Water Margin: My 108 Heroes Come from All Heavens

"My name is Zhu Mian, currently serving as the Supervisor of the Imperial Supplies Bureau. Greetings, Lord Liang!"

A short, stout official with a fierce-looking face bowed and said.

Zhu Mian?

He was still a treacherous official.

The head of the Suzhou Imperial Collection Bureau was in charge of plundering rare flowers and stones, causing widespread suffering among the people of Jiangnan.

"My name is Tong Guan, and I greet Lord Liang!"

A tall, thin-voiced, white-faced, beardless old eunuch also came over.

Liang Shan's lips twitched a few times.

Good guy.

Are all the treacherous officials of the Song Dynasty having a party here?

"You're too kind, sirs."

He remained outwardly calm, returning the greeting with a cupped hand, but inwardly he was rapidly calculating.

These treacherous officials.

Each one has high weight.

Taken individually, each of them was enough to bring disaster to the country and its people, and to bring down a dynasty.

but……

They, however, gathered in what is now the Great Song Dynasty.

The Song Dynasty not only did not suffer from national corruption, but instead showed a trend of prosperity. It is said that even the demons of the Jin Dynasty could only avoid its sharp edge.

"This Zhao Gou is quite something."

He squinted.

They became increasingly curious about Zhao Gou's identity.

An ordinary emperor.

Being able to control a treacherous minister is already a testament to great talent and strategy.

This Zhao Gou.

Despite employing so many treacherous officials, the Song Dynasty was still able to prosper.

"Lord Liang, your attire... truly puts us to shame."

Cai Jing sighed, pointing to a few inconspicuous stains on his official robe: "This morning, I was already in a sorry state after just two commoners threw rotten eggs at me. I never expected that you, Lord Liang, would..."

"Yeah yeah."

Wang Fu chimed in, "We've served in the court for many years, and being scorned by the people is commonplace for us, but we've never seen anything like the treatment Lord Liang has received!"

"It's clear that Lord Liang enjoys great popularity among the people!"

Liang Shan: "..."

He took a deep breath.

I almost cursed out loud.

But when he saw Wang Fu's sincere and earnest expression, which also carried a hint of envy, he held back.

Wang Fu...

It seems they genuinely think they're awesome.

"You flatter me, sirs."

He chuckled dryly, just about to make an excuse to slip away, when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Lord Liang! Lord Liang!"

Han Zhong came running over, panting, his official robes spotless.

He ran to the foot of Liangshan Mountain.

Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly saw a group of people surrounding him, and his expression changed drastically.

"you……"

Han Zhong's gaze swept over Cai Jing, Wang Fu, Zhu Mian, Tong Guan, and others, his expression growing increasingly grim.

"Good morning, Han Shaoqing."

Cai Jing greeted him with a smile.

Han Zhong ignored him, grabbed Liang Shan's sleeve, and whispered, "Sir, why are you hanging out with this group of people?"

Liang Shan has not yet spoken.

Cai Jing frowned, displeased, and said, "Minister Han, you're mistaken. Lord Liang is currently a favorite of His Majesty. What's wrong with us getting closer to him?"

Han Zhong's face was grim.

Just as he was about to refute, Liang Shan grabbed him.

"It's time to go to court."

Liang Shan shook his head.

These treacherous officials.

They're all shrewd people; it's best not to offend them.

at the same time.

The palace gates slowly opened.

A eunuch stood at the door and shouted at the top of his lungs, "The time has come! All officials, enter the court!"

……

Zichen Palace.

It was resplendent in gold and filled with the aroma of cigarettes.

The civil and military officials stood in two rows on either side, completely silent.

Liang Shan stood in the third row.

On the left is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and on the right is Han Zhong.

He followed the example of the others, standing with his hands at his sides and his eyes fixed straight ahead.

But in the shadows.

But he was secretly observing the entire court of officials.

Besides Cai Jing and his group of treacherous officials, there were a few other particularly conspicuous figures.

The front row, leftmost position.

A middle-aged man with a resolute face, dressed in a black python robe, stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an imposing aura.

It was none other than the Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi.

At the peak of the Grandmaster realm, he was just one step away from entering the Celestial Realm and was recognized as the strongest person in the Great Song Dynasty.

On the far right of the front row is Cao Zhengchun, a master-level expert with a pale face, no beard, and a effeminate smile, wearing a bright red python robe.

Look to the side.

A young man dressed in a white python robe, with a handsome face and a delicate, porcelain-doll-like demeanor, stood quietly there. He was Yu Huatian, the strongest member of the Western Depot and a Grandmaster-level expert.

"The Song Dynasty's imperial court is truly a place where hidden talents abound."

Liang Shan muttered to himself.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

The eunuch's high-pitched voice rang out.

Zhao Gou walked out from the side hall, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe. He had a thin face, three long wisps of beard under his chin, and looked to be in his forties. His brows revealed a shrewd and sharp look.

He sat on the dragon throne.

His gaze swept over the assembled officials, finally lingering on Liang Shan for a moment.

Liang Shan felt that gaze fall upon him, so he quickly lowered his head and put on a respectful demeanor.

"Liangshan".

"Your subject is here!"

Liang Shan immediately stepped forward and knelt on the ground.

"Do you know why I have exceptionally promoted you to the position of Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?"

Zhao Gou's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

Liang Shan felt a chill run down his spine.

He could only resort to the universal courtly phrase taught to him by Han Zhong: "Your Majesty's grace is boundless, I am overwhelmed with fear!"

Zhao Gou chuckled softly.

in front of him.

The simulator system panel slowly unfolds.

The above shows the impact that each civil and military official in the current court can have on the fate of the Song Dynasty.

[National Fortune Simulator]

[Current national fortune: 1357 million]

[Host: Zhao Gou]

[Number of simulations available today: 1/1]

[Zhu Wushi: National Fortune Value +40]

[Cao Zhengchun: National fortune value +20]

[Yue Fei: National fortune value +100 million (stationed on the frontier, not in court)]

Cai Jing: The nation's destiny is worth 5.

[Wang Fu: The nation's fortune is worth 4]

[Tong Guan: The nation's fortune is worth 3]

Zhu Mian: The nation's fortune is worth 4.

[Liangshan: National Fortune Value +30]

Since the last simulation.

He learned that as long as Liangshan was given important positions, the national fortune value could be increased by 500 million, so he exceptionally promoted Liangshan to the position of Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

And only one day later.

The national fortune value generated by Liangshan reached 30.

He far surpassed Cao Zhengchun, Yu Huatian, and others, and was second only to Zhu Wushi, the Iron-Blooded Marquis.

"His Majesty?"

Liang Shan didn't hear Zhao Gou speak for a while, so he couldn't help but look up, only to find Zhao Gou staring at him blankly, his eyes empty, as if he were looking at something that didn't exist.

"Cough cough."

Zhao Gou snapped out of his daze and coughed twice to cover his embarrassment: "Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Liang Shan stood up and returned to the queue.

Zhao Gou's gaze swept over the assembled officials, finally settling on Cai Jing: "Minister Cai, how's the investigation I asked you to do yesterday?"

Cai Jing quickly stepped forward.

He knelt down and reported, "Your Majesty, I have investigated and confirmed that there has indeed been a problem with the grain in the national treasury. At least three million shi of grain have disappeared without a trace."

"Three million koku?"

Zhao Gou frowned, his expression authoritative without being angry: "Disappeared without a trace? Have you found out who did it?"

"It must have been done by demons that infiltrated from the Jin Kingdom."

Beads of sweat on Cai Jing's forehead, he cautiously replied, "Your Majesty, I am still investigating."