You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 144 A Belated Reward

On the outskirts of Yan'an Prefecture.

Old Zhong, barely managing to put on his armor, sat on a soft couch, with his generals standing behind him, their hands on their swords.

These veterans, divided into small groups, were whispering amongst themselves.

News arrived early that an angel had come to deliver an imperial decree, so Master Zhong burned incense and set up an altar to respectfully welcome the emperor's message.

A group of Western Army generals were also filled with trepidation, wondering how the imperial court would conclude the matter in Hebei.

The fact that everyone returned from Hebei without authorization is, strictly speaking, tantamount to rebellion, and at the very least, a crime punishable by dismissal and investigation.

The fact that there has been no movement for so long means that they must have been discussing and deliberating in Bianliang for a long time.

In fact, it wasn't just them; whether Tong Guan's redemption of Yanjing was a merit or a demerit has never been concluded.

Chen Shao captured Xingqing Prefecture and almost wiped out the Western Xia, yet he has still not been rewarded.

The Song Dynasty court was essentially shut down, and everyone has figured out the specific reasons why.

Tokyo is currently weak and insecure, and there are certain things they must punish, but they dare not be too harsh.

Hesitating and dragging it out.

After Chen Shao conquered Western Xia, he immediately committed many acts of disloyalty. People wanted to reward him, but they were also afraid that he would become even more ruthless.

It's like balancing merits and demerits, but it doesn't sound good to say it out loud.

The Song Dynasty court today is so conflicted, and it does many things in a very bizarre way.

After so many years of playing games, Emperor Huizong of Song has almost squandered the entire foundation of the Song Dynasty.

He shrugged off and didn't want to care about anything, which caused many things to be delayed.

Now we have no choice but to deal with them one by one. We started with Tong Guan, who was granted the title of Duke of Zhenshuang, and it is estimated that he will be granted the title of King later.

This confirms their achievement in reclaiming Youyan.

Then came the Western Army, and finally Chen Shao, because Chen Shao was the most difficult to deal with.

Once this order was announced, the clever ones in the Western Army already knew they were probably safe.

The imperial court continued to reward Tong Guan handsomely, even bestowing upon him the title of king, clearly intending to control Chen Shao in the northwest.

Our own group is a shield. And if they push, they'll also squeeze out something for the Western Army to chew on.

Despite his old age and frail health, Zhong Shidao struggled to go out to greet guests outside the West Gate just as dawn broke.

Some of the generals of the Western Army felt that the court had gone too far, while others were full of resentment. However, since Old Zhong had already come out in person, they had no choice but to follow him out to greet him.

Regardless, he remains the spiritual leader of the Western Army and the soul of the group.

His seniority and achievements meant that as long as he lived, he could occupy this position.

Since the incident in which the Western Army of Hebei withdrew on its own, several small groups have subtly emerged within the Western Army.

Some felt that the old general was too old to lead the Western Army forward, or even protect it.

This group favored Yao Gu, believing that Yao Gu could replace Lao Zhong.

There are also those who remain loyal to the old regime, and of course, there are always those who observe the situation and casually observe from the sidelines.

At this moment, clues began to emerge behind Lao Zhong: the various small groups were whispering and talking amongst themselves.

This imperial decree will determine many things, and people's hearts are beginning to waver at this moment.

With his personal guards attending him, Old Zhong pretended not to see anything and quietly waited by the soft couch that had been brought out.

It wasn't that he didn't want to compete, but he was indeed too exhausted to compete. The court's reward this time was most likely meant to make people wary of Chen Shao.

But does the Western Army still have that capability?
When the Western Xia attacked Hengshan, the entire population was mobilized and united in their efforts to defeat the Xia bandits.

What if Chen Shao comes in?
In Shaanxi and other regions, countless people are abandoning their homeland and joining the Dingnan Army.

Old Zhong's health was really failing. He had been catching colds frequently since arriving in Hebei, and inevitably, he had been soaked in the cold rain for a long time during the continuous downpours.

Even today, many people advise him to simply send someone to greet him, but Old Zhong insists on going despite his illness.

