Chapter 243

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When Accompanying Tong Guan came to see Zhao Yu, he did not wear the military official robes that displayed his imposing presence and which he had always worn in the northwest; instead, he deliberately wore the eunuch attire he had used when serving Zhao Yu in the past.

Accompanying Tong Guan clearly intended to use this method to tell Zhao Yu that no matter how time changed or how prominent his status became, his loyalty to Zhao Yu remained unwavering.

Accompanying Tong Guan slowly entered the hall with light yet unmistakably steady steps; his hands, which had once gripped swords and spears, now gently smoothed the hem of his robe, as if ironing out the hardships of the past, solely to remind Zhao Yu that he was still the old eunuch who had once served him.

Zhao Yu sat upright on the coiled-dragon throne, watching that familiar figure slowly enter the great hall; gazing at the plain eunuch robes Accompanying Tong Guan had worn ten years ago in his Prince of Xin residence, he thought, "Although the tactic is clumsy, at least the intention is sincere."

Zhao Yu was actually very clear that Accompanying Tong Guan was not a first-rate commander; his command ability was barely a seven out of ten, far inferior to Zhang Jie or Lu Huiqing.

However, it had to be admitted that after Wang Hou's death, the military situation on the northwestern frontier of the Zhao Song dynasty was primarily sustained by Accompanying Tong Guan.

Accompanying Tong Guan had now become an indispensable and irreplaceable military pillar of the Zhao Song dynasty.

At the same time, Accompanying Tong Guan was meticulous and highly perceptive, excelling at discerning Zhao Yu's interests and intentions; therefore, he always managed to hit the mark in his tasks, satisfying the Emperor's heart.

Moreover, Accompanying Tong Guan enjoyed high prestige within the Western Army, and its soldiers were willing to follow his orders.

Besides factors related to his position and personality, two other points were also very important:

First, he was generous with money, providing substantial compensation to the families of fallen soldiers.

Second, he valued loyalty and affection; he adopted the sons of deceased generals as his own, providing them with food, clothing, shelter, and a good education, and arranging suitable employment for them.

Although the Western Army possessed considerable combat strength, it had to be said that they were a problematic corps that ordinary people could hardly control effectively.

More critically, for this campaign to pacify the rebellion in Jiangnan, Zhao Yu did not need the most capable commander; given the combat strength of Fang La's peasant rebels, it was not worth deploying his best general against them.

What Zhao Yu needed was a commander who could handle the dirty and exhausting work for him, one who would definitely obey his orders and implement his will.

In this regard, Accompanying Tong Guan's advantages became apparent.

Upon seeing Zhao Yu, Accompanying Tong Guan performed a grand prostration, saying, "This old slave pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Looking at Accompanying Tong Guan, who was nearly sixty yet still remarkably robust, Zhao Yu noticed that time seemed exceptionally lenient with him; apart from adding a few fine lines around his eyes, it had not stripped away much of his sharpness and astuteness, and his deep eyes still sparkled with a profound desire for power and achievement.

Zhao Yu couldn't help but recall their first meeting, when Huang Jingchen brought Accompanying Tong Guan to his Prince of Xin residence; although Accompanying Tong Guan had been frustrated and unsuccessful due to his association with Li Xian, the moment he saw Zhao Yu, his unyielding gaze conveyed that he had not given up on himself, as he longed every moment for his past years of campaigning in the northwest, missing the clashing of weapons and armored horses, hoping to achieve glory through military merit so that his life would not be in vain.

While Zhao Yu was sizing up Accompanying Tong Guan, Accompanying Tong Guan was also secretly observing Zhao Yu.

Accompanying Tong Guan looked at Zhao Yu, whose appearance had not changed much, but who now exuded even more dignity and extraordinary presence due to recovering Qingtang, defeating Western Xia, reclaiming the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, forcing the Liao Kingdom to return the extorted annual tribute, and governing the Zhao Song dynasty to flourish over the past decade.

