Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 281 Your Majesty, rest assured, I can still win.

They charged in, and the insignificance of humanity was vividly displayed in that moment, just like those Tangut warriors who raised their spears, ready to turn and fight...

At that moment, full of courage, he stared at the oncoming roar, but after only a moment, the Tangut warrior couldn't help but turn and run away...

The Song cavalry had already charged into the crowd, the riders poking with their lances and the horses ramming with their armored chests.

Without a fortified camp, it is difficult for the army to establish a battle formation. Tens of thousands of horses charged in, and the scene was like a sickle cutting wheat. After the sickle passed, where were the standing wheat seedlings?

Su Wu was exhausted, so exhausted that he had little strength left to wield his spear.

Li Liangfu had already turned his horse around and left, just like Liu Fa three years ago. It wasn't that the commander was incompetent, but that the defeat had reached this point and there was no way to turn the tide.

Headless flies swarmed everywhere, and hordes of horses and riders, having only charged once, were turning back in the distance and beginning to disperse, charging in all directions.

It was a feeling of being overwhelmed. The Song army had more horses than the Tangut people. It was like a tide that swept over the beach, leaving no sand or gravel, only splashing water.

Once the herd of horses is completely submerged, where will the Tangut soldiers be in sight?

When Wanyan Wuzhu arrived, after crossing a low mountain ridge, the scene before him startled him. He was also worried. He had heard about the battle earlier, but when he rushed over, he saw tens of thousands of horses submerged. What was going on?

The Song army was defeated?

Not only Wanyan Wuzhu, but all the Jurchens present shared this thought, and the Song army was defeated.

Subconsciously, I could tell that the side with tens of thousands of horses galloping was definitely the Tanguts!
Liu Guangshi excitedly shouted from the side, "A great victory! Haha... Marshal Su has won a great victory!"

Wanyan Wuzhu was taken aback upon hearing this, and quickly said to the interpreter beside him, "Ask him if the horsemen are Song soldiers?"

The interpreter rushed over to ask, and Liu Guangshi immediately replied, "That's right, that's right! The rider is indeed under Commander Su's command, he is my Song army, he is my Song army! General Wanyan, quick, go and intercept and kill him!"

Wanyan Wuzhu was even more surprised upon hearing this, both astonished and stunned. How many horses were there?
Is this the Song army led by Su Wu, the elder brother?
How does he have so many horses?

In the past, even if those large ships were used to cross the sea and transport horses from Liaodong to Song, and many times were made, only a few thousand horses could be transported in total. How did Su Wu's brother have so many horses under his command?

Wanyan Wuzhu was genuinely puzzled, but Ma Bu continued shouting as he rode forward: "Split into two teams, intercept them from the left and right, and kill the Dangxiang!"

I'm here, a little late, but I have to do something...

Liu Guangshi was already so excited that he raised his arms and shouted, "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill the Tanguts! Kill them quickly!"

Kill the Tanguts!

The scene was in complete chaos. Wanyan Wuzhu was actually somewhat complacent. As he led his men to surround and kill from the left and right, his horsemanship slowed down. He would occasionally glance at the center of the battlefield and seemed to see about a hundred Tangut cavalrymen breaking through the encirclement. Wanyan Wuzhu did not pursue them...

However, it was Wanyan Wuzhu's men who were trying to intercept them.

At this moment, Wanyan Wuzhu probably had countless thoughts in his mind, complex and conflicted...

Judging from the current situation, the Tanguts probably... won't be able to hold out for much longer...

Wanyan Wuzhu heard clearly the conversations between the elders and brothers in the Jurchen Emperor's tent, and then he saw the scene before him...

How could this not cause Wanyan Wuzhu a complex and conflicted situation?

The Song army's slaughter of the Dangxiang was already a one-sided massacre; cavalry units came and went in waves, galloping and stabbing as if they were in an empty field.

Those knights were also excellent horsemen, and when they stabbed their enemies, they were quick-witted and nimble, sidestepping to stab or bending down to reach...

Those who drew their bows and nocked arrows were firing them one after another. One even saw a military general repeatedly drawing his bow, his arrows never missing their mark, hitting the target every time.

