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

Chapter 758 Emperor Gaozong of Song: The Emperor's Words Are Not Jokes! [1st Update]

In stark contrast to Emperor Gaozong of Song, Zhong Shidao's cloudy old eyes suddenly lit up!

The oil lamp, as if it had been provoked twice, flickered with flame!

Not to mention military generals like Wang Huan, Xu Jing, Zhang Suo, and Lu Deng, the entire city's inhabitants were all looking at Cai Fu with anticipation, their mouths watering, waiting to see what would happen next.

Emperor Gaozong of Song couldn't help but grab the horse's mane with both hands, and asked, feigning composure:
"What does my brother-in-law have to say?"

Cai Fu looked around, his gaze finally settling on Emperor Gaozong's face:

"The Crown Prince is my brother-in-law, and you are my brother-in-law. As your brother-in-law, I shouldn't be involved in this matter!"
"But what Old Master Zhong said makes sense. There are many suspicious points about my brother-in-law's death. I'm afraid there's more to the story!"

At this point, Cai Fu turned around and glanced at Zhao Fujin, who had just emerged from the carriage.

Zhao Fujin, her face pale, stood on the carriage shaft, her delicate hands supporting the carriage, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Cai Fu.

Cai Fu sighed, then looked away from Emperor Gaozong of Song:

"Both are my flesh and blood, and I don't want to favor one over the other!"
"I just want to know the truth and give the deceased justice!"
"The affairs of the imperial family are related to the rise and fall of the nation!"
"I think this truth is also important to people all over the world!"

Iron Whistle, mingling in the crowd, immediately raised his arms and shouted:

"We demand the truth! We demand justice!"

He led a propaganda battalion of two thousand men to the south of the Yangtze River, and today there are at least a thousand of them mixed in with the crowd.

So when Tie Jiaozi raised his arms and shouted, he received a hundred responses, no, a thousand responses!
Thousands of people, young and old, men and women, mingled in different locations, raising their arms and shouting in unison:

"We demand the truth! We demand justice!"

People have a herd mentality, and the whole city had been watching the foreplay all night, just waiting for this moment.

The badgers that were jumping around in the melon patch immediately joined in the shouting:

"We demand the truth! We demand justice!"

After shouting it twice, people spontaneously simplified the slogan to:
"Truth! Fairness!"

The simplification makes it more powerful, easier for people to shout along, and easier to shout with rhythm!

"Truth—Fairness—"

Tens of thousands of people shouted rhythmically, like a mountain roaring and a tsunami, deafeningly loud!
Even military governors like Xu Jing, Zhang Kai, Mei Zhan, Yang Wen, and Han Cunbao couldn't help but shout along!

The main reason is that they were all former outlaws who were later recruited by the imperial court, so they inherently harbored rebellious intentions towards the court.

In addition, the three men suspected that Emperor Gaozong of Song had killed Emperor Qinzong of Song.

Therefore, they didn't have as many concerns as other military generals; at worst, they could just surrender to the King of Qi, which would serve as a pledge of loyalty.

Even the military governors joined in the shouting, and the imperial guards of various prefectures cheered even more enthusiastically.

For a moment, a voice echoed throughout Jiangzhou City:
"Truth—Fairness—"

Emperor Gaozong of Song was so shocked that his face turned pale.

He originally thought that since he was the emperor, what kind of scene hadn't he seen?
However, he had never seen such a scene before; Emperor Gaozong of Song, riding on horseback, was swaying precariously...

However, Emperor Gaozong of Song in history lived to be 81 years old and reigned for 35 years!
Quickly regaining his composure, Emperor Gaozong stared at Cai Fu with a gloomy gaze:

"Brother-in-law, what I said is the truth!"
What other truth do you want to know?

His voice was drowned out by the shouts of the crowd, and Cai Fu didn't hear him clearly, so he raised his right hand.

"Shh-"

The iron-clad men and the propaganda team immediately fell silent and gestured for the surrounding people to shut up.

Xu Jing, Zhang Kai, Mei Zhan, Yang Wen, Han Cunbao, and other military governors immediately stopped their subordinates.

