Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 244 This humble general will die a hundred times! We will surely conquer the city of Yanjing!
On the city wall of Zhuozhou, Guo Yaoshi had lost count of how many times he had looked out from the crenellations.

The camps outside the city stretched out in a continuous line, each one extremely well-organized, with cavalry coming and going in groups, and patrolling infantry marching in orderly steps.

Then look at the slowly rising siege towers and stone cannons, and the ballistae being assembled...

How could Pharmacist Guo not be anxious?
Logically, there's no need to rush. The price has been accepted, and the deal is done. All that's needed is for the messenger to come and call again.

But the messenger named Wu Yong has been nowhere to be found, which is truly puzzling. Could it be...?

Could it be that the initial agreement was too easy, making the Song people feel that the price was too high?

So the Song people regretted it? And want to renegotiate the price?
Such things are common in the marketplace. Guo the Pharmacist couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, thinking that he should have been more careful with the price beforehand, so that the Song people would feel that the price was reasonable...

As he pondered, Guo Yaoshi looked out of the city again. The scene of preparations for war outside the city was bustling and relentless. He was alarmed and realized that if things were really going so smoothly, the Song people might lose patience and attack the city immediately.

After much thought, all I felt was extreme anxiety and unease.

Their steps never stopped; sometimes they would go inside the city gate tower to sit for a while, and sometimes they would stand on the crenellations to take a look...

After waiting and waiting, the messenger Wu Yong finally arrived.

Guo Yaoshi was still inside the city tower. He rushed out and headed towards the crenellations, wanting to respond to Wu Yong's call as soon as possible.

But then his mind raced again. Since the envoy had arrived, there was no rush. He should take things slowly and let the envoy call out a few more times. He should wait a little longer so that the Song people would know that he, Guo Yaoshi, was not in a hurry at all.

The messenger rode up on a horse at a leisurely pace. When he arrived at the foot of the city wall, he called out, "Commander Guo!"

For a moment, no one responded from the city wall, and Wu Yong smiled faintly…

Then he shouted again, "Commander Guo, I'm back!"

There was still no response from the city walls.

Wu Yong's smile deepened, a hint of amusement in it. Suddenly, he reined in his horse, turned around, cracked his whip, and shouted, "No good! No good!"

At the sound of shouts, the horses galloped back.

But on the city wall, Guo Yaoshi was in a great hurry. He had been hiding inside the crenellations, so he quickly came out and shouted, "Lord Wu, Lord Wu, I'm here!"

Wu Yong, who was galloping away, turned his head to look, then slowly reined in his horse and came back. He approached with a puzzled look and asked, "Why is there no response when you call for someone? I thought you had changed your mind and was just about to go back to report!"

Although he asked this question, Wu Yong was laughing to himself. Who did he think he was playing with such a little trick?

Guo Yaoshi replied, "How could I go back on my word? I've been waiting here for Wu Yuhou. I was just taking a nap inside the city tower and fell asleep without noticing."

Wu Yong nodded: "Oh, is that so? It almost caused a disaster. Well then, open the city gates and come out. My husband is sitting in the central command tent, waiting for you!"

"Coming, coming, I'm coming right now! I wouldn't dare keep Master Su waiting!" Pharmacist Guo shouted as he ran.

Wu Yong, standing below the city walls, smiled broadly, his heart brimming with joy and a sense of accomplishment.

Before long, the city gate creaked open, and sure enough, Guo Yaoshi rode out on a horse, accompanied by only a few riders, about a hundred or so.

As soon as the two exchanged greetings and pleasantries, Guo Yaoshi was genuinely a little nervous, since he had never dealt with Song people before. So he asked, "I wonder if Lord Wu has explained to Minister Su that my heart is with our Han people and our homeland?"

Wu Yong nodded: "I've racked my brains over this matter for you, going to great lengths to reach you, and speaking to my husband countless times. You understand many things. Now that you've left the city, I won't hide anything from you. The price I offered you before was just an enticement, as I didn't know your character. But now that price is truly the price. Do you understand the difference?"

