Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Zong Ze's residence.

In the dim light, the old man coughed occasionally as he wrote down what he had seen and heard about the day's battle. The door creaked open and Zong Ying, carrying a basin of water, walked in.

"Father, it's getting late, go wash up and go to bed."

The young man who came in placed the copper basin on the shelf: "We don't know when the Qi army will attack the city tomorrow. If you don't rest, you might not be able to hold on."

"Do you think I'm as sleepy as you young people?" Zong Ze didn't even look up, his pen flying across the paper: "No matter how late your father sleeps, I'll still get up earlier than you tomorrow."

Zong Ying sighed helplessly. Her father was a good person in every way, except that he liked to criticize her. But she was used to it. She set out her toiletries. Meanwhile, Zong Ze stopped writing, rinsed his pen in the pen holder, drained the water, and hung it on the pen rack.

He put away what he had written, stood up, and said, “In a little while, find a battalion of capable soldiers and send what I have written and what you recorded during the day back to the court. Let them know that the Qi army is different from the Liao Dynasty of the past. They are fierce and fearless in battle, and they also have new weapons such as cannons. If they are not careful, they may suffer losses.”

"Father..." Zong Ying's hand froze, and she turned around in disbelief: "You want me to be a deserter?"

“They are not deserters.” Zong Ze shook his head, his gray hair reflecting the light under the lamp: “Although the Northern bandits’ cannons failed to breach the walls of Daming Prefecture, it was because they were wide and sturdy. If it were any other military prefecture, they would have been destroyed in six or seven out of ten cases.”

Seeing the anxiety on his son's face, he raised his hand to stop him: "Now is not the time to act on emotion. This battle may seem like a fight between the northern bandits and our dynasty, but it is actually a counterattack by those warriors against our scholar-officials. If they win, the world will fall into the hands of warriors again, and the people will suffer greatly."

Zong Ying paused for a moment: "However, the Qi army is quite powerful. How long can Father hold out...?"

Before he could finish speaking, footsteps came from outside, the door slammed open, and a guard poked his head in: "My lord, the garrison commander from the south of the city reports that there are sounds of fighting outside. It seems that the Qi army is fighting with someone."

The father and son of the Zong family exchanged a glance, and the younger son spoke up: "Father, could it be reinforcements?"

“Perhaps… but the previous reinforcements were all defeated, and no one may be able to come in the short term.” The firelight shone on Zong Ze’s slightly thin old face. He thought for a moment and said, “Order the guards at the south gate that it is dark and the night is not clear. They should prioritize safety and not attack. They should guard the gate carefully and not be tricked into opening the city gate.”

The guard responded and ran out to relay the order. Zong Ze handed the letter to his son: "I originally wanted you to go through the south gate, but now the enemy is patrolling outside, and the situation is unclear."

Zong Ying reached out and took it, listening to her father continue, "Don't go through the south gate, go through the west gate, and let them lower you down from the city wall."

Zong Ying was always obedient. Seeing that Zong Ze had made up his mind, she knew that it couldn't be changed, so she silently nodded.

Zong Ze immediately summoned his personal guards and ordered them to select thirty quick-witted elites, who then led them to find Li Cheng.

……

Even under the cover of night, Daming Prefecture remained vibrant, with many soldiers gathering under orders from their superiors.

At the entrance of the government office, Li Cheng and Li Shixiong each found a hundred-times-refined steel sword and spoke quietly with Du Yun. Before long, soldiers came over and, like Zong Ze, learned about what was happening outside the city.

"Or is it some reckless fool who's come to our aid? Should we open the gate and rescue them?" Li Cheng said softly, looking at Du Yun standing there.

Du Yun shook his head: "No rush. Zong Ze is still in the city. Given his temperament, he certainly won't order the gates to be opened..." He took a breath: "Generals, let's stick to what we discussed before and tie up Zong Ze first. Our goal is to surrender the city. As long as that Zong guy can't cause trouble, the people in the city will obey whatever we say. Don't panic."

Li Cheng and Li Shixiong exchanged a glance, their expressions hesitant. Du Yun, seeing their expressions, had a flash of insight: "Besides, letting the Qi army into the city at this time would be like eagerly sharing our credit, wouldn't it? If surrendering the city turns into surrendering the gate, our ten percent credit would be halved, wouldn't that be unfair?"

"……rational."

"Let's do as the person who stayed behind said."

Li Cheng and Li Shixiong exchanged a glance and nodded firmly.

Outside, the two men's elite troops were assembling. The soft sounds of clashing armor and footsteps filled the air. Holding torches, they shouted with great enthusiasm, "Hurry up and assemble! It's not your turn to go to the battlefield during the day, so be alert!"

"Commander, over there..."

Amid the chaotic scene, a Song soldier pointed to one end of the street, and the person who had shouted immediately turned his head to look.

At the street corner, dozens of people approached under torches, the leader of whom was none other than Zong Ze, the white-haired transport commissioner of Hebei.

As the torches drew closer, the commander's eyes gleamed. He gestured for a soldier to fetch his superior, while his mind raced as he watched the approaching figures.

