I am Emperor Shizu of Song

Chapter 61 How can the head of the Liangshan bandit leader be wasted?
"What? Master Lin actually... I mean, Master Lin actually killed Wang Lun?!"

The next evening, in an inn in Wenyang County, when Cao Zheng saw Zhao Zicheng, the first words he said shocked Zhao Zicheng.

Zhao Zicheng almost blurted out the question "Why did you kill Wang Lun anyway?", but he held it back.

How can you say the word "还"?

Cao Zheng also gave a quick and concise description of the cause and effect. Zhao Zicheng listened carefully and pondered it for a while before finally sorting out the general idea.

He thought to himself, "I originally thought that although Wang Lun was narrow-minded, he was eager for Lin Chong to leave, and he would definitely not stop Lin Chong from leaving. I didn't expect such a change to happen. However, this matter can only be regarded as a coincidence, a double entendre, and not a "historical inertia."

The key problem is that when Lin Chong left, someone came up the mountain to inform him and found a way out in advance. Wang Lun was suspicious and thought that Lin Chong was colluding with outsiders to sell the stronghold in exchange for merit, which was in line with his petty mindset.

If Lin Chong had left on his own initiative without any warning or contacting anyone, Wang Lun would certainly not have stopped him.

After understanding this truth, Zhao Zicheng felt relieved.

Wang Lun was unimportant anyway, dead or alive. Zhao Zi said that in the next year or two, he wouldn't have the energy to care about Shandong affairs. His first base was still Jiangnan, and dealing with Zhu Zhen and Fang La was the most important thing.

Now that everything has happened, we might as well think carefully about how things will develop next, how this matter will end, and whether there is any surplus value that can be utilized.

Zhao Zicheng was first concerned about Lin Chong's condition. "How is your master now? Did Du Qian, Song Wan, and the others on the mountain give him any trouble? Is it because the knockout drug took effect that he couldn't come down the mountain with you?"

Cao Zheng quickly explained, "When I left the mountain, Master's condition hadn't fully subsided, but he should be fine. I was afraid that the Master might worry and miss the agreed date, so I came down early to inform him and ask if we need to adjust our plans."

Zhao Zicheng thought for a moment and said, "Since Coach Lin has sworn not to be an enemy of Liangshan, and the grudge is settled, I will naturally not make things difficult for him. We came to Dongping and Jizhou in hiding, so it is not appropriate for us to ask about the affairs here.

However, it was a pity that he got Wang Lun's head but couldn't use it... Wang Lun was the leader of the Liangshan bandits after all. Even if he hadn't become powerful now, killing him was considered a merit in the surrounding prefectures and counties. It was wasted like this...

After Instructor Lin follows me, he will also have to change his name and can no longer be known as Lin Chong. With his current status, he cannot achieve this merit. He can only do so after he reaches Jiangnan.

Originally in Water Margin, a group of bandits were against the imperial court. After killing some bandit leaders in a fight or civil war, they would definitely not seek credit from the imperial court, and no one even thought about it in that direction.

Zhao Zi said that he had never thought of this possibility before. But things became more and more bizarre. He suddenly found that Lin Chong had become a member of the government, but he still killed Wang Lun. Such a "merit" was completely wasted, which was a pity no matter how you looked at it.

Cao Zheng was a man of few ideas. After hearing Mr. Zhao's regret, he simply suggested, "Since my master wants to remain anonymous and can't achieve this feat, why not give it to one of Mr. Zhao's other capable men?"

Zhao Zicheng listened and shook his head with a wry smile, saying, "Official affairs are not as simple as you think. I will find a way to deal with this matter. If there is no way, then forget it."

It's certainly possible to give the credit to someone else, but none of my men are suitable. They have no reason to antagonize Liangshan. If we really have to give it to someone else, it can only be given to a military officer from Dongping or Jeju. But those people are strangers to us, so there's no point in them being a scapegoat. We also have to worry about whether they're loyal and can keep our secrets.

