A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 452 I am not good with words, but my money will speak for me.

"What did you say?"

Liu E was so shocked that she stood up:
"Song Xuan is actually a sharpshooter?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Yang Huaimin was ordered to go and see what was going on, to see who Song Xuan was going to choose.

As a result, after Song Xuan showed off his skills in front of everyone, Yang Huaimin excitedly ran back to report.

Liu E slowly sat down again, somewhat incredulous at the news.

Those serving around them were also somewhat surprised by the news.

On that day, the top scholar of the Song Dynasty threw a wine cup in the main hall and accurately hit Fang Zhonggong. It seems that it was not just good luck, but that he really had good aim.

"I remember Wang Zeng, who once achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations, also shot an arrow at the target from fifty paces away in front of the Khitans, making them dare not underestimate the top scholar of our Great Song Dynasty."

Yang Huaimin nodded repeatedly:
"Your Majesty truly has an excellent memory."

"Not only Prime Minister Wang, but also the former scholar Chen Yaozi was an excellent archer."

"Within a hundred paces, eight or nine out of ten times you hit the target, and you can also pass through a copper coin and hit the target."

"But he couldn't pass through a copper coin from a hundred paces away, and an oil seller told him the truth, which made Scholar Chen furious."

"But the oil seller could also make the oil pass through the copper coin without a single drop sticking to it. It turned out to be true afterward. He said it was just a matter of practice. Scholar Chen chuckled and let him go."

"Oh, is that so?"

Liu E never expected that Chen Yaozi, who was always short-tempered, would actually let go of an oil seller who had mocked him.

Judging from the old man's hand, it was so steady that even he envied him.

If your hands are not steady, how can you shoot accurately?

"Yes, but Scholar Song is truly the student who surpasses his master."

Yang Huaimin said Chen Yaozi was great, just to make it clear that Song Xuan was even more great.

Empress Liu said with great emotion:

"At first, I thought that Song Xuan's talk about hunting to bring glory to the Song Dynasty was just youthful arrogance."

"Judging from his words and actions now, it turns out he really had a grudge against him."

"It seems the Khitan envoy boasted quite a bit to Song Xuan."

"The Empress Dowager is right."

Yang Huaimin didn't think Song Xuan would cause trouble with this small number of troops, but it was still a bit too little to make a show of things.

A top scholar who passed the imperial examinations in three consecutive examinations, with a bright future ahead of him, who would believe that he would lead troops in rebellion?

He doesn't even need to explain himself; anyone who says such a thing will immediately be ridiculed.

Some even thought that the person who framed Song Xuan had lost his mind and was simply jealous of the top scholar Song, which was why he uttered such nonsense.

"Good good."

Seeing Song Xuan's superb archery skills, Liu E immediately spoke:

"Then let Song Xuan lead a cavalry commander, so that when they are lined up on both sides, they won't look too imposing."

"Here."

Yang Huaimin said that the top scholar Song would surely be grateful to the empress for taking such good care of her.

The Imperial Guard had one commander, the cavalry numbered four hundred men, and the infantry numbered five hundred men.

Liu E waved her hand, telling Yang Huaimin to continue watching the spectacle.

Even now, she still finds it somewhat unbelievable.

I originally thought that those who became top scorers in the imperial examinations were simply good at writing essays and poems.

Unexpectedly, it was also excellent in other aspects.

Now Liu E understands.

Why would a top scholar in the imperial examinations be so sought after by the prime ministers? Not to mention a top scholar who achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations.

However, the imperial examination system limited their strengths, so they were bound to excel in other areas as well.

However, since the Tiansheng era, neither of the two top scholars who achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations were able to be won over by the current prime minister.

Whether it's Wang Zeng or Lü Yijian and others, they will need to put in even more effort to preserve their family's future wealth and status.

Thinking of this, Liu E felt a little smug.

With such talented people at her beck and call, who could possibly shake her rule?
Empress Liu did not want a talented person like Song Xuan to become the prime minister's son-in-law.

Otherwise, she wouldn't feel comfortable using these newly appointed scholars.

Fortunately, these newly appointed scholars also have a sense of shame. Although becoming the son-in-law of the prime minister would save them a lot of trouble, none of them have succeeded yet.

Everyone is vying for the top scorer position; we'll see who comes next year.

Although some border troops were receiving salaries without actually working, the Imperial Guards were still fully staffed.

It shouldn't have come to the point that by the time of Emperor Yingzong, even a commander of the Imperial Guards only had a few dozen cavalrymen, and the commander himself only had one or two hundred men, which was not even enough to meet half of the required number.

Song Xuan heard Yang Huaimin relay the Empress Dowager's decree.

All the generals around him were envious.

Anyone could see that Song Xuan had not only killed the Empress Dowager's in-laws, but also cut off her path to further advancement.

I thought he would suffer a severe blow.

Without explicitly targeting him, they still needed to find someone to sow discord between Song Xuan and others.

But she remained favored and nothing happened to her.

If I don't try to curry favor now, when will I ever have the chance?
Song Xuan felt that Liu E was not generous enough in her handling of things. She kept cutting back on the budget and then started increasing it piece by piece, making people grateful for her generosity.

The differences in thinking between men and women are still quite significant.

But Song Xuan still thanked the Empress Dowager for her decree, after all, the Imperial Guards were too outstanding, and there were too many to choose from among the three hundred men.

