A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 453 The Soldier Who Didn't Want to Be a General (Seeking votes for next month at the end of the month)
The Imperial Guards looked at each other in bewilderment at Song Xuan's bold words.

None of them dared to speak loudly.

In the past, everyone was only outwardly respectful when "the superior gave instructions".

But Song Xuan didn't know how to say those flattering words; he just used money to his advantage, which made these soldiers uncomfortable.

Besides, what family would be so generous as to host such a large banquet at Fanlou and let everyone eat and drink to their heart's content?
This is not a dream, right?
Based on past experience, how could a top scholar possibly host a banquet for a lowly soldier?
The two parties are not on equal footing.

But now, the top scholar's real money has replaced the empty talk and hypocrisy of the past, which is really hard to get used to.

Liu Ping's eyelids twitched:

"Did the top scholar Song allow these gluttonous men who have never seen the world to eat and drink to their hearts' content at Fanlou?"

"Doesn't he consider the consequences of how much money he'll spend?"

Yesterday he was expecting Song Zhuangyuan to speak eloquently and boost the morale of the soldiers, but he only said three sentences: tomorrow is a holiday, a banquet will be held at Fanlou, and everyone is dismissed now.

When Liu Ping arrived at Fanlou today, he was hoping that Song Xuan could inspire the soldiers with eloquent words, but instead he said to eat as much as he wanted and put everyone's bill on his own.

We've all seen people who are generous and magnanimous.

But I have never seen anyone as bold and generous as Song Xuan.

Song Zhuangyuan seemed to treat money as nothing at all.

Di Qing was the first to raise the alarm:

"We are very grateful for Scholar Song's invitation to the banquet."

Di Qing was capable of commanding troops, so he was naturally a very adaptable person, and at this moment he appeared even more astute.

His shout brought everyone back to their senses, and they were all overjoyed, loudly thanking Song Xuan.

The entire building resonated with the gratitude of the crowd.

Without waiting for their response, Song Xuan ordered the dishes to be served.

Moreover, with today's education, Song Xuan didn't think it was pointless to talk nonsense to the soldiers. Instead, he directly stimulated their needs and brought them all to Fanlou Restaurant.

This matter will surely satisfy most people.

After all, Fanlou is indeed a high-end place.

After Song Xuan went downstairs, he thought he would just find a table to sit down at.

"My lord."

Zhu Guan clasped his hands in a gesture of great excitement.

Last year he was a criminal working under Song Xuan, but this year he has transformed into a soldier in the Imperial Guard.

"Hey, you're on the right track now."

Song Xuan stopped and pointed at him, saying:

"Zhu Guan, I remember you. Last year, you led your team to first place in the silt clearing operation and were rewarded with Snowflake Wine."

Zhu Guan was overjoyed: "I never expected that you, sir, would still remember me."

"Your skills are quite good; you were selected to be here. There will be plenty of Snowflake wine for you today."

"Thank you, sir."

Zhu Guan then sat down, his face becoming even more smug.

"This humble servant greets Your Excellency."

Zhao Jin is also a criminal.

Because they had made a contribution by capturing the escaped "criminal Lin family members" during the dredging operation, these people were recruited into the army by Ren Fu.

"Okay, okay." Song Xuan nodded in agreement. "We'll have a drink later."

"You flatter me."

Zhao Jin quickly bowed; he loved doing things for Song Xuan the most.

Lord Song is known for his generosity, and today's events further prove that what he boasted about in the army back then was not false.

So Zhao Jin, looking quite pleased with himself, sat down again and chuckled at the person at the table.

Song Xuan glanced around and didn't see many familiar faces; most were new faces.

He saw Liu Ping sitting there, and there were empty seats, so he sat down directly.

After Song Xuan ordered the dishes to be served, the people at Fanlou got busy, and the surrounding area became lively.

Ren Fu couldn't help but angrily rebuke:
"We're all civilized people here, this is Fanlou!"

"Li Yuheng, you son of a bitch, don't you dare pick up the plate and put it in your mouth to drink the food!"

"You fucking leave me a bite!"

Lee Woo-hyung wiped his mouth and put down the empty plate:
"Boss, we're all warriors, why pretend to be gentlemen?"

"Yes."

People like Li Yuheng are not uncommon.

Since the top scholar Song said those three sentences, many of them haven't eaten since last night.

I emptied my bowels before coming here, just in case I had any left in my stomach!

Ren Fu's eyes showed a look of confusion:

"Hey, I was saying, you've never eaten with Scholar Song before, so why didn't I see you acting like this last time?"

"Can that be the same?"

Lee Woo-hyung grunted twice:

"That used to be the cooking of the Fourth Division, which we ate out. This is Fanlou!"

"You fucking know it's Fanlou!" Ren Fu shouted angrily again, looking at all the empty plates.

"Everyone here is a high-ranking official or dignitary, and they all eat very politely."

Li Yuheng ignored him and instead called to the tea server:

"Bring me another one of this dish."

"you."

"Brother, I haven't eaten a single grain of rice or drunk a single drop of water since yesterday."

Before Ren Fu could even pick up a few dishes with his chopsticks, the plates on the table were all empty.

His brothers' actions infuriated this "refined man"!
Li Yuheng beckoned the tea server over and ordered another plate to be served.

Anyway, as Song Zhuangyuan said today, all of it will be put on his account.