Upon hearing this, Pharmacist Guo was overjoyed and asked, "Thank you, Lord Wu!"

Wu Yong waved his hand: "You have no idea what I mean. You'll know once you meet my husband. He trusts you completely now and is eagerly anticipating your arrival!"

Guo Yaoshi's anxious heart was relieved by more than half, and his face was full of smiles: "I also have high expectations for Master Su!"

"Then let's hurry up, it's really not good to keep my husband waiting." With that, Wu Yong urged the horse on again.

Upon entering the Song army camp, which was also the Jingdong army camp, Guo Yaoshi looked around and became increasingly alarmed. He saw squads of armored soldiers, and only upon closer inspection did he realize the details.

The so-called overwhelming military might was no exaggeration, and the sophistication of the weapons far exceeded any previous imagination. Such a large army might be able to hold out for a while, but upon closer examination, the city might not be able to be defended.

He couldn't help but feel fortunate, and headed straight for the central command tent.

Upon entering the main tent, Guo Yaoshi abruptly stopped in his tracks. Inside the tent, a large group of fierce and burly men gathered.

Looking further, they saw that everyone had fierce expressions and their eyes were fixed on them. This scene and this aura were truly terrifying.

What are they trying to do? Are they going to kill someone?

Guo the Pharmacist was lost in thought when he suddenly heard a hearty laugh from above: "Haha... It really is Commander Guo? Please, please come in! Come and sit down!"

Guo Yaoshi saw that Su Wu had already stood up and raised his hand to invite him to leave, and he felt relieved, knowing that Su Wu wasn't going to kill him...

He thought to himself that it was normal for so many generals to look at him like this. How could these arrogant and fierce soldiers be happy to have another one to share money, food and merits with, especially a surrendered general?
Guo the Pharmacist simply stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said, "Greetings, Master Su!"

"No need for formalities. We are brothers of the Han people, and you are such a righteous man. You have performed such a righteous act, so you should be honored as a guest of honor. Please take a seat!" Su Wu invited again, showing his full appreciation for the sentiment.

Just ask Pharmacist Guo, aren't you moved?
Guo Yaoshi was truly moved. He bowed again, and when he looked up, his eyes were filled with tears: "As a Han Chinese, I was born in the Liao Kingdom and grew up in Liaodong. I was oppressed by the Khitans since childhood, and my suffering was unbearable. I always thought that one day I would return to my homeland. When war broke out, I became a refugee and was recruited into the army. I didn't want to serve the Liao people, so I also rose up and broke through the prefectures and cities. However, the situation was beyond my control, and I had no choice but to accept the amnesty. Every day I waited and waited, and finally, Prime Minister Su came. From now on, I, Guo Yaoshi, will live as a Han Chinese and a Song Chinese with dignity, and I will never be oppressed by foreign tribes again!"

These words brought tears to Pharmacist Guo's eyes; his feelings were genuine and his emotions profound!

Hearing Su Wu's reaction... damn, he's a real actor!
Su Wu decided to put on an act, so he took Guo Yaoshi's hand and feigned emotion, as if he regretted not meeting him sooner: "Commander Guo is truly moving! These words should be reported to the Emperor. How could the benevolence of our Great Song Dynasty and the virtue of the Emperor not be deeply touched upon hearing of Commander Guo's righteousness? Please!"

Finally, Su Wu used his strength to get Guo Yaoshi to sit down.

Guo the Pharmacist bowed to everyone and wiped away his tears, saying, "To be able to sit here is truly the greatest fortune of my life!"

Most people returned the greetings, as social niceties had to be observed, and Su Shuai's face had to be respected.

Even Yang Keshi gave a perfunctory reply, though his face was as black as water.

