Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 170 General Su is a wonderful person

There was no war, but many things happened. They continued to recruit soldiers. Just now, 100,000 bandits were defeated by General Su's 10,000 men in front of the people of Huzhou.

Next, it was the rebel Wang Fang Mao who came with an army of 200,000, but was still defeated by General Su's 10,000 troops. Even the rebel Wang Fang Mao was captured and paraded through the streets of Huzhou city.

Listen to the storyteller in the building again, he is talking about the battle between the generals on the battlefield, that is six battles and six wins, the first one is Shi Wengong, the second one is Wang Xun, the third one is Hu Yanzhuo, the fourth one is Yang Zhi, the fifth one is Sun Li...

The storyteller was in high spirits, for there were now many people from Huzhou in the army, and when the story was spread, they would just process it and add any embellishment they could.

The five generals in front of the battle formation naturally became very famous!

Wherever there are teahouses, tea stalls, and tiled buildings, as long as the storyteller hits the stick, it will be a story like this, and the story will definitely make a lot of money.

This also made the recruitment process more lively.

Su Wu even sent people to the neighboring prefectures to recruit soldiers, such as Changzhou, Suzhou, Xiuzhou, etc.

He also asked Wang Bing to send people back to Wuzhou to contact some of Wang Bing’s former subordinates, as well as those good children who had been ravaged by the bandits...

Su Wu still had about twenty days of free time, and the news of Su Wu's consecutive victories over 300,000 troops had already spread like wildfire.

After only five or seven days, people even from Hangzhou came to join the army. Su Wu really wanted such people. Just looking at the hatred and tears on their faces and the healthy bodies of the young and strong men, Su Wu accepted them all.

There were quite a few old men who joined the army, but it was a tragic thing. They kowtowed and begged outside the barracks, saying that they wanted to take revenge, but the army refused to accept them...

After five or seven days, such things happened more and more frequently.

Su Wu was happy, because hatred was actually good for the morale of the army. But he was also worried, because more and more people gathered outside the military camp. These people rushed to Huzhou just to take up swords for revenge. They didn't even have food to eat, but the army didn't want him. However, he still had to take care of his meals every day.

This matter naturally has to be handled by Xing Yue. The group of displaced persons and refugees is getting larger and larger. These people were fleeing everywhere, mostly heading far north.

Now everyone knows that Huzhou City is safe, with the imperial vanguard general who has defeated 300,000 bandits in a row. As the news spreads more and more widely, these displaced people and refugees will come with their families.

It is imperative to manage it, and it must be managed according to the official procedures of the court. You can even directly raise the banner of recruiting assassins and recruit all the able-bodied men into the army.

But Su Wu only did half of this matter. He only wanted what he wanted. The other half was done by Xing Yue, or even just Xing Yue did it on behalf of him. When Tong Guan came, Tong Guan had to discuss with the court and take charge of this matter.

Su Wu also started to go to Suzhou to ask for more money and food. There was also Su Wu's camp in Suzhou, and some auxiliary soldiers were left to guard it. The camp was not dismantled, just waiting for Tong Guan to come, which could save some trouble.

Now that Su Wu wants money, it is of course easy to get it. Suzhou and Huzhou are very close to each other. If we don't give Su Wu money now, if the enemy army comes again in the future, they will not go to Huzhou, but go directly to Suzhou, and then ask Suzhou whether it still needs Su Wu to go to help?

If the pirates landed directly in Suzhou, they would be very vicious. Even Zhu Zhen was assassinated in public. But is Suzhou afraid?
In Guangde, Yizhou, Xiuzhou, anyway, Su Wu sent people to ask for money in all these places, and just made a promise that as long as the enemy army came, Su Wu would lead the cavalry and arrive in two or three days.

Even at this moment, Su Wu, with this guarantee, could obtain money and food from the counties along the line, which really gave him a lot of face.

Chizhou, which is 400 miles to the west and borders Shezhou, actually took the initiative to send people to send money and food. Although it was not much, only about 200,000 strings of cash, this sincerity earned Su Wu a guarantee that as long as Chizhou had military intelligence, Su Wu would definitely send people to rescue.

Then there are Changzhou and Runzhou. Although they are in the rear, they have more or less taken the initiative to send money. I am afraid that there will be people in the country who will respond to Fang La’s uprising. Paying some protection money to seek peace of mind is not too much.

