Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 415 Rebellion against Yan and restoration of Song is our inescapable duty!
On November 19th, the Kaifeng Prefecture Examination was held in Xiangfu County. Countless scholars gathered there, and people came in an endless stream to see them off.

Everything was done quickly. The exams were completed in two days, followed by grading and the announcement of the results. There was then a wait of about a month. After the intercalary eleventh month, in early December, all the candidates from across the country would gather in Bianjing.

The Kaifeng prefectural examination was conducted at a leisurely pace. In many remote areas, examinations had been held almost continuously for some time, in order to allow candidates to set off early and arrive in Bianjing (Kaifeng)...

Candidates from many places have already been selected and are on their way to the capital.

Su Wu dressed in plain clothes today, accompanied only by a servant boy, a eunuch, and two soldiers. They left the palace through the Tong Genyue Gate, then exited from Genyue, heading towards the examination hall in Kaifeng Prefecture.

Today, another person accompanied them, namely Wu Song. He had parked his carriage outside the Genyue Gate early in the morning, and Su Wu got into his carriage as soon as he came out.

Wu Er was also very interested and asked Su Wu, "Your Majesty, is governing a country difficult?"

Su Wu was at a loss for words to answer this question, so he asked Wu Song, "Do you think it's difficult to govern an army?"

“What’s so difficult about governing an army? Everything in the army is easy to manage. Just get the people under control, establish military regulations, and then carry out the orders…” Wu Song replied.

"You make it sound so easy..." Su Wu smiled and continued, "You think governing an army is not difficult because you don't actually participate in much management. Others do these things for you, and it's also because the soldiers are united and work together... Once you return to daily life, when there aren't so many battles, so many merits to be gained, or so many rewards to earn, maintaining the army's combat effectiveness is as difficult as climbing to the sky!"

"Oh..." Wu Song nodded, but said, "Actually, I've thought about it too. If there's no war, the army will be idle. So many men gathered together, unable to play around or drink, will be bored every day. Who knows, some trouble might really break out..."

“Yes, that’s exactly right!” Su Wu nodded.

"Thinking about it this way, governing an army is indeed a troublesome matter..." Wu Song replied.

"This is what I'm thinking... You are very intelligent, literate, and skilled in battle. However... things in the future won't all be about battle. The martial arts academy in the capital is about to open. Would you like to go and sit there for a while?"

Su Wu's tone was one of discussion, not command.

"Shall I teach them how to fight in battle?" Wu Song asked.

"If you're talking about teaching someone how to fight in battle, you probably really can't teach that..." Su Wu smiled, and there was truth to what he said.

"Ah? You think I can't teach you how to fight in battle? Brother, you underestimate me!" In front of Su Wu, Wu Song was different from others; one moment he was addressing the Emperor, the next the Brother, and then himself…

Wu Song was used to it, and Su Wu wouldn't hold it against him.

Su Wu laughed: "It's not that I'm belittling you, but when it comes to teaching, those who are too powerful can't be good teachers. The martial arts academy teaches future generals, and not every general has your unparalleled strength. Therefore, your experience isn't suitable for too many people. In all our years of fighting, we've always been on the front lines, but that's not the way of generals; it's the way of fighting for one's life when the enemy is strong and we are weak. That's not how you teach people in the martial arts academy..."

"Then how can we not teach our soldiers to be brave and daring to die?" Wu Song asked.

"No, being brave and willing to die is certainly necessary, but it's incredibly complicated. Let's not talk about it now; we'll discuss it slowly another day. You'll definitely understand the complexities yourself someday. What I'm saying is, how about I let you be a student at the martial arts academy?"

Su Wu asked.

"Studying and getting into school? I can do that..." Wu Song nodded, but then asked, "Who will teach me?"

"Haha... I've selected many people, some you know, some you don't. Huyan Zhuo, you know him..." Su Wu laughed.

"He..."

"He's good. He comes from a family of military generals and is well-versed in all kinds of military strategies. He's also good at commanding in battle, and he's certainly brave and willing to die for his cause. He'd be a suitable instructor... It's a matter of learning from his strengths and making up for your weaknesses. He has strengths, so it wouldn't hurt for you to learn from him..."

“Alright…” Wu Song was never a difficult person; on the contrary, he had a kind heart.

Having never experienced the things that should have happened—avoiding revenge for his brother, being deceived by a girl's feelings, or being schemed against—Wu Song became even more pure and kind.

