Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 137 It’s good to be old, but you can’t see anymore when you’re old

After this incident with Li Cheng, Su Wu suddenly thought of someone who had a similar incident.

For example, Hua Rong’s sister and Wu Erlang.

Although Wu Er is a straight man, it doesn't mean he doesn't care about others. Hua Rong also said that his sister is well-educated and well-mannered...

Of course, this is just a temporary thought. As for Hua Rong, we will talk about it for a while.

Now, in Su Wu's heart, he never really cared about these things, the affairs of Liangshan. This was just an appetizer and just a step for Su Wu.

In the future, facing Liao and Jin, that would be a war for the righteousness of the country, that would be a place where we would really need to sacrifice our lives and shed our blood, and many people would die there...

Even...Su Wu also thought that maybe he would die there?

Thinking about the events of Liao and Jin, what does Liangshan in front of us matter?
General Gao is on his way, gathering boats from all the rivers and lakes.

Liangshan is stepping up its manpower training, maybe Su Wu really helped them and helped them streamline a lot of personnel.

Dongping Prefecture was also bustling with activity. Li Cheng was getting married. Meng Yulou was very quick at handling things, and she started to take care of things as soon as she took over the matter.

A small house was purchased, and the banquet was held at Mengniang's restaurant. Li Cheng's parents, sister-in-law, nephews and nieces who lived in the mountains were all invited to come...

The place where Dong Huan got married was Meng Yulou's home, and Meng Yulou also took care of the wedding clothes and dowry.

Now Li Cheng is also the commander-in-chief. When the official document from the Privy Council arrives, Li Cheng will have the position of deputy general manager of the Qizhou army, as well as the rank of colonel, and will also have an official seal as big as a button hanging on his body.

With such status, Meng Yulou naturally wanted to hold a grand ceremony, not for any other reason, but for Su Wu's heart.

There was a grand banquet in the main store, and even Cheng Xianggong, who was sent as the pacification and recruitment envoy of Jingdong, also prepared a gift, although he was not present.

Not to mention other officials, both big and small.

When it came to getting married, Li Cheng was clueless and just did whatever the matchmaker instructed and arranged.

Hua Rong's sister was also helping out, but Su Wu, along with Li Cheng's parents, sat on the high seats in the hall and accepted the kneeling homage of the two newlyweds.

After the wedding, on the next day, Su Wu had to undergo the ceremony of kneeling down and bowing.

Li Cheng seemed to want to bring his parents, sister-in-law, nephews and nieces to the city, but his parents did not come, so his sister-in-law and nephews and nieces came to live with him. Now Li Cheng can earn money and has a small house, which can be considered a family business.

Therefore, it is no problem for nephews and nieces to go to school. This is the matter that Su Wu made the decision. Nephews want to study, and nieces also want to study.

Dong Huan also had a surname, Su, and now he was called Li Su, which was more formal.

After getting married, since she was still following Meng Yulou around, she also slowly began to learn to take charge of things. For example, when Ling Zhen bought raw materials for gunpowder, it was she who handled it. Ling Zhen did the work, and Meng Yulou was the one who contacted the trading company.

As soon as they finished this mission, Gao Qiu's army had already arrived.

Su Wu rode his horse to meet him ten miles outside the city, and Cheng Wanli also came with him. In other words, it was Cheng Wanli who brought Su Wu with him.

While waiting, the two chatted.

Su Wu recently received some new news: "Sir, I heard that the leader of Liangshan, Chao Gai, was seriously injured in Zengtou City..."

Cheng Wanli frowned: "This is really not good news..."

Why? Gao Qiu came, but the leader of the thieves was seriously injured. How could this be good news? Wasn't it that God was helping Gao Qiu?
Cheng Wanli asked again: "Dead or alive?"

Su Wu said: "I didn't die, I returned to the mountain safely..."

"It's good that he's not dead..." Cheng Wanli was afraid that there would be some trouble in Liangshan at this moment, such as people's morale being scattered or the army's morale being scattered.

Su Wu said again: "I am afraid I will die soon."

Cheng Wanli glanced at Su Wu and said unhappily: "Can you finish what you want to say at once? General Gao's army is coming, and the bandit leader has died on Liangshan? Sigh..."

Cheng Wanli was a little overwhelmed. On the surface, Gao Qiu was a major positive.

Su Wu smiled and said, "Don't worry, sir. As the saying goes, an army of mourners will win. If the leader of Liangshan dies, won't it be an army of mourners?"

