A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 386 Old Acquaintance (Seeking votes for next month, please!)
"Sir, am I not worthy?"

Yu Dalang asked cautiously, because he noticed that the constable remained silent.

Suddenly he remembered that the constables shouldn't be so gentle, which made him forget what the constables in his hometown looked like.

After all, Yu Dalang could be cured of his illness, had meat porridge to eat, and his son could go to the Imperial Academy for his early education.

Given Master Song's actions, he now has nothing left and can only offer his gratitude by bowing.

"My lord is very busy these days. He's constantly patrolling the river and has to find money and provisions for you to eat and drink. Where would he find the time?"

“Look back at that flag hanging there. The official has even managed to beg for alms from the temple to provide for you disaster victims.”

Yu Dalang's eyes widened.

He didn't know much about Tokyo, but he had heard about alms-begging.

I've never heard of a monk being asked for alms by the government.

Zhong Wuliu waved his hand, signaling him to watch the pot of boiling medicine:

"Once you recover and go back to work, the important thing is to work hard and save some money to support your family through the winter."

"Otherwise, the work will never be finished, and when winter comes, the officials will not know where to get so much money and grain."

"The pressure of keeping you all alive in Tokyo is immense."

“Normally, the official only works half a day, but now he’s on the go all day.”

Zhong Wuliu is busy all day long, but it doesn't bother him.

Because he used to work so hard, he never had the chance to earn so much money.

But even high-ranking officials who have achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations still end up like them.

Zhong Wuliu felt sorry for Song Xuan, that he had wasted such a good score.

Yu Dalang was deeply shocked, as he had encountered officials before in his own home.

Why are you being so polite?
If you have a grievance and want to file a complaint, you must hand the complaint to the gatekeeper, who will then pass it on to the clerk. Whether or not the case will be heard, and when it will be heard, depends on the notification you receive.

It's impossible for you to see a just and upright official.

The old man is also very busy.

It's perfectly normal for these people to extort money and engage in corruption. What good is it if you have a grievance?
If you can't afford to pay, you can't sue anyone.

Judging from the actions of the yamen runners, Yu Dalang could tell that Master Song was probably a good official after all.

Otherwise, why would these yamen runners be so polite to the common people?

After Zhong Wuliu finished explaining, he instructed him again:

"Your family will be resettled in that area where shacks are being built; they are all planned according to the same county and village."

"Once the doctor says you're cured, he'll give you a note, and then you'll be able to reunite with your family."

Yu Dalang watched as the yamen runners left, perhaps heading to the banks of the Yellow River to wait for the next refugee who dared to come to Tokyo to beg for a living.

Tokyo had an official, full-time fire service, which was the world's first fire brigade.

It was mainly established at the beginning of Zhao Zhen's reign, primarily because the dense buildings in Tokyo City led to frequent fires.

Song Xuan is currently observing at headquarters.

The main thing is that these fire brigades set up a shop every 300 steps in each neighborhood, with five people stationed there.

"My lord, please look at the map."

Captain Shi Xingchen pointed to the map and said:
"As required by the government, we set up a site between the ruins of the city gate and the Rainbow Bridge Wharf."

"In this way, if a fire breaks out in the shelters outside the city where disaster victims are housed, rescue efforts can be quickly launched."

"At the same time, they can also go out of the city at night to patrol and take over this territory."

Song Xuan responded and instructed his attendant Yu Gao to note down the location so that he could send someone a reward later.

After all, with the patrol area expanding, it's inevitable that some people harbor resentment.

A horse cannot grow fat without night grass.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, money could sometimes solve many problems.

"My lord, this is the Watchtower."

Shi Xingchen then pointed to several tall buildings on the map:
"This place is where more than a hundred people are stationed. It is an important stronghold for fire fighting. There are five such places in Kaifeng County alone."

"Whenever a fire broke out, cavalrymen would rush to report to the commander and the magistrate."

"The three military commands of the Imperial Guards Cavalry Command, Imperial Guards Infantry Command, and Palace Guard Command, as well as the Kaifeng Prefecture, will each lead their soldiers to extinguish the fire. There is no need to trouble the people."

Song Xuan nodded slightly. They were mainly responsible to Kaifeng Prefecture, and he, as a county magistrate, was not qualified.

But now the task of disaster relief has fallen on his shoulders, and Chen Yaozuo, the prefect of Kaifeng, is out on a disaster relief mission.

