A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 189: Being Played By Her

"No, no, how dare I be proud!"

Song Xuan stopped laughing. "Although it's a bit unkind to burst out laughing when I heard Fang Ping was at the same level as me, I just feel like I'm not alone."

"Pooh."

Cao Liyong pointed at Song Xuan, the heartless man:
"You still have the nerve to laugh at others?"

Song Xuan quickly waved his hands: "I know he is not truly happy, but I am."

Zhang Fangping: ???

"Bah, if you don't pass the imperial examination and become the top scholar, how can I find a son-in-law for you in the future?"

"You're really not in a hurry at all. My daughter is not young anymore. She's already fifteen. It's time for her to find someone to marry her off to!"

"Oh, don't be anxious. If a woman gets married and has children at a young age, it's easy to cause two deaths. You have to listen to me, a doctor who has some skills."

"Hey, you kid."

Cao Liyong had to admit that Song Xuan had some knowledge of medicine.

The two of them are joking around here.

Zhang Fangping felt very aggrieved.

He was admitted to Yingtian Academy as the first one in the exam.

I didn’t win at once and I felt very stressed.

Zhang Fangping really couldn't be as heartless as Song Xuan. He also carried a lot of expectations on his shoulders.

I felt very lost.

And there is a gap between them. Song Xuan just didn't get first place, but there is no problem for him to be on the list.

He really didn't make the list, so he still needs to practice more.

When Cao Liyong saw Song Xuan like this, he was worried that he would never recover.

This kid is very tough.

"By the way, that sour scholar named Pang Ji suspected you were involved in the assassination of Gu Zimo."

"he?"

Song Xuan suddenly remembered that this Grand Tutor Pang Ji was the number one villain who was against Bao Zheng.

Of course, that is just the portrayal in the opera. In history, he was a very capable official.

Cao Liyong then talked about Pang Ji and Han Yi's opinions on the case.

When Song Xuan heard Pang Ji's doubts, he raised his eyebrows slightly.

Because the story he told was missing a key link, the motive of the Fire-Eyed Suanni in assassinating Gu Zimo seemed too abrupt.

But Song Xuan didn't care. He thought that only by capturing the Fire-Eyed Suanni could Pang Ji solve the real problem.

There's no hope in a short period of time.

"Didn't Eunuch Yang express any opinion?"

"Eunuch Yang?"

Cao Liyong narrowed his eyes and asked, "Are you talking about that eunuch Yang Huaimin?"

"You didn't see him?"

Song Xuan pointed to the side:
"He was sitting there just now, speaking for the Empress Dowager. He came here specifically to look after me."

"Throw that chair away quickly before it gets tainted with foul smells."

Cao Liyong naturally looked down on this group of eunuchs, unless they were eunuchs who could fight.

During the reigns of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Zhenzong, there was a eunuch named Qin Gonggong. When the Song army was in dire straits in its war against the Liao army, he stepped forward as a military supervisor and defeated the Liao army, forcing them into a desperate situation.

However, the Liao army did not surrender after being in a desperate situation, but launched a counterattack.

The combat effectiveness of the Song and Liao armies was comparable, and most of them would not erupt unless they were in desperate situations.

When Emperor Taizong of Song was shot by an arrow and fled in a donkey cart, Yelu Xiu'ge, who was also wounded in three places by the attack on Emperor Taizong, also drove a donkey/horse cart to chase him for thirty miles.

Moreover, since the Treaty of Chanyuan, both sides have stopped fighting.

This was the last battle of the Song-Liao War.

Because from the Anshi Rebellion to the early Song Dynasty, during the more than 200 years of unrest, as long as the two opposing forces were in conflict, even if they signed a treaty, they would always tear it up and continue fighting between the north and the south.

In the early Song Dynasty, the Song Dynasty took the initiative to attack the Liao Kingdom.

After all, although Emperor Taizong of Song was inferior to previous emperors in military ability and was a narrow-minded person, he was still qualified to be an emperor.

He was eager to emulate Emperor Taizong of Tang.

But he didn't have the strength of Emperor Taizong of Tang.

Several northern expeditions were launched to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun.

Only in this way can he show himself as Emperor Taizong and catch up with Emperor Taizong of Tang.

Because the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were not lost by the Song Dynasty, but were lost from the Tang Dynasty.