This……

The number of Khitans under the Jurchen banner is now increasing, and there are even former Han Chinese from the Liao Dynasty among them. They all say that the Song people are not good at fighting...

Wanyan Wuzhu had never really believed it, but after hearing so many stories, all sorts of tales of the Liao people defeating the Song, he gradually started to believe quite a bit...

Looking at it again now...

seem……

In this world, what is right? What is true?
They also saw a fierce general of the Song army leading two or three hundred men to charge out of the formation and chase after the hundred or so Dangxiang cavalry who had charged forward. They pressed on closely and kept attacking from behind.

One after another, the fallen Dangxiang people...

The Song cavalry are skilled in battle! This was the conclusion that Wanyan Wuzhu was certain of at this moment.

I even thought about it, and somewhat didn't want to think about it, what it would be like if I were to actually face off against Su Wu's army someday...

I wonder where Su Wu's elder brother is right now?

Wanyan Wuzhu's horse seemed about to stop, so he spurred it on and strode forward a few steps. When he encountered a fleeing Dangxiang, he shot him with his spear, leaving a gaping hole in his heart.

Wanyan Wuzhu's movements appeared somewhat casual. He had already killed countless people; killing was far too easy for him, as if it were in his genes...

Another person killed. Wanyan Wuzhu glanced up every now and then at the center of the battlefield...

As the Song cavalry gradually stopped galloping, the dust they had raised gradually dissipated, and the dust settled on the ground, signifying the end of the matter.

The soldiers dismounted and sat on the ground; some even lay down next to the corpse.

A troop of horses emerged from the herd and headed straight for Wanyan Wuzhu.

Wanyan Wuzhu hurriedly stepped forward to greet him...

After their second meeting, they dismounted and embraced, their smiles radiating warmth. Su Wu's smile remained genuine, and Wanyan Wuzhu tried his best to smile sincerely as well.

Su Wu sat down on the ground, utterly exhausted, yet still managing to muster his strength to say to Wanyan Wuzhu, who was also sitting beside him, "Brother, you are truly a man of unparalleled loyalty!"

The interpreter behind the two men was also mentioned.

With mixed feelings, Wanyan Wuzhu said in one sentence: "How could I not come to support my brother!"

Su Wu looked at the battlefield not far away and slowly said, "Did His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Jin allow you to come?"

Wanyan Wuzhu nodded: "Yes!"

“I thought you wouldn’t come…” Su Wu didn’t look away, still gazing into the distance. Some people were still cleaning up the battlefield, some had dismounted and lay there motionless, some were searching for water bags on enemy corpses, and some were wolfing down flatbread…

They won, they survived... but there didn't seem to be the usual cheers and excitement that filled the stadium...

Wanyan Wuzhu's expression was somewhat complicated: "Many people have said I shouldn't have come..."

“But you still came…” Su Wu nodded and said, “Thank you!”

"Even though he came, he wasn't of much use!" In fact, Wanyan Wuzhu also sensed some sadness, the sadness that Su Wu conveyed.

Wanyan Wuzhu also knew that this elder brother was not only the most valiant warrior, but also the most intelligent person.

He knows... and I know...

“Brother, I have something interesting to tell you,” Wanyan Wuzhu suddenly said.

“You said…” Su Wu turned his gaze back to Wu Zhu.

"Brother, I have a Chinese name now, Zongbi. I can write it, I'll show you!"

As he spoke, Wanyan Wuzhu pulled a short blade from his waist and began to write crookedly on the ground. He really could write; he had clearly studied and memorized it repeatedly…

Yet their writing was still crooked and messy, like that of a child learning to read. They weren't actually writing, but drawing. These two generations of Wanyan Jurchens weren't good with a pen, but the next generation was different...

“Brother, look, Wanyan Zongbi, Zongbi…” Wanyan Zongbi was very happy and gestured to the characters drawn on the ground.

Su Wu reached out slightly and took the short blade he used for eating. He also wrote on the ground, first writing the four characters "Wanyan Zongbi" and then the two characters "Su Wu".

Then he sheathed his sword and said, "Wanyan Zongbi, Su Wu..."

Wanyan Zongbi looked at it intently, not at "Wanyan Zongbi" but at "Su Wu," and said, "Oh, so that's what my brother's name looks like..."

