Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 77: Thieves can be fierce and scary! (First order required)

It was obvious that it was not so easy for Su Wu to trust Lin Chong in front of him, although he knew that Lin Chong was not a treacherous villain.

This is a very risky matter, so you have to be extremely cautious.

So, Su Wu really drew his sword and handed it to Lin Chong who was sitting on the big wooden yoke.

Lin Chong gripped the knife handle tightly, first holding the knife horizontally, and then pointing the blade towards himself.

His hands were not moving, but his head was moving. He leaned forward and his face was pressed against the blade. The face went back and forth on the blade several times.

Su Wu had sharpened this sword in the Yanggu County Government Office not long ago, and it became extremely sharp.

Just looking at that face, it was immediately covered in blood, with seven or eight horizontal cuts on each cheek. They were not deep, but the flesh was turned inside out, which was shocking in an instant.

Lin Chong gritted his teeth, not shouting or crying out. He loosened his grip and the knife fell to the ground with a clanking sound. Lin Chong said, "Please give me a new name and a story of my origin, Chief Eunuch!"

"Alas..." Su Wu looked at it quietly and sighed slightly. Once the wound healed, this face would be covered with centipede scars, which was extremely scary.

It is said that Lin Chong does not have the temperament of a warrior, so how could he not be so fierce at this moment?

"You have found this way out!" Su Wu nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "He is from Tokyo, his last name is Yang and his name is Tian. He is the eldest disciple that Master Luan accepted in Tokyo many years ago!"

After Su Wu finished speaking, he turned around and asked Luan Tingyu: "Master Luan, how is it?"

Luan Tingyu nodded: "He is also skilled in spear and stick, and I am also good at spear and stick, so this is suitable. Changing the surname Lin to Yang is also suitable. Chongtian means anger and resentment, so Yangtian is also good!"

Lin Chong didn't care about the blood on his face, he bowed and replied: "From today on, I am Master Luan's disciple Yang Tian in Tokyo!"

Su Wu said, "Master Luan, take off his wooden yoke and find a doctor who can treat the wound."

After saying that, Su Wu walked to the door, and Luan Tingyu took off the wooden yoke for Lin Chong and took out a handkerchief from his bosom to wrap Lin Chong's face.

As soon as Lin Chong came out again, Su Wu went to see him again, but he had a smiling face: "I believe you!"

Lin Chong bowed and Luan Tingyu carried him and hurried away.

After all this, Su Wu was not actually that happy at heart, so he went to the stable beside the parade ground, rode a horse, and held a spear.

He was riding his horse left and right on the parade ground. There were several straw targets that Luan Tingyu had set up in the past two days. Su Wu was running back and forth, stabbing them one by one.

The gun is truly fired with every shot, and each shot is steady, accurate and powerful.

Su Wu could even roll over on horseback and wield the spear very skillfully. Although he encountered danger from time to time, Su Wu was not afraid of falling off his horse because he was determined to learn all that Luan Tingyu taught.

After practicing for more than an hour, Su Wu was sweating all over. Then a soldier standing guard at the camp gate came running over and shouted, "General, an official from the government office has come to see you."

Su Wu rode his horse towards the camp gate. The man looked familiar. When Cheng Wanli escaped from the government office before, he hid in this man's house.

As the man was greeting him, Su Wu dismounted and bowed, asking, "May I know your name, brother, and what is your position?"

The man smiled and answered, "I am Zhang Zhen, and I work as a clerk in the government office."

"You're polite!" Su Wu was not as arrogant as Dong Ping.

Zhang Zhen immediately bowed again, only slightly more than Su Wu's, and said, "The lord has sent me to invite you, General, please go to the government office as soon as possible."

Su Wu handed the reins to the soldier beside him, walked forward, and also asked: "I don't know what's going on?"

Zhang Zhen just smiled and said, "Although I know about this, the Prime Minister has instructed me not to tell the general in advance. This is a good thing."

good thing?

Su Wu nodded: "Then let's go quickly."

"Okay!" Zhang Zhen nodded.