Every day, money, people, and refugees came. Many refugees set up shacks outside Su Wu’s military camp to shelter from the wind and rain. Even so, he did not have nightmares at night.

Su Wu even rode out of the camp to inspect the refugee population, which was growing larger and larger...

The food is not bad, but this winter is hard to endure...

Su Wu felt powerless. He had no way to solve these problems and could only watch as the starving and freezing people were carried out and buried every day.

He watched it with his own eyes, but was powerless to do anything. Even if Su Wu distributed some firewood from the army from time to time, it was actually just a drop in the bucket and did not help.

For the first time, Su Wu truly saw that in troubled times, human life is worth less than that of a dog...

The city of Huzhou had returned to its former peaceful life, with soldiers coming and going on leave from time to time. Whenever a soldier showed up, everyone would treat him like a star and ask about the legendary stories on the battlefield.

The soldiers also opened up and talked. It was a different feeling for them. They were personally present and fought in the battles. Whoever got the head or the reward could not help but bragging with a bit of pride.

In Chunxiang Tower, it was the injured soldier Fan Yun who once again entered the city to recuperate, and was still being cared for by Xiaozhi Niang.

She really redeemed herself, got the indenture, and went to the government office to get rid of her status as a prostitute. Xiaozhi's mother now had the identity of a good family.

If a colleague is on leave, he will come over to see her. He will come over on purpose to see how beautiful Xiaozhi is. Everyone says she is beautiful. If he doesn't see her, he will feel uncomfortable. After a few glances, he will feel relieved...

Fan Yun was really generous. When his comrades wanted to see it, he didn't refuse, nor did he get angry. He just let his brothers see it. Was it worth the risk?
His brothers also brought all his money over and gave it to Xiaozhi's mother for safekeeping.

The captain also came today, bringing a group of brothers with him. He talked about some things and said that he had discussed it with Commander Lu. He also went to see the general and told him about this matter. They wanted to see how to bring Xiaozhi Niang back to Dongping Prefecture.

These are all trivial matters.

Even though everyone had left, Fan Yun's head was wrapped in gauze and one of his legs was in a splint.

But Fan Yun would not lie quietly in bed. He would jump here and there. Even if Xiaozhi's mother wanted to pour him some water, he would jump over to get it.

Xiaozhi's mother complained: "How can you get well soon if you are like this?"

Fan Yun smiled foolishly: "It's okay, it's okay, the bones are just cracked a little, not broken, the doctor said it's fine."

"It's okay, but you can't come and go like this..." Xiaozhi's mother puffed her cheeks, but she was also busy. The captain just brought people here and left many water cups to be cleaned up.

He is a quick and diligent person, and was busy running around inside and outside just now.

Fan Yun just watched and laughed foolishly. Whenever Xiao Zhiniang walked here, his eyes followed her. Whenever she walked there, his eyes followed her. When she went out to wash the cups, he waited for a moment and then stood up and went to the door to look again...

He looked at the door for a while, then jumped out again, went to the railing and looked down...

After all the busy work, it was night time and there was nothing left to do. I ate and washed up...

The two of them sat opposite each other at the table, looking at each other lovingly.

Fan Yunlai said: "The captain said today that the general also knows about you and me, and the general is also happy..."

"General Su?" the young lady asked.

"General Su, there is only one general in our army. However, it is said that once the war is decided, there will be many generals!" Fan Yun was very happy.

"Well, the court will naturally reward..." The two of them chatted casually.

"You say it's a reward from the court, but isn't it a reward from my general? My general is now an official in the Privy Council, so it depends on how he rewards him. As for me, the captain said I might be Zhenwei Xiaowei, but it depends on how the general arranges me. Maybe there's one more rank, Zhaowu Deputy Lieutenant, which is either the sixth rank or the sixth rank. A general starts from the fifth rank. Who knows, I can earn you a general rank one day. Maybe in the future, you can be the general's wife."

Fan Yun, perhaps he was also bragging, but he was also yearning for a beautiful future life.

The name "General's wife" made the young lady blush. She thought she was shy, but she looked up with red eyes and said, "Captain is enough. Captain is also good..."

"What are you talking about? You follow the general through life and death just to achieve great things. And you don't like me being a general..." Fan Yun couldn't understand, but he was also joking.

The young lady recited a poem: "Suddenly I saw the willow trees on the street, and I regretted asking my husband to seek a title..."