Su Wu suddenly said, "Yan and Yun are indeed good, with millions of people and abundant resources..."

"Huh?" Wanyan Wuzhu was taken aback.

Su Wu smiled gently: "When are you going back?"

“Since my brother has won a great victory, I will rest for one night and then return. The battle in Datong is urgent!” Wanyan Wuzhu replied. In fact, he had heard him and knew what he meant.

“I have nothing to give you this time, and you don’t need anything…” Su Wu still had a gentle smile.

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Wuzhu remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Brother, will we really meet on the battlefield someday?"

Su Wu was taken aback by the question, but he did not answer.

Wanyan Wuzhu answered himself: "If that day truly comes, I hope I will never meet you, and you will never meet me. There are so many of you Song people, so many soldiers and officers. I will fight against others..."

“It’s not up to you…” Su Wu replied, then added, “Just like the Great Song Dynasty, it won’t listen to me, and the Great Jin Dynasty won’t listen to you either…”

The two fell silent instantly.

Su Wu crossed his hands behind his head, leaned back, and as dusk approached...

Su Wu said, "I'm going to sleep for a while..."

“Alright!” Wanyan Zongbi nodded, but also lay down like Su Wu, saying, “I’m exhausted from the journey, so I’ll sleep for a while with my brother…”

The two were actually asleep, and most of the thousands of soldiers were also resting, while some were still chasing far away, even out of sight.

The stench of blood and mutton permeated the surroundings, and countless soldiers lay on the ground, completely unaware of the nauseating stench.

The snoring began, and the moonlight came in...

Su Wu suddenly woke up again, looked around, somewhat dazed, and saw Wanyan Wuzhu lying next to him.

Everything was bustling with activity, the noise was somewhat loud, and there was the aroma of barbecue...

Su Wu gently nudged Wanyan Wuzhu, who slowly woke up and looked around, saying, "It's getting dark..."

Su Wu nodded: "You can't sleep for long in the army, let's eat something..."

They were all speaking ordinary words, not discussing anything about national affairs or world events.

Because talking would be pointless, since neither of these two people's opinions matter.

Roasted meat was served nearby, and the two of them began to eat heartily. Roasted mutton with horse manure was rather...

But Su Wu could still eat it; the horse manure was burned, the mutton was roasted, and it even had a grassy smell...

"When will it be? When the Jurchen envoys come to Bianjing, you can come and see them..." Su Wu said with a smile.

"What is Bianjing like?" Wanyan Wuzhu asked.

“You’ve seen many places, Liaoyang, Dading, and Yanjing. Now think about it, the best you can imagine is what Bianjing looks like…” Su Wu replied.

Wanyan Wuzhu was truly thinking about it, and for a moment he couldn't help but think of a certain kind of longing.

Clearly, Su Wu did not discriminate against the Jurchens. Su Wu's vision came from a very distant place, and Su Wu now had great ambitions and aspirations.

If he could, he would want a true Chinese nation, including the Jurchen people. The world is vast, and there are countless people in it…

There are many more places to go!
Some places hold endless coal, some hold endless oil, some have mountains of copper, and some are covered in iron...

Of course, that was a long time later.

The question at hand is who represents China, who represents the Chinese nation, and who represents this most ancient land.

This was Su Wu being sentimental, but he couldn't help thinking it that way.

Then let's settle this, let's settle this with life and death. If we can sweep it out from here, we can sweep it all over this round planet.

He also hoped that even if the Jurchens were to be defeated in the future, they would still yearn for a better life and for a flourishing culture.

At that time, we stopped talking about life and death, and instead talked about unifying the world and making progress outwards.

A group of men approached from afar. The one in the lead was Liu Zhengyan. He knelt on one knee, tossed a severed head forward, and bowed, reporting, "Reporting to Commander Su, this humble general has beheaded Wei Mingliangfu and has come to report!"

Su Wu looked at the head still rolling on the ground and simply nodded: "Go eat some food and rest..." Liu Zhengyan chimed in: "Commander Su, I've brought back this fellow's corpse too, I'll get a pot and cook it right away!"

Su Wu paused slightly, but nodded with a smile: "Go..."

