A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 399: Die for the King

The humiliation Wang Qixiong had inflicted on him at the scene was so overwhelming that Ding Dalang could hardly breathe.

However, this feeling of frustration didn't last long before Song Xuan stopped him and vented his anger on the spot.

Now that the verdict has been announced, Ding Dalang feels extremely relieved.

If it were anyone else, even the Prefect of Kaifeng, they wouldn't have been able to give him such a fair result.

Ding Dalang believed that Chen Yaozuo would never do such a thing as eliminating a scourge for the people.

He was beaten by Song Qingtian.

That's definitely not a good thing!

Ding Dalang made up his mind: he would serve Song Qingtian to the death for the rest of his life!

He not only avenged my father, but also protected the lives of my entire family.

When Liu Congde saw that Song Xuan had finished his trial and come down, he felt a little guilty.

He had already spoken to his relatives, but unfortunately they had all grown too big for their own good and didn't listen to him at all.

“Scholar Song, I knew absolutely nothing about this beforehand. I made them cooperate with you when you ordered the demolition of those illegal buildings along the Huimin River.”

Song Xuan wore a smile on his face:

"Prefect Liu, what kind of relationship do we have? How can you be held responsible for their evil deeds?"

This was the first time Liu Congde had ever heard of such a statement.

After all, those civil officials had already defined them.

The maternal relatives, when combined, are all of poor quality.

And they are all mainly from the Liu family!

Therefore, Liu Congde had no choice but to accept the notion that any bad things that happened would be blamed on the Liu family.

After all, the Empress Dowager's kinship ties all originated from him.

However, Song Xuan's statement today, which distinguishes between "you" and "them," truly moved Liu Congde.

He has truly suffered a lot of injustice in this regard!

Liu Congde pursed his lips, suppressing the complex emotions within him:

"Everyone says that the top scholar Song was extraordinary, but I only realized today that they were not lying."

As an observer, Li Junyou watched as Song Xuan gained gratitude from both the victim and the perpetrator.

He didn't understand the intricacies of the matter, but he was greatly shocked.

How did he manage to handle both sides of the issue?

This is not normal!
Especially in Li Junyou's view, even if Wang Qixiong's father complained to the Empress Dowager, as long as Liu Congde didn't say anything.

Wang Mengzheng might not be able to persuade the Empress Dowager.

Song Xuan needed to rush back to keep an eye on the place, just in case anything else went wrong:
"This matter is almost resolved. Let's go back to the scene to watch the fish-catching contest."

"Good good."

Liu Congde really didn't want to get involved in this matter, even though it was his brother-in-law who had committed the crime.

In his view, as long as Song Xuan was involved in this matter, and someone was beaten to death without remorse, then his brother-in-law was definitely doomed.

Song Xuan instructed Qi Lecheng to take care of these people, and to cook lunch for them as well, while also taking the bodies to the morgue.

This will also facilitate the preservation of the body when the Ministry of Justice reviews the case.

Wang Qixiong is not an official yet, so there is no need for him to go to the Dali Temple for review.

Ding Dalang watched as Song Xuan hurriedly left again, his tears still flowing.

"The lord is in dire need of money to feed the disaster victims outside the city and to repair the Bian River so that the people of Tokyo will not suffer from flooding again next summer."

Qi Lecheng explained it to the group:
"The 'Slacking Off' contest must not go wrong."

Ding Dalang and the others understood.

Otherwise, Master Song wouldn't have hired them to stand guard and maintain order.

Who would have thought that something like this would happen on the very first day?

After they got to know each other at the county government office, Liu Congde followed Song Xuan back to the scene with a smile.

I'll have to go back and check if I won the lottery, and see how lucky I am!

"Father, something terrible has happened."

Wang Yufeng rushed home and reported to his father, Wang Mengzheng: "My elder brother killed someone by the Bian River."

"What kind of behavior is this, all flustered and in such a hurry?"

Wang Mengzheng first reprimanded his second son. To him, was it something to be alarmed that his eldest son had killed someone?
When they were officials, no one dared to offend the father and son; they all had to lower their heads and speak to them in hushed tones.

That Zhong Shiheng, relying on his deceased uncle being a great Confucian scholar, still dared to think too highly of himself.

Those who refused to be his lackeys were made an example of by Wang Mengzheng.

