gnovel Chapter 2 Killing Two Birds with One Stone
Chapter 2 Killing Two Birds with One Stone
Wu Yong was completely dumbfounded.
Not becoming a bandit is to look down on this business.
But they also said it had to be taken.
Why is that?
"Brother..." Wu Yong stammered, "Why...why is this?"
Liu Bei did not answer immediately.
He walked to the window, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked north.
"Scholar, do you know what the situation is like outside the Great Wall these days?"
Wu Yong paused for a moment, then shook his head.
As a rural schoolteacher, his daily concerns were nothing more than imperial proclamations or the questions for the provincial examinations.
As for the area outside the pass, they are nothing but a bunch of barbarians.
As Liu Bei sorted through the information from Chao Gai's memories, he said calmly, "Some time ago, I chatted with a traveling merchant and learned some news."
"The Jin Dynasty in the north is no longer the same as before. They defeated the Liao Dynasty, and their military strength is at its peak, with morale soaring. I predict that within three to five years, they will surely march south."
Wu Yong frowned: "Brother, are you so sure?"
"I'm absolutely certain," Liu Bei nodded, "When they're weak, they flee far away; when they're strong, they'll invade our borders!"
Wu Yong cautiously said, "Brother, although our Great Song Dynasty is not currently engaged in military affairs, it is still a wealthy and powerful nation with strong cities and deep moats. The Jurchens are nothing but barbarians; even if they invade the south, how could they possibly shake the foundations of our dynasty?"
This is also the thought of the vast majority of Song people at that time.
"A prosperous and powerful nation?"
Liu Bei turned around and said disdainfully, "This wealth enriches the officials and the likes of Cai Jing and Gao Qiu. This power lies in the pavilions and towers of Bianliang and the pleasure boats and music on the Bian River. As for military affairs..."
Liu Bei sighed softly.
"Emperor Taizu, with a single cup of wine, relinquished all military power. The emphasis on civil officials and suppression of military power became an ancestral rule. The status of a military man was even lower than that of a mere scholar. Such an army might be able to oppress the common people on ordinary days, but do you expect them to fight the ferocious Jurchen army to the death?"
Wu Yong opened his mouth, but could not refute it.
The corruption of the Song army was no secret.
"Scholar, you are a learned man, you should know one thing."
Liu Bei stared at him.
"When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact?"
These eight words left Wu Yong speechless.
He understood instantly.
If the Jurchens really marched south, and if the Song Dynasty really couldn't hold out, then the world would inevitably descend into chaos.
By then, all titles like "village head" and "sir" will be meaningless.
In chaotic times, human life is as cheap as grass.
Only by having soldiers, food, and territory can one survive.
Wu Yong's eyes suddenly lit up, so bright it was frightening.
He saw a future far grander and more thrilling than "robbing the rich to help the poor" or "becoming a mountain king".
"Brother means..." His voice trembled slightly, "We took this birthday tribute because... because..."
"Recruit soldiers and buy horses, stockpile fodder and store grain."
Liu Bei finished the second half of his sentence for him.
"This 100,000 strings of cash is not for us to divide up; it is the first capital we will earn for our future career."
Wu Yong felt a surge of heat rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
He stood up and paced back and forth in the room, muttering to himself, "So that's how it is, so that's how it is..."
He finally figured out all the key points.
Why would Brother Chao Gai ask a question like "And then what?"
Why would he look down on the bandits of Liangshan?
Because of the overall situation.
The current "Brother Chao Gai" is not Dongxi Village, not Yuncheng County, and not even Liangshan Marsh from the beginning.
Their vision encompasses the entire world!
"It was my shortsightedness that led to this!"
Wu Yong bowed deeply to Liu Bei.
"Please forgive me, brother!"
Liu Bei accepted the bow without hesitation.
He knew that from this moment on, this "Mr. Jialiang" had truly returned to his heart.
"Scholar, please rise."
Liu Bei helped him up, saying, "It's not too late since you have this intention."
Wu Yong straightened up, his eyes filled with fervor: "Brother, what's the plan? If we steal the birthday gifts, the authorities will definitely investigate. Although we don't become mountain bandits, this crime..."
"Didn't you just mention Liangshan Marsh?" Liu Bei smiled faintly.
Wu Yong was taken aback.
Liu Bei said, "Tell me in detail what the current state of Liangshan is like, and who exactly is its leader, Wang Lun?"
Wu Yong dared not delay and immediately told them everything he knew.
"...This Wang Lun is narrow-minded and jealous of talent. When Instructor Lin was forced to come up the mountain, he made things difficult for him and almost refused to take him in. Now that he has kept Instructor Lin, he is wary of him and unwilling to give him important responsibilities. In my opinion, this man is unlikely to achieve great things."
Liu Bei listened quietly, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table.
Only after Wu Yong finished speaking did he slowly open his mouth.
"A jealous and pedantic scholar, a peerless general suppressed..."
He raised his eyes and looked at Wu Yong.
"This Liangshan Marsh is quite a nice place."
Wu Yong asked, puzzled, "Didn't my brother say...?"
Liu Bei smiled.
