I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 254 A Blessing from Heaven, Overwhelmed with Gratitude
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"Your humble servant Song Jiang greets Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Looking at Song Jiang, whose buttocks were sticking out so high that he seemed to be showing that he was more respectful and loyal to him than others, Zhao Yu was a little dazed.

Unlike Li Xuejian.

'He doesn't look like Zhang Hanyu either.'

Not dark-skinned, not short.

'His appearance is completely different from the Song Jiang I remember.'

'It seems there are quite a few fictional elements in *Water Margin*, at least Black Third Brother is fictional.'

"Hmm... coming to think of it, it makes sense. Although 'The Eulogy of the Thirty-Six Heroes of Song Jiang' was written in the Southern Song Dynasty, more than a hundred years had passed since Song Jiang's time. There was no photographic technology then, so Gong Kai probably didn't even know what Song Jiang looked like. When Shi Nai'an wrote 'Water Margin' at the end of the Yuan and beginning of the Ming Dynasties, the parts about Song Jiang's appearance that lacked written records could only be imagined."

Zhao Yu had mixed feelings about Song Jiang.

He couldn't help but think of Song Jiang as the Song Jiang in "Water Margin," even though he knew very well that they were not the same person at all.

Song Jiang was just a slightly influential rebel leader in history, similar to Zhang Di and Gao Tuoshan, rebel leaders at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty. In terms of scale, Song Jiang's group was not as large as Zhang Di (the prototype of Tian Hu) and Wang Ze (the prototype of Wang Qing) - Zhang Di gathered hundreds of thousands of people, Wang Ze held out for more than 60 days under the siege of 100,000 imperial guards, while Song Jiang's group had at most 20,000 to 30,000 people.

It was precisely because Zhao Yu was aware of all this that he constantly reminded himself not to overestimate Song Jiang's abilities, lest he cause him great trouble.

On the other hand, when choosing someone to help him ignite public opinion, Zhao Yu was still swayed by Zhang Chun and chose Song Jiang.

To be honest, Zhao Yu was quite worried at that time that Song Jiang was not up to the task.

Unexpectedly, Song Jiang proved to be quite capable. He was brave and resourceful, and most importantly, he could win people's hearts and make his subordinates willing to continue doing this dangerous business with him. As a result, he truly became a very useful tool in Zhao Yu's hands.

'It's true that times create heroes. They gave Song Jiang, a minor official and leader of a peasant uprising, a stage, and he really put on a grand show.'

'Hmm... Zhang Chun stumbled upon the perfect example by giving him Song Jiang's poem from *Water Margin*, which actually led him in the direction of Huang Chao. Could this be a matter of fate?'

Zhao Yu looked at Song Jiang, who had originally been an unknown minor official in Yuncheng, but had become the leader of a small uprising army in history, yet through a series of coincidences, a great figure who stirred up the winds of change. He thought to himself, 'He possesses both the fierce courage and cunning of a commoner, and the strategic thinking and sentiments of a scholar. This complex and unique temperament, coupled with the things he has done, should be enough for Gong Kai, Shi Nai'an, and others to better portray this character in their novels.'

Zhao Yu snapped out of his reverie and said to Song Jiang, "My dear minister, you've worked hard. You may rise."

Song Jiang understood. Zhao Yu was telling him that he had suffered a lot of injustice during his three-year life as an undercover agent. Although Song Jiang had not witnessed it firsthand, he knew that Zhao Yu had not had an easy time during those years.

Song Jiang quickly replied, "It is my honor to serve Your Majesty. I dare not complain of hardship."

Song Jiang wasn't being modest or being polite.

During the Song Dynasty, the distinction between clerks and officials was clear. Clerks had a relatively low social status, and this difference in status hindered, to some extent, the transformation of clerks into officials.

Even if one could be promoted to an official position through seniority (some clerks could be promoted after serving a certain number of years) or recommendation (if a clerk performed exceptionally well and was appreciated and recommended by a superior official, he might also be qualified to become an official), the assessment standards were extremely strict, so the vast majority of clerks could not meet the requirements.

