You have truly caused me great suffering!

Qin Fengjun's surrender was unexpected by Chen Shao.

But upon closer reflection, it seems to make sense.

Hey everyone, the four brothers of the Western Army, you're all doing well now, so we Yao Family Army deserve to just follow Yao Gu and mess around like this?
Following Yao Gu to fight against the Dingnan Army in Longyou is not only highly dangerous, but also doesn't offer the benefits of the Dingnan Army.

He wanted to join the Prince of Dai, but he didn't have a pledge of allegiance. That's when Yao Gu stepped forward.

This helped everyone solve this problem.

This might be the only time in his life that General Yao, who had spent his entire life drinking the blood of soldiers, sacrificed his own interests for his troops.

The sacrifice was a bit too great.

The whole family is gone.

In Qinzhou City, the remaining members of the Yao family, escorted by their retainers, fled Longyou.

But there are soldiers and troops all along the way; how can we get them to leave?

Thus, the last of the four great general families of the Western Army, who had enjoyed unparalleled glory, who did not join the Dingnan Army, withdrew from the Northwest.

This level of rebellion was something Chen Shao did not want to see, because it was unnecessary.

Chen Shao already knew that Yao Gu wanted to establish a separatist regime in Qinglan.

Zhong Shidao had reminded him more than once that Yao Gu was a typical military leader, similar to the kind of warriors in the Five Dynasties period.

He doesn't have any long-term plans, and when he encounters what he perceives as an opportunity, he'll risk his life.

In his view, if all else fails, he can simply surrender.

With so many soldiers under his command, how could he possibly lose his life if he surrendered?
It's just a change of masters; he's now helping Chen Shao guard the Northwest.

Therefore, Chen Shao specially ordered his cousin to lead troops and station them on their border, so that at the slightest sign of trouble, the 50,000 Fuyan troops could immediately enter Qinfeng.

Moreover, Liangzhou, the stronghold of the Hexi army, could also be surrounded. Yao Gu only had one way out: to escape into Sichuan.

He even had a reason to go to Sichuan.

All of this planning became meaningless because of Qin Fengjun's rampage.

It was rare for Zhong Shidao to come to Jietang today; he only comes to help Chen Shao with preparations and deployments during wartime.

When everyone saw him enter, they all stood up, and Chen Shao also stood up to show his respect.

Zhong Shidao bowed slightly, and someone brought over a chair, but he did not sit down.

"Yao Gu is dead," Zhong Shidao said. "How does Your Majesty intend to handle this matter?"

Chen Shao remained silent; he hadn't decided yet.

In a sense, it's difficult to end things properly at this point.

No matter what ambitions Yao Gu had, he didn't reveal them when he died.

He was killed by his own men at his central command post.

Can the Qin Feng Army of 30,000 be dealt with?
Absolutely not.

This is 30,000 soldiers; if we are not careful, things could get out of hand and become even more serious.

These 30,000 men captured Lanzhou in just one day after their mutiny.
This is enough to demonstrate their fighting strength.

Sometimes, even if you have 30,000 troops, it might be difficult to get them to win a battle.

But if they cause trouble and run amok, it will be a disaster that shakes the foundation of the country.

Therefore, Chen Shao needed to appease these rebels and make them believe in his sincerity. Although they had come to surrender, it did not mean that they would obey him blindly, and he had to deal with them carefully.

Seeing that Chen Shao didn't speak, Zhong Shidao walked to his side and whispered, "Let Xiao Zhong go."

Chen Shao looked up and glanced at him.

Zhong Shidao nodded slightly.

Clearly, he believed that Xiao Zhong could handle the matter.

This was definitely not a simple defection. In fact, Qin Fengjun was willing to come and join him, and he had the power to protect them.

However, killing Yao Gu made the matter somewhat complicated.

Xiao Zhong once commanded the Qin Feng Army. Besides the core generals in the Yao Family Army, many Qin Feng Army officers had served under Xiao Zhong and fought alongside him.

Actually, it would be better to send Old Zhong at this time, but Old Zhong's health probably wouldn't be able to support such a long journey.

Chen Shao said, "The situation in Qinlan must be stabilized as soon as possible; it cannot be allowed to continue in chaos."

He currently has no idea what the situation is in Qinzhou.

Chen Shao then asked, "Can Wu Jie and the Fuyan army enter Qin?"

