A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 400 I'm Wrongfully Accused of Injustice!
Because Zhao Zhen also knew that there was probably no one in the entire capital city of Tokyo who was not afraid of the prestige of the Song Tai Sui.

Liu Congde has become honest and docile, leaving outsiders who are unsure of the truth, especially the Empress Dowager's in-laws. These people are used to being arrogant and domineering, so how could they possibly restrain themselves?

Ma Jiliang is a prime example, but he is by no means the last person to be punished.

Zhao Zhen was still thinking that once he took full power, he would definitely deal with these people properly.

"Alright, there are too many people today. You should go back and rest."

Song Xuan watched as Gao Jixun and the others constantly observed their surroundings, fearing that something unexpected might happen.

After all, sharing joy with the people is inherently fraught with uncertainty.

Zhao Zhen nodded.

He also wanted to send someone to find out what had happened. If the Wang family complained to the First Madam, he would speak up for his twelfth brother.

He knew that Ma Jiliang had been expelled from the capital and that Wang Mengzheng had returned to take over his official position.

If Wang Meng is being driven out of the capital, then Qian Weiyan will probably be recalled.

In short, none of the Empress Dowager's relatives by marriage could bring her any honor.

Just as Zhao Zhen was about to leave, a yamen runner found Song Xuan and told him that the Wang family had come to the county yamen to cause trouble and openly insulted the high official. Qi Lecheng had ordered them to be beaten half to death and thrown out.

In short, the general description was that the Wang family was too arrogant and domineering.

Song Xuan nodded, indicating that he understood. He told them to rest assured that they were in the right and that he, Song Twelve, would take care of the situation.

I already know about this matter. You should go back and stay at the county office as usual.

Zhao Zhen had always known that Song Xuanqiang was powerful, but he never expected that his yamen runners would dare to beat his men half to death in front of Wang Mengzheng, leaving Wang Mengzheng speechless with anger.

Zhao Zhen did not understand.

How could a mere yamen runner have such audacity!
Moreover, Zhao Zhen was certain that his twelfth brother would not instruct him on what to do beforehand.

The eunuch Yang Yuzhen, who was standing to the side, also looked at Song Xuan with some surprise and suspicion. He was a eunuch who had led troops.

Therefore, it's understandable that the kind of people you lead will produce the kind of soldiers you train.

Nowadays, Song Xuan is showing a tough attitude towards these powerful figures whom others dare not offend.

His subordinates will also exhibit this attitude.

But the only difference is whether the people under your command can step up when something really happens.

Gao Jixun was a veteran soldier, and he usually didn't express any opinions, but when he heard about this, he was somewhat surprised by the way Song Xuan's subordinates acted.

After the bailiffs left with smiles on their faces, Zhao Zhen finally voiced his question:
"Twelfth Brother, how dare your men do this?"

"It's all because my back is so good."

"what?"

Zhao Zhen looked puzzled. "What does this have to do with whether your back is okay?"

Song Xuan patted his lower back:

"Sixth Brother, if I bend my back too much, then my men will bend even more than me, and vice versa."

Zhao Zhen is gone.

He needs some time to process what he just said.

Song Xuan sat to the side, finally keeping his wife company, waiting to watch the next round of the fish-catching contest.

It's best to avoid any problems during this period.

It wasn't until late at night that Liu Congde went home with a smile on his face.

He's really lucky today.

It doesn't matter how much money you earn, as long as you win, most others lose.

Liu Congde felt that he was very capable, mainly because he gained emotional value that others envied.

At the prize redemption site, Song Xuan naturally arranged for one or two quick-witted straight men to keep the winners from betting.

To this end, the name of the luckiest person in the area will be specially marked, if they wish to be listed.

After all, the "slacking off contest" is all about luck.

It's like opening a blind box.

With such a novel way of playing, even people who work will take time off to queue up and buy a number to play.

Liu Congde went home in high spirits, only to hear from the steward that his father-in-law had arrived.

Upon hearing this, Liu Congde instinctively wanted to turn around and leave home, not wanting to get involved in this mess.

But he stopped in his tracks, not afraid of anything.

Anyway, I had already told them to just scold my brother-in-law Wang Yufeng later.

So Liu Congde swaggered into the hall.

At this moment, Wang Meng was both angry and frustrated.

He originally intended to show off his power in front of Song Xuan, making him obedient and personally send his son back, so that he would consider giving him the face of a top scholar.