We absolutely have to have a really good, satisfying meal.

The tea server stared in disbelief at the empty plate.

Even though he had memorized many of the dish names, he couldn't tell which dish it was from the empty plates on the table!
How do I answer the previous question?
"Sir, could you describe the taste or appearance of the dish you just ate?"

Lee Woo-hyung smacked his lips:

"It's so delicious, I've forgotten what it looks like."

The tea vendor has been working at Fanlou for many years.

This was the first time I'd ever seen someone pick up a plate and pour it into their mouth.

This is a dish.

It's not alcohol.

"Please don't be impatient, sir. Master Song has already given instructions to prepare many portions of the dishes. Why don't we wait until all the dishes have been served, and if you still feel you haven't eaten enough, we can start again from the beginning."

The tea master explained with a smile:
"After all, the dishes at my Fanlou restaurant are also very delicious, so I might as well save some room."

"Any new tricks in store?"

Lee Woo-hyung thought the food on the table was all gone.

There is no more.

"There are many more," the tea server said with a smile, holding up a finger.

"To prepare for today's banquet, Master Song has already paid a deposit of ten thousand strings of cash."

"Gentlemen, please have some Snow Wine to moisten your throats. The rest of the dishes will be served shortly."

Li Yuheng and others were speechless upon hearing this.

Ten thousand strings of cash!

Based on their starting salary when they first joined the army, they might earn one-tenth of that by the time they are sixty.

Ren Fu put down his chopsticks and poured himself another glass of wine to moisten his throat.
"This Snowflake Wine is Fanlou's signature product. Don't rush to drink it, or you'll all get drunk and throw up when too many dishes are served later."

"Yes, yes, what Inspector Ren said makes sense. Brothers, drink less."

The person who said this, Li Yuheng, poured half a cup for everyone, but poured a full cup for himself.

He drank it all in one gulp, finding the wine from Fanlou to be extremely refreshing.

Such scenes are very common on every table.

After all, this is Fanlou.

Is that a place where ordinary people can come and spend money?

It's safe to say that the people serving and delivering dishes are the most exhausted today; they've never been this busy before.

These soldiers didn't know what was going on; that "Operation Clean Plate" was really powerful.

Liu Ping had visited Fanlou in his early years, but not many times.

After all, he's started a family, and there are many people in his family to feed.

In the Song Dynasty, officials received high salaries, but only those with high official positions could achieve that.

Many mid- to low-ranking officials live a more comfortable life when they are serving in other places, but here in Tokyo, they are struggling to make ends meet.

"Scholar Song, I think you're going to have to spend a lot of money today."

"Liu Yuhou, what is this all about?"

Song Xuan, picking up some food, smiled and said:
"Money is worthless, we can earn it back if we lose it."

"When I'm seventy or eighty years old and still want to come to Fanlou to eat, drink, and have fun, will I still be able to enjoy myself?"

"Song Zhuangyuan's words and deeds are truly remarkable."

Liu Ping always felt that Song Xuan was not a scholar, even if he said something like, "A thousand pieces of gold spent can be regained."

But the person in front of him was a top scholar who had won the imperial examination in three consecutive rounds, which surprised him for a moment.

Why do you speak so boldly, like these soldiers?

"It's alright, it's alright. I, Song Xuan, don't usually follow any rules. This isn't the military where we have any of those 'military orders are absolute' rules."

Song Xuan raised his wine glass and smiled:

“My father-in-law greatly admires Liu Yu, which is why he took the initiative to tell me that although there is only one cavalry commander position this time, it is a waste of Liu Yu’s talents.”

Liu Ping immediately raised his wine glass with both hands:

"Song Zhuangyuan is too kind. It is my honor that Cao Shizhong appreciates me."

"From now on, whether we are in the army or on our daily journeys, we will follow the example of the top scholar Song."

"Good good."

After clinking glasses with him, Song Xuan drank it all in one gulp.

After all, with his father-in-law's connections in the military, it was quite easy for Song Xuan to find a few obedient subordinates.

As for his father-in-law saying that Liu Ping was impatient, Song Xuan would not say that to his face.

"Did the top scholar Song select so many people yesterday because he intends to choose five captains?"

Liu Ping gave an explanation.

A commander also needs a deputy commander to assist him.

Each unit consists of one hundred people and is managed by the Commander-in-Chief and the Deputy Commander-in-Chief.

This is a full-strength unit, unlike some Imperial Guard commanders who may have vacancies.

Each unit has two bail officers and two squad leaders, and even lower-level squad leaders and platoon leaders are also required.

"Lord Liu, these soldiers here, even if they can't take on five at once, should be able to handle two or three without any problem, right?"

"Indeed."

Liu Ping nodded repeatedly; his selection process was extremely rigorous.

Those who don't have the skills wouldn't get in.

"In that case, I feel more confident."

Song Xuan had a smile on his face:

"Even if we force them to be appointed as generals, I'm afraid many of them won't be convinced."

Liu Ping felt that if Song Xuan could appoint generals, most people would be willing to listen.

“What the top scholar Song said makes sense. The journey is long and it is to the Khitan. If there is no checks and balances, problems may easily arise.”

"Okay." Song Xuan picked up his chopsticks again and continued eating.
"I have a vague idea in my mind that I can make them all submit. Liu Yuhou, let's wait for tomorrow's announcement."

"Row."

