I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 247 Imperial Edict Grants Tiger-Clad Robes, Red Letter Exchanged for Battle Attire

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Zhao Yu can't shake the blame for his infatuation with women.

Ok.

The world did not wrong Zhao Yu.

Ten years into his reign, Zhao Yu's harem already boasted over four thousand beauties, to the point that the phrase "three thousand beauties in the harem" was no longer sufficient to describe the sheer number of women in his palace.

Even so, treacherous officials like Cai Jing and Tong Guan were still collecting beauties for Zhao Yu.

At the beginning of last year, Cai Jing, citing the reason that too many non-Han women in Zhao Yu's harem were not conducive to the continuation of the Han bloodline of the imperial family, collected three hundred Han women from all over the country to fill Zhao Yu's harem.

Tong Guan, regardless of the purity of the Han Chinese bloodlines in Zhao Yu's harem, would frequently send Zhao Yu Tangut beauties, grassland beauties, and Western Region beauties. He would also spend a lot of money to have foreign merchants collect beauties for him from the Abbasid Caliphate, India, and even the West, with the main purpose of letting Zhao Yu try different women.

—Tong Guan even managed to find two extremely beautiful black pearls for Zhao Yu from somewhere.

There is a saying circulating in the Song Dynasty today: the reason why people like Cai Jing and Tong Guan were highly valued by Emperor Zhao Yu was because they knew how to cater to his preferences.

Many sycophantic officials, such as Wang Fu and Cai You, followed suit and competed with each other to present beautiful women to Zhao Yu.

Song Jiang and Wu Yong had also heard about this, so they believed that Yuwen Xuzhong's idea was sound.

The problem is that they fought all the way here under the banner of "acting on behalf of Heaven," so it wasn't easy for them to seize women, which meant they didn't have any beauties on their hands.

The key point is that Zhao Yu had seen all kinds of beauties, and ordinary beauties could not catch his eye.

Seeing Song Jiang's worried expression, Yuwen Xuzhong said, "If you have any, it will be the icing on the cake; if you don't, it won't affect your journey to the capital. As far as I know, His Majesty never refuses the good intentions of his subjects, but he never asks them to send beauties. Moreover, His Majesty has countless beauties in his harem and is not lacking in beauties. Therefore, His Majesty will not blame you if you do not present any beauties."

Song Jiang thought to himself, 'His Majesty has no shortage of beauties, but the problem is, none of them were given to me by Song Jiang. How can I stand out among his many ministers and leave a deep impression on him? Moreover, this audience with the Emperor is not only about our future, but also about our destiny; we must not act rashly.'

As night deepened, the moonlight, like water, spilled onto the tents of Song Jiang's rebel army. In the stillness, Song Jiang's brows were furrowed, his thoughts racing. He stood up and slowly walked outside the tent, gazing at the distant, endless mountains, pondering silently.

Although Yuwen Xuzhong said it was no problem, Song Jiang knew very well that in this game of power, details often determine success or failure, and the slightest negligence could lead to total defeat.

“Brother, it’s late. Why don’t you rest earlier? Lord Hou will be coming to offer amnesty tomorrow.” Wu Yong had appeared beside Song Jiang at some point and said softly.

Song Jiang turned around and said leisurely, "His Majesty has been exceptionally kind to us. I cannot rest easy if I do not prepare a suitable gift for His Majesty to receive him!"

Wu Yong knew that what truly unsettled Song Jiang was that they had arbitrarily executed a large number of officials, and Song Jiang feared that Zhao Yu would investigate the matter, not that Zhao Yu had been too kind to them.

Wu Yong did not expose Song Jiang because he also had this concern.

Song Jiang had to overcome this hurdle no matter what. If he succeeded, both he and his righteous army would have a bright future; if they failed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

In this situation, if Song Jiang could present Zhao Yu with some gifts that could move him, it would undoubtedly put Song Jiang at ease and make it easier for him to get through this ordeal.

