I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 245: The Whole Gang Accepts Amnesty and Buys Big in the Market

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After receiving news from Yuwen Xuzhong that the imperial court was going to send someone to offer them amnesty, Song Jiang ordered people to take out gold, jewels, silks, satins, and other items from the treasury and distribute them to the leaders and military officers.

He then ordered a ten-day market confiscation, selling useless items at low prices to nearby residents.

During this period, pigs, cattle, and sheep were slaughtered, and fine wine was brewed. Anyone who came to the mountain village to buy goods was treated to food and drink.

At the same time, Song Jiang gathered his leaders together and openly discussed with them the matter of accepting the imperial court's offer of amnesty.

Most leaders have expressed their support for this.

They knew all too well that they had long wandered the martial world, nominally a righteous army, but in reality, they were like rootless duckweed. This precarious existence had long since worn them down. Being offered amnesty by the imperial court meant escaping this life of constant displacement, entering officialdom, and bringing honor to their ancestors. This was undoubtedly extremely tempting to them.

Some leaders knew that despite their formidable reputation in the martial world, they were ultimately just commoners, unable to contend with the legitimate imperial court. If they could seize this opportunity to submit to the court, they could not only shed their bandit reputation but also transform themselves from outlaw heroes into court officials serving the country and leaving their mark on history.

Some of these leaders were formerly generals of the imperial court. Forced to temporarily become bandits for reasons that could not be openly discussed, they were now finally able to return to the court, resume their former military careers, serve their country loyally, and reclaim the glory and dignity temporarily obscured by the smoke of war. Moreover, having endured so much hardship and injustice, and having rendered so much service to the court, they naturally deserved to return and be rewarded.

For these leaders, Song Jiang's plan to lead them to accept the imperial amnesty was the final step in their quest for official positions, a path of "murder and arson to gain amnesty." Naturally, they were overjoyed and ecstatic.

The problem is, once the team gets too big, it becomes difficult to manage.

Some people were willing to accept the imperial court's offer of amnesty, while others were not.

Today's main focus is on the confrontation between Song Jiang and the leaders who are willing to accept the imperial amnesty, and those who are not.

Inside the tent, the candlelight flickered, illuminating faces that were either resolute or hesitant. Song Jiang sat in the main seat, his gaze deep, as if he could see into the thoughts of each leader. He spoke slowly, his voice steady and powerful: "Brothers, although we are of humble origins, we are loyal and righteous, and all our actions have been in accordance with the will of Heaven. We have acted uprightly and justly, which is why the court values ​​us and wishes to offer us amnesty. Today, I have gathered you all here to discuss this matter of great importance concerning our fate."

As soon as Song Jiang finished speaking, the leaders who supported the amnesty nodded in unison, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. However, dissenting voices also arose.

Lu Zhishen said in a deep voice, “Brother, it’s not that I’m disobeying you, but the officials, gentry and landlords we’ve killed are at least eight or ten thousand, if not ten thousand. Countless high-ranking officials in the court have blood feuds with us. If we accept the amnesty, wouldn’t we be walking into a trap and handing our lives over to our enemies? Although we wander the Jianghu, we are free. Why should we put up with that humiliation and live in constant fear that we will be framed by treacherous officials one day?”

Lu Zhishen's words were reasonable and persuasive, and the leaders who opposed the amnesty echoed him, their expressions full of vigilance.

This was precisely the most important reason why many leaders opposed being granted amnesty. They were well aware of how many officials, gentry, and landlords they had killed, and even more aware of the deep connections these officials, gentry, and landlords had with officials in the imperial court.

Take the Song Qiaonian family, which they eliminated, for example. Behind them was Cai Jing, a powerful minister, and many other ministers with considerable power.

If they accept the imperial court's offer of amnesty and serve as officials alongside Cai Jing and others, who can guarantee that Cai Jing and others will not retaliate against them?
Wu Yong said to Lu Zhishen, “We have eliminated officials, gentry, and landlords for the government, clearing away obstacles to the implementation of the two new policies. How could the government not appreciate our loyalty and righteousness and protect us? Furthermore, our uprising is for the sake of the country and the people, to act on behalf of Heaven. Imagine, if we continue to wander among the common people, although we may have temporary pleasure, we will never amount to anything and will live a precarious life. When will we ever be able to truly realize our ambitions and save the people from suffering?”

Wu Yong spoke earnestly, attempting to persuade the crowd with righteous indignation. He continued, "In this court, treacherous officials run rampant, colluding with local officials, gentry, and landlords, making it difficult for Your Majesty to implement your two new policies. It is precisely because of us loyal and righteous ministers that Your Majesty needs to weaken the power of these treacherous officials and restore order to the court. This is a matter of righteousness. How can we, loyal and patriotic people, abandon the greater good for our own safety?"

Lu Zhishen was immediately rendered speechless by Wu Yong's words.

Wu Yong knew that he could persuade a loyal and righteous person like Lu Zhishen with the concept of righteousness, but he couldn't persuade the vast majority of people from humble backgrounds. They cared more about immediate interests than about that vague and ethereal concept of righteousness.

really!