There's nothing for you to do here. Go back quickly and pick up your master from the mountain. Tomorrow night, we'll meet at the largest inn in the small town south of the county, on the banks of the Jizhou River. He still has a wanted warrant with a picture of his face on him, so neither Wenyang nor Rencheng can enter the county. We'll have to meet him outside the city. If Master Lin's drug hasn't worn off yet, I have Doctor Anshen here to help him sort it out. So, the sooner you get down the mountain, the better. There's no good doctor to be found up there.

Also, tell him that since Wang Lun has been killed, don't waste his head; take it with you. If anyone from Du Qian and Song Wan's side tries to stop them, offer them some favors or find some other way to evade them. They won't be too embarrassed. Now that Wang Lun is dead, Liangshan is leaderless. With Instructor Lin gone, Du Qian will likely be the leader for the time being."

Zhao Zi said he remembered that in the original Water Margin, after Lin Chong killed Wang Lun, Du Qian and Song Wan didn't show any regret or lingering feelings, they just accepted defeat. Now that something has happened, it's difficult for the brothers to see each other. As long as Lin Chong leaves quickly, Du Qian won't bother to fight over a dead man's head.

People who live in the underworld are always on the edge of a knife, and it is common for them to die an unnatural death. They are not like ordinary people who care about the dead and the integrity of the body.

Cao Zheng took all the instructions to heart and quickly went back to contact Lin Chong, promising to meet him formally within a day or two.

……

After sending Cao Zheng away again, Zhao Zicheng spent the last day or so of waiting thinking about how to make full use of Wang Lun's death.

"I originally thought that since I had poached Lin Chong ahead of time, no one would kill Wang Lun. If Chao Gai, Wu Yong and their group came up the mountain in the future, they wouldn't know how to deal with Wang Lun, so they would probably have to fight and seize power. Now it's easier. I guess in a few months, whether it's Chao Gai or the future Song Jiang, it won't be difficult to successfully take advantage of Du Qian and Song Wan.

However, I had already poached Yang Zhi, so I didn't know if Chao Gai would still be able to join Liangshan. At the end of the year, Liang Zhongshu would definitely have to deliver the birthday gift to Cai Jing, but without Yang Zhi, he would have to find someone else to escort it.

I remember that if Yang Zhi went to Daming Prefecture, he would have been vying with Suo Chao for Liang Zhongshu's favor. Now that Yang Zhi is gone, would Suo Chao be the escort? This is unlikely. After all, Suo Chao is a regular frontier general with a clean background. Unlike Yang Zhi, who was once a soldier and could only do private work for Liang Zhongshu, Suo Chao is a regular frontier general with a clean background.

If it weren't for Suo Chao, no matter who Liang Zhongshu replaced with his personal attendants and military officers, they probably still wouldn't be able to defeat Chao Gai and Wu Yong. Liangshan should continue to develop, but its rise will probably be delayed by me. After all, they've lost so many people, and I've poached many of the most capable backbones.

Historically, Liangshan officially raised its rebellion flag more than half a year before Fang La's rebellion. Now, it's possible that the situation is reversed, and perhaps Fang La took action first. This is also good. I can deal with Fang La first, consolidate my base in Jiangnan, and then consider the layout of Shandong in the future.

The most urgent task now is to find a military officer from Dongping Prefecture or Jizhou who is worthy of my recruitment and has a reliable character, loyal and trustworthy. Otherwise, if they find out that I helped Lin Chong escape the crime and deceived my superiors and subordinates, and try to use me as a handle, it will backfire.

Well, I remember in Water Margin, there was the 'Double Spear General Dong Ping' in Dongping Prefecture, and further north there was the 'Featherless Arrow Zhang Qing' in Dongchang Prefecture. However, I don't know what kind of people these guys are. In Water Margin, they were all tricked into going up the mountain, so their personalities are hard to discern. We only know that their martial arts are decent. As for Zhang Qing, we have to take a long detour north, as there are too many variables..."

Zhao Zi said he locked himself in the guest room and pondered for half a day, deducing everything. Although he figured out some clues, he had no idea where to start.