Clearly, Liu Zhengyan was really going to cook it. This head would be passed around tomorrow, shown to everyone, so all the soldiers could burst into laughter…

Liu Zhengyan, seemingly neither tired nor sleepy, actually took matters into his own hands, setting up the large pot, adding fuel, and even laughing heartily...

As he laughed heartily, he silently prayed in his heart, hoping that his father could hear the words in his heart...

It is also said that cannibalism in the military has existed since ancient times, has never ceased, and is often the norm...

This event also occurred from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods to the Han Dynasty, and even at the end of the Han Dynasty, and even in Liu Bei's army at the end of the Han Dynasty. It is clearly recorded in historical books...

During the Jin Dynasty and the Sixteen Kingdoms period, it became a custom and practice among emperors and nobles, soldiers and common people alike...

Speaking of the Sui and Tang dynasties, let's just talk about Zhang Xun, without going into details...

Speaking of the Song Dynasty, during the transition between the Northern and Southern Song periods, the rebel army in the north carried dried cured meat with them. They were also people, and they couldn't finish eating it all the way to Lin'an...

By the Ming Dynasty, if you read novels written at the end of the Yuan Dynasty or the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, eating this kind of food was a symbol of the reputation of many heroes, and they could even come up with all sorts of fancy ways to eat it...

Then there's the Qing Dynasty, and the Blackwater Camp's Wuya Zhaohui, which needs no further explanation. And then there's the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. In many extreme circumstances, this meat was legitimate military rations, and also a commodity that could be bought and sold on the street, with all sorts of fancy names given to it…

Liu Zhengyan was cooking, and countless soldiers rushed to share the food. Sharing the enemy commander was an unparalleled honor and the most satisfying way to vent their pent-up hatred. Only in this way could they feel relieved.

Only Liu Zhengyan said, "Damn it, this is no fun at all. If it were that guy Weiming Cha, we could eat, eat, eat, brothers, eat!"

Liu Zhengyan also turned to look at Su Wu from afar. It wasn't that he wanted to share the spoils with Su Wu, since Su Wu was a scholar. Liu Zhengyan looked at Su Wu with eager anticipation in his eyes. He was hoping that Su Wu could lead him into Xingqing Prefecture, and he was looking forward to the next round of action...

That pot is the real meal!
Those soldiers, as if in a frenzy, ate the white meat with abandon, dancing and gesturing with joy. They were happy in every way—happy with revenge, happy with their military achievements, happy with the reward from Marshal Su…

Wanyan Wuzhu was also watching, and the more he watched, the more he realized that the troops under Su Wu's brother's command were more skilled in battle than anyone expected!
Wanyan Wuzhu also glanced at Su Wu beside him, and the more he looked, the more complicated his thoughts became.

"You've eaten and drunk your fill, now it's time to go to sleep. You should catch up on some sleep..." Su Wu smiled and started to walk away, adding, "I'll come to see you off tomorrow morning!"

“Okay!” Wanyan Wuzhu nodded.

Su Wu was looking forward to it, not to fighting against Wanyan Wuzhu, but to the day when the outcome was already decided, and Wanyan Wuzhu could represent the Great Jin. On that day, the world would be one country, and the Jurchens could truly be brothers.

Yelü Dashi will go to West Asia and Central Asia, and Su Wu will go too. Su Wu also has ships, and more and more ships...

I hope Wanyan Zongbi will be there on that day.

Daylight broke, and I slept soundly all night for no apparent reason!
Wanyan Zongbi was heading east, in the direction where the sun was rising...

Su Wu did indeed come to see him off. Without saying much, the two embraced, and Su Wu said, "Take care!"

"Brother, take care too!" Wanyan Zongbi said the same thing.

The two nodded to each other, and Wanyan Zongbi mounted his horse, cracked his whip, and rode off without looking back.

Su Wu remained standing, looking at the rising sun in the east and Wanyan Zongbi under the rising sun, and waved slightly to him.

Wanyan Zongbi turned around and saw this scene, but he didn't look at it for long. After that one glance, it seemed that the brotherhood had come to an end.

The Tanguts had many carts and horses, so they could load them slowly. This time, there was no rush; they would take all the spoils of war with them.

Further south, we went to meet Xiao Heda of Xia Prefecture.

