You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 106 It was purely an accident
Chen Shao was ordered to go to Bianliang.

However, he walked very slowly along the way, as he was preparing to go to Yan'an Prefecture to bring his wife back.

Along the way, Chen Shao kept sending messengers to order troops to gather in Hongzhou and stockpile supplies for immediate use.

However, the imperial court had no time to deal with him for the time being.

All eyes, from the government to the public, were on Jiangnan Road.

After the war, the entire Jiangnan region was devastated.

Everywhere you look, there are people fleeing the disaster, helping the elderly and carrying children.

The Song Dynasty originally valued civil affairs over military affairs, and was also strong in the central government but weak in the local areas. The fighting power of the local militias was simply a waste of breath.

Fang La, with his followers at the core, gathered a force of 100,000 people, including countless refugees who could not survive.

They "robbed the wealthy, killed officials and scholars," and then "distributed the property of officials and landlords to raise funds from the masses."

They are now besieging Muzhou City.

Although the number of these 100,000 people was largely misrepresented, with a large portion of them just there to coast along, and many being elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, they were more than enough to fight the local militia.

When refugees pass through, they swarm like locusts, leaving nothing but desolation.

Either you join them in the killing, or you get killed by them!

The only option is to escape quickly before they arrive.

Especially the wealthy, those with officials in their families, and scholars.
Once caught, death is a luxury.
-
It was late autumn.

In Bianliang city, there were many more merchant ships traveling by canal.

The Bian River freezes over in winter, disrupting shipping and trade for several months.

The preparations for winter in a city of nearly two million people must be completed in these last few months.

Otherwise, people might really starve to death.

Merchants who run various businesses in Bianliang, whether they are stationary merchants or itinerant merchants, all try to make the most of the last few months of the year to transport goods as many times as possible, either to make a profit or to incur losses.

We'll see how things go in the next few months.

At this moment, a boat slowly sailed into the Bian River and docked at the pier.

Liu Guanglie led a group of soldiers in civilian clothes down the river. People were already waiting on the shore, and they immediately began to board the boat and unload their luggage.

Cui Lin stood on the shore, clasped his hands in a bow, and said, "Third Master Liu."

"Don't mention it!" Liu Guanglie said with a smile, "Has Shao-ge told you everything about my trip to Tokyo?"

"Don't worry, Third Master, the master has instructed me to cooperate fully!"

Liu Guanglie nodded, waving his hand with a smile, and said, "It's nothing major, just passing on a message and paying money. But I've never actually been inside Grand Tutor Cai's residence. I heard that the bluestone slabs at the entrance have been worn smooth by the court officials, so smooth they can be used as mirrors!"

Liu Guanglie glanced around; the atmosphere of Bianliang, the capital, was unlike anywhere else.

Despite the bustling activity in Jiangnan, it seemed to have no effect on this place, which remained endlessly wealthy and prosperous.

On the Bian River, boats of all kinds were almost lined up end to end. With each arrival of a boat, a number of people of all kinds disembarked. Like drops of water, they were instantly absorbed into the vast ocean of two million people.

Among them were many gentry from Jiangnan Circuit who had fled from disaster.

In their eyes, Bianliang's entertainment was still the same as always, with its three-room houses, light chanting, and a hundred kinds of nonsense.

The bustling atmosphere is just as lively as ever, as if it were in a completely different time and space from my hometown.

In front of these outsiders, the natives of Bianliang always carried a hint of arrogance. Even the laborers who worked at the docks couldn't help but curse under their breath when they saw the outsiders looking around.

Liu Guanglie settled down at Daxiangguo Temple.

The next day, they went to Cai's residence early in the morning to wait, but Cai Jing did not return home by sunset.

The temporary peace in the court following the war against Xia was finally broken.

Because Tong Guan joined forces with Grand Tutor Cai once again, a series of dazzling changes occurred in the court.

A dozen days ago, the imperial court issued a series of edicts, ordering the Shengjie Army to be temporarily stationed in the Beijing Garrison, while the Imperial Guards of the Beijing Garrison would be dispatched in batches to reorganize.

