A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 455: Falling Cup as a Number
"This game of Gomoku is simple and easy to learn, and quite interesting."

Han Yi found this way of playing to be truly novel.

It can expand the scope of Go as a form of leisure and entertainment, allowing many people to participate.

As for chess skills like encircling and suppressing large groups of stones, in Han Yi's view...

Many people don't have this kind of brain.

It also avoids the situation where, after losing a game, the opponent picks up the chessboard and lies down.

"Song Zhuangyuan's ideas are truly ingenious and imaginative; I admire them greatly."

Han Yi picked up the white piece. Although the Song and Liao dynasties were fraternal allies and their envoys frequently traveled back and forth, their respective envoys would compete with each other.

Winning or losing in Go is a common occurrence.

Han Yi also wanted to test Song Xuan's chess skills.

As for Liu Congde, forget about him.

He had tested Wang Chong's chess skills, and found them to be too rigid and inflexible.

Once the game reaches a stalemate, it's easy to lose everything.

In Han Yi's view, his father-in-law (the wise prime minister Wang Dan) did not seem to be very strict in educating his children, so his sons were not very outstanding.

"Envoy Han, you flatter me. Go takes too long. Everyone has been preparing for the imperial examinations. Where would we find so much free time?"

Song Xuan also put away the black pieces:

"This thing is simple and straightforward, and it can also be used to set traps to confuse opponents. It's a little trick to refresh your mind while studying."

Han Yi nodded.

Actually, he was sent to investigate Dou Chou's case because Song Xuan had returned and been promoted.

Unexpectedly, Song Xuan was not affected at all. Instead, he passed the imperial examination with top honors in all three categories and became the magistrate of Kaifeng County, where his political achievements were outstanding.

Han Yi's own son was studying at Yingtian Academy, so he knew a little about Song Xuan.

However, because of the Chen brothers, Han Yi was not very close to him, since they were all in the same small group.

Otherwise, Han Yi wouldn't have consulted Lü Yijian on so many matters.

Now that the second young master of the Lü family has been brought in, Han Yi can somewhat understand Prime Minister Lü's actions.

"Actually, I have been observing Scholar Song all along."

Han Yi put the chess pieces in his hand into the jar:
"I believe there are quite a few ministers like me."

"Oh?"

Song Xuan asked with amusement, "You colleagues are busy handling state affairs every day, how do you still have time to pay attention to me?"

"Of course."

Han Yi also chuckled:

"After all, a top scholar as unconventional as you is one in a hundred or two hundred years."

"Me, break away?"

"Just think of it as the word 'detachment'."

Han Yi thought to himself, "I can't very well say to your face that you're too domineering, can I? Who beats a colleague to death in the palace?"

"It's just that it's not so conventional."

"Yes, yes, yes." Han Yi nodded repeatedly, holding the Go stones he had inserted into the jar.

"After all, there are too few lawless officials like you in the Song Dynasty."

"Even during the reign of Emperor Taizu, when two people were ordered to fight each other and the winner was to be named the top scholar, Wang Shizhong never did anything like what you have done."

Song Xuan continued placing the black pieces on the board:

"But I remember he wasn't greedy for high-ranking positions and generous salaries; he refused to retire even when he was seventy or eighty. I speak my mind, so in that respect, he's better than Wang Shizhong, isn't he?"

"Indeed."

Han Yi never expected that he knew even this little thing. It seemed that his father-in-law had complained to him a lot about the "interesting stories and gossip" of these civil officials.

“Scholar Song, I have a question in my mind: didn’t you think about the consequences of what you did?”

"If I can't do whatever I want at such a young age, what's the point of dominating the world when I'm old?"

Song Xuan placed another piece:
"Besides, I'm still young. Even if I'm exiled to Danzhou, I won't die from the change in environment."

Han Yi was speechless, and for a moment forgot to make his move.

It was extremely rare in the Song Dynasty for a young person like Song Xuan to pass the imperial examination.

Unfortunately, in Song Xuan's list (which would be named after the top scholar in the imperial examination), the top three were all young men.

Therefore, many people are speculating that the scholars on this list will inevitably become high-ranking officials in the imperial court in the future.

In particular, the civil officials in the imperial court believed that this was due to the great prosperity of education in the Song Dynasty and a harbinger of an upcoming peaceful and prosperous era.

Unfortunately, many of the successful candidates in this cohort did not become sons-in-law of high-ranking civil officials.

This has left many people in disbelief.

Civil officials should naturally stick together.

Having a good father-in-law in the court will give you a better chance to advance in the future.

In particular, Song Xuan, who had achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, directly sought out a military officer as his father-in-law.

That's truly self-degradation.

It's a disgrace to the top scholar's status.

"Hmm, that makes sense."

After making his move, Han Yi coughed a few times.

He clearly doesn't understand the way these young people think.

When he first became an official, he was extremely cautious.

Although he was extremely responsible in everything he did, no one was as bold and radical as Song Xuan. Fortunately, he still managed to achieve some political success.

He did not disgrace his father-in-law's reputation as a wise and virtuous prime minister.

"So, the top scholar of the Song Dynasty wasn't afraid of being demoted?"

"What am I afraid of? In the capital city, officials are so restricted. If there's even the slightest disturbance, it will reach the ears of the prime minister, the emperor, and the empress dowager before the night is even up."