"Prime Minister Zong... what brings you here?"

Zong Ze looked at the soldiers around the government office with a puzzled expression: "Why are you all gathering at this time?"

The torches burned in the soldiers' hands, making a whooshing sound.

The commander was speechless for a moment. Zong Ying looked around and suddenly remembered what had just happened: "Father, is it that Commander Du and the others are going to support the South Gate?"

The commander, who was at a loss for what to do, nodded hurriedly upon hearing this: "Yes, Commander Du sent us here precisely because of the matter in the south of the city."

Zong Ze was somewhat puzzled upon hearing this, but he had witnessed Li Shixiong's fierce battle with the Qi army during the day, and Li Cheng's side was also struggling to defend. Without thinking too much about it, he said, "You all need not be anxious. It is not too late to discuss the matter of aiding the south of the city after I have discussed it with Governor Du."

After saying that, he headed towards the government office.

Inside, Du Yun and the two Lis had already received the news and were leading their respective personal guards out, just in time to meet Zong Ze and the others.

"Prefect Du, Commander Li, General Li." Zong Ze greeted the three men as they came out, saying, "I have something to discuss with you."

The three exchanged glances. Li Cheng and Li Shixiong's eyes showed some interest, while Du Yun shook his head slightly, then smiled gently: "May I ask what brings you here, Prime Minister?"

Zong Ze looked behind him, then turned back and smiled: "There are two things. First, I would like to ask Commander Li to let my son Zong Ying leave the city. Although he did not get a full view of the Qi army after a day, he was able to obtain some intelligence, which can be sent back to the court as a warning."

He paused for a moment, stroking his beard, and said, "Secondly, I wanted to ask if you gentlemen are going to the South Gate?"

Du Yun paused for a moment, his eyes holding a somewhat ambiguous look: "So what if it is?"

Zong Ze said sincerely, “The situation outside the city is still unclear. I don’t know if it’s a trick by the Qi army to deceive the city. For the safety of Daming Prefecture, I do not object to sending reinforcements to the city walls. But if we go out of the city…” He shook his head, “It would be somewhat inappropriate.”

In the firelight, the figures that had been walking around them had already stopped when the two Lis came out and gathered around.

Du Yun glanced around and took a breath: "We have gathered our troops not to go out of the city to fight."

Zong Ze breathed a sigh of relief, then looked around at the soldiers holding torches with some doubt: "Gongmei, what is the purpose of gathering so many troops?"

"For the sake of Daming Prefecture's safety..." Du Yun took a step back and cupped his hands in greeting: "Please, Prime Minister Zong, surrender."

Clang——

With two soft clangs, Li Cheng and Li Shixiong drew their iron swords and pointed them in this direction. Then, a series of metallic scraping sounds followed as the gleaming blades and spearheads reflected the torchlight and were aimed at the Zong family father and son and their personal guards behind them.

Footsteps sounded, and a dozen soldiers carrying bows and arrows ran forward, nocked their arrows, and executed the action in one swift motion.

Zong Ze and Zong Ying swayed slightly. The guards behind them drew their weapons as the enemy drew their swords, looking nervously at their comrades facing off with their weapons.

"You want to rebel?!" Zong Ying's eyes widened.

"What does it mean to rebel? A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on, and a wise minister chooses a good lord to serve."

Du Yun waved his hand, his face displeased: "I, the garrison commander, saw clearly today's battle. Daming Prefecture cannot withstand the attack of the Qi army outside. Rather than having the city breached and the people harmed, it is better for me, the garrison commander, to bear all the blame so that the common people in the city can sleep peacefully."

The two Lis couldn't help but glance at him, their lips twitching slightly, but they didn't utter a sound. They simply turned to look at Zong Ze one after another.

"Stop trying to glorify yourself if you're a coward who's afraid of death!"

Zong Ying's face suddenly flushed red as she pointed at Li Cheng and Li Shixiong: "You two generals were fighting fiercely on the city walls today, why are you surrendering with this traitor tonight?!"

Li Cheng's eyes twitched, and Li Shixiong spoke first: "I never wanted to fight the Qi army. Today's battle is to repay the kindness of the Prime Minister Zong for speaking up for us warriors a few days ago. Although it is late, it also lets me know that there are still people in the court who respect us warriors."

"then you……"

Zong Ying wanted to ask more, but Li Cheng waved his sword, drawing a bright line in the air: "No need to say more. Qi's military achievements speak for themselves, and they have offered generous conditions. We warriors are naturally envious. This daytime battle is a way of expressing our gratitude for the salary the court has given us over the years. From this moment on, we will live for ourselves."

“…Traitors and rebels.” Zong Ze glanced at the men before him, his hair and beard standing on end. “You have been eating the emperor’s food for over a decade, how can you repay it all in one battle? Do you still have the four words ‘loyalty to the emperor and service to the country’ in your eyes? Why do you so easily bow down to the northern bandits?”

Li Cheng and Li Shixiong looked somewhat uneasy as they faced him, and the soldiers around them slightly lowered their swords and spears.

"Prime Minister, there's no need for further words."

