Section 1

Deng Laosan was already drenched in cold sweat, and his right eyelid was twitching even more violently. This matter was far more serious than offending the two individuals, Zhang and Tang, in his inn. He himself was someone who had nearly lost his life in Lingzhou City, having walked through the gates of hell once, and thus had a somewhat detached view of life and death. However, his entire family, more than ten people, were still in Lingkou Town. He knew all too well what chaotic soldiers were like. Once military discipline breaks down, they can be more brutal than bandits. Seeing Tang Kang asking questions, he quickly replied: "In response to your honor, three days ago, I heard from someone who came from Weinan that the Xiongwu Second Army passed through Weinan and was resting outside the city."

In just a few minutes, the two arrived at the front porch of the post station. From a distance, they could see that all the people in the main hall had been driven out, guarded by several soldiers brought by Zhang Zhun and Tang Kang, each one looking anxious and uneasy. A few soldiers stood at the entrance, their eyes fixed straight ahead, their faces filled with a murderous intent. Deng Laosan's heart sank; he had no idea what was happening. Unconsciously, he quickened his pace, almost breaking into a run down the corridor. Upon reaching the entrance, he was stopped by the soldiers: "Halt! Can't you see?" Deng Laosan quickly forced a smile and said, "I am the post officer here, I do not know..." The soldiers did not even glance at him, and one shouted, "What post officer? Lord Zhang has ordered that no idle people are allowed inside." Deng Laosan felt a surge of anger in his heart, yet he still maintained a habitual smile on his face and said politely, "I apologize for the inadequate service, I hope you gentlemen can bear with me. I would appreciate it if you could inform the higher-ups..." Before he could finish his sentence, someone in the hall said, "Let them in, perhaps they have something to say."

Li Banzai chuckled and said, "What does it have to do with me? I just find it rare that the governor is so young and still so amiable. I have been at the post station for several years and have never encountered such a situation before"

As Deng Laosan listened to their conversation, a sudden realization struck him—today was the sixth day of the sixth month in the seventeenth year of Xining. The order that had come five days ago was for these two days, as the court's envoy, the esteemed Zhang Dun of the Shaanxi Road, along with the former governor of Rongzhou, the honorable Tang Kang, were to pass through this post! Could it be that these two were indeed traveling together? He looked at the two men with suspicion; their simple and unadorned attire made it difficult to discern their true identities

Old Three Deng added some hay to the horse trough and said: "What do you know? In this world, where can you find someone so young in age holding such a high position without being overbearing? Just look at his gaze, his demeanor..."

Very well. Zhang Dun then asked, "How many old soldiers are there in this post house?"

Zhang Zhun and Tang Kang's faces turned pale instantly

It is ! ''

Zhang Li heard the sound and came out, responding: "Here."

Old Three Deng gave him a slap on the head and scolded, "What are you fussing about? Just be careful in your service."

Returning to the esteemed adult, the family of the little one consists of more than ten members, while the Li family has around seven or eight members, and they all reside in this Lingkou Town

The two men entered the door and saw that the hall was still lit by only a single oil lamp, dim and shadowy, making it nearly impossible to see the faces of those present. By their figures, they could see Zhang Zhun and Tang Kang sitting in the two central chairs, flanked by a row of bodyguards on either side. Sitting at the lower end was a stranger, an old man dressed in coarse cloth. The old man appeared to be in his fifties, and in the faint light, it was evident that he was in a very disheveled state; his hair, face, and body were soaked from the rain, covered in mud, and littered with grass clippings. Although he was sitting in the hall, he seemed to be in a daze, as if he had suffered a great shock. As Deng Laosan paid his respects to Zhang Zhun and Tang Kang, he secretly observed the old man, finding him somewhat familiar. After pondering for a moment, he dared to conclude that this person had never been in his inn; he just could not recall where he had seen him before. Just as he was puzzled, he heard Zhang Zhun speak in a deep voice: "Master Zhang, what exactly happened in Weinan? How many rebellious soldiers are causing trouble?" Deng Laosan's heart suddenly cleared; this old man was actually Zhang Ying, the magistrate of Weinan—he just did not know why he was dressed in commoner's clothes and in such a disheveled state. He looked at Zhang Ying, secretly speculating, and suddenly remembered that when Zhang Zhun and Tang Kang had just disembarked, he had carefully counted the number of people in his mind, and Zhang Ying was not among them. At that time, Zhang Zhun and Tang Kang had shown no signs of abnormality—so this Zhang Ying must have arrived at the inn when he was at the stable.

