A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 425 Your son-in-law is truly a divine physician!
Song Xuan gave Li Junyou a look, signaling him to lock the treasure away properly and to have Yelü Gouren hand over the gloves.

Although Yelü Gou'er looked reluctant, he had touched the treasure with his own hands, so he could say that his wish had been fulfilled.

He believed that His Majesty would be overjoyed if he could actually touch this treasure.

As the door closed again, Yelü Gou'er and the other two looked at each other in bewilderment. Finally, Lü Demao spoke first:
“Prime Minister Nan, just as Song Xuan said, we still need to write a proper memorial to His Majesty.”

"Otherwise, rashly using three years' worth of tribute could really cause unpleasantness between the two countries."

Although the Khitan emperor had the final say, he also had to appease the large number of other Khitan nobles who had benefited from the annual tribute.

“Indeed, this treasure is probably coveted by more than just our Great Khitan.”

Yelü Shucheng also wanted to do his utmost to make this happen:
“Prime Minister Nan, if this news gets out, I’m afraid many people will have designs on it.”

The annual tribute over three years wasn't just for the enjoyment of the Great Khitan Emperor; everyone else also needed to get a share.

Now that I have to go away for three years all at once, it's really hard to explain, and I'll be attacked by many people.

"at this point."

Yelü Gou'er was still savoring the feeling of his hands:

"Then we will write another letter to His Majesty as you wish. According to Song Xuan's request, we are determined to obtain this treasure."

"Yes."

Lü Demao responded.

Doing this job well would be a great achievement, but it would also be a troublesome one.

Song Xuan led his men downstairs and had them push aside the troublemaking Khitans.

Although Xiao Pidi was extremely restrained, his anger was almost palpable.

However, he was also dissatisfied with Song Xuan's arrogance.

The southerners are really arrogant. They don't even take us seriously. They can stop us or push us away whenever they want!

But this is the Song Dynasty.

No matter how unwilling they are, they have no choice but to accept it obediently.

Once Song Xuan left, the other constables followed him and stopped blocking the road.

Xiao Xiaoxian was greatly surprised:
"How dare he be so arrogant!"

"I heard he's Cao Liyong's son-in-law, how can he not be arrogant?"

The fact that the Song people no longer paid attention to these Khitan nobles made them feel somewhat uneasy.

"Shall we go up and take a look?"

After these words were spoken, the room fell silent.

After all, the Southern Chancellor had a bad temper, and with Song people blocking their way, they could still throw a tantrum.

If no one stops him, who would dare to lose their temper in front of the Prime Minister?

Just now, when Nanxiang went to the restroom, everyone was as quiet as quails!
"Look, we should also get a share of this treasure. How can we let Yelü Shucheng and Lü Demao take all the credit?"

They dared not directly vent their anger on Yelü Gou'er.

But the two people beside him could still bully him a little.

Looking at Song Xuan as he left the hall, Yelü Zongfu felt that everyone had fallen into a trap set by Song Xuan.

Unfortunately, he was the only one who was sober, but he had no say in the matter.

"Hey."

Yelü Zongfu sighed and silently followed the crowd, wanting to hear what the Southern Chancellor had to say.

Liu Congde, who was following behind Song Xuan, looked rather grim.
"Brother, these Khitan dogs dared to deceive us; it's just a red egg."

He sounded anxious and blurted out the wrong thing.

Song Xuan simply nodded: "We'll discuss this in detail once we get to the room."

The group went directly to the third floor of the Xu Tower, heading towards Cao Li's designated room.

inside the room.

Both Zhao Zhen and Cao Liyong were in a state of high excitement.

It truly is a case of sharing in the glory.

Moreover, the plan was to sell it to the Khitans at a high price.

The goal has been achieved, and it has far exceeded expectations.

Everyone's target was 500,000 strings of cash.

At most, Song Xuan inflated the value to six or seven hundred thousand strings of cash, and that was the total value of all the treasures combined.

But unexpectedly, it really doubled.

"Auctions are still the most profitable!"

Cao clicked his tongue twice:
"If one masters the method of glassmaking, then one has mastered the method of coin minting."

Zhang Qi also strongly agreed:

"However, this item was passed down from the Tang Dynasty. After so many years of war, such craftsmanship has probably been lost long ago."

"Yeah."

Zhao Zhen quickly responded.

