Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 142 I will beat the drum to gather the troops

When Tong Guan arrived, there was no ceremony or welcoming ceremony. Even Cheng Wanli did not receive the news before Tong Guan had already entered Dongping Prefecture. It was only when Tong Guan arrived at the gate of the government office that Cheng Wanli realized that Tong Guan had arrived.

Tong Guan just waved his hands repeatedly, indicating to Cheng Wanli that there was no need to do those empty things. Even when Cheng Wanli bowed to greet him, Tong Guan just raised his hand and sat down in the front classroom on the left side of the government office.

The classroom was not big, with a long table and a few seats on both sides. Tong Guan raised his hand and said, "You sit down too!"

Cheng Wanli bowed again before taking his seat. He had known that Tong Guan was coming, but he didn't know where exactly he was or when he would arrive. It wasn't a big surprise that he arrived today.

Tong Guan looked obviously exhausted, so he just said, "I am old after all..."

"My Lord, it must have been hard for you to come here." Cheng Wanli replied.

Tong Guan wanted to wave his hand, then spoke again: "I came to see you first, have a cup of tea, and then go to the army to take a look. I want to ask you something..."

Cheng Wanli stood up immediately: "I will tell you everything I know."

"Sit down, sit down, sit down. We work together, but you are always so polite. Isn't it troublesome... Speaking of which, I don't feel so happy when I leave the capital this time. It's not like when I was supervising the army in the northwest. At that time, I begged for the job and left the capital, and I felt that I was pursuing a career. At that time, I was full of energy and high spirits. This time, I just feel tired and exhausted..."

The tea came, Tong Guan took it and drank it slowly, chatting slowly...

After hearing these words, Cheng Wanli also said: "In fact, Prime Minister En is concerned about the country and the people. If not, why would he be so busy?"

After taking another sip of tea, Tong Guan continued, "Yes and no... All along the way, I have been thinking, what else can I ask for in this life? What is it that I am asking for?"

"Please give me some advice, sir." Even though Cheng Wanli was sitting, he bowed frequently.

"Let's not talk about instructions. Let's talk about me. I am now in charge of the Privy Council, have the title of Grand Tutor, and the title of Duke of Jing. I have reached the end of my life as a minister. I have no offspring to take care of, and I don't have anything else to worry about. To be honest, I am now sixty-five or sixty, which is already a long life. What power do I still want? What do I want the emperor's favor? What is the meaning?"

Tong Guan looked at Cheng Wanli and continued, "I have quite a few disciples, but there are not many who are from a legitimate family like you. Most of them are soldiers, including you... You need someone to take care of you. If I leave, who will take care of you..."

It seemed that Cheng Wanli was about to stand up and bow again.

Tong Guan raised his hand to stop me: "I told you not to be so polite, so don't be so. You are trying to make yourself proud. In the past, when you came to visit me, I didn't think highly of you. You are trying to make yourself proud. Since you are trying to make yourself proud, even though I am old, I will naturally help you. Cheng Wanli, you will have a long and bright future..."

Cheng Wanli heard this and moved his buttocks. He wanted to get up, but Tong Guan had already pressed him down. He didn't get up, but just bowed, with tears on his face: "Ensir..."

"Forget it... I said I would ask you something, but I haven't asked it yet... Now I ask you, just tell me the truth..." Tong Guan looked at Cheng Wanli. His eyes were so kind just now, but now they were sharp.

"Please speak, my lord!" Cheng Wanli never took back his extended hand.

"Tell me, tell me the truth, how confident are you in suppressing the bandits in Liangshan?" Tong Guan said so much just now, perhaps just to ask this question.

"All students must die! All students must die!" Cheng Wanli said excitedly.

Tong Guan still waved his hand: "I'm not asking you to die, I'm asking you, what are your chances of success in suppressing the bandits?"

Cheng Wanli wanted to make a high-profile statement, but seeing the expression on En Xiang's face, he didn't make a high-profile statement. Instead, he said, "Just look at Su Wu. Su Wu is a brave and invincible general. He always fights for his life in battle. There is only death and no life. With Su Wu here, the chances of suppressing the bandits should be very good."

"Haha... you, you are still a scholar after all. Su Wu is now rich and powerful, right? Su Wu and you..."

Tong Guan asked this question but didn’t finish what he was saying.

Cheng Wanli quickly replied: "I also have something to ask you, my Lord."

"Come on..." Tong Guan even made a gesture of invitation.

Cheng Wanli was a little excited when he said that just now, but he thought about it and stopped talking: "It depends on my daughter. My daughter and Su Ziqing may have some feelings for each other, but Su Wu has not married yet and already has a mistress. If my daughter is willing... please take care of this matter..."

