Lord: Start with a book of Water Margin

Chapter 531 Buying Back the Troops

Lai Yonger heard this and asked quickly, "What's the matter?"

Zhao Zhen sighed and clapped his hands. Two soldiers carried a tattered corpse and placed it in front of Lai Yonger. Zhao Zhen said, "Here, leader, this is Kong Ming's body. Take it back to the city and bury it."

Lai Yonger pointed at Kong Ming's body and asked, "How could this happen?"

Zhao Zhen sighed and told him about Kong Ming's escape and death.

Lai Yonger heard this and stamped his feet, saying, "Hey, Brother Kong Ming is unlucky."

Zhao Zhen said, "Headmaster, I will not hide it from you. Before I made the deal with you, I had already issued orders to send troops to suppress the rebellion in Dengzhou and the northern areas of Zibo. I sent someone to pass on the order yesterday, but I don't know if it was too late."

Lai Yonger heard this and sighed, "Please send more people, sir, to avoid a war between the two sides and loss of life."

Zhao Zhen said, "Don't worry, Commander. If everything goes well, there will be news from Linzi today. I will send someone to deliver it to the city."

As he was speaking, Bian Xiang, who was guarding the gate of the big camp, brought someone to ask for a meeting. When Zhao Zhen looked, he found that it was indeed Li Zongtang.

After greeting, Zhao Zhen asked, "Brother, how is Linzi doing?"

Li Zongtang said, "Sir, we have fulfilled our mission and won victory after victory. In the first battle, General Guan Sheng divided his troops into two groups. Brother Li Kui and I attacked Shouguang, while Generals Guan Sheng and Xuan Zan attacked Boxing over a long distance. Afterwards, only 300 men were left to guard the city. We joined forces at Qiancheng. We joined forces with Harlansheng, Sha Zhiren, and Mian Yixin from Zhengyi Village to attack Qiancheng. After the troops joined forces, Harlansheng put on his armor and went into battle, supervising the brave men of Zhengyi Village to climb the city walls. In one battle, we broke through Qiancheng, which was guarded by only 3,000 soldiers."

"Ma Yuan, the [Golden Scaled Python], and Helian Jinming, the [Lie Jue Da Lang], fled out of the city. General Guan Sheng captured Ma Yuan alive, and Sha Zhiren and Mian Yixin captured Helian Jinming alive. After a day of rest, they attacked Linzi the day before yesterday. Yao Shun, the [Hungry Bug], came out of the city to fight the generals. Harlan Sheng fought with him for thirty rounds and knocked him off his horse. We took advantage of the situation to attack the city. Seeing that the situation was not good, Sima Shi Wanqi Chun ordered the Qingzhou bandits to surrender."

"I received a letter from you yesterday. General Guan Sheng asked me to come and deliver the message."

After hearing this, Zhao Zhen said to Lai Yong'er: "Leader, look..."

"Sir, I will go back to the city to collect gold and silver. I will go to Linzi with this general and let Ma Yuan and other brothers be temporarily under house arrest in Linzi. Please send people to hang our flags as usual. We will change the flags after we are recruited. Brother Gongming will give you a large sum of money as a reward."

Zhao Zhen agreed immediately.

After seeing off Lai Yong'er, Zhao Zhen asked Li Zongtang to describe the battles along the way in detail.

In the camp, everyone was delighted when they heard this.

Now, except for Yidu, all the bandits in Qingzhou have been wiped out. Now we know that Song Jiang wants to surrender, and this war is about to end.

Zhao Zhen asked, "Who is guarding Qiancheng? What is Guan Sheng's plan?"

Li Zongtang said: "Qiancheng currently has Sha Zhiren stationed there to guard the city. General Guan Sheng has dealt with the Qingzhou bandits in the city and is now planning to lead his troops to attack the Qingzhou Water Stronghold."

Zhao Zhen listened, pondered for a moment, and said to Shan Tinggui and Wei Dingguo: "Two generals, now Shouguang and Boxing are unmanned, how about you two lead your troops to go there as the training envoys?"

After hearing this, Shan Tinggui and Wei Dingguo stood up and said, "Sir, we are willing to go."

