Chapter 38: Casting a Stone to Test the Waters

In the small drill ground of Yanggu County, the drums had already sounded several times, yet only about two hundred men had straggled in. Excluding the hundred or so currently on duty, the entire garrison of Yanggu County numbered barely more than three hundred. Logic dictated that Yun Liwan should have five hundred troops under his command, and the official roster certainly reflected that number—presumably, Yun Liwan had many ways to line his own pockets. Looking at these two hundred or so men, each one in rags, many old or infirm, and lacking any semblance of spirit, they could not even form a proper line.

Yun Liwan seemed accustomed to this, saying little and simply ordering them to leave the city to search for Su Wu and Ximen Qing, claiming only that a few men had gone missing from the camp. He then headed to the county office to see the magistrate. After a discussion, the magistrate remained oblivious, feigning ignorance and confusion. Yun Liwan instructed his subordinates to search diligently, then, disregarding his own exhaustion, he mounted his horse under the cover of night and rode toward Dongping Prefecture. He was truly at his wit's end; with life and death hanging in the balance, he had no choice but to struggle on. He was prepared to go all in—once he saw Dong Ping again, he would reveal everything, including the involvement of Liu Tang and the Liangshan outlaws; he could no longer keep it hidden. He knew that at this juncture, he had to secure help from his superior.

As the sun rose once more, Su Wu had arrived outside the gates of Daming Prefecture. This city was truly incomparable to Dongping. Looking left and right, the walls stretched on until they disappeared from sight, and they stood at least fifty feet high. It was hard to imagine just how difficult it would be to lay siege to such a city. Entering it, the vastness of the city, the density of its residents, and the prosperity of its streets were on an entirely different level. It was worthy of being the Northern Capital; the shop signs of the taverns, the colorful gate arches of the mansions, the carriages coming and going, and even the entertainment districts... It was a pity that this trip was urgent; otherwise, he would have loved to explore it properly. He thought of the famous rogue Yan Qing, known for his handsome looks and mastery of music and song, often found enjoying himself in the pleasure quarters. He also wondered what the Eastern Capital, Kaifeng, where the Emperor resided, must look like. It felt somewhat familiar, as he could glimpse a corner of it through the timeless masterpiece, "Along the River During the Qingming Festival."

The Daming Prefecture government office was even more imposing. Liang Zhongshu, who had lost the ten thousand strings of birthday gifts to bandits, was no mere fifth-rank official. His title, "Zhongshu," referred to his position as a Secretariat Drafter, a fourth-rank post. He was a central official of the imperial court, involved in policy-making and responsible for issuing the Emperor’s edicts. Liang Zhongshu, whose personal name was Liang Shijie, was merely waiting to serve his time in Daming. Provided nothing went wrong, his return to the capital, bolstered by his father-in-law Cai Jing, would surely see his career skyrocket.

Su Wu arrived with his group; there were seven captives tied up, guarded by a dozen hunters, and Su Wu and Wu Song leading the way as bailiffs—a rather motley crew. He handed Cheng Wanli’s letter to the guards and, after waiting a moment, was led into the office. The others remained in the outer courtyard while Su Wu followed the guide deeper inside.

After waiting a while in a side chamber off the main hall, Liang Zhongshu slowly entered. He was in his forties, with a face as white as jade and a slightly plump physique—a man of respectable appearance. As Su Wu bowed, Liang asked, "Did you truly capture the thieves who stole the birthday gifts?"

"Replying to the Excellency, the culprits have been brought, and they are currently in the outer courtyard," Su Wu replied. Not knowing this man’s temperament, he kept his response formal and standard.

"Hmm... The letter from Prefect Cheng says there are soldiers in Dongping Prefecture colluding with the bandits?" Liang Zhongshu asked again.

Su Wu held a stack of confessions and dossiers, stepping forward to present them: "Please, Excellency, take a look."

Liang Zhongshu took them and began to read. Su Wu observed the man intently, forming a basic impression: this was a man from a scholarly family, raised in luxury, who had passed the examinations and married the daughter of Chancellor Cai Jing, thus enjoying a smooth career path... Such men were often difficult to deal with.

However, it was not impossible. Su Wu spoke, "That gang of thieves has evaded capture time and again. Even when large armies were sent to seize them, they ended in dismal failure. If there were no one within the government colluding with them, such feats would be impossible, and ordinary men would never have the audacity to attempt them."

