A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 415 They actually went to accuse Scholar Ding!
Faced with his brother-in-law Lü Yijian's impolite questioning, Chen Gu's face also showed anger:

"You actually think that way about me?"

Lu Yijian's face was also full of disbelief as he questioned:

"You're angry?"

"You're fucking angry!"

"Chen Gu, where do you get the nerve to get angry?"

"Have I been too good to you, giving you too much face?"

Lu Yijian's loud roar silenced the servants in the courtyard, who dared not even breathe loudly.

Lu Gongbi, who had just returned home and wanted to catch his breath, chased away the others and stood outside the door listening.

"You admit you look down on me." Chen Gu's face was also very ugly.

"I admit it?" Lu Yijian's eyes were filled with both anger and fury.
"Look at you, you're already this old, and your thinking is still so naive."

“If it weren’t for my support, you wouldn’t even have had the opportunity to return to the capital and become a county magistrate. So many people in the world would rather die than have this opportunity, yet you don’t cherish it at all.”

"Now that you're facing some difficulties, you start letting your emotions take over. You can't find even the slightest way to solve the problem and just drift along."

"I naively hoped to help you advance further, and I even went to great lengths to promote you in the future, to the position of Prefect of Kaifeng, and to strive for the position of Prime Minister."

"I'm so stupid."

"real."

"I'm stupid!"

Lü Yijian's defenses were completely breached by his teammates.

The Chen brothers are outsiders, but you, Chen Gu, are family.

Being stabbed in the back by one's own family is a kind of hurt that most people cannot bear.

It can be described as a double blow, both mentally and physically, which directly adds a buff.

Chen Gu's eyes were bloodshot; he naturally did not accept the reasoning explained by Lü Yijian.

"I was also a legitimate Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) twenty years ago."

"Being a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) is nothing special!" Lü Yijian pointed outside:
"Look at all the high-ranking officials in the entire Song Dynasty, which one..."

"Is there anyone who didn't pass the imperial examination?"

"Being a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) is just a stepping stone for you to enter officialdom. Do you even understand what a stepping stone is?"

"You think passing the imperial examination means everything will be fine!"

"The Song Dynasty has no shortage of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), but there are only a few official positions available."

“If you take one step forward, you will have to compete with the previous Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), the Jinshi of the future, and those who obtained their positions through hereditary privilege.”

"This path to promotion is incredibly difficult!"

"You've never experienced that before, have you?"

"That's right, it was all me fighting hard on the front lines."

"I've come this far all by myself, and I want to go even further, from deputy prime minister to prime minister, but who has ever supported me?"

"I strive to grow into a towering tree, using my remaining shade to shelter you, so that you can feel like fish in water in officialdom!"

"As a result, you all became brainless, utterly brainless!"

Lü Yijian was unusually angry.

Do you really think ensuring the continuation of a family line is an easy thing?
Not only should our generation strive to climb higher, but we should also do our best to support the next generation.

Only in this way can the family's political wealth and status in the Song Dynasty be guaranteed.

Is that something you can accomplish by yourself?

These teammates are now putting the greater good at their own selfish interests, which is really making Lü Yijian extremely upset.

A great man who doesn't plan for the present, how can he plan for the future?

"It's all my fault for being too good to you."

"We didn't let you experience even the slightest bit of hardship!"

Lu Yijian angrily pounded his chest.

It's all my fault for spoiling them.

“Of course I understand!” Chen Gu retorted without backing down.
“I did not do anything wrong in impeaching Song Xuan. A country with honest ministers will not perish.”

Lü Yijian and Chen Gu had always lived peacefully together and had a good relationship.

The conflict between them changed when Chen Gu impeached Song Xuan without considering the consequences.

Here, Chen Gu quotes the words of a Tang Dynasty historian from the Old Book of Tang, emphasizing the importance of the monarch accepting advice.

Lü Yijian certainly knew the source of Chen Gu's words.

But there's a saying before that: "A family with a stubborn son will not ruin the family."

Now he's really behaving like a stubborn old man.

"You know nothing."

Lu Yijian gave him a disdainful look. Only a truly politically astute person would not do something so stupid and then have others clean up his mess.

"I understand."

"Good good."

Lü Yijian chuckled:
"According to your impeachment of Song Xuan, if the Song Dynasty does not heed your Chen Gu's words, it will perish and its people be wiped out?"

