A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 397 Clairvoyance

Song Xuan's remarks surprised several generals.

The value of a treasure lies in selling it, not in keeping it at home for enjoyment. Many treasures are not actually that good.

However, this makes sense. Even the imperial palace cannot possibly be filled with all the treasures in the world; some will inevitably be scattered outside.

Not only were the treasures of the Southern Tang Dynasty brought back by the Song people, but all the treasures of the conquered kingdom were also brought back.

Although some of these items were bestowed upon officials by emperors throughout history, many have still been preserved.

With a little packaging, Song Xuan felt it was quite a gimmick.

Anyway, those who bought them didn't know if they were real or fake. Since they came from Liu Congde, they were all genuine.

"Scholar Song, are there enough treasures at this auction?"

Chang Hetai had a smile on his face:
“My father fought in the north and south and received some rewards. Those that came from the palace are more believable than your fake ones.”

"So you want to donate one for disaster relief?"

Song Xuan did not refuse, and said with a smile:
“That’s excellent. I will explain the origin of these artifacts so that the auctioneers can rest assured.”

"Good good."

Chang Hetai readily agreed. Although Song Xuan was about the same age as his grandson, he was not arrogant and was willing to communicate with military families. How could he not support him?
"Then I'll donate two items," Li Zhaoliang said with a smile, holding up his finger.

"No need."

宋煊给他弯回去一根手指：
"If General Li is so inclined, he could donate one as well. Too many royal products would only make the royal brand so ubiquitous that it would lose its value."

"After all, while these royal treasures are wonderful, they are also rare and valuable!"

"Then I understand."

Li Zhaoliang felt that when it came to business, he still had to listen to Song Xuan.

They really have a lot of clever ideas.

Song Xuan then took out the engineering map of the Bian River and began to explain the areas they were responsible for.

We need to go early tomorrow, as food will be provided. We should prepare in advance.

Looking at the details of the instructions, Li Zhaoliang realized that their people were not only to act as guards, but also to provide guidance.

比如哪片区域属于观赛的，哪片区域是给那些卖吃喝的商贩规划的。

以及周遭有关上厕所的路线，全都给标注了一二，还会有木牌在钉住，但是也要有人看护，免得人太多，给牌子的箭头指歪。

Finally, there's the place where "tickets" are sold on-site.

This is the area where maintaining order is crucial, as it's the main source of profit for this "slacking off" contest.

Everyone has to stand in line obediently. Anyone who tries to cut in line will be caught and thrown at the back of the line.

Everyone must abide by this rule.

Li Zhaoliang looked at Song Xuan's troop deployment posture and then took a closer look at him.

Although battles between generals did exist in Song Xuan's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, they were not frequent and were ultimately just the imagination of scholars.

However, the military strategies described in Romance of the Three Kingdoms are quite well written.

I've never heard of Cao Shizhong teaching Song Zhuangyuan this kind of knowledge!

It should be noted that the Romance of the Three Kingdoms was written before he met Cao Shizhong.

He was not flustered at all when it came to allocating manpower.

Because Li Zhaoliang also rose through the ranks of the military, he had seen many military officers who couldn't even properly manage a thousand men.

Like Song Xuan, he directly divided people into small teams.

Like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, he placed them in various planned positions, and his "commanding" ability surpassed that of many military officers.

Even if it's just theoretical knowledge, it's still better than many people who can make a mess of a football game in the army.

"What, is there a problem?"

Song Xuan smiled very politely:
"General Li, if you feel there is anything inappropriate, you can speak up."

"After all, I'm counting on the 'slacking off contest' to earn more disaster relief funds. I want to hear what the shortcomings are so that I can ensure there are no problems that could affect the progress."

"No."

Li Zhaoliang shook his head repeatedly, then couldn't help but laugh:

"I was wondering how Scholar Song could come up with such a method; he's truly no ordinary person."

"Hahaha."

Everyone burst into laughter; the situation truly resembled a military formation.

"This is just one section of the project. After I clean up this section of the dammed riverbed, I'll move all the 'thirsty birds' here and work on another section."

Song Xuan stood up and waved his arms a few times, saying:
"There will be another 'slacking off contest' then, but I'm afraid it won't attract as many people as the first one."

