Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 252 This is a question posed by His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty!
Outside Yanjing City, in the military camp, countless coffins, numbering one or two thousand, were transported from the city. The vast city of Yanjing could accommodate so many coffins.

They also purchased countless amounts of lime from merchants in the city.

Fortunately, it was already winter, and the winter in Yanjing was getting increasingly cold. One or two thousand corpses were neatly arranged, including more than six hundred soldiers from the Jingdong army...

With soldiers from various military units present, the atmosphere naturally became somber.

Su Wu walked slowly, going from row to row, glancing at each one. It was painful to look at them all. The soldiers of Jingdong were mainly from Dongping Prefecture, and secondly from neighboring prefectures.

Upon returning, Su Wu found Dongping Prefecture draped in mourning, and he felt a sense of trepidation, somewhat reluctant to go back, finding it difficult to face the situation.

Providing financial assistance is a simple matter, but meeting those sorrowful eyes is truly difficult.

Su Wu looked through the rows of books, then turned back and gently waved his hand: "Prepare for burial!"

The soldiers got busy, and it was usually done by their closest comrades. Many of the corpses were actually difficult to identify, but fortunately, the soldiers had brought identification tags. Some of the corpses didn't even have identification tags, but fortunately, they were only a minority. It wasn't difficult to identify them by process of elimination.

While the body preparations were underway, a high platform was erected over there, and a large group of Taoist priests were invited. Taoist music played, the priests offered prayers, and scriptures were recited.

It seemed he should say something, but Su Wu looked around and remained silent...

Besides the compensation, the soldiers and soldiers of Jingdong also knew that there were other preferential treatments in their hometowns. If someone died in battle, they would not only receive money, but if there were any orphans, they could go to school. If there were no orphans, close brothers could take their place.

The school is free, meals are free, and if you want to live in the school, that's also free. You'll also receive four sets of clothes for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and three pairs of shoes every year.

The school is under construction, right next to the military camp. What Marshal Su said is never a lie.

There were also many orphans, both boys and girls, whom Marshal Su had brought back from the Jiangnan region. They were doing odd jobs in the military camp, helping out in the kitchen, and were provided with food. In the future, they would all be sent to school...

Children in the school were taught not only to read, but also to practice martial arts and physical training, and even to march in formation...

Anyway, everything Su Shuai said is very good, it must be true...

If the family members wish, fallen soldiers can be buried directly in a large open space next to the military camp. Marshal Su said that in the future, all comrades can be buried there, as long as they have meritorious service recorded, even if they die of old age.

Marshal Su also said that a shrine called "Hall of Loyal Martyrs" is being built there, and that it is said to be a place where incense is burned continuously and shared by comrades.

The burial expenses were also covered by the military command, and a stone tablet was carved to serve as an epitaph.

Of course, if the family members are unwilling, they can choose their own burial place.

Anyway, it sounds quite pleasant. If it was truly a heroic death, burying him there isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's better than having two or three generations go to pay their respects, only to have the incense burn out and the grave leveled...

Commander Su distributed money last night, more than usual. In addition to the normal rewards, each head of one of the Liao cavalrymen was worth fifty strings of cash...

This was completely unexpected...

Su Shuai also said that when encountering elite and valiant enemies, one should naturally raise the price; how could one price a valiant enemy leader the same as an ordinary bandit leader?
If there are even more formidable enemies in the future, then the price must be raised even higher.

Coach Su said, "Just give! If the money isn't used on the boys, then who will it be used on?"

Anyway, Commander Su said a lot, all of which were said the day before yesterday. The commanders and captains then went to the army to imitate him.

This matter has spread to our allies, putting immense pressure on many people, such as Liu Yanqing...

This matter requires money, a lot of money. The Northwest Army is poor, and the Northwest region is barren. If it weren't for Marshal Su's help, even with this much equipment, it would be far inferior. If we were to follow the example of the Eastern Capital Army, it would truly be... well, we have the will but not the power.

