Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 396 After three days of separation, the distinction between ruler and subject becomes clear!
Inside Yanfu Palace, Zhao Ji had returned to the hall and was sitting there blankly.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door, along with various respectful greetings...

Emperor Huizong was so frightened that he jumped, his terrified eyes fixed on the doorway...

Sure enough, it was Su Wu who walked in.

Zhao Ji immediately slumped into his chair, bursting into tears: "You've come to kill me? You've come to kill me?"

Su Wu was taken aback. He hadn't been told he was going to kill him.

Su Wu simply went inside and found a seat to sit down.

Zhao Ji then burst into tears: "As expected, as expected, you've come to kill me! Li Bangyan must have been poisoned by you... You didn't leave, you didn't go to Yanyun... You were just waiting for this moment to kill me!"

Su Wu sighed softly. Zhao Ji's inner thoughts were truly complex…

Su Wu calmly said, "Zhao... Prime Minister, don't cry. Several days have passed, and everything that needed to be handed over has been handed over, and everything that needed to be vacated has been vacated. Please move out of the palace and take Li Bangyan's house. It will be yours to live in from now on, but it's just a loan for you until you pass away peacefully. After that, you'll have to support your family yourself, but it shouldn't be too difficult..."

"You won't kill me? You didn't come here to kill me?" Zhao Ji's crying stopped abruptly.

"I have thought about it, but now that I think about it, there's no need. You need to earn your own fortune. You have many children and wives, so it's not easy to support them. When you pass away peacefully in the future, you should leave something behind so that your son can't be homeless..."

Su Wu felt he was very kind.

Emperor Huizong suddenly stood up again, wiping his face: "Very well, very well, I... I have been managing Genyue and the Academy of Painting and Calligraphy very well..."

"Genyue and the Academy of Painting and Calligraphy will be self-sufficient. I believe Scholar Wu has already told you this. Within Genyue, each person will be charged an entrance fee of one qian. As for the Academy of Painting and Calligraphy, it will likely rely on selling paintings for a living and will have to support themselves. From now on, there will be no more redundant officials... Your calligraphy and paintings should be valuable. The Academy of Painting and Calligraphy should operate accordingly... For all calligraphy and paintings sold under the name of the Royal Academy of Painting and Calligraphy, half of the proceeds will go to the Academy, which is to hand them over to the government. Only the other half will go to the artist. This must be done through a contract. In this way, making more money is also serving the country and being loyal to the country!"

Su Wu has become obsessed with money.

These are all state-owned enterprises and public institutions; they all have to create value. No one is paid to work for free...

"Alright, alright!" Zhao Ji simply nodded; as long as no one was killed, everything was negotiable.

Su Wu stood up and waved his hand: "Move it. Apart from some household items, you don't need to bring anything else..."

Wu Yong had already approached: "Lord Zhao, please. I've brought a group of soldiers with me, and we have a carriage. Lord Li's residence over there is also ready. You can go and stay there..."

Zhao Ji took a step forward, trembling, but gradually calmed down. Was he really not going to kill him?

They just kept looking left and right, as if they really weren't going to kill him!

Completely relieved, he passed by Su Wu and bowed respectfully before him, asking, "Then...may I go out?"

Su Wu looked at Zhao Ji and nodded: "Yes! From now on, you'll be an official, so why can't you go out? Just like all the other officials in Bianjing, you'll do your duties as usual. Not to mention going out, if you have a suitable reason in the future, such as the Academy of Painting and Calligraphy making money, you can say you want to go out of the city to collect folk art, and that's fine too..."

"Then..." Zhao Ji wanted to ask something more, but he didn't know how to put it.

Su Wu said directly, "If anyone comes looking for you, talking about restoring the country or something like that, you'd better write them down and report them to the Imperial City Guard..."

"I understand, I understand..." Zhao Ji nodded repeatedly.

"Go, go quickly..." Su Wu urged.

Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) moved swiftly, first going around shouting and calling out, his wives, concubines, and children were all trembling inside the house, and now he had to personally go and call them...

While things were bustling outside, Su Wu remained seated inside Yanfu Palace...

Wu Yong, who was standing to the side, also asked, "Your Majesty, shouldn't this palace also be renovated and some things replaced, so that we can move in after Your Majesty ascends the throne?"

Su Wu was also considering this issue, not because he had any lingering resentment, but because he was wondering if the palace could also be used to make money...

But then I thought about it again, and this matter of official business also involves the face of this great nation...

