Lord: Start with a book of Water Margin

Chapter 415: Submission
Outside Xintai City, Zhao Xin and others escorted the chariots into the camp. Hundreds of chariots and more than a thousand people came in, not to mention the minions guarding the city walls, even the Xintai City garrison commander [life-seeking ghost] Wang Feibao was even more frightened when he saw them.

Without mentioning that Wang Feibao sent another messenger to Laiwu Prison to ask for help that night, it was only said that Zhao Xin and others entered Zhao Zhen's camp. When they saw Zhao Zhen, Zhao Xin knelt on the ground and said, "I am a humble man in the mountains and didn't recognize the general, so I caused a misunderstanding. Today, I am escorting this year's autumn tax to hand it over, and presenting two pieces of armor, in order to ask for forgiveness."

Zhao Zhen heard this and helped Zhao Xin up, saying, "I have also heard that the virtuous couple in Zhaojia Village were calculated by someone because they did not check for a while. Therefore, I had to ask the military advisor Mr. Qiao Daoqing to go to Zhaojia Village under the pretext of fortune-telling."

Qiao Daoqing, who was standing nearby, heard this and stepped forward and said, "Master, please don't blame me. I bow to you."

Zhao Xin smiled and said, "I have to thank you very much, sir. It was all thanks to your advice that we were able to turn hostility into friendship. After you left, Shi Gugong said that you might be someone from the Liangshan official's place, and it turned out to be true."

Zhao Xin saw that there was no sense of urgency in the camp, and the soldiers were even busy training in the training ground. Zhao Xin asked, "Sir, why don't we see any siege?"

Zhao Zhen said, "Hey, it's easy for me to take Xintai. But the other branches of the court have not made much progress. I am only an inspector of Jimi Prefecture. The court has not allocated any food or weapons, but I have to cherish the lives of soldiers. There will be many casualties in attacking the city. Now we only surround it but don't attack it. We fire some cannons on the top of the city every night and beat drums in the middle of the night to tire out the defenders in the city."

Zhao Xin heard this and said, "There are many incompetent people in the court, and some are high-ranking officials who form cliques for personal gain. Naturally, they criticize us who live in the prefecture. My family used to pay taxes every year, but later the government became useless. We have to pay money to file a complaint for everything, but it may not work. The bandits in the mountains disturbed the village, so we retreated. That's why we asked the instructor to train the local militia to protect ourselves."

Zhao Zhen also nodded and said, "That's right. At the beginning, I was good at using spears and sticks, so I gradually recruited many heroes to protect the local area. I suppressed many bandits and gradually achieved this step. Although I am in charge of a state, I have less freedom. I have to obey the imperial decree."

Zhao Xin listened and echoed a few words.

"I am also good at spears and clubs. Every household in the village has sent farmhands to practice to protect the village. Since I learned it, I have had few rivals in Yizhou. I have heard that you have many heroes under your command. If there is a chance, I would like to learn from you."

After hearing this, Zhao Zhen said to Zhao Xin, "It's not difficult." As he spoke, he ordered people to bring Zhao Xin and others weapons and armor, and brought them to the parade ground.

On the parade ground, when the soldiers heard that there would be a martial arts competition, they all made room for them and stood on the periphery in three layers inside and three layers outside.

Here at Zhao Zhen's place, the commanders of each camp also put on armor and came to the front.

Zhao Xin, holding a gilded halberd, wearing a golden mail, and riding a yellow horse, stepped forward and said, "I wonder if anyone is willing to fight me."

Seeing the horsefight between Zhao Xin and Lin Chong, riding on his Frost Flower Horse, also made a promise: "Sir, I will come to meet the owner of Zhao Manor."

Seeing Zhao Zhen nod, Lin Chong also rode forward.

The two men immediately bowed to each other, and Lin Chong was the first to speak: "Master, I am [Leopard Head] Lin Chong, and I have come to ask for your advice."