"The reason I want you to go is actually to set an example. You said your second brother is willing to go, so when the order comes, those arrogant and fierce soldiers in the army won't be able to complain anymore..."

Su Wu's actions had this profound meaning.

Military building is very important; this is what I just mentioned about the difficulty of governing an army.

They were soldiers under Su Wu's command, and while their combat skills were generally good, their overall quality was lacking. To maintain the army's combat effectiveness, it was necessary to start from the top down.

The martial arts academy should still be attended, even for Yue Fei, who will be staying in the capital for at least several more months. Although he is busy, he should still attend the martial arts academy.

Military management is often talked about, but it's actually a professional management discipline, and of course, it needs to be learned...

Wen Huanzhang must have been one of the main instructors at the Beijing Martial Arts Academy.

Even many people, though not teachers, still need to prepare lessons and give lectures from time to time, such as Wu Yong and Xu Guanzhong...

Even Su Wu himself.

The carriage slowly arrived outside the examination hall. Su Wu did not get out of the carriage; he and Wu Song remained inside, looking out the window...

There were countless carriages transporting students to the exam, but Su Wu's carriage was not particularly conspicuous among them.

Most of those taking the exam were young people, but there were also quite a few with gray hair...

The imperial examination system was indeed brutal...

Su Wu was looking at the hope for the future of the country. He personally drafted the questions for the Kaifeng Prefecture examination. The questions were very simple: What is a prosperous age?

There are plenty of fancy and interesting questions, and there are also plenty of questions with philosophical depth.

Sometimes, it's necessary to return to simplicity. The next country is heading in a different direction, and Su Wu wants to see what kind of society will be called a golden age.

Of course, it's also about seeing what these students are thinking.

From now on, people's livelihood will be the top priority...

He needs to possess the talent to stabilize the country and help it move forward...

Every era has different preferences for talent, and it is common for talented people to be born at the wrong time.

This was actually the first time Wu Song had seen such a scene of people taking the imperial examination, and he said, "Your Majesty, I'm reminded of Xin Wenyu in the central command tent. He's also from our Jingdong region. That lad is really good. Don't you like him too? Is he taking the exam?"

“He won’t take the exam…” Su Wu replied.

“That’s a pity… This kid is a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). It would be such a waste if he didn’t take the exam…” Wu Song replied.

Upon hearing this, Su Wu suddenly began to ponder a question.

Are systems important or not?

It wasn't just Xin Wenyu; a whole group of scholars from Jingdong were now serving in the military. These were things that, in principle, should have been tested…

I also thought of some people from the court in the past, such as a prime minister named Liang Shi. He entered officialdom through hereditary privilege and became a prefect. He then went on to take the imperial examination and became a Jinshi.

Su Wu said, "We can have him take the exam again another day."

"That would be perfect..." Wu Song was genuinely delighted, clearly he really liked that kid Xin Wenyu.

Firstly, this young man has an outgoing personality and a bold, masculine air about him; his everyday speech also reveals a fierce and courageous spirit…

Secondly, and very importantly, we're from the same hometown.

Su Wu suddenly said, "How about this, whether he takes the imperial examination or not depends on him. Let him study at the military academy first?"

“That’s good, brother, that’s really good! Brother, you mean this boy should go on to enter the Privy Council! It couldn’t be better!” Wu Song nodded repeatedly.

It all boils down to the issue of talent development.

Su Wu has this foresight, so we must use him. Xin Wenyu is a man who dares to die!
Xin Wenyu's marriage had already been arranged, and so had the marriage of her son, Xin Qiji, whom she would have in the future!

Of course, times may change and Xin Qiji may be different in the future, but as long as the family background remains the same, Su Wu still largely believes that Xin Qiji will surely become a success in the future.

Of course, what happens ten or twenty years from now remains to be seen.

Su Wu even thought that once Xin Wenyu's son was born and grew to be about halfway up the mountain, he would bring the boy into the palace to accompany the prince in his studies and martial arts practice, so that he could walk around Su Wu's side and Su Wu could personally teach him as well.

It's like Emperor Wu of Han raising Huo Qubing.

Su Wu also looked at Wu Song. Why hadn't he heard any good news yet? Why wasn't Hua Xiaoniang pregnant?

Su Wu suddenly said, "It's nothing. Just spend less time wandering around the Privy Council and less time playing around with the soldiers in the army. Go home more often, understand?"