"What poem?" Fan Yun didn't quite understand, but he liked to listen. He liked to listen to Xiao Zhi Niang say it, and he liked to listen to Xiao Zhi Niang sing it even more.

Xiaozhi Niang had lived in this building since she was a child, so she had learned a lot, so the redemption price was so high. However, she retracted her red eyes and said, "I just want you not to take risks like that again..."

"Hehe... why are you talking about this?" Fan Yun pointed at his legs and said, "It's okay, it's okay. My general is also very brave. I just learned it from him. It's not a big deal. My brothers all admire me and the general also praised me. What's the big deal? Don't worry, I will definitely earn you a general position!"

Xiaozhi's mother lowered her head silently.

Fan Yun just talked excitedly: "When the time comes, I will also train thousands of troops under my command, and then follow the general into battle. At that time, I will also go to the meeting in the central army tent. I will sit with the general to discuss matters, hehe...Also, I need to learn more words, you teach me, teach me to recite your poem again, what is it about willows?"

"Suddenly I saw the willow trees on the street..." the young lady said softly.

"Yes, yes, yes, the willow trees on the street. When the time comes, I will tell the general to go and listen. The general will definitely praise me. If you want to be a general, you must learn to read more. You can't not even understand a military order. That would make people laugh at you. My general can write poems and lyrics. It's great to meet you. You can teach me...haha..."

Fan Yun just kept talking.

The young lady listened and laughed again...

When she smiles, she has two dimples on her face, which makes her look handsome and pretty...

Fan Yun was staring at her in a daze. No matter how much he looked, it was not enough. He continued, "You have to give birth to eight more sons. The pig-headed man who came with the captain just now said that you would not want to. I said you would definitely want to. Give birth to eight sons. Eat more and exercise more every day. Just raise them until they are fifteen or sixteen years old. By then, the general will definitely recruit soldiers. Come... By then, you might be the general's mother again, haha..."

Fan Yun just kept talking about these days. They were really good, getting better and better. The more he talked about it, the more excited he became. He also said, "They are different from me. They have a mother like you, so they must have been able to read and study since they were young. They read the art of war and military books, and maybe they could directly become Yu Hou, Yu Hou..."

The young lady also had a smile on her face, and whatever Fan Yun said sounded very funny.

"Fan Lang..."

"Ok?"

"Your general is really good..."

"That's right! Everyone says the general is good. Who doesn't like the general? Who doesn't say the general is good?"

"Fan Lang..."

"You must keep all the money and take it back when the time comes. We will buy a house and hold a wedding..."

"Fan Lang..."

"Well, I'm listening...why...why are you crying again?"

"No problem... I will teach you how to write."

"Yes, it's fine, it's fine... Please don't cry, it hurts me when you cry..."

The night is deep, the south of the Yangtze River is beautiful.

It was Chinese New Year, and the city of Huzhou was bustling with activity. People's homes were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, the streets were crowded with people, craftsmen were doing brisk business, and every household, rich or poor, prepared a few more dishes to celebrate.

There are many literati in Huzhou City, a place of talent in the south of the Yangtze River, and they are also celebrating with clubs. There are wine cups flowing on the table, poems are coming and going, and music is playing...

It seemed as if they were completely unaware that two hundred miles away there were millions of thieves burning, killing and looting.

In this poem, every scene sings General Su's "Drunk and Looking at the Sword by Lamplight". For scholars who have seen the battlefield, it is really different. They can really sing out some of the heroism in the song and feel some of the flavor.

The government office would also support the New Year Poetry Meeting, and even the leading figures in Huzhou would send invitations, and the venue would be at Chunxiang Tower.

I also went to invite General Su, but General Su declined, saying that the bandits were outside and we couldn't be lazy, and the soldiers should protect the people and let them celebrate...

When this news reached the poetry gathering, countless people were moved.

Scholars from the provincial school, scholars from the county school, newly admitted juren, teachers and professors, literary veterans, officials and prominent figures were all gathered together.

Fan Yun brought Xiao Zhi's mother and lay on the railing on the second floor to look at Yayuan in that building.

Xing Xianggong did not invite General Su, but he also said: "The general is not here, that is to guard for the country and the people, but the general also sent a poem, to encourage you all!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was looking forward to it.

Just look at Xing Xianggong raising his hand and the band of musicians will come. There are more than ten of them, playing zither, pipa, flute, xiao and hujia...