Zhang Zhun let out a sound of acknowledgment, glanced at the two, and said: "Under a collapsed nest, there are no intact eggs. Regarding the military mutiny in Weizhou, you both are aware of it. I do not care about the reasons behind it; if this mutiny truly escalates, the hundreds of households in Lingkou Town will likely face dire consequences. I have no further words, only to ask if you are willing to lend your strength to the court once more, and also to protect your families in the process"

Li Banzai was momentarily taken aback upon hearing this name and said: "Is it the Tang Er who used mandrake wine to incapacitate dozens of leaders in Rongzhou and lured thousands of barbarians to their deaths?"

Three days! Tang Kang looked at Zhang Zhun and said: "If this is the case, judging from Zhang Ying's situation, the rebellion of the Xiongwu Second Army will likely occur within a day or two at most. What exactly is the reason for their rebellion? Is it incited by the officers or a mutiny among the soldiers? How many people are involved in the rebellion? Was there any premeditation? What is the situation in Weinan... We are unclear about all these matters. However, the urgent task at hand is to prevent the rebellious soldiers from roaming freely. If this group of rebellious soldiers wreaks havoc in the heartland of Shaanxi, the consequences would be unimaginable." He pondered for a moment and then said with great emotion: "Brother Zhang, since we are faced with this situation, we cannot remain indifferent; this is not how one repays the Emperor's favor and the court's kindness."

Take Lord Zhang down to rest. Find a few people to take good care of him and urge him to recover his composure quickly

Deng Laosan looked at the crowd and couldn't help but shake his head. Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed, accompanied by a flash of lightning that illuminated the dark sky with a ghastly whiteness. For some reason, he was suddenly overcome by an ominous feeling, and his right eyelid began to twitch incessantly. He paced back and forth in the stable a few times, feeling increasingly uneasy. Just as he was contemplating going to the front hall to check, he saw a courier rush in in a fluster. Upon seeing Deng Laosan, he pointed outside with his hand and stammered, "All... all... all heads... out... out..." He paced back and forth in the stable a few times, feeling increasingly uneasy, and just as he was contemplating going to the front hall to check, he saw a courier rush in in a fluster. Upon seeing Deng Laosan, he pointed outside with his hand and stammered, "All... all... all heads... out... out..."

Zhong E? ! '' Zhang Jun was taken aback, his mouth agape, unable to close it.

"Be polite?" Old Deng San glanced sideways at Li Banzai and said, "Serve him well, and make sure not to make any mistakes. Do you know who he is?"

Zhang Zhun glanced at them and waved his hand, prompting everyone to quickly take their leave. Just as they reached the door, they heard Zhang Zhun's stern voice behind them: "Do not tarnish the reputation of the Xuanwu Army"

However, regardless of the circumstances, the Song Dynasty's control over the imperial troops can be described as strictly institutionalized. Zhang Dun, as the inspector of the Shaanxi Circuit, had no authority to mobilize any stationed imperial troops in Shaanxi, let alone Tang Kang! Not to mention that the return of Shi Yue was merely a faint scent that only a few could detect, even if Shi Yue had truly been appointed as a minister, Tang Kang would not have been able to act with such impunity.

Zhang Zhun nodded and said, "What Kang Shi said is indeed true." He tightened his grip on the sword at his waist, suddenly stood up, and stared at Deng Laosan and Li Banzai, saying sternly, "Are you two veterans of the Second Army of Xuanwu?"

