Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 133 Laizhou, the city is broken!

All the wealthy families in the city gathered together in the government office. At such an urgent moment, no one delayed.

The prefect Huang Hao looked at Su Wu and sighed softly. Thirty thousand strings of cash was indeed a lot, and it was the limit of what Huang Hao could take out.

Even he knew that the soldiers of the Song Dynasty were like this. If they were not given enough reward money, they would never move. Even if they were in formation, they would not fight if they did not receive the reward money. Even if they shot arrows, they would not shoot more if the reward money was not enough...

Therefore, Huang Hao could not say anything. He just watched Su Wu speak: "Everyone, I think you all know the strength of the bandits this time. There are tens of thousands of them. With such a large bandit, it will definitely be a bloody battle, and the outcome is still uncertain..."

At this point, Su Wu paused and saw that everyone had sad faces...

Then he said, "As you all know, without a big reward, there will be no brave men who will risk their lives. Thousands of troops have come in a hurry, and there are already complaints and noises in the army. If there is no big reward, I am afraid that the soldiers will not be willing to die for the cause... Mizhou is a poor state, and there is not much money and food in the treasury. So I ask you to work together and donate generously to fight against the bandits together."

Many of the sad faces went to see Huang Hao.

Su Wu also looked at Huang Hao, and naturally thought that it was Huang Hao who said a few words.

Huang Hao had no choice but to speak: "The bandits are rampant, killing and looting. This group of bandits looted Gaotang not long ago. Alas... There is no need to say more about the tragic scene. Now is the time to defend our hometown. Please do not refuse..."

Someone came to answer: "I wonder how many soldiers are needed for this reward?"

Huang Hao immediately looked at Su Wu.

Su Wu could have dragged his feet and just negotiated under the table, not moving if the money wasn't enough, but the situation was urgent, so Su Wu spoke directly: "It's not much. Mizhou is poor, so I'll give you 200,000 strings of cash. Each soldier can get a reward of 10 strings of cash, and you'll die for it!"

Some people think this is blackmail, but in fact, he just wants Tong Guan to go to war with Liao. He wants 200,000 soldiers and 4 million strings of cash as reward. The 200,000 soldiers is just a fictitious number, but the 4 million strings of cash as reward is real.

This is a convention, a norm, and even a tacit understanding between the military and the court. This tacit understanding has lasted for one or two hundred years.

However, there are few reports of war in Shandong.

When Huang Hao heard the number of two hundred thousand strings of cash, his expression changed immediately.

Some people even said, "General Su, if it's 30,000 or 50,000 strings of cash, we can get it together for you. But 200,000 strings of cash? Why don't you just let your troops enter the city and rob them..."

When one person said this, someone else immediately responded: "Yes, if we sell us all, is it worth two hundred thousand strings of cash..."

"That's right, with the enemy at hand, we are willing to reward soldiers. The soldiers from Dongping Prefecture came to rescue us in Mizhou, so we should repay them. But 200,000 strings of cash, General Su... isn't that too much?"

"General Su, you also said that our Mizhou is a poor state. Even if you go to help Qingzhou fight, I think Qingzhou will not be able to reward you with 200,000 strings of cash..."

Huang Hao also spoke up: "General Su, look...is it a little less?"

Less?
Su Wu thought of many things. When he thought about these rich people, they owned land, mansions, shops and businesses. Did they have no money? Mizhou was poor, but did they have no money?

Two hundred thousand strings of cash, is that really a lot?
Why did Liangshan recruit so many bandits when the Northern Song Dynasty was still in power? Why did Fang La bring hundreds of thousands of people? Let's talk about Tian Hu and Wang Qing. They were in the richest places. When they raised their flags, they had followers like clouds.

Why? Because too many people can no longer survive. The deep-seated reasons are complex, but simple in fact. In a word, land annexation and the monopoly of means of production.

There were sixty or seventy people present, all of them were wealthy people of varying sizes. To put it more bluntly, these sixty or seventy people accounted for at least 70% to 80% of the wealth of the entire Michigan state capital.

In this city, 80 to 90 percent of the valuable houses and shops are in the hands of these 60 to 70 people. More than 60 to 70 percent of the land outside the city is also in the hands of these people.

They have plenty of ways to evade taxes. How much tax can the court collect from them?

The Song Dynasty began by co-governing the country with the scholar-officials. To put it bluntly, the Zhao family opened a company and many wealthy families were shareholders.

