burst into laughter, feeling that Song Xuan was joking too much.

Song Xuan handed the account book to Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen looked closely and saw that the Imperial Guards had gone to borrow money, and in fact, the four temples had lent out a total of 490,789 strings of cash.

People like Wang Gui and Di Qing, who dared to borrow one or two thousand strings of cash, were always a minority.

Only a few people can earn tens or hundreds of strings of cash.

Even if a Privy Councilor were to give an explanation, they would still be afraid that if they gave half of the money to the Privy Council, they would have to return the other half to the temple and pay high interest themselves.

Zhao Zhen raised his head: "Twelfth Brother, aren't the Imperial Guards a bit too cowardly?"

"They don't cherish the excellent opportunities to make quick money that are right in front of them."

"It's just that everyone thinks differently."

Song Xuan was also quite dissatisfied with this number.

Despite such a grand and bustling event involving so many people, less than 500,000 strings of cash were borrowed.

The Daxiangguo Temple earns 300,000 to 400,000 guan annually just from renting out rooms and stalls.

This is pure profit!
Daxiangguo Temple is the largest commercial center in Kaifeng.

The market is open for transactions five times a month, divided by area. Good locations are like school shops, with rents that are extremely high.

Land rental income, incense money, and reward money.

The most profitable form of lending was high-interest lending, and the government had no control over the accounts.

Zhao Zhen was puzzled as to why everyone had different ideas.

It's clearly a good thing, so why do they think it's not?

Just as Zhao Zhen was pondering this, Ban Feng invited the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple over.

The abbot was accompanied by the other abbots, as they were quite wary of Song Xuan's invitation.

Fearing that the abbot would not take the blame, they asked the abbot to accompany them.

The old abbot didn't care much; he could agree to whatever Song Xuan said. However, he couldn't make decisions on his own within the temple.

They had long ago used money to win over many monks.

The abbot said it was a bit of an exaggeration to call it a puppet; using it as a living signboard would be excellent for the Great Xiangguo Temple.

After the abbot entered, he first recited a Buddhist chant and then took the initiative to bow.

Who has the final say at Daxiangguo Temple?

The rather tall and stout abbot quickly said that it was up to the thin old abbot.

The disciples had already discussed it and decided to put all the responsibility on their master's shoulders, hoping that he could pass away peacefully and produce Buddha relics from his cremation.

That would also enhance the image of the Great Xiangguo Temple, and perhaps force the imperial court to continue its investigation.

Upon thinking of this, Abbot Ziyuan breathed a sigh of relief.

Since the fasting practice at Kaibao Temple has been exposed in public, even you, Song Twelve, with your wisdom, are powerless to stop us, the Buddha's relics!

"get out."

Song Xuan pointed to the abbot beside him: "I have only invited the abbot in charge of the Great Xiangguo Temple to discuss this matter."

"this?"

The abbot remained silent, simply standing there.

The abbot was then glared at by Qi Lecheng and asked to leave.

"May I ask how the abbot is addressed?"

The old abbot then sat down: "This humble monk is Huihai."

Zhao Zhen raised an eyebrow: "Does the abbot know Hui Chong?" "This man is my junior brother."

Song Xuan did not know who this person was, but Zhao Zhen did.

This man was a famous monk of the Song Dynasty. Besides being able to write poetry, he was most skilled at painting.

Later, when Hui Chong's painting was praised by Ouyang Xiu and others, Su Shi even wrote a poem on it, which reads: "Two or three peach blossoms outside the bamboo, the ducks are the first to know when the spring river warms." This poem has been passed down through the ages.

"However, he has been dead for ten years."

Zhao Zhen nodded. For Buddhists like them, it was indeed a premature death, but for ordinary people, it was considered a long life.

Song Xuan, however, went straight to the point:

"Master Huihai, is it really up to you to make decisions about the Great Xiangguo Temple?"

“This is how it is presented to outsiders, Benefactor Song.”

The Venerable Master Huihai chanted another Buddhist prayer.

