A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 363 I think of happy things

This happened suddenly.

However, Yang Huaimin and the others didn't care.

Losing face in Tokyo is perfectly normal.

Especially with the existence of the Worry-Free Cave, even members of the royal family could be abducted, let alone others.

"Madam Lin, please don't worry too much. How could she have been kidnapped?"

Ren Shouzhong comforted him from the side:

"Young Master Lin is not a three-year-old child. How could he be so easily fooled? Perhaps he had been drinking and didn't come home on time."

"Yes, don't easily believe what others say."

Yang Huaimin offered some words of comfort.

Mrs. Lin raised her head, "It's not your son who's being emotionally manipulated."

I almost forgot.

You bunch of eunuchs can't produce any sons either.

Over the years, for the sake of her "career," Madam Lin, although sharing a room with Lin Kun, has not been able to bear any more children.

Because once she becomes pregnant, she will not be able to serve the Empress Dowager at all times, and she will not have the opportunity to come back even if she wants to.

Moreover, the Empress Dowager never had any children in her life, but the people who served her had children. Wasn't that just making trouble for the Empress Dowager?
So Madam Lin really only had one son, Lin Zhongrong, and her daughter had long since married someone else.

How could she not be worried?
Liu E waved her hand:
“This matter is of utmost importance. The Worry-Free Cave is becoming increasingly rampant, and it is time to send Song Xuan to wipe them out.”

"Yang Huaimin, take Madam Lin to the Kaifeng County government office to report the case and mobilize the constables to find that brat Lin Zhongrong."

"If he was drunk and didn't go home, it's better to be a false alarm than to be thrown into a dark and hopeless prison."

"Yes."

Yang Huaimin quickly responded, then helped Lin Rong, who had collapsed to the ground, to her feet with a smile on her face:

"Madam Lin, we should not delay any longer and should head to Kaifeng Prefecture."

The top scholar of the Song Dynasty was known for arriving late and leaving early; he would have been long gone from the county office by this time.

It would be better to go directly to the Kaifeng government office; perhaps someone will be on duty there.

With more users, searching becomes easier.

With only the limited manpower of the county government, if they were sent into the capital city, they would have nothing left.

Madam Lin spoke up:

"The eldest lady said she was going to the Kaifeng County government office to find Song Xuan, not the Kaifeng Prefecture government office."

Yang Huaimin stopped trying to persuade him.

Since it wasn't her own son who was kidnapped, the woman wasn't in a hurry.

It looks like a self-directed and self-acted ploy.

After watching the two of them leave, Liu E was also deep in thought.

Whether Lin Zhongrong was kidnapped or not, let Song Xuan make his own judgment first.

As for Chen Yaozuo, the Prefect of Kaifeng, he is still living at home.

Madam Lin, accompanied by her servants and Yang Huaimin, headed straight for the Kaifeng County Government Office.

She had always suspected that Song Xuan had learned something from the suppression of the No-Life Society.

After all, Pan Cheng was only a subordinate of Song Xuan's father-in-law, so it was perfectly normal for Song Xuan to act as a go-between.

By the time they arrived, the gates of the Kaifeng County government office were already closed.

After all, Song Xuan gave out Mid-Autumn Festival benefits early today.

Apart from a few who stayed behind, the rest had already taken their money home to enjoy themselves.

Snowflake wine is a rare treat, and even if my family members don't drink, they can still have a taste.

Or a few people would get together and go to a foot massage parlor to eat and drink.

Yang Huaimin sat inside the carriage, lifted the curtain, and looked at the tightly closed gates of the Kaifeng County Government Office, a smile playing on his lips.

Given the large amount of money the county government had stockpiled, Song Xuan wouldn't leave the gates wide open to prevent unauthorized individuals from sneaking in.

The servant went to knock on the door.

After knocking for a long time without anyone answering the door, Madam Lin became increasingly irritable.

Her husband, Lin Kun, is imprisoned in Kaifeng County, and her son has gone missing within Kaifeng County.

Madam Lin was extremely annoyed as she listened to the knocking at the Kaifeng County Government Office.

Now she even suspects that Song Xuan is deliberately targeting her!
Yang Huaimin chuckled a few times:
“Madam Lin, let’s go to the Kaifeng government office. I heard that the top scholar Song gave out Mid-Autumn Festival benefits early today, including Snowflake wine. These yamen runners are probably already dead drunk.”

Yang Huaimin offered no words of comfort; instead, he added fuel to the fire.

"Then wake them all up."

