Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 356 Traitors and villains, may you die a horrible death!

In Tokyo this morning, things were much the same as usual. Before the city gates even opened, countless peddlers and laborers were already waiting outside.

The fruit and vegetable vendors, the peddlers carrying groceries, and those with carts carrying large wooden buckets—they were the ones going into town to collect night soil…

There were also cartloads of firewood, felled from who knows how far outside the city. When they entered the city, every household had to buy some, and the price was really not cheap...

This shows how high the cost of living is in Tokyo.

Recently, some people have been selling some novel items, such as a kind of dark stone that they say is coal, or that it was transported by boat from Jingdong along the canal...

Along with it came another type of stove, called a coal stove, which was nothing special, except that it had a long chimney attached to it...

Recently, there haven't been many people buying these novel items in Tokyo, but some people have actually tried them out and bought some.

The main reason is that coal is really not expensive, and it burns really well.

Whether this thing will become widespread in Tokyo is uncertain, but for now, it's just the beginning...

Once the city gates opened, people filed in, and the streets and alleys became lively. Some coal vendors even started burning their stoves on the street, letting passersby see what was going on...

The coal vendor, carrying only a cartload of coal weighing a few hundred kilograms and a few stoves, was shouting: "Come and take a look! You'll regret it if you don't! This stuff is highly recommended by His Highness the Prince of Yan. It burns much longer and is much cheaper than firewood. It's an essential appliance for boiling water, cooking, and keeping warm in winter!"

"Your Highness Prince Yan? Nonsense! His Highness Prince Yan is fighting the Jurchens in the north. Do you think your trivial matters are worthy of His Highness Prince Yan's praise?"

Passersby found it laughable. Who was the Prince of Yan now? One of the most important figures in the court, would he do such things?

The merchants became excited: "What do you mean? If it weren't for His Highness Prince Yan's strong promotion of this coal and coal stove, would we have come all the way to Tokyo to sell it? You don't know, nowadays in many prefectures and cities in the capital, it's practically a necessity in every household, and even people in the countryside have started using it..."

"Hahaha...Do country bumpkins even have the energy to use your iron stove? That's hilarious!"

"This iron stove isn't expensive on JD.com. Besides, it's not all iron; it's filled with clay, and the inner liner is ceramic... It shouldn't cost much!"

"How much is that?"

"If you buy my coal, I'll give it to you for eighty coins. The main reason is that the chimney requires a lot of iron!"

"You know what, this stove is really well made. What if I didn't buy your coal?"

"My stove is certainly good. It was made in a workshop under the Yanwang Workshop. How could it not be good? But I won't sell the stove without buying coal!"

The merchant also knew that the furnace was not the main thing; a blacksmith or potter could take a look and get the basics right, and there would be plenty of people making them. Coal was the long-term business.

Currently, only the two routes around Jingdong have truly large-scale coal mines under development, with increasingly stable and growing supply...

"Hey! You're not selling the stove, but how much is this charcoal worth?"

"You buy 100 catties of charcoal from me, and I'll sell you the stove for 80 coins! Go back and try it yourself. It burns strong and lasts a long time. If you like it, come back to me to buy more charcoal. It's much more economical than firewood. In less than a month, you'll have saved enough to cover the cost of the stove..."

The vendors were aggressively promoting their wares.

Suddenly a man appeared from the side and shouted, "Don't believe him! This charcoal is poisonous!"

Why would a man come to cause trouble?

In the great cities of the Song Dynasty, there were guilds for everything, even firewood. The firewood around the capital city of Kaifeng was no longer enough to feed more than a million people. The Hebei and Henan regions surrounding Kaifeng had long since lost their forests, leaving only endless plains and fields. Trees and shrubs were used in farmers' kitchens before they could grow up, and the straw from grain crops was one of the most important assets.

In Tokyo, firewood, or to put it more elegantly, is an energy source, and it still has to be imported from other places, otherwise everyone would have to eat cold food.

This is clearly a huge deal, and the main profits are indeed controlled by these guilds. Such gray areas exist in every industry.

The palace had to purchase firewood and charcoal, and many government officials also had their salaries paid for firewood and charcoal, all of which had to be purchased from merchants in guilds.

