A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 372 The Celestial Phenomena Are Accurate

"This is Qin Ying, the Vice Prefect of Kaifeng."

After Song Xuan finished speaking, he introduced Qin Ying to the following:

"This is Zhong Lijin, the newly appointed Vice Prefect of Kaifeng."

The two sides sized each other up.

Song Xuan leaned back in his recliner, remaining silent, wanting to observe the confrontation between the two.

Anyway, the atmosphere has already warmed up.

Zhongli Jin was the first to speak:

"So it's Judge Qin here. I've heard of you before."

I have also heard of the great name of Prefect Zhongli.

Qin Ying had been in Kaifeng Prefecture for a long time, so he naturally had his own channels of information.

Otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste of time?
Otherwise, his case of wrongly accusing Mu Xiu would not have been handled so smoothly, without even giving him a chance to appeal.

It was Mu Xiu who secretly ran back and beat the grievance drum to Song Xuan.

Song Xuan slightly opened his eyes. He had initially thought that Zhong Lijin's surname was Zhong, but he hadn't expected it to be a compound surname.

"I wonder what Judge Qin's plans are for the future?"

"What plans can I have? It's up to the Empress Dowager to make the decision."

Qin Ying did not reveal his true thoughts.

"The mistakes that Prefect Qin made were not serious. If someone had pleaded for you in front of the Empress Dowager, you would still be the Prefect of Kaifeng. Prefect Qin is also very familiar with government affairs."

Zhong Lijin smiled:

"What does Magistrate Qin think?"

Qin Ying narrowed his eyes slightly and shook his head, saying:
"I'm afraid the Empress Dowager wouldn't handle it so lightly."

"Mu Xiu is indeed somewhat arrogant in his words and actions, but his act of secretly running back to Tokyo was wrong!"

"Mu Xiu should write the letter on the spot. He's not a martial artist, so how can he not have that authority!"

Hearing Zhong Lijin's tone, which sounded like he was going to give her a severe beating, Qin Ying picked up his teacup and took a sip.

He probably doesn't really want to take the position of Prefect of Kaifeng, so he wants someone under him who is familiar with the situation.

This is simply a delusion of wanting more after getting what one desires.

I doubt Prime Minister Lü will agree to that.

But Qin Ying also had his own pursuits; he put down his teacup:
“Prefect Zhongli, this matter is not about what I want to do, but about how the Empress Dowager wants to deal with me.”

"Scholar Song is here to bear witness: if Magistrate Qin wishes to remain in office, I will certainly plead with the Empress Dowager."

Zhong Lijin was indeed thinking about paving the way for her future.

Although he knew that Qin Ying and Chen Yaozi cooperated well, after Chen Yaozuo took over, when his subordinates got into trouble, he didn't even plead for them in front of the Empress Dowager.

Qin Ying's position in Chen Yaozuo's heart was not even as valuable as that of a criminal who had committed murder.

For that person, Chen Yaozuo dared to disregard the facts and plead for mercy in front of everyone in the main hall.

As a result, Song Xuan sprayed him so hard that he vomited blood and fainted.

Zhong Lijin believed that if Chen Yaozuo had devoted even a fraction of his energy to rescuing Qin Ying, Qin Ying would not have stayed in the Kaifeng County government office for so long.

They were also thrown outside by Song Xuan to undergo so-called "labor reform," including cleaning the silt from the ditches.

Anyway.

Qin Ying.

He was a scholar-official.

Such behavior ultimately lacks the necessary decorum.

As an outsider, Zhong Lijin found it very difficult to understand.

The officials in the censorate and the imperial censor all turned a deaf ear to it.

Then we can only guess that the Empress Dowager is unaware of this matter, or simply doesn't care.

Therefore, Zhong Lijin believed that Qin Ying should accept the olive branch he had extended.

No one pulled him out of this quagmire.

Should I pull him myself?

How could Judge Qin not be extremely grateful to himself!
After all, Liu E had also made empty promises to Zhongli Jin.

Qin Ying truly didn't care about what Zhong Lijin had said.

In his mind, dealing with Mu Xiu, this evil cultivator, was still more important.

Otherwise, given the scale of Yingtian Academy, the number of people passing the imperial examinations will increase in the future.

The moral character of the Song Dynasty officials was being corrupted.

In addition, Lü Yijian stopped Chen Yaozuo and others from pleading for leniency.

He just wanted to see just how far Song Xuan could go!

At the same time, he also wanted to show Empress Liu how miserably the dignified Vice Prefect of Kaifeng was treated by Song Xuan, a mere county magistrate.