From then on, who in the entire Fengzhou dared to speak loudly in front of him?
It can be said that having the Empress Dowager's kinship with him was enough to allow Wang Meng to act with impunity as an official.

In truth, he did not want to return to Tokyo to serve as an official.

There are also censors and prime ministers watching your behavior. If something goes wrong, you can't just say you were young and confused like a junior can.

Ma Jiliang is a living example.

Wang Mengzheng felt it was better to live a carefree life outside the capital.

Even if he didn't become a prefect, he was still a veritable "local tyrant".

An existence that no one dares to provoke.

"Father, my eldest brother beat someone to death, and many people saw it."

Wang Yufeng emphasized again that he didn't understand why his father was so relaxed.

A human life!

"So what if he saw it? The person he killed was definitely not someone we can't afford to mess with."

Wang Mengzheng was quite disappointed in his second son, who was spending all his time with his son-in-law and becoming increasingly worthless.

He has completely ruined the "prestige" of the Wang family.

"But my older brother was arrested by the government."

Upon hearing this, Wang Mengzheng raised his voice slightly:
"Has Chen Yaozuo lost his mind?"

"He dared to kidnap my son!"

"No, Father."

Wang Yufeng was still panting heavily. He didn't dare to stop running back; his lungs felt like they were going to burst.

"He was the top scholar in the imperial examination of the Song Dynasty."

"The top scholar of the Song Dynasty?" Wang Mengzheng narrowed his eyes slightly: "The one who held the fish-catching contest, that lowly seventh-rank magistrate?"

"Yes." Wang Yufeng leaned back in his chair, wiping his sweat.
“I advised my elder brother not to do it, but he was still beaten to death. Now that he has fallen into the hands of Scholar Song, my elder brother is probably doomed.”

Snapped.

Wang Meng slammed his hand heavily on the table:
"I left you in Tokyo instead of taking you with me to teach you, and now you've become so cowardly!"

"cowardly?"

Wang Yufeng didn't understand what his father meant at first.

"The way that guy surnamed Song kidnapped your older brother, I'll make him treat me with the same courtesy he showed when he sent me home."

Wang Mengzheng chuckled:
"He's just a lowly seventh-rank official, yet he dares to act arrogantly in front of me just because he passed the imperial examination with top honors. He doesn't deserve it!"

As Liu Congde's father-in-law, Wang Mengzheng certainly had reason to be arrogant.

But Wang Yufeng didn't think that way:

"Father, you know absolutely nothing about what Scholar Song did?"

"His name is not worthy of my knowledge."

Wang Meng was used to being arrogant, and even when his son killed someone in the street and was arrested by the government, he was not afraid at all.

But Wang Yufeng is different.

He had heard a lot about Song Xuan's feats in Tokyo, and had even witnessed them firsthand.

His older brother had just been brutally beaten by Song Xuan, which left him with lingering fear.

However, Wang Yufeng did not tell anyone about this. He kept telling his father that his older brother had gotten into trouble and asked his father to go and rescue him.

But Wang Mengzheng remained unmoved.

“Father, Scholar Song is truly extraordinary. Even your good son-in-law has to keep his tail between his legs in front of him.”

Hearing his son say this, Wang Mengzheng's eyes narrowed again:
"impossible!"

His son-in-law is such an arrogant person.

Liu Congde slept with the "reserve" empress as a concubine without any consequences.

Who in the entire Song Dynasty could be more arrogant than him?

This is also why Wang Mengzheng felt that his daughter was even more noble than the Empress.

The empress in the palace today was not chosen by the emperor; it is the one who calls her own daughter "mistress."

"Dad, why would I lie to you?"

Wang Yufeng's face showed anxiety:
"The best course of action now is for you, Father, to plead with the Empress Dowager as soon as possible. If you delay, my elder brother will be sentenced to death."

"He dares!"

Wang Mengzheng still didn't believe his son's words:
"Go and bring that guy surnamed Song to our house. If he dares not to come, I won't let him get away with it!"

Wang Yufeng was completely numb.

Song Xuan gave himself a chance and allowed him to return and deliver the message.

Wang Yufeng never expected his father to be so stubborn!
"go."

When Wang Mengzheng saw that his son didn't move an inch, he became even angrier.

"How dare you! You don't even listen to your father?"