This was the compromise that Zhao Da made with the aristocratic families after he drove away the orphans and widows and ascended the throne. It was also because of this compromise that the Zhao family, which had gained power by illegitimate means, was able to immediately stabilize the situation in the country and allow all political powers in the world to transition smoothly.

However, in this way, the Zhao family's company became deformed from the root. All shareholders could share the company's profits, but the company's operating costs were all borne by the Zhao family. Even if the company was to suffer losses, it would be borne by the Zhao family alone.

It was not until the Zhao family’s company actually went bankrupt that the shareholders realized that their shares were worthless. Not only that, but even their previous savings would be looted with knives and guns, and even their lives would be in danger.

Take Zhao Mingcheng's family, for example. How big was their family in Qingzhou? Not to mention their ancestors' accumulation of wealth, but now they have several brothers who are officials. When the Jurchens came, Zhao Mingcheng fled with his family. What shops, houses, and land could he take with him?

So, no matter how poor Mizhou is, what is 200,000 strings of cash to these sixty or seventy people?
One person selling two houses? Or less land?
Not giving it to others? Really not giving it to others? Leaving it for others to take? The Liangshan bandits? Or the Jin people?
Su Wu looked around and said bluntly: "Everyone, don't worry. Mizhou is a big city. There are many soldiers in the city. You have many servants and tenants in your homes. As long as everyone is united, we can defend the city. The military situation in Laizhou is even more urgent. I will go out of the city to discuss with the soldiers. I have few soldiers and the enemy has many. Let's see whether to save Laizhou first or Mizhou first."

Having said that, Su Wu stood up and walked out. He really didn't have the heart to use those gentle means to slowly pull the situation back.

Do you think Su Wu was afraid of being reported?
What is he afraid of? He is not guilty of this matter. Even if it is reported to the capital, from the emperor to all the officials, what crime is it if the soldiers refuse to go to war because they cannot get rewards?

If the ancestors of the emperor were unwilling to reward the soldiers, could they ascend the throne?
If the Western Army is unwilling to reward its soldiers, can it defeat the Dangxiang?
It is said that Su Wu threatened or blackmailed, but was that Su Wu? Would the entire Song Dynasty army move without rewards? Which one is an exception?

If this were a crime, all the military generals in the Song Dynasty would be imprisoned and punished, and all the soldiers in the world would be dispersed.

Rewarding soldiers before a battle was the foundation of the country from the Five Dynasties to the Song Dynasty! Not rewarding them would shake the foundation of the country.

They left, and left immediately. Huang Hao hurried over to stop them and persuade them: "General Su, you misunderstood. That's not what you meant. Aren't we discussing it? Don't worry, don't worry..."

Su Wu simply saluted and bowed deeply: "Sir, my soldiers are waiting for me to enter the city to get rewards. If I stay in the city for a long time, the army will definitely make a commotion. I have to go back quickly to suppress it and stabilize the morale of the army. It's not that I don't want to stay longer..."

Even a military leader as famous as Xiao Zhong, the commander-in-chief of the Western Army for generations, could die because of lack of rewards and the dispersion of his soldiers. What about Su Wu?

How many soldiers could Su Wu suppress to make noise?

Although Su Wu was polite and courteous, he was full of worries.

Huang Hao was also helpless and could only watch Su Wu leave the city.

Huang Hao returned to the government hall, looked around, and sighed: "Everyone, thieves and soldiers are often like this! It has always been like this..."

Sometimes it is a vicious cycle. The more you look down on soldiers, the more helpless they are. They have to survive even when they are poor and destitute. If you don't give them money when it's time to go to war, why should they fight for you?

Then, you have to rely on them at critical moments, and you really have to give them. After giving them, you will look down on the thieves and soldiers, and even scold them.

Otherwise, should we disband the entire army? Or even, who will be willing to serve in the army? Is there anyone willing to serve in the army?
In the Song Dynasty, the whole world was full of bandits, so the emperor had to be replaced by someone who was willing to reward soldiers.

The Song Dynasty of the Zhao family was built by the Han army, and it was also destroyed by the Han army. This is a historical inevitability. The things that the Zhao family relies on will inevitably backfire.

This is also the root cause of the sorrow of Di Qing, Yue Fei and others.

Just look at the lobby of the government office, everyone is sighing.