In addition, all the servants in the Kaifeng government office were under Song Xuan's command.

The fire patrolmen were naturally willing to be at Song Xuan's command.

Everyone knows it.

Master Song was known for his generosity towards his subordinates.

Even if you can't work under him for a long time, who wouldn't want to work for him for a while and earn more money?

Song Xuan pointed to two locations on the map:
"These two places store the money and grain sent by temples such as Daxiangguo Temple. Please have the brothers in the vicinity patrol them more often at night."

"Rest assured, my lord, I will make sure to inform everyone of this matter."

Song Xuan nodded: "Chief Shi, where is the roster?"

Shi Xingchen quickly ordered his men to bring the roster: "It's all here."

"Is everything complete?"

"complete."

Song Xuan opened the document and looked at it carefully. The number of people added up was less than eight hundred.

"Alright, let's give each person a string of cash as a reward according to the roster. Grain prices have been rising recently, and we're afraid that someone might set fire to the grain as retaliation. So don't sleep too soundly at night."

"Thank you for your generous gift, sir."

Shi Xingchen smiled. Although the firefighting team was small, they still managed to spend nearly 800 guan.

It seems that Master Song has been begging for alms from temples quite a bit!

"Ah."

Song Xuan handed the roster to Yu Gao, who was standing to the side:

"After I have someone make a copy, I'll send someone to deliver it to you."

"As for the allocation of funds, the county government still needs to go through a process to approve the expenditure. You can spread the word first, and in three to five days, the money will be distributed to everyone."

"Yes."

Shi Xingchen felt a little regretful. He had thought that if the document were delivered to him, there would be some room for manipulation.

But standing before her was Song Taisui, who could extract money from the bald monk and beg for alms, so Shi Xingchen's mind went back to normal.

Song Taisui could even point his finger at and curse the Prefect of Kaifeng, let alone someone as insignificant as himself.

After watching Song Xuan leave, Shi Xingchen gave the following instructions:
"You've all had a hard day's work. Go to the watchtower and all the shops to announce that Master Song will reward them."

"Yes."

The attendants were also quite excited. How could they not be happy to receive a string of cash for no reason?
After leaving the fire station, Song Xuan returned to the county government office.

"County Magistrate Zhou, today I sent someone to inspect the Huimin River. Has anyone voluntarily dismantled it?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, both the Liu and Wang families have voluntarily demolished the structures."

Zhou Derong also looked admiring, having thought that Liu Congde would be the most difficult to deal with.

However, Liu Congde was very cooperative. Not only did his own house get demolished, but he also had his brother's, cousin's, and father-in-law's houses all demolished.

"Prefect Liu?"

Song Xuan clicked his tongue twice: "He's a good person, isn't he?"

"Yes, once those few families demolished their houses, it left the others who wanted to stir up trouble and refuse to demolish theirs dumbfounded."

Zhou Derong couldn't believe the news and went to see what was going on.

He overheard people talking about how even the eldest aunt's nephew had to behave himself when he encountered Song Taisui.

Zhou Derong's official rank was not high, and he couldn't hear whether the other powerful figures felt that their scheme had failed when they heard that Liu Congde was cooperating with Song Xuan in this way.

"Okay, send someone to keep an eye on it. I'll go back to the site tomorrow to see how many houses haven't been demolished yet."

Hearing Song Xuan's arrangement, Zhou Derong also smiled:
"After what happened today, they'll probably have to discuss countermeasures overnight."

"It would be best to come up with a solution through discussion."

Song Xuan smiled:
"I'm actually hoping they can produce a fake land deed to prove that the land belongs to them."

This river mostly flows through Kaifeng County, and it's very difficult for them to get the government to cooperate with the land deeds.

Song Xuan had no doubt that someone would do something so brainless.

Because they've always been arrogant.

Zhou Derong smiled and took his leave.

Anyway, working alongside Song Xuan made me feel genuinely happy.

Zhao Zhen was not at the county government office because Song Xuan had recruited a group of disaster victims to help repair the houses.

So that it could be used as a classroom for the children of these people in the county government.

With so many people around, what if someone from the Worry-Free Cave gets mixed in?

Even if the roster is registered according to the same village in each county, it is still considered mutual reporting, and it is inevitable that some people will be bribed.

We must take precautions.

The news that the Liu family had taken the initiative to dismantle the pavilions and terraces naturally spread throughout the city of Tokyo.

It was even reported to Liu E.

Because Liu E not only cared about the disaster victims outside the city, but also about the news inside the city.

