Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 253 must be done, and done well!

Bai Shizhong, who was also a Vice Minister of the Chancellery, then spoke up, saying, "I also agree!"

Then, all that could be seen were voices rising and falling from both sides, all agreeing...

Wang Fu was looking around. He had been in power for quite some time, but this was the first time he had felt something tangible: his promotion to the eighth rank was truly a castle in the air. The words spoken in the court at this moment reflected that Wang Fu's power was still far from sufficient.

The Emperor nodded in agreement: "This assessment of merit is fair. Let's discuss it further. Hmm... let's start with Tong Shu and Tan Zhen, then Su Wu, and also the matter of rewarding the troops..."

The emperor was somewhat anxious, not anxious, but rather in a state of excitement. Logically, this matter should have been discussed together with Tong Guan upon his return, since Tong Guan was the commander-in-chief and had more authority to speak on the matters and achievements of the people at the front.

However, the emperor was not entirely unaware of this; he simply discussed the three main individuals first, without addressing the specific officials and military commanders below.

In short, the emperor simply wanted to express his love for those around him by bestowing favors upon these three people immediately. Isn't that the epitome of thoughtfulness?

How could the three not be moved?
In fact, the emperor already had a certain plan in mind; asking was just a formality, and he had his own ideas.

Cai Jing replied, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, Chancellor Tong has devoted countless efforts to the Northern Expedition over the years, and his hard work and contributions are truly commendable. No reward is too much for him!"

Upon hearing this, the Emperor laughed and said, "That's exactly what I wanted. As for the Northern Expedition against Yan and Yun, it was planned by Chancellor Tong several years ago. He had mentioned it to me long ago. I have witnessed all the preparations and troop building. No reward would be too much for him. So let me say this: the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun are a feat that will last for ages. Chancellor Tong is already a Duke. What do you think of promoting him to Prince this time?"

These words caused a buzz of discussion throughout the hall. Even Wang Fu was startled. For countless years, when had anyone outside the imperial clan been granted the title of prince? Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, there had been no one born into a family outside the imperial clan to be granted the title of prince…

This matter was actually beyond the imagination of those present.

While the crowd was still whispering and discussing, Cai Jing was the first to speak up: "Your Majesty, this reward is fair. Chancellor Tong's merits are not excessive!"

Wang Fu was stunned; at this moment, he couldn't understand Cai Jing's actions either.

The emperor was overjoyed and nodded, "Then let's discuss it!"

What else is there to discuss? Cai Jing spoke directly: "Prince of Guangyang, what does His Majesty think?"

"Excellent, excellent indeed! This Prince of Guangyang is here! The decree of bestowing favor upon him shall be issued immediately after the court session!" The emperor reveled in this moment, in the gratitude of those who had been granted this favor, and in the recognition of his unparalleled kindness and righteousness by the people of the world.

Wang Fu was still dazed. It wasn't until Cai Jing glanced at him that he realized what was happening and hurriedly nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

This matter needs to be handled by Prime Minister Wang Fu, including the documents from the Secretariat and the Chancellery, the emperor's seal, and the creation of imperial edicts and regulations...

The emperor was overjoyed. In fact, being kind to people can bring happiness. He then asked, "Where is Tan Zhen?"

Cai Jing glanced up at the Emperor, his mind racing, and then spoke: "Prime Minister Tan has also made great contributions. Although he is a junior compared to Tong Shu, he has never made a mistake in leading troops into battle and has also made contributions. This time, he assisted Prime Minister Tong Shu in supervising the army and achieved such an unparalleled feat. Now that Prime Minister Tong Shu is getting on in years, the court is thinking about the succession of the Privy Council. After much deliberation, Prime Minister Tan is undoubtedly the first choice. So let him sign the Privy Council and become the second Privy Council member. What does Your Majesty think?"

How could the Emperor not be delighted? He even said, "Along with the news of victory came a letter from Chancellor Tong, saying that Chancellor Tong also had the same idea. It couldn't be better! In addition, how about adding the title of Duke to him?"

"Excellent!" Cai Jing nodded and looked back; a large number of people present were also nodding in agreement!

The emperor was extremely pleased; every word Cai Jing spoke resonated with him. He couldn't help but say again, "Let's discuss it again!"

Who else should we discuss? It would be Su Wu, of course.

Cai Jing nodded. This was the moment he had been waiting for. Tong Guan, that old codger, was already so old and had made such great contributions. He could be given any favors he wanted. He could be a prince, or even a duke. He had no sons, so his title was just a decoration. Once he died, everything would be over.

