A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 7 Are you Fan Zhongyan?
Even if there was a huge amount of money in the sealed treasury, there would not be much left after being passed down to three generations.

The money in the Fengzhuang Treasury, apart from the fiscal surplus of the Song Dynasty, was the war proceeds seized from the conquered countries.

In addition, Yan Shu understood Emperor Zhenzong well, and he was very generous with his money. In addition, the officials in the court always wanted to seal up the treasury.

Party disputes cost a lot of money.

Yan Shu also understood that although the current Song Dynasty seemed to have no problems, the redundant officials that Song Xuan mentioned were extremely serious.

Not to mention that there are a lot of soldiers and a lot of money needs to be spent in various places.

The neglect of military preparations has left many hidden dangers, but the court can still cover up its shame at present.

But how long will it last?

Yan Shu stroked his beard and thought that except for Emperor Taizu, the other emperors did not have the ambition to restore the prosperity of the Han and Tang Dynasties.

The current emperor is not a powerful ruler.

Song Shou had also experienced the oppression of the court and understood Yan Shu's desire to change the court.

"But relying solely on a fallen prodigy isn't going to be a good idea."

"Isn't this Zhu Shuo? I've always heard that he is talented and has made many achievements under his rule. Instead of wasting time mourning for his mother, it would be better for him to teach while he is not serving as an official.

He was able to mourn for his mother and also educate many outstanding students, so his life was not wasted."

Song Shou nodded, that's true.

"By the way, is that poem of yours a new one?"

"nature."

Yan Shu also looked at Song Xuan in front of him with considerable suspicion:
"I don't understand how he can say the exact words I want to say."

"Hehe, can you have some shame?"

Song Shou couldn't help but sigh:

"Mr. Yan wouldn't be so stingy as to refuse to acknowledge that teacher, right?"

"Hey."

Yan Shu stared at Song Shou with eyes wide open in disbelief:

"It was obviously me who thought of it first."

Confucius said, "When three people walk together, there must be one who can be my teacher." Therefore, the disciple does not have to be inferior to the teacher, and the teacher does not have to be better than the disciple. There are differences in the order of learning the truth, and in the specialization of skills. That's all."

Song Shou finished reading it, shaking his head, and took a few quick steps forward, not wanting to say any more to Yan Shu.

It was as if he wanted to insist that Song Xuan was the master of Yan Shu's words.

Anyway, everyone who was present can testify.

Song Xuan, who had fallen from the realm of a child prodigy, almost instantly continued the next line of the child prodigy Yan Shu's words.

And Song Shou was sure that no matter how many new words Yan Shu came up with, they would not be able to surpass the exquisiteness of this sentence.

"Hey, you bastard."

Yan Shu blushed immediately.

It would have been fine if he hadn't expected the familiar swallow to return.

It happened that he had prepared a speech in his mind, but Song Xuan said it out loud in public.

Where is there any room for rebuttal?
Song Shou laughed loudly and ignored the red-faced Yan Shu.

Zhang Da led the way. When they arrived at a farm, he knocked on the door and said someone was visiting.

A servant went in to report.

This is the Zhu family’s farm.

Fan Zhongyan was wearing mourning clothes, with a sword slung over his waist, and walked out of the courtyard with bright eyes and a high nose bridge.

When he saw the two students and two scholars, he always felt that they were very strange.

"My name is Fan Zhongyan. I wonder who is looking for me?"

"You are Fan Zhongyan!"

Song Xuan opened his eyes wide, his eyes full of inquiry.

How could Fan Zhongyan be from the same hometown as me!
His hometown is not here at all.

Zhang Da immediately explained:
"Shi Erlang, I don't think we've taken the wrong path. This is Zhu Shuojia."

Yan Shu was very surprised that Song Xuan had such a big reaction when he heard the name Fan Zhongyan?
It was Fan Zhongyan who took the initiative to explain:
"My original name was Zhu Shuo. After my mother passed away, I changed it to Fan Zhongyan. Do you know me?" "Oh, then I don't know you."