Su Wu spoke up: "Now that Zhuozhou is a happy ending for everyone, the next step is to plan for Liangxiang and Yanjing. Hmm... how about we listen to the commander's plan first?"

Guo Yaoshi immediately cupped his hands in greeting: "How could I not offer my advice? There is nothing I do not know about the affairs of Liangxiang and Yanjing. I will do my best as a token of my loyalty! So that my brothers may know my true intentions!"

"Please!" Su Wu's face was full of smiles, as warm as a spring breeze.

Guo Yaoshi nodded: "Liangxiang is nothing special, only two thousand soldiers. Even in the city, most of the people are Han Chinese, and they all yearn for their homeland. With Commander Su's troops, we will surely conquer it in one battle at most, or in three to five days."

Su Wu nodded, saying nothing, and listened as Guo Yaoshi continued.

Guo Yaoshi then continued, "However, the defenses of Yanjing should not be underestimated. Although this large city only has 30,000 troops, the Khitans, Xi people, and various tribes from the grasslands residing in the capital are all loyal to the Khitan. There must be many brave and fierce men among them, and recruiting them shouldn't be difficult. A cornered beast will always have some fighting spirit. Most importantly, the Xi King Xiao Gan has many truly loyal followers, including one named Yelü Dashi, who rose through military merit..."

As he spoke, Guo Yaoshi paused, and Su Wu followed suit, asking, "Given this situation, what plan does the commander have?"

Guo Yaoshi then said, "If you ask if there is any brilliant plan, there isn't. But in war, sometimes it's all about surprise. Just like this time, Prime Minister Su, you should just station your army under the walls of Liangxiang, besiege it completely, and make it look like you're attacking. I know many roads well, and my men are all former Liao subjects. Just rush to Yanjing and launch a surprise attack. Whether it's stealing or deceiving, Yanjing might still be in chaos and not well-prepared. Maybe we can succeed in a sneak attack!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Keshi kept staring at Guo Yaoshi with a very complicated expression, and also looked at the way he was being taught, feeling extremely anxious.

If it really succeeds, then all that traveling thousands of miles away from home will have been for nothing.

Yang Keshi went to see Su Wu again and said, "No, no, no, you absolutely can't do that. Our own brothers are starving, how can we let a newly surrendered general get such credit?"

Unexpectedly, Commander Su nodded and said, "Excellent, excellent, that's perfect!"

Upon hearing this, Pharmacist Guo was overjoyed. If this matter were to come to fruition, wouldn't he, Pharmacist Guo, instantly gain a firm foothold in the business?
Such a great achievement belongs to him alone; how could the Emperor of the Song Dynasty not bestow favor upon him?
Not to mention wealth and luxury!
Guo the Pharmacist paid no heed to Yang Keshi's expression. He simply declared resolutely, "This humble general will risk a hundred lives to conquer Yanjing!"

"Then we must rely on Commander Guo to serve the country!" Su Wu said, as if he were truly entrusting a great task to Guo Yaoshi.

Su Wu knew that what Guo Yaoshi said was indeed true. A surprise attack, a deception, a theft, and an ambush—it might actually work.

But there really weren't many. Although Guo Yaoshi said that to Su Wu, he greatly underestimated the Liao people's resistance. Not to mention many men, even the Liao women would fight. With only a few thousand men, Guo Yaoshi's idea of ​​taking over Yanjing was just wishful thinking.
Of course, adding Su Wu makes all the difference.

However, Su Wu also knew that Yelü Dashi was still alive and would certainly still be in Zhoujin. If he didn't defeat Yelü Dashi decisively and crush the morale of the Liao army, the Liao people would look down on the Song people from the bottom of their hearts.

At this time, the Liao people were willing to beg for peace with the Jurchens, and even submit memorials to the Jurchens to acknowledge their subservience and pay tribute. But with the Song people, they were never willing to negotiate peace, let alone beg for it.

This pride was etched into the genes of the Liao people through more than a hundred years of dealing with the Song people, and even in their final moments, they still retained this pride.

