No war in the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 77: Immortality Library

Su Ze looked at Feng Shiyuan and was surprised at his high efficiency.

Su Ze had just asked casually. After all, he had just asked Feng Shiyuan to gather information yesterday, and he had already found a clue today. Even in the information age, wasn't this efficiency too high?

Feng Shiyuan had already decided to join Su Ze sincerely. He did not hide anything and said directly:

"The clerks in the Southern Court also have their own ways of gathering intelligence."

Su Ze suddenly understood.

Just like in later generations, if you want to know who has the most up-to-date information, it is none other than the taxi drivers on the streets.

However, when it comes to being well-informed and accurate in terms of information, no one is better than the circle of local grassroots civil servants.

In ancient times, this effect was magnified because many officials did not regard grassroots clerks as human beings. Instead, they were more like invisible people in the yamen and could get more information.

Moreover, the operation of government offices often depends on these grassroots clerks and yamen runners.

Feng Shiyuan has connections in this circle, so he is naturally well-informed.

Su Ze did not delve into the source of his information. He just said calmly, "Sit down and tell me slowly."

Feng Shiyuan sat down and began to speak:
"Let's start with the family in Jixiang Lane that's causing trouble."

"Feng Ming?"

Feng Shiyuan was slightly surprised, and he continued:
"The person in charge of investigation is Feng Ming. I have inquired about an old story of his."

Feng Shiyuan did not keep the secret and continued:
"This Feng Ming was originally a clerk in the Political Affairs Hall. He has now retired, but it wasn't a normal retirement; he was forced to do so."

"Did you commit a crime?"

Feng Shiyuan nodded and said:
"That's right. I heard from Kaifeng Prefecture that Feng Ming's retirement was related to Prefect Zheng."

Su Ze was a little surprised. The Zheng Fuyin that Feng Shiyuan mentioned was Zheng Jian, who once served as the deputy envoy of the Privy Council. It was also this Zheng Fuyin who seized evidence of Feng Shiyuan's collusion with the Lu family and expelled him from Kaifeng Prefecture.

However, Zheng Jian was an honest and capable official, and Feng Shiyuan did not resent him. Instead, he respected him very much and still called him Zheng Fuyin.

Feng Shiyuan whispered:
"In the second year of the Kangding reign (1041), when Zheng Xianggong was serving as the Deputy Privy Councilor, he captured a Liao spy disguised as a monk in Bianjing."

Su Ze was startled. He didn't expect that this case would involve such secrets.

"These Liao spies disguised themselves as monks and stayed at the Daxiangguo Temple, thus avoiding detection by all parties."

"What does this have to do with Feng Ming?"

"The reason these Liao spies were able to stay at the Daxiangguo Temple was because they all had monk certificates, and these certificates were issued by Feng Ming, who was a clerk in the Zhengshi Hall at the time."

"Are you saying Feng Ming is a spy from the Liao Kingdom?"

Feng Shiyuan shook his head and said, "That's not the case. The clerks of the two governments are almost all passed down from generation to generation. This Feng family has been a clerk in the government hall since the founding of the country by Emperor Taizu. I tend to believe that he just did the job for money."

"The management of monks and Taoists in Bianjing was lax, and anyone could buy a place with money. This was a well-known fact. The people of Bianjing had a saying: 'If you are short of money, don't seek Taoism; if you have no wealth at home, don't become a monk.'"

Su Ze was also speechless. He knew that you, Song, were rotten, but he didn't know that you, Song, were rotten to this extent.

Now the emperor Renzong, who is recognized as a good emperor, is still in power. By the time of the Jing Kang period, who knows how bad the situation will become.

Su Ze said doubtfully:
"Why was Feng Ming only retired and not punished?"

Feng Shiyuan whispered:
"The Prime Minister at the time was Lü Yijian, who was in charge of the Council of State Affairs. He believed that this was an attempt by Prime Minister Zheng to attack the Council of State Affairs, so he intervened to save Feng Ming, but only ordered him to retire and destroyed the case files." "Later, Prime Minister Zheng was overthrown by Lü Yijian, and the matter was never brought up again."

Su Ze was stunned. A small clerk was actually involved in the struggle between the prime ministers and the spy war between Song and Liao.

It's really not easy for you Song Dynasty to have survived such fierce party struggles until today.

But even though he knew that Feng Ming was problematic, Su Ze still couldn't figure out the connection between him and the case of the evil monk.

Feng Ming has already retired, so what does he have to do with the demon case and the leak case in the Privy Council?
He connected these names together, but Su Ze still had no clue.

By the way, there is also Daxiangguo Temple.

Two fat and thin guards from the Imperial City were chasing the black shadow that escaped from the Privy Council, but they lost it near the Daxiangguo Temple.

The Liao spy to whom Feng Ming resold the monk's certificate also lived in Daxiangguo Temple.

Is this matter also related to those bald monks in Daxiangguo Temple?
Forget it, let’s wait until Commander Li finishes his investigation.
-
Daxiangguo Temple.

Next to the majestic Main Hall, there is an inconspicuous side hall.

But there was a strong warrior monk standing at the door of this side hall, because this was the Changshengku of Daxiangguo Temple.

The one in charge of the Changsheng Treasury is a middle-aged monk wearing a purple robe.

The monk's name was Farong, and he was a junior brother of Master Faxiang, the current abbot of Daxiangguo Temple.

During the Tang and Song dynasties, purple robes were bestowed by the emperor, and only monks of high status were qualified to wear them. This was a rule passed down from Emperor Wu of the Southern Liang Dynasty, Xiao Yan.

The monks in charge of lending and collecting loans at Daxiangguo Temple, holding account books and money boxes in their hands, came before Fazhong one by one to check the account books for this month.

These wealthy monks who were so domineering in front of ordinary people and could ruin the families of the people who borrowed money with just one word, now did not dare to breathe a word and waited for the disciples around Fa Rong to check on them.

Those monks who were found to have problems with their accounts knelt before the statue of Medicine Buddha in front of the Changsheng Storehouse, trembling as they confessed and prayed.

After everyone's accounts were checked, the monks who were kneeling in front of the Medicine Buddha were carried out by the martial monks. The remaining monks breathed a sigh of relief, put their money boxes into the longevity storehouse behind the Medicine Buddha, and then left the side hall one by one.

After everyone had left, Fa Rong asked a handsome young monk:

"Xianqing, how's things going at the Municipal Exchange?"

A young monk named Xianqing said:
"Master, I've already had the monks spread the word that anyone who joins the Exchange will never be able to borrow a single cent from Daxiangguo Temple again! Any previous loans must be repaid immediately!"

"If they can't pay back the money, I'll sell their families to pawnshops to pay off the debt!"

A "yahang" was a trading company responsible for the slave trade in the Song Dynasty.

The handsome young monk had a warm smile on his face when he said this, which was something he was used to for the monk Qian who was in charge of lending money.

Fa Rong nodded slightly, obviously satisfied with his disciple's actions.

Fa Rong asked again, "There's been unrest in Bianjing City lately. A few days ago, the Kaifeng Prefecture came to search the rooms of those wandering monks, but it was the abbot who stopped them. Shouldn't there be any problems in the rooms?"

A single room is a hotel in the temple where wandering monks can stay and practice.

As a result, the accommodation industry evolved in temples during the Song Dynasty. For example, Ouyang Xiu often lived in temples during his youth.

Xianqing said disapprovingly:
"Master, the rule of our Daxiangguo Temple has always been to make friends with all kinds of people. As long as the fee is paid, we will accept anyone who comes. The last case of the Liao spy was just a frame-up by the ministers in the court for our factional struggle."

(End of this chapter)