I became a saint by picking up corpses in Water Margin

Chapter 362: Offense and Defense Change, Out of Taihang
Wen Huanzhang nodded with a smile and was immediately invited by Yang Chang to sit in the seat of honor.

All the generals followed Wu Song in greeting, especially the latest vanguard Suo Chao. Wen Huanzhang was a little surprised to see him, but immediately understood what Yang Chang had just said.

Just as he was about to listen to Yang Chang's next words, he unexpectedly changed the subject and asked meaningfully, "Mr. Wen, I heard that you were the one who suggested me become the King of Jin?"

"what?"

"Don't blame me, Sanlang. This was my idea. People were in a panic at the time. If it weren't for your suggestion, Hedong would have been in chaos."

"Second brother, what you said is very true. I also support it."

Wu Song and Hu Sanniang were afraid that Yang Chang would blame them, so they rushed to help Wen Huanzhang take the blame.

Seeing this, Yang Chang smiled bitterly, waved his hand and said, "I know that the gentleman means well, so how can I blame him? I didn't even think of this idea, I just want to express my gratitude."

"I thought you were"

"Since the matter is settled, I will be crowned king. After we defeat the enemy, I will appoint civil and military officials regardless of whether the imperial edict from Bianjing arrives or not. I will need your advice at that time."

"It is my honor to be able to share the worries of King Jin."

Wen Huanzhang bowed and looked at Yang Chang to confirm, "Prince Jin asked me to deal with Hu Yanzhuo. Could it be that he wanted to break the deadlock with General Suo Chao?"

"Haha."

Yang Chang laughed heartily and said, "Sir, you are indeed a wise man. You have already guessed it before I even opened my mouth. General Suo has just turned from evil to good, and the news has spread to She County at most. If you take him to Zezhou to defeat the enemy, I believe Hu Yanzhuo will be unprepared."

"It's a good plan, but..."

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Mr. Wen, rest assured. Suo Chao is truly loyal to the King of Jin. He is definitely not an insider like Zhu Gui and Bai Sheng. If he has any second thoughts, he will be killed by both God and man!"

Seeing Suo Chao step forward to express his loyalty, Wen Huanzhang hurriedly stood up and saluted, explaining: "General, there is no need to do this. I do not doubt your loyalty, but your family is in Yingtian. If you break up openly, don't you worry that your family will be killed? I am afraid that you will have worries."

"hiss"

Suo Chao took a deep breath after hearing this, thinking that Song Jiang and Wu Yong liked to start with their families, and that he had misunderstood Wen Huanzhang, he hurriedly clasped his fists in return and said, "Thank you for your guidance, sir. I am very grateful."

Upon hearing this, Yang Chang nodded solemnly and murmured, "Sir, you are right. I will definitely defeat Song Jiang in this battle. Not only will General Suo abandon the dark and join the light, but other brothers may also join us. It is indeed a problem to worry about the future. I must send people to Yingtian in advance to move the family members while Song Jiang's main force is still in Luzhou."

"We can't take care of those who haven't surrendered yet. King Jin can count the existing personnel and send people to Yingtian immediately."

"existing?"

After hearing Wen Huanzhang's reminder, Yang Chang pinched his chin and thought for a while, then said, "Besides Suo Chao, there is Yang Xiong who just left, and Shi Xiu who has not yet arrived. However, they don't seem to value Zhao Gou's marriage proposal very much."

"Sanlang, there's also Dong Ping." Wu Song reminded excitedly.

"Yes, and Dong Ping."

After Yang Changying finished talking to Wu Song, he asked the generals in the hall, "Who will bring him here? Let's all persuade him together later."

"I go."

"The last general."

Seeing that Ruan Xiaoqi and Suo Chao said the same thing, Yang Chang ordered them to go together.

Wen Huanzhang then reminded: "If the crisis in Luzhou is resolved, General Lin can fight with all his might. With the existing troops and artillery shells in Zezhou, he may be able to counterattack and recapture Huaizhou in one fell swoop. I'm afraid that the King of Jin has not yet planned to leave Taihang."

