A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 392 I ask you, what are you good at?

Bathhouses in Bianjing (Kaifeng) during the Northern Song Dynasty had already become highly commercialized.

Before the Song Dynasty, bathrooms were generally private spaces for nobles, monks, or the wealthy.

However, in the Song Dynasty, the bathing industry was already an independent and widely distributed competitive market, serving the general public.

There are expensive places to go and cheap places to go, catering precisely to guests from all walks of life.

Bathing on the winter solstice is a major custom in Tokyo. Even the poor would bathe, change clothes, prepare food, and worship their ancestors on this day, which would be a part of the entire year.

"Wang Dalang is here."

The staff in the bathroom took the initiative to greet him.

He works at the front desk, specifically guiding guests to arrange and store their belongings.

Wang Shudu, in particular, became a member.

The bathhouse would launch promotional activities on the third day of the Lunar New Year to attract customers, not to mention that it would also cooperate with teahouses to sell discounted bath tickets to customers.

As people watched Wang Shu bring a group of people to take a bath, their joy remained undiminished.

"Wang Dalang, please come this way. Are you all here for a bath?"

"Ah."

Wang Shu placed his membership card directly on the counter: "All seven of us are registered under my account."

"Alright, please come this way, sir." Each person was given a key to wear on their wrist, and they were led to the cabinet where clothes were stored.

They offer to personally fetch the wooden clogs for them, and then start asking if they want someone to wipe their backs.
This proper noun was written by the great literary figure Su Shi and has been passed down through the ages in a poem.

The main point is that Su Dongpo was complaining about the back-scratcher.

Tell him to rub my back less hard, because I can't stand the pressure, it hurts.

Wang Shu readily agreed and nodded to the person wiping his back.

The man was overjoyed and quickly introduced the restaurant to the new customers.

You can soak in the public bath first, and he will pour tea for you later.

If you feel you've soaked long enough, you can go to the single-person wooden tub and soak for a while longer.

The person rubbing your back will ask each person if they need a back rub.

Although public bathhouses were well-developed in the Song Dynasty and there was a profession of back scrubbing, it was not like in later times where you would lie on a table and have your back scrubbed.

They only offer back scrubbing.

The row of bathtubs were all in small cubicles, with screens separating them, so it wouldn't interfere with chatting with friends next door.

After all, it's rare for someone to go to a public bathhouse on their own.

Wang Shu no longer needs to go for a bath, but barbers come to ask if he needs his hair combed, rested, or his nails trimmed.

It allows guests to feel refreshed from head to toe after a bath.

When Song Xuan was a child, he brought a group of people to the bathhouse in Tokyo before going to Fanlou to eat and drink.

Jiao Ming was somewhat moved.

Since arriving in Tokyo, I've run into old acquaintances, but I haven't had time to feel too much emotion yet.

As a result, he went to Fanlou for dinner yesterday because of these two things he missed.

I ended up here getting a body scrub today by some strange twist of fate.

I was truly somewhat dazed.

Song Xuan sat in the bathtub, draping a towel over the tub.

For a moment I was a little dazed, feeling that the order wasn't quite right.

"Sir, would you like a back rub?"

"Let's wipe it clean, and put the blame on Wang Dalang."

"okay."

I really enjoy rubbing people's backs; I love this kind of customer.
"Then I'll use the old loofah pulp."

"Ah."

Song Xuan knew.

There are generally two options: coarse cloth is cheaper, while loofah sponges are more expensive.

"Sir, your back is indeed very strong. I'll have to put some effort into it."

Song Xuan placed his hands on the sides of the tub: "Such a technique..."

"You're skilled, do you rub backs a lot?"

"So that you may know, I've been working here for over six years."

"They've become quite skilled."

Song Xuan let out a long sigh:
How's business lately?

"Thanks to Master Song, he brought the children of the disaster victims from outside the city. I'll give them a good massage."

"Although two children are worth the price of one adult, we did make some money the other day."

Song Xuan's lips curled up slightly.

"The weather isn't cold enough yet, and with Master Song overseeing the river management, many people will wash in the river, so business is just so-so."

Song Xuan nodded: "If we don't have enough new customers, what about our existing customers?"

"We don't have many repeat customers either."

The man wiping his back sighed:
"Especially some people are regular customers, but they don't like others to scrub their backs, so even though they take a bath, I don't earn money from scrubbing their backs."

