I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 246 A Bright Future, Song Jiang Presents Gifts
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Although Song Jiang used all sorts of coercion and inducement, even playing the emotional card and the righteousness card, many people were still worried that the relatives, friends, disciples and former subordinates of the officials, gentry and landlords they had killed would seek revenge on them. They were even more worried about fighting against Fang La's rebel army soldiers who were fearless of death due to being hypnotized by Manichaeism. Therefore, they were afraid to accept the imperial court's offer of amnesty and chose to leave Song Jiang's rebel army, either by changing their names, becoming outlaws, or joining Fang La.

Song Jiang did not try to stop those who chose to leave. Instead, he generously gave them some gold, silver, and silk and let them go freely.

Once all those who wanted to leave had left, Song Jiang asked Wu Yong to count the remaining people who were willing to accept the imperial pardon.

As a result, Song Jiang's rebel army still numbered as many as 170,000.

In other words, only a little over 20,000 people left.

From this perspective, the majority of people are still willing to clear their names and strive for fame and fortune again.

This result is quite normal.

In this feudal era, for ordinary people without any background, the only way to cross social classes and change their fate was through a perilous and desperate struggle.

Just like Yang Xi, an unknown ancestor of the Hongnong Yang clan during the Chu-Han Contention, risked his life to snatch a thigh from Xiang Yu's corpse in the chaos of the Battle of Gaixia. It was precisely because of this seemingly cruel "military achievement" that the Hongnong Yang clan was granted a title of nobility by Liu Bang and was able to join the ranks of the nobility.

For hundreds of years thereafter, the Yang family of Hongnong, relying on the political capital and family heritage accumulated by their ancestors, continued to expand and diligently manage their clan. Through the Han Dynasty, the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, and the Sui and Tang Dynasties, they remained powerful for nearly eight hundred years, becoming one of the most prominent aristocratic families in Chinese history.

According to historical records, the Yang clan of Hongnong produced more than ten empresses, from Empress Yan of Emperor An of Han (Liu Hu) during the Eastern Han Dynasty, to Empress Wu Yuan (Yang Yan) and Empress Wu Dao (Yang Zhi) of Emperor Wu of Jin (Sima Yan), and then to several empresses of the Yang clan during the Northern Wei Dynasty. They were either virtuous and kind to assist the emperor, or they stirred up storms in the court. With their family influence and personal talents, they left a deep mark on the harem and even the court.

Moreover, the Hongnong Yang clan produced a continuous stream of important officials in the imperial court. From Yang Chang, the prime minister of the Western Han Dynasty, to Yang Zhen, the Grand Commandant of the Eastern Han Dynasty, who was famous throughout the world for his incorruptibility with the motto "Heaven knows, Earth knows, you know, I know," and then to the lineage of Yang Jian and Yang Guang, the imperial family of the Sui Dynasty, all came from the Hongnong Yang clan.

The Yang family of Hongnong was originally just an unknown, lowly peasant family, but through the hard work of generation after generation, they gradually transformed the opportunity they had risked their lives for into a family glory that lasted for hundreds of years.

This is the best example of how people from the bottom can turn their lives around and change their fate.

For those in Song Jiang's rebel army who chose to accept the imperial pardon, didn't they also want to emulate Yang Xi, using their current desperate fighting to create an opportunity for themselves and their descendants to bring glory to their families and change their fate? Even if the road ahead was fraught with peril and death in the campaign against Fang La, it was still a thousand times better than being trapped in the wilderness for a lifetime with no hope of ever rising above their circumstances.

Furthermore, becoming an outlaw means living a life of constant fear and uncertainty, constantly wanted by the government and despised by the world. Joining Fang La's cause is equally uncertain. Even if Fang La succeeds, those who joined him halfway through their journey will hardly get a chance to rise in the rewards.

However, accepting the imperial court's offer of amnesty was different. As long as they could make meritorious contributions in the campaign against Fang La, they could shed their status as bandits and become legitimate government soldiers. If they made meritorious contributions, they could also be granted titles and privileges for their wives and children.

This seemingly dangerous path is actually one of their few precious opportunities to defy fate, which is why most people resolutely choose to stay, hoping to use their weapons to carve out their own path to success in this chaotic world.

After reaching a consensus, Song Jiang and Wu Yong invited Yuwen Xuzhong to Song Jiang's military tent.

Song Jiang said to Yuwen Xuzhong, "Brother, everything is ready here. When will the people who are to offer amnesty arrive?"

Yuwen Xuzhong smiled and said, "Hou Sheren has arrived in Xiuzhou and can come to my army at any time to read the imperial edict."

Upon hearing that the person Zhao Yu sent to offer amnesty was their old acquaintance Hou Meng, Song Jiang and Wu Yong immediately felt much relieved.

To be honest, not only were the people below afraid of retaliation from the court officials, but Song Jiang and Wu Yong were also worried about it. After all, they had killed far too many officials, gentry and landlords, and offended far too many powerful people.

Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that Zhao Yu was behind it all, and that Zhao Yu was an emperor who could truly control the Song Dynasty, it's hard to say whether Song Jiang and Wu Yong would have dared to accept the imperial amnesty.

