A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 365 The Amnesty Approach is Great!
Song Xuan didn't believe a word of what the hairless tiger Ma Liu said.

If he hadn't been desperate and weighed the pros and cons, would he have chosen to come to the government to negotiate terms?

These are people who operate in the black market, especially "gang leaders" who have been entrenched in Tokyo for many years.

If he were truly a fool, he would have been replaced long ago.

How could they have survived to this day?
Song Xuan was too lazy to talk to him.

He was even less inclined to get involved in the Lin family's affairs.

That woman, who had been by Liu E's side for a long time, had developed abnormal logic in her thinking.

Song Xuan is a person who dislikes trouble.

Once trouble arises, he can't help but want to get rid of the person who caused it.

This is Tokyo.

With so many people and all sorts of people gathered here, there are no secrets that can be kept forever!

But Zhao Zhen felt differently.

It turns out that there really are people in the world who can win over others because of their personal charm.

Just like when Liu Bei was assassinated, the assassin told him the whole story.

I was destined to meet such a wise and virtuous minister!
A deep smile appeared in Zhao Zhen's eyes.

The hairless giant Ma Liu continued to explain:

"So I pretended to ask for a large sum of money in an attempt to persuade Lin Quan to quit, but he actually agreed without hesitation, which left me at a loss."

"Therefore, I sent someone to Tokyo to spread rumors that someone wanted to spend five hundred taels of gold to assassinate the top scholar Song."

Ma Liu raised his head:

"When Madam Lin saw that the news had leaked, she sent her steward Lin Quan back to tell me that the deal was canceled. While they were discussing it, the government troops suddenly attacked, destroyed my stronghold, and killed Lin Quan to silence him."

"The mastermind behind all of this is Madam Lin. Please, sir, see the truth."

"Mrs. Lin?"

Song Xuan leaned back in his chair, a look of doubt on his face:

"With Lin Quan dead, everything you say will come out of your mouth, and there will be no way to verify it now that you're dead."

"Even if I petition the Empress Dowager, you, as a witness, can recant your testimony. Why should I believe you?"

Ma Liu was indeed a little confused when Song Xuan asked him the question.

I thought I had come up with a perfect plan before I came.

However, he discovered that the things he had imagined were completely different from what Master Song had been thinking.

Therefore, Ma Liu was unable to give an answer to Song Xuan's question.

Song Xuan tapped his fingers lightly on the table:

"Most importantly, your Meimei Society helps these temples and the like in Tokyo collect debts, which has driven quite a few people to their deaths, hasn't it?"

"I wouldn't dare," Ma Liu quickly bowed.
“Normally, even petty people wouldn’t do these things themselves; it’s usually their men who do them.”

"Those who owe money and are unable to repay it have probably long lost the will to live."

"I'm just going to urge them to pay back the money, as requested by the Great Xiangguo Temple, and force them to become temple slaves or sell themselves and their children."

“If the person dies, the money is gone and can’t be recovered. It’s not worth it.”

"In Tokyo, as long as you have connections, you can survive by finding work, but you can forget about getting paid."

“At most, we’ll beat them up and threaten them to pay back the money according to the path we’ve laid out for them.”

"Most of them just wanted to die to absolve themselves of their debts, and it had little to do with the villains."

Song Xuan believed half of what he said.

What good people can be found among those who collect debts from loan sharks?
Moreover, this was in the Song Dynasty, where many people didn't even abide by the law.

Or rather, many ordinary people have no concept of the law.

Most decisions are made by the clan in the village, and many things don't even reach the point of being reported to the authorities.

"That's all?"

Song Xuan continued to scrutinize the Ma Liu in front of him.

Ma Liu raised his head, pondering the meaning behind Song Xuan's words.

else.

What is meant?
"I hope you can give me some pointers."

"Since you sent men to Wuyou Cave to find assassins, how could you not have colluded with Wuyou Cave?"

"Have."

Ma Liu immediately admitted it.

If it weren't for Cang Lin of Wuyou Cave being too greedy, he would have been afraid of being double-crossed.

Ma Liu wouldn't take such a huge risk to meet Song Xuan.

After all, if she fell into Song Xuan's hands, she could still use Madam Lin's son as a bargaining chip.

Anyway, things have come to this point.

It doesn't matter who I sell to!

Since you are ruthless, don't blame me for being unjust.

"What matter would you like to know, sir?"

Da da da.

Song Xuan tapped his fingers on the round table.

