The Song Dynasty has been deliberate for 16 years, only to know that it is the Water Margin

Zhao Tong looked at the man in green clothes and saw that he was of moderate height and slightly thin, with an average appearance, fair skin, and a thin beard. His eyes were dim and turbid, as if he had been squeezed by life for many years and had no energy or charm.

The little boy was somewhat smart. He had a double bun, white lips and red teeth, and his eyes were moving around. He seemed to be curious about the scene in front of him, but also a little timid. He looked around secretly.

Zhao Tie looked at the man in green and said, "Gong Liang, why are you late?"

Song Qing heard this and pulled the child to prostrate himself: "Your Highness, the child is in a lot of troubles. He wants this now and then that. My subordinates take pity on him and are content with something. So I am late, so I ask Your Highness to forgive me."

Zhao Tong smiled and said, "That's an honest answer. It's not easy for a grown man to raise a child. What's wrong with that? Get up."

Song Qing pulled Song Anping to stand up. Zhao Tong's eyes fell on Song Anping. Little Zhao Xi next to him also looked at Song Anping. The two were about the same age and similar in height, but they were curious about each other.

Zhao Tong waved to Xiao Anping, who immediately looked at Song Qing.

Song Qing said: "Your Highness's summons won't go away, but it's better not to be rude."

Xiao Anping agreed, walked up to Zhao Tong and saluted him again. Zhao Tong rubbed his head, pinched his cheeks, and said, "Are you literate?"

Xiao Anping said: "Your Highness, I don't know much about you."

Zhao Tong looked at Song Qing: "Have you been enlightened by a teacher this year?"

Song Qingdao: "Your Highness, you didn't have any apprenticeship, so you were taught by your subordinates. Your subordinates are humble and the child is young. There really isn't much to teach him, so I taught him some writing."

Zhao Tong nodded and said to Song Anping: "Since you know some words, you should be able to recite poems. Let me recite a section for you."

Song Anping said: "I will recite a thousand-character essay for His Highness."

Zhao Tong said: "Carry it."

The boy next to him, Zhao Xi, looked unconvinced when he heard this. He thought that memorizing a thousand-character essay was nothing but a skill. I could also recite the Analects of Confucius, but he did not dare to say it for fear of being scolded by Zhao Tan.

Just watch Song Anping straighten his clothes, take two steps like an adult, and chant in a childish voice: "The sky and the earth are yellow, the universe is ancient, the sun and the moon are full, the stars are arranged, the cold is coming. Summer is gone, autumn is harvested, and winter is stored. In the leap years, Lu Lu regulates the sun. The clouds bring rain, and the dew condenses into frost. Gold produces beautiful water, and jade emerges from Kungang. The sword is called the giant tower, and the beads are called luminous..."

After a while, he finished memorizing the entire thousand-character essay, and Zhao Tong said: "That's good, that's good. It's really rare that you can memorize it all at such a young age, with cadence and without hesitation."

Xiao Zhao Xi blinked. He was able to recite it, but his father had never failed in the exam, and he never even praised him for his reading. Thinking of it, he felt aggrieved and turned away angrily.

Zhao Tong felt Xiao Zhao Xi's anger and couldn't help but smile: "Xi'er, Anping will study with you from now on. If you think your studies are good, then don't let Anping fall behind. My father will test you two every once in a while." One, the winner will get a prize!”

"Study with me?" Xiao Zhao Xi was stunned for a moment. He didn't know why. He didn't know why his father wanted to find someone to study with him, and he also had to decide the winner. The winner would be rewarded, but the loser would lose face.

He couldn't help but secretly decide in his heart that he would never lose to this little wild boy who didn't know where he came from. He would definitely let him know how powerful he was when the time came!
"I just want to study with you." Zhao Tong said leisurely: "There will be a school built in the house in the future. Your younger brothers and sisters will go to the school, and the children of the generals outside will also come together."

Xiao Zhao Xi was stunned when he heard this, and said hurriedly: "Dad, will the eldest... eldest brother also come to study?"

Zhao Tong looked at him with a half-smile but not a smile: "Don't you really want your eldest brother to come?"

"I don't think so, kid." Xiao Zhao Xi said hurriedly, but he didn't dare to look at Zhao Tong. He didn't want that Zhao Zhenglai to be a wild child who had never been around his father since he was a child.

Zhao Tong squinted his eyes and was silent for a few moments, then turned around and looked at Song Qing and said, "You haven't eaten yet, please come and ask the chef to open another table."

Song Qing immediately showed a look of fear: "Your Highness, there's no need to go to so much trouble. My son and I can just find a table and sit down."

Zhao Tong shook his head: "What are you talking about? Don't say that today is the day of reunion. Even if I usually don't let my subordinates eat leftovers."

Song Qing hurriedly thanked him and said: "Thank you for your highness's consideration. I have nothing to repay. If your highness sends you an order, I will go through fire and water, even to the death."