Singing: "Beside the broken bridge on the post road, lonely flowers bloom without an owner. It is already dusk and I am alone and sad, and the wind and rain make it worse. I have no intention of struggling for spring, and I let all the flowers be jealous. They fall into the mud and turn into dust, but the fragrance remains the same."

The courtesan sang the short song "Bosuanzi" so beautifully that everyone looked up, all of them were moved.

Mr. Xing smiled and said, "I will drink with you on behalf of the general!"

The atmosphere was immediately lively, everyone raised their glasses, and someone cheered loudly: "Good!"

"General Su is extremely talented!"

"I already knew that the general had a talent for poetry, but I didn't expect him to be so talented. Let's drink together!"

"It's a pity that the general didn't come in person today, otherwise I would have used this poem with General Su and drank three hundred cups together!"

"General Su's song is better than any other song in the world on this winter day!"

"Tonight, this song is enough!"

Fan Yun, who was watching the excitement from the railing on the second floor, saw everyone praising him, so he also shouted, "Great!"

After saying this, Fan Yun turned around and asked, "Madam, what's so good about the general's words?"

Xiao Zhi Niang smiled and said, "The general's poem is about the plum blossoms in winter, about the noble character of the plum blossoms, not afraid of loneliness, not afraid of sacrifice, but doing things that are noble in character, not asking about the future results. It is about the virtue of a gentleman, working hard and making progress, and it is about the gentleman's behavior, which is to be at the foot. It seems to encourage people's hearts, and it also seems to speak of ambitions. Maybe it also speaks of the willingness of soldiers to die for their country..."

After hearing this, Fan Yun just nodded: "Okay, okay, tonight, I will learn this, write this, memorize it and write it down!"

"Hmm..." Xiaozhi's mother nodded seriously.

The city was bustling with activity, but outside the city, among the soldiers, there was less joy and more worry. The soldiers ate better than usual and could drink some wine, but they couldn't help feeling homesick.

General Su went from one unit to another, met everyone, had a drink with everyone, chatted with everyone, and gave some encouragement.

Just let the soldiers work hard and return home in glory.

The soldiers' homesickness turned into excitement. The general said that they deserved to be clothed in glory, and it couldn't be a lie. They came out to risk their lives just to return home in glory.

After returning to the central army tent, the general drank some wine and felt homesick.

Where is my hometown?
I don't know if Mr. Cheng is okay...

I don’t know how Miss Cheng is spending the New Year, and I don’t know if my brother-in-law is on his way to Jiangnan.

Meng Yulou, must be missing me too, right?
I don’t know how big Meng Yulou’s pregnant belly is. After being away for several months, should the baby be born when she returns?

Can you catch up?
Su Wu didn't know that there was also a banquet in the Dongping government office. Cheng Wanli, the governor of the two routes of Jingdong, was sitting at the head, and Zong Ze, the new governor of Dongping, was sitting beside him.

This was a family dinner, and Cheng Xiaoniang was also present. However, Su Wu could never have imagined that there would be one more person attending the family dinner in the government office, and that person was Meng Yulou.

Meng Yulou had a nervous look on her face as she sat aside, head down, not daring to look or say much. Even though she had been through a lot in the world, how could she have ever seen a high-ranking official of the imperial court like Cheng Wanli?
Even though it was someone from the government office who came to invite her, how could Meng Yulou dare to refuse to go?

After seeing the person sitting down, Mr. Cheng looked at her frequently, even looking at her pregnant belly.

As for Cheng Xiaoniang, she was still speaking to her softly: "Don't be afraid..."

Meng Yulou just nodded: "Hmm..."

She was really a little scared and felt very nervous.

But then Prime Minister Cheng said, "I shouldn't have gone so far. It's just that Ziqing's parents passed away long ago, and he has no relatives. He is fighting hard in Jiangnan right now, so he can't say anything. If I don't take care of all this for him, I'll feel guilty. Now that things have come to this, in the future... we are a family after all. If we want to visit each other, you should just treat it as a feast for the Su family. Soon, whether it's the Cheng family or the Su family, they will all be one family. Madam Meng, you should be patient and ask Prime Minister Zong, do you think this makes sense?"

Zong Ze has been working diligently lately, but he is in a very bad mood. It is not because of anything else, but because his hometown is suffering from the war. Not only that, his son Zong Ying is in his hometown of Wuzhou Yiwu, and no one knows what is going on with him. There is no news at all... It is not that he is unwilling to take his son to work as an official, but he has been a small official for decades, and he has been transferred here this year and there next year...