"What if the group of dragons is leaderless?" Cheng Wanli asked again.

"Sir, Chao Gai is only the nominal leader of the bandits. The reason why Liangshan has suddenly become so powerful is because Song Jiang has so many followers. Chao Gai's death is actually good for Song Jiang. In this way, doesn't Song Jiang have the power in his hands? Chao Gai is just a village guard, a man with little knowledge. Song Jiang is different. He comes from a government family and is considered a scholar. If he is in power, how can he be compared with Chao Gai?"

Su Wu explained.

Cheng Wanli nodded: "So, once Chao Gai dies, the thieves will become stronger?"

"Yes." Su Wu nodded.

Cheng Wanli was worried again: "The thieves are getting stronger...what should we do in the future?"

Being too weak is not good, and being too strong is not good either. This is the dilemma in Cheng Wanli's heart.

Su Wu just said: "Don't worry, sir. A mere bailiff is nothing. We have it under control now. They can't hold out for long without money and food. After this battle with General Gao, Liangshan will be in a difficult situation."

Cheng Wanli suddenly realized and looked at Su Wu with a look of satisfaction: "Not bad, not bad... You are not bad, you think long-term."

Even as he was speaking, he saw the great banner of General Gao flying in the air, approaching from afar.

Cheng Wanli quickly straightened his clothes and tidied up his whole body. He then straightened the rings and pendants around his waist one by one, and asked Su Wu, "How is it? Is there anything impolite?"

Su Wu took a serious look and said, "Very good, nothing wrong with it."

Cheng Wanli lowered his head and looked around when he heard this. Su Wu also noticed that Cheng Wanli was a little nervous.

Gao Qiu, Grand Marshal, Commander-in-Chief of the Palace Guard, a high-ranking official of the second rank. Such a status was almost the highest that a civil servant could reach, and he was one of the most core figures in the central court.

First rank, that’s just a legend, it’s an honorary title.

Cheng Wanli was meeting one of the country's leaders. How could he, a "poor man" from Tokyo, not be nervous? How could he be qualified to meet such a person in the past?
Even his teacher Tong Guan, Cheng Wanli rarely saw him in the past. If Cheng Wanli had not made some achievements in Dongping Prefecture, he would have thought twice before meeting Tong Guan or even writing a letter to him, for fear of upsetting Tong Guan.

Things are different now. Cheng Wanli has finally entered Tong Guan's sight. He doesn't have to think twice about writing a letter to him. He can just go to his house to meet him. When one has achievements and abilities, everything changes so quickly.

As for other high-ranking officials, let's not even talk about them. To be honest, Cheng Wanli had never been in line in the Chuigong Hall in his life. He had never attended court, and except for the moment he passed the imperial examination, he had never seen the emperor again.

Su Wu could actually understand Cheng Wanli's nervousness, which was brought from the imperial power center in Tokyo.

"Here it comes..." Cheng Wanli stood on tiptoe to look, expressing his nervousness and anxiety.

Here they come, with the soldiers on horseback passing by and the big banner passing by. The carriage frame is carved with dragons and painted with phoenixes, it is really luxurious, and the frame is also large. I think the furnishings inside are similar to those in a room at home.

Cheng Wanli brought Su Wu and bowed to the side of the road. Cheng Wanli said, "Your humble servant Cheng Wanli, I pay my respects to General Gao!"

The frame slowly stopped and stopped beside Cheng Wanli. After waiting for a long time, he saw the frame lift up the car curtain.

A man appeared from inside, wearing a purple and gold robe and a black gauze futon on his head. His face was round, white with a hint of red, and without many wrinkles on his face, he looked quite majestic.

The man didn't come forward, but just glanced at him sideways and asked casually, "Are you Cheng Wanli?"

Cheng Wanli did not even raise his head and quickly replied: "In reply to the commander's words, I am Cheng Wanli."

"You're good." Just these few words came out, the curtains were lowered, and the carriage continued to move.

At this time, Cheng Wanli looked up, bowed and waited for the carriage to pass by. After it had walked several steps away, he straightened up.

He sighed a little, letting go of his nervousness, and then asked Su Wu, "What does he look like?"

Cheng Wanli really didn't see what he looked like.

Su Wu glanced at it and replied, "It looks like a round pearl and a smooth jade."

In fact, Su Wu was also surprised. It was true that Tokyo nurtured people. A street thug, after being raised for a long time, became a plump and beautiful woman.

Cheng Wanli nodded seriously: "Oh..."