Zhong Shidao was worried, fearing that these Western Army generals would once again be used by others.

But how could he control these fierce soldiers and generals? He was getting old, and the respect others had for him would diminish as his health deteriorated.

The Zhong family army did not need the imperial court's provisions this time, but other military families did, so Chen Shao only gave the Zhong family army provisions.

He was leaning against the couch, surrounded by soft cushions, with his bodyguard Zhang Gai shielding him from the wind.

Young Zhong didn't come; instead, Old Zhong was surrounded by some young military officers.

A military tent was set up nearby, with several servants waiting inside. If Old Zhong really couldn't hold on any longer, they would quickly take him into the tent to rest.

Old Zhong wasn't quite at that point yet; he leaned back on the soft couch, coughing occasionally. He pretended not to see the subtle, clearly defined distinction between the military officers behind him.

The court has ordered you to block Chen Shao, but what will you use to do so? And if you don't befriend Chen Shao, what will you do if he really attacks?
Among Qin Fengjun and Yao Gu's faction, a trusted general shook his head slightly and said in a low voice: "Old Zhong is really no good. It looks like he won't last more than a few years. Old Liu suffered a defeat in Hebei this time, and young Liu is too young and incompetent... Yao, as long as you stabilize your own position, the future of the Western Army will depend on you."
A minor setback in Hebei is nothing to worry about. Our Qin Feng army is strong and well-equipped; surely we can't afford to be defeated by Old Master Zhong and his men? Looking at Old Master Zhong's health, Master Yao, there's no need to fret."

After listening, Yao Gu not only did not nod, but also retorted: "Don't talk nonsense. I, Yao Gu, admire Old Master Zhong the most. How could I want to oppose Old Master Zhong?"

My actions were solely for the sake of the Western Army. If it weren't for the old Prime Minister's illness, why would I have bothered to fight? It is only out of concern for the old Prime Minister's health that we must shoulder more responsibility.

He had been in the army since childhood and had been under the command of the old general. Even if there was a misunderstanding at this time, what did it matter?
Our greatest enemy now is Chen Shao. We fought for five years to conquer Xia, and our ancestors fought for a century, yet he has taken all the credit and occupied the entire territory of Western Xia. If he harbors further ambitions in the future, he could become another Li Yuanhao, a formidable foe to our Western Army! It is precisely because some fail to consider this that we are truly worried.”

The trusted general lowered his head and remained silent, somewhat disapproving of Yao Gu's mentality of acting independently yet being unwilling to completely break ties.

Why are you going to fight Chen Shao if you don't seize all the Western Army?
Even if he were to command the entire Western Army, they might still depend on him for survival. If the Song Dynasty were to stop supplying the military provisions of tens of millions of strings of cash every year, how would the Western Army sustain itself?
Fortunately, Chen Shao, unlike Li Yuanhao back then, did not show much rebellious intent.

Moreover, he was a decent person, and the trade routes between Yinzhou and Hongzhou had become the money bags for all the routes in Shaanxi.

Nobody wanted to offend him.

Suddenly, some noises came from ahead, and a moment later, a flock of flags appeared in sight.

Immediately afterwards, a large group of armored soldiers appeared on the horizon, numbering around two or three hundred. Each soldier wore a sable hat, which gleamed brightly in the sunlight.

The Song Dynasty's army escorted the imperial envoy to deliver the imperial decree.

As soldiers serving in the imperial guard, their appearance was certainly not bad.

The newcomers had an arrogant demeanor. It wasn't that they looked down on the Western Army, but rather that they were angels representing the Emperor, and that's how they were behaving.

Just as Zhong Shidao was about to get up, a Japanese military officer stepped forward and said, "His Majesty has granted special permission for Grand Commandant Zhong to receive the decree while seated."

This favor was truly remarkable, and it also confirmed that the imperial court intended to bribe the Western Army.

The rest of the people knelt down to receive the imperial decree.