After receiving their orders, the men took their leave one after another to go back and give instructions to their subordinates.

The next day, the section of the Bian River underwent repairs.

The yamen runners, imperial guards, and local militia all received their assignments.

They each went to their own places to eat a bowl of meat porridge.

It's a bit cool in the mornings now, and it's not as stuffy as it used to be.

A heavy rainstorm swept away the sweltering heat.

By this time, vendors had already set up their stalls according to their assigned areas along both banks of the Bian River.

Both types of vendors are divided into stationary vendors and itinerant vendors, with stationary vendors having higher stall fees.

Itinerant merchants pay less tax when traveling on their own because they can't carry much cargo.

In short, each venue is checking tickets to ensure that these people have the opportunity to sit at the gambling table and do not sit at the wrong table.

Song Xuan also got up very early, as was rare for him, and brought his wife Cao Qingyao along, as she also wanted to join in the fun.

Cao Qingyao watched her husband listen to reports and receive replies from others, instructing them to do as he said. She couldn't help but smile.

His command was so decisive that no one had any objections; they all felt that he was like Zhuge Liang, the strategist who was pointing out the direction of the country.

Cao Qingyao glanced again at the people on both sides of the Bian River. It wasn't even fully started yet, but it was already packed with people.

It seems that the entire population of Tokyo will come to join in the fun.

Song Xuan casually pulled out a telescopic monocular four-section telescope. The lenses of the eyepiece and objective lens had been polished for a long time before they were barely usable.

He closed his eyes, stood on high ground, and looked at the people on the Bian River, which was bustling with activity.

Activities with gambling elements like this are definitely more attractive than traditional Mid-Autumn Festival events.

After all, who goes out for a stroll all the time when they have nothing better to do?

Just take some time to join in the fun, that's enough.

But this time there are entry requirements and stakes involved, which will attract a large number of people.

After Song Xuan finished reading, he found that Zhao Zhen was already beside him.

He smeared incense ash on his face and wore patched clothes.

"Sixth Brother, it's getting quite chilly this morning, and the river water isn't warm either. Would you like to go down and participate in the second round?"

Zhao Zhen shook his head:
"Twelfth Brother, I'm very young. This little bit of cold water is no problem at all. If we have to wait any longer, I'll really get a little anxious."

"That's okay too."

Song Xuan wasn't in a hurry.

等到辰时三刻后宣布开始抽签，磨磨唧唧的，兴许也早就该暖和点了。

"Twelfth Brother, what is this?"

"A clairvoyance, used on the battlefield, you just need to know that."

宋煊悄悄递给赵祯，让他看看。

赵祯接过后，按照宋煊的指点，往远处一瞧，河对岸的人挖鼻屎都看得清清楚楚。

"Good stuff."

Zhao Zhen couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, because today the Emperor himself was going to participate.

So even Gao Jixun came, and he was going to go to the river to keep an eye on things in order to prevent any problems from arising for the government.

He knew that these people didn't know any officials; they only cared about catching the most fish and getting the biggest reward.

Gao Jixun watched as the official took a small trinket from Song Xuan's hand, held it up in front of his eyes, and kept exclaiming in amazement.

It really is a clairvoyant.

Phrases like "Brother Twelfth is really amazing" were made.

Gao Jixun had no idea what "clairvoyance" meant, and Song Xuan had no intention of making it public.

But just as he was observing the section of the Bian River that was enclosed, Cao Li arrived in a grand manner.

Today, several high-ranking officials from the Privy Council are not on duty and have all come to support Song Xuan.

As long as there is no war, the Privy Council, as the emperor's military advisor, generally has nothing to do.

Cao Liyong did not recognize the official's figure, but he did see Gao Jixun.

高级勋可是给皇帝当亲卫的。

In addition, his good son-in-law was talking to a boy dressed in tattered hemp clothes.

曹利用疑心大起，他连忙小碎步走到宋煊一侧，上下打量着宋煊身边的少年郎。

Although Zhao Zhen smeared his face with incense ash, he usually went to court with the Empress Dowager through a curtain.

However, Cao Yongli could also recognize it.

