A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 393 The Strength Was Just Right

Chengming Hall.

Empress Dowager Liu would come here once every five days.

She ruled from behind the curtain, making decisions on major matters.

In this scene, Emperor Zhao Zhen sat to the side like a puppet, unable to say a word or make any decisions.

Even privately summoning important officials was not allowed.

Even if Zhao Zhen went to live in Zhaoying Yuqing Palace, he would still be accompanied by people.

To ensure that Zhao Zhen would not come into contact with important officials of the court.

As for Song Xuan, a minor seventh-rank official, he had no connections in the court, no army, and no seniority.

Cao Liyong did not possess the ability to command the Imperial Guards with a mere shout.

Zhao Zhen and Song Xuan were talking, but Liu E didn't care at all.

Would an emperor go to learn how specific county government affairs are handled?
What's the point of having ministers then!
In Liu E's view, the county government's administrative affairs were far too low-level.

To be an emperor, the first thing is to govern people in order to govern the country.

If you can govern these ministers well, you will have already succeeded in governing the country.

Otherwise, why would the imperial court spend so much money on their salaries every year?

Not to mention that through a series of actions to protect his own, Liu E had successfully convinced everyone that Song Xuan was a member of the "Empress Dowager's faction."

Otherwise, could Song Xuan, a newly appointed top scholar, possibly preside over such a major event concerning the disaster victims of the capital city?

Disaster relief.

In the imperial court's plans, this was never a trivial matter to be dealt with casually.

By appointing a newcomer, Empress Liu was truly audacious and dared to trust that Song Xuan could do a good job.

As it turns out, Song Xuan did a pretty good job.

Everyone stood inside the main hall.

As usual, Song Xuan stood at the end of the line.

As the eunuch announced, Liu E was already seated behind the curtain, along with Zhao Zhen.

The officials bowed, and Liu E's voice came through the curtain.

The most important issue facing the Song Dynasty now is the breaching of the Yellow River's banks. She first inquired about the progress of the flooding in Huazhou.

Zhang Zhibai reported on the situation of Yan Shu, Chen Yaozuo, and others.

In short, the situation is currently stable and improving, but the imperial court needs to allocate more disaster relief funds.

Empress Liu knew that the flood in Huazhou was very serious, but she did not refuse. Instead, she asked the officials of the Three Departments to recalculate the accounts and try to come up with a sum of money.

Cheng Lin immediately accepted the order, saying that he would continue to raise money, but the current situation was rather special, especially since the Liao delegation was about to enter the capital.

We need to prepare the annual tribute in advance; this is something that cannot be changed.

Otherwise, the Song Dynasty would be in the wrong, the Treaty of Chanyuan would be broken, and the two sides would likely have another conflict.

That would be an even bigger problem.

Liu E raised an eyebrow and told Cheng Lin and the others to think of another way, as this was indeed a big deal.

In her view, war should be avoided if possible.

Otherwise, if the emperor were to personally lead the expedition again, he might lose all power.

Wang Zeng and others expressed their hope that the Empress Dowager would adopt their suggestions on increasing revenue and reducing expenditure.

Empress Liu nodded in agreement, and decided that palace expenses should be reduced by one or two percent to set an example, and that various government departments should also reduce their spending on official business.

After discussing the flood situation in Huazhou, Liu E took the initiative to call Song Xuan to come and report.

Song Xuan walked out from the very back of the line. Everyone around him was wearing green robes, but he was the only young man in red robes, silver bag, and gold belt.

To outsiders, his outfit was truly an eyesore!
Zeng Gongliang, who was standing next to him, couldn't help but feel envious when he saw Song Xuan's magnificent clothes.

Even though he became a Jinshi three years earlier than Song Xuan, he was still a county magistrate dispatched to a remote area, and his rank was not as high as Song Xuan's, let alone being able to wear such an outfit.

How impressive that would be!

Liu Congde looked out from the crowd and saw Song Xuan stride forward, carrying a ceremonial tablet.

The tablet in his hand was made of wood, designed to be inexpensive and durable.

Those of a slightly higher rank than Song Xuan were made of bamboo or jade.

High-ranking officials can even be made of ivory.

Liu Congde glanced at the ivory tablet in his hand.

