Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 352 Your Majesty, I never imagined... I never imagined that I could command such a large following.

"Yes, if the Jurchen envoys come to the capital to submit their submission, and the imperial edicts to cease hostilities come one after another, and we still do not withdraw our troops, I'm afraid the whole world will be in uproar..."

Su Wu also said so, but then went to see Wu Yong.

Wu Yong thought for a moment, then spoke up again: "Your Majesty, why not send a fast horse to intercept and kill that Jurchen envoy?"

Su Wu waved his hand: "I'm afraid it's too late. How could the Jurchen envoys not have thought of this? Once they are allowed to go south to the capital, they will probably rush there day and night."

“Yes, even if they don’t rush day and night, they’re already so late, I’m afraid they won’t be able to catch up!” Wu Yong shook his head.

But Wu Yong then said, "Then... Your Majesty, would you like to..."

He seemed to want to say something but held back, as if waiting for Su Wu to give him some kind of answer...

Su Wu simply continued, "Speak..."

Wu Yong immediately spoke up: "Then let's not worry about all that. Let's just follow our plan. Who cares about imperial edicts? A general in the field may disobey the emperor's orders. The emperor is in Bianjing, he can't interfere here..."

"Hmph..." Su Wu smiled slightly.

"Your Majesty, the generals in the army are all seasoned veterans. How could they not know the advantages and disadvantages of the current battle? As long as Your Majesty does not retreat, the many generals will naturally support you!"

Wu Yong was absolutely certain about this.

"Wouldn't that make me a rebellious subject without a ruler or father? What would the world think of me?"

Su Wu's question was not out of genuine concern, but rather a desire to gather collective wisdom and devise some solutions.

Wu Yong fell into deep thought again...

Su Wu himself was also pondering this, and he knew that the key to resolving this matter lay in public opinion...

Cheng Wanli and Liu Yanqing couldn't handle the emperor...

Wu Song, on the other hand, would be completely useless in such a situation.

Mobilizing public opinion... but there is one person who might actually succeed!
Then Wu Yong spoke up: "Your Majesty, I am truly at a loss for what to do. I have thought of many things, but none of them seem to be effective..."

Su Wu immediately replied, "You pour the water and grind the ink!"

Wu Yong simply did as instructed, pouring water into the inkstone and slowly grinding the ink stick.

Su Wu picked up his brush to lick it, and also spread out the letter paper to slowly write.

Wu Yong, standing to the side, also leaned in to look, and as he slowly read through the pages, surprise appeared on his face.

To whom did Su Wu write? To Qin Hui, the Imperial Censor.

What should be written? First, analyze the affairs of the Jurchens and show them to Qin Hui, then have Qin Hui create momentum for them.

He contacted various parties, from prominent families in eastern Beijing to the Wang family in Tokyo, and even people from the Imperial Academy, as well as Li Gang and others...

Analyzing the Jurchens is not complicated. Once the army retreated, all previous efforts were in vain. The Jurchens' fighting strength remained formidable, and they swept across the grasslands again.

Thus, the Xiongnu and Turks returned, and the Khitan and Liao dynasties came again...

Su Wu won't say much about the publicity stunts; Qin Hui certainly had plenty of methods and connections. His father-in-law's family was in Tokyo, and they weren't ordinary people either.

Su Wu suddenly thought of Li Qingzhao... If Li Qingzhao were to also join the fight, it would be twice as effective.

In the end, it's still the same family...

If this whole family were to start a fight, along with Cheng Wanli and Liu Yanqing, the emperor would be outnumbered and outmatched, and Xu Zhen really wouldn't be able to withstand it.

This letter doesn't need to arrive faster than the Jurchen envoys; as long as it arrives a little later, there will be a lot of commotion in the imperial court in Bianjing (Kaifeng).

They were just waiting for Su Wu to finish writing his letter and for the ink to dry.

