You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

His Majesty?

Yang Tiexin turned around abruptly and saw that Li Fu'an, the eunuch who was in charge of guiding them to the capital and who was quite respectable, was now running over with a look of panic on his face.

Then, with a "plop," she prostrated herself before Lu Zuo, her voice trembling, "This servant, Li Fu'an, pays her respects to Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

boom!

The cry of "Your Majesty" and the eunuch's genuine kneeling before them were like two thunderbolts, striking Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo squarely on the head!

Yang Tiexin trembled violently, his eyes widening like copper bells. "Your Majesty?"

The extraordinary young man before me who rescued Xiruo is actually the current emperor?

How...how is this possible?

How could the emperor appear in the marketplace?

He even personally dealt with a few hooligans?

The immense shock left his mind blank, but his long-standing awe of imperial power instantly took over his body. Almost instinctively, he grabbed the still-dazed Bao Xiruo and knelt down with a "plop".

"This humble subject, Yang Tiexin, and this humble subject, Bao Xiruo, pay their respects to Your Majesty!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Bao Xiruo was pulled to kneel down by Yang Tiexin. Her delicate body was still trembling slightly, but after the initial extreme shock, a strange and burning emotion involuntarily surged in her heart.

original……

It turns out the person who saved me was the emperor!

He is the ruler of this great Song Dynasty!

Such a noble and esteemed person would actually take action personally for a commoner like me...

Thinking of his composed demeanor, gentle tone, and the nonchalant way he said "it was just a small favor," I felt a pang of sadness.

She felt her cheeks burning, her heart pounding like a drum, and an indescribable warm current, a mixture of admiration, excitement, and a secret joy, rippled through her chest.

She quietly raised her eyes and quickly glanced at the bright yellow hem of the dress. In a corner of her heart, something seemed to have changed gently and completely.

"Rise, all of you. This is not the imperial court; there is no need for such formalities," Lu Zuo's voice rang out calmly, revealing little emotion.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The three men then rose tremblingly, standing with their hands at their sides, not daring to raise their heads.

Lu Zuo glanced at Li Fu'an: "Let's go inside and talk."

"Yes, yes, Your Majesty, please!"

Li Fu'an quickly bowed and led the way, bringing everyone into the main hall of the inn. He then swiftly dismissed all other people, leaving only his trusted confidants to serve outside the door.

......

Inside the hall, Guo Xiaotian and Li Ping, having received the news, also rushed over.

Guo Xiaotian was a burly man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, exuding an air of honesty and fierceness; his wife, Li Ping, was a kind-looking woman with nimble hands and feet.

The two were shocked to see Lu Zuo and hurriedly bowed deeply in respect.

"This humble citizen, Guo Xiaotian, and this commoner, Li, greet Your Majesty!"

"Get up, everyone."

Lu Zuo casually sat down in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over the several characters who were quite important in the original story.

Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian then dared to raise their heads slightly, but still kept their eyes respectfully lowered.

Bao Xiruo stood to the side and behind Yang Tiexin, feeling an invisible pressure in the hall because of His Majesty's presence, making her dare not even breathe, yet she couldn't help but use the corner of her eye to follow that noble figure.

She noticed that Sister-in-law Guo, Li Ping, seemed to glance at her, and she panicked, quickly lowering her head.

Li Ping did notice Bao Xiruo's unusual behavior.

From the moment this girl entered the hall, her eyes seemed glued to His Majesty. Although she tried her best to hide it, as a woman herself, how could Li Ping not see the admiration and excitement in her eyes?

She sighed inwardly: That girl Xiruo, she's probably fallen for someone, and the object of her affections is...

Oh, my dear brother Tie Xin, your sister-in-law has been urging you to settle down and get married soon, but you insist on waiting until you "settle down".

Well, look at this situation, your fiancée is practically bewitched!

She glanced again at the young and handsome emperor sitting at the head of the table, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

I wonder if Xiruo is fortunate enough to have this?

At this moment, Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian exchanged a glance, both seeing the same confusion in each other's eyes.

Guo Xiaotian, being straightforward by nature, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, asking in a loud voice, "Your Majesty's divine grace has summoned us humble countrymen to the capital. We do not know..."

"What are your tasks?"

"We are just uncouth and uncouth warriors, and we fear we will fail Your Majesty's expectations."

He said this, but his heart was actually surging with excitement. The emperor himself had summoned him, which was no ordinary thing!

Could it be...

Guo Xiaotian possesses exceptional martial arts skills and a patriotic heart, but due to the weakness of the court and the presence of treacherous officials, he has no way to serve his country. Now, however, the dawn seems to be just around the corner!

