Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 289 Conquering the Song Dynasty! Conquering the Song Dynasty!
Yan Yun has finally finished his busy work. All the officials have been appointed, and the power struggle among the various forces in the court has reached a balance.

The most important among them was the Pacification Commissioner of Yanshan and the Prefect of Yanjing, whose name was Wang Anzhong. He was formerly a Hanlin Academy Academician and later promoted to Hanlin Academy Academician-in-Chief.

This person is actually quite famous in the literary world and can be considered a well-known lyricist of his time. He also comes from an excellent family and was a scholar of the Su School. He truly studied under Su Shi in his early years and is now forty-eight or forty-nine years old.

Wang Anzhong's acquisition of this position was a political victory for Wang Fu at that time. In other words, Wang Anzhong was recommended by Wang Fu and could even be considered part of Wang Fu's faction.

Wang Fu had no faction before, but after being promoted eight ranks, he worked hard to cultivate one, and finally achieved some success. This success was Wang Anzhong. Wang Fu worked very hard in front of him, and his merits and efforts were considerable. The emperor also took some care of him.

Thus, Wang Fu also gained a sphere of influence in the region, namely Yanjing.

If Wang Anzhong performs well, he will be promoted, and then promoted to the capital, Tokyo. Wouldn't that be a great help to Wang Fu in the court?
Tan Zhen was thus promoted to the position of Pacification Commissioner of Hebei and Hedong, in charge of the defense of the northern region of the Song Dynasty. He was stationed in Yanjing.

There was also a man in the old Liao Kingdom named Zhang Jue, who passed the imperial examination in Liao and was originally the deputy military governor of Liaoxing Army. After his defeat, he surrendered to Jin and was granted the title of military governor of Linhai and prefect of Pingzhou by the Jin people.

Recently, the Jin state directly regarded Pingzhou as its Nanjing, and Zhang Jue naturally became the Jin state's Nanjing garrison commander.

Zhang Jue, however, was not content with his lot. Recently, he has been frequently sending people across the border to Yanjing, carrying private letters to Wang Anzhong and Tan Zhen.

Why?
Return to Song!

Zhang Jue intended to return to the Song Dynasty.

Wang Anzhong and Tan Zhen were overjoyed. After discussing it several times, they first appeased Zhang Jue and also secretly sent people across the border to see him. At present, there was no danger on the border, as the Jurchens were busy fighting the Liao people, so crossing the border was not a big deal.

The official report was also sent to Tokyo by fast horse.

Inevitably, the emperor and his ministers came to discuss the matter again.

The main speaker was Wang Fu, who was extremely excited and spoke eloquently before the emperor: "Your Majesty, this is the benevolence of our Great Song Dynasty, a celestial nation. All people under heaven admire the king's rule and cherish their homeland. Zhang Jue and his ilk are also scholars who have received the teachings of sages. In the past, they followed the Liao Dynasty. Although the Liao Dynasty was a foreign country, it was no longer a barbarian state. Now, they are under the Jin Dynasty. Are they the legitimate rulers? The legitimate rulers of the world are in the center, and the hearts of the people of our Great Song Dynasty are here!"

Wang Fu's words were, firstly, his true thoughts, and secondly, they were also meant to establish Wang Anzhong's merits. If this matter were accomplished, wouldn't Wang Anzhong be a great contributor?

With this one incident, how could Wang Anzhong not be in a high position when he came to the capital?

In the future, wouldn't Wang Fu have a great advantage if he said something to the emperor?

If things continue like this, one day Wang Fu will be able to have the same influence as Cai Jing, where a single word will be echoed by everyone present.

Upon hearing this, the emperor looked around and then asked everyone to speak...

Cai Jing remained silent; he only learned of the matter passively, having just found out and still pondering it.

Tong Guan came and said, "Minister Wang, this matter has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are self-evident, but as for the disadvantages... has Minister Wang considered them at all?"

Tong Guan's words were not meant to offend anyone; they were merely a reminder that while the matter was indeed a great thing, it still required careful consideration.

Wang Fu immediately said, "If the Grand Councilor is aware, the problem with this matter is nothing more than the agreement we made with the Jin people beforehand that we cannot recruit each other's people. Look, we didn't recruit them. It was the officials and people of Pingzhou who came on their own initiative. They wanted to become Song people, not us recruiting them... In this way, it does not violate the agreement we made beforehand, and the Jin people have nothing to say about it."