"Haha, this is one time, that is another time."

Yang Chang smiled at first, then frowned and said in a deep voice: "In the past, we were weak, and the Jin Kingdom was eyeing us covetously. We had to use the terrain and pass to defend ourselves. But now the Jin Kingdom is about to start a civil war, and Song Jiang is bullying us again. If I don't beat him to death, it would seem that I have no temper."

"Is that going to be a big deal?"

Wen Huanzhang swallowed his saliva. He didn't know that Yang Chang had killed Wu Qimai. He thought to himself, Prince Jin only went to the capital once, how could he be so confident when he came back?

"Why not?"

Yang Chang's mouth twitched, and he sneered, "It would be fine if I captured Song Jiang, but if he manages to escape from Luzhou, I may not let it go. Didn't Zhao Gou appoint him as the commander of Ze, Huai, Wei, and Xiang? I will make sure he has no place to stay!"

“Is this a big step?”

"It's okay. It's nothing more than expanding the military forces of Zezhou and Luzhou. How can Song Jiang know how to govern a place? After coming to Taihang, he has been aggressive and aggressive. The people in the towns are probably suffering a lot and are waiting for us to rescue them."

"That makes sense, but our main opponent is the Jin people. If we push the defense line beyond Taihang, we will face the iron hoofs of the Jin cavalry. Even if the Jin Kingdom is about to have a civil war, their frontline generals may not be affected."

Before Wen Huanzhang finished speaking, Yang Chang pointed at his Wu Song and said, "Second brother, you go and tell Mr. Wen."

"it is good."

Wu Song nodded in response, and said with a serious face: "Prince Jin went to the capital and personally chopped off the head of the Jin emperor. At this time, the Jin is leaderless. They are divided into several factions. The generals on the front line will go back to fight for power sooner or later. How can they care about fighting with us?"

"Prince Jin killed the Emperor of Jin?"

Wen Huanzhang looked incredulous, and Wu Song added as if he had witnessed it himself: "How can there be any joke in the army? The King of Jin not only killed Wu Qimai, but also hung his head at the gate of Shangjing. I don't know how chaotic the Jin Kingdom is at this time."

"King Jin, you traveled thousands of miles to slay a dragon, you are truly a god."

"It's nothing."

Yang Chang waved his hand lightly, then changed the topic to Zezhou and asked, "Song Jiang invaded this time, so there must not be many soldiers stationed there. I think the remaining main forces of Huaizhou and Weizhou are in Hu Yanzhuo's hands, and he is fighting with Lin Zongguan now. Why don't you lead an army out of Baixing and directly take down Song Jiang's old nest Weizhou?"

"Prince Jin's analysis is correct, but defense is easier than offense. Take our Luzhou for example. Although the Sun brothers have a small force, they can call on the people to help defend the city. Song Jiang suffered a lot with so many soldiers. What's more, Lin must not be that rich to be able to share my troops."

"We started out as a defensive force, so I agree with what you said. However, the strength of the defense depends entirely on the general. Second brother, do you know who Song Jiang left to guard the state?"

"install?"

Wu Song was listening attentively, but was startled when his name was suddenly called. He shook his head and replied, "I haven't had time to ask, but Suo Chao must know everything. We'll know when he comes and ask him."

"Alright."

Yang Chang nodded in affirmation, then looked at Wen Huanzhang and asked, "Sir, you and Chief Steward Lin are one civil and one military. The people's livelihood and military preparations of Zezhou should be good, right? If we can seize Huaizhou this time, you will have to move to another place. Can I hand over Zezhou with confidence?"

"Prince Jin, rest assured. Although we cannot say that the people's livelihood and military preparations in Zezhou are the best among the states in Hedong, they are definitely among the top three. I will take this opportunity to report to you in detail."

Wen Huanzhang spoke clearly and logically, and all work was supported by data, which made Yang Chang nod his head repeatedly in affirmation.

He took this opportunity to advise the generals in the hall that if they were entrusted with important tasks in the future and had the opportunity to serve as military and political leaders in local areas, they should also learn to make brief reports and distinguish the primary from the secondary issues when dealing with them.

