Chapter 63: Zhao Gou: Listen to me, everyone, it is not as Yue Fei says

Besides arranging for Zhao Ding to oversee the collection of last year's taxes, Zhao Ning also instructed Zhang Shuye to dispatch scouts across the Yellow River to investigate the situation.

After all, the Jin troops had only withdrawn a few days ago, and no one knew where they currently were. Had they retreated to the vicinity of Kaide Prefecture to continue fighting, or had they retreated directly back to the north?

While intelligence was being gathered, the defense lines of the capital were far from idle.

A few days prior, Chen Gui had rushed to the Yellow River to set up camp and organize both soldiers and civilians in constructing watchtowers and fortified outposts.

Over the past two days, Zhang Shuye had also been personally inspecting the Yellow River defense line.

On this day, shortly after Yue Fei crossed the Yellow River, he was immediately intercepted.

He was first brought before Chen Gui.

"I am Yue Fei, a Xiuwu Lang under the command of Zong Ze, the General Administrator of the Hebei Volunteer Army and Deputy Field Marshal. I have been ordered by Deputy Field Marshal Zong to rush to the capital and report the military situation in Hebei to His Majesty."

Chen Gui and Zhang Shuye exchanged perplexed glances.

Zhang Shuye knew that Zong Ze was the General Administrator of the Hebei Volunteer Army, but when had Zong Ze become a Deputy Field Marshal?

"Is this official document for the Emperor?"

Yue Fei replied, "Yes, it was personally written by Deputy Field Marshal Zong."

On the surface, it bore Zong Ze's official seal, which designated him as the General Administrator of the Hebei Volunteer Army.

"What is the current military situation in Hebei?"

Yue Fei hesitated for a moment. Chen Gui, standing nearby, introduced, "This is Zhang Shuye, the Minister of War and Commissioner of Military and Political Affairs, Lord Zhang."

Although Yue Fei did not know Zhang Shuye, his title and official rank immediately revealed him to be a high-ranking official. Yue Fei stated, "Reporting to Lord Zhang, a diversionary force of the Jin army has moved east and is currently besieging the Grand Field Marshal at Daming Prefecture, while another main force has already retreated northward."

Zhang Shuye and the others looked at each other in dismay.

The Jin army had retreated northward?

This was what concerned them the most.

"Yue Fei, how much do you know about the northern retreat of the Jin army?"

"Seven days ago, when I crossed the Yellow River southward, I discovered a portion of the Jin army crossing the Yellow River northward. Later, while scouting near the capital, I found that all the Jin forces were withdrawing. I then returned to Huazhou to report the movements of the Jin army to Commander Zong."

Seven days ago would be April 13th.

Zhang Shuye had dispatched Zhang Zhongxiong to investigate and confirm the withdrawal of the Jin army on the 14th.

The timelines matched perfectly!

"Did you encounter the main force of the Jin army in Huazhou?"

"We detected the movements of the Jin army, but since the Grand Field Marshal requested reinforcements from Deputy Field Marshal Zong, Commander Zong led his troops eastward to support Daming Prefecture and did not engage the retreating Jin army in direct combat."

"Grand Field Marshal? Prince Kang?" Zhang Shuye immediately recalled that the Emperor had mentioned to him the wax-sealed letter appointing Prince Kang, Zhao Gou, as the Grand Marshal of Hebei Military Affairs.

"Yes."

"The Jin army is besieging the Grand Field Marshal, another main force is retreating, and Deputy Field Marshal Zong led troops to reinforce?" Zhang Shuye became even more puzzled. "Logically speaking, the Grand Marshal's headquarters should be strong and formidable. Why would it require reinforcement from Zong Ze, who is stationed around Huazhou?"

Zhang Shuye finally understood the gist of Yue Fei's report: one branch of the Jin army launched a surprise attack on Daming Prefecture, while another branch retreated northward.

Why did this tactic sound somewhat like luring the tiger away from its mountain?

Did they intentionally attack Daming Prefecture to attract Zong Ze so that the main force could retreat smoothly?

The basic logic seemed to point to that.

Yet, the Grand Marshal's headquarters should not have been short of manpower, should it?

This was the part Zhang Shuye could not make sense of.

Why would a Deputy Field Marshal be sent to rescue the Grand Field Marshal?

One had to bear in mind that when Zhao Gou issued the imperial summons for loyal assistance, the core of the loyalist army should have been in Zhao Gou's own hands.