Although he was of low rank, he was the favorite of the Empress Dowager and wore a purple robe, a gold fish bag, and a gold belt without anyone objecting.

"Your subject Song Xuan greets Your Majesty and Your Highness."

Zhao Zhen's lips curled up slightly.

Everyone else addresses the First Madam as "Madam," but only Twelfth Brother remembers such a small detail.

Liu E didn't want to get entangled in such a trivial matter with Song Xuan.

Everyone knows who selected Song Xuan as the top scholar.

The emperor and the emperor had a good relationship, but that depended on the occasion.

Liu E spoke through the curtain: "Magistrate Song, please tell me about the disaster relief efforts in Dongjing City."

Song Xuan then honestly reported the completion status and cost of the first phase of the project, as well as the budget for the second phase.

Liu E had already investigated quite thoroughly.

Now it was Song Xuan's turn to give his formal report, which everyone heard.

No one expected that Song Xuan would undertake such a large project and spend such a small amount of money.

"Did the top scholar Song lie about his expenses?"

Cheng Lin had estimated the amount of money needed for the Huazhou flood, especially Song Xuan's work-for-relief plan.

That's an astronomical figure.

"Although Tokyo was hit by heavy rain, thanks to my advance dredging efforts, there was no large-scale flooding."

"So even if we don't suffer from the disaster, we only need to feed the disaster victims outside the city. The grain is old grain allocated from the imperial granary, and I didn't include it in the cost at a discount."

"In fact, the imperial court spends a lot of money. If it were based on the market price of grain, it would be too expensive."

"Gentlemen, this is only the cost of labor and food for the first phase of the project. As I just said, the project will be carried out in phases."

"Only in this way can the imperial court catch its breath and avoid being unable to come up with a single penny."

Many of the officials began to discuss it.

As for Song Xuan's actions, everyone in the city of Tokyo either saw them while passing by or heard about them.

He's directing so many people to work, and this is the expense.

That top scholar Song was truly too calculating.

I don't know how he mistreated those disaster victims.

However, the refugees outside the city mostly called him Song Qingtian, and no bad things were said about him.

They were all there, bringing their whole families to the city for sightseeing.

Zeng Gongliang was also hearing about Song Xuan's expenses for the first time. His eyes widened in astonishment. This was incredibly frugal.

Zeng Gongliang had indeed managed floods, so of course he knew how expensive it was.

Keep in mind that this is Tokyo, where prices are much higher than in Kuaiji County.

Even so, Song Twelve was able to save money so much and avoid causing any major trouble.

Zeng Gongliang finally understood why the Empress Dowager had gone against all odds and entrusted such a heavy responsibility to Song Xuan.

"good."

Empress Liu nodded, quite satisfied with the courtiers' reaction.

"The next phase of the project is to remove the silt. What are your plans for dealing with this silt?"

"I plan to hire people to transport the bricks outside the city and fire them into blue bricks."

"Brick making?"

Liu E nodded, thinking that Song Xuan's idea was not bad.

Despite being the world's largest metropolis, Tokyo is surrounded by fields.

Back then, Ding Wei also used the method of extracting soil to make bricks and diverting water to transport materials during construction.

"Your Majesty, we will also need the imperial court to provide a large amount of coal and some skilled craftsmen as support."

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Liu E asked again:

Can the silt from the river be used to make bricks?

"We'll need a craftsman to come and inspect it then."

Song Xuan didn't give any guarantees.

Anyway, he knew that once the silt was formed, it needed to be dried and the moisture evaporated before proceeding to the next step.

"Well, let's start by clearing the silt."

Empress Liu then summoned the Ministry of Works and asked them to find several skilled craftsmen for Song Xuan to assign to their positions.

This is also what Liu E was worried about: so much silt, smelly and with no idea where to put it.

Since Song Xuan has his ideas, we should cooperate with him to avoid the dredging of the Bian River being a waste of time.

After reporting on the project's progress and subsequent plans, Song Xuan calmly returned to where he was standing.

He figured the rest of the time was just filler, and he could just wait for the show to end.

Sure enough, people began to report on other matters of the imperial court.

"Song Zhuangyuan!" Zeng Gongliang exclaimed, gesturing with his hand. "This is the first time I've ever seen such a cost-effective project. I've learned something new."