As expected of a seasoned veteran, he knows where his bargaining power lies.

Are you familiar with the underground passages of Wuyou Cave?

"I don't understand."

Ma Liu answered very decisively:
"Many people who join the Worry-Free Cave will get disoriented and disoriented if they are alone down there."

“There are many branching paths underground, and the upper level connects to the lower level. I heard that you can see the Great Liang City of Wei from there. It is probably seven or eight zhang deep.”

"Even insiders can easily get lost, I've heard they all carry compasses."

Song Xuan nodded.

They initially entered a shallow section, about six or seven stories high.

Moreover, it doesn't seem like the four dynasties of Song, Jin, Ming, and Qing that were buried underground.

Zhao Zhen glanced at Song Xuan again. If it weren't for his twelfth brother back then, he might not have been able to escape from Wuyou Cave unscathed.

Are you familiar with the Worry-Free Cave organization on the surface?

Ma Liu raised his head:

"May I ask, Scholar Song, has it always been your intention to eradicate the open disguise of Wuyou Cave?"

"It's not that urgent."

Song Xuan snorted and laughed:
"Looks like you don't know much either."

"I."

Ma Liu wasn't sure how sincere Song Xuan was, so he could only introduce him to the main members of Wuyou Cave.

In particular, the Xuanwu Hall was mainly responsible for placing its own people in the government and the army to gather all kinds of information.

Song Xuan nodded.

It turns out there really is a special department that does this kind of job.

"Do you know what kind of token they use to communicate?"

"I don't know. Such a secret is unknown to me."

Ma Liu also said with a solemn expression:
"However, I can be sure that whether it is the Kaifeng County Government Office, the Kaifeng Prefecture Government Office, or even the eunuchs and palace maids in the imperial palace, there are people planted by the Wuyou Cave."

"I see."

Song Xuan told him to stand up and sit down to talk.

Ma Liu immediately felt that the information he had provided was useful.

The county government is no big deal, but once the imperial palace is involved, it becomes a serious matter.

Zhao Zhen was also shocked by Ma Liu's remarks. They even had people planted in the palace?
No wonder my twelfth brother planned ahead and made me live in Yuqing Palace!

“My lord, I actually know of the largest contact point on the surface of Wuyou Cave. I hope that you, my lord, can give me a chance to correct my mistake.”

Song Xuan tapped his fingers lightly on the table, clearly still deep in thought.

"Actually, I didn't intend to wipe out the entire Wuyou Cave."

"what?"

Ma Liu was extremely puzzled.

If Wuyou Cave could be wiped out in one fell swoop, such a political achievement would surely propel Song Xuan to great heights.

Emperor Zhao Zhen also couldn't understand Song Xuan's thoughts.

Why leave this cancerous growth in Tokyo and let it wreak havoc everywhere?

"I know you're also puzzled."

Song Xuan, at this moment, appeared quite patient:

“Whenever disasters occur each year and the imperial court is unable to rescue these people in time, they have no choice but to join the Worry-Free Cave in order to survive.”

"People who are so desperate can at least survive. Even if I wipe out the Worry-Free Cave, there will be a constant stream of new people joining them."

"As insignificant beings, how many of us can truly control our own destiny?"

Although the city of Tokyo was not supported by the combined resources of the entire nation.

Furthermore, the Song Dynasty did not restrict personal freedom; if you wanted to farm, you could farm, and if you wanted to do business, you were even more welcome.

Even if you can't farm, you can still find work, that's perfectly fine.

The capital's markets and neighborhoods can be demolished, and there's no curfew; that's freedom enough.

It's perfectly normal for many people to come to Tokyo to beg for a living.

“What the top scholar Song said is indeed true.”

Ma Liu is not a local either.

If his family were wealthy, how could he have gone to a distant place to make a living?

The top scholar of the Song Dynasty, being of humble origin, truly loved and respected the common people; otherwise, he would not have uttered such derogatory terms.

Ma Liu, however, felt that the rumors were true and that he had made the right move.

Song Xuan's words completely misled Ma Liu.

He didn't want to hear Ma Liu make any unreasonable demands.

Cooperation is not out of the question.

Song Xuan really wanted to know what communication stations Wuyou Cave had on the ground.

It would be best to find an agent.

After all, Wuyou Cave is a legacy of history, and according to the model of the Song Dynasty, it will continue to exist.

Song Xuan's plan was to break through from within, help them "change dynasties," and try to guide these people onto the right path.