Liu Ping didn't dwell on it, but instead asked:

"My lord, each of us has a horse. What weapons should we carry?"

The Song Dynasty was poor, so the Khitan cavalry didn't just go to war with one horse; they had at least two, and the wealthy had three.

This is the only way to effectively allow warhorses to rest, resulting in a longer service life, and also to prevent the problem from escalating to the point where the cavalry is no longer considered a cavalry issue, even if a horse's leg becomes crooked.

Nowadays, the warhorses of the Song Dynasty are not equipped with horseshoes. The hooves of warhorses wear out too quickly, and they are prone to premature retirement due to fatigue or hoof diseases.

In the Northwest, it was common to use wood to make shoes for horseshoes, especially in places like Ganzhou Uyghur area. As for using iron, they were short of iron.

The methods used by the Central Plains troops to maintain their warhorses mainly involve wrapping the hooves in leather or linen, or even applying oil for protection.

Unfortunately, the effect is average.

"Of course, a commander should bring the weapons that are appropriate for him."

Song Xuan looked at Liu Ping and smiled:

"Tomorrow, Liu Yuhou will come with me to the armory to collect all the necessary weapons and equipment in advance. The Khitans will inevitably show off their power, and our Great Song Dynasty must not be outdone by them."

"Then we'll listen to Scholar Song."

Liu Ping nodded quickly.

Anyway, with Song Xuan's connections in the military, it would be easy for him to get weapons from the armory.

The armory has been a very important place in all dynasties.

Historically, those who rebelled always first seized the armory and distributed weapons before they could have a foundation to successfully confront the government forces.

Moreover, if troops are dispatched, a large number of laborers will inevitably have to accompany them.

Along this route, provisions were supplied by post stations within the Song Dynasty territory, but once within the Liao Dynasty territory, the Liao Dynasty took over this responsibility.

This saved us from logistical hassles.

Liu Congde then slowly came over. He couldn't find Song Xuan's location, so he had to send a tea server to bring him over.

"I was dealing with some chores at home, and it got late."

Liu Congde came because his wife didn't want him to go so far to Khitan, and he scolded her for it.

She doesn't know anything; she's just being a woman with a soft heart.

Now, my father-in-law's family has his brother-in-law, Wang Yufeng, supporting the business.

Wang Yufeng also arrived and quickly bowed.

Song Xuan didn't mind that he came with Li Junyou.

We became friends after a fight, but it wasn't a huge feud.

Many families in Tokyo are related by marriage.

Eventually, someone can always be found to mediate.

"Twelfth Brother, my younger brother said that with so many people, do we need laborers?"

Liu Congde pointed at Wang Yufeng.

Wang Yufeng was extremely grateful to Song Xuan.

If he hadn't killed his own brother, he probably wouldn't have had the chance to become an official so early and inherit the family fortune.

“Twelfth Brother, I also think that this trip to the Khitan region is worthwhile to investigate and see what kind of business is better. After all, I’m in charge now, and I can’t let the family business go to waste.”

Wang Yufeng felt that now that he had become an official, he would not be promoted again in the short term.

But the family business couldn't be neglected; he was ambitious and eager to prove himself.

Song Xuan could understand Wang Yufeng's mentality. For a "second-generation rich kid" like him, not investing casually was considered a sure thing.

But no matter who it is, everyone wants to prove their abilities and impress their family and others.

After all, the Chinese have always judged heroes by their success or failure.

Even though many people say they like Xiang Yu, in the end, everyone wants to be Liu Bang.

"Sure." Song Xuan didn't dampen his enthusiasm.
"I reckon it's just some silk and tea. If you can find other profitable businesses, you, Wang Erlang, will be rich."

"Haha, I can't do without the help of Scholar Song."

Wang Yufeng quickly poured wine for Song Xuan.

He realized that by clinging to Song Xuan's coattails, he would surely have a good future.

Song Xuan felt that it was customary for envoys to bring their own goods to sell.

It's no big deal that Liu Congde and his brother-in-law took advantage of this.

Song Xuan then looked at Li Junyou: "Cousin, do you want to join in the fun too?"

"I have no ill intentions towards the Khitans. What good things could they possibly have besides cattle, sheep, and horses?"

Li Junyou was aware of these things, mainly because he had a good grandfather.

Moreover, both the Song and Liao dynasties imposed export controls on each other.

Many things cannot be exchanged, but smuggling is rampant.

Li Junyou feels that he can learn a lot by helping with river maintenance and disaster relief in Tokyo.

He had no interest in anything related to leading troops, and he also disapproved of Song Xuan, the top scholar, getting too close to ordinary soldiers.

Song Xuan then said to Wang Yufeng:

"Why don't you buy some rouge? Perhaps the noble ladies of the Khitan region also like this stuff. Women's money is easy to earn."

Wang Yufeng raised an eyebrow:
"Thank you for the reminder, Twelfth Brother. I will buy more tomorrow and take my men with me."

Liu Ping wasn't particularly interested; he didn't have much money to spend on it anyway.

Ultimately, the reason they were able to have a prosperous year last year was largely thanks to the fact that the top scholar Song led them to the temple to borrow money and never pay it back.

Otherwise, things would have been quite tight in previous years, after all, this is Tokyo.

Liu Ping couldn't get involved in the frequent large-scale transactions.

Fortunately, he wasn't embarrassed for long, as people came over to toast Song Xuan as the dishes were being served.