Wang Yufeng stood up and looked at his father:

"Father, I've made myself clear to you. If you want to save my elder brother, go to the palace immediately and plead with the Empress Dowager. There's still a chance for him to survive."

"If you want your brother dead, then go ahead and show off your power here."

“This is Tokyo, not some poor, remote place where you can act like a local tyrant and give orders to anyone.”

"I am leaving."

After Wang Yufeng finished speaking, he didn't give his father a chance to refute him and turned to leave.

Because he discovered that his biological father had evolved into someone who was domineering and unreasonable, and wanted to do whatever he wanted.

Ever since Song Xuan had completely subdued his brother-in-law Liu Congde, Wang Yufeng had come to understand this deeply.

He had been young and ignorant before, but after being punished in Tokyo, he immediately matured!
The surname of the Song Dynasty was Zhao.

It's not surnamed Liu, it's surnamed Wang!
The Empress Dowager will grow old, and the Emperor will eventually take over the reins of government.

Even if our family has Huo Guang's abilities, it will still be doomed in the end.

"You traitor!"

Wang Meng was caught off guard by his son's barrage of retorts. After a moment, he slammed the teacup on the table onto the ground.

"How dare you speak to your father so loudly?"

Wang Mengzheng couldn't understand why his son had become so timid in front of outsiders, only acting tough at home.

Your own elder brother was taken away by the government officials, and you didn't even dare to stop them.

Not only did you not dare to ask them to release the person on the spot, but you also ran home in fear to report the news and ask your father to step in and resolve the matter.

In Wang Mengzheng's view, his second son Wang Yufeng's behavior was simply cowardly to the extreme!
This is a disgrace to the family.

Wang Mengzheng stood up and decided to go find that man surnamed Song himself.

Let him know who's really in charge in this Song Dynasty.

So a luxurious carriage was pulled out of the royal mansion.

The guards were also swaggering and showing off.

After Wang Mengzheng boarded the carriage, the guards around him began clearing the road and pushing pedestrians.

Although many people gathered along the banks of the Bian River today, some people still participated in the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, setting up stalls to attract people who needed to go to work to buy things.

Tokyo has always had a very strong commercial atmosphere.

Therefore, Wang Mengzheng's luxurious carriage continued to move very slowly.

He didn't see anything wrong with his eldest son killing someone; he simply pushed a servant aside.

As for his second son, he was truly disappointed!

I wasted so much time in Tokyo.

He hasn't improved at all!

Qi Lecheng held his rice bowl and ate slowly at the door.

Ding Dalang and a few other soldiers ate with him.

They discovered that this gatekeeper was able to command everyone except those guarding the treasury, and even the clerks treated Qi Lecheng with great respect.

In addition, the other yamen runners also ate with him.

Needless to say, this person is 100% a confidant of Master Song.

Especially those of them who hang out in Tokyo, if they didn't have some sense of propriety, they would have starved to death long ago.

Qi Lecheng was already used to being the goalkeeper, and he would feel a little uncomfortable if he were placed elsewhere.

As he looked around, Qi Lecheng saw someone driving a luxurious carriage, surrounded by guards holding batons.

The mere sight of this luxurious carriage suggests that it belongs to a wealthy and powerful family in Tokyo.

Qi Lecheng coughed:
"Be alert in a moment. If the carriage passes by, then it's fine. But if it stops, then the man surnamed Wang has come looking for us."

The constables didn't seem to care when they heard Qi Lecheng's instructions.

On the contrary, these soldiers of the local militia were very confused and even a little scared.

After all, Song Xuan isn't here.

Ding Dalang, in particular, could barely eat, his eyes fixed on the screen.

It wasn't that he only realized today that he couldn't afford to offend the powerful and influential; rather, he had never witnessed such blatant threats from them before.

Under Ding Dalang's horrified gaze, the luxurious carriage came to a complete stop.

In fact, Wang Mengzheng didn't even need to get out of the carriage; the steward beside him stood arrogantly at the entrance of the county government office.

"Tell that bastard Song Xuan to come out and greet my master."

In his view, Song Xuan, a mere seventh-rank official, was not worthy of making his master make a personal trip.

He should have taken the initiative to go to the Prince's residence to apologize!
Qi Lecheng's expression turned extremely serious. He put down his chopsticks, stood up, and walked up to the arrogant butler.

Snapped.