Tan Zhen was also Tong Guan's successor. The Privy Council had originally planned to take Tan Zhen's place. Tan Zhen had always been sensible, so it was fine.

When it came to Su Wu, Cai Jing spoke up: "Now, let's talk about Scholar Su. Chancellor Tong was the commander-in-chief, and Scholar Su was the general in charge of the troops. He led the troops in the front and fought two battles. One was at Guiyi, a small city. Alas... to be honest, there were some mistakes. According to His Majesty and the court, when the army entered Liaodong, the people's hearts should be the priority. Guiyi was the first city we entered. Why did we immediately besiege it?"

The emperor frowned upon hearing this. He had actually thought about this issue before, but the joy of victory had overshadowed it. Now that Cai Jing had reminded him, he couldn't help but think about it more.

But then Zhang Bangchang, who came to fetch the Grand Tutor, said: "It's just that the young man is impetuous and eager for quick success, but it's nothing serious. Once we get to Zhuozhou, won't the whole city surrender?"

Upon hearing this, the Emperor nodded repeatedly: "Minister Zhang is right. Such a great battle is perhaps because Su Wu, who was leading troops at the front, was also worried, so he took the initiative to start the war hastily..."

Cai Jing glanced back at Zhang Bangchang, nodded, then turned back and said, "Perhaps that makes sense. It's understandable that Su Wu might have doubts about the kindness of our Great Song Dynasty and the benevolence of the Emperor. He might not believe that with the kindness of our Great Song Dynasty and the benevolence of the Emperor, the world would be won over by the Duke of Zhou's act of spitting out food to welcome guests. It's not a huge mistake, though. I imagine that after this battle, he witnessed the people of Yan and Yun's willingness to submit to the Great Song, and saw the scene of them welcoming the royal army with food and drink..."

Upon hearing this, the emperor laughed and nodded repeatedly. Zhuozhou was such a fortified city, a major military stronghold since the Tang Dynasty. Yet, it surrendered without bloodshed. Could this not be a testament to the benevolence and righteousness of the Song Dynasty and the emperor?

Isn't this a case of welcoming the king's army with food and drink?
For an emperor, this feeling was incredibly pleasant. Even Zhao Ji couldn't help but think that with the Liao people as a precedent, the affairs of the Tanguts and Western Xia would inevitably proceed smoothly in the future.

In that case, wouldn't this be exactly what Su Wu meant by restoring the Han and Tang dynasties?
The emperor raised his hand: "Let's continue the discussion!"

Cai Jing nodded and continued, "As for the siege of Liangxiang, the Liao army was behind. The victory report said there were only a few thousand cavalry, mostly Khitan and Xi soldiers, not Han Chinese. They were likely fighting a desperate battle, like cornered beasts at the end of their rope. In this battle, the vanguard was 80,000 elite troops. Su Wu led 80,000 elite troops against a few thousand Khitan cavalry. There was no reason for them not to win! And with Guo Yaoshi's 8,000 resentful troops assisting on the side, it should have been a crushing victory. The Liao people had no chance to fight back! Why is this?"

Cai Jing turned his head and asked the crowd.

How could Zhang Bangchang not speak up: "This is the might of our Great Song Dynasty, the might of our Celestial Empire! The country is strong and the people are wealthy, the army is strong and the horses are powerful! For the past twenty years since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have worked day and night for the country, the people, and the nation, with diligence and dedication. This is the result of long-term governance!"

Cai Jing then turned back and said, “These are excellent words. The strength of the nation and the might of its military might are evident in the great emperors of all time. One example is the Qin Emperor, who built upon the legacy of six generations and also made his own progress! Another example is Emperor Wu of Han, whose rise was the culmination of generations of effort! The same is true today. It is also due to the legacy of our ancestors, Your Majesty’s day and night training, and your determined progress that we have achieved the great success of establishing the dynasty today!”

The emperor's lips curled back as he listened, but he still said, "Ah, this speaks of the merits of military generals, of Su Wu!"

Cai Jing nodded: "Let's talk about Su Wu. He is a skilled commander who has spread the emperor's authority with remarkable achievements. He has made great contributions to the stability of the capital and deserves to be promoted. He can be appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of the Pacification Commission of the Two Routes of Jingdong!"