Song Xuan didn't seem to intend to drink four hundred cups.

He stood up as well and started circling around the table, mainly to get acquainted with the group.

Who knows, someone might just shield you from harm at a crucial moment.

So Song Xuan's arrival surprised and flattered the group of soldiers whose cheeks had been puffed out, and they quickly apologized.

Song Xuan said he didn't care.

When I first dined at Fanlou, I was absolutely blown away.

Many of the imperial guards couldn't help but laugh out loud.

If even the top scholar in the imperial examinations behaves this way, then their behavior is even more understandable.

Song Xuan even told them that if they weren't full, they could have a second serving.

In short, eat and drink well today.

His only request was that he not get drunk and cause trouble, otherwise I couldn't afford to compensate for the things at Fanlou.

That means being fired directly.

Many soldiers patted their chests and promised that they would absolutely not get drunk and cause trouble.

Having finally managed to enjoy the good life with the top scholar Song, how could I possibly ruin my future?
In addition, everyone was eating vegetables like crazy.

Snowflake wine is meant to be sipped slowly to savor the flavor, so as not to vomit up everything that I've been eating after being hungry for so long.

That's such a pity.

They already knew that the top scholar Song was approachable, but they didn't expect him to be so approachable, showing no disdain for them, the common soldiers.

In the overall atmosphere of the Song Dynasty, a good man would not join the army.

A true man should be like Song Xuan, who achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations; that's what makes a real man.

Now, Song Xuan, this fine young man, is eating and drinking with these lowly men.

How can we not make them happy?
Although no one felt there was any danger on this mission to the Khitan, this one meal was enough to impress many people with Song Xuan.

Those generals in ancient times who loved their soldiers like their own children were probably similar to Song Xuan.

In the Song Dynasty, it was not an era of equality between officials and soldiers.

Many superiors treated these soldiers like slaves.

This phenomenon was particularly prominent among the local armies and border armies.

The Imperial Guard is not completely corrupt yet.

Liu Congde couldn't understand why Song Xuan would voluntarily go drinking with that group of soldiers.

Song Xuan should be sitting here, waiting for those people to come and offer him a toast; that would be the mark of someone of status.

In particular, Song Xuan was no ordinary top scholar.

These soldiers had to boast that their ancestors' graves were emitting auspicious smoke to have such an opportunity to dine with Song Xuan, the God of Literature.

Liu Congde lowered his voice and asked his brother-in-law, who was busy eating and drinking.

Wang Yufeng blinked:

“Brother-in-law, after all, we are going to the Liao Kingdom, which is far from the emperor's reach. We need these people to protect us.”

Liu Congde, however, curled his nose and said disdainfully:

"If they dare not protect me, they'll be sorry when they get back!"

Wang Yufeng was stunned for a moment. He suddenly realized that his brother-in-law's behavior was exactly the same as his older brother's before the accident.

It turns out that my brother-in-law only speaks nicely to Scholar Song and obeys his orders, but he still treats everyone else the same way.

So Wang Yufeng put down his chopsticks and patiently explained:

"Brother-in-law, what if these soldiers cause trouble and stay in Khitan? There's nothing our Song Dynasty can do about it."

“Scholar Song is smarter than you and me. There must be a reason why he is befriending these soldiers so readily.”

Liu Congde subconsciously swallowed.

He has never felt a sense of crisis in his life.

Except for the time when Song Xuan "promoted" him!
So I decisively admitted defeat.

Liu Congde felt somewhat humiliated for admitting defeat for the first time in his life, but as he got to know Song Xuan, he realized that his choice at the time was absolutely correct.

Now, after hearing his brother-in-law's words, he raised an eyebrow:
"Impossible. The Song and Liao dynasties have been at peace for over twenty years, with unilateral envoys exchanging visits three times a year. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Brother-in-law, you're asking me, but I don't know either."

Wang Yufeng took a sip of wine:

“But I believe in Scholar Song’s intelligence. He is definitely smarter than you and me. I will just follow him.”

"Um, that makes sense."

Liu Congde nodded and picked up his wine glass.

This was the first time he had smiled at Liu Ping, who sat at the same table.

Liu Ping, of course, dared not offend the eldest aunt's nephew, so he gave a fake smile and respectfully clinked glasses with him.

"Heaven knows why Liu Congde smiled at me?"

Liu Ping felt a little uneasy as he laughed, but he had no choice but to cooperate.

Even though Song Xuan went from table to table, he felt he was drinking too much, so he sat down again to rest for a while.

"The top scholar of the Song Dynasty".

Zhao Zhen quickly poured him some wine:

"Thank you very much for your hospitality today, Master Song. This is my first time visiting Fanlou." Song Xuan gestured for him to sit down.
“Everyone has a first time. My father-in-law said you are all experts who can take on ten opponents at once.”

"If you make a contribution and receive a reward in the future, wouldn't it be even better to bring your family to Fanlou for a feast?"

Zhao Zhen was even more excited and repeatedly thanked Song Zhuangyuan for his encouragement.

People say that the Imperial Guards are quite prestigious, but they are still not enough in the face of Song Xuan's status as the top scholar in the imperial examination.

Many of the successful candidates in the imperial examinations would not speak to this group.

After all, they are all people who value their status.

It can be said that Song Xuan was far too approachable.

