A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 442 This is how we do things.jpg
After Chi Sanlang left, Zhao Zhen clicked his tongue in amazement:

"Twelfth Brother, I never imagined there were so many interesting things overseas."

"Yes, maritime trade is now replacing the Silk Road in the Northwest and is extremely profitable."

Song Xuan watched as his daughter followed Guo En's grandmother to the toilet:

"Of course, such trade cannot be separated from the encouragement of the imperial court, but going to sea is quite risky."

"Moreover, Ike Saburo didn't mention that long voyages cause bleeding gums, joint pain, and muscle atrophy, and that people are beyond saving."

"what?"

Zhao Zhen never expected that there would be such dangers even if the voyage didn't encounter a major storm.

Does everyone experience this?

“These people can avoid this situation by frequently coming ashore.”

"Twelfth Brother actually knows about this kind of thing."

Song Xuan stretched out his hand and said:
"I also have some knowledge of medicine."

"Hahaha."

Zhao Zhen nodded repeatedly:

"So, according to what Twelfth Brother said, Chi San's short-haul voyages from China to Japan and Korea are completely free of this kind of illness?"

"That's right. If you're on land again before the illness even develops during a short voyage, the bacteria that could cure the disease will be gone."

Zhang Fangping had heard of the word "bacteria," which is why Twelfth Brother insisted on washing his hands before meals and after using the toilet, and also drinking boiled water.

He used the simple microscope that his twelfth brother had made to see the moving insects in the water.

The only way is to boil them all in hot water, which will kill most of the insects.

The reason why Master Wang's son had worms in his stomach might be due to this.

"My lord, Prefect Zhongli Jin of Kaifeng is in the front hall."

Qi Lecheng hurriedly reported that now that Zhong Lijin had been promoted, he wouldn't be waiting obediently outside.

He was Song Xuan's superior.

"it is good."

Song Xuan responded, and although Zhong Lijin had not looked closely at Zhao Zhen's face, he still asked him to sit behind the screen for a while.

"Twelfth Brother, what's he doing here?"

Zhang Fangping was somewhat puzzled.

Moreover, the previous prefect of Kaifeng never even came here.

Moreover, it was Song Xuan who took the initiative to go to Kaifeng Prefecture, led his men to arrest the prefectural magistrate, and left triumphantly. From then on, officials at all levels in Kaifeng Prefecture greeted Song Xuan with smiles.

No one would intentionally seek out trouble, and Zhongli Jin, who served as a sub-prefect, was no exception.

Although the prefectural governor governed Kaifeng County, each prefectural governor had their own area of ​​authority and responsibility.

"It's roughly the case of Wuyou Cave. He couldn't handle it before, but now that he's my boss, he can openly let me do it."

"So that's what it is."

Zhang Fangping shook his head. If Wuyou Cave were so easy to wipe out, it would have been destroyed long ago. Why wait until today?

Zhong Lijin stepped across the threshold with her hands behind her back:
"Magistrate Song, your men have quite the airs of authority, daring to intercept this Prefect in public. Have you been up to some shady business?"

Song Xuan clicked his tongue:
"Prefect Zhongli, do you think I can just barge into your office without prior notice if I go to Kaifeng Prefecture?"

"you."

Zhong Lijin dared not refute.

As far as he knew, Song Xuan was genuinely serious about such matters.

He had intended to show off his official authority, but when things didn't go his way, he simply sat down.

"Magistrate Song, I have come on official business."

"Since it's official business, Prefect Zhongli only needs to send a letter. What official business requires you to come in person?"

Song Xuan had a smile on his face.

He wouldn't actually accept anything that wasn't written down.

If you handle things officially, you're less likely to stand out or cause problems.

Zhong Lijin glanced at Song Xuan.

I used to envy him for wearing a crimson robe, while I could only wear a green robe.

Now that I've finally managed to wear a crimson robe, I find that others are also wearing gold belts.

But I don't have that kind of configuration!
His smug mood turned somewhat downcast.

Why is there such a big difference between people who were both promoted by the Empress Dowager?

As Song Xuan's direct superior, he was inexplicably inferior to him.

I heard that he even has two gold belts that he can wear interchangeably.

One of them was a gift from the emperor when the candidate passed the imperial examination with top honors.

The other one was bestowed by the Empress Dowager.

It's true that comparing yourself to others can be incredibly frustrating and easily breeds jealousy.

"I have come in person, of course, for the matter of the Worry-Free Cave."

Zhong Lijin didn't care about Zhang Fangping at all.

