Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 237 Then this humble official has overstepped his bounds...

When he set off for the expedition, a great many people came to see him off; people from all around came, most of them family members of soldiers.

Su Wu mounted his horse and waved his hand, saying, "Don't see me off! Go back, all of you..."

Cheng Wanli stood at the entrance of the government office, nodding, and was really about to turn back when he saw that the obedient girl beside him did not turn around. He sighed deeply.

That man was "heartless"; after saying that, he spurred his horse and rode away, never looking back.

Cheng Xiaoniang covered her face and wept, muttering, "God bless me..."

When she started crying, many people started crying too, including Donghuan and Xiaozhi's mother...

Even Sister-in-law Gu was in tears, and Hua Xiaomei couldn't even stand up and sat on the steps at the entrance of the government office.

The marriage between Wu Song and her was actually only arranged; there simply wasn't enough time due to the urgent military situation, which didn't allow for such matters...

She cried for her brother first, and for her fiancé second...

Meng Yulou didn't shed a tear. She touched her belly, her face filled with sorrow. She had waited and waited, hoped and hoped, and finally got him back, but now he had to leave again. Her due date was probably in three, five, seven or eight days. She couldn't wait even for these few days...

There was also Hu Sanniang, who didn't shed a tear, but simply watched quietly as those people rode away...

How many more people are shedding tears today? In Dongping Prefecture, if you really count them, there are at least 30,000 soldiers and auxiliary troops, not to mention some artisans and the like. That's more than 30,000 families, and countless relatives. Even if you take the entire population of Dongping Prefecture as an example, the proportion of military families is actually very large...

From inside the city to outside, countless hearts have been broken.

"Let's go, let's go inside..." Cheng Wanli turned around first, then turned back to wave.

Reluctantly, Cheng Xiaoniang went inside, her heart filled with worry that she could no longer let go of from that moment on.

Cheng Wanli simply comforted him, saying, "Ziqing has always been full of clever ideas, and with so many fierce and brave men under his command, he is bound to be invincible in every battle."

Cheng Xiaoniang didn't say a word and just went to the back office. Cheng Wanli was still sitting in the office and had a lot of work to do.

In the back courtyard, a group of women sat together, preparing to go to the main restaurant for a meal before returning home.

Even when they sat together, they secretly shed tears, and no one spoke a word...

Finally, it was Cheng Xiaoniang who spoke first: "It's alright, we just need to wait for their triumphant return. It's always been like this, at least three or four months, at most four or five months, they'll be back..."

She was speaking frankly, but as she spoke, the tears that had been slowly holding back suddenly started flowing again. She seemed to be trying to comfort others, but in reality, she couldn't even stop herself...

That's just how people are, yet they still say, "Men are fighting wars outside, so we... should also take good care of ourselves at home. Only in this way can we not let down the future they risked their lives for..."

I wanted to talk about it, but the more I spoke, the more tears flowed...

The others were wiping away their tears, hoping to stop them.

Cheng Xiaoniang also had something important to say: "Let's settle things at home these next few days, and then we'll make a trip to the capital."

The decision to go to the capital was not a spur-of-the-moment idea by Cheng Xiaoniang alone; it had been discussed beforehand.

Cheng Wanli needed his daughter to go to the capital. Now that she was married, she was no longer a waitress in her boudoir. She was now the matriarch of the family and could take charge of things.

What's the matter? Cheng Wanli couldn't leave, so he kept in touch with old friends in the capital through letters, discussing marriage. He sent his daughter to visit them. It's good for a daughter to meet people in this matter. Whether it works out or not is another matter, but it's best to meet as many people as possible.

Su Wu also had business to attend to. With Cheng Xiaoniang's arrival in the capital, she naturally made connections with her colleagues in the Privy Council, the upright officials in the Censorate and the Censorate, and even the Wang family...