Cai Jing finally realized what was going on, but he was also a little conflicted. This matter wasn't bad; expanding territory was ultimately a good thing, but the people who handled it...

Then I asked, "Lord Tan is a military commander in charge of border affairs, so I wonder what he has to say?"

The question was about Tan Zhen's intentions, and this matter naturally involved Tan Zhen as well. As for the people who handled this matter, one was Wang Anzhong, and the other was Tan Zhen.

To be honest, Wang Anzhong was Wang Fu's man, and Tan Zhen was also on good terms with Cai Jing.

Moreover, Tan Zhen has clearly gained power, and the Privy Council will inevitably fall under his sphere of influence in the future. Cai Jing has many concerns, and whether to support or not depends heavily on Tan Zhen's opinion.

Firstly, it's not good to offend Tan Zhen over a trivial matter. Secondly, Tan Zhen still respects Cai Jing and considers him one of their own, not a competitor. Tan Zhen's interests should be protected to some extent.

Wang Fu had been waiting for these words, and immediately replied, "Grand Tutor, Prime Minister Tan is naturally a commander-in-chief in border affairs; how could he not be willing to expand the territory? Prime Minister Tan is very supportive of this matter!"

At this point, Cai Jing had nothing more to say. He, Cai Jing, couldn't possibly enjoy all the benefits of the world by himself. In the past, Tong Guan wanted to enjoy them, and now Tan Zhen and Wang Fu wanted to enjoy them, so he would have to have a taste as well.

But Tong Guan said, "I'm afraid that if we offend the Jurchens now, they will inevitably hold a grudge in the future!"

Wang Fu immediately replied, "How can we hold a grudge over such a trivial matter? Just now, our Great Song Dynasty lent them 200,000 shi of grain. Weren't they grateful? We are allies, and this was not something we actively recruited. It was the people and officials of Pingzhou who wanted to come. We, out of benevolence and righteousness, cannot turn away our own people. This principle is reasonable everywhere! Besides, the Jurchens are currently engaged in war and are also facing internal difficulties. They are too busy to take care of themselves. What's wrong with that?"

That makes sense. Tong Guan thought about it seriously. The Jurchens were indeed still at war and in dire straits. If they really wanted to take advantage of the situation, they would be fools not to.

Tong Guan didn't believe that the Jurchens would actually resort to war over this matter.

They haven't sorted out their internal affairs yet, so they really don't have the ability to cause any more trouble. They should just have to swallow their pride and accept it.

And then I thought about it again, about the Jurchens…

In the long run, the Jurchens may become major enemies of the Song Dynasty in the future, so how could we not take this opportunity to weaken them?
After thinking it over, Tong Guan remained silent...

Then the Emperor said: "Our dynasty is now at the height of its military might. When we go out, hundreds of thousands of troops roam freely, and when we return, millions of people live in peace. Looking back at the records in the history books, we cannot help but think about the Jurchens. Although the Jurchens are weak, with only tens of thousands of soldiers and a population of only a few hundred thousand, the barbarians of the north have always been a great threat to the Central Plains. In the past, we were allies, but that was due to the circumstances. Now, how can the Jurchens be allies of the Great Song?"

With these words from the emperor, the matter was no longer the main issue; the importance of the matter had been elevated to a higher level.

On one hand, it discusses the true nature of the Song and Jin dynasties and its predictions for the future.

On the other hand, frankly speaking, it is unacceptable for a country with a population of less than a million to be an ally of the Song Dynasty.

It is also said that during the Han and Tang dynasties, all nations came to pay tribute, and the emperor was the ruler of all nations.

When have we ever seen the Han dynasty as an ally of Loulan or Kucha?

When have we ever seen the Tang Dynasty as an ally of the Khitan or Tangut?

If the emperor's intention is to replicate the Han and Tang dynasties, then he should also be the ruler of all under heaven. The relationship with the Jurchens should be the same in the future. The Jurchens should come to pay homage and receive investiture. This is what it means for all nations to pay tribute, just like the Han and Tang dynasties.

Otherwise, if history were to continue recording this, future generations would see that the Song Dynasty was an ally of a tiny, insignificant country, which would be extremely unsightly.

