You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 125 To do big things, you have to make money first.
Youzhou City, the General's Mansion.

Chen Shao hasn't left his house these past few days, but he knows everything about the Dingnan Army, big and small, on the same day.

Now a big problem lies before him.

The Dingnan Army is out of money.
Caravans are very profitable, but they can't keep up with Chen Shaohua's pace right now.

Trading gold, silver, jade, and luxury goods for other people would be a good business for him, but he didn't have enough capital.

Because the arrival of these people does not mean they can immediately create wealth and value.

Moreover, it will deplete our own food reserves.

Inside the study, Wang Yin rubbed his hands and said, "General, it's truly..."

"It's alright, I know this isn't your fault."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yin immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "How about we suspend the exchange for now?"

Chen Shao shook his head and said, "No, we'll try to find another one. I'll think of something else."

Wang Yin nodded and silently withdrew.

Chen Shao didn't know how long this business could continue. It wasn't that the Great Jin was lacking in capable people, but their attention was still focused on hunting down Yelü Yanxi and destroying the Great Liao.

If they wait until they destroy Liao and recover from the shock, they will realize the severity of the population loss.

Now, Chen Shao is conducting a work-for-relief program in the Xingling Plain, and these refugees he has bought are all working.

They already have a complete resettlement plan. If they can get through this year, or even just six months, they will be able to support themselves.

Luxury goods are good, and the Jurchens genuinely like them; they can be exchanged for population.

But that thing is really expensive.
Like Zhao Ji and Cai Jing, Chen Shao also started thinking about where to get money.

Originally, after the Jurchens occupied Yunnei Prefecture, they killed and robbed, leaving the remaining Liao people terrified and no one daring to resist.

They were preparing to properly manage the city and begin to rule, but Chen Shao's actions gave them a sudden burst of energy, and they started arresting people everywhere.

The Jurchens did not accept the currency of the Northern Song Dynasty, but they did accept silver and gold. They would ask for one tael of silver for five ordinary men, and they would get a discount if they bought more.

Women are more expensive, but the Jurchens are generally unwilling to sell them, and they mainly want artisans and doctors.

At first, the Jurchens didn't think of this. They were blinded by gold and silver and sent them all over at once, afraid that this good deal would be lost.

Later, he suddenly remembered and, heartbroken, raised the craftsman's price to one hundred taels of silver.

Chen Shao gritted his teeth and accepted it all.

Gunpowder makers, in particular, were the most expensive, while brocade weavers were the cheapest.

The gunpowder artisans of the Liao Dynasty were highly skilled, not much less so than those of the Song Dynasty.

The children's items were very cheap, so Chen Shao bought them all; these were all for the future.

They've already bought over 400,000 people, and the expenses are basically equivalent to the money spent on confiscating the property of the three major wealthy merchants.

The crucial point is that Chen Shao is still hoarding supplies; these 400,000+ mouths also need money to be fed.
There was money among the common people of the Song Dynasty, especially among the wealthy families, scholar-officials, and gentry, but they wouldn't give it away.

Emperor Huizong's annual expenses were enough to support 100,000 people, yet he wouldn't cut back even a little. And even if he did manage to save some, he wouldn't give it to himself.
After much thought, Chen Shao felt there was only one way: to ask the Song court for it.

The reason is simple: he wants to attack Xia!
There's money to be made from conquering Liao, so why not from conquering Xia?

Without further ado, Chen Shao went to the outer residence of the government office.

The staff members all stood up.

To be honest, these scholars from the Northwest don't write as well as those from the Central Plains.

But it's enough.

Chen Shao looked around and found one with relatively good writing skills, saying, "Cui Pu, immediately write a memorial in my voice, saying that I want to destroy Xia and ask the court for funds!"

Those present were all secretaries and staff members; they didn't make decisions, they were only responsible for writing.

Upon hearing this, they immediately huddled together and began to discuss and start writing.

A moment later, it was handed to Chen Shao. After reading it, Chen Shao said, "This amount of money is not enough. Forget it, just ask for 300,000! Ask for more, we'll talk about how much you want. By the way, write down that I am willing to sign a military pledge! If I fail, you can cut off my head."

The group looked at each other, then went back to revise their work, and soon the document was completed:
Now that the Khitan are about to fall and the Xia rebels are rampant, the Jurchens have no time to look westward. If we wait until the Jurchens have taken all of Liaodong, they will surely fight us for Hexi. I request that 300,000 taels of silver be allocated from the imperial treasury.