"It's hard to tell!"

Chen Gu stared at the carvings on the roof.

Lü Yijian was truly at his breaking point.

He hadn't expected Chen Gu to be such an unyielding person.

“My abilities are limited, and I will not be able to support you in the future.”

Lü Yijian felt that Chen Gu was completely incompetent.

Given Song Xuan's lenient treatment of his subordinates, the officials and runners of Xiangfu County and Kaifeng Prefecture should be the most dissatisfied.

They had to cause trouble first.

Only if you become the county magistrate can you have a legitimate reason to impeach Song Xuan.

Especially since you're not even a censor.

As a result, you listened to just a few of their complaints, and as the county magistrate, you broke down, got emotional, and impeached Song Xuan.

Who would think you weren't jealous of Song Xuan's talent and ability to do something like this?

You happen to be my brother-in-law, Lü Yijian, so everyone will think that I, Lü Yijian, am jealous of your talent.

Just like Chen Yaozuo, he couldn't get a son-in-law like Han Qi, so he started to retaliate.

The widespread dissemination of this matter severely damaged the reputation of Lü Yijian's small group.

Otherwise, why would Lü Yijian be so angry?

Others may not know Song Xuan's abilities, but he does.

He believed that his brother-in-law, Chen Gu, should know this better.

As a result, Chen Gu did such a foolish thing.

If you really want to harm Song Xuan, then you should use force to make these yamen runners continue working, infuriate them, and make things worse.

The bigger the commotion, the better; ideally, all the county governments in Kaifeng Prefecture should unite.

When the time comes, someone will naturally speak up for you and impeach Song Xuan.

There's no need for you, Chen Gu, to take action yourself.

You don't even have the brains to harm people in officialdom.

Do you really want to harm someone who fought their way out of the imperial examinations?
stupid!
Lü Yijian originally thought Chen Gu was a promising talent.

As a result, he couldn't even come up with a few ways to harm people, and instead chose the most basic method of personally taking action.

That's absolutely idiotic!

Lu Yijian cursed his brother-in-law in his heart.

Now that things have turned out this way, it's as if your own distorted views have caused you immense harm, and you've dragged me down with you.

Song Xuan actually benefited from it.

Immature!
He believes that Chen Gu is extremely politically immature, and it's better not to keep such a teammate around.

This time, I had to clean up his mess.

It could explode anytime soon.

It will catch you off guard.

Chen Yaozi was like that; he simply couldn't get any money out of it.

Lü Yijian made up his mind to select new teammates from among the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations).

These new brains are all quite sharp. With a little guidance and promotion, they will surely be able to gain a foothold in the court.

These elderly people have become so stubborn that they are impossible to communicate with effectively.

Lü Yijian sighed:

"Brother-in-law, I don't want to say anything more unpleasant, but what's done is done."

"Soon you will be sent to serve as an official in the capital, just like Chen Yaozi and Ma Jiliang, and you will no longer have to stay cooped up in the capital."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Gu rushed over to look at Lü Yijian, who was sitting in a chair:

"What did you say?"

"You heard it, and I don't want to repeat it, but these are the words of the Empress Dowager and several prime ministers. There is absolutely no room for negotiation."

"How could Your Majesty be so confused?"

"Shut up," Lü Yijian said, pointing his finger at his nose.
"You're the fool!"

"I, Chen Gu, have also made achievements for the local areas of the Great Song Dynasty. Why should I be demoted for submitting a memorial to impeach those who deserve to be impeached?"

Hearing this, Lü Yijian didn't even bother to look at him.

He still doesn't know exactly what's wrong with him.

Can't carry it.

It's really impossible to carry it.

"Tell me, tell me!"

Chen Gu's eyes truly reddened this time.

If one can become an official in the capital, why be sent to a post outside the capital?

"I'll tell you?"

Lü Yijian stood up and stared into Chen Gu's eyes:
"Song Xuan achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations at a young age, and even the reform of the imperial examination system could not stop his success. In contrast, you are just a minor Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest level of the imperial examinations), someone who couldn't even pass the first-class Jinshi exam!"

Chen Gu's aura immediately weakened by three points. In the imperial examination, not only him, but everyone else was in the same situation.

Lü Yijian, however, did not let him off the hook, choosing instead to pursue and destroy his spirit:

"When Song Xuan first entered officialdom, he was only a seventh-rank county magistrate, but he was able to solve various chronic problems in the capital city one after another, demonstrating the ability of a capable official at a young age."

