Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 271 Are you really plotting a rebellion?
Su Wu came to Hongzhou for the second time. Tens of thousands of elite cavalrymen were already outside the not-so-large city of Hongzhou. First, they showed off their power, and then they began to set up camp.

To facilitate the management of the country and the military, the Tanguts divided the country into military commanderies, with Hongzhou falling under the jurisdiction of the Jianing Military Command.

The rest, from east to west, include the Left Wing Divine Valiant Army Command, the Xiangyou Army Command, followed by the Jianing Army Command, the Jingsai Army Command, the Xishou Baotai Army Command, the Zhuoluo and Nan Army Command, the Gansu Army Command, and the Xiping Army Command.

Further north are the Right Wing Chaoshun Military Command, the White Horse Qiangshun Military Command, the Black Mountain Weifu Military Command, the Black Water Town Yan Military Command...

They could be considered as separate military districts, but there were differences. The Tanguts had a small population and a relatively large territory, so military and civil affairs were often integrated.

The guards in Hongzhou City had already sent someone to report to Youzhou City, the military headquarters of Jianing Army, when they first saw the Song cavalry. Now that they saw tens of thousands of cavalry, the scouts and guards rushed to report even faster...

The war had truly begun, but the Song people seemed in no hurry. Tens of thousands of cavalry arrived, but they were slowly building camps. Some auxiliary troops even went far up Hengshan Mountain, climbing over a thousand meters high.

They had no choice but to go up the mountain, as there wasn't much timber to be cut down in the surrounding area. In addition to the laborers who were transporting grain and fodder, they also had to hurry up and transport the timber.

Outside the city of Yanzhou, a huge open space was also set up, where craftsmen from various prefectures gathered to forge all kinds of military equipment.

There are still problems. Small logs are fine, but large logs have to be transported from the Lüliang Mountains, which are located on the border of Shaanxi and Shanxi.

Even after the weapons were manufactured, they still had to be disassembled, transported, and then reassembled at the front lines.

The process is incredibly complex, yet it's something the Chinese have always excelled at.

Su Wu was not in a hurry. With this strategy in mind, the next day he first ordered the cavalry to escort the auxiliary troops to cut off the irrigation ditches in the city and to occupy the land by the river. Once the timber on Hengshan Mountain was felled, he would set up another camp by the river.

Building camps is a continuous process. Hongzhou needs to be developed into a forward base, which means spending money, and constantly spending money.

The Tangut soldiers on the walls of Hongzhou were also puzzled, unsure of how the Song army planned to attack...

Just one more day passed, and a steady stream of infantrymen began to arrive; it was Yao Pingzhong who had come.

Inside the tent, the two sat facing each other. Some things were best left unsaid. They simply embraced, nodded to each other, and kept everything in their hearts.

Yao Pingzhong paid his respects briefly, and upon sitting down, he immediately began to curse: "That damned military supervisor is truly infuriating! I am no longer a young man, and no matter how much I try to tolerate him, I just can't stand him!"

Su Wu asked what was wrong...

Yao Pingzhong launched into a tirade of curses...

Su Wu laughed heartily and said, "It's alright, there's no need for him to issue orders in the army!"

"That's good. I've been worried all the way here, thinking about things in the army, and having to listen to his interference. Your words, sir, put my mind at ease!" Yao Pingzhong was a man of the local gentry, and that was his nature.

But then she said, "My lord, such people are mostly good at causing trouble but not at accomplishing anything... I think he's no good. If you ignore him, he'll surely cause you trouble behind your back. I think..."

"Hmm?" Su Wu asked, somewhat surprised.

Yao Pingzhong glanced at Su Wu, then looked around and said, "I think... perhaps..."

Yao Pingzhong still didn't say anything, but he made a hand gesture, his palm forming a knife, and then he sliced ​​through the air!
Su Wu was also stunned. This...this is still a general of our Great Song Dynasty?
How come he's developed a rebellious, anti-heroic air about him? The military supervisor was killed without warning?
On second thought, perhaps they all learned martial arts from him, Su Wu. He could even kill a Grand Scholar, so why couldn't he kill a Military Supervisor?

