Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 154 Thank you, Your Majesty!

Tong Guan is in the middle, busy with the engagement arrangements.

Su Wu had no parents or elders alive, so everything was taken care of by Cheng Wanli and Tong Guan.

Just as Cheng Wanli had thought in the past, a son-in-law like Su Wu was the best. He had no worries and was alone. Things would definitely go well, and Su Wu would become a member of the Cheng family.

Engagement is actually complicated, as it requires both the written agreement and the betrothal gift...

Su Wu himself was not busy with these things, and Cheng Wanli was in charge of both sides.

Su Wu was busy bringing bandits from Jeju and collecting food and fodder from various places. He had to collect more food and fodder as food was expensive in Tokyo. Bringing more meant saving more. No matter where the money came from, any money saved was money.

He also urged Jeju to try and sentence some people as soon as possible, such as Wu Yong, Zhu Tong, the Ruan brothers and others.

After Wu Yong and the others had their faces tattooed, they were sent directly to Dongping Prefecture, half escorted and half escorted.

Then Su Wu met these five people. Wu Yong naturally stayed in Dongping Prefecture and stayed by Su Wu's side, which was more or less like a hostage.

Then Zhu Tong and the Ruan brothers were added to the Xiang army and sent back to Jeju to take over the ships. In this way, the navy immediately took shape, with Zhu Tong as the leader.

Before leaving, Su Wu privately invited Zhu Tong to meet him again.

Su Wu was sitting in the court when Zhu Tong came. Su Wu looked at the tattoo on Zhu Tong's face. Actually, it was not new. He was different from Wu Yong and others. He was already a prisoner and had the tattoo on his face for a long time.

Zhu Tong bowed and said, "Thank you for your kindness, General. Your kindness is like giving me a new life. I am so grateful that I will never give up. I will serve you till my death and will not slack off."

Su Wu called him here just to hear these words. Sometimes, words are very important.

Su Wu nodded and said, "I know you never wanted to follow the enemy. Li Kui has died tragically, and you are at peace. This time you say you are reborn, which is true. Although you have a tattoo on your face, you have finally got an official position. You should cherish it. It is not easy to come by!"

Zhu Tong bowed deeply again, but Su Wu did not help him, but just sat upright and accepted it calmly.

Zhu Tong then said, "I know the general's kindness very well. I will never commit any crime again. I will do my duty to repay the general's kindness!"

"Okay, that's enough. You know in your heart that we have dealt with each other in the past. I trust you this time. Don't let me down when I go to Jeju to organize and manage the navy!"

Su Wu didn't say much. Although these words were not meant as a warning, they were just a real communication between the two of them. Zhu Tong always valued friendship and loyalty. In fact, Su Wu trusted him very much.

Zhu Tong just bowed again and said: "I will never let down the general's kindness in saving me. Even if I die, I will do my best for the general and the court!"

"Go..." Su Wu waved his hand and watched Zhu Tong bow and slowly back out of the door. Needless to say, his attitude was extraordinary.

The navy is very important at this time. For transporting personnel, horses, food and supplies from north to south, nothing is more convenient, faster, easier and less costly than water routes. The water network in the south of the Yangtze River is crisscrossed, and it is even more important to rely on it when fighting.

At that time, as soon as the order arrives, the navy will definitely head south.

If there was a huge harvest in Jiangnan, the ships would be used to transport it to Dongping Prefecture. Or, in the future, there would be a great war with Jin. As long as there was the naval fleet, Jiangnan would always be Su Wu's rear base.

At that time, it was a matter of family and country, and Zhu Tong would not have any second thoughts.

After dealing with the navy, the army set out for Beijing early the next morning.
This time, Tong Guan no longer rode a horse, but took a carriage. The old man in his sixties really couldn't stand the bumps on the horse's back, so Cheng Wanli rode in the carriage with Tong Guan.

The carriage was heading southwest, with Su Wu at the front.

There were five thousand men, including two thousand cavalry and three thousand infantry, but all of them were on horseback. There were also countless chariots, and among them were more than a thousand tied-up thieves, many of whom were named in the arrest warrants of local governments.

The queue stretched out along the official road, and where could you see the end at a glance?