The prime ministers were there to deal with things that were far away, but it was hard for her not to pay attention to things that were right in front of her.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Your Majesty, this is true."

Yang Huaimin also did not expect Liu Congde to agree so readily.

"They've grown up," Liu E remarked, feeling deeply gratified.

In fact, she had always wanted to solve the problem of Tokyo being flooded by heavy rains every summer.

However, none of these problems have been solved.

Song Xuan's dredging operation gave Liu E hope.

It turns out that the river overflows every year, not because of too much rain.

Rather, it's because the silt accumulates in the riverbed, constantly raising it, making it impossible for the river to drain effectively.

Now, Song Xuan is not only clearing the silt from Kaifeng County, but also dredging the four rivers that flow through the city.

Song Xuan has accomplished this task, so there is no need to worry too much about rain in Tokyo every year from now on.

"Congde used to be a bit of a scoundrel, but by following Song Twelve, he has learned to prioritize things and become more aware of what is important and urgent."

Liu E planned to promote Liu Congde to an official position as an encouragement.

"Go and see for yourself. When the day comes, see who disobeys Song Twelve's proclamation. This matter might cause trouble for me."

Liu E slowly stood up:
"The matter still needs to be done. Song Twelve dared to do such a heinous thing, so it's foreseeable that many people will attack him."

"What the Empress Dowager said," Yang Huaimin said, head bowed.

"I have heard that some people have even gone to Scholar Chen Yaozi to ask him to mediate with Scholar Song."

Upon hearing this, Liu E raised an eyebrow:
“These people didn’t have good intentions either. They originally wanted my nephew to deal with Song Xuan, but now my nephew is cooperating so well.”

"They've found a new candidate, I'd like to see what Chen Yaozuo plans to do."

This was also because Liu E was preparing to promote Zhong Lijin to the position of Prefect of Kaifeng, and she did not yet have any specific ideas about Chen Yaozuo's next move.

If you do a good job in disaster relief in Huazhou, you'll be promoted; if you don't do a good job, being transferred to another post is inevitable.

Yang Huaimin bowed and stepped back, then turned and left.

He is now in charge of gathering information about the streets for the Empress Dowager.

Yang Huaimin knew even more that it wasn't just officials who built the small pavilions on the Huimin River.

There was also a eunuch named Yan Wenying who served the Empress.

Compared to his own low profile, he stayed away from this area.

Yan Wenying has become increasingly arrogant after serving the Empress for so long.

Yang Huaimin wanted to see what Yan Wenying would do when faced with Song Zhuangyuan's announcement about the forced demolition.

The riverside streets along the Huimin River are quite lively.

The Liu family is dismantling their own riverside pavilion.

Ever since Song Taisui suddenly issued the announcement, catching everyone off guard.

This delighted the people living along the river.

Such matters have been brought to the Kaifeng government office before, but they always ended up being completely ignored.

As expected of the Song Tai Sui, he immediately issued this order after returning from inspecting the disaster situation in Huazhou.

Now even the Liu family and their in-laws are obediently dismantling these pavilions.

“Every year when it rains heavily, our house gets flooded. It’s really good that Song Taisui has stood up for us.”

"Yes, if I had known, I would have filed a complaint with Kaifeng County. What good would it have done to file a complaint with Kaifeng Prefecture?"

"The two brothers surnamed Chen are both prefects, and their families have built pavilions on this river. How could they possibly care!"

Chen Yaozi was also present when he watched the Liu family dismantle the pavilion, listening to the discussions of the people around him.

He knew about it, but he turned a blind eye at the time.

What he didn't expect was that his second brother would end up taking the blame for this.

"Yes, thank goodness Master Song came, and now justice has been served."

"That's right, look at the Liu family, they still obediently listen to Song Qingtian."

Chen Yaozi had a volatile temper and couldn't stand these words. He snorted and turned to leave.

The pavilion, however, is not to be demolished.

Let's see what you, Song Xuan, can do about it.
Because he wasn't afraid at all.

The Kaifeng prefectural government had already obtained a land deed to prove that the place he occupied was real.

He only needed to give a word, and the officials in the government office would handle the matter.

What difference would it make if he wanted the land deed and Song Twelve wrote one for him?
We'll make sure he loses all his prestige then.

What kind of "Song Taisui" or "Song Qingtian" is he? He doesn't deserve the title!

Chen Yaozi himself had never encountered such a title when he was the Prefect of Kaifeng.