In the past, Emperor Wu of Han spent hundreds of millions to conquer the Henan region; Emperor Taizong of Tang consumed thousands of ships' worth of grain to pacify the Turks. What we request now is only one-tenth of what those dynasties did, yet it can permanently extinguish the beacon fires on the western border!

If I obtain the funds and provisions to aid the army, I am willing to sign a military pledge: if I fail to capture Xingqing Prefecture within three hundred days, please execute me and display my head to the nine border regions.

I have defied the Emperor's will and await orders with trembling fear.

Chen Shao nodded and said, "Send another letter to Western Xia, saying they want money, and if they don't give it to you, I'll attack!"

Soon, the two letters were sent to Bianliang and Xingqing Prefecture respectively.

The letter to Xingqing Prefecture was extremely impolite:

Chen Shao, the Governor-General of Youzhou and Military Governor of Dingnan Army, writes to the Emperor of Western Xia:

The dragon's banner shakes the northwest, and iron cavalry tramples the Helan Mountains. Now, I command two hundred thousand armored soldiers, drawing bows and arrows across Xia, Yan, Yin, and You, with beacon fires pointing directly to Mingsha Island.

If you understand the will of Heaven, quickly prepare lambs, wine, gold, and silver as offerings; otherwise, the frost will reach your neck!
After sending him out, Chen Shao sent someone to inform Han Shizhong, telling him to increase the intensity, lest the Western Xia disregard his words.

Then Chen Shao sent someone to contact Wanyan Balisu to ask if he could pay on credit first and then pay later.

Anyway, he'd just take it one step at a time, since he didn't know who would fall for it.

If none of them fall for it, I'll think of other ways.
As he stepped out of the study, he had only taken a few steps when he saw Yang Cheng rushing over.

"General!"

Chen Shao sat down on the railing and asked, "What's the matter that you're in such a hurry?"

Yang Chengben was just an ordinary village headman of a Han Chinese village in Western Xia. In order to take a gamble, he led his entire clan to surrender to the Song Dynasty, and they almost all died in Hengshan.

Who knew that by some twist of fate, he would actually hit the jackpot and now holds a very high official position; he is a complete power-hungry individual.

He may not be greedy or seek personal gain, but when he does things, he is surrounded by followers and can change the fate of many people. The feeling of having power in his hands fascinates him.

"General, do you still remember what we talked about last time about using water transport to connect Shaanxi and Yinxia, ​​and about digging a canal in Dingnan Prefecture?"

"I remember." Chen Shao had a bit of a headache.

This is definitely a good thing. It allows us to utilize the Wuding River, making the connections between several cities closer and reducing transportation costs.

"Hehe, the main canal of the Wuding River has been dug. As long as the funds are allocated, we can start digging our own canal right away!"

"Not urgent."

"Why aren't you in a hurry anymore?"

Chen Shao pursed his lips and said, "We're out of money."

Yang Cheng was getting anxious. These were all his achievements; what if he stopped halfway through?
When you report your achievements, people won't care whether you didn't get the funding or not; they'll only look at what you accomplished.

Digging canals was a major political achievement, and Yang Cheng spent countless days and nights sleeping on the riverbank to accomplish this task.

Although it was tough and tiring, I was full of energy and fighting spirit every day.

However, today I was really hit hard by Chen Shao's two words, "I have no money."

He thought for a moment and said, “General, financial management is nothing more than increasing revenue and reducing expenditure. Do you think we can save some money from other places?”

“Once we dredge the canal, we’ll see immediate results, not only in next year’s grain transport, but also in irrigation and fishing.”

Chen Shao scratched his head and said, "Let me think of another way."

After saying that, he walked towards the inner courtyard.

Yang Cheng followed closely behind, and before he could go inside, he started nagging again, "It's so convenient for transporting troops, General!"

Without turning his head, Chen Shao waved his hand and strode forward, saying, "Let me think of something, let me think of something."

Yang Cheng could no longer see anyone and couldn't enter the inner courtyard, but he still shouted loudly, "Marshal, there's still flood control! Flood prevention! Water storage can prevent drought!"

Chen Shao avoided Yang Cheng, but his worries did not lessen in the slightest.

He paced back and forth between the corridor and the courtyard pavilion, seemingly unable to settle down.

All I can think about is money.

It turns out that no matter how high a person's status is, they will still worry about money.

Chen Shao couldn't help but recall what his cousin Liu Guanglie had said to him in his letter.

He reminded himself more than once that Cai Jing seemed somewhat displeased because he hadn't given him enough gifts.

Chen Shao didn't take it seriously.