After learning about these matters, Marshal Su couldn't help but give out several sums of money to various units. This way, he could teach the other armies to follow suit, at least to set an example and let the soldiers know that Marshal Su was not one to favor one over another.

In reality, it doesn't cost much. Land is one factor. Those who have the means can choose good, flat land, while those who don't can choose a more distant location, away from the city, or even a barren hill or mound.

Feeding people doesn't actually cost money, but it takes a lot of effort. Of course, this is in comparison to armored weapons and horses. It's not a huge expense, but if this expense continues year after year, it will add up to a considerable amount. But let's get started first, and we'll find a way to manage each year.

These are Su Shuai's own words.

Many military officers trusted Commander Su. As long as Commander Su was in office, he would have his own methods for each year, which was a given.

Thus, the entire army knew of this matter. Today, as they came to collect the body of their comrade, those collecting the body muttered these words beside the corpse, saying how good Commander Su was, and that there was no need to worry about family matters, everything would be alright...

The corpse lay in the coffin, and it's unknown whether it could hear anything.

After the body is placed in the coffin, it needs to be placed somewhere so that it can be taken along on the journey back to the hometown.

Su Wu waved his hand and stopped in the imperial city. There were nearly two thousand coffins, and they needed a place to shelter them from the wind and rain. Where else could you find such a large place besides the palaces and halls in the imperial city?
This act alone warmed the hearts of countless people. The soldier who was collecting the body of his comrade muttered, "You're lucky this time. You can at least stay in the place where the emperor lives. We've never had such a blessing in our lives. Commander Su treated you so well. Now that you're in the Yellow Springs, just rest in peace, rest in peace..."

As they talked, a few tears inevitably welled up in the corners of their eyes, but the soldier simply wiped them away, pretending that he had never shed a tear.

The greatest tragedy is a parent outliving their child. Father and son served in the same army, the father was a cavalryman and the son was also a cavalryman. This was not the case in Su Wu's army, but such things were common in various armies in the Northwest, just like a son inheriting his father's career. But this time, the son died while the father was still alive.

As the body was slowly prepared for burial, the father wept uncontrollably, saying countless words: "I had thought about all this, but I always imagined that after I was gone, you would collect my remains and bring them home. I never imagined that it would be you who was gone, and I would be the one collecting your remains..."

"Sigh... Don't worry, I'll take care of your mother. It's just a pity my son isn't married yet..."

"Commander Su gave you a lot of money and rewarded you handsomely. You'll be fine going home, and your two younger brothers and sisters will be well taken care of... Don't worry..."

"Son..."

"Son..."

The sound of weeping was somewhat abrupt, drawing all eyes to the scene, and everyone couldn't help but sigh and shake their heads.

Su Wu mounted his horse, intending to ride away, but then paused and looked at it for a long time without saying a word.

Once the coffin lid was closed and nailed shut, and they began loading the planks, Su Wu sighed and rode away.

The Jurchen envoy arrived. His name was Gao Qingyi, and he had been waiting for a long time in the government office in Yanjing.

Su Wu rode off to meet Gao Qingyi at the government office.

Gao Qingyi seemed to be getting impatient as well, waiting for Su Wu to arrive so they could exchange a few pleasantries. Although he was polite, his tone was not good: "How could Commander Su send troops from Yanjing to Datong?"

This matter could not be kept secret. Nowadays, there are many Liao people, or rather Liaodong people, working for the Jurchens, and Gao Qingyi is one of them.

In other words, the Liao people in Yanjing had countless Jurchen spies, which is why they were able to accurately know that Yelü Yanxi had fled to Datong in the west, and immediately changed their marching route, with the Jurchen army heading straight for Datong.

Su Wu, seeing Gao Qingyi's accusatory words, simply sat calmly in the main seat, not answering, and even had the mind to adjust his official robes.

Gao Qingyi was furious, but he didn't dare to act rashly. He simply said, "General Su, if you know, this is a question posed by His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Jin!"