Han Yi also followed suit. This was indeed the case in the capital; there weren't many secrets to hide.

Even if there were such a thing, everyone would tacitly pretend not to know.

Song Xuan made another move:
"Moreover, there are too many obstacles to being an official in the capital, especially with the complicated relationships of marriage and many people not taking the laws of the Song Dynasty seriously."

"If strict laws are not imposed, who will obey?"

"Indeed."

"So I want to go out and be an official, at least I can make all the decisions in a county, and punish people severely if necessary, with fewer constraints."

"Tsk."

Han Yi's white chess piece hovered in mid-air. He really hadn't expected that everyone wanted to be an official in the capital, but Song Xuan wanted to be sent to a post outside the capital.

They're young after all.

It's unknown how many years he'll be away on this assignment before he can return to Tokyo to serve as an official.

Song Xuan glanced at Han Yi:
"Could it be that Envoy Han is simply unfamiliar with this simple and easy-to-learn gameplay?"

Han Yi shook his head, picked it up again, put it back, and chuckled.

"I'm getting old, and I'm afraid I can't do two things at once anymore."

In fact, Han Yi felt that back then, he was the one who needed to uphold justice.

Now that I'm sitting across from him, on equal footing, I'm filled with deep emotion.

"Then Envoy Han should get some rest and recharge."

Song Xuan stood up: "I'll go for a stroll before dinner."

"it is good."

Han Yi watched Song Xuan leave, his eyes filled with envy for how young and carefree he was, how he had his own plans and didn't always need to compromise to consider other people's opinions.

compromise.

After thinking of this word, Han Yi shook his head again.

Time has long since worn away his edges, and compromise seems to be ingrained in his very being.

Opportunities to act as freely as Song Xuan have been rare for many years.

"I wanted to buy sweet-scented osmanthus and drink it with me, but it turned out to be different. I was a young man traveling."

After Han Yi muttered it aloud, he shook his head.

He didn't know if Song Xuan was mocking Yan Shu for giving him that advice, or if it was a self-reflection, telling him not to wait until he was seventy or eighty to do whatever he wanted.

Song Xuan's fame resounded throughout the capital at such a young age, which is something that not everyone can do.

Even Song Xiang, known as the "Great Tai Sui of the Song Dynasty," only gained this title among the common people and spread the word because of Song Xuan's influence.

In Han Yi's view now, that sentence was probably Song Xuan's way of reflecting on himself.

It's about doing whatever you want when you're young, and then toning it down when you're older.

Han Yi arranged the Go pieces again. Could it be that he was too mature for his age, and his heart couldn't easily accept even this simple way of playing?

Song Xuan didn't have time to pay attention to Han Yi's sentimental musings. Instead, he went to check on the soldiers' condition. He was just casually strolling around and making a good impression on them.

They were overjoyed at Song Xuan's arrival, all hoping to absorb some of the literary aura of the God of Literature and bring it to their offspring.

The imperial guards also hoped that their children would have the opportunity to pass the imperial examinations in the future.

Being a member of the Imperial Guard offers little future and only invites contempt from others.

The next day, everyone left the post station. Song Xuan really rode off as a scout, too lazy to walk slowly.

"Reporting, Master Song, the magistrate said that he specially sent someone to welcome Scholar Song into the city for a banquet."

Song Xuan pulled on the reins and snorted:
"I have the utmost contempt for people who use public funds to entertain private relationships, and besides, I don't even know him."

"Baochen," Song Xuan called out, "Go and refuse for me."

Lu Gongbi was somewhat bewildered: "Twelfth Brother, I am a commoner."

"What's wrong with being a nobody?"

Song Xuan glanced at him: "Can't you even say something this simple?"

"Just tell him that your father deeply abhors the long-standing corrupt practice of wining and dining and giving gifts in officialdom, and is eager to rectify the bureaucracy."

"If word of this welcoming banquet were to reach the prime minister's ears, it would be extremely detrimental to them."

"This news hasn't reached my ears yet. If you go and remind them, there's still room to salvage the situation."

"I understand."

Lu Gongbi rode off slowly on his donkey; he was still not very familiar with riding a horse.

Upon hearing that a good deed was about to turn into a bad one, the local magistrate quickly withdrew the welcoming ceremony outside the city and ordered everyone to disperse.

The worst thing about flattery is when it's not done well enough and you end up angering the person instead.

It's better not to do it.

Seeing that the magistrate was so sensible, Lü Gongbi returned to report.

There are many people in this situation.

Many people are willing to use public funds to hold a banquet and make connections.

Song Xuan deeply abhorred the long-standing unhealthy practice of wining and dining and giving gifts in officialdom.

He lavishly entertains others with meals; he makes all that money himself.

Instead of relying on exploiting the people's hard-earned money!

Song Xuan was thinking of making a suggestion, hoping that the court would rectify the administration of officials.

Hebei was part of the first line of defense against the Liao Dynasty. With such a low standard of living, it was difficult to win the loyalty of the people.

If the Song people were to welcome the Liao army with food and drink, that would truly be a slap in the face.

Especially since these county magistrates invited me personally, who knows what they're up to? And they didn't even invite an official like Han Yi.

They can't do anything right, so is Song Xuan only capable of doing such mindless things?