Huang Hao had to say again: "In the past, I only heard about it and read about it in history books, but now I have really seen it. The bandits and their soldiers are really the kind of people who forget their principles when they see profit... Everyone... Everyone!"

Everyone looked up at Huang Hao.

Huang Hao spoke again with great earnestness: "You have heard it, so there are only two strategies. Either you go back and mobilize your servants and even the able-bodied men in your families to go to the city to defend it, and we can fight the bandits ourselves. Or...ah..."

Huang Hao was extremely helpless. Which side do you think he was on at this moment?
At this moment, he is like a trading intermediary. One party is buying and the other party is selling. His interest lies in facilitating this transaction.

Now the buyer can’t afford the price and the seller is leaving. The agent is anxious, but he also wants to see if the buyer is anxious too?
"Sir, it's not that we don't want to pay, it's just that 200,000 is too much..."

"Yes, our Mizhou is poor. Look at how hard life is for the people in Mizhou. The people in the city are all having a hard time. This price should be at least a little lower..."

Huang Hao was silent for a moment. What does this have to do with the poverty of the people in Mizhou?
If a thief really came in, could he steal the broken baskets from the poor people?

Huang Hao didn't say anything, just watched everyone come and go to chat. This is difficult, that is difficult.

Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from somewhere, and everyone hurried out to see what was going on. They heard that it was the soldiers outside the city who were making a fuss, so they immediately got in their cars and headed for the city wall.

The camp was not far away. Looking over, I could see soldiers dismantling tents, loading supplies onto carts, leading horses, running back and forth, and making a lot of noise everywhere...

There was a man riding a tall horse, running around, seemingly suppressing the people on both sides.

Huang Hao sighed: "Everyone, everyone... The bandits make money by fighting in the battlefield... They earn money by working for you, and they protect your lives and property... Alas..."

After a moment of silence, one of the old officials spoke up: "I'll pay... three thousand strings of cash."

Huang Hao was overjoyed: "Great, great, great, Mr. Liu is so righteous!"

"Two thousand five hundred strings of cash..."

"I, accept one thousand taels..."

"I recognize fifteen thousand..."

Just wait for the coming and going, and the bailiff of the yamen will record it, and wait for the record to be completed.

Huang Hao had a bitter face: "Everyone, everyone, we are still short of 70,000 strings of cash..."

Someone came to ask, "How much did the government pay?"

Huang Hao replied: "I have already counted the money from the government office. The government office has contributed 30,000 strings of cash. Adding all together, we still need 70,000 strings of cash..."

"Husband, on weekdays..."

Huang Hao immediately turned to look at that person, his eyes narrowed slightly...

The man quickly said, "Then I'll give you another 1,000 strings of cash."

Huang Hao's narrowed eyes immediately changed and he smiled: "Okay, everyone, this is just a small amount of money. Compared with your life and property, it's just a drop in the bucket..."

"I'll give you another 500 strings of cash..."

"Ah... 800, 800, how many acres of land do we need to collect in rent?"

Huang Hao also laughed: "The Chen family is a big family, with countless fertile fields. There is no need to care about these small amounts of money..."

"One thousand and five..."

"Nine hundred strings of cash..."

Huang Hao bowed and smiled: "You are all pillars of our Song Dynasty. When the court is in trouble, you generously donate money, which is really a good thing."

There was constant clamor in the army, and Su Wu "suppressed" it several times, and the clamor gradually died down.

In this way, Su Wu entered the central army, and Xu Guanzhong said: "As the old saying goes, those who eat meat are vulgar, and this is true."

Su Wu asked, "Why? Are you more disappointed now, sir?"

Xu Guanzhong nodded: "General, what you said a few days ago is all right. General, you are used to people's hearts. General, you are willing to save me, and I am not unwilling to help. It's just that every time I have great ambitions, I can't help but be discouraged by the coldness of the world... Maybe, it's right to stay away from the world... What do you think?"

"I don't know whether it is right to retreat from the world, but when it comes to doing things, you should do it first and then talk about it. If you don't do it, how do you know the result?" Su Wu answered casually.

"I'm afraid that all my hard work and efforts will be in vain..." Xu Guanzhong seemed to be speaking casually.

After hearing this, Su Wu nodded: "Yes, it is all in vain..."

Why do you answer like this? Because there was a man named Yue Fei who did it, worked hard and devoted his heart and soul to it, how could it not be in vain?