Yang Huaimin then quietly reminded Song Xuan to go back and thank him after the selection was completed.

As for the other generals, they were instructed to go directly to their trusted confidants and give good instructions, so as not to embarrass themselves.

Anyway, the rules set by Song Zhuangyuan are now in place. If you want to follow him to the Khitan and live a life of luxury, then you'd better show your true abilities.

So on the training ground, those who rode horses and shot arrows galloped left and right, each trying to show off their skills.

The crowd was abuzz with discussion, but at this point, the Imperial Guards had not yet become too heavily armed.

Although the Song Dynasty lacked warhorses, the Imperial Guard still had a dedicated cavalry force, and even newcomers like Di Qing could enter the cavalry training.

Cao Li asked softly, "Do you want a troublemaker?"

"My rules are: skill in archery and horsemanship, and boldness."

Song Xuan looked at the group of Imperial Guards who had come to sign up and was satisfied:
I don't care whether someone is a troublemaker or not.

Cao Liyong shouted directly, "Where is Liu Ping?"

"The subordinate is here."

Liu Ping, who is now in his thirties, immediately stepped forward from behind Cao Liyong.

Cao Li explained to Song Xuan that although Liu Ping was a military general, he was also a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and was recommended by Prime Minister Kou.

Now he is the Commander-in-Chief of the Palace Guard, skilled in archery and horsemanship, well-versed in poetry and literature, having transitioned from a scholar to a warrior.

Because Cao Cao's father also followed this path, becoming a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and then a military general.

Of course, he was recommended by Kou Zhun, so his official career was just average.

Cao Liyong respected Kou Zhun and took care of those he recommended.

Liu Ping was hot-tempered and impatient for quick success. He was ambushed at Sanchuankou and died because he refused to surrender. His son went to the allied forces for help. The allied forces told his son to fight back and that they would lead troops to support him later. However, he directly led his troops and ran away.

Subsequently, both father and son were killed by the Western Xia Tanguts. The allied general Huang Dehe directly accused Liu Ping of surrendering to the enemy, and the court detained his family members. Fortunately, some defeated soldiers escaped and explained the situation.

Only his youngest son survived in the family. Seeing his hardship in his later years, Su Shi wrote a poem for him and strongly recommended him to the court, which led to a minor promotion.

Song Xuan sized up Liu Ping and laughed heartily:

“I originally didn’t want to become an officer, since being a commander is a demotion, but my father-in-law recommended you so highly, you must have something special about you.”

“Scholar Song, if I were in command, I would certainly obey your orders.”

Liu Ping immediately expressed his opinion that if Song Xuan were to mentor him in the future, he would be able to advance further.

"No joking in the army!"

Song Xuan wanted complete control over the military's discourse.

His blunt words surprised Liu Ping, but he immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute:

"There is no joke in the army."

"Okay." Song Xuan then smiled and said:
"Then I'll have to trouble Commander Liu to go down on the field and supervise everyone."

"Here."

Liu Ping jumped off the viewing platform and began to carefully select his opponents.

Although he didn't know why Song Xuan had chosen someone to be sent as an envoy to the Khitan, he figured there must be a plan, and he would find out when they were halfway there.

"This person is quite capable, but he needs to work on his temperament; he's too impatient."

Cao Liyong stood on the stage:
“I’m mainly worried that you won’t be able to manage four hundred people. These people aren’t some kind of militia or disaster victims.”

"With him assisting you, I can feel more at ease."

"Thank you, father-in-law, I understand."

Song Xuan laughed a few times:

"I'm just going to the Liao Kingdom to put on airs and watch the excitement. As long as I don't fall behind when it matters, that's fine. I still need to practice riding a horse a lot along the way."

"Ah."

Cao Liyong knew that Song Xuan always had a plan in mind and thought things through more comprehensively than he did.

"Today, the envoy of the Guiyi Army has come to me, and he wants to use the power of my Great Song Dynasty to maintain his own rule without any real means."

"I see they're not recognizing the current situation, so I didn't refuse and told them to find a way to get some warhorses."

Cao Li thought for a while:
"I can't see the situation of the other forces in the Northwest clearly right now, as the information is being transmitted too slowly, but the rise of the Tanguts is still foreseeable."

"However, the Guiyi Army was deemed to pose little threat and be merely clinging to life twenty years ago, which is why we accepted their envoy."

"Otherwise, why would they be so eager to come to the Song Dynasty? Do they really think we don't know that they have been made kings by the Khitans?"

"On this point, the Song Dynasty did not recognize any king."

Song Xuan didn't pay much attention, but Liu Congde and Zhao Zhen cheered from time to time.

Not only was the top scholar Song selecting people, but the emperor himself also came, so the imperial guards naturally worked very hard.

After the competition, quite a few names were recorded.

As for the extra people with the quota, Song Xuan also transferred them directly as required.

Yang Huaimin looked at the number of people on the roster:

"Actually, Scholar Song, you can add a few more people, and the Empress Dowager will turn a blind eye."

"no need."

Song Xuan looked at the roster:

"Four hundred people are enough. Besides, the Empress Dowager has been adding more and more, which is already extremely kind of her to me. How can I add more people at will?"

Yang Huaimin was filled with respect; there was a reason why the Empress Dowager liked Song Xuan.

Liu Congde, standing to the side, would only think that the more the better.