Those who actually cut firewood from extremely far places and transported it to the capital to sell were a very small minority, and they were often bullied by members of the guild, even subjected to forced buying and selling.

This is especially true in large cities, while remote small towns do not have such guilds or similar organizations.

With the arrival of coal, competitors have truly arrived; how could they not try to disrupt the market?

The vendor was naturally very anxious and hurriedly said, "That's true, but, but! Why does this stove have such a long chimney? As long as the combustion gases are vented out through this chimney, it's fine. Every household in Jingdong and Yidong is using it, and even Yanyun has started using it. Hundreds of thousands of households are using it. It's safe and sound!"

This vendor was actually exaggerating a bit. It was indeed starting to become popular in the Jingdong area, but it was far from being adopted by every household.

"It's really poisonous?" Everyone was naturally shocked.

"Poisonous, poisonous, absolutely poisonous! This thing isn't anything new; people have used it before and say it's poisonous!" The guild member was quick to stir things up.

Enraged, the vendor pressed his head against the newly lit coal stove, pleading with those around him, "Look, look, I'm perfectly fine..."

This action is quite convincing; it's clear that the people on either side are not far away.

Seeing this, the guild leader had no choice but to look around. He walked up to the merchant and said, "We've been waiting for you here for several days. Take your things and come with me to see our guild leader!"

The vendors were somewhat worried and hesitated to move.
"We can't handle you, so leave. If you don't go, you won't be able to sell your wares anymore. We're not so easy to talk to..." Guilds have their own methods, both overt and covert...

The vendor nodded helplessly, "Then please lead the way..."

Expanding into new markets is indeed difficult, and there will inevitably be a tug-of-war and clash between old and new forces. But the advanced will always defeat the backward; it's always a process...

Over there, a boy of eleven or twelve years old was holding up a small newspaper and shouting: "Victory! Victory! Victory for the Prince of Yan! The Jurchens have been utterly defeated! The Jurchens have been utterly defeated! The Prince of Yan has beheaded 17,000 Jurchens, captured tens of thousands of horses, and obtained countless suits of armor and weapons!"

The good news had actually reached the capital long ago, but for some reason, it hadn't generated much of a response.

Perhaps the King of Yan has won too many victories and become numb to them!
Sure enough, those around him were happy and laughed when they heard this, but very few people actually took out a copper coin or two.

Those around him kept saying, "Oh dear, the King of Yan has won again!"

"Yes, the Prince of Yan is invincible! He has always been so!"

"These Jurchens must be killed! Last time they besieged the city, even the emperor was scared away. It was a great humiliation. It would be best to kill them all!"

"Now that the Prince of Yan's army has gone, the Jurchens are definitely not going to be any better!"

Suddenly the boy shouted again: "The King of Yan is about to press his advantage and his army is determined to wipe out the Jurchens. The Jurchens have submitted a petition to become his subjects, and the court has issued an edict to cease hostilities!"

"What? Such a humiliating disgrace, why does the Emperor still want to cease hostilities?"

"Who knows..."

"Perhaps the Jurchens have begged for mercy..."

"Beg for mercy...begging for mercy means we'll stop fighting?"

"Hey kid, here, take a newspaper, let me see..."

"Hurry, hurry, let's take a look together..."

The young man was overjoyed and came forward. The tabloid was really small, not even in multiple print runs, just a tiny sheet, like a roadside flyer.

There are quite a few words on it, arranged neatly. Movable type printing has been around for several decades now, and it has become increasingly sophisticated.

Several people simply gathered around to watch; there were indeed quite a few literate people in Bianjing City.

"It really is true! Heh... They really issued an edict to cease hostilities. The tabloids are right. What kind of barbarians are they? The article says that the Tanguts of the past were just like that. They feared power but did not cherish virtue. That's well said. The Jurchens still have hundreds of thousands of troops, and they are being defeated by His Highness Prince Yan. How can they withdraw their troops now..."

"That's quite true. Now that His Highness the Prince of Yan has integrated the various tribes of the grasslands, if the army withdraws, wouldn't the grasslands be handed over to others? You're absolutely right!"