After pondering for a while, Zhong Shidao said, "We can proceed cautiously, but we shouldn't be too hasty."

Although the other party's intention was clear—to surrender—the person doing these things did not have enough prestige.

Can he take control of 30,000 people in the first instance?

Chen Shao felt an immense headache and ordered someone to quickly replace Xiao Zhong, but that would take a long time.

I only hope that Liu Guanglie and Wu Jie can control Qin Prefecture from both sides.
-
The last detachment of the Western Army also surrendered to the King of Dai.

From the perspective of the imperial court, this was an inevitable outcome.

However, they weren't very angry; at most, they just sighed.

Because the five routes of Shaanxi and the five prefectures of Dingnan were inherently inextricably linked.

Chen Shao's initial army was based on the Western Army, and his army was filled with a large number of military officers who came from the Western Army.

From the court's perspective, these were all the same group of people, the martial artists from the Northwest. Chen Shao was a martial artist from the Northwest, as was Yao Gu, Liu Guanglie, Zhe Keqiu, and Zhong Shidao; they were all the same kind of people.

At this moment, in a residence in Bianliang, Yuwen Xuzhong looked at the official gazette, his face growing increasingly grim.

The more he looked at this, the more familiar it seemed. Wasn't this something that happened most often during the Five Dynasties period?

“Yao Gu, even if Yao Gu himself led his troops to surrender to the Prince of Dai, it would be better than this.”

Looking around, he could find very few people he could discuss matters with.

Cai Jing was extremely cunning. Together with Zhang Xiaochun, he kept Zong Ze, Zhang Suo, Wang Bing, Ma Kuo, and others out of Bianliang.

Then, officials such as Zhang Yuangan, He, Chen Gongfu, and Chen Dong were left in Bianjing.

These people are loyal and indeed upright, with a strong backbone, but they are not very capable.

Yuwen Xuzhong was drinking alone when someone came to visit him.

Upon seeing the visiting card, Yuwen Xuzhong hurriedly ordered someone to invite him in.

Ma Kuo didn't stand on ceremony with him. After entering, he sat down at the table and reached out to warm his hands by the bronze stove.

"Where did Zichong come from?"

"After returning from Cangzhou, I am going to Luoyang."

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Xuzhong frowned and asked, "What brings you to Cangzhou?"

"Then Pharmacist Guo wants to negotiate with Zhu Lingling, and he specifically asked me to go."

Ma Kuo was highly respected in the Northeast. Although he was young, he was highly regarded by people such as Wanyan Aguda, Yelü Chun, and even Xiao Gan.

These were all once Guo Yaoshi's lords.

When they were around, Guo Yaoshi would never have dared to cause trouble in Liaodong.

Guo Yaoshi had thought it through carefully before asking Ma Kuo to act as the middleman, since Ma Kuo did not belong to either side.

He was loyal to the Song Dynasty.

Zhu Lingling was nominally a general of the Song Dynasty, but everyone in the world knew that he was the most trusted confidant of the Prince of Dai.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was a military leader within the Daiwang faction, because the Yinzhou army and the Hengshan Qiang army were indeed created by him.

Without his surrender at Mingsha back then, Chen Shao would indeed have had a hard time rising to power so quickly.

Therefore, even Guo Yaoshi, who was used to betrayal and treachery, did not equate Chen Shao and his group with the Song Dynasty.

He distinguished them very clearly.

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Xuzhong was surprised to learn that there was such an important matter and quickly asked, "How did the talks go?"

Ma Kuo chuckled, rubbed his hands together, and looked somewhat weary. "It's all scheming and backstabbing. They keep talking about peace talks, but in reality, no one really wants peace."

Although he had anticipated this outcome, Yuwen Xuzhong still sighed deeply.

"I just arrived in Bianliang and heard that something happened in Qin Prefecture?"

Yuwen Xuzhong nodded and said, "Yao Gu's men gathered a crowd at the central military headquarters and killed Yao Gu, and also wiped out the Yao family of Qinzhou."

Ma Kuo clenched his left fist and slammed it into his right palm, cursing, "A lone warrior running rampant! Lawless and lawless!"

His expression was very unpleasant, and in the eyes of these people, almost everyone felt that Chen Shao was happy to see this situation.

After all, the more chaotic things get, the more reason he has to take action.

But they all underestimated Chen Shao's vision and his confidence.

In Chen Shao's view, replacing the Song Dynasty was not a difficult task at all.