This will make these soldiers, who have never received respect from scholars, even more grateful.

This difference in status was enough to make Song Xuan extremely popular among their group.

The banquet lasted a long time until Song Xuan said he couldn't hold his liquor and was sent home.

News of Song Xuan's extravagant spending spread like wildfire.

The Imperial Guards, especially those who ate at Fanlou Restaurant, boasted about it loudly.

Anyway, we've already toasted with the top scholar who won the triple crown in the imperial examinations, so our lives have been worthwhile.

Song Xuan didn't care, but the others didn't think so.

No one expected Song Xuan to be so bold.

Of course, some people criticized him for degrading himself by drinking with those soldiers, which they said was beneath his dignity and despicable.

But such voices are quite insignificant; who wouldn't long to share a drink with the top scholar Song?

Just look at Song Zhuangyuan's magnanimous style, and how he didn't use pedantry or say anything that ordinary soldiers couldn't understand.

Moreover, when you talk to him, he will encourage you in return.

Where wouldn't someone like that be popular?

In Tokyo, many people are from the lower class. Even lowly soldiers can drink with the top scholar Song. Doesn't this mean everyone's future opportunities are coming?

Upon arriving at the county government office, Song Xuan immediately summoned everyone and announced that he had been selected by the imperial court as an escort envoy.

The envoy responsible for escorting the Khitans within Song Dynasty territory was sent as a deputy envoy to the Khitans once they reached Khitan territory.

During his absence, Zhang Fangping handled all the affairs of the Kaifeng County government, both large and small.

Song Xuan looked at these leaders and clerks:

“Zhang Fangping was a good friend of mine before I became successful. What he said in the county government was equivalent to what I said.”

"Let me make this clear from the start: if you dare to disobey me, and I find out, I guarantee you'll regret it."

"You flatter me, sir," County Magistrate Ban Feng quickly said, "How could we dare offend a top scholar like you?"

"Yes, yes."

"We certainly wouldn't dare to disappoint you, sir."

Everyone was promoted because of Song Xuan.

Therefore, he obeyed his every word.

Song Xuan nodded, signaling Zhang Fangping to speak.

Zhang Fangping practiced for a long time, changing his usual reserved demeanor:
"Fellow colleagues, my twelfth brother has placed such a heavy responsibility on my shoulders, and I will certainly not let him down."

"So my requirements will be even stricter. You don't want to disappoint Twelfth Brother, and neither do I."

"During my temporary tenure as the magistrate of Kaifeng County, I will bear all the consequences. As long as you do not violate the laws of the Great Song Dynasty and assist me in carrying out various government affairs, you will be fine."

"I will heed Master Zhang's teachings."

Everyone quickly stood up and bowed in respect.

"Alright, alright, let's get this straight from the start."

"I hope you will work together to do your jobs well in the future. During my absence, there will inevitably be some petty people causing trouble again. Just be more careful."

"Here."

Song Xuan waved his hand:
"Get back to work, all of you. If the Khitans have any local specialties, I might bring them back to broaden your horizons."

The group left laughing.

After everyone had left, Song Xuan glanced at Zhang Fangping:
“Zhang Dalang, let’s be honest with each other. You don’t need to put all your energy into this and exhaust yourself. Just use three or five points of your energy.”

Zhang Fangping nodded.

He knew that his twelfth brother always used only a fraction of his strength when doing things, unless it involved life or death.

This is Twelfth Brother's strength, but it's not his own.

"Anyway, we're still young, and we'll have plenty of time to gain experience outside in the future."

Song Xuan stood up and strolled around the long table:
"Fortunately, I have already suppressed the monsters and demons entrenched in Tokyo."

"Even if I leave this time, some people might still be unable to resist showing their faces."

"Don't rush, wait until a few more pop up, then you can cut them off as you go."

"Hmm." Zhang Fangping nodded again: "Twelfth Brother, how should I handle this kind of situation?"

"It's up to you."

Song Xuan chuckled: "I'm just giving you a heads-up. Don't follow the instructions blindly, otherwise how can you train your mind?"

"Okay," Zhang Fangping replied, smiled, and didn't say anything more.

However, he knew that his prestige among these people was certainly not as great as that of his twelfth brother.

Zhang Fangping was thinking about how to narrow the gap between himself and Song Xuan so that he could achieve some political success.

Now that Song Xuan was free of trouble, he pondered how to safely watch the spectacle once he arrived in Liao.

"My lord."

Qi Lecheng cupped his hands again and said, "Your teacher has arrived."

"Oh, please invite him in quickly."

"Here."

Song Xuan and Fan Zhongyan had not seen each other for quite some time.

The main reason was that I was criticized by Yan Shu last time, and I was a bit temperamental.

As for Yan Shu, after participating in that performance in cooperation with the emperor, he went directly to Huazhou to continue overseeing the construction of water conservancy projects.

Yan Shu couldn't understand why Song Xuan hadn't been punished immediately after doing all that.

Therefore, Yan Shu could only conclude that Song Xuan's official position was too low to influence the emperor, and that he had even been rumored to be part of the Empress Dowager's faction.

This sudden opposition is also for the sake of the Empress Dowager.

After Fan Zhongyan came in, he saw that Zhang Fangping was also there, and asked him a question.

It turns out that he was temporarily replacing Song Xuan as the magistrate of Kaifeng County.