"I see. I thought everyone who came here would get a back massage."

Song Xuan clicked his tongue twice:

"It seems that although they came into the bathroom to take a shower, not all of them came to get their backs scrubbed."

"Yes," the back-wiping man said, also looking worried.

"It looks like we'll have to go through another two or three months of off-season."

Why don't the regular customers like getting a body scrub?

Song Xuan adjusted his position while sitting in the bathtub:
"Don't you have any ideas on how to get them to get a bath too?"

"Well, to be honest, I have also thought about developing existing customers."

The person rubbing the back didn't lessen their grip, but instead sighed:

"But few people are willing to try."

What do you think is the reason?

Upon hearing Song Xuan's question, the man wiping his back was willing to talk about his current predicament:

"The main problem is that some customers don't like having their backs rubbed or even their bodies touched."

"Even if they come to the bathroom, they will wrap themselves tightly in a bath towel and soak in the bath right there, always covering their private parts in the water. They will not go outside to soak in the bath."

"shy."

"Yes, she's shy, like a little girl, and her skin is better than most people's."

Song Xuan nodded, pondering for a moment:
"Do you think eunuchs will come to your shop?"

"what?"

The person wiping the back stopped what they were doing and seemed a little lost for a moment.

"Sir, I've never encountered this before."

"What if these are our long-term customers?"

Song Xuan's words made the man wiping his back stop again; he had never thought about such a thing before.

"Perhaps someone really will come?"

"What do they sound like? Do they have beards?"

Song Xuan's question made the back-wiping man fall into thought:

"I didn't notice, since they had scolded me before, but their voices were indeed a bit shrill."

"Ah."

Song Xuan responded:
"I am Song Xuan, the magistrate of Kaifeng County. If people like this come again, please keep an eye out for me."

"Song, Song Tai Sui?"

"No, no, no, Song Qingtian."

The expression on the back-rubbing man's face suddenly changed; he was actually able to rub Song Qingtian's back!
The God of Literature has descended to earth!

Otherwise, how come not even a speck of dirt could be rubbed off?

He truly has an immaculate constitution!

"I will definitely remember."

"Yeah." Song Xuan responded:
"Don't tell anyone about what happened today. I'm investigating a case, and your reward will be substantial once I've succeeded."

"I won't tell, I won't tell."

The shovel immediately swore to the heavens, "I, Du Fei, will absolutely not tell anyone about what happened today."

"There's no need for that. Once the case is solved, you'll be able to tell everyone."

"Okay, okay, I understand."

"Well, thank you."

"Don't dare."

"By the way, have you ever encountered anything interesting or bizarre while getting a back massage?"

After Song Xuan introduced himself, Du Fei began to ponder deeply.

Because many customers don't like to chat while getting a back massage, or even don't want them to make a sound.

Just quietly enjoy the process of getting your back rubbed.

Du Fei shook his head: "To answer your question, sir, there's nothing interesting."

"And what about those strange things?" Song Xuan specified again: "Apart from the dead."

"Reporting to your Excellency, it turns out that someone finished bathing in this tub, and there was blood mixed in with the water. I don't know how it happened. I was so scared that I thought someone was dead, but it turned out that no one was dead. I still don't know how it happened."

"Blood?"

Song Xuan rummaged through the bathtub. Could it be that his hemorrhoids flared up from soaking in the bath?
Did you get a nosebleed while taking a bath?

Song Xuan wasn't entirely sure whether he was connected to the perpetrator.

"My lord, it's all done."

"Okay, thank you."

Du Fei, the man who was wiping Du Fei's back, stood up and quickly expressed that it was his honor.

He felt like he was dreaming.

Who would have thought that not only would she be scrubbing Song Taisui's back, but he would also assign her extra tasks?

A case that can be personally confessed by Song Taisui must be no small matter.

Du Fei had a big smile on his face, and he almost slipped, but he managed to steady himself thanks to his agile movements.

Song Xuan didn't know whether the southerners in the Northern Song Dynasty could adapt to public bathhouses at that time.

He knew that his roommates from the southern university couldn't accept the northern-style public bathhouses, so he took a shower in a toilet stall.

Song Xuan had no leads on the murderer in the bathroom and could only eliminate possibilities little by little, trying to see if there was a motive for committing the crime in a place where no one could touch it.

