Do you have the strength to force me to join the Liangshan bandits?

Chapter 581 Zong Ze: What Unexpected Joy? [2 Updates]

"Your Majesty!"

Just as Cai Fu was talking with Zong Ze and Wang Jin, a thin man with a weasel-like face came in and reported:

"Your Majesty, I have just obtained important intelligence..."

This skinny man with a rat-like face is none other than "White Day Rat" Bai Sheng.

Halfway through his sentence, Bai Sheng glanced at Zong Ze, then at Wang Jin, and finally at Cai Fu:
Your Majesty, may I speak with you in private?
Zong Ze and Wang Jin exchanged a glance, instinctively trying to struggle away, but Cai Fu had already held them down.

"These two are loyal and righteous men whom I value highly. Please feel free to speak if you have any important information."

Ah this...

Zong Ze and Wang Jin were almost moved to tears. When had they ever received such treatment?

Zong Ze, needless to say, was loyal and dutiful in the court, yet he was never given important positions.

When Wang Jin was in the Palace Marshal's Mansion, he was retaliated against by Gao Qiu, and even after arriving in Yan'an Prefecture, he was not given important responsibilities by General Zhong.

Both of them were frustrated and unsuccessful, but now they finally gained respect from Cai Fu.

The warmth in my heart was like a musical fountain, gushing forth in bursts!
Since Cai Fu had given the order, Bai Sheng said in front of Zong Ze and Wang Jin:

"The intelligence battalion questioned Lian Xinlong, Jin Yan, and Li Zhishan about all the inns they stayed at and all the hotels they ate at after arriving in Qingzhou."

"Finally, I learned from a hotel waiter that he had heard Li Zhishan say a golden saying."

"Therefore, Li Zhishan was also scolded by Lian Xinlong."

Cai Fu's eyes lit up: "Are you sure it's a golden saying?"

Bai Sheng: "Confirmed! That waiter served a Jin envoy before and had heard the same Jin language!"

That's it!

In this way, Cai Fu can confirm that Lian Xinlong is Lian Erxinshan, the general of Hanguan Pass in Jin Guo!

"The Jin dynasty is indeed a wolf in sheep's clothing!"

Zong Ze snorted coldly and slapped his thigh:
"They are still allies with the Song Dynasty!"

Cai Fu smiled: "Between nations, there are no permanent friends, nor permanent enemies."

"Only eternal interests exist."

"As long as the benefits are great enough, the Jin state can immediately break the alliance and attack the Song state together with the Liao state."

Zong Ze pondered Cai Fu's words repeatedly, and involuntarily clasped his hands in a fist salute:
"Your Majesty is wise!"

Wang Jin quickly followed suit, clasping his hands in a fist salute: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Cai Fu patted Wang Jin on the shoulder and looked at Zong Ze:
"Therefore, although we are attacking the Liao Kingdom, we must also be prepared to go to war with the Jin Kingdom at any time."

Zong Ze and Wang Jin both felt a chill run down their spines:
To wage war against both the Liao and Jin dynasties at the same time? Your Majesty is far too audacious...

……

Zong Fang was pacing back and forth at the entrance of the military tent like a donkey pulling a millstone when suddenly Cai Fu came out.

Cai Fu nodded to Zong Fang, who immediately bowed deeply. Cai Fu helped Zong Fang up and said with a smile:

"Take good care of your father; he is my pillar of support!"

With a thud, Zong Fang's mind went blank, and his head was still buzzing even after Cai Fu left!

My trusted advisor!

My father is the King of Qi's right-hand man!

Zong Fang couldn't help but burst into tears of joy, and like Fan Jin who had just passed the imperial examination, he danced and sang as he rushed into the military tent to tell Zong Ze:

"Father, we've been overjoyed!"

"She's over thirty and still so impulsive!"

Zong Ze glared at him, annoyed. This silly son of his was truly hopeless.