They felt no gratitude towards the Empress Dowager and took everything for granted.

Yang Huaimin hurriedly said that he would go back and report to the Empress Dowager.

Cao Liyong then took the roster and had Liu Ping start reading out the names, while the rest of the people could disperse.

Song Xuan told Liu Congde and Zhao Zhen to wait for him until he finished his lecture before leaving.

When they arrived before Liu E, Song Xuan said that four hundred people would be selected according to the requirements.

Liu E asked with some confusion, "Song Wenuan, you are usually quite quick-witted, why are you being so obedient today, not daring to ask for anyone more?"

"The Empress Dowager's request is for a command structure, which I will naturally comply with."

"But I didn't say whether it was organized as a cavalry unit or an infantry unit."

Song Xuan feigned surprise, then spoke again:
"Thank you for the reminder, Your Majesty. I will consider it more next time."

"Hahaha."

Liu E laughed with relief.

She felt that Song Xuan was still too inexperienced in some aspects.

But it's better to be a little younger; it gives me peace of mind when using it.

Just like his father-in-law Cao Liyong, although arrogant, he was still controllable and trustworthy.

Empress Liu also needed many officials to dislike Cao Yong, a man of high position and great power, so that he would not lead the clamor for the Empress to return power to the Emperor.

It's fine for civil officials to shout whatever they want, but military generals still need to be strictly guarded against.

We must never take their words as jokes.

"Song Wenuan, when did you develop such superb archery skills?"

"After I finished my duty, I practiced diligently at home every day, and I also wanted to shoot eagles and hunt, but from the city of Tokyo to the Huai River and other places, the trees have been almost completely cut down, so I can only shoot at the target."

Song Xuan's words made Liu E feel uneasy.

The city of Tokyo does have forests, but they belong to the imperial family.

Only the emperor was allowed to go there to hunt; allowing ordinary people to go and enjoy themselves on ordinary days and holidays was already an act of great imperial grace.

If the government is so generous, it's even more dangerous to allow commoners and officials to hunt and play in the royal gardens, as that would only make things worse.

This door must not be opened.

"So you've been holding back your ambition and want to go hunting in the Khitan forests?"

"Yes, I have heard that he travels around to hunt in all four seasons, so I request to be sent on this mission."

"On the one hand, it's about sharing the burden for the country, and on the other hand, it's also about letting myself test how to shoot a moving target."

Song Xuan spoke frankly, leaving Liu E with no fault to find.

After all, scholars are very good at giving their words and actions a noble name, while labeling their opponents as unrighteous.

"Are four hundred people enough?"

Song Xuan bowed again: "Your Majesty, I am here as an envoy to the Liao Kingdom, not to attack it. Besides, I am not like Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin, who has the idea that the more soldiers the better."

"Even with four hundred men, I would need someone to assist me if I wanted to lead them without making any mistakes."

"Indeed, the art of military campaigns is not something that just anyone can learn."

Liu E nodded slightly. She defined Song Xuan as someone who came up with ideas from the rear, but if it came to fighting a real battle, a large number of military generals would fight alongside him.

If we send scholars who have passed the imperial examinations to risk their lives, wouldn't that be saying to the outside world that the Song Dynasty has no one to rely on?

"Since you have this awareness, I believe that after this mission to the Khitan, you might be able to lead a thousand men without any problem in the future."

"I think we should proceed step by step. Next time, we should try with eight hundred men. We cannot be reckless and arrogant."

"You should be cautious."

Liu E was highly sensitive to this number and didn't want to discuss it further, instead changing the subject:
"You are qualified to be the chief envoy, but you are still inexperienced. Even if you are talented, you must proceed step by step."

"In addition, you are usually gentle and refined, but you are prone to losing your temper when things happen. The Song and Liao have been at peace for more than 20 years, so we should not provoke you lightly."

"I understand."

"Hmm, I will consider the matter of the envoy further. Do you have anyone in mind?"

Who is the envoy?

Song Xuan didn't care at all, so he continued to shake his head:

"My understanding of the Khitan is limited to what the envoy said. As for internal affairs, I do not know who frequently sends envoys to the Khitan, so I have no suitable candidates."

"Alright, then you should go back and rest."

"Here."

After Song Xuan took his leave, Liu E breathed a sigh of relief. Since Song Xuan hadn't secretly formed a faction, that was fine.

Otherwise, it would be perfectly reasonable for Song Xuan to promote someone to this position!

In the imperial court, all sorts of tests are ever-present.

Empress Liu E directly drew up a diagram showing all the relationships between the prime minister and other high-ranking officials and hung it up.

When deciding who to promote, Liu E had to carefully examine and compare their names on the relationship chart.

Song Xuan's non-stick pans will never get involved in murky waters.

Anyway, it doesn't matter who the envoy is, it won't affect his plans.

This is the advantage of not having any power base in the court.

Cao Li's network of connections consisted mostly of military generals, with very few civil officials.

When they returned to the training ground, torches had already been lit all around.

Song Xuan heard Liu Ping say that all four hundred people had arrived.

Liu Ping stood aside, waiting for Song Xuan to give him a lecture.

After all, everyone knows that the top scholar of the Song Dynasty was eloquent and could leave those treacherous officials in the court speechless.

As for the selected Imperial Guards soldiers below, they all wanted to hear what Song Xuan's arrangements were, so they stared intently at Song Zhuangyuan on the viewing platform.