Seeing the imperial aura of silent majesty in Zhao Yu's brows, which added several degrees of steadiness and depth compared to the young prince who had endured hardships in the Prince of Xin residence years ago, Accompanying Tong Guan reflected on how he himself had risen from an unsuccessful minor eunuch through Zhao Yu's promotion, struggling through hardships to become the current commander of the Western Army with power shaking the court.

Accompanying Tong Guan was filled with myriad emotions.

Zhao Yu's voice carried a touch of affection for the elder beside him as he said, "Rise and be at ease; was your journey difficult?"

Accompanying Tong Guan hurriedly replied, "With Your Majesty summoning me, how would this old slave dare to speak of hardship?"

Accompanying Tong Guan rose, deliberately bending his originally straight back slightly to appear even more humble and submissive.

Zhao Yu did not discuss the matter he wanted Accompanying Tong Guan to handle in the hall, but instead said to him, "Accompany me for a walk in the Imperial Garden."

Inside the Imperial Garden, the scent of flowers was overwhelming, with the scenery of all four seasons cleverly blended as if time had been meticulously carved here to preserve every moment of beauty; only Zhao Yu and Accompanying Tong Guan walked one after another along the winding paths, flanked by neatly trimmed flowers and trees, with occasional crisp bird songs adding to the tranquility and harmony.

"Song Jiang can be granted amnesty."

Upon reaching a place where no one could hear them, Zhao Yu immediately uttered a strategy that Accompanying Tong Guan never expected, a statement so shocking it could kill.

Accompanying Tong Guan was startled inwardly, thinking, 'Grant amnesty to Song Jiang?!'

Accompanying Tong Guan thought he must have misheard.

He truly could not understand why Zhao Yu would choose to grant amnesty to Song Jiang, who had killed numerous officials, gentry, and landlords in Jiangnan.

Furthermore, he did not understand why Zhao Yu had not mentioned granting amnesty to Fang La.

Accompanying Tong Guan's steps involuntarily paused, a flash of astonishment and confusion passing through his eyes, yet he maintained his humble posture and said softly, "Your Majesty, Song Jiang committed rebellion in Jiangnan and has incurred heinous crimes; granting him amnesty may fail to convince the public."

Zhao Yu said indifferently, "I have my own calculations; you only need to remember to appoint him as Zhizhishi to assist you in suppressing Fang La."

Originally, the title of Zhizhishi was a temporary assignment responsible for military deployment, logistics coordination, and troop command, mostly established in border regions or during wartime, such as resisting foreign enemies or suppressing internal rebellions, granting officials the title of "Zhizhishi" to oversee military affairs in a specific region.

Some Zhizhishi, due to expanded authority, also managed civil administration and finance, even involving regional economic management (such as tea and salt monopolies), similar to local military-civil governors like Military Governor; however, unlike "Military Governor," the appointment and powers of a Zhizhishi were more controlled by the central government and were temporary in nature.

In the early Song dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin consolidated local military power to strengthen central authority, so Zhizhishi were mostly appointed temporarily and dismissed after the mission, not as fixed positions; by present times, according to the Zhao Song dynasty's personnel conventions, Accompanying Tong Guan estimated that Zhao Yu would likely appoint him as the Jiangnan Pacification Commissioner to serve as the commander for quelling the Jiangnan rebellion, and if Zhao Yu also appointed a Deputy Pacification Commissioner, Song Jiang would become the third-in-command in the Jiangnan theater, whereas if no deputy was appointed, Song Jiang would be the second-in-command.

In terms of actual power, Song Jiang's authority might even be slightly greater than that of Dutongzhi Liu Fa, after all, Liu Fa only managed military affairs, not civil administration or finance.

From this, it is not difficult to see how highly Zhao Yu valued Song Jiang.

Accompanying Tong Guan found it somewhat incomprehensible; why would Zhao Yu place such great trust in a rebel who had indiscriminately killed officials?

This truly exceeded Accompanying Tong Guan's expectations; was it merely because of the considerable prestige Song Jiang had accumulated among the common people, or because his so-called Liang Shan heroes possessed formidable combat strength?