Upon hearing this, everyone understood the emperor's meaning, and there was nothing more they could say.

The Emperor continued, "The so-called combination of kindness and severity is what I showed kindness to the Jurchen envoys last time. This time, I will also employ some measures to let the Jurchens know that the Great Song Dynasty has both kindness and severity!"

To put it bluntly, it's a warning, and hopefully the Jurchens will realize it themselves and treat them with the respect due to their subjects when they come again. Then it will be easier to talk to them again, and they won't have to warn them anymore. If they're happy, they might even reward them a few times.

If they don't follow the rules, once this matter with the Tanguts is over, we might really have to teach them a lesson.

With such a mindset, the Song Dynasty is truly at its zenith, and the emperor is indeed showing signs of becoming a great ruler.

It's not a matter of right or wrong; it's just how things should be, how it has always been, and how our ancestors taught us. It's not a question of right or wrong; it's just that things have come to this point, and this is how it should be done. If we don't do it, then future generations will laugh at us.

Whether Emperor Zhao Ji and the officials in the court misjudged their own abilities and strength is another matter.

Wang Fu was overjoyed: "Your Majesty is wise. Then I will write back to Prefect Wang and Minister Tan, saying that the court's intention is to be benevolent and righteous. Since they are not recruited, but rather the officials and people of Pingzhou who admire the king's rule and submit to him, all under heaven is the king's land, and all within the borders are the king's subjects. Therefore, we should treat them with benevolence and righteousness!"

The Emperor was pleased to hear this and nodded, saying, "In this way, we shall surrender our territory and submit to the Emperor. Pingzhou shall be established as Taining Army, and Zhang Jue shall be promoted to Military Governor of Taining Army. Under Zhang Jue, there shall be various official positions. Furthermore, we shall bestow upon them wealth and other gifts to support the officials and the people. This is a benevolent and righteous act!"

"As you command!" Wang Fu bowed deeply, and, having accomplished his mission, immediately set to work.

The entire court was manipulating things, and Su Wu probably anticipated this as well.

Otherwise, why would he have instructed Zhang Shuye, Zong Ze, and others to intensify their efforts in strengthening the defenses of Jingdong City?

It was Su Wu who knew he couldn't influence these major events. Even if Su Wu was there, the Emperor's intentions were crystal clear, so how could Su Wu possibly change them?

How could Su Wu possibly persuade someone like Wang Fu?

If Su Wu truly had the final say, then the only strategy would be to proceed gradually, first honing one's internal strength, and then letting those Jurchens from the mountains enjoy their good life, drink and make merry, have more women, and experience the extravagance of the world beyond the mountains…

Therefore, we should proceed slowly when facing the Jurchens again...

Take the Tangut matter for example. It had to be done slowly, but who in the court or even the emperor would allow him to do it slowly? The imperial edicts urging him to proceed were sent one after another.

At this moment, Su Wu was standing below the city of Shazhou, and all he could see was a yellowish-brown earth. Even Su Wu himself was covered in yellowish-brown earth. The city was not large, and the battle was not difficult.

Su Wu felt utterly exhausted once again; after nearly two thousand miles of riding, he had finally reached his destination…

The soldiers climbed over the wall, killed many men, and then the city gates were opened.

Standing atop the city wall of Shazhou, gazing into the distance, Su Wu saw the thousand-year history of this land and also wondered where the Jade Gate Pass lay.

For countless years, the people of the Central Plains had not seen what the Jade Gate Pass looked like...

It's not time to be sentimental yet. Turn the horse around and head back. We'll leave a garrison in Shazhou, which should be renamed Dunhuang.

Dunhuang sounds nice, but Shazhou sounds not so nice.

On the return journey, they hurried along, but halfway there they encountered the emperor's envoy, Cheng Hao.

The imperial edict sent by the emperor to retrieve Su Wu was also in Cheng Hao's hands.

Su Wu even asked, "Why is it you again?"

Cheng Hao smiled wryly: "This kind of arduous job, with nothing to do but rush around, who would be willing to do it? It's like I just patted my chest and it came to me."

Judging from Cheng Hao's appearance, he was no longer recognizable as a human being due to the dry, cold, and sandy conditions.

Su Wu laughed again: "Not bad, not bad, you can endure such hardship."