"You're overthinking it. This project has many expenses, but I broke it down and implemented it in smaller parts."

Song Xuan regained his composure: "The real expense is coming up next."

Zeng Gongliang nodded. Even if the bricks were burned, it was still unknown whether they could be sold for money.

Many ministers were discussing various matters when Pang Ji stepped forward and impeached the Privy Council.

These words caused everyone to crane their necks and look over.

After all, impeachments usually target specific individuals, not departments.

"Your father-in-law is probably to blame."

Zeng Gongliang mentioned it in a low voice, after all, Pang Ji was quite capable.

"That shouldn't be the case. I heard that Pang Ji was able to be transferred to Kaifeng Prefecture through Xia Song's recommendation and influence, and he rose through the ranks step by step."

Xia Song is now the Deputy Privy Councilor.

Song Xuan was curious to hear what Pang Ji was impeaching.

"The old system stipulated that officials could not use horses raised by the state, which was a manifestation of the importance attached to military equipment. The Privy Council arbitrarily lent armor and horses to eunuchs such as Yang Huaimin."

"Many ministers had to repeatedly submit memorials before they were rewarded with a horse, and then the reward would be stopped after a few days. The Privy Council, which was in charge of confidential matters, was always so fickle."

Pang Ji said firmly:

"I request that no one be allowed to borrow horses from the Privy Council, and that the existing system be maintained."

The faces of the eunuchs, including Yang Huaimin and Luo Chongxun, behind the curtain were a mixture of emotions.

Many ministers stood before the curtain, filled with righteous indignation.

Cao Liyong stared blankly at the main hall, his head tilted back. The idea given by his good son-in-law had finally made them start thinking about the struggle.

Zhang Qi was completely indifferent, while Xia Song didn't even look back, letting them attack him.

Upon hearing the grounds for impeachment, Song Xuan chuckled, secretly hoping that they would end up fighting.

The court quickly descended into chaos, mainly with advice to the Empress Dowager not to place too much trust in the eunuchs.

We must never forget the lessons learned from the Tang Dynasty.

Those eunuchs were incredibly audacious; they dared to depose and install emperors, and even dared to kill them.

The Privy Council's blatant indulgence of eunuchs in using armored horses for riding is truly heinous. What are they trying to do?
Empress Liu stopped the commotion among the officials, realizing that they weren't talking about the jade pendant, but rather criticizing her for trusting the eunuchs around her too much.

Otherwise, would Pang Ji have been able to impeach the Privy Council so easily?

This is an attack on her using the Privy Council incident as a pretext.

Zhao Zhen didn't understand what was happening. The impeachment was supposed to be against the Privy Council, but the court officials were attacking the eunuchs around the Empress Dowager.

The Privy Council members did not come out to argue, and the eunuchs dared not defend themselves in such a situation.

So the ones making noise below are all ministers.

Zeng Gongliang chuckled:

"This is my first time attending a court assembly, and it really surprised me. I didn't expect that those gentlemen would also quarrel and argue with each other."

Who's polite and refined when they're arguing?

"It would be best if they fought, that would make it really exciting!"

Song Xuan lost much interest, even though he couldn't see Liu E's face clearly from a distance and through the curtain.

However, he was certain that since Liu E let these people make a fuss, it was just to let them vent their frustrations and then verbally reprimand Yang Huaimin and the others.

If they really wanted to punish them, they would have silenced them long ago and then questioned Yang Huaimin and the others.

In Song Xuan's view, Liu E's power was mainly conveyed through a group of eunuchs around her.

Even if the ministers below planned to tear off the roof of Chengming Hall, Empress Liu would not cut off her own arm to fulfill their wishes.

"Fight, start a fight?"

Zeng Gongliang felt that the officials in the imperial court should pay attention to their demeanor.

"No way."

"What if?" Song Xuan countered. "Otherwise, are we just going to use this thing we have as a notebook?"

"We must not give full play to our subjective initiative, lest the application become too singular."

Zeng Gongliang watched as Song Xuan waved the hand tablet in his hand.

If this thing hits someone, it might knock out their teeth.
Zeng Gongliang shook his head, "The Song Dynasty is not the Tang Dynasty."