Crucially, in Accompanying Tong Guan's understanding, those who dared to challenge imperial authority and trample on laws as disloyal subjects and traitors should be severely punished to serve as a warning to others; how could they be easily granted amnesty and entrusted with heavy responsibilities?

Although Accompanying Tong Guan was filled with myriad doubts in his heart, he dared not show the slightest expression on his face, merely lowering his eyebrows and eyes obediently as he responded, "Your Majesty is wise; this old slave obeys your command. However, Song Jiang has a fiery temper and commands heavy troops, so the matter of granting amnesty may not be easy."

Zhao Yu said, "You need not worry about this matter; someone will assist you in granting amnesty to Song Jiang. You only need to remember not to mistreat them; reward merit and punish faults impartially. Also, you may have Song Jiang serve as the main force for suppressing Fang La."

Accompanying Tong Guan's eyes lit up as he began to understand; Zhao Yu intended for Song Jiang's rebel army and Fang La's rebel army to exhaust each other, so that the elite Western Army would not suffer excessive losses, and the national strength of the Zhao Song dynasty would not be depleted too much.

Accompanying Tong Guan pondered silently in his heart; Zhao Yu's strategy was indeed cunning and far-reaching. Using Song Jiang's troops to confront the equally powerful Fang La was undoubtedly a case of sitting on the mountain watching the tigers fight; waiting until both sides were damaged before sending in the Western Army to clean up the aftermath would not only preserve their own strength but also pacify the Jiangnan rebellion in one stroke, truly killing two birds with one stone.

Accompanying Tong Guan looked up at Zhao Yu, seeing only deep eyes that seemed to have already foreseen the future trend of events; that sense of calm unhurriedness filled Accompanying Tong Guan with awe.

Accompanying Tong Guan asked softly, "Your Majesty, what if Fang La is willing to accept amnesty..."

Zhao Yu stopped walking and said leisurely, "Then the Manichaean sect cannot be allowed to remain."

Manichaean doctrine incorporated elements of Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Buddhism, with its core being the "Theory of Two Principles and Three Periods," believing that the world is composed of two forces, light and darkness, which struggle against each other in different periods.

With the opening of the Silk Road, Manichaeism entered China, first spreading in Xinjiang and the northern desert Uighur regions, and during the reign of Emperor Daizong of Tang, it spread to the Central Plains and the Jiang-Huai regions where Manichaean temples were established; during Emperor Wuzong of Tang's persecution of Buddhism, Manichaeism was implicated and turned into a secret religion spreading among the common people.

During its spread, Manichaeism continuously underwent localization; influenced by Taoism and others, it was renamed the Ming Sect (Bright Sect). Its doctrines were summarized as "Purity, Brightness, Great Power, and Wisdom," and because it believed that darkness would soon pass and light would soon arrive, it possessed a certain inciting nature, making it easy for the lower classes to use as an ideological weapon to resist dark rule.

Historically, at the end of the Northern Song dynasty, not only did Fang La rise up relying on Manichaeism; shortly thereafter, Zhong Xiang would also spread Manichaeism around Dongting Lake, eventually launching a rebellion in the fourth year of the Jianyan era of the Southern Song, occupying most of the prefectures and counties surrounding Dongting Lake.

The concept of a Kingdom of Light advocated by Manichaeism, emphasizing equality, respect, and cooperation for all, conflicted with the hierarchical system under feudal autocracy and the absolute power of rulers; its ideals could easily trigger public dissatisfaction with the existing social order, thereby threatening the foundation of feudal rule.

Moreover, Manichaean doctrine tended to encourage people to resist injustice and oppression, viewing the real world as a struggle between darkness and light; this ideology would stimulate the masses' consciousness to resist unreasonable phenomena in the existing rule, making them dare to challenge the authority of the ruling class and exacerbate social turmoil.

Additionally, Manichaeism had its own church organization and missionary network; during its development, it could easily form a force independent of the official government, and when such a force developed to a certain extent, it would pose a direct challenge to the power of the ruling class, becoming a force opposing the imperial court.