He felt that someone of Cai Jing's status, who held power over the country, would not be interested in things like money.

What I can offer him is not just money. If he wants to do great things, he should be the one spending money to win me over.

Looking back now, I realize I still didn't understand human nature.

This world is just a giant makeshift operation, everyone's just scheming and petty, there's not much lofty vision involved.

They're all just ordinary people, including myself.

Now, those maids who are hiding in the corridor, secretly observing their servants, are dark-skinned and quite robust.

Why hire them? Is it because you like them?

In truth, he longed for a courtyard full of beautiful maids and pretty girls, pleasing to the eye and someone he could tease to cheer himself up, but ultimately, he simply didn't have the means.

Chen Shao sighed, realizing some truths. He had never been a big shot before, and always thought that big shots were extraordinary.

Their thoughts and ideas are completely different from those of ordinary people.

Now that he himself is a powerful figure, Chen Shao realizes that his desires are still the same, and the issues are still the same; only the stage has expanded, and more people are affected.

But the essence remains unchanged.

Chen Shao strolled into the house, pondering what he could sell for money, but after thinking it over, he couldn't come up with anything of value.

Although Chen Shao was not like Hai Rui, he was not particularly particular about material enjoyment.

He ate with the soldiers in the army, with the officials in the government office, and occasionally, thanks to Li Shishi, he would eat more refined meals at his residence, though they were not delicacies.

If it were Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji), he could easily find some things to buy a large number of people.

Upon entering the house, Li Shishi leaned against a cool couch by the north-facing window, her face hidden behind a fan, making it unclear whether she was asleep or awake.

Chen Shao walked over without disturbing her, waved for the maids to leave, and brewed himself a pot of tea to sip.

While drinking, he looked at the ornaments in Li Shishi's room, but unfortunately he didn't know their value and didn't know whether they were worth anything.

After watching him suspiciously for a while, Chen Shao's eyes started to sting.

I've memorized a few things and I'm going to find out if they're valuable.

After a while, Chen Shao finished drinking the tea until it was clear, and Li Shishi finally woke up.

"When did you arrive, my lord?"

She rubbed her eyes, twisted her waist and stretched her arms, walked to Chen Shao's side, and asked softly.

"Just arrived."

Li Shishi saw the tea and laughed, "You came and didn't even wake me up."

She felt a sweet warmth in her heart; the young man cherished her and couldn't bear to wake her.

"You look so worried."

Chen Shao smiled and said, "It's nothing, just some trivial government affairs."

Upon hearing that it was serious business, Li Shishi immediately stopped talking and sat down next to him.

A gentle breeze blows, the green willows sway slightly, and a cool breeze drifts in through the window.

Beneath the window, Li Shishi rested her chin on her hand, watching Chen Shao stare blankly.

Actually, Chen Shao came to see if she had any valuable items, but in the end he was too embarrassed to ask.
"My lord, please speak frankly." Li Shishi couldn't help but laugh when she saw his eyes darting around and his repeated hesitation.

"Shishi ah"

"Yes, Shishi is here." Li Shishi squinted her eyes, her heart melting.

Do you have any money left?
-
Do you have any money left?

Having just finished, Chen Shao embraced Zhe Shi and asked softly.

The soft, supple body in my arms, damp with cool sweat, felt incredibly comfortable.

"Don't worry, I have everything I need. You don't need to worry about me," Zhe Shi said happily.

Chen Shao chuckled dryly, disregarding his pride, and asked, "I mean, could you lend me some?"

Lady Zhe looked at him in surprise. Wasn't her young lover a powerful military commander?

If anyone is short of money, he shouldn't be either.

Chen Shao was quite honest, explaining his predicament and promising to repay the favor tenfold next year.

Madam Zhe immediately sat up from his arms and said, "Then I'll go back and try to get you a little more. I'm of a higher generation, so I'll ask the Zhong family for a loan; they'll definitely lend me some. I'll also go back to my parents' home; they'll lend me some out of respect for the Zhong family."

"That's wonderful!" Chen Shao grasped her hand, kissed the back of it several times, and said, "I will never let you down in this life. I will always cherish you, love you, and pity you."

Tears welled up in Zhe's eyes as she nestled in Chen Shao's arms, sobbing softly.

At this moment, she wished she could tear down the Zhong and Zhe families' houses, sell the bricks and tiles, and give the proceeds to Chen Shaohua.
-
"Huanhuan, do you have money?"

"What are you doing!" Zhong Lingxi asked warily. "Nothing!"

Thinking that she would at most ask the Zhong family for it, there was no need for that, since the Zhe family had already left.