One thing Su Wu never expected was that he had truly delayed this time: Xiao Heda had run away! He wasn't coming!
They didn't even return to Xia Prefecture, but turned directly towards Xingqing Prefecture.

Two days later, Su Wu heard the report from the scouts and was both amused and exasperated!

It is unknown whether Xiao Heda will be punished upon returning to Xingqing Prefecture for deserting his post.

The fault for the defeat wasn't his; he was innocent for fleeing. But he abandoned Xiazhou city, that...

He might not actually be convicted, and now that Xia Prefecture is here, what need is there to defend it? That's not the point. The point is the Empress of Western Xia. The Empress of Western Xia is Princess Cheng'an of the Liao Dynasty. With her around, Xiao Heda will not be truly guilty.

Returning to Wangting Town, then heading to Xiazhou City, we still needed to go to an empty city. An empty city in the literal sense means a city without people, because this border city of the Dangxiang people didn't have many residents to begin with, most of whom were soldiers' families. When the army abandoned the city, they would naturally notify their families, so how could these families not know to flee? Some residents, in particular, also knew to leave.

The small town was reduced to a dozen or so households, and the poorer the residents, the less able they were to leave.

Xia Prefecture is located on the main channel of the Wuding River. Upstream from the Wuding River, that is, westward, lies You Prefecture.

At this very moment, Zhong Shizhong and Yao Pingzhong led their army to break through the small city of Hongzhou and were besieging Youzhou City, the center of the Jianing Military Command.

Su Wu returned home.

Su Wu's return has caused a stir in Xingqing Prefecture.

With civil and military officials in court, the emperor was furious: "Impossible, absolutely impossible! It's impossible for a capable minister to suffer such a complete defeat and annihilation!"

Both civil and military officials bowed their heads... Who could believe it? But the few cavalrymen who managed to escape all testified to this.

Even the messenger from Xiao Heda was talking about this. If he hadn't left quickly, the Xiazhou army would have been completely wiped out. He described it as a matter of quick decision-making in the face of danger, and a stroke of luck...

Everyone knew that Xiao Heda was no coward.

Richard, his face full of anger, also asked, "Why?"

Why?

Your Highness has the generals of those defeated cavalrymen; you may speak slowly…

Many details are unknown, but in general, it's not difficult to understand: the Song army feigned a retreat, and the generals, enraged, pursued recklessly, causing the troops to become separated. The Song army then suddenly turned around and attacked, first targeting Mi Qin, then Wang Li, launching a swift surprise attack on their main force. With the Jurchens also joining the fray, they attacked from both sides, resulting in a crushing defeat...

After listening attentively, Richard closed his eyes, leaned back, and took a deep breath. After taking that breath, the anger on Richard's face subsided considerably, and he asked, "The envoy to Jin must depart immediately! There must be no delays!"

The matter of sending gold must be done quickly, as quickly as possible. Go immediately, and it would be best if you could arrive right away.

Someone immediately rushed out of the main hall to arrange the matter.

King Li Ganshun also sighed deeply: "Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. This defeat has served as a wake-up call for everyone. In the next battle, we must win!"

Everyone nodded in obedience, knowing that they still had to fight, as there were two formidable enemies ahead: the Jing Sai Military Command and the Jianing Military Command.

Richard then said, "A minor defeat is nothing to worry about. I still have more than 20,000 cavalry and 40,000 to 50,000 infantry. We can also conscript able-bodied men. We can have an army of 200,000 to 300,000 in just a few days. The city of Lingzhou and the wilderness will be the burial ground for the Song people!"

The two exchanged words, putting aside their anger for now; the important thing was to boost morale and inspire confidence.

The king said, "In many cities, and even in the tribes of Henan and Yinshan, it is time to begin conscripting able-bodied men. Do it immediately! Court adjourned!"

As the officials gradually withdrew, they rushed off to carry out their duties and to select able-bodied men. This was something His Majesty hadn't done since he assumed power at the age of sixteen. Now that it was being done again, it was anyone's guess how the various cities and tribes would react...

Regardless of the reaction, this is what must be done. When the country is destroyed and the family is in ruins, how can we not do this?