After the announcement was read, everyone received a reward. Even Liu Guangshi was appointed as the Chengxuan Envoy and appointed as the General Commander of the Cavalry and Infantry of Fuyan Road, succeeding his father in commanding this army.

Yao Gu, the general commander of the Qin-Feng Army, was the one who received the highest honor. He succeeded Tong Guan in some of the powers in the various routes of Shaanxi and was appointed as the military commissioner of the Qin-Feng route, ranking above all other generals and holding the power of the military and political affairs in the Northwest.

Yao Gu stood up, expressed his gratitude, and was in high spirits.

Zhong Shidao glanced at him, a hint of worry in his eyes, and Yao Gu felt his gaze as well. After exchanging a look, Zhong Shidao helplessly lowered his head and stopped looking at him.

He himself had been young once, and at Yao Gu's age, in his prime, he was proud and arrogant, and they wouldn't listen to any advice.

Only after hitting a wall and feeling the pain do we realize the need to reflect on our actions.
-
Xiping Prefecture, Lingwu Camp.

Chen Shao looked at the military report in his hand, frowned, and said, "Nonsense!"

Merit is not rewarded, wrongdoing is not punished, and officials are promoted and ennobled indiscriminately.

Isn't this treating the imperial court's authority as a joke?

If you really want to win over the Shaanxi people, it's very simple: just provide them with food.

The central government of the Song Dynasty still retained the right to use the grain transported from various regions. This grain, which came from Jinghu, Jiangnan, the Central Plains, and Hebei, was still transported to Bianliang and distributed by the central government.

Although the troops from various routes in Shaanxi still possessed some fighting strength, without food, how could they feed their more than 100,000 soldiers?

Wu Lin thought that he was angry because the defeated troops in Shaanxi had all been rewarded, but the military governor who quelled Fang La and raised an army to destroy Xia had only been given the title of military governor.

He advised, "General, there is no need to be angry. I believe the court will soon reward you."

In the Song Dynasty, it was common for titles and rewards to arrive late.

Sometimes, when a general on the frontier performs a meritorious service, he has to wait for approval from various levels of government and deliberation before a reward is finally granted.

This process can sometimes last three to five years.

Chen Shao shook his head. He didn't care what title that dog emperor bestowed upon him.

What angered Chen Shao was that his actions in Shaanxi would hasten the collapse of the Song Dynasty.

Next, when dealing with the Jurchens, they will all be allies!
If they are defeated too quickly, allowing the Jurchens to build up their morale, it will be even more difficult for them to fight.

Chen Shao never imagined that the Song Dynasty could stop the Jurchens; his only hope was that they wouldn't suffer a crushing defeat.

Instead of explaining to Wu Lin, he muttered to Pang Ge, "To be awarded a title after losing a battle. Everyone says the Song Dynasty values ​​civil officials over military ones, but this isn't the case either!"

Chen Shao chuckled. "Not to belittle martial arts?"
The reason for the current situation is simply because the central government of the Song Dynasty misjudged one thing.

They regarded Tong Guan's campaign against Liao as a battle they were certain to win, and all their plans were based on Tong Guan defeating the Khitan and recovering Youyan.

If that were the case, see if the Western Army would reward them, and see if Chen Shao would still be so carefree.

I've been ready to deal with you all for a long time.

Unfortunately, Tong Guan's series of unexpected defeats in Hebei completely shattered all their plans.

The troops used to replace the Imperial Guards and intimidate Liu Yanqing's forces in the region also suffered heavy losses.

The official position initially offered to Liu Yanqing was the Pacification Commissioner of Hebei.

He became the second Xuan Commander of the Song Dynasty.

A jumble of complex thoughts welled up in Chen Shao's mind, making him somewhat disappointed, but at the same time, he remembered the promises Lao Zhong had made to him.

The prosperity of his own territory has given him confidence and a strong sense of self-assurance.

Even when surrounded by the Western Army, none of them could stop them.

May of the fifth year of the Xuanhe era.

The imperial envoy finally arrived in Xiping Prefecture.