Song Xuan shook his head and quickly gave up the home court to Yan Shu.

Yan Shu understood that Song Xuan felt that they had taken the wrong path, which was why he reacted so strongly.

Seeing that the misunderstanding was cleared up, he stepped forward and began to introduce himself.

When Fan Zhongyan heard this, he immediately invited him into the farm.

After becoming an official, Fan Zhongyan was no longer the poor scholar he used to be. He had to spend four yuan to eat a pot of cold porridge.

Here is his official land and residence.

Not only his own family lives there, but also his half-brother lives with him.

It was only after Fan Zhongyan mourned for his mother that he changed his surname back to the Fan family.

However, Song Xuan felt that marrying a widow with a boy was indeed not fair to the husband.

His mother, Mrs. Xie, was poor and helpless, so she had to remarry Zhu Wenhan, a native of Changshan, Zibo, with the two-year-old Fan Zhongyan in her arms. Fan Zhongyan also changed his surname to Zhu Wenhan and named himself Zhu Shuo.

Fan Zhongyan's stepfather was very good to him. When he grew up and found out that he was not his biological son, he said goodbye to his mother and came to Yingtianfu to study.

When young people suddenly realize this kind of thing, thorns will always grow in their hearts.

Song Xuan drank tea and listened to them chatting there.

Fan Zhongyan, who had experienced several years in officialdom, was deeply moved that Yan Shu took the initiative to find him, so he agreed to take charge of the teaching position at Yingtian Academy.

Fan Zhongyan looked at the two students, and they both sounded like they had local accents.

Probably he was not a relative of Yan Shu, so he took the initiative to ask.

"To Mr. Fan, we are both studying at the Song family private school. My name is Song Xuan and his is Zhang Fangping. We are both preparing to enter the Yingtianfu Academy.

Today after school, I was fishing by the river for a snack, and happened to meet Mr. Yan who came to look for Zhu Shuo.

I sent Zhang Da to lead the way, and we came together to visit Zhu Shuo. When I heard Mr. Fan mention his new name just now, I thought we had taken the wrong path."

"Hahaha."

Fan Zhongyan stroked his beard and laughed a few times:

"Since you haven't been admitted to the academy yet, and I haven't taught there yet, why don't you let me test you two to see if there's a teacher-student bond?"

Song Xuan couldn't help but sigh. All those who had experienced the imperial examination and passed it were willing to be examiners.

"No need to bother you, Mr. Fan. We have already been tested by Mr. Yan and Mr. Song before we came here."

"Hahaha."

Yan Shu and Song Shou burst into laughter.

Fan Zhongyan actually knew something about Zhang Fangping's reputation.

It will be no problem for a local talented young man to be admitted to Yingtianfu College.

It is not uncommon to pass the imperial examination.

But this genius just likes to hang out with Song Xuan, who doesn't study well.

Fan Zhongyan also had some understanding of Song Xuan.

I can only say it's a pity.

They both have some similarities in their life stories.

But at least he stuck to his original intention and passed the exam. After becoming an official, he became wealthy and brought his mother to live with him to support her.

Yan Shu took out the policy papers of Song Xuan and the others from his pocket, folded them, and asked the servant to pass them to Fan Zhongyan:
"Xiwen, if you have seen it, please do not spread it easily."

"Oh?"

Fan Zhongyan's interest was immediately piqued.

He wanted to secretly see what kind of shocking articles the two young students could write.

Song Shou told Fan Zhongyan again the question posed by Yan Shu.

Fan Zhongyan nodded slightly. Ever since he became an official, he had also felt that the literati had a bad moral character.

But his influence was insignificant and his official position was low. He started from the ninth rank and is still only a seventh-rank county magistrate.

Fan Zhongyan had also been thinking about what to do. After reading Zhang Fangping's proposal, he found that it coincided with his idea.

(End of this chapter)