Zhang Jun also came from the Western Army. Unlike Liu Guangshi, who came from a Western Army general, Zhang Jun was considered a grassroots soldier.

Zhang Jun is a native of Fengxiang Prefecture, Shaanxi Province. He joined the army at the age of sixteen and is an archer in the Sanyang (Tianshui) rural army.

Rural soldiers are also militiamen, not considered regular troops. They usually produce, transport, build cities, and farm land.

During leisure time, I focus on training.

In the past, there was always a state of war between Song and Xia. The Song Dynasty had sufficient rural soldiers. At times, the total number of rural soldiers in Shaanxi, Hebei, and Hedong could reach as many as 420,000.

In other words, Zhang Jun is the bottom of the bottom.

Zhang Jun suffered like countless young people in the Western Army for more than ten years.

It was not until the sixth year of Zhenghe, that is, fourteen years ago, that Zhang Jun was awarded Chengxinlang, the lowest military attache, when he accompanied him to fight against Xixia.

Zhang Jun really came to prominence in the first year of Jingkang, when the Jin army moved south, and the imperial court transferred the northwest forbidden army to Hedong for support.

The commander-in-chief died in battle. At that time, the Song army would be defeated and flee when it encountered the Jin army. However, he led hundreds of people to break through and killed 500 Jin soldiers.

In that case, he suddenly became famous.

Also in the first year of Jingkang, the famous Western Army general Zhong Shizhong led a large army to support the besieged Taiyuan, and Zhang Jun was under Zhong Shizhong.

Zhongshi died in battle, and Zhang Jun once again showed his ability to break through.

At that time, the Jin army in Taiyuan was like Mount Tai, crushing everything.

However, Zhang Jun managed to break through the encirclement again with hundreds of troops and killed hundreds of Jin troops again. Then he quickly went south to Daming Mansion in Hebei Province to look for Zhao Gou, the general of the Hebei army.

Under such circumstances, the entire Song Dynasty was in a state of disbelief when talking about the Jin Army, and there was a tremor everywhere.

Zhang Jun's record of being surrounded at every turn, breaking out of the encirclement, and killing hundreds of Jin soldiers is naturally very impressive.

In addition, this guy not only had outstanding business ability, but also had great verbal skills. Zhao Gou was so excited that he was promoted in Daming Mansion.

As for the relationship between him and Liu Guangshi, he basically had no friendship. On the contrary, he disliked Liu Guangshi's kind of second-generation general.

Just like children from poor families, they definitely don’t like the exaggerated and prodigal style of the rich second generation.

This is the right person to ask the question about Zhao Guan's family. Zhang Jun said this, with a righteous look on his face: "Liu Guangshi escaped from the battle and failed his majesty's trust, and also failed the soldiers. According to the military law of the Song Dynasty, he should be executed on the spot."

!”

Zhao Ning nodded, pretending to be thoughtful, and then said after a moment: "You are a loyal minister."

Zhang Jun immediately said excitedly: "It is my honor to share your Majesty's worries. I will do whatever your Majesty asks me to do."

"I really have some things for you to do."

"Please give me your Majesty's orders. I will not give up even if I die!"

"I plan to promote banknotes in Zhaozhou, Zhending, and Hejian, and then set up a business with the Kingdom of Jin. This business must have rules. I need you to monitor the order here. What do you think?"

Zhang Jun was stunned, promoting banknotes?

"What do you think?"

"My lord, I will not give up even if I die!"

"Okay, I will officially give you the title of Dingzhou Jiedu Envoy."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhang Jun has a very obvious characteristic: he loves money.

This guy was notoriously greedy for money in history, and even led the army in smuggling business. Since you love money so much, go to the front line and do business!

"The issue of banknotes is a state secret and cannot be disclosed for the time being."

"I understand, Your Majesty, please rest assured!"

"It's done, I won't treat you badly."

"I am willing to go through fire and water for His Majesty, no matter what!"

Not long after Zhang Jungang left happily, someone came in from outside and announced: "Your Majesty, the capital of Xingzhou is waiting for Yang Cunzhong to see him."

