Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 243 Is it really true that Heaven is going to destroy our Great Liao?
Tong Guan glanced at Tan Zhen, but did not say anything.

Tan Zhen continued, "The Grand Chancellor absolutely cannot ignore this. You must know that there are countless officials in these border prefectures and even Xiong Prefecture. This matter will surely reach Bianjing. I do not wish to make things difficult for the Grand Chancellor, nor do I wish to make things difficult for Su Wu, but there are many who are willing to help..."

Only after Tong Guan spoke up did he say, "Nowadays, is it still possible to manage so much? Could Master Tan possibly control things?"

Tan Zhen was taken aback upon hearing this, and then said, "How could the Grand Chancellor not be able to control Su Wu?"

Tong Guan smiled and said, "You don't know about what happened in the court just now? I suppose you do know, but has he listened to my instructions?"

"Then...then what should we do? How could he be so bold? Doesn't he fear the Emperor's wrath?" Tan Zhen seemed somewhat frightened.

Tong Guan raised his hand: "Don't be alarmed. I am the chief envoy, you are the deputy envoy, and Su Ziqing is also a deputy envoy. If the Emperor is angry, I will be the first to be affected, then Su Ziqing, and finally you. You will have your own explanation. To be honest, the power at the front is currently in Su Ziqing's hands, and neither of us can intervene. Now, as long as we win, as long as Yanyun is taken back, everything, big or small, can be discussed. Even if the Emperor is furious, it doesn't matter..."

"Then... what if we lose?" Tan Zhen asked.

Tong Guan then laughed: "Isn't that perfect? ​​If we lose, I will be guilty, and Su Wu is a traitor who has harmed the country and its people. Wouldn't the Privy Council fall into the hands of Minister Tan?"

"Huh?" Tan Zhen was taken aback again, but reacted very quickly and immediately said, "Prime Minister, you must not be so suspicious of me. How could I dare to interfere in such a major matter? The lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers are at stake. I would never dare to act recklessly. I really cannot afford to suffer such a punishment!"

Upon hearing this, Tong Guan laughed heartily: "Look, what are you thinking, Master Tan? You're not that kind of person!"

Tan Zhen nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes, I absolutely cannot bear such a responsibility. Just let Vice Envoy Su lead the troops. Victory would be best, victory would be best..."

Tong Guan sighed and said, "Yes, it would be best if we won..."

However, I also think that although Tan Zhen is not good in this way or that way, he still has some integrity. Some people in the court are probably not as good as a eunuch.

At the foot of Zhuozhou City, Su Wu's handwritten letter had just been delivered. The letter didn't say much, mostly just polite words, and it also asked if an envoy could be sent into the city to have a talk with Guo Yaoshi.

When the letter reached Guo Yaoshi, he was indeed a tall and robust man with a broad, fleshy face and small eyes. Logically speaking, such a face should have made him look kind, but in fact, he looked fierce.

Guo Yaoshi stared blankly at the letter, lost in thought.

Su Wu was not idle outside the city; he summoned Wu Yong.

Upon Wu Yong's arrival, he bowed respectfully.

Su Wu then asked, "Wu Yuhou is known for his keen observation. Why did he summon you here alone? Why don't you guess why?"

Wu Yong guessed, "Could it be that they're sending me to enter Zhuozhou City?"

"It really is that matter." Su Wu wasn't surprised that Wu Yong had guessed it; only Wu Yong was suitable to tell such a moving story.

Wu Yong frowned and thought for a moment, then asked, "If I may be so bold as to ask, how can you be so sure that Pharmacist Guo will agree to let the envoy enter the city?"

Su Wu smiled slightly: "You don't need to know that. Just ask Wu Yu Hou whether he dares to take this trip?"

Wu Yong steeled his resolve and straightened his expression: "My lord has always been a master strategist. Since you are so certain that I should go, I will go."

Isn't this also a test?
Su Wu didn't test others as much, but he always put Wu Yong in a lot of ways to warn or probe him.

At this moment, Su Wu felt a surge of satisfaction and said, "Alright, then let's talk about it. I'll teach you three things. When you see Pharmacist Guo, just say this..."