He discovered that there were quite a few wealthy people in Tokyo.

This lie from the Tang Dynasty will continue to be told.

Song Xuan didn't hide the fact that he knew how to make glass from him, but there was no need to use it to make money at this time.

You can earn enough in one go to last you many years.

After his initial euphoria, Shi Yuansun was still somewhat dazed.

He had assumed that the Shi family's wealth in Tokyo was among the top.

But upon seeing this today, Shi Yuansun realized what it truly meant to be outmatched!
They really don't value money.

It seems that after his family lost its political standing, many of the lucrative business opportunities were taken by others.

When the bid reached 800,000 or more, Shi Yuansun's confidence waned.

After all, this belongs to the family wealth, not to him alone.

At least he had helped the top scholar Song, and Shi Yuansun was overjoyed!

The door was pushed open, and the group was still discussing.

"Twelfth brother."

Zhao Zhen shouted:
"how?"

"At present, we still have the upper hand in the negotiations and the pressure is on the Khitans. We just need to wait quietly."

Song Xuan gave Zhao Zhen an affirmative answer.

"Hahaha."

Zhao Zhen immediately began to dance with joy.

His excitement was indescribable.

Emperor Zhao Zhen was truly terrified of poverty and had never seen so much money before.

Ban Feng wisely closed the door to prevent other unrelated people from overhearing.

What happened today has actually exceeded everyone's expectations.

I've never encountered anything like this in Tokyo before.

Even the annual tribute paid by the Song Dynasty to the Khitans was only 300,000 coins per year.

The price of one million strings of cash was more than the total tax revenue of the entire Yingtian Prefecture in Song Xuan's hometown for three years.

Cao Liyong stroked his beard, his eyes full of smiles:

"This has really made the Khitans bleed a lot."

"It's not a major hemorrhage."

Song Xuan coughed:
"They can't come up with three years' worth of tribute all at once right now, so this matter will definitely be brought up for discussion in the imperial court."

"Sixth Brother, when the time comes, try to insist that this is a private transaction and that taxes cannot be collected in advance. Let them plunder as much gold as possible in the country and send it to our Great Song Dynasty."

"Why?" Zhao Zhen asked, his face showing confusion.
"Wouldn't it be more advantageous for our Great Song Dynasty to offset this with three years' worth of tribute?"

"That's what I thought too."

After Song Xuan sat down, the others followed suit.
“I’ve heard that the Khitans have a lot of gold, and they even coat the Buddha statues in their temples with several layers of gold powder.”

"We forced the Khitans to reduce their gold holdings significantly in a short period of time, which made their gold more valuable."

"When the time comes, our Great Song Dynasty will use gold to purchase goods at the border markets. Based on past comparisons, we will be able to sell more goods."

"Moreover, although 300,000 taels of silver is not much in the border market, everyone can accept stopping for a year."

"If this continues for three years, some merchants will not be able to keep up, and it will not actually increase Liao's consumption of our Song Dynasty."

Regarding economic matters, Zhao Zhen had received some advice from Song Xuan.

But he couldn't understand it right away; he needed time to process it.

However, Zhao Zhen was certain that the sudden decrease in Liao's gold reserves meant that the price of gold would inevitably be higher than before.

"Most importantly, the Khitans' habit of harvesting grain from the fields has not changed easily. I think there might be problems if we divert three years' worth of tribute."

"That's right," Cao Liyong chimed in.

"Paying three years' worth of tribute to the Khitans in advance to purchase this treasure is extremely risky."

"To prevent disputes between the two sides, this year's annual tribute can be used as part of the funds to allow them to go back and continue raising the remaining funds."

"Liu Congde, you must insist that you want cash, not any tribute from next year or the year after."

“I will keep in mind what Attendant Cao said.”

Liu Congde quickly responded.

"I'm hungry, let's have a meal together."

Song Xuan gave an order and then called over Manager Qian, telling him to hurry up and serve the food. Everyone who was busy today had to take turns eating together, and there was no need to drink alcohol.

"By the way, all the Imperial Guards standing guard outside, bring them in for their meal."

Song Xuan instructed, "Put it all on my Kaifeng County account. We'll do a summary tomorrow and send someone to deliver the money and settle the accounts."

"Yes."

Manager Qian immediately agreed.

He originally thought Song Xuan would be implicated by Liu Congde, but he didn't expect the case to go to the county government.