The two are prone to repetition.

Chen Shao thought about it, but still felt a little angry. He went over, held Zhong Lingxi down, and slapped her little bottom a few times.

Zhong Lingxi covered her buttocks and glared at him resentfully, but surprisingly, she didn't get angry and turned to walk into the inner room.

After a short while, she came out carrying a small box and said, "This is all I have. You can use it."

As she spoke, her face was full of reluctance.

Chen Shao smiled and said, "I'll pay you back double later!"

After saying that, he took the small box and left.

A voice sounded from behind:
You'd better keep your word!
-
Youzhou, an open space on the outskirts of the city.

Most of the important figures from various parts of Dingnan Army have arrived.

The commander summoned everyone, saying he wanted to discuss important matters, and no one dared to be negligent.

As the sun set, everyone finally arrived at the Red Willow River. Chen Shao and the others sat together on the wooden stakes, huddled together like a large family discussing official business.

"Our Dingnan Army is short of money recently because I spent most of it going to Yunnei Prefecture to redeem prisoners from the Jurchens." Chen Shao explained the matter clearly in one sentence, without any beating around the bush.

This small meeting also got straight to the point.

"Please feel free to speak your mind. What money-making methods do you have that are suitable for us?"

Han Shizhong was the first to shout, "Expand our territory! As long as we capture a few cities, the spoils we get will be enough to keep us going for a while."

Chen Shao thought to himself, "Expanding outwards is indeed a good idea."

Those cities hold wealth accumulated over generations.

Where to expand?

Han Shizhong thought to himself, "The commander has repeatedly told me not to be rash. If I were to suggest attacking Shuofang, I would definitely be scolded."

He clasped his hands in a fist salute and laughed, "We're just officers. Where we fight is entirely up to the commander! Wherever the commander points, Han Wu will fight!"

Chen Shao said irritably, "Bianliang has money. I told you to attack Bianliang, so you attack Bianliang?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was stunned.

Chen Shao immediately realized something was wrong and that he had said the wrong thing.

His soul is that of a modern person, rather relaxed, who speaks such blasphemous words without a second thought, lacking any sense of reverence.

"I'll be the vanguard!" Old Zhu suddenly stood up, his face flushed, and said, "Commander, you've finally come to your senses!"

"Sit down!"

Although Chen Shao's mistake was unintentional, at this point, he wanted to make the best of a bad situation and see how everyone would react.

Han Shizhong and the others did not express their opinions, but the Qiang tribes of Hengshan and the tribes that had submitted to the central government near Yinxia Prefecture all looked excited and eager to try.

Seeing Chen Shao looking over, Han Shizhong clenched his fist and smiled at Chen Shao.

Chen Shao was satisfied and stopped testing him. Instead, he said, "I was angered by Han Wu just now and made a slip of the tongue. Please don't impeach me. I will not admit it."

Everyone burst into laughter, but Zhu Lingling was somewhat disappointed and sighed as she sat down.

"Everyone, think of some ideas. I'm not afraid of being laughed at. I even took the money meant for my concubines to buy rouge."

Everyone lowered their heads and began to think hard. Some people picked up stones and threw them into the Red Willow River.
Someone was pacing back and forth along the riverbank;
Some people were leaning against trees, their eyes closed in thought.
Li Xiaozhong said, "The Jurchens are the richest people right now. It would be great if we could barter. But they don't need what we have, except for warhorses, which we absolutely cannot give them."

As he was speaking, he suddenly clapped his hands and exclaimed, "I've got it!"

Everyone looked at him, and Li Xiaozhong said, "General, I will go there myself and tell Wanyan Balisu that we should get the person back first. If we pay next year, we can raise the interest rate, just like the current interest rate of the banks."

"Whether we default on the debt or pay it next year depends on the situation."

Chen Shao's eyes lit up, and he nodded, saying, "That's a good idea. I think the Jurchens are at the height of their power right now, so they'll definitely agree. In fact, they'd love for us not to pay them, so they'd have a reason to head south."

"Won't this provoke a conflict between the two countries?" Yang Cheng asked with some concern.

Chen Shao sneered, but before he could speak, Li Xiaozhong said in advance, "What's there to be afraid of? I think they'll head south regardless of whether this incident happened or not!"

Rather than keeping the slaves in their hands to kill and play with, the Jurchens would rather send them here. They even thought that if they attacked in the future, they could take these slaves back.

It's equivalent to Chen Shao supporting them for several years.
Given the Jurchens' current record, they probably wouldn't even consider what to do if they couldn't win.

