Water Margin: You dog official, you still say you don’t know martial arts?

Chapter 986 Song Gaozong: You don’t even want to call me Your Majesty!
Xijing.

"brute!"

Emperor Gaozong of Song was so angry that his whole body was throbbing!

Since his voice hadn't fully changed yet, it was still very shrill, and the curse broke his voice:
"I ordered them to stay in Yanshi, and only Zhong Shidao, Liu Gao, Song Jiang, and Qin Hui came to see me!
"They are so good, hundreds of thousands of troops are heading straight to the capital!
"What does Zong Shidao want to do?
"Rebellion? Huh?"

No one among the civil and military officials said a word, but they were not silent either, mainly because they were used to it.

After being ravaged by Liu Gao and Jin Wushu successively, the emperor's majesty can no longer scare anyone today.

The hall was completely silent. As a loyal minister, the Minister of the Right, Zhu Shengfei, stepped forward to save his reputation:
"Your Majesty, Zong Shidao is only fifty miles away from the capital, why not send someone to get reinforcements first!

"There are 50,000 imperial guards stationed in the capital. All we need to do is raise the drawbridge, close the city gates, and wait for the troops to come to our aid!"

Zhu Shengfei's proposal was simple and reasonable, so Song Gaozong asked him to implement it as soon as possible.

Hua Rong, the co-director of the Privy Council, stood up straight and said:

"Your Majesty, I have something to say but I don't know whether I should say it or not..."

Song Gaozong was sick and looking for a doctor. Seeing Hua Rong, his loyal minister, he nodded:

"But there's no harm in talking!"

Hua Rong: "Last time, your majesty sent an envoy to question Zhong Shidao, and Zhong Shidao said he wanted to reason with your majesty..."

"Hua Tongzhi, this is just an excuse!"

Wang Fu couldn't help but answer him: "You can't hear this?"

Is he trying to make sense?
He was clearly here to talk about physics!

Wang Fu held a high position, but he was not a loyal follower of the emperor.

So he joined forces with old ministers like Cai Jing and Yang Jian to go against Zhang Bangchang, Hua Rong and other loyal ministers.

Old ministers were called the "old party" and loyal ministers were called the "new party".

This is another new round of "new-old party struggle".

It's a habit that becomes second nature. No matter what suggestions the new party makes, the old party will always criticize them, no matter whether they are reasonable or not.

In order to maintain a balance, Emperor Gaozong of Song also condoned the open and covert struggles and intrigues between the old party and the new party.

After Wang Fu finished criticizing Hua Rong, Hua Rong smiled coldly and said nothing more.

Song Gaozong was anxious: "Wang Shumi, what's your reason?"

Ah this...

Wang Fu was speechless.

He just wanted to argue for the sake of arguing, and he actually had no reason to argue...

"Humph!"

Song Gaozong glared at Wang Fu who was retreating with his head down, and then asked Hua Rong:

"My dear Hua, please try to explain it!"

Hua Rong then continued: "Since he wants to reason with Your Majesty, Your Majesty might as well give him a chance to reason!

“When Zong Shidao’s troops are at the gate of the city, Your Majesty can go to the city gate tower and confront him in public!

“I thought that these hundreds of thousands of troops were not all Zong Shidao’s men. At least Liu Taibao and Song Taiwei were both your majesty’s men!

"It's just that Liu Taibao and Song Taiwei may have been coerced, deceived, and threatened by Zong Shidao...

“So, Your Majesty, in public, you should have a conversation with Zong Shidao. As long as the truth is on our side, the military will be on our side!
“By then, if Liu Taibao and Song Taiwei continue to incite him, Zong Shidao might be deserted by his friends and relatives right on the spot!
"Isn't this a way of defeating the enemy without fighting?"

"Hua Tongzhi's words make sense. General Song and Liu Taibao will definitely stand on your side!"

Minister of War Wu Yong stood up to support Hua Rong:
"Your Majesty, this plan is feasible!"

Song Gaozong was somewhat tempted, and then Yang Jian interrupted:

"I just don't know what he wants to say to Your Majesty..."