Song Xuan didn't waste any more words, and picked up the megaphone:

"My fellow Imperial Guards, I only have three sentences to say."

"I have consulted with the Empress Dowager, and you do not need to come to the palace for your duties tomorrow."

"Okay."

Laughter could be heard from below.

"Everyone knows that I, Song Twelve, am not good with words, so tomorrow at three-quarters past the hour of You (5:45 PM), I will invite everyone to drink at Fanlou."

"It's too late today, and Fanlou can't reserve enough seats for so many people. Everyone, please leave now."

Not only was Liu Ping somewhat bewildered, but the soldiers below also couldn't believe that Song Xuan would speak so briefly.

Even if it's an expedition.

The commander-in-chief then needs to say some inspiring words to boost morale.

The top scholar only said three sentences; was he not good with words?
But it seems that the top scholar Song said a lot more.

After all, the top scholar Song had asked everyone to go to Fanlou for dinner and drinks the next day.

Is that a place that anyone can go to?

Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, Liu Ping issued the order to disband the group.

To be honest, he didn't understand Song Xuan's actions either.

Song Xuan tossed the megaphone to Liu Ping: "Liu Yuhou, see you tomorrow."

See you tomorrow.

Liu Ping watched as Song Xuan left with a few people.

The soldiers were extremely excited and planned to have a big feast at Fanlou the next day.

Some soldiers who had followed Li Zhaoliang had been entertained by Song Xuan, so they all came to ask him how he was doing and whether he should wear nice clothes.

I didn't drink last time, but I can drink this time.

They were shouting loudly, without lowering their voices at all.

This naturally drew envy from those around them. There was nothing they could do; after all, they were skilled in archery and horsemanship and had been chosen.

Although connections are rampant in the military, the strong are still respected in most cases.

"Twelfth Brother, let's go there for a meal."

"We had lunch together, and I have to go home tonight to be with my wife, concubines, and daughter. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Song Xuan turned his head and said, "Liu Dalang, we need to prepare at least forty-one tables tomorrow."

“It’s a small problem. Even if we have to do it tonight, I’ll make sure they make room for us.”

There's no need to be in such a hurry.

Song Xuan smiled and said, "We need to give the people at Fanlou some time to prepare the food. There's no need to make things so tense."

"Alright, alright, I know you, Lord Song, are a kind-hearted person."

Song Xuan told him that he needed to discuss with his father-in-law on the way how to get these people to obey him.

Liu Congde bid farewell to Song Xuan and rode home in his own carriage.

Zhao Zhen then spoke, "Twelfth Brother, I have something to tell you."

"Let's go, get in the carriage first."

Song Xuan jumped onto his horse and took advantage of Cao Li's trip to the toilet.

Zhao Zhen quickly said that the matter was settled.

"Yes, Your Majesty must not reveal anything, or there will be endless trouble."

Song Xuan also lowered his voice:

"Remember, remember."

Zhao Zhen nodded heavily:
"Twelfth Brother, I'm still worried about you with so few men. If it really doesn't work, you can gather some more idlers."

"I will take a few of my trusted confidants with me."

Song Xuan chuckled and said, "I've always wanted to take the army out for a spin, and the thought of it is quite exciting."

"Then you've got what you wanted."

"the same as you."

After they finished speaking, they burst into laughter.

Cao Liyong coughed outside, then lifted the curtain and came in. He saw the Emperor and bowed.

"Minister Cao, please deliver this to Yuqing Palace on your way."

Cao Liyong nodded and instructed the coachman to leave immediately.

None of the three spoke until the emperor got out of the carriage and entered the Yuqing Zhaoying Palace under the escort of a group of people.

The horse-drawn carriage traveled along the road, blocking out the hawking noises from most of the stalls outside.

Cao Liyong looked puzzled:
"Warmth, why didn't you say more just now?"

"With me here, I can speak up for you, so why do you still say you're not good with words?"

"Who could believe that?"

Seeing Cao Liyong's confusion, Song Xuan chuckled:
“Father-in-law, as everyone knows, I am not good with words, but my money will speak for me.”

Cao Liyong was even more puzzled.

These missions to the Khitan were official business; what did they have to do with money?

"What can I say to a bunch of ordinary soldiers? They don't believe me anyway."

Song Xuan had a smile on his face:

"So I'll pave the way with money first, to show them that following me, Song Twelve, they can still live a life of luxury."

"So, did what I said next sound somewhat agreeable to them?"

"Good guy."

Cao Yongli did not expect that Song Xuan would not choose to talk when facing these soldiers.

Instead, when it comes to real money, they should quiet them down and listen to him speak.

"This is the first time I've seen such a method, but it works quite well."

Cao Liyong stroked his beard and said:
"After all, how could we, as generals of the Great Song Dynasty, dare to use money to bribe our soldiers?"

"The imperial court is extremely cautious in its guard against military generals."

"You can use such a common method, but we cannot."

"It doesn't matter if it's a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat."

Song Xuan didn't care:
“Father-in-law, after we leave, the 40,000 taels of gold from Fanlou, as well as the 20,000 taels of gold that have already been paid out, will be brought into your home.”

"what?"

Cao blinked and asked, "Where did you come from?"

"I remembered."

