Chapter 337 Song Jiang's Conspiracy

If Wu Qimai's head is hung on the city gate, the Jin Kingdom will inevitably be in chaos.

When an emperor dies suddenly, there will usually be turmoil and struggles for power.

Yang Chang's idea was to lure Nianhan back to the country to seize power, thereby defusing the crisis in Hedong.

However, the transmission of information takes time. It took him two months to return to Taiyuan, and the same was true for Nianhan to receive the intelligence.

Yang Chang only realized this shortly after he set out on his journey.

He could travel day and night, but horses could not run for a long time. They had to rest after running a certain distance, and their food was more picky than that of cattle and sheep. This is like maintaining a car in later generations, which requires maintenance from time to time.

When I came here, Fan Rui accompanied me. Usually, when we arrived at a big city, we would just pay extra money to buy a horse and set off.

No one would talk nonsense on the return trip, so this horse-changing pattern could not continue. Fortunately, Yang Changxin had learned the [Illusion], so he used the method of stealing and replacing the pillars to force a direct change. It was convenient, fast and 100% successful, and the key was that he didn't have to pay extra money.

Yang transformed himself into a passerby to change horses. Afterwards, the original passerby naturally had a dispute with the horse owner. So every time they changed horses, there would be a riot in the local area, but this guy had no psychological burden at all.

Although the horse problem was solved, Yang Chang's return speed did not increase, and was even slower than when he came, mainly due to the weather.

By April, the temperature outside the Great Wall gradually rose, the ice and snow melted faster, and light rain fell from time to time, making the roads muddy.

Yang Chang felt like he was punching cotton, with no place to put his strength.

In fact, if he traveled alone, his speed should have been much faster, but Lu Zhishen accompanied him for thousands of miles out of loyalty and he could not abandon him no matter what.

If the monk were allowed to walk on his own, given his appearance and the fact that he couldn't speak nonsense, he might not be able to get out of the prairie.

As the saying goes, more haste makes waste. Yang Chang could only trust his brothers unconditionally and proceed according to the plan every day.

When Nianhan went south, the new commander-in-chief prepared three strategies when he took office.

First, he recruited veterans from the period of swallowing Liao, transferred the border garrisons of Goryeo and the rebel suppression troops in the north, and deployed them to Yanjing and Yunzhong, diluting the influence of Wuqimai and Aguda's son factions in the eastern and western Jin armies, and helping himself to regain control of the military power of the Jin Kingdom;
The second is to propose a shaman ritual to curse Yang Chang, so that the core figures of Hedong lose their fighting and leadership capabilities, so as to prepare for taking over Hedong and gaining prestige.

The third strategy was to drive the tiger to devour the wolf. He sent an envoy to Yingtian Prefecture in advance to celebrate the New Year and threaten Zhao Gou with force to send troops to Hedong to serve as cannon fodder for the Jin army in the future war.

When Yang Chang was resting his horse in Jinzhou, he had brushed shoulders with the diplomatic envoys.

The delegation traveled south and arrived in Yingtian at the end of the first lunar month.

It was normal that the New Year's Day had passed long ago, so it was a bit strange for the Jin Kingdom to come without notice, but Zhao Gou still welcomed them warmly. After all, this represented the recognition of the Jin Kingdom.

The courts of Zhao Gou and Zhao Huan both claimed that theirs was the orthodox one of the Song Dynasty. The open and covert fighting has never stopped and has now reached a white-hot stage.

Now that the Kingdom of Jin has sent an envoy to celebrate the New Year, it is just like in later generations when an anti-government armed group established a country and was recognized by Da Piaoliang and sent a diplomatic envoy. The two sides have gone from making peace in secret to making peace openly, and the weaker party will be able to take advantage of the power of the powerful in the future.

In order to show his importance, Zhao Gou ordered all government offices in Yingtian Prefecture to have a three-day holiday and organized the people to take to the streets to welcome him, but in the end he ended up being humiliated.

The Jin envoy used harsh words and brought a letter written by Nianhan himself. After reading it, Zhao Gou had no choice but to agree.