If there were more job opportunities in Tokyo and fewer unemployed people, fewer people would have joined the Worry-Free Cave.

Zhao Zhen felt that the Song Dynasty always did its best to provide disaster relief and never abandoned any of its citizens.

Those ordinary people who joined the local militia received basic living allowances.

It's just that some people are not satisfied with the status quo.

"Song Zhuangyuan truly had the people at heart."

Ma Liu praised it, saying:
"I am guilty, but I dare not make any demands in front of you, sir. I only hope that I will not be killed or exiled."

While Song Xuan was rambling on, Ma Liu didn't have much confidence to stay here.

He came here in disguise today to avoid being watched by spies in the county government.

"That's really not a big problem."

Song Xuan picked up his teacup and smiled:
"Throughout the entire city of Tokyo, everyone knows that I, Song Shier, am kind-hearted and rarely sentence people to death or imprisonment."

Ma Liu chuckled twice, not daring to refute.

If the top scholar of the Song Dynasty was kind-hearted, how could he have earned the nickname "Standing Earth God"?
More and more ruffians and scoundrels were clearing the silt outside. They didn't even dare to run away. Who wouldn't be afraid of the top scholar in front of them?

"Then I thank Scholar Song very much."

Ma Liu then immediately reported Cang Lin's location.

"Zui Xian Tower?"

Song Xuan was indeed somewhat surprised, because Zuixianlou was one of the seventy-two official restaurants.

When the authorities ordered the restaurant to pay the taxes, Zuixianlou dutifully paid the taxes without causing any trouble.

It was perfectly legal, and Song Xuan indeed judged them as one of those business owners who followed the crowd.

"you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Ma Liu quickly explained that Cang Lin was the head of the Azure Dragon Hall, an older man who ranked below the cave master and the strategist.

They have the ability and the connections.

As the de facto owner of Zuixianlou, he had dealings with officials.

How could an ordinary person possibly know that he came from Wuyou Cave?

Listening to Ma Liu's words, Song Xuan realized that Cang Lin had already cleaned up his act and gone ashore.

He has a public identity, yet he is still secretly enjoying the benefits that Wuyou Cave brings him.

"What about the rest?"

"The Taoran Inn that the big boss previously shut down was the territory of Xiaofeng, the leader of the White Tiger Hall. He is the youngest of the four hall leaders and has the least seniority, having only been in the position for three years."

Song Xuan nodded slightly: "Are you aware of the territories of the other two hall masters?"

"I don't know about Xuanwu Hall, but I do know about Zhuque Hall. It runs Jieku, which specializes in lending money and competes with Daxiangguo Temple and others for business."

Zhao Zhen felt that Ma Liu was a capable person.

Generally, rebels in the Song Dynasty were of value to the people. After being captured, they were not killed directly, but instead given an official position and kept on.

"I see."

Song Xuan put down his teacup:
"Why don't you cooperate with the people of Wuyou Cave and successfully obtain a large amount of gold from the Lin family, which will become your capital to start over?"

Ma Liu was immediately stumped by the question.

He actually intended to keep this a secret.

Since there was no need to bring it up, Ma Liu's relaxed mood was immediately lifted by Song Xuan's question.

Originally, I came here voluntarily to seek refuge. If I am asked about this, wouldn't it mean that I have nowhere else to turn but to seek refuge?

Wouldn't the significance of one's "surrender" be very low?

Ma Liu wiped the sweat from his forehead, staring at Song Xuan. Seeing that Song Xuan didn't seem to care, he waited for his answer.

He was still debating whether or not to keep it a secret.

Finally, Ma Liu let out a long sigh:
"I couldn't hide it from Scholar Song. I had spoken with Cang Lin beforehand, and we were planning to split the profits 50/50 after the deal was done, but he wanted it all."

"Having nowhere else to turn, I had no choice but to come to Scholar Song for a way to survive."

"Well, I do appreciate your honesty."

Song Xuan smiled broadly:
"Since you have told the truth, I will no longer be on guard against you."

Ma Liu breathed a long sigh of relief, thankful that he hadn't been too clever for his own good.

The fact that Song Zhuangyuan was able to achieve the highest honors in all three categories at such a young age shows that he must have been one of the most intelligent people in the world.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have asked such a question.

"Thank you very much, sir. I, Ma Liu, will certainly not let you down."

Do you have any money left?

"Have."

