Destroy Jin and conquer Song, and carry the Northern Expedition through to the end

Chapter 33: Right and Wrong, Merits and Demerits, Will Be Judged by Future Generations

Wei Rujun was even bolder and pouted directly, "Father, there's no need to criticize me. I know I'm not very capable, but I've done my share of selling wine. If you ask me to go to Jiankang and live with my relatives as a lady, I really can't do it. I might as well try to become a female general."

Wei Sheng continued to sneer, "What a female general! You've seen blood today, and you've stood up straight, but what kind of battlefield is this? The real fighters today only totaled a thousand! Do you think you're capable just because you saw a few dead? Let me tell you, on a real battlefield, people are bloody people, horses are bloody horses. If you don't rinse with warm water, your armor will be clotted with blood and can't be removed.

The blood on your body belongs to the enemy, to your comrades, and possibly to me, and even more likely to your brothers. Can you hold on?"

Wei Rujun's face turned pale and her stomach churned when she thought of the brain matter that splashed on her face this morning.

Wei Sheng shook his head. "Take your eldest brother, for example. He's reckless and reckless, acting without regard for the consequences. Even if the enemy is outnumbered, he still dares to charge in alone. If he can always win, it's fine. But if the odds are against him, he'll be the first to die. Ah Jun, let me ask you, when you saw Dalang's head right in front of you, did you still have any spear or club skills left?"

Wei Rujun carefully raised his head and looked at Liu Huai, his face becoming even paler.

"Daddy, I..."

Liu Huai interrupted Wei Rujun's explanation and said sternly, "If father appoints me as a general, he should give me the right to act at his own discretion. If I cannot do things on my own, then I will serve as your personal guard."

The words were soft, but the meaning was very hard.

"Great, you've really grown up! You're all such stubborn bastards." Wei Sheng laughed angrily, pointing his finger at Liu Huai's nose and cursing, "It's easy to take advantage of your power on the battlefield, but it's easy to use the government's power to divide up the land. That's the right of the government and the court. How dare you? We're sending troops to the north because we're loyal subjects of the Song Dynasty, not rebels!"

Liu Huai listened quietly to Wei Sheng's questioning, but didn't answer. Instead, he asked another question: "Zhang Bo has been a traitor for many years. Does he think the same way?"

"Zhang Diwan has been a fisherman in Liangshan Lake for the past twenty years, fighting against the Jin since the Jianyan era. He only rebelled a few years ago because of Huashigang." Wei Sheng grew increasingly furious. "Even after the Huaixi Rebellion, when that traitor Qin Hui framed the generals under General Liu (Liu Guangshi), he didn't bring this up! And now... you're actually calling him a traitor?"

Liu Huai was silent.

He suddenly realized that he was wrong.

In his opinion, Zhang Rong and his men were peasant rebels with deep hatred and deep resentment... In fact, later scholars also defined them in this way... But in fact, they had been officers and soldiers for much longer than they had been bandits.

As for rebellion, to be honest, it was a trivial matter during the Jing Kang and Jian Yan years.

Apart from anything else, most of the officers in the Tokyo Garrison where Yue Fei once served were rebels and bandits recruited by Zong Ze.

Back to Zhang Rong, he won a great victory in the war against the Jin Dynasty, and the Zhao Song court rewarded him and gave him the official titles he deserved. Later, he suffered because of the downfall of Liu Guangshi, which was also an ordinary political struggle.

Therefore, it is possible to say that Zhang Rong hated Song Huizong and corrupt officials, but no one would believe it if he said he hated Zhao Gou.

If Zhang Rong and his subordinates were not devoted to the country, how could they hide their identities and wait for the right time in the territory of Jin, and not reveal any news for so many years?

Suddenly, Liu Huai also realized the difference between himself and Wei Sheng and Zhang Rong.

For Zhang Rong and Wei Sheng, thunder, lightning, rain and dew were all grace from the emperor. Before they encountered the twelve golden medals, the Song Dynasty had only grace.

So even in real history, when the Song and Jin dynasties negotiated peace again and forced Wei Sheng to give up Shandong, Wei Sheng still died fighting for the Southern Song Dynasty.

But for Liu Huai, if the small Southern Song court gave up the Northern Expedition, it would also lose its status as the orthodox ruler of the Central Plains. As the saying goes, "Han and traitors cannot coexist, and the king's cause cannot be half-hearted."

Is the court that compromised with the Jin thieves still the orthodox Han dynasty? Is the kingship that lived in a corner still the kingship?
Since it was not Wang Ye, why did Liu Huai sell his life and property to the Zhao Song government?
Why?
Just because his surname is Zhao?
Seeing Liu Huai's silence, Wei Sheng realized he had spoken too harshly. He sighed and said, "The Jin thieves treat the Han people as if they were not human beings. The only support we Han people have is the Song Dynasty. Don't think of rebelling. Otherwise, there will be no place for you in this vast world."

Wei Sheng knew his adopted son well and automatically ruled out the possibility of investing money.

Liu Huai remained silent for a long time. After a moment, he raised his head and looked directly into Wei Sheng's eyes. "Father, tell me the truth. If one day the government also gave you twelve gold medals, what would you do?"

Even though Wei Sheng was still angry, he was happy after hearing this.

"Let's not talk about whether I have the ability of Marshal Yue or not. We just took Lianshui. Isn't it a bit premature to talk about what will happen after we open up the situation?"

Liu Huai said nothing, but just looked straight into Wei Sheng's eyes.

The smile on Wei Sheng's face gradually disappeared. While stroking his beard, he actually looked away and became speechless.

Zong Ze was abandoned in Tokyo to die, and Yue Fei was called back when he was about to accomplish his great mission. What virtue or ability did Wei Sheng have to guarantee that he would not be recalled by Zhao Gou?
This was a desperate dilemma in the feudal era.

What should we do when a capable minister is paired with a foolish ruler?
A capable minister can either become a traitor like Cao Cao, or die like Yue Fei.

As for being Zhuge Liang?

Sorry, there is only one Zhuge Liang throughout history, and there can only be one Zhuge Liang.

Seeing Wei Sheng unable to answer, Liu Huai said directly, "What my son wants to do is never rebellion, but to make the Song Dynasty never give up the north again. I am not afraid of death, but if we can accomplish great things but still have to retreat, it would be better not to go to the north. Maybe fewer people will die."

Wei Sheng's face had turned livid, but Liu Huai remained oblivious and continued to speak sincerely, "You'll end up as a wealthy man sooner or later anyway, so it's better to leave the army sooner rather than later..."

Just when Wei Sheng was getting angry and embarrassed by the squeeze, a familiar voice came from outside the door to save him.

"Wei Dadao, let me recommend someone to you. Remember, I've never been here before!"

Liu Huai recognized the voice as Xu Tongpan's and hurriedly opened the door, but only saw his back as he rode away on horseback.

Standing in the corridor was the middle-aged scholar whom he had met in the Qianjun camp before. When he saw Liu Huai, he smiled and bowed.

Liu Huai was confused. Wasn't this the scholar Wei Sheng had recruited? Why did Judge Xu recommend him?
Wei Sheng frowned and asked, "Who are you?"

"I am Lu You, the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple." The middle-aged scholar continued to bow and said earnestly, "I would like to ask for a position as a clerk from General Wei."

"please!"

(End of this chapter)