Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 239 Oh no! I have witnessed the traitor's departure!
Get going!
Some went first, some went later, with banners and flags everywhere, all along the official road.

People lined up, horses were level, and carts stretched out in a continuous line.

This scene was truly unseen for a century in Hebei, in Hejian Prefecture. Women and children alike would come to the roadside to catch a glimpse of the excitement, even if they didn't eat.

Su Wu didn't ride a horse, but sat in the carriage. There were so many official documents coming and going. All matters, big and small, had to be summarized by Su Wu. There were countless documents to receive, sign, and send. Even sitting here, he was constantly busy.

The car moved slowly. Winter had arrived in the north, and the earth was a gray-yellow color, giving it a truly desolate and bleak appearance.

Xiongzhou, located on the border between Liao and Song, was also the site of a border post, a center of Liao-Song trade, and the place where Song paid tribute to Liao every year.

There's an undeniable sense of humiliation here.

This tribute payment lasted for over 110 years, amounting to 100,000 taels of silver and 200,000 bolts of silk annually.

During the Qingli era, when Li Yuanhao of the Tangut Western Xia rebelled and established his own state, the Song Dynasty frequently launched campaigns against him. In order to stabilize the Liao Dynasty, Fu Bi made two missions to the Liao Dynasty and increased the annual tribute of silver to 200,000 taels and silk to 300,000 bolts.

That's secondary, because this annual tribute was not a large sum for the Song Dynasty.

The most distressing thing was that the word "tribute" was changed during the Qingli period. In the past, when the Song Dynasty sent money to the Liao Dynasty, the word "gift" was used. After the Qingli period, the word "tribute" was used, which meant that the Song Dynasty was paying tribute to the Liao Dynasty.

With just this one word, the legitimacy of the Celestial Empire seems to have been determined, and it is self-evident who the Celestial Empire is.

The humiliation involved goes without saying; more than eighty years have passed since the Qingli era.

Looking north from Xiongzhou, the Juma River, also known as the Juma River, stretches across the landscape. It is actually the upper reaches of the Hai River. The meaning of "juma" is self-evident. This river itself is not particularly remarkable; during the dry season, many places can be waded across.

Merchants from both the Liao and Song dynasties continued to exchange goods at the border market in Xiongzhou, and their comings and goings were quite busy.

However, as soon as Su Wu's army arrived, the Liao merchants were all filled with anxiety. Many of them even abandoned their businesses and fled...

It wasn't that he was afraid the Song people would plunder his wealth, but rather that he rushed back to report the military situation.

However, this was unnecessary. It's likely that the Liao Kingdom received the news when they gathered troops in Hejian. The Liao Kingdom's envoys and spies were not idle.

Inside Yanjing City, Emperor Yelü Yanxi, dressed in the yellow imperial robe with a dragon on his body and a beaded curtain swaying in front of his crown, sat on a high platform, exuding an extraordinary aura.

But then he suddenly stood up and began to curse: "You southerners are pigs and dogs! You disregard the alliance and break your promises! For over a hundred years, your ancestors have never fought a war and have treated each other as brothers. Now you're kicking us when we're down! You will surely incur the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people!"

Xiao Fengxian, the Privy Councilor of the North, immediately said, "The Southern bandits think they can benefit from the conflict between the snipe and the clam and the fisherman will take advantage of it. They just want to send a large army to strike the Southern bandits hard and teach them a lesson!"

Xiao Fengxian was extremely tough, his eyes like those of a hawk, scanning the numerous officials.

Prime Minister Li Chuwen then spoke up: "According to military reports, the southern bandits have come in numbers of hundreds of thousands. Their vanguard has already encamped in Xiongzhou and has not yet crossed the border... Should we send an envoy to inquire about this?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Fengxian became furious: "The Southern bandits have come here with malicious intentions. It would be futile for the envoy to go and inquire."

Xiao Fengxian and Li Chuwen actually had a good relationship; this was just a dispute over strategy.

Li Chuwen bowed to Xiao Fengxian and replied, "Your Majesty, I know that the Southern rebels' army is coming with ill intentions. I imagine... it's nothing more than the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. This cannot be hidden from anyone. But there is also the powerful Jurchen army in the north. The distance between the north and south is only about four hundred li. If the Southern rebels care about our Yan and Yun, how can they not fight with the Jurchens? Now it is a three-way situation. Our Great Liao is caught in the middle, with tigers in the north and wolves in the south. It is natural to fight with all our might, but perhaps there is still some room for maneuver... I think the Song people are also afraid of the tigers and wolves of the Jurchens in the north!"