Yang Huaimin just smiled, having previously thought that the shameless woman surnamed Lin had some brains.

Seeing her so angry and flustered, speaking without thinking, makes me want to laugh even more.

You, a female official serving a high-ranking official, still want to use your power to force people to help you find your biological son?
Not to mention that there are absolutely no clues at this late hour, and they're sleeping outside, there's nothing you can do.

If the top scholar of the Song Dynasty doesn't pay attention to you, there's nothing you can do.

It seems she really hasn't had much interaction with officials.

There will be times when you feel frustrated and aggrieved.

Yang Huaimin's eyes and brows always had a smile on them.

Although a smile is meant to show kindness, everyone who sees his smile finds it sinister.

Mrs. Lin felt the same way.

She became increasingly convinced that Yang Huaimin was there to make a fool of herself.

So she got out of the car, picked up the drumsticks, and struck the grievance drum.

dong dong dong.

After a while, Guo En, holding a long stick, spoke from inside the door: "What is this drumming for?"

"I am a lady-in-waiting to the Empress Dowager, and I have come to report a case."

Guo En was taken aback when he heard this number.

Since she is a female official serving the Empress Dowager, how could she come to this small county government office to report a case?
This is obviously not normal.

Guo En was still pondering when he heard a woman's angry voice shout:
"Open the door immediately."

Then he left.

They're obviously here to cause trouble.

He then went to his master, Sang Yi, and told him about it.

No need, ignore it.

Sang Yi knew that many yamen runners had received Snowflake Wine, which was precisely when the county yamen's guards were lax.

Now that something has suddenly happened, and it's a female official serving the Empress Dowager, there's clearly a trap ahead.

They wanted to trick them into going out to do something, so that they could cooperate with the people from Wuyou Cave to steal money.

Normally, Song Dynasty officials could leave work around noon, and in principle, they did not need to handle routine government affairs in the afternoon.

Of course, in case of emergencies, such as civil lawsuits or disasters, one must be on duty even in the middle of the night.

The remaining tasks were usually handled by clerks and lower-level officials.

After informing his master Sang Yi, Guo En took his long staff and went out to continue his patrol.

Mrs. Lin had been looking forward to giving them a good scolding as soon as they opened the door.

As a result, she was furious outside the door, but no one opened it for her.

Enraged, Madam Lin pounded on the wooden door in a fit of rage.

But it hurt so much that she screamed and cried out.

Yang Huaimin couldn't help but laugh out loud in the carriage.

"Hahaha, you stupid woman."

Yang Huaimin then lowered the curtain, and Kuku burst out laughing.

Madam Lin went completely berserk, angrily yanking open the curtain and glaring at Yang Huaimin, who was smiling.

"Mrs. Lin, as you know, I've always loved to laugh."

Yang Huaimin explained in a serious tone, "I'm definitely not laughing at you."

"Humph."

"We couldn't get through to the Kaifeng County government office."

Madam Lin said fiercely, "I don't believe we can't get Song Xuan to open the door."

"Hahaha."

Yang Huaimin clapped his hands and laughed.

Having suffered a loss here, do you really think you can gain an advantage from Song Xuan?

If you, you stinking woman, really could have gotten away with this, you wouldn't have willingly given up your share of the losses and left Fanlou, and you wouldn't have obediently gone to pay the fine.

It seems you still don't care about your son's life; instead, you're using this as an excuse to vent your own dissatisfaction.

Seeing Madam Lin's irrational behavior, Yang Huaimin felt even more strongly that her son's disappearance and kidnapping was a self-directed and self-acted scheme.

A normal person should prioritize finding their son, not venting their anger on officials.

Even if we find Song Xuan, what difference will it make?

I had warned her long ago, but she didn't appreciate my good intentions.

Yang Huaimin remained silent, waiting to see what tricks Lin Rong, that vile woman, would pull.

Even if a horse-drawn carriage wanted to travel fast through the streets of Tokyo, it couldn't go very fast.

After Madam Lin scolded them several times, they finally arrived at the door of the house Song Xuan was renting.

Mrs. Lin had been holding back her anger for a long time. She got out of the car and went up to knock on the door knocker.

It's hot at this time of day, so I haven't gone to sleep.

Song Xuan is still practicing martial arts in the backyard to keep his skills sharp.

The old servant didn't rush to speak; the knocking on the door was so intense that he wondered who it was.

Who is visiting so late at night?

"I am Lin Rong, a lady-in-waiting to the Empress Dowager. I have been ordered to find Song Xuan. Open the door immediately."