"Your subordinate will remember it well." Wu Yong listened intently, not daring to slack off in the slightest. Although he was willing to go, he was not without worry. In such a battle between two armies, if things went wrong, the envoy would be sacrificed to the flag.

The saying "When two armies are at war, envoys should not be killed" has been passed down for countless years, but the killing of envoys has also happened countless times.

He dared not utter a single word of Su Wu's words, for fear that a single misstep would lead to his death at the flagpole.

Su Wu slowly explained: "First, let's talk about the current situation. The Liao emperor has fled west, and the court in Yanjing is empty and leaderless. The Jurchen army is about to reach Yanjing. Furthermore, the Liao prime minister, Li Chuwen, has already conspired with me to decide that rather than let Yanjing fall into the hands of barbarians, it would be better to give it to our brother country."

Wu Yong nodded: "I've remembered this first thing."

"The second thing is that as long as the city surrenders, the military funds of one million strings of cash will be sent immediately. His troops can simply be registered and recorded. They will not be disbanded or incorporated into other armies. They will remain under his control."

"I understand!" Wu Yong simply nodded.

Su Wu continued, "The third and most important thing is that if Commander Guo is willing to surrender the city, the Emperor of the Great Song will bestow upon him the title of Military Governor of Wutai Army, allowing his army to garrison Yanjing City, guarding Yanjing, and appointing him as the Commander-in-Chief of the Yanjing Prefecture's military forces, as well as a Senior Academician of the Privy Council of the Great Song!"

"I will remember this and dare not change a single word!" Wu Yong said again.

Su Wu added, "I have one last word, one threat: if you do not comply, on the day we fall to the city walls, all the resentful soldiers will be slaughtered."

"Is that really what you mean?" Wu Yong was a little puzzled. Wouldn't it be better to be polite?

"Push him a bit. This man is fickle by nature. He rebelled in Liao and was later recruited. He is very good at bargaining. If you only offer a price and don't pressure him, he will try to drag things out and ask for a higher price. Don't do that to him. If the negotiations don't go well, don't get entangled with him. Just leave the city and show him what's what. Immediately attack the city from outside and then pressure him."

Su Wu's words implied that Guo Yaoshi would not feel any guilt about betraying his country. Therefore, Guo Yaoshi's problem was not about loyalty or righteousness, but about the price.

This person in history first rebelled against the Liao, then accepted amnesty, then surrendered to the Song, then rebelled against the Song again, then surrendered to the Jin, and finally was stripped of power and convicted.

These kinds of people need to be both persuaded and disciplined; otherwise, they're hard to control.

Wu Yong then asked, "Sir, now that I have said these few words, may I perhaps add a few more as the situation allows?"

Su Wu nodded: "That's exactly what I want you to do, to assess the situation and say a few more words, preferably without bloodshed."

"Understood, Your Excellency understands!" Wu Yong was overjoyed. What trust this was!
Sure enough, a reply came from within the city not long after, and it was very polite, inviting the Song army envoy to enter the city.

Wu Yong went along with him, and was originally assigned several guards, but Wu Yong didn't bring any of them. He walked down to the city wall by himself. There was a basket on the wall, and Wu Yong climbed into the city by getting into the basket.

Even from afar, eyes were constantly watching the area around the city. No matter how far away, they could see people being hoisted up from outside the city in baskets.

Xiao Wulila was naturally alarmed and immediately said, "Lin Ya, this is bad! That Pharmacist Guo was a treacherous thief in the past. Is he going to turn on us again this time?"

Yelü Dashi was about to retort subconsciously, but the words were already on his lips, and he also felt in his heart that Guo Yaoshi might have rebellious intentions.

Yelü Dashi immediately frowned...

"What should we do?" Xiao Wuli asked anxiously.

Yelü Dashi's heart had already turned cold, and he only asked one question: "Who placed such a fickle traitor in the important city of Zhuozhou?"

yes?

Who arranged this? Who did it?

Xiao Wulila thought for a moment and said, "The person who offered him amnesty in the past was Xiao Gan."

Guo Yaoshi was originally a starving peasant from Liaodong. When the Jurchens attacked Liaodong, countless cities and homes were destroyed, leaving Liaodong with a large number of starving and displaced people.