It was a breakthrough, like opening up a whole new world.

Su Wu chuckled and waved his hand to leave.

Yao Pingzhong immediately added, "Don't worry, my lord. Although there are many people around now, once a fight breaks out, it will be chaotic... Others may not dare to do this, but you know me!"

Of course I know, how could I not know?
Su Wu's smile faded, and he said, "At first, I thought so too, but... there's no rush!"

"Why not hurry? If we wait until that fellow actually sends letters to the capital, it will be too late!" Yao Pingzhong seemed to know where the biggest constraint was for a general in the field.

Su Wu nodded: "It's still early. If we lose this one, we'll inevitably have to deal with the other one. Wouldn't it be troublesome to deal with them one by one? Let's keep him. Keeping this one will make him easier to deal with, not difficult..."

Upon hearing this, Yao Pingzhong immediately asked, "It seems you have a brilliant plan, sir. Please give your instructions!"

Su Wu laughed and said, "I just thought of it. Once the army has assembled and the supervisor has truly seen the mighty 100,000 troops, he will dare to head north. Once he comes here to supervise the army, General Yao will send a few trusted men to keep an eye on him!"

"Huh?" Yao Pingzhong was still a little confused. What he was thinking was to do the work quietly, without anyone noticing.

Why is it that Master Su is going to openly imprison and place someone under house arrest?

"In this way, all his letters to Tokyo will be written by me, and the letters between Tokyo and him will also come to my military tent. There will be no need to change to a new military supervisor. It will be a one-time solution!"

After careful consideration, Su Wu decided that this method was better.

However, Yao Pingzhong also worried: "If the war ends and this fellow goes back to Tokyo, wouldn't that..."

Before Yao Pingzhong could finish speaking, Su Wu drew his hand like a knife and sliced ​​through the air.

Yao Pingzhong suddenly realized: "The reason we're preventing him from returning to the capital is truly brilliant, sir. Your strategy far surpasses mine!"

The reason Su Wu was able to be so shrewd was simply that he had many trusted confidants in the army, and everyone in the army followed his lead. Only in this way could his method of confinement and house arrest be effective.

As for whether there will still be some minor problems in the end, Su Wu is not worried. As long as he wins a great victory, any problems will not be a big deal. He is a living person who has made great contributions, while the supervisor is a dead man. How can a dead man argue and confront him, a great hero?
This is true of many things: as long as you succeed, flaws don't matter.

Moreover, the Jurchens were about to march south. If they couldn't rely on Su Wu for military affairs, who else could they rely on?

Where can a military supervisor not die?
Su Wu then said, "This matter should be kept secret, and it's best if few others know about it. I'll leave it to you!"

Yao Pingzhong patted his chest: "Yes, sir!"

"Alright, let's talk about the military situation. Hongzhou isn't very big. You can besiege the city, and auxiliary troops can be mobilized. We need to maintain a long-term siege, with ditches and barricades to make it completely impassable!"

Su Wu immediately issued the military order.

Yao Pingzhong had already stood up and bowed: "I'll go as ordered!"

With that, Yao Pingzhong turned and left to get to work, doing civil engineering work, digging the ground!
The small city of Hongzhou, with its two or three thousand garrison troops and less than ten thousand civilians, watched as the Song army outside the city grew larger and larger. They dug, dug, and blocked the city walls, creating a chaotic scene. The cavalry patrolled back and forth, occasionally firing a few arrows into the city...

Inside Xingqing Prefecture, the fast cavalry had also come from Youzhou, the military headquarters of Jianing, and were discussing matters in the imperial court.

King Li Ganshun frowned: "If the Song people really come to attack, how will the Prince of Jin respond?"

Prince Li Chage of Jin, the half-brother of King Li Qianshun, replied: "The Song people think they can destroy our Great Xia Kingdom without the Liao's presence in Yan and Yun. That's just wishful thinking. We have been prepared for this. The Song army is only in two routes. One is in Qin Prefecture, attacking our Jing Sai Military Command, and the other is in Yan Prefecture, attacking our Jianing Military Command. Your Majesty, rest assured, no matter how many of them they send, once they reach south of Ling Prefecture, we will gather our army and wait for them to tire themselves out. Just like we did when we defeated Liu, Ling Prefecture is a fortified and high city. The Song army will find it difficult to advance even an inch. In this way, we can cut off their supplies with fast horses and harass their army. When the time is right, we will fight them to the death. There is no reason why we cannot win!"