"Alas... There are treacherous officials in the court! There are treacherous officials in the court! I wonder which treacherous official has so deceived the emperor's mind that he has actually made such a choice!"

"Why can't Master Cheng stop this? Master Cheng is the Prince of Yan's father-in-law..."

"Alas... there are too many treacherous officials, colluding with each other. It is difficult for Minister Cheng to make a difference alone, and he cannot support the whole family from a single tree!"

“That makes sense, it makes sense… In recent years, treacherous officials have run rampant, and the emperor… has been completely fooled by them… What can a mere Prime Minister Cheng do? In the end, the emperor's will has been deceived…”

"Where are the outspoken and courageous ministers like those of Emperor Renzong in the imperial court? When Bao Longtu was in charge of the Censorate, how could he have allowed treacherous officials to run rampant?"

"It's all history now. Our lives are getting worse every day..."

"Recently, quite a few merchants from Jingdong have come here, selling ironware, selling oysters, and even coal... They all boast about how prosperous Jingdong is now... how good life is, praising the Prince of Yan to the skies, but I don't know if it's true or not."

"There are also horses for sale. Nowadays, most of the horses in Tokyo come from Tokyo... They are all excellent foals, and the prices are not high at all, much cheaper than before."

"Sigh...this imperial court, it would be better to replace all the officials..."

"This isn't something we can achieve through our own efforts..."

"Let's go, let's get to work..."

But at this very moment, the Imperial Academy suddenly became extremely lively.

This was also because of this article, and because the author of this article was Qin Hui, the former head of the Imperial Academy, who was also the teacher of these people.

Also, the excitement was organized by someone, and the organizer was none other than Chen Dong.

The article had already stated its contents, so Chen Dong simply raised his arms and shouted: "It's Wang Fu! It must be Wang Fu! We wrote to the Emperor before, saying that this treacherous villain was a villain! Of all the villains who died before, only this one is still favored by the Emperor. He must be a villain who deceives the Emperor's will! In thousands of years of history, when have barbarians ever bowed down and submitted when they were still powerful? When was it not a delaying tactic? How could such a small trick possibly fool anyone? Gentlemen, you are all well-versed in the classics and history. Now is the time to serve the country loyally!"

To be honest, these students from the Imperial Academy at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty were quite a group of figures in history. They were arrested and imprisoned, and were even threatened with beatings and deaths, but they dared to stand up for themselves.

Unfortunately, these students could not save the country from ruin.

The most ironic thing is that... Qin Hui really was their teacher, without a doubt. These students in the Imperial Academy really did listen to Qin Hui's teachings. Of course, not just Qin Hui, but he was a representative figure among them.

However, Qin Hui was also a person who could not truly practice the teachings of Confucianism, and he was a representative figure whose integrity and moral character were completely shattered.

On the contrary, many of his students were resolute.

After Chen Dong finished his long and eloquent speech, the crowd was naturally filled with indignation.

"Let's go, let's submit the petition!"

"Yes, outside Donghua Gate, I'm going there on my mission!"

"How can we let the Jurchen army of hundreds of thousands of men go? Won't they become the Xiongnu and Turks again in the future?"

"Let's go!"

There was really no need for Chen Dong to mobilize them. They were already very familiar with the process and had become accustomed to it. They had already volunteered twice, so it was no big deal. Doing it again was just a piece of cake for them.

They simply walked out of the Imperial Academy, and the numerous doctors, lecturers, and academic officials did not stop them, acting as if they had not seen them at all.

Speaking of the imperial court, today happens to be the day of the court assembly. Who is leading the charge?
It is Qin Hui himself; now that he is truly on this ship, he has no choice but to act.

"Your Majesty, the Jurchen army still numbers over a hundred thousand. According to military intelligence reports from the Privy Council, the genuine Jurchens still number at least thirty to forty thousand fierce warriors, and the vassals outside the Great Wall number in the tens of thousands. Such a powerful enemy is even stronger than the Tanguts of the past. How can we easily fall for their delaying tactics?"

Qin Hui spoke earnestly, but he was also feeling guilty. The Censorate was his territory, but he couldn't actually mobilize many censors to speak on his behalf.