A lowly official in a green robe, who doesn't even bother to announce his number, isn't worth my attention.

"Worry-Free Cave?"

Song Xuan clicked his tongue:
"This stubborn problem has plagued Tokyo for a century and is really difficult to cure."

"Fortunately, we have a good official like Prefect Zhongli, who took charge of this matter as soon as he took office. I admire him."

Listening to Song Xuan's flattery, Zhong Lijin's eyes revealed a smug look.

Who doesn't like to hear nice things?

Especially subordinates who are more capable than themselves.

“Magistrate Song, I know that last year you destroyed three dens of Wuyou Cave in Dongjing City and arrested many thieves for it.”

"These thieves will either be sentenced by you and executed along with Wang Qixiong, or they will be exiled, some will be used by you, and the rest will be imprisoned in your Kaifeng County jail to atone for their sins?"

"Prefect Zhongli, I must correct one of your misconceptions."

Song Xuan held up one index finger and laughed, "Those people are used by Prefect Liu, not me. Please be aware of this."

Zhong Lijin dared not lay a finger on Liu Congde, so she simply skipped the topic.

"Have the prisoners in your cell given any explanation?"

“Prefect Zhongli, I seem to remember that I have been handed over to you.”

Song Xuan said nonchalantly, "Perhaps it's because you have a bad memory."

Seeing that Song Xuan did not respond to his hints, Zhong Lijin stroked his beard:

“Magistrate Song, I am new to the position of Prefect and there are many things I do not know how to do. I need a capable and efficient official like you to assist me in governing the capital city.”

“Prefect Zhongli, do not worry. The Empress Dowager has appointed the Song brothers to govern the city, and the results have been remarkable. Prefect, you only need to focus on capturing the remaining bandits from Wuyou Cave.”

"This is a special task assigned to Prefect Zhongli by the Empress Dowager. You don't need to worry about anything else."

Song Xuan retorted directly, and Zhong Lijin had no choice but to accept it.

In terms of face in front of Empress Liu, Zhongli Jin, this mascot, was not even as good as Song Xiang, let alone Song Xuan.

This is one of the reasons why Empress Liu E, seeing the effectiveness of the Song-Song couple's governance of the city, dared to step down before Chen Yaozuo returned from his flood control work and instead appointed Zhong Lijin to the position.

Of course, Zhong Lijin did not think that his abilities were inferior to those of the two young people.

Since taking office, he has wanted to make a big splash and let the world know him.

Regardless of whether he secretly wanted to force Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo to do things for him, that's a nonsensical thing.

He wants both political achievements and a good reputation!
After all, he didn't rise through the ranks based on his own achievements, so naturally he wanted to take crooked paths.

Zhong Lijin coughed in response to Song Xuan's flattery:
“What Magistrate Song said makes sense, but I am only a new official and do not have the experience of successfully destroying the Wuyou Cave bandit den that Magistrate Song has.”

"Therefore, you still need to worry about this matter."

“If Prefect Zhongli has any instructions, I will certainly make proper arrangements, but…”

Song Xuan's earlier words pleased Zhong Lijin, but as soon as they left, he felt something was amiss.

"The Empress Dowager instructed me to prioritize the disaster victims and the river, as I am simply unable to handle anything else."

"How about this: Prefect Zhongli will go to the Empress Dowager and get an imperial edict to have someone else take over my current duties, while I go to hunt down the bandits of Wuyou Cave. What do you think?"

Song Xuan and Liu E had agreed that he would be going on a diplomatic mission to the Khitan. Now that he was taking Zhang Fangping with him to familiarize himself with government affairs, how could he possibly be sent on other matters?

Therefore, he spoke with absolute confidence.

If Zhongli Jin could have gotten it from Liu E, he wouldn't have put on such an official air from the start, trying to force Song Xuan to do things for him.

This matter was originally entrusted to him by Empress Liu when he was serving as a sub-prefect.

Now that he has just become the prefect, he wants to push his work out to others.

Even if Zhongli Jin was a lucky charm, he was of no use to the Empress Dowager.

He didn't want to do that.

"Song Twelve, I ordered you to wipe out Wuyou Cave, but all you talk about is river management and disaster victims. Are you even capable of doing this?"

Song Xuan's smile remained unchanged:

“Prefect Zhongli, eradicating Wuyou Cave is a long and arduous process that requires patience. It cannot be accomplished overnight, and failure is a common occurrence.”

"Besides, I haven't even mentioned you yet."

"What did you say about me?"