Upon hearing this, King Li Qianshun nodded repeatedly, and the entire court also wholeheartedly agreed.

Nothing much; the Song people attacked Xia, and this happened every time without exception.

Even though the Western Xia border city was captured by the Song people first, it was not a significant loss. The main population and production of the Tangut people were around Xingqing Prefecture on the banks of the Yellow River, and secondly in the Hetao region and the area below the Yin Mountains.

Southern border cities were never that important during major battles and were often captured by the Song army. They would simply wait for the Song army to advance rapidly and then launch a swift attack, returning in an instant.

Li Qianshun then said, "Then this battle should still be led by the Prince of Jin. Should the army that went east to rescue the Liao people retreat first?"

This is the Great Xia Kingdom of Baigao. Their first five thousand men were defeated by the Jurchens in the east, so they raised another thirty thousand to go again. Thirty thousand is quite a lot, almost a third of the fighting strength of Western Xia.

As for why the Western Xia internally referred to themselves as "Bai Gao," there are different explanations. One is that they revered the color white, another is that it relates to the Five Elements, and a third is that it is an ancient place name.

But Da Xia is indispensable. Bai Gao Da Xia is also commonly used, and sometimes they are used separately.

Clearly, at this point, Western Xia was caught in a dilemma: on one hand, it had to rescue the Liao people, and on the other hand, it had to resist the Song people...

Richard hesitated, weighing the options in his mind, and said, "The Song people are attacking now because they are in cahoots with the Jurchens to make peace. The Jurchens want to destroy the Liao people, and the Song people want to destroy the Tanguts... Their intentions are obvious, but..."

Li Qianshun continued, "But these two traitors may share the same thoughts now. If the Liao people were truly gone, their thoughts might be different..."

"Your Majesty is right, but... those Jurchen wolves are unpredictable. If they intend to make things difficult for the Song, our Great Xia might even benefit from it. But I also fear that if the Liao people are truly destroyed, they might join forces with the Song to attack our Great Xia..."

Richard was troubled by this, because these two brothers were truly extraordinary people, possessing great wisdom and insight.

Although hesitant, he seemed to have seen through the true principles underlying the overall situation.

Throughout the hall, no one spoke much, focusing only on the conversation between the two brothers.

Li Qianshun frowned as he thought for a moment, then slowly said, "No matter what, as long as we defeat the Song traitors, things will be easier to handle. Hmm... let's adjourn the court for now..."

Richard, the younger brother, glanced at his elder brother and nodded. The next steps would be a secret discussion between the two brothers.

After the court session ended, the two brothers sat down in the study. King Li Ganshun spoke frankly: "I must speak with Li Liangfu and ask him to send an envoy to meet the Jin emperor as well..."

Richard said, “This is something that should be done, but it cannot be done entirely. The Liao people have a vast territory. Even if they lose Xijing Datong, the grasslands are still vast. The Liao people’s influence on the grasslands is still there. The Liao people’s Wugu Dilie Command is still stationed in Hedong City on the grasslands, and also in Zhenzhou. Once the Khitans really know that we have dealings with the Jurchens, the north will probably be difficult to pacify in the future!”

It's just that difficult being a small country.

As Richard said, the Liao people were like centipedes that did not die easily. They still controlled many places on the grasslands, and many tribes on the grasslands still had good relations with the Khitan.

What I fear is that when the time comes, these Khitans who are barely clinging to life may not be able to defeat the Jurchens, but surely they can defeat the Tanguts?
Whether they can win or not is secondary; if the enemy really comes to attack, the Tanguts will be attacked from both sides and their bodies will not be able to take it.

Li Qianshun also frowned repeatedly: "The Song people are not a major problem, but the Khitans and Jurchens are probably the real problem."