Su Wu nodded, but first asked, "Has fighting broken out in Datong?"

Gao Qingyi replied truthfully, "In just three to five days, the army will be at the city gates, and Datong will fall soon!"

"Then why do you care that some remnants of the army have gone to Datong?" Su Wu asked again, his tone indifferent.

Gao Qingyi immediately reacted and said, "The Great Jin and the Song have long had an alliance and are allies. How can they do such a thing? It would be one thing if they didn't help their ally, but they're making things difficult for their ally?"

His attitude had softened considerably, so Su Wu looked at him directly: "Well then, go back and ask him something. The alliance agreement states that if the Liao people are attacked from both the north and south, our Great Song will receive the Yan and Yun regions, and the rest will belong to the Jurchens. Now the Jurchen army has besieged Datong, which is Yunzhou. Is this an act of keeping the agreement? That's fine, I know the Jurchens hate the Liao people to the bone, and this action is only to capture the Liao emperor, so it's understandable. But ask him another question: regarding the attack on Datong, will the Song send troops to assist?"

Gao Qingyi was stunned. When he came, His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Jin had given him instructions. Although it wasn't meant to be a accusation, it was still a reprimand. Now, after the reprimand, he was being turned on...

To put it bluntly, the eldest brother doesn't criticize the second brother, but what's happening now is actually a fight over, and the battle is about to end.

The Jurchen Jin dynasty had one major drawback: it did not lack land, but rather population, and even artisans and production tools. Of course, from the Jurchens' perspective at that time, population was also a means of production.

Therefore, when the Jurchens entered Yanyun, their first task was to relocate the population northward, almost emptying half of Yanyun. Even later, during the Jingkang Incident, when they attacked the Song Dynasty, their primary targets for plunder were people, livestock, and production tools, with money being the secondary objective.

Now that Su Wu has entered Yanjing, fast horses from all over Yanyun are rushing to take over. Datong is also a large city, and it has plenty of things that the Jurchens desperately need: people, livestock, tools...

Gao Qingyi was taken aback by Su Wu's words and didn't know how to respond. According to the alliance, the Song people should be able to raise an army and march on Datong.

After thinking for a moment, Gao Qingyi immediately cupped his hands and said, "General Su, please do not take action for now. I will return and report to you before replying. This way, we can avoid misunderstandings and conflicts among our own people. As allies, everything can be discussed."

The Jurchens' attitude towards the Song Dynasty was completely different. Although the Battle of Yanyun seemed to be of very small scale, with only a few thousand cavalrymen fighting and killing each other, this battle at least showed the Jurchens the fighting strength of the Song army and made them realize that the Song army was not an easy opponent.

Thus, the Jurchens showed more respect to the Song Dynasty, their ally, than in history. Historically, before the Battle of Yan and Yun, the Jurchens already held a basic level of respect for the Song Dynasty; this respect was something the Song people themselves had abandoned, and Su Wu was the one who picked it up again at this moment.

Su Wu nodded in agreement: "Now that we are allies, everything can be discussed. If your emperor does not need me to go to Datong, I will not go, as the road is difficult to travel anyway. If your emperor needs me to intercept him, I will do so without hesitation!"

How far is it from Yanjing to Datong? It's about 700 li (approximately 350 kilometers). Datong is located at the eastern end of the Loess Plateau and can also be considered the southern junction of the Mongolian Plateau. Datong's terrain is actually quite high, with an average elevation of around 1,000 meters, while Yanjing's elevation is only a few dozen meters.

In other words, the road between Datong and Yanjing was not easy to travel.

Gao Qingyi was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately bowed: "Thank you, Commander Su. I was a little impolite just now. Please forgive me, Commander Su!"

How could Gao Qingyi not be pleased? After returning, he would only consider it as another achievement of his mission. If the Song army had really gone to Datong, the situation would have been extremely complicated. It was Gao Qingyi's mission that saved the Jin Dynasty from this complicated situation.

