Font
Large
Medium
Small
Night
Prev Index    Favorite Next

Chapter Three Hundred and Eighty-Five

After coming out of the Zhongshi Dao Mansion, night had already fallen. As soon as Li Yanqing returned to the mansion on Freezer Street, the housekeeper ran out and said to him: "The Grand Tutor Liang sent someone to find you just now. After waiting for a while, I asked you to go to the Grand Tutor's Mansion immediately after you come back. It seems that there is something important."

Although Li Yanqing had been traveling outside for a day and was very tired, Liang Shicheng had an urgent matter to find him, so he still couldn't neglect it. He quickly got on the ox cart and rushed to Liang Shicheng's mansion.

Liang Shicheng's mansion is located on Xijiaolou Street, close to Taiping Xingguo Temple. Li Yanqing rushed to the mansion. A servant sat at the door waiting. Seeing Li Yanqing coming, he quickly stood up and said, "The Taifu urged me again just now, Official Li quickly follow me!"

Liang Shicheng actually urged him, and Li Yanqing felt in his heart that something must have happened.

Soon, Li Yanqing was invited into Liang Shicheng's outside study room. Liang Shicheng stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, thinking and saying nothing. Li Yanqing did not dare to disturb him and stood at the door and waited patiently.

After a moment, Liang Shicheng asked slowly, "Is Hou Meng's murder related to you?"

Li Yanqing's body shook slightly and he still said calmly: "Why did the Grand Tutor say this?"

Liang Shicheng slowly turned around and stared at Li Yanqing for a moment, "I have basically confirmed that Hou Meng was killed by Luan Tingyu, but Luan Tingyu is just a killer. Who is the instructor behind him? I thought about it for a long time, but I thought of you!"

Li Yanqing laughed, "Luan Tingyu has done things for many people, Cai Xiangguo, Taifu, Tong Guan, Gao Qiu, and almost all the powerful people have entrusted him. Why did the Taifu think of me?"

Liang Shicheng smiled, "Of course it's not necessarily you, it's just my intuition. I think it should be you. I saved the senior son-in-law with you in Tangyin County. Isn't it him?" Liang Shicheng looked at Li Yanqing with a smile.

Li Yanqing's face changed slightly. How could Liang Shicheng know about such a secret matter?

Liang Shicheng said again: "Gao Shen is actually my person. I arranged for Wang Fu to recommend him to serve as the Minister of the Privy Council. Two days ago, I went to visit him and he told me about this. His son-in-law wrote a letter from his family. The letter mentioned that you and your senior brother saved his life. I infer who your senior brother was, using a copper stick and having a strong martial arts skills. Apart from Luan Tingyu, I really couldn't imagine anyone else."

Li Yanqing nodded, "It's him, we met by chance in Tangyin, and he helped me save Zhou County Wei."

"Then Hou Mo was killed, it should be him who is helping you, right!"

Li Yanqing smiled faintly, "I am just a seventh-rank official and I don't even have the qualifications to go to court. How could the Taifu connect such major events in the court that disrupted peace talks with me?"

Liang Shicheng narrowed his eyes and said, "You are not an ordinary little person. Have you done few big things? Hou Mo's death reminded me of Yang Jian. Do you dare to say that you did not do it?"

"The tutor is so sure, it seems that I can't help but not admit it."

Liang Shicheng looked at him for a moment, waved his hand and said, "Let's sit down and talk!"

Li Yanqing refused to admit some things, and Liang Shicheng no longer forced him. The two of them knew it well.

A maid came in and served tea. Liang Shicheng took a sip of tea and said, "This incident made the official family extremely angry. The official family believed that it was the Liangshan rioters' anti-announcement faction that the Liangshan rioters killed Hou Meng. He severely criticized Yu Shen and Gao Qiu, who advocated the revenge, and decided to continue to fight against the Liangshan rioters."

Li Yanqing was excited and asked quickly: "I don't know who will take charge of the official family?"

"This is the purpose of finding you tonight. You recommended to me a few days ago that Master Zhong went to fight to suppress bandits. I wonder if you have ever found Master Zhong?"

"I went to see Marshal Zhong today!"

"How is his current situation?"

"He is not in a good situation recently, he looks a little old, but I believe that as long as he is on his armor, he will become stronger and stronger immediately!"

Liang Shicheng stood up, walked a few steps with his hands behind his back, and after a while, he said: "The official family has the idea to let Tong Guan come out again."

Li Yanqing was surprised, "But he had just been demoted for a few months, so he would be re-activated like this soon. What do you think about the court?"

"The official didn't want to demote him at all, he just acted like a show."

“Have you decided?”

Liang Shicheng shook his head, "If I decide, I won't come to you tonight. Several prime ministers firmly oppose it, and the officials have no choice."

Li Yanqing suddenly felt a glimmer of expectation in his heart that was desperate. He really didn't know what Liang Shicheng was thinking, so he simply stopped talking and waited for Liang Shicheng to finally express his opinion.

Liang Shicheng paced back and forth, looking very worried. Finally, he glanced at Li Yanqing and said, "I want the prince to take charge, and Zhong Shidao will be the deputy general, and go to fight against the bandits in Liangshan. What do you think?"

Only then did Li Yanqing understand Liang Shicheng's thoughts. He actually wanted Zhong Shidao to follow the prince to suppress the bandits. Once the prince made military achievements, the position in the Eastern Palace would be even more stable. Liang Shicheng was not confused at all and was very smart. He might not be relieved to lead the army, but Zhong Shidao could have believed it.

Li Yanqing also knew that this was the condition that Liang Shicheng recommended Zhong Shidao, and gave the first credit to the prince. In order to achieve his plan, he could not care about Zhao Kai's interests at this time.