The family already had some people, some small property, and some side branches, so they always needed someone to take care of things. So this son stayed at home to take care of things. Moreover, he was thinking about his son studying in his hometown and taking the exam, which could only be done in his native place. He also hoped that his son could pass the exam and have the results announced in Tokyo.

Who would have known that it would be this Lang Lang Song Dynasty that would raise a million thieves.

When Cheng Wanli invited him to a family dinner, he had also mentioned before that Su Wu was in the south of the Yangtze River and would definitely help and even try his best to protect him.

Su Wu actually did this and asked Wang Bing to return to Wuzhou to contact people to join the army. Zong Ze's family was among them.

Zong Ze listened to Cheng Wanli's words and knew that Cheng Wanli was asking him on purpose to break his thoughts, so he answered: "That's right. Ziqing has no relatives, but Cheng and Su are one family. Madam Meng doesn't need to think too much. Mr. Cheng is also a kind person, and the Cheng family is also a kind family."

Meng Yulou stood up and bowed: "Thank you, Mr. Cheng, thank you, Mr. Zong!"

But he looked at Miss Cheng again and said, "Thank you, Miss Cheng..."

Mrs. Cheng sat upright, her neck straightened, her head tilted, and she nodded slightly with a smile, looking a bit like a mistress. She then said, "Just sit down..."

Meng Yulou sat down again, and seemed to be really relaxed, but still reserved, even though she didn't know the rules and regulations of the wealthy families in the capital, and she was afraid of appearing timid and impolite.

There were no rules or regulations. Cheng Wanli raised his hands and started eating. He also talked to Zong Ze: "My family is so strange. My son-in-law and son have all gone to fight in the battlefield, leaving behind my old father, my wife, and my unborn child. Before, I was secretly wondering why Ziqing acted like this. But now, I can't blame him. You say that this soldier goes to the battlefield and will die tomorrow. How can he not leave a descendant as soon as possible?"

Zong Ze nodded: "That's true, but it's not right to say these things during the New Year."

Cheng Wanli waved his hand: "Don't say it... Well, let's talk about something else. Ziqing said something when he left, and I almost forgot about it. He said that the magistrate of Yanggu should be transferred to Laizhou to take charge of the government... This matter must be done after the New Year, old Zong Xianggong, please remember it, so that I won't forget it after the New Year..."

"Okay..." Zong Ze nodded. Although he was already the prefect of Dongping, he still served as Cheng Wanli's assistant and he worked very hard.

Cheng Wanli suddenly thought of something else: "As for Zhao Mingcheng, someone from Qingzhou reported that he fell ill a few years ago and died of depression. We should send people to express our condolences. Well, we should send two groups of people. One group will be from the governor's office, as he and Ziqing had an old relationship. The other group will be sent by Ziqing..."

After all, the Zhao family is a prominent family in Jingdong. The previous generation had served as prime minister, and many of the younger generations had served as officials. It was only right that they sent someone there.

"That's easy." Zong Ze nodded again and took note of it.

"Let's drink..." Cheng Wanli was not in a good mood. As he said, his son-in-law and son were both on the battlefield, so this year was actually boring.

Zong Ze raised the cup and the two old men drank together, but the two women naturally did not join in.

After the two old men had a few drinks, Cheng Wanli asked again, "Madam Meng, how is the preparation for Ziqing's house going?"

When Su Wu bought a house, he needed to repair and even decorate it, and buy various utensils.

Originally it was Su Wu who instructed Meng Yulou to do this, but now it was different. That was the house where Su Wu would get married, so it was reasonable for Cheng Wanli to ask about it, and even help with the management. He felt it was his job, since Su Wu had no relatives and did not consider him an outsider.

"To answer my husband's question, the house has been bought and is being renovated. I don't know..." Meng Yulou paused, looked at Cheng Xiaoniang, and said, "Even after the New Year, I would like to ask Madam Cheng to go and take a look and choose one that she likes. This is the right way."

Cheng Wanli nodded and waved his hand: "Well, you guys, take care of this matter together. When Ziqing comes back, he won't have to worry about it."

Meng Yulou nodded but said nothing, just looked at Cheng Xiaoniang.

Cheng Xiaoniang and Meng Yulou looked at each other and nodded: "Father, I understand."

Cheng Wanli suddenly seemed to remember something, looked at Zongze, and said, "Even if Ziqing comes back, the war will start again, so, we have to be quick, everything has to be quick."