As a result, Wang Mengzheng didn't even get to see Song Xuan before being shut down by one of Song Xuan's lowly yamen runners, which was a real loss of face for him.

Such audacity is tantamount to deceiving Heaven.

Wang Mengzheng felt that the effect of speaking to the Empress Dowager was not as good as having his son-in-law Liu Congde cry to her!

Besides, your brother-in-law is in trouble. Given our close relationship, how can you just ignore it?

Wang Yufeng, on the other hand, remained indifferent. He had already said it before, but neither the father nor the son would listen.

As for his sister, all she did was cry.

In the hands of Song Xuan, such a murder would have virtually no chance of survival.

After all, as his wife's husband, Liu Congde had told her about Song Xuan's prowess.

"My father-in-law has arrived."

Liu Congde ordered his attendant to place the basket of copper coins he had won on the ground, a smile on his face:

"I made quite a bit of money in the fishing competition today, I was very lucky. Let's go to Fanlou for a couple of drinks later."

"Madam, why are you crying?"

Madam Wang turned her face away, but Wang Mengzheng took the initiative to speak:
“My dear son-in-law, I’ve been waiting for you at home for several hours. Something has happened to your elder brother.”

"Oh?"

Liu Congde sat to the side, his face showing anxiety: "What happened to my brother-in-law?"

"He was captured by that scoundrel Song Xuan."

"Song Xuan, or a thief?"

Liu Congde stroked his chin:
"That must not be the same person as the Song Xuan I know."

"It's the person you know."

“Father-in-law, the Song Dynasty’s top scholar was personally selected by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. He is the first person in the history of the Song Dynasty to achieve the triple crown of the imperial examination at the young age of twenty. There will probably be no one like him in the future. How could he be a traitor?”

As Wang Mengzheng listened to his good son-in-law describe Song Xuan in this way, his eyes became even more suspicious of him. Was his relationship with Song Xuan really that good?
Could it be that everything my second son said was true?
"He kidnapped your older brother."

“Father-in-law, I believe that Scholar Song is definitely fair and just in enforcing the law. You won’t find another person like him in the entire capital city who would never wrong someone so easily.”

Ignoring his father-in-law's angry tone, Liu Congde took the initiative to defend Song Xuan:

“It must be that my elder brother did something that violated the laws of the Song Dynasty, which is why he was arrested by the top scholar of the Song Dynasty.”

"you!"

Wang Mengzheng was truly aggrieved: "Even you are siding with outsiders?"

"Father-in-law, what does 'turning one's elbow to one's own' mean?"

Liu Congde said with great excitement:
“I know you are an official outside the capital and do not know what is happening in the capital, but who in the entire capital does not know the formidable reputation of Lord Song?”

"It was because my brother-in-law was so ungrateful that he tried to beat up Song Taisui that the Empress Dowager sent him away, and it was your turn to come to the capital to take his place."

"But you haven't even settled into your seat yet, and your brother dares to beat someone to death in front of Song Zhuangyuan's brothel, and even demands that the deceased's son apologize to him!"

"If he wants to die, he shouldn't drag our whole family down with him."

Wang Mengzheng looked incredulous. He stood up and pointed at Liu Congde:
You know about this!

"With such a commotion, how could I not know?"

Liu Congde simply stopped acting and pointed at his father-in-law, Wang Mengzheng, saying:

"If anyone is to blame for this, it's you, the father. You didn't know how to teach your son to keep a low profile and discipline him strictly. Instead, you let him commit such a violent act."

"Look at how the Privy Councilor Zhang Qi disciplines his sons!"

"Under your leadership, the Wang family will be completely finished sooner or later!"

"you you you!"

Wang Mengzheng wanted to put on airs with his son-in-law, but everything the Wang family had was brought about by his son-in-law.

So Wang Mengzheng really couldn't stand up for himself in front of his good son-in-law.

Even though Liu Congde gave him a severe dressing-down.

"He's your own brother-in-law."

"It's expressive."

Liu Congde also said without any mercy:
“Father-in-law, my brother-in-law killed someone in public. Even if you secretly do it behind my back, I might pretend I didn’t see it and try to save him.”

"But he beat someone to death in public and was even caught by Scholar Song. You want me to plead for him?"

"Do you intend to drag me to Kaifeng County jail for an extended period of time?"

