Chapter 8, Infuriating the Treacherous Minister Father

"Issue an order: except for myself and the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, no one is allowed to touch the head of the young master. Those who violate this order shall be executed!"

Gao Qiu said: "I know Lin Chong's character better than you do; he is a talented individual, and I understand that even more than you. The true obstacle to the relationship between the Gao family and Lin Chong is Zhang Zhenniang. What I am worried about is that you cannot control yourself and will act against Zhenniang. If you do, Lin Chong will definitely not endure it, and you will be in danger. So think carefully: if you resolutely decide to give up Zhang Zhenniang, you can have Lin Chong. Otherwise, you will surely kill Lin Chong!" So think carefully: if you resolutely decide to give up Zhang Zhenniang, you can have Lin Chong. Otherwise, you will surely kill Lin Chong!

He was so angry that he could not continue speaking, and even the birds began to chirp.

The commanding officer helped Xu Ning to his feet and handed him a set of official documents, saying, "The High Hall Commander has ordered me to deliver this to you. Now that you hold an official position, you are to serve the Imperial Guard diligently from this day forward"

As Gao Fangping clasped his hands and walked away, he remarked: "There are actually many who understand, but they simply do not dare to speak up. Once they do, my treacherous father will surely flay their skin and tear their bones. It is a tragedy. Therefore, only I dare to speak."

I am unaware if there are any additional instructions from the official, nor do I know if I am capable of fulfilling the requirements.

Gao Fangping awkwardly said: "Isn't Lin Chong more pleasing to the eye than Lu Qian?"

Gao Qiu was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, and he patted his son's head, saying: "Auspicious omen, my son has now become quite clever and amusing."

Gao Fangping pulled him over to one side

Xu Ning is indeed somewhat cunning; he clearly wants to be assured of protection, but if it involves taking him along to commit robbery, he will likely back out.

Xu Ning said solemnly: "I do not know what the standard is, what kind of personal troops does the yamen desire?"

"My dear sir, you are not aware of this, you are indeed a treacherous minister, and this is evident to everyone," Gao Fangping said in a refined manner. "Truly intelligent individuals do not listen to what you say, but observe what you do. From a psychological perspective, he has already determined that you are a treacherous minister. If I deny this, I will encounter his resistance and aversion. Conversely, if I acknowledge it, it will become a common language between us, and he will lower his guard, believing that you are humble and respectful towards the worthy, which is an early form of criticism and self-criticism."

Immediately following, Gao Qiu scolded: "However, you ungrateful child dare to say in front of the imperial troops that I am a traitor... I @"

You need not concern yourself with this matter. I, your son, am a hero of the General's Office, valiant and composed, thus my actions are certainly driven by reason

Xu Ningzhi said he was right, but I did not dare to interject, otherwise it would imply a suspicion of slandering the wisdom of the authorities

Gao Fangping said: "Do your best, at least manage military discipline first. An army without discipline is not an army. This is the most fundamental aspect. Once discipline is established, we can then study the issue of instilling ideology, which is also very important, even the soul of the army. An army without pursuit and belief cannot be called an army. When these two elements are in place, it becomes easier to improve individual qualities, and one can gradually gain experience through battles."

Gao Qiu was so enraged that his mustache curled up: "You brat, do you know how much money I spent raising this bird? I intended to present it to the officials as a tribute. If you don't cherish it, that's one thing, but you cannot treat it so poorly."

Puff—

It is not that I am afraid; when speaking in front of hundreds of people, everyone believes it will be fulfilled, it is just not cost-effective

Very well. Since you are unwilling to leave, then at the next moment, the military law of Commander Xu will be effective against you. Do not complain or lament; this is your own choice

He inevitably looked at this former foolish dandy with a different perspective, and the officials in the yamen had indeed voiced the issues within the military. Xu Ning certainly understood that the true elite capable of going into battle in the Song Dynasty was not the imperial guards, but rather the Western Army under the command of the Zhong family, who dared to fight. Most people did not comprehend this situation, while those who did pretended not to see it. Ironically, the ones who could truly perceive this situation were precisely the instructors of these imperial guards.