Cheng Wanli was talking about the north. This was Su Wu's fate, and so was the fate of the Cheng family as well.

How can it not be fast? Whether it is buying a house or getting married, it has to be fast. If it is slow, I am afraid that I don’t know how long it will take.

I also think that my good-for-nothing son Cheng Hao should also have a marriage proposal, and it would be best if it were sooner rather than later. Now that he has gone with Xiang En, the same should apply to Su Wu.

Whose family are you talking about?

Cheng Wanli couldn't figure it out. Now, he no longer looked down upon his former colleagues. Those he did look up to were not familiar with him, and even he, a disciple of a eunuch, found it difficult to interact with them.

It’s also troublesome…

I can't help but think of Enxiang. Letting Enxiang take charge may be a good thing. Several families in the northwest, such as the Zhong family, the Zhe family, and the Liu family, are actually all possible.

Thinking in this way, there are also political considerations. Since I have chosen this path, I will inevitably be in the Privy Council in the future. Marrying into such a family will facilitate many things in the future.

"Let's drink, let's drink..." Cheng Wanli thought as he called Zong Ze.

Zong Ze nodded and just kept drinking. The moon was still bright today, and he missed his hometown even more. If he were drunk, he would fly across the rivers and lakes.

The two women seemed to be whispering to each other.

What was being said was hard to hear, so there was no need to listen. Just look at Meng Yulou, who became less reserved.

Hu Sanniang went home today. Fifty miles away in Dulonggang, the place was also bustling, but there were countless young men fighting there. Amid the bustle, there was a bit of sadness.

In the Song Dynasty, in Kaifeng Bianjing, the emperor was also celebrating the New Year. On the first day of the New Year, he would offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, worship his ancestors, and tell them about the achievements of the current emperor in the ancestral temple...

He talked about how the northwest was stabilized, how the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, how he formed an alliance with Jin and wanted to take Yanyun to carry on the aspirations of his ancestors, and so on.

But he also confessed his crime, saying that there were big bandits in Shandong and Jiangnan.

Emperor Zhao Ji was actually an honest man.

Just as he came out of the ancestral temple, he saw Prime Minister Wang Fu running towards him, delivering several memorials. In fact, these memorials had been received a few days ago. Why did Wang Fu insist on presenting them at this time?
Of course, Wang Fu also knew that there was no need to hide it, as it would be impossible to hide it. He had delayed it for a few days for only one reason, which was to choose the most appropriate opportunity to make the emperor happiest.

There was a pile of good news from Jiangnan, some from the Privy Council. Tong Guan was not there, but the news from the Privy Council had also reached the Secretariat. There was also a large pile of news from Suzhou and Huzhou.

Wang Fu just shouted: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I am so happy. Thanks to the blessing of our ancestors and the grace of the emperor, we have won a great victory in Jiangnan!"

The emperor had just confessed his sins and prayed for blessings in the ancestral temple, and now he received good news!

Since I have good news in my hands and the emperor is watching, how can I not be happy?

He just waved his hand and said, "Follow me into the ancestral temple again, and ask the Minister of Rites to burn incense and pray again!"

The emperor turned around and ran after a few steps. When he entered the ancestral temple, he was so excited that he personally read the victory report to the ancestors.

Su Wu Su Wu is Su Wu!
Although the Zhongshumen knew that they were all Su Wu, the emperor still wanted to see them...

It doesn't matter if they are all Su Wu, just a warrior, no matter what happens. No matter how powerful a warrior becomes, he is no more than Di Qing a few decades ago. The later generations should learn from how their predecessors dealt with it.

People like Di Qing only said that there was Ganoderma lucidum growing in his house and that his dog could grow horns. They also said that there was a yellow robe hidden in his house. Didn't he die in fear and depression?

What about Su Wu?
The emperor was extremely surprised and praised him: "Good Su Wu, good Su Wu, you are fearless in the midst of millions of soldiers, and you are brave enough to die for your country! You deserve a reward, a generous reward."

Geng also said: "Ancestors, thank you for your protection. The Song Dynasty has produced such a brave general, which is the will of heaven! The traitors will be destroyed soon, and the thieves who rebel against the will of heaven will not die a good death! Ancestors, bear witness to this!"

The emperor kowtowed, and everyone else followed suit.