It's not true that all the officials in Bianjing were idiots. Many of them might not be truly intelligent or loyal, but they were full of petty cleverness. There were quite a few people who could see through the tricks of today's events.

The emperor is vying with the Prince of Yan; how can one possibly get involved in such a matter?
However, an imperial censor came forward and said: "Your Majesty, if you indulge us today, it will surely lead to disaster tomorrow. Moreover, the Jurchens and our Great Song have committed a great humiliation and are irreconcilable enemies. If we want to wash away this humiliation, how can we do it with a small victory? Just like Emperor Taizong of Tang made a treaty under the city walls. How can we wash away this humiliation? How can we not capture the Turkic Khan and bring him to Chang'an? Only then can we make a great story for all time!"

The emperor was stunned. The imperial edict to cease hostilities had already been issued, and no one had said anything then. Why was it being said now?
As for Qin Hui, he was nothing but a henchman of the Prince of Yan!
The emperor waved his hand and said, "You do not understand the heart of the emperor. People cannot be killed off. If there are no Jurchens today, there will be others, such as the Shiwei or the Xi people... I treat the world with benevolence and righteousness, just as the Duke of Zhou once spat out his food to welcome the people, and the world turned to me. Naturally, all nations came to pay tribute! The world is at peace!"

Does the emperor truly not understand the principles Qin Hui speaks of? Did he truly not hold a grudge against the Jurchens who besieged the city in the past?

I'm afraid that's not necessarily true...

From the emperor's perspective, these things are actually not a big deal, or rather, they are far less serious than the crisis of the collapse of the nation.

Furthermore, the Song Dynasty is now a strong and prosperous nation with a vast territory spanning thousands of miles. It has already reached the level of the Han and Tang dynasties. Even if the Jurchens were to rise again in the future, or even if their power were to grow stronger, how could the Han and Tang dynasties have ever been unable to defeat the barbarians?
How could the mighty Song Dynasty possibly be unable to defeat the barbarians?
The emperor was mistaken, having heard it from many people in the past, including Su Wu, who always compared the Song Dynasty to the Han and Tang Dynasties. Everyone said so, how could the emperor not take it seriously?

Qin Hui was about to speak again, but Wang Fu beat him to it: "You all need not say more about this matter. The Emperor's word is of the highest value. The imperial edict to cease hostilities has already been sent. The Jurchen envoy is still in the capital. How can the order be changed so easily? If this is the case, how can we gain the trust of the world in the future? How can we still be considered a superior nation?"

"Lord Wang's words are utterly wrong! When the world is at peace, we should act with benevolence and righteousness; when the world is in chaos, we should take swift and decisive action. If we do not seize the opportunity to deal with the Jurchen threat now, the trouble will be even greater than that of the Dangxiang in the future!" These were Liu Yanqing's words. He had to speak up. If no one else had spoken, he would not have said anything, but since someone had already spoken, it wouldn't hurt for him to say something factual.

The emperor glanced at Liu Yanqing again, thinking, "Just another follower of Su Wu!"
Cheng Wanli, however, frowned deeply, glancing back at the crowd and then at the Emperor, still calculating in his mind.

The emperor said, "This matter ends here. There is no need to discuss it further. You should all refrain from further discussion!"

Qin Hui was also helpless. He was looking at Cheng Wanli, who was still hesitating and struggling with his decision.

However, Cheng Wanli seemed to know that even if he said something, he couldn't change the emperor's decision.

Cheng Wanli remained silent...

Qin Hui shook his head and looked towards the entrance of the main hall... They should be here by now, right? This court assembly was originally for discussing other important matters first, followed by casual memorials. It was almost time for the assembly to end; they should be here soon.

Sure enough, a eunuch rushed into the main hall and reported, "Your Majesty, there are more students gathered outside the Donghua Gate, saying they want to submit a petition to the emperor..."

The emperor was in a foul mood and impatiently retorted, "What kind of petition are you submitting? What kind of request are you making?"

"It's about... whether to withdraw the troops or not..." the eunuch replied.

The Emperor immediately stood up: "Outrageous! At such a young age, instead of studying diligently, he has been misled and started spouting nonsense. Get him out of here! Order the Imperial City Guard to remove him!"