Zhong Lijin was somewhat incredulous. He had become the prefect, Song Xuan's superior, and yet Song Xuan still dared to criticize him!
"The task of wiping out the remnants of the Wuyou Cave faction was entrusted to you by the Great Madam last year. This year, you haven't done anything but send those dozens of ships full of rare flowers and stones, haven't you?"

Song Xuan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said slowly:
"The Empress Dowager also showed me Liu Sijian's memorial impeaching you. If it weren't for my old friendship, I would have put in a good word for you in front of the Empress Dowager."

He put down his teacup and didn't say anything more.

Zhong Lijin was surprised and uncertain upon hearing this, as he had forgotten about the matter in his anger.

So his angry face immediately disappeared; knowing he couldn't afford to offend Song Xuan, he instantly put on a smiling face.

"I remembered I have some matters to attend to at home, so I'll be leaving now."

"I won't give it away."

Song Xuan didn't even stand up:
"Prefect Zhongli, come over for tea sometime!"

Zhong Lijin left in a rage, but dared not retaliate.

He clenched his fists and secretly vowed to make Song Xuan pay!

I'll definitely teach Song Xuan a lesson he won't forget.

After Zhongli Jin got on the donkey cart, he thought it over and over and decided that Song Xuan was as cunning as a fox, so he didn't capture him to do hard labor for him.

But Song Xiang's governance of Xiangfu County has been quite effective, so why not go and find him again?

You're not the only top scholar in Tokyo to have passed all three imperial examinations and become my subordinate!
How could Song Xiang not be moved by the fact that the Prefect himself went to find him?

So Zhongli Jin sent someone directly to the Xiangfu County government office.

After everyone left, Zhao Zhen emerged from behind the screen:

"Twelfth Brother, does this person really have no ability at all?"

"Yes, I think he's quite capable of sending out all those rare flowers and stones from his dozens of ships."

Song Xuan stood up and stretched his body:
"Gift giving is a very important subject."

Zhao Zhen was already used to Song Xuan's sarcastic remarks, and he said indignantly:
"I really can't understand why the Empress would place such a fool in such an important position."

The position of Prefect of Kaifeng is not one that just anyone can hold.

Song Xuan and Zhang Fangping exchanged a glance but remained silent.

To put it bluntly, it is a manifestation of the autocratic rule of the emperor.

When you actually come to power, if you want to promote someone, just look at how many ministers will oppose it.
Emperor Renzong was too good at listening to advice; otherwise, how could he be benevolent?

Zhang Fangping then added:
"Twelfth Brother, it's said that he can produce relics from his eyebrows and eyes. From a medical perspective, is that true?"

"It's fake. Relics can only come out after death, and the burning of the body must be done carefully to make it successful."

Song Xuan's "science popularization" sent chills down Zhao Zhen's spine.

They usually form words with roasted pork, roasted duck, and roasted goose.

How can burning a corpse be associated with the word "cooking temperature"?
"If you roast a pig and cook it at the right temperature, you can also get relics."

Song Xuan stopped in his tracks: "It's just a deceptive trick."

"So, the relics auctioned by Fanlou are all of that?"

Zhang Fangping asked in a low voice.

Since Brother Twelve is so knowledgeable, it's easy for him to forge things.

"Of course."

Song Xuan spread his hands and said:
“These things are popular with wealthy merchants in Tokyo, especially the Khitans who are fond of Buddhism, and even wealthy monks like them.”

"I can't exactly send people to dig up the pagoda and then sell it to them, can I?"

"Why would I waste my energy on tomb raiding if I can handle it with technology? I'd only be cursed by others."

"Besides, with human bones and pig bones burned to that state, it would be very difficult for them to tell the difference."

Zhang Fangping said he understood.

In short, as long as you have the skills, it's quite easy to make money at the auctions in Fanlou.

He had long been aware of his 12th brother's business acumen.

Zhao Zhen knew about burning glass, but he really didn't know about burning relics.

So even this kind of thing can be faked!

As expected, since Twelfth Brother wrote Journey to the West, he was very familiar with some of their deceptive tricks.

Otherwise, everyone in the world would be deceived by these bald monks.

"Twelfth Brother, is the relic produced by Zhongli Jin also fake?"

"Not really." Song Xuan shook his head.

"He must be ill, and I'm afraid he doesn't have long to live."

"what?"

Zhao Zhen was utterly shocked.

He never expected that the Empress Dowager would promote him because of the relic. He thought it was a good omen, but the truth was this inside story.

What bad luck!

"Eat, eat."

