Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 258 Forgive me, forgive me, Grand Scholar!

The journey to Western Xia began in Bianjing (Kaifeng) and proceeded to Chang'an (Chang'an, the capital of Jingzhao Prefecture). The roads were generally easy to travel, with only a few minor difficulties along the way.

Further north from Chang'an, the road splits into two routes: the left leads to Huanqing, and the right leads to Fuyan. No matter which route you take, once you leave the Guanzhong Plain and enter the plateau and ravines, the road becomes difficult to travel, and you also have to deal with the ever-increasing altitude.

In Chang'an, outside the post station, several unassuming men sat in a nearby teahouse...

Once the envoy's convoy set off again, the men slowly followed.

The first stop north was Yaozhou, Yao Pingzhong's territory. He was busy completing his mission, recruiting good men from good families into the army. The treatment he received was quite good, earning him two strings of cash a month. More than one string came from the Privy Council's allocation, and the remaining few hundred cash was Yao Pingzhong's subsidy.

The task is arduous; we need to recruit 3,000 people. Recruiting is one challenge, but finding 3,000 available positions is another.

As soon as Yao Pingzhong arrived in his hometown, he began to busy himself with these matters. Just when he was extremely busy, a soldier walked into the guardhouse, dismissed the others, and reported, "Sir, we've set off again."

Yao Pingzhong frowned and nodded: "Keep an eye on them. Once they enter Yaozhou, keep an even closer eye on them!"

"Understood!" The soldier went out again, spurring his horse and galloping away.

The soldier had left, and Yao Pingzhong was filled with worry. He was waiting for the mission's exact route, which for him was entirely up to luck; the best outcome would be to go through Fuyan...

Four or five days later, the soldier came to report again: "General, we did not linger in Yaozhou, but took the right-hand road to the east..."

Upon hearing this, Yao Pingzhong was overjoyed: "Good, very good, very good!"

They traveled the Fuyan Road, through Liu's territory, so they would most likely return to Fuyan. However, Yao Pingzhong did not know why the mission was traveling through Fuyan.

The reason is actually quite simple. Cai You needed the most elite guards to escort him when he went out of the country. The Liu family father and son had returned, which meant that the elite Han soldiers of Fuyan had all returned. The most important of them were cavalry. Elite cavalry were needed to escort him out and to provide support on his return. Having elite cavalry would be even better.

Meanwhile, Zhong Shidao of Huanqing was still in Yanyun and had not returned, especially since all the usable cavalry of Huanqing had been taken away by Zhong Shidao.

Cai You's choice was based on one thing: he valued his own safety above all else. Speaking eloquently in the court and before the emperor was one thing, but actually going to the Northwest and crossing the border was another.

Even Su Wu hadn't anticipated this, and it was a lucky accident that he inadvertently helped Yao Pingzhong.

At this moment, Yao Pingzhong stood up and asked again, "Gather all those I have called out immediately, each with five horses, and load all the necessary items onto the horses' backs. They will come with me out of the city this evening!"

"Understood!" The soldier rushed off.

Yao Pingzhong had other matters to arrange. He first needed to go to the prefectural government office to inform them that he had received an order from the Privy Council to go to Yanyun to meet Su Wu, a scholar of the Privy Council. His mission was to deliver maps, specifically more accurate maps from the Northwest Prefecture. He would travel by fast horse and return in about twenty days. He also needed to present the Privy Council's order as proof.

This is a plan to escape.

Then the army held a meeting to explain the things that needed to be done in the army, and said that they would be back in about twenty days.

Then, they joined up with thirty-two people, took about one hundred and fifty horses and some mules, and headed south of the city, not north of it.

Wait until nightfall, then head north, change your clothes. The northwest winds and sandstorms are strong, so bring a burlap sack to cover your face. This time, just hide during the day and go out at night. Once you're inside the Loess Plateau, the ravines and gullies will make it easy to hide.

There's no need to chase after anything; just follow the delegation from a distance. There's no need to stop the delegation from leaving the country; instead, intercept them and bring them back.

To ensure everything went smoothly, even after crossing the border, three people who could speak the Tangut language were arranged to accompany the merchant, carrying a dozen mules' worth of cloth, all the way to Xingqing Prefecture.