Wu Yong then asked, "Why is Your Majesty so certain that the Imperial Censor Qin will spare no effort in working for Your Majesty?"

“Think about it for a moment…” Su Wu asked in return.

Wu Yong still spoke with a puzzled tone: "It seems the King has shown him considerable kindness. He was... the former Imperial Censor appointed and promoted by the deposed Crown Prince. The deposed Crown Prince has lost power, yet he can still hold the position of Imperial Censor. This must be due to the King's kindness! I also think... perhaps the Wang family of Dongjing is involved, as well as that Yi'an Hermit..."

Su Wu nodded immediately: "Indeed!"

Wu Yong suddenly seemed to understand something and said, "Your Majesty, the affairs of the world... truly require scholars. With scholars, everything is easy; without scholars, there will likely be endless chaos, and even require exceptionally bloody methods, resulting in countless deaths and utter destruction. We must earnestly win over scholars..."

After Wu Yong finished speaking, he immediately became nervous and looked at Su Wu with a sense of apprehension.

In the past, if Wu Yong had spoken these so-called...state-planning words, Su Wu would have been furious!
But today, Su Wu was truly not angry. He nodded and said, "Indeed, the ability of scholars lies not in how much skill they possess, but in how they bewitch the hearts of the people. Those who are righteous and loyal are all swayed by the scholars' instigation; it all depends on how well the scholars instigate it..."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yong was overjoyed, knowing that he would soon be qualified to discuss these matters with Su Wu...

What kind of treatment is this? Even the most trusted confidants and close associates receive no better treatment.

From this day forward, it seems that Xu Guanzhong, Zong Ying, and their ilk are far inferior to him!
Su Wu was packing the letters. Once he finished, he said, "Send them to Qin Hui in Tokyo immediately!"

"Understood!" Wu Yong was overjoyed and his movements were extremely swift.

What principle did Su Wu just express?
It's not about how great the scholars are, how much power they have, or how elite the army they can raise.

Rather, it lies with figures like Yue Fei and Han Shizhong, and even with the many powerful families in eastern Shandong who were already tied to Su Wu's ship...

Just like at that moment, public opinion in the world condemned Su Wu as a traitor.

The inner turmoil in Yue Fei's heart, and even the things he might do next, are self-evident.

Even those powerful families in Jingdong who were already tied to Su Wu's ship, not to mention betrayal, couldn't help but feel uneasy and worried about countless things.

But if public opinion were to reverse, and those "great Confucian scholars" were to defend Su Wu and clarify the classics...

People like Yue Fei would also be affected, and even if they had any concerns, they would have ways to console themselves.

Those high-ranking officials from JD.com, naturally, have fewer inner conflicts and will become the backbone of the debate team.

When scholars and officials are facing death or their lives are threatened, the power of their words should not be underestimated.

The world is vast, and although those righteous and loyal people are few in number, if you add up all the prefectures and counties in the world, they are not truly few.

What Su Wu least wanted was for all the scholars and officials in the world to become his enemies, and for the whole world to be filled with curses.

Then those so-called righteous and loyal people, with swords drawn, actually rose up to serve the king.

Su Wu had to slaughter until there were mountains of corpses and seas of blood!
Those scholars who only talk the talk are certainly not capable of wielding a sword; who is it that wields one?
In fact, they are the last pillar of this country.

Just like when the Jurchens occupied the Central Plains in history, although there were many Song people who surrendered, there were also many soldiers who rose up in rebellion in the Central Plains!

Historical records, though mostly brief and easily overlooked, are actually quite moving when you read them carefully…

As mentioned earlier, even Xin Qiji's father, a scholar, rose up in rebellion in Shandong.

It is said that Zhao Kuangyin's Chenqiao Mutiny and the donning of the yellow robe brought immediate peace to the world. But that is far from the truth. At the beginning of the Song Dynasty, the situation was the same, with many righteous men rising up in rebellion.