Song Xuan saw his daughter return:
"It's time to eat. After we finish eating, let's go home and rest."

Neither Zhao Zhen nor Zhang Fangping continued the topic.

Why bother arguing with someone who's about to die and doesn't even know how much longer they have to live?
Let him yell whatever he wants, how long can he be so arrogant?

Inside the Xiangfu County Government Office.

Song Xiang was busy when he heard someone shout:

"Magistrate Song, are you busy?"

Song Xiang was displeased. Why didn't his men stop them and inform them first?

He looked up and saw that it was Zhongli Jin, the Prefect of Kaifeng, who had come in person.

The fact that Zhongli Jin, the prefect, personally paid a visit, adopting such a humble attitude, could it possibly be a good thing?

Besides, was it some kind of secret in Tokyo that he collected dozens of ships full of rare flowers and stones to give away?

A smile appeared on Song Xiang's face:

"I was unaware that Prefect Zhongli had come in person. I am truly sorry for not welcoming you properly. Please have a seat."

Zhong Lijin noticed that Song Xiang was also wearing a crimson robe and a gold belt, and secretly curled her lip.

Those damn bastards, one after another.

Is it amazing to win three consecutive championships?

"I came down to inspect the area and found that Magistrate Song was much better than Song Twelve. He was so busy with official duties that he had forgotten the time."

Zhong Lijin flicked his sleeve:

“Song Twelve, relying on the Empress Dowager’s favor, actually brought his child to work. I will definitely give him an unsatisfactory rating in the annual performance evaluation.”

Upon hearing this, Song Xiang immediately understood that Zhong Lijin must have run into a wall with his cousin, Song Xuan.

After all, the letter written to him by his younger brother Song Qi was delivered by Song Xuan on his behalf.

Whether other people bring their children or not is none of your business!
Anyway, it didn't interfere with government affairs.

Could Zhong Lijin's statement be an attempt to provoke a conflict between me and him?
Song Xiang just looked at him and smiled, without saying a word.

Zhong Lijin noticed that Song Xiang seemed to have gone mad from reading too much, lacking any sense of propriety and failing to respond to Shangguan's words.

How could he possibly bring it up?
"I'm thirsty."

"It was my mistake."

Song Xiang ordered someone to bring in hot soup to quench the thirst of Prefect Zhongli.

After Zhongli Jin drank the hot soup and calmed down, she thought of what to say and slowly said:
“Magistrate Song took over the corrupt Xiangfu County, cleared the ditches, maintained public order, and collected taxes. He has truly accomplished a great deal, and I am quite pleased with him.”

Song Xiang first bowed towards the direction of the palace:
"It is entirely thanks to the trust and support of the Empress Dowager, as well as the full assistance of Song Twelve, that I have achieved what I have today. Therefore, I dare not take credit for it."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Lijin felt somewhat discouraged.

Not only were they all top scholars, but they also all received the Empress's favor.

He had two such powerful subordinates.

Others can only envy this.

In reality, none of them were of any use to me; it would have been better if they hadn't existed at all!

They're all things you can look at but can't eat; just looking at them makes you angry.

According to Zhong Lijin's plan, he had already been promoted to prefect.

The Song-Song couple would surely bow down and obey him without question.

As a result, Song Xuan pushed the issue to the Empress Dowager.

Song Xiang was actively showcasing his "connections," making it impossible for him to continue the conversation.
"good."

Zhong Lijin truly lived up to his reputation as someone who had experience navigating the officialdom:
“Song Twelve has been busy with various government affairs, so he recommended you to me.”

"Recommend me?" Song Xiang's eyes showed doubt.

"Yes, the Empress Dowager wants to see the results of eliminating the remaining bandits in Wuyou Cave. Song Xuan is too busy, and you, Song Xiang, have been extremely effective in maintaining order in Xiangfu County."

"So he recommended you to me for this task."

Zhong Lijin decisively shifted the blame eastward.

It's not that I wanted to summon you; it's just that Song Xuan pushed the issue onto you.

If you want to resent someone, then resent them.

Zhong Lijin's actions are quite normal. If his subordinates are united, wouldn't that effectively sideline him as their superior?

Moreover, he couldn't command anyone as easily as he would his own arm; he couldn't even direct a single person.

Then we can break up the good relationship between Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, so that they can target each other and we'll have an opportunity to manipulate things.

"Twelve is too modest."

Song Xiang didn't respond to that question. He didn't believe that having a middleman relay the message would accurately guarantee Song Xuan's true intentions.