As expected, upon hearing this, Emperor Yelü Yanxi's anger subsided somewhat, and he said, "What should we ask?"

Li Chuwen then said, "Now we are in a situation of three kingdoms. Whether it is to relieve the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao or to ensure that the lips are gone and the teeth are cold, we still have to talk. Let's try to find out what's going on... If there is really no way to resolve this, we can focus on the war and make preparations for both."

After a moment's thought, the emperor slowly nodded: "Then let's make two preparations. On one hand, we'll try to negotiate and probe, and on the other hand, we'll prepare for war against the southern bandits. The only question is, who is willing to go to negotiate, and which troops should we deploy for war?"

They were stretched thin, and the fighting in the north was still raging. The city of Zhongjing and Dading was under siege, and they were locked in a standoff. It was difficult to easily spare troops.

Li Chuwen immediately spoke first: "Your subject is willing to serve as an envoy and make a trip to Xiongzhou."

The emperor nodded: "That's good. What about preparations for war?"

Everyone went to look at Xiao Fengxian, who was already the de facto head of the court, or perhaps not de facto, he was.

Xiao Fengxian only frowned. He was not a man without soldiers or generals. His family had a large army under his command. In the past, his younger brother Xiao Sixian had a large number of soldiers and generals.

Unfortunately, in the past few years, they fought against the Jurchens several times and were defeated and scattered. Now, only a few remnants of their army remain.

Xiao Fengxian finally spoke up: "We can dispatch Yelü Yudu, the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Route Army, to pass through Jizhou and head south to meet the enemy."

Upon hearing this, Li Chuwen frowned. He glanced at the Emperor and asked, "Yelü Yudu seems genuinely anxious lately. What if he doesn't come?"

"Not coming? If he doesn't come, then imprison him and punish him! How dare he not come? He is already a criminal, yet he doesn't think about redeeming himself through meritorious service. How can he escape his punishment?" Xiao Fengxian was quite angry.

How could Li Chuwen not understand?

This is Xiao Shuxiang using someone else to do his dirty work. How could Xiao Fengxian not know that Yelü Yudu is now filled with fear and unease? This is like a scheme. If he doesn't come, he's a traitor; if he comes, he's a sitting duck. Let the fighting continue, and we can do whatever we want with him in the future.

Li Chuwen was even more anxious. Yelü Yudu was already in a state of panic, and now he was being pressured like this? What if he really defected to the enemy?

Did Xiao Fengxian ever think about this question?

Clearly, Xiao Fengxian had not considered this. He then bowed to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, haven't I repeatedly submitted memorials stating that I have no intention of seizing power? This is a good opportunity to test him and see if he is truly as loyal and righteous as he claims in his memorials!"

Emperor Yelü Yanxi indeed said, "Very well, let's follow this plan. When Minister Li is sent as an envoy to Xiongzhou, we must urgently summon Yelü Yudu to lead troops south to prepare for war against the Song rebels."

A fleeting smile crossed Xiao Fengxian's face as he cupped his hands in greeting: "As you command!"

Li Chuwen also bowed. There were many things he couldn't say, and couldn't say, because the real power didn't lie with him, a Han official; it was with the current emperor...

Just don’t say it.

He couldn't say too much; if he did, he would inevitably be labeled a traitor. In this capital city of Yan, Xiao Fengxian truly held absolute power and was not to be defied.

Yet it is also tragic. At this moment, with the country on the verge of collapse and the family destroyed, there are still these private feuds, still thinking of using others to kill.

This is truly puzzling.

Li Chuwen simply obeyed the order and quickly set off for Xiongzhou, a journey of only two or three hundred li.

A meeting was imperative. Li Chuwen had a premonition of many things. The Liao Dynasty was already struggling to survive, and if things continued like this, many things might happen in an instant.

Once outside the court and the palace gates, Li Chuwen was eager to prepare the carriages and manpower.

Suddenly, someone caught up and bowed, saying, "This humble official greets Lord Li."

