Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Chapter 1125 Important Person
In the first month of the fifth year of the Qi Jianwu era, which was the seventh year of the Song Xuanhe era, the weather was cold and there was no snow for a month. The snow gradually faded from the city.

Nearly half a year has passed since Tong Guan's Northern Expedition. In the winter of the sixth year of Xuanhe, troops and able-bodied men were frequently mobilized north and south of the Yellow River, resulting in enormous losses. Fast horses and cavalrymen carried messages and orders between the front lines and the rear for several months.

When news of the failed attack on Xijin Prefecture reached Tong Guan, he almost instinctively suppressed the news and simultaneously ordered the soldiers at the front to hold the cities in various places.

When Fanyang fell, the commander-in-chief of the Northern Expedition panicked and hurriedly dispatched troops north. However, it was too late. The troops in Hebei had either already marched north to Zhuozhou or were suppressing bandits with the Hebei and Jingdong Pacification Commissioners.

Despite the urgency of the war, with the Qi army pressing the Song army to the military prefectures south of Nanjing Road, Tong Guan was well aware that bandits from Hebei and Shandong could reach the capital region at any moment, and were currently ranked ahead of the Northern Expedition in the Emperor's mind.

“Recruit able-bodied men aged sixteen to fifty from all over Hebei and have them quickly assemble along the line from Xiongzhou to Bazhou.” Tong Guan rubbed his short beard, frowned and pondered for a moment: “Now we can only hope that Liu Yanqing can help Zhang Jue gain a foothold in Pingzhou.”

Dong Yun, standing beside him, quickly jotted down the orders. Tong Guan turned to look at him: "Send a letter to Pharmacist Guo. Yizhou must not be lost. Tell him to defend it for me no matter what."

On the fourth day, also a day of intense worry about the war at the front, while the horses were still galloping, able-bodied men from Hebei were being forcibly conscripted by yamen runners and officials and headed towards the military camp. Some of the strong, skilled, and courageous men knocked down others and ran away to hide in the mountains.

Gradually, multiple mountain peaks appeared in various parts of Hebei, and the number of people hiding in the Taihang Mountains gradually increased.

Tong Guan, dressed in casual clothes, sat in the hall, rubbing his forehead, processing and approving the military affairs that had been gathered. One bad or even worse message after another was placed on his desk, making the temples of this self-proclaimed strong and healthy eunuch throb, and his mind feel as if it were being struck by a heavy hammer.

Besides, mobilizing troops is not as simple as issuing a military order. The amount of supplies and laborers required is another unimaginable number, and he is also struggling to explain these things to the Daoist Emperor in Bianliang.

Just the phrase, "Broken alliance, defeated by Qi," could probably cost him his life.

Not as good as...

Or should we offer some tributes to the concubines and the empress?
Tong Guan looked at the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table with a gloomy and uncertain expression, hesitating whether to write a few letters now.

Before he could sort out his thoughts, Wang Anzhong and Dong Yun strode over, knocked on the door, and entered to greet him. Tong Guan lowered his hand from his forehead and looked at the official and his own advisor with suspicion.

"Why have you two come together today?" A eunuch brought over some calming medicinal porridge, and Tong Guan asked after taking a sip.

"Grand Tutor..." Dong Yun hesitated in his seat, called out the name but then fell silent, glancing at Wang Anzhong.

“…Zhang Jue is back.” Wang Anzhong spoke after a moment of silence.

“Hmm, let him pass…” Tong Guan swallowed the porridge he had just drunk, then suddenly froze, slamming the bowl heavily onto the table.

boom--

The imposing figure suddenly stood up. Tong Guan's eyes widened, and his face contorted with rage: "Who did you say came back?!"

"Zhang...Zhang Jue?" Seeing his frightened expression, Wang Anzhong repeated the question with a hint of insecurity.

"What is he coming back for?" Tong Guan asked, but a sense of unease crept into his heart, a vague feeling of foreboding creeping in.