Then I saw a carriage coming from the back, which was also luxurious and large. When the curtains were lifted, I saw a large group of beautiful women.

Cheng Wanli looked at him and frowned, while Su Wu looked at him and shook his head.

As soon as the carriage passed by, Cheng Wanli sighed and said, "We are not here to fight..."

Su Wu laughed and said, "Isn't this also a reward for the troops?"

"Won't it cause the army's morale to drop if we reward them so much?" Cheng Wanli asked again.

Su Wu still smiled: "General Gao has his own clever plan."

Cheng Wanli saw the meaning behind Su Wu's smile, but still sighed: "You, I am anxious for this rotten wood to be an official...but you can still smile?"

"I know that you are concerned about the country and the people. Such a rotten wood will not last long..." Su Wu replied.

"Let's go, let's go and entertain them." Cheng Wanli went to the side, but there was no carriage waiting for him, so he rode a horse now.

Su Wu rode his horse and followed, but his horse was no faster than Gao Qiu's carriage.

When they arrived at Dongping Prefecture, Gao Qiu did not enter the city again. It seemed that there was no need for Cheng Wanli to receive him, so he just set up camp outside the city.

Su Wu followed Cheng Wanli into the military camp. The central military tent was very large, and it was filled with people. There was singing and dancing, music, and a banquet.

Cheng Wanli sat slightly forward, and Su Wu naturally sat at the end.

He also looked at the people in the tent, including Gao Qiu's trusted confidants, such as Niu Bangxi, and the generals Gao Qiu brought from Tokyo, the brothers Dang Shiying and Dang Shixiong,

There was also the naval commander Liu Menglong who came all the way from Jiankang Prefecture in the south. Gao Qiu brought a large number of naval forces this time, not only the naval forces from Jiankang Prefecture, but also large and small ships collected along the way.

Next came ten generals, collectively known as the Ten Jiedushi, namely Wang Huan, Jing Zhong, Xiang Yuanzhen, Han Cunbao, Wang Wende, Zhang Kai, Xu Jing, Yang Wen, Li Congji and Mei Zhan.

Gao Qiu's action this time was not completely reckless. He had his own ideas and he did not trust the imperial guards in the capital, so he recruited these ten military governors. In the Song Dynasty, the title of military governor was just an honorary title and did not have any real power.

These ten people were actually all born as bandits in the past, but they were recruited by the government and became official soldiers. They were all role models for Song Jiang.

Gao Qiu himself brought 15,000 imperial guards from the capital and recruited these ten military governors. This was a way of using bandits to fight bandits. Since the bandits were difficult to defeat, he would recruit bandits to fight the bandits.

This idea obviously does not have any big problems.

Together with the navy of Jiankang and the troops transferred from other prefectures, Gao Qiu brought a total of 130,000 imperial troops, wing troops, recruited troops, auxiliary troops, and navy on this expedition.

Even though the front team was already holding a banquet and singing and dancing outside the city of Dongping Prefecture, the rear team was still walking slowly outside the territory of Dongping Prefecture. A large part of them went directly to Jeju. In fact, the navy had not arrived yet and was still in the river.

Gao Qiu has put up such a big battle that he must win the battle no matter what, so that he can return to the capital.

Of course, with this momentum, let alone attacking Liangshan, even attacking the Liao Kingdom is too much.

It's also because power is easy to use. Gao Qiu's power is too easy to use. No matter whether it is personnel or materials, he can transfer them as he pleases and use them however he wants.

Looking at this situation, one wonders how much money has been wasted. Su Wu even thought that if the money spent on this trip was given to him, ten Liangshans could be pacified.

This also shows how important face is to General Gao Qiu.

When Cheng Wanli came forward, he kept toasting and stood beside Gao Qiu with his head bowed. His attitude was really very humble.

After a few drinks, Gao Qiu also said, "Have all the food and grass for Dongping Prefecture been prepared?"

Cheng Wanli simply replied: "Everything is ready."

Gao Qiu held the wine glass but did not drink. He continued, "Well, this time, the suppression of bandits is a big deal. A total of 130,000 troops will be sent out. The food and grass I asked you to prepare before may not be enough. You should prepare more and send them to Jeju. This time the army will use Jeju as the base camp, and attack the mountains from the back. The navy will all march from Jeju and other places. When the time comes, with 130,000 troops, the Liangshan bandits will be destroyed."

It was not known whether Gao Qiu was deliberately trying to show off in front of Cheng Wanli, but Cheng Wanli just nodded and said, "Taiwei, just tell me the number, and whatever Dongping Prefecture can prepare will be sent to Jeju on time."