It can be said that unless one passes the imperial examination and becomes an official, it is very difficult for a clerk to become an official. Most clerks can only hold the position of clerk for their entire lives.

In other words, clerks have the potential to become officials, but due to limitations imposed by factors such as status, performance evaluation, and quotas, the actual process is extremely difficult.

In most cases, once you're an official, you're an official for life, and it's often a family tradition where officials serve from father to son. If you want to become an official, that's just a dream.

This was also the biggest predicament Song Jiang faced before becoming an outlaw in "Water Margin". Otherwise, why would he be so keen to make friends with people from the Jianghu?
If Song Jiang hadn't been lucky enough to be chosen by Zhao Yu, he would most likely have been stuck as a minor official for life, frustrated and unfulfilled. It was Zhao Yu who gave him the opportunity to become an official and kept his promise, truly sparing no effort in giving him important responsibilities.

Yes.

The position of Military Commissioner was a temporary post, not corresponding to a fixed rank. Instead, it was held concurrently by an official in his official capacity. For example, if a Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, who was of the third rank, served as Military Commissioner, then his rank would be the third rank. If a lower-ranking official held the position concurrently, then his rank would be correspondingly lower.

— "Dispatch" refers to the actual duty, while "official rank" determines the grade and salary. As a dispatched official, the grade of the military commissioner was determined in conjunction with the official rank of the person holding the position, so there was no uniform fixed grade.

But Wu Yong has already obtained a real position as the prefect of Hangzhou. At the very least, based on his merit in recapturing Hangzhou this time, Wu Yong will be promoted to the sixth rank. How could he be worse than Wu Yong?
Overwhelmed with indescribable excitement and gratitude, Song Jiang knew that Zhao Yu was not only a turning point in his fate but also his only hope for realizing his ambitions. He raised his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with unwavering resolve and loyalty, and continued, “Your Majesty’s grace is boundless; even if I were to be shattered to pieces, I could not repay even a fraction of it. I will certainly dedicate myself to Your Majesty’s cause, to live up to Your Majesty’s high expectations, and vow to wipe out the bandits in Jiangnan and restore peace and order to our Great Song!”

Zhao Yu nodded and asked, "How is the banditry in Jiangnan?"

Upon hearing this, Song Jiang immediately gave Zhao Yu a detailed account of the current situation in Jiangnan. Song Jiang also took the initiative to introduce their next plan, which was the bandit suppression strategy that Tong Guan had told Song Jiang.

Zhao Yu then had Song Jiang discuss current affairs.

Song Jiang's chosen direction was how to implement the "Gentlemen Paying Grain as a Whole" and "Equalizing Land Tax and Labor Service" as well as how to implement other new policies of the imperial court.

It is evident that Song Jiang put effort into understanding the court's new policies. He even identified many loopholes in the implementation of these policies and proposed what he considered feasible improvement plans.

During Zhao Yu's inquiry and interaction, Song Jiang clearly stated that the gentry and landlord class was the biggest obstacle to the court's reforms and the development of the Zhao Song Dynasty, and advocated a tough stance against the gentry and landlords, emphasizing that they should not be tolerated.

In addition, Song Jiang spoke extensively about specific matters such as political affairs, military affairs, personnel, and people's livelihood, while also taking political affairs as the main framework.

In summary, Song Jiang's ultimate goal was to assist Zhao Yu in decision-making, maintain centralized power, and serve the country and its people with a sincere and patriotic heart.

Through Song Jiang's report, Zhao Yu was basically able to confirm that although Song Jiang was not as capable as Cai Jing and others, he had a good overall perspective, had studied the court's reforms and was quite proficient in them, and most importantly, he genuinely supported the court's reforms.

And most importantly, he's ruthless and has a dark heart.