Li Chuwen was somewhat anxious, so he didn't stand on ceremony and casually asked, "What is it?"

"This humble official is willing to accompany you on this journey, sir." This man was indeed not very old, around thirty years old, with a rugged face, slightly high cheekbones, and bright eyes, but he wore a square crown.

Upon hearing this, Li Chuwen paused slightly, looked him up and down, and asked, "Chongde must have a deeper reason for wanting to go. Tell me about it..."

Yelü Dashi, courtesy name Chongde, passed the imperial examination in his early twenties and entered the Hanlin Academy as a member of the Hanlin Academy. He was naturally very talented, not to mention being proficient in Khitan language, he was also extremely proficient in Chinese.

People call it Da Shi Lin Ya, and Lin Ya means Hanlin (a scholar who has studied in the Hanlin Academy).

This man was a master of martial arts, skilled in archery and horsemanship, and extremely brave. He was originally a civil official who came from the Hanlin Academy and served as the prefect of Taizhou in the Liao Kingdom. When the Jurchens attacked, he had no choice but to fight them. However, after several battles, he stood out from the crowd.

Now, the young man before Li Chuwen, Yelü Dashi, is already the military governor of Liaoxing Army.

The military governor of the Liao Dynasty was a true military governor, truly in charge of the troops. If the country hadn't been destroyed and his family hadn't perished, Yelü Dashi would be a high-ranking official today.

At this moment, Yelü Dashi did not have many troops at his disposal. He only had some old and remnant soldiers who had followed him in his battles, totaling no more than two thousand cavalrymen, most of whom were Xi and Khitan people.

Of course, in Yanjing City, Yelü Dashi was no longer a high-ranking official, and he didn't even have the right to speak in the court.

Therefore, when he came to find Li Chuwen outside the court, he said, "Lord Li, I have two thoughts, which may offend you. Please forgive me."

"Just say it..." Li Chuwen knew that the young man in front of him was a skilled fighter.

Yelü Dashi nodded: "Then I will take the liberty of saying so. Firstly, I think that Minister Li does not know much about military affairs, so I will go with him to see for myself what the Song army is like, whether they are elite and good at fighting, so that I can know myself and my enemy. Secondly, I will also go south to check the terrain. If a war breaks out, I will definitely go into battle. This is also my way of thinking and preparing in advance."

Li Chuwen frowned. These two reasons weren't bad, but Li Chuwen couldn't help but think of other things, so he asked, "Did you want to go by yourself? Or did someone order you to go with me?"

"It is of course that I want to go and see for myself. As for the officials in the court... sigh... let's not talk about it." Yelü Dashi had just been in the court and his feelings were probably exactly the same as Li Chuwen's. This Liao Dynasty was truly frustrating.

Yelü Dashi, however, was trying his best and leaving the rest to fate.

Upon hearing this, Li Chuwen felt relieved. He had initially thought that Yelü Dashi had come to monitor him, a Han official envoy, but after hearing this, it seemed that was not the case.

Li Chuwen nodded: "Alright, come with me to take a look..."

Li Chuwen also really wanted to know what the situation was with the Song army; this information was very important to him.

Yelü Dashi immediately asked, "Is Prime Minister Li skilled in horsemanship?"

Li Chuwen nodded: "That should work."

“That would be perfect. Then, Lord Li, you need not prepare the carriages and chariots. I will prepare the army's fast horses and riders. Let us ride quickly and return as soon as possible, shall we?”

This also reveals Yelü Dashi's worries and anxieties.

"Alright!" Li Chuwen didn't say anything more.

With three to five hundred fast horses and a hundred or so knights, the distance is only two or three hundred li. If they keep going like this, they will surely arrive in two days.

Xiongzhou is a fortified city, and it was once the front line of the Liao and Song dynasties. More than a hundred years ago, there were many battles here.

Li Chuwen had no worries at all. He wanted to put on an act and pretend to meet Su Wu as if it were their first meeting. He simply introduced himself and exchanged pleasantries.

They had to say polite words, mostly probing questions, back and forth.