"So that Prefect Zhongli may know that although I have been an official for many years, I have almost no experience in grassroots governance." "Therefore, I learn from Twelve Lang in everything. He provided me with the Wuyou Cave hideout in Xiangfu County. Now that it is being rented out, the rent can be used for my business."

Zhong Lijin was waiting for Song Xiang to say something next, but he didn't hear what he wanted to hear.

I asked you yes or no.

And you replied with an "or"!

Is this how all these top scholars do things?

Zhong Lijin still refused to give up:

"Magistrate Song, do you think you can shoulder the heavy responsibility of eradicating Wuyou Cave?"

“Prefect Zhongli, my Xiangfu County has too many things to do. We can’t even catch all the scoundrels and ruffians. On top of that, we are having trouble collecting taxes.”

Song Xiang changed his tone: "I wonder if I could ask Prefect Zhongli to help with the tax collection in Xiangfu County?"

"I believe that once those people see that Prefect Zhongli is personally in charge of this matter, they will surely pay their taxes obediently."

Zhong Lijin held her breath, trying her best not to get angry.

He was convinced.

These top scholars all did things this way.

“Magistrate Song, if you can handle this matter, you will be ranked first in the year-end performance evaluation.”

“Prefect Zhongli, tax collection is of paramount importance. If I cannot even complete this task on time, everything else is merely icing on the cake and will be of no benefit to the court.”

Song Xiang and Zhongli Jin were talking at cross purposes.

He paints a rosy picture, and he pours out his grievances.

They focused on one thing and ignored everyone else's conversation.

As for his goal, Zhong Lijin did not achieve what he wanted.

Song Xiang had no desire to have much contact with Zhong Lijin.

He judged that this person would not last long in the position of Prefect of Kaifeng.

It is an insult to the scholars of the Song Dynasty that someone with questionable character can sit in this position through bribery.

As for how Song Xuan dealt with him, Song Xiang didn't need to think about it too much to understand.

At this point, it's merely a gentler imitation.

Song Xiang hasn't yet evolved to the point where he dares to throw a punch at his colleagues.

“You are exactly like Song Xuan, and I will definitely submit a memorial to impeach you.”

"Prefect Zhongli, this is how we do things!"

Zhong Lijin and Song Xiang stared at each other, both of them so angry that their stomachs growled.

He turned and left again.

Once outside, Zhong Lijin made a silent vow.

He wants revenge on both the Great Song Dynasty and the Lesser Song Dynasty!

Since they can't be used by me, then don't blame me for being ruthless.

Song Xiang walked out of his office and strolled off to eat.

Zhongli Jin is nothing but a spineless scoundrel, not worth worrying about.

The local powerful families in Xiangfu County who were unwilling to pay their taxes honestly were the more formidable and ruthless beasts.

Song Xiang couldn't understand how Song Xuan had managed to get these people to obediently bow their heads and listen to him.

After all, at a time like this, relying solely on the Imperial Guards for help wouldn't be of any use.

Liu Sui's impeachment memorial went unanswered, so he went to find the Vice Chancellor, Lü Yijian.

"This memorial has been delivered to the Empress Dowager, and all the other memorials submitted at the same time have been processed."

Lü Yijian said to Liu Sui, "It's possible that your memorial has been suppressed."

Liu Sui looked puzzled:

"Does Your Majesty intend to appoint such a morally reprehensible person as the Prefect of Kaifeng?"

"Once word gets out that he actively bribed his way into becoming the Prefect of Kaifeng, what will become of the dignity of our Great Song Dynasty?"

The position of Prefect of Kaifeng is not comparable to that of other prefectures.

They're not even on the same level.

"I have also heard about this matter."

Lü Yijian stroked his beard.

Could he possibly go to the old lady and tell her she's senile?
He used to be the number one figure in the Empress Dowager's faction, but now the Song-Song couple has surpassed him, and their momentum is strong.

Communicating with the matriarch to achieve one's goals requires a great deal of skill.

Lu Yijian received news that the Empress Dowager had used the pretext of summoning Song Xuan to suddenly reveal her daughter, and then asked Song Xuan for his opinion on Liu Sui's memorial.

Such a self-deceiving act cannot be easily concealed from others.
Lü Yijian was the first to disbelieve that someone like Liu E, who disliked children, would primarily want to see Song Xuan's daughter rather than for any real business.

If I told anyone, no one would believe me.

So Song Xuan was just trying to exonerate Zhong Lijin; this kind of bribe is hard to measure in monetary terms.

After all, it still carries a bit of a "religious" atmosphere. You've just built a new garden at home, and I happen to have a few stones here.