From An Lushan's rebellion in Yuyang, to the three towns in Hebei breaking away from the rule of the Tang Dynasty, to the final surrender of the Later Jin Dynasty's puppet emperor Shi Jingtang to the Khitan.

But since the disastrous defeat of the Yongxi Northern Expedition, the Song army went on the defensive and the Liao Kingdom began to take the initiative to attack.

Before the Battle of Chanyuan, Song Zhenzong took out the military formation map compiled by his father and told the generals how to deploy the troops.

It’s a pity that Emperor Taizong of Song wanted to catch up with Emperor Taizong of Tang and was too ambitious.

Having said that, what he failed to do, Song Taizu and Guo Shizong also failed to do.

If the Gaoliang River Chariot God could realize like his son and grandson that he was not outstanding in military affairs and that not everyone could emulate Emperor Taizong of Tang, perhaps his reputation would be better.

However, judging from the legacy of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, it was normal for the emperor to lead the army in person, but he was still not confident about those military leaders.

Song Xuan listened to Cao Liyong praising Qin Han, the eunuch who entered the palace with Taizu and participated in the wars against Liao many times during the reigns of Taizong and Zhenzong.

He was brave and resourceful, was wounded forty-nine times, and made many great contributions in defending the border, but he did not take credit for himself, did not usurp power, and did not seek personal gain. This is rare.

Cao Liyong looked down on every eunuch equally.

However, he had a very high opinion of Qin Han, believing that he was far superior to many generals of the Song Dynasty.

As for the later famous eunuchs such as Li Xian and Tong Guan, it was a great honor for them to be able to take off Qin Han's boots.

Song Xuan listened to Cao Liyong's words and then said:

"Old Cao, do you have a bad relationship with the eunuchs around the Empress Dowager?"

"As the Prime Minister, why should I have good relations with these eunuchs? They are all full of evil intentions."

"If the Queen Mother hadn't just asked me to scold them, I would have slit their throats one by one to save Eunuch Qin from embarrassment."

After hearing what Cao Liyong said, Song Xuan hissed.

Because of the Empress Dowager's pattern, she had to trust the eunuchs and use them to control the court.

These people are prone to gossip.

After all, many eunuchs have twisted minds.

"Lao Cao, I have something I must say, or you'll be in trouble."

"Ok?"

Cao Liyong felt good about himself.

The entire court, even the Empress Dowager had to give him some face.

Sometimes, when he was bored, he would even tap the straps of the curtains with his fingers.

Sitting behind the curtain was Liu E.

When Liu E saw him behaving like this, would she think that he was looking down on her?
After all, everyone is sensitive when it comes to power games.

Cao could make use of the merits of the Treaty of Chanyuan to the point of eating out until his death.

But then again, a new emperor appoints new ministers!

Now it is the combination of the greedy empress dowager and the young emperor.

"Song Twelve, what do you mean by this?"

"You, Cao Liyong, are famous all over the world. Do you admit it or not?"

Song Xuan's words were indeed pleasant to Cao Liyong's ears.

"good."

"Just admit it, then you're being used as a knife!"

"impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible."

Cao Li pointed at himself with a snort of laughter:

"There is no one in the world who can make me a knife."

Song Xuan stretched out his fingers and began to count:

"Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, Prime Minister Wang Qinruo, Wang Zeng, Lu Yijian, and who is the Vice Prime Minister?"

Cao Liyong's eyes showed a serious look: "What exactly do you want to say?"

"Old Cao, do you think those eunuchs are closer to the Empress Dowager or to you, Cao Liyong?"

"Of course it is, of course." Cao Liyong stopped talking.

Song Xuan snorted and laughed: "Some people, some words, can the Queen Mother speak?"

"But why does she need you, a former meritorious official, to go to such great lengths?"

Cao Liyong glanced at Song Xuan:
"Don't sow discord between me and the Queen Mother."

Zhang Fangping was stunned by what he heard.

Just now I was sad because I didn't pass the exam, and I was even wiping away tears.

As a result, he was attracted by the war led by General Cao Liyong, but now Song Xuan started to say that Cao Liyong was in danger!
Now let’s talk about the Empress Dowager again. Twelfth Brother will not start criticizing the Song court and learn from Huang Chao just because he failed the exam, right?
Zhang Fangping was so nervous that he didn't dare to cry.

After all, the legacy of the Five Dynasties was too bad.

Many Song people survived that chicken-eating competition.

They naturally agreed that the Song Dynasty had been able to remain stable for so many years.