"Is that so? Good, good, it's best if the civil and military are matched. Most of those people in Tokyo are short-sighted and don't know what will happen in the future. As for you, you are not worthy of the eyes of those short-sighted people, so you came to be my disciple. I think you must have suffered the cold eyes and ridicule of the world. It's good for the civil and military to match each other. It's great. In the future, you will have a bright future. In this respect, you are much better than those short-sighted people in Tokyo..."

Tong Guan spoke slowly, which meant he had already agreed to this matter.

"Thank you, Prime Minister, but..." Cheng Wanli was still worried. Obviously, Cheng Wanli did not have the mentality of a grown man.

He sought a future, but never set his sights too high. In other words, he never had any real ambitions and just changed as circumstances dictated.

At first, he just wanted a way out, hoping that his future would improve a little, so he became a disciple of Tong Guan.

Later, he only wished to return to Beijing as soon as possible and get promoted. In this way, although he would not be considered a high-ranking official in Tokyo, he could at least have some dignity and escape from his previous situation.

Next, he hoped to make merit by suppressing bandits, be respected by others, and even be able to show his face in front of the emperor to some extent. In this way, after returning to the capital, he would be listed in the court and be able to appear in front of the emperor.

Now, now, he also wanted to complete the job of this frontier official and then return to Beijing. Although he would not hold great power, he could at least enter the outer circle of the core power circle.

Just like this, step by step, today, at this moment, what did Enxiang say to me? He said he would help me along the way and hope that I would have a bright future.

What does this mean? It is self-evident that this is not something that happens outside the circle. You can also think about things within the circle.

However, Cheng Wanli still did not think like that grown man. At this critical moment, he was still concerned about his daughter and whether she was willing.

Tong Guan did not criticize anything, but said: "The war between our Song Dynasty and Liao Dynasty is approaching. How did it start? On what basis did it start? It's just like in the past, when I went to the northwest to supervise the army, I fought against the Tanguts of Western Xia and returned to Beijing. In the past, I was also very ambitious and wanted to have a good career. I gritted my teeth and wanted to go to the battlefield to see it. You, a scholar by nature, can't do it... If you can't do it, how can you have supporters among the many soldiers? Su Wu, Su Ziqing, he went on your behalf and received support on your behalf... That's the reason."

"Yes, yes, what you said is absolutely right, and your teachings are very profound..." Cheng Wanli nodded repeatedly.

"Okay, that's all I have to say. We've finished our tea, so let's go and take a look... After taking a look, I'll have a clear decision and a plan in mind!"

Having said this, Tong Guan stood up.

Cheng Wanli also quickly stood up and bowed to invite him in.

"You still need me to say this, there is no need to do this. In the future, perhaps you will also be a high-ranking official. I am a eunuch. If you keep treating me like this, people will see and say that the high-ranking official will have little face left..."

Tong Guan raised his hand again and supported Cheng Wanli.

"Although what you said is reasonable, I don't take it seriously in my heart. If a person does not know how to be grateful, how can he be a human being?" Cheng Wanli did not listen.

Tong Guan smiled and started to walk: "I know it in my heart. The officialdom is the officialdom. What the officialdom wants is face. How can a person without face win the support of others?"

Cheng Wanli actually said something remarkable: "Respect depends on ability."

"That's right." Tong Guan nodded.

As soon as Tong Guan came out of the government office again, he was surrounded by countless runners and soldiers. Cheng Wanli also attached great importance to the issue of safety.

The group did not even stop their horses, but headed straight for the military camp. The common people on the roadside all leaned over to look, asking, who had arrived? Why was there such a big scene?

Some officials in the government office also knew that Tong Shumi had arrived in Dongping Prefecture.

Su Wu was informed by the bailiff Zhang Zhen early on and waited at the gate of the military camp. Although he didn't know whether Tong Guan would come, he thought it would always be a good idea to wait.

When Tong Shumi arrived, Su Wu went to greet him and bowed, saying, "Greetings to the Prime Minister."

"Take me for a walk, show me around..." Tong Guan raised his hand, but without any gesture.

"Prime Minister, please come!" Su Wu walked half a body length slower to the right and led the way. The person on the left was naturally Cheng Wanli.

The army did not gather together. They just practiced what they should practice and did what they should do. They did not do the old practice of traveling thousands of miles to review the troops.

Su Wu led Tong Guan around, and Tong Guan commented: "What a good army! What a good army!"

Cheng Wanli was still saying, "It was also because the Prime Minister came suddenly. If Ziqing had been prepared, he would have been riding a horse and wearing armor, and marching in formation, which would have been more impressive."

Tong Guanlai smiled and said, "That's not bad. Just by looking at the boys' physique and strength, we can tell that Su... Ziqing, is it Ziqing?"

"That's right..." Su Wu answered from the side.