“Okay, if it’s not enough, just find Qi Lecheng at the entrance. After he reports to me, I’ll approve some money for you.”

"Thank you, sir."

Ma Liu subconsciously reached out to touch his bald head.

Song Xuan nodded slightly: "The matter of Lin Zhongrong has been making headlines recently. Don't show your face easily. If all else fails, go back to your old lair and hide."

"clear."

"Just find out where the main ground communication station of the Xuanwu Hall in Wuyou Cave is."

"My lord, what is the meaning of this?"

Ma Liu didn't understand. After all, the biggest Zui Xian Lou had already been exposed, so why did they still need to capture the other minor characters?

“Cang Lin is running a legitimate business and paying taxes properly, so I have no excuse to suddenly arrest him.”

Song Xuan leaned forward slightly:

"But what I really want to know is how many people from the Worry-Free Cave are hidden in the imperial court. This is crucial to me, as it concerns the safety of the Emperor."

"If you handle this matter well, I guarantee your innocence, and I might even be able to get you a government position."

"Ah, that's great."

Ma Liu stood up, quite excited.

If only I, a rat in the gutter, could transform myself into an official of the Song Dynasty.

Others also called him "Master".

Just thinking about it makes me feel incredibly happy.

“A petty person will definitely do things with care.”

"Ah."

Song Xuan asked Wang Bao to send him away through the back door, and that if they were to communicate in the future, they should disguise themselves and find Qi Lecheng.

After he left, Zhao Zhen came out from behind the screen.

"Twelfth Brother, are you going to offer him amnesty?"

"Of course."

Song Xuan was merely using the Song Dynasty's usual tactic of "appeasement."

People like Song Jiang were extremely common in the Song Dynasty.

Let alone those who couldn't pass the imperial examinations, even ordinary people who lacked the ability to even enter the examination hall would fantasize about how great it would be to become an official!

Emperor Taizong of Song personally handled such matters.

Back then, there was a group of thieves outside the capital who often harassed the people. Zhao Guangyi issued an imperial edict to pardon their crimes and promised not to kill them.

These people immediately accepted it, to show their trust and respect for them.

Zhao Guangyi gave them money and clothing, and promoted them to official positions.

This fine tradition was then inherited by later emperors.

Emperor Zhenzong and Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty both did this.

Not only did the emperor like to do it, but many civil officials, such as Su Shi and Li Gang, also strongly agreed with it, and Li Gang even put it into practice himself.

"In my opinion, isn't it that Twelfth Brother doesn't believe what he just said?"

"good."

Song Xuan poured himself another cup of iced tea: "But that doesn't stop me from using him to get things done."

“If someone of this background, who comes from a criminal background, is given an official position, he will probably identify with his identity even more in the future.”

The converts are truly fanatical.

“It would be strange if he took a shortcut and no one suspected him.”

Song Xuan invited Zhao Zhen to sit down.

Zhao Zhen knew that he didn't need to worry about everything.

However, if he were asked to focus on key tasks like Emperor Gaozu of Han and delegate the rest to his ministers, he simply couldn't do it.

Even when entrusting matters to his ministers, Zhao Zhen himself needed to have a clear understanding of the situation and know the ins and outs before he could sleep peacefully.

At least Liu Bang had the magnanimity that Zhao Zhen lacked.

All he has is the ability to "endure".

It can be said that the word "patience" permeated almost his entire life.

But then again, throughout history, the number of emperors who could rival the mindset of Emperor Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang) is very small, you could count them on one hand. "So, my twelfth brother sent him to do an extremely difficult task. If he passes the test, then we'll appoint him?"

"Of course, if he doesn't ruthlessly sever ties with the criminal gangs in the capital and use their heads as a pledge of loyalty, why should I let him enter the Song Dynasty's officialdom?"

Song Xuan pointed to the county government office outside:

"In the entire Kaifeng County government, there are only a few hundred people, and the number of officials can be counted on one hand. Many people will never become a ninth-rank official in their entire lives."

“I gave him this opportunity, and he worked hard to repay me. This deal is very fair, Sixth Brother.”

Zhao Zhen had nothing to say.

In the Song Dynasty, to become an official, one either had to work hard to pass the imperial examinations, or one had to have a family member in an official position to receive a hereditary appointment.

Besides that, there's only one extremely niche track left: recruitment.

This was the first time Zhao Zhen had encountered the skill of "accepting amnesty".

So for a moment, I was at a loss.