In the future, you will be able to gain more sympathy points.

After all, Song Xuan, the top scholar, was arrogant and domineering, and didn't respect his superiors.

Then, when the time comes, he will find an opportunity to attack Song Xuan, and he will have another crime to commit.

In Lü Yijian's eyes, Song Xuan was a capable official.

However, in the imperial court, being good at handling affairs does not guarantee a smooth career path.

Promote an official.

It's not necessarily the government that can make the final decision.

If you want to hold onto this position, it won't be easy.

"This matter, sigh."

Qin Ying did not immediately agree, but glanced at Song Xuan, who was half asleep beside him.

Zhong Lijin tilted her head slightly:
"Does Prefect Qin think that Scholar Song would interfere?"

Song Xuan remained silent, wanting to see what Qin Ying intended to do.

He had always said he wanted to teach at Yingtian Academy.

As the main financial backer of Yingtian Academy, Song Xuan still had a certain say in the appointment of teachers.

Song Xuan ignored the two of them and remained silent for a while.

Seeing that Song Xuan showed no intention of defending himself, Qin Ying took the initiative to speak:
"Not really."

He knew that some of his tactics would probably not work on Song Xuan.

Song Xuan lay down, seemingly drunk.

But I know exactly what's going on in my mind.

Qin Ying then understood why Chen Yaozuo could only faint in the main hall and forcibly interrupted the debate.

Such a person, who can win all three top honors in a row, is truly not easily led by the nose!

Qin Ying sighed inwardly, thinking that a young man unlike any other had arrived in Tokyo, but he said aloud:

"I'm afraid I won't be able to explain myself to the Empress Dowager for what I've done. I have no kinship with her, so no matter how much she tries to help me, this matter is unlikely to succeed."

Zhong Lijin listened to Qin Ying's back-and-forth conversation.

The probing is over.

Qin Ying wanted to shift the blame eastward, but Song Xuan refused to cooperate.

Ultimately, the most important thing is that he doesn't trust what he says.

Thinking of this, Zhongli Jin sat up straight:

“As long as Qin Tong speaks out, I will plead with the Empress Dowager. I can even tell you both the truth.”

Upon hearing the truth revealed, Song Xuan immediately felt that Zhong Lijin was either lying or had started to lie.

Or he might be in a real hurry to recruit a group of people to work for him.

As a newly arrived prefect, he was trying to win people over and achieve political success.

Is it possible?
"What bottom?"

Upon hearing Qin Ying's inquiry, Zhongli Jin stroked his beard and said:
“Prefect Chen is getting old, and his health and energy are not keeping up. He can no longer handle so many things in Kaifeng Prefecture. He will most likely be promoted.”

Zhong Lijin began by offering a compliment.

Whether Chen Yaozuo was promoted or demoted in disguise was of no concern to him.

He's definitely going to be in that position of prefect.

"The next step for the Empress Dowager is to promote me to Prefect of Kaifeng."

Upon hearing Zhong Lijin's words, Qin Ying narrowed his eyes again and did not reply.

He has been communicating less with people from the Lü Group lately, which was agreed upon at the time.

To avoid Song Xuan noticing, this made him more restrained.

It seems that the Empress Dowager has doubts about Chen Yaozuo's abilities.

He needs to be replaced.

Qin Ying, having gotten the answer he wanted, didn't say anything more, unsure whether Prime Minister Lü and the others were aware of the matter.

Song Xuan closed his eyes again.

He felt that someone like Zhong Lijin, who could produce "relics" between his eyebrows, must be in poor health.

Once he takes office, he may not outlive Chen Yaozuo's health.

The waters of Tokyo run deep.

As a newly appointed prefect, he wanted to form cliques.

Song Xuan felt that this person lacked political awareness.

They're not even as good as those cunning old cowards in the imperial court who act like cowards.

During Liu E's reign, and with the rampant misconduct of her in-laws, how many high-ranking officials or ministers participating in political discussions in the palace openly voiced their opposition?
It still depends on some indifferent people who want to do great things to step forward!

This group of people craves opportunities to perform.

After hearing Zhang Zhibai's report from his father-in-law, Song Xuan understood the group's thinking.

They are merely biding their time and concealing their abilities.

On the one hand, it was because of the Empress Dowager; on the other hand, many of the court affairs that the Empress Dowager could not handle, which should have been handled by the Emperor, ended up in the hands of these officials.

That means the power of the subject infringed upon the power of the emperor, and further expanded the power of the subject.