Su Wu was riding his horse in front, and Wu Yong was beside him. Turning around, one could still see the fresh tattoo on Wu Yong's face with blood scabs that had not yet fallen off.

Su Wu had a thought in his mind that this tattoo on Wu Yong's face was... quite suitable, he should have this thing on his face.

Wu Yong himself did not seem to try to hide it. It was probably because he had been with the bandits for a long time. Many people had it on their faces, even Song Yasi had it. Maybe he was a little used to it.

However, Wu Yong has now become Wu Ya Si, serving under Du Yu Hou Zhu Wu.

"Wu Ya Si, have you ever been to Tokyo?" Su Wu suddenly asked.

Wu Yong shook his head and forced a smile: "General, I am ashamed to say that I have never been to Tokyo."

"This trip to Tokyo is the first time for Wu Yashi to see the world, so he should be happy..." Su Wu chatted.

Wu Yong naturally forced a smile and replied: "It's a blessing, it's a blessing. I am very grateful to the general for allowing a criminal like me to go to Tokyo once in my life."

Su Wu suddenly changed his tone and said, "Wu Yasi, if I leave and leave the Ruan brothers in the navy, nothing will happen, right?"

Wu Yong's face turned pale upon hearing this, and he quickly said, "Absolutely not. The general has shown such great kindness this time. The three brothers of the Ruan family have always been loyal and righteous. They are naturally grateful and are determined to die for you."

"Really?" Su Wu insisted.

"Every word I say is sincere and comes from my heart." Wu Yong nodded repeatedly.

"Oh...what if something happens? After all, Zhu Tong is an honest man, he doesn't have so many thoughts. I'm also afraid that Zhu Tong will be bullied and deceived by others in the navy."

Su Wu obviously said it on purpose.

What else could Wu Yong say? He immediately said, "General, rest assured. I guarantee with my life that if the Ruan brothers cause trouble, I will kill them."

Su Wu heard this, but smiled and waved his hands: "Hey, what are you talking about? The Ruan brothers are the Ruan brothers, and Wu Yasi is Wu Yasi. If they cause trouble, it will have nothing to do with Wu Yasi. How can we let Wu Yasi guarantee it with his own life? There is no need to..."

After hearing these words, Wu Yong felt even more embarrassed. How could he not understand Su Wu's meaning?
They asked Wu Yong to guarantee that no trouble would occur, and also asked him not to cause trouble or get involved.

I just want Wu Yong to be honest.

Wu Yong simply replied: "I will obey the general's orders in everything. Since I am serving in the army, I should serve the public wholeheartedly, do my duty well, and give advice to the general to repay the general's kindness!"

"Okay, I heard that Wu Ya Si is known as a wise man. I also look forward to seeing Wu Ya Si come up with all kinds of wisdom and serve the country in the future." Su Wu turned his head and only looked at the road ahead.

Wu Yong finally breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "I will never slack off or hide anything."

Su Wu in front of him just nodded.

Wu Yong wiped his forehead and looked to the left. It was Xu Guanzhong, who nodded in greeting with a smile on his face.

Looking to the right, it was Zhu Wu. Zhu Wu also had a smile on his face and nodded slightly, looking very polite.

Wu Yong also forced a smile and bowed to both sides. In front of him was a huge figure on horseback, and on both sides were two wise men. At that moment, Wu Yong felt a huge pressure and his heart tightened.

As the army marched, Su Wu only looked at the road heading south. The further south he went, the greener it became, as if the trees and grasses in the south were more lush and green than those in the north.

There are fertile fields on both sides of the official road. Thousands of acres of them are visible. Farmers working in the fields are dotted here and there. At this moment, they are all leaning on their hoes and looking at the majestic military horses on the official road from afar.

What is Jiangshan? What is Sheji?
In fact, they are all on both sides of the road.

If that day comes, the iron hooves will trample on such good fertile land, and the country will be destroyed and the family will be ruined.

Tokyo is not far away, only five hundred miles away.

Su Wu walked past it once, and then again, not far.

How wide could that towering and majestic city wall be? It was sixty or seventy miles long, running through the entire city from north to south. It took nearly twenty miles to walk, and even outside the city wall, there were countless settlements.

Not to mention the inner city and the palace.