Song Xuan did this partly to do someone a favor, and partly to manipulate the accounts by inflating all costs.

"Banfeng".

Song Xuan then gave another instruction:
"Take some brothers and make another trip. Put the reward money we prepared in advance in the hall. I will personally distribute the money after the Imperial Guards have finished eating."

"Here."

The crowd in the square was asked to leave, and the people in the other private rooms also followed the crowd.

Manager Qian personally announced that, apart from Building E, people from the other four buildings could dine in the main hall, with ten people per table.

The leaders of each building should make their own arrangements, and drinking is not allowed. They will also receive a reward later.

Naturally, these people were extremely happy about this.

Besides, after finishing our meal and receiving our reward today, we don't need to continue working. In the past, Fanlou would be busy until dawn.

Led by Li Zhaoliang, the imperial guards entered Fanlou and waited for their meal.

They had heard words like "one million strings of cash" in the crowd, but they didn't dwell on it too much. They just felt that it was truly rare for an auction to sell so much money today.

Seeing that Song Xuan had come out to greet him personally, Li Zhaoliang quickly went up to ask:

"Did the top scholar, Song, have things gone smoothly?"

"Overall, things went smoothly, but some problems arose. We'll see how they are resolved."

Song Xuan smiled and said, "But that won't stop the brothers from receiving their rewards."

Li Zhaoliang watched as the yamen runners put copper coins into the baskets one by one.

"This is?"

"The usual." Song Xuan smiled.

"We can't let our brothers stand guard all night feeding mosquitoes for nothing."

Li Zhaoliang blinked.

In this kind of weather, how can there be mosquitoes?
However, he always knew that Song Xuan was loyal and always took care of his men, never letting them make a wasted trip.

Therefore, whenever Li Zhaoliang said he was going to do something for Song Xuan, his imperial guards would all rush to go.

"You all eat your fill first, then we won't give you any more wine. You'll each have two strings of cash later."

Li Zhaoliang did not refuse:

"Scholar Song, isn't this going too far?"

Song Xuan chuckled: "Not bad. I sold that priceless treasure to the Khitans for one million strings of cash."

"I can still afford to give my men some tips so they can have a drink."

Li Zhaoliang's eyes widened immediately.

He did hear people constantly talking about one million strings of cash, and he thought Song Xuan had a good business sense.

But Li Zhaoliang really didn't hear that the treasure was worth a million strings of cash!

"Was the top scholar Song really not lying to me?"

"Peace of mind."

Song Xuan chuckled a few times: "Go sit down and wait for dinner."

"I'm going to visit the other floors a bit more."

"Good good."

Li Zhaoliang watched Song Xuan's retreating figure.

I always felt that if he joined the army, he might climb the ranks even faster than I did.

After all, in Li Zhaoliang's view, Song Xuan's behavior was characterized by loyalty, having many brothers, and being willing to spend money.

Who wouldn't want to fight alongside him?

Li Zhaoliang subconsciously scratched his cheek. He had a feeling that Scholar Song had gone down the wrong path, but what was going on?

"Commander, what is this?"

Someone came up and pointed at the pile of copper coins, asking in a low voice.

Li Zhaoliang immediately told everyone to sit down and wait to eat the main dishes at Fanlou Restaurant, and that no alcohol would be allowed today.

After the meal, Song Zhuangyuan gave each of his brothers two strings of cash for wine. If they liked to drink, they could buy their own; if they didn't, they could take the money home to support their parents or buy new clothes for their wives and children to get through the winter.

The soldiers who had come with Li Zhaoliang immediately cheered and shouted.

They could have made a fortune by eating a meal at Fanlou and working for only two hours.

I never expected to get a tip while eating.

"Scholar Song is truly a man of honor. Next time there's work to be done, Commander, please bring your brothers along."

Li Zhaoliang glared at him:
"Do you really think you get to have everything?"

"Don't be ungrateful after getting a good deal. You have to leave the other brothers a chance to have some soup too."

Li Zhaoliang scolded him, but his confidant didn't care. Anyway, he was always full of anticipation every time he went out to work with Song Zhuangyuan.

I just don't know when we'll be able to raid Wuyou Cave's hideout again.

After all, they had split the profits 50/50 with the county government last time, and Li Zhaoliang wouldn't skimp on the rewards. He distributed them according to their contributions, so they really made a lot of money.