The imperial city was not just a place to live, but also a place for offices, ceremonies, and more...

While Su Wu was still pondering, Wu Yong asked, "Why don't we choose another place and build a new palace? It would reflect the new dynasty and its new atmosphere, and it should be even more magnificent than this one..."

"Nonsense..." Su Wu said, "Building a new palace would cost a fortune. How could he possibly ruin the country like that?"

Then he added, "This place will do. It doesn't need much renovation, just change the everyday items. I mean the bedding and such. You don't need to change the bowls and plates... Let it be like this..."

It wasn't that Su Wu wanted to appear frugal.

However, Su Wu was still anxious. There were simply too many places in the future where he would need to spend money. Things that others couldn't even imagine were all in Su Wu's mind, and they would all require huge sums of money...

Despite the fact that he managed to rob the place, Su Wu probably didn't actually handle the money from that robbery.

Develop the whole country, and even develop maritime trade...

No amount of money can stop it...

Su Wu strode forward, heading towards the outskirts of the imperial city. There were still two or three months left; once the weather turned slightly colder, the Jurchens would surely make a comeback…

In the next two or three months, Su Wu should at least sort out the basics of the imperial court, make things smoother, and ensure that communication between the top and bottom is basically efficient...

The ascension to the throne is almost complete...

Wu Yong followed Su Wu and asked directly, "Your Majesty, shouldn't we choose an auspicious day?"

"We must make a selection, but it must be done within half a month. Everything should be kept simple: a sacrifice to Heaven and Earth will suffice, and a decree will be issued..."

It's not about being frugal, it's about not having to waste time on these things. If we really wanted to have a big celebration, we'd probably have to prepare for it for a month or two.

In Su Wu's view, offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and proclaiming the truth to the world were essential...

But everything else is meaningless; all the fancy stuff is out of the question...

"This..." Wu Yong hesitated, clearly having already consulted many people privately about this matter, which was actually quite complicated...

Some things are also very necessary, such as the Duke Yansheng of the Kong family, who are required to come and witness, and their family even needs to produce a proper set of documents...

Sacrifices are actually quite complicated. Both Buddhism and Taoism require invitations, and various immortals and bald-headed figures all require sacrificial rites...

This is what is meant by Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism...

But after looking at Su Wu's expression, Wu Yong didn't really say anything more. He decided to keep everything simple. But how simple should it be?
This is also a problem...

Su Wu simply stated, "The expenses will be within one thousand strings of cash, including the meals for that day..."

In Su Wu's own opinion, this was too much...

Wu Yong, seeing this, was naturally inwardly groaning. There had to be some grand display, right? Fine, bring the soldiers along. With more soldiers, the display would be bigger.

Then, each of the Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions is given 15 minutes to read the sacrificial text, which must be short, and then a simple ceremony is performed.

After kneeling and bowing several times, is that enough?
He ascended the throne just like that?

This is so lacking in sacredness, it seems to do justice to the eight characters "Born by Heaven, May Your Life Be Long and Prosperous"...

Su Wu hurried off, having summoned Yan Qing, for he had important business to attend to.

It was still the Funing Hall, and Su Wu was still sitting on the steps.

Yan Qing arrived and bowed in worship.

Su Wu didn't waste any words: "Take out a pen and write it down."

Yan Qing simply did as instructed.

"Three things. First, now that the Imperial City Guard is in your hands, you must reorganize it. Keep those who are useful, and send those who are not to the Imperial Guard outside the city to the capital. Then you can recruit people into the Imperial City Guard yourself. Second, the Intelligence Bureau needs to be expanded to monitor the entire country, especially the civil and military officials. There should be people from the Intelligence Bureau in every part of the country. Any official who commits a crime should be reported to us!"

After Su Wu finished speaking, he waited for Yan Qing to write it down.

It wasn't that Su Wu truly believed that the intelligence bureau could bring order to the world, but Su Wu wanted to maintain a high level of pressure on civil and military officials.

Furthermore, no matter when or what happens, there will be another channel for investigation and resolution.

Su Wu never thought about anything lasting for generations, nor did he ever imagine that he could solve all the problems of national governance and politics in the world with his own strength.

He only had one thing on his mind: to do everything in his power to develop the business...

In his hands, during his reign, he will distance China from the world.

Thus, as long as China maintains its leading position in productivity and national strength, this land of China, naturally endowed with unique advantages, can form its own world. Even if some troubles arise, future generations will have their own ambitions and capabilities...