Although Zhao Yu used public resentment to carry out a major purge of the gentry and landlords in Jiangnan, the centipede, though dead, still had legs. Zhao Yu remained uneasy about Jiangnan, a region that had historically caused numerous troubles for later dynasties and was of great importance. Therefore, after the rebellion in Jiangnan was quelled, Zhao Yu would definitely need to find someone to keep an eye on Jiangnan.

Zhao Yu's most suitable candidate was actually Song Jiang. Song Jiang's hands were already stained with the blood of the gentry and landlords of Jiangnan, so he would definitely be able to keep them in check.

The key issue is that the two sides have a deep-seated hatred for each other and are absolutely incompatible.

Song Jiang also had this tough attitude towards the gentry and landlords.

Zhao Yu finally made up his mind to use Song Jiang to pacify Jiangnan in the future.

"Song Jiang, receive your appointment," Zhao Yu said.

"Your subject is here." Song Jiang immediately bowed and accepted the imperial decree.

"The bandit Fang La caused chaos in Jiangnan, bringing calamity to Zhejiang and causing immense suffering to the people. Song Jiang and others, loyal and brave in serving the country, led troops to suppress the bandits and recaptured Hangzhou. Their achievements are truly remarkable. I am delighted and hereby bestow upon Song Jiang the title of Grand Master of the Imperial Guard, concurrently serving as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Jiangnan East Route Cavalry and Infantry, Prefect of Xuanzhou Military and Prefectural Affairs, and granting him the authority to command imperial weapons. He shall also retain his position as the Jiangnan Military Commissioner. You shall organize the army, pacify the people, and strive to ensure local peace and stability, so as to fulfill my trust in you."

The campaign to suppress Fang La was definitely primarily a military operation. Zhao Yu first appointed Song Jiang to the substantive position of "Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Cavalry and Infantry," which met the needs of wartime. His concurrent appointment as Prefect allowed him to engage in local governance, especially in finance and civil affairs, laying the groundwork for his later defense of Jiangnan.

The title of Gongwei Dafu was a sixth-rank military officer, while the title of Zhizhou was a fifth-rank administrative officer. This could serve as a transition from military to civil service or from civil to military service. Although the Song Dynasty valued civil service over military service, it allowed military officers to serve as supervisors under special circumstances (such as outstanding military achievements).

During Song Jiang's campaign to quell Fang La's rebellion in Jiangnan, he could demonstrate his financial management skills through achievements such as "supervising and urging tax collection and regulating the canal transport." In the future, Zhao Yu only needed to arrange for the pacification commissioner and supervisors to jointly recommend him, and then formally put him in charge of Jiangnan's finances with the combination of "Guardian General" and "Transport Commissioner" (Transport Commissioner being a substantive position and military rank being a nominal title). At the same time, he could use his military background (having served as the deputy commander of the cavalry and infantry) to intimidate the local gentry, which would meet Zhao Yu's desire for Song Jiang to use a military officer to control finances and suppress the local area.

It can be said that Zhao Yu has paved a bright road for Song Jiang. As long as Song Jiang does not make any major mistakes, he will become the "Governor-General" of Jiangnan.

Song Jiang, who came from a minor official background, was very familiar with the official system of the Zhao Song Dynasty. How could he not see that Zhao Yu valued him highly?
Song Jiang was moved to tears: "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!!!"

Besides treating Song Jiang well in terms of official position, Zhao Yu also gave Song Jiang many other rewards.

For example, Zhao Yu bestowed a luxurious mansion upon Song Jiang.

This is a courtyard house located outside Zhuquemen Street, south of Longjin Bridge. It was inhabited entirely by high-ranking officials of the imperial court, and living here was a symbol of status.

This courtyard house has side rooms on both sides, and the main building is divided into a front hall, a back hall, and bedrooms, with the rooms connected by corridors in an "工" shape. The courtyard is lush with flowers and plants, with a pond and rock formations, giving it a villa-like feel.

Owning a house like this in Bianliang, the capital of Tokyo, where land is incredibly valuable, is something that most people can only dream of.