Cheng Hao couldn't laugh: "When I came here, I didn't know the journey would be so arduous. I did know I was heading west to catch up with you. The poems of my old friends, with their lines about the lone smoke rising straight in the vast desert and the setting sun over the long river, have all fooled me!"

"Didn't they also say something like, 'Snow fills the bows and swords, why should the Qiang flute lament the willows?'" Su Wu still smiled, naturally very optimistic.

Cheng Hao was far from optimistic. He simply pulled out an imperial edict from the cloth bag on his back, handed it to Su Wu, and said with a worried expression, "Take a look... His Majesty is truly furious this time and wants to change the commander!"

"Change the commander?" Su Wu still smiled, took the imperial edict, removed the sealing wax, glanced at it, rolled it up, stuffed it into his boot, and said, "It's alright!"

Cheng Hao was even more anxious: "How could you... You're really carefree. This is nothing? It concerns the Emperor's trust, it concerns your future. How can it be nothing? If you displease the Emperor, if you lose his favor, if you..."

"What? Are you afraid I'll implicate you?" Su Wu interjected.

Cheng Hao nodded in agreement: "Isn't that right? If you lose power, wouldn't all the respect I've worked so hard to gain in the capital be gone? Wouldn't all my hard-earned power and prestige be wasted again?"

This brother-in-law is really straightforward.

Su Wu laughed and said, "Just because you're willing to come to this Hexi region to do this arduous job for me, you'll never be a drowning dog in this lifetime!"

Cheng Hao really suffered this time. He had just gone from the capital to Youzhou, and then returned from Youzhou. He immediately set off from the capital again and chased after them all the way to Hexi.

Heaven can see that Cheng Hao is able to endure so much hardship.

Those who can endure hardship will have endless hardships to endure; they'll never have a peaceful life.

Cheng Hao retorted, "You can still joke around? I've been so anxious! I haven't dared to sleep much on this journey, I just want to catch up with you as soon as possible. You have to hurry up and head to Xingqing Prefecture, or our whole family will be like drowning dogs!"

"Isn't that what we're doing?" Su Wu comforted him, but this matter wasn't going to happen so quickly. Now that Hexi had fallen, troops needed to be transferred to the Hexi direction so that the Dangxiang people could divide their forces to deal with the situation.

Thus, there are three routes. Let's see how the Tangut cavalry, numbering twenty to thirty thousand, will divide them.

Thus, Su Wu's logistical pressure increased, and he had to recruit laborers from various parts of the Northwest, paying them money!

The pressure is immense. Su Wu is practically going all in this round, and his finances are quickly running out.

They were hoping to recover some losses once they broke through Xingqing Prefecture and the surrounding cities.

After so many years of operation, the Tanguts should have accumulated a considerable fortune. This fortune is not in terms of food, but in terms of gold, silver, copper, and iron. These things cannot be exchanged for much in Western Xia, but if Su Wu can transport them to the Song Dynasty, he will be rolling in money.

Moreover, the Western Xia had another important industry, which was salt production. This had to be controlled, because once the Western Xia became the Song Dynasty, the salt industry would be a continuous source of wealth.

So he went, first returning to Weizhou, and then Cheng Hao went back to Tokyo to report. Su Wu was clearly growing to like Cheng Hao more and more. It wasn't for any other reason than that this brother-in-law had never had a truly good life. He was the kind of man who came from such a family, capable and hardworking, and had the most motivation to strive.

First, they met with Zhong Shidao in Weizhou and divided their troops. Zhong Shidao sent 40,000 troops to Wuwei, with Xin Xingzong as the commander. Xin Xingzong was all smiles and full of energy.

Once upon a time, he also called himself a commander, patting his chest and saying he would fight to the death!
The future looks increasingly promising. People are afraid of not seeing the future, but once they see even a glimpse of it, they automatically transform into nuclear-powered donkeys.

This is also a way of managing people.

He then returned to Youzhou and dispatched 25,000 troops from Youzhou to serve under Zhong Shidao.

Once these matters are arranged and the agreed-upon date is set, the three armies will begin their advance.

Men, soldiers, auxiliary troops, laborers, and chariots—they brought as many as they could.

This advance was merely a probe, so they proceeded cautiously, even bringing along the necessary equipment for setting up camp.