"And you have been an official for many years, and you served in Xiangfu County two years earlier than Song Xuan, two years!"

"But you can't even get your own county government officials to work for you, so you can't collect taxes."

"You can't even handle the thieves in Wuyou Cave, let alone those scoundrels and ruffians."

"Did you clear away the silt in advance to prevent businesses in Kaifeng County from suffering heavy losses due to flooding?"

"Hmm?" Lu Yijian's question made Chen Gu purse his lips and remain silent.

"Do you have any ideas on how to build dikes and protect farmland from the floods in Huazhou?"

"Alright, the flood in Huazhou is too severe, your frail shoulders can't bear this responsibility."

"But do you have the ability to feed the disaster victims outside the capital, to provide them with food and work, to keep them from causing trouble, and to ensure they don't rely on government allocations?"

"In order to provide the people of Tokyo and the disaster victims with cheap food, he fooled the entire city of Tokyo. He was condemned beforehand but showed no emotion. Afterwards, he was admired by thousands. Could you do that?"

"And the repair of the four rivers in the city, the money-making competition for catching fish, the planning of the auction—all of these are on Song Xuan's shoulders. If I asked you to do them, could you handle it?"

Lü Yijian's fingers kept poking Chen Gu's shoulder:

"Let me ask you, after all these years in office, are you capable of doing these things?"

If Chen Gu could have done what his brother-in-law kept pressing, he wouldn't have submitted a memorial impeaching Song Xuan.

"I."

"Don't make excuses anymore. I'm certain you can't do it!"

"You can't do anything right, you just complain about everything and everyone. When something goes wrong, you never look for the reasons within yourself. You only focus on other people's shortcomings and can't see their strengths."

"With such narrow-minded thinking, how are you any different from those hooligans in the village who laugh at those who have nothing and hate those who have something?"

Lü Yijian said without any mercy:

"You think the Empress Dowager is confused? Then you are the truly incorrigible one."

"I."

Chen Gu, at his advanced age, was deeply embarrassed by such criticism.
"Don't you know the rumors circulating that he's become the Empress's biological son?"

"what?"

Chen Gu, under Lü Yijian's scrutiny, still forced himself to straighten his chest.

Lü Yijian carefully examined his brother-in-law.

Is he really that brainless?

Even after all that, they still refuse to admit their mistake and keep making excuses.

Hopeless.

Lu Yijian's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was completely dead.

Okay, let's begin from this moment.

There's nothing to regret about Lü Yijian now.

"Alright, Chen Gu, even if this is true."

Lu Yijian gritted his teeth, pausing in his speech:
"Of all people to offend, you had to go and offend him."

"You are such an upright and incorruptible person, aren't you?"

"When the Empress Dowager's relatives by marriage and the eunuchs around her violated the laws of the Song Dynasty, and no one dared to stand up, why didn't you stand up and refute them in front of all the civil and military officials, or even go and beat them up directly?"

"Look at the fate of the Empress Dowager's in-laws now. They used to be so arrogant, and no one dared to mess with them. But even Liu Congde is like a mouse in front of a cat when he sees Song Xuan."

"Don't you know that Liu Congde's brother-in-law was beheaded by Song Xuanpan, and the Empress Dowager even allowed it!"

"Given all this, do you believe the rumor you just mentioned?"

"I."

"Look at you, listen to you, you don't even believe such low-level rumors yourself, yet you still bring them up."

Lu Yijian turned around: "If it's true, you shouldn't have impeached him even more!"

"That's obviously just an excuse to fob me off."

"You can go now, I'm tired."

Seeing Lü Yijian's resolute attitude, Chen Gu bowed coldly and then turned and left.

Once outside the door, Lü Gongbi's expression changed, and he also bowed.

Chen Gu simply patted Lü Gongbi on the shoulder, said nothing more, and strode away.

Lu Gongbi looked at his uncle's back and then saw his father inside the door trembling, looking as if he were about to collapse.

He quickly went inside and helped Lü Yijian, who was about to fall.

Lu Gongbi saw that his father's face was already covered in tears, and he was trying his best to suppress the urge to cry out loud.

But his lips trembled slightly, and he was on the verge of a breakdown.

"father."

Lu Gongbi softly called out, "Uncle is gone."