Why is the emperor so angry?
Even if the emperor knew, no matter what, the students of the Imperial Academy could not be said to be Su Wu's cronies, which was infuriating.

Upon hearing this, Wang Fu became somewhat anxious and quickly said, "Your Majesty, you mustn't do that. It would be unseemly. Let me go and explain to them that they may have been misled and deceived!"

They really can't rush them; they definitely can't be driven away. If the Imperial City Guard has no other choice, they'll probably have to drag and escort them, which would make the scene ugly, and they might even kick and beat them...

Is that something you can fight?

If this were to happen, wouldn't it cause an uproar and indignation among scholars?
"Hmm! Court adjourned!" The emperor simply waved his sleeve and turned to leave, knowing that it was best for the students not to resort to violence.

Wang Fu hurried towards Donghua Gate. There were actually not many people outside Donghua Gate, only about a hundred.

Wang Fu, dressed in a purple official robe, came out and simply raised his hand, and everyone quieted down.

Wang Fu spoke up: "You people are still young and unaware of the complexities of the matter. The Emperor will not blame you. Now, leave..."

Chen Dong was the first to speak, pointing at Wang Fu and exclaiming, "This thief! This thief is Wang Fu, a great traitor to the nation and its people!"

Since most people genuinely didn't know what Wang Fu looked like, upon hearing this...

He just kept shouting throughout the arena: "Traitor! Scoundrel!"

"Traitor to the country! Traitor!"

Wang Fu was also anxious and asked immediately, "What are your names? Men, write them down one by one, and see if they still want to serve as officials in the court in the future!"

These words are truly frightening; they can ruin a person's future with a single sentence.

Indeed, fear was immediately visible on the faces of many students...

But Chen Dong shouted: "I am Chen Dong. I am neither from a noble family nor a member of the imperial family. I will serve my country today. Why should I care about personal interests? Evil has never prevailed over good. If I am afraid of you, a traitor and villain, how can I face my classmates today? How can I face the court and serve as an official in the future?"

Immediately someone else spoke up: "How could I be afraid of you? You are a smooth talker, a sycophant who bewitches the emperor, a treacherous villain who has risen eight ranks beyond recognition. My name is Qian Yan, and my family has been dukes for generations. We are dukes of iron. How could I be afraid of you! You traitor to the country, you must be killed to appease public anger!"

These two words immediately reignited the tension.

"Traitors and villains, may you die a horrible death!"

"Don't die!"

"It's not a pity to die!"

"I have no knife in my hand today, but if I did, I would have killed you, you traitor!"

For a moment, how could Wang Fu possibly withstand the attack? He hurriedly took a step back, with soldiers guarding the Donghua Gate protecting him on either side...

Only then did Wang Fu speak again: "You people are definitely being misled without realizing it. This is not loyalty; you are ruining the country!"

The tone was very kind and earnest; it was no longer a threat.

"I think you're the one who's ruining the country, a traitor! You're going to pay with your life!"

The more Wang Fu retreated, the more the hot-blooded youths pressed forward. Whether they dared to kill or not was secondary; their very demeanor suggested they wanted to kill him on the spot. If it weren't for the soldiers stopping them, they would have at least given Wang Fu a good beating to vent their anger.

What is Wang Fu anyway? Compared to many true Tokyoites, he's nothing!
Wang Fu retreated repeatedly, quickly retreating into the Donghua Gate. What should he do?
Just hurry up and report to the Emperor...

They were just waiting to explain the situation to the Emperor.

The emperor glanced sideways at Wang Fu, and there was really nothing he could say. Ever since Wang Fu was promoted eight ranks, it seemed that he had never been able to do anything to the emperor's satisfaction...

Can't even handle this small matter?
Unfortunately, it seems there's truly no one available now...

The more this happened, the more anxious the emperor became, as if the court was about to spiral out of his control—a feeling he had never experienced before…

How could one not be anxious and impatient?
The emperor asked sternly, "Then what should we do?"

Wang Fu was taken aback by the question. Yes, what should he do?

"How about we have the Imperial City Guard send them away..." Wang Fu said nervously.

"Hmph! Liu Yanqing is absolutely right. It has always been this way. When there is chaos, there must be swift and decisive measures! Which of those great emperors of the past, those famous rulers in history books, didn't do the same?"

