Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

January of the tenth year of Jianwu.

The top of the long, winding city wall was covered with a thick layer of snow, and young men dressed in winter clothes were sweeping the passageways on the city wall clean.

The guards, their boots with wavy soles treading the ground, turned to look into the city. Below, the rooftops and streets were covered in a blanket of white snow. People who had just celebrated the New Year mingled and walked through the snow. A woman sweeping the snow in front of her door was hit in the back by a snowball. She turned and scolded a mischievous child, pretending to hit him, which made a group of children laugh, scream, and run away.

A street vendor, who had reopened his stall after the New Year, untied the lid of his pot. The steam instantly turned his face red, and the aroma attracted several gourmands who came over to pay and eat.

The restaurants and eateries along the street were filled with scholars and wealthy patrons, as well as traveling merchants and well-dressed local gentry. People who knew each other and those who didn't gathered around to drink and eat, occasionally discussing the current state of the world.

The news of the campaign against Goryeo in the northeast had already spread among the people last year. Many Confucian scholars had reservations about it, believing that there was no need to conquer a remote and small country. They also talked about how a holy emperor should use his high moral character to influence the world. Many people scoffed at this, and when some scholars seriously cited the Han and Tang dynasties, they refuted the Confucian scholars with their words and their faces turned red.

The conversation then turned to the Western Xia, instantly enlivening the atmosphere in the small hall. Since the founding of the Western Xia, the Western Army had been fighting against it. When the Qi Kingdom entered the Central Plains, troops once again marched into that small land. The people were naturally happy to see this happen, since they had all grown up listening to stories of fighting against the Western Xia, and everyone hoped that they could see the Li family defeated in their lifetime.

Now, the Qi army, led by the steppe people, is invading from the north, while two generals from the south have been conquering cities and territories and have finally reached the border. We'll see how this pincer attack from the north and south goes and whether it will bring the territory under our control within the year.

Then, the sound of orderly footsteps and horses' hooves echoed through the streets, the noise from the restaurants ceased, and many people looked down to see the fluttering banners of "Han" and "Yang" as the emperor's troops marched through the streets.

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, and many whispered among themselves.

"These banners look like the troops that went to Jingdong last year." Someone held a wine glass and stood on tiptoe to look outside.

"Now we are in Qingzhou and Xuzhou, and we are in Yuzhou now."

The man turned around speechlessly to look at the person speaking beside him: "...You bastard, forget it, I won't argue with you. Speaking of which, this is the second batch of troops to arrive. I wonder what they're up to."

“I have a brother who hangs out at the docks. He said that last month many ships brought in grain and weapons, so there’s a fear of war.”

"Is it really that difficult in Western Xia? How come even these Qi generals can't take it down and have to call in reinforcements?"

"The troops that came to Bianliang from Qi numbered only 200,000, while the Western Xia now has 150,000 to 160,000. This time they are probably going to fight someone else."

"Someone else... probably the one from the south."

Mocking, targeting, and speculative words mingled with the chatter. To some extent, the people here acknowledged the martial prowess of the Qi Kingdom. After all, the two emperors who had been defeated earlier had become prisoners, and many had long suspected that the emperor who had fought his way out would not let the matter rest. However, since the court had not yet made any announcements, no one was certain.

In the middle of the street, the long procession was like a sharp sword, forcing the people in front to the sides. The general's flag pointed to the warhorse and he rode on his back. Han Shizhong exhaled a breath of white air: "This place is still more prosperous. What kind of godforsaken places were we in before? There wasn't a single brothel that looked good to us."

Hearing the voice, Yang Zaixing glanced at him, sighed, and patted the warhorse's neck: "You've been blinded by the princess at home. Who told you to snatch her away just because you heard Maode was beautiful?" He paused, then added, "Before you took her in, you accepted anyone who came your way."

"Heh, I'm not wrong about that. It's all because that guy surnamed Cai is on the list of those to be eliminated, and Wang Shiyong is such a flatterer that he even brought up this princess. If His Majesty wants to give it to a meritorious official, I'll naturally dare to accept it. Besides, following me is much better than following that coward... Hmm? Wait a minute."

Han Shizhong blinked, tilted his head and thought for a moment, then slapped his thigh, looking annoyed: "We've fallen into His Majesty's trap. We've lost a courtesan for a princess. How much fun will we lose if things continue like this?"

"What does this have to do with His Majesty? You made your own choice." Yang Zaixing rolled his eyes. "Going to brothels a few less times won't hurt you. Spending more time with your wives and concubines at home is much better than going to those brothels."

"Heh—" Han Shizhong sneered and glanced at the young man beside him with a disdainful expression: "I have nothing to say to you, a henpecked husband who married a princess."

Yang Zaixing's face changed, and he pointed at Han Shizhong: "Hey, you rascal!"

"With your eloquence and temperament, you think you can reason with me?" Han Shizhong laughed heartily at his appearance. "Kid, go back and practice some more."

"I'll fight you to the death..."

The two bickered and argued all the way, their footsteps echoing in the distance as snow was being cleared from the city gates.