The Khitans and Jurchens—offending either side is bad, and offending either side is also bad…

Richard immediately said, "Then let's do it this way. Tell the Jurchens that once their major event is settled, we'll help them fight the Song people. Tell the Khitans that our troops will be outside Xijing City... Also tell the Jurchens that our troops are just going to take a look..."

It was a desperate measure. It's true that they weren't afraid of the Song people, but it was also true that they feared the Khitans and Jurchens.

If we really want to think about the future, there's nothing we can do but do this: we have to say nice things to both sides.

But there was no need to say nice things to the Song people; they just had to come! They fought for decades, but the Song people never really won.

However, the Tanguts did suffer attacks from the Khitans. On one occasion, even Li Yuanhao, the founding emperor of Western Xia, was driven by the Khitans to hide in the Helan Mountains, abandoning even the capital.

Later, Li Yuanhao simply kowtowed to the Liao people, confessed his crimes, became their subject, paid tribute, and accepted titles. Only then was the matter considered closed, and the Liao people withdrew their troops.

Why did the Liao people retreat after occupying all the territory? The reason is simple: Western Xia could not be destroyed. As long as Western Xia recognized Liao as the superior nation, they could simply keep it. Keeping the Tanguts alive to fight the Song to the death allowed the Liao people to manipulate diplomacy and gain countless advantages.

When the Western Xia disobeyed, the Liao people would always give them a warning. Of course, the Tanguts had their share of victories and defeats, but they didn't affect the overall situation. The Liao people could be defeated countless times and then come back stronger. The Tanguts, on the other hand, could not afford to suffer a major defeat, because if they were, they would have to go to the Helan Mountains and become savages.

Therefore, the Tangut people were actually flexible and adaptable. When they were being challenged, they would be taught a lesson. Even if they won slightly, they would not dare to act arrogantly. If they were defeated, they would immediately kowtow to the Liao people. Sometimes the Liao people treated them well, and even princesses from the royal family could marry them to them.

Therefore, the respect that the Western Xia had for the Liao was ingrained in their bones. Even in the current situation of the Liao people, the Western Xia people still dared not act rashly. When the Liao people asked them to send troops to rescue them, the Western Xia people did send troops to rescue them.

Then came the Jin dynasty. The Western Xia was truly caught in a bind, forced to rely on its own clever maneuvering.

Li Qianshun concluded with a sigh: "Alas... just focus on attacking the Song Dynasty first. As long as we defeat the Song people, whether it's the Liao or the Jin, they will eventually have to attack the Song anyway. In that case... in that case, my great Xia Dynasty will have nothing to worry about!"

Richard wholeheartedly agreed with this principle. No matter who it was in the future, as long as they attacked the Song Dynasty, the Western Xia could continue to thrive as before.

The current situation is a stalling tactic, waiting for the Jurchens and Liao to completely determine a winner.

After the two brothers analyzed the situation clearly, Richard said, "Then withdraw 15,000 troops and leave 15,000 troops to continue towards Datong."

"Then so be it!" the king nodded.

"Then I will go to Lingzhou to take charge. Your Majesty, please take good care of the matters of gathering troops and procuring provisions in Xingqing Prefecture and Hetao!" Richard said this, just as the two brothers had always cooperated so well.

Li Qianshun nodded: "Your Highness, please go with peace of mind. I will take care of everything. I await your triumphant return!"

The two brothers truly shared a deep brotherly bond and even placed great trust in each other.

This is truly rare. The struggle for imperial power in Western Xia was even bloodier than in the Liao Dynasty. Throughout the ages, sons killed fathers and nephews killed uncles, a practice that never ceased. It wasn't until the reign of Li Qianshun that Richard truly devoted himself to assisting his nephew, and the internal power struggle lessened. Even when Richard held considerable power, he still helped his nephew ascend the throne...

Historically, Richard did foolish things in his old age.

In other words, at this time, the two brothers of the Tangut were both heroes and united, making them a formidable opponent for Su Wu.

Beneath the walls of Hongzhou, Song troops slowly arrived, soldiers, auxiliary troops, and civilians coming in an endless stream, their carriages stretching as far as the eye could see.