Just as everyone was preparing to head home, Yang Cheng suddenly grabbed Chen Shao and said with a smile, "General, I heard that you raised quite a bit of money in your inner quarters. As for the canal digging project, well, hehe."
-
In the city of Zhuozhou, Nanjing Prefecture, Liao Dynasty.

Since the Song Dynasty suffered a crushing defeat at the Baigou River, the city's security has been three times stronger than before.

Guo, the pharmacist, had experienced several life-or-death situations, and he always had a keen sense of danger.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have escaped so many life-threatening situations.

How many of the old brothers from the Eighth Battalion of the Yuan Army are left now?

The refugees gathered outside the city, and all the able-bodied men were recruited with two meals of flatbread and hot soup a day. They frantically dug soil and piled stones to repair the city walls.

The moat outside the city has been deepened and widened, the parapets have been thickened, the battlements have been raised, and the defensive equipment has been repaired one by one.

Various defensive fortifications were urgently constructed, and scouts were stationed everywhere outside the city to closely monitor the actions of all parties.

The Ever Victorious Army soldiers stationed in various parts of Zhuozhou gradually shrank and gathered mainly in the vicinity of Zhuozhou, especially their own troops.

The Ever Victorious Army was very capable in battle. The Eight Battalions of the Resentful Army that Yelü Chun had formed were indeed not very effective in combat; they were a bunch of rabble.

But today's ever-victorious army consists of the strong who have been forged from that rabble through countless battles, like raising poisonous insects, eliminating the weak and tempering them.

Yizhou City, now also under the jurisdiction of Guo Yaoshi, is in a similar state.

As soldiers, even those from the Ever Victorious Army, they wouldn't know what this was all about. They just felt that their superiors' orders were coming down one after another with great urgency. It wasn't enough to just conscript laborers to repair the defense system of Zhuozhou, so they had to get involved as well. They were all so busy and tired that they kept complaining.

At the same time, a bad thought also surfaced in their minds.

Zhuozhou and Yizhou, located in the center of Nanjing Prefecture, are surrounded by Liao people on all sides. They are now also soldiers of the Liao Kingdom; who are they guarding against?
On the streets of Zhuozhou, there were always officers in red robes riding by, receiving military orders from Guo Yaoshi's yamen hall, and then informing their troops.

These days, the atmosphere of gloom and desolation in Zhuozhou City is even more intense than usual.

The officers in the upper ranks already know who they are wary of; that person is truly difficult to deal with.

The Four Army Kings, the Six Divisions King, Xiao Gan
Putting aside his identity, Xiao Gan himself is definitely a capable person.

When everyone was in despair after being attacked from both sides by the Song and Jin dynasties, Guo Yaoshi had already contacted the Song Dynasty in advance. It was Xiao Gan who launched the attack and defeated the Song army.

Inside the hall, several officers of the Ever Victorious Army were speaking in hushed tones to Guo Yaoshi in front of the commander's desk.

Guo the Pharmacist looked a bit thinner, but his eyes were even more piercing. He had truly fought his way up from the bottom, and he possessed a ruthless streak.

Unless you completely defeat this kind of person, they will always find a way to make a comeback; their resilience is beyond imagination.

He didn't sit down at this moment, but stood behind the desk, a coarse cloth robe casually draped over his shoulders, which made him look even taller and more imposing.

At this time of turmoil and widespread anxiety, he was the backbone of the Ever Victorious Army!

"Sir, we have recently conscripted over ten thousand laborers. We can save on pay, and we haven't seen any money coming in for quite some time. But the consumption of grain is alarming! The grain reserves in Zhuozhou are decreasing every day, and the wheat fields in the surrounding area won't be harvested until autumn. The military commander estimates that the grain reserves won't last until autumn!"

A problem is prevalent everywhere now: food shortages.
Throughout history, in times of chaos, food has always been the top priority!

Of course, there was one exception, which was at the end of the Sui Dynasty.

Emperors Yang Jian and Yang Guang exploited the people so much that the granaries of local governments were overflowing.

The heroes at the end of the Sui Dynasty had no shortage of food, which is why the fighting was so intense.

The granaries of the Song and Liao dynasties were all very clean.

"Sir, issue the weapons and equipment to each battalion in the coming days. Armor goes without saying, we only have so many. But we are quite short of swords, spears, bows, and arrows. Zhuozhou has only about 100,000 arrows, not enough to go out and fight a battle..."

