Transmigrating to the Song Dynasty: Water Margin Business Management

A short while later, a soldier covered in blood rushed in, shouting as he ran, "Grand Commandant Gao, Lord Tong, something terrible has happened!"

Gao Qiu and Tong Guan were discussing important matters in their tent when they were startled by the sudden shout.

The soldier rushed into the tent, panting, and said, "When we were escorting grain supplies in the mountains, we were attacked by a group of Liao soldiers, and they stole all the grain supplies!"

Gao Qiu and Tong Guan were shocked upon hearing this. Gao Qiu roared, "Useless trash! How could such a thing happen?"

Tong Guan's face was also ashen as he paced back and forth anxiously: "This is troublesome. Without food and supplies, how can the army fight?"

At this moment, Zhang Bangchang, who was hiding in the shadows of a corner of the tent, heard everything clearly. His heart tightened and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

The soldier knelt on the ground, his voice trembling as he explained, "Grand Commandant, sir, those Liao soldiers seemed to know our route. They suddenly attacked from the mountains and forests, catching us completely off guard."

Gao Qiu's eyes widened in fury, and he kicked a soldier: "Completely unprepared? What are you all good for?!"

Tong Guan frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "Could there be a spy in the army?"

The soldier hurriedly shook his head: "I don't know. The scene was chaotic at the time. The Liao soldiers came in fiercely. We fought desperately, but still..."

Gao Qiu clenched his fists in anger: "Investigate! Find the traitor!"

Zhang Bangchang stood in the corner, barely daring to breathe, pondering how he should deal with the situation.

At this moment, Gao Qiu noticed something amiss in the corner and shouted, "Who's there!"

Zhang Bangchang had no choice but to walk out, trembling, and bowed: "Grand Commandant Gao, Lord Tong, it is I."

Gao Qiu glared at him and angrily asked, "Zhang Bangchang, what are you doing sneaking around here?"

Zhang Bangchang hurriedly explained, "I was just passing by and was stunned when I heard about such a big event."

Tong Guan snorted coldly: "Hmph, if you dare to leak this matter, watch your head!"

Zhang Bangchang hurriedly replied, "I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare even if I had a hundred lives!"

Gao Qiu's gaze darkened. After a moment's thought, he said, "Zhang Bangchang, you've heard about the current situation. What do you suggest we do?"

Zhang Bangchang was flustered, but he said, "It is entirely up to the Grand Commandant and Your Excellency to decide. I am foolish and do not know how to deal with this."

Gao Qiu's gaze darkened. After a moment's thought, he said, "Zhang Bangchang, you've heard about the current situation. What do you suggest we do?"

Zhang Bangchang was flustered, but he knew he had to come up with a solution, or he would be unable to escape. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, composed himself, and said, "Grand Commandant Gao, Lord Tong, in my opinion, we need to discuss this matter carefully."

Gao Qiu said impatiently, "Stop rambling and speak quickly!"

Zhang Bangchang cleared his throat: "First, the most urgent task is to stabilize morale. We can spread the word that although there has been some loss of supplies, they have been urgently relocated and will arrive soon, so as not to shake morale. Second, we should immediately send out multiple scouts not only to track down the Liao soldiers but also to watch out for any other unusual movements in the surrounding area. Third, we should select the most capable and loyal soldiers in the army to form a secret squad, disguised, to infiltrate villages near where the Liao soldiers might be hiding supplies, and secretly investigate."

Tong Guan interjected, "What if we discover the location of the grain supplies?"

Zhang Bangchang said, "Lord Tong, if we discover this, do not act rashly. First, send someone back to camp to report, and then wait for an opportunity to act. We can send out elite troops under cover of night to seize back the grain with lightning speed. At the same time, we also need to strengthen defenses around the camp to prevent the Liao troops from taking advantage of the situation."

Gao Qiu sneered, "Easy for you to say. What if the Liao soldiers have an ambush?"