Of course, she mostly socialized with the wives and daughters of officials. More importantly, she received an invitation from Crown Princess Zhu Lian to come to the capital for a visit. The implications of this invitation are self-evident…

They couldn't refuse, and even the Crown Princess said that Empress Zheng also had banquets and silkworm-related gifts during the New Year, so they should find an opportunity to pay their respects to the Empress.

Actually, it all boils down to one thing: she's now from a high-ranking family. Being the matriarch of a high-ranking family isn't easy; she also needs to make a formal appearance so that people in Tokyo can get to know her.

There's only one thing to wait for: Meng Yulou will give birth in the next few days, and after that, Cheng Xiaoniang will go to the capital.

Nowadays, it's no longer appropriate to call her "Cheng Xiaoniang"; she should be referred to as "Madam Cheng" or "Mrs. Su."

Even her hair should be styled high, adorned with various ornaments. When going out or entering the house, she should maintain a dignified bearing, as it was all about appearances. If she were to be addressed now, she would be called the County Lady, bestowed by the Emperor himself, the County Lady of Dong'e.

There were quite a few people accompanying her, but Meng Yulou herself didn't go. She had just given birth and was taking care of her child, so she usually didn't have much to do in such situations.

Dong Huan, Hu San Niang, and Gu Da Sao all went, along with a troop of soldiers, some maids and servants, some constables from the government office, and another troop from Dulonggang. They also had to bring a lot of money, so in total, there were about six or seven hundred people.

There was another person, Wen Huanzhang, who was the leader. He also had matters that were difficult for the young lady to visit, so he represented Su Wu to make these visits, such as to see Chen Dong again. He also had many classmates in the court...

Even after arriving in the capital, there are still family matters to attend to. For example, Su Wu has a new house, and his mistress should go and take a look, tidy it up, put up a plaque, hire some servants, and even divide up the houses.

Actually, I'm busy, but being busy is good. When I'm busy, I miss you less. We're newlyweds, so there's no need to talk about it. The hardest thing to bear is being apart.

A few days later, Meng Yulou gave birth, which kept her very busy.

Meanwhile, Su Wu had already arrived in Qizhou. While the army continued its march, Su Wu made a brief stop in Qizhou to inspect the various warehouses and account books, and even to sort out the affairs of the laborers in the various prefectures and counties of Shandong...

There are many plans involved, such as how to transport military rations, how much to transport each day, and where to transport them. The plans are incredibly complex, and this is the most important matter, as is logistics.

I meet countless people and attend countless meetings every day.

He also had to consult with several advisors at night. In the past, Su Wu didn't need to worry about these things so much, but now, they were all in his hands.

If we were to actually count them, the troops assembled in Hebei this time numbered as many as 140,000 registered imperial guards, 60,000 to 70,000 local troops, and 6,000 to 7,000 artisans. Just counting the two routes in the east and west, the number of civilian laborers mobilized was 270,000 to 280,000, and even more would need to be mobilized, not counting Hebei.

Su Wu didn't make any plans regarding the situation in Hebei, but instead focused on Shandong, where mobilization capacity was immediately maximized.

The reason why they were able to mobilize to this extent is self-evident; Li and Zhao contributed greatly. Of course, Li and Zhao are now one with Su Wu.

In the future, their bond will only grow stronger, which is the result of Su Wu's long-term plan, and he has indeed succeeded in his plan.

When Su Wu set off from Qizhou again, many people came to see him off.

Zhang Shuye arrived with a host of officials, and Li Hang also arrived with many gentry members...

Uncle Zhang had spoken earnestly to Su Xianggong several times, but today, at his farewell, he didn't say those words. He simply said, "You will surely return in triumph. We are all here waiting for news of your triumph."

As he spoke, Zhang Shuye inexplicably shed tears again. There are always people who love this country so deeply.

Su Wu simply nodded and spurred his horse onward. As he passed through the city gate, a carriage was parked there. For some reason, Su Wu felt a stirring in his heart and took a few more glances at it...