Faced with his son-in-law's questioning, Wang Mengzheng replied with considerable excitement:
"In terms of official rank, you, Song Xuan, are higher than that scoundrel. In terms of relationship, the Empress Dowager favors you more. What is Song Xuan anyway? How can he compare to your position in the Empress Dowager's heart?"

"What's the use of all this?"

Liu Congde couldn't understand who gave his father-in-law the confidence to think that killing someone in Tokyo would go unpunished.

"Even if the Song Dynasty were truly ruled by the Liu family, I would still have someone deal with my brother-in-law in order to maintain my rule. What makes you think you can stay out of it?"

Seeing that his beloved father-in-law was swaying precariously, Liu Congde didn't want to upset him further. Instead, he said to his brother-in-law:

“Wang Yufeng, I’ve told you this many times before. You’ve been by my side for a long time. Haven’t you talked to your father and the others about this?”

Wang Yufeng also stood up, quite excited:
“Brother-in-law, I tried to talk to them, but they were all impatient and wouldn’t listen to me at all.”

"My father even said, 'How could my Wang family produce such a cowardly son as me!'"

"There's nothing I can do!"

Wang Yufeng was filled with grievances; how could he not know how formidable Song Xuan was?

But he, as the younger brother, couldn't stand what his older brother was doing.

Then he was disgusted by his father again, and he felt wronged and upset because he was not understood by his family, but was understood by Song Xuan instead.

He truly didn't know who to confide in about this bitterness.

Now I've told my brother-in-law Liu Congde everything at once.

After hearing this, Liu Congde knew that his brother-in-law was not to blame for the whole thing. But no matter how much of a scoundrel he was, he couldn't really curse his father-in-law so viciously.

After all, the Liu family has its own "family traditions".

Even if it's not high, it's not so low that it's like the floor where people can trample on it at will.

"Then you should stop them even more. We don't know what they're doing outside, but once they're back in Tokyo, even a dragon has to learn to coil like a snake, and even a tiger has to learn to lie down like a cat."

Liu Congde pointed at his brother-in-law: "This is all your fault for not stopping it."

Wang Yufeng felt extremely wronged.

He's been unfairly blamed; he has no choice but to accept it.

Liu Congde then addressed his father-in-law:

"Father-in-law, my second brother and I are helpless in this matter. It's not that we are unwilling to save our eldest brother, but he has gone too far!"

"That's outrageous!"

Wang Mengzheng looked at his son-in-law and son in disbelief: "You said your elder brother went too far?"

"Correct."

Liu Congde also looked anxious: "Father-in-law, isn't it excessive for my elder brother to beat someone to death in public?"

“What’s so outrageous about this!” Wang Mengzheng said excitedly, “In Fengzhou, I…”

"I don't want to hear it." Liu Congde directly extended his hand:
"This is the capital city of Tokyo, right under the emperor's nose. I have no face to plead with the Empress Dowager. Father-in-law, you should go and find her yourself."

"you."

Wang Meng was furious. He glanced at his daughter, who could only cry and couldn't even utter a word.

He's your own older brother!

Before she got married, Lady Wang naturally listened to her father; now, of course, she listens to her husband.

She wasn't the only woman in Liu Congde's life.

"You, you."

Wang Mengzheng was speechless, and angrily flung his sleeves and left.

"Father-in-law, take care."

Liu Congde still bowed quite politely.

"Brother-in-law, prepare a room for me. I'm afraid I won't be able to go back anytime soon."

Wang Yufeng sat in the chair and sighed, "My father doesn't even recognize me anymore."

"It's alright, let's go to Fanlou for a meal." Liu Congde said nonchalantly, "Madam, don't cry, let's go together."

Madam Wang nodded and went back to her room to change her clothes.

“Brother-in-law, I really tried my best to persuade him about this. It's clearly my father who spoiled my older brother, yet he still says I'm too weak.”

Wang Yufeng clenched his fist: "Suddenly, I found myself caught in the middle, hated by both sides."

Liu Congde patted his brother-in-law on the shoulder:

"It's alright. I reckon your father will be counting on you to take care of him in his old age and see him off when he dies, so his attitude towards you will naturally change."

Wang Yufeng wasn't stupid; otherwise, he wouldn't have immediately bowed down to Song Xuan when things turned sour.

"Was my elder brother really sentenced to death by the top scholar Song?"

“Deliberate killing warrants severe punishment, which is, of course, beheading.”

Liu Congde witnessed the entire process from below the courtroom, so he was very clear about the details of the case.