He didn't even wash his face, forgot to eat on time, and looked a little depressed.

Finally, Murong Yan, noticing that he hadn't left the house or eaten all morning, brought him some porridge to his bedroom. Seeing how worried he was, she spoke gently and concernedly, "What's troubling you so much? You have to figure it out before Instructor Lin comes to surrender."

Zhao Zicheng sighed and expressed his regrets and concerns. "...That's how it is. I need to see if I can make the most of this waste before Instructor Lin brings Wang Lun's head. If it's too late, then the matter will be abandoned." Murong Yan, hearing this, seemed to have a more discerning eye. She pointed out the matter objectively, "With things like this, what can you come up with by blindly speculating behind closed doors? You're not familiar with the military officers in Honju and Jeju. How can you tell which ones are worth entrusting and which ones are worth winning over? You should definitely consult local officials or someone well-informed."

Zhao Zicheng did not deny it: "What you said, sister, is true. I just closed the door and sorted out my thoughts first. I will send someone to inquire in the afternoon."

Zhao Zi said that at first he wanted to directly select the Water Margin characters from his memory, and then slowly collect information and make contacts after he had a general goal.

Murong Yan, on the other hand, had no foresight at all, so naturally, she felt that she couldn't have any preconceived notions. Zhao Zicheng divided the work with her, asking her to help gather some intelligence and then discuss it slowly that night.

……

Another afternoon passed quickly, and Murong Yan collected a lot of information through street talk and asking her managers and servants to inquire with the well-connected guests in the inn and tavern.

The main focus was on the situation and reputation of the military officers in the surrounding counties. Murong Yan couldn't get any more detailed information, or information about more distant places, so this was all she could do in such a hurry.

Zhao Zicheng was also busy, gathering intelligence through indirect means throughout the afternoon. When the two of them reviewed their findings over dinner, Zhao Zicheng actually found some good news that could be used.

"The head of Rencheng County is actually called Guan Sheng? I remember we passed Rencheng County on the way here, right? It's right down the Jizhou River, adjacent to here, and only two counties away from Liangshan. Liangshan is in Yuncheng County. From Yuncheng County, go downstream along the Jizhou River, bypass Wenyang where we are now, and you'll reach Rencheng."

When Zhao Zi saw the name Guan Sheng, he said that he already had someone in mind to do favors for.

Guan Sheng is much more reliable than other so-called "loyal and righteous men" in Water Margin! He is a man of integrity also mentioned in the official history of the Song Dynasty.

According to official history, Guan Sheng did not surrender to Song Jiang, but was the defender of Jinan Prefecture. Later, during the Jingkang Incident, he fought against the Jin army many times and repelled the Jin army.

However, Liu Yu, the prefect of Jinan Prefecture, later surrendered to the Jin Dynasty and became a traitor, even establishing the puppet state of Qi, which was supported by the Jin Dynasty. Liu Yu was Guan Sheng's immediate superior, and because Guan Sheng was determined to resist the Jin Dynasty and blocked his path to becoming a traitor and puppet, he planned to kidnap Guan Sheng and hand him over to the Jin people. Guan Sheng refused to surrender and was killed by the Jin people.

But I didn’t expect that during the Xuanhe period, Guan Sheng’s rank was much lower than five or six years later, and he had not yet gone to Jinan Prefecture, but was in Jeju.

However, considering the low-level military officers, it's not unusual for them to be reassigned to different prefectures within Shandong. The Song Dynasty was known for its tendency to "have generals who don't know their soldiers, and soldiers who don't know their generals," resulting in frequent and chaotic transfers. Before and after the Song Jiang Rebellion, there was undoubtedly a reshuffling of military officers in several prefectures surrounding Shandong.

(Note: Jeju and Jinan are two places, far apart. Jinan is north of Mount Tai, and Jeju is south of Mount Tai. Jeju is Jining in later generations)
"That's him! My virtuous sister is truly my virtuous sister... She really helped me a lot. I will arrange for someone to contact Guan Sheng first and test his attitude. Tomorrow, when Instructor Lin arrives and takes Wang Lun's head, we can implement the plan."