A resounding slap landed directly on his face.

The butler's mouth immediately swelled up, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

He was completely stunned by the beating, and the guards of the Wang family had never seen such fierce yamen runners before, so they stood there dumbfounded for a moment.

They had been following Wang Mengzheng for quite some time, and wherever they went, they were always carefully served.

Describing them as having their noses in the air is not an exaggeration at all.

Wang Meng liked this kind of "scene," so his subordinates naturally had to create this kind of environment for him in order to gain a foothold.

"Pooh."

Qi Lecheng spat at him:
"Whose scoundrel dares to address my master by his name?"

The butler felt his face burning, and his teeth felt loose when he licked them with his tongue.

"You have some nerve."

"Someone is coming."

Before the butler could call out, Qi Lecheng shouted:
“Take off his pants and give him thirty lashes.”

"You, a mere servant, dare to address my master by his given name? You're courting death!"

The constables rushed out like wolves and tigers, and immediately grabbed the stunned Wang family steward and slapped him across the face.

They pulled down his pants and started beating him with a water-and-fire stick.

Ding Dalang and his fellow soldiers forgot to eat; their eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets.

They knew that Master Song was always brave and decisive in his actions.

I never expected that his gang of constables would be so brave!
Needless to say, the owner of this luxurious carriage must be the family that killed Ding Dalang's father.

They're related to the Empress Dowager by marriage, how can you be so disrespectful?

Especially when Master Song is not present.

This made them even more bewildered.

Qi Lecheng looked at the guards with batons with disdain, ready to draw his knife if any of them dared to step forward.

If these people were to curse the emperor to their faces, these yamen runners might pretend they didn't hear it.

But this servant is like a dog.

How dare he insult his own master!

I really don't know how to write the word "death"!

"what."

With one blow, the butler's leg was broken.

There's no need for me to pretend with you.

We all heard him insult Master Song just now.

Even if they beat that Wang fellow to death today, and the sky falls, they still believe that Master Song will be there to keep an eye on things for them.

The noise outside eventually affected the people inside the well-insulated luxury carriage.

Wang Mengzheng lifted the curtain and looked outside.

He discovered that it was actually his butler who had been beaten.

"Stop, stop it!"

Wang Meng, in a fit of rage, stepped directly out of the carriage, stood at the edge, and said fiercely:

"Stop it all."

But the crackling sound of the wooden stick hitting the meat, mixed with the butler's shouts, did not stop.

"Lord Wang, save me!"

The butler was in so much pain that tears and snot streamed down his face, and he even urinated a yellowish urine.

"I told you to stop."

Wang Meng's anger intensified, and he stomped his feet on the carriage in frustration.

"Stop it, all of you! Stop fighting!"

But the yamen runners in Kaifeng County seemed to beat the people more and more vigorously the more someone shouted for them to stop.

Qi Lecheng kept his hand on the hilt of his knife, waiting for the order from the man surnamed Wang so he could draw his sword and fight.

I was just looking for a reason to stab him.

At worst, I'll pay with my life.

The esteemed official would certainly not allow his family to suffer!

Didn't you see that because Guo En's father died, he's practically become the adopted son of a high-ranking official?
This kind of opportunity is extremely rare!
"Lord Wang, save me!"

The steward of the Prince's mansion stretched out his arm on the steps, begging for mercy.

"All of you, get up here!"

The steward, having served Wang Mengzheng for many years, still had some affection for him. He immediately ordered his guards to step forward and try to snatch it back.

brush.

Qi Lecheng drew his knife directly:
"Let's see who dares!"

Not only him, but the other constables also drew their knives, looking as if they were about to devour someone.

These guards were used to Wang Mengzheng's arrogance and domineering ways, and today they saw that these yamen runners were about to kill them.

For a moment, they dared not step forward.

After the standoff, only Wang's steward remained, lying on the ground wailing and being hit with a stick.

One blow after another. The blows made the guards of the Wang family's eyes twitch.

They had never seen such fierce yamen runners, who dared to openly defy the Wang family!

When Ding Dalang and the other soldiers saw how fierce the yamen runners were, they stopped eating and stared at them blankly.

When did these yamen runners become so audacious?!
The key point is that even the high-ranking official Song was not around, yet these people dared to do such a thing to the Empress's in-laws.

Are they out of their minds?