The corners of Zhao Tong's mouth raised slightly: "If there is such a knowing death, I will not ask his men to go and die, so I probably don't need to risk death."

Song Qing was stunned, not knowing what Zhao Tong meant by his words: "Your Highness... you are right."

"Do you know why the pay in my army is higher than that of other troops?"

"I don't know. I would like to ask Your Highness to clarify my doubts." When it comes to military pay, Song Qing was deeply touched. The military pay of the Song Dynasty was very high. It could not be compared with that of the Liao Dynasty or Xixia. However, Zhao Tao's side was even higher than that of the Song Dynasty. , and it's not a little bit higher, but a full 50%.

This is actually unimaginable. You must know that raising troops itself is a huge expense, especially fighting in wartime, which consumes money and food several times more than usual.

This military salary, which is more than 50%, can support many more soldiers, reduce a lot of combat pressure, and ease many conflicts. However, Zhao Tao did not do that. The amount was whatever he said. He had never been reduced or defaulted.

Zhao Tong looked at Song Qing and said slowly: "I just want everyone who follows me to have a better life. Regardless of generals or soldiers, fighting is a matter of losing one's head. If life is not easy, who will be willing to work as a soldier? Soldier It’s not that you are homeless. What you don’t have now will be available in the future. If you want to marry a wife and have a baby, and you want your baby to study, how can you finish reading the book in a year or two? It all costs money!”

Song Qing couldn't help but say: "Your Highness is so righteous, and my subordinates are so impressed by him."

Zhao Tong said: "So I raised the salary to provide a guarantee for those who follow me, so that those who have a family can live a better life, and those who do not have a family can have the capital to start a family in the future."

At this time, wine and food have already been served to the newly opened table. When there is a banquet in the house, two extra tables will be prepared in case of emergency. There is no need to cook new meals at this time, it will be served just in time.

Zhao Tong pointed at it: "Go and eat quickly. The wine is very good. It has been stored in this city for decades. It has a rich and mellow aroma."

Song Qing said: "Thank you, Your Highness." After saying that, he led Song Anping over to eat.

Xiao Anping had been hungry for a long time, and his stomach was growling. In order to rush into the city today, the two of them just ate two dry cooking cakes on the way. Song Qing was okay, but Song Anping was a little dizzy, especially when he just carried his back. After reading the Thousand-Character Essay, my legs were already weak.

Watching the two of them eating and drinking, Zhao Tong suddenly said: "Why don't you drink?"

Song Qing stood up hurriedly: "Your Highness, I never drink."

"You never drink?" Zhao Tong raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Yes, it's not that I avoid alcohol, but I haven't drank since I was a child."

Zhao Tong pressed his hand and motioned for him to sit down. A strange light flashed in his eyes: "It's better if you don't drink. Wine can sometimes cause problems. Not everyone can be self-disciplined."

"Your Highness is right. I am afraid that drinking will cause trouble, so I don't dare to drink."

Zhao Tong nodded, remained silent, and gently turned the wine glass on the table. Luda felt a little unhappy on the opposite side, filled a bowl for himself, and drank it all...

In a blink of an eye, the sky was dark, and the full moon was in the sky, casting a snow-white light, illuminating the house as if it were daytime.

At this time, there were no lanterns lit all over to offer the moonlight and admire the moonlight without any light from the side. Just look at the moonlight like water.

A small high platform was set up in the front hall, which was beautifully decorated with various snacks and fruits. The most indispensable thing was the small moon dumplings, which are the moon cakes of later generations. There are not many restaurants in Xining that can make moon dumplings. After all, the food here is mixed, and even the dim sum uses meat and milk as the main ingredient.

When the time for offering the moon passed, Zhao Tong ordered the moon-eating group to be divided, chatted for a while, and then left the house.

But Song Qing didn't leave, and he had nowhere to go, so he just waited for Zhao Tong to arrange it.

Zhao Tong first asked people to move Xiao Anping into a place of residence. After all, he had to accompany him to study, and he would live in the house from now on until he was twelve years old.

Then he led Song Qing to a place leisurely and with his hands behind his back.

At this time, only Qian Wenxi was following behind. Qian Wenxi had a mustache and rarely talked during the day. Normally, Zhao Tong would not ask him, and probably would not speak more than ten sentences a day.

Zhao Tong walked to a palace in the west of the mansion, asked Qian Wenxi to unlock the door, went inside and lit the candles, and then summoned Song Qing to go in.

This palace was where he stored the stone wall of Hero Island. The stone wall had been brought here before he left Tokyo. He still had one last move in Kunpeng Sanhuan that he had not fully comprehended, so the stone wall still had value.

"Go and guard the door. No one can come in without my order."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Qian Wenxi agreed and headed out.

Song Qing saw two wheels emerging from under his feet, gliding forward.

"Your Highness, this..." He was confused.

Zhao Tong waved his hand: "Don't worry about him. I am usually willing to use some ingenuity. Now I have obtained a secret book of the Mohist School of the Warring States Period. I have been studying it all day long. I might come up with something weird."

