Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 245 Go quickly, or things will change!
The city of Yanjing had a circumference of thirty-six li and a population of over three hundred thousand. At this moment, the population of Yanjing was still at least seventeen or eighteen thousand.

There were at least 100,000 temporary refugees in the suburbs outside Yanjing, all of whom had fled from Yanjing during this period. Clearly, not all the people of Yanjing had the ability to escape to Xijing with Emperor Yelü Yanxi.

Furthermore, a large number of people would starve to death if they left their homes and went out.

Why do ordinary people often show the most patriotism when their country is on the verge of collapse and their homes are destroyed? The reason lies in this.

At this time, the entire city of Yanjing was in turmoil, with chaos and disorder everywhere.

However, something significant was happening within the imperial city.

Yelü Chun, fifty-eight years old this year, is a member of the Liao imperial family. He is the grandson of Emperor Xingzong of Liao, Yelü Zongzhen, the nephew of Emperor Daozong of Liao, Yelü Hongji, and the uncle of Emperor Yelü Yanxi.

He was still in Yanjing City. He hadn't run away. He was well-known and had held many official positions. He was also highly ranked, having reached the position of Prince of Qin of the Liao Dynasty.

At this moment, he appeared in the imperial city. There was no grand ceremony; everything was kept simple. He put on the dragon robe and crown and ascended to the throne.

To put it bluntly, at this moment, the Liao Dynasty already had two emperors: one was Yelü Yanxi, who had fled to Xijing, and the other was Yelü Chun, who was currently ascending the throne.

Prime Minister Li Chuwen was leading his civil and military officials—or rather, all the officials in the capital city of Yanjing. He had them all brought together, and they were all forced to kneel and shout "Long live the Emperor!"

The reign title was changed to Jianfu, and an imperial edict was issued to confer the title of Prince of Xiangyin upon Yelü Yanxi, who had fled. Whether Yelü Yanxi obeyed the edict or not was no longer important.

This matter was decided after discussions between Li Chuwen, Yelü Dashi, Xiao Gan, and others. Although Yelü Dashi was not in the city, the agreement had already been established through correspondence.

Thus, with Li Chuwen inside and Yelü Dashi outside, the great edifice was about to collapse, and the two were supporting it.

Everything needs to be done quickly and simply. Today, the southern bandits are already at the gates of the city. I was thinking of holding some kind of ceremony, but even though we are the Celestial Empire, we should still put on a show. There's no time for that now.

Thus, he ascended the throne, began to rule, and held court directly.

Yelü Chun was not young, and had even served as the Southern Chancellor and the Governor of Yanjing. In the past, some people had tried to instigate him to rebel, but he turned around and directly denounced those people.

He wasn't one to be so lowly as to sit on the dragon throne and get straight to the point: "Since you all have recommended me, I won't say much more in this time of crisis. The first thing is to reorganize all the yamen runners in Yanjing and the guards in the imperial city into an army. We need to recruit more people in the city and distribute all the weapons and equipment we can find. All men should be registered, with the able-bodied going to the city walls to guard, the younger ones as auxiliary soldiers, and the older ones as logistics personnel."

Li Chuwen simply nodded: "We've already been doing it, but it's all voluntary recruitment. Since Your Majesty has decreed it, then we'll use force!"

Yelü Chun was very satisfied and then said, "Now, the Song rebels' army has reached Liangxiang. Liangxiang is probably unable to hold out, and the Song rebels are about to besiege the city. The best course of action now is to send envoys north to find the Jurchens, submit a petition to submit to them, and offer annual tribute. At the same time, we must prepare for war against the southern rebels. We must be of one mind and defend Yanjing. As long as Yanjing is not lost, the fate of our Great Liao Dynasty will still exist, and we will have a chance to avenge our defeat!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" Li Chuwen was genuinely excited. When comparing the two, the difference was striking. This emperor was clearly much more reliable than the one before him.

However, Li Chuwen also asked, "Your Majesty, if all the guards of the imperial city are incorporated into the army, what will become of the imperial city's guards?"