In Sichuan, for example, the situation was extremely chaotic, with mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

To what extent did the Song people become wary of military figures? They even lost a large part of the nation's backbone.

Does Su Wu have to be so wary of martial artists from now on?
The claim that Wang Mang usurped the Han throne is almost the most textbook example of a usurpation. It was only when the Liu family's righteous cause was established and public opinion shifted that people believed Liu Xiu was the chosen one who could summon meteorites. So how could he defeat Wang Mang's hundreds of thousands of troops with a small, disorganized army?

There was an element of jest in that. Liu Xiu's rise to power was due to the strong support of the powerful families and clans in the Central Plains. This was the prevailing public opinion, and this was what was called righteousness.

Did Sima usurp the Wei throne and then everything would be fine? The world immediately descended into chaos, and great turmoil was not far off.

It is also said that Cao Cao did not take the throne during his lifetime. Why? Was it because Cao Cao still had feelings for the Han Dynasty? Was he loyal and righteous?

Could it not also be to avoid what Su Wu is currently facing?

Were Xun Yu and his ilk ministers of Han or Cao Wei? Did the hearts of the people belong to Han or Cao Wei? How could Shu Han, a small country with a small population, so frequently launch northern expeditions?
We must also talk about the Manchu Qing dynasty. Whenever the Manchus were not legitimate, how ruthless were their swords after they entered the Central Plains? Scholars and officials debated the classics extensively, but how few times did the world descend into chaos?

Every emperor of the Qing Dynasty lived in constant fear, as uprisings were rampant in the early years of the dynasty.

The Rebellion of the Three Feudatories is actually the same principle. If you really understand Wu Sangui's Northern Expedition, from the result it seems that Wu Sangui did nothing. But in fact, at that time, if you really look at the historical records, Wu Sangui's offensive was extremely fierce, and at one point he really had a chance of success.

Was the situation at the time really as simple as depicted in TV dramas? It frightened so much that countless officials in the Qing Dynasty sought peace.

Why did literary inquisitions exist? It was because people were terrified, always on edge, seeing threats everywhere. There were even various religious groups like the Heaven and Earth Society and the Red Flower Society causing trouble, which never stopped. Who wasn't trying to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming?
Throughout the entire Qing Dynasty, preventing the Han people from entering the country was of paramount importance, and this importance remained unchanged even after many generations.

These things, when placed in the grand scheme of history, seem insignificant. It's often said that once a nation is established, everything is settled and the world is at peace. But in the context of the time, they were incredibly troublesome, causing daily headaches and constant problems.

Su Wu's current actions are mostly aimed at avoiding these things. Debating the classics is about public opinion, and someone needs to influence public opinion...

The Song Dynasty has developed to its present state, with significant advancements in population, economy, metallurgy, handicrafts, commerce, agriculture...

Su Wu didn't want to leave the place in ruins and then wait for two or three generations to rebuild it...

Su Wu was even less willing to wield the butcher's knife against the true backbone of this nation.

Do we really have to fight Yue Fei to the death?
Where is the legitimacy in everything Su Wu did?
Or perhaps we should try to deceive Yue Fei?

For a man like Yue Fei to die in that way, what kind of spiritual and spiritual power did he possess?
Can someone who has been called blindly loyal for thousands of years be fooled by a few words?
If Yue Fei were truly someone who could be easily fooled with a few words, then the Chinese nation and country would not be able to truly stand at the top among the nations of the world.

Su Wu was very clear-headed!

This is also talking about a very fundamental issue: why did Yue Fei try so hard to make Su Wu worry about him?
Why was Qin Hui able to be directly used by Su Wu? Wasn't Su Wu worried about Qin Hui?
Yue Fei and Qin Hui were actually two sides of the same coin in the Song Dynasty!
On one hand, there are things Su Wu needs to consider, take into account, and be wary of...

On one hand, Su Wu believed that he could resolve the issue simply by having force, influence, and strength...

