Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Chapter 1182 A Few Things About Bianliang

The late summer sun was serene, and the sound of cicadas echoed through the mountains and forests.

In the capital region, the gates of Bianliang City remained open, and checkpoints were set up on all official roads. Merchants and travelers passing through only needed to proceed after being inspected by soldiers in scarlet uniforms.

The canal-delivered vehicle stopped in front of Zhu's shop. Liao San'er heard the noise and came out of the backyard: "Boss Dong is here? What's the situation outside?"

"It's even worse than the previous two days."

Dong Kai jumped off the car, wiped the sweat from his forehead, waved to the people behind him, signaling the crew to start unloading the river fish. He then complained to Liao San'er, "These scoundrels have set up two more checkpoints on the way. I've spent an extra thirty dollars on this trip to the city."

"These damned bastards, they've never won a single battle, but they're ruthless when it comes to plundering their own people." Liao San'er said angrily, scratching his head. "At this rate, all kinds of ingredients will go up in price, and restaurants won't be able to stay afloat."

Dong Kai laughed and slapped him on the back: "Let your manager worry about these things," and stepped inside.

Liao San'er scratched his head and muttered, "I also want to be a shopkeeper..." He looked at the man carrying the river delicacies and sighed, "Forget it, in this situation, I'd better just do my job. I don't have as much money as a shopkeeper."

Dong Kai, who was in front, didn't care about the little thoughts of the people behind him. He entered the courtyard and walked to Zhu Fu's house with ease. As soon as he entered, he saw the smiling tiger working on an abacus. He gently closed the door, smiled at the man who looked up, and said, "Is your wife out?"

“I told her to take the child and go back to her parents’ home for a few months.” Zhu Fu stood up and touched his nose: “This situation is not something to be taken lightly.”

Dong Kai walked over and sat down, turning around to look at the door: "That's right, all the soldiers from Jingdong have been transferred here today. It feels like the Emperor in the palace... no, both Emperors wish they could gather all the troops in the world in this capital region."

"We haven't been able to ascertain the exact number of the foreign troops, but I imagine it won't be as difficult as it was for His Majesty and his forces in the Liao Kingdom. I've heard that their journey south was quite smooth..."

Zhu Fu said something, then reached in and pulled out a letter: "It contains a list of ministers in charge of defending the capital region; it might be useful."

"Let me take it out." Dong Kai reached out and took it, folded it in half, put it in the lining of his belt, picked up the water bottle next to him, drank it down, wiped his mouth, and said, "The situation in Bianliang is complicated right now. We can't find out anything. We might as well close the shop and avoid it for now."

His voice lowered: "If the two sides go to war, who knows what the situation will be like? If we get involved in any danger, we might not even know how we died."

“...That’s true.” Zhu Fu wasn’t one to ignore advice, so he nodded decisively: “I’ll close the door tomorrow, and you should also tell the workers to stay away from this side.”

"No need for further words." Dong Kai chuckled. "I've already packed up and am just waiting to go back and make my escape."

"Where are you going?"

“I’ll take the waterway…” Dong Kai thought for a moment and said, “Since the soldiers from Jingdong have all come here, I’ll go to Jingdong and see what this place used to be like.”

"Then take some things with you." Zhu Fu pondered for a moment, looked at Dong Kai, then stood up and walked to the bed. He lifted the quilt, moved the bed board, stood inside, bent down, fiddled with it for a bit, and pulled out a few bricks and stones.

Slightly——

With a soft click, a wooden board was lifted, and Zhu Fu took out a heavy bundle from underneath and placed it laboriously on the table.

The crisp sound of metal clashing reached their ears, and Dong Kai immediately opened his eyes wide and sat up straight: "Wow! You know what, this is all silver."

Zhu Fu glanced at him: "No."

"Hmm..." Dong Kai nodded and relaxed again.

"Gold," Zhu Fu suddenly said.

"Oh..." Dong Kai responded casually, but Zhu Fu's voice echoed in his mind again, and he suddenly sat up straight: "What?!"

Zhu Fu chuckled and leaned closer: "Inside are the money I've earned over the years, and..." He pointed upwards: "This is what I got. I started exchanging it for gold last year after receiving the letter. That's all."

He slapped the package twice with his large hand, making a few crisp sounds. Dong Kai's eyes involuntarily turned to the package. Then he grabbed Zhu Fu's collar and said, "Are you crazy? If something happens to all this stuff, I'll be dead."

"With so many people helping us, what's there to be afraid of?" Zhu Fu said casually, "Besides, if something really happens, you can just throw the package away and we'll come back for it later. Wait, don't interrupt."

He pushed the package aside and said, "It's yours."

"Damn it, she always orders me around." Dong Kai rolled his eyes, placed his hand on the table, and pondered for a moment: "Prepare some wine later, I'll take it with me. There are many checkpoints now, and they're not easy to deal with. Getting some wine will make it easier to get out."