Wang Fu was startled. He understood. Tong Guan's investiture as a king and Tan Zhen's entry into the Privy Council seemed to be paving the way for Su Wu's current situation.

He looked up at the emperor, who was slightly taken aback but did not immediately refute him. Instead, he fell into deep thought.

Clearly, the two men were very much to the emperor's liking, as if they were mind readers. But when it came to Su Wu, he was obviously not so much to the emperor's liking.

But the emperor had answered so readily, he was overjoyed, and now, though he was not pleased, he did not speak up immediately…

What kind of tactic is this? Is it a new way to manipulate the innocent emperor?
But Cai Jing continued, “Your Majesty, please allow me to speak. According to the regulations of our dynasty, and indeed of all dynasties, those who become high-ranking officials in the central government inevitably need experience in governing prefectures and counties. I believe that Su Wu will surely have a bright future, and it is not a question of him being ennobled or appointed prime minister. He is now a scholar, so how could he not have experience in governing prefectures and counties? With such experience, whether he becomes a minister or a secretary in the Secretariat, wouldn't that be a natural progression? Even the censors and remonstrators would have no grounds for objection…”

The emperor then raised his head, but did not speak for a moment, still weighing his options and pondering the matter.

Cai Jing then said, “Scholar Su is only twenty-three or twenty-four years old. We are old and already sixty or seventy. We all know that he is exceptionally talented and will surely become a pillar of the court in the future. The more so, the more we need to solidify his foundation. His future is undoubtedly his. However, in matters of national importance, military affairs are one of the most important. We only hope that he can truly learn the skills of governing the country. Only in this way can we truly entrust the heavy responsibility of the nation to him in the future.”

Bai Shizhong chimed in, "Grand Tutor's plans for the country are so far-sighted, it is truly admirable. At the age of twenty-three, with the talent of Scholar Su, in three to five years, he will have made great progress in the way of governing the country. At that time, he will not be thirty years old. At that time, he will enter the court and hold a high position. What an honor that is!"

The emperor listened and slowly began to nod. It was truly a case of considering Su Wu's interests in every way, and of thinking about the country and its people. It was no exaggeration. Even now, the emperor thought it was the right thing to do.

The higher the expectations placed on someone, the more they need to be trained and nurtured. This strictness is also a true expression of the elders' love and care for the younger generation.

The Emperor nodded and said, "Then... let it be so. But if you want to extend my favor, I will write a letter to Minister Su in person, with earnest and heartfelt advice."

Cai Jing answered directly: "He can be promoted to Duke!"

The Song Dynasty had twelve ranks of nobility: Prince, Heir Apparent, Prince of a Commandery, Duke of a State, Duke of a Commandery, Founding Duke of a State, Founding Duke of a Commandery, Founding Duke of a County, Founding Marquis, Founding Earl, Founding Viscount, and Founding Baron.

The Duke of the Commandery was ranked fifth.

The emperor also asked, "Which prefecture is it?"

Cai Jing seemed to have already made up his mind, and simply said, "Since this is Shandong, he is naturally the Duke of Langya."

"Good!" The emperor felt much better and even thought about Su Wu's future. Su Wu was now a scholar of the Privy Council, the deputy envoy of the two routes of Jingdong, and the Duke of Langya.

In the future, within three to five years, he will become a Grand Academician of the Hall of Literary Brilliance? A Vice Minister of the Chancellery? A Privy Councilor? A Duke of Lu? A Duke of Qi?
Not slow at all! Compared to others, this kind of bestowal of grace is extremely fast!

The emperor was barely satisfied, and then said, "Tell me about rewarding the soldiers!"

Cai Jing simply declared, "Two hundred thousand troops, a reward of eight hundred thousand strings of cash!"

"Excellent!" The emperor was overjoyed and extremely satisfied.

This satisfaction was genuine; at the start of the war, the entire military budget, totaling only four million strings of cash, was given to Tong Guan to take with him.

Today, the emperor bestows a reward of 800,000 strings of cash. How much is 800,000 strings of cash? Have you not heard that the soldiers in Tokyo only receive one or two strings of cash a month?

To bestow two or three months' salary at once is quite a generous gesture; the emperor's benevolence is truly immense.

Besides, this battle didn't involve much fighting. The 200,000 troops mainly just marched around. The emperor was so kind as to pay them two or three months' wages. What a great favor the emperor had done.

It is said that the imperial court's finances are truly in difficulty, and 800,000 strings of cash is an enormous sum.