"Huh?" Wu Song was stunned. "We finally have a few days of peace, so I wanted you to stay home a little longer..."

"Isn't this another expedition?" Wu Song asked.

"Before you go to war, stay at home and don't go out..." Su Wu was genuinely concerned. It wasn't intentional; it was just a subconscious concern. He even inquired about Wu Song's children.

"Why is that?" Wu Song was not really on his mind, so he didn't understand.

"You'll do as I say!" Su Wu said no more.

“Okay, okay…” Wu Song nodded repeatedly, but also pursed his lips.

"Let's go back..." Su Wu lowered the carriage curtain, feeling much more at ease. As long as the scholars passed the imperial examinations for the Great Yan, everything would be fine...

But in Su Wu's heart, he was plotting a major case.

Su Wu had always subconsciously believed that cases were something that were dealt with only after they occurred.

Now, I inexplicably realize that this is something that can be planned in advance.

What major case are they plotting?
After much thought, I decided to start with one place: the Ministry of Revenue. It concerns matters of vital importance to the people's livelihood, so I need to thoroughly examine the Ministry of Revenue of the imperial court first...

To uncover a major case in the Ministry of Revenue, one must start with money and grain. The Ministry of Revenue in the Song Dynasty was unique in that it was one of the six ministries under the Ministry of Personnel, and it was also under the jurisdiction of the Three Offices, namely the Salt and Iron Office, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Finance.

Salt and iron were of paramount importance for tax revenue, needless to say. The Ministry of Revenue was responsible for the overall finances, including the population, land, and taxes of the entire nation.

The Three Offices of the Song Dynasty were a government office that coordinated both the sources of revenue and the expenditures of funds. Thus, the Three Offices became a real government office.

Recently, we've been at a turning point in the imperial court, with accounts from both the old and new dynasties coming and going. Su Wu, in particular, has been receiving large sums of money and grain transferred to the Three Departments this year, keeping the court afloat...

Although Su Wu appointed officials for the Three Departments, he did not appoint his own officials for the Ministry of Revenue. Therefore, the Ministry of Revenue was staffed entirely with the old guard. Although Mei Zhanlai had killed many, there were still many of the old guard...

In this new dynasty, the matters concerning the punishment of officials and scholars should also be made known to the people of the world through this matter.

Of course, now it's a plan, and Yan Qing is to handle it.

They will take action once the matter with Zhao Gou is resolved.

The order of events is also important... We need to make sure these scholar-officials have nowhere to cry, otherwise some might actually go to Zhao Gou to cry...

On November 27th, Bianjing had already experienced a snowfall.

The weather in Guangzhou is still not cold; you only need a light jacket. If it gets windy or rainy, you can wear a light jacket over it.

Standing atop the city wall, Wang Xun looked out over the endless bandits to the north and west.

Rumors are circulating in the city that the Song Dynasty's loyalist army numbers in the millions outside Guangzhou, and that Su Wu has usurped the throne. It's said that war has broken out across the land, with loyalist rebels spreading throughout the prefectures and counties…

They're talking about the Zhong family in the Northwest; they have hundreds of thousands of cavalrymen ready to storm the capital.

Hebei and Henan have long been connected by prefectures and cities, and they will soon arrive at Bianjing (Kaifeng).

And in Jinghu and Hedong, there were rebel armies everywhere...

It all boils down to one sentence: if the city is opened today, all the people are good citizens of the Great Song Dynasty, and their merits will be richly rewarded; if the city is not opened, then they are traitors and rebels, and their entire families will be exterminated in the future...

To be honest, Guangzhou is truly far from the reach of the central government; how could these false rumors not be the work of an inside agent? The rumors have spread like wildfire among the common people, and there's no stopping them…

Wang Xun had only been there a few days and was already overwhelmed with problems, realizing that in Guangzhou, no one could be trusted...

Fortunately, the city is not short of food and supplies for the time being; the focus is on strengthening the city's defenses and preparing plenty of logs, rolling stones, and oil...

There are definitely no million bandits outside the city, but there are at least 100,000...

Bandits have always been rampant. As long as a prefecture is captured and money and grain are looted, the number of people who join the bandits will increase exponentially...

Looking at the military camps outside the city, they weren't really military camps at all; they were everywhere, in large swaths, except for a small fortified camp near the central army camp...