After all, they were lacking something; if they didn't want to live forever, then they wanted to complete themselves.

It's human nature, especially for eunuchs who no longer worry about survival; they think a lot and perhaps have the ability to do these things.

Lu Mansion.

Lü Yijian invited his brother-in-law Chen Gu to have a meal together.

After a hearty meal, Lü Yijian put down his teacup:
"Tianjing, have you been paying attention to Song Xuan's governance?"

"I have heard about it; he does all sorts of fancy things."

Chen Gu stroked his beard and shook his head:
"I think that Song Xuan has put on such a grand show, but he will probably run out of money and it will be difficult to continue. At that time, the disaster victims will complain and question the court's disaster relief efforts."

"In the end, we'll not only fail to steal the chicken but also lose the rice, and it will implicate our elder brother."

After all, both of them were county magistrates of the same county.

After a heavy rain, the people praised Song Xuan, the newly appointed magistrate, highly.

The reputation of Chen Gu, the magistrate of Xiangfu County, was immediately overshadowed.

Lu Gongchuo thought his uncle-in-law made sense, but Lu Gongbi, who was busy at the scene, was a little worried.

After all, Lü Gongbi felt that he had gained a sense of recognition in the matter of repairing the river.

That was a feeling that his family couldn't provide for him.

"Do you think the tax revenue he collects in Kaifeng County isn't enough?"

Lu Yijian didn't rush to refute, but wanted to find out his brother-in-law's true thoughts.

"That's right, how much money can you collect just from taxes?"

Chen Gu was not unaware of Song Xuan's actions; the two were competitors, so of course he would pay attention to him.

Not to mention that Song Xuan's current reputation is probably even more effective than that of the Prefect of Kaifeng.

"Tianjing, let me tell you, Song Xuan really does collect a lot of taxes. What do you think?"

Lu Yijian's words left Chen Gu speechless.

"how is this possible?"

His instinctive rebuttal:
Even if they collect three years' worth of back taxes, tens of thousands of strings of cash would be more than enough.

"Song Xuan has set up such a huge operation, cleaning up four rivers at the same time, solving the food, water, and toilet needs of so many disaster victims, and also hiring locals to do the work."

"With tens of thousands of strings of cash and grain prices changing daily, how could someone with such a large fortune possibly support doing this?"

"As far as I know, Song Zhuangyuan did not spend too much money. I personally witnessed this at the construction site."

"The meals we usually eat are just average, but they're enough to fill you up. Only when we're treating you to meat are they made to be extremely delicious, with expensive spices used to mask the pork's flavor."

As soon as Lü Gongbi opened his mouth, he was reprimanded by his elder brother, Lü Gongchuo:

"Don't talk nonsense. Would Song Xuan be willing to use such expensive spices?"

“He himself would eat with the craftsmen by the river, how could I not know?”

All three looked at Lü Gongbi, while Chen Gu rested his hands on his chair.
"You've been fooled by him; it's all just a show."

Lü Gongbi dared not refute.

Because he didn't actually see Song Xuan eating the communal meals at the construction site every day; he only saw him when he went out to eat with Zeng Gongliang.

This made Zeng Gongliang feel embarrassed to go out to eat and pay the bill every day.

Zeng Gongliang thought that once the imperial court's "disaster relief funds" came through, Song Xuan would probably stop being so harsh on him, and then he could openly dine out.

Lü Yijian nodded:
“What you said makes sense, but Song Xuan only paid a small amount of wages and food expenses. He suggested that all the grain be taken out of the army’s granaries to provide relief to the disaster victims.”

"The wages for this phase of the project are not high because the victims are disaster victims."

"Most of the people he hired in Tokyo were there to make a living and earn some pocket money. Even if we factor in the fact that he spent 20,000 guan, that's an overestimation."

"As for the guilds in Tokyo, the meat, vegetables, oil, salt, and soy sauce they supplied to him were not priced much higher."

"We don't eat this meat every day, and the wages aren't high."

"You really think he spent that much money?"

Now it was Lü Gongchuo's turn to be dumbfounded.

Song Xuan made such a big show of it, but it didn't cost him much money.

Now, not only are the disaster victims satisfied and the imperial court satisfied, but even the local people of Tokyo are full of praise for him.