"I also know that Ziqing usually manages the army and really loves his soldiers like his own sons. Looking at the spirit and vigor of the soldiers, Ziqing is popular with the people..." Tong Guan said, and then asked: "There must be a large number of Puma soldiers, where are they?"

"Outside the city..." Cheng Wanli answered, and Su Wu didn't say much.

"Let's go and take a look..." Tong Guan stopped and turned around.

Su Wu shouted: "Prepare the horses and the chariots."

"You don't necessarily need a car, just prepare a horse." Tong Guan said with a smile.

Su Wu nodded and shouted again: "Prepare the horses, prepare the horses."

When the horse came, Tong Guan got on first without anyone's help. Although he was old and his movements were slow, he was able to climb up.

Even Cheng Wanli's movements of mounting the horse were not as skillful as Tong Guan's, but he still managed to climb on by stepping on the stirrups.

Su Wu went up again, and a group of soldiers followed him and mounted their horses.

The horse did not run, but walked slowly. Tong Guan, sitting on the horse, suddenly asked Su Wu on his right, "Ziqing, what do you think about suppressing the bandits?"

Ziqing replied, "Prime Minister Cheng prepared for a rainy day and ordered Judge Zong to build ships in Jeju early on. Prime Minister Zhang in Jeju is also collecting the ships left by General Gao. I have more than 9,400 combat soldiers under my command, which is already tens of thousands. The auxiliary soldiers are insufficient, with only two or three thousand. With these tens of thousands combat soldiers, I will dispatch several thousand auxiliary soldiers from the wing army, and ask the Prime Minister to dispatch two more troops. Those two troops will block the retreat of Liangshan, and I will board the ship and head straight to Liangshan Water Stronghold. That is the plan."

"Another naval battle?" Tong Guan's words were concise and to the point. Gao Qiu had been defeated in the previous naval battle, so he asked Su Wu again, how could it be safe to fight another naval battle?
Su Wu came and said, "General Gao underestimated the enemy and rushed forward rashly. If I start another naval battle, the enemy can only rely on their familiarity with the terrain and their strong naval pirates. I have two methods. The first method is that there are countless fishermen near the water, most of whom are good people. Invite more of them, let them help make maps of the water, and also go into battle with the warships. In this way, the enemy's geographical advantage can be defeated.

The second method is that the bandits have strong men who come and go without a trace in the water. Sometimes they suddenly attack and kill people, and sometimes they dive away, and even dive under the boats and sink them. I will first install iron sheets on the bottom of the boat. The iron sheets do not need to be too thick, just make sure that the bandits cannot sink the boat easily in a short time. Then I will not get entangled with them, just use strong bows and crossbows to protect the boat personnel, and go straight to the bandits' water fort. As long as the soldiers come ashore, I will lead the way, and we will win the battle!"

Tong Guan kept nodding his head and said, "Good, good! Gao Qiu died in the water battle last time, but you were not afraid. You made detailed calculations and fought again. You are brave and resourceful, and you are both civil and military. You are really a good general. Which two divisions do you want to transfer? How many people?"

"Reporting to the Prime Minister, there are Qin Ming's troops in Qingzhou and Suo Chao's troops in Daming Prefecture. Qin Ming's troops have about 3,000 to 5,000 people, and Suo Chao's troops also have about 3,000 to 5,000 people now."

Su Wu ate meat, so he could not forget his brothers.

Tong Guan smiled and asked, "Who are these two and you?"

"I have a life-and-death relationship with these two men. If they can block Liangshan's retreat, I will have nothing to worry about and can concentrate on attacking the water stronghold." Su Wu did not hide anything.

"These two divisions are close to each other, and it won't cost much money or food to go back and forth. You are a good general, and the people you are friends with must be good. I will allow you to do that."

Tong Guan nodded on horseback, but then asked, "I heard that the bandits already number thirty to fifty thousand?"

"I don't know the exact details, but there are definitely 30,000 people. As for 50,000 people, maybe not yet..." Su Wu answered.

"Are these people enough?" Tong Guan asked again.

"I was thinking about this... Being a prime minister is not easy, so I dare not think too much. If I were to think about the matter of allocating manpower, the more the better."

Su Wu was not at all pretentious. He knew that although Tong Guan was nailed to the pillar of shame in history, looking at the current court of the Song Dynasty, Tong Guan was already the tallest among the dwarfs.

When it comes to military matters, Su Wu should speak frankly in front of Tong Guan. This will save trouble for Tong Guan and even more so for Su Wu himself.

"I'll allow you another part, which is nearby. You can't transfer people far away." Tong Guan also had his own ideas. To win this time, he had to do the most stable thing under the existing conditions.

"Then I will order another one, one from Zhang Qing of Dongchang Prefecture." Su Wu ordered people, but there were not many people he could order from the two routes of Jingdong.