"In that case, there's no problem."

Song Xuan closed the ledger: "Master, do you know why I invited you here?"

"This old monk does have some clues."

Huihai opened his eyes and looked at Song Xuan: "Benefactor Song, money is just an external thing, why are you pressuring people like this?"

"This is not something I can decide."

Song Xuan stood up and took a few steps:

“Some things are things that someone wants you to do, just like how the master claimed to be able to control the Daxiangguo Temple.”

Huihai understood, and he sighed softly.

Is the imperial court about to repeat the same old mistakes made against monks?
However, this is inevitable.

Although he was powerless to change the situation at Daxiangguo Temple, he had heard about it.

He understood what Song Xuan had said.

“Benefactor Song, if there is no room for maneuver in this matter, this old monk cannot make the decision.”

"Can the abbot outside make the decision?"

"Ziyuan?" Huihai shook his head and then nodded:

"Many things are decided by the few of them through discussion. They can do it, but only a little bit."

"Someone, please invite the abbot in."

"Yes."

"This humble monk, Ziyuan, greets the top scholar, Song."

Ziyuan smiled, but he was a little uneasy, not knowing what his master had said.

"Is the Great Xiangguo Temple under your jurisdiction?"

"In reply to Scholar Song, all matters, big and small, within the temple are decided by my master, and we fellow disciples all obey him."

"Alright." Song Xuan watched them pass the buck: "Where are the accounts for the monastic fees of the Great Xiangguo Temple?"

"this?"

Ziyuan glanced up at the abbot and said, "I am in the abbot's room."

"Okay."

Song Xuan shouted, telling Ban Feng to bring back the monastic account books of Daxiangguo Temple.

Let's check the accounts one by one and investigate the past misappropriation issues.

The funds for the permanent residence of temples are generally allocated by the government and are theoretically considered semi-public property. The abbot has no right to misappropriate them and must report to the government before using the money.

The abbot Ziyuan couldn't hold back any longer; he realized that Song Xuan was truly a stickler for details.

"I wonder what Scholar Song is thinking?"

Abbot Ziyuan quickly spoke up, "This humble monk does not know the purpose of being summoned here?"

"It's nothing, just checking the accounts."

Song Xuan then sat down on the recliner:
“Master Ziyuan, please sit down and wait patiently. We are not in a hurry. We can discuss other matters after the accounts of Daxiangguo Temple arrive.”

There are no accounts for resident funds.

But the money had already been misappropriated, and Song Xuan refused to reveal why.

Therefore, Ziyuan could only speculate that it involved lending.

One was that the Imperial City Guard arrested Liao spies and took away all the account books.

Another issue is that the Imperial Guards have come to borrow money on a large scale. Yesterday, the Great Xiangguo Temple said it could not lend money, but today they have been invited to come to its door.

If these things are not connected, who could believe it?
So, Abbot Ziyuan was in a dilemma. Even if he threw everything onto the abbot, the abbot knew nothing about it and would eventually be exposed.

Fine beads of sweat were already dripping from his smooth forehead.

For a moment, he didn't know how to deal with Song Xuan.

Who can withstand an audit?

In order to collect taxes, the government officials have a group of skilled people who are good at auditing accounts.

"Scholar Song, the accounts have been neglected for years, and I'm afraid we won't be able to find anything wrong."

The Venerable Master Ziyuan wiped the sweat from his brow:
"If there is anything you need to investigate, please tell me, Scholar Song. I will go back and discuss it with my fellow disciples. In any case, I will be able to satisfy you."

"Hey, don't say that."

Song Xuan reached out to stop him, saying:

"I'm just following orders, why should they meet my demands?"

"Following orders?"

The abbot Ziyuan suddenly couldn't hold back anymore.

I used to have a bit of wishful thinking, but now that I've received a definite answer, I feel utterly disheartened.

Song Xuan was acting under orders, certainly not on the orders of his father-in-law.

