The Prodigal Son

With nothing to do, Qin Yu casually glanced at the chessboard.

Upon seeing this, Qin Yu's eyes suddenly lit up.

This is……

Three cycles of tribulations?

Qin Yu looked at it carefully again.

Hmm, it really is a cycle of three tribulations!

He understood immediately.

No wonder those two old men are staring at each other like that!

So that's what happened.

Seeing Qin Yu staring intently at the chessboard, Su Yu couldn't help but ask in surprise, "You can play chess too?"

"I know a little, I know a little."

Qin Yu chuckled and said, "By the way, did you two come up with this chess game?"

"no."

Su Yu shook his head. "This is an endgame from a chess manual. Don't you know a little about it? You don't even know this?"

"A chess genius like me never looks at game records."

Qin Yu boasted and asked with a smile, "So, you two are here solving this puzzle?"

"right."

Su Yu nodded, then glanced at Qin Yu with amusement.

Can't you die without bragging?

A chess genius who doesn't even look at chess scores?

"You two certainly have a lot of leisure and refined tastes!"

Qin Yu gave a thumbs up.

These two old men, instead of joining the festivities during the Lunar New Year, are hiding here trying to solve a puzzle?

This kind of leisurely and refined taste is truly rare.

Su Yu smiled. "You've come to see Prime Minister Song because you need something, right?"

"It's nothing!" Qin Yu shook his head and smiled. "I just thought that since Prime Minister Song was alone in Fushang, I came to visit him on behalf of his son who was far away in Min, and to keep him company."

"I'd be a fool to believe you!"

Su Yu stood up, pressing his knees. "Old Song, it's getting late. We can't break this game today. I'll head back now! We can discuss it properly another day when we have more time!"

"Alright, alright!" Song Zhuo didn't try to stop him. "Qin Yu, see Old Master Su off for me."

"We've been friends for ages, why bother with gifts!"

Su Yu grabbed the cup of cooled tea from the table and gulped it down. He then hunched over and waved goodbye.

Although Su Yu didn't want to be seen off, Qin Yu still followed her and escorted her to the door.

When Qin Yu returned, Nan Que'er had already finished diagnosing Song Zhuo.

In front of Song Zhuo, Nan Que'er still said that Song Zhuo's health was well taken care of.

Song Zhuo knew the girl was lying to him, but he didn't call her out on it.

"Speak, what brings you to this old man?"

Song Zhuo asked the two with a smile.

"..."

Qin Yu was both amused and exasperated. "What could we possibly need? We really just came to visit you!"

So, in these two old guys' eyes, I'm someone who only comes to their temple when I need something?

Who can I reason with?!

"really?"

Song Zhuo was half-believing and half-doubting.

He genuinely believed that Qin Yu had come to see him because of something important or because he had encountered a problem.

Qin Yu rolled his eyes. "More real than real gold and silver!"

"Alright! I guess I misunderstood you!"

Song Zhuo chuckled, "Since you're alright, then I'll tell you something!"

"What is it?"

Qin Yu was suspicious.

Song Zhuo didn't speak immediately, but instead looked apologetically at Nan Que'er, "I would like to have a private talk with this scoundrel, please excuse me."

"good!"

Nan Que'er nodded gently and quickly left the room.

Qin Yu was puzzled.

What important thing does this old man want to tell me?

Song Zhuo invited Qin Yu to sit down and picked up the teapot to pour Qin Yu a cup of tea.

"No, no, let me, the younger generation, do it!"

Qin Yu quickly took the teapot from Song Zhuo and poured a cup of tea for both of them.

Song Zhuo picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and then asked with a smile, "I heard from that old fellow Su Yu that Gao Yi has already started targeting you?"

"Is that all?"

Qin Yu chuckled to himself.

Is that all that Nan Que'er should avoid?

"right!"

Song Zhuo nodded slightly. "What are your thoughts on this matter?"

"Of course I use my brain to think about it!" Qin Yu chuckled.