"Okay, I think there will be about 3,000 to 5,000 of them. If the three divisions are together, there will be at least 10,000 of them. If we set up camp and guard the rear of Liangshan, it will be safer."

Tong Guan also had his own rules in mind.

"Thank you, Prime Minister..." Su Wu bowed, feeling more at ease.

Tong Guan suddenly smiled and asked Su Wu, "How old are you, Ziqing?"

"Twenty-three..." Su Wu answered.

"For a general, you are very young, yet you are so mature and not frivolous at all. Not bad, not bad. I heard that you haven't married yet? Being single at the age of twenty-three is very late..." Tong Guan continued.

"My Lord Prime Minister, I have been delayed indeed. I do have a mistress..." Su Wu did not hide anything. A soldier of the Han Dynasty also had to have a persona. There was no need to make himself look like someone with a lot of thoughts in his mind.

"Oh... a concubine? Those who fight to the death in the battlefield, they will drink and enjoy themselves today, and they will go through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. They don't know whether they will live or die tomorrow. Most soldiers are like this, they enjoy themselves while they can... haha..."

As he spoke, Tong Guan smiled left and right, mainly for Cheng Wanli to hear. What he said made sense, and he also made this sense for Cheng Wanli to hear.

Su Wu also laughed: "Prime Minister Shu knows my generation very well!"

"Know, how could I not know? This time, after we defeat the bandits, I will find a marriage partner for you. Maybe it will be a military family in Tokyo, or a beautiful girl from a high-class family in the northwest. I will just look for one or two. I would also like to find a scholarly family for you. But you know, and I know, that the families of the officials in Tokyo will probably look down on rough soldiers like us. So there is no need to worry too much. You should fight well, and I will look for a good man and marry you!"

Tong Guan spoke in a cheerful voice and even laughed as he spoke.

Cheng Wanli praised in his heart that En De was truly a way of dealing with people, and it was the ultimate.

Once these words were said, everything was perfect, and they also elevated Cheng Wanli and the good girl, showing a greater bond of affection.

Su Wu heard this and said, "Thank you Prime Minister for your help. How can I not serve you when I am on the battlefield?"

"It's good to be alive, but dying is not good. There is a bright future waiting for you..." Tong Guan said.

"As long as this bandit suppression mission is successful, I will die..."

"Hey, don't say that, don't say that..." Tong Guan waved his hands repeatedly, interrupting Su Wu's words.

Looking ahead, we have arrived at the military camp outside the city. The camp is still a large construction site, but it does not affect the horse and foot training.

The strong horses galloped back and forth, and the soldiers on the horses were either pulling their bows or charging forward in armor.

Tong Guan opened his eyes wide, as if he was also surprised, and asked: "I know you have a lot of horses, why do you have so many armors?"

Su Wu immediately said, "Prime Minister, you know that Minister Cheng has saved money and built a lot of them. I have also taken risks several times and picked up a lot of scraps to patch together and repair them..."

"Haha..." Tong Guan laughed and praised: "You know how to live."

He also looked at Cheng Wanli, who also replied: "Since you are so kind, I dare not slack off."

"You are very capable, very capable!" Tong Guan praised them. He looked around and praised the two men. He then said, "This Puma Army is also well managed! It is even better than the army in the northwest!"

"Maybe the horses and armor look intimidating." Su Wu said modestly. How could he dare to compete with the gentlemen from the Northwest?

Tong Guan waved his hand and said, "Don't lie in front of me."

"Prime Minister, you know, it is not an exaggeration. The Western Army is a strong army, and they fought many battles with the Tanguts. I am here to suppress some small bandits, so they cannot be compared."

Tong Guan suddenly sighed and whispered, "The situation in the northwest is not what it used to be. The same is true for the Tanguts. In recent years, they have not been rash. Each generation is a generation. When it comes to strengthening the army, if there is a war, there will be a strong army. If there is no war, there will be slackness."

Su Wu heard this and did not comment, but he also knew that what Tong Guan said made sense. In fact, the Western Army had not fought for many years, and they had not fought seriously. In this era, it was difficult to maintain combat effectiveness when there was no war...

It is normal that the Western Army’s combat effectiveness has declined.

But Su Wu still said: "After all, we are no match for them. They are just a mob and cannot stand a fight."

"That's a good idea. I'll wait for you to go into battle and make contributions!" Tong Guan nodded and turned his horse around: "Let's go back..."

Everyone went back to the city, and a banquet was of course held. Everyone in Meng Niang's inn was as nervous as if they were going to a war, as if they were facing a powerful enemy. Even the servant who was holding the plate was shaking with fear as he had never seen such a high-ranking official in his life.

Meng Yulou is not here. He has been in Yanggu for many days but has not returned yet.