Losing the badge in the preliminary round was bad enough, but just now, while I was giving advice to the king, he kept coughing incessantly next to me!
They have absolutely no tact!
Zong Ze snorted coldly: "What do you mean by 'a stroke of good luck'? Have you met a woman you like?" Zong Fang's face turned green: "Father, let's not talk about this, we're still father and son!"
Zong Fang, who was over thirty and still single, quickly straightened the building:

"Father, guess what the King said to me outside just now?"

Zong Ze: "What?"

Zong Fang said excitedly, "The King told me to take good care of my father, and said that my father is his right-hand man!"

Although he hit it off with Cai Fu at first sight, Zong Ze was so excited upon hearing this that he accidentally plucked out several hairs from his beard!

Even so, Zong Ze still had to feign composure in front of his son and say:

"That's just an exaggeration. I've only just met Your Majesty, so how could we be considered each other's right-hand men?"
"You can say such things to me, but please don't go around spreading them outside!"

Zongfang scratched his head: "Yes..."

Wang Jin, standing to the side, was already green with envy, and he was also full of hope for his own future.

Because Cai Fu had also said he valued him, Wang Jin decided to perform well and strive to become the vanguard general in the conquest of Liaodong!

As for Zong Ze, he is old; is he still able to eat?
Gao Chong is indeed a skilled fighter, but he's young and inexperienced, and unreliable in his work!

If it really comes to military campaigns, we still have to rely on middle-aged people like ourselves who are in their prime!
After scolding Zong Fang, Zong Ze suddenly asked him a question:
"My son, are you now convinced of the king's authority?"

Munakata: ヘ(__ヘ)
……

Qingzhou, the Prince of Qi's residence.

Cai Fu sat cross-legged on the daybed, holding the list of those who had advanced, and discussed the second round of interviews with Wen Huanzhang and Lu Junyi.

Lu Junyi sighed: "Although 210 people entered the retest this time, 74 of them were injured to varying degrees."

"So if we proceed according to the original plan..."

Cai Fu nodded as he searched for familiar names on the list.

Besides the second-generation generals of Qi, and other familiar names such as Zong Ze, Wang Jin, Meng Bangjie, and Zhuge Ying, there are many others.

For example, Yang Hu, Hua Pufang, Wang Zuo, and Wu Shangzhi were all members of Yue Fei's army.

In the novel "The Story of Yue Fei", Yang Hu and Hua Pufang are bandits from Taihu Lake who later surrender to Yue Fei.

Wang Zuo and Wu Shangzhi were subordinates of Yang Yao, the "Great King of Tongsheng" of Dongting Lake, and later surrendered to Yue Fei.

Among them, Hua Pufang and Niu Gao were sworn brothers, Wang Zuo and Yue Fei were sworn brothers, and Wu Shangzhi was Yue Fei's cousin-in-law.

Despite their nepotistic relationship, each of the four possesses unique skills.

Yang Hu and Hua Pufang were both skilled in naval warfare, and Yang Hu was also an inventor of naval warfare techniques.

He built four fleets of warships on Taihu Lake, which were very impressive.

The first squadron consisted of "gunboats," the second squadron of "ballista ships," and the third squadron of "dark ships"...

Wang Zuo was a strategist who once used a "bitter flesh ruse" to cut off his own right arm and feign surrender to the Jin camp.

After gaining Jin Wuzhu's trust, he successfully turned two generals, Lu Wenlong and Cao Ning, against him.

Wu Shangzhi was both intelligent and brave.

In martial arts, he once fought Yue Fei for more than a hundred rounds without a clear winner.

In terms of strategy, he once used the "fire ox strategy" to defeat Yue Fei's army.

Unexpectedly, the appearance of the four of them on the list of those who advanced was the biggest surprise besides Zong Ze and Wang Jin.

After repeated discussions between Wen Huanzhang and Lu Junyi, Cai Fu made a decision after listening for a while:
"Let's combine your opinions and divide the re-examination into two tracks."

"One track is for archery and horsemanship, the other for military strategy."

"Participants can choose the track that suits them best."

"Those who are confident in achieving results in both tracks can register for both tracks at the same time."

"Having successfully advanced to the next round on both tracks, I'm guaranteed to be the commander regardless of my final result."

(End of this chapter)