They don't walk more than thirty or fifty li a day. They set up camp whenever there's nothing to do, whenever they see any movement, and they can even stay still for a whole day. That's the way to be steady.

Clearly, taking risks has never been the norm on the battlefield; stability has always been the main theme. As the art of war says, one must first establish an invincible position before seeking ways to win.

This was a preordained plan.

Let's see how the Tanguts respond!

Su Wu, of course, led twelve thousand cavalry, moving back and forth, with scouts running everywhere, to see whether the Dangxiang people would concentrate their forces to attack one route first, or truly launch an attack from all sides.

The Tanguts have very little room for maneuver left!

He has been cultivating the path of cultivation all the way, and if he can travel there in two or three days, he will be only about two hundred miles away from Lingzhou City.

The three armies moved in unison.

Within Xingqing Prefecture, the news brought back by the various scouts caused frowns among all the civil and military officials. Richard, however, remained confident in court, as if victory was assured, thus reassuring everyone.

But in private, in front of Li Qianshun, Richard frowned and said, "Your Majesty, the current situation is truly difficult. I have underestimated Su Wu in the past... Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

Li Qianshun then comforted him, saying, "This is not your fault. Firstly, it is Liangfu's fault for the defeat, and secondly, it is because the Song people are too cunning. They suddenly sent troops from two thousand miles away to Hexi. But it doesn't matter. I still trust you. Now, many able-bodied men have been recruited. Although there are some shortages of soldiers and armor, an army of 150,000 is not a problem. This is the strength of the whole country. You should make good use of it. Some troops are elite, and some troops can only guard the city. Don't confuse them. Life and death are on this. Our ancestors built this foundation, and we should be able to defend it!"

Heartfelt words between the two brothers.

Richard's expression was exceptionally solemn: "Your Majesty, I will leave the city and head to Lingzhou first. The Song army is coming from three directions, which is nothing more than an attempt to throw me into disarray. I will not be thrown into disarray. They only want to reach the walls of Lingzhou safely. Since the strategy of dividing the troops is no longer feasible, let them come. Lingzhou is a fortified city. The Song army has never truly attacked here before. They think that once they reach here, everything will be fine. Let them come to Lingzhou. In this way, the three routes will become one again, and then we will have a decisive battle in the city!"

"Yes, that's acceptable. We can wait for the Song army to tire themselves out. Once their three routes merge into one, and their 25,000 cavalry form a pincer movement, we can still disrupt their supply lines. As long as the fortified cities hold, the Song army will eventually retreat. Then, we can pursue and annihilate them, which will be a great victory!"

Li Qianshun was also a man of great ambition.

Although the situation is going against us, no matter what, a decisive battle will determine the winner.

Just like our ancestor Yuan Hao, who was defeated by the Liao people and lost Xingqing Prefecture, he hid in the Helan Mountains and was able to return.

The Song people want to win, but you're still a long way off.

“Your Majesty, I am leaving!” Richard rose and bowed.

Li Qianshun immediately stood up and took Richard's hand. The two brothers were as close as gold, and when they worked together, their strength was unbreakable.

Send them off, keep sending them off, send them off from afar, with heavy hearts, for the fate of the nation, life and death, rests on this moment.

Su Wu was unaware of the Tanguts' response. He continued to lead his cavalry, moving about as far as the Tanguts could, ready to rush to their aid whenever they sent out troops.

This was also to prevent the Tanguts from quickly advancing on horseback and harassing the logistics and supplies.

So the three armies continued their slow pace, taking their time in this sparsely populated area.

In the city of Tokyo, Ziye was waiting, waiting for news that Su Wu's army had besieged Lingzhou City of Western Xia.

It's true that they won't come if you wait too long, and they won't come if you wait too long.

Logically speaking, the distance is no more than five or six hundred li at the farthest and three or four hundred li at the nearth. It should take no more than eight or nine days at the slowest and five or six days at the fastest. Su Wu still has tens of thousands of cavalry under his command. Those cavalry should be able to see Lingzhou City in three or four days.

The emperor's patience dwindles with each passing moment.

The emperor, already furious, could hardly look pleased. Beneath the Dragon Pavilion, he could no longer play his zither, only uttering, "Procrastination! Still procrastinating! Why is it dragging on like this? What is Su Wu thinking? What month is it? Winter has passed, spring has arrived, and the flowers in Genyue are in full bloom!"