The old servant had served Cao Yongli for many years, and even Cao's descendants respected him greatly.

Cao Liyong sent him over to shield Song Xuan from trouble.

After all, the waters in Tokyo run very deep.

"Please wait a moment, Madam Lin. I'll go check if my young master is asleep."

"Even if he's asleep, wake him up."

Madam Lin stood outside the door and shouted angrily.

The old servant felt that Madam Lin outside the door was harboring too much anger, and was probably not just a simple visitor.

So he told the gatekeepers not to open the gate.

Although Zhang Fangping wasn't good at martial arts, he still practiced and dabbled on the sidelines.

After working up a sweat, taking a shower and going to bed is extremely comfortable.

Song Xuan listened to the old servant's report while wiping his sweat.

"What does that woman surnamed Lin want with me?"

Song Xuan narrowed her eyes slightly; it was Liu E who sent her.

Something's definitely not right here.

If Empress Liu E sent someone to deliver a message, it would always be a eunuch, which is the normal procedure.

Does a female official want to do things? Does she want to emulate Shangguan Wan'er and become a female official in the Wu Zhou dynasty?

Who gave her the courage?

"Twelfth Brother, judging from what she said, it doesn't seem like a good thing."

“I, Song Xuan, am a civil official of the Great Song Dynasty. How could I possibly have a secret rendezvous with a female official serving the Empress Dowager at night? What kind of reputation would that make if word got out?”

Song Xuan threw the towel aside: "She doesn't care, but I think it's shabby!"

"If you don't want to see her, just tell her I'm asleep."

"what?"

The old servant was somewhat surprised: "Young master, what is this?"

"You should say it like this. If she understands, she will leave. If she doesn't understand, she can stay outside the door. As for damaging the door or anything like that, Uncle Zhang will handle it with her."

"Yes."

So the old servant hurried back and said through the courtyard gate:
"So that Madam Lin may know, my young master said he is already asleep."

He said he was already asleep!

Mrs. Lin repeated the answer through gritted teeth, her voice suddenly rising.

"That is indeed the case. I hope Madam Lin will take care of herself!"

"Do I still have any self-respect?"

Mrs. Lin's anger was about to be ignited.

"My young master is young, handsome and dashing, and famous throughout the capital. It is inconvenient for him to meet with female guests late at night, so as not to cause misunderstandings."

The old servant's finishing blow.

Madam Lin was so angry that her scalp tingled; she was practically bursting with rage.

"Hahaha."

Even Yang Huaimin, who was watching the melon seeds while lifting the carriage curtain, couldn't help but burst into laughter.

He laughed so hard he couldn't catch his breath and collapsed inside the carriage.

Even so, Kuku's snickering could still be heard from inside the carriage.

Yang Huaimin tried to suppress his emotions, but he just couldn't control them.

I almost laughed myself to death.

The sounds coming from inside the carriage enraged Madam Lin, who kicked the door in anger.

She let out a scream and fell to the ground in pain.

Several servants hurriedly helped her up.

Mrs. Lin felt a piercing pain in her big toe and was covered in cold sweat.

Then she was helped into the carriage, and Yang Huaimin tried hard to keep her mouth shut and not laugh out loud.

Mrs. Lin kept a straight face, but then she felt a piercing pain in her foot.

What are you laughing at?

"Mrs. Lin, I just remembered something happy."

Mrs. Lin glared at him.

Yang Huaimin made two "kuku" sounds, barely suppressing his laughter:
"It's true, my brother had a baby."

Upon hearing this answer, Madam Lin wailed again until tears streamed down her face.

She started crying and sobbing in the carriage, yelling that everyone was bullying her.

They all bully me.

Yang Huaimin felt no pity whatsoever for Madam Lin's weeping and wailing.

That foolish woman has brought this upon herself; she has only herself to blame.

If they had gone directly to the Kaifeng government office, they wouldn't have encountered such a rebuff.

Anyway, Yang Huaimin wasn't in a hurry, so he closed his eyes and rested in the carriage.
She's been directing and acting all this time, and she really doesn't care about her son's life at all.

Otherwise, a normal mother would naturally seize what she should seize.

Instead of risking his own son's life, he chose to get angry with someone unimportant.

Song Xuan threw away the towel in his hand, feeling somewhat confused.

What brought Madam Lin here?
As per Yang Huaimin's request, he had already resolved the issue of the three temples refusing to continue lending money.

This matter has been resolved satisfactorily.

Therefore, Liu E didn't need to send someone to her home late at night to look for her, especially since she was a female official.