His father-in-law didn't have the ability to mobilize so many people to cooperate with him and cause such a big commotion.

No one in the court impeached him, not even the prime ministers.

Zhao Zhen, standing to the side, understood that the old monk was in a similar situation to himself.

He has no control over this kind of thing, and he'll end up taking the blame.

"Correct."

Song Xuan lay on the recliner with his eyes closed: "I'm following orders."

The Venerable Master Ziyuan swallowed hard, looking at the old abbot with a pleading expression, hoping he could give him an explanation.

Huihai could only ask, "I wonder what you are doing under orders, Benefactor Song?"

"The main purpose is to find out whether they are hiding deserters or thieves, concealing stolen goods, colluding with the people of Wuyou Cave who have been forced to ruin their families, and owing taxes."

"Injustice!"

Abbot Ziyuan quickly said, "Scholar Song, our Great Xiangguo Temple has never done any of these things!"

"So sure?"

Song Xuan opened his eyes and glanced at him:
"I've heard that the Imperial City Guard's spies investigating the Khitans have found your temple's loan sharking records. I'm afraid that's true."

Song Xuan's words made the abbot Ziyuan immediately uneasy.

The matter is now clear.

It was all caused by loan sharking.

Since the authorities say you're colluding, then you're colluding. It won't take them too much effort to deal with you.

A mere county magistrate could accomplish this; there was no need for higher-level officials.

The people above are best handled by Song Xuan.

After a moment of deep thought, Abbot Ziyuan finally spoke, "This."

Is this also a rumor?

Upon hearing Song Xuan's question, Abbot Ziyuan pursed his lips; he dared not lie here.

Since they've already mentioned it, they must have some connections to get those accounts.

It's much better for those accounts to fall into the hands of the Imperial City Guard than to fall into the hands of this local tyrant.

Otherwise, Song Xuan would have checked the accounts one by one and canceled all their ordination certificates.

"I wonder what Scholar Song intends to do?"

Abbot Ziyuan gritted his teeth and said, "If this can be resolved smoothly, I will definitely cooperate fully with Scholar Song."

“I don’t want to get involved in this kind of thing either, but…” Song Xuan pointed to the roof above:
"Some people believe that temples in Beijing are accumulating wealth, ignoring the national crisis, and have no bottom line. That is extremely inappropriate."

"So you should lend this money if you need to!"

Although Abbot Ziyuan claimed to be raising funds, he actually had the money.

But who would be willing to lend money that can't be recovered?

"Borrow, borrow, borrow!"

Abbot Ziyuan readily agreed.

He finally realized what it felt like to be at the mercy of others, a feeling he used to quite enjoy.

Only today, when it was served, did he realize how painful it was.

But we have no choice but to accept it.

The Empress Dowager has spoken.

If you dare refuse, she's far more unreasonable than an emperor.

In addition, although the Empress Dowager was a devout Buddhist, she also built the first temple in the Song Dynasty in the south because of her benefactor from her early years.

Although Daxiangguo Temple was also a royal temple, it couldn't compare.

It's either death or accepting being slowly but surely cut with a dull knife.

There is no other way.

"Now that Master Ziyuan has raised the funds, I have an explanation to give to my superiors."

Song Xuan stretched out his hand and said, "I won't keep Master Ziyuan from studying Buddhism any longer."

At this moment, Abbot Huihai suddenly spoke up:

“Benefactor Song, I see that you have an understanding of Buddhism. I can give you a verse.”

"Oh, I'd love to hear the details."

Huihai recited a Buddhist chant before speaking:

"Remember what should be remembered, forget what should be forgotten, change what can be changed, accept what cannot be accepted, and don't be a fool."

"Thank you, I won't see you out."

With a smile on his face, Song Xuan then gestured for Ziyuan to help his master away.

Abbot Ziyuan quickly spoke up again: "Scholar Song, what about the accounts for the monastery's monastery fees?"

"Don't worry, County Lieutenant Ban hasn't left the county office. You can leave on your own."