In which year did the imperial court provide disaster relief? The money spent was enormous, yet the progress was extremely slow.
"How could he possibly spend so little money?"

Chen Gu stood up and refuted them.

"This phase of the project did not cost much money. Although the imperial court did not allocate funds to him, it did allocate the stones and wood used to block the Bian River, as well as the rubble and wood from the demolition of the Huimin River, making use of waste materials."

"The total amount of money spent wasn't much," Lu Yijian said, stroking his beard. "It truly was a case of accomplishing great things with little money."

Chen Gu didn't think his brother-in-law would deceive him, so he sat down, his eyes filled with undisguised shock.

Lu Gongbi's lips curled up in a smile.

Indeed, my choice was correct; this is much better than studying at the Imperial Academy.

No wonder so many of his classmates from the Imperial Academy wanted to find someone to join the project and were willing to serve under the command of the top scholar Song.

"Let me tell you, Song Xuan's approach is different from ours. Repairing the Bian River and the other four rivers will cost a lot of money overall."

"But he broke this plan down into segments."

"After the work is separated, less money is spent, and some people will even try to make money in the process."

"Take this Mid-Autumn Festival celebration, for example. He even turned the Imperial Street into a commercial route to raise money, and the Empress Dowager and the Emperor both agreed to it."

"Someone has thought of this idea, but would they dare to bring it up?"

Chen Gu did not answer Lü Yijian's question, mainly because he had never imagined that he could raise money to play like this.

“Vendors pay a stall fee, earn money through this event, and then pay some taxes. It’s not just the vendors.”

“Temples such as Daxiangguo Temple, as well as various merchants in Kaifeng County, can continue to pay commercial taxes a month later.”

“Once the merchants transport their goods to Tokyo, the number of carriage companies paying taxes to the county government will be considerable.”

“Before these people are sold, someone will collect taxes, and this money will be allocated to Song Xuan for disaster relief.”

"The second phase of the project can still proceed smoothly. I don't even know what other tricks he hasn't used yet."

Lü Yijian narrowed his eyes:
"This person is truly talented, not just a bookworm. You should all learn from him."

Neither of his two sons nor his brother-in-law responded immediately.

"Dad, I'm learning."

Lu Gongbi couldn't help but break the silence, saying:
"When my father asked me to handle the illegal constructions along the Huimin River myself, it was a stroke of genius."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have known that Scholar Song was so capable."

"I believe that once I become an official, I will definitely do a better job than my older brother."

Lu Gongchuo glanced at his younger brother.

I was laughing at him a few days ago, but now I've shot myself in the foot.

"Nonsense." Lü Gongchuo snorted.
"You really think you can learn how to be an official by following Song Xuan? Besides, you're not even truly following him."

"Don't listen to your older brother."

Lü Yijian felt that his second son's ability to catch Song Xuan's eye was not necessarily due to his own reputation.

What if his son really did show some charm that attracted Song Xuan?
Which parent doesn't want their child to gain recognition from some "stronger" figures?

What if it really is your child who is outstanding?
Because Lü Yijian felt that sometimes, his face wasn't as useful as others imagined in front of Song Xuan.

In particular, Song Xuan's father-in-law, Cao Yongli, would surely explain to him the relationships among the court officials.

Lü Yijian was also somewhat annoyed that he could not control Chen Yaozi's behavior.

This would lead others to believe that he was deliberately condoning or even tacitly approving of Chen Yaozi's behavior.

This time, when he was demoted and banished from the capital, Lü Yijian pretended not to know when he would leave the capital.

In the past, no matter how much someone offended him, even someone like Kou Zhun or Ding Wei, someone would still come out of the city to see him off.

Chen Yaozi had a bad temper and was not very popular.

Furthermore, his second brother had gone to another region for disaster relief, so he had even less time to look after him. Perhaps the two brothers could meet when they passed through Huazhou, but what's done is done, and Chen Yaozi probably wouldn't have the chance to return to the capital in this lifetime.

"Big brother, do you really think I should learn from that young Song Xuan?"

"Tianjing, it's just that you don't accept his authority, isn't it?"

Lü Yijian leaned forward slightly:

"Yes and no?"

"Yes."

Chen Gu had nothing to hide from Lü Yijian.

He was indeed dissatisfied with Song Xuan.

Chen Gu was doing a good job as a county magistrate when suddenly someone appeared, did something, and then slapped him in the face. Chen Gu couldn't stand it.