"Leave it to me." Zhu Fu did not refuse and turned to go out to make arrangements.

Dong Kai walked out of the room, looked around, and saw that all the outsiders in the shop had gone to the front to work. Then he called someone over to take the package away.

Before long, Zhu Fu loaded more than twenty jars of wine onto the car, and Dong Kai and his group hurriedly ran out while it was still early.

In the following days, Dong Kai, along with his wife and children, had his sailors and crew maneuver two sand barges out of the port. Fortunately, these ships were for fishing and were heading towards Jingdong, so they managed to escape through the Bianliang naval checkpoints after spending some money.

As Zhu Fu had agreed in the previous days, he closed his shop, paid a sum of money, and then ran out of the pass. However, his route was the opposite of Dong Kai's; he ran all the way to his wife's house in western Beijing.

……

As dusk approached, in the Imperial Study of Bianliang Palace, Bai Shizhong, Chen Liangbi, Li Gang, and other ministers and eunuchs who served Zhao Huan sat in their respective seats, looking at the emperor with a worried expression on his face.

"With Daming Prefecture fallen, Kaide Prefecture probably won't hold out for more than a few days... Two major prefectures..."

Zhao Huan clutched his cheek; he'd been feeling a bit feverish lately, his upper and lower gums were aching badly, and he even had a blister on his lip.

“Your Majesty, why don’t we send envoys to negotiate peace?” Bai Shizhong cautiously observed the young emperor’s expression and suggested, “The Qi state’s attack on our military prefectures may be due to insufficient annual tribute. Why not cede some useless territories to them and double the annual tribute? Perhaps the Qi people will withdraw their troops.”

"fart!"

Bang! Li Gang slammed his hand on the table in front of him, causing the fruits and vegetables on it to jump up. He stood up abruptly: "Your Majesty, the fundamental way to defend against the enemy now is to win over the hearts of the people, increase the number of soldiers and defensive equipment, eliminate the grievances among the people, and select truly patriotic individuals. In this way, the people will be united and work together to overcome the national crisis, and we can defend against the Qi Kingdom."

Pointing at Bai Shizhong, he said, "Young Master Bai, you speak of ceding territory to sue for peace. Have you not heard of the six states' service to Qin? Now Qi is like the old Qin, its army is like tigers and wolves, and Lü Bu is an even more vicious tiger. How much military and state silver do you want to feed him to satisfy his appetite? Cede territory?!"

With his hands outstretched, he said, "If we keep cutting and cutting, one day there will be nothing left to cut. Are we going to give him even the imperial palace?"

With red eyes and clenched fists, he stepped forward and looked earnestly at Zhao Huan: "Your Majesty, just like the situation faced by Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, we surrendered and did not lose our positions as court officials, but what about you? Can you foresee the fate of the Liao Emperor?"

Zhao Huan's facial muscles twitched, his eyelids twitched violently a few times, and his hand covering his cheek unconsciously loosened: "That's right, I've heard that he often dances for the Jurchens in exchange for daily necessities..."

He raised his right hand, wanting to slam it on the table, but fearing the pain, he hesitated and withdrew it slightly. He then considered slapping his thigh, but felt it wasn't worth the pain. So he stretched out his left hand and awkwardly clasped his hands together: "I can't possibly go to the north and disgrace my ancestors, Li Gang—"

"The minister is here."

"I appoint you as Vice Minister of War, in charge of the defense of this area, and the troops that come to the aid of the emperor will be under your command."

Li Gang took a breath, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully: "I will certainly live up to Your Majesty's expectations."

"Go and prepare." Zhao Huan waved his hand at him.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I take my leave." Li Gang glanced at Bai and Chen, bowed to Zhao Huan, and then left.

Once he was out of sight, Bai Shizhong quickly spoke up: "Your Majesty, the capital region is easily accessible from all directions and lacks any natural defenses. If we insist on holding it to the death, I'm afraid it will be difficult to defend."

Chen Liangbi's voice was high-pitched. He stepped forward and cupped his hands: "Your Majesty, what Minister Bai said is true. The troops outside the city were mobilized by the Emperor Emeritus. I'm afraid Li Gang can't command them. In military operations, the most taboo thing is discord between generals and commanders. Even if Li Gang has three heads and six arms now, I'm afraid the generals in the city will find it difficult to obey his orders."

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Bai Shizhong chimed in. “Why not let Li Gang guard Bianliang City while Your Majesty makes your southern tour first? This dangerous and treacherous place is not suitable for someone of your status.”

“This…” Zhao Huan hesitated for a moment, the anger that had risen from Li Gang’s words subsided, and he said hesitantly, “Isn’t that a bad idea? If we… well, if we retreat now… wouldn’t that put Minister Li in a difficult position?”