At the same time, there were some personnel changes related to this matter, the most important of which were in the Western Palace of the Imperial Court.

In the Western Prefecture, Wu Min, the Deputy Privy Councilor, was sent to serve as the Pacification Commissioner of Hedong Circuit, and was appointed Prefect of Taiyuan Prefecture. He was later promoted to Academician of the Longtu Pavilion.

In the Western Prefecture, the positions of Privy Councilor and Deputy Privy Councilor were temporarily vacant.

Then came the main event: the Emperor himself issued an edict to establish the Office for the Management of Finances and Accounting of the Imperial Guards stationed in the Capital Region and Southwest Beijing within the Privy Council, with the authority to appoint officials to oversee the operation.

Cai Jing could appoint subordinates with just a word, and the yamen was set up quickly, in less than half a day.

Moreover, those summoned by Grand Tutor Cai were all capable ministers and competent officials, none of them were just sitting around doing nothing.

He was about to formally target the powerful interest group that was the Imperial Guards of the Capital, starting with financial matters, determined to help the Song Dynasty remove this rotten sore next to its heart.

For the common people of Bianliang, no one cared whether the Imperial Guards or the Deputy Privy Councilor were going out.

However, Grand Tutor Cai's plan to reorganize the finances of the Imperial Guards was something that was closely related to everyone, and almost a personal matter.

From the founding of the nation, the Imperial Guards of the Capital were the most powerful military force in the Song Dynasty, numbering in the largest and having been stationed in Bianliang for over a hundred years.

In Bianliang City, countless people and families rely on their connections with the Imperial Guards for their livelihood.

The various businesses operated by the Imperial Guards penetrated every aspect of the lives of the people of Bianliang.

In such a large city as Bianliang, it can be said that at least 30% of the houses belong to the Imperial Guards. Many restaurants and entertainment venues are either opened by members of the Imperial Guards or have members of the Imperial Guards protecting them.

The noodles that ordinary people eat are ground in the mills of the Imperial Guards, and the clothes that ordinary people wear are transported by the Imperial Guards' carts and ships.

The imperial court's annual expenditure of tens of millions of strings of cash vanishes like water poured onto sand, serving no purpose whatsoever. In reality, countless individuals secretly profit from this.

It could even be said that the Imperial Guard, this interest group, was almost inextricably linked to the city of Bianliang. Countless rulers throughout history, despite their attempts to reform it, could only shake their heads and ultimately ignore it.

When a dynasty is still strong, such things would be an impregnable fortress. How much more so now, in the Song Dynasty, seemingly prosperous in recent years, its vitality is actually very depleted, and the normal functioning of everything is showing signs of collapse—the rites and music are in disarray! The finances are collapsing!

Even if Grand Tutor Cai were to take the position, no one in the entire city of Bianliang would have a high opinion of him.

In the taverns and teahouses, there was a great deal of noise, with seven or eight out of ten tables discussing this topic.

As for Fang La in Jiangnan, hardly anyone cared. Even the campaign against Liao, which had been a major event in Bianliang not long ago, was no longer a topic of much discussion.

Reorganizing the Imperial Guards was like cutting a sore in the heart of the Song Dynasty; it could only be accomplished by the most skilled and dedicated expert, who could concentrate all his efforts and proceed with utmost care.

Cai Jing is probably the most suitable candidate now.

Even in a few years, his body might not be able to support him in doing this.

It must be said that Zhao Ji was indeed lucky. If previous emperors had dared to say they would be in charge of the Imperial Guards, probably no minister would have dared to take on such a hot potato.

But now he is able to employ Cai Jing.
-
After Cai Jing returned to his residence, the old steward stepped forward and read aloud to him the visiting cards from that day.

Upon hearing the name Chen Shao, he waved his hand and said, "Let this one go first."

Before long, a servant led Liu Guanglie into the hall.

After bowing respectfully, Liu Guanglie handed over Chen Shao's letter.