Su Wu has a fixed line: "The army's arrival is nothing special, but I've heard that the Liao Kingdom now only has the Yan-Yun region left. If it suffers defeat after defeat, won't Yan-Yun fall into the hands of the Jurchens? We must guard against this. Yan-Yun is in Liao, and the Song-Liao alliance has lasted for over a hundred years, so there's no need to worry. But if Yan-Yun really falls into the hands of the Jurchens, that's absolutely unacceptable. There must be a struggle for control of it. This is the Emperor's intention!"

Li Chuwen glanced at Yelü Dashi beside him and said, "Then Prime Minister Su, rest assured. The situation has now stabilized. Liao will not perish, and Yanyun will not fall into the hands of the Jurchens. If the Emperor of the Great Song truly has this intention, then it is fine. But if he intends to take advantage of our misfortune, the army of our Great Liao will fight to the death!"

"The century-long alliance between the Song and Liao dynasties should not be easily broken. Prime Minister Li, please rest assured." Su Wu said this, which was just a formality.

Another point is that the war should wait until Yelü Yudu's betrayal and defection to the enemy occurs. That would be the best time to advance. It is not the right time now.

Li Chuwen nodded, then suddenly said to Yelü Dashi, "Go to the border market and buy some writing implements, good paper, and other such items. Song dynasty stationery is really well made..."

Yelü Dashi stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: "I will go right away."

Clearly, this was something Li Chuwen and Yelü Dashi had agreed upon beforehand. The purchase was a pretext; their real purpose was to wander around and check on the Song army's situation.

Of course, it was also because Li Chuwen wanted to send Yelü Dashi away so he could have a private chat with Su Wu.

A win-win situation, without any delays.

As soon as Yelü Dashi left, Su Wu's gaze followed him. Su Wu was a very astute person.
He smiled and said, "This man doesn't seem like a servant running errands for Lord Li..."

Why ask that? Because that's how it was introduced during the initial greetings, and it was also discussed before we arrived. Yelü Dashi will accompany Li Chuwen as his attendant, which will make things easier.

Upon hearing this, Li Chuwen smiled wryly: "It's really not. This person is a brave and capable young man in the army."

"What should I call you?" Su Wu asked with a smile. How could a servant or attendant have such an air about them?

“His name is Yelü Dashi…” Li Chuwen answered truthfully.

Upon hearing these words, Su Wu's heart tightened suddenly, and he even felt a murderous intent.

Who was Yelü Dashi? In the early stages of the Liao-Song war, he repeatedly defeated the Song army, displaying extraordinary bravery and prowess, truly invincible and without rival.

During the Liao-Jin War, he had both merits and defeats, and was even captured, but even the Jurchens respected him as a hero and did not kill him on the spot.

Yelü Dashi had rebelled once, but later escaped and returned to Yelü Yanxi's side.

Yelü Yanxi recruited soldiers on the grasslands and was determined to fight the Jurchens to the death. Yelü Dashi could not dissuade him, so he took two hundred cavalrymen and left, heading west.

With just these two hundred cavalrymen, Yelü Dashi later roamed the west, conquering the Western Regions and reaching Central Asia. In Central Asia, he established a vast Central Asian empire, historically known as the Western Liao.

In a short time, Yelü Dashi ascended the throne and became the hegemon of Central Asia, establishing his capital at Hus'er. His territory stretched west to Turkey, the Aral Sea, and bordering Iran, and south to Afghanistan and Pakistan, encompassing the entire Xinjiang region.

North of the Altai Mountains, a large part of the western Mongolian Plateau was under his control.

The Ili River Valley, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and even parts of Uzbekistan are all located in the heart of the Western Liao region.

Furthermore, they defeated the powerful Seljuk Turks in West Asia, thus establishing their dominance.

Yelü Dashi was such a person!
The Western Liao Dynasty, in its final moments, fell to the rise of the Mongols and their westward conquests. Its reign lasted for nearly a century. Even in many parts of Central Asia, centuries later, the word for China is pronounced "Khitan," and this "Khitan" is synonymous with China. This connection to the Western Liao's dominance in Central Asia is undeniable.

This is Yelü Dashi, right here in Xiongzhou, just moments ago right in front of Su Wu.

Given that the war between Song and Liao was imminent, how could Su Wu not harbor murderous intent towards Yelü Dashi?
But after glancing at Li Chuwen in front of him, Su Wu held back.

The fall of the Liao Dynasty is irreversible. At present, gaining the trust of Li Chuwen is far more important than killing Yelü Dashi.