Fan Zhongyan blinked, not understanding why he had asked Zhang Fangping to do the job.

Could it be that it was recommended by my good disciple?
Fan Zhongyan directly stated his purpose:
"Wen Nuan, you're hosting such a grand banquet for the Imperial Guards, aren't you planning to cause trouble?"

"Master Fan, I'm such an honest child, how could I possibly do that!"

Song Xuan felt utterly wronged:
"Is it wrong for me to treat people to dinner?"

A smile crept onto Zhang Fangping's lips. He felt that Master Fan would always see through Twelfth Brother's schemes, even without evidence.

Perhaps this is because teachers understand some of their students' behavior and conduct.

“That’s right. Your specialty is treating people to meals. It was the same in Yingtian Prefecture and it was the same in Kaifeng Prefecture.”

Fan Zhongyan stroked his beard and looked at Song Xuan: "Those who love war will perish. You'd better not easily start a war between Song and Liao."

"how could be."

Song Xuan naturally refuted this directly:

"The Master's impression of me is too harsh. I, Song Xuan, am by no means a person who likes to kill and set fires."

"You boy."

Fan Zhongyan couldn't help but sigh:

"What do you think of your act of directly beating up Fang Zhonggong, the prefectural magistrate of Kaifeng, in the main hall?"

"Slander, utter nonsense."

Song Xuan pointed at Zhang Fangping:

"Master, you can ask Zhang Dalang. That traitorous Fang was venting his anger in the main hall."

“He died as soon as he entered the Kaifeng government office. It must have been his accomplices who killed him to cover it up. It has nothing to do with me.”

Zhang Fangping nodded repeatedly:

“Twelfth Brother is right. That scoundrel is truly despicable. He actually dared to openly advise the Empress to emulate the old ways of the Wu Zhou dynasty.”

"At the time, no one dared to stop me. My twelfth brother and I were chatting and laughing on the side. It was only when my twelfth brother heard me clearly the second time that he flew into a rage."

"Alas," Fan Zhongyan sighed again.

"In all the years since the founding of our Great Song Dynasty, there has never been a case where an official beat another official to death in front of civil and military officials and foreign envoys."

"Even if what you say is true, the court officials won't record it according to your version of events, Song Wenwen."

"Neither foreign envoys, civil and military officials, nor the people of the capital city would believe that he was murdered."

"so."

Fan Zhongyan looked at Song Xuan:

"You might as well just beat Fang Zhonggong to death in the main hall, so you don't suffer this injustice of being falsely accused."

"Alas, Master, I was careless," Song Xuan sighed.

Snapped.

Fan Zhongyan tapped the table, pointed at Song Xuan, and said somewhat anxiously:
"I knew it!"

"That's exactly what you were thinking."

"what?"

Song Xuan was speechless.

Old Fan, a gentleman, how come he's started using tricks?
Zhang Fangping suppressed a laugh.

"Master, such a traitorous and disloyal subject deserves to be punished by everyone!"

Song Xuan snorted and laughed:
"Even if history records it this way, I have a clear conscience."

Song Xuan raised such a noble cause that Fan Zhongyan was speechless once again.

"That's what the imperial court is supposed to do according to the law. I remember you were the most observant of the laws of the Song Dynasty. How come you forgot about this?"

“Master, plotting to endanger the state is the first of the ten evils, which can be punished without going through the law, and can be executed directly.”

Although Fan Zhongyan also had grassroots experience, his understanding of Song law was truly not as deep as Song Xuan's.

Therefore, they were defeated once again.

"I know you have your own ideas, but don't drag the people into the war."

Fan Zhongyan shook his head:

"The majority of soldiers in the army of our Great Song Dynasty have been reduced to hard labor. If we ask them to pick up swords and fight, they have no chance of winning."

"As for the Imperial Guards in the capital, I have also observed that they cannot even guarantee training once every ten days, and most of them have been reduced to standing guard."

"Unless you can train a large number of elite soldiers, you will not have the strength to fight."

"Otherwise, if war breaks out again, not only will the annual tribute increase, but if we lose our territory, you will not be able to bear the responsibility."

"Song Wenwen, you are still young, don't be so hasty in your actions."

Song Xuan listened carefully to Fan Zhongyan's opinion, and then personally poured tea for Fan Zhongyan:

“Master, I understand everything you are saying.”

"To tell you the truth, let alone going to war with the Liao Kingdom, I have no confidence that the Song army can win even if we go to war with the Western Xia."

"Western Xia?"

Song Xuan then recounted how the Western Xia spies had come to the capital to secretly learn the emperor's enthronement ceremony.

Fan Zhongyan clicked his tongue. The Tanguts were ambitious and treacherous. How could a mere bandit chieftain dare to think he could be on equal footing with the Song Dynasty?

However, Fan Zhongyan's expression turned somewhat grim. Having received the news in advance, the Song Dynasty could only pretend not to know.

Otherwise, it would be deliberately provoking border conflicts.

After all, the Khitans had already lost to the Tanguts. If the Song Dynasty really wanted to teach the Tanguts a lesson, Fan Zhongyan felt that the current generals and soldiers were not qualified enough.

The Song Dynasty had enjoyed peace for a long time, but its military preparedness had been neglected, so it really didn't have much of a chance of winning.

"Master, I went to the Khitan just to watch the excitement. I hope that if these soldiers encounter any panic, they will remember that I hosted a banquet for them at Fanlou and will protect me."

