I became a saint by picking up corpses in Water Margin

Chapter 377: Digging a hole? Lifting a rock and dropping it on your own feet

When there is a big reward, there will be brave men.

When Zhao Gou said this, even Wang Boyan was moved, and Zhang Jun's eyes lit up.

As the person who proposed it, although Song Jiang had dreamed of being crowned king, at that time he had few soldiers and generals, so it had nothing to do with him anymore.

However, as long as he can actively participate in the war, there is a great chance that he will be promoted to Marquis.

Even if he was given a duke title?

Among all the people present, Huang Qianshan was the only civil servant, so he was the most embarrassed.

Zhao Gou's empty promises had nothing to do with him, but allocating money, food, and military equipment was his duty as prime minister.

The Song Dynasty emphasized civil officials over military officials and raised the status of civil officials to an unlimited degree in order to prevent military generals from becoming independent.

Zhao Kuangyin was a military general, and he understood their weaknesses better than anyone else. So when he designed the official system, in addition to restricting the status of military generals, he also placed logistics under the control of the court.

Without money and food, who will work for you?

When Zhong Shizhong rescued Taiyuan, he could have relied on the Shenbi Bow to repel the enemy. However, because he set out in such a hurry, he not only did not bring enough food and fodder, but also did not bring enough money for rewards.

The soldiers used the magic arm bow to repel the enemy and asked for rewards on the spot, but Zhong Shizhong only had a few silver bowls left in his hand, and these "good men" of the Song Dynasty immediately became deserters.

More than half of Zong Shizhong's soldiers fled, and the advantage instantly turned into a disadvantage, and they were finally trapped by the Jin army in Shaxiong Ridge.

In the original historical course, Zhong Shizhong died in the battle of Shaxiongling.

In the dimension where Yang Chang was, he rescued Zhong Shizhong and Li Yanxian alone. Zhong Shizhong finally did not die outside, but was demoted to Qianzhou and was no longer valued, and slowly disappeared from the sight of Emperor Zhao Song.

Zhao Gou's current court, the military money and food and court expenses, on the one hand, are raised by his own ideas. Among them, the person who can raise money for him the most is Liang Yangzu, the former prefect of Xinde. He has served as the prefect of Yangzhou, the transport envoy of Jianghuai and other routes, the director of the tea and salt affairs in the southeast, and the envoy of the southeast.

These positions are not as high as those of prime minister, but they are extremely powerful and lucrative.

At that time, Zhao Gou was the Grand Marshal of the Army, and Liang Yangzu was one of the main military leaders who went to Daming Prefecture to serve the king. He was also the superior of generals such as Zhang Jun and Yang Yizhong.

If Liang Yangzu had not left the court to make money for Zhao Gou, these people would not be able to be on equal footing with Song Jiang at this time.

Another important source of money and grain for Zhao Gou's court was the group of literati and gentry who owned land, and they continued to donate money to maintain the court.

Of course, these scholars and officials also benefited from this and were appointed to important positions in the court.

As the leader of the literati, Huang Qianshan saw that Zhao Gou successfully used the title of king to motivate everyone. He knew that if he continued to stop him, he would suffer no good consequences, so he raised his own difficulties in advance.

"Your Majesty, everyone, if the army marches north at this time, it will be difficult to raise military supplies and fodder in a short period of time, especially since it is the summer harvest time, and it will be difficult to mobilize civilians to transport food."

"Yellow phase."

Song Jiang suddenly interrupted and said seriously, "Since it is the summer harvest season in various places, Hebei is the existing granary. If Your Majesty raises an army to drive out the Tartars, won't the people of Hebei welcome you with food and drink?"

"Song Qing's words are very good"

"His Majesty."

Huang Qianshan continued to defend himself: "Although I don't understand the art of war, I will definitely miss military opportunities if I fight in Hebei while harvesting wheat and grain. Besides, the imperial army will have to transport food and fodder to the north. Whether there are civilians or not, the army will be sent to escort them."

"Don't worry, Prime Minister Huang." Song Jiang interrupted Huang Qianshan again, and said with a confident smile: "Although I was defeated by Yang Chang this time, my navy was not damaged and can fully help the armies transport food. There is no need for civilians or military escorts to go by water."