However, it seems that not many weapons and armor can be distributed. The Tangut state is still too impoverished. The previous two generations fought too many wars. The last Liang empress was like a war maniac, constantly exhausting the country's resources. At that time, every household lacked even ironware for production and daily life, and everything was sent to the battlefield...

Now that we've finally had a chance to catch our breath and get back to normal life, where are we going to get the weapons for 200,000 to 300,000 people again?
How precious are ironwares? How stingy the Song people were, they couldn't even smuggle much of them back these days...

It wasn't that the Western Xia couldn't smelt iron; it's just that their productivity was limited, so what could they do?
But no matter how difficult it is, in a life-or-death situation, who cares about anything else...

The whole country needs to get going; it's time to work hard.

After the main meeting, the two brothers also had a separate meeting.

Only then did Li Qianshun reveal that dejected expression: "Alas... Liangfu, Liangfu, you would have been better off dead, why did you cause the country to fall into such a difficult situation!"

Richard then reassured his subjects, saying, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will certainly defeat the Song people!"

"I know!" Li Qianshun nodded seriously, but then said, "We also need to think about the aftermath and send people secretly to the Helan Mountains to make preparations."

This is a brilliant strategy passed down from our ancestors. If we are truly outmatched, we can first run to the Helan Mountains to hide. This is how Li Yuanhao was defeated by the Liao people in the past. He only waited to reach an agreement with the Khitan before returning.

Li Qianshun's words were spoken behind closed doors by the two brothers, and were not words of discouragement. In planning, one must always consider both the beginning and the end.

If all else fails, the Song people also care about saving face. This has always been the case between the Song and Liao dynasties. Perhaps if they could just kneel down and surrender, accept official titles, there would still be a considerable number of Tanguts left. The Song people would not be able to govern the grasslands, and they might be able to change the Song court's policy of keeping them at arm's length. There would still be a chance for them to rise again...

They even asked, "How could the Song people not have a great enemy? How could the Jurchens not be a great enemy of the Song?" Any intelligent person can see this.

Richard nodded: "I will handle this matter myself, but I will not go to the Helan Mountains. I will win if I win, and I will die if I lose!"

"Brother..." Li Qianshun's words were deeply moving.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I can still win!" Richard said confidently.

“Okay!” Li Qianshun nodded solemnly. When the family is in trouble, how can it not be that the brothers are united and can overcome any obstacle?
The reason why Xia was able to survive at this point in history was because the two brothers, one a scholar and the other a warrior, worked together with one heart and one mind.

Just then, a eunuch outside the door announced loudly, "Your Majesty, Xiao Heda, the governor of Xia Prefecture, requests an audience."

"Just let him in!" Li Qianshun replied.

A moment later, Xiao Heda entered the study, his face full of anger, and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Hmm, what is it?" King Li Qianshun asked.

Xiao Heda was indeed somewhat reckless: "I have come only to ask Your Majesty and the Prince of Jin why you sent envoys to negotiate peace and seek titles from the Jurchens?"

Li Qianshun looked at Xiao Heda, his anger rising: "You scoundrel, you have no manners at all! We have just suffered a defeat. Song and Jurchen are allies, and now the Jurchen have actually sent troops to help Song attack our Great Xia. Only by negotiating peace with the Jurchen can we break this situation of being attacked from both sides. Don't you understand this principle?"

Xiao Heda immediately said, "Your Majesty, this is not a good strategy!"

"Hmm?" Li Qianshun was really frustrated. If it weren't for the fact that the Khitan still had a few military commanders on the grasslands, he would have killed Xiao Heda on the spot. How could he have been allowed to live?
However, he could not be killed. The Khitans were still in the north and east, and their influence remained. Xiao Heda was actually the Khitans' representative in Western Xia, or even their envoy. How could he be killed so easily?
In the past, the Western Xia was caught between two sides, but now it is caught between three sides. How difficult it is!

Then Richard asked, "Speak up with a good plan!"