Bai and Chen were both shrewd men, and they could easily see that their emperor was tempted. Without needing to exchange words, Bai Shizhong quickly said, "Your Majesty, you are mistaken. You are the ruler of a country. As long as you are here, the Song Dynasty is here. If anything happens to you, then the Song Dynasty is in trouble. Therefore, your safety is of utmost importance. Only when you are safe can the soldiers in this city fight with peace of mind."

Chen Liangbi nodded almost indistinctly: "What you say is exactly what I was thinking." He bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, you are still causing the soldiers to be distracted by protecting the city. Why not set off on a southern tour, allowing the troops in the city to act freely? At the same time, you can also gather the southern troops to come to the capital. Once the siege of the capital is lifted, your achievements will surpass those of the retired emperor."

She glanced at him and said, "Besides, I've heard that the Emperor Emeritus also intends to retreat. If he goes south first, you'll have nowhere to go. You'll still be stuck in Bianliang City, with the Emperor Emeritus keeping you in check."

"Nonsense! What do you mean by 'overpowering one'? That's my father, the Emperor!"

"Yes, I was talking nonsense." Chen Liangbi did not refute, and immediately knelt on the ground.

“But what you said about heading south…” Zhao Huan’s eyes flickered, and after a long while he nodded: “That is indeed a good idea.” He stood up, clenched his fist and raised it to his chest: “The Emperor Emeritus always thinks I am young and bosses me around. Once we have driven back the Qi army, let’s see what he can say.”

Bai and Chen were overjoyed and immediately ordered people to prepare for the southern tour. The noisy process was surprisingly swift, and the carriages were ready that very night.

The following day, Zhao Huan emerged surrounded by palace maids.

Just as one foot stepped onto the bench to board the carriage, a shout rang out: "Where is Your Majesty going?!"

Zhao Huan felt a chill in his heart. He turned his head and saw Li Gang leading several civil and military officials running towards him. When they reached him, Li Gang looked at him with his eyes wide open and asked, "Your Majesty, where do you intend to take the carriage?!"

The young emperor's lips twitched, wanting to say, "Where I go is none of your business," but his upbringing and the fiery glare in the other's eyes prevented him from speaking. After stammering for a while, he finally managed to utter, "I've decided that the army in the capital region is insufficient, so I intend to go south to gather troops, and then we'll march back..."

The voice grew fainter and fainter under Li Gang's gaze, until finally it shrank back and dared not speak again.

The wind swept across the open space in front of the palace, causing the banners held aloft by thousands of soldiers to flutter. Li Gang suddenly took a breath and spoke in a booming voice: "Your parents, wives, and children are all in the city. Do you want to defend this place or flee and save yourselves?"

The soldiers, clad in fine armor, looked at each other, and many blurted out, "We are willing to defend the capital to the death!"

"We are willing to fight to the death to defend the capital!" More voices rang out.

"Defend the capital to the death!" gradually became a common cry.

Zhao Huan's lips twitched slightly. Li Gang stepped forward and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your Majesty, the soldiers' families are all in Bianliang City. If you take them south, some may take the opportunity to escape. Moreover, the Qi army has many cavalry. Knowing that you are heading south, they will definitely send troops to pursue you. At that time, who will come to protect you?"

“Uh…” Zhao Huan blinked: “There is…some truth to that.”

Seeing that he had been persuaded, Li Gang quickly added, "Your Majesty, going south is not a good idea. Anyone who suggests going south again shall be executed!"

"Hmm...uh...ah." Zhao Huan hesitated for a moment before agreeing, then nodded again, afraid that Li Gang wouldn't believe him.

The imperial guards around him were watching this side. Upon hearing that the emperor would no longer travel south, they cheered and many knelt down, shouting "Long live the emperor!" The number of people bowing down gradually increased, leaving Zhao Huan and the civil and military officials who were preparing to follow him looking helpless.

The noise gradually subsided. Zhao Huan waved his hand and said, "Rise, all of you!" He watched as the soldiers stood up, then looked at Li Gang and said with a change of expression, "You are appointed as the commander of the expeditionary force, responsible for the military tasks of defending the city and the deployment of troops. If anyone disobeys orders, speak to me directly."

With a flick of his sleeve, he listlessly led his concubines toward the palace.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Gang shouted loudly, then watched the emperor walk away with satisfaction. He turned around and led the civil and military officials who had come to him out of the palace.

Soon after, soldiers on horseback rode into Bianliang City, bringing news of Zhong Shidao and Zhong Shizhong. Meanwhile, Li Gang directed the able-bodied soldiers to repair watchtowers and arrow towers, install artillery emplacements, transport bricks and stones, build wooden platforms, set up crossbows, and prepare kerosene and molten gold.

They were just waiting for the Qi army to arrive.

(End of this chapter)