Xu Guanzhong really foresaw it... Maybe he saw through the Song Dynasty too clearly, and secluded himself from the world was not necessarily a bad choice.

It was Su Wu's words that surprised Xu Guanzhong very much. He thought that Su Wu would continue to say inspiring words to convince him.

Unexpectedly, Su Wu really agreed with what he said, "it's all nothing."

Xu Guanzhong only asked: "Since the general knows that it will be in vain, why do you still insist on it?"

"People, sometimes you just can't see too clearly. Once you see it clearly, it will be boring. Who doesn't die? Some die in thirty to fifty years, some die in seventy to eighty years, and there are many who die young. Since it's all death, why bother living? It's better to die at birth... Isn't that right?"

Su Wu said this with a smile, without even looking up, just looking at the documents on the desk.

Xu Guanzhong also laughed when he heard this: "General, your logic is twisted... but you do have some insights..."

"Isn't it? Seeing through the world too thoroughly is not great wisdom. After seeing through life and death, you are still willing to live a good life. This is the real great wisdom." Su Wu continued.

"I am learning, I am learning... General, it turns out that I am not obsessed, I am just willing to give it a try. It doesn't matter if I die early or late, it's all the same... Actually, General, I am afraid of death, and I am also afraid of pain."

"But you are very brave and have the courage to travel all over the world..." Su Wu raised his head.

"The reason why I can travel all over the world is because I am afraid. I seek benefits and avoid harm, I seek good fortune and avoid disaster, and I run away when I encounter trouble...haha..."

"Okay, Qian Dang is about to come, follow me to the camp gate and wait for a while..." Su Wu had already stood up.

"I'm willing to go with you..." Xu Guanzhong also stood up.

"Mr. Xu knew that a great war was imminent, yet he still went with us. With your ability to seek benefits and avoid harm, I think this war will be auspicious."

Su Wu joked.

Xu Guanzhong nodded: "It's a good omen."

The money really came, and was transported from the city to the military camp in carts. In the army, trumpets were immediately sounded.

Soldiers began to march out of the camp and form up in rows.

Su Wu rode his horse in front and only looked at the enemy's camp in the distance. The enemy's camp was really well chosen, on a small hill next to a big hill. The hill was not high, but it was overlooking the surrounding area. There must be a spring on the hill.

There are tall stockades all around the hill.

It is obvious that this location was chosen for the purpose of prolonging the battle, so that Su Wu's army could be delayed here.

Seeing that Su Wu had sent out his troops, the people on the Mizhou city wall were delighted, and Huang Hao also smiled: "General Su, you really keep your word. Thank you for your hard work!"

"It is our duty to protect the country and the people..."

"Yes, if General Su can really repel the bandits, then this money will not be wasted..."

"The thieves are vicious. I wonder if these soldiers will really risk their lives for money..."

After hearing this, everyone in the room was worried again. How could they not know who these purple bandit soldiers were? They were very good at asking for money, but they might not be willing to risk their lives...

What should we do if we lose today?

Just look at the government troops' battle array. There are not many flags, but a lot of armor, and horses like clouds. It looks quite powerful.

Before the battle, Su Wu gathered the troops from all over the place and said, "We have already made a plan. We must follow it step by step. The connection must be tight. There must be no delay and no chaos. Otherwise, you will be punished by military law."

"Yes, sir!" Many generals bowed.

Su Wu waved his hand and said, "Everyone return to your own group and wait for the drum to sound."

Everyone returned to their respective units.

There is no need for tactics in the matter of Gongzhai. Time is tight and there is no time to come up with any long-term siege strategies.

It depends on the succession of people and close cooperation.

How to cooperate?

As soon as the drum sounded, the shields went first, and the bandits in the mountain stronghold also started shooting with bows and crossbows. The four or five thousand bandits really looked like an army and were quite organized.

Behind the shields, the government troops shot with bows and crossbows, which suppressed each other. This stockade was not like a city wall, so they shot at each other from both inside and outside, and the defending side did not have much advantage of the terrain.

Next, there were the cart boards that were removed from the cart and placed across the trench. Although the thieves had dug a trench, they didn't have much time and the trench was not wide enough to block horse hooves. People also had to climb a bit to pass through, but once the cart boards were placed upwards, it would be like flat ground.

The third step is to move the spear closer, against the stockade, and stab inside to drive the thieves back.

The thief also rushed forward despite the arrows.