Surprise flashed in Song Qing's eyes: "Your Highness, I heard that during the Warring States Period, strange skills were prevalent. There were wooden birds to fly, wooden horses to walk, and wooden boats to row on your own. Is it true?"

Zhao Tong said: "It's hard to say about the wooden bird. For the wooden horse, there are always Wuhou's wooden ox and flowing horse as a reference. As for the wooden boat, there are also wooden boats."

Song Qing said: "It's true that my subordinates are rare and strange, like a frog in the well."

Zhao Tong said: "Gong Liang, you are not ignorant!"

"Your Highness, I..." Song Qing immediately looked puzzled upon hearing this.

"Go and take down those tarpaulins from the side of the palace." Zhao Tong said calmly.

"Yes, Your Highness." Song Qing didn't know what Zhao Tong meant, so he walked towards the wall of the main hall.

When he came in just now, he saw something strange here. It seemed like there was something tall and broad placed there, somewhat hidden and tightly covered.

After he walked over, he stretched out his hand, but couldn't reach the top, so he thought about finding a stool to step on and lift the cloth head.

At this moment, Zhao Tong said from behind: "Gong Liang, why don't you just jump up?"

Song Qing couldn't help but stagnate when he heard this, and turned around and said: "Your Highness... I can't jump that high."

Zhao Tong smiled and said nothing. Song Qing lowered his head and moved a brocade pier, then stepped on it and untied the end of the cloth, and then pulled off the entire tarpaulin. The island's stone walls immediately came into view.

Song Qing only glanced at it, but as if he was struck by lightning, he immediately turned around and said cautiously: "Your Highness, it has been opened."

Zhao Tong slowly walked forward and said: "Gong Liang, look at this stone wall. I obtained it from an island in the East China Sea in the old days. Everyone says... there is a kind of unparalleled martial arts hidden in it."

"Your Highness, I don't understand martial arts..." Song Qing lowered his head and said, "I can't understand these things."

Zhao Tong smiled and said: "Your brother Song Jiang can use a knife and stick several times, how come you don't know anything about it? Shandong has been a place of martial arts since ancient times, and many people should be able to use both hands..."

"Your Highness, I have been weak since I was a child. People are learning martial arts to keep fit, but I can't do it. I'm afraid it will damage my body." Song Qing replied.

"This is the same as Yuan Guo Na Pocai." Zhao Tong looked Song Qing up and down, and Song Qing lowered his head.

"But no matter how you look at it, King Yuan Guo really has no means. As for Gong Liang you..."

"Your Highness, I don't have any skills either."

"Gong Liang, would you like to look back at this stone wall? Do you want to take a closer look at it every day?" Zhao Tong said with a smile.

"Your Highness, this..." Song Qing said as he looked back. He didn't want to look back, but his mind didn't twist his neck, so he went to look anyway, and at the same time he sighed in his heart.

After a while, Zhao Tong said: "What did Gong Liang see?"

"Your Highness, I really don't understand martial arts..."

Qian Wenxi took a book outside the palace door and read it. It was a sheepskin book. Judging from the damage and stains on the surface, it should have been there for a long time.

Although the moonlight outside was bright, it was still difficult to read a book, so he took out a small wooden board from the backpack behind his back, folded it a few times, and turned it into a small wooden stool, which he placed next to the door. It will be much brighter by the candlelight in the house.

At this moment, a whistling sound suddenly came from the hall, followed by the sound of "ping ping ping ping pong" fighting.

Qian Wenxi suddenly became excited, and his body suddenly jumped up. Without even looking at his movements, a strange-shaped long knife appeared in his hand. The handle of the knife was in the middle of the blade, and there was a crescent moon guard on the side that looked like a halberd. But it's not a hook. Extending out from both sides are straight knives with both front and back blades.

He reached the door in one step, and just as he raised his foot to kick the door, he suddenly stopped and just stood there hesitating.

Zhao Tong's words are still in his ears. No one is allowed to enter without his order!
Qian Wenxi struggled to retract his legs little by little, but did not leave. Instead, he closed his eyes, took out something that looked like a horn, covered his ears with one end, and pressed the other end against the door lattice, listening carefully to the sounds inside.

Although he was not in the palace at this time, the sounds in his ears generated blurry pictures in his mind. He listened to the sounds and quickly analyzed the movements of the people in the room.

After a moment, he suddenly returned to the small stool and sat down like lightning. Then he saw the door of the palace open, and Song Qing walked out with a slight limp.

Qian Wenxi stood up and looked at Song Qing. Song Qing's eyes were still cloudy and lifeless, except that his legs and feet were a little awkward and his arms were shaking slightly.

Then I heard Zhao Tong's voice coming from the palace: "Arrange Gong Liang to live in Ouyang Bei's house. If Ouyang Bei leaves Xining Prefecture tomorrow, the house will be given to Gong Liang."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Qian Wenxi saluted in the palace, then walked to Song Qing's side: "General Song, please come this way!"

(End of this chapter)