Su Wu also knew that at this moment, Yelü Dashi was still a nobody in Yanjing City.

What truly made Yelü Dashi a prominent figure in Yanjing was his repeated victories over the Song army.

No rush... Xu Zhen, there's no need for this," Su Wu reassured himself.

Such a hero may prove invaluable in the future.

Some historical coincidences are actually quite interesting. For example, when Yelü Dashi ascended the throne, the system was still the same as that in the Central Plains. He had a reign title called Shaoxing.

At that time, the reign title of the Southern Song Dynasty was also "Shaoxing".

What does Shaoxing mean? It means to inherit and revive.

The Liao Dynasty, the Western Liao Dynasty, the Song Dynasty, and the Southern Song Dynasty—these two countries are so similar, almost like they're genetically identical.

Su Wu couldn't help but think that perhaps Yelü Dashi could be spared, and perhaps there would be a future, a time to meet again.

If we consider the vast historical and geographical scale, why can't we say that the Khitan were China?

We just need to wait for Yelü Dashi to go first, so that the people of Central Asia can witness the power of China, and two hundred cavalrymen can sweep across Central Asia.

Su Wu's return demonstrated even greater power and prestige to China.

Thinking further ahead, looking at Li Chuwen in front of him, Li Chuwen was also in a state of great distress and said, "Scholar Su, you and I really need to discuss a plan. The situation is getting more and more unfavorable, and I really can't see through it all. I just have a feeling that the whole building could collapse at any moment..."

Su Wu even advised, "If everything had been so simple, things wouldn't have come to this..."

Li Chuwen waved his hand: "Without three people, I'm not afraid to tell Scholar Su that Xiao Fengxian has abused his power too much, and the Emperor... the Emperor is truly clueless..."

"It's really come to this?" Su Wu pretended to be surprised and shocked.

Li Chuwen then said, "The Emperor has issued an edict ordering Yelü Yudu to lead troops south to prepare for war. But I ask you, has Yelü Yudu seen this edict? Will he come?"

Su Wu shook his head: "They definitely won't come!"

"Yes, what if he doesn't come?" Li Chuwen sighed, truly disappointed. Now, it seemed he was just waiting for a "doomsday judgment".

This "trial" is the trial of Yelü Yudu's rebellion with his troops. Once the "trial" is over, the consequences are obvious.

What Li Chuwen could think of with his knees, yet neither Emperor Yelü Yanxi nor Privy Councilor Xiao Fengxian seemed to have considered...

Su Wu also asked, "If that's the case, what should we do?"

As Su Wu spoke, he went to look at Li Chuwen and waited for Li Chuwen's reaction.

Li Chuwen remained silent for a long time, his brows furrowing and relaxing repeatedly, revealing the countless entanglements, hesitations, and deep thoughts swirling within him...

Su Wu asked, "Lord Li, how many Han people are there in Yan and Yun? Nine million, right?"

Li Chuwen nodded slightly: "That number is available..."

“Once the Jurchens enter Yan and Yun, they will be nothing but savages, how could they possibly govern these nine million people?” Su Wu explained slowly…

"What does 'scholar' mean?" Li Chuwen asked.

Su Wu did not answer... he only sighed as he left.

Li Chuwen actually understood, but he stood up and paced back and forth. He knew what Su Wu was waiting for, but for a moment, he was truly uneasy.

Su Wu was extremely patient. This time, it was Li Chuwen who had come to find him urgently, because Li Chuwen was worried and anxious.

It was because Li Chuwen's country was in grave danger, because Li Chuwen's wealth was about to vanish, because Li Chuwen was on tenterhooks, and also because Li Chuwen was too clever and had foreseen the future...

After a long while, Li Chuwen suddenly stopped, turned to look at Su Wu, and squeezed out two words through gritted teeth: "Southern Affiliation?"

Su Wu immediately nodded: "If it really comes to that, then surrendering to the south would be the best course of action..."

Li Chuwen immediately worried again: "If I really want to submit to the south, how difficult it is..."

"Perhaps it's not that difficult..." Su Wu said.

“Scholar Su, please speak…” Li Chuwen sat down again.