At the turn of the year, apart from a few eunuchs and female officials who had official duties, everyone else in the palace could rest for two days to celebrate. That's why the snow at the gate was only cleared at this time, but the people in power in the palace didn't mind.

The troops continued along the road, leaving the city to rest in the military camp.

Han Shizhong and Yang Zaixing had stopped arguing and rode into the imperial city. They dismounted in front of the palace and strode into the warm pavilion, where the chill they felt instantly dissipated in the warmth.

At the head of the table sat Lü Bu, holding a cup of warm wine. On either side of him sat Wang Zheng, Li Zhu, and Fang Xuedu, along with Wang Yin, Shi Bao, Yao Gang, Lin Chong, and others from the army.

"Your Majesty, I wish you good fortune and all things going well after the New Year."

Lu Bu glanced at the two men in armor and waved his hand: "Have some hot wine to warm yourselves up first. There are some comfortable clothes over there. Go change and come back to your seats."

Han and Yang bowed and thanked the eunuch. They first accepted the wine offered by the eunuch, drank it down in one gulp, and felt a warm sensation spread from their stomachs throughout their bodies. Then they went to the side with the eunuch, where ordinary clothes and fur coats were prepared and presented to them. The two removed their armor, put on the clothes, and instantly felt much lighter. They strode back and sat down.

"How is the situation in Xuzhou? What are the Song army's movements?" Lu Bu asked, taking a sip of his wine as the two men sat down. "I heard recently that Zhao Gou is recruiting new soldiers, presumably to guard against us. In that respect, he is much better than his father and brothers."

Han Shizhong held his wine bowl, took a sip, and wiped his mouth: "Zhao Gou mobilized more than 100,000 troops and deployed them in Huainan. However, these troops are poorly trained and have little combat experience. They are no different from the Song army that we defeated in Hedong, Hebei."

Yang Zaixing nodded: "General Han is absolutely right. The Song army has only been formed for a short time, and its combat strength has not changed significantly. However, we have also discovered that some of its generals have private troops. In time, the situation where generals do not know their soldiers and soldiers do not know their generals will improve a lot. If Zhao Gou provides more support, it may cause some trouble."

“We need to give them time.” Lu Bu put down his wine cup, waved his sleeve, casually rested his forearm on his knee, leaned forward, and said in a low voice, “I have said before that once we have conquered the northern provinces, we will immediately march south and not give that brat Zhao Gou the opportunity to grow stronger.”

Even those present, though past the age of youthful passion and heroism, showed signs of excitement. The merit of serving the emperor or rising to high office could not compare to conquering a country, unifying the nation, and leaving a mark on history—and now all of that was before their eyes.

Wang Yin clenched his fist: "I am familiar with the terrain in the south. I will lead the vanguard and make sure that little brat Zhao Gou cannot sleep at night."

Yang Zaixing straightened his back and said, "When it comes to familiarity with the terrain, I am second to none. Let me be the vanguard."

"This humble general also wishes to go first." Han Shizhong chuckled: "When it comes to fighting on the battlefield, I am no less than anyone else."

Lu Bu glanced at Shi Bao and the other generals, whose faces were also eager to fight. He waved his hand and said, "Stop arguing. I have my own plans for next year. For now, let's rest and let those surrendered Song soldiers get familiar with the military orders. So that when they go to the battlefield next year, they won't lose their heads for nothing because they can't even understand the flags."

The civil and military officials below burst into laughter. In the years of fighting against the Zhao Song dynasty, they had encountered many Song soldiers who couldn't understand the flags, or who understood them but didn't carry them out. Such things, which were unimaginable to their side, seemed to be commonplace in the Song army.

“The former officials of the Song dynasty in the city might also be of some use.” Li Zhu finished laughing, stroked his beard, and squinted his eyes. “Let them go elsewhere to persuade them to surrender. Perhaps that can give those local officials a chance to choose again.” Lü Bu gently touched the hand warmer beside him. “I’ll leave this matter to you. Tell those surrendered officials that if things go well, they will all receive military merits. They are all smart men and know what military merits mean in our Great Qi.”

The group of people who were drinking all laughed.

Within a few days, the surrendered officials, having received instructions from the court, became excited. Many racked their brains trying to figure out where they could find friends or students, or where they could repay favors owed to them by officials of the Song Dynasty.

In this situation, we must avoid those stubborn people. If we go there and fail to persuade them, we might end up being kidnapped and sent to Lin'an, which would be a huge joke.

While the surrendered officials were busy, a man named Luo You from Haizhou gathered a large group of people at the Imperial Academy and headed to the outskirts of the capital, just as Chen Dong had done years before.

However, instead of storming the palace, these people asked the emperor to consider the fate of the nation and send troops to the south. Their leader, Luo You, even took the opportunity to offer a strategy to attack the Song Dynasty.

……

"Ha, Nan Zhengyi..."

Lu Bu squinted as he tossed the strategy for attacking Song presented by the imperial student onto the table, stroking his beard: "It's a good thing that the imperial student wants to participate in politics, but it's a bit too early."

Wang Zheng sat opposite, looking up at the emperor with a somewhat lazy air: "Your Majesty, won't you issue an edict to reprimand him?"