He quickly asked, "Good son-in-law, what do you mean by this?" "I'm keeping it safe for you. I can't very well dig a cellar in Zhang's house."

Song Xuan said softly, "Isn't my father-in-law's money vault empty?"

"It's good to take it back and use it to suppress the wealth; maybe it can even attract some fortune."

"You, you."

Cao Liyong nodded: "They are indeed cautious."

Song Xuan didn't mention that this was a secret stash he had saved for Zhao Zhen.

"This matter must not be leaked."

“I know.” Cao Liyong pointed to himself:
"Just you wait and see, even if someone else comes to search the house, they won't find anything."

"That's good."

Song Xuan felt that such a large sum of money could not be kept in his own home, as it was all for women and children.

It would be better to place it at my father-in-law's house, where there are many brothers-in-law and many people.

After the two parted, Song Xuan returned home, ate dinner as usual, and took the opportunity to check his wife Cao Qing's pulse to confirm that there was nothing wrong.

"Okay, you're in good health."

Song Xuan stood up and strolled around for a few minutes:
"I think we'll be heading to Khitan in the next few days."

"Qingyao, you don't need to worry. If there are any problems, just send someone to Yuqing Zhaoying Palace to find Physician Wang. His medical skills are superb."

"it is good."

Cao Qingyao wasn't too worried about Song Xuan; she always believed that Song Xuan could solve any problem.

Song Sisi, standing to the side, stretched out her arm and asked, "Is Father going on another long trip?"

"Ah."

Song Xuan picked her up and strolled around with her, saying:

"Let's go for a stroll up north for a bit, and I'll see what interesting things there are and bring you back some local specialties."

"Sisi doesn't want local specialties, she just wants her father to stay with her."

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan laughed loudly, then carried her around the room and patted Madam Gu on the shoulder.

Song Sisi slept with Cao Qingyao at night.

Because Madam Gu wanted to sleep with Song Xuan.

The two lingered together for a long time.

Madam Gu lay in Song Xuan's arms, the blush on her face still lingering.

"You had this planned all along, didn't you?"

"Yes."

Song Xuan touched her ear:

"It was decided last year, but I'm a little worried that while I'm away from the Song Dynasty, someone might come to bully you and your daughter."

"With your reputation as the timely rain of Songcheng, who would dare to bully us, mother and daughter?"

"Of course it's your family!"

Song Xuan's words sent a chill down Madam Gu's spine:
"You know it all?"

“Your brothers are good-for-nothings, and your parents wanted to sell you again to marry you off to someone else. I didn’t throw them into the river, which is already a favor to you.”

Song Xuan's hand moved gently over the surface:

"You know, I'm quite protective of my own."

"Yes, I never imagined that the people who hurt me the most would be my own family."

Madam Gu looked somewhat forlorn as she held Song Xuan in her arms.

"Fortunately, I still have you."

The next day, Song Xuan was still in high spirits. Before he even left the house, he received a letter.

It was mainly about his former classmate and friend Wang Tai (son of Prime Minister Wang Dan). There wasn't anything too serious about it; he was just showing off his ability to govern in the local area.

I hope that Song Xuan, as the magistrate of the capital of the Song Dynasty, won't be under too much pressure, especially if he has any interpersonal problems that he can't handle.

Although his father died early, his sisters still married the sons of officials in the imperial court.

Wang Tai specifically pointed out that his eldest sister's husband was Han Yi, and his fourth sister's husband was Lü Gongbi, the second son of Vice Chancellor Lü Yijian.

His older brothers also had influence with the Empress Dowager, so he had a network of connections.

In Tokyo, without a network of connections, it's virtually impossible to get anywhere as an official.

Wang Tai did not want Song Xuan to have an overly difficult journey.

Especially in Tokyo, they are extremely easy to be resented.

He also mentioned that he corresponded with Fan Xiang, who told him about the good news of his wife's pregnancy, but he didn't know when his wife's belly would show any signs of labor.

By the way, I'd like to ask if Song Xuan's wife has gotten pregnant after being married for so long, as I've come specifically to ask for some recipes to help him get some nourishment.

Finally, he wrote a few more poems, reminiscing about the wonderful days when everyone studied together for the imperial examinations.

Nowadays, officials are scattered all over the country, and it's estimated that we might not see each other for several years.

After reading the letter, Song Xuan couldn't help but burst into laughter a few times.

You bastard Wang Tai, all you want is to get the recipe from me to help your wife conceive.

Judging from your appearance, you've been married for quite some time but haven't had any children yet, so you must be getting anxious.

Back when Wang Tai was in Nanjing, he would occasionally visit brothels to enjoy himself, but he seemed to lack the energy to do so.

Now that you know you need to be more restrained, are you starting to try to conceive?

Then you need to exercise some restraint.

Song Xuan immediately wrote down many precautions for him, hoping that he would not become depressed after reading them.

He also mentioned in the letter the good news that his wife was pregnant and that his concubine had given birth to a daughter.

Remember to prepare a gift next time we meet.

After the ink dried, Song Xuan told him what he had done in Tokyo. He said, "I don't keep in touch with your eldest brother-in-law Han Yi, but your fourth brother-in-law Lü Gongbi works for me."

I'm not saying I get whatever I want in Tokyo these days, but I haven't encountered any major storms either.

The Chen brothers have been kicked out of the court, so you don't need to worry about that.