Su Wu also sent someone to ask, but Meng Yulou just said that the affairs at home had not been properly dealt with and should be kept for a while longer.

This huge store is run by Dong Huan alone because Mrs. Gu is not at home. Su Wu frowned again. What's going on with Meng Yulou?

Even if you want to check the account books of the cloth shop, you can find out in one or two days. Even if someone wants to buy the shop, they can just come back if the negotiation fails. If they really want to buy it, Dongping Prefecture is not far away, so there is no harm in coming to negotiate.

How come you’ve been gone for so many days and haven’t come back yet?
Even Wu Song came back, Su Wu had no choice but to ask Yang Zhilinmao from Jingyang Ridge to lead people into the city to guard it.

Su Wu felt uneasy when Meng Yulou didn't come back, as he was always afraid that thieves would attack Meng Yulou. However, he felt a little relieved because Meng Yulou didn't leave Yanggu County.

But Su Wu still had a question: why didn't he come back?

Su Wu had a headache, but since Tong Guan was here in person, he didn't have the energy to think or ask too much. He just sent people to Yanggu County to urge Meng Yulou to come back quickly.

But Su Wu also had a hunch that Meng Yulou was acting strangely this time, and he was afraid that she would not come back even if he urged her again. He wondered what the reason was and what went wrong.

What are you trying to avoid? Or are you trying to break up?

Alas, there was no time to think too much. The main business was to accompany Tong Shumi to drink. At the table, Tong Guan also talked about business: "Send someone to transport Gao Qiu's things from Jeju as soon as possible. If we go to war, we must reward the troops. If the enemy troops come, we should also reward them first. We can't do without money and food."

Cheng Wanli replied: "Once the Prime Minister arrives, everything will be easy to talk about. I will send someone to do it right away."

Tong Guan also sighed: "130,000 troops... Gao Qiu, oh Gao Qiu, it's a relief for him to die. 130,000 troops came and went like this, how much has been ruined."

Tong Guan can certainly comment on such words.

In fact, this problem is very serious. There are only 1.2 million imperial guards in the whole country. These 130,000 troops mainly come from the capital area of ​​Hebei, Henan, which is the Central Plains.

After such a disastrous defeat, the army's morale is so low. In the future, Tong Guan will have to gather these people to fight against Liao again. With such a low morale...

How could Tong Guan not be worried? Tong Guan had been thinking about this matter before. He felt that Gao Qiu could not win the battle with such a large army, and could not break Liangshan. He only thought that he could not attack the mountain stronghold, but he would not be defeated.

Unexpectedly, Gao Qiu could really pull out such a big lump and really suffer a complete defeat.

Such things have far-reaching impacts, and this is what gives Tong Guan a headache.

But after looking at the people in front of him, at Su Wu and the many generals, Tong Guan became more confident. Fortunately, he still had this group of generals in front of him. If they could win again, the morale of the army would be restored. He would definitely have to use them in the future, as this would be an extra support.

"Have some wine..." Tong Guan raised his hands and greeted everyone around him.

Everyone raised their glasses cautiously to welcome the guests. The banquet was not very lively because the former husband was also very cautious.

General Su was more forthright, and replied: "Brothers, this cup is only to show respect for the Prime Minister's trust. When we go into battle to kill the enemy, we should be fearless."

"Forward bravely!" Many soldiers said in unison and drank the wine in one gulp.

Tong Guan laughed out loud: "Well, well, well, good troops, another one, I will toast you back, and I wish you will make countless achievements and have a bright future."

As he spoke, Tong Guan drank it all in one gulp. Su Wu stood up, and everyone else quickly followed suit and had a cup as well.

Tong Guan had more to say: "Let's not talk nonsense. I am old, sixty-five or sixty-six years old. If it were twenty years ago, I would ride a horse and go to the battlefield with you. But now, I am useless. I can only wait for your triumphant return in this city. Don't blame me..."

Su Wu immediately replied: "The arrival of the Prime Minister has boosted our morale. How dare we let him lead the troops into battle? What use would we have if he did?"

No matter what Tong Guan was thinking when he said those words, Su Wu had to respond with polite words.

"Sit down, sit down, sit down. Just sit down. I hope you don't blame me..."

Su Wu glanced at Lu Da, and Lu Da also spoke: "I am a disciple of Xibei Xiaozhong Xianggong. I have heard of his former power as a prime minister. Seeing him again today is enough to comfort me for the rest of my life!"

Do you think Luda is just flattering?

Really not. That was exactly what Lu Da was thinking. That Mr. Zhong from the Northwest, wasn’t he the general who had fought in the battlefield with Tong Guan in the past?

At that time, Tong Guan really took the risk with gritted teeth and did not lie.