Wang Mengzheng was also frightened.

His personal butler, in particular, was beaten so badly he was covered in blood.

madman.

They're all a bunch of lunatics!
The calm expressions on the faces of these constables startled Wang Meng, causing him to gasp in shock.

A group of passersby, seemingly just curious, surrounded them.

None of the guards dared to step forward.

Everyone's just trying to make a living; there's no need to risk your life.

In particular, Steward Wang cursed the official.

Regardless of whether the official is high-ranking or low-ranking, they are not people they can afford to offend.

After the thirty strokes of the rod were finished, the steward of the Prince's mansion also fainted from the pain.

The two bailiffs dragged him like a dead dog to the front of the luxurious carriage and threw him down.

"If you dare to insult my Master Song again, it won't be enough to just give him a few beatings."

Qi Lecheng stared intently at Wang Mengzheng.

Wang Mengzheng had never seen such a fierce look in his eyes before; it was as if he were about to pounce on him and stab him if he closed his eyes.

"I'm looking for your Master Song."

Wang Meng was barely suppressing his trembling; his imposing manner had diminished considerably.

"He's not in now."

Qi Lecheng's three crisp and concise words made Wang Mengzheng somewhat suspicious for a moment.

He couldn't believe that after such a serious incident, Song Xuan would dare to be away from the yamen, and that these few yamen runners would be so audacious as to beat up his men.

It's up to the owner to beat the dog!

"I am the newly appointed Director of the Three Departments. Tell him to come out and see me."

"I already told you, my master is not at the county office. If you have something to say, come back tomorrow."

Qi Lecheng, carrying a waist knife, stared at Wang Mengzheng:
"Also, your people had better watch their mouths from now on."

Wang Meng was clutching his chest, unable to believe his ears.

How dare a lowly yamen runner threaten me!
"you."

Wang Meng was pointing at Qi Lecheng, this lowly yamen runner, wishing he could tear him to pieces on the spot.

But then he saw Qi Lecheng had drawn his knife and was staring intently at Wang Mengzheng's neck.

He has indeed become more true to himself.

What is my identity, and what is his identity?
If that knife really comes at you, you won't be spared just because you're of high status.

Furthermore, Qi Lecheng's beating of the Wang family's steward was a real threat to Wang Mengzheng.

He was used to being lawless outside, and thought he could really do whatever he wanted when he returned to Tokyo.

But Wang Mengzheng had never encountered anyone like this before, someone who seemed ready to kill him at the drop of a hat.

The other people treated him like pigs and dogs waiting to be slaughtered.

Who would dare to mess with him?

Over time, Wang Mengzheng's arrogance naturally grew.

He hasn't even had a formal confrontation with Song Xuan yet, but he's already been intimidated by Song Xuan's yamen runners.

He was frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

Wang Meng was mentally encouraging himself, deciding not to bother with a mere yamen runner and that getting him to release his son was the most important thing.

We'll settle the score properly later, and then they definitely won't be able to act so arrogantly.

"Release my son."

Who is your son?

"Wang Qixiong".

"Oh."

Qi Lecheng looked at the onlookers:
"He's the murderer who beat Ding Dalang's father to death without cause, the prisoner who was just sentenced to death by the master!"

"You want me to release him?"

"Does the law of the Song Dynasty really belong to the Wang family?!"

Wang Mengzheng's eyes were practically spitting fire with rage.

Even if it were true, who would dare to say it in public?
It's fine if everyone just keeps it to themselves!

"You have some nerve!" Wang Meng pointed at him angrily.

"Hmph, they're nothing but a bunch of rats, what audacity they have!"

Qi Lecheng was not afraid at all; he had learned it all from the high-ranking official.

If it weren't for the high-ranking official's appointment, who would have treated him, the watchdog, as a human being?
Qi Lecheng didn't understand the stories the storytellers told about repaying the emperor's favor on the golden platform and sacrificing himself for the emperor.

He knew one thing: if the master wanted him dead, he would have no objection.

Moreover, in Wang's eyes, she was just a lowly life while he was destined for wealth and honor. Trading her lowly life for his wealthy one was not a loss at all.

If your family members also have powerful officials looking after them, then you've really struck gold.

Therefore, Qi Lecheng was not afraid at all.

Such mockery made Wang Mengzheng get off the carriage, so angry that he wanted to grab the stick and hit the person.