Later, in order to fight against the Jurchens, the imperial court recruited these starving refugees into an army, named the "Resentful Army," which meant that they resented the Jurchens. They hoped that this army could seek revenge on the Jurchens on the battlefield.

Guo Yaoshi was a general in the resentful army. Later, the hastily assembled resentful army suffered repeated defeats when fighting the Jurchens. Instead of attacking the Jurchens, they captured their own prefecture. Perhaps it was because of insufficient funds and supplies, or perhaps it was because of too many defeats that they became increasingly unpopular and disregarded.

Finally, King Xiao Gan of the Xi Kingdom led his troops to quell the rebellion, and the matter was eventually settled through the policy of amnesty. This was truly a helpless move by the Liao people, who were short of military strength and unwilling to waste it on people other than the Jurchens.

At this moment, Yelü Dashi thought it over and over and suddenly realized that Zhuozhou was not a strategic location in the past. The enemy was all in the north. Bringing Guo Yaoshi to Zhuozhou was actually placing him in the rear.

At that time, guarding against the Song people was not so important. Placing Guo Yaoshi's army in Zhuozhou served two purposes: first, it created the appearance of strengthened defenses, preventing the south from appearing completely undefended; second, it kept Guo Yaoshi in the heart of Yanyun, making it difficult for him to rebel.

In the past, this move would have been a double win, but now it's become a terrible move.

Yelü Dashi suddenly blurted out: "Could it be that Heaven truly intends to destroy our Great Liao?"

His words were filled with endless sorrow. It was a desperate gamble, but he didn't even have a last chance. He had hoped that the fortified city of Zhuozhou could slow down the Song army and make them anxious, which would lead to a breach in their defenses.

I never expected it to turn out like this.

Hearing Yelü Dashi's sorrowful words, Xiao Wulila came to comfort him: "Lin Ya, even if Guo Yaoshi is allowed to enter the city, it's not necessarily true that he will rebel... Allowing the Song people into the city is just a delaying tactic..."

"Hmph..." Yelü Dashi sneered, "Just ask yourself, how many people like you and me are left in this Great Liao Dynasty?"

These words sent a chill down Xiao Wulila's spine... Looking around, even the emperor had fled; how could he expect a rebel who had been granted amnesty to serve the country to the death?
Isn't that just wishful thinking?
“Let’s go. Perhaps there’s still a chance. Ahead of us, besides Liangxiang, is Yanjing. If Zhuozhou surrenders without a fight, it might not be all bad. Perhaps the Song people will become complacent and overconfident, and we might still have a chance!”

Yelü Dashi said this perhaps because he had calmed down, or perhaps it was his last hope, or perhaps he was trying to comfort those around him and himself.

However, one thing must be said: heroes often possess this kind of character; they will never easily admit defeat until the very last moment, and they can adjust their mindset extremely quickly.

Xiao Wulila, however, still refused to believe it, saying only, "Lin Ya, if all else fails, let's... escape too. As long as we're alive, we can always rebuild. Let's go to Xijing to find His Majesty. He'll surely try to gather his troops again. Our cavalry, after all, are elite and brave, born from countless battles. Perhaps keeping them alive will still be of great use..."

At this moment, Yelü Dashi stopped scolding him, remained silent, and slowly turned to climb.

Xiao Wulila couldn't see the expression on Yelü Dashi's face as he crawled in front of Yelü, nor did he know that Yelü Dashi's face was filled with deep sorrow at that moment...

Inside Zhuozhou City, Wu Yong had already told Guo Yaoshi everything in a few words, word for word. Now, all that could be observed was the subtle details in Guo Yaoshi's expression.

He added a final threat: "My husband also said that if the commander does not comply, we will attack the city immediately tomorrow. When the city falls, we will slaughter the entire resentful army, leaving no one alive!"

Upon hearing this, Pharmacist Guo became furious: "You scoundrel, how dare you!"

Wu Yong naturally knew how he should behave at this moment, so he immediately raised his head and said, "Perhaps it's not that I'm bold, but that you don't know how powerful my husband's army is!"

"Hmph, are you really not afraid of death?" Guo Yaoshi's already small eyes narrowed with a cold glint, exuding a chilling murderous aura.