No matter what, he had to give Han Yi, the chief envoy, face.

Therefore, Song Xuan declined all the welcome banquets held for him.

Not only did he refuse, he also threatened to impeach him directly.

Report truthfully the harm that the extravagance of Daming Prefecture has caused to the people.

In particular, as Song Xuan traveled along, he noticed that many of the people looked pale and sickly.

Although it's still much better than being a "vegetable" during the Five Dynasties period.

In this day and age, it is essential for everyone to have enough to eat and wear.

That was truly a time of great peace and prosperity.

Song Xuan discovered that business was more booming south of the capital city of Tokyo, while the people in Hebei and other areas were still living in extreme poverty.

Last year there was a major flood, and this year there is a drought; it looks like there's a drought disaster.

He wrote directly while sitting on the mule cart, mainly outlining three major benefits of prohibiting the exchange of wine.

First, it can effectively reduce public spending and prevent officials from embezzling public funds. Whether it's a real banquet or a way to make money under the guise of a banquet, it's difficult for the central government to supervise the local authorities.

Secondly, the corvée labor and escorting soldiers were exempted, and the arduous journey of delivering wine and gifts was no longer used as a pretext to conscript manpower from the prefectures and counties.

Especially in the north, where grain production is not high, the need to consume so much grain to brew so much wine could easily incite hungry people to revolt.

Especially in this region of Yan and Zhao.

Throughout history, there have been countless heroes who killed officials and fled into the mountains, where they could be found nowhere else.

Furthermore, if you use someone else to deliver wine, you won't get any benefits at all, and you'll even have to pay out of your own pocket.

If someone spikes your drink, you, as an official, have no choice but to happily drink it.

Don't underestimate the ugly side of human nature.

Third, it also prevents brewers from falling into poverty due to not recovering their costs.

After all, if the government wants to buy your liquor as an individual business owner, it's perfectly normal for you to lose money and not make any.

Unless you're the kind of wine merchant who has connections in the imperial court.

In this day and age, officials have far too many ways to "legally and legally infringe upon the interests of ordinary people."

Song Xuan also put forward the concept of clean governance.

It is hoped that officials will be honest and upright, starting with themselves.

One must be honest and upright in one's duties and not use the power one holds to seek personal gain.

Officials who dare to defy the rules will be severely punished, and this practice will be promoted.

Song Xuan was unsure whether such a memorial would be approved, but along the way, he observed that the lives of the people in Hebei were indeed quite difficult.

He felt that the lives of the people in the "Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun," which had value for united front work, were certainly not as good.

After all, it was a place that both the Song and Liao dynasties were actively vying for.

After the ink dried, Song Xuan placed it in a bamboo tube and sent it back to the capital.

In any case, as a civil official, he had the right to submit memorials directly to the emperor, while military officials could forget about such privileges.

However, the memorial was not delivered to Zhao Zhen, but directly to Liu E.

Three days after Song Xuan set off, Zhao Zhen also led a group of people to pay homage to his father and ancestors.

In the capital city of Tokyo, Empress Liu did not pay much attention to Emperor Zhao Zhen's departure.

All that's needed is to transfer Zhao Zhen's personal guard captain; none of these military leaders will become the emperor's confidants.

Liu E did not expect to receive Song Xuan's memorial so quickly.

After all, Song Xuan was a civil official and bore the heavy responsibility of an envoy, so it was normal for him to report any problems urgently.

When Liu E opened it and took a look, she thought that Song Xuan, at such a young age, had gotten into a conflict with the Khitans.

After all, the preconceived notion that Song Xuan had a "fiery temper" had already taken shape in Liu E's mind.

It turned out that the magistrate of Hebei had repeatedly invited him to banquets, which made him very dissatisfied.

Liu E found it strange that Song Xuan frequently held lavish banquets for his subordinates.

Why is it that he doesn't like being treated to a meal when it's someone else's turn?
Or do you still think that these county magistrates and prefects are not worthy of hosting him?

Liu E did not understand Song Xuan's actions.

Isn't this a case of "the magistrate is allowed to set fires, but the common people are forbidden to light lamps"?

So she had someone send it directly to the prime minister to have a look.

Let them discuss how to handle Song Xuan's memorial.

After Wang Zeng received it, he examined it carefully. He hadn't expected Song Xuan to be so averse to it, so he remained silent and then passed it on to the others.

Vice Chancellor Zhang Shixun also had some doubts in his eyes:

"Song Zhuangyuan's suggestion is excellent, but I feel that it shouldn't have been brought up by him at all. It's too disjointed."

Wang Zeng stroked his beard and nodded, confirming that it was indeed the case; he felt the same way.

All the officials in the entire capital city of Tokyo combined were less than a single hair of the wealth Song Xuan had spent on his banquet.

He hosted banquets for his subordinates, disaster victims, imperial guards, and even criminals in Kaifeng County after finishing his work.

These criminals did not commit any further crimes after their release from prison, and their release served a certain educational purpose.

After reading it, Lü Yijian chuckled softly:
"Song Wenwen's actions clearly show his disdain for these county magistrates and prefects."

"Oh?"

Wang Zeng looked puzzled: "Did Tanfu see through his true intentions?"

"There is one thing, isn't it fair to say that Song Wenwen is extremely talented?"