Xiao Heda had been waiting for these words, so how could he not say them? “Your Majesty, Your Highness Prince Jin, in my opinion, the Song army is now using the full strength of the nation. In the past, they defended against the Khitan army, but now they have come to the northwest. Take Su Wu for example, he was truly brave and skilled in battle, and his troops were even more so. Rather than negotiating with the Jurchens, it would be better to negotiate with the Song. For so many years, the Song people have only cared about saving face, merely going through the motions, paying homage to the Song emperor, and receiving titles. What good has that done? As long as we negotiate and befriend the Song, how can the Jurchens not become the Song's greatest enemy? If our Great Xia joins forces with the Great Liao to defeat the Jurchens, and the Great Liao rises again, wouldn't the situation be the same as before? How could this not be better?”

The two brothers listened with furrowed brows, unsure whether to call Xiao Heda a fool or a clever one.

It seems both foolish and incredibly clever!

Xiao Heda continued, “The Jurchens are barbarians, always fickle and unpredictable. Today they submit to you, tomorrow they rebel; today they befriend you, tomorrow they betray you. The Great Liao is a land of propriety, and has been on good terms with the Great Xia for many years. When have we ever broken our promise? My princess of the Great Liao is also the Empress of the Great Xia. Why do you not stand with the Great Liao, but instead befriend the Jurchens? Isn’t this an act of betrayal and treachery? How can you gain the trust of the world?”

This Xiao Heda was neither stupid nor stupid; in fact, he was very intelligent. Moreover, he was extremely loyal to the Khitan Liao Dynasty.

Not only him, but also Empress Cheng'an, the wife of Li Qianshun, was of this kind!

Historically, when the Liao Dynasty was completely defeated, Empress Cheng'an starved herself to death after seeing that the Dangxiang people would no longer aid the Liao Dynasty.

What did Xiao Heda, who was Princess Cheng'an's bodyguard, do?

He was able to raise an army and rebel within the territory of the Tanguts, plotting to restore the Liao Dynasty of the Khitan!
Of course, Princess Cheng'an did die from her hunger strike. Even after her death, Li Qianshun no longer helped the Khitan. He was now wholeheartedly on good terms with the Jurchens and plotting to seize Song territory.

Xiao Heda's rebellion also ended in failure and death.

Although the Khitan were defeated and perished, there were countless loyal and righteous people among them.

At this moment, Xiao Heda stood before Li Qianshun and Richard, arguing vehemently. Why? Because of loyalty and righteousness! The last vestige of loyalty and righteousness of the Khitan!

Richard frowned slightly as he looked at the agitated Xiao Heda. He exchanged a glance with Li Qianshun and said, “Chief Steward Xiao, these are all expedient measures. How can the Empress of our Great Xia not be a princess of the Great Liao? Aren’t you still leading troops in our Great Xia? How can this be considered a breach of faith? Making friends with the Jurchens is also a feigned tactic, a delaying tactic to prevent being attacked from both sides, and also a strategy to deal with the Song army at hand. You are a smart man, why don’t you understand these things? Only after defeating the Song army can we have the spare strength to help others. If we don’t defeat the Song army, our country will be lost. What else is there to say?”

Richard's move was clearly a delaying tactic, but it was Xiao Heda who was being delayed.

Everything depends on how the situation changes. If the Khitans can really stand up, Xiao Heda will be important, but Princess Cheng'an will be even more important.

If the Khitans cannot stand up again in the future, and are defeated again and again until they are wiped out, what will princesses and envoys matter?

It was also a difficult situation for Li Qianshun and Richard, caught in the middle, having to consider everything.

Xiao Heda was taken aback upon hearing this. He looked around and immediately bowed deeply, saying, "It was my rudeness, my stupidity, my utter stupidity. I am guilty!"

Li Qianshun waved his hand impatiently: "It's alright, it's alright, stop making a fuss here, just go!"

Xiao Heda felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and quickly bowed and said, "Hurry up and leave."

Throughout history, he was repeatedly fooled and misled, until finally, unable to bear it any longer, he rose up in rebellion, thus preserving his reputation as a loyal and righteous Khitan!
Such is the way of the world; the world is cold and indifferent.

Meanwhile, Su Wu had just arrived outside Youzhou City. News of the great victory had already reached him, and all the officials and generals were waiting.

There were also countless documents from the imperial court, all waiting for Su Wu to handle!
(Brothers, actually, I really like Xiao Heda, so I gave him more screen time; he's going to make an appearance soon...)
(End of this chapter)