"This"

Zhao Gou did not want Huang Qianshan to say anything more, so he waved his hand and made a decisive decision, "Song Qing has thought so carefully, what else can I say? This matter is settled, Tingjun (Wang Boyan), quickly ask the Privy Council to issue military transfer orders."

"Yes."

Wang Boyan bowed his hand in response, and seeing Huang Qianshan's look, he added, "Your Majesty, Han Shizhong and Yue Fei have been victorious in the expedition against Fang La. They have already driven him back to his old nest, Muzhou. In two months, they will be able to sweep the southeast. Do we need to recruit them to participate in the Northern Expedition?"

"this one"

Zhao Gou couldn't help but look at Song Jiang.

Song Jiang was flattered. While he was twirling his beard and thinking, Huang Qianshan suddenly spoke up: "Fang La was once suppressed by General Song. If he had not taken advantage of the Jin army's southward expansion, he would have been killed long ago. Now he is being suppressed by Generals Han and Yue, and is now at the end of his strength. Your Majesty can even let the Western Court go, so why can't you let these thieves go?"

"Gentlemen, what do you think?"

Zhao Gou was undecided and looked at everyone again for advice.

Zhang Jun frowned but did not answer. Song Jiang was still thinking about Huang Qianshan's intention, so Wang Boyan took the lead and said, "Your Majesty, if you want to achieve unprecedented achievements, it is best to use all the strength you can. I suggest summoning the two generals to participate in the Northern Expedition."

"I second the proposal!"

"I also second the proposal!"

Seeing that everyone agreed, and hearing that both Generals Han and Yue were good fighters, Song Jiang followed suit.

Zhao Gou was overjoyed when he heard this, and was about to express his feelings when Huang Qianshan stood up again and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I think letting Fang La go is not the best solution."

"What does Huang Xiang mean? Do you have a better idea?"

"Yes."

Huang Qianshan replied in a resounding voice: "General Song was born in the countryside, but now he has become a pillar of the country. Fang La is now at the end of his rope. If we send someone to recruit him, it will not only solve the problem in the southeast, but also be a great help to Your Majesty."

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

Zhao Gou could not help but stand up and clap his hands. Huang Qianshan further advised: "Taiwei Song is an inspiring role model. I think that if Your Majesty appoints him as an envoy, he will surely be able to persuade Fang La to serve the country."

"Prime Minister Huang's words are very good. I second your opinion."

"I also second my opinion."

Wang Boyan stood up at this time because he had discussed it with Huang Qianshan last night. Zhang Jun was worried that the emperor would instruct the commander of the Northern Expedition to hand over to Song Jiang, which would make the Prince of Yan someone's prey, so he agreed with his selfish motives and sent Song Jiang away.

Song Jiang reacted at this time and realized that Huang Qianshan was setting a trap for him?

He had no intention of competing for the position of general, but only hoped to participate in the cause and gain some credit, so he cupped his hands and said to Zhao Gou: "I am willing to share your worries, but I don't know when I will return from this trip to recruit amnesty. The imperial camp needs someone to lead the army, and the northern expedition is imminent, and I am afraid that others are not up to the task."

"General Song, don't worry. During the time you were back in Beijing, should Wu Yong be in charge of the Imperial Camp?"

"That's right, that's what Wang Xiang meant."

"I heard that Wu Yong is quite good at commanding troops and is one of the core members of Liangshan. Let him help you continue to lead the central army. What are you worried about?"

Wang Boyan looked at Song Jiang expectantly, as if to say: You can go and seek amnesty with peace of mind, no one will take away your troops in the imperial camp.

Song Jiang thought about it carefully and realized that it would not be possible to recover Hebei in one go. It seemed more appropriate for the central army of the imperial camp to let the other troops tackle the tough tasks first and then reap the fruits of victory later.

Furthermore, although Huang Qianshan had bad intentions, there were many benefits to recruiting Fang La.

Fang La was born a bandit and had no one in the court, and I was the only support he could seek. Maybe he would even call me his benefactor.

Song Jiang remembered that Fang La had many brave generals under his command, and there were only a few of his Liangshan brothers left. It was a good opportunity to make up for his strength by recapturing Fang La.