Yet these few sentences were enough to send a chill down the spine of everyone in the hall

The knight at the forefront, upon seeing the two individuals emerge from the post station, immediately began to scold: "You damned ones, all lying around like corpses. Who is the leader among you?"

As long as Brother Zhang has this intention, there is certainly a way. Tang Kang looked at Zhang Zhun, a slight smile on his lips, and said calmly: "Brother Zhang, rest assured, even if I am guilty of unlawfully mobilizing the imperial troops, I will bear it all alone. I trouble you to oversee the overall situation here, keeping a close watch on those lawless rebels, and send people to urgently report to Bianjing and Jingzhao Prefecture. I will head south for a trip, and within four days, regardless of success or failure, I will return here to meet with you."

"Yes." Zhang Li responded and turned his head. In the heavy rain, Deng Laosan saw two men dressed in black robes getting off the front carriage, one around forty years old and the other in his twenties. Upon seeing them emerge, Zhang Li exclaimed, "Ah," and quickly walked over, saying, "Lord Zhang, Lord Tang, why have you come out in such heavy rain?"

"Who do you think he is, the governor of Rongzhou? The governor of Rongzhou! A young man who kills without batting an eye." Old Deng said with a grim expression, "I heard that he has executed over a hundred people in Rongzhou. Right now, he is being polite because we are wounded soldiers from the battle in Lingzhou. After all, he is also a former subordinate of Scholar Shi, and there is some lingering affection. Such a young master can turn against people without a second thought; if you do not know your place, it could implicate all of us."

Zhang Zhun looked coldly at Zhang Li as he walked out of the hall. After a while, he turned his face to look at Tang Kang and said: "Kang Shi, what do you think?" Without waiting for Tang Kang to respond, he let out a cold laugh and said: "The Xiongwu Second Army has rebelled! Hehe! Hehe!"

"Return to adult conversation, and there is also a Zhenwu Army."

Tang Kang noticed that his expression was not right and hurriedly asked, "Brother Zhang..."

Awaiting the departure of Deng Laosan and others, Zhang Jun finally turned to Tang Kang and said: "Kang Shi, this matter is difficult to handle." He looked at Tang Kang and smiled bitterly, saying: "The Xiongwu Second Army is composed of over ten thousand elite troops from He Shuo, who were dispatched to Yizhou to suppress the barbarian rebellion, and they are indeed strong and well-equipped. To suppress this military mutiny, it is essential to employ the Imperial Guards. However, neither of us has the authority to mobilize troops, and if we were to go back and forth for approval..."

Just as he was thinking, the two men approached with an umbrella. The younger one glanced at him and asked with a smile, "Are you from the Xuanwu Army?" Old Deng San was taken aback for a moment, but he noticed that the young man's gaze was fixed on his forehead, so he quickly smiled and said, "You have a keen eye, sir." The young man then glanced at the back of his hand and said with a smile, "Xuanwu Second Army, with 'Xuanwu' tattooed on your forehead and a white tiger pattern on the back of your right hand. Back in the day, when we fought in Lingzhou, we truly struck fear in the western frontier!"

"Yes!" Deng Laosan and Li Banzi felt an inexplicable surge of excitement in their hearts, responding loudly without looking back as they stepped out of the hall.

The knight cast a sidelong glance at him and said, "Is there only two people in this inn? Why don't you call someone out to greet us..." As he was scolding, he suddenly heard someone behind him shout, "Zhang Li, speak more politely."

Listening to the words of a confidant, Tang Kang already knew that he could not trust himself. He smiled and said: "Brother Zhang, if Liu Xiang were still the Transport Commissioner of Shaanxi, your plan would indeed be feasible. However, to speak frankly, currently it is Fan Chuncui who holds the position of Transport Commissioner, and Gao Zunhui as the Inspector General. Both Fan and Gao have always adhered to rules and regulations, strictly observing the ancestral laws. This is an extraordinary matter; without an imperial edict or a decree from the two provinces, if you were to proceed, they would certainly advise you to adopt a cautious approach."