During the Tang Dynasty, warriors ran rampant, and Yuchi Jingde nearly blinded Li Daozong.

During the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang, Prime Minister Zheng Tian and Lu Xie had a disagreement on military strategy, which escalated from a quarrel to a physical conflict during a court meeting.

Enraged, Lu threw an inkstone at Zheng Tian, ​​and the two began to fight.

Zeng Gongliang felt that Song Xuan was overthinking things. He believed that the Song Dynasty was a court of gentlemen, and that everyone there was a scholar-official and a civilized person.

Yang Huaimin's face was truly grim. What a trivial matter this was!

Is it necessary to bring it up in public?
The Privy Council has provided you with talismans.

None of them are satisfied.

Luo Chongxun really wanted to stand up and confront them; you're just envious, jealous, and hateful.

They think we eunuchs must be inferior to you.

Who is more noble than whom?

The Empress Dowager wants us, not a bunch of half-hearted people like you.

"enough."

Liu E spoke.

Luo Chongxun and the others immediately stepped forward and told everyone to shut up and listen to the Empress Dowager speak.

"Hmph, castrated man."

Luo Chongxun couldn't see who spoke through the curtain, but the voice definitely came through, which really angered him.

Anyone who dares to stand up and criticize me!

Standing timidly in the crowd, what are you pretending to be, acting all high and mighty?
As Wang Zeng and the others shouted angrily, everyone quieted down, and the Empress Dowager was about to give a speech.

"Attendant-in-Ordinary Cao." Empress Liu called Cao out of the ranks: "Is what Pang Ji said just now true?"

"Replying to Your Majesty."

Cao Liyong bowed and said:

"It is indeed true. The eunuch requested the use of horses to serve the Empress Dowager."

"The other officials may use horses not necessarily to serve the Empress Dowager, so the approval process will be more cautious."

Even Liu E knew that the reason Cao gave was somewhat false.

She asked the eunuchs around her to do things, so how could she always need Jia Ma to make the trip?

But this reason is sufficient.

Everyone offered each other a way out.

"In that case, from now on, no one is allowed to use the 'Jia Ma' unless they receive my permission."

Liu E glanced at the two of them and said, "You two should also be careful in the future, about what kind of armored horses you ride."

"Yes."

Yang Huaimin and the others didn't dare to argue. The Empress Dowager had given them a way out, so they simply accepted it.

Many ministers felt they had achieved their goals and considered it a victory.

Cao Liyong and Zhang Qi exchanged a glance. This matter was resolved in an instant, and no one would be able to borrow warhorses again, saving them a lot of trouble.

Pang Ji then retreated.

Liu Congde truly looked down on these people who used aliases.

Who doesn't keep a few good horses at home?

Riding horses is fine, but you're riding warhorses with vests on them! You're even more arrogant than me, you're really putting on airs!
Empress Liu was also getting tired of the noise, so she asked Luo Chongxun to inquire whether there were any more memorials to be submitted.
If there's nothing, just leave.

At that moment, Ma Jiliang stepped forward.

"speak."

Ma Jiliang said that when it came to tea, merchants in the capital were trading tea permits at low prices, which was unacceptable, and requested the government to take charge of the matter.

As well as established tea merchants, the Ma Jiliang family naturally wanted to sell their tea at a higher price.

But the tea shop doesn't share his views, which is hindering his ability to make money.

With the government involved, the final price will be entirely up to Ma Jiliang.

Ma Jiliang was related to the Empress Dowager by marriage, so when he brought it up, no one in the court said a word.

Compared to the eunuchs who angrily rebuked the Empress Dowager, not a single person angrily rebuked Ma Jiliang.

The scene was very quiet.

Empress Liu had already read Ma Jiliang's memorial, but she kept it to herself and did not reply.

Although Yang Huaimin accepted the money, after asking Song Xuan, he kept delaying the matter.

Now Ma Jiliang has finally seized the opportunity and openly inquired about the matter in court, hoping to speed up the process.

We can't afford to waste time making money.

"Do you have any suggestions regarding Doctor Ma's words?"

When the Empress Dowager asked, even Wang Zeng remained silent.

Ma Jiliang looked left and right, feeling very pleased with himself.

He was able to succeed in the court simply because of his kinship with his relatives.