Wu Yong, his heart pounding with fear, raised his head high and looked at the man with a sidelong glance: "Since I came here alone, I have never thought about life or death. What does it matter if I die? I will also have you, Commander Guo, and thousands of soldiers to be buried with me. In the history books, there will be a significant mark on my name. We scholars seek only to be remembered in history. As for you, if you were truly a man of unparalleled loyalty and righteousness, I would not have been allowed to enter the city. Now my husband has already set such an unbearable price. What more do you want?"

Wu Yong grasped the essence of Su Wu's words: a person like Guo Yaoshi must be beaten after being dealt with, otherwise the matter will be long and difficult to resolve. He must intimidate him so that things can be resolved smoothly.

As expected, the cold glint in Guo Yaoshi's eyes lessened considerably, and he said, "Just now, I tested you. Even an envoy was so fearless in the face of death. In that case, I, the commander, am convinced of the might of the troops under Lord Su's command."

Wu Yong breathed a sigh of relief, but his face showed only disdain: "If you make a contribution when we attack Yanjing in the future, the Emperor might even bestow favors upon you. It all depends on your own abilities!"

This line was improvised by Wu Yong on the spot.

Upon hearing this, Guo Yaoshi's expression subtly shifted. Wu Yong felt relieved, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. However, he immediately knew that it was best not to say anything more at this moment. He simply stared at Guo Yaoshi, scanning him up and down several times with an air of superiority, as if he could see right through people's hearts.

Guo Yaoshi then said, "If one performs meritorious service and receives further favors, it is possible to be promoted to the position of Prefect of Yanjing Prefecture?"

Wu Yong immediately retorted, "Are you talking nonsense? The Prefect of Yanjing is an official post held by a man of high rank in our Great Song Dynasty. How many characters do you even know? Can you even write a proper memorial?"

It was still disdain, even contempt.

But he added, “If I were you, I would simply follow my husband Su in the Privy Council, establish myself in the military, and make many merits in the southern and northern campaigns. In this way, I would not lose power and wealth. If my husband truly values ​​me and takes care of me, I will surely be prominent in public and live a stable life.”

Wu Yong prescribed the right medicine for the illness.

Guo, the pharmacist, seemed to fall for it and asked, "Your husband... Mr. Su..."

Wu Yong interrupted, "I know what you want to ask. My husband, not yet twenty-four years old, is already the top general in the Song army, commanding hundreds of thousands of troops. Does this imperial favor need further explanation?"

Guo the Pharmacist inhaled sharply: "I really didn't know that Master Su was so young!"

With a face full of glory, Wu Yong said, "My husband is born with the destiny of nobility! He is destined to be a figure of great influence, a hero and a giant of his generation! Even the Emperor says that my husband is unparalleled in both literature and martial arts, and his talent is overflowing! If you really value him, even if he were a surrendered general, wealth and honor in this life would be within his grasp!"

Pharmacist Guo frowned slightly...

Wu Yong immediately added, "Do you know what my background is?"

"How is it?" Pharmacist Guo asked.

"The greatest bandit of Liangshan Marsh in Jingdong!" Wu Yong bluntly stated.

Guo the Pharmacist was startled again: "You were recruited by the government?"

"No, I was captured after my army was defeated!" Wu Yong replied.

"Tsk tsk..." Guo Yaoshi looked Wu Yong up and down.

"Alright, I'm leaving the city now. There's no point in talking to you any longer!" Wu Yong didn't argue any further and left without a word.

But then a voice came from behind: "Wait!"

Wu Yong stopped in his tracks without turning around: "If weapons are at your disposal, then come at me!"

Guo the Pharmacist stepped forward and said, "I hope you can introduce me to Master Su in person!"

This introduction was not a simple one. Guo Yaoshi could meet Su Wu as long as the city gates were opened. Therefore, this introduction had a deeper meaning: he wanted Wu Yong to speak well of him to Su Wu, to praise him highly, so that Su Wu would have a good impression of him and then truly value and employ him as a confidant.

Wu Yong then turned his head and smiled slightly: "I risked my life to come here on official business, with loyalty and righteousness in my heart. Now that the great matter has been accomplished, as a human being, I am not immune to selfish thoughts..."