How could they not be happy?
Although the policy of the Song Dynasty was to share the world with the scholar-officials, this model did not gradually become a de facto policy until the later years of Emperor Renzong's reign.

The struggle between imperial power and the power of ministers has never ceased.

The matter of choosing an heir, in particular, was the most direct power struggle between the emperor and his ministers.

Zhong Lijin had originally imagined that even if the two of them didn't immediately bow down in respect, they would at least offer their congratulations.

But the reality is.

Song Xuan lay there with his eyes closed, pretending to be drunk, which showed his deep animosity towards the Lü Group.

Wasn't there at least a hint of acting on Liu E's behalf?
If we replace the personnel, how will we continue the fight?

Many changes in Tokyo today are Song Xuan's own achievements, but once his superiors get involved...

There's no need to give him a ride.

Especially someone like Zhong Lijin, who gained Liu E's trust through some tricks, won't last long.

Song Xuan refused to go along with him.

The entire city of Tokyo knew that he didn't get along with his boss, Chen Yaozuo.

It is possible that Chen Yaozuo sabotaged these achievements by making some mistakes behind the scenes.

After all, it was rumored that the mastermind behind the killing of Song Xuan in Wuyou Cave was the Chen brothers.

All of these things improved Song Xuan's reputation, so how could they be useless?

For the "orphan and widow" of the Song Dynasty, the officials below were all of one mind.

Those who can't sleep must be widows and orphans.

Especially with Liu E in power, a woman who lacks a sense of security, who knows what trouble she might cause.

She refused to relinquish the power she held onto until her death!

Qin Ying also reeked of alcohol.

He sat there elegantly sipping tea, dressed in prison clothes, seemingly lost in thought and not having heard anything.

Zhong Lijin looked around.

I don't know if they just happened not to hear it, or if they deliberately ignored it.

So he could only cough and hope that Song Xuan was on his side.

Zhongli Jin had already found out about the feud between Song Xuan and Chen Yaozuo and Chen Yaozi.

They have absolutely no chance of making up.

If he were to become the Prefect of Kaifeng, it would bring Song Xuan numerous benefits.

Zhong Lijin hoped that Song Xuan would take the lead in expressing his opinion, so that Qin Ying could then back down.

So he took the initiative to speak:

"Scholar Song, are you asleep?"

Song Xuan kept his eyes closed and didn't respond.

silence.

Silence again.

Zhong Lijin felt a little awkward, and then looked at Qin Ying sitting opposite her:
"Prefect Qin, what are your thoughts?"

Qin Ying then put down his teacup, his face showing great surprise:
"Prefect Zhongli, what is your opinion?"

"Hmm?" Zhong Lijin's eyes showed doubt: "What I just said."

"I drank a lot of wine today and am indeed not a good drinker. I was a bit distracted just now and didn't hear what Magistrate Zhongli said."

Qin Ying wanted to laugh it off, but no one heard him; this was better for everyone.

Didn't you see Song Xuan pretending to be asleep?
This pie in Zhongli Jin's picture held no appeal for the two of them.

So Zhongli Jin patiently explained his future prospects again.

Zhong Lijin believed that his time as the Prefect of Kaifeng would not be long, after all, he was in charge of the important capital city.

No matter which official serves for a long time, the emperor will not feel at ease.

In particular, the Prefect of Kaifeng had a custom of holding the position of "Crown Prince," so even if it was just a nominal post, it was still a unique position.

According to Zhong Lijin's description, perhaps you, Qin Ying, also have the opportunity to sit in this position and become one of those people on that stone.

The names of the prefects of Kaifeng throughout history are inscribed on stone tablets and erected there for people to admire.

It can be said that the position of Prefect of Kaifeng was one of the most prestigious positions in the lives of many officials.

Qin Ying used to be able to imagine things.

He was sent to serve as a prefect in another region to gain experience, hoping to one day return to Kaifeng Prefecture.

But after this incident, he realized that he would never be able to climb any higher in his life.

"Thank you for your concern and care, Magistrate Zhongli. To be honest, I have lost my spirit and no longer have any authority in this capital city. Therefore, I plan to apply for a position at Yingtian Academy and become a teacher to teach students and spend the rest of my life here."

Upon hearing Qin Ying's words, Zhong Lijin thought he was using a feigned retreat to advance, implying that her offer was insufficient.

He then went on to persuade her for a long time, saying that with such a bright future, there was no need to go into teaching and educating people.

He had heard of the reputation of Yingtian Academy, the number one academy in the world, so how could it just admit people casually?