The yamen runners behind Qi Lecheng, who had drawn their swords, heard Qi Ge'er's words and wished they could take his place.

What a great opportunity to show off, an opportunity to catch the eye of a high-ranking official!
The constables were just waiting for this man surnamed Wang to use his sticks so they could swarm him.

Although Wang Mengzheng was angry, seeing the eager looks in the eyes of these yamen runners, he could only throw the baton he had snatched on the ground and sulk.

The surrounding people immediately grasped the key information from the simple details and began to discuss it.

It turns out that the official has arrested the murderer, and it seems that the murderer's family is quite powerful.

After all, they were driving a luxurious carriage.

There are very few of them in the entire city of Tokyo.

Furthermore, given that the surname is Wang, some busybodies immediately deduced that the Wang family might be related to the Empress Dowager by marriage.

Apart from the royal family, no other official dared to be so arrogant.

Especially at the entrance of the Kaifeng County Government Office, after all, the reputation of Song Tai Sui had long been spread throughout the capital city of Kaifeng.

That is, he was serving as an official in another province when he suddenly returned to the capital. He had never heard of Song Taisui's heroic deeds, which is why he dared to cause trouble at the entrance of the county government office.

Wang Mengzheng paid no attention to the voices of these people: "I want to see my son."

"This matter requires a written edict from Lord Song. Not just anyone can enter the Kaifeng County prison."

"you."

"Humph."

Qi Lecheng realized that this rich man was a coward; after being intimidated, he didn't dare to make a move.

So he gave the order directly:
"Brothers, let's continue eating. The meat and vegetables won't taste good if they get cold."

"Here."

After this incident, the yamen runners who remained behind admired Qi Lecheng even more.

No wonder he is someone highly regarded by the high-ranking official; his future is certainly limitless.

So a group of yamen runners sat inside the gate, away from the place that had been urinated on earlier, and would have to wash it several more times after they finished eating.

Guo En rushed over with a long sword. He heard a commotion and realized his master hadn't followed, lest he fall for a diversionary tactic.

There have always been many thieves in the capital city of Tokyo, and some have even dared to steal from Kaifeng Prefecture. It would be even more surprising if someone had taken a large amount of copper coins from Kaifeng County in broad daylight.

"Brother Qi, has something happened?"

Guo En stood at the door, holding a long sword, gazing at the luxurious carriage outside.

It doesn't look like a robbery; it's probably just looking for trouble.

"It's nothing serious, it's already been resolved."

Qi Lecheng had the leisure to ask Sang Yi and the others if they had finished eating.
Guo En answered each question in turn.

The way they gossiped about it clearly showed they didn't take Wang Mengzheng seriously.

Wang Meng was furious and pointed at the group of yamen runners, while his steward, whose leg had been broken, cried out for help.

Wang Mengzheng could only have his steward thrown onto the carriage and taken to the clinic for treatment, while also sending someone to fetch his son-in-law.

He simply refused to believe that he couldn't handle a mere yamen runner!

After the man left, Qi Lecheng sent someone to follow Wang Mengzheng to see what he was doing, and then sent someone to the Bian River to inform the official about what had happened there.

By this time, the outcome of the first round of battles had already been decided on both sides of the Bian River.

Many people are laughing about their good luck, but even more people feel that their luck will be even better, just in the next round.

Emperor Zhao Zhen personally caught the fish, but he didn't win.

He lost to the more astute Chen Xiliang by a margin of one or two points.

The two of them were aiming for the fish head prize, while the rest wished they could fill their wooden buckets with fish.

Even if they can't win, they can still sell the fish to the government and make another profit.

Chen Xiliang held onto his fish tightly, refusing to let go; he truly hadn't expected to win!

And they won by a mere one or two ounces!

That would be very memorable.

Zhao Zhen pouted. Although he had tried his best, luck seemed to be against him.

If the fish swallows a few more mouthfuls of water, it might win.

But Emperor Zhao Zhen, as the monarch, disdained to do such a thing.

He handed the fish to Yang Yuzhen, who was standing nearby, and asked her to find a wooden bucket to keep the big carp alive.

He will take good care of it and see how big this carp can grow.

"Where is Twelfth Brother?"

When questioned by the officials, Zhang Maoze said that Song Xuan had been summoned away, perhaps to handle some business.