"Good riddance, good riddance."

Lu Yijian tried his best to regain his composure in front of his son, wiping away his tears with his sleeve:

"It's good that he's gone, it's good that he's gone!"

"Perhaps Tokyo is not a place for everyone."

"It was wishful thinking on my part that led me to impose my own ideas on them."

"I was just being presumptuous, thinking that everyone had the same ideas and goals."

"Indeed."

Lü Yijian covered his face with his sleeve.

He didn't want his son to see his vulnerable side.

"Dad, what's going on?"

Lü Yijian pointed to the memorial on the table beside him.

Lu Gongbi picked it up and examined it closely, his pupils contracting slightly.

"Uncle?"

"father."

Lü Gongbi immediately realized that it wasn't his father who came up with the idea behind it.

"Why would he, my uncle, do such a thing?"

"My son, I don't understand either."

"I don't understand either!"

Lü Yijian started pounding his chest again:
"I don't understand what they're thinking either?"

"Do you really think you're still a carefree and unrestrained young man?"

"At this age, if they don't seize the opportunity to move up, how many more years will they have to start over?"

"It's over."

"All the previous groundwork and efforts have been wasted."

Lu Yijian collapsed uncontrollably into the chair, crying silently like a newborn baby.

"father."

Lu Gongbi had never seen his father in this state before.

In the past, everything was under my control, and I kept climbing upwards towards my goals.

Today, but today...

"Father is alright, Father is alright."

Lü Yijian waved his hand and tried to wipe away the tears on his face:

"Enough, enough, your father can still count on you."

“Baochen, you don’t need to be like your uncle anymore. Just seize the opportunity to learn skills from Song Xuan.”

“I observe that he acts too unconventionally and is definitely not a person who follows the rules. Given the crooked atmosphere in his family since childhood, he must have grown up crooked.”

"Fortunately, Song Xuan is still a person who can control himself and has not really become a bad seed."

"If you can learn even a fraction of his skills, even if you don't become prime minister in the future, you can be more than capable of being a vice prime minister, just like your father."

As Lü Yijian gave instructions to his son, he could be heard sobbing.

"Father, I understand."

Lu Gongbi nodded repeatedly, also feeling that his uncle-in-law had done something wrong.

Even with his own father offering so much help and guidance, he still acted so impulsively at the crucial moment, which was truly lacking in magnanimity.

Lu Gongbi learned a great deal from working alongside Song Xuan; Song Xuan was indeed a capable man.

"Good, my son is still the most obedient."

The next day, when Lü Yijian looked in the bronze mirror, he discovered that a strand of his hair had turned white.

He sighed again, then said with renewed determination:
"The chapter is closed, the team has disbanded, and I will promote the rest of the people."

"My family has many disciples and former officials, why should we only choose from relatives!"

Lu Yijian stroked a strand of white hair on his head, reminding himself to remember this lesson.

He planned to have all the deputy prime ministers become his own people after he became prime minister. But before Lü Yijian even got his hands on the chair, all the deputy positions he had been preparing for were gone, and it all came to nothing.

Wang Zeng and the others noticed that Lü Yijian had suddenly grown white hair, and his eyes were swollen, and his face had become much thinner.

This sight left everyone speechless.

This was too sudden.

"Tanf, what's going on?"

Lü Yijian waved his hand, a smile on his face:
"It's nothing, it's nothing. I'm just getting a bit old."

Zhang Shixun stared at Lü Yijian and said worriedly:
"If you are sick, you should still ask for a few days off. Your health is the most important thing."

He was related to Lü Yijian by marriage, so how could he have seen him in this state?
Even if Lü Yijian was exhausted from handling government affairs, he would still have a bright look in his eyes and be full of energy the next day.

Power is the best aphrodisiac for men, and that's no exaggeration.

But today, Lü Yijian looked like he had just recovered from a serious illness, and it was obvious that his heart meridian had been affected.

Wang Zeng had already shown Lü Yijian the agreed-upon transfer.

According to the Empress Dowager's wishes, Song Xiang replaced Chen Gu, and Chen Gu was directly assigned to Chenzhou in Jinghu North Circuit as a sub-prefect.

Lü Yijian didn't say much, acting as if nothing had happened.

This is where many Wuling barbarians gathered.

Despite previous attempts by Emperor Taizu, Emperor Taizong, and even Cao Liyong to besiege it.