"It's alright, just go back and report as soon as possible!" Su Wu waved his hand, dismissing the messenger.

Then another report came that the Grand Chancellor had arrived.

Su Wu, however, was different. He immediately got up and went to the entrance of the government office to greet them, and he should at least have a smile on his face.

As Tong Guan strode into the government office, Su Wu hurried over, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "We've been waiting for the Grand Councilor!"

Despite the long journey, Tong Guan showed no signs of fatigue and was full of energy. He first helped Su Wu up, then said, "I've been to Yanjing before. In the first year of the Zhenghe era, I accompanied Prime Minister Zheng on a diplomatic mission. I was the deputy envoy, haha... I never expected to return in such a wonderful way. I should take a good look around the imperial city. Back then, I only bowed a few times and exchanged a few words in the main hall. Let's go, let's go..."

As soon as they entered the government office, Tong Guan, holding Su Wu's hand, turned around.

Su Wu nodded, "Then let's go..."

But Tong Guan, beaming with joy, said, "Let's not take the carriage. It doesn't seem far. Let's walk!"

"That's easy!" Su Wu nodded with a smile, then turned around and shouted, "Bring all the guards from the Imperial Guard here!"

The two walked out almost hand in hand, mainly with Tong Guan holding Su Wu's hand.

Tong Guan was truly delighted, looking left and right, occasionally recalling: "I remember this place. This temple is quite large inside, and that big golden Buddha is dazzling. The Liao people deliberately brought me here to show off several times, saying that the Liao Dynasty's restoration of cultural relics surpasses even that of the Song Dynasty!"

Su Wu could even sense a sense of "the serfs singing songs of liberation" in Tong Guan's words. However, Su Wu was unaware that Tong Guan had suffered a great deal of humiliation and frustration during his mission to Liao. At that time, the Liao people mocked him, saying that the Song Dynasty had sent a eunuch as an envoy, saying, "The Southern Dynasty is so lacking in talent that it sent a rotten man here."

It was on that occasion that he first encountered Ma Zhi, a Liao man, who is now known as Zhao Liangsi. It was also at that time that Tong Guan secretly harbored the desire to attack Liao, but he never had the opportunity until the Jurchens rose to power. Tong Guan immediately began to work on the campaign against Liao.

Tong Guan's memories of Yanjing were filled with utter frustration, but now that he's back, isn't it like a serf finally rising up and singing a song of liberation?

Upon hearing this, Su Wu turned to look at the large temple, beckoned to Fan Yunlai, and whispered a few words: "Quickly send Wu Yuhou with men to this temple to see how big the golden Buddha is. If it really exists, find a respectable way to scrape it back!"

What are you scraping off? The large golden Buddha is not entirely made of gold, but rather covered in gold leaf. If it is truly enormous, there is quite a bit of gold leaf. Moreover, the believers and pilgrims in Yanjing City are all high-ranking officials and nobles who repeatedly gild the golden Buddha, which means they keep applying gold leaf. If you really scrape it off, there is quite a bit of gold!
Fan Yun immediately turned and ran...

Tong Guan strode arrogantly down the street, with armored soldiers on either side stopping passersby. Tong Guan pointed here and there, saying things like, "I used to drink here, and I used to meet guests here..."

He even remembered which company owned some of the luxurious buildings in Yanjing...

I really feel like I know it all by heart. I actually came here and stayed for a while. The humiliating memories are very deep.

Upon arriving at the imperial city and entering through the gate, they saw a cart carrying a coffin.

Su Wu said, "We are all comrades-in-arms. After the coffins were prepared, we had nowhere to put them, so we thought of placing them in various halls."

Tong Guan was also taken aback. It wasn't that this idea was particularly brilliant, but rather that no one else would have thought of it at all.

Tong Guan turned around and said, "Minister Tan, this is what it means to love your soldiers like your own children. No wonder your soldiers are so willing to die for you."

Tan Zhen nodded repeatedly: "This is just one example, just one example indeed!"