It was precisely because he understood the situation so clearly that he was unwilling to get involved in such distressing matters.

Wang Yufeng also sighed softly. He had really tried his best to stop his elder brother, but his brother's punches and kicks were too heavy, and the old man's body was too weak.

When the stronger meets the weaker, a murder case suddenly arises.

If they encounter another "local tyrant," how could they possibly bend the law for personal gain?

Wang Yufeng felt that even if his father went to the palace to complain to the Empress Dowager tomorrow, he would probably still be scolded by the top scholar Song.

Whatever you do, don't do it!
Wang Yufeng witnessed Song Xuan's skill; he punched Song Xuan's older brother so hard that he almost fainted.

"What's wrong? Are you scared stiff?"

Wang Yufeng shook his head:

"I didn't expect that Scholar Song was so skilled. With one punch, he knocked my older brother down, leaving him completely defenseless."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Of course, Liu Congde couldn't bring up the old story of how Song Xuan had lifted him up with one hand.

However, when he saw the scars on Wang Qixiong's body, he could imagine that Song Xuan was not only the top scholar in the civil service examination, but he might also be the top scholar in the military examination.

The only unrealistic aspect is that the Song Dynasty has not yet reopened the military examination system.

If history had progressed smoothly, the first martial arts champion of the Song Dynasty would have been Xu Xianchun, the least capable fighter among Song Xuan's men.

Inside the palace.

Wang Mengzheng entered the palace early in the morning to plead for his son.

Liu E had not yet received the memorial sent by Song Xuan, or rather, even if it had been sent, she had not yet read it.

Although I returned from the fishing competition yesterday, I took a day off and did not continue to handle government affairs.

So after hearing Wang Mengzheng's words, she was speechless for a moment.

After several encounters, Liu E figured out Song Xuan's behavior and realized he was the type to be easily swayed.

He's a stubborn guy to begin with. If you try to make trouble even more, he'll be even more stubborn than you.

“Your Majesty, Song Xuan openly beat my son. He clearly doesn’t respect Your Majesty and it’s a disgrace to you.”

In fact, these words had no effect on Liu E at all.

She was somewhat concerned that the scandal involving the Wang family had damaged the reputation of the maternal relatives.

This is the main consideration.

"Yang Huaimin, go and see if Scholar Song has submitted a memorial. If not, go and inform him to come here."

"Here."

Yang Huaimin responded and went out directly.

Wang Mengzheng breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems that the Empress Dowager is willing to believe his explanation.

Even without her son-in-law's help, she was determined to rescue her son.

We absolutely cannot let Song Xuan sentence us to death like this.

"Song Xuan, you just wait. If I can't deal with you, do you think the Empress Dowager can't?"

Wang Meng was sitting there calmly, waiting to see how ugly Song Xuan's face would be.

He didn't believe that Song Xuan would dare to point fingers and glare at the Empress Dowager.

Yang Huaimin went directly to find the memorial, and several prime ministers saw Song Xuan's memorial.

"Gentlemen, have you seen the memorial submitted by the top scholar, Song?"

Wang Zeng directly picked out the memorial on his desk: "I was just thinking of sending someone to deliver it to the Empress Dowager later."

Yang Huaimin wasn't in a hurry:
"The Empress Dowager inquired about this matter. Since you gentlemen have seen it beforehand, what are your thoughts on it?"

Because he only heard the gist of the story, Yang Huaimin believed that Wang Mengzheng would definitely say what was in his favor.

“Magistrate Song handled the matter without any problems.”

Wang Zeng didn't want to discuss politics with the eunuchs, so he simply replied to the Empress Dowager's question with a single sentence.

Yang Huaimin knew he wouldn't get any useful information from Wang Zeng, so he looked at the other men around him.

Lu Yijian and others mostly said that Song Xuan's handling of the matter was flawless and fully in accordance with the laws of the Song Dynasty.

Seeing that he couldn't get any information out of him, Yang Huaimin simply took the memorial and left.

With so many people and eyes in the palace, Yang Huaimin would never do anything taboo on the way, lest someone report him to the Empress Dowager.

After the eunuch left, Zhang Zhibai said with some worry:

"Lord Wang, will the Empress Dowager really punish him according to the judgment of the top scholar Song?"

"Hard to say."

Wang Zeng shook his head, because he had recently dealt with Ma Jiliang, the Empress Dowager's relative by marriage, through Song Xuan. Now, this Wang Meng was here to replace Ma Jiliang.