Du Yun sneered and waved his sleeve: "The emperor of Qi rose from humble beginnings, conquered Liao and seized its territory by his own strength. Now he is heading south, which is nothing more than the unification of the world."

His tone rose slightly: "He comes from a prominent Han Chinese family in the north and has the ambition to end the fragmentation of the country. Why shouldn't we join Qi for the sake of peace and stability for all people?"

Must one fight for the interests of their own Zhao family and clan, like weakening the Han dynasty at the end of the Han dynasty to allow outsiders to take advantage, to be considered loyal to the emperor? I disdain such things.

"Strong words!"

Zong Ying's face turned as red as if it were about to bleed. She pointed at Du Yun and said, "You scoundrel, you even ordered the breaching of the Yellow River's dikes to stop the Qi army. If it weren't for my father's intervention, countless people would have died under your absurd order. How dare you utter such righteous words!"

"Really? I don't recall making such a suggestion."

Du Yun glanced at him disdainfully, then spread his hands: "If you want to condemn someone, you'll find a reason. Young Master Zong..." He leaned forward, glancing sideways at the Zong family father and son: "You need evidence to speak."

Princess—

Zong Ze clenched his fists, making a series of cracking sounds.

"Prime Minister, the situation is now settled. For the sake of those behind you, please surrender."

Li Cheng and Li Shixiong were unwilling to confront Zong Ze and his son for too long. They simply spoke calmly, while tilting their heads, "Don't resist. We don't want to hurt you."

"you……"

Zong Ying was furious and took a step forward, but the surrounding soldiers swarmed forward, pressing their swords and spears tightly against the man's neck and chest, while simultaneously disarming him.

Soldiers came over with ropes and began to tie people up. Zong Ze stared intently at the three people opposite him: "You will be punished for what you have done sooner or later. Qi is a country of tigers and wolves. Do not forget the lessons of Qin and Tang. If you think you can rise to power through military merit, you will be defeated sooner or later because of it."

"Thank you for your advice, Prime Minister." Li Cheng paused for a moment, then bowed to him with his hands holding the knife upside down: "I will keep it in mind."

Zong Ze sighed and closed his eyes. Soldiers came up to tie him up, but Li Shixiong suddenly spoke up: "Prime Minister Zong, there's no need to tie him up. Someone, please ask him to move inside."

The soldiers breathed a sigh of relief. Zong Ze opened his eyes, snorted coldly, and walked calmly into the government office.

Du Yun looked at everything before him and nodded with a sense of satisfaction. He then said to the two men, "I didn't expect things to go so smoothly. Even so, there are still two stubborn men, Chen Cui and Quan Bangyan. I will send someone to summon them here right away. I will have to trouble you two generals to work hard in the south of the city."

“Leave it to us!” Li Cheng and Li Shixiong nodded, then shouted to the soldiers to get ready. Watching Du Yun send someone to the east of the city to find the two generals, they said, “To avoid any unforeseen problems, let’s invite the Qi army into the city as soon as possible.”

Du Yun nodded: "I understand."

The three men then selected a dozen or so of the bravest men, had them remove their armor and weapons, and, holding white cloths, hurriedly ran to the west and north city walls, where they were lowered down using ropes.

Li Cheng then led his troops to the South Gate. The garrison commander there was originally a general from Daming Prefecture, under his jurisdiction. Upon hearing that he was to surrender, he didn't utter a word, immediately surrendered his weapons, and stood beside Li Cheng in a gesture of submission.

Chen Cui and Quan Bangyan from the east of the city came to the government office alone after being notified by Du Yun. They were unaware of what was going on that night and were unprepared. They entered the house empty-handed and were easily captured by Li Shixiong's men, who then threw them into the prison with a wave of their hand.

……

North of the city.

Night enveloped the plains, leaving a few campfires and sentry posts. A hundred Qi soldiers, armed with swords, spears, bows, and crossbows, watched their surroundings warily. Every now and then, someone would take out a bamboo whistle and blow it a few times. The sound carried far away, and strange bird calls echoed back.

As darkness deepened, the man facing the city suddenly narrowed his eyes, raised his spear, and shouted, "Who goes there!"

wow——

Powerful bows and crossbows were pointed in this direction, their arrows gleaming in the firelight.

"No, don't do it!"

A tense voice came from the darkness, and a figure holding a white flag gradually approached the firelight. The Song soldiers, their faces filled with fear and apprehension, walked over with their hands raised.

"We are soldiers from Daming Prefecture. We have come to surrender on the orders of Du Yun, the garrison commander, Li Cheng, the military supervisor, and Li Shixiong, the military commander. Please take us to the military camp." The speaker slowly reached into his pocket and took out a letter: "Here is a letter for you."

The soldiers at the sentry post looked at each other in bewilderment. Then, the centurion, leading a dozen or so men, came out with torches. They circled the group in the torchlight, glanced at the letter in the centurion's hand, and paused for a moment before saying, "Send a dozen men to take them to the camp!"

at the same time.

The military camp outside the west side of the city also arrived under escort. (End of Chapter)