Li Yanqing immediately expressed his opinion: "With the prince in charge, I believe that this battle will be won, and it is expected to destroy the bandits!"

.........

Zhong Shidao never dreamed that Li Yanqing's prophecy came so quickly. Just two days later, he received the call from the emperor and Xuan him went to the side hall of Wende Hall to face the saint.

Zhong Shidao abandoned his crutches, changed into court clothes, and took a sedan chair to the front of Wende Hall. A eunuch came up, "Please please, Secretary Zhong!"

The eunuch hurriedly walked towards the side hall with Zhong Shidao. Soon, Zhong Shidao walked into the side hall, and a guard shouted: "Sir Zhong Shidao, Minister of War, met with him!"

"The emperor came in!" The guards responded.

Zhong Shidao quickly sorted out his clothes and hurried into the side hall. He saw Yu Shen, Bai Shizhong, Wang Fu and more than a dozen senior officials were already standing on both sides of the side hall. On the Danbao, the emperor Zhao Ji sat upright in the dragon throne.

Zhong Shidao hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down to salute, "Old minister Zhong Shidao, please see Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

"Zhong Aiqing is exempt from courtesy!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhuan Shidao stood up, Zhao Ji looked at him carefully, and saw that although his hair and beard were white, he was walking with great strength when entering the hall. He knelt down and got up effortlessly. He was not an old man in his seventies at all, but like a middle-aged man with strong muscles and bones.

Zhao Ji nodded secretly, and he was getting stronger and stronger. As expected, Gao Qiu said that Master Zhong was old and even needed a crutch when walking. It seemed that Gao Qiu had ulterior motives and wanted to follow Lian Po's old things. Thinking of this, Zhao Ji couldn't help but glared at Gao Qiu fiercely.

Gao Qiu couldn't say anything about his suffering. He clearly saw Master Zhong bent on his back with a crutch. He was struggling to walk, and he still needed a child's support. Why did he become lively again in just a few days? What is the reason? Did Master Zhong pretend to do it on purpose?

"I have summoned Zhong's beloved minister to discuss with Zhong's minister!"

"The old minister is willing to listen to Your Majesty's orders!"

Zhao Ji nodded and said slowly: "In order to eliminate the Liangshan rioters, the imperial court has been defeated four consecutive formations and lost more than 100,000 troops. I don't understand. Is a mere rioter who occupys the mountain and becomes the king? Or is my soldiers extremely weak and vulnerable. I don't know what the old general wants to see the defeat of the bandit suppression. Please tell me frankly!"

Since Li Yanqing hinted that Zhong Shidao was appointed as the commander, Zhong Shidao has been considering this issue. In front of everyone, he pondered: "Your Majesty, when using troops, the first thing to do is to know the army. The commander needs to know his army, and then understand the situation of the enemy. The so-called only by knowing oneself and knowing the enemy can you be defeated in a hundred battles. The old minister believes that the defeat of the court in the four battles is that the commander does not know himself or his enemy."

Gao Qiu's face looked extremely ugly. He had one of the four defeats, so how could he keep it on his face?

Gao Qiu finally couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, I want to know what the so-called "Zhong" means to know yourself and your enemy?"

Zhong Shidao looked at Gao Qiu and said, "When Gao Palace led his army to attack the bandits in Liangshan, they occupied the mountain as king at that time, and the soldiers were less than 10,000. Then I would like to ask how many islands are there in front of Gao Palace, how deep is the water, how many ships are there in Liangshan, who are the warriors? How many roads are there in Liangshan, how many military and horses are they? How many food is they like, where are their families?"

Gao Qiu was speechless, but Zhong Shidao did not let him go, and continued to ask: "I'll ask in front of Gao Palace again. At that time, Gao Palace led 30,000 troops to encircle and suppress the Liangshan bandits. How many of the 30,000 troops were there, how many commanders were there, what were their names? Do you know in front of Gao Palace?"

Gao Qiu was so embarrassed that he was angry when asked, and said viciously: "It's like you know, what do you know?"

"Of course I know my army. I eat with the soldiers every day. I know their sufferings and why they fight. I know the forty-six commanders of the Hedong Army. I know the name and origin of each commander, and even know their family situation. When attacking Xixia, I spent a lot of time to understand the terrain of Xixia, garrison and generals. This is called knowing yourself and knowing your enemy. With these four words, I have never lost in my life."

Zhao Ji nodded secretly and asked, "If I ask the veteran general to wipe out the Liangshan bandits, how many troops do you need?"

"Report to Your Majesty, the soldiers are not many, but the old minister only has 30,000 troops!"

Zhao Ji was very happy when he heard this. This was the general he wanted. He made a quick decision and said loudly: "Where is the prince?"

The prince Zhao Huan, who was standing aside, hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down, "I'm here!"

"I appoint you as the two routes of Jingdong, and will go out for me to patrol the two routes of Jingdong, suppress the bandits and the people, and restore order from Jingdong, and!"

"My son obeys the order!"

Zhao Ji then said: "Zong Shidao, the Minister of War, listened to the title!"

"Old minister is here!"

"I have appointed you as the commander-in-chief of the Cavalry and Infantry Army in front of the palace, and the commander of Yunzhou. I will lead 30,000 elite soldiers to follow the prince to tour the two routes of Jingdong to wipe out the Liangshan bandits for me!"

On the thirteenth day of the first lunar month of the second year of Xuanhe, Emperor Zhao Ji of Song appointed Prince Zhao Ji as the commander, Zong Shidao as the deputy commander, and appointed Xuzhou magistrate Zhang Shuye as the Sima, leading 30,000 imperial guards to the east and west routes of Beijing to suppress bandits. At the same time, Zhao Ji gave the prince the world tiger talisman, allowing him to tune the army in the world.

=
Chapter completed!
Prev Index    Favorite Next