Seeing Lu Zhishen speechless after being refuted, Li Kui couldn't hold back and shouted in a gruff voice, "I don't care about those damn principles! I only know that we are eating meat in large chunks and drinking wine in large bowls now, and we are having a great time! If we surrender to the court, wouldn't we be bound by those damn rules? I don't care about being a high-ranking official. I just want to be with my brothers and live a carefree life!"

Upon hearing Li Kui's words, many leaders who opposed the amnesty nodded in agreement, their expressions revealing their longing for their current free and unrestrained lives.

"You black scoundrel, you're not in charge of the household, how would you know how much food is needed to feed this army of 200,000 every day? Come, let me tell you. Each soldier needs two liters of rice a day, so 200,000 people would consume 400,000 liters a day, about 400 shi, which would be 12,000 shi per month, and a full 144,000 shi per year!"

"A shi (a unit of dry measure) of the finest white rice costs about one guan (a unit of currency), while a shi of medium-quality unpolished rice costs about eight hundred guan. Our army mostly eats unpolished rice to stave off hunger, and the daily food expenses alone amount to three hundred and twenty guan, which adds up to ten thousand guan a month and a staggering one hundred and twenty thousand guan a year!"

"Brothers, although you have amassed a great fortune by robbing the rich, it is only because those you have robbed are wealthy officials, gentry, and landlords, allowing you to live a carefree life. But how long can our Great Song Dynasty support us by robbing the rich to help the poor? Three months, five months, or a year?"

"Once we've killed all the wealthy officials, gentry, and landlords, how will we feed these 200,000 brothers? At that time, just feeding these 200,000 people will be a huge worry for us. In that case, are we really going to plunder the people like bandits?"

"If we accept the imperial court's offer of amnesty, our provisions and pay will be allocated by the court, and we will no longer have such worries. Moreover, we can become high-ranking officials, ride fine horses, bring glory to our ancestors, and secure titles and honors for our wives and children. Wouldn't that be truly carefree and happy?"

“Moreover, the imperial army has already marched south, and that scoundrel Fang La has gathered hundreds of thousands of men to plot against Jiangnan. We are caught in the middle, and we are bound to choose one side. If we hesitate and waver, we will be attacked from both sides and fall into a desperate situation. At that time, our two hundred thousand brothers will either be displaced or die on the battlefield. What carefree life will we have then?” Ruan Xiaoqi was still uneasy about accepting the imperial court's offer of amnesty. He asked, “Why don’t we join forces with Fang La?”

In fact, not only Ruan Xiaoqi, but many leaders also saw them as a righteous army. Fang La's army was also a righteous army. They were all from humble backgrounds, and they all killed officials, gentry and landlords to resist tyranny and injustice. They were of the same ilk and it seemed natural for them to join forces with Fang La to resist the government army. Moreover, this would allow them to maintain their existing freedom and passion, and they would not have to worry about the revenge of their former enemies.

Crucially, during this period, Fang La kept sending people to discuss the alliance between the two sides. Fang La even stated that as long as Song Jiang's rebel army was willing to join forces with Fang La's rebel army to defeat the government forces, he was willing to share the country with Song Jiang.

"Fang La is a short-sighted fellow, not worth mentioning! Observing his actions, although he initially bewitched the people with the excuse of 'unequal distribution of food and wealth' and rose to power by taking advantage of the Manichaeism, he did not think about governing the region. He only thought about using the talk of ghosts and gods to numb his subordinates and soldiers. He also ignored the good advice of his subordinates and strategists. He was stubborn and self-willed, only concerned with seizing the territory in front of him. He refused the good advice of his strategist Lü to go north and blockade the Yangtze River. How could he achieve anything great?"

"Looking at their military system, they are called a million strong, but in reality they are a rabble. They have no training methods, no provisions for food and pay. In every battle, they drive the old and weak to the front lines, while the elite guard the rear. They spread rumors and use the talk of ghosts and gods to deceive the masses, relying on sheer numbers to win. How can such ant-like thieves grow strong?"

"Fang La has neither the ability to govern the world nor the hope of the people. He also lacks strategies for building a strong army. Moreover, he has no treasury reserves and is incapable of governing. He only knows how to kill and destroy, and does not know how to govern. Wherever he goes, he is like a locust plague. How can he last long? How can he be worthy of being ranked with us?! If we conspire with him, we will only be aiding and abetting evil, and one day we will surely become ghosts under the sword!"

At this point, Wu Yong smiled contemptuously: "Although Fang La also killed officials, gentry and landlords, he was not acting on behalf of Heaven like us. Observing that he hastily proclaimed himself a saint before his great cause was accomplished, he was determined to change the dynasty. He has little ability but great ambition. Sooner or later, he will be beheaded and killed, regardless of age. Why should we accompany him on this deadly path? Moreover, what he did was a rebellious act, which is contrary to our original intention of acting on behalf of Heaven."