Yelü Chun said in one sentence: "Now, city defense is the most important thing. There is no need for so many guards in the imperial city. I... I still have about a hundred men in my own residence. I will use these hundred men by my side."

“In such a vast imperial city, a hundred or so men might not even be enough to stand guard…” Li Chuwen was genuinely worried.

"Then just have a few stand at each gate of the imperial city, and the rest will follow me around. Even the eunuchs in the palace will be given a weapon each to act as guards!"

Yelü Chun said this.

Li Chuwen sighed, feeling a pang of emotion, and uttered, "Your Majesty..."

Yelü Chun waved his hand and continued, "In those wealthy and powerful families, if the people are still at home, all the guards, servants and young men in the house must be recruited. Nine out of ten must be recruited, and only one can be kept!"

"As you command!" Li Chuwen's expression turned serious. "Then let's do it."

"Disperse! Time waits for no one, get on with it quickly!" Yelü Chun waved his hand.

Li Chuwen didn't wait. After bowing, he quickly left, and the civil and military officials hurriedly followed him to the Privy Council. Now, officials discussed matters in the Privy Council, and the remaining officials all had new official positions.

As long as you work diligently, this person will become the Vice Chancellor, and that person the Deputy Privy Councilor...

Then a series of arrangements were made, and we were told to get to work quickly.

Although Yelü Chun had ascended the throne, he felt no joy at all. People were being transferred out of the capital, and even the harem no longer needed to be visited. They could eat and sleep in the main hall.

Xiao Puxian, who had just been conferred the title of Consort De, was at the emperor's side at this time. Her grandfather and father were both remarkable figures who had held high positions and were even generals who led troops.

Xiao Puxian was not Yelü Chun's first wife, and was much younger than the fifty-eight-year-old Yelü Chun. Although she was not the empress at this time, she was in fact the empress.

She stood beside Emperor Yelü Chun, watching him frown and sigh, and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, our Great Liao will not perish. I have been familiar with military affairs since childhood and am willing to die a hundred times!"

Yelü Chun gave a wry smile: "Only I protect my beloved concubine, not the other way around..."

Xiao Puxian, however, said with a serious expression: "When I was a child, my father and brothers would ride horses and wield weapons, and I would often follow them! I could also wield spears and sticks!"

Yelü Chun smiled and nodded: "Good, good, good. As long as the southern bandits really come, just let my beloved concubine go and meet them!"

The couple looked at each other. Xiao Puxian held Yelü Chun's arm and rested her face on his shoulder. Yelü Chun gently patted Xiao Puxian's shoulder a few times.

It speaks of love, and also of sorrow...

The city was in complete chaos, with soldiers and yamen runners everywhere, and groups of men rushing about.

Some were truly determined to perish with the city, some tearfully bid farewell to their wives and children, some trembled with fear and stared blankly, and some looked shifty-eyed as if they wanted to escape...

There were also those who... actually managed to evade the recruitment process, carefully avoiding the crowds, slipping through the wall into the courtyard, and were stealing...

Even rape and kidnapping occurred...

Suddenly, shouts of battle erupted from somewhere. Everyone stopped in their tracks, looked up and around, and strained their ears to listen. The shouts came from the south…

The officers on the street were shouting, "Quickly, head south!"

Then he ran, and the soldiers beside him ran after him, and even many young and strong men, holding weapons, followed him.

They kept heading south, and the closer they got, the more real the shouts of battle became; a real fight had broken out.

It wasn't at the city gate, but somewhere on the city wall. Someone actually climbed over the wall, and there weren't many guards or any resistance on the wall.

All that could be seen was the person on the wall running straight toward the city gate.

The Liao army that had arrived recently was in a great hurry, and the general shouted, "Quickly chase after them! We must not let them open the city gates!"

They were running below the city walls, and chasing after them from above.

Many people scaled the walls to enter the city, while others rushed from all directions below, resulting in a chaotic battle.

In some cases, it was difficult to distinguish friend from foe. Even the attackers to the city did not resemble the Southern bandits in their clothing, weaponry, or even their accents.