At this time, Li Banzai had already called the inn staff to bring the horses and carriages into the stable, while Deng Laosan hurried to welcome the group of people outside into the inn. The Lingkou Town inn was a medium-sized establishment, and with over a hundred people entering, along with the few guests already staying there, the entire inn suddenly felt like it was boiling over, with everyone inside bustling about in a flurry. Fortunately, the young official noticed Deng Laosan's lame right leg and saw Li Banzai's amputated arm. After exchanging a few words, he learned that both men were veterans from the Xuanwu Second Army who had fought at Lingzhou City, and their conversation was very polite, with no harsh demands, which greatly relieved Deng Laosan. After the two men entered the inn, they had their own cooks and servants to attend to them, while Deng Laosan went to check on the fodder in the stable.

The several bodyguards responded and then allowed the two individuals to enter

"Am I not asking the chief?" Li Banzai said with a smile

Zhang Zhun suddenly recalled something upon hearing Tang Kang mention it, and his face turned pale.

He was lost in thought when he suddenly saw Zhang Ying as if pricked by a needle, shivering inexplicably and stammering, "The Xiongwu Second Army... has completely revolted... there are chaotic soldiers everywhere... killing... County Magistrate Zhou... is dead... dead... I saw it with my own eyes... County Magistrate Zhou is dead..." He repeatedly muttered, "County Magistrate Zhou is dead," and seemed to be engulfed in extreme panic, completely ignoring Zhang Zhun's questions.

Zhang Zhun continued to ask Zhang Ying several questions, but Zhang Ying's responses were vague and lacking substance; he merely appeared anxious, repeatedly saying, "Zhou County Magistrate is dead." Zhang Zhun glared at Zhang Ying in anger, and after a long pause, he could only helplessly let out a slight sigh and called out, "Zhang Li."

As soon as he arrived at the stable, Li Banzai approached and asked, "Captain, I heard that one of the newcomers is an angel and the other is a governor?"

"The reasoning is indeed correct..." Zhang Zhun said with a bitter smile, "But from where will the troops for this campaign come? You are aware of the regulations of the current dynasty; unauthorized troop mobilization is a grave offense. Moreover, even if you and I are willing to bear this responsibility, we still have no troops at our disposal..."

"They are all good soldiers." Zhang Zhun nodded and asked, "From your accents, I can tell you are locals. Do you have any family?"

"No requests for instructions can be made," Tang Kang declared resolutely. "Requesting troop movements and the back-and-forth of official documents is too time-consuming. To suppress this mutiny, we must act swiftly and decisively, catching the rebellious soldiers off guard. A few thousand elite troops will suffice. I also considered that Weinan is not a critical area; this mutiny is likely a coincidence. The rebellious soldiers, acting in haste, must be feeling anxious and unsettled, and the families of the elite troops are still under the control of the court. Moreover, since this is a hasty rebellion, there must be internal divisions among the rebels. If we delay by going back and forth for instructions, the rebels will stabilize their morale and consolidate their ranks, which would then become a significant threat. Even if we mobilize an army of one hundred thousand, it may not be able to quell them; and even if we can suppress them, Shaanxi would be thoroughly ruined by this group of rebels. We must take advantage of their unsettled morale and unstable internal situation to launch a swift attack. By taking them by surprise and striking when they are unprepared, even if the rebels have the strength of an army, they are merely a disorganized mob that can be easily captured in one decisive blow."

Li Banzai chuckled and said, "Why do I find him quite amiable?"

Old Man Deng busily smiled and replied, "I am the courier here, and the military officer calls me Old Man Deng."

It is ! ''

Deng Laosan felt a heavy weight in his heart, and without bothering to listen to the end, he dragged one leg and walked towards the front hall. Li Banzai noticed something was amiss and hurriedly followed behind Deng Laosan, taking two or three steps at a time. As he walked, he tightly gripped a bronze medal at his waist—this medal bore the inscription "Loyal and Brave," a title awarded for his significant contributions in the conquest of Lingzhou. With this bronze medal, no local official in Lintong or Weinan could make him kneel.