The emperor is increasingly showing the temperament of a so-called powerful ruler.

Tong Guan quickly explained, "Your Majesty, the army has already set out in three routes and is heading towards Lingzhou. Let's wait a little longer; perhaps good news is on the way!"

Cai Jing suddenly turned to look at Zhang Bangchang, who immediately understood that the time was right and spoke up: "Your Majesty, if it were before, I would never have dared to speak so casually. But now that it has happened several times, I have no choice but to say something..."

"Speak!" the emperor said, raising his hand.

“Xu… is truly a coward!” Zhang Bangchang’s tone was actually quite certain.

The emperor also asked, "Why is Su Wu considered a coward in battle?"

The emperor's question still didn't seem to make sense.

Zhang Bangchang immediately said, “Your Majesty, for over eighty years, through several emperors, the campaign against Xia has never truly been successful. Even Su Wu… was worried that he too would not be able to achieve anything, and he was naturally concerned about his reputation. Now that he holds a high position, he is worried that he will not be able to achieve anything, and thus… all his past achievements will be in vain. Therefore, his hesitation is understandable!”

Upon hearing this, Tong Guan's heart skipped a beat.

Sure enough, the emperor frowned...

Cai Jing then added quietly, "Old Zhong has fought against Xia his whole life, and he was even involved in the five-pronged attack on Xia in the past. He must be anxious now, but unfortunately, Scholar Su is the commander, so he has no choice..."

"The imperial edict is crystal clear, how could Su Wu ignore it?" The emperor was angry, angry at his lack of resistance. Su Wu, Su Wu, what are you trying to do?
"Sigh..." Cai Jing sighed, and the sigh was also very important at this time, as it created a certain atmosphere.

Zhang Bangchang also sighed: "Alas...yes, if one truly cherishes their reputation, while it's understandable, it would still be a betrayal of the Emperor's grace...alas...perhaps it's because of youth that one is so preoccupied with gains and losses..."

Those around him sighed repeatedly, and even the emperor sighed, "Alas... gentlemen, what should we do in this situation?"

Cai Jing immediately remarked, "It is still His Majesty's decision that should be made..."

“Yes, it’s up to His Majesty to decide…” Zhang Bangchang echoed.

The emperor frowned and relaxed, then frowned again, and finally made a decision: "Change the commander... replace him with Zhong Shidao as commander and Su Wu as deputy commander. Su Wu is still a brave and fierce general. Just let him fight bravely. As long as the mission is accomplished, he will be rewarded in the future."

Zhang Bangchang then said, "His Majesty has always been kind to people, and this is a helpless move. Zhong Shidao is an old general from the Northwest, and he may be more suitable for this battle."

"Issue the decree!" The emperor nodded.

Tong Guan immediately wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat as he swallowed them back. He couldn't help but feel resentful. Su Wu, Su Wu, you really don't know how to be an official!

I've covered for you countless times in the past when you acted recklessly, but now that you've built your own power base, why are you still like this?

Perhaps you should suffer a bit so you'll know to be more restrained in the future. Fortunately, the emperor is benevolent and won't truly punish you; he'll only let you fight bravely against the enemy, and your merits will be considerable...

In this situation, even Tong Guan was helpless. What could he say? There was nothing more to say. The emperor had made his decision; if he was going to change commanders on the eve of battle, then so be it…

Anyway, the situation is already very good, and Zhong Shidao is a capable leader.

Wang Fu went to work, and an imperial edict was issued to replace the commander!
Who will go and run again?

Cheng Hao was terrified. He rushed back to the army and tried to talk to Su Wu again. He said, "You must do something good and make a contribution. Now that things have come to this, you can make amends for your mistakes by doing good deeds!"

The imperial edict arrived, and the journey continued without pause...

Did Su Wu really care? Or did Su Wu even know?

Perhaps he truly knew the imperial edict to change the commander was coming, but he didn't care...

Is the commander-in-chief of this army simply changed by imperial decree?
In military affairs, big and small, whose orders are actually followed? Can an imperial edict change the course of events?
Whom do the generals respect and whom are they willing to listen to?

From the moment he decided on a sound strategy, Su Wu no longer cared about changing commanders. He just focused on his work, leading his cavalry to ride back and forth, guarding the three armies.