There is no other reason. Just try not to stick to the pot. When you are defeated, don't say that it is the lack of food and grass in Dongping Prefecture that led to the defeat. This would be too big a blame.

Gao Qiu then said, "I don't mean to embarrass you. Since I'm here, you can take all the supplies you prepared. You can prepare another 20,000 shi and send them to Jeju."

Cheng Wanli was overwhelmed, but he still gritted his teeth and answered: "I will obey the order of the commander."

This amount is really not small, and we have to go to Daming Prefecture to buy it. Fortunately, once the grain is delivered to the army, it can be deducted from the Transportation Office, which means paying less taxes to the court.

But Gao Qiu had no idea of ​​how much to spend the imperial taxes. He spent them however he wanted. If there was more money here, wouldn't the imperial court soon have less?

Is the emperor really so easy to please? Can he spend money however he wants?
Su Wu watched from the end, Cheng Wanli also had a hard life...

Looking at Gao Qiu again, he waved his hand and said, "Okay, I came to your place just to see you. In this war, we can only win and not lose. If we lose the war, you, Cheng Wanli, will not be able to escape the blame. If anything happens to me, I will make sure that Cheng Wanli will not be able to escape the blame first!"

Cheng Wanli was terrified and trembling, and bowed deeply: "The commander will surely return victorious!"

Su Wu also understood that Gao Qiu's trip to Dongping Prefecture was not only to ask for food, but his real purpose was to personally threaten Cheng Wanli.

Gao Qiu seemed to be able to guess a lot of things. How could he not know that Cheng Wanli was Tong Guan's disciple? He came here specifically to warn Cheng Wanli not to do anything that would hinder him.

Gao Qiu took a sip of the wine in his hand and waved his hand: "Okay, you can go down..."

Cheng Wanli bowed again and quickly went down to sit down.

As soon as the military banquet was over, Su Wu followed Cheng Wanli back to the city.

On the way, Cheng Wanli also gritted his teeth and said: "This guy..."

But he didn't say it out loud. He wasn't drunk and didn't dare to curse.

Su Wu said: "My lord, you have suffered..."

Su Wu was really angry with Cheng Wanli, even furious, but he didn't show it.

Cheng Wanli sighed, "He is the Grand Marshal, the Commander of the Palace Guard, and a trusted minister walking around the emperor. I wear a red robe, and the governor is just a clerk. How can we compare? That's it, it can't be considered suffering..."

Su Wu nodded: "Sir, you are able to bend and stretch, you are a real man."

Cheng Wanli waved his hands on his horse: "Speaking of which, I am really worried. What kind of scene will a 130,000-man army be like? The Liangshan army has no more than 30,000 or 40,000 people, and they are all a motley crowd. I am afraid..."

"Don't worry, sir. Gao Qiu, relying on his 130,000-man army, seems to have already won. In the army tent, there is even singing and dancing, and there is no sense of urgency at all. In this way, arrogant soldiers will surely be defeated. In the back mountain of Liangshan, one man can block the passage of ten thousand men. Gao Qiu seems to be thinking of relying on the advantage of the navy. Many people in Liangshan have lived by the water for generations. How can a naval battle be easy? He has not even made a long-term plan. I am afraid he is asking for a quick victory. Even if he really thinks that once the army arrives, he will be invincible, then the disastrous consequences are waiting for him..."

Su Wu was not just trying to comfort Cheng Wanli, he actually made a serious analysis.

Gao Qiu's preparations were sufficient, but mentally, he could not escape his old ruffian mentality. The war had already begun, but he was not nervous at all. He did not have the strategic planning of a general, nor the cautiousness before a battle.

Cheng Wanli nodded after hearing Su Wu's words: "Yes, even a lion will use all its strength to fight a rabbit, but Gao Qiu is like this... humph!"

Su Wu suddenly felt that Cheng Wanli had really made great progress, as if he had experienced some kind of training. How did he do that?
Just look at how others make mistakes, and you will know what not to do, what is right and what is wrong.

This is inevitably an excellent way to learn.

But Cheng Wanli said bitterly: "Alas... I need another 20,000 stones, Ziqing..."

Su Wu nodded and said, "I will send someone to Daming Prefecture to buy it, and I will deliver it to him personally."

"That's fine, that's fine..." Cheng Wanli nodded and said, "It's also difficult for you."