Once the door is opened, trouble is sure to follow.

There was absolutely no way Song Xuan would open the door.

"Twelfth Brother, this woman is a problem."

Zhang Fangping also sat to the side wiping his sweat:
"If she is indeed just using someone else's power to intimidate others, it's best to find out what she's up to beforehand, so that we can be fully prepared."

Song Xuan hummed in agreement, then spoke:

"Xu Xianchun, go and follow them for a bit, and see where they go next."

"Yes."

After wiping away his sweat, Hsu Hsien-chun put on a short jacket and went straight to the front yard.

"Nothing good can come of it."

Zhang Fangping, who worked in the palace, had also heard of Madam Lin's reputation.

"It's alright, I should wash up and go to sleep soon. I'll have plenty of time to do things when I wake up tomorrow."

Song Xuan stood up and strolled around for a few steps:
"A servant of a high-ranking official can't cause any trouble in the capital city of Tokyo."

"That's true."

Zhang Fangping smiled; he hadn't been confident enough before.

However, after becoming an official, he paid less attention to the servants around the powerful and wealthy.

They are all vines, and it's common for them to be thrown out by their owners.

Even those close to the Empress Dowager will eventually be purged.

Song Xuan then instructed the old servant to send someone to keep watch until Xu Xianchun returned. As long as it wasn't about rebellion, they could discuss it again tomorrow morning.

"Here."

Song Xuan went to wash and rinse, and he was quite pleased with himself.

Xu Xianchun climbed the ladder and looked outside. The carriage hadn't left yet, and he didn't know how long it would stay. So he climbed down and waited.

Yang Huaimin, standing outside, didn't try to dissuade her; he just waited to see what kind of show Lin Rong, that vile woman, would put on next.

The next day, while Song Xuan was having breakfast, Xu Xianchun said that Madam Lin's son had been kidnapped.

How old is her son?

"She's in her twenties."

Song Xuan raised an eyebrow: "To be kidnapped at such an advanced age, and to need seven or eight attendants when going out, is questionable."

"Twelfth Brother, is it the Worry-Free Cave?"

Zhang Fangping felt that the people from Wuyou Cave were elusive and might be testing Madam Lin because they felt she had lost power.

"Worry-Free Cave?"

Song Xuan took a sip of sweet soy milk: "Maybe, who knows? Anyway, the case didn't fall on my shoulders."

"I reckon she just wants to get Twelfth Brother to handle this."

After Zhang Fangping finished speaking, he was stunned: "Could it be that she thinks that Twelfth Brother did this, which is why she came to block the door in the middle of the night?"

"good."

Song Xuan suddenly realized what was going on:

"It's precisely because she wanted to target me like this that when something happened, I became the first suspect!"

"Twelfth brother."

Zhang Fangping also squinted slightly:

"In that case, you should take over this case. How to find the person and when to find them are up to you."

"Let me see." Song Xuan put down the porcelain bowl.
"After all, rushing in won't make a sale; it will only give people something to talk about. They've already gone to the Kaifeng Prefecture to report the case, so how can it be my turn to take charge?"

Zhang Fangping nodded in agreement. If Madam Lin's son had indeed been kidnapped by Wuyou Cave, that would be quite interesting.

Song Xuan heard that Wuyou Cave only kidnapped children for easy trafficking.

Kidnapping an adult, do they really want a ransom?
When the time comes, they'll have laid a tight net, and with fewer people, they won't have much strength left to move the gold.

Unless they are actually placed in the underground passages of Kaifeng, they can escape the government's encirclement and suppression.

After finishing his meal, Song Xuan practiced archery to maintain his skill.

He waited until the weather got warmer before mounting his horse and heading out.

Ban Feng and the others outside had been waiting for a long time. However, there were no people who had drunk the Snowflake Wine at the time, and they planned to enjoy it on the actual day of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Just like eating, you should save the best food for last, as it makes it easier to feel happy and relaxed.

When they arrived at the county government office, Zhao Zhen was already seated, helping Song Xuan with official business.

When Guo En learned that Song Xuan had arrived, he rushed over to report on what had happened the previous night.

Someone impersonating a servant of the Empress Dowager not only kicked down the door but also banged on the grievance drum, trying every means to get in. He and his master suspected that someone was deliberately causing trouble, taking advantage of the vacant county government offices, or perhaps they were certain that many people were spending their days drinking.

Song Xuan praised Guo En, saying that he was indeed vigilant and deserved encouragement.

