To be honest, while heroes like Xu Ning and Hua Rong might have considered accepting amnesty, it wasn't a deep-seated idea.
After all, they held no important positions in the Song court, were not given important responsibilities, and were even ostracized, suffering a lot of resentment. Since following Song Jiang, however, they have been able to fully display their talents, become famous far and wide, and are extremely happy.
Originally, it was only Song Jiang who had this idea. They thought about it and felt that Liangshan was powerful. If they surrendered to the imperial court, they would surely receive a great reward, so they did not object.
But now Song Jiang has changed his mind and intends to compete for supremacy in the Southern Continent, to rival the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty... This is also a great feat, and regardless of victory or defeat, it will cause a sensation in the Immortal Realm and leave a mark on history.
Although they were taken aback by how quickly Song Jiang changed his mind, they honestly didn't find it hard to accept.
Only Qin Ming, Huyan Zhuo, Suo Chao, and others were greatly dissatisfied, feeling that Song Jiang had betrayed their initial agreement.
At this point, it's not appropriate for others to offer advice; they can only watch to see how Song Jiang quells the conflict and wins over more people's support.
"I have heard that Di Qing, the 'General with the Blackened Face' and a great hero from hundreds of thousands of years ago, died unjustly..."
"In this Great Song Dynasty, even if civil officials are in power and expand the territory by three thousand miles, it is not as glorious as having one's name called out outside the Donghua Gate!"
"Yes, the chaos among military generals during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period needs to be corrected, but given how far things have come, should we ask ourselves, has the Song Dynasty gone too far in trying to correct this?"
"The glory of the Han and Tang dynasties is long gone. Our Song Dynasty was flourishing in terms of culture, but its military was weak, walking with a limp... Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands on your hearts and tell me, is there really no problem with this?"
“Once you return to the Song court, even if Emperor Daojun isn’t stupid at first and bestows great rewards upon us to win us over… once the situation stabilizes… hehe, forget about the ‘releasing military power over a cup of wine’ – you’d all be ready to face the consequences.
Song Jiang was not exaggerating; this was exactly what he had seen unfold in another historical timeline.
The proverb "when the birds are all gone, the bow is put away" was perfectly exemplified by Emperor Daojun.
In fact, the leaders didn't receive any benefits at the beginning; they only received verbal praise. They didn't get anything substantial, but it was better than nothing.
If your brain isn't filled with ten pounds of water, you'd never be able to serve Emperor Daojun!
Moreover, the consistent national policy of the Song Dynasty has been to control the military through civil administration...
Song Jiang believed that these people must have suffered under the control of civil officials in the past.
Once they understand that returning to the Song Dynasty wouldn't bring them much benefit, the masses, under their influence, will have no choice but to follow along and rush headlong down the path of rebellion.
As expected, the expressions of Qin Ming, Huyan Zhuo, Suo Chao and other surrendered generals were not very natural.
Song Jiang pressed his advantage, continuing in a passionate tone:
"Gentlemen, who among you is not exceptionally skilled? Yet what are you all doing?"
"How tragic it is that they are buried in the countryside and among the common people, unable to be employed, wasting their lives, and suffering oppression from corrupt gentry and officials."
"I ask you, what is the point of serving such a court? What we should cherish in our hearts is the well-being of all people under heaven!"
"What's a little risk if it's to save people from suffering?"
Once the righteous cause was stated, even the surrendered generals could not refute it.
In public, who would dare say they are only acting out of self-interest? Everyone has to save face.
Furthermore, they carefully considered that if Liangshan truly became independent, it might be difficult to defeat the Song court and unify the world. However, like Western Xia and Dali, they could establish their own country. Even if it was inferior to the Song and Liao dynasties, as meritorious officials who followed the emperor, they would still be princes and nobles, which would be much better than positions like commanders, militia commanders, and captains.
They wouldn't be subject to the control of so many civil officials, and their wealth and glory could be passed down to their descendants.