What's rare is that one wants to change dynasties without causing harm.

Or, try to minimize the losses.

The opening of the two Silk Roads in the Western Regions, coupled with the opening of sea routes by caravans, changed Chen Shao's plans.

He did not intend to devote all his energy to internal strife; once he became powerful enough, the entire nation would follow in his footsteps.

In Chen Shao’s view, if he didn’t do these things, the descendants of this era, who were born and raised here, might not have the foresight to carry them out firmly.

Therefore, he wanted to do it himself.

Yuwen Xuzhong stood up, took out a pot of fine wine and two wine cups from the cabinet, and sat down with Ma Kuo by the stove.

"I was certain that Chen Shao would send Lao Zhong to Qinzhou."

Ma Kuo frowned and shook his head. "A few years ago, I went to Shaanxi to visit Lao Zhong. At that time, he was in Yan'an Prefecture. Everyone said he was old and weak and would not live much longer."

Yuwen Xuzhong said, "That is Xiao Zhong."

“As for Xiao Zhong… well, that should be the case,” Ma Kuo said. “The Zhong family has a high reputation in the Western Army, and now we can only hope that he can turn the tide and quell the situation.”

The Song Dynasty had a long-standing tradition of granting amnesty to foreign powers.

Whether they are bandits or enemies, once they are recruited, they become one of our own.

As long as you can withstand several rounds of attacks, you will become a tough nut to crack in the eyes of the imperial court.

The Song Dynasty has plenty of money and officials. They can support one more person and make everyone a superior being.

These people in Qinzhou can be appeased.

“The Prince of Dai is such an unpredictable man,” Yuwen Xuzhong said. “I didn’t expect him to be able to hold out until now and still not enter Bianliang.”

“I believe the Prince of Dai is no ordinary usurper.” Ma Kuo said with a wry smile, “Whether he is an ordinary usurper or not is irrelevant, but he is determined to usurp the throne. Uncle Tong, you must not harbor any illusions.”

After the Jin army marched south, Ma Kuo had met Chen Shao more than once. He was always very perceptive and knew that the Prince of Dai would never submit to anyone.

Moreover, he had no reason not to usurp the throne.

Given the current situation, even if the Prince of Dai doesn't usurp the throne, his elite troops and generals will not let him go.

After drinking a few cups, Yuwen Xuzhong suddenly said, "Zichong, staying in Bianliang now is of no use. You can't accomplish anything in the court."

Ma Kuo smiled wryly, "It's the same even when we're away from the capital. When Grand Commandant Wang is training troops in Lianghuai, the local gentry are lukewarm at all."

The situation is becoming increasingly clear: who would risk their clan's life on the Song Dynasty at this time?

There may be some loyal individuals, but they are destined not to be the mainstream.

Because in recent years, Emperor Huizong of Song squandered the last bit of good fortune for the Song Dynasty. Driven by his insatiable desires, he instructed his close advisors, such as Tong Guan, Zhu Mian, and Li Yan, to incite widespread resentment in the Jiangnan and Huaihe regions.

The tribute of rare stones and flowers led to the bankruptcy of "middle-class families in Jiangnan," and the gentry class was not spared either.

Because plundering the poor is too slow and cannot satisfy Zhu Mian, let alone Zhao Ji behind him.

They directly targeted the lower-ranking gentry, leading to economic decline and alienation of the gentry class in Jiangnan.

Seeing that Yuwen Xuzhong did not respond but continued drinking, Ma Kuo sensed something was wrong. "Where are you going?"

“I want to go to Taiyuan,” Yuwen Xuzhong suddenly said.

Ma Kuoteng stood up abruptly.

But seeing Yuwen Xuzhong's expression, he slowly sat down again.

“I can see that the Prince of Dai is eager to find talented people. If I go to serve him, he will surely give me an important position, and I can also be an internal supporter when you launch a great undertaking in the future.”

If someone else had said this, Ma Kuo would have been 90% skeptical. After all, going to Taiyuan at this time, if you said you weren't seeking wealth and status, who would believe you?

However, Ma Kuo actually believed what Yuwen Xuzhong said.

This group of people always liked to call Yuwen Xuzhong their 'brain trust'.

Because this person is indeed resourceful.

He is now in despair; in Bianliang, he sees no way he can do anything.

Everything we do is a drop in the ocean and does nothing to turn the tide.