The task of standing guard during the "fishing contest" was not assigned to these imperial guards; they were only given a small number of patrol duties.

Those soldiers who went to stand guard, I heard they made quite a bit of money.

Anyway, working under Master Song always comes with a reward.

In fact, these imperial guards were even better at standing guard!
Song Xuan said he was going for a stroll and told them he would give each of them two strings of cash.

The distribution of the supplies according to the roster made the men, women, and children working in Fanlou even happier.

As for the busy people in the kitchen, Song Xuan even had Manager Qian convey a message that each person would receive five strings of cash, since cooking is such hard work.

In addition, being a chef is a skilled job, so the price is even higher.

Song Xuan wouldn't suffer the same fate as Chen Sheng, who was betrayed by his own coachman, especially the cooks; emperors generally wouldn't offend them.

Unless they're like the abstract human beings of the Gao family in Northern Qi, they can't be killed by a cook.

After Song Xuan made his rounds, everyone benefited and was extremely grateful to the top scholar.

The cooks, in particular, worked even harder when they heard the news, as their wages at Fanlou were sure to be high.

Five strings of cash isn't much, but it depends on who gave it to you.

The fact that the top scholar Song personally awarded them money was a sign of respect.

Who dares not to take it!

Just as Song Xuan was strolling around, Yang Huaimin quickly called him over and invited him to come over for a chat.

"The Empress Dowager is still in a daze of joy. Congratulations to Scholar Song for achieving such political success!"

Yang Huaimin, who was standing to the side, said that he hadn't even made a move yet, but he was already overwhelmed by everyone's eagerness to hold up their signs.

I decided not to get involved, and I hope Scholar Song will not take offense.

Song Xuan laughed twice:

"Eunuch Yang, to be honest, I didn't expect this to sell for such a price. My bottom line is five or six hundred thousand strings of cash, and that's it."

"Yes."

Yang Huaimin sighed with emotion, realizing that he had boasted about a total of 500,000 strings of cash.

But the top scholar Song directly doubled the amount.

Who wouldn't be confused?
"Your subject Song Xuan greets Your Majesty."

Just as Yang Huaimin was lost in thought, he heard Song Xuan bow.

Liu E nodded, gesturing for Song Xuan to sit down and speak.

"Scholar Song, did your conversation with the Khitans go smoothly?"

"Your Majesty, things did not go smoothly."

"What?" Liu E's eyes showed suspicion.
"Are they going to back out?"

"No."

Song Xuan then explained the matter of paying tribute for three years to Liu E.

First of all, the Khitan emperor might not agree.

Furthermore, he only wants a year's worth of currency; the rest he wants to exchange for cash.

Three years is too long and could easily lead to various unforeseen events, and it would also violate the alliance between the two countries.

In short, it was because both sides adhered to this alliance and neither had the strength to conquer the other that the brotherly nations, separated by north and south, came to be.

The question of who is the ruler of all under heaven has always been a thorn in Emperor Zhenzong's side.

"Well, what you said makes sense."

Liu E nodded slightly:

"The issue of tribute involves the diplomatic relations between the two countries and must not be easily changed. This year's tribute has not yet been delivered, and we will still pay the tribute for the next two years in full to avoid any unexpected situations."

"If another disaster were to occur, it would be an extremely heavy burden on the people of our Great Song Dynasty. In recent years, either torrential rains have destroyed river channels, or the local areas have suffered from severe drought."

"The people have not had many days of peace. If another disaster breaks out, it will be even more difficult for the court to collect taxes."

"At that time, there will be threats from the Khitans outside and rebellions from the people inside the country, which would be a loss."

“You did the right thing. I would never have agreed to them using the annual tribute of the next two years as collateral. This is a private transaction.”

"What Your Majesty says is absolutely right."

Song Xuan added another compliment.

From a broader perspective, the Song Dynasty is prone to disasters these days, and there's not much that can be done about it.

The Liao Kingdom is also suffering from disasters; it's not targeting you specifically.

If war breaks out now, it will drag both sides into a quagmire, which will actually benefit the restless Western Xia Tanguts.

Song Xuan's words dampened Liu E's joy at selling the million strings of cash.

Although they had earned a considerable amount of money from the Khitans, it was only on paper and they had not yet fully secured it.

"However, since it was money you independently devised for the court, I support you in this matter."