He was greatly alarmed, wondering why the emperor had disguised himself like this.
Could it be that they wanted to see this scene with their own eyes but didn't want to be discovered by others?
Zhang Qi and the others saw that Cao Liyong stood directly next to his son-in-law, but they didn't say anything.

The father-in-law and son-in-law should definitely have a chat first.

Song Xuan noticed his father-in-law's appraising gaze and took the initiative to speak:
"You guessed right, Sixth Brother wants to join in and have some fun."

Even though he had already guessed it, Cao Liyong's eyes still showed disbelief when he heard it was true.

He pulled Song Xuan aside and whispered, "You're getting cocky, aren't you?"

"You actually made the government act for you, to slack off?"

"The emperor wanted to share the joy with the people, and I just happened to provide him with a convenience."

Song Xuan also lowered his voice and said:
“难得玩一次，光开始参加的人没那么多坏心眼子，后续我就不敢保证了，所以第一场让他去很合适。”

Cao was speechless, having been left speechless by his good son-in-law's excuse.

If the officials want to play, then let them play.

Then aren't you just like a treacherous official?
Is this a game that even government officials can participate in?

If the fish-stealing person is reckless and offends the officials, can you bear the consequences?
Especially since the official got married, he still doesn't have a child!
Cao Liyong's expression grew increasingly complicated:
“Good son-in-law, don’t make such a big deal out of it. Even if the government wants to help, they shouldn’t take such a big risk.”

"Even if the emperor himself were here, it would be enough to make the people in the pond rush to perform. How can we let him personally take the stage?"

“Father-in-law, they’ve already come. It’s too late to stop them now.”

Song Xuan waved his hand dismissively and said, "Rather than let the Emperor keep regretting it, it's better to let him keep reminiscing about it."

曹利用瞥了一眼还在拿着不知道什么玩意的官家，也默不作声，他连忙回去与张耆等人交谈，不让他们靠近。

The fewer people who know about this, the better.

Otherwise, if their son-in-law's past misdeeds are brought up again, his career might be ruined, and he'll have to go away to avoid the limelight.

Cao Yong knew his son-in-law had gotten himself into a big mess, but he never imagined it would go this far.

早知道就不在几个同僚面前装逼，让他们也一同来观赛了。

篓子捅的有点大！
Song Xuan, however, did not share this idea.

Anyway, the emperor isn't in power right now, so let him play around if he wants.

If he were to take power in the future, he would have no chance of having such an opportunity.

Rather than letting him regret what he did back then, it's better to let him experience the feeling of failure.

these people.

I won't give in to him.

While Cao Li was talking to his twelfth brother, Zhao Zhen handed the telescope to his curious sister-in-law.

Cao Qingyao took the telescope and tried to imitate it, excitedly about to shout.

她虽然知道自家夫君手里时不时的有点好玩意，但是一般不拿出来，她也不会去主动翻箱子。

甚至连旁人给夫君写的信，曹清摇也都是妥善收好，并不打开来看。

Song Xuan told his wife not to overreact, lest the good stuff fall into someone else's hands.

With current technology, this thing is not difficult to replicate.

It will only be effective if it is applied to the battlefield in the future.

Even with exceptional eyesight, one still cannot clearly see an ambush.

With this thing around, at least the enemy's weaknesses can be exposed more often.

A section of the Bian River that was once a bustling waterway for grain transport is now dry and cracked, exposing dark brown silt. If you walk into the deeper parts, you can even sink in.

At this moment, the Bian River is like a scar lying across everyone's eyes.

Fortunately, Song Xuan had already ordered some human bones to be collected in advance to prevent them from being exposed.

But now, this scar is adorned with many colorful flags.

Besides using the name of Kaifeng County, the above-mentioned areas are mostly divided into categories such as A, B, C, and D.

The entrances to the key "gambling tables" are decorated with the names of the "sponsors," much like the stage of a theater about to open.

On the riverbed, twenty huge squares were roughly drawn with lime, and a wooden sign was placed in front of each square.

Meanwhile, imperial guards had already been deployed to stand guard, separating many areas to prevent anyone from crossing the boundary.