Several people nodded, but Song Xuan did not become engrossed in this. Instead, he devoted himself to governing the county and achieved remarkable results, which were evident to all.

In particular, several prime ministers were extremely satisfied with Song Xuan's handling of the Empress Dowager's in-laws and favored officials.

"Although he hosted lavish banquets, that money was earned through his own abilities."

"Whether it's collecting back taxes, or eradicating the Worry-Free Cave to obtain stolen money, not to mention holding a fish-catching contest, an auction, and so on."

Lü Yijian handed Song Xuan's memorial to Zhang Zhibai:
"But all those who want to host a banquet for Song Xuan are people who have amassed wealth by exploiting the people. How could such an arrogant person like him be willing to attend such a banquet?"

"That makes sense."

Zhang Shixun nodded slightly: "My nephew has quite the discerning eye."

Wang Zeng glanced at him and knew that the argument came from Cao Liyong.

He was able to become prime minister thanks to Cao Yong's strong recommendation.

"The Empress Dowager has asked us to discuss this memorial. What are your thoughts?"

Zhang Zhibai felt that Song Xuan's words made sense.

The people of Hebei still looked malnourished, but the officials frequently held banquets.

If this continues, I'm afraid the number of people fleeing to the Yan-Yun region will only increase.
It was quite normal for border residents from both the Song and Liao dynasties to defect.

Everyone thought the other side would be better.

In fact, it is true.

Because the respective governments treated those who defected with preferential policies, in order to attract more people to join the ranks of defectors.

"That's a good thing."

Lu Yijian said, "If it can really be implemented to rectify social customs, it will be an excellent policy for our Great Song Dynasty."

“Since he said that the people along the way are all suffering from food shortages and the harvest this year is not very good, banning alcohol in advance is a good way to save food.”

"Ah."

Wang Zeng nodded: "Since everyone agrees, let's study it further and then issue it."

No one had any major objections.

Song Xuan's suggestions were based on reality. With so many memorials from various parties, we promptly implemented one or two of them when someone made a suggestion.

After all, there are many problems in various places, and we really can't handle them all.

Upon arriving at Daming County (Handan), the group stopped at the post station.

Although Song Xuan had refused most people, he had no choice but to attend the banquet at this point.

Because this person is Lao Cao's younger brother, we have to give him face no matter what.

Song Xuan also wanted to warn Cao Rui, Cao Cao's nephew, not to let drinking cause trouble.

"uncle."

Song Xuan waved his hands repeatedly:

"Don't try to persuade me to drink more. I'll just have some food. Otherwise, the magistrate will criticize me when I get back."

"Hey," Cao Lichen said nonchalantly, "Nephew-in-law, what are you afraid of!"

"Even though I am here, I have heard that you beat that traitor Fang Zhonggong to death in the main hall. It was truly gratifying!"

"Huh?" Song Xuan was somewhat speechless: "It spread so quickly?"

"Of course, the news has probably spread throughout the entire Daming Prefecture by now."

"Who wouldn't praise Scholar Song upon hearing this story?"

Cao Lichen chuckled:
"I am proud of this!"

Song Xuan sighed softly:
"Uncle, the world has many misunderstandings about me."

"What, could the rumors be wrong?"

"Someone wants to harm me and is deliberately spreading this rumor."

"Huh?" Cao Lichen quickly put down his wine glass:

“Nephew-in-law, you can’t just say that.”

The Cao family's wealth and status were originally limited to one generation.

However, with Song Xuan as his nephew-in-law, Cao Lichen was certain that the family's wealth could last for at least three generations.

This was a top scholar who achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations, a feat unmatched since the founding of the Song Dynasty.

He will undoubtedly become the prime minister of the entire empire in the future.

Therefore, in Cao Lichen's mind, Song Xuan must not be allowed to get into trouble under any circumstances, as he is an extremely important figure to the entire Cao family.

"How could I lie to my uncle? He must have received my father-in-law's letter as well."

"good."

Song Xuan only spoke after receiving definite information:
"Uncle should have heard that I enforced the law strictly in Tokyo, which offended the Empress Dowager's relatives by marriage and many other people."

“I have also heard about these things.”

Cao Lichen felt that it was perfectly normal for Song Xuan to be young and impetuous.

Not only was his enforcement of the law strict, but many of the disaster-stricken people, upon hearing of his measures, followed him to the capital city of Dongjing to escape the famine, instead of staying in Chanzhou to work with Yan Shu and others to repair the river and build dikes.

"So someone is trying to take advantage of this to sabotage me!"

"Who?" Cao Lichen's eyes flashed with anger.

Song Xuan then explained in detail that although he was quite burly, he was also a person who had read the classics well, so how could he possibly use a killing move as his first move?

Besides, Fang Zhonggong was in his prime; how could he possibly die from a single kick?
It was clear that someone killed him to prevent him from revealing more of his accomplices who wanted to persuade the Empress Dowager to ascend the throne, and then pinned the blame on Song Xuan.

Cao Lichen nodded repeatedly, agreeing that this was indeed the case.

"In that case, my nephew-in-law should indeed be careful."

Song Xuan chuckled softly:
"Actually, I don't care. My nephew-in-law is upright and has nothing to fear. What I'm mainly afraid of is that they'll kick me to the Khitan, thousands of miles away."

