CHAPTER 111: CHAPTER 109: A DIFFERENT APPROACH

Song Yu stood outside the government office waiting for Song Xian. Although he was now a Colonel, he held no actual position and had no documents in hand, thus he was blocked by the small government officials at the door.

Song Yu was determined to see Song Xian, whether it was to plead for Song Min or seek Song Xian’s help, he would try no matter how slim the chance.

He troubled the officials to convey the message twice, yet Song Xian did not respond at all.

It wasn’t until midnight when it started to snow that Song Yu was forced to be helped back home by those around him.

Inside the government office, Chang An heated a bowl of Sanqi Tea for Song Xian, adding cane syrup as Miss Xie had instructed.

The tea had been placed on the table and reheated twice, yet Song Xian kept his head buried in paperwork, ignoring it.

The room was very quiet, even Cheng Yanzhao opposite him read the documents without saying a word.

Everyone knew that Song Xian disliked being disturbed when working.

Chang An glanced at the Sanqi Tea, weighed slightly in his heart, and plucked up the courage to say, "Master, the Sanqi Tea can’t be heated anymore, Miss Xie specifically instructed..."

Chang An was about to relay Miss Xie’s original words, that good Sanqi shouldn’t be wasted, but decided to make a slight modification before speaking.

Chang An said, "Miss Xie went through great lengths to make it, using the best herbs that could be found in Chen Family Village."

Song Xian’s mind was filled with the names of border generals, intending to uncover more spies and traitors infiltrated within the military camp. Suddenly hearing Chang An mention Sanqi Tea, he hesitated for a moment, then remembered Xie Liangchen.

Song Xian looked up at Chang An, his gaze showing faint impatience.

A person devoted to work being interrupted unexpectedly is bound to have some temper, but Chang An did not back down and once again offered the tea towards Song Xian.

Song Xian furrowed his brows slightly but did not ask Chang An to withdraw.

Cheng Yanzhao nearby couldn’t help but ask, "What is it? Tea?"

Saying this, Cheng Yanzhao got up to take a look, but before he reached there, Song Xian grabbed the tea bowl, raised his hand, and drank it all in one go.

"Made by Miss Xie for Master," Chang An said, "It’s good for Master’s old injuries." Master, who never takes medicine on time, perhaps would drink the tea Miss Xie sent.

Cheng Yanzhao’s eyes lit up: "She can read the pulse too? I’ve suffered many injuries and have old ailments as well. Can it be cured without medicine, just by drinking tea? I also want..."

Just as Cheng Yanzhao finished speaking, the documents sent by Song Xian hit him. The brew wasn’t tea at all; it was medicine. Was it because she noticed he didn’t want to take medicine and thus thought of this way? Medicinal cuisine, tea, she really had many tricks.

Song Xian wished not to discuss this with Cheng Yanzhao; whether it was tea or medicine, either could engage Cheng Yanzhao’s interest.

When Song Xian looked at Cheng Yanzhao again, his brows and eyes carried seriousness: "Vice General Qiao, under Song Min’s orders, interacted with Wang Jian, using Wang Jian’s spy network, to allocate goods to the Juma River, where Chang Shan opened checkpoints to let the goods into Daqi, leading to the incident of framing Chen Family Village."

Cheng Yanzhao nodded: "That’s what the current evidence shows."

Song Xian said, "If that’s the case, Song Min must have dealings with Wang Jian and others early on."

Cheng Yanzhao replied, "We’re currently interrogating people around Song Min, trying to see if Song Min has benefited from Liao people before."

Song Xian’s voice was calm: "Someone reported to the Emperor that the Song Family was secretly connected with Liao people long ago, Song Min is merely a pawn, to frame me if successful, and to plunge Song Family into chaos if unsuccessful.

Song Min remains oblivious even now, and from those around him, we won’t get the results we want."

Cheng Yanzhao asked, "What do you mean?"

Song Xian said, "Without Vice General Qiao mediating, Chang Shan wouldn’t have succeeded so smoothly at the Juma River, and it was Vice General Qiao who interacted with Wang Jian. Vice General Qiao followed Song Qizheng for many years, Song Qizheng always trusted him deeply. It’s suspicious that he now risks everything to help Song Min.

Is Vice General Qiao serving Song Min loyally, or is he exploiting Song Min?"

Cheng Yanzhao understood: "You lean towards the latter?"

Song Xian nodded: "Mr. Li personally interrogates Wang Jian, let’s not intervene first; you hand over the interrogation of people beside Song Min to Qu Chengmei, and thoroughly investigate Vice General Qiao."

Cheng Yanzhao bowed his head to look at the document in his hands.

Song Xian said lightly: "Look as you walk."

This was a prompt for him to get moving, Cheng Yanzhao said: "It’s the middle of the night..."

Song Xian pointed out the window.

The day had already broken.

Cheng Yanzhao’s face immediately showed a grieved expression, wondering if he had offended Song Xian somehow to make him run around like this?

Not much can be gleaned in one day and night of investigation, but just Wang Jian himself is enough to make Song Xian vigilant. Wang Jian has been in the North for many years, and in a previous life was even in the Military Equipment Supervision. At that time, Song Min was dead, Song Qizheng had long been stripped of power by him, yet Wang Jian was not implicated and even entered officialdom.

Those interacting with the people behind Wang Jian were not limited to the Song Family.

Song Xian didn’t expect to uncover everyone all at once; he directed Cheng Yanzhao to continue the pursuit while he settled himself to rectify the northern military camp, deploying his forces within Song Qizheng’s army.

When Song Min’s case reached the Capital City, the Emperor would surely be enraged, implicating Song Qizheng inevitably.

Yet the Song Family would not decline here; his task was to resolve this matter with great merit and seize the military power that Song Qizheng would lose.

Thus, in taking over the soldiers under Song Qizheng’s command, it would be faster and smoother than the previous life. Although he seized power in the previous life, he went through war and internal strife, losing many lives and paying the price.

Song Xian’s spirit stirred, in this life he might not need such aggressive tactics as before, and thus many people and things could be preserved better.

Song Xian lowered his head and continued working on his official duties, and when he next looked at the hourglass, it was already past 1:00 PM.

Song Xian stood up, preparing to visit his grandmother.

With his entourage, he returned to the Song Family residence; the steward came to report, "Master, Madam are both here, would you like to..."

Song Xian said indifferently, "No, I’m here to see Grandmother."

The steward responded and retreated, not daring to say more, with the Third Young Master captured, the house in chaos, Madam crying all night, Master and several confidants remained in the study without coming out.

The Second Master went to the government office yesterday to wait for the First Master, and after Master learned, he scolded some, and now the Second Master is confined to his courtyard and not allowed to roam.

Now that the First Master is back...all they can do is report to the Master.

Song Xian did not stop his steps, walked towards the inner residence, past the corridor, and there lay Old Mrs. Song’s courtyard, he exhaled slightly relieved, just about to compose himself to meet his grandmother, when he caught a familiar fragrance.

Song Xian’s mind finally struggled out of official business; he turned to Chang An: "Did Miss Xie come?"

Chang An responded, "Miss came just after noon."

Song Xian hastened his pace, just as he entered Old Mrs. Song’s courtyard, he could hear laughter coming from the room.

"You child, you really know how to please people."