"Commander, one unit has been transferred to Yizhou, while the Yizhou garrison commander has been sent back to Zhuozhou. The old brothers are quite resentful. Yizhou is a poor place, and the Han Chinese prefect Gao Fengyuan is extorting our supplies. It's nowhere near as pleasant as Zhuozhou! Meanwhile, we're being sent to Zhuozhou by General Dong's old troops, while we old brothers are being sent to Yizhou. Everyone is dissatisfied. What kind of logic is this?"

The generals of the Ever Victorious Army were absolutely loyal to Guo Yaoshi, but because they had fought alongside him all along, they had lost some of their awe and started complaining fiercely when things went wrong.

Originally, Guo Yaoshi was just listening to the officers' complaints without showing any emotion; he was well aware of the lack of food and weapons.

The newly established Northern Liao court was strapped for cash, and all the supplies it could muster were used to support Yelü Dashi's army.

The remaining points also need to be taken into account in Yanjing City, so the Ever Victorious Army has no say in that.

Their ever-victorious army consisted entirely of Han Chinese. They claimed that the Liao Dynasty treated everyone equally, but when did they ever truly treat everyone equally?

Now that the Han Chinese from the south are attacking the Liao Dynasty, the Khitans are even more wary of them.

Even if they had surplus money, food, and supplies, the Khitans would never give them to the Ever Victorious Army, since they believed the Ever Victorious Army was highly likely to betray them.

Even before the Liao Dynasty collapsed, the Yuan Army, the predecessor of the Ever Victorious Army, was not very reliable and often rebelled.

Yelü Chun had suffered a great loss; halfway through his campaign against the Jin, a mutiny by resentful troops nearly killed him.

Now that they have been settled in Zhuozhou, they are the very people the Northern Liao court is wary of. How could they possibly be allowed to supply the Ever Victorious Army with military equipment and supplies?

So he just listened to his subordinates' complaints. As long as the defection to the Song Dynasty went smoothly, these things were not a problem.

The Song Dynasty was wealthy and needed his assistance in recovering the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. The emperor was not short of starving soldiers, so how could he not provide for Guo Yaoshi?
But when his subordinates mentioned the relocation, his facial muscles twitched suddenly, but he quickly calmed down.

What troubles him most is not the remnants of Dong Xiaochou's army! Back then, he had appeased Zhao Heshou, Dong Xiaochou's important general, and three thousand of Dong Xiaochou's remnants surrendered to him. How could he possibly turn the eight camps of the resentful army that were not under each other's command into his own invincible army?
But now, the remnants of Dong Xiaochou's forces are his biggest worry!
Who is Dong Xiaochou? He is the true creator of the Eight Camps of the Resentful Army and the original leader of the entire Resentful Army.

Back when he hadn't yet been recruited by Yelü Chun, he was a bandit leader in Liaodong.

Because he controlled the smuggling network in Yiwulü Mountain, he had men and money under his command and could also supply Jurchen intelligence to the Liao court.

Later, they took in 5,000 remnants of the Dayanlin rebellion, becoming the only anti-Jin armed force in southeastern Liaoning.

Moreover, he was one of the few forces in the Liao Dynasty that could truly hold their own against the Jin people.

In the Battle of Jili Mountain in 1117, three thousand soldiers blocked the Jin general Wanyan Zonghan's army of twenty thousand for ten days!

Despite his formidable fighting skills, Dong Xiaochou never changed his bandit habits. No sooner had he achieved great merit than he robbed the Jinzhou government treasury in the same year due to a shortage of pay, stealing 18 strings of copper coins.

At that time, many Liao people in the Yan region wanted to kill Dong Xiaochou. Xiao Gan was the first to secretly report to Emperor Tianzuo: "Dong's troops are taking tax money from Longzhou for their own use, which is suspected of being an act of usurpation."

Immediately afterwards, Guo Yaoshi, who had served as Dong Xiaochou's deputy general, sent people everywhere to spread rumors that "Xiaochou wants to support Yelü Chun to become emperor."

Therefore, in the first month of 1120, Liao general Li Shi held a banquet under the pretext of "repaying military pay," whereupon three hundred armored soldiers shot and killed Dong Xiaochou with a hail of arrows at the Jili Mountain camp.

This is comparable to Yuan Chonghuan killing Mao Wenlong.
Ironically, Xiao Gan and Guo Yaoshi, who had initially framed him for wanting to enthrone Yelü Chun, soon actually did enthrone Yelü Chun as emperor.

The remnants of Dong Xiaochou's forces, especially the most capable ones—those who rose to power as bandits in Liaodong—only listened to Zhao Heshou.