Who wouldn't want a better official title, to have a "Ten Thousand People's Umbrella" or something similar when leaving office, or even to be blocked from applying for re-election?

As a result, Song Xuan did some things so blatantly, and not long after taking office, he brought Kaifeng County under complete control.

This alone made Chen Gu angry.

To this day, there are very few people in Xiangfu County who truly respect him.

How is he supposed to get his work done?
The two Lü brothers remained silent, pointing out their elder's mistakes, and decided not to agree with them.

"Don't be unconvinced, let me explain." Lü Yijian held up his finger:

“You are a Jinshi, but he is the Zhuangyuan who won the top three prizes in a row. He is the youngest Zhuangyuan since the founding of the Song Dynasty. Just in this respect, he is better than you.”

"As for your taking the imperial examination, you mainly focus on poetry and prose, but how many people can match Song Xuan's ability in poetry and prose? He is even better than you."

"Third, you have been an official for many years, and even as the magistrate of a county, you have not been able to immediately subdue your subordinates and make them work for you."

"He was a newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), and to stand up for his teacher, he took on the important task of serving as the magistrate of Kaifeng. But who in Kaifeng County didn't respect him?"

“In this respect, Song Xuan is one step ahead of you.”

"Both Kaifeng County and Xiangfu County are adjacent and both located within the city of Dongjing. How was the flooding on the streets?"

"The floodwaters in your Xiangfu County were all drained by the ditches in Kaifeng County. Why didn't you follow their example? You wouldn't be cursed so badly by the people of Xiangfu County behind their backs!"

"This immediately made more people see your shortcomings. You should know that last year you were the magistrate of Xiangfu County, and it rained heavily in both counties as well."

"In terms of foresight, he still has the upper hand over you."

Lü Yijian closed all his fingers:

"It's still this heavy rain. He proposed an effective disaster relief method, while you didn't even think of it, did you?"

“Even after all this time, you still can’t do what he did to clear the silt from the ditch.”

"You still think you're better than him?"

Chen Gu remained silent, his expression quite unpleasant.

It can be said that his arrogance and pride were shattered in an instant by Lü Yijian.

The two Lü brothers bit their lips, trying hard to suppress their urge to laugh.

"Although it may sound harsh, these are the facts."

Lu Yijian said earnestly, "Even if you miss out on the hot soup, it's still good to follow him and have a taste of the soup."

"This is not only about your future, but also about everyone's future."

“Song Xuan has already set an example. If we follow his example, we can salvage some of our image.”

"Do you really think that once your term ends, with me speaking on your behalf in court, you can continue to rise in rank?"

Lü Yijian realized he had misjudged Chen Yaozi and his brother-in-law.

Why is everyone so hostile towards Song Xuan?
We could have brought Song Xuan into our system much earlier; now everyone knows he's a hot commodity.

Furthermore, Song Xuan himself is also shrewd and calculating, so how can we win him over in the future?
"But."

"But what 'but'?"

In order to dispel his brother-in-law's prejudice, Lü Yijian became even more blunt and said:
"I'm sending you to deal with Worry-Free Cave, destroy it, and capture its master. Can you do it?"

"I'm asking you to take on the main responsibility of disaster relief, to find a way to raise money legally without asking the imperial court for large amounts of relief funds. Can you do it?"

"I'm asking you to repair the river to prevent Tokyo from being flooded every year. Can you do it?"

Chen Gu was dumbfounded by the question.

He really didn't expect his brother-in-law to look down on him so much.

"You two stop laughing, you're both such a handful."

At this point, even a dog passing by would be scolded by Lü Yijian.

“Song Xuan did these things, and he got them done, which proves that he is no ordinary person.”

Lü Yijian pointed to his relatives in front of him:

"But you are ordinary people. Isn't it normal for ordinary people to learn how to do things from smart people?"

"So, Tianjing, I don't understand why you're getting angry with a genius, thinking you can outdo Song Xuan."

"Even the current prime minister, Wang Zeng, who also achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, might not have done a better job than Song Xuan if he had been in Song Xuan's position."

"Did the flooding of Tokyo, caused by heavy rains, happen suddenly after he became prime minister?"

"This has happened every year before, and he hasn't had any solutions."