Because of this, in history, when the Jurchens invaded, Tong Guan was able to mobilize people from the northwest to die, and Zhong Shizhong was able to die in battle.

Tong Guan was even able to send people to the northwest to recruit more soldiers in times of crisis. Five thousand young men with sticks came as soon as they were told and became the Jiesheng Army. Later, he asked for another 20,000, which was also recruited as soon as they were told.

It is truly like a person’s reputation and a tree’s shadow; appeal is not fake.

Unfortunately, these people eventually became the guards who protected Tong Guan's escape. The young Tong Guan and the old Tong Guan were truly two different people.

I don’t know whether the Tong Guan at this time and the young Tong Guan have become two different people?

People's hearts are unpredictable.

After the banquet, Cheng Wanli directly welcomed Tong Guan to live in the back court, which was his own home.

Su Wu also knew that a great battle was approaching.

What will happen to Liangshan in the end?

Anyway, in Su Wu's mind, Song Jiang must die!

As for other people, life or death is not important...

There was a small faction, and Su Wu had some thoughts...

Don’t think too much about it. It’s not that important. We’ll just see what happens then.

After patrolling the army again, he returned home.

Now, at Meng Yulou's house, all Su Wu wanted was to go home.

But there is no mistress in the house, and the more I think about it, the more wrong it seems.

Sitting at the table where Meng Yulou often fiddled with tea sets, Su Wu called out, "Zong Tie?"

The boy came running over, bowed, and smiled: "Hey, I'm here."

"Your sister-in-law...why hasn't she come back since she went to Yanggu County for so long?" Su Wu asked.

"Ah? I don't know..." The boy really didn't know.

"Did she leave you any words when she left?" Su Wu asked again.

"Well... my sister-in-law said that she might not be back for a long time, so she asked me to study hard, not to get into trouble, and to be obedient and listen to the general..."

"What else?" Su Wu just felt something was wrong.

"Well... and he said that if I didn't come back, he would send someone to pick me up... General, are you guys angry?"

"You still know how to lose your temper?" Su Wu smiled bitterly and said, "Even if I am not angry, I would know what is going on if I were. Why would I ask you?"

"Then...will my sister-in-law come back?" This boy is actually very smart.

"Of course I will come back. Why wouldn't I come back?" Su Wu nodded, but he still didn't understand. Could it be... that the young lady had said something to her that day?
I also thought of the casual conversation that Tong Guan had with me on horseback today.

Should we think about these things together?
"Bring me your paper and pen so I can write a letter." Su Wu told Yang Zongtie to do it.

Paper and pen came, Yang Zongtie ground the ink, and Su Wu picked up the pen to write. There was a lot of content.

There is a story about a family where the eldest wife was jealous and drove her concubine away.

There is another story about a family. The eldest wife was kind and the concubine was smart. In order to compete with the eldest wife, the concubine went away for no reason, only to come back for her master to quarrel with the eldest wife.

There is another story about a family. The first wife is kind and the concubine is also kind. The concubine was afraid that the first wife would be unhappy and quarrel with her master, so she took the initiative to avoid her and leave...

There are three stories, so the question is, which story is it?
In fact, the three stories are telling Meng Yulou that if this is really the case, then it is not appropriate to do so. It will cause many misunderstandings and even unrest in the family...

If it's not this kind of story, then what else could it be? Then Meng Yulou needs to explain, which story is it?

Su Wu had already racked his brains, why were family affairs so troublesome? Why did he have to rack his brains to deal with them?
Let me write another story. It’s still about a family. They are united and everyone contributes their abilities. This is how the whole family prospers and their lives get better and better…

After writing, Su Wu has one last word to say. He is about to go to war again. It is the time for Su Wu to risk his life. Danggui...

He was playing the victim, his words had deep meaning. If he didn't come back, and if anything happened to Su Wu in the battlefield, he would be separated from Su Wu forever, wouldn't that be a lifelong regret?

Both family and career are troublesome and require effort.

After finishing writing, as soon as the ink dried, Yang Zongtie found the envelope, went out to call someone, and the letter was sent.

The night is long... and I am alone on my pillow... what does it matter?

Su Wu smelled the fragrance of the bedding, got up, went out, and returned to the army. There was only one bed in the military meeting room, so he just went there.

When Erlang saw this, he just laughed: "Brother, what's wrong..."

"Come, sit with me..." Su Wu stood up and Wu Song sat beside the bed.

Su Wu said again: "Erlang, now, can we brothers be considered to have a promising future?"

"Why not? I was a street vagrant, but now I am a sixth-rank lieutenant in the imperial court. When I went home a while ago, my brother dragged me to pay tribute to our parents. He was so moved that I burst into tears. I was so proud of myself. What else can I say about this future? I just have to follow my brother!"