No matter how Guo the Pharmacist treated him, Zhao Heshou always responded respectfully, without the slightest hint of resentment, and did not seem to be seeking revenge for his former elder brother.

Not long ago, he had driven him to Yizhou, and he had left without a word. Now, in order to place Dong Xiaochou's troops under the surveillance of the main force of the Ever Victorious Army, he had transferred another force to relieve the Yizhou garrison. Zhao Heshou should have understood his intentions, but he still remained silent and led his troops back to Zhuozhou.

Although he seemed obedient, Guo Yaoshi had been navigating this chaotic world for over a decade and thought he had a complete grasp of human nature.

If this person is as submissive as he appears, then why are Dong Xiaochou's remaining troops so united? I myself once tried to split up these three thousand people, which almost triggered a mutiny. If you say that Zhao Heshou wasn't supporting them behind the scenes, I, Guo Yaoshi, would never believe it even if you beat me to death!

They are like a nail buried in one's heart.

You never know when it might erupt, and it could really kill you.

These three thousand men were capable of holding off Wanyan Zonghan's twenty thousand men; who would dare to underestimate them?

In this chaotic world, Guo Yaoshi himself was preparing to betray his lord and surrender, caught between Yelü Dashi's army in front and Yanjing behind.

What he fears most is internal instability; if something changes, the consequences are unimaginable.

But Guo Yaoshi didn't want to regret his decision to join the Song Dynasty.

As a general of the Liao Dynasty, he understood the current situation of the Liao Dynasty better than anyone else. There was nothing that could be done about the country's affairs, and Yelü Dashi's great victory was nothing more than a last gasp before the end of the war.

Since we're going to pledge allegiance to a new master, we should do it as soon as possible. Our initial hesitation was merely a matter of observing between the Song and the Jurchens. Now that things are urgent, Xiao Gan has already led his troops to our aid, and the Jurchens are too far away to be of any use in our immediate situation. It's better to go all out and pledge allegiance to the Song as soon as possible.

If the Song people really can't hold them off in the future, it's not too late to surrender to the Jurchens. Anyway, I have never betrayed the Jurchens, so I can surrender anytime.

While seemingly listening to his subordinates' complaints, Guo the Pharmacist was actually deep in thought about the current situation. He knew about each of their complaints and was also aware that he had no way to resolve them.

Only by quickly surrendering to the Song Dynasty and obtaining grain and supplies from them can all the problems be solved.

There is another advantage to surrendering to the Song Dynasty now: they have just suffered a crushing defeat at the Baigou River and are in dire need of military achievements.

If you go yourself, it would be like sending charcoal in snowy weather, and you can make all the demands you want.

Anyway, it's much easier to handle that spineless Tong Guanxuan now than at the beginning!

The people below watched as Guo Yaoshi remained silent, his face growing increasingly ashen.

One by one, they quietly fell silent, not daring to utter a single word. Everyone had noticed that the steward had been in a bad mood lately. But no one knew what they had said that had touched a nerve with him, causing his expression to turn so grim!
At the entrance of the ceremonial hall, Zhen Wuchen, a trusted confidant of Guo Yaoshi with a face full of scars, strode in, his hand on his sword. He waved for people to leave, saying, "What use are you all, always bothering the Commander with everything? The Commander is trying to find a solution to the shortage of food and weapons. Are you going to abandon him? As for the relocation, anyone who dares to utter a word will have their tongue pulled out! The Commander disobeys orders and still has the nerve to talk back? Get out of here!"

Zhen Wuchen was the most prestigious and senior member of the Ever Victorious Army, second only to Guo Yaoshi.

After being scolded by him, the Ever Victorious Army generals, who had been frozen in place, bowed and slunk away.

Guo Yaoshi looked at Zhen Wuchen with a dark expression, but Zhen Wuchen only watched the officers and soldiers leave before walking over and saying softly, "Steward, Zhao Heshou is back."

Guo the Pharmacist sneered: "The entire army returned?"

"The entire army has returned, and the three thousand soldiers have all entered the camp vacated by the troop rotation. Only Zhao Heshou and his personal guards of about a hundred men have entered the city and entered his own mansion. I am following the instructions of the commander-in-chief to keep several thousand men at hand to deal with this troop rotation at any time. Everything is fine now."

Upon hearing that all three thousand of Zhao Heshou's men had arrived, Guo Yaoshi finally breathed a sigh of relief, slowly relaxing the tense expression on his face. He then slowly put on the clothes he was wearing. Zhen Wuchen silently took the jade belt hanging to the side and handed it to Guo Yaoshi with both hands.