Zhong Lijin didn't know whether Song Xuan was really asleep or pretending to be asleep.

He bluntly stated that Song Xuan was the face of Yingtian Academy, and that an official like himself would likely not be able to get past him if he wanted to teach at Yingtian Academy.

Qin Ying had also considered this matter, but he knew that the great Confucian scholar Sun Shi had already gone to teach.

The great Confucian scholar Sun Shi also had a say in many matters concerning Yingtian Academy, and seeking his help might be an opportunity.

He would not allow Mu Xiu, that heretical Confucian scholar, to poison the minds of the Song Dynasty scholars, no matter what.

In Qin Ying's mind, this ideological debate was more important than becoming a high-ranking official.

"I've made up my mind."

Qin Ying talked about his experiences in prison and his work during this time, but it was all a case of talking to a brick wall.

Neither of them could convince the other.

The main reason is that Zhong Lijin is unwilling to give up. He heard that Qian Yannian is a man of Prime Minister Wang and has long been at odds with Prefect Chen.

The two of them were in charge of different areas, and Zhong Lijin urgently needed to promote his own people.

But he didn't have that kind of reserve, so he could only grab one from the scene.

After expending so much breath, Qin Ying finished his tea, excused himself that he needed to use the restroom, and went straight back to his cell.

Zhong Lijin sighed helplessly and picked up his teacup: "Scholar Song, wake up, everyone's gone."

"what?"

Song Xuan opened his eyes, his vision blurry with drunkenness, and said:
"Prefect Zhongli, did I just fall asleep?"

Zhong Lijin was speechless. He didn't know if Song Xuan was being genuine or faking it.

Because he cannot make an effective judgment.

"you ask me?"

"Then I must be asleep."

Song Xuan swayed as he stood up, walked to the side to pour himself some tea, took a few sips, and let out a burp.
“Prefect Zhongli, I am truly sorry for not being able to entertain you properly today. I will be holding a celebration banquet in the next two days.”

Zhong Lijin was well aware that the rumors had already spread far and wide.

When does the top scholar Song plan to repair the Bian River?

"Wait until it rains heavily, otherwise it will all be for nothing."

"Did it rain heavily?"

Zhong Lijin looked at the sunlight streaming through the window. How could it possibly rain in such hot weather?

"Yes, if it doesn't rain heavily in August, when will it rain?"

Zhong Lijin wasn't sure, because he knew that Tokyo City was also flooded every year.

But this year it's so hot, the imperial court is even asking for rain, how could it possibly rain heavily?
Could it be that the Imperial Astronomical Bureau can actually pray for rain?
They don't care how heavy the rain is, as long as it rains.

"Scholar Song was just talking nonsense while drunk."

Zhong Lijin stroked his beard:

"The weather is so hot, and there is drought everywhere. How can it possibly rain?"

Whether it goes down or not is neither up to you nor up to me.

Song Xuan leaned back in his recliner: "I need to start the project, specifically after it rains. Is there a problem?"

Zhong Lijin was at a loss for words.

Because Song Xuan's words were far too impolite.

"But the Empress Dowager said that the two of us need to cooperate with each other."

"The eldest lady said that cooperation is the key to resolving the kidnapping of Madam Lin's son by Wuyou Cave, as well as how to deal with Wuyou Cave."

Song Xuan opened his eyes and glanced at Zhongli Jin: "Prefect Zhongli, you haven't forgotten, have you?"

Zhong Lijin realized something was clearly wrong.

If Qin Ying wasn't interested and refused her, that was understandable.

But why should Song Xuan separate the two of them so clearly?
With his help from the Kaifeng government, wouldn't things go even more smoothly for him in the future?

"Does Scholar Song think I'm using someone else's power to intimidate others and not telling the truth?"

Song Xuan closed his eyes again:

“Prefect Zhongli, you’ve just arrived in the capital, and there are still many things you haven’t figured out. Yet you think you can replace Chen Yaozuo. Perhaps you’ve spit out too much of your wisdom and don’t have much brain left?”

Zhong Lijin was certain that Song Xuan had heard what she said; he had just been pretending to be confused.

But why is he pretending to be confused?

"What are you talking about?"

"The matter of relics is just something to please the Empress Dowager and fool the common people."

Song Xuan snorted: "Do you really think you can produce relics?"

"I am devoted to Buddhism."

“His Buddhist roots are extremely deep.”