With Zong Ze stationed around Huazhou, could a mere Deputy Field Marshal possibly command more troops than Zhao Gou?

For a moment, everyone struggled to make sense of it, and some even suspected that Yue Fei was lying.

Zhao Gou: Everyone, please listen to me. I was merely testing Zong Ze's loyalty; you must never assume that I cannot defeat the Jurchens.

Yet, was there any reason for Yue Fei to lie?

He was nothing more than a Xiuwu Lang.

The official ranks of military officers in the Great Song Dynasty were divided into fifty-three grades, with Xiuwu Lang being the forty-fourth—a very low rank indeed.

What motive would a military officer of such low rank have for lying?

Zhang Shuye asked again, "How many troops does Zong Ze have under his command?"

"Deputy Field Marshal Zong led fifty thousand men to reinforce Daming Prefecture."

"Then how many troops does the Grand Marshal have?"

Yue Fei answered truthfully, "They claim to have a million men."

What the hell!

Yue Fei, do you take us for fools?!

The Grand Marshal has a million men, and he needs Zong Ze's fifty thousand to reinforce him?

Zhang Shuye and the others wore expressions of shock and suspicion.

Zhang Shuye said, "Yue Fei, the current situation is grave. I cannot fully trust whether this document was truly written by Zong Ze right now, but I will send men to accompany you to the capital to have an audience with His Majesty. You and your men must surrender all your weapons."

Yue Fei hesitated for a brief moment before replying, "Understood, I submit entirely to your arrangements!"

From Yue Fei's words, Zhang Shuye had roughly gathered some military intelligence regarding the north.

If what Yue Fei said was true, what on earth had happened in Hebei over the past few months?

What had Zhao Gou been doing in Hebei?

And what had Zong Ze been up to in Hebei?

To what extent were the withdrawal of the Jin army related to Zhao Gou and Zong Ze?

That same evening, Zhao Ning and Gao Qiu were discussing the expansion of the Imperial City Inspectorate in the Wende Hall.

Based on the current situation, the Imperial City Inspectorate needed an overhaul.

Adjustments were required across the board, from personnel staffing to official functions.

Previously, the personnel arrangements of the Imperial City Inspectorate fell under the jurisdiction of the Capital Affairs Office of the Bureau of Military Affairs—the very same department formerly managed by Liu Chengqi, whom Zhao Ning had executed.

New officials had already been appointed to those posts.

However, the personnel of the Imperial City Inspectorate could no longer be entrusted to the Bureau of Military Affairs; otherwise, there would be too many restrictions.

As for Gao Qiu's role, it needed to be redefined. He could no longer remain a favored and coddled favorite minister as he had been during the era of Emperor Huizong.

He had to transform into a ruthless official for the Emperor, or else he would lose all usefulness.

"Gao Qiu."

A flattering smile piled up on Gao Qiu's face. "This subject is here. What instructions does Your Majesty have?"

Zhao Ning abruptly remarked, "The Retired Emperor still misses you very much."

A cold sweat instantly broke out over Gao Qiu, and he stammered, "Your Majesty, this subject is now Your Majesty's minister. I will do whatever Your Majesty commands."

Zhao Ning smiled faintly and said, "I was merely speaking casually. Don't take it to heart."

Gao Qiu felt a wave of relief wash over him. *Damn it*, chatting with this Emperor was truly a shortcut to an early grave!

The man would drop surprises on you out of nowhere!

"Gao Qiu, from now on, in every single one of the twenty-four circuits of the Great Song, I want to see the shadow of the Imperial City Inspectorate. What the officials are doing and what the conditions are among the common people must be reported to me regularly. Do you understand?"

"Most certainly! With this subject handling matters, Your Majesty can rest one hundred percent assured."

"If I discover any discrepancy between the reports of the Imperial City Inspectorate and the actual situation, I will hold someone accountable. Is that clear?"

"Understood! This subject will faithfully and dutifully execute my charge!"

"I will arrange for people to recruit manpower for you. You must swiftly put my instructions into practice. I will not interfere with your methods; if you don't understand something, find someone who does. I only want results."

"Yes!"

How should one put it?

At the founding of the Great Song Dynasty, the Imperial City Inspectorate had nearly thirty thousand men.

Aside from monitoring the military and gathering intelligence, they also secretly kept watch over civil and military officials.

These practices had begun during the era of Emperor Taizu, but later, as scholars opposed the Emperor engaging in such methods, subsequent emperors of the Great Song gradually downsized the personnel.