It is also said that, in the eyes of the officials in the court and the emperor, the soldiers would be very happy to receive four strings of cash each as a reward of 800,000 strings of cash.

Normally at home, when rewarding servants, each person would receive tens or hundreds of coins, and they would all be extremely grateful...

If we're really talking about what's different now, it's Su Wu who's different. This Su Wu messed up the market, he was a market manipulator, but the officials in the capital and even the emperor were unaware of these small details in the military.

The matters of the court assembly were thus concluded, but the assembly did not disperse, as everyone still wanted to share their joy. Of those present, those with names and surnames, who among them wouldn't now be remembered in history?
If we're talking about history books, what should be recorded for this? In the future, there will surely be a term called "the restoration of a certain dynasty," or perhaps another term called "the reign of Zhenghe" or "the reign of Xuanhe."
Then, list the famous ministers of that time, such as Cai Jing, Wang Fu, Zhang Bangchang, and Bai Shizhong, and ask, which one of them wasn't one?

In future historical records, emperors will establish annals and famous ministers will write biographies. Who in today's court wouldn't be pleased?

Meanwhile, outside the palace, at the Su family mansion, a messenger from the Privy Council rushed over to deliver the good news.

How could Cheng Jiyue not be overjoyed?
With Hu Sanniang and Gu Dasao by their side, they bestowed rewards upon them, both upon the messenger and the servants, who were overjoyed.

It's not just about the reward money; it's also because with the prosperity of this household, how could the servants not benefit greatly? Even guarding the gate can be a lucrative job.

While Sister-in-law Gu was giving orders to cook chicken, roast duck, and buy mutton, Hu Sanniang was busy leading people to buy wine.

The three women, sitting at home, naturally began to toast and exchange drinks.

Sister-in-law Gu said happily, "With such great achievements, my husband will surely be promoted one after another. I imagine my husband will also be promoted. I wonder if he can also get the title of general this time!"

Then he looked at Hu Sanniang and laughed, "And your brother! Your brother served by my husband's side before he truly rose to prominence, and now he's reached the sixth rank. If he makes another contribution, he'll surely have a general under his command! Your Hu family is already a powerful and wealthy family, with men and money to spare. Won't your family's prestige rise even higher this time? Haha..."

Hu Sanniang was also pleased, but unlike Gu Dasao, who was a middle-aged woman, she said, "Even if there is a general, it doesn't mean much. Our Jingdong is our Dongping Prefecture. I imagine there are countless generals in the country..."

Then Sister-in-law Gu went to see Madam Cheng again and said with a smile, "Madam Cheng's life has been so good, so incredibly good..."

Cheng Jiyue was no longer a young girl. Her hair was styled in a mature woman's bun. Although her face still had some youthful innocence, her appearance and demeanor were much more dignified, probably due to the influence she had received from the Crown Princess recently...

He sat up straight, maintaining a certain decorum even while drinking, and smiled gently, saying, "I don't have many other thoughts, I only wish that with the return of Yan and Yun, there will be no more wars, no more fighting..."

Upon hearing this, Sister-in-law Gu couldn't help but nod: "Yes, back in Dengzhou, when there was no war, I would stay home and curse the men in the family for being incompetent and useless, just getting by with nothing but a minor official position and a meager salary, while I, a woman, had to go out and do more work to make a living. But now that there's a war, they've been promoted one after another, and my husband is very righteous, earning a lot more. I, on the other hand, can't rest easy at home day and night..."

Cheng Jiyue was happy, but after a few cups of wine, the sorrow in her heart also surfaced: "This is what the poem says, 'Suddenly I see the willows on the roadside, and I regret urging my husband to seek fame and fortune.' The joy of Yan and Yun is the joy of the country and the family, but how can the people of the world know the sorrow of us military families day and night... Whenever my husband goes to the battlefield, which night does a woman like me not wake up in fear?"

"Sigh..." Sister-in-law Gu felt the same way. Her mixed feelings of joy and sorrow were probably due to the wine, so she couldn't help but raise her glass again.

Cheng Jiyue also ate, but then she said, "When I told those women from high-ranking families about my feelings, they laughed at me, saying I was just showing off... saying that my Su Cheng family, in such a short time, has surpassed the legacy of many generations of their ancestors..."

"In this capital, where are there any real military families? And how could they understand the hardships of military life? They just think that the men in our family only need to sit on the battle platform, give orders to those around them, wave their hands, and they'll get credit. Madam, from now on, don't say these things to them anymore..."