"It's not hard. I'm afraid that Gao Qiu will spit out the same thing he eats." Su Wu replied, but he also thought of someone and asked, "Sir, are you familiar with Zhang Shuye, the governor of Jizhou?"

Cheng Wanli shook his head: "I'm not very familiar with him... Why are you suddenly talking about this person?"

Su Wu only replied: "Nothing much. I was sending food to Jeju this time and thought I would see you, so I asked."

Why do you ask?

Because Zhang Shuye was not an ordinary person, he also had a great name in history.

He was not a graduate of the imperial examination system, but entered the officialdom through imperial favor. He has always been interested in military affairs and liked studying and discussing them. He first entered the officialdom as a military officer in Lanzhou in the northwest. He had seen battles in the northwest. Although he was a clerk, he also personally followed the soldiers in battle, and made contributions while offering advice.

He was promoted and became an official after many twists and turns. He is now not young anymore, over 50 years old. This man is also very upright, and so are his family members. His cousin impeached Cai Jing, and Zhang Shuye was also implicated and banished to the northwest to raise horses.

According to history, Song Jiang and his gang of bandits were finally defeated by Zhang Shuye.

Historically, Zhang Shuye later led his troops to fight a fierce battle with the Jin people. He was not afraid, and he was not afraid even with his two sons. He dared to fight and advocated war. He even killed a general of the Jin army. In the end, Zhang Shuye was injured, and finally the city of Bianjing was broken and he was captured.

He committed suicide by hanging.

A man like Zhang Shuye was one of the rare tough guys in the Northern Song Dynasty.

At this moment, he is the prefect of Jeju.

Since Su Wu is going to Jezhou this time, how could he not get to know Zhang Shuye?
The next day, Gao Qiu set out. He first went around to the back mountain of Liangshan to set up a large camp to block the Liangshan bandits' retreat. Gao Qiu himself would return to Jizhou to supervise the water camp, with the navy as the main attack.

This journey is like a parade, just to show off the military strength and make the enemy lose their courage.

This matter has nothing to do with Su Wu, so we just have to wait and see what Gao Qiu does.

There is only one point, no matter how Gao Qiu is defeated, there will inevitably be countless losses in armor and military equipment, and Su Wu may not be able to take care of it by then.

Then we must focus on one thing: all the food and fodder prepared in Jeju must not fall into the hands of Liangshan.

Fortunately, this time, Su Wu knew in advance that Gao Qiu mainly lost in the water, so Liangshan would not get much.

As soon as Gao Qiu arrived at the place where the land connected to the back mountain of Liangshan, the war had already begun.

Anyway, everyone wants to show off, some want to fight, some want to show off, it's really lively.

Liangshan will naturally hold out for the time being, which is also the reason for Su Wu now. Liangshan’s strength is not too strong. Song Jiang and Wu Yong are particularly cautious. In the face of life and death, safety is the key.

Su Wu also had a guess, that is, he guessed that no one in Liangshan would attack easily.

Song Jiang and Wu Yong were also waiting for the naval battle to decide the victory. Even though there were not many land soldiers and generals, Song Jiang had countless men under his command who could be used in the naval battle, so he could just play to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses.

This 800-li water lake, also called Liangshan Luo (same as Bo) and Dashuibei, is actually not a simple large lake. There is a shortage of water in the north, and there are no truly huge lakes.

The Eight Hundred Li Water Park is actually more like a complex of wetlands, swamps and lakes, with numerous reed marshes and even many small islands, which are intricately arranged. There are many local people in Liangshan, so being familiar with the terrain is also a big advantage.

Even during the Song and Liao dynasties, there were many such complexes in the north. For example, Yanfangdian to the east of the Liao Dynasty's Yanjing City was a huge lake, wetland and swamp complex that stretched for three to four hundred miles. It was also the hunting ground for the Liao royal family, and successive Liao emperors often hunted there.

But thousands of years later, Liangshan Lake and Yanfang Lake slowly disappeared in the long river of history. The north became increasingly drier, and such vast "lakes" and "water lakes" no longer appeared.

Even thousands of years later, the city of Yanjing had trouble getting water and had to transfer water from the south to the north. But who could have imagined that in the Song and Liao dynasties, there would be a huge pond spanning three or four hundred miles to the east of Yanjing? There were so many water birds and deer that they were everywhere.

Until later generations, a small Baiyangdian was the last afterglow of this terrain, and even Baiyangdian was getting smaller and smaller.