"Alright, alright." Song Xuan held out his hand to stop him: "I have no interest in Buddhism. My teacher once told me something, I wonder if Magistrate Zhongli would like to hear it?"

"I really need to learn from you."

Zhong Lijin felt that Fan Zhongyan was no ordinary person if he could teach a student like Song Xuan.

"The highest level of Buddhist philosophy is to prove that there is no Buddha in the world. What do you think?"

Bodhisattvas have fewer followers than Buddhas.

The claim of being the "future Buddha" is especially appealing!

Because most people cannot change their lives in this lifetime, they can only place their hopes on the next life.

But those monks, in this life, take your incense money and live well, eating, drinking, playing, and living comfortably.

They didn't pin their hopes on the next life.

They're going to enjoy themselves to the fullest in this lifetime.

Anyone who believes in the next life is a fool.

Song Xuan's question nearly shattered Zhong Lijin's Buddhist heart.

He was so excited about producing relics that he couldn't sleep for several nights.

However, before the news spread widely, they suddenly received a message from the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple.

He said that there was such a person in the world, who was like a Buddha, and invited him to come to the capital to discuss Buddhism.

Zhong Lijin only knew that Daxiangguo Temple was a royal temple, which was much better than those in the local areas.

I never expected him to come to the capital so quickly.

Almost immediately after receiving the letter from the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple, he was transferred to the capital.

Therefore, Zhongli Jin felt that after producing the relic, his luck exploded.

If it weren't for the matter of the relics, how could he have been transferred to Kaifeng Prefecture by the Empress Dowager?

Furthermore, the next step is the Prefect of Kaifeng, and who knows if he will eventually rise to the position of Prime Minister!

Zhongli Jin stood up: "I have received this treatment because I produced the relic. How can the world be without Buddha?"

What kind of relics do you want?

Song Xuan opened his eyes and looked at Zhongli Jin, who was about to break down:
"My master taught me a lot about how to burn things, and I can burn all sorts of colors for you."

"Even the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple who cremated relics would never have produced as beautiful relics as the ones I made, Prefect Zhongli, do you believe me?"

Zhong Lijin was immediately threatened by Song Xuan.

What does it mean that scarcity increases value?
Once people can easily burn relics, they will be multicolored, not just plain white.

If this gets back to the Empress Dowager, what will she think?
Zhong Lijin wanted to run away immediately, but she was afraid that Song Xuan would actually burn it out.

His master could explain Buddhism so clearly, how could he not know such tricks?
"Scholar Song, do you really want to burn it?"

"Why should I waste my time on that when I have nothing better to do? I'd rather plan how to manage the Bian River and benefit the people."

Song Xuan also stood up, looking down at Zhongli Jin with a condescending air:
"I hate it when people try to play tricks on me."

"understand."

Zhong Lijin wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Scholar Song, let's talk about how to wipe out the Worry-Free Cave."

Zhong Lijin immediately changed the subject, noticing that Song Xuan seemed unwilling to "form a faction".

That's why he responded in that way.

From Zhongli Jin's perspective, Song Xuan's father-in-law was the military general Cao Liyong, so how much help did he have in the court?
My official position is just right. In the future, I will be able to serve as the Prefect of Kaifeng and become his superior. I will definitely be able to speak up for Song Xuan.

However, given Song Xuan's words, Zhong Lijin could only assume that he was arrogant and unwilling to form factions.

"We'll start after the rain stops."

"Ok?"

Zhong Lijin glanced at the weather outside: "Scholar Song, is it really going to rain?"

"How can we deal with Worry-Free Cave if it doesn't rain?"

Song Xuan's question only made Zhongli Jin more puzzled:
"Scholar Song, why do we have to wait for rain to deal with Wuyou Cave? Otherwise, our bows and crossbows won't be effective."

“Prefect Zhongli, you are new to Tokyo. Do you know where the base of Wuyou Cave is?”

"Of course it's underground."

After Zhong Lijin finished speaking, she realized what he meant.

If there is heavy rain, even the ground in Tokyo will be flooded, and it is normal for the water to reach waist level.

How come those underground passages in Kaifeng City weren't flooded?

"Wonderful!"

Zhong Lijin finally realized why Song Xuan was hoping for a heavy rain.

There are many benefits.

Zhong Lijin smiled. If he could wipe out Wuyou Cave as soon as he took office, such a great achievement would surely hasten his replacement of Chen Yaozuo.
"Rain is good, especially heavy rain."

After Zhong Lijin figured out the key to it, she was overjoyed.

Song Xuan ignored his revelry, seemingly completely lured in by Liu E's empty promises.