Fang La won’t surrender?

Will not.

He has experienced two ups and downs, and knows his limit. If he doesn't find a way out, he will die without a burial place. The prince can seduce the generals in the court, so who says he can't seduce Fang La?

I also started out as a thief leader, and no one understands thief leaders better than me.

The journey to Jiangnan is long, do you want to get me away?
nonexistent.

Dai Zong and I are traveling together, so how many days can the round trip take?

Once I bring Fang La under my command, I may be able to fight for the position of King of Yan.

Huang Qianshan, don't cry when the time comes.

It was just a moment, and Song Jiang was thinking very far ahead.

Coming to his senses, he immediately knelt on the ground, raised his hips, and humbly said: "I am willing to share your majesty's worries and bring Fang La into the court."

"Okay, okay, with Song Qing's words, everything will be fine."

"This is not the same as Liangshan now. If Your Majesty wants to successfully recruit Fang La, you'd better show more sincerity and remember to reward brave men generously."

"no problem."

Zhao Gou stepped forward to help Song Jiang up and said solemnly: "Compared with recovering lost territory, everything else must give way to it. If you have any requests, just ask."

"I have no request." Song Jiang shook his head and said, "I don't know how many leaders Fang La has. I'm afraid that the reward will not be enough, which will affect the effectiveness of recruiting and indirectly affect the success of the Northern Expedition."

"Then I'll have Prime Minister Huang and Prime Minister Wang discuss the upper limit of the reward within two days, and Minister Song will act according to the court's standards. How do you think?"

"His Majesty."

"I have made up my mind, no need to persuade you again!"

Huang Qianshan was stunned when he heard this and wanted to persuade him but was blocked by Zhao Gou with his domineering attitude.

Act cheaply.

These four words are of great value.

As long as Song Jiang sticks to the upper limit, he can arbitrarily confer official titles and honors on Fang La and his subordinates. In this way, Hei Sanlang becomes a true benefactor of Fang La's faction.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will live up to your expectations."

"Well, I am tired. You all should leave and get ready quickly."

"Yes."

Zhao Gou entrusted Song Jiang with an important task, but Zhang Jun, who had the lowest status, did not feel much about it. He only knew that there was hope for him to compete for the title of King of Yan, and he could forget about everything else.

Huang Qianshan and Wang Boyan had their grievances unspeakable. They had talked late into the night by candlelight at Wang's residence and finally came up with a plan to deal with Song Jiang, but they did not expect to end up shooting themselves in the foot.

The two men could already foresee that once Song Jiang absorbed Fang La's power, he would have more say in the court. If he were allowed to achieve great success in the Northern Expedition, he would most likely replace them.

This guy has an ugly face and a short stature, is he qualified to be the head of all officials?
Huang Qianshan and Wang Boyan could not bear it, so after Song Jiang went south, they played some micro-manipulation and persuaded Zhao Gou, who was eager to achieve success, to send generals Yang Weizhong, Zhang Jun, Yang Yizhong, Tian Shizhong and others to the north in advance without waiting for Han and Yue to return from the campaign against Fang La.

As for Song Jiang’s imperial camp army?
The imperial court issued an order to appoint Wu Yong as deputy commander-in-chief and to continue guarding Xiangzhou to prevent Yang Chang's revenge.

But Yang Changgen ignored Song Jiang. After retaking Fengyue Pass, he stayed there for only half a day. He asked Wu Song to return to Taiyuan to report the victory, while he went south to Huaizhou and Weizhou via Zezhou.

Huaizhou and Weizhou are located south of Taihang Mountain and adjacent to the Yellow River. Being on the main transportation routes, they should have been prosperous, but in recent years they have been troubled by Zhong Shidao, Liang Shizhong, Li Gang, Nianhan, Song Jiang and others.

The people of the two states either died or fled, and now the registered population is less than 20% of what it was during the reign of Emperor Huizong. The whole state is devastated and people's livelihood is in decline.

Yang Chang personally went to the two states. In addition to boosting the confidence of the people, he also brought Tao Zongwang with him and ordered him to supervise and guide agricultural work so as to restore people's livelihood as quickly as possible.