They were also afraid that Cai You might change his mind again and head back to Huanqing when he returned, so they kept a close eye on him just in case. If Cai You really didn't head back to Fuyan, then they would have to rush to Qinggang Gorge in the west to intercept him.

Yao Pingzhong had repeatedly analyzed these details and specific matters. No matter what Su Shuai said about not forcing things, once he decided to do it, Yao Pingzhong's mind was that he had to make it happen no matter what!

After leaving Yaozhou, they passed through Fangzhou, which was very small. Soon they entered Fuzhou. They were about to meet Liu Yanqing. Liu Yanqing was in Yanzhou and knew that Cai You was coming on a mission, so he rushed to Fuzhou in the south to greet him.

Liu Yanqing, who was in his forties, treated these high-ranking officials from the imperial court with exceptional care and deference.

He even sent his son, Liu Guangshi, to accompany them, ostensibly to escort them, but really to serve them, hoping to leave a good impression and perhaps avoid trouble in the future.

When soldiers serve civil officials, it's as if they were serving their own fathers, especially since the son of the Grand Secretary and Grand Tutor, who is the emperor's most trusted advisor.

Then Grandpa should take care of him.

The civil and military officials hosted a banquet and stayed overnight. They set off again the next day. Liu Guangshi personally led six or seven hundred cavalrymen, saying that he was escorting the Grand Secretary out of the country. He also made arrangements for what to do after he left the country. He also wanted one hundred cavalrymen to go into Western Xia with him. Only one hundred cavalrymen were allowed, as the Dangxiang people would not agree to any more.

As they traveled north, Cai You, inside the carriage, would frequently call out to Liu Guangshi to come closer.

He exclaimed, "Why is the official road in the Fuyan region so bumpy?"

Liu Guangshi replied with a forced smile, "Your Excellency is aware, but the terrain is indeed like this, full of ravines. Heading north, it's all uphill. Moreover, the Fuyan region is barren, with little money and grain production, so the roads are naturally not as well-maintained as those in the Central Plains..."

Cai You was clearly badly shaken up. Cars of this era didn't have shock absorption. This was his first time in the Northwest. In the past, when he traveled, he would either travel on the flat plains of the Central Plains or go to the Jiangnan region, where the journey by boat on the Grand Canal was much more comfortable.

On his first trip to the Northwest, he witnessed firsthand what river valleys and ravines truly meant, and it was quite an ordeal, leaving him breathless from the constant jostling. Cai You couldn't help but say again, "Let's talk about money and provisions again. Since arriving in the Northwest, the thing I've heard you say most often is that you're poor. No matter how poor you are, how much money do you soldiers receive from the court every year? You don't fight any wars, you're just kept on leniency. What's wrong with repairing roads? Isn't repairing roads for your own good? It makes marching easier and transporting provisions easier..."

How could Cai You's words be without reason?
Isn't this also a case of the "high-level thinking" of the officials in the capital?
Liu Guangshi smiled ingratiatingly: "What you say is true, sir. It was our mistake. We will immediately send soldiers to repair the road after this!"

But Liu Guangshi was cursing in his heart. Was Cai You even speaking human language?

The military in the Northwest is not like that in Tokyo; there are many more things to do. This place is Fuyan. Further into Yanzhou, there are forts and strongholds one after another, and each fort and stronghold must be garrisoned. The border must be patrolled, and there are occasional fights with the Dangxiang people.

The soldiers of Fuyan are all on rotation. They stay in the fortresses for several months, or patrol the border for several months, or even fight several bloody battles. When they come back from their rotation, instead of letting them have a good rest with their families, they are forced to repair roads. What a bunch of soldiers!
How much money did the imperial court give them to treat them like cattle and horses?
In the entire Song Dynasty, soldiers could be treated as less than human beings anywhere else, but in the Northwest, no matter how powerful the civil officials were, military officers had to treat soldiers as human beings; otherwise, the consequences were unimaginable…

But Liu Guangshi also knew that he couldn't argue. Rather than arguing, he should admit his mistake. The Grand Secretary from Tokyo was giving advice on local work, and his words were "perfectly reasonable." If he still argued with him, how could he afford to offend him?