The drums were beating on both sides, and two horses were seen fighting for the center of the field. A pair of heroes were circling back and forth on the training ground, each showing off their martial arts skills.
The two weapons were raised simultaneously, one gilded halberd went straight to the top of the head, the other a 18-foot-long spear went straight to the heart. A flame spitted out from the tip of the spear, and a few cold lights flashed from the halberd blade. Everyone looked for flaws, and then let go.

The two fought for more than fifty rounds, with no clear winner. The soldiers around watched and cheered. On the top of the city wall, the guards were trembling with fear.

On the stage, a group of heroes called the manager of Jiazhuang and kept shouting, "What a fight!"

Zhao Zhen's martial arts skills were not good enough. It was unclear who would win the fight between the two. He was also afraid that one of them would be injured, so he asked Hu Sanniang beside him, "Sanniang, which of these two is better in martial arts?"

Hu Sanniang said: "It's hard to say. Both of them are top-notch in martial arts. I'm afraid it's hard to tell who is better."

After fighting for another thirty rounds, neither of them showed any sign of weakness, so Zhao Zhen gave the order to stop the drums and beat the gongs on the stage to ask the two men to stop fighting.

When the two men on the field heard the gong sound, they reined in their horses, dismounted in front of the stage, dropped their weapons, and went up to the stage.

Zhao Xin cupped his hands and said, "Today's battle was a great pleasure. The reputation of the instructor of the 800,000 Imperial Guards is well-deserved."

Lin Chong also said: "Master Zhao's martial arts are not inferior to mine."

After saying this, they both burst into laughter.

"Fortunately, Qin Ming, the Thunderbolt, and Dong Ping, the Double Spear Commander of the Left Cavalry, are not here in the Vanguard Battalion. Otherwise, I'm afraid these two commanders would have won the battle."

Zhao Xin heard this and said, "It is said that Mr. Zhao of Liangshan has many heroes under his command. After seeing him today, it is true that his reputation is well deserved."

Gao Liang also said, "Unfortunately, the flying knife I learned is difficult to demonstrate."

Zhao Zhen said: "After all, this is not a life-and-death fight, so it is difficult to control the flying knife."

Gao Liang nodded and looked at Liu Huiniang and others beside Zhao Zhen and said, "Master, you are so open-minded. There are actually female generals in the camp."

Wu Yong said, "Madam, you may not know that the great official commands a group of female cavalrymen. They led Madam Chen Liqing to fight under the city a few days ago and killed the [Flying Centipede] Wu Qian in battle. Her martial arts skills are really impressive."

Gao Liang's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she said to Liu Hui Niang, "Madam looks so weak and tender, but she is actually a heroine on the battlefield."

Liu Hui Niang smiled and said, "That's not me. I am Liu Hui Niang, I am powerless and can only offer some advice. This person is Li Qing's sister."

As she spoke, Liu Hui Niang pointed at Chen Liqing who was standing beside her.

Gao Liang was surprised to see Chen Liqing in military uniform: "How old is my sister?"

"My little sister is twenty-eight years old this year."

Liu Hui Niang said, "If it weren't for the expedition against Song Jiang, my sister would have been in the master's room now."

Then he pointed at Hu Sanniang, Gu Dasao, and Hua Baoyan and told them one by one.

When he heard that Chen Liqing's pear blossom spear weighed thirty-six pounds and her archery skills were amazing, he seemed to be in disbelief.

Chen Liqing had no secret in her mind. She pushed the pear blossom spear in her hand into Gao Liang's hand, as if to ask, "How is it? Is it thirty-six pounds?"

Gao Liang weighed the spear in her hand and said, "Women are indeed as good as men." Just as she finished speaking, she saw a lone goose flying southward above her head.

When Chen Liqing saw this, she pulled open Tayuan's precious eagle bow, put on an eagle-feathered wolf-tooth arrow, and shot the goose down with just one arrow.