Su Wu suddenly talked about what happened before: "Zhang Yasi was quite courageous. He dared to hide my husband at home..."

This is a compliment, and also an active way to bring the relationship closer.

Zhang Zhen replied: "It is because of my husband's trust that he dares to hide in my home."

"Isn't Zhang Ya Shi afraid that Dong Ping will settle accounts with him later?" Su Wu asked.

Zhang Zhen just laughed: "The prefect is a fifth-rank official, and Dong Ping is a chief eunuch. How can they be compared? How can we not help the prefect but be afraid of Dong Ping?"

This matter sounds simple, but at that moment when chaos and fighting were about to break out, Zhang Zhen must have acted decisively in an instant, bringing the prefect home, and even dared to go out to check the situation at the first opportunity. This was truly extraordinary.

No matter what he thought at the time, even if it was a conspiracy theory, it was extraordinary.

Su Wu nodded and suddenly asked, "The Office of the Chief Eunuch is in need of someone to handle documents. Would Zhang Yashi be willing to work in the Office of the Chief Eunuch?"

Zhang Zhen was actually thinking seriously about it, and he also said, "This matter still needs the decision of the prefect."

"That is..." Su Wu nodded and said, "Being around the prefect is easy and prestigious. But in the governor's office, there are many things to do, such as suppressing bandits and catching thieves, so it may not be a good place to be."

There is something else behind Su Wu's words.

Zhang Zhen seemed to have made up his mind, so he smiled and said, "I understand what the governor said. I am just a minor official. Even if I work in the government office all my life, I am still just a minor official. If I can go to the governor's office, and if I really have merit in suppressing bandits, even if it is for the general's logistics, and I mention it in the memorial of meritorious service, maybe I can really get an official position in this life. I have made up my mind and am willing to go, but it is difficult for me to say anything to the prefect, so please ask the general. Then if the general asks, I will nod and agree, and everyone will be happy."

The more Su Wu listened to these words, the more he liked Zhang Zhen. He liked Zhang Zhen as a person with a smart mind, good knowledge of human relations, and a decisive and courageous person. He was a talented person.

Then he thought of Song Jiang. Song Jiang was just a bailiff who could never become an official even if he worked in the county government for his entire life. But Song Jiang also had a dream of becoming an official!
This dream really illuminated everyone in Liangshan.

Su Wu nodded and replied: "Okay, I will speak to you later!"

Su Wu is short of people, no matter what kind of talents they have, so the more the better. As for the level of their talents, we will have to wait and see when they are used.

The two chatted for a while and then arrived at the government office.

Su Wu went straight to the study in the back hall, and Zhang Zhen naturally did not follow him.

In the study, Cheng Wanli sat there with a chuckle, touching his slightly wide belly. Seeing Su Wu coming, he said, "No need to be polite, come and sit down!"

Su Wu still cupped his hand, and then sat down, smiling, "Sir, why did you come to summon me so urgently?"

Cheng Wanli did not keep the secret. He took out a piece of brocade cloth with border from his bosom, spread it out, and handed it to Su Wu. He just smiled and said, "How about hurry up?"

Su Wu took over the imperial edict stamped with the seal of the Tokyo Privy Council. At this moment, Su Wu was officially the military commander of Dongping Prefecture, and his name was registered in the imperial court.

However, Su Wu’s military official title was not general, but the sixth-rank Zhenwei Colonel.

Some people have always called Su Wu a general, and even Dong Ping a general. Logically, it should be Su Xiaowei, but Su Wu really didn't think about it seriously, and he didn't have time to think about it. In fact, only the fifth rank can be a general, such as the fifth rank guerrilla general. It doesn't matter, Su Wu just bowed his hands to thank him, and replied: "It's really fast."

"We sent fast horses and sent letters to urge our colleagues, so how can we not be fast?"

Cheng Wanli then stretched out his hand to the coffee table and pushed it slightly. A small lacquered wooden box appeared, which he also pushed in front of Su Wu.

When Su Wu opened it, he saw that it was a genuine official seal.

I was somewhat disappointed. It was small, very small, made of copper, about the size of... a beverage bottle cap.