The carriage curtain was lifted, and sure enough, it was her. Su Wu smiled slightly, and without stopping, the horse passed by.

The two looked at each other, and Sister Li finally spoke: "The scholar has returned in triumph!"

Su Wu nodded: "Of course, we'll meet again upon our triumphant return!"

"Alright, it's a deal! We'll prepare a feast by Baotu Spring to welcome you!" Sister Li finally smiled.

"I've only heard that Li Qingzhao (Li Yi'an) loves wine the most, so we won't leave until we're drunk!" Su Wu said, turning back after his horse had already passed.

"Goodbye!" Sister Li raised her voice slightly.

The person has left, and there is no response from behind the doorway.

A constant stream of fast horses arrived ahead, carrying countless military reports, some from Qin Ming, some from Suo Chao... and others from even further afield, from the Northwest...

Furthermore, Yan Qing brought back from the Liao Kingdom, making Li Chuwen increasingly uneasy. He contacted Guo Yaoshi, and the two met and exchanged opinions. Even Guo Yaoshi said that Yelü Yudu's rebellion was imminent.

Once such a thing happens, it is an unimaginable disaster to those involved.

Su Wu also urged Li Chuwen to speed up the pace of the attack, and even said that if the Jurchens were to actually capture Zhongjing and, with the help of Yelü Yudu, enter Yanyun and even besiege Yanjing, the Song Dynasty would definitely send troops to rescue the city.

Of course, these were words spoken by Su Wu and Li Chuwen in private, and whether they should be taken seriously is another matter.

Passing through Dezhou, entering Yongjing, and heading towards Hejian Prefecture, the journey is actually not far, and the roads become increasingly easier to travel, truly taking place in the heart of the Central Plains and the North China Plain.

The route was lined with soldiers, and troops from all over Hebei were also gathering.

Winter has arrived again, and the weather is getting colder and colder. What does that mean?

It describes the scene Su Wu saw along the way: many soldiers huddled together, shivering from the cold, and some were so thin they looked no different from beggars.

Unsurprisingly, Su Wu did not reveal his identity. He led a hundred or so guards and rode at full speed. The scene along the way was truly pitiful and lamentable.

If there really are 200,000 troops like that, who can they defeat?
No wonder they were routed by Yelü Dashi's few thousand men in a single charge...

Historical records describe the horrific state of the Song army: from south of Xiongzhou to north of Mozhou, between Tangbo and Baozhou, and west of Xiongzhou, the dead lay piled up in countless places.

Sending such soldiers to the front lines to fight is actually a sin and a terrible mistake.

When Su Wu arrived at Hejian Prefecture, the area outside the city was already filled with encampments and tents, resembling a slum in a chaotic manner, not to mention the various tribes, camps, and stockades...

In fact, even in the Hejian Prefecture, there wasn't enough timber to build so many camps.

Even many of the tents were dilapidated...

Su Wu stood atop the city wall, his brow furrowed. A thought was brewing within him...

He then asked Zong Ze, who had arrived earlier, "How many people have already gathered here?"

Zong Ze replied, "It's really hard to calculate. Even the military rations for each unit are not being distributed clearly. I estimate, in my own estimation, that it's about 130,000 to 140,000 men in our Jingdong Army... and more will come in later."

Su Wu took a deep breath. This assembly was not his military order, but a direct order from the Privy Council.

"Write a letter to the Grand Chancellor who is still on his way, with a list attached. All the troops I've mentioned, please keep them. As for the troops I haven't mentioned, please have the Grand Chancellor order them all to return..."

Su Wu, having calmed himself, continued, "Let's just state the situation clearly: these troops are not an asset, but rather a burden. Moreover, with such a large number, gathering them together is unsustainable. If a real battle breaks out, we'll have to mobilize these people to coordinate, further delaying our operations..." Zong Ze nodded, "I'll go back and write it down..."