It wasn't just Chen Yaozi who inspected the site again; the Liu family also actively cooperated in dismantling the pavilion.

This is something that many vested interests cannot understand.

So at this point, some people are following the trend and demolishing, while others are observing.

Those who blindly follow suit believe that since even the powerful Liu Congde has bowed down, there's no need for us to hold out any longer.

If someone were to suffer the same fate as Chen Yaozuo, being thoroughly berated by Song Xuan in the main hall, they wouldn't have Chen Yaozuo's composure to act as if nothing had happened.

As for those who don't want their homes demolished, they hope that those who want to stand up to Song Xuan will step forward.

The Chen family is the perfect target for stirring up trouble.

After all, the Chen brothers were both top scholars in the imperial examinations, making them extremely prominent at the time.

The eldest brother passed away, the second brother went to another place, leaving only the impulsive youngest brother.

What a perfect target for stirring up trouble!

As long as someone steps forward to address this issue, that's fine.

Inside the Zuixian Tower.

Cang Lin would often stand at the window and look out, fearing that Song Xuan would also lead a surprise attack.

The fact that Xuanjia had been captured was always a sword hanging over his head.

"Big brother."

Xiaofeng shouted, then lowered his voice and said:

“I sent someone to sneak into the county government office. These craftsmen are all in the backyard, building classrooms to teach the children of the county government officials.”

Cang Lin remained silent for a moment, then put his hands behind his back:

"Song Xuan has some clever methods. If he does this, I'm afraid the entire county government will be willing to die for him."

With the extra subsidies, there's no need to scrape together money for gifts for the high-ranking official during festivals; instead, everyone can receive rice, meat, and wine.

And you should also make arrangements for your next generation.

Whether it's literacy or accounting, having a talent for reading is a huge boon.

You should know that it's not easy for the descendants of yamen runners to get married.

Xiaofeng didn't think Song Xuan's methods were particularly ruthless; anyone could throw money around like that.

"Brother, no matter how capable Song Xuan is, he can only serve for three years at most. The next magistrate may not be able to keep his position."

"Three years?"

This is the first time in many years that Canglin has felt threatened. Can they still survive for another three years?
Even if Song Xuan is transferred away three years later, and the lives of these yamen runners plummet, will the power of Wuyou Cave still exist?

"There's no need to talk about these things."

Cang Lin asked, "Have your men found out anything about the Worry-Free Cave within the county government?"

"No, they're all working in the backyard. Although there are yamen runners watching over them, all the runners are talking about is the disaster victims, river repairs, and the demolition of the pavilions built by the powerful and wealthy on the Huimin River."

Xiaofeng was quite surprised.

After all, their influence in Wuyou Cave in Tokyo was undeniable; it was only because Song Xuan caught them off guard that they lost some key personnel.

Given time, the stalls of each branch will surely be able to get back on track.

Xiaofeng is also secretly selecting people, but there are no "fat sheep" at the moment, so he can't support the black market auction.

In addition, Song Xuan led a team to raid two gangs, which led to much discussion about Wuyou Cave.

Inevitably, some people will take the opportunity to sell on the black market and lie low for the time being.

So right now there isn't much stock, and there's not much money either.

“Song Xuan has a lot to do, so he can’t take care of us.”

Cang Lin stroked his beard and chuckled again:
"No word has come back from Akabane. Has Xuanjia confessed all of us?"

Because Cang Lin's own people planted in the county government had no way of getting close to the prisons where the people from Wuyou Cave were being held.

The jailers were all local people with families and jobs who were specifically chosen to guard the prisoners.

As for the interrogation, it was conducted by him and County Lieutenant Ban Feng alone, and the contents were all sent to Song Xuan, so no third party knew the contents.

This is the reason why Cang Lin has been feeling uneasy and mentally exhausted these days.

The Kaifeng County Government Office was no longer a sieve; not a single word leaked out.

Therefore, he couldn't make any judgments.

The only option was to have Su Qingrou inquire about it, but Su Qingrou probably wouldn't be able to see Song Xuan easily.

Song Xuan was always on the go.

“Brother is right. I also have some concerns about this matter. Even if Xuanjia doesn’t confess right away, who knows how long he can hold out?”

Xiaofeng was also very worried about this, as it would be very difficult to save people.

Even if they wanted to silence them, it would be extremely difficult.

In short, the initiative is no longer in their hands.

Cang Lin was unwilling to give up such a large family business so easily.

