The Song Dynasty on the Sand Table

Chapter 485 I'm Daydreaming
Li Gang chatted with Yue Wenxuan for a few more minutes before he understood.

Officials in the Northern Song Dynasty received very high salaries.

Although officials in the Northern Song Dynasty did not have official ranks, they were all employed and received salaries from the imperial court.

This salary is not low; it is equivalent to the monthly income of someone running a small business in the city.

With such a high income and a formal position, it's like having a secure job.

Many officials cherish their hard-won job and dare not take bribes or extort money from ordinary people. Otherwise, if they are caught, they will lose not only their jobs but also their lives, which is a huge loss no matter how you look at it.

Of course, there will always be rat droppings, but every rat dropping that is caught will be paraded through the streets, creating a huge negative publicity effect to deter other rat droppings. In this way, after many years of "purification", the officialdom of the Northern Song Dynasty has become relatively clean.

After listening to these words, Li Gang felt that he had benefited greatly.

He suddenly realized that in this kind of political environment, it seemed easier to put his lifelong learning to use, while the Southern Song Dynasty, that cesspool, had wasted all his talents on internal strife...

For many years, he had been working tirelessly to allocate weapons and provisions to Yue Fei's army. He not only had to contend with the pro-peace faction, but also had to fight against the officials to ensure that as many weapons and provisions as possible could be delivered to Yue Fei's army. If he didn't keep an eye on things, those weapons and provisions would mysteriously disappear on the way.

An official who wants to get things done has to work alongside a thousand officials who want to line their own pockets!
It's a story full of bitter tears.

As if guessing what he was thinking, Yue Wenxuan chuckled softly, "Prime Minister Li! In our Northern Song Dynasty, if we could let you fully display your talents and be in charge of allocating weapons and provisions to the army, we could conquer the grasslands from Jiangnan in less than five years."

Li Gang couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement: "That's right! I have that confidence!"

Yue Wenxuan: "The Prime Minister is just strolling around. I suddenly have something to do and need to be distracted for a while. So I just follow the Prime Minister around like an idiot. After a while, I come back to my senses and come back to chat with the Prime Minister."

Li Gang was puzzled: Is that so? You even have to tell me beforehand if you're daydreaming? And after you daydream, your body can automatically follow your movements?

Don't say it, you really don't say it.

The "young master Yue's subordinate" immediately lost his focus. Li Gang could see that his eyes had become dull, and his movements had become somewhat like those of a Mo family automaton, walking as if he were a puppet. However, he was able to follow behind him the whole time, walking exactly as he did...

it's wired!
Li Gang couldn't help but speak to him: "Brother, are you alright?"

The plastic figure immediately replied, "Guanzhong is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and its land is fertile and abundant; it can be a stronghold for hegemony."

Li Gang: "???"

A little confused, Li Gang was fortunate to have read a lot of books, including classics, histories, philosophical works, and literary collections. After searching through his vast ocean of knowledge, he actually found the source of the sentence. It was said by Han Sheng, a strategist under Xiang Yu, in the Records of the Grand Historian.

Li Gang looked puzzled: "Brother, I haven't asked your name yet on this journey."

The plastic figure read stiffly and monotonously: "My surname is Han, and my given name is Sheng!"

Li Gang: "!!!"

What the hell? Are you playing me?

Okay, if you're going to play me, I'll play you too.

Li Gang immediately replied, "Wealth and honor not returned to one's hometown are like wearing brocade at night; who will know?"

It turns out that Li Gang was responding to him with a minor historical anecdote.

When Xiang Yu captured Xianyang, the capital of Qin, he carried out a massacre, burned palaces, and looted valuables. One of Xiang Yu's advisors, Han Sheng, was displeased with this and, moreover, recognized Xianyang's strategic location. He suggested, "Guanzhong is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and its land is fertile. It is a suitable place to establish a capital and establish hegemony."

It means that this is a good place; instead of burning, killing, and looting, we can establish a capital and build a great empire.