Yang Tiexin waited anxiously for the answer, his hands unconsciously clenching.

Lu Zuo looked at them and slowly spoke, his voice clear and steady: "I have heard that one of you is a descendant of the loyal generals of the Yang family, and the son of General Yang Zaixing."

"The other one is a descendant of Guo Sheng, a hero of Liangshan Marsh, who is said to be the second Ren Gui."

"What is even more remarkable is that, although you two live in the countryside, you never forget your country and your homeland. You are loyal and courageous, and you are truly rare heroes."

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves in the hearts of Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian!

His Majesty even knows their origins and the deeds of their fathers!

His Majesty even knows their origins and the deeds of their fathers!

Lu Zuo continued, "Now the Jurchen invaders are rampaging, occupying our land, humiliating our rulers and fathers, and causing our people to be displaced."

"I am deeply worried day and night, lamenting that the nation's strength has not yet recovered and that good generals are hard to find."

At this point, his gaze sharpened as he fixed it on the two men: "I have summoned you two to the capital in the hope that you will serve the country, assist me in strengthening our military, driving out the barbarians, recovering the lost territories of our Great Song Dynasty, and avenging the humiliation of the Jingkang Incident!"

Serving the country, driving out the barbarians, and recovering lost territory...

Avenge the humiliation of the Jingkang Incident!

Each word was like a heavy hammer blow, striking hard into the hearts of Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian!

Yang Tiexin's blood boiled instantly!

The Yang family has been loyal and virtuous for generations, and the whole family has been martyrs who died on the battlefield to resist foreign aggression!

In his generation, due to the incompetence of the court, he could only hide his identity, bearing only his martial arts skills and deep-seated hatred!

He never stopped thinking about carrying on his ancestors' will, going into battle to kill the enemy, and avenging his country and family!

Now, the emperor himself has told him to "drive out the barbarians and recover our lost territories," an opportunity he never dared to dream of!

His eyes instantly reddened, his tiger-like eyes filled with tears, his chest heaved violently, and he was so excited that he could hardly speak.

Guo Xiaotian was so excited that his beard and hair stood on end!

His ancestor, Guo Sheng, was also a chivalrous hero who lived a life of chivalry and vengeance. He was also highly skilled and unwilling to be forgotten among the common people.

He hated the Jurchens for their brutality, and he hated the court for its cowardice even more!

Now, this seemingly young emperor has such lofty ambitions that he not only knows them but also wants to make good use of them to accomplish this earth-shattering undertaking!

He felt a surge of heat rush to the top of his head, and all his hesitation and frustration were instantly ignited, turning into a blazing fighting spirit!

The two knelt down again with a "thump," this time willingly, their heads hitting the ground in overwhelming excitement, their voices trembling and hoarse with extreme joy.

"Your Majesty! This humble subject is willing to die for Your Majesty!"

"I am willing to sacrifice my life, even unto death, to restore our lost lands!"

The roar echoed through the hall, filled with the surging passion of a man who had finally found a wise ruler and was able to realize his ambitions.

Even Li Ping, who was standing to the side, was moved by what she heard, while Bao Xiruo looked at Lu Zuo's calm and steady figure, whose words could ignite the passion of men, and the light in her eyes became even more dazzling.

"good!"

"I am greatly pleased to hear these words from two valiant men!"

Lu Zuo smiled approvingly and gestured for him to rise, saying, "Rise. I will discuss the specifics with you later."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian stood up excitedly, still standing respectfully with their hands at their sides, but their chests were much straighter, and their eyes burned with an unprecedented light.

Lu Zuo pondered for a moment, glanced at the two men, and slowly said, "The old army of our Great Song Dynasty is now riddled with deep-seated problems and its discipline is lax. It is difficult to rely on it as a bulwark."

His purpose in seeking out Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian was quite simple.

The Yang family's spear techniques are rigorous, and they excel at fighting in formation, making them ideal for training a disciplined long-spear infantry force.

The Guo family is skilled in archery and horsemanship, especially in mounted archery. If they could train an elite archer cavalry, they would have a better chance of defeating the Jurchen cavalry.

After a moment's thought, he continued, "I intend to follow the old system established by Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, and set up a new base in Lin'an Prefecture to recruit loyal and brave men from good families to train a new army."

"This military force must be disciplined, with clear rewards and punishments, and equipped with excellent weapons."

"I entrust this important task to the two of you."

Upon hearing this, Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian's eyes flashed with a sharp light!

Training!

Your Majesty possesses such courage! They have long been disgusted by the corruption of the old army, and this proposal coincides with their own thoughts!

The two responded in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"

"This humble subject will certainly do his utmost to train a fierce and powerful army for Your Majesty!"