"The Liao people have three options: first, they must submit a petition to the Jurchens to become their subjects and beg for peace, but I think the Jurchens will definitely refuse; second, the Song Dynasty must send troops to rescue them, but I'm afraid the Liao people will not agree; third, they can simply flee... No matter what, they will ultimately be in a desperate situation. Therefore, as long as we seize the opportunity, the matter of submitting to the south can be accomplished!"

Su Wu wasn't bluffing; he was speaking seriously.

Historically, Li Chuwen's attempt to subjugate the south failed for two main reasons.

The first reason is that the Song army performed terribly on the battlefield, and the Liao people looked down on them, perhaps believing that the Song army could not withstand the Jurchen army's onslaught.

The second reason was the timing. Before the Liao Dynasty fell, it was able to catch its breath, which was when Yelü Yanxi fled west and the Jurchen army went to pursue him, instead of immediately besieging Yanjing.

At this time, a new emperor ascended the throne in Yanjing. Li Chuwen was plotting this matter at this time, but the timing was too bad. If he really wanted to plot, he should have done it when the Liao people were in a state of panic, either sooner or later.

At this moment, Su Wu hoped that this matter could be resolved soon, so that when Yelü Yudu betrayed the country, Zhongjing would fall immediately, and Yelü Yanxi would turn around and flee westward from Yanjing, leaving the city leaderless.

If Su Wu's army were to march out of Xiongzhou at this time, win two more battles, and then set its sights on Yanjing, the matter of surrendering to the south might be accomplished.

Li Chuwen was still pondering. He knew Su Wu was right, but he was the one who would carry out the plan, and he was the one who would risk his life for it...

Su Wu waited patiently, knowing that Li Chuwen would do it.

Li Chuwen also said, "I should first assess the situation in Yanjing..."

Su Wu nodded: "Of course!"

Su Wu knew that Li Chuwen still had one last hesitation, a hesitation stemming from Yelü Yudu. What if Yelü Yudu didn't rebel? What if?
Let's wait and see.

Li Chuwen suddenly asked again, "Scholar, is it really true that this large army of yours has not moved recently?"

"Don't move!" Su Wu waved his hand and said, "The snipe and the clam are still fighting, so the fisherman is not in a hurry..."

“In that case, I can go back and report to His Majesty!” Li Chuwen’s trip was not in vain.

Li Chuwen was leaving, and Su Wu went to see him off, so that he could see Yelü Dashi one last time.

When seeing him off, Su Wu's eyes only glanced at Yelü Dashi. He wasn't a particularly imposing or muscular man, but he did look very robust.

Yelü Dashi also felt Su Wu's gaze. He glanced at him first, then pretended to turn his head away and didn't look at him again.

Su Wu waved his hand: "Prime Minister Li, please wait! I will definitely convey the message of the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty to His Majesty the Liao Dynasty!"

"Don't worry..." Li Chuwen nodded and rode off.

Su Wu looked at that back, but his gaze was not only on Yelü Dashi, but also on the hundred or so riders beside Yelü Dashi.

Judging by their imposing momentum, they were truly excellent cavalry. Fortunately, Yelü Dashi only had two thousand of these excellent cavalry.

With such a cavalry, Yelü Dashi was able to rise again, become wealthy, conquer a vast country, and eventually dominate Central Asia with only two hundred men.

Zong Ze, who was standing nearby, asked, "What is Commander Su looking at?"

"The Liao people are good soldiers," Su Wu replied bluntly.

Zong Ze frowned as well: "A soldier who has survived a hundred battles must be truly an elite force."

Su Wu waved his hand: "It's alright..."

There was also a conversation taking place in the distance.

Li Chuwen asked, "How is the Song army?"

Yelü Dashi frowned deeply: "Many elite troops!"

"How do you become an elite force?" Li Chuwen asked again.

"Unexpectedly, the Song army also had a large number of cavalry, several thousand in number, all on fine horses, and the riders were skilled. The infantrymen marched in and out with meticulous discipline, mostly strong and robust men, with no weak or thin men in sight. The discipline within the army was also very strict..."

Yelü Dashi's face was full of worry...

Li Chuwen was worried, but also relieved; a complex mix of emotions swirled in his heart, which was quite strange.