Others rushed to the Privy Council and the capital to report the news.

Upon receiving the news at the Privy Council, Li Chuwen was extremely anxious: "It's Pharmacist Guo! Da Shilin Ya had already informed me that Pharmacist Guo had defected to the enemy, and warned me to be extra careful in the city. I didn't expect them to arrive so quickly! Quickly organize men to meet the enemy, and report to His Majesty immediately!"

Even as he shouted, Li Chuwen rushed out, truly anxious. Outside the Privy Council, there was a squad of guards, numbering four or five hundred, who kept shouting.

It's truly difficult to describe the complexity of Li Chuwen's thoughts.

On one hand, he secretly colluded with Su Wu to plot the southern surrender; on the other hand, he supported the new emperor. Now, he had to fight valiantly against the enemy...

But if you really think about what he's thinking, it's actually quite simple, nothing complicated at all.

The messenger entered the imperial city, where the emperor and Consort De were both in the main hall, listening to the anxious report.

Xiao Puxian immediately stood up and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I will go to meet the enemy right away!"

Emperor Yelü Chun hurriedly stepped forward and pulled her aside, asking with a look of astonishment, "My beloved consort, what I said just now was merely a casual remark. How could you, a mere woman, possibly go to fight the enemy?"

Unexpectedly, Xiao Puxian's face was solemn: "In times of crisis, Your Majesty, what difference does it make between men and women? If the country is truly destroyed and the family is destroyed, if the southern bandits are allowed to invade the city, what kind of humiliation will I suffer? Your Majesty, I come from a noble family and have received imperial favor for generations. I can die, but I cannot be humiliated!"

Yelü Chun, however, was extremely reluctant to part with her and asked, "My beloved consort, how...how will you face the enemy?"

"Your Majesty, I am skilled in wielding swords and spears!" Xiao Puxian bowed and was about to turn away.

"My beloved concubine... my beloved concubine, wait..." Yelü Chun was extremely anxious, looking around and shouting, "Someone come here! Someone come here!"

Then the men arrived, numbering twenty or thirty, who were Yelü Chun's bodyguards. They stepped forward, bowed, and clasped their hands in greeting.

"Go, all of you follow me!" Yelü Chun waved his hands repeatedly to his left and right!
Xiao Puxian's gaze was even more resolute as she nodded, "Very well, Your Majesty, take care. I'm off!"

As she spoke, Xiao Puxian untied the belt around her waist, took off her skirt on the spot, leaving only her underwear, and then started running. She was indeed quite agile.

The twenty or thirty guards exchanged glances and actually followed suit, with some even drawing their swords and offering them to the emperor: "Your Highness, use this sword!"

Xiao Puxian took it and shouted, "It's in the south, head south!"

The group passed through the imperial palace of the Liao Dynasty, which had been built and renovated for 180 years. The various halls and buildings had upturned eaves, carved beams and painted rafters, and the floor tiles were perfectly flat.

On either side of the red wall, in front of the archway, each copper rivet marks the entrance.

In the past, this imperial city witnessed countless Khitan glories, and countless envoys from the southeast, northwest and other directions came here to pay homage.

This great Liao Dynasty was once truly vast, with all nations paying tribute, including the Southern Song Dynasty, various tribes of the grasslands, the Tangut and Uyghur peoples, the Korean Peninsula, and even the Japanese...

Today, even the imperial concubine has taken up her sword and entered the fray...

On the southern side, the fighting was truly chaotic. The resentful army was quite capable, especially when facing a wealthy city like Yanjing, where they were exceptionally brave.

Guo the Pharmacist had already entered through the city gate, which had obviously been opened once, and he had entered the barbican. He shouted above his head, "Quick, rush over there and open the barbican gate too!"

The soldiers on the city wall, filled with resentment, charged forward with incredible ferocity. If they could just open the gates of the barbican again, they would be inside the incredibly wealthy city of Yanjing, with its countless gold, silver, copper, iron, and beautiful women!

Guo Yaoshi's resentful army, a multitude of displaced people, were struggling to make ends meet. They had once broken through Liao city walls and made a fortune, but that was several years ago. Since then, after accepting amnesty, they had been ostracized and their lives had never been easy...