Tong Guan continued walking: "It's alright, let them do their thing, we'll look after ours... Where is that emperor?"

"Does the Grand Chancellor wish to see me?" Su Wu asked.

Tong Guan suddenly sighed and said, "Actually, I know him. He was the garrison commander of Yanjing that year, the chief official in that government office."

Su Wu, unaware of these things, simply led the way, saying, "Prime Minister, just follow me. He's in a palace garden in the inner palace, waiting to see him off on his journey to Tokyo."

Tong Guan suddenly stopped in his tracks, thought for a moment, hesitated for a second, and then said, "Never mind, I won't see him. If it's Yelü Yanxi, I'll go and see him, but let's leave Yelü Chun alone..."

Su Wu then asked, "Prime Minister..."

Tong Guan didn't hold back at all: "In the past, he really treated me to a good feast and never said anything sarcastic."

Su Wu understood that Tong Guan was also considering their past relationship; to meet would be a disgrace, while not meeting would be dignified.

As Tong Guan said, if Yelü Yanxi were in Yanjing today, Tong Guan might really want to humiliate him, wouldn't that also be a source of resentment?
It is said that the Liao Dynasty, at a certain time, truly swelled to an unbearable degree, bullying people without any restraint, oppressing the Jurchen tribes in the north, and treating them as less than human.

To the south, envoys from a brotherly country are subjected to such insults. What is this?
This is also politically unserious. Why bother with something like this? Any mature adult would not insult an envoy from a country with which they have been friendly for a century.
It was truly the act of a child.

Of course, it is also said that Song was weak, which led people to look down on him to this extent.

Su Wu led Tong Guan on a stroll through the imperial city. After a short while, Tong Guan remarked, "In terms of style, there's nothing special. As for scenery, it's far inferior to our Great Song. After all these years, the Khitans are still those barbarians! They haven't been civilized much. Is it that the Liao's cultural relics are better than our Great Song's? What a joke!"

Tan Zhen then added, "That's far inferior, by a huge margin! Our officials are far more refined than these barbarians!"

Su Wu just smiled...

Since he was no longer in the mood, Tong Guan turned back and headed outside. This time, he simply called for a carriage, which came to the palace to fetch him.

After boarding the carriage, Tong Guan still had plans: "I was thinking of seeing if there were any unusual items in this imperial city, but there aren't. Compared to the Emperor's residence, the things here are quite ordinary. It seems that the land is poor and the people are barren, with little to produce, unlike our Great Song Dynasty, where we have everything we need. Oh well, we'll just load all those plaques and dragon thrones from the main hall onto the carriage and send them to Bianjing to present to His Majesty!"

"Okay!" Su Wu nodded; he had to make the arrangements.

"Seals, all those Liao Dynasty seals, we must collect them all!" Tong Guan added.

"Several groups were taken to Datong by Yelü Yanxi..."

"The rest, pack them up carefully and send them to Bianjing."

Su Wu simply nodded.

Tong Guan chuckled again, then looked Su Wu up and down and said, "Don't worry when we get back. I'll definitely fight you for the position of Privy Councillor!"

The two spoke very frankly.

Su Wu was relieved and nodded, "Thank you, Grand Councilor."

Tong Guan also looked at Tan Zhen, who immediately said, "Scholar Su, I was truly arrogant in that little matter back then. Scholar Su is kind-hearted and apologizes. Please forgive me. From now on, we will all be family, all brothers!"

Su Wu was taken aback. He looked at Tan Zhen, then at Tong Guan, who nodded with a smile.

Su Wu understood: Tan Zhen would likely become the head of the Privy Council from now on!
Su Wu then bowed in return: "What are you saying? I was just teasing you. Please don't take offense at my youthful appearance, Master Tan. I apologize to you..."

"In military affairs, I am a novice, and I will have to rely more on Scholar Su in the future..." Tan Zhen also smiled.

"Haha..." Tong Guan looked around and laughed. He had settled his last matter.