Zhao Zhen said to Li Zongtang again: "You go back to Linzi city later and convey my order to appoint Guan Sheng as the military commander of Qingzhou, and temporarily station him in Linzi to control the troops." In Yidu city, Song Gongming and others gathered in the government office. After hearing what Lai Yonger said, they were all shocked.

Di Lei shouted, "Brother Gongming, we have to save Ma Yuan and the other brothers."

After hearing this, Song Jiang said quickly, "We are all gathered together for the sake of righteousness. How can a little money be worth the lives of Ma Yuan and others? Please ask the soldiers to go again later."

After pacifying everyone, Song Jiang said to Lai Yong'er alone: ​​"Military Advisor, at this time, there won't be any changes in the amnesty."

Lai Yonger said, "Brother Gongming, I have agreed with Mr. Zhao that Linzi and other counties will still fly our banners. Today I will follow Mr. Zhao's men to Linzi, firstly, to appease Brother Ma Yuan and others, and secondly, to take the opportunity to go to Bianjing to make the matter of recruiting them a reality. Now we only have Yidu, and the original plan to stay in Qingzhou to check Liangshan for the court is no longer feasible."

"Is it really as Zhao Zhen said that we can only go to conquer Wang Qing in Huaixi?" Song Jiang said unwillingly.

"People feel humble when they leave their hometown, but we have no choice but to do so. On the Jingdong Road, Zhao Zhen will never tolerate us." Lai Yong'er said.

Song Jiang sighed, "There is no time to lose. The military advisor should go as soon as possible."

As he said this, he and Lai Yong'er went to the treasury again and took out the hundred thousand strings of gold, pearls and treasures that had been counted long ago and were to be given to Grand Tutor Cai as an apology.

Song Jiang said to Lai Yong'er, "Military Advisor, in Linzi, apart from Ma Yuan and his brothers, is it possible to redeem the soldiers?"

Lai Yong'er said, "Zhao Zhen is greedy for money. If there are any goods, I'm afraid he won't respond."

Song Jiang heard this and said, "Since we have to go to suppress Wang Qing, we can use the 200,000 strings of money left as envoys to offer to Grand Tutor Cai and Grand Commandant Gao. We can also select 60,000 strings of treasures from the treasury and give them to Zhao Zhen. Without the city, these soldiers are the foundation of our livelihood. We can save up some of the little wealth we have."

Lai Yonger heard this and praised, "Brother is the one who sees things clearly."

At the same time, they selected the finest gold and silver toys, treasures and colorful silks from the treasury, folded them, and carried them out of the city gate to Zhao Zhen's camp.

Lai Yong'er explained his purpose, and Zhao Zhen asked Liu Huiniang to take the people to collect the property. He said to Li Zongtang beside him: "You take the leaders to Linzi, and don't neglect the captured Qingzhou generals. Once the imperial court's amnesty document arrives, these people must be sent back."

After hearing this, Li Zongtang immediately agreed.

Zhao Zhen then said to Lai Yong'er, "Leader, it's getting late today. How about you go to Linzi early tomorrow morning?"

Lai Yong'er shook his head and said, "Sir, it's not that I'm in trouble. It's just that the situation of recruiting is uncertain, and Brother Gongming is worried. I went to Linzi to meet Brother Ma Yuan and others, and then went to Bianjing City to make plans. I'd like to ask this general to take the trouble and go to Linzi tonight."

After hearing this, Zhao Zhen said to Li Zongtang: "In this case, please take the trouble to go there."

After seeing off Li Zongtang and his men, Zhao Zhen rested for a night, then summoned all the generals and announced: "Brothers, now is the wheat harvest season, and the bandits in Yidu and Qingzhou are no longer a serious threat. I plan to dismiss the civilians and let them go home to harvest wheat. Only nine brothers, Hu Yanzhuo, Bian Xiang, Yang Zhi, Huo Wancheng, Wang Liang, Liu Qi, Zhou Jin, Han Tao, and Peng Qi, will be left in this camp. I will order 5,000 cavalry to monitor Yidu, and the rest of the troops will all retreat to Linqu to provide support."

After hearing this, everyone did their own thing.

When the laborers heard the news of returning home, they burst into huge cheers.

(End of this chapter)