Murong Yan was quite proud to hear that the information she had gathered had been of great use. As a young girl new to the world, she always hoped to play a role, which gave her a great sense of accomplishment.

Nothing happened that day after that. In the evening of the next day, Zhao Zicheng and his party moved to a small dock town on the Jizhou River somewhere between Rencheng County and Wenyang County, and first met Lin Chong in an inn.

Lin Chong was led by Cao Zheng to meet Zhao Zicheng. Upon meeting him, he bowed his head and said, "Young Master Zhao, you are so dedicated to justice and have a reputation for kindness and trustworthiness. You saved Brother Lu and my family. I cannot repay you without my life! From now on, there will be no more Lin Chong in this world. I, Lin, will voluntarily change my appearance and spend my life serving you as whip and stirrup bearer!"

"Hey! Master Lin, please get up quickly. I just see that you are a man of integrity and have great abilities. You have no way to serve your country, so I can't bear to see you fall into this quagmire. There's no need to do this."

Zhao Zicheng quickly helped Lin Chong to his feet and called over An Daoquan, who had been waiting nearby. "This is Dr. An, the Godly Doctor. He used to work in the Zhenjiang army, but I've asked him to be my personal companion. He's a truly remarkable doctor. It was thanks to his amazing skills that Lu Zhijie was able to escape the attack.

If Coach Lin wants to prevent his identity from being exposed, he'll need his help cleaning up a bit. Also, I heard that Wang Lun poisoned Coach Lin? Let's check in and see if there are any hidden dangers."

Lin Chong quickly said that it was nothing, it was just a knockout drug and should not be a chronic poison.

But Zhao Zicheng still insisted on asking An Daoquan to help take his pulse and prescribe some medicine for conditioning. Even if it was not poisonous, it would not hurt to prescribe some decoction to clear away heat and detoxify.

When Lin Chong saw this, he was deeply moved and became even more devoted to her.

Zhao Zicheng then asked if Wang Lun's head had been brought. Lin Chong, a bit sheepish, explained that he had killed Wang Lun out of anger at Wang Lun's repeated bullying, and that he hadn't hoped to gain merit with Wang Lun's head. However, since Master Zhao could use it, he brought it anyway.

However, when taking out the head, Lin Chong repeatedly emphasized that he would never gain any benefit or credit from Wang Lun's head.

Lin Chong didn't need to explain this at all. Even if he wanted credit, Zhao Zicheng couldn't give it to him, and the account could not be settled at all.

"Don't bother with that, Coach Lin. Just bring me the head. It's a personal favor from me. Consider it your way of repaying me for saving your family. Don't worry about it anymore. I have other uses for it."

That night, Zhao Zicheng ordered An Daoquan to do some emergency treatment for Lin Chong. He used the extra deer antler glue and other materials from the last time he changed Lu Da's appearance to stick another big beard on Lin Chong to slightly change his facial appearance.

After a night's rest, the group left early the next morning and headed south along the Jizhou River. On the way, they made a short detour to Rencheng County. Lin Chong did not enter the city, but waited for news in a small town outside the city.

Zhao Zicheng only brought Murong Yan and the servants of the Murong family, and did not bring any other heroes. Under the cover of being a merchant from the royal family, he swaggered into Rencheng County and went straight to the residence of Guan Sheng, the county's head.

Along the way, Murong Yan was still a little confused. "Brother Zhao, although you want to give the credit to Guan Sheng and do him a favor, how can he explain to his superiors how he killed Wang Lun, the leader of the Liangshan bandits? Neither the county magistrate of Rencheng County nor the prefecture magistrate of Jizhou allowed him to cross the border to Yuncheng County in Dongping Prefecture to hunt down the Liangshan bandits."

Zhao Zi said, "Don't worry about that. I will naturally find a way to make him make it sound reasonable."

-

PS: I will update once every two days when there are big chapters... It will be on the shelves on April 1st. If you want to keep it up during these few days, feel free to do so. I have no objection.

(End of this chapter)