He summoned Yu Gao and asked him to give Guo En, Sang Yi, and the other night watchmen credit for their cleverness in dealing with someone who had impersonated them to rob them the previous night.

Yu Gao quickly agreed, indicating that he understood and would go to record it.

Guo En, on the other hand, seemed embarrassed and quickly said no.

"Guo En, remember this: once you join the Imperial Guard, even if you only become a squad leader, you must be fair in rewarding and punishing. You must never fail to reward merit or punish wrongdoing."

"Otherwise, the army will be rotten to the core and completely lack discipline."

"Yes, sir, I understand."

"Ah."

Song Xuan patted Guo En on the shoulder encouragingly, which Guo En appreciated.

He was radiating an aura of certain success, and went to report to his master, Sang Yi.

"Twelfth Brother, do you really know anything about the military?"

Zhao Zhen said in a low voice, "I really want to take this opportunity to recruit about a thousand personal guards. Could you help me train them?"

"I'll train you?"

Song Xuan rolled his eyes:
"Sixth Brother, even if you trust me."

"But after all, there is a difference between us as ruler and subject, and I, as a subject, cannot overstep my bounds."

"Huh?" Zhao Zhen was momentarily confused: "Twelfth Brother, what does this have to do with anything?"

"Of course it's related. I'm just a subject, and although I'm only a seventh-rank county magistrate now, I have the opportunity to become prime minister in the future. I'm also involved with the emperor's personal guard. I don't want my entire family to be involved."

Song Xuan pointed to his nose and said:
"Why would I, Song Twelve, invite trouble and become like Yi Yin or Huo Guang?"

Zhao Zhen was somewhat amused and exasperated; he hadn't really thought that far ahead.

However, Yi Yin and Huo Guang were also loyal to their respective courts.

However, Huo Guang's family members were so stupid that no one could carry them.

"Twelfth Brother, I trust you completely."

"Of course, I have complete confidence in myself."

Zhao Zhen smiled knowingly, knowing that Song Xuan was extremely sensible.

To have such a virtuous minister as my own is truly my great fortune.

Even now, we still need to endure humiliation and lie low.

But there is great hope for the future.

Song Xuan then lay back down on the recliner:

"Sixth Brother, you should just focus on handling the county's affairs and accumulate experience."

"Don't underestimate the power of a county. Everyone says that the talent of a county is enough to govern the country and bring peace to the people."

"Everyone says that I, Song Xuan, am talented, but even a small county with tens of thousands of people cannot be governed by myself."

"Individual capable officials are no longer able to cope with the complexities of society. The Han dynasty's governance was characterized by simplicity, while the Song dynasty's governance was characterized by detail."

"Therefore, in Kaifeng County, I have gathered all these officials and yamen runners around me so that they can be used as my own arms."

"Even if there are spies from other forces mixed in, it doesn't matter to me. As long as most people can carry out my orders, that's fine."

"When you are in charge of government in the future, you will be able to use this skill to handle most of the government affairs. The rest will require more attention."

Zhao Zhen listened to Song Xuan's careful instruction, something that these empresses and some Confucian teachers had never taught him.

Otherwise, why would Zhao Zhen be willing to follow Song Xuan around?

Because you can actually learn some knowledge from it.

"What Twelfth Brother means is that I should be good at using people, instead of piling all the work on my own shoulders."

"of course."

Song Xuan felt that although Zhao Zhen was diligent in his duties, he could not compare to Zhu Yuanzhang, and he was not even as good as Emperor Chongzhen.

Even if Zhu Youjian was busy with pointless tasks, the memorials reported to him by his ministers were not entirely truthful.

But he can also control some ministers; at the very least, he can really kill them.

"Why are there so many prime ministers?"

Song Xuan leaned back in his recliner, closing his eyes to rest.
"Besides having to check and balance each other, it's also about truly sharing the burdens of the emperor. There are so many things to deal with in the world, and even if the emperor works day and night, he can't finish all the tasks."

Zhao Zhen nodded in deep agreement, because the Song Dynasty truly treated being emperor as a profession.

Like his father, although he also handled state affairs, most of them were handled by his capable subordinates.

"Yes, that's why the imperial court encourages the imperial examination system to select officials."

"Sixth Brother, from now on you must learn to look at things dialectically, instead of only seeing the advantages and ignoring the disadvantages."

Song Xuan did not teach him anything about the principle of "pacifying the country before resisting foreign aggression," as the emperor clearly understood this point.

