Moma Liangshan

Chapter 168 Uniting the Internal Sector and Explaining the Reasons

On his first day back in Jiaozhou, Wang Hao summoned Zhu Gui and asked, "How has the ironworks been operating lately?" Zhu Gui had been in charge of the ironworks for some time and had completed most of the personnel adjustments. He replied, "I have established an accounting department, a technical institute, and a marketing department as instructed by you, and appointed trusted personnel to manage them!" Wang Hao was very satisfied and then asked, "How is the recruitment of the security team going?" Zhu Gui answered, "I have recruited thirty people so far!" Wang Hao shook his head and said, "Too few people!" Zhu Gui was puzzled and said, "Although Ma Cao and Liu Hong recruited some craftsmen from Tokyo, the total number of people in the ironworks is currently less than three hundred. I think thirty martial arts masters are enough!" Wang Hao understood that Zhu Gui was also trying to save expenses and patiently explained, "The scale of the ironworks will be further expanded, and I met a wealthy merchant in Quanzhou named Fang Tianding. We reached an agreement to send two thousand broadswords to Luxian every month in exchange for his services!"

Zhu Gui was shocked and asked, "Who is Fang Tianding? How could he possibly afford two thousand broadswords every month?" Wang Hao remained calm and replied, "He claims to be a wealthy merchant from Qingxi County in Muzhou, and he even commissioned me to order two hundred iron plows, each weighing three hundred catties!" Zhu Gui looked anxious and said, "Where in the world can you find a divine ox that can pull a three-hundred-catty iron plow?" Wang Hao nodded and said, "I thought of that too!" Zhu Gui was even more puzzled and asked, "Since you already suspected something, why didn't you refuse the deal?" Wang Hao shook his head and replied, "I couldn't!" Zhu Gui was perplexed and pressed, "Why?" This time, Wang Hao didn't answer directly but instead asked, "Uncle Gui, what do you think Fang Tianding's intentions are?" Zhu Gui smiled helplessly, closed the doors and windows, and said, "You've lived in Liangshan for so many years, do I need to spell it out for you?" Wang Hao nodded and said, "Uncle Gui, do you think it's inappropriate for me to cooperate with Fang Tianding?"

Zhu Gui sighed sharply and said, "Of course it's inappropriate!" Wang Hao deliberately asked, "What's inappropriate?" Zhu Gui felt that even if today's events angered Wang Hao, he had a responsibility to clarify the pros and cons, and replied, "Although the world is unjust, you, young master, have ultimately led the brothers of the stronghold to a path of wealth and honor. In a few years, you will marry the princess, and you and the chief will be royalty—a blessing that others could only dream of for several lifetimes. If Fang Tianding is truly a desperate criminal, thousands of knives in his hands would be enough to plunder the prefectures and counties! That's treason, and if it implicates you, young master, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

Wang Hao sighed and said, "If the Song Dynasty's rule is eternal, these imperial relatives will indeed enjoy endless wealth and glory. But if one day the country falls, the status of the imperial son-in-law will become our death warrant!" Zhu Gui was speechless for a moment, and after a long while, he slowly asked, "Does the young master think that Fang Tianding can change the world?" Wang Hao sneered and said, "Although Fang Tianding can be called a hero, he cannot shake the foundation of the Song Dynasty!" Zhu Gui was puzzled and asked, "Is there someone else who also wants to plot against us?" Wang Hao said helplessly, "The greatest threat to the Song Dynasty has never been internal troubles, but external threats!" Zhu Gui unconsciously looked north and said, "Is the young master worried about the Jurchens?" Wang Hao said, "The Liao princess once told me that there is an old saying circulating beyond the Great Wall, which says..." "The Jurchens are invincible if they number less than ten thousand, but if they number ten thousand!" Zhu Gui asked incredulously, "Rumors are often exaggerated and shouldn't be believed entirely!" Wang Hao continued, "The Jurchen leader Wanyan Aguda started a rebellion with 2,500 men, and in his first battle, he captured Ningjiang Prefecture, a major northern town of the Liao Dynasty. The Liao Dynasty urgently dispatched its northern army to quell the rebellion, but the Jurchens, with only 3,700 men, decisively defeated the Liao army of 100,000, successively capturing Binzhou, Xiangzhou, and Xianzhou, and incorporating Liao prisoners of war, greatly increasing their strength. Wanyan Aguda then proclaimed himself emperor, establishing the Jin Dynasty, and in the first month of the following year, he captured Huanglong Prefecture. The Liao Dynasty again dispatched 200,000 cavalry and 100,000 infantry to attack the Jurchens, but the Jurchens were fierce and brave, and the Liao army suffered a crushing defeat. Ten months later, Emperor Tianzuo of Liao personally led an army of 700,000 to conquer the Jurchens, but halfway there, a mutiny broke out in Shangjing, forcing them to retreat in haste. The Jurchens seized the opportunity to attack again, and the 700,000 Liao soldiers fled in disarray, suffering heavy casualties."

Zhu Gui asked, "Did the Liao princess tell you all this, young master?" Wang Hao neither admitted nor denied it, only saying, "During the reigns of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, the Song Dynasty mobilized the entire nation for numerous northern expeditions, yet still failed to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun. The Jurchens, since their uprising, have only existed for five or six years, yet they have not only occupied half of the Liao territory but also annihilated nearly a million Liao soldiers. With such a glorious record, what reason do the Jurchens have to halt their advance beyond the Great Wall?" Zhu Gui could clearly sense Wang Hao's anxiety and asked, "What is the connection between the Jurchens and Fang Tianding?" Wang Hao remained silent for a long time before finally making up his mind, saying, "I must gather sufficient strength before the five capitals of Liao fall, so that if the Jurchens march south, we will have a fighting chance!" Zhu Gui finally... Having discerned Wang Hao's intentions, Zhu Gui said, "Young Master, do you intend to use Fang Tianding's rebellion as an opportunity to strengthen your forces?" Wang Hao, with a hint of reluctance, replied, "If Fang Tianding had no intention of rebelling, giving him more weapons wouldn't deter him; but once he has that intention, there's no turning back. Giving him weapons or not makes no difference!" Zhu Gui, finding this reasonable, asked, "How much would you pay Fang Tianding for a simple knife?" Wang Hao answered, "Three strings of cash!" Zhu Gui, still puzzled, asked, "Three strings of cash for a knife is just a normal price; there's no substantial profit to be made!" Wang Hao's lips curled slightly, and he said, "Three strings of cash before the uprising, but it will be different afterward!" Zhu Gui couldn't help but admire Wang Hao's wisdom, saying, "Young Master is brilliant!"

Wang Hao instructed, "The people escorting the broadswords to Lu County must be our trusted confidants, preferably veterans of the stronghold!" Zhu Gui replied, "Don't worry, young master. If even a whisper of this leaks out, I'll offer my head!" Wang Hao nodded and said, "It's best if you understand the crux of the matter!" Zhu Gui was deeply moved, as this matter concerned Wang Hao's life and fortune. Zhu Gui asked, "Should we also keep this from the chieftain for now?" Wang Hao thought for a moment and said, "It's best not to tell him. After all, most people think the Jurchen invasion is just alarmist talk!" After persuading Zhu Gui to support his arms deal with Fang Tianding, Wang Hao's next step was to take down Zhu Heng, the county magistrate of Laoshan. This would both eliminate his political enemies' spies planted in Jiaozhou and fulfill his promise to Cui Zhigong, the Pacification Commissioner of Jingdong East Circuit. For someone like Zhu Heng, finding fault with him only required a few sweet words. After much deliberation, Wang Hao decided that Li Rongshang was the most suitable person for this task!