After a pause, Wu Yong bowed towards Tokyo and said, “His Majesty is wise and mighty. In just a few years, he has devised flawless strategies and led his troops without delay. He has recovered Qinghai, Western Xia, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, and reclaimed the tribute extorted from the Liao Dynasty last year, thus consolidating the great cause. Furthermore, with his brilliant strategies, he has implemented two new policies, bringing great order to the north of our dynasty. If we were to join the court, we could borrow His Majesty's authority to quell the treacherous forces in the south and implement the two new policies there. In that case, we would achieve great merit. In private, we would establish our own achievements; in public, we would help the world and save the people. It would be a win-win situation.”

Li Kui shouted, "What virtue or ability does Fang La have? How can he be compared to my brother? In my opinion, we should invite my brother to be the emperor and we should all be generals. Wouldn't that be wonderful!"

"Don't spout nonsense, you black-hearted fellow! You're trying to frame me for disloyalty and injustice!" Song Jiang's face darkened as he interrupted Li Kui. His gaze swept across the entire room. "What virtue or ability does Song Jiang possess to presume to covet the imperial throne? Such rebellious words must not be uttered again, or don't blame Song Jiang for his ruthless military law!"

The tent fell silent instantly, as all the leaders were awestruck by Song Jiang's imposing presence.

Song Jiang took a deep breath, and his tone softened: "Although the imperial court's offer of amnesty is an unknown path, it is also a good opportunity for us to wash away our past sins. I cannot let my brothers continue to be thieves with me, failing our parents above and our wives and children below. Therefore, accepting amnesty is imperative."

Although Song Jiang had expressed his stance, those who opposed accepting the imperial court's offer of amnesty still did not yield.

Then, Wu Song, who had been silent until now, spoke in a deep voice:

“If we accept the imperial pardon, the court will surely send us to annihilate Fang La. Fang La now commands hundreds of thousands of men, all of whom are desperate fugitives with nowhere to retreat. If we fight against him, there will surely be rivers of blood and corpses strewn across the fields. Could this be the opportunity you speak of, brother?”

"We have gathered here to resist injustice and save the common people. Even if Fang La is despicable, he is still a massacre of officials, gentry and landlords. How is he any different from us? How can we become the butcher's knife in the hands of the court and kill each other?"

Wu Song's words were powerful and resounding, each word striking a chord in everyone's hearts. The leaders looked thoughtful, clearly struck at a nerve by his words.

They joined Song Jiang's uprising mainly because of their unwavering commitment to justice and fairness, and their sympathy for the weak.

This is actually what Fang La's rebel army has been doing all along.

If they accept the imperial court's offer of amnesty to suppress the Fang La Rebellion, it would be tantamount to suppressing their own kind and killing each other. Their commitment to justice would become blurred, which would run counter to their original ideals. How could they not hesitate?

Wu Yong wanted to use his silver tongue to refute Wu Song or to deceive him with lies, but Song Jiang stopped him.

Song Jiang knew Wu Song well and knew that he couldn't be refuted by Wu Yong, much less be deceived by him. Only sincerity could persuade Wu Song.

Song Jiang said to Wu Song very sincerely, "What Erlang said is absolutely right. If we accept the amnesty, the court will definitely send us to suppress Fang La. In this way, the court can not only reap the benefits but also weaken us. For the court, this is a good plan. If the court does not have this plan, it will definitely be a mistake and it is not worth it for us to surrender."

After a pause, Song Jiang continued, “We have previously rebelled, killed countless officials, and plundered a great deal. If we do not achieve great merit, how can we wash away our past sins and establish ourselves in the court? Therefore, even if the court does not mention it, I will volunteer to lead you to suppress Fang La and earn fame and fortune.”

Song Jiang was practically saying, "If you follow me and accept the imperial amnesty, you will suffer great losses. Whether you go or not is up to you."

Upon hearing Song Jiang's words, the leaders present, whether they supported or opposed accepting the imperial amnesty, all turned grim. It was clear they were deeply worried about the impending bloody battle against Fang La's rebel army. After all, regardless of victory or defeat, it would be a brutal war, and many of them would likely perish in it.

After a long silence, Song Jiang continued, “If it were only for personal honor and wealth, I, Song Jiang, would never lead my brothers to their deaths. What I desire is to assist Your Majesty in implementing the two new policies to save the world, and to quell the war, restoring peace and prosperity to the people. When our Chinese people are embroiled in war, fields lie barren, refugees rise everywhere, bones lie exposed in the wilderness, and for miles there is not a sound of roosters crowing. To restore order and stability, so that the people can live in peace and the nation can prosper, we would gladly die ten thousand times over!”

At this point, Song Jiang bluntly stated: "My mind is made up to accept the imperial pardon. Since the Liangshan uprising, my brothers have held me in the highest esteem for three years. Today, I am delighted to receive the imperial pardon and see the light of day again. Sooner or later, I will go to the capital to serve the country. Those of you who wish to go, please register your names and set off; those who do not wish to go, please register here and bid farewell, part ways, and let each other go our separate ways. We will meet again in the distant rivers and lakes..."

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(End of this chapter)