This New Year's Day was a great occasion. As soon as everyone followed the emperor out of the ancestral temple, the emperor was overjoyed and kept saying to everyone around him, "Everyone will be rewarded, everyone will be rewarded!"

Wang Fu came and said, "As long as the emperor is happy, it is a great blessing for us officials. The emperor does not need to spend money."

Liang Shicheng also said: "The emperor is very happy. With such a good start to the new year, this year will be full of joy!"

The emperor just said auspicious words and laughed: "Come to the table, let's drink to our heart's content today!"

Bianjing is beautiful, Tokyo is magnificent, even if the country is destroyed and the family is ruined, there are still people who dream about it...

The next year is the first month of the lunar calendar. In the south of the Yangtze River, you can see tender buds sprouting from the withered yellow leaves, and the weather is already turning warmer.

The first month of the third year of Xuanhe in the Song Dynasty.

Tong Guan, the envoy of the Four Routes, and Tan Zhen, the governor of Liangzhe, led a total of 150,000 troops from the capital, the northwest, and Hedong to march south of the Yangtze River!

There are thousands of troops on land and endless ships in the water.

Originally they were supposed to assemble near Suzhou, but now they have changed their location and are heading straight for Huzhou.

Outside Huzhou city, countless people came to watch the excitement. How could they have ever seen such a scene in their entire life?
There are more than those 100,000 bandits, and they are even more powerful and majestic than those 100,000 bandits. When the imperial army arrives, the millions of bandits will be destroyed in an instant.

The people of Huzhou are more optimistic than anyone else. There is no sense of grimness about war at all, only a good mood to watch the fun.

In the past twenty days or so, Su Wu had started expanding the camp early in advance, and people in Huzhou city were also busy helping out by contributing manpower and materials.

Just wait for the army to arrive and then settle in the camp.

The central army tent was expanded several times, and many officials and generals gathered together. The follow-up troops, many of them, were also coming quickly, and the money, food and supplies they brought were piled up and placed...

The Song Dynasty is still rich!
Tong Shuxiang sat in the middle, smiling kindly. He looked around and then fixed his eyes on Su Wu. He looked him up and down several times and said, "He doesn't look thin!"

Su Wu waved his hands and said, "Replying to the Prime Minister, Jiangnan is not as hard as the frontier."

Tong Guan laughed, looked at everyone, raised his hand and pointed to Su Wu: "Everyone, recognize me, this is Su Wu Su Ziqing."

In fact, everyone already knew it, and all eyes were on Su Wu.

Su Wu bowed to both sides and said, "Greetings to all my colleagues and to all my lords."

He turned around and said, "I bow to the Prime Minister and to Envoy Tan!"

Tong Guan just waved his hand to signal Su Wu to sit down, while Tan Zhen looked at Su Wu again and again. During the journey, he received reports from Su Wu from time to time, not only good news, but also various matters and reports.

When they arrived in Huzhou, the camp of the army of more than 100,000 had already been set up.

How can I say this? I feel helpless. How can this person not be a great talent? But I also covet him. He is so talented and young. He still has a long life ahead of him. If I recruit him into my team, wouldn't it be useful?

What else is there to worry about in the future?

Tan Zhen smiled and said, "General Su, please sit down!"

Su Wu was stunned when he heard this. This damn eunuch seemed like a pretty good person?
Su Wu also went to see Tong Guan, who also smiled and said, "Just sit down..."

As soon as Su Wu sat down, he glanced at the crowd. It was easy to tell who was Liu Yanqing, but who was Liu Guangshi, who was Han Shizhong, and who was Guan Sheng?

There was no hurry. He just listened to Tong Guan's words: "Our army has arrived. The enemy is on the rise. Ziqing has fought a big battle. I think you all know that. Now the enemy has been beaten by Ziqing several times. They are retreating. The enemy is also fierce. Next, the matter of attacking the city and capturing the stronghold cannot be accomplished by Ziqing alone. I have to rely on you."

Liu Yanqing naturally bowed and said: "Don't worry, Prime Minister, I will die for you!"

Tong Guan nodded: "Don't worry, everyone. I have supervised the army several times, and I have always rewarded those who have made contributions, and it is the same now."

"Thank you, Prime Minister!" Everyone just answered, and most of them were eager to try. In fact, there has not been such an opportunity for a long time. Even the Western Army, although there have been small fights, there have been no major battles for a long time.