Liu E picked up her teacup and took a sip:
"However, there are some troubles afterward, and we need your advice on how to deal with the Khitans."

"Thank you for your support, Your Majesty."

Song Xuan lowered his voice again and said, "The Khitans will have difficulty raising funds in a short time, so they will inevitably impose heavy taxes, and the people of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun will be subjected to extortion and plunder."

"If this measure is implemented, perhaps more people will come to our Great Song Dynasty in the future."

"At that time, they can be sent to the disaster-stricken areas to replenish the population. With the help of the imperial court, they can settle down."

“Especially since this year’s tribute was originally intended for the Khitan nobility, but they did not receive it this year, they will inevitably feel resentful.”

"They dared not vent their anger on the Liao emperor, but could only vent it on the slaves, which might even encourage many people to flee south."

Liu E's pupils contracted slightly, something she hadn't expected.

Song Xuan's method is good, after all, winning the loyalty of the people in the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun is a national policy of both Song and Liao.

In doing so, the Liao Dynasty effectively drove these people to the Song Dynasty, which was truly a wonderful thing.

"Okay." Liu E uttered a single word, a smile on her face.
"We are just waiting for the Khitans to levy exorbitant taxes and levies, and to drive the people to our Great Song Dynasty in a roundabout way."

"Scholar Song's move has truly achieved multiple goals. You have rendered meritorious service. What do you want?"

"Your Majesty, I am focused solely on my duties and have not yet considered what I desire."

Liu E was very satisfied with Song Xuan's attitude, but she couldn't immediately decide how to reward him.

If she hadn't listened to Song Xuan's analysis, she would have simply thought that he had made some money.

So there was such a scheme behind it all.

"You can think about it carefully."

After thanking her, Song Xuan watched Liu E leave.

Empress Liu E gained a more accurate understanding of Song Xuan's methods of accumulating wealth and causing chaos in other countries.

Tonight, it's not just the people working inside Fanlou who are happy.

Many idlers in Tokyo were spreading the word that the Khitans had spent millions of strings of cash to buy that most precious item.

This price is so high that it's unimaginable.

If a million strings of cash were piled up together, would it submerge Fanlou or the imperial palace?

Of course, there are other voices as well.

How could such a priceless treasure be auctioned off by the Khitans?
Someone has started to secretly attack Song Xuan.

It is said that he took the Song Dynasty's finest treasures to curry favor with the Khitans.

Their intentions are absolutely despicable.

Phrases like "Don't sell to the Khitans" were used.

But none of these words reached Song Xuan's ears. He remained calm and collected, waiting for the Khitan emperor to reply with a message on how to resolve their financial problems.

Song Xuan first announced in the front courtyard of the county government office that the tasks would be heavy starting this month, so everyone would receive an extra four to ten strings of cash based on their merits.

The many yamen runners were all smiles as Master Song started to ask for more money.

The starting price was four strings of cash, and most ordinary people couldn't earn four strings of cash a month.

They will be able to visit stores more often at the end of the year.

The people of Tokyo tend to spend their money as soon as they earn it.

“Families of farmers, merchants, and traders, who earn a hundred taels of silver in the morning, will spend it all by evening, gambling and drinking to enjoy themselves for a moment. If they run out of money, they will soon face hunger and cold.”

This way of thinking stems from the turmoil from the late Tang Dynasty to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

Even if you are a powerful family with five surnames and seven clans, and have stored up a lot of gold and silver, in the end you will still be killed according to the family genealogy. How many opportunities for enjoyment will you have left?
What about ordinary people?

With this mindset, most people are happy today but don't care about tomorrow.

Who knows if we'll be killed by the mutinous soldiers tomorrow? There's not much point in storing gold and silver.

However, the Ming Dynasty was different. Compared to the Song Dynasty, labor costs were continuously reduced.

In the Song Dynasty, the daily income of ordinary people was about one hundred coins, while in the Ming Dynasty it was about twenty coins per day.

Amid the economic recession, they struggled to even meet their daily living costs, let alone indulge in the "live for today" lifestyle common among the people of the Song Dynasty.

The officials in Kaifeng County estimated that they would be busy again after the Khitans paid their bill.

So, aside from those who stayed at the county government office, the rest were all sent out on patrol.

They either went to construction sites or to areas outside the city where disaster victims gathered.