But there was a huge difference between the two sides. The government troops were all wearing iron armor, but the bandits had very little armor. Even if they stabbed each other a few times, it was difficult for the bandits to get close to the stockade.

What is the advantage? Equipment advantage, but there is still a big difference between stockades and city walls.

Even Su Wu never thought that this attack was difficult. He just looked at the simple ladder being put up, and even more so at Wu Song jumping down from the high stockade.

It seemed as if fighting had become a lot simpler. It all depended on the proper coordination of all units, seamless connection, and the succession of troops as if it were normal.

Wu Song, the one who set the vanguard array, jumped in, and then Shi Xiu, the one who set the vanguard array, also jumped in. They all jumped in one after another without any need for encouragement or urging.

Seems like it's all normal stuff.

Su Wu didn't even bother to build that simple long ladder.

This team, this army, seems to be running smoothly, everyone knows what to do and when...

On the Mizhou city wall, Huang Hao was stunned: "Did that soldier really jump in like that?"

Someone nearby answered: "My husband, they jumped in, one after another."

Huang Hao had a look of disbelief on his face. He looked around at the people who were the financial sponsors. They were all stunned. They thought it was a miracle. How come the thieves' trenches and stockades seemed like nothing?
The soldiers just walked in as if it were flat ground, and went in as soon as they were told?

Huang Hao's attendants said, "Everyone, you see, right? It's different after receiving the reward money. This is money for risking your life, it's not a loss, right?" Everyone nodded in agreement, "It's not a loss, they really risked their lives, Dongping Prefecture really has good soldiers."

"Yes, General Su is really different..."

"Hey... this, this, this... this thief can't stand a beating! Look at you, look at you..."

What to look at?
He was the first to charge into the enemy camp, with iron armor on his body and a long sword in his hand, killing people was as easy as chopping melons and vegetables.

Are the thieves fierce or not? There are some fierce ones who really dare to fight. There are not many people who jump in, so they rush forward.

Just look at the soldier who jumped into the village, swung a huge broadsword horizontally, and the two men were beheaded.

Are there any more vicious thieves?

The thieves immediately came to their senses and stopped rushing forward.

Looking up again, I saw the armored soldiers climbing all over the stockade, coming one after another and continuously jumping into the stockade. Some jumped fast and high, while others jumped slowly and slid down the tree trunks before jumping.

There is no hesitation or fear...

The big thief shouted: "Brothers, don't be afraid, charge forward and drive the government troops out!"

"Brothers, rush!"

"Brothers, if you don't advance into battle, you will be killed immediately!"

The brothers also rushed forward. They saw that there were already quite a few armored soldiers coming in. They began to form a battle formation and gathered closely together.

The brothers looked around at the people around them and walked forward.

But just as he started to move slowly, the general on the opposite side of the armor shouted, "Forward!"

The armor clattered forward, not fast, but with powerful and resounding footsteps, and the sound made people feel cold in their hearts.

However, there were people behind the bandits to support them and supervise the battle, holding long swords and driving them left and right.

This is the battle formation. Supervising the battle is standard, whether in Song or Liao. Now Liangshan has also learned the essence of it.

In desperation, the thieves rushed forward and instantly came into contact with the armor. Even though they hesitated and tried with swords and guns, they still rushed forward.

The armored men marched at a slow pace, forming a tight small formation, and swinging their weapons slowly, just one step at a time. Every time they moved their foot forward, their weapons also moved forward.

In an instant, blood spurted out and wailing began.

The armored soldiers were just like sickles harvesting wheat waves. When the enemy's weapons came, they did not dodge or evade, but just kept striking forward with their weapons, neither fast nor slow, but with great force and power.

On the general's platform, Su Wu sat steadily, nodded slowly, and with some satisfaction, he stood up.

Zhu Wu said, "General, there is no need to go forward."

"I can't sit still, so I just go and take a look..." Su Wu answered as he walked down from the platform and mounted his horse.

Zhu Wu then mounted his horse and followed, with Xu Guanzhong also following on his left and right, not to mention a group of personal guards.

Zhu Wu also laughed and said, "General, do you want to kill a few bandits too?"

Su Wu laughed and replied: "Haha... I won't go into the camp. I will just lead the cavalry to patrol left and right to see if the bandits can escape..."

Zhu Wu replied: "The thieves will of course flee, so the general cannot help but go and kill them himself."

What this means... Su Wu turned around and thought about it, what does this mean?