Without a major war, how could the generals come to the fore?
Especially the young man, if he is really capable, who would not want to establish merit?
Just look at Su Wu in front of us. He is still young, but has been promoted again and again, and rewarded again and again. With his great contribution this time, I am afraid he will be rewarded even more. How can we not be envious?

Of course, this is something that only capable people think about. Those who are not capable will inevitably feel sympathetic and nervous, as they are always worried about life and death when they are on the battlefield.

Tan Zhen also said a few words: "Yes, that's right. I am the governor of Liangzhe Road, which is the area south of the Yangtze River. All the prefectures and cities can be transferred here. If you have any questions, just tell me in person. It's all fine. I will do my best to help you."

What Tan Zhen talked about was nothing more than matters of money and grain.

Why Tan Zhen was the governor of Liangzhe Road? Many people knew that the power of military general was in the hands of Tong Guan, so it was difficult to compete with Tan Zhen.

But as long as one holds the money and grain purse, one holds the lifeline of many things. The money and grain are in Liangzhe, in Tan Zhen's hands, so who wouldn't come to ask for it? Who wouldn't come to ask for it?
This is where Tan Zhen’s opportunity lies. How to grasp it depends on his means. He can gain some advantage by playing on people’s hearts.

After hearing what Tan Zhen said, Su Wu just went to look at Tong Guan.

Tong Guan was calm and composed, without any expression.

Su Wu thought to himself, well, since it is a battle of magic, it will depend on each other's magic power.

At this time, it was not a pre-war meeting, but just a meeting of everyone. Then there were other things to do, and the first thing was to stabilize the armies.

The crowd dispersed, and Su Wu also dispersed.

Just as he was about to go out, Cheng Hao, who was taking notes at the side of the big tent, quickly followed him out.

"Ziqing, do you want to kill me?" Cheng Hao was a little embarrassed and hugged Su Wu's back.

Su Wu also laughed: "Are you used to this journey?"

"I wasn't used to it in the first few days, but as I walked for a while, it became okay. You..." Cheng Hao wanted to ask something but didn't ask.

"It doesn't matter to me. I don't need to charge into the battle. I can be safe and sound." Su Wu knew what Cheng Hao was going to ask.

"Ah... just say so yourself. The Privy Councilor had no problems along the way. I don't know how many stories he told about you. They just said that you rode your horse into battle, led the troops, and were extremely brave."

Cheng Hao was actually worried, but when he saw that the person was safe and sound, he could no longer express his worries.

"Did you do your job well?" Su Wu asked again.

"I came to you to talk about an errand. My errands are small matters. I handled them well. The Prime Minister also praised me a lot. What I want you to talk about is military affairs. I will tell you slowly. Please listen carefully..."

Cheng Hao told Su Wu these things as soon as possible because he was afraid that Su Wu was unaware of them and might have handled them inappropriately.

Cheng Hao spoke slowly and Su Wu listened slowly. He had guessed a few things just now, and of course he was not wrong, but he did not know that there were so many details. It turned out that many people in the army had already paid homage to Tan Zhen.

The logic behind the exercise of power is sometimes really so simple and clear, as the saying goes: new people replace old ones, and a new emperor appoints new ministers.

After finishing the conversation, the two men gave each other a few words of advice, and Su Wu returned to his own troops. Everyone around him was busy. With more than 100,000 soldiers, the camp was as bustling as a city.

But they had not walked far when a military general came forward. Many military generals were busy with their own troops, but this man came to look for Su Wu, and it was obvious that he came with purpose.

He just said, "I am Xin Xingzong, a general under the command of General Liu of Fuyan Road. Nice to meet you, General Su."

Su Wu smiled and asked, "It's polite, I don't know what it is?"

"It's Envoy Tan Zhi who invites you. Please come in for a moment, General." Xin Xingzong said with a smile.

Su Wu couldn't help but understand, but he was also surprised. How could it be so fast? Really without any scruples? Xin Xingzong was also running around so openly, which meant he had no scruples at all. Wasn't he afraid of the trouble that Tong Shumi would give him?

Should you go or not?

Su Wu thought about it and nodded: "My superiors have come to invite me, so how can I not go? General Xin, please come in front of me."

"Okay, okay, General Su is a really great person, please come in!" Xin Xingzong was very happy after completing his task.

(Brothers, New Year's Eve is coming soon. I wish you all a happy family reunion, success in everything, good health and a happy family! Thank you for your support over the past three months. Bye!)
(End of this chapter)