Then, Scholar Cai continued, “You military officers are truly incompetent and lazy, not thinking about the well-being of the people, but only caring about your own comfort. If this continues, how can the people not be disgusted with you? The morale of the army and the people is of utmost importance. You should know that every bite of food you eat is grown by the hard work of the people. You are supported by the people, so you should do more practical and good things!”

Liu Guangshi nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes, Your words, Grand Secretary, have enlightened me. I will keep them in mind and correct them in the future. I will definitely start working on road construction!"

"Hmph!" The Grand Secretary has a bad temper, but he has a great sense of responsibility to the country and must do his best for the emperor. Scholars and officials take the world as their responsibility. This matter may be small, but isn't it also for the country and the people?

The carriage curtain was lowered, and Liu Guangshi turned his head, trying to maintain a smile until he reached his own line, at which point the smile finally crumbled.

With a crestfallen expression, Liu Guangshi didn't dare say anything more, only inwardly cursing, "Go to hell..."

The soldiers on both sides knew that their little steward, Liu, had gotten himself into trouble. Sigh…

The journey was quite depressing. I need to finish this job as soon as possible.

They continued onward, and before long, the bruised and battered Grand Secretary Cai lifted the curtain and called out again, "Liu Guangshi!"

Liu Guangshi quickly spurred his horse forward, dismounted, and followed outside the carriage curtain: "Your subordinate is here!"

Scholar Cai was in no better mood, glancing sideways at people: "This road needs to be repaired, it needs to be repaired quickly!"

"Yes, sir!" Liu Guangshi bowed and clasped his hands in greeting.

"That's the first point. Secondly, the Tanguts will soon surrender. At that time, troops will be reduced in various parts of the Northwest to help the court increase revenue and reduce expenditure, and to alleviate the burden on the people. You have the most troops in Fuyan. After you finish this mission, just go back to the army. Select one or two of the old, weak, sick and disabled to prepare in advance, so that they can be prepared and not caught off guard!"

Scholar Cai would still offer some guidance on the work, which was undoubtedly for the benefit of the country and its people. Firstly, it would reduce the burden on the country, as the annual military expenditure was indeed too high. Secondly, it would reduce the burden on the people. Thirdly, it would also take into account the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled who were to be laid off, giving them a transitional period.

Isn't this the kind of thinking a good official should have? If we take these matters to the capital and discuss them with the Emperor, how could he not praise us?
Once this mission is completed and we return to the capital, with such merits as Grand Secretary Cai, not to mention anything else, he should be promoted to Vice Chancellor or even Deputy Prime Minister. Isn't this all part of the Prime Minister's scheme?
Just like Fan Zhongyan, the Duke of Wenzheng, and also like Wang Anshi, the Duke of Wen, and even Sima Guang, the Duke of Wenzheng...

Liu Guangshi simply nodded: "Yes, sir!"

“Okay, go ahead…” Cai You waved his hand and left, finding joy in hardship. On this difficult road, he had thought countless things for the country and the people and made practical progress, which gave him a sense of accomplishment and made him feel a little better.

Liu Guangshi turned his head away, forcing a smile as he did so, but his face immediately fell, and he could no longer hold on, and he fell silent.

But their resentment grew even stronger, and the Tanguts submitted to them?

Damn it, I've never heard such stupid talk in my life. Has this scholar gone mad from reading too much? What kind of dream was this?

Just now they were saying they wanted the soldiers to repair roads, and now they're saying they want to reduce their numbers. Damn it, Marshal Su even wants him to come back and expand the army...

Who the hell should we listen to?
Liu Guangshi returned to the queue, glanced at the carriage out of the corner of his eye, and cursed inwardly: "Idiot, damn bastard!"
This Grand Secretary of the Imperial Court has wasted all his knowledge.

He couldn't help but think that one day, this fellow might really become prime minister. Thinking of this, Liu Guangshi felt a little depressed.

Little did Liu Guangshi know that Grand Secretary Cai had become addicted to giving instructions along the way, frequently shouting out his words and issuing supreme directives from the Grand Secretary of Tokyo on various matters...

For the first time, Liu Guangshi felt that Fuzhou and Yanzhou were so big, and it seemed like he could never reach the end. Normally, traveling by fast horse was commonplace, but this time, he felt that the world was so vast!

