FVN 116. Alliance
116. Alliance
The battle at Yanmen Pass ended in a crushing defeat for the steppe allied forces. With Lin Mo's assistance, Li Jing not only purged the army of traitors but also, using improved weaponry and tactics, inflicted heavy losses on the invading enemy. The news of the victory sent shockwaves through the capital.
On this day, Lin Mo returned to the capital. The chill of the frontier had not yet faded when he received an invitation from Wang Shouren, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Wang Shouren was a renowned leader of the upright officials, known for his incorruptibility.
The invitation simply read "Tea Tasting and Discussion," but Lin Mo understood that it was an olive branch extended to him by upright officials. The border troop purge had made him famous in the court and had also attracted the attention of reformist officials.
Inside the private room of the teahouse, Wang Shouren had been waiting for quite some time. He was about fifty years old, with a lean face and bright, piercing eyes.
"Young Master Lin, I have long admired your name." Wang Shouren rose to greet him. "In the battle at the border, you turned the tide with your might; you are truly a pillar of the nation."
"You flatter me, Lord Wang." Lin Mo returned the gesture with a cupped hand. "Defending the country is my duty."
The two men sat down, and Wang Shouren personally poured tea: "Young master, do you know what the current situation is like in the court?"
Lin Mo took a sip of tea: "I'd like to hear the details."
"Since the Crown Prince's death, the court has deteriorated day by day," Wang Shouren sighed. "The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince are vying for power, and the Imperial Guard's influence has infiltrated all departments of the court. Even more frightening is that His Majesty's temperament has changed drastically in recent years, and many veteran officials feel like strangers to him."
Lin Mo's heart stirred, recalling the secrets of the Eastern Palace that the Crown Prince's orphan had once mentioned. But he refrained from mentioning it for the time being, and simply listened quietly.
"We old ministers have always hoped to restore order to the court," Wang Shouren continued, "but unfortunately, we are outnumbered and lack the strength to achieve anything. Until the arrival of you, my lord..."
"Does Lord Wang intend to unite the upright officials in the court to promote reforms?" Lin Mo asked directly.
A look of admiration flashed in Wang Shouren's eyes: "Young Master is indeed astute. Indeed, we do have this plan. We simply need someone who can both liaise with the military and operate within the martial world."
Lin Mo pondered for a moment: "Reform is no easy task; it will inevitably threaten the vested interests of those who have already benefited. The Imperial Guard, powerful families, and influential figures are all our adversaries."
"Therefore, it is even more necessary to unite all forces that can be united." Wang Shouren took out a list from his sleeve. "This is a list of officials willing to participate in the reforms, including several vice ministers from the Six Ministries and several officials from the Censorate."
Lin Mo took the list and looked at it carefully. Most of the people on the list were upright and capable officials he had heard of in his previous life.
"That's not enough," Lin Mo shook his head. "We need the support of more powerful figures."
"What insightful opinion does the young master have?"
"The border commander, Li Jing, has already expressed his support for the crown prince's orphan," Lin Mo said. "I also have a relationship with Minister Zhao of the Ministry of War. If we can gain their support..."
Wang Shouren's eyes lit up: "If we can get the military's support, we'll have the confidence to carry out the reforms!"
"That's not all," Lin Mo continued, "We also need to win over the support of merchants. Reforms require money, and without their assistance, it's difficult to achieve anything significant."
"This..." Wang Shouren looked troubled. "Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—merchants are of low status. Cooperating with them might invite criticism."
"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures," Lin Mo said solemnly. "Merchants control the wealth of the world; if we can win their support, the reforms will have a financial guarantee."
Wang Shouren pondered for a long time, and finally nodded: "What you say makes sense, young master."
Over the next few days, Lin Mo and Wang Shouren split up, secretly contacting various factions. Leveraging the relationship Lin Mo had built with the Ministry of War during his weapons reform efforts, he successfully persuaded Minister Zhao Mingcheng to join the reform movement. Simultaneously, he used connections within the martial arts world to contact the owners of several major merchant houses.