When all the generals were talking in agreement, Ruan Xiaoqi and Suo Chao just happened to return with Dong Ping. Yang Chang had good eyesight and saw it in advance, so he sat up straight and thought about how to persuade them to surrender.

Then, the three of them walked into the lobby in an inverted V shape, with Ruan Xiaoqi and Suo Chao walking in front, and Dong Ping following slightly behind.

"Prince Jin."

"Thank you for your hard work, take a seat."

Yang Chang nodded in response to Ruan and Suo. He was looking at Dong Ping who was bowing his head when he suddenly bowed down. "Dong Ping overestimated his own strength and tried to hit a rock with an egg. I hope the King of Jin will forgive me for the offense I have caused in the past. Now I am willing to follow the King of Jin and lead the horse and fall into the stirrups."

"hiss"

Seeing Dong Ping lying on the ground with his hips raised, Yang Chang thought, "I haven't even opened my mouth yet, and you surrendered so quickly?" But maybe he has been with Song Jiang for too long, how come he has learned this bad habit?

As the saying goes, if someone respects me one foot, I will respect him one yard.

Dong Ping is one of the Five Tigers of Liangshan. Now he is prostrating himself like Song Jiang to show his loyalty. How can Yang Chang put on airs?

He immediately stood up and walked down the stairs, bent down and helped Dong Ping up with both hands, and said solemnly: "General Dong is such a talented person, how can I let you lead the horse and fall off the stirrup? Destroy the Jin Kingdom and rule the world, and we will share the glory together!"

"Dong Ping regrets that I came too late. When I pacified Tian Hu, I should have followed the King of Jin."

"Let the past be the past."

Yang Chang held Dong Ping's hands and shook them vigorously to encourage him. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of Wen Huanzhang and remembered the discussion about the surprise attack on Weizhou. So he took the opportunity to ask, "By the way, General, do you know who Song Jiang left to guard Weizhou?"

"Who to keep?"

Dong Ping was stunned when he heard this, and quickly counted on his fingers and replied: "Remember that the commander is Zhang Shun, and the deputy commanders are Li Yun and Zhu Fu, master and apprentice."

"Just these three?"

"Yes, I remember there were only them. Brother Suo, are there any others?"

"They are right, the rest are gone."

After Suo Chao gave the circumstantial evidence, Yang Chang immediately asked the two of them, "Can the three of them defend the city?"

"Defend the city?"

"unclear"

Dong Ping and Suo Chao looked confused, as if they didn't understand the question.

Seeing this, Yang Chang immediately added, "Then let me change the question. What is the prestige of these three people? Can they lead the troops to fight independently?"

"This"

"Let me tell you."

Suo Chao interrupted Dong Ping and said seriously, "King Jin should also know that Zhang Shun was born as a naval leader, so he is naturally competent to lead the navy in battle, but it is hard to say if he is away from the water. As for Li Yun and Zhu Fu, they have never led an army independently, but this master and apprentice pair are loyal people, so it should be no problem for them to lead a small number of infantry to fight."

"understood."

Yang sighed, and couldn't help looking at Wen Huanzhang, saying meaningfully: "They don't hold high positions in Liangshan, but now they have the approval of General Suo, so they should still have some strength. Your worry has come true, and it seems that a surprise attack on Weizhou is not feasible."

"A surprise attack on Weizhou? How to launch a surprise attack?"

Seeing Suo Chao's confused face, Wu Song immediately told him Yang Chang's thoughts and Wen Huanzhang's concerns.

Suo Chao scratched his face after hearing this, and reminded him with empty eyes: "A few days ago, Song Jiang ordered Xu Ning to shoot Zhu Gui with a hidden arrow in front of the battle. If the news was secretly passed to Zhu Fu, would they still defend the city for Song Jiang?"

"Huh? Is this happening?"

