(Thanks to this week’s ‘Big Little Big’ hero for tipping...)
Before Mei Zhan, Shi Bao, and Zhejiang Silong were led to Xiao Tang's village courtyard in Yujiatuan territory, two heroes were escorted to the village by Xiao Tang's confidants. One of them was about to return. As for Wu Erlang and Wu Song of the Western Army, the other is Pohan Wuhan Shizhong who will soon be sent to Baozhou, Liaodong with the Jishan Army.
In the hall, Xiao Tanggang ordered the farmer to prepare some wine and food, and when he entertained Wu Song and Han Shizhong with Hua Rong, Xu Guanzhong, Xiao Yi and other brothers, Wu Song, who had just taken his seat, sighed and said to Xiao Tang: "This time I will I came here to mourn your son, but I didn’t expect that you would abduct Po Hanwu too! That day we rushed all the way back to Hebei from Qinfeng Road, but now I have to return to the Western Army alone to resume my life."
Before Ji Xiaotang could say anything, Han Shizhong smiled and said: "Second brother, what do you mean that the Sa family has been abducted? If you say that I will die in the side court, I won't blink, but who can Would you rather live without success in this life? Not to mention the people of the Sa family who can't control their temper. I don't know when I was put in a situation like Lu Tiha's. I have to sell my ability to someone who knows what to do. But now that Xiao Ren Xia, Lu Tiha and the Sa family are all gathering together for some activities. Does the second brother have someone to take care of him in Bian Ting? I think it would be better to join the gang together!"
"Brother Luda is involved in a lawsuit, so he has to stay in the green forest. How can you be as ridiculous as you Po Han Wu? Instead of being a good general in the army, you have to join the green forest grass bandits!"
Wu Song snorted coldly, then looked at Xiao Tang and said: "Although I also believe that you secretly recruited green forest tycoons and privately recruited soldiers and horses, it was definitely not with the intention of overthrowing the imperial court and harming the people. It was just that I relied on the Western Army. Mr. Fuyin, in this life, I only plan to sacrifice my life in the court to gain fame and leave a good name in the history. I will live my life in vain and teach my elder brother to feel at ease..."
Wu Song paused for a moment, and then said: "I won't tell anyone else, but what you are planning may involve a sea of blood. If you are not careful, not only you, but also the Su family will be affected." The lives of my sister and your whole family are just around the corner!"
Xiao Tang knew that Wu Song had recruited many powerful men who were wanted by the government, secretly recruited green forest men, and secretly established autonomous areas in the border areas of the Liao Kingdom. If taken seriously, these things would involve deceiving the emperor and intending to rebel. , which was a serious crime that implicated the nine clans, so Wu Song could not help but worry about his brother.
But... Xiao Tang now knows very well what he wants to do. He thought to himself that even if I only focus on the government and court, sooner or later I will inevitably involve Cai Jing, Tong Guan and other powerful traitors. Although the danger I will face at that time will not be greater than resisting the crime of rebellion, at least it will not make me tied up in the officialdom. In the end, it is very likely that I will end up with "intentional murder". The situation where the thief is helpless".
Wu Song, who is currently focused on guarding the country in the border court, does not know the aftermath of the defeat of the Liao Dynasty, the Jingkang Incident, and the fall of half of the Song Dynasty. Therefore, he will not understand the final results of Xiao Tang's recruitment of green forest troops and management of Liaodong. Xiao Tang then sighed and said: "What the second brother has learned is that with the lives of Jinniang and other family members at stake, how can I not act cautiously? I also hope that the second brother will pay more attention to the border situation after returning to Qinfeng Road. , because I am afraid that in a few days, the imperial court will plan to send troops to attack Xixia again. By then, it will be a great opportunity for Brother Wu to make contributions."
Wu Song was slightly startled after hearing this. After all, he was just a low-ranking general in the Western Army. He was not as well-informed as Xiao Tang. The military leader discussed the military affairs between the Song and Xia countries, and he hurriedly asked Xiao Tang: "Brother said so, but have you heard any rumors in Bianjing that the imperial court is going to use troops against Xixia again?"