Guo the Pharmacist immediately replied, "I understand, I understand. If Lord Su really rewards me with one million strings of cash, although my men are starving, I am willing to squeeze out two hundred thousand strings to give to you!"

"Can we not fake it?" Wu Yong asked one more question.

"As long as I get the money, I will not lie. If I break this promise, may I be struck by lightning!" Pharmacist Guo swore.

Wu Yong nodded: "Okay, then I'll go out of the city first. Just wait for me to come down to the city gate and call out to you, then open the gate and come out!"

"Thank you, brother!" Pharmacist Guo bowed deeply.

Wu Yong then set off again, but Guo Yaoshi came to see him off first, personally escorting Wu Yong to the top of the city wall and even personally pulling the rope to lower Wu Yong's basket down.

Once Wu Yong returned, he immediately went to report to Prime Minister Su, revealing every detail without any concealment.

Su Wu laughed upon hearing this: "You really asked him for money?"

Wu Yong then replied with a smile, "Sir, you yourself rose from humble beginnings, so you should know the nature of such a peasant. This man is inherently fickle, a profit-driven and unscrupulous person. The more you act this way, the more he will trust you and feel more at ease. It is precisely these peasants who are best at judging the situation. The more kindly you speak to him, the more pretentious he becomes, and the more he will despise you. But once you have power, he will not dare to act rashly, and will instead be extremely respectful..."

Su Wu thought about it and agreed. Sometimes that's just how things are. When asking someone for a favor, as long as the person accepts a reward, the person seeking the favor will feel much more at ease. The worst thing is if the person doesn't accept a reward.

Even many aspects of human nature were described in Wu Yong's words without a single error.

Su Wu laughed: "Wu Qianhou's skill in manipulating people's hearts is truly masterful. His threats and intimidation are perfectly timed, not too much or too little. He has truly made a great contribution this time!"

Wu Yong immediately bowed: "You are truly wise, sir. It was because you first got this person under control that I had the opportunity to make my move..."

At this moment, Su Wu's approval of Wu Yong grew stronger. Wu Yong had truly done a good job in this matter. Su Wu then said, "If he gives you 200,000 strings of cash, you should keep 20,000 strings..."

Wu Yong quickly bowed and said, "This is too much. This humble official really doesn't need so much money!"

Su Wu then laughed and asked, "How much do you need?"

“Five hundred…” Wu Yong hesitated for a moment, then answered, “Five thousand strings of cash, five thousand strings of cash is enough!”

At this moment, how could Su Wu not be pleased with Wu Yong?
Of all the time Wu Yong had served under Su Wu, this was the moment when Su Wu was most satisfied with him.

“Alright, then you can keep five thousand strings of cash!” Su Wu said immediately.

"Thank you, sir!" Wu Yong bowed and asked, "When will this humble official go outside the city again to summon Guo the Pharmacist?"

"No rush..." Su Wu waved his hand with a sly look on his face: "There's no need to rush. Just let him wait and see, let him worry and be afraid. You'll be the one doing the legwork, putting in a good word for him with me, and acting as a go-between. That way, when he finally comes, I'll treat him like an honored guest. When it's time to attack Liangxiang and Yanjing, he'll naturally put in a good show!"

Wu Yong chimed in, "My lord is truly brilliant!"

Su Wu suddenly said, "From now on, all these diplomatic missions will be entrusted to you."

Wu Yong immediately gave a wry smile, first thanking him, but his heart was filled with mixed feelings of joy and worry. Although such a task would bring great rewards if accomplished, it was not always so smooth. One slip-up and Xu Zhen would be hanging his head on the flagpole...

Su Wu added, "There's no need to worry. As long as our military strength is robust, our mission will be successful in every endeavor!"

That makes perfect sense. Wu Yong immediately set off to address the concerns. Strength comes first. If you're on a diplomatic mission, things will be easier. If you don't have the strength, you'll have to beg for help. But his own Master Su is not the kind of person who would beg for help. Besides, right now, the army is strong and well-equipped, and it will only get stronger in the future.

Hmm... Wu Yong couldn't help but think a little more. Would he be granted a title and appointed prime minister someday?