Lü Yijian looked at Chen Gu with utmost seriousness:

"It's not too late for you to follow in Song Xuan's footsteps now."

"Even if you don't have the same foresight as him, at least it proves that you are a diligent person and have the right attitude."

"Only then will I have a chance to promote you!"

After a long pause, Chen Gu finally spoke, "Brother, it's not that I don't want to learn, it's just that the county government doesn't have the money right now."

"A heavy rain caused flooding in Xiangfu County, resulting in significant losses for many merchants. If I were to go with them to collect taxes at this time, where would they get the money?"

"The main problem is that only a small portion of the 72 official stores are located within my Xiangfu County. It will be quite difficult for me to emulate Song Xuan's tax collection methods."

"Hey."

Lü Yijian sighed. Kaifeng County was prosperous, but it was also full of powerful and influential people.

If Song Xuan was able to collect taxes smoothly, it would serve as a warning to others and directly settle the matter with Liu Congde.

Which minister in the court would dare to clash with this person?
Even the prime minister Wang Zeng sometimes turned a blind eye to Liu Congde's actions.

Otherwise, after the Yellow River project incident, among all the civil and military officials, only Fan Zhongyan, who had just been transferred to the court, dared to impeach Liu Congde.

The others didn't even have that thought and all pretended not to see it.

The Empress Dowager's favoritism towards Liu Congde was extraordinary.

Song Xuan had accomplished many political achievements, which led to Empress Liu bestowing upon him a gold belt weighing ten taels.

Liu Congde didn't have to do anything; Liu E immediately bestowed upon him a gold belt weighing twenty taels.

Nobody understands the logic behind this.

But everyone knows that the Empress Dowager's favor towards Liu Congde is unparalleled in the world.

However, Song Xuan dared to confront Liu Congde, and Liu Congde dared not provoke Song Xuan after they met.

Lu Yijian didn't understand what exactly Song Xuan had done to Liu Congde that made him so obedient and dare not resist.

“I will use my connections to get the Xiangjun Army to help you with the dredging.”

After Lü Yijian brought it up, he instructed Chen Gu:

Even if you don't give me money, you still have to contribute something for my meals.

"Otherwise, even if we do this, people will compare us and we'll be criticized. It'll be a thankless task, since Song Xuan is a shining example."

"If you can't even handle this simple matter, you can forget about staying in Tokyo. There's probably no place for you in the imperial court."

Lü Yijian truly felt that while some of his close associates were loyal to him, their abilities in handling affairs were indeed not entirely satisfactory.

"Big brother, I will do my best."

Chen Gu made a guarantee to Lü Yijian:
"If I can't even do this little thing well, even if I climb up, I'll only bring shame to my brother."

"Hey."

Lü Yijian patted Chen Gu's arm:

"We're both getting old. How much time do we have left to support our children's advancement in the ranks?"

"The higher we climb, the higher our offspring will start."

"It's not just for yourself, but also for the future of our family."

In order to resolve Chen Gu's inner conflict, Lü Yijian could only offer him a rosy picture of the future of this offspring.

After Chen Gu left, Lü Yijian looked at his two sons.

One had a furrowed brow, while the other just grinned foolishly.

He didn't know what to say. Look at Song Xuan, he's younger than all of you, yet he displays such wisdom.

This son used to seem quite good, but I'm afraid of comparing him to others.

Lu Yijian could speak calmly to his brother-in-law, but he was somewhat vulnerable when talking to his son.

For the first time, Song Xuan wore a vermilion robe, carried a silver fish-shaped pouch, and wore a ten-tael gold belt to court.

Today's main focus is on reporting the progress of the next phase of the project.

And it is expected that the water in the Bian River that was intercepted can be almost completely drained by the Kewu River in a few days, which will facilitate the implementation of the second phase of the project.

It's impossible to completely remove it anyway.

Song Xuan rode his horse through the streets early in the morning, but there were hardly any people out doing business on the Imperial Street at that time.

They're starting the morning court session really early.

However, in the pavilions near both sides of the imperial city, vendors were already selling breakfast, waiting for the officials who came to court to have a hot meal.

After all, not all officials could live close to the palace.

It was just beginning to get light.

Song Xuan rode his horse, reined in, and greeted his father-in-law.

Cao Liyong looked at Song Xuan's clothes and accessories and was very pleased.

"How could this silver fish pouch be worthy of you?"