As for writing poetry, you still need to practice more. I won't do any matching poems for you, lest I embarrass you in public.

I'm about to head to Khitan for a visit. When I get back, I'll brag to you about my experiences there.

Song Xuan wrote a letter here, stating that the court had designated Han Yi as the chief envoy to the Khitan.

Han Yi is over fifty years old.

His son, Han Zong, once studied at Yingtian Academy and became acquainted with Song Xuan.

However, the competition with Song Xuan was too fierce, and his son failed the exam.

When Han Yi received the imperial decree, he was still somewhat bewildered.

He never expected that he would be sent as an envoy to the Khitan, and that he would be accompanied by three deputy envoys, who were old acquaintances.

Usually, it only takes two people, the chief and the deputy, to handle it.

Although the two sides were sworn brothers, the civil officials of the Song Dynasty never took them seriously.

Many of their actions are highly hypocritical.

For example, when Song envoys went to Khitan, they were required to sit in the first seat, while when Khitan people came to the Song Dynasty, they were required to sit in the barbarian seats in the back row.

Even Song envoys could directly meet the Empress Dowager of Liao, while Khitans were not worthy of meeting Empress Liu E, and so on.

The deputy envoys were Song Xuan, Liu Congde, and Wang Chong, the second son of Wang Dan.

Han Yi felt that the Empress Dowager wanted Liu Congde to be sent to a post outside the capital so that he could accumulate experience and achieve a higher official rank than many others at such a young age.

I wonder if the Song Dynasty's top scholar's angry shout in the palace that day dissuaded the Empress from emulating Wu Zetian.

Liu Congde's identity is quite complicated.

As for Wang Chong, Han Yi knew that the Empress Dowager was very saddened by Wang Dan's passing, so she treated his children well.

He guessed that this mission was also to enhance Wang Chong's prestige.

Besides, the two families are related, so Han Yi didn't think there was a problem.

As for Song Xuan going?

Han Yi really couldn't understand it.

He was doing well in Tokyo, and was also busy with river management and disaster relief.

"ah."

Han Yi suddenly slapped his thigh, realizing he had almost forgotten.

In fact, many people in the main hall that day noticed that the Empress Dowager was deliberately asking questions, and that Fang Zhonggong had suddenly died.

No one believed that the top scholar Song could kill someone with a single kick.

The man was perfectly fine when he arrived at the Kaifeng government office, but then he suddenly died.

Who would believe there's nothing fishy going on here?
The Empress Dowager appointed Song Xuan as the deputy envoy, which was actually a disguised form of exile for him, in order to prevent Song Xuan from disgracing the Khitan people.

Then when the Empress Dowager returns, she can rightfully punish him.

After all, Song Xuan was doing very well in Kaifeng County, and it was difficult to find any dirt on him.

After Han Yi understood the meaning of the appointment, he went to find Lü Yijian.

Back then, he was able to outshine Li Di, who had served as vice prime minister, thanks to Lü Yijian's recommendation.

The two of them had no prior connection; they became relatives solely through Wang Dan's connections.

The Empress Dowager often bypassed the prime ministers to issue orders, and this time was no exception.

Lu Yijian frowned slightly, and upon hearing Han Yi's words, he shook his head repeatedly:

"Can't."

"how?"

Han Yi didn't think his analysis was wrong.

"After hearing yesterday that Scholar Song had demonstrated his archery skills, he began to select Imperial Guards soldiers to work with him. So it turns out it was for an envoy mission."

Lü Yijian stroked his beard:

"Could it be that the top scholar Song had already received the news, which is why he selected soldiers to accompany him on his mission?"

"So he wasn't exiled?"

Han Yi omitted the title "Grand Madam" to avoid others overhearing and causing unnecessary trouble.

"Ah."

Although Lü Yijian felt that Empress Liu was sometimes impulsive, she still possessed a certain degree of political acumen at times.

Although Song Xuan stopped that behavior in the main hall, and despite much speculation, the key witness, Fang Zhonggong, was already dead.

Then there's nothing more to say; the matter ends here.

What else can be found if we investigate further?

Zhong Lijin, the Prefect of Kaifeng, will not be in a passive position in the short term.

"Could it be that the Empress Dowager wants to groom Song for the top scholar position? Anyway, everything in Kaifeng County is proceeding as planned, without any major changes?"

"You have a point."

Lü Yijian also felt that Liu E wanted to groom Song Xuan.

Otherwise, the task of selecting soldiers should be placed on Han Yi, not on Song Xuan.

"So, I actually have a hunch that it was Song Xuan who volunteered, which is in line with his personality."

Although Lü Yijian had little contact with Song Xuan, he had always kept an eye on him and observed him more closely than the average person.

He has high hopes for this rising star.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have immediately made his second son follow him.

Lü Yijian's bottom line was very flexible; his eldest son was still hanging around with Liu Congde.

Anyway, it's harmless for the younger generation to play together; it's all for the benefit of the family.

Han Yi had always trusted Lü Yijian's judgment, and he asked with some surprise, "What is Song Xuan doing in the Khitan?"

"I guess it's because they sold it for a high price of one million strings of cash, so they want to go to the Khitan to see if there's any other business they can do to make money."

Lü Yijian became more and more confident as he spoke:
"Otherwise, why would he have brought that spoiled brat Liu Congde along?"