"They took advantage of my absence from Tokyo to impeach my father-in-law!"

"Hiss." Only then did Cao Lichen realize the seriousness of the situation.

Although Song Xuan was able to preserve the Cao family's wealth for three generations, his elder brother was currently the only bargaining chip to preserve his own wealth.

The main reason is that Song Xuan has made a name for himself, but his official position is still low.

If anyone wants to promote a member of the Cao family, it will only be possible after Song Xuan has climbed up the ranks.

If his elder brother falls from power, he can forget about having a good life.

Anyway, since Song Xuan's nephew-in-law is a civil official, if anyone were to be held accountable, it wouldn't be him.

"Nephew-in-law".

Cao Lichen subconsciously swallowed:

"If they can't find my older brother's mistake, will they come after me?"

"Of course."

Song Xuan nodded repeatedly:

“Uncle, if something happens to you, it will inevitably implicate my father-in-law. At that time, the Cao family will be uprooted. Who can prevent that?”

"As a civil official, and being far away in Khitan, I can avoid such things for a short time."

"But even if we take a step back and assume the worst, what about you?"

"If you are tortured into confessing and framed, no one will plead for you before the Empress Dowager and the Emperor."

“You know my father-in-law’s temper. Over the years, he has offended countless eunuchs and petty civil officials. There are even military officers who want to take his place as the Privy Councilor.”

"There has always been only one Privy Councilor. Isn't the Empress Dowager's sudden promotion of Zhang Qi to Privy Councilor just to suppress my father-in-law?"

"Or if Uncle, you really have something on your hands that someone has caught you doing, my father-in-law will definitely be uprooted as well, and no one can escape it."

Song Xuan's words made Cao Lichen's face turn pale, and he swayed as if he could not sit still.

"how?"

Song Xuan put down his chopsticks:
"Could it be that Uncle really has something on someone else's hands?"

Cao Lichen's expression changed several times before he looked at Song Xuan and spoke with difficulty:
"It's a bit of a hassle that it wasn't cleaned up properly."

"What trouble?"

Song Xuan stared at Cao Lichen and said:

“If it’s not a big problem, I can help come up with an idea. You know, my father-in-law listens to me.”

Cao Lichen opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Snapped.

Song Xuan slammed his wine glass on the ground: "What time is it?"

bump.

The door was pushed open.

Wang Bao, holding a golden mace in his hand, stood at the door like a door god.

He glanced at Song Xuan, then stared at the person in front of him, almost thinking that the smashing of the cup was a signal that something was wrong with Twelfth Brother.

Cao Lichen was startled by Wang Bao's fierce appearance, and he was somewhat surprised.

Song Xuan waved his hand, signaling him to leave.

The door closed, and Song Xuan stood up:
“Uncle, please weigh the pros and cons again. I will immediately write to my father-in-law to sever ties with you, so that the entire Cao family will not be implicated because of you.”

"Actually, it's not a big deal. It's just brewing some private liquor. In this cold and harsh place, it's warm to drink in the winter, and you can also make a little money to spend."

"Confused!"

Song Xuan guessed that these people with connections in the court would definitely not do things that violated the laws of the Song Dynasty when they were outside.

Liu E's relatives were like this, and Cao Liyong's relatives were no less so.

Is making bootlegging liquor profitable?

"Make money!"

Cao Lichen responded in a low voice:
"I don't have your ability to sell any treasure for a million strings of cash."

Song Xuan choked a little.

These people would indeed choose to make money by violating the laws of the Song Dynasty.

After all, many profitable deals are indeed written in the law.

Those who abide by the law will not earn money.

Those with connections in the central government will naturally find ways to trample on the law to make money.

"Uncle, immediately send men to burn down the brewery!"

"Burned?"

Cao Lichen stood up:
"The items I've acquired over the years are very popular in Daming Prefecture. It would be such a waste to burn them."

"Would you choose money, or your life and future?"

"Me," Cao Lichen gritted his teeth, "It's my life and my future!"

He knew he was a military general.

If his elder brother falls from power, he will also be taken advantage of and suffer a bad end.

If you want to end up being exiled like a civil official, you'll have to see if someone pleads for you.

"That's fine then." Song Xuan sat down again.
"Uncle, with your nephew-in-law, you're sure you'll make money in your later years."

"what."

A look of surprise appeared in Cao Lichen's eyes:
"Oh right, I almost forgot about that."

"Now, go find your trusted men and burn down the workshop where they brewed the illicit liquor. Send all the people here with me to go to Khitan, so that no one can take the opportunity to arrest them and bring them to Tokyo to file a complaint."

"Go to Khitan?"

"Yes, I brought my second brother with me on this trip so that he can establish himself in Khitan and easily send back news if there are any profitable deals in the future."

“These people will go with my second brother to take over the shop there and continue brewing wine without any delay. When they make a lot of money, they can come back with the delegation and then there will be no trace of this incident.”

"Ah, yes, yes."

Cao Lichen also realized what was happening and quickly spoke up:
"Nephew-in-law, please wait a moment, I'll go find someone to take care of this right away."

Song Xuan nodded and called Wang Bao and Xu Xianchun in to eat together.

"Twelfth Brother, just now?"

Fortunately, he's not completely muddle-headed.

If he remains obstinate, Song Xuan will choose to uphold justice even at the cost of family ties.