There are more than one million people, but no high-rise buildings. All the houses are one or two stories high, and there are countless people coming from the south and the north.

All that the emperor Zhao Ji could see was the greatest prosperity ever seen in human history, so he thought that his kingdom was like this, the great prosperity before his eyes...

So, what is the value of the Taihu rocks that are as big as a hill? What are the value of the rare animals, flowers and stones found all over the world?
It was just the emperor's little taste. Compared with the huge prosperity of the world, this little taste was nothing...

At present, there is another huge happy event. Even though it has not happened yet, the Daqing Gate of the palace city has already been very grand. The dust on the entire street and square must be washed away, and decorations are being made everywhere to show the style of the Celestial Empire.

People are busy like ants.

The army is coming into the city, bringing with them those thieves who are ungrateful to God and do not know what is good for them. In this world, instead of working diligently and thriftily, they become bandits and plunderers. How can they not feel the power of the Son of Heaven?

The streets were packed with people, the emperor sat on the city wall with officials standing on his left and right, and the Honglu Temple even invited envoys from various countries.

Needless to say, the Liao Kingdom, the Dali Kingdom also had envoys, and even the envoys from Goryeo and Japan... all had permanent residents in Beijing.

Tong Shumi went up to the city wall early and stood with the emperor, and then he gave an order.

The army presented prisoners and slowly walked towards the Daqing Gate.

The flags and banners were bright and colorful, the horses and soldiers were majestic and powerful, and their armor was shining brightly. They had all been washed and wiped again and again.

The emperor has a crown on his head and a fierce dragon on his body. His posture and shape, without moving at all, represents the majesty of the emperor.

However, the emperor had a smile on his face, and asked Tong Guan beside him: "Secretary Tong, this group of people is really magnificent!"

Tong Shumi bowed beside him and said, "This is all due to the emperor's kindness. The army was defeated before and morale was low. As soon as I arrived and told them about the emperor's grace, the morale of the generals was greatly boosted. They all said that they wanted to repay the emperor's grace and shouted "repay the emperor's words" when they went into battle. They were as brave as wolves and tigers, and the general Su Wu was the best, leading the troops by example. At that time, I was there and almost cried!"

The emperor nodded slightly, the crown tassel swayed slightly, and slowly raised his hand to salute, and said: "Tong Shumi has worked hard, and the generals are all loyal and brave. I am very pleased."

"If the emperor is relieved, it will be a blessing for us as his subjects." Tong Guan smiled slightly.

"You are already old, but you still work so hard for the country. It's not easy." The emperor was truly moved, not just by the words.

"I have received Your Majesty's grace, and I don't know how much it is. Even if I were to repay you with my body, it would not be even a fraction of what it is today."

The emperor nodded and asked, "Is the mighty general riding a horse in front of you Su Wu?"

Tong Guan had been watching the emperor from the side and had not looked at the city. He took a look and replied, "Your Majesty, it is Su Wu."

"What a good general!" the emperor nodded.

"The ancient saying that a brave general is selected from the ranks of soldiers is always true." Tong Guan responded.

"How to reward?" asked the emperor.

"We all follow your Majesty's will." Tong Guan bowed.

"Let's meet him first." The emperor nodded.

"It is truly a great blessing for Su Wu to be summoned by the government."

Far away, there was Cheng Wanli, who would glance at the emperor and Tong Guan in the middle from time to time. He was filled with envy, but was also wondering, when could he stand so close to the emperor?

I saw the armored army slowly approaching, with more than a thousand bandits tied up in front of them. They were forced to kneel on the spot, kowtowed to the emperor and admitted their mistakes and crimes.

Su Wu even dismounted from his horse and bowed deeply, wishing the emperor great grace, good health, and longevity for the country.

In fact, Su Wu and the emperor were far apart, and the emperor could not hear Su Wu's words. The emperor just straightened his posture, raised his hand and said, "Stand up."

Su Wu could not hear what the emperor said, he just finished his lines at once, stood still, and then forced the prisoner to kneel down and presented him to the emperor. Then he heard someone on the tower pull out a scroll and read it, but he could not hear clearly what was said, but the length of the words made Su Wu stand there for a long time.