Song Jiang sighed and said, "We have no foundation in the court. If we don't have a clever way to make His Majesty remember us, I'm afraid we will have a hard time standing out among the many court officials."

Wu Yong said, “I believe that while presenting gifts to His Majesty is important, it is not as important as making real contributions. Now that Hangzhou has been captured by that scoundrel Fang La, the court has suffered losses and been disgraced. If we accept the amnesty and help the court reclaim Hangzhou, we will have made such a great contribution. Even if you do not bring any gifts, you will still be favored by His Majesty.”

After a pause, Wu Yong continued, "Moreover, Qiantang's strategic location has been renowned since ancient times. Bordered by rivers and lakes, its climate is mild and pleasant year-round, often shrouded in mist and rain. The West Lake and Lingyin Mountain embody the essence of nature, nurturing the beauty of its women. Thus, the beauties of Hangzhou possess skin like jade, graceful figures like willows, and an innate charm. Perhaps by conquering Hangzhou, we can find beauties to present to Your Majesty?"

Although Wu Yong said this because he wanted to become the de facto prefect of Hangzhou as soon as possible, and had some selfish motives, it must be said that what Wu Yong said made a lot of sense.

After all, for a subject, merit is the most solid foundation, far superior to any flashy but impractical gift.

The key point is that although Zhao Yu was fond of women, as a wise ruler, he also had a sense of weighing the pros and cons. He would naturally look at the meritorious officials and generals who could help him consolidate his country and stabilize the court.

Moreover, the fact that Song Jiang didn't have any beauties didn't mean that Hangzhou didn't have any. Who knows, after they took Hangzhou, they might be able to find suitable beauties to present to Zhao Yu?
Therefore, Song Jiang made up his mind that once he accepted the imperial pardon, he would lead his troops to capture Hangzhou and then return to the capital.

The next day, Hou Meng, a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat, came to Song Jiang's rebel army from Xiuzhou and set up an incense table in front of the army tent.

Yellow flags fluttered, drums and horns sounded, and Song Jiang, along with Wu Yong, Lu Junyi, and other leaders of Song Jiang's rebel army, knelt to receive the imperial edict.

Hou Meng unfurled the bright yellow imperial edict, his voice booming like a bell:
"Your Majesty: I, by the grace of Heaven, have been entrusted with the care of countless people, working tirelessly day and night, hoping only for peace and tranquility throughout the land. I have heard that extreme chaos must eventually be resolved, and evil cannot prevail over good. Although Song Jiang and other righteous men have gathered in the mountains and forests, they have always cherished loyalty and righteousness, and have devoted themselves to upholding justice on behalf of Heaven. Now, I pity the suffering of the people and am concerned about the safety of the nation, so I hereby pardon your past transgressions and bring you under the rule of the King."

Song Jiang was appointed as the Military Commissioner of Jiangnan, bestowed with a python robe and jade belt, and given the authority to command all armies in Jiangnan. He was given full authority over all matters concerning county and prefectural officials, taxes, and grain. Wu Yong was appointed as the Prefect of Hangzhou, responsible for overseeing agricultural and water conservancy projects, ensuring the well-being of the people and the smooth flow of commerce.

He was also granted one hundred blank official documents, and Song Jiang could appoint officers or soldiers based on his military merits, with the possibility of holding a military rank of at least the seventh grade. The necessary military equipment and provisions would be supplied by the Jiangzhe Transport Office.

Fang La is now entrenched in Muzhou, Shezhou, and Hangzhou, committing acts of treason and causing immense suffering to the people. Song Jiang is hereby ordered to lead his troops to suppress him within a specified timeframe and achieve a swift victory. Upon success, he will be promoted and ennobled, and his descendants will be granted honors; any negligence will be met with severe punishment under the law.

Alas! Where the royal army leads, the hearts of the people are won; the loyal and righteous will be remembered in history. You should obey my command and swiftly achieve your goals! Therefore, this edict is hereby issued for your perusal!

After the imperial edict was read, Song Jiang and the others kowtowed and shouted "Long live the Emperor!" before accepting the edict and official documents.