After reading it, Cai Jing waited a while before saying, "I understand."

After saying that, he waved his hand, signaling them to leave.

His energy was limited after all, so he tried to keep his words and actions simple. The people in the manor were used to it, and they practically pushed Liu Guanglie out of the house.

Liu Guanglie was not only a master at spending money and getting things done, but also an expert; I had never seen anyone like him before.

However, he wasn't upset. After all, this was Grand Tutor Cai. It would be strange if he were like an ordinary person.

Cai Jing rubbed his forehead, and without thinking for long, he ordered someone to burn Chen Shao's letter in front of him, and began to ponder other matters.

Chen Shao asked him to help submit a memorial recommending him to quell Fang La's rebellion in Jiangnan.

In fact, Cai Jing did not want to do this, but he had no better choice.

The local militias were unable to defeat the rebels and could not quickly quell the unrest.

The elite troops of the Western Army are in Hebei, and the campaign against Liao is imminent. Traveling between the north and south is a major taboo for military strategists.

Since there were no better options, Cai Jing became too lazy to rack his brains any further. He wasn't a god and couldn't plan everything perfectly.

In fact, he was more like a pot mender, taking a bit of iron from one place to patch up a gap there.

In the current chaotic situation, try to make things seem less bad.

Moreover, Cai Jing was born during a period when the civil officials and scholar-officials of the Song Dynasty shared power with the emperor.

This made him naturally less wary of martial artists.

Even if we assume that Chen Shaozhen truly harbored disloyal intentions, it would be a repeat of Li Yuanhao's past actions, where he rebelled against the Song Dynasty and established his own state in the Northwest.

His mission to pacify Fang La will not do the court any harm.

After keeping this in mind, he devoted himself to ideas on how to reorganize the finances of the Imperial Guard.

This is the most important thing.

What the current emperor values ​​most is his financial management skills, so now that the emperor is going to mobilize the imperial guards, I must do my best.

Let the young and vigorous emperor know that the Song Dynasty is not a country that just anyone can govern.

Only in this way can we regain our position!
After leaving Cai's residence, Liu Guanglie did not rest but led his men directly to Tong Guan's residence.
-
Yan'an Prefecture, Zhong family.

Chen Shao, weary from his journey, braved the wind and snow, and finally arrived.

Because of Zhong Lingxi's seniority, he also benefited from it, and the younger generation of the Zhong family addressed him as "Master Zhong" and stood at the door to greet him.

Chen Shao greeted them with a smile for a while before entering the mansion.

Zhong Shidao took many of his few nephews and nieces with him to the front lines in Hebei, intending to let them hone their skills on the battlefield against Liao.

Although his troops were responsible for 'covering the other armies,' such a large-scale war as the conquest of Liao might not necessarily go smoothly.

If something really happens, they have to step up.

A group of people welcomed Chen Shao into the mansion, where a banquet had already been prepared.

Chen Shao intended to stay a few more days to wait for developments in Bianliang, so he drank freely with them. As the drinking progressed, the group even lost track of seniority and began addressing Chen Shao as a brother.

After all, this young master is only twenty years old!

The Zhong family members are particularly good drinkers. Although Chen Shao's alcohol tolerance is also decent, he doesn't blush after just a few drinks.

But he really got carried away today, drank himself into a stupor, and even before he started drinking, he had already planned to pretend to be sick if things got bad.

Stay at the Zhong residence for ten days or half a month, and let Fang La give those people in Bianliang a hard time, so they'll know what urgency is.

When the banquet ended, Chen Shao was disoriented and couldn't tell which way was which. Fortunately, he could still walk slowly. Everything he saw was swaying and blurry with double images, so he had to be careful not to fall.

He didn't know what time it was, but several juniors helped him to Zhong Lingxi's courtyard.

Since it was the women's quarters, they didn't let them in, and said with a smile, "Master, please go ahead, we're going back."

Chen Shao's face was flushed, and he was still waving his hand, saying, "I'm not happy tonight, let's continue... a few more pots."