As Sister-in-law Gu comforted them, she understood the thoughts of these women from wealthy families in Tokyo. They couldn't help but believe that leading troops into battle was just like in a storybook: once the troops were mustered and they left the house, a few words were exchanged in the main tent, the general sat on the platform, and after a few orders, the soldiers would charge forward and the credit would be earned.

Hu Sanniang then said, "Rather than living in fear at home, I would rather go to war with these men, to be with my husband through life and death. Even if life and death are right in front of me, I'd rather die!"

But Cheng Jiyue turned her head and looked at Hu Sanniang, scrutinizing her from head to toe...

Sister-in-law Gu also looked her over, and then she asked, "Third Sister, how did you and your husband become acquainted in the past?"

This is gossip, really. Back then, my husband was just a constable in Yanggu County. It was normal for him to be on good terms with local powerful figures, but it was strange that he was also on good terms with the women of those powerful families…

So much so that, at the mere mention of the prefect's words, this woman truly came running to him, acting as his bodyguard at the prefect's residence...

But then Hu Sanniang answered, "Back then, I met my husband at Hu Family Village and we sparred in martial arts..."

"Oh, I see..." Sister-in-law Gu nodded, then asked with a smile, "Then you must have lost."

"Hmm..." Fragments of memories began to surface in Hu Sanniang's mind. She kept thinking about them, and many memories came to mind, even including the scene of riding a horse and teasing Su Xianggong...

Sister-in-law Gu looked at Hu Sanniang and suddenly said, "Drink some wine!"

"Drink, drink..." Hu Sanniang hurriedly reached for the cup, even a little flustered, afraid that she had just revealed something.

The wine is being drunk slowly. Today in the capital city, countless people are drinking, even the emperor is drinking, and all the gentlemen are at the wine table.

Today's joy should be celebrated by all.

In Yanjing City, things were also in a state of flux, busy preparing a grand spectacle—a grand ceremony for the emperor's journey south, a ceremony to make his former officials, the entire populace, and the emperor weep together!
They followed the emperor for ten or twenty miles to see him off, their tears flowing all the way and forming a river.

This was also Su Wu's deliberate act. The more the people of Yan and Yun missed their homeland and the emperor, the more they hated the Jurchens. With the emperor's edict, Su Wu, whose family was there to help, would gain even more popular support...

This needs to be handled properly and planned out carefully.

Inevitably, military intelligence from all over the country would rush in, and once the emperor's edict arrived, cities would open up one after another.

Once all the cities are open, the brotherhood will begin to blossom. Su Wu needs to distribute grain and issue procurements, and this matter must be done quickly. We can't rely on other places. We can count on the two routes in Jingdong, and we can also count on Li Gang of Daming Prefecture. After that, we can only rely on the money in Su Wu's pocket.

Wu Yong's extortion work is about to begin, and he has been given enough manpower, and even Li Chuwen is asked to send some people to cooperate.

As the boss, Su Wu only had two requirements: in terms of objectives, there had to be many, many more; and in terms of methods, there had to be respectable, respectable, and dignified methods!
Wu Yong was in a terrible predicament. In his opinion, the boss was trying to make the horse run but not feed it. Wasn't that making things difficult for him?
Wu Yong also knew that if he didn't make things difficult for others, how could he demonstrate his superior skills or abilities?
It must be done, and it must be done well!

As night deepened and the errands were finished, Tong Guan and Su Wu sat facing each other, the two of them alone, with no one else around.

The two also had a few drinks, and after their busy work, they couldn't help but have a heart-to-heart talk.

Su Wu came to ask, "Prime Minister, what are your plans regarding the defense of Yan and Yun?"

Unlike Su Wu, Tong Guan was extremely relaxed at this moment, simply saying, "Then it's up to His Majesty to decide..."

Su Wu had already sensed Tong Guan's state of mind—his spirit had been broken—and asked, "From now on, will the Grand Chancellor truly no longer concern himself with affairs? Will he simply enjoy his remaining years?"

Tong Guan nodded: "This wine from Yanyun is not as delicious as the wine from my Great Song Dynasty... Ziqing, you're old, really old, sixty-seven, sixty-eight... Tell me, what more could I ask for? I have no children or grandchildren, and to be honest, I truly treat you as if you were my own child or grandchild, but you don't need any care anymore. Actually, I don't know what it would feel like to have children and grandchildren; I'll never experience that in this lifetime. Looking at you, you're much better than I was when I was young. So, why not enjoy your old age and live a peaceful life?"