"Is there really no chance of eradicating the Worry-Free Cave?"

Zhao Zhen then remembered the key forces that his twelfth brother wanted to target.

"Sixth Brother, I'm only telling you about this."

Song Xuan lowered his voice and said:
"Actually, my stated purpose in asking him to find out where the Xuanwu Hall's influence is is to take down the Vermilion Bird Xuanwu, in addition to the White Tiger Hall's territory that was unexpectedly discovered last time."

"In that case, only the most powerful Azure Dragon Hall remains. They are all in dire straits, while the Azure Dragon Hall is the only one with booming business. Who wouldn't have some doubts?"

"Does Twelfth Brother mean to let them fight amongst themselves?"

Song Xuan leaned back on the bench:
"I've been thinking about doing that, but I don't know if it will work out."

“It’s already difficult enough for Ma Liu to investigate the territory of Xuanwu Hall. As for the more deeply hidden cave master and strategist, we can only wait until there is internal strife in the four halls of Wuyou Cave before we can find an opportunity to obtain further information.”

Zhao Zhen discovered that Song Xuan would hide his true intentions on the surface, and if he didn't speak up, it would be difficult for others to discover his true intentions.

Zhao Zhen felt that he couldn't even match such methods.

In particular, Zhao Zhen was amazed by Ma Liu's conversation skills.

Having lived in the deep palace for so long, I truly do not know the dangers of the common people, and how many people are struggling to make a living.

Many people look down on a ninth-rank official, but many more yearn for one but cannot attain it.

After all, Zhao Zhen was surrounded by high-ranking officials, even those in the secretariat were of the eighth rank or above.

Even if eunuchs were of low rank, thanks to the Tang Dynasty eunuchs' manipulation of deposing and installing emperors, they could still be ranked as fourth or fifth grade officials, even if they couldn't be promoted.

"My lord, Prefect Liu has come to visit."

Qi Lecheng reported this, and soon brought Liu Congde with him.

"Hahaha."

Liu Congde was overjoyed. When he saw the official there, he politely bowed.

"Scholar Song, you've had quite a few happy events lately."

"Oh, what brings you this joy?"

Liu Congde thanked Song Xuan for the herbal tea:

"These temples have quite a bit of lending business. They're just waiting for the Empress Dowager to order taxes on usurers. I'm going to get a big share of the profits this time."

"That is."

Song Xuan nodded repeatedly. So many Imperial Guards borrowed money, but their ultimate goal was not to repay it.

As for whether someone will borrow money from us in the future, that's a matter for later.

"I heard that bitch surnamed Lin threw a tantrum in front of you?"

"No, not really, but she's a bit of a shrew."

Song Xuan smiled and said, "She injured her big toe kicking my door last night, so rolling around might be inconvenient for her."

"Hahaha."

Liu Congde burst into laughter, completely disregarding the presence of Emperor Zhao Zhen beside him:
"Deserve it!"

"She went to knock on the door of Scholar Song's house late at night; I think her intentions are not pure."

"Prefect Liu and I had exactly the same idea, so I specifically sent someone to tell her that I was asleep!"

"Did I say I was asleep?"

Liu Congde blinked, then pointed at Song Xuan and said, "You really know how to kill someone by destroying their spirit!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Song Xuan hadn't expected Liu Congde to be somewhat educated.

"To kill someone and then destroy their spirit is truly terrifying."

"Hahaha."

Liu Congde is in a good mood lately. With control of Fanlou in hand, money is flowing into his house like water.

He then remembered something else:

"Scholar Song, the smugglers have contacted me secretly, asking if I want to continue smuggling goods according to the old rules?"

"You pretend to agree to their request first, and then we'll follow the clues to find out who they really are."

"That's right, everyone knows that I, Liu Congde, love to abide by the law!"

As soon as Liu Congde spoke, Song Xuan and Zhao Zhen looked at each other in bewilderment.

Does he really lack a proper understanding of himself?
In the entire Song Dynasty, who dared to act recklessly as he did?

Liu E has yet to provide any explanation for the Dragon Boat Festival case and the case involving the illegal sale of Phoebe zhennan wood, and she intends to let time slowly wear down everyone's memory of it.

Isn't it all just to protect Liu Congde?
In the case of the Yellow River project, it was only when Liu Congde voluntarily returned 100,000 strings of cash that Empress Liu finally had an excuse to redeem him.

However, led by Fan Zhongyan, many other officials believed that Liu Congde should be severely punished.