Zhu Wu was right. Su Wu just wanted to lead his troops forward...

Did Zhu Wu mean that Su Wu shouldn't do this? He shouldn't do this in the future?
Su Wu looked back at Zhu Wu. Zhu Wu just had a smile on his face but didn't say anything.

Xu Guanzhong, who was standing nearby, also said, "General, Zhu Yuhou's intention is too straightforward..."

Su Wu reined in his horse and asked, "Then Qin King Li Shimin has led his troops into battle countless times. Why is that wrong?"

Xu Guanzhong replied: "General, it's fine, but it depends on the situation. If the enemy is strong and we are weak, and it's a life-and-death fight, His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin will always lead the troops and personally ride the horse to charge. But unless it's a life-and-death fight, His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin will not take risks casually. When taking risks, you must have a purpose. When you need to take risks, you must not be cowardly. When there is no need to take risks... the general should sit still."

Su Wu thought about it and remained silent. It turned out that what Xu Guanzhong said made sense.

But Xu Guanzhong continued, "The general is no longer the same as before. He is the life and property of many people, and the future of many people. If a battle can endanger the life and property of everyone, then the general will risk his life. If not, the general must not take risks easily. This is why the son of a wealthy family should not sit in the hall..."

Zhu Wu looked at Xu Guanzhong and nodded: "General, this is exactly the truth. Unless it is a matter of life and death, you must not take any risks. This is a good commander and a responsibility to your brothers."

Su Wu looked to his left and saw Xu Guanzhong, then to his right and saw Zhu Wu, and nodded: "You two have a point."

Su Wu turned his horse around and went back to sit on the general's platform. He also said, "Tell Luan Tingyu and Yang Tian to lead their cavalry..."

He ordered his soldiers to rush towards the cavalry that had been lined up for a long time not far away.

Behind Su Wu's seat, Zhu Wu and Xu Guanzhong looked at each other. Zhu Wu smiled and nodded, and Xu Guanzhong also smiled and nodded.

Just looking at the bandit camp, there was no telling how many armored soldiers had rushed in. The gate had been captured, and soldiers continued to stream in.

The light cavalry, about five hundred on each side, were running around the hill.

In the village, people had already been killed and horses were everywhere, and the crops were harvested one by one.

Among the bandits, whether they were in the support or the supervisory team, once they were defeated, they all ran to the rear camp like water breaking through a dam.

There were countless people watching on the top of Mizhou City.

Huang Hao laughed: "This army is really mighty."

Some people also answered: "Alas... the bandits seem powerful and have a large number of people, but they are just so-so and will be defeated with one blow."

"What? Are you still thinking that the money is not worth it? This soldier is capable, so it's worth it. That's it. You can sleep well tonight..."

"It's well worth the money. I never said it wasn't worth it."

"It looks like we're going to win a big victory. It's really satisfying to watch the enemy being killed like this. Of course, we can't give any more money. Should we... prepare some wine and food to entertain the soldiers?"

Huang Hao replied, "I think it's okay. Prepare some wine and food, and wait for them to withdraw their troops and return to the camp. You all can go together to comfort the troops. If there are bandits coming to attack again in the future, the soldiers under General Su will be more willing to come to the rescue."

"Okay, everyone, send someone back and prepare some more wine and food. This won't cost much."

Everyone has already started to give orders, and there are many followers around them, but they still want to watch the battle, which is quite exciting to watch. When the bandits first came, they did show off their power a few times.

Everyone was so scared that they were trembling with fear, but looking at them now, how can they not feel comfortable with just the chickens and dogs?
I saw that the bandits had already left the stronghold and were trying to escape, and I also saw the government army's knights coming and going like the wind, killing them everywhere. It was a very exciting scene to watch from afar.

Of course, you can't look at it too closely, as if you do, I'm afraid it will scare many people and give them nightmares at night.

Even if you look at it from a distance it's just like watching a play, but if you look closely you'll see it's all blood.

On the general's platform, Su Wu suddenly asked: "Should we kill more of these bandits or fewer of them?"

The question is a bit confusing.

The two people at the back seat, Xu Guanzhong and Zhu Wu looked at each other again. Zhu Wu gestured with his hand to invite you in, and Xu Guanzhong also gestured with his hand to invite you in.

Su Wu saw that no one had spoken for a long time, so he turned around and looked at the two of them, and said with a smile: "I'm just asking casually, either of you, just tell me what to say..."