Cao Li pointed to his goldfish bag:

"You're too honest, kid. You don't know how to fight for yourself."

"Now, throughout the entire city of Tokyo, who doesn't call you Song Qingtian?"

"It saved countless lives and also prevented the people of Tokyo from being flooded again during the heavy rains the following year."

"Who can compare to you!"

Faced with his father-in-law's deliberate flattery, Song Xuan naturally laughed heartily:

“Father-in-law is right. Let’s storm into the palace, grab the Empress Dowager by the collar, and make her change my clothes.”

Cao immediately covered his son-in-law's mouth, as he had only wanted to show off.

He grabbed the old lady by the collar and threatened her, "What are you trying to do, you brat!"
OK.

"Don't talk nonsense."

Cao Li realized that his son-in-law had done it on purpose, and he flicked his sleeve to wipe his hands.
"You'd better watch your words from now on, and never be arrogant or complacent."

"Hehehe, we're just joking."

Song Xuan patted his gold belt:
"Look at this, it's much better than the silver fish talisman."

"Yes, yes, it's much better than my goldfish charm."

The father-in-law and son-in-law wore purple robes with gold pouches and jade belts, while Song Xuan wore vermilion robes with silver pouches and gold belts.

With such "power," no other father-in-law and son-in-law pair could be found among all the officials in the court.

Others were quite envious of Song Xuan, who was so young yet dressed in crimson robes and a gold belt.

They had struggled for half their lives, and despite working in Tokyo, they still couldn't escape the green robes.

Not to mention the prestigious gold belt.

Who doesn't want it?
Cao Liyong said with great emotion:
"Perhaps it won't be long before your red robes change, but your silver pouch will have to be changed as well."

After all, her son-in-law is still very young.

Even if one were to rise through the ranks, the crimson robes would still conceal it.

Song Shou has been working on the Veritable Records of Emperor Zhenzong recently, and is also responsible for lecturing Emperor Zhao Zhen on Tang history.

"Twelfth Brother, you're getting more and more energetic."

"Hahaha." Song Xuan quickly bowed and said:

"Scholar Song, it's been a long time. You look rather old."

"Sigh, it always comes down to burying myself in old papers, which is quite mentally taxing."

How can one not be extremely careful with something like the True Records of the Cultivation Sect?

As for lecturing the emperor on Tang history, Song Shou was extremely cautious.

He avoided over-interpreting the Xuanwu Gate Incident and Wu Zetian's usurpation of the throne, lest the Empress Dowager feel uncomfortable.

Ministers naturally had to handle such internal royal struggles with caution.

How could Song Shou not expend even more energy?
There are even rumors now that the national history is to be revised, and even if Song Shou is promoted, he will find it difficult to cope.

In a short period of time, Song Xuan was able to wear crimson robes and be ranked alongside him, and even his accessories were much better than his own.

Song Shou was still somewhat dumbfounded. He knew this kid was capable, but he didn't expect him to be so domineering and wild, leaving others far behind.

Especially Chen Gu, the magistrate of Xiangfu County next door, seemed to have wasted all his years in office.

Song Xuan quickly spoke up:

"If Scholar Song feels tired, he should remember to practice the health-preserving techniques that I taught to Privy Councilor Yan every morning."

"If this high-intensity revision of the historical record continues, Scholar Song will not be able to recover his mental state, and I'm afraid his health will suffer."

Song Shou was also aware of Song Xuan's medical skills, and he nodded repeatedly: "You're right, I'll pick it up tomorrow."

"Since there's nothing important to do in court today, you can start working on it today. Otherwise, you'll keep putting it off until tomorrow. How many tomorrows are there?"

"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, how many tomorrows are there?"

Wang Zeng walked over and looked Song Xuan up and down:
"I have long heard that Song Twelve was a teacher of Yan Tongshu, and today his casual remark is so philosophical. After hearing it, I feel that what Song Gongchui said is true."

Because of the story of Song Xuan being Yan Shu's teacher after just one sentence.

That was something Song Shou, who was known as "Good Friend Dog," spread far and wide.

After all, Yan Shu was a child prodigy who was famous throughout the world at that time.

Song Xuan was just an unknown country boy.

Such a contrast, who wouldn't find it hilarious?

But the fact is, Song Xuan did prove his talent.