Gao Liang was surprised when she saw it, and praised repeatedly: "The great master knows how to use people and does not praise or criticize based on gender. No wonder he has achieved such a great success. I also have four maids by my side, named Osmanthus, Mint, Buddha's Hand, and Rose. They are also skilled in martial arts, but because of their gender, they can only serve in the farm. I saw that my sister was young and would always have trouble in the military camp, so I gave these four maids to my sister. In the future, they can take care of her daily life in the military camp and provide some protection on the battlefield."

Chen Liqing listened but said nothing and looked at Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen was just thinking about how to refuse, when Wu Yong said, "Madam, you are very thoughtful. This way, the two families can have some affection for each other and the misunderstanding has been resolved."

Zhao Zhen also said after hearing this: "That's right. Although it started as a misunderstanding, I got to know a virtuous couple, so it was worth coming to Yizhou."

Gao Liang said, "Sir, when you were a young man, didn't you meet the Immortal Saint of Shanyin who said that you would have great achievements in the future? Could it be that the world is like this, which is happening to you?"

Qiao Daoqing heard this and said, "If the owner of the manor is also from a farmer's family, it would be difficult for him to be promoted to a higher position. Sir, we don't care about family background, we only care about ability. With the ability of the owner of the manor, he will have a chance to rise to the top."

Wu Yong also said: "That's right. Let's not talk about anything else. Just talk about Yizhou. No matter what, the great official can always recommend one or two. Let's not talk about other things. If I become an official in the future, it will be very convenient for me to live in this area."

Zhao Xin heard this and said, "I have seen too many people in the county town who are in a state of despicable behavior over the years, so I am not very careful. Training the local militia is just to protect the local people and show my sincerity. Today, I met the great official and I am determined to make achievements. However, the officials in the court are forming cliques and appointing people based on personal connections. I am afraid that there will be many difficulties in the future."

Zhao Zhen said: "That's fine. Now, let's not talk about the foreign invaders. There are countless people who have gone to the mountains and become bandits in various prefectures. There are also four major bandits that are rampant in the area and the prefectures cannot control them. As long as Song Jiang of Qingzhou is not destroyed, the court will definitely not deliberately make things difficult for us."

Zhao Xin heard this and said, "Your Excellency is right. In this case, I am willing to serve you. If there is a day when I am unhappy, my wife and I will retire to the mountains and forests."

Zhao Zhen was overjoyed when he heard this, and ordered a banquet to entertain everyone.

On the second day, Zhao Xin and the other two came to say goodbye. Zhao Xin said, "Sir, please allow me to go back to the village, select 2000 elite soldiers, bring my own armor and weapons, and come to the camp to serve you."

Zhao Zhen said, "I will wait here for you. Please go as soon as possible, brother."

world log
Name: Zhao Xin (Hero, the birth of the Perfect Joyful Man of All Heavens in Dongpu, Jianhu Lake.)
Nickname: None
Race: Terran

Reputation: 80 (Famous in Yizhou)
Occupation: Landlord

Sub-professional: Martial Arts Master
Level: Level 5 and Level 5 (Strength 64, Commander 80)

Attributes: Strength 60, Constitution 54, Agility 45, Spirit 30
Skills: Fighting Level 5 (competition of martial arts, Constitution +5), Anger Level 2 (bad temper, Strength +2), Cavalry Level 3 (horse combat, Constitution +3), Supervision of taxes and labor Level 1 (Spirit +1), Hunting Level 4 (Agility +4).

Command skills: Leadership level 3 (commanding soldiers, morale +3), Bravery level 3 (leading by example, morale +3).

Martial arts: Fists and kicks (minor success, using fists and kicks increases force by +5, six-way falling punch), Boring (transcendence, using boring weapons increases force by +7, sixty-four-way goose-wing boring.)
Equipment: Gilded Halberd (Level 3), Golden Chain Mail (Level 3)
Mount: Yellow Fat Horse (Level 2)
Monthly salary: 20 dollars

After seeing off Zhao Xin and his group, Zhao Zhen left behind Wu Yong and Qiao Daoqing and let the rest disperse.

Zhao Zhen asked, "How should we deal with Zhao Xin? Do you two have any ideas?"