But the barbarians were defeated and retreated directly into the mountains.

The place is teeming with poisonous insects; who knows how long one can survive?

It is much better than places like Lingnan.

Lu Yijian heard that even a mosquito there could kill someone, and that the wind could uproot houses and lift them into the air.

"Tanfu, if you feel this is inappropriate, you can plead with the Empress Dowager."

"No need."

Lü Yijian said very firmly:

"I've already said what I needed to say, there's really no need to say it again."

After the transfer order was issued, Chen Gu did not expect the result to be so weighty.

The weight made it hard for him to breathe!
Chen Gu slammed his fist on the table in anger, dislocating his finger, and left the Xiangfu County government office with gritted teeth, not even bothering with the pretense of a handover.

Song Xiang was completely stunned.

He really didn't expect to be transferred to such a substantive position, which would allow him to better develop himself.

Back then, when his younger brother Song Qi was assigned to serve as a county magistrate in Nanjing, he was actually quite envious.

Even though Song Qi complained that he was in a county under the jurisdiction of Yingtian Prefecture, which was restricted and had to be watched by the prefect, making him feel uncomfortable in the slightest.

But Song Xiang still envied it.

Now that he has taken over as the magistrate of Xiangfu County, he has suddenly become the magistrate of the capital city, but he still doesn't understand what exactly happened.

He was very puzzled by the sudden change in the imperial court.

After all, Chen Gu's impeachment memorial did not circulate widely; it was only known to the copyists and a few prime ministers.

Song Xiang did not refuse the appointment, even though Song Xuan was a shining example and he could not show his own abilities.

However, governing Xiangfu County like Kaifeng County would prove one's ability and methods.

Chen Gu has a ready-made example right there, yet he doesn't know how to learn from it; he's simply unfit to be a county magistrate.

He squandered the court's trust in him.

Song Xiang has only been in officialdom for a few years and is eager to make his mark.

He had no intention of declining the appointment; after receiving it, he went directly to Xiangfu County.

Today, the two counties of Kaifeng Prefecture are directly governed by the Song Dynasty.

When Song Xuan heard the news, he was still inspecting Fanlou, and the matter of the auction needed to be put into process.

Liu Congde glanced at Song Xuan:
"Scholar Song, did you arrange this?"

"Me?" Song Xuan stood with his hands behind his back.

"If I could influence the imperial court's appointment of county magistrates, you overestimate me."

"Too."

Although Liu Congde felt it wasn't because of Song Xuan, he was still upset that Prime Minister Lü's brother-in-law had governed Xiangfu County so poorly.

It's highly likely that Song Xuan did an exceptionally good job governing Kaifeng County.

Otherwise, Xiangfu County wouldn't have stood out so much, letting everyone in the entire capital city know that Chen Gu's abilities were terrible.

The imperial court will definitely have to send someone else to do the work.

"I heard that Song Xiang is related to you?"

"There is a slight connection with the older generation."

Song Xuan never tried to curry favor with Song Xiang, and neither did Song Xiang.

There was some tacit understanding between the two top scholars who achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations.

Song Xuan was also surprised by how efficiently Liu E handled matters.

Those who were impeached yesterday will be demoted to official posts in places inhabited by barbarians today, and we are not afraid that they will die in battle.

Anyway, the ethnic minorities in Hunan and other places have not completely submitted to the Song Dynasty and occasionally cause trouble.

The reform of replacing native chieftains with centrally appointed officials in the southwest was a very long process, and it was not until the Ming Dynasty that it began to be formally implemented.

Sure enough, she has been promoting herself to the outside world as someone who belongs to her.

It's now a done deal that the Song-Song couple will govern the city.

Everyone knows that Song Xiang was exceptionally promoted by the Empress Dowager to stay in the capital and then quickly promoted, so he also had to wear red robes.

Now that Song Xuan is receiving the same treatment, it makes people think he is just like Song Xiang.

"The top scholar of the Song Dynasty?"

Seeing that Song Xuan was distracted, Liu Congde called out again:
"Should we take control of the upstairs area? I'm worried that some people might throw things from up there and damage our precious treasure."

Song Xuan looked up at the building and shook his head slightly.

"It doesn't have to be this way."

"But it is normal for Prefect Liu to have such concerns."