Placing it in the garden allows one to experience the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and incidentally, it can also have effects such as cultivating one's character.

Many people wouldn't believe it has any practical effect.

Otherwise, Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Taizong of Tang, and others would have achieved immortality long ago after consuming elixirs of immortality, instead of all dying.

In Lü Yijian's view, Zhong Lijin's actions could be considered a form of elegant bribery.

It lacks universally recognized economic value and only circulates within small circles where there is mutual agreement.

It's about creating your own private space and enjoying it.

"Prime Minister Lü, since this memorial has been withheld and not issued, should I insist on submitting it again?"

Lü Yijian first gestured to indicate that there was no rush.

If the Empress Dowager refused, Liu Sui would immediately submit a memorial.

The news hadn't spread yet; someone must have told Liu Sui behind his back.

That would be suspected of forming a faction, which would be a bad move.

"No rush," Lü Yijian reassured Liu Sui.
“Zhong Lijin is a man of no ability. He only deceives the Empress Dowager by pretending to be a god. Now that he is the Prefect of Kaifeng, he will surely make many mistakes.”

"You should observe patiently and find other deeds, piling them up one by one. Even if the Empress Dowager wants to protect him, it will be difficult to continue."

"Does Prime Minister Lü mean to follow the example of Wang Mengzheng and bring him to justice?"

"Of course."

Liu Sui nodded, realizing he had been too hasty in some matters:

"Then I shall go and ask Scholar Song."

"Don't go looking for him." Lü Yijian shook his head.
"If Song Twelve wants to bring Zhongli Jin to justice, he will."

"They will definitely step forward on their own."

Lu Yijian stopped himself from speaking in time; he didn't want many people to know his source of information.

This is unsafe and could easily lead to betrayal of the person relaying your messages.

"That's true." Liu Sui nodded.
“Scholar Song will naturally uphold justice. Zhong Lijin’s attempt to force Scholar Song to do things will only backfire and make him feel disgusted.”

Lü Yijian agreed, so he would not get involved in anything concerning Song Xuan at the moment, leaving Wang Zeng to make all the decisions alone.

All he needed to do was ensure that his son and brother maintained a good relationship with Song Xuan.

Even though Lü Yijian had served as an official for many years and finally climbed to the position of Vice Prime Minister, he boasted that he could see through the thoughts of many people.

But Song Xuan's thoughts were the only thing he couldn't figure out, let alone control him and make him work for him.

For someone who is capable but whose true intentions are unclear, Lü Yijian believes his best option is to observe from the sidelines.

No matter what happens, even if someone like Song Xuan is the best at hiding his inner thoughts, they will eventually be exposed.

Just like when Wang Mang was still humble before his usurpation, the Duke of Zhou was terrified by the rumors. Had he died then, who would know the truth of his life?

Lü Yijian believed that all people have aspirations, and that only if he could provide the things or benefits that people aspire to would his subordinates feel secure enough to work for him.

Chen Yaozuo was one such person, and Lü Yijian wanted to help him become the vice prime minister.

As for Chen Yaozi, let's not even mention him.

As the two were talking, Jiang Deming came over to deliver a message, saying that the Empress Dowager wanted to summon Liu Sui, the Right Censor.

Liu Sui was overjoyed, thinking they were going to talk about Zhong Lijin, and quickly followed them.

When Liu Sui met Empress Liu, she did not mention the bribery by Zhongli Jin, the Prefect of Kaifeng. Instead, she gave Liu Sui an important task.

That is to appoint him as the chief envoy to the Khitan.

Liu Sui looked puzzled. Were the Khitan envoys about to arrive in Tokyo?

Liu E knew that Liu Sui was not someone who could give up easily, and in order to prevent anyone from continuing to hold Zhongli Jin hostage.

She planned to kick Liu Sui out of the court, so that he wouldn't have to see him or be bothered by it, and others wouldn't hold a grudge against him.

Liu Sui quickly declined, saying he was ill, especially with his legs and feet, and could not pay his respects.

"Are you really having trouble walking?"

"Your Majesty, I am old and my legs are indeed weak. The journey to the Khitan is probably more than two thousand miles long, and I am really not able to take on this heavy responsibility."

After listening to Liu Sui's explanation, Liu E thought for a while and then waved for him to leave.

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty."

After Liu Sui thanked him, he decided he had no intention of going on a mission to the Khitan.

He must remain in the capital to thoroughly investigate Zhongli Jin's mistakes and oversights, and absolutely not allow such a person to occupy a high position in the court.