"Great! Great! If the young master is in the mood, let's continue tomorrow." Someone said, laughing heartily as they spoke.

It's a flaw that exists in people throughout history: they're happy to see their companions drunk.

Only Zhong Lingxi and her son lived in this house. Chen Shao leaned against the wall and thought for a while, vaguely remembering that it was on the right side.

He was dizzy as he entered the courtyard, almost falling over. "Shishi, make me a cup of Er Chen Tang!"

As he spoke, he pushed open the door, glanced around, and mumbled, "This doesn't seem to be my home."

After saying that, he remembered that Shishi was not here, and this should be the Zhong residence.

He staggered and couldn't tell where the road was, but luckily he had lived in this house for a while before, and finally found his way to the bedroom.

"Why isn't there even a maidservant!"

He groped his way onto the bed, kicked off his boots, and touched a soft, warm, and delicate body.

After muttering a few words about Shishi, he fell asleep while holding her.

A cold wind blew, and two little maids came out from the corner of the courtyard. Seeing that the door was open, one of them complained, "I told you to come by yourself, but you're such a coward. There are no ghosts or monsters. It's all just Li Mama lying to you."

"Look, the door was blown open by the wind, and all the heat is going to escape. We're going to be cold tonight!"

The other closed the door, bolted it, breathed on his hand to warm it up, and whispered, "Stop complaining. Next time you need to relieve yourself, they won't go with you."

"It's warmer to be naked and cuddling together."

After saying this, the two maids took off their clothes, hugged each other, and went into the outer room to get into bed.

Zhe had a dream.

A very beautiful dream.

As a young married woman who has become a widow, it's perfectly normal for her to have such dreams.

But her dream seemed a little too real.

Early in the morning.

Suddenly, a scream came from inside the room.

The two maids quickly got up, lit candles, and asked with sleepy eyes, "Madam, what's wrong?"

Zhe Shi quickly waved his hand, his face looking rather pale, and said, "It's nothing, I just had a nightmare. You can all leave now."

The two maids were puzzled and went back to sleep.

Inside the room, Chen Shaojiu also woke up. By the moonlight, he looked at the person in front of him, feeling somewhat at a loss.

The two of them each wrapped themselves in a blanket and sat in opposite corners of the bed.

"Um... would you believe me if I said I was drunk and went to the wrong place?"

Mr. Zhe nodded.

Chen Shao breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "That's good, that's good. Don't worry, I will definitely not tell anyone."

Zhe tilted his head and asked, "What did you say?"

"It was us. I accidentally ended up in your bed."

Zhe Shi responded with an "oh," and remained silent for a while. Chen Shao looked around, considering the feasibility of jumping out of the window, when Zhe Shi suddenly spoke up: "Will we have children?"

?

Wrapped in a blanket, Zhe Shi curled up, her hair disheveled, covering half her face except for a bit of her shoulder. She winked at him, "If we sleep together, you'll be pregnant."

Chen Shao had drunk a lot of alcohol, and when he woke up, he felt a sudden urge to urinate.

He glanced at the Zhe family and said, "Shall I go first?"

Zhe didn't speak, but simply reached out a hand and gently tugged at the hem of his clothes.

Chen Shao couldn't hold back any longer and said, forcing himself to speak, "I need to use the restroom."

After thinking for a moment, Zhe Shi got out of bed, wearing only a bodice and underpants, and fetched him a vase.

Although Chen Shao was speechless, he had drunk too much and was too lazy to think about it.

He was holding the vase, feeling quite content, when he turned around and saw that Zhe Shi was peeking at him.

After being discovered, she quickly lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought.

Chen Shao still secretly slipped out.

He went to Zhong Lingxi's room, where Zhong Lingxi was still asleep.

After Chen Shao went in, several maids got up one after another. He ignored them and went in, lifted the quilt and slapped Zhong Lingxi's buttocks three times.

Zhong Lingxi woke up groggily, already grumpy in the morning, and was immediately enraged when her bottom was attacked.