"Then let's find a piece of silk as thin as a cicada's wing, tie it to our precious treasure, and use it as a net to provide some support. We'll also set up a guard next to each pillar to observe these people."

When Liu Congde heard that there was no need to do so, he thought that his suggestion was useless.

However, when Song Xuan further explained that his concern was unnecessary, he proposed a better solution.

"Alright, we'll do as Scholar Song says."

Liu Congde happily instructed his men to do as Song Xuan had said.

The exhibition starts tomorrow, so we must be very careful.

The situation in Xiangfu County has changed drastically. Everyone is completely bewildered, wondering when the imperial court has become so supportive of them.
Of course, they had no way of knowing such a secret.

It seems that Magistrate Chen has lost his mind and impeached Scholar Ding this time.

Zhao Zhen also knew about this matter, but he did not expect that the Empress Dowager would handle it so quickly.

In ordinary times, people would need time to argue and debate.

Many people waste their energy on pointless bickering here.

"Twelfth Brother, what do you think the Empress Dowager means by this?"

"What do you mean, Sixth Brother? You've had an epiphany, and you're not as pure as before."

"Hahaha."

Sitting in that position, Zhao Zhen naturally thought of many things through his words and deeds, and was more likely to mature earlier than others.

"It seems that the Empress Dowager really likes you."

"Doesn't Sixth Brother like me?"

Faced with Song Xuan's teasing question, Zhao Zhen just chuckled and didn't say anything more.

"Chen Gu himself was courting death and willingly became a dog. The Empress Dowager probably doesn't know how to thank him for his help."

Song Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly:

"Such speed is not just for my sake, but also for the others. The Empress Dowager does have some political skills."

"Yes."

Zhao Zhen nodded in agreement.

The fact that the Empress Dowager punished her in-laws twice before was enough to make everyone around her realize that Song Xuan's status was extraordinary.

Now that the Chen Gu incident has happened, there are no secrets that stay hidden forever.

This will only reinforce that idea.

Fortunately, the Empress Dowager was unaware of the life-and-death bond between me and my twelfth brother, Zhao Zhen thought to himself.

No matter how the eldest aunt tried to bribe the twelfth brother, it was all in vain.

So Zhao Zhen couldn't help but smile, becoming even happier.

"My lord, Assistant Minister Liu has brought men to see you."

"please come in."

Song Xuan responded and gestured for Zhao Zhen to sit behind the screen for a while.

Liu Sui went to investigate Wang Mengzheng's case and only just returned. He brought Zhong Shiheng to the capital to seek justice together.

Otherwise, pulling back and forth would waste even more time.

"My name is Zhong Shiheng. I thank Scholar Song for speaking out for justice."

Song Xuan sized up Zhong Shiheng. He was still a civil official and had no intention of transferring to a military post, nor did he show any signs of being a famous general.

He did have a large frame and a thick beard, which didn't make him look like a scholar.

"So it was a sub-prefect."

Song Xuan also stood up to return the greeting: "Please sit down."

"Scholar Song, you may not know this, but I am now just a commoner."

Zhong Shiheng was stripped of his official position. If it weren't for his younger brother Zhong Shicai's efforts on his behalf, he might have died unjustly in Douzhou.

Zhong Shicai, standing to the side, also had a smile on his face. He knew that Wang Qixiong was about to be executed, sentenced without any mercy by the top scholar Song.

Is the day when Wang Mengzheng is convicted far off?
Perhaps it won't be long before his brother is able to return to officialdom.

"The difficulties are only temporary." Song Xuan poured him a cup of tea.

"The day you are exonerated may come soon."

Zhong Shiheng was quite flattered, and Song Xuan personally poured him tea.

After all, he was an official who relied on his uncle's influence to get the position, and he hadn't accomplished anything over the years. He had been wasting his time in various places as a low-ranking official.

They had no connections in the imperial court. Even those who passed the imperial examinations didn't have many positions available, let alone those who were appointed through hereditary privilege, who had to wait in line.

He finally reached the position of Tongpan, but he was framed and dismissed.

Anyone could see that Song Xuan's future was extremely bright.

Therefore, it was inevitable that Zhong Shiheng would feel uneasy in the face of Song Xuan's actions.

"Scholar Song, you mustn't do that, you're making me feel terrible."

"I, Song Xuan, have always admired those who are upright and incorruptible, and who dare to fight against those who violate the laws of the Great Song Dynasty."