Who would have thought that such a terrible thing would happen? It's truly unexpected.

Lu Yijian knew, however, that the Empress Dowager favored Wang Mengzheng.

Otherwise, Zhong Shiheng, the nephew of the great Confucian scholar Zhong Fang, would not have received such treatment.

Moreover, they had just dealt with Ma Jiliang, a relative of the emperor, not long ago, and now they are going to deal with Wang Mengzheng's son. This is a huge blow to the power of the maternal relatives.

Lü Yijian believed that the Empress Dowager would never allow such a thing to happen.

Therefore, if Song Xuan insists on taking a hard line this time, he may suffer a loss.

Zhang Shixun clicked his tongue: "What good can come of it falling into the hands of Scholar Song?"

"I heard that Wang Qixiong was incredibly arrogant, but he was beaten half to death on the spot by the top scholar of the Song Dynasty. How dare these people attack officials of my Great Song Dynasty at will!"

"They're used to bullying others because of their power."

Wang Zeng approved of Song Xuan's methods, but he was also full of concerns about his behavior and conduct.

Because it's really easy for something to go wrong!

A top scholar in the civil service exam is acting like a top military scholar.

Although our Song Dynasty officials are capable of fighting on horseback and governing the country on foot, they are not meant to charge into battle on horseback!
"It's time to teach them a lesson."

Lü Yijian did not agree, because he felt it was unrealistic.

The Empress Dowager's methods of balancing the court were equally impressive.

Liu E opened Song Xuan's memorial and began to read it carefully.

She looked at it again, and her heart sank even lower.

Because Wang Meng was only talking about things that were favorable to him, but there was so much hidden information that was unfavorable to him!
But Haikou has already made that promise.

Liu E had no choice but to bite the bullet and try to salvage her in-laws' relationship once again.

Otherwise, their power will be further weakened.

"Go and invite Scholar Song into the palace."

Liu E instructed Yang Huaimin to make a trip.

Yang Huaimin quickly agreed and left with his entourage.

Song Xuan first went to the county government office and instructed the jailer Mao Lang to keep an eye on Wang Qixiong and prevent him from dying.

If he's going to die, he should be executed publicly in front of the people of Tokyo.

Mao Lang readily agreed and explained Wang Qixiong's situation.

He wailed all night, repeatedly saying that his father would surely come to save him.

In order not to disturb the rest of the other people in the cell, they forcibly knocked him unconscious and made him sleep.

However, it's normal to have trouble sleeping at night after getting a spanking.

"Ah."

Song Xuan nodded, not saying much, but praised Qi Lecheng in front of everyone for his courage and sense of responsibility.

As long as we're in the right and no one gets killed, I'll take the blame for you.

In the future, if there are any further provocations, Song Xuan or Qi Lecheng won't even need to speak up; anyone will likely step forward and be the first to try something new.

Because of the official, he is the one who truly takes responsibility, protects his own, and is generous in his generosity.

After giving a brief speech, Song Xuan dismissed the crowd. He needed to go to the Bian River site to keep an eye on things for a while to prevent any accidents from happening.

Yesterday's "blind box gambling," where winning or losing depended on luck, directly led many ordinary people to participate.

By the time Yang Huaimin found Song Xuan, half an hour had passed.

“Scholar Song, Wang Meng is going to the Empress Dowager to complain about your misdeeds.”

Upon hearing Yang Huaimin's first words, Song Xuan raised an eyebrow: "Then he's moving rather slowly!"

"Huh?" Yang Huaimin didn't understand why Song Xuan said that.

"I thought he would go to the palace yesterday to beg the Empress Dowager for mercy, but I didn't expect him to go so early this morning. It seems he has no other choice."

Yang Huaimin never doubted that Song Xuan was a stupid person, so even if he didn't understand what Song Xuan said for a while, he wouldn't question it.

“Scholar Song should not underestimate him.”

Yang Huaimin recounted to Song Xuan that Liu Congde married a woman who was personally selected by the Empress Dowager.

The main reason for not choosing officials from the imperial court was to avoid suspicion.

Because Liu Mei married Qian Weiyan's sister, she was already marrying up.

Therefore, in the eyes of the Empress Dowager, Wang Meng was truly her son-in-law.

This friendship is far stronger than that of Ma Jiliang, the son-in-law.

Song Xuan followed Yang Huaimin as he listened to what he had to say.