This scene made Su Wu scratch his head. Why did he need an army of 200,000 or 300,000 if this was the only way to do it?
Sixty or seventy thousand is enough. It's easier to command, less burdensome, and even safer. It can greatly prevent routs, as routs are always a chain reaction.

After descending from the city wall, Su Wu returned to his army, where his troops and camps were in perfect order.

In Cangzhou, Su Wu's cavalry had not yet arrived; they were still on their way...

Sitting in the main tent, Su Wu was also very troubled, because he had no way of commanding the hundreds of thousands of people outside the city and did not know where to start.

I had considered issuing a military order to have all units reorganize their camps and re-establish their fortifications, but after thinking about it, I decided against it. It was pointless. Sometimes, that's just how powerless you are...

Even if they went to establish their authority and each unit killed several generals, these tens of thousands of men could not suddenly become elite. It would be a waste of effort and energy.

People like Tong Guan, Tan Zhen, Liu Yanqing of the Northwest, and Zhong Shidao of the Northwest.

This mobilization represents approximately 90% of the Song Dynasty's true military strength at this moment.

Historically, the Northern Song Dynasty was never able to mobilize such military strength again.

We are still waiting for a reply. We hope that Tong Guan will really listen to Su Wu's words and keep only the list of Su Wu's men, while sending the rest of the troops back to their original places.

Tong Guan wasn't far off; he had already passed Daming Prefecture, but the reply he received greatly disappointed Su Wu.

In the letter, Tong Guan also said that he knew most of the troops were unusable, and that he would not rely on these troops to fight, and that he might not even send them to the front lines.

But this is the right thing to do, for two reasons. First, it is to intimidate. Tong Guan also knows how strong the Jurchens are. If Su Wu fights well and demonstrates his military might, then the sheer number of Jurchens will intimidate them.

This was also meant to intimidate the Liao people...

Ultimately, it's all about creating this spectacle; in such a major international conflict, we need to put on this show.

The second reason is quite simple: it was ordained by the emperor!

Even before setting off, the emperor said that the Liao people had lost their country and homes, and the Han people of Yan and Yun were suffering terribly. When the Heavenly Dynasty's army arrived, they should welcome the royal army with food and drink. The might of the royal army should be known to the Han people of Yan and Yun, so that the people of Yan and Yun could feel at ease.

Furthermore, with dozens of cities to be garrisoned, manpower is needed to prevent bandits from taking advantage of the chaos, and also to guard against the Jurchens' betrayal and sneak attacks...

All kinds of things...

There's a reason for everything...

Su Wu received a reply, but he was helpless.

Fortunately, another letter arrived with good news: Meng Yulou had given birth to a daughter, and both mother and daughter were safe and sound.

Please ask Su Wu to give it a name and send it back.

Su Wu was overjoyed and wrote with a flourish: Xuan Niang.

We'll talk about nicknames and formal names when we get back.

In the midst of all the chaos and stress, a happy thing finally happened.

Two days later, Tong Guan finally arrived by carriage. However, Tong Guan was no longer able to ride a horse.

Upon meeting in the main tent, they exchanged pleasantries. Tong Guan and Tan Zhen sat together, and it seemed that Tan Zhen's favor with the emperor remained undiminished.

This time, however, Tan Zhen was much more obedient, saying little and not showing off, simply sitting to the side.

Su Wu said, "The Grand Chancellor has also seen this scene. With tens of thousands of men, they cannot fight..."

Tong Guan also frowned. Hearing is not as good as seeing. No matter what Su Wu said in his letter, he only realized how ugly the endless "slums" outside the city were when he saw them with his own eyes.

But Tong Guan still shook his head: "This time you must listen to me. If they are not useful, put them aside for later. Disbanding them is absolutely not allowed..."

“Prime Minister, if we disperse hundreds of thousands of troops, we will be much more relaxed, and our fighting strength will certainly increase rather than decrease,” Su Wu said.