Now that Song Jiang and Wu Yong have done everything they were supposed to and could do, following Zhao Yu's instructions, Song Jiang felt that they should ask Zhao Yu what reward he had given them and see if all their efforts were worth it.
So Song Jiang subtly suggested, "We brothers have been chosen by His Majesty to undertake this great task, which is already an immense favor. We shouldn't have any further ambitions. However, this campaign against Fang La may result in most of us being buried in Jiangnan."

With his gaze sweeping over Yuwen Xuzhong, Song Jiang casually added, "In the past, Emperor Gaozu enfeoffed meritorious officials with land and titles, and Emperor Taizong also allowed meritorious officials to have their descendants' fortunes extended for three generations after quelling the rebellion. I wonder if Your Majesty... has any regulations for bestowing such favors?"

Wu Yong chimed in at the opportune moment, "Brother is absolutely right. Although we have not yet launched a campaign against Fang La, we have been fighting for three years. I wonder what His Majesty's plans are for us this time?"

Fearing that Yuwen Xuzhong might overthink things, Song Jiang quickly changed the subject: "Needless to say, the scholar and I will retire and return home without regret after we have wiped out Fang La. It's just that our brothers have followed us in our campaigns north and south for more than three years, wandering aimlessly. We only hope that they can all have a stable home, and that their descendants will not have to suffer the same hardships as we have. At that time, they will be able to serve the court wholeheartedly, and we will have done right by their sacrifice."

In fact, the reason why Song Jiang and Wu Yong dared to ask Yuwen Xuzhong so bluntly was because they had worked together as brothers for more than three years and had developed a certain bond.

Otherwise, given Song Jiang and Wu Yong's shrewdness, they certainly wouldn't have asked Yuwen Xuzhong that question.

Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect?
Moreover, what Song Jiang and Wu Yong were asking for was not a big deal.

Especially considering that Zhao Yu was genuinely kind to Song Jiang's rebel army.

So, after a moment of silence, Yuwen Xuzhong said, "This matter should not be told to you two brothers by your younger brother, but since you two brothers asked, I can't hide it from you. Well then, I will tell you two brothers a little bit."

Song Jiang and Wu Yong understood that leaking confidential information to officials in the outer court, allowing them to glean the emperor's evaluations and appointment intentions, would undermine the palace's secrecy system.

Yuwen Xuzhong was an intelligence officer, so he took this kind of thing very seriously and wouldn't easily make this mistake.

Therefore, Yuwen Xuzhong's willingness to leak some secrets to them in advance already demonstrated immense trust and friendship.

It's worth mentioning that Yuwen Xuzhong was willing to leak the secret to Song Jiang and Wu Yong not only because of their special relationship, but also because this was the final moment for accepting the amnesty of Song Jiang's rebel army. He couldn't afford to let Song Jiang and Wu Yong, the two core figures of Song Jiang's rebel army, have any doubts, lest all their previous efforts be in vain. Furthermore, Hou Meng would soon be coming to announce these matters, so Yuwen Xuzhong's advance leak to Song Jiang and Wu Yong would not have any impact on the overall situation.

Song Jiang quickly cupped his hands in greeting and assured him, "This will only happen once. I will never make things difficult for you again, my brother!"

Yuwen Xuzhong didn't waste any more words, but lowered his voice and said, "His Majesty appointed my brother as the Jiangnan Military Commissioner and the scholar as the Hangzhou Prefect. He also gave my brother one hundred blank official documents. For any unresolved matters, my brother can submit a memorial to His Majesty for instructions."

After hesitating for a moment, Yuwen Xuzhong added, "His Majesty did not dispatch a deputy pacification commissioner for this campaign."

Upon hearing Yuwen Xuzhong's reply, Song Jiang and Wu Yong were overjoyed!
Both Song Jiang and Wu Yong were well aware of what kind of high-ranking official the military commissioner was and what kind of power he wielded.

Crucially, as Yuwen Xuzhong clearly stated, Zhao Yu did not appoint a deputy pacification commissioner this time. Therefore, Song Jiang's appointment as the military commissioner practically made him the second-in-command of the Jiangnan war zone. It's hard to say whether he or the commander-in-chief Liu Fa wielded more power, but one thing is certain: Song Jiang would definitely have considerable influence in the Jiangnan war zone. The biggest advantage of this is that Song Jiang's rebel army no longer needs to worry about being used as cannon fodder by the imperial court, nor about failing to reward merit or severely punishing wrongdoing.

To put it bluntly, once Song Jiang became the military commissioner, his rebel army had a powerful backer.

More importantly, Song Jiang had the authority to submit memorials to Zhao Yu.

In this way, even Tong Guan would have to give Song Jiang some face and wouldn't make things too difficult for Song Jiang's rebel army.

Although Hangzhou is currently under the occupation of Fang La's rebel army, as long as the Song army and Song Jiang's rebel army join forces, they will surely be able to take Hangzhou back very soon.

By then, Hangzhou will still be the political, economic, and cultural center of Jiangnan, and one of the most important prefectures in the south.