The imperial court appointed Chen Shao as the Prefect of Xia Prefecture, Military Governor of Dingnan Army, and Commissioner for the Administration of Five Prefectures (Xia, Yin, Sui, You, and Jing) and the Commissioner for the Administration of the Barbarian Tribes.
After receiving the imperial decree, Chen Shao's face was somewhat gloomy. He received neither a noble title nor any practical benefits.

I'm the one who has the final say here. Who told you to appoint me as governor or military commissioner?

Despite his merit in destroying the Xia dynasty, the Western Army troops who fled back from Hebei received similar rewards as he did.

After sending the messenger away, Chen Shao walked around the camp and then smiled with relief.

When you're out in the world, you decide your own identity. It doesn't matter what official position you're given; as long as you know it in your heart, that's enough.

Chen Shao also realized that his own experience of the Song Dynasty was still very superficial.

Having been here for only a few years, I've spent most of my time wandering around the former territory of the Western Xia.

There is a lack of rational understanding of the current situation in the Song Dynasty, which is why everything seems strange.

If one had a deep understanding of the Song Dynasty, Chen Shao would not be surprised.

When the Song Dynasty finally established clear distinctions between rewards and punishments, I'll just make do with this identity. It's a way of acknowledging my rule over the former territory of Western Xia.
-
For the Song Dynasty, the most reassuring thing this year was that the expenses for the hundreds of thousands of Imperial Guards were saved.

Although the Central Imperial Guard still has hundreds of thousands of soldiers receiving rations and pay, it has long since lost its fighting capacity.

Keeping them around is a waste of food, a consensus reached throughout the Song Dynasty.

However, Bianliang was such a large place that it needed a force to guard it, so the task of training the new army fell to Gao Qiu.

The Imperial Guards of that time had completely lost their ability to fight in the field, but they were still somewhat useful in Bianliang.

Whether it's river management or maintaining order in Bianliang, they are indispensable. In case of any incident, they are the first to be drawn from the Imperial Guard.

Gao Qiu, who held the title of Grand Commandant and concurrently served as the Grand Commandant of the Palace Guards, and was also in charge of the Imperial Guards (both cavalry and infantry), was a former retainer of the Emperor from his time as a prince.

He was a man of great principle, and when the emperor was about to take action against the Imperial Guards, he stood on the emperor's side without hesitation.

Such a person is a trusted confidant, a servant of the emperor, and someone the emperor can trust to control the Three Departments.

You could say Gao Qiu belonged to Liang Shicheng's faction, or you could say he didn't belong to any faction in the court; he was simply part of Emperor Huizong's faction.

The reason they appear to be from the same faction as Liang Shicheng is because Liang Shicheng, like Zhao Ji, was also a servant of Zhao Ji.

Although Emperor Huizong of Song appeared to be a foolish and pleasure-seeking ruler, he was exceptionally shrewd in such matters.

In fact, Gao Qiu was not as wicked and evil as described in historical records.

He wasn't dependent on Cai Jing or Tong Guan; everything he had was given to him by the government, and he was promoted from a hanger-on to this position.

Moreover, Gao Qiu was actually quite low-key and extremely loyal to the emperor. If Gao Qiu were truly as the historical records describe—a treacherous and wicked man, closely associated with a certain faction in the court—how could Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) have trusted him to hold the position of commander of the Three Departments for so long?

As for the Imperial Guards being incompetent and unable to fight, Gao Qiu bears little responsibility for that.

This is a long-standing problem in the Song Dynasty, accumulated little by little until it's beyond saving. The only option is to treat the wound by cutting off the flesh: completely disband the Imperial Guards and then train a new army for the capital.

This time, he received an imperial decree instructing him to train a new army as quickly as possible.

Gao Qiu was also quite worried.
The emperor did trust him, but he also overestimated his abilities.

Gao Qiu considered declining, but Zhao Ji's sincere and heartfelt words persuaded him to stay.

Thinking of the words the Emperor had said while patting his hand, Gao Qiu secretly encouraged himself.

No matter how difficult it is, I must help the emperor build up the new army so that those villains will not dare to covet Bianliang.

(End of this chapter)