Of course, there are ways to solve everything with force, influence, and strength. Just say "no" to anyone you encounter, and you'll be slashing them with your sword.

But this was a last resort, a desperate measure taken out of desperation.

If there were any other methods, Su Wu would try them all to minimize future problems. Upon further thought, Su Wu considered the current battle situation: how to contact Yelü Yudu was the key to breaking the deadlock…

But outside the door, King Morgen of the Shiwei was requesting an audience.

Su Wu summoned him to an audience.

Morgen was overjoyed. After paying his respects, he immediately said, "Your Majesty, I never imagined... I never imagined that I could command such a large following."

This is showing off achievements.

Su Wu played along: "Oh? What do you mean? It's...about the Khitans?"

The King of Shiwei nodded repeatedly: "Indeed, indeed, Your Majesty is wise. Didn't I send someone to summon the Khitans for reinforcements? Not long after my men were sent, just two or three hundred li to the north, on the edge of the grasslands, they encountered a Khitan tribe. As soon as the messenger explained the situation, the Khitan tribe was filled with righteous indignation. The able-bodied men took up their weapons and were ready to come at any moment..."

Su Wu was also pleasantly surprised and asked, "Have they arrived?"

The King of Shiwei nodded repeatedly: "They've arrived! The messenger sent a fast rider to report this first. I'm afraid it might cause misunderstanding among the scouts in Your Majesty's army. Please order Your Majesty to send someone to welcome them. They'll be here very quickly, probably arriving tomorrow!"

"How many have come?" Su Wu really didn't expect that this matter, which he hadn't taken too seriously at first, would be so effective so quickly.

How could these Khitans not hate the Jurchens? Su Wu and the Khitans actually had no real enmity. According to the principles of righteousness and honor, Su Wu, a Song man, was indeed a brother of the Khitans.

The alliance between Liao and Song has withstood the test of a century! A hundred years without war, several generations have passed, isn't that an unbreakable bond!
Furthermore, the Shiwei King, a son-in-law of the Khitan, was also the best brotherly nation of the Khitan people.

The idea that one can command a large following is actually somewhat reasonable.

“At least seven or eight hundred have come!” King Shiwei said, glancing at Su Wu. Fearing Su Wu might think it was too few, he added, “The tribe leaders and elders also said… said they would definitely do their utmost in this matter and would personally go to other Khitan tribes to persuade and recruit them, and spread the news throughout the surrounding Khitan tribes!”

"Excellent!" Su Wu had already stood up, his heart filled with excitement. His excitement was not because of the number of Khitans who had come to help.

But...

It seems that after contacting Yelü Yudu, a solution has been found...

At least we have a lead.

If we can devise a plan, we should do so by targeting the Khitans.

If the Khitans were willing to serve Su Wu, how could there not be Khitans willing to surrender to Yelü Yudu for wealth and glory?

The people here, or rather the Khitans here, are really hard to impersonate. You can tell the real from the fake just by looking at their mouth, their voice, their appearance, their demeanor, and even just by smelling their body.

Therefore, no matter how capable those in Su Wu's army were, they would find it difficult to see Yelü Yudu under the extremely strict control of the Jin people.

But it was perfectly reasonable for the Khitans, who came from the mountains and forests, to submit to Yelü Yudu in exchange for a life of wealth and stability.

So... it seems that as long as someone is selected from among the Khitans to contact Yelü Yudu, it won't be difficult...

This person's status cannot be too high, otherwise the Jurchens will be wary. He must be a genuine, ordinary Khitan commoner from the mountains and forests.

This person also needs to be intelligent... and his status can't be too low; he needs to have a group of Khitans who listen to him...

It must have been a common occurrence for many Khitans who couldn't survive to seek refuge with Yelü Yudu...

Su Wu glanced at the delighted King Shiwei. It was time to tell King Shiwei everything. King Shiwei played a very important role in this matter, and he needed to help him.