"Ziqing, if you fight well at the front, these hundreds of thousands of soldiers will appear to others as elite troops under your command," Tong Guan said.

That makes sense...that's how the atmosphere is built up...

Su Wu still said, "There's really no need to waste so much money and supplies..."

Su Wu was heartbroken. He had gone to great lengths to get some money and supplies, letting these people eat and use them up...

Tong Guan just shook his head: "Then how do you plan to tell the Emperor? That... the hundreds of thousands of troops are utterly rotten? Hundreds of thousands of troops are utterly useless? Hundreds of thousands of troops are like beggars and vagrants?"

Su Wu was taken aback by these words, and then he realized that there was another reason behind them: Tong Guan himself was in a difficult situation.

Tong Guan had been in charge of military affairs and even the Privy Council for quite some time. If he were to speak to the emperor in this manner, whose fault would it be?

How could this not be Tong Guan's fault?
Tong Guan was indeed guilty of some of these crimes. In the past, how could he have ever taken these soldiers seriously? Didn't Tong Guan also engage in a great deal of power manipulation within the army?
Did Tong Guan ever truly intend to reform the military?
At this moment, for the sake of Tong Guan's reputation before the Emperor, even with hundreds of thousands of troops, it is advisable to take them to the front lines.

It was to maintain a superficial glory, with the Song Dynasty's million-strong elite army, and Tong Shumi was particularly adept at managing the Privy Council.

This superficial glory is meant to be seen by the Liao Kingdom, by the Jurchens, and especially by Emperor Zhao Ji—and it must be seen by the Emperor!

Su Wu could only nod. "Then let them eat... One shi of grain, whether transported from Jingdong or Henan, to the front lines, would require countless laborers, and they would eat an unknown amount along the way. It's truly..."

For the first time, Su Wu felt genuine negative emotions in front of Tong Guan.

Seeing Su Wu's dark face, Tong Guan comforted him, "Ziqing, you only need to focus on the war. You don't need to worry about anything else. This time, I've arranged a task for you."

Su Wu nodded without saying anything, and turned to find a seat, as he had been standing the whole time.

Watching Su Wu's actions, Tong Guan chuckled to himself before saying, "Deputy Commander of Yanyun, how about it? It's not appropriate to spread this now. We can talk about it when the war really starts and the troops cross the border."

Su Wu was pleasantly surprised. The official title sounded quite impressive, and it gave off the feeling of a powerful regional official. Although it was a deputy, the real head was Tong Guan, and there were probably more than one deputy. Tan Zhen was certainly a deputy as well.

Su Wu bowed and said, "Thank you, Grand Councilor."

Tong Guan smiled and said to those around him, "From now on, you may be called Commander Su!"

Hearing this, all the generals from the JD.com army present were delighted.

Wu Song had already spoken: "Commander Su! Hehe, very good..."

Everyone seemed eager to speak, so Su Wu gestured for them to remain silent.

Tong Guan then said, "I brought four million strings of cash from the imperial court, plus over a million strings from the Jiangnan region. This is the funding for the war. Here, I'll give you, Commander Su, three million strings of cash first. You can distribute them as you see fit—to the Wuzhou army, the Northwest army, and your Jingdong army… They all trust you…"

Tong Guan was still trying to comfort Su Wu. The Su Wu of today was not the same Su Wu of the past; with a great battle imminent, he needed some reassurance…

Su Wu then retorted, "Of course, we should consult with the Grand Councilor..."

Tong Guan waved his hand: "Hey, stop with the formalities. In the army today, your name is respected by all the troops. You're here..."

Su Wu then went to see Tan Zhen, who smiled and said, "This arrangement is just right..."

Su Wu nodded: "Then this humble official will presume to take the liberty of doing so..."

Sure enough, Su Wu's mood improved considerably. Tong Guan and Tan Zhen had given him autonomy and also divided up the power. How the war should be fought was now implicitly in Su Wu's hands.