Upon realizing this, the group of surrendered generals were all moved, and their desire for amnesty diminished considerably.
Of course, this is also related to their understanding that after Song Jiang sided with Wu Song, Lu Zhishen and others, it would be pointless to insist on accepting amnesty, as this would only alienate them from Liangshan and would not bring any other benefit!
Since the path of surrendering to the emperor was not feasible, the only recourse was to console themselves and think more about the benefits of Liangshan establishing its own state.
The only fortunate thing is that this aspiration is not unrealistic.
Liangshan's strength was considerable. With other rebel kings like Tian Hu in Hebei, Wang Qing in Huaixi, and Fang La in Jiangnan already existing within the Song Dynasty, it was not an exaggeration for Liangshan in Shandong to establish its own kingdom.
“Brother Song Jiang, since you have this intention, I am willing to do my best to help you!” Chai Jin, the Little Whirlwind of the Heavenly Noble Star, clasped his hands and was the first to step forward.
Everyone understood why he did this.
After all, which citizen of the Song Dynasty was unaware of the story of donning the yellow robe?
"If it were people like Tong Guan, Cai Jing, or Gao Qiu leading the troops, then we could rest easy," Wu Yong said.
The Song Dynasty had no shortage of outstanding generals, but they were often not given important positions and were frustrated in their careers.
The clown leaps up, looking like a monkey in a crown, but what ability does he have to lead an army?
At least, they don't think that Gao Qiu or Cai Jing are as good as Brother Song Jiang!
Song Jiang's military and political skills were top-notch. Even if Emperor Taizu of Song were alive, he would not be as good as him. But other Song emperors... even if they personally led the expedition, they would only bring shame upon themselves.
However, after the military generals were allowed to abuse their power and the authorities went to extremes to correct the situation, the strength of the Song army declined sharply.
The most powerful reign of Emperor Taizu was over a million years ago.
"The Song court is vast and rich in resources, we must not be careless!" Song Jiang said solemnly.
Then, Song Jiang gave instructions to everyone, including the chief leader, military advisor, assistant military advisor, chief of finances and provisions, logistics chief, generals and commanders of the cavalry, infantry, and navy, as well as the leaders in charge of gathering intelligence and keeping secrets, and finally those leaders in charge of supervising all matters. He did not leave anyone out.
Meanwhile, the two banners of "acting on behalf of Heaven" and "loyalty and righteousness" were raised, shaking the Shandong region!
In particular, Song Jiang personally declared that Liangshan's "loyalty" was loyalty to the people, not to emperors or officials, and that Liangshan's "righteousness" was righteousness towards its brothers and sisters...
The news immediately attracted countless glances, some praising and some mocking.
At the very least, Liangshan's reputation has already risen.
Song Ting was quite decisive, dispatching a large army that marched day and night towards Liangshan.
"Brother, according to the intelligence I've gathered, the Song army has split into two routes, one led by Tong Guan and the other by Gao Qiu, each with 100,000 elite troops. They are marching day and night, heading straight for Liangshan!"
Dai Zong, the Swift Star Protector, is a master of escape techniques. Although he is a Great Luo Immortal, he possesses the speed of a Quasi-Saint. He can travel to and from various parts of the Song Dynasty as if they were empty, making him the top choice for Liangshan to gather information!
“Brother Dai Zong, you are mistaken. Where does the Song court have any elite troops or strong generals left?” Wu Yong said confidently. “Even if they did, they wouldn’t be summoned by the Song Emperor to Shandong.”
"The strategist is referring to the Zhong family army, isn't he?" Lu Zhishen asked, mentioning the old and young Zhong families with great respect.
The Western Army of the Song Dynasty was the most capable in terms of fighting, but it was only used to defend against the Western Xia and could not be mobilized.
"Whatever kind of military force they are, we must call them back, and they will never return!" Ruan Xiaoer said.
"We must not be reckless!" Zhu Wu said. "Two armies have arrived, totaling two hundred thousand troops. This is no small matter."