Song Xuan sat down again: "How is it that I'm making you feel bad for pouring me a cup of tea? Do you look down on me?"

"Where."

Zhong Shiheng was actually quite pleased with Song Xuan's evaluation.

Since being framed by Wang Mengzheng, he had truly experienced much disappointment, and his former friends dared not offer him any help.

Who would dare offend the Empress Dowager's in-laws?
Zhong Shiheng was also very bitter inside.

Now, Song Xuan poured him a cup of sweet tea, which was like a timely gift, making Zhong Shiheng feel a sweet warmth in his heart.

"Scholar Song, was Wang Qixiong truly sentenced to beheading by the Empress Dowager?"

Although Liu Sui had heard some rumors, he wanted to get a definite answer from Song Xuan.

"That's it."

Song Xuan's affirmative answer brought smiles to the eyes of all three of them.

"Great, finally someone can deal with them."

Zhong Shiheng punched Song Xuan in the palm and said things like, "You have no idea how outrageous they are."

In particular, Wang Qixiong didn't care about human life at all. Even the victims didn't dare to admit that their family members were beaten to death by him, and only dared to say that they died of illness.

Without a victim, even if he is arrested, it will be of no use.

He's now sentenced to death, what a fine death!
Zhong Shiheng kept saying things like "Heaven has eyes," and he was generally very excited.

He wants to go to the scene in person to see Wang Qixiong's dog head chopped off.

Liu Sui agreed, the most important thing was protecting Wang Mengzheng, who was also extremely despicable, and they had found out a lot of things this time.

"It would be wonderful if Wang Mengzheng could also be executed."

Song Xuan put down his teacup: "This matter is quite difficult, and there is almost no possibility of it being realized."

Zhong Shiheng's eyes widened in surprise, but then again, that made sense.

Wang Mengzheng was an official, and no matter how arrogant and domineering his son was, he was still a commoner.

Therefore, there is almost no comparison; at most, it was exile to Lingnan.

Emperors Taizu and Taizong were alright, but now, under the Empress Dowager's rule, she rarely kills her ministers anymore.

"However, if one could be exiled to Lingnan or Danzhou, that would be an excellent outcome."

Liu Sui did not think that killing Wang Mengzheng was an easy thing to do.

After all, he was Liu Congde's father-in-law, and a relative by marriage in the eyes of the Empress Dowager.

It's highly unlikely that Ma Jiliang was only demoted; it's improbable that he would kill Wang Qixiong and then Wang Mengzheng.

"Yeah yeah."

Zhong Shiheng stopped worrying about it.

If one were not exiled but executed directly, then no amount of pleading for justice would be of any use.

While this practice protected some guilty officials, it also saved the lives of some wrongly accused officials.

Especially for those in poor health, being exiled to places like the South meant their lives were taken far too soon.

Especially when you're not used to the local environment, plus various unexpected events and the fatigue of the journey, it's easy to deplete your energy.

"However, Magistrate Zhong, after this incident, what are your thoughts on your post?"

Faced with Song Xuan's question, Zhong Shiheng was truly somewhat bewildered.

He doesn't know what he can do if he's reinstated and goes back to his original position.

"I never thought about it. I only thought about clearing my name."

Zhong Shiheng said something very honestly.

"What are your thoughts, Scholar Song?"

Zhong Shicai is not like his older brother, who is somewhat muddle-headed.

Since Song Xuan asked, he must have some suggestions.

It wouldn't hurt to listen to it.

Anyway, the Zhong brothers have no connections in the court, so it would be great if Song Xuan could give them a few pointers.

Moreover, even the Empress Dowager gave him face; in the entire Song Dynasty, there are probably very few people who receive such treatment.

If we don't seize this opportunity to latch onto a powerful figure, when will we ever get another chance?
"I wonder if Magistrate Zhong intends to just get by, or if he aspires to advance further and realize his ambitions?"

Zhong Shiheng was naturally willing to improve, so he replied without hesitation:

"Of course, it's the second option. I would appreciate it if Scholar Song could teach me how to break this deadlock."

"Now that the country is at peace, and since Zhong Tongpan is not a graduate of the imperial examination, according to the regulations of the Song Dynasty, it is very difficult for him to advance further through hereditary appointment."

"Even if you're in charge of internal affairs, promotion is a very minor matter."