No one dared to go against their wishes.

Last time, after listening to Liu Congde, I reluctantly demolished my garden on the Huimin River. Now, as long as Liu Congde doesn't say anything, who can stop me?
"His method is truly selfish and harmful to others!"

Zeng Gongliang muttered a complaint under his breath. With Lü Gongbi's help, he had figured out many of the relationships within the court.

Who can afford to offend him?
"Your Majesty, I have a problem with this."

Song Xuan waved his hand tablet and then stepped forward from the ranks: "Your subject has objections."

Zeng Gongliang was dumbfounded.

Wang Zeng smiled, realizing he hadn't misjudged him.

Cao Yongli also looked back, not understanding why his son-in-law was getting involved in such a matter.

Many civil and military officials turned to look.

Who would dare offend the Empress Dowager's relatives by marriage?
Didn't you see how protective the Empress Dowager is of her own?
So many people impeached the eunuchs around her, but there was no punishment whatsoever, just a verbal rebuke.

They even openly left an opening, allowing people to use the "Jia Ma" (a type of magical artifact) at her behest.

If Yang Huaimin uses it again, who knows if he was instructed to do so?
Now that Song Xuan has stood up and dared to refute Ma Jiliang's words, he is truly young and impulsive!

Are you refuting Ma Jiliang?
This was clearly a public slap in the face to the Empress Dowager.

Ma Jiliang looked back.

Who is really so blind?
How dare you openly oppose my suggestions?

It turns out it’s you, kid!

"Let's settle both our old and new scores together."

When Ma Jiliang recognized Song Xuan, he immediately became angry.

"Song Xuan, come closer and speak."

Liu E, behind the curtain, told Song Xuan not to stand at the very edge of the main hall, as she couldn't hear him clearly.

Song Xuan strode forward again, standing beside Ma Jiliang:
"Master Ma, why did you suddenly decide to implement this harmful policy?"

"You're talking nonsense! It's clearly a good policy, how can it be a bad one!"

Ma Jiliang's voice suddenly rose: "You greenhorn, don't make false accusations."

"Slanderous accusations?"

Song Xuan chuckled: "There are four points to prove this corrupt practice. Please hear me out."

"Alright, I'd like to hear how you're going to spout nonsense."

As soon as Ma Jiliang said this, Liu Congde knew something was wrong.

Why does my brother-in-law always want to go against Song Xuan? Why does he have to mess with his family's tea?
If you work hard in this grain business, you can make a lot of money.

If you offend Song Xuan and he finds out about your grain, he will definitely cause trouble.

Liu Congde was somewhat disappointed in Song Xuan, saying, "You still want to debate with Song Xuan? Do you think you can win against him?"
Liu Congde only hoped that his brother-in-law wouldn't end up like Chen Yaozuo, being made to vomit blood and faint by Song Xuan's words, becoming a laughing stock.

Song Xuan looked at the person inside the curtain: "Your Majesty, this move violates market principles and is inefficient due to government-run operations."

"The system of inter-regional exchange was originally designed to facilitate merchants, alleviate their difficulties, and promote the smooth transport of grain."

“If the government forcibly lowers the market price, it will cause merchants to be suspicious and afraid, and they will not dare to enter the market.”

"In the past, the Taizong Emperor's reign implemented the 'sticking and shooting method' and the Zhenzong Emperor's reign changed it to the 'three-part method' because the government-run monopoly system was rigid, which easily led to corruption and sluggish logistics."

"The current market closure may seem to bring minor profits to the government, but in reality it will damage the vitality of merchants and the people, and in the long run it will inevitably harm the source of tax revenue."

"Secondly, during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, Li Pu was in charge of the grain transport. He forcibly requisitioned private boats with official vessels, which led to the decline of the trade routes along the Yangtze and Huai Rivers. He was eventually impeached and dismissed from office. The lessons of the past are still fresh. How can we repeat the same mistakes?"

The Guanzi states: "Those who share the benefits with the world will be supported by the world. Those who seize the profits of merchants to serve their officials will surely lose the hearts of the people."

"Third, the heavy troops guarding the northwestern border rely on merchants to bring grain and supplies into the central region in exchange for trade."