In short, Wang Mengzheng was much more difficult to deal with than Ma Jiliang.

Even though he had heard of Wang Mengzheng's evil deeds, the Empress Dowager pretended not to hear them at all.

Not only was it about embezzling public funds, but retaliation was also a minor matter. He also cited Zhong Shiheng's actions.

Song Xuan didn't manage to find out anything about this matter during the interrogation; he was only focused on dealing with the case at hand.

As for the other cases committed by Wang Qixiong, there were no victims, and Song Xuan had no way of asking about them.

Anyway, one case is enough to kill him.

When Yang Huaimin arrived at the palace gate, he also mentioned the matter of the yamen runners in Kaifeng County, saying that those lackeys were so audacious that they were probably trying to deceive the emperor.

They were all assassins trained by the top scholar of the Song Dynasty, and such filthy water.

Song Xuan thanked him, saying that he wouldn't have known about this matter if Yang Huaimin hadn't explained so much.

Zhong Shiheng is also a talented individual, and he will be useful in future military campaigns in the Northwest.

Unexpectedly, he was driven to exile and near death by a petty person.

So miserable?
Upon entering the palace, Song Xuan bowed.

Empress Liu granted him a seat, placing him directly opposite Wang Meng.

Wang Mengzheng didn't have a good attitude towards Song Xuan, especially after being humiliated by Song Xuan's subordinates, which was a great disgrace.

He's related to the Empress Dowager by marriage, so naturally he has special privileges.

But this privilege was broken by Song Xuan. How could Wang Mengzheng not feel aggrieved?

"The top scholar of the Song Dynasty".

Empress Liu fiddled with the memorial in her hand: "I have read everything you wrote. Is there any misunderstanding here?"

"Your Majesty, with witnesses and physical evidence, it's unlikely that a simple misunderstanding can be explained away."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Liu E put down the memorial in her hand and smiled gently.
"Scholar Song, why did you kill Wang Qixiong? I have a man I need right now, so find someone else."

Liu E proactively gave Song Xuan a way out:

"I have already understood the matter clearly. It was Wang Qixiong's servant who did it. It has nothing to do with Wang Qixiong. There is really a misunderstanding here."

A smile had already appeared on Wang Mengzheng's face; it would be easy to find a scapegoat for this matter.

Kid, this is how you use privileges.

"A misunderstanding?" Song Xuan asked. "Has Your Majesty investigated and clarified the matter?"

"Of course, the truth has been found out."

Liu E knew that Song Xuan was like a mule that needed to be stroked, so she didn't provoke him and gave him a reasonable explanation.

Anyway, Song Xuan didn't witness Wang Qixiong killing someone, and as for his younger brother Wang Yufeng, who did see it, would he betray his own brother?

The other eyewitnesses and the victim were easily persuaded to change their testimonies under the pressure of the imperial court.

Even if he was the victim, Liu E had a way to make Ding Dalang admit that his father died of illness, not from being deliberately stabbed.

"That's why I'm personally reminding you."

“Your Majesty, since it was Wang Qixiong’s servant who did it, then his servant’s name should also be included in the autumn execution and executed together.”

Song Xuan said unhurriedly:

"According to the laws of the Song Dynasty, servants have no right to handle this matter on their own. Moreover, allowing servants to commit crimes is the same crime as committing one's own crime."

After Song Xuan finished speaking.

This immediately silenced Liu E.

She offered him a way out and even gave him a special reminder, but Song Xuan wouldn't take it.

The question is openly whether Empress Liu should openly violate the laws of the Song Dynasty to exonerate a criminal.
When Wang Mengzheng saw that the Empress Dowager was silent and looked at Song Xuan's calm and composed appearance, he immediately felt a little flustered.

Since even his son-in-law didn't speak up for him, how could the aunt really defend her son?

He felt even more uncertain.

Thinking of this, Wang Mengzheng quickly stood up:

"Your Majesty, my son has been wronged by Song Xuan. I beg Your Majesty to investigate the truth and give my son justice."

"You surnamed Wang, I'll kill your mother!"

Song Xuan sat in the chair, extended his Great Prisoner's Heavenly Finger, pointed it at Wang Mengzheng, and said:

“Wang Mengzheng, your son beat someone’s own father to death, and you still want the deceased’s son to kowtow to him and apologize.”

"According to the logic of your Wang family, now that I have sentenced your son to death, shouldn't you, as his father, immediately kneel down and apologize for dirtying my hands that sentenced your son to death?"