Thinking of this, she glanced at her husband, Su, one last time…

But then Su Wu's expression suddenly hardened, and Wu Yong immediately bowed his head: "My lord, I am willing to do any such thing from now on!"

But Su Wu said something completely unexpected: "Put away those unnecessary thoughts of yours."

"Huh?" Wu Yong's heart skipped a beat.

“Go…” Su Wu flicked his wrist outward.

Wu Yong felt cold sweat pouring down his back, and he bent down and went out, hurrying on his way.

Only after stepping outside and taking a breath of fresh air did I feel a sense of relaxation.

The matter between Wu Yong and Su Wu was merely a secret plot.

Over there, Yang Keshi found Zhong Shidao again: "Old sir, Commander Su really did send an envoy into the city. Even if they did discuss something, this..."

"What's wrong?" Zhong Shidao asked.

Yang Keshi then said, "If that's really the case, where is the credit that the brothers have been waiting for? Have we come all this way from thousands of miles away from home for nothing?"

"A wasted trip? Didn't Commander Su reward you?" Zhong Shidao asked again.

"Sigh... that little bit of money is nothing. How could the old gentleman not know how much money we earned in the past when we quelled the bandits in Jiangnan and Zhejiang, winning battle after battle? Besides, the soldiers are waiting for their merits to be rewarded with promotions and titles..."

Yang Keshi really didn't hold back anymore, he was really anxious, he couldn't wait. The most urgent thing was to have no achievements. It was the time of transition between the old and the new, how could he stand out?

How could Zhong Shidao not know Yang Keshi's thoughts?
He simply said, "Don't worry, there are battles waiting for you to fight. I'm just afraid that you might be indecisive and unable to accept the honors that come your way."

Yang Keshi immediately replied, "The soldiers under my command are all elite, and we have put a lot of effort into procuring their weapons, armor, and equipment. We are ready to accept any great honor this time!"

Zhong Shidao looked at Yang Keshi and found it difficult to refute him. He knew that Yang Keshi's words were true. Not only Yang Keshi, but also Liu Yanqing, Wang Yuan, and even Yang Weizhong and Yao Pingzhong were all preparing for this event for the past few months.

It is also said that Prime Minister Su had given them a heads-up long ago, so how could everyone not be extremely excited? The generals have spent a lot of money on this preparation for war.

Master Zhong was old and could only say, "Don't rush, don't rush. When the time comes, you will surely receive the merits you deserve."

"Sigh... I'm really anxious!" Yang Keshi was pacing around in a panic.

Zhong Shidao remained silent. The imperial court, the army, the enemy…

The emperor should be benevolent and virtuous, and all officials should be benevolent and righteous.

In the military, one must earn merit.

However, the enemy is not truly at its last gasp and still has the strength to fight. There are already powerful enemy troops lurking around, and the city of Yanjing, with its population of three to four hundred thousand, must also be preparing for war.

This situation is extremely complex, and he understands this, so he can also understand some of Su Wu's difficulties...

Zhong Shidao couldn't help but wonder how he would respond if he were the commander-in-chief of the vanguard.
Thinking about it for a moment, he couldn't help but furrow his brow. If this situation were truly in his hands, it seemed really difficult to resolve.

At least, Zhong Shidao knew he didn't have the same boldness as the young Su Wu. The emperor was supposed to be benevolent and righteous, and if he were the commander-in-chief, he certainly wouldn't dare to disobey him easily. At this moment, the army was still struggling under the walls of Guiyi City.

Zhong Shidao was unaware that without Su Wu, he would truly have been the commander of the army in this battle, and would have become the biggest scapegoat under Tong Guan.

Then, in the second campaign against the commander of Yanyun, it was Liu Yanqing's turn. Liu Yanqing's "fear of Liaodong" kicked in, and his lifelong reputation was ruined in an instant!
After putting himself in Su Shidao's shoes and thinking things through, he said in one sentence: "You should remain calm and not cause any annoyance. Commander Su will make his decision."

Yang Keshi came seeking Zhong Shidao's support, after all, the 72-year-old Zhong Shidao carried considerable weight in the army. This was his second visit, and he was bound to leave disappointed once again...

(Brothers, even if this is an early update, the groundwork is laid, the next chapter will begin!)

(End of this chapter)