"I have a plan that can kill three birds with one stone. The first bird is to find a scapegoat for us and attract the attention of the authorities."
Wu Yong was stunned.
scapegoat?
"Does Brother mean... to frame Liangshan?" Wu Yong asked tentatively.
"good."
Liu Bei walked to the table, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a cup of water.
"This matter must be done flawlessly. Therefore, after we took the birthday gifts, we must deliberately leave some clues, some clues that point to Liangshan Marsh."
He took a sip of water to moisten his throat.
"Liang Zhongshu of Daming Prefecture has lost his father-in-law's birthday gift, and he will surely be furious. The imperial army will definitely launch a full-scale attack on Liangshan. In this way, we can naturally extricate ourselves from the situation."
As Wu Yong continued along this line of thought, he felt a chill run down his spine.
This tactic of "using someone else's knife to kill" is indeed ingenious.
It's perfectly reasonable for a group of bandits who ruled the mountain in Liangshan to rob the birthday gifts!
"This is one of them."
Liu Bei put down his teacup and continued, "Secondly, there is that Lin Chong."
"The head instructor of the 800,000 Imperial Guards' spears and clubs—what a talent he is! It's a real pity that he's relegated to a lowly scoundrel like Wang Lun, a waste of his talent."
He looked at Wu Yong and said, "So you need to do something personally."
Wu Yong immediately bowed: "Brother, please speak. I will gladly die for you!"
"I need you to find a way to get in touch with Lin Chong before we make a move."
Liu Bei slowly said, "You can disguise yourself as a merchant or a lost scholar; the point is to see him in person. You must tell him that the Jurchens are about to march south, the world will be in chaos, Wang Lun is narrow-minded, and Liangshan is not a place to stay for long. The government troops will soon launch a major campaign, and we will all perish."
"As for me, Chao Gai, I respect him as a hero and cannot bear to see such a hero buried in obscurity or die needlessly in the chaos of war. I am willing to provide him with a temporary refuge. Once the storm has passed, we will devise a grander plan."
Wu Yong was deeply moved by what he heard.
He got it.
This is an attempt to poach talent!
Moreover, this most brilliant pearl was plucked out before Liangshan was destroyed!
"The government troops will surely be defeated in their campaign against the bandits. And if we take Lin Chong in, with his martial arts skills and lofty ambitions, he will naturally be put to good use!"
Liu Bei's tone was calm, yet it exuded a powerful confidence.
Wu Yong was completely convinced.
He originally thought that by calling himself "Mr. Jialiang," he was already considered to be exceptionally intelligent.
Compared to her brother, her own schemes seemed like child's play.
The steps were interconnected, and the strategy was meticulous and deliberate.
This not only solved the immediate problem but also attracted top talent for the future.
"Then... what about the third bird?" Wu Yong couldn't help but ask.
Liu Bei smiled, walked to the window, and said, "The government troops and the Liangshan bandits fought to a standstill in the eight-hundred-mile stretch of marshland. Once they finished fighting, the government troops withdrew, and the bandits dispersed..."
He turned around and said calmly, "That natural fortress, so easy to defend and difficult to attack, is now empty, isn't it?"
"When the time comes, we will bring money and provisions, the troops we have recruited, and heroes like Lin Chong to take over Liangshan. Only then can we truly establish a firm foothold."
Wu Yong stood there blankly, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
Frame Liangshan as a way to escape punishment.
Recruiting Lin Chong is a way of seeking out talented individuals.
To reap the benefits without lifting a finger is to seize power.
Killing three birds with one stone, achieving three goals with one arrow!
What a far-sighted calculation!
What ruthless methods!
Wu Yong exclaimed in amazement, "Brother, your calculations are divine! I am utterly convinced!"
Liu Bei helped him up, but his expression showed no pride.
"The plan is good, but there are many key points involved. One wrong step could lead to utter ruin. This matter needs to be carefully considered."
Wu Yong composed himself and calmed down from his excitement.
He thought of the most crucial question.
"Brother, this plan is brilliant, but... there are several other brothers who conspired with me in this. They..."
Wu Yong looked troubled.
"They only seek wealth and status, and I'm afraid they won't agree to use this 100,000 strings of cash as capital to recruit soldiers and buy horses."
Liu Bei's eyes flickered.
Several faces surfaced in Chao Gai's memory.
The three Ruan brothers of Shijie Village: Ruan Xiao'er, the "Standing Earth God"; Ruan Xiao'wu, the "Short-lived Second Son"; and Ruan Xiao'qi, the "Living Yama".
These three brothers were fishermen and salt smugglers; they were excellent swimmers and incredibly daring.
"Are you talking about the Ruan brothers?" Liu Bei asked.
"Exactly." Wu Yong nodded. "They are truly poor, and truly willing to risk their lives. If we tell them that the money cannot be divided, they will probably turn on us on the spot."
Liu Bei pondered for a moment.
He knew that these desperate criminals couldn't be persuaded by grand principles alone.
We must come up with something that can truly subdue them.
"It's alright."
Liu Bei stood up, straightened his clothes, and then walked towards the door.
"I'm going to Shijie Village now to meet them in person."