He couldn't wait to take up the post of Prefect of Kaifeng.

Song Xuan believed that with Zhong Lijin's revelation, Chen Yaozuo would learn about this matter through Qin Ying's words.

“Zhongli Tongpan, are you the only one in Dongjing City keeping an eye on the position of Prefect?”

Zhong Lijin snapped out of her reverie: "What do you mean?"

"Just because the Empress Dowager says you can sit in this seat doesn't mean you can."

Song Xuan lowered his voice and reminded him:
"The Chen brothers were a prominent family in the Song Dynasty, with intricate relationships. Even Prime Minister Lü and others were their old acquaintances."

"As for Zhongli Tongpan, you are still Tongpan now, and you haven't gotten the position of Kaifeng Prefect yet, so it's best not to reveal it casually."

“I, Song Twelve, can pretend I didn’t hear such words, but won’t the others leak Zhongli Tongpan’s words?”

How could Zhong Lijin not understand the meaning behind Song Xuan's words!
Qin Ying was ultimately closer to Chen Yaozi. Even without Chen Yaozuo intervening on his behalf, if Chen Yaozi simply let it go, how would others view him?

Only now did Zhong Lijin realize why no one had pleaded for Qin Ying.

Could it be that they already knew Qin Ying's plan, and even if they demoted him, they wouldn't take away his status as a scholar?

"Thank you for the reminder, Scholar Song. I was indeed too hasty in my actions."

Zhong Lijin thanked them sincerely, then remembered something else:

"But what will happen to Madam Lin's son if it rains heavily and the people of Wuyou Cave flee everywhere?"

The Empress Dowager demanded that the two of them rescue Lin Zhongrong.

But if they drown, then it's all over.

If I don't complete my duties, how can the Empress Dowager promote me?

Let's talk about this later.

Song Xuan shook his head slightly: "I can't tell for the moment whether Lin Zhongrong was placed underground or on the ground by Wuyou Cave."

"So we can only take it one step at a time, just in case."

"That's all it can do."

After thinking for a while, Zhong Lijin gave her choice.

Because compared to rescuing Madam Lin's son, the merit of destroying Wuyou Cave is greater.

Things that even the Prefect of Kaifeng couldn't solve in the past were resolved by him, a mere Assistant Prefect.

With such achievements laid bare, even Prime Minister Lü would be speechless.

"Scholar Song, please rest for now. I'll go back and find someone to keep a close eye on the Wuyou Cave matter. Perhaps we can find clues about Lin Zhongrong."

"I won't see you off, Magistrate Zhongli."

As Zhong Lijin walked out of that door, all he wanted was to have it all.

No matter what Song Xuan says, I am a Buddhist disciple who can produce relics, blessed by Heaven.

Extremely lucky.

How can you not give it a try?

Regarding Zhong Lijin's probing, Song Xuan felt that he was a prime example of someone with lofty ambitions but a fragile fate.

Such people want too much and are brainwashed by religion, so they are unlikely to achieve anything significant.

Song Xuan went to take care of the drunk Zhao Zhen. It seemed that he was drinking with a low-ranking military officer and had a good time.

Many imperial guards came to toast Song Xuan, and those at the table grabbed Song Xuan's cousin to drink with them.

Apart from Ren Fu, no one else knew his identity.

Although Ren Fu tried to stop them, he was the one who started it and even took the initiative to introduce himself, and the others followed suit in a similar manner.

They only drank with Zhao Zhen because of Song Xuan.

Little did they know that Zhao Zhen was the biggest trump card at this table.

When Zhao Zhen got drunk, Ren Fu tried to stop him, but he couldn't stop the others either. Instead, he would expose the situation, so he could only watch helplessly as Zhao Zhen was drunk by a group of ruffians.

Wang Shu received news of the severe drought.

He had Yang Weide do it repeatedly, and the results were always the same.

Therefore, Wang Shu rushed to the Kaifeng County Government Office.

The current drought and scorching heat have prompted the imperial court to request rain to alleviate the severe drought in various regions.

Quite a few people have died from the heat in Tokyo.

Otherwise, why would Song Xuan have sent people to collect the body from the street and bury it in the Louzeyuan cemetery?

Wang Shu was extremely anxious.

If it doesn't rain heavily, it might be difficult to catch the murderer who killed his son-in-law.

If we wait until next year, it will be even more difficult!

When Wang Shu entered the room, he saw Song Xuan lying there, the emperor fast asleep and being attended to by eunuchs. The room reeked of alcohol.