However, Xiang Yu had no intention of establishing a business here. He only wanted to return to his hometown in Jiangdong to show off his achievements, so he rejected Han Sheng's suggestion, saying, "Wealth and honor not returned to one's hometown is like wearing brocade at night; who will know?"

It means: I'm going to go back to Jiangdong and establish my capital there! I don't need Xianyang! I'm going to burn, kill, and plunder.

As soon as Li Gang uttered his reply, Han Sheng's expression changed, showing considerable dissatisfaction. At that time, scholars were extremely outspoken, and even subordinates dared to confront their bosses. Han Sheng angrily said, "People say that the people of Chu are like monkeys wearing hats, and it's true."

Historically, after Han Sheng said these words, Xiang Yu threw him into a cauldron and boiled him alive.

But Li Gang was not Xiang Yu after all, and he was secretly wondering: This guy just said he was going to daydream, so daydreaming is just role-playing? Of all people to play, why did he have to play Han Sheng who was boiled?

He was just thinking about this...

Han Sheng's eyes suddenly lit up again; Yue Wenxuan was back.

He chuckled and said, "Oh, Prime Minister Li, I have some new news from Lin'an."

Li Gang: "???"

Is the role-playing over?
Yue Wenxuan said, "I just received news that Hu Fang, a subordinate of Han Shizhong, has accused Han Shizhong's 'close aide' Geng Zhuo, saying that after returning from Lin'an Prefecture, Geng Zhuo spread rumors that 'the two privy councilors will surely divide Shizhong's army,' 'the warning from Lü Zhi should not be ignored,' 'inciting the masses,' and 'plotting rebellion,' and 'scheming to return military power to Shizhong.' Geng Zhuo has now been imprisoned and has confessed that he was instigated by Han Shizhong."

Upon hearing this, Li Gang was greatly surprised: "Ah? This...this must be a treacherous scheme by Qin Hui."

Yue Wenxuan: "That's right, this was indeed a treacherous scheme orchestrated by Qin Hui. Hu Fang was bribed by Qin Hui, and as for Geng Zhuo, whether he was bribed or tortured into confessing, I haven't investigated that yet. But Geng Zhuo is Han Shizhong's most trusted confidant, and his position in Han's army is the same as Zhang Xian's position in Yue's army, so it's unlikely that he was bribed; he was most likely tortured into confessing."

Upon hearing this, Li Gang became extremely anxious: "What should we do? Treason is a serious crime. Once convicted, it means certain death."

Yue Wenxuan: "Prime Minister, please calm down and don't rush. Let me distract myself to save Han Shizhong. This distraction will last a while, and it may take several days before I come back to my senses. I can no longer accompany Prime Minister Li. Please go to the Chuzhou Prefectural Government Office and find a Prefect named Yan Chengping. He will receive you. I will go now."

After saying that, the plastic figure's eyes became vacant again...

Li Gang patted its shoulder with a curious look: "Brother? Brother?"

The plastic figure spoke, reading in a monotone: "Guanzhong is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and its land is fertile and abundant, making it a suitable place for hegemony."

Li Gang covered his face: Damn it, this guy starts role-playing as soon as he gets distracted, and he's playing Han Sheng again.

He couldn't help but reply, "Wealth and honor not returned to one's hometown are like wearing brocade at night; who will know?"

Plastic Man Han Sheng looked displeased: "People say that the people of Chu are like monkeys wearing hats, and it's true."

Seeing that he was amused, Li Gang couldn't help but say, "Military Advisor Han, don't you think that Xiang Yu's words seem a bit narrow-minded compared to Liu Bang's? A great man's heart is not in the world, but in clinging to the admiration of a few villagers. Such a narrow-mindedness will ultimately prevent him from achieving great things."

Han Sheng was overjoyed: "That's the right way to think about it."

Li Gang: "I understand. Mr. Han enlightened me through role-playing, making me realize that I should keep the world in mind and prioritize the overall situation! You are brilliant, sir. I am no match for you."

(End of this chapter)