Zhang Bangchang hurriedly said, "Grand Commandant, therefore, this operation to reclaim the grain supplies must be meticulously planned. The troops dispatched must be well-equipped and have backup. In addition, we can spread false information, pretending to attack from other directions, to distract the Liao troops."

Tong Guan nodded slightly: "Hmm, that's interesting. But this only solves the problem of supplies. What about dealing with the imperial court?"

Zhang Bangchang continued, “Lord Tong, this is exactly what I wanted to say. We must immediately write a letter to the court, reporting in detail on the robbery of our supplies. The letter must be sincere, stating that we fought hard, but the enemy is cunning. At the same time, we request the court to send reinforcements and supplies.”

Gao Qiu frowned: "What if the court blames us?"

Zhang Bangchang said, "Grand Commandant, at this time we can only report the truth and emphasize the bravery of our soldiers and the subsequent countermeasures. As long as we can resolve this matter as soon as possible and minimize the losses, the court may not investigate it further."

Tong Guan said, "What if the Liao army attacks again before the imperial reinforcements arrive?"

Zhang Bangchang said, "Lord Tong, therefore we need to strengthen the camp's defenses and set up traps. At the same time, we can contact nearby friendly forces and request support."

Gao Qiu pondered for a moment and said, "This plan seems feasible, but if any step goes wrong, it will lead to utter ruin."

Zhang Bangchang quickly bowed and said, "Grand Commandant, Lord Tong, I am willing to participate personally and will do my utmost to ensure that nothing goes wrong. If there is any mistake, I am willing to accept the punishment."

Gao Qiu and Tong Guan exchanged a glance. Tong Guan said, "Very well, let's proceed according to your plan for now. But you must be careful, or else..."

Zhang Bangchang nodded repeatedly: "I understand, I understand."

So, everyone began to act according to Zhang Bangchang's plan, and a tense situation ensued.

After leaving Gao Qiu and Tong Guan's tent, Zhang Bangchang hurried to Zhao Tianming's place. Along the way, he looked nervous and kept an eye on his surroundings, fearing that he was being followed.

When he arrived at Zhao Tianming's tent, he was already panting heavily. Seeing him like this, Zhao Tianming's heart tightened, and he quickly asked, "Father-in-law, what happened? Why are you in such a panic?"

Zhang Bangchang, without taking a break, hurriedly recounted in detail everything that had happened in Gao Qiu's camp to Zhao Tianming.

“Tianming, I was hiding in a corner of Gao Qiu’s camp, but they found me. I had no choice but to come up with a plan for them to deal with the robbery of our supplies.” Zhang Bangchang said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Zhao Tianming frowned, listening intently.

Zhang Bangchang continued, “I gave them several plans. First, stabilize morale by falsely claiming that urgent supplies had been dispatched. Then, send scouts to track down the Liao soldiers and organize secret teams to investigate where they are hiding supplies. If supplies are found, send someone back to camp to report first, and then seize them when the opportunity arises. At the same time, strengthen camp defenses, set traps, and contact friendly forces for support. In addition, write to the court to request reinforcements and supplies.”

As Zhao Tianming listened, he pondered, a shrewd glint in his eyes.

After Zhang Bangchang finished speaking, he let out a long sigh of relief: "Tianming, I'm telling you all this in the hope that we can be prepared for Gao Qiu and Tong Guan's next move."

Zhao Tianming nodded and said, "Father-in-law, you've worked hard. This information is crucial. As long as Gao Qiu and his men follow your plan, we'll make sure they're trapped like turtles in a jar."

After saying that, Zhao Tianming began pacing back and forth in the tent, pondering a solution.

He gazed at the sky outside the tent, secretly calculating in his mind: "Gao Qiu and Tong Guan must be extremely anxious now that they have lost their supplies. If they act as my father-in-law said, they will definitely reveal their weaknesses. I need to make arrangements in advance and wait for the right opportunity."