On the city wall, the garrison commander did not believe Li, that is, he was not surnamed Wei, but surnamed Mi Qin, named Mi Qin Zhenwu. He was not a member of the royal family, but the Mi Qin clan was one of the eight tribes of the Dangxiang, which also included Wangli, Xifeng, Feiting, Pochao, Yeli, and Fangdang.

The earliest royal family actually had the surname Tuoba, which needs no further explanation. It was a very famous surname, and during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, the Tuoba family even ruled half or most of the country, known as the Northern Wei of the Xianbei.

Later, during the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Tuoba clan gradually declined. This branch of the Dangxiang royal family, in this northwestern region, also integrated with the local Qiang people. Saying they were descendants of the Xianbei is not entirely accurate. Later, they became part of the Tang dynasty, taking the surname Li, then Zhao, and later Weiming. Anyway, that's how they came to be...

The same pattern applies to the eight tribes of the Tangut people.

Mi Qinzhen was in a great hurry. The city was now completely blocked, and it seemed impossible to send a letter. The current situation was quite different from the previous times when the Song army attacked. How was it different?
It wasn't that there were too many people, but rather that the Song people weren't in a hurry to attack the city. Supplies kept arriving, and the camp was built high and large. The enemy towers and arrow towers in the camp were rising one after another. Countless people were still busy on the mountain, and timber was being felled on the mountaintop...

He didn't quite understand the situation, but he knew it was very problematic. He wanted to send someone to report it, but he couldn't get anyone out. At this moment, he was also hoping for reinforcements to arrive...

Reinforcements are slow to arrive, and even the reinforcements from Youzhou are nowhere to be seen. Hongzhou City suddenly seems isolated. It seems this city is about to fall again, but no one knows when.

Mi Qinzhenwu wasn't too worried. So what if it was breached? He still had a swift cavalry unit that could charge and escape. His immediate concern was reporting the situation to the authorities...

The Song people outside the city also had their own affairs to attend to.

The military supervisor did indeed arrive. He had just arrived, gotten off the carriage, and stood at the entrance of the camp, looking around. He still had a smile on his face, but the sight before him was truly magnificent, with thousands of troops and horses. It was the first time he had ever truly experienced such a sight.

A servant beside him also looked surprised: "Steward, how many men are there?"

The military supervisor didn't actually know either; he just blurted out, "A million is probably nothing more than this!"

"A million? A million?!" The servant was dumbfounded.

The military supervisor laughed again: "You believe everything I say? How could it possibly be a million? The actual number is probably two hundred thousand, but we're telling everyone it's four hundred thousand!"

The military supervisor was half right. He did say 400,000 to the outside world, but in reality, it was less than 200,000. At most, the number of combat soldiers was only 60,000 to 70,000. Some soldiers had not yet arrived. Even if all of them arrived, there would only be about 85,000. Including auxiliary soldiers, the total number would be around 130,000.

The servant smiled and nodded, his manner obsequious. Looking around, he asked, "Why is no one here to greet us?"

Li Yan frowned slightly and looked around. Even the guards at the gate were bowing to him.

I don't know who to lash out at.

It's really frustrating. I've often heard about the military supervisor in the capital. In the past, the military supervisor represented the emperor and had the emperor's power. How come I can't feel it now that he's in charge?
Where would the emperor's face be placed?
Fortunately, his men did arrive; a burly man led a troop of cavalry on horseback from afar.

The servant announced, "Steward, they're here!"

Li Yan then smiled, finally feeling a bit of the supervisor's authority.

But as soon as he got closer, Li Yan's face darkened. He wondered who it was, and it turned out to be Yao Pingzhong from Yaozhou in Guanzhong again.

He thought to himself, "Su Wu, Su Wu, this is just another show of force. This time, I'll really teach you a lesson!"
Yao Pingzhong then stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Commander Su, please invite the supervising minister to the main tent for a meeting!"

"Okay, I understand. Just lead the way!" Li Yanzi regained his composure, head held high, eyes looking down at him.

The opportunity will come when the generals are all present. How can the emperor's majesty be anything but ordinary?
Which of those military commanders didn't hold their future in their own hands? And how many dared not come to curry favor and flatter them? There are indeed scoundrels in the army, like Yao Pingzhong right now…

But there are probably not many idiots; the majority are smart people, and smart people naturally know how to do smart things.