This time, the commander said that as long as we enter Yanjing City, we can have whatever we want and plunder whatever we want!
Even if they are the emperor's concubines or daughters, as long as they are capable, they can be used.

Just look at those soldiers on the city wall who were about to open the gate of the barbican; every single one of them was full of strength.

In just a moment, the gates of the barbican opened, and Guo Yaoshi's face was full of smiles. He carried his spear and was the first to rush into Yanjing City.

It seems like he's forgotten many things... or perhaps he hasn't forgotten at all...

He just led his men into the city without sending anyone back to report. The Song army's scouts weren't far away anyway; if they just went to inform them, they would ride off quickly, and the cavalry under Commander Su would surely arrive soon...

The moment they passed through the gate of the barbican, Guo Yaoshi shouted excitedly, "Brothers, we're rich!"

Looking at the people behind Guo Yaoshi, all of them were beaming with joy. Immediately, someone took the lead and rushed over. The first thing on his right was the place where the city's commercial taxes were collected. He went straight to smash the gate, rushed in, and ransacked the place.

Guo the Pharmacist continued shouting, "Brothers, charge forward! Charge into the imperial city! There's countless gold and silver treasures there, and the women are incredibly beautiful!"

With thousands of resentful soldiers, how could they not charge?

They sped along the main road, and whenever they passed a house, they would casually go inside and search it.

The Liao army, who were also nearby, rushed forward to fight, creating utter chaos. They fought and looted as they went...

For a time, the Liao army was unable to withstand this situation. They arrived in haste, and each unit fought independently without unified command or formation.

Even so, the Liao army's fighting spirit remained undiminished, and they fought wave after wave.

Guo, the pharmacist in the crowd, seemed to feel the pressure as well. He shouted to those around him, "Brothers, don't be greedy for short-term gains! Charge forward! Charge into the imperial city! Charge!"

Guo Yaoshi charged ahead, followed by his trusted men. After his men arrived, chaos ensued. Some even tied women up with ropes and dragged them behind them. The fastest to act had already snatched one away.

Looking further north along the main street, one could see many Liao people heading south, some in armor, some in official robes, and some without armor...

Looking around, it appears layer upon layer.

Guo Yaoshi frowned slightly, but quickly stepped forward to meet him. To say that Guo Yaoshi was not brave...
Clearly, he was brave; how could someone who rose above the ranks of the refugees not be valiant?

They were only a few dozen steps away when the battle began. In an instant, the battle raged fiercely, with shouts of killing deafening and cries of agony filling the air.

Guo Yaoshi's steps faltered for a moment. He had lost count of how many people had come rushing towards him, yet he was still filled with dread...

Something was wrong. It wasn't that he hadn't breached cities before. Back then, he would just storm into a city, and the people inside would be like sheep, all trembling with fear...

Today the city has been breached. I thought it would be the same; once inside, it would be like wolves among sheep, and the entire city's sheep could be bullied and plundered at will...

But the current situation is something I never expected...

He couldn't help but think that this was probably all there was to it. Once he defeated these people, no one in this vast city would dare to resist him anymore.

Guo the Pharmacist gritted his teeth and shouted with all his might, "Brothers, kill! Kill all these people in front of Bald Head, and the whole of Yanjing will be yours..."

Guo Yaoshi had said these words countless times before, and they were always very effective. Back when he rebelled and attacked cities, he used these same words, and his men became as fierce as wolves and tigers.

The same is true today; these words still work.

Guo Yaoshi was unaware that a concubine had also come from the north, and was now only a hundred or two paces away. The concubine, Xiao Puxian, originally had only twenty or thirty people by her side, but as she ran along the road, she also gathered seven or eight hundred soldiers and civilians.

At this moment, she was shouting: "I am the Imperial Concubine, here on behalf of His Majesty! People of Liao, warriors of Khitan, follow me and kill them all! Kill these Song dogs! My family and relatives are behind me, we must not retreat!"