They were even more reluctant to part with his hard-won cleansing of his identity and the imperial examination dreams of his descendants.

He had no idea when Song Xuan would smash the sharp blade over his head.

Sometimes, Canglin even wondered if Xuanjia had already been killed.
The news that he was captured alive was a false one deliberately spread by Song Xuan, with the aim of throwing himself into disarray.

Based on Song Xuan's style of doing things, this situation is highly likely to occur.

Cang Lin couldn't help but think again, if Song Xuan didn't know where Zuixianlou was located, then what would be protected?

After all, once people get older, their thinking tends to become more conservative. How can someone with a family and a career still have the same drive as when they were young?
"Sigh." Cang Lin sighed deeply, then shook his head:

"I don't have many ideas about this matter right now. Go and keep an eye on Song Xuan and see where he goes."

"I plan to have someone test him at an appropriate time."

"Yes, brother, I'll take care of it right away."

Xiaofeng left immediately.

Cang Lin was left alone, still wondering whether Song Xuan had gotten any information out of him.
Now Xiaofeng also has his own new stronghold, but it is not large-scale and he dares not make any big moves.

In any case, whenever Song Xuan patrolled outside, in addition to the guards protecting him and preventing the common people from getting too close, he would still attract a lot of onlookers.

After all, rumors had spread from Wuyou Cave that someone was tasked with assassinating the top scholar, Song. It's understandable that they would take some precautions.

Xiao Feng mingled in the crowd, carefully observing Song Xuan, who appeared to be a diligent and conscientious person.

He was gesturing on the shore, but it was unclear what he was doing.

Anyway, there were some things that could float in the water, swimming around and talking.

Every year when it rains heavily, there is flooding. This year, Kaifeng County is a little better. Xiaofeng doesn't know if Song Xuan really knows how to manage rivers.

Anyway, he now has all the disaster victims outside the city under his control, and he has also quickly selected the real disaster victims, cutting off some idle hooligans who wanted to take advantage of the situation.

When Zhong Lijin distributes porridge, everyone gets to eat, so who wouldn't want to take advantage of it?
Even if the imperial court had stored grain in the early stages, it couldn't withstand such a disaster!
After a while of communication, someone approached, but the constables did not stop them.

Jiao Ming came over with a food box, saying that the madam had made it herself and asked him to send it to the young master.

Song Xuan squatted down and washed his hands, then said that they should go eat at the stall next to him, as everyone was hungry.

Xiaofeng looked Jiao Ming up and down, feeling that he looked very familiar.

But I can't remember it right now.

Whether it was the constables or the craftsmen who had just been diving in the Bian River, they all ate with Song Xuan.

Anyway, just eat at the nearest food stall or a foot restaurant if there's one nearby.

Eat as much as you like, just don't waste food.

You cannot drink alcohol while working.

Of course, you can also order takeout; even emperors order takeout.

The emperor's decision was purely spur-of-the-moment, and the imperial kitchen hadn't prepared enough food, so ordering takeout was very convenient.

After all, the "lazy economy" in the Song Dynasty still had a considerable market.

Jiao Ming pointed to the dish and said that Madam had tried making it several times before she could do it. Song Xuan laughed a few times, while Cao Qingyao started clamoring to learn how to cook.

"Hey, this is my wife's first time cooking, none of you are allowed to touch the chopsticks. I need to taste my wife's cooking first to see if it's presentable before I brag to you all."

Everyone burst into laughter.

He naturally felt that Master Song was very approachable.

Xiaofeng also found a place to eat and ordered his men to continue keeping watch.

He sat in the foot restaurant, at a table by the window, and ordered two dishes. He was also a big eater.

The cat's trotters have arrived.

Xiaofeng was biting into a steamed bun (without filling, unlike the stuffed steamed buns of the Song Dynasty) and eating a pig's trotter when he immediately smelled the aroma.

Many of the dishes at the foot restaurant were learned from the main restaurant.

Although the pork wasn't high-class, Fanlou sometimes wanted to show off his culinary skills and prove his expertise.

Therefore, everyone imitates the method of stewing pig's trotters.

"Pooh."

Xiaofeng spat out a bit of hair; some shops don't clean the hair off the pig's trotters properly, unlike Fanlou.

Even with pig's trotters, every single hair is pulled out with tweezers; some of these cheap laborers do this kind of work.