Yang Cunzhong?

Zhao Ning felt that the name sounded familiar, and suddenly remembered that there was Yang Cunzhong at the turn of the Song Dynasty.

And he is Zhang Jun's subordinate.

"Let him in."

Yang Cunzhong disarmed himself and entered the emperor's palace.

When he came in, he immediately bowed: "I will see you at last, Your Majesty!"

"No gift."

"Your Majesty, I risk my life to speak out."

"It doesn't matter if you say so."

Yang Cunzhong looked at Zhao Ning with burning eyes and said, "Your Majesty, why haven't you killed Liu Guangshi yet?"

Yang Cunzhong is definitely over 1.8 meters tall. He has a strong physique and a resolute face. At first glance, he is a fighting material.

This guy was a famous general in the early Southern Song Dynasty and was also a general in the Western Army.

"Liu Guangshi has his own military governor's office to judge him."

"But more than a year has passed, and Liu Guangshi still hasn't been killed!"

Zhao Ning said: "You are the Marquis of Yu, the military capital of Xingzhou. Your duty is to fight and protect your family and country, not to interfere with who should be killed. That is not your responsibility."

But Yang Cunzhong suddenly knelt on his knees, kowtowed heavily, and said: "Your Majesty! Liu Guangshi escaped before the battle. More than ten thousand people died in the battle in Xingzhou, all because of him. If he is not killed, it will not be enough to quell the public anger!"

"That night, I was ordered to come to support Xingzhou. Xingzhou was littered with corpses, but Liu Guangshi fled to Handan loaded with gold and silver. Countless people were filled with grief and anger!"

"If Your Majesty thinks that I am guilty, I have nothing to say. I am just angry that the generals of the country are incompetent and have killed countless soldiers!"

Zhao Ning asked again: "Liu Guangshi has no grudge against you. No one else is willing to meddle in this nosy matter. Why should you meddle in it and risk overstepping your bounds?"

"The gold thieves are cruel and have slaughtered countless people of our Song Dynasty. As a general, I must fight to the death. I and the gold thieves are sworn in. I am also ready to fight to the death at any time. I wish your majesty to kill all the defectors! If your majesty thinks that I have overstepped my bounds,

Your Majesty, please give me the death penalty immediately!"

Yang Cunzhong did not hide his thoughts. He continued to say in a sonorous and powerful tone: "I just feel that you can't die fighting the gold thief. It would be a pity to die!"

"Why are you so sad and angry?"

"Only because the country and the family hate each other!"

"My grandfather and father both died fighting gold thieves." When he said this, Yang Cunzhong's tone became a bit sad.

"If we don't kill Liu Guangshi, it will be difficult to convince the public, and we will be even more sorry for the soldiers who died in the fight against the Jin Dynasty!" Yang Cunzhong kowtowed again, with a bang, "I be brave! Your Majesty, please kill Liu Guangshi!"

Zhao Ning took a deep breath, stepped forward, and helped Yang Cunzhong up: "I already know your determination, and I will not let you down, let alone chill the hearts of the soldiers."

Yang Cunzhong seemed to have tears in his eyes.

The next day, Zhao Ning got up and left Xingzhou, taking Yang Cunzhong with him.

The news that Zhao Guan's family had arrived in Xingzhou had already reached Daming Mansion, and a memorial letter from Zongze, the envoy of the General Office of Hebei Province, was sent to Zhao Ning.

Zongze hoped that Zhao Guan's family would return to Beijing immediately on the grounds that things were unstable in the north, but Zhao Ning did not follow Zongze's suggestion.

On June 17, Zhao Ning arrived in Zhaozhou after a long journey.

At this time, the news that Yujia had arrived in Zhaozhou had spread.

There are 50,000 soldiers stationed in Zhaozhou, all of whom are elite troops from Hebei.

The general of the Jin Army in Zhending Prefecture north of Zhaozhou was Wanyan Yinshuke, known as the "Little God of War".
Chapter completed!