Song Xuan explained with a grin, and Fan Zhongyan looked at Song Xuan's smirking expression:
"I know now that I am a true conservative."

"So what exactly do you, a radical, want to do by going to the Khitans with so many elite troops?"

In Fan Zhongyan's view, four hundred elite imperial guards skilled in archery and horsemanship could easily rout the local militia if they were to charge.

The Khitan also had similar, less elite, soldiers within their ranks.

"Master, this all started with that precious treasure I sold to the Khitans."

After Song Xuan mentioned it briefly:

"My main purpose is to see how resilient the people within the Khitan are. This million strings of cash certainly didn't come out of thin air; it could only have been extracted from the people."

"If they raise taxes, the lives of the people of Liao will become increasingly difficult, and I don't know how many people will choose to rebel."

"I just took some men to see the strength of the Khitan army and to protect me in a critical moment. It's that simple."

Fan Zhongyan carefully considered Song Xuan's words.

The Khitan emperor's choice to indulge in luxury and pleasure was none of his business.

The more incompetent other emperors are, the more advantageous it is for the Song Dynasty.

It's perfectly reasonable for Song Xuan to want to go and see what's going on.

"Actually, you don't need to go see for yourself. As far as I know, there are quite a few rebellions within the Khitan people."

Fan Zhongyan breathed a sigh of relief, as long as he was sure that Song Xuan wasn't going to do anything more radical, like assassinating the king.

So he just likes watching the excitement, then that makes sense.

"That won't do." Song Xuan shook his head slightly.
“A message can become distorted after passing through three or five people’s mouths. I’ve seen this many times in Tokyo.”

It wasn't just Song Xuan who loved watching excitement; in fact, this tradition of watching excitement has always been ingrained in the Chinese people.

"Okay, okay, I can't tell you anything."

Fan Zhongyan stood up:
"If you want to go and see the excitement, then go and see the excitement, just don't do anything too radical, and don't think I'm being long-winded."

"No way."

Song Xuan chuckled: "Master, you're just concerned about me. Would anyone else say these things to me?"

Fan Zhongyan was genuinely worried about Song Xuan.

He had no father to guide him since childhood, and it's only because Song Xuan was truly capable that he wasn't led astray by his father.

It grew entirely on its own; the sapling is no longer straight.

However, Fan Zhongyan could not change Song Xuan's mind, so he could only offer more advice and persuasion.

Fortunately, this disciple was able to listen.

Song Xuan saw Fan Zhongyan off, saying that he would get some local specialties from the Khitans and give them to Fan Chunren as toys.

Fan Zhongyan nodded, not refusing his disciple's kindness.

In his opinion, even if he had to escort that treasure slowly along the way, three months would be more than enough time.

Otherwise, the Khitans would not even need winter to experience extreme cold.

After finishing his business at the county office, Song Xuan went to find Liu Ping as agreed and selected weapons from the armory.

Liu Ping then outlined a plan: deploy light cavalry scouts in front, scouts behind, and a hundred men in a flanking formation.

The group was led by a core of one hundred heavily armored cavalry.

Song Xuan didn't care. He specifically ordered fifty men to carry armor-piercing arrows, while the rest could carry regular arrows.

"As for heavy armor, it will need to be transported by oxcart."

You can't just wear armor while traveling; the warhorse can't withstand that kind of wear and tear.

Song Xuan asked, "Do I need some auxiliary troops?"

“Scholar Song, if we are wearing armor, we will need auxiliary soldiers.”

"Well, then I'll recruit some auxiliary soldiers."

Song Xuan directly spoke to his father-in-law, asking him to allocate fifty men from the local militia to help with things like driving carts and cooking.

Cao Yong didn't care. He simply waved his hand and ordered Pan Cheng to send one hundred able-bodied soldiers to accompany Song Xuan on his mission to the Khitan.

Even if it's a private hire, you'll be paid when you return.

After resolving the matter, Song Xuan instructed Liu Ping to summon everyone to the Privy Council for another address.

Even if you drank a lot last night, you should be sober by now.

Cao Liyong stood aside, determined to support his son-in-law no matter what.

Otherwise, these soldiers wouldn't know the true value of a top scholar leading them.

If something goes wrong, it's not impossible for someone to defect to the Khitan.

Therefore, it is necessary to get vaccinated in advance.

Even if the son-in-law doesn't want to say anything harsh today, then he can be the bad guy.

When Liu Ping called the others to arrive, everyone was naturally delighted to see Song Xuan.

Once everyone was present, Song Xuan said some encouraging words, such as that they were all top-notch, and that if they were sent out, they could at least become squad leaders.

Therefore, in order to allow everyone to accumulate experience in commanding soldiers, officers from the commander-in-chief down relied on their luck.

In his view, luck is also a form of ability.

Song Xuan's method surprised everyone; everyone had a chance to become a deputy commander-in-chief or something similar.
Liu Ping hadn't expected Song Xuan to use such a method; wasn't this just child's play?
Even though Cao Yongli just stood there with a gloomy face, he wouldn't refute any decisions his son-in-law made.

This also helped Song Xuan establish his prestige within the army.

"Gentlemen, in my opinion, in this world, a soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier!"

Such novel rhetoric surprised many of the Imperial Guard soldiers.

No one ever encouraged them to climb higher.