Wang Anzhong glanced at Dong Yun, who spoke softly, "Grand Tutor, Zhang Jue has returned defeated. He says Liu Yanqing's inaction in Pingzhou led to the defeat. Pingzhou is probably..."

"Let him in here!" Tong Guan roared, his eyes red, pointing at the door. "I want to hear for myself what really happened!"

Someone hurried to the front, and soon a sun-baked face appeared before Tong Guan. The fur coat on his body was torn, revealing the blackened robe underneath.

"This humble official, Zhang Jue, Pacification Commissioner of Pingzhou, greets the Grand Tutor."

"No need for formalities!" Tong Guan waved his sleeve, his face grim and unpleasant. "Tell me quickly, what happened in Pingzhou?"

Zhang Jue kept his eyes straight ahead, took a breath, and said, "Grand Tutor, Liu Yanqing is no good general. We devised a plan to attack the Qi army from all sides, but we did not see a single soldier sent by Liu Yanqing until we were defeated."

Then her eyes reddened, and she covered her face with her hands: "It's pitiful that General Yang Keshi and his brother fought to the death for their country, and that barbarian Wanyan Chanchun also died in battle. Only I, a weak scholar, was escorted to escape..."

She choked back tears, saying, "I am truly ashamed—"

Tong Guan shuffled back to his seat, plopped down, his facial muscles twitching. He then grabbed the medicinal porridge and slammed it to the ground with a loud crash.

Rice porridge splashed out, and steam rose from the mess.

"Liu Yanqing, I'm going to skin you alive!"

Zhang Jue peeked at Tong Guan's face through his fingers, then knelt down with a deep bow: "This humble official has suffered a defeat in battle, and I beg the Grand Tutor to punish me, otherwise I will not be at peace!"

His cheek muscles twitched a few times, and Wang Anzhong and Dong Yun both looked at him.

"Get up." Tong Guan's facial muscles twitched for a long time, but his face remained cold: "The responsibility for this matter lies with that bastard Liu Yanqing. Zhang Xuanfu fought hard but was defeated. Why should I punish you?"

He waved his hand and said, "Judging from your appearance, you must have suffered a lot. Go and rest. Your merits and demerits will be judged when you return to court."

"Thank you, Grand Tutor." Zhang Jue breathed a sigh of relief. That was enough. With his status, even without military power, the officials in Bianliang City would not mistreat him. His future wealth and honor were assured.

The three people in the room watched him leave. Only then did Wang Anfang frown and look at the silent Tong Guan: "Grand Tutor, the situation is unfavorable now. We can no longer conceal the news of our defeat. We should report to the court as soon as possible."

Tong Guan glanced at him sideways and said, "I have my own plans for this matter."

Upon hearing this, Wang Anzhong said nothing more, simply cupped his hands in farewell and left.

"My boss..."

"Come here." Tong Guan beckoned to the remaining staff: "I will tell you what to write, and you will write it down. Quickly prepare gifts and send them to Bianliang."

"Yes……"

……

After the Battle of Pingzhou ended, the troops stationed in various places received military orders. The three naval generals led their troops to be stationed here, Lu Zhishen's troops were left to guard Yifeng, and the rest of the troops moved westward to Zhuozhou.

At the same time, Lü Bu dispatched cavalry to order the generals at the front to continue the previous battles of attacking cities and capturing strongholds, while also ordering the Xijin Prefecture to send envoys to the Song Dynasty to reprimand them for breaking the alliance and to demand the return of Zhang Jue and Liu Yanqing.

The swift horse galloped across the northern plains, and Yang Pu, dressed in a magnificent fur coat, led three hundred iron cavalrymen, their thunderous hooves echoing across the land as they headed towards Bazhou.

Despite the biting wind, Yang Pu, the head of the Ministry of Rites, was beaming. This mission to the Song Dynasty was to demand an explanation, a powerful nation's response to a weak one. Unlike ordinary missions, this was a matter worthy of being recorded in the family genealogy.

When I pass away, I will make sure this mission is inscribed on my epitaph.