That’s fine…

Just thank you again.

Cheng Wanli smiled and waved his hands: "No need to thank me so much, it's all what you deserve. It's just that the letter to Secretary Tong was sent a few days late, otherwise, maybe the reply would have come, and maybe there would have been an official document asking this government to send someone to the Jingdong East Road Transportation Bureau to collect the money, and maybe there would have been good armor sent to you from the armory in Tokyo."

Cheng Wanli spoke very proudly.

To Su Wu, it sounded like the sweet music of celestial beings. It would be great if he had someone in the court to get things done, especially someone who was in charge of this matter.

Cheng Wanli continued, "We are here to suppress the bandits, which means we have to fight a war. How can the Privy Council let it go? How can they not help? If we suppress the big bandits, the Privy Council will also have a credit in the court..."

This prefect is really working hard!
He really believed that the task of suppressing the bandits could be accomplished, so he worked so hard.

Good!

It was time for Su Wu to say something polite: "Don't worry, sir. How can I not risk my life? How can I be sorry for your efforts? How can I be sorry for the Privy Council and the court's expenditure?"

Cheng Wanli was particularly happy to hear this: "Wait a few more days, wait for the Privy Council to come back and ask, there will definitely be more results."

"What a great man you are, sir! How can I not believe what you say?" Su Wu had to praise his boss and manage him better.

If no one from the Privy Council showed up, Cheng Wanli would have to back down from this situation. How could he not try harder on his own?

Cheng Wanli was naturally pleased to be praised, and asked: "If you have any other difficulties, just tell me."

"Yes, sir. The Office of the Imperial Guard is also short of manpower. I think Zhang Zhen, the bailiff, is a good candidate. I want to borrow him to the Office of the Imperial Guard for a while. Is it possible?"

Su Wu just looked very sincere.

Cheng Wanli actually frowned. It was obvious that the first person he trusted in this government office was Zhang Zhen.

Just think about it, if Su Wu wanted to borrow it before, I'm afraid he would not be able to borrow it.

Now Cheng Wanli is no longer the same person in the government office as before. He is full of prestige and looks very respectable.

"Okay, as long as he is willing, it's no problem to lend it to you. I'll ask him later." Cheng Wanli nodded in agreement.

This boss is good, no matter how you look at it, Su Wu has decided in his heart that this boss will be his boss in recent years, and he does not want to change him!

You must not replace anyone.

If he wanted to keep the same boss for a few years, it seemed he would have to do more work on upward management and keep Cheng Wanli in check.

Su Wu just kept thanking him, and the more he thanked, the happier he became.

Cheng Wanli suddenly stopped smiling and asked seriously, "Do you know? I heard that there are big bandits in Qingzhou. There are many bandits in this mountain and that mountain. They are fighting with the Qingzhou government troops. The Qingzhou Military Supervisor Huang Xin is already in a state of panic. The Qingzhou Governor Murong is also reporting military information to the Privy Council. Privy Councilor Tong also wrote to us to ask about the situation in Qingzhou..."

How could Su Wu not know what was going on when he heard this?
Huang Xin, the Guardian of Three Mountains, was currently trying to suppress the big bandits in the three mountains, but it was obvious that Huang Xin was unable to keep them under control.

Fortunately, there is Huang Xin's master, Qin Ming, the commander of the Qingzhou army, who is famous for his might and can keep the situation under control for the time being.

Those three mountains are not easy to control. Qingfeng Mountain now has Yanshun, the golden-haired tiger, Wang Ying, the dwarf tiger, and Zheng Tianshou, the fair-faced man.

Erlong Mountain is even more dangerous. Master Lu Zhishen is on Erlong Mountain at this time, as is Yang Zhi, the Green-faced Beast. Both of them are extremely dangerous. Wu Song was supposed to be on this mountain later, but now that Wu Song has changed his fate, he will not go there again.

Taohua Mountain is a little worse, it has the tiger-fighting general Li Zhong and the little tyrant Zhou Tong.

Now there are several big thieves together, and Qingzhou is under great pressure.