Empress Liu was very displeased and immediately ordered someone to impeach Liu Sui.

The next day, Liu Sui was impeached by the authorities, stripped of his official position, and sent to govern Xinzhou.

Since you don't want to be dignified, then I'll find someone to help you be dignified.

You insist on being an eyesore in the court, don't you!

Liu Sui went to see Lü Yijian again, but Lü Yijian only told him to follow the arrangements for the time being.

After all, the Empress Dowager first found a reason to arrange a new job for you and made you go on a temporary business trip, but you made excuses to disobey the arrangement and even tried to cause trouble in secret.

It's perfectly normal for her to punish you directly, kicking you out of the capital.

No one could find fault with the eldest empress.

Moreover, the arrangements made by the Empress Dowager are "royal decrees".

For a civil official like you to disobey the king's orders, being dismissed is the least of your worries; for a military officer in the Song Dynasty, execution is the bare minimum.

The court is now rife with intrigue and treachery, and Lü Yijian has naturally noticed that some are vying for power and profit.

He sent Liu Sui to make a move, also as a test, and to escalate the conflict.

Once someone starts a group, it will motivate others to join in.

Lü Yijian was somewhat looking forward to a purge of the court.

After all, his own people had suffered heavy losses due to their poor management, so he needed to find opportunities to promote more young people to fill the vacancies.

Only in this way can the interests of their own group be better protected, and the descendants of each family be able to go further in the future.

"hey-hey."

When Zhongli Jin, the Prefect of Kaifeng, heard that Liu Sui, who had been impeached, was being transferred to a local post, he was immediately sent away to serve as an official.

He burst into laughter.

This shows that the Empress Dowager still cares for him.

Zhong Lijin stood up, overjoyed again and again.

He vented all the anger he had suffered at the hands of Song Xuan and Song Xiang yesterday.

He was depressed for half the night and finally fell asleep in the latter half.

However, he disliked the tone of the Song-Song couple's voice.

Zhong Lijin hadn't yet come up with a suitable way to deal with them.

As for threatening Song Xiang yesterday, that was just a verbal attempt to gain an advantage.

It's quite embarrassing for a boss to resort to impeaching his subordinates.

Doesn't this expose his incompetence?

Therefore, Zhong Lijin was determined not to report it unless she found something wrong with the two of them.

After much deliberation, Zhong Lijin realized that he was ultimately alone and vulnerable.

He had no real confidants in the Kaifeng government office, and each Kaifeng prefect's term of office was short.

So these people were already used to it; they could do their jobs without the prefect and nothing would go wrong.

Zhong Lijin paced back and forth in his office, his gaze finally landing on the Buddha statue he had obtained. It had been placed there when he took office, a testament to their shared fate.

So he finally had an important idea: to go to the temples in Tokyo and ask them.

Those monks were all very wise, and having lived in Tokyo for a long time, they had many sources of information.

Why not use them to help ourselves?
Since Song Xuan forced Ziyuan, the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple, to solicit donations last year, the name of Kaibao Temple was prominently displayed on the banners used to provide disaster relief to the people outside the city, while the name of Daxiangguo Temple was practically invisible.

As a result, the disaster victims all praised Kaibao Temple, and many of them went to Kaibao Temple to offer incense.

As a result, Kaibao Temple's reputation soared.

It's because we didn't spend more money back then, not even a little more than at Kaibao Temple.

A lot of money was spent, but all the fame went to others.

Abbot Ziyuan was filled with remorse.

He had been hoping for this, and even when grain prices in Tokyo were soaring, he especially hoped that Song Xuan could come again.

He vowed to turn the tide.

The result was skyrocketing grain prices in Beijing, leaving local grain merchants deeply worried.

Forget about his scheming; many merchants who wanted to make a fortune by profiting from high grain prices were left speechless with despair.

From then on, he witnessed Song Xuan's extremely ruthless methods even more, and he also obediently participated in the auction to buy back some "relics" to enshrine.

"Benefactor Zhongli?"

Abbot Ziyuan was surprised by Zhongli Jin's promotion.

After all, he was the one who made that boast, which led to his misjudgment.

"Have you come to worship Buddha today as well?"

"I've come specifically to fulfill my vow, and also to have a chat with Abbot Ziyuan."

Zhong Lijin didn't stand on ceremony and sat directly on the futon.

Ziyuan gets furious whenever he thinks about what Zhongli Jin did back then.

Even monks and nuns are not immune to the seven emotions and six desires. How many enlightened monks can restrain their true nature?