He went straight to the large tent. Upon entering, Li Yan was taken aback. Was the large tent a place for a meeting? Why was Su Wu the only person inside?
Oh, and there's a clerk next to him, who's writing something with his head down...

Li Yan entered the main tent and bowed slightly: "Scholar Su, I, the military supervisor, have arrived. It is time to raise the tent and gather the generals, so that all the officers and soldiers may receive the Emperor's grace!"

This is true. The military supervisor represents the emperor, and when the military supervisor bestows favors, it is as if the emperor is bestowing favors.

Su Wu simply waved his hand and said, "Supervisor, you've traveled a long way and are covered in dust. Please take a seat!"

Li Yan nodded and went forward to sit down, but after looking to his left and right, he stopped, because there was only one seat in the center in front of him, where Su Wu was sitting.

Logically, there should be two seats side by side, with Li Yan and Su Wu sitting together in the center.

Li Yan then asked, "What does this mean?"

Su Wu simply said, "It's not ready yet. Please make the supervisor sit over there."

Li Yan frowned deeply. Since serving the emperor alongside his former chief steward Yang Jian, he had never been treated with such neglect.

But then Su Wu suddenly stood up and said, "Why don't you sit here, supervisor?"

Su Wu not only did that, but he also actually went to the seat next to him and plopped down.

Unexpectedly, Li Yan actually got up and sat firmly in the center, showing no politeness whatsoever.

After this, even the servant who had been following Li Yan stood behind him, immediately puffing out his chest and looking smug.

Su Wu also laughed: "The fact that the military supervisor is sitting like this truly gives him an extraordinary air of authority."

Li Yan was also annoyed with Su Wu, so he didn't give him a friendly look and simply waved his hand, "Assemble the generals!"

Su Wu turned his head and said, "Chief Steward Yao, go and see if the supervising officer's attendants and servants have been properly served..."

"Yes, sir!" Yao Pingzhong bowed and turned to leave the tent.

When handling affairs, one must be meticulous and thorough. First, one must control all those around the military supervisor before taking action against him, in order to prevent anyone from escaping.

It wasn't that they were afraid someone would actually escape from the military camp and return to the capital to file a complaint, but rather that they were afraid that if one or two clever people escaped and ended up in the military camp, they would run around and talk everywhere, which would have a bad influence.

Controlling the impact of this matter is also of paramount importance.

But then Li Yan, who was at the front, said, "They don't need to be served much. Just give them tents and arrange some soldiers to serve them!"

Su Wu nodded: "Of course!"

Li Yan suddenly felt that Su Wu was somewhat arrogant at first but obsequious later. He thought that Su Wu wanted to ease the tension before he arrived at the front line.
late!

Li Yan sat upright on his command seat, looked around, and asked, "Why haven't we heard the drums beating to gather the generals yet?"

"Everyone's busy. We'll gather here once everyone's settled down!" Su Wu replied absentmindedly, as the clerk handed him a stack of papers—military orders to be sent to various armies—and asked him to review them.

The clerk's name was Wu Yong. He knew what to do today and had even offered suggestions, such as first sending out many generals to work, then welcoming the military supervisor into the main tent to sit down, and first controlling the attendants... These were all questions asked casually by Prime Minister Su, and Wu Yong answered them casually as well.

This little trick is easily accomplished.

Li Yan's expression was unfriendly: "What could be more urgent than the boundless grace of the Emperor? The Emperor's edict encouraging all the generals is on my person. We should quickly beat the drum and summon all the generals to listen to the imperial instructions!"

Su Wu shifted his gaze from the letter in his hand, raised his eyebrows slightly to look at Li Yan, but only for a moment before looking back down at the letter. He then said to Wu Yong, "This part should be changed; the amount of timber is incorrect!"

Wu Yong looked down and immediately bowed: "It was my oversight, I will correct it immediately..."

Wu Yong turned around and went to copy and rewrite it.

Where would Li Yan put his face? He angrily retorted, "Scholar Su, how dare you show such disrespect to the Emperor's military supervisor? Are you really not afraid that I will report this to the officials in the court and to the Emperor? Do you think that just because you have gained some imperial favor in court, you are safe from all trouble? Hmph..."