Those elders naturally taught their children and grandchildren to support the imperial court. Otherwise, when war breaks out, they will be the ones who suffer.

Otherwise, the Treaty of Chanyuan would have been considered a great victory by the Song court, from officials to the common people.

Even if there are bandits joining the army in a war, there will be more civilians to be conscripted.

Who wants to fight?

"Tsk tsk tsk, am I trying to sow discord?"

Song Xuan snorted and laughed:
"Old Cao, there are some things that don't need to be said too clearly. In fact, you know in your heart that you have been too proud these years, and your official career has been smooth sailing. It is inevitable that in the future you will be as careless as I am now and lose Jingzhou."

"You look down on those eunuchs and don't take them seriously. That's wrong. I, a barefoot man, don't need to take them seriously. That's right."

"But you, Lao Cao, are different. You're wearing fancy shoes. How many people are staring at the area below your butt?"

"How many people are hoping something bad will happen to you? If one official above you makes a move, it could affect the positions of many others."

"How many eunuchs' financial paths have you blocked by sitting there with your integrity, Cao Liyong?"

"You're a military commander. If something happens to a military commander, people will die. Even if those civil officials fail in a political struggle, the worst they will do is be exiled to Yazhou. You're different."

"Even if you hold a high position of power, those prime ministers will subconsciously exclude you from discussions, right?"

"Just now you said that you were the chief judge in the Gu assassination case, but Pang Ji and Han Yi also tacitly agreed to handle their own affairs and excluded you."

"You only see those eunuchs being arrogant and domineering. Do you think you are not arrogant and domineering?"

"Why did Zhou Chu want to eliminate the three evils?"

"Because the local people all hope that Zhou Chu will perish along with the other two evils!"

"You are the Zhou Chu who is in the middle of the situation but doesn't know it!"

Song Xuan's rapid-fire barrage made Cao Liyong feel a little dizzy.

I almost couldn't sit still.

He immediately drove Song Xuan away and decided to lie down on the recliner to digest it.

"I am Zhou Chu?"

"impossible."

"Why would the Queen Mother be afraid of me?"

"Am I really arrogant and domineering?"

After a while, Cao Liyong let out a long sigh.

He had never thought about it before, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt that what Song Xuan said made sense.

Song Xuan stood up and stretched:

"You should know that the current Queen Mother rose to her current position step by step from a singing girl and has firmly established herself in that position."

"She is no less stupid than those prime ministers in the front hall. Ding Wei looked down on her like a cat playing with a mouse. Now he is not just sitting there feeding mosquitoes in Yazhou."

"She's playing with you, Cao, like she's playing with a dog. You don't even have as keen a political sense as she does."

"Damn it, this kind of person is truly gifted. They can seize every hard-earned opportunity and find ways to benefit from it."

"For some people, it would be better to put a dog in that position, but some people are different!"

"What did you say?"

Cao Liyong was obviously unable to hold back any longer:
"What are these rats, cats, dogs, and such? You, Song Twelve, are a gentleman!"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it so bluntly."

Song Xuan turned around and lowered his head and said:
"She plays with you, and even with you prime ministers, just like an old man playing with a child."

"Old Cao, are you satisfied with this?"

Cao Liyong frowned and Zhang Fangping opened his mouth wide, at a loss for a moment.

"Don't forget, even someone as good at wielding power as Ding Wei couldn't defeat the Queen Mother."

"It's not that I look down on you, Old Cao, but are you, Cao Liyong, worthy of being Ding Wei's shoe-carrier in political struggles?"

"Straight bitch!"

Cao Liyong was so angry that he slapped the armrest of the recliner, making his hand red and swollen.

After all, lies never hurt.

The truth is the sharp knife that kills people.

Previously, Cao Liyong's eyes were always on the top of his head.

Even if he was arrogant and domineering, the prime ministers would not remind him and would get rid of him when the opportunity arose.

Empress Liu E was a very scheming woman. She would not remind Cao Liyong in person and even used him to her advantage.

How could Cao Liyong possibly reflect on himself on a daily basis?
Now that he was being scolded mercilessly by Song Xuan, not only was his face flushed, but he was also sweating profusely.

He also hoped that the Cao family could stay in the court of the Song Dynasty forever. Although they could not be high-ranking officials for generations, they would not be bad at all.

Poor Tom, being played around by her!

