Reborn in Liangshan: I built the strongest lineup

"Your Highness, an army has arrived at the border of the Western Song Dynasty. They say they are here to welcome us on the orders of the current ruler of the Western Song Dynasty, Zhao Huan!"

While Ren Yuan and his group were still chatting, a scout suddenly came over and said that Zhao Huan had already sent people to greet them.

"Is Zhao Huan being so pragmatic? Could it be a trap?"

Lin Chong didn't have much affection for the Zhao family, the imperial family. Back then, it was the imperial family's inaction that allowed the Gao family to be so arrogant.

"He's not in serious condition."

Ren Yuan shook his head. Although the Zhao royal family was indeed not very good, Ren Yuan believed that Zhao Huan, the young man whom he had planted the idea of ​​"rebelling against his own father," still had a sense of propriety.

“Junior brother, although we let him go back then, this guy even dared to rebel against his own father, so I think he’s still a bit ruthless.”

Lin Chong was still somewhat worried.

“Brother, your concern is justified. He was able to be swayed by a title we offered before because he had never held power. Now he is the emperor of the Western Song Dynasty. If this kid has any disloyal intentions, we must be on guard.”

Lu Zhishen said that Lin Chong's concerns were very reasonable.

"Why don't I go and scout ahead first? If there's any danger, I can help you out."

“Master, I know you are worried about me, but since Zhao Huan has offered to surrender to my Dayi as the ruler of the Western Song Dynasty, I have no reason not to go because I am worried about my own safety.”

Ren Yuan waved his hand, refusing to agree.

"Besides, if there's a real risk, would I let the master go for nothing? Shouldn't we investigate first? I've already sent Shi Qian. Don't worry, he'll send back any news as soon as possible."

"Besides, with the Grandmaster and my senior brother joining forces with me, even if Zhao Huan really wanted to do something, do he have the ability to do it?"

Ren Yuan shrugged, indicating that he never fought a battle he wasn't sure he could win.

"Since Brother Shi Qian has gone, then everything is fine."

Lin Chong was relieved to hear that Shi Qian had already left.

……

"Your Majesty, are we really going to surrender?"

The scouts' reports were indeed inaccurate. There were troops on the western Song border, but they weren't just there on orders; Zhao Huan was among them.

Right now, he's surrounded by a group of people trying to change his mind.

"If you won't surrender, do you have a plan?"

Zhao Huan looked at these people and knew that they were all loyalists of the Zhao Song Dynasty, or rather, loyalists of his father. However, his father was currently imprisoned by him, and these people were temporarily attached to him for survival, but they were basically just paying lip service to him.

Now they're all putting on this act of loyalty, ha, who are they trying to fool? Are you really thinking of me?

"Your Majesty, our Great Song Dynasty is the legitimate dynasty. Ren Yuan was just a lowly bandit back then. How can we surrender to him?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, the backbone of our Great Song Dynasty must not be broken!"

……

"It is good that you ministers care about the Great Song Dynasty, but I wonder if you have any specific methods to allow me to neither surrender nor defeat the Dayi army?"

Zhao Huan watched these people putting on a show, but instead of saying no, he asked them, "If you don't want to surrender, what should we do?"

"Your Majesty, I have a plan."

One of the ministers stepped forward and spoke.

"Does this gentleman have a plan? Tell me then."

Zhao Huan also wanted to hear what kind of plan these people could come up with.

"Your Majesty, my plan is called 'Inviting the King into the Trap'! We can first feign weakness, then invite Ren Yuan and his men, slip a sleeping potion into their food, and ambush them with axemen outside the tent!"

"Ren Yuan is definitely extremely arrogant right now. As long as we lure him into the tent and he eats the food laced with medicine, he will surely collapse and not get up. Then, with a single order from the Emperor, the executioners will come out and chop him into seven or eight pieces without any problem!"

As he spoke, the man mimicked the action of beheading.

"I have investigated. Ren Yuan has no heir to this day. Once he dies, his so-called Dayi will be finished!"

"Oh, that's a good plan. Then, I wonder, in your opinion, who is capable of taking on the important task of inviting Ren Yuan to enter the tent? Are you up to the task?"

"Your Majesty, I can only offer suggestions. The decision on who to send is up to Your Majesty. But I can wait in the tent."

Obviously, everyone knew that inviting Ren Yuan was no easy task; one wrong move and the person might be killed. So the minister was just saying it casually.

"Hmm, very well, does any other minister have a plan?"

Zhao Huan didn't say much, but looked at the others.

"Your Majesty, I have a plan!"

Another minister stepped forward.

"What plan do you have, my lord?"

"I have heard that Ren Yuan is fond of beautiful women, but unfortunately his wife is fierce, so he has never had any wives or concubines. I think we can use a honey trap to send Ren Yuan some beauties!"

This official, having heard this from who-knows-where, actually wanted to use a honey trap.

"Honey trap?"

Not only was Zhao Huan dumbfounded, but the other ministers were dumbfounded as well.

"Um, Lord Liu, may I ask what the purpose of this honey trap is?"

"Of course, we must wear down Ren Yuan's fighting spirit! Let him succumb!"

"But Lord Liu, it takes several years to fall into decline. Are you suggesting we surrender for several years as well?"

"Then let's send a few more beauties, so that Ren Yuan will die from exhaustion! If one isn't enough, then ten! If ten aren't enough, then a hundred! I don't believe that Yuan is a saint, able to remain unmoved even with a woman in his lap!"

"Lord Liu! It's easy for you to say, yet you come here with so many beauties?"

"That is not true. Do you gentlemen not have daughters? My daughter is sixteen years old and quite beautiful. For the sake of our Great Song Dynasty, I am willing to let her become a beauty! Let her lull Ren Yuan into a false sense of security!"

Upon hearing Lord Liu's words, everyone fell silent. "Very well, so this is a honey trap, is it!"

"You've worked hard, Minister Liu. Is there any other minister who has a plan?"

Zhao Huan didn't know what to say. Putting aside whether the plan was useful or not, it sounded more like a reward than a punishment.

Especially when he mentioned that he would make his daughter a concubine, Zhao Huan felt that this person had probably already contacted Dayi!

Lord Liu, you don't want to surrender, you want to become the emperor's father-in-law! But he didn't expose this person, and instead called for the next one.

"Your Majesty, I have a plan!"

Another minister stood up. Zhao Huan was truly unaware that he had so many people under his command who could come up with all sorts of strategies.

What's your plan?

"Your Majesty, I have a plan! It can be used in conjunction with Lord Zhang's earlier scheme to lure the enemy into a trap!"

This person began to elaborate:

"Your Majesty can have these officials bare their chests and carry thorny branches. When they arrive at Renyuan, Your Majesty can whip them severely and tell Renyuan that these officials do not want to surrender, so Your Majesty is personally whipping them. In this way, Renyuan will definitely lower his guard, and then you can use the 'luring the enemy into the trap' strategy in a logical way!"

"Well said. Then, I wonder which ministers you think deserve to be flogged?"

Zhao Huan continued to ask.

"Your Majesty, Lord Liu just said that for the sake of the Song Dynasty, he is willing to let his daughter become a concubine. Therefore, I believe that for the sake of the Song Dynasty, Lord Liu is certainly willing to personally take the risk of self-inflicted injury!"

"That's right! Your Majesty! I second that!"

"I also second the proposal!"

"Your Majesty, please don't listen to them! They just don't have daughters! They're jealous of me!"

……

Looking at the noisy crowd, Zhao Huan rubbed his head with a headache.

Father, your ministers are all cunning and treacherous. How do you think you can rebuild the Song Dynasty?

……