Immediately, the servant chimed in, "Even if my steward's words reach the capital, it's still uncertain whether he'll become the commander of this army!"

This servant had been beaten before, but he didn't learn his lesson. Perhaps it wasn't that he didn't learn his lesson, but rather that it was his job responsibility.

Su Wu didn't even look up. He only heard the clattering footsteps approaching from the doorway. As soon as the person entered, Su Wu said, "Give them a beating first, then lock these two up together. Chief Steward Li holds a high position, so he needs someone to serve him!"

The person who entered was Yao Pingzhong. Since he had arrived, his attendants and servants were naturally taken care of.

Yao Pingzhong replied immediately: "It seems that Commander Su is just like me, he has reached his limit. This eunuch is really infuriating, extremely infuriating!"

As he spoke, Yao Pingzhong's face darkened, he rolled up his sleeves, and strode forward.

Regardless of Li Yan's situation, the servant behind him stepped forward to block him, shouting sternly, "What are you doing here, soldier? What do you want?"

This time it wasn't a slap; Yao Pingzhong threw a punch, and the servant rolled on the ground several times.

Li Yan immediately jumped up from his seat, pointed at Yao Pingzhong and shouted, "How dare you! How dare you offend an angel? You lawless soldier, this is... this is a capital offense!"

“Beheading isn’t the first time!” Yao Pingzhong looked Li Yan up and down. With his thin frame, he estimated that he needed to use some strength to kill him.

If this guy is going to die, then he should die in a reasonable way in front of everyone. If he is beaten to death like this, then it will be unreasonable, and it will be very difficult for Commander Su to return to the capital.

"Su Wu, Su Wu, are you plotting a rebellion? I never imagined you were a traitor! Are you really plotting a rebellion? You..." Li Yan shouted.

But then it stopped abruptly. Yao Pingzhong rushed forward, grabbed Li Yan by the back of the neck with one hand, and slapped him across the face with the other without even making a fist!
It was infuriating that Yao Pingzhong picked up Li Yan like a chick and slapped him right in the mouth.

The blows continued, accompanied by Yao Pingzhong's words: "You son of a bitch, what are you? Have you ever been on a battle? Have you ever killed an enemy? You know nothing about military affairs, yet you still point fingers and spout nonsense. I, your grandfather, have killed more enemy heads than all your ancestors in the past! When Prime Minister Tong was supervising the army in the Northwest, he never really made things difficult for me militarily. What are you anyway?"

Li Yan had already raised his hands to cover his mouth and nose, but Yao Pingzhong knocked them down several times, causing blood to flow continuously from his mouth and nose.

How could Li Yan not struggle?
But a large hand gripped the back of his neck, like a pair of pincers, and he couldn't break free.

Yao Pingzhong continued to berate and curse: "You worthless bastards, how dare you act so arrogantly! In broad daylight, our great Song Dynasty has been ruined by pigs and dogs like you!"

Su Wu could only hear Li Yan's sobbing, as if he was crying but couldn't cry out, shouting but couldn't get a response...

Just a few more blows later, Su Wu looked up and said, "That's enough..."

Yao Pingzhong stopped slapping him, took a few steps and pulled the man out of the table, still saying, "You still want to sit in the central army? If you sit here, how can my thousands of brothers and tens of thousands of comrades survive?"

After saying that, he threw the person to the ground.

Li Yan's lips were swollen and red, and blood was streaming from his nose. His fine clothes were also stained with blood on his chest...

He subconsciously got up, his head was foggy, and he looked towards Su Wu as if he wanted to speak.

Su Wu first said, "I only thought that I would take you to the border to Hongzhou to scare you a little, and you would know to restrain yourself. That way, it would be good for both of us, and you would also get a share of the credit after the battle. I didn't expect... you really don't know the situation. This battle involves the strength of the whole country. It is a matter of utmost importance. We cannot tolerate any recklessness from you. Please don't blame me!"

Li Yan shook his head and finally said, "Traitor, traitor!"

"Pull it out, put that prepared bag over it and pull it out!" Su Wu waved his hand.