"Officials selected through the imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty needed to be proficient in classics, history, philosophy, literature, policy essays, and poetry to pass the exams. However, most people lacked practical skills at the grassroots level, just like your current situation."

"Don't assume that just because I can govern well, others can too. After all, people like me are a minority."

Zhao Zhen smiled, wondering if his twelfth brother was praising himself.

The arrogance was not mixed with disdain; Zhao Zhen felt he couldn't even grasp this emotion.

"Okay, I'll remember that."

Zhao Zhen picked up the roster beside him, about to ask more questions, when Qi Lecheng spoke up from the doorway:

"My lord, Eunuch Yang from the palace is here again, waiting in the main hall."

"Invite him in."

Song Xuan switched places with Zhao Zhen and sat next to him.

Zhao Zhen went behind the screen.

Yang Huaimin watched a lot of jokes last night before finally returning to his home in Tokyo to sleep.

Having learned from his interactions with Song Xuan, he knew that arriving early was useless, so he timed his arrival precisely.

Yang Huaimin's family has two sets of clocks. One is a clepsydra, which is used in summer and autumn. It cannot be used in spring and winter because the water freezes. Burning fire will also cause the water to evaporate, making it even less accurate.

Another one is the incense burner bell, which is used for burning incense.

Not everyone can afford it.

In the Tang Dynasty, it was called the Five Auspicious Clouds, but it was not widely used in the Song Dynasty until the Southern Song Dynasty.

It was used only in the palace and by the powerful and wealthy, and scholars would occasionally use it as well. It was one of the four elegant instruments of the arts, and Su Dongpo even wrote an inscription for this kind of bell.

The five-wheeled hourglass, which is not afraid of winter, was invented in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties.

Yang Huaimin is a clock that likes burning incense.

Not only can it tell you the time, but it can also scent his clothes to mask any odor.

So every time Song Xuan saw him, he would let his nose adjust for a while.

"Eunuch Yang, please have a seat."

Song Xuan chuckled and poured him some tea, pushing it towards him: "You've got some free time again today?"

"Hey, what brings you here?"

Yang Huaimin sighed: "Scholar Song, you may not know this, but I've encountered a tough task."

"A tough job?"

Song Xuan picked up his teacup and smiled: "What kind of arduous task could it be that even Eunuch Yang finds so troublesome?"

"woman."

"A crazy and stupid woman."

"Empress Guo?" Song Xuan asked tentatively.

Yang Huaimin quickly waved his hand: "Oh, Scholar Song, you wouldn't dare to talk nonsense."

Although Empress Guo did indeed fit this description, Yang Huaimin dared not admit it.

"She's a crazy, stupid, and old woman."

He quickly patched it up.

"Mrs. Lin?"

"Yeah."

Upon hearing these three words, Yang Huaimin couldn't help but burst out laughing.

He recalled what had happened yesterday and recounted it to Song Xuan in vivid detail.

Song Xuan was also full of questions.

Behind the screen, Zhao Zhen forced himself to suppress his laughter, pinching his thigh to keep himself from bursting out laughing.

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan clapped his hands and laughed loudly:
"Eunuch Yang really didn't misjudge him. He's biting the hand that feeds him, not recognizing a kind heart."

"Yeah."

Yang Huaimin also clapped his hands and laughed. The Eight Immortals haven't even been formed yet, but this proverb has already appeared in Dream of the Red Chamber.

Many literate young women in the Song Dynasty knew this saying.

"However, Scholar Song, the Empress Dowager did indeed send her to you to report the case."

Yang Huaimin wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes. He was the first to share this with Song Xuan, and he still found it hilarious to think about it now.

"Luckily I didn't catch it."

Song Xuan suppressed his laughter, then snorted:
"She really was the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on me. Otherwise, why would she be the first to suspect me and stay at my doorstep?"

"Indeed, Scholar Song should be careful. The saying 'the most poisonous heart is a woman's' is not just nonsense from the ancient sages."

Yang Huaimin also took a sip of herbal tea:

"Moreover, this matter is too bizarre. I even suspect that she wanted to stage a self-inflicted injury in front of the Empress Dowager and deliberately had her son kidnapped. Perhaps she would eventually frame Song Zhuangyuan. We must be on guard."

"What Eunuch Yang said makes sense."

Song Xuan was also very uncertain:

"Mrs. Lin's behavior last night was not how a normal mother should behave upon learning that her child has been kidnapped."

"Ah."

Yang Huaimin responded, and then heard:
"My lord, there is a woman outside the county government office who claims to be Madam Lin, a lady-in-waiting of the Empress Dowager, and wants to report a case."