Believe in the wisdom of future generations.

After Yan Qing finished writing, he waited for the third thing to happen.

Su Wu continued, "The third thing is that from now on, you, Yan Qing and Yan Xiaoyi, must not associate with any officials in the court! For the rest of your life, you can only live alone, even... even if you retire from office one day, you must still do so!"

Yan Qing was taken aback for a moment, then immediately nodded: "Yes, sir!"

At this moment, Su Wu was looking at Wu Yong, glancing at him sideways. Wu Yong immediately lowered his head.

"Alright, go ahead..." Su Wu waved his hand and left.

Yan Qing bowed and left quickly. Once outside the Fu Ning Hall, he paused briefly, looked up at the sky, and muttered to himself, "Then I'll raise a group of concubines..."

With that, he took another step and ran...

Inside the hall, Su Wu looked at Wu Yong and said earnestly, "Scholar Wu, you are an extremely intelligent person. Intelligent people must be careful, because intelligent people don't make small mistakes, but when an intelligent person does make a mistake, it's always a big one..."

"Your humble servant understands..." Wu Yong bowed again, his heart pounding like thunder. He immediately began to wonder if he had been somewhat lax lately...

It wasn't that I neglected my official duties, but rather that I neglected self-reflection.

When Wu Yong first joined the Prince of Yan's service, he was extremely cautious, but lately, he seems to have become somewhat lax...

"Send someone to Jingdong immediately and bring my family to the capital..." Su Wu gave one more instruction, then got up and headed out of the hall.

Wu Yong quickly followed suit, truly acting as Su Wu's secretary, listening to him on matters large and small.

"Yes, sir! I will certainly handle this matter properly..." Wu Yong's reply was even more respectful than before.

As the saying goes, serving a ruler is like serving a tiger; Wu Yong felt this deeply today.

I also secretly glanced at the Prince of Yan from behind; he was already showing the makings of a great ruler.

He truly seemed to be the emperor!

It's not just a resemblance; it is already true...

Be cautious and prudent, be extremely cautious and prudent, examine yourself three times a day...

Wu Yong kept telling himself...

But then Su Wu suddenly stopped, and Wu Yong, caught off guard, almost bumped into him.

But then Su Wu said, "Without other people's houses, everything will be domestic property from now on. Li Hang will take over all of them. None of these domestic properties will be sold, but they can be rented out at market price..."

"Yes……"

Su Wu continued walking: "Have Yan Qing immediately send spies to Yue Fei's side in the Beiting Protectorate. There's only one thing: what's the talk in the army about the change of dynasty..."

It wasn't that Su Wu didn't trust Yue Fei, nor was it that Su Wu was worried about Yue Fei... Rather, it was the mindset of an emperor who couldn't trust anyone in the world. If something was going to happen, he had to plan ahead and resolve it in advance.

Yue Fei does not represent Yue Fei alone; he represents a large group of people.

Now, Su Wu has done everything in his power to make this group of people more accepting of the situation and to lessen their psychological burden...

Now that things have come to this point, and everything is about to settle down, Su Wu has no other means or methods to comfort these people.

We should be prepared, just in case...

Of course, it's best if nothing goes wrong.

What was Yue Fei doing at that moment? He was leading the Meiliji, Yedugua, and other tribes westward to fight the Naiman...

This was something Su Wu had instructed him to do, and it was to be done once the Beiting Protectorate was stabilized and the supply of money and provisions was secured.

To bring the entire grassland under our rule, we must also move north in the future, where there are still many tribes...

Yue Fei was unaware that the Central Plains had undergone a dramatic change. On the vast grasslands, in the height of summer, the grass was lush and green, and the cattle, sheep, and horses were visibly gaining weight...

In just two or three months, autumn will be over, and heavy snow is coming...

Su Wu's war was about to begin.

During this period, Su Wu could not make any major changes; he had to prioritize stability and prepare for war.

A few days later, Zong Ze, Zhang Shuye, and others arrived in the capital...

Su Wu met them again at the Funing Palace, first seeing Zong Ze and Zhang Shuye...

Su Wu was still sitting on those steps...

The two stepped forward and bowed: "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Yan..."

"Have a seat!" Su Wu raised his hand and beckoned. Nowadays, the people moving around in the imperial city are all soldiers, and they move very quickly, so a seat came right away.

The two men sat down, their expressions strange; there was neither indignation nor displeasure, nor joy at being promoted...