In this naval battle, Liangshan had several advantages, which Su Wu knew well, so he also knew Liangshan's strategy against the enemy.

The back hill of Liangshan was bustling with activity, arrows were being shot, stone cannons were being fired, and they had also tried to attack the mountain pass, but it obviously didn't work.

Even if Su Wu had gone to that pass, he would definitely not think of storming it, because not only was the terrain difficult to attack but also the soldiers were willing to sacrifice their lives one after another. Even if he was willing to sacrifice their lives, he might not be able to attack it.

I think Gao Qiu will have less and less intention to attack by land.

Su Wu just waited. He was also preparing food and fodder, some from Dongping Prefecture and some bought from Daming Prefecture. It would be ready in seven or eight days. There was no need to gather them in one place and then transport them. Both sides could go directly to Jeju. Su Wu himself also set off for Jeju.

He led a thousand cavalrymen and more than two thousand auxiliary troops to transport food and fodder.

Just deliver the food and fodder to Gao Qiu's base camp.

Su Wu had an acquaintance in Jeju, so he went to meet him and went straight to the shipyard in Jeju. Zong Ze had been staring there for a long time.

Su Wu also went to take a look, and saw Zong Ze. The two hugged each other and then went to look at the shipyard.

The shipyard is actually not very big. In the past, it was mainly used to build fishing boats for the people living in the water, and also built some cargo ships for merchants on the canal.

Nowadays, large shipyards are being built everywhere. Zong Ze is watching here. Everything is in order, and there are busy people coming and going everywhere.

Zong Ze was at the dock, showing Su Wu the drawings of several types of ships.

He also said: "This is a warship, this is a fast ship, this is a warship..."

Su Wu looked around and got a general idea of ​​what was going on. Currently, naval battles were still mainly based on ramming and boarding, supplemented by fire attacks, archery, and stone throwing.

Then Zong Ze took out a new blueprint and said, "This is my recent design. It has crossbows and enlarged trebuchets on it. I call it a flat ship, because the deck is flat, which is good for long-range combat."

Su Wu just nodded and said, "Very good, very good. I also want to ask you, last time I wrote to you about the difference between river boats and sea boats, but I didn't reply for a long time. Has my husband figured it out?"

Zong Ze shook his head: "I have figured out the general idea, but I haven't found the real shipbuilder who can build a large ocean ship, so I haven't replied yet. I will reply to you one by one when I find the real shipbuilder and figure it out."

"Then give me a rough idea." Su Wu asked again.

"That's easy to say. In rivers and lakes, the waves are usually small and the water is not deep, so a flat bottom is enough to prevent it from running aground and it is also convenient for mooring at the dock. But when the waves are big, the center of gravity must be low and the sea is deep, so most boats have pointed bottoms..." Zong Ze replied.

Su Wu suddenly realized: "Is it possible to directly transform the river boat into a sea boat?"

"I need to study it further." Zong Ze said realistically.

Su Wu asked again: "Then the waves in Bohai Sea are not strong most of the time, so can river boats be used?"

"But, I asked many people, and some people have done this. As long as you don't leave the Bohai Sea, it can be used, but you have to choose the season and time. It's said that the wind and waves on the sea are also divided by season and time." Zong Ze nodded.

"That's good!" Su Wu was overjoyed. This huge investment could be of great use.

Su Wu suddenly whispered in his ear: "Old sir, this boat is finally built, but there is still one more step to be done."

"Hmm? What other steps need to be added?" Zong Ze asked. Did Su Wu suddenly know how to build a ship?
Su Wu said directly: "Add iron plates under the boat. You can remove them later, but you must add them now."

"Why is this?" Zong Ze was puzzled.

"Because, one of the Liangshan water warfare methods has a unique skill, which is diving into the boat and breaking the bottom of the boat. No matter how many soldiers and how much fighting power there are on the boat, they will all be fed to the fish and shrimp."

Su Wu knew this all too well.

Zong Ze nodded: "Oh... I see, then... then there are many subtle details that need to be redesigned, otherwise it will be difficult to install, and it will have to be disassembled in the future, and it must still be usable after disassembly."

"Yes, that's the truth. Thank you for your concern, old sir." Su Wu bowed and asked for help.

Zong Ze frowned and said, "I wanted to ask you, this time the imperial court has an army of 130,000 to fight the bandits, so I wanted to ask you if we should stop building ships. From what you said, it seems that we should continue building ships, right..."

"My old husband said frankly..."

"Do you think that even if the Grand Commandant leads the army personally this time, he will suffer a crushing defeat?" Zong Ze was actually worried.