"Otherwise, you wouldn't be Wang Qixiong's biological father!"

"you!"

"you you you!"

"Bullshit."

Wang Meng was so angry at Song Xuan's humiliating words that he trembled all over.

He had never met anyone as vicious as Song Xuan in his entire life!

Liu E was also stunned by Song Xuan's remarks, her eyes widening in disbelief.

We should judge cases, but we shouldn't be so extreme.

Yang Huaimin had long known that Song Xuan was an eloquent person, and now, hearing him say these words, he could personally feel how arrogant Wang Qixiong was!

No normal person could tolerate such an insult.

It's absolutely deserved for him to die now!

"Song Zhuangyuan's judgment was excellent."

Yang Huaimin secretly praised him in his heart.

Song Xuan stood up, bowed, and said:

“Your Majesty, I was merely using the methods of the criminal Wang Qixiong to deal with his own father. If even his own father cannot accept it, how can ordinary people accept it?”

"It is evident how heinous this criminal is."

"He was so arrogant and domineering in Tokyo that he deliberately beat someone to death in public. I wonder how many murders he has committed in other places that have made him so arrogant. He is simply disgracing the face of the Empress Dowager's in-laws."

"As the saying goes, one becomes like the company one keeps. The behavior of such people will make the whole world think that the Empress Dowager is also like this, who likes to treat human life like dirt."

"That's why the Empress Dowager arranged for her children to become in-laws with such a person."

“I, Song Xuan, am of commoner origin, and so is Your Majesty. I believe that Your Majesty has experienced the vicissitudes of life to gradually rise to your current position of ruling from behind the curtain.”

"Therefore, I believe that Your Majesty understands even better the helplessness and sorrow of the innocent common people of our Great Song Dynasty when they encounter tyrannical and powerful figures."

"Therefore, I believe that Wang Qixiong's actions are so heinous that not killing him would not appease public anger!"

"We hope that Your Majesty will judge this person in accordance with the laws of the Song Dynasty to set things right!"

After Song Xuan finished speaking, Wang Mengzheng was so angry that he started pointing at Song Xuan and stomping his feet.

But he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.

Wang Mengzheng could only jump up and down, pointing at Song Xuan and saying, "You're talking nonsense!"

"You bullshit!"

"Your Majesty, he is completely framing my son!"

Liu E understood the meaning behind Song Xuan's words.

That would be protecting Wang Qixiong, and it would damage your reputation, Your Majesty.

If the Empress Dowager had severed ties with him in time, or even publicly upheld the law impartially...

That would naturally lead people to believe that the Empress Dowager was not someone like Wang Qixiong.

Song Xuan directly explained the complexities of the situation to Liu E.

Not only would it be unacceptable for them, but the prime ministers would also object.

That would cause a new wave of turmoil in the imperial court.

Because Liu E had no way to deal with the overwhelming opposition, and it would only make her lose face.

So Liu E quickly made a decision in her heart: she chose to keep her good reputation!
Liu E had risen from a courtesan to the wielder of the highest power in the Song Dynasty.

What she wants now is a "good reputation".

That was definitely one of the top choices in her mind.

Those in power, once they have enough power, who wouldn't want a good reputation and thus go down in history?
Even if history is written by later generations, for Liu E, to receive praise while she was still alive was an emotionally valuable thing.

Empress Liu truly envied the people of Tokyo who praised Song Xuan as the "Upright Official Song."

Because she also wanted the nickname "Upright Official"!

Moreover, Liu E felt that Song Xuan was right; Wang Qixiong's arrogance was just one of the things that had come to light.

If he is spared this time, the civil service group will inevitably launch a fierce counterattack and dig up more dirt on Wang Qixiong.

That would be enough to send Wang Qixiong to his death several more times according to the laws of the Song Dynasty.

At that point, it would truly be a case of losing both wife and army, with nothing left to hold onto.

Ma Jiliang is a cautionary tale. These people are all filthy, and when things go wrong, they all come crying to me for help to clean up their messes!

Nausea.

It truly disgusted Liu E.

Now that Wang Qixiong is in trouble, Liu E suddenly realized that her good nephew Liu Congde had not come with his father-in-law to plead for his brother-in-law Wang Qixiong.

Did the eldest nephew feel ashamed to plead for him?

"Your Majesty, my son is truly innocent. Song Xuan is unworthy of being an official of the Great Song Dynasty. How could he utter such vicious words to insult me? Please, Your Majesty, see the truth."