The saying "There are as many Jinshi as dogs in the Song Dynasty" refers to the Jinshi group, but there aren't enough official positions available to them.

This priority-based promotion model also fully considers the national policy of the Song Dynasty, ensuring that the court will not become like the Tang Dynasty, which was controlled by aristocratic families.

Ultimately, this led to the emperor losing power, resulting in the downfall of the country.

Zhao Da and Zhao Er continuously established and improved systems and strengthened imperial power in order to ensure that the Song Dynasty would not perish like the Tang Dynasty.

Zhong Shiheng pursed his lips. It was indeed the truth, but saying it still made him feel somewhat embarrassed.

“What the top scholar Song said makes sense.”

Zhong Shicai felt a pang of sadness seeing his elder brother, but that was the truth, and it wasn't a big deal.

"If my older brother wants to realize his ambitions, how should he plan it?"

"I hope Scholar Song can teach me." Even the slow-witted Zhong Shiheng knew to bow.

"I am only saying this to Zhong Shiheng. I hope you two can go to the backyard to use the toilet."

Song Xuan's words puzzled Liu Sui. What was there to hide?
Zhong Shicai immediately stood up. He couldn't delay his elder brother's progress, so he asked Liu Sui to go to the toilet with him.

Liu Sui was somewhat helpless, but he obediently left.

"This is a confidential matter; the information must not leak out of my hands."

Song Xuan explained, and Zhong Shiheng's heart was also in suspense. What exactly was the secret?
It can't be to help the emperor take over the reins of government!
After this incident, who doesn't know that Song Xuan is the Empress Dowager's confidant?

"You will be appointed as an official in the Northwest."

Zhong Shiheng was stunned, almost thinking he was about to be drawn into the power struggle for the throne.

But then he thought, what kind of person am I? How could I possibly have a chance?

Hearing Song Xuan say he was going to the Northwest, he felt a slight disappointment deep down.

"I hope Scholar Song can enlighten me."

"When I was pursuing the Wuyou Cave, I discovered the Western Xia spies."

"Oh?"

Zhong Shiheng knew about Wuyou Cave, but he didn't know what the Western Xia spies were doing in Tokyo.

"The Tangut people of Western Xia have the ambition to become emperors. They sent people to collect various rituals from the enthronement ceremony of our Great Song Dynasty, intending to take them back and study them."

"hiss."

Zhong Shiheng’s pupils contracted slightly. He really hadn’t expected the Tanguts to be so bold!
He was about to ask a question in return, but then he thought that given Song Xuan's character, he would never use such false information to deceive him.

"What does the top scholar Song need me to do?"

"It's not that I need you to do something, but that the Emperor needs you to do something!"

Zhong Shiheng's mouth opened slightly, then quickly closed again.

Everyone says that the top scholar Song was the Empress Dowager's trusted confidant, but Zhong Shiheng thinks that everyone is talking about another top scholar Song!

"clear."

Zhong Shiheng nodded directly; he understood the urgency of the matter.

"Scholar Song, what should I do after I go to the Northwest to serve as an official?"

"Although the Western Xia people are planning to declare themselves emperors, it is unknown when they will rebel."

"But in my personal judgment, there may be a few points that we can refer to."

"The first is the gap between the death of the Liao emperor and the young Liao princes, who may be vying for power with the empress dowager and have no time for such matters."

"Secondly, after the Western Xia destroyed the Uyghurs, they subdued the Tibetans and completely controlled the northwest and other places, and then they launched probing raids on the border to test the combat strength of our Song Dynasty's border army."

"Thirdly, the sudden death of Li Mingde, the King of Western Xia, and the subsequent rise to power by his son, would prompt him to begin planning and accelerate this process."

As Zhong Shiheng listened to Song Xuan's analysis, he realized that Song Xuan's sources of information were definitely more extensive than his own.

“I understand the key points that Scholar Song mentioned.”

Zhong Shiheng said he had taken it to heart: "But regarding the official position, can I really go to the Northwest?"

"I will take care of this for you."

With Song Xuan's assurance, Zhong Shiheng nodded repeatedly. Presumably, Song Xuan had been planning this matter since learning of Xixia's wolfish ambitions, but had not yet found a suitable person to handle it.

“Scholar Song, since you value me so highly, I, Zhong Shiheng, will definitely take root in the Northwest and defend the country against enemies!”

(End of this chapter)