Su Wu only asked: "Have you seen the general Gao?"

Zong Ze shook his head: "I have never seen him. How can I, a mere judge, be qualified to see the Grand Commandant?"

"If you have met him, you will know that this time we will win fewer and lose more." Su Wu replied.

"Alas...you can never be wrong when you talk about military affairs..." Zong Ze's mood immediately became depressed.

Even so, he knew that Su Wu was just a small warrior with little influence. In front of the Grand Marshal and the 130,000-strong army, Su Wu was not even a role to be considered, and was even worse than him, a small judge.

This is not something an old scholar or a common man can worry about.

To worry about the country and the people, one needs qualifications. If you are of low status, you do not have the qualifications to worry about the country and the people.

After sighing several times, Zong Ze looked up at the busy shipyard and felt relieved. He changed his mood and suddenly said, "I'll take you to see someone. You will definitely be happy to see this person, and he will definitely be happy to see you."

"Who?" Su Wu asked.

"Hehe, Mr. Zhang, the prefect of Jeju." Zong Ze said with a smile.

"Huh? My old husband has already learned how to flatter his superiors after such a long time?" Su Wu said with a smile.

"You little brat, you really don't know how to talk. I don't want to say more to you. When you meet him, you will know who that Mr. Zhang is!" Zong Ze was not angry, but laughed, knowing that Su Wu was joking.

"Then I must meet him. I must see who can earn such an evaluation from you, old husband." Su Wu actually knew that it was normal for Zong Ze and Zhang Shuye to suddenly get together.

Just as Zong Ze replied: "It is inevitable that we are of the same mind and hit it off right away. Mr. Zhang is a wonderful man."

"Let's go..." Su Wu raised his hand and waved.

"Let's go!" Zong Ze collected all the drawings and put them under his armpits, then walked forward. His mood really improved.

Su Wu had been to Jeju, but he had only been to Yuncheng County, Jeju City, and Jeju Prefecture. That was his first time there.

Zong Ze took Su Wu and walked straight into the gate without anyone stopping him. After entering, Zong Ze did not ask anyone or wait, but walked straight into a classroom room as if he was familiar with the place.

As soon as I entered the classroom, I saw an official in a red robe sitting there, writing at his desk. He looked old, with white hair and beard, sunken cheeks, and looked thin, but he was in good spirits, and even his sitting posture was straight.

Zong Ze smiled as he entered the room: "Hello, Zhang Xiang, public security?"

Zhang Shuye looked up, but did not stand up. He just smiled and said, "Brother Zong, please come in and take a seat."

Zong Ze didn't hesitate and just sat down on the chair next to him.

Looking at the two of them, it was obvious that they were very familiar with each other and even had a very good relationship. It was really unexpected that they had such a close relationship in such a short period of time.

Su Wu entered the room, bowed, and said nothing.

Zong Ze said, "Mr. Zhang, you brought a wonderful person with you today."

Zhang Shuye immediately looked at Su Wu standing beside him, and after a quick look, he asked, "Is this the General Su Wu that my brother often mentioned?"

"That's right, haha..." Zong Ze laughed loudly and called Su Wu, "You sit down too, sit over there, closer. Zhang Xianggong likes military affairs the most, and he has been on the battlefield in the past!"

Su Wu bowed again before sitting down: "I have heard of Zhang Xianggong's story."

"Huh? You also know about me?" Zhang Shuye was a little surprised.

"I know. Sir, you entered the officialdom with the help of someone else's family. You served as a military officer in Xihe and Lanhuang, where you offered suggestions and made outstanding contributions. Later, you were transferred to a prefecture in the interior, where you once offended Cai Jing. After that, you raised horses, and later on, you returned to the capital..." Su Wu knew all of this, which meant he really knew it.

Who made it so that there were only a few backbones left in the late Northern Song Dynasty? There were really not many, very few. If you pay attention to one or two, you can't avoid Zhang Shuye who hanged himself.

"Hey, he really knows." Zhang Shuye pointed at Su Wu and spoke to Zong Ze.

Zong Ze also laughed: "I didn't know he knew all this about you."

Zhang Shuye turned to look at Su Wu again and said, "You don't know, Brother Zong, I praised you a lot. I said that you have a broad mind, that you are upright, that you are both civil and martial, that you are brave in battle, and that you are methodical in doing things...haha...so many words..."

People are like this, one group after another, as long as they share the same interests, they will naturally go the same way.