Hou Meng then had imperial wine, meat, gold, silver, and colorful silks brought in to reward the soldiers. That night, Song Jiang's rebel army held a grand banquet at their camp, with music and singing lasting all night.

Immediately afterwards, Tong Guan's order arrived, instructing Song Jiang to lead his troops to capture Hangzhou as soon as possible.

Along with Tong Guan arrived Yao Pingzhong and Liu Guangshi, each leading three thousand cavalrymen.

Clearly, this was reinforcement sent by Tong Guan to Song Jiang.

Song Jiang ordered his men to hang up the Song army's flags, then raised his tent and discussed with his generals how to defeat Fang La's rebel army and recapture Hangzhou.
Yao Pingzhong and Liu Guangshi also attended this operational meeting.

To be honest, as scions of a true military family, Yao Pingzhong and Liu Guangshi looked down on Song Jiang, a commander who came from humble origins.

Unfortunately, Song Jiang gained Zhao Yu's favor and became one of the top three (and not necessarily the third) leaders in the Jiangnan war zone, with a real army of 170,000 under his command.

This made Yao Pingzhong and Liu Guangshi, those two troublemakers, dare not disobey orders.

At the start of the pre-battle meeting, Wu Yong introduced Lü Jiang to everyone: "Fang La has a student from the Imperial Academy named Lü Jiang. He advised Fang La to seize Jinling, issue proclamations to all the counties in the southeast, collect their taxes, establish a strong foundation, and then discuss the strategy for conquest. This would be a legacy for generations to come. However, Fang La is stubborn and self-willed, and does not recognize this good strategy. Instead, he chose to launch a multi-pronged attack. One force went north to attack Xiuzhou, where we are located; the other went south to attack the area south of Muzhou. Fang La personally led the main army to stay in Hangzhou."

After a pause, Wu Yong continued, "Let's ignore the southern route for now; with Hangzhou blocking our way, our army can't stop it. The northern route is divided into two. The eastern route, with about 60,000 men, is led by Fang La's brother, Fang Qi, and will advance north along the eastern side of Taihu Lake to attack Chongde and then Xiuzhou. They will soon face our main force. The western route, commanded by Fang La's sister, Fang Baihua, and a young woman named Chen Shisi, also numbers 50,000 to 60,000. They will advance to Xuanzhou and soon face our army under Lu Junyi..."

Yao Pingzhong and Liu Guangshi did not expect that Song Jiang's rebel army had a clear understanding of the situation of Fang La's rebel army.

This would undoubtedly give the Song army a huge advantage in this battle.

From this perspective, the imperial court's decision to grant amnesty to Song Jiang's rebel army was extremely wise.

After Wu Yong finished explaining the situation of Fang La's rebel army, Song Jiang said, "Commander Tong has ordered us to defeat Fang La and recapture Hangzhou. I plan to concentrate our forces and fight Fang Qi in Xiuzhou. What do you all think?"

When asked about everyone, Song Jiang mainly looked at people who were not part of Song Jiang's rebel army, such as Hou Meng, Yao Pingzhong, and Liu Guangshi.

Hou Mengxian stated: "Before I came here, His Majesty instructed me to only be responsible for the pacification and to urge the Jiangzhe Transport Office to provide the Tiger Army (the name Zhao Yu gave to Song Jiang's rebel army) with food and supplies. I will not concern myself with anything else."

After a pause, Hou Meng continued, "The imperial court has provided the Tiger Army with 6,000 fine northern horses, 100,000 spears, 20,000 crossbows, 200,000 arrows, a quantity of armor, siege weapons, 200,000 sets of uniforms, tents, canteens, and other military supplies, which will be delivered from Xiuzhou Port soon. This should not hinder the Tiger Army's battle against the bandits."

When Song Jiang's rebel army first gathered in the mountains, most of their weapons were forged by local blacksmiths. Some even used bamboo spears and wooden sticks as weapons. The entire army had less than 10,000 bows and crossbows, most of which were brought by Song soldiers who had surrendered from the Song Dynasty. The arrows with iron wrapped in bamboo were precious items that they would not normally use. As for armor, only the Song soldiers who had surrendered from the Song Dynasty had some simple armor. Most soldiers did not even have complete clothes, let alone armor.