The Xiangguo Temple, in particular, has a very strong commercial atmosphere.

"May I ask what Benefactor Zhongli wishes to discuss?"

"I've recently encountered some difficulties."

Zhongli Jin rambled on as if he were asking Ziyuan to interpret his fortune, mentioning that he had two subordinates who were not at his service.

He wanted to get them to do things, but didn't know where to start, so he wanted to ask the abbot if he had any ideas.
Abbot Ziyuan was also wondering to himself, was he trying to get revenge on Song Xuan?
Should I get involved and vent my anger?

Upon thinking of this, Ziyuan couldn't help but blurt it out.

But years of Buddhist practice taught him that he couldn't speak easily, so he struck the wooden fish in his hand for a long time.

Zhong Lijin also kept her eyes closed and did not urge him.

The sunlight streaming through the window felt warm.

Abbot Ziyuan stopped playing the wooden fish, and Zhongli Jin opened her eyes, looking at him expectantly.

I hope he can give me a satisfactory answer.

“Benefactor Zhongli, the Buddha said: All things are illusions, like dew and lightning.”

"Many things that seem to be possessed may not actually be possessed. Those that seem to have left may not actually have left."

"If cause and effect are truly predetermined, one day, what should be forgotten will be forgotten, and what should be reunited will be reunited."

Zhong Lijin is also a Buddhist nun.

He understood that Abbot Ziyuan was advising him to be more magnanimous and not to scheme against them.

"But I cannot find peace of mind if I do not do this."

"Amitabha."

Abbot Ziyuan chanted a Buddhist prayer and struck the wooden fish again.

"All suffering in the world comes from attachment to self. All suffering is self-inflicted. Suffering is not suffering, and joy is not joy. Don't make yourself suffer more because of temporary attachment."

He opened his eyes and looked at Zhongli Jin:
"I hope that Benefactor Zhongli will think twice and cherish this hard-won blessing."

Zhong Lijin's face showed surprise:
"Do I really have absolutely no chance of winning?"

Abbot Ziyuan recalled how Song Xuan, in order to vent his anger for the soldiers who had borrowed money from the Imperial Guards, had borrowed money from all four temples and refused to repay it.

Although this was just a rumor, many people still believed that Master Song must have had a reason for doing such a thing.

Moreover, given the subsequent announcements, any loan shark that dares to drive someone to their death with exorbitant interest rates will be in for a rude awakening.

After that, all the loan sharking institutions and individuals dared not charge such high interest rates anymore, for fear of being sued by Master Song.

He was a man who could even sentence a relative of the empress to death, and who directly refused the empress's pleas for mercy.

Not to mention when it came to providing relief to disaster victims and repairing rivers, the Empress Dowager entrusted all the important tasks to a county magistrate in Kaifeng, and not to you, the prefectural vice-prefect of Kaifeng.

This clearly shows that the Empress Dowager was indeed good at recognizing people.

Abbot Ziyuan wasn't unwilling to vent his anger, but he simply didn't want to be dragged into the mess by Zhongli Jin.

Moreover, although Ziyuan had been in Buddhism for a long time, he did not believe that a living person could produce relics; such a person was probably not long for life.

“Benefactor Zhongli, you should have compassion in your heart and treat all things with kindness.”

Hearing that even the Buddhist sect he trusted most refused to help him, Zhong Lijin could only get up sadly and stop pressing the matter.

He walked out of the main hall and looked at the blinding sunlight outside.

Is there really no chance at all?

Zhong Lijin was deeply saddened here.

Liu Sui wasn't much better off.

He watched as Song Xuan's daughter ran around on the blanket with a pinwheel, while Song Xuan sat in the middle watching with a smile.

Liu Sui did not heed Lü Yijian's advice; he still did not want anyone to continue what he wanted to do.

He hoped that Song Xuan would become that sharp knife.

"Scholar Song, I intend to say goodbye to you before we part ways."

"What is there for Liu Sijian to say?"

Song Xuan glanced at him, feigning ignorance:

"We're both in Tokyo, so we can meet whenever we want. Or are you planning to retire and return to your hometown?"

"Sigh, it's really hard to explain."

Liu Sui sat in the chair, deliberately casting out old bait, hoping that Song Xuan would take the bait.

"In that case, don't tell anyone about your sad stories. I don't want to hear anything negative."

Song Xuan shouted:
"Wang Bao, immediately send someone to the entertainment district to find two clowns to amuse Liu Sijian and, incidentally, my daughter."

Liu Sui: ? ? ?
(End of this chapter)