Yang Chang looked at everyone in surprise, thinking to himself, why didn’t you tell them such an important thing?
Ruan Xiaoqi reacted the fastest and immediately responded in agreement: "What Suo Chao said is correct. He originally asked Zhu Gui to expose Song Jiang's collusion with the Jin people in front of the battle line in order to undermine the morale of the enemy army, but he was shot dead before he could say a few words."

"That's a good idea. You guys are really good at it."

"Your Majesty, this is a suggestion from Mrs. Gu."

Seeing that Yang Chang had recognized Prince Jin, Hu Sanniang helped Mrs. Gu to ask for credit and changed her title.

After hearing this, Yang Chang looked at Sister Gu and said with a look of relief: "Sister-in-law is really a female Zhuge Liang. I want your Sparrow Army to go to Yingtian to pick up their families. It seems that you have to add more burdens. Do you dare to sneak into Weizhou as an insider?"

"Thanks to the trust of the Prince of Jin and the Princess, my husband and I will serve you wholeheartedly."

Mrs. Gu stood up to respond, not forgetting to pull Sun Xin up as well. This little detail did not escape Yang Chang's eyes, and he immediately smiled and said, "Then hand over the military affairs here as soon as possible, and rush to Weizhou to complete the lurking matters as soon as possible. You can send your sparrows to do it, and you can stay in the outer area to command."

"How can we ask a small soldier to go for such a big event? Besides, we have some friendship with Master Li Yun and his apprentice. It will be easier to accomplish the task if we go into the city in person."

"Alright."

Yang Chang nodded in agreement, and then said to Wen Huanzhang: "With the support of the insiders, sir, you have a chance to take Weizhou, but Zezhou has a major general. I will give you a few deputy generals now. Do you have any favorite candidates?"

"this one"

Wen Huanzhang looked around and murmured, "Generals Dong and Suo, their families are still trapped in Yingtian, so it is inconvenient for me to take them to Zezhou. I suggest that King Jin counterattack Song Jiang and not take them to the battle. You can appoint the rest as you like."

"Well, there will be more opportunities to fight in the future anyway, so if I don't want to fight now, then I won't."

After Yang Chang finished speaking, he looked at Dong Ping and Suo Chao respectively, and saw gratitude in their eyes. Then his eyes fell on Tao Zongwang and Hou Jian, and asked with a smile: "Brothers Tao and Hou, you haven't performed well yet? Why don't you follow Mr. Wen to perform a great deed?"

"Thank you, King Jin."

"I am willing to go."

Tao Zongwang and Hou Jian stood up and responded one after another.

Wu Song was about to say something when Yang Chang called on the Ruan brothers, "Xiao Wu, Xiao Qi, since Zhang Shun is in Weizhou, Song Jiang's navy should be there too. Why don't you go with him?"

"Let Fifth Brother go? I want to fight a few more battles with my brother."

"Haha, that's fine too, Brother Xiaowu, then it's you?"

"it is good."

Ruan Xiaowu didn't hesitate at all.

Yang Chang then asked Wu Song, "Second brother, what did you want to say just now?"

"To be honest, the brothers who came with me to Luzhou have all made their mark recently. However, if we let Tao Zongwang and Hou Jian take Weizhou, they might be able to catch them by surprise."

"Oh? So Song Jiang has suffered a loss? Interesting, interesting. Brothers will soon be separated again, but we can arrange a banquet today and have a good reunion."

"I'll make arrangements."

Mrs. Gu stopped this matter again, and then everyone had a banquet in Licheng and talked about the recent war.

Shi Xiu then fled into a small path, gathered his remaining troops and hurriedly returned to the Gudong stronghold. At that time, Song Jiang and Wu Yong were having a drink in the tent, waiting for the news of the collapse of Wu Song's main force.

"Come on, come on, Taiwei, have another bowl. Wu Song still wants to break out, but Qin Ming and others are guarding him, so he has no chance."

"Men? What great things can this man achieve? In the past, there was Yang Chang, but now? Humph."

The two were eating happily when suddenly there were hurried footsteps outside the tent and Shi Xiu's voice came: "General, Military Advisor, Yang Chang is coming to kill us!"

(End of this chapter)