Wu Song was also quite excited, and his face was beaming with joy as he spoke.

"There are not just you, there are so many people..." Su Wu sighed.

Wu Song's excitement stopped immediately and he frowned: "Brother, are you feeling uneasy? Are you feeling tired?"

Su Wu shook his head: "I am not tired, but I am worried. Once I start to run, I can't stop. It's like you are all following me. If I stop, what will you do? If I die, what will you do?"

"Ah?" Wu Song had never thought about this question, but when it came to him, he understood it and just said, "How can my brother die? Even if it is before my death, I will not let my brother die."

"That's not the case. The bigger the future, the better. But the bigger the future, the more frustration and trouble you will have. Maybe you don't understand..."

As Su Wu said this, he gradually began to have a premonition of many things that had not seemed real to him before and he thought of them as just dreams.

Now, it is much more real. This reality brought by Tong Guan means there is more pressure and more trouble. What should we do in such a great Song Dynasty?
At this time, Su Wu had no objection to marrying the young lady from the Cheng family. He also gradually realized that Cheng Wanli might have put a lot of good intentions into this matter and was also taking care of the face of all parties.

Tong Guan's words were better, and even made Su Wu look very decent, and also left Su Wu some space, so even if Su Wu was unwilling, it would not be a big deal.

At this, Su Wu was actually moved.

Su Wu had the thought that "a real man cannot be depressed and live under someone else's rule for long", and he was also certain that the Song Dynasty could not be saved as it was rotten to the core and the only way was to break it down and start over.

But these things are the most troublesome, and the road ahead is unknown...

The more real it was, the more Su Wu felt at a loss...

The troubles of the literati are like a huge mountain that looms over us. Do you think that the troubles of the literati are the only ones?
Warriors are actually troublesome too. Let’s not talk about others, just look at those people in the northwest, or even Yue Fei who has “Serve the country with loyalty and zeal” engraved on his back. Is Yue Fei a warrior?
Yes, but never. Yue Fei had the most resolute thoughts of a Confucian scholar in his heart, this is beyond doubt, so Yue Fei died like that.

Yue Fei is just a representative.

During the Song Dynasty, people were educated and domesticated to the extreme. It's not that it's a bad thing, for the sake of family and country, everything is good.

But it's not good for Su Wu, who now wants to change the sun and the moon to a new sky.

Such chaos is coming, and I don't know how many people will die meaninglessly...

Even if Su Wu wanted to do something, no one knew how many people would die in the process. This required a great determination, and one must be calm, rational, and extremely cold-blooded.

In fact, Su Wu knew that he was somewhat pretentious and he had to change, drastically!
In fact, it's very annoying.

Wu Song understood Su Wu's words, but he could not understand Su Wu's inner thoughts. He just said, "Brother, why bother yourself? Just run towards your future. Brothers, follow me, and you will never regret it, just run one step at a time."

"What you said can really comfort me, haha... Let's go to sleep..." Su Wu waved his hands.

"I think it's that simple. If you want to die, you'll have to face the sky. If you want to live forever, a man with a knife in hand should just move forward! Kill or be killed, it doesn't matter. No matter what, it's worth living in vain."

Wu Song was actually very insightful. Su Wu was stunned by his words. He just praised him: "Well said. Let's sleep together."

Wu Song was not pretentious. He took off his shoes, socks and outer clothes, then lay down and fell asleep immediately. His snoring was not loud and was very steady.

It seemed that the snoring could calm people down, and Su Wu soon fell asleep.

As long as they got up early, the two brothers went to the training ground. Wu Song built up his strength and rode his horse to gallop. The infantry general had already become a cavalry general.

Su Wu practiced with a spear and also practiced with a sword, and he also rode a horse.

As the sky gradually brightened, Yan Qing rode back on his horse and came straight to Su Wu: "Uncle, the Liangshan bandits are starting to come out again!"

Su Wu took the towel handed to him by Li Cheng and wiped his sweat: "Tell me in detail."

"They are coming out of the pass behind the mountain, heading south and east, and the flow is endless." Yan Qing said concisely.

"Go south and east...Xuzhou, Yizhou, Huaiyang Army...and even Haizhou..." Countless maps have already been engraved in Su Wu's mind.

Then he said, "Just keep an eye on it and explore it!"

Yan Qing didn't wait long, turned around and rode away again. Even though he had done this hard work, he couldn't let it go.

Su Wu just went to the government office to report.

He was not in the classroom, but in the small study in the back hall. Tong Guan and Cheng Wanli were both there.

After hearing the report, Tong Guan asked: "Ziqing, you tell me first..."

Su Wu answered himself: "Prime Minister, I think... the thieves also know that the Prime Minister has arrived in Dongping Prefecture. This is the same method they used last time to attack everywhere. I think they are also trying to see if they can break through the prefecture city. They want to make the Prime Minister lose face and be criticized in the court. This is one of their reasons!"