This scene was all too familiar to Wang Xun; bandits had their own ways…

Therefore, Wang Xun was not worried at all about defending the city. On the contrary, he was more worried about what was happening inside the city, especially those inside agents. He also knew that those who could act as inside agents in this city must be the so-called heroes of the Jianghu...

These people were quite influential among the street thugs and ruffians; they could often command a large following simply by giving them a call…

Therefore, the day after he entered the city, he issued a curfew order, forbidding anyone from moving around at night, and during the day, he sent squads of soldiers to patrol the main streets.

Even Wang Xun's verbal military orders were extremely strict. Anyone in the city who seemed idle and lazy would be found to be hiding something during investigations, especially those who appeared to be strong, skilled in martial arts, and arrogant...

Regardless of the charge, they should all be arrested first.

The prison within the government office had already begun to overflow with people...

In the last day or two, some rumors have started circulating that the army outside the city is the army of the Song Dynasty prince, Zhao Gou, the ninth son of the former Emperor Zhao. I don't know if it's true or not.

But this news made Wang Xun frown deeply...

Meanwhile, in the military camp outside the city, important matters were also being discussed.

Cao Cheng was a man in his mid-thirties, burly and tall. He didn't have a full beard, but he had a square face and looked like a resolute man.

However, Cao Cheng did not sit in the center, but only in the first seat on the left.

Who is sitting in the center?

This is Zhao Gou!

On either side were so-called military generals, a gathering of talented individuals, each one appearing both robust and fierce...

Cao Cheng kept saying, "Tomorrow, early tomorrow morning, we will attack the city. Guangzhou is full of money and goods, and the granaries are overflowing with grain. As long as we break through Guangzhou, we can have both Guangdong and Guangxi in our hands, and we can support hundreds of thousands of troops. Then we can take Quanzhou. We will have no shortage of money and grain, and we can also take the navy. Then we will succeed!"

This strategy is actually quite good.

His words stirred the emotions of everyone in the audience.

After saying this, Cao Cheng looked at Zhao Gou. Now that there was a full house and a so-called army of 100,000, Zhao Gou slowly dared to stand in front of the stage.

Now that he had come up here, he had to speak: "Uh... if you all are loyal and righteous and work together with one heart, you will surely be able to restore the country, just like Emperor Guangwu of the past. At that time, you will all be meritorious officials, and your portraits will be hung in the Zhaoxun Pavilion. Future generations will surely call you all great generals who restored the country!"

A man at the front suddenly stood up and said, "This humble general is willing to be the vanguard and go first to seize the championship!"

The speaker was Yang Zaixing!

This person was very young, tall, but not bulky. He had a dark complexion, slightly high cheekbones, and bulging muscles on both sides of his face. He had long arms and legs and thick fingers.

This man has Miao ethnicity, and the long knife at his waist is not the type commonly used in the military.

This man was a renowned general in the Song-Jin Wars of history. Wearing multiple layers of armor, he could charge through thousands of Jin soldiers as if they were nothing.

In the Battle of Xiaoshanghe, he led only 150 cavalrymen, yet encountered the majority of the Jin army. In the ensuing skirmish, he killed and wounded over 2,000 Jin soldiers, including the Jin general Saba Bojin and a thousand-household commander.

He was riddled with arrows and fought to the death. After his death, his body was burned, and the arrowheads that were burned amounted to two liters.

These men are incredibly brave and fierce!

The so-called righteous army has relied almost entirely on Yang Zaixing to conquer cities and strongholds. Now, Yang Zaixing is Cao Cheng's number one general. How could he not be the first to charge into battle tomorrow?
Historically, it was Yue Fei who personally quelled Cao Cheng's rebellion. Among the most difficult figures to suppress was Yang Zaixing, one of Yue Fei's fierce generals. Many of Yue Fei's generals were killed or wounded by Yang Zaixing. Han Shunfu, whose arm was cut off by Yang Zaixing, eventually died from his injuries. Yue Fei's brother, Yue Fan, also died directly at the hands of Yang Zaixing.

Later, he was captured, recruited into the army, and fought for the country, where he became even more courageous!
Upon seeing Yang Zaixing, Zhao Gou smiled broadly and exclaimed, "General Yang is mighty!"

Yang Zaixing bowed respectfully: "Resisting Yan and restoring Song is our inescapable duty!"

Even these heroes of the martial world, though they rebelled, were not against the Zhao Emperor; they were still devoted to serving the monarch, a truly remarkable sight of this era.

Moreover, the king is right before us today.

(End of this chapter)