On both sides of the strait, crowds were already thronging.

从高处望去，密密麻麻的人头如同搬家的蚂蚁一般，熙熙攘攘，煊声鼎沸。

Vendors weaved back and forth, selling various foods.

Among the crowd, many people were eager to be chosen.

In Tokyo, dozens of loud-voiced idlers, hired by Song Xuan, repeatedly relayed the rules along the riverbank.

Compared to the final showdown between the masters, which was rewarded with 100 strings of cash, this one was only 50 strings.

谁也不知道谁能被抽中，但是号码早就可以发卖，直到此时都没有结束。

Lü Gongbi clutched his slip of paper, dreaming that he would be chosen.

It's vulgar to say it's for money; it's just about wanting to be the center of attention.

There are very few people who think like him.

Most people who participate in official poker games are there for the money.

Normally, even if you work yourself to the bone, it's hard to earn fifty strings of cash.

A complex smell filled the air.

Seeing that it was almost time, Song Xuan went up to the high platform and began to order people to beat the drum.

鼓声沿着河岸传递过去，那些被雇佣的壮汉，当即噤声，快速回到了自己该站的位置上。

Soon someone came to draw lots.

Besides government officials, there are also five sponsors who contributed the most money who can participate in the lottery. After all, since they spent money, they should feel a sense of participation.

Song Xuan, holding a wooden megaphone, first announced the start of the first annual fish-catching competition, which was met with cheers from both banks of the Bian River.

The line of people buying is still going strong.

This is also why manual work is slower than machine work.

周遭的背篓钱，已经装满了一筐又一筐。

Compared to the registration fee, many people are willing to take a small risk for a big reward.

Even if it's a 1:2 payout, you've still made a profit.

Song Xuan waved to indicate that he was going to start choosing numbers.

With the help of others, Zhao Zhen had already blended into the crowd.

The constable brought the box over.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Song Xuan reached into the box and pretended to stir it around, but in reality, he took out a note that he had hidden in advance from his sleeve.

“Pit A, number 10,001, Zhao Xiaoliu.”

Upon hearing Song Xuan's clamor, four idlers began shouting the name of Zhao Xiaoliu, number 10,001, from both sides of Jiakeng, urging him to come to the front.

于是赵祯极为兴奋的在人群当中把手伸出来，大叫着是我。

Everyone's eyes immediately turned to the first lucky person.

"I'm jealous!"

"I hope I'm next."

"There are thirty people in total. It's like a group of tens of thousands of people coming up right away. I should have gone to another pit."

"Too late, thankfully this isn't the first round."

However, Zhao Xiaoliu was still questioned and his registration certificate was verified before he was allowed to pass.

Zhao Xiaoliu walked up to Song Xuan with a smile.

Cao Qingyao immediately realized that it was her husband who had used tricks; otherwise, how could he have been so lucky?
So Song Xuan handed the scene over to Zhao Zhen, letting him choose the second contestant, and so on.

“Pit A, No. 5781, Chen Xiliang.”

赵祯喊完之后，眼睛也是四处看，希望自己的对手不要太弱了。

Otherwise, it's meaningless.

The thin and small Chen Xiliang was completely bewildered.

He never expected to be selected second; it was his nephew Chen Yong who gave him a push.

"Here it is!"

The eldest nephew, Chen Yong, quickly raised his hand and led the way, guiding his thin uncle forward.

人群当中发出一阵哄笑声，又有些羡慕。

Even a child gets a chance; it seems there really is no inside story involved.

Moreover, the official only draws the first person, and then he draws the second person as his opponent.

It can be said that everything was arranged by God, fair and just.

After handing in his registration card, Chen Xiliang was still somewhat bewildered.

"Hahaha, good luck."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's praise, Chen Xiliang quickly bowed.

Zhao Zhen sized up the young man before him. His twelfth brother was right; he was indeed quite lucky.

The fact that someone with Chen Xiliang's physique was selected makes things even more exciting.

毕竟对手越弱，自己能获奖的几率就越大。

不断的有人被喊上去，更是让众人期待。

After they were all selected, Song Xuan picked up another box and had them draw one by one in order.