"If the government buys grain at rock-bottom prices, who will be willing to transport it to the border? If border reserves are insufficient, soldiers will suffer from hunger and cold, which could endanger the nation. How can we neglect national defense for the sake of short-term gains?"

"The Fourth Empress Dowager is known throughout the land for her benevolence and virtue. If this policy leads to widespread resentment among merchants and instability on the borders, it may damage Your Majesty's virtue and reputation. I dare not disobey your wishes, but I am truly acting out of loyalty to the country!"

Actually, Liu E didn't care much about what Song Xuan said earlier, but the last point really touched her heart.

The main reason was that Song Xuan flattered her, which made Liu E feel good.

"Nonsense!" Ma Jiliang exclaimed, his expression even more agitated.

"I'm doing this for the good of the country. Both merchants and officials will benefit. It's a good strategy to stabilize market prices. How come it's become a bad policy in your mouth!"

"Does this mean that you, Song Xuan, have the final say in this world?!"

Hearing Ma Jiliang's loud and unruly voice, Song Xuan smiled contemptuously:
"Master Ma's profound remarks remind me of a common saying in the marketplace: 'To be a prostitute and yet maintain a virtuous image.'"

"Since you intend to use the Empress Dowager's influence to seize power, why not directly petition the palace to confiscate all the property of merchants throughout the land?"

"Why bother with this hypocritical talk about stabilizing market prices!"

Ma Jiliang glared at Song Xuan, his defenses finally crumbling. Who told you to tell the truth?

Song Xuan suddenly raised his voice: "You power-hungry relative of the empress dowager, you are a disgrace to the Empress Dowager! Do you know that every grain of millet on the border and every thread of silk in the southeast depends on the smooth flow of trade routes?"

"If you dare to cut off the livelihoods of merchants today, and if there is a food shortage and mutiny at the border tomorrow, the first person to have their head hung outside Donghua Gate will be you, you fool who has ruined the country!"

After hearing Song Xuan's words, Liu Congde realized that he had been too kind.

He never dealt with the border troops' finances or provisions, nor did he ever think about such things.

In his view, Ma Jiliang had indeed gone too far.

Song Xuan chuckled:
"Or is it that you have already set up a business in Tokyo, just waiting to collect the government's money cheaply and then resell it at a high price?"

"The art of shuffling money from one hand to the other, Ma Langzhong knows it better than the classics."

"How dare you slander me!"

Enraged that his words had been correctly guessed, Ma Jiliang took a large step and tried to knock Song Xuan down.

But what is Song Xuan's sensitivity level?
When Ma Jiliang rushed over in a fit of rage, Song Xuan slapped him across the face.

Ma Jiliang was slapped on the hand with just the right amount of force; his teeth flew out but he didn't get a head injury.

He staggered and became unsteady on his feet.

But then Song Xuan grabbed his collar: "You traitor, you still want to resort to violence after I've exposed your intentions?"

"This slap is on behalf of all the merchants in the world to punish your insatiable greed."

Snapped.

Song Xuan slapped him again with his right hand:
"This slap is on behalf of the border troops for your disregard for national defense."

He let go, and Ma Jiliang collapsed to the ground, spitting out blood.

Song Xuan flicked the blood off his hand:
"As you all have seen, it was Ma Jiliang who first disgraced the imperial court."

"Even if it means being exiled three thousand miles away, I will still beat this treacherous scourge of the country awake."

Things happened so fast that no one had time to react.

No one expected that Ma Jiliang would break down after Song Xuan's words and be about to take action.

To everyone's surprise, Song Xuan was surprisingly agile and easily knocked Ma Jiliang to the ground.

Liu E subconsciously stood up, wishing she could see through the curtain more closely.

How did they start fighting in the blink of an eye?
"good."

Cao Liyong immediately stood up:
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I saw it with my own eyes. It was Ma Jiliang who tried to beat my son-in-law first. Fortunately, my son-in-law Song Xuan was quick-witted and managed to escape."

Following closely behind, prime ministers such as Zhang Qi, Xia Song, and even Wang Zeng also stepped forward.

They said that as soon as he entered, he saw Ma Jiliang about to beat Song Zhuangyuan, but Song Zhuangyuan was skilled and fought back.