Song Zhuo's lips twitched, and his expression suddenly turned serious. "I'm talking to you about serious matters! Stop joking around!"

Qin Yu's smile faded, and he said seriously, "To be honest, I didn't understand why Gao Yi suddenly targeted me like this in court that day. But then I remembered what you and the old man had told me, and I understood! If he were in Gao Yi's position, he had to do this..."

Ultimately, it all comes down to the word "balance"!

Gao Yi was originally meant to be opposed to them, so it's perfectly normal to treat him as a political enemy.

Not only him, but anyone on their side could become a target of Gao Yi's attacks.

"Good that you understand! I was afraid you wouldn't understand!"

Song Zhuo nodded, his expression relaxing. "Since you understand, let me give you a heads-up! Gao Yi is extremely useful to the court. While you're fighting against Gao Yi, you must learn to use him to achieve your own and the court's goals!"

Qin Yu lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then asked with a grin, "How do we use it?"

"That's your problem!"

Song Zhuo put down his teacup. "Don't ask me now. If one day you really don't know what to do, you can ask me! Of course, that's assuming I'm still alive then!"

"Look at what you're saying!" Qin Yu comforted him, "With your energy, you could easily hold on for another ten years!"

"Do you think I'm a three-year-old child?!"

Song Zhuo glared at Qin Yu with a smile, "Alright, I know what I'm doing, I don't need your comfort!"

"well!"

Qin Yu chuckled, "Oh, by the way, I have a funny story to tell you..."

As he spoke, Qin Yu brought up the story of Lü Si beating Shi Lian'er to Gao Yi.

Qin Yu spoke happily, but Song Zhuo's expression grew increasingly grim.

Qin Yu noticed Song Zhuo's unusual behavior and asked suspiciously, "Prime Minister Song, what's wrong with you?"

Song Zhuo, panting heavily, glared at Qin Yu angrily: "You two bastards, you're going to get a beating!"

"what?"

Qin Yu, confused, said, "Prime Minister Song, I'm easily frightened, don't scare me!"

Why did I get slapped?

Are historians really that remarkable?

Song Zhuo glared at Qin Yu with a dark expression: "Why do you think His Majesty would bestow a marriage upon Lü Si and Shi Lian'er?"

"How would I know?"

Qin Yu shrugged. "Perhaps His Majesty just had a sudden whim?"

"fart!"

Song Zhuo couldn't help but swear, "I bet His Majesty is paving the way for reforming the salt administration!"

"Regulate the salt administration?"

Qin Yu's eyelids twitched. After pondering silently for a moment, he tentatively asked, "Does Prime Minister Song mean that His Majesty hopes to reduce resistance to the reform of the salt administration through a marriage alliance between the two families?"

"You're pretty smart, kid!"

Song Zhuo nodded slightly. "His Majesty has wanted to reform the salt administration for several years, but for various reasons, he has not been able to do so! Now that Min has been conquered, the salt from Min can replace the salt from Hai and Yuan prefectures. His Majesty's tolerance for those salt merchants should have reached its limit..."

When the late emperor was in power, those salt merchants were relatively honest.

Salt merchants, being involved in tax matters, all have some issues to some extent, as long as they don't go too far.

But after the death of the late emperor, those salt merchants gradually became greedy.

When Daning was beset by internal and external troubles a few years ago, those salt merchants became even more greedy and unrestrained.

In the second year of Zhao Luan's personal rule, he had the idea of ​​thoroughly reforming the salt administration and had even discussed it with him.

But after discussing it, they all felt that it was not the right time to rectify the salt administration.

After Zhao Luan warned the Shi family, the salt merchants finally restrained themselves a bit, and the taxes they paid in recent years were still acceptable.

However, it was just passable; the way they made it wasn't too bad.

Now that Zhao Luan has more options, he is most likely considering reforming the salt administration again.

"Is that so?"

Qin Yu stroked his chin, pondered silently for a moment, and asked with great curiosity, "Prime Minister Song, are historians really that important?"