On the second day after Yang Changgang arrived in Huaizhou, a familiar face arrived at his station.

Su Yuanjing was in high spirits, and Yang Chang couldn't help but feel curious, so he asked: "General Su? How did you find this place?"

"Haha."

Su Yuanjing bowed and smiled, "Prince Jin defeated Song Jiang, scared off the Jin army, and successfully recovered Huai and Wei states. Your Majesty was very pleased and sent me to congratulate you."

"It's only been a few days, you guys are well-informed."

"Your Majesty is always paying attention to Hedong, and Huaizhou is so close to Bianjing, so naturally he has to rush here as soon as possible."

"Just congratulations?"

Yang Chang looked suspicious.

Su Yuanjing then waved his hand, and the attendant behind him immediately handed over the imperial edict. Su Yuanjing then handed it to Yang Chang with both hands and explained:

"The imperial court has been drafting your imperial edict for many days, but Huai and Wei are in Song Jiang's hands, so I need to take a detour through Jiezhou. Guanzhong has been in turmoil recently, and I was still waiting for the right time to leave. Unexpectedly, you have already arrived in Hedong and recaptured Huai and Wei. As soon as His Majesty received the intelligence here, he asked me to deliver the imperial edict and seal to you overnight."

"Oh? Your Majesty is so anxious?"

Yang Chang asked meaningfully, and Su Yuanjing waved his hand to send his followers away. He leaned closer and whispered, "The King of Jin probably guessed that Guanzhong has been eroded by Xixia for a long time and has reached a point where it can no longer take care of itself. The Western Court lacks this main source of troops and is no longer able to compete with Zhao Gou. Your Majesty wants to ask you for help."

"I knew the crown was not easy to wear. I heard that this plan of killing first and reporting later, was General Su also involved?"

Su Yuanjing was not in a hurry and explained: "The King of Jin is popularly expected to rule the country in the future. Taking the title of King now can boost the morale of the army and the people, and also make the country legitimate. Why not do it? Your Majesty does not want to lose to Zhao Gou, and he is willing to do so."

"However, the commander knows my situation best. Although Song Jiang has been defeated, Hedong has not been completely pacified. There is still the threat of the Jin people outside. I do not have the energy to save Guanzhong or send troops to deal with Zhao Gou."

"Of course I know, but Zhao Gou wants to withdraw all the troops and seems to be planning to send troops to Hebei. This has reduced the pressure on Bianjing a lot. If this is true, Your Majesty hopes that the Prince of Jin can send out a surprise force to harass the rear."

"Zhao Gou wants to attack Hebei? Did he get kicked in the head by a donkey?"

Director Yang was so surprised at the commission question that he even swore unconsciously.

Su Yuanjing spread his hands and said, "This is the news sent back from Yingtian. Although we don't know what disease Zhao Gou has, it seems to be very credible."

"This doesn't make sense, is it possible?"

"King Jin knows the reason?"

"Ah."

Yang Chang nodded slightly and said, "I went to Shangjing this time and chopped off Wu Qimai's head with my own hands. The Jin Kingdom should be in chaos for a while. Maybe Zhao Gou wants to take advantage of the situation? But the Jin people treat him as a puppet emperor, how could they share it at this time? The only possibility is Song Jiang, this guy got the information."

"You killed Wu Qimai? The King of Jin is truly a god-like figure. If I bring this news back, Bianjing will surely be in an uproar."

"This matter is not worth mentioning, but sending troops to attack the queen is not appropriate recently. And if I deal with Zhao Gou at this time, wouldn't I become an accomplice of the Jin people? Even if I don't help, do you think the Jin people will definitely lose?"

"Hey, it's okay."

Su Yuanjing stroked his beard and calmly agreed, "I don't believe they can defeat the Jin people. With the news that the King of Jin killed Wu Qimai, I can report back to Bianjing."

"The Grand Commandant is sincere, so I won't let you deal with him all the time. How about this? The Central Army of Song Jiang's Imperial Camp is in Xiangzhou. Its fighting capacity is quite good under Zhao Gou. I will try to contain it and keep it here to weaken the overall strength of his Northern Expedition Army?"

"Very good!"

(End of this chapter)