Otherwise, further construction on the Yellow River will only embolden people to act even more recklessly.

Then Liu E pretended to be dead, saying that she had never received such a memorial before.

The memorial would probably have perished in the fire long ago.

Liu Congde's smile remained unchanged; he felt he had already paid taxes out of respect for Song Xuan.

Moreover, Fanlou will also pay taxes according to law in the future, so wouldn't they be the most law-abiding people?

How could I not boast about it?
"I hope that Prefect Liu will continue his efforts and make Fanlou bigger and stronger without having to smuggle alcohol!"

"Yeah."

Liu Congde said with great excitement:
"Scholar Song, if you have a suitable poem, write one for me. If not, write an inscription for me. I'll hang it in the main hall of Fanlou, so that everyone who enters can see it."

Song Xuan was certain that Liu Congde genuinely wanted to achieve something after acquiring Fanlou.

In this case, the official position was merely a nominal one for him.

He has not returned to his post as prefect at all.

"I'm not really interested in writing poetry right now, but I have to write an inscription because of Prefect Liu's reputation."

Song Xuan began grinding the powder himself and then asked:

"But after all this time, there is still one thing I don't understand. If Prefect Liu thinks it's something I can say, then say it; if not, then I won't ask."

"Go ahead and ask." Liu Congde helped hold down the papers for Song Xuan.

"Is there anything I can't ask?"

Where is that golden nanmu wood?

"The golden nanmu wood is here."

Liu Congde immediately withdrew his hand, glanced at Zhao Zhen, and whispered:

"I'm not sure."

"Oh, I see."

Song Xuan didn't say much, but instead dipped his brush in ink.

Zhao Zhen had always found it strange, but he never had a chance to ask.

The Empress Dowager didn't send anyone to investigate, and she herself had no way to investigate the matter.

Liu Congde hesitated for a moment and said, "If I don't tell you, will Scholar Song still be willing to write an inscription for me?"

"One thing at a time." Song Xuan began to write:
"We're just chatting casually, because I don't think anyone in the Song Dynasty has such a big appetite that they could digest a hundred pieces of Phoebe zhennan wood."

"Unless it involves more renovations of family tombs, but since the chaos of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, it's still uncertain whether powerful families can even find their ancestral tombs."

Liu Congde glanced at Zhao Zhen again and coughed:
"The top scholar of the Song Dynasty, Your Majesty, actually had the most profitable business in the Song Dynasty, which was doing business with the Khitans. It was a sure thing that you would make money."

He didn't mention the golden nanmu wood, but he did talk about the Liao Dynasty.

Song Xuan understood; he had made a deal with the Khitans to sell stolen goods.

Looks like he does have some brains.

Besides using the golden nanmu wood for his own family, he also smuggled it to the Liao Dynasty.

Although both sides are cracking down on smuggling, this kind of trade is unavoidable.

Where there is demand, there is profit, and the profit is so great that it is enough to make people take risks.

The Empress Dowager of Liao even ordered that a batch of horses not be sold to the Song Dynasty, but someone still smuggled them.

The trade surplus between the Song and Liao dynasties was astonishing.

The profits from the Northern Song Dynasty's purchase of tea from the Liao Dynasty alone were enough to pay nearly three years' worth of tribute.

"Oh?"

After writing the four characters "make it bigger and stronger," Song Xuan started looking for his personal seal:
"Does Prefect Liu have any connections to do business with the Khitans?"

"how?"

Liu Congde suddenly realized: "Song Zhuangyuan also wants to do business with the Khitans?"

"Many Imperial Guards borrowed money at high interest rates from the four major temples in Kaifeng and then deposited it in the treasury of the Privy Council. They have a lot of money left over, and we need to share some of the interest with them. So I am looking for ways to make money."

"Needless to say, tea, porcelain, and silk are all in high demand."

"Or sell it for money!"

The Liao Dynasty did not have the right to mint coins.

Ninety percent of the coins they used were from the Song Dynasty.

The main reason was that they were not good at minting coins themselves. In addition, the coins of the Song Dynasty were of good quality and the people accepted them. The Song Dynasty also gave them money, so they directly resorted to the method of asking for money.

Let alone the powerful Liao Dynasty, even among the smaller surrounding countries, the most popular coins in circulation were Song coins.

"Sell for money?"

Song Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and stamped his seal on it:

How much for this money?

He hasn't done a thorough investigation yet.