That night, in a secluded manor on the outskirts of Beijing, the first gathering of reformists was quietly held.
In addition to officials such as Wang Shouren and Zhao Mingcheng, the attendees included three prominent merchants: Shen Wansan, a silk tycoon; Zhou Fugui, a leader of salt merchants; and Jin Buhuan, the chairman of the money exchange alliance.
Lin Mo, as the convener, spoke first: "I have invited you all here today to discuss a grand plan for reform. The court is currently corrupt, and the Imperial Guard holds absolute power. If reforms are not implemented, the Great Song Dynasty is in grave danger."
Shen Wansan was the first to speak: "Young Master Lin, although we merchants are not of high status, we understand the principle that without the skin, what can the hair cling to? As long as you can guarantee that the status of merchants will improve after the reforms, we are willing to do our utmost to help."
"That's for sure," Lin Mo promised. "Once the reforms are successful, the status of merchants will be elevated, and some unreasonable and exorbitant taxes will be abolished."
Zhou Fugui stroked his beard: "With your words, young master, we're relieved. Just name your price."
Jin Buhuan was even more cautious: "Reform is a good thing, but how can we ensure its success? The powerful and influential in the court are deeply entrenched, and the internal security forces are ubiquitous."
"This is the main point of our discussion tonight," Wang Shouren continued. "We plan to establish a secret organization called the 'New Policies Society' to secretly promote reforms."
Zhao Mingcheng added, "The initial focus of the New Policy Committee will be to collect evidence of corruption among the powerful and wealthy, and to formulate reform plans. Once the time is right, we will implement them in one fell swoop."
"Timing? What timing?" Jin Buhuan asked.
Lin Mo and Wang Shouren exchanged a glance, and Lin Mo slowly said, "When the crown prince's orphan regains control of the court."
These words shocked everyone present. Apart from a few key officials, no one else knew that the Crown Prince still had descendants.
"The Crown Prince...has descendants?" Shen Wansan asked excitedly.
"That's right." Lin Mo nodded. "The crown prince's orphan is currently in a safe place. Once we clear away the obstacles, we can help him ascend the throne."
This news further solidified the merchants' resolve to support the Crown Prince. His reputation for benevolence was known throughout the land. If his descendant were to ascend the throne, it would surely be a blessing for all the people.
The discussion that followed was even more heated. The group agreed on the organizational structure of the New Policies Association, electing Wang Shouren as president and Lin Mo as vice president. Four departments were established: intelligence, finance, military, and propaganda, each headed by different individuals.
"The most urgent task is to formulate a reform plan," Wang Shouren said. "We need to clarify the goals and steps of the reform."
Lin Mo took out a draft he had prepared beforehand: "This is my preliminary reform plan, which mainly includes four aspects: rectifying official corruption, reforming the tax system, strengthening the military and preparing for war, and encouraging industry and commerce."
The draft was circulated among the participants, who offered their suggestions for revision. The discussion continued until late at night, and a relatively complete "New Policy Program" was finally finalized.
"With this program, we have a clear direction," Wang Shouren remarked with emotion. "Our long-cherished wish can finally be realized."
Zhao Mingcheng cautioned, "Don't be too optimistic. The Internal Security Forces are powerful and will not stand idly by while we grow stronger. The road ahead will likely be fraught with peril."
"No matter how difficult it is, we must keep going," Lin Mo said firmly. "For the sake of the Song Dynasty and its people, we have no way back."
By the time the meeting ended, dawn was breaking. The group quietly left the manor in different directions to avoid attracting attention.
Lin Mo was the last to leave. He stood at the manor gate, gazing at the pale dawn breaking in the east, his heart filled with determination.
The hatred of his past life and the responsibilities of this life prevented him from backing down. He would wipe out all his enemies—the imperial guards, the demons, the powerful and influential—one by one.
The establishment of the New Policies Association is only the first step. There is still a long road ahead, but he believes that as long as they persevere, they will eventually succeed.
A morning breeze brought a touch of coolness. Lin Mo tightened his collar and strode towards the capital city bathed in the morning light.