Unable to persuade Song Xuan, Wang Mengzheng immediately pleaded with Liu E for mercy.

If Liu E were persuaded by Song Xuan, her son would truly die.

This is not the result he wants.

Empress Liu remained silent, but simply stamped Song Xuan's memorial with her seal.
"Magistrate Song, is there no problem with your judgment?"

"With both witnesses and physical evidence, Your Majesty can assure the Ministry of Justice to conduct the investigation with peace of mind."

Both sides tacitly avoided mentioning servants or anything like that again.

"I will have the Ministry of Justice investigate this case."

Liu E put down the seal in her hand:
“Wang Mengzheng, your son Wang Qixiong is a heinous criminal. I will have the Emperor personally affix his seal to the verdict, and he will be executed in the autumn.”

"As for Magistrate Song's words and actions, they were merely imitating your son's and did not insult you in any way."

"Don't try to distort the truth again, or I will hold you accountable for failing to properly educate your son. You'd better watch yourself."

Upon hearing this, Wang Mengzheng began to tremble.

He didn't expect the Empress Dowager to make a judgment on the spot, and it seemed she didn't intend to wait until next autumn.

"Your Majesty."

Wang Mengzheng immediately prostrated himself on the ground: "I beg Your Majesty to give me a chance. I will definitely teach him well from now on."

"I have heard that your second son, Wang Yufeng, is honest and quick-witted."

"Since your eldest son, Wang Qixiong, is unable to take up his post, then let your second son fill his vacancy and go with Magistrate Song to repair the Bian River and learn from his experience. You may go back now."

Liu E thus made amends to Wang Mengzheng, preventing him from constantly stirring up trouble.

This matter should end here; she didn't want Wang Mengzheng to continue entangled with her.

If you still don't know what's good for you, then don't blame me, your in-law, for having someone deal with you.

He wasn't very capable to begin with, and he was also disobedient. What was the point of keeping him in the court?

"Here."

Wang Mengzheng stood up, thanked the Empress Dowager, glared at Song Xuan fiercely, and turned to leave.

However, the thought of his favorite son being executed felt like it had taken half his life away, leaving him feeling drained of energy and spirit, and he slowly walked away.

After everyone left, Liu E looked at Song Xuan:

"Tell me, at such a young age, you've already made so many enemies in the court. I really don't know how many more enemies you'll make once you've truly risen to the rank of general and prime minister!"

"Your Majesty," Song Xuan said with utmost solemnity, bowing deeply.
"When the rabbit dies, the fox grieves. I still maintain that it's better for the whole group to weep than for one family to weep together."

Liu E suddenly recalled the boastful words Song Xuan had spoken after she selected him as the top scholar in the imperial examination.

I thought it was just a slogan, but I never expected that he would actually be putting it into practice. So it's more than just a slogan.

"Now that the people of Huazhou are crying again, if the Imperial Guards and local militias in Dongjing City feel the same way, some trouble is bound to happen."

Song Xuan wasn't afraid to exaggerate things that hadn't even happened:
"So if only the Wang family, the real murderer, cries, many people in Tokyo will not cry, but will instead support the Empress Dowager."

"Therefore, I believe that whether or not we are enemies is completely unimportant."

Liu E nodded slightly; these words had truly touched her heart.

Empress Liu now holds great power, but she still lacks a sense of security.

This was because she was not the emperor's biological mother, and she did not want to relinquish the power she held.

In particular, she considered the Imperial Guards and Garrison Army of Tokyo to be of great value in uniting the people.

"You're too serious about things."

Empress Liu commented, "Aren't you afraid of their retaliation?"

“Your Majesty, sometimes being serious is a virtue.”

Song Xuan had a smile on his face:

“If I turn a blind eye and pretend nothing happened, the Imperial Guards and the local militia soldiers on duty along the Bian River will not be able to maintain order properly.”

"Then this fish-catching contest that I organized will not be able to earn the money needed for the second phase of the project as planned, nor will it be able to appease the people outside the city. I will have failed the trust of the Empress Dowager."

"Therefore, I must take this seriously."

"Go, go, go."

Liu E didn't want to hear Song Xuan say anything more; soon everything would be brought up against her.

"I witnessed the grand occasion of the first day yesterday."

"Just tell me, did you make a profit or a loss in yesterday's gambling match?"

(End of this chapter)