“In the entire city of Tokyo, apart from the Empress Dowager, there are very few people who can make Liu Congde lower his head and obey, but Song Xuan is the first one.”

"So I guess Song Xuan wanted to go on a mission to the Khitan and brought Liu Congde along. Otherwise, two envoys would have been enough. One envoy and three envoys would not have been enough for the Khitans."

"Prime Minister Lü's words were truly enlightening."

Han Yi nodded repeatedly: "Song Xuan and I are old acquaintances, so I'll pretend I don't know anything about this."

"Correct."

Lü Yijian also agreed with Han Yi's idea:
"Just pretend you don't know anything, and secretly observe what Song Xuan is trying to do?"

"Okay, then I understand."

Han Yi didn't say anything more and left directly.

Lü Yijian remained where he was, his eyes slightly narrowed.

He couldn't figure out what Song Xuan was up to either.

However, that didn't stop him from wanting to throw his son into the mission, but he was better at observing what Song Xuan wanted to do than Han Yi.

What danger could there be in being sent as an envoy to the Khitan?

In Lü Yijian's view, was Song Xuan the kind of person who liked adventure?
Obviously not. Despite his young age, this young man is a cautious person by nature.

Look at his daily patrols in Tokyo. No matter the weather, whenever he is on duty, he always requires his constables to escort him and not allow anyone else to get close, all to guard against the thieves of Wuyou Cave.

Even when he's resting, he's always surrounded by guards.

Therefore, based on all these behaviors, Lü Yijian's judgment that Song Xuan was cautious by nature was entirely correct.

Who could have guessed that Song Xuan wanted to go to the Khitan country to see if there was a rebellion, or even if there wasn't, he still wanted to stir things up.

After Song Xuan finished his regular shift, he received a message from Yang Huaimin that Han Yi was the chief envoy.

Three days later, at the request of the Khitans, he led a group to escort the treasure to the Liao Kingdom.

Song Xuan hadn't expected Wang Tai's letter to arrive at such a perfect time.

At this point, Zhang Fangping was already handling things within the county government. Song Xuan didn't care, but he figured Han Yi would have to have another meeting.

As expected, Song Xuan was not kept waiting long; Han Yi sent someone to invite him over.

At this moment, all four of them were sitting in the office.

Han and Yi introduced themselves to each other.

Despite his advanced age, Wang Chong was quite obsequious to Liu Congde.

Han Yi simply sighed, "It's not a common occurrence for a hero like father to be a hero."

Of the three sons in the Wang family, only the third son, Wang Tai, passed the imperial examination and will likely have a higher official career than his two older brothers.

Han Yi looked at Song Xuan and asked, "Song Wenwen, is there anything you want to say?"

"It's true that stories don't happen by chance."

Song Xuan also explained with a smile:
“I received a letter from Wang Tai this morning. He told me that if I encountered any difficulties in the capital, I should seek your help. I never expected to be assigned to this place.”

"Oh?" Wang Chong was somewhat surprised.
"My third brother actually wrote to you, but he didn't even write to us. This kid has really gone wild."

"I wonder if Scholar Song could show me the letter from my third brother?"

"That's not quite appropriate."

Song Xuan quickly waved his hand:

“It’s a private letter, and we two are not in a position to let outsiders know what we’re saying. If Vice Envoy Wang wants to know, I can bring you the poems he’s written recently.”

"That brat's wings have really hardened."

Wang Chong didn't say much. His third brother had passed the imperial examination with proper credentials, and his future prospects would definitely be better than theirs.

As for Song Xuan, Wang Chong didn't want to have too much contact with him. He was capable of kicking a court official to death in public in the main hall, so he was definitely not someone easy to get along with.

Moreover, he had long heard of the strong-arm tactics employed by the governor of Kaifeng County.

"What did Zhongyi say that can be told to others?"

Upon hearing Han Yi's question, Song Xuan thought for a moment:

“He lived in Tokyo when he was young and knew that I had a strong personality, so he only came to you for help when he encountered difficulties at this time.”

"After all, Tokyo is a mixed bag, and there are many bad people there."

“I will reply to him and tell him that when he returns to Beijing to visit his family after completing his term, he will be greatly surprised and let him see the results of my governance. I will tell him not to be complacent after achieving a little success.”

“Zhongyi is such a kind-hearted person.”

Han Yi stroked his beard and smiled, "I wonder what preparations Scholar Song has made for his trip to the Khitan?"

"I wasn't very prepared. It was that treasure worth a million strings of cash. The Khitans asked the Empress Dowager to send someone to escort it, so they chose me."

Han Yi didn't believe Song Xuan's words; they were just a temporary excuse, and he didn't intend to actually ask him.

Since we're just chatting, not asking questions would seem a bit forced.

"And what about Prefect Liu?"

"Me?" Liu Congde coughed.
"I just wanted to see the scenery beyond the Great Wall. I heard that the mutton there is even better than that of the Khitans."

"Then you've come to the right place. The sheep will be slaughtered on the spot, which is completely different from the sheep sold to my Great Song Dynasty."

Wang Chong quickly echoed:

"Prefect Liu, we'll eat mutton every day then."

"Good good."

Liu Congde didn't care about Wang Chong's flattery; there were plenty of ministers like him.

He wouldn't care.

Therefore, after Han Yi gave his instructions, he hoped that everyone would be careful with their words and actions when they arrived in Khitan, after all, they represented the image of the Song Dynasty.