Especially in this kind of situation.

Even Liu Ping glanced at him sideways.

He truly wanted to be a general leading an army to fight for the country, rather than a gatekeeper in front of a palace.

Di Qing and the others' eyes lit up; these ordinary soldiers naturally wanted to climb up.

Unfortunately, he never had a chance to show his abilities.

Song Xuan held up a wooden megaphone and looked down at the crowd:
"Therefore, this march, and the various unexpected situations encountered, are all opportunities."

"I'm giving you a chance to prove yourselves. Whoever performs well, I'll personally write a letter of recommendation for you when we get back and submit it to the Privy Council."

The recommendation letter from the top scholar of the Song Dynasty was not enough; it also had to be sent to the Privy Council.

That made it even more attractive to the group, and they all clamored to obey the orders of Scholar Song.

You tell me how to do it, and I'll do it.

Song Xuan wasn't in a hurry. Cao Yong took the wooden megaphone, and before he could even speak, the entire training ground fell silent.

Cao's use of intimidation was evident.

He naturally became the villain. Don't think that just because you've been in the army for a long time, you can bully your son-in-law because he doesn't know military law. Liu Yu is watching you.

If you perform well, the recommendation letter from this assessment will be added to your application for promotion or reassignment.

But once they entered Khitan territory, they remained lazy and disorganized, disgracing the military might of our Great Song Dynasty. We must punish you!

Cao Li gave him a stern reprimand, and the soldiers dared not utter a word.

Song Xuan took the wooden speaker:

"Each person has a three-day probationary period for their position. Everyone should seize the opportunity. The positions will be rotated every three days, unless there are special circumstances. The team will be lined up according to the previous results."

Only then did many soldiers dare to respond.

Then Song Xuan had everyone draw lots in front of everyone to begin their respective duties.

As for the rest, Liu Ping handled everything.

As a mere commander, managing a team of four hundred men was extremely easy for him.

Since there's no danger in going on a mission to the Khitan, let's just do as the top scholar Song said.

Especially the recommendation line for the top scholar, whose father-in-law was the Privy Councilor.

For these Imperial Guards soldiers who usually had no connections or influence, this was like a godsend!
Song Xuan is right, all of them are experts in this field.

If some people are promoted to military officers, there will inevitably be others who will be dissatisfied.

Song Xuan now defines luck as a form of ability.

Even if you resent someone else becoming an officer, you still have to keep quiet and obey orders while you're in the army, and wait for the next draw.

After Liu Ping finished organizing the troops, Song Xuan dismissed them and told them to take a day off tomorrow to spend time with their families. He told them to come back the day after tomorrow to collect their weapons and equipment, and then they would leave the capital together.

After receiving their orders, everyone dispersed.

Many people were quite excited about this event.

It wasn't just his good luck in getting a good fortune to become an official; more importantly, it was the promises Song Xuan made.

That really works!
Now that the Song Dynasty has enjoyed peace for a long time, it is difficult for even sons of military families to get promoted in the army without connections.

Not to mention the large number of ordinary soldiers.

They all praised Song Zhuangyuan, saying that he was indeed a scholar and had a sharp mind.

Who doesn't want to improve?

After everyone left, Cao Liyong looked at Song Xuan and smiled:

"You always manage to come up with something new."

"It's just a temporary measure."

Song Xuan chuckled softly:
"We can't just execute them all because they're all at odds and have private conflicts, and if we really have to deal with them through military law, can we?"

"I'm giving them a chance for healthy competition, to see their strengths and weaknesses, and whether they're suitable for use."

"In the future, I will be able to use these people in the Northwest and other places as a middle force. They will eventually be put to use."

Cao Liyong had no idea that Song Xuan's true intention lay here.

"It seems you're quite worried about the situation in the Northwest?"

"The Tanguts are already preparing to declare themselves emperors; how many more years can they delay?"

Song Xuan followed Cao Liyong back:

"If the Song Dynasty does not agree to their claim to the throne, war will inevitably break out. It's good to be prepared for a rainy day."

Cao Liyong nodded.
"I will send people to keep a close watch on the Northwest. Many forces from the Northwest have come to pay tribute this time, which is an opportunity for me to use them."

“Hey, father-in-law, it’s taboo for a military officer like you to do such a thing.”

Song Xuan gestured with his chin towards Zhang Qi, who was sitting in the room.

"understood."

Zhang Qi watched the father-in-law and son-in-law enter and laughed heartily:
“A soldier who doesn’t want to be a general is not a good soldier. My dear nephew, you are so good at motivating people.”

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan then sat down to the side:
"That is indeed the case. As Han Feizi said: 'A prime minister must rise from the local government, and a fierce general must emerge from the ranks of soldiers.'"

"If they rise to high positions without any experience in the military, the chances of them suffering heavy losses are high."

"After all, everyone knows that there are very few stories of heroes following their fathers."

Xia Song agreed with Song Xuan's words, saying that the imperial court trained civil officials according to this template.

For newly appointed scholars like Song Xuan, who performed well in the imperial examinations, being directly assigned to local areas as county magistrates was practically a given.

However, for military officers, many of them were military officers in their ancestors' generation, and their descendants directly became military officers.

Xia Song said with considerable worry:

"Scholar Song is right. Most military officers these days lack grassroots experience and are very likely to be all talk and no action, harming the country and its people!"

(End of this chapter)