There were also twelve "elite soldiers" led by County Lieutenant Ban Feng to Xiangfu County to earn extra money.

Not only them, but also the firefighters stepped up their patrols.

Master Song is very generous; now that he has made money, he will surely spend it all.

If everyone behaves well, they will also benefit.

After all, the weather was getting colder, and no matter how thick the shacks built by the disaster victims outside the city were, they could not keep out the cold wind.

Lighting fires for warmth is a common practice, but it also makes fires more likely to occur.

Song Xuan stood in the backyard of the county government office, listening to these "primary school students" learning the Thousand Character Classic.

"My lord."

The registrar, Zheng Wenhuan, brought the data to Song Xuan, which was whether or not to demolish the shack.

They built those so-called "brick houses" for the disaster victims outside the city.

After all, brick making is quite expensive.

Song Xuan was also thinking that since construction could not be carried out in the river during the winter, the houses of these people would collapse if they were not used for living.

According to the construction plan, they should be allowed to return to their hometowns to make a living, and then come back to work next spring when the ice melts.

“Even if we build brick houses for them, there’s not enough time. Besides, the bricks we make will be used for the river embankment.”

Song Xuan returned the booklet to Zheng Wenhuan:

"I'll think of a way to help them get through the winter and come back to work next year."

"Here."

After Zheng Wenhuan left, Song Xuan pondered how to make a small round iron stove for home use.

In this way, the money would still be enough for them to buy coal to burn during the winter.

When Jia Changchao saw Song Xuan standing in the backyard, he had the child continue reciting the Thousand Character Classic, first memorizing it, and then learning to write it to deepen his impression.

"The top scholar of the Song Dynasty".

Jia Changchao's clothes were also thicker:

"I've heard quite a few stories about that million strings of cash these past few days."

"I didn't expect that either."

Song Xuan replied with a smile:
“Now the price has gone up, but the way the Khitans pay is a big problem.”

"Wouldn't they have to pay with more than three years' worth of tribute?"

Jia Changchao was completely baffled. The court simply refused to pay the Khitans three years' worth of tribute, and the calculation was quite straightforward.

What's the big deal?

"Why should I ask them to pay me using the currency from the next two years?"

Song Xuan's question startled Jia Changchao:
"Wasn't Song Zhuangyuan's action a trap set by the imperial court specifically for the Khitans?"

"what are you thinking?"

A question appeared in Song Xuan's eyes.

"I heard that even Vice Minister Zhang Shixun openly acted as a shill, bidding 800,000 strings of cash for that treasure, forcing others to keep raising the price!"

Jia Changchao also had his own sources of information.

Whether it's true or not, he felt that Zhang Shixun's playful nature made him absolutely capable of doing something like this.

Otherwise, even if Zhang Shixun's entire family were burned to ashes, they still wouldn't be able to scrape together 800,000 strings of cash.

He's not a shill.

What can it be?
"This statement is completely wrong."

Song Xuan directly characterized Jia Changchao's words:
“I have never told Vice Minister Zhang to ask him to act as a shill for Jia’s book. Besides, this treasure is so famous that there is no need for a shill.”

"Personally, I think that given Vice Minister Zhang's playful nature, he came here on purpose to cause trouble."

Some intentionally act as shills, while others deliberately cause trouble.

There were two reasons for that.

"Forehead."

Jia Changchao was unable to continue speaking.

No matter how you look at it, he was a vice prime minister, and if he wanted to get promoted, he would have to rely on these people.

"It seems the rumors circulating are wrong."

Jia Changchao quickly spoke up:
"However, it's perfectly normal for such news to be a mix of truth and falsehood."

"really."

Song Xuan smiled, his hands behind his back:

"Perhaps Vice Minister Zhang is tempted by the opportunity and suddenly wants to offer a high price to actually buy it."

Jia Changchao had no way to respond to this, and could only nod:
"What the top scholar Song said makes sense."

As for the money, who knows where he'll get the money from? It's not like he's actually buying it.

Song Xuan was also very touched by Zhang Shixun's actions. When others were bidding over 600,000, he directly bid 800,000, giving them a boost.

"However, Zhang's cautious and prudent attitude forced the Khitans to get anxious and they eventually bid up to one million strings of cash. I really admire that."

Hearing Song Xuan's praise, Jia Changchao became increasingly convinced that Zhang Shixun was a plant arranged in advance.