"Um."

Lu Zuo nodded, but then changed the subject slightly: "However, now that the court has just been established, everything is in need of rebuilding, the national treasury is empty, and all expenditures are stretched thin."

"I can allocate a portion of the funds from the royal treasury to you two as start-up capital, but the amount will not be too large."

"The subsequent costs of military equipment, provisions, rewards, and even the expenses for recruiting and settling soldiers will likely be..."

"You two will have to find a way to raise the money yourselves."

Raise the money yourself?

The excitement on Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian's faces froze instantly, and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

Their skills are all in horsemanship and spear fighting; they're perfectly capable of training soldiers for battle, but raising funds for the army...

Both of them were straightforward men; how could they understand these business strategies?

Guo Xiaotian scratched his head, looking troubled: "Your Majesty, this... this humble subject really... really doesn't know where to begin when it comes to raising money and provisions."

Looking at their honest and confused expressions, Lu Zuo chuckled inwardly and offered a word of advice: "In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken."

"I remember that the heroes of Liangshan once performed acts of 'acting on behalf of Heaven'."

"This Jiangnan region is indeed prosperous, but there must be quite a few wealthy and corrupt officials who are ruthless, exploit the local people, and even secretly collude with the enemy."

"Their ill-gotten gains... might not be entirely without reason."

"As for how to take it, I will not interfere, as long as it does not leave any evidence and causes public resentment to boil over."

His words were intended to guide them to engage in double-crossing, which would solve the problem of military expenses and also crack down on local evil forces, achieving two goals at once.

Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian were completely confused.

Acting on behalf of Heaven?

To acquire ill-gotten gains?

Your Majesty, what...does this mean?

But since the emperor said he would "not interfere," he must have tacitly approved of them using some extreme measures.

So he could only bow and reply in a daze, "Yes, Your Majesty, this humble subject... understands, and will certainly try to raise the funds."

Bao Xiruo, who was standing to the side, heard Lu Zuo's words clearly.

With her keen intellect, she instantly grasped the profound meaning of "acting on behalf of Heaven" and "acquiring ill-gotten gains."

His Majesty is implying that Brother Yang and Brother Guo can emulate the old Liangshan legends and rob those corrupt officials and heartless powerful figures!

Thinking of this, she didn't find it shocking at all; instead, she felt a surge of admiration.

Your Majesty's move is a brilliant way to break with convention and solve difficult problems!

He not only obtained military pay but also punished the wicked, which was truly a wise and decisive move!

Her gaze toward Lu Zuo became increasingly bright, filled with admiration.

Lu Zuo continued, "In addition, I am also quite interested in martial arts."

"Both of you come from families with a long tradition of martial arts, and your marksmanship and archery skills are unparalleled. I wonder if you could share your training methods with me, so that I may also learn from them and improve my health?"

Since the cheat system mainly provides cultivation points.

Naturally, the more martial arts you master, the faster your strength will increase!

Forget about Yang family spears and Guo family bows, I'll learn them first!

The emperor was actually interested in their family's martial arts?

Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian were taken aback at first, then felt extremely honored!

Without hesitation, the two replied in unison, "It is an honor for us commoners that Your Majesty has inquired of us!"

"If my rudimentary family skills catch Your Majesty's eye, I will gladly impart them to you without reservation!"

"it is good."

Lu Zuo nodded in satisfaction.

After briefly explaining the initial plans for the new army's location and recruitment standards, he stood up and said, "That's all for today. I will send someone to contact you regarding the specific details."

"Please settle down here and make yourselves at ease."

"Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty!" The crowd hurriedly bowed in farewell.

Surrounded by Li Fu'an and others, Lu Zuo left the post station and disappeared into the twilight.

......

Only after the emperor had left did Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian straighten up, let out a long sigh of relief, their faces still beaming with excitement and joy.

Guo Xiaotian slapped Yang Tiexin hard on the shoulder and growled, "Brother Tiexin, train the troops! His Majesty wants us to train the troops!"

"Drive out the Jurchen invaders and recover our lost territories!"

"We've been waiting for this for so many years!"

Yang Tiexin nodded emphatically: "Brother Guo, we...we've finally waited for this day!"

After the initial excitement subsided, Guo Xiaotian suddenly scratched his head, a look of confusion on his face, and lowered his voice to say to Yang Tiexin, "However..."

"Brother Tiexin, what did His Majesty mean by 'acting on behalf of Heaven' when he mentioned raising funds for the army? What did he mean by 'acquiring ill-gotten gains'?"

"How are we supposed to make money?"

"We can't really be forced to become outlaws, can we?"

Yang Tiexin frowned and pondered, "Perhaps... they want us to investigate local corruption and confiscate embezzled funds?"