Then, unfolding the map, Su Wu, without any pretense or modesty, began to analyze the situation and chair the meeting.

At present, it is still a small meeting. Wang Bing has not arrived yet, Liu Yanqing has not arrived either, Liu Guangshi, Zhong Shidao, Yang Keshi, and many others have not arrived.

Su Wu simply analyzed the situation in the Liao Kingdom, briefly mentioned the news that Yelü Yudu was about to rebel, and then discussed the route of the advance.

Su Wu had considered the method of advancing many times, and said, "If Yelü Yudu really betrays us, the people of Yanyun will be in a state of panic. The advance must be swift and cannot be delayed in the slightest. We must take advantage of the instability of the Liao court, use Hejian as the rear for deployment, and Xiongzhou as the front. The army should go straight out of Xiongzhou, rush into Liao territory, and rush towards Yanjing as quickly as possible!"

Tong Guan also asked, "Xiongzhou is not far from Yanjing, but there are fortified cities in between. About ten years ago, I was sent as an envoy to the Liao Kingdom. The fortification of Zhuozhou should not be underestimated. What should we do if our offensive is thwarted here?"

Su Wu looked at the map and replied, "Speed ​​is of the essence in this war. Zhuozhou must be taken down quickly, no matter what."

Su Wu's face was ashen. This time was different from before; countless lives had to be sacrificed.

But Tan Zhen aptly remarked, "There's no need to worry. The Emperor has issued an edict, and when it spreads throughout the cities of Yan and Yun, the majority of the inhabitants are Han Chinese, who will naturally welcome them with food and drink. As for those few stubborn individuals, they'll be easy to deal with..."

Su Wu suddenly asked, "Why does the Emperor say this?"

Tan Zhen laughed: "This is common sense. Everyone in the court knows this. That's what everyone says..."

Su Wu went to see Tong Guan...

Tong Guan nodded...

Su Wu's mind raced. Why was this the prevailing opinion in the capital? Were all people really so naive and innocent?
Or is this done intentionally? Is this a deliberate attempt to spread this kind of rhetoric?
What benefit or purpose would there be in deliberately spreading such arguments to deceive the emperor?
But Tan Zhen had more to say: "The Emperor has also issued an edict that when entering Yan and Yun, one must not harm the people. One should treat the people of Yan and Yun with courtesy and restraint, just as one would treat the people of our Great Song Dynasty. One should treat them all equally. Even in war, one should not resort to ruthless means unless absolutely necessary. When defending against the enemy, one should reason with them and appeal to their emotions. If one can avoid fighting, one should avoid fighting altogether. This way, there will be fewer casualties and more harmony, which will be beneficial for appeasing the people in the future... If there are too many deep-seated hatreds, firstly, many people will likely harbor resentment and be difficult to appease in the future, and secondly, it will also tarnish the prestige of our Celestial Empire..."

Su Wu almost fainted from exhaustion. Was this a war, or did the emperor think it was child's play?
If everyone in the world truly believed this, then if Su Wu won in the imperial court, before the officials, and before the emperor, it would be an easy victory, as the people of Yan and Yun would offer him food and drink voluntarily.

It is the emperor's benevolence that moves people to the core, and it is the grace of the Great Song Dynasty that wins the hearts of the people... This is the Celestial Empire!

If Su Wu loses, it means that Su Wu disobeyed the imperial edict, acted recklessly, corrupted the people's hearts, and harmed the country, the people, and the army, which is an unforgivable crime.

What the fuck...

Is this something a human could do? Su Wu suddenly realized that Cai Jing's methods were truly those of an old demon. This was far too clever. Su Wu had truly learned something new about the ways he used to manipulate people behind the scenes!
Could it be that this also happened in history?
Su Wu was utterly perplexed... so he looked to Tong Guan for an explanation...

(End of this chapter)