Bianliang had been turned into an impenetrable city by Cai Jing and his associates.

It seems that different voices can be accommodated, but that is all Cai Jing's deliberate act. Yuwen Xuzhong has already seen through Cai Jing's purpose, which is to trap them in this court and make them hysterically utter loud but useless voices every day.

The already limited forces loyal to the Song Dynasty are trapped in this cage, rendered powerless.

Yuwen Xuzhong patted Ma Kuo on the shoulder, lowered his voice, and whispered, "If things don't go well in the north, we can choose a member of the royal family to preserve the Song Dynasty in the south."

"Although the Prince of Dai is powerful, he has no favors to bestow upon Jiangnan. Perhaps we can defend the area along the river and hope to launch a counterattack in the future."

That being said, both Ma Kuo and Yuwen Xuzhong knew that there was no dynasty that could make a comeback after the southward migration.

He feigned nonchalance and optimism, laughing, "Shutong, why be like this! The situation hasn't reached that point yet; great things can still be accomplished!"

Yuwen Xuzhong shook his head, his expression resolute; he was determined to go to Taiyuan.

A sense of respect suddenly welled up in Ma Kuo's heart.

It is truly admirable that they were willing to infiltrate such a dangerous place.
-
Liu Guanglie set off for Qin Prefecture with a personal letter from Chen Shao.

Before he arrived, he instructed his soldiers of the Fuyan Army to strictly abide by military orders upon entering Qin Prefecture.

Do not cause trouble.

Since leaving Fuzhou and having his father and brother imprisoned, Liu Guanglie had been in a very bad mood.

He is a very sentimental person.

But his father and brothers were different; despite him saving them, they still plotted behind his back.

Ironically, they were far too careless in their dealings, and Guangyuantang managed to uncover everything about them.

Seeing the Yao family's current fate, Liu Guanglie is filled with mixed emotions.

On horseback, he pointed to the city ahead and said, "After passing Xinxing Town, we will reach Longzhou. Pass down the order that Qin Fengjun and we are comrades-in-arms, and no one is allowed to act recklessly!"

At this point, he became a little nervous, because back then, Liu Yanqing had sent him to Qinfeng Road to serve as a soldier.

But at that time he rarely went to the front lines; he just gained experience and worked his way up.

I heard that my cousin had been hit and almost died, so he took the opportunity to go back to Fuyan Road.

The mother felt sorry for her only son in her family and was afraid that he would cause trouble again, so she bought him a merit.

From that time on, everything was different.

Liu Guanglie's goal is Longzhou, and once he arrives there, he will stop there.

Then wait for Xiao Zhong to come and clean up the mess.

Liu Guanglie also knew that he was not qualified enough to handle this kind of matter.

Qin Fengjun's military officers might not give him face either; he needs someone of influence to talk to him.

Let's talk about the benefits for ourselves and others after surrendering, and how to exonerate the main generals.

Everyone in the prefectures and counties along the way was very cooperative.

Looking at the large group of people who came to greet him outside the city, Liu Guanglie felt that perhaps even without Xiao Zhong, he could still take over Qin Fenglu.

But he has one great advantage: he lacks his own opinions.
He was never one to overthink things; he would do whatever Chen Shao told him to do.
-
The sky was just beginning to brighten.

Inside the tide-watching pavilion at the foot of Zhenhai Pagoda in Wengshan County, Liangzhe Road, several sailors were snoring and sleeping huddled together.

The ports near Zhoushan have extremely deep drafts, and Mingzhou Port is a designated port for foreign trade.

At the end of the continuous tide, some dark spots could be faintly seen.

Soon, those black dots grew larger and larger, eventually becoming a giant ship with eight sails.

Someone had already spotted them, but before any warnings could be issued, the boats began to dock.

People stared in astonishment at the scene before them. As the ship approached the port, the laborers who were unloading cargo at the dock dropped their belongings and fled.

From the ship, groups of men leaped down; these men were clad in bright armor and possessed imposing physiques.

It was the navy that Qu Duan had just assembled.

The port officials, steeling themselves, hurried forward and asked, "Where are you from, and what brings you here?"

"There are bandits in Mingzhou who are colluding with the river pirates. We have been ordered to come and arrest them!"

The Mingzhou naval sentries, who had already woken up, lowered their heads and pretended to be asleep after seeing the size of the approaching force.