Write the whistleblower letter and kill Cao Lichen directly, making him bear the consequences of his crimes, so as not to implicate his father-in-law.

It seems that the emperor is indeed far away and the country is far from the capital; let alone imperial power reaching the countryside.

Even if they are far away, these officials still break the law without any regard for the consequences.

The fact that he can produce such a large market for his illicit liquor means he must have been cultivating the market for many years.

Song Xuan didn't find brewing wine for the Khitans too difficult.

Why would the Khitan nobles of today think about conserving grain and banning brewing?

Song Xuan didn't have to wait long before Cao Lichen hurriedly returned, saying that he had already sent people to do it, and that the fire would surely start within half an hour, bringing everyone back.

Those who make bootlegging liquor, though daring, will obey orders and run away as fast as they can to avoid getting arrested once they receive word.

"Uncle, there's no need to worry. Since this technology is highly regarded locally, wouldn't it be a game-changer for the Khitans?"

What is "dimensional reduction attack"?

"It tastes even better than the wine brewed by the Khitans."

"That's for sure."

Cao Lichen patted the wine pot:

"You really should try it."

"never mind."

Song Xuan shook his head slightly:

"Many people invited me to banquets along the way, but I refused them all. I just had a simple meal at my uncle's place. They couldn't say anything, and I didn't drink any alcohol."

Upon hearing this, Cao Lichen was overjoyed.

Of course, he was very proud.

Song Xuan then asked, "Now, Uncle hasn't broken any laws of the Song Dynasty, has he?"

"Cough cough."

Cao Lichen was still a little embarrassed, but feeling awkward under Song Xuan's gaze, he honestly replied:
"Normally, it's just drinking the blood of soldiers and receiving a salary without working; it's nothing serious."

"How much money can soldiers who receive salaries for nothing actually eat, drink, or actually work?"

Song Xuan was utterly speechless and said:

"You've already made so much money brewing illicit liquor, why bother with the meager wages of ordinary soldiers?"

"Even if you drink the blood of the Imperial Guards, you won't get much, let alone the border troops. I'm truly impressed by you."

“Nephew-in-law, this is standard practice in the military. You don’t understand. It doesn’t matter how much money you make.”

Hearing his sophistry, Song Xuan decided not to argue further.

“Uncle, you’ve distributed that little bit of money to the soldiers honestly this month. You treat them badly all the time. Do you really expect them not to stand up and report you when it really matters?”

"If those people come from the imperial court and you tempt them, will they cover for you?"

Cao Lichen's face showed hesitation again, then he nodded:

"Okay, I'll do whatever you want."

"I will pay them their full wages tomorrow so they can have a prosperous New Year."

Cao Lichen was determined. There was no turning back now. He burned down the workshops where he brewed the illicit liquor, and all the workers were to be taken away by Song Xuan.

This little bit of bloodshed is nothing.

With Song Xuan's guarantee and the promise of a bright future, Cao Lichen was able to clearly distinguish between the pros and cons.

"So, you're not the only one drinking soldiers' blood?"

"Of course," Cao Lichen said righteously and solemnly.

"Whether it's the border troops or the local troops, who doesn't drink?"

"This is a rule passed down from ancient times, and even the officials tacitly approve of it. Drinking the blood of soldiers is much better than eating human flesh."

Upon hearing his description, Song Xuan subconsciously felt that drinking soldiers' blood sounded more like something in a physical sense.
"Are there other people brewing bootlegging?"

"Of course."

Song Xuan nodded again:

"Here's what we'll do: whoever's got the desire to get rich can go with them to Khitan; otherwise, send them to the other people's wineries."

"They're competitors, after all. Wouldn't that make us a laughingstock?"

"It doesn't matter."

Song Xuan waved his hand: "Let them be smug for a while. Our priority now is to maintain stability and not reveal too many flaws."

"it is good."

Cao Lichen nodded again, and before Song Xuan could wait long, the fire ignited.

"By burning it, less grain was wasted, and the border troops won't have to eat moldy wheat."

Despite Song Xuan's words, Cao Lichen showed no remorse whatsoever.

Anyway, it's always been like this. Soldiers are already low-status and don't care about money, so what's the point of being a soldier?
"By the way, Uncle, you can arrange this small matter of finding brewing talent yourself. I will wait at the intersection early tomorrow morning to have someone bring it in."

"Good good."

Cao Lichen quickly agreed.

"uncle."

Song Xuan stopped in his tracks again:

"When I pass through Zhao Prefecture, I will also ask my cousin if there is anything else you want to tell him."

"No, my son isn't interested in money. I can handle making money; he's not good at such meticulous things."

"That's true, then I'll go to the fire scene and see what's going on."

After Song Xuan cleared the mine, there was still one mine left.

Old Cao's misfortune mainly stemmed from his nephew.

If the father makes money, then the son just wants to enjoy it, right?

The father's illicit liquor was quite popular, even his own son enjoyed drinking it. Eventually, he got drunk and caused trouble, which gave others grounds to accuse him of treason, and he was executed.

The Cao family was also ruined; even their mansion in Tokyo was taken back.

Cao Lichen finally breathed a sigh of relief when Song Xuan said he was going to the fire scene.

He actually wanted to do something different from what Song Xuan asked.