Su Wu knew that when he walked into this group and looked at the two old men in front of him, he actually felt moved.

Su Wu said, "That's all because of your compliment, Elder Zong..."

"Hey, don't be modest. I have heard about your story. Jeju is so close to Dongping Prefecture, and both are places where bandits are faced. You fight bandits everywhere, which one do I not know? I know even more about the strong army under your command. It's a pity that my Jeju does not have such a strong army."

Zhang Shuye really sighed. In his life, he liked to study and discuss military affairs. It was a pity that he had only been in Jeju for a short time.

He had risen to the position of Vice Minister of Rites, but was brought down by Cai Jing because of one incident. What was it?
The so-called "empty yellow" thing refers to lazy governance. The Secretariat issued a large number of blank official documents. Cai Jing and others did not have to go through formal procedures to tell them what to do or what official position to promote. They could just fill in the documents at any time, and what was filled in was an order from the court.

Zhang Shuye couldn't stand it anymore and wanted to impeach him, but then he was dealt with by Cai Jing again.

The method of playing tricks on people is very simple. Demotion means that you were asked to go to Haizhou to take up the post last month. When you have just arrived at the place or are about to arrive, you are asked to go to Qizhou to take up the post this month. When you have arrived at the place again, you are asked to go to Jeju to take up the post next...

This is the method used by the Song Dynasty to deal with officials. Su Shi was also subjected to this method in the past, and so is Zhang Shuye now.

At this time, Zhang Shuye was obviously frustrated.

Su Wu only replied: "Perhaps after some time, if Prime Minister Zhang stays in Jeju for a while longer, we can form a strong army."

Zhang Shuye shook his head and said, "I am also working on organizing the army, but I don't know how long I can stay in Jeju."

This is Zhang Shuye's current situation. He just needs to work hard and wait for the imperial court to transfer him. Maybe he will leave again.

This fact is really too depressing to the human spirit.

Su Wu understood and said, "Perhaps, after some time, the court will be in a state of panic and will not care about you anymore."

Su Wu was talking about Cai Jing. After Gao Qiu's defeat, Cai Jing was in a state of panic. How could he have time to deal with Zhang Shuye?

This is how small people are. When big people remember you, they can easily deal with you. When they don’t remember you, they will turn around and forget about you.

Zhang Shuye, I think you can stay in Jeju longer...

Zhang Shuye sighed, "We should do our best and leave the rest to fate. Today, I cannot entertain you two. General Gao is here, and I have to go to the army to serve... You should stay for a few more days, and I will come to drink with you when I am free."

As soon as Su Wu heard it, he knew it was about food and fodder.

In fact, whether it was Cheng Wanli or Zhang Shuye, both of them missed a procedure: giving gifts.

Whether it was out of custom or social etiquette, they should have prepared a generous gift for Gao Qiu, but it seems that neither of them did so.

Zhang Shuye stood up and bowed.

Zong Ze and Su Wu also stood up and bowed, and Zhang Shuye went out.

Su Wu and Zong Ze looked at each other, and Su Wu said, "I'll treat you to a meal."

"It's my treat..." Zong Ze also said.

"I owe you a good drink..." Su Wu said.

"That's fine..."

The two walked together on the streets of Jeju Prefecture for a long time, neither of them spoke a word.

Su Wu suddenly asked: "Old sir, one day you will become a general or a prime minister..."

Zong Ze waved his hands and said, "I am about to die. I don't have much time left. This dream is an illusion. I can't bear it."

"Have you ever thought about this when you were young?" Su Wu asked again.

"Young? What young are you talking about? Which young person is not full of vigor and vitality?" Zong Ze waved his hand and smiled.

Su Wu said directly: "Gao Qiu's generation was able to become a general and a prime minister, so why can't you, old prime minister?"

"Forget it..." Zong Ze shook his head.

Su Wu suddenly said: "Is there any hope for the Song Dynasty?"

Zong Ze was shocked and stopped walking: "What are you talking about? Without a king and a father, it is useless to study poetry and books. Don't ever say that again, especially not to me."

Zong Ze was really a little angry.

Su Wu nodded: "Nonsense, all nonsense... just because you and Zhang Xianggong were dissatisfied, so I said nonsense."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Zong Ze was very serious.

"Yes, you are old..." Su Wu nodded. It is good to be old. If that day really comes... he won't be able to see it when he is old, and Su Wu will have less entanglements in his heart.

(Brothers, it’s getting late... sorry sorry!)

(End of this chapter)