Yang Pu stared blankly at the city ahead, and in the indistinct outline, he could see the flags fluttering on the city walls.

"Speed ​​up! I want to see the Song officials today!"

Soon after, the troop of soldiers quickly ran into the city.

……

The sounds in the hall continued at this moment.

"...Your Majesty, may the phoenix-like algae return to spring and the jade branches illuminate the night. The mother-of-pearl inlaid Penglai screen that I presented the other day was made by the sea goddess of the South Sea gathering moonlight. I earnestly hope that you will accept this humble item and not find it unworthy of your attention."

Recently, the frost and winds in the northern frontier have intensified. I, an incompetent minister, have been ordered to manage the affairs of Youyan. However, the Qi rebels are as cunning as foxes and vipers, and Emperor Lü Bu of Qi is fierce and unreasonable. Zhang Jue, the Pacification Commissioner of Pingzhou, fought a bloody battle for several days but was no match for them, resulting in a minor setback for the imperial army.

This is all due to the inappropriate planning of the palace officials, but the real reason is that the timing was not right, not the fault of the battle!

The Emperor was furious, and the inner courtiers were devastated upon hearing the news. I humbly believe that Her Majesty is known for her gentle and kind nature, always using her kind words and gentle demeanor to appease the Emperor's wrath and quell his anger. If only she would grant me a few words of leniency, so that I may serve her with utmost loyalty and atone for my past transgressions.

He wishes to present a coral tree from the Western Sea and twelve bushels of luminous pearls from Goryeo as a birthday gift for the Empress. Furthermore, this humble servant has recently acquired one hundred bags of pearls from the Northern Sea at the Xiongzhou border market, all perfectly round and an inch in diameter. This humble servant will select the most brilliant ones and embroider them into a rainbow-colored garment as a congratulatory gift.

……

“We are officials from the Ministry of Rites of the Great Qi Dynasty, and we have come here on the orders of our Emperor to find you who are capable of handling affairs.”

Yang Pu, holding the official letter in his hand and dressed neatly and cleanly, looked at the eunuch opposite him with a humble expression and said solemnly, "I hope you will report this to the person in charge."

"Wait a moment, this servant will go and inform the Grand Tutor."

Yang Pu nodded and watched the person run inside.

……

"As I prepare to write this, I am filled with trepidation and have nowhere to hide. I only beg for a bright candle to illuminate my sincere heart:"
My only desire in this life is not for official rank or fame, but to serve the government and defend the borders!

Tong Guan exhaled and looked at Dong Yun, who was writing furiously: "Later, take three boxes of the Hetian jade carved lingzhi ruyi and the palace's secret anti-aging balm from my room and send them to the Imperial Concubine."

"Yes," Dong Yun replied, picking up the letter and blowing on it to dry it. Then she looked at Tong Guan and said, "That jade-carved lingzhi ruyi is the master's most cherished possession, isn't it...?"

"Send it to him." Tong Guan waved his hand. "Write another letter to the Empress, and then..."

"Reporting, Grand Tutor, Grand Tutor—"

Shouts came from outside. Tong Guan paused, turned to the door, and saw it open to the left and right. A young eunuch entered, knelt down, and said, "Grand Tutor, a group of people have arrived outside. They say they are envoys from the State of Qi and request to see you. We don't know..."

"An envoy from Qi?" Tong Guan opened his mouth, then waved his hand: "Quickly, let him in."

The young eunuch received the order and hurriedly ran out.

Dong Yun held the letter in his hand, his expression somewhat strange: "An envoy from Qi has come; I wonder what brings him here?"

"I don't know either." Tong Guan shook his head, then took a few steps back and sat down: "In any case, coming here at this time is not a good thing. I'm waiting to hear what he has to say."

A moment later, Yang Pu entered with his head held high and chest out, stood at attention and cupped his hands: "Yes, I am Yang Pu, Minister of Rites, greetings to Privy Councilor Tong."