Moreover, this was a luxurious mansion personally bestowed by the emperor.

To Song Jiang's surprise, there were ten beautifully dressed concubines in the courtyard.

They all gathered around and bowed to Song Jiang, saying, "Greetings, my lord!"

Upon seeing this, Song Jiang hurriedly asked Wang Fu, the Ministry of Revenue official who had brought him there, "Who are they?"

Wang Fu smiled and said, "They were also bestowed upon the Imperial Envoy by His Majesty, and they are all top-class concubines trained by the Imperial Music Bureau."

Then, Wang Fu waved to the door, and immediately someone brought in a large amount of gold, silver, jewelry, and furniture.

A quick calculation shows that these things are worth at least 80,000 strings of cash, if not 100,000, enough for Song Jiang to live a worry-free life.

It is worth mentioning that the reason why Zhao Yu was so generous to Song Jiang in terms of material rewards was mainly because the gold, silver, jewelry, and antique treasures that Song Jiang had presented to Zhao Yu through Yuwen Xuzhong over the past few years were worth more than ten or twenty million strings of cash.

If Zhao Yu didn't reward Song Jiang with some money, it would make his own greed seem too unseemly.

In reality, Song Jiang disliked money and beautiful women; he only loved power. Therefore, if Song Jiang had the choice, he would prefer that Zhao Yu take back these concubines and valuables and replace them with rewards that could elevate his status, such as old items that Zhao Yu had used or some honorary positions.

Of course, Song Jiang also knew that he was being too greedy. Zhao Yu's promotion and reward for him were already comprehensive and could not be better. If he wanted more promotion and reward, he would have to earn more real merit.

Song Jiang repeatedly said, "Your Majesty's kindness makes this humble subject extremely humbled!"

At this time, He Zhizhong, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, arrived at Song Jiang's new home and announced the imperial court's rewards and promotions for those who had made contributions in the recapture of Hangzhou.

The imperial court neither deliberately increased nor withheld the rewards for Song Jiang's men, but strictly followed the court's rules and regulations to reward those who had contributed to the battle.

And that's exactly what Song Jiang and his men wanted most.

After reading out the promotions and rewards for Wu Yong and others, He Zhizhong said to Song Jiang, "His Majesty specifically instructed the Ministry of Personnel to quickly verify the merits of your officials and generals, and instructed the Commander to take their promotions and rewards back with him. Otherwise, not only will the Commander have a hard time explaining to his subordinates, but it will also affect the morale of the front lines."

Upon hearing this, Song Jiang bowed deeply towards the direction of the palace and cried out, "Your Majesty's grace is boundless; we, Song Jiang, could never repay even a fraction of it, even if we were to die ten thousand times!"

Song Jiang did not linger in the comfortable home that Zhao Yu had bestowed upon him. After only two days there, he took the initiative to resign from his post, citing the urgency of the battle at the front, and then headed south with the rewards Zhao Yu had given to his men.

Not long after Song Jiang left, the Ministry of Rites had also completed its review of the more than three hundred beautiful girls that Shao Shi, Fang Baihua, Chen Miaozhen, and Tong Guan had presented to Zhao Yu. They had been given a basic lesson in court etiquette and then sent to the palace to be trained by female officials.

That evening, the lady-in-waiting came to tell Zhao Yu about this matter and asked, "Does Your Majesty wish to spend the night with these women?"

After listening to the introduction from the lady-in-waiting, Zhao Yu became quite interested in Fang Baihua and Chen Miaozhen.

As for Fang La's wife, the fake empress Zhao, Zhao Yu didn't have high hopes.

In this era, beauties can only be maintained with money. Fang La had even gone so far as to rebel, so his wife was probably working in the fields all day under the sun and wind, barely having any meat to eat. How could she be beautiful?

Despite these thoughts, Zhao Yu still chose Shao's concubine, making her serve him in bed alongside Fang Baihua and Chen Miaozhen...

……

(End of this chapter)