Come to think of it, it is nothing more than talking about the glory of the ancestors, the mirror of heaven and earth, the longevity of the country, the majesty and grace of the emperor, the bravery and sacrifice of the generals, then showing the power of the Celestial Empire, and denouncing the heinous crimes of the bandits.

After a long time, he finally finished speaking, and the drums and trumpets sounded.

After the emperor left, a military order came, ordering the army to temporarily stay in the military camp and the bandits to be detained in Kaifeng Prefecture, awaiting execution.

Su Wu waited alone outside the Zuoye Gate, waiting to be summoned by the Emperor.

After waiting for a long time, several eunuchs came and took Su Wu into the imperial city.

The palace walls are also high, and the palace roads are like a canyon. Looking left and right, the sky seems like a line.

Passing Zuoye Gate, Rihua Gate, Xuanyou Gate, and walking west from Gongchen Gate, you will reach Longting, where there are water, streams, lakes, strange rocks, unusual trees, koi swimming around, and exotic flowers and plants on all sides.

Under the strange tree, there is a lawn. On the lawn, there are a few people sitting on small carved chairs and a small lacquered wooden table with a piano on it.

One person was playing the piano, and several people in front of him were listening.

For a moment, Su Wu couldn't tell which one was the emperor...

Since no one was wearing the crown and dragon robe, Su Wu walked forward. The person leading the way in front of him did not say a word, and Su Wu himself did not say a word. He just walked forward. Su Wu was still wearing armor, and his weapon was left behind by the guards at the Zuoye Gate. He just stood aside.

For a moment, Su Wu felt that this scene was truly elegant. It was just that it did not look like the scene of a monarch and his ministers discussing matters, but rather like a gathering of a few good friends.

The sound of the zither was indeed fresh and elegant, as if it could calm people's spirits. Su Wu was wondering, who was the emperor? Just now at the gate of Daqing, he actually didn't see what the emperor looked like.

Tong Guan and Cheng Wanli were known to Su Wu, and the one who played the piano earlier... shouldn't be him. How could the emperor let someone else play the piano?
Then there are two more people. One of them is not young, but has no beard. He must be a eunuch, but he is not...

Look at another person, his appearance...

As he was guessing, the music suddenly stopped, and the child minister spoke: "Your Majesty's music is truly from heaven. After listening to it, it cleansed my bloody blood from the battlefield, and made my mind and soul feel pure, as if my soul was flying into heaven."

Su Wu was stunned when he heard this. It turned out that the person playing the piano was Emperor Zhao Ji!
Su Wu took a closer look and saw that the man was wearing a loose Taoist robe and had a noble temperament. He did not have the majesty of an emperor at all.

Then I thought, isn't this Zhao Ji? Who else could it be if not him? How could I have guessed wrong just now?
But the emperor nodded gently: "Elegant music and a kindred spirit."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for appreciating this song." Tong Guan stood up and bowed.

The emperor turned around and saw Su Wu, who was dressed in armor and looked very majestic.

Su Wu naturally bowed and greeted him. Before he could say anything, the emperor said, "Su Wu, Su Ziqing, you are a good general. You fought bravely against the bandits and have made great achievements. I also heard that you have been studying since you were young and can write good poems. In this situation, why don't you compose a song?"

Su Wu understood that Tong Guan and Cheng Wanli were trying their best to elevate him and to please the emperor.

Su Wu glanced at Tong Guan and Cheng Wanli, and they both nodded.

Su Wu immediately racked his brains, but he also said modestly: "Your Majesty, I am a warrior, I am afraid that I will be laughed at."

The emperor smiled kindly: "It's okay..."

"Then I will perform my ugly act..." Su Wu answered, and then he said, "Today we celebrate the victory and surrender the captives, and I would like to compose a song for Minister Tong Shu and Minister Cheng."

Tong Guan was a little surprised when he heard this, and immediately laughed: "Your Majesty, Ziqing is grateful for the kindness of his subjects. He considers himself a warrior, so he is humble. Let's listen to the lyrics written by a warrior..."

"Okay, just tell me." The emperor was really interested.

How could Su Wu be stage-frightened? He spoke directly: "I look at my sword under the lamp while drunk, and dream of blowing the horn in the camp. I share roasted meat with my subordinates for eight hundred miles. Fifty strings play the sound of the frontier. The soldiers are called up in the autumn battlefield. The horse is as fast as Lu, and the bow is as loud as thunder. I have done the king's business, won a good reputation in life and after death, but my hair is white."