"Minister Yang." Tong Guan raised an eyebrow and stood up to return the greeting: "May I ask what brings you here today?"

"In the past, our two dynasties formed an alliance to attack the Khitans. Why is it that after achieving victory, you betrayed the alliance and attacked our territory, and even harbored Zhang Jue, this scoundrel who, along with Xiao Gan, murdered many of our governors and commanders, seized land, and fled to Bianliang? Do you think our Qi state is easy to bully and regard our army as nothing?!"

Yang Pu's sharp gaze swept over the two men in the room: "Now that your Northern Expeditionary Army has suffered repeated defeats at my hands, losing tens of thousands of soldiers, do you have anything to say?"

Dong Yun couldn't help but rub her fingers together and wipe the sweat from her temples with her sleeve.

Tong Guan's expression froze for a moment, and his lips twitched slightly: "There's been some misunderstanding..."

"A misunderstanding?" Yang Pu stepped forward, holding the official letter: "This is a letter from my Emperor. I request that the Privy Council deliver it to your country's ruler. My Emperor's demands are simple: hand over Zhang Jue and compensate for all expenses incurred by my army, including money, provisions, and weapons. If you comply, all will be fine. If you have any objections..."

He sized Tong Guan up and down: "Prime Minister Tong, have you received news that His Majesty has pacified Pingzhou and that a detachment has reached Gu'an?" A cold smile played on his lips: "How many days do you think it will take to invade Song territory?"

How dare you threaten me like that, you scoundrel! Aren't you afraid of losing your life?

These words roared in his mind, but Tong Guan forced a distorted smile onto his face: "Please calm down, Minister Yang. Zhang Jue isn't here either, so even if I wanted to, there's nothing I could do. How about this..."

pop-

He patted twice, and a young eunuch came in and stood with his head bowed. Tong Guan looked at Yang Pu and said, "I will have someone prepare a place for Minister Yang to rest. I will bring Zhang Jue here another day, and then we can discuss this further."

Yang Pu squinted at him, then suddenly smiled: "Very well, I hope the Privy Councilor can still keep his patience."

"Hehe..." The smile on his face looked even stranger as the corners of his mouth drooped, but Tong Guan still forced himself to say, "Minister Yang is joking, joking."

"Farewell." Yang Pu bowed and turned to leave.

The young eunuch quickly bowed and led the way beside him. As the footsteps faded into the distance, Tong Guan could no longer contain his anger and kicked the table.

boom--

wow-

"This is outrageous!" Tong Guan shouted amidst the mess, "You arrogant scoundrel, you should be chopped up and fed to the dogs."

"My boss..."

"Shut up." Tong Guan waved his hand and sat down angrily. "Send more messengers to the front lines, instructing them to hold the city at all costs this time, or else..."

He squeezed the chair with his fingers: "Then all of you can go fishing in Qiongzhou!"

“Yes, that Zhang Jue…” Dong Yun nodded, looking at Tong Guan hesitantly.

"Tell him that if he wants to live, he shouldn't come out and move around," Tong Guan said angrily. "We'll talk about it when there's progress ahead."

The aide beside him nodded slightly.

……

On the vast northern land, Yelü Yudu, wearing a fur hat with a wolf tail sewn on, led his troops to examine the tracks on the ground. Suddenly, someone raised their head and pointed in a direction: "This way."

Moments later, the horses' hooves shook the earth, and the galloping troops left a long, winding trail on the ground.

A short distance away, parallel to the shore, Jurchen soldiers carrying the "Wanyan" banner also exclaimed, "There are traces here."

Thousands of soldiers dressed in furs marched swiftly, their excited faces bearing strange smiles.

In the new year, the Liao emperor, who had been on the run for a long time, was caught by the pursuing army several times. After several ambushes, the number of people around him had been reduced to a little over a hundred.

This time, they will not escape the clutches of these pursuers.

……

To the east, troops poured out of Pingzhou and quickly entered Wuqing, then advanced towards the still war-torn region.

(End of this chapter)