Liang Zhongshu frowned upon hearing this and looked at Su Wu. "Your perspective is quite fresh."

Su Wu continued his persuasion: "The bandits captured this time confirm exactly this. That is why Prefect Cheng realized there were such daring traitors within the Dongping army; he had no choice but to take precautions, which is why he dispatched this humble subordinate from afar."

Liang Zhongshu examined the case files, his face slowly darkening with rage. Once he had finished, he turned back to Su Wu and said, "Prefect Cheng wants you to borrow troops? Imperial troops, whenever they cross prefectural borders, require an order from the Bureau of Military Affairs..."

Su Wu replied, "The matter is urgent; an act of treason is unfolding before our eyes. If you, Excellency, can anticipate the enemy and act with expediency to strike them down, with Commissioner Tong and Grand Tutor Cai in the court, it will be a great achievement!"

Liang Zhongshu smiled slightly. "A mere chief of police, yet you understand court affairs? Did Prefect Cheng teach you to say this?"

Su Wu ignored the question and pressed on: "Excellency, those bandits now occupy the eight-hundred-mile water marsh of Liangshan. With the advantage of the terrain, they are already difficult to eradicate. To wipe them out completely, one must first remove their external wings and then weaken them through a strategy of encirclement."

Su Wu deliberately cast the likes of Dong Ping as the "external wings" of Liangshan. As it stood, this argument had no obvious flaws. Liang Zhongshu’s eyes widened. He looked at Su Wu and said, "It seems Prefect Cheng did not teach you this. You truly possess some strategy. I have been worrying about this very matter, and your timing is perfect. It is a pity your status is low; otherwise, your planning would be of great use."

There was clearly a deeper meaning in Liang Zhongshu’s words. Su Wu immediately replied, "With the recommendation and patronage of Prefect Cheng, this subordinate will certainly give his all in this matter and bring these great outlaws directly before your excellency."

Liang Zhongshu laughed. "You are truly clever, understanding my offer of recruitment. You have loyalty, your conduct is not bad, and you know how not to offend me. No wonder Prefect Cheng values you so highly. It seems you really can get this done."

Su Wu smiled back. "Excellency, it is you who possess profound mastery of the human heart."

"Haha... I tested you several times, and you were as tight as a drum. Tell me, how many troops do you want to borrow?" Liang Zhongshu stood up from behind his desk.

"A thousand troops will suffice, but General Suo, the garrison commander of Daming, must go in person," Su Wu answered.

"Hmm? You even found that out? Among those under my command, Suo Chao is indeed the best. You have a meticulous way of doing things. It seems this matter might actually succeed. I will write you a letter with my seal; go and find Suo Chao yourself."

Liang Zhongshu took up his brush, adding, "Remember your words: one day, you must deliver those bandits to me!"

"I will keep it in mind! I shall not break my promise," Su Wu said, bowing.

Clearly, Liang Zhongshu’s hatred for those bandits was boundless. Su Wu’s strategy of telling him exactly what he wanted to hear was perfectly timed. As for "which day" it would be? That remained to be seen—but eventually, it would come.

Su Wu had come to understand many things. Outlaws like those on Liangshan could never stir up a major movement in the Song Dynasty. Even without Song Jiang, who was always obsessed with amnesty, Liangshan could never succeed. There were two reasons: First, the Song Dynasty was the era where the scholar-official class and the imperial power were most deeply intertwined. The interests of the great clans across the land were too closely aligned with the throne; even if there were conflicts, they were merely internal, and when facing the outside, they were an inseparable利益 community (community of interests). Thus, for the grassroots to truly rise was as difficult as reaching the heavens.

Second, beyond the Song, there were great enemies—the Liao were merely one, and not even the primary one. In the near future, the Jurchen Jin would sweep across the land. If he were to shatter the nation from within, leaving it unable to resist external threats, the difficulty would be hellish.

Therefore, before arriving at Daming, Su Wu had already decided: he must utilize the power of the Song’s scholar-official class and the imperial throne while simultaneously building his own faction. Only in this way could he navigate the chaotic times step by step. This path was clear. Cheng Wanli was the first stone, and this trip to Daming was the second. He was casting stones to test the way, seeing if the road ahead was truly traversable.

The Song Dynasty had one good point: one didn't really have to kneel before everyone they met.

(Brothers, we have moved up six more spots; we are now ranked twenty-third overall. I have truly begun to harbor some bold aspirations—I hope you will all lend me a hand! Thank you very much!)