"What about the second one?" Tong Guan asked while nodding.

"The second is that the bandits are having trouble getting money and food. They must have another real goal, the method of making a feint to the east and attacking in the west, which is to solve the problem of money and food." Su Wu answered again.

Tong Guan was calm and composed, nodding his head: "Is there a third one?"

"Third, the bandits also want to use the government army to consume the population and streamline the personnel." Su Wu has finished answering.

Tong Guan also said: "There is no fourth one, so the only question is, how to deal with it?"

Su Wu heard this and said, "Prime Minister, there is another reason. The fourth reason is that the enemy also wants to take the initiative and does not want us to deploy slowly again. They want to make us run around and find it difficult to accomplish our plan."

Tong Guan was slightly stunned, then smiled and replied: "Not bad, not bad, you really have considered everything and are very careful in every detail. Please continue to tell me how to deal with this."

Su Wu looked at Cheng Wanli to see if he would say anything. Cheng Wanli raised his chin slightly, motioning Su Wu to continue.

Su Wu replied, "Prime Minister, we must not be led by the nose by the bandits this time. Since you are here, you must make a final decision. Instead of dividing our forces to rescue various prefectures, we should first attack the Liangshan bandits' lair. This is also the method of besieging Wei to save Zhao."

"Isn't it hasty? The pass at the back of Liangshan is dangerous. Although I haven't seen it with my own eyes, all the military reports say so. If we attack the pass, we will suffer heavy losses. If we don't attack, the bandits will be fearless."

It is true that Tong Guan really knows military affairs.

"Don't fight. Just let the craftsmen surround the pass and keep making equipment, such as ladders, stone cannons, and carts. Just build them in large quantities and place them in front of the pass. Let the bandits see the real preparations for a siege. The bandits have never seen such a posture, so we will put it out for them to see. If they see such a posture, they will no longer be so confident."

Su Wu spoke very seriously and just watched Tong Guan nod continuously.

Then he said, "I think the bandits are going east and south just to provoke a disturbance. Even if they know, as long as our army moves, they will not be able to break through the prefecture. So the real target of the bandits is not the prefecture in the southeast, but Zengtou City."

"How can you be sure it is Zengtou City?" Tong Guan asked again.

Su Wu replied, "Zengtou City is the great enemy of the Liangshan bandits. The leader Chao Gai died in Zengtou City. One of the reasons is that they want revenge. The walls of Zengtou City are low, and the bandits don't have many real craftsmen to use. They can't attack the city like we do. So they chose Zengtou City, which is easy to attack. Zengtou City has a lot of money and food, which is exactly what the bandits need. We should send a brave man to Zengtou City to strike hard at the main force of the bandits... Even if it's not Zengtou City, sending a group of people to the north is always a precaution."

"Pengyuan, Ziqing, you can stand on your own!" Tong Guan was very pleased and said with a smile.

Cheng Wanli also laughed: "You know that Dongping Prefecture can have the current situation, largely relying on Ziqing..."

"Haha... Let's follow Ziqing's advice, mobilize the army, and go on the expedition! As for the prefectures in the southeast..." Tong Guan frowned, and said, "Whoever breaks the city will be punished severely! I am old, but I can still handle the situation. If I break one or two cities, the emperor will not blame me."

This is what Su Wu did not say. Even if it is the prefectures in the southeast, no matter what, there is no way to control it. If the thieves really robbed a prefecture, there would be charges, but the sky would not fall. Even if Tong Guan came in person, he still couldn't handle this matter?

This time, the goal is to trap Liangshan first, and wait for subsequent deployments to arrive one by one, so that even if the bandits rob food and grass, they cannot return safely. This is the method of cutting off the source of the fire.

Song Jiang and Wu Yong had no idea that the situation had changed and the government army's Su Wu's thinking had also completely changed. If they had thought that things were still the same, would Su Wu have been so exhausted as to become a patchworker? He would have patched up the leak.

Now that it's leaking, someone can fix it. There's no need for Su Wu to be a tailor anymore. Su Wu is here to kill himself!
After all, they are the county bailiff and village scholar...

Su Wu bowed and said: "I will beat the drum to gather the troops right away!"

Seeing Su Wu leaving in a swift and decisive manner, Tong Guan sighed and said, "Pengyuan, can you ask me about yesterday's matter again? This matter cannot be delayed any longer. One day, you should follow me to the Yanyun area. That journey will be your real road to success..."

(Brothers, it’s a new month, please don’t think I’m annoying. In the last few days of the month, I always ask for tickets. I just need to see when I can take a leave. I will definitely tell you in advance that I really love this job, life, and you all.)
(End of this chapter)