Then everyone showed their number, and someone gave each contestant a vest with a number on it to make an identification tag.

Inside a room on the second floor along the river.

Although she couldn't see clearly, Liu E still opened the window and looked out; it was a dense, dark mass.

“大娘娘，怕是整个东京城的人都要来了。”

杨怀敏颇为兴奋的指着外面。

Not only on the second floor of their building, but also across the street and even on the rooftop, people were watching the spectacle.

Liu E nodded slightly. Although she couldn't see Song Xuan clearly, she could hear some news from the scene through the voices of the idlers.

Not only that, Song Xuan also arranged for on-site commentary. These idle men had plenty of work to do, but the wages Song Xuan paid were sufficient.

They wish they could have this kind of work to do every day.

Empress Liu E left the palace to watch the competition without intending to tell anyone.

免得被其余人无端联想。

Recently, after Ma Jiliang, a relative of the emperor, was dealt with, Liu E's in-laws all became much more cautious and discreet.

I will never dare to prick you again.

If Liu E gets too close to Song Xuan, it could lead these people to misinterpret certain information.

She was just there to watch the excitement, completely unaware that Zhao Zhen had already chosen to join in the fun with the people.

"I wonder if Song Xuan will be able to make any money?"

Liu E stood up, and Yang Huaimin pointed to the crowd queuing on the shore:
“Your Majesty, those people are all going to place bets. I reckon that in a blind selection, it’s all down to luck.”

"If you calculate it carefully, Song Zhuangyuan can still make money."

"In this way, the Song Dynasty's top scholar's work-for-relief program truly did not cost the imperial court any money, and the savings could be sent to Huazhou."

刘娥扶着窗户口，但愿宋煊能够赚到些钱，要不然朝廷的压力太大了。

现在连给辽国的岁币都是在凑的。

若是在给开封府周遭的百姓免去赋税，那就更没有多少收入了。

Therefore, even after a heavy rain, Liu E did not issue an order to reduce or exempt taxes.

Yang Huaimin secretly hoped that Song Zhuangyuan would be able to make money!

I've already put in a good word for you in front of the Empress Dowager.

要是拉胯了，朝廷可真没有钱给你继续干工程了。

Madam Lin's worried expression remained unchanged; Zhong Lijin's actions regarding the Worry-Free Cave had made no progress.

She didn't know when her son would be able to come back.

Zhong Lijin is going to take over the position of Prefect of Kaifeng, but he's not as good at handling things as Song Xuan.

If Song Xuan were to investigate the case, he might be able to find his son much faster.

Madam Lin is now filled with deep regret. She initially thought Song Xuan was incompetent, but after comparing him with others, she discovered that he was the strongest.

The person who is now the strongest in dealing with Wuyou Cave is no longer in charge of this area.

Madam Lin was truly on the verge of tears, and could only hope that when the Empress Dowager was in a good mood, she could mention it herself, hoping that Song Xuan could return to continue dealing with the Wuyou Cave matter.

Otherwise, when will my precious son come back?

Zhao Zhen and the others each received their own wooden buckets, and when the start was announced, they entered the small pond one by one.

The challenge is to get as many fish as possible into your wooden bucket within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

要么就选择斤数最多的。

要么就选择最重的一条鱼来捕捉。

In this way, two people will win in a match and enter the reserve team for the high-level matches in the future.

The drumbeats began.

This means lighting incense.

Song Xuan, standing in the stands, blew his whistle, and when whistles echoed along the riverbank, it signaled the start of the match.

So all the contestants who went down to the river started to fish.

Zhao Zhen's goal was clear: he noticed that there were quite a few strong men in his group, and this group must be aiming for a certain weight.

Since I can't compete with them in this area, I need to carefully find a big fish to win.

Chen Xiliang, who was also a young man, shared the same idea.

Because they don't have much of an advantage in this area, they can only try to find ways to cheat.

Young people, who wants to lose?

As the whistle continued to spread, the entire Bian River resembled a frying pan of oil heated to its limit.

It has now exploded instantly, boiling and soaring into the sky.

Many people shouted out the numbers they had bought, hoping he could work harder.

In this way, not only can they win money, but the people who buy their numbers can also win money.