Qiao Daoqing said, "This Zhaojia Village is called a village, but it occupies a very large area. When I went there, the local soldiers were not well trained. Why not ask them to set up a new army?"

Wu Yong said: "It's okay to set up a new army. If he wants to stay in Yizhou, it's okay for you to recommend him to be the commander of the militia in Mengyin County. If he wants to follow you, you need to make preparations in advance. The families of his soldiers should be sent back to Liangshanzhou, and a few flat lands should be allocated to build a few new villages and disperse them. In this way, the soldiers should be slightly disrupted, and the two original militia instructors in the village will be his deputy generals."

"As for Shi Gugong, he is indeed good at handling documents. Please ask him to be the magistrate of Liangshan County. In this way, it will be difficult for Zhao Xin and his wife to stop them. In the future, Zhao Xin and his wife will only be the generals of the state. He and his wife will not be afraid of rebellion when they lead this group of soldiers."

Zhao Zhen said: "I think Zhao Xin and his wife are both noble people. Since they have made up their minds to surrender, they must be wholeheartedly committed."

Qiao Daoqing also nodded in agreement.

Wu Yong said: "Sir, no matter what, Zhaojia Village will not be relocated this year, but the construction of the village square can be arranged in advance. Even if it is not used here, when we meet, we can still recruit a group of farmers willing to go to Liangshan Prefecture from these counties."

Zhao Zhen said: "That's right. After the fog was dispelled between the counties of Liangshan Prefecture, there are many wastelands. It's always good to recruit more farmers."

Therefore, Zhao Zhen sent a letter with his seal to Xiao Rang, asking him to choose a site and asking Tao Zongwang of the Xiuzaoying Camp to lead people to build a village to prepare for the resettlement of farmers.

Before the official document was sent away, Bai Sheng led Zhang San, the Street Rat, and Li Si, the Green Grass Snake, in. After greeting each other, Zhang San said, "Sir, your wife has sent us here to deliver a letter. There is a great monk from Jiangnan, who calls himself Deng Yuanjue, the Precious Light Tathagata, who has come to the village to seek refuge with you, Sir."

Zhao Zhen heard this and asked, "Is it just this one person? How are you going to arrange it now?"

You wonder why Zhao Zhen asked this question. It turned out that in October, Zhao Zhen had already spent ten points of luck to start the Disha summon. However, the person summoned was not a character from the Tiangang Disha, but a woman named Pang Qiuxia. Unexpectedly, the one who came was a big monk.

"There is only this one monk. The great master is not here, so it is inconvenient for Madam to keep this monk at the farm. Judge Xiao sent this monk to Waguan Temple to stay temporarily. Madam asked how to accommodate this monk?" Li Si replied.

Wu Yong said, "Sir, I was just about to say that now that the weather is getting colder, we should prepare to withdraw our troops. Why not take Xintai City? The soldiers can stay in the county to keep warm. In this way, we can leave a part of the troops to garrison, and the rest can go back to Liangshan Prefecture to rest. The court will not be able to find fault with us."

Zhao Zhen smiled and said, "That's true. With this Xintai City, the soldiers can spend the winter easily. It seems that the artillery battalion will show its power."

Wu Yong shook his head and said, "Sir, after these days of torture, I'm afraid Wang Feibao can't stand it anymore. Why don't we write a hundred letters and shoot them into the city tonight? If we can persuade him to surrender, it will be better than attacking the city and fighting."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhen agreed and asked Wu Yong to draft a manifesto. He had the literate soldiers in the army copy thousands of copies and then shoot them into the city at night.

On the second day, Zhao Zhen assembled his troops, and after three drum beats, they formed their battle formations and advanced towards Xintai city together. Lu Zhishen, Dong Ping, Qin Ming, Huang Xin, Luan Tingfang, Ou Peng, Ma Lin and Ling Zhen also pressed forward from the north gate.

Before Zhao Zhen could send someone to shout, a white flag was raised on the top of the city wall, the city gate slowly opened, and a big man with his upper body naked walked out.

(End of this chapter)