At Daxiangguo Temple, the small counterweight catapult and gunpowder bags had already been transported to the Bian River overnight.

Just wait until the next day dawn and then load the ship and set off.

It was the first time for Zhang Rong to use a small artillery carriage on a ship, so he went to Xiangguo Temple with Chen Gui and Chen Shumi to observe and learn early. However, Emperor Zhao stood on the north bank of the Bian River, looking at the dozens of black ships stretching out in front of him, and was distracted for a moment.

"Is this the ship?"

Zhao Jiu, with his hands behind his back, looked for a long time in the light of the brazier before speaking... He actually felt that these boats, which were only two or three feet wide and ten feet long, were too small. It was conceivable that this kind of boat could only carry a smallest counterweight gun carriage on the bow, which would be a big deal... Of course, he was looking at it from the perspective of future generations. In essence, he also understood that this was the top weapon in the inland rivers in this era.

"Good instructor, I know," the one who answered Zhao Jiu was Yang Yizhong, who came back with the follow-up fleet. "This kind of boat got its name because of the water wheel on the bottom of the cabin. It can turn and move forward and backward freely by pedaling. The lower deck is used for steering, and the upper deck is used for combat. It is far superior to ordinary inland river boats... The only thing is that it needs a wide water area to be useful. So this time when entering the Guangji River, we have to be very careful along the way... But don't worry, the Bian River is wide, so it will be more appropriate. It will be like a fish in water when entering the Yellow River. And it will go downstream from now on. The Jin army will definitely be caught off guard."

Zhao Jiu shook his head, obviously not thinking about the nonsense he had heard Chen Gui say a long time ago: "How did Liangshan Lake get so many ships... Can they build them themselves?"

"They are all the ones left behind during the encirclement and suppression campaign by government troops that day... It is said that there were originally fifty or sixty ships, but after the defeat, only forty or so were left. This time, thirty ships were sent out." Yang Yizhong seemed a little embarrassed.

"It's a good thing I did." Zhao Jiu sighed softly.

“…”

"I remember you captured a county magistrate on the way?" Zhao Jiu suddenly turned around and asked again.

"Yes." Yang Yizhong answered quickly. "It's a temporary measure. I have no choice but to do this in order to open the shipping lanes as soon as possible."

"I know what's going on... The newly-appointed Jinshi only cared about being an official and forgot about doing his job... I'm asking you, where is the person?"

"He is still under escort and is about to be handed over to the governor for questioning."

"Behead him." Zhao Jiu suddenly said bluntly.

Yang Yizhong was stunned for a moment: "...officials?"

"Behead him." Zhao Jiu repeated. "Whether it's true or not, this is a serious military matter, not a civil matter. We can't pamper them, and there's no need to hand them over to the capital. I'm the commander-in-chief of the army, and beheading him today is a military act! It doesn't violate the rules!"

Yang Yizhong was still a little hesitant: "Sir, this is a newly-appointed Jinshi..."

"That should be executed too." Zhao Jiu repeated. "Why can we execute the captain, the general, and the commander for corruption when we inspected the fortress defense line before, but we can't execute a county magistrate who actually made mistakes in military intelligence? The one who should be executed is the newly-appointed Jinshi!"

Yang Yizhong nodded slowly, turned around and called Zhai Biao, the tough guy, to pass on the order. After giving clear instructions, he turned back, but hesitated to speak.

"Just say whatever you want to say..." Zhao Jiu was impatient for a moment.

"Your Majesty, I heard you talking to General Zhang at the Daxiangguo Temple before, and I wanted to advise you, but I was embarrassed and hesitated..." Yang Yizhong took the initiative to remain silent for a moment, and then he spoke frankly. "Your Majesty, I think you are too lenient to the generals."

"Is it not good to spare you?" Zhao Jiu said after a moment of silence. "During the war, we need people to sacrifice their lives..."

"Of course it's a good thing, but too much is as bad as too little." Yang Yizhong said earnestly. "Besides, the government is being a little harsh on the civil officials..."

"Is this what you wanted to say?"

"Your Majesty... I think it's a good thing that the emperor wants to give equal weight to civil officials and military officials, but the tradition of more than a hundred years is that even military officials have become accustomed to the difference between civil officials and military officials. So in some cases, the emperor thinks that he is fair, but people all think that the emperor is deliberately harsh on one side." Yang Yizhong became more earnest. "Your Majesty is lenient to military officials and generals because you have to fight in wartime, which is fine, but in wartime, don't civil officials have to work hard? Moreover, the court has its own system for rewards and punishments. When rewarding, the emperor is particularly lenient to military officials, which will naturally make them convinced, but when punishing, he should not arbitrarily increase the severity of one side to cause misunderstandings... This is my humble opinion, and I hope the emperor will not be angry."

"You must have thought about these words in your mind, right? Are you, Yang Yizhong, going to be a famous official?" Zhao Jiu finally laughed. "But why did you choose to say it in the middle of the night?"

"I can only be a treacherous minister in my life, how can I become a famous minister?" Yang Yizhong finally said helplessly. "These words are not my turn to say, but today I am being presumptuous. I think the emperor's attitude must be a sign of great achievements, and it is time to use people in the future, so I said it."

Zhao Jiu nodded: "I will listen to your words. For the sake of the country, I will be patient for a moment...Send the county magistrate to the capital for punishment!"

Yang Yizhong immediately responded and left.

In response, Zhao Jiu just shook his head... In other words, Emperor Zhao didn't think Yang Yi's words made sense at all. Compared with the period before Jing Kang, he was indeed not very lenient towards civil officials. But the problem was that compared with the Jin people on the opposite side, the treatment of civil officials in the Song Dynasty was always heavenly no matter what, and he was not afraid of anyone's resentment.

What's more, he believed that he was also tolerant towards his collaborators among the civil officials.

As for why he still followed Yang Yi Zhong's ridiculous advice, it still comes down to the same old saying: in wartime, generals and officers are needed to fight for their lives, so they should be shown mercy - the one Zhao Jiu showed mercy to was not the magistrate, but Yang Yi Zhong, the number one figure in his imperial armed forces.

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