When Wu Yong became the prefect of Hangzhou, he practically controlled the economic lifeline and cultural core of the Jiangnan region. His position was so important that he could be considered a high-ranking official.

Even if Wu Yong had become the top scholar in the imperial examination, it would have been impossible for him to become a high-ranking official like the prefect of Hangzhou in just three years.

Crucially, Hangzhou has been a land of plenty, a silk capital, and a hub of culture since ancient times, renowned for its prosperity and wealth, surpassing all others in Southeast China. If Wu Yong could use his extraordinary wisdom and profound strategies to lead the people of Hangzhou to abundance, prosperity, and trade, restoring the city to its former glory, his future would be limitless. He might even become a prime minister, realizing his ambition to govern the country and bring peace to the world.

More importantly, once Wu Yong became the prefect of Hangzhou, the supply of provisions and supplies for Song Jiang's rebel army would be guaranteed.

After all, Hangzhou Port, located in Hangzhou, will be a transportation hub in the Jiangnan region for a long time to come, and a large amount of grain and supplies will inevitably be transferred from here and distributed to various armies.

In addition, don't forget that Zhao Yu also gave Song Jiang a hundred blank official documents.

"Gaoshen" was a certificate granting an official position, similar to a letter of appointment.

During the Song Dynasty, when accepting amnesty, the court might grant blank official titles to the leaders who accepted the amnesty, allowing them to fill in the official positions of their subordinates based on their merits. This was a flexible way of bestowing rewards, which not only reflected the court's favor but also made it easier for leaders to reward merits and stabilize the internal situation.

With the authority to grant these one hundred official positions, Song Jiang and Wu Yong could properly settle the leaders of Song Jiang's rebel army. Even the most picky among them would have to admit that Zhao Yu had treated them well.

In this way, Song Jiang and Wu Yong could give an account to those who joined their uprising, and their shared life and death would not have been in vain.

Song Jiang straightened his clothes and bowed deeply towards the direction of Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Eastern Capital: "Your subject Song Jiang thanks Your Majesty for your great favor!"

Wu Yong also bowed down.

After getting up, Song Jiang bowed to Yuwen Xuzhong again, saying, "Thank you, Brother, for speaking kindly of us!"

Song Jiang was a sensible man; how could he not have realized that if Yuwen Xuzhong, who was Zhao Yu's eyes and ears, hadn't spoken up for them so much, Zhao Yu wouldn't have rewarded them so handsomely.

Yuwen Xuzhong did not refuse, but politely helped Song Jiang up and said, "Brother, you are too kind. It is my duty to report the truth. It is His Majesty's magnanimity and ability to recognize and appoint people. It is also because you and all the brothers are wholeheartedly following the court's orders and acting on behalf of Heaven, without any other intentions. That is why His Majesty values ​​us today."

Song Jiang knew that what Yuwen Xuzhong said was true, but that still didn't stop him from being grateful to Yuwen Xuzhong. Putting everything else aside, if Yuwen Xuzhong had just uttered a slight smirk, their achievements would certainly have been greatly diminished. In that case, their hard work might have been in vain.

After helping Song Jiang up, Yuwen Xuzhong said, "His Majesty has another imperial edict, which I have instructed you to deliver to my elder brother."

Song Jiang quickly bowed and said, "Your subject Song Jiang accepts the decree."

Yuwen Xuzhong said, "Song Jiang may choose a day to return to the capital and attend the imperial audience. This is the imperial decree."

After the ceremony, Song Jiang asked Yuwen Xuzhong, "What is the purpose of His Majesty's summons for me to return to the capital?"

Yuwen Xuzhong shook his head, indicating that he didn't know the reason either, but he still analyzed it for Song Jiang: "He probably wants to hear your views on suppressing bandits and your insights on restoring the economy of Jiangnan."

Song Jiang knew that only high-ranking officials could offer strategies for governing the country to the emperor face-to-face.

Crucially, meeting the emperor was not only a way to share one's views on governance, but also a reflection of one's status and position.

To put it simply, if Song Jiang had met Zhao Yu, his words would have carried more weight in front of Tong Guan.

This is actually a kind of invisible elevation.

Song Jiang and Wu Yong were even more pleased.

Even the composed Song Jiang couldn't help but pace back and forth in his tent with excitement.

After a long while, Song Jiang finally stopped in front of Yuwen Xuzhong and asked, "Brother, I would like to offer some gifts to His Majesty, but His Majesty is rich in all the land. I wonder what would be appropriate for me to offer?"

Yuwen Xuzhong wanted to say, "You just need to go; you don't need to present gifts to His Majesty. His Majesty doesn't need your gifts."

However, Yuwen Xuzhong understood Song Jiang, knowing that he still cared about his original identity as a bandit and was afraid that Zhao Yu would look down on him, or even that Zhao Yu wanted to trick him back to kill him. If he could send Zhao Yu some gifts that suited Zhao Yu's taste, he would feel much more at ease.

Therefore, Yuwen Xuzhong lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty has no other hobbies but enjoys women..."

……

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(End of this chapter)