A complex feeling arose, but the people still came.

The two remained silent, waiting for Su Wu to speak.

Su Wu said, "If I talk too much about the rise and fall of dynasties, it will seem like I'm boasting; if I don't talk about it... it will seem like I'm disloyal and unjust... I have to say a few words..."

The two listened attentively.

Su Wu was sincere, unlike the cold glare he showed Wu Yong. His tone was wistful: "You two study, inevitably aiming to cultivate yourselves, manage your families, govern the state, and bring peace to the world. You two are certainly not lacking in self-cultivation, nor in managing your families. So, let's talk about governing the state. What does governing the state mean? It means governing the well-being of all people. This is your duty, and you must do it well. Bringing peace to the world is the result, the outcome after you have governed the country well; it's a pursuit… I won't say much about loyalty and righteousness, nor will I ask you to talk about loyalty to any particular person. Your loyalty and righteousness is towards the people of the world, towards the nation and its people. Just fulfill your duties in your positions and do them well…"

Zong Ze finally spoke: "No matter what, we should not let the world be in chaos, but rather bring peace and order to the world..."

"Yes, that's exactly what I meant. As for right and wrong, in your opinion, I have done some things right and some things wrong. Let's not argue about it. Let's just look at the future, the people's opinions, and the opinions of our descendants. If I govern this country well and it prospers, then I will have a good reputation. If I govern the country poorly, then it may not last long..."

Su Wu himself had a complicated expression on his face.

Zong Ze sighed deeply and said nothing...

Zhang Shuye looked up at Su Wu, but didn't say anything...

Only Su Wu himself said, "The next steps are twofold: first, to stabilize the prefectures and counties, and also to keep the court in check; second, to prepare for war. Two months from now, we will set out on the expedition, and I will go personally... At that time, it will be an imperial expedition. The Jurchens must be wiped out, absolutely wiped out... You two are very familiar with the preparations for war; it's nothing more than money, provisions, weapons, and laborers. I'm at ease with you two handling it..."

Zong Ze nodded: "This is a matter of great importance to the nation, and I will certainly do my best!"

Zhang Shuye nodded in agreement...

"Alright, that's all for now..." Su Wu waved his hand, still having to meet with people, so many people.

As the two men left, Su Wu thought to himself that one day, these two men would, of their own free will and with genuine sincerity, utter words of loyalty and righteousness to him…

At that time, the world will truly be at peace.

Next, we met Zhao Sicheng, a prominent figure from the Zhao family of JD.com.

When Zhao Sicheng entered the hall, he was unlike the two before him. He bowed as soon as he entered and kept taking small, hesitant steps forward...

Upon reaching Su Wu, he bowed deeply and said, "Greetings, Your Highness, Prince of Yan!"

"Sit down!" Su Wu raised his hand.

Zhao Sicheng, however, did not sit down, and said only, "This humble official will stand..."

Su Wu didn't press the matter. After the pleasantries, he asked a single question: "How are the people's hearts among the scholars of Jingdong?"

“All of this is great joy!” Zhao Sicheng replied.

"Is that so?" Su Wu smiled.

Zhao Sicheng immediately added, "There were indeed a very small number of people who said some unpleasant things, but they were a very small minority. Many prominent families and scholarly households are eagerly awaiting..."

Su Wu nodded: "That's excellent. As a Vice Chancellor, you are essentially the Deputy Prime Minister. This reflects my attitude towards the various factions in Jingdong. The court is short of people, and you are only responsible for recommending those who are capable in Jingdong. I imagine you've received a mountain of official invitations. When recommending people, you should not avoid relatives. You should also discuss and decide with Chancellor Cheng, Chancellor Zong, and Chancellor Zhang, and then report back to me. This way, everyone's talents will be put to the best use!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhao Sicheng's expression was neither happy nor sad. He neither sought to gain any favor nor showed off any merit, as if he were truly handling official business.

Su Wu liked this way. He couldn't care less about what would happen in the future. During his reign, he only cared about three things: work, work, and more work!
Su Wu had no idea how much work he had to do.

Not only Su Wu himself had to be a work machine, but the entire court had to be the same.

If anyone can't grasp this atmosphere, no wonder Su Wu is ruthless.

This refers to Wu Yong. He's been given a warning; now it's time to see how he understands it.

"Alright, that's enough for now. No need to wait until tomorrow. Go to the Hall of State Affairs now. Things might be a bit messy, so get started early and sort things out as soon as possible..."