Now that they have been granted amnesty by the imperial court, Song Jiang's rebel army has been able to upgrade their equipment, and all the soldiers are excited and their morale is high.

What Song Jiang's rebel army never expected was that the imperial court also sent them a ship full of military canned goods.

Those military canned goods were newly developed by the imperial court as war supplies. They contained beef, mutton, and various dried vegetables, sealed in tin cans, and processed with special techniques to keep them from spoiling for several months.

Liu Guangshi told Song Jiang that their Western Army had only just received these military supplies and had never seen them before; they were a privilege reserved for soldiers fighting on the front lines.

The leaders of Song Jiang's rebel army opened some cans of food, tasted them, and found them to be exceptionally delicious, with tender meat and a rich flavor, completely different from the coarse dry rations they usually ate.

Many leaders of Song Jiang's rebel army praised the food, saying they had never tasted such delicacies in their lives, and marveled at the imperial court's wealth and its meticulous care for the soldiers on the front lines.

After changing into Song Dynasty-style cotton uniforms, wearing Song Dynasty-style cloth shoes with multi-layered soles, fastening Song Dynasty-style belts, and carrying numbered steel canteens, many soldiers of Song Jiang's rebel army exclaimed that they had never felt so energetic in their lives.

Upon receiving the weapons issued by the imperial court, the soldiers of Song Jiang's rebel army were greatly encouraged. The spears gleamed coldly, the bows and crossbows were exquisite and sturdy, the arrows were brand new and sharp, and the armor was thick and solid—all revealing the profound resources of the imperial court. Holding their new weapons, their eyes shone with unprecedented fighting spirit and confidence, as if with these powerful weapons they would be invincible and unstoppable.

What surprised and reassured Song Jiang's army even more was that officials from the Ministry of War arrived with the supply ships. They were there to register and record the soldiers of Song Jiang's army.

These officials from the Ministry of War meticulously recorded the name and information of every soldier in Song Jiang's rebel army, including where they lived, who their family members were, and who would receive the compensation if they died in battle.

This seemingly small matter deeply impressed the soldiers of Song Jiang's rebel army with the sincerity of the imperial court's offer of amnesty. They realized that they were no longer the rebels who were once regarded as bandits, but had truly become citizens of the Song Dynasty and part of the Song army, shouldering the heavy responsibility of protecting their homeland and quelling rebellions.

This feeling of acceptance and recognition was like a ray of sunshine in winter, warm and bright, illuminating the hearts of every soldier in Song Jiang's rebel army.

Yuwen Xuzhong said to Song Jiang and other rebel leaders, "His Majesty values ​​my brother and our rebel army very much. These matters were all personally entrusted to us by His Majesty. His Majesty also told his attendants that we must not let Song Jiang and the others shed blood and tears again. Now that they have accepted the amnesty, we must treat them all equally and not neglect them."

Upon hearing this, even the rebel leaders, including Song Jiang, Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, and Ruan Xiaoqi, who had initially opposed the amnesty, were moved and filled with complex emotions.

Lu Zhishen touched his bald head, laughed heartily, and said, "I've long heard of His Majesty's wisdom, and today I know it's well-deserved. In that case, this amnesty was truly worthwhile!"

Wu Song nodded in agreement: "In that case, it is only right to serve the imperial court."

Ruan Xiaoqi chimed in, "We were just being paranoid. With an emperor like this, he would never allow treacherous officials to harm loyal and virtuous people."

Seeing that even the leaders who had opposed the amnesty had been won over by Zhao Yu, Song Jiang felt even more heroic.

Song Jiang ordered them to change clothes and rest immediately. Three days later, they would head south to engage in a decisive battle with Fang La's rebel armies led by Fang Qifo, Fang Baihua, and Chen Shisi...

……

(End of this chapter)