Su Wu frowned and said with concern, "Prime Minister, promising everything is not as good as you think!"

Tong Guan smiled and waved his hand: "Don't worry, once I enter the capital, just like before, I will speak to the Emperor in person and grant you a position as a Privy Councilor. It's a piece of cake!"

Su Wu nodded: "During the day, the Grand Councilor and many military generals said the same thing, how could I not believe it? The generals are all happy, thinking that if I enter the Grand Council, their lives will be even better. They are all brothers who have shared life and death, and they all trust me. They are happy that I am in the court! They all say that the Grand Councilor's kindness is so great that I will never forget it in this lifetime!"

Tong Guan waved his hand: "It's fine if you come to see me during holidays, but at least have a few drinks with me, haha..."

Su Wu still frowned: "I'm afraid, I'm afraid too..."

"What's there to be afraid of? What is there to be afraid of now? The Emperor is very pleased with you. It's not because I helped you get a position as a Privy Councilor that I think you don't need anyone else's help. It's because the Emperor is pleased with you that I think you don't need anyone else's help..."

Tong Guan said that he took a small sip of wine. He was old and couldn't eat much, but he wanted to eat, so he divided a cup into several sips.

"Perhaps the Grand Councilor has been in a state of high spirits lately, and in his joy he has forgotten his worries, becoming less thoughtful. You are not in the capital, and I am not the military commander, but the deputy envoy for this mission. The court is already discussing this, and the discussion in the court is nothing more than between the chief envoy and the deputy envoy..."

Su Wu's words were also meant to be seen by Tong Guan.

Tong Guan waved his hand with a smile: "Oh, let's drink. Don't worry, once I take the Liao emperor back to the capital, your matter will be settled. With such merit this time, what else is there to say?"

Su Wu won't say anything, so let's eat! Tong Guan is really different now, so let him be, as long as he's happy.

Su Wu's words just now showed that he truly understood the situation. He knew that people like Cai Jing would not let such an opportunity slip by.
Speaking of this war, judging from the records, the soldiers and generals didn't actually achieve much, something Su Wu knew perfectly well. But as the saying goes, true skill in war doesn't come from ostentatious achievements.

The story of the campaign against Liao, if told truthfully, is not particularly exciting. People who hear stories of 10,000 soldiers defeating 100,000 enemies are naturally very excited, exclaiming how awesome and invincible it is!
If it were like Su Wu's story, with 200,000 troops advancing step by step and defeating only a few thousand cavalry, oh, they won? It would be strange if they didn't.

But how could the world know that a two-hundred-thousand-strong army could actually be routed by a few thousand cavalry, leaving corpses strewn across the battlefield? Even if they did know, it would be a story from the past, and the people in that story would be idiots!
Su Wu wasn't actually upset or troubled. Some things he had to think about, and some things weren't necessarily bad.

People's perspective is top-down; they all believe that power, important matters, and future prospects are all in Tokyo.

But Su Wu's vision was different. His vision was from the bottom up. His power lay in the local areas, in those peasant soldiers, and in the hearts and minds of the people.

His only worry was that he couldn't return to JD.com. As long as he could return to JD.com, that would be the best thing. Many things, such as business operations and development, would be more direct and convenient for him to be there in person.

If he were in Beijing, it would be a situation where time is of the essence, and there would be many inconveniences and even inefficiencies.

Being around those scoundrels in Tokyo is both unpleasant and inefficient.

Thirdly, Xu Zhenhuan accidentally fell into the trap set by those old guys. Every day, Su Wu's mind was occupied with dealing with these matters, which was truly exhausting.

It would be better to return to Jingdong and focus on making a difference. War is inevitable in the future. In the future, who will be able to lead the Great Song Dynasty?
Even with Su Wu's affair with the emperor, sometimes distance can create beauty. The ideal woman is the best; you don't need to be together every day, because being together every day might actually lead to boredom.

Xu Buquan was worried that the emperor would grow to dislike him, Su Wu, but rather that Su Wu was worried about himself, fearing that he would grow to dislike him more and more and might lose his temper on the spot!
Tong Guan looked blissful as he drank, swaying his head and enjoying himself immensely.

Su Wu also thought that the imperial edict might be arriving soon, and it must be on its way...

(Goodnight, guys!)

(End of this chapter)