Yelü Dashi continued, "If the Song army really marches out of Xiongzhou, we'll have no choice but to fight to the death. Let's see if we can find an opportunity to take down a part of the Song army first. Even if the entire army dies, we should still severely damage their morale. Otherwise, once the Song army's morale rises, the consequences will be unimaginable..."

Yelü Dashi was already planning a war.

Li Chuwen understood, but asked only one question: "Who will fight to the death?"

In fact, Li Chuwen's words were spoken subconsciously, because he felt that Yelü Yudu would not come, and that there would be no one to fight to the death.

Yelü Dashi's expression turned serious: "If there is truly no one willing to fight to the death, the current situation is already one of national ruin and family destruction. At that time, I will volunteer myself and fight to the death! I hope that Prime Minister Li will put in a good word for me in court."

How could Li Chuwen not be moved when he looked at Yelü Dashi? How could he not be touched?

Even Li Chuwen could only sigh and say, "Alas..."

Yelü Dashi said, "There is no other way! It is only about two hundred li from here to Yanyun. There is no room for maneuver. If we can win the first battle, there will be follow-up battles. If we lose the first battle, then we will be swept away and the situation will be hopeless!"

Yelü Dashi planned very carefully, even considering strategic matters.

At this moment, in the entire Liao Dynasty, probably only Yelü Dashi was still seriously planning these things.

With a sigh, Li Chuwen said, "Chongde, you are truly remarkable. If everyone in and outside the court were like you, how could the situation have deteriorated to this point?"

These words inevitably brought a touch of sorrow and grief to Yelü Dashi: "My Khitan people, with their iron will and sturdy foundations, were originally divided into eight tribes. From the early Tang Dynasty, we served Emperor Taizong, the Heavenly Khan. Emperor Taizong personally bestowed upon us the surname Li. Later, we were bullied by the Uyghurs. Our ancestors worked diligently and fought tirelessly until we rose again at the end of the Tang Dynasty, establishing our nation and founding a new dynasty. All this has been over four hundred years. The Heavenly Khan is gone forever, and the Tang Dynasty is gone too. We, the Celestial Empire, have studied history and know the principles of rise and fall, the natural order and human relationships. It is both tragic and hateful to be born in this era..."

Upon hearing this, Li Chuwen nearly burst into tears. Although he was not a Khitan, the Khitan kingdom was, in his eyes, his own kingdom.

He then said, "It is too early to talk about the rise and fall of dynasties..."

It's certainly a comfort.

Yelü Dashi turned to ask, "Given the current situation, setting aside personnel, the emperor, and the court, just look at the scene before us. The area from north to south is only about three hundred li, and from east to west, only a thousand li. To the north are the Jurchens, and to the south… Hmph, this large army is stationed here. To put it bluntly, isn't it just eager to try their luck? They simply want to gain more advantages…"

"Why are you so pessimistic?" Li Chuwen asked.

Yelü Dashi waved his hand: "It's not pessimism, Minister Li. Perhaps soon I will die in battle, and then I won't be able to bear seeing such sorrowful things... It would be best if I died in battle. Four hundred years of Khitan, wiped out in a single day..."

At this point, how sorrowful Yelü Dashi's face was.
Li Chuwen had something on his mind that almost slipped out, but he held back. He knew that if he said it, Yelü Dashi would definitely turn hostile.

Can't say...

Just hurry back to Yanjing, and go again in two days; Yanjing will be right in front of you.

This city is truly magnificent. Ever since the puppet emperor Shi Jingtang ceded the Yan-Yun region to the Liao Kingdom more than 180 years ago, Yanjing City has been expanded and rebuilt time and time again.

These Han people of Yan and Yun have been under the rule of the Khitan Liao Dynasty for 180 years, and countless generations have passed.

But when they tried to enter the city, they could only see that there were no pedestrians on the road and that the city gates were tightly closed even in broad daylight, while soldiers came and went on the city walls.

Li Chuwen exclaimed, "This is bad!"

Yelü Dashi knew things were going badly, so he quickly spurred his horse forward and went to knock on the door.

The door was opened, of course, but Yelü Dashi rode back and said to Li Chuwen, "Prime Minister Li, something terrible has happened! I have witnessed a traitor fleeing the country!"

(Brothers, I haven't gone back to the countryside yet. I'm going back with my mother tomorrow. We'll stay a few more days and see if I can write more.)
(End of this chapter)