As a feudal ruler, Zhao Yu certainly could not leave Manichaeism as a major hidden danger, allowing it to continue spreading as it did in history and endangering the rule of himself and his descendants.

With Zhao Yu's clear stance, Accompanying Tong Guan immediately swore a military oath: "Your servant obeys the imperial command."

The two walked a few more steps, and Zhao Yu spoke up: "When you reach Jiangnan, Song Jiang should already have excised the poison in the northern Jiangnan region. You must remember: cooperate with the new officials sent by the court to implement the two new policies, restore grain cultivation and economic production in northern Jiangnan as quickly as possible, and absolutely do not let Fang La march north to destroy this region's grain production and economic development."

Northern Jiangnan lies within a subtropical monsoon climate zone, with abundant rainfall, sufficient heat, and a long frost-free period, making it suitable for two harvests per year of grain crops such as rice (or rice-wheat rotation).

Moreover, the Yangtze River and its tributaries—such as the Huaihe and the Grand Canal—form a dense network of waterways, providing ample irrigation water and, through silt deposition, creating fertile alluvial plains such as the Taihu Plain and the Huaijiang Plain, whose high soil fertility benefits crop growth.

The region is dotted with plains and low hills, its terrain flat and open, ideal for large-scale reclamation and cultivation, making it far more suitable for high-yield grain production than the mountainous and plateau regions of the north.

Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, Jiangnan has placed great emphasis on water conservancy projects. For instance, Emperor Yang of Sui excavated the Grand Canal, linking the Yangtze and Huaihe, facilitating grain transport by canal and laying the foundation for farmland irrigation; during the Zhao Song dynasty, the court further dredged rivers and constructed dikes, with techniques for building dikes around Taihu to reclaim land becoming mature, using a system of "dikes, sluice gates, and canals" to effectively prevent floods and ensure irrigation, turning vast low-lying areas into highly productive fields.

The Zhao Song Chaoting also established specialized water conservancy agencies in Jiangnan, enacted laws to manage water use and dike maintenance, and the people formed spontaneous water conservancy cooperatives, ensuring the long-term functionality of water infrastructure and reducing threats to grain production from droughts and floods.

At this time, Jiangnan's cultivated land accounted for about fifteen percent of the nation's total, yet its grain output exceeded thirty percent of the national total, with per capita grain production far surpassing that of the north.

In the Taihu Plain region, there is a proverb: "When Suzhou and Huzhou are bountiful, the whole world is fed." Suzhou refers to Suzhou, and Huzhou refers to Huzhou—both part of northern Jiangnan.

Moreover, Jiang Ningfu has historically been the capital of many dynasties, and one reason it was chosen by so many is that its grain output far exceeds that of other regions.

In addition to abundant grain, northern Jiangnan also has a large population. Since the late Tang and Five Dynasties, frequent wars in the north caused massive southern migration, with northern Jiangnan being one of the primary destinations. During the Zhao Song dynasty, this trend continued, and population growth provided ample labor. According to statistics, northern Jiangnan's population density ranked among the highest in the nation.

With grain and people, if the Zhao Song Chaoting can swiftly restore order in northern Jiangnan, this rebellion will not strike at the Zhao Song Chaoting's vital organs.

This is also why Song Jiang's rebel army, though entering Jiangnan through Xiuzhou, did not first attack nearby Hangzhou, but instead first massacred the Suzhou-Huzhou region and Jiang Ningfu, then swept across the entire northern Jiangnan region.

Accompanying Tong Guan also understood the importance of northern Jiangnan to the Zhao Song Chaoting, and naturally gave his full assent.

Finally, Zhao Yu warned Accompanying Tong Guan in nearly blunt terms: he must strictly restrain the Western Army soldiers and absolutely forbid them from burning, killing, or looting in northern Jiangnan, and especially not from plundering civilians.

Accompanying Tong Guan was too clever—he understood at once: Zhao Yu permitted the Western Army to plunder whom…

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(End of Chapter)