After a few days, the situation could no longer be controlled. Even Qin Ming was driven away by Song Jiang's destructive plan to wipe out the entire family. If the imperial court had not arrived to reinforce the city, I'm afraid Qingzhou City would have been lost at that time.

As a result, Wang Ying and others from Qingfeng Mountain went to Liangshan to join the gang. This was the first time that Liangshan's strength increased significantly.

Later, bandits from the White Tiger Mountain rose up in Qingzhou, and together with bandits from the Erlong Mountain and the Peach Blossom Mountain, the three mountains, plus the Liangshan troops led by Song Jiang, broke into the city of Qingzhou and looted the place. The people from the three mountains took the spoils of Qingzhou and went to Liangshanpo together.

From then on, the power of Liangshan increased several times and became uncontrollable.

These are all things of the future. What is happening now is what Cheng Wanli said. There are big bandits in several mountains. They are robbing houses and disturbing the people. They also have frequent exchanges with government troops. They cannot be wiped out. The governor of Qingzhou, Murong, is in a state of panic.

When Su Wu heard this, he immediately said to Cheng Wanli, "Sir, we are all in the east of Jingdong. It's only 600 miles from Dongping Prefecture to Qingzhou, and it only takes a few days to walk there. Now, it seems that there are big and small thieves in the surrounding prefectures. If the thieves really break into a prefecture city and plunder it, their power will surely increase greatly. I'm afraid there will be no place for us to live in peace in the future. We should be prepared for danger even when we are in peace!"

"Hmm? What you said does make sense. I understand what you mean. Even if a big thief really arises in the surrounding prefectures, we should go to rescue him... In this way, if we really encounter a big thief in the future, we can also ask someone to rescue us. That's what we should think about."

Cheng Wanli is a know-it-all, and he reacts very quickly when it comes to matters involving his own safety.

"That's exactly what I meant. Your Excellency should report this to the Privy Council. There are many bandits here. If these bandits collude with each other, their power will be very strong. Therefore, our prefectures should have a certain power to make temporary decisions. We should help each other in suppressing the bandits and ensure that all prefectures are not lost. Your Excellency's report will be effective in suppressing the bandits, which will be a great achievement."

Su Wu was making efforts to manage upwards, and after only three or two months, he would have to lead his troops out to work.

As I said, if we can afford to keep this big thief, we must be able to keep him within our grasp.

In the story, the reason why Qin Ming of Qingzhou suffered such a terrible defeat was also because the reinforcements from various places of the imperial court arrived late.

Cheng Wanli nodded and said, "You are right. These bandits all talk about loyalty first. It is not difficult for them to collude and make peace. If our prefectures do not move their troops, I am afraid something big will happen. I will listen to you and send another letter of petition to Secretary Tong."

Cheng Wanli now only waited for Su Wu's advice on matters of safety and danger. He was extremely perceptive, and he was also the first one who had the misfortune to experience the rebellion of the great bandits.

Thieves can be fierce and scary!
"Sir, in a few days, I will go to Daming Prefecture to buy horses and iron. After a while, I want to go to Qingzhou to see how the bandits are doing. After finding out, you can reply to Tong Shumi's letter of inquiry, so that we can prepare early."

What do you call this, Su Wu? This is called sharing the worries of my husband.

What's more, Su Wu has to fool Master Lu of Erlong Mountain first. If he succeeds, the army under his command will be like a green dragon on the left and a white tiger on the right.

"That's fine, that's fine. Since you're working so hard to do our job, Secretary Tong will definitely feel that we've done a good job." Cheng Wanli had no choice but to agree, but he was afraid that Su Wu was unwilling to do it.

When facing the benevolent Prime Minister Tong Guan, one has to work hard so that he can be promoted and return to Beijing early.

The music and tunes in the capital city are so beautiful and melodious, but in Dongping Prefecture there is only the sound of vomiting and mocking. It is really not a place for people to stay.

In the Song Dynasty, there were no beautiful lyrics or music to be heard. Was that a place for elegant people like literati and scholars to stay?
(Brothers, after 17,000 words, I am running out of energy. I am going to sleep for a while.)
(End of this chapter)