Who doesn't know that Zhang Shixun's position as vice prime minister was nominated and recommended by Cao Liyong?

Their close relationship is perfectly normal for Tona.

However, Jia Changchao admired Song Xuan more and more. Who wouldn't want to get promoted?
We still need to hold on to this powerful figure.

"The weather is getting colder and colder, and the river work may not be able to continue. When does Scholar Song plan to let them go back to their hometowns to rest?"

"At the end of the month, I guess."

“Once these people return to the capital, they probably won’t have any work to do. They probably won’t be able to get through the winter on their wages alone.”

Jia Changchao stroked his beard and said:
"It will only work if the imperial court provides funds and provisions."

Song Xuan nodded in agreement. After Tao Hong finished making the small iron stove, they would continue to cooperate with the Imperial Workshop.

Otherwise, with only the few men under Tao Hong's command, they simply wouldn't have been able to extract much.

Song Xuan raised an eyebrow. If it were to be mass-produced, could it be cast? That would be faster.

Go back and ask those craftsmen again; after all, this technique was already well-established in making large tripods during the Bronze Age.

Song Xuan planned to lend the money to the people temporarily and then take it back next year.

Once they earn money, they can buy it for home use, which will keep coal prices from getting too high.

Song Xuan also planned to get some honeycomb briquettes, which would burn longer and save on costs.

Otherwise, sending it directly would easily cause dissatisfaction among the local people of Huazhou.

"Jia, are these students giving you a headache?"

Song Xuan didn't continue that topic: "The main thing is that they mostly need enlightenment, so it's a bit of a waste for you to be here."

"It's alright." Jia Changchao stroked his beard.
"Having not taught children for a long time, I feel like I've become younger myself."

"As you know, when students grow up a little, they have to face the imperial examinations, and their utilitarian mindset becomes stronger."

Song Xuan glanced at Jia Changchao, knowing that he had entered the upper echelons but had been kicked out again.

The Empress Dowager and many prime ministers did not particularly like him, as he was the one who wrote flattering articles and gained the late emperor's approval.

Utilitarianism is used to describe others, and it also describes oneself.

But saints are all in books; who in the world doesn't have utilitarian desires?

"Jia Jiangshu, please don't say that. The Emperor is still young. Perhaps when he takes over the reins of government, he will naturally discover more talented people."

Song Xuan continued to paint a rosy picture for Jia Changchao: "After all, the Empress Dowager's governing philosophy is rather conservative, and it's difficult for her to boldly appoint new people."

Jia Changchao was somewhat on the defensive.

Even if the Empress Dowager is conservative and doesn't appoint new people, who doesn't know that Tokyo is governed by the Song-Song couple?

Isn't that bold enough?
The Empress Dowager only boldly appoints those who catch her eye; she doesn't care about anyone else.

Yelü Gou'er and others sent the letter day and night to the Liao Dynasty.

At the same time, Lü Demao and his colleagues were actively communicating with the Song Dynasty, hoping to receive three years' worth of tribute in advance.

The matter was discussed in a small meeting room.

Empress Liu E already had a plan in mind; she was simply listening to the discussions of the chief ministers.

"This matter requires careful consideration, as the Khitans have always been insatiable."

Zhang Zhibai sat in the chair:

“If we give them everything at once, they will inevitably find excuses to cause trouble again in the next year or the year after.”

“Not bad.” Wang Zeng nodded, looking at Liu E:

"Your Majesty, we must not open this door. What if the Liao Kingdom wants to withdraw funds ahead of schedule later?"

"We must abide by the Treaty of Chanyuan, which stipulates that the payment will be made once a year, and we must never violate the treaty."

"Correct."

Lu Yijian, after his initial surprise at Song Xuan's actions, realized that this was a mistake that couldn't be allowed to happen.

"Is that what you all think?"

"Yes."

Liu E then spoke:
"Song Zhuangyuan had already discussed this matter with me, and he shared the same idea. This year's tribute to the Khitans is their choice to spend as they please; it's none of our Great Song's business."

"But we absolutely cannot pay the tribute for next year and the year after, nor will we recognize the Liao people's official documents. It would be best to let them pool their money, which might allow the Liao people to levy exorbitant taxes for a while."

Liu E did not reveal everything Song Xuan had said; she also wanted to see how many people were fleeing south.