It's unclear how many people could hear Xiao Puxian's cries, but she kept shouting, "Protect my homeland! Kill all the Song dogs!"

Amidst the shouts, Xiao Puxian pushed her way into the crowd, step by step, without hesitation, and without even glancing back.

Within the city walls, whether ordered or not, whether arriving in groups or as friends and relatives, countless people were rushing towards the south city...

Guo the Pharmacist could no longer move his feet. He kept looking back and forth, shouting, "Brothers, abandon those things and charge forward with me!"

What items were discarded?

Behind them were people, some wearing armor and some not. Some carried bundles that jingled, some had women tied to them with ropes, some had a bunch of odds and ends hanging on their bodies, and some even carried a large iron pot on their backs.

That big iron pot is really quite large, and probably not cheap either; it's worth several strings of cash...

"There are mountains of gold and silver ahead!" It was still Guo Yaoshi shouting, but who knows how many people could hear his shout.

The chaos at this moment was not only due to poor command, but also because street fighting inevitably leads to chaos. Fighting was taking place everywhere, in the main streets and alleys, with seven or eight thousand disgruntled soldiers and countless Liao soldiers and civilians...

There was no elaborate strategy or formation involved, nor was there any discussion of specific formations...

The already interlocking forces became even more interlocking and chaotic with each battle.

At this moment, Guo Yaoshi was truly stunned and frightened. His feet unconsciously began to retreat, and military orders rang out: "Retreat! Retreat to the city gate! Retreat to the city wall! Retreat to the barbican!"

He finally "remembered" some things and knew that he should hold his ground, guard the city gates that had been opened, defend the barbican, and wait for reinforcements!

Once reinforcements arrive, they will charge into the city, and their momentum will be unstoppable.

Outside the city, there were still Song cavalrymen. Even if Guo Yaoshi didn't send anyone to report, they would still come closer to see and could see that Guo Yaoshi had indeed entered the city. They then rushed to Liangxiang to report.

Su Wu was in his tent outside Liangxiang City at the moment. He couldn't help but look north a few more times. He had foreseen many things. He knew that Guo Yaoshi and Xu Zhen would be able to break into the city.

But Su Wu also knew what kind of scene Guo Yaoshi would face after rushing in.

Such is the nature of human nature. The Liao people may now surrender to the Jurchens, but they will not surrender to the Song.

This is really strange!
Historically, it was only later, when the Jurchens pursued and drove away Yelü Yanxi from afar, wiping out almost all of the Liao people's manpower, that they were able to enter Yanjing without bloodshed.

At this moment, the Song people betrayed them. Even though Guo Yaoshi led the surrendered troops into the city, inside Yanjing, even the imperial concubines were on the front lines, and countless soldiers and civilians fought in the streets. The fighting was so fierce that the sky darkened, but they still fought to the death.

How do you explain this difference...?

Although there are differences in the situation, the difference in people's hearts can be so great.

It was as if Su Wu knew that if he too easily entered Yanjing City, the situation would be the same. The Liao people inside the city would fight to the death and refuse to surrender, and the battle would be fierce and chaotic. He would most likely win, but at a great cost.

The reason Su Wu still let Guo Yaoshi stir things up first was that Su Wu never thought about letting Guo Yaoshi make any great contribution, nor did he ever think about reporting to the emperor and appointing Guo Yaoshi as a Privy Council Academician...

Guo Yaoshi is never very useful. If Guo Yaoshi has made a contribution, he will be even less useful. Only when Guo Yaoshi has suffered a complete defeat will he be slightly more useful.

It's just that people like Guo Yaoshi, once they have a little bit of influence, they become arrogant; once they have a little merit, they become complacent and demand money, grain, and official positions.

When the time comes, not giving money, food, or official positions will be even worse. Su Wu himself will be in a difficult position. If he is not rewarded for his merits, it will be even more difficult to win over the people in the future. In the Yan-Yun region, there will be plenty of officials and soldiers who surrender. If Guo Yaoshi does not reward him, how can he gain the trust of others?

Although the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun were not very large, they still comprised dozens of cities and were home to millions of Han Chinese and one to two million Khitans.