"Thank you, thank you very much."

The abbot Ziyuan, disregarding Song Xuan's scheming, quickly helped his master away.

"Twelfth Brother, what did the old abbot mean by that?"

"It wasn't meant for the two of us, it was for his disciple. But seeing how fat and bloated his disciple is, he's long since abandoned Buddhism."

Song Xuan sat up and chuckled:
"You don't need to care what he said; what matters most is what they do."

"If someone who experienced the persecution of Buddhism by Emperor Shizong could not control his own disciples, it was due to his own incompetence and indulgence."

"It's still uncertain who's scheming against whom."

"this?"

Zhao Zhen had not expected that Song Xuan could see so much.

And they were not influenced by that person who was so profound in Buddhism.

"Sixth Brother, remember this: the highest level of Buddhism is to prove that there is no such thing as Buddha. All other methods are just to confuse you and make you think that what he says makes sense."

"It's not that they convinced you with Buddhist teachings, but that you convinced yourself and then believed that what they said about Buddhism was correct."

"These so-called Zen sayings are just a means to make you find validation in yourself and to bewitch people."

Zhao Zhen was taken aback.

He discovered that his twelfth brother neither believed in gods nor Buddhas.

Upon careful consideration, Zhao Zhen still couldn't fully grasp the meaning behind his twelfth brother's words.

He did not receive that kind of education.

So even if he has personally experienced some of these things, he may still make the same mistakes next time.

Ziyuan helped Huihai into the donkey cart, his face looking very embarrassed.

"Master, it looks like our Great Xiangguo Temple is going bankrupt."

Huihai sat on the futon: "You all know how much money the Great Xiangguo Temple has made over the years. I've said it before."

“You still dare to harbor wishful thinking, believing that the imperial power will yield to you.”

"Not to mention their close interactions with monks from the Liao Kingdom, they are really going further and further down the path of self-destruction."

“I’m getting old, and you’ve all grown up. If you keep acting like this, do you think the Imperial City Guard will only investigate the Great Xiangguo Temple?”

Upon hearing his master's reminder, Abbot Ziyuan's expression became even more uncertain.

The Great Xiangguo Temple alone is a mess, and if the investigation goes back to the individuals involved, it could lead to even greater trouble.

“Master Song doesn’t want to do this, but he has no choice. You’d better do as he says, otherwise he will take this matter seriously, and that will be your doom.”

Abbot Huihai finished speaking, then closed his eyes and stopped looking at the outside world.

Ziyuan felt annoyed. He lifted the carriage curtain and saw Master Zhichang of Kaibao Temple crying as he cleaned up the mud.

This situation sent a chill down Ziyuan's spine.

Having lived a life of luxury for so many years, with servants attending to his every need, he would absolutely refuse to do such hard and dirty work.

The abbot Ziyuan quickly lowered the carriage curtain, saying that he should let go of the matter of lending money after returning home.

Just consider it a loss in the transaction; otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The lending business of Daxiangguo Temple has resumed smoothly.

The people of Tokyo had to admit that the Great Xiangguo Temple was the number one commercial center in the Song Dynasty, and it was quick to raise funds.

Compared to the rest of the people in Dongjing City, the people in the county government office were overjoyed.

The sixth-ranking staff weren't in a hurry to collect their money; these internal staff members had to wait their turn.

Following Song Xuan's instructions, they first distributed items to the yamen runners, constables, and patrol officers.

Song Xuan sat under the shade of a tree, but he did not personally distribute the money. Instead, he had Wang Bao, Xu Xianchun, and several clerks do it for him, and he refused to let the officials interfere.

After everyone lined up and received their heavy satchels and a pot of wine, they quickly bowed to Song Xuan.

Song Xuan nodded, not caring about such things; he just enjoyed watching others receive money.

As for the behind-the-scenes comparisons and competition, he can't control that, since there are rules for distributing subsidies anyway.

Zhao Zhen sat to the side, extremely envious of Song Xuan's behavior.