If a thousand copper coins could not be exchanged for enough gold or silver, it would indicate domestic inflation and that money was becoming worthless.

At this time, smuggling money into the Liao Kingdom would not only make money but also alleviate the increase in inflation.

After all, the Song Dynasty had to mint coins every year, and it would be impossible for these coins to flow into the market without any impact.

The Liao Dynasty's over-reliance on copper coins from the Northern Song Dynasty would also pose many hidden dangers.

For the Song Dynasty, this was extremely beneficial.

There's no need to sell counterfeit money; real copper coins alone are enough to impact the Liao Dynasty's economy.

Liu Congde looked at Song Xuan's calligraphy; it was indeed beautiful. He chuckled.
“I do know some people from the Liao Kingdom. We can talk when their envoys arrive in the capital.”

Song Xuan smiled:
"Alright, it's still a way to make money, much better than robbing money from the people of our Great Song Dynasty. Prefect Liu is indeed capable, able to make money from the Khitans."

After being flattered by Song Xuan, Liu Congde immediately patted his chest and said that he was very familiar with the Khitans.

They didn't want to fight either; everyone wanted to make money.

"According to my Khitan friend, the books and poems of the Song Dynasty's top scholar are extremely popular in the Liao Dynasty. They don't even know when you will write new poems."

The Northern Song Dynasty also controlled the sale of books to the Liao Dynasty. You could buy books for the imperial examinations, but the official trade of other books was prohibited.

Thinking of this, Liu Congde became quite excited again:

"On the fifteenth of August this year, would the top scholar Song do us the honor of coming to Fanlou to admire the moon? We would like to leave behind a few poems."

"I need to think about this matter further, to see if my father-in-law's family or the government has made any arrangements, and whether I should ask for a few days off to go home and reunite with my family."

"Alright."

Liu Congde nodded repeatedly: "There's no rush. We'll have plenty of time to do this in the future."

"By the way, what do we need to buy when we go to Liao to smuggle and sell goods for money?"

"The first choice is, of course, a warhorse."

Liu Congde pointed to his own horse-drawn carriage on the street:
"Do you really think my fine horses came from the Privy Council?"

"I'm not going to fight those eunuchs for warhorses."

"I smuggled all of these from the Khitans."

"They are all plump and strong; in the entire city of Tokyo, even the border generals' warhorses are not as good as mine!"

"It is indeed more magnificent than my horse."

Song Xuan nodded slightly: "Unfortunately, they mostly did the work of slow horses in the Song Dynasty."

Liu Congde was just showing off; he didn't care about drudgery or warhorses.

As long as you have face, something others don't have, then that's enough.

Emperor Zhao Zhen also felt it was a pity, as the Song Dynasty was indeed short of horses.

The Liao Dynasty also banned the sale of horses.

The Northern Song court never arrested Liao people for smuggling horses for trade; in fact, it would offer them high prices to encourage them to do so.

Unfortunately, it was too small in scale.

There were simply not enough horses to support the army in replacing the old and weak.

Not to mention that the Northern Song Dynasty didn't even have a place to raise horses.

"Besides warhorses?"

Liu Congde counted on his fingers again: "Sheep, camels, mink fur, fox fur, pearls, ginseng, and the like."

"If we trade copper coins, we can get more live animals like horses. But for safety reasons, we'll need to hire a few more experienced veterinarians."

"Otherwise, a single illness could kill all the living creatures we have."

Liu Congde's words are based on experience and come from painful lessons.

"Hmm, this is a good deal."

Song Xuan nodded repeatedly: "It's just that we can't smuggle openly. My sixth brother and I can use our share of the profits from Fanlou to do this business in the future."

"Hey, you should have said so earlier."

Liu Congde felt that Song Xuan also needed to make money, so they should all make money together.

With government officials as backers, this business is sure to continue for a long time.

"Okay, I'll take care of it."

Liu Congde chuckled and pounded his chest loudly, completely disregarding his thin frame.

"Once the Khitan envoys arrive, we'll go have a drink with them, give them some face, and have a chance to make some money."

Song Xuan nodded, Liu Congde was not entirely useless.

At least put him in the right position. This person's appointment as an official not only harmed him, but also his colleagues and the people under his rule.

He harmed everyone, yet he remained unscathed.

It's all because of connections with higher-ups!

Zhao Zhen felt that Song Xuan's words were too wild.

He was the emperor of the Song Dynasty, yet he personally traded with the Liao people, and he was even involved in smuggling!