"But you need to have official authority to do that."

"It's about becoming an outlaw!" At that moment, Bao Xiruo's voice came from behind the two of them.

Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian turned around sharply upon hearing the sound, only to see Bao Xiruo slowly walking out from the shadows in the hall, her pretty face carrying a knowing look that seemed to understand the ways of the world.

"So, you've become an outlaw?"

Guo Xiaotian's eyes widened in disbelief: "Xiruo, what...what nonsense are you talking about?"

"Your Majesty... how could Your Majesty possibly allow us to become bandits?"

Yang Tiexin frowned and shook his head repeatedly, "Yes, Xiruo, how could this be?"

"We are here to serve the imperial court, to train a new army, a righteous and honorable force!"

"To become an outlaw and rob and plunder is the behavior of bandits. Your Majesty is the ruler of a country, how could you...?"

"How could he possibly imply that we should do such a thing?" This completely overturned their understanding of "king" and "law," it was simply inconceivable!

Seeing her two elder brothers' honest and confused expressions, Bao Xiruo sighed softly and explained:

"My two elder brothers, there are some things that His Majesty, as the supreme ruler, cannot say outright, but can only hint at."

"But what His Majesty just said was actually quite straightforward."

She took a few steps closer, lowered her voice, and explained clearly: "His Majesty said, 'In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken.'"

"It is said that Jiangnan is wealthy, but there are many 'rich but unkind gentry and corrupt officials who exploit the local people and even secretly collude with the enemy'."

"Their money is 'ill-gotten gains,' and there may be some justification for acquiring it."

"He even specifically emphasized that I will not interfere with how it is taken, as long as it does not leave any evidence to cause public resentment."

Bao Xiruo glanced at the two of them, and seeing that they were still processing what was happening, she continued, "His Majesty's meaning is crystal clear."

"The imperial court is broke, but those corrupt officials who bring disaster to the country are rich!"

"As long as the two elder brothers act discreetly, without leaving a trace, and without harming innocent civilians, and rob these people of their ill-gotten gains to fund the army, His Majesty will not only not blame them, but I'm afraid..."

"And when someone investigates, they'll secretly smooth things over for the two bosses, turning the case into an unsolved mystery!"

After hearing this explanation, Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian were as if enlightened, their mouths agape, speechless for a long time.

original……

That's exactly what I meant!

Guo Xiaotian suddenly slapped his thigh, his face displaying an extremely strange expression—a mixture of shock, realization, and a hint of eager excitement.

"Damn it!"

"So His Majesty wants us to double-cross those corrupt officials and treacherous merchants!"

Yang Tiexin also took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Although this method sounds shocking, upon closer examination, it is indeed the fastest and most satisfying way to solve the problem of military pay!

Moreover, His Majesty tacitly approved, and even secretly supported...

He nodded slowly and said in a deep voice, "I understand... His Majesty is using us to carry out swift and decisive measures, both to obtain military funds and to punish the wicked!"

"Xi Ruo, you are so insightful."

Bao Xiruo nodded slightly, thinking to herself, "It's good that you two brothers understand."

"This matter is of great importance and requires meticulous planning. The selection of personnel, the target, the timing, and the escape route must all be absolutely foolproof."

……

Half an hour later, in the Imperial Study of the Palace.

Lu Zuo quietly entered, the flickering candlelight illuminating Li Qingzhao, who was fast asleep, lying on a large sandalwood desk piled high with memorials.

She was clearly exhausted, not even noticing someone come in. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and her face was resting on an open scroll of documents. Her breathing was shallow and long, and her long eyelashes cast faint shadows under her eyelids, making her look somewhat fragile and pitiful.

Lu Zuo walked quietly to the desk, glanced at the thick stack of unread documents beside her, and shook his head slightly.

He took off his outer robe and gently draped it over Li Qingzhao's shoulders.

He then sat down on a chair and picked up a few memorials that Li Qingzhao had already preliminarily sorted out and affixed with summary labels, and began to read them.

Most of them are routine administrative matters concerning local finances, criminal cases, and official performance evaluations. Li Qingzhao's handling opinions are clear, well-founded, and her handwriting is neat and elegant, clearly showing that she has devoted a lot of effort to them.

Lu Zuo picked up his pen and wrote imperial edicts in vermilion ink on memorials that required final decisions or involved confidential matters. His pen moved swiftly and decisively, making his decisions with great speed and precision.

After finishing his urgent business, Lu Zuo put down his pen, glanced at Li Qingzhao who was still fast asleep, and without waking her, quietly got up and left the Imperial Study.

Night had fallen, and he headed straight for the inner palace.