If they were to adopt the same attitude after assuming personal rule...

Let them know who issued the money, so they can do their job properly for me.

Every time Zhao Zhen studied under Song Xuan, he felt that his abilities improved.

It's not about being told what to do by others, but about real experience, even how to handle things.

That way, when he is in power in the future, he won't be led by the nose by his subordinates.

Although Yang Huaimin did not know how Song Xuan had made this happen, it was accomplished in just one night.

He quickly reported the good news to Liu E.

The Daxiangguo Temple has now resumed lending services to soldiers of the Imperial Guard.

"Okay."

Liu E had thought that Song Xuan could resolve the matter, but she did not expect him to resolve it so quickly.

It seems that the name of this "Standing Earth God" has some prestige in Tokyo.

Do you know how he handled it?

"Your Majesty, I am not aware of the details. I only heard that today someone invited the abbot and head monk of the Great Xiangguo Temple to the government office for a chat. After they returned, they announced that the funds had been raised."

Yang Huaimin smiled and said, "The other two temples followed suit and no longer dared to make any excuses."

A smile appeared on Liu E's lips.

Song Xuan did a great job!
Without spending a single penny, she once again won over the hearts of the Imperial Guards; consider it an early Mid-Autumn Festival bonus.

This matter was handled in a way that truly understood Liu E's mind.

Most importantly, Liu Congde and Zhao Zhen had made advance preparations, stipulating that the interest rates for lending money to these temples should not exceed a certain limit.

Looking back now, it's likely that Song Xuan was behind this whole thing.

Liu E was not stupid; she was quite pleased with Song Xuan's actions.

It was nothing more than letting the Imperial Guards make a fortune and, incidentally, settle his father-in-law's loan shark debts.

Then the imperial court issued another policy to restrict the usurious interest rates of temples, and all interest rates that exceeded a certain limit were abolished.

The profits of Daxiangguo Temple and other temples over the past two or three years have all been lost.

Even the annual profit of Daxiangguo Temple is less than that.

A situation of huge victory.

Liu E stopped in her tracks: "If we don't reward him openly, what do you suggest we reward him secretly?"

Yang Huaimin knew that the Empress Dowager was truly pleased, and he quickly put on a smile and said, "I can't think of any reward for you right now."

Although Madam Lin had a smile on her face, her expression was actually very forced.

People like them have to be happy if the Empress Dowager is happy, and unhappy if she is unhappy.

The main point is that one must not have one's own emotions, but must prioritize the emotions of the Empress Dowager.

When they had any bad feelings, they would go outside the palace and vent them on people who were weaker than themselves.

Liu E smiled at the group of people and said:
"Think about it, how well did Scholar Song handle this matter? He accomplished it without costing the court a single penny. He deserves some reward."

Yang Huaimin felt that there was no need to bestow gold, silver and jewelry upon Song Xuan.

The top scholar Song Dynasty scholar offered gold leaves and even made merchants in Kaifeng County pay their back taxes.

I heard that the cellar where they hid their money was overflowing, so they must not care much about money.

At his age, he is already the magistrate of the county, a position that is truly rare.

"Your Majesty, I can't think of anything either."

Liu E was simply happy; she still didn't know what Song Xuan's preferences were.

"Go and subtly inquire about what Scholar Song likes."

"Yes."

Yang Huaimin readily agreed, believing that Song Xuan's good work would further strengthen their relationship.

"Your Majesty, it's getting darker today. Would you like to have your meal?" Madam Lin reminded her from the side.

"it is good."

Just then, a palace maid came looking for Madam Lin. Upon hearing this, Madam Lin became so agitated that she collapsed to the ground.

"What happened?"

Liu E had never seen her so out of control.

Mrs. Lin collapsed to the ground, panicked, and said:
"Your Majesty, my son Lin Zhongrong has been kidnapped."

"Tied?"

Yang Huaimin gave her a meaningful look. Was she about to play the victim?
(End of this chapter)