"What is your name?" At one point, Gao Fangping reached in and pinched the bird, hitting its head against the wall of the cage a few times

During the Song Dynasty, the disdain for military personnel was well understood by all. There were almost no generals who did not embezzle military salaries or rations, or who did not exploit the soldiers. The personal guard stationed at the palace was composed of their own people, which at least ensured that they would not be drained of their resources, allowing their families to have enough to eat

Xu Ning opened the document to watch, the Ninth-Rank Benevolent and Brave Captain, a subordinate of the Imperial Guard under the command of the Japanese army. He felt greatly excited and knelt down on one knee again, saying: "Thank you, esteemed officials, for your promotion, and thank you, young master, for your care"

Xu Ning nearly fainted; this rascal actually said "traitorous old man." Although it is not incorrect, it cannot be stated so directly

It is not entirely your fault; in the past, due to the absence of the superior, my father was preoccupied with other matters and neglected management. However, it is the duty of those under the superior to obey and be disciplined. Do not make excuses or flaunt your seniority and contributions in front of me, thinking you have been wronged. Once I report to my father, I will restore your civilian status, and then you can leave. With hundreds of thousands in the imperial guard, it is not difficult to select a few hundred personal guards. If you believe you have merits, hardships, or seniority, and do not wish to obey the discipline, now is the time to step forward. I will not punish you; aside from restoring your civilian status, your past qualifications, contributions, hardships, and so on will be converted into monetary compensation, and then you will still be asked to leave.

I do not wish to defeat you; rather, I aim to gather some capable talents for our Gao family. My son has committed too many wrongdoings, and his reputation is quite poor. I am constantly on edge, unable to sleep without a few skilled guards by my side

Gao Qiu said, "I heard that you went to the Kaifeng Prefecture prison to visit Lin Chong"

Gao Fangping patted him on the shoulder and said: "The Great Song has an abundance of everything—many soldiers, many officials, much money, and plenty of grain. At the same time, there are many mountain bandits and local thieves, as well as numerous treacherous ministers and traitorous subjects. Therefore, suppressing bandits is equivalent to training the army"

Gao Qiu nodded and said: "I do not interfere with your going to the Zhang family, as I know your preferences; you will not let that young lady go. That is fine, I support whatever my son desires. However, you may have misjudged Lin Chong. I do not believe that matters can be reconciled at this stage. Those in power must be most cautious to act cleanly and avoid leaving future troubles. I do not interfere with you, but I have my own plans and have already arranged for Lu Qian to set out to resolve this matter"

The meaning of this question is that if you, Young Master Gao, wish to have lackeys who bully the weak and dominate the vulnerable, there are corresponding disciplinary methods for that; or if you desire something else, there are also appropriate methods for that

"Interesting, interesting," Gao Qiu chuckled while stroking his beard, "Is my son playing chess with his father?"

"It's all up to you; my son just has to speak up." Gao Qiu's father looked greatly pleased, gently stroking his son's head, realizing that this head is precious and truly cannot be struck.

Xu Ning knelt on one leg to pay his respects, while the others remained motionless. This is also a rule; once the military formation is established, no one is allowed to pay respects to the superior except for the commander.

Originally, it was merely a first-level instructor, to put it plainly, a group of adult students sitting in the classroom listening to the teacher's explanations. Once the class bell rings, no one cares what you are; they just leave with a wave of their hands

Gao Fangping stated without hesitation: "Of course, we need a troop of fierce soldiers, trained under the standards of having principles and beliefs, capable of truly going into battle and fighting the enemy"

The child is indeed teachable. Gao Qiu felt a sense of relief, as this young man has truly become enlightened

Despite hundreds of loyal troops, not a single person stepped forward

"Yes, yes, thank you for your praise, my lord," Gao Fangping nodded.