Song Xuan glanced at Zhang Fangping again:
"Fang Ping, go wash your face. You're so young, and if you become lazy after encountering a little setback, how can you become a great person in the future?"

Zhang Fangping: "Twelfth brother, I."

"Think about it, if even you and I didn't pass the exam, how many people would be able to pass?"

“Those who fail the exam are the majority.”

Zhang Fangping also nodded silently and obediently went downstairs to wash his face.

Cao Liyong glanced at Song Xuan.

He really lacks a clear-headed person around him to analyze the situation.

Cao Liyong thought to himself, "Song Xuan said this to Zhang Fangping, but wasn't he also saying it to me?"

Then he took another deep breath and said, "Song Xuan, did you come up with all this?"

"Who do you think can teach me this?"

When Song Xuan saw the sadness on Cao Liyong's face, he realized that he had been set up.

If this continues, not only will I be in danger, but my family will also be in danger.

This was completely different from what he had previously imagined. How could he not be sad?
It’s not too late.

"I hope Twelve Lang can teach me!"

Cao Liyong uttered these words with difficulty.

He is not a stupid person.

Song Xuan sent Zhang Fangping out because he had something to say.

"Have you figured out your situation?"

"You're right, I, Cao, am indeed in danger!"

Song Xuan nodded: "Since you insist on marrying your daughter to me, I will teach you a lesson."

Cao Liyong also agreed with Song Xuan's words. If there was no such relationship between the two of them, how could a shrewd man like Song Xuan say such words that would easily offend him?
"Did you know that there was a Mr. Shuijing named Sima Hui in the late Eastern Han Dynasty?"

"Never heard of it."

Cao Liyong didn't know much about the story of the Three Kingdoms, especially since the Romance of the Three Kingdoms had not yet been published, and the things that happened during this period were not widely sung.

"I know Prime Minister Zhuge!"

"It is rumored that Mr. Shuijing is Prime Minister Zhuge's teacher."

"what?"

Cao Liyong knew that Zhuge Liang was very capable, but he had never heard that he had such a teacher.

Song Xuan didn't think Sima Hui was Zhuge Liang's teacher, but it was just a rumor, so he could use it.

"I heard that in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, it was popular among scholars to comment on people."

"But the famous scholar Sima Hui never commented on the level of others. Whenever asked, he would always answer, 'This person is good, very good.'"

Sima Hui's wife said to him, "When someone asks you how someone is doing, you should be specific. How can you just keep saying 'good, very good'?"

"When others ask you questions, they don't want you to say 'yes, very good'."

Sima Hui replied to his wife: "What you just said is also very good."

Song Xuan finished speaking and looked at Cao Liyong:
"What moral do you get from this story?"

"He, um, was very tactful in his responses to his wife's inquiries and knew how to handle family conflicts."

"anything else?"

"Uh, I can't think of one."

Song Xuan walked to the side and poured some cold soup, then handed it to Cao Liyong:
"Mr. Shuijing is known as Mr. Nice Guy. He always says good things, which is actually a strategy to avoid offending anyone. Random comments will lead to hostility and even get involved in other factional struggles. This is also a golden mean."

"The second point is the strategy of uniting the majority. This person is good, very good, and naturally has an inclusive attitude. He doesn't deny anyone and can maintain basic good relations. This won't increase your political enemies. Many people may even think that you can be won over and win your support."

"There is no absolute right or wrong in political struggles, and being overly attached to a particular position can lead to failure."

“It is wise to learn to transcend right and wrong and focus on practical interests.”

"You, Cao Liyong, can also become a good gentleman in the Song Dynasty. Only in this way can you stand in the court for a long time."

Cao Liyong frowned. He felt that Song Xuan's statement was not right, but he could not find any point to refute it.

Because he didn't want to be a lone minister.

Instead, he was forced to become a lone minister in the court!

Who would be willing to unite with him and be used by Cao?
No!

"But how can I, as the Privy Councilor, bow to those eunuchs?"

Cao Liyong was still indignant.

"Old Cao, there's no but. It's not a shame to be born in a humble family. A man who can bend and stretch is a real man!"

"You just gave them a smile and a good word, and even sold these eunuchs for the Queen Mother's sake. Why did you bow your head?"

Song Xuan put the cup on the coffee table:

"Only if your political life is long can you live long in the court and protect your family for a long time."

"If you still don't understand, think about the emperors of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. Although they were about the same age, which one of them had a longer political life than Taizu and Taizong?"

(End of this chapter)