Xiaofeng was disgusted by the pig bristles and couldn't help but recall the scene when he ran away from Wuyou Cave and went to Fanlou for a big meal.

"I wonder how Song Wenwen is doing these days?"

"Perhaps in a few years I will be able to come to Tokyo to participate in the imperial examinations."

Xiaofeng took another bite of rice, then suddenly looked up, blinked, and forgot to chew.

He knew why the person who delivered the vegetables to Song Xuan looked familiar!
"Song Wennuan~Song Xuan?"

Xiaofeng suddenly stood up, and the doctor next to him quickly asked, "What's wrong, sir?"

He saw the guest vomit, and it was obvious that the pig hair hadn't been cleaned properly; this wasn't the first time.

"I need to go to the restroom. Leave my food for me."

Xiaofeng slammed a string of coins onto the table.

"The toilet is in that alley over there; we all use the building where we work."

The doctor quickly pointed out a way.

Foot-operated shops like theirs don't have toilets, and proper shops wouldn't install toilets on their premises.

It has a bad smell, flies swarm around, and lots of maggots.

Instead, they took the lead in raising money to build a new toilet so that everyone in the area could use it.

Xiaofeng ran out frantically and stood panting at an old man's letter-writing stall.

"Young man, are you writing a letter?"

Wow.

Xiaofeng slammed the copper coins onto his dilapidated table:
"Deciphering characters".

The old man wanted to say that he couldn't tell fortunes or interpret characters, but for the sake of the money, he gestured for Xiaofeng to sit down next to him.

"What word?"

"Xuan".

Which Xuan?

Xiaofeng thought for a while, but he couldn't write it either:
"What does the character in Song Zhuangyuan's name mean?"

"Song Xuan."

The old man stroked his beard, thought for a moment, and then said with a chuckle:
"I remember now, the character '煊' in Song Zhuangyuan's name originally meant 'warm,' which means gentle!"

"It signifies warmth and light."

"Does the guest intend to name their child after this?"

Because of Song Xuan's achievement of passing the imperial examinations in three consecutive years, many parents are willing to name their sons Xuan, hoping to absorb some of his literary talent.

So the old man understood perfectly.

"Song Xuan, Song Wennuan, Song Guangming!"

"Song Xuan."

"Song Wenuan!"

Xiaofeng chuckled first.

Then she cupped her face in her hands, as if she was about to cry.

Seeing Xiaofeng's actions, the old man was at a loss for words and simply clenched the copper coin in his hand.

You can't return it!
We finally opened for business.

The image of Song Xuan at eight years old kept overlapping in Xiao Feng's mind with the image of the current Song Zhuangyuan.

He seems to have changed quite a bit.

But the one thing that hasn't changed is the sparkle in his eyes!

After a while, Xiaofeng stood up and walked away unsteadily.

When we got back to the restaurant, another dish was served.

Xiaofeng sat there eating, but felt that there was no taste in his mouth.

He was still thinking about establishing himself in the White Tiger Hall and making a name for himself in Tokyo.

When the time comes, we'll have both manpower and money. Once Song Wenuan arrives in Tokyo, we'll definitely invite him to Fanlou to prepare for the exam.

Back then, Tiger, Knife, and I refused to follow him because we wanted to make a name for ourselves in Tokyo.

Unexpectedly, Song Wenwen arrived so quickly and even personally led a team to destroy his own gang.

Xiaofeng was momentarily unable to think straight.

How did things become so complicated?

Why does God always seem to enjoy playing tricks on people?
How could Song Xuan be Song Wen Nuan?
I, Yan Xuan, haven't even made it big yet, so why is he already in Tokyo?
Why didn't you give me a chance to look after him!
Was I climbing Wuyou Cave too slowly?
Xiaofeng didn't feel that he was working hard in Wuyou Cave, but he became the youngest to become the head of Wuyou Cave.

Seeing that the customer had finished eating, the doctor quickly stepped forward to explain that his staff hadn't cleaned the pig hair properly, causing the customer to go to the toilet, and that they would give him a discount on the meal.

"No need."

Xiaofeng stood up: "Even eating pig bristles wouldn't trigger an immediate reaction; it's something on my mind."

The doctor expressed his understanding, but still insisted on giving Xiaofeng a discount, telling him to make sure to get a thorough check-up next time he came.

Competition among shops in Tokyo City is fierce, so you have to strive to be the best when dealing with customers.

Not everyone has the strength of Fanlou.

Xiaofeng walked listlessly down the street, and after a while, he came to a herbal medicine shop.