They endured and endured until they entered Yanzhou. After passing the city, they saw one fortified village after another: Jinming Village, Long'an Village, Ansai Fort, Pingqiang Village, Pingrong Village, Saimen Village...

They were finally approaching the border, and Liu Guangshi had been waiting with bated breath. But the thought of having to wait for him to return at the border and escort him all the way made Liu Guangshi feel like dying.

But Liu Guangshi smiled and replied with a forced smile, "Reporting to the Grand Secretary, if you go another twenty li or so, you'll cross the border. If you go another forty or fifty li, you'll reach Hongzhou of the Dangxiang people. I imagine there are Dangxiang people waiting for the Grand Secretary there..."

When it comes to diplomatic missions, a messenger letter is sent to inform the other party before the mission is carried out. There are many envoys between the two countries, and they come and go frequently. There is fighting, and there is a lot of coming and going. There are also quarrels. Soldiers are fighting on the border, and envoys are also coming and going, arguing back and forth.

They would stop and start again, enjoying a few days of peace, only to fight again and hurl insults at each other. Cai You, hearing that they were truly about to cross the border, couldn't help but feel tense, his face darkening. Looking ahead, he composed himself and said, "Yes, this journey will end eighty years of war on the border, and the people can finally live a more peaceful life!"

Liu Guangshi knew perfectly well what was going on, and quickly bowed to express his gratitude: "Once the Grand Secretary returns, the people will surely place his longevity tablet in their homes and burn incense and pray for him every day!"

Needless to say, Cai You was all smiles. Liu Guangshi's words were truly insightful. Such a great achievement could not possibly be limited to Tokyo. Could it not have brought immense benefits to the people of the border prefectures and counties?
It's perfectly reasonable for ordinary people to offer longevity tablets! What immense merit this is!
As we continued walking, just as we were about to cross the border, we suddenly heard shouts and cries of battle coming from ahead!

Even Liu Guangshi, who was standing to the side, suddenly became alert and shouted, "Quickly, guard the left and right sides! There seems to be fighting ahead!"

As soon as Liu Guangshi uttered those words, the curtain of the carriage beside him was immediately lifted, and a pale-faced man asked in a panic, "Where has the fighting started?"

Liu Guangshi replied, "In response to your question, Grand Secretary, it must be that some cavalry or border patrol soldiers encountered the Dangxiang people and a fight broke out!"

"How many enemy troops are there? How many of our troops are there?" Cai You asked repeatedly, his voice trembling with tension.

Liu Guangshi replied, "The enemy and we outnumber each other by no more than one or two hundred men!"

Such incidents frequently occur on the border, and Liu Guangshi was well aware of them. Upon returning, he received a private order from his brother to create more friction and even to falsify military intelligence. He did just that, following his brother's instructions. The border troops were more proactive than before, actively provoking these frictions.

In this way, most of the enemy will appear at the border. If only seven or eight hundred cavalrymen come, a report to the court will show that there are five thousand!
This concerns his brother's grand plan; how could Liu Guangshi not do it well?
Hearing that there were one or two hundred people fighting, and seeing the five or six hundred cavalry in his own ranks, Cai You felt a little more at ease, and his pale face regained some color.

Then Liu Guangshi said, "Grand Secretary, we are going to support our allies. Please wait here for a moment, Grand Secretary. We will leave a hundred or so cavalrymen to protect you!"

The sounds of battle were not far away. It would be perfect to go and provide support now, as we happen to be here. If we go, we can at least reduce the number of casualties by thirty to fifty, and kill dozens more Tanguts without a doubt.

But then Cai You suddenly shouted, "No!"

Liu Guangshi was taken aback. Why not? His own people were fighting the enemy. If it were bad luck, it would be fine, but they were here by chance, with plenty of fast horses. Why didn't they go to support their own brothers?

"Grand Secretary, it's alright. I've left a hundred or so riders here, and I'm sure I can protect you!" Liu Guangshi hurriedly said, having already guessed that this Grand Secretary was a coward. He then explained a few more words to reassure him.

Unexpectedly, Cai You retorted, "If I say no, then no!"