If there were no powerful enemies outside, and no Jurchens, these matters of public sentiment would not be so important. But with the Jurchens lurking outside, if the hearts of the people are not won over, when Su Wu and his troops return, the Jurchens will inevitably crush them once again.

Now, to be honest, Su Wu's mind is getting dirtier and dirtier. The Su Wu of the past was just a military general, but the Su Wu of today has to get involved in politics. How can a person who plays politics not have a heart?
They were just waiting for the scout to return and report that Guo Yaoshi had rushed into the city.

Inside Su Wu's tent, some people were overjoyed. Zhu Wu, for example, excitedly said, "Such an amazing thing has really happened! My lord, we should quickly send a large army to support Guo Yaoshi and rush into the city together. The matter will be settled!"

Some people looked worried, like Yang Keshi, but he didn't say anything...

But Wu Yong said, "Sir, there's no rush, this matter isn't urgent..."

Su Wu looked around and then looked at Zhong Shidao, asking, "What does the old gentleman think?"

Zhong Shidao frowned slightly, but said, "Commander Su must already have a plan in mind!"

Su Wu nodded immediately: "We still need to go and take a look. Send some troops to check. If Guo Yaoshi really charges into the city and is incredibly brave, then we'll need reinforcements. Just send reinforcements over, and maybe we can really settle things in one battle."

Zhong Shidao seemed somewhat surprised. In his more than fifty years of military service, as an observer, he had watched Su Wu proceed cautiously, as if walking on thin ice...

Even during marches, the discipline was extremely rigorous. The scouts kept a close watch on every unit, and the close proximity of each unit and the spacing between friendly forces were all required to the extreme.

With his profound understanding of military affairs, how could Zhong Shidao not know what Su Wu was worried about?
He knew that Su Wu was wary of the Liao people still having the strength to fight, wary of the Song army's natural psychological disadvantage against the Liao army, and worried that if they showed a weakness and suffered a defeat, the morale of the army would be greatly reduced.

He also knew that Su Wu had another worry: if the Liao people were truly united and the army and civilians were working together, and if they were to besiege Yanjing and fail to capture it in a short time, then they would be stationed under the fortified city, while a powerful army was lurking outside.

They were stuck, unable to advance or retreat, fighting on enemy territory, facing logistical difficulties and enemy cavalry harassing supply lines...

Such and so on, it truly is a difficult situation.

Su Wu had been trying to avoid this situation...

Why would Su Wu, who has always been so cautious, suddenly want to divide his troops again?

Zhong Shidao had many questions in his mind, but he didn't speak. He just looked at Su Wu.

Su Wu met his gaze and approached. He knew that the old man beside him was extremely shrewd and could see many things—matters of the court, the current war… Many things could not be hidden from him…

Su Wu disregarded all else and asked those around him, "Who is willing to go and support Guo Yaoshi in attacking Yanjing City?"

Upon hearing this question, even Wu Song couldn't out-argue Yang Keshi. Yang Keshi quickly stood up, and before he could even extend his hands in a gesture of respect, he said, "This humble general requests to fight again. This humble general is willing to die a hundred times. If I fail to breach the city, I will bring you my head!"

It was Yang Keshi again. Zhong Shidao was not surprised at all. Even a fool would know that Yang Keshi would be the first to volunteer for the battle.

At this moment, with the last chance, how could Yang Keshi not volunteer?

If we don't seize this opportunity now, once Yan Yun City falls, what great merit will we have left in this battle?

At this point, Guo Yaoshi had already taken all the credit, so how could Yang Keshi not want the second credit?

Zhong Shidao kept looking at Su Wu, probably thinking that Su Wu would still refuse, which meant he didn't trust Yang Keshi.

To Zhong Shidao's surprise, Su Wu smiled slightly, nodded, and said, "Good. General Yang has requested to fight several times, but I have refused each time. If I refuse again this time, wouldn't the brothers in the army really think that I, Su Wu, am unfair? Since General Yang is so eager to fight, and he has quite a few cavalry under his command, just go quickly and help Guo Yaoshi break through the city!"