Zhao Zhen nodded; he had thought his twelfth brother would keep watching.

However, Zhao Zhen also understood that with so many people on both sides of the Bian River, many problems were likely to arise.

It's normal for my twelfth brother to be on patrol everywhere.

The imperial court has not yet collected taxes, and it simply cannot afford to provide enough funds to resettle these disaster victims.

Not to mention that Huazhou also needs a lot of money and grain.

These are all problems.

Twelfth Brother was hoping to earn more money from the fishing competition to fund disaster relief.

The cheers from both sides of the strait once again moved Emperor Zhao Zhen.

Although he didn't win, participating in the round was definitely a lot of fun.

This experience was unforgettable for him.

As for Chen Xiliang, he simply chose to exchange the money.

This windfall was completely unexpected for him, and since they were currently short of money, it was necessary to have more money in Tokyo.

After all, writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones are also consumables.

As cheers grew louder and louder from both banks of the Bian River, Liu E, who was watching from the window, was also very happy.

It's been a long time since I've seen such a lively scene.

A few days ago, she went out shopping, which was during the Mid-Autumn Festival parade organized by Song Xuan.

Seeing the huge crowds at the fish-catching competition again makes me feel quite pleased.

Compared to some veteran officials, Empress Liu was willing to appoint these newly appointed scholars because most of them did not have any deep-rooted backgrounds.

It will not become a stumbling block on her path to governance; on the contrary, it will help her handle some political affairs.

Song Xuan was the one who pleased Liu E the most, even more so than Song Xiang.

Song Xiang had no chance to take on important responsibilities, and Liu E was unwilling to let him work so hard.

It means "to spend a fortune to buy a horse's bones".

As long as Song Xiang serves as an official in the court and his promotion is not slow, that will be enough to make many newly appointed scholars willing to serve the Empress Dowager.

Seeing that the Empress Dowager was so happy, Yang Huaimin praised Liu E for her discerning eye.

In any case, Song Xuan's achievements today are inseparable from the strong support of the Empress Dowager.

"Hahaha."

Liu E rarely laughed heartily; she truly felt that Yang Huaimin was right.

If it were a prime minister, he wouldn't dare entrust such an important matter to a new official who has no achievements to prove his ability.

Chen Yaozuo might take the lead, and Song Xuan certainly wouldn't care so much.

"Alright, since this 'fish-slacking contest' is so lively, I can rest assured."

Empress Liu was very satisfied with the atmosphere at the scene, and then went straight back to the palace to rest.

If the late emperor were here, he and his wife would definitely have come closer to watch.

The late emperor was the kind of person who loved to join in the fun.

However, I will be advised by a group of prime ministers, but I will read it first and then listen to their nagging.

Unfortunately, we can't get up close to see anything anymore.

While many people were claiming their prizes, and even more were about to buy tickets for the next round, Song Xuan returned with Liu Congde.

He first visited a couple of places, and Liu Congde discovered that he was actually quite lucky. He won the lottery after just a little trial, which made him overjoyed.

Li Junyou then took the opportunity to lower his voice:
“Cousin, if you beat Wang Qixiong half to death like this, you won’t be able to explain it to the Empress Dowager.”

"The Wang family will certainly not let this go."

“I know.” Song Xuan looked at the joyful crowd:
"I just want to make a big fuss about this, otherwise it will be blown out of proportion and he'll end up with nothing to do with it."

"This is an outcome I cannot accept."

“If I beat them harder, they will fight to the bitter end, and that will inevitably cause trouble for the Empress Dowager and the Prime Minister.”

“I helped them with Ma Jiliang’s matter, and they all have to speak up for me in this matter as well.”

"Moreover, this is also a blow to the power of the maternal relatives. I believe they would love for me to cause trouble again."

Since Song Xuan knew everything, Li Junyou decided not to say anything more.

"Okay, as long as you have a plan in mind, the main problem is that the waters in Tokyo are too deep."

Li Junyou lowered his voice again and said:

"Brother-in-law, there are ravines and trenches beneath the surface of the water; no one knows where everyone has buried their connections."

"Well, I understand."

Song Xuan continued his patrol. Perhaps it wouldn't be long before the people on both sides of the Bian River would all be able to enjoy this new gossip.

Consequently, the entire population of Tokyo will also gradually come to know about this gossip.