At the beginning of February, Ji County, Weizhou, summoned the envoy.

As soon as Song Jiang returned from Xiangzhou after reuniting with Hua Rong, his brother Song Qing brought a guest from Yingtian, who was the prime minister of the time, Wang Boyan.

At that time, there were two prime ministers in Zhao Gou's court. Huang Qianshan, who was in charge of government affairs, was at odds with Song Jiang, while Wang Boyan, who was in charge of the military, was relatively docile.

Hearing that the prime minister was coming, Song Jiang, who was taking a nap, hurried out to greet him, but he now held a high position and no longer needed to perform the buttocks-raising ceremony.

When Song Jiang learned the purpose of the greeting, he could not help but interrupt and asked, "Wait, Your Majesty wants me to send troops now? You didn't let me fight last year when we had such a good opportunity, and now that we have lost the opportunity, you want me to attack? This makes no sense at all."

"Taiwei, there is no need to doubt me. His Majesty sent your brother to assist you, and asked me to deliver the decree in person. Are you questioning me?"

"Prime Minister Wang, please don't misunderstand me. How dare I question it? This decree is strange. Is there someone in the court instigating it? You have led troops before, so you should understand the timing of a battle. The troops that were originally assembled for a surprise attack in Xiangzhou have returned to their original defense areas and are on standby. Even if they are assembled again, there will only be tens of thousands of them. If we go to war with Yang Chang at this time, wouldn't it be a waste of soldiers to die? This will not benefit Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty has his reasons."

Wang Boyan interrupted him with a frown and asked, "Who wouldn't want to reap the benefits? Are there any fools among the Jin people? They besieged Yang Chang several times, and Song Taiwei didn't really put in any effort. You don't think no one cares about the excuses and handles they have accumulated?"

"What Prime Minister Wang meant." Song Jiang swallowed, "The Jin people are putting pressure on Your Majesty?"

Wang Boyan looked around and saw that there was no one else in the hall, so he explained in a low voice: "Nianhan took over as the Grand Marshal and will soon take revenge on Yang Chang. He wants us to act first this time, otherwise he will turn against us and settle old scores. Your Majesty can't refuse at all."

"Nianhan is such a cunning fellow, he is clearly asking us to die, so I can't obey him. Why not use the excuse of cold weather to delay? If I really want to bring up the past, I will try to join forces with Yang Chang and fight the Jin people head-on."

"Don't let your imagination run wild. If you don't move, Nianhan will march into Shandong. Even if Yang Chang wants to help, can he get it?"

"Shandong?"

Song Jiang was stunned and thought, "Isn't Nianhan a scoundrel? We don't send troops to attack Yang Chang, but you send troops to attack us?"
Wang Boyan added: "Your Majesty can hold the throne firmly because of the peaceful coexistence with the Jin people. If we go to war with the Jin people, do you know how many people will defect to the Western Court? Moreover, there are no troops stationed in Shandong now, so they can easily succeed."

"Isn't Han Shizhong suppressing the rebellion in Shandong?"

"Western Xia has been encroaching on Guanzhong, and the Western Court has become increasingly exhausted. Your Majesty hopes to quickly pacify Jiangnan, and then advance into Chu to encircle the Central Plains. However, Yue Fei and Fang La are in a stalemate, so Your Majesty has transferred Han Shizhong to help."

"I see."

Song Jiang frowned and nodded, but he didn't want to send his men to their deaths, so he raised his hand and made a suggestion: "Yang Chang and I came from Liangshan together, and he knows my tactics inside and out. Otherwise, I will immediately report to His Majesty and exchange defense zones with Zhang Jun. He has many brave generals under his command."

"All right."

Wang Boyan interrupted again and said seriously, "His Majesty knows what you are thinking and has told you not to bother two masters with one thing. You can only suffer Song Gongming. However, this matter is not that bad. Nianhan mentioned in the letter that a group of great witches of the Jin Kingdom have been cursing Yang Chang through joint efforts. He has fainted and will probably never wake up again."