Zhao Tianming turned to Zhang Bangchang and said, "Father-in-law, have you discovered any other conspiracies among Gao Qiu's men in his camp these past few days?"

Zhang Bangchang shook his head: "I have been careful and cautious, and have not discovered any other obvious conspiracies. But Gao Qiu and Tong Guan are treacherous and cunning, and we must be wary of them."

Zhao Tianming clenched his fist: "They have always regarded me as a thorn in their side. This time, the hijacking of the grain supplies may also be a scheme they orchestrated to frame me."

Zhang Bangchang said worriedly, "Tianming, no matter what, we must be careful. We must not act rashly, lest we fall into their trap."

Zhao Tianming pondered for a moment and said, "Father-in-law, rest assured, I have a plan. I will arrange for people to closely monitor Gao Qiu and Tong Guan's movements, and react immediately at the first sign of trouble."

At this moment, the wind howled outside the tent, as if foreshadowing an impending storm.

Zhao Tianming walked to the map and carefully studied the terrain: "Father-in-law, look at this place. If Gao Qiu sends troops to take back the grain, we can set up an ambush here."

Zhang Bangchang leaned over to take a look and nodded, saying, "This plan is excellent. But it needs to be arranged properly so that they don't find out."

Zhao Tianming's eyes were firm: "I will select the most elite soldiers and lay in ambush in advance. As soon as Gao Qiu's troops arrive, they will be sure to never return."

Then, Zhao Tianming instructed his generals: "You must quickly prepare and act according to my plan. There must be no mistakes!"

The generals accepted their orders and left, leaving only Zhao Tianming and Zhang Bangchang in the camp.

Zhang Bangchang couldn't help but ask, "Tianming, are you confident?"

Zhao Tianming smiled slightly: "Father-in-law, please rest assured. Gao Qiu and Tong Guan have committed many unjust acts, and this time they will surely suffer the consequences of their actions."

Meanwhile, in Gao Qiu's and Tong Guan's tents, the two were also plotting.

Gao Qiu said, "I wonder if Zhang Bangchang's plan is feasible."

Tong Guan replied, "No matter what, let's give it a try first. If we can successfully retrieve the grain and resolve the current crisis, it won't be too late to deal with Zhao Tianming."

Gao Qiu nodded: "Send someone to keep an eye on Zhang Bangchang to prevent him from colluding with Zhao Tianming."

Tong Guan replied, "It has already been arranged. We will know immediately if they make any unusual moves."

Meanwhile, on Zhao Tianming's side, all preparations were proceeding in a tense but orderly manner. The soldiers were sharpening their swords and guns, their morale high, waiting for the enemy to fall into their trap.

After receiving news that Gao Qiu had sent troops to reclaim the grain supplies, Zhao Tianming immediately led his carefully deployed ambush troops to the designated location.

Under the cover of night, all was quiet except for the occasional chirping of insects. Zhao Tianming and his soldiers held their breath, their eyes filled with tension and anticipation.

However, they did not realize that they had gradually walked into Gao Qiu's carefully laid trap.

As Zhao Tianming's troops entered the ambush area, countless torches suddenly lit up the surroundings, and shouts of battle filled the air. It turned out that Gao Qiu had already seen through Zhao Tianming's plan and deliberately spread false information to lure him in, while also deploying a large number of elite troops around the area.

Gao Qiu stood on the high place and laughed triumphantly: "Zhao Tianming, today is your death day!"

At his command, a hail of arrows rained down on Zhao Tianming's troops. Soldiers fell to the ground, struck by arrows, screaming in agony. Zhao Tianming was shocked, but remained calm and attempted to organize a resistance.

But at this moment, enemy troops surged in from all sides like a tide, surrounding them completely. Gao Qiu's counterattack was extremely fierce; his cavalry charged ahead, followed closely by his infantry, forming a tight encirclement that left Zhao Tianming's troops with nowhere to escape.