If they do not achieve a great victory, even if Su Wu's army enters Yanjing City, they will still face a situation where a large number of Liao people, including the elderly, weak, women and children, are fighting together, and it will be a fierce street battle.

This has nothing to do with whether you're afraid or not; this involves many issues, and it's not just about how many people are killed or injured.

Rather, it concerns the future and people's hearts. First, there's the issue of hatred and resentment. Second, there's the problem of ruling in the future. If people look down on you from the bottom of their hearts, it will be even more difficult for you to rule them. You can't just kill everyone.

More importantly, there was also the Jurchen, who were at their peak. They looked down on the Song Dynasty, but respected the Jurchen. They were not afraid of the Song Dynasty, but they were afraid of the Jurchen.

What consequences will this have?
There's not much to say; many historical details speak volumes. When the Jurchens went to war with the Song, their entry into Yan and Yun was extremely simple and smooth. So much so that many former Liao generals and officials, like Guo Yaoshi, defected without any burden, some even on the spot…

Countless people immediately turned around and helped the Jurchens fight the Song people. In history, the Song people eventually "bought" Yan and Yun from the Jurchens with money through the "Alliance at Sea". When they lost it again, it was incredibly fast.

Deep down, human nature is inherently inclined to admire strength, and this is the same principle at play.

War is always politics, and politics is essentially about people's hearts and minds. The current situation is extremely troublesome.

If Su Wu hadn't known these things, the current situation would have been merely a battle, and wouldn't have been so complicated. Unfortunately, Su Wu knew these things, and the more he knew, the more troublesome it became. If things weren't handled properly beforehand, the consequences would be endless. No matter how hard Su Wu tried, he couldn't possibly keep watch over Yan Yun forever. These few elite troops of the Song Dynasty would all want to go home after the battle, and it was impossible for them to stay here for a long time. It was simply unrealistic.

In other words, once Yanyun was acquired, the foundation of their rule became extremely important.

Guo Yaoshi was naturally very excited, eager to try his hand at it. He also frequently cast grateful glances at Wu Yong, even though Wu Yong had spoken highly of him, which was why Su Xianggong trusted him so much.

Su Wu then said, "Then let's enter Zhuozhou first. Tomorrow morning, we'll march north, with the main army besieging Liangxiang. Commander Guo will lead his troops and devise his own route of advance, heading straight for Yanjing!"

The generals rose: "Understood!"

Guo Yaoshi shouted the loudest: "This humble general will surely recapture Yanjing for my Great Song Dynasty!"

After everyone finished shouting, Guo Yaoshi immediately bowed and invited, "I would like to invite Lord Su and all my brothers to enter the city and see for yourselves whether my brothers are elite and brave!"

This procedure still needs to be followed. Su Wu went out on his own. Putting everything else aside, he first selected one or two thousand elite troops to begin entering the city. There was no need for too many, nor was there any need to say anything.

When the time comes, Guo Yaoshi will lead his army north to fight bravely. These one or two thousand men will naturally be responsible for defending Zhuozhou.

As for the money and provisions in the city, there's no rush. Once something is in our mouths, it can't be taken away. If we try to get it now, it won't look good, and besides, Pharmacist Guo still has face to save.

Once things get down to business, Pharmacist Guo's influence will be greatly diminished.

After looking around Zhuozhou City, I found nothing particularly special about it. All cities are the same, whether they are Khitan, Xi, or Han. In fact, there is no difference between them.

The Khitans of today no longer have bald heads, nor do they wear animal skins. Their clothing, customs, and culture are virtually indistinguishable from those of the Han Chinese.

Of course, this refers to the Khitans of Yan and Yun. Further north, in the mountains and forests of the northeast, there are also Khitans, but they are somewhat different from the Khitans there.

The Khitans there also suffered. Those who truly prospered were the Khitan nobles and high-ranking officials; ordinary Khitans were simply ordinary people…

Early the next morning, the army began its march north again.