But he was also frightened by Song Xuan's personal guards. Although Song Xuan said that he did not beat the Kaifeng Prefectural Magistrate to death in the main hall, Cao Lichen believed that he must have beaten him half to death.

First, there was his elder brother's letter reminding him, and then Song Xuan's face-to-face questioning; he was also afraid.

After all, as they get older, they become more conservative and less willing to take risks.

Cao Lichen was actually somewhat afraid of Song Xuan.

After all, they have a bright future, and being able to form a marriage alliance with their military family is already a great blessing.

Moreover, since he also had hopes for Song Xuan's future, he naturally had to listen to Song Xuan's words carefully.

Although it was extremely painful, Cao Lichen was still clear-headed. He had indeed made money from illicit liquor in recent years, and it was not something to be unwilling to give up.

Song Xuan went to the fire scene and asked Xu Xianchun to find out if it was a distillery.

Even if someone knows who the mastermind is, as long as they don't catch the culprit red-handed, it's fine.

After receiving a definite reply, Song Xuan spent some time observing the disaster relief efforts before returning to the post station by torchlight.

The next day, Cao Lichen sent people to escort the nine skilled craftsmen from the winery to wait by the roadside.

Song Xuan then had his second brother, Song Kang, take over the task, essentially finding him a helper.

With his ability to lie, honed in gambling dens, he could easily fool a few technicians.

Song Xuan and his group were still on their way, but things were already starting to stir in the capital.

"I heard that Song Xuan left the capital, but he still hasn't calmed down. He's submitted another memorial, impeaching someone and demanding integrity."

Cheng Lin looked at Zhong Lijin beside her:
"Prefect Zhongli, what do you think?"

How can I see it?

Zhong Lijin was truly terrified by Song Xuan's kick in court.

Even though many people in the Wazi community didn't name names, they all knew they were referring to him by using the name of the relic.

Even so, Zhong Lijin dared not argue, much less say anything.

Fortunately, Fang Zhonggong died a quick death!
If they are really interrogated, then none of them will be able to escape.

Not only Fang Zhonggong wanted to take this opportunity to advance further, but Zhong Lijin and Cheng Lin did the same.

They were just waiting for someone to stand up and refute Fang Zhonggong before they stepped forward to argue.

As a result, no one in the court objected, which made Zhongli Jin very anxious. How could Fang Zhonggong have stolen the limelight?

Then he witnessed a scene he would never forget.

Song Xuan directly refuted Fang Zhonggong with a flying kick, making his stance clear. However, Zhong Lijin was too terrified to stand up and refute Song Xuan at that time.

Similarly, Cheng Lin is the same.

He had prepared all the charts to present to the seven ancestral temples of the Empress Dowager, but upon seeing this scene, he dared not take them out.

Song Xuan's ruthless and predatory demeanor truly made Cheng Lin's hair stand on end.

"Now Song Xuan has been kicked out of the capital by the Empress Dowager."

Cheng Lin stroked his beard and squinted slightly:

"Judging from the way the Khitans escorted the treasure, it will take him at least three to five months to return."

"In this time, we will have enough time to help the Great Goddess establish seven temples."

"Dr. Cheng, please calm down for a while."

Cheng Lin made significant contributions during his investigation in Huazhou, and thus rose in rank alongside Chen Yaozuo, eventually becoming the Right Grand Counselor.

Zhong Lijin waved her hands repeatedly:
"Song Xuan's influence is still strong. If we do something like this again, others will likely step forward and follow suit!"

Cheng Lin nodded. He was indeed capable, but he also had ambitions.

Emperor Renzong of Song was so tolerant of the most capable official, so his assessment of Cheng Lin's poor character must be true.

“Song Xuan is not here, and the Emperor is not here either, but the Empress Dowager is here. We can go and talk to the Empress Dowager.”

"say what?"

Zhong Lijin didn't think the Empress Dowager would agree at this time.

"Dr. Cheng, Song Xuan will come back eventually. There are no secrets that stay hidden forever."

“Prefect Zhongli, then we must ensure that Song Xuan cannot return.”

"Huh?" Zhong Lijin looked at him:
"What do you mean?"

Zhongli Jin was somewhat surprised and uncertain. He was a devout Buddhist and had never done anything so daring in his life!
"Sit down, sit down." Cheng Lin quickly waved her hand.
“That’s not what I meant. What I meant was that Song Xuan should not be able to return to the capital and should be sent to serve as an official in other places.”

"Scared me."

Zhong Lijin then sat down again: "It's difficult!"

"The Empress Dowager trusted Song Xuan very much, even more than Prime Minister Lü, Song Xiang, and Liu Congde at one point."

Cheng Lin also found it difficult.

I don't know what kind of spell Song Xuan cast on the Empress Dowager, that made her so lenient with him.

The Empress Dowager has been ruling from behind the curtain for so many years, and Cheng Lin has never seen her so lenient with any of her ministers!
Even Liu Congde had to endure the injustice he suffered in front of Song Xuan.

Not to mention Song Xuan's insistence on killing the Empress's in-laws. After arguing for a while, the Empress realized she couldn't win the argument with Song Xuan and could only nod in agreement.

These things left Cheng Lin extremely puzzled.

How on earth did he do it.

Cheng Lin really wants to learn!