"elder brother."

"have you eaten?"

The man with the missing arm greeted Xiaofeng with a smile and welcomed him in.

The empty right sleeve swayed with his movements.

"Ate."

Why do you look so listless?

Xiaofeng told Daoge to follow him into the back room.

The three of them fought hard, but Tiger died, and Knife lost an arm but survived by sheer luck.

Now, under Xiaofeng's care, he runs a spice and medicine shop to make a living, and has even married and had children.

“I know where Song Wenuan is.”

"what?"

Dao Ge, who was pouring tea, beamed with joy:
"Is he coming to take the imperial examination?"

Brother Dao just now counted on one hand while drinking tea, realizing he was getting old, but the next imperial examination was in the eighth year of the Tiansheng era.

"Yingtian Academy is now the number one academy in the world. This kid Wen Nuan should be studying in Nanjing. Why did he come to Tokyo?"

How did you meet him?

"The tree we made a promise with back then was struck by lightning and cut down by everyone."

"Where is he? Take me to see him quickly."

"I wonder if this kid still recognizes me."

Xiaofeng raised his eyes and glanced at him: "Do you think he might be the top scholar of the Song Dynasty?"

"Who?"

"The top scholar of the Song Dynasty?"

"It's definitely impossible."

"He didn't even know many of Confucius's sayings back then, yet he passed the imperial examination with top honors in all three levels. I also think it was him!"

"If only it were him!"

After retiring from the underworld, Brother Dao has become very peaceful.

"It is him."

"what?"

Dao Ge jumped to his feet, staring at his friend in disbelief.

I couldn't accept this bombshell news for a while.

Song Wennuan - Song Xuan - Song Zhuangyuan - Song Taisui?
You're telling me they're all from the same person!

Of course, Brother Dao knew that when Song Taisui investigated the case, he first destroyed Xiaofeng's gang's hideout, and then, during the heavy rain, he personally led a team to destroy two other gangs.

This resulted in heavy losses for Wuyou Cave!
Nowadays, even the storytellers on the street have started compiling this story about Song Tai Sui.

The people of Tokyo were eager to listen, and every performance was packed.

Everyone is now waiting for news that Song Taisui will destroy Qinglong Hall, the last branch of Wuyou Cave, and capture the cave master of Wuyou Cave alive.

Then let's listen to it together and have a great time!

"Don't make up relatives randomly."

Dao Ge subconsciously touched his empty sleeve: "If only it were true."

"Song Xuan is amazing!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

"He made it before us."

They even said something like, "If we become rich and powerful, let's not forget each other."

In the end, he became rich first.

"Wow, his future is limitless."

After having his doubts, Brother Dao quickly accepted this reality:
“When he was eight years old, he commanded us all with great skill and wasn’t intimidated at all when we went to Fanlou.”

"Instead, I used money to scold the manager of Fanlou. Thinking about it, that was the first time in my life I've lived so happily!"

Fanlou was a symbol of status.

We're all like mice in the gutter, often going hungry.

Who would dare to dream of having a big meal at Fanlou!

"Yes, he left the rest of the money to the three of us brothers."

Xiaofeng recalled the past, and a smile crept onto his face.

"I never imagined he would become the top scholar in the imperial examination!"

"Yes, the top scholar, he's high and mighty."

Xiaofeng's eyes were filled with bitterness; he was still just a rat in the gutter.

Are you afraid of him?

Dao Ge understood Xiao Feng's tone very well; back then, they were all just clueless kids with nothing.

Now he has transformed into a top scholar admired by thousands.

Xiaofeng remained silent: "I just didn't expect this result. I didn't recognize him before, until Jiao, Jiao."

"Jiao Er".

"Yes, when Jiao Er brought him food, I felt he looked very familiar, but I couldn't remember him."

"Jiao Er was eating at Fanlou and said the food was delicious, and he wanted to be the chef."

Dao Ge seemed to recall something and said, "Could it be that he really did become Song Wenuan's cook?"

Do you remember braised pork knuckle?

"Yes, that was the first time I ever ate braised pork knuckle at Fanlou. I'll never forget it."

"Yes." Xiaofeng nodded.

“I can’t forget that taste either, which is why I suddenly remembered who Jiao Er is when I was eating. He can’t possibly leave Song Wenwen.”

"So Song Wenwen is Song Xuan. I also asked a scholar, and Xuan means Wenwen."

"Good lad, you're not using your real name."