This further enhanced Yan Shu's reputation for having a keen eye for talent. To receive a word of advice from Song Xuan is a rare opportunity in your life.

As the youngest in the family, Song Xuan naturally bowed and greeted them first, but Wang Zeng took the initiative to ask, "Was that casual remark complete?"

"Yes, I do." Song Xuan replied without hesitation.

"This is a song of tomorrow that I casually used to motivate myself not to procrastinate when I was preparing for the imperial examinations."

"Tomorrow's song?"

"interesting."

Cao Liyong's eyes lit up; his good son-in-law was about to compose another fine poem.

"Tell me quickly," Cao urged hastily.

Song Shou also looked on with anticipation, because he had truly witnessed Song Xuan's strength.

Yan Shu did not use his reputation to deliberately promote Song Xuan, and he can testify to that.

Song Xuan thought for a moment:
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, how many tomorrows there are!"

"If I wait until tomorrow, everything will be in vain."

"If one is burdened by tomorrow, spring will pass and autumn will come, and old age will arrive."

"The water flows eastward from dawn till dusk, and the sun sets in the west throughout the ages."

"How many tomorrows are there in a hundred years? Please listen to my song of tomorrow."

"Okay, simple, straightforward, and easy to understand."

Song Shouxian commented:
"It's catchy and easy to recite. Perhaps in just a few days, even a seven-year-old in Tokyo will be able to recite it from memory."

"Hmm, not bad, I can memorize the first four lines after listening to it once."

Cao Liyong's eyes lit up, realizing that his son-in-law was truly capable.

Wang Zeng stood with his hands behind his back, remaining silent.

Actually, now that he's older, listening to this song about tomorrow resonates with him even more.

There are many things in the world that can be strived for and regained, but time is something that cannot be held back.

Whether you hold a high position or are a street vendor, time is the same for everyone.

"Everything will be in vain!"

Wang once thought that once he became prime minister, he would definitely reform the Song Dynasty, but how many things have he accomplished so far?

"I apologize for my previous clumsy work."

"Don't laugh, don't laugh." Cao Liyong knew these words weren't directed at him.
“My son-in-law is a man of great literary talent. Even such a clumsy piece of writing is something that ordinary people would never be able to come up with.”

Cao Liyong did not have a good relationship with Wang Zeng, and he was unwilling to speak directly with Wang Zeng.

"good."

Wang Zeng nodded. As long as Cao Liyong didn't become arrogant or domineering, he was willing to communicate with him, not to mention his son-in-law Song Xuan was also present.
"Twelfth Brother, once the Song of Tomorrow spreads, I'm afraid many scholars will often sing it to remind themselves."

“What Minister Wang said makes sense, but simply singing it is not enough. Only by putting it into action can we truly live up to this song of tomorrow.”

Song Xuan thought everyone had good ideas in mind, such as how things would start tomorrow.

But tomorrow, things that are going to be delayed will still be delayed.

Execution ability isn't that strong.

Wang Zeng nodded and said nothing more, then led the way into the palace to prepare for today's court assembly.

Cao, beaming with pride, went to the front first, and only then did the others begin to line up.

Song Shou lowered his voice and said:
"Twelfth Brother, you just need to report on the disaster relief efforts. Don't worry about what the other people's memorials say."

"It seems someone wants to use you as the first to speak out."

Song Xuan didn't know if Song Shou was talking about the same thing as Zhang Zhibai, namely that Liu Congde's relative by marriage, Ma Jiliang, was talking about getting involved in the tea business.

Ma Jiliang urged Yang Huaimin several times about this matter, and Song Xuan had also heard him complain about it.

Song Xuan looked back and was certain that his teacher, Fan Zhongyan, had not yet returned to the capital; his family was ill and he was taking care of them in Nanjing.

"Thank you, Scholar Song. I know what I'm doing. This time, I definitely won't do what I did last time, publicly berating Chen Yaozuo in the court."

Song Shou felt that with Yan Shu and others absent, and Song Xuan's father-in-law Cao Liyong unable to see through the intrigues among the court officials, he had to take the initiative to remind them.

He believed that Song Xuan was a smart man and would not willingly get involved in troubled matters.

"That's good, as long as you have a plan in mind."

With a smile, Song Shou felt he had fulfilled his duty of reminding and looking after the emperor, and strode into the palace.

(End of this chapter)