Xiao Tang nodded, and he said thoughtfully: "Not only Tong Guan in the court tried his best to persuade the officials to send troops to attack Xixia again, but the Hengshan dangerous land that the Xia people relied on has now been occupied by the Song Dynasty's troops. Several fortresses have been occupied by the former Xixia people. Pingxia City was defeated, and the Song Dynasty not only invaded the Hengshan Fortress, but also fully occupied the dangerous passes such as Tiandu Mountain. At that time, the Western Army built forts and forts in Fuyan, Hedong, and Linfu in order to capture the victory in one fell swoop. The control of Hengshan was only the result of the Liao State's mediation, urging the Song army to stop without resorting to armed persuasion. The Xixia State also sent envoys to apologize and ask for peace, and the Song-Xia war came to an end.
But now that Liao is in chaos, there is no time for him to take care of it, and I, the Song Dynasty, must seize the Hengshan barrier of the Xia people, so within one or two years, the imperial court will definitely send troops to attack Xixia. After a while, I plan to attack Xixia again. When I returned to the capital, both the souchong manager Xianggong and the nun Xiangtong Guan had invited me to the side court to practice many times. At that time, as my second brother and I said that day, the two of us could also Let’s go side by side to fight with the Xia people.”
After listening to Xiao Tang's words, Hua Rong next to him also said excitedly: "Second brother Wu, although I also gathered with the heroes of the green forest, I also went to help brother Xiao Tang in the battle when I was official. The enemy's helper. When leading the imperial court to send troops to attack Xixia, it would be a blessing to be able to fight side by side with my two brothers in the side court!"
Wu Song smiled slightly, but he suddenly thought in his heart: Even if the war between Song and Xia resumes, there are differences in military positions. Rather than fighting side by side, I am afraid that for the high-ranking generals dispatched by the Bianjing Privy Council, my step The head of the military capital is probably just a pawn, right?
Take the general Hua Rong who is obeying orders in front of Xiao Tang's tent as an example. His official position is Shuai Si Fu Bing Ma Ti Ju, and according to his military rank, he is Baoyi Lang. Dispatch, most of the time, is nothing more than a casual job, but once he is ordered by the Privy Council to lead troops on an expedition, military dispatch is already several levels higher than that of Wu Song.
What's more, Xiao Tang was highly regarded by Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. Before he returned to Beijing to be promoted, he already held important positions such as the pacifier of the southwestern route of Beijing, Yuhou of the Palace Commander's Mansion, etc. He even had some friendship with the leaders of the Western Army. According to two people In terms of their personal relationship, Xiao Tang certainly wanted to call Wu Song his second brother, but in terms of his powerful official position and military rank, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Xiao Tang could knock Wu Song down with just one little finger. .....
Only then did Wu Song realize that he had once worshiped him as his master in boxing and kicking, and even once asked him, a fierce man with no qualms in his eyes, to confront the cold-hearted young master of the Xiao family. Inadvertently, regardless of his martial arts, reputation, power, and courage, He has made rapid progress in many aspects. Now, whether in the arena or in the officialdom, Xiao Tang has made Wu Song feel that he is beyond his reach.
I think back then, when I, Wu Song, only thought of you as a bully and a domineering dandy, how could I have expected that I would live and die with you later, and even become sworn brothers with different surnames? How could I have expected that you would be such a powerful person today? I will praise you as Ren Xia, but when I face you again, you actually make me, Wu Er, look dwarfed by you?
Wu Song closed his eyes slightly, and after a moment, a relieved smile gradually appeared on his face.
Wu Song opened his eyes again and said slowly to Xiao Tang: "Brother, I know that most of the heroes you brought with you were framed by evil spirits. Since you have your own opinions, I don't need to say anything more, but I'll set off. We are about to return to the side court, but there is something else I need to trouble you with."
Xiao Tang was startled for a moment, and then said: "Brother Wu, what kind of friendship do you and I have, and why do you need to talk about it? Just say it, no matter what, I will try my best to help you."
"Speaking of which, brother, you learned a few fists and kicks from me back then, but later on, you had a different destiny, and now you are also a top-notch fighter in the martial arts world. Others are also inferior, but after you have mastered martial arts, the two of us have not had a good competition. Ichiban..."
As Wu Song spoke, his hands slowly touched the handles of the two swords at his waist: "What I want to ask you to help me with is that before I leave, the two of us have a fun competition!"