Then, he let out a sigh, a sigh of carefree ease, and said, "Ah... good, I have no regrets in this life. Such a life is not in vain, and I have not come into this world for nothing!"

Tan Zhen was filled with envy. He could only look on with envy. He could not enjoy the pleasures of love between men and women, nor the joy of having children and grandchildren around him. If he could truly be remembered in history like Tong Guan and admired for all time, then his life would not have been in vain.

Looking at Tokyo alone, the swift horse carrying the victory report was now entering the city, much faster than Tong Guan's carriage.

First they went to the Privy Council, where there was great joy. Then they went to the capital.

A large bell on the city wall of the imperial city is ringing. This bell is rarely rung, and it is not needed for ordinary matters. Only in emergencies will the bell ring out to summon officials from various government offices to the imperial city for a meeting.

Today, with the sound of the gong, countless people from various government offices set off, boarded carriages, and hurried into the imperial city.

The left side gate was already wide open, and people came in one by one without waiting. The soldiers guarding the gate already knew that good news had arrived, and the gentlemen knew it as well. They were all beaming with joy and went straight to the main hall to gather.

In the main hall, the emperor was the first to wait, and he would first pass around the good news to everyone who arrived.

The emperor sat on his high throne, chuckling as he awaited the rising and falling cries of congratulations. His smile widened further, extending to the back of his head.

We still have to wait a while, for that old and decrepit Grand Tutor Cai. He walks slowly, and he doesn't need to be on duty at home, so he comes slowly as well.

The emperor could no longer contain himself; he rose abruptly and asked, "Why hasn't the Grand Tutor arrived yet? Send someone to check at the left side gate..."

Then someone would rush to run after them.

After waiting a while, someone outside called out, "Coming, coming!"

Grand Tutor Cai has also arrived; now that everyone is here, the Grand Tutor should also see the good news.

The Emperor spoke first: "Wonderful, wonderful! What the late Emperor Taizu longed for but could not accomplish, I have accomplished! What the late Emperor Taizong worried about, I have also accomplished!"

On that high platform, the emperor stood tall and proud, gesturing and pointing at the landscape. For a moment, the emperor seemed to radiate light.

Wang Fu's boasting was not to be outdone: "Your Majesty, this is comparable to the King of Qin sweeping across the six kingdoms and unifying the country, or Emperor Wu of Han taking the Hexi Corridor and crushing the Xiongnu, or Emperor Taizong of Tang defeating the Turks. And now, Your Majesty can be compared to all of them. You are an emperor for all ages, an emperor for all ages!"

The emperor beamed with joy, but waved his hand and said, "Hey, it's not good to make random comparisons. Let future generations judge! Let future generations judge!"

Wang Fu immediately stepped forward, bowing his tablet forward, and said with increasing excitement, "Your Majesty, how can later generations not be fair? If judged fairly, dynasty after dynasty, by the time of our Great Song, how can Your Majesty not be a great emperor for all ages? In this way, peace will prevail throughout the land, the world will be united, and all nations will submit without a doubt. In the future, we will send envoys to Western Xia to question their ruler: Were the Tanguts not once subjects of the Great Tang? Do the four prefectures of Hexi still need the might of our Great Song?"

The saying goes, "Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king."

In the past, I couldn't bring myself to say these words or think these things. The Liao Dynasty to the north was so oppressive that it made it hard to breathe, impossible to lift one's head, and eroded one's self-confidence.

Things are different now. The Liao Dynasty is gone!

How could that not mean that all land under heaven belongs to the king, and all people within the realm are his subjects?
A great emperor for all time? That's a joke! Wang Fu thought, shouldn't we take advantage of this momentum and lay the foundation for an unparalleled empire in one fell swoop?

To be honest, how could the Western Xia have actually been established? Wasn't it also due to the Liao people's machinations? Without the Liao people, how could the Western Xia rebels have established a state?
Now that the Liao dynasty is gone, the Western Xia dynasty is the one to be dealt with.