"King Morgen, I want to discuss a secret matter with you..." After Su Wu had a clear idea of ​​what to do, he was ready to get started.

The King of Shiwei bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty's command is hereby given!"

"Alright, come with me, let's find a secluded place!" Su Wu stood up and walked outside!
The King of Shiwei followed behind.

The two went to have a private talk...

……

Meanwhile, in Datong, the imperial edict from Tokyo arrived a beat later than expected, taking eight days to reach the capital. However, this was after the fast riders had traveled day and night for a round trip, plus the time it took for the emperor to make a decision.

This matter can be decided easily in Tokyo. No matter who it is, whether it's Cheng Wanli or Liu Yanqing, there's no reason to refuse the Jurchens' petition to submit.

Throughout history, there have been few instances where such a thing was not permitted. Moreover, it was not a matter of directly deciding whether to grant or deny permission; it was simply a matter of allowing envoys to enter the capital, so there was even less reason for discussion or argument.

Upon receiving the imperial edict, Zhang Xiaochun was overjoyed and immediately summoned Wang Fu, who also came.

Zhang Xiaochun simply told Wang Bing, "Quickly prepare fast cavalry to escort the delegation into the capital. There must be no mistakes."

Wang Bing turned around and went to work. He was more happy than worried. Although he had thought it might be a delaying tactic by the Jurchens, he didn't care. He just sent the delegation to the capital and sent a message to the Prince of Yan. The Prince of Yan would make his own judgment.

Once the Prince of Yan returns with his verdict, it will still be time to determine whether it is true or false.

This is Wang Bing's perspective on the matter, which is limited by his viewpoint. However, there is another urgent matter at hand: His Highness Prince Yan should return safely with his army as soon as possible. Under no circumstances should Wang Fu's plan succeed, and a situation of internal strife must be avoided.

No matter what, we cannot actually go to war with the tens of thousands of elite cavalry of the Song Dynasty. If we cannot avoid it, it will truly be a crisis that threatens the very survival of our nation!
Only Wang Fu remained worried upon seeing this imperial edict.

But then Zhang Xiaochun took out something: "Prime Minister Wang, here is a letter His Majesty wrote to you. Take it and take a look!"

Wang Fu quickly took it, first examining the sealing wax and seal on the outside of the letter, then looking at the entire letter repeatedly before trying to decipher its meaning.

They were also afraid that someone might have seen it beforehand.

Zhang Xiaochun also saw Wang Fu's actions and scoffed inwardly. What kind of person did Wang Fu take him, Zhang Xiaochun, for?
How could one dare to secretly peek into the emperor's handwritten letters?

Wang Fu was reading the letter, sometimes frowning, sometimes relaxing...

One moment he's holding his breath and concentrating, the next he's letting his guard down.

The content was quite long, clearly explaining one thing: the petition to surrender had many advantages and disadvantages, but the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages.

There are only a few things. The first is to submit a memorial to surrender. This is an achievement of the Song Emperor!

Secondly, with peace reigning throughout the land and no more wars, the people naturally yearn for safety, and the soldiers long to return home.

In other words, in the military, people can go back to where they are, and there is no longer a need to gather troops in one place and concentrate them under one person's command.

If such a powerful army can be dispersed, Su Wu will no longer have as many resources to rely on.

The forces available to counter Su Wu in the future actually increased.

Thirdly, it would be a legitimate reason for Su Wu to enter the capital. If Su Wu did not enter the capital, he would be a regional warlord, which would cause an uproar throughout the land, drawing criticism and condemnation from all sides.

If Su Wu were to enter the capital, things would be much easier. Even though Su Wu would still be powerful without his trusted army, in the capital city of Bianjing, no matter how powerful he was, he would still be a subject.

A subject must adhere to the proper conduct of a subject. If he does not, he will inevitably be criticized by censors and the people's hearts will be turned against him!