"Scholar Song, even though it's past noon, you shouldn't be drinking so heartily with the officials!"

Wang Shu doesn't care about Song Xuan, but he cares about the young emperor, and he's been led astray by Song Xuan.

"There were celebration banquets today and tomorrow, so I drank some wine."

Song Xuan didn't even open his eyes: "Minister Wang, don't worry."

"What victory celebration banquet?"

"Naturally, the dredging work in Kaifeng County has been completed. Even if there were a heavy rainstorm, people wouldn't have been flooded. How can we not celebrate?"

Wang Shu discovered that Song Xuan was still daydreaming:

"What time is it? Zhou Keming is dead, but his best apprentice is not. He has been observing the celestial phenomena for three consecutive nights, and there is no sign of rain."

"Why are you, Song Twelve, still clinging to the idea that it will rain heavily?"

"Before his death, Zhou Keming said, 'Now that Mars has invaded again, how can I not rise up!'"

Song Xuan then opened his eyes: "Is that what Grandpa Zhou said?"

"Of course, I remember it very clearly."

Did he explain it to you?

"No."

Song Xuan's feet were firmly planted on the ground:

"The constellation Mars itself signifies an ominous situation, and the constellation Horn is the first place where the Azure Dragon's veil is drawn. Therefore, when Mars invades Horn, it is not a good celestial phenomenon, and any misfortune that occurs is basically an ominous one."

Wang Shu listened to Song Xuan's explanation and said, "You actually know that too?"

"I don't understand, but the sorcerer next to the Great Xiangguo Temple understands more than I do."

Song Xuan knew that Zhou Keming was a veteran official of four dynasties. He was clearly accurate in his calculations, so why would he allow his disciples to present explanations that were inaccurate?

Could it be that he's also trying to avoid trouble?

In the Song Dynasty, although there is no serious factional strife at present, many people are aware of it.

Especially when it comes to matters of the stars, one should never speak carelessly.

The emperor was very wary of this.

"Does he know more than the people in the Imperial Observatory?"

Wang Shu was still not satisfied with Song Xuan's line of thinking; he couldn't understand it.

Song Xuan stood up and paced around the room a few times:
"Since they can also calculate it, and the evidence corroborates each other, it means that heavy rain is coming."

"We still need to issue a proclamation to warn the people to prepare for heavy rain and to stock up on clean water and food in case of any unforeseen circumstances."

"No, even if we prepare in advance, there's nowhere to burn firewood, let alone suitable firewood, which could even cause widespread panic."

"Minister Wang, what do you think we should do?"

"What do we do?" Wang Shu also heard Song Xuan's mutterings; he wasn't hiding anything from anyone.

"It just suddenly started raining heavily, and I found that the people of Tokyo had no way to cope with the rainstorm."

"The Imperial Observatory has already said that it will not rain. Your arbitrary announcement has caused panic, and you will naturally be impeached."

Song Xuan stopped in his tracks: "Yes, I have a solution."

"What's your plan?"

Wang Shu was so anxious he was jumping up and down: "Do you think you can predict more accurately than the people in the Imperial Observatory?"

"The predictions made by the Imperial Observatory were accurate."

Before Wang Shu could question him, Song Xuan explained further:
"But do they have the right to interpret things correctly?"

"The right to correct interpretation?"

Wang Shu did not understand the meaning behind Song Xuan's words.

"They know some things are true, but you can't just tell them the correct answer."

"Of course, this is just my guess."

Song Xuan immediately returned to his table and began grinding ink to prepare to write the proclamation.

Wang Shu walked over and glanced at it:
"The flood control drill in Tokyo."

Flood control drill?

Wang Shu didn't understand how Song Xuan had combined those four characters together.

In this severe drought, who would expect a sudden flood?

Song Xuan wrote on the paper that although there was a severe drought today, based on past experience, the capital city of Tokyo might still be flooded.

As long as the autumn flood season has not passed.

The Yellow River experiences a relatively long autumn flood season, lasting from June to October.

Therefore, Song Xuan reminded the people of Dongjing City in the proclamation that they should store up three to five days' worth of food and firewood.

The most important thing is clean water. Move the water tank into the house to prevent it from being flooded and leaving us without clean water.

When a flood comes, the water becomes dirty and needs to settle for several days before it can be drunk.

If you drink dirty water, you could get diarrhea so badly that you could die.

Most importantly, Song Xuan praised the county's dredging work, noting that the ditches could quickly drain away floodwaters after heavy rains.