Brother Dao chuckled and shook his head: "But if he weren't cunning, how could he have led us out of the Worry-Free Cave?"

"Brother Dao, can you go and acknowledge him as your father?"

"What?" Brother Dao glanced at Xiaofeng: "You want me to go to his side and be your spy!"

"No."

Xiaofeng was a little anxious:
"I just want to know if Song Xuan knows that Zuixianlou is a branch of Qinglongtang. Besides, I'm afraid it's not appropriate for me to acknowledge him as my own."

Brother Dao pursed his lips: "Have you ever thought about helping him capture the Lord of Wuyou Cave?"

"what?"

Xiaofeng tapped the table with his fingernails, his mind becoming even more confused.

After he guessed that Song Xuan was Song Wennuan, he panicked.

Hearing Dao Ge's suggestion, Xiao Feng shook his head:

"The cave master is elusive and quite skilled. He always wears a mask, and everyone suspects he is a eunuch, but I always feel that he is deliberately pretending to be one."

"This person is very difficult to guess; I know nothing about him."

Brother Dao nodded in agreement:

"No rush. Anyway, Song Wenwen is smarter than you and me. Maybe these problems won't be problems for him when the time comes."

"I neither want him to arrest you, nor do I want you to confront him."

"I'll find a suitable opportunity to get to know Song Wenuan. I wonder if he still remembers me."

"Yes, after all, they've become wealthy."

Xiaofeng was quite sensitive about his identity.

Facing Song Xuan, an old acquaintance, he felt extremely embarrassed, yet also somewhat expectant.

After learning where Song Xuan was eating, Dao Ge got up and went out.

He also wanted to see how much Song Xuan had changed, that Xiao Feng hadn't even recognized him.

When Song Xuan rode his horse through the streets, the crowd was so dense that even Dao Ge only caught a fleeting glimpse of him.

At the time, I just thought that the top scholar was indeed worthy of the title, as he was handsome and young.

Now that he suddenly learns that it is an old acquaintance, how could he not be happy?
Then Brother Dao returned: "If you were asked, how should I answer?"

Xiaofeng clearly hadn't considered this issue either.

"You can't exactly say you're dead, can you?"

Xiaofeng thought for a while before saying seriously, "Just say I went to the docks to transport grain."

"Okay!"

Brother Dao lowered the curtain and headed towards his destination with a heart full of excitement.

When they arrived at the riverbank, he stood at the front of the crowd, next to the yamen runners, and excitedly looked ahead.

The yamen runners were already used to the habit of the people of Tokyo watching the spectacle.

Before, it was just a bunch of hooligans and idlers, but now there are also young ladies coming to see the master and whispering secrets to him.

Now, someone with a missing arm has appeared.

Brother Dao's face lit up with joy as he widened his eyes and examined the area closely.

Oh, that's Jiao Er.

Looks like you've gained some weight.

As for Song Wennuan, just by looking at her standing there, she clearly resembled a person from the Song Dynasty.

Everyone says that girls change a lot as they grow up, but boys can change a lot too.

Dao Ge had long heard of Song Xuan's deeds. After watching for a while, he waited until Jiao Er left before following him forward.

In any case, he had to get through Jiao Er first before contacting Song Wennuan.

Otherwise, acting recklessly outside could easily be noticed by others.

Xiaofeng wasn't the only one watching Song Wennuan from Wuyou Cave.

"Friend, you've been following me for three blocks, are you still?"

Jiao Ming not only enjoys cooking, but he has also mastered martial arts.

If it weren't for the fact that there was a one-armed man behind him with a constant smile on his face...

Jiao Ming beat him up first, then questioned him.

They had now reached the street where Zhang Qi lived, a street sparsely populated.

"Jiao Er".

Dao Ge shouted, which surprised Jiao Ming.

This made him feel a little dazed for a moment.

Jiao Erduo was a nickname given to him by his buddies in Nanjing.

"Take a good look at who I am!"

Brother Dao straightened his chest and raised his head, letting him examine it carefully.

"Liu Erdao?"

Jiao Ming's eyes showed deep shock.

That's how he managed to keep the dagger hidden in his sleeve from being revealed.

How did Liu Erdao lose an arm?
"Hahaha."

Liu Erdao first laughed loudly a few times:

"Good, you finally remembered."

"However, my name is now Liu Yishou!"

"By the way, why didn't you come to Tokyo with Brother Song Wenuan?"

(End of this chapter)