The emperor continued, saying to himself, "It is this great Song Dynasty, this Zhao family, that has been far too good to the scholar-officials, better than could be."

These ignorant scholars were easily deceived and misled, which shows how cunning Su Wu was...

Wang Fu was still asking, "Your Majesty..."

"Go, order the Imperial City Guard to expel them!" The Emperor waved his hand, feeling that it was time to use swift and decisive measures. Nothing else mattered; this was a struggle for the world and the nation, how could he hold back?
At this very moment, things are extremely dangerous!
Wang Fu rushed out to do it. When the soldiers from the Imperial City Guard arrived, it was no use trying to persuade or coax him. He was also subjected to a barrage of insults from the scholars. This group of lowly people could only endure it helplessly.

But the emperor was waiting for the result, and only asked who was in charge of the Imperial City Guard? It was Prince Yun, Zhao Kai.

It was Zhao Kai, the one who passed the imperial examination with top honors. He held this official position for nearly ten years.

As fate would have it, Zhao Kai had his own ambitions to compete for the crown prince and the throne. Even Emperor Zhao Ji had given him hints in the past. But unexpectedly, with the Jurchen siege, the crown prince became Zhao Huan.

Then let's stop thinking about it and just live honestly, hoping for a peaceful end.

And to everyone's surprise, lo and behold... the retired emperor was able to be restored to the throne, and Zhao Huan was no longer able to rule...

that……

Zhao Kai stood at the gates of the imperial city, glancing back at the various palaces within. He knew he had to accomplish this task today, but alas… he couldn't…

Zhao Kai was a more proper scholar than Zhao Ji, having achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations. He was incredibly well-read, and he couldn't bring himself to actually lay a hand on a student of the Imperial Academy...

But Wang Fu urged from the side, "Your Highness, it's too noisy here. If the Emperor hears this, he'll probably be even angrier..."

“Sigh… how can we be violent towards the imperial students…” Zhao Kai shook his head.

Sure enough, Wang Fu had a solution. His mind raced, and he uttered a single sentence: "These are turbulent times, not peaceful years. Not long ago, the Jurchens besieged the city. Now, the Emperor's mind has changed. The future emperor will likely not be a ruler who maintains the status quo, but rather someone who is ambitious and enterprising..."

"Is this really true?" Zhao Kai asked Wang Fu.

In the past, when the emperor wanted to replace his heir Zhao Huan with Zhao Kai, it was Wang Fu who was making a lot of noise and testing the waters.

Therefore, Zhao Kai truly felt some gratitude and trust towards Wang Fu...

"Alas... Your Highness may not know this yet, but Prince Kang has already ingratiated himself with Prince Yan, and Prince Yan has already spoken to His Majesty on his behalf!"

Upon hearing Wang Fu's words, Zhao Kai's expression changed, filled with hesitation, inner turmoil, and unease.

Logically speaking, who is Zhao Gou anyway? It would have been Zhao Gou's turn if it were anyone else's turn...

But thinking back now, Zhao Gou, who sacrificed himself to leave the city as a hostage, was praised by everyone for his courage. Moreover, he was also skilled in martial arts in his spare time...

Thinking back to Wang Fu's words today...

Zhao Kai hesitated for a long time, then turned his back, waved his hand slightly, and whispered, "Drag him away, shoo him away!"

These words were enough to ignite the anger within the soldiers of the Imperial City Guard.

Chen Dong was already running away with his head in his hands, dodging left and right, but he couldn't escape the soldiers dragging and pulling him.

All that could be heard was Chen Dong shouting, "Tomorrow, we will come again tomorrow! How can the hearts of the people be covered up by traitors and villains? Tomorrow, thousands upon thousands of people will come, let's see how you drag them away!"

Chen Dong was dragged away, and when he came back tomorrow, it would certainly be a different story.

Qin Hui had already left the palace and was sitting in a carriage some distance away. He rolled down the window and said, "Let's go to the Imperial Academy!"

Qin Hui also knew that this matter was not something that could be resolved overnight or last long; it would require further development...

(Brothers, seven thousand!)

(End of this chapter)