Wearing only his undergarments, he bared his teeth and brandished his claws, ready to fight Chen Shao to the death.

After a few struggles, Chen Shao pressed her down onto the headboard, then sat on her bottom and demanded, "After I arrived yesterday, I was drinking in the banquet hall. Why didn't you send someone to pick me up?"

Zhong Lingxi said matter-of-factly, "I was asleep! Besides, you're a grown woman, don't you know the way?"

"How dare you talk back!"

Zhong Lingxi suddenly realized what was happening and asked, "Where did you sleep last night?"

"Da Hu and I spent the night in the guest room."

It was completely light.

Lady Zhe, accompanied by a maid carrying a lunchbox, came to find them to have breakfast together.

She was in a surprisingly good mood, even humming a little tune as she walked, which greatly surprised Chen Shao.

Chen Shao was hesitant to look at her.

Zhong Lingxi was still sulking about being beaten up for no reason that morning. After eating a few bites, she left in a huff.

There were two people left in the front hall.

Dressed in a light purple gauze dress and a silk shawl, Zhe Shi looked even more beautiful. She whispered, "Mingyuan, this hurts a little. You held it while you slept last night and pinched it until it turned purple."

After saying that, he tugged at his lapel, as if to prove his words.

Startled, Chen Shao quickly coughed and said in a pretentious manner, "Thank you for your hospitality, stepmother."

After saying that, he whispered, "Be careful, don't let anyone see us."

“I know, I’ll show it to you, I won’t show it to anyone else.” The more Zhe looked at Chen Shao, the happier she became. He was tall and imposing, and most importantly, he was very young.

How come the explanation only makes things worse? Although Chen Shao is lecherous, he is not so audacious as to be outrageous.

Master Zhong should know himself.
This is his aunt!
Suddenly, a scene from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms flashed into Chen Shao's mind:

"If someone were to sexually assault your aunt, could you remain unmoved?"

Chen Shao stood up, wiped his mouth, bowed to Zhe Shi to say goodbye, and then fled the courtyard as if escaping.

Looking at Chen Shao's haggard face, Da Hu whispered, "Master, the imperial decree has arrived."

"Oh?" Chen Shao asked excitedly, "Where?"

Dong Dahu handed him an official document and said, "The messenger was one of Master Liu's men. He left this and then departed."

Chen Shao unfolded it and saw that it clearly described Liu Guanglie's visit to Cai Jing and Tong Guan.

Cai Jing dismissed him from the mansion with a single sentence; Tong Guan, on the other hand, talked at length and was very enthusiastic.

The next day, the two recommended Chen Shao to lead his 10,000 troops to quell the rebellion in Jiangnan.

Chen Shao knew that Tong Guan would definitely agree, because for him, the campaign against Liao was a matter of utmost importance, and even personal grudges between him and Tong Guan could not affect his campaign against Liao.

On the contrary, Cai Jing has really impressed Chen Shao these past two days.

Just how addicted is this old man to phases?

He's served as prime minister several times; he should step down and give younger people a chance!

Is it really necessary to work this hard?!
They've even started to reorganize the Imperial Guards for Emperor Huizong; that's like a hellish challenge.

Even if Chen Shao had eight lifetimes, he still couldn't solve this problem; the Imperial Guards were practically an integral part of Bianliang.

It seems that Cai Jing is willing to risk his old bones for power.

Chen Shao stretched and laughed, "Get ready, let's head back to Hongzhou!"

He was going to lead his troops to quell the rebellion, so naturally he couldn't enter the capital.

As for what happens after we get back?
At that time, did the thoughts of Emperor Huizong and his close associates still matter?
As for Fang La, Chen Shao didn't think much of it; it was a super gift package.

Fang La wreaked havoc in Jiangnan, and countless assets became ownerless.

This must have been the last mouthful of blood he drank before the Jin army marched south.

Those men were good at dealing with local militias, but when they encountered troops who had actually fought and witnessed cavalry charges, they were completely vulnerable.

(End of this chapter)