Yao Pingzhong went to do it himself. There were large sacks for transporting grain nearby. He took one, dragged it along, and shouted from inside the sack: "Traitor! Traitor! May you die a horrible death! May you die a horrible death!"

Yao Pingzhong, however, kicked out with remarkable precision, silencing the person who was speaking and stopping their struggles inside the sack.

Su Wu sighed. The people and affairs of the Song Dynasty were truly exhausting, wasting countless efforts and energy.

Wu Yong brought over the copied letter, and Su Wu looked at it and nodded: "This time it's correct. Send them all out together in a bit. Send this one to the Jingzhao Prefecture. Don't make a mistake."

"Don't worry, my lord, it can't be wrong." Wu Yong nodded.

It was this very matter of official documents that was so tedious and complicated, with all sorts of tedious tasks piled up on Su Wu's shoulders. Su Wu's work pressure was truly immense, and it was this work pressure that led Su Wu to deal with Li Yan in this way. He simply didn't have the extra energy to deal with Li Yan, so this way he could save himself the trouble and effort.

Wu Yong seized the opportunity to speak up: "How could these pigs and dogs possibly understand the hardships you, my lord! Their wealth and honor are all earned through idyllic means, while yours is the result of countless hardships... In this Great Song Dynasty, there are many who reap the rewards without sowing, but those who dedicate themselves to the cause like you, my lord, are far too few. You have truly suffered, my lord, so much suffering... Even I, your humble servant, can only assist with small matters; I am truly incompetent and ashamed..."

Judging by his ability to read people's expressions and demeanor, how many people in the world can compare to Wu Yong?

Su Wu looked up at Wu Yong. After a few words, Su Wu actually managed a laugh. Su Wu was only human, and human nature was something he couldn't avoid...

Seeing Su Wu smile, Wu Yong added, "My lord has not yet considered eliminating this future trouble after the matter is accomplished..."

"Have you already thought about it?" Su Wu asked.

Wu Yong immediately replied, "Just a small scheme, I've already thought about it..."

“Then tell me about it…” Su Wu suddenly realized that Wu Yong could be quite useful at times.

"My lord, I have two strategies. One is external, and the other is internal. The external strategy is like a battle with constant fighting and chaos. The supervising general is overseeing the battle and is killed by a stray arrow. Commander Hua, Commander Li, and even that Pang Wanchun are all useful and foolproof! But this strategy may damage the morale of the army and may not be good."

"Then tell me about your internal strategy..." Su Wu didn't dislike Wu Yong's showing off at this moment.

"The best strategy within the country is to stay in Xingqing Prefecture, while the worst is to stay in the army. If we need to make use of the Dangxiang prisoners, we should keep an eye out for them and see which of them is the most loyal and righteous, and which is the most brave and fierce. Under no circumstances should we kill them. Let them live for a while, and then find an opportunity to escort the prisoners past the supervising officer. The prisoner will break free. The supervising officer is the best dressed, the highest-ranking, and the most powerful. Everyone respects him. If he breaks free, how can he not take the supervising officer hostage?"

After Wu Yong finished speaking, he smiled and looked at Su Wu.

Su Wu, however, remained expressionless as he continued reading the letter. After a while, he looked up and said, "Scholar Wu, this matter still needs to be handled by you!"

Wu Yong was overjoyed and bowed deeply, saying, "Then this humble official will certainly handle it perfectly!"

Su Wu nodded, stood up, and shoved a stack of letters into Wu Yong's hands: "Alright, I've read them all. Send them out now. Wu Yuhou, you've done a good job with the paperwork!"

"Thank you for your kind words, sir!" Wu Yong was overjoyed!

Su Wu stepped out of the main tent and looked north, frowning again. He wondered whether the main force of the Dangxiang troops under Richard, who had killed Liu Fa, would come or not…

If he really can keep his composure and doesn't come, that would be a real problem.

Su Wu also knew that Richard was a formidable enemy!

We need to be more proactive, otherwise Richard and Xu Zhen won't come!
(Brothers, it's been a long time since I've given you a kiss, so here's a kiss!)

(End of this chapter)