Seeing the rows of soldiers on horseback, some even dismounting and putting on their armor, they were all stunned by what they heard. They turned to look at Cai You, their faces filled with anxiety. Supporting their own brothers was their standard procedure; that's what border cavalry did...

Why are we not allowed to go when we are so close at hand?
Cai You, seeing countless gazes, could not remain silent: "We came here to discuss surrender, why inflict more casualties? We will be one family in the future, how can we add new grievances? In this way, Liu Guangshi, you take a few riders forward, separate the two sides, and order them to stop fighting and let our army retreat a bit to break away!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Guangshi felt as if he were about to suffer a stroke. He felt a darkness engulf his vision and thought he was about to collapse to the ground.

Is this fucking idiot even speaking human language?

This is this...

Looking at the soldiers on either side, they were all like ants on a hot pan, their expressions extremely anxious. None of them dared to speak, and they all kept looking at their own little steward, Liu.

What could Manager Liu possibly say?
After his cerebral hemorrhage subsided slightly, he looked around, raised his hand, and beckoned: "Ten...twenty people, come with me!"

He only had twenty personal guards, then spurred his horse and galloped forward.

Then Cai You shouted, "Just separate and break away!"

Liu Guangshi, who had run twenty or thirty steps ahead, cursed inwardly, "What an idiot! Does he think fighting is like a street brawl where the yamen runners can separate the two sides? Maybe they can even shake hands and make peace in the yamen?"
You damn bastard, you stupid damn bastard!
"Understood!" Liu Guangshi's voice of receiving the order then returned!

Inside the carriage, Grand Secretary Cai's complexion had recovered considerably, and he was quite pleased with himself. He said to those around him and even the soldiers, "In this way, turning hostility into friendship is truly a wonderful thing. Once the Dangxiang people submit, we should have more exchanges with them. In this way, we can share in the prosperity of our Great Song Dynasty, just like the might of the Han and Tang Dynasties!"

The entire audience was stunned and speechless.

Scholar Cai didn't say much, but he knew that these soldiers and peasants were all dull-witted and illiterate. It was normal that they wouldn't understand such profound words.

Liu Guangshi's twenty riders went ahead and ran several hundred paces away. With his spear already in hand, he followed the sound and ran for a while before he saw that it was indeed a border army fighting ahead. It was an encounter battle. There were seventy or eighty Song soldiers and sixty or seventy Dangxiang soldiers. Neither side was scattered. They were all tightly packed in one place and kept moving back and forth. They were fighting fiercely and there were many casualties on both sides!

Liu Guangshi shouted, "Go around, to the side, quick!"

The cavalry then circled around, the scene was small, and the circling was quick, they entered the flanking position in an instant.

Once twenty or thirty riders arrived, the situation changed drastically. The Tangut army immediately scattered, and the outcome was decided. They chased and stabbed the enemy.

The Tanguts also wanted to run, but facing the cavalry, they had no choice but to scatter and flee.

This was a small-scale battle, which happened frequently along the long border. Sometimes it was the Song people fighting the Tanguts, and sometimes it was the Tanguts fighting the Song people.

After a short pursuit and killing a few more men, Liu Guangshi shouted for a retreat: "That's enough, it's not advisable to pursue any further today!"

He was also thinking that there was a stupid, straight-laced bastard not far behind him that he had to serve.

They quickly gathered the corpses, treated the wounded, and collected the spoils of war. The border troops returned to the nearest fortress, and the wounded were carried away immediately without delay.

Liu Guangshi then rode back to serve the Grand Secretary.

Upon arriving at the Grand Secretary's presence, the Grand Secretary looked out from inside the carriage, frowned, and asked, "Why are there bloodstains on the horses?"

Liu Guangshi smiled ingratiatingly: "Grand Secretary, those Tanguts were truly ferocious. We couldn't separate them, so we had to fight them off."

"How dare you disobey orders!" Cai You's imposing manner was on full display again. He saw his own soldiers carrying the bodies of the wounded and running wildly, so he scolded them again: "Look at you, look at you, so many dead and wounded, and new grievances added. How can we be a family in the future?"