Su Wu was just waiting for the imperial edict to change commanders, and he would inevitably have to gather all his generals to read it aloud.

And ask, isn't Su Shuai pitiful?
Of course, these were all minor matters. Su Wu was also frowning. Several days had passed, and there wasn't a single Tangut soldier in sight.

Things have changed...

The Tanguts are still holed up in their fortified cities, preparing to defend against the enemy.

Su Wu was also plotting and thinking; change was necessary, and change was inevitable.

With the map in mind, the heart of Western Xia was actually a long, winding line, with all the cities built along the left side of the Yellow River's "几"-shaped course.

They are arranged in a north-south direction, following the river channel. This is a natural geographical feature, not something created by human intervention.

Therefore, when the Song army came north, they should have followed the river, attacking city by city from south to north. If they had attacked Xingqing Prefecture, the first city they would have attacked would have been Lingzhou.

It is likely that the Tangut army is currently gathering in Lingzhou, preparing to defend the city and also to engage in a decisive battle.

We need to change our approach...

Su Wu was slowly making plans.

North of Datong, in the Jurchen camp, in the central command tent, a group of military officers gathered, all with dark faces and silent.

They were waiting for the Jin emperor, Wanyan Aguda. Aguda arrived slowly, carried in by others. He sat on a palanquin and was carried to the very front of the main tent.

Seeing this scene, everyone was filled with sorrow. The once invincible hero, who galloped freely on horseback, was now truly on his deathbed, devoid of energy, pale-faced, and with sunken cheeks...

Even his once sharp, hawk-like eyes were now extremely cloudy.

In the past, everyone had witnessed Wanyan Aguda's heroic spirit on horseback, and seeing him now only intensified their sorrow.

Some people were even secretly wiping away tears.

Inside the large tent, the atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive.

Wanyan Aguda raised his hand slightly and waved, but he couldn't even wave his hand properly. He said weakly, "It's alright... How can a person not grow old and die? If I really die, I will be at peace. I still have you all, the Jurchen people, their descendants, endlessly!"

Everyone looked up and saw these words. Their sorrow faded considerably, and a sense of resilience returned to their faces.

Aguda then said, "Is it about Zhang Jue? Let's talk to him nicely first and tell him to back down!"

Wanyan Zongwang then spoke up: "Father, what good words are there to say to this treacherous villain? Just send troops to fight him. We can't go for the time being, so send Uncle from Jinzhou. Just fight and kill him to make an example of others. If we let him go this time, who knows how many people will follow suit in the future!"

"Yes, soldiers must be sent. They will go to Jhamu from Jinzhou. But we must first talk to him properly. Zhang Jue, our Great Jin has been so kind to him, why does he still have such thoughts? Where has our Great Jin wronged him? If we can't reason with him, then we will fight!" Wanyan Aguda said weakly.

"Understood!" Wanyan Zongwang nodded.

"You may discuss the details of this military expedition later. From now on, the decision is in your hands. Wu Qimai, you will preside over the meeting. From now on, you will preside over all the meetings!"

Wanyan Aguda's words were weak, but his gaze swept around, and his seemingly casual words were actually a designation of his successor.

Wanyan Wuqimai was not Aguda's son, but rather Wanyan Aguda's younger brother.

Wanyan Aguda's personal charisma goes without saying, and his thoughtfulness is beyond question.

At the beginning of the founding of the nation, the Liao Dynasty was still struggling to survive. The war had not ended, and the internal affairs were in complete chaos. There were difficulties everywhere, and internal troubles were also arising. For example, Zhang Jue actually rebelled and wanted to return to the Song Dynasty.

And then there's Song, Song, a formidable enemy!
This country has many things to do. First, it must completely destroy the Liao Dynasty of the Khitan. Then, it must stabilize its internal affairs and reach a conclusion with the Song Dynasty. Only when the division with the Song Dynasty is resolved can this country be considered truly and completely established.

In fact, it is still a critical moment, a crucial juncture. At this moment, it is not the time to pass the throne to his son. Only Wanyan Wugumai can control these internal and external affairs.

Only then can this country truly establish itself.

As soon as these words were uttered, everyone present was shocked. Some went to look at Aguda, while others went to Wuqimai to see... They all understood that the new ruler had been decided.