Wang Zeng narrowed his eyes slightly: "What the Empress Dowager said makes sense."

"So, does that mean northerners will flee south to our Great Song Dynasty?"

Lü Yijian stroked his beard:

"Should we inform the soldiers at the border in advance?"

"No."

Wang Zeng directly refused:

"The situation at the border is complicated. It is all too common for the Song and Liao to send spies to gather information from each other. We need to wait until the Khitans have finished their extortion and have successfully delivered the money before we can notify them."

"Otherwise, if the news leaks out in advance, it will inevitably cause the internal conflicts among the Khitans to be transferred to our Great Song Dynasty."

"Let's do it this way for now and see what the Khitan emperor thinks."

"Here."

After experiencing great ups and downs, Zhang Shixun always felt uneasy, so he has been resting at home for the past few days and has not yet come to take up his post.

Cao Yong, a good friend, simply skipped work to visit him. In any case, he was quite relaxed as the Privy Councilor, and he also had a deputy to manage the Ban Jing Hall.

"Shunzhi, I heard you've been resting for several days. Have you consulted a doctor?"

"I felt perfectly fine after using it, but something just didn't feel right to me."

Zhang Shixun leaned against the bed, just talking.

The other three prime ministers also kept Zhang Shixun's embarrassing situation quiet; it was enough for the four of them to know.

Upon hearing this, Cao Liyong immediately comforted him:
“My son-in-law is also a doctor. I’ll send someone to call him over so he can examine you.”

"How does this work?"

Zhang Shixun felt somewhat guilty when he saw Song Xuan.

If I messed up and failed to sell that treasure, it would be a huge mistake.

I don't know what came over me at the time. I meant to shout something, but I ended up shouting out the bottom price instead.

For a moment, no one dared to respond, both inside and outside the arena. Zhang Shixun felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't breathe.

It wasn't until someone shouted 810,000 that he finally lost his footing.

"It's alright." Cao Liyong sat on the edge of the bed: "I'll tell you a secret."

"What secret?" Zhang Shixun raised an eyebrow.

“My son-in-law’s medical skills are far beyond those of ordinary people. Call him over to examine you, and within three to five days, you will surely be cured!”

Cao Li chuckled and then ordered his attendants to go to the Kaifeng County government office to invite him over.

"How does this work?"

Zhang Shixun felt his heart start beating faster again.

I'm very nervous.

Song Xuan didn't waste any words and brought his men over directly.

"Father-in-law, what is this?"

"Quickly take a look at your Uncle Zhang; he seems unwell."

Zhang Shixun became even more nervous upon seeing Song Xuan, who immediately sat down and began to take his pulse.

"Uncle Zhang, when did you start having this feeling?"

Song Xuan felt that his heart was beating too fast. Could it be that he had a heart problem? An old man shouldn't be beating so fast.

"I felt emotionally stirred ever since that auction night."

"Hahaha." Song Xuan chuckled first, deciding to try and appease them:
"Speaking of that matter, I must thank Uncle Zhang. Shouting out 800,000 strings of cash in public was simply a stroke of genius."

"A stroke of genius?" Zhang Shixun was somewhat bewildered.

"That's right. If Uncle Zhang hadn't put pressure on everyone, causing the Khitans to lose their composure and forcing them to bid one million strings of cash, it would have been a huge mistake."

Song Xuan had a smile on his face:
“This treasure doesn’t even sell for that price, so when Uncle Zhang roared, it really struck a chord with his nephew.”

"Such strategic planning and manipulation of the Khitans are beyond the reach of ordinary people. In my opinion, you should be the prime minister; being the vice prime minister is a waste of your talents."

"Oh My God."

"Nephew, you flatter me, you flatter me."

After being praised by Song Xuan, Zhang Shixun sat up immediately.

He then realized that his actions were incredibly impressive in Song Xuan's eyes!

What a stroke of genius!
Zhang Shixun himself never imagined that he was so powerful.

He felt all his guilt vanish instantly, and his joy was palpable.

Zhang Shixun got out of bed, took a few steps, stretched his body, and immediately praised:
"I feel better."

"I have no more problems in my mind."

"With this, your son-in-law is truly a divine physician!"

Cao Liyong: ? ? ?

Song Xuan: ???
Completely bewildered, Song Xuan didn't even have time to utter a word:

"No, I haven't given you a proper medical examination yet!"

(End of this chapter)