Liu Guangshi blurted out, "Grand Secretary, please allow me to report. We have not suffered any loss. There are quite a few Tangut corpses right in front of us. When we pass by in a while, Grand Secretary can take a look!"

Cai You was furious upon hearing this: "I told you to separate the two sides and resolve the enmity, and you went to kill the Dangxiang? How dare you!"

Liu Guangshi was speechless, and a thought of death crossed his mind: let this world be destroyed...

"Grand Secretary, please forgive me. It's not that I disobeyed orders, but the Tanguts were too vicious, and I had no choice but to act this way!" What else could Liu Guangshi say?
Cai You believed that the Tanguts were fierce, but then he added, "That's because you're not good with words and handled things poorly!"

"Yes, yes, yes, I am just a poor speaker..." Liu Guangshi bowed and nodded repeatedly. The soldiers behind him all turned their heads and lowered their heads, unwilling to look at him, unable to bear to look at him, and dared not say anything. The gentleman was the gentleman, and his authority was undeniable.

"This is your fault! Once I return, I will certainly not treat you well!" Cai You was furious. He had been working so hard for the country and its people, yet these peasants and these bandit soldiers had still brought trouble...

Having incurred such enmity before even leaving the country, he can't help but fear afterward... that the Tanguts might assume he gave the order and direct their resentment at him...

"This humble general knows his crime, this humble general knows his crime!" Liu Guangshi was truly tolerant. He was not the only one who could tolerate such things. The soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty have always been tolerant. Even when Di Qing came in the past, he would have been just as tolerant.

"Hmph! Let's go!" Cai You pulled down the carriage curtain. The mission still needed to be carried on. He could only think that the Western Xia officials in Hongzhou were educated and could speak reasonably. These soldiers under his command were acting recklessly, and he would deal with them when he returned.

Liu Guangshi turned his head away, his smile instantly vanishing. Fortunately, they had already reached the border and no longer needed to accompany him, but he still had to suffer for the hundred or so soldiers under his command who were crossing the border with him. Sigh...

What the hell is this?

How can there be such a big difference between husbands? My own brother is also a husband and a scholar, so why is he so much better and more outstanding?

How could this scholar before me, a Grand Scholar, be such a fool? He's the son of the Grand Tutor and a close advisor favored by the Emperor.

Why aren't you dead?

The Dangxiang people are supposed to submit? Do you think they'd submit if we didn't fight them all the way to Xingqing Prefecture? The Liao people were about to perish; did they really submit without a few battles?
Idiot!

It would be best if they were killed by the Tanguts!

Liu Guangshi thought about it all the way...

"Liu Guangshi!" the Grand Secretary shouted again, and the carriage curtain was lifted, revealing his face sticking out of the window. His appearance was truly repulsive!
"Your subordinate is here!" Liu Guangshi had to put on a smile again and hurried forward.

"Look at this, look at this, it's so tragic, so tragic! What a mess you've made!" Cai You was furious.

How could Liu Guangshi not see them? Forty or fifty Tangut corpses lay scattered haphazardly before him, a scene of utter carnage...

"When I arrive, the fighting will have already reached this point!" Liu Guangshi said, racking his brains to come up with a solution.

"You scoundrel, you shouldn't be a military general. You must have been abusing your father's power to act arrogantly and domineeringly in Fuyan for a long time. You are incredibly audacious and a scourge to the country and its people!"

Cai You was a worldly man; how could he not have guessed?

"Forgive me, forgive me, Your Excellency, please forgive me! Every word I have said is true!" Liu Guangshi was truly panicked. This was an unexpected disaster, a catastrophe. What had he done wrong?

I need to write to my brother right away and ask him to speak to the Grand Chancellor. He must help me, because this is a matter of life and death!
"Your father can't protect you this time!"

"Grand Secretary, please forgive me! This humble general is guilty!" Liu Guangshi was already kneeling.

Cai You lowered the curtain of his carriage again, and the carriage continued to move forward, paying no attention to Liu Guangshi who was kneeling down.

Liu Guangshi also stood up, took a deep breath, his heart filled with resentment, not knowing how to express it. His eyes were fixed on the carriage in front of him, panting heavily. Looking around, he saw that the soldiers also had resentment and helplessness on their faces...

(End of this chapter)