He was afraid that Zhao Heshou would surrender to Xiao Gan and then coordinate an attack from within to eliminate him before he could surrender to the Song Dynasty.

“My five subjects, do you know how difficult it has been for us to get here?”
With so little, who wouldn't look down on us when we go out? The Ever Victorious Army, aren't we just food and clothing for you, me, and those brothers outside?

Some people always covet my position, but they don't know how much I suffer in this role! I risk my life to send them out to find a way out for our brothers, and yet there are still people who cause me endless trouble! What good would it do to hand over this entire victorious army to them?

Zhen Wuchen smiled bitterly: "Chief Steward, we've been with you for a long time. For the sake of us old brothers, Chief Steward can't rest... But those Song people were so arrogant last time, and now they've just suffered another defeat. Even if they're willing to surrender, do they have the guts to come and meet us?"

In truth, he disapproved of Guo Yaoshi's repeated betrayals of his master, but Guo Yaoshi had saved his life. Zhen Wuchen was different from Guo Yaoshi; he was loyal and had a strong sense of justice.

Although he knew that Guo Yaoshi had betrayed Dong Xiaochou back then and that his actions were very unethical, he did not harbor any thoughts of betrayal himself.

It should be noted that when Guo Yaoshi betrayed Dong Xiaochou, he held the same position as himself, both being deputy generals.

Dong Xiaochou trusted him a lot and took good care of him. Guo Yaoshi's rise to prominence was all thanks to Dong Xiaochou's promotion.

Finally, he stabbed me.
If it weren't for the traitor within the Liao people back then, they would have had to think twice before trying to deal with Dong Xiaochou.

Guo Yaoshi smiled coldly: "That scoundrel Tong Guan is trying to fool the emperor with his merits. Giving him Zhuozhou and Yizhou is exactly what he wants. How could he not come?"

"Don't underestimate this eunuch. Although he was defeated at Baigou River, I heard that he was quite courageous when dealing with the Tubo people in the Hehuang region in the Northwest."

Hearing Guo Yaoshi's resolute tone, Zhen Wuchen could no longer voice his doubts. In this chaotic world, those who rise to such positions are all insightful, bold, and determined; once they've made up their minds, they never look back. Guo Yaoshi's unwavering confidence left his subordinates with no choice but to follow.

Guo the Pharmacist's gaze was stern, and he had already tightened his jade belt: "As long as we don't fall into chaos internally, I can lead everyone through this crisis!"

When Xiao Gan's army launched a surprise attack on Zhuozhou.

Dozens of warhorses galloped like the wind from Hejian Prefecture to Zhuozhou.

Ma Kuo was definitely an energetic person, and he knew that the situation could not be delayed, so he took the initiative as soon as possible.

After a brief conversation, Ma Kuo and Tong Guan understood Tong Guan's meaning and agreed with him. They believed that capturing Guo Yaoshi could indeed reverse the situation, so they immediately set off to return.

The speed of their actions surprised Yang Keshi and Wang Bing, who were preparing a banquet to welcome Ma Kuo. They hurriedly dispatched cavalry to escort them back.

On the muddy road, the heavy rain had gradually subsided, drizzling incessantly like spring rain. The road was crowded only with laborers struggling in the mud, their legs, clad in trousers and hemp shoes, trampling the road into a pulp.

The mules and horses neighed and thrashed, but they couldn't pull the cart out of the mud. The Song soldiers crowded on the cart, but few got off to help push it.

The officers escorting the laborers did nothing; they lay on top of the high piles of grain, with two soldiers beside them to help them spread out a tarpaulin, while they simply covered their faces with a bamboo hat and slept soundly.

As Ma Kuo and his cavalry passed by, the exhausted laborers quickly moved aside, staring blankly at everything before them. The mud from the cavalry splashed onto the Song soldiers on the carts, and immediately a chorus of curses in various Shaanxi dialects rang out as they passed.

"They all run south faster than rabbits, making me eat mud! If they have the guts, they should turn around and go north! They've made us end up in this godforsaken place, soaked to the bone, exhausted and worn out. If those Liaoning dogs take another step forward, we might just wipe them out!"

These Western Army soldiers fully embodied the spirit of Pigsy's journey to the West. Pigsy was always eager to divide the luggage, while the Western Army was always eager to disperse.

When Song Ting and Tong Guan transferred away their superiors, they probably didn't expect that without the restraint of those superiors, the Western Army would be completely out of control.

Hearing and witnessing all this, Ma Kuo became increasingly worried.
He sharply cracked his whip, increasing his speed once again.

(End of this chapter)