Not to mention that Lü Yijian and others originally wanted to use Song Xuan to deal with Ma Jiliang.

That way, we can get something out of him later.

Seeing that these ministers were all speaking in unison, and even her good nephew Liu Congde was pleading for Song Xuan instead of standing on Ma Jiliang's side, Empress Liu was shocked.

She couldn't be bothered to pursue the matter further. After thinking it over, she realized that such a thing had happened openly in the imperial court and that someone had to be punished.

Otherwise, if the Song Dynasty were to follow the example of the Tang Dynasty and its officials were to fight each other, what kind of order would that be?

Therefore, Empress Liu ordered Yang Huaimin to retrieve Song Xuan's silver fish pouch as punishment.

After all, Ma Jiliang was related to Liu E by marriage. If Song Xuan was not punished, it would be a slap in the face to Liu E if word got out.

From now on, anyone can bully her in-laws, and there will be no punishment.

That is absolutely impossible.

Ma Jiliang, who struck first, was fined a year's salary and confined to his home for a month.

Actually, it was also to let him stay at home to recover from his injury, so that he wouldn't be laughed at if he went out.

After all, Song Xuan had knocked out his teeth.

On the other hand, Empress Liu also looked down on Ma Jiliang. He took the initiative and was beaten so badly, he was really useless!

After Empress Liu finished dealing with the matter, she announced the end of the court session. Today was quite a lively day.

Zhao Zhen chuckled, nodded to Song Xuan, and then followed Liu E downstairs.

Yang Huaimin walked down, still feeling grateful to Song Xuan.

Which of the officials in the court was as loyal and righteous as the top scholar Song?

He was clearly in trouble, but he ended up drawing Ma Jiliang's hatred to himself.

Yang Huaimin gently pulled off the silverfish bag:

“Scholar Song, there’s no need to worry. We don’t even want this silver fish pouch. Maybe next time we can hang up a gold fish pouch.”

"Thank you for Eunuch Yang's kind words."

Song Xuan didn't care at all about this accessory.

"I have to say, it's quite easy to hit someone with this wooden handplate."

"Hahaha."

Yang Huaimin laughed heartily at Song Xuan's words, but stopped laughing when he saw Ma Jiliang lying on the ground groaning: "Doctor Ma, there's no need to worry, I'll call the imperial physician for you right away."

Cao Liyong stepped over Ma Jiliang and grabbed Song Xuan in a hug:
"Come on, good son-in-law, let's go to Fanlou for a drink today."

"Row."

Wang Zeng wanted to speak with Song Xuan, but after watching the father-in-law and son-in-law leave, he shook his head again.

He had intended for Song Xuan to step forward and refute him, but unexpectedly, Song Xuan's words broke his defenses, and he wanted to take action.

"I didn't expect that Scholar Song would be so skilled."

Lü Yijian also waved the ivory tablet in his hand:
"I wonder if my ivory is easy to break."

Wang pointed to Ma Jiliang lying on the ground: "While his face is still warm, you should try it."

"This isn't a good idea," said Lü Yijian, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"I used to practice archery when I was young, but I don't know how much strength I have left."

Wang Zeng couldn't help but roll his eyes and led the way away.

They all talk a good game, but in reality, they all hide behind when it comes to actually doing things.

Even after Song Xuan and his son-in-law left the main hall, Zeng Gongliang's mouth remained open.

He watched the two figures disappear into the distance, unable to process what was happening for a moment.

"How dare he?"

"Why did you take the silverfish pouch back?"

"Even taking back the gold belt or the crimson robe would be a true punishment!"

"How could the Empress Dowager favor him!"

"Could he really be the Empress's man?"

The scene of Song Xuan whipping someone left a deep impression on the court officials.

Whenever Song Xuan attended court, there was always something to watch.

Not to mention that the fact that the Empress Dowager only punished Ma Jiliang and did not impose any real punishment on Song Xuan is enough to explain a lot.

"Brother, you must avenge me!"

Lying on the ground with his mouth swollen, Ma Jiliang slurred his words as he gave instructions to Liu Congde.

Liu Congde squatted down and nodded repeatedly:

"Brother-in-law, you know what, the way Scholar Song whipped you just now was actually pretty cool."

"What did you say?"

(End of this chapter)