Simultaneous Transmigration: The Re-merging of 99 Selves

Chapter 8 The Discourse on Generals and Ministers and the World Without Beggars

Upon hearing Huang Yaoshi ask the question, Zhao Yu knew that he was already interested, and immediately smiled freely.

"Brother Huang's martial arts skills are indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people, but to put it bluntly, he can only defeat one person. To govern a country, one must be able to defeat ten thousand. Whether in battle or in administration, one who can govern ten thousand people is a true talent. One can conquer the world on horseback, but one cannot govern it on horseback. I understand this principle."

As he spoke, Zhao Yu stood up and bowed to Huang Yaoshi: "The court and the people are in turmoil and uneasy. I urgently need a wise and capable advisor to help me to rectify the court. When we march north to strike at the enemy's capital, we will need Xiao He to lead the way and take charge of the overall situation."

"Brother Huang's talent surpasses all others of our time. I dare to compare myself to Liu Bei, and I wonder if Brother Huang would be willing to be his 'Sleeping Dragon'?"

After speaking, Zhao Yu appeared extremely sincere, and the effect was naturally excellent.

Although Huang Yaoshi was eccentric, he still grew up in the Confucian cultural sphere. When he heard Zhao Yu compare him to Zhuge Liang, he couldn't help but be moved.

In addition, he always boasted that he was a talented person who was not appreciated. Zhao Yu, as a prince, personally invited him and repeatedly showed his goodwill, which was exactly what he regretted.

How could Huang Yaoshi not be tempted?

Moreover, Huang Yaoshi couldn't help but feel smug when he caught a glimpse of Wang Chongyang and Hong Qi standing to the side.

He is not yet the grandmaster he will become.

Although Huang Yaoshi is now highly skilled in martial arts, he is still getting old, so how could he not have the desire to win?

Ignoring Wang Chongyang and Hong Qi standing to the side, Zhao Yu extended an invitation to him first, which can be said to have given him a lot of face.

Feeling a surge of goodwill, Huang Yaoshi's tone softened considerably.

"Your Highness is too kind." Huang Yaoshi nodded slightly. "Prime Minister Zhuge Liang is a unique figure throughout the ages, how could I dare to stand shoulder to shoulder with him? However, I am grateful for Your Highness's high regard for me, and I am not ungrateful. If Your Highness is indeed able to accomplish this, I am willing to travel to Lin'an."

Even though he had developed feelings for Zhao Yu, Huang Yaoshi wasn't quick to confess.

After all, this was a major event involving the usurpation of the throne, and it was unlikely that Zhao Yu could persuade him to join in with just a few words.

Of course, Zhao Yu was prepared for this; what he wanted was Huang Yaoshi's words.

He believed that as long as he succeeded, Huang Yaoshi would definitely be willing to take up an official post, and that would be enough.

Zhao Yu clapped his hands and laughed, "Excellent! I'll be waiting for Brother Huang's arrival in Lin'an next spring, what do you say?"

After a moment's thought, Huang Yaoshi nodded in agreement.

It's already the twelfth lunar month, and there are still a few months until spring. That's enough time for him to handle some trivial matters and also find out if Zhao Yu's words are true or false.

With so much time, there's no need to worry about being deceived by others.

Having persuaded Huang Yaoshi, Zhao Yu turned to Wang Chongyang: "What does Master Chongyang think? Do you still consider me an arrogant and ambitious person?"

Wang Chongyang remained silent for a moment, then shook his head: "Even if we have different political views, why must we go to this point? That official is... your elder brother. If you are determined to resist the Jin, can't you reason with him properly?"

He ultimately did not want to see Zhao Yu plot a rebellion.

Zhao Yu smiled sarcastically upon hearing this: "How about we talk properly? Back then, Yue Pengju defeated 100,000 Jin soldiers, causing them to lose their cities and territories. It seemed like he was about to return the old capital, but what did he gain? Master Chongyang is not a naive person. Do you really not know? Being in this court, whenever I want to do something, I already become a thorn in the side of others."

"Instead of waiting for them to plot against me later, I might as well take the plunge and sit in that position to give orders."

Wang Chongyang remained silent. Reason told him that Zhao Yu was right, but his sense of morality bound him, making him unwilling to admit it.

Zhao Yu glanced at him and continued, "Back when you raised an army in the north to resist the Jin, what was the court doing? Not only did they not provide you with any support, they were even extremely wary of the rebel army. Have you forgotten all that, Master?"

Thinking of the fallen soldiers, Wang Chongyang's face showed pain, and he could hardly speak.

For the Southern Song court, dealing with the rebel army was even more important than dealing with the Jin dynasty. From their perspective, there are countless possible interpretations.

But to outsiders, especially those involved, it was blatant betrayal!

Zhao Yu pressed his advantage: "But I'm different. If I were in power, with Brother Huang as my prime minister and a real man as my general, driving out the Tartars and restoring China would not be empty talk. Moreover, my martial arts skills can guarantee that the so-called 'killing the dog after the rabbit is caught' will never happen!"

Upon hearing Zhao Yu's words, the other three were taken aback, and then their expressions turned strange.

That makes sense, but it sounds so strange.

The saying "the rabbit dies, the dog is cooked" simply means that those in power are worried about their subordinates rebelling, so they take precautions in advance.

But for Zhao Yu, who possessed superior martial arts skills, he was not worried at all about others having treacherous intentions. After all, no one could kill him easily, and he could kill rebels at any time.

It is precisely because of this confidence that the situation of "the rabbit is killed after the hunt" will not occur.

After a moment of silence, Wang Chongyang said in a deep voice, "Like Brother Huang, I will make a trip to Lin'an next spring, and we'll talk about it then."

He would not participate in the internal strife within the Zhao Song imperial family, but he would not stop it either; everything depended on Zhao Yu's actions.

"Alright!" Zhao Yu smiled and refilled their glasses. "I'll be waiting for you both then."

Finally, it was Hong Qi's turn.

Seeing Zhao Yu looking at him, Hong Qi's face lit up with anticipation: "What official position are you going to offer me?"

He certainly didn't want to become an official, but since the two people he was with had been appointed, he couldn't be too far behind, could he?

In the world of martial arts, saving face is paramount!

Zhao Yu avoided answering, instead asking Hong Qi, "Brother Hong, what do you think the Beggars' Sect is?"

Hong Qi was taken aback. What was this question?

"My Beggars' Sect..."

He hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer.

Zhao Yu's face was serious, but his words were earth-shattering: "I thought the Beggars' Sect was an organization that shouldn't exist!"

These words shocked everyone in the room.

When Hong Qi thought of Zhao Yu's identity and what he was going to do, his expression suddenly changed, and he couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

"What do you mean by that?"

Zhao Yu waved his hand: "The Beggars' Sect is a gang made up of beggars. But for a normal imperial court, is the prosperity of the Beggars' Sect something to be happy about?"

"this……"

Hong Qi was not good with words, so how could he answer Zhao Yu's question?

"As the leader of the Beggars' Sect, it is only natural for you to strengthen the sect. But if everyone in the world were wealthy and there were no more beggars, where would your Beggars' Sect stand then?"

Zhao Yu's voice suddenly rose: "As a member of the royal family, everything I do is for the sake of this world! The northern expedition against the Jin Dynasty is my top priority, and what I must do after that is to bring peace to the people and revitalize the Song Dynasty. Although I respect you, Hong Qi, as a person, if I had to say from the bottom of my heart, the Beggars' Sect... would be better off disappearing!"

"Is it truly possible to eliminate beggars from the world?"

Hong Qi was lost in thought.