A collective emotion, a mixture of greed, joy, and tension, was brewing among the crowd.

People kept shouting loudly, even drowning out the voice of the commentator that Song Xuan had specially hired to provide commentary.

Or perhaps they weren't used to explanations at the time, and only wanted to see with their own eyes the people who bought the numbers and were just slacking off, hoping to catch the biggest fish and catch the most.

宋煊站在看台上，用千里眼瞧着赵祯，主要是观察他遇到什么危险没有。

As for his personal guards, they all went down, ready to rush up immediately if anything went wrong.

Fortunately, Zhao Zhen was sensible. Apart from throwing the fish he caught into his wooden bucket, he focused more on catching big fish.

A smile tugged at the corner of Song Xuan's mouth; he certainly understood Zhao Zhen's thoughts.

However, this situation is likely to be difficult to handle.

This is only the first round. The big fish hasn't been properly handled by everyone yet. It's in its prime, and it will take a lot of effort to catch it.

曹利用这才走下来，看着宋煊：“我说好女婿，你就是一点都不担心？”

"What am I worried about?"

Song Xuan glanced at Cao Liyong:
“Father-in-law, it’s normal for a man to fall and get hurt. Even if you fall, just get up and keep going.”

"We can't let the fish slap us twice!"

"Hahaha."

After Song Xuan finished speaking, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

因为他发现真有鱼欺负更加弱小的陈希亮，鱼尾狠狠的甩了他一巴掌，然后跳进浑水当中。

Chen Xiliang stumbled from the blow and sat down in the water with his arm sticking out. Fortunately, Zhao Zhen pulled him back, preventing him from drowning.

"Thanks."

Chen Xiliang felt a burning pain in his mouth and choked on some muddy water. This money is really hard to earn.

What are you holding?

"clairvoyance."

Cao Qingyao quietly explained the science to her father.

Cao's eyes lit up; he really wanted to take a closer look at the telescope in his son-in-law's hand.

If this thing were used on the battlefield, it would definitely be an excellent weapon.

At least during the day, someone is lying in ambush.

或者看清远方的情况，也不用再单一的等待探马的汇报。

"Son-in-law, may I take a look at this thing?"

曹利用也是小心翼翼的询问了一嘴。

Song Xuan didn't care:
“Father-in-law, this thing is extremely precious. It must not be spread around before I use it on the battlefield, lest the Liao and Western Xia people find out, which would cause a lot of trouble.”

"You can rest assured."

Cao Li patted his chest and said:

"I only showed off the lousy strategy you wrote for me all over the streets. How could I casually talk about such a treasure?"

"Even if you told them, no one would believe that there are people with clairvoyance."

宋煊倒是也不着急看满全场，一炷香的时间倒是不短。

After Cao took it, he followed Song Xuan's example, closed one eye, and looked inside through the telescope.

"oops."

He found Zhao Zhen's figure right in front of him.

When I opened my eyes again and looked at the riverbed, I could indeed not see the official's face.

However, the all-seeing eye can see it very clearly.

“It’s really good stuff!”

张耆走了下来，瞧着曹利用手里奇怪的玩意：

"What good stuff?"

"Show me."

"No." Cao Liyong shook his head repeatedly: "This is my son-in-law's family heirloom, and I don't show it to people easily."

"Hahaha."

Zhang Qi couldn't help but burst into laughter. With Song Xuan's family background, what kind of family heirloom could he possibly have?

This thing is even shorter than a cane, it's made of copper, and it's practically worthless.

They are oddly shaped and require you to close your eyes.

Cao Yong glanced at Zhang Qi, chuckled, and quickly returned the fully extended telescope, which was over sixty centimeters long, to his good son-in-law.

"Old Zhang, you're just destined to be poor. What treasure could possibly be placed in front of you? You're simply blind to its value."

Zhang Qi shook his head slightly in response to Cao Liyong's sarcasm.

He knew about Song Xuan's auction, and now he's bringing up this family heirloom, which is clearly just a publicity stunt for this event.

His son, Zhang Deyi, had also told him this, and that he wanted to donate one of the family's treasures.

In this way, the Zhang family also contributed to the disaster relief efforts during this auction.