Coupled with Cai Fu's formidable reputation in the Song Dynasty, the entire city immediately fell silent!
"hiss!"

Emperor Gaozong's expression changed: "My words have no effect. He didn't even say a word, and you all shut up as soon as he raised his hand."

No way, is this still my empire?
Not only him, but all the civil and military officials and ministers of the country realized just how powerful Cai Fu was! A golden carp is no ordinary fish; it will transform into a dragon once it encounters wind and clouds!

This bloody storm targeting Emperor Gaozong of Song may well be the catalyst that will help Prince Qi rise to power...

Cai Fu didn't think too much about it; he was just used to it, and it worked that well for him in Qi.

After the entire audience fell silent, Cai Fu gestured to Emperor Gaozong of Song to invite him to enter.
I didn't hear you clearly, so I'll say it again.

Emperor Gaozong gritted his teeth and repeated, "What I said is the truth! What other truth do you want to know?"

Are you sure what you're saying is the truth?

Cai Fu raised his lips to a playful smile:

"The emperor's words are law; he cannot speak carelessly!"

Emperor Gaozong of Song could not go back on his word now, so he could only stubbornly stick to his guns and say:
"The emperor's word is his bond!"

"What a truth: the emperor's word is his bond!"

Cai Fu nodded, then turned to ask Master Zhong:
"Old Master Zhong, how many men did your brother-in-law have around back then?"

Zhong Shidao said with a heavy heart, "Three thousand cavalry and five hundred infantrymen, all of them are the elite of the Western Army!"

Cai Fu then asked Emperor Gaozong of Song, "Brother-in-law, do you know how many Liao soldiers surrounded and killed your brother-in-law?"

Emperor Gaozong of Song was involved, so of course he could just say whatever came to mind:

"The Liao army numbers approximately ten thousand cavalry!"

"Reasonable!"

Cai Fu was very satisfied with this answer:

"The Western Army is the elite of the Song Dynasty, and its combat strength is unparalleled in the world!"

"Without more than 10,000 Liao cavalry, it would be difficult to wipe out 3,500 elite Western Army soldiers!"

Although Cai Fu was affirming his own words, Emperor Gaozong of Song felt inexplicably on edge.

Sure enough, Cai Fu changed the subject: "So, brother-in-law, how many troops did you bring to wipe out the Liao soldiers?"

Emperor Gaozong hesitated: "More than ten thousand..."

"More than ten thousand?"

Cai Fu emphasized, "You used only ten thousand Jiangzhou soldiers to wipe out more than ten thousand Liao cavalry?"

"boom--"

The officials and the people of the city were all talking about it, and it was clear that no one believed that the Jiangzhou soldiers were so capable.

Zhong Shidao was so angry that he was blowing his beard and glaring, saying that the Western Army was no good was tantamount to saying that he was no good!
When has he ever failed?
“No, no, no!

"After slaughtering 3,500 elite Western Army soldiers, the Liao army was left with only 6,000 cavalry!"

Emperor Gaozong of Song quickly denied it:
"This group of Liao soldiers has three generals, named Zhierfulang, Wulikean, and Qulichuqing!"
"Among them, Ulikoan was the first to die at the hands of Wang Bing!"

"After I arrived, I promised Qulichuqing a high-ranking official position and generous salary!"

"Qulichuqing then killed Zhierfulang and surrendered to me!"

"I brought him back to Jiangzhou and set up a trap at Green Willow Manor outside the city, where I surrounded and killed his men!"

"So it was a trick!"

Cai Fu nodded in sudden realization:
"But that's not right. You can offer high-ranking positions and generous salaries to the Liao soldiers, but my brother-in-law can't offer them the same."

"Even if my brother-in-law didn't think of this, what was the purpose of the Liao soldiers surrounding and killing my brother-in-law?"
"If they want high-ranking positions and generous salaries, wouldn't it be better for them to just apply to my brother-in-law?"
"Why did you kill my brother-in-law and then get bribed by your high-ranking position and generous salary?"

"Could it be that your high-ranking official position and generous salary are more appealing than my brother-in-law's?"

(End of this chapter)