"hiss"

Song Jiang took a deep breath. He vaguely remembered that when Dai Zong went to the Jin camp, he was once asked about Yang Chang's birth date and horoscope. He still went to Song Qingcha for the information. Could it be that he wanted to cast a curse?
(When Song Qing was in charge of banquets at Liangshan, he recorded the birthdays of each leader so that he could celebrate their birthdays. This was also one of Song Jiang's methods of winning them over.)
If Yang Chang cannot wake up, Song Jiang is still very confident in dealing with the rest of the people. He originally sidelined Chao Gai in Liangshan by breaking through the leaders' personalities one by one and winning them over to serve him.

Lu Junyi, Lin Chong, Wu Song, Lu Zhishen
Song Jiang counted on his fingers, thinking that even these top talents each had their own weaknesses, and only the mysterious "Little Dragon Girl" might be a little troublesome. If it weren't for Yang Chang, this battle seemed really winnable.

"General Song? General Song?"

"Brother."

"install?"

Song Jiang wanted to be absent-minded for a moment, but was reminded by Wang Boyan and Song Qing. He then clasped his fists and smiled to apologize, "Prime Minister Wang, please don't blame me. I was just thinking about the battle and didn't think too deeply."

"It doesn't matter."

Wang Boyan waved his hand gently, "I believe your majesty will be very pleased that the general can get into shape. This time, you must cooperate well with the Jin people and don't let Nianhan catch you."

"I don't need to worry about it, but..."

Song Jiang changed the subject and murmured, "Even if we send troops, we need time to prepare. I plan to send someone to sneak into Taiyuan to investigate first, and then wait until we are sure that Yang Chang has been bewitched."

"I just told you not to be clever. The Jin people are probably watching you. But these ideas make sense. You'd better convince Nianhan."

"That's exactly what I meant. If Nianhan is determined to take Hedong, he must have made preparations for the battle. It would be in the interests of both sides if everyone tried their best to contain them."

"It's up to you. You don't need to discuss the details with me. As long as the Jin people are satisfied, that's all."

After Wang Boyan finished speaking, he took a deep sip of the teacup, chewed the tea leaves, looked at Song Jiang and added:
"Han Shizhong led his troops to Jiangnan for reinforcement, so no one is taking care of the bandits in Shandong. Liu Yu, the prefect of Jinan, has asked me for help many times. The general has many soldiers and generals under his command. Can you lend me one or two to help with the emergency?"

"Borrow someone? This..."

Song Jiang originally planned to refuse outright, but then he thought about how he was ostracized by officials like Huang Qianshan because of his background. If he offended Wang Boyan, he was afraid that he would have a hard time in the future.

"I'm about to go to war, so I'm definitely short on manpower, but since Prime Minister Wang has asked, I'll help you no matter how difficult it is. I'll host a banquet to welcome you, and then discuss this with the generals later. What do you think?"

"Your Majesty has always praised the general for his loyalty to the country. Today I see that his reputation is well-deserved."

"Song Jiang is a minor official with a literary appearance. He is fortunate to be recognized by Your Majesty. How can he not repay His Majesty with his life? Unlike Prime Minister Wang, who is knowledgeable and a pillar of the country."

"Taiwei, don't be so modest."

The two men praised each other's business, and then toasted each other at the welcoming banquet. Song Jiang decided to borrow Guan Sheng to help in Shandong.

After the banquet, Song Qing helped Song Jiang back to his bedroom and asked in confusion, "I see that brother is not drunk, why did you take the initiative to lend Guan Sheng just now? He is the leader of the Five Tiger Generals of Liangshan!"

"The Five Tiger Generals of Liangshan? Haha"

Song Jiang took off his official hat and placed it on the table, saying with disdain: "Liangshan no longer exists. Didn't Lin Chong betray me and follow Yang Chang? Where are the Five Tiger Generals?"

"My point is." Song Qing smiled awkwardly and added, "At this moment, there are almost no bandits in Shandong who can make a difference. Brother, you can just borrow a brother to deal with them. You shouldn't borrow a general like Guan Sheng. Isn't the war going to start soon? It will definitely be more useful to keep him."