Song Xuan put down his teacup:
"I didn't expect her to arrive so quickly."

"Needless to say, they've come here to cause trouble."

Yang Huaimin delivered the message before her, so it was a valid message.

Song Xuan tapped his fingers on the table, contemplating whether or not to receive them.

"Since it's a police report, let's go to the front hall and have it heard."

Song Xuan stood up: "Eunuch Yang, please come with me, so that I can report this matter to the Empress Dowager later."

"As it should be."

Yang Huaimin stood up and followed Song Xuan.

Song Xuan fastened his official hat and went to the front hall.

"mighty."

The yamen runners, brandishing their water and fire sticks, effectively intimidated the yamen runners.

Madam Lin was sitting on a sedan chair, and her feet were already wrapped up.

The toenail has black marks and looks like it's going to fall off.

Looking at Song Xuan's businesslike manner, Madam Lin was even more furious.

The last time I gave him money, it wasn't a time when I needed to avoid people.

If I went to see him last night, I need to avoid being seen by others.

Such double standards really infuriated her.

His face was practically saturated with anger.

"Song Xuan, you've finally agreed to see me."

"Who is in the hall?"

Song Xuan slammed the gavel down with a loud crack:
"How dare you address me by my given name!"

If Madam Lin wasn't wearing the clothes of a lady, then she was just an ordinary person.

Although she didn't need to kneel, she still had to address him as "Master Song" to show that she knew proper etiquette.

Yang Huaimin's lips curled up. What do you mean by "civil official of the Song Dynasty"?
Do you really think they're just messing around with you?

If you want to fight them, first see if you have the ability.

Madam Lin was dumbfounded; she truly hadn't expected Song Xuan to have such a face.

His anger flared even more, and he glared at him directly.

She thought to herself that she was a lady-in-waiting serving the Empress Dowager, and that over the years, who would dare to disrespect her?

Song Xuan was the first one.

Madam Lin had never encountered such a disrespectful person before, which made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

Song Xuan wasn't going to tolerate her bad habits: "If you have something to say, then say it; if you don't, then leave. Don't you know that banging on the county government's grievance drum indiscriminately will get you held accountable?"

"you!"

When Madam Lin saw Yang Huaimin accompanying her, she was certain that Yang Huaimin had already told Song Xuan about the matter.

But Song Xuan pretended not to know.

"I'm here to report the crime."

"What case?"

"My son, Lin Zhongrong, has been kidnapped."

Song Xuan turned to look at Yu Gao beside him: "Have you memorized everything?"

"Yes, sir, I have written it all down."

"Ah."

Song Xuan then asked Madam Lin to describe in detail what her son had done about his disappearance.

There's nothing to hide; I'll tell you everything.

Madam Lin was unaware of the details and could only have her attendant repeat it.

Anyway, a few followers went with him to drink and carouse, but on the way they encountered a young woman who was not dressed very well running into an alley, and they followed her.

Then they were knocked unconscious, and when they woke up, they found that Lin Dalang was gone.

Therefore, it is suspected that the person was set up and kidnapped.

Song Xuan nodded; it did indeed fit the intention of the honey trap.

"Since the attendants woke up, they didn't even get a clear look at the kidnappers?"

"No."

"The perpetrator was masked, so it was impossible to see clearly."

"Did you receive a ransom note?"

Song Xuan gently tapped the gavel, signaling them to be quiet:
"Since it's a kidnapping for money, they'll definitely make you prepare money. Is someone at home guarding it?"

When Madam Lin saw that Song Xuan asked such detailed questions, she knew that he was not deliberately targeting her.

“There are people guarding the area. If any extortion letters are delivered, the county government will be notified to come and arrest them.”

Song Xuan stood up and looked at Madam Lin in front of him:

"Mrs. Lin, do you have any further requests?"

“We are now dealing with official business. If there is no such thing, then we must sign and affix our fingerprints to the confession.”

"I hope to find my son within three days, and that he will be unharmed."

“You can make a wish at Daxiangguo Temple.” Song Xuan looked through the petition: “They’re short of money for incense offerings lately, so I don’t have a wishing well here.”

Kuku.

Yang Huaimin laughed so hard he almost slipped off his chair.

The main problem is that this silk is just too smooth.

"You guys keep going, keep going."

Looking at Yang Huaimin's despicable behavior, Madam Lin felt extremely disgusted. Why did he have to get involved?