Yang Keshi was overjoyed: "This subordinate obeys the order, I will gather the troops immediately and set off!"

Su Wu nodded: "Yes, time waits for no one, we must go quickly, or things may change!"

How could Yang Keshi not turn around and run away?
Zhong Shidao was greatly alarmed and looked at Su Wu several times. Su Wu turned around and nodded slightly to him.

However, Su Wu added: "Military order: all generals return to their posts, and all units prepare for battle, don armor, gather troops and horses, and be ready to respond to any changes in the battle situation!"

Everyone stood up: "Yes, sir!"

"Go..." Su Wu raised his hand and waved everyone away.

Everyone went back to prepare, donning their armor and weapons, and gathering their troops in one place, ready to be deployed at any time should an order come.

Even the guards and others went out to monitor the preparations for war in various units.

Inside the tent, Zhong Shidao didn't leave, and Su Wu didn't chase him away either, which meant that Zhong Shidao had something to say and wanted to say it in private.

Once everyone had left, Su Wu took his seat and spoke first: "Old sir, please speak freely..."

Zhong Shidao nodded, then frowned and said, "Yang Keshi's journey is likely to end in grave danger..."

Su Wu nodded, remaining silent...

Zhong Shidao continued, "As the commander-in-chief, it is only right that you issue any military orders. I have nothing to say... I just want to know what exactly is Commander Su's plan..."

Su Wu hesitated slightly, but after glancing at Zhong Shidao, he spoke up: "Given this situation, we must break the deadlock. Once we cross Liangxiang, we'll reach Yanjing. I'm afraid that if we don't take Yanjing quickly enough, with a fortified city and a powerful enemy outside, the situation will truly spiral out of control, causing great anxiety..."

Zhong Shidao nodded: "I understand. That means we need to break the deadlock. Commander Su, what is your plan to break the deadlock?"

Su Wu also sighed and said, "I really don't like Yang Keshi, but he is, after all, a Song general and one of our colleagues..."

“Hmm…” Zhong Shidao nodded.

Su Wu continued, "Since Yelü Dashi is looking for a weakness, but I haven't given him one, I'm worried and anxious. I don't know where the weakness is, or which part will be the weakness, or how Yelü Dashi will react..."

Zhong Shidao was startled: "So, Commander Su is deliberately trying to reveal a flaw?"

“Yes, since we can’t avoid it, this bloody battle is inevitable sooner or later. Rather than letting Yelü Dashi take the initiative and strike from the shadows, we should lure him into a trap. This way, we can be prepared and take the initiative. Even if Yelü Dashi walks into the trap, the outcome depends on the strategy and the battle. If we can’t get into that difficult situation, we should do it this way. Let’s win the first battle. Even if we still face a fortified city, at least we will have no worries about our rear and the side routes!”

Su Wu had been filled with countless worries and thoughts lately, even before the war began. He was thinking about this situation constantly, racking his brains to come up with a solution...

Zhong Shidao was also shocked. It turned out that Yang Keshi was the flaw that had been deliberately exposed.

Zhong Shidao then asked, "Could it be... that your cautiousness all the way here is also part of your scheme with Yelü Dashi?"

"Yes, if we hadn't planned this way, hadn't been so cautious, hadn't dragged things out, Yelü Dashi would have been a prudent man and wouldn't have easily taken such a gamble. If this weakness had been exposed, he might not have attacked us then. But now that it's exposed again, he'll definitely attack! He has no choice but to come. Yanjing City is right in front of us. If he doesn't come now, he'll have no chance..."

Su Wu simply considered Yelü Dashi in the most perfect and powerful direction, making a lenient assessment of the enemy.

Zhong Shidao also sighed, "If Yang Keshi hadn't been so eager to volunteer for battle and make a name for himself, he probably wouldn't have become the bait this time..."

Zhong Shidao sighed at the man, after all, he had a relationship with Yang Keshi, this junior, and therefore knew better what Yang Keshi wanted...