Tears streamed down Wu Qimai's face. He couldn't utter any words of thanks; words of gratitude would have been inappropriate. He simply sobbed uncontrollably...

Aguda raised his hands to the left and right: "Carry me back, I need to rest!"

This was to pass on authority to Wu Qimai, allowing him to smoothly take over this matter, regardless of how much Wu Qimai shed tears, and simply carry him out slowly.

Wu Qimai quickly stood up, but Aguda said, "No need to see me off. You are in charge of important matters. These are turbulent times, so you cannot be negligent!"

Aguda's words were extremely harsh.

Wu Qimai got up, but couldn't move his feet; he just stood there.

How can the success of an individual or a nation be without reason?
Once Aguda is gone, there will inevitably be a period of sorrow within the tent. After the sorrow, the men will still have to do their work, matters of national importance, and matters of rise and fall.

Wanyan Zongwang cursed: "The Song people are so shameless and have broken their alliance! Gentlemen, gentlemen! Our Jurchen people have always valued integrity and trustworthiness, which is why we have achieved what we have today. How can we tolerate such treacherous people as the Song?"

Wanyan Zonghan then stood up and said, "I cannot tolerate this. It is precisely because we lack food and money and our population is dwindling that we have this as an excuse to plunder!"

Young and middle-aged people are naturally extremely radical!
Wu Qimai pressed his arm down: "Calm down, calm down, this matter should be discussed further!"

Wanyan Zongwang bowed respectfully: "Uncle, the Song's elite troops are currently engaged in a major battle with the Tanguts in the west. If we do not act now, once the Tanguts are destroyed, the future will be even more difficult. This southward raid is to teach the treacherous Song people a lesson, to ensure that the Zhang Jue incident never happens again, and to teach the Song people how to treat us. The Song people's bullying of us is a sign of their contempt for us. How can we swallow our anger? If we swallow our anger now, they will only become more aggressive in the future! This has always been the truth, and it has never changed!"

Wu Qimai then said, "His Majesty will not agree to our plans to go south..."

"Now that Uncle is in charge of important matters, why are you so hesitant and indecisive! Just send us to fight, plunder money, grain, and people. Only then can we alleviate the current situation and lay the foundation for the strength of our Great Jin!" Wanyan Zongwang was extremely determined.

For both public and private reasons, the throne has passed to Wu Qimai today, and it should be passed back to him in the future...

Wanyan Zongwang also wanted fame and prestige, and he wanted to be the one everyone hoped for.

It is also evident that the throne and power of the Jin Dynasty, after Wu Qimai, would enter a bloody struggle mode, and the emperor would die an unnatural death.

At this moment, how could Wanyan Zongwang's words be without reason? They had been coveting the money, grain, and manpower of Yan and Yun for quite some time. If they didn't act now, the Jurchens' situation would only become more difficult once the Dangxiang were destroyed.

Wanyan Zonghan himself said, "We should attack Song now. If we don't attack now, we will surely regret it later. Let's go east from Datong, enter Yanyun, and attack Song! Gentlemen, gentlemen!"

Then everyone stood up and shouted, "Attack Song! Attack Song!"

Wu Qimai looked around, unsure of what to think, but sighed repeatedly, "Alas...you all...what should I do? His Majesty does not wish to attack Song. If I agree, I...then...then let's try to fight first, but not really fight, just plunder a little, just plunder a little..."

"Yes, sir!" Wanyan Zongwang was overjoyed.

Looking at the entire stadium, how could they not be eager to get started?
If we're talking about wealth, how poor was the land outside the Great Wall? The Yan-Yun region, on the other hand, was overflowing with oil!

Only Wanyan Zongbi felt incredibly conflicted. They've come, they've finally come…

He knew it was coming, but he never expected it to come so quickly!

So fast that there wasn't even time to react...

Is this the beginning?

Yes, you're all right. If we don't fight now, when will we? Should we wait until the Song's elite army has wiped out the Tanguts before we attack?
attacking Song...

(Brothers, this is tonight's update. I only slept briefly last night, so I quickly wrote it in advance. I'm afraid I won't have time to write more today, but I'll keep updating! I'll come back tomorrow night. I'm still asking for your monthly votes at the end of the month, thank you everyone!)

(End of this chapter)