No matter how powerful Su Wu was, he was only in Yanyun and Jingdong. The emperor's possessions belonged to the entire country and its millions of people.

The officials of the realm were still appointed by the emperor in the palace, and they came from all over the country.

The military generals of the Privy Council were military generals from all over the country, not just those from the capital region.

Given this disparity in power, how could Su Wu possibly compare to the emperor? They were worlds apart.

Upon reading the letter, Wang Fu felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders, and he thought to himself, "The Emperor is wise and sagacious!"
Then, with delight, he looked at Zhang Xiaochun and said with a smile, "Minister Zhang is truly a pillar of the nation!"

Zhang Xiaochun was taken aback, wondering what had gotten into Wang Fu, but he still politely replied, "It's all part of my duty!"

"Then let's escort the delegation off as soon as possible, shall we?" Wang Fu asked.

“Of course!” Zhang Xiaochun nodded, but a sense of unease crept into his mind. Could it be that Wang Fu had designs on the delegation?

Privately, I need to remind Wang Bing again to make sure that the people he sends are well protected and that more people are sent.

Xu also privately instructed the Jurchen envoy, the one who could speak and write Chinese characters, named Wanyan Xiyin.

Be careful of Wang Fu on the road; he may be harboring evil intentions.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xiaochun said without hesitation, "Then Minister Wang should hurry up and make preparations, we might really set off in a little while!"

Get Wang Fu away quickly, so that we can meet Wanyan Xiyin.

Wang Fu nodded and went.

Zhang Xiaochun immediately sent someone to summon Wanyan Xiyin.

At this moment, Wanyan Xiyin's gaze was truly reserved, his posture humble, and even his temperament exuded a great deal of modesty and gentleness.

It's as if he's a completely different person from the Wanyan Xiyin on the battlefield.

This is where Wanyan Xiyin's brilliance lies.

Zhang Xiaochun's words shocked and frightened Wanyan Xiyin, who asked, "Prime Minister Zhang, this Prime Minister Wang has been with us the whole way, and we're within the territory of the Song Dynasty. How can I possibly guard against him?"

Zhang Xiaochun simply said, "It's alright. The guards around you are all trustworthy and will definitely ensure your safety. As for your journey... um... you should hurry, lest something unexpected happens. That Wang Fu is a weakling who can't even kill a chicken. You are all used to riding horses, so just gallop as fast as you can. The guards can keep up, but Wang Fu might not be able to. Besides, if he really has any evil intentions, he will probably contact someone else to do them. As long as you go fast, he won't have time to catch up..."

Startled, Wanyan Xiyin nodded: "Oh, that's good. Thank you, Minister Zhang. You are truly a loyal and righteous minister of the Song Dynasty!"

Zhang Xiaochun waved his hand and left: "I only hope that after this memorial is submitted, you Jurchens will live in peace and not cause any more trouble!"

"That's for sure. This defeat has made us realize the might of the Celestial Empire's army, and also that we are but a small country with a few hundred thousand people. How can we compete with a country of tens of millions? We were truly wrong in the past. This time, we should apologize to the Emperor in person and ask for his forgiveness!"

How could Wanyan Xiyin not do this humiliating and heavy task well?
“Excellent, excellent…” Zhang Xiaochun sighed with emotion, for he had actually witnessed this day. The Tanguts were destroyed, the Khitans were wiped out, and the Jurchens bowed down.

The Great Song Dynasty, the rightfully sovereign and superior nation!

"Go, get ready, we're leaving today!" Zhang Xiaochun waved his hand and left.

"I bow again and thank you again!" Wanyan Xiyin said with utmost respect.

(Brothers, some people say my thinking is unclear, but I want to say that my thinking is very clear. The plot that follows is very clear... The development of this plot is bound to be that Su Wu has to face the same situation that Yue Fei faced. At this time, the Song Dynasty should have such a "Yue Fei story" to perish.)
(End of this chapter)