"The Empress Dowager knew long ago that Scholar Song was quite skilled at solving cases, so she specially assigned me to come here to report the case. It was already Scholar Song's fault that he did not accept the case last night."

"If you reject my request again today, I'm afraid I won't be able to explain it to the Empress Dowager."

"Ah."

Song Xuan instructed his men to take the confession to Madam Lin for her to sign and affix her fingerprint.
"There are so many cases in the world that need to be solved, do you expect me to solve them all?"

"Besides, this matter happened within Xiangfu County. If it weren't for the Empress Dowager's intervention, do you think I would have gotten involved?"

"Even if it were the prime minister in person, he wouldn't open the door for such a trivial matter if you disturbed him at night. Otherwise, how could you explain away the charge of me, Song Xuan, colluding with the eunuchs?"

“And another thing,” Song Xuan said, his tone slightly more forceful.
"Lin Rong, I only lost your composure because you were worried about your son. If you say anything to me again about relying on the Empress Dowager's power, I will definitely throw you out."

"Don't give me a way out; I don't know how to back down."

After finishing his sentence, Song Xuan left immediately.

Yang Huaimin looked at the astonished Lin Rong with amusement.

Today you've seen the true meaning of the "Standing Tai Sui" of Tokyo.

Do you really think that Scholar Song was good-tempered?

If that's your opinion, why don't you ask Chen Yaozuo, who's still lying in his hospital bed, what he thinks?

"Mrs. Lin, please go home and wait for news from the kidnappers. If you have any news, please let us know."

Yu Gao took the petition and asked Madam Lin to sign and affix her fingerprint; this was the formal procedure.

Lin Rong really didn't expect Song Xuan to be so disrespectful, or rather, she always felt that Song Xuan was disrespectful in the past, but this time it was because of the Empress Dowager's decree.

Shouldn't he obediently treat himself like royalty?
How dare Song Xuan!

"Madam Lin, the county government will issue a notice shortly."

Yu Gao explained very patiently:

"If you want Lin Dalang to be rescued as soon as possible, I wonder how much reward the Lin family is willing to offer?"

"What reward?"

Yu Gao, an experienced official, had a lot of experience with this kind of thing and gave Madam Lin another idea.

In short, it's about making thieves afraid to kill the hostage easily.

After all, the eldest son of the Lin family is already in his twenties, and he is not easy to control. If his value is not artificially increased, he may die without a burial place.

Yang Huaimin followed with small, quick steps:

"Scholar Song, Lin Rong has really lost her mind from following the Empress Dowager around. She doesn't know how the officialdom works. Please don't take it to heart, Scholar Song."

Song Xuan removed his official hat:
“Only those who have gradually risen to their current position, like Eunuch Yang, have some sense of propriety. People like Lin Rong, who are lucky and rise to the top in one step, only think that they are capable, not lucky.”

"Oh my, as expected of the top scholar Song, his words are always so insightful."

Yang Huaimin knew all too well how difficult it had been to climb to his current position.

Madam Lin was chosen by the Empress Dowager only because she needed to breastfeed the newborn prince.

That was around the time her daughter was born, which gave her the opportunity to stay by her side.

"Eunuch Yang should also know that, after all, I also got my position through examinations step by step, rather than by relying on hereditary privilege."

Song Xuan stopped and sighed:

"So I understand you. Only you know how much suffering you've endured; it's not something you can tell outsiders."

Upon hearing this, Yang Huaimin felt a lump in her throat and really wanted to cry.

Song Xuan is absolutely right!
From a lowly eunuch to his current position of power and influence, only he can truly understand the joys and sorrows he has experienced.

How could outsiders possibly understand?
Yang Huaimin took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears: "Scholar Song, do you think this matter might have been caused by that slut Lin Rong herself?"

"Judging from his expression just now, it seems like a real kidnapping case."

Song Xuan had a guess in his mind, thinking that it was the hairless tiger from the No Life Society who led the people to do it.

Anyway, the bait had already been laid out, but unexpectedly, the hairless tiger Ma Liu was a straightforward person who took revenge without delay.

Or perhaps he urgently needed a large sum of money to rebuild the No-Life Society in order to stabilize public sentiment.

"A real kidnapping?"

Yang Huaimin narrowed his eyes, making them even less noticeable.

"Could it have been prepared by the Worry-Free Cave?"

"Who knows."

Song Xuan stepped through the doorway:
"Anyway, it's not you or me who should be worried. Even if a lecherous playboy is found this time, he might not learn his lesson next time."

"Yes, yes, what Scholar Song said is right."

(End of this chapter)