Su Wu knew that Tong Guan was not worthy of this song, and neither was Cheng Wanli.

But Su Wu thought, since he had won the emperor's favor and the two men were trying their best to support him, then they would just do what they wanted.

Su Wu knew even better that if he could gain the emperor's attention and favor, then everything he did would be twice as easy with half the effort. Time was running out, and he had to use all his strength to have a slight chance of turning the tide.

If it is really possible to turn the tide, then Xin Qiji's wish would have been achieved, and in the future Xin Qiji would not have to write such depressed words.

At that time, Xin Qiji was a man full of vigor and vitality.

As soon as Su Wu uttered a few brief lines of "Poetry of Breaking the Formation", Tong Guan's eyes suddenly seemed to be filled with tears, and Cheng Wanli looked up at Su Wu, stunned.

There was also a person standing nearby who Su Wu almost guessed was the emperor. He actually leaned over and turned his head to look.

The emperor was surprised, but he clapped his hands and spoke: "Good, good, good, this song tells of the struggles of a lifetime, and also the ambition of an old horse waiting for a thousand miles, the feelings of loyalty to the country, and the helplessness of aging. This song has a grand opening and closing, and has the style of Su Men scholar, good!"

Tong Guan then said, "Sir, Ziqing knows me!"

The emperor then came to answer: "Ziqing is just like you, a man who has come out of the battlefield, how could he not know you? You are young, but you have deep feelings. You are a great talent, a real talent!"

Su Wu obviously took this game very well, and he just bowed and saluted: "Your Majesty, thank you for your praise."

The emperor had already stood up and raised his hand to signal: "Prepare tea and food! Ask the band to sing "Pozhenzi"."

The eunuchs and palace maids are busy.

The emperor actually walked towards Su Wu, patted the tall and strong Su Wu on the shoulder, and praised him again: "A good general, both civil and military, both have extraordinary attainments, and their future will be limitless."

Su Wu just responded politely: "Your Majesty, I am so humbled and humble that I cannot accept your compliments."

The emperor smiled and waved his hand: "No need to be so polite, no need to be so polite, just sit down and have some tea."

This emperor is a really good person. As long as he is not the emperor, he is a really good person.

Su Wu nodded and sat down, but Tong Guan stood up again and walked towards Su Wu, saying, "Your song really touched my heart and made me want to cry. Ziqing, you will have great potential in the future."

"It is not easy to be a prime minister this time. I remember it clearly, and I feel sentimental." Su Wu knew very well why he came here today. It was for the power and fame.

"Come, come, come..." Tong Guan took Su Wu's hand and walked to the side, introducing him to Su Wu: "This is the prime minister Wang."

It turned out to be Prime Minister Wang Fu. Su Wu almost thought he was the emperor.

Su Wu naturally bowed: "Greetings, Lord Wang!"

Wang Fu nodded and said, "Very good, very good, a Confucian general!"

Tong Guan took Su Wu's hand and walked away: "This is General Liang."

The eunuch Liang Shicheng.

Su Wu also crossed his arms and bowed: "Greetings to General Liang."

This person is Liang Shicheng, who told everyone that he was Su Shi's illegitimate son. Su Wu also knew one thing that was unbelievable: Liang Shicheng, who had been a eunuch since childhood, actually passed the imperial examination and was a top-ranked Jinshi.

The only question is why? He was able to add his own name to the list of Jinshi, and the emperor even acquiesced to it. The emperor's favor was so great that it was an extremely explosive operation in the past five thousand years.

How about saying that Zhao Ji is a "good man"? Too good!
Liang Shicheng smiled and said, "Your last name is Su. Maybe you and I were from the same clan five hundred years ago. You are also good at poetry and writing. You are worthy of the surname Su."

When Su Wu heard this, he felt that it didn't make any sense.

Tong Guan pulled Su Wu back to sit down. The tea and snacks had already arrived, and the music band had also arrived.

He just sang the song "Poetry of Breaking the Formation" that Su Wu had just sung. As the song was being sung, Tong Guan listened very carefully and burst into tears.

