Zhao Tai sighed and took out Qiu Yue's letter, "Previously, when Taiwei Zhao and I seconded you, we agreed on a deadline of three months. Now that the deadline has passed long ago, Qiu Xianggong, the envoy of the Lianghuai system, has sent a letter urging you to go back. If you fail to return within the time limit, you will be removed from your official positions in the Song Army!"
The Southern Song Dynasty has the rules of the Southern Song Dynasty. Chen Zhong and the others have been here for half a year and there is no sign of returning. This will undoubtedly affect the operation of the army under the command of the Lianghuai Envoy.
They served on Zhao Tai's side, but occupied the Song army's establishment. As a result, the Lianghuai envoys wanted to re-promote officers and take their positions.
Therefore, Qiu Yuecai sent a letter to Zhao Tai, urging Zhao Tai to let Chen Zhong and others go back.
Chen Zhong was stunned for a moment, took the letter handed over by Zhao Tai, and started to read it.
Zhao Tai continued: "Now that we are facing a powerful enemy, it is the time to employ people. Although I am reluctant to let you go, I can't stop you from returning to Song Dynasty once Qiu Xianggong's letter is received! If it is because of my retention, you will be thrown away in Da I can’t bear Song’s official position!”
After Chen Zhong read the letter, he fell into silence.
He was just a commander in the Song Army, but for Zhao Tai, he was the commander, and his position was quite high.
The military salary and status Zhao Tai gave him were much higher than those in the Song Dynasty.
This made Chen Zhong feel a little entangled in his heart. If he didn't go back, it would be impossible for the Song Dynasty to keep him on empty wages, but if he went back, he would lose everything he had now.
Now that his old chief Zhao Fan has been transferred to Lin'an, he must have a hard time when he returns to serve under the Lianghuai system.
Thinking that after returning, he would have to live the ordinary life before, and thinking that he could continue to command tens of thousands of troops in Zhongyi Town to fight against the Mongols and defend the people, Chen Zhong quickly made a decision in his heart.
Suddenly, Chen Zhong knelt down on one knee and saluted sincerely, "My lord, I don't want to return to the Song Dynasty to serve as a thief and an army. I want to stay and continue to serve my lord, fight the Mongols together with my lord, and protect the people."
Zhao Tai quickly helped him up and said seriously: "You have to think carefully about this matter. You have also seen the situation in Suzhou. My life will only be more difficult in the future. You really have to give up your official position in the Song Dynasty. Come and follow me, fight against the Mongols with me, and do things that are beneficial to the world?"
Chen Zhong clasped his fists and said: "When a real man is alive, he should make contributions and do things that are beneficial to the world. Following my husband in a humble position can not only gain merit, but also resist foreigners. It is an honor to humble my position!"
"Okay, okay!" Zhao Tai took his hand and said emotionally: "You abandon your fame and follow me, I will definitely live up to you!"
Kublai Khan's massacre of Suzhou this time brought huge losses to Zhao Tai, but it also stimulated Chen Zhong and others.
Chen Zhong decided to stay. This was certainly due to the fact that his treatment and status in Zhao Taijun were higher than those in the Song Army. It was also partly because they felt that what they were doing was a just and great cause.
When Wang Wentong saw this, he couldn't help but nodded slightly and said to himself: "The status of the Southern Song Dynasty army is low. Chen Zhong can only be a general of a thousand men when he goes back, but when he stays, he can command tens of thousands of men and be respected, so he will definitely choose to stay!"
At this time, Zhao Tai said a few words to Chen Zhong, and then went to find others.
Wang Wentong suddenly said: "Ms. sir, I have a plan to keep more people!"
Zhao Tai looked at him and asked as he walked: "Oh? Sir, please tell me?"
"My husband preached to Chen Zhong about fighting against the Mongols and protecting the people, so that Chen Zhong and the others felt that they were doing something meaningful by following my husband, which was right!" Wang Wentong first affirmed Zhao Tai's strategy, and then suggested: "But , I think that in order to retain people, in addition to righteousness, I also need to be beneficial."
Zhao Tai stopped and said, "Sir, please tell me in detail!"
Wang Wentong said: "I feel that I am a gentleman because of my humble position. There is no need to rush to talk to them now. We can first discuss the merits of this battle and reward them, and give them all the rewards."
Zhao Tai nodded slightly, "Sir, this is a good suggestion. Generally speaking, if you know that they are leaving, the Shangguan will definitely save the reward, but if I still give it to them, it will make them feel that I am a kind person and worthy of following. It will make them suffer.”
Wang Wentong said: "The humble position does mean this, but the rewards cannot be all money, and the main rewards should be military merit fields. After they have obtained a large area of land, they will think about protecting these lands, and will not think about returning to the Southern Song Dynasty!"
Zhao Tai's eyes lit up and he nodded: "This is a very good strategy! This is tantamount to binding them with benefits. Then Mr. Lao, set the rewards as soon as possible and distribute them to them!"
"I humbly obey my command!" Wang Wentong bowed and accepted the command.
Zhao Tai adopted Wang Wentong's suggestion and was not in a hurry to talk to the Southern Song officers, but continued to clean up the corpses inside and outside Suzhou City.
A few days later, after the cleanup was completed, Zhao Tai returned to Suining and immediately rewarded the entire army.
This time the Zhongyi Army defeated the Eastern Mongolian Army and captured Zhengzhou. The soldiers made great achievements.
The Jin court was extremely poor, so Zhao Tai used his own money to reward the soldiers.
Zhao Tai didn't have much money, so the rewards were mainly fields.
This has two advantages. First, Zhao Tai now has a lot of unowned land, and the land reward can alleviate the financial pressure on the feudal town. Second, if the soldiers obtain land, they will protect the land and increase their enthusiasm to resist the Mongols.
Zhao Tai followed Wang Wentong's suggestion and first gave rewards, then summoned Chen Zhong and other Southern Song officers to a meeting, and showed everyone Qiu Yue's letter.
After a few months, these Southern Song officers had a certain sense of belonging to Zhongyi Town.
Soldiers all worship the strong. Zhongyi Town defeated the Mongols continuously, allowing officers of the Southern Song Dynasty who rarely had the chance to win battles to experience the glory that they had rarely felt before. Many of them already regarded themselves as members of the Zhongyi Army.
Now that Zhao Tai suddenly showed Qiu Yue's letter, many people were confused and didn't know what to decide for a while.
At this time, Zhao Tai said that he would welcome those who were willing to stay, and those who were unwilling to stay, he would send them back to the Southern Song Dynasty as gifts.
After weighing the pros and cons among many Southern Song officers, more than 200 of the more than 300 Southern Song officers decided to stay, and less than a hundred decided to return to the Southern Song Dynasty.
At that moment, Zhao Tai immediately rewarded those who stayed, and for the nearly one hundred officers who decided to leave, he held a banquet and personally bid farewell to them.
The next day, Zhao Tai expressed his gratitude, saying that the door of the Zhongyi Army would be open for them at any time, and then personally went ten miles out of the city to see them off.
Going with them were two thousand elite soldiers that Zhao Tai borrowed from Huaixi. Zhao Tai did not reward them with military fields, but only gave them a thousand war horses and a large amount of supplies in accordance with the agreement with Quan Zicai.
Bookstore