If this gets out, won't people laugh at us for no reason?

However, with Liu Congde present, Zhao Zhen did not publicly refute Song Xuan's words.

But Song Xuan, being such a shrewd person, immediately added:

"Prefect Liu, it's best if the three of us keep this to ourselves. If it gets out, we might be targeted."

"Scholar Song, please rest assured, I, Liu Congde, will keep my mouth shut."

Liu Congde chuckled, realizing he had almost forgotten those four words.

"That's good."

Song Xuan handed the dried ink to Liu Congde.

Having achieved his goal, Liu Congde held the gift in both hands and left happily.

He planned to have it framed; it had to be luxurious and grand to do justice to Song Xuan's calligraphy.

Others would beg Song Xuan for this, but he wrote it for them as soon as they arrived. How can he not be considered one of our own?
Liu Congde became increasingly pleased.

After everyone left, Zhao Zhen pointed to himself:
"Twelfth Brother, I am, after all, the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty. How can I personally participate in smuggling and trading with the Liao Kingdom?"

"Sixth Brother, this ill-gotten money will allow you to support more soldiers, fill the sealed warehouse, and fulfill your ancestors' long-cherished wish."

"With more valuable copper coins to use, the people of Liao will not follow Liao in their rebellion when our Song army arrives."

"Besides, it's harming the interests of the Liao nobles. It's a matter of harming others for personal gain. What's there to be conflicted about?"

After listening to Song Xuan's explanation, Zhao Zhen thought that what his twelfth brother said made perfect sense!
This ill-gotten money from smuggling copper coins with the Liao Kingdom is rightfully mine to earn!

When it comes to minting copper coins, you will need to consult me. How can it not be possible to mint more?
Song Xuan chuckled twice: "Sixth Brother, a trade war is still a war."

"Let's cripple the Liao economy first. Then they can buy more supplies with copper coins, and we can buy more supplies with Song coins."

“When a large number of copper coins flood into the Liao market, their money will become worthless, and the people will feel resentful.”

"Then we can launch a probing attack; perhaps they'll fall into disarray on their own."

Zhao Zhen chuckled twice.

He did feel that the knowledge he learned from Song Xuan was diverse, but also very useful.

So this is a trade war!
The hairless giant Ma Liu has disappeared.

This thwarted Cang Lin's plan in Wuyou Cave.

He originally planned to find out Lin Zhongrong's secret location, then make up for the money he had recently lost from the Lin family, and get back the profits as well.

By the way, Mazda 6 is also a perfect scapegoat.

Anyway, there are already rumors circulating in Tokyo that Lin Zhongrong was kidnapped by Wuyou Cave.

Cang Lin simply wanted to make this a reality.

You say I kidnapped someone from Wuyou Cave? Fine, then I really did kidnap someone.

This will ensure that none of you will dare to discuss the Worry-Free Cave matter loudly next time.

Get more in one fell swoop.

Cang Lin stood by the window, his face gloomy.

Still no news about the "Hairless Tiger Mazda 6"?

"Reporting to the hall master, he disappeared after entering the entertainment district. The brothers have been searching for him for two days and one night."

"Have you searched in Xiangfu County as well?"

"We've searched, but haven't received any news from Xuanwu Hall."

Cang Lin waved his hand, dismissing his trusted confidants.

He pondered whether he had been too eager and scared away Ma Liu, the fish.
"Brother, I have an idea."

Xiaofeng's hideout was destroyed by Song Xuan, and he has recently been opening up new territory, but he has to come to Canglin's place from time to time to find out news.

"What's your idea?"

Cang Lin wasn't that concerned about the young Xiao Feng; he just wanted to win Xiao Feng over.

The Vermilion Bird and the Black Tortoise are so close they're practically inseparable, it's inevitable they'll secretly plot against me.

They were all very envious of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion's splendor.

"Since rumors are circulating that Lin Zhongrong is in the hands of my Wuyou Cave, we might as well play along."

"Hmm?" Cang Lin turned around: "How exactly do you plan to turn the tables on them?"

Xiaofeng chuckled:
"Brother, our Worry-Free Cave can send someone to deliver a message to Madam Lin, saying that her son is in our hands, and that she should prepare the gold and send it to Worry-Free Cave, otherwise we will..."

He gestured with his neck.

Cang Lin looked at him: "You mean we'll just take the money and not release them?"

(End of this chapter)