The emperor that day was also empathizing, empathizing so much that he raised his hand and wiped his eyes, his empathy was very deep.

Cheng Wanli was standing aside, extremely excited.

Su Wu looked around and had only one thought in his mind: What kind of court is this?
In fact, Su Wu understood that the court lacked seriousness, and national affairs were always serious.

But we must have more tenderness. How can we do this in serious matters? How can we govern a country with tenderness?
There is really a sense of confusion.

As soon as the song was over, the emperor looked at Tong Guan with red eyes and said, "It's not easy..."

The emperor's feelings are truly genuine.

Tong Guan bowed and said, "I can never repay the emperor's kindness."

The emperor looked at Su Wu and said, "Let's discuss it..."

Tong Guan said, "What I am thinking is that Ziqing was once the deputy commander-in-chief of the two routes of the army in Jingdong, and a fifth-rank cavalry general. With this great achievement, he should be promoted to the commander-in-chief of the two routes of the army in Jingdong, and General Dingyuan!"

The emperor frowned slightly when he heard this, "You are really harsh. In this case, the commander-in-chief of the two armies in Jingdong will remain unchanged, and he will be promoted from the fourth-rank Xuanwei general to the chief of the Privy Council. When he comes to Beijing, he can walk in the Privy Council and attend court."

Su Wu was already happy in his heart. Today's game was really well received. It was a success. A great success.

This emperor really appoints officials based on his preferences. In other words, he is emotional and handles government affairs based on his emotions.

After saying this, the emperor looked at Cheng Wanli and said, "Mr. Cheng..."

Cheng Wanli immediately stood up excitedly, his body trembling slightly, and just replied: "I'm here!"

The emperor spoke slowly, "I have heard that General Su is your son-in-law, and you promoted him from the county captain. You have a keen eye for talent and are able to recruit talents regardless of their background. In this battle to suppress the bandits, you have been in charge of the command and dispatch. I wish to..."

Having said this, the emperor paused and began to think.

Cheng Wanli was extremely excited, his face did not show it, but his body and mind were trembling more and more.

The emperor looked at Tong Guan and said, "I want to promote you to the position of pacification, recruitment and strategy commander of the two routes of Jingdong, and give you the title of Zhengfeng Dafu and the title of Longtu Pavilion attendant."

Cheng Wanli bowed down, his voice trembling: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. I will do my best to repay your grace."

Su Wu also bowed and crossed his arms, saying the words of a warrior: "Your Majesty's grace is so great, I will fight to the death in the future!"

Cheng Wanli was really excited, his body was shaking. Today, everything was unexpected. He was a serious frontier official, but he was given the word "Jinglüe". He would return to Dongping Prefecture and set up another government office, which would be the "Jinglüe Prefecture". He would be in charge of both military and political affairs, just like he was in charge of both Jingdong and Beijing. Anything and everything would be in his hands. This was one of his reasons.

Secondly, although Zhengfeng Daifu is just a title, it is the fourth rank. Cheng Wanli has taken a big step forward and is already on the periphery of the core of power. If he takes one more step, he will be a real high-ranking official in the court, such as the Chief Censor or the Governor of Kaifeng Prefecture, which are only the third rank.

Thirdly, the honorary title of Longtu Pavilion Attendant is one step further and that is Bachelor. The title of Bachelor is the highest honor in the Song Dynasty and the greatest praise for a civil official.

Cheng Wanli was only one step away from achieving his goal, and he was about to touch the ceiling with his hand.

But the emperor asked, "My Lord, is this okay?"

The emperor had already said so, and the prime minister Wang Fu just nodded: "Your Majesty is wise, so it is very good!"

"Okay, prepare the banquet and take your seat!" The emperor stood up and left. He was really happy today and even asked the palace to prepare a banquet for him to eat together.

Tong Guan gained a lot today. While talking with the emperor, he frequently looked at Su Wu, his admiring eyes never diminishing.

Wang Fu and Liang Shicheng looked at each other for a few seconds...

(This chapter was written slowly, and the words are a bit short. I will work on it tonight and finish another big chapter, and also make up for the chapter I owe to my brother "Mu Liu Qing Xi Yi Ye Zhou".)
(End of this chapter)