Zhu Wu said, "Mr. Xu is new here, so let him speak."

Su Wu replied, "Okay, Mr. Xu, please speak."

Xu Guanzhong nodded: "That's just a casual remark, General, just listen to it casually... That bandit, he used his reputation to attract bandits, and now, there are more and more bandits. He is burdened by his reputation and it is not easy to refuse them, so he just accepts everyone who comes. Therefore, in a short period of time, he has recruited so many people. If there is a lot of money and food, the more bandits, the better. If there is not much money and food, the more bandits, the more burden they will become..."

"Mr. Xu hasn't answered the question yet..." Su Wu asked with a smile.

"I'll answer you right away. Let's see whether the general wants to help the bandits reduce their staff or to make them more burdensome and wasteful." After Xu Guanzhong answered, he went to see Zhu Wu.

Zhu Wu also nodded and said, "Mr. Xu, that's a good answer."

Su Wu also smiled and said, "That's a great answer. Let's help them reduce their staff... This way, the thieves can last longer."

Fifty thousand thieves, thirty thousand thieves, or twenty thousand thieves are actually the same to the imperial court, and even to Gao Qiu, there is not much difference.

But for Liangshan itself, it is very different. After looting Gaotang Prefecture, they have already eaten up all the resources. If the money is only used to support people, then supporting too many people will become a burden and will not really increase their strength.

If money is not only used to support people, but also used to purchase weapons and military equipment, then it can truly increase strength.

Xu Guanzhong understood, but he was also horrified in his heart. He wanted to let the thieves survive longer, and this was where the whole strategy was revealed.

Xu Guanzhong said: "The general is a man of great talent!"

Su Wu smiled and said: "Sir, you are a very talented person. You can guess the details with just one sentence."

"General, I think that your chances of winning the bet are getting higher and higher," said Xu Guanzhong.

"Why?" Su Wu asked.

"Maybe I really saw something... I saw some of the future... It's what the general said, being too insightful does not mean great wisdom. This makes sense." Xu Guanzhong answered seriously.

"It is a blessing in life to have you on the same journey as me." Su Wu was also very serious.

Xu Guanzhong sighed: "Perhaps... it's a pity. It's a pity that I found such a beautiful place with clear water and mountains. In fact, living there really makes people feel relaxed and happy."

"Haha... it's not a pity. It's a good idea to combine work and rest. When I want to stay here, I can go and live here." Su Wu was very happy. The deal was about to be done.

Maybe, it has already happened!
Xu Guanzhong smiled bitterly: "I'm afraid the general won't let anyone go..."

"We will definitely release them. There are days off during work at the government office. How can we not have some free time to entertain ourselves? There will definitely be some." Su Wu said, patting his chest.

Xu Guanzhong did not reply, but just smiled bitterly. He probably thought in his heart that although he could trust many of General Su's words, he could doubt this sentence and could not believe it completely.

Su Wu stood up and shouted the military orders: "Order the auxiliary soldiers to go out of the camp and start treating the wounded. Also, collect the bodies and pile them up a hundred or two hundred steps from the Mizhou city gate. This will teach them that the two hundred thousand strings of cash were well spent. This was a fair price. Don't pay this price next time."

Order the soldiers to go again.

In the bandit camp, the battle was coming to an end. Thousands of cavalrymen were chasing and killing, and their speed was getting farther and farther away across the mountains and plains. The sound of the horn did not come for a long time, and they would not stop until they had killed three or four thousand enemies.

Three or four thousand corpses were piled up at the gate of Mizhou city in carts.

There was no one watching from the tower. They all covered their eyes and mouths and turned to go downstairs.

Even the prefect Huang Hao looked constipated and turned away.

But they still had to encourage the troops and pass through the city gate... Blood was dripping all the way, and the smell of blood was rising everywhere, which was really sickening.

What is this General Su doing... We all know it, two hundred thousand strings of cash, no loss at all.

Huang Hao also knew that since ancient times, it was common to build Jingguan after a great victory on the battlefield, but after all, that was something in history books, and it was really something that people saw in real life...

As soon as the horn sounded, many soldiers returned to their camps and went to reward the troops. They got in the car with the windows closed, and they really didn't want to take another look.

When entering the military camp, soldiers were washing everywhere, washing the blood off themselves and their armor and weapons.

The soldiers laughed heartily one by one...

Wine and food arrived, and an ugly military commander named Du Xing came with his men to receive and distribute the food.