At this moment, even Li Banzai stopped laughing, merely lowering his head to feed the horses. Deng Laosan added in a low voice, "That angel is not to be trifled with; he has served in the Weiwei Temple." After saying this, he patted the horse that was eating in the stable, while inspecting each one and loudly calling out, "Brothers, take good care of them; do not let anything go wrong!" The others in the stable responded with cheerful laughter, while some ignored Deng Laosan, focusing instead on whispering, "This is indeed a He Tao horse..."

Zhang Zhun looked down on Fan Chuncui's lack of military knowledge, while Gao Zunhui, as a relative of the royal family, was cautious and fearful of incurring rumors. It was unlikely that the two would agree to take risks. At that time, they might defend themselves in Ying City and then send someone to request an imperial decree, which would also hinder their own actions. Initially, Zhang Zhun had the idea of using a battalion of the Imperial Guards stationed in Chang'an—the commander of that battalion came from the Weiwei Temple. With a little scheme, it would not be difficult to deceive that battalion of Imperial Guards, but the risks were too great. He originally intended to discuss with Tang Kang to involve more people, so that if the court pursued the matter later, he would have room to shift the blame onto others and keep the credit for himself. However, seeing Tang Kang's expression, which seemed confident, Zhang Zhun felt even more uncertain—if Tang Kang really had a way to summon the Imperial Guards, that would naturally be a good thing, and the blame for improperly summoning the Imperial Guards could be placed on Tang Kang, as he had two powerful backers to support him; but if he could not summon the Imperial Guards, would that not delay the important matter?

I come from Chengdu Prefecture, and General Tai has already entered Sichuan. There is still a battalion of troops in Lantian, and I have heard that they are waiting for firearms to be transported from the capital...

At.

If what Zhang Ying said is true, and it is indeed the case that the Xiongwu Second Army has revolted, then this would be the largest event since the Qingshou mutiny in the fourth year of Xining. Tang Kang pondered and turned his gaze towards Deng Laosan, asking: "Do you know when the Xiongwu Second Army arrived in Weinan?"

In the ! '' team, a bodyguard stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and responded together with Li Banzai.

You are given ten personal guards to oversee the relay station, ensuring that nothing occurs. You must not inquire about the military and civilian merchants coming and going, regardless of whether they are heading east or west. Keep a close watch on the mouths of those in the relay station; anyone who dares to utter a single word recklessly will be dealt with according to military law

Deng Laosan and Li Banzai exchanged a glance, and both said in unison: "We are willing to follow your orders, sir"

Tang Kang smiled, and although he absolutely did not believe it in his heart, he said with a smile, "Then it would be fine to inform Brother Zhang. The rebellion in Yizhou has been rising and falling continuously, and the court has dispatched the imperial troops from Hebei and Shaanxi to enter Shu. The two formidable armies that were supposed to unite were originally planned to gather at Lantian with the western troops that arrived first..."

Old Three Deng smiled and said, "You have a good eye, my lord." He indeed used to be a soldier in the Second Army of Xuanwu, and in the military, the old title was still in use, so he was called "Dutou" (Head of the Army). The practice of tattooing characters on the forehead among the Song army had not been widely followed since the reign of Emperor Renzong; they had shifted to tattooing the back of the hand, and by the time of Xining, it had gradually ceased even on the back of the hand. However, at that time, tattooing was a social custom, prevalent not only in the military but also among the common people. The Xuanwu army was known for tattooing the characters "Xuanwu" on the forehead and the pattern of a white tiger on the back of the hand. The First Army tattooed the left hand, while the Second Army tattooed the right hand for distinction. This custom, whether regarded as a bad habit or a tradition, has been passed down and widely recognized.