If the Wang family is then unable to save face, things will be even easier.

After Song Xuan took another stroll, Xiao Feng and the others saw him swaggering around again.

The master of Wuyou Cave also lives in Bengbu.

After he beat up the Empress Dowager's in-laws, he came back so brazenly?

It's as if nothing happened!

"Surely nothing will happen?"

Cang Lin hoped that the powerful and influential people in the capital would fight against Song Xuan, and that Song Xuan would be defeated and kicked out of the capital.

They are safe.

According to the policies of the Song Dynasty, no matter how much a civil official committed a crime, he would not be executed; at most, he would be exiled.

A top scholar like Song Xuan, who achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations, would likely be far superior to others even if he were exiled. However, as long as he was not appointed as an official in the capital, Cang Lin would be overjoyed.

Otherwise, I would be living in constant fear every night, and I really couldn't bear the mental torment.

"Master, is that person truly a descendant of the Wang family?"

The strategist Bai Zhen looked puzzled, unable to understand why Song Xuan had returned so quickly.

"To dare to beat someone to death in the street and then humiliate them like that is something most people wouldn't do."

The cave master of Wuyou Cave has also been confirmed to be a member of the Wang family.

"How could Song Xuan return so quickly?"

"Could it be that he arrested someone, left the place, and then secretly released them?"

Akabane revealed his guess.

Otherwise, Song Xuan wouldn't be able to act like nothing happened.

"impossible!"

Xiaofeng said righteously and sternly:

"Based on my surveillance of him, Song Taisui will definitely not let Wang Qixiong go. He must have been imprisoned and then rushed back to keep order."

Upon hearing the name Song Taisui, several high-ranking members of Wuyou Cave trusted Xiaofeng's intuition.

It seems that Song Xuan is truly fearless; he beat up Ma Jiliang first, and now he's beaten up Wang Qixiong.

They were all related to the Empress Dowager by marriage; it was impossible for nothing to have happened to them.

"Akaba, send someone to find out the exact details."

The cave master of Wuyou Cave gave an instruction, because he himself was unsure what was going on.

Song Xuan's behavior is beyond the comprehension of most people, so any guesses about him are just wild guesses.

"Twelfth brother."

Zhao Zhen pointed to the large fish in his wooden bucket: "Look at my haul."

Song Xuan glanced down at it:
"Good heavens, that must weigh seven or eight pounds! Sixth Brother, you won the first prize?"

"No."

Zhao Zhen pointed with considerable regret to Chen Xiliang, who was registering nearby:
"Chen Xiliang won first place; his fish was an ounce heavier than mine."

Looking over, Song Xuan realized that Chen Xiliang was practically a dwarf compared to Zhao Zhen.

"You lost to him?"

Zhao Zhen also sighed: "I wasn't as lucky as him. I actually lost to a child. I'm embarrassed to even tell anyone."

"Don't be embarrassed. He's not much younger than Sixth Brother. I know him. He's quite intelligent. He studies at the Tongwen Guan and usually helps me teach the disaster victims' children to read."

Song Xuan's explanation greatly surprised Zhao Zhen:
"Is he also going to take the imperial examination?"

"Yes, Chen Xiliang is from Sichuan. After his parents died, his elder brother took over all the family property, and his two nephews chose to follow him instead of staying at home with their father, and went out to make their way in the world together."

Zhao Zhen nodded again:

"He is indeed an ambitious scholar. I did not lose unjustly. At least in terms of resilience, I am not as good as him."

"By the way, Twelfth Brother, what were you doing just now?"

"Handling an emergency." Song Xuan was also somewhat indignant:
“Wang Qixiong just dared to kill someone on my turf, and now he’s trying to go home as if nothing happened.”

“I sentenced him to death in court, and the case file was even sent to the palace.”

"Wang Qixiong".

Zhao Zhen found the name somewhat familiar. In the entire capital city of Kaifeng, who did not know the formidable reputation of the Song Tai Sui?
They still dared to commit crimes under his rule; they must have really eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard.

A hint of doubt appeared in Zhao Zhen's eyes:
"Twelfth Brother, could you be related to the First Madam by marriage?"

"good."

The doubt in Zhao Zhen's eyes immediately disappeared. Only they dared to cause trouble in front of his twelfth brother!
(End of this chapter)