The central army tent was packed with people. Everyone had smiling faces, greeting each other and bowing to each other.

General Su kept saying, "It is our duty, and I dare not take credit for it."

"Thank you very much for your hospitality."

"Thank you very much!"

"General, what are you talking about? We are all watching from the top of the city. The soldiers under your command are really brave and valiant, which is rare!"

Su Wu simply replied: "With the reward, I will naturally be brave and courageous. How dare I betray you?"

"Hehe..." Huang Hao laughed, standing beside Su Wu, and said, "General, rest assured. I will report everything here. Your achievements will be clearly stated in detail."

"Thank you, Mr. Huang." Su Wu bowed again.

A horse galloped towards the door, the hooves of the horse pounded. The man jumped off the horse and rushed into the tent. Without saying a word, he shouted, "Uncle, something bad has happened!"

It was Yan Qing. Su Wu frowned and his heart tightened.

Looking at the people around him, Yan Qing stopped what he was about to say.

Su Wu said: "Just say it!"

Yan Qing was very anxious: "Laizhou, the city has been broken!"

"What?" Su Wu felt his eyes go dark.

What the fuck is going on?

Did Zhao Mingcheng not receive my letter? I told you that I would come to rescue him as quickly as possible and defend the city walls tightly. How could you climb up the city walls so easily?
"How did you break it?" Su Wu asked again, already having a guess in his mind.

Yan Qing hesitated: "It's that... it's that... Mr. Zhao..."

"Speak!" Su Wu asked sternly.

"That Prime Minister Zhao abandoned the city and fled, and the people in the city also fled. The soldiers were in even greater chaos. When the thieves arrived, they entered the city and left, and even chased them everywhere..."

Yan Qing finally explained it clearly, and his face was full of pain. What was going on?

In fact, this is not a big deal. Fang La rose up and swept through dozens of counties and prefectures in an instant. Countless officials fled. If every county and prefecture could defend the city tightly, how could Fang La sweep through dozens of counties and prefectures in an instant?
It was the same when the Jurchens invaded. Countless counties and prefectures were destroyed at the first sight of the invasion. Old Zongze was an exception among them. He put up a desperate resistance despite his lowly official position.

Su Wu actually had some hope in his heart. After all, it is understandable that people panic, but as long as he can keep his mind steady, he should be able to have some courage.

Is that right? Is that the truth?
Unexpectedly, no, this is not the case. No matter how encouraged and motivated he was, Zhao Mingcheng still abandoned the city and fled.

That is why ah?

Su Wu couldn't understand it, because no one around him was like this. He had never met such a person before. Even Cheng Wanli, although he was afraid of death, he still hid in Dongping City instead of running away in fear...

Or is it not easy for Cheng Wanli to get an opportunity?

And Zhao Mingcheng was born into a noble family?

Su Wu couldn’t figure it out, he really couldn’t figure it out, he couldn’t understand it at all.

Just looking at the people present, they all looked ashen. If the city was breached, how tragic would it be? If Mizhou City was breached, how tragic would it be?

Everyone went to see Huang Hao. Fortunately, their prefect did not abandon the city and run away.

Fortunately, General Su arrived so quickly!

Then General Su shouted, "Beat the drums, gather the troops, and march! Go to Laizhou quickly."

He ordered the soldiers to leave immediately, but Su Wu asked again, "Where is General Qin? Didn't he ask him to go to rescue Weizhou and Laizhou first?"

Yan Qing replied: "General Qin is still in Weizhou... There are thieves in Weizhou too."

Weizhou, Mizhou, Laizhou, Dengzhou.

Su Wu sighed, and bowed to Huang Hao: "Please forgive me, sir. The war is urgent and I really can't entertain you. Everyone, please go back. I am sorry for the rudeness."

Huang Hao also nodded and said, "The war is the most important thing, the war is the most important thing, General, go quickly!"

Su Wu nodded, walked out of the central army tent, and shouted, "Come and tear down the tents, quickly!"

Su Wu was extremely anxious. He was worried about many things, such as intercepting the bandits who were making a fortune, finding Zhao Mingcheng and Li Qingzhao, and even how this matter would end.

Cheng Wanli's plan to take the blame, Zhao Mingcheng, oh Zhao Mingcheng!

(Brothers, it was selected as a bestseller yesterday. Please tell others about it. Congratulations!)

(End of this chapter)