Su Wu saw another person off.

Li Hang came again...

Li Hang was a playboy, a spoiled brat, and a young man. Unlike the others who were too composed, he was much more unrestrained at this moment. He smiled as he entered the door and only bowed and clasped his hands in greeting when he got closer...

"Sit down!" Su Wu laughed as well, one monkey and one tether.

Li Hang plopped down on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, just give your orders..."

"Nothing more to tell you. Just manage the money well and do your job properly. If you don't, I won't let you off the hook..." Su Wu said with a smile.

Li Hang's expression changed, but he immediately smiled and said, "I understand, I understand..."

Su Wu noticed the change in Li Hang's expression and asked, "What are you afraid of?"

Li Hang feigned ignorance: "Hmm? What is Your Majesty referring to?"

Su Wu casually remarked, "What secrets have you figured out about this capital?"

Li Hang looked completely innocent: "What secrets are you referring to, Your Majesty?"

Su Wu became much more serious: "Don't blame me... It's because the people in the capital are too focused on factionalism and self-interest that the country has come to this state. Just look at the vastness of the country, with a million armored soldiers, where are they truly capable? The affairs of state are about sacrifice and war. As for sacrifice, the emperor himself has become a Taoist master and religious leader. As for war, well, you've seen it too. Without this approach, the future of the nation will be burdened with heavy baggage..."

Li Hang's expression finally darkened...

Su Wu continued, "In this way, the house is cleared, the family and the country are rebuilt, and everything will be alright. This is... a grand plan for the future of the family, the country, and the nation..."

"Understood..." Li Hang nodded gently.

The two fell silent for a moment...

Su Wu said, "Keep it from your sister... she probably won't be able to see through it..."

“Alright! I will remain silent for the rest of my life!” Li Hang nodded earnestly.

“If you ever decide you don’t want to do this anymore, just tell me. It’s up to you, it’s up to you. We can be good friends, not like other people…” Su Wu said.

"Okay, I understand!" Li Hang nodded, but his smile was somewhat fading.

“Go…” Su Wu raised his hand.

Li Hang nodded and slowly walked away...

After exiting the gate of Funing Palace and descending many steps of the imperial staircase, he turned back for one last look, gazing at the towering, majestic hall...

Turning away, I sighed as well...

Two days later, Li Gang also arrived...

Upon entering the hall, Li Gang strode forward with an imposing gait and stood ramrod straight. He approached and bowed slightly, offering a cupped-hand salute: "Greetings, Prince Yan!"

Su Wu wasn't angry at all, he just smiled and said, "What? Are you being too polite?"

Li Gang grunted and said, "Even after three days of separation, there should be a distinction between ruler and subject!"

This wasn't flattery; it was sarcastic and sarcastic...

Li Gang is not afraid of death!

"If you're unhappy or angry, that's fine. From now on, you'll see me every day, so feel free to come and scold me. But there's one thing you can do wrong: you can only scold me if I've done something wrong. I don't think you're the kind of person who doesn't distinguish right from wrong. As the Censor-in-Chief, you oversee the entire country and all officials. You can scold anyone you want. But if you retire now, you'll be stuck with this pent-up resentment for the rest of your life..."

Su Wu said with a smile...

Li Gang looked up, observing Su Wu's expression...

"Stop talking too much. If the world is to be well-governed, the people are to live, and the barbarians are to be fought, then you, me, and all the people of the world are here in China. It is your duty as a scholar to govern the country well!"

After Su Wu finished speaking, he fell silent.

Li Gang remained silent, and the two occasionally glanced at each other...

After a long while, Li Gang suddenly said, "If you can't tolerate me in the future, just kill me. I will leave my good name in the world!"

"Haha... just wait and see. If I ever get too angry with you, you'll get a beating. I'm a rough and uncouth man! If I happen to beat you to death, then your good name will be remembered!" Su Wu said with a sincere smile.

"Farewell!" Li Gang raised his hand in a gesture of respect, this time bowing deeply.

"Go straight to your shift today, don't dawdle!" Su Wu instructed from behind.

Li Gang glanced back, seemed about to say something, but didn't, and turned to leave again...

Su Wu let out a long sigh...

Alright, things are finally mostly stable now...

My mouth is dry and I'm very tired...

I'll be tired again tomorrow. I have to go out of town tomorrow; Ling Zhen is coming...

(End of this chapter)