Su Wu continued to strictly control the army, leaving no loopholes for Yelü Dashi in the "grass".

As for Guo Yaoshi, he made his own military plans, and Su Wu didn't interfere much. He only agreed to one thing: to wait until Guo Yaoshi had actually entered Yanjing City before reporting back. In fact, it was all within reach.

The distance from Liangxiang to Yanjing is only forty or fifty li, and with a horse at full speed, it can be reached in half a day.

The reinforcements will arrive soon enough. As long as Guo Yaoshi doesn't seek personal gain, remains rational and clear-headed, stabilizes the situation immediately, and reports for reinforcements as soon as possible, perhaps Yanjing City will truly fall.

Of course, Su Wu had some idea of ​​what Guo Yaoshi would do.

Even Su Wu knew that in the final moments, Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan would surely launch a final, desperate attack.

Therefore, Su Wu's main focus was not on Guo Yaoshi, but on Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan; Guo Yaoshi was secondary.

To put it bluntly, once Su Wudang truly defeats Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan, the high walls of that city won't actually be that important.

And it will be of great benefit to things that follow.

If this cannot be done, then the city's high walls, and even the people inside the city, including the elderly, women, and children, will all become a problem.

It is also important to see what Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan do. He knows that Yelü Dashi would not really stay in a lonely city and wait to die at this moment.

They will definitely make a move, but Su Wu can't predict it, because even at this moment, Yelü Dashi still holds some initiative on the battlefield.

The Liao people also had a general, Yelü Dashi, who had the ability to turn the tide, and a last, not-too-small, desperate army capable of sustaining a comeback...

Therefore, Su Wu remained extremely cautious, under immense pressure, and walking on thin ice.

This is the mindset that a commander-in-chief should have.

This is also a form of responsibility, true responsibility—responsibility to oneself, to the soldiers under one's command, and to this extremely important historical juncture.

At the foot of Liangxiang City, the army slowly arrived, set up camp, and Su Wu once again rode around the city. This had become a routine for him, as he wanted to see the terrain and landforms around the city clearly with his own eyes.

When besieging a city, everything must be done: dig trenches, erect barricades, manufacture and assemble the necessary weapons.

Patrols, sentries, rangers...

Su Wu would occasionally look around, no longer confined to the northwest, because Yelü Dashi might not be in the northwest anymore, but he must be nearby.

The cavalry continued to suffer casualties from time to time, but also inflicted some losses on the enemy cavalry. Overall, Su Wu knew he was at a disadvantage in the cavalry battles.

There are two reasons. First, the enemy is more familiar with the terrain and landforms, and since it is their home ground, it is easier for them to carry out an ambush.

Secondly, compared to the Liao people, who were defeated and dejected in countless battles, Su Wu's cavalry was actually slightly weaker in combat strength. This is not to mention anything else, but refers to the individual combat quality.

The reason for this is that Su Wu's cavalry had never truly clashed with a powerful enemy cavalry.

This also shows how formidable the Jurchen cavalry was at its peak, repeatedly defeating the Khitan Jurchen cavalry. Those barbarians who had just emerged from the deep forests of the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River region were in combat.

Su Wu had to face these problems squarely and not be arrogant or conceited.

But Su Wu also believed that his troops would undergo another transformation, and this was the time to do so.

Liangxiang City is under siege, but Liangxiang itself is not important. The focus is on Guo Yaoshi, because Guo Yaoshi is the starting point of this final battle, the fuse, and the catalyst for change.

Su Wu was waiting, waiting for news from Guo Yaoshi. As soon as Guo Yaoshi's message arrived, Su Wu would take action, and Yelü Dashi would have to prepare a response...

Everyone is waiting, waiting for the final moment.

Su Wu sent out more and more scouts, even sending out many soldiers who were not originally scouts. Su Wu had only one thought: to make up for the disadvantage of the scouts with numbers.