He secretly scrutinized Tang Kang, observing his generous demeanor and self-assured gaze, which led him to doubt that Tang Kang, having achieved success at a young age, possessed ample talent but lacked the necessary prudence and discernment, potentially jeopardizing significant matters. Noticing that Tang Kang merely smiled without responding, he pondered for a moment and then tactfully suggested: "I happen to have a position as an envoy for border patrol and weather observation in Shaanxi. Perhaps I could go to Jingzhao Prefecture to discuss matters with Fan Chuncui and Gao Zunhui. Even if the Imperial Guard cannot be mobilized, there are still over 10,000 training troops in Chang'an at present. It would be better to..."

"Yes," Zhang Li replied, but he heard Zhang Zhun shout, "Wait!" He quickly stopped in his tracks, only to hear Zhang Zhun sternly say, "Send a message: have someone guard the entrance and exit of the post station. Anyone within the station, without my order, is allowed to enter but not to leave. Those who disobey the order—" Zhang Zhun gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Kill without question!"

Old Deng cast a stern glance at Li, then looked around to see that no one was paying attention to his words. He lowered his voice and said: "Do you know who he is? He is the sworn brother of Scholar Shi and the grandson-in-law of Minister Wen—Tang Kang!"

Zhang Zhun then turned his gaze towards Li Banzai and shouted: "Li Banzai! Zhang Yi!"

In compliance with the order, Zhang Li responded loudly and assisted the gentleman in retreating.

The hearts of the people seemed to have fallen into an ice cave. If it is indeed the case that the Second Army of Xiongwu is in rebellion, this would be the largest military mutiny in thirteen years, and also the largest since the founding of the nation—previously, there were only rebellions involving thousands of people, but this time it involves an entire infantry division, with more than ten thousand people in revolt. Moreover, it has occurred in the heartland of Shaanxi! Not to mention the great disaster that this rebel army could cause if it were to roam freely, Lingkou Town is merely a stone's throw from Weinan; under a collapsed nest, how can there be intact eggs? More than ten thousand people in revolt. Moreover, it has occurred in the heartland of Shaanxi! Not to mention the great disaster that this rebel army could cause if it were to roam freely, Lingkou Town is merely a stone's throw from Weinan; under a collapsed nest, how can there be intact eggs?

Yes. Deng Laosan and Li Banzai both started in surprise and responded loudly. Li Banzai straightened his back and added: "Both I and Captain Deng came from Lingzhou City."

We can only rely on Tian Liewu!" Zhang Zhun forced a smile, but his right hand, hidden in his sleeve, tightened around the hilt of his sword. At that moment, a series of dull thunderclaps suddenly echoed from outside, and the rain began to pour even harder.

"Very well!" Zhang Zhun nodded, his expression darkening as he shouted, "Deng Laosan!"

Weinan Mutiny

Brother Zhang wore a serious expression, staring at Tang Kang, and said in a low voice: "Among the firearms that the court is transporting to General Zhong E's army, there are also four cannons intended for the Lanzhou military. They have been delayed by the heavy rain, and in the next few days, they are likely to arrive in Weinan."

You two, accompanied by two personal guards, will go to Weinan to gather information

Ah?! Tang Kang's face immediately turned pale. He quickly steadied his mind and said: "In any case, Brother Zhang can only trust me once. The troops of the Blue Field battalion are under the command of Tian Liewu. He and I share a bond of teacher and friend, and he is a person of principle, not one who quibbles over salary and official rank. If I can persuade him to mobilize his troops to quell the unrest in Weinan, it would be as easy as turning over my hand"

Coup d'état

Zhang Zhun stood up and exclaimed, "How can I let Kang Shi bear this responsibility alone!"

Tang Kang raised his eyes to look at Zhang Zhun, their gazes met, and he smiled slightly, saying: "If Brother Zhang were to know about this, he would no longer be able to extricate himself from the matter. I would never dare to deceive the Emperor. When the Emperor inquires whether Brother Zhang is aware of this matter, if you do not ask now, I can respond with 'I do not know.' However, if you insist on asking now, I cannot conceal the truth. I urge you to think carefully..."

This matter is of great importance..." Zhang Zhun glanced at Tang Kang again and slowly said: "Kang Shi, you must tell me where you went and how you managed to summon the Imperial Guard? I need to have an understanding of the situation.