As the foremost jester of the current dynasty, no one is better at discerning the thoughts of others than Gao Qiu. Thus, one cannot help but marvel at this young man's wit; upon careful examination, his words reveal a certain depth of understanding.

After a pause, he continued: "But the truth is that there are very few real armies. Apart from the Western military forces under the command of the family, it seems there is not a single genuine army capable of going to the battlefield, do you understand?"

Xu Ning questioned, "In the land of Bianjing, where can one seek the battlefield?"

Xu Ning's breathing was still somewhat rapid, as happiness came rather suddenly. Although his family was not considered impoverished, there was certainly no one who would have financial difficulties. Even as a military general, the Song Dynasty was very generous to its officials; the salary was indeed not low. The pay for the camp commander had significantly increased compared to before, and this was in addition to the official salary of the Renyong Captain, resulting in a much higher income than before. Furthermore, there was the prestige of leading troops and the sense of power that came with it. Even as a military general, the Song Dynasty was very generous to its officials; the salary was indeed not low. The pay for the camp commander had significantly increased compared to before, and this was in addition to the official salary of the Renyong Captain, resulting in a much higher income than before. Furthermore, there was the prestige of leading troops and the sense of power that came with it

"The disguise of the official is quite impressive!" Xu Ning exclaimed, "Among those with true ambition and genuine understanding of military affairs, I have only seen one like the official."

Gao Fangping was carrying a birdcage, yet he did not know what kind of bird it contained; he merely sought to experience the feeling of being a dandy. Otherwise, this thing chirped incessantly, driving one to distraction

The commander smiled and cupped his hands in salute to Gao Fangping before leaving the training ground. He was a high-ranking official, and although he was a trusted confidant of Gao Qiao, he was not particularly inclined to associate with someone as foolish and debauched as Gao Fangping

Gao Fangping said, "If you do not do it this way, then you are no longer Gao Dianshuai. Very well, you do your thing, and I will do mine; the rest will depend on Lin Chong's fate."

Seeing the treacherous minister glaring at the old round man, Gao Fangping, feeling deflated, changed his tone and said: "Alright, you caught me; I was talking nonsense. I won't dare to do it again in the future"

Upon arrival, Gao Fangping stated: "Alright, everything that needs to be said has been made clear. Now, those who wish to leave may come forward to register and receive their money. Remember, this is the only opportunity. If you do not leave at this time and yet refuse to obey orders and discipline, thinking you are special and opposing your superiors, military law will be enforced against you"

Xu Ning pondered for a moment and said: "The general understands now. However, such soldiers are difficult to train, requiring a long period of time. Without experiencing a real battle formation, they can never be properly trained."

All the conditions for the Gao family's square were laid out, yet not a single person emerged; everyone shrank back, fearing being expelled from the Gao family and left without even a meal to eat

Father, you may not be aware of this, but a true bird does not need to call out frequently; it needs to call out skillfully. The officials generally prefer tranquility; what they seek is a sense of static beauty, rather than the dynamic noise of incessant chirping

Suddenly, Gao Fangping felt a pain in the back of his head. Covering his head, he turned around to see that the treacherous minister had arrived.

I underestimated my son; the things I desire will be much larger. While I may like women, I am not so infatuated with them." Gao Fangping said

I, Xu Ning, humbly present myself before the esteemed Commander.

"So, does this mean that Lu Qian is likely to die on the road? And Lin Chong is probably going to reunite with his wife?" Gao Qiu asked curiously

Meanwhile, a commanding officer from the General's Mansion entered the parade ground

Upon seeing the officials enter, the soldiers, under the command of Xu Ning, lined up one after another. Although not very agile, they managed to stand in formation within the stipulated time, looking somewhat presentable.

Commander Xu need not worry, those who do bad deeds will not seek you out, I have plenty of lackeys, more than I can use