"Who cares what he says!"

Wu Yong is a member of the New Party. Without Song Jiang, he has to stand up:

"Master Zhong said that as a minister of Song, he should be loyal to his country!

"No matter what, he shouldn't have brought his troops to Xijing!

"Does he have the right to rebel?" As the Grand Tutor, Cai Jing habitually waited for Song Gaozong to look at him, and then came out to make the final decision.

However, Song Gaozong was not Song Huizong. He believed in his loyal subjects more, so he did not even look at Cai Jing:
"Well said, I'll do as you say!"

Hua Rong and Wu Yong bowed to Emperor Gaozong of Song: "Your Majesty is wise!"

And me? And me?
Your Majesty, are you making a decision without even asking me?

Cai Jing's face turned green: The world is deteriorating and people's hearts are no longer the same!

When will our old party be able to stand up again and tremble with anger...

……

Zhong Shidao and Liu Gao led hundreds of thousands of Song troops to the outskirts of Xijing and surrounded the city.

Zong Shidao was a little worried: "Your Highness, will the little tyrant come out and reason with us?"

"rest assured."

Liu Gao smiled and waved his goose feather fan:
"He'll come out."

Just as Zong Shidao was feeling suspicious, he saw a huge scene suddenly appear on the city gate tower, as if some important person had arrived.

But at this moment, the only one who could stage such a grand display in Xijing was Emperor Gaozong of Song.

When Song Gaozong reached the city wall, he felt a little awkward. He was short and could only poke his head out from the battlements...

Fortunately, a considerate young eunuch immediately knelt in a row beside the city wall and asked Song Gaozong to stand on it.

Emperor Gaozong of Song randomly selected two young eunuchs and had them stand on their backs, which made him look very tall.

Looking down at the hundreds of thousands of troops outside the city from a high vantage point, Song Gaozong couldn't help but feel his calves throbbing.

These hundreds of thousands of troops have experienced the war to destroy the Jin Dynasty and have completed their transformation, turning into veteran soldiers who have been victorious in every battle!

So at this time they were so imposing outside the city that they frightened the weak Song Gaozong so much that he could not stand steadily.

Another group of considerate young eunuchs quickly supported Song Gaozong from all sides to prevent him from falling down.

Song Gaozong opened his mouth, but no sound came out, so he looked to the Minister of War Wu Yong for help.

During the time when Song Jiang was away, Wu Yong shined brightly and Song Gaozong relied on him more and more.

Of course, if Zhang Bangchang or Song Jiang were there, it would not be Wu Yong’s turn, but now it all depends on Wu Yong.

Wu Yong understood, and leaned out from the battlement next to Song Gaozong and shouted:
"The Holy Emperor is here, please come out and answer, General Zhong!"

Zhong Shidao looked at Liu Gao with admiration and rode forward alone:

"Master Zhong is here!"

"Beast..."

Song Gaozong was so angry that his whole body was throbbing:

"He won't even call me Your Majesty!"

Wu Yong stared wide-eyed and searched for Song Jiang among the hundreds of thousands of soldiers, but he couldn't find him.

Maybe there are too many people, and my brother’s goal is too small…

Wu Yong had to temporarily give up the search for Song Jiang and shouted:

“Marshal Zhong said he wanted to reason with His Majesty!
"But General Zhong, as a minister of the Song Dynasty, you should be loyal to the emperor and serve him faithfully!
"Why are the soldiers besieging the capital?"

Wu Yong was a martial artist, with strong energy and a loud voice, which could be heard clearly by people inside and outside the city.

Song Gaozong gave a thumbs up:

Pretty!

Zhong Shidao laughed loudly: "Then let me ask you -

"I led the army to the north, but Your Majesty wants to take my head. Why is that?"

"nonsense!"

Wu Yong glanced at Emperor Gaozong of Song and accused Master Zhong without him saying anything:
"That's absolutely not the case!"

Zong Shidao snorted coldly: "I have witnesses and evidence!"

(End of this chapter)