"Not necessarily." Song Jiang shook his head lightly with empty eyes, muttering, "After Hao Siwen's death, Guan Sheng was not as loyal to me as before, and he was not as dedicated in the battle. Besides, his other deputy general Xuan Zan is now under Lin Chong's command in Zezhou. If he does something disloyal, who will I complain to? I might as well do him a favor."

"But he is the descendant of Guan Gong. My brother has always used him as a role model for loyalty and righteousness. His family has also been settled in Yingtian, so it shouldn't happen."

"Let's not guess or bet. If Yang Chang is really under a spell and cannot wake up, it doesn't matter whether there is Guan Sheng or not. If Yang Chang is not under a spell, ten Guan Shengs will be useless."

"That's right. Yang Chang is getting more and more powerful now. He has killed so many famous generals of the Jin Kingdom. He is more than ten times stronger than Liang Shan. I heard that he can form an army by himself."

Song Qing nodded in agreement, and suddenly thought of something, so he immediately reminded: "By the way, brother is planning to send someone to Taiyuan to inquire? But there are troops stationed at each pass under his jurisdiction, so it may not be easy to sneak into Taiyuan."

"Haha." Song Jiang smiled and said, "Brother is the Grand Commandant and the Commander of the Four Garrisons. Why do you still use such a trick? I said it for Wang Boyan to hear."

"install?"

"I will send you a letter of divorce tonight. Tomorrow you will take your two brothers north and go to Taiyuan to find Yang Chang openly. Tell him that I hope to form an alliance with him and fight against the Jin people together."

"turn out to be."

Before Song Qing could start to speculate, Song Jiang was eager to explain: "Silang is right. If you meet him in Taiyuan, it means that Nianhan is playing tricks on you, and I have a reason to refuse to send troops. If Yang Chang refuses to meet him, it means that Nianhan is telling the truth. This is called an open conspiracy, and an open conspiracy has no solution."

"I can handle this alone, so why not bring anyone else along? Otherwise, someone will follow Yang Zhi's example."

"We still need people's cooperation. If Yang Chang is really under a spell and cannot wake up, Wu Song and others must have kept it a secret. Someone must help spread the word. I believe that once the news spreads, the states in Hedong will inevitably be in chaos. Then I will take advantage of the chaos to attack."

After Song Jiang finished speaking, he stroked his beard confidently and thought to himself, I won't compete with Yang Chang in bravery. That guy doesn't know how to play with people's hearts at all.

Song Qingshen agreed with this. Although he had a good relationship with Yang Chang, they now served different masters, and he would always stand on Song Jiang's side.

"By the way, brother, after dealing with Fan Rui, we no longer have a magician, and Yang Chang has Xiao Longnu under his command. It is said that this person has stopped the Jin army many times. Let Dai Zong go to Erxian Mountain?"

"Forget it, it's useless to go there, it's better to let him find Nianhan."

"What do you mean?"

"Xiao Long Nu is such an opponent that I can't fight alone. Someone will have to make a feint attack. Whoever encounters Xiao Long Nu will make a feint attack. So let him choose first."

Song Jiang said it in a decisive tone. He knew that blindly tolerating others would not earn him respect. This was something he had already understood when he was a thief in Liangshan.

Zhao Gou threw the trouble to himself. If he simply took his brothers as cannon fodder, his ability would be obvious. Therefore, he had to reduce the losses as much as possible. If he could get some benefits, that would be the perfect answer.

The two brothers chatted all night, and the next day Song Qing was ordered to take Zhu Gui and Bai Sheng, first to the west to Huaizhou and then to the north via Taihang Xing, preparing to submit a letter and pass the customs according to the normal process.

Lin Chong and others who were guarding Zezhou had no idea that Yang Chang was not in Taiyuan at the time, so they just "escorted" Song Qing all the way according to the old rules and brought him to Yangqu in mid-February.

(End of this chapter)