"Why bother with all that effort?" Lü Bu waved his hand. "Everyone knows I'm going on a southern expedition."

Then a smile appeared on his lips: "Just like Sima Zhao, everyone knows his intention to usurp the Wei throne, so why bother to hide it?"

Wang Zheng was somewhat puzzled as to why he was so happy, but he didn't intend to ask. He simply thought for a moment and said, "In that case, what does Your Majesty intend to do with this person?"

Lu Bu pointed at the document and looked at Wang Zheng: "What do you think?"

“Quite brilliant.” Wang Zheng nodded in praise: “If it weren’t for the fact that this person has little experience in governance and military affairs, this strategy would be flawless.” He then concluded: “He has potential.”

"Yes, he has potential." Lü Bu smiled and said, "Send someone to tell him to participate in this year's imperial examination. If he can get into the top three, I will forgive his crime of inciting a crowd to cause trouble and give him a future."

Wang Zheng looked at him with a smile: "Your Majesty still values ​​talent."

"Opportunism is certainly annoying," Lü Bu smiled, glancing at the table. "But it is also a skill, and I want to see if he can enter the court."

……

South of the Yangtze River.

After the two routes to the north of Jingdong and most of the western part of Jingdong came under the rule of Qi, the military prefectures along the Yangtze River have had a hard time.

Last year, new soldiers were recruited, and this year, just as the curtain was rising, the new court's decree arrived from Hangzhou, ordering the blockade of the waterways connecting to the north. It is rumored that this blockade will continue as long as the Qi state remains in power.

It was in this tense atmosphere that many civilian merchants' fleets suffered. Some were seized, and others were taken into military camps under the pretext of smuggling. Many merchants dared not be angry or speak out in the face of gleaming swords and spears. They could only swallow their anger and watch their hard-earned goods end up in the pockets of the government troops.

As a result, merchants found it difficult to cross the river, goods piled up severely, and many men who made a living by manual labor lost their livelihoods, spending their days idly wandering around the city, causing a lot of trouble.

Immediately after news of the wars in the Northwest and Northeast reached the river, the entire southern intellectual community was filled with curses, saying that the one in the north was a thief by origin, who did not understand the etiquette of relations between countries, and wanted to seize everything. That was the behavior of a thief.

They failed to notice that many defensive fortifications had been built in the southeast, and that taxes and corvée labor were heavier than ever before on the shoulders of the common people. If war broke out, many people would likely not be able to make a living.

Lin'an.

Looking at the government office under construction in front of him, Zhao Gou felt uneasy again. Compared to the palace in Bianliang, this place was much smaller. He did want to place the capital in Jiangning Prefecture, since it was much larger than this place, but he didn't have the courage.

Jiangning Prefecture is only a dozen days' journey from the Qi army's defensive line. If they marched at full speed, they might not be able to arrive in a day or two, but it's possible that they would be overtaken within two or three days.

Never mind, anyway, even the retired emperor thought the palace in Bianliang was too small, so I'll just...

Just bear with it.

Just as he was having his selfish thoughts over and over again, he suddenly heard anxious footsteps behind him, and a voice sounded impatient: "Your Majesty, someone in Bianliang has presented a 'Proposal for the Southern Expedition,' and this matter has spread throughout the Qi court and the public. I'm afraid the northern bandits will be heading south soon."

The young figure froze, then exhaled a breath of white air after a long while, muttering uncertainly, "It shouldn't be that fast..."

……

That year, the State of Qi mobilized its troops, selected and trained the best soldiers from the surrendered Song soldiers in Jingdong and Hebei, and expanded the number of armored cavalry to nine hundred, while increasing the number of elite troops in the Trapped Camp from three thousand to five thousand. Several generals were ordered to enter the territory of Yuzhou from the three prefectures of Qing, Xu and Si. At the same time, several adult second-generation generals, such as Niu Tong and Huyan Yu, were transferred to the Wolf Cavalry.

In early mid-spring, Wei Zhaode, Ruan Xiaoer, and Li Jun's fleet entered Bianliang from Qingzhou, bringing with them a large amount of military provisions, as well as several captains brought over from Liaodong.

In mid-spring, the assembled army had passed the initial adjustment period, and the soldiers' desire for military achievements reached the palace.

In the same month, good news came from Goryeo: Seogyeong had been captured, and 3,000 Goryeo soldiers had surrendered. Wanyan Zonghan submitted a memorial requesting that Tuojunjing be granted an official position.

In the latter part of the month, the Yan Army Command of Heishui Town in Western Xia was captured by Shi Gugong with the help of grassland cavalry, in exchange for a 30% reduction in the market price this year.

Two days later, Du Xue defeated 30,000 troops of the Jianing Army in the southern border of Western Xia, and then took Hongzhou. Sun An defeated 20,000 Western Xia troops 30 miles south of Longzhou City, besieged Longzhou City for three days, and broke into the city.

The world was shocked.

At the same time, the Qi emperor, who was based in Bianliang, issued an edict.

Southern Expedition—(End of Chapter)