When the top scholar of the Song Dynasty writes the inscription, Zhang Deyi's name must be included.

Few people have received the news, and space on one side of the stone tablet is limited, so it's naturally first come, first served.

"But this slacking-off contest is quite a spectacle."

Zhang Qi stroked his beard and smiled at Song Xuan:
"Twelfth Brother, how did you come up with such brilliant ideas?"

"Are the people of Tokyo really eager to hand over their money to you, and are they doing so with genuine sincerity?"

"Hahaha." Cao Li stood with his hands behind his back:

"You don't even know what kind of background my son-in-law comes from!"

"The youngest top scholar since the founding of the Song Dynasty, and he even achieved the triple crown in the imperial examinations."

"He is certainly a person who has never been before and will never be repeated."

"You're just trying to figure out his thoughts from your own ordinary perspective; you're really just trying to make yourself look good."

Zhang Qi could not refute Cao Liyong's words; it was indeed true.

宋煊想出什么惊天动地的好主意，那都是实属正常。

This was not the first time that Tokyo had suffered from floods, and the Bian River had been managed many times before.

No one has come up with as many and as ingenious ideas as him.

The fact that the first phase of the project only cost so little money was enough to open the eyes of many people.

"Uncle Zhang, this is just my father-in-law praising me, it's perfectly normal."

Song Xuan put away the telescope, a smile on his face:

"Actually, when I was patrolling the river, I saw mudskippers appearing. Some people tried to catch them, but they couldn't catch any after a long time, so I came up with this idea."

"I see."

Zhang Qi nodded, and Xia Song, who was standing to the side, didn't say anything more.

He only felt that a figure catching fish in the river looked familiar, but he never thought that it would be the official himself catching fish.

"Brother, this time Scholar Song is going to make a fortune."

With such a lively scene, Xiaofeng and the others naturally had to come and see.

Cang Lin also stood in the crowd, carefully looking out.

周遭人的声音也多是刺耳，大家都在支持着自己选择的幸运数字。

"I heard that when Song Zhuangyuan was in his hometown, he was involved in something called the Three Star Lottery, which is also a form of gambling."

苍鳞是在找无忧洞洞主，毕竟约定了在这里见面。

The more people there are, the safer the place is.

从来都是洞主通知他们在哪里集合，谁都别想主动约洞主。

The cave master naturally distrusts others to avoid being "fished" for something.

Xiaofeng understood that Canglin had gone to Song Xuan's hometown to ask around.

这点事，根本就瞒不住，而且宋煊也没想瞒着。

"follow me."

The strategist Bai Zhen appeared and tugged at Xiao Feng.

Xiaofeng then followed Canglin and the strategist Baizhen, who had been recuperating from his injuries during this time.

There are no visible wounds now.

At a food stall, the cave master and Akabane sat down.

Cang Lin and the other two did not bow, but sat down directly.

Although Kaifeng's underground drainage system is complex, many areas still have not been completely drained.

It would be very inconvenient for them to meet underground.

As for Zuixianlou, it might be under surveillance, so it's best to avoid going there.

After much thought, I realized that the most dangerous place is the safest place.

宋煊如今全部心思都在这摸鱼大赛当中，必然不会盯着无忧洞。

The cave master still wore a mask and a Fanyang hat on his head.

However, judging from the exposed skin, Xiaofeng could tell that the cave master had an Adam's apple and fair skin.

I wonder if it's because I don't get much sun exposure.

Xiaofeng picked up the bowl of fermented water, took a sip, and didn't know what to say.

Because he was feeling a little guilty and wanted to gain the cave master's trust, he didn't know how to act for the time being.

The strategist Bai Zhen spoke up: "Chi Yu received news that Xuan Jia is not dead, but has been detained."

“Zhongli Jin is in charge of the Worry-Free Cave, and Song Xuan is focused on disaster relief and has no time for this.”

"This is a good thing for us."

Cang Lin also took a sip of the broth. If Xuan Jia was alive, it wouldn't be a good thing for him.

They're high-ranking officials, so they know many secrets.

If he couldn't withstand the torture and revealed everything he knew, Cang Lin felt that he might lose his family business that he had built up over the years.