"Since we can't find any weaknesses in Song Xuan himself, why don't we look for them among the people around him?"

Zhong Lijin grunted: "You mean his wife and daughter who suddenly appeared?"

"But I heard that the Empress Dowager is very fond of the daughter of the top scholar Song. No matter how much she is involved, it shouldn't involve women and children. That's really true."

Zhong Lijin suspected that Cheng Lin and Yu might share the same ancestor, as they were both so uncompromising in their actions.

“Prefect Zhongli, you have misunderstood me.”

Cheng Lin stroked his beard and smiled:
"No matter how much they fight, they wouldn't go so far as to frame women and children; that would be unacceptable to the Empress Dowager."

"I mean Minister Cao."

"Minister Cao?"

"Not bad." Cheng Lin chuckled softly.
“Cao Shizhong is a military man by nature, rough and careless, and he is arrogant and conceited, so he sometimes makes mistakes in his manners.”

"Do you know why the Empress Dowager originally appointed two Privy Councilors when there was only one?"

"do not know."

"I'll tell you."

Cheng Lin said that when Cao Li reported to Empress Dowager Liu through the curtain, he would intentionally or unintentionally tap his belt buckle with his fingers.

The eunuchs hated Cao Li with a passion because of his difficult behavior.

Seeing this situation, they deliberately instigated it.

They secretly pointed at Liu E with their fingers to notice Cao Liyong's subtle actions, and afterwards said indignantly:
"When the late emperor was alive, how dare Cao Liyong be so presumptuous!"

Liu E was dissatisfied, believing that Cao Li was looking down on her as a woman, so Zhang Qi was also appointed as the Privy Councilor.

Although Empress Liu held the highest power in the Song Dynasty, her orders only had natural legitimacy through Emperor Renzong.

Otherwise, it would be considered an internal demotion—merely representing her status as Empress Dowager.

According to the system of the Song Dynasty, even imperial edicts had to go through normal procedures before they could be implemented; otherwise, they would be illegal.

Subjects have the right to object to orders that are not issued through normal procedures.

In order to cultivate her confidants, Empress Liu would frequently issue decrees from within the palace to promote or reward certain individuals.

However, if Empress Liu insists on issuing the decree, Cao Yong will give in, after all, he still has to give face to the Empress Dowager.

The eunuchs discovered this pattern and used it to further sow discord between Cao Yong and Liu E.

It was only because Cao Li came into contact with Song Xuan that he began to become a nice guy and did not stop the Empress Dowager from sending him away.

Since even the prime ministers aren't at the forefront, and he, as the Privy Councilor, isn't the only one, why should he be at the forefront?

Only after this did Liu E's attitude towards Cao Yong change, and her anger shifted to Wang Zeng.

The work that Cao Yong originally did was handed over to Wang Zeng, and the eunuchs took the opportunity to shift their attack target to a new one.

However, Cheng Lin believed that those eunuchs were physically disabled, but even more so mentally.

Even if Cao Liyong has not made any mistakes at present, once they find something to use against him, they will definitely trample him underfoot to feel satisfied.

After listening to Cheng Lin's description:
"Doctor Cheng's intention is to incite the eunuchs' resentment towards Attendant-in-Ordinary Cao, and then implicate Song Xuan?"

"good."

Cheng Lin said approvingly, "Since our main target, Song Xuan, has no flaws, let's take a roundabout route."

"I simply don't believe that Cao Yong could be honest and upright."

"Even if Cao Yong is honest, can he guarantee that the people he recommends are also honest and won't violate the laws of the Song Dynasty like the Empress Dowager's in-laws?"

"Hey!"

Zhong Lijin's eyes lit up: "So many people, and not everyone is innocent? I don't believe it!"

"Yes."

Cheng Lin chuckled:
“We will start our investigation with the Cao family and his former subordinates to see who has violated the laws of the Song Dynasty more seriously, and then implicate Cao Yongli, and then implicate Song Xuan.”

"In this way, kicking Song Xuan out of the capital will make it easier for us to carry out our subsequent plans."

"In this way, no one can stop us from climbing the ladder of progress!"

Cheng Lin was not content to be just a Right Advisor.

He also wanted to be prime minister!

However, it is too difficult to become the prime minister.

Cao Liyong worked with Zhang Shixun for ten years.

He was recommended to the position of vice prime minister by Cao Liyong.

The person who made the recommendation got into trouble.

Can Zhang Shixun still sit comfortably in his position as prime minister?
Since there were no available positions, Cheng Lin had to creatively create one for herself.

He believed that these things would happen simultaneously, and that the Empress Dowager would surely promote him to fill the gap and place him in the position of Prime Minister.

In this way, all the effort I put into planning this whole thing will not have been in vain.

Cheng Lin knew what kind of historical evaluation he would receive for persuading Liu E to establish seven ancestral temples, but he did not regret it.

If you succeed, you'll achieve instant success and bring glory to your ancestors!
If she lost, it would mean that Liu E lacked courage. He wouldn't blame himself for being cowardly, nor would he regret his choice today.

"At that time, you won't even look at this little prefect of Kaifeng."

After Cheng Lin's illustrious promise, Zhong Lijin, who had initially been somewhat intimidated by Song Xuan, smiled.
"Haha, oh dear, that's wonderful!"

(End of this chapter)