Chapter 26: What Can Be Done in Three Months

  They saw off Zheng Jianya, and Huang Zhixian also made an excuse that there were accumulated official duties in the county, and he had to return to Xiajin immediately. Xu Wei had drunk a lot, but his head was not dizzy yet. Today, County Magistrate Huang was polite on the surface, but said very little. This man is not as easy-going as Zheng Jianya. Unable to retain him, Xu Wei asked him to wait for a moment and ordered someone to bring over a packet of silver, which he stuffed into his bosom without saying a word. Huang Zhixian repeatedly declined, saying that he would not accept rewards without merit, and told Xu Wei not to be so polite.

  "Sir, today you personally accompanied me and helped me out everywhere. I'm truly grateful." As soon as Xu Wei finished speaking, Huang Qianshan looked at him with a hint of an inscrutable smile on his face.

  "Lao Jiu, you little scoundrel... " With just this one sentence that didn't make any sense, he didn't say anything else and only patted Xu Wei's shoulder with one hand, leading his followers to leave on their own.

  Finally relieved, Xu Wei still understands this principle of being a good host. From ancient times to the present, China has always had this tradition: it's easy to get things done at the dinner table, and money can make ghosts grind mills. But speaking of corrupt officials, they also have different levels. He recalled a news story he saw before crossing over to the Song Dynasty, where there was a corrupt official who took bribes but didn't deliver on his promises. If you encounter such a scoundrel, you'll be left crying.

  Xu Wei wanted to go find Zhang Qing and Yang Yan to discuss things, but thinking that it was currently noon break time, he decided to rest for a while before going. The Xu family had been busy all morning, and only after sending off the guests did they finally sit down to have a good meal. As he passed by the side hall, he heard his sister-in-law Xu Wangshi comforting Xu Xiuping. He paused for a moment, but still didn't go in. Driving away his brother-in-law wasn't just because of anger; Xu Wei had his own considerations. In a few months, the Jin army would be marching south, and True Yang was close to the sixteen states of Youyun. At that time, it would be the first to bear the brunt, and he absolutely couldn't let his sister and little meatball return to a place that would soon become a battlefield.

  Back in his own room, Xu Wei lay on the bed with his hands behind his head, thinking about what Zheng Jian had just said. If what he said was true, then it would indeed be an opportunity. The Hebei region has always been a place where heroes emerge, and the people are brave and fierce. If he could raise a team in this area and get support from the imperial court, it would undoubtedly be a huge boost to his plans. The key question now is how the imperial court will consider it. Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, there has been a tradition of emphasizing literature over military affairs, with many restrictions on those who lead troops. Even if the imperial court approves, how many soldiers can he recruit? And how can these soldiers form combat effectiveness within a few months?

  "What an impossible task......" A soft sigh, Xu Wei felt a bit overwhelmed.

  Footsteps sounded outside the house, and Xu Wei knew at once that it was Old Master Xu. The door opened, and Xu Tai Gong silently stepped into the room, sitting down beside the table. Xu Wei also straightened his back, and the two father and son sat in silence, looking at each other without a word.

  After a long while, Xu Wei broke the silence: "Is sister okay?"

  “Alas...” A deep sigh, Mr. Xu shook his head, “Your third sister is very strong-willed, on the surface nothing seems wrong, but in her heart she must be suffering.” His son drove away his daughter's husband, although he vented his anger, but it put his daughter in a difficult situation. To say something unpleasant, what if the Fan family has some ideas, how will his daughter spend the rest of her life? Thinking about this, he couldn't help but feel that Xu Wei was impulsive. But he didn't know Xu Wei's good intentions.

  Xu Wei wanted to explain a few sentences, but the words reached the tip of his tongue and he gave up. His family would naturally understand when the time came.

  The two fell silent again, and Xu Wei felt uncomfortable with this feeling, so he spoke up: "What kind of official is the deputy commander of the Zizhou militia?"

  When he mentioned this, Xu Taigong temporarily forgot his troubles and explained: "Your official rank is Zheng Baipin Xiū Wǔ Láng, and your appointment is Zǐzhōu Tuán Liàn Fù Shì. The former represents the high or low position of your official position, and the latter represents the duties you undertake. This is a Diǎn Lù Guān, that is to say, in addition to having a salary, there are no specific affairs to be responsible for, nor is there an office location."

  Xu Wei finally understood that "Xiū Wǔ Láng" was similar to the military ranks of junior lieutenant or lieutenant, while "Zǐzhōu Tuánliàn Fùshì" was like a platoon leader or company commander, only they didn't do any work and just took money. He thought about whether to tell his father about the information Zheng Jian had revealed, and after thinking for a moment, he decided to speak out. After all, his father was a former military officer who had been on the battlefield, perhaps he could give him some advice.

  He then briefly told Xu Taigong about the conversation with Zheng Guan. The latter was extremely surprised and delighted, exclaiming "Really?!" After getting a positive response from Xu Wei, the old man's heart was filled with joy, he stood up and walked back and forth in the room, repeatedly saying it was good.

  "Old Ninth! If this matter comes true, then your future will be guaranteed!"

  Xu Wei looked at the old man who was overjoyed and said solemnly: "I'm thinking of more than just a future."

  "Huh?" Xu Taigong clearly didn't understand his implication.

  After careful consideration, Xu Wei decided to tell the truth. The old man's understanding of this era, especially his understanding of military affairs, far surpassed his own, and he needed his support and help.

  "Perhaps you think I'm talking nonsense, but I can assure you that in a few months, the Jurchen people will march south and attack Bianjing." Xu Wei's words were only half spoken, he knew that if he said that the Jurchen people would capture Kaifeng, take Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong prisoner, destroy the Northern Song dynasty, occupy half of China, and that Zhao Gou would establish the Southern Song dynasty in Hangzhou, the old man would definitely think he was crazy.

  Xu Tai Gong's shock at this time was even more severe than before. What he thought of first was not whether his son's words were true or false, but rather, had this child gone crazy again?

  Xu Wei saw the doubt on his face and said seriously: "I'm not crazy, nor am I stupid. You're a veteran, think about it, the Song army with 100,000 soldiers, attacking the Khitan people at Daye Mountain, was defeated and retreated in disarray, and the Jurchen people witnessed everything. Do you think they will let the Great Song go?"

  Xu Taigong immediately thought of a rebuttal, but Xu Wei preempted him: "I know what you want to say - that since the fall of Liao, Jin has been sending envoys to Song and our country to make peace, and returned the six states of Youyun. But unfortunately, these are all just tricks to deceive the eye and confuse the soul! A nation capable of destroying Liao, why would it be so polite to a nation that can't even defeat Liao? To offer courtesy without cause is either deceit or thievery! There's only one explanation - the Jurchen people want to pasture their horses by the Yangtze River and swallow up the Central Plains!"

  "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Although Xu Taigong was too weak to refute, he would never believe his son's words. "Even if we take a step back and assume that the Jurchen people have such wild ambitions, would my great Song Dynasty with its million-strong army still be afraid of them?"

  Xu Wei knew that the old master had been stationed in the northwest for a long time, fighting against the Tanguts. He was a general of the Zhong family army, and the army composed of the "Zhong family army", "Yang family army" and "Zhou family army" became a shameful part of the Song army, known as the "Western Army". The Western Army had a special feature, where the generals inherited their positions from generation to generation. Compared to the ordinary Song army, where "the general does not know his soldiers, and the soldiers do not know their general", the fighting power was indeed much higher. Over the years, they had been fighting against the Western Xia, and indeed did not fall behind. But can you expect more than a million Song soldiers to be like the Western Army?