Look how easy it is! Taking down the Liao Dynasty is no more than this! In the past, Emperor Renzong and Emperor Shenzong couldn't defeat it because the Mandate of Heaven hadn't arrived yet. Now, with the Mandate of Heaven in our hands, what difficulty is there?

The usually composed Cai Jing, no longer keeping his eyes closed, spoke up: "In this northern expedition, the army encountered no resistance wherever it went. Capturing cities and seizing strongholds was a piece of cake. Only outside Yanjing did a few thousand Khitan cavalry put up any resistance, but even that was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Why? This is all because the benevolence of our Great Song Dynasty and the righteousness of our Emperor have spread throughout Yan and Yun. The people of Yan and Yun all yearn for the Song Dynasty and are willing to submit and bask in the grace of our Great Song Emperor! This is truly the scene of a celestial empire! Like the Duke of Zhou spitting out his food to welcome guests, the world's hearts turn to him!"

The emperor was quite embarrassed by the praise, but he remained humble: "I have always governed the world with benevolence and righteousness, and the people of the world will naturally submit to me. This is the ultimate truth of Heaven. Now that the situation is so favorable, I should send envoys to Western Xia to discuss the matter of submission!"

Wang Fu replied, "Excellent, excellent! Your Majesty is wise!"

Cai Jing also said, "I never thought that I, an old minister, would be able to see such a magnificent scene of my Great Song Dynasty at the age of over seventy. I am truly blessed. Perhaps Heaven allowed me to live to such an old age so that I could see this magnificent scene today. I bow to the Emperor's wisdom once more, and bow to the Emperor once more!"

The emperor nodded, his heart filled with immense joy. However, he also remembered something and asked, "Gentlemen, how should we reward those who have rendered meritorious service this time? Let's discuss a plan!"

Cai Jing immediately replied, "If we are to truly rank merits, Your Majesty's merits are the greatest!"

Wang Fu glanced at Cai Jing and immediately added, "Indeed, indeed. The casualties this time were few. The army's entry into Liaodong was as if divinely aided. Why? It is all thanks to Your Majesty's merit, the merit of Your Majesty's benevolence and righteousness!"

The emperor nodded, but then waved his hand: "Ah... My merits need not be mentioned, the generals and commanders also deserve credit. Let's discuss the merits of the generals and commanders, and issue an imperial edict as soon as possible to boost the morale of the army!"

Cai Jing nodded: "Your Majesty, those who have rendered meritorious service should be rewarded, and those who have not rendered meritorious service have also worked hard and should also be rewarded. In this way, everyone in the army will be happy."

“That’s the truth, that’s exactly the truth, Grand Tutor, please continue!” The Emperor nodded repeatedly.

Cai Jing then continued, “In this battle, we captured Guiyi City, which is a great achievement. Zhuozhou City was captured because the general leading the troops surrendered voluntarily. The general who surrendered seems to be named Guo Yaoshi. He has rendered meritorious service and should be richly rewarded. He should be regarded as a model of surrender in Yanyun and used to show people’s loyalty. Liangxiang City has not yet fallen. I think that after Yanjing falls, this city will naturally surrender. The defending general will have neither merit nor demerit, so let him go. Furthermore, our army defeated several thousand Khitan cavalry outside Yanjing City. Although it is not difficult to defeat several thousand Khitan cavalry with 200,000 troops, the soldiers fought bravely and risked their lives, which is also a merit and should be rewarded!”

The emperor, listening intently, nodded repeatedly.

Wang Fu was filled with complex emotions and hesitation. He was analyzing in his mind the pros and cons of doing this, and whether the benefits outweighed the drawbacks...

Before Wang Fu could speak, Zhang Bangchang, who had just been promoted to Vice Minister of the Chancellery, spoke up: "Grand Tutor is truly mature and prudent. This assessment of merits is extremely fair! I second that opinion!"

(Brothers, 7700 words, I'm late today!)

(End of this chapter)