If you say the wrong thing, it could easily cause a diplomatic incident, which would be terrible.

Song Xuan immediately stated that he would definitely follow Han Zhengshi's lead: "If anything unexpected happens, we can discuss and decide what to do."

“That’s right, Twelfth Brother is right,” Liu Congde quickly agreed.

Wang Chong raised an eyebrow slightly but remained silent when he heard Liu Congde address Song Xuan.

Han Yi agreed. He knew that Song Xuan was quick-witted, and if anything happened, they could discuss it together.

He was afraid that Liu Congde would act impulsively and recklessly, even towards the Khitans.

It seems Liu Congde is quite impressed with Song Xuan, so Han Yi can rest assured.

If he can't control Liu Congde, can't he at least control Song Xuan?

He, the top scholar of the Song Dynasty, must have been a person who understood the bigger picture; otherwise, he would not have repeatedly spoken out for justice in the court, nor would he have risked offending the Empress Dowager's relatives by marriage to stand up for the people.

The entire four-person team only requires him to discuss matters with Song Xuan.

The other two deputy envoys are just gilded trophies; as long as they don't cause trouble, they'll be fine.

After making his assessment, Han Yi didn't say anything more.

Instead, they told everyone to go home and pack up first, since it would take a long time to get back and the weather might be cold by then.

Also, it gets cool in the mornings and evenings on the grasslands, so bring some warm clothes.

Their wool cloaks smelled terrible when they wore them.

Liu Congde followed Song Xuan away, and Wang Chong hesitated, saying:

"Envoy Han, is the young scholar Song capable of shouldering such a heavy responsibility?"

Han Yi glanced at him. At least he proved his ability by becoming an official. And did you think it was so easy to pass the imperial examination with top honors in all three levels?

“Vice Envoy Wang, there’s no need to worry. This is just a simple mission. We travel back and forth three times a year. As long as Prefect Liu doesn’t abuse his position and speak recklessly, what are you worried about?”

"Envoy Han is right."

Wang Chong also left silently.

He felt as if Song Xuan was mocking him for flattering Liu Congde.

Although Song Xuan's upturned lips quickly faded, Wang Chong, who was extremely sensitive to this matter, still caught it.

But now that his family has fallen, he can still accept this bit of flattery and humiliation.

Otherwise, it will be even more difficult for the next generation.

"Twelfth Brother, what makes you think Han Yi deserves to be the chief envoy?"

Liu Congde said with great dissatisfaction, "You should be the one to take the position."

"No," Song Xuan waved his hand in refusal, "Do you even know how to say polite things to a Khitan?"

"I won't."

"Do you think I would do that?"

"Hahaha."

Liu Congde laughed, now understanding why the Empress Dowager had made such an arrangement.

Realistically speaking, the imperial court would not allow Song Xuan, who had not served as an official for many years, to assume such an important responsibility.

Even if Empress Liu E did not issue orders directly through the prime ministers, she would not be so willful in this matter.

Fanlou has five buildings in total, and can usually accommodate banquets for three to four thousand people.

Today, Song Xuan booked an entire building to entertain these Imperial Guards.

This matter had already spread throughout the capital.

Master Song said he was not good with words, and told everyone to follow him to Fanlou to eat and drink well.

Such practices made the Imperial Guards soldiers who were not selected extremely envious.

With the Song Dynasty enjoying a long period of peace, the training of the Imperial Guards had indeed become lax, and they often neglected to maintain their military preparedness.

Especially since mounted archery is a skill-intensive activity, it was naturally able to eliminate most of the Imperial Guard soldiers.

As for the selected soldiers, they not only rested at home for a day, but also deliberately saved room for food, not even eating lunch.

I'm just looking forward to this big meal tonight.

I barely make ends meet on a normal day, let alone come to Fanlou for a meal. I've been talking about it all the time, but I've never had the chance to come.

Now that they are living a life of luxury under Master Song's guidance, many soldiers are eager to get started and arrived early, taking their seats before the appointed time.

Someone would ask for names and register them according to the roster to avoid missing anyone, and then guide them over.

Di Qing and his friends all came together, as Di Qing was a very sociable person.

Liu Ping sat to the side waiting, and he could feel the excitement emanating from many of the Imperial Guard soldiers.

This is Fanlou!

Having a meal and drinks here would definitely make you look very prestigious.

Song Xuan didn't have to wait long, until everyone on the roster arrived.

He came straight downstairs and walked to the corridor directly opposite the lobby.

Everyone looked up and bowed. Song Xuan asked them to sit down and said a few words.

"All of you Imperial Guard brothers were selected to join the mission to the Khitan based on your own abilities."

Song Xuan stood in the second-floor hallway and shouted to the people below:

“I, Song Xuan, have done some things in the capital city and have become somewhat famous. The people give me face and call me Master Song, Scholar Song, and some even call me Little Lord Song.”

"But none of that matters. What matters is that I made a little money from the Khitans."

Di Qing and the others laughed when they heard this.

One million strings of cash is a small sum; the top scholar Song is too joking.

Song Xuan's words resonated deeply:

"I'll say it again: I'm not good with words, so just watch my actions."

"Therefore, you are welcome to eat and drink to your heart's content in this Fanlou restaurant today."

"I, Song Twelve, will pay for all your bills. I mean what I say!"

(End of this chapter)