Below Liangshan, the combined infantry, cavalry, and navy numbered only around 100,000.
"That's quite a lot!" Yang Zhi said. "One hundred thousand against two hundred thousand, what's there to fear? We also have the advantage of terrain, ensuring that both Song armies suffer a crushing defeat."
Listening to the conversation among the leaders, Song Jiang pondered for a while before asking Dai Zong, "Brother Dai Zong, are there any dancers in the Song army? Where did the 200,000 troops come from? Who are the commanding generals? What are their backgrounds and abilities?"
Dai Zong answered them one by one.
Upon learning that the Song army camp was filled with dancing girls who were enjoyed by the generals day and night, Song Jiang immediately sneered.
"How can anything be accomplished in such an atmosphere? Tong Guan and Gao Qiu are not knowledgeable about military affairs either."
Immediately, Song Jiang gave instructions to the various leaders, each with their own responsibilities, and they dealt with the Song army's attack in an orderly manner.
Soon, the area eight million li away from Liangshan was surrounded by two hundred thousand Song troops, one to the south and one to the north.
But Song Jiang was in no hurry. He only sent small teams to fight the Song army, then guarded the pass, formed a battle formation, and relied on magical treasures to defend.
Upon seeing this, Tong Guan and Gao Qiu burst into laughter, realizing that Liangshan Marsh was now trapped like a turtle in a jar, with no way to escape.
"Privy Councilor, now that we've come to Shandong, we can't leave empty-handed. This land of Qi and Lu has always been prosperous, with inexhaustible resources of natural treasures," Gao Qiu said with a smile.
"I'm just about to share wealth and honor with Grand Commandant Gao, and together we'll reach the realm of Quasi-Saints!" Tong Guan said with a smile.
Below, a group of generals kept flattering him, making the women dancing in the arena feel extremely nauseous.
"This is the perfect opportunity to plunder wealth. Those powerful sects and families must have plenty of treasures," Gao Qiu said, his eyes gleaming with greed.
“With the help of the Song Dynasty’s national fortune, we have reached the peak of the Great Luo realm, but we can’t cross that Quasi-Saint step no matter what we do. Even if we hold the high positions of Privy Councilor and Grand Commandant, we will not make any further progress.”
"Once Liangshan Marsh is flattened, the fortunes of the Song Dynasty will surely increase, and you and I, as the generals in command, will naturally repay the favor."
"And the resources of the Qilu region will then belong to you and me, and we can use them as we please."
"If anyone dares to disobey..."
Tong Guan continued, "With a large army at our command, and with the responsibility of suppressing bandits on our side, whoever is called a traitor is a traitor... Wherever 200,000 troops pass, what sect or clan can withstand them? Destroying mountains and temples is nothing more than a trivial matter."
Gao Qiu looked at the group of generals, smiled, and said, "At that time, you will also be richly rewarded!"
"The peak of the Great Luo realm is no longer a pipe dream."
“Those goddesses of sects, noble ladies of wealthy families, and even the most beautiful women from the common people are all at your disposal, to be your furnace or your concubine, all according to your will.”
Everyone was overjoyed and quickly stood up to pay their respects to the two commanding generals. The praise and flattery were deafening.
Unbeknownst to them, two figures had quietly slipped away from the Song army camp and returned to Liangshan Marsh.
One is Dai Zong, the Swift Traveler, and the other is Shi Qian, the Flea on the Drum.
They were both at the Great Luo level, with average direct combat strength, and could even be countered by powerful Golden Immortals. However, when it came to concealment techniques and escape methods, even ordinary peak Great Luo cultivators were no match for these two.
This is also why Dai Zong and Shi Qian were put in charge of intelligence work.
They have it all figured out.
“Tiansu Star and Dizei Star… if they have the opportunity, they could both become quasi-saints through the art of concealment,” Cao Ya thought to himself.
No matter how many twists and turns occurred in the Water Margin, they could not escape his notice.