However, prevention should still be the priority, and we should avoid being thrown off balance by sudden downpours.

In the future, Kaifeng County will also organize flood prevention drills for its residents. This notice is hereby issued.

After Song Xuan finished writing it, he summoned County Magistrate Zhou and ordered him to send someone to copy the proclamation so that it could be posted throughout Kaifeng County, inside and outside the city.

In particular, the county government will be holding a celebration banquet and conducting flood control drills tomorrow, which are also necessary.

County Magistrate Zhou nodded repeatedly, took the proclamation out, and instructed everyone to copy it.

Wang Shu looked at Song Xuan: "Scholar Song, do you really think it's going to rain heavily?"

"The autumn floods are not over yet, and the drought is only temporary."

Song Xuan leaned back in his chair:
"Personally, I would like it to rain heavily."

"It can test my dredging work, help Wang Zhongcheng find the person who killed his son-in-law, and take the opportunity to besiege Wuyou Cave. It's a win-win-win situation."

"If this heavy rain doesn't stop, I'm afraid we won't be able to achieve any of our goals."

"Many things, if left unattended until the last minute, become impossible to continue."

Wang Shu also eagerly hoped for rain.

But the experts told him it was impossible.

How can we prevent Wang Shu from breaking through our defenses?

"Hey."

Wang Shu sighed and couldn't help but speak:

"I also hope so, but the hope is so slim."

"I wonder how many people will laugh at you once you post this notice."

"so what?"

Song Xuan poured Wang Shu a cup of cool tea to help him calm down:
“We can rely on the power of the people, but the voices of many people are not necessarily all correct.”

Wang Shu remained silent.

Song Xuan is famous throughout the three capitals, and he's not afraid of being ridiculed. Why should I worry about him?
Wang Shu truly couldn't understand Song Xuan anymore.

The latest proclamation from the Kaifeng County government attracted a large crowd.

They thought it was a recruitment notice from Song Xuan for repairing the Yellow River.

Everyone was thinking about making money from the government.

He even considered going to prison and spending time there.

After all, as long as I don't make any major mistakes, I'll definitely have a share of the dredging work.

However, once someone becomes a prisoner, their pay will decrease accordingly, so many people are unwilling to take the risk.

We all do the same work, so why do we get paid less?
A large number of idlers in Tokyo listened as someone read the contents of the notice.

This greatly disappointed them.

It turned out to be some kind of flood control drill; I'd never even heard of it.

"These days, you break out in a sweat after just a few steps, how could it possibly rain heavily?"

"Yes, it seems that Scholar Song is somewhat ignorant of celestial phenomena."

"The high-ranking official said that this year's drought is a good opportunity to prevent floods, and told everyone to make preparations in advance, since there won't be any losses anyway."

The yamen runner guarding the notice explained:
"If a real flood comes, what's the point of all the drills? Let's just have a real-world confrontation with the flood to avoid getting swept away."

"Hahaha."

The onlookers all laughed, and that was indeed the case.

"When is your plan to recruit workers, sir?"

"That's right, that's what we want to know, not some flood control drill."

"do not know."

The constable stared wide-eyed as he replied, thinking that these people were quite bold to dare speak to him like that.

Do you think I'm a yamen runner from Kaifeng Prefecture?
Even they, when they see people from Kaifeng County, must treat them with utmost respect.

If it weren't for the official's special instructions, he would have gone over long ago to teach those who spoke rudely a lesson.

This kind of person doesn't care about what's on the notice, and always tries to find fault with other things. How can you tolerate them?

"This is boring, I'm leaving."

"Yeah, it's not like we're hiring. Let's just go and wait for work."

Many people found the flood control drill announced by Song Xuan meaningless.

What is there to practice?
Not everyone has the means to buy enough firewood to last for several days.

Most of them have enough money to buy rice for a few days, but once they start cooking, the expenses increase significantly.

This is why many people in Tokyo prefer to buy food outside, as it's more cost-effective.

Moreover, the weather is currently experiencing a severe drought, with no sign of rain at all, so how could there possibly be a flood?
Most of the people left, but a small number of them felt that what Song Xuan said made sense.

After all, the reputation of the Earthly Deity is well-known, and he would not easily deceive the people.

Once a flood occurs, the price of rice in Tokyo will inevitably rise.

Wouldn't it be a good thing to stock up on food while the weather is dry?

The proclamation from Kaifeng County was also sent to the Kaifeng Prefectural Government.

Chen Yaozuo looked at what Song Xuan had written, wondering what he was up to.
(End of this chapter)