"Cave Master, what are your plans regarding this matter?"

"No."

The cave master of Worry-Free Cave shook his head and pondered for a moment:
"I suspect that Scholar Song deliberately wanted the people from Wuyou Cave to break us out of prison, or that he wanted us to take the opportunity to assassinate Xuanjia."

"Only in this way can we get more people to turn against us and fight against us."

Some secrets were known only to these high-ranking officials, but when it came to the actual implementation, they were not the ones in charge.

How much his subordinates knew naturally implicated them as well.

"Cave Master, the power of my Worry-Free Cave has greatly diminished, Song Xuan."

Bai Zhen received a signal with her eyes and quickly changed her words:
"Scholar Song is skilled at cooperating with criminals. The people who are helping him keep an eye on the other thieves are all being rewarded."

"Therefore, I suspect that he will definitely give important positions to the people who defected from Wuyou Cave. We must be wary of this."

Xiaofeng was initially somewhat conflicted, thinking he might as well take a shot, even if it seemed risky.

他没有跟宋煊接触过，也没有得到承诺。

So he just wanted to have another option, and didn't completely defect.

However, after the strategist Bai Zhen's analysis, Xiao Feng became even more determined to pledge allegiance to Song Xuan.

他连街上那些贼偷都能容忍，愿意给他们一口饭吃。

If I help him capture the master of Wuyou Cave and achieve such merit, then arranging for me to work in the county government and eat official food with him would not be a problem, right?

If you're lucky, you might even become an official.

After all, in the Song Dynasty, being granted amnesty and becoming an official was extremely attractive.

“防？”

Akabane chuckled as his lair was destroyed:
"Strategist, you should be careful. We've all been wiped out, and only you and Cang Lin are left."

Both Canglin and Baizhen could hear the strange tone in Chiyu's voice.

To put it more bluntly, it means he still doesn't trust either of them.

Akabane suspected that one of them was cooperating with Song Xuan, especially after hearing the strategist's analysis.

Because Song Xuan was not such a righteous official, he was willing to give criminals a chance.

"you."

The strategist Bai Zhen put down the ladle in his hand and looked at the cave master, hoping that he could clear his name.

Being wronged is an absolutely unpleasant experience.

The cave master of Wuyou Cave sized up the four people in front of him:

"I believe in Xuanjia; he certainly hasn't given in yet."

"Otherwise, the first to suffer will be Zuixianlou."

“Cave Master, it’s not that I don’t trust him, but the truth is I’m not sure how long he can hold on.”

Cang Lin also sighed, revealing a rare look of helplessness.

He had already cleaned up his act and was thinking of enjoying his retirement, but who would have thought that he would encounter something like this in his old age, making it difficult for him to have the same drive as before.

"Don't worry about that."

The cave master immediately reassured his subordinates, telling them to put their minds at ease:
“Song Xuan’s river repair will take some time. If this is completed, the court will definitely promote him, and he will no longer be in charge of Kaifeng County.”

Xiaofeng realized from this that he needed to act quickly, otherwise, time would be running out and others wouldn't guarantee his interests.

After all, there was still some old friendship between him and Song Xuan that could guarantee their relationship.

"Ok?"

Cang Lin had no doubt about the cave master's words.

Judging from his voice, he came from the palace, so he must know more information than they do.

As for the appearance of the cave master, even the strategist Bai Zhen had never seen him in person.

"really?"

The cave master of Wuyou Cave simply nodded calmly:

“In the past, we only had to lie low when we encountered a powerful prefect in Kaifeng.”

"Nowadays, the prefect of Kaifeng has not encountered a powerful one, but instead has encountered a powerful county magistrate like Song Xuan."

"He was originally going to work for the emperor, but because his teacher submitted a lengthy memorial, he volunteered to serve as the county magistrate."

"If these rivers can be successfully dredged, the imperial court will surely promote him."

The cave master of Wuyou Cave's gaze shone through his mask, influencing the group:

"Just bear with it a little longer."

Akabane looked at the cave master with suspicion. How did he know so much inside information?
Xiaofeng was also pondering how to get more contact with the cave master!

(End of this chapter)