Even though Cao Ya was unfamiliar with battlefield warfare, he could only shake his head at the sight of Gao Qiu and Tong Guan leading troops.
If Liangshan Marsh had no capable people and was just competing with the Song army in terms of mediocrity, then it would be hard to say who would win or lose.
But the question is, was Liangshan such a force?
It can be said that Song Jiang was meticulous and decisive, and never hesitated to act ruthlessly when necessary.
But in addition to his top-notch military skills, he is also first-rate in politics.
Song Jiang knew perfectly well how to win over the people, expand his influence, and consolidate his foundation.
After the gathering of heroes and before the arrival of the Song army, Song Jiang sent people to deal with demons, monsters, and corrupt officials with the people of the surrounding counties. Liangshan only took a portion of the stolen money and goods, and distributed the rest to the people in the vicinity.
This also won Liangshan some popular support.
In any case, Liangshan's current expenses are not that high. Its eight million li territory is enough to supply most of the needs. As for the remaining gap, it can be covered by simply conquering a few counties and killing the officials.
Song Jiang also had Wu Song, Lu Zhishen, Shi Xiu, Yan Qing and others establish military regulations. Not to mention that they would not harm the people in the slightest, compared to the Song army, they were worlds apart.
With this comparison, the people's scales of judgment inevitably tipped in favor of the "traitors and rebels" of Liangshan Marsh!
Even sectarian groups and aristocratic families were secretly colluding.
Song Jiang neither accepted any benefits nor made any promises; he simply left it hanging.
He believed that Song Jun's actions would bring a turning point for Liangshan!
At that time, we can seize the spoils from the Song army camp, gaining both face and substance, without incurring any favors.
If Tong Guan and Gao Qiu were truly knowledgeable generals, Song Jiang wouldn't have dared to sit so calmly. But as it turns out, these two were completely clueless when it came to leading troops into battle.
To appoint such great generals, and two at once... the stupidity of that Emperor Daojun is beyond words.
Song Jiang felt increasingly speechless about his alter chronological self.
"The Liangshan under Song Jiang's command is not particularly outstanding, it can only be said to be decent, but even so, it still stands out in this Southern Continent."
Cao Ya suddenly sighed. If Song Jiang had kept his original intentions, then the unification would have been a good thing for the people of Nanzhanbuzhou.
Song Jiang loved power, but not wealth or beautiful women. Therefore, in order to consolidate his power and gain the support of all people, he would suppress the gentry and wealthy families and give benefits to the common people.
It must be said that without Song Jiang's loss of sanity, the titles of "Heavenly Star," "Timely Rain," and "Righteous Protector" would have been truly deserved.
The Song Jiang in the book is different from the one in the TV series. He has the demeanor of a chivalrous hero, and his ability to lead troops is also top-notch. As for political intrigue and power struggles... he is an even better master.
In the original story, if Song Jiang hadn't considered accepting the imperial pardon, there was a considerable chance that he would have led Liangshan Marsh to overthrow the Song court, quell various rebel kings, unify the country, and then launch a northern expedition against the Liao Dynasty, achieving a unified empire!
After all, whether it was the Song army, the Liao army, or the rebel forces, they were all defeated by Song Jiang and Liangshan.
Cao Ya only needs to let Song Jiang see the corruption of the Song Dynasty and the cruelty of the Daoist Emperor, and erase the corrupting influence of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, so that he can have his own will and distinguish between advantages and disadvantages according to the times... After that, the development will be a natural outcome, and he can just watch from the sidelines without having to get involved.
"Well, the current situation at Liangshan is not out of line yet, and is still within the range that the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden can tolerate. The original plan was for Liangshan to defeat the Song army several times before surrendering! Of course, there would be a battle between the two sides and a large-scale war. But after this battle, I'm afraid they won't be able to sit still."
Cao Ya pondered that the interference from the Heavenly Court, the Illusionary Realm, and the Crimson Palace, as well as the possible appearance of evil spirits and immortals... all required vigilance to avoid any trouble.
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