At this moment, the commander-in-chief had made his decision, and Zhong Shidao knew how important this matter was, so he could say nothing more and could only sigh for Yang Keshi.

Su Wu was also straightforward, nodding and saying, "I originally thought of Yao Pingzhong. Back then, when we were suppressing Fang La, Yao Pingzhong was in charge of the central army. Facing the enemy's massive attack, he was truly steadfast. I wanted to use him again. Since General Yang has been so eager to fight and has been so rambling, then let General Yang go..."

“What if he loses too quickly?” Zhong Shidao asked.

“My lord, Yang Keshi’s men are not bad…” Su Wu smiled.

Zhong Shidao could only sigh again: "Alas... a kind heart cannot command an army. Commander Su is so young, yet so shrewd and calculating. With a single plan, he has laid such a trap... I am ashamed of my own inferiority. What should I do this time? I beg Commander Su for his command!"

Su Wu waved his hand: "The infantry will not be able to make it this time. The cavalry under your command have already been deployed. At your age, there is no need for you to actually ride into battle. We will wait until we attack Yanjing before you lead the troops to fight!"

Zhong Shidao nodded and asked, "So, is Commander Su going to personally charge into battle?"

Su Wu nodded: "I must go! I absolutely must go! Victory or defeat hinges on this battle. I must go to the decisive battle. Firstly, for the sake of the army's morale, my presence will make a significant difference. Secondly, in this kind of decisive battle, whether we win or lose, I must be there in person..."

Now that he had exhausted all his wisdom and strategies, Su Wu had one last thing to say before he had to fight to the death: even if he was to lose, he would lose by his own hand. That way, he would have no regrets. It was fate, it was destiny!
A hint of kindness appeared in Zhong Shidao's eyes as he asked, "When will Commander Su lead the cavalry to set off?"

"We must wait until Yelü Dashi's cavalry, on fast horses, discover that our cavalry has left the camp and it is too late to report back before the cavalry in the camp will move..."

Su Wu thought things through too meticulously, and thus imagined Yelü Dashi to be an extremely perfect person.

So perfect that Yelü Dashi would handle anything that seemed amiss with extreme caution.

Therefore, Su Wu had been cautious and prudent all along, slowly procrastinating until now, leaving Yelü Dashi with a situation where he had no choice but to act.

To be honest, it wasn't much; we built strongholds and fought a protracted war.

The way of war, the method of taking risks, lies in the fact that when the enemy is strong and we are weak, we have no choice but to fight, so we can only take risks and resort to risky and unconventional tactics.

If the enemy is weak and we are strong, then we must not take risks easily. We should proceed step by step, advancing cautiously, forcing the enemy into a corner while avoiding making mistakes ourselves. As long as we ensure that we do not make mistakes, the situation faced by the weaker enemy will inevitably become more and more dangerous.

But people always prefer stories of the weak defeating the strong, catching the enemy off guard, outsmarting them, displaying courage and passion, or even turning the tables and winning big. Perhaps it's because those stories are more exciting and make people happier.

The saying "a skilled warrior achieves no great feats" perhaps illustrates this point.

Huo Qubing, who traveled thousands of miles alone, is a one-in-a-millennium figure. Su Wu is clearly not one of them. Su Wu could not become Huo Qubing, but perhaps he could learn from Wei Qing.

Most people only remember how brave and fierce Huo Qubing was, but few remember how Wei Qing defeated the Xiongnu in a head-on confrontation before his allies arrived.

In this battle, Su Wu was completely overwhelmed, but Zhong Shidao might not think so.

At this moment, Zhong Shidao slowly rose and bowed slightly to Su Wu: "A fine commander indeed! I am no match for you. This is a blessing for our Great Song Dynasty! In this battle, we have won more than we have lost. I only hope that Yang Keshi can survive..."

Su Wu remained silent, but rose and cupped his hands in greeting. His mind had hardened considerably, and as the commander-in-chief, this was the proper course of action.
Su Wu was no longer the general who led troops.

(Brothers, this is over nine thousand words. I'll keep writing as I think about it and try to write more. I'm working on it!)

(End of this chapter)