The monthly salary is so meager, and it's always delayed. There's no reason for me to risk my life for someone else.

These people were clearly prepared; they immediately took control of the port and then blockaded the sea.

After landing, the large force immediately began to rush into the city, with a clear objective.

All twelve prominent maritime merchants from Mingzhou were surrounded.

Then there's the shipyard.
-
Taiyuan Prefecture.

Chen Shao was unaware that he had made another fortune.

And it's not small.

His most knowledgeable military commander, Commander Qu, helped him raid the largest maritime merchant empire in the Song Dynasty.

During the Song Dynasty, the families supported by the Maritime Trade Office became Chen Shao's lifeline.

At this time, Chen Shao was preparing for the New Year.

As the King of Dai, preparing for the New Year was not as simple as just buying New Year's goods. It was about summarizing the income and expenditure of various regions this year, promoting officials, and rewarding merits and punishing demerits.

After they've done all that, they can finally rest for a few days.

As the twelfth lunar month approaches, another year will soon pass since Chen Shao left for the Northwest.

This year, Hedong is still very cold, even colder than Xiping Prefecture in Chen Shao's memory.

The main gate of the Prince's Mansion was closed, but a gust of cold wind would occasionally seep in through the cracks, sending a chill down one's spine.

The staff of the Prince's Palace, who had been busy all year, were now a little more relaxed, their faces beaming with joy.

Good news came today: Wu Jie successfully entered Lanzhou City, and Liu Guanglie also entered Longzhou City.

As a result, the Qinlong area has basically stabilized.

We simply wait quietly for Xiao Zhong to arrive and take over this extremely important piece of land.

For the entire Dingnan Army, this can be considered a joyous occasion.

Within its borders, the Liupan Mountains and Longshan Mountains form a natural barrier, controlling the vital transportation routes between the Guanzhong Plain and the Hexi Corridor.

The Qin-Feng Road, connecting Guanzhong and Shu via the Chencang Road and Baoxie Road, was an important branch of the eastern section of the Silk Road, promoting trade between the Central Plains and the Northwest.

This is why, throughout history, powerful figures, after conquering Longxi, would covet Shu.

Moreover, setting aside other considerations, this territory spans the Loess Plateau and the Qinling Mountains, controlling the basins of the Wei River and Jing River, tributaries of the Yellow River. It is not only the core area for agricultural irrigation but also an ideal place for military settlements and land reclamation.

Its terrain is complex, with mountains and valleys interspersed, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Once someone like Yao Gu occupies it, it would take a lot of effort to take it down.

The fact that the King of Dai has won again without a fight proves that he is indeed the chosen one.

"Your Highness, Lord Xiao Zhong has arrived in Jingyuan."

"Hmm," Chen Shao hummed habitually, looking thoughtful, but remained seated in the chair.

At this moment, he was actually thinking about other things, such as keeping the North in check, stabilizing the situation, and ensuring that the North remained relatively peaceful.

Other places just started to fall into chaos on their own.

And they were all vying to come and seek refuge with him.

But he himself was still a Prince of Dai, while these people were all subjects of the Song Dynasty.

A name that is not properly established will not be accepted.
Yao Gu, who was killed by Qin Fengjun, was a military general of the Song Dynasty, and a very high-ranking one at that.

This time, Chen Shao planned to use the fact that Yao Gu had colluded with the Tibetans and was killed by his indignant subordinates to exonerate the Qin Feng Army that had launched the uprising.

But I'm afraid that people in other places will follow suit, and I'll have to use this same rhetoric all the time.
“Perhaps, I should ask the court for some authority,” Chen Shao suddenly said, “such as the power to control the army throughout the land.”

After thinking about it carefully, Chen Shao realized that the power granted to him by the court on paper at this time was not as great as that of Tong Guan back then.

If he had Tong Guan's authority, he could simply say that Yao Gu was disobeying orders, and no other reason would be needed.

After all, military orders are absolute.

Although Chen Shao and Zhao Huan had maintained a stable pen pal relationship for several years, Chen Shao was unsure whether Zhao Huan would give him face this time.

With a try-it-and-see attitude, he said, "Submit a memorial to me stating that the northern barbarians have not yet been defeated, the foreign bandits have not been pacified, and bandits are rampant. I, Chen Shao, request to be appointed 'Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Realm,' to oversee all military affairs and clearly define the order of power!" (End of this chapter)