The city of Yanjing was already within reach. Yanjing was a vast city, and Su Wu not only wanted to know the situation in the south of the city, but also whether there were any enemies moving in the north, east, and west.

If the enemy has the ability to move around, we must go and spy on them.

The battle between the two armies' cavalry was already extremely fierce.

Su Wu sat in the central command tent waiting, while reports kept coming in about how many more men the cavalry had lost…

On the morning of the second day of the siege, Yan Qing returned, covered in blood, and rushed in: "Uncle, a lot of Liao troops have come out of the western city of Yanjing!"

Without first asking if Yan Qing was injured, Su Wu asked, "How many people?"

Yan Qing said helplessly, "We can't get close. Anyway, there are quite a few, but we really don't know the exact number. Maybe five or six thousand, maybe ten or twenty thousand, that's about it!"

Even Yan Qing couldn't bring back any definite news. The reasons were simple: first, the cavalry couldn't gain the upper hand in the battle. Second, fighting on foreign soil, they were unfamiliar with the terrain. Third, the people around Yanjing, and even the martial arts world, were more loyal to Liao than Song, so they offered no intelligence support; in fact, the enemy was providing the advantage.

In the past, whether it was fighting Song Jiang or Fang La, the situation would never have been like this.
External warfare and internal warfare are truly incomparable.

It is evident that the talents and abilities of those historically renowned leaders, especially those who achieved great success in foreign wars, were truly unimaginable…

Even though Su Wu had always held these people in high regard, he now realized that he had underestimated their abilities.

Su Wu now aspires to be that kind of person.

Su Wu frowned and asked, "Which direction did they go?"

Yan Qing frowned as he replied, "They went west, so we can't keep up, but they will definitely head south."

That's natural. Su Wu was in the south, so the Liao people would definitely come south. The only question was where exactly they would come from...

Clearly, the intelligence was unclear, so Su Wu asked at this point, "Are you injured?"

Yan Qing shook his head, his voice filled with sorrow: "I am unharmed, only covered in the blood of the enemy, but several of my brothers who traveled with me have died or been wounded..."

Su Wu nodded, then gritted his teeth: "Investigate again! I need to know exactly how many troops have left the city!"

This number is obviously of great importance!
"Understood!" Yan Qing cupped his hands in greeting, and without another word, he went out and set off. He was exhausted, hungry, and thirsty, but he went out, found a water bucket, drank a few mouthfuls, filled his water bag, grabbed a few flatbreads, changed horses, and continued on his way.

Before long, Shi Qian returned on horseback. He was much cleaner, with no trace of blood from the battle, only dust and grime, because his mission was different.

Just then, Shi Qian came to report: "My lord, that Pharmacist Guo has indeed gone to the southern city of Yanjing. He will be at the city walls soon. The rebellious army numbers seven or eight thousand, but only two or three thousand of them are armored elites. Many of them were probably recently recruited..."

"Yes, keep an eye on him and see if he can really get into the city, and when he will send someone to report!" Su Wu was also very curious about how Guo Yaoshi would get into the city.

Of course, upon closer analysis, it might be that the city is too large and there aren't enough people to defend it, so there are both important and weak points.

Pharmacist Xu Guo truly knew where the weaknesses lay.

Then let Pharmacist Guo stir it up first…

For Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan, Guo Yaoshi was not important, and defeating Guo Yaoshi was not the most important thing, even if Guo Yaoshi entered this city that once had a population of three or four hundred thousand...

A life-or-death situation, a final desperate struggle...

What truly matters is the Song army's Su Wu. Once Su Wu is defeated, Guo Yaoshi becomes nothing more than a minor nuisance.

(Brothers, this is